workes If ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh yee shall liue Rom. 8.13 If yee sowe to the Spirit you shall reape of the Spirit life euerlasting Gal. 6.8 I answere hereunto that there are some conditions The conditions of the Gospell are not couenantâ— binding 〈◊〉 merit but simple conditions according well with mercy simply conditionall that doe well stand with grace Such are those conditions whereon they onely interceding we promise and vndertake to doe a matter or bestowe a kindnesse on any As Goe with me to such a place and I will giue thee hidden treasure Come to me to morrow and I wil giue thee an hundred pound There are other conditions which haue the reason of a cause meritorious Such doe not onely intercede but deserue vpon contract as much as wee promise as Doe my worke well and I will pay you truely Of this kinde are those conditions which are contained in the Law Doe this and thou shalt liue As for the other of the Gospell they are onely bare and simple conditions which deserue nothing but must intercede and precede the bestowing of eternall life And heere it were worth our labour to consider the grounds of merit 4. Grounds of the merit of workes laid by Papists which the Papists lay downe in the chiefe of their arguments They are these First Christs Merit Secondly our Adoption Thirdly our Workes Fourthly Gods couenanting with vs. But none of these are sufficient to establish merit But they are false ones For first we cannot merit as children eternall life because it is our right by birth No child can be said to merit the inheritance to which hee is borne and how doth any merit that which is his right already Nor doe our workes of themselues merit when all obedience is but a witnesse of our thankefulnesse nor is there any proportion betweene the duety and the inheritance Neither yet as they are died with the bloud of Christ or doe come from his spirit For as they are of Christ dwelling in vs by his spirit so are they also from our selues hauing a Law of sinne dwelling in vs and lusting against the spirit which make them to be done imperfectly and by halues But this say they maketh them the more meritorious because they bee done with the greater difficultie Yea but this is a doctrine which the Apostle knew not For then hee needed not to haue cried out in that respect O miserable man that I am c. and to flye to Christ that he might escape condemnation as he doth Rom. 7.24 25. And for their couenant it is not a couenant binding vs to doe any thing meritorious toward the obtaining of life but onely a simple condition requiring some thing to be done before the full fruition of glory but well agreeing with and no way hindering mercy It is further obiected that life euerlasting is a reward and that rewards are deserued Answ All rewards are not due vpon nor giuen for desert there is a reward giuen by fauour Rom. 4.4 There are rewards of fauour as well as desert When Paul saith that to him that worketh the reward is counted not by fauour but by debt doth hee not insinuate so much that some oft receiue euen liberall rewards onely vpon the fauour of the donour And our Sauiuiour saith Luke 6.32 And if yee loue them that loue you what thankes shall ye haue c. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a gratuitie as it were and a reward of free fauour importing thus much that what reward men haue of God euen vpon their best seruice it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gratuitie no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no debt vpon desert Lastly they say that which is giuen according to workes is deserued by workes But so is eternall life Answ That indeed which is giuen according vnto workes as the meritorious causes thereof that may wel be said to be deserued by works But now eternall life is not so giuen but is bestowed according to workes as they are testimonies of our faith Workes haue a reward not as merits but as testimonies of Faith whereby we rest on Christ onely for our saluation and for whose sake onely beleeued on they expect eternall life Vses 1. It sheweth the prerogatiue of the faithfull Now for the vses of this point First it doth shew vs our prerogatiue that we haue by faith and should excite vs to reioice therein yea to long and labour fully to enioy it What is then the prerogatiue of such as beleeue Surely as Saint Paul saith of the Iew Rom. 3.2 much euery manner of way For thereby wee are brought out of dismall darkenesse to walke in the light of Gods countenance and truth wee are translated out of the wofull condition of eternall death to life and immortalitie both which are brought to light for vs to behold and enioy by the Gospell 2. Tim. 1.10 wee are made aliue to God exalted to the dignitie of Gods sonnes and daughters Who are thereby Gods children heires of life called to the hope yea inuested with some possession of euerlasting life And are not these great preferments aboue the residue of mankinde who through vnbeliefe abide still in death and misery Are not these worthy dignities for earth and ashes as wee are to attaine to Behold saith Iohn 1. Ioh. 3.1 what loue the Father hath shewed vs that wee should be called the sonnes of God Yea it is an honour and dignitie Which is a great dignity so to be Iohn 1.12 When Saul did offer vnto Dauid to make him his sonne by the marriage of his daughter it did seeme too high an honour for him whose parentage was meane for to accept Seemeth it vnto you saith he a light thing to bee a Kings sonne in law seeing I am a poore man and of small reputation 1. Sam. 18.23 What an vnspeakeable dignitie is it then that by faith wee obtaine to bee the sonnes of the great King of heauen and earth are made his heires and adopted into fellowship of eternall life and glory with Iesus Christ For God dealeth not with vs as Abraham did with his base sonnes so to call them vnto whom he gaue gifts and then sent them packing Gen. 25.6 God doth not so turne off his faithfull ones but he receiueth and keepeth them in his family and admitteth to be partners in the inheritance witâ—â—is Isaac euen with his Christ who is the heire of all things It is then an inheritance that by faith we are bâ—gotten too and such a one as is immortall vndefiled and neuer fading It is life that we obtaine life I say which of it selfe is most sweet chiefely to such as we were who were condemned to die and could looke for nothing but death and such a life as is both accompanied with all fulnesse of ioy peace glory and happinesse and shall also euer endure Now then this being our prerogatiue how should
a weake and feeble faith doth as truely and entirely if not more as the strongest Nay let mee say more for the comfort of such as are weake in faith If they haue but a true desire to beleeue He is enioyed euen by a desire to beleeue and cannot yet in an expresse and explicite manner beleeue on Christ they haue Christ and enioy him vnto righteousnesse and the pardon of their sinnes If a man should want hands to receiue his Princes Pardon tendered to him it would suffice to entitle him vnto it and the benefit thereof To shew his will to accept it euen so will God in rich mercy accept in a broken and humbled soule a desire to beleeue for faith it selfe and thereby shall they become possessed of Christ with all his merits to the saluation of their soules Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Math. 5.6 3. It accordeth grace faith in our iustification Lastly this doth shew how grace and faith doe well agree in our iustification Workes cannot stand in this matter with Gods grace as they are vrged to merit any thing toward it For that it is not wholly of grace which in the least degree doth come of merit But faith as it doth iustifie vs doth bring nothing of its owne to present to God and to make the beleeuer righteous it doth chalenge nothing for its owne worth but doth seeke all righteousnesse in Christ alone Since faith doth seeke for all from Gods grace in Christ doth onely take Christ for its righteousnesse as he is ordained and giuen by the grace of God doth onely present him and his obedience and plead Gods grace and mercy promised in him It doth nothing derogate from the Kings grace in giuing a Pardon to his subiect and from hauing the whole praise of his safety that his subiect doth receiue and plead the same for his life nay rather hereby doth the subiect proclaime to all men that he hath no other meanes to scape the gallowes but the gracious pardon of the King Euen so faith doth not any thing obscure Gods grace toward vs but rather aduance it For can a poore sinner giue larger testimonie and more amply set out the glory of Gods grace then when disclaiming himselfe and his best workes as filthy clouts he doth wholly flye vnto and relye vpon Iesus Christ his obedience and Gods gracious pardon of his sinnes by and through him And if the life and safety of a Malefactor saued by the Kings pardon notwithstanding his receiuing of it be wholly ascribed to the grace and mercy of the Prince how much more must our saluation notwithstanding that we beleeue in Christ be the praise glory of Gods rich grace whose grace it is first to prepare and offer Christ vnto vs and saluation in him and then also to giue vs faith which otherwise wee could neuer haue to receiue and beleeue on him It followeth should not perish but haue life euerlasting We are now at length from the meanes come to consider the benefit which doth stand on two parts as hath beene before touched 1. in deliuerance from that miserable state wherein we were should not perish 2. in conferring great good vpon vs but haue euerlasting life The first thing that heere we may obserue is what wee are before and without faith euen lost wretches Doct. 8. We are by nature lost wretcthes It is by faith in Christ that wee are kept from perdition which teacheth plainely that by nature before the Lord hath quickened vs by faith we are all children of perdition But of this more largely and more fitly in another place Doct. 9. Secondly therefore obserue that though wee bee by nature dead yet by faith we are quickened By faith we are quickned and entitled to eternall life and made partakers of life euerlasting So Christ verse 36. of this chapter Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life And chapter 5.24 Verely verely I say vnto you Hee that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life And Iohn 17.3 This is eternall life to know that is with the knowledge of faith thee to bee the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. For Christ is our life For Christ is our life whom by faith we possesse our life is in him Col. 3.4 And therefore whosoeuer do beleeue in him haue life through and with him As 1 Iohn 5.11.12 From this principle we may see the same conclusion to be gathered God hath giuen vs life and this life is in his Sonne he that hath the Sonne hath life he that hath not the Sonne hath not life But to see this better how by faith we come to haue life euerlasting we must consider that we haue it either in regard of the beginning or of the accomplishment and perfection If once we bee brought to beleeue in Christ life eternall is then begunne in vs 1 Eternall life is by faith begun in vs Iohn 7.38 Hee that beleeueth in mee out of his belly shall there flowe riuers of water of life And the nature of these waters is such that they neuer let the soule thirst againe but they are in the beleeuer a well of water springing to eternall life Neuer to be extinguished Iohn 4.14 Neither let any man except That they shall be so vnlesse a man cast them vp againe for that cannot bee since if they could be cast vp how should they then be a well in a man still springing to euerlasting life By faith we receiue the promised spirit Gal. 3.14 By faith we haue Christ liuing in vs. Eph. 3.17 Who since hee cannot dy as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 6.9 wee must not thinke that this life begunne once in any member can vtterly bee extinguished For this life is a fruit of the spirit the first resurrection a life in substance all one with that blessed and glorious estate which vvee shall enioy It is an eternall life euen for the qualitie and condition of it and not onely by reason of the promise of God the merit and intercession of Iesus Christ Secondly 2. Thereby wee obtaine euen heere the fulnes of it If once we beleeue wee also come to haue the fulnes of life euerlasting and that 2. waies de facto or de iure in regard of the thing it self in very deed or in regard of right vnto it For euery beleeuer hath in very deed the fulnes of life glory thogh not in himselfe yet in his head Christ Iesus Hee may say My head Iesus Christ is glorified In deed in Christ who is glorified for vs. and I in my head sit in heauen Thus the Apostle speaketh Eph. 2.6 God hath raysed vs vp together and made vs sit in heauenly places in Christ Iesus Secondly 2. In right
we reioice therein Wherein we should reioice And what should wee more long and labour to enioy then this Reioice not in this saith our Sauiour to his Disciples Luke 10.20 that spirits are subdued vnto you but if you reioice in any thing reioice that your names are written in heauen and that you are appointed to liue in glory there And truely blessed Paul did so prize this hope laid vp in heauen for him that for it he neglected and forgate all things behinde and did onely looke and endeauour himselfe vnto this happinesse which hee saw before him following hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling in Christ Iesus Phil. 3.13 14. Yea the desire of it was so vehement that it made him sigh and groane longing to bee clothed with this Tabernacle which is from heauen And long to enioy it in heauen 2. Cor. 5.2 Would not a poore begger if he should vnderstand of some great and goodly liuing fallen to him in a farre countrey much reioice therein long to goe to see it and take possession of it And if any man should offer to detaine it would he not striue with all might and sue for it at the law in forma pauperis as wee say rather then goe without it Doubtlesse wee haue dead and dull hearts if wee doe not reioice in this life and glory which by faith in Christ wee obtaine if wee doe not long to take our iourney vnto heauen to haue the full fruition of it and doe not striue for it with praiers to God struggle with all our power against the world and Satan that would defeat vs of it Children for want of vnderstanding Which wee doâ— not or want of vnderstanding mind not those goodly possessions they are born to content if they haue a hobby-horse to ride a painted rattle or couÌ„ters to play with And is it not of a childish ignorance concerning the glory of eternall life that we so little minde it and carelesly look after it but are well contented with these painted bables of the world spend all our thoughts and strength about them It should therefore bee our continuall praier vnto God That we are to beg of God as Eph. 1.18 that the eyes of our minde may bee lightened that wee may know what is the hope of Gods calling and what is the riches of this glorious inheritance One cleare view of this glorious condition would rauish our harts with the loue of it and excite all the powers within vs to lay holde of it 2. It teacheth vs patience in worldly losses and crosses Secondly wee may learne patience and vvith the more quiet mindes to beare afflictions and worldly losses from the contemplation of this euerlasting life which we haue by faith in Christ Abraham did leaue his friends his natiue country all his earthly hopes there which were not small and came to dwell in a strange country where he susteined many grieuances by the vncircumcised and heathnish people and was exercised with sundry troubles all which hee passed ouer with singular patience by the hope and desire of eternall life and that heauenly country to which hee was called Heb. 11.8.9.10.16 So likewise Moses that man of God did quit Pharaohs court set light by all the pleasures wealth and honours of it chusing aboue these the rebuke of Christ and to suffer affliction with Gods people And what gaue him in these and all his sufferings encouragement but the large recompence of eternall life which he saw before had respect vnto Heb 11 24 25 26. Finally the faithfull Hebrewes are highly commended by the Apostle Heb. 10 32 33 34. for their great patience which they shewed in bearing afflictions enduring reproaches being partners with Gods persecuted people and suffering with ioy the spoiling of their goods of which their patience this was the ground that they knewe in themselues Since by faith we know of better things reserued for vs. how that in heauen they had a better and an enduring substance If a man of noble birth rich reuenue trauailing homeward through a forraine land should there haue base indignities offered him nay should fall into the hands of theeues and by them be stripped of his rich apparell and robbed of all his mony all this would the lesse trouble him for that he meant to stay among these churlish people no longer then needs hee must and if hee could make shift for a season till hee came to his natiue country that he knew himself there to haue friends that would honour him and golde and siluer enough to supply this losse and fully to furnish him Why then should we fret and grieue at the base intreaty which wee receiue from worldlings at the wrongs and reproaches that are offered vs at our worldly losses and generally all the miseries of this life Which will recompence worldly discomforts For haue not we an heauenly home and an eternall life by Christ prepared for vs at the which if wee once arriue wee know by faith that there we haue friends euen God his Saints and Angels who will honour vs riches and treasures inestimable to store vs ioy and glory vnspeakeable to refresh vs. Thouâ—h wâ—rldly â—â—enâ—â— such cases whine not without câ—â—â—e whâ— leesing their worldly comforts leeâ—â— all None would thinke it strange to see a poor man that did carry al his treasure about him to whine and cry if falling into the hands of theeues hee did at once leese all for hee is cleane vndone and hath nothing left to succour him but it were extreame basenes in a wealthy man to take on for the losse of some small summes when it is well knowne that hee hath thousands at home that are safe and entire Thus for worldly men wee may well allow them to chafe and fret howle and cry at the losse of their outward peace wealth mirth honor and reputation For alas how can they doe otherwise they are become starke beggers are cleane vndone haue nothing left nor know not whence to looke for a supply but truely Gods people doe too too bad shame their profession who in outward afflictions and losses grow impatient and are out of hart whose losses are nothing to that which is left them and whose hopes which are in heauen reserued for them will abundantly recompense all the miseries of this life 3. It staieth our hart in worldly cares feares Thirdly This doth serue to establish our hearts against sundry worldly cares and feares we are in restlesse maner tossed in our selues distracted hither thither one while affecting earthly greatnes abundance another while carking for earthly necessaries and fearing the want of them But all without cause For what neede wee so admire at For we need 〈◊〉 â—â—oâ—tâ—on 〈◊〉 bâ—â—â—â—â—â—es who 〈◊〉 heauenly which are better meant vs. and aspire vnto the glory and happinesse of this life who haue an eternall