borne of the virgine Mary that he the promised Messiah is their king priest and prophet and by his obedience vnto death hath wrought their full Redemption and made their reconciliation with God these through faith in his bloud haue Christs righteousnesse imputed to them for the attaining of saluation these haue a ioy glorious and vnspeakable these cleaue to God in true holines and in the end for this their Mediators sake receiue a crowne of righteousnesse and the blessednesse promised that lasteth euermore This litle Treatise will so far lay open vnfold these three profound mysteries as may giue occasion to the well-minded readers to make further search into so high holy and necessarie doctrines as are primary pillars of true Religion And now worthie Madame in that I commend vnto you my poore endeuours contained in this litle booke it is out of a good desire to further you in the best things to procure you some litle helpe to get greater increase of the chiefe blessings to cast in my myte by writing also to adde that way somewhat to your spirituall treasure of knowledge holinesse and comfort as one desirous to be thankfull to God for his manifold mercis to you in that since your coming among vs you make it daily euident that you haue a hearty loue to true Religion and take much comfort in the Ministery and publike worship of God established as also that by your good example blamelesse conuersation you grace your holy profession going before many in many Christian duties Assure your selfe your careful labouring to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ will giue you an heauen vpon earth and shall be your crowne in the day of the Lord when all those that suffer their hearts to be stolen away from God and godlinesse by excessiue cares or pleasures of this world shall haue their sorrowes come vpon them like armed men and their end shall be fully miserable Mind you it well I pray you Eccl. 8.12 Though a sinner do euill an hundred times and his daies be prolonged yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that feare God which feare before him But it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his dayes which are as a shadow because he feareth not before God Earnestly constantly seeke after those lasting ioyes where is mirth without all mourning life without vexation eternall happinesse by a blessed communion with the eternall God who wil be all in all to them that loue him Passe ouer no day wherein you call not to minde the many sweete free blessings of the almighty bestowed vpon you but by them prouoke your selfe to offer to him the heartiest sacrifice of thanksgiuing that you can attaine to accōpanied with hūble faithful feruent prayers for increase of his best blessings to you and yours that your happinesse begun here may be continued euerlastingly Act. 20.32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you vp and to giue you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified 1. Thes 5.23 And the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God your whole spirit and soule and bodie be preserued blamelesse vnto the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee a crowne of life Reuelation 2.10 THE BLESSEDNES OF THE VIRGIN MARIE the Mother of our Lord IESVS CHRIST LVKE 1.28.45 Blessed art thou among women Blessed is she that beleeued THE holie Euangelist Saint Luke Luke 1.28 writing the miraculous Incarnation of our Lord Iesus Christ that is his wonderfull Conception and Birth describeth the messenger that manifested these glad tidings to be the Angell Gabriel the woman that should be mother to Iesus by name Marie by condition a Virgin affianced to Ioseph of the house of Dauid the place of their dwelling Nazareth a towne of Galile in the land of Iudaea the time in the dayes of Augustus Caesar the child to be conceiued and borne of her by name Iesus by office and dignitie a King ouer the house of Iacob for euer by nature the Sonne of the eternall God by speciall fauour and in regard of his humane nature the sonne of the Virgin Marie conceiued in her wombe the holie Ghost comming vpon her and the power of the Highest ouershadowing her she thrice by holy Oracle assured that she is exceedingly blessed The Virgin Marie lineally descending from the royall Kings of Israel found grace and fauour with God was freely beloued of him precious and honorable in his sight had great honour put vpon her was exceedingly blessed by Gods speciall loue to her euen blessed aboue all women Maries blessednesse is twofold The first is singular and proper to her selfe a prerogatiue granted to her alone and neuer to any other creature euen to be the Mother of Iesus Christ the Sauiour of all the Elect the mother of Emmanuel God-with-vs euen God manifested in the flesh Thus saith Gabriel from heauen Blessed art thou among women Luke 1.28 thus saith holy Elizabeth on earth Blessed art thou among women 42. and blessed is the fruite of thy wombe The second is that hauing obtained like precious faith with the Saints in the common saluation she with them abiding in the truth of Religion did beleeue and waite for the promised Messiah and her owne saluation by him as in her holy prophecie she acknowledgeth Luke 1.47 My soule reioyceth in God my Sauiour She had also a peculiar proper holy faith in a peculiar promise which was made to her alone Gen. 3.15.12.3 which was That the blessed seede in whom all the families of the earth should be blessed should be her seede that the Sonne of God would become her sonne and be borne of her wombe and of these holy Elizabeth the mother of Iohn Baptist Luke 1.45 saith Blessed is shee that beleeued Blessed art thou among all women The singular blessednesse and rare prerogatiue that Marie at once is a maide and a mother beareth a sonne and is still a Virgine is both a daughter of God and a mother of the Sonne of God is a wonder of wonders a strange miracle glorious and comfortable not fruitfully beleeued of any but of them that are taught of God who maketh knowne the mysteries of his kingdome to babes and little ones according to the good pleasure of his wil and this part of the sauing truth he writeth in our hearts by his Spirit and the manifestation of it is in his word thus recorded by the Euangelist Saint Luke In the sixt moneth Luke 1.26 the Angell Gabriel was sent from God vnto a Citie of Galile named Nazareth to a Virgine espoused to a man whose name was Ioseph of the house of Dauid and the Virgins name was Marie and the Angell came in vnto her and said Haile thou that art
reioyceth in God MY Sauiour It was no affectation of singularitie in that gracious woman to say MY Sauiour as though he had bene hers alone But so she well expressed the life of true and liuely faith vnto vs. And after her example euery Christian for himselfe is to beleeue his owne saluation building his assurance first on Gods loue in Christ 2. Cor. 5.19 reconciling vs to himselfe Secondly and on the truth of Gods free and vnchangeable promises sealed in our hearts by the spirit of adoption We receiued not the spirit of the world 1. Cor. 2.12 but the spirit which is of God that we might KNOW the things that are freely giuen vs of God It is a conceit without warranty to think this was a prerogatiue granted to her alone or to Peter Paul or some few that haue it by reuelation for euery one that is effectually called doth particularly with such application to himselfe so beleeue as she did and hath no sound and certaine comfort till he so beleeue Marke it heedfully how Paul so applieth to himselfe the promise of life and then to all euery of the faithfull that loue Christs coming I haue kept the faith 2. Tim. 4.8 henceforth is laid vp for ME the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue ME at that day and not to ME onely but to ALL them also that loue his appearing He that doth not beleeue particularly and faithfully that Christ Iesus is His Sauiour his beleefe is no better then the faith of diuels they beleeue Christ is a Sauiour to some men but they beleeue not that he is their Sauiour As of old euery one that sprinkled his dore posts with the bloud of the Paschall Lambe Exod. 12.13 was assured by the promise of God that he should escape the destroying hand of the Angell so euery one is baptized seuerally that he may haue a personall beleefe that His sinnes are washed away in Christs bloud and He shall escape the wrath to come Philip will not baptize the Eunuch till he professe such a faith Act. 8.37 Thou mayest be baptized if thou beleeuest with all thine heart We haue a cloud of witnesses of the holy ones that thus apart to themselues applied the promises of God whose steps we must follow if we wil haue true peace in our soules Iob expresseth his faith apartly and particularly thus Iob. 19.25 I KNOW that MY redeemer liueth In Isaias we reade My soule shall be ioyfull in MY God Isa 61.10 In Abacuk I will reioyce in the Lord Abac. 3.18 I will ioy in the God of MY saluation In Zacharie I will say it is my people Zach. 8.8 and they shall say the Lord is MY God So Dauid Psal 27.1 The Lord is MY light and MY saluation Elizabeth the mother of Iohn Baptist Luke 1.43 Whence cometh this to me that the mother of MY Lord should come to me Thomas the Apostle after he was healed of his vnbeleefe could say MY God MY Lord. Ioh. 20.28 Paul most holily acknowledgeth I liue by the faith in the Sonne of God Gal. 2.20 who hath loued ME and giuen himselfe for ME. It is no presumption to beleeue all that God hath promised nor to waite for all he intends to giue vs. But it is the great sinne for which the holy Ghost will reproue the world Because they beleeue not on Christ Ioh. 16.9 As a wounded man hath not comfort of his incarnatiue plaister till it be laid on his sore so haue we no fruit of Gods sweete promises till we apply theÌ„ close to our soules Who knoweth not that the commandements Thou shalt not kil nor commit adulterie nor steale are giuen to euery of vs as if he had said Thou Iohn Thomas Peter c. shall obey me when I say Thou shalt not kill c. So the promises of saluation for comfort are spoken to vs as if he named euery beleeuer seuerally It will do thee no good nor put any comfort into thy soule to beleeue the resurrection of the dead and life euerlasting except thou beleeue that thou thy selfe shalt at the end of the world rise againe and enioy life euerlasting â—â—ias prophecying of the coming of the Messias into the world Isa 9.6 saith not onely A Child is borne but vnto VS a childe is borne vnto VS a sonne is giuen So the Angels that were messengers of glad tidings say Luke 2.11 Vnto YOV is borne this day a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. So the Prophets and Apostles lay downe to their hearers their particular sinnes particular punishments and particular comforts when they repent Our dutie and comfort it shall be where God speaketh to all his generally to apply it our selues particularly As Seeke ye my face my heart answered vnto thee O Lord Psal 27.8 I will seeke thy face The third vse and fruite Is comfort and reioycing for the certainty of blessednesse by faith in Christ Iesus So the Virgine Marie hauing much assurance of her owne saluation Luke 1.47 Her spirit reioyced in God her Sauiour So the Lord bad his seauentie disciples Luk. 10.20 Reioyce that their names were writtten in heauen Now reioycing which God commandeth is for good things that are certaine and not vncertaine Be it so that such as know not that the Lords loue is towards them are euer full of doubting and vncertaintie and say the Apostles Disciples of Christ by Christs reuelation might be sure and certaine of their owne personall and seuerall saluation but so cannot others Let such be put in mind that where true faith is there is also a true assurance of blessednesse the holy Ghost teaching vs that faith assurance and reioycing in the Lord go together Rom. 5.1 Iustified by faith we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also we haue accesse by faith into the grace wherein we stand and REIOYCE in hope of the glorie of God Phil. 4 4. Againe Reioyce in the Lord alway Agreeable whereto is that in Peter 1. Pet. 1.8 In whom though ye now see him not yet beleeuing YE REIOYCE with ioy vnspeakeable and full of glorie And for assurance and certaintie the holy exhortation is Heb. 10.22 Let vs draw neare with a true heart in full assurance of faith We could not attaine to this assurance of Gods loue But that we haue receiued the Spirit which is of God 1. Cor. 2.12 that we might KNOW the things that are freely giuen to vs of God He it is that perswades our hearts infallibly enabling vs to beleeue the power truth and loue of God to vs. 1. Pet. 1.5 We are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation What more assurance can we desire or what surer ground of reioycing then to know that we are kept for saluation and saluation kept for vs as it is there also said
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