though they all haue their seuerall commendations in the word Yet of none of them all is it saide in the whole Scripture as it is heere said of faith that without it it is impossible to please God And no meruaile for it is the roote and ground of all other graces and giues them their life and being for therefore doth a man feare God therefore doth he loue God therefore is he zealous for Gods glory because hee beleeueth that God loueth him in Christ the redeemer Now then if faith be thus necessary then it followeth that those that liue in ignorance and so haue no sound faith but a foolish presumption are in a miserable case for how-euer they may flatter themselues with conceites of their deuotions and good meanings and good intents it is faith with which they must please God and nothing can without it It stands them therefore in hand to lay-off ignorance and presumption and labour for a sound and sauing faith and that will bring them to the fauour of God And againe as for such as haue receiued grace to beleeue seeing faith is of such necessitie and that they hauing faith must needes haue knowledge they therefore must looke and examine by their knowledge whether their faith be a sound faith or no for herein many that haue knowledge deceiue themselues and thinke they haue true faith when they haue not Now if any man would knowe whether his faith be sound and sauing or no It is knowne by this If it purifie the heart for so saith S. Peter That God by faith did purifie the hearts of the profane and filthy Gentiles If then thy faith doe not purifie thy heart and cleanse thy life and cause thee to abound in good workes it is no sound nor sauing faith it is but a generall faith it is but an historicall knowledge and cannot saue the soule hee therefore that vpon examination of his heart and life findeth his faith to be such let him not content himselfe but turne his generall faith into a sauing faith which in this world will purifie his heart and at the last day will saue his soule And this must euery man the rather doe because what knowledge or what other gifts of God soeuer any many hath without faith in Christ all are nothing for it is faith that seasoneth them all and makes both them and the person himselfe to please God Secondly if it be impossible without faith to please God then here wee see the fond and foolish hypocrisie of the world who will please God by other meanes some thinke if they be glorious in the world either for their wealth or their wit or their honour or their authority or their learning they presently bring themselues into a fooles Paradise and because the world makes account of them and they please themselues therefore they thinke it certaine they must needes please God But alas though all the world admire them and they be neuer so farre in loue with themselues He that sits in heauen laugheth them to scorne For not all the pompe and glory nor all the millions and mountaines of gold in the world can please the Lord for one of the least of their many thousand sinnes wherewith they haue prouoked him Let these men aske Nabuchadnezzer if his pompous pride or Achitophel if his actiue head and crafty wit or Absalom if his golden lockes or Iezabell if her painted face and courtly attire or Naball if his flockes of sheepe or the Philosophers if their naturall learning if all of these or any of these did euer please God Nay alas they all haue found and felt that without faith it is impossible to please God Thirdly it is the opinion not of the Turke alone in his Alcaron but of many other as ill that euery man shall be saued by his owne religion if he be deuout therein be hee Turke Iewe or Christian Papist or Protestant But this is a ground and rule of Atheisme and appeares here to be most false for no saluation without pleasing of God and without faith it is impossible to please God therfore no religion can saue a man but that which teacheth a man rightly to beleeue in Christ and consequently to please God But euery religion teacheth not to beleeue in Christ some not at all and some not aright and therefore it is impossible for such a religion to saue a man Againe be a man what hee can be vnlesse he be within the couenant of grace he cannot be saued But hee cannot be within the couenant but by faith therefore no man can bee saued by any meanes but by true faith nor in any religion but that which teacheth true faith Here therefore not onely Turkes and Iewes are excluded but this also sheweth many Papists and many carnall Gospellers in our Church how short they come of that religion which must saue their soules For this is the conceite of the most men that if they doe some good workes which carie a faire shew to the world as liberality to learning or charity to the poore straight they thinke they haue leaue to liue as they list and God is bound to forgiue their sinnes and to giue them heauen and this they imagine though they knowe not what it is to beleeue in Christ or to repent of their sinnes One of this religion came to the Prophet Micha in his dayes and asked him this question vttring that plainely which all such men thinke in their hearts Wherewithall shall I come before the Lord and bowe my selfe before the high God shall I come before him with thousands of Rams and tenne thousand riuers of oile Hee makes the question and would faine make answere himselfe nay hee goeth further and offers more Shall I giue my first borne for my transgression and the fruite of my body for the sinne of my soule But the Prophet answers him shewing him his follie and how little God regards such workes without a contrite heart Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Surely to doe iustly to loue mercie to humble thy selfe and walke with thy God Marke how that answere fits this example of Henoch Hee pleased God he walked with God and was taken away So answereth the Prophet if thou wouldest please thy God and come to heauen by his fauour neuer stand vpon thousands of Rams and Riuers of oile vpon thy gay and glorious workes but humble thy selfe and walke with thy God No walking with God saith Micha no pleasing of God what is it but all one as if hee had said Without faith it is impossible to please God Here then is no disallowance of good workes but of workes without faith and true repentance which though they be neuer so faire and flourishing yet is it impossible that without faith they should please God Hereby it is also manifest that all the vertues of the heathen and the workes of such men as either knowe
the way walke in it Our Elders obayed this commaundement of the spirit and walking in this way found the end of it euerlasting life If we would attaine the same end of the iourney we must walke the same way But the world will say this is a needlesse exhortation for we walke this way we deny our selues and looke to be approued of God onely by Christ but it is strange to see how men deceiue themselues Can a man walke in a way and not leaue marks steps behind him euen so he that walks in this way follow him you shal see steps of his continuall dying vnto sinne liuing vnto holinesse insomuch that a man that followeth him marketh the course of his life in this way may euidently say See where hee hath cast off left behind him this that sin see where he hath taken vp caried with him these those vertues graces of God Marke here is a print of his faith here is a print of his hope here are prints of his loue And thus may a child of God be followed traced all the way to heauen euen vntil he come to his death which is the gate of heauen How mightily theÌ„ are they deceiued which think they haue walked all their liues in this way and yet there is not one step to be seene for assuredly this way is so beatâ—n and troden that no man euer trode in it since the world began but he left behind him manifest visible steps that all men that would looke at him might see he had gone that way As therfore we all desire to come to heauen as we professe we walk in the way thither so let vs be as carefull to leaue behind vs our steps namely tokens prints of our faith our hope and loue which if we do then mark the excellent vse of those steps 1. They testifie vnto all that see them that we walked the right way to heauen and secondly they wil serue for marks directions for theÌ„ that shal walke in the same way after vs. By the 1. we shal leaue an honorable testimony of our selues behind vs by the 2. we shall moue other to magnify gods name to whoÌ„ our steps haue bin marks directions helps furtherances in the way to heauen Secondly for what were these Elders approued for their faith for nothing else Amongst these Elders Sampson was wonderfull in strength Salomon in wisedome Ioshua in courage Moses in learning many of them in the honour and pompe of the world in beauty riches and other externall gifts and the most of them all in long life yet not for one or all of these are any of them saide to be regarded of God but it is plainely said that for their faith God did approue them Here then learne what is the thing amongst all things that must make vs acceptable vnto God euen this To deny our selues and to rest vpon the mercy of God in Christ this wil do it nothing else Hast thou streÌ„gth so had Golias as wel as Sampson hast thou beauty so had Absalom as wel or more theÌ„ Dauid hast thou wisdom so had Achitophel thogh not like Salomon yet aboue ordinary men hast thou riches Esau was richer theÌ„ Iacob hast thou liued long so did Cain Ismael as wel as Isaak hast thou many childreÌ„ so had Ahab as wel as Gedeon hast thou learning the glory of nature so had the Egyptians as well as Moses for there Moses learned it All these thou maist haue yet be a vile person in the sight of God so far from being approued of God as that he wil not vouchsafe vnlesse it be in his anger once to regard or looke at thee hast thou therefore any of those outward gifts it is not to be contemned it hath his vse thanke God for it and and vse it well and vse it so as by it thou maist be approued amongst men but stand not to it before God for though it be wisedome or learning or neuer so excellent a gift it cannot purchase the fauour acceptation of God but true faith is able to please God both in this life and especially at the day of Iudgement This doctrine first confuteth the error of some grosse Papists who hold and write that many Philosophers for their good vse of the light of Nature for their deepenesse of learning and for their ciuill liues are now Saints in heauen a most manifest and shamefull vntruth and here as manifestly confuted for was Salomon not accepted for all his wisedome and shall Socrates was Moses not accepted for all his learning how then should Aristotle if faith made all of them accepted and nothing but faith how is it possible they should be accepted which neuer heard of faith nay I say more If many a man that liueth in the Church as deepe it may be in humane learning as they and of great knowledge also in the whole doctrine of Religion which they neuer knew and yet could not nor euer shall be accepted of God onely for want of this sauing faith How absurd is it 〈◊〉 imagine saluation for them which neither had sparke of faith nor knowledge of Christ Let vs theÌ„ hold that as there is no name whereby to be saued but onely the name of Christ so no meanes to be saued by that Christ but onely faith euen that faith for which these Elders were accepted of God Secondly this excellencie of faith aboue all other gifts shewes the vanity of the world so carefull earnest in seeking honour riches credit wisedom learning all which can but make them esteemed and approued to the world and so carelesse and negligent in getting true faith which will both approue a man vnto the world and make him honorable in the eyes of the Lord God Thirdly by this doctrine the Popish doctrine is iustly condemned which teacheth that a man is iustified by his works and that faith is not the most excellent of Gods graces Here we are taught other diuinitie for that for which a man is accepted by that he is iustified But for their faith onely were they accepted therfore iustification is only by faith Againe that which makes a man accepted of God that must needs be the most excellent thing of all For God which is goodnesse it selfe regardeth that that is the best but God esteemed theÌ„ only for their faith therfore it is the chief of all graces of God in regard of making a man accepted of God Fourthly here is a patterne and president for Gods children how to bestow measure out their loue estimation in the world God loued Salomon more for his faith then for all his glory and wisedome and esteemed more of Moses for his faith theÌ„ for all his learning So deale thou with thy wife thy child thy seruant thy friend with all men Hast thou a wife neuer so beautifull louing honest thrifty neuer so toward
and obedient a child a most wise trusty seruant a friend for faithfulnesse like thine owne soule These are indeed much to be esteemed yet thinke not thy selfe in a paradise wheÌ„ thou hast such for there is a greater matter behind then all these Looke therfore further Is thy wife thy child thy seruant thy friend endued with sauing faith that is worth more then all the rest that is it which makes them beloued of God Let that therfore make them best beloued of thee and that which makes them so honourable before God let that make them most honourable and most esteemed of thee So in all men loue that in a man best which God loueth and so thou shalt be sure not to lose thy loue Esteeme of a man not as the world esteemeth not according to his strength beauty high place or outward gifts but as God esteemeth him namely according to the measure of sauing faith which thou seest in him for is not that worthy of thy loue which hath purchased the loue of the Lord God himselfe Fiftly here is comfort for all such seruants of God as hauing true faith yet are in base estimation for worldly respects some are poore some in base callings some deformed in body some of meane gifts many in great distresse and misery all their liues most of them some way or other contemptible in the world Yet let not this discomfort any child of God But let them consider what it is that makes them approued of God not beauty strength riches wisdom learning all these may perish in the vsing but true faith if then thou hast that thou hast more then all the rest If thou hadst all them they could but make thee esteemed in the world but hauing true faith thou art esteemed of God and what matter then who esteemes thee and who not This crosseth the corrupt censure of the world who more esteem a man for his outward gifts and glory of riches or learning then for sauing graces Let Gods children when they are â—based contemned mocked and kept from all place and preferment in the world Let them I say appeale from this vniust iudgement to the iudgement of God and be coÌ„forted in this that though they want all things without them that should make them esteemed in the world yet they haue that within them for which God wil esteeme approue and acknowledge them both in this world and in the world to come And they haue that that will stand by them when strength and beauty are vanished when learning riches and honour are all ended with the world Thus much of the second doctrine 3. In that our Elders by faith obtained a good report Here we learne the readiest and surest way to get a good name A good name is a good gift of God Eccles. 7.3 It is a pretious ointment it is a thing that all men would haue These Elders had it and they haue laide vs downe a platforme how to get it and it is this 1. Get into fauour with God please him that is coÌ„fesse thy sins bewaile them get pardon set the promises of God in Christ before thee beleeue theÌ„ apply them to thy selfe as thine owne be perswaded in thy conscience that Christ did all for thee and that he hath purchased thy acceptation with God Thus when thou art assured that God approues of thee God can easily giue thee a comfortable testimony in thine owne conscience and hee can moue the hearts of all men to think wel and open their mouthes to speake wel of thee for he hath the hearts of all men in his hand And therfore those that are in his fauor he can bend the hearts of all men to approue theÌ„ yet this must be vnderstood with some cautions 1. God wil not procure his childreÌ„ a good name amongst all men for then they should be cursed for Luk. 6.26 Cursed are yee when all men speake well of you But the Lord meaneth that they shal be accepted haue a good name with the most with the best For indeed a good name as all other graces of God cannot be perfect in this life but they shal haue such a good name as in this world shall continue and increase and in the world to come be without all blot for sin is the disgrace of a man therefore when sin is abolished good name is perfect 2. God will not procure all his children a good name nor alwaies for a good name is of the same nature with other externall gifts of God sometime they are good to a man sometime hurtfull to some men good to others hurtfull Euery one therefore that hath true faith may not absolutely assure himselfe of a good name but as farre forth as God shall see it best for his owne glory and his good 3. The good name that God wil giue his children stands not so much in outward coÌ„mendation and speaking wel of a man as in the inward approbation of the consciences of men They must therfore be content somtime to be abused mocked slandered yet notwithstaÌ„ding they haue a good name in the chief respect for they whose mouthes do abuse condemne theÌ„ their very consciences do approue them Out of all these the point is manifest that God will procure his children a good name in this world as far forth as it is a blessing and not a curse and that because they are approued of him and by faith iustified in his sight for so to be is the onely way to get a good name For in reason it stands thus that those who are in estimation and good name with the Lord himselfe much more will God make them esteemed and giue them a good name with men like themselues Hence we learne first that the coÌ„mon course of the world to get a good name is fond wicked and to no purpose They labour for riches preferments honor wisdom learning by them to get estimatioÌ„ in the world yea many abuse these blessings in vaine ostentation to encrease their credit and name with men And in the meane time sauing faith is neuer remembred which must procure them a good name with God This is a wrong course first we must labour to be approued of God and then after the good name with God followeth the good name in the world He therefore that labours for fauour with men and neglects the fauour of God he may get a good name but it shall proue a rotten name in the end Prou. 10.7 The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot The good name of the wicked is rotten 1. Because it is loathsom stinking in the face of God though it be neuer so glorious in the world 2. Because it will not last the wearing out but in the end vanisheth and comes to nothing vnlesse as a rotting thing leaues some corruption behind it so their good name in the end being vanished leaues infamy behind
deuoure the lesse Dogges will eate diuerse kindes of creatures if they can come by them These things are manifest and some of them be common sports in the world Now whence comes this feareful disorder in nature that one creature should deuoure another came it from the creation was the world ordained in this state that one creature should eate vp another the greater feed vpon the lesse no but sin brought this cōfusion our sin caused this pitiful massacre of all creatures one by another Let vs therfore at these sights be humbled for our sinne which caused so fearefull a disorder when thou seest thy Hawke flie so fiercely and so cruelly murder a seely bird thy Hound the Hart Hare or Connie then as God hath giuen thee leaue in good order measure and manner thus to deale with the creatures and therefore thou maist take delight in it so withall make this vse of it Whence comes this it was not so from the beginning When sinne was not in the world these would all haue lodged in one cage and cabbin and one neuer haue offred to haue eaten another my sinne caused this iarre and this disorder betwixt these two creatures This should humble a man because of his sinne and restraine his life frō too much liberty and his affection from too much delight in these kind of pastimes Againe when we see the cruelty of the Foxe the Wolfe the Beare toward the sheepe and other creatures Blame not too much the cruelty of the beasts for this was not in them at their creation but thy sinne made them thus cruell one against another Turne then into thy selfe and be ashamed of it and blame not so much the cruelty in them as thine owne sinne which caused it in them Againe some creatures are vnperfect some in parts of their body some in some senses and some are loathsome vgly to behold and some are venomous and hurtfull to the world Whē thou seest it consider whence is this They were not thus created for God ordained that is made all creatures in perfect order But this comes from thy sinne enter into thy selfe and acknowledge this and be humbled for it and do not so much contemne this creature for his imperfection nor loath him for his deformity nor hate him for his venome as contemne and loathe and hate thine owne sinnes which were the cause of all these Lastly some take great delight in faire buildings make no vse of them but for delight and pleasure but if they cōsider wel they haue no such cause it was not so at the creation Adam in his innocencie had a more sumptuous Palace ordained for him namely the Paradise of heauen and earth and yet trees were not cut in pieces nor the earth had her stones rent out of her bowels for the building of it Thy sinne it was that destroyed this Palace and sinne hath caused the necessitie of these buildings How then canst thou glory in thy buildings wilt thou glory in thy shame Canst thou be proud of these when thy sinne bereft thee of a better As therefore thy house is a comfort strength security and delight vnto thee so adde this one vse also let it in this consideration be a cause to humble thee for thy sinne The disorder that sin hath brought into the world might be shewed in more particulars but these may suffice being those of whom we haue most common vse and therefore do most commonly abuse To conclude this point I say vnto all men Doest thou see what disorder is now in the world in thy apparell meate recreations buildings Seest thou the confusion vanity corruption of all creatures the variance dissension and hatred of creatures amongst themselues Canst thou see all this and either not regard it at all or else take delight in it This is a cursed and abhominable delight If a rich man should consume all his wealth or throw it all on heapes and then desperately set his house on fire hath he any cause of ioy to see this If he sit still at this you will say he is senselesse but if he laugh at it he is madde So God created man rich in all blessings put him into the Palace of the world garnished this house of the world with exceeding beauty his meate his apparell his recreation his house were all excellent and glorious he made all other creatures amongst which there was nothing but concord loue agreement vniformity comelinesse and good order Now man by sinne fell by his fall not onely spent all his riches that is defaced the glory of his owne estate but also set his house that is the world on fire that is defaced the beauty of heauen and earth brought confusion corruption vanity deformity imperfection monstrous disorder on all creatures set all the world together by the eares one creature at variance and deadly hate with other so that one creature doth fight teare wound destroy and eate vp another O cursed damnable sinne of man that hath so shamefully disordered that heauenly order wherein God created all things at the beginning◠and miserable men are we which can sit still see this and not be moued but if we reioyce and delight in it certainly then a spirituall madnesse hath bewitched our soules Let vs therefore stirre vp our selues and looke about vs and seeing all the world on a fire about vs namely flaming in contention hatred and all disorder let vs for our parts seeke to quench it which because wee cannot therefore lament and bewaile it but much more lament and be humbled for our sinne which kindled this fire of disorder in the world Hitherto of the manner of the Creation By the word of God The third point is by what means The Text answereth the world was ordained in that excellent order by the word of God By this word is meant 1. Not any vocall word as if the Lord should speake vnto the creatures Nor secondly the substantiall word of the Father the second person although I confesse that by him were made all things Yet I take it it is not so meant in this place but rather as Moses doth Gen. 1. when he saith that in the creation God said It is in both places a comparison taken from a Prince who bids his seruants doe this and they doe it presently The Lord in this place is like a Prince he hath his word whereby he commaunded the world to be made That word I take it is his will for Gods willing of any thing is an effectuall commaunding of it to be done yea it is the doing of it for his willing of a thing to be is more then all the commaundements of all men in the world For if he doe but will it the thing is done what euer it be whereas all the world may commaund and yet it is no neerer From hence I take it this is manifest to be the surest sense for this place God willed the being
not Christ or knowing him acknowledge him not their onely Sauiour or acknowledging him doe not truely beleeue in him with such a faith as purifieth their hearts are nothing else but as the Fathers called them splendida peccata gilded and glittering drosse and beautifull deformities And how-euer this seemes harsh yet it must needes bee true seeing without faith it is impossible to please God And here also the vanity of some Popish Writers appeares who presumptuously make some Philosophers Saints whereas they should first haue shewed that they beleeued in Christ and then wee would beleeue and teach it as willingly as they but else if they had had all the learning and all the morall vertues in the world this must stand for a truth Without faith it is impossible to please God Lastly here wee learne that the word of God registred in the holy Scriptures doth containe in it sufficient direction for all the actions and duties of a mans life for without faith no man can please God And if no man then no mans actions can please God which are not of faith for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Romanes Chapter 14. verse 23. If therefore mens actions must proceede from faith then consequently must they haue their ground warrant from the word for faith and the word are relatiues and the one dependes vpon the other No faith no word to bind no word no faith to beleeue But all actions that please God must bee done in faith therefore all actions that please God haue some ground and direction in the word of God without which word of God there can be no faith And this is true not onely in holy actions but euen in the common actions of mens liues and lawfull callings This is a principle which we must firmely beleeue and receiue And beside this argument here It is also proued by the euident testimonies of the holy Ghost S. Paul to Timothie All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach improue correct and instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute and made perfect vnto all good workes How can the sufficiencie of Scripture be more sufficiently in words expressed Againe Euery creature and ordinance of God is good c. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer Now if the Scripture make a Christian perfect in all good workes how can it be but it giues him sufficient directions for all his workes And if euery action be sanctified by the word how can that be but the word hath warranty and direction for euery action and duty which may fall out in the course of a Christian life And vpon these grounds wee haue good reason to be resolued of this truth But now if any man aske how this can be for the Scriptures were written long agoe and the stories are of particular men nations and times and the Commaundements are knowne to be but tenne how then can the Scriptures yeeld sufficient directions for euery mans particular actions I answer the Scripture giues directions for all actions 2. wayes Either by Rules or by Examples Rules are of two sorts Generall or particular Particular rules for particular callings are many for Kings they must reade Gods booke and not haue many wiues nor gather too much siluer and gold They must be wise and learned and kisse the sonne of God Christ Iesus and many other for Ministers they must be apt to teach watching sober not young schollers and many other and so consequently the most of the callings that are in the common wealth haue their particular directions in plaine rules Generall rules are first the tenne Commaundements which are directions for all sorts and callings of men in all times what to be done what not to be done in all actions towards God and men and besides in the new Testament there are some fewe rules which are generall directions for all men in all ages As Whatsoeuer you would that men should doe to you doe you the same vnto them Againe Whether you eate or drinke or whatsoeuer you doe doe all to the glory of God Againe Let all things be done to edification and without offence of thy brother Againe Let all your workes be done in loue Lastly Let no man seeke his owne alone but euery man anothers wealth Now there is no action in the world nor any duty to be done of a Christian maÌ„ be he a publike or priuate person be it a publike or a priuate action be it towards God or man but if he haue not a particular direction yet it falls within the compasse of some of these rules and by the tenour of some of these hee may frame his worke in such manner as shall be pleasing to God and comfortable to himselfe Secondly besides rules there are Examples which are speciall directions and they are either of God or good men Extraordinarie examples of God namely such as hee did in extraordinarie times or vpon extraordinarie occasions they concerne vs not for these hee did by the power and prerogatiue of the Godhead as bidding of Abraham sacrifice his sonne bidding the Israelites spoile the Egyptians and such like But the ordinarie workes of Gods wisedome in his creatures of his iustice towards sinners of his mercie towards his children of his care and prouidence towards all are excellent rules of direction for vs. Hence wee haue these rules Be ye holy for I am holy Be ye mercifull as your Father in heauen is mercifull Luke 6.36 So for the actions of Christ who was God and man the miraculous actions of his power which argued his Godâ—ead as his walking vpon the water and such like are no directions for vs. Nor againe his actions and workes â—lone as hee was Mediator as his fasting fourtie dayes his passion and his merits these are no directions for vs to do the like But as the first giue vs instruction So these procure vs iustification But the third sort of his actions done by him as a man or as a Iew borne they are both our instruction and imitation and they are good directions for our actions as his obedience his zeale his patience his humility and all other vertues Concerning all which he saith himselfe to vs Learne of me for I am humble and lowely And againe when he had washed his Apostles feete he bad them learne of him to loue one another For saith he I haue giuen you example that you should do euen as I haue done to you These his examples are rules of direction to all men in the like case Now as for the examples of men as the examples of wicked men are euery way to be eschewed so good mens are to be followed for whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning Rom. 15.4 And for them we are to know that their examples or actions contrary to the word are therefore to be auoided
therefore go to God by earnest prayer to giue vs his spirit to worke true faith in our hearts and to make vs of a true beliefe And secondly seeing men may be Christians in profession and Atheists in practice let vs all looke narrowly to our selues and ioyne with our profession Conscience and obedience for else the more we know God the worse we are It may please God after to giue vs better mindes but as yet we are no better then deniers of God and though wee come neere God in profession and in his outward seruice yet indeede we are farre from him because wee want that true faith which must professe God not in iudgement alone but in practice and that will bring vs neere vnto God for hee that commeth to God must beleeue that God is And thus much for the first thing to be beleeued by him that will come to God and please him The second is And that He is a rewarder of them that seeke him It is a notable sentence and one of the most comfortable in the booke of God and containes the second thing to be beleeued The parts are naturally two 1. How a man doth seeke God 2. How God rewards them that seeke him For the first A man truly seeketh God by doing foure actions First a man must forsake himselfe goe out of himselfe and as it were loose himselfe in his owne iudgement when he intends to seeke God If any aske how that may be I answer Thus A man must labour to see his sinnes fully and distinctly and in sight thereof be cast downe in himselfe as a man is when hee seeth his debts then let him looke into himselfe and see if hee can finde in himselfe any ability to pay those debts or any meanes in the world to satisfie Gods â—ustice and purchase pardon And if vpon due examination he finde none at all no not the least nor any thing in himselfe but an accusing and raging conscience Let him then fall out of all loue with himselfe nay hate and abhorre himselfe and his owne basenesse and lastly let him despaire of his owne saluation in or from himselfe and thus doing he forsakes himself denieth himselfe and euen looseth himselfe And thus necessarily must he do to himselfe that will set his heart to seeke the Lord. For God will be found of none that hope to finde helpe at any hand but his they therfore that seeke God but will seeke themselues too do iustly loose both God and themselues Secondly he that will seeke God aright when hee hath lost himselfe must hunger in his heart and soule not after wealth and honours ease or pleasures but after the fauour and mercy of God in Christ for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes and one drop of Christes bloud to wash away the guilt and staine of his defiled and sinfull soule must be dearer to him then all the pompe and glory of tenne worlds Looke how a hungry soule hungers after meate and a faintie soule thirsteth after drinke so must his soule hunger after Gods mercy and thirst for Christs bloud and these are necessary For as a man that vndertakes a long iourney must be prouided of meate and drinke so hee that vndertakes the iourney to goe seeke the Lord must haue this prouision for the diet of his poore soule Gods mercies and Christes merits and he that seeks without a soule hungring after these may seeke long and finde nothing Thirdly if he will truly seeke God he must not goe in euerie path but take the true liuing way which Christ hath consecrated by his bloud nor take any guide but trust to Christs spirit alone to be his guide nor make many mediators or messengers to God but make Christ alone to God the Father Wee must therefore goe to him and yeeld vp our selues to be taught and guided by him leaue our sute to be preferred by him we must not looke to come to God by running on pilgrimages to this or that Saints picture or bones or to our Lady of Loreto Many haue sought God in these but who euer found him Nay alas thou maist lodge in her forged tabernacle at Loreto all thy life and lie in hell for all that when thou art dead and maist kisse all the Saints pictures and bones and haire and all their reliques in Spaine and Italy and all cannot get thee one sight of Gods fauourable countenance Nor againe must we looke to come to God by our good works though we are to doe them they are good markes in the way and good euidences of a right way but they cannot open heauen and let thee in And therefore when thou hast done all thou canst thou must forsake them all in matter of iustification and comming to God Onely thou must goe to God by Christ and cleaue to him alone hee is the doore the way the truth the life and certainly neuer man found God that sought him not in Christ alone And when Popish deuises and distinctions haue done all they can men will be found liers and Christ to speak truth saying No man commeth to the Father but by me Lastly when all these are done then must thou beleeue that God is become thy mercifull Father in Christ and is reconciled vnto thee in him for there is no feare but if thou seeke God in Christ thou shalt finde him and when thou hast done the three former things thou maist safely and assuredly beleeue that thou hast truly sought God And after all these if thou haue not firme and liuely faith thou doest not secke God For as it is impossible without faith to please God so is it impossible without faith to finde God Thus if a man lose himselfe long after Gods mercy take Christ alone for his guide and mediator and stedfastly beleeue his reconciliation with God by Christ then he seekes God aright and to this seeking belongs a reward and blessing Now then if this be to seeke God here is some light giuen to a great question Whether the Church of Rome be a true Church and their doctrine truely catholique or erroneous and failing in fundamentall points For answer Can that be a true Church which doth not bring her children to seeke God or that catholique doctrine which teacheth not her children to seeke God the right way but sends them into 1000. by-wayes Surely if this be to seeke God then search all the Popish Doctors and almost all their Writers and see whether a man be not taught to seeke God quite in another walke Which way of theirs whether is ordinarily bring the seekers to God or no we leaue to Gods mercifull iudgement But for our selues as we see we haue the true liuing way the sure and infallible way by Christ to God by the Sonne to the Father let vs reioice in the comfort of so rich a mercie and be thankfull to the Lord for reuealing himselfe vnto vs and opening vnto vs the true way to him and to his
The second point is that faith alone and no other vertue nor spirituall power in mans soule is able to doe this And this may be proued by comparing it with all the principall vertues of the soule for amongst all there are none that may come into comparison with faith but hope and loue both which especially loue haue their seuerall and special excellencies yet haue neither of them nor both of them this vertue to apprehend and apply Christes righteousnesse The property of loue is to extend it selfe and with it selfe to carie manie passions or affections of the heart and to place them vpon the thing that is loued yet cannot loue be said properly to apprehend Christ for he must needes be apprehended before he can be loued And the proper action of Hope is to waite and expect for a blessing to come so hope waites for saluation but properly apprehends it not For saluation must first be beleeued and then hoped or expected so saith Ieremie Lament 3.26 It is good both to trust and to waite for the saluation of the Lord To trust that is to beleeue assuredly it will come there is the action of faith and to waite till it doe come that is the action of Hope Thus we see the seuerall natures and actions of these two worthy vertues But the proper action of faith is to apprehend and lay hold on Christ and his righteousnesse and to apply them to a mans owne soule and that being done then come Loue and Hope do their duties And so though loue last longer then faith doth yet faith is afore loue and makes the way for it To conclude this second point Faith is a hand to take hold on Christ his benefits Loue is a hand to giue out tokens of faith both to God and man For 1. Cor. 13.5 Loue seeketh not her owne but others good namely the good of them that are loued Hope is an eye looking out and wayting for the good things promised So that as faith is the hand of the soule so loue is the hand and hope is the eye of faith Loue the hand wherby it worketh and Hope the eye whereby it waiteth and looketh for the performance of such things as faith hath apprehended and beleeued If the Church of Rome thinke this any wrong to this holy vertue of loue to be the hand of faith let them know it is not ours it is the doctrine of the Apostle where he saith Faith worketh by loue If faith worke by it then surely loue is the hand of faith Thus faith worketh by loue waiteth by hope but beleeueth by it selfe And for this cause the righteousnesse that makes vs righteous before God is rather called the righteousnesse of faith then of any other Christian vertue or grace of the spirit And for the same cause is it that so often in S. Pauls Epistles it is called by the same name as Philipp 3.9 The third and last point concerning Noahs faith is that Noah was made heire of this righteousnesse A speciall commendation of his faith It made him heire of true and sauing righteousnesse that is it gaue him a true title vnto it made him heire apparant of that glory which it assureth euery one that apprehends it by this true faith and so he was made as certainly and as truly partaker of it as the young Prince is assured of his Crowne and Kingdom at his time or the heire of his Fathers lands Here two most worthy doctrines doe offer themselues to our view 1. The excellencie of faith 2. The excellencie of a Christian mans estate The excellencie of faith appeares thus It makes a holy man assured certaine of his saluation by Christ Iesus The Church of Rome saith it is presumption in any man to thinke so vnlesse he haue an extraordinary reuelation but we learne from the Scripture that if a man haue true faith that is able to assure him of saluation For faith makes him an heire of true righteousnesse and of saluation thereby Now we know the heire is most sure and certaine of his inheritance what-euer hee gets or loseth he is sure of that But this righteousnesse and saluation by it is his inheritance therefore he may be and is by faith assured of it The Papists therefore doe wrong vnto this doctrine and derogaâ—e from the dignitie of true faith But this is their custome they will extoll any thing rather then that which the holy Scripture so much extolleth namely true faith For if they knew what it is trulie to know Christ and to beleeue in him by that faith which worketh by loue they would then know that faith makes a man heire of happinesse and therefore most assured of it Secondly here we may see the excellencie of a Christian mans estate he is not naked nor destitute of comforts but is heire of a glorious inheritance by meanes of his faith and a Christian mans inheritance is Christs righteousnesse Out of which we learne First that no man by any good workes done by or in himselfe can merit true and iustifying righteousnesse the Pharisaical Papists teach so but their conceit is here ouerthrowen by the doctrine of the holy Ghost For sauing righteousnesse is his inheritance which we know is alwaies gotten by the Father and descends from the Father to the Sonne as a free token of his loue And it were scornfull and absurd to see a Sonne offer to buy his inheritance of his Father it being against the nature of an inheritance to come any other wayes but by free gift from the Father to the Sonne therefore our righteousnesse that must saue vs being as wee see here our inheritance let vs resolue of it we cannot buie nor merit it Againe heere is sure and solide comfort against all the grieâ—â—s and crosses and losses of this world Gods children must needes haue their portion of afflictions in this life But here is their comfort they may lose their goods liuings possessions their good names their healths their liues but their inheritance standeth sure and firme and cannot be lost Let them therfore here learne not to grieue out of measure for a holy man may say thus to himselfe and that most truly My Father may frowne on me for my faults and chastice me for my sinnes but I am sure he will not disenherite me for I am heire by faith of Christs righteousnesse and I may lose many things but I shall not lose that Thirdly and lastly here must Gods children learne their duties They are heires to a godly and glorious inheritance and Christes righteousnesse is their inheritance therefore they must learne to set and settle all their affections on this inheritance For there is nothing in the world more worthy to be affected then a faire inheritance We must therefore first labour aboue all worldly things for this inheritance namely to be made partakers of this righteousnesse This is that pearle which wee hauing found must sell all we haue to
a citie also and the best on earth are but shadowes of it And it may shame them that are drowned in the pleasures and delicacies of earthly cities and care not nor looke after the city of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem as it is called Heb. 12.22 But alas it seemes they care not for this shame for where is securitie wantonnesse profanenesse oppressions so coÌ„mon as in these great cities And as in the Apostles times the countrey towne Berea was more zealous and religious than the rich and stately citie of Thessalonica Acts 17.11 So is it generally to this day especially at such places in the countrey where teaching and knowledge is But let such cities know that as they haue better meanes more comforts and their very name should put them in minde and make them in loue with heauen so they shall receiue greater damnation Lastly Cities are places of freedome and all such great places haue some notable priuiledges therefore men desire to be free in such places as is to bee seene in London Rome Venice c. Euen the greatest persons will bee content to be free of them and many seeke it and pay deer for it or at least worke a long time for it But heauen is the City of cities the perfection of beauty and true happinesse therefore let euery one that desires either honour or happinesse labour and striue to be a free-man of heauen and neuer rest till he know hee be And let those that liue in cities when they are admitted free-men as daily some are remember what a blesâ—ednes it will be if they can bee admitted free-men of the glorious Citie which is aboue and how little that shall auaile them if they want this which was the hope and ioy of Abraham and all holy men To goe further This Citie which Abrahams faith waited for is described by two points 1. That it hath a foundation 2. That the maker and builder was God For the first Heauenly Ierusalem hath a foundation such a one as no city in this world hath by this phrase the holy Ghost insinuates vnto vs what be the properties of heauen which be two 1. The state of heauen is vnchangeable 2. Euerlasting and eternall First the state of the Elect in heauen their glory there is not subiect to corruption or the least alteration as appeareth in that notable and loftie description of the heauenly Ierusalem Apoc. 21.14 and from the 10. verse to the 21 It hath a great wall and high 12. gates 12. Angels for Porters and the wall had 12. foundations of 12. sorts of most excellent pretious stones and the wall it selfe was Iasper and the citie pure gold like crystall The state of it is shadowed by pretious stones and gold to signifie as well the durablenesse as the excellency therof And in the 15. Psalme vers 1. it is called the mountaine of Gods holines Hills are hardly remoued and therefore Dauid saith that Mount Zion cannot bee remooued but remaineth for euer Psal. 125.1 Now if that be true of Mount Zion in this world which must needes bee taken either literally for the state of the visible Church which cannot be vtterly ouerthrowen or mystically for the state of Gods grace which in this world cannot totally finally be lost I say if this Mount Zion standeth fast and cannot be remoued how much more true iâ— it of the state of glory in heauen and of the triumphant Church and of heauenly Zion that it is so vnchangeable so durable so vnremoueable that it cannot be shaken but standeth fast for euer And in this respect well may the Apostle say here It hath a foundation which the holy Ghost in the Reuelation saith to haue 12. foundations Secondly the state of the Elect in heauen is not onely sure but euerlasting that is without end Psal. 37.18 the Inheritance of holy men is perpetuall And therfore S. Peter 1.1.4 saith that the inheritance reserued in heauen for vs is immortall not fading away It fades not away there is the vnchangeablenesse It is immortall there is the eternity of it And this is meant by hauing a foundation for in this world so much the longer doth any thing endure as the foundation is stronger Therefore seeing the heauenly city hath such a foundation no maruell though it indure for euer Now put these two together and they shew the perfect excellency of that city which is both vnchangeable and eternall Where we learne the great difference betwixt the state of that world and this present world wherin we liue in the body For what is there in this world so excellent so pâ—etious so costly so artificiall but is subiect both to alteration and in the ende to dissolution The longest day hath his night and the longest life endeth in death after many miseries and tossings the longest Empires and mightiest Monarchies had their period after many mutations the stateliest and strongest cities ended in ruine after many ciuill broiles massacres and other miseries So that no glory no strength no happinesse nothing at all is there in this world that is either constant or perpetuall but subiect to vtter dissolution in the end and in the meane time to pittifull alterations So weake a foundation hath this world and the best things in it But contrariwise the glory of heauen hath such a foundation as it is both vnchaâ—geable and eternall The consideration of this difference hath manifold profitable vse First we may see how reasonable the counsell of the Apostle is 1. Tim 6. â—7 Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded and put not their trust in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God For what a misery and vanity is it to trust in that that is vncertaine and therefore will deceiue them The Apostle tells them what to doe namely Doe good and be rich in good works and be ready to distribute laying vp in store for themselues a good foundatioÌ„ against the time to come that they may obtain eternal life that is that they so speÌ„d their riches in holines charity that they may 〈◊〉 the ende attaine heauen which is the Citie that hath a foundation and who would not spend riches which are so vncertaine for heauen which is so certaine a glory Secondly this must teach vs to followe the Counsell of Christ Iesus Math. 6.19.20 Lay not vp for your selues treasures on earth where moth and canker corrupt theeues steale but in heauen where is neither canker moth theefe nor any other corruption Euery man naturally must haue his treasure and that is it whereon hee sets his heart now that is vnworthy of a mans heart which will bee lost wee knowe not how soone But let vs make heauen our treasure the glory whereof is both eternall and vnchangeable Againe seeing nothing here is certaine wee must learne to seeke sound comfort where it may be had Seeke it in this world and it will faile
they all know and some confesse it is surest and safest to die in our religion Let vs therefore cheerefully and comfortably liue in that religion and faith wherein wee may so boldly die that euen our aduersaries confesse it to be safest Now follow the foure effects and fruits of their faith The first is this that They receiued not the promises but saw them afarre off By Promises we vnderstād first the promises of the Land of Canaan Secondly the spirituall promises of the kingdome of Christ. These they did not receiue that is fully thogh in part they did for true faith doth alwaies receiue apprehend and apply vnto it selfe truely though not fully the thing promised God said hee would giue them the Land of Canaan but they did not fully enioy and possesse it So likewise the Messias was promised vnto them but they neuer saw his comming in the flesh and yet they beleeued Gods promise and died in that faith Where wee may see the inuincible force of their faith that cleaued fast vnto the promise of God euen vnto death though they neuer enioyed the things promised in this life which plainely condemnes our age of vnbeleefe for we haue more accomplished vnto vs than euer they had Abraham neuer saw Christ but afarre off yet wee haue him exhibited in the flesh we see and knowe hee liued and died rose againe and ascended and now makes continuall intercession for vs and we haue the true sacraments which shall last for euer pledges of him and of life euerlasting by him And for temporall promises wee haue farre more accomplished vnto vs than euer he had But though wee goe before Abraham in the fruition of Gods promises yet we come farre behinde him in beleefe for faith worketh by loue and loue is seene in true obedience but generally this is too true men make no conscience of obedience which sheweth vndoubtedly that there is little sound faith among vs. And it may be feared that these notable men Abraham Isaac and Iaacob shall stand in iudgement against vs to our further condemnation for they neuer receiued the accomplishing of Gods promises and yet they beleeued but we doe see the same fulfilled exhibited vnto vs and yet we will not beleeue But saw them afarre off Here is the propertie of their faith and the power of it the promises were afarre off and yet they saw them The phrase here vsed is borrowed from Mariners who beeing far on the sea cannot descrie towns and coasts afarre off but only by help of some tower or hie place which their eie will sooner discerne thogh it be afarre off And so Abraham Sarah Isaac and Iaacob beeing long before the day of Christs incarnation could not other waies see Christ but afarre off by the eie of faith in the promises of the Messias for this is the propertie of faith to make a thing absent to be present after a sort Faith beeing the ground of things hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene Here then wee may learne a difference betweene the Church in the olde Testament and in the newe Wee in the newe Testament haue greater measure of knowledge more liuely discerning of the Messias and a clearer light of vnderstanding in the mystery of our saluation by Christ than the Church had vnder the olde Testament howsoeuer they excelled in faith yet in the knowledge and discerning of Christ they were inferiour vnto vs. And therfore the Lord made this promise to the time of the Gospel long before that thē the earth shall be ful of the knowledg of the Lord as the waters that couer the sea And Saint Paul prooues this performed when he affirmeth of the Church of the new Testament 2. Corinth 3.18 But all wee as in a mirrour behold the glory of the Lord with open face And Christ Ioh. 6.45 They shall be all taught of God If this bee true that knowledge should so abound in the time of the Gospell then all ignorant persons of this latter age of the world must knowe that they haue much to answer for at the day of iudgment for God in the new testament hath made his Church to abound in knowledge so that their ignorance for which they thinke God will hold them excused shall be a bill of inditement against them at the last day to their further condemnation because the light of the Gospell is so clearely and plentifully reuealed in these dayes that whereas the most excellent Patriarchs of all could then but see Christ afarre off the most simple may now see him neere vnto them Again where is more knowledge there should be more obedience therefore it concerneth all those that professe themselues to be Christians submit themselues to heare and learne the word of God taught vnto them not content themselues with bare knowledge though it be neuer so much But withall to bring forth the fruites of obedience in their liues cōuersations For though Abraham Isaac and Iacob in regard of faith did goe farre before vs yet seeing we haue more knowledge then they had in the Messias we must labour to becom like vnto them in the obedience of our liues Their faith was stronger then ours but our obedience should be greater then theirs because wee haue more cause to belieue then they S. Paul saith We all behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord with open face And the end thereof is this that we may be transformed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. So that the more knowledge wee haue the more sanctification wee ought to haue and the more hatred of sinne more obedience to Gods commaundements But the more is the pitie the case goeth farre otherwise with the world for euen many among vs that are no Students by profession haue great and commendable knowledge in religion But where is the fruite hereof in holy obedience to the Lawes of God God by calling hath made vs a pleasant vine but the sower Grapes of sinne are our ordinarie fruite they be the Grapes of gall as Moses saith For Atheisme blasphemie contempt of Gods word and worship with open profaning of Gods Sabaoth doe euery where abound to omit the hainous crimes against the second table as oppression adultery and bloud touching bloud for all which wee may iustly feare that the Lord will either remoue his Candlesticke from vs and so of a Church and people of God make vs no Church or else sweepe vs away by some fearefull iudgement as with the besome of destruction because we withhold the truth in vnrighteousnesse Rom. 1.18 For better it were not to haue knowen the way of righteousnesse then to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto vs let vs therefore ioyne with our knowledge obedience that so wee may shew forth our faith in doing the duties of pietie vnto God and of brotherly loue and Christianity vnto our brethren Thus much of
not for himselfe but for our sakes Now further God tempteth men three waies first by Iudgements and Calamities in this world so the Lord saith to the Israelites Deut. 8.2 Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God ledde thee this fortie years in the wildernesse for to humble thee for to prooue and to know what is in thy heart That iourney might haue beene gone in forty daies but God did lead them in it forty yeares to prooue and trie by this vnwoonted calamity whether they would obey him or not So likewise God suffered false prophets and Dreamers of dreames to come among the people for this ende To prooue them and to know whether they loued the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soule Deut. 13.3 Now this first kinde of temptations by outward Iudgements is most grieuous when the Lord laieth his own hand vpon his seruants so heauily as they shal thinke themselues to bee quite forsaken In this temptation was Dauid as we may reade at large Psal. the 6 and Psal. 38 and Iob being afflicted not onely outwardly in body but inwardly in minde crieth out that the arrowes of the Almighty were in him Iob 6.4 and through the whole chapter hee bewaileth his grieuous estate by reason of this temptation Secondly God tempteth his seruants by withdrawing his graces from them and by forsaking them in part and this kinde of temptation is as grieuous as the former herewith was good King Hezekias tempted for as wee may reade God left him to a sinne of vaine glory and the end was to try him and to proue all that was in his heart 2. Chron. 32.31 Thirdly God tempteth his seruants by giuing vnto them some strange and extraordinarie commaundement As in the Gospell when the young man came to our Sauiour Christ and asked him what good thing hee might doe to haue eternall life Math. 19.16 Christ biddeth him goe and sell all that he had and giue to the poore This commaundement had this vse to be a commaundement of triall vnto the young man whereby God would proue what was in his heart that the same might be manifest both to himselfe vnto others And vnder this kinde we must comprehend this temptation of Abraham for when God said Abraham offer vp thy sonne in sacrifice it was not a commaundement requiring actuall obedience for GOD meant not that Abraham should kill his sonne but onely of triall to see what he would doe And these are Gods temptations whereby he proueth his seruants Yet farther the temptations of God whereby he tempteth his children haue two ends 1. they serue to disclose and make euident the graces of God that be hidden in the hearts of his seruants so S. Iames saith My brethren count it exceeding great ioy when ye fall into diuers tentations Iames 1.2 The reason followeth Knowing that the triall of your faith bringeth forth patience verse 3. Where we see this end of temptation set down To manifest the gift of patience wrought in the heart And Saint Peter saith to the Church of God That they were in heauinesse through manifolde tentations that the triall of their faith being much more precious then golde that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found vnto their praise and honour and glory at the appearing of the Lord Iesu 1. Peter 1.6.7 Where temptations haue this vse to make manifest the soundnesse of mens faith in GOD as the fire doth proue the golde to be good and precious So in this place The temptation of Abraham serueth for this end to make manifest his notable faith and obedience vnto GOD with a reuerend feare of his Maiestie as the Lord himselfe testifieth saying Now I knowe that thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely sonne Genesis 22.12 Meaning this Now I haue made thy faith and loue and feare of mee so manifest that all the worlde may see it and speake of it Secondly Gods temptations serue to manifest hidden sinnes and corruptions partly to a mans owne selfe and partly to the world And for this end God tempted Hezekias For being recouered of his sicknesse after that the King of Ashur his great enemie was vanquished especially when the Embassadours of the King of Babell came to enquire of the wonders which were done in the Land God left him that hee might see his sinnes and the corruptions of his nature as pride and vaine-glory wherewith hee was puffed vp at the comming of the Embassadours to him And thus hee who little thought that pride and vaine-glory could haue taken such holde on him perceiuing how his heart was lift vp in him was doubtlesse much humbled at the sight of this his so great corruption for when the Prophet came vnto him he submitted himselfe to the word of reproofe Isay 39.8 First wheras Abraham the seruant of God was tempted that is was prooued and tried by God himselfe Here wee are taught that if we perswade our selues to be the seruāts of God as Abraham was then wee must looke to haue temptations at Gods owne hand for his example is a patterne for vs and therefore in him wee must see that which we must looke to haue for it could not be needfull for Abraham but it may be also needfull to vs. In regard wherof Saint Peter counteth it as a thing necessarie that men should fall into sundry temptations that the triall of their faith might be vnto their praise So that in this life we must looke for triall and the more glorious our faith is and the more like to our father Abrahams the more trialls shall we vndergoe Againe seeing we must be tried therefore euery one of vs must labour for soundnesse of grace in our hearts as of faith repentance hope and of the loue of God though they be but little in measure for we must come to triall it must appeare whether wee be hotte or colde Now if we haue not soundnesse of grace in vs in the time of triall then looke as drosse consumeth in the fire when as golde commeth out more cleere so shall hypocrisie formalitie and all temporizing profession come to nothing in the middest of tentation when sound grace and a good conscience shall passe through and shine more pure and perfect after than before Thirdly considering wee are to looke for trials and temptations from God therefore we must be carefull to remember and practice that counsell of Christ to his Disciples before his passion Watch and pray that yee enter not into temptation Math. 26.41 And because they were carelesse in practicing this dutie therefore they fell into temptation especially Peter fell most grieuously by denying his master Wee must perswade our selues that the same commandement is giuen to vs for God will prooue vs by temptations to make manifest the corruptions that bee in our hearts wee therefore considering our owne estate must pray for Gods assisting and strengthning grace
of the bloud of the Paschal Lamb which was a notable rite ceremony vsed in this first Passe-ouer after this māner The bloud of euery Lamb was put into a bason sprinkled with a bunch of Hysope vpon the doore posts of euery mans house among the Iewes Now this rite did not continue alwaies but was peculiar proper to this first passe-ouer kept in Egypt at the institution thereof being then practiced but not after in regard of that speciall deliuerance then at hand wherof it was an assurance for it signified vnto them that the Angel of the Lord cōming to destroy the first born of Egypt seeing that bloud so sprinked should passe ouer their houses and touch none of their first borne of man nor beast This end of the sprinkling of this bloud is here likewise set down in these words Lest he that destroyed the first born shold touch them He that is the Angell of the Lord who was sent to destroy the first born throughout all Egypt both of man and beast saue onely of those who had their door posts sprinkled with bloud And thus much for the meaning of the words First obserue what the H. ghost saith of this fact of Moses in ordaining the Passe-ouer namely that he did it by faith Hence we learne that the Sacraments of the new Testament must be celebrated in faith for herein we are to seek to be acceptable to God as Moses was The L. supper in the new Testament succeedeth the Passe-ouer in the olde for that was a signe to the Iews that Iesus Christ the immaculate Lamb of God should afterward be sacrificed for their sinnes and this is to vs a signe of Christ already sacrificed Now look as that was ordained receiued vnder the Law so must this be administred receiued vnder the Gospell But in the olde Testament Moses celebrates the Passe-ouer through faith enioines the Israelites so to doe therefore accordingly must wee by faith celebrate and receiue the Lords supper vnder the Gospel Cains sacrifice was fruitlesse to him and odious to God because he offered not in faith no lesse were all other faithlesse sacrifices euen so euery Sacrament and spirituall sacrifice receiued or offered in time of the Gospell is vnprofitable to man and vnacceptable vnto GOD if it be not receiued in faith In euery Sacrament wee receiue some thing from God as in euery sacrifice we giue some thing to God In the Lords supper as the minister giues the bread and wine into the hand of the receiuer so the Lord God giues his sonne vnto their hearts Now if faith be wanting Christ crucified is not receiued for faith is the hand of the soule without which there is no receiuing of Christ his benefits but contrariwise a heauy and feareful sinne heaping vp Gods wrath against vs. Hereby we learne how sundry sorts of people sin most grieuously against God for many come to receiue the Lords supper who are altogether ignorant in the nature vse thereof not knowing what the sacrament meaneth yet because it is a custom in the church they will receiue at least once a yeare though they know nothing therein as they ought Now such persons must know they ought to come in faith which they cannot do because they want knowledge and therefore in receiuing it so they commit a grieuous sin so indanger their own soules because they receiue it vnworthily And this is not the fault of young ones onely but of many whose yeares might shame them for their ignorance if they were not past all feeling of spirituall wants A second sort there are who receiue the Lords supper say they will doe so because they haue faith But these are like the former for their faith is nothing but honest dealing among men thinking that if they bring that to the L. Supper though they haue no more yet all is well The greatest sort are of this minde taking fidelitie for true faith it is a plaine point of popery so common as almost in euery place men do embrace it But these deceiue themselues for another kinde of faith is required of those that receiue the Lords supper worthily namely such a faith wherby we doe not onely beleeue the remission of sins in Christs blood but also are assured that the bread wine receiued worthily are signes and seales of the same blessing exhibited vnto vs by Christ. He that comes onely in a good meaning deceiues himselfe receiues to his condemnatiō And yet alas many euen of the ancient sort haue no other faith but their good meaning A third sort there are who yet goe further and knowing the vanitie of this opinion that a mans fidelitie in his dealing with men should bee his faith to commend him vnto God they hold know that true faith is to beleeue their owne saluation in the blood of Christ and these are to bee commended in respect of the former But herein they faile that comming to receiue they bring not with them a liuely faith for it is not only required in a communicant that hee professe the faith of Christ aright but a worthy receiuer must looke to his owne heart that his faith therein be a liuing faith such as worketh by loue and shewes it selfe by obedience Now herein many that haue good knowledge doe grieuously offend That howsoeuer they make a shew of faith in an orderly and religious carriage of thēselues on the Cōmuniō day yet whē that time is a little past they returne to their former sinnes againe neuer els hauing any care nay not so much as making any shew of laying away their sinnes saue onely at the receiuing of the Lords supper And thus do too many of those who make a faire profession These men bring faith in profession but yet their faith is dead for if it were a liuely faith it would purifie their hearts cause a change in them from euil to good and from good to better euery day more and more But blessed be God by whose mercy it comes to passe that there are some in his Church who come with such a faith and thereby communicate acceptably to God and fruitfully to themselues Yet wee must confesse they are but fewe in comparison But as for all the other three sorts of people they sinne grieuously because they bring not the hand of a liuely faith to receiue those things which their God offereth vnto them Wee therefore in this example are admonished to celebrate receiue the Lords supper in such sort as Moses did namely in faith and that not in an idle or dead but in a liuely faith which may both before and after the receiuing of this sacrament bring forth good fruits to the reforming of our liues in continuall obedience for Gods glory and our owne comfort and saluation in Christ. 2 Obserue further Moses ordained and made the Passe-ouer We may not thinke that Moses killed all the lambes that were
sinnes and the infusion of inward righteousnesse standing in hope and charity especially And the second wherby of a good man one is made better and more iust and this they say may proceede from the merite of a mans owne workes of grace and hereby they hold a man stands righteous before God But looke how it standes with grace in vs in this life so likewise shal it stand with the same graces at the last day if they bee imperfect now and so not able to iustifie vs before GOD they shall also be found imperfecte then to that purpose and effecte But now they are imperfect as hath beene shewed and therefore cannot then stand for our righteousnesse vnlesse we will imagine that God will then accept of an imperfect Iustice. Wherefore their Doctrine is erroneous a doctrine of all terrour and desperation for who dare aduenture the saluation of his soule vpon his owne righteousnesse Wee denie not but that God accepteth of our sanctification yet not as the matter of our iustification vnto life that onely is the obedience and righteousnesse of Iesus Christ accepted of God for vs and made ours by faith for that alone is aunswerable to the rigour of the Law Thirdly this also sheweth the errour of those who hold that concupiscence or originall sinne is not a quality but an essence or substance liuing and subsisting by it selfe For here wee see a plaine difference betweene a mans body and soule and originall sinne that compasseth them else the holy Ghost would not bid vs to cast off this sinne for that which is of the substance of man cannot by man bee cast off And to make this more plaine we must knowe that in man descending from Adam there be three things 1. The substance of his soule and body 2. The powers and faculties in them both 3. The corruption or bad disposition in those powers and faculties whereby a man is vnconformable to the will of his Creator and prone to that which is euill And this third thing is it which is here spoken of different from mans substance and faculties and so is not a substance in man or mans nature corrupted but an ill disposition therein Fourthly hence also wee learne what a regenerate man doth most feele in himselfe namely originall sinne the corruption of his nature for that hangs on fast and hinders him in the practice of all good duties This Paul knew well and therefore confesseth that hee saw another Law in his members rebelling against the Law of his minde and leading him captiue vnto the Law of sinne which was in his members Rom. 7.23 This caused him to leaue vndone the good which he would haue done and to do the euill which he would not doe Verse 19. And Dauid felt the same thing when he saide I will runne the way of thy commaundements when thou shalt enlarge my heart Why doth Dauid speak of the enlarging of his heart Surely he felt in himselfe this originall sinne which did streicten his good affections so as hee could not put them forth so much as hee would toward the Law of God And when hee saith Psal. 51.12 Stablish me oh Lord by thy free spirit he would giue vs to vnderstand that by originall corruption hee was restrained of his Christian liberty and hindred in all good affections holy actions and heauenly meditations which causeth him to pray for liberty and freedome by the spirit So that it is plaine the seruant of God feeles this corruption clogging and hindering him from all good duties 1. This serues to admonish all secure persons which neuer felt sinne to bee a clogge or burthen vnto them of their fearfull and dangerous estate For to euery childe of God originall corruption is a grieuous burthen Now conferre with a natural man and aske him what imperfections and wants he feeles in himselfe his answer is he neuer was hindered by any corruption in all his life he neuer felt doubting or want of loue either to God or to his brethren he feeles no pride of heart no guile or hypocrisie nor vaine-glory c. If wee take these men vpon their words they are Angels among men but indeede they are blinde and ignorant and wonderfully deceiued by Satan for all Gods seruants in this life doe continually bewaile the corruption of their nature crying out against originall sinne that it hinders them in doing the good things which they would doe and causing them to doe that euill which they would not These men therefore that are neuer troubled with corruption but to their owne thinking haue grace at will are in a fearefull case their mindes are still blinded and their hearts hardned they are dead in sin abiding in darknesse vnto this houre And if they goe thus on to death they shall finde that sinne will vnvizor himselfe and then they shall knowe what sinne meanes and finde the terrour and feele the burthen of it when it is too late like the foolish virgines that knew what the want of oyle meant when the doores were shut Secondly this shewes vnto vs what is the state and condition of the childe of God in this life He is not heere a Saint feeling no corruption perfectly sanctified freed from all sinne but such a one as feeles the burthen of corruption hindering him in his Christian course vnder which hee sighes and groanes labouring by all good meanes to bee disburthened and to cast it off It is indeede a matter of great comfort for a man to feele Gods graces in himselfe as faith loue repentance sanctification and such like but no childe of GOD can alwayes or alone feele the comfort of grace most commonly hee shall be troubled with sinne if he be Gods childe Now if feeling it hee dislike himselfe and striue to bee eased of it this is a sure argument of his happy estate Fiftly this commaundement to cast away sinne that presseth downe teacheth euery childe of GOD to labour earnestly for the gouernment and direction of Gods spirit for wee haue within vs originall corruption that like an armed man besets vs about and hindereth vs in euerie good thing wee take in hand Wee must therefore pray vnto GOD daily that hee would guide vs by his good spirit for by reason of the corruption of our nature and the deceitfulnesse of sinne wee shall vtterly faile vnlesse Gods spirit gouerne vs both in the thoughts of our hearts in the words of our mouthes and the actions of our liues This Dauid knew well and therefore prayeth to the Lord for his good spirit to leade him into the Land of Righteousnesse Psal. 143.10 Lastly seeing wee haue this corruption of nature in vs wee must keepe our hearts with all diligence and set watch and ward about them So Salomon saith Counterguard thy heart my sonne Prouerbs 4.23 Why doth Salomon giue this commandement Surely for special cause for euery man while he liues on earth is compassed about with his owne corrupt nature which like a