God the father mooued by nothing but his free loue to mankinde lost hath made a deed of gift and grant of his Sonne Christ Iesus vnto mankinde that whosoeuer of all mankinde shall receiue this gift by a true and liuely faith hee shall not perish but haue euerlasting life which the same Apostle expresly saith 1. Ioh. 5. 11. This is the record that God hath giuen to vs eternall life and this life is in his Sonne meaning that this it is which God hath witnessed for vs to beleeue which hee that doth not makes God a lyar and shall most iustly be condemned therefore this then is the first thing in true faith to be considered that euery soule to whom God sendeth this message of the Gospell doe truely beleeue and giue credit vnto it to bee true that God hath made grant of Christ to sinners so that if he accept this grant he shall bee saued This is that faith which in schooles is called historicall because it goeth no further then to giue assent and credit to the story of that which God speaketh to be true which one may beleeue for another and therefore this cannot be true iustifying faith and this may be in those that knowe they are bidden to the wedding yet refuse to come So that though this bee necessary to true iustifying faith yet it is not sufficient therfore in iustifying faith there is required another and more speciall work namely to receiue Christ and life in him offered in the Gospell which was the second generall point to bee considered in the nature of this iustifying faith Namely that beside the assent of the mind and iudgment to the truth of the Gospell The second speciall worke of faith is to receiue Christ offered vs in the Gospell wee giue consent with our heart and will and so willingly and gladly accept Gods gift of Christ whereby indeede he is become ours and we his and so we in him be made partakers of all things pertaining to life and godlinesse 2. Pet. 1. 3. as the Apostle Peter speaketh where I would haue this specially to be marked that hee saith this is by the knowledge or acknowledging of him which I vnderstand to be by true faith whereby we know and acknowledge Christ to be ours This I the rather obserue for that I see some honestly minded herein beguiled to imagine that a man may be a true member of Christ and so be iustified before he thus actually beleeue and thereby apprehend Christ I deny not but that some weake in faith may feare that they do not beleeue and that they haue not apprehended Christ when in deede they haue apprehended him though they feele it not who may be discerned partly by their heauinesse for want of sense of faith but especially by their loue they beare to God shewed manifold waies whereof we shall here more in the triall of faith But that he who neuer apprehended Christ by beleeuing should ordinarily bee a member of Christ I cannot see sure I am the Scripture constantly speaketh otherwise as Iohn 12. As many as receiued him Gal. 3 26. to them hee gaue power to bee the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Gal. 2. 20. And to like effect often that we are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus That wee liue by faith of the Sonne of God That Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Eph. 3. 17. In which and the like many it is euident that faith is the Instrument whereby wee receiue Christ our righteousnes and life And this is the constant opinion of all found Diuines so farre as I know Thus then we see that the very nature of faith consisteth in the true acceptation of Christ proclaimed in the Gospell How faith is gotten Now followeth to be considered how this faith is to be obtained and increased that so we may liue by it wherein wee haue these two points to be obserued 1. First 2. point what is the ground of faith 1. 2. Secondly 2. how faithis hereon builded But before this blocke at which so many stumble is to be remooued That wee yet speake not how a man that hath faith may know it to bee so whereof more in his place but how one that indeede hath not apprehended Christ by faith may attaine vnto it So that here onely we seeke the causes which beget this faith not the effects of faith which only prooue we haue it Many not discerning this difference doe much mistake Causes and effects of faith differing and being asked what caused them to beleeue they say because they haue truely repented and changed their course of life which if it proceede not from faith is not so much as a sound proofe of faith much lesse can it bee any cause to drawe them to beleeue By which mistaking it comes to passe that such persons building their faith vpon their life which is subiect to many changes can neuer haue sound and stedfast faith but a staggering vnconstant opiniō at the best We haue neede therefore to looke for a more sure ground whereon to build our faith which must stand against so many and mighty stormes wherewith it is so vsually assaulted The onely firme ground of this sauing faith is Gods truth reuealed in his word The onely ground of faith is Gods truth Reason why as is plainely taught Rom. 10. 17. So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God And so likewise it is saide of the Ephesians 1. 13. That they by hearing the word of truth the Gospell of saluation beleeued which is as manifest to reason in that there is not any thing in heauen or in earth which can testifie to vs such good will in God to saue vs but wee must haue Gods owne word to witnesse this vnto vs and all little enough It is a matter so incredible that the holy and iust God who cannot abide any iniquity Heb. 2. 2. but will certainely giue to euery sinne his due punishment yet of his owne free mercy hath giuen and granted to poore sinners eternall life Therefore hath the Lord so often and so euidently spoken no lesse that hee might thereby mooue vs to beleeue as 1. Ioh. 5. 11. expresly affirming This is that which is testified That God hath giuen vs eternall life and this life is in his sonne For our further confirmation wherein it is saide vers 7. that this is witnessed both by three witnesses in heauen The first the father the second the word that is the sonne of God the second person in Trinity the third the holy Ghost which three be one diuine nature and testifie the same things as also by three witnesses on earth all which be in euery true beleeuer and none els The first the spirit the second the water the third the blood which agree in one witnessing the same things wherby are meant By the first
in all his promises yet nothing is more common then in time of tryall to distrust and feare God will not be as good as his word at least whatsoeuer is said wee feare wee shall perish We need not seeke for proofe hereof which is so recorded in the liues of the most worthy seruants of God who are otherwise highly commended for their faith hee that hath any insight into himselfe may see too much of this in himselfe how ready wee are to call into question Gods truth when God deferreth the helpe we looked for To passe by all others and to see this in the matter we haue in hand from whence is it that so few of those that bee truly humbled in the sight of their miserie who know and desire Christ yea more who haue heard and in generall beleeued the Gospell that it is the glad tydings of saluation that Christ bids al that be heauie laden to come vnto him and hee will ease them what is the cause I say that so few of these doe so laie hold on Gods word as to beleeue and to rest assured of their saluation by Christ I know no better answer then this that when it comes to our selues wee cannot beleeue God will performe his word to vs some thing or other will bee obiected by our vnbeleeuing hearts why we may not beleeue Against all which we haue no other buckler to hold out but Gods truth Psal 31. 5. as Psal 91. 4. His truth shall be thy shield and buckler which is such that hee cannot lie nor deceiue To this end it is that God is called the God of truth Reu. 3. 14. Christ the faithfull and true witnesse Ioh. 14. 17. the holy Ghost the Spirit of truth Ephe. 1. 13. the Gospell the word of truth that when our faithlesse hearts shall stagger and doubt whether that shall bee which God hath spoken we may stay our selues vpon this immoueable rocke God is faithfull 1 Cor. 19. As often it is repeated to strengthen our weake faith This then remaineth for the setling of the heart of the weake in faith That so oft as doubts arise concerning his saluation by Christ whether God so loue him that he hath giuen him his only begotten Sonne that he beleeuing might not perish but haue euerlasting life hee hath no other thing in the world to perswade him but this that God who cannot lie hath said it and therefore he may and ought to beleeue that Christ and all his benefits are his wherein the more to moue him he is to laie before him both what a great sinne it is not to beleeue no lesse then to make God a lyer 1 Iohn 5. 10. as the Apostle John expresly speaketh Ioh. 3. 18. and also what fearefull punishment it procureth euen a certaine and remedilesse condemnation as our Sauiour himselfe denounceth By these and the like considerations is true faith both first begotten and afterwards increased in all those that shall be saued which I haue more fully laid open not only for that it is the most principall matter to bee regarded concerning true sauing faith namely how he that hath it not may attaine to it But also for that it is if not the least knowne and laboured for Many seeke for markes of faith in vaine yet least attained vnto For I haue obserued many very inquisitiue for some markes of faith who neuer so much as knew any thing which might draw them effectually to beleeue And therefore now to end this point concerning the right and orderly way whereby an vnbeleeuer is brought to true and sauing faith my aduise is to all that finde their faith weake and consequently their liues much out of frame that first they take good heed whereupon they build their faith Build faith onely on Gods truth and that only vpon Gods mercy and truth reuealed in the Gospell which neuer changing are a sure foundation and not vpon their owne change which oft is deceitfull and at best variable and indeed is onely an effect and fruit of Faith accordingly shewing the strength and weakenesse of our faith and can by no meanes be made any cause thereof Thus haue we seene both what this faith is whereby the iust doe liue and by what meanes it is attained Now lest any should gather out of the former that any man may by his owne indeuour vsing these meanes attaine to faith I thinke meet to adde this that although it be Gods will and commandement to all to whom hee sendeth his Gospell Faith is not in mans power but wrought by Gods Spirit that they should beleeue receiue Christ offered vnto them and therefore it is the dutie of euery one so to doe and it is their sinne and shall be their condemnation who doe not thus as hath beene said in all respects yet such is the corruption of all man-kinde by Adams fall that not one soule hath either will or power to receiue this grace in Christ offered vnto him Rom. 11. 32. For God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe that he might haue mercy vpon al Act. 13. 48. and so many beleeued as were ordained to eternall life Eph. 2. 8. and Faith is the gift of God Ioh. 6. 44. and none can come to Christ except the Father draw him Which is wisely disposed by God that no man might haue cause to glory in himselfe but that the glory of mans saluation may bee giuen to God From whence it commeth that besides this common fauour of saluation in Christ tendred to all in the Gospell yea besides the common gifts of the Spirit which many receiue who neuer receiued Christ by faith As knowledge both of mans misery the remedy thereof sorrow for the one and desire of the other with such others besides these I say God doth giue his holy Spirit to all that shall be saued who doth inwardly draw and incline their hearts to beleeue Gods free and gracious promises and so thankfully to accept Christ offered vnto them whereby indeed they bee truely made partakers of Christ and all his benefites and thereby bee iustified and sanctified and shall be fully and euerlastingly glorified And thus is a poore sinner by Faith made the childe of God and heire of glorie Now before we proceed to our principall intention to shew how this Iustified man may liue by his faith It shall not be lost labour to shew how this may be knowne of any How it is knowne a man hath this faith that he hath this true faith and how euery true beleeuer may be able to proue that hee doth so this certaine and infallible knowledge in any man that hee hath true faith Riseth ioyntly from the causes effects therof not from either apart as shall bee shewed Vnder the causes I comprehend all that worke of God Causes of faith wherby he worketh faith in any which standeth especially in these three things 1.
Christ himselfe in comming into the world not to condemne vs but to saue vs being lost then must we with a true faith accept this mercy The same may bee saide of the name Christ Christ vnto both which all his other names may be referred which signifieth Annointed whereto answereth the word Messiah in Hebrew By both which beeing referred to Christ is meant that the Son of God taking our nature was in the same filled with the Holy Ghost as is oft saide of him and that farre aboue all other holy men as was prophesied of him Psal 45. 7. Thou louest righteousnes hatest wickednes therfore God thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Of which the Euangelist Iohn more plainely saith Ioh. 3. 34. For God giueth not the spirit by measure vnto him which was manifestly shewed at Christs baptizing where the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a doue vpon him Luk. 3. 22. and a voyce came frō heauen which said Thou art my beloued Son in thee I am well pleased Which was to this end that as vnder the Law the Prophets Priests and Kings were consecrated to their offices by the annointing with the holy oyle so Christ was consecrated to the offices of his mediation 1. to be our Prophet to reueale the whole will of God for our saluation 2. to bee our high Priest both to offer vp himselfe to God his Father a full and sufficient sacrifice for the redemption of vs sinners and to make intercession for vs. 3. to be our King to rule and gouerne his people and to subdue all his enemies All which bee notably set out in that worthy epistle to the Hebrewes which beeing too long to recite I desire the Christian reader to reade with obseruation that epistle to this end From whence another effectuall motiue to beleeue Vse may bee thus taken Seeing God the Father hath thus annointed his Son in our nature and therefore called him Christ and filled him with the Holy Ghost without measure that he might performe all things needfull for our saluation all which he hath fully accomplished wee may therefore boldly come to him and so stedfastly rest vpon him for our saluation And on the other side they who hearing these bee not drawne heereby to beleeue in Christ for their saluation doe either deny the truth of these which is to make God a lyar or despise their owne saluation so prepared and offered to them which shall bring vpon them most iust condemnation And these briefly for those two names Iesus Christ properly belonging to our Sauiour which doe summarily containe all and so to a wise regarder hereof might suffise to perswade him to rest vpon Christ for saluation But seeing the Lord who knowes how hardly wee bee brought to this assurance by faith of our saluation by Christ hath in that small volume of the new Testament spoken so much of Christ and the benefites which hee hath brought vnto vs to this end that wee might bee more stirred vp to seeke to him and to embrace him for our Sauiour I hope it shall bee worth our labour further to consider what the Lord saith And before I come to particulars let vs heare and wonder at these heapes of heauenly treasures Generall benefits by Christ which bee brought to sinners in Christ Wherein this is the first Saueth vs. that Christ is sent to saue sinners Luk. 2. 32. wherof enough was spoken before in the name Iesus therefore now no more thereof The next is that Christ is said to bee a light to the Gentiles Light to Gent. which was long before prophecyed often times by the Prophet Esay Esa 9. 2. 42. 6. 49. 6. 60. 3. saying The people that walke in darknesse Mat. 4. 16. haue seene a great light they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death vpon them is the light shined which the Euangelist Matthew applyeth to Christ bringing the light of the Gospell to a blind and ignorant people And the Apostle Paul alleadgeth for his warrant in preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles To like effect Christ is often said to be the light of the world Act. 13. 48. as he professeth of himselfe Ioh. 8. 12. 9. 5. I am the light of the world And of this I vnderstand that which is spoken by the Euangelist Iohn 1. 9. That Christ was that true light which lighteth euery man that commeth into the world that is who casteth out the light of the Gospell to all nations as the sunne in the firmament shines to al the world though many blind neuer see the light thereof Vnder this comparison of light all the benefites which Christ brings vs be contained light of knowledge light of grace and holy life and light of eternall life and glory All which be contained either generally or specially in the former alleadged scriptures and in sundry others To this head also belongs such scriptures as shew Christ to bee our life Ioh. 6. 33. 51. 10. 10. 14. 6. 2. Tim. 1. 10. Of all which this is the vse we Vse are to make that seeing God hath set vp his Sonne Iesus Christ in the ministery of the Gospell to all nations where euer it comes to lighten and to giue life to euery man who heareth it if he refuse it not and shut not his eyes against it as the Pharises did Therefore euery one who heareth this Ioh. 9. 41. not only may but is bound to embrace this light Ioh. 12. 36. by a true faith that so they may be the children of the light and that vpon paine of condemnation euen as our Sauiour himselfe denounceth against all vnbeleeuers saying This is the condemnation that light is come into the world Ioh. 3. 19. and men loue darkenesse rather then light Another worthy ground for our faith is this that God the Father when at the baptizing of Christ hee sent downe his Holy Spirit in the likenesse of a doue 3. God is well pleased in Christ lighting vpon him sent a voyce from heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased Wherein is meant not onely that God did loue and like well his Sonne with whom for himselfe hee could neuer bee displeased there beeing no cause why but this rather that wheras God was extreamely offended with all mankinde now hee was fully appeased by Christ and for his sake ready to receiue into fauour all that by Faith should receiue him and so to accept him for vs and vs in him which is the same with that where it is saide God hath made vs accepted in his beloued Eph. 1. 6. 5. 2. And againe That Christ hath giuen himselfe for vs an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweete smelling sauour meaning that whereas whole mankinde since the fall is become odious to God for sin so that neither their persons nor their workes could
weeping and with supplications wil I lead them 31. 9. I will cause them to walke by the riuers of waters in a straite way wherein they shall not stumble for I am a Father to Israel and Ephraim is my first borne 50. 4. And againe In those dayes and in that time saith the Lord the children of Israel shall come they and the children of Iudah together going and weeping they shall goe and seeke the Lord their God Hosea 3. 5. c. So Zacharie in his time prophesied that God would powre out vpon the house of Dauid Zach. 12. 10. and vpon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplications They shall call vpon my name 13. 9. and I will heare them I will say it is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God Our Lord Iesus Christ in his time comforted his Disciples that they should not so hang vpon him as to haue no confidence in God the Father Ioh. 16. 23. but they shall boldly pray to the Father in his name 24. and shall receiue whatsoeuer they aske 26. No doubt but more places to this purpose might be cited The maine intent of them all Vse is not so much to shew it is our duty thus to seeke the Lord and to call vpon him or to perswade thereunto which is in many Scriptures required but rather whereas many are very willing to call vpon God according to his will and so as might please him but finding so small abilitie to pray as they would they be discouraged all this is to draw them to beleeue that God by his Spirit will teach them to pray so as he will heare them the certainty whereof depends not vpon any worthinesse of our persons or prayers but only vpon the mercy of God in promising and vpon his truth in performing his promise both which we deny and so robbe God of his chiefest honour if wee beleeue not that God will make vs able by his Spirit so to call vpon him as he will accept in his Son And therefore in all our doubts and feares about this matter our onely refuge must bee to these promises and so to giue credite vnto them that we comfortably seeke and looke for helpe from God when we can finde none in our selues And thus much for our comfort that God will assist vs by his Spirit in our prayers which also might suffise to assure vs that he will also accept vs for so much is expressed in the most of them and necessarily imployed in them all But seeing the Lord who better sees what we most need That God will accept our prayers then we doe our selues hath made so many promises that he will accept our poore seruices though neuer so weake if they be in truth which will be welcome newes to many an humble heart I may not defraud them of these comforts but will lay them open for their vse and beseech the Lord to make them profitable to all that vnfainedly desire it When Moses from God had sharply denounced feareful iudgments against Israel for their sin and namely a scattering among the heathen he addes this comfort But if from thence thou shalt seeke the Lord thy God thou shalt finde him Deut. 30. if thou seeke him with all thy heart and with all thy soule and to like effect hee addes much more This promise may be specially comfortable Vse to any poore soule cast downe in sense of some grieuous fall whereby he may see Gods readinesse to receiue any poore sinner comming vnto him The like promise did the Lord make to Salomon after his prayer saying Mine eyes shall be open 2. Chron. 7. 15. and mine eares attend to the prayer in this place And full oft we reade that the Lord promised to his people that if they should seeke him he would bee found of them as 2. Chron. 15. 2 the Prophet told Asa the King Ierem. 29. 13. And 1. Chron. 28. 9. Dauid said the same to Salomon his sonne Psal 34. 10. They that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing The selfe same thing is truly to be gathered out of all these places where the faithfull professe either that God hath heard their prayers or their faith and confidence in God that hee will heare their prayers both which be grounded on Gods promises that hee will heare them Of this sort there be many as in the Psalmes so in sundry other Scriptures The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping Psal 6. 8 9. the Lord hath heard my supplication the Lord will receiue my prayer And Psal 9. 10. Thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seeke thee Psal 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine eare to heare Psal 18. 3. I will call vpon the Lord who is worthy to be praised so shall I bee saued from mine enemies Psal 20. 6 Now I know the Lord saueth his annointed hee will heare him from his holy heauen with the sauing strength of his right hand These are sufficient to manifest this truth But seeing my scope is rather to stirre vp to beleeue I hope it will not be more tedious to any to reade these and consider them then it is to me to gather them and I may truely say I haue often read them with comfort For sometimes one sometimes another doth more affect I will therefore not spare to adde many moe To this purpose notable is that in the Psalme 34. 15. The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open to their cry verse 17. The righteous cry and the Lord heareth and deliuereth them out of all their troubles Which is oft repeated Psal 107. 6. 13. 19. 28. Psal 50. 15. the Lord saith Call vpon me in the day of trouble I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And For thou Lord art good and ready to forgiue Psal 86. 5. and plenteous in mercy to all them that call vpon thee c. verse 6. 7. Psal 102 17. He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer to verse 20 to heare the groaning of the prisoner to loose those that are appointed to death Psal 145. 18. The Lord is nigh to all that call vpon him to all that call vpon him in truth He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him 19. he also will heare their cry and will saue them Prou. 15. 8. But the prayer of the vpright is his delight and verse 29. But hee heareth the prayer of the righteous He will be very gracious vnto thee at the voice of thy cry when he shall heare it he will answer thee Ioel 2. 32. And it shal come to passe that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord shall be deliuered Act. 2. 21. the same is repeated and Rom. 10. 13. Thus wee see how plentifully
A TREATISE OF FAITH Wherein is declared how a man may liue by Faith and finde releefe in all his necessities Applyed especially vnto the vse of the weakest Christians By EZEKEL CVLVERVVELL The Iust shall Liue by Faith EPHES. 6. 16. Aboue all taking the shield of Faith ROM 15. 4. Whatsoeuer things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience coÌ„fort of the Scriptures might haue hope LONDON Printed by I. L. for William Sheffard and are to be sold at his shop at the entring in of Popes head Allie out of Lumbard-streete 1623. TO ALL GODS PEOPLE WHO HAVE ENIOYED any benefit by my Ministerie especially of my Pastorall charge DEARLY Beloued in the Lord although I cannot but be priuie to my selfe of many defects in discharge of my dutie which God required at my hands toward you which I humbly beseech the Lord and you to pardon yet this hath beene is and I hope shall be to the end of my dayes my comfort that I haue not laboured in vaine amongst you What were my labours and successe thereof I must appeale to the consciences of you who are yet liuing for you know that not a few are now at rest with the Lord whose holy liues and happy ends gaue good testimony hereof But to leaue these to the wise consideration of such whom they may concerne and to giue vnto all to whom these presents shall come a iust account of my proceedings herein I doe professe that for many yeares past I haue had my thoughts much exercised about this prime grace of Faith by which alone we receiue all sauing grace and without which none and after that by long experience I found through conference with many of diuers sorts that very few attained to the true knowledge much lesse to the right vse of Faith either in the assurance of their saluation or well ordering of their conuersation For to passe ouer all carnall Protestants who only haue a forme of godlinesse making an outward shew thereof and deny the power of it in walking after their owne lusts I haue obserued very many who haue in truth laboured after saluation yet through want of good direction haue made forsaking of their sinne the ground of their beleeuing and so building such a weightie matter vpon so weake a foundation could neuer come to such certaintie of their saluation or constancie in a holy conuersation as true Faith would haue brought them vnto Some others I haue seene who being deeply affected with the sense of their misery and knowing that there is no meanes of recouery but by Christ haue desired nothing more then to be deliuered and restored by him yet these not knowing the right way how to attaine to Faith by which alone doe receiue Christ and all his benefits haue spent many yeares vnprofitably and vnfruitfuâ—ly Others there be who perswading themselues that they haue Faith and thereby bee quieted from feare of condemnation yet much wanting the life and power of Faith neither so honour God and their profession nor in time of triall finde that sound peace and comfort which a liuely Faith would certainly procure By all which it appeareth how few they be that haue attained to the true knowledge of Faith what it is how it is goâ—ten and increased and how to liue by it The consideration whereof grieuing my soule to see so many mistaken in so weightie a matter and so much labour to be lost hath been the chiefe moouer of me to imploy all my thoughts how this great euill may be redressed Whereupon entering into deeper consideration how this might be attained I well perceiued that seeing Gods truth reuealed vnto vs in his Word is the sole ground of Faith the only way to get and keepe Faith is to bee well acquainted with Gods Word in which I cannot sufficiently admire the wisedome and loue of God in prouiding such store of heauenly comforts to releeue vs in all our necessities so that had wee the knowledge and the right vse of them we should then see what were the Life of Faith and the blessed estate of a beleeuer in this world aboue all other estates though neuer so excellent These thus being I gaue my selfe to the search of the Scriptures to finde out what these heauenly comforts were which God hath so abundantly prouided for our reliefe in all time of neede And to this purpose with no small labour haue gathered out all the promises as well as I could out of both the Testaments which being laide together made a great heape of heauenly treasure such as any of vnderstanding would greatly admire and reioyce in and I may in truth professe I was much affected with the bare reading of them But well considering that the naked laying downe of these promises would not be sufficient to direct euery one to the right vse and fit application of them for the begetting and increasing of Faith I haue laboured to draw these vnto seuerall heads such as in my opinion may containe all our necessities that at leastwise the weakest sort may more fitly apply them to their seuerall vses and so by Faith be comforted when all other helpes faile them If in this my labour I haue not so sufficiently satisfied the desires of the most iudicious I must content my selfe that according to the measure of grace receiued I haue laboured to be helpfull to such as stand in neede hereof and haue carefully auoided whatsoeuer I haue thought might hinder their profiting and specially all controuersies about Faith and haue plainly shewed out of the Scriptures what I haue conceiued to be the truth wherein I may haue this defence of my failing that I haue not had any guide in this labour neither haue I seene any who haue in this way gone before me and therefore I entreate my Reuerend brethren in the Ministerie whose abilities doe farre exceede mine that they would perfect this which is but weakely begun And for my part I will not cease to pray that this may be as profitable to others as painfull to my selfe which the Lord grant for his Christs sake Ezekel Culuerwell TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THE leading of a happy Life the attainement whereof this Treatise directeth vnto is that which all desire but Gods truth only discouereth and Faith only enioyeth In the first Adam our happinesse was in our owne keeping but he by turning from God to the creature made proofe what and whence he was a creature raised out of nothing and without the supporting power of Him in whom all things consist subiect to fall into a state worse then nothing againe Hence God out of his infinite power depth of goodnesse intending the glory of his mercy in restoring man would not trust man with his owne happinesse but would haue it procured and established in the person of a second Adam in whom we recouer a suter estate then we lost in the first for though Adams soule was ioyned to God yet
that knitting was within the contingent and changeahle liberty of his owne will but now we are brought to God in an euerlasting couenant of mercy by Faith in Christ who by taking the nature of man into vnitie of His person and not the person of any became a publike person to be Author of eternall saluation to all that receiue him and so gathering vs that were scattered from God into one head bringeth vs backe againe to God by a contrary way to that whereby we fell that is by cleauing to God by faith frō whom we fel by distrust A fit grace for the state of grace giuing the whole glory to God and emptying the soule of all selfe-sufficiency and inlarging it to receiue what is freely wrought and offered by an other thus wee come to haue the comfort and God the glory of mercy which sweete attribute mooued him to set all other attributes on worke to make vs happy Out of the bowels of his mercy as he chose vs to eternal saluatiō in Christ so vouchsafeth he all things necessary to life and godlinesse And as the same loue in God giueth vs heauen and furnisheth vs withall things needfull in the way vntill we come thither So the same Faith which layeth hold on the promises of necessary assistance comfort prouision and protection and this office it performeth in all the seuerall stations of this life vntill it hath brought vs vnto the enioying of Him in whose presenceis fulnes of ioy and pleasure for euermore Wee see that same loue in parents which mooueth them to gaue an inheritance to their sonnes mooueth them likewise to prouide for them and to traine them vp in experience of their fatherly care So it pleaseth our first and best Father besides the maine promise of saluation to giue vs many other rich and precious promises that in taste of his goidnesse and truth in these we may at length yeeld vp our soules to him as to our faith full Creator with the more assured comfort and the longer we liue heere be more rooted in Faith I know whom I haue trusted 2 Tim. 1. 12. saith aged S. Paul But alas how little is that we know of his waies because we obserue him no◠making good his word vnto vs. All his waies are mercy and truth Psal 25. 10. 12. 6. and euery word is a tryed word For the better helpe of Gods people to know there portion in those good things Psal 31. 19. which their Father not only layes vp for them for times to come but laies out for them heere as his Wisedome seeth fit this reuerend and holy man of God hath compiled this Treatise wherein he layeth open the veines of promises hidden in the Scriptures to the view of euery Christian and digesteth them in their order and withall sheweth their seuerall valew and vse for the beautifying of a holy life vvhich vvits-lesse exercised of themselues would not so vvell haue discerned For the benefiting by vvhich Treatise it vvill not bee inconuenient to know these foure things First that it supposeth a reader grounded in the knowledge of the nature and properties of God of Christ and his offices of the couenant of grace and such like because as in an arch one stone settles an other so there is such a linking together of points in diuinitie that one strengtheneth another For from vvhence hath Faith that efficacie but because it is that which is required in the couenant to lay hold on the free promise And vvhence haue the promises their strength but from the constant nature of Iehoua who giueth a being to his Word and is at peace with vs by the all-fufficient sacrifice of the Mediatour of the new couenant Words haue their validity from the authoritie of the speaker were not faith founded on the word of an infinite God so throughly appeased the soule would sinke in great temptations whereas now euen mountaines vanish before a beleeuing soule For what is all to Christ and vvho is able to subdue all to himselfe Hence it is that now we are by Faith safer then Adam in Paradise Phil. 3. 21. because we haue a promise which he wanted Safer it is to be as low as hell with a promise then as high in Paradise without it because Faith wrought by the power of God hath what strength God hath on whom it resteth and therefore worketh such wonders But howsoeuer the knowledge of these things serueth the argument in hand yet it must not be expected that hee should bee long in these things which are but coincident and should be foreknowne which I speake because some of weaker iudgement not considering the iust bounds of Treatises may expect larger handling of some things Whereas he hath laboured especially to furnish the argument in hand and not to load the discourse In the second place it must be knowne that the fruit of these things belong to such as are in Christ in whom all promises are yea and Amen made and performed Hee that by the immortall seed of the Word and Spirit is borne againe may claime a title to that he is borne vnto For cleering of this there be three degrees of promises one of saluation to absolute and personall obedience but this by reason of weakenesse of the flesh driueth vs to a despaire in our selues and so to the second promise of life by Christ This requireth nothing but receiuing by Faith which is wrought in those that are giuen to Christ whilst grace is offered the Spirit cloathing the words with a hidden and strong power and making them operatiue when they are commanded to beleeue their hearts are opened to beleeue To persons in this state are made a third kinde of promises of all that is needfull in this world vntill all promises end in performance of both these promises and the last especially this book speaketh of Thirdly it must be pressed vpon those that meane to profit that they resolue to come vnder Christs gouernment and be willing to be ledde by the Spirit into all reuealed truth Wisedome is easie to such as are willing and the victorie is as good as gotten when the will is brought from thraldome to base affections to resolue to bee guided for such a heart lyeth open to Gods gracious working and the Spirit readily closeth with such a spirit as putteth not barres of obstinacy Notwithstanding We must know in the fourth place that when we are at the best we shall yet be in such a conflicting state as that we shall long after that glorious libertie of the sonnes of God after we haue done the worke God hath giuen vs to doe For God will haue a difference betwixt heauen and earth and sharpen our desire of the comming of his kingdome which nothing doth so much especially in times of outward prosperitie as those tedious combates of the inner man and yet let this raise vp our spirits that it is so farre that this remainder should
of many moneths from morning to night euery day in the weeke to instruct in the first oracles of the word of God euery one vnder his charge sometimes one by one seuerally and other times many ioyntly together which he did with such successe as there were but few that were not able to giue a reason of their hope to bee saued and so were admitted to the Lords Table From which time euer after so long as hee continued there he had weekly meetings in his Church for all sorts distinctly on seuerall daies to catechise them in the Principles of Religion whereby I am perswaded he did more good then by preaching which yet was very powerfull and not in vaine For as his owne and his hearers labours in teaching and learning abounded so God gaue answerable fruits in obedience to the word For as the Lords day was very religiously obserued so the foule sins whereunto people vntaught are vsually giuen were there abandoned all contentions among neighbours so laid aside as most louingly they came to one anothers house And though there were many poore and none greatly rich yet did none of the poore begge abroad for food but were releeued at home Among other euidences of the power of Gods word among them I will record one a very remarkeable one and worthy to bee had in more frequent vse It was this In time of great dearth of corn and other food there was order taken by publike authority that euery family should forbeare one meale in the weeke and vpon the Lords day bring the value of it to the collectours for the poore This being faithfully performed by them all therewith they did prouide good corne which cost 8. or 9. shillings the bushell and solde it to the poore at 12. pence the pecke and yet reserueda good stock to set the poore on worke These and many other good works were done vnder his ministery who was ready on all occasions to presse the doctrine of faith so as the preaching of faith hindereth not the performance of good works This Treatise will giue euident proofe thereof Well vse his paines and thou shait not lose thy paines WILLIAM GOVGE A TREATISE of Faith WHEREIN IS declared how a man may liue by faith and finde reliefe in all his necessities IT is a matter much to bee lamented Few attaine the end of the Gospel that in this cleere light of the Gospell so fewe attaine to the right end of the Gospell which is to liue by faith as wee shall see by and by further laide open to such as will consider For to say nothing of all vnregenerate men who neuer felt any worke of Faith for their true conuersion and therefore could neuer finde any sound comfort of their saluation The matter that I complaine of is this that many of Gods children who haue some true faith and hope to bee saued by Christ as they professe and others in charitie are so to conceiue of them doe not inioy that sweet life and blessed estate in this world which God their Father hath prouided for them and they full well might attaine were not the fault in themselues The truth hereof may appeare in these two things especially First that so few doe hold fast that ioy in the holy Ghost which might comfort them ouer all the discouragements of this life either in forgoing the sweet delights of this world or in patient bearing the manifold troubles of this life which vsually are their portion Secondly that so few doe cast out such a sweet sauour of holy conuersation Hose 14 8. as might make those that dwell vnder their shadowe as the Prophet speaketh to giue a sent like the wine of Lebanon Or to speake more plainely they be not many euen of those who take vpon them the Christians profession who haue gotten that certainty of their saluation constancy in holy conuersatiō which might abundantly comfort themselues and moue others to desire labour to be lik them To proue these to be so is not hard the life and practise of the most of our professors daily witnessing the truth hereof The consideration of these hath oft and long moued mee to seeke how this great euill might be redressed and to make known by Gods word how all Gods children may enioy this large allowance of their Father to liue comfortably to die happily so farre as in this vale of miserie may be attained whatsoeuer shall be said or done to the contrary by any aduersarie notwithstanding This seemeth vnto me Remedie to bee notably set out vnto vs in that one sentence Hab. 2. 3. The iust shall liue by Faith Rom. 1. 17. which for the excellencie thereof is often repeated Gal. 3. 11. both in the old and new Testament Heb. 10. 38 and confirmed by the examples of Gods worthy seruants in all ages as is plentifully to be seene Hebrews 11. The true meaning whereof is this that the man who is now accounted iust and righteous before God being iustified and sanctified by Christ as he first was made aliue by the holy Ghost through Faith receiuing Christ so likewise by the same faith he is to receiue in and from Christ the continuance of this life both in all comfort that he shall receiue all needfull blessings and in all good conscience to yeeld vnto God all required obedience Wherein are laid downe two maine pillers of our holy profession One Two main pillers of our profession that all grace which wee want is alone in Christ and from him to be receiued by vs that it may be ours The other that all this grace which is in Christ for vs is made ours onely by faith whereupon followes this our principall conclusion in this Treatise intended that the onely way to attaine to all comfort in Gods fauour and conscience to liue a godly life by which alone our life and death be happie is to get keepe and increase this precious gift of Faith whereby alone we receiue Christ 2 Pet. 1. 3. and in him all things pertaining to life and godlinesse Now to come to a more full opening and so to a more plentifull vse of these so heauenly matters specially for such as most need helpe herein this must bee laid as the foundation of all this building That man beeing created of God perfectly holy and happy and hauing by his disobedience vtterly lost both and cast himselfe and all his posteritie into the contrary miserie of sinne and damnation so that neither hee himselfe nor any other creature was able to deliuer him out of this miserie and restore him to his former happinesse It pleased the diuine Maiesty to ordaine that the second person in Trinitie the onely begotten Sonne of the Father should assume and take to his diuine nature the nature of Man that so hee might become a meet Mediatour betweene God and Man to which end the diuine Nature sanctified the humane nature which he
tooke and filled it with all grace for vs whereby hee was made Iesus Christ our Lord Iohn 1. 16. That of his fulnesse wee might receiue grace for grace that is in stead of that grace which God gaue man by creation he lost by disobedience and God long before promised and shaddowed in the Ceremoniall law and required in the Morall law in stead hereof I say we haue in Christ fully and truely all grace needfull for our saluation and to bring vs to a farre more excellent estate then wee lost by our transgression All which are most sufficiently by the Apostle drawne to foure heads But 1 Cor. 1. 30 yee are of him in Christ Jesus who of God is made to vs wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption In which Scripture I desire more to be obserued specially these two things as most pertaining to our purpose 1. First 2 Obseruations that the Wisdome Iustification Sanctification and Redemption whereby any sinner naturally foolish guiltie defiled and in bondage is made wise iustified sanctified and redeemed is all alone in Christ who is made of God vnto vs all of these that is hee himselfe wrought all these things for vs and giues them freely to vs and no other way can any man haue any of these but from and in Christ We haue all grace in Christ as is expressely said in the first words of this verse where it is said that yee are of him that is of God in Christ Jesus that is made by God one with Christ set into him by faith as shall in the second generall point bee shewed the other speciall point 2 Obseruation which I thinke meet in this forenamed Scripture to bee obserued is this Many seek to be iustified by Christ not to be sanctified by him That whereas all who look to be saued by Christ in all the accusations of their conscience for any sinne doe runne to Christ alone for pardon of their sinne yet many of them being ouercome by their corrupt nature and so falling into sinne doe pray to God for more grace to mortifie the same and doe purpose and striue to master it both which must be done but these men not so cleerely seeing that all power to mortifie all sinne and to practise all good duties lieth onely in Christ and must from him be receiued by vs that so we may preuaile herein they faile that not receiuing this power from Christ nor well knowing how doe lose much labour and in long time get small victorie yea rather many times their corruptions get strength ouer them The chiefe remedie of this euill I take to be this that as wee obtaine pardon of sinne and be iustified by applying Christ vnto our selues so we in like manner must apply Christ vnto our selues for our sanctification being no more able to purge our selues then to iustifie our selues This is liuely represented vnto vs by the parable of the Vine and the branches Ioh. 18. 5. that as the branch receiues all sap whereby it is fruitfull from the Vine so doe we from Christ therefore hee himselfe saith Gal. 2 20. without me ye can doe nothing and to like effect the Apostle speaketh plainely neuerthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me The reason hereof is as manifest that mans nature beeing so wholly corrupted that hee hath no inclination much lesse ability to doe Gods will Christ taking mans nature hath so sanctified it in his owne person that it is able perfectly to please God which puritie of his nature being in some measure communicated to vs sinners 2 Cor. 3. 18 we are changed into the same Image frō glory to glory euen as by the Spirit of the Lord which the Apostle Peter calleth to bee partakers of the Diuine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. By all which and the like many it is euidēt that as all our comfort for our full free Iustification must be had from and in Christ alone so all the power whereby wee may mortifie our corruptions and performe all holy duties lyeth in Christ alone and must bee had in and from him And thus much for the former generall point that all grace we want is in Christ Now for the second that Christ 2. Of faith and all grace in him is receiued by faith Wee are well to weigh the nature of this faith what it is and how it is gotten and kept that so we may liue by it wherein this is to bee remembred that in this businesse we haue nothing to doe but with a true sauing faith which is vsually termed a Iustifying faith How iustified not for that it doth properly for any worthinesse in it selfe or by any efficacie in it make righteous but only for that as a weake hand it receiueth Christ our righteousnes who hath fully wrought all righteousnesse for vs and freely bestowed it on all those who receiue him by this hand of Faith Now then to say what this Iustifying Faith is howsoeuer many learned Diuines haue diuersly defined or described it I conceiue the whole nature of it may thus be sufficiently set forth vnto vs. Iustifying Faith is a beliefe of the Gospell What Iustifying faith is wherby I receiue Christ offered to me in the same This is plainely to bee seene in this Scripture among many others Iohn 1. 12. But as many as receiued him to them hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeued on his name Which I desire may be well considered for that so many bee deceiued in this matter of Faith and that diuersly who all by the light of truth may bee drawne into the right way and so finde that sweet and precious fruit of Faith which so few attaine vnto For the better vnderstanding whereof we are to obserue two speciall points pertaining to the nature of this Iustifying Faith 1. First what it hath in common with all other kindes of faith 2. Secondly what in speciall whereby it differeth from them all For the former Faith is a beliefe I call it a beleefe which is a giuing credit to that which is spoken whereby a man is assured that it is true which is spoken which assurance may be more or lesse according to the perswasion we haue of the truth of the speaker Now What is to be beleeued the matter the bee beleeued is here said to be the Gospell That is Gospell the glad tydings of of reconciliation made by Christ Iesus betweene God and man which though it be diuersly and in sundry speeches set out vnto vs in holy Scriptures yet all is most sufficiently contained in this one sentence deliuered by Christ himselfe Ioh. 3. 16. For God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life wherein this is euident that the matter to be beleeued vnto saluation is this That
These I doe beseech to attend to such promises as God hath made to his people in particular concerning this grace that wheras he sees that naturally there is no feare of God before mens eyes he faith he will put his feare into their hearts as Ieremy 32. 39. 40. And I will giue them one heart and one way that they may feare me for euer for the good of them and of their children after them And I will make an euerlasting couenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Which if we could beleeue would sufficiently assure vs wee should not want this sauing grace but that God will certainely bestowe it vpon vs in that time and measure hee sees meete But for our confirmation the Lord doth oft repeate this promise as Deu. 4. 10. where one speciall meanes wherby this feare is wrought is set downe Gather me the people together and I will make them heare my words that they may learne to feare mee all the daies that they shall liue vpon the earth and that they may teach their children So Prou. ◠5. They who seeke for wisedome shall vnderstand the feare of God To like effect Deu. 6 1. 2. and 17 19 it is specially spoken of the king and more generally of all chap. 32. 12. And to this purpose speciall is that of the Prophet Dauid Psal 40. 3. where hee shewes another meanes whereby God doth stirre vp this grace in his people namely the beholding of Gods mercy on others saying And hee hath put a new song in my mouth euen praise vnto our God many shall see it and feare and shall trust in the Lord so likewise Dauid being taught of God inuiteth others saying Come yee children hearken to mē I will teach you the feare of the Lord. Psal 72. 5. They shall feare thee as long as the sun and moone endureth through all generations The like Psal 102. 16. so Esa 29. 23. They shall sanctifie my name c. and shall feare the God of Israel Jeremie also speaking of Gods singular mercies which hee promiseth to his people chap. 33. 9. And it shall bee to me a name of ioy a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth which shall heare all the good I doe vnto them and they shall feare and tremble for all the goodnes and for all the prosperitie that I procure vnto it so Hosea 3. 5. Afterward shall the people of Israel returne and seeke the Lord their God and Dauid their king and shall feare the Lord and his goodnes in the latter daies These shall suffise it would be long to cite all The right vse we are to make of these and the like Vse is so oft as we finde our hearts condemning vs for want of this feare doubting how euer we shall attaine to it in any good measure so oft that wee must call to mind some of these promises which though deliuered in particular to some of Gods children yet in truth belonging to all of them Therefore euery child of God may and ought to apply them to himselfe and stedfastly beleeue that God will performe his word to him and so waiting with patience the Lords appointed season hee shall not bee disappointed of his hope but shall certainly enioy the fruit of his desire And thus much for this I see this third point how wee may bee sure of grace to leade a godly life so as shall be accepted growes large and no meruaile for it reacheth to all the duties required in both tables I may not therefore runne into all particulars but will make choice of some and namely such as I conceiue Christians most faile in and haue least comfort in performing them Of this sort be speciall Concerning holy exercises prayer c. all our spirituall seruices of God as our praiers and exercises in his word and sacraments In all which I haue heard many of good hope complaining that they found small comfort in these because they performed them in so weak and sinnefull manner A principall cause whereof I haue obserued in many to be this that they placed all their comfort in the good discharge of their duty wherein when they failed which they found oft then they were discomfited Which euidently shewes that they had little vse of faith in those duties for faith doth comfort in our greatest failings as well as in the least To make this more plaine which I feare is little seene of manie a poore soule who takes great paines to serue God and yet seldome findes comfort that his seruice being so full of infirmitie is pleasing to God It must be confessed that while wee liue here there is flesh and spirit mingled in all the actions of Gods children so that as their best prayers bee stained with some corruption of the flesh so I conceiue that there is some operation of the Spirit in their weakest which being offered vp in faith is assuredly acceptable to God therein may Gods childe finde sound comfort not in himselfe nor in his worke but in Gods pardoning of all his defects and accepting his obedience in the perfect satisfaction made by Christ whereas otherwise if any hauing prayed with great feruency of Spirit shall bee conceited therewith and not humbled for his failings in that his best praier and rather expecting for fauour for the goodnesse of his prayer then looking for mercy onely for the merite of Christ which though it bee too little seene yet too oft it falleth out I durst boldly say that the sleepy prayer offered vp in faith is accepted when the weeping prayer without faith is reiected In so saying Want of faith in Gods worship be it far from my thought to approoue of drowsinesse or any other grosse corruption in prayer or to disgrace any zeale or gift of Gods Spirit in prayer but that I aime at is to discouer a common and yet close and dangerous corruption in our prayers and other holy exercises that when we performe these in any sort to our liking then wee bee glad and rest quiet that God will accept them I deny not but such may then reioice in the assistance of Gods Spirit but the fault I finde is that these haue in such times little vse of their faith for not beholding the blemishes of these their best seruices of God they are not humbled for them and so not driuen out of themselues to seeke for fauour in Christ in whom alone God is well pleased and thus they staine their best duties for want of faith This will more cleerely bee seene in the contrary when these doe pray or heare reade or meditate or receiue the Sacraments with much accusation to their conscience they haue no comfort that such duties shall be accepted which must needs arise from want of faith for did they in their poorest praiers for which
without the preaching of the word so whosoeuer shall conscionably attend to it shall certainly be saued which if it were beleeued it could not but make men runne to it with great alacritie and so should they finde much comfort thereby To this purpose bee there so many commendations of the word throughout the scriptures specially in the bookes of the Psalmes and of the Prouerbs It would be too long to cite all yet all are to be referred to this end to breede in vs a greater delight in this word which bringeth such incomparable benefits Of this sort are these Psal 19. 7 c. The Law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule The testimonie of the Lord is sure making wise the simple The statutes of the Lord are right reioycing the heart And so followeth to like effect in the same place The whole Psalme 119 was written to this purpose to set out the excellencie of this word in all respects and specially for the worthy effects and fruits which it bringeth foorth in euery one who truelie embraceth it so that it is obserued by many learned Diuines that omong 176. verses there be scarce foure or fiue at the most wherein there is not some commendation of the word to stirre vp all Gods people better to esteeme it and more diligently to attend to it that they may enioy the fruites of it at all times and in all estates To which end I require euery true Christian to be much exercised in this Psalme that they may be familiarlie acquainted with it and so haue it in readines for their vse in all their necessities I might say as much for the booke of the Prouerbs wherein besides the many and most wise directions for the well ordering of our whole life are contained especially in the first nine chapters admirable commendations of those heauenly instructions which God as a Father by his seruants doth giue vnto his children Prou. 4. 13. A few for many Take fast hold of instruction let her not goe Keepe her for she is thy life Wherin what can bee more contained then this that instruction is our life meaning that thereby wee attaine all things pertaining to the comfort of this life and of that to come This might be set out at large in particulars both in the escaping of manifold euills sinnes and punishments which they fall into who want or will not receiue these instructions as also in the enioying of many blessings bodily and spirituall which others want but I leaue the further consideration of these to euery ones particular meditation who desires to see the truth hereof No doubt Dauid meant no lesse when he said Psal 119. 165. Great peace is and shall be to them that loue thy Law and nothing shal offend them Who would not highly prise that word which brings all manner of wisedome to all sorts learned vnlearned wise and silly olde and young Yet all this doth that one booke of the Prouerbs as is expresly said in the sixe first verses of the first chapter as you may there reade and therefore how much more is this to bee found in the whole Scripture Which Vse me thinkes should put life into any good heart to bee much conuersant in the hearing reading and meditating of the word of God For further quickning herein I will onely quote the places and referre euery one that listeth to heare more of this matter to peruse them and so shall he finde enough to hearten him to this duty Prou. 1. 9. 23. 2. from 1. to 13. 3. 1. to 4. 13. to 24 4 5. to 13. 20. to 22. 6. 20. to 24 7. 1. to 5. 8. the whole chapter In these and many other places of the olde and new Testament Applicatiō the Lord knowing our exceeding backwardnesse in true receiuing and keeping his word which yet is so necessary as that there is no saluation without it doth make so many pretious promises as I know not whether to any thing more That at least by some of them we who bee so full of doubting how wee may attaine to the right vse of the word may be more heartened to a conscionable and constant attendance vnto it that so we may in due season reape the sweete fruit thereof This then must be the care and labour of euery one who feeles the want of this comfortable vse of Gods word and earnestly desires it to bee well acquainted with these promises and out of all to gather some of the chiefe such as seeme to him most speciall and so commit them to memory that whensoeuer he goeth to the word he may meditate vpon these and so be more encouraged to attend vnto Gods word with expectation of Gods blessing vpon his labour The want of this meditation vpon Gods promises when wee goe to the word is one chiefe cause of that great sinne of vnfruitfull hearing and consequently of that little growth in grace which is euery where to be seene among ordinary resorters to the publike ministery as the Apostle reporteth of the Hebrewes that the Word preached did not profite them Heb. 4. 2. being not mingled with faith in them that heard it Out of this which hath beene saide of the word in generall Sacramēts which well may bee referred to all the seuerall exercises therein publike or priuate to euery of which many of these promises doe pertaine we may safely gather comfort in the vse of the Sacraments which be truely called a visible Word because that which is spoken in the word to the eare is in visible signes represented to our eyes sealed to our hearts that wee may bee the more assured of them to bee ours so that if wee had no speciall promises made expresly to them yet wee might out of the former receiue sufficient encouragement to looke for the benefite of them that is to be made partakers of Christ and life in him which is the summe and substance of all that which is promised in the word But seeing the Lord who in all ages of his Church ordained these holy signes and seales of his Testament in which he bequeathed Christ and all his benefits to true beleeuers and their seede knowing our great weakenesse of faith in receiuing these seales hath so laboured to giue vs assurance that if wee thinke there is any truth in him we may bee as sure that Christ and al his merits are ours as the outward signes which we see with oureies and our hands doe handle let vs for our comfort carefully consider hereof Not to meddle with the Sacraments of the olde Testament Circumcision and the Passeouer both which were to the people of God sure seales of the righteousnes of faith Rom. 4. 11. as the Apostle speaketh of Circumcision and doth as truely belong to all the Sacraments of the olde and new Testament this one Scripture might sufficiently assure any that hee truely receiuing the outward seales according to Gods appointment should
as certainly bee partaker of Christ and all his benefites which are the things sealed as he is partaker of the outward seals the certainty whereof depends on Gods truth and faithfulnesse as in his word so in the seales thereof who doth as truely giue that which he promiseth and sealeth as hee doth freely giue any promise or seale We doe iustly account him no honest man who will not bee as good as his word much more him who will seale a couenant and yet not performe it Be it farre off then from any Christian to impute this to God that hee giues vaine words and seales and doth not as truely giue that which hee promiseth and sealeth But the sole cause why many who come to the word and Sacraments Why many profite not by the word sacraments are not partakers in them of Christ who is truely on Gods part offered in them is this That they doe not inwardly by faith receiue that which is promised and sealed as they do outwardly receiue the word and seale It shall be our wisedome then whensoeuer we goe to the word and Sacraments specially to labour for faith that thereby we may as truely receiue Christ in them offered as wee doe receiue outwardly the word and seales thereof For the receiuing of the word we haue said enough Now for our Sacraments Few profite by Sacraments I cannot sufficiently bewaile the vniuersall abuse of them which is so grieuous that they being by God in loue left to his Church as a speciall meanes to further their saluation so many are by their vnworthy receiuing of them made more guilty of condemnation which comes to passe not onely by that grosse prophanenesse which is in all carnall Protestants who onely for custome Law or credit come to the Sacraments without any knowledge or conscience 2. But in many of some better sort who haue some care for their soules there is either such ignorance or negligence that they neuer did worthily receiue the holy seales and therefore neuer found the sweete fruites of them 3. Yea that which is more to bee lamented this may bee found in not a few of those who haue receiued true grace and bee indeed Gods children to whom onely these seales of right do belong yet these seldome or neuer attaine that comfort by the holy Sacraments which indeede they ought and might were not the fault in themselues For proofe hereof I require euery one who would see the truth of this complaint to examine himselfe in this question what sensible good hee hath receiued by his Baptisme For my part I haue demanded this question of many who were of good esteeme in the Church who had litle to say in this point and I make no doubt but the like may bee found in many others who are to seeke in this matter so farre off bee they from enioying that great gaine which is to be got hereby which in speciall consists in these two first that by our baptisme we be more assured of our saluation by Christ and secondly that thereby we be more 〈…〉 leade a godly conuersation both which be euidently the fruites of true baptisme The same may be saide of the Lords suppoâ— which in a further do 〈◊〉 to assure vs of our growth in grace and small perseuerance 〈…〉 how few come from the communion so sure of Christ and all his benefits to bee theirs as the woman marryed at the Church doth come home assured of the man whom she hath marryed and all his to bee hers for her vse and comfort Yet I 〈…〉 thus and it cannot 〈◊〉 but our 〈◊〉 when it is 〈◊〉 so If I were demanded what I conceiue to bee the chiefe cause why it is not thus Want of farth I would say want of Faith which ariseth in many froÌ„ want of cleere light to see Gods minde in ordaining these Sacraments In some 〈…〉 slight account they make of these And in the best sort of these from the sight of their vnworthinesse which makes them feare that they cannot be made partakers of so great a benefit For whose sake I specially write these to helpe their weake faith that thereby they may find this benefite To which purpose I would haue well considered that which before was touched concerning Gods intention in ordaining these holy signes seales Right end of seales which we call Sacraments which was to helpe our weake â—aith that whereas the Lord hauing in his word made vnto vs sinners many promises of algâ—ace in Christ which if the fault were not in our selues might be sufficient to vphold our faith in the assurance thereof yet he seeing how slowe of heart wee are to beleeue his word did for the confirmation of our faith giue vs these outward and visible pledges of his loue that wee knowing him to bee faithfull may bee more assured yea put out of doubt that wee shall as certainly be made partakers of Christ himselfe and all his merits as wee are of the outward signes of his couenant as Gen. 17. 10. This is my couenant which yee shall keepe betweene mee and you and thy seed after thee Euery 〈…〉 child among you shall bee circumcised And very oft that which properly belongs to the things sealed is giuen to the outward seale to shew that on Gods part they be neuer parted For this cause were the Lords people commanded to circumcise the foreskinne of their 〈◊〉 Deut. 10. 16 and the Lord promised that He would circumcâ—se them hearts Ier. 4. 4. and the heart of their seede Deut. 30. 6. The like is saide of Baptisme Rom. 6. 3. That wee are buried with Christ by Baptisme Col. 2. 1. and for this cause it is called Baptisme of 〈◊〉 for remission of sinnes Mar. 1. 4. And our sinnes are said to be washed away Act. 22. 16 and that Baptisme saueth Heb. 10. 22 All which belongeth to the blood of Christ 1 Pet. 3. 21. as 1. Ioh. 1. 7. that is All his sufferings which doth wash and 〈◊〉 us from all our sinnes Reu. 1. 5. And in this sense our Sauiour Christ saith We must bee 〈◊〉 of water Ioh. 3. 5. that is bee made Gods children by receiuing Christ as Ioh. 1. 12. The like is saide of the Lords Supper when our Lord Iesus did ordaine it hee speaking of the bread Mat. 26. 26 28. said This is my body and of the wine This is my blood of the new Testament meaning that these outward signes and seales were most sure certain pledges of his body and blood which hee did as truely giue to be spirituall food as he gaue the bread and wine to be bodily food to euery beleeuer And for the same cause the Apostle saith The cup of blessing which we blesse 1 Cor. 10. 16. is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the body of Christ for that we
to al his people in all their necessities bodily or spirituall Because the faiâ—hfull in all ages haue stood in need of this comfort therefore is this so oft repeated that we in our generation may looke for the like helpe in our neede To the same intent be many other like speeches That God will lighten our darkenesse hee will keepe the feete of his Saints he will not forsake them nor forget their complaint That they shall not be confounded In time of trouble he will hide them His Angels shall pitch about them He wil heale them and take all sicknesse from them They shal not feare their enemies but God will make their enemies afraid of them Be avenged of their enemies That God wil repent him of the evill pronounced against them with many other of like sort and oft more specially of removing warre pestilence c. The summe of all which is Application that into whatsoever calamitie or distresse Gods children shall fall though the Lord doe leaue them for a season as though he did not regard it yet hee will be with them by his Spirit to helpe them that they shall not vtterly perish yea rather that they shall be able with patience to hold out till God send them a happy end and issue out of all That this hath beene Gods dealing with his beloved in all ages needs no proofe it is so manifest Ioh David and Paul may be sufficient to witnesse this how wonderfully God was with them in al their tryals The other branch of this last ground of comfort is this God will deliver that the Lord will not onely assist his vnder the burthen of their afflictions with all needefull helpes that they may be able to beare them but will in due season fully deliver them out of them all which being so hardly beleeved especially in great and sore afflictions therefore the Lord hath very often renewed his promise of delivering his out of all their troubles All of which for the most part being the fame both in sense words a few may suffice for many David had great proofe hereof and therefore after a mighty deliverance and that by a hard shiftfull of infirmitie hee composed that excellent Psalme 34 where magnifying Gods mercy for so great deliverance hee riseth higher to set out the like goodnes of God to all the faithfull saying verse 7. The Angell of the Lord 〈◊〉 round about them that feare him and delivereth them and verse 17. speaking of the righteous he sayth they cry and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles and verse 19. many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of all so Psalme 27. 39. 40. But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord is their strength in the time of trouble And the Lord shall helpe them and deliver them he shall deliver them from the wicked and saue them because they trust in him These shall suffice in so cleere a point for there are none that be any whit exercised in the Scriptures but may finde like testimoninies and proofs of the truth though not alwayes in the same words It is fully to the same purpose that the Apostle â— Cor. 10. 13. comforteth them with this amongst other Arguments that God will with the tentation make away to escapeâ—… 〈◊〉 ye may be able to beare it and that of Ieremy 29. 11. For I know the thoughts that I thinke towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace to giue you an expected end By these and very many other the like it is cleere that this is Gods wonted favour towards his Children that though for sundry and those most iust causes he lead them into troubles and oft leaues them a long time vnder them yet he never finally forsakes them but when the time to haue mercy is come Psal 102. theÌ„ the Lord will surely succour all his and deliver them by one meanes or other such as shall make most for his glory and the good of all his All of which being so certaine Application that how many and great soever and of long continuance the afflictions of Gods children shal be yet the Lord will never leaue nor forsake them but will be a present helpe in time of neede ministring all needefull comforts both outward helpes and inward graces to support them and in the end will one way or other fully set them free and quite deliver them out of all their feares and troubles we may see what small cause wee haue to be discouraged by our afflictions or to fret and repine at them yea rather wee haue most iust cause to reioyce in theÌ„ to blesse God for them and to labour both to beare them and to profit by them that God may haue glory thereby our selues may reape the benefit by them and others may profit by our example And thus laying all together which hath beene sayd of afflictions we shall find that they be no lets but special helps as to godlinesse in this life so to happines in the life to come Thus much for this fourth point how to liue by faith in all afflictions of what sort soever THE FIFT GENERALL HEAD OF living by FAITH is for earthly blessings THvs haue we in these foure points handled how wel God hath provided for our spirituall life all needfull blessings that whatsoever our condition shall be yet we may comfort our selues in God who as he hath promised so will he performe that we shall not want any thing that is good And whatsoever doth befall vs though never so hurtfull in it selfe yet it shall turne to our good in the end Now we are come to the fift generall head of this Treatise of living by faith which concernes all earthly blessings how we may be provided of all things needfull for this naturall life which being so necessary as we well know that we cannot be without them we be naturally so addicted to them that nothing doth more take vp our minds and hearts Care for earthly is a hinderance to spirituall then our care labour for these neither doth any thing more hinder our spirituall life All which the Lord our God well considering hath herein most bountifully provided for vs and promised vnto vs all needfull blessings for this life in such sort that were we wise to see and imbrace this bountie of the Lord we should not onely be freed from a world of cares and troubles wherewith most men be vsually so incumbred that they can find or spare no time nor travell to seeke after the things which belong to a better life but we should be so furthered by our contentment in those outward and earthly blessings that with more chearfulnesse we should run our race of Christianitie and be every way more fit to all holy duties Let vs then heare and consider what the Lord saith vnto vs in this behalfe Generall promises for earthly blessings