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
speciall Faith that this man or that man shall be saved is not grounded on the Word ergo it is not a true Faith Resp. Particulars are included in the generall quod omnibus promittitur singulis promittitur therefore if it be true that all believers shall be saved then it is as true that this or that believer shall be saved and this the Apostle teacheth Rom. 10. 9. if thou c. 3. Because Faith mentioned in the Scripture is the Faith of assent and not of application I answer that as there are many places which speak properly of assent some wherof I before cited so there are many which mention or meane the speciall Faith As namely all those places which are very many and almost innumerable wherein the faithfull doe apply and as it were appropriate those things which are spoken of God * to themselves As my God my Lord my Saviour the God of my salvation c. * Psal. 3. 7. 4. 1. 5. 2. 7. 1. 5. 13. 3. 16. 2. 18 1 2. 46. 19. 4. 22. 1 8. 27. 1. 9. 38. 41. 22. 43. 4 5. 51. 14. c. Hab. 3. 18. Luke 1. 47. John 20. 28. c. So Gal. 2 20. Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Sonne of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me Likewise in those places where the faithfull professe their assurance of justification and salvation as Iob. 13. 18 19. 25 26 27. Psal. 103. 3. who forgiveth all thine iniquities Psalm 32. 5. Rom 8. 35. 38. 2 Tim. 1. 12. Secondly upon the Patrons of speciall Faith the Papists doe presle divers inconveniences and absurdities As 1. If every man be bound to believe in particular his owne salvation then it would follow that every man shal be saved because no man is bound to believe an untruth but the consequent is false therefor the antecedent Answ. I have shewed before that every man is bound upon paine of damnation to have the first degree of Faith which is to give a firme assent to the promise of the Gospell assuring salvation to all those that believe in CHRIST but the second degree none ought to have but they only who have the first no man ought to apply the promise of the Gospell to himselfe who hath not the condition of the promise unlesse he will pernieiously deceive himselfe For as hee that believeth shall be saved so he that believeth not shal be condemned Mark 16. 16. If thou dost truly believe that CHRIST is the Saviour thou art bound to believe that he is thy Saviour And so believing in CHRIST and receiving him both by assent and applycation thou shalt undoubtedly be saved The second absurdity 2. Those that have this speciall Faith ought not to aske the forgivenes of sinnes which notwithstanding our Saviour teacheth his owne Apostles to aske For they that have full assurance of the forgivenes of all their sinnes ought not to aske forgivenes unlesse they will dally with God for nothing desireth that which it hath I answer 1. that not all believers have full assurance some are incipients some proficients some perfect or growne men in CHRIST Those that are incipients pray both that their sinnes may bee forgiven and that they may have some assurance there of proficients and those that bee growne men pray both that their sinnes may bee remitted and their assurance augmented for none are so perfect but that their assurance may be increased 2. As wee dayly sinne so wee must dayly ask forgivenes prayer being the meanes that GOD hath ordayned to that end Ob. Yea but saith the Papist yee forsooth have already full assurance of the remission of all your sinnes not only past but also to come Answ. It is absurd to imagine that sinnes be remitted before they be commited and much more that we be assured they are remitted before they be either remitted or committed that indeed were a doctrine to animate and to encourage men to sinne But howsoever the Pope somtimes forgiveth sinnes to come yet God doth not when God justifieth a man he giveth him remission of sinnes past Rom. 3. 25. As for time to come we teach that although Christ hath merited and God hath promised remission of sinnes of all the faithfull unto the end of the world Notwithstanding remission of sinnes is not actually obtayned and much-lesse by speciall faith believed untill men doe actually believe and repent and by humble and faithfull prayer renew their faith repentance For as God hath promised to the faithfull all good things but how Mark 7. 7 8. 〈◊〉 them that ask that seek that knock so also remission of sins Neither is it to be doubted but that remission of sin though merited by CHRIST though promised by GOD though sealed unto us in the Sacrament of Baptisme is obtayned by the effectuall prayer of those that believe and repent for whom CHRIST hath merited it and to whom GOD hath promised it in his Word and sealed it by the Sacrament even as the obtayning of the raine which GOD hath promised 1 Kings 18. 1. 41. and the Prophet Elias had fore-told is ascribed Iam. 5. 16. 18. to the effectuall prayer of Elias 3. The third absurdity which the Papists put upon the doctrine of speciall Faith is that by it men are animated to commit all manner of sinne As if it were no matter how many or how great sinnes a man doth commit so long as he is assured by speciall Faith that all his sinnes past present and to come are remitted Answ. That which they say of sinne to come is a malicious slander as I noted before but I answere the practice of sinne especially of any crime and going on in the same without repentance cannot possibly stand with the assurance of Faith Neither can a man be assured of the forgivenes of any sinne whereof he doth not repent and much lesse can he be assured before hand of the forgivenes of that sinne which presumptaously he doth purpose to commit As for the doctrine of speciall Faith I doe confidently professe that there is scarce any one doctrine in all Divinity of greater force and efficacy either to encourage men to well-doing or to preserve them from evill For as I have shewed before the more a man is assured of GODS love towards him in CHRIST in forgiving his sinnes and giving unto him eternall life the more will his heart be inflamed with love towards GOD and towards his neighbour for GODS sake the more zealous will he be of GODS glory the more thankfull for his mercies the more desirous to please the more fearefull to displease the more carefull to obey him the more ready when he hath offended to returne unto him c. and therefore not without cause chasidim the favourites of GOD who have experience and assurance of GODS speciall favour towards them are every where almost translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that
promâ—â—â—gation of the Gospel it should be explained what this blessedness is which was promised by the Messias 1. First for confutation of the erroneous and pernicious conceipt of the Iews who thinking that the Messias should be â— temporal Monarch expected only temporaâ— blessings from him But if our hope in Christ were only in respect of this life then were we of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. Secondly For prevention of a most dangerous scandal which otherwise would have ensued upon that erroneous conceipt For it beingâ— received opinioÌ„ among the Iews from which the Disciples of Christ were not free Mat. 20. â—1 Act. 1. 6. that the Messias should be a teâ—poral Monarch who should restore the Kingdom unto Israel and make his followers happy with external and â—emporâ— blessings If this opinion had been nourishâ—d in them it could not have been avoided but that they would have taken offence at Christs 〈◊〉 and poor estate when in stead of honours riches greatness and gâ—â—ry in this world which they expected from the Messias all things should happen contrary to their expectation Our Saviour therefore pronounceth them blessed who were not offended at him in respect of his mean condition and poor estate Mat. 11. 6. Thirdly For rectifying our judgment in that most weighty point concerning our happiness For the very foundation of a Christian conversation is the right belief concerning happiness For all men desire happiness as the supream end And such as is the end or happiness which they propound unto themselves such are the means which they use such are their studies and endeavours As for example if men place their happiness in pleasure their whole course of life is volumptuous if in riches covetous if in honour ambitious c. For these causes as I said it was necessary that it should be declared what this blessedness is Our Saviour therefore in the beginning of his gracious Sermon upon the Mount sheweth that the happiness which by him they were to expect did consist in spiritual grace and eternal glory Mat. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor or beggers in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven and so in the rest in every whereof two degrees of happiness are noted 〈◊〉 the one set down as the Schoolmen speak per modum meriti which I called grace the other per modum praemij which Lealled glory the one being be 〈◊〉 via or our happiness nâ—this life the other beatitudo patriae or our happiness in the life to come S. Paul likewise expoundeth the happiness which we have by Christ to be spiritual Ephes. 1. 3. Blessed be God saith he who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessingâ— in heavenly things in Christ. Thus S. Peter speaking of this Covenant which God made with Abraham and applying it to the Iewâ— expoundeth this blessedness to be their turning and consequently their freedom from sin Ye â—e saith he Act. 3. 25 26. the children of the Covenant which God made with our fathers saying unto Abraham and in thy seed shal all the families of the earth be blessed unto you first Gâ—d having raised up his Son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from your iniquities In like manner the Apostle Paul Galat. 3. expoundeth this blessedness of justification by faith redemption from the curse of the Law and receiving the promise of the spirit Those which are of faith saith he vers 7. 8. 9. are the sons of Abraham and the Scripture that is the holy Ghost who speaketh in the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the 〈◊〉 through faith preached the Gospell before to Abraham saying in thee that is in thy seed shall all nations be blessed Gen. 12. 2 3. chap. 13. 15. 17. chap. 15. 18. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham Again vers 13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit But most chiefly in this place where the Holy Ghost doth as it were ex professe expound what this blessednesse is viz. That he would give us that we being deliverâ—â— from the hand of our enemies should worship him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him al the dayes of our life Now that this is a most true perfect exposition I will prove by these two reasonâ— And first for the truth of it For wheraâ— there 〈…〉 called obtain in this life 〈…〉 and sanctification justification by 〈…〉 to the Kingdome of 〈…〉 with it concur redemption 〈…〉 adoption being all in substance the 〈…〉 only in some relation or respect For when God doth forgive our 〈…〉 of Christs righteousnes he doth both redeem and reconâ—â—â—e and justifie and adopt 〈◊〉 but with this distinction First that when fâ—rgiving our sins by which we are bound over to death and damnation and held 〈…〉 sunne and Satan he fiâ—eth us from this bondage he is said to redeeme us Ephâ—s 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. Secondly when forgiving 〈…〉 whereby we are the children of wrâ—th and enemies against God he receiveth us â—nto his love and favour in Christ he is said to reconcile us 2 Cor. 5. 19. Thirdly when forgiving our sins which exclude us from heâ—ven and make us guilty of 〈…〉 absolve and 〈◊〉 us from the 〈◊〉 and doth accept of us in Christ 〈…〉 and as heires of salvation he is said to just 〈…〉 Rom. 3. 24. 25. 4. 6 7 8. Fourthly wâ—en forgiving our 〈…〉 of the Devill he doth in Christ 〈…〉 to be his children he is said to adopt us The second degree is Sanctification by which we are prepared and made fit for Gods Kiâ—â—dome Now these two are the two parts of the gift which God by oath in this place promised to give to the faithful the sons of Abraham viz. deliverance from the hand of our spiritual enemies namely the law sin death and the devil which is our redemption or justification and grace to worship God without fear in holyness and righteousness before him all the days of our life which is our sanctification 2. And that it is a ful and perfect exposition it is easily proved because not only to the whole gift here promised but to every part and parcel thereof happyness is ascribed in the word of God As first to redemption for what is it to be redeemed by Christ but to have remission of sins by him Ephes. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. By him we have redemption even the remission of our sins But to the remission of sins the holy Ghost ascribeth blessedness Psal. 32. 1 2. Rom. 4. 6 7. Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity 2. Secondly to a godly life which is here termed the worship of God in holiness and righteousness in which
Câ—mmandement proceeding from faith unfained It worketh in us affiance Foâ— when we believe that Christ is our Saviour we rest upon him for salvation It worketh in us hope for when we believe that the promises belong unto us we expect the performance Faith having begotten affiance and hope and working by love begetteth zeale peace of conscience Rom. 5. 1. rejoycing in God and joy in the Holy Ghost thankfulnesâ— voluntary and cheerfull obedience patience and comfort in afflictions c. And indeed how can a man love his neighbour for Gods sake who lovâ—th not God much more how can a man love God as he ought who is not perswaded of Gods love towards him in Christ which perswasion is this special Faith And if he cannot love God without Faith much lesse can he have the zâ—alâ— of God foâ— zeale is the servency of love How can a man have affiance in Christ and rest upon him for salvation who is not by Faith perswaded and in some measure assured that he is his Saviour How can he hope and wait for thâ— performance of the promises that doth not believe that they belong unto him Fâ—ith being the substance of things hoâ—ed for How can a man have true peace of conscience who is not perswaded that God is reconcled tâ— him How can a man rejoyce in God whâ— is not assured of Gods favour towards him How can a man trust in God that is not perswaded of Gods goodness towards him How can a man be thankfull unto God whâ— is not perswaded of Gods love and 〈◊〉 towards him How shall thâ—y fear Godâ— as sons that is fearing to offend so mercifull a Father who are not perswaded that he iâ— their Father in Christ Or when they have sinned how shall they be encouraged to return unto him if they be not perswaded of his fatherly respect to tâ—em How shall they perform voâ—â—ntary and cheâ—rful â—bâ—diencâ— who are not perswaded that their endevours are accepted of him How shall they pray who do not believe they shall be heard Or as the Apostle speaketh How shall they call â—pon him in whom they have not believed Rom. 10. 14. How shall they patiently and comfortably bear afflictions who are not perswaded they be fatherly chastisements or trials proceeding from Gods love and tending to their goodâ— Finally with what heart 〈…〉 worship God who are not perswaded that their service is accepted of him And as it worketh all other graces in us so according to the measure of our Faith such as I said is the measure of all other graces For the more a man is perswaded of Gods love and favour towards him in Christ that is by how much the greater is a mans speciall Faith so much the more he loveth God and his neigâ—bour for Gods sake so much the more is he inflamed with the 〈◊〉 of God so much the more confidently doth he rest upon Christ for salvation so much the more he hopetâ— for and expecteth the good things promised so mucâ—â—he more he rejoyceth and gloâ—ieth in God so much the more he is thankfull to God for his goodnesse so much the more he trusteth in God so much the more the feareth to offend so gracious a God and so 〈◊〉 a Father 〈◊〉 offended he will 〈…〉 return unto God so much the more 〈◊〉 comfortably he beareth afflictions saying with Iob Though he kill me 〈◊〉 will I pâ—t my trust in himâ— Iob. 13. 15. So much the more willingly and cheâ—rfully will he obey and serve the Lord. Wherfore it is evident that they which renounce this Faith as the Papists do discover themselves to be void of all saving graceâ— and to have no truth nor power of religion in them But whatsoever they think or speak of speciall Faith let us know and acknowledge these three things First that it is the duty of every true Christian that doth truly assent to the doctrine of the Gospell to apply also by special Faithâ— the promises of the Gospell unto himself For this is most profitable most comfortable most necessary Profitable because from this application of Faith all othâ—â— graces do proceed as hath been said Comfortable because by this application we grow to assurance as shall be shewed Necessary first because That beliefe or assent is not lively and effectuall as you shall heare which is not joyned with â— desire to apply CHRIST to thy self and with a resolution to acknowledge him to be thy SAVIOVR and to rest upon him for salvation For although he which at the â—â—rst believâ—th only by aâ—â—ent â—oth not yet actually apply the promises of the Gospâ—ll to himself yet that assent if it bâ—livâ—ly and â—ffectuall worketh both an earnest desire and setled resolution of â—pplication 2. He â—haâ— knoweth himself to believâ— by a true assent and refuseth to apply the promises to himself he maketh God a lyar as shall bâ— shewed 3. Where this application is not at least in desire resolution and endevour there is no other saving grace as I have proved The second thing which we are to take notice of is that it is the chiefest comfort and indeed happinesse of a Christian in this life by speciall faith to be assured of the â—ternall love and favour of God in Christ. For so Zaâ—hary in this place expoundeth our blessednâ—ssâ— to be this being redeemed by Christ to worship God without fâ—ar c. The third that seeing it is a thiâ—g so profitable so â—â—cessary and so comfortable that our happiness is to be repoâ—ed therein it is therefore our duty to do our best endevour to attain unto the assurance of salvation and to this speciall faith or as the Apostle Pâ—terâ—xhorteth â—xhorteth in other words to give diligâ—â—nce to make our calling and election sure 2 Pâ—t 1. 10. or as the Apostle Paul speaketh 1 〈◊〉 6. 1â— to lay up iâ— stâ—re a good foundation against the time to come that we 〈◊〉 lay hold upon etâ—rnall lifâ— For though the Apostle in that place doth by this argument exhort them that be rich to works of charity yet his meaning is not that those works are the foundation but that we by doing of them may gather assurance to our selves of our justification and salvation as by tâ—stimonies and evidences of our faith which assurance of speciall faith is so sure a foundation against the day of triall as they who hâ—ve built thereon cannot by any temptation bâ— removed but like mount Sion stand fast for ever or like to three-square or triangular bodies which howsoever they be tossed and turned keep alwayes their positure which 〈◊〉 undique sursum Now you must not think that full assurance is obtained at the first or at oncâ— but we must attain unto it by divers degrees And first we are to know that the ordinary way to exaltation by sound comfort and assurance is Humilâ—tion according to that generall rule given by our Saviour after 〈◊〉 had reported the notable humiliation of thâ— penitent Publican which
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
holinesse if we bee sound and upright members of the Church militant we shall be inheritors of glory in the Church triumphant if we be sheepe in CHRISTS flock and not goates we shall be set at his right hand and receive that blessed sentence Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world Matth. 25. 34. The signes of uprightnesse Now forasmuch as the Lord hath promised to all the sonnes of Abraham the heyres of promise that is to say to all the faithfull that being redeemed from the hand of our spirituall enemies he will give us to worship him in holiness before him it beâ—â—veth us seriously to try and examine our selves whether we be upright with the Lord our God or not Deut 18. 13. For if we be hypocrites and unsound Christians we can have no assuâ—ance that we are the redeemed of the Lord. God having sworn that to those whom he redeemeth he will give grace to worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him And to the same purpose and with the same labour we are also to try our selves whether we be hypocrites or not For such is the immeâ— diate opposition betweene uprightnesse and hypocrisie that if we be not hypocrites then are we upright and contrariwise But here it will be said that hypocrisie is in all men either more or lesse and that as all men are subject to lying so also to hypocrisie This the Papists whose profession notwithstanding of Christianity being for the most part a meere formality of religion denying the power thereoâ— is meere hypocrisie will hardly grant namely that the sinne of hypocrisie is in all For they teach that a man who is justified as every one of them is who either in his infansie is baptized or absolved preist when he is come to yeeres is with-without sinne and that there is nothing in him that God hateth nothing that properly can be called sinne untill he draw upon him the guilt of some mortall sinne Thus saying that they have no sinne they are convinced to have no truth in them 1 Iohn 1. 8. But we confess that originall sinne which is equally in all men by nature is not onely a privation of all spirituall goodness but also an evill disposition and proneness to all manner of sinne as to infidelity pride self-self-love hardness of heart carnall security hatred uncleanness cotousness ambition lying and hypocrisie c. and that these sinfull corruptions being so many habituall sinnes remain in all men both regenerate and unregenerate but with this difference that in the unregenerate they remaine in their full strength and for the most part with increase as the incrementa of originall sin unless perhaps abated or restrained by the contrary sinnes which contrary vices being from evill dispositions grown to wicked habâ—ts are said to reigne in carnall men But in the regenerate these corruptions remaine onely as the reliques of originall sinne in some measure mortified in them some more some less All which are the infirmities of the faiâ—hfull but especially those which are less mortified All which like the scattered foâ—ces of rebels vanquished but not utterly destroyed still remaine ad agonem to encounter with us upon all advantages So that in the best of us there remaineth a spice as of infidelity pride selfe-love hardnesse of heart carnall security hatred uncleanenesse covetousnesse ambition lying so also of hypocrisy But so long as a man seeth and detesteth this corruption and laboureth to mortify it so long as he is carefull to a voide it and jelous over himselfe lest his profession or other his good endevours bee contaminated or taynted therewith though there be some matter of hypocrisie remayning in hin yet he is not formally an hypocrite but is reputed upright For as it is said both of the faithfull themselves in generall though partly spirit and partly flesh that they are men spirituall and regenerate having their denomination from the better part and also of their actions performed in odedience though taynted with the flesh that they are good workes so is it in this particular even as a wedge of gold in which there is much drosse is notwithstanding a wedge of gold though not of pure gold and as an heape of corne wherein is store of chaffe is called an heape of corne though not of pure grayne so the faithfull though some drosse of hypocrisie and as the Prophet called it tinne Es. 1. 25. remayne in them are notwithstanding upright Therefore though hypocrisie be in all men yet all are not hypocrites but they in whom this corruption reigneth without resistance Yea but in baptisme originall sinne withall his branches is taken away I answear with Augustine De Nâ—ptiis Concup 1. â— c. 25. it is taken away first in respect of the guilt non ut peccatum non sit sed ut in peccatum non imputetur not that it should not be at all but that it should not be imputed to them that believe Secondly in respect of the dominion for it is taken away not that it should not remayne at all but that it should not reygâ—e in the faithfull Rom. 6. 14. wherefore as I said though hypocrisie be in all men yet none of the faithfull are hypocrites Who is an Hypocrite For an hypocrite is he who being inwardly void of grace and full of wickednesse maketh an outward shewe of Christianity and piety dissembing that evill which is in him and making semblance of that goodnes which he hath not having as even now with the Apostle I said of the Papists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an outwâ—rd formality of religion but denying the power thereof Being as our Saviour saith like to whited sepulchers which in deed appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all uncleannesse Mat. 23. 27 like to those summer peares which being faire and mellow without are rotten at the core Now hypocrites are of two sorts for as of not speaking the truth that is lying there are two degrees the one is meâ—tiri which is coâ—tra mentem ire wittingly to lye and to avouch for a truth that which himself knoweth or at least thinketh to be an untruth the other mendatium dicere to tell an untruth unwittingly supposing it to be a truth so of not walking in the truth that is of hypocrisie there are two degrees viz. of such as be hypocrites either wittingly or unwittingly Both are deceivers the former knowing himselfe to be an hypocrite goeth about to deceive others yea God himselfe with his faire shewes the other not knowing himselfe to be an hypocrite but being deceived by the devill and his owne deceiptfull heart Jer. 17. 10. deceiveth himselfe as St. Iames saith ch 1. 22. Be yee doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiving your owne selves and v. 26. If any among you seeme to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his owne heart this mans religion is in
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
remission of his sins and shall be saved the conscience of every faithfull man may both safely assume but I through Gods grace doe truely believe in Christ and also certainly conclude by the testimony of the holy Ghost bearing witnes with our conscience in the assumption according to the word in the proposition therefore I through the grace of God have remission of sinnes and shall be saved When the holy Ghost hath thus taught us to apply the promises unto our selves and hath sealed us after we have believed and testified together with our spirits that we are the children of God then it appeareth that we are already born of God and that we are the sons of God not only by regeneration but also by adoption Eph 1. 15. Rom. 8. 15 16. Joh. 1. 15 16. And being sonnes God sendeth forth the spirit of his Son into our hearts crying Abba father Gal. 4. 6. By this faith first apprehending and then applying Christ unto us we become not only the sonnes of God but also members of Christ and having union with him as our head we have communion also with him both in respect of his merit unto justification first before God and then in the court of our own conscience and in respect of his graces unto sanctification receiving of his fulnes euen grace for grace Joh. 1. 16. As therefore men are first conceived before they be born and they are borne before they are said to lead a life in this world so we must first be begotten and born anew in our vocation and regeneration before wee can live unto God the spirituall life of sanctification These two therefore were not to be confounded sanctification being the end as of our election Eph. 1. 4. and of our justification Luk. 1. 75. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 24. so also of our vocation 1 Thess 4. 7. By our vocation we are begotten unto God by sanctification we being both begotten and born anew do live unto GOD. In our vocation the spirit of God first draweth us unto God Joh. 6. 44. in our sanctification we being already drawn the Spirit of GOD doth lead and guide us in the way which leadeth to life Rom. 8. 14. Gal. 5. 18. Vocation produceth Faith Faith being begotten produceth sanctification both habituall for the heart is purified by Faith and actuall for Faith worketh by love producing good workes as the fruit both of Faith and Charity Act. 15. 9. I do not deny but that Faith is a part of our sanctification and of our inherent righteousnesse yet this hindereth not but that both it self doth sanctify us and is also the mother of all other inward graces wherein our habituall sanctification consisteth and of all the works of grace wherein our actuall signification is occupied For when the Holy Ghost doth regenerate us he doth ingenerate the grace of Faith in us and by it al other graces The second error That sanctification goeth before justification The second which is a consequent of the former that sanctification goeth before justification The contrary whereof I have proved in the discourse whereunto I adde 1. That sanctification is the end and fruit of our justification the cognizance also and evidence whereby it is known and therefore a consequent thereof Col. 1. 22. Rom. 6. 22. 2. As we are made siners first by imputatioÌ„ of Adams sin then being guilty of his transgression are made partakers of his corruption so we are made just first by imputation of Christs righteousnes and then being justified we are in some measure made partakers of those graces which he received without measure Again the persons of men being sinners in themselves must be accepted of GOD as righteous in Christ before either thereâ— be qualities or their actions which when they are at the best are defiled with sinne can be acceptable unto GOD. Therefore we must be justified before either our qualities or actions can be holy and righteous before God Neither can there be any sanctification without justification and reconciliation with God going before in order of nature as there is no justification without sanctification accompanying and following the same For by the same Faith whereby we are justified we are also sanctified Christ being apprehended by faith to justification dwelleth in us by his Spirit to work in us sanctification and to whom the merits of Christ apprehended by Faith are imputed to their justification to them the vertue of his death and resurrection is applyed by the holy Ghost to the mortifying of sin and raising againe to newnes of life to which purpose the Apostle saith Col. 2. 12. by Faith we are risen with Christ in Baptisme Again faith by which we are justified in order of nature goeth before repentance wherein our sanctification consisteth It is a resolved Case by Calvin Penitentiam seu rescipiscentiam non modò fidem continuò subsequi sed ex â—a nasci extra controversiam esse debet See Calvin Instit. l. 3. c. 3. sect 1. 2 and by Fulâ—entius quòd vita sancta à fide sumit initium The same is testified by the ancient Fathers as Clem. Alexandr strom l. 2. Faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first inclination to salvation after which follow feare hope and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repentance Ambros de sacram l. 1. c. 1. In Christiano prima est fides Chr. hom de â—ide spe char fidem esse originem justitia August de predest SS c. 7. fides prima datur ex qua caetera impetrantur Prosper ad Dubium 8. Genev. fides omnium virtutum fundamentum Greg. Moral l. 2. 6. c. 13. fidem primam in corde nostrâ— gignit If any object that the learned Chamier in his paustrat l. 10. treateth of sanctification before justification let him heare his own apology c 1 n. 2. Debueramus sanctificationi justificationem preponere si nostri arbitrij methodus esset ut tum re tum ratione priorem quod ab ea profluat altera sed quia Papistâ— non distinguunt cogimur de sanctificatione prius dicere The third error that justification goeth before Faith 3. The third that justification and remission of sins goe before faith which may seeme a strange assertion to be delivered by him who holdeth that sanctification whereof faith as he confesseth is a principall part goeth before justification But this absurdity he salveth with a distinction that he speaketh of justification not in foro Dei but in foro conscientiae and consequently acknowledgeth no justifying faith but that by which we are in our conscience assured of our justification But when we speak of justification as of a degree of our salvation it is evident that justification is to be censidered as an action of GOD for it is God that justifieth Rom. 8. 30 33. wherby he imputing to a believing sinner the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith absolveth him from his sins and accepteth of him as righteous in Christ. As for that justification