among men there is given none other name vnder Heaven whereby we must be saved Acts. 4. 12. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6 23. I am the resurection and the life be that believeth in me although he were dead yet shall he live John 11. 25. You hath he quickned that were dead in trespasses and sins Ephe. 2. 1. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved John 3. 16. to 20. God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then being now justified by his blood we shal be saved from wrath through him For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5. 6 to 11. read to the end of the Chapter See more Joh. 1. 29. Acts 13. 39. Rom. 6. 4 to 23. 8. 2 3. 10. 3 4. 1 Cor. 15. 56. Colos. 1. 14. Gal. 3. 22. Heb. 9. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19 20. 1 Joh. 3. 8. Sect. XVIII As Christ was a sinner only by the imputation of our sins so wee are just onely by the imputation of his righteousness Our good works were they never so many and rare cannot justify us or deserve any thing at Gods hands it is onely in Christ that they are accepted and only for Christ that they are rewarded Yea the opinion of thine own righteousness makes thy condition far worse then the wickedest mans alive For Christ that came to save all weary and heavy laden sinners be they never so wicked neither came to save or once to call thee that hast no sin but art righteous enough without him As hear his own words to the proud Pharisees who had the same thoughts of themselvs as thou hast They that be whole need not a Physitian but they theâ—â— are sick I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance The â—â—st sheep of the house of Israel Mat. 9. 13. 10. 6. 15. 24. 18. 11. Nor can any soul be so dangerously sick as thou who art least sensible of thy being sick Briefly untill with Saint Paul thou renouncest thine own righteousness seest thy self the greatest of sinners art able to discern sin in every thing thou canst think speak or do and that thy very righteousnesse is no better then a menstruous cloth Isa. 64. 6. thou canst have no part in Christ And until Christ shall become thine by Regeneration and a lively faith Thou art bound to keep the whole Law actually and spiritually with thy whole man thy whole life or else suffer eternal death and destruction of body and soul in Hell for thy not keeping it So that thou hast yet to answer and I pray mind it seriously for all the sins that ever thou hast committed who art not able to answer for one of the least of them For the wages of sin any sin be it never so small is eternal death Rom. 6. 23. Gal. 2. 16 19 20 21. Neither let Satan nor thy own deceitful heart delude thee in thinking that thou hast faith when thine own words declare the contrary Nor would I ask any more evidence against thee in this then thine own mouth in saying that thou never doubtest in all thy life for this makes it plain that thou never hadst faith nor ever knewest what faith means For he who never doubted never believed and Satan hath none so sure as those whom he never yet assaulted Sect. XIX But this being a main fundamental point which every man is bound to know I will more particularly and fully explain it as thus Man being in a most miserable and undone condition by reason of Originall and actuall sin and of the curse due to both being liable to all miseries in this life and adjudged to suffer eternall torments in hell-fire after death having no possibility to escape the fierce wrath of Almighty God who had already pronounced sentence upon him When neither Heaven Earth nor Hell could have yielded any satisfactory thing besides Christ that could have satisfied Gods justice and merited Heaven for us then O then God of his infinite wisdome and goodness did not onely find out a way to satisfie his justice and the Law but even gave us his own Son out of his bosom and his Son gave himselfe to dye even the most shamefull painfull and cursed death of the Cross to redeem us that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 16. A mercy bestowed and a way found out that may astonish all the Sons of men on earth and Angels in Heaven Wherefore wonder at this you that wonder at nothing that the eternall God would die to redeem our worse then lost souls that we might not dye eternally O the deepness of Gods love O the unmeasurable measure of his bounty O Son of God who can sufficiently extoll thy love or commend thy pity or extoll thy praise It was a wonder that thou madest us for thy self more that thou madest thy self man for us but most of all that thou shouldest unmake thy selfe that thou shouldest dye to save us Which salvation stands in two things First in freeing and delivering us from Hell secondly in the possession of Heaven and eternall life Christ by his death merits the first for us and by his obedience fulfilling the law merits the second The parts of our justification are likewise two the remission of our sins and the imputation of Christs righteousness whereby we have freedome from all evill here and the perfection of all good and happiness in Heaven Insomuch that all those Millions of mercies that we have received from before and since we were born either for soul or body even to the least bit of bread we eat or shall injoy to eternity Christ of his free grace hath purchased for us with the price of his own pretious blood For which see Psal. 68. 19. and 145. 15 16. and 75. 6 7. Hear this all you that care to be saved God will pardon all your sins he will give you an eternal crown of glory in heaven if you unfainedly repent and wholly rely upon Christ for your salvation by a lively faith and that because he is just for although the Lord cannot in justice let sin go unpunished for the wages of sin is eternal death Rom. 6. 23. death in the person if not in the surety Yet Christ hath sufficiently satisfied for all the sins of the faithful and paid their debt even to the utmost farthing as is evident by Isa. 53. 4. 5. a Cor. 5. 21. Heb. 9. 26. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Rom. 3. 25 26. 1. Joh.
1. 7 9. and sundry other places As are we bound to perform perfect obedience to the Law Christ performed it for us Were we for disobedience subject to the sentence of condemnation the curse of the Law and death of body and soul He was condemned for us and bore the curse of the Law he died in our stead an ignominious death Did we deserve the anger of God hee indured his Fathers wrathful displeasure that so he might reconcile us to hiâ— Father and set us at liberty He that deserved no sorrow felt much that we who deserved much might feel none And by his wounds we are healed Isa. 53. 5. Adam eat the Apple Christ paid the price Iâ— a word whatsoever wâ— owed Christ discharged whatsoever we deserved he suffered if not in the selâ— same punishments for he being God could not suffer the eternal tormentâ— of Hell yet in proportion the dignity of his Person he being God and man giving value unto his temporary punishments and making them of more value and worth then if all the world should have suffered the eternall torments of Hell For it is more for one that is eternall to dye then for others to dye eternally Therefore was the Son of God made the Son of man that the Sons of men might be made the Sons of God and therefore was he both God and man lest being in every respect God he had been too great to suffer for man or being in every respect man he had been to weak to satisfie God And so much for explication of the Third Principle mentioned in the beginning Sect. XX But now coms the hardest part of my work to be performed For admit the Natural man be convinced of the truth of these three fundamentall principles never so clearly yet he will draw such a conclusion from the premisses that he will be never the better for what bath been told him yea he will decoct all even the mercy and goodness of God into poyson For what wil such a one suggest to himself the Divell helping forward Let it be granted will he say that I were every way wretched and miserable a great sinner both originally and actually and likewise liable to all the plagues of this life and of that to come yet I thank God I am well enough so long as Christ hath pâ—y'd my ransom freed me from all by a new Covenant the tenuâ—e whereof is Believe and live whereas at first it was do this and live to which I answer In Covenants and indentures between party and party there are always articles and conditions to be performed on the one side aswell as promises to be fulfilled on the other as saith Pareus Now as God hath covenanted bound himself by his word and Seal to remit thee thy sins adopt thee his child by regeneration and give thee the kingdome of Heaven everlasting life by for his Son's sake so Christ hath for on thy behalf undertaken yea thou thy self didst for thy part bind thy self by covenant promise and vow in thy baptism that thou wouldest forsake the Devil and all his works constantly believ Gods holy Word obediently keep his Commandements the better thereby to express thy thankfulness towards him for so great a benefit 1 Pet. 3. 21. Psa. 116. 12 13 14 And we know that in Covenants and Indentures if the Conditions be not kept the Obligation is not in force Whereby millions Magus like after the water of Baptisme which is a seal of the Covenant of Grace go to the fire of Hell Yea except we repent and believe the Gospell threats and precepts aswell as promises that holy sacrament together with the offer of grace instead of Sealing to us our salvation will be an obligation vnder our own hand and seal against us and so prove a seal of our greater condemnation Therefore the mayn question is Whether thou art a Believer For although Christ in the Gospel hath made many large precious promises there are none so generall which are not limited with the condition of faith and the fruit thereof unfained repentance and each of them are so tyed and entayled that none can lay claim to them but true believers which repent and turn from all their sins to serve him in holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. Isa. 39. 20. As for instance Our Savior hath made publick proclamation Mark 16. 16. That whosoever shall believe and be baptized shall be saved but mark what withal is added he that will not believe shall be damned Again So God loved the world that be gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 15 16. And that none may deceive themselvs he addeth He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the onely begotten Son of God And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather then light Joh. 3. 19 20. And again As many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name Joh. 1. 12. Again Hecâ— 5. 9. He is said to be the author of eternal salvation unto all that obey him not unto them which continue in their rebellious wickednesse and never submit themselvs to be ruled by the scepter of his Word Christ's blood saith Zâ—â—câ—ie was shed as well for ablution as for absolution as well to cleanse from the sâ—il and filth of sin as to clear and assoil from the guilt of sin Rom 6. 5 6. God bath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Ephes. 1. 4. They therefore that never come to be holy were never chosen He is said to have given himself for us that he might reâ—eem us from all iniquity and purge us to be a peculiar people unto himself zealous of good works Titus 2. 14. Luke 1. 74 75. Yea the Lord binds it with an â—ath that whomsoever he redeemeth out of the hands of their spiritual enemies they shall worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life Luk. 1. 73 74 75. 1 Pet. 2. 24. and Titus 2. The grace of God which bringeth salvation teacheth us that we should deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts anâ— that we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world vers. 12. By all which it is plain that as Christ's blood is a Charter of pardon so withall it is a covenant of direction and hee that refuseth to live as that covenant prescribes may perish as a malefactor that is hanged with his pardon about his neck Sect. XXI But alas say what can be said carnall men who love their sins better then their souls will answer all yea confute whatever can be alleaged with God
is mercifull Or in case that will not serve yet they have another shift or rather the enemy of mankind will furnish them with an â—vasion telling them that they have a strong faith good hearts and mean well they repent of their sins have as good wishes and desires as can bee are elected hope to go to heaven as well â—s the best c. But to every of â—hese I answer First true faith purifieth the heart and worketh by love consumeth our â—o â—â—ptions and sanctifieth the whole man throughout so that our faith to God is seen in our faithfulness to men our invisible belief by our visiâ—le life 〈…〉 holiness are as inseparable as life and motion the Sun and light 〈…〉 ice and coldness the spâ—ing and greenness the rose and sweetnes◠〈◊〉 and â—ardness cristall and cleerness pitch and foulness hony and sweetness Again faith believeth the threats of the Word together with the promises Now thou who pretendest belief in the promises shew my thy belief in the threatnings For did'st thou believe the truth of those menaces which God hath denounced against unclean coveteous amâ—itious unjust envious malicious persons and such like sinneâ—â— how duâ—st thou then so wallow in these sins â—hat if God instead of Hell had promised Heaven as a reward unto them thou couldest not do more then thou dost Why shouldest thou deceive thy self with an opinion of faith when indeed thou believest not so much as the Devill does for hee believs namely the threatnings of the Word and â—remâ—les for horror Jam. 2. but thou goest on in sin even mocking at the menaces and in the infidelity of thy heart givest them the â—ve saying no such thing shall befall thee But Invadunt urbem somno vinoâ—uâ— sepultam when they shall say peace and safety then cometh on them sudden destruction 1 Thes. 5. 3. Though these persecutors of Christ and murtherers of the Lord of life were the Devills children as they were plainly told by truâ—h it self John 8. 44. yet they most confidently believed and stiffly maintained that God was their father ver. 41. And to will the woâ—st of men in these days such as do nothing but sin and make others sin such as glory in and maintain their sins Again as faith is wrought by Gods Spirit so where it is wrought it brings forth the fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 5. 22. 23. whereas presumption as it is of the flesh so it bâ—ings forth the fruits of the flesh ver. 19. 20. 21. But it is very easie to believ thinks the sensualist yes but why Satan troubles not such for then hee who begot this presumptious faith in him should be divided against himself Nay Satan confirmâ— him in this his deceit Besides this is a sure rule that that perswasion only which follows sound humiliation is faith that which goes before iâ— is presumption And as Ambrose speaks no man can repent of sin but hee that believs the pardon of sin nor none can believe his sins are pardoned except hee hath repented Besides how easie a matter soever thou thinkest it is to believe hee that goes about it shall find it as hard a work to believ the Gospell as to keep the Law and onely God must inable to both and yet so far as wee come short of either so far forth wee have just cause to bee humbled if wee consider how God at first made us and how wofully wee have unmade our selves But Sect. 22. Secondly as for their good hearts and meanings they may think what they will but every wise â—an knows that the outward actions declare the inward intentions A good conversion is proved by a good conversation Theâ—e is no heart made of flesh which at some time or other â—elents not even 〈◊〉 and marble will in some weather stand or drops Men may flatter God with their mouthes and witâ— tâ—eiâ— tongues dissemble with him when their hearts are not upright with him Psal. 78 3â— 37. and indeed they whose words and deeâ—â—s are faulty and evill and yet plead the goodness of their hearts towards God are like malefactors who being convinced of thesâ— or the like naughtiness by plain evidence to their faces do appeal to the testimony of such persons for their purgation as they know cannot bee found And in case the hearts of such men could bee seen of others as their works and words are their hearts would appear worst of all as they do to God who seeth them Nor is any evill in the mouth or hand which was not in the heart first of all as the stream in the fountain And let a viciâ—us man boast never so much of his good heart I will as soon believ him that saith he hath the Philosophers stoneâ— and yet lives like a beggar which two hang together like a sick mans dream Wee have good hearts and mean well alass poor ignorant souls for every drop of wickedness that appears in the life there is an ocean in the heart The heart of man is deceitfull above all things and while hee thinks there is no deceit in it even in that hee is most of all deceived Sâ—nners are like that peremptory Sexton that said howsoever the day goes I am sure the clock goes rigâ—t So that the Spanish Proverb does every way please mee defienda medios demio God defend mee from my self Carnall men are apt to boast of the goodness of their hearts but a mans heart is as arch a traitor as any hee shall meet withall 〈◊〉 trust it too much and know it too little is it fared with Leah Gen. 30 18. and Hazaell 2 Kings 8. 12. 13. and Peter Mat. 26. 33 Luke 22. 32. Mark 14. 29. And those Jews Act. 2. 36. 〈◊〉 all this they will acknowledge in the end yea prove by experience that Heaven is full of good works Hell of good wishes and that the fetters whiâ—h sin makes it must wear Sect. XXIII Thirdly touching their repentance my answer is True repentance for sin is a turning from every sin to the contrary good In all true repentance is a change both in the judgment from error to truâ—h and in the will from evill to good and in the affections from loving evill and hating good to love good and hate evill in the whole man from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Without which change no repentance no being saved The two main and essentiall parts of repentance are contrition or humiliation and conversion or reformation It is not true repentance except humiliation and reformation go both together for either of these single make but a half or halting repentance An unreformed sorrow is but deformed and a sorrow less reformation is but a very sorry one Humitation without reformation is a foundation without a building and reformation without humiliation is a building without a foundation Judas was grieved for murthering Christ yet no change followed hee fell to murthering of himself It is not possible