all according to the Oracle A father of many nations have I madethee He is the father of all the faithfull not effectually to beget them and to worke their faith and conversion so God onely is their Father begetting them by his Spirit But analogically and by proportion that as fathers doe transmit to their naturall Children inheritance and other rights of theirs so hee for the grace of the covenant given to him should as a father transmit to the beleevers the righteousnesse and blessednesse promised and given to him That which is proper to Christ is spoken of him In him shall all the Nations of the earth bee blessed Gen. 18 18. In thy seed that is Christ as Paul interprets shall all the Nations of the earth bee blessed Gen. 22 18. So he is called the heire of the world Rom. 4 13. Act. 7 Of Canaan a type of heaven and as the best part of the earth as a type of the whole world to bee possessed of Abraham and his seed specially the head of that seede Christ. This inheritance of heaven and earth he receiveth from God through the righteousnesse of faith and transmitts it to all his Children in all the Nations of the earth that is such as beleeve unto righteousnesse and so are adopted Children and heires of heaven and earth Psal. 37 20. 1 Cor. 3 21. So in death the faithfull were gathered into the bosome of Abraham their father and sitte with him in the kingdome of heaven the Church gathered out of the universall as his Children for number like the starres of heaven In this is set forth the dignitie and felicitie of Abraham in his paternitie that all the Nations of the world beleeving should bee his Children whereby appeares that all have not equall honour and felicitie that have saith equally precious Abraham and all the faithfull are equally just by imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ unto them But they are not in this honour with him to have the place of paternitie to all the faithfull The Pope usurpes in calling himselfe the head of all the faithfull it was never given him of God it is his miserie that so many flatter him in his unjust usurpation It implyeth that there is but one faith and way of salvation under the Law and Gospell Heb. 13 8. Acts 15 11. Heb. 6 12 and 11. By faith they obteined testimonie y t they were righteous and stand as so many witnesses that onely by beleving in Christ resting the soule wholy on his obedience for our whole felicitie is the way to life from that promise The seede of the woman shall breake the Serpents head By what faith Abraham was saved his seed are saved There is one saith both for that which is beleeved common faith once given to Saints Titus 1 4. Iude. v. 3. And in respect of that kind of faith by which wee doe beleeve though for number there bee so many faiths as there bee beleevers yet for kind Abrahams faith and all that have savingly beleived is one and the same for ever not in degree his measure was strength in faith most beleevers now are weake in faith Papists are to prove their right in claiming to be children of Abraham seing they have not nor teach twice damnable teaching contrary to the faith of Abraham applying Christ the blessed seed to himselfe laughing in joy of his felicitie of which his Sonne was called Isaack and Christ in whom hee beleeved testifyeth that hee saw his day with rejoycing though a farre off yet with gladnesse in respect of his owne salvation in him To that purpose Christ urgeth his example to the Iewes that would not beleeve their owne salvation in him you will not come to mee that you might have life Iohn 5. They make two other claimes to heaven merit of person in Children or such as newly converted are taken away by death that working is prevented and merit of workes both concurring augments they say glory and the latter confirmes the former that it is not lost a straunge voyce not heard of Gods people that will not go after a straunger because they know not his voyce They blaspheame imputed righteousnesse It followes that to have comfortable assurance of salvation we must prove our sâ—lves Children of Abraham that proved the other is sure that is 1. By being of faith to rest on Christs merit inherent in his owne person without any worke done out of grace or in grace of ours trusted in as any part of cause to salvation As God preached the Gospell to Abraham and hee beleeved Gal. 3 7 8 9. Rom. 4 1 2 5. To be borne by vertue of the promise as Isaack Gal. 4. Rom. 9. 2 By being in Christ by faith Gal. 3 29. If yee be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heires by promise Which is to bee knowne by having the Spirit of Christ in us to doe the workes of Abraham Iohn 8. 39. Michah 2 7. Iames 2 22. By the illumination of the Spirit annointing and healing our minds to discerne difference of things true or false good or evill 1 Iohn 2 20 27. To preserve us from evill wayes and evill men Prov. 2. 2 By regeneration in giving and increasing the godly nature 3. By governing or leading Rom. 8 14. 4 By consolation Iohn 14. The comforter 5 By confirmation giving a constancie in the worke of righteousnesse to worke righteousnesse at all times Ps. 106. Verse 10. The Sonne of man is come to seeke and save that which was lost This is a defence of the action of Christ in his going in to Zacheus hee came for lost sinners Zaccheus and his household are such Ergo he offends not he doth nothing against his office in going in to him Though wee may not for a passive scandall which is 1. By ignorance of some 2. By malice in others forbeare the duties enjoyned us by the Lord as appeareth Math. 15 Yet as occasion is wee are to give a reason of our doing in generall for holding and professing truth contrary to the worlds opinion as why wee are not as the Pagans as the Iewes as the Papists as prophane men in the number of them that are in profession of true religion 1 Pet. 3 15 Bee readie to give a reason of the hope that is in you Our Saviour submitts himselfe to this order Mat. 9 11 12. Why eates your Master with Publicans and Sâ—ners his defence is it is the calling of Phisitians to be with the sicke that have neede of him 2. Mercie is preferred to Sacrifice 3. I am come to call sinners to repentance verse 13. So Luke 15 By three parables hee justifieth his mercie to sinners by their diligence that seeke things lost which they would recover and that graduallie 1. The woman her groat lost out of ten the sheepeheard his sheepe out of an hundred the father and the fathers joyfull receiving of a dead and lost sonne His answere and defence of the womans
was but his base borne sonne not in lawfull copulation Thirdly against the Commandement written in his heart Thou shalt not kill Fourthly against the promise Gen. 21 12. In Isaack shall thy seed be called the posteritie propagated by Isaack onely to be reckoned for the seed in which heeâ— would performe the promises made to him which circumstance might directly fight against faith whereby hee beleeved to receive the blessing in the life of Isaack All which notwithstanding he obeyed spedily Gen. 21 3. Abraham rose up early in the same morning c. Hee was not long in resolving neither desired respite but presently addresseth himselfe to this worke Ioseph warned in a dreame to go into Egypt with Iesus and his mother to disappoint Herods bloudy purpose to take away his life hee tooke them by night departed into Egypt Paul when God called him to preach the Gospell among the heathen immediately he consulted not with flesh and bloud but resting in Gods authority hee buckled himselfe to the worke Gal. 1 16. And when hee knew certainly that God called him into Macedonia to preach the Gospell he forthwith prepared to goe Act. 16 10. The Iailor when God converted him tooke Paul and Sylas into his house and washed their wounds and set meate before them the same houre of the night and was baptised straightway with all that were in his house verse 33. It is required in every duty that it be done with forwardnesse Our preaching requires a double aptnesse one for conveying â—itly unto the understanding of others the knowledge which God hath given unto us a grace faculty of communicating our doctrine with apt expression for instruction and edification of others Secondly a willing propension to take all opportunities Meeknesse and long suffering devouring indignities so long as there may be hope 2 Tim. 2 24. 25. Bâ—th wayes doctrine 1 Pet. 5 2. Hearing requires drawing neere to it Eccles. 5 1. Swiftnesse to heare Iames 1 19. Desire to heare 1 Pet. 2 2. In giving almes readie to distribute willing to communicate 1 Tim. 6 18. Not differring the poore of their desires Iob 31 16. not bidding them come againe to morrow if wee have it now to give them Prov. 3. 28. In beleeving in Christ God requires the present time now therefore bee wise kisse the Sonne least hee bee angrie Psal. 2 10. In repentance Now therefore saith the Lord turne ye unto mee Ioel 2 20. First seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse Math. 6 33. Now consider this ye that forget God Psal. 50 22. As saith the holy Ghost which is added for more reverence and quicker yeelding to the exhortation To day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Heb. 3 7. Ministers are to remember their hearers of this dutie to bee readie to every good worke Titus 3 1 Being made meete for their Lords use by sanctification and prepared to every good worke they should have propension of will and a readie mind to doe good things to Gods glory to be presidents of good works continually given thereunto The writing of the law in their heart is a delivering of them into the forme of the doctrine bringing the commandement and their heart together they agree presently with pleasure and delight Psal. 40 8. This readinesse argues reverence of the Commandement and of Gods authoritie as obedience is set forth by fearing the commandement Prov. 13 13. Ezra 10 3. The feare of God is as the root and the keeping of the Commandements as the fruit Eccles. 12 13. The more reverence the readier obedience Heb. 11 7. It glorifieth the word of the Lord shewing it is lively and mighty by the Spirit going with it Act. 13 48. As when Christ commanding the divell to goe forth of the possessed hee went out the people amazed at it spake among themselves saying What a word is this what new doctrine is this they referre the glory to the doctrine in the powerfull effect of it they saw something in it more than humane so call it new Thus when the Lord commands an adusterer to be chaste and a drunkard to bee sober a niggard to be liberall the profane to be holy and it is as he commands forthwith it is the glory of his word causing that to stand sorth which was not As the kingdome of the Messiah is prophecied of the eyes of the blind shall bee opened and the eares of the deafe shall bee unstopped then shall the lame man leape as an Hart and the tongue of the dumbe sing Esay 35 5 6 And a high way shall bee there and a way and it shall be called the way of holinesse The uncleane shall not passe over it but it shall bee for those the wayfaring men though fooles shall not erre therein v. 8. For 〈…〉 xhortation to sinners to be abrupt in their repentance and not to take dayes for returning fooles to forsake their way readily to walke in the way of understanding they have made haste to sinne good reason they should hast to come to the Lord for life and godlinesse and all that perteines thereunto David professeth that upon consideration of his wayes hee turned his feet unto Gods testimonies he made haste and delaied not to keepe his Commandements His subjoyning a negation of the contrary answerable to that which he affirmed notes his earnestnesse overcomming all impediments and difficulties true zeale burning up his corruptions 1. A man must either turne to God or bee turned into hell if hee repent noâ— hee perisheth and his torment shall bee answerable to his sinnes the impenitent are said to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2 5. So the fire will burne sorer as it is said of the hypocrites in heart They increase or heape up wrath because they cry not when God blinds them Iob 36. 13. Sinning of maliciousnes rooted stubbornesse they doe as it were kindle the fire more and more which shall burne them as the fire will bee hotter by heaping on more wood so by adding sinne to sinne and binding them together they augment the curse which shall consume them God saith enough to interrupt their presumption if they had any heart as that hee will not be mercifull to them his anger and jealosie shall smoke against them and separate them unto evill according to all the curses of the covenant Deut. 29. 19 20 21. That hee will set their sinnes in order before their eyes Psal. 50 21. These things hast thou done These things thou hast not done Math 25. Both sinnes of omission duties not perfourmed and of commission evill workes they shall will they nill they reade the catalogue of them in a distinct order and in the full pitch and degree of evill and perceive by experience that the Lord hath not forgotten any of their workes Amos 8 7. They are sealed up among his treasures Deut. 32 34 Which hee will in due time bring to light Hee
the Gentiles to whom hee was an Apostle they also were the called of Iesus Christ though by nature Gentiles sinners vile yet by calling highly advanced to the dignitie of Gods Children Worke out your salvation follow till ye apprehend it bee diligent in adding graces follow hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Phil. 3 12. 1 Tim. 6 12. Nothing can give us more courage to strive to eternall life to fight for it than this that we know God hath called us to obtaine it for wee gather from thence that our labour shall not bee in vaine but God will bee with us and prosper us reach us his hand To this house Gods mercie is such that calling the Master of the family the household have salvation come neere to them Luke 10 5 6. Into what house soever ye come say peace to this house if the Sonne of peace bee there your peace shall rest on him The sonne of peace one that favours the Gospell of peace or is worthy of the prosperitie wished to the house as Math. 10 11. Inquire who is worthy in it and there abide not y t there is inherent dignitie in any man living but the elect in Christ are counted worthy Thus gets hee the blessing into his house not onely for himselfe but to his thus many times God joynes the household in faith with the householder Iohn 4 53. Act. 10 2 and 16 15 33 34. Acts 18 8. The Apostle Paul speakes of Baptising not onely some particulers as Crispus and Gaius but the household of Stephanas 1 Cor. 1. 14. 16. He saluteth Philemon and the Church in his house Philem. verse 1 2. So Aquila and Priscilla with the Church in their house Rom. 16 3 5. And sends salutations from them to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 16 19. Aquila and Priscilla with the Church that is in their house salute you greatly in the Lord the Church understand their household whether godly children servants kinsfolks which living together in one house do together worship the Lord and privately exercise all offices of pietie that it may well bee called a private Church God blesseth the indevours of the Master of the family that they submit at last to outward duties as Abraham found all his males subject to Gods commandement that day in which God commaunded it It may bee they are not alwayes internally and from their hearts obedient Câ—in was for outward sacrifice subject and conformed as Abel was so Cham for forme of religion as Shem and Iapâ—et It seemes neither Lot in Sodom nor Noc had their servants in obedience to God because Noc had none in the Arke nor Lot brought any out of Sodom yet it is like they had servants at least Genes 19. The husband may beleeve and the wife remaine an infidell the wife may beleeve and the husband continue in insidelitie yet there is hope which must move indevour to winne the contrary minded 1 Cor. 7 16. 1 Pet. 3 2. Let us exhort men to strive to place themselves in families where the Master is the Sonne of peace it may be better for body and soule the household partaking in the blessing of peace with him As they that live in a visible Church though yet they bee not sound at heart yet for the time partake of diverse blessings for the faithfuls sake among whom they live Yet it is not safe to trust in being in such places for fellowship of persons unlesse they bee in fellowship of faith two in a house shall be devided yea two in a bed one taken and another left Every man must live by his owne faith It is daungerous to bee willingly under a wicked governer or one of his house for as the creature is subject to vanitie for the sinne of man Rom. 8. And the creatures except the fishes perished in the flood with man that by his sinne abused them Gen. 6. So it is not safe being a wicked mans beast Exod. Yet there may be Christians in a family where the familie is not Christs Paul salutes them of Aristobulus but not him as it seemes as remainiug still in infidelitie and they which are called in the household under an infidell husband or Master are not easily to forsake their place but to honour their Master in the superioritie in which Gods providence hath placed him over them 1 Tim. 6. There were Saints in Neroes house 2. Let beleeving governers of families set themselves with hope about the reducing of them that bee under theÌ„ to the Lord God does much for their sakes specially toward such as belong to Gods Election in his house 1 Iohn 5 16. The covenant of God includes his with him 1 Cor. 7. In so much as he also is become the Child of Abraham To be the Child of Abraham is to bee freely elected Rom. 9 8. To walke in the steps of the faith of Abraham Rom. 4 12. To do the workes of Abraham Iohn 8 39. Whereof is rightly collected the expectation of salvation Rom. 8 29. That Salvation and being the Child of Abraham put one the other none but the Child of Abraham saved none the Child of Abraham but is saved The blessing that commeth upon men in Christ is called the blessing of Abraham Gal. 3 14. The promise is made to Abraham and his seed Gal. 3 16. He saith not seeds as speaking of many but seed as speaking of one which is Christ. The blessing of Abraham is righteousnesse everlasting life which proceeds of the redemption by Christ from the curse of the Law he being made a curse for us So as now malediction sinne hell have no authoritie over us Christ redeemed us and for us bare the curse due to all our sinnes Christ is the storehouse of the blessing of Abraham the promise of which blessing was made to Abraham and his seed that is Christâ— Heavenly blessednesse in the blessed seed And all both Iewes and Gentiles by faith implanted into him and becomming one with him are the seed Gal. 3 29 and heires of all the promised blessings Abraham is called the father of all that beleeve either Iewes or Gentiles Rom. 4 11 12. Faith was imputed to him when hee was uncircumcised for righteousnesse and after hee was justified hee received the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnesse of the faith which hee had when hee was uncircumcised that hee should bee the father of all them that beleeve not being circumcised that righteousnesse might bee imputed to them also and the father of the circumcision not unto them onely which are of the circumcision but unto them also that walke in the stepps of the faith of our father Abraham which hee had when hee was uncircumcised verse 16 17. All the seed have the promise assured according to grace not onely the Iewes that are of the Law but the Gentiles that are of the faith of Abraham the father of us
by nature Ephes. 2. And the of God wrath abides upon them Iohn 3 36. They live under the covenant of workes and so under the curse for breaches of the Law Wee may gather hence the wofull condition of the Iewes that have stumbled at the stumbling stone they are enemies for the Gospell sake because they refuse Christ Iesus Rom. 11. They dye in their sinnes Iohn 8. without pitty and mercie And so of the Turkes of whom wee cannot conceive better than a company of damnable creatures for any thing wee know left to perish everlastingly they waiting on lying vanities forsake their owne mercie they worship they know not what millions of men going to hell in death because not receiving Christ the onely Saviour the Salvation of God In a word in no religion but the Christian in no Christian religion but the reformed is salvation to be found Papisme saves none though some among Papists may bee saved Bulling in Apoc. 7 10 Such as hold the foundation and overturne it not 2. Such as erre of simplicitie not of special vengeance for not loving the truth 3. Such as are from their hearts obedient to the truth they see and are desirous to understand teachable ready to imbrace the truth in Christ Iesus being revealed unfeinedly repenting their unknowne errors But otherwise as papisme is that Apostasie spoken of by Paul the head of which defection is the man of sinne it saves none it leades into perdition the head of that apostasie is called the child of perdition And it is a deceiveable unrighteousnesse among such as perish their damnation who in the just judgemeÌ„t of God are delivered up to beleeve such lyes because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved 2 Thess. 2. Papisme overthroweth the fundamentall doctrine of Christian religion therefore it saveth not 1. In the point of justification Whittak de ecclesia Q. 6. Pag. 459. They have not that way of justification which the Lord hath set downe in his word They erre in the efficient matter and forme And as there being one way to a Citty they that have not that way cannot come into the Citty so there being but one way for justifying of a sinner if they have not that they are not justified and so not saved Iustification is before glorification Rom. 8 30. For the efficient cause the Scriptures put God of his love grace and mercie Iohn 3 16. It is God that justifieth Rom. 3. 24. Titus 2 11. Ephes. 2 4 5. The Papists teach that God justifieth but inclined and commoved thereunto by workes of preparation done by us merit of congruitie 2. The Scripture ascribes the efficacie of grace unto our calling and justification to God determinating the will by infusion of grace to will conversion which it willed not before The Papists denie physicall determination and affirme that God onely by morall perswasion excites the will and giveth sufficient grace to convert but leaves it in the power of the will to choose or to put away and make ineffectuall that grace In quo insignem dei gratiae iniuriam faciunt et uniâ—um nostrae salutis principiuâ—â—ollunt Concerning the matter of our justification the scripture puts onely the obedience of Christ unto the death Rom. 5 19. Rom. 8 3 4. The obedience of the Law and the obedience of the crosse Rom. 10 4. for full satisfaction and righteousnesse The Papists though they grant Christ to bee in himselfe most just and that hee fulfilled the Law and satisfied God most perfectly yet they deny this obedience to bee our justice They teach besides Christs satisfaction other satisfaction either in their owne persons by penall workes or by indulgence a remitting thereof for the satisfaction of others made theirs by bargaine and sale The foundation of which indulgence they make the treasure of the Church of the superfluous workes and satisfactions of the Saints They for this consider in the workes of the just a double valour one of merit which they say cannot bee applyed to another a second of satisfaction which is in some more than they need for themselves either having no actuall sinne as they say of the Virgin Mary and as some of them count piously beleeved that she had not originall sinne yet suffered much for God Luk. 2. A sword also shall pierce thine heart Iohn Baptist filled with the Spirit from the womb and lived innocently yet put himselfe to great ansteritie of life under hard pennance They suppose that such need not for their owne satisfaction therefore as superfluous to him it is laid up in the treasurie of the Church for such as want where with to satisfie God for their veniall sinnes and the temporall punishment of mortall sinnes Thus they adde to Christ helps to save from sinne and punishment on false ground 〈◊〉 There is no more reason why one mans satisfaction may with God pay another mans debt than his merit of workes procure for another man reward neither of them can properly be found in any sinfull man as every mere man is 2. It is blasphemie to say that godly mens sufferings are superfluous more than their sinnes require They have their fruit 1. In righteousnesse 2. In glory Heb. 12. Rom. 8 18. 2 Cor. 4. 1 Cor. 15 ult It were against justice in God The best cannot answere one of a thousand All whatsoever they can do or suffer for God according to his will is their duty Luke 17. And therefore can neither merit reward nor satisfie debt much lesse bee superfluous and aboue that they need for their owne use Math. 25 9. Virtus proximi mei vix sufficiet illi ad defensionem tantum abest ut et mihi Theophylact. 2. They make the matter of positive righteousnesse wherein wee stand just before God to bee inherent in our persons which because it is ever imperfect in this life and not without mixture of sinne never satisfying the Law we are necessarily under the curse if we trust to it to save us Gal. 3 10. Gal. 5 4. Ye are abolished from Christ whosoever will bee justified by the Law c. The forme of justification the Scripture puts in Gods gracious imputation of the obedience of Christ to us upon our faith in him Rom. 4 5 9 23. So faith is said to bee imputed to righteousnesse righteousnesse imputed without workes 2 Cor. 5 19 21. The scripture putts our justification in not imputing our sinnes Papists make the infusion of righteousnesse the forme of justification and merit of person and workes by Gods commutative justice deriding the true faith as a phantasticall apprehension imputed justice a new no justice or a putative justice 2. The Papists hold not Christ the head because they make other mediators as Angels and Saints which they trust in and worship Coloss. 2 18 19. 3 They have another Priesthood than Christs and another sacrifice propitiatorie and impetratorie Seeing salvation of the lost is onely the