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
place for the seruice of God was the Temple at Ierusalem For there in a more speciaâ—l manner God promised his presence as is euident by Salomons praier which he made vnto the Lord at the dedication of the Temple and by the Lords answer thereunto For Salomon praieth on this manner a 1 King 8. 28. 29. 30. Haue thou respect vnto the prayer of thy seruant and to his supplication O Lord my God to hearken vnto the cry and to the prayer which thy seruant prayeth before thee to day that thine eyes may be open towards this house night and day euen toward the place of which thou hast said my name shall be there that thou maist hearken vnto the praier which thy seruant shall make towards this place And hearken thou to the supplication of thy seruant and of thy people Israel when they shall pray towards this place and heare thou in heauen thy dwelling place and when thou hearest forgiue And the Lord graciously answered Salomon and said b 1 King 9. 3. I haue heard thy prayer and thy supplication that thou hast made before me I haue hallowed this house which thou hast built to put my Name there for euer mine eyes my heart shall be there perpetually To the Iewes this Temple that Salomon built was the place of Gods worship hither the people brought their sacrifices and burnt offrings here the people made their praiers twice a day And hither came all the c Deut. 16. 16. males three times in a yeare to worship God And at other times when they prayed they looked towards the Temple at Ierusalem where the Lord had promised his presence as may be gathered from these words of Salomons praier d 1 King 8. 29. Hearken thou to the supplication of thy seruant and of thy people Israel when they shall pray towards this place and by that which is mentioned concerning Daniels praying vnto his God e Dan. 6. 10. His windowes being open in his chamber toward Ierusalem he kneeled vpon his knees three times a day and prayed In a word the Temple at Ierusalem was the place where the Lord manifested his presence in a more glorious manner then in any other place in the whole earth be sides It may here be demaunded where is now the publique Quest place of Gods worship for as for Ierusalem it is defaced it s f Luk. 19. 44. layd euen with the ground And as for the Temple it is destroied and there is not one stone left vpon another neither is the Lords presence so graciously there now as it was in the dayes of Salomon and in the daies of the Kings of Iudah which succeeded him I answere that the Temple at Ierusalem was to continue not for euer but onely for a time euen till Christ Answ came And after Christ then the Temple at Ierusalem ceased to be any more the certaine set place of Gods publique worship as our Sauiour Christ saith to the woman of Samaria g Ioh. 4. 21. Woman belieue me the houre commeth when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor yet at Ierusalem worship the Father And againe h Ver. 23. The houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth Againe our Sauiour Christ saith i Math. 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them Now whereas God is still to be worshipped and that Christians are to worship God not onely in priuate but also in publique its necessary that Christian people haue decent places for the publike worship of God which places are our materiall Churches It is apparent that the Iewes euen whiles that the Temple stood had their k Luk. 4. 15. 16. Synagogues in their Cities whither the people which were not nigh to Ierusalem came to worship God and where l Acts. 15. 21. Moses was preached being read in the Synagogues euery Sabboth day So the ancient Christians had their m Euseb eccles hist l. 9. c. 10. Oratories that is houses of prayer Which were the Lords houses And as the Synagogues were to the Iewes and Oratories to the Christians in the first times such are our materiall Churches to vs in our times So that when Christian people are assembled together in the name of Christ to pray vnto God to praise God to heare his holy word and to be partakers of the Sacraments then we may truely say of the publique place as Iacob said of Bethel n Gen. 28. 16. 17. Surely the Lord is in this place And againe How dreadfull is this place This is none other â—â—t the house of God and this is the gate of heauen The consideration of this that there is in the time of the Gospell a publique place for the publique worship of God euen the materiall Church which may be called the house of God and the house of Prayer serues Fiâ—st for instruction and that Vse 1 First to teach vs to bee deligent in frequenting and 1 To frequent the house of God comming to the house of God duely and diligently to resort to the publique place of Gods worship to â—oyne with the congregation in praying and praising God in hearing the word and receiuing the Sacrament This dutie the Prophet Esay teacheth vs saying o Isa 2. 2. It shall come to passâ— in the last days that the mountaine of the Lords house shall bee established in the top of the mountaines and shall bee exalted about the hils and all nations shall flow vnto it And many people shall goe and say Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and hee will teach vs of his wayes and wee will walke in his pathes The mountaine of the Lord was the Temple of the Lord at Ierâ—salem which stood vpon p 2 Chron. 3. 1. mount Moriah whiâ—her the Iewes came to worship God but now the mountaine of the Lord is exalted aboue the hills and all Nations flow vnto it Now the mountaine of the Lord is where the Gospell is preached and in euery place where the name of the Lord is called vpon The Church of England is the mountaine of the Lord and our particular Churches where the Congregation is assembled together for the worship of GOD are holy mountaines And therefore all that be zealous of the Lord alâ— that loue the Lords house and all that delight to bee in the holy mountaine of the Lord should frequent the house of God and bee willing and ready to come vp to the publique place of Gods worship and not onely be forward themselues to come to the house of the Lord but to call vpon their Children and Seruants and to say to their friends and neighbours Come yee and lâ—t vs goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord to the house of thâ— God of Iacob and he will teach vs of
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
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
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
it selfe maketh intercession for vs with gronings which cannot bee vttered This is also that which S. Paul hath to the Galatians g Cal. 4. 6. And because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father By all which it is manifest that it is a sure and certaine signe of true faith if the Spirit of God worke this grace in vs to stirre vp our hearts by deuout prayer and supplication to seeke vnto God to runne vnto our Heauenly Father and to cry Abba Father A childe in time of sicknesse paine and griefe or being in any perill and danger whither doth he run or to whom doth he cry but to his father he hopes his father will helpe him and therefore calls and cryes to his father complaines and makes his mone to his father Like as the Shunamites sonne when he was sore grieued with a paine in his head came to his father and sayd h Luk. 4. 19. My head my head So the sonnes and children of God in time of their heauinesse of soule when they are sicke with sinne diseased in soule and troubled in conscience with the burthen of their sinnes or whether they bee in any outward affliction or trouble whither doe they run but to their Heauenly Father and as the Shunamites childe sayd to his father My head my head so they euery one cry My soule my soule My conscience my conscience my soule is in heauinesse my conscience is sore troubled and burdened with the heauy waight of my sinnes And then in hope of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ they humbly confesse their sinnes they hide not their iniquities they earnestly craue mercy and sue for the pardon of their sinnes aboue all things they seeke ease to their afflicted soule and comfort to their distressed conscience building vpon those gracious word of our Sauiour i Matth. 11. 28. Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will giue you rest And thus to call vpon the name of the Lord is a signe of saith The fist is an inward conflict betweene the Flesh and 5 Conflict between the flesh and the spirit Two-fold the Spirit and that is two-fold The one is a striuing against sinne The other a striuing against doubtings Touching the first no man in this life is perfectly 1 A struing against sinne sanctified but hath neede to pray more and more for the Spirit of sanctification that he may bee wholly sanctified Hence it is that though a naturall and vnregenerate man bee wholly carnall yet a regenerate man is not all spirituall but partly carnall and partly spirituall For although a Christian regenerate and sanctified hath his heart purified by faith yet naturall corruption is not altogether purged out of the heart that remaines in vs k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to exercise vs. This in the children of God now regenerate and sanctified is called flesh and the sanctified part in them is called spirit And in the regenerate there is a great combat a spirituall fight and great striuing betweene these two the flesh and the spirit which shall get the victory The manner of which combat and inward fight S. Paul describes thus l Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot doe the things that ye would A Christian regenerate and sanctified is in the way to Heauen and the spirit that is the sanctified part drawes him on to God-ward and hastens him forward towards the Kingdome of Heauen but the flesh that is the corruption of nature rebels and labours to draw him backwards to the world and would if it were possible draw him downe to hell Hence it is that a Christian findes in himselfe pride of heart lust of the flesh filthy desires vncleane thoughts couetous desires anger hatred enuy malice grudgings and desire of reuenge c. haling and pulling him one way and against these he feeles humility temperance loue patience meeknesse and other graces drawing him another way Now if a man doe finde grace striuing against corruption good motions of the good Spirit fighting against bad motions of the euill Spirit and if a man doe indeede and in truth finde that he doth earnestly striue against sinne that he labours to mortifie his affections to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts to subdue sinne and wickednesse this is a signe of grace and a sure marke that faith is in the heart at least in some measure According to that saying of the Apostle m Vers 24. They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts As n Gen. 25. 22 23. Rebecca knew her selfe to bee quicke with childe by the struggling and striuing of the twins in her wombe so a Christian may know whether he be quickned by grace and liue by faith in the Sonne of God by the inward conflict and striuing betweene the Flesh and the Spirit The second kinde of inward conflict betweene the 2 A striuing against doubtings flesh and the spirit is an inward striuing against doubtings and distrusts in Gods mercy It is the Deuils policy either to cause men whiles they remaine in their naturall state without true faith and repentance to presume on Gods mercy or else hauing faith and repentance to set before them their sinnes and to suggest into their hearts doubtings of the remission of their sins doubtings concerning their faith and repentance and doubtings concerning their vocation and sanctification And thereby would if it were possâ—ble extinguish their faith and bring them to despaire of Gods mercy But against all these difficulties true iustifying faith if it be in the heart will shew it selfe though perhaps in these temptations but weakely yet truely to striue against temptations and to fight against all these doubtings It is true I confesse the children of God may be troubled with doubtings but not ouercome of doubtings Dauid is driuen to this expostulation o Psal 77. 7 8. Will the Lord cast off for euer And will he be fauourable no more Is his mercy cleane gone for euer Heere are great doubtings in Dauid a seruant of the Lord but he ouercame his doubtings for neither Dauid nor any of the children of God continue still in their doubtings They are neuer with Cain and Iudas brought to such desperate doubtings aâ— vtterly and finally to despaire of the mercy of God They may for a time haue distrustfull thoughts and doubtfull speeches but faith in the end gets the vpper hand Windes and flouds may beat vpon the house grounded vpon the rocke aswell as vpon the house built vpon the sand but cannot make it fall And many p Dubitationes fidem in nobis oppugnant non tamen expugnant Polan distrustfull doubtings may beat against the faith of a Christian but cannot beat it downe they may fight against
state Secondly Prayer also auaileth greatly for the good 2 In regard of the soule And that of the soule and that both for the Remoouing of euill and Procuring of good 1 Remoouing euill As First for the remoouing of euill And first prayer is a meanes to remooue away our sinnes from vs which stand as a cloud betweene God and vs to hinder good 1 Our sinnes things from vs separating betweene God and vs and prouoking Gods wrath against vs wherefore Hezekiah being recouered from his sicknes and praising God for his deliuerance saith t Isa 38. Ver. 2. 3 And 17. thou hast in loue to my soule deliuered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy backe Secondly Prayer is effectuall and powerfull to helpe 2 Temptations vs against temptations and to deliuer vs from that euill one So our Sauiour teacheth vs to pray u Mat. 6. 13. lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill And so he exhorteth vs to pray x Mat. 26. 41. watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Thirdly Prayer is powerfull to helpe vs in the euill 3 The teâ—â—our of death and iudgement and perillous times to free our soules from the danger of death and the iudgement to come that neither death shall suddenly come vpon vs nor the day of the Lord take vs vnawares Which our Sauiour sheweth vs in this exhortation y Luk. 21. 36. Watch ye therefore and pray alwayes that ye may be accompted worthie to escape all these things that shall come to passe and to stand before the Sonne of man Thus prayer auaileth for the remoouing of euill from the soule Secondly prayer auaileth much for the procuring of 2 Procuring Good As good things to the soule as first mercie pardon and forgiuenesse Dauid in his Prayer confesseth his sinne 1 Mercy pardâ—n and forgiuenesse saying z Psal 32. 5. I acknowledge my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquity haue I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions to the Lord and it followeth thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne Dauid confessed his sinne and prayed for the pardon of his sinne and the Lord heard his Prayer and pardoned his sinne So S. Iames saith a Iam. 5. 15. the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp and if he haue committed sinnes they shall be forgiuen him Secondly Prayer is a meanes to obtaine all graces necessarily 2 All graces necessarie for our saluation accompanying saluation For b Iam. 1. 17. euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth down from the Father of lights Our Sauiour Christ saith c Mat 7. 7. Aske and it shall be giuen you and S. Iames saith d Iam. 1. 5. If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God that giueth to all men liberally and vpbraideth not and it shall be giuen him Thirdly Prayer is effectuall not onely for the obtaining 3 Increase of Grace of grace but likewise for the increase of grace the Apostles pray e Luk. 17. 5. Lord increase our Faith And S. Paul prayeth for the Ephesians that God would f Ephe. 3. 16. 17. 18. 19. grant them according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith that being rooted and grounded in loue they might be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the loue of Christ Which passeth knowledge that they might be filled with all the fullnessâ— of God And they that are strengthened by the Spirit in the inner man hauing Christ dwelling in their hearts by faith and are growing and increasing in grace in this life shall assuredly attaine to glorie in the life to come Prayer then as it remooueth euill â—o it procureth good to the soule mercie grace yea increase of grace and with grace glorie the perfection of Grace Such is the efficacie of Prayer The consideration of which efficacie and power of Vse Prayer may teach vs in all our necessities and tribulations To vse prayer in time of need as a sure defence to flee vnto God by Prayer to lay hold on prayer as a man would on his shield and buckler For prayer is a most sure defence in all troubles whatsoeuer It is a defence against tribulations outward and temptations inward It helpes the bodie and cures the soule it preuaileth both in heauen and in earth concerning which the exhortation of the Apostle S. Paul is to be receiued and embraced g Ephe. 6. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. take vnto you saith he the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the euill day and hauing done all to stand Stand therefore hauing your loynes girt about with truth and hauing on the breast-plate of righteousnesse and your feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Aboue all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked and take the helmet of saluation the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Praying alwayes with all Prayer and supplication in the Spirit A Christian that is thus armed hauing the girdle of truth about his loynes hauing on the breast-plate of righteousnesse and his feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace hauing the shield of faith before him the helmet of saluation vpon his head hauing the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God and being prepared to pray with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit Such a one is able to stand against the aduersarie the Deuill and all spirituall wickednesse and such a one shall preuaile against his spirituall enemies yea such a one shall preuaile with God himselfe for any petition that he shall make so farre as it shall be good for him For the effectuall feruent Prayer of a righteous man auaileth much CHAP. XVIII Of the helpes and furtherances of Prayer Of the first helpe the Spirit of God THe ninth thing in the Treatise of Prayer is of 9 The helps and furtherances of Prayer Three the helpes and furtherances of Prayer and they are three The first is Gods holy Spirit of which Saint Paul saith a Rom. 8. 26. 27. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities 1 Gods holy Spirit And for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot be vttered And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God For this cause the Spirit of God is called the spirit of supplications by the Prophet Zacharie b Zach. 12. 10. The holy spirit