woman beleeueth the Angell once assuring the promise which he a man was often told and that by the Lord himselfe It is said of Abraham Rom 4.18 That against hope he beleeued in hope that he might become the father of many nations according to that was spoken So shall thy seede be and being not weake in faith he considered not his body now dead when hee was about an hundred yeares old neither yet the deadnesse of Saraes wombe he staggered not at the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strong in faith giuing glorie to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to performe and therefore was it imputed to him for righteousnesse So holy Marie knowing her selfe to be a Virgine and by that ordinarie course of nature she could not bring forth a child yet minding there was a sure promise made by the God of truth recorded by a holy Prophet beleeued by all the Israel of God Behold a Virgine shall conceiue and beare a Isa 7.14 sonne and shall call his name Immanuel And seeing now the God of her fathers had spoken to her by his holy Angell Gabriel Luk. 1.30 Thou hast found fauour with God and behold thou shalt conceiue in thy wombe and bring forth a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus She firmly beleeuing that with God nothing is impossible that all the promises of God are most sure she strong and stedfast in her most holy faith gaue glory to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to performe made this sweete answer Luk. 1.38 Behold the handmaide of the Lord be it vnto me according to thy word It followeth then that as Abraham the Father of the faithfull was accounted righteous by beleeuing so likewise the faith of holy Marie was imputed to her for righteousnesse and so consequently for blessednesse as it is said Blessed is she that beleeued If any hard of beleefe take exception and say Maries blessednesse is auouched onely by a woman let such remember that Elizabeth that said it was both an holy woman a Prophetisse and the word of God speaketh euidently of her Luke 1.41 Elizabeth was filled with the holy Ghost Moreouer if any say we hold it for good that sound true and particular beleeuing the promises of saluation giueth assurance of full blessednesse but is Maries faith such in beleeuing she should beare a sonne yet remaine a Virgine still We desire such not to seuer things so nearely ioyned together her faith of hauing a sonne and her faith in her sonne who also is the Sonne of God blessed for euer For it is euident by the word that she both beleeued her own saluation by him the Messiah as Abraham did as also with a fuller light of knowledge that the hope of Israel should be her sonne By the one she hath a prerogatiue to be blessed aboue all women by the other a preeminencie amongst all the Lords holy ones By comparing Scriptures together we shall see very clearly that we ought not so to restraine the meaning of those words Blessed is she that beleeued We reade in Genesis Gen. 15.5 The word of the Lord came to Abraham againe One shall come out of thine owne bowels he shall be thy heire looke now vp to heauen and tell the starres if thou be able to number them and he said So shall thy seede be and Abraham beleeued the Lord and he accounted that to him for righteousnesse It is not to be gathered hence that Abraham was accounted righteous in beleeuing he should haue a wonderfull great posteritie like the number of the starres for multitude but he formerly beleeued this promise of the Almightie Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed Now the latter promise Gen. 15. containeth in it the former Genes 12. and hath ouer and aboue it a promise of the boundlesse enlargement of the Church which should be blessed with him by the promised seed euen by him who is called Shilo Gen. 49.10 Isa 7.14 Dan. 9.26 Immanuel and Messiah So the holy Virgine Marie euen before the Angell came to her soundly beleeued in the promised Messiah and that he should be the sonne of a Virgine as the Prophet Isaias had foretold but after that Gabriel the Lords messenger had reuealed more to her she beleeued that she was that Virgine to whom this dignitie and prerogatiue was freely giuen to be the mother of the most holy Immanuel So hauing the common faith of blessednesse with Abraham this peculiar faith aboue Abraham for he saw Christ afarre off but she felt him in her wombe first saw him manifested in the flesh heard his gracious words enioyed him as her sonne and Sauiour we may hold it as a manifest truth that she was before all in true and holy faith in the Sonne of the euerliuing God hauing testimonie of her faith and blessednesse from the whole Church of God as is prophecied All generations shall call her blessed Luk. 1.48 and from the sound and worthie fruits of sauing faith which are mentioned in the word It is among the praises of Abrahams faith by Christs owne mouth Ioh 8.56 Your father Abraham reioyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad Marie did not onely reioyce in God her Sauiour Luk. 1.47 but also magnified the Lord that is with heart and voice praised and extolled the greatnesse and goodnesse of God to her and the whole Church From her faith flowed the glorifying of God ioy and gladnesse to her owne soule and a comfortable reuiuing of the hearts of all the godly by witnessing in her sweete song the fulfilling of Gods promises for helping vp his seruant Israel Luke 1.54 We conclude then that the Virgine Marie was a gracious woman freely and fully beloued of God a Maide and a Mother a faithfull Israelite a primarie Christian an holy prophetisse a daughter of God by adoption a Mother of the Sonne of God by speciall fauor blessed in bearing Christ blessed in beleeuing in Christ blessed by him on earth blessed with him in heauen for euermore The first vse and fruite Which wee must reape by knowing and beleeuing that Marie was blessed in beleeuing is that we be taught and strengthened by her example to seeke all our blessednesse out of our selues in Iesus Christ as he is the Head of his body the Church Eph. 5.23 and by him as he is our holy Redeemer and Reconciler Rom. 3.24 And that this gift is giuen of God and receiued of vs by faith onely For that faith and no other grace giueth vs right vnto Eph. 2.8 and maketh vs owners of this blessednesse which is in Christ the proper act of this faith being to receiue Christ and apply him to vs in particular So that we must be soundly instructed and vnmoueably setled in this high holy doctrine of the excellency of faith and
euery one whereof deserueth Gods curse and damnation yet if we be truly humbled for them seeke vnto Christ and beleeue Heb. 10.19 We haue boldnesse to enter into the Holiest by the bloud of Iesus and are commanded that we draw not backe vnto perdition Heb. 10.39 but be of them that beleeue to the sauing of the soule For albeit our sinnes are as bonds death as a tormentor hell an eternall prison the diuell as a sergeant to arrest and as a iaylor there to keepe vs because we are indebted ten thousand talents to the great King who will haue the debt payd and we are vtterly vnable yet one comfort Ioh. 8.36 and but one is left vs. If the Sonne make you free ye shall be free indeed Now he hath freed the beleeuing as our High-priest Heb. 7.22 and as our suretie paying our debts to God for vs. Christ hath once suffered for sinnes 1. Pet. 3.18 the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God Colos 2.14 Yea hath blotted out the handwriting that was against vs and is a iustifier of him which beleeueth in Iesus Rom. 3.26 And like as Abraham with a strong hand rescued Lot his kinsman Gen. 14.16 when he was vnder the captiuitie of his enemies after the like manner Iesus our King and kinsman Colos 2.15 conquered Satan spoyled principalities and powers and deliuered vs out of his clawes For when the Iudge and the Law are satisfied what hath the Iaylor any more to molest the prisoner Yea such is Christs louing kindnesse to all vnfeined repenting sinners that beleeue with the whole heart seeke to him Tit. 2.14 that He redeemeth them from all iniquitie withall doth purifie them to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good works A second obiection and doubt Iam. 2.21 Was not Abraham our father iustified by workes when he had offered Isaac his sonne vpon the altar Out of these words of S. Iames some gather that to be freed from sin so to obtaine blessednesse for blessed is the man to whom God imputeth none iniquitie is for the merit and worthinesse of good workes To which we answer that not onely the words but the true meaning of them is diligently to be pondred lest we should thinke one Scripture to be contrary to another which cannot be Gather we then the true sense of them from the word it selfe for as no man can see the Sunne that shineth but by the light of the Sunne so neither attaine we to the right vnderstanding of the word but by the other Scriptures as this may clearely be vnfolded by the words of S. Iames going before For he well knowing that many who by their profession were Christians but in their conuersation Libertines and Epicures such as made shew of Religion but denied the power of it speakers of the word of God but not doers of his will euen such as turned the grace of God into wantonnesse laboureth to set before them the danger thereof and how they deceiued themselues either not vnderstanding or not regarding the nature of true faith he maketh it plaine to them that they had no true faith and by this argument that they had not such workes as necessarily proceed from a right faith Reasoning as our Lord Iesus Christ did Iohn 8.39 If ye were Abrahams children ye would do the workes of Abraham but ye go about to kill me that tell you the truth this did not Abraham Assuring them that faith if it haue no workes is dead in it self Iam. 2.20 Wilt thou know O vaine man that faith without workes is dead For as where there is no heate there is no fire so where there is no good fruit there is no true faith But where faith is there workes follow and flow from it as Abraham by a rare and readie obedience in a seruice so contrary to nature and in appearance also to the great promise made vnto him did make it manifest what true trust and stedfastnesse of faith he had in the Lords holy promises By faith Heb. 11.17 Abraham when he was tried offered vp Isaac and he that had receiued the promises offered vp his onely begotten sonne of whom it was said In Isaac shall thy seed be called God gaue testimonie of these fruites of faith when he said Gen. 22.12 Lay not thy hand on the child for now I know thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy sonne thy onely sonne from me On the other side an hypocriticall and dead faith Mat. 21.19 is like the fig tree with faire leaues but hath no fruite on it or if it haue a fruite all we reade of is compared to the faith of diuels the fruite feare and trembling Thou beleeuest there is one God Iam. 2.19 thou doest well the diuels also beleeue and tremble But true faith hath with it ioy and gladnesse 1. Pet. 1.8 Though ye see him not yet do you beleeue and reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious The manner of speech which the holy Ghost vseth must be carefully obserued if we will not fall into heresies What a dangerous noueltie of speaking is it to say holy works done in faith are satisfactory and meritorious of eternall life whereas the word of God onely saith Heb. 11.4 That they obtaine witnesse of righteousnesse As we reade By faith Abel offered vnto God a more excellent sacrifice â—hen Cain by which he obtained witnesse that he was righteous As faith that is effectuall and fruitfull giueth glorie to God for his goodnesse and true performance of all his holy promises in their appointed time so the works that spring out of it beare witnesse to our selues and others that we are not fruitlesse trees which are neare the curse but planted by the waters side that bring forth fruit in due season whereby God is glorified our hearts comforted and the faithfull praise God for vs. But on the contrary such as haue a bare knowledge assent vnto the truth or presumptuous perswasion not rightly grounded such as beleeue there is a God but beleeue not in God hauing no assurance he is their God their gaines in the end is to be deceiued of their hope and to be put in feare horror and trembling Yea the fearefull and vnbeleeuing shall haue their part in the lake which Reu. 21.8 burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death If any will yet persist to presse the words of Iames we vrge his words for our assertion who saith Iam. 2.23 The Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse and he was called the friend of God But to reconcile Paul and Iames vnderstand that Iames speaketh how Abraham was iustified declaratiuely but Paul actiuely or effectually which distinction ariseth both from the words handling of the subiect in question If we would compare Genes 15.6 with Genes
1. Pet. 1.4 That the inheritance incorruptible is reserued in heauen for you Yea that we might haue strong consolation we haue the Lords oath Heb. 6.18 abundantly to shew to the heires of promise the immutabilitie of Gods counsell for blessing vs. And as the Lord is true in his promises so is he cōstant in his loue the word witnessing that Iohn 13.1 Hauing loued his owne which were in the world he loued them vnto the end Hence it is that we haue boldnesse Ephes 3.12 Heb. 4.16 Rom. 5.2 1. Thes 1.5 and accesse with confidence by faith of him Knowing the power of the word The Gospell comming vnto vs in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance and the power of faith that it is a ground or confidence Heb. 11.1 A substance of things hoped for the euidence of things not seene The phrase or speech of Scripture is not to doubt of Gods loue to weene trow or thinke well but to haue cōfidence assurance to beleeue and to know Iohn 6.69 We beleeue and know that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Rom. 4.21 Abraham was strong in faith fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able to performe Most comfortable are the words in Iohn Behold what manner of loue the Father hath bestowed vpon vs that we should be called the sonnes of God Now are we the sonnes of God 1. Ioh. 3.2 and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but WE KNOW that when he shall appeare we shall be like vnto him for we shall see him as he is Paul vseth much vehemencie herein 2. Cor. 13.5 Proue your selues whether ye be in the faith examine your selues KNOW YE not your owne selues how that Christ Iesus is in you except ye be reprobates And in another place 1. Cor. 3.16 KNOW YE not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Martha speaking of her brother Lazarus that was dead saith Ioh. 11.24 I KNOW that he shall rise againe in the resurrection at the last day Can we know a certainty of the resurrection of the dead and may we not as well know the other parts of our faith which we confesse a particular and true assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and of our liuing euerlastingly in the kingdome of Christ Sure we are the Lord checketh doubting and reproueth staggering mistrust fearefulnesse vnbeleefe and wauering where we haue any promise to stay vpon Iam. 1.7 Let not him that wauereth thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. Mat. 21.21 Mat. 14.3 If ye haue faith and doubt not O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt and Why are ye fearefull Mat. 8.26 O ye of little faith If it be obiected that very faithfull and holy men haue doubted bene deiected and bewrayed their lacke of this assurance of faith as Ionas Ionas 2.4 when he said I am cast out of thy sight Dauid when he brake out Is his mercie cleane gone for euer Psal 77.9 doth his promise faile for euermore Iob when he ran into extremitie of passion Iob 6.9 O that God would destroy me that he would let his hand go cut me off To these and the like we returne this answer that like as the beautifull Sunne is sometime eclipsed and the light of it to vs-ward is diminished for a time and as Iacob when he had preuailed with God and got a blessing Gen. 32.31 yet halted on the one thigh so the holiest vpon the earth fall faile in dutie and yet recouer thēselues through the seed of grace which God hath put in them 1. Ioh. 3.9 and so constantly to the end persist in grace and sanctimonie Yet to make it plaine by a fuller manifestation know First that at the first conuersion of a sinner he hath not full assurance of Gods loue to him but beleeuing his sinnes are pardonable afterward by spirituall growth he cometh to perswasion they are pardoned lastly to an infallible assurance and certainty thereof as we reade of Abraham Rom. 4.21 8.38 and Paul Faith is first like a bud then a blossome and after fruite of a full growth Eze. 47.3 As the waters that issued out from vnder the Temple first tooke the Prophet to the ancles thē to the knees after to the loynes lastly became a riuer that could not be passed ouer so are the graces of God in his children small at the first and haue their growth both by degrees and by attending to the word of his grace 2. Thes 1.3 So Paul thanked God that the faith of the Thessalonians grew daily 2. Secondly by some fall into a heinous sinne faith is much weakned euen as a mans body is by a sharpe and sore disease which moued Dauid to cry Psal 51.11 Cast me not away from thy presence take not thy holy spirit from me restore to me the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free spirit 3. Thirdly in time of grieuous tentations when Satans suggestions moue him to thinke hardly of God and to thinke of himselfe that he is but an hypocrite deceiuing both himselfe and others though God be good to his Saints yet hath he forsaken him that he is no true member of Christs Church but as a dead branch Notwithstanding this fall in the spirituall combate there is a recouerie Psal 37.24 God putting his hand vnder that though he fall yet he falleth not away In such fearefull skirmishes it is with Gods elect as it was with the Patriarch Iacob in his trials for he once thought that he had lost three of his children Ioseph is not Gen. 42.36 and Simeon is not and ye will take Beniamin yet through the kindnesse of his God he receiued them all three againe to the great ioy and gladnesse of his heart So when faith seemeth to be quite lost and extinguished or at the most like a sparkle of fire couered with embers yet where it once was in truth it is recouered fully as in Dauid and Peter and manifesteth it selfe Mat. 8.25 somewhile in 1. Prayer for though fainting faith said We perish yet strugling and recouering faith cryed Ionas 2.7 Lord saue vs. Ionas soule fainted in him Yet remembred the Lord and his prayer came to him in his holy Temple Otherwise by 2. Hope On thee O Lord do I waite Psal 38.15 thou wilt heare me my Lord my God Why art thou cast downe my soule why art thou disquieted within me Waite on God for I will yet giue him thankes he is my present helpe and my God In 3. Humiliation also 2. Sam. 15.26 If he say I haue no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good in his eies The perplexitie of some in sundrie temptations is not vnlike Dauids and his men at Ziglag
the chastisement of his peace shall light vpon me Dan 9.24 To finish transgressions and to make an end of sinnes I will make my soule an offering and be cut off from the land of the liuing I will make my graue with the wicked Isa 53.10 and yet see my seede and prolong my daies and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in my hands I will make intercession for transgressors Dan. 9.24 and bring in euerlasting righteousnesse This will I do Psal 40.8 for the Law of God is in my heart The eternall Father being euer well pleased in his Sonne agreed yea before determined that this soueraigne Remedie should be propounded before he pronounced the sentence of iudgment Yea he plighted the Couenant of grace betweene him and man in few words but containing in them the fulnesse of true comfort and blessednesse The womans seede shall bruise the serpents head Gen. 3.15 Thus was the great controuersie decided and the disceptation ended Mercy and truth met together Psal 85.10 righteousnesse and peace kissed each other Iustice was satisfied Peace and Truth well pleased Mercie triumphed Sin was abolished Death destroyed Hel vanquished Satan troden vnder foote Man eternally saued Heauen opened Angels ioyfully sung Glorie be to God in the highest Luk. 2.14 and on earth peace goodwill towards men O that mans heart were rightly affected to reioyce vnspeakably praise God vncessantly for this glorious harmonie where the wisdome power mercie iustice and truth of God meete in one to worke mans reconciliation to God and his eternall blessednesse Psal 107.8 O that the redeemed of the Lord would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull workes to the children of men O what an incomprehensible loue is it that the Sonne of God Phil. 2.6 who being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God yet made himselfe of no reputation and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant and was made in the likenesse of man being found in fashion as a man he humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto death euen the death of the crosse Thus the blessed Immanuel that as Iacobs ladder Gen. 28.12 ioyned heauen and earth together must be equall to God to satisfie Gods iustice and procure his loue to vs he must be in the forme of a seruant a man a brother a kinsman Touched with the feeling of our infirmities yet without sinne In which holy mysterie Iob was well instructed when so confidently he reposed all his comfort in his kinsman Iob 19.25 in his Redeemer I know that my Redeemer the word is Goali my kinsman liueth and he shall stand at the latter day vpon the earth though after my skin wormes destroy this bodie yet in my flesh shall I see God Without this kinsman of our flesh and mighty holy Redeemer there is no coming to God but as Ioseph said Except your brother be with you Gen. 43.5 ye shall not see my face So high is Gods maiestie and so low is mans wretched estate that to make an vnion and attonement betweene vs we stood in neede of such a Mediator as must be both the Sonne of God and of the seed of Abraham The Physitions tell vs how the soule of man from heauen and the body from earth Bright in Melanch 9 are by the spirit of life brought to liue together in a maruellous concord and vnitie The soule is meerely diuine the body meerely a lumpe of earth but that which maketh either to affect other be as handfasted and comfortably to dwell together is the spirit though not so excellent as the soule yet cometh it from the diuine influence of life and not of it selfe earthy So the golden clasp whereby God will be ioyned to man dwell with him Ioh. 1.14 and in him is the Word incarnate equall to the Father and the holy Ghost touching his Godhead but inferior to them touching his manhood By him we haue accesse vnto God with boldnesse by him we haue right to the eternall inheritance by him we haue comfort in our strangest and strongest temptations It is written for our comfort that He is not ashamed to call vs brethren Heb. 2.11 saying I will declare thy Name among my brethren Ioseph highly aduanced in Egypt Gen. 47.11 did not onely preserue all his brethren from perishing in that great famine but procured also for thē and that with the Kings good liking that although as shepheards they were abhorred of the Egyptians yet they possessed Rameses in Gosen euen the best of the kingdome So our tender hearted Ioseph Christ Iesus our most louing brother flesh of our flesh hath reconciled vs to God and so preuailed for vs Luk. 12.32 That it is our Fathers good pleasure to giue vs the kingdome Let euery true Christian then be comforted with this free full and lasting loue of God towards vs in Christ and returne the sacrifice of daily true and heartie thanksgiuing and say Blesse the Lord O my soule Psal 103.2 and forget not all his benefits who forgiueth all thine iniquities and healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with louing kindnesse and tender mercies Blessed is she that beleeued THE SECOND DEGREE of the blessednesse of the blessed Virgine Marie is set downe in these words Blessed is she that beleeued Luk. 1.45 for those things shall be performed which were told her of the Lord. Blessed Marie beleeued in the Messiah and Sauiour promised as all the holy ones of that age did and in greater measure and daily shewed forth the fruits thereof Christ dwelt in her heart by faith before he was conceiued in her wombe She beleeued moreouer that He should be the blessed fruit of her wombe that the holy promised seede should be her seede that the Sauiour of all the elect should be both her Sonne and her Sauiour Her faith was holy sound and strong when passing ouer all earthly thoughts that might haue moued to doubtfulnesse she rested firmly and faithfully on the Lords word and promise with sure assent and much certainty saying Be it vnto me according to thy word Luke 1.38 Whereas Zacharias a man that walked in the ordinances of God without reproofe hearing the promise from an Angell that his aged wife should beare a sonne doubted through some vnbeleefe Luke 1.20 and therefore was made dumbe for a time till Gods promise was fulfilled Is it not a rare excellent and glorious faith to beleeue that which neuer any before did beleeue to haue sure confidence setled perswasion without wauering and to seale that God is true when the promise made seemeth contrary to all sense reason and experience Looke we on the faith of Abraham so often extolled in the Scriptures and consider if her faith was not as great stedfast holy and excellent as his if not more admirable in that a