Whose house ye are if ye hold fast your confidence and hope of your reioycing c. 1. Cor. 1.30 31. Col. 2.6 As ye haue receiued Christ Iesus the Lord so walke in him And by his life vertue and strength to doe all things and not by the strength of nature and of your naturall spirit as Paul Philip. 4.13 I can doe all things by the helpe of Christ strengthning me Rom. 8.10 If Christ be in you the bodie is dead in regard of sinne but the Spirit is life in regard of righteousnesse that is the bodie lies dead from sinfull actions and motions from which a mans naturall spirit wit and pollicy cannot restraine him and his bodily members to make them lye dead but rather quicken and powerfully sway them Rom. 3.15 and 7.5 The passions of sinnes which are by the Law haue force vigour in our members to bring forth fruit vnto death and Romanes 6.12 but if Christ be in vs he deads these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the passions of sinnes or sinfull passions that they cannot worke in our bodily and earthly members For they that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and the lusts Gal. 5.24 Reason As Satan shewes his habitation in man as his house possessing as a strong man the pallace of the minde Luk. 11.21 and heart in peace by the vigour hee exerciseth in swaying their minds wils and lusts as Eph. 2.2 Iohn 8.44 2. Corinth 4.4 So Christ 2. Reason We are the children of the first Resurrection begotten of Christ risen from the dead 2. Pet. 1.3 by the greatest vertue and power of Christ quickning the dead 1. Peter 3.21 Wee are not only begotten of Christ by vertue of his Propheticall office as he is light as Hypocrites only inlightned are but we are begotten of Christ by vertue of his Priestly office as crucified for vs vnto Adoption and Iustification of life and by vertue of his Kingly office as risen from the dead to Sanctification and participation of his Diuine nature 2. Pet. 1.4 As Christ was discerned and differenced from all the sons of men to be knowne to be the Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.4 by his resurrection from the dead as the first begotten from the dead Col. 1.18 So are all we his yonger brethren by the same Spirit of power raising vs to a new nature and life with him Rom. 6.4 5. Col. 3.1 and 2.12 Eph. 2.6 we are discerned and differenced from all the naturall sonnes of men Vse That we may know whether we haue Christ in vs or no we must examine tempt and trie our minds hearts wils affections what vertues of Christ worke in them and sway them such as are propper to Christ and which no creature else can exercise in vs 2 Cor. 13.5 2. Cor. 4.10 As we beare in our bodies the dying of the Lord Iesus that is the greatest miseries and afflictions So the life of Iesus is manifested in our mortall flesh that is his greatest quickning comforting vertue when no creature can doe our mortall bodies any good in sicknesse or in death or other infirmities Christ is not only our light but our light of life that is in whom we haue not only light of knowledge but the same a quickning knowledge putting life into our wils and affections bodily members to practise what we know The Hypocrites light of knowledge is like the candle light which quickens nothing the Saints light of sauing Knowledge is like the Sun-light which quickens hearbs trees plants our light of naturall reason Philosophy Pollicy cannot so quicken vs and make vs so liuely and vigorous to good duties as this light of the sauing Knowledge of Christ Eph. 4.20 21 22. Let vs shew forth the vertues of Christ our light in vs Eph. 5.8 1. Pet. 2.9 A man may haue a wonderfull light of Knowledge in the lanthorne of his braine and yet his heart will and affections lye as dead as stones from desire or endeauour to embrace or practise the good hee knowes and haue no vertue from Christ to liue walke and fructifie This is for comfort to such as though they cannot feele Christ in them nor faith possessing Christ as long as Christ shewes himselfe to be within by such vertues exercised in them they may know themselues to bee in the faith and that Christ by faith is in them 2. Cor. 13.5 For as many haue Satan in them that doe not know or feele or beleeue Satan to be in them So many haue Christ c. and as many intertaine Satan in them by receiuing his lying Gospel and promises of wealth peace comfort by sinning and his temptations and perswasions to sinne So we receiue Christ when we beleeue and receiue his perswasions and temptations to good duties and suffer the words of exhortation and beleeue his promises and gladly embrace his word Therefore such as so did were baptized into Christ for seale and assurance that Christ was in them Acts 2.41 2. Iohn verse 9. See Iohn 14.23 If any man loue mee hee will keepe my words and my Father will loue him and we will come vnto him and make our abode with him Adam and Eue and Iudas receiued Satan into them when they receiued his counsels and temptations and suffered themselues to bee swayed thereby So coÌ„trarily we receiue Christ If when wee giue place to wrath Eph. 4.26 27. we giue place to the Diuell counselling and exciting vs thereto then contrarily wee giue place to Christ and receiue him into our hearts when we receiue his Gospel of peace counselling and commanding vs peace and loue by reasons from the Gospel that is from his loue and peace towards vs. Euery one that harbours willingly in his heart any knowne sinne and sinfull suggestion of Satan he intertaines Satan the malicious man hath a furious Diuell the wanton a voluptuous Diuell So he that regards no sinne in his heart but casts it out Christ perswading him thereto by his Gospel and not the Law alone inforcing him by terrors He that turnes from sinne vpon such suggestions promises perswasions as Christ makes to him he receiues Christ by faith first Vse And Faith beleeuing and receiuing Christ for Prophet and only Rabbi to be his Disciple and as the only Way and Truth it goeth before Repentance which is nothing else but a walking in Christ as we first receiued him by faith shewing forth the vertues of Christ and the life of Christ to walke as he hath walked For Repentance is the life and vertue of Christ receiued as our way Truth and Life and made all our Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption and our light of life What is Repentance but liuing and walking in Christ For out of Christ euery motion is to death â—nd hell and can a man walke in Christ before hee haue Christ by faith in his heart Coloss 2.6 As yee haue receiued Christ Iesus the Lord so walke in him
Thus we see that all sauing good things are sauing vertues in and from Christ Now how and by what meanes do we receiue and draw these vertues from Christ or inioy them in him Ans This is only by faith of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by Faith receiuing or going to Christs person pitching on him alone as reuealed and offered in the Gospel By Faith of him Doct. Faith in Christs person Name is the only meanes of receiuing all sauing vertues from Christ Rom. 3.22 Act. 3.16 When we beleeue the Gospel and glad tidings offering vs Christs person with all his benefits and vertues and behold him to be such a one towards vs as the Gospel reueales and offers him to vs that is as 1. Cor. 1.30 our Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption our King Priest and Prophet then is he indeede become such a one towards vs and we are made such in him 2. Cor. 3.18 Beholding as in a looking glasse viz. the Gospel the glory of the Lord with open face we are changed from glory to glory For in the Gospel God sets forth Christ before our eyes Rom. 3.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Mercy-seate was exalted and lifted vp before the eyes of the people that all may looke vp to him as the only Propitiation through faith in his blood and so finde mercy and peace with God Faith lookes vp to this Propitiation or Mercy seate and to this brazen Serpent thus lifted vp in the preaching of the Gospel and so finds healing vertue It directs our thoughts and desires to Christ in the sense of all sinne and misery as offered in the Gospel for cure and so receiues remedie Isay 45.22 Looke vnto mee and yee shall be saued all the ends of the earth c. Looke not vnto lying vanities Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched your eyes that is corrupted your minds and iudgements and drawn away your thoughts and desires from Christ that ye should not looke vp to him who by the Gospel is so cleerely manifested and described before your eyes that yee should not obey the Truth beleeuing Christ to be such a one to you as the Gospel offers him to you but looke a squint to circumcision and workes and other meanes of saluation Beleeuing the Word of the Gospel offering vs Christ and embracing the same gladly we receiue Christs Person and all that is his and inioy them by this only meanes as fully as any creature can inioy any naturall good by any naturall meanes as trees inioy the earth and sap of it by their roots so by faith in the Gospel wee inioy Christs person and all the sappe of the Spirit of Life in him Coloss 2.6 7. As the members inioy the Life and Spirits of the Head by the bond and vnion of the nerues and arteries So we the members of Christ by this Faith receiue the spirit of life from Christ our Head Rom. 8.2 with Gal. 3.2 5 14. As meate is receiued and inioyed by eating light by looking on it So is Christ by Faith By Faith in the Gospel and promises we know Christ we taste him and feede on him 1. Pet. 2.3 Wee are rooted in him built on him Col. 2.6 vnited to him By it we receiue his Person and are begotten by him into his Nature and life Ioh. 1.12 13. By Faith we goe to his Person and receiue life Ioh. 5.40 Ye will not come vnto me that ye might haue life and wee are made liuing stones by comming to him this liuing Stone 1. Pet. 2.4 By this Faith we are built on him as on a Rocke and the gates of Hell cannot preuaile against vs Math. 16. By Faith we walke in him Col. 2.6 We eate his body and drinke his blood that is we inioy all the Diuine vertues of his Godhead and the merits of his Person in all his sufferings and that fulnesse of the Godhead as dwelling in him bodily that hee is Emanuel God with vs and we are filled with all fulnes of God and all this only by beleeuing the Gospel that there is no facultie or vertue of soule or body of man or any creature that can inioy any naturall good belonging to it more fully and surely then we may inioy Christ and his Person life merits vertues by Faith in the Gospel only and the promises Hereby we know him we taste him we are rooted in him built on him vnited to him married to him Such is the necessitie and vertue of Faith in the Gospel that by it the Sonne is ours we haue and possesse him for our owne euen his Person as our Husband and his vnsearchable riches See 1. Ioh. 5.9 10 11 12 13. Vse Would we then inioy Christ and his benefits there is no meanes but his Word and Gospel imbraced by Faith and this meanes is infallible and all-sufficient by Gods ordinance Therefore care to get nothing but Faith in the Gospel that the word of Christ may dwell plenteously in vs and then Christ himselfe with all his riches and sauing benefits are in vs Colos 3.16 Wee neede not take thought who shall ascend vp to heauen or who shall descend into the deepe if the word be neere vs in our mouth and in our Heart then Christ descending and ascending both abased and exalted crucified and glorified and all-sufficient to Saluation is ours and in vs as Rom. 10.4 6 7 10. Say not what may I doe to obtaine eternall life and as Iohn 6.29 to worke the workes of God to serue him that wee may earne the bread of life This is all the worke that God requires and meanes of obtaining all sauing good to beleeue in him whom hee hath sent first from Heauen to Earth by incarnation now to all of vs by the preaching of the Gospel Act. 3.26 Eph. 2.17 Eph. 3.6 receiuing the promise of Christ by the Gospel wee are made one body with him and the whole Church and inheritors of all the same sauing good Christ hath ordained and Sanctified this meanes only and infallibly to conuey himselfe into vs his spirit life righteousnesse merits and not the Lawe or any workes or merits of man or any creature Gal. 3.2 3 4. Obey Christ the Son Iohn 3. vlt. Stumble not at his word 1. Pet. 2.8 bee not offended at it Ioh. 6 60 61 67 68 69. heare Christ Matth. 17.5 this great Prophet Act. 3.22 23. and hee will giue the holy Ghost to them that obey him Actes 5.32 The reiecting of the Word is the reiecting of Christ the receiuing of it and his Ministers is the receiuing of Christ Iohn 14.21 and 13.20 2. Thessa 1.10 Vse Abandon Transubstantiation Crucifixes Relickes Oralem manducationem for by none of all these doe wee inioy Christ which Idoles the Deuill taking away the Word and Gospel hath substituted in the roome to hold Christ by sense and not by Faith Admit wee could receiue Christ by sense yea and fill all our senses with him
For its Christs commandement that whatsoeuer our sinnes and vnworthinesse our feares doubtings and infidelitie be and how great so euer our misery be that yet we should beleeue that hee will pardon and heale all Nay because our misery by sins and punishments of God on soule and body are great and desperate passing all created power to cure or helpe them therefore to beleeue and to goe to him ordained of God a Physitian to heale all that are desperately sicke and diseased and past all hope in reason and sense Yet there is hope in Christ and hee commaunds vs to beleeue it and vpon his commandement to goe to him to ease vs of the burden of our sinnes and miseries when they lie so heauy vpon vs and so fastned on vs as we conceiue no possibilitie of remoouing them nor of any ease and refreshing from any creature promising that he will giue vs rest Obey the commandement which commaunds thee to beleeue against all vnbeleefe and aboue all beleefe and to hope aboue hope that is in infinite doubtings to beleeue and in all despaires to hope and when all reasons grounds meanes and hopes are wanting yet to beleeue only because God commands thee so to doe Though nature reason sense and thy owne heart faithlesse feares all creatures forbid thee so to doe Lam. 3. saying That thy strength and hope is perished from the Lord yet obey and beleeue none of these but Gods commandement commanding thee to beleeue his promise against them all and so to honour him as God aboue them all in power mercy trueth and faithfulnesse Though they say thy case is desperate God saith it is not they say Thy daughter is dead Mar. 5.35 why troublest thou thy maister with prayers and suites any further now all hope is past But Christ saith Feare not onely beleeue and fight against all that perswade thee to the contrary euen Satan flesh reason nature and all the World For this commandement of beleeuing is contrary to all creatures All other commandements of the Morall Lawe of naturall equitie and Iustice are seconded and sealed by the testimony of all creatures to bee iust faithfull and true and they perswade to the obedience of them onely this commandement of beleeuing is contrary to all creatures Heauen and Earth are against it and bid vs despaire for there is no hope This therefore is the greatest obedience and the cheifest worke most pleasing to God and most honouring him as God aboue all creatures and against them all and therefore God will honour and saue such a soule against all creatures He that beleeueth in me though he were dead yet shall he liue Iohn 11.25 Of all sinnes and sinfull passions it s the hardest to resist infidelitie feares doubts and of all combats against sinne to fight the good fight of Faith Because nature giues some strength and aide to resist other sinnes and naturall reason but onely God and his word to resist infidelity Nature and all creatures forbid this beliefe that a dead man should liue and rise againe When we feele sinne and dead workes which surely bring death in reason sense and conscience course of nature when wee feele a dead heart and see nothing but dead bones as Ezek. 37.3 that these dead bones should liue againe all creatures forbid vs to beleeue it yet Christ commands vs to beleeue that he is the Resurrection and the life to quicken the dead and to trust in his voyce that the dead shall heare it and liue whatsoeuer the death be in heart or conscience and whatsoeuer soule-murdering despaires and feares destroy the life peace and comfort of our soules and consciences yet if we will hearken to Christs voyce and obey his commandement to beleeue his promise of life comfort peace willing desiring and indeauouring to beleeue hee will quicken in vs the life of Faith and fill vs with ioy and peace in beleeuing and make vs to abound in hope Rom. 15.13 through the power of the holy Ghost Fulfilling the good pleasure of his goodnesse 2. Thes 2.11 and the worke of Faith with power in vs. Faith hath God for its obiect in two respects First of his Person and Diuine authoritie which it beleeues simply and onely because God saith so and commands him to beleeue his bare Word This is that speciall honour which Faith giues to God aboue all creatures that though all creatures should command vs the contrary vpon neuer such reasons arguments and probabilities yet wee will beleeue God vpon his bare Word and commanding vs so to beleeue because he is God ought so to be obeyed and beleeued though wee can see no reason for it For if he be Iehouah hee will giue Beeing to his Word and hath Wisedome Power and will to doe whatsoeuer hee saith else hee were not God Therefore because the Gospel a mysterie and hid wisedome aboue the capacitie of men and Angels is preached by Gods soueraigne commandment Rom. 16.26 and wee are commanded to heare and beleeue it therefore we wil so doe onely because God commands Rom. 10.16 17. Faith therefore comes by hearing and hearing by the word and commandement of God which commands preaching and hearing as the meanes to beget Faith Now all wicked men and vnbeleeuers doe not onely not beleeue when the Word is offered but by a rebellion of will they refuse to beleeue Psal 50. and cast the word behinde their backes and the commaundement to beleeue and will not submit themselues to the meanes of beleeuing in obedience to God because God commands them But if they heare it s when they list themselues whom they please and in such maner and measure as likes themselues as learned eloquent preaching and for such ends as they thinke fit and not in simple obedience to God as his commaundement and ordinance to get Faith and by Faith all sauing good in Christ but in obedience to their owne reason and lusts Such men their infidelitie is not in them an infirmitie but an obstinate rebellion as of enemies to God and despisers of his commandement and of Faith The Saints doubt and feare but against their wils highly prizing faith and earnestly desiring it they submit themselues to the commandement of beleeuing which they obey as well as they can at least in consent and earnest desire to obey and beleeue subiecting themselues gladly to all counsell and meanes of getting Faith as Rom. 7.16 I consent to the Law that it is good So they consent to this Lawe of Faith as singularly good and delight in it Rom. 7.22 concerning the inner man If this bee true Obedience to the Law Morall thus farre to obey though we cannot fulfill the commandement then also is this rather true obedience to the Law of Faith to be willing and desiring and to labour to beleeue vpon Gods commandement lamenting our vnbeleefe and striuing against it when we cannot beleeue as wee would Especially the commandement