testimonie of the truth rather than to yeeld to Antichrist and generally may be more affraid to commit sin than to suffer death let vs remember what the holy Ghost saith that blessed are those which die in the Lord. And let vs consider that this assertion is no humane inuention or earthly deuice but a diuine and heauenly oracle For so saith Iohn I heard a voyce from heauen Many will say If I might heare an Angell from heauen tell me that which you Ministers doe teach vs as namely that to die in the Lord is an happie thing assuredly I would beleeue it If from heauen it were testified vnto me that it is a blessed thing to die not in the faith and communion of the Romish Church but in the faith of Christ professed in the Churches reformed by the preaching of the Gospell I would rather die than ioyne with the Church of Rome And yet behold this truth is not onely auouched by a voice from heauen but also that as Peter speaketh in the like case we might haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more firme word which is the written word it is by the commandement of God from heauen committed to writing as containing words faithfull and true and being spoken and written hath the testimonie of the spirit that it is the vndoubted word of God Such is the credit of the written word that if an Angell from heauen should gainsay it he were to be held accursed Gal. 1. 8. And he that will not giue credit to the written word which is the most sure foundation of our faith neither would he beleeue though an Angell should come from heauen or a spirit from the dead Satan can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light and take vpon him the person of the dead and therefore if we should trust to apparitions we might soone be deceiued But the word of God cannot deceiue vs. Seeing therefore this assertion is pronounced by God from heauen and at his appointment is committed by the holy Euangelist to writing and also hath the testimonie of the holy Ghost who is the spirit of truth Let vs therefore with all reuerence and good conscience hearken vnto it as to the oracle of God and with the full perswasion of faith giue vnfained credit vnto it as vnto the vndoubted word of the Lord namely that the dead which die in the Lord are from thenceforth blessed because they rest from their labours and their workes follow them In which words three things are to be considered First who they are which be here pronounced blessed Secondly what this blessednesse is and wherein it doth consist which is shewed in the reason that they rest from their labours c. Thirdly when this blessednes belongeth to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith hee from thenceforth that is forthwith and immediatly after their death and so forward As touching the first Blessed saith he are the dead What the dead blessed A strange paradoxe no doubt to hypocrites and worldly men who haue placed their felicitie in the fruition of temporall things and put the day of death farre from them fearing nothing more than to die and hoping for nothing lesse than to be blessed after death But let vs remember that it is an oracle of God deliuered from heauen and testified by the holy spirit From hence therefore let vs learne truly to acknowledge the immortalitie of the soule and effectually beleeue that there is a life immortall after this mortall life is ended And in this beliefe let vs be carefull so to liue as that we may hope after this life is ended to be happie and blessed Neither let vs be so mad as for the momentanie fruition of temporall vanities in this vale of miserie to lose an euerlasting inheritance in the kingdome of heauen But hee addeth which die in the Lord. For not all that are dead are blessed for many die out of the Lord Iesus and out of Gods fauour as those which depart in the faith of Antichrist or otherwise die in their sinnes as in ignorance infidelitie impenitencie c. and they are so far from being blessed when they die as that by their death their miserie is infinitely increased But they are blessed which die in the Lord. Which words some vnderstand as spoken of Martyrs onely and so reade them who die for the Lords cause And no doubt if all they be blessed who die in the Lord much more may we assure our selues that they which doe not onely die in the Lord but also for him are most happie and blessed And this must encourage all true Christians as we are perswaded that the Lord hath laid downe his life for our sakes so to bee most readie and willing to lay downe our liues for his sake if it shall please the Lord to vouchsafe vnto vs both that honour as to be the Martyrs of Iesu as also that fauour as to make our death and afflictions which otherwise all of vs must looke to suffer as chastisements for our sinnes to be sufferings for righteousnes But yet not onely such as die for the Lord are here pronounced blessed nor all they are blesled who would seeme to die for the Lord but all they and onely they who die in the Lord are blessed For if any man dying for the maintenance of heresie shall think he dieth for the Lord as all in that case are readie to pretend notwithstanding hee is not blessed because hee doth not die in the Lord. For none are in him but such as truly belieue in him and none truly belieue in him which doe not loue him and his members for his sake But they which die for heresie as they doe not truly belieue in Christ so doe they not truly loue his members but by their heresie cut themselues from the bodie of Christ which is his true Church For hs he that giueth his bodie to bee burnt and hath not loue saith the Apostle so hee that thinketh himselfe to be martyred hath not true faith it profiteth him nothing And such is the state as of all other heretikes so especially of the Popish martyrs of these times as they are esteemed among thē For besides that they do not die for their religion properly but for treason and rebellion and it is not the punishment but the cause that maketh a Martyr their religion also is Antichristian being the Caholike apostasie the common sewre of heresie and the very mysterie of iniquitie Neither doe they die in the cause or faith of Christ but in the cause and faith of Antichrist and therefore are the martyrs not of Christ but of Antichrist The truth whereof none can denie if this once bee prooued vnto them which by our writings is sufficiently prooued that Rome is Babylon the Pope Antichrist and the Papists such as haue receiued the marke of the beast Therfore not only they which die for the Lord nor all they who would seeme
to die for him but as I said all they and only they which die in the Lord as the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe plainely signifie are here by the voice of God from heauen and by the testimony of the spirit pronounced blessed But let vs consider who may be said to die in the Lord for this is the most materiall point in all this text The like phrase is vsed 1. Thess. 4. 16. The dead in Christ. 1. Cor. 15. 18. They which are a sleepe in Christ. Which places being vnderstood of al the faithfull do cuidently proue that this phrase is not to bee restrained to Martyrs only but generally to be extended to all true Christians They therefore are said to die in Christ who being in Christ do so â—nd this life or who being by a true saith ingrafted into Christ doe in that faith depart this life So that to this happines two things are required first that we be in Christ for else we cannot be said to die in him the second that we abide in him vnto the end for else we do not die in him But you will say how can we be in Christ seeing he is in heauen and we on the earth I answere whosoeuer truly beleeueth in Christ he is in Christ and being in him is blessed Heere therefore I am to shew two things 1. That the faithfull be in Christ 2. That their being in him is the ground of their happinesse For there euery faithfull man and woman is a true member of the body of Christ bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh and consequently they are in him and he in them they being in him by faith and he in them by his spirit And they are not only in him but also one with him according to his prayer Ioh. 17. For as the body is one and yet hath many members and all the members though many are but one body so is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptised into one body namely of Christ and by the same were all made to drinke into one spirit viz. of Christ that is by the Spirit of Christ we are in Baptisme engrafted into the body of Christ and in the Lords Supper vnited to his Spirit 1. Cor. 12. 12. 13. As therefore there is an vnion betwixt the head of the natural body and the members thereof which be most remote from it by reason of the vnity of the same soule which being chiefely seated in the head quickneth also the feet so is it in the mysticall body of Christ. For hereby as S. Iohn saith We know that we dwell in Christ and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirit This therfore is my first reason whosoeuer is in the body of Christ hee is in Christ euery one that truly beleeueth in Christ is in the body of Christ as a liuely member thereof therefore euery one that truly beleeueth in Christ is in Christ. The like comparison our Sauiour vseth Ioh. 15. where he saith that he is the vine and the faithfull are as it were branches in him As the branches therefore be in the vine so the faithfull are in Christ. Againe the Sacraments serue to this end to assure the faithfull that they be in Christ. For by the one we are baptised into Christ that is by Baptisme ingrafted into him Gal. 3. 27. in the other we eate his body and drinke his blood which whosoeuer doth he is in Christ and Christ in him Ioh. 6. 56. both whicâ— are plainely testified by the Apostle iâ— the place euen now cited For saith hâ— by the same Spirit we are all baptisâ— into one body and made all to drinke into one spirit But what need I other proofes seeing the holy Ghost in the Scripture plainely affirmeth that the faithfull be in Christ as 1. Cor. 1. 30. You saith the Apostle to the faithfull are of God in Christ. And it is an vsuall thing in the Scriptures to terme the faithfull such as be in Christ as Ephes. 1. 1. Philip. 1. 1. Colos. 1. 2. to the faithfull which be in Christ to all the Saints in Christ c. In the 8. to the Romans when he would signifie that the faithfull are forced from damnation he saith There is no condemnation to them which he in Christ Iesus When he would signifie that the faithfull are also regenerate he saith Whosoeuer is in Christ he is a new creature And finally as the faithfull are here said to die in Christ so elsewhere they are said to liue in him and he in them 2. Tim. 3. 12. Gal. 2. 20. The vse which we are to make hereof is two-fold the one of instruction the other of comfort For seeing the faithfull are in Christ it behoueth all them who would seeme to bee true Christians to behaue themselues as becommeth those which are in Christ gouerned and guided by his spirit according to his Word For this we are to know that the offences I meane especially such as be notorious offences of such as be or would seeme to be in Christ do redound to the dishonor of Christ our head For as we seeme to haue communion with him which in sinful actions indeed we haue not but are then affected as members of the naturall body benummed with the palsie which though they haue vnion with their head yet haue not communion of sense and motion deriued to them from the head but I say as wee seeme to haue communion with him so we seeme to draw him into the communion and fellowship of our sinne which is horrible to be thought When as therefore we are incited or allured to the practise of sinne let this consideration restraine vs. For seeing wee professe our selues our soules and bodies to bee members of Christ let vs say with the Apostle Shal I take the member of Christ and make it the member of a harlot Gâ— forbid And so for other sinnes shall I defile the member of Christ with idolatrie and make it a member of Antichrist or shall I pollute the member of Christ with drunkennesse with theft with blood with witchcraft c. and make it as much as in me lieth a limbe of the diuell God forbid The comfort which all the faithfull are from hence to reape is that comfort of all comforts namely that they are in Christ and consequently are so to conceiue of themselues as being in Christ. I say againe that all they who embrace the mercies of God in Christ and doe lay hold vpon him by a true and a liuely faith are to bee assured that they are in Christ and consequently that they are in the fauour of God and accepted of him in Christ as righteous and in Christ adopted as the children of GOD and heires of eternall life Many not well considering this point doe greatly weaken the faith either of others or their owne Of others as namely they who halting betweene
by a true faith wee may bee found in him and accordingly will we giue diligence not onely in vsing the meanes whereby wee may beleeue and be in Christ but also in gathering testimonies to assure vs that we are in Christ by a true and liuely faith The vse therefore which wee are to make of the former doctrine concerning the blessed estate of those which be in Christ by faith is two-fold First that we labour to be in Christ the second that we labour to know that wee are in Christ. As touching the former wee are to performe two things The first that we vse the meanes to beleeue Secondly that wee doe beleeue The ordinarie meanes of begetting faith is the ministerie of the word For as the Apostle saith Faith commeth by hearing the word and againe How can they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how can they heare without a Preacher For what are Preachers but Ministers by whom you doe beleeue 1. Cor. 3. 5. who because they are by preaching the Gospel the instruments of God for the begetting of faith in the elect by which they are iustified and adopted sons of God are therefore said to iustifie men and by the preaching of the Gospell which is the immortall seed whereof Peter speaketh to beget men vnto God If therefore there be no saluation but by Christ and if we haue no part in Christ but by faith and if we attaine not to faith ordinarilie but by hearing the word of God this therefore must teach vs as wee desire to be saued so to be carefull and conscionable hearers of the word of God which is his power to our saluation For how meanly soeuer carnall and worldly men esteeme of the preaching of the Gospel notwithstanding it is the ordinance and good pleasure of God by the foolishnes of preaching for so men esteeme it to saue those that doe beleeue 1. Cor. 1. 21. But our hearing must be mingled with faith or else it profiteth nothing When as therefore the Lord in the ministerie of the Gospell doth not onely reueale and offer vnto vs his vnspeakeable mercie in Christ but also by his embassadours doth desire vs that wee would be reconciled vnto him and that we would accept of his mercie offered vnto vs in Christ by receiuing him to be our Sauiour we are not only in generall to beleeue that hee is the only Sauiour of Mankind but in particular wee are to embrace the mercies of God offered vnto vs in him and receiue him as our Sauiour earnestly desiring in out hearts to be made partakers of his merits and vnfained resoluing in our minds to rest and rely vpon him as our only Sauiour He that thus receiueth Christ is esteemed of God who accepteth in weake Christians their sincere desire to receiue Christ and vnfained resolution to rest vpon him alone for saluation for the deed it selfe which is faith he is esteemed I say to beleeue and by this faith whereby he thus receiueth Christ he is vnited vnto him And howsoeuer as yet in the court of his owne conscience perhaps he is not iustified being poore it spirit and hungring and thirsting after the righteousnes of Christ which in his owne sense he doth not yet find imputed vnto him yet notwithstanding in high court of heauen he is as surely iustified before God as by our Sauiour Matth. 5. he is pronounced blessed And if any man shal think it strange that so small a measure of faith should be effectuall to vnite vs vnto Christ and to iustifie vs before God let him consider that faith doth not iustifie vs as it is a qualitie gift habite or worke in vs or in respect of the worthines thereof but only relatiuely in regard of Christ the obiect which it doth apprehend In so much that Peter calleth the faith of all the faithfull though vnequall in it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of equall value or price because it doth alike iustifie though all be not alike assured of their iustification For the same righteousnes of Christ which by a strong faith is apprehended to iustification is also apprehended by a weake faith For as the almes receiued by a feeble hand doth as well relieue the partie as that which is receiued by a strong hand and it is not the hand but the almes properly which doth relieue and as the brazen Serpent which was a figure of Christ did heale those among the Israelites which listed vp their weake eyes towards it as well as those which were quicke-sighted so the righteousnes of Christ being apprehended by a weake faith doth as well iustifie the beleeuer as when it is receiued by a strong faith so it is the righteousnes of Christ which faith doth apprehend and not faith it selfe which doth iustifie But it will be said faith is a full assurance therefore he that hath not a full assurance hath not faith I answere not all faith is a full assurance but the strong and perfect faith For a man must belieue in Christ before he can be in Christ or haue remission of sinnes by him A man must haue remission of sinnes before he is bound to beleeue it and a man must beleeue it and haue some measure of assurance before he can haue the fulnes of assurance which is not attained at the first But you will say faith is defined of good Diuines to be a full assurance I answer that they define it in the perfection of it to teach vs not to content our selues with the lesse degrees of faith but to proceed from faith to faith vntill wee come to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full assurance of faith For this is the second thing which as I said wee are to labour for namely to know and to be assured that wee be in Christ. And to this purpose wee are to performe two things First we are to trie our selues whether we be in Christ and secondly wee are to giue diligence to make our being in Christ more sure vnto vs. As touching the former it is the aduice of the Apostle that wee should trie our selues whether wee bee in the faith For many deceiue both themselues with a vaine opinion and others with a bare profession of faith As first they who haue not so much as the dogmaticall or historicall faith which is but a degree towards a iustifying faith For though a man may haue this generall or historicall faith and yet want the iustifying faith yet a man cannot haue a iustifying faith who hath not in some measure the generall or dogmaticall faith Now this generall faith consisteth of two things knowledge of the word of God and assent vnto it that it is true First therfore they who haue not knowledge of the principles of religion are so farre from hauing a true iustifying faith that they haue not so much as the first steppe or degree towards it Therefore though
that if hee would be saued hee must seeke to be freed from the curse of the Law and so bee forced to seeke for saluation out of himselfe in Christ to which ende the Lawe is said to bee a schoolemaster vnto Christ. The very same is to be vnderstood of the Euangelicall faith or faith in Christ. For many there be and they as it is to be feared are the greatest number who are content to make profession of the Gospel either because it is inioyned being as ready to embrace the religion of Antichrist if authoritie should impose it vpon them or because it standeth well with their outward respects or to say the best of them because it promiseth saluation to them that beleeue but rest in this outward profession of faith without any speciall application of the promises of the Gospell or apprehension of the merits of Christ without which it is not a true and effectuall faith vniting vs vnto Christ or iustifying vs in him For it cannot bee that a man seeing by a legall faith his owne damnable estate in himselfe he should be said truly and effectually to beleeue the promise of the Gospell which assureth saluation to all though most wretched in themselues that beleeue in Christ who is not willing to receiue and embrace him as his Sauiour desiring in his heart to be made partaker of the merits of Christ and resoluing in his mind to rest and rely vpon him for saluation For whatsoeuer either Papists or they that are Popishly minded doe speake of this applying of the promises of the Gospell and particular apprehending of Christ it is most certaine that without it faith doth not iustifie vs before God or vnite vs vnto Christ. For though 〈◊〉 sufferings of Christ bee as a soueraigne salue to heale our sores though his body be meat indeed and his blood drinke indeed to feed our soules vnto eternal life though his righteousnes be as a wedding garment to couer our nakednes and to make vs accepted of God yet his merits doe not cure our diseased soules vnlesse they be applied his body blood do not nourish vs vnlesse we spiritually eate his body and drinke his blood neither doth the robe of his righteousnes couer vs vnlesse we put it on And surely if faith doth iustifie vs as it is an instrument to apprehend Christ who is our righteousnes and no◠in any other respect then is it most certain that it doth not iustifie vnlesse it be such a faith as doth apprehend the righteousnes of Christ and apply the promise of the Gospell to our selues Wee must therefore learne to applie the promise of the Gospel to our selues which we may do after this manner Is this true as I acknowledge it to be the word of truth that although I am by the sentence of the law and testimony of mine owne conscience an accursed wretch in my selfe notwithstanding I shall be happy and blessed in Christ if I receiue him to be my Sauiour and truly beleeue in him for in him I shall not only be acquited from the curse but also intitled to the kingdome of heauen And doth the Lord in the ministery of the Gospell which he hath vouchsafed vnto me not only reueale the riches of his abundant mercy in Christ and offer the same vnto vs but also stirre vs vp to embrace his mercy offered vnto vs in Christ and by his Embassadors earnestly desire vs to be reconciled vnto him I do therfore vnfainedly receiue the Lord Iesus to be my sweete Sauiour first earnestly desiring in my heart to be made partaker of his merits to which end I wil daily pray vnto God that as he hath desired mee to accept of his mercy and to be reconciled vnto him so he would bee pleased to accept of the merits and obedience of Christ as a full discharge for my sinnes and that in him he would bee reconciled vnto mee pardoning my sinnes and imputing vnto mee the righteousnes of his Sonne and secondly resoluing in my mind to acknowledge him to be my only Sauiour and to rest vpon him alone for my saluation being perswaded that hee died for my sinnes and rose againe for my iustification Thus by application the Euangelical faith becommeth effectual to vnite vs vnto Christ and to iustifie vs before God But as our faith must be effectuall in apprehending Christ the obiect thereof vnto iustification so must it bee in some measure effectuall in the subiect that is the beleeuer vnto sanctification For true faith inwardly purgeth the hart and outwardly worketh by loue Fo◠when a man is truly perswaded of the euerlasting loue of God towards him in Christ this perswasion which is faith if it bee true and effectuall cannot but stirre vp his heart to loue the Lord and his neighbour for the Lords sake Faith therefore as S. Iames saith must be demonstrated by good workes which are the necessary fruits thereof For although faith alone doth iustifie as Paul sheweth because faith is the only thing in vs which concurreth vnto the act of iustification and is the only grace which serueth as an instrument to apprehend and receiue Christ who only is our righteousnes yet that faith which is alone not ioyned with repentance amendment of life doth not iustifie as Iames proueth because it is not a true faith For euen as the body saith he without spirit that is breath is iudged dead so faith without workes which are as it were the breathing of a liuely faith is iudged to be dead We are to remember that they which be in Christ haue their workes to follow them as it is heere said For in whom Christ dwelleth by faith to iustifie them hee dwelleth also by his spirit to sanctifie thē neither did he come wit◠water alone or blood alone but as Io◠saith hee came both with water and blood both which gushed out of h◠side the blood I say of redemption to purge vs from the guilt of sinne and the water of ablution to cleanse vs from th◠corruption And euen as from the fis◠Adam there is communicated vnto vs not only the guilt of his first sin by in◠putation because as we were in him a the root so in him we sinned originally but also the corruption of his natur◠which by his sinne hee had contracte◠deriued vnto vs by generation So fro◠Christ the second Adam there is co◠municated vnto vs not only the me◠of his obedience by imputation to a quite vs from the guilt of sinne beca◠in him as in our head we haue fulfill◠the law satisfied the iustice of God but also the graces of his spirit where we are made partakers of the diuine 〈◊〉 ture deriued vnto vs by regeneration therefore we be in Christ wee beco◠new creatures 2. Cor. 5. 17. walking 〈◊〉 after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 81. For if we shal say that we haue communion with