have truths of God revealed to them which are hid from the wise and prudent Math 11. 25. And the reason is because humble souls are afraid of themselves dare not trust to their own understanding and strength but depend upon God Christ to preserve and teach them in the truth Wheras otheâ—…s trusting on themselves are therfore neer unto a fall even because they are proud and self-confident Pro. 16. 18. 28. 14. 4 It is needfull for to keep a good conscience by walking in obedience to the truth and will of God so far as a man doth know already for to such there is a promise that they shall know what doctrine is of God and what is otherwise John 7. 17. Wheras they that take pleasure in unrighteousness are in danger to be given up to believe lyes and so to be damned 2 Thes. 2. 11 12. and therfore it is said the wise shall understand but none of the wicked shall understand Dan: 12. 10. As there are few errours in opinion bâ—…t they bring forth sins in practise so sins in practise will bring errour in principles through the judgment of the Lord upon men for those their sinns They that were led captive of errours were 〈◊〉 with divers lustâ—… 2 Tim: 3. 6 7. men that will not do what they know it is just if they be left in blindness and not know what to do When a master gives light to his servants and they do no good therewith but abuse it to cards dice drinking drunkenness c it is just if he come and take away the light from them and so they be left in darkness In like sort it is a righteous thing with God to plague the poluted lives consciences of men with giving them up to the darkness delusions of errour Oh let all them tremble at this that have much knowledg in their heads but little power of grace in their hearts to walk accordingly but by the power of unmortified lusts are so carryed away as to sin wickedly against the light of their own knowledg conscieÌ„ce in one kind or in another for besides the great wrath and many stripes that such may expect in another world they may also fear that the Lord may leave them to some pernicious errour or other even in this life and thereby their damnation be the more dreadfull A pure conscience is a good cask or vessell wherin to preserve and keep the mystery of faith 1 Tim: 3. 9. 5 It was desire of noveltie that overthrew our first parents Gen. 3. for they were well if they could have been so content but having an itching desire to know more then God saw meet for them hence they were overthrown And men that have itching ears 〈◊〉 apt to be turned from the truth and to be turned unto fables 2 Tim: 4. 3 4. It argues an ill stomack and a weak unhealthfull constitution of body when a man can not disgest good and wholsom food without curious sauce In like sort it is an ill sign of a distempered soul when the good old way of the doctrine of faith and repentance and the like is not savory to a mans spirit but he must have new notions and quaint unquoth matter or else it will not go down Therfore beware of curiosity The old way is the good way let a man seek that and walk in it and he shall find rest for his soul Jer 6. 16. 6 Let a man beware of his company He that delights to walk talk with them that have the plague it is no marvell if he catch infection Therfore we are bidden to shun the society of corrupt erroneous persons to avoid them and have no familiarity of converse with them Rom 16. 17. 2 Joh. 10. and to cease to hear the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledg Pro. 19. 27. weâ—…k christians should not be admitted to doubtfull disputations least they be staggered Rom 14. 1. and therfore they must not go to them of their own accord and the reason is plain viz because we must avoid temptations as much as lyes in us and therfore not lead our selves into temptation for then it may be just with God to leave us to our selves And therfore it is not safe especially for weak christians to be familiarly conversant with corrupt persoÌ„s or corrupt books which do frequently come abroad in these dayes 7 Lastly It is specially usefull in this case to keep close to the Scriptures and to the means appointed of God for our right understanding of the Scriptures Therfore we are bidden Go to the Law to the Testimony Isai 8. 20. as on the contrary the ignorance of the Scriptures is noted in the Sadducees as a mayn cause of their errour 22. 29. If a mans adversary enemy can perswade him to throw away his weapons he may then conceive hope of prevailing against him with more ease and therfore it is no wonder if Satan in these dayes do breed questions against the Divine authority and necessary profitable use of the Scriptures as heretofore he was wont to do amongst the Papists for he knowes it will bee for his advantage against poor souls if he can by any meanes perswade them to lay aside the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Ephe. 6. 17. but he that loves his soul must be more wise then to harken to the counsel of Satan herin And for means for the right understanding of the Scripture one is the Church of God and holy coÌ„munion therewith another is the Officers ministers of Christ therin In respect of the former it is said that the Law should go forth of Sâ—…on and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Isai 2. 3. that is to say from the church And there it was even in the Sanctuary that the Psalmist came to understand that which otherwise was too hard painfull for him Psal. 73. 16 17. For which cause it is that he that hath an ear to hear must hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches Rev 2. And even to the Angels themselves much of the manifold wisdom of God is made known by the church Ephe. 3. 10. If therfore a man hang loose from the love of Church-society and the coÌ„munion of saints therin it is no marvell if such an one be drawn away with errours becaus the Curch is the pillar ground of truth 1 Tim: 3. 15. The Apostle exhorting not to forsake the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some was presently addeth what a dangerous thing it is to sinn willfully after wee have received the knowledg of the truth that is to becom Apostates Heb 10. 25 26. intimating therby that where there is the former there men are in danger of the latter that is to say where the hearts of men draw back from Church-society there they are in danger of Apostacy And for the ministers of Christ in his church
righteous then neither was he nor can any other be accounted righteous before believing But the former of these is abundantly restified in the Scriptures of truth Rom 3. 22 23 30. 4. 2 3 22 23. Galla 2. 16. and therfore the latter is true also We may be Iustified before faith yet be said to be justified by faith namely declaratively faith declaring assuring to us that wee are justifyed before we are said to be Iustified by faith because we know by faith that we are Iustified This cannot be the meaning of that saying we are justified by faith For 1 Then we may in that sence be said to be Iustified by any other grace as well as by faith yea by works of grace as well as by faith because these are evidences of our Iustification witness 1 Iohn 2. 3 4 29. 3. 7 10 14. James 2. 14. c For example by love to the bretheren wee know wee are translated from death to life and so are Iustified shall any man now say that wee are Iustified by love to the brethren that were directly to contradict the Scripture which saith we are not Iustified by works And yet if to be Iustified mean no more but to know we are Iustified then we may say indeed that we are Iustified by works which the Apostle doth so plainly largely gainsay And therfore to be justified by faith hath a farther meaning then only that we are Iustified 2 By the like reason we might say that the world was created by faith which were a very absurd saying and yet it is most true that by faith we understand or knâ—… that the world was created by the word of God Heb 11. 3. And by the like reason wee might say that wee are Elected by faith for by saith wee may understaÌ„d and know our election The sumâ—… is though by faith we know our election the creation yet it were an improper speech and such as the Scripture never useth to say we are elected by faith or that the world was created by faith and in like sort it weâ—…e an improper speech and such as the Scripture would never have used to say wee are Iustified by faith if no 〈◊〉 had been ment hereby but only the knowledg of our Iustificatâ—…on God justâ—… the ungodly Rom 4. 5. and therfore such as have not faith That doth not follow 1 Because that very text saith these ungodly ones dâ—…d 〈◊〉 and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 This expâ—…sition of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Iâ—…tifieth to 〈◊〉 it of unbelievers is dâ—…tly 〈◊〉 to the Scripture which say that God Iustifieth those that do 〈◊〉 and have â—…aith Rom 3. 26 28 30. Acts 13. 39. and none others John 3. 18. 3 The ungodly one in this text is one that hath not fulfilled the righteousness of the Law and so to justifie the ungodly is no more but to justifie without the works of the Law or not by works which may be and yet not without faith 4 If wee shall extend the woâ—…d further then we must not take that saying in sensu composito but in sensu diviso that is not that he is now when God juâ—…es 〈◊〉 so â—…godly as to be without faith but that he was so heretofore thouâ—…h now God hath given him more grace As when it is said the laâ—…e man shall leap as an Hart and the dumb sing the blind sâ—… the deaf hear Isai 35. 6. Luke 7. 22. No man must herupon imagin that they did these things while they so remayned for that was utterly imposible that a lame man should leap as an Hart whilest he remained lame or a dumb man sing whilest he still remayned dumb and so of the rest but the meaning is they that were once lame dumb deaf should afterward be inabled to leap sing see hear these acts should be performed by such as had been such as is mentioned though now they were not such Wee may as well conclude from these texts that blind men may see while they continue blind so of the rest as tâ—… conclude from the text in hand that an ungodly man an unbeliever 〈◊〉 justified of God whilest he is an ungodly man an unbeliever When some rich man marryeth a poor beggar we say he married one that had scarce raggs to her back but the meaning is not that he married her in her raggs but bestowed on her fitting apparrell and so married her So God justifies the ungodly such as had neither faith nor any other grace but the meaning is not that he justifies them in their unbelief but bestows the grace of faith upon them and then Iustifies them In believing we do not believe an untruth but a truth and therefore it is a truth that we are Iustified afore we do believe It is true indeed that a man must be Iustified before hee can rightly believe himself to be Iustified but not before he believe on Christ for Iustification or unto righteousness A man can not rightly believe that he 〈◊〉 Iustified before he be Iustified for then he should therin believe a falshood nor can he be Iustified afore he do believe on Châ—…st for Iustâ—…cation The Scripture speakes little of man believing himself to be Iustified but much of bebelieving on Christ that he might be justified Gal 2. 16. Rom 20. 10. Now to believe on Christ is not an assurance or perswasion of being Iustified already but is that act of the soul of the will especially wherby a man comes to Christ receiveth Christ relyes on Christ chuseth Christ c that in him he might be justified and saved And when this is done then there is room for that other belief or perswasion of being Iustified already but not before according to that Ephe. 1. 13. after ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise To beleive a mans self to be in a good and Iustified estate afore he have received Christ by faith what is it but the vain presumption carnal confidence of poor deluded soules as if a woman should perswade her self of title interest to a wealthy mans estate yet was never married to him Therfore afore a man can believe aright that he is justified he must first be united and married to Christ by believing on him and then therby he shall be justified indeed and so he may safely believe his justification All Gods people were justified when Christ made satisfaction for their sinns by his death resurrection Rom 4. 25. hâ—…e was raysed again for our â—…stification Now this was above 1600 years agoe and therfore long afore our believing It is true the death resurrectioÌ„ of Christ was long afore our believing and afore we were born into the world But what shall be said to Abram Isaak Jacob David and the rest of the Saints that lived long afore the Incarnation of Christ It can not be denyed but that they
uâ—…belief do exclude themselves as these texts do witness Joh. 3. 16. Rev 22. 17. Isai 55. 1. So that no man may say I know not whether I be elected whether God purpose any good to me c For the promise is general indefinite to whosoever will receive it by faith The freeness also of the promise should be considered Isai 55. 1. without moâ—…y without price What can be more free then gift that we may have mercy if wee will receive it God was not sought unto by fallen man for mercy but he provides a means of mercy of his own accord of his own love John 3. 16. which he had not needed to have done but that it so pleased him Which may answer the objection that the soul is wont to make against believing from its own unworthyness as not daring to believe on Christ unless it were more holy sanctified c If a King make love to a poor milk-maid and offer himself to her it is not for her to refuse put off the motion till shee be a Queen for if shee match with him he will make her a Queen though he do not find her one 4 It is usefull in this case to think much and consider seriously of him that makes the promise his Name and blessed Attributes Isai 50. 10. as his Power infinitely able to do what ever we need Rom 4. 21. 2 Tim: 1. 12. Math. 9. 28. Psal. 115. 3. So his Truth and Faithfulness that never did nor can deceive nor fayl to perform what ever he promiseth Heb 6. 18. 11. 11. So his Grace Mercy his Wisdom Goodness yea his very Justice it self might be helpfull in this case for being just he will not require satisfaction twice and once he hath received satisâ—…action in the sufferings and obedience of Christ To consider these Attributes of God might be very usefull helpfull in this case as it is said Psal. 34. 5. â—…ey looked unto him and were lighâ—…ned Bâ—…t one cause of the want or weakness of faith is that men look too much at creatures at sense at reason at their own baseness weakness unworthyness and look not sufficiently at God 5 A serious consideration of him through whom all the promises are accomplâ—…hed aâ—…d made good might be also helpfull in this matter and that is the Lord Jesus who is the mâ—…tour of that better Covenanâ—… established 〈◊〉 better promises then the old covenant was Heb 8. 6. Now in him there is 1 Aâ—…l fullneâ—… Col 1. 19. So that what ever we want it is fully to be had in him In hâ—… is Wâ—… Righâ—… Sâ—…tification and Redemption 1 Cor 1. 30. In him is life Iohn 14. 6 19. Wisdom Col. 2. 3. Righteousness Jer. 23 6. Pâ—…ace Ephe. 2. 14. the Spirit of Grace Holyness above â—…easure Iohn 3. 34. 1. 16. Favour with God Math 3. 17. Col. 1. 13. Power to conquer all the enemies of our salvation as being King of kings Lord of lords 1 Tim: 6. 15. Able to Succour in all Temptations Heb 2. 18. Mighty to Save Isai 63. 1. God having laid help upon him hath laid help upon one that is Mighty Psal. 89. 19. and able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him Heb 7. 25. 2 And as there is in him all this Fullness so there is in him as much Freeness readiness to communicate of this his fulness unto them thâ—…t trust in him and sue to him When he was on earth he invited men to come to him and never any so did but they were holpen and his heart is still the same So that he hath not lost his mercy by receiving glory but is still a mercyfull high Priest on the behalf of poor sinners Heb 2. 17. So that such as come to him he will in no wise cast them away John 6. 37. Therfore let us look unto him Isai 45. 22. and seriously consider this Apostle high Priest of our profession Heb 3. 1. and as long as wee so do we shall do well but if we turn the ey of our mind from him then we fall sink through unbelief even as it were with Peter who as long as he kept his ey upon Christ he walked on the water as firmly as you could do on boards but when he looked too much on the winds and waves and kept not Christ in his ey then he began to sink Math 14. 30. 6 Lastly It is good to consider that to believe is not only lawfull but a necessary commanded duty and the contrary a very grievous sin Some say they could desire to believe if they thought they might May I dáre I saith the soul apprehend the promise and receive Christ may I do it which is as if one should say may I obey the Commandement of God may I do the will of God which ought not to be a question And sure it is God would gladly have yee to believe if it might be after him I speak of his revealed will in his word Else what means that protesting that hee delighteth not in the death of a sinner Ezek 33. 11. That beseeching men to be reconciled to God 2 Cor 5. 20. That Commanding men to believe 1 Iohn 3. 23. Commending rewarding such as do Math 15. 28. Threatning punâ—…shing the contrary Mark 16. 16. Iohn 3. 18 19 36. Heb 3. last And therfore wheras the poor soul saith dare I believe wee might rather meryeil how men dare refuse for this is to put horrible indignity upon God as if he ment not as hee sayes but deals deceltfully and falsly with poor sinners it is to make God a lyer 1 Iohn 5. 10. As if the God of Truth and Faithfullness had nothing to do but to dissemble and to deceive poor souls which should be an abhorring to our thoughts to imagin Consider then that obedience is better then complement yea better then sacrifice and faith is a singular kind of obedience Rom 1. 7. If therfore the question be what shall I do to be saved the answer from the Lord is beleive in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16. 30 31. And if the question be But how may I do to believe the answer is Cry mightily unto God the giver of faith that he would bless these and such like meanes for the working of this precious and needfull grace If justification be by faith then it is needfull for every soul to examin and try themselves whether they have this faith or no whether they be true believers or not For by this we are justified and without this faith we can not be justified nor have any well grounded assarance of eternal life See but that one Scripture John 3. 18 36. Hee that believeth hath everlasting lifâ—… hee that believeth not shall not see life but is con leâ—…ned alreaâ—…y and the wâ—…ath of God abideth on him and then tell me whether it be not needfull for men to try
received doth justifie and faith the hand to receive it That there is no actuall justification of a man afore faith whether from eternity or otherwise may be farther cleared by these reasons Reas 1 Justification is after vocation or effectuall calling for whom he called them he justified Rom 8. 30. and if so then it is after faith because faith is wrought in vocation as being the answer of the soul to the call of God calling the soul to come to God in Christ wherunto when the soul doth answer come as it alwayes doth when the calling is savingly effectuall this answer this comming is faith Jer 3. 22. faith being wrought in calling and calling being be◅ore justification it must needs be that faith is before justification Reas 2 Faith hath the same place in Justification as the Israelites looking on the brazen Serpent had in their healing Joh. 3. 14 15. Now they were not first healed and then must look up to the Serpent see what it was that had healed them but first they must look up to the Serpent and so therby be healed Numb 21. 7 8 9. to teach that wee must first look up to Christ by the eye of a lively faith and then therby be iustified from our sinns And accordingly the Prophet tells us that in the Lord there is righteousness and strength wherby wee may be justified saved but we are bidden to look unto hi◅ then wee shall be justified saved therby Isai 45. 22 24 25. Reas 3 If a man be Justified afore faith then a man may be in state of Iustification in state of condemnation both at once For afore a man have faith he is in state of condemnatiō the wrath of God abtdeth on h◅ Iohn 3. 18 36. But these two states are so opposite contrary that it is not possible that a man should be in both at once Reas 4 Afore a man be a believer the Spirit of God witnesseth to a man that he is not justified but the contrary For at that time it convinceth the soul to be in a state of bondage and therupō fills it with fear Rom 8. 15. Now if a man were justified afore this fear were needless this bondage were unjust and this witness of the Spirit not true which were horrible to think Reas 5 If a man be not Justified by faith but afore it and that faith doth only declare assure unto a man that he is justified already then a man may as well be said to be justified by any other grace as by faith and so there will be no difference between faith and any other grace in this matter of justification The reason is because other graces may declare a man to be justified as signes fruits all the graces of Sanctification do that But the Apostle makes a great differēce between faith other graces in this matter teaching that we are not justified by any of them but are justified by faith The question was not whether good dutyes commanded in the Law did declare a man to be justified for that the Apostle would never have denyed but here was the question whether they did actually justifie a man as Instruments of his justification and this the Apostle doth constantly deny and yet every where ascribes this office unto faith Reas 6 The Scripture expressly witnesseth of believers that there was a time when they were in a state of wrath condemnation without Christ and without God in the world in the same state that others were that should never in◅erite the kingdom of heaven not a people not beloved not having obteined mercy and many the like Eph 2. 1 2 3 12. 1 Cor 6. 9 10 11. Rom 9. 25 26. 1 Pet. 2. 10. Now how all this should be and yet at this very time they be in a state of justification also is altogether inconceivable impossible Reas 7 All that are justified do doubtless please God but without futh it is imp◅sible to please him Heb 11. 6. and therfore without faith it is impossible to be justified Reas 8 Justification is a benefit afforded only to them that are in Christ Rom 8. 1. 1 Iohn 5. 12. But no man is in Christ without faith but by faith Ephe 3. 17. Rom 11. 20 23. they that were without faith were w◅thout Christ also Ephes 2. 12. And therfore no man is actually justified without faith Reas 9 To say that we are ◅ustified from Eternity hath many great absurdities or inconveniences in it and therfore it may not bee admitted For 1 Then the people of God never were in a state of sin For to be in a state of sin and to be justified from sin are contrary But certeyn it is the time was when the Elect were in a state of sin of misery of curse as the Scriptures do abundantly testifie Ezek 16. 2 3 4. c Rom 7. 4 5. c 6. 17 18. Tit 3. 3. And by verse 4 5 6 7. of that chap the 3 of the Epistle to Titus it appeareth that Iustification came afterward in time But this opinion of Iustification from Eternity takes away or denyes that ever there was any state of sin and theupon all humiliation for such a state is closely taken away also and made needless For why should a man lay to heart his misery by reason of such a state and lament it bewayl it be greived for it if there never was any such state but that he was in a justified estate from eternity 2 Then we were guilty of sin condemnation from Eternity and this much more because Iustification is from a guilty condemned estate and the terminus a qno must needs be before the terminus ad quem the state from which must needs be a◅ere the state to which 3 Then Iustification is the same with Election or Predestination which in Scripture are made distinct benefits Rom 8. 29 30. 4 Then Iustification is without respect to the merits obedience of Christ the reason is because the eternall actions of God as Election Predestination are not for Christs righteousness obedience but Christ himself is the fruit of our Election If from eternity we be in a justified estate then we may say as Gal 2. last that Christ dyed in vayn for what need was there of any atonement to be made by the righteousness death of Christ when by this opinion wee were in a justified estate before 5 Then we may say wee are gloryfied from eternity the reason is because Gloryfication doth immediatly follow Iustification Rom 8. 39. Titus 3. 7. Now to say we are gloryfied from eternity is to excuse Hymeneus Phyletus in that they said the resurection was past already 2 tim 2. 17 18. So many great absurdities are in it to say that wee are Iustified from eternitie Reas 10 If wee be Iustified by faith then not before faith If Abram believed therupon was accoūted