hence it is that there is but one true faith by which wee can be saued This is verified by that saying of the Apostle to the Ephesians b Ephes 4. 5. one Lord one Faith one Baptisme And this one true sauing faith is thus defined True sauing faith is a gift of God whereby we apprehend What true sauing faith is Christ and his merits for our iustification and eternall saluation Or more largely thus True sauing faith is a gift of God wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God whereby we doe not onely assent to the Word of God which we know and vnderstand that it is true but also being perswaded of the mercy of God in Christ doe apprehend Christ and apply vnâ—o our selues the promises of the Gospell for remission of sins and euerlasting life through the merits of Christ This is the true Titles giuen to true sauing faith faith which for the excellency of it is called by S. Peter c 2 Pet. 1. 1. precious Faith It is called also sauing Faith because through it a sinner is saued d Ephes 2. 8. by grace faith the Apostle you are saued through Faith It is also called iustifying Faith because that by this faith we are iustified from our sinnes and accepted as righteous in the sight of God Thus S. Paul speakes to the Romanes e Rom. 5. 1. being iustified by Faith And lastly it is called f Tit. 1. 1. the Faith of Gods Elect because it is proper to the Elect. And in this true sauing faith there are three things Three things properly belonging to true sauing faith Pola Synt. t. 2. l. 9. c. 6. necessarily required which doe fully containe the nature and declare the properties thereof The first is a knowledge of the word of God and the promises of the Gospell The second is an assent thereunto The third is a perswasion of obtaining grace and mercy promised Touching the first To true sauing faith there is necessarily 1 Knowledge of the Word of God required a knowledge of the word of God necessary it is to know God and his sonne Christ Iesus whom he hath sent necessary it is to know and vnderstand the Articles of faith in a word necessary it is for euery one that will be saued to know all things necessary to his saluation g Rom. 10. 17. Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God as saith the Apostle Now then if a man know not the Word of God how shall he beleeue to saluation Secondly in true faith there is required an assent vnto 2 An assent vnto the Word of God the Word of God that is to euery word of God in generall and in particular to the promises of the Gospell made to them that beleeue because it is sayd h Marc. 1. 15. Beleeue the Gospell And this assent to the word of God and promises of the Gospell is to be yeelded of vs not in respect of any euident reason that we see to cause vs to assent thereunto but in regard of the authority of God whose word it is for faith is not grounded vpon reason neither is it exercised about things visible to the eye of man but about things inuisible for faith as the Apostle saith is the i Heb. 11. 1. substance of things hoped for the euidence of things not seene And therefore whatsoeuer is written in the whole Word of God we are to giue assent thereunto and to beleeue it for a certaine truth because it is the Word of God though we see no reason to perswade vs thereunto Thirdly in true saith there is required a perswasion 3 A perswasion of the mercy of God of the mercy of God in Christ for the remission of sins and euerlasting saluation through the merits of Christ with a particular application of the same whereby the true beleeuer is perswaded that the promises of God made in the Gospell to them that beleeue doe aswell belong vnto him as vnto others and assuredly beleeueth that through the merits of Christ he himselfe shall be saued Of which particular faith Paul speakes thus to the Galatians k Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ neuerthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in mee and the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who loued me and gaue himselfe for me In that he speakes of his faith in the Sonne of God and saith that God loued him and gaue himselfe for him hee speakes of a particular faith applying Christ vnto himselfe These are the properties of true sauing faith which being duely considered may serue First for confutation of that Romish implicite faith Vse 1 which stands in a bare assent to the Word of God and Against implicite faith the articles of faith in generall without a particular distinct knowledge of what is beleeued beleeuing according to that which the Church beleeueth Thus the Church of Rome leads the poore people in blindnesse perswading them that it is sufficient for them to assent to the faith of the Church whatsoeuer it be and to beleeue as their Pastors beleeue though they vnderstand not what they beleeue Yea Bellarmine himselfe a Cardinall of Rome doubteth not to say that iustifying faith is l Neque fiducia in Deo per Christum neque vera aliqua rerum diuinarum notitia sed simplex sâ—â— merus generalis verbi diuini assentus Bellar. de Iustis neither any confidence in God through Christ neither is it any true knowledge of things diuine but a meere generall assent of the Word of God But I haue prooued that besides the assent that wee are to giue to the Word of God in true faith there is required a knowledge and vnderstanding of the truth which we assent vnto yea moreouer a particular application of the promises of the Gospell For if a bare assent to the Word of God without knowledge of the same and to beleeue as the Church beleeueth and not to inquire in particular what the Church beleeueth were sufficient to the sauing of mens soules Wherefore then is it that our Sauiour saith m Ioh. 5 39. search the Scriptures And that S. Paul saith n 1 Thess 5. 20 21. Despise not prophesyings prooue all things hold fast that which is good The Bereans are commended not onely for that when they heard the Apostles preach they receiued the Word with readinesse of minde but also because they o Acts 17. 11 12. searched the Scriptures datly whether those things were so And it followeth therefore many of them beleeued These Bereans heard the Word of the Apostles but they did not giue assent therunto to beleeue what they heard for a certaine truth till they had searched the Scriptures to see whether the things which the Apostles preached were agreeable to the Scriptures and then they beleeued Wherefore this implicite faith is to bee reiected
Quest Iesus Christ Yea S. Iohn saith t 1 Ioh. 2. 22. Who is a lier but he that denieth that Answ Iesus is the Christ And Iude saith u Iude 4. There are certaine men crept in vnawares who were before of old ordained to this condition vngodly men turning the grace of our God into laciuiousnesse and denying the onely Lord God and our Lord Iesus Christ And Christ is denied three wayes By Infidelity Christ is denied three manner of wayes Heresie and Apostasie First Iesus Christ is denied by Infidelity Infidels 1 By Infidelity Pagans Heathen men doe not know God nor acknowledge Iesus Christ The Turks vtterly deny Iesus Christ yea despise Christ so that they persecute Christians that professe the name of Christ And therfore their religion is a false religion and the worshipping of God a false worship because they worship God out of Christ for S. Iohn saith x 1 Iob. 2. 23. Whosoeuer denieth the Sonne the same hath not the Father The Iewes also to this day deny Iesus Christ For although it be true that they expect the Messias and looke for Christ to come yet they deny that Iesus Christ which was borne of the Virgin Mary and suffered vnder Pontius Pilate is the Messias this they constantly deny And to deny this is to deny Iesus Christ As S. Iohn also saith y 1 Ioh. 2. 22. Who is a lier but hee that denyeth that Iesus is Christ Againe S. Iohn saith z 1 Ioh. 4. 2 3. Euery spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God And euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God Thus Infidels Turkes and Iewes deny Iesus Christ Secondly Iesus Christ is denied by heresie Heretikes 2 By Heresie deny Iesus Christ by erring from the truth some denying the natures and some the offices of Christ First concerning the natures of Christ 1 Denying the natures of Christ his God-head and Man hood The Person of Christ is one in which there are two natures the God-head and Man-hood of Christ whereby Christ is God and Man true God and perfect man as he is the Sonne of God he is true God equall to the Father for S. Iohn saith a Ioh. 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God And as he is the sonne of man he is true man for as the Apostle saith b Heb. 2. 16. Hee tooke not on him the nature of Angels but he tooke on him the seede of Abraham And these two natures of Christ the God-head and Man-hood make but one Person CHRIST God and Man And these two natures are not turned one into another neither are they separated and diuided one from another nor confounded one with another but these two natures are vnited together by an Hypostaticall Vnion Which c Vnio est personalis non personarum naturarum est vnion non naturalis sed omninò supernaturaliis Pola Synt. t. 2. l. 6. c. 16. Vnion is personall but it is not a vnion of persons and it is a vnion of the natures of Christ but yet is it no naturall vnion but altogether supernaturall And notwithstanding that these two natures of Christ be vnited togethed yet are they distinguished there remaine in one Person Christ two distinct natures the God-head and Man-hood so that the God-head of Christ hath all the essentiall properties belonging to the diuine nature and the Man-hood of Christ retaineth all the naturall properties which are properly belonging to the humane nature But contrary to this receiued truth concerning the natures of Christ certaine Heretikes haue risen who haue denied some the God-head of Christ as d Ruffin lib. 1. â— cap. 1. Arrius who denied that the Sonne of God was of the same substance with the Father who was condemned by the first e Concil Nicaen 1. Niceno Councell where it was concluded and decreed that Christ the Sonne of God was f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruff. liâ— 1. cap. 5. of the same substance with the Father equall to the Father touching his God-head Some Heretikes haue denied the true Man-hood of Christ g Sozom. lib. 6. cap. 27. Apollinarius held that Christ did not take a true body of the Virgin Mary his mother but that hee had it from eternity h Euagr. l. 1. c. 2. Nestorius diuided the natures of Christ the God-head from the man-hood who was condemned by the i Concil Ephesin Ephesine Councell And Eutyches another Heretike confounded the natures of Christ affirming that Christ after the assumption of the humane nature had no more two natures but one who was condemned by the k Concil Chalced. Chalcedon Councell Now these Heretikes and all that hold of their part in that they deny either the God head or the Manhood of Christ in that they either diuide or confound the natures of Christ they erre from the true faith of Iesus Christ they doe not beleeue aright concerning the incarnation of our Lord Iesus Christ And in that they deny the God-head or Man-hood of Christ in that they diuide or confound his natures they deny Iesus Christ And as Heretikes haue erred from the truth touching 2 Denying the offices of Christ the natures of Christ so also some haue erred from the truth concerning the offices of Christ The offices of Christ are three for he is CHRIST that is anoynted a King a Priest and a Prophet to his Church The errours concerning the offices of Christ are in the Romish Church true it is the Romists in words confesse Christ to bee a King a Priest and a Prophet yet in deede and in truth by their doctrine and practice they deny his offices for confirmation heereof Of First concerning the regall or kingly office of Christ 1 A King we hold that Christ is a King and therefore hath absolute rule and power ouer his Church hee rules in the hearts and consciences of men by the scepter of his Word and by his boly Spirit hee onely hath power to make lawes to binde the conscience but contrary to this the Church of Rome holds that the Pope hath power to make lawes to binde the consciences of men and that in things pertaining to l Bellarm. de Pontif. lib. 4. Faith and Christian life Secondly for the Priesthood of Christ they confesse Christ as we doe to be a Priest for euer after the order of 2 A Priest Melchisedech but yet oppugne the Priest-hood of Christ specially in three things First by offering in the Masse an m Bâ—llar de sa-Miss lib. 5. vnbloody sacrifice for sinne and this is done often whereas the Apostle saith n Heb. 9 28. Christ was but once offered to beare the sinnes of many Againe he saith o Heb. 10. 10. Wee are sanctified through the offering of the body of Iesus Christ once for all
he saw that Christ was condemned he brought againe the thirtie pieces of siluer to the chiefe Priests and Elders and went and o Math. 27. 5. hanged himselfe and p Act. 1. 18. falling headlong he burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out such was the shamefull end of Iudas The other example is of Iulian the Emperour who by reason of his great Apostasie and falling away from the truth is called Iulian the Apostata This Iulian q Iuuenili aetate suxit lac pioe doctrinae Theo. hist Eccles l. 3. c. 1. 2. in his young age was trained vp in the true Christian religion and fauoured the Christians notwithstanding afterwards he denied the faith fell away from the truth denied Christ sacrificed to Idol became a most sore enemie to Christians and a vile reproacher of the name of Christ calling him the Galilean and Christians Galileans and many despitefull things did he against the Christians and that of very hatred and malice But what end came he to It is recorded that when he made war against the Persians he was wounded but no man knew how his wound came but so sore was the wound that he died of it and dying tooke a handfull of his owne blood and cast it vp into the ayre saying r Vicisti Galilae Theod. l. 3. c. 25. O thou Galilean meaning Christ thou hast gotten the victory Such was the miserable and fearefull end of Iulian. Be warned then all ye that know and professe Christ that ye denie not Christ Beware of backsliding and falling away from the truth Å¿ Heb. 3. 12. 13. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the liuing God But exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne And t 1. Cor. 10. 12. let him that thinketh he standeth take heed least he fall CHAP. XI Shewing who are partakers of the true sauing Faith whether all haue it or but some and who they are IT hath beene declared wherein true sauing Faith 5 Whether all men haue true faith or but some and who they are consisteth The next thing in order to be handled which is the first generall point in this Treatise of Faith is concerning the persons in whom true sauing Faith is to know who are partakers of it whether all men haue true Faith or but some and to discerue who they are The ground of this inquirie is from the words of the Apostle St Paul to the Thessalonians a 2 Thes 3. 2. All men haue not Faith that is aâ— learned b 〈…〉 est fides â—oc est non omnes eredunt Theo. Zanch. c. Shewed two waies Diuines expound it All men doe not beleeue And that it may appeare who are indeed partakers of the true sauing Faith who doe truly beleeue and who not I will shew first in the Negatiue part who haue not faith Secondly in the Affirmitiue who haue faith Touching the first Faith is not vniuersall nor common 1 Who haue not true faith to all All men haue not Faith This I manifest First in generall Secondly in particular First in generall Reprobates haue not true sauing 1 In generall Faith The reason whereof is a secret iudgement of God lying vpon them being smitten with hardnesse of Reprobates heart and blindnesse of minde that they cannot beleeue as St Iohn speakes of the incredulous Iewes c Ioh. 12. 37. 38. 39 40. But though he that is Christ had done so many myracles before them yet they beleeued not on him That the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fulfilled which he spake Lord who hath beleeued our report And to whom hath the arme of the Lord beene reuealed Therefore they could not beleeue because that Esaias said againe he hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor vnderstand with their heart and be conuerted and I should heale them Secondly in particular diuerse haue not faith for 2 In particular as First All that are as yet aduersaries to the truth and enemies to the Gospell of Christ haue not Faith Secondly profane people notorious wicked men in 1 Enemies of the Gospell whom sinne rules and raignes haue not faith Thirdly hypocrites haue not faith These may haue 2 Prophane people an historicall and a temporarie faith but true sauing faith they haue not The reason is because as yet and as long as they are in their naturall vnregenerate state 3 Hypocrites they are without they are not as yet in Christ they are not ingrafted into Christ they are not as yet members of the mysticall bodie of Christ they are not of the flock of Christ they are not the sheepe of Christ and therfore they do not beleeue in Christ As Christ himselfe speaks to the vnbeleeuing Iewes d Joh. 10 26. Yee beleeue not because yee are not of my sheepe All men then haue not faith for Reprobates haue not faith the enemies of the Gospell of Christ haue not faith prophane people haue not faith and Hypocrites haue not faith Thus it appeares who haue not faith Secondly for the affirmatiue who haue faith and 2 Who haue true faith who doe beleeue Though Reprobates aduersaries to the truth prophane persons and Hypocrites haue not faith yet many there are who haue true faith This I manifest First in generall Secondly in particular First in generall the Elect and all the Elect doe beleeue 1 In generall The Elect. yea euery one of the elect Children of God hath true sauing faith and do beleeue according to that saying in the Acts of the Apostles e Acts 13. 48. as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued For this cause true sauing faith is called the * Tit. 1. 1. Faith of Gods Elect because it is peculiar to Gods Elect. The Elect haue it and all and euery one of the Elect and none but onely the Elect haue it Secondly in particular these haue faith 2 In particular First they that are effectually called inwardly by the gracious working of Gods Spirit sanctifying their 1 They that are effectually called hearts and outwardly by the preaching of the Gospel according to that saying of the Apostle to the Thessalonians f 2 Thess 2. 13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the Spirit and beleefe of the truth whereunto he called you by our Gospell Where sanctification of the Spirit and beleefe of the truth are meanes whereby they that are truely called come to saluation whence it followeth that they and all they that are effectually called of God haue true sauing faith Secondly all that are truely regenerate and borne anew 2 The regenerate haue true faith for they are g Iam. 1. 18. begotten with the word of
proceeding from faith and so we are iustified h Declaratiuè declaratiuely that is our workes proceeding from faith doe declare before men that wee haue faith our good workes declare the truth of our faith and manifest that our faith is not in vaine Of which later Iustification S. Iames speakes saying i Iam. 2. 21. Was not Abraham our Father iustified by workes when he had offered Isaak his sonne vpon the altar Secondly I answer that there is a true faith working by loue knowne by the fruits of good workes and there is also a false fained faith a vaine and fruitlesse faith The former of these is commended by S. Iames in Abrahams faith whose faith wrought with his workes k Vers 22. Seest thou how faith wrought with his workes and this faith which is a working faith being fruitfull in good workes is that faith which we approue and allow of this is that faith which we maintaine and defend this is that faith which we preach and exhort all men to labour for And as for the other faith which is without workes wee doe with S. Iaâ—es hold that it is l Vers 17. 20. vaine yea a dead faith and therefore doth not iustifie a sinner either before God or men In breefe wee hold and teach that faith onely iustifieth but yet that faith which iustifieth is not alone but hath necessarily joyned vnto it the fruit of good workes For if faith want good wokes wee say with S. Iames that m Vers 26. as the body withâ—ut the spirit is dead so faith without workes is dead also And therefore I conclude with S. Paul n Rom. 3. 28. that a man is iustified by Faith without the deedes of the Law This is the first benefit of true sauing faith Iustification The second is Adoption whereas by nature wee are 2 Adoption children of wrath by grace through faith in Iesus Christ wee are made sonnes of God The Euangelist S. Iohn speakes thus of them that haue true faith in Iesus Christ o Joh. 1. 12. as many as receiued him to them gaue hee power to become the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue on his name And S. Paul to the Galatians saith p Gal. 3. 26. Yee are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus And this is an exceeding great priuiledge for if we be children and sonnes of God then as the Apostle saith wee are q Rom. 8. 17. heires heires of God and ioynt-heires with Christ The third is the purifying of the heart Faith purifieth 3 Purifying the heart the heart S. Peter speaking of the faith of the Gentiles saith that God r Acts 15. 9. put no difference betweene vs and them purifying their hearts by faith Å¿ Matth. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart saith our Sauiour for they shall see God Now t Fide mundantur corda vt possit videri Deus Bern. the hearts of men are purified as one saith by faith that they may see God Man by nature is corrupt and the heart polluted with filthinesse of sinne which filth is not washed away but by Faith in Iesus Christ For true faith apprehending Christ for iustification is a meanes to purifie the heart Faith purgeth out the corruption and filthinesse of sinne it cleanseth the heart from euill thoughts earthly cogitations and fleshly Iusts it purifieth the heart from infidelitie superstition ignorance from pride hypocrisie rancour grudging hatred malice and enuie For these defile a man and make the heart vncleane from which the heart is purified by Faith The fourth is a good and happie life for we liue by 4 A happie life Faith as saith the Prophet Habakkuk u Habb 2. 4. How we liue by faith the iust shall liue by his faith Now we liue by Faith two manner of wayes First spiritually concerning the soule of which S. Paul saith x Gal. 2. 20. I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God Secondly concerning the affaires of this present life for Faith doth teach and direct a man in the course of his life what to doe and how to liue As first concerning a mans vocation and calling faith teacheth a man to walke diligently in his vocation and calling and to depend vpon God for a blessing vpon his labours Secondly faith teacheth a man to commit his wayes to the Lord and to referre the successe of his affaires and businesse to God and to waite vpon God for the bringing of his things to passe Thirdly â—n afflictions and crosses faith will teach a man to rest vpon God for deliuerance to be patient and not to seeke helpe by vnlawfull meanes Fourthly faith will make a man depend vpon the prouidence of God and trust God not onely for himselfe but for his children after him Thus the iust man liues by faith The first benefit is victorie ouer the world of which S. Iohn saith y 1. Iohn 5. 4. this is the victorie that ouercoÌ„meth the world Victorie ouer the world euen our faith Now whatsoeuer is in the world is of three sorts it is either about the pleasures and delights of the world or about riches and wealth of the world or about honours and preferments in the world Which S. Iohn brings to these three heads z 1. Ioh. 2. 16. the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life Now a Christian hath much adoe to striue against these that he be not intangled and ouercome either by ambitious seeking of honours or greedie desire of profits or sinfull delights of the pleasures of the world But faith helpes a man to get victory ouer all these An example whereof we haue in Moses whose faith the Apostle commending saith a Heb. 11. 24. 25. 26. By faith Meses when he was come to yeeres refused to be called the sonne of Pharoahs daughter here was his contempt of honour chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season here was his victorie ouer earthly pleasures and sinfull delights Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures in Egypt here was his victorie ouer transitorie and deceitfull riches Thus by Faith Moses ouercame the world The sixt is victorie ouer our great aduersarie the Deuill 6 Victorie ouer the Deuill Of this S. Paul saith b Ephe. 6. 16. aboue all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked Where Faith is reckoned as a speciall part of the armour of God to defend our soules against spirituall wickednesse And S. Peter appointeth faith as a powerfull meanes to driue away the Deuill c 1. Pet. 5. 8. 9. your aduersarie the Deuill as aroaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure whom resist stedfast in the faith The last benefit which we receiue through true faith 7 Saluation
children of God because their faith shall not vtterly faile cannot finally fall away this yeildeth exceeding great consolation to the children of God The faith of a Christian is not strong at all times but sometimes it may be very weake and scarcely felt as after the committing of some great sinne or in time of sore temptationâ— when as with Dauid a man may be in great heauinesse his soule may be g Psal 42. 11. cast downe yet notwithstanding faith is neuer so quenched in the true beleeuer but some sparke remaines yea a seede remaines that immortall incorruptible seed that in time will quicken and reuiue Like as a sicke man that is brought very low with sicknes his stomacke failes him he loaths his meat the Phisitian forsaks him all men hold him not a man for this world notwithstanding while breath is in his body there is hope many times such a one reuiues recouers and comes to his strength againe so a Christian sore wounded with sinne and in grieuous temptations giues few comfortable words but sends forth sighes and â—obs and many times doe proceed from him desperate speeches so that they that see and heare him might feare least all faith were gone yet afterwards in time the sparke of faith is kindled and flameth the immortall seed is quickned and the Spirit puts new life of grace into the distressed soule making the sinner to beleeue in Christ to hope in Gods mercy to trust in God to call vpon God and cry Abba Father To conclude a Christian who vpon good ground is assured that hee hath true iustifying faith may confidently say with St Paul h Rom. 8. 38. 39. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. CHAP. XVII Of the signes and markes of true iustifying faith and first of the inward signes thereof THe tenth and last point in the Treatise of faith 10 Signes of true faith is touching the signes and marks of true iustifying faith How a man may know whether he hath the true faith The signes and markes of faith are two-fold Two-fold The first are inward The second outward There are inward signes of faith whereby a man may know and find in himselfe that he hath faith and there are also outward signes whereby not onely he himselfe may be assured but others also may vnderstand and perceiue that he hath faith First of the inward signes The inward signes of true iustifying faith are diuerse 1 Inward signes as The first is the witnesse of the Spirit euen the Spirit of God Of which St Iohn sayth a 1. Job 5. 10. he that beleeueth on 1 The witnesse of the Spirit the Sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe Now the Spirit of God is a true and infallible witnesse a witnesse that cannot deceiue the same Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Some may here demand How may I be assured that Quest it is the good Spirit of God which certifies me that I am the child of God and haue faith or that it is not a fancie or bare coniecture of mine owne or that it is not some delusion How shall I be able to discerne betweene Answ these I answere the Spirit of God the true witnesse doth certifie our spirit and assure our conscience that we haue indeed true iustifying faith that we are the adopted sonnes of God and shall certainly be saued specially by these two things First the Spirit of God perswades our conscience inwardly that we haue faith vpon good ground and sound reason taken not from our owne works or worthinesse but from the goodnesse and bountifulnesse of God towards vs from the mercie of God and grace in Christ and so neither the flesh nor the Deuill doth perswade Secondly the Spirit of God perswades vs of the certaintie of faith by the effects which it worketh in vs. As namely the purifying of the heart purging out sinne so that no sinne hath rule and dominion in the heart likewise stirring vp in our hearts a loue of God a hatred of sinne an earnest desire to pray vnto God and an endeuour to please God also an inward spirituall ioy and peace of conscience c. All which are true effects and manifest fruits of the Spirit and cannot come eyther from the flesh or the Deuill and therefore the testimony of the Spirit is a true and sure witnesse to assure vs that we haue the true faith and he that beleeueth on the son of God hath this witnesse in himselfe The second is an inward feeling of spirituall grace 2 A feeling of grace a feeling of faith in a mans selfe When a man is perswaded of the truth of the Gospell and all the promises contained therein and in particular is perswaded for himselfe that his sinnes of the mercie of God and through the merites of Christ are pardoned and he receiued into fauour with God the inward feeling and perceiuing of this in the b Menti nosirae fides nostra conspicua est heart is a signe of faith This was in Dauid after that he had confessed his sinnes vnto God as he witnesseth saying c Psal 32. 5. I acknowledge my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquitie haue I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne The third is a godly desire and a holy resolued purpose to walke in obedience to Gods commandements 3 A godly desire and purpose to obey Gods commandements to please God and to doe his will This was also in David for he saith d Psal 119. 6. 4 I haue respect vnto all thy Commandements The fourth is deuout prayer calling vpon the name of the Lord with confidence that God will heare our prayers and grant our requests For faith if it be in the 4 Deuout prayer heart indeed will set the heart a-working to thinke on God to pray vnto God and to call vpon his name For this cause the Spirit of God is called the spirit of grace and supplications the Lord by the Prophet Zacharie sayth e Zach. 12. 10. I will poure vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications And it is called the spirit of grace and supplications because it is of the gracious working of Gods holy spirit that sinners are brought to repentaÌ„ce of their sins that they mourne sorrow for their sins and that they seeke vnto the Lord and call vnto him for grace and mercy This is the same Spirit which f Rom. 8 26. helpeth our infirmities as S. Paul speakes For we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit
it but cannot ouercome it Wherefore to finde in our selues a resisting of such distrustfull doubtings is a signe of Faith as appeareth in that saying of S. Peter q 1 Pet. 5. 8. Your aduersary the Deuill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure whom resist stedfast in the faith By these forenamed signes and markes of Faith wee Vse are to try and examine our selues whether we haue true Examine our selues whether we haue thâ— true faith iustifying faith whether we liue by the faith of the Son of God and whether Christ dwell in our hearts by faith This is the Apostles exhortation r 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selues whether yee be in the faith prooue your owne selues know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates Now then let vs euery one make a search into our hearts and try whether wee finde the good Spirit of God perswading vs indeede that wee are the children of God and that wee haue faith whether we haue a feeling of spirituall grace whether the Spirit of God hath wrought in vs a loue of God a hatred of sinne a resolued purpose to amend our liues whether we finde in our selues the spirit of grace and of supplications and whether we can truely finde that inward conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit If these things be in vs happy are we But if vpon examination had these things be wanting in any such men may speake of faith but as yet they haue it not they are farre short of true sauing faith and so come short of saluation Let the search be made a little more inwardly A man may know whether hee hath faith by the inward feeling of grace if faith be in the heart the Spirit of God will set it a working it will not lie asleep but it will stirre vp other graces of God in vs it will make vs to loue God and hate sinne more then euer we did before It will moue vs to pray and call vpon the name of the Lord. Wherefore if any one doe not feele in himselfe a gracious working of the good Spirit if he finde not in himselfe a farre greater loue of God and loathing of sinne if hee haue not a more holy purpose to obey God to do his will if he doe not nor cannot pray if in his trouble and affliction outward and inward hee doe not seeke vnto God if he doe not with the childe run to his Heauenly Father and cry Abba Father it 's an euident signe that as yet Christ doth not dwell in his heart by faith that as yet he liues not by the faith of the Sonne of God Let vs search yet a little further the vnregenerate man continues in sinne liues in the manifest transgression of the Commandements of God yet presumes hee hath faith I hope saith hee I haue a good faith but how is it ô man if thou hast true faith that thou still liuest in sinne certaine it is if faith were in thy heart it would cause a reformation of life or at least a holy purpose of amendment of life And so in time and by degrees thy heart would be renewed and thy life reformed Indeede I know I ought to reforme my wayes and amend my life and I would faine amend but it is the flesh that drawes mee to euill But I demand of thee ô man that complainest of the flesh where is the inward conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit and where is thy striuing against thy corruptions what doe euill thoughts arise in thy heart and thou makest no resistance doth thy heart swell with pride doe filthy lusts arise in thy heart doth thy heart abound with couetous desire and ouerflow with the gall of bitternesse anger hatred enuy malice and desire of reuenge and doest thou not striue against these corruptions but giuest way vnto them entertaining them and embracing them certainely heere is no good signe of grace nor of true faith For where true faith is there will be a resisting of sinne and a striuing against corruptions Wherefore if we would haue a good testimony in our selues of the assurance of true faith then wee must bee carefull to resist sinne and to striue against our corruptions and although the combate will be great to master our sinnes and to get dominion ouer our corruptions yet by little and little we shall ouercome and in the end get the victory According to that faying of S. Iohn Å¿ 1 Ioh. 5. 4. This is the victory that ouercommeth the world euen our faith CHAP. XVIII Of the outward signes of true iustifying Faith and first of Patience in suffering afflictions FAith as it may be discerned by inward so also by 2 Outward signes outward signes And the outward signes of true iustifying faith are these The first is Patience in suffering of which 1 Patience S. Paul speakes thus to the Philippians a Phil. 1 29. For vnto you it is giuen in the behalfe of Christ not only to beleeue on him but also to suffer for his sake As if he should haue sayd now since that you beleeue there arise troubles and persecutions aduersaries rise vp against you and trouble you but bee not yee afraid of these things bee not terrified therewith for seeing God hath giuen you grace to beleeue in his Sonne Iesus Christ you must be content also to suffer for his sake and the same God that gaue you faith to beleeue in Christ will also giue you patience to suffer for Christs sake and this shall be a testimony and witnesse to all men of the truth of your faith in Christ if you haue patience to suffer for Christ's sake So then to b Pati pro Chrisâ—â— manifâ—stâ—ssimum est argumentum fides in Christum Zanch. in Philip. Two-fold suffer for Christ's sake is a manifest testimonie and good signe of faith in Christ For no man can truly suffer for Christ except it be first giuen him to beleeue in Christ Of patience in suffering I will entreate First generally of suffering all manner of afflictions inward and outward as they come from God Secondly particularly of suffering iniuries wrongs from men First of suffering afflictions in generall and therein 1 In suffering afflictions And therein two things I will shew First wherein the sufferings of a Christian consist and what things are required thereunto that his sufferings may be acceptable and well pleasing vnto God Secondly I will vse motiues to perswade vnto patient suffering For the first That the sufferings of a Christian may 1 How our sufferings may please God Three things required thereunto please God three things are required thereunto The first is to suffer for the name of Christ The second is to suffer for any righteous cause The third is to suffer patiently Touching the first Euery suffering is not commendable before men much lesse acceptable before God but that
dye in impenitencie and hardnesse of heart Secondly this is profitable for instruction to all that know there is a hell and heare of the paines and torments Vse 2 To feare God of hell that they learne to feare God to stand in awe of him and not to sinne against him to this our Sauiour Christ exhorteth vs vpon the consideration of the paines and torments of hell saying Feare not them which c Mat. 10. 28. kill the body but are not able to kill the soule But rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell Because there is a hell and because that God is able to cast the soules and bodies of all impenitent sinners into hell for this cause see that ye feare God stand in awe of God tremble before him and sinne not against him for as God is mercifull to penitent sinners and will pardon the iniquitie and transgressions of them that repent and turne from their sinnes and returne vnto God So also is he a God oâ— iustice and fierce wrath for as the Apostle saith d Heb. 12. 29. God is a consuming fiâ—r and he will cast both the bodies and soules of all impenitent sinners into hell-fire there to be tormented for euermore as it is also written e Reu. 21. 8. The fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhomminable and murderers and whore-mongers sorcerers and idolaters and all lâ—ers shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death O then sinfull man who soeuer thou art now betimes repent and returne vnto the Lord least death vnawares seize vpon thee and suddenly thou be cast downe into hell and there shalt finde thy case to be remedilesse and thy torment endlesse CHAP. XXIII Of the benefit of Repentance how it remooueth Iudgements temporall spirituall and eternall Which may perswade vs to Repentonce HItherto of the motiues to Repentance taken from the necessitie thereof The fourth and last motiue to Repentance 4 The benefit of Repentance I take from the benefit thereof Repentance brings much good to the penitent sinner he shall be blessed with manie blessings I reduce them to these two heads True Repentance Two-fold First remooueth iudgements Secondly procuteth blessings First Repentance remooueth iudgements and those 1 It remooueth iudgements Three fold three-fold Temporall Spirituall and Eternall Touching the first Repentance is a meanes to remooue 1 Temporall temporall iudgements either threatned against sinners or else deseruedly drawne vpon them for their sinnes The Lord sendeth Ieremie the Prophet to the people of Israell saying a Ier. 3. 12. Returne thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall vpon you for I am mercifull saith the Lord and I will not keepe anger for euer Isaiah the Prophet is sent to King Kezekiah with this message b Isa 38. 5. 6. Goe and say to Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord the God of Dauid thy Father I haue heard thy prayer I haue seene thy teares beholde I will adde vnto thy dayes fifteene yeeres and I will deliuer thee and this Cittie out of the hand of the King of Assyria and I will defend this Cittie Ionah the Prophet is sent to Niniueh to threaten them and their Cittie with destruction and ouerthrow except they did repent within the space of fortie dayes c Joh. 3. 4. Yet fortie dayes and Niniueh shall he ouerthrowne But vpon this threatning Niniueh did repent for the King and the whole Cittie put on sackcloth and fasted and cryed mightily vnto God and repented of their euill wayes and d Ver. 10. God saw their workes that they turned from their euill wayes And God repented of the euill that he had said hee would doe vnto them and he did it not When God saw the people repent of their sinnes he repented of the iudgement which he had threatned against them According to that saying of the Lord in Ieremie e Ier. 18. 7. 8. At what instant I shall speake concerning a nation and concerning a kingdome to plucke vp and to pull downe and to destroy it if that nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their euill I will repent of the euill that I thought to doe vnto them Thus Repentance remooueth temporall iudgements Secondly Repentance remooueth spirituall iudgements 2 Spirituall as blindnesse of minde hardnesse of heart and horrour of conscience It remooues blindnesse of mind When God giueth the grace of illumination for before that a sinner beleeueth and repenteth he liues in blindnesse and darknesse but beleeuing and repenting he is inlightned with the knowledge of the truth and walkes no more in darkenesse but in light as the Apostle speakes f Ephe. 5. 8. ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord. Repentance also remooueth hardnesse of heart when God giueth the sinner true contrition softning the hard heart For when God giueth grace to repent he giueth also a mollified and melting heart as it is said in Ezechiel g Ezek. 36. 25. 26. I will sprinckle cleane water vpon you and ye shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your Idoles will I cleanse you A new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stonie heart out of your flesh and I will giue you an heart of flesh Yea Repentance also remooueth horrour of conscience and the intollerable burden of sinne when God giueth to the penitent sinner peace of conscience and rest to the soule h Mat. 11. 28. Come vnto me saith our Sauiour all ye that labour and are heauie laden and I will giue you rest Now the conscience neuer hath true peace neither doth the soule euer enioy quiet rest til sinne be done away by Repentance Thirdly Repentance remooueth eternall iudgements 3 Eternall so that neither death nor hell nor condemnation can hurt them that doe truly beleeue in Christ and haue vnfainedly repented of their sinnes and doe now lead a new life So saith St Paul to the Romanes i Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And St Iohn saith k Reu. 20. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power Thus it is apparent that great benefit commeth by Repentance for it remooueth from the penitent sinner punishments temporall concerning the bodie and outward state it deliuereth from spirituall iudgements and it Vse freeth from eternall condemnation That may escape the iudgements of God we must repent of our sinnes The consideration of which benefit of Repentance in remoouing Iudgements temporall spirituall and eternall serues for instruction to teach and admonish euery one that would escape these iudgements that would haue temporall iudgements remooued from
vpon him but we haue also his promise for audience if we call vpon him in our trouble he hath 2 God promiseth to heare vs promised to heare vs and to deliuer vs out of trouble So hath the Lord said k Psal 50. 15. Call vpon me in the day of trouble I will deliuer thee saith the Lord as if he had said goe to none other in the time of thy trouble neither seeke thou helpe and deliuerance from any other but in the day of thy trouble come vnto me seeke vnto me cry and call vpon me and I will deliuer thee for there is none besides me that can deliuer thee out of thy trouble The Lord our God is not like the Gods of the heathen which haue l Psal 115. 6. eares and heare not hee is not like to Baal vpon whom his Prophets m 1 Kin. 18. 26. called from morning euen vntil noone saying O Baal heare vs but there was no voice nor any that answered To whom Elijah the Prophet of the Lord said in derision of their God Baal Cry alowd for hee is n Vers 27. a God either he is talking or pursuing or he is in a iourney or peraduenture he sleepeth and must be awaked But so is not our God whom we worship for our God is in heauen beholdeth the things on earth he made the eare and he heareth he is neither busie in talking nor pursuing his enemies nor in his iourney nor yet sleeping for o Psal 121. 4. he that keepeth Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth as saith the Psalmist but the p Psal 34. 15. eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open to their cry Thirdly we are sure that the Lord our God is both able 3 God is both able and willing to heare vs. and also willing to heare vs able for q Psal 94. 9. he that planted the eare shall he not heare and willing for r Psal 145. 18. the Lord is nigh to all that call vpon him to all that call vpon him in truth Wherefore I conclude that we are to make our prayers to none other in heauen or in earth but to God and to him alone Vse This serues to reprooue those who make praiers to Against those which make prayers vnto Saints Reasons not to pray vnto Saints For Saints departed vse their mediation to God for helpe in trouble For First it hath beene prooued before that God hath commanded vs to call vpon him in the day of trouble but we haue no commandement in all the Scripture that enioynes vs to pray to any Saint not to S. Peter nor to 1 It s not commanded S. Paul nor to the Virgin Marie for that Å¿ Luke 1. 28. Aue haile Marie c. is no praier but a salutation of the Angell It is no forme of praier for vs to vse to the Virgin but it was a salutation of the Angell Gabriel whom the Lord sent to doe a message to the Virgin Marie and therefore not to be vsed of vs as a prayer And seeing that we haue no warrant in the word of God to pray vnto Saints it is a bold and rash presumption for vs to pray vnto any Saint whatsoeuer though it were to the Virgin Mary There were certaine in the dayes of Epiphanius who adored the Virgin Marie and offered vnto her But Epiphanius iudgeth them as heretiks and confuteth them saying t Reuera virgo erat ipsa virgo honorata sed non ad adorationem nobis data verum ipsa adorans â—um qui eâ— ipsa carâ—e genitus de calis vero è sinâ—â— patris venerat Epiph. coâ— Collyridian The Virgin indeed was a Virgin and honoured but was not giuen to vs to be adored but she her selfe did adore him which tooke flesh of her but came from heauen from his fathers bosome And so we acknowledge the Virgin is to be honoured but not to bee worshipped and adored and therefore no prayer to be made vnto her Secondly It hath beene prooued that if we pray vnto 2 Wee haue no promise of helpe from any Saint to God he promiseth to heare vs and to deliuer vs but we haue no promise in the word of God that any of the Saints no not the Virgin Marie her selfe will or can helpe and deliuer vs in the time of our trouble Thirdly the Saints departed doe not know our particular 3 The Saints departed doe not know our particular wants wants neither doe they hearken and attend to the praiers of particular men as it is manifest by the praier of the people of God in Esay saying u Isa 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel acknowledge vs not thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer thy name is from euerlasting Heere the people pray not to Abraham nor to Isaak nor to Iacob but to the Lord and the reason is because they are sure that the Lord heareth them and remembreth them though Abraham and Israel that were dead were ignorant of them and acknowledged them not It is manifest then that Abraham and Isaak and Iacob that Peter Paul and the Virgin Marie and all the Saints departed though they be Saints in glory yet because they are but Saints and not Gods they are ignorant of vs they know not our particular wants and distresses and it is onely the Lord that is our Father and remembreth vs and heareth and helpeth vs in our trouble and therefore we are not to pray either to Abraham or to any of the Saints but onely to the Lord our God our Father and our Redeemer Fourthly we cannot pray vnto Saints but wee must 4 To pray to Saints is to belieue in them to put trust confidence in them beleeue in them according to that saying of the Apostle o How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued Where S. Paul giueth vs to vnderstand that before we can call vpon the Lord wee must first belieue in him and so for Saints if wee call vpon Saints and x Rom. 10. 14. pray vnto them to helpe vs in our trouble we must first belieue in them wee must put trust and confidence in them that they can helpe vs. Now this is contrarie to the truth of Gods word for wee are to belieue in none saue onely in God neither ought wee to put our trust and confidence in any saue onely in the Lord our God But they that maintaine and vse prayer to the Saints Obiect make this defence for themselues We say they pray to Saints vsing them as Mediatours to God because wee acknowledge our selues to bee farre vnworthy to come directly vnto God but haue accesse vnto God by the mediation of Saints To which I answere Answ First here is feare where no feare is Are wee afraid to come vnto God to call vpon his name Behold hee biddeth vs call
place for the seruice of God was the Temple at Ierusalem For there in a more speciaâ—l manner God promised his presence as is euident by Salomons praier which he made vnto the Lord at the dedication of the Temple and by the Lords answer thereunto For Salomon praieth on this manner a 1 King 8. 28. 29. 30. Haue thou respect vnto the prayer of thy seruant and to his supplication O Lord my God to hearken vnto the cry and to the prayer which thy seruant prayeth before thee to day that thine eyes may be open towards this house night and day euen toward the place of which thou hast said my name shall be there that thou maist hearken vnto the praier which thy seruant shall make towards this place And hearken thou to the supplication of thy seruant and of thy people Israel when they shall pray towards this place and heare thou in heauen thy dwelling place and when thou hearest forgiue And the Lord graciously answered Salomon and said b 1 King 9. 3. I haue heard thy prayer and thy supplication that thou hast made before me I haue hallowed this house which thou hast built to put my Name there for euer mine eyes my heart shall be there perpetually To the Iewes this Temple that Salomon built was the place of Gods worship hither the people brought their sacrifices and burnt offrings here the people made their praiers twice a day And hither came all the c Deut. 16. 16. males three times in a yeare to worship God And at other times when they prayed they looked towards the Temple at Ierusalem where the Lord had promised his presence as may be gathered from these words of Salomons praier d 1 King 8. 29. Hearken thou to the supplication of thy seruant and of thy people Israel when they shall pray towards this place and by that which is mentioned concerning Daniels praying vnto his God e Dan. 6. 10. His windowes being open in his chamber toward Ierusalem he kneeled vpon his knees three times a day and prayed In a word the Temple at Ierusalem was the place where the Lord manifested his presence in a more glorious manner then in any other place in the whole earth be sides It may here be demaunded where is now the publique Quest place of Gods worship for as for Ierusalem it is defaced it s f Luk. 19. 44. layd euen with the ground And as for the Temple it is destroied and there is not one stone left vpon another neither is the Lords presence so graciously there now as it was in the dayes of Salomon and in the daies of the Kings of Iudah which succeeded him I answere that the Temple at Ierusalem was to continue not for euer but onely for a time euen till Christ Answ came And after Christ then the Temple at Ierusalem ceased to be any more the certaine set place of Gods publique worship as our Sauiour Christ saith to the woman of Samaria g Ioh. 4. 21. Woman belieue me the houre commeth when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor yet at Ierusalem worship the Father And againe h Ver. 23. The houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth Againe our Sauiour Christ saith i Math. 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them Now whereas God is still to be worshipped and that Christians are to worship God not onely in priuate but also in publique its necessary that Christian people haue decent places for the publike worship of God which places are our materiall Churches It is apparent that the Iewes euen whiles that the Temple stood had their k Luk. 4. 15. 16. Synagogues in their Cities whither the people which were not nigh to Ierusalem came to worship God and where l Acts. 15. 21. Moses was preached being read in the Synagogues euery Sabboth day So the ancient Christians had their m Euseb eccles hist l. 9. c. 10. Oratories that is houses of prayer Which were the Lords houses And as the Synagogues were to the Iewes and Oratories to the Christians in the first times such are our materiall Churches to vs in our times So that when Christian people are assembled together in the name of Christ to pray vnto God to praise God to heare his holy word and to be partakers of the Sacraments then we may truely say of the publique place as Iacob said of Bethel n Gen. 28. 16. 17. Surely the Lord is in this place And againe How dreadfull is this place This is none other â—â—t the house of God and this is the gate of heauen The consideration of this that there is in the time of the Gospell a publique place for the publique worship of God euen the materiall Church which may be called the house of God and the house of Prayer serues Fiâ—st for instruction and that Vse 1 First to teach vs to bee deligent in frequenting and 1 To frequent the house of God comming to the house of God duely and diligently to resort to the publique place of Gods worship to â—oyne with the congregation in praying and praising God in hearing the word and receiuing the Sacrament This dutie the Prophet Esay teacheth vs saying o Isa 2. 2. It shall come to passâ— in the last days that the mountaine of the Lords house shall bee established in the top of the mountaines and shall bee exalted about the hils and all nations shall flow vnto it And many people shall goe and say Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and hee will teach vs of his wayes and wee will walke in his pathes The mountaine of the Lord was the Temple of the Lord at Ierâ—salem which stood vpon p 2 Chron. 3. 1. mount Moriah whiâ—her the Iewes came to worship God but now the mountaine of the Lord is exalted aboue the hills and all Nations flow vnto it Now the mountaine of the Lord is where the Gospell is preached and in euery place where the name of the Lord is called vpon The Church of England is the mountaine of the Lord and our particular Churches where the Congregation is assembled together for the worship of GOD are holy mountaines And therefore all that be zealous of the Lord alâ— that loue the Lords house and all that delight to bee in the holy mountaine of the Lord should frequent the house of God and bee willing and ready to come vp to the publique place of Gods worship and not onely be forward themselues to come to the house of the Lord but to call vpon their Children and Seruants and to say to their friends and neighbours Come yee and lâ—t vs goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord to the house of thâ— God of Iacob and he will teach vs of
without faith we cannot be saued True 3 Without faith we cannot be saued faith is so necessary that if a man haue the true faith he is saued he cannot perish but if he want the true faith he is damned he cannot be saued The Scripture witnesseth the truth of this Our Sauiour Christ saith g Mark 16. 16. he that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued but he that beleeueth not shall be damned Againe he saith h Joh. 3. 18. he that beleeueth on him is not condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because he hath not beleeued in the Name of the onely begotten Sonne of God So great is the necessitie of true sauing Faith The consideration of this great necessitie of Faith is Vse profitable for instruction it teacheth vs to be carefull To get faith into our hearts by all meanes to get faith into our hearts If we would haue any true assurance that we are not still dead in sin but are quickned by the Spirit and liue in Christ if we would haue our workes our seruice and sacrifices to be acceptable to God or if we would escape condemnation and come to life euerlasting then it s necessarie that we labour to haue true sauing Faith for without faith as I haue proued we are but dead in sinnes and trespasses and haue no true life of grace in vs without faith nothing that we doe can please God and without faith we cannot be saued Seeing then that faith is so necessarie how doth it stand euery one in hand to labour for true sauing faith The Apostle to the Hebrews saith i Heb. 3. 18. 19. to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that beleeued not So we see that they could not enter in because of vnbeliefe And hereupon he exhorteth to labour for true faith lest wanting faith we k Heb. 4. 1. 2. 3. come short of that euerlasting rest of our soules When Martha had receiued Christ into her house and was diligent in prouiding for him and her Sister Marie in the meane time was sitting at Christs feete hearing his word Martha was offended that her Sister should sit downe and not put to her helping hand whereupon Martha comes to Christ and saith l Luk. 10. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. Lord doest thou not care that my sister hath left me to serue alone bid her therefore that shee helpe me And Iesus answered and said vnto her Martha Martha thou art carefull and troubled about many things but one thing is needfull and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her There are many both men and women like Martha verâ—e busie yea cumbred and troubled about many things the world ouercomes them and the cares of the world carrie away their minds that for the most part they neglect that which is most needfull That one needfull thing is with Mary to heare the word of Christ to get true faith that by true faith in Iesus Christ our soules may be saued and we may come to life euerlasting This one thing is needfull and whosoeuer they are that haue set their hearts to seeke the Lord to heare the word of Christ and to get true faith whereby they may saue their soules they haue made a good choice they haue with Mary chosen the better part euen that good part which shall not be taken away from them CHAP. XIII Of the benefits of Faith shewing what great good comes to a Christian through true sauing Faith HOw necessary true sauing Faith is hath beene shewed The seuenth thing in the treatise of Faith is 7 The benefits of true faith Which are diuerse concerning the benefit and good that comes thereby The benefits of true sauing Faith are exceeding great and many First I mention the benefit of Iustification True faith 1 Iustification apprehending Christ Iesus iustifieth a sinner in the sight of God acquitteth and dischargeth him from his sinnes and causeth him to bee accepted righteous not for his owne righteousnesse but for the righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto him So witnesseth S. Paul to the Galatiaus a Gal. 2. 16. Knowing saith hee that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen wee haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that wee might bee iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the workes of the Law The third and fourth chapters of the Epistle to the Romans stand vpon this argument affirming that we are iustified by Faith without the workes of the Law and proouing in the example of Abraham that righteousnesse is imputed vnto vs by Faith If it be obiected that S. Paul speaking of Iustification Obiect 1 by faith without workes speakes of workes done before a mans conuersion before he be regenerate and of those workes which goe before faith and not of those which follow after I answer that not onely the workes which are done Answ before faith are excluded from our Iustification before God but also workes done after faith euen in the state of grace for S. Paul writing both to the Romanes and Galatians writes to them that had receiued the Gospell and did now beleeue And speaking of Abrahams faith saith b Heb. 11. 17. By faith Abraham when hee was tryed offered vp Isaak Heere was a worke pleasing God namely the offering of his sonne Isaak when God commanded him and this was done by faith when Abraham had true faith it was a worke proceeding from faith and a fruit of faith But did this worke of Abraham iustifie him be fore God No c Rom. 4. 2 3. For if Abraham were iustified by workes as saith S. Paul he hath whereof to glory but not before God For what saith the Scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousnesse If it be further obiected out of S. Iames that workes Obiect 2 doe iustifie because S. Iames saith d Iam. 2. 21. Was not Abraham our father iustified by workes when he had offered Isaak his sonne vpon the altar And againe he saith e Verse 24. Yee see then how that by workes a man is instified and not by faith only I answer first there is a twofold Iustification the one Answ 1 before God the other before men The former Iustification before God or in the sight of God is by faith onely without workes and so we are iustified f Apprehensiuè apprehensiuely that is by apprehending the righteousnesse of Christ for our iustification for to speake properly only the Righteousnesse of Christ doth iustifie a sinner and faith is but the instrument whereby we lay hold on the righteousnesse of Christ for our iustification and of this Iustification it is that S. Paul saith g Rom 4. 3. Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse There is also a Iustification before men and this is by workes