sleepe as others but b 1. Thes 5.7 to watch and bee sober for God hath not appointed you to wrath saith hee but to obtaine saluation by Iesus Christ As if he should say Those that God hath ordained to eternall life they watch they are sober So writing to c Phil. 1.6 Philippi and being confident of their saluation hee yet presseth them to obedience and d Phil. 2.12 to worke out their owne saluation with feare and trembling And Peter also hauing prooued the truth of the regeneration of those Saints to whom hee writeth presseth them to e 1. Pet. 2.2 desire the sincere milke of the word that they might grow thereby The reasons of this may be many but I will onely vrge one which is this That whereby our assurance is made knowne vnto vs the knowledge of it doth not take away but establish But it is made knowne vnto vs by the vse of the meanes for the increase thereof Therefore the knowledge of Gods assured loue doth not take away but establish the vse of the meanes So that it remaines firme That true faith and outward obedience can be no more separated then the light and the Sunne or heat and the fire This being so it may helpe to stop Satans mouth in his Instruments who will not sticke to call in question the truth of the doctrine of Predestination and of the assurance of the sauour of God in this life For say they If this be true that God hath predestinated vs to the obtaining of eternall life doe what euill we can we shall be saued or if we are predestinated to death doe what good we can we must be damned These suppose they haue reasoned wisely this wisedome being so pleasing to the flesh They neuer consider that Scriptures are plaine against them clearely shewing vs that hee that ordained to the end ordained to the meanes whereby the end is attained As the Apostle plainely sheweth where he saith Wee are bound to giue thankes alway to God for you 2. The. 2.13 brethren beloued of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the Spirit and beleefe of the Truth And againe As manie as were ordained to eternall life Aâ—t 13.18 beleeued Neyther doe such wretches consider into what blasphemie they breake by questioning the truth because their carnall reason cannâ—t reach it But if they would but hearken to arguments drawne from their reasâ—n it might serue to conuiâ—ce them They will graunt if a man will goe a iourney hee must goe the way that leadeth to the end of that iourney If he will be warme in Winter he must make vse of the fire of waâ—me clothes or some bodily exercise if then they bee so wise in things of this life why should they not vnderstand this also That hee that ordained men for glorie 2. Thes 4.3 Willed also then holynesse here created them to good workes redeemed them Lu. 1 68.75 that they might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteouâ—nesse before him all the dayes of their life â—â—t 2.14 that they should be zealous of good workes called them not to vncleannesse but to holinesse 1. Theâ— 4.7 1. Pet. 1.1 And as Peter saith He elected them to obedience As for example God decreed and told Rebecca so Gen. 25.23 That Esau should serue Iacob Yet hee also decreed that Rebecca should vse the meanes for Iacobs escape Gâ—â— 27.43 from his brothers rage He had decreed that Paul should witnesse at Rome and told him so Act. 23.11 Yet he also decreed that he should vse the meanes by his sisters sonne to the chiefe captaine 〈◊〉 17. for to escape the cruell vowe of the Iewes He decreed that not one oâ— those should be lost which were with Paul in the ship Act. â—7 24.31 Yet hee also decreed that the meanes should be vsed for their escape Hee decreed to bestow many things on his people Eze. 36.37 but he also decreed they should pray for them And surely those that remaine obstinate affirming that if we may be assured neuer to fall away then wee may commit sinne and liue how we will may haue their mouthes stopped iustly with this namely That it is euident they neuer were assured of the fauour of God and so consequently Ephes 2.12 they are yet without and are meere strangers to the life of God and aliens to the CommoÌ„wealth of Israel For such as haue this Faith or this assurance of the Loue of God Heb. 12.28 haue also a delight in the Law of God a desire to hold it fast by seruing God with reuerence and godly feare and doe know that they that are iustified are also sanctified and that they that are Christs Gal. 5.24 haue crucified the flesh with the lustes thereof Let this teach all those that haue assurance to labour for the increase thereof and to striue vnto perfection in knowledge Heb. 6.1 2. Cor. 7.1 and perfection in holinesse and not alwayes to looke to bee fed with milke For as knowledge doth increase so doth faith increase and as faith increaseth so obedience increaseth There is no standing at a stay or sitting idlely here Psa 128.1 1. Cor. 9.24 2. Tim. 4.7 it is a walke and must be gone a race and must be runne a combate and must be fought Euery plant that is planted here must flourish more and more Psal 92.12 Ioh. 15.2.3 Reuel 2.19 Euery branch must bring forth more fruit The last workes of beleeuers must be more then the first This may bee as a sâ—urre to such as are almost settled on the â—ees of security such as formerly haue beene forward in hearing and now are almost carelesse whether they heare or no and such as haue bene much in prayer and meditatiâ—n such as haue desired conference with Ministers Saints But now they are growne almost cold in all these Oh let such take heed whither they are falling and labour to recouer themselues speedily lest their lamps goe out Mat. 15.1.2.3.4 and they be to seeke of oyle when the Bridegroome comes Lastly this doth plainely discouer such as scoffe at the outside and are enemies to hearing prayer conference and such like that say they what they wil they doe not yet beleeue because wheresoeuer Faith is I meane alwaies true Faith there is outward obedience and a willing submission to the ordinances of God for the increase of the same Now if wee looke againe to the Text we shall find another Doctrine from these words he that beleeueth is baptized For seeing as before hath beene proued that outward obedience and inward truth are inseparable and seeing the promises are made not to one alone but to both if they may bee had and that here is meant not so much the outward signe as the truth of Baptisme Doct. 4 Hence wee may gather this Doctrine That the signe without
Now of the companions that it hath of these there are verie many of which I will name some especially those which are inseparable or peculiar to true beleeuers The first which I will name is peace That Peace which passeth all vnderstanding Rom. 5.1 Phil 4.7 This may bee illustrated by a quiet calme after a great tempest or a swoâ—â—e sleepe after a sharp sit of an ague The second is Ioy. Rom. 14.17 Rom. 15.13 1. Pet. 1.8 The Ioy of the Holy Ghost This is that which Peter calleth Ioy vnspeakeable and full of glorie This doth swallow all other ioyes euen as the Sea doth swallow all other waters This may be illustrated by safetie after great danger or by great plentie after much penurie or want Gal. 5.6 1. Tim. 1.5 Mat. 12.37 The third is Loue out of a pure Heart This extendeth to God to our Neighbour This Loue is expressed by our pliablenesse to doe his will 1. Io. 5.3 For this is the loue of God that wee keepe his Commandements and his Commaundements are not grieuous To our Neighbours To all but especially to the houshold of Faith Gal. 6.10 1. Pet. 1.22 1. Io. 3.16 To Gods children This Loue is feruent yea so feruent as that wee can lay downe our liues for them Mat. 5.44.45.46.47.48 This Loue stretcheth euen to Enemies This can no Reprobate euer haue A fourth may be boldnes To coÌ„fesse Christ before men Prou. 18.1 The righteous are bold as a Lion Ro. 10.10 Dan. 3.17.18 Dan. 6.10 Act. 21.13 Act. 4.19.20 Heb. 11.37 Rom. 5.3 Heb. 10.36 Rom. 8.17 Iam. 5.11 He. 12.1.2 Phil. 1.23 This is an inseperable companion of true Faith This was in Daniel in the three children in Paul in the other Apostles in all the blessed Saints who haue died for the testimonie of Iesus A fifth Patience to beare the Crosse to endure tribulation to suffer with Christ This was euident in Iob who is therefore proposed to beleeuers as a Patterne therof But our perfect patterne is Christ Iesus who endured the Crosse A sixth a desire to bee euer with the Lord to see him face to face 2. Cor. 5.2 An earnest groaning to bee clothed vpon with our house which is from Heauen to be vnburthened of this bodie of death Rom. 8.13 and that as God is become the Father of our spirits so he would become the Father of bodies and spirits That our vile bodies may bee changed Phil. 3.21 and fashioned like vnto the glorious bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ A seuenth is a holy waiting for the time of our dissolution which may be termed Hope Rom. 8.24.25 Iob. 14.14 and is so called by the Holy Ghost We are saued by hope and If wee hope for that we see not we doe with patience wait for it These are the Companions of true sauing Faith within the compasse of one of these all the rest may be couched Hereby thou maist trie thy selfe Hast thou beene troubled and terrified with the sight of thy sinnes Isay 57.19 Is 61.1.2.3 Mat. 5.4 1. Tim. 1.13 Psal 119.103 Mat. 10.42 Psal 16.3 1. Io. 5.1 And art thou now at Peace Hast thou mourned And dost thou reioyce Hast thou hated God in his Word in his Prophets or poore children And dost thou delight in his Law receiue his Prophets because they are his Prophets delight in the Saints because they are his children Hast thou bin greedie of reuenge â—nd readie to requite euill with euill And dost thou loue thine enemies blesse them that curse thee Mat. 5.44 doe good to them that hate thee pray for them which despightfully vse thee persecute thee Rom. 12.21 In a word canst thou now desire to ouercome their euill with good Hast thou blushed to be seene at a Sermon or reading the word or in the companie of the poore Saints or hast thou withdrawne thy selfe from the performance of any dutie for feare of persecution Act. 21.13 Act. 5. â—9 Hâ—st 4.16 And dost thou now resolue to doe whatsoeuer God commands and to suffer for not doing that which he forbids Hast thou beene impatient in crosses and readie to murmure and art thou now able with alacritie to heare any thing especially for the name of Christ Hast thou feared death and trembled at the time of dissolution And is the day of death now in thy esteeme better then the day that thou wast borne Eccles 7.1 dost thou long for it Act. 3.19 and thirst after it as for the time of refreshing Aâ—â— â—5 18 Hast thou foolishly desired the day of the Lord in thy desperate passions And canst thou now wait with Patience for the time of thy dissolution Then maist thou take comfort to thy soule that all the promises of God doe belong to thee be thy nation estate sâ—x or age what it will But if thou find no such change but that thou art the same thou wert euer as thou wast borne so thou hast liued and excepting a little swimming knowledge in thy braine and colde performance of outward duties thou findest no such singular thing Mat. 5 47. Doe not then deceiue thy selfe thou art not that beleeuer of the which I speake to whom the promises dâ—e belong Now hauing an eye to the text againe we will see what more will arise Hee that beleeueth and to baptized Not to speake herâ— of the substance of Baptisme which is chiefly aimed at but of the signe which is also included Though the former might wel serue for the confutation of Papist who ascribe as much to the signe as to the truth most foolishly affirming that those that die without the signe 〈◊〉 â— 1. Cor. 1 2. 〈…〉 1 3◠〈…〉 5 2â—.2 are damâ—ed as also of the Anabaptist who dâ—nie children the signe though they can by no meanes denie them the substance for that were to crosse the whole Booke of God Both these doting too much vpon the bare letter and order of the words whereby they shew their Ignorance of the Scriptures Mat. 22.19 Isay 65.23 of the power and loue of God to his and their seed but leauing this at this time seeing Faith and Baptisme are ioyned together Hence I doe collect this point of instruction Doct. 3 That true Faith and the diligent vse of the meanes for confirmation thereof are inseperable Wheresoeuer the one is in truth there is also the other This may appeare by that the Apostle writing to the Saints at Colossa and hauing prooued vnto them their effectuall calling he willeth them as the a Col. 3.11.12 Elect of God to put on the bowels of tender mercie kindnesse humblenesse of minde long suffering as if hee would say Because yee are the Elect of God therefore put on these things for those that are the Elect of God cannot after their effectuall calling bee seperate from these So againe the same Apostle writing to those at Thessalonica bids them not
the thing signified the outward shew without the inward truth is of no value Rom. 2.28.29 So we read He is not a Iew which is a Iew without neyther is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh But he is a Iew which is one inwardly which Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose prayse is not of man but of God Jer. 4.4 And Ieremie willeth those that before were circumcised To circumcise themselues to the Lord. Eâ—â— 44.9 So Ezâ—chiel No stranger vncircumcised in heart nor vncircumcised in flesh shâ—ll enter into my Sanctuary So that here those that are vncircumcised in heart are excluded out of the true Sanctuarie and are accounted strangers The reason is God desireth truth in the inward parts he requireth the heart Psal 51.6 Pro. 23.26 Hee iudgeth not the affection by the action as Man but the Action by the affection 2 Cor. 8.12 as God Seeing it is so that shewes without substances will not serue turne let this teach vs to make cleane the inside first to giue our hearts vnto the Lord to labour for truth in the inward parts Let vs labor for approbation with God and prayse with him This is that which will cheere our soules and comfort our spirits and make vs truely merrie when wee can say If I regard wickednesse in my heart Psa 66.18 the Lord will not heare me but God hath heard mee This reprooues such as slatter themselues with the outward performance of duties If they be baptized as they say bring their children to outward Baptisme If they assemble themselues outwardly to the hearing of the word the receiuing of the Lords Supper If by their good Memories they bee able to beare in mind the Doctrines deliuered and repeate them to their Families shew much loue to Ministers kindnesse to professors such as they themselues are though in the mean while they feele no Peace with God or Ioy in the Holy Ghost yet here they rest and doe esteeme themselues of the best sort of beleeuers Albeit a man may doe all this and be damned Were there not formerly That could say The Temple of the Lord Ier. 7.4 The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord are these and others that could say Isay 65.5 Stand by thy selfe come not neere mee for I am holier then thou Were there not that appeared before the Lord Is 1.11.15 with a multitude of Sacrifices and store of long Prayers stretching out their hands euen like vnto the children of God Were there not that fasted and hung downe their heads like a Bulrush for a day Isay 58.5 Rom. 2.17 Verse 18. Were there not that did rest in the law and were called Iewes and made their boast of God Verse 19. and knew his will and approued the things that were more excellent being instructed out of the Law being also confident that they themselues were guides of the blind Verse â—0 lights of them which were in darknes instructers of the foolish teachers of babes hauing the forme of knowledge and of truth in the Law And yet these holy ones as they thought themselues were threatned vengeance for their hypocrisie They were they that trusted in lying words counterfeit shewes a smoak they were in Gods nose abhorred and accursed in all their courses They were they that caused the Name of God to bee blasphemed euen in their fasts finding their owne pleasures and exacting all their labours fasting for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse as those Scriptures do manifest Luk. 13.24 Mat. 25.11.12 Mat. 7.21.22.23 Are there not some that shall seeke to enter and not get in that shall crie earnestly and knocke aloud and bee sent away that shall be able to say they haue cast out deuils and done many great workes and yet reiected 2. Tim. 3.5 Are there not others that haue the forme of godlinesse and yet must be separated from what shal we say to this then Surely as we beganne It is not the signe but the thing signified not the shew Mat. 23.25 Luk. 11.39 but the substance not the making cleane of the outside but the inside not the forme but the power of godlines that is auaileable Now neuer could our Sauiour more iustly say in his time Woe be to Scribes Pharises Hypâ—crites then we may at this day say the like of outside Christians if I mâ—y so say I doe not meane those onely that are openly prophane whose sinnes are written in their forheads but those especially that haue a strict outside of godlinesse Col. 2.21 England doth swarme with Pharisees such as are conuâ—rsant about Touch not Tast not 2. Pet. 2. Handle noâ— Such as hauing voluntarie humilitie and pretended sinceritie doe despise gouernment and speake euill of dignities Presumptuous they are and selfe-willed and speaking euill of the things they vnderstand not they creep into houses 2. Tim. 3. and lead captiue silly women laden with sinnes ledde away with diuers lusts and as Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses so doe these men resist the Truth men of corrupt minds of no Iudgement concerning the Faith These are they that take aduantage of weake consciences ceazing on them as their own by cumbring them with outward things and by telling them here is Christ Mâ—â— 24.23 26. or there is Christ when if the truth were knowne they neuer yet had Christ themselues yet hereby they draw Disciples after them and therehence suck they no small aduantage Of such I dare say that notwithstanding their outward flourish Mal. 21.31 yet Publicans and Harlots shall enter into the Kingdome of GOD before them Yea that open prophane ones are sooner drawne to sinceritie Pro. 26.12 then these and apter to receiue instruction So wise are they in their owne eyes Pro. 30.12 and prudent in their own sight that there is more hope of Fooles then of them yea Ier. 5.26.27.28 that there is more humanitie and greater loue amongst those whom they terme profane then amongst themselues Here let none so forget the former Doctrine to mistake me as if I did oppose my selfe against all outward shew No far be it from me to thinke that the inside can be cleane and the outside filthie howsoeuer I say there are a multitude of such as seeme to such as themselues are to bee cleane without who are notwithstanding foule within To conclude then beginne to make cleane the inside and then all is cleane Get true faith and outward obedience will certainly follow But if thou get neuer so much of outward constitution as thou thinkest and remaine foule within Thy hatred being couered with deceit shall certainly be discouered in the whole Congregation Pro. 26.26 Job 20.5.22.27 And thus much of the first point to whom the promise is made Now wee are come to the promise it selfe Shall bee saued The