in all his promises yet nothing is more common then in time of tryall to distrust and feare God will not be as good as his word at least whatsoeuer is said wee feare wee shall perish We need not seeke for proofe hereof which is so recorded in the liues of the most worthy seruants of God who are otherwise highly commended for their faith hee that hath any insight into himselfe may see too much of this in himselfe how ready wee are to call into question Gods truth when God deferreth the helpe we looked for To passe by all others and to see this in the matter we haue in hand from whence is it that so few of those that bee truly humbled in the sight of their miserie who know and desire Christ yea more who haue heard and in generall beleeued the Gospell that it is the glad tydings of saluation that Christ bids al that be heauie laden to come vnto him and hee will ease them what is the cause I say that so few of these doe so laie hold on Gods word as to beleeue and to rest assured of their saluation by Christ I know no better answer then this that when it comes to our selues wee cannot beleeue God will performe his word to vs some thing or other will bee obiected by our vnbeleeuing hearts why we may not beleeue Against all which we haue no other buckler to hold out but Gods truth Psal 31. 5. as Psal 91. 4. His truth shall be thy shield and buckler which is such that hee cannot lie nor deceiue To this end it is that God is called the God of truth Reu. 3. 14. Christ the faithfull and true witnesse Ioh. 14. 17. the holy Ghost the Spirit of truth Ephe. 1. 13. the Gospell the word of truth that when our faithlesse hearts shall stagger and doubt whether that shall bee which God hath spoken we may stay our selues vpon this immoueable rocke God is faithfull 1 Cor. 19. As often it is repeated to strengthen our weake faith This then remaineth for the setling of the heart of the weake in faith That so oft as doubts arise concerning his saluation by Christ whether God so loue him that he hath giuen him his only begotten Sonne that he beleeuing might not perish but haue euerlasting life hee hath no other thing in the world to perswade him but this that God who cannot lie hath said it and therefore he may and ought to beleeue that Christ and all his benefits are his wherein the more to moue him he is to laie before him both what a great sinne it is not to beleeue no lesse then to make God a lyer 1 Iohn 5. 10. as the Apostle John expresly speaketh Ioh. 3. 18. and also what fearefull punishment it procureth euen a certaine and remedilesse condemnation as our Sauiour himselfe denounceth By these and the like considerations is true faith both first begotten and afterwards increased in all those that shall be saued which I haue more fully laid open not only for that it is the most principall matter to bee regarded concerning true sauing faith namely how he that hath it not may attaine to it But also for that it is if not the least knowne and laboured for Many seeke for markes of faith in vaine yet least attained vnto For I haue obserued many very inquisitiue for some markes of faith who neuer so much as knew any thing which might draw them effectually to beleeue And therefore now to end this point concerning the right and orderly way whereby an vnbeleeuer is brought to true and sauing faith my aduise is to all that finde their faith weake and consequently their liues much out of frame that first they take good heed whereupon they build their faith Build faith onely on Gods truth and that only vpon Gods mercy and truth reuealed in the Gospell which neuer changing are a sure foundation and not vpon their owne change which oft is deceitfull and at best variable and indeed is onely an effect and fruit of Faith accordingly shewing the strength and weakenesse of our faith and can by no meanes be made any cause thereof Thus haue we seene both what this faith is whereby the iust doe liue and by what meanes it is attained Now lest any should gather out of the former that any man may by his owne indeuour vsing these meanes attaine to faith I thinke meet to adde this that although it be Gods will and commandement to all to whom hee sendeth his Gospell Faith is not in mans power but wrought by Gods Spirit that they should beleeue receiue Christ offered vnto them and therefore it is the dutie of euery one so to doe and it is their sinne and shall be their condemnation who doe not thus as hath beene said in all respects yet such is the corruption of all man-kinde by Adams fall that not one soule hath either will or power to receiue this grace in Christ offered vnto him Rom. 11. 32. For God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe that he might haue mercy vpon al Act. 13. 48. and so many beleeued as were ordained to eternall life Eph. 2. 8. and Faith is the gift of God Ioh. 6. 44. and none can come to Christ except the Father draw him Which is wisely disposed by God that no man might haue cause to glory in himselfe but that the glory of mans saluation may bee giuen to God From whence it commeth that besides this common fauour of saluation in Christ tendred to all in the Gospell yea besides the common gifts of the Spirit which many receiue who neuer receiued Christ by faith As knowledge both of mans misery the remedy thereof sorrow for the one and desire of the other with such others besides these I say God doth giue his holy Spirit to all that shall be saued who doth inwardly draw and incline their hearts to beleeue Gods free and gracious promises and so thankfully to accept Christ offered vnto them whereby indeed they bee truely made partakers of Christ and all his benefites and thereby bee iustified and sanctified and shall be fully and euerlastingly glorified And thus is a poore sinner by Faith made the childe of God and heire of glorie Now before we proceed to our principall intention to shew how this Iustified man may liue by his faith It shall not be lost labour to shew how this may be knowne of any How it is knowne a man hath this faith that he hath this true faith and how euery true beleeuer may be able to proue that hee doth so this certaine and infallible knowledge in any man that hee hath true faith Riseth ioyntly from the causes effects therof not from either apart as shall bee shewed Vnder the causes I comprehend all that worke of God Causes of faith wherby he worketh faith in any which standeth especially in these three things 1.
free and vndeserued so on the other side there is no sinne which ought to hinder any one from receiuing pardon so freely offered vnto him but rather as the greatnesse of the disease should more hasten the sick to seek to such a physitioÌ„ as can cure al diseases not keep backe such as be called to bee cured 〈◊〉 so no heinousnesse of sinne should driue any from comming to Christ which is able and willing to cure all that come vnto him but rather hasten the poore sinner more speedily to come to Christ and so much the more for that Christ shall haue greater glory in pardoning great offenders and more loue from them beeing pardoned As a Physition shall haue more credit in curing great then small diseases So then the maine thing that must mooue and draw a poore sinner to come to Christ to be eased is the free mercy of God offering Christ without exception to all that beeing laden would bee eased which euery one must apply to himselfe that seeing it hath so pleased God to send these glad tydings to him to call him command and beseech him to receiue this grace offered therefore hee neede not feare but may boldly beleeue and receiue Christ offred to him as wee shall further heare by and by For our further helpe Who promiseth wherein in the third place it shall bee highly needfull well to weigh who it is that maketh this great offer vnto vs miserable sinners euen God himselfe who is both 1. able and 2. willing and 3. as faithfull to performe what hee promiseth all which are so manifest that they need no proofe for the truth of them But wee haue neede oft to set them before vs for our vse to strengthen our faith in making vs more boldly to relye on Christ To this end are specially these testimonies of Gods power mercy and truth so often repeated in 1. Gods power the scriptures that wee might haue them euer before vs to vpholde vs against our doubtings and feares whereof our nature is full for though in generall none will deny but God is Almighty yet it may appeare in al ages not onely the wicked but euen Gods children haue doubted of Gods power as though hee were not able to helpe them as it is euident in Gods people in the wildernesse in their often murmurings through their distrust of Gods power Psal 78. 19. Can God furnish a table in the wildernesse For this cause was the Lord so often constrained to oppose his Almighty power against their distrust As for Sarahs laughing thinking it impossible she should haue a child the Lord saide to Abraham Is any thing hard or impossible to God Gen. 18. 14 And againe to Moses obiecting Whether al the fish in the sea should bee gathered for foode for Israell in the wildernes Num. 11. 23 The Lord answered Is the Lords hand waxed short thou shalt see whether my words shall come to passe or not The like many whereby it appeares to be a great cause of vnbeliefe that looking too much vpon the impossibilities which are apparent to vs and not opposing to them Gods power wee so despaire of helpe as is most sensible to bee seene in poore afflicted consciences whose chiefest feare and doubts are that their sinnes are greater then can be forgiuen and they thinke it an impossibilitie for such as they are to bee saued Who now knowing by Gods owne word that saluation in Christ is freely offered and proclaimed euen to them though neuer so vilde and vnworthy and that by God himselfe Psal 115. 3. 135. 6. who is of all power in heauen and earth to do whatsoeuer he will and to whom nothing is impossible this may bring the afflicted and despairing ner at least thus farre as to say then it may be God will be mercifull vnto mee wherein I doubt not may be found some true faith in apprehending the mercy offered though so weak as caÌ„not be discerned or felt by the beleeuer himselfe and this I should take to be the lowest degree of faith For the further strengthening whereof it shall be much auaileable for all such as yet feele not not their faith Weakest faith and for euery weake beleeuer Goodnesse and mercy of God to cast their eies vpon the wonderfull mercy and goodnesse of God which alone maketh him so loath to cast away any poore sinner and so willing to saue euen his enemies and ranke traytours against his high Maiestie Here if euer is a fitte place for all such scriptures as set out Gods mercy to poore sinners the more to perswade them to beleeue as that of Ezechiel 33 11. where the Lord sweareth by himselfe saying As I liue saith the Lord I haue no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue turne yee turne yee from your euill wayes for why will yee dye oh house of Israel 2. Pet. 3. 9. And to like effect is that of Saint Peter That God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance which scriptures and many the like are not to bee vnderstood of Gods determining will and decree but of his reuealed and approouing will which hee would haue vs to know and beleeue thar thereby wee might bee drawne to rest our selues vpon him for saluation which whosoeuer though neuer so great sinner shall doe he shall not perish but haue euerlasting life This then is that sure foundation of faith whereon all that truely beleeue doe build namely the rich and free mercy of God reuealed in the Gospell whereby all that shall be saued be drawne thankfully to accept this mercy so freely offered to them beeing yet starke dead in their sinnes and voide of all sauing grace and therefore all they who looking into themselues and finding nothing to draw them but all to driue them from hope of life are often and much to set before them this vnspeakeable and vnualuable mercy of Almighty God as in preparing such a remedy for all our misery so in making so free a grant therof in the Gospell to all sinners excepting none And now more specially in â—endring it to them so that they may boldly accept this mercy in Christ offered to them and shall not sinne but please God therin that thereby they may be drawn on in a further degree to beleeue to finde mercy at Gods hands wherunto if one thing be added I see not what can be wanting to make the sinner bold to lay hold vpon Christ with all his merits so freely offred to him by God who is so able and willing to bestow Christ euen vpon his enemies This one thing I meane Gods truth is Gods truth and faithfulnesse in performing with his hand whatsoeuer commeth out of his mouth as Dauid and Solomon oft professed which howsoeuer as before I spake of Gods power it is confessed of all that God is both faithfull and iust
better want them then haue them as health wealth peace and all earthlie blessings yea many common gifts of the Spirit at least the measure of them as excellent wit memorie knowledge of heauenlie things courage liberalitie gentlenesse c. all of these be promised with limitation With limitation so farre as they be good for vs and no further and so farre onely are to bee desired and beleeued Another needfull consideration of Gods promises that wee may better make our vse of them is this that God doth proclame in the Gospell his Sonne Christ and all his benefites generally to all Generall promises offered to all and euery soule to whom the Gospell comes so that euery one who heareth the Gospell ought to beleeue which if he doe not which none can without speciall grace yet this is his sin and shall be his condemnation for wilfull refusing mercie offered And therefore euerie one that will not perish must beleeue that there is such mercie in God as he offereth and that God is able willing and faithfull to performe his promise that so beleeuing hee may enioy the benefite of which otherwise hee depriueth himselfe This therefore I doe before hand make knowne that seeing many worthie promises be thus generally propounded and set out that wee might by beleeuing bee made partakers of Christ therefore none doe shut out themselues and so bring vpon themselues more iust damnation as Iohn 3. 18. is plainlie expressed Hee that beleeues not is condemned alreadie ver 19. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world c. There bee also many speciall promises made to speciall persons performing such duties as to Faith and trust in God to confession of sinne to prayer and so to all obedience for God requires no dutie but there is a Reward belonging thereto though not alwaies expressed which reward though it may moue the heart to desire it yet it cannot beget Faith but the truth of the promiser must draw vs to beleeue and our beliefe of hauing the reward which we desire will moue to obedience And therefore euerie one who heares such rewards promised must bee thereby moued to beleeue Secondly to obey as was before said These well considered will better guide the weaker sort to applie and make the right vse of all the promises in the Scripture which may any way concerne them Now then because these promises be exceeding many wee must needs bring them to some order and that as plaine and short as may be lest the weaker memories be ouer-loaden and so their vnderstanding confounded by many diuisions as is too oft seene I cannot thinke of any more easie way to teach the full vse of our faith in euery part of our liues then to laie open the most principall matters in which we are most subiect to doubt and feare that seeing our diseases we may more fitly applie the remedie Ouerlooking the whole course of life Order I obserue these sixe speciall occasions of doubting wherein we haue most need to be releeued by Faith 1. First and aboue all 6. Choise heads we are most subiect to doubt whether we be in the state of grace and so of the number of those that shall be saued by Christ 2. Secondly how wee shall be able to ouercome our strong corruptions and temptations 3. Thirdly how to get grace to praie heare the word and to performe all duties to God and man in faith so as God will accept them 4. Fourthly how to endure and profite by all afflictions and persecutions 5. Fiftly how to be prouided for of all things needfull for this naturall life 6. Sixtly how wee shall hold out to the end All which may bee drawne to two heads first for our spirituall life secondly for this bodilie life In both which were wee so strengthened in Faith as to rest vpon God for all sufficient releefe I well see not what might be much wanting to make vs reioyce alwaies in the Lord and sure I am no other state in this life herewith were to be compared Let vs therefore come to particulars and see how in all of these wee may gather out of Gods word strength of Faith and so comfort to our soules for the better finishing of our warfare in this life and more full assurance of our finall victorie and glorie hereafter in and through our Lord Iesus And now to begin with that First point wherein we liue by Faith is for assurance of our saluation which as it is first in order so is it in degree aboue all to be most sought for seeing vpon it all the rest doe depend and yet we are vsually in nothing more wanting namely to be sure of our saluation by Christ vnder which I doe containe especiallie our Iustification by which we be made Gods children All which as wee haue alreadie heard is to be had alone in Christ and to be made ours only by Faith Titus 3. 5 not by any workes of righteousnesse which wee haue done Whereof although there hath beene in the former part of this Treatise so much said as might suffise for this point to shew how this Faith is attained yet seeing the Lord hath left vs so many promises in the holie Scriptures speciallie in the new Testament wherein Christ who was before shadowed in Types is more cleerelie reuealed for which cause I doe chiefly cite these And seeing this is my maine scope to teach the weake beleeuer how hee may by these promises dailie nourish his faith specially in time of tentation I hope it will be found no lost labour to gather some store of these promises and to shew the right vse of them To come then to the practise of this first point how wee may dailie come to more certaintie that wee bee reconciled to God and so his adopted children and heires of saluation we are to remember Double â—ertentie that there is a twofold certaintie or assurance of Gods fauour 1. Of faith one the certaintie which comes by Faith alone 2. Sense the only staie wherof is Gods word The other is the certaintie of sense when as we haue some spirituall feeling of Gods fauour manifested to vs by his manifold graces bestowed on vs which be so many tokens and testimonies of his Fatherlie loue A cleare resemblance whereof may bee that which Ioab said to Dauid 2 Sam. 14. 22. To day thy seruant knoweth that I haue found grace in thy sight my Lord O King in that the King hath fulfilled the request of his seruant Wherein wee see Ioab was more assured of the Kings fauour by granting his request Both these assurances be expresly coupled in that one sentence of the Apostle Iohn 1 Iohn 2. 3. And hereby wee doe know that wee know him if wee keepe his Commandements Meaning that the conscionable indeuour to keepe Gods Commandements makes vs to know certainely that wee truely beleeue and haue the true certaintie of
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
our spirit by the second our sanctification by the third our iustificatioÌ„ that in the mouth of so many witnesses this truth which of al others is the greatest yet most hardly receiued may stand sure for the consolation of all beleeuers and conviction of all vnbeleeuers c. To which is further added vers 10. Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe he that beleeueth not God hath made him a lyar because hee beleeued not the record which God witnesseth of his sonne The selfe same word of life is in sundry other Scriptures published vnto vs because the Lord knoweth we haue neede to heare of it continually wee are so full of doubting in time of temptation therefore our Sauiour himselfe proclaimeth this glad tydings Ioh. 3. 16. For God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life and verse 17. For God sent not his Sonne into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might bee saued So likewise Ioh. 12 47. I came not to condemne the world but to saue the world Againe Ioh. 2. 2. If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the Iust vers 3. And he is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours only but for the sinnes of the whole world And Ioh. 1. 29. Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the world So the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 5. 19. For God was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them and hath committed to vs the word of reconciliation In all which and many other Scriptures this is manifest that God in his word hath made a generall offer of saluation in Christ and inuiteth all to whom hee sendeth his seruants the preachers of his Gospell to come to Christ that they might bee saued as is plaine in the parable of the wedding Mat. 22. 1. which is therefore called the Gospell that is good newes because it bringeth foorth this glad tydings of great ioye that shall be to all people as the Angels of the Lord tolde that the sheepheards of the birth of Christ Luk. 2. 10. And this is the same which our Lord Iesus himselfe after hee had finished his whole work of mans redemption here on earth and was to ascend vp to his father to prepare a place for all his members commanded his Apostles and so consequently gaue in commission to al their successours the preachers of the Gospell to proclaime and publish this Gospell to euery creature that is to euery man and woman that so euery soule to whom the sound of the Gospell should come might haue sufficient ground whereon to build their faith and be saued or be made without excuse for neglecting so great saluation which at the first began to bee preached by the Lord and afterward was confirmed by vs that heard him Heb. 2 3. This then is the only ground whereon sauing faith is builded Namely this generall pardon proclaimed in the Gospell to poore sinners which I haue very plentifully prooued for that it is not well considered by many who faine would beleeue yet being ignorant hereof doe long time pine away with griefe for that they see nothing which might make them being so vile in their owne eyes so bold as to beleeue that there is any such loue in God towards them as to giue Christ vnto them Others more dangerously presume of Gods fauour without any such ground whereon they build their perswasion but onely on the outward change of their life which often is found deceitfull as was before shewed Now followeth how a poore sinner yet voide of sauing grace How to build faith on the word and finding nothing in himselfe which may make him bold to beleeue may builde vpon this ground that so he may attaine to true faith whereunto these three considerations bee necessary Three consideraâ—ions First what is said Secondly to whom Thirdly by whom that so hee may haue good warrant to beleeue that he shal enioy this mercy offered For the former What is said the poore distressed sinner is to weigh with himselfe that in this Gospell and glad tidings of saluation is proclaimed and freely offered forgiuenesse of sins through Christ as is plaine by the Apostle Paul his preaching to them at Antioch Act. 13. 38. Bee it knowne vnto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached vnto you forgiuenesse of sinnes where as in all the former Scriptures and in many others Christ and all his benefits for our iustification sanctification and full glorification is the matter offered which beeing that which euery humbled sinner most desireth how can it be but welcome newes to heare that there are such things prepared and offered as hee most desireth which must needes mooue him oft to sigh for the same and say Oh that I might once haue my part in this vnestimable treasure but presently comes into his minde his owne vnworthinesse which driues him as farre backe from all hope that euer any such as hee should haue part therein wherin many a poore soule doth remaine a long season because he cannot see any thing which might make him bold to beleeue that there is any such benefite prepared for him For remedy wherof he is in the second place deeply to weigh this wonderfull mercy of God 2. To whom who so freely offers this great benefit of Christ and all his merits not to the righteous but to sinners yea to all without exception to whom the Gospell commeth as wee haue seene in the former Scriptures where the ground of faith was laide and because such as haue most feeling of their sinnes are most fearefull and hardliest brought to beleeue that this is tendered to them therefore are they more especially called as appeareth Matthew 11. 28. Where Christ himselfe hauing proclaimed that all things are deliuered to him of his Father Mat. 28. 18. meaning as els where Heb. 7. 27. that all power is giuen to him whereby he is perfectly able to saue all them that come vnto God by him inuiteth all that labour and are heauy laden to come vnto him promising that he will ease them wherby euery poore sinner who feeles his woefull estate by reason of his sinne and Gods curse hanging ouer his head for the same may certainely know that hee is the party whom Christ calleth to come to him and to whom this benefite of Christ and saluation in him is freely offered that so he may be somewhat more raised vp to conceiue hope that hee shall in due time enioy the same to which end euery one who faine would beleeue is to consider that as there is no grace in any why hee should hope for such fauour at Gods hand for Gods mercy in preparing and offering his Sonne a redemption for sinners is altogether
part wherein I haue as plainly as I can set out first what true faith is how it is gotten how any may know that they haue true Faith And secondly what it is to liue by Faith how this is attained by a wise application of Gods promises and herewith the manifold and singular benefites arising from hence I doe in the Lord with all instance beseech all such who hauing any true faith in Christ and desire to adorne it with an holy life and yet vpon beter examination of their waies doe finde their profession to haue beene of little good vse to others and of as small comfort to themselues to speake nothing of their offensiue life before mentioned I intreat all such I say but to make triall of this aduice I giue to learne to liue by Faith to this end to follow this direction here set downe till they shall bee able better to guide themselues And so my hope and prayer shall be that God will let them see such fruit of their labour as shall bring them more true comfort daily then in many daies and to some more then in any daie of their life past which I humbly beseech the Lord to grant both to my selfe and them euen for his Christs sake THE SECOND part of this Treatise containing A direction how to apply Gods promises to our particular occasions FOr the better vnderstanding and practise of this dutie of particular application of Gods promises to our seuerall necessities that so we may thereby liue by faith which is the chiefe thing by me intended in this Treatise we are aduisedly to consider the nature and kindes of these promises which be the foundation of our faith that so wee may more soundly applie them to our seuerall occasions and vses â—y Gods promises I vnderstand generally all those declarations of Gods will wherin he offers to vs in his word any good thing to enioy Gods promises what As on the other side by threats are meant those declarations of his will wherein he denounceth any euill against vs for sin Both which be plentifully set downe in the holy Scriptures to these ends that by his promises hee might allure and draw vs to beleeue and obey his will and by his threatnings hee might feare vs from sinne Gods will reuealed two waies first absolutely In all which God doth declare his will after a double manner either absolutely or conditionally Absosolutely what hee will most certainely doe any thing to the contrary notwithstanding As for example That there shall be no more waters of a â—â—ood to destroy all flesh And in this same time I wil come Gen. 9. 15. Sarah shalâ— haue a son Rom. 9. 9. which the Apostle saith is a word of promise of this sort be aâ—â— Gods promises concerning saluation made vnto the elect which cannot be made voide by any means whatsoeuer The other manner wherby God doth reueale his will is not absolute but as it is comonly said to be conditionall Conditionally which is when God declareth his will what hee wil doe if we do our part els not this conditional promise wel vnderstood may be borne otherwise misunderstood it destroies the nature of the free and gracious promise of the Gospell in this respect confounds the Law and the Gospell taking away a chiefe difference betweene the Couenant of workes wherein God promised life vpon condition of doing all that was written in the law without which condition performed on our parts God did not couenant to giue life and the couenant of grace wherein God freely promised not only life but to giue grace to receiue this life as Jer. 31. from vers 31. to 35. reade the place The like Ezek. 36. 24 c. A new heart also will I giue you c. In which and the like many is no condition required on our parts but God himselfe makes capable of this grace whom he pleaseth How these are by vs to bee applied afterwards I will shew But now seeing very many yea the most of the free gracious promises of the Gospell be propounded with some condition either expressed or necessarily vnderstod 〈…〉 wisely to consider of them as first in this and the like many the condition or dutie required is expressed Iohn 3. 15. Whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Secondly in others the dutie required for the attaining the thing promised is necessarily vnderstood Mat. 18. 11. The Sonne of Man is come to saue that which is lost Iohn 1. 29. Behold the Lâ—â—be of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world And the like many In all which Faith is necessarily vnderstood for the obtaining of the benefite promised But yet in all these Faith is no condition properly so called mouing God to promise life although in some sort it may bee called a condition because the promise of life is made to persons qualified with Faith for first faith it selfe is part of the thing promised and no man can beleeue except it bee giuen him and therefore an impossible condition to bee performed of our selues And to say as it is Faith doâ—h apply the fruite and benefite of the promise to the beleeuer who alone shall enioy the thing promised and doth not restraine the offer of grace which is generall to all to whom the Gospell comes who as they haue no faith before they heare the promise made to them so after hearing this promise made to them if they beleeue not they shall bee condemned for not beleeuing as John 3. 1â— Thus then I conceiue all conditionall promises of the Gospell are to bee taken that God doth freely offer mercie in what kinde soeuer and for the enioying thereof requires some dutie of obedience at our hands Now we must first beleeue and so obey and then enioy the thing promised so that there 〈…〉 beleeuing but all 〈…〉 promise and our obedience only is an effect of our faith and so a proofe of Faith no cause to moue vs to beleeue As for example If you forgiue you shall be forgiuen Mat. 6. 14. God freely offers pardon to vs and requires that wee beleeuing shew mercy to others As we reade in the parable Math 18. 32. I forgaue thee all the debt because thou desiredst me shouldest not thou also haue compassion on thy fellow seruant euen as I had pittie on thee So then he that beleeues to finde mercy is thereby moued to shew mercy and certainely hee that shewes no mercie in deed receiued none Besides this An other consideration there is an other consideration of Gods promises which standes in the diuers qualitie of the things promised whereof some be wholly necessarie for our saluation and offered without any restraint Simply necessarie and are so to be beleeued as Faith and Repentance Other things though good in themselues yet are not alwaies good for vs but we may be saued without them and in some case
be acceptable to God now by this all sufficient sacrifice of Christ all that lay hold on Christ by faith and so apply his sacrifice to themselues they shall bee accepted of God and their obedience pleasing to God in his perfect obedience Which alone is a sufficient meanes by the operation of the Holy Ghost to drawe any that heare and conceiue this to cast themselues wholy vpon Christ and to seeke for Gods fauour and all the fruits thereof onely in this sacrifice of Christ Besides these there bee many other Scriptures which in generall set out Christ and his benefits to vs but if they be well marked it will appeare they be contained vnder these As for example where Christ compares himselfe to a Vine Ioh. 15. 1. to teach that as the branch hath his whole life from the stocke so wee haue all our life from him so doth hee call himselfe the bread of life and is said to bee the head of the body Ioh. 6. 35. That he is full of grace and truth Ioh. 1. 14. Againe Hee that spared not his owne Sonne Rom. 8. 32. but deliuered him vp for vs all how shall hee not with him also Esa 55. 3. freely giue vs all things Againe I will giue you the sure mercies of Dauid Act. 13. 34. that is all those good things which were promised in Christ who was the seede of Dauid In all these and many moe Vse we see the intent of the Holy Ghost was to giue vs in one view a sight of all that good which Christ hath brought vs that heereby euery one who hears hereof may both wonder at Gods vnspeakeable mercy in prouiding so many and so great blessings in Christ for vs his enemies and hereby also bee drawne to labour by all meanes to be made partakers of them And this shall suffise to haue set out some of the generall promises and the vse of them how wee are to strengthen our faith by them Onely this I will adde concerning these When speciall want make vse of generall that if at any time in our doubts and feares for any particular distresse wee cannot readily remember some particular promise whereby wee might bee comforted then wee may safely runne to one of these generall promises which doe containe all particulars and so apply it to our present neede As for example if any poore soule should fall into great doubtings of Gods fauour by reason of some great affliction that lay heauy vpon him or some corruption which he could not master and in this perplexity could not thinke of any speciall promise whereout hee might gather some comfort then may he boldly lay hold vpon any one of these generall promises and rest thereupon for comfort in this maner O Lord thou hast said in thy holy word which is the word of truth that the Sonne of man is come to saue that which is lost Luk. 19. 10. Lord I am lost and see nothing in my selfe to helpe mee therefore I do wholly rest vpon Christ and looke for helpe only by him The same may bee said of all the generall promises the least of which contain matter enough to support vs in all our feares if we could fitly apply them Wherein I doe againe forewarne euery one who desires to beleeue in God Looke for nothing in thy selfe to cause thee to beleeue and so to liue by his faith aboue all to deny himselfe and not to looke for any thing in himselfe why he should beleeue which I haue obserued to bee a maine hinderance from true beleeuing but to cast all our thoughts vpon God First how mercifull hee is to prouide such helpe for poore sinners in Christ and freely to offer it vnto them in his word and secondly how faithfull hee is to performe all that he hath said that by this meanes the poore sinner may bee mooued to beleeue in God that he will surely succour and comfort him in due season and measure Thus would I now passe from these generall promises For the persons to whom first to all and come to the speciall but that I feare I haue not sufficiently cleared one point concerning these generals namely for the persons to whom God preacheth and proclaimeth these mercies that they may beleeue I speake not here who shall enioy these who be only beleeuers and their seed but to whom these bee offered From whence be raised the greatest doubts in many for their saluation that they know not themselues to bee of that number to whom God doth truely offer these mercies and no maruell For as it is not possible for a rebell against his Soueraigne to beleeue he shall be pardoned vnlesse he be sure that hee is contained vnder the Princes pardon so no sinner can beleeue to haue pardon till he know that he is in the number of those to whom the pardon is proclaimed by God in the Gospell for the knowledge wherof either there must be some special marke of difference wherby it may be knowne to whom the pardon is proclaimed and to whom not or els it must bee generall to all But there is no such speciall certaine difference between sinners before faith wherby one may know the pardon is granted to him and such as he is and not to any other for then might some know themselues to bee vnder Gods speciall fauour that is elected before he beleeue which is impossible by any ordinary meanes therfore of necessity the onely way whereby anie may know himselfe to be contained vnder the pardon is this that he heares that God in his Gospel doth proclaime forgiuenesse of sinne in Christ without exception to all sinners that whosoeuer heareth and beleeueth shall bee saued the rest shall bee condemned for not beleeuing and not accepting this mercy offered to them Hauing in the former part of this Treatise sufficiently prooued by many Scriptures this point that Christ and all his benefites be freely offred without exception to all mankinde as that one place Mark 16. 15. expresly sheweth I only now aduise euery one who is kept from beleeuing by this that he knowes not whether he bee contained vnder the pardon or no not to looke to Gods secret will but to attend to Gods reuealed will in his word wherein it is expresly said That God would haue no man to perish 2. Pet. 3 9. but would haue all men to come to repentance Ezek. 18. 23. 32. and so oft That he desires not tht death of a sinner that hereby hee may bee mooued to seeke and hope for that mercie which God is so willing to bestow vpon vpon him if the fault be not in his owne selfe as it was in the vnbeleeulng Iewes in Ierusalem Mat. 23. 37 of whom our Sauiour complained saying How often would I haue gathered thy children as the henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and yee would not A further manifestation of this willingnesse in God to saue
sinners Mat. 22. 9 10 may be seene in his gracious inuitation of the vnworthiest to come to the wedding of his Son yea more by his beseeching sinners to be reconciled to him 2 Cor. 5. 20 and by the many and weighty arguments he vseth to perswade men to beleeue by the great rewards earthly and spirituall temporall and eternall which all beleeuers shall enioy and by the fearefull woes which shall fall on all vnbeleeuers both in this life and that to come Ioh. 7. 38. 3. 18. as plentifully is to bee seene throughout the Scriptures Out of all this mee thinkes a poore distressed sinner might thus stirre vp himselfe to beleeue If this bee certaine Note that God would not haue me perish but is very willing to saue me and therfore hath not onely prouided all sufficient meanes to bring mee thereto and made such a generall pardon as may assure mee I am contained vnder it yea seeing I now know that I am inuited and called to come to Christ and intreated to bee friends with God then may I be bold to come and assure my self I shal be welcome Yea further if I will not forgoe all these rich rewards tendered vnto me and pull vpon my selfe most iustly all those woes which God hath threatned against all despisers of his mercies then must I gladly accept Gods mercy offered to mee and if I finde my vnbeleeuing heart to draw back then must I ply the Lord with feruent and constant prayers that hee would draw mee by his Spirit to come to Christ and so to rest vpon him for my saluation And thus much for the generall promises both in regard of the matters promised and of the persons to whom they bee proclaimed that euery one who heares them may claime his part in them Speciall benefits Now to come to those speciall benefites which we receiue in Christ which belong to this first point how our faith is to bee strengthened in the assurance of our saluation by Christ I intend to referre all that I haue to say herein to these two 1. our Justification and 2. the fruites immediately growing from thence which I gather out of the Apostle Rom. 5. 1. to bee these three 1. Reconciliation 2. Adoption 3. Hope of Glory Concerning Iustification Iustification it is euident by the Scripture that all our saluation depends vpon it that whosoeuer shall bee saued must be iustified and therefore of necessity he that is not iustified must needs bee condemned it behooueth then euery one who lookes for saluation well to conceiue what it is to be iustified in Gods sight and then to make sure worke that hee may attaine it yea and know it also that hee is iustified without which is no comfort or hope of happinesse To be iustified before God is to be made righteous that is not onely without all sinne but hauing all that righteousnes which God in his holy law requireth as Rom. 2. 13. So was Adam and Eue by creation Eccl. 7. 31. God made man righteous Heb. 7. 26. So was Christ Such an high Priest it became vs to haue who is holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the heauens Besides these not one of the whole stocke of mankinde was thus righteous but euery soule young and old was is and euer shall be in this world voyde of this righteousnesse and full of all vnrighteousnesse As Rom. 3. 20. Therefore by the workes of the law shall no flesh be iustified in his sight It followeth then that all that shall be saued must bee iustified another way and that is this by hauing that perfect righteousnes which was in Christ alone to bee accounted theirs as if it had been in themselues Not intending to enter into any further discours hereof which may bee seene in sundry Treatises written of this argument all our care must bee to get this grace in Christ whereby we shal assuredly be saued The Scripture is cleare that this is obtained by faith and no way else as besides sundry other scriptures the Apostle both soundly and plentifully prooueth Rom. 3. Gal. 3. reade the places in which wee shall see not onely the truth of the doctrine but many motiues to beleeue and imbrace this grace wrought by Christ for vs and by him freely offered vnto vs that we might receaue it to our comfort To this purpose is that which is said Rom. 3. vers 21. 22. But now is the righteousnesse of God made manifest without the Law hauing witnesse of the Law and the Prophets to wit the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue And so forward to the end of the chapter wherein for our purpose this is chiefly to be considered That as none are partakers of this benefite of Iustification in Christ but beleeuers so seeing none can beleeue to enioy this but such as know that God freely and faithfully offers it to them therefore it is here and elsewhere oft reuealed that as all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God so are they iustified feeely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus Which as I said cannot bee vnderstood that all doe receiue this mercie of Iustification purchased by Christ but that as Christ hath wrought it so God doth indifferently offer it in the Gospell to all which is more manifested by the words following verse 25. Whom God hath set forth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse by the forgiuenesse of sinnes that are passed c. The vse to bee made of these Vse and the like for the strengthening of our Faith in the assurance of our saluation by Christ is this that euery one who would beleeue doe set before him on the one side his owne sinfulnesse and cursednesse to be such that he is no way able to make any satisfaction whereby he might be deliuered on the other side that Christ hath made a full satisfaction vnto his Father for him a miserable sinner and freely offers it to him which if hee beleeue it shall be accepted for him and he thereby saued that this may draw him to renounce all hope in himselfe and so to relie vpon Christ for his Iustification and saluation This shall be more manifest in the parts of Iustification Parts of iustification which are forgiuenesse of sinnes Forgiuenes of sinne and imputation of righteousnesse and more especially in the former forgiuenesse of sinne which so vnseparably bringing in the latter imputation of righteousnesse the Scripture doth most labour to assure vs of And for this cause all blessednesse is worthily placed herein both by the Prophet Dauid and the Apostle Paul saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen Psal 32. 1 2. and whose sinnes are couered Rom. 4. 7 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne That it may driue
euery man out of himselfe for happinesse seeing God iustifieth the vngodly verse 5 and to draw all that shall bee saued to looke for saluation onely in Gods free mercy forgiueing their iniquitie and couering their sinne and not imputing to them their sinne Vnder which speeches is contained the way and meanes how the righteous God who will not let one sinne and breach of his Law to escape vnpunished without deserued condemnation doth yet set free poore sinners from their sinne and punishment which is onely by the satisfaction which Christ hath made for them in bearing their punishment wherwith God being satisfied doth fully and freely forgiue all those who by Faith accept this mercie offered vnto them To this end throughout the Scripture is this great benefite of forgiuenes of sinne by Christ so plentifully proclamed vnto vs miserable sinners I wil cite a few for many When Iohn the Baptist was sent to prepare way for Christ first seeing Christ coÌ„ming vnto him Ioh. 1. 29. hee cried out Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Our Sauiour himselfe after his resurrection appearing to two of his Disciples going to Emaus Luk 24. 45. hauing opened their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures 46. said vnto them Thus it is written 47. and thus it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise againe from the dead the third day and that Repentance and Remission of sinnes should bee preached in his name among all nations beginning at Ierusalem Likewise the Apostle Paul preaching at Antioch to the Iewes in their Synagogues said vnto them Be it knowne vnto you therefore men and brethren that through this man meaning Christ is preached vuto you forgiuenesse of sinnes Act. 3. 38 39. And from all things from which yee could not be iustified by the Law of Moses Rom. 4. 25. by him euery one that beleeues is Iustified Gal. 1. 4. And so all the rest of the Scriptures Tit. 2. 14. in which it is said Heb. 1. 3. that Christ was Deliuered to death for our sinnes 1. Pet. 2. 24. And gaue himselfe to redeeme vs from all iniquitie And hath by himselfe purged our sinne Reu. 1. 5. That he bare our sinnes on the tree That hee loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes And to shut vp all with that worthie saying of Saint John If any man sinne 1 Ioh. 2. 1 2. wee haue an Aduocate with the Father Christ the righteous And he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but for the sinnes of the whole world In all of which what can any man thinke to be Gods meaning Vse but to prouide a meanes to saue vs sinners And therefore whosoeuer feeles his sinne and feares Gods wrath may boldly come to Christ and stedfastly beleeue that God for Christs sake will forgiue him and remember his sinnes no more And so much the more may and ought euery one to whom this good newes of pardon is brought by the preaching of the Gospell lay claime to this pardon and so shall hee please God and saue his owne soule otherwise as his sin shall bee exceeding great so shall his damnation bee more grieuous I doe therefore againe exhort euery poore soule who faine would beleeue not to make his sinne greater then Gods mercy but seeing Christ hath borne the punishment of his sinne and fully appeased Gods wrath for him and doth expresly call him and proclaime this pardon vnto him therefore that hee commit himselfe to Christ and so giue glorie to God in beleeuing that through Christ his debt is discharged and he freed from condemnation so that neither God will nor the deuill nor his owne conscience shall be able to lay any thing to his charge then which what can bee more comfortable to a distressed sinner I know not This might content vs if wee were not so full of vnbeleefe but the Lord both knowing and pittying our distrustfull hearts hath said much more to perswade vs of our saluation in and by our Lord Christ Iesus And whereas wee haue learned that to the iustifying of a sinner there is required not onely that his sinne and punishment bee quite taken away but that hee haue perfect righteousnesse 2. part of Iustification without which there can be no life for although these two bee neuer parted no more then soule and body in a liuing man yet they be not both one Imputation of righteousnesse but necessarily distinguished and both required in him that is iustified in Gods sight The Lord therefore hath graciously prouided a meanes whereby we who since the fall of our first parents haue vtterly lost our originall righteousnesse and bee no way able to attaine such righteousnesse as God in iustice requires at our hands may recouer our losse be made perfectly righteous such as God will allow and for which hee will in his iustice grant eternall life As Paul in his glorious triumph before his departure did boldly professe 2 Tim. 4. 6. For I am now readie to be offered 7. and the time of my departure is at hand 8. I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the Faith Henceforth is laid vp for mee the crowne of righteousnâ—sse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day and not to me onely but to all that loue his appearing Which one Scripture might suffise to perswade vs to looke for this righteousnesse and eternall life which by due debt through Gods mercie and the merit of Christ is made ours But because this is not so easily seene much lesse beleeued that such as we shall euer attaine to this high dignitie the Lord hath reuealed his good will towards vs sinners in this behalfe that he hath prepared such a perfect righteousnesse for vs and made a faithfull free grant therof vnto vs that so wee may make it our owne by Faith This is most manifest in that heauenly comparison betweene the first Adam and the second Adam Christ Iesus set forth at large and in many degrees Rom. 5. 12 to the end The summe of all is this that the benefite we haue in Christ doth euery way exceede all the hurt we had in Adam as the Apostle himselfe saith verse 20. Where sinne abounded grace did much more abound v. 21. That as sinne had reigned vnto death so might grace also reigne by righteousnesse vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Where wee see that as sinne through Gods iustice brought death so by Gods mercy the righteousnesse of Christ brought to vs eternall life As is expresly said verse 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Wherin it is cleere that as Christ by his obedience was perfectly righteous so by it many that is all that by Faith receiue Christ are made
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
any storme wee shall bee sure to escape shipwracke and so in the end arriue at our desired port of euerlasting saluation Thus haue I now shewed as briefly and plainely as I could how euery one who is troubled with vnbeleefe about the cercainety of his saluation namely whether such as he so void of all grace and so full of all sinne may be bold to beleeue and thereby be assured to be saued by Christ and to this end that his sinne is quite forgiuen and hee accepted as righteous in Gods sight so reconciled to God and adopted to be Gods child that hee may reioyce in hope of the glory of God how such an one I say may get and dayly increase this assurance of faith that there is no condemnation to him belonging but that he hath euerlasting life and is passed from death to life then which what can be more welcome and comfortable to a troubled conscience I well see not And therefore as oft before I exhort all that feele this weaknes of faith concerning their saluation aboue all to obserue these and such other Scriptures whereof there bee many wherein Christ and saluation be offered to poore sinners Obserue Scriptures concerning Christ that they who haue as good right to them as any may not for any thing they see in themselues put these promises from them as not made to them But rather in admiration of Gods wonderfull goodnesse mercy and compassion vpon such vnworthy wretches to giue glory to God in beleeuing and accepting this mercy so freely offered which they must doe before they shall see such a true change of heart life in them as they earnestly desire for want wherof they thinke they ought not to beleeue which is to such if not the onely yet the chiefest lette and hinderance from faith whereas on the other side when it shal please Gods spirit by these his free promises to drawe them to beleeue and though weakely yet truely to stay themselues vpon Gods great mercy so reuealed to them then assuredly shall they see and feele this change in their hearts that they know not what to say or thinke of Gods mercy in pardoning such as they feele themselues to be This cannot but breede an vnfained loue in them to God with an earnest desire and true purpose to glorifie him which be the chiefe parts of a holy life and surest proofes of sauing faith which can no more want these then a true fire can be without heate though too many carnal Gospellers think otherwise and so miserably perish Hauing thus seene how wee are by Gods promises to get and increase our assurance by faith that we be Gods children Now it followes that wee consider what be the markes of God children Assurance by the fruits of faith whereby we may be further assured thereof Among which markes seeing faith it selfe is the first and surest proofe that we be Gods children and to this end many pretious promises bee made to such as doe already beleeue as the former promises were made to beget and increase faith It is meete that wee take some view of these not for the strengthening of our faith but that by our faith bee it small or great we may haue a sensible assurance of our saluation To which purpose may this serue that we who beleeue in Christ are so oft said to bee blessed as our Sauiour said to Thomas Blessed are they who haue not seene Ioh. 20. 29. and yet haue beleeued Mat. 13. 16. 16 17. and againe to his Disciples Blessed are your eyes for they see c and likewise to Peter Blessed art thou Simon Bar Iona for flesh and blood hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my father which is in heauen and the like many to the same end also it is said That he who beleeueth shall be saued Mr. k. 16. 16 That the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth Rom. 1. 16. 10. 9. Againe If thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt besaued and againe Whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ Ioh. 3. 15. 16 shall not perish but haue euerlasting life yea hath euerlasting life 5. 24. Ioh. ◠47. and is passed from death to life Againe 12. 46. 11. 26. I am come a light into the world that whosoeuer beleeueth in me shall not abide in darkenes and though he were dead yet shall hee liue and shall neuer dye The same also is intended in these Scriptures in which forgiuenesse of sinnes righteousnesse and iustification are promised to beleeuers Act. 10. 45. Rom. 10. 4. Act. 13. 30. Rom. 4. 5. 5. 1. Gal. 3. 26. So likewise it is saide Ioh. 1. 12. Wee are made the children of God by faith and as many as receiued him to them hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Lastly to heape vp no more of this kinde to this end is that Christ shall come to bee glorified in his Saints 1. Thes 〈◊〉 10. and be made maruellous in all them that beleeue c. In all these and many the like promiises made to such as doe truely beleeue in Christ may euidently appeare that if any doe know and can prooue themselues to bee in the faith 2 Cor. 13. 5. as the Apostle speaketh by this he may be infallibly assured of his saluation Wherein seeing the greatest part of professours of Christian Religion bee deceiued saying they haue faith when in truth they haue none it highly behooues such as looke for better comfort aboue all to beware their hearts doe not beguile them herein 2. Pet. 1. 10. and to bestowe all study to make their calling and election sure that they may know that Christ dwels in them otherwise they cannot bee approued neither by themselues nor any others to bee in the state of grace Thus much for faith it selfe whereby we may certenly know that we be Gods children heires of saluation and cannot perish We are now further to see some speciall fruits of our faith which be the effects of Gods Spirit in al true beleeuers be so many marks whereby they doe know themselues and be knowne to others that they be Gods sheep so be further euidences and assurances that they be Gods children and shall be saued In which respect Assurance by the fruites of faith this gift of Gods Spirit to beleeuers is called a seale Ephesians 1. 13. Where the Apostle setting out the conuersation of the Ephesians 1. by the gift of the spirit layes downe both these euidences first of their faith secondly of this gift of the spirit saying In whō ye also haue obtained inheritance after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospell of your saluation wherein also after yee beleeued yee were sealed with the Spirit of promise which is the earnest
to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes This is the same whereof the Prophets foretold in their time that God would purge cleanse his Church Esa 1. 25. Esai oft that God will purely purge their drosse and take away all their tinne that is their sinnes as in another place more plainely hee saith And it shall come to passe Esa 4 3. that hee that is left in Sion and hee that remaineth in Ierusalem shall be called holy euery one that is written among the liuing in Ierusalem ver 4. when the Lord shall haue washed away the filth of the daughters of Sion and shall haue purged the blood of Ierusalem from the middest thereof by the Spirit of iudgement and by the Spirit of burning 27. 9 Againe By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sinne Notable is that place of Ezekel Then will I sprinckle cleane water vpon you Eze. 36. 25 and you shall bee cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your idols will cleanse you Of this sort I might gather many moe out of these and the other Prophets who spake of this grace which should be giuen by Christ to all the members of his Church the cleansing of them from all their filthinesse which Dauid expresseth Ps 103. 3. By healing all our diseases The matter beeing so cleare and the testimonies so many I iudge it will bee too tedious to heape vp more It shall bee more to our profite well to weigh these and the like promises when wee reade them that when wee feele our hearts discouraged by the little strength wee finde to maister our speciall corruptions then we may apply to our selues any one of these promises wherein the Lord himselfe doth vndertake this worke which is too hard for vs That hee will subdue our iniquities he will cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse his grace shall be sufficient for vs and his power shall bee mad perfect in our weaknesse which if we doe beleeue how can we feare or bee faint-hearted to enter into this spirituall battle against our sinnes Yea this will make vs bold to resist and able to ouercome our strongest sinnes which formerly haue most preuailed ouer vs. For our further encouragement herein wee haue the examples of all the faithfull who before were seruants yea bondslaues to their vilde lusts Examples as Zacheus to oppression Mary Magdalen to whooredome Paul to persecution and generally the famous Churches to whom the Apostles writ who before their calling were idolaters and liued in all abhominable sinnes as other Gentiles beeing conuerted they turned from their idols and so from all their former vaine and vilde conuersation to serue the liuing God as is to be seene in all the holy Epistles written to them and in the history of the Acts which was long before prophesied by the Prophets Esa 11. 6. that the wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe c. meaning by all these cruell and deuouring beasts all kinde of beastly and wicked men who by the Gospell should be so changed that al their cruell and beastly qualities should be so abated that they should become like to Gods children and so haue a holy Communion with them Let not any therfore who feeleth any measure of mortification in himselfe Vse though hee cannot yet ouercome all his sinnes and keepe vnder his vnruely affections say in his heart I shall neuer ouercome such and such sinnes but shall one day perish by these for this were not onely to mistrust his owne strength which well he may but to call Gods power goodnes and truth into question which were a great iniury to God and to his owne soule but rather let vs all doe as Jehosaphat when hee sawe a great army gathered together against him 2. Chro. 20 12. so as hee sawe no power in himselfe to withstand them hee did wholly cast himselfe vpon the Lord saying O our God wilt thou not iudge them for wee haue no might against this great company that commeth against vs neither know wee what to doe but our eyes are vpon thee So let vs be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and so taking to vs and vsing the holy armour of his spirit fighting valiantly we may be sure of the victory These thus being that Gods children may be so certaine that no sinne shall haue dominion ouer them but that they shall in the end ouercome them all and so haue that glorious conquest ouer them and ouer all their spirituall enemies who can no way hurt them but by sinne how can it sufficiently be bewailed that so few do enioy this benefit and the sweet comfort thereof This may well bee seeee in the many and foule spots in the faces of sundry professours I meane their open pride their impatiency their worldlinesse and deadnesse of spirit in all spirituall duties all which though they might in some of loÌ„ger standing in Christ haue been long before well mortified yet they still remaine liue and grow in them to their reproch before others and small peace and comfort to their owne hearts A principall cause hereof must needs be this that these pleasing themselues in their estate for that they be forward in publike exercises of Religion though many bee slacke enough in priuate especially secret by themselues alone and for that they bee free from the grosse sinnes of the wicked doe either not see or not bewaile these their sinnes and therefore doe not so much as seeke after much lesse enioy these pretious promises and the fruit of them An other sort who are more to be pitied for their want of this comfort which God hath prepared for them and so plentifully promised to them in especiall bee they who groane vnder the burden of their infirmities and take much pains to be eased yet in long time finding small amendment be much discouraged with feare that they shall neuer be able to ouercome these corruptions which doe most annoy them I cannot thinke of any thing to bee a greater cause of this discouragement in these then either the ignorance forgetfulnesse or not beleeuing these promises Phil. 1. 6. that Hee who hath begun the good worke in them will perfect it vntill the day of Christ and as God promised oft to his people going to conquer the land of Canaan Deut. 7. 2â— 11. 25 that no enemie should bee able to stand against them Iosuâ— 1. 5. 10. 8. so hath hee as certainely promised to these that no sinne shall haue dominion ouer them It remaineth therefore that these and all other who desire to conquer their corrupt nature and vnruely lusts thereof thâ—â— they do oft set before themselues these promises and so considering that he is faithfull who hath promised confidently looke for the victory and so constantly fight till they obtaine the same This I hope may suffise in this
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
God will surely helpe him this wil make him so to rest contented and comforted as if hee had all present helpe that could be deuised So for spirituall if any should fall into sinne so as he had no hope of pardon and amendment yet then to beleeue so as to rest vpon Gods promise for both and so to be comforted this is to liue by faith The practise of both is plaine in scripture and in the liues of Gods faithfull seruants Notable is that of Abraham whereof Genesis which the Apostle citing Rom. 4. 18. affirmeth that he aboue hope beleeued in hope that hee might become the father of many nations according to that which was spoken so shal thy seed be Wherin it is euident that Abraham seeing no possibility in naturalreasoÌ„ that he being so old his wife not only barren from her youth but now past childe-bearing should haue a sonne yet he as it is said Not weak in faith considered not his owne body now dead when he was about an hundred yeares old neither yet the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe staggered not at the promise of God through vnbeliefe but was strong in faith and gaue glory to God and beeing fully perswaded that what he had promised hee was also able to performe The selfe same is to bee seene in that honorable company of thâ—se worthy seruants of God in all ages from the beginning of the world to that day mentioned Heb. 11. Who all are brought in as a cloude of witnesses testifiing this truth that The iust shall liue by faith In all which may appeare that in whatsoeuer estate or straight they were brought into yet they so liued by faith that nothing could dismaye them much lesse ouerthrow them By â—hose example wee might learne if that we would make the right vse hereof that what condition soeuer should befall vs that we might so rest on Gods word and promise for all helpe needefull that in greatest conflicts wee should bee more then conquerours Rom. 8. 37. as the Apostle speaketh What a blessed estate this were it is not hard to shew whereof wee may see more when wee haue better learned how to attaine hereunto thus to liue by faith which was the second thing in this point propounded How to attaine to liue by faith For the attaining whereof these two things are carefully to be performed First to call to minde Gods promises Secondly to apply them For the former in all time of need that is whensoeuer God shall bring vs into any straight that we see not any way of escaping or meanes for our reliefe in such sort that wee begin to sinke into many feares and vexations of minde then to inquire if there be any good word of the Lord spoken for our comfort that so calling it to minde wee might raise thereout such hope of helpe in due time as may quiet and content vs till wee doe enioy in effect that which before we did expect This doe I take to be the ground of all our faith whereby we liue be maintained and vpheld in all our trials As was before more fully laid out when I shewed the way how any doe at the first attaine to sauing faith which is no other here intended for the daily increase of faith that we may liue thereby but the continuance of the same meanes namely to call to minde and to lay before vs Gods gracious promises made to comfort his people in all their necessities that thereby we might bee comforted and quieted in all the tempests of our vnruly thoughts and distempered affections patiently to waite on God for his helpe which shall not bee wanting in that time sort measure which he seeth most meete This being then the ground of our faith whereby we liue namely Gods promises which are as so many Legacies bequeathed vs by our heauenly Father and by his Sonne Iesus Christ in his last wil and Testamenâ— what can be more behoouefull for vs then to search this wil TestameÌ„t for al such legacies as may coÌ„cerne vs seeing they be many some way or other to get into our mindes and memories at the least the most principall of these that we may haue them in a readines for our vse in all occasions to minister so good comfort as if wee had the best helpe present wee could deuise and desire What will be the gaine of this practise I had rather we found by proofe then heare by report and so I hope we shall doe when wee shall bee more particularly directed to put this instruction in practise But yet before hand for encouragement thus much will I say and no more then shall be found true That he who shall but endeauour in any truth to practise this which here is taught shall finde his whole profession whâ—t euer his condition shall bee of prosperity or aduersitie more easie and more comfortable And therefore to vtter my thoughts more plainely if may be I aduise all that be weake of memory and not so exercised in the scriptures as some are that they can readily vpon euery occasion call to minde such promises of of God How to gather promises as bee then most fit for their vse that such I say if they can write would collect and gather out of the holy Scriptures such special promises as they shal conceiue may most concerne them and be fittest to strengtheÌ„ their faith as need shall require For such as bee not able fitly thus to releeue themselues my next labour shall bee to gather some speciall promises such as I conceiue bee of most vse in our ordinary affaires and course of life and referre them to their places that they may more readily be runne vnto vpon all occasions and likewise I will shew how these may bee applyed to our seuerall necessities for the strengthening of our faith that so we may liue thereby and finde sufficient contentment in God when all other helpes faile All which wee shall hereafter more see in their place But now to proceede with that I haue in hand to shew how this vnualuable benefit of liuing by faith may be attained 1. The first thing required hereunto I haue shewed Psalm 85. 8 is to vse the Prophets words I will heare what God the Lord wil speak for hee will speake peace vnto his people and 〈◊〉 his Saints c. That is to call to minde what comfortable promises God hath made to his children in such case or condition as we be in that thereon wee may build our faith and liue thereby To which end this in the next place is to be performed that we may attaine to this grace to liue by our faith namely How to apply these promises to our selues That we wisely apply these promises both to our persons that wee be the true 〈◊〉 of them 〈◊〉 Secondly to our present condition That it is such as God hath specially made his promise vnto if the promise be speciall For