shall alwaies behold God in his glorie and be satisfied with his likenesse Psal 17.15 yea conformed vnto him and partakers of a ful and endlesse glorie It is the bounty and kindnesse of the Highest to all his chosen little ones Tit. 3.7 That we should be iustified by his grace and be made heires according to the hope of eternall life Rom. 8.15 that we be annexed heires with Christ Psal 16.11 and possesse the pleasures at Gods right hand for euermore Now let it be carefully obserued and well remembred that while we so highly commend the sauing-faith that ascribeth glorie to God and bringeth such comfort to mans soule we arrogate nothing to our selues as if it were in our owne power to beleeue but we acknowledge it meerely to be the free gift of God as we are taught Heb. 12.2 That Iesus is the author and finisher of our faith We may not say that it is attained by mans skill and industrie but that it is a peculiar gift to Gods elect as the holy word teacheth vs Phil. 1.29 To you it is giuen to beleeue in his Name It is a work of God neither common nor small Ye beleeue according to his mightie power Eph. 1.19 And when God by the ministerie of his word and power of his Spirit hath wrought it in vs yet through our infirmitie it is weake imperfect such as standeth in need of daily increasing and confirming so as that the Apostles of Christ prayed Luk. 17.5 Lord increase our faith Euen where faith is in truth and sound it is but as a beggers hand to receiue a Kings bounty or if you would haue a gayer similitude to expresse it it is like the firie chariot that caried Eliah vp to heauen or like a gold ring that hath a pearle or rubie set into it the worth of the ring not being from the gold but from the precious pearle in it Excellencie of faith is in apprehending and applying to vs the most precious Obiect of it that is Christ Iesus and in him eternall life which the word doth plainly say is the gift of God Rom. 6.23 giuen onely to beleeuers yet not for the worthinesse of their persons or faith but meerly of Gods loue and free fauour as inheritances befall to men for whom they are prepared 2. Sam. 9.7 As lame Mephiboseth was set continually at the kings table not for any worth in him being also a deformed cripple but onely for Ionathans sake so we find acceptance with God but altogether because he hath loued vs in his beloued So that both the blessing Ephes 1.6 to be made capable of it is his most free gift We see that Kings suffer their Nobles to enioy much honor and great prerogatiues yet they will suffer no fauourite to weare their crowne So the Lord out of his infinite and most rich grace bequeatheth to vs in his holy Testament the legacie of eternall life and putteth faith into our hearts to seale the assurance thereof vnto vs yet the honor for the exceeding gift he reserueth to himselfe Isa 45.25 and will giue it none other We are all equally vnder the curse but when God calleth outwardly by his word and inwardly by his Spirit giuing to vs faith to beleeue in Christ our righteousnesse our hearts are much comforted and we greatly reioyce in the Lord. He that spared not his owne Sonne Rom. 8.32 but deliuered him vp for vs all how shall he not with him also freely giue vs all things Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is euen at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for vs. If the Sonne of God obey the Law for vs die for vs make intercession for vs why should we doubt of blessednes by him seeing he casteth off none but such as cast him off through their vnbeleefe Heb. 3.18 To them that beleeued not he sware they should not enter into his rest Dare man commit his life that is so precious vnto him to a ship made by the skill of man in it to passe ouer the wide stormie seas and shall we not boldly commend the whole safegard of our soules and bodies to the Sonne of the euerliuing God that laid downe his life for the sauing of vs Dare Benhadad put his life into the hands of his enemy vpon this ground that he had heard that the Kings of Israel were mercifull 1. Kin. 20.31 and shall not we that are professed Christians and desire to be accounted for the children of the Highest confidently fully and ioyfully resigne our selues to Iesus Christ to claime the mercifull promises made vnto sinners especially seeing he is at peace with vs is our peacemaker and taught vs that he came to saue sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 Gal. 3.26 and that he hath made vs the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus Ioh. 6.47 with a Verily verily I say vnto you he that beleeueth on me hath euerlasting life Among all the seuen nations of the Cananites that for their abhominations were destroyed the Gibeonites onely were wise and escaped deserued destruction Ios 9.13 for they sought and obtained peace with the Israelites and yet had nothing to pleade for themselues why they should be spared but put themselues vpon their mercie pretending that they came from a very far countrie shewing their old garments old shoes old bottels mouldie bread So of all the people on the face of the earth they onely will be found wise and happy that distrusting their owne works done before grace as altogether sinfull and those done after grace receiued as very faulty for not right vsing of them wholly despaire in themselues relie vpon trust to and cast themselues fully on the rich mercy of God and the holy merits of Iesus Christ and firmly beleeue that it is a true saying 1. Tim. 1.13 and worthie of all men to be beleeued that Iesus Christ came to saue sinners As Ionas was willingly cast into the sea Ionas 1.12 to stay the raging of it that all in the ship with him might not perish and they vpon his suffering enioyed a calme and desired safetie so Christ Iesus to appease the wrath curse that would haue fallen on vs suffered and gaue himselfe for vs Ephes 5.2 an offering to God for a sweete smelling sauour by it Gods iustice is satisfied his wrath appeased and all beleeuers reconciled As he that was guiltie of manslaughter though he could make no satisfaction for the bloud he had shed yet if he sought to the appointed citie of refuge by Gods mercifull dispensation and pardon he was set free Num. 35.28 but it was at the death of the High-priest So we that can pleade nothing for our selues being guiltie of many and great sins
woman beleeueth the Angell once assuring the promise which he a man was often told and that by the Lord himselfe It is said of Abraham Rom 4.18 That against hope he beleeued in hope that he might become the father of many nations according to that was spoken So shall thy seede be and being not weake in faith he considered not his body now dead when hee was about an hundred yeares old neither yet the deadnesse of Saraes wombe he staggered not at the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strong in faith giuing glorie to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to performe and therefore was it imputed to him for righteousnesse So holy Marie knowing her selfe to be a Virgine and by that ordinarie course of nature she could not bring forth a child yet minding there was a sure promise made by the God of truth recorded by a holy Prophet beleeued by all the Israel of God Behold a Virgine shall conceiue and beare a Isa 7.14 sonne and shall call his name Immanuel And seeing now the God of her fathers had spoken to her by his holy Angell Gabriel Luk. 1.30 Thou hast found fauour with God and behold thou shalt conceiue in thy wombe and bring forth a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus She firmly beleeuing that with God nothing is impossible that all the promises of God are most sure she strong and stedfast in her most holy faith gaue glory to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to performe made this sweete answer Luk. 1.38 Behold the handmaide of the Lord be it vnto me according to thy word It followeth then that as Abraham the Father of the faithfull was accounted righteous by beleeuing so likewise the faith of holy Marie was imputed to her for righteousnesse and so consequently for blessednesse as it is said Blessed is she that beleeued If any hard of beleefe take exception and say Maries blessednesse is auouched onely by a woman let such remember that Elizabeth that said it was both an holy woman a Prophetisse and the word of God speaketh euidently of her Luke 1.41 Elizabeth was filled with the holy Ghost Moreouer if any say we hold it for good that sound true and particular beleeuing the promises of saluation giueth assurance of full blessednesse but is Maries faith such in beleeuing she should beare a sonne yet remaine a Virgine still We desire such not to seuer things so nearely ioyned together her faith of hauing a sonne and her faith in her sonne who also is the Sonne of God blessed for euer For it is euident by the word that she both beleeued her own saluation by him the Messiah as Abraham did as also with a fuller light of knowledge that the hope of Israel should be her sonne By the one she hath a prerogatiue to be blessed aboue all women by the other a preeminencie amongst all the Lords holy ones By comparing Scriptures together we shall see very clearly that we ought not so to restraine the meaning of those words Blessed is she that beleeued We reade in Genesis Gen. 15.5 The word of the Lord came to Abraham againe One shall come out of thine owne bowels he shall be thy heire looke now vp to heauen and tell the starres if thou be able to number them and he said So shall thy seede be and Abraham beleeued the Lord and he accounted that to him for righteousnesse It is not to be gathered hence that Abraham was accounted righteous in beleeuing he should haue a wonderfull great posteritie like the number of the starres for multitude but he formerly beleeued this promise of the Almightie Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed Now the latter promise Gen. 15. containeth in it the former Genes 12. and hath ouer and aboue it a promise of the boundlesse enlargement of the Church which should be blessed with him by the promised seed euen by him who is called Shilo Gen. 49.10 Isa 7.14 Dan. 9.26 Immanuel and Messiah So the holy Virgine Marie euen before the Angell came to her soundly beleeued in the promised Messiah and that he should be the sonne of a Virgine as the Prophet Isaias had foretold but after that Gabriel the Lords messenger had reuealed more to her she beleeued that she was that Virgine to whom this dignitie and prerogatiue was freely giuen to be the mother of the most holy Immanuel So hauing the common faith of blessednesse with Abraham this peculiar faith aboue Abraham for he saw Christ afarre off but she felt him in her wombe first saw him manifested in the flesh heard his gracious words enioyed him as her sonne and Sauiour we may hold it as a manifest truth that she was before all in true and holy faith in the Sonne of the euerliuing God hauing testimonie of her faith and blessednesse from the whole Church of God as is prophecied All generations shall call her blessed Luk. 1.48 and from the sound and worthie fruits of sauing faith which are mentioned in the word It is among the praises of Abrahams faith by Christs owne mouth Ioh 8.56 Your father Abraham reioyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad Marie did not onely reioyce in God her Sauiour Luk. 1.47 but also magnified the Lord that is with heart and voice praised and extolled the greatnesse and goodnesse of God to her and the whole Church From her faith flowed the glorifying of God ioy and gladnesse to her owne soule and a comfortable reuiuing of the hearts of all the godly by witnessing in her sweete song the fulfilling of Gods promises for helping vp his seruant Israel Luke 1.54 We conclude then that the Virgine Marie was a gracious woman freely and fully beloued of God a Maide and a Mother a faithfull Israelite a primarie Christian an holy prophetisse a daughter of God by adoption a Mother of the Sonne of God by speciall fauor blessed in bearing Christ blessed in beleeuing in Christ blessed by him on earth blessed with him in heauen for euermore The first vse and fruite Which wee must reape by knowing and beleeuing that Marie was blessed in beleeuing is that we be taught and strengthened by her example to seeke all our blessednesse out of our selues in Iesus Christ as he is the Head of his body the Church Eph. 5.23 and by him as he is our holy Redeemer and Reconciler Rom. 3.24 And that this gift is giuen of God and receiued of vs by faith onely For that faith and no other grace giueth vs right vnto Eph. 2.8 and maketh vs owners of this blessednesse which is in Christ the proper act of this faith being to receiue Christ and apply him to vs in particular So that we must be soundly instructed and vnmoueably setled in this high holy doctrine of the excellency of faith and
the name of his elder brother and in his clothing so we putting on the Lord Iesus Christ Phil. 3.9 may be found in him not hauing our owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ and may say with the Church or seede which the Lord hath blessed I will greatly reioyce in the Lord Isa 61.10 my soule shall be ioyfull in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of saluation he hath couered me with the robe of righteousnesse as a bridegroome decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her selfe with iewels Now concerning faith we do not teach nor beleeue that we are iustified or saued for our faith or the worthinesse of it but we cleaue to the word and beleeue as therein we are taught namely Gal. 3.11 The iust shall liue by his faith We are iustified by faith haue peace with God Rom. 5.1 Gal. 3.26 We are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus To him that worketh not Rom. 4.5 but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is COVNTED to him for righteousnesse And that comfortable bill of acquittance Act. 13.38 Be it knowne vnto you men and brethren that through this man is preached vnto you forgiuenesse of sinnes and from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the law of Moses by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified Vnderstand for a fuller clearenesse in this point that like as it is said of Timothie continuing in holinesse and sound doctrine 1. Tim. 4.6 In doing this thou shall saue thy selfe and them that heare thee It is not meant that Timothie or any Minister doth saue otherwise then as instruments Who is Paul 1. Cor. 3.5 or who is Apollos but Ministers by whom ye beleeued So though no other faith iustifieth but that which worketh by loue the same neither iustifying together with loue nor faith hauing his efficacie from loue yet faith which saueth Eph. 2.8 Ye are saued by grace through faith and not of your selues it is the gift of God saueth not as it is a worke or as it worketh by loue but as it receiueth Christ Iohn 1.11 that in him we may be righteous Euen as fire giueth comfort to the frozen and be nummed with cold not by the light thereof but by the heate of it As God giueth his Sonne vnto vs and in him eternall life so giueth he also to euery of his faith to be as a hand to receiue the gift so that they which receiue abundance of grace Rom. 5.17 and of the gift of righteousnesse shal reigne in life by one Iesus Christ It is true that true faith is neuer alone that is it is not fruitlesse barren or idle as that in Hypocrites but it is effectuall or there is a worke of faith 1. Thes 1.3 and labour of loue Yet it alone and no other grace iustifieth as to them that will be wise according to the word it is very manifest Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen we haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the Law for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be iustified This needeth no further declaration but is as cleare as that short speech of Christ to the same effect Mar. 5.36 Onely beleeue And that also Luke 8.50 Feare not beleeue onely and she shall be made whole And this doctrine maintaineth Christs honour and extolleth his bountie who giueth to the thirstie of the fountaine of the water of life freely Reu. 21.6 And it giueth to the broken in heart and sorrowfull soule much and sound comfort in greatest conflicts and terrors of conscience and when for sinne Satan would draw vs to despaire Let vs then cheare vp our hearts refresh our fainting spirits with the holy harmonie of the Apostles all of thē so sweetly sounding out this learning of our blessednesse by faith in Iesus Christ Saint Iude thus exhorteth Iude 21. Build vp your selues on your most holy faith looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life Iames requireth we aske in faith Iam. 1.6 nothing wauering Iohn assureth vs that it is the commandement 1. Ioh. 3.23 that we should beleeue on the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ Paul setteth downe very briefly the summe of the Gospell Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ Act. 16.31 and thou shalt be saued Peter in a great assembly taught Act. 15.9 that God put no difference betweene them and vs after that by faith he had purged their hearts Why tempt ye God to lay a yoke on the disciples necks which neither our fathers nor we are able to beare but we beleeue through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ to be saued euen as they do Yea To him giue all the Prophets witnesse Act. 10.43 that through his Name whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall receiue remission of sinnes A fourth obiection If good works do not answer the righteousnesse of Gods Law nor iustifie nor satisfie nor merite before God it may seeme they are vile in your eyes or at least you make small account of them and you set a doore wide open to carnall liberty and all licentiousnesse of liuing O be it farre from all that professe Christianitie so to thinke or speake for good workes are a maine part of that worship of God which he commandeth and will call vs to account for they are the end of our Election assurances of our Calling companions of our Iustification the practise of Sanctification forerunners of Glorification the effects of grace the life of Religion the beauty of Christianitie witnesses of faith nurses of hope fruites of loue euidences of thankfulnesse our sacrifice to God our acceptance with men the difference betweene Saints and reprobates the truth of repentance a turning from dead workes preseruatiues from scandals a lasting debt and dutie they adde honour to our profession peace to our consciences further our reckning they are seales of saluation the way to the kingdome follow vs to Gods tribunall they are our walking in the waies of God and our blamelesse conuersation without which we are as fruitlesse trees fitted for the fire and hypocrites that without all helpe shall be cast into hell for as the word of truth teacheth Heb. 12.14 Without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Take knowledge then and be minded that we beleeue and teach both a necessitie of good works and sundry excellent vses of them A necessitie of good works we do beleeue First because of Gods commandement Psal 119.4 Thou hast commanded that we should keepe thy precepts diligently Leu. 19.2 Be ye holy for I am holy This is the will of God 1. Thes 4.3 euen your