a Phil. 1 27. the Gospell of Christ And this of the first generall knowledge of God CHAP. VIII Shewing that there is one onely true GOD against Idolatry THe second generall knowledge of God is to 2 To know that there is one onely true God Acknowledging the Vnity of the Godhead and Trinity of persons know and acknowledge that there is one God and three persons in the God-head to acknowledge the vnity of the God-head and the Trinity of persons the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and that euery one of these three persons is God to know and acknowledge that God the Father is of himselfe from euerlasting that the Sonne is begotten of the Father by eternall generation and that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne to beleeue that God the Father created the world that God the Sonne redeemed mankinde and that God the Holy Ghost sanctifieth the Elect. This is the generall knowledge of the one onely true God And this generall knowledge of the true God is attained vnto not by the lâ—ght of Nature nor by the works of the Creation but by the Scriptures The knowledge of the true God commeth by the knowledge of the Scriptures for the Scriptures doe shew vnto vs both the Vnity of the God-head and the Trinity of persons That there is one God Moses sheweth saying a Deut. 6. 4. Heare ô Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. Dauid also speakes thus b 1 Chro. 17. 20 O Lord there is none like thee neither is there any God besides thee And S. Paul saith c 1 Cor. 8. 4. Wee know that an Idoll is nothing in the world and that there is none other God but one And concerning the Trinity of persons S. Iohn saith d 1 Ioh. 5. 7. There are three that beare record in Heauen the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one The consideration of this generall knowledge of Vse God to know the one onely true God serues to reprooue Against Idolatry the Worshippers of Idols who though they know and acknowledge that there is a God yet doe not either know the true God or knowing the true God doe not worship him aright but worship false Gods and giue vnto creatures the worship which belongeth to the Creator Wherefore Chrysostome vpon those words of our Sauiour Christ e Joh. 17. 3. This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God Hath these words f Solum verum Deum ad eorum qui Dij non sunt dâ—fferentiam inquit Chrys in Joh. Hom. 79. Two-fold He saith the only true God to put a difference betweene the one onely true God and those which are no Gods Let vs take a view of the kindes of Idolatry and then wee shall see plainely who are heere iustly to be reprooued Idolatry is twofold The one externall The other internall Externall or outward Idolatry is also two-fold 1 Outward Idolatry Two-fold The one is that open manifest and grosse Idolatry of the Gentiles of Heathen men which knew not God and therefore worshipped Idols false gods instead of 1 Open plaine Idolatry the true God For rather then any Nation would be altogether without a God they would worship those which were no Gods as S. Paul describes the Idolatry of the Gentiles g Rom. 1. 23. And changed the glory of the vncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and foure-footed beasts and creeping things And a-againe he saith h Verse 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie worshipped and serued the creature more then the Creator who is blessed foreuer Whether the Gentiles did worship false gods or the image of their false gods or any similitude or image of the true God all was Idolatry Of the false gods of the Heathen Dauid saith i Psal 96. 5. All the gods of the Nations are Idols but the Lord made the Heauens And of all the images of the false Gods Dauid also saith k Psal 115 4 5 6 7 8. The Idols are siluer and gold the worke of mens hands they haue mouths but they speake not eyes haue they but they see not They haue eares but they heare not noses haue they but they smell not c. They that make them are like vnto them so is euery one that trusteth in them And as for the making of any image or picture of the true God it is plainely forbidden for Moses straightly chargeth the children of Israel that they make no similitude of God l Deut. 4. 15 16. Take good heede vnto your selues for yee saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire lest yee corrupt your selues and make you a grauen image the similitude of any figure c. The other kinde of externall or outward Idolatry is 2 Close Idolatry a more close and couered Idolatry pretending the worship of God this is the Idolatry of the Church of Rome the Idolatry of Papists who although they know and acknowledge the true God and worship the true God yet because they do not worship him after a right manner but otherwise then God hath appointed in his Word they commit Idolatry The truth of this I confirme by the consideration of the manner of Gods worship apointed vs both in generall and particular Touching the first The Rule of Gods worship prescribed vnto vs in generall is that m Ioh. 4 23 24. The true Worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth But the Romish Church howsoeuer it may pretend the true worship of God in spirit truth yet they of that Church haue deuised strange worship no where commanded in Gods Word neuer approoued of God and that is to bow downe before an Image made for religious vse which is a plain breach of the second Commandement And it helpes them nothing to say that they worship Obiect not the Image but God in the Image for this was the Idolatry of the Heathen they worshipped their Heathen Answ gods and their Images but the Heathen were not so foolish as to thinke that the Image of Iupiter was Iupiter himselfe but they worshipped Iupiter their god in his Image so the Israelites who had learned Idolatry of the Gentiles worshipped God euen the true God in the image of the golden Calfe for they sayd n Exod. 32 4. These be thy gods â— Israel which brought thee vp out of the land of Aegypt Now the Israelites were not so voyd of vnderstanding to thinke that the golden calfe which Aaron had made was the God of Israel but they worshipped God in the golden calfe The truth is there 's little difference of Idolatry whether wee worship the Idoll or God
euen wicked men Reprobates yea Deuels 2 Against the Romists who will not suffer the people to read the Scriptures in a language which they vnderstand haue a generall knowledge of God they know that there is a God yea they know there is one God as witnesseth S. Iames g Iam. 2. 19. Thou beleeuest hat there is one God thou doest well the Deuils also beleeue and tremble Secondly seeing that the meanes of attaining to the true knowledge of God is as hath beene shewed by the Scriptures by reading and hearing the Word of God and meditating thereon this reproues the Romish Church which will not suffer the Lay-people to haue the Scriptures in a knowne tongue nor to read them in a language which they vnderstand but locke vp the Scriptures from them in a strange language and so will not suffer the simple people to come to the knowledge of the truth contrary to the word of Christ h Ioh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures contrary to the practice of those noble Bereans who i Acts 17. 11. searched the Scripture and contrary to the doctrine of the Fathers of the Church in former times for Chrysostome exhorteth the people to k Comparate vobu Biblia c. Chrysost in Col. 3. Hom 9. prouide them Bibles or the New Testament and exhorteth Parents to teach their children to sing Psalmes Heere then consider what great wrong and manifest iniury the Romish Preists doe to the poore people for in keeping the Scriptures from them they take from them both their light and their weapons Their light Dauid saith l Psal 119. 105. Thy word is a lampe vnto my feet and a light vnto my path The Word of God is to a man for the direction of his life as a lampe as a torch as a light shining befâ—re him in a darke night to direct and guide his feet in the way wherein he is to walke Now to depriue the people of the Scriptures in their vulgur tongue is to take away their lampe to put out their candle to depriue them of the light and to cause them walke in darknesse so the blind lead the blinde and both fall into the ditch This is also to depriue the people of their spirituall armour wherwith they should defend themselues against the assaults of the Deuill The Word of God is part of that armour of God appointed for a Christian-souldier it is his sword so the Apostles cals it m Eph. 6. 17. Take the helmet of saluation the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God With this sword of the Spirit Christ our Sauiour â—ought against the Deuill and ouercame him for when the Deuill tempted Christ hee answered n Matth 4. 4. It is written the Word of God was the weapons wherwith he fought by the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Christ draue away the Deuill and this sword of the Spirit the Word of God is appointed for eueey Christian to take vnto himselfe to defend himselfe against his spirituall aduersaries yea against that great aduersary of our soules the Deuill and therefore whereas the Church of Rome will not suffer the Lay-people to read the Scriptures in a language which they vnderstand they send them to fight against the Deuill that strong aduersary and take their weapons from them and so lay them open to the assaults of the Deuill Thirdly seeing that the knowledge of God is as hath 3 Against those who wilfully liue in ignorance beene shewed so necessary so profitable and the want thereof so hurtfull and dangerous and that there are also meanes to come to the knowledge of God this reprooues those who notwithstanding these things yet still liue in ignorance and doe not labour to come to the knowledge of the truth that they may bee saued though the light shine they walke still in darknesse and though meanes of saluation be offered yet they refuse or at least neglect the meanes inasmuch as they doe not diligently read the Scripture nor attentiuely heare the word of God preached neither by meditation ponder it in their hearts inasmuch as they doe not suffer it to take rooting in their hearts but suffer it to slip out of their mindes and doe not pray vnto God for a blessing vpon their hearing and reading of the Word of God For certainely there is no man hauing reason and capacity to vnderstand but vsing these good means might attaine to the knowledge of God If a man that is as yet ignorant of the true knowledge of God would diligently apply himselfe to the reading of the Scriptures and to the hearing of the Word read and preached when he hath heard the Word of God if he would lay it vp in his heart and meditate thereon and lastly if he would earnestly pray vnto God for the obtaining of the Spirit of God to inlighten his vnderstanding with true sauing knowledge and that God by his holy Spirit would sanctifie his heart sanctifie his vnderstanding and memorie if he would when he reades the Scriptures pray that God would o Ephe. 1. 18. inlighten the eyes of his vnderstanding and p Psal 119. 18. open his eyes that he might behold wondrous things out of the law When he heareth the word pray that God by his holy Spirit would open his heart as he did q Act. 16. 14. Lydia's that he might attend to the things which are spoken of the Preacher and when he hath either heard or read the Scriptures pray that he might with the Mother of Christ r Luk. 2. 51. keepe all those sayings in his heart by these holy and sanctified means a man might attaine to so much knowledge as would be sufficient for the sauing of his soule by these meanes he might be able to giue an account of his Faith and to render a Å¿ 1. Pet. 3. 15. reason of the hope that is in him In a word by these meanes a man may t 1. Tim. 2. 4. come vnto the knowledge of the truth that he may be saued CHAP. X. Of the knowledge of Iesus Christ Generall and particular How necessary the true knowledge of Iesus Christ is against those which denie Iesus Christ by Infidelity Heresie and Apostasie HItherto of the first thing wherein true Faith consisteth the knowledge of God Secondly true sauing Faith consisteth in 2 In the right knowledge of the mysterie of the Incarnation of Christ the right knowledge of the mysterie of the Incarnation of Christ of this our Sauiour Christ himselfe saith a Ioh. 17. 3. this is life eternall to know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Againe he saith to his Disciples b Ioh. 14. 3. ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me In the knowledge of Iesus Christ I consider two things First the sorts and kinds of it Wherein two things Secondly the necessitie of it For the first 1 The
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
46. l. 24. the for their p. 58. l. 19. do for doth p. 103. l. 34 of for in p. 114. l. 28. present for patient p. 124. l. 22. then for they and l. 23. blot out that p. 128. l. 23. read in Christ p. 140. l. 15. a religious for in a righteous Lib. 2. p. 152. in marg for Bern. r. â—â—z p. 155. l. 3. waile for bewaile p. 170. in marg the letters d e f are misplaced p. 1â—8 l. 6. griefe for griâ—ue p. 182. l 22. blot out to p. 184. l. 23. and for are p. 191. in marg soluendâ—â— for solùm dic p. 192. l. 30. thoughts for thoughtest p. 202 l. 18. for hypocrisie r. in hypocrisie p â—17 l. 25. continueth for commeth p. 221. l. 13. from for to p. 223. in marg after â— delere is wanting and l. 29. continueth for continuance Lib. 3. p. 281. l. 21. name for man p. 289. l. 21. be for is p. 328. l. 25. in the middle of the line blot out shall p. 330. in marg Hoas for Hâ—ushold prayer p 342. l. 15. read a gesture p. 355. l 2. waueth for wauereth p. 380. l. 26. are men for men are p. 387. in marg John 1. for 17. THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE WAY TO THE CELESTIALL PARADICE Concerning Faith in IESVS CHRIST Which is the first and principall meanes wherby a Sinner may be saued and come to life euerlasting CHAP. I. The preface shewing in generall the way to the Celestiall Paradice and the meanes of obtaining euerlasting life with the diuision of the whole Treatise I Am the Way the Truth and the Life Ioh. 14. 6. saith our Sauiour No man commeth vnto the Father but by mee The way that leadeth to the Celestiall Paradice is Christ called by the Apostle the new and the liuing way For he saith a Heb. â—0 1â— We haue boldnesse to enter into the Holiest by the bloud of Iesus Christ by a New and Liuing Way which he hath consecrated for vs through the vaile that is to say his flesh There are many b Joh. 14 2. mansions in the Lords house which is aboue in the heauenly City the City of God many pleasant places and sweet roomes are prepared for Gods Elect there to solace themselues after the manifold afflictions of this troublesome life But forasmuch as the way to Heauen is not a c Mat. 7. 13. 14. broad but a narrow way not a soft pleasant delightfull way but vneuen hauing many hard steps and vnpleasant paths rough wayes and high mountaines to passe ouer before wee can come to the high mountaine of Heauen for d Acts 14. 22. through much tribulation wee must enter into the Kingdome of God for this cause Christ Iesus our blessed Sauiour who is a Guide to the blinde and an Instructor to the simple stands as a Guide at the entrance into the way of life and saith I am the Way I am the true and liuing Way if you know not the way I will be your Guide follow me I am the Way If you haue gone astray and wandred from the right way follow me I am the Truth I will lead you in the true way And if you haue gone so farre in the broad way that leadeth to destruction that you are neere to the gates of death ô turne againe I am the liuing Way follow mee and I will lead you to lâ—fe euerlasting So mercifully speakes our mercifull Sauiour to sinners that are out of the right way and whereas through the disobedience of the first Adam the e Gen. 3. 24. entrance into the earthly Paradice was stopt and the gate shut the second Adam Christ Iesus hath giuen vs entrance into the Holiest He hath opened the gate of the heauenly Paradice with his owne bloud f Sanguis Christi est clauis Paradisi The bloud of Christ is the key â—f Paradice for we haue entrance into the Holiest by the bloud of Iesus Christ is the Way Hee is the true Way the new and the liuing Way g Nique enim alia ventenâ—i via est Chrys Hom. 72 in Joh. There is no other way but by Christ saith S. Chrysostome h Ponit tres graduâ— ac si principium se esse dicoreâ— aâ— mâ—dium finem vnde sequitur ab ipso incipâ—â—ndum esse in eodem pergendum desinendum Calu. in Ioh. c. 14. Christ is the Beginning the Middle and the End of this celestiall and heauenly Way and therefore whosoeuer will come to Heauen must begin in Christ goe on in Christ and end in Christ Now as the way is so must our walking bee in the way the way is spirituall and our comming to God and walking in the way to the Kingdome of Heauen is not with corporall and bodily feet but with spirituall and our spirituall feet on which wee must walke in the way that leadeth to the Kingdome of Heauen are thâ—â—e two Repentance and Prayer and Faith is the staffe to hold vs vp in our heauenly iourney And hee that hath Faith in his heart Repentance in his life and Prayer in his mouth walkes as a true Israelite to the land of Canaan with his shooes on his feet and his staffe in his hand These three are all of absolute necessity in this our long pilgrimage to the celestiall Paradice No man can walke on one leg alone and two will be weary and faint except a man haue a staffe in his hand to case an support him to helpe and further him in his way Repentance alone is but as one leg to walke on for a sinner that hath repented of his sinnes and is in some measure â—eformed in his life yet because no man in this life is perfectly sanctified through ignorance or infirmity and by occasion he hath his often slips many failings and some falls into sinne and therefore hath neede of Prayer as another leg to support him that hee may repaire and renue his Repentance by deuouâ— Praier confessing his sinnes praying for the pardon of his sinnes and crauing ayde from aboue that hee may bee able hence-forward to striue against his corruptions to ouercome sinne and to walke in newnesse of life And forasmuch as through often sinning Deuotion may wax cold Prayer may faint and there may fall a drowzy security vpon the soule so that a man may wax weary of well-doing for this cause a sinner hath need of Faith to purifie the heart to stirre vp his Zeale and Deuotion to make him pray more earnestly and to cause him to walke more circumspectly redeeming the time and to serue the Lord hence forward in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of his life So then there is but one right way to the celestiall Paradice there is but one direct way to Heauen and that way is Christ Whosoeuer goeth out of that way cannot come to Heauen And our walking in that way is First by Faith apprehending Christ for our Iustification The parts of
this Treatise and applying to our selues the promises of the Gospell made vnto vs in Iesus Christ Secondly by Repentance hauing our sinnes washed away in the bloud of the Lambe Iesus Christ Thirdly by Prayer calling vpon God in the name of Iesus Christ CHAP. II. Of the order of the Treatise shewing that Faith must goe before Repentance and Prayer vpon which they depend Proouing also that Faith in Christ is a sure and certaine meanes of obtaining saluation and eternall life THe first and principall meanes of obtaining saluation The order of this Treatise and the most direct way that wee can goe to Heauen is by Faith in Iesus Christ True it is without Repentance we cannot be saued and without Prayer we cannot come neere vnto God yet Repentance separated from faith in Christ is no true Repentance no better then the Repentance of a Matth. 27. 3. Iudas and Prayer if it proceede not from a heart purified by faith in Christ is no effectuall prayer no better then the prayer of the b Luk. 18. 11 11 14. Pharisies and c Matth. 6. 5. Hypocrites But true and sound Repentance proceedes from true sauing faith and feruent deuout prayer comes from a beleeuing heart as the Apostle saith d Rom. 10. 14. how shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued And that faith in Iesus Christ is the true and sure meanes whereby wee may bee saued and come to life euerlasting may euidently appeare First by these Testimonies of Scripiure the faithfull and true Witnesse saith e Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And againe f Verse 18. He that beleeueth on him is not condemned but hee that beleeueth not is condemned already because he hath not beleeued in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God S. Paul saith thus to the Ephesians g Ephes 2. 8. by grace are yee saued through faith where he sheweth that our saluation is not of our selues but by grace and through faith So speakes the Apostle to the Hebrewes concerning the celestiall rest typed out by the rest of Canaan h Heb. 3. 18. 19. to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that beleeued not so wee see that they could not enter in because of vnbeleefe Secondly by the example of the keeper of the prison conuerted by Pauls preaching vnto him Iesus Hee sayd to the Apostles Paul and Sylas i Act. 16. 30. 31. Sirs what must I do to be saued and they said beleeue on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and thy house There was a time when it was sayd k Leuit. 18. 5. Gal. 3. 12. the man that doth these things shall liue in them but now in the blessed time of the Gospell the word of saluation is this l Iob. 3. 16. Acts 16. 31. hee that beleeueth shall liue It was once sayd Doe this and liue it is now sayd Beleeue and liue This was that word of vnspeakable comfort to the Keeper of the prison a man in wofull case concerning his soule for being euen at his wits end and not knowing what to doe nor what meanes to vse to come to saluation the Apostle raiseth him vp with this Euangelicall consolation Beleeue and bee saued Beleeue on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and thy house CHAP. III. Containing the partition of the first booke concerning Faith in Iesus Christ HAuing prooued that Faith in Iesus Christ is the first and principall meanes whereby wee are to bee saued and to come to life euerlasting I am now by Gods assistance and through the gracious guiding of his holy Spirit to entreat of this subject Faith in Iesus Christ In handling whereof I will obserue this order I will shew First the diuerse significations of the word Faith The partition of the first booke and what is meant by Faith in this Treatise Secondly the diuers sorts and kindes of Faith and which is the true Faith Thirdly that there is but one true sauing Faith and what it is Fourthly wherein true Faith consisteth Fiftly who are partakers of the true Faith whether all haue it or but some and who they are Sixtly the necessity of hauing the true sauing Faith Seuenthly the benefits whereof they are partakers who haue the true Faith Eightly how the true sauing Faith may be procured Ninthly how true Faith being procured may for euer be preserued Tenthly the signes and markes of true Faith by which it may bee knowne whether a man haue the true sauing Faith whereby hee may bee saued and come to life euerlasting These are the seuerall things necessarily to bee handled in the Treatise of Faith of which in their order as I haue propounded them And first I will shew what is meant by Faith in this Treatise CHAP. IV. Of the diuerse significations of the word Faith and what is meant by Faith in this Treatise THe first generall point in the Treatise of Faith is to shew the diuerse significations of Faith The diuers significations of Faith in the Scriptures Faith signifieth First fidelity and truth in performing of promises and that both in regard of God and men of God a 1 Thess 5. 24. Faithfull is he saith S. Paul that calleth you who also will doe it God is faithfull that is true in his word he will keepe his promise if he say it he will doe it So also in regard of men Faith sometimes signifieth fidelity in performance of promises one to another So it is vsed in that saying of our Sauiour Christ to the Scribes and Pharises b Matth. 23. 23. Yee haue omitted the waightier matters of the Law Iudgement Mercy and c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith Secondly the doctrine of the Gospell so it is vsed by the Apostle to the Galatians d Gal. 1. 23. Hee which persecuted vs in time past now preacheth the Faith Thirdly that knowledge wherby a man knowes how to discerne of things concerning the lawfull vse of them or abstaining from them and that with a safe conscience so it is vsed in that saying of S Paul to the Romanes e Rom. 14. 23. He that doubteth is damned if hee eat because hee eateth not of Faith for whatsoever is not of Faith is sinne Fourthly a confidence and perswasion of the power of God for the obtaining of some temporall blessing as bodily health and that by miraculous and wonderfull meanes which was the Faith of those that came to Christ and the Apostles diseased and went away helped and healed of their infirmities As the woman with the bloudy issue to whom Christ sayd f Matth. 9. 22. Daughter be of good comfort for thy faith hath made thee whole And the Cripple whom Paul healed concerning whom it is said g Act. 14
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
one onely true God to acknowledge the Vnity of the God-head and the Trinity of Persons but to know and acknowledge the one only What it is true God to be our God that God the Father hath elected vs in Christ hath redeemed vs by Christ and sanctifieth vs by his Holy Spirit To acknowledge that God the Father is our Heauenly Father who hath created preserued and doth continually by his prouidence sustaine vs that God the Son is our Sauiour and Redeemer and that the Holy Ghost is our Sanctifier and Comforter and to know and acknowledge that God of his mercy through the merits of Christ will assuredly saue our soules and giue vs life euerlasting So that a man hauing true sauing Faith and being endued with this true sauing Knowledge may say vnto the Lord with Dauid a Psal 22. 10. Thou art my God Againe b Psal 25. 2. O my God I trust in thee Yea may say with Thomas c Ioh. 20. 28. My Lord and my God This is not onely to d Credere Dâ—um credâ—re Deâ—â— credere in Deum beleeue there is a God that God is and that there is one God nor onely to giue credit to the word and promise of God but this is to beleeue in God That is so to beleeue as that euery one that hath true faith can say in particular for himselfe I beleeue that the one onely true God is my God and therfore I trust in him I feare him I loue him I worship him I call vpon him I depend vpon his prouidence for temporall things and rest vpon his mercy for forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting life This particular knowledge of God is sauing knowledge bringing comfort health and saluation to the soule as our Sauiour saith e Ioh 17. 3. In the knowledge of God foure things to be considered This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God And to the end that we may seeke after and attaine vnto this sauing knowledge I will shew foure things concerning the knowledge of God First how necessary it is to haue the true knowledge 1 The true knowledge of God is necessary For of God Secondly how profitable it is Thirdly how dangerous it is to want it Fourthly the meanes of obtaining it Touching the first the true knowledge of God is necessary for First God requireth it Salomon saith f Prou. 3. 6. In all thy wayes 1 God requireth it acknowledge him Dauid giueth his sonne Salomon this counsell g 1 Chro. 28 9. Know thou the God of thy Father and serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde And S. Paul prayeth for the Colossians that they might increase in the h Col. 1. 10. knowledge of God 2 God complaines of the want of it Secondly the Lord complaines of the want of the knowledge of God by Ieremie thus i Ier. 4. 22. My people is foolish they haue not knowne me And by Hosea hee saith k Hos 4 1. The Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land Thirdly the Lord prefers the knowledge of God before 3 It s better then sacrifice sacrifice and burnt offerings l Hos 6. 6. I desired mercy and not sacrifice saith the Lord and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings Fourthly the knowledge of God is so necessary that 4 Without it we cannot be saued without it wee cannot bee saued S. Paul affirmes that m 1 Tim. 2. 4. God will haue all men to be saued and come vnto the knowledge of the truth God who hath appointed the end hath also ordained meanes to the end the end is the saluation of our soules that 's the end of our Faith that 's the blessed end that we desire and long for now the meanes of obtaining saluation is to come to the knowledge of the truth to know and acknowledge the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom hee hath sent So necessary is the knowledge of God For the Second how profitable the knowledge of 2 The knowledge of God is profitable For God is appeareth by the benefits that come thereby Which are specially these two First the true knowledge of God worketh peace and concord amongst men of contrary dispositions and 1 It maketh peace amongst men of contrary dispositions correcteth the froward natures of men making them of fierce and wrathfull to become gentle and patient This was fore-shewed by the Prophet Esay saying n Isa 11. 6 7 8 9. The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe the Leopard shall lie downe with the Kid and the Calfe and the young Lyon and the Fatling together and a little childe shall lead them And the Cow and the Beare shall feed c. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine for the earth shall bee full of the knowledge of the LORD Where the knowledge of God is it will work a great alteration and change if by nature men be like Wolues giuen to deuoure and destroy their neighbours the the knowledge of God will cause them to cease from their rauinous greedy deuouring of others if they bee by nature like Lyons and Beares fierce wrathfull bloudy-minded the true knowledge of God will tame them and make them meeke and gentle Wherefore if any now in the time of the Gospell be like Wolues and Lyons and Beares towards their brethren and neighbours it is because they haue not the true knowledge of God But heere it will be sayd that some that haue knowledge Obiect are wrathfull cruell and hard-hearted towards their brethren I answer their knowledge is not sanctified they haue Answ knowledge but not grace to put their knowledge in practice they know God but will not doe the will of God They haue the knowledge of God in their heads but not in their hearts For certaine it is if men had the true knowledge of God aswell in their hearts and mindes as in their heads and tongues they would not they durst not be to their brethren as Wolues and Lyons and Beares the knowledge of the Lord would make them more peaceable more quiet and patient Secondly the true knowledge of God brings eternall 2 Eternall life commeth therby life so saith our Sauiour o Ioh. 17. 3. This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God The third thing concerning the knowledge of God is the hurt and danger that comes through the want 3 The want of the knowledge of God is hurtfull and dangerous for it causeth thereof As the knowledge of God is necessary and profitable so the want therof is hurtfull and dangerous First because the want of the knowledge of God causeth mourning and languishing desolation and destruction as the Lord sheweth in Hosea complaining that there was p Hos 4. 1 3. no knowledge of God in the land he
saith therefore 1 Mourning and desolation shall the land mourne c. Againe he saith q Verse 6. My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge Secondly where the knowledge of God is not men are giuen ouer to a reprobate minde to doe things that 2 A reprobte minde are not conuenient This S. Paul sheweth speaking of the Gentils r Rom. 1. 28 29. Euen as they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge God gaue them ouer to a reprobate minde to doe those things which are not conuenient being filled with all vnrighteousnesse fornication wickednesse couetousnesse maliciousnesse full of enuy c. Thirdly to them that know not God there remaines 3 Punishment nothing but iudgement punishment and euerlasting destruction as saith the Apostle Å¿ 2 Thess 1. 7 8 9. The Lord Iesus shall be reuealed from Heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall be punished with euerlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power The fourth thing concerning the knowledge of God 4 Meanes wherby we may come to the right knowledge of the true God is the meanes whereby wee may come to the true knowledge of God That there is a God may be knowen as hath beene already shewed by the light of Nature and by the book of the Creatures and that there is one true God is manifest by the Scriptures the Word of God reuealeth the Vnity of the God-head and the Trinity of Persons but to the attaining to the right knowledge of the one only true God by a particular knowledge to know him to be God vnto vs to acknowledge the one onely true God to bee our Lord and our God as hath beene formely more fully declared there is required more then the light of Nature more then the booke of the Creatures and more then bare knowledge of the Scriptures for this particular knowledge of God is attained vnto partly Two by the Word of God and partly by the Spirit of God the one being an outward the other an inward 1 By the Scriptures meanes to teach vs the true knowledge of God The true knowledge of God then is attained vnto First by the Scriptures and that both by the Law and the Gospell For t Per Legem cognitiopeccati nostri per Enangelium cognitio gratiae Dei Zanch. de Natu. Dei lib. 3. cap. 3. By the Law as one saith wee come to the knowledge of our sinnes and of our misery by the Gospell we come to the knowledge of the grace and mercy of God shewed vs in Christ Iesus According to that saying of S Iohn u Ioh. 1. 17. The Law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ And to the end that wee may come to the true knowledge of God by the Scriptures there are foure things necessarily required at our hands And that by First that we diligently read the Scriptures concerning 1 Reading the Scriptures which our Sauiour Christ hath sayd x Ioh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke ye haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of mee This was the practise of those noble Bereans who hauing heard Paul preach vnto them Iesus y Aâ—ts 17. 11. searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Secondly that wee carefully and attentiuely heare 2 Hearing the Word of God the word of God preached Eor * Rom. 10. 17. Faith as saith the Apostle commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Our Sauiour saith z Ioh. 17. 8. I haue giuen vnto them the words which thou gauest mee and they haue receiued them and haue knowne surely that I came out from thee and they haue beleeued that thou didst send me In which words he sheweth three things first he gaue them his Word secondly they receiued it and thirdly by the Word of God they knew God and Iesus Christ whom hee had sent Thirdly that wee seriously meditate vpon the Word 3 Meditating vpon the Word of God which we haue read or heard Dauid saith a Psal 119. 99 I haue more vnderstanding then all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation By meditating vpon the Word of God he got vnderstanding and attained to the true knowledge of God Fourthly that we ioyne vnto all these deuout praier 4 Praying for a blessing vpon these meanes crauing the blessing of God in reading and hearing the Word and meditating vpon the same Thus the knowledge of God is attained unto by the Scriptures Secondly the true knowledge of God is attained vnto 2 By the Spirit of God through the gracious working of the Spirit of God in our hearts for God must first put it into our hearts to know him before wee can know him As the Lord speakes by Ieremy the Prophet b Jer. 24. 7. I will giue them an heart to know me that I am the Lord. Againe hee saith c Ier. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Our Sauiour Christ saith d Ioh. 6. 45. It is written in the Prophets and they shall bee all taught of God This is called e Cognitio per gratiam Tho. 1. q. 12. ar 14. knowledge by grace or gracious knowledge because it is wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God the Worker of grace as the Apostle also saith f 1 Cor. 2. 7 8 9 10. We speake the wisdome of God in a mystery euen the hidden wisdome which God ordained before the world vnto our glory Which none of the Princes of this world knew c. But as it is written Eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither haue entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him But God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his Spirit This of the particular knowledge of God Now the consideration of the great necessity of the Vse knowledge of God and the benefit thereof with the danger of the want thereof and the means of obtaining it serues for reprehension and it reproues First those who content themselues with the generall 1 Against those that content themselues with a generall knowledge of God knowledge of God that there is a God that there is one God that God made all things that God is to bee worshipped c. but are not carefull to come to a particular knowledge of God to know God to be their God and so to know God as to beleeue in him to feare him and to loue him to trust in him and to depend vpon him But if we would be saued and come to euerlasting life we must labour to attaine to a particular knowledge of God for the bare generall knowledge of God will not saue vs for
And againe p Verse 14. by one offering he hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified Secondly by humane satisfacttion this was a part oâ— Christs Priestly office to satisfie for out sinnes Now the Romish Church teacheth that notwithstanding Christ hath suffered and q Bâ—llar de satisfact lib. 4. satisfied for vs to saue vs from eternall punishment yet we our selues must satisfie for our sins by our good workes by fasting and almesdeedes c. for our temporall punishment This is also against the truth of Gods Word for we hold according to the Scriptures that Iesus Christ alone and once and that perfectly hath satisfied the Iustice of God both for our sinnes and for the punishment due to our sinnes As S. Iohn saith r 1 Ioh. 1. 7. The bloud of Iesus Christ his Sonne cleanseth vs from all sinne And the Lord hath made a promise that Å¿ Ezek. 18. 21. 22. if the wicked will turne from all his sinnes that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned vnto him Thirdly by making Saints their Intercessours It belongs vnto Christs office to make intercession for vs. So the Scripture witnesseth S. Paul saith t Rom. 8. 34. Christ died yea rather is risen againe who is euen at the right hand of God who also maketh Intercession for vs. But the Church of Rome appointeth other intercessours besides Christ they flee to the mediation of Saints and pray to Saints that they would make request for them whereas Christ is our alone Mediatour as the Apostle saith u 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is one God and one Mediator betweene God and men the Man Christ Iesus Thirdly concerning the Propheticall office of Christ as he is a Prophet hee is the Instructor and Teacher of 3 A Prophet his Church by his Spirit and written Word for his Word is his will and his Word ought to be our Rule in matters both of faith and godly life but the Church of Rome besides the Scriptures and Word of God brings in a heape of humane Traditions which their Doctors and Teachers will haue to be receiued as x Traditiones simpliciter necessariae sunt Bellar. de Tradit simply necessary holding that all things needefull to faith and a Christian life are not contained in the Scriptures but that wee must seeke many things from Traditions whereas we hold that whatsoeuer is necessary to saluation to faith and a godly life is contained in the Scriptures euen in the written Word of God either expresly or so as may rightly be collected and gathered from the Scriptures According to that saying of S. Paul to Timothy y 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnes that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished vnto all good workes Wherefore if we will hold the truth concerning Christ and his Offices wee must hold and acknowledge him to be a King a Priest and a Prophet to his Church and that not in word onely but also in deede and in Truth Thirdly Iesus Christ is denied by Apostasie when 3 By Apostasie Two-fold men fall away from the truth which they haue knowne and professed And this is two-fold Particular and Vniuersall The particular back-sliding and falling away is two-fold 1 Particular falling away Two-fold The one is when a Christian hauing turned from his former euill course of life and framed himselfe to liue a 1 By falling into some great and grieuous sin godly life and now making a profession of religion doth fall into some great and grieuous sinne whereby he doth not onely sinne against God but doth also offend the people of God and giues occasion to others to speake euill of the way of the Lord. An example hereof is in Dauid committing adulterie with Bathsheba to whom the Prophet Nathan rebuking him saith not onely thus z 2. Sam. 12. 7. Thou art the man thou art he that hast done this wickednesse and hast sinned against God but he saith also a Vers 14. by this deed thou hast giuen great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme This is an euill falling away but yet this fall is recouerable for Dauid seriously repented and was receiued to fauour b Vers 13. Dauid said vnto Nathan I haue sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said vnto Dauid the Lord hath also put away thy sinne thou shalt not die The other kind of particular back sliding and falling 2 By falling from the profession of Christ and that two waies away is a falling away from the profession of Christ and that either through Infirmitie or Securitie First through Infirmitie so Peter who had made a 1 Through infirmitie profession of Christ had also boasted what he would doe and suffer for Christ c Mat. 26. 33. 35. though all men shall be offended because of thee yet will I neuer be offended And againe he saith though I should die with thee yet will I not denie thee notwithstanding all this fainted and d Ver. 70. 72. 74 denied Christ three times Secondly through Securitie falling away from a 2 Through securitie mans former zeale and sinceritie of his profession an example hereof we haue in the Angell of the Church of Ephesus to whom Christ saith e Reue. 2. 4. I haue somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first loue But both these fals are recouerable for of Peter it is said f he went out and g Mat. 26. 75. wept bitterly And to the Angell of the Church of Ephesus Christ saith g Reu. 2. 5. remember from whence thou art fallen and exhorteth him to repent and to doe the first workes This of the particular Apostasie and falling away which is onely a backsliding and falling away in part and that for a time There is also an vniuersall falling away and that is 2 Vniuersall falling away Two-fold also two-fold The first is an vniuersall falling away form a mans former righteousnesse from his holinesse of life and godly conuersation when any one fals from vertue to 1 From a mans former righteousnesse and holinesse to prophanenesse and wickednesse vice and from a godly conuersation to profanenesse and notorious wickednesse this is a kinde of denying Christ yea this is of the seruant of Iesus Christ to become the seruant of the Deuill euen as a seruant which râ—fuseth to serue his owne Lord and Maister but fals to his maisters aduersarie and serues him may be said to haue denied his maister so they who for a time haue made shew of seruing their Lord Maister Iesus Christ and afterwards fall away from the seruice of Christ and serue the flesh the world and the Deuiil may rightly be said to haue denied Iesus Christ of such St Peter speaks shewing the dangerous state of those that so fall away h 2.
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
that vine and is knowne to be in Christ to haue faith in Christ by the fruits of a godly life If any man be in Christ hauing true iustifying faith he is also sanctified by the spirit of God he is renued inwardly in his minde and reformed outwardly in his life and conuersation He is a chang'd man he is not the same man that he was before for his heart is now purified by faith and his conscience is purged from dead workes to serue the liuing God if any man be in Christ and haue Christ dwelling in his heart by faith he hath a new heart a new mind a new will new affections new desires new purposes and new resolutions he hath new eyes new eares a new tongue new hands and new feete all is new not in regard of the Å¿ Nulla substantia nâ—ua câ—nditur qualitas duntaxat immutatur Bez. substance either of soule or bodie but of the qualitie and condition thereof for the faculties and powers of the soule as also the parts and members of the bodie remaine the same but in the new creation the euill qualities and dispositions the euill conditions of the inner and outward man are changed The vnderstanding that before was darke through ignorance is now inlightned with sauing knowledge the will which before was froward peruerse and stubborne is now framed to the will of God and the affections which were rebellious disordered and disobedient in the new creation are brought into order and framed to holy obedience The eye that hath offended by wandring lusting and coueting is now made a modest chast sober and contented eye The tongue that hath either offended God by blasphemie swearing cursing or any way taking the name of God in vaine or grieued a mans neighbour by railing words reuiling and reproachfull speeches by lying slandering backbiting false accusing detracting from the credit and estimation of others is now in the new creation made to be a tongue honourring God praysing and blessing God a tongue abhorring lies and speaking the truth vnto his neighbour a tongue speaking well to others and of others and of a fierie inflamed contentious tongue it is now a coole quiet and peaceable tongue The hands also that haue offended by fighting hurting wounding killing by violence crueltie oppression extortion robbing and by being vnmercifully shut against the poore in the new creation and change of life are made peaceable forbearing innocent and harmlesse yea mercifull liberall and open to the poore and needy And the feet which were swift to shed bloud and walked in the waies of wickednesse are now refrained from euery euill way The consideration of this that reformation of life is a signe of true faith hath a two-fold vse It serues First for instruction to teach vs as many as haue Vse 1 true iustifying faith indeede and in truth to giue restimony To giue testimony of our faith by a godly life The necessity thereof of our faith by a godly life and holy conuersation This is necessary for euery one that hath the true faith and makes a profession of the Gospell of Christ for a man by his godly life and holy conuersation doth three things which are excellent in a Christian For heereby First he glorifies God g Matth. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before 1 Glorifying God men saith our Sauiour that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heaueuen And againe he saith h Ioh. 15. 8. Heerein is my father glorified that yee beare much fruit By which our Sauiour giueth vs to vnderstand that when Christians so liue that they are seene and knowne to bring forth the fruit of good workes when then so liue as that they are good examples to others when that they so lead their liues as that by their godly conuersation honest behauiour and vnblameable life they shine before men heereby they glorifie God they honour God and cause men to blesse God for the good things which they see in them Secondly he adornes the Gospell of Christ and is an 2 Adorning the Gospell of Christ ornament to his profession for this cause the Apostle beseecheth the Ephesians to i Ephes 4. 1. walke worthy of the vocation wherewith they were called And exhorting the Philippians to a godly conuersation he saith k Phil. 1. 27. Let your conuersation be as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ 3 Stopping the mouthes of those which speake euill of the way of the Lord. Thirdly he stops the mouthes of those which are ready to open their mouthes and speake euill of them that feare God when they shall see and perceiue plainely that they which professe the Gospell of Christ in sincerity doe labour to walke conscionably before God and towards men when they shall see that they liue l Phil. 2. 15. blamelesse and harmelesse the sonneâ— of God without rebuke In a word when a Christian through sanctification of the Spirit is carefull to liue in obedience to the Commandements of God labouring and endeauouring with Zacharie and Elizabeth to m Luk. 1. 6. walke in all the Commandements of the Lord blamelesse this godly conuersation and vnblâ—meable life is able to stop the mouthes of prophane and wicked people as S. Peter also saith n 1 Pet. 2. 12. Hauing your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speake against you as euill doers they may by your good workes which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation And againe exhorting them to walke conscionably he saith o 1 Pet. 3. 16. Hauing a good conscience that whereas they speake euill of you as of euill doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conuersation in Christ Secondly this serues to reprooue those who vainely Vse 2 perswade themselues that they are in Christ are members Against those that say they haue faith and are not reformed in life of Christ haue faith in Christ and yet are not reformed in their liues But the truth is if any man be in Christ he is a new creature he is a new man hee hath put off the olde man which is corrupt and hath put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse In the new creation there is alteration and change in the minde in the will and affections in the eyes eares tongue hands c then looke vpon thy selfe ô man search thy selfe within and view thy selfe without is thy minde the same that it hath beene formerly doth it still mind earthly things is thy heart as much set vpon the world as euer it was are thy affections as disordered and thy passions as vnruly as in former-time and doe thy olde corruptions remaine in their full strength is there no change nor alteration in the inner man and the eye the same that it hath been as Iustfull as wanton and wandring as coueting as before is the tongue the same that
it * 1. Pâ—t 3. 15. Be ready alwayes saith S. Peter to giue an answer to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you wee haue examples heereof S. 1 God requireth it Paul was not ashamed of the preaching of the Gospell for to the Romanes he saith c Rom. 1. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ The Romane-beleeuers in S. Pauls time were not ashamed of the profession of the Gospell for of them hee saith d Rom. 1. 8. Your faith is spoken of thorowout the whâ—le world And the beleeuers among the Thessalonians were not ashamed of the profession of their faith for of them also S. Paul saith e 1. Thes 1. 8. In euery place your faith to God ward is spred abroad Secondly to confesse Christ before men hath a promise 2 A promise to them that confesse Christ and to deny Christ hath a threatning annexed vnto it f Mat. 10. 32. 33 Whosoeuer saith our Sauiour shall confesse mee before men him will I confesse also before my father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my father which is in heauen For thus will Christ the righteous Iudge say vnto his Father at the day of the Resurrection These ô Father on my right hand are they which haue confessed mee before men they were not ashamed of mee I acknowledge them for mine g Mat. 25 34. Come yee blessed of my Fâ—ther inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world But as for these on my left hand ô Father these are they that denied me before men they were ashamed of mee they would not stand vnto their faith and profession I acknowledge them not h Mat. 25. 12. I know you not i Ver. 41. Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels This is the first kinde of confessing Christ before men in the time of peace The second is to bee constant in our profession to 2 To be constant in our profession and to stand vnto the truth stand vnto the truth which wee professe not to shrinke backe not to be wauering minded but to hold fast the truth to speake for it and defend it S. Paul giues vs this worthy exhortation k 1 Cor. 16. 13. Watch ye stand fast in the Faith quit you like men be strong Thus are we to make confession of Christ before men in the time of peace The consideration whereof serues to reproue Vse First those who faint and are discouraged eyther to 1 Against those that are fearfull to professe the Gospel by reason of some disgrace-full speeches vniustly cast vpon them that professe the Gospell enter vpon or to hold on the profession of godlinesse by reason of the disgracefull speeches which some ill minded men doe cast vpon the professours of religion there are diuers who hearing the Gospell preached conceiue a good liking of it and hearing moreouer and vnderstanding that the professours of religion are carefull to worship God publikely and priuately that they are carefull to sanctifie the Sabboth to frequent the house of God to heare Sermonâ— c. Furthermore perceiuing that the best and most sincere professours doe endeuour to liue a godly a righteous and a sober life and as much as in them lies labour to liue blamelesse they cannot but acknowledge that all this is good and worthy their imitation and gladly they would imitate them and be like vnto them but that they feare they should be mocked pointed at and branded with the name of Precisian Puritane Sectarist c. Such fearfull and faint-hearted Christians are herein like to l Ioâ— 3. 1. 2. Nicodemus who came to Iesus by night And like to m Ioh. 19. 38. Ioseph of Arimathea who was a Disciple of Iesus but secretly for feare of the Iewes But consider I beseech you all ye that are thus fearefull to make an open profession of Christ what though the world hate you and speake euill of you and persecute you is it not a religious cause is it not for the name of Christ and will you be ashamed of Christ Nay you ought not to faint nor be discouraged in the profession of godlinesse nor yet to be afraid to confesse Christ before men though you suffer for the name of Christ for this is the portion of the righteous in this life to be afflicted persecuted and troubled and concerning this I say with S. Peter n 1. Pet. 4. 16. If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this behalfe A seruant that attends vpon a great man of place is not ashamed to weare his cognisance and to be knowne to belong vnto him but esteemes it his credite and accounts it his honour to be knowne and noted that he is seruant to such a worthie Gentleman or that he belongs to such an honorable person so euery Christian ought much more to reioyce and glory in this that he is the seruant of Iesus Christ Now that which makes a Christian knowne to bee the seruant of Iesus Christ is not to be ashamed of the Gospell of Christ it is his constant confession of Christ and the open manifest profession of his Faith and Religion before men ioyning thereunto a godly life hauing his conuersation as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ And a Christian ought to be so farre from being ashamed of the profession of the Gospell that he ought to glorie therein and count it his greatest honour that he is seruant to so great a Lord as the Lord Iesus 2 Against those who are still doubtfull and not setled in iudgement for the truth of Religion Secondly this reproues those who are doubtfull inconstant and wauering in matters of religion not setled in iudgement for the truth of religion being neyther good Protestants nor right Papists holding something of both and holding constantly to neither To such I may say as Elijah the Prophet said to the seduced Israelites in the dayes of King Ahab o 1 Kin. 18. 21. How long halt yee betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him How long halt ye betweene two religions of Protestants and Papistâ— If the Lord be God follow him and worship him in spirit and truth as hee hath commaunded but if Baal be God if to worship Saints and to bow downe before Images be the true worship of God then follow them For if a man haue faith its necessarie that he also confesse the truth of his faith with his mouth and professe the same in his life Thirdly seeing that a Christian is to giue testimonie of his faith by outward profession then what faith hath 3 Against luke-warme professours the luke-warme Christian which is neither hote nor cold Some are so indifferent for matters of religion
Frumentum Dei sum ac dentibus bestiarum commolior vt mundus panis inuâ—â—iar ibid. c 33. I am Gods corne the beasts must grinde me in their teeth that I may be pure bread Polycarpus with great constancy endured to be burned rather then he would deny Christ or reproach the name of Christ whom he had e Octaginâ—â— seu annos illi seruio nec me vlla in re lesit vnquam quomedo possum male dicere regi meo qui me seruaâ—it id l. 4. c. 15. serued as he acknowledgeth fourescore and six yeeres and in all that time saith he Christ hath done me no manner of harme but hath saued me how then can I blaspheme my Lord and King yea f l. 8. c. 12. Eusebius reports that so many christians in so many places of the world did suffer for the name of Christ and so constantly did they endure the cruell torments which wicked men did inuent against them that the very beholders were astonished to see the manlike fortitude and to perceiue the constant resolution of those holy martyrs These are they which are now g Reu. 7. 9. 14. clothed with white robes hauing palmes in their hands and these are they which came out of great tribulation and haue washed their robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe The consideration of this constancie in the profession Vse of our faith to endure torment and to suffer death for Against the temporarie faith and formall profession the name of Christ serues to reproue those who haue but a temporarie faith and a formall profession Manie in time of prosperitie in the Sunne-shine and flourishing state of the Gospell when there is peace and prosperitie in the land make a glorious profession but if trouble and persecution arise for the Gospels sake then they pull in their heads draw backe and in the end fall away from their profession denying their faith and profession rather then they will suffer death for the name of Christ Ecclesiasticall histories mention that diuerse weake Christians in the times of grieuous persecutions denyed Christ before men and sacrificed to Idoles though many of them afterwards repented and were receiued into the bosome of the Church againe Our owne Acts and Monuments tell vs of the like amongst which memorable is the example of one Denton a Blacksmith who being a professour of the Gospell deliuered vnto Wolsey a friend of his the booke of the holy Scriptures telling him that it was the truth After this his friend Wolsey whom he had beene a meanes to conuert vnto the truth was cast into prison for his conscience sake and being in prison sent vnto the said Denton signifying vnto him that he marueiled that he tarried so long behind him seeing he had deliuered vnto him the Scripture and knew that it was the truth Denton returned him this answere I confesse it is the truth but alas I cannot burne But he that could not burne in the cause of Christ was afterwards burned against his will for his house being set on fire whiles he went to saue his goods he lost his life A good and sound Chrishan ought to be so affected toward Christ Iesus as a louing spouse as a chast and modest wife to her owne husband a chast and faithfull wife will by no meanes by no promises nor allurements by no threatnings nor torments be drawne or forced to forsake her deare husband but will be faithfull vnto him to the death and resolutely say h Moriar Alcide tua Sen. O deare husband I will die thine So a good Christian soule the spouse of Christ will by no meanes by no perswasions nor threatnings for no torments nor for any feare of death be mooued to forsake Christ but will remaine faithfull vnto Christ euen vnto death and with resolution of heart say O deare Sauiour I will die thine He that will build a tower and doth not first sit downe and count the cost whether he hath sufficient to finish it is held by our Sauiour i Luk. 14. 28. 29 Christ to be an vnwise man And such an vnwise man is he who before he entreth vpon this great worke of the profession of Christian religion doth not first sit downe and count what it may cost him It may be he shal heare mockings reprochfull and disgracefull speeches in regard of his very profession he may for Christ's sake suffer losse in his goods yea it may be his profession may cost him his life Now then a wise man is to consider aforehand that as its necessarie that he doe confesse the name of Iesus and that he make a profession of godlinesse so hauing once taken vpon him the profession of the Gospell there 's no shrinking no going backe k Luk. 9 62. he that putteth his hand to this plow and looketh backe is not fit for the Kingdome of God A Christian hauing taken vpon him the profession of the Gospell ought in no wise to goe backe from his profession nor to denie his faith though it cost him his life least he be like to that foolish builder who began to build and was not able to finish To conclude It ought to be the care of euery good Christian first to get true faith into his heart next to nourish his faith that it may be preserued and continued to the end then to shew forth the fruits of his faith by patience in afflictions and suffering wrongs by reformation and amendment of life by works of mercy and lastly to make confession of Christ before men and not to be afraid nor ashamed of the profession of the Gospell but to stand fast in the faith and to be constant in the same yea to liue and die therein This is the way to life euerlasting As CHRIST saith to the Angel of the Church in Smyrna l Reu. 2. 10. Be thou faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee a Crowne of life ⸫ The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE WAY TO THE CELESTIALL PARADICE Concerning Repentance Which is the second meanes whereby a Sinner may be saued and come to life euerlasting CHAP. I. The Preface with the Partition of the whole Treatise of Repentance AFter Faith necessarily and fitly followeth The order of this Treatise Repentance Necessarily for by our repentance amendment of life we giue testimony of our faith in Christ And fitly for Faith begetteth Repentance it is as it were the a Fides esi poenitentiae mater origo Buca de poenit mother and breeder of Repentance Indeede in regard of time Faith and Repentance are together For b Virtuâ—es sunt connexae omnâ—s simul incipiunt esse in animae Tho. 3. q 85. ar 6. Vertues and graces are wrought together in the soule True faith and sound repentance are ioyned together they are inseparable companions but yet in regard of order of nature faith is first though Repentance shew it selfe
is in their owne power and are vainely perswaded that they can repent when they please But consider I beseech you ô yee secure and carelesse people know yee and consider well with your selues that repentance is not in any mans power no man can repent when hee will for Repentance is the gift of God and it is of the gracious working of Gods Holy Spirit that a sinner is changed in minde and turned from sinne vnto God Wherefore in Ieremy Ephraim is brought in lamenting and praying f Ier. 31. 18. Turne thou me and I shall bee turned And the Iewes in their affliction pray g Lam. 5. 21. Turne thou vs vnto thee ô Lord and we shall be turned The Spouse of Christ saith vnto him h Cant. 1. 4. Draw me we will run after thee When Christ called the two Disciples hee sayd vnto them i Mat 4. 19 20. Follow me and they followed him To the end that wee may be turned vnto God from our euill way it is God that must turne vs that wee may follow Christ Christ must first call vs and bid vs follow him And that wee may run after Christ it s he that by his grace and good Spirit must draw vs vnto him If it bee obiected that the Lord by his Prophets Object saith k Zach. 1. 3. Turne yee vnto mee and l Ioel 2. 12 13. Turne vnto the Lord your God The answer is two-fold Answ First in these and such like sayings the Lord doth not so much shew vnto vs what we can doe of our selues as let vs vnderstand what wee ought to doe and what of our selues we are not able to doe Secondly though a sinner in his very first conuersion be capable of repentance that is God giuing him repentance he may repent yet the truth is a sinner cannot of himselfe with all his wit and knowledge and by all his naturall parts which he hath come to true and serious repentance except God giue him grace to repent by which grace of God the sinner may then will his own conuersion for at the same instant when God giueth repentance he also giueth the sinner grace to will his own conuersion but that will of man is not of himselfe but of God For as the Apostle saith m Phil. 2. 13. It is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure CHAP. III. Of the parts of Repentance HAuing shewed what Repentance is now follow 1 The parts of Repentance two the parts thereof and they are two The one is a turning from sinne the other a returning vnto God vsually called by a Pola Buca Vrsin Diuines Mortification and Viuification Mortification is a worke of the Spirit whereby a sinner 1 Mortification What it is doth so turne from sinne as that he doth not onely waile his sinnes past and is out of loue with sinne yea hateth and abhorreth sinne but doth mortifie his inward corruptions doth giue sinne a deadly wound yea kilssinne and dies to sinne so that sinne hath no more rule and dominion ouer him neither is hee any longer the seruant of sinne This is the first part of Repentance The second is Viuification or a quickning of the new 2 Viuification What it is man which is a worke of the Spirit whereby a sinner is so turned from sinne vnto God as that hee is quickned by the Spirit of God to lead a new life he is raised from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse and henceforward giues himselfe vnto God to serue and please him in newnesse of life These two parts of Repentance are set downe in the Scriptures Dauid saith a Psal 37. 27. Depart from euill and doe good Esay saith b Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the vnrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne vnto the Lord. So in the Acts of the Apostles the Lord sayd vnto Paul c Acts 26. 18. I send thee to the Gentiles to open their eyes and to turne from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God And to the practice of both these parts of repentance the Scripture doth further exhort and perswade in particular To the former thus Esay saith d Jsa 1. 1. 16. Wash you make you cleane put away the euill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to doe euill Ezekiel saith e Ezek. 18. 21. If the wicked will turne from all the sinnes that he hath committed S. Paul saith f Coloss 3. 5. Mortifie your members which are vpon the earth fornication vncleannesse inordinate affections euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which is Idolatry And to the other part of Repentance to turne vnto the Lord the Scriptures are plentifull in exhorting By Ieremy the Lord saith g Ierem. 4. 1. If thou wilt returne ó Israel saith the Lord returne vnto mee The Prophet Ioel saith h Ioel 2. 12 13. Therefore now saith the Lord turne yee vnto me And againe Turne ye vnto the Lord your God The Prophet Hosea saith i Hos 14. 1. O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Thus are we exhorted to Repentance in both the parts thereof Now whereas Repentance consisteth of these two Vse parts Mortification and Viuification a dying to sinne and a liuing to righteousnesse a turning from sinne and a returning vnto God the consideration heereof serues to reprooue diuerse who faile in the matter of Repentance First those who are so farre from true repentance 1 Against those who turne from no sin that they haue not attained to the first part of Repentance to turne from sinne for some there are which turne from no sinne but still liue in their old sinnes some in blindnesse and ignorance in idolatry and superstition and turne not they will not bee conuerted nor turned from darknesse to light Others liue in sinfulnesse and wickednesse as some in whoredome and vncleannesse some in drunkennesse some in maliciousnesse some in swearing cursing lying c. such they haue beene and such they are still there 's no change of minde no turning these are farre from repentance because they are not yet turned from their sinnes Secondly whereas Repentance is not only a turning 2 Against those who turne from one sinne to another from sinne but also a turning vnto God this reprooues those who in turning from sinne so turne themselues as that they turne not from sinne to God but turne from one sinne to another and oft-times to the contrary euill These leape out of one vice into another and run from one k Stâ—lâ—idum vâ—â—anâ— viâ—ia in câ—ntraâ—â—â— curâ—iâ—it extreme to another as euill or worse then the former As when a man turnes from prodigality to coueâ—ousnesse when of a prodigall waster and mis-spender of his owne goods and substance comming to himselfe and resoluing to leaue that course of life and to liue a more
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
c. 6. to them that beleeue This is called an historicall faith For they that haue this faith doe acknowledge the History of the Bible and all things contained therin to be true by this faith they acknowledge that what God hath done is true and what he hath sayd and promised shall surely come to passe they haue a generall knowledge they haue their vnderstanding inlightned with knowledge but not with renewing grace nor sauing knowledge this bare knowledge alone may bee in Reprobates and wicked men yea in the Deuils In wicked men for it is sayd of Simon that p Acts 8. 13. hee beleeued Did he beleeue what faith had hee was it a true faith No his faith was but a generall knowledge with an assent to the things which hee heard the Apostles preach that they were true but they wanted the true sauing faith as appeares by Peters sharp rebuking of him for that his q Verse 21 23. heart was not right in the sight of God but was still in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity yea this generall faith is in Deuils as S. Iames witnesseth r Jam. 2. 19. thou beleeuest that there is one God thou doest well the Deuils also beleeue and tremble That is the Deuils haue a generall knowledge of the Word of God and the things contained therein and beleeue that whatsoeuer is written in the Word of God is true they beleeue according to the Scriptures that God is a iust God and will punish sinners yea they know and beleeue that God hath prepared Hell for the tormenting not onely of wicked and vngodly men but for the euerlasting tormenting of the Deuill and his Angels this they beleeue and beleeuing tremble but they want the true faith to apprehend the mercy of God in Christ Iesus Wherefore one saith of the faith of Deuils that it is Å¿ Fides in Daemonibus coacta Tho. 1. q. 64. ar 2. not voluntary but forcibly drawne from them Secondly some haue not onely a knowledge of the 2 Temporary faith Word and doctrine deliuered in the Scriptures but do giue their assent thereunto by open profession of the Gospell and that with ioy and delight but it is onely Parae explic catech Vrsin for a time and in time of trouble and temptation their faith failes and they go away and fall backe from their faith and profession This is called a Temporary faith because it is but temporary it is not permanent it continueth not These are resembled by the stony ground vpon which the seed of Gods Word falleth and they receiue it with ioy yet haue no root in themselues and therfore t Matth. 13. 10 21. dure but for a while for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word by and by they are offended as our Sauiour speakes in the Parable of the seede And as S. Luke hath it u Luk. 8. 13. for a while they beleeue and in time of temptation fall away Thirdly some haue had power giuen them from aboue 3 Miraculous faith to doe wonders and worke miracles and that by the gift of Faith which faith was a speciall gift of God either to doe some strange and extraordinary worke Parae which could not be done by ordinary meanes or else a gift of fore-telling things to come by diuine reuelation By this faith Peter restored the x Acts 3. 9 7. lame to his limbs And raised y Acts 9. 40. Tabitha from death to life And by this faith Paul healed the man that had beene z Acts 14. 8 9 10. a Cripple from his mothers wombe But this faith alone though it bee great in power and mighty in working doth not iustifie a sinner nor saue a soule and therefore wee finde that wicked men and such as haue not had true sauing faith haue had power to doe miracles and to worke wonders It is held that Iudas wrought miracles as did also the rest Pola Synt. t. 2. l. 9. c. 6. of the Apostles for Christ gaue this power to the a Matth. 10. 1. twelue Disciples and yet Iudas was a Deuill and so Christ calls him b Ioh. 6. 70 71. Haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a Deuill he spake of Iudas Iscariot Our Sauiour hath told vs that very Hypocrites and wicked men may doe wonders and will glory in the same and plead for themselues at that great day what wonderfull things they haue done c Mat. 7. 22 23. Many will say to me saith Christ in that day Lord Lord haue we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name haue cast out Deuils and in thy name done many wonderfull workes and then I will professe vnto them I neuer knew you depart from mee yee that worke iniquity And S. Paul speaking of Antichrist saith that d 2 Thess 2. 9. his comming is after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders Fourthly some haue faith whereby they doe not 4 Iustifying faith onely beleeue the Word of God to be true and giue assent thereunto with ioy for a time but the Spirit of God worketh such grace in their hearts that they doe apprehend Christ Iesus for their Iustification and are perswaded of the mercy of God in Christ for the remission of their sinnes and saluation of their soules and in this faith they continue to the end these haue a true iustifying and sauing faith Of this faith and the nature of it more is to be spoken in the next place where I come to shew what the true faith is CHAP. VI. Shewing that there is but one true sauing Faith and what it is with the titles giuen vnto it and the properties belongging thereunto THe diuerse sorts and kinds of Faith being made 3 There is but one true faith knowen the order of the Treatise requires that in the third place I make it manifest that notwithstanding there bee diuerse kindes of faith yet there is but one true faith For concerning Faith we are to consider two things the one is touching the things about which faith is conuersant which is the obiect of faith the other is concerning the subiect persons in whom faith is Faith is as hath beene shewed diuersly in diuerse men some haue a great and some a little faith some haue a strong and some a weake faith some haue an effectuall working faith a liuing faith and some haue but an vnfruitfull faith a dead faith some haue a fained and some an vnfained faith some haue but an historicall some a temporary and some a true iustifying and sauing faith In regard of men therfore faith is diuerse but inasmuch as the a Cum obiectum fidei sit prima veritas fides necessario vna Tho 22 a. q. 4. ar 6. obiect of faith is as one saith the first truth because faith is conuersant about the Truth and that there is but one Truth from
as vnsound doctrine because it prefers ignorance before knowledge Secondly seeing that true sauing faith is not only an Vse 2 assent to the Word of God but hath in it a perswasion To haue a particular faith applying the promises of the Gospell to our selues of the mercy of God in Christ with a particular application of the promises of Christ and his benefits this is profitable for instruction to teach vs as many as desire to be saued not to content our selues with a generall assent to the Word of God when it may be wee vnderstand it not nor yet to rest in the generall knowledge of the Word which is but an historicall faith but to labour for a particular faith by which we may so beleeue the promises of God made in the Gospell generally to all that beleeue that we can in particular apply them to our selues S. Paul to the Ephesians saith p Ephes 5. 2. Christ hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs. And to the Galatians he saith q Gal. 2. 20. the Sonne of God who loued mee and gaue himselfe for me The former words are generall concerning the benefit of Christs death and passion to all that beleeue In the later Paul applies the benefit of the death of Christ to himselfe in particular Whereupon a learned Diuine saith r Ab vniuersali quisque debet ad suum particulare hoc Christi beneficium transferre Zanch. in Eph. 5. From the universall euery one is to bâ—ing the benefit of Christs death to his owne particular and say with Paul Christ gaue himselfe for mee Christ our Sauiour makes an vniuersall promise to all that beleeue Å¿ Joh. 3. 16. Whosoeuer beleeueth in the Sonne of God shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Now the beleeuing soule hauing true faith in Christ assumes this to himselfe and saith I beleeue in the Sonne of God and thereupon necessarily concludes the assurance of his owne saluation saying therefore I shall not perish but haue life euerlasting Thus true sauing faith applyeth in particular the generall promise made to all that beleeue Gods generall promise is like the Kings generall pardon wherin though no man bee named yet any offender when he heares the generall pardon read can say this clause belongs vnto me I take hold on this I apply this to my selfe So a sinner that beleeueth hearing the gracious promises of God made to sinners that beleeue and repent by faith applieth the generall pardon of Gods mercy to himselfe The hauing of this particular faith is necessary to saluation for euery man must bee saued by his owne faith Wherefore it is sayd t Hab. 2. 4. the iust man shall liue by his Faith not by another mans faith but by his owne faith The generall faith to beleeue as the Church beleeueth to beleeue as others beleeue will not saue the soule but euery man must beleeue for himselfe For this cause in the Articles of our Faith this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I beleeue is prefixed or vnderstood to goe before euery article as I beleeue in God the Father I beleeue in Iesus Christ I beleeue in the Holy Ghost I beleeue in the forgiuenesse of sinnes c. giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that euery Christian is to beleeue euery article of the Faith distinctly for himselfe to apply the benefit of euery article to himselfe Faith iâ— then profitable when it can apply Christ so that a man may say with Thomas u Ioh. 20. 28. my Lord and my God For true faith is as a right hand to lay hold on Christ as the eye to looke vnto Christ yea the very life of the soule whereby wee liue in Christ for we x Gal. 2. 20. liue by the faith of the Sonne of God Our faith whereby we apprehend Christ and apply him to our soules should be such as that we may draw spirituall vertue from Christ grace and mercy for our sicke sinfull soules as the woman with the bloudy issue drew vertue from Christ to heale her diseased body A man that hath a wound cannot possibly bee cured though the Physician be neuer so skilfull and the salue neuer so healing except the plaster bee applied and layd to the sore Christ Iesus is the best Physician to cure our diseased soules and wonded consciences and he hath excellent healing salue precious balme for the curing of our soules euen his owne precious bloud which hee shed for the remission of sinnes but this precious balme doth onely helpe and heale their soules who reach forth the hand of faith to apprehend Christ and doe apply the merits of Christs Death and bloud-shed to their owne soules Wherefore let no man content himselfe with a generall faith but striue and labour yea haue a longing desire to attaine to this particular faith for this is true sauing faith to apply Christ Iesus vnto our soules with the merits of his death and passion Lastly whereas true sauing faith stands principally in the apprehension and application of Christ from Vse 3 hence ariseth Consolation to all them that truly haue it Consolation to them that haue true faith For by this faith euery beleeuer receiueth Christ yea possesseth Christ for himselfe as giuen for him borne for him dying for him rising againe for him who was deliuered for his sinnes and rose againe for his iustification which faith if a man haue not hee shall remaine vnder perpetuall doubtings and anguish of minde torment of conscience and terrour of the iudgement to come whereas if a Christian haue true faith and doe beleeue God to be his Father Christ Iesus to bee his Sauiour and Redeemer he may reioyce in tribulation and persecution yea by faith get victory ouer temptations and say with the Apostle y Rom. 8. 33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that iustifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for vs. Such comfortable perswasion and such assurance of saluation haue all they who haue this true sauing faith CHAP. VII Shewing wherein true Faith consisteth Of the generall knowledge of God that there is a God against Atheists and such as deny God THe fourth thing in the Treatise of Faith is 4 Wherein the true sâ—â—ing faith consisteth wherein it consisteth True sauing faith euen that faith which brings eternal life a Fâ—des nostrain duâ—bus priâ—â—ipaliter consistit 10. Jâ— veâ—a Dei câ—gâ—â—â—ionâ— 20. In mysterio incarnatiâ—nis Christi Tho. Aquin. 22â— q. 174. ar 6. stands chiefly in two things First in the true knowledge of God Secondly in the mystery of the incarnation of Christ grounded vpon the words of our Sauiour Christ b Joh. 17. 3. this is eternall life to know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent In the former part of the words there