in bondage what need we a redeemer If not lost what need we a Saviour Mat. 9. 12. The whole need not the Physitian but they that are sick Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentauce Mat. 9. 13. to preach redemption to the Captives Luke 4. 1â— and to save that which was lost He was given unto us of his Father to be our wisdom our lustification our redemption our sanctification our life our salvation 1 Cor. 1. 30. If therefore we would be made partakers of these benefits we must acknowledg our selves to be fools in spiritual things that in him we may become wise guilty of death damnation that in and by him we may be absolved and justified defiled and polluted with sin that by him we may be sanctified dead in sin that in him we may be quickned and revived lost that in him we may be saved captives and bondmen that by him we may be redeemed 2. As touching the party by whom we are redeemed the text saith he would give us that we should be redeemed which in the beginning of this Psalm is more plainly expressed Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath visited and redeemed his people or as the words are hath wrought redemption to his people How By raising an horn of salvation that is a mighty saviour For us who according to the flesh was the Son of David The father therefore redeemeth us by giving his son for us the son redeemeth us by giving himself to be a price of redemption for us 1 Tim. 2. 6. The holy Ghost also redeemeth us when working in us the grace of â—aith he applieth unto us the benefit of redemption The father redeemeth as the gracious Author and Donor the Son as the meritorious worker the holy Ghost as the effectual applier The good wil and love of God the Father is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or antecedent moving cause the death and obedience of Christ is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or meritorious cause the application of the holy Ghost is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or effectual cause by which we are made actually partakers of redemption which is the grace wrought by Christ proceeding from the love of the father 2 Cor. 13. 14. applied unto us by the communion of the holy Ghost Now here are divers things to be observed 1. The infinite and unspeakable love of God the father in giving his only begotten Son and of God the Son in giving himself for us and of God the holy Ghost the spirit of grace in communicating unto us the mercy and love of God and the merit and vertue of all that Christ did or suâ—â—ered for us For the first herein is love saith the beloved Apostle not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes 1 John 4. 10. So God loved the world so infinitely so unspeakably so beyond all comparison that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Ioh. 3. 16. And again Ro. 8. 32. that he spared not his own son but delivered him up for us al. But her in especialy god mendeth his love towards us that whilest we were sinners and by sin enemies Christ died for us Rom. 5. 8. 10. If this love of God be shed abroad in our hearts by his holy spirit Rom. 5. 5. that is if by the Holy Ghost working in us faith we are truly perswaded and assured of it these effects wil follow 1. that we shal love God again the beams of his love inflaming our hearts and reflecting back some heat of love For therefore do we love God because he loved us first 1 Joh. 4. 19. Magnes amor is amor Love is the loadstone of love The woman in the Gospel who had many sins remitted did therefore love much Luk. 7. 47. If it be demanded why and how we should love God I answer with Bernard Libâ—de dilig Deum initio Causa diligendi Deum Deus est modus sine modo diligere God is good without measure and without measure he hath loved us therefore without measure if it were possible we ought to love him But though we cannot do so yet we ought to love him with all our heart with all our soul and with all our might Lev. 6. 5. Mat. 22. 37. Or if we cannot do so by reason of the flesh yet at the least with an upright soul and a sincere heart to the uttermost of our power And this our love we must express by keeping his commandements Ioh. 14. 15. Exod. 20. 6. and that willingly For this saith Saint John is the love of God 1 Ioh. chap. 5. ver 3. that we keep his Commandments and his Commandements are not grievous 2. We shal love our neighbour for the Lords sake it is the use which S. Iohn makeâ—h in the place even now cited 1 Ioh. 4. 10. 11. Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the prâ—pitiation for our sins Beloved saith he if God so loved us we ought also to love 〈◊〉 another 3. The perswasion of this love of God affordeth unto us singular comfort in divers respects As first in afflictions For therefore do we glory in afflictions Rom. 5. 3 4 5. knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given 〈◊〉 us that is because by faith wrought in us by the holy Ghost we are perswaded of the love of God in Christ which love God commendeth towards us in that when we were sinners Christ died for us The second comfort If God did so love us when we were his enemies much more when by Christ we are become his friends For if when we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shal be saved by his life The third comfort If God so loved us that he spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shal he not then with him also freely give us all things Rom. 8. 32. all things that be expedient for us 2. The love also of God the Son exceedeth all knowledg Ephes. 3. 19. who so loâ—ed the Church that he gave himself for it Eph. 5. 25. who so loved us that he washed us from our sins in his own blood Apoc. 1. 5. Greater love hath no man then this that a man lay down his life for his friends Iohn 15. 13. But Christ our sweet Saviour being not only man but God also gave himself not for his friends but for his enemies and that not to a commoâ—and ordinary death but to the most painful most shameful and most accursed death of the Cross and not only to fuffer a corporall death but also in his soul
all manner of riches This affection towards Gods Word David expresseth psal 119. 14 15 16 24. 47. 72. 111. 127. 143. 162. We must give our selves to prayer as devoted thereunto Psal. 109. 4. taking delight to conferre with God in prayer and offering up our prayers and thanksgivings as a willing sacrifice Psal. 119. 108. We must praise God with joyfulness and give thanks with chearfulness Psal. 9. 2. 95 2. 95. 1. 2. 63. 5. for as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is thanks cometh of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reâ—oyce so it must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is with joy Phil. 1. 3. 4. we must esteeme it a blessed thing wherein we resemble the blessed Saints and Angels in heaven Psal 84 4. We must call the Sabbath our delight Esay 58. 13 And we must esteeme one day spent in the house of God as better then a thousand Psal. 84. 10. Psal. 26. 8. 27. 4. 84. 1 2 3 4. 10. The duties of charity are also cheerfully to be performed Rom. 12 8. he that sheweth mercy let him doe it with cheerfulnesse drawing forth his soule to the hungry and afflicted Esay 58 10. id est ex animo liberaliter hilariterque communicans ejus necessitatibus For the Lord loveth a cheerfull giver 2 Cor. 9. 7. Finally in doing the will of God wee are to imitate the holy Angels according to our daily prayer that we may doe the will of God upon earth as it is done in heaven that is willingly readily cheerfully following also the example of all examples our blessed Saviour whose delight it was Psal. 40. 8. and whose meat it was to doe the will of his heavenly father John 4. 34. As for that obedience or service which is extorted from men by servile feare because it is forced it is but momentany For no violent thing is of continuance and being momeâ—tany it is but counterfeit whereas true piety is constant and permanent Such is the obedience and repentance of hypocrites who when they are affrighted with Gods judgements or afflicted with his heavie hand pretend repentance and promise amendment but when the hand of God is removed from them they returne to their former courses and are so farre from learning obedience by that which they have suffered or feared that like anviles with often striking they are more and more hardned according to that Esay 1. 5. why should you be shricken any more you will adde revolt A notable example hereof we have in Pharaoh who as upon the inflicting of the severall judgements promised obedience Exod. 8. 8. 25. 9. 27. 10. 16. 12. 31. so upon the removing of the plagues he returned to his former obstinacy Exod. 8. 15. 32. 9. 34. 10. 20. 14. 5. Yea in the Israelites themselves who when God slew some of them they sought him and they returned and enquired early after GOD c. Nevertheles they did but flatter him with their mouth and with their tongues they lied unto him for their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant Psal. 78 34 36 37. This therefore ought to teach men not to put off their repentance to the time of sicknesse or old age or to the houre of death lest the repentance which then they hope to performe prove counterfeit Now that our obedience may be voluntary and cheerfull and our service of God without servile feare we are to be adorned with the three Theologicall Vertues Faith Hope and Charity for according to the measure of these three graces in the measure of our spirituall security and assurance which is the ground of our cheerfulness Faith for no man can worship the Lord with a willing mind and cheerfull heart that is not by Faith perswaded that his service is accepted of him The perswasion of Gods love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit that is to say Faith maketh us to love him againe and in love to serve him willingly to whom much is forgiven they love much Luke 7. 47. That charity wherby the whole law is fulfilled proceedeth from Faith unfained 2 Tim. 1. 5. and without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Hope for they that have fastened their anchor of hope in Heaven performe the duties of piety and righteousness with a comfortable expectation of everlasting happiness The hope whereof maketh them easily to swallow all the difficulties and troubles of this life for the joy that is set before them and with cheerfulnes to serve the Lord and to finish their course with joy Act. 20. 24. whiles we hold fast this hope nothing shal be able to discourage or to with-draw us from the voluntary worshippe of GOD. Not the desires of this world which to him that hath this hope seeme meer vanities in comparison of the happines hoped for Not the terrours or bugg-beares of this world which are not worthy of the glory expected see Rom. 5. 2. 3. Consider the example of Moses who when hee was come to yeares refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of GOD then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ in his members greater riches then the treasures of Egypt the reason of all which is this for he had respect to the recompence of reward Heb. 11. 24 25 26. Charity 1 John 4. 18. which expelling fearfulness causeth cheerfulness To him that loveth the commandments of God are not grievous 1 Iohn 5. 3. nor the yoake of CHRIST tedious Nothing is hard to him that loveth Iacobs 7 years of hard service for the love of Rachel seemed to him but a few dayes Gen. 29. 20. The third use is a singular comfort which from hence ariseth to the Faithfull For whereas the Lord in other places when he would comfort his servants bideth them not to feare as Esay 43. 1. feare not for I have redeemed thee Luke 12. 32. feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome Here in this covenant of grace he promiseth and that by oath that hee will give us to worship him without feare or at least without cause of feare so Esay 54. 4. which must needes be a singular consolation unto us whether we respect our condition by nature or by grace For by Nature we are obnoxious to our enemies subject to the terrour of the law and to the feare Heb. 2. 15. of death and damnation And though we be in the state of grace yet are we infirme and weake not able by our owne strength to resist our enemies The ground therefore of this our being without feare is not any confidence of our owne strength but first of all the truth of God Heb. 6. 17 18. who by oath hath promised that wee shall worship him without feare 2. Secondly the power of God whereby he is able to make good his promise 2 Tim. 1. 12. 1 Pet.
to be regarded But they should remember him who sayeth that of every idle and much more of every malicious word men shall give an accompt at the day of judgment For by thy words saith he thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned If therefore any among you saith St. Iames I am 1. 26. seeme to be religions and hath not learned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were with a bitte or a brible to refraine his tongue that man deceiveth himselfe and his religion is vaine that is to say he is an hypocrite having a shew of religion but denying the power thereof For in whom there is any power of religion they have learned to bridle their tongues Yea in their words iâ— a disâ—ord not only between them and their hearts and between their words and their works but also between their words and their words For as they speaâ—e with an heart and an heart that is a double hart whence they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so also with a tongue and a tongue that is a double tongue whence they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3. 8. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bilingues Eccles. 28. 13. Out of the same mouth they breath hot and cold which the Satyre liked not out of the same fountaine issueth both bitter and sweete both salt water and fresh with the same tongue blesse God and curse men Iam. 3. 9. 16. 11. 12. out of the same mouth procedeth blessing and cursing It is strange to see and lamentable to consider how some men and women who would seeme religious are given to ill speaking being not onely â—â—arâ—e cenâ—â—rers and depravers of their brethern but also detracters back-biters and slanderers and which is an evident signe of an hypocrite thinking that the dispraise of other men â—endeth to their 〈◊〉 and the praise of others to their disgrace 3. The obedience of the upright is â—o tall in respect of his whole 〈◊〉 after the time of his justification and reconcilation with God as it is here said all the dayes of our life Not but that sometimes he stumbleth in the way of Christianity and sometime falleth but yet notwithstanding in respect of his desire purpose and endevour his obedieâ—ce is constant and permanent For he keepeth a constant course in well-doing as namly in the practise of piety wherein by continual practise he is habituated He so giverth himselfe to prayer as that in the scriptures he is said to pray alwayes Acts 10. 22. not that he doth nothing els but pray but that he prayeth both ordinarily at see times every day perhaps thrice a day as Daniel did Dâ—â— 6. 10. and also extraordinarily aâ— ocâ—asion is offered Likewise he keepeth a constant course in reading meditating and hearing Gods word and in other Christian duties wherein he sted fastly goeth on with desire to increase in goodnesse And as his obedience is constant so 〈◊〉 it is permanent For uprightnesse is evermore accompanyed with perseverance to the 〈◊〉 â— as 〈◊〉 I shall shew But the obedience of the hypocrite is neither constant but as it were by fits for the double minded man is inconstant in all his wayes Iam. 1. 8. neither permanent but momâ—ntany oâ— temporary like the morning â—â—ist or the early dew Hos. 6. 4. like the seed sowne upon the rocâ—ie ground which in time of heat withereth Luk. 8. 13. like the building of the foolish man which in â—ime of temptation is overthrowne Mat. 7. 26. Graces Now I come to the graces every one whereof in the upright is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is unfained and as Salomon speaketh Pro. 3. 12. tusâ—â—jak that which truly is but in the hypocrite counterfeit In these the generall note of uprightnesse is desire of increase and striving forward towards perfections Phil. 3. 14 for in this life we are in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our growing age and God doth orowne their righteousnesse with incrâ—ase for to him that hath it shall be given The hypocriteâ— are non-proficienâ—s contenting themselves with that measure of graâ—e which they seeme to have and have not and having not they are so farre from increasing in grace that that which they seeme to have Luk 8. 8 is taken from them And first the faith of the upright is lively and effectuall both to justification apprehending and applying Christ who is our righteousnesse and also to sanctification because it doth purify the heart Acts 15. 9. and worke by love Gal. 5. 6. Againe the faith of the upright is permanent by it he standeth Rom. 5. 2. and by it he shall live Heb. 2. 4. by the power of God through faith he is preserved unto eternall life 1 Pet. 1. 5. And therefore those who are of the defection are not of faith And contrarywise Heb. 0. 39. The seeming faith to the hypocrite is dead being nether effectual to justification as being without roote Luk. 8. 13. nor to sanctification as being without â—â—uit For as the body without breath is dead Iam 2. 26. so is faith without works Neither is the faith of hypocrites permanent but temporary which in time of tryall faileth Luk. 8. 13. Love The love also of the upright is unfained whether we speake of his love to God which appeareth by obedience both active which is obedients legis for this is the love of God that he keepe his commandements 1 Iohn 5. 3. Exod 20. 6. and passive which is obedientia crucis that is to say patience for love suffereth all things 1 Cor. 3. 7. or of his love to man which appeareth in giving and forgiving But more specially an undoubted sigue of uprightnesse is to love and respect the godly though of mean accompt in the world for their godlinesse sake Iam. 2. 24. and to disrespect the wicked though great in the world for their wickednesse Ps. 15. 4. following therein the disposition of God himselfe 1 Sam. 2. 30. and the example of Elisha 2 King 3. 13 14. for in the eyes of the upright prety maketh men honorable but wickednesse maketh them vile and despicable Dan. 11. 21. And as the upright are an abomination to the wicked so contrarywise Pro. 29. 27. The world loveth her owne but those that be not of the world the world hateth it is therefore a good signe that we are not of thâ— world if we love and affect those whom the world hateth The love of hypocrites is not true neither towards God For they be haters of God Exod 20. 5. 6. that will not keepe his commandements nor towards men being in word and tongue onely 1 Iohn 3. 18. or as we use to speake from the teeth outward But especially their hypocrisy is discovered as by hating or envying the godly even for his godlinesse sake because they cannot endure that any should be esteemed better then themselves Thus Cain hated Abel 1 Iohn 3. 12. and Saul David 1 Sam. 18. 9. and the Pharisees Christ so
And that we may soundly apply the promise to our selves we must first be assured that we have the condition of the promise which is the first degree of justifying Faith whereof I have spoken that is a true lively and effectuall assent which we may know our selves to have if our belief be effectuall as before I said both to justification as it is when by it we receive CHRIST who is our Righteousnesse not only in our judgements but also in our hearts and in our willes and also to sanctification as it is when it produceth the duties of repentance Having therefore the condition of the promise and knowing that thou hast it thou art bound in conscience whatsoever the Papist faith to the contrary to apply the promise to thy self as belongeth to thee Doest thou therfore truly believe that Christ is the Saviour of all those that truly believe in him then thou art bound to believe that he is thy Saviour that he died for thy sins and rose againe for thy justification that by him thou hast remission of sins and that by him thou shalt be saved Otherwise if thou knowest thy self to have the condition of the promise and wilt not apply it to thy self that is if knowing thy self truly to believe that Christ is the Saviour thou wilt not believe that he is thy Saviour thou makest God a lyar saith S. Iohn in not believing the record which God gave of his Son And this is the record that God hath given to us that believe in Christ eternall life and that this life is in his Son He that hath the Son as every true believer hath hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not lifâ— These things saith he I have written to you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternall life and that you may believe on the Name of the Son of God The meaning of which last words seemeth to be this I have written to you that believe on the Name of Christ by a true and lively assent but have not perhaps as yet attained to any sound assurance that you applying the promises of the Gospell to your selves and gathering testimonies to your selves that they belong to you by such markes as I in this Epistle have set down may attain to assurance and so proceed from Faith to Faith For without absurdity the Words cannot be understood of the same degree of Faith I have written to you that already believe in Christ that you may believe in him What No otherwise then already they do believe Yes no doubt that they which believed in a lower degree without assurance might know that they have eternall life and that so attaining to a higher degree of faith might thereby be assured of salvation by Christ. Now this application is made by a practicall Syllogisme the proposition whereof which some cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the undoubted Word of God Whosoever truly beleeveth in Christ he shall be saved The assumption is the testimony of our own spirit which is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I through Gods mercy do truly believe in Christ. For the Holy Ghost having opened my heart as he did the heart of Lydia Act. 16. 14. to assent unto or to believe the Gospel I do receive Christ not only in my judgement by a firme willing and unfaned assent but also in mine heart by an earnest desire to be made partaker of him which is the desire of application and in my will by a setled resolution whatsoever the Law mine own conscience or the Devill can object to the contrary to acknowledge him to be my Saviour and to rest upon him for salvation which is the resolved purpose of application The conclusion which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the verdict or testimony of the Holy Spirit testifying with our spirits in the assumption according to the word in the proposition Therefore I through Gods mercy shall be saved which is the voice of speciall Faith The consequence of this and all other formall Syllogismes is such that the conclusion cannot be false if the premisses be true Otherwise a contradiction would be implied that is contradictories would be true together which is impossible For if this conclusion should be false then either the Proposition is not true that whosoever truly believeth in Christ shall be saved or the assumption that I truly believe in Christ. Of the proposition of this Syllogisme there can be no doubt it being the undoubted word of God and the main promise of the Gospel Against the assumption two things may be objected the one out of the doctrine of our Divines the other out of the doctrine of the Papists For some of our Divines define faith to be a full assurance of the love of God concerning the remission of our sins and eternall salvation by Christ or in other words to the like effect But the faith mentioned in the assumption is no such assurance I answer that our Divines defining the speciall Faith are not to be blamed for defining it according to the perfection thereof for so every vertue and grace ought to be defined that so we may learne not to content our selves with that imperfect measure whereunto we have already attayned but may aspire towards perfection But if any shall hereupon inferre that no man doth truly believe who hath not that full assurance as some vnadvisedly have done he shall give occasion to the greatest part of believers either to dispair that they have not Faith because they have not ful assurance or because they woul not be thought without Faith to presume that they have a full assurance which notwithstanding men doe not attayne unto at the first nor at once but by divers degrees after much practice of piety and long experience of Gods goodnes towards them and never is so fully obtained before the end of this life but that somewhat still may and ought to be added to it The objection of the Papists against the assumption is that a man doth not know that he doth believe and therefore not being assâ—red that he doth believe he can have no assurance of salvation This is in deed the thing which they must stand unto if they will deny as they doe the certainty of salvation For if a man may be assured that he doth truly believe he may also be assured that he shall be saved But that the faithfull may know that they believe I prove 1. Because every beleever is taught to say I beleeve in God the Father I believe in God the Sonne I believe in God the Holy Ghost This profession of Faith every true Christian is bound to make with confidence therefore every true Christian is bound to know that he doth believe The father of the demoniack though indued but with a weake faith when our Saviour told him that the cure of his Sonne was possible if he could believe returned
is godly 3. Having thus by application of the promises to our selves as having the condition thereof attained to some measure of assurance we are to be carefull to use all other meanes which GOD hath ordained for the confirming of this assurance The first meanes is Prayer both for the spirit of adoption and for the encrease of our Faith As touching the former forasmuch as speciall Faith is the work of the Holy Ghost shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts we are therefore to entreat the Lord that he would give us his Spirit which he hath promised to give to those that aske him Luke 11. 13. the spirit of adoption crying that is by whom we cry in our hearts Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 15. testifying with our spirits that we are the sonnes of GOD and if sons then also heyers heyers of God and coheyers with Christ Rom. 8. 16. 17. by whom we are sealed to the day of our full redemption who also is the earnest of our inheritance 2 Cor. 1. 22. Ephesians 13 14. 4. 30. And as for the other because full assurance is the highest degree of speciall faith unto which we do never so fully attaine but that still more and more may and ought to be added therefore we are to pray continually for the increase thereof saying with the father of the Damoniack Mark 9. 24. I believe Lord but help thou my unbelief and with the Apostles Luke 17. 5. O Lord increase our faith For as Augustine saith fides fundit orationem fusa oratio fidei impetrat firmitatem De verbis Do. serm 36. 2 Unto prayer we are to adjoyne repentance for our sinnes without which neither is our faith lively nor our prayers effectuall the rather because to it and to the severall duties of it as proper notes and evidences of a true faith the promise of forgiveness is made as namely to confession of our sinnes to contrition in being displeased with our selves and grieved for them to deprecation in craving pardon for them to an unfained desire and purpose to forsake them and to practise the contrary duties Yea if a man shall as truly desire to confesse his sinnes to bewaile them and to forsake them as hee doth desire the forgiveness of them such an one may undoubtedly be assured of the remission of them For most gracious are the promises of God made unto penitent sinners as Prov. 28. 13. Whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall have mercy so Jerem. 3. 12 13. Levit. 26. 40 41. Hos. 14. 1 2 3 4. 2 Chron. 7. 14. More particularly as I said to confession 1 John 1. 9. Job 33. 27 28. Psal. 32. 5. Luke 15. 21. To contrition Mat. 5. 4. Psal. 34. 18. 51. 17. Esay 57. 15. 61. 1 2 3. 66. 2. To humble deprecation Zach. 12. 10. Luke 18. 13. Hos. 4. 2. To conversion unto God and forsaking of sinne Deut. 4. 30 31. 30. 2. 10. Es. 1. 16 17 18. Jerem. 3. 1. 22. 18. 8. Ezech. 18. 27 28. 30 31 32 33. 11. Joel 2. 12. Zach. 1. 3. Mal. 3. 7. 3. To prayer and repentance we must adde the diligent and conscionable hearing of the Word by which Faith Rom. 10. 17. as it is at the first begotten so it is nourished and encreased 1 Pet. 2. 2. 4. Because Faith begotten by the Word consisteth at the first in assent without actuall application therefore to the hearing of the Word is to be adjoyned the worthy receiving of the Sacraments which were ordained to this very end that those who have the â—irst degree of Faith may proceed to the second and go on therein Dost thou therefore truly believe that Christ is the Saviour of all those that believe in him the Sacrament which thou receivest is a pledge unto thee and an assurance that he is thy Saviour a pledge I say communicated to the receivers severally to assure every one that believeth truly according to the first degree of faith that as certainly as he receiveth the Sacrament so he is made partaker also of the thing signified which is the participation of Christ and all his merits to his justification and salvation 5. To these we are to adde reading meditation conference c. 6. The practice of piety or leading of a godly life making conscience of all our wayes and walking upright before God For hereby especially we are to make our calling and our election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. for hee that doth these things shall never be removed Ps. 15. 5. And this is confirmed by the order and conjunction of justification and sanctification mentioned before pag. 37. More specially by brotherly love 1 Iohn 3. 14. and the fruits thereof in giveing almes Mat. 25. 35. 1 Tim. 6. 18. 19. and forgiving the offence of others Mat. 6. 14. and therefore our Saviour teacheth us to use this argument in our prayer for the confirmation of our faith Mat 6. 12. but more plainly Luke 11. 4. So much of the first doctrine CHAP. IX Two other uses of this property NOw followeth the second doctrine For if we be enabled to worship the Lord without servile feare as being freed from the terrour and coaction of the law then it followeth that we are to worship the Lord with willing mindes as David exhorteth his son Solomon 1 Chron. 28. 9. and promiseth for himselfe Ps. 119. 32. I will runne the way of thy commandments when my heart is set at liberty For therefore hath the Lord freed us from the servitude of sinne and bondage of the law that we might serve him with free and willing minds The people redeemed by CHRIST become a voluntary people psalm 110 3. or as Paul speaketh his peculiar people zelous or studious of good workes Tit. 2. 14. Thus the duties both of piety towards GOD and charity to our brethren are to be performed with willing mindes and cheerfull hearts In the duties of piety we are to serve the Lord with gladnes Ps. 100 2. I rejoyced saith David Ps. 12. 21. when they said unto me let us goe into the house of the Lord. More particularly The Word of God is to be preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 willingly 1. Pet. 5. 2. that we may say with the Apostle Rom. 1. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as lyeth in me I am willing to preach the Gospel for it must be done in love to CHRIST and zeale to GODS glory Iohn 21 15 16 17. Act. 20 28. in love and zeale of our brethrens salvation 2 Cor. 11. 2. It is to be heard with willingnes after the example of the Beraeans Act. 17. 11 who received the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all readines of minde desiring 1 Pet. 2. 2. and longing after it Ps. 119. 131. To be conversant therin should be our delight Ps. 1. 2. the Word ought to be sweet unto us even as the hony and the hony combe Psal. 19. 11. 109. 103. and we should rejoyce in it as in
generall The upâ—ight worship the Lord in spirit and in truth 1 King 3. 6. the hypocrites draw neere the Lord with their mouthes but remove their hearts farre from him Es. 29 13. Mat. 15. 7 8. In speciall the upright pray in truth Ps. 145. 18. with lips unfained Ps. 17. 1. lifting up their hearts Psal. 25. 1. Lam 3. 41. and powring forth their soules Lâ—m. 1. 15. before the Lord. The hypocrites in their prayer cry but not with their heart Hos. 7. 14. They lift up their eyes and their hands but not their hearts they poure forth their voice but not their souls Their prayer is but a lip-labour for both their mouth speaketh what their heart doth not think making a common and perpetuall trade of praying with wandring thoughts which I deny not sometime to be incident to the upright and also asking with their mouth that which they doe not desire in their heart promising especially in time of afâ—liction Ex. 10. 17. Ps. 78 34 what they doe not truly meane to performe pretending what they doe not intend making shew of that which they are not as in the Lords prayer throughout craving that in prayer which they doe not seeke by any indevour of their owne or by use of other meanes ordained of God Thanksgiving The upright praise God with grace Col. 5. 16. that is thankfullnesse in their heart and with humility acknowledging their owne unworthinesse Gen 32. 10. 1 Chron 29. 14. and Gods undeserved favour towards them The hypocrites give thanks without thankfullnesse without humility praysing themselves Luk 18. 11. when they should praise God or if they doe praise him they doe it to this end to praise themselves But here it may be demanded may not a man praise God for his grace and blessings bestowed upon him unlesse withal he shall seeme with the Pharisey Luk 18. to praise himselfe Whereunto I answer first the Pharisaicall hypocrite thanketh Goâ— for that which he neither hath received nor yet expecteth from God which is both falshood and arrogancy But the upright man thanketh God for that which he hath received or assuredly hopeth to receive as Zachary in this hymne praiseth God for our redemption by the promised Messias before CHRIST was borne which to doe is not arrogancy but thunkfullnesse not falshood but truth 2 The hypocrite thanketh God to that end and purpose not so much to praise God to whom he is a false witnesse 1 Cor. 15. 15. as to praise himselfe The upright man in thanking God seeketh not his owne praise but the glory of God stripping himselfe of all praise that God alone may have all the glory For he thanketh God as I said in humility acknowledging his owne unworthinesse and the more he extolleth the undeserved bounty and favour of God towards him the more he depriveth himselfe of praise and on the other side the more he acknowledgeth his owne unworthinesse the more he magnifieth Gods goodnesse towards him Thus Iacob Gen. 32. 10. O Lord saith he I am lesse then the least of thy mercies and David 2 Sam. 7. 18. Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto and â— Chro. 29. 14. but who am I and what is my people c. Preaching The upright Preacher endeavoureth to approve himselfe to God 2 Tim. 2. 15. 1 Thess. 2. 4. seeking sincerely the glory of God in the salvation of the The hypocrites preach themselves and not the Lord Jesus not seeking Gods glory in the ediâ—ication of the people but their owne praise or profit not striving to approve themselves unto God but to please carnall men which whosoever doth he is not the servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10 Herein they grievously offend who affecting the praise of humane eloquence feed the people as Heliogabalus did his parasites with painted dishes and in steed of drawing forth the two edged sword of the spirit bring forth an embroidered sheath professing themselves embassadours from God but bringing no message from God which concernes the people to heare either for the informing of their judgments or reformation of their lives whose preaching serves for no other use but to please the itching eares of carnall men and to work in them a loathing of the sincere food of Gods word The upright preacher is carefull to practise that which he preacheth unto others and to avoid that in his owne preson which he reproveth in others The hypocrite say Mat. 23. 8. but doe not commending that to others which themselves have no desire nor care to practise and reproving that in others whereof themselves are no lesse guilty Rom 2 21 22. Ps. 50. 16. who therefore may expect both from the hearers this censure Medicecura toipsum and from God this sentence out of thine owne mouth will I condemne thee thou unsaithfull servant Luk. 19. 22. Hearing The upright hearers take heed how they heare Luk. 8 18. hearing the word of God preached as the word of God 1 Thess. 2. 13. acknowledging Gods ordinance as in the sight of God Act 10. 33. with humility and submission with reverence and attention receiving the seed into upright hearts Luk. 8. 15. as it were into good ground with desire to profit by it 1 Pet. 2. 1. and care to practise it being doers of the word and not hearers only Iam. 1. 22. The hypocrite heare not regarding so they doe heare how they heare not looking to their feet who they are affected but come so disposed as to a stage-play desiring that their itching eares may be delighted with vaniloquence rather then their hearts to be ediâ—â—ed with sound and profitable doctrine not acknowledging Gods ordinance nor behaving themselves as before him hearing without submission as to Gods word hearing not as learners but as censurers without reverence without attention being present in body and absent in soule without desire to profit by it without any purpose or care to practise it receiving the seed into stony ground or els among thornes like to Ezechiels hearers c. 33. 31. 32. they come unto thee saith the Lord as the people of God doe use to come and they sit before thee as my people and they heare thy words but they will not doe them for though with their mouths they make shew of much love and delight yet their heart goeth after their covetousnesse And loe thou art unto them as a very pleasing song of one that bath a pleasent voice and can play well on an instrument for they heare thy words but they doe them not Sacraments Baptisme The upright are carefull in some measure to performe their vow made in Baptisme and to find the effect and fruit thereof which is to seale and assure to them that belive and repent their union and communion with Christ for they receive Christ by a true faith are baptized into Christ Gal. 3. 27. and consequently put on Christ. The hypocrite resteth in the outward baptisme as if the washing of the flesh did
God alwayes they are truly said to worship God all the dayes of their life As Asa's heart was said to have been perfect 2 Chron. 16. 17. that is upright all the dayes of his life 2 Chron. 16. 7. 10. 12. though failed in many particulars The faith of the Elect that is of all true children of God nam qui verê filij sunt praesciti praedestinati sunt Aug. de corrupt gratia c. 9. Which worketh by love either faileth not at all or if there be any in whom it faileth it is repayred before the end of theirâ— lif that iniquity which came betweene being wiped away it is accompted for perseverance to the end as Augustine saith The meaning then of the words is that God by oath doth promise to the faithfull that he will give them grace to worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse from the time of their actuall redemption and justification with perseverance to the end of their life Sect 2. The certainty of perseverance grounded upon the text Where-upon we doe ground this most comfortable doctâ—ine that the perseverance of the faithfull I meane of all those that truly believe and are sound and upright Christians is certaine perseveranâ—e being the perpetuall and peculiar previledge of the upright But when I say it is certainâ— I speak not of the certainty of the subject as though the faithâ—â—ull were alwayes certainly assured of their perseverance though they are alwayes to labour for that assurance but of the certainty of the object that is that the perseverance of the faithfâ—ll is certaine and sure whether they be assured of it or not Even as the foundaâ—â—on of Gods election abideth sure 1. Tim 2. 19. though the elect be not alwayes sure of it but yet are alwayes to give diligence to make it sure 1 Pet. 1. 10. Sect. 3. The necessity of this doctrine Here therefore wee are to refute the Papist and all others who endevour to bereave the faithfull and sound Christians of this priviledge And in this cause we are to labour the more seriously because those that would deprive us of this priviledge doe also endevour to robbe us of all true comforts and consolation For first this were no sound comfort wherein notwithstanding our Saviour CHRIST doth bid the Faithfull especially to rejoyce Luk. 10 20. that our names are written in heaven if againe they may be blotted out that we are the sonnes and heires of God if that notwithstanding we may become the children of the devill that we are now the elect of God if hereafter we may become reprobates 2. Againe the maine comfort of a Christian in this life is assurance of salvation after this life is ended For the life as it were of the life mortall is the assurance of the life immortall But how can there be assurance of salvation if there be no certainty of Perseverance 3. Those which seeke to undermine the certainty of Perseverance in the children of God doe also overturne the very ground-worke and foundation of our Faith and hope For what is Faith I meane speciall Faith or hope but an assurance of salvation and consequently of perseverance unto salvation by Christ the one as an assured persausion the other as an assured expectation The ground of which assurance is the maine promise of the Gospell declaring the certainty of their salvation who doe truly believe in Christ. From whence the Christian conscience gathereth assurance in this manner The salvation of all those that truly believe is certaine This being the maine prâ—mise of the Gospell Iohn 3. 16 Mark 16. 16. Act. 16. 31. Rom. 10. 9 10 11. that whosoever believeth in Christ shall be saved But I saith the soule of the faithfull man according to the testimony of his conscience seconded by the testimony of the Holy Ghost Rom. 8. 16. bearing witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God I doe truly believe in Christ therefore my salvation is certaine But the proposition of this â—yllogisme with the proofe thereof which is the ground of our Faith and the foundation of our assurance and consolation the adversaries of perseverance doe deny noâ— fearing to contradict the maine promise of the Gospel For whereas the promise of the Gospel affirmeth that all which truly believe in Christ shal be saved they are not ashamed to say that some which truly believe in Christ shall not be saved For they say that some which truly believe doe not persevere and that those which doe not persevere shall not be saved Lastly the Faithfull in the greatest temptations of Satan and conflicts with despaire do use to raise themselves Psal. 77. 6. by calling to minde the tokens of Gods speciall favour vouchsafed unto them in former times and the undoubted fruits of saving grace which they have formerly brought forth Knowing that the Lord who changeth not Mal. 3. 6. whom he loveth once loveth to the end John 13. 1. and that the saving gifts and graces of God â—are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. And hereby as penitent childrenâ— are encouraged to seek unto their heavenly Father for mercy and pardon Knowing that howsoever hee is justly angry with them yet hee doth not hate them nor utterly cast off them whom once hee hath received into his love in Christ. But the adversaries of Perseverance by their doctrine discourage men when they have grievously offended from all exercises of faith and repentance and teach them to runne desperate courses For if a faithfull man upon a grievous or as they call it a mortall or deadly sinne committed bee translated from the state of salvation into the state of condemnation excluded out of Gods favour and made an object of hisâ— hatred deprived of Faith Hope and Charity and of all saving Grace and withall ceasing to be the child or as some say elect of God is become a child of the devill with what heart can he seeke unto GOD of whom he is now hated How can he call upon him in whom he doth not believe Or how can he hope to be heard that hath no hope or how shall he seek to please God who hath no faith without which it is impossible to please GOD nor any desire to please him This Doctrine therefore is to be avoided as a downfall of dispaire the full confutation whereof I reserve to a peculiar Treatise purposely written of that subject Onely here to make better way thereunto I thought good to adde an Appendix for the further cleering of the Doctrine delivered in the 8 Chapter of this Book concerning the certainty of Salvation An Appendix to the Treatise of the certainty of Salvation SInce I wrote this Discourse there came to my hands a Treatise of the nature and properties of Grace and Faith written by a learned and godly man as I am perswaded wherein many things are delievered which crosse divers poynts by me propounded in this booke and more especially in my discourse concerning the
is the Gospell which is the truth of GOD in CHRIST or his truth concerning salvation by CHRIST Now to give a willing lively and effectuall assent to his truth farre exceedeth the strength of corrupted nature John 6. 44. Matt. 16. 16. 17. These things thus premised I come to his argumentation and first to the proposition which if it were universally true as it is propounded whatsoever the understanding by the onely light of Nature judgeth to be honest that the will can desire by the onely strength of Nature then might I as lawfully assume and conclude thus to the great comfont of the Pelagians and Arminians whom in divers other points he doth worthily But by the onely light of nature the understanding judgeth it to be an honest and a good thing to believe in God and to obey him to believe in him I say not onely as true in his word but also as faithfull in his promises and consequently to trust in him for the performance thereof likewise to obey God commanding us any duety as namely to turne unto him by unfained repentance and to lay holde upon CHRIST by a true faith therefore by the onely strength of nature the will may desire or will any of these acts namely to turne unto God by unfained repentance to lay hold upon CHRIST by a true faith to 〈◊〉 unto God for the performance of his promises to us which in his conceipt is the very act of Faith as it justifieth I come to the assumption where I confesse in a confused generality the understanding by the onely light of â—ature judgeth it an honest and good thing to believe what God revealeth indefinitely but when you come to the particular object of justifying Faith viz. that IESUS CHRIST is the Soâ—â—e of GOD and Saviour of all that believe in him this either they will deny to be revealed by GOD as to the Jewes the preaching of CHRIST crucified was a stumbling block 1 Cor. 1. 23. and to the Greekes foolishnesse or if they doe give a kinde of assent unto it yet they neither doe or can believe it by a lively and effectuall assent His second reason That is no act of justifying faith which is fâ—â—nd in devils hereticks hypocrites and reprobases But this assent to divine revelations because of GODS authority is to be found in devils hereticks hypocrites and reprâ—bâ—tes Therefore this assent is no act of justifying faith Answ. The proposition is not univâ—â—sally true for so much of faith as is found in the wicked either men or Angels is common to them with the faithfull and elect and without it there can be no faith If therefore justifying Faith doe assent to divine revelations because of GODS authority and there can be no justifying faith without this assent then it followeth that to assent is an act of justifying Faith But I answer to the assumption that this assent meaning a willing lively and effectuall assent to the truth of GOD in Christ is not to be found in divels whose assent is not so much as willing but with horrour even to that which they abhor as himselfe confesseth not in hereticks who as they are hereticks dissent from the truth For though that assertion of the Papists that any one act of infidelity bereaveth a man of faith be wicked and desperate yet this is true that howsoever the proper object of faith as it justifieth is Christ notwithstanding by the same faith by the which we are justified we believe not onely all other articles of the Christian faith but also whatsoever GOD hath revealed in his word and whosoever doth refuse to believe whatsoever GOD hath revealed in his word he hath not a true faith Nor in hypocrites and reprobates whose seeming faith is neither lively nor true but dead and counterfeit not formata but informis Indeed this distinction of faith that it is formata or informis according to the meaning of the schoole-men and Papists is to be rejected and that in two respects first because they propound it as a distinction of a true justifying faith when as it is not possible that that faith which wanteth his forme and which is dead and therefore hath not his true being should justifie neither is it possible that that Faith should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is effectuall by an active efficacy as namely to justifie which is called actus secundus which hath not the formall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is called actus primus Secondly because the Papists in this distinction imply that Charity is the forme of faith and as it were the soule thereof which they seeme to ground on Iames 2. 26. For how can one habit be the forme of another especially such an habite as is the fruit and consequent of the other For Charity which is the end of the law 1 Tim. 1. 5. proceedeth from faith unfayned For when wee are by faith perswaded of GODS love towards us in Christ then are we moved to love GOD and our neighbour for GODS sake and the more we are assured of GODS love the more is our heart inflamed with fervent love towards GOD as I have shewed And if the habit of Charity cannot be the forme of faith then much lesse can good works which are the outward fruits both of Faith and Charity or as the Apostle speaketh of faith quae operatur per charitatem which worketh by love Gal. 5. 6. Neither doth the Apostle St. Iames compare workes to the soule but to the breath as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to breath doth properly signify and so is used in many places where it is called the Spirit of the mouth and the Spirit of the nostrils so that the meaning of St. Iames is as the body without the breath is dead even so Faith without good workes which are as it were the breathing of a lively Faith is dead Not that ever it lived but because it is without life as many things are said to be blind which never saw and dumb which never spake But howsoever this distinction in the Popish sence is to be rejected yet it cannot be denyed but that as knowledge is either literall which is an idle knowledge swimming in the braine but not working on the heart and Conscience or Spirituall which is a powerfull and operative knowledge so faith is â—ither a true lively and effectuall or else a counterfeit and a dead Faith which some call a bare historicall Faith answerable to the literall knowledge The former is called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in divers places and Gal. 5. 6. It is said to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—fficax effectuall as that prayer which availeth much is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5. 16. or effectually working or active having in it duplicent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a double act both the first and the second the first which is as it were the form wherby it truly is and in respect whereof it may be called formata which as Solomon speaketh of other graces Pro. 3. 21. Tushijah the very essence and entity the soundnesse and integrity of it in respect whereof it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this is the inward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby it liveth and is effectuall having efficacy in it selfe The other which is actus secundus whereby it is lively active and effectuall in bringing forth the acts and operations or the fruits and effects of Faith In respect of the former it is said to have root whereby I understand that apprehensive and attractive power of Faith in apprehending and receiving Christ in respect of the latter it is said to be fruitfull and working by love the latter which is not unfained is counterfeit having neither roote Luke 8. 13. Nor fruit and therefore is as St Iames saith dead Jam. 2. 20. 26. Now as the counterfeit of a man is not truely a man though called by his name so this counterfeit and dead Faith which is the faith of hypocrites though it have a name of faith is not faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed and truely but aequivocè and being not a true faith is not Faith for ens verum convertuntur and in this sence it may well be called informis That faith therefore which is common to devils to hereticks to hypocrites and reprobates is not true but counterfeit not lively but dead not formata but informis And thus have I defended that necessary and as I am perswaded most comfortable truth which I delivered in the Discourse concerning the certainty of Salvation FINIS a By singular dispensation b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in x Chrysost. in Eph. 2. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. y Nihil vnlet nist ad peceandum De spiritu lit c. 1. z Ad â—â—â—facium 〈…〉 Pelag. lib. 3. cap. 8. * Bellorâ— Iustif. â—ib 4. tap 5. * Prov. â—9 14. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can â—ear * Being prâ—pared by the Law and other legall means we must attend to the Gospel Rom 10. 8. 17 * By which the Holy Ghost worketh in us faith and that in two degrees * A gâ—pi 112. ad Paulinâ—â— c. 2. Ment 〈◊〉 vides vitâ—m vâ—lâ—ntateâ— cogiâ—atem cogitationem memoriam cogitationem intelligentiam sientiam fidentuam * Aug. de corrept gracia c. 7. Horum sides quae per dilectionemoperâ—tur profectâ— aut omninò nâ— deficit aut si qi sunt quorâ—â— deficit reparatur antequam vita ista â—iniatur deleta quae intercurrerat inique itate usque in finem perseverantia deputatur * Boeth in Top. Ciâ—er Re Pâ—gnantia dicuntur contrariorum consequentiaâ—adalterum contrariem relata vigilare dormiâ—e contraria â— in t stertere a item et vigilare sunt repâ—gnantia