sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit the poyson of Asps is under their lips whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse their feet are swift by anger and malice to shed blood destruction and misery are in their wayes and the way of peace they have not knowne there is no feare of God before their eyes And whereas the naturall man in the dead faith will by his civill honest and supposed sanctified life put all this away from himselfe to such as are profane and grosly wicked saying that this is spoken of them that are meerly and wholly in the estate of nature and that so peradventure he might have been such a one but now thanks be unto God he is not such a one yet the true sanctified children of God that are truly enlightned to see the spirituall meaning of the Law doe grant and truly feele that by their daily and continuall spirituall breaches of the Law they are truly such indeed as Paul here describeth so shut up under sin both they and all their best sanctified good works Gal. 3. 22. that there is not one that doth good no not one Whereby they feele that every mouth even of the most sanctified is stopped and all the world is found subject to the judgement of God A cleare example of the truth hereof is Paul himselfe who although he was one of the most sanctified amongst men yet he cried out saying The Law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sinne for to will is present with me but I finde no meanes how to performe that which is good Rom. 7. 18. And thus feeling in himselfe with the Prophet Esay that all his righteousnesse of sanctification was as foule menstrous filthy rags Esay 64. 6. because in all his good works he brake the tenth Commandement and so as much as lay in him did destroy himselfe in all his good works Hosea 13. 9. Even death it selfe being in the pot of his most sanctified good works and best actions therefore hee cried out O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. This is to bee slaine by the Law this is to understand the Law rightly especially the tenth Commandement And this is the first means to come out of this dead faith and to call others out of the same being throughly marked and deeply considered 2 The second meanes to come out of this dead faith and to call others out of the same is truly to understand and open unto others the excellency of free justification That as the spirit hath convinced us and all our best works of sinne by the looking-glasse of the Law so the spirit may also convince us of free given righteousnesse Joh. 16. 8 9 10. namely that wee and all our works are of unjust made just that is perfestly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely by faith only without works And mark how I say not simply free justification but the excellency of free Justification must be diligently looked into and deeply considered in foure principall respects 1 First in the most excellent and glorious causes of it being the glorious work of the whole Godhead wherein God the Father in giving his sonne and God the sonne in pouring forth his blood and life and God the holy Ghost in applying it to us and in cloathing though mystically yet truly our souls and bodies with this wedding garment and in creating the new eyes of faith to see these spirituall riches doe all work severally and wonderfully to effect the same upon us and that also freely onely by free grace that is God respectign no goodnesse or worthinesse in us to deserve the same but rather that we feele our wretched misery nor respecting no evils or unworthinesse in us to hinder the free taking of his rich grace That it might be to the praise of the glory of his free grace wherewith hee hath made us freely accepted in his beloved one Eph. 1. 6. And for this cause doth God bestow this benefit upon us that is upon the young children of Christian parents usually and ordinarily in our baptisme even when wee were little Infants God pitying our misery when we could not pitty our selves and washed us from the spirituall blood of our originall sinne Ezek. 16. 6 9. with the washing of the new birth and renewing of the holy Ghost that we being iustified by his grace should be made heires of eternall life Tit. 3. 5 6 7. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having made us pure and clean by the washing of water through the word That hee might even when wee were little senselesse Infants and thereby as good as double dead to all sense and feeling in trespasses and sinnes and by nature the children of wrath make us to himselfe a glorious Church not having now at this present time as the Greeke and Latine participles signifie one spot or wrinkle of sinne or any such thing but are holy and without blame Ephes 5. 26 27. Because wee are made thus perfectly pure and clean before God not onely from that one offense of our originall sinne but also from all the many actuall sinnes of our whole life even in our baptisme even when we are Infants that is utterly helplesse in our selves that all this blessednesse may be the more freely upon us And that as Saint Paul saith Although the iudgment was by one offense unto condemnation yet the gift is not so but the free gift is of many offenses to iustification Rom. 5. 16. So that if by one mans offense death reigned by one much more they that receive that abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse shall reigne in life by one that is Iesus Christ vers 17. And thus wee see that as there is no difference of young or old but all have sinned and are deprived and come short of the glory of God so all that receive this free gift of righteousnesse are justified freely by Gods grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 23 24. And thus much of the excellent causes of free justification briefly touched 2. Secondly wee must consider deeply the excellent nature it self of free iustification in that it is the head and chiefest benefit of the Gospel whereby by the power of Gods imputation we are so clothed with the wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse that of uniust we are made iust before God that is so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely by faith alone without works That as St. Paul speaketh wee are made the righteousnesse of God in him that is in this faith in him The excellency of which benefit was so rightly marked and so diligently considered by Chrysostome that he thereupon breaketh out into these words of ioy and admiration of the same saying Qualis sermo what a saying is this what heart or understanding can
originall corruption dwelling in us like Sarahs unfruitfull wombe neither will wee doubt of this iustifying promise by unbelief but be strengthened in faith that our bodies and soules are made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely And thus we get with Abraham the victory in our faith of free iustification Fourthly follows the triumph of faith of free iustification that wee give glory to God being fully assured that he which hath spoken it that by his Sons bloud he hath made us pure and clean yea perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in his own sight freely Heb. 10. 14. Col. 1. 22. must needs be true of his word and also able to doe it because hee is almighty and hath power sufficient to doe all things to reason sense and feeling impossible Matth. 19. 26. Luk. 1. 37. and so gives glory to God which is the Religion of Religions the worship of worships the service of services the sacrifice of sacrifices the wisdome of wisdomes the righteousnesse of righteousnesses without which all other service and worship are sinne and abomination in the sight of God Luk. 16. 15. Heb. 10. 38 39. Thus we walking by free justification in the steps of our father Abraham there follow thereof these two great and excellent effects First perfect reconciliation and peace with God for being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. 1 And all evils and punishments for sin being done away that we may serve God without fear Luk. 1. 74. we are truly blessed for as many as are of faith of free iustification are blessed with faithful Abraham Gal. 38. 9. and together with faithfull Abraham are made sufficiently rich with all temporall riches Gen. 13. 2 5 6. and also spirituall and eternall riches which Abraham chiefly rejoyced in Ioh. 8. 56. 2. Cor. 8. 9. Heb. 11. 9 10. yea heirs of the whole world onely by this righteousnesse of faith for saith Paul the promise that Abraham should be the heire of the world was not given unto Abraham or to his seed through the Law but through the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4. 13. 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. For if they that are of the Law be heires faith is made void and the promise is made of none effect vers 14. Therefore it is of faith that it may come by grace and the promise might be sure to all the seed not to that only which is of the Law that is to the Jewes onely but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham that is to the Gentiles also who is the father of us all vers 16. The second effect is that this faith of free justification and this walking in the steps of our father Abraham causeth us infallibly to walke in the steps of the works of our father Abraham whereby like Abraham without the Law of the ten Commandements we walk holily soberly and righteously in all Gods Commandements declaratively to manward being zealous of good workes Tit. 2. 11 12 13. c. By all this it is clear that the practice and preachings and bookes of such Ministers are exceeding bad and dangerous as by a preposterous zeale of works and well-doings speake little or nothing of faith of free justification thinking by the dead faith it is an easie matter to walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham but that all the hardnesse lyeth in workings and well-doings and therfore do call for a good life and the doing of all holy duties zealously but preposterously before people be sure by comfort and joy of free iustification that they walke in the steps of the faith our father Abraham such Ministers I say in stead of making people the true children of Abraham of the free woman Sarah do make them bastard children of the bond-woman Hagar that must be cast out of the inheritance Gal. 4. 21. In stead of making them the children of the promise they make them children that will be under the Law and workes Gal. 4. 21. In stead of making them children of faith and of the blessing they make them the children of workes and of the curse Gal. 3. 10. In stead of working peace with God in their consciences they worke unquietnesse fears and troubles of conscience about workes In stead of making the inheritance of righteousnesse and life to come by grace and the promise to be sure to all the seed they make it to come as it were by working and the promise to be unsure and doubtfull to all the seed In stead of making them heires of all blessings temporall and eternall with faithfull Abraham they make them as much as in them lyeth heires of all evils and punishments with the deceitfull workmen mentioned 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. In stead of making them to walke in the true good workes of Abraham they make them at the best but to walk in the seeming good works of the devouter sort of Scribes and Pharisees that is in a legall bastard sanctification which is of high esteem and beauty amongst men but is filthy abomination in the sight of God Luk. 18. 19. Rom. 10. 2 3. Luk. 18. 19. 11. 12. Act. 22. 3 4. 26. 5 7. 13. 50. The true Treasure of the Heart Matth. 6. 21. FOr where your treasure is there will your hearts be also so that if the wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse making us perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely by faith onely without works and working be our treasure there will be our hearts and tongues also and then our hearts stand right to Christ and our tongues to make others chast virgins to Christ 2 Cor. 11. 2 3. and true children of Abraham and of that Jerusalem which is above the mother of us all and we shall never bee cast out as bastard children Gal. 1. 21 to 31. Col. 1. 28 29 21 22. chap. 2. 10. Heb. 10. 14. Rom. 5. 10 21. Col. 1. 12 13. Because wee bring forth a true godly life only for and by the joy and excellency of Free Iustification not carnally but rightly understood and embraced Tit. 2. 11 12 13 14. But if Sanctification repentance humiliation mortification universall obedience holy righteous walking in all Gods commandements sincerity and new life and such like works bee our treasure and diamond then there will be our hearts and tongues also to extoll dignifie and extort the same whereby producing by legall arguments but a false bastard sanctification Phil. 3. 6. our hearts stand adulterously to Christ and all such preaching and holinesse produced thereby is but idolatry and unbelief 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. and such Preachers by misunderstanding and darkning Free Iustification do ipso facto stand accursed by S. Paul and excommunicated though in all other gifts and graces they bee like Angels from heaven Gal. 1. 8 9. and ever in danger of sudden death Rev. 3. 13. Gal. 5. 12. Therefore beware of the dead Faith which being varnished and gilt over with a preposterous zeal and opinion of holinesse and righteousnesse before God by walking in all Gods commandements doth give Christ and Free Iustification a Iudas his kisse Rom. 10. 3. And yet such Preachers tremble not as they go up into the Pulpits although their preachings be both idolatrous and trayterous Here is life and death who hath an ear to regard it FINIS
And thus doe they perish with the devout unbeleeving Iewes who although they had a blinde dead faith of righteousnesse life and blessednesse by the Messiah to come for they did all eat of the same spirituall meat and did all drinke of the same spirituall drinke that is by this generall dead faith in Christ to come for they dranke of that spirituall Rock that followed them and that Rocke was Christ But God was not well pleased with them in this dead faith and so they perished 1 Corinth 10. 3. to 6. And yet S. Paul saith of them that they followed after the Law of Righteousnesse but yet did not attaine to the Law of Righteousnesse Wherefore Because they sought the keeping and fulfilling of it not by faith but as it were by the workes of the Law and so stumbled at the stumbling stone Rom. 9. 31 32. Yea Saint Paul testifieth and beareth record of them that herein they had the zeale even of God but not according to knowledge of free justication Because being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God they went about to establish or to make as it were to stand upon its feet their owne righteousnesse and so did not submit themselves to the righteousnesse of God And thus they perished because they knew not that Christ was the fulfilling and end 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 11. 14. of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10. 2 3 4. And thus we see that such as are in this dead faith varnished and garnished and gilt over with this preposterous zeal of diligent keeping and carefull walking in all Gods commandements are ignorant of Christs righteousnesse the maine of their free-salvation are unbeleevers onely giving Christ and free justification a Judas his kisse whereby they goe about to stablish or set up as it were upon its feet their owne righteousnesse wish the Iewes and Pharisees and contemne and set light of free Grace are rebellious against God in not submitting themselves to the righteousnesse of God and miserably perish as I said in the deepe conceit of great holinesse and righteousnesse which doth so strongly bewitch the people with a faire glister and beautifull brightnesse of workes of righteousnesse that it cunningly creepes up into the Pulpits also and with her faire shew turneth the Ministers of Satan into the seeming Ministers of Christ 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. As Christ said to the Angel of the Church of Sardis Thou bearest a name that thou livest but thou art dead Rev. 3. 1. So that although both these sorts of the dead faith doe reject and set light of free justification and are both enemies to free grace the glory of Christ and to their own free salvation yet doth this second sort more subtilely deceive and more dangerously destroy And therefore the first sort of people in this dead faith are by the Lord of wisedome Jesus Christ likened to Hogs that having the pearle of the Gospel free justification cast before them to call them from their rooting in the earth and wallowing in the mire of sin although they contemptuously trample this onely saving pearle under the filthy feet of their carelesse and swinish affections Yet they commonly against their Ministers and them that wish them well do only give a hoggish grunt of contempt and away they goe to their rooting in their earth or to their wallowing in the mire and so are plainly discerned soon convinced and many of them easilier converted and saved But the second sort are likened to Dogs that greedily feeding upon the carrion of their good workes obedience and well-doings if any cast before these the precious pearles of Christs works and well-doings as sufficient perfectly to justifie them and freely and certainly to save them they do not only trample under the feet of their Pharisaicall affections the same precious pearls but also fall like Dogs abarking at them that wish them well with calumniations railings and slanderings Yea through a secret inbred delight and blinde zeal of esteem of the hidden vain glory of their own righteousness good works obedience and well-doings contrary to the Prophet Esay and Pauls affection that counted all the righteousnesse works and wel-doings of their sanctification but as filthy stained rags and would not bee found in them before God but esteemed them as dung that they might bee found in the righteousnesse of Christ only before God Phil. 3. 8 9. Through this secret lurking vain-glory I say of their owne holinesse and well-doings they will not stick to flye in the face of the Minister and Messenger of Christ that beseecheth them to be reconciled unto God by being made the righteousnesse of God through Christ only 2 Cor. 5. 20 21. but will teare out if they can his very throat because they feel themselves hindred from feeding upon the filthy pleasing carrion of the vaine glory in their owne works of righteousnesse and weldoings And therefore did the Apostle say to the true Christians Beware of Dogs Phil. 3. 2 3. because in stead of life and salvation which they seeme so strongly to aspire unto by works and keeping the Law they rush the more violently themselves and swiftly carry away others with them into beautifull abomination sinne death hell and everlasting damnation So greedily with Aesops dog as Doctor Luther saith snatching at the outward glittering shadow of righteousness of works that they lose the substance of Christ and his righteousnesse that is in their mouth Therefore happy is the man that in these last so dangerous dayes can overcome and escape this Dead Faith by getting on the white robe that he may be clothed and that his filthy nakednesse doe not appear and doth annoint his eyes with eye-salve that hee may see and so become zealous not with the foresaid blind legall zeale of his owne glory but with the true Evangelicall zeale of Christs glory and so amend by comming out of this Dead Faith into the true lively justifying faith For to him that overcommeth this Dead Faith saith Christ will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne He that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Revel 3 18. to 22. And for this cause have I penned this short and abrupt Treatise discovering this most dangerous Dead Faith in shewing how farre it will goe in the likenesse and appearance of true Christianity and true saving faith and yet how farre it comes short of the same because they doe not beleeve with the heart unto true righteousnesse and confesse the same with a thankfull and joyfull mouth unto salvation Rom. 10. 10. and so doe shew by their bragging Pharisaicall life that they perish with the Famine in their Hearts whilst the flesh of qauiles is in their mouths Psalm 78. 30 31. And hereunto I have adjoyned the shortest course that the Word of GOD and the established Doctrine of our Church
of the Law Rom. 9. 31 32. that concerning the righteousnesse of the Law they were unblameable Phil. 3. 6. whereupon the Pharisee said I thank thee O God that concerning the second Table I am no extortioner nor unjust person nor adulterer nor as this Publican And in the first Table of the Law I am so zealous in thy worship that I fast twice in the weeke and so carefull to maintaine thy service and relief of the poore that I give tithe of all that I possess Luk. 18. 11 12. And by this opinion of righteousnesse and well-pleasing of God Paul being taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the Fathers was so zealous towards God as they were all at that time that hepersecuted the Christians unto death binding and delivering into prison both men and women Act. 22. 3 4. And after Paul was converted this devour blind keeping of the law stirred up the devout and honourable women and the chief men of the City and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled both them and Christ himself with them out of their coasts Acts 13. 15. Thus we see this first maine point proved how farre the Dead faith goeth in humiliation repentance and zealous keeping of the Law wherein they greatly appeare in outward profession to themselves and others to bee zealous Christians in the true faith of Christ whereas in this dead faith gilt and varnished over with a blind legall zeale of keeping all Gods will and commandements they are inwardly rather Jewes and devout zealous Pharisees than true saved Christians And thus much of the first point how farre the dead faith will goe in the profession of the Gospel and how like it is to the true saving faith 2. The second main point is that now we consider the plaine and evident marks whereby this dead faith may be discerned and whereby it discovereth it self to be naught in the three aforesaid parts and appearances of the true lively faith 1. First their foresaid great knowledge before described is but literall as is before described Rom. 2. 17. to 29. And they are so puffed up with their supposed great knowledge 1 Cor. 8. 1. that they thinke they understand and know as much as any true child of God can know inwardly and secretly abhorring to seem to learn any thing of any man and yet they know nothing neither the Law nor the Gospel neither faith nor works truely as Saint Paul testifieth saying Now if any man thinketh that hee knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as hee ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 2. For they being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is men meerly consisting of a naturall soule doe understand the benefits and mysteries of Christ after a carnall and humane-witted fashion of understanding and having not on the wedding garment do hang upon works stick fast in the religion of reason and in the light of nature described by the Apostle Rom. 2. 14 15. saying the Gentiles which have not the Law doe by nature the things contained in the Law which shew the workes and effect of the Law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing wtiness and their thoughts accusing them that is with fear of punishment when they doe evill and excusing them that is with hoping to speed well when they doe well here is the whole maine of their religion And doe thus draw others from faith Christ to hang upon works with themselves so make a number of sects schisms about works turning all Gospell it selfe into precept upon precept and line upon line Esay 28. 10. and being fleshly and sensuall not having the spirit Iud. 19. Though they talke and glory greatly of it yet they see not and discerne not the spirituall and invisible benefits wrought upon Gods Children by the blood of Christ 1 Cor. 2. 9. but onely picarum instar after the manner of pies doe chatter of them All their seeming great knowledge being meerely blindnesse and darknesse yea which is wonderful none so blind as they as these such like Scriptures teach Hear ye deafe and regard ye blind that ye may see who is blind but my servant and deafe as my messenger that I send who is blind as the perfect Esay 42. 17 18. Whereupon the same Prophet saith Stay your selves and wonder they are blind and make you blind Therefore behold I will doe a marvellous work in this people even a marvellous work and a wonder For the wisdome of the wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall bee hid For the Lord hath covered you with a spirit of slumber and hath shut up your eyes the Prophets and your chiefe Seers hath he covered Esay 29. 9. 10. 14. The reason whereof is because they seeing doe not see and hearing they doe not understand Matth. 13. 13. whereby in them is fulfilled the prophesie of Esay saying By hearing they shall heare that is they heare as they thinke perfectly but shall not understand and seeing ye shall see that is they shall see as they thinke excellently well but not perceive For this peoples heart is waxed grosse and their eares are dull of hearing And with their eyes they have winked lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their eares and should understand with their hearts and should returne that I might heale them And yet they say are we blind also But Jesus said unto them If you were blind yee should in comparison have no sinne But now yee say We see therefore your sinne remaineth double For I am come unto judgement into this world that they which see not might see and that they which say they see might bee made blind John 9. 39 40 41. And yet by this blindnesse they calumniating the faith words and workes of the true beleevers are ever ready prest to call light darknesse and darknesse light good evil and evil good to put bitter for sweet and sweete for bitter Esa 5. 20. And thus much of their great knowledge that are in the dead faith being meer blindnesse as wee see 2. Secondly concerning their faith Although they seeme to have a strong faith in the mysteries of the Gospell and to preach eloquently the benefits of Christ yet they speake preposterously ignorantly and confusedly of them saying Sibboleth but cannot say Shibboleth And because when they speake of them they understand not what they speake all things in the plaine Gospel being unto them in Parables as Christ saith Marke 4. 11 12. therefore they will not onely in divers Sermons but often times in one and the same Sermon or conference if not in plaine words yet in plaine sense speake flat contraries in and to the workes of Christ and mysteries of the Gospel and so say and unsay saying one way and unsaying and denying the same things againe another way And thus doe see many things as the Prophet Esay 42. 20. saith but keepe not neither in
ingratitude of such doth suffer blind zealous leaders of the blind zealous multitude often times every where to swarm and abound whereby both Preachers and innumerable people fall into the pit of destruction as Christ the truth it selfe testifieth and denounceth Matth. 15. 14. Let them alone they be blind leaders of the blind And if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch to wit of destruction And these are the traytours that under colour of greatest friendship with God and of lying in his very lap by working out their salvation in distrust in free grace and in trust in their workes and well-doings doe break our peace with God in this land doe betray whole Kingdomes and Countries into their enemies hand Because they truely know not free justification that only makes our peace with God as these and such like Scriptures teach Rom. 5. 1. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God c. this place being an exposition as it were of that saying Num. 23. 21. spoken then but prophetically inchoatively and typically at the lifting up of the brasen serpent saying God seeth no iniquity in Jacob and he seeth no transgression in Israel This is to bee justified by faith Then followes the peace and reconciliation that wee have therefrom Therefore the Lord his God is with him and the joyfull shout of a King is among them that comes onely by free justification which prophesie is now by Christ the substance signified by that brasen serpent fully wrought and completely exhibited and brought upon us in the new Testament saying And yee which were in times past strangers and enemies in your minde by evill works hath hee now reconciled How or by what means In the body of his flesh through death by making you so holy that you are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without all blame and without all fault in Gods sight if you continue rooted and grounded in this faith of free justification by Christs blood and death and be not moved away from this hope of the Gospel Col. 1. 21 22 23. But contrariwise Christ weeping over Ierusalem denounced that their enemies should lay their city and them even with the ground and not leave a stone upon another that should not bee cast downe why because they knew not the things that did belong to their peace that is they knew not their reconciliation by Christ they knew not his righteousnesse to justifie them which only makes peace with God but these things were hid from their eyes Luke 19. 41 42 44. Therefore did the Prophet say For Zions sake I will not hold my tongue and for Ierusalems sake I will not rest untill the righteousnesse thereof breake forth as the light for then the safety and salvation thereof will be as a burning Lamp And when the Gentiles or people see thy righteousnesse and the Kings thy glory thou shalt be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a Royall Diadem in the hand of thy God It shall no more be said unto thee forsaken neither shall it any more bee said unto thy Lands desolate But thou shalt bee called Hephziah that is my delight is in her for the Lord will delight in thee Esay 62. For thy people shall bee all righteous they shall possesse the Land for ever the graffe of my planting shall be the work of my hands that I may be glorified Esay 60. 21. Because as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many to the end of the world be made righteous Rom. 5. 19. whereby if by one mans offence the displeasure anger of God and death reigned by one much more they which receive that abundance of grace and that abundance of the gift of that righteousnesse shall reigne in reconciliation well-pleasing of God peace and life through one that is Jesus Christ That as sinne had reigned unto displeasure wrath and death even so might grace reigne by righteousnesse unto reconciliation peace and eternall life by Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5. 17 21. But contrariwise they that are not justified by faith have no peace with God but by their dead faith are fourefold traytours namely traytours to Christ and his Gospel traytours to his Church children traitors to their King and countrey and traytours to their own bodies and soules seeming great friends to all these but betraying every one of these with a Iudas his kisse Because although they seem in this dead Faith and blind zeale of the Law and works to be lifted up in as high a faith and happinesse as any can be yet if they do not come out of this dead faith when they dye be it sooner or later they cast down themselves into greater damnation than if they had never professed Gods word and the Gospel of Christ at all as Christ testifieth Matth. 11. 23 24. saying and thou Capernaum that art exalted into Heaven namely in professing Gods word shalt be thrown down to hell for if the mighty works which have beene done in thee much more being professed to bee received and beleeved of thee had been done in Sodome it would have remained untill this day But I say unto you it shall be more tolerable or easie for the land of Sodome in the day of judgment than for thee And again Wo be unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye compasse sea and land that is take exceeding great pains and labour to make one Proselyte that is one zealous Professour as you say of the pure word of God and holy worship of God and when he is made you make him twofold more the child of Hell than your selves Matth. 23. 15. And thus much of the dead Faith gilt over with the legall zeal of works and confidence of practising repentance humiliation and all holy duties by a supposed universall obedience to all Gods commandements and yet all is but a false legall bastard sanctification 3. But now thirdly which most of all discovereth this dead Faith and blind zeale of the good workes of the Law to be meer superstitious hypocrisie whereof Christ giveth warning to his Disciples saying First of all beware of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie Luk. 12. 1. If the old matter of the pure Gospel be uttered but after a new manner otherwise than these like blind mill-horses are accustomed to run round in or if their literall knowledge dead Faith and blind legall zeale be any way a little crossed or but touched although a faithfull Minister must needs teach novè but not nova that is after a new manner but not any new matter yet these humble ones just like Nicodemus Ioh. 3. in that new manner of speaking do rise up against Christ and count the old mysteries of Christ and of his Gospel to be nova novelties new doctrines as these said when Christ himself began first to preach the old revealed will of his Father What thing is this What
the firmament that is clothed with the glorious robes of Christs perfect righteousnesse making her wheresoever she sitteth or walketh to shine as glorious in Gods eyes as the sunne shineth glorious in our eyes when shee shineth in her brightest hue Thus hath Christ made his Church to himselfe a glorious Church Ephes 5. 27. And hath the moone under her feet that is the righteousnesse of the Law directing the feet of her walking and conversation here before men and shining by sanctification declaratively to man-ward Matth. 5. 16. as the moone shineth and giveth light that is man walking in the dark night of this world and yet hath this moone of sanctification on under her feet as of small esteeme in comparison of the glorious sunne of Christs perfect righteousnesse with which she is clothed Phil. 3. 8 9. And hath a Crowne of twelve stars upon her head that is hath the doctrine of the Gospel taught by the twelve Apostles and all faithfull Ministers likened to stars Rev. 1. 16 20. in highest esteem as her chiefest ornament or crowne And thus we see how Christ who knew no sin was made sinne for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God by true faith in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. And thus much bee briefly spoken of the excellency of the two parts of free iustification 4. Fourthly and lastly for the right understanding and powerfull laying forth of the excellency of free Justification we must deeply consider and diligently lay forth the excellent effects and precious fruits of free Justification which are briefly all needfull blessings both temporall and eternall but chiefly and especially these sixe following 1. First that by this free Justification we are reconciled to God and so restored into his love and favour again that all anger and displeasure of God being ceased and abolished towards us God is well pleased and at peace with us as it was notably prophesied by the Prophet saying I will heale their backslidings and I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him Hosea 14. 4. But how came wee to bee thus healed why Christ was wounded for our transgressions Christ was broken or bruised for our iniquity The chastisement of our peace was laid upon him and with his stripes we are healed Esay 53. 5. Therefore saith the Apostle being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5. 1. 2 The second excellent effect is that by the very hearing meditating and reading to search into the truth and learning of this benefit of free Justification the holy Ghost is freely and experimentally given unto us to dwell in us and to take up our souls and bodies to be his blessed temples to dwell in us as these and such like Scriptures teach Received ye the spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith that is of free Justification preached Gal. 3. 2. For whilst Peter was preaching of the death and resurrection of Christ justifying and freely saving Gods people even whilst he was speaking the holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word Acts 10. 44. Therefore saith S. Paul Know you not that your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost which is in you 1 Cor. 3. 16. and 6. 19. For if any man have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his Rom. 8. 9. For when Paul preached the resurrection of Christ that from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses by Christs resurrection every one that beleeveth is justified Then the beleevers were filled with joy and with the holy Ghost Acts 13. 39. 52. 3. The third excellent effect of Free Justification is that the justified person is by the holy Ghost thus dwelling in him so united and truly married as a glorious Bride and Queene so effectually unto Christ that he is made a very member of Christ flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Therefore did the Apostle say Know yee not that your bodies are the members of Christ Yea he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6. 15 17. For saith Paul As the body is one and hath many members and all the members of the body though they be many yet are but one body even so is Christ for by one spirit are we all baptized into one body whether we be bond or free and have beene all made to drink into one spirit 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. Now therefore ye are the body of Christ and members for your part vers 27. Yea I say so truly and effectually that wee are members of his body and of his flesh and of his bones Ephes 5. 30. Oh how truly doth the Apostle call these benefits thus freely wrought upon us by the blood of Christ unsearchable riches Eph. 3. 8. God make us to search into them deeper 4 The fourth excellent effect of our free Justification is that hereby we are adopted and made the true children even sonnes and daughters of the living God Therefore doth St. Iohn say As many as received him namely to justifie them by his blood and death to them he gave the prerogative or dignity to bee the sonnes of God For Christ hath redeemed us from under the Law that wee might receive the adoption of sonnes And because we are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into our hearts to cry Abba father Gal. 4. 5 6. And therefore S. Iohn crying out in admiration of this great dignity said Behold what love the Father hath shewed toward us that wee things of nothing Psal 144. 4. should be called the sonnes of God And now we are the sonnes of God but it is not made manifest what wee shall be but wee know that when he which is the son shall appeare we shall be like him 1 Iohn 3. 1 2. 5 The fifth excellent effect of this free Justification is that by it wee are made assured heires of eternall glory For so saith S. Paul That we being justified by his free grace are made heires of eternall life Tit. 3. 7. For if we bee children we are also heires even heires of God and joint heires with Christ Rom. 8. 17. For whom God justifieth them he also glorifieth Rom. 8. 30. And therefore is free Justification called the justification of life Rom. 5. 18. Wherefore Paul testifieth thus I reckon that the sufferings of this life are not worthy to bee compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8. 18. 6. The sixth excellent effect of free justification is that by it we are made as the upshot and fulnesse of all that our hearts can wish truly blessed For saith Saint Paul David pronounceth that man or that woman to be a blessed man or a blessed woman to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works Rom. 4. 6. whereof hee testifieth further to the Galathians saying The Scripture that is the Spirit of God speaking
prescribeth how wee Ministers may our selves come out of this most dangerous DEAD FAITH and call others out of the same into the true lively and justifying Faith Try all things and keepe that which is good 1 Thessalon 5. 21. And accept Christianly in good part the good will of him that is glad Christian READER if hee may speake or write a word that may edifie thee in thy most holy Faith Iud. 20. Vse it in the feare of GOD. And thus I leave thee to the Word of his Grace which is able to build further Thine in all Christian affection JOHN EATON THE DISCOVERY Of the Most Dangerous Dead Faith AMongst divers and sundry causes of peoples being offended at and of cavilling against the expresse Word of God and the Protestants description of the Wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse by which the justified person is made so truely and so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God that God doth and by his actuall power can see no sin in his justified children freely by faith onely without workes Revel 3. 18. The chiefest cause of all their cavills containing in a manner all the rest is the Dead faith it being not able to understand the mysteries of Christ as Saint Paul testifieth to the carnall Corinthians saying the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. For the removall of which Dead Faith four main things are here especially to be considered First we must mark how far the Dead Faith will goe in the profession of the Gospel and how like it is to the true lively justifying and saving faith being as like the true faith both in it selfe and in resembling all the actions of the true faith as the Image in the Looking-glasse is like and doth imitate the party that looketh into the same because the Dead Faith consisteth of these three parts First such as are in this Dead Faith may have great knowledge of the whole word and will of God and may joyne therewith the reading of all the Doctors and Expositors in the Church and also may be zealous Preachers of the same as Saint Paul declares Rom. 2. 17. saying Behold thou art called a Iew that is one of Gods chosen above all the Nations of the earth and restest in the Law that is in the Word and Doctrine delivered from heaven and gloriest in God And knowest his will and approvest the thing that are excellent being instructed in the Law or Word verse 18. And art confident that thou art a guid of the blind a light of them that are in darknesse verse 19. An instructer of the foolish a teacher of the ignorant having the whole forme of knowledge and of the truth of the Law c. Againe the Law shall not perish from the Priest nor counsell from the wise nor the word from the Prophet Come let us smite Ieremiah with the tongue Jer. 18. 18. For wee have the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises Rom. 9. 4. and such like Scriptures shewing great knowledge in this Dead Faith Secondly such may have a kinde of strong faith in all Gods graces through Christ and thinke that they beleeve them as well and as truely as any other as these and such like Scriptures teach Thou sayest I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing but thou knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Revel 3. 17. Againe When many beleeved Philip which preached the things that concerned the Kingdome of God and the Name of Iesus then Simon Magus himselfe also beleeved and was baptized and continued with Philip and wondered when he saw the signes and great wonders which were done Acts 8. 12 13. Againe the Apostle saith I would not have you ignorant Brethren that all our fathers were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did all eat the same spirituall meat and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of that spirituall Rocke that followed them and that Rocke was Christ But with many of them God was not well pleased for they were destroyed in the Wildernesse and perished 1 Cor. 10. 2. to 11. Thus we see that many bad guests doe sit downe at the feast of the Gospel seeming in their own opinion to abound in faith and knowledge to whom nothing is wanting but only the not-having on the wedding garment Mat. 22. 12. Thus much of their seeming strong faith Thirdly and lastly such as are in this Dead Faith may have a kinde of great humiliation and earnest repentance As Ahab though hee was a King rent his cloaths in great repentance and put on sackcloth upon his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and walked so mournfully that the Lord the searcher of hearts said Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me mark before me the Lord and not before the world onely and yet was Ahab one in this Dead Faith And againe as David in the true faith repenting said I have greatly sinned in that I have done and have done very foolishly So did Saul in the Dead faith say I have sinned and have done foolishly and have erred exceedingly Thou art more righteous than I for thou hast rendred me good and I have rendred thee evill and hee lift up his voice and wept 1 Sam 24. 16 17. 26. 21. Neither onely may such have this great humiliation and earnest repentance but also they may have a great zeale of Gods glory and an earnest endevour of holy and righteous walking in all Gods Commandements as it is plainly declared Esa 58. 2 3. saying Yet they seeke me daily and delight to know my wayes as a Nation that did righteousnesse and forsook not the ordinances of their God They aske of me the ordinances of justice They take delight to draw near unto God by prayer and fasting and punishing and afflicting of themselves And this they may doe not onely not dissemblingly and for vain glory and praise of men as many grosse Hypocrites and Pharisees did mentioned Matth. 6. but as other Pharisees did of a good intent so zealously ayming at Gods glory in resisting their corruptions and sins and so fervently following righteousnesse according to the Law of God Rom. 9. 31. to the intent to be a holy people unto God by their workes and well-doings that concerning prayer and fasting and all good works and righteousness of the Law they may be unblameable as Paul testifieth of himself and many other Jewes before their conversion to the Gospel saying I beare them record that they have the zeale of God Rom. 10. 2. Instantly serving God day and night Act. 26. 7. So eagerly following the Law of righteousnesse as it were by the works
dead who was delivered to death for our sinnes to no other end than to abolish them from before his father Heb. 9. 26. whereby the blood of Iesus Christ the sonne of God doth make us clean from all sinne 1 Iohn 1. 7. And is risen againe for our full and perfect justification This is the true lively and justifying faith This faith makes us not bastardly children but the true kind proper and naturall children not of Abram but of Abraham This is the faith by which we are truly blessed and as truly saved as Abraham himself as Paul testifieth Gal. 3. 8. 9. saying The Scriptures that is the spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through faith preached the joyfull newes unto Abraham saying In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed So that they which be of this faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham And what can we desire more than to be blessed Now because this free justification or the having on this wedding garment cannot be beleeved and enjoyed by this justifying faith but by looking into the gaping wounds of Christ bleeding out his blood and life to effect this free justification upon the beleever Therefore onely this justifying faith smites the heart of the beleever with the true love of Christ and of God in Christ which reflecteth back from God generally upon all men as they bear the image of God yet resteth principally upon the Church and houshold of faith and maketh the true beleevers to abound in every good work doing good unto all men but especially unto the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. and that not of constraint corruptly and hypocritically but cheerfully sincerely and ioyfully because both Christ and the Kingdome of God and the Kingdome of heaven by this true lively iustifying faith is within us Luke 17. 21. Into which Kingdome of heaven no unclean thing can enter Rev. 21. 27. Because this Kingdome of heaven is righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. And the more this faith of free Justification and of having on this wedding garment encreaseth the more this peace and joy in the holy Ghost encreaseth For the which it is called the garment of ioy and gladnesse Esa 61. 3. And the more this peace and joy encreaseth the more the foresaid love encreaseth and enflameth the heart to walk freely cheerfully and zealously in all Gods will and commandements declaratively to manward and to doe our vocatious and all good workes freely of meere love without hope of reward or fear of punishment which is true sanctification which causeth us to live here among men as Christ himselfe lived that is not onely doing all things but also cheerfully suffering all things to edifie one another in our most holy faith that onely saves us Iude 20. And to the glory of God our reconciled and well pleased father in Christ as St. Iohn 1. Epist chap. 2. vers 6. testifieth saying He that saith he abideth in Christ ought even so to walke as hee hath walked Thus much of the true saving faith Thirdly of this justifying faith that worketh by love there followes inseparably a true right Evangelicall zeale of Gods glory whereby we feeling how by our originall corruption and by breaking the tenth commandement and thereby the first commandement and all the rest in our best good works whereby that saying of Saint Iames is true in our best good works That whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all we finde both our selves and all our works and best actions to be so shut up under sin Gal. 3. 22. that being truly humbled with a vile esteem of our selves and all our best good works we do grant not with lip and tongue only as many bastard Protestants do but do feele in our hearts in deed and truth that all our righteousnesse even of sanctification is as foule stained filthy rags Esay 64. 6. Whereupon our hearts are so inflamed with such an high prizing and onely esteeming of the wedding garment of Christs obedience and righteousnesse perfectly iustifying us and all our works That not onely every true Minister of the Gospel but also every true Christian ceaseth all contention about works and is carried with a zealous affection to know nothing among Gods people save Iesus Christ and him crucified to iustifie them 1. Cor. 2. 2. by which they are made such true burning coals of Gods Altar so enflamed with this holy fire of Christs love from heaven that they cannot chuse but enflame and kindle all others that come neare them caring for nothing but to be found our selves and to cause others to be found in Christ that is not having our owne righteousnesse in esteeme which at the best is but mans glory before men only Rom. 4. 2. but in the most precious robes of Christs righteousnesse making both us and all our workes perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in Gods sight freely by faith onely without workes and so do truely know Christ and grace and faith and works rightly as these and such like Scriptures teach Yea doubtlesse I count all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and do count them but dung that I may win or gain Christ and bee found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ even the righteousnesse which is of God through faith Phil. 3. 8 9. neither doe I passe of crosses and afflictions at all nor doe I count my life deare unto my selfe so that I may fulfill my course with ioy and the ministery which I have received of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospel that is the ioyfull newes of the grace of God Act. 20. 24. That I might be the Minister of Iesus Christ toward the Gentiles ministring as the worship of God the Gospell that is the ioyfull newes of God That the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable being sanctified by the holy Ghost So that from Ierusalem and round about unto Illiricum I have by Christ working in me caused to abound the Gospel that is the ioyfull newes of Christ Rom. 15. 16 19. Yea so I forced my self to preach this ioyfull newes not where Christ was named lest I should build upon another mans foundation But as it is written to whom hee was not spoken of they shall see and they that have not heard they shall understand vers 20 21. All which againe is as briefly as notably expressed by the established Doctrine of our Church out of Saint Basil saying thus This is a perfect and whole reioycing in God when a man advanceth not himselfe for his owne righteousnesse but acknowledgeth himselfe to lack true iustice and righteousnesse and to be iustified by onely faith in Christ And the Apostle Saint Paul saith he
another being Gods whip of five strings with which he lasheth the children of men in one place or other daily and continually which are these five 1. First the curse of God Deut. 28. 15. to 20. If thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God namely which he spake in thundering and lightning and flaming fire but dost break his commandments that is dost do the least sin then all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee cursed shalt thou be in the town and cursed in the field cursed shall bee thy basket and thy store that is thy abundance that seemes to thee a blessing shall be to thee accursed cursed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy land and the encrease of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep cursed shalt thou bee when thou comest in and cursed also when thou goest out The Lord shall send upon thee cursing vexation and trouble in all that thou settest thy hand to do c. 2. The second punishment is hardnesse of heart that is no spirituall sense or feeling but little caring for this curse of God upon us for sin and a sleight regarding of free justification which is the onely remedy and means that should heal us of this sinne and curse Matth. 13. 15. For this peoples heart is waxed grosse and their ears are dull of hearing and with their eyes they have winked lest they should see with their eyes and heare with their eares and should understand with their hearts and should bee converted and I should heale them But my people would not heare my voice nor Israel would none of me So I gave them up to the hardnesse of their hearts and they have walked in their own counsell Psal 81. 11 12. whereby thou after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart heapest up like a treasure to thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the just judgment of God Rom. 2. 5. 3. The third sort of punishment for sinne is all manner of miseries crosses and afflictions to body goods and name which are ready every moment to strike us but to what end to knock for us and give us warning to be sure that we bee freely justified and have on the wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse as it is expressed Iob 33. 19. to verse 26. A man is chastened with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong paine so that his life abhorreth bread and his soul dainty meats His flesh is consumed away and his bones that were not seen stick out his life draweth neare to the grave c. But if there be a messenger with him an interpreter one of a thousand to shew unto a man his righteousnesse that is his justifying righteousnesse by Christ then God is gracious unto him and saith deliver him from going down into the pit I have found a ransome 4. The fourth punishment of sinne is that uncertain death is ready every moment to strike us wee knowing neither the time when nor the place where nor the manner how death will strike us as God himself saith Deut. 28. 66. If thou breakest my Commandements and so dost sin thy life shall hang in doubt before thee c. Thou shalt have just cause to feare both night and day for thou shalt have no assurance of thy life For God said to the rich man Luke 12. 20. Thou fool this night will they that is the devils fetch away thy soule from thee and then whose shall these things bee which thou hast provided So is every man that is not rich in God that is which hath not on the wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse which only maketh us rich in God Pro. 8. 18. 5 The fifth and last punishment for sinne is when death which is so uncertain is come then follows the full execution of Gods justice in hell fire there to endure easlesse and endlesse torments for ever and ever Therefore saith Christ the Teacher of true wisedome I say unto you my friends be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that are not able to doe any more But I will forewarne you whom you shall feare Feare him which after he hath killed hath power also to cast into hell yea I say unto you feare him Luke 12. 4 5. for then he shall say Depart yee cursed which all are that are not justified into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his angels and these shall goe away into everlasting paine but the righteous only that is only they that are made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely with Christs righteousnesse shall goe into life everlasting Mat. 25. 41 46. Thus ought these three maine things that the Law teacheth concerning sin to be daily and diligently pressed upon sleeping consciences secure in the least sin untill the most upright honest yea and most sanctified man in works may feele himselfe slaine by the Law especially by the tenth Commandement as Paul was Rom. 7. 9. saying For I once was alive without the Law but when the commandement thou shalt not lust or covet that is thou shalt not have the least motion to any sinne came that I understood it sinne revived that is I saw my best good works to be sinne which I took to be no sinne before but I died that is I saw my selfe lost and damned by that beautifull sinne which I took to be a good work before God and no sinne And the same Commandment which was by obeying it ordained unto life I found by breaking it in my best good works to be unto death For sinne that is originall corruption dwelling in me taking occasion or force by the commandement deceived me that is made my best good works as I did them sinne when I took them to be no sinne and by it that is by the commandement disobeyed and broken slew me that is made me to see and feele my selfe to be in my best and most sanctified good works a lost and damned creature Because sinne that is originall corruption dwelling in me that it might appeare sinne did work death in me by that which is good that is by that turning that into sinne by defect which was done by the good and holy Law of God that sinne by the commandement disobeyed might become out of measure or exceeding sinfull Hereupon and for this cause doth the most sanctified childe of God truly enlightened and slaine by the Law by this right understanding of this tenth commandement see and feele that which is spoken of by Paul Rom. 3. 9. to 19. to be most true in himselfe and in his best sanctified works namely That there is none righteous no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh God they are all gone out of the way they are altogether become abominable and unprofitable There is none that doth good no not one Their throat is an open
sufficiently commend it or set it forth For saith he the righteous one he made a sinner that hee might make the sinners righteous nay he speaketh not so sleightly neither but that which is farre more For he said not hee made him a sinner but sinne that we might be made he saith not righteous but righteousnesse yea and the righteousnesse of God For this is of God because it is not of workes For the former righteousnesse of good esteem in the Church was the righteousnesse of the Law and of works but this is the righteousnesse of God Because it is necessary that no spot bee found in it and from hence all sinne vanisheth away Thus hee teacheth the magnificence both of the gift and giver 3. Thirdly to look the better into the nature of this benefit we must consider deeply the excelent parts of this wonderfull benefit which are these two chiefly 1. First that this wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse doth though mystically that is above our reason sight sense and feeling that we may live by faith in the truth and power of God speaking and not by sight sense and feeling Rom. 4. 18 to 25. yet freely take away and truly abolish not out of our flesh 1 Iohn 1. 8. but utterly abolish from before God and out of Gods sight all our sinnes as these and such like Scriptures teach Iohn 1. 29. Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world For I not you but even I being Sol iustitiae the shining sunne of righteousnesse Mal. 4. 2. will do away your iniquities like darknesse and abolish your sinnes like a mist Reioyce ye heavens for the Lord hath done it Shout ye lower parts of the earth break forth into praises O mountaines For thus hath the Lord redeemed Iacob and thus will he be glorified in Israel Esa 43. 25. and 44. 22 23. For by himself hath Christ purified and made us cleane from our sins and is set at the right hand of the highest Maiesty Heb. 1. 3 Because if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the uncleane sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himsellfe without spot to God purge purifie or make clean our consciences from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9. 13 14. Therefore did hee now once in the end of the world appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to abolish to doe away or to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe Heb. 9. 26. For Iesus Christ is that faithfull witnesse and that first begotten of the dead and that Prince of the Kings of the earth who hath loved us and hath washed us from our sins in his owne blood Rev. 1. 5. whereby the blood of Iesus Christ the sonne of God doth make us cleane from all sinne 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Now the sonne having thus abolished our sinnes from before God or out of Gods sight Col. 1. 22. Hereupon doth the father pardon remit and forgive all the punishment and evill that is due to those sinnes which his sonne hath freely done away and truely abolished out of his fathers sight according to that testimony of David Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sinnes are covered Psal 32. 1. Hereupon is all the anger of the father and all his displeasure discontentment death and all other evils ceased upon the justified person before God the father And thus much briefly of the excellency of the first part of free justification 2. The excellency of the second part of free justification is That this wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse doth not only make us present us righteous in the sight of God but it also maketh us perfectly and completely and sufficiently holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely by faith onely without workes or without our perfect working Yea so sufficiently and completely and perfectly holy and righteous that though mystically yet wheresoever we sit or walk we shine gloriously holy and righteous in the sight of God freely as these and such like Scriptures teach Rom. 5. 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one man shall many be made righteous whereby if by the offense of one death reigned by one much more they which receive the abundance of grace and that abundance of the gift of righteousnesse shall reigne in life through one even Iesus Christ Rom. 5. 17. Therefore did the Angel Gabriel prophesie to Daniel that after seventy weeks of yeares not onely sinne should be finished and transgression made an end of and reconciliation made for iniquity but also everlasting righteousnesse be brought in upon the faithfull Dan. 9. 24. Thus is this righteousnesse called not only an abundance of righteousnesse and an everlasting righteousnesse but also hence it is said to make us complete before God even complete in him which is the head of all principalities and powers Col. 2. 10. Hence it is said to make us perfect as with one sacrifice he hath made perfect for ever all them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. Hence it is said to make us and present us to God a glorious Church as he hath made us pure or clean by the washing of water through the word to make us to himselfe a glorious Church not having now at this present time as the Greek and Latine Participles signifie one spot or wrinckle of sinne or any such thing but to bee so holy that wee are unblameable or without blemish before God Eph. 27. Because in the body of his flesh through death he makes us or presents us so holy that we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without all blame and without all fault in Gods sight if we continue rooted and grounded in this faith upon which place Chrysostome saith He hath not only freed us from sin but also he hath made us honourable and glorious in Gods sight Hence it is that this wedding garment of Christs perfect righteousnesse was signified by the vesture of the gold of Ophir that maketh the bride of Christ a Queen and all glorious within that is spiritually and mystically saying At thy right hand doth stand the Queene in a vesture of the gold of Ophir and shee is all glorious within Psalm 45. 9. Hence is the Church and every true beleever made that great wonder in heaven that is under the time and state of the Gospel called every where in the New Testament the Kingdome of heaven Matth. 11. 11 12. and chapter 13. But what is this wonder A woman that is in generall the whole Church but in particular every true beleeving soule which is as truely by faith married to Christ as any woman can be married to her husband Ephes 5. 30. But what of this woman Amicta sole cloathed with the sunne that shineth in