be satisfied and rest in so much as is reuealed so as wee are not curiously to enquire what Christ did while he liued a priuate man in Nazareth for since the holy Ghost hath not disclosed it we must be wise according to sobriety Rom. 11.3 as Saint Paul speaketh and not seeke to learne where the Lord hath not taught or to open where he hath shut Onely Saint Luke chap. 2.46 reports that about twelue yeeres of age he disputed with the Doctors in the temple and confounded them and astonied such as heard him And this is enough to comfort vs that so much is recorded of him as hath ransomed vs from the indignation of his Father Secondly in that it is said Iohn came and preached note that the first ministery of the new Testament was a preaching ministery so as whether we speake of men sent mediatly or immediatly from God alone or from God by men we shall neuer finde any ministery commanded or practised nor any messenger sent that was not qualified with gifts and graces from aboue to diuide the word and this is impregnable not to be resisted that no man ordinarily can hope or looke for the power of saluation without preaching which is euident Rom. 10.17 Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word preached and this preaching cannot be as some would haue it bare reading as appeareth 2. Tim. 4.2 Preach the word be instant improue rebuke exhort which importeth some further matter then literall reading Besides if reading should be preaching and sufficient to beget faith then hath not the Lord forsaken the Iewes nor the Turkes but they remaine still the Church of God for they haue the Bible and doe reade it howbeit none will say but these are out of the Church Againe when Esay and the rest of the Prophets cried out against blinde guides did they meane they could not reade And Paul when he saith Wo t◠me if I preach not the Gospell 1. Cor. 9.16 doth he meane that this wo shall light vpon him if he reade not No for there be many weake Christians that must be fed with milke others with strong meat but the word read is of the same sound to all and as bread set before the hungry but they want strength in their teeth to breake it for it is fruitlesse to reade if wee vnderstand not and the Eunuch Act. 8.31 could liberally and religiously confesse hee could not doe it without a guide whereupon as the text saith vers 35. Philip preached vnto him Iesus So as it is a most determinate truth that there is no man lawfully and rightly called to the ministery that is not enabled with the grace of preaching and expounding the Scripture and euery place must labour to recouer if they haue lost or to obtaine if they want such a man as may goe before them in this wildernesse both in life and doctrine and diuide the word aright vnto them that they may be able to spie out the armour of their aduersary Heb. 4.12 and to preuent his assaults not but that the Lord extraordinarily may saue by bare reading yea and without reading for hee can knocke when he list and open when he list he can make corne to grow without sowing as he did in Hezechtahs time 2. King 19.29 For the second circumstance which is the place where hee preached namely in the wildernesse we learne that where the holy Ghost placeth a man there hee is to abide and to content himselfe not excepting against the rudenesse of the people as to be too grosse and base for their excellencies to instruct or against the place as to be too priuate or too vnwholesome and that their Pulpit must onely stand at Hierusalem and their anditorie must be great men Iohn Baptist we see how hee was content to exercise his message in a most solitary place the Wildernesse for this was by the assignation and appointment of the Lord. True it is Hierusalem had been more fit for state and celebritie and this might haue seemed more plausible to Iohn as a meanes whereby hee might sooner haue beene more famous but because the Lord had tied him to this place hee obediently keepeth it Much more are they then to bee reprehended that purchase liuings like farmes one for Summer another for Winter and not content with this put ouer their people to milchlesse nurses which as the Pope saith is like a harlot that puts forth her childe that she may the sooner returne to her lust Howbeit by the wildernesse he must not vnderstand a place not to be inhabited but onely a place not so well frequented as the fruitfull valleis of Iudaea Heere the Iesuites because wildernesse in the Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 note Iohn Baptist to be the father of the Hermites men whom they faine to bee deuoted to religion to bee familiar with the Gods and to haue the contemplation of heauenly things hauing their soules freed from passions and their bodies humbled in diuine seruice To which wee answer First if Iohn preached in a wildernesse and in a bare solitarie place as they imagine how is it that their hermitages are built neere great cities Secondly the calling of Iohn was extraordinarie being immediate from God and his office extraordinarie being to denounce the comming of Christ Admit he were an Hermite yet when he had run his race his office did cease Thirdly of all liues there is none so contrarie to the societie of man and to the communion of Saints as this of Hermites for first God in Adams integritie saw Gen. 2.22 he could not bee without a companion much lesse can we now And to this is answerable that of the Preacher Wo to him that is alone Eccles 4.10 and amongst the Philosophers he that abandoned company was esteemed either a god or a beast Secondly if any be qualified and beautified with any speciall good grace and vertue then ought hee to supply the wants of others and being such a candle as they would haue him he ought not to be hid vnder a bushell and if there be defect in him then ought his want to be supplied by the fulnesse of others Thirdly if neither he need others nor others want him which cannot be in this life yet if there were nothing else then the beholding of the beautie of the house of God and the comfort of the participation of the Sacraments Psal 84.3 as Dauid saith and wished rather to bee a sparrow that built her nest in the temple then to be banished from the congregation of the Saints saying Psal 42.1 That as the Hart braied for water so did he for the contemplation of the Arke wherein the Lord did sit This were sufficiently forcible to disswade from this vnsociable life besides that Iohn liued not alwaies heere but staied till he was called to the Court of Herod where he lost his head for his boldnesse Mat. 14.10 For the third point namely the summe of
all graces and so truely is it sealed vnto our soules that wee eate Christ though not corporally By the word we eate the flesh of Christ continually by faith and in the Sacrament it is only more plaine that we eate it because two senses are satisfied by it the eare hearing the word and the eie seeing the bread For the third testimony There comes a voice from heauâ—â— by the former miracles the Lord onely prouided for the witnesse of the eye but now hee prouides for the eare also Where wee learne the wonderfull wisedome and loue of God to exercise all our senses that thereby we might be brought to a certaine perswasion of these mysteries Among the Philosophers is a great question whether the sense of sight or of hearing bee better in it selfe True it is that sight in nature is more excellent as for celerity and quickenesse so for perspicuity and sharpnesse but if the doubt bee made of the profit of these two then hearing excelleth for we can see nothing but that is visible but many more things are to be heard of which thereby may be conueied to the heart to iudge of so the largenesse of hearing is greater in the profit Besides no man profiteth by sight vnlesse he vnderstand it by hearing for which cause it pleased God to apply both in the mystery of saluation that thereby we might be sure of it we neuer doubting of that we both see and heare Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10.17 and the holy Ghost bores the care Psal 40. and leades the eye to satisfie it setting before it in Baptisme water and in the Supper bread and wine so as it is prouided that the hearing might haue the word and the eye the sacraments Now in the voice consider what it doth expresse namely thâ— that flesh which stood there before them was the naturall sonne of God and this he is two waies first as he is the sonne of God by nature of the eternall substance of his Father howbeit let no man thinke fleshly of the matter for hee departed with no substance nor had any manner of change secondly as he was the sonne of Mary not by nature or adoption for then there had beene a time when he was not the Sonne of God but by personall vnion the man Christ being neuer a person by it selfe vntill it was personally vnited to the Godhead so as he was borne the sonne of God not by nature for he was of the nature of his mother so Mary is said to bee the mother of God not that she brought forth God but brought foorth that man that was God and this in respect onely of the personall vnion In that it is said my welbeloued Sonne vnderstand that all loâ—â— comes from him that comes to vs and wee are beloued only for Christs sake as Châ—â—◠〈…〉 praieth Iohn 17. I beseech thee good Father that as 〈…〉 â—â—â—d me so thou wilt loue them and giue them the same glory thou guest me This is God required to doe by his owne Sonne who can aâ—ke nothing shall be denied him With the same loue loue thou them as I am in them so are they in me And this ministreth singular consolation that when we consider Christ to be beloued we may withall remember that with the same loue the Lord loueth his natural son with the same doth he loue vs that are adopted so as when he beholds the beauty of his sonne in whose fore-head as in a golden plate are written all our names hee turneth from our filthinesse and embraceth vs as his owne sonne and the Father and sonne are all one in desire The Lord grant we may be able to comprehend it and be willing to entertaine it that this loue may constraine vs to loue him againe otherwise it brings foorth no effectuall fruit in vs. Againe since the Father tooke all delight in this Sonne Christ Iesus and that the whole Trinity was heere at his baptizing and that the father saith in another place Sonne I will glorifie thee still Iohn 12.28 let vs learne to magnifie the Lord Iesus let him bee our ioy for who is there in heauen or earth in whom wee can set our delight better then on him which thus pleaseth the father Let vs loue him that God loueth he is the only Priest to sacrifice for vs the only Aduocate to plead for vs the onely Prophet to instruct vs the only King to gouerne vs the onely shield to defend vs we shall be made rich through his grace only righteous through his obedience onely safe through his protection onely and saued through his mediation only He that glorifies the Sonne glorifies God and he that resteth vnder the wings of the Sonne shroudeth himselfe vnder the shadow of the most high then accursed be that man or that religion that holds Christ but as the chiefe Sauior and would haue other helpes ioyned to him for we must only haue Christ and wholly Christ and assure ourselues to bee â—aued onely in him our praiers to bee heard onely through him and our wounds to be healed onely by the sight of him and to what end should we ioyne others with him since all are beloued onely for him That there is a Trinity appeâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—er in this place aâ— namely the fathers voice 〈…〉 â—esence in the Done and Christ manifested and 〈…〉 flesh and these bee seuerall yet but onâ—â—e hoâ—â—â— and all and euery of them is leâ—â—â—uah It is a mystery only to be adored yet in some measure iâ— to be knoâ—en that they should be three persons yet but one God as for example take three men Paul Iames and Iohn heere be three persons and three men but it is not so in God for in things that bee created wee must consider they are onely limited therefore the same nature in Iohn is not the same natuâ—â—â— singular and in specie that is in Paul because they bee not onely two persons but diuided in quantity and that particular nature in particular that is in Iohn cannot be in Paul So for Angels take Raphael Gabriel and Michael supposing him to bee a created Angell the same particular angelicall nature that is 〈◊〉 one is not in another for they be not onely two persons of Angels but two natures not distinct but separate Now in God 〈◊〉 make a common essence which is Iehouah wherein doth consâ—â—â— three Elohims yet are they not three Iehouahs because his nature is simple and the selfe same is in them all and the same being is in God the Father that is in the Sonne and is tota to 〈◊〉 in euery one and the same in Vnity And if wee will haue thâ—â— Gods then must we make a substance diuided which cannot be but there is onely a distinction Angels are separate one from another and are one without another but in the Trinity it is otherwise The Sonne is in the Father the holy Ghost in theâ—â— both and they are all one The Sunne
are in Christ are through this coniunction made proper and communicated euen to vs as the life in the body cannot be maintained without food no more can the life in the soule bee held and kept in without her feeding on Christ and as the body hath naturall instrumeâ—â— as the hands and the mouth to receiue her sustenance euen so the soule hath her members and instruments as prater faith and hearing the word whereby she receiueth her spirituall nourishment to eternall life Hence let vs raise this vse First that since our bodies are the members of Christ let vs not make them the members of an harlot 1. Cor. 6.15 but as in the time of our ignorance we vsed them to vncleannesse and to profanenesse so now being free from sinne through Christ let vs make them seruants vnto righteousnesse in holinesse Rom. 6.19 For as it were an vnnaturall part in the hand to striue to pull out the heart or in the teeth by tearing the flesh to make the rest of the body deformed euen so much more vnciuill and beastly is it in vs to flie vpon the Lord Iesus and to rend his name in sunder by out othes and blasphemy and to lend as it were our forces to his enemies that doe inuade his Church our selues being not onely faint-harted but false-hearted to fight for him who fought so many cumbats for vs with Sathan and wrastled so strongly with the wrath of his father which otherwise had fallen vpon vs whereas now in recompence of his grace and fauour towards vs we should sift as it were our armory to finde out the best weapons of perfection for the defence of him and of his truth and should keepe such a continuall harmony in our life as if our eies were only giuen vs to behold him wounded for our sinnes and now aduanced for our sakes our tongues onely lent vs to set foorth his praise our cares to heare of his godnesse what he hath wrought for the sonnes of men our feet to carry vs into his sanctuary where we may more neerely approch to him in his word Finally all the parts of our thoughts of our affections of our actions to be imploied and taken vp wholly to his aduantage Secondly let vs learne hence that as the life is conueied into the inferiour members from the head euen so our life is hid in Christ and wee hold it onely from him for as the Apostle saith Ephes 1.12 without Christ we are aliants from the common-wealth of Israell strangers from the couenants of promise and without God in the world which must teach vs not to auoid but rather to embrace those meanes wherein the life of Christ is made manifest in vs which principally is by our inward worship of God which is performed foure waies First by our obedience to his lawes Secondly by our patience in afflictions Thirdly by our humility in our giftes Fourthly by our affiance in the Lords assistance All which were performed by our head Christ for he submitted himselfe to his fathers will euen to the death of the crosse he was reuiled yet answered not againe as a sheepe before the shearer so opened hee not his mouth he taught humility to others and often humbled himselfe before his father he could by praier haue obtained twelue leagions of Angels to rescue him such confidence he had both in his fathers loue and power but he knew there was a greater worke to be done his testament to be sealed with bloud for our redemption for we were before but rotten and corrupted members of sinnefull Adam till by being made one with him we were brought into his maruellous light therefore as the head hath the gouernement of the members so let Christ haue the rule and dominion ouer vs that we may runne when he calleth stoope when he smiteth stoppe our mouthes when he afflicteth debase our selues till he exalteth and not at all to distrust in his deliuerance Fiftly this vnion of Christ with vs is set foorth vnder the estate of marriage Ephe. 5.30 For we are members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones That as there is an inseparable bond in marriage betweene a man and his wife so is there betweene Christ and the Church his spouse and as the woman was taken out of the side of man while he was a sleepe so was the Church taken as it were out of the side of Christ while he fell a sleepe vpon the Crosse and as the woman is not married to the goods of the man nor to his lands nor to her dowry but to the man himselfe and so hath power and interest in his body so are not we married and ioyned to the gifts and benefits of Christ but to Christ himselfe for it is improper to say we are in the graces of Christ but by our being in Christ we are partakers and are interessed in all the benefits of Christ euen as the woman by her marriage is in her husbands goods Hence obserue first that all that are elect are onely flesh of Christs flesh and none other for though Adam was in the flesh foure thousand yeeres before him yet was Christ the lambe slaine from the beginning so as by their faith in the vertue of the promised seed which is Christ were the Patriarkes and the rest saued that were before him as Iohn 8.56 it is said by Christ Abraham reioiced to see my day and he saw it And though Christ was made of our flesh as Phil. 2.7 He was found in shape as a man and not we of his yet this must be vnderstood spiritually and mystically and not grossely and carnally for then will the reprobates steppe in and say that they are of Christs flesh and so challenge saluation but note though all men and women are of one flesh yet betweene man and wife there is a neerer bond not that the woman is of her husbands flesh only as she is of all other mens but that she is also in her husbands flesh by reason of the sanctified ordinance of God and so is she not in the flesh of other men so fareth it betweene Christ and man all men are of Christs flesh because he took vpon him the true substance nature of man but yet none are in the flesh of Christ but those that by his spirit are ingrafted into him This then being a speciall prerogatiue to vs that are elect let vs labour in our liues to shew foorth the fruits of Christs flesh that we may shew we are bought from men by following the lambe whithersoeuer he goeth by hauing no guile found in our mouthes nor pollution in our bodies Reuel 14.4 but keeping our selues pure virgines and vnspotted as being the first fruites vnto God Secondly obserue that if we will be flesh of Christs flesh and will be ingrafted into his body that we may die vnto sinne then must we first consider where Christ is secondly where our affections are if they be heere
name as a thing that Ioseph could not be vnmindefull of And this indeed is the duty and ought not to be the labour of euery trembling Christian to lodge as it were with the booke of God in their bosome and with the Noble-men of Beraea Act. 17.11 to receiue the word with readinesse and to search the Scriptures daily which is the garden of the Lord where runneth the riuer of wisedome to resolue all doubts and where is to be had the oile that softeneth all our afflictions Now in the testimony it selfe heere alleaged consider two things first the person that should beare a virgine secondly the person that should be brought foorth Emmanuell consubstantiall with vs in nature for both these the Prophet beginneth with a word of wonder Behold as of a miracle neuer performed but once If it be asked how it was possible a virgine should conceiue we must beleeue it was so and rest in this nothing to bee impossible with God Mat. 19.26 For as it was possible at the first to make a woman out of a man without the helpe of a woman as wee may see in the first creation Gen. 2.22 so was it possible for him in this new creation to make a man out of a woman without the helpe of a man Which was done to this end because if there should haue beene any corruption of the seed of man in Christ he could not haue sanctified others Concerning the person that should be brought forth it is Emmanuel the same that Iesus and they both imply one thing for he that is Emmanuel is God with vs as Iesus is God sauing vs. Now he is God with vs many waies and albeit in the Arke vnder the law the Lord was alway speaking through the Cherubins insomuch as the very enemies of God the Philistims 1. Sam. 4.7 could say when the Arke came that the God of Israel came and therefore cried woe vnto vs yet is he farre neerer with vs namely in such a spirituall manner as the Prophet speakes heere a God not onely present and fauourable to vs but connaturall to vs and vpon which did depend all the graces of God formerly giuen to his Church Therefore if Moses did say in admiration of the Lords goodnesse Deuter. 4.7 Looke if euer the like came to passe that God from heauen should speake vnto his people and shew his glory so to appeare on earth much more may we breake foorth into the like astonishment to whom God is come so neere as to be of the same nature with vs and to speake vnto vs not in the publication of the killing law but in the manifestation of the quickening Gospell whereby we may receiue comfort in the deepest dangers that gathering our selues vnder his wings and seeking rest and refreshing at his hands he will first giue vs a generall charter of grace for the pardon of out sins And because pardon of our sinne will not saue vs from hell but our iudgement shall be iust vnlesse we yeeld full obedience to the law hee will secondly impute and lay all his obedience and righteousnesse vpon vs so as in him we shall fulfill it And yet because we are still sinners as carying about vs the orignall vncleanenesse we brought with vs Ephes 5.30 the third rest he will giue vs is so to sanctifie vs as we shall be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh not that we are absolutely sanctified in this life but that that which this our Christ brings vs is al-sufficient to saluation And being sure of this we need not to be dismaide for the waters of trouble are but a bath to cleanse and purge vs from those corruptions we gather by walking in this dirty world Further let vs consider heere why it was necessary that he that should be Iesus should also be Emmanuel first it was necessary he should be the Emmanuel that is the strong God for when wee were all enwrapped in sinne and shut vp vnder death then was there neede of remedy And what shall that be Mercy No God is iust and we hauing smitten his Maiesty by our sinne must bee smitten againe by his punishment Shall it then be iustice No for we haue need of mercy Heere so to be mercifull as not to disanull his iustice and so to be iust as not to forget his mercy and to make a way both to appease his wrath that his iustice might be satisfied and yet so to appease it as his mercie might be magnified in forgiuing there must needes come a mediation and if all the world should be offered to God for satisfaction it is nothing for it is his owne the worke of his owne hands If Angels should step in before the Lord it were nothing for they are engaged to him for their creation and being but temporally good they cannot satisfie for an infinite sinne howbeit he that must satisfie must bee infinit to suffer infinite punishment for an infinite sinne committed against an infinite Maiesty therefore he must be God he must be also Emmanuel with vs for how can there bee satisfaction for our apostasie but by humility nor procurement of life but by death Now when God comes to obey hee must needes bee humbled and when he comes to deserue hee must needes serue which God alone cannot doe and when he comes to die he must needes be mortall which God cannot be Therefore hee was man to be himselfe bond God to free others man to become weake and God to vanquish man to become mortall and God to triumph ouer death The situation also of the Ladder spoken of Gen. 28.12 is an euident demonstration of the two natures of this Emmanuel for the word must bee vnderstood of the second person in the Trinity By the foot to satisfie his Fathers wrath as being of our nature that he might stand close to Iacobs loines and to his Church militant and by the top to expresse his diuinity which toucheth the seate and reacheth to the bosome of God that he might in time bring thither his Church triumphant Now euery ladder is a Medium or meane whereby weascend to some place that otherwise we could not reach vnto which this Emmanuel is to vs for wee being euill debters and God a seuere creditor Colos 2.14 Christ is the meane to cancell this debt and to set it on his owne score and we being ignoant clyents and God a skilfull Iudge not able to vnderstand our tale Christ must be our aduocate 1. Ioh. 2.1 to pleade our cause for vs. And as betweene God and vs so betweene the diuell and vs he is a mediator for he casteth fierie darts against vs which we onely driue backe by the shield of faith in Christ Ephes 6.11 Further in the word Emmanuel obserue three things first the truth and verity of the subsistance of both these natures in Christ secondly the reall distinction of them thirdly the personall vnion of them And these three points wisely and
when there lurketh so much poison in your breasts when all your deuotion standeth in open ostentation Euen as Peter challenged Simon Magus Acts 8.23.24 saying Thou art in the gall of bitternesse repent if it be possible and pray that the thought of thine heart may be forgiuen thee Iohn denouncing also their fearefull estate as that the axe was now laied to the roote of the tree that faith in Christ and not the glory of comming of Abrahams race should saue them from hell fire In the words obserue two parts first how great the auditory was Secondly how he applied himselfe diuersly according to the diuers sorts of hearers which he had baptizing some confessing their sinnes and for the other first he sets downe a bitter reprehension calling them a brood of Serpents full of poison against the truth and frameth his speech as wondring how they durst come the Sadduces beleeuing no wrath to come the Pharises thinking by their merits to auoide it Secondly followeth a graue exhortation remouing away many blockes and hindrances wherwith they were blinded that they could not see the truth in Christ Thirdly he concludeth with a commination and threatning that they were to bee cut downe first because they were wicked in themselues secondly that there should double damnation fall vpon them if they refused Christ as the Prophet Malachy had foretold For the first obserue three causes of their concourse and frequent comming to Iohns ministery first because there had been a long surceasing of Prophesie Malachy being the last that spake by that extraordinary spirit and hearing this great newes and fame of Iohn they thought some great Prophet had beene raised vp and so were desirous to heare him Secondly they were moued to frequent him by the strangenesse of his teaching not teaching coldely and without power as the Pharises did but in vehemency of spirit and great feruency and earnestnesse to perswade to amendment of life Thirdly they resorted the rather vnto him as pricked forward by the extraordinary austerity of his life and diet Where learne that when God furnisheth a man with a commission and sealeth him a warrant of his calling and giueth him a booke as hee did to Ezechiel Ezech. 3.2.3 which hee must eate when the word of the Lord is as fire in the heart of Ieremy and when the purpose of the Lord is that it shall preuaile it cannot bee crossed by any wit or policy of man For great exceptions might haue beene taken against Iohn first preaching there was a Kingdome at hand it might haue come neere to treason sounding in the eares of Herod to the dispossessing of him and Princes are easily iealous of their greatnesse and will not haue any of their priuiledges called into question Secondly the Pharises knew they should be controuled and called into question for misleading and abusing the people so as no doubt they suggested to the King that it was dangerous for the State and touched the Crowne that he should whisper into the peoples eares of the comming of a new King labouring heereby to haue their flocking staied by Proclamation or other sharpe commandement as that also if this man were tolerated and winked at the great Fathers of the Church might bee exposed to great shame and obloquy Math. 23.13 as keeping the keyes of heauen and neither entering themselues nor suffering others to enter And againe it might be thought fantasticall that the people would leaue their trades to goe so farre to heare Iohn And for the Pharises themselues they as Luke 7.30 despised the counsell of God and were not baptized of him and Mat. 21.27 Christ telleth them they would neuer beleeue that Iohn came from heauen but laboured by all meanes to supplant him yet obserue that before he had executed and finished his message neither the power of Herod nor the craft of the Pharises could suppresse him Howbeit as we heare in this place of great flocking so Ioh. 5.35 it is said that he was at first as a burning lamp â—nd the people for a season reioyced in this light but after they grew secure and carelesse Where further note that in deposing â—dolatry and in the restitution of the Gospell how earnest men â—aue beene and the kingdome of God hath euen suffered violence for a time the people running in great multitudes to welcome it but after it is once established they grow to a Laodicean luke-warmth Reuel 3. neither hote nor cold as if it were hony that could cloy the stomacke therfore we must suspect the pregnancy and eager fits of them that runne so speedily at first to the Gospell for Iohn soone loseth many of his hearers some comming onely to behold him some to intrap him some to see what was in him that was so much renowmed and some to shake off the yoake of the law thinking to get greater liberty by the Gospell and few as Christ saith came of a good purpose and with honest hearts Further learne that this baptizing heere spoken of was of such as were of age for they were not receiued before they confessed their sinnes For this Sacrament being a seale of sinnes pardoned there must first be a confession of sinnes commited heere being a double couenant first God sealing vs a Charter of forgiuenesse in the bloud of Christ through the sanctification of his spirit secondly God requiring of vs first a confession for who hath hope to haue his debt released before it bee acknowledged or to be infranchised before hee thinkes himselfe bond or to bee washed before hee seeth himselfe vncleane secondly a beleeâ—â— that the bloud of Christ is of force and able to purge vs of all 〈◊〉 sinnes and thirdly a dedication of our selues to serue the Lorâ— in newnesse of life as testifying our thankefulnesse for so gâ—â—ous a pardon Heere the Iesuits like Spiders that sucke vp poison gather vpon this confession of the people a confession of shrift that euery one should whisper his sinnes into the eares of the Priest before he can be pardoned which is most absurd for first the woâ—â— heere vsed beares not any secret confession being answerable 〈◊〉 that Leu. 16.21 where the Priest was to confesse all the people sins and to put them vpon the scape Goate which praefiguâ—â— Christ secondly this of Iohns was a publike action and so 〈◊〉 place for priuate whispering thirdly the sacrament of Bapâ—â—â—â— which he ministred required this confession for the professâ—â—â— of faith is requisite in them that are of yeares and baptized 〈◊〉 we are not then first ingrafted into Christ when we are baptiâ—â—â—â— but being already ingrafted we are then confirmed and therefore Act. 8.37 the Eunuch first confessed is faith and then was baptized by Philip. And Mar. 16.16 He that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued So as it was Iohns dutie as the minister of God that such as receiued this seale should giue testimony of their faith Fourthly Iohns giuing of generall plaisters argueth that
Psal 58.6 and Psal 59.6 So Paul calleth false teachers dogges snarling against the preaching of the truth sometime they are called swine to disgrace the filthinesse of mans nature sometime for their cruelty to Beares robbed of their whelpes sometimes for their boldnesse to Wolues as Mat. 10. Christ saith I send you as sheepe among Wolues which vers 16. he expounds to be among men sometime to Buls Psalm 22. The fat Buls of Basan seeke to deuoure me sometime to wild Boares as Dauid praieth O Lord set a hedge before thy vineyard for feare of wild Boares Psal 80.13 they are so full of rage sometime for the subtilty they are tearmed Foxes as Christ saith Gord that Fox speaking of Herod that I will preach to day and to morrow Luk. 13.32 sometime to horse-leaches Prou. 30.15 which haue two daughters that crie bring bring they are so full of cruelty so Psal 22. those that persecute and afflict the Church are called Vnicornes and heere the Pharisees are named Vipers that would eate and deuoure the Church and yet they would come to heare which made their sinne so much the heauier that they would come to so holy a place with so vnholy harts Thus doâ—â— sinne strangely change vs and thus are men when the Lord hâ—â—â— giuen them ouer that they haue not the property of one beak but of all beasts for they are as malicious as Apes as enuious as Serpents and as venimous as Adders and yet they dare come and state the Lord in the face in his congregation hauing neuer communed with their hearts before This is that the Lord complaineth of Ier. 7.9 Will you steale and commit adultery auburne incense vnto Baal and come and stand before me in this house where my name is called vpon Nay the Lord abhorreth all such manner of worship and sacrifice as himselfe protesteth Esa 66. The sacrifice of a sheepe in this sort I esteeme as the bloud of a mâ—â— For though the meanes to auoid the wrath to come be by conming to Gods ordinance of preaching yet to come with a pharisaicall heart doth but increase the vengeance and hasten thy destruction Now for the instruction Bring foorth therefore fruits c. Marke how plainly and precisely Iohn doth stand vpon an open declaration of repentance by amendement of life for euery one may say he meaneth well which if he doe he will not be ashamed to bring it foorth So as if we will be trees of righteousnesse engrafted into Christ we must shew foorth the fruits and not the leaues of righteousnesse by the operation of his spirit for thou canst not be one flesh with a harlot and one spirit with the Lord Iesus 1. Cor. 6. and charitie ought not to make mee beleeue him to be Christs sheepe that heareth not his voice So as marke that the Lord measureth the flowre of our hearts by the fruit of our lips for Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and men may see our hearts through our hands Since then the Lord requireth that wee should approoue our faith to men and manifest our reconciliation with God in heauen by the works of loue shewed to men on earth let vs weigh our steppes that they may be straight watch ouer our words that they may be gracious passe nothing through our fingers that shall be entangled with the hurt of our neighbour but measure out our actions by the rule and square of religious loue And say not with your selues c. This is the second point before deliuered namely the godlie and graue exhortation Iohn made vnto these false hearted Pharisees and Sadduces containing two parts first what they should do Amend their liues Secondly what they should not doe that they should not presume vpon the externall priuiledge they had of being circumcised as the children of Abraham For this was the error of their iudgement that the whole seed of Abraham by generation of the flesh were within the couenant of grace to be saued And this is the obiection implied and answered by S. Paul Rom. 9.6.7 namely that if the Iewes were cast away then the word of the Lord was fallen away because it is said I will be thy God and the God of thy seed for euer which is confuted there by the Apostle by a distinction of a double seed There is an Israel in the couenant and an Israel out of the couenant So as there is a double election in the house of Israel first generall that all that came of the loines of Abraham should haue this dignity to be accounted within the couenant to partake of the word and seale of circumcision The second is a speciall election out of the former that out of the seed of Abraham one seed onely should be saued as it is Malach. 1.2 Is not Esau Iacobs brother yet haue I hated Esau and loued Iacob Whereby appeareth there is a speciall election out of the generall so as the grace of the couenant was offered to all Israel and all Israel differed from the vncircumcised nations yet the promise was effectuall onely in the elect Whereupon gather that if these Pharisees had not beene blinded and bereaued of the spirit of truth they would neuer haue stood vpon any externall priuiledge for the promise being made indefinitely had beene fulfilled if ten onely had beene saued for the Scripture goeth onely thus farre I will be the God of thy seed not of all thy seed And this the Apostle proueth in the place before thus If all the Iewes were within the compasse of the promise and the couenant of grace by vertue of the outward seale of cutting the foreskin of the flesh then it was necessary the first borne should bee and that he might challenge this assoone as any to be saued But this was not so for in Ismael the eldest was not the promise but in Isaac shall thy seed be called so as God declared his purpose by distinguishing them at first when the couenant was but new made while Abraham himselfe liued and when he had but two sonnes And lest this particular example might bee excepted against by reason of the disparagement in their birth Israel being borne of the bond-woman Take saith the Apostle Esau borne of the same wombe begot of the same father yea borne at the same time almost and if there were any prerogatiue it was Esaus for he was eldest both of them circumcised yet did not the promise pertaine to Esau as is proued by two testimonies of Scripture Gen. 25 23. The elder shall serue the yonger and Mal. 1.2 I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau his seruitude in the flesh being ioyned with the hatred of God vpon his soule So as the difference betweene the children of Abraham according to the flesh onely and according to the flesh and spirit also standeth in these two things first in Gods secret purpose whom to glorifie and whom to reiect secondly in the effects of faith and
affections if our vnderstandings be illuminated and lightened with the lampe of the Gospell if we be inflamed and set on fire with the zeale of Gods glory and well hearted toward his children then may wee hope to haue beene baptized truely for the holy Ghost worketh these things in beleeuers But he that is drossie or luke-warme in his profession that is hard hearted to the Saints that followeth the sent of his affections and that is weary of the candle of truth hath cause to suspect that he is not yet baptized with the holy Ghost In Ioh. 3.5 this spirit is compared to water cleansing the soule inwardly which hath three properties first to wash away filthinesse secondly to moisten that which is drie and to quench thirst and allay the scorching heate thirdly to fructifie as Psalm 1. willowes are said to bee fruitfull planted by the water side euen so the holy Ghost doth purifie and wash the soule refresheth the conscience scorched with the feare of Gods vengeance and giueth power to make our drie and barren hearts to prosper in euery good worke MATH chap. 3. vers 12. verse 12 Which hath his fan in his hand and will make cleane his floore and gather his wheat into his garner but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire BEcause it falleth out in great auditories and assemblies that there bee many wilfull and peruerse persons which doe not esteeme of the Lords rich bounty but doe scorne and tread vnder foote tâ—â— mercy offered Iohn Baptisâ— doth heere denounce peremptory vengeance and intollerable torment against all â—â—ose that shall not submit themselues to the ministery of the Messias and that they which will not bee baptized with the fire of the holy Ghost and of Christ that is with his bloud and with his spirit shall be baptized with the fire of hell The words doe containe an Allegorie or continued borrowed speech which may be thus resolued First by the Fanne vnderstand the ministerie of the Gospell which should begin at the preaching of Iesus and should winnow the people to make a separation betweene the bastardly brood of Abraham and the true Nathaniels Ioh. 1. chap. 47. Israelites in whom is no guile betweene them that had onely the marke of circumcision in the flesh and them whose hearts and vile affections were inwardly circumcised By that it is said In his hand is ment that it is presently to be manifested By floore vnderstand all places where a Church may be gathered or more specially for a visible Church alreadie gathered Iohn addressing his speech heere to the Iewes which were at this time the Church of God By wheate is ment all that should beleeue either Iewes or Gentiles By the Garner is ment the kingdome of heauen By chaffe is ment hypocrites and vnbeleeuers mis-liuers or the children of perdition that refuse to bee fanned by the Lords voice By cleansing is ment that separation the Gospell should make betweene the apostate Iew and the beleeuing Iew. By vnquenchable fire is ment the torment of hell prouided for vnbeleeuers Out of this first generally obserue that where the Gospell comes and is preached with power and with a good conscience and not huckstered nor merchandized as men doe their wares but that they so labour as not to be ashamed of that they doe preaching their doctrine not to the eare but to the doore of the conscience that there it makes a manifest difference betweene true and false children whereas before all was shuffled together for though before this time the Pharisees and all others were as one bearing the same title of Abrahams seed yet saith Iohn afterward shall come the venting of the Gospell which with the powerfull blast thereof shall scatter the hypocrites and make knowne the faithfulnesse of them that with honest hearts embrace and cherish it After this maner is the word in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 4.12 compared to a sword with two edges that cutteth two waies either to conuersion if it be beleeued or to confusion if it be despised Hereupon it is that Simeon did prophesie to Mary Luk. 2.34 to preuent any conceit might rise in her minde of her dignitie and glory being the mother of the eternall Lord heereby thinking that all the world should applaud her for her Sonne telling her that this child should be set vp for the rising and ruine of many a marke that euery man should shoot at and by his comming should the hearts of many be discouered For the sound of his mouth Heb. 4.12 deuides betweene the ioynts and the sinewes and the marrow and the bones anatomizing the hearts of men to see whether they be sound or rotten And they that before seemed to bee all one shall when the fan comes differ then the poison that before lurked shall bee layed foorth and the hidden gall shall be displaied Heereupon also the word is compared to fire which hath a double effect to wast stubble and drosse and to purifie that is refinable as siluer and gold For the Gospell hath this vertue to inflame some mens hearts with a zealous loue of God and his glory setting others on fire to persecute it to quench and to impugne it This effect had it in Iohns time some saying that he was an honest man some that he was Christ others that he was a Galilean Luk. 3.16 Mat. 11.16 whence could come no good thing and others more plainely that hee was a diuell all before being as they thought well circumcised and the children of Abraham So when Christ spake in his owne person the chaffe flew away and then was easily knowen who was an hypocrite hee comming to some place where they had rather haue their hogges Mark 5.17 then their soules saued Luk. 4.29 and to others where they brought him to the side of a hill of purpose to haue throwne him downe and to Iairus house where some Mark. 5.40 laugh him to scorne for his speech This fanne by Christ was committed to his Apostles that they likewise should make a separation where they came Paul Preaching at Antioch the Iewes railed against him when the Gentiles desired him to preach the same sermon the next Sabbath And by the power of this Fanne Act. 22.23 the Iewes cast vp dust in the aire and crie that Paul is vnworthy to liue And Act. 23.12 certaine doe bind themselues by oath not to eate nor drinke till they had killed him when as others in Iudaea did submit themselues and became the true disciples of Christ Yea Luk. 12.53 it appeareth that there is no bond so streight nor so well knit but religion will violate and cause the father with the sonne the mother with the daughter to impugne the Gospell with hostility not that it is the property of the Gospell to breed dissention but it is the malice of Sathan to enrage mens hearts that they should not receiue it that his barnes might be full And then must Ahab 1. King 21.19
yeeld to Eliah and not Eliah to Ahab There is execrable cruelty committed on the infants of Bethlem who is the cause of it not Christ but Herod and Christ may not giue place to Herod though it cost neuer so much bloud Secondly obserue where it is said hee will make his floore cleane that all that refuse the Gospell whatsoeuer they pretend they are but chaffe For the Pharisees heere which had the chiefest places in the Church they pretend to haue the Oracles and the temple to bee descended from the Patriarks and to liue after the law of Moses yet they are but chaffe which fill the floore being onely puffed vp with pride and hauing no sound graine in them for when Christ is offered they persecute him and crie Hang him as an enemy to the law of Moses Mat. 27.22 so as their intention was good yet was that no excuse for then they that persecuted the Prophets and crucified the Lord of glory should be blamelesse for they had a zeale but not according to knowledge Now if they that stand onely in defence of that God himselfe ordained and like not that any of that should be abrogated by the Gospell are but chaffe what shall they be that seeke to maintain their owne traditions against both law and Gospell and stand in defence of many corruptions in the Church of God and yet perswade the Prince that all is well what can they bee but chaffe of the worst sort And will purge his floore c. Here may be demanded what the cause is why there is so much chaffe in our Church and so little good graine for it is strange to see with what belli-gods it is stuffed how disguised men be in pride and how excessiue in vsury which bee not as S. Peter calleth them spots 2. Pet. 2.13 but as the biles and vlcers of Egypt yea so much biting gaine raigneth among vs as hath made no more friendship betweene man and man then betweene Cain and Abel such whoredome as the Sunne cannot hide it nor the earth beare it but doth crie for vengeance and their children baptized that are woorse then Sodomites which as Saint Iude saith be now in hell To this we answer that the cause is first the want of fanning in many places of the land the people hauing onely a man set ouer them that can giue no one word to separate but onely reade bare Seruice and stinted praier which can make no manifest separation but of open recusants so as the people may well be quiet because the word neuer blowes among them and till the winde come the chaffe and the wheat are mixt together for can the wild asse bray if he hath grasse or the oxe low if he hath fodder or an hypocrite shew himselfe till his heart be discouered Iob 6.5 and his vizard taken off All the plagues of Egypt which made Pharaohs heart to relent somewhat and yet in the end so hardened it as he vtterly contemned the Lords hand are not like to this fanne of the word which searcheth euery part of a man and bloweth him away vnlesse he be substantially rooted in religion A second cause of this is that where there is fanning yet it hath no power they huckstering and tempering of it for their owne fame and for Balacâ—s offer of preferment and not preaching to the conscience the crucified word of the Lord they preach of contention to adde affliction to others and not in sinceritie and meeknesse to bring consolation to others and also when they speake it is but verball for their liues doe really confute the words of their mouth A third cause why there is such a mixture in this floore is because although it be truely preached yet men may do what they list and the maiestie of the word is not hedged in with discipline for if men liue wickedly vnlesse the law of man take them by the heele and restraine them the word of God cannot determine so as except there be some speciall good inclination in some few for the multitude preaching doth no good For he must be a good scholler that will learne without discipling he a sound christian that will refraine from sinne by bare preaching The Word indeed is the speciall farme for this floore but then is it most powerfull if it haue discipline to strengthen it and authority to countenance it What doe you meane the floore must be purged in this life and that there must be nothing but wheat in the Church of God Why this cannot bee till that great day of separation when euery thing shall be put in his peculiar place To this wee answer that there is a double purging the one in this life the other after this life the one particular the other vniuersall That purging that may and ought to be is first the separating of all such as doe not offer themselues Secondly of them that offer themselues but are vnworthy as if a man can make no conscience to profit by the word or can render no found account of his faith when he hath beene long taught but like an idle and slothfull professor is still to be trained vp in the rudiments of religion it is no reason to let him be in this floore without feeling some smart for his negligence neither is it fit to giue the holy things of the Lords Supper vnto him for hee deserues not the crummes that fall from his table If a man be obstinate and will not promise reformation his child ought not to be receiued to Baptisme vnlesse hee confesse his sinne or giue witnesse to the Church by others which must doe it and then they ought to take the child from his father and not to returne him to his parents againe where his education shall bee corrupt For others that doe professe if after they breake out into any enormous sinne such chaffe must bee separate for no vncleane liuer must be in the Church but either hee must submit himselfe and then he is none such or hee must be cut off if he continue senslesse in his sinne for it is the house of God which harboureth none but such as heare his voice And such as these ought not to be admitted to the Sacrament though they present and offer themselues neuer so much for hee that permits them sinneth three waies first in respect of Gods giuing the bread of children vnto dogges and making the house of God as a common Inne where he may buy any thing for mony but he must doe as Iehoiada the Priest did 2. Chron. 23.19 not suffer any vncleane man to enter or to set his foot within the Temple Secondly as hee must not doe it in respect of God and his owne conscience so neither in respect of the party himselfe for seeing himselfe debarred and disfranchised from the citie of God he would bee ashamed and this his abdication would bring him to humility 1. Cor. 5.2 2. Thess 3.14 whereby his soule
hand of a souldier Ephes 6.17 and this is that wee vrge that euery man may beare his owne sword since euery one is to fight and in the iustice of the Law of Armes it should bee so since wee know not how soone we shall be assaulted and except they will discharge vs of the Lords seruice and say that we are no Souldiers to combat against the corruptions of the flesh and suggestions of the diuell it is a wrong not to bee suffered thus to haue the weapon wrested out of our hands Yet I cannot but commend the wit of the Clergy for they had not sold their wares vnlesse they had folded the peoples eies wherein they haue done like theeues that put out the candle that they may rifle more safely in the darke so they wisely haue sought their vantage that their vile filthy merchandize of Masses and such like might bee vented abroad which would lie rotting at home vpon their hand if men might be suffered to bring any light with them into their pack-houses Oh but they say they haue kept it but from hogges and dogges Yea and from sheepe and lambes too besides that many are vncleane in their liues which yet are not hogges But in this they bewray a cleane contrary spirit to that wherewith our Sauiour Christ was conducted for hee oft preached in the hearing of knowen hogges and dogges the Scribes and Pharisees lest for their sakes the children should bee defrauded of their bread whereas on the contrary they depriue the children of their appointed portion lest the dogges should happily snatch at it which is no reason that it should bee kept from the iust owners because there be some vsurpers by Yea but saith Stapleton by searching the Scripture diligently they haue erred shamefully This is as if one that were to traine vp a child to be an archer should giue him this precept that by aâ—ming at the marke most surely hee should misse most foully Whereas men haue erred onely because they sought it not diligently enough and though many haue missed yet heerein haue they beene brought to a conscience to craue the Lords helpe in guiding their hands that they may come as neare to the price of Christs glory as may be Well forsooth to gratifie the people they haue now giuen them as they terme it the Rhemish Testament but as the cursings of the people haue hitherto pierced their soules and runne them thorough for ingrossing into their hands the graine of life so now they will be as sore and sharpe against them for selling them such mustie mildewd and blassed graine neither is their impiety lesse now in poisoning them then it was before in staruing them The second sort of men that wring this sword 〈◊〉 the people are they that dare not but allow some instruments for tillage yet they content themselues with bare reading as if they would haue a souldier but halfe armed like vnto the subtill practise of the Philistims who to keepe 1. Sam. 13.19 the Lords people alway in slauery permitted no vse of weapon vnto them a few excepted whereby they would shew grace vnto them Heereupon men are to be exhorted not to except against them that come to feed at a Sermon hauing none at home For wee ought to learn in this schoole of defence how to handle our weapon and Seruice is commanded by the law not to exclude Preaching but to goe with it so as if they come for conscience to heare and not for contempt to their owne Pastor at home they are to be permitted without complaint Heere also are they to be charged that hauing gifts and being Christs Lieutenants yet neglect to traine vp those souldiers that are to serue vnder their band And by this meanes many of them are strongly assaulted in their absence taking the fleece and not looking to the sheepe and sitting to guide the sterne and yet suffering the vessell to bee blowne about with euery tempest For it comes to passe oft times that some of the flocke are taken with the trembling of the heart and dismaied by the terror of conscience Sathan hath driuen them vnto wanting a teacher to bridle his rage and to answer his so phistry and to salue the wound of the distressed so that their faith is so dangerously assailed as sometimes they are strangled with despaire whereas for any thing such a teacher knoweth his disease might haue beene cured by praier and for any thing he knoweth also hee may pay the price of his bloud Againe though the iudgement doth not pursue them thus far yet sometimes through these hot conflicts they grow senslesse leading a long life in feare and leauing an ill example of a miserable end whereas if their want of knowledge and experience had beene supplied by the lippes of their guides there had been great hope they might haue preuailed Now for them that depriue themselues of this iewell and fling this weapon from them saying that they beleeue as the Church beleeueth and so hang their faith vpon the hookes of anothers beleefe and being miserably abused refuse to reade the word saying God keepe them from the new and old Testament for if there bee such bookes they are bookes of controuersie but thinke if they come to a Masse it is enough though they beleeue they know not what It is to bee lamented to see that they haue thus put foorth their eies to abuse them after as they list And thus haue they all the secrets of the people brought vnto them by their auricular confessions keeping their owne iugling and playing fast and loose from the peoples sight because they hide away the glasse of the word wherein they might view their owne deformities and the scabs of their instructers Which is all one as if a man being ready to goe a dangerous iourney wherein he were sure to meet with riflers and being well appointed for the purpose should bee perswaded to goe but in no case to carry his weapon with him Wherefore let vs not hang our swords vpon other mens backes for we shall be iudged according to our owne workes but let vs still holde the sword in one hand and the shield in the other for wee are beset on euery side our sleepe is a thing to tempt vs single life and mariage are things to tempt vs yea there is no minute wherin we are not assaulted Let vs therfore since the Lord hath furnished vs with all things fit for the warre-fare and since Christ hath sanctified by example this weapon of the word vnto vs in the like conflict let vs apply our hearts to reade it and striue to haue this light both in our liues and in our mouths for it is necessary for the king to reade and lay vp that hee may command not through the pride of his heart things that are vnlawfull and for the people lest in too great basenesse of minde they should obey man rather then God Act. 4.20 Now for them that thinke
him but answereth him with one onelie word of detestation Auoid Sathan For the blasphemous may not bee reasoned with if they should it would make them but burst foorth into greater outrage against the peareles and matchlesse wisedome of God giuing vs likewise by this answer secretly to vnderstand that whosoeuer goeth about to withdraw vs from God is of the diuell so likewise are they that seeke by reason to disswade vs from the shame of the crosse Therefore Mat. 16.23 when Christ indeuoured to preuent the ignominy should come vpon the crosse and to make his disciples and the rest vnuanquishable when it should come it is said there Peter tooke him aside and vsed reasons to disswade him from such 〈◊〉 comfortable speeches whereupon Christ not mildly but sharply being displeased with this carnall excoption of his bids him 〈◊〉 Sathan that is as a great enemy to him and others And so whensouer flesh and bloud shal take exception against the mystery of godlinesse it is thus sharply to bee reproued Heereupon Rom. 3.31 exceptions being taken that the law serued to no vse because Christs obedience had absolutely purchased our pardon the Apostle in like wisdome of the spirit of God answereth not onely by a simple deniall but by a deniall with a detestatioâ—â— God forbid as that it is blasphemy to be of such opinion And sometime to this phrase the Apostle addeth more as Rom. 3.8 not replying one word but onely saith their damnation is iust rather setting before them their cursed end then conuincing them by reason for as Salomon saith A foole may not bee answered in his folly Out of the second answer which Christ maketh for our instruction and satisfaction obserue that God must haue both all outward and inward worship so as it is impious to thinke a man can keepe his soule for God when hee humbleth his bodie to strange gods and in this hee doth withdraw his reuerencâ— from his owne religion either through feare or profanenâ—â—â—â— reaching foorth part of the worship to another But wee must know God will haue both and in creating both hee challengeth both besides that of them both hee hath made but one man which cannot be diuided but goeth together For we are not baptised in our bodies onely but in our soules out soules only were not redeemed neither shall they onely bee saâ—ed but the whole man If the bodie then be the Lords both by creation and by redemption let vs giue testimony of his worship in both otherwise it is as if a woman should protest she loued her husband at the heart and in her soule and yet should prostitute her bodie to vncleannesse but wee are espoused and maried to the Lord therefore let vs keepe both for him vnspotted Lastly out of the diuels argument let vs learne to feare and serue the Lord for if gifts may draw on worship as he pretendeth by his proffer to Christ then hath the Lord offered farre more largely for vs I will giue thee saith he eternall life and it is no aduantage to winne the world and to take the diuels offer and after to lose our soules But let vs set God on our right hand in him we liue in him wee haue our being it is hee that feedeth vs with naturall and supernaturall things and blessings godlinesse hauing the promises of this life and of the life to come 1. Tim. 4.8 hee will make vs heires of the earth the world standing for our sakes we shall be heires of heauen Ioh. 1â— 2 Christ hauing prepared places for vs in his fathers house yea fellow heires with his owne Sonne tasting of no other loue Ioh. 17.24 nor feeling any other glory then his Sonne hath and therefore in the iudgement of the diuell hee shall worthily bee damned that refuseth so large an offer at Gods hand who giueth and neuer vpbraideth pardoneth and neuer reperteth Then the diuell left him c. This is the third part namely the issue and euent of the temptations had and sustained by Christ set downe in two things first that when the diuell could not ouercome him he left him secondly that the Angels attended and ministred For the first by this vnderstand that as Christ was tempted for vs and in our flesh ouercame for vs in his person so wee haue good and comfortable security that vsing the same meanes hee did according as we shall be enabled and through the grace of the same spirit wee also shall ouercome the Prince of darknesse for wee must not thinke our selues freed from these assaults the life of a Christian being a warfare the world the campe the first registring and inrolling of vs being in baptisme where we tooke a vow to be true to the Lord Iesus Christ is our victorious Captaine our enemies are the world without vs the flesh within vs as accessaries and the diuell as principall besides temptations on both hands Now the power we haue to repell these is the sword of the spirit the word of God the schoole where we learne this defence is the Church of God where we finde weapons both offensiue and defensiue a shield of faith to defend our selues and a sword of the word to offend the enemy And this may bee our comfort his rage will haue an end and his malice shall not preuaile but as Saint Iames saith If we resist him Iames 4.7 he will flie from vs that is he will hasten as fast away as he came fiercely toward vs for heere is promised victory to all that striue infeare For the second generally we note how it pleased God by wisdome and dispensation to dispose of the exinanition as I may so tearme it or the impairing and abasing of Christ while he was in the flesh that in the midst of the greatest ignominy and reproch yet he bore some marke and badge of his notable and diuine power whereby by the eies of faith hee might bee discerned to be the Sonne of God His basenesse appeareth in this that he liued in the wildernesse he was assaulted of the diuell he had no company but beasts hee was hungry and had no food but stones Sathan was busie with him to make him tempt his Father and in all this there was nothing but ignominy and extreame basenesse But after all this there breaketh foorth like the Sunne through the clouds a matter which maketh him knowen and discerned to be more then a man that the Angels come to doe him seruice And thus did it euer fall our that hee was neuer brought so low nor so neare the ground but there did at last shine forth an impregnable worke of his diuinity hee was borne in a stable his Cradle was a Manger there was lodging in the Inne but none for Mary Mat. 22. yet was there then a starre in the heauens to signifie to the Wise-men the birth of this noble personage hee was baptised by Iohn his seruant Mat 3.15.16 but a voice was heard from
vpon earth then doe we seeke Christ on earth when we know hee is gone into heauen But from whence hath he deliuered vs From hell Then must we take heed we doe not the workes of hell and of darknesse And then whither hath he brought vs Where he is that is in heauen Then if we will say we are married to him Ioh. 14.2 and that he was crucified for our sinnes and hath crucified sinne in vs and freed vs from sinne Sathan and condemnation let our conuersation be where his body is for where the dead corse is thither will the Egles resort and where the husband is thither will the wise haste to see him and to liue with him so that as Christ died in body so must we die in spirit that his spirit may haue his full worke in vs to raise vs vp to heauenly meditations Thirdly we must learne that betwixt the corporall and spirituall marriage there is great difference for the woman for certain causes may be diuorced from her husband and he being dead she may as lawfully keepe herselfe a widow as marry againe but in this our spirituall marriage there is neither diuorce nor widowhood for as soone as we are diuorced from the flesh and the lusts thereof we must not stay and remaine a widow but we must presently marry with the spirit of God and the fruites thereof and he shall remaine our husband for euer Howbeit we must know we haue no liberty to marry with our second husband the Lord Iesus vntill we be deliuerd from the whole body of sinne and the powers thereof as lust sensuality and such like and the meanes of this our freedome and deliuerance is in the body of Christ so as vnlesse the body of Christ hath destroied sinne in our naturall bodies we are not conioined vnto him We must then consider what there is in this bodie of ours which is a body of sinne Rom. 6.6 And in this body of ours there are three things First condemnation for sin Secondly disobedience by sinning Thirdly the corruption of nature which causeth this disobedience In the second place we must consider how we are deliuered from these three and how they be taken from vs. The first which is our condemnation is taken away by the satisfaction of Christ for our sinne the second which is our disobedience is taken away by the righteousnesse of Christ free from sinne and these things are without vs but the third which is the corruption of our nature is taken away by the powerfull working of Gods spirit within vs so that except we haue this third thing the spirit to abolish sinne in vs we are not yet flesh of his flesh and so none of his spouse For as for Christs satisfaction for condemnation and his obedience for our rebellion the very Turkes may hope for their saluation as well as we therefore it must be the slaying of sinne by the spirit that must assure vs of our coniunction and marriage with Christ for if corruption remaineth whence springeth disobedience then there remaineth for this disobedience condemnation for euery sinne committed by them that are regenerate is as it were the bringing foorth of a bastard vnto God which we know how much he abhorreth Sixtly this our coniunction with Christ is set foorth Ioh. 15.5 vnder the parable of the vine to which Christ is compared and we to the branches for as the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe vnlesse it grow vp with the stocke no more can we except we grow vp in Christ and as the branches receiue sap from the root whereby they fructifie so we being ingrasted into Christ receiue life from him whereby we are fruitfull in good workes and as the branches seuered from the body of the tree doe fall away and perish so if we once wither away and the graces of God decay and wax cold in vs drinking in the raine and yet not bringing foorth herbes meet for the dresser then are we neere vnto cursing and our end is to be burned Out of which learne that if thou cariest in thy life onely leaues as it were of thy profession Heb. 6.8 as the figge tree did that seemed greene a farre off and goodly and art not fruitfull in thy conuersation to walke as one redeemed out of darknesse thou art but as a branch broken off and as a blade that withereth before the time of haruest for as Rom. 11.16 If the roote be holy so are the branches and if the ground of thy heart be seasoned with the graces of God it will spring foorth into all thy members The Seuenth comparison is Ioh. 6.56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him Where Christ is compared to flesh and bloud which we must not vnderstand of materiall but of spirituall eating which is comprehended by faith wrought in vs by the spirit reuealed to vs by the Sonne of God deliuered to vs by the word of God and sealed vnto vs by the Sacraments Since then our feeding on Christ doth draw such fruit after it bring such efficacy with it let vs labour to meet him in those meanes himselfe hath ordained namely in his word and sacraments the one being the store-house of his promises the other as it were a patent of confirming them to vs vnder the seales left vs by the King of heauen that as these infirme bodies of ours cannot be supported without the stafes of bread and drinke the one to kill the hunger the other to stanch the thirst wherewith our natures are assaulted so we may perswade our selues that our soules for their cherishing and refreshing doe require the like necessity to be sed with the flesh and bloud of Christ that we may grow vp perfect men in him and be freed from the scorching heat of desperation whereinto we may easily fall through that streame and current of sin wherewith we are carried in the whole course of our liues and from which wee cannot be saued but through the sprinkling of that blood which was shed for vs vpon the Crosse Now for the second point which is the profit and benefit we receiue by this Coniunction it is twofold first that Christ hath taken our sinnes and the punishment of our sinnes vpon him for he being without sinne was made sinfull for vs was wounded for our transgressions and as 1. Pet. 2.24 bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that by his stripes we might be healed secondly that by his death we are made partakers of his obedience and the reward of his obedience which is eternall life and of his graces and the glory for his graces which is eternall glory Touching the first profit it is double First he tooke our sinnes vpon him Secondly the satisfaction of our sinnes which is death the first by imputation the second really and sensibly for being clothed with our flesh and appearing in our persons he became the child of wrath subiect to
Saints of God and put religion on their faces as a maske to hide the foule deformitie hypocrisie of their hearts Therfore vpon the question demanded Whether more in number shall be saued or damned Christ resolueth it Luk. 13.25 shewing that some shall haue bestowed such paines and walked so farre in the course of Christianity as euen to knocke at heauen gates and to challenge the Lord to let them in and yet he shall not know them that whatsoeuer profession they haue made in the face of the world as to come before the Lord as a pâ—â—ple yet because they haue not liued as a people he will not acknowledge them So as true it is that none shall enioy the presence of the Almighty but they that haue their lampes burning at the houre of their death Mat. 25.10 none but they that haue their foundation setled vpon the rockes Mat. 7.25 as not to be shaken with the blast of any persecution none but they who like faithfull seruants by spirituall trafficke haue employed their talents to their Lords aduantage Luk. 19.24 none but they that are able to testifie by the fruites of the spirit that they haue the spirit But vpon demand how we shall be saued our answer is Onely by the blood of Christ as the cause and effectuall meanes thereof for heauen is giuen operantibus non operibus to workers not to works as 2. Cor. 5.10 The Lord shall giue to euery man according as he hath wrought not for that he hath wrought Heb. 13.21 none shall see God without a pure conuersation but not because of his pure conuersation for though we must be perfect in workes yet this working must bee wrought in vs by God as the Apostle there speaketh So likewise none but the obedient child shall be heire not because he is obedient but because he is heire and yet only the obedient child shall receiue the inheritance And euen as we adore and worship Iesus Christ man but not his humanity Hominem non humanitatem so holinesse of life speaking in the abstract quality doth not saue but holy men shall be saued so faith and workes in the person iustified must concurre but in the matter of iustification faith onely and alone hath the place If therefore it be demanded whether workes be necessary to iustification we answer yea as absolutely necessary in their place as faith for wee can not assure our selues of faith but by the visible fruite of workes so as they be not Concausae causes concurring and iumping together but they are Consectaria consectaries and consequents of faith Vers 14. For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God This is a confirmation of the reason before going on both parts for as many as mortifie the flesh by the sprit are the sonnes of God and they that doe not so are the sonnes of the diuell So the force of the argument is they that are Gods sonnes are led to mortifie the flesh and being his sons they are inheritors of heauen and this the Apostle assumeth and taketh as granted that the sons of God must needs haue eternall life Whereupon the contrary proposition is true he that liues after the flesh is not the son of God for if he were he would liue after the spirit but hee that doth not mortifie the flesh hath not the spirit therefore he is not the son of God Hereupon followeth if they be sons and not Gods they are as Christ speaketh Iohn 8.44 the children of the diuell Wherein we learne that if we be asked by what title and interest we can challenge or lay claime to heauen it is by none but by this that we are the sonnes of God and we are his sons onely by adoption and wee are adopted to it onely in the naturall heire and son of God Christ Iesus by whose blood we are iustified and sanctified by his spirit Being then adopted to this inheritance as heires we are not borne to it for adoptioÌ„ excludeth birth being not borne to it it is purchased for vs in the obedience of Christ wee must learne then to resemble Christ in being obedient to the will of God as he was and shew foorth and expresse our obedience by keeping his commandements Mat. 26.42 and keepe them by leauing of grosse sins and walking according to his will with a full purpose of our hearts to performe it alwaies excepting our infirmities and inborne weaknesse which cleaue so fast to vs as we cannot shake them off nor be deliuered of them till we ouercome all in death Hauing then no title to heauen but by inheritance nor no title to this inheritance but by Christ there is excluded all merits to deserue it and only because we are to be saued we must do well for it is giuen vs as the inheritance of children and not as any stipendary wages of a mercenary man Herupon we must wisely vnderstand that when Christ saith Mat. 25.35 Come ye blessed c. for ye haue releeued the poore c. that this releeuing of the poore and such other workes of faith and loue there mentioned are not set downe as causes of blessednesse for these speeches for and because do not alwaies inferre and bring in a cause but they are such words and particles as sometime ioine the cause with the effect and sometime the effect with the cause as when wee say it is spring time for it blossoms not that the blossoms are the cause of the spring but an effect and euidence that the spring is come So when we say he hath a soule because he breatheth and yet the soul is the cause of breath and breathing but an effect of the soule euen so when Christ saith come and receiue a kingdome for ye haue done such and such particular works of loue it is onely a knitting of the effect with the cause for God hauing preelected or chosen vs before all worlds to this saluation giueth vs this his spirit by whose power and vertue wee worke these good things And in this kinde and phrase of speech the cause is ioyned with the effect as if it should be said Come you that haue releeued the poore that haue comforted the distressed that haue sorrowed with the afflicted receiue the kingdome for it is your inheritance So as the speech of Christ hath this meaning in it You haue done good workes to testifie my kingdome to be yours come take the inheritance prepared for you in the preelection of God for you are the inheritors of heauen because of these fruites and effects which you haue shewed in comforting the aflicted members of Christ We may not take it then that heauen which is the inheritance of the saints is giuen for any desert for when we haue attained to the highest degree of mortification and haue done all that we can we are as Christ saith but vnprofitable seruants Luk. 17.10 True say the Papists vnprofitable
forth our cold petitions and that which was generally beleeued by faith before is now particularly chalenged of God by praier that wee may finde and â—â—ele the former promise to be true by this particular instance of reaching foorth our requests to God by praier And the more to hearten and encourage vs in this exercise and Christian taske God giueth and graunteth our requests differing in three respects from the gifts and benefits of worldly men For first he can giue all things in his power secondly in his wisedome he giueth and neuer repenteth thirdly in his goodnes he giueth and neuer vpbraideth This is the perswasion of faith and therefore now if wee spare to speake wee may well spare to speed whereupon the Prophet Dauid saith I beleeued therefore I spake hauing his faith for most to prepare his lips to praier And surely the cause why wee call not vpon God so often or so boldly as we ought is either because our faith failâ—s vs that wee thinke not to speede or else because wee haue but weake and faint hope to speede For as the Philosopher saith Qui timide rogat docet negare He that craueth fearfully draweth on a deniall for that faith that openeth the eies to see such treasures openeth the mouth to supplicate and to pray for them so as by this learne in one word that the Apostle will measure thy faith by thy praiers Whereby we crie In this word crie is implied three things first a confident boldnesse secondly a great earnestnesse thirdly an importunacy with perseuerance Boldnesse in that wee speake not softly as in feare but loud as in assurance euen as a fauorite of an earthly Prince that hath a promise to haue and obtaine what he can spie out hauing speciall security to speed commeth boldly to his Prince and craueth the performance of that was pledged vnto him by promise before Earnestnesse not to take a nay or deniall at the first at our fathers hands but to goe on with I pray you Father Good Father I beseech you Father and such like speeches of vehemency and feruency which is heere expressed by the geminating and doubling of the word Father Father Then with these must there be an importâ—nacy in praier which Paul expresseth Rom. 15.30 by striâ—ing or wrestling in praier shewing thereby the feruency of the minde and of the voice euen as Iacob did Gen. 32.26 that would not let the Angell goe before hee had blessed him and according to the example set downe Luk. 18. â— of the widow who by her importunity which in the Greeke word signifieth impudency so troubled and wearied with her cries as it were with blowes the vnrighteous Iudge as she wrested her sute from him Christ in that parable teaching vs that wee ought to vse a holy kind of impudency in our petitions vnto God and neuer to giue him rest till hee hath yeelded to our requests which wee make in faith and present in hope Heereupon it is that the soule is very earnest with God as either being laden with some sinne which it desireth to be eased of or priuy to some wants which it faine would haue supplied or in some apprehension of Gods iudgement for sinne which it seeketh to escape or the loue of God constraining it to be thankfull for the rich mercies formerly receiued or else being assaulted with some danger and temptation craueth to bee â—â—liuered so as alwaies the soule hath occasion to bee quicke and earnest in praier for causes to moue vs euen in our owne particular persons vnto this duty besides the generall cause of the Church doe daily occurre and fall out In that it is said We crie Father heere is questionable whether onely God the first person in the Trinity be to be praied vnto and not the Sonne nor the holy Ghost To this we answer that the word Father and God is taken essentially for the whole essence of the God-head which includeth them all as it is in the Lords praier or else it is taken personally for that the Sonne must be praied vnto the place is plaine Act. 7.59 And they stoned Stephen who called on God and said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit And that the holy Ghost must be praied vnto appeareth by Saint Paul who endeth his Epistle 2. Corinthians 13.13 with this praier The communion of the holie Ghost be with you So as the word Father in this place is not meant of any one distinct person subsisting in the name of Father but it is to bee vnderstood of them all the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost for as they be all offended with vs for our sinnes so must they all bee reconciled to vs by our praiers And heereupon is it that Saint Augustine saith that the whole Trinity is Father in respect of the creature and hee is onely named heere because the Father is the fountaine of the God-head and the first in order but not in time howbeit being vnderstood in respect of their diuers subsistences they are seuerall Whereupon it is true that the word Father or God is sometime taken personally as Iohn 3.16 where it is said God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne that wâ—â—â—euer beleeueth in him should not perish And 1. Corinthians 8.6 Vnto vs there is but one God which is the Father of whom are all things in which places the word God is taken personally as it is also in the Greede when wee say I beleeue in God the Father But the whole Trinitie is called Father in two respects first because hee is the fountaine of the God-head and the fountaine of all loue election and saluation the will of the Father going before the will of the Sonne in order not in time Secondly because howeâ—â—â— wee pray to Christ and to the holy Ghost as we doe to God and howeuer all the workes of the Trinity be vndiuided that they doe all saue and not the Father only yet they doe it by degrees Christ saueth vs insubmitting his will to his Fathers will the holy Ghost saueth vs in perswading and leading vs to goe to Christ and froâ— Christ to the Father so as our praiers are made vnto God in the name of Christ his Sonne by the direction of the holie Ghost Againe in that we name him Father learne that all our security and assurance that our praiers shall be effectuall and that we shall speede in our sutes and requests lieth in this that we are his children and so all that wee doe and performe pleaseth him no further then the person pleaseth him And therefore Dauid Psal 7. 17. 26. making a commemoration of his vertues as that there was no wickednesse in his hands that he had purposed his mouth should not offend that he had not hanted nor sorted himselfe with dissemblers doth it not the rather to moue God to heare him and to incline his eare to his petition but by these testimonies of a good conuersation
God is dishonored and therfore thou must not slightly wish or earnestly pray for though this be well done a change of this corruption and a restitution both of the creatures and of man their head into the state of blessednesse and incorruption but thou must euen in a corner by thy selfe breake foorth as it were into a passion of affection with sighes and grones euen such as may fill the heauens to wait after and to thirst for that day wherein God shall triumph in the fulnesse and perfection of all glory and wherein man shall stand and continue in an incomprehensible degreee of happinesse But alas we are so intangled with the baites and nets of this vaine world that our affections sway vs to a cleane contrary course thinking our feete are neuer sure enough nor haue hold enough on the earth so pleasant doe wee esteeme our habitation here that we would thinke our selues most happie though heauen were neuer our inheritance if we might alway liue heere compassed about and enuironed with these false delights Which doth too much bewray our want and defect in meditation on heauen and heauenly things and sheweth what a scantling we keepe in Christianity outwardly onely to professe it and neuer to enter into the chamber of our hearts to see whether it be furnished with such holy Christian and religious sighs and grones as set forth commend the affection of such a Christian as vpon the comparison of these short troubles with that eternall weight of glory which shall come hath already planted his heart in heauen Lastly obserue hence that it is not possible for the reprobate but it is proper and peculiar to the elect onely to lift vp their heads in hope and expectation of this redemption which is signified by the Apostle in two phrases and speeches heere vsed namely that such sigh as first haue receiued the first fruites of the spirit secondly such as wait for adoption neither of which doe euer befall the reprobate for they may spring vp and flourish for a time but they haue no roote nor take no sap from the spirit and happily they may be weary of the world Gen. 4.13 as Cain was of his punishment by they haue no anchor of any other hope vnlesse they ioy to goe to hell which ought to moue vs with all heedfulnesse to looke to our waies and to labour our ingrafting into Christ for the world passeth Heb. 1.11 and both it and wee are folded vp as a garment and to dust we must and yet out of dust we must arise And if while we be in the body wee can be burdened and sigh that mortality might bee swallowed vp of life then are we most happy and happy in that alone but if thou findest thy selfe empty of such affections that thou canst not sigh for thy redemption which sheweth thou dost not hope for thy saluation then art thou of all men the most miserable and the estate of the beasts is better then thine for they sigh for the liberty of Gods sons and they shall haue part in this blessednes and thou shalt see it and then shalt mone thy selfe thou wantest it Iob 10.18.19 for if the earth might be thy graue and thou mightest perish in the dust thou mightst yet conceiue happinesse in senslesnesse after this life ended For wee are saued by hope In this the Apostle proceedeth to proue that as it is necessary for a Christian to grone so is it also to wait for the day of redemption which hee doeth after this sort We are saued by hope that is all our saluation standeth and consisteth in hope for hope apprehendeth and laieth hold on things absent and inuisible Heb. 11.1 Ephe. 3.9 Pro. 13.12 according to that speech Our life is hid in Christ that is so hid as it will be found though as yet it be not seene now hope that is deferred must needs as Salomon saith bee the fainting of the heart and therefore for feare of this fainting the Apostle releeueth our hope with patience Where we learne that it is the duty of euery Minister to salue vp all breaches and to resolue all doubts that any way may perplex the heart and soule of a weake Christian after the example of the Apostle heere who to releeue the infirmities of the faithfull against the storme of affliction setteth before them the crowne of glory which they haue wonne in the field by their fighting And because this glory was not present but followeth the battell and when the combat is ended then commeth in victory he sheweth though this glory and reward bee not subiect to the sight yet Christians haue an affection in them which is hope that nourisheth and staieth their expectation for a time the heart in the meane time leaping and being established through hope that it will come and yet that they may not bee discouraged in their hope though this glory come not so soone as it is looked for hee giueth them the plaister of patience which shall sustaine and support their hope for he is certaine that hath promised but not to bee prescribed a time by vs but hee must take his owne time and our patience must preuent all distrust Euen so must the feeders of the flocke deale with their people in all cases of doubt and wanering in matters of faith and religion so to compasse and beset the soule with reasons and arguments as it may rest secure and haue the food of comfort ministred vnto them against all doubts and perils that may arise For such ought Ministers to be Mat. 13 52. as are able to bring foorth of their treasure both new and old cures and remedies both against the auncient wilinesse and the fresh and new subtilties and temptations of that old serpent Further obserue we must not vnderstand this speech We are saued by hope as we doe this We are saued by faith For nothing doth concurre in the matter of iustification with God aboue but faith so as the meaning and sense heere is that our saluation consists in those things that we hope for and it were better tranflated We are saued in hope than we are saued by hope Heb. 11.1 for faith is the ground and foundation of hope for what can we hope for vnlesse we beleeue it As the ground of faith is the word and promise for why should we beleeue but in respect of God his promise Faith telleth vs we beate not the aire hope biddeth vs hold on our race finish the course fight the cumbat and then expect the crowne of glory Yea faith is sustained by hope that it doe not wauer and contained by hope that it doe not hasten but waite the time and it is confirmed by hope that we may hold on the faith Mat. 15.22 Example of this we see and haue in the Canaanitish woman who suffered three denials at Christ his hands each of them doubled with seuerall reproches and yet fainted
complaining by grones and cries with the eies fixed vpon the mother this doubleth the compassion maketh her verie bowels to yearne with pitie Euen so the Lord more kind then a mother lendeth his louing and tender eare to our bitter complaints but being astonished with griefe that we cannot but onely crie out in hope and expectation of some help and we lie pained not able to expresse it this doth more enlarge the bowels of his compassion and then he gathereth our reares into a bottle and wipeth our eies and putteth his hand into our side to heale vs and regardeth as preciously such maner of speechlesse vtterance as any praier vttered in feruencie and vehemencie of words Which is a most singular comfort for Gods chosen that the clouds of affliction can neuer be so thick but a heartie sigh will scatter them yea come what will no time can be so euill nor tyrant so bitter or cruell that can stay vs from groning though through weight of torment they may stop vs from speaking as Dauid saith Psal 38.9 I powre O Lord my whole desire before thee and my sighing is not hidden from thee for none can refraine the heart from sobbing Yet must wee not abuse this comfortable doctrine to our fleshlie libertie to make vs sluggish in praying to the Lord and thinke onely a mentall prayer or a desire conceiued though not vttered to be enough for this speechlesse prayer is onely permitted in the bitternes of the heart and when the venime of affliction hath seized vpon the outward man in such a case and in such a time if we cannot speake with Anna 1. Sam. 1.13 we may with her wag our lips bee wee neuer so old Otherwise wee must say with Dauid Psal 57.8 Arise my tong and then arise vp my glorie for there is no instrument so fit to set foorth our wants and it is no excuse for thee to say the Lord knowes thy heart for so doth he know thy wants also before thou aske and by that reason neither the panting of the heart nor the paines of the lips should be requisit For the third point that is for the effect and efficacie of our prayers that they comming from the spirit must needs speed haue good successe obserue when it is said The Lord knowes the meaning that there is a speciall propertie of this word to be vnderstood for knowing is taken here for approuing as Rom. 7.15 What I do I know not that is allow not nor approue that Ido so Mat. 7.23 Depart from me I know you not that is approue you not for he knew them well inough So Psal 1.6 The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous that is approueth it and in the same sense is it taken in the Prouerb 12.10 The righteous man knoweth the soule of his beast that is approueth it Why then this is the lesson that if our prayers haue an allowance and approbation with God we may be sure we shall reape the fruit of our lips and that our requests shall not returne emptie vnto vs but shall be as the doue that brought an Oliue in her mouth signifying that the flouds are ceased and that we may walke on the drie land The reason why our prayers must needs speed is because the same spirit that maketh vs pray doth make vs onely to pray for those things that stand with the Lords glorie therfore must of necessitie be granted for God cannot denie himselfe he and his glorie are inseparable 1. Ioh. 5.14 And this is witnessed by S. Iohn This is our assurance that if wee aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs and we know that we haue the petitions we desired of him So that it is not the worthinesse of our prayers that draweth Gods bountie to vs but the bounds and compasse wherein our prayers are limited and circumscribed that is ayming at nothing else and referring all to the will and pleasure of God which wee may be sure shall come to passe Euen as Iacob said Gen. 32.11.12 Thou wilt deliuer me O Lord from my brother Esau for thou hast said thou wilt do me good and 2. Sam. 7.21 Dauid saith O Lord I know thou wilt blesse my house because of thy word for thou hast spoken it Many there bee will say I haue prayed often and cried incessantlie for the increase of faith and yet I finde it as weake and my flesh as sinfull as it was before And thus Sathan perswadeth thee thou prayest not according to Gods will for if thou hadst bene his and hadst belonged to him he would haue giuen thee faith at thy first request But thou must beate backe this temptation which is but to lull thee in securitie by this answer that thou must thinke thy lot and thy portion to be no better then Dauids who Psal 69.3.4 brake forth saying O Lord I am wearie with crying and mine eyes faile while I haue waited for my God for the Lord will haue thee to continue in prayer not to wearie thee but to trie thy patience how long thou canst wait so as if thou speakest and the Lord seemeth not to heare thee double thy prayers vpon him for he maketh himselfe deafe to make thee more quicke and feruent If he listen to thee and yet thou obtainest not perseuere and continue for at last the Lord will incline to thy petition and from his throne will he send thee a chearefull message In Saint Luke we haue an example of one that asked but three loaues Luk. 11.8 and by his importunitie got as many as he would So may the pâ—â—ore widow bee our paterne Luk. 18.5 who by her multiplying of her sure witâ— many words obtained right of the vniust Iudge and therefore much more shall we by our instancie with the Lord obtaine what in faith we shal desire for out of the very words of the Apostle here we may learne first that it is certaine we shall haue it though it be vncertaine when it shall be cast vpon vs for Christians must endeuour to striue to this to haue Iacobs spirit and resolution that though the Lord fight with vs and would faine shake vs off yet not to let him goe till we haue forced a blessing from him and haue our petitions granted And we must haue the strength of the womans faith in the Gospell Mat. 15.22 as not to feare three denials of Christ hand to hand for her constancie and perseuerance were rewarded double first with the commendation of her faith secondly with the health of her daughter which was the thing she craued And euen so at length shall our prayers bee requited with the perfect cure of all our infirmities Secondly marke and assure thy selfe that if thy prayers made now be not presently heard thou shalt be rewarded in a time thou least lookest for and when thou art vtterly out of hope of that thou didst craue as we may see Luk. 1.13 Zachary and
that he hath a name at which all knees shall bow and this name is giuen him so as he hath it not as God for being God nothing could be giuen him Phil. 2.13 so as he hath it not as God for being God nothing could be giuen him but hee hath it as man and God for his bare humanity could not deserue this neither yet to be gouernour of all the world Now for the third which is the priuiledge we haue by being his brethren they are chieflie three First we are by this heires and fellow heires with him of all things in this life and in the life to come as appeareth vers 16.17 of this chapter Secondlie by this followeth and from this commeth the soueraigntie we haue ouerall creatures as 1. Cor. 3.22 Whether it be the world or life or death all things are ours for we are Christs and Christ is Gods and being vnder Gods wings no man neither dareth and though his stomacke bee neuer so good yet hee hath not the strength to hurt vs for the Lord will keepe vs as the apple of his cie Thirdlie by this though the Angels be farre aboue vs in nature yet we haue one of our nature better then they that is Christ and through him they doe all become our ministers Heb. 1.4.7 Christ is made more excellent then the Angels and he maketh them but his messengers Now for the degrees wherby the Lord doth execute this his eternal purpose for the first of them which is calling it is wrought by the holie Ghost as the principall cause and by a double instrument the holy Ghost vseth first the preaching of the law whereby we are brought to a holie despaire of our selues by the sight of our owne corruption that we may seeke for remedie in the profound sea of the Lords vnsearchable mercie The second the preaching of the Gospell whereby hee anointeth our eyes with the eye salue of the holie Ghost Col. 2.13 that being dead in sinne and not so much as dreaming of saluation the sound of the Gospel doth awake vs that we may heare that hearing we may liue Hereupon it is said that the Lord doth draw men and pull them vnto him as Christ saith Iohn 6.44 No man can come vnto me vnlesse the father draw him that is doth separate them from the cursed generation of the world and sets his inward seale vpon them that is his spirit and brandeth them in the forehead with a visible marke of holinesse of life that euery man may know them to be the Lords Hereupon also it is said that the Lord doth open the hart with the key of the Gospel as Act. 16.14 he is said to open the heart of Lydia and as Psal 40.6 he boareth the eare and softeneth the heart and moisteneth it with his grace that aboue all things a man shall esteeme of the pearle of the Gospell and be brought chearefully to sell all he hath to buy such a iewell as shall bring him righteousnesse to saue his soule so as this calling of the Lord is to this end to manifest and to secure a man in his soule that the Lord hath giuē him to Christ out of all the world Here may be obiected are not all vniuersally called by grace We answer No for first all men are not called effectuallie secondly some are not called at all Some are called externallie by the Preachers mouth and saluation is offered them by the ministerie of the word and sacraments and the kingdom of God is come to their dores and peace is shewed them and the glory of Ierusalem is set before them Math. 22.3 but yet we see of them that were bidden to the mariage there were three sorts not effectually called first they that being called carelesly refused to come being possessed with the cares of this world and with voluptuous liuing secondly they that cruelly persecured the inuiters messengers of the Bridegroome not onely refusing to come being called but disdaining to come as scorning such cheare and faring euery day better themselues at home thirdly they that came hand ouer head neuer looking to their feet before they entred into the Lords house nor neuer changed their attire but came without the wedding garment of a holy life So wee reade that of the foure sorts of ground that receiue the word and the seed thereof Mark 4.4 one sort onely shall be saued not that we must vnderstand it as if of foure hearers there should be but one saued for the Lord may haue mercy vpon a whole congregation to saue them but three sorts of them filled with seuerall affections that vouchsafed to come and to stand before the Lord as hearers were reprobate that is such as did not beautifie the profession of the Gospell with a holy life And truly of them that come and feed vpon the word and yet be reprobates it is wonderfull to see how farre they goe euen in the right course for first they may be enlightned generally in the knowledge of the truth and may taste of the heauenly gift yea and be partakers of the holy Ghost Heb. 6.4.6 and yet may fall away neuer to be renewe◠by repentance Secondly they may haue faith Luk. 8.13 for a time not counterfeit yet not truly sincere for in the daie of trial they fall away like fruit from the tree with a blast of wind yea they may take ioy in the word as Herod did Mark 6.20 who was glad to heare Iohn Baptist and with Herod they may for a time do many things at the request of Gods Ministers Mark 16.20 And for outward reformation swine we know may be washed so may they leaue off and discontinue some grosse sins for a time when Sathan being for a season cast out of them doth not worke so forciblie in them as Math. 12.34 the Pharises and Sadduces may for nouelties sake come to Iohns baptisme and for a time speake good things when they are euill and yet be but a generation of vipers yea they may wish with Balaam to die the death of the righteous Num. 23.10 iustifying in their owne conscience the course of holinesse and which is more they may partake of all the graces of God sauing that one grace of sanctification and yet they may seeme to bee sanctified as Hebrews 10.29 they tread vnder foot the Sonne of God and count the bloud of the new Testament an vnholy thing were with they were so sanctified Now others there be that are not called at all and these be of two sorts either those to whom the Lord hath denied the verie contemplation of the booke of nature as children that die as soone as they be borne who if they be elect it is by a supernaturall power of the holy Ghost if they be reprobate it is iust in respect of their naturall filth and corruption that did cleaue so fast vnto their bones for in that they die it proues they had finned and
escape And this doth set foorth the loue of God the fulnesse of it and the depth of it being not to be comprehended of all the hearts of men ioyned in one though euery one of them were wiser then Salomon but is onely to be reuerenced and adored of all Further in this deliuering vp of the Sonne of God to death we may obserue a reconciliation of two extremes infinit iustice and infinite mercy both which the Lord performed in this action Infinite iustice in that the Lord will be paid all his debt for rather then he will be vnsatisfied the bloud of Christ shall paie all for what dishonour had it beene for the King of heauen to haue suffered the Serpent to haue so insulted vpon his Maiestie and wretched man to haue so rebelliously defaced his image and so presumptuously charged him with malice and enuie yet to haue set him scotfree If the Lord had borne these indignities at our hands it had too much blemished the power of his iustice and therfore he could take no lesse satisfaction then a sacrifice of bloud and that this bloud must issue streame out of the veines of the hart of Christ hath shewed him to haue set an infinite price valuation vpon his iustice yet hath the Lord withal heerein set foorth his most perfect infinite and endlesse mercy that though he would not forgiue the debt yet he paid himselfe for God did suffer and this is such a thing as no mortall man in the same action is able to shew forth We reade of one Zaledicus king of the Locrenses that went about such a matter who making a law that who so defloured a woman should lose both his eies it fell out his owne sonne was the first that brake it whereupon the king would haue had the law executed vpon him prefering the loue of iustice before the loue of nature but what by the obtestation and intreatie of his nobles instant vpon him and what through feare of tumult and insurrection threatned if he would not dispence with the law in this yoong Prince who was of great expectation for his towardlinesse and in great fauour with the people for his vertue at last the king resolued to satisfie the law and yet to shew mercy to his sonne and therefore whereas the law was that such an offendour should lose both his eies he caused one of his sons to be put out and one of his owne shewing mercy in putting out one of his owne and iustice in putting out one of his sonnes but this was not perfect for then in mercy hee should haue put out both his owne eies or in iustice both his sonnes And no maruell for how can flesh and bloud imagine to reach the wisedome of God when our vnderstandings are but as the stubble carried to and fro with the winde and we our selues but as dust ashes that cannot reach the depth and dignitie of so glorious a Prince Now for the second point for whom this Sonne of God was giuen vp it is said for all that is for all beleeuers for so Christ expounds himself Ioh. 17.20 And therfore execrable is the opinion of Andreas a Lutheran who holds that God deliuered vp his Son for an vniuersall saluation meaning thereby to saue all if all will be saued for they that will not beleeue saith he condemne themselues But we say the purpose of God was not that Christ should die effectually for all for first he neuer died for those he neuer prayed for and Iohn 17.9 he prayed not for the world Secondly if Gods purpose had bin to haue giuen him to death for all without exception then how is it that some are already damned others haue no faith and shal be damned here after either his purpose being to saue them is frustrate and void or else God cannot do it and so something should resist the power of God which is blasphemie to thinke If God had such a purpose and after seeing the incredulitie of man he should change his minde then the execution of his will should depend vpon the incertaintie and instabilitie of the euen which doth derogate much from the al sufficiencie of God and therefore we say that hee was crucified for none but for such as haue their garments dipped in the bloud of the Lambe but for such as haue their faith burning like a lampe but for such whose workes proceed from an vndefiled heart and whose praiers through Christ his helpe ascend to the euerliuing God Further consider in these words He deliuered him vp to death that this very phrase and maner of speech is attributed to Iudas who is called Traditor a deliuerer vp or a traitor How shall we then determine of this Shall we challenge God to be euill because he deliuered him vp or excuse Iudas because he executeth that which God had purposed God forbid for neither is God to be accused that Iudas wrought with him in the same action nor Iudas to bee excused for deliuering him vp according to Gods purpose Your wicked hands saith Peter Act. 2.23 haue crucified him whom God in his determinate counsell had deliuered vp Why then shall Iudas be blamed being but the instrument Because as Iudas did it it was most wicked he doing it by the instigation of the diuell his heart being possessed with couetousnesse and blinded with infidelitie yet was it good in respect of the end whereto God had ordaine it though as it proceeded from his poisoned heart it was most execrable for alwaies the action of the instrument beareth the name or is denominated from the affection of the instrument and therefore Iudas betraying his Master for thirtie peeces of siluer it was a most damnable sinne in him and the turning of it to the saluation of the faithfull was onely the worke of God It may be said God did appoint Iudas to doe it for nothing is done but by his appointment how then can Iudas be blamed We answer this by a double comparison or similitude the soule giueth power to a lame limme or member of the bodie to mooue and to stirre yet may not the power of the soule be blamed for the lamenesse of the limme for the lamenesse thereof doth not enter into the soule neither proceedeth from the soule but from the bodie though the soule be the cause of the motion Euen so the Lord moued Iudas to the action but the imperfection and sinne in the action proceeded not from the Lord but from the diuell that had corrupted his heart And no more then the brightnesse and heate of the Sunne can be said to be the cause of the stench of the caâ—kas or the corruption thereof can reach to defile the Sunne no more can the holinesse of God excuse in any action the wickednesse of man or the wickednesse of man defile his holinesse The incestuous wickednesse of Absolon the mischieuous purpose of Achitophel 1. Sa. 16.21.22 Gen. 37.27 the hatred of Iosephs
if any fall with Dauid he may and shall rise againe with Dauid if hee pertaine to God but then hee must earnestly and soundly repent as Dauid did and to come to a true and serious confession of thy sinne indeed it shall be the hardest worke and cost thee dearer then euer any thing did Againe who would be so foolish to make of a particular and rare example a generall ground as to fall with Dauid for company to rise with him for company and because thou feest one sore wounded with a dagger to be cured to desire to be stricken with the same dagger to be healed with that man for company Nay if any hath falne from that grace he hath once receiued let him pray that he may rise againe but let him know that being falne if he had all the hearts in the world and could shed fountaines of teares he should finde them all too little and insufficient to lament soundly so as the Lord would come againe to comfort him Lastly heere may bee doubted since the spirit must not be quenched and that as hath bene taught before it must be maintained or else it will decay whether it be in vs to nourish this spirit as well as to quench it To this wee answer with Paul Philipp 2.12.13 Make an end of your saluation with feare and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both the will and the deed euen of his good pleasure so as we must feare but we must also worke And this spirit cannot be idle in vs so as wee must not stand gaping looking that the Lord should fill vs with his graces but wee must worke because the Lord worketh vpon vs. So then the Lord doth all meerely of his grace But heere is humilitie and diligence commended to vs and therefore doeth the Lord by his Ministers exhort vs to good workes to make vs more circumspect and chearefull in doing them for the holy Ghost worketh not absolutely and simply in vs but vouchsafeth meanes it selfe being the chiefe efficient to prepare the mind to receiue that grace to which wee are exhorted euen as wee all liue by Gods prouidence yet not without bread And as the safetie of a childs riding standeth in the fast holding of the father yet the words of the father to bid him hold fast maketh the childe more warie euen so exhortation maketh vs more warie in auoiding sinne for we are not dead stones but liuing instruments and therefore as we performe liuely actions of the bodie so must we haue spirituall operations of the minde the fruite and benefit whereof is discerned by the power and strength of the holy Ghost who worketh both in vs and by vs. Now for the second point which is the meanes how the commandement of not quenching the spirit may be best obeyed It is by making much of the Word and the Preachers thereof for by prophesie is meant such as haue the word of exhortation in their mouthes and of whom it is said Esa 59.21 The spirit that I put into their mouthes shall neuer depart from thee nor thy seede Whereby wee learne that as the spirit is giuen by the word preached so is it also maintained by the word preached and as there is no light without the Sunne no fructifying of the earth without the windowes of heauen be open nor no lampe burning without oile so is there no faith begun and continued without we be established in the word of grace Now if we finde sometimes no heart in the word but that it is irksome to the eare and vnpleasant to the sound let vs not therefore refuse the meanes and exclude our selues from hearing for oftentimes a stomacke is gotten by eating and though the spirit be quenched in vs in this grace yet let vs come where this grace is offered and though we heare not sometimes with such a rellish as we would and ought to doe yet let vs pray that our hearing may doe vs some good and that by hearing our stomacke may come againe And if we heare often and forget it yet let vs do that in this kinde of sicknesse which we doe in the distemper of our naturall bodies eat the oftner if wee eat much and cannot retaine it to digest it so if we cannot remember what we heare let vs heare the oftner because our memories are so weake so as if there be any preaching not neglecting our callings let vs partake of that foode and the Lord may in mercie so much blesse our diligence as we may by one Sermon learne so much as may comfort vs in the houre of death Lastly as in generall diseases of the bodie as in an ague all parts are weake but principally the stomacke yet it receiueth a medicine and the disease it selfe prouoketh vs to that so if Satan haue weakened thy stomacke so much as thou hast no list to heare the word let this dulnesse be so farre from discouraging thee as that it make thee lust and desire the more after it For as Paul said to the Centurion Act. 27.31 Except these abide in the ship yee cannot be safe when they of themselues would needs haue gone foorth and yet Paul had the absolute promise before that himselfe and his whole companie should be safe but this was conditionall if they obeyed the meanes that is if they abode in the ship Euen so they that despise the meanes of hearing refuse the mercie of reforming their liues and of mollifying their hearts whether they refuse of rashnesse as heare or heare not it is all one or of distrust as though I heare it will do me no good for assuredly except we heare as often as wee can we cannot maintaine this spirit and going out of this ship that is departing from the word preached it is not possible to be saued TITVS chap. 2. vers 11 12. verse 11 For that grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared verse 12 And teacheth vs that wee should denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world THE Apostle in the 9. and 10. verses going before did exhort seruants that were professors to shew themselues obedient to their masters according to the flesh in all things without offence to God and chargeth them that though they be in a base low degree yet they should labour to adorne the doctrine of Christ Now in the 11. verse he addeth a forcible reason to his former exhortation because that grace that is the doctrine of the Gospell which c. hath appeared to all men that is to all conditions of men that it might instruct them to lay aside prophannesse concupiscence of the eies all things that sauour of the world and to liue iustly toward men and religiously toward God waiting for the glorie to be reuealed The words diuide themselues into two parts the first commendeth the excellencie of the teacher which doth instruct vs namely the
present euen as the time of our life is for Gods children most bee like the rod of the Almond tree spoken of Ierem. 1.11 which in those countries where it groweth is the first that blossometh yea we must not onely giue the first fruits as vnder the law but euen all the fruits of our liues to the Lord for God often punisheth the want of his fear in our youth with the want of wisedome in our age if our godlines be not present he oftentimes cutteth vs off before we can see the time to come Neither yet must we thinke it sufficient to cherish godlinesse in our hearts no not in our chambers but it must be as a light set vpon a hill that not onely Gods children may see it for their direction but that euen the world may see it for their condemnation as Christ saith to his disciples I haue sent you to walke in the midst of a froward and crooked generation yet must they walke still for by this open profession of godlinesse we shew whose liuerie we weare and that we are not ashamed of the crosse nor abashed at it Howbeit this course of godlinesse which we must liue in is no more nor no lesse then an absolute resignation and giuing vp of all things in respect of God which standeth in three things first in giuing vp our reason secondly in denying our affections thirdly in framing our mind to a moderation in what estate the Lord shall set vs in For the first wee must resigne vp our reason to religion in two respects first for that it is an incomprehensible mysterie which is vnsearchable secondly for that the ignominie thereof is vnsufferable in our reason as to thinke that he is blessed that is hungrie they vnhappie that bee rich and that the Lords correction is loue For the second which is the giuing vp of our affections it will teach vs so to walke and so to deale as in the presence of God it will make vs plough vp those furrowes of pride and vaine-glorie which lie so deepe in our hearts and when by the instigation of our affections we are mooued to riot or voluptuousnesse it will make vs abstaine because we haue giuen our selues to God For the third to haue a willingnesse to suffer what the Lord sendeth will make vs resigne vp those inordinate cares of getting wherewith wee are oftentimes perplexed and to content our selues with that portion the Lord hath shared out vnto vs so as by religion and a godly life we shall learne to say with Dauid O Lord thou hast done it therefore I hold my peace and not only to beare an outward contentment in worldly things but euen in all calamities to rest vpon the mercifull hand of God IAMES chap. 2. vers 20.21 verse 20 But wilt thou vnderstand O thou vaine man that the faith which is without works is dead verse 21 Was not Abraham our father instified through workes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the altar THe word of God hath two parts in it first it is a word of wisedome secondly it is a word of knowledge by knowledge to reforme the iudgement and to conuince the conscience by wisdome to perswade the affections to the obedience of that we haue truly learned Saint Iames here indeuoreth to perswade that none could be saued without works and he proueth it by a double example of Abraham and of Rahab Wilt thou vnderstand c. as if he should say If that set downe before cannot sufficiently take root to affect thee and to perswade thee that without the workes of a holy life thy faith is no better then a diuels faith take this example of Abraham for all thou wilt grant that Abraham was an excellent person and had true faith and that the couenant was so made with him that none should be saued vnlesse they were of his seed either according to the flesh and spirit or at least according to the spirit And since the couenant was made with him and he was saued by faith so must all we be saued by his faith that is by a faith of the same kind that his was for there is but one faith though there be diuers measures of it Now Abraham had an approued faith as it is proued by this one act and worke of his for all because it was the principallest of all in that he staied not nor demurred vpon the Lords commandement in offering vp his fonne the greatest worke that euer flesh and bloud did except his that was more then flesh and blood namely Christ And because the Iesuits as hardened enemies against the truth haue strangely peruerted this place we must vnderstand a difference betweene these speeches Faith without workes is dead and Faith that is without workes is dead for by the first speech may bee thought that works giue life to faith which is most false but the second speech is true workes being a necessarie consequent of faith and an infallible signe that faith hath gone before euen as in these speeches to say The body is dead without breathing and the body that is without breathing is dead for if wee affirme and attribute the cause of life to breathing it is false for the soule is the cause of life in the body but the other speech is true for the body that hath no breath in it is deadâ— and where breath is it is a signe there is life So to say the tree that is without fruit is dead is true but not to say the tree without fruit is dead for the tree that standeth in the ground is not fruitfull we may well say is dead at the root but when the sap lieth at the root we may well say there is life in the tree though there be no fruit on the branches Now the aduersaries argue thus No dead faith can iustifie faith without workes is dead therefore no faith can iustifie without workes as if they should say Christ Iesus neuer raised vp himselfe without his humanity therefore his humanity helped in raising vp his flesh which is most blasphemous Howbeit Christ separated from his humanity was neuer raised vp this is must true So they in their former argument referre iustification to workes which is most false but if they had concluded therfore faith that is without workes cannot iustifie they had done well for thereby had been proued that works had been inseparable from faith but not that they concurre for faith is alone euer in iustifying but neuer alone in the person iustified euen as the eye alone of all the parts of the bodie doth see but the eye that is alone separate from the other parts of the body doth not sece at all but is a dead eye Was not Abraham c. Heere consider two points first in what sense this is true secondly why this worke aboue the rest is commended and registred for a proofe of Abrahams faith The words heere set downe are directly contrary to the
words Rom. 4.2 Abraham was not iustified by workes and therefore they must be so reconciled as both places may bee true lest contrariety and variance appeare in the spirit of God which cannot be This is like those speeches vttered by Christ My Father is greater then I Ioh. 5.17 19. Iohn 10.30 and in another place I and my Father are all one and I count it no robbery to be equall with my Father which is spoken in a different respect the first in the person of a mediator the second in the person of the Godhead So Saint Paul taking the word iustifying for iustification before God said true and Saint Iames taking the word iustifying for iustification or approuing of his faith before men saieth true also but the word being taken in one and the same sense it were impossible for an Angell from heauen or for Christ himself to reconcile them And the reconciliation which the Papists make of these two places fighteth directly with Paul for they say faith and workes doe iustifie Paul saith faith onely iustifieth So as when Paul speaketh of iustifying by faith hee meaneth that whereby wee are acquitted by Christ and doe appeare perfect before God in him and Saint Iames taketh it for being iustified in the sight of men that is declared and approued to bee iustified when our holy life answereth to our holy profession And that the word Iustified is thus vsed and taken in this sense as Saint Iames doth appeareth Psalme 51.4 That thou maiest be iustified when thou art iudged that is declared to bee iust So Luke 7.29 the Publicans iustified God that is declared him to bee iust and in the same place it is said Wisedome is iustified of her children And Luk. 10.29 it is said the Lawyer was willing to iustifie himselfe that is to shew that hee was iust and it is likewise prooued out of the text it selfe Shew mee saith Saint Iames thy faith shew it to mee not to God Againe Saint Iames had falsified and abused the Scripture if he had taken the word iustifying in the sense to be made iust for the sentence that Abraham was iustified had passed the Lords mouth many yeeres before the sacrificing of his sonne for this that hee was iust was pronounced long before Ismael was conceiued as appeareth Genes 15.6 and therefore taking the word iustified to bee made iust hee could in no sort bee iustified by offering vp his sonne because he was iustified before but the meaning of Saint Iames is that it was approoued by this act and worke of Abraham that God had not saied before in vaine that hee was iustified and Rom. 4.10 it appeareth Abraham was iustified in his vncircumcision and this worke Iames speaketh of was done long after his circumcision To this the Papists reply thus Though Abraham was iustified before hee did this worke before God yet there is a degree to bee more iustified and so this place of Saint Iames may bee taken to bee a further iustification and an increase of faith before God as well as not To this wee answer that one pardon from God sufficeth for all sinnes and one droppe of blood serueth for all offences but because our faith is weake that we are not able to apply this bloud all at once therefore it is said that we must grow from faith to faith and he that is washed in the bloud of Christ is all cleane but our sanctification in this life leaueth some grudge and tang of corruption and maketh our feete impure as Christ speaketh Iohn 13.10 so as with God wee are iustified all at once and there is no proceeding by degrees in respect of him for blood pardons all but water that is our renewing groweth by degrees Now for the speeches of Saint Paul Rom. 4.4.5 and Rom. 8.30 that none are iustified by workes the Papists say It is to be taken of the workes of the law ceremoniall but not of the law mâ—â—ll But we must note that Paul speaketh there of the law written in the tables of stone of that law that manifesteth sinne to bee sinne Thou shalt not lust c. which is the law morall and so their distinction false and friuolous Besides they were both the lawes of God and therefore a man may bee iustified as soone by the one as by the other for as Paul saith 2. Corinth 3.5 All our sufficiency is of God and of our selues we can doe nothing and but that the vaile is taken away in Christ the same couering remaineth which was in the old Testament vnder Moses And where Saint Paul saith Abraham was iustified without workes and no man shall bee iustified by the workes of the law True say the Papists by none of the workes of the law that he doth in the time of his infidelity but by them that hee doth after his conuersion he may be iustified And they say that forasmuch as the Apostle saith The workes of Abraham were done in beliefe therefore by this hee excludeth onely those workes done before faith to helpe his iustification So as by this wee see the aduersaries make two iustifications the first when of an infidell a man is made a professor which they say is by congruity when there is a certaine inclination in the heart of man to performe some good workes and yet for want of grace cannot the Lord seeing his heart thus prepared to be iustified doth call him and meerely of his grace doth iustifie him The second when a man is freely iustified by the grace of God then by this grace of God and his owne free-will say they hee may increase his iustification before God For the first we answer that none can be iustified by workes before faith for this is as if a tree should bring foorth fruite without a roote or a body should liue without a soule so in vaine is it to make a question of that cannot be for before wee haue faith it is impossible to worke or to thinke of a good work Secondly where they say that speech concerning Abraham is taken and to be vnderstood of his workes done before faith and that he was iustified by his good workes in faith this doth wholly eneruate and take away the strength of the Apostle his reason for Paul saith If hee were iustified by workes then had he whereof to glory with God Rom. 4.6 which speech extendeth as well to workes after faith as before faith for hee that deserueth any way may glory Secondly the Apostle saith Not to him that worketh but to him that beleeueth is righteousnesse due for if hee worketh hee hath his wages by desert that is say they he that standeth vpon his owne workes before faith without the assistance of Gods grace this man challengeth it by desert because hee did them without faith and grace which euasion and shift is most vaine for a man is not therefore made euill because he doth euill but he doth euill because he is borne euill so a man is
being but the herbinger and the person of Christ whose comming he proclaimed yea so great as he was not worthy to do him the basest seruice so much as to pull off his shooes this being a prouer be taken from those countries where trauelleâ—s going in the heat all day did accustome at their iourneies end to haue a seruant attendant to plucke off their shooes and to wash their feete In the speech there are two parts to be obserued first the abasing of himselfe and his office secondly the magnifying of the ministery of the Messias Here first note that Iohn doth not compare the baptisme hee administred with that the Apostles should afterward minister nor his outward signe of water with theirs as being any difference betweene them but he compareth his owne person with the person of Christ and that which he worketh visibly with water with that which Christ worketh supernaturally cleansing the conscience They therefore are deceiued that thinke 〈◊〉 baptisme lesse effectuall then this of ours drawne from the 〈◊〉 postles for in the substance there is no difference but onelyâ— the manifestation and perspicuity of it that as Iohn was plaâ—â— then the Prophets so were the Apostles and after Minister more plaine then hee which was signified by that speech a Christ Mat. 11.11 Hee that is least in the kingdome of God is greater then Iohn Baptist this being meant of their ministeries for the Sunne is the same both in the morning in his weaknesse and at nooâ—â— daie in his strength and there is the same humane nature is a child as in a man and no other baptisme in substance now then this of Iohns being both instituted by the same Lord. But the Iesuites challenge the Caluinists for making Iohns baptisme comparable with the Apostles for Iohns say they did not remit sinnes but he onely baptized them vnto amendment of life Wee answer first in neither of their baptismes there is any remission of sins this onely being in the power of Christ the institutor as in circumcision the cutting of the flesh in it selfe aâ—â—led nothing but the effieacy was in sealing to the conscience the beliefe in the Messias to come for many had outwardly that signe whom the Lord abhorred and if that did but secure the soule vpon an inward beleefe much more is baptisme now but a seale of righteousnesse vnto vs. Againe if their baptisme vnder the cloud was the same with Iohns so was that of the Apostles and could any of them giue any more then the external ministerie But Iohn say they baptized onely to amendment of life We answer as it is Marke 4. Iohn baptized to repentance and remission of sinnes and can there be any repentance without remission No for being promised both together they are receiued of the person both together Againe if this baptisme of ours and that of Iohns be not the same in substance then did not Christ sanctifie our baptisme in his flesh which is false for man can giue but the outward element and Christ alone doth purge the soule Secondly learne what power there is in the outward ministerie of men and in the outward seales for howsoeuer the Scripture doth magnifie outward means and the men as instruments as that Paul is said to saue soules and to haue begot Onesimus in the faith Philemon 2. Cor. 3.6 chap. 1. and our ministerie is called the ministerie of the spirit yet when the scripture will shew what either the men or the meanes separately and apart can do in their owne nature and that all is the worke of God onely then either the meanes are not at all mentioned or else they are woonderfully debased as Paul can but plant Apollo can but water but it is God that giueth the increase Heere Paul is nothing 1. Cor. 3.6 for the blessing is onely from the Lord the internall being opposed to the external for whensoeuer these be either opposed by comparing or compared by opposing then all is in God for God dealeth otherwise in disposing of things that nourish to eternall life then of those that helpe to the conseruation of this present life As there is some power and as it were an inherent vertue in bread to nourish in it owne nature and there is power of generation in man to beget but to awake the conscience and to clense the heart there is no power that remaines in the Ministers person or in the seales of Baptisme and the Lords Supper the Minister separately hee speakes and it is but a perishable breath as the voice of another man though they be the words of God Act. 16.14 for otherwise why should Lydiaes heart bee opened more then any of the rest of the hearers there was the same voice of man sounding into the same eares of men by nature And in Baptisme for himselfe the Minister can doe nothing but powreon water and the water is but naturall which can but wet the body and there is no power appropriate to it that of it selfe it is able to conuey any security to the conscience But doe not the words of institution worke something and bee they not operatorious to worke some change As the words bee pronounced with the organ and instrument of the mouth it cannot make the bread to alter the substance but the words haue this power to declare what the Lord will worke first for our selues that we must breake bread for the people that they must eate it This is my body shewing what the Lord will doe that wee must not be amazed in beholding the signes but lift vp our eyes vnto the Lord that giueth Christs bloud to the heart of euery beleeuer for there is no flesh in the bread nor vnder the bread nor with the bread These therefore haue no power to conney any grace to the soule for if they had then were all regenerate that receiue them and sometime regeneration preceeds and goeth before baptisme as in Cornelius Acts 10. sometime it followeth baptisme as in children And againe if there were any power in water of it selfe or by the words of institution then after the sacrament the water should euer remaine sanctified which we see contrary for it doth putrifie like common water And no more doeth the Sacrament depend vpon the intention of the giuer and consecratour then it doth vpon the intention of the receiuer for it was as true a sacrament and as effectually offered to Simon Magus and to Iudas as to the other of the Disciples for the same Sunne shneth to all though some doe shut their eies Further obserue and beware that we doe not make duos totos baptismos two whole baptismes one of Iohns another of Christs but onely of one whole baptisme two parts as of one whole man we make two parts body and soule one is as in the law a circumcision with the hand cutting the flesh the other cleansing the conscience by faith in Christ Neither do we make them two thâ— God
separates for it is the same word of life in it selfe but not to them that eate it not to the elect it is effectually conueied to the reprobate it is truely offered by God but separate by their vnbeleefe Therefore let vs consider the analogy and naturall relation in baptisme the externall thing is water such as is common the thing inward is the very bloud of Christ answered by the signe The application of water to the clensing of the body is answered by the applying of the holy Ghost the effect of water is to purifie from filth so is it of the bloud of Christ to purge from sinne and this two waies by killing and renewing by nortifying and quickning by the dipping in the water is represented the death of Christ and his resurrection signified by pulling out of the water that as we are buried with him in Baptisme so we shall rise with him by his spirit Why but hath Iohn no power but to put on water euery man may doe so and how is it then that 2. Cor. 3.6 Paul saith God hath made vs ministers of the spirit and not of the letter for there he compareth the Law to the Gospell Moses to the Apostles Moses gaue vnto the people the two tables which was onely a commandement externall for he could not change his owne heart nor apply his owne soule to the performance of the law but it was onely as if a man should write to a blind man to bid him reade or to a deafe man to bid him heare And can Paul doe any more to conuert the Corinths No but this is the difference the preaching of the Gospell which is the ministery of the spirit doth not onely require faith but giueth faith to be saued for of it selfe it is as easie to keepe the law as to beleeue Why but Paul saith to Timothy 1. Tim. 4.6 Attend on the worke of preaching to saue thy selfe and others and Paul of himselfe saith I begat you and Mal. 4.6 it was prophesied of this Iohn that he should conuert the hearts of men This is most true when the externall and internall doe ioyne and iumpe together and when they are not compared by opposition but are comprehensiuely taken together then we can bind and loose sinnes and as Leuit 16.16 then the Priest shall make thy soule cleane But as it was said that there was in paradise Genes 3.22 the tree of life not that it had any life in it but that they that should eate of it should liue for euer and so of the tree of knowledge which was so called by the effect it wrought making vs to know what good we lost and what nakednesse we fell into so it is said that we forgiue sinnes Iohn 20.23 because the word of reconciliation is put into our mouthes not that we doe it by any absolute authority but necessarily because our commission extendeth to it by God And so all morall matters vnder the law were but a meere pageant sauing that they sealed to them the inward which was the blood of Christ and where such efficacy was giuen to the sacrifices there the inward thing was attributed to the outward so as we must still hold that all power and sufficiency is of God 2. Cor. 3.5 Further obserue that Iohn of necessitie must giue water or else Christ can giue no bloud and except there be planting and watering nothing can grow So as we must learne to submit our selues to the ministery else can wee not ordinarily expect for any grace at Gods hands for he giues but increase and blessing to his worke-mens labour and though the voice of the Preacher be but a vanishing voice wanting power to affect the conscience and vertue to illuminate the eies for the voice cannot pierce the soule yet wee must humble our selues to Iohns ministery for by this voice doth the Lord giue life and as hee cannot hope for fruit that neuer sowed nor expect for wine that neuer planted no more can hee looke for life that neuer heard for faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10.17 and without faith there is no saluation So as vnlesse we doe embrace this ordinance of God to follow them whom hee hath made his armes to reach forth vnto vs the bread of life we can neuer beleeue and except we desire to be sealed with the great seale of heauen committed vnto them wee shall neuer be saued for as it is said Gen. 17.14 euery soule contemptuously refusing circumcision shall bee cut off and he that despiseth the bread doth betray and crucifie the Lord Iesus as the Iewes did that bad away with him Iohn must be regarded because he puts on water for who is not glad to receiue his pardon by the person of any and why should their feet bee contemptible that bring vs such newes from the mouth of God And if wee dare not in paine of damnation but thinke reuerently of the seales that is of water and bread in the Sacraments how much more must wee reuâ—â—â—ce the doctrine that is of far greater maiesty for the Sacraments are but blankes without the word Further consider heere in Iohns baptizing to amendment of life that as all Sacraments are couenants and in couenants there is alway something agreed on betweene both parties so in Baptisme God promiseth to receiue Christ to redeeme the holy Ghost to sanctifie and on the other side we promise to beleeue this and to repent vs of our transgressions For as Baptisme sealeth vnto vs remission of sinne so also doth it seale as it were from vs amendment of life and to whom soeuer the Lord sealeth this assurance that he will saue him to him also he sealeth regeneration and newnesse of life And as Paul saith Rom. 2.26 if vncircumcision beleeue well it shall bee saued rather then circumcision that is if the outward signe bee separated from the inward and not accompanied with cleannesse of heart and obedience to the commandement hee that wants the outward seale and yet is circumcised in heart is more to bee accounted of then the other Therefore let vs looke and take heed we performe the vow wee made before God and his Angels in our baptisme namely as to beleeue the promises so to repent and reforme our liues for he that will assure himselfe of the benefite of Baptisme must see what power he hath to subdue his corruptions He will baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire That is by the holy Ghost Christ will seale the pardon of their sinnes who hath the same power that fire hath as first to burne vp all trash and stubble secondly to purifie things that are to be purged thirdly to giue light in darkenesse fourthly to quicken things that are benummed and stiffe with cold So as let vs examine our selues whether wee haue felt these effects of this spirit for if he filthinesse and frâ—â—â—dnesse of our nature be burnt vp and consumed if our harts be swept and cleansed from vile and loose