highest degree of honour and dignity had descended to the basest estate of a Servant and to the reproach of condemnation and shamefull death should on the other side obtain most noble glory and excellent estate even the same which we had before That his Glory and Majesty might in proportion answer to his baseness and shame Which thing St. Paul also Phil. 2. 8. 9. 10. Eph. 1. 20. 21. 22. 23. Col. 1. 18. writing to the Philippians most plainly teacheth he became saith he obedient to the death even the death of the Cross And therfore God made him the head of the Church advanced him above all Principalities endowed him with the dominion of Heaven and Earth to govern all things exalted him to the highest height gave him a name that is above all names That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow both of things in Heaven Earth and Hell M. When thou namest the right hand of God and sitting dost thou then suppose and imagine that God hath the shape of a man S. No Sir but because we speak of God among men we do in some sort after the manner of men express therby how Christ hath received the Kingdome given him of his Father for Kings use to set Psal 110. 1. Mat. 20. 21 Eph. 1 22 4 15 16. 5 23 Coâ— 1. 18. them on their right hands to whom they vouchsafe to do highest honour make Lieutenants of their Dominion therefore in these words is meant that God the Father made Christ his Son the Head of the Church and that by him his pleasure is to preserve them that be his and to govern all things universally M. Well said Now what profit take we of his ascending into heaven and sitting on the right hand of his Father S. First Christ as he had descended to the Earth as into banishment for our sake so when he went up into heaven his Fathers Inheritance he entred it in our name making a way and entry thither Ioh. 14 2. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Ephes 2. 18. Heb. 10. 19 20. 22. Ioh. 17. 24. Ephe. 1. 22. 4. 15. Ioh. 16. 26. Rom 8. 34. Heb. 7. 25. 9. 14. 1 Ioh. 2. 1. and opening us the gate of heaven which was before shut against us for sin for sith Christ our Head hath carried with him our flesh into heaven he so mighty and loving a Head will not leave us for ever in earth that are members of his body Moreover he being present in the sight of God and commending us unto him and making Intercession for us is the Patron of our cause who being our Advocate our matter shall not quaile S. But why did he not rather tarry with us here in earth S. When he had fully performed all things that were appointed him of his Father and which belonged to our salvation Iob 14 31. â—7 4. 19. 30. he needed not to tarry any longer on earth Yea also all those things he doth being absent in body which he should do if he were bodily present he preserveth comforteth and strengtheneth correcteth restraineth and chasteneth Moreover as he promiseth he sendeth down Ioh. 14. 16 16. 26. 16. 7. 13. Rom. 5. 5. 8. 9. 16. 1 Cor. 12. 4. c. 2 Cor. 1. 22. Ephe. 1. 17. Rom. 8. 4 c. Col. 3. 1 2. Ephe. 4. 22. 30. his Holy Spirit from heaven into our hearts as a most sure pledge of his good Will by which Spirit he bringeth us out of darkness and mist into open light He giveth sight to the blindness of our minds He chaseth sorrow out of our hearts and healeth the wounds therof and with the divine motion of his Spirit He causeth that looking up to heaven we raise up our minds and hearts from the ground from corrupt affections and earthly things upward to the place where Christ is at the right hand of his Father that we thinking upon and beholding things above and heavenly and so raised up and of upright mind we contemne these our base things life death riches poverty and with lofty and high courage despise all worldly things Finally this may be Mat. 28. 18. Luk 1. 23. Ioh. 17. 2. Eph. 1. 20 21. Phil 2. 9 10. c. the sum that Christ sitting on the right hand of God doth with his Power Wisdome and Providence rule and dispose the world move govern and order all things and so shall do till the frame of the world be dissolved M. Sith then Christ being in his body taken up into heaven doth yet not forsake His here in earth they Judge very grosely that measure his presence or absence by hiâ— body only S. Yea truely for things that are not bodily cannot be subject to Sense who ever saw his own soul no man but what is more present what nearer what closer joyned then every mans soule to himself spirituall things are not to be seen but Ioh. 8. 58. 14 21. Col. 3. 1. Ephe. 1. 17 18. with the eye of the Spirit Therefore who so will see Christ in earth let him open his eyes not of his body but of his soul and of Faith and he shall see him present whom the eye seeth not M. But with whom doth Faith acknowledge that he is pecuâ—iarly and most effectually present S. The eye-sight of Faith shall espy him present yea and in the middest Joh. 14. 18. 21. Mat. 18. 19 20. 28. 20. whersoever two or three are gathered together in his Name it shall see him present with them that be his that is with all the true godly even to the end of all worlds What said I it shall see Christ present yea every godly person shall both see and feel him dwelling in himself Ioh. 14. 23. Ephe. 3. 16. 17. Col. 3. 11. â—uke 2 23. 17. 20 21. Iâ—h 6. 15. even as his own soul for he dwelleth and abideth in that mans soul that putteth all his trust in him M. Hast thou yet any more to say hereof S. Christ by ascending and sitting on the right hand of his Father hath removed and throughly rooted up out of mens hearts that false opinion which sometime his Apostles themselves had Mat. 20. 23. Luke 24. 21. Acts 1. 6. conceived namely that Christ should raign visibly here in earth as other Kings of the earth and worldly Princes do the Lord would pull their Error out of their Ioh. 18. 36. minds and have us to think more highly of his Kingdome therefore his Will was to absent himself from our eyes and from all bodily sense that by this means our faith may be both stirred up and exercised Ephe 1. 18. Col. 3. 1 2. to behold his Governance and Providence that is not perceived by bodily sense M. Is there any other why he withdrew himself from the earth into heaven S. Sith he is Prince not of some one Land but of all Lands of the world yea Mat.
1. 19. 20 dead and to very hell it self that both the Souls of the unbeleiving felt their most painful and just damnation for Infidelity and Satan himself the Prince of Hell felt that all the power of his tyranny darkness was weakned vanquished and fallen to ruine on the other side the dead which while they lived beleived in Christ understood that the work of their redemption was now finished and understood and perceived the effect and strength thereof with most sweet and assured comfort M. Now let us go forward to the rest Mat. 28. 6. 9. Mark 16. 6. 9 Luk. 24. 6 7. 14 15. Ioh 20. 14. 19. 20. 26. 8. 2. 1. 4. Act. 1. 3 4. 8. 21. 24. 32. S. The third day after he rose again and by the space of forty daies oftentimes shewed himself alone to them that were his and was conversant among his Disciples eating and drinking with them M. Was it not enough that by his death we obtain deliverance from sin and pardon S. That was not enough if we consider Rom 1 2 3. either him or our selves For if he had not been risen again he could not be thought the Son of God Yea and the same did Mat. 27. 40. 41. 42. Mark 15. 30. Luke 23. 35. 37. they that saw it when he hung on the Cross reproach him with and object against him He saved others said they himself he cannot save Let him now come down from the Cross and we will beleive him But now rising from the dead to eternity of life he declared a greater power of his Rom 1. 2 3. Heb. 9. 27. God-head then if in descending from the Cross he had fled from the terrours of death To dye certainly is common to all and though some for a time have a voided death intended against them yet to loose or break the bonds of death once suffered and by his own power to rise alive again Rom. 1. 4. 6. 4. 9 14. 9. 1 Cor 15. 54 55. 57. Eph. 1. 20. Col. 1. 17 18. 1 Joh. 3. 8. Heb. 2 14 that is the proper doing of the only Son of God Jesus Christ the Author of life by which he had shewed himself the Conqueror of sin and death yea and of the Devil himself M. For what other cause rose he again S. That the Prophesies of David and of Psal 16. 10. Mat 12. 40. Act 2. 26 31. other holy Prophets might be fulfilled which told before that neither his body should be touched with corruption nor his soule be left in Hell M. But what profit bringeth it unto us that Christ rose again S. Manifold and divers For thereof cometh to us Righteousness which before Rom 4. 25. Rom 6. 5 11 12 13. Col 3. 1 2. we lacked thence cometh unto us endeavour of innocency which wee call newnesse of life thence cometh to us power virtue and strength to live well and holily thence have we hope that our Ioh 11. 25. Rom 8. 11. 1 Cor 15. 21 22 23. Rom. 8. 11. 1 Cor. 15. 20. 14. 16. mortall bodies also shall one day be restored from death and rise whole again For if Christ himself had been destroyed by death he had not been our deliverer for what hope of safety should we have had left by him that had not saved himself It was therefore meet for the person which the Lord did bear a necessary help for us to salvation that Christ should first deliver himselfe from death and afterward Rom 8. 11. 1 Cor. 15. 20. 20. 21 22. 1 Pet. 1. 3. he should break and pull in sunder the bands of death for us that so we might set the hope of our salvation in his Resurrection for it cannot be that Christ our Ephe. 1. 22. 4. 15 16. 5. â— 23. Col. 1. 18. head rising again should suffer us the members of his body to be consumed and utterly destroied by death M. Thou hast touched my child the principall causes of the Resurrection of Christ now I would hear what thou thinkest of his ascending to Heaven S. He being covered with a Cloud spread about him in sight of his Apostles ascending into Heaven or rather above Mar 16. 19. Luke 4. 51. Acts 1 9 10. all Heavens where he sitteth on the right hand of God the Father M. Tell me how this is to be understood S. Plainly that Christ in his body ascended Ioh 14. 19. 16. 10. â—6 28. into Heaven where he had not afore been in his body for in his nature of Godhead which filleth all things both hee ever was in heaven and also with the same and with his spirit he is alway present in Mat 18. 23. 28 20. Earth with his Church and shall be present till the end of the world M. Thou sayst that there is one manner of his Godhead and another of his manhood S. Yea certainly for we neither make Jsa 7. 14. Mat 1. 2 23. Luke 2. 7 40. 52. Joh. 1. 3 14. Gal. 4 4. Marke 16. 19. Luke 24. 51. Acts 1. 9 10. 3. 21. Ephe. 4. 10. Joh. 1. 3. 16. 15. 1 Cor. 15. 28. Ephe. 1. 23. Cos 1. 16 17. of his Godhead a body nor of his body God for his Manhood is a Creature his Godhead not created and the holy scriptures witnesse that his Manhood was taken up into heaven but his Godhead is so every where that it filleth both Heaven and Earth M. M. Dost thou say that Christ is in any wise present with us in body S. If wee may liken great things to small Christes body is so present to our faith as the Sun when we see it is present to our eye For no one thing subject to our sences cometh more near to the likenes of Christ than the Sun which though it still abide in the Heauen in very deed toucheth not the eye yet the body of the Sun is present to the sight notwithstanding so great a distance of place between so the Ioh. 14 19. 16. 10. 26. Act. 7. 55 Col 3. 1. Heb. 4. 16. 10. 18. 11. 1. 3. body of Christ which by his ascending is taken up from us and hath left the world and is gone to his Father is indeed absent from our sences yet our faith is conversant in Heaven and beholdeth that Son of righteousness and is verily in presence with it there present like as our sight is present with the body of the Sun in the Heaven or as the Sun is present with our sight on the Earth Moreover as the Sun is with his light present to all things so is Mat. 28. 20. Eph 1. 23. â—ol 1. 17. 18. also Christ with his God-head Spirit and Power present to all and filleth all M. Now as touching Christ what dost thou chiefly consider in his ascending into Heaven and sitting at the right hand of his Father S. It was meet that Christ which from the
us He appeaseth the wrath of God and us He reconcileth to His Father for Christ alone is our Mediator by whom we are made at one with God yea He maketh us as Rom 8. 14 15. 12. 12. Gal. 4 5. Ephe. 3. 12. it were fellow Priests with Him in His Priest-hood giving us also an entry to His Father that we may with assuredness come into His Presence and be bold by Him to offer us and all ours to God the Father in Sacrifice M. What manner of Prophet is Christ S. Wheras mâ—n did despise and reject Mat. 15 3. 8 9. 22. 34. 37 Act. 7. 51 52. Heb. 1. 1 2. the Prophets the servants of Almighty God sent before by himself to teach mortal men his Will and had with their own dreams and inventions darkned and drowned his holy Word He Himself the Son of God the Lord of all Prophets came down into this world that fully declaring the Will of his Father He might make an end of all Prophesies and and foretellings He therfore came His Fathers Ambassadour and Messenger to Ioh. 1. 4 5. 8. 26. 40. 15. 15. 17. 6. c. men that by his Declaration they might be brought into the right knowledge of God and into all truth so in the Name of Christ are contained those Offices which the Son of God received from his Father and fulfilled to make us partners with Him of all the fruit therof M. It seemeth then that in briefe thou sayest thus that the Son of God is not only called and is indeed Jesus Christ that is the Saviour King Priest and Prophet but also that He is so for us and to our benefit and salvation S. It is true M. But sith this honour is given to all the Iob. 1. 12 13. 11. 32. Rom. 9. 26. godly to be called the children of God how dost thou call Christ the only Son of God S. God is the natural Father of Christ alone and Christ alone is naturally the Mat 2. 15. 3. 17. Ioh 1 14. 43. 14 10. Heb 3. 5. 5. Son of God begotten of the substance of the Father and being of one substance with the Father but us God hath freely through Christ made and adopted his children therfore we rightly acknowledge Christ the only Son of God sith this honour is by his own and most just Rom. 8. 17 Gal 4. 5. Ephe 1. 5. 1 Ioh. 3. 1. right due unto him yet the name of children by right of adoption is also freely imparted to us through Christ M. Now how dost thou undâ—rstand that He is our Lord S. For that the Father hath given him Deuâ— 10 17. Mat 9. 6 10. 1. 28. 18. Luke 1. 12. Ephe. 1. 20. power and dominion over Men Angels and all things and for that He governeth the Kingdome of God both in heaven and in earth with his own Will and Power and herby are all the godly put in mind that they are not at their own liberty but Deut. 10 12. 20. Mal 1. 6. that both their bodies and souls and in their life and death they are wholly subject to the Lord to whom they ought to be obedient and serviceable in all things as most faithful servants M. What followeth next S. Next is declared how he took upon him mans Nature and hath performed all things needful to our salvation M. Was it then necessary that the Son of God should be made man S. Yea for necessary it was that in what Mat 17. 22 23 20. 18 19. Ioh 11. 50. Rom 5. 15. c. 1 Coâ— 15. 21. Phil. 2. 6 7. Heb 2. 19. Iâ—a 53. 1 Tim 2-5 Heb 9. 15. 12. 24. man had offended against God man should obey and satisfie it which most heavy burthen none but the Man Jesus Christ was able to take up and bâ—ar and other Mediator could there not be to set men at one with God and to make peace between them but Jesus Christ both God and man therefore being made man He did as it were put upon our person that he might therin take upon him bear performe and fulfill the parts of our salvation M But why was He conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary rather then begotten after the usual and natural manner S. It behoveth that he that should and could satisfie for sins and intirely restore wicked and damnable persons should not himself be defiled or blemished with any spot or stain of sin but be endued Ioâ— 1. 19. 1 Cor. 7. Hâ—b 4. 15. 9. â—4 Gen. 6 5 6. â—sal 14. 2 3. 51 5. Rom 3. 10. with singular and perfect uprightnâ—ss and innocency therfore when the seed of man was wholly corrupt and defiled it behoved that in conception of the Son of God there should be the marvellous worshipping of the Holy Ghost wherby He might be fashioned in the wombe of Isa 7. 14. Mat. 1. 20 23. the most chaste and pure Virgin and of her substance that He should not be defiled with the common stain and infection of man-kind Christ that pure Lambe Exod. 12. 5. Iâ—h 1 29 36. 1 Pet. 1. 19. was begotten by God the Father conceived by the H. Ghost born of the V. Mary without sin that He might clense wash and put away our spots who as we were first conceived and born in sin and uncleanness so did still from thence forth continue in unclean life M. But why is there in this Christian Confession mentioâ— made by name of the Virgin Mary S. That He might be known to be that Gen. 22. 18. Isa 11. 1. Mat. 1. 1. 1. 22. 4â— Rom. 1. 2. true seed of Abraham and David of whom it was from God fore-told and foreshewed by the Prophesies of the Prophets M. By this that hath been said I perceive that Jesus Christ the Son of God did put on mans Nature for salvation of man Now go forward what was done next S. That same most joyful and altogether heavenly Doctrin of restoring salvation by Christ which Doctrin is called in Greek Evangelium the Gospel or Glad-tidings which in old time was disclosed by the holy Prophets the servants of Jsa 53. toto 61. 1. Jer. 33. 14. Act. 3. 22 23. 7. 17. God He himself at length the Lord of Prophets Jesus the Son of God and also of the Virgin even the same promised seed hath most clearly taught all men and commanded his Apostles whom He chose for that purpose to teach the same Mat. 28. 18 19. Mar. 16. 15. throughout the whole world M. Did He think it enough to hve simply and plainly taught this Doctrin in words S. No but to the end that men should with more willing minds embrace it He confirmed and approved the same with healing of diseases driving away devils Mat. 4. 24. 8. 2. 13. 13. 15. Mat. 9. 18. Acts 10. 38. Act 2. 22 24.
28. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 24 25. 27 28. Rom. 14. 9. Phil. 2. 9 10. Luke 17 21. and of heaven also and Lord both of quick and dead meet it was that He should Govern his Kingdome in order unknown to our senses for if he should be within reach of sight then must he needs change place and seat and be drawn now hither now thither and now and then remove into sundry Countreys to do his affairs for if in one moment of time he were ever present with all men thcn should he seem not to be a man but some Ghost and not to have a very body but Imaginative or as Eutecheâ— thought that his body was turned into his Godhead that it might be thought to be every where wherof would by and by arise infinite false opinions all which he hath driven away with carrying his body up whole into heaven and hath delivered mens minds from most foul Errors yet in the mean time though he be not seene of us he wonderously ruleth and governeth Mat. 28. 18. Phil. 2. 9 10. the world with most high Power and Wisdom It is for men to govern and order their Common-weales after a certain order of men but for Christ that is the Son of God to do it after the manner of God M. Thou hast touched certain of the chief of the infinite and unmeasurable benefits the fruit wherof we receive by the Death Resurrection and Ascention of Christ for the whole cannot be conceived by the mind and heart of man mueh less in any wise expressed with words and utterance But yet thus farr I will try thy knowledge in this matter to have thee set me out briefly in a summ the chief principal points whereunto all the rest are referred S. Then I say that both of these and of the other doings of Christ we take two kinds of profit the one that whatsoever things He hath done He hath done them all for our benefit even as farâ—â—â— they be as much our own so that with stedfast and lively faith we Isa 9. 6. 1 Cor. 15. 48 49. Rom. 6. 6 7. c. and 8. 32. 13. 14. Gal. 2. 20. 17. Heb. 3. 14. 10. 17. cleave unto them as if we our selves had done them He was crucified and we also are crucified with him and our sins punished in him He died and was buried we also together with our sins are dead and buried and that so all the remembrance of our sins is for ever forgotten He rose from death and we also are risen again with him being so made partakers of his Resurrection and Life and that from thenceforth death hath no more dominion over us for in us is the same Rom. 8. 11. Spirit which raised Christ from the dead Finally beside that since his Ascension we have most abundantly received the gifts of the holy Ghost he hath lifted and carried Eph. 4. 8. us up into heaven with him that we might as it were with our Head take possession therof These things indeed are not seen but then shall they be brought to light when Christ which is Ioh. 8. 12. Rom. 8. 23. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Col. 1. 5. 2. 3. 4. 3. 11. 1. Pet. 1. 4. the Light of the World in whom all our hope and wealth is set and setled shining with immortal glory shall shew himself openly unto all men M. Wâ—at manner of profit is the other which we receive of the doings of Christ S. That Christ hath set himself for an Examplar for us to follow to frame our Ioh. 13. 15 1 Pet. 2 â—â— 1 Joh â— life according thereunto where Christ dyed for sin and was buried he but once suffered death from whence he did arise again with power and Ascended into heaven he now dyeth no more but enjoyeth eternal life and raigneth in most high and everlasting glory So if we be once dead and buried Rom. 6. 2 3. 10 Gal. 2. 19. Col. 2. 20. 3. 1. 2 Tim. 2. 11. to sin how shall we hereafter live in the same if we be risen again with Christ if by assured faith and stedfast hope we be conversant with him in heaven then ought we from henceforth to bend all our cares and thoughts upon heavenly divine and eternal things not earthly worldly and transitory and as we have Rom. 8. 20. 1 Cor. 15. 47 48 49. heretofore borne the Image of the earthly man we ought from henceforth to put on the Image of the heavenly man quietly and patiently bearing after his example all sorrows and wrongs and following and exprssing his other Divine vertues so farr as mortall men be able and wheras Christ our Lord never ceaseth to do us good continually to entreat for and to crave his Fathers mercy for us to give us his holy Spirit and wonderfully and continually to garnish his Church with most liberal gifts it is meet that we in like manner with our whole endeavour Ioh. 13. 18. 15. 12. Ephe. 5. 2. Hâ—b 12. 14. should help our neighbour and we be bound to all men in most streight bonds of love concord and most near friendship so much as shall lye in us and so to be wholly framed after the manner of Christ Gal. 2. 20. 1 Pet. 2. 21. 1 Ioh. 2. 6. as our only Exampler M. Are we not also here by put in mind of our duties toward Christ S. We are indeed admonished that we obey and follow the will of Christ whose we are wholly and whom we profess to be our Lord that we so again on our part and with all our affection love esteeme and embrace Christ our Saviour which shewed us such deare love while we are yet his enemies as his most entire love toward us could not possibly be encreased that we hold Christ dearer to us then our selves that to Christ which hath so given himself wholly to us we again yeeld our Mat. 10. 19. 37. 16. 25. Luke 9 23 24. 14 26 selves wholly and all that is ours that we esteem riches honors glory our Countrey parents children wives and all dear pleasant and delightful things of no value in Comparison of Christ and account light and despise all dangers for Christ Finally that we loose our life and our very soul rather then forsake Christ and our love and dutie toward him for happy is the death that being due to Nature is chiefly yeilded for Christ for Christ I say which offered and yeilded himself to willing death for us and which being Mar 8. 3â— the Author of life both will and is able to deliver us being dead from death and Mar. 8. 31 restore us to life M. Go forward S We are furthermore taught purely and sincerely to worship Christ the Lord now raigning in heaven not with any earthly worship wicked traditions Mat. 15. 5. 6. 89. Ioh 4. 21. 22. â—â—h 4 23 24 and cold inventions of men but with heavenly and
these things S. Although we believe that the souls of men are immortal and everlasting yet if we should think that our bodies should by death be utterly destroyed for ever then must we needs be wholly discouraged 1 Cor. 14 14. 17 18 19. for that wanting the one part of our selves we should never entirely possess perfect joy and immortalitie we do therefore certainly believe not only that our selves when we depart out of this life being delivered from the Company of our bodies do by and by flie up pure and whole into heaven to Christ but Luke 16. 22. 23. 43 Rom. 8. 11. 1 Cor. 15 42 43 44. 53 54. Phil 3 21. 1 Thes 4. 13 14 15 16 171 also that our bodies shall at length be restored to a better state of life and joyned again to their souls and so we shall wholly be made perfectly and fully blessed that is to say we dout not that both in our bodies and soules we shall enjoy eternity immortality and most blessed life that shal never in everlasting continuance Ioh. 11. 25. 1 Cor. 15. 5 8. 1 Thes 4. 13 14 15 of time be changed This hope comforteth us in misery endued with this hope we not only patiently suffer and bear the incommodities and cumbrances that light upon us in this life but also the very departure from life and the sorrows of death for we are throughly perswaded that death is not a destruction that endeth and consumeth all things but a guide for us to heaven that setteth us in the way of a quiet easie blessed and everlasting life And therefore 2 Cor. 5. â— 2. Ephe. 2. 19. gladly and cheerfully we run yea we flye out from the bonds of our bodies as from a Prison to heaven as to the common Town and City of God and men M. Doth the beleiving of these things availe us to any other end S. We are put in mind that we cumber not nor intangle our selves with uncertain transitory and fraile things that we bend not our eye to earthly glory and felicity but inhabite this world as strangers and ever minding our removing Heb. 13. 13 14 1 Pet. 2. 11. that we long upward for heaven and heavenly things where we shall in bliss enjoy enternal life M. Sith thou hast before said that the Mat. 25 34. 41 46. wicked shall rise againe in sort farr differing from the godly that is to say to eternal misery and everlasting death why doth the Creed make mention only of life everlasting and of Hell no mention at all S. This is the Confession of the Christian faith which pertaineth to none but to the godly and therefore rehearseth only those things that are fit for Mat. 16. 16. Luke 24. 47. Ioh. 3. 15 16. Rom. 4. 16. to comfort namely the most large gifts which God will give to them that be his and therefore here is not recited what punishments are provided for them that be out of the Kingdome of God M. Now thou hast declared the Creed that is the summe of the Christian Faith tell mee what profit get we of this Faith S. Righteousness before God by which we are made heirs of eternal life Rom. 3. 21 22. Gal. 2. 16. M. Doth not then our own godliness toward God and leading of our life honestly and holily among men justifie us before God S. Of this we have said somewhat already after the declaring of the Law and in other places to this effect if any man were able to live uprightly according to the precise rule of the Law of God Rom. 10. 5. Gal 3. 12. Gen. 6. 5. 8. 11. Rom. 7. 14 15. Gal. 2. 16. Rom. 11. 6. he should worthily be counted justified by his good works But seeing we are all most farr from that perfection of life yea and be so oppressed with conscience of our sins we must take another course and find another way how God may receive us into favour then by our deserving M. What way S. We must flie to the mercy of God Rom. 3. 24. 4. 4. 7. 16. Ephe. 2. 4 5. 2 Tim. 1 9. Tit. 3. 4 5. 1 Pet. 1. 3. 2 10. whereby he freely embraceth us with love and good will in Christ without any of our deserving or respect of works both forgiving us our sins and so giving us the righteousness of Christ by faith in Him that for the same Christs righteousness he so accepteth us as if it were our own To Gods mercy therefore through Christ we ought to impute all our justification M. How do we know it to be thus S. By the Gospel which containeth the Promises of God by Christ to the which when we adjoyn faith that is to Rom. 4 3 5. 14. 16. 20 24. Gal. 2. 16. 20. 3. 11. Heb. 10. 38. say an assured perswasion of minde and stedfast confidence of Gods good will such as hath been set out in the whole Creed we do as it were take state and possession of this justification that I speak of M. Dost thou not then say that faith is the principal cause of justification so as by the merit of Faith we are counted righteous before God S. No for that were to set Faith in the place of Christ but the Spring-head of Ephe. 1. 4 5 6. c. 2 4 5. Tit. 3. 4 5. 6. this justification is the mercy of God and is offered to us by the Gospel and received Mar 1 14 15. Rom 4. 16. 19 20 21 24 Ioh. 12. Rom. 3. 22. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Heb 9. 14 of us by faith as with a hand M. Thou sayest then that faith is not the cause but the instrument of justâ—fication for that it embraceth Christ which is our Justification coupling us with so streight bond to him that it maketh us partakers of all his good things S. Yea truly M. But can this Justification be severed from good works that he that hath it can want them S. No for by faith we receive Christ such as he delivereth himself unto us but he doth not only set us at liberty from sins and death and make us at one with God but also with the divine inspiration and vertue of the Holy Ghost Rom. 8. 1. 9. 10. 12 13. doth regenerate and newly forme us to the endeavour of innocency and holiness which we call newness of life M. Thou sayest then that Justice Faith and good Works do naturally cleave together Rom. 6. 4. Rom. 5 1 2. 1 Cor. 1. 2. 3 Ephe. 3. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 19. 20 21 22. and therefore ought no more to he severed then Christ the Author of them in us can be severed from himself S. It is true M Then this Doctrine of saith doth not withdraw mens minds from godly works and duties S. Nothing less for good Works do stand upon faith as upon their root so Psal 1. 3. Rom. 11. 16. Ephe. 3. 17. Col. 2. 6 7. Tit.