Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 1 · Verse 1 · Part

Commentary on 2 Peter · Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 1 · Verse 1 · Part

p. 2Simon Peter, a ſervant, and an Apostle of IESVS CHRIST, &c.

WHerein we finde a double deſcription: 1. Of the Author, who ſends; Simon, &c. 2. Of the Perſons to whom this Salutation is ſent; To them that have obtained, &c. Firſt, the Authour deſcribes himſelfe by his

Name, Simon Peter.

Condition, a Servant.

Office, an Apoſtle.

Maſter, IESVS CHRIST.

In nomine humilitas, in conditione ſanctitas, in officio dignitas, in domino majeſtas. His Name ſhewes him humble, his Condition holy, his Office gratious, by his Maſter who is glorious.

p. 3Simon was his proper name given him an his Circumciſion. It is obſervable, that this Simon was commonly a happy name in the Scriptures. There was Simon Zelotes, a zealous man: Simon a Tanner, this Simons Hoſt, a charitable man: Simon of Cyrene, that helped Chriſt to beare his Croſſe, a compaſſionate man: and Simon Peter, a ſanctified man. Not that grace is tyed to names; for there was a Simon Magus, a Sorcerer, a Witch, little other than a divell: but the favour of God makes any name as happy. No man hath now the myſtery of his fortune written in his name. Names are not Propheticall, Much leſſe magicall. The Civill uſe of names is for diſtinction; Nomen quaſi Notamen: the religious uſe hath by good antiquitie been obſerved at our Baptiſme.

So oft as thou heareſt thy owne name, call to minde the Covenant betweene God and thy ſelfe in holy Baptiſme; when God promiſed on his part to be thy God; thou on thy part to forſake his enemies, and to dedicate thy ſelfe to his ſervice. It is a wretched forgetfulneſſe not to remember thy owne name. What can he remember that forgets himſelfe? It is pity the Sacramentall water was ever ſpilt on ſuch a face; as forgets himſelfe to be a Chriſtian.

Whatſoever thy name be, let thy heart be Simons. It is ſaid, to ſignifie Hearing, or Obeying: ſo do thou confeſſe, profeſſe, love thy Maſter and Maker. Confeſſe him Ore, with thy mouth: profeſſe him Opere, with thy life: love him Corde, with thy heart. So, thou ſhalt have Simon's omen, though not Simon's nomen. Albeit thou be nor called Peter, thou ſhalt be ſaved with Peter. Thus ſhall Chriſt bleſſe thy name with a good report upon earth:aaProv. 10.7.Prov 10:7 The memorie of the just is bleſſed; with better reward in heaven, bybbLuc. 10.20Luke 10:20 Writing it in the Booke of Life.

Peter, was his ſir-name, given him by Chriſt himſelfe, who was in this ſenſe his God-father.ccIoh. 1.4 2John 1:4 When IESVS beheld him, h… ſaid, Thou art Simon, the ſonne of Iona, thou ſhalt bee called Cephas, which is by interpretation a Stone, or Peter. S. Mathew ſeemes to inſinuate that Chriſt gave him that name in alluſion to that Rocke of his confeſſion.ddMat. 16.18.Matt 16:18 Thou art Peter, and upon this Rocke I will build my Church: But then, Peter ſeemes to be that Rocke on which the Church is built? Not ſo; Peter in making this confeſſion, Tu es Christus; Thou art Christ, the Sonne of the living God; either ſpake, Prae caeteris, as Ambroſe, or Pro caeteris, as Augustine; before the reſt, or for the reſt: He was Prolocutor, or mouth of the reſt. Therefore what was promiſed to Peter, pertained to the whole Colledge of the Apoſtles. To this expoſition runnes the ſtreame of the Fathers.eeOrigen. Hom. 1. in Mat If thou confeſſe with Peter, & tibi dicetur, Tu es Petrus: Petra, eſt quiſque Chriſti diſcipulus: If thou be Chriſts diſciple, thou art Peter, thou art a RockeffAug Tract 124. in Ioh. Petrus à Petra, non Petra à Petro: quomodo non à Chriſtiano Chriſtus, ſed à Chriſto Chriſtianus vocatur. Peter is derived from the Rocke, not the Rocke from Peter: as Chriſt fetcheth not his name from a Chriſtian, but a Chriſtian from Chriſt. But,ggEph. 2.20.Eph 2:20 we are built upon the foundation of the Apoſtles and Prophets, Ieſus Christ Himſelfe being the chiefe Corner-ſtone; our foundation is in heaven. Ariſtotle ſaid, that a man is Arbor tranſverſa, a tree growing with the root upward: So the Church is, Domus tranſverſa, a houſe turned upſide downe: for the foundation is above.hh1 Cor. 3.11.1 Cor 3:11 Other foundation can no man lay, than that is layd, which is, IESVS CHRIST. Peter in this kinde is not the Rocke of the Church: time was, he ſeemed rather to be a wave, than a Rocke, when Chriſt ſaid to him;iiMatth. 16.23.Matt 16:23 Get thee behind me Satan, thou art an offence unto me. Let Peter have his deſire, and his Maſter ſhall not dye; ſo Peter himſelfe and the whole world had been loſt. This defeats the Pope of his infallibility of judgement.

Thus Peter is a name of addition, impoſed by our Saviour on Simon. Diverſe of the Papiſts have derived the authority of changing the Popes names from hence: Becauſe the two chiefe Apoſtles had their names changed; Saul into Paul, Simon into Peter. But Lorinus the Ieſuite denies this to be the ground of their mutation. Indeed there is a double difference, in Authoritate & Effectis, for Authoritie, the Apoſtles changed not their owne names, but GOD; for effects, their natures were p. 4changed with their names: a Priviledge that few Popes had the happineſſe to demonſtrate. Though Sylvius elected Pope, could diſclaime his wanton and idle bookes, and ſeeme to promiſe future gravitie: Aeneam rejicite, recipite Pium; forget Aeneas, and receive mee a Pious father, yet the new names have not altered the old conditions: they have proved the ſame men ſtill. The firſt alterer of Popes names is held to bee Sergius 2. whoſe proper name was Os perci, a Swines countenance: the name would have ſerved, had he ſeparated his ſwiniſh properties. Divers other followed, but they loſt not their former vices. One of their owne brings a teſtimony againſt them; that of all Chriſtians Italians are the worſt, of all Italians the Romans, of all Romans the Prieſts, of all Prieſts the Cardinals, and commonly the moſt lewd Cardinall is choſen Pope, yea, ſome have objected, and they ſticke not to grant; Hominem non Chriſtianum poſſe eſſe Romanum Pontificem; a man that is not a member of Chriſt, may yet be head of his Church.

Though change of names import an excellencie of grace, yet not a ſingularity, Iames and Iohn were Sonnes of thunder: were none ſo but they? Barnabas, Sonne; of conſolation; none ſo but hee? Peter a Rocke; no rocke but Peter? Iſrael called ſo becauſe hee was ſtrong with God; yet ſo was Abraham, and MOSES, whereas ſome obſerve that our Apoſtle puts in two words into the Epigraph of this Epiſtle, which he left out in the former; Simon and Servant. And that our SAVIOUR did uſually chide him by the name of Simon, but commend him by the name of Peter, whence they obſerve, it was Simon that erred, not Peter, his Perſon, not his Office. So Marke 14.37. Simon, ſleepeſt thou? And in his confirmation,kkIoh. 21.15.John 21:15 Simon thou Sonne of Ionas, loveſt thou me more than theſe? repeating that word Simon thrice. But they forget that Matth. 16. Get thee behind me Satan; not Simon, Mat. 16 23.Matt 16:23but Satan. Indeed Peters name was not changed, but onelyonly he had one added: he was ſtill Simon, but withall Peter. Abraham was not afterward called Abram, but Abraham: But Peter ſtill was called Simon. So here he ſtiles himſelfe; Simon Peter. The Ieſuites ſay, he was alwaies after called Peter, I cannot call them the fathers of lies, that were to doe the Devill wrong; but the ſons of lying. I am ſure, he is many times after called Simon.

But will they now disjoyne theſe two names in one man? I wonder, when Simon ſinned, whether Peter was guiltleſſe! If Os porci had been damned, what would have become of Sergius ſecundus? Thus the poore Shepheard ſaid to the great Biſhop of Coleine; admiring his Pompe as a Prince, when his calling was but a Biſhop: ſome replied, that he wore not ſuch robes as he was Biſhop, but as he was Prince. I but, quoth the Shepheard; Cùm damnatus fuerit Dux, quid fiet de Epiſcopo? If the Duke ſhould goe to hell for pride, what would become of the humble Biſhop? Their names cannot ſecure their perſons, not though they were Pii nominis. And yet as their lives have commonly beene ungodly, ſo the name of Pietie hath been leaſt uſurped among them: for there have been but five Pii. Res mira inter tot Pontifices ſolummodo quinque fuiſſe Pios. Here obſerve three circumſtances.

1 The Apoſtles did prefixe their names to their Epiſtles. Indeed neither did Moſes ſet his name before his booke, nor the Evangeliſts, Matthew, Marke, Luke, and Iohn, Chryſ.before their Goſpels: Becauſe they Praeſentibus ſcribentes, writing to thoſe that were preſent, had no cauſe to put to their names. But the Apoſtles writing to thoſe that were farre off, could not well avoid it in their Epiſtles, but why then did Paul ſuppreſſe his name writing to the Hebrewes? Quia non erant amico in Paulum animo: that Apoſtle was not in their bookes, they had no good affection toward him: ſo that finding his name in the frontiſpiece they might haply have rejected the Epiſtle, and not vouchſafed to read it. The Apoſtles could not alwayes inſtruct men by Sermons, as did the Prophets; nor by commentaries, as the Evangeliſts, nor by Dialogue, as Iob: but writing to remote perſons and places, they were compelled to ſignifie their mind by letters: and the forme of an Epiſtle requires a preſcription of his name that ſent it. They prefixed their names therefore p. 5that it might be knowne, by what authority ſuch letters were written, and with what certaintie of credit they are to be received.llVerſe 20. For as no prophecie, ſo no Epiſtle of the Scripture is of any private motion, Penna calamus, Scriba Apoſtolus, Dictator Spiritus Sanctus: The penne a quill, the Writer an Apoſtle, but the Inditor the Holy Ghoſt. This bindes us to beleeve and obey theſe ſacred writings. Qui ſcripta non credit, ſcripta ſentiet: He that will not beleeve what is written, ſhall feele what is written. Lege hiſtoriam, ne fias hiſtoria: Read the hiſtorie, leſt thy ſelfe be made an hiſtory, and an enſample to the reading of after-times.

2 The Apoſtles did prefixe, not ſuffixe their names, according to our cuſtome in our familiar letters. Let no man herein taxe them with a proud prelation: for where Gods Spirit is the dictator, wee muſt looke for no complements. And though in themſelves they were the moſt humble men upon earth, yet being to write Apoſtolico jure, in the name of IESVS CHRIST, and to ſignifie themſelves ſuch as he had choſen to lay the foundation of the Evangelicall Church; it was fit and neceſſary, they ſhould premention their names and Office. Paul endured all reproch to his owne perſon patiently, yet did ſtill magnifie his Office. Ne contemptus Apoſtoli redundet in Evangelium: leſt the contempt of the Apoſtle ſhould prejudice the Majeſtie of the Goſpell.

3 They prefixed their names, though upon them ſtucke ſome bl…miſhes; to ſhew that albeit themſelves were guiltie of manifold infirmities, yet the Goſpell they delivered was pure from all imperfection. The blots of the Writers were no blots to the things written. Paul was a great ſinner, Peter a greater: Apoſtacie in Peter, was greater than perſecution in Paul; the one a ſinne af…er knowledge, the other before; the one was done of ignorance, the other againſt conſcience: yet Peter ſtill ſpeakes his name. Humane pens are dipt in the oyle of oſtentation, not Scripturall pens: they ſpit in their owne faces. Moſes wrote his owne incredulitie, David his owne bloudineſſe, Ionas his owne repining at that merciemercy without which hee had beene moſt miſerable. As if they acknowledged themſelves not onelyonly humano more errâſſe, to have erred after the manner of men; but even imp…o more peccâſſe, to have ſinned after the manner of evill men. This they did; that none of GODS glory might cleave to their earthen fingers. Let this teach both you and us.

You of the Laitie, not to patronize your ſinnes upon the example of others: as if you would fortifie your profaneneſſe from the infirmities of your Teachers. Lapſus Sanctorum ut non cadamus, non ut cadamus prabentur exempla. The falls of the Saints are recorded, not as warrants to encourage our wantonneſſe; but as cautions to prevent and retard our precipices. 1. Wicked men love that in the Saints, which the Saints never loved in themſelves, vices: and ſhal a man make their foile his jewell, their ſhame his glory? 2. Peccatum dicis, poenitentiam non dicis. Thou ſpeakeſt of their ſinnes, but not of their repentance. When Theodoſius excuſed a foule fact, becauſe David had done the like; Saint Ambroſe makes this anſwer; Qui ſecutus es errantem, ſequere poenitentem: Thou that haſt followed David in his exorbitance, follow him alſo in his repentance. Hath thy mouth denyed with Peter, let thine eyes weepe with Peter. 3. They looke on the evill of good men, whereas they ſhould rather looke on the good even of evill men. Noahs vertues are not Chams admiration, but his drunkenneſſe is his ſport. Like flies, that skip over all the ſound parts of the body, and light upon ſores and ulcers. The Cloud that waited on the Campe of Iſrael, was light towards themſelves, darke toward their enemies; it ſaved them, drowned the Egyptians. Let every Chriſtian follow the light part; that ſhall guide him, the other will deceive him. 4. By diſregard of the Miniſters perſon, they evacuate the force of this Doctrine. Therefore GOD uſually plagueth the contempt of his Preachers, by the invaliditie of his owne ordinance upon their ſoules.mmMat. 10.12.Matt 10:12 When yee come to an houſe, ſalute it: and if the houſe be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy let your peace returne to you. Let us rather take the beſt, than make the worſt, of good mens lives.

p. 6VsUs of the Miniſterie, to preſerve zeale and humility.xx1 Tim 4.16.1 Tim 4:16 Take heed to thy ſelfe, and unto the doctrine. Attende tibi & doctrinae: tibi, quomodo vivas; doctrinae, qualiter doceas: To thy ſelfe how thou liveſt, to thy doctrine how thou teacheſt. But ſtill after our beſt endeavours, to our ſelves weakeneſſe and ſhame, to GOD the bleſſing and glory, Cathedram habet in coelis qui corda docet: he hath a pulpit in heaven, that teacheth the ſoule, that toucheth the conſcience. It is he onelyonly that mellowes the heart, and ſoftens it with fitneſſe for the impreſſion of any Sermon. Thus for his name; now for

His condition, a Servant. Hugo obſerves that he doth omit this Title in his former Epiſtles, which hee inſerts here: but I doe not like his reaſon. Becauſe, ſaith he, there he ſpake of perſecutions and troubles, quae non oportet ſerviliter ferri, cùm ſint dignittates, which ought not to be born with ſlaviſh cowardice, being rather honours than miſeries. Indeed Chriſts Croſſe muſt be borne Heroico animo, with a couragious mind: but ſtill this ſufferance rather inſinuates, than exempts Service; for they properly belong to all thoſe that faithfully ſerve God.nn2 Tim. 3.12.2 Tim 3:12 All that will live godly in CHRIST IESVS, ſhall ſuffer perſecution. They are laid on them, as it were by a fatall kind of deſtinie, becauſe they are the LORDS Servants. For outwardly, Sunt proſperi peccatores, miſeri Sancti: there are generally in the world poore Saints, and proſperous ſinners. Neither is a filiall ſervice (Patientiae impedimentum, ſed ornamentum, ſed adjumentum;) a thing that does hinder patience, but beautifie it and helpe it. This reaſon then wants the weight to be received.

Yet I confeſſe there may be ſomething in it, and a cauſe may be rendred, why the Apoſtle here uſeth that formerly omitted Title. True it is, that when GOD dictates voluntas facientis, ratio facti; the will of the Writer is a ſufficient reaſon of the ſcription. But in ſacris literis nil caſu fit; in the holy Scriptures nothing is done by chance: every word, ſyllable, point, hath the efficacie: no blot ever fell from the pen of the Holy Ghoſt. There be reaſons, though our ſhallow underſtandings cannot reach them.

1 Perhaps this may be a reaſon: our bleſſed Apoſtle wrote this Inſtante obitu, knowing his diſſolution to be at hand: as he confeſſeth, Verſe 14. Knowing that ſhortly I muſt put off this my tabernacle, as our LORD IESVS CHRIST hath ſhewed me. Therefore hee comforts his owne ſoule in this title, as old Hilariòn did after him; Theſe ſeventy yeares and upwards thou haſt ſerved the Lord, therefore now goe forth my ſoule with joy, &c. Thou haſt ſerved the LORD in life, in death hee will crowne thee.ooLuke 2.29.Luke 2:29 LORD, now letteſt thou Thy Servant depart in peace, according to thy word.

2 Perhaps in regard of others hee uſeth it: for he writes of the comming of CHRIST to Iudgement; which time ſhall be a bleſſed day to thoſe, whoſe conſciences can witneſſe with them that they have ſerved GOD. When rebells ſhall be caſt to the priſon of rebells; then Euge bone & fidelis Serve; ppMat. 25.21.Matt 25:21Come thou good and faithfull Servant, enter thou into the joy of thy LORD. Then all hearts ſhall confeſſe; It was not inqqMal. 3.14.Mal 3:14 vaine, nor without profit, that we have Served the Lord: forrrVer. 17. they ſhall bee mine, ſaith the LORD of hoſtes, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will ſpare them as a man ſpareth his owne ſonne that ſerveth him. Then ſhall yee returne and diſcerne betweene him that ſerveth God, and him that ſerveth him not. Servit Chriſtianus, Servat Chriſtus; man ſerveth GOD, GOD ſaveth man, when the wicked ſhall acknowledge the godly, with groning and anguiſh of ſpirit;ssWiſdom. 5.4.Wis 5:4 we accounted his life madneſſe, and his end without honour: now he is numbred among the children of God, and his lot is among the Saints. Thus as on earth, Serviens ad Legem, ſaepe fit Index; the Sergeant at law is often made a Iudge: ſo that yee that have followed me in the regeneration,ſſMat. 19.28.Matt 19:28 when the Sonne of man ſhall ſit on his throne, yee ſhall ſit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Iſrael.

3 Perhaps becauſe the time of his Service was almoſt now ended; and therefore p. 7he might more boldly ſtile himſelfe the Servant of Chriſt. For, let not him that puts on his armour boaſt, but he that puts it off. Hee may now looke ſweetly both waies, with comfort to his life paſt, with joy to his reward to come. Pulchrum eſt ante obitum conſummari vitam: It is good for a man to acccompliſh his life before he ends it. Beatus juvenis qui benè vivit, ſed magis beatus ſenex qui benè vixit: The Young man is happy that lives well, but the Old man is bleſſed that hath lived well. Praiſe the Marriner that brings the veſſell ſafe into the Haven: Bleſſed Soule, that hath paſt the apprentiſhip of ſervice, and is now gone to bee made free in glory. There are two ſpeciall obſervations involved in this Title Servant, Chriſts excellency, and the Apoſtles humility.

1. This extolls the dignity of Chriſt, that ſo famous an Apoſtle creeps to him on the knees of lowlineſſe; Lord, I am thy Servant. The world eſteemed himuuEſa. 53.2.Isa 53:2 without forme or comelineſſe; and when they ſee him without beauty, that they ſhould deſire him. The Pſalmiſt ſpeakes in his perſon;xxPſal. 22.6.Ps 22:6 I am a worme, no man: a reproch of men, and deſpiſed of the people.yy1 Cor. 1.23.1 Cor 1:23 To the Iewes a ſtumbling block, to the Greekes fooliſhneſſe. But Peter ſtiles himſelfe Servum Crucifixi, the ſervant of him that was crucified. Indeed the ſervice of Chriſt is the honour of the Chriſtian. Our Saviour admitted and accepted this juſt honour:zzIoh. 13.14.John 13:14 Ye call me Maſter, and Lord; and ye ſay well, for ſo I am. Many in the World arrogate great dignitie to themſelves, becauſe ſo famous men are their ſervants. Ahaſuerus might vaunt of his Vice-roys, the Turke of his Baſſau's: But let all Scepters be laid downe at the foote of the Lambe, all ſheaves bow to the ſheafe of Ioſeph; all crownes be ſubjected to him, that is crowned with unſpeakable glory for ever.

2. This is a cleere remonſtrance of Saint Peters humility; a famous Apoſtle; ſome have given him more, the primacie of the Apoſtles: yet what's his owne Title, a Servant of IESVS CHRIST. The godly are no further ambitious, than to belong to CHRIST. There is great ſuit to bee retained in the ſervice of Princes: but the beſt is to ſerve the Prince of Princes. What neede hee wait upon a channell, that may dwell by a whole River? Or ſerve him that ſerves, when he may ſerve him that reignes? A poore eſtimation of our ſelves, gives us the richeſt eſtimation with God.aa1 Sam 15.17.1 Sam 15:17 When thou waſt little in thine owne ſight, waſt thou not made the Head of the tribes of Iſrael? When thou waſt little I then made thee great. Abraham ſayes, non ſum dignus: I am not worthy, &c. God dignifies him to be the Father of them that beleeve; Act. 1.23. When the lot was to be caſt for an Apoſtle to ſupply Iudas roome, two were appointed; Ioſeph and Matthias. Ioſeph trinominis, of three appellations: Ioſeph, the ſonne of reſt; Barſabas, and Iuſtus, ſir-named ſo for his equity. Yea more, he was Frater Domini the LORDS brother. Matth. 13.55. Are not his brethren Iames and Ioſes, &c. that is, Chriſts neare kinſman. Mathias but twice named in the Scriptures; both times in that one Chapter, Acts 1. yet the lot fell upon Matthias. Matthias ſignifies a little one: ſo the Goſpell appointed for the day of his feaſt and memorie, commends little ones, Mat. 11.25. Thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe, and haſt revealed them to babes, to little ones. Notwithſtanding the great titles and priviledges of the other, GOD ſent the lot upon the little one, it fell upon Matthias. He that ſeemes little in his owne eyes, is the greateſt in GODS account. It hath beene the humble and bleſſed acknowledgment of the Saints, that they are ſervants. Though we be new borne to our fathers Inheritance, yet now we are in our Nonage.bbGal. 4.1.Gal 4:1 The heire, as long as he is a Child, differeth nothing from a ſervant, though he be LORD of all. Men make difference of their friends, children, and ſervants; GOD none. His friends muſt ſerve. ccIoh. 15.14.John 15:14Ye are my friends, if yee doe whatſoever I command you, children muſt ſerve, evenddMarke 3.11.Mark 3:11 the Sonne muſt ſerve him. Every Chriſtian ſouldiours Scutchion muſt be Patience, and his motto, I ſerve: yea, not only Saints, but Angels are glad of this title.eeHebr. 1.14.Heb 1:14 Are they not all miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to miniſter for them, who ſhall be heirs of ſalvation?ffRevel 22.9.Rev 22:9 when Saint Iohn would have worſhipped before the feet p. 8of the Angell, he replied,ffRev. 22.9.Rev 22:9 See thou doe it not, for I am thy fellow ſervant. And let me goe yet higher; the naturall Sonne of GOD, and that by an eternall generation, put on him a ſerviceable nature;ggPhil. 2.7.Phil 2:7 He took on him the forme of a Servant. He was ſo formed, ſo habited to ſervice, that he endured all ſorrow, and fulfilled all righteouſneſſe. Art thou better than Apoſtles, better than Angels, better than the Sonne of GOD himſelfe, Oh proud duſt, that thou deſpiſeſt the title of a Servant!

I cannot ſo briefely paſſe over that, wherein we muſt dwell all our lives, the ſervice of GOD; let me conſider in it three things; the liberty, the dignitie the reward. The libertie muſt be weighed both in the will of the Agent, and in the freedome of the Action.

It is a voluntary Service; conſtrained obedience is not worth GOD-a-merciemercy. The wickedeſt reprobates, yea the very devils muſt needs ſerve GOD; but can expect no wages, but hell. We know there is a neceſſitie, that ſhall draw him againſt his will, whom command cannot lead with his will. A te fiet, or de te fiet; but ſtill Fiet. Either GODS will ſhall be done by thee, or be done on thee; but howſoever it ſhall be done in thee. Therefore the noble diſpoſition is led, not forced: they are ſlaves, whom the feare of plagues onelyonly terrifies from rebellion. But this Servant willingly puts his necke into Chriſts yoke: he denies his owne luſts, his owne gaines, his owne pleaſures, his owne ſelfe.hhMat. 19.27.Matt 19:27 Behold we have forſaken all, and followed thee. A good Servant hath theſe properties: a quick eye, a liſtning care, a ready foote, a working hand, an honeſt heart.

A quicke eye; attending the leaſt becke of his commander.iiPſal. 123 2.Ps 123:2 As the eyes of ſervants looke to the hands of their maſters; ſo our eyes waite upon the LORD our GOD. Paul ſpeakes of foreign eye ſervice. Col. 3.22. Servants obey your Maſters, not with eye-ſervice, as men-pleaſers. This is a fault with men: but let us ſerve our GOD no longer, no further than he ſees us: it is enough, his eye is never off our hands, our hearts,kkPſal. 139.7.Ps 139:7 Whither ſhall I goe from thy ſpirit? or whither ſhall I flie from thy preſence? If I aſcend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there: if I dwell in the uttermoſt parts of the ſea, even there ſhall thy hand lead me: if I ſay, the darkeneſſe ſhall cover me, even the night ſhall be light about me. Heaven hath the preſence of his glory, earth of his providence, the ſea of his wonders, the darkeneſſe of his light, hell of his power; no where to avoid his ſight. Heaven, earth, ſea, hell; all places named but Purgatory; perhaps God is not there. If he fills all places, and not Purgatory; rather than doubt his Omnipreſence, I will beleeve there is no Purgatory.

A liſtening eare; ſuch a one as Eli taught Samuel to find, when God calleth; ſpeake LORD, for thy ſervant heareth.

A ready foote: Fidelis obedientia neſcit moras; an obedient ſervant makes no delayes. Gods ſpirit often uſeth the phraſe of riſing early: Abimelech roſe early to tell his dreame:Gen. 20.8. and 22.3. 1 Sam. 1.19. Iob 1.5.Gen 20:8Gen 22:31 Sam 1:19Job 1:5 Abraham roſe early to ſacrifice his Sonne: Elkanah and Hannah roſe early to worſhip God: Iob roſe early to ſanctifie his children. We ſay with the ſluggard; Modò Domine, modò; by and by, LORD: Sed iſtud modò non habebit modum: this ſame dilation hath no meaſure. Gratia ab officio, quod mora tardat, abeſt; the ſervice ſhall find no thankes, that found no readineſſe. A good worke, the longer it ſtickes in our fingers the leſſe acceptable.

A working hand: the life of ſervice is worke, the worke of a Chriſtian is obedience. The Centurion deſcribing his good Servant, ſaid no more but thus, Mat. 8. I bid him doe this, and he doth it. He that worketh not, is not Gods labourer, but his owne loiterer. We are all either Maſters of ſervants, or ſervants of Maſters; or ſervants to the State and commonwealth, or commanders of ſuch ſervants: ſome may be all of theſe, all are ſome of theſe. We know what we require of our ſervants, what our Maſters required of us. It were an eaſie thing to be a ſervant, if ſervice conſiſted onelyonly in kiſſing our hands, in making curteſies, in taking wages and wearing liveries. Many weare Chriſts livery, all live upon Gods trencher: but moſt have p. 9gowty fingers, they will do no work in Gods ſervice. There is an habituall ſervice; ſo the ſlave while he eates or ſleepes, is in ſervice ſtill. But the actuall ſervice pleaſeth God; which conſiſts inllLuke 1.75.Luke 1:75 holineſſe and righteouſneſſe before him. Many thus call themſelves, but God doth not call them ſo. It is an everlaſting rule,mmRom. 6.16.Rom 6:16 ye are his Servants to whom ye obey. There is much ſervice in the world, but it is to a wrong Maſter; but ſuch can God point out, and put out; and order it, like Iehu; when he inflicteth vengance on the world;nn2 King. 10 232 Kgs 10:23 not one Servant of the Lord be among them. If any thinke to paſſe in the crowd, and preſſe among Gods ſervants, without their cogniſance, the wedding garment, a queſtion ſhall be asked them, whereat they ſhall ſtandooMat. 22.12.Matt 22:12 ſpeechleſſe; How came you in hither?

An honeſt heart; and to make up this is requirable the acceſſion of two things, Sanctitie and Reſolution.

For Sanctitie; GOD that hath given thee a whole heart will not be ſerved with a peece of it. Some make ſhew Servire, when indeed they ſtudy Saevire; as Herod, let me come to worſhip the child, when he meant to worry the child. They are like the Philiſtins Temple; there is the Arke, but Dagon too. Or like the Temples of Aegypt, faire without, but within full of Crocodyles. The eye is in the Pulpit, the heart in the Warehouſe. Rotten kernels under faire ſhells: full of Herods and Naamans exceptives; In this forbeare us. What ſhew ſoever be made, oportet aliquid intus eſſe, there muſt be ſome hidden good within. The oake that is rotten at the heart, will never be good for building. Say to the hypocrite, as Simon Peter did to Simon Magus; ppAct. 8.21.Acts 8:21Thou haſt no part nor lot in this comfort: for thy heart is not right in the ſight of God.

For Reſolution; there muſt bee no reaſoning, no diſputing; let no man dare toqqIob 13.3.Job 13:3 ſpeake to the Almighty, or deſire to reaſon with God. It is too farre, if with Ieremie, any man put him to hisrrIer. 12.1.Jer 12:1 Wherefore; wherefore doth the way of the wicked proſper? Abraham told not his wife, when he went to offer Iſaac. Paul ſſGal. 1.16.Gal 1:16conferred not with fleſh and bloud, when he went to preach among the Heathen. The Ieſuites commend blind obedience: and call the Novices that examine their impoſitions Quae riſtas. They exact a condition of their inferiours, as Nahaſh did of the Gileadites, that they may thruſt out theirtt1 Sam. 11.2.1 Sam 11:2 right eyes: otherwiſe allow them no covenant of peace: yea they put out both the eyes of their people. To God this blind obedience is good taken in that ſenſe, without asking a reaſon. When man commands, enquire Quid, not Quis; what is bidden, not who bids. When God commands, conſider, Quis, not Quid; who charges, not what is impoſed. Beleeve what God ſaith, though in our thought impoſſible: doe what he commands, though in our judgement unreaſonable. Galerius maximus ſeeking to pervert that bleſſed Cyprian to idolatry, wiſh'd him before ſenſe of puniſhment to bethinke himſelfe; Cave ne perias; take heed, you doe not caſt away your ſelfe. His anſwer was ſhort, but reſolute; In re tam iusta nulla conſultatio. the caſe is ſo cleare that it refuſes deliberation. Say, goods, liberty, life it ſelfe is hazarded, yet God can reward all. The Apoſtles were cited by Chriſt to Ieruſalem, and commanded not to depart thence,uuActs 1.4.Acts 1:4 but to waite for the promiſe of the Father, to receive the Holy Ghoſt: They never alleadge; Is not this that Ieruſalem which was a provocation to anger from the firſt building? the ſlaughter-houſe of the Prophets? the common ſinke or ſewer of all ſinnes: yet wet with the bloud of our Maſter Chriſt? why Ieruſalem? Is not any other place fitter? no, they diſpute not, but goe thither with joy, what danger or unlikely hoods ſoever might affront them, they put on the reſolution of Heſter; Si pereo, pereo; if I periſh, I periſh. But there can nothing bee loſt, that wee piouſly truſt God withall.

For the liberty of this Service, know that Gods ſervant is the greateſt Freeman.xx1 Cor. 7.22.1 Cor 7:22 He that is called in the Lord, being a Servant, is the LORDS free-man. yyAug de Civit 10. Lib. 4.Bonus etiamſi ſerviat, liber eſt: malus etſi regnet, ſervus eſt: The good man is free, though he ſerves: the evill is bond, though he raignes. Nor is the vicious perſon p. 10the ſlave of one man: but Quod gravius eſt, tot dominorum quot vitiorum: which is more grievous; he hath ſo many maſters, as he hath vices. Vis ut ſerviat caro tua animae tuae? Deo ſerviat anima tua: Debes Regi, ut poſsit regere; Wouldeſt thou have thy fleſh ſervethy ſoule, let thy ſoule ſerve God; thou oweſt to thy King the right of government. Serve therefore willingly, and be free continually.

For the dignitie of this Office, the Saints have ever had a holy pride in being GODS ſervants; there cannot be greater honour than to ſerve ſuch a Maſter as commands heaven, earth and hell: Non reputes magnum quod Deo ſervias, ſed maximum, quod ipſe dignatur te in ſervum aſſumere: Doe not thinke thou doeſt honour GOD in ſerving him; but thinke how GOD honours thee, in vouchſaſing thee to be his ſervant. David could not ſtudy to give himſelfe a greater ſtile, thanaaPſal. 116.16.Ps 116:16 O LORD, truely I am thy ſervant; I am thy ſervant, and the ſonne of thy hand-maid: and this he ſpake, not in the phraſe of a humane complement, but in the humble confeſſion of a Chriſtian. Yea, ſo doth our Apoſtle commend this excellencie, that (if wee note it) he ſets the title of Servant, before that of an Apoſtle: firſt Servant, then Apoſtle. Great was his office in being an Apoſtle, greater his bleſſing in being a ſervant of Ieſus Chriſt: The one is an outward calling, the other an inward grace: Damnatur Apoſtolorum unus, ſervorum nullus; There was an Apoſtle condemned, never any ſervant of God: Iudas preached to others, not to his owne heart; he healed their bodies, not his owne ſoule; wrought miracles upon others, not upon himſelfe; caſt out devils, yet himſelfe was caſt out as a devill. All which juſtifies that of Samuel, bb1 Sam. 15.22.1 Sam 15:22To obey is better than ſacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of Rams. Prophets have beene excluded; many ſay,ccMatth. 7.23.Matt 7:23 Lord, Lord, we have prophecied in thy name; to whom it is anſwered, I never knew you; depart from me yee that worke iniquity. But never were Servants excluded; for the other, their booke and clergie cannot ſave them; It will be demanded of them at that day; Non quid legerint, ſed quid egerint, non modò quid dixerint, ſed quomodo vixerint. Bern. Not what bookes they have read, but what life they have led; not what they have taught others to doe, but what they have done themſelves. God by this title commends Iob, the greateſt man of the Eaſt:ddIob 1.8.Job 1:8 Haſt thou conſidered my ſervant Iob? Paul cals Iames the Lords Brother, Galath. 1.19. other of the Apoſtles ſaw I none, ſave Iames the Lords brother. Iames cals himſelfe the ſervant of Chriſt, Iam 1.1. Iames a ſervant of God, and of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt; quite leaving out the remembrance of that other ſtile If it were ſuch a noble priviledge to be a ſervant to Caeſar, and free of the Roman State; that theeeAct. 22.28.Acts 22:28 Captaine confeſſed, with a great ſumme of money he obtained that freedome: what an honour is it to ſerve the King of kings? The good Emperour Theodoſius held it more noble, to be membrum Eccleſiae, than caput Imperii; to be a member of the Church, than head of the Empire. It is better to be Gods ſervant, than Lord of all the world. This is the Dignity; now for

The Reward, it is immenſe and glorious.ffEccleſ. 33.24.Sir 33:24 Bread, correction, and worke are for a ſervant. For bread, God gives us our daily bread; wee are all at his keeping. For correction, Heb. 12. he chaſtiſeth us, becauſe he loveth us. For worke, Matth. 21. he ſends us to worke in his vineyard: we have from him Protection and Proviſion. For protection, Rom. 8.31. If God be with us, who can be againſt us? For proviſion, Luke 15.17. Even the hired ſervants of my Fathers, have bread enough, and to ſpare. But what is all this to that future glory, which was from everlaſtingneſſe prepared for thoſe ſervants! I know, they doe not ever ſpeed beſt in this world: out of a related ſtory let me draw this concluſion in earneſt. A ſervant convicted of ſome miſdemeanour before a magiſtrate, beſought ſome favour for his maſters ſake. Why, whom doe you ſerve, ſaid the magiſtrate? I ſerve God, ſaid the delinquent: with that his mittimus was quickly made; away with him, hee ſcoffes at authoritie: not long after a great Lord ſends for enlargement of this his ſervant: the magiſtrate upon the receit of the letters, ſends in all haſte for the priſoner; of whom he frettingly demands, why he told him not that he ſerved ſuch a Lord: The ſervant anſwered, p. 11becauſe I thought you cared more for the Lord of heaven: you ſay, this is but a fable: you count him a foole that makes it a morall. O utinam tantummodò fictum, non factum diceretur: would God it were but a tale, and that our courſes did not juſtifie it well though our reward be ſhort on earth, let us looke for it with comfort in heaven. Ambroſe ſaid on his death-bed, we are happy in this, we ſerve a good Maſter.ggIohn 12.26.John 12:26 Where I am, ſaith Chriſt, there ſhall my ſervant be: and if any man ſerve me, him will my Father honour. If we have done good and faithfull ſervice to him, we ſhall heare him ſay to us;hhMat. 25.21.Matt 25:21 Well done good and faithfull ſervants, enter into the joy of your Lord: and this joy be to us all. An Apoſtle: here he ſpecifies his office.Apoſtle. Where obſerve two things:

Firſt, he joynes together Service and Apoſtleſhip; and that for two reaſons: 1. To diſtinguiſh and exemplifie his calling: for every man that is a ſervant of God, is not an Apoſtle of Ieſus Chriſt.iiHebr. 5.4.Heb 5:4 No man taketh this honour to himſelfe, but he that is called of God. There muſt be a Calling; or elſe Sinne will anſwer when it is queſtioned, as Satan did when he was conjured, Act. 19.15. Ieſus I know, and Paul I know, but who are yee? Chriſt himſelfe did not preach publikely, till he was declared by God to be Doctor mundi, the great Prophet of the world: and had his confirmation from heaven, with Hunc audite. Neither is it enough to ſay, we are all Prieſts, Revel. 1.6. ſo we might ſay we are all kings, and turne rebels. There muſt proceed a miſſion and commiſſion; or elſe whoſoever runnes abroad, had better have ſtayed at home. 2. To ſhew that Apoſtleſhip was a matter of ſervice; as an honour, ſo a burden. None are called into Gods harveſt, butkkMat 8.38.Matt 8:38 labourers: Chriſt never bade us pray for loyterers and lookers on. As earthly Kings have ſome ſervants in ordinarie, other extraordinary: all Chriſtians are Gods ſworne ſervants extraordinary; ſo vowed in holy Baptiſme, to ſerve him all the dayes of our life. By profeſſing the true faith wee weare Chriſts livery, and by exerciſe of charity, the cogniſance of that livery.llIohn 13.35.John 13:35 By this ſhall men know that ye are my Diſciples, if you have love one to another. Princes and Preachers are Gods ſervants in ordinary: the Magiſtrate is (as it were) a finger of Gods hand, the Miniſter a Steward in his houſe. Though in a large ſenſe all are the Lords Miniſters: and it is uſually ſaid to thoſe three States, Tu ſupplex ora, tu protege, tuque labora: The Prince muſt governe all, the Prieſt pray for all, the people worke for all. Yet ſtrictly this office, as it hath eſpecially the name of Miniſtery, ſo it hath the nature, for it conſiſts in Service.

Secondly, it was the cuſtome of the Apoſtles to magnifie their office. So Paul to the Romans.mmRom. 11.13.Rom 11:13 Inaſmuch as I am the Apoſtle of the Gentiles, I magnifie mine office. And this they did the rather to weaken the credit of falſe intruders.nn1 Cor. 9.1.1 Cor 9:1 Am I not an Apoſtle? am I not free? have I not ſeene Ieſus Chriſt? Our Saviour himſelfe accepted this honour.ooIohn 13.13.John 13:13 Ye call me Maſter and Lord, and ye ſay well: for ſo I am. Is the terme [Miniſter] contemptible to any? That Chriſt who muſt ſave you, or you ſhall never be ſaved, cals himſelfe a Miniſter, Matth. 20.28. The Sonne of man came not to be miniſtred unto, but to miniſter. If therefore men muſt Honorare bonum Dominum, etiam in malo ſervo, are bound to glorifie the good maſter even in the evill ſervant: and not onelyonly to knowpp1 Theſſ. 5.131 Thess 5:13 them, but to eſteeme them very highly in love for their workes ſake: Then much moreqq1 Tim 5.17.1 Tim 5:17 let the Elders that rule well be (yes they are, but alſo be) counted worthy of double honour.

Of Ieſus Chriſt: here he declares his maſter, where three collections ariſe:

1. They were Apoſtles of Chriſt, for none ever called themſelves Apoſtles of God the Father: becauſe Chriſt himſelfe only was Apoſtolus Patris, the Fathers Apoſtle. He had other paſtors under him, but he was that Great Shepheard and Biſhop of our ſoules. He ſent others, but Him hath the Father ſent.

2. Chriſt onelyonly hath authoritie to make Apoſtles: he choſe them to the worke, that could enable them to the worke. Therefore none ought to take this charge upon them, unleſſe they be either mediately or immediately called of God.

Some have no calling either of God or men, but runne on their owne errand.

p. 12rrIer. 23.21.Jer 23:21I have not ſent theſe prophets, yet they ran: I have not ſpoken to them, yet they propheſied. Let them that ſet them on worke, pay them their wages.ſſIoh. 10.1.John 10:1 He that entreth not in by the doore into the ſheepfold, but climeth up ſome other way, the ſame is a theefe and a robber. Either like the Sodomites they cannot find the doore: or like the Ieſuites they will not find the doore. Theſe later have runne ſo farre as the Indies, but who ſent them? Impiger extremus currit mercator ad Indos: theſe merchants went not to fetch ſheepe to Chriſts fold, but to ſheere their wooll and flay their skins. They were not Apoſtles, but Alchymiſts, they went to fetch gold. I have heard much talke of their miracles; if I had all faith, even to remove mountaines; I could not beleeve them. But whatſoever their miracles were, I am ſure their moralls were naught. The poore Indian refuſed (after all their commendations of celeſtiall glory) to goe to heaven, if the Spaniards ſhould be there.

Some are called of GOD without man, by an immediate vocation. So were the twelve Apoſtles by CHRIST in his ſtate mortall, Paul in his ſtate immortall. Acts 9.

Some are ſent of men without God: ſo Iaſon and Menelaus ſought the Prieſthood by unlawfull meanes of Antiochus: ſo Ieroboam made his prieſts. Alliance, Favour, Simonie have brought men of bad learning and worſe living into the miniſtery. Which made one to ſay, that horſes were more miſerable than aſſes; in that horſes went poſt to get aſſes preferment.

Others are ſent of God by man; ſo Ioſua was ordained of God by Moſes, Timothy and Titus by Paul, the Biſhops in Crete by Titus. ttRom. 10.15.Rom 10:15For how ſhall they preach, except they be ſent? They that in theſe dayes goe without this warrant, climbe in at the window: and that we know is no faire poſſeſſion of the houſe. Qui ingreditur per feneſtras, ejicietur è ſoribus: he that enters in at the windowes, ſhall be caſt out at the doores. God ſeales his approbation of the Churches calling, and anſwers it in the converſion of many ſoules. So that an induſtrious Paſtor may ſay to his people;uu1 Cor. 9.2.1 Cor 9:2 If I be not an Apoſtle to others, yet doubtleſſe I am to you: the Seale of my miniſtery are ye in the Lord.

3 They came not in their owne name, but in Chriſts; an Apoſtle of Ieſus Chriſt. xx2 Cor. 5.20.2 Cor 5:20We are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt, and GOD doth beſeech you by us. We are ſutors, not for ourſelves, but for him: deſiring toyy2 Cor. 11.2.2 Cor 11:2 eſpouſe you to one Huſband, and to preſent you pure and chaſt virgins to Chriſt. We preach not our ſelves, but Chriſt, neither our owne glory, nor our owne gaine. Not our owne glory: God is glorified in our infirmities. Woe unto us if we arrogate that, whereof God is ſo jealous that he will not give it to another. Not our owne gaine, we would then take any profeſſion rather than this. There is no calling wherein a man may not live better, and grow rich ſooner. A cluſter of Law is worth a whole vintage of any other profeſſion. Indeed in Rome, and throughout the Papall Iuriſdiction, where reſpect of gaines, not of paines, guides mens diſpoſitions; where little learning, and leſſe honeſtie will ſerve to beare up, and to beare out much worſhip, more wealth: there great riches is in Clericall hands: It is their maine policie, by blowing up other ſtates to enlarge their owne. Like the flouds that made warre againſt the woods;aaEſl 4 15. let us ſubdue them all, and make us more countryes. But for conſcience; not a Pope preached theſe nine hundred yeares; yet I hope they have not beene poore. They have not Peters net to catch the ſoules, but Peters hooke to take all the fiſhes that have ſilver in their mouthes. It is ſaid of Leo 10. that whereas others were only Popes but whiles they lived, he was Pope many yeares after he was dead Sacra ſub extremâ ſi forte requiritis horâ, Cur Leo non potuit ſumere; vendiderat. Iohn 22. left behind him two hundred and fifty tunne of gold: ſo that one wrote of him, Erat pontifex maximus, ſi non virtute, pecuniâ tamen maximus: Whatſoever he was in pietie, he was the chiefe Prieſt in mony. They inveigh againſt us for providing for our owne lawfull wives and children: yet admire themſelves for providing for their harlots, and baſtards, and minions. They come into the p. 13Church, tanquam ad auream meſſem; as it were to a golden harveſt. The Friers were ſo long wilfull beggers, that they had beggard all the Chriſtian world. The Ieſuits hate all other Orders but the Capuchin: becauſe the Capuchin askes nothing, the Ieſuite would have all. Their artillery hath beene thus wittily deſcribed; the Capuchin Friers ſhooting from the purſe, the Franciſcans a little wide off it, the Ieſuites hitting it in the midſt.bb1 Cor. 9.11.1 Cor 9:11 I know who ſaid, If we have ſowen unto you ſpirituall things, is it a great matter if wee ſhall reape your carnall things? yet let us winne your ſoules, though we, never have your purſes: the gaine of one ſoule is greater than the Indies:cc1 Theſſ. 2.19.1 Thess 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crowne of rejoycing? Are not even ye in the preſence of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt at his comming? yes, ye are our glory and joy.

To them that have obtained like precious faith with us, through the righteouſneſſe of God, and our Saviour Ieſus Chriſt. Here he comes to the perſons to whom this Epiſtle is written: wherein conſider ſix circumſtances:

The

Generalitie of the perſons,

Qualification of this generalitie,

Excellencie of this qualification,

Equalitie of this excellencie,

Meanes of this equalitie,

Ground of this meanes,

To them, all them.

That have faith.

Precious faith.

Like with us.

Have obtained it.

Through the righteouſneſſe of God, and our Saviour Ieſus Chriſt.

To them, all them; here is the Generalitie of the perſons, for the word is indefinite. This is called a Generall Epiſtle; not in a metaphoricall ſenſe, as Paul cals the Corinthians; dd2 Cor. 3.2.2 Cor 3:2ye are our Epistle written in our hearts, knowne and read of all men: or as one cals Chriſt, an Epiſtle ſent us from God the Father. Or as Auguſt. in Pſal. 90. conc. 2. cals the Scripture, Gods Letter or Epiſtle ſent us hither, de illa civitate unde peregrinamur: from that Citie to which we travell. But in a proper and uſuall meaning; a letter of a friend ſent to his friends. It is called a generall Epiſtle; not onelyonly: 1. Becauſe the doctrine contained in it, is orthodoxall and catholike. 2. Nor becauſe the uſe of it is generall; even to us, aſwell as to thoſe to whom it was written. But, 3 becauſe it was not directed to any one man; as thoſe of Paul to Timothie, Titus, Philemon: of Iohn to the elect Lady, and Gaius; no, nor to one particular Church, as thoſe of Paul to the Romans, Corinthians, &c. But to all the Saints, and worſhippers of Ieſus Chriſt, howſoever diſtreſſed, whereſoever diſperſed, or whenſoever deſpiſed; to all them that with humble faith, and ſincere repentance ſecke our Mediatour.

For with God is no reſpect of perſons;eeIohn 1.29.John 1:29 Behold that Lambe, which takes away the ſinnes of the world.ffAct. 13 26.Acts 13:26 Men and brethren, children of the ſtocke of Abraham, and whoſoever among you feareth God, to you is the Word of this ſalvation ſent. There is no difference of countrey, of condition, of eſtate. All which are exemplified by our Saviour Chriſt, Matth. 8. upon the Iew and the Gentile; the Leper and the Centurion. For Countrey, the Leper was a Iew, the Centurion a Gentile. For Condition, the Leper a man of peace, the Centurion a man of warre. For eſtate, the Leper poore, the Centurion rich. I know the greater danger is to the rich, and the ſweeter promiſes are made to the poore: yet let not the poore preſume, nor the rich deſpaire. The one may be pauper in arca, pauperior in gratia; poore in money, poorer in grace: the other may be Dives in ſeculo, yet ditior in Domino; rich for this world, yet richer for the world to come.ggGal. 3.28.Gal 3:28 There is neither Iew nor Greeke, bond nor free, male nor female: for yee are all one in Ieſus Chriſt. To them all, let no man deny his ſoule this comfort.

That have Faith. Here is the Qualification. The definition and excellencie of this Grace I referre a little further. Here that we may a little conceive the nature of it, we finde it often called a Hand; and that for two reaſons: 1. As the hand faſtens hold upon the object, to which the heart directs it: ſo faith apprehends Chriſt with his bleſſed merits, whereby we are onelyonly ſaved. 2. As the hand is fitteſt for p. 14operation, and doth execute that buſineſſe which no other member of the body can. So faith worketh godlineſſe, and produceth thoſe effects which no other grace in the ſoule can. For this purpoſe it hath an Inſtrument, Galath. 5.6. Faith worketh by love. The hand can receive a gift of it ſelfe, but it cannot cut a peece of wood without an Inſtrument: but by the helpe of that it can divide or faſhion it to pleaſure. So Faith can receive Chriſt into the heart, that moſt excellenthhIohn 3.36.John 3:36 gift of God the Father: but for the duties of the Law, Faith of it ſelfe cannot produce them. Ioyne love to it, and then it can: for Faith working by love performes all duties to God and man. Now of this Hand there be five fingers, which for methods ſake we may order according to the letters.

There is Fruitfulneſſe, it is not barren: foriiIames 2.20.Jas 2:20 faith without workes is dead: Nudifidians are Nullifidians. We will never take her for a true Lady, that hath not her Gentleman-uſher before, and her ſervants following after. If you ſee not Repentance going before Faith, nor workes attending on her, know it is not ſhee. Opera pingueſcunt fidem; Luther. Aug. Bern.good deeds doe batten Faith. Fides appellata eſt ab eo quod fit. Faith hath the appellation from doing. Two ſyllables ſound when we pronounce Fides. Prima est à facto, ſecunda à Deo. The one is derived from Fact, the other from GOD. Interrogo te utrum credas, dices Credo. Fac quod dicis, & fides est: Doeſt thou beleeve? Yes, I beleeve. Doe what thou ſayeſt, and that is faith. Wee may call Faith a Vine, Vertues the Branches, Workes the Grapes, Devotion the Wine. Falſe faith is like a ſandie earth; raine it never ſo much, no fruit ariſeth.

There is Appropriation of CHRIST: by faith hee is made ours, by love we are made his. It was a peece of the Philoſoph…rs meditation, that Totum in ſe habet homo, qui ſe habet: the beleever addes, Se habet qui Chriſtum habet; Christum habet qui fidem habet, & in Christum credit. That man hath all in himſelfe that hath himſelfe, he hath himſelfe that hath Chriſt, and he hath Chriſt that hath true faith.kk1 Iohn 5.4.1 John 5:4 This is the victory that overcommeth the world, even our faith: yea, more, it overcomes Chriſt himſelfe. The world is overcome by faith, b…cauſe it cannot withſtand it: Chriſt is overcome by faith, becauſe he will not withſtand it. Chriſt in a duell overcame the Devill, Matth 4. a Canaanitiſh woman ſo overcame Chriſt himſelfe. He yeelded,llMat. 15.28.Matt 15:28 O woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt. This is able to ſmooth his countenance though it be frowning; to tye his hands though they be ſtriking. The Lion of this wo…ld raged long, and ſtill rageth,mm1 Pet. 5 8.1 Pet 5:8 ſeeking whom he may devoure.nnR…vel. 5 5. The Lion of the Tribe of Iuda conquered him: now Faith conquers the Conquerour. Quanta fidei vis, quae vincit Leonem, omnes & omnia vincentem? How great is the power of faith, that overcomes him who overcame all? Thus is God pleaſed to let Faith have an holy victory over himſelfe: he loves this ſanctified violence, and bids Faith wraſtle couragiouſly with him, like Iacob; permitting his Almighty ſelfe vinci, vinciri; to bee conquered and mani…led from executing deſerved vengeance. So Iob: Albeit thou kill mee, yet I will truſt in thee; and becauſe (ſaith God) thou doſt truſt in mee, I will not kill thee. It were honour enough for faith toooHeb. 11.33.Heb 11:33 ſubdue kingdomes, but to atchieve the kingdome of heaven! enough to ſtop the mouthes of Lions, but to vanquiſh that roring Lion, and topp1 Pet. 5 9.1 Pet 5:9 reſist him! enough to quench the violence of elementary fires, but to deliver from the eternall fire of hell! enough to eſcape the edge of mens ſwords, but to eſcape the ſword of GODS Iuſtice. O the matchleſſe vertue of Faith!

There is Imitation of Chriſt: Faith hath two eyes; one lookes to Chriſts merits that we may be ſaved; the other to his righteouſneſſe that we may be ſanctified. In Imitation there be two things,Zanch. Action and Affection. Action, for it is not enough to commend and admire the patterne, but we muſt follow it. Affection, for it is not enough to forgive becauſe wee cannot revenge. This is no ſufficient imitation of Chriſts love; for hee can, if hee pleaſe, bruiſe ſinners to peeces, andqqPſal. 2 9.Ps 2:9 breake them p. 15with a rod of iron. But wee muſt forgive with a minde to forgive, and give almes with the minde of charity. Faith doth not thinke that heaven will fall into the lap, but endeavours to worke out ſalvation, not without feare and trembling: and ſeekes to follow Chriſt to bleſſedneſſe, the ſame way that he went thither.

There is truſt in Chriſt; for there can be no faith in him without truſt and dependance on him. This point throughly examined, would call in queſtion many mens faith. The covetous worldling dares truſt Chriſt to raiſe his body, and to ſave his ſoule, and to give him the Kingdome of glory hereafter: but he dares not truſt him for his daily bread here. The fowles are fed, and the flowers are clothed by him; and will yee vex your ſoules with ſollicitous cares? If yee doe, may not Chriſt ſay truly, that ye arerrMatth. 6.30.Matt 6:30 of little faith? Shall wee truſt God with our jewels, and not with the box? As if thou durſt not commit thy children to his protection; thou ſcrapeſt up wealth with the hazard of heaven and eternall peace: yet if thou be queſtioned concerning thy ſalvation, thou anſwereſt, thy truſt is in Chriſt. This is a falſe and deceiving faith; take heed, leſt whiles he doth grant thee that wherein thou doſt not truſt him, worldly riches; he take away that wherein thou doſt truſt him, everlaſting joy.

There is honouring of Chriſt: no man ever beleeved on him, but he deſired to honour him. It is fit hee ſhould looke for glory from us, ſo well as wee looke for glory from him. We honour the King under whom we enjoy our owne with peace: we honour the Phyſitian that preſerves the health of our bodies: wee honour the Souldier that defends us from our enemies: O how much more ſhould we honour him that ſaves our ſoules!ſſ1 Cor. 6.20.1 Cor 6:20 we are bought with a price, therefore let us glorifie him both in our bodies and ſpirits, for they are his. Theſe be the five fingers of Faith, let us lay hold on Chriſt in life, he may lay hold on us in death, and beare us up in his holy hand to everlaſting glory.

Precious Faith; Here is the excellencie of this qualification. As Athens was called Greece of Greece, ſo Faith may be called the Grace of Grace. It is Precious in regard of the Object, the Subject, the Act, the Effect, the Vſe.

In reſpect of the Object; which in a larger acception is the whole Scripture, 1whereof every parcell muſt be beleeved, without diminution or addition. Strictly this is Chriſt, who is not onelyonly the Word of God, but God himſelfe in the Word. I am the way, the truth, and the life. Non eſt quâ eas niſi per me: Aug. Tract. 22. in Ioh. Iohn 6.John 6non eſt quô eas niſi ad me. LORD, how ſhall we goe? Thou art our way: whither ſhall we goe? Thou haſt the words of eternall life. There is no way but by him, no light but from him, no life but in him. CHRIST is a mutuall hand; to the Father one, another to us. An hand to the Father, by which he reacheth us: an hand to us by which wee reach the Father. The Fathers mouth whereby hee ſpeakes to us, our mouth whereby wee ſpeake to him: our eye to ſee by, foot to goe by; our pillar of fire by night, and cloud by day, guiding us thorow the deſart of this world. It is a precious faith that layes hold on this precious object.ttRom. 10 9.Rom 10:9 If thou confeſſe with thy mouth the LORD IESVS, and ſhalt beleeve in thy heart, that God raiſed him him up from the dead: (not onelyonly dead, for ſo the Iewes beleeve him; but riſen againe, for that is the faith of Chriſtians: if thou have this faith) I tell thee from Paul, and Paul from GOD, to the comfort of thy ſoule; thou art preſently juſtified, and ſhalt be everlaſtingly ſaved.uuRom. 10.11.Rom 10:11 For the Scripture ſaith, (it is not the promiſe of man, but the aſſurance of GOD) whoſoever beleeveth on him, ſhall not be aſhamed. xxGal. 6.14.Gal 6:14God forbid I ſhould rejoyce in any thing, ſave in the Croſſe of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. There is nothing wherein men uſually rejoyce, but the faithfull find it in Chriſt. Doth any man glory in knowledge? yy1 Cor. 2.2.1 Cor 2:2I deſire to know nothing among you, but Ieſus Chriſt, and him crucified. This is the bleſſed knowledge; for it iszzIohn 17.3.John 17:3 eternall life. Doth any man glory in honours? It is Chriſt that hath made usaaRevel. 1.16.Rev 1:16 Kings. Doth another glory in Riches? Chriſt is a treaſure never failing; andbbIohn 1.16.John 1:16 of his fulneſſe have all we received. In libertie? CHRIST hathccLuke 1.74.Luke 1:74 Delivered us out of the hands p. 16of all our enemies. In Princes favours? The King of Kings accepts us in him;ddEph. 1.6.Eph 1:6 He made us accepted in the beloved. All good things are to be found in him; therefore he is a Precious object, and this a Precious faith.

2In reſpect of the Subject; the ſeate of faith is in the heart;eeRom. 10.10.Rom 10:10 with the heart man beleeveth unto righteouſneſſe. It is not placed in the mind and underſtanding onelyonly, but in the will and affections. Faith as Notitia, a knowledge, reſides in the mind; as Fiducia, an aſſured perſwaſion, in the will. It is not a prattle of the tongue: Herods tongue belies his ſoule.Heming. Dicitis quod creditis, non facitis quod dicitis. Men ſay what they beleeve, doe not alway doe what they ſay, nor is it a floting opinion of the braine, a contemplative ſpeculation of myſteries: but a certaine perſwaſion of the heart. There is a forged faith, and a forced faith: forged in heretickes; who will beleeve no God, but one of their owne making. They beleeve all that they doe beleeve, Sua ſide, non eccleſiaſticâ, non catholicâ; with a faith of their owne, not with the faith of the elect, of the Church. No oracle, no article of holy faith, but they will conceive it, and receive it, their owne way, or not at all. Hoc non fidei, ſed perfidiae: this is rather an art of treacherie, then of faith. Forced in devills; they acknowledge from their owne horror, and againſt their wills, that there is a GOD. It was the relation of a reverend Divine concerning an Atheiſt in England. A young man was a Papiſt; but ſoone fell in diſlike of their ſuperſtition. He became a Proteſtant, but that did not pleaſe him long: England could not content him, he reeles to Amſterdam: There he fell from one Sect to another, till he lighted upon the Familiſts: the firſt principle they taught him was this; There is no God. As indeed they had need feare up their conſcience, and damme up all naturall light, that turne Familiſts. Hereon he fell to a looſe life, committed a robberie, was convicted, condemned and brought to die. At the execution he deſired ſome ſtay, uttering theſe words; Say what you will, ſurely there is a GOD; loving to his friends, terrible to his enemies. Even the lewdeſt reprobates, that ſpit in the face of heaven, and wade as deepe as Ieſuites in bloud, yet they ſhall have a forced faith. Though perhaps they ſay for the time, as Nero: Verebor eſſe cùm faciam, Deum? When Seneca reproved him for his vices, and bad him live, ut facta ſuperi comprobarent; that GOD might approve his …ctions: He anſwered, Stulte, verebor eſſe cùm haec faciam, deos? Thou ſilly man, ſhall I feare there is a God, when I goe about my villanies? But they ſhall one day beleeve and feele: there may be Atheiſts on earth, there are none in hell: no ſooner come thither, but they know to their endleſſe ſorrow, that there is a GOD.ffDe lu…iſ. lib. 1 cap 15. Bellarmine ſaith, that the faith of reprobates and devills, eſt recta & vera fides ex parte objecti; is a right and true faith in regard of the object. AndggDe unico …apt. contr petil. cap. 10. Auguſtine. comparing Peters confeſſion, Matth. 16.16. Thou art Chriſt the Sonne of the living God: with the devills acknowledgement Marke 1.24. I know who thou art, even the holy one of God: ſaith, that though Peter for this was commended, and Satan expelled: albeit the ſame confeſſion was beneficiall to the one, and not to the other: In utriſque tamen non falſa, ſed vera; non neganda, ſed agnoſcenda; non deteſtanda, ſed approbanda. Yet the faith in both was not falſe but true; not to be denied, but acknowledged; not to bee deteſted, but approved. Let this faith be granted true, ſo farre as it goes; yet as it hath many other differences, ſo this one eſpecially. The faith of reprobates and devills is compelled ex evidentia ſignorum, by the demonſtration of the ſignes; faith of the elect ex evidentia Spiritus, by the evidence of the Spirit. Theirs againſt their wills, ours from the ground of our hearts; for that is the ſeat and ſubject of all approved faith.

3In reſpect of the Act, it beleeves on Chriſt. There be three degrees or faculties of faith, as the Schoole ſpeakes out of Auguſtine. Firſt, to beleeve there is a GOD; and this is a faith incident to devills. Next, to beleeve GOD; to credit the hiſtory of the Goſpell, and to aſſent that what GOD ſaith is true. This is called an Hiſtoricall faith, and may be in reprobates. Laſt, to beleeve on GOD, which doth ex duobus prioribus emergere; or as Chemnitius ſayes, preſupponit eſt includit: ariſeth from p. 17both the former, and doth preſuppoſe and comprehend both the former. The faith of a reprobate is a true faith ſpecifically; a ſpark of fire is true fire, though it be not able to warme: a drop of water is true water, though it be not able to carry a veſſell: a little ſprigge may be a true Cedar, though it be not yet fit for timber. That figtree which our LORD curſed, though it bare no fruit, was a true figtree.hhExod. 3.18.Exod 3:18 As the Iſraelites requir'd to goe three dayes journey in the wilderneſſe, before they did offer ſacrifice: ſo faith hath three degrees before it come to that perfection, as may juſtifie the ſoule. Saving faith in a man hath this precious act, to rely on GODS merciemercy in Chriſt for his ſalvation. He diſclaimes not his part in Chriſt, as the devils; Quid nobis tecum? Marke 1. What have we to doe with thee, thou Ieſus of Nazareth? nor loſeth it; as reprobates, Iohn 3.18. He that beleeveth not, is condemned already. But hee challengeth his portion in the bloud of Chriſt.iiCant. 6.3.Song 6:3. I am my Beloveds, and my Beloved is mine. His body is in heaven, there I ſhall find it mine: his divinitie on earth, there I doe find it mine: his Goſpell in my eare, to beget him mine: his Sacrament in my eye, to confirme him mine: his Spirit in my heart, to aſſure him mine. Angels are mine, to ſight for me: Prince mine, to rule for me: Church mine, to pray for me: Preacher mine, to feed me.kk1 Cor. 3.22.1 Cor 3:22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things preſent, or things to come; all are ours, and we are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods.

This faith doth not onelyonly with reprobates, beleeve the Major of the Goſpell, that Chriſt is ſalvation; but the Minor with Mary; that he is my Saviour. The devills beleeve much; but Reconciliationem ſuam non credunt: Bucer. Iam. 2.19.Jas 2:19they cannot beleeve their owne reconcilement. Therefore ſaith Iames; horrentes credunt, they beleeve and tremble. Timor infidelitatis filius, ſaith Baſil; Feare is the child of unbeleefe.in Pſal. 3 3.Ps 3:3 llMat. 8 26.Matt 8:26Why are yee fearefull, O yee of little faith? why are the Apoſtles called, foreign, timorious, but becauſe they were foreign, of little faith?mmRom. 5.1.Rom 5:1 But being juſtified by faith we have peace with God through Ieſus Chriſt.nnEph. 3.12.Eph 3:12 In whom we have bold neſſe and acceſſe with confidence, by the faith of him. A Traitor condemned to death, knowes the King, and his prerogative royall, that he is able to pardon: his diſpoſition, that it is mild and mercifull: yea, he knowes that the King hath forgiven many ſuch offenders. But now for himſelfe, hee hath no friends to the King, no word from the King to warrant his pardon: no hope, if he ſhould intreat favour, that himſelfe was a fit ſubject for this exerciſe of merciemercy. Still he trembleth; Sentit ſe miſerum, etſi noverit Regem miſericordem: he feeles himſelfe miſerable, though he know the King to be mercifull. So the reprobate knowes Gods omnipotency;ooMatth. 8.2.Matt 8:2 Lord, if thou wilt, thou canſt make me cleane: he knowes his infinite merciemercy, that itppPſal. 36.5.Ps 36:5 reacheth unto the heavens, and his faithfulneſſe unto the clouds: he knowes GOD hath forgiven many, David for adulterie, Salomon for idolatrie, Peter for Apoſtacie, Paul for blaſphemie. But for his owne part, he hath no friend to God, no mediator betwixt God and him, no Chriſt to ſpeake for merciemercy: he hath no word whereby he can apply this merciemercy: no hope, that merciemercy would come upon his ſubmiſſion and ſeeking. Hee wants that juſtifying faith, to doe this precious act of application. A man is deeply in debt, non ſolvendo, in no caſe to pay: he heares and beleeves, that his Creditor is an honeſt man, that he hath dealt mercifully with others; remitted a third, halfe, the whole debt. But he hath neither promiſe from his creditor, nor perſwaſion in himſelfe, that he will deale ſo kindly with him: for all this, he feares arreſt and impriſonment, without baile, main priſe, or any hope of deliverance. The wicked is deeply runne into Gods debt by his ſinnes: (yea every man is taught to pray,qqMatth. 6.12.Matt 6:12 Forgive us our debts) for which he is ſubject to convention, conviction, condemnation. He knowes how this Creditor dealt with a ſervant. Matth. 18.27. becauſe Non habuit unde; he had not to pay, the Lord was moved with compaſſion, and forgave him the debt. But this reprobate, through want of applying faith, hath no promiſe, no ſecurity, no hope that he ſhall be freed: but he feares the priſon, where if hee bee once clapt up under the hands of that cruell Iailour, the devill; hee p. 18cannot depart thence till hee hath paid the uttermoſt farthing. It is then a Precious faith, that hath this powerfull are to beleeve a mans owne reconciliation.

4In reſpect of the Effect, becauſe it hath precious conſequents. Amongſt many, conſider five ſweet fruits.

1 Peace with God, which is produced by that faith which juſtifies us. Receive peace, and be bleſſed: Crede & accepiſti, beleeve and thou haſt received it. VponUpon our apprehenſion of Chriſt by faith, followes his ſatisfaction for us; upon this ſatisfaction we have remiſſion: upon remiſſion, reconciliation: upon reconciliation, peace. There is no quarrell againſt us in heaven; nothing but peace and joy, becauſe we have truely beleeved.

2 Peace with our owne conſcience. When that ſterne Sergeant ſhall take thee by the throte, and arreſt thee upon Gods debt, pay that thou oweſt: let thy faith plead, I have payed it. How? Produce thy acquittance, that bloudy acquittance, ſealed in the wounds of thy Saviour, and given to thy faith. This ſhall turne the frownes of thy conſcience into ſmiles: and that hand which was ready to hale thee to priſon, ſhall now embrace thee with joy, encourage thee with kindneſſe, and fight tor thee with conqueſt.

3 Victorie, faith knowes no other language but victorie.rr2 Tim. 4.7.2 Tim 4:7 I have kept the faith, now is layed up for me a Crowne. ItſſHebr. 11.33.Heb 11:33 ſubdueth kingdomes, even regnum Antichriſti, the kingdome of the devill, there's victorie: wrought righteouſneſſe, though the world and ſin withſtood it, there's victorie: raiſed ſtrength out of weakeneſſe, there's victory over nature: turned to ſlight the armies of the aliens, there's victor ie over malice and hoſtilitie: raiſed the dead, there's victorie over the grave: with patience and greatneſſe of ſpirit, it endured mockings, ſcourgings, &c. miſeries worſe than death, there's glorious victorie. It overcomes the world, 1 Iohn 5.4. it overcomes the Prince of this world;tt1 Pet. 5.9.1 Pet 5:9 whom reſiſt ſtedfast in the faith. It quencheth all the fiery darts of the wicked, Eph. 6.16. They are darts in reſpect of their ſharpeneſſe, and fiery for their violence: one ſinne kindling another, drunkenneſſe adulterie, adulterie murder. The whole world lieth wickedneſſe; Poſitus in maligno, that is in igne malo: ſet on fire of the divell.Cajetan. Yet faith quencheth all: Though they were as fiery as the Gun-powder treaſon, yet this ſhall beare them off, beate them off, and infatuate their malice.Royard. It is a Shield, this faith: this ſhield covers all, head and heart; underſtanding and will: ut non turbetur intellectus, ut non formidet affectus; that neither the mind bee confounded, nor the affection amazed. Yea, faith overcomes the King of heaven himſelfe;Diez. appealing a Deo iraſcente propter peccatum, ad Deum placatum propter Chriſtum; from GOD juſtly offended for ſinne, to GOD ſweetly pleaſed for Chriſt. It is able to remove mountaines; the great hills of diſtruſt, the great heapes of iniquities; therefore Precious.

4 Good report:uuHebr. 11.39.Heb 11:39 all thoſe Saints through faith obtained a good Report. They ſay, Non patitur ludum Fama, Fides, Oculus: A mans credit, Faith, and his Eye, endure no juſt. Yet let thy faith be ſound; and though injury wound thy eye, ignominie thy fame, yet thy faith ſhall make all whole. That mans righteouſneſſe, thorow all clouds, ſhall breake forth as the Sunne, and his integritie ſhine like the noone-day. All unjuſt aſperſions are but as rubbiſh; they may ſeeme to fully him for a while, that he may ſhine bright for ever. Fruſtrà condemnatur in terris, qui commendatur in coelis: How little is that man hurt, whom malice condemnes on earth, and God commends in heaven! Let the world accuſe us, ſo long as our God doth acquit us.xx2 Tim. 1.12.2 Tim 1:12 I ſuffer theſe things, and am not aſhamed: for I know whom I have beleeved. yy2 Cor. 10.18.2 Cor 10:18For not he that commendeth himſelfe is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. Let God juſtifie, and let all the friends on earth or in hell accuſe.

5 It bleſſeth to us all other bleſſings:zzProv. 2.25.Prov 2:25 Hee that putteth his truſt in the Lord, ſhall be made fat. Without this faith, we are accomptant for every thing we receive, to a bit of bread. There is no right to the creatures but by Chriſt, no right to Chriſt p. 19but by faith. Without this Quantum honoris, tantum horroris: as much horrour, as honour: no leſſe wretchedneſſe than wealthineſſe? But faith makes thy dignitie comfortable, thy wealth helpefull, thy wife, children, friends delightfull: Quia frueris in Domino, quibus uteris in ſeculo: becauſe what thou uſeſt in the world, thou enjoyeſt in the Lord. Yea, it bleſſeth even croſſes and curſes: Sine veſte, non ſine fide, &c.Fulgent. Thou wanteſt a garment for thy body, faith gives thy ſoule a rich one, the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt: thou lackeſt a houſe to dwell in, thou dwelleſt by faith even in the Lord Ieſus, and he dwels in thee. If thou want bread, it reacheth thee the bread of life: if friends, it aſſures thee the favour of God, and the inſeparable company of the holy Ghoſt: if health, it performes to thee everlaſting life. Let me ſay with Seneca in another ſenſe; Malo mihi ſucceſſum deeſſe, quàm fidem; I had rather want fortune, than want faith. Whatſoever worldly thing be lacking, faith can ſupply it: but if faith be lacking, who can ſupply that? Faith keepes us for ever from that mourning note, fuimus felices: we ſhall never ſay, we have beene happy.

In reſpect of the uſe; faith cleares our wayes as we goe; cheares our hearts as we 5worke; perfumes the places where we reſt; and refines our actions from that droſſe and feculencie, which would elſe make them odious in Gods ſight.aaRom. 14.23Rom 14:23 For whatſoever is not of faith, is ſinne. Faith, like Iohn the Baptiſt, pointeth to thebbIoh. 1.29.John 1:29 Lambe of God, that taketh away the ſinne of the world. Without this, God is no hearing God, no helping God, no ſaving God, no loving God at all. The Spirit ſhall convince the worldccIoh. 16.9 Homil. 1 of good workes.John 16:9 of ſinne, ſaith Chriſt; becauſe they beleeve not in me. Infidelitati retinentur omnia peccata, fidei remittuntur. All ſinnes are retained to unbeleefe, remitted to faith. Faith is the neſt of good workes, ſaith our Church: let our birds be never ſo faire, our actions never ſo glorious, they will be loſt, except they be brought forth in faith, This is theddPſal. 84.3.Ps 84:3 nest, where the Sparrow and Swallow may lay their young, to keepe them ſafe; even Faith, which is cloſe by thine Altars, O Lord of hoſtes. Heretikes and hypocrites may produce many goodly acts, and honourable deeds: but wanting this neſt of faith, they have no where to lay their young. Therefore as the Lawyers ſpeake, moritur actio cum perſona; their workes are damnable with their perſons. A Recuſant in comming to Church againſt his conſcience; rather to ſatisfie the Law, than to ſanctifie his ſoule; is guilty before God, becauſe that worke was not done in faith.

Now that a ſhort corollary, or recollection of all theſe ſcattered branches to their root; Faith is precious. Conceive it ſome precious jewell,eeCant. 1.10. Orat. 3. in Cant. facta de puro divinae cognitionis auro.Song 1:10 thy cheekes are comely with rowes of jewels, thy necke with chaines of gold. Gregory Niſſen makes one of thoſe chaines to be ſound and religions faith, which is made of the pure gold of divine knowledge. And to this pure and golden chaine he applies, Proverb. 1.9. They ſhall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chaines about thy necke. This is the richeſt collar that can adorne any ſoule.ffSalvian. Omnibus ſemper ornatibus ornamento est; quia ſine hac nihil tam ornatum quod ornare poſsit: It is an ornament to all trimmings, for nothing is ſo garniſhing and gracing, that it can become us without this. It is a jewell given us out of Gods owne treaſury: aeterna aeternus tribuit, &c. Though faith be not it ſelfe eternall, yet it ſhall make all thoſe bleſſedly eternall that have it. It is brought by the beſt meſſenger, Gods. Spirit: not the worthieſt man on earth, not an Angell from heaven, is dignified to bring this treaſure: but onelyonly the Holy Ghoſt. It is laid up in the beſt coffer, in the ſanctified heart: no treaſure-houſe is good enough for this jewell; no cabinet but the heart. Laſtly, it gives us the place it came from: it came from heaven, and it brings heaven with it. It is Chriſts wedding ring; to whom ſoever he gives it, he gives himſelfe with it. It is beyond all eſtimation precious; it brought us more lands and revenues than the whole Indies. This is Maries choice, that better part that ſhall never bee taken from us.

Like precious faith with us. I come to the Equality, or rather Parity of this Excellencie; Like with us. The faith of the pooreſt beleever is as precious, as the richeſt. p. 20Peter is above them in office: in the effect and fruit of his office, they are like him. But Peter was thrice confirmed, and that by the mouth of Chriſt himſelfe, to make him ſtrong: how then could they have faith like him? The paralel is not drawne à quantitate, ſed à qualitate fidei: nec dicitur, tantum fidei, ſed talem fidem: The compariſon is not of the quantity, but of the quality of faith: nor doth he ſay, they had obtained the ſame meaſure and degree of faith, which he had himſelfe; but the ſame kinde of faith: not ſo much, but ſuch faith. The act of faith is to apply Chriſt to the ſoule: and this the weakeſt faith can doe ſo well as the ſtrongeſt, if it be true. A childe can hold a ſtaffe as well, though not ſo ſtrongly as a man. The priſoner thorow a hole ſees the Sunne, though not ſo perfectly as they in the open aire. They that ſaw the braſen Serpent, though a great way off, yet were healed. The poore mans, I beleeve, ſaved him; though he was faine to adde, Lord, helpe my unbeleefe. So that we may ſay of Faith, as the Poet of Death; that dominos ſervis, & ſceptra ligonibus aequat; it makes lords and ſlaves, Apoſtles and common perſons all alike acceptable to God, if they have it.

I confeſſe, that this excludes not the degrees of faith: there is aggMatth 6.30.Matt 6:30 little faith: and there is a Great faith; hhMatth. 15.28.Matt 15:28O woman, great is thy faith. God deales in ſpirituall proceedings, as in naturall; ad extrema per medium; to extremes by the meane. Non naſcimur ſenes; wee are not borne old men: but firſt an Infant, then a man, then old. We are conceived of immortall ſeed, borne of the Spirit, ſo goe on to perfection. There is firſt a ſeed, then a plant, then a tree. We get not at one jump into Heaven, nor at one ſtroke kill the enemy. A little faith doth not a little good at ſome times: as in the beginning of converſion, or in the ſtorme of an afflicted conſcience. Peter was ſtrong, Ioh. 6.68. When he reſolutely proteſted his in fallible adherence to Chriſt; Lord, to whom ſhall we goe? Thou haſt the words of Eternall Life. Peter was weak, when he ſate by the fire in the High Prieſts hall, and denied his Maſter: and when hee diſſwaded Chriſt from ſuffering for us;iiMatth. 16.22.Matt 16:22 Bee it farre from the Lord. But where God gives great meanes, he lookes for great meaſure: according to his portion of grace, he expects our proportion of goodneſſe. It is enough for them that ſee only a glimmering of the Goſpell, to be but dwarfes in bele fe: We have the Sunne-ſhine, and therefore muſt have growth; and bee higher by the head, as Saul; if not than all the children of Iſraell, yet than all the ſonnes of Rome: whoſe faith is ſo hood winked with enforced ignorance, that they cannot ſee further than their popiſh Doctors will give them leave. Thus there may be degrees of faith; Adauge nobis fidem; Lord increaſe our faith.kkRom. 14.1.Rom 14:1 Him that is weake in the faith, receive you. Endevour that yourll2 Cor. 10.15.2 Cor 10:15 faith be encreaſed. Grow from faith to faith; yea, from one meaſure of faith to another. Yet the leaſt faith, (ſhield it from weakneſſe of truth, though it have truth of weakneſſe) is as precious to the beleevers ſoule; as Peters or Pauls faith was to themſelves: for it layes hold upon Chriſt, and brings eternall ſalvation. In this ſimilitude of faith, wee finde three Obſervations:

1. The Vniverſality of Gods mercy without difference of perſons; that admits all ſorts of men without any acception or exception of ſexe, ſtate, nation or condition; into the ſame covenant of mercy, and precious object of faith, that the glorious Apoſtles had. Here the unſpeakeable goodneſſe of God is commended to our meditation: whereas he might in juſtice have left us in our ſuperſtitions and infidelitie: of his infinite goodneſſe he hath called us to the ſame profeſſion of the Goſpell; and to a faith ejuſdem pretii & praemii, with his owne choiſe ſervants:mmAct. 10.35.Acts 10:35 In every Nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteouſneſſe is accepted of him. Other lords cannot reward all their followers, as being poore and unable: or will not, as being baſe and illiberall. But our Lord is immenſe in Majeſtie, and propenſe in mercy: good in greatneſſe, and great in goodneſſe, of great goodneſſe. Poore Bartimeus begging, rich Zacheus climbing, old Simeon in the Temple, young Iohn in the wombe: covetous Matthew at the receipt of cuſtome, the loving Centurion p. 21building a Synagogue, the people watching under the Croſſe, the theefe hanging on the Croſſe; This day thou ſhalt be with me in Paradiſe. For,nnIoh. 3.16.John 3:16 whoſoever beleeveth on him ſhall not periſh; etiamſi crucifixerunt; no not although they were of the number of his Crucifiers.

2. The Apoſtles humility and charitie: he acknowledgeth the pooreſt Saints to have like precious faith with himſelfe. Many Miriams are proud of the Spirit, deſpiſing their poore brethren: Saint Peter matcheth them with himſelfe. They are as deare in the Maſters bloud, therefore as deare in the Servants love. Gal. 6.2. Beare ye one anothers burdens. In other buildings, one ſtone lies upon another, all upon the foundation: ſo let us ſupport the weight one of another; and the foundation CHRIST, ſupport us all! The pebble muſt not envie the marble, nor the marble deſpiſe the pebble: the pinne in the Temple ſerves for uſe, ſo well as the pinnacle.oo2 Cor. 11.25.2 Cor 11:25 The members ſhould have the ſame care one for another: Chriſtian ſhoulders ſhould beare the weakneſſe of others. The rich and the poore are piled together in Gods houſe: the burthen of the poore is beggery, the burthen of the rich his ſuperfluous eſtate. Now if the poore lie upon the rich, and the rich be contented to ſuſtaine the poore: here the rich hath his burthen leſſened by giving,Aug. and the poore hath his burden eaſed by receiving.ppGal. 6.1.Gal 6:1 If a brother be falne, do not you trample him downe, but help him up; relieve and restore ſuch a one in the ſpirit of meekeneſſe. When thou heareſt thy brother to have lapſed into ſome grievous fault, pitty him, pray for him, recollect him, ſaying, He fell yeſterday, I may fall to day. As Auguſt. when he ſaw a poore miſerable man, tooke occaſion to admoniſh himſelfe and the companie; Aut ſumus, aut fuimus, vel poſſumus eſſe quod hic eſt: we have beene, are, or may be, as wretched as he.

3 This comforts our fainting hearts: there are many guſts and ſtormes, and flouds that attempt the overthrow of our faith: be our houſe founded on theqqMatth. 7.25Matt 7:25 rock, it ſhall never be demoliſhed. Senſe of ſinne may be often great, and more felt than grace; yet not to be more than grace. A man feeles the ach of his finger more ſenſibly, than the health of his whole body: yet he knowes that the ach of a finger is nothing ſo much as the health of the whole body. The Sunne under the clouds, is ſtill a Sunne: the fire in embers ſtill fire: the ſap is ſhut up in the roote, and confined thither by the cold of winter; that it cannot ſhew it ſelfe in production of leaves and fruits, as in the ſpring; yet is there ſtill life in the tree. So in the diſtreſſed heart, during the ſtorme of affliction, there is ſtill aliquid intùs, ſome hidden grace; ſome ſparke of fire in the ſmoking flaxe, which the Lord Ieſus will not quench. Though thou be wounded with Gods owne arrowes, that ſeeme to drinke up thy bloud: although thy owne ſinnes be preſented to the eye of thy ſoule; though the Serpent (to increaſe thy terror) put forth his diſmall countenance: yet canſt thou beleeve? Take comfort, there is more health in the ſeed of the woman, than there can bee venome in the head of the ſerpent.

That have obtained the like precious faith: here is the meanes of this Equality, they have obtained it. Not by our own merits; there was no congruitie of nature to receive this precious treaſure. Non naſcimur, ſed renaſcimur Chriſtiani; wee are not borne, but new-borne Chriſtians. It is indeed naturall to every one, like Simon Magus, to thinke himſelferrActs 8.9.Acts 8:9 ſome great man; either the man, or ſomebody. Luther was wont to ſay, that every man by nature hath a Pope bred in his belly, too great an opinion of his owne worth: we are Narciſſus-like, enamoured of our owne ſhadowes. Injuſtitiae ferè fola cauſa juſtitia eſt: righteouſneſſe is almoſt the onelyonly cauſe of unrighteouſneſſe: righteouſneſſe in opinion, of unrighteouſneſſe indeed: wee thinke our ſelves ſo juſt, that we make little reckoning of Chriſt, for want of whom we remaine unjuſt ſtill. But the higheſt Mountebanke in his proffers, is the loweſt Dwarfe in his merits. Not by our owne purchaſe: many have ſo obtained Lordſhips and Mannors; as the Captaine bought his Burgeſſe-ſhip,ſſAct 22.28.Acts 22:28 with a great ſumme of money. Wert thou ſo glorious as an Angell, thy meat ſo good as Manna, thy p. 22garments richer than Aarons Ephod, and thy breath ſweeter than the perfume of the Tabernacle; yet all this could not get thee faith, nor give thee title to the kingdome of heaven.ttActs 8.20.Acts 8:20 Thy mony periſh with thee, that thinkeſt the gifts of God may be bought with mony.

But we obtaine it by Gods merciemercy: foruuPhil. 1.29.Phil 1:29 it is given us for Chriſts ſake to beleeve. Faith is the faire gift of God; Ipſum velle credere Deus operatur in homine. Not onelyonly the grace of faith, but the very will of beleeving is Gods worke in us. If any aske, ſaith Auguſt. Cur illi ita ſuadeatur, ut perſuadeatur; illi autem non ita: why this man is converted to beleeve, that man not convinced to beleeve. I anſwere with Saint Paul, Rom. 11.33. Oh the depth of the riches both of the wiſedome and knowledge of God! Cui iſta reſponſio diſplicet, quaerat doctiores; ſed caveat ne inveniat praeſumptiores. If any man diſlike this anſwere, let him ſeeke better: but beware leſt hee find worſe.xx1 Cor. 15.10.1 Cor 15:10 By the grace of God I am that I am. Aug. Omne bonum noſtrum vel ipſe, vel ab ipſo. All the good we have, is either God himſelfe, or what comes from him. Bona mea, dona tua: ipſum minus eſt munus. All my goods, O Lord are thy gifts. Quisquis tibi enumerat merita ſua, quid tibi enumerat niſi munera tua? He that ſhall reckon to thee his merits, doth no more but reckon thy mercies.

Have obtained; foreign Sortiti ſunt; ſo the Originall imports; they have obtained it by lot. So it is ſaid of Zachary. Luke 1.9. foreign; Sortitus eſt munus faciendi ſuffimenti; his lot was to burne incenſe, &c. So, Col. 1.12. that we reade, He made us fit to be partakers of the Inheritance; ad verbum, foreign; unto the part of the lot of the Saints in light. Not that we draw theſe bleſſings by a lotterie, or imaginary fortune; but by the ordination of God; for though the lot be caſt into the lap, yet the whole diſpoſition thereof is of the Lord. It is therefore called our lot, becauſe the Lord hath deſtinated it to be our portion. Though the land of Iſrael were divided by lot, yet the Lord had decreed in himſelfe, and told Ioſhua, what lot and portion every tribe ſhould have. There is a threefold lot belongs to the faithfull. 1 The lot of the Saints is the ſufferings of the Saints.aaPſal. 125.3.Ps 125:3 The rod of the wicked ſhall not reſt upon the lot of the righteous. It is their lot to have the rod, not the rod of the wicked: or if it ſalute them, it ſhall not dwell with them.bb2 Tim. 3 12.2 Tim 3:12 All that will live godly in Chriſt, ſhall ſuffer perſecution: it is their inevitable lot to be chaſtiſed on earth, it is their lot to be ſaved in heaven. 2 The lot of the Saints is not onelyonly that light and happineſſe they have in this world. Pſal. 16.6. The lot is falne to me in pleaſant places, yea, I have a goodly heritage. When David ſate at the ſheepfold, the kingdome of Iſrael was given him by lot from God. But more ſpecially Faith, Grace and Sanctification; which gives them juſt right and title to the Inheritance of glory. Thus heaven is their lot now, a lot drawne out of the bloudy ſide of Chriſt; though not in poſſeſſion, yet in ſucceſſion. They have the earneſt of it: let them grow up to ſtature and perfection, and take it. The Inheritance is the eldeſt ſonnes lot, even whiles he is a child. 3 Laſtly, they have the lot of faith, that they may have the lot of ſalvation. Hell is the lot of the wicked:ccEſa. 17.14.Isa 17:14 Behold at evening tide trouble, and before the morning he is not: this is the portion of them that ſpoile us, and the lot of them that robbe us. Therefore it is ſaid of Iudas, Acts 1. that he went in locum ſuum, to his owne place.ddPſal. 11.6.Ps 11:6 VponUpon the wicked God ſhall raine ſnares, fire, and brimſtone, and a horrible tempeſt; this ſhall be the portion of their cup. But the lot of the righteous is faith, and the end of their faith the ſalvation of their ſoules. God gives them heaven, not for any foreſeene worthineſſe in the receivers: for no worthineſſe of our owne can make us our fathers heires. But for his owne merciemercy and favour in Chriſt, preparing heaven for us, and us for heaven. So that upon his decree it is allotted to us; and unleſſe heaven could loſe God, we cannot loſe heaven.

Here then conſider how the lotterie of Canaan may ſhadow out to us, that bleſſed land of promiſe whereof the other was a type. The alluſion may be led on through three principall paſſages; the Preparation, the Qualification, the Poſſeſſion.

p. 23For the Preparation: Canaan was not a new made Countrey, out of barren and unhabitable deſarts; but was already furniſhed to their hands: Nature had enriched it with commodities, and Induſtry beautified it with buildings and maturities; which were not done by the Iſraelites.eeDeut. 6.11.Deut 6:11 They came to goodly Cities which they builded not: to houſes full of all good things which they filled not: to Welles digged which they digged not: and to Vineyards which they planted not. So heaven was prepared of old; Mat. 25. Inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world. That glorious Citie whoſe wall was of Iaſper, and the fabricke pure gold, the foundations of precious ſtones. Rev. 21. Was neither formed nor furniſhed by the Saints; butffHeb. 11.10.Heb 11:10 the builder and maker was God. So Paul, 2 Cor. 5.1. it is the building of God, an houſe not made with hands. GOD made it for his choſen; and as the Canaanites were caſt out, that the Iſraelites might enter; ſo the LORD hath throwne the devils out of heaven, that elect men might dwell there.

2. For the qualification: as none had right to Canaan but the children of Abraham according to fleſh, ſo none have right to heaven but the children of Abraham according to faith. This qualification ſtands in our Captaine, and in our Combate. For the Captaine they had Ioſhua, we have IESVS: though there were a Canaan, there would have beene no lot, without a Ioſhua: though there bee a heaven, there would have been no roome for us in it without a Ieſus. The lot of every Tribe was knowne to Ioſhua, the portion of every Saint is purchaſed by IESVS.ggIoſh. 19.50.Josh 19:50 Ioſhua had the Citie which he asked for himſelfe: IESVS obtaines whatſoever he asketh for us. Pſal. 2.8. Poſtula a me; Aske of mee, and I ſhall give thee; though thy demand be more than Herods offer, halfe my kingdome; though it be the Heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermoſt parts of the earth for thy poſſeſſion. For the Combate; Canaan was given to Iſrael by promiſe, yet they could not enter …ithout a combate: they fought many ſore battels, before they were ſetled in a victorious reſt. So muſt the kingdome of heaven ſuffer violence, before it afford reſidence: and we muſt be content to warre with greater Gyants than the Sonnes of Anak, even with Principalities and Powers, before we triumph. Let us beare the Country in our mindes, and wee ſhall finde courage in our hearts.hhIoſh. 14.13.Josh 14:13 Caleb dares fight with the Anakims, if Ioſhua give him Hebron: and complaining Ephraim enlarge his territories, if Ioſhua promiſe them the wood-countrey. Ioſh. 17.18. If Dan complaine of tooiiIoſh. 19.47Josh 19:47 little roome, let him fight it out for more; let him conquer Leſhem, and poſſeſſe it. Chriſtians muſt not pine and repine, that others exceed them in graces; but buckle on the armes of faith; and with a reverent courage ſtrive for more. Nor is it a good argument that wee ſhare the lot of faith, if wee ſtrive onelyonly for our ſelves; Chriſtians thus truly qualified ſeeke alſo the ſalvation of others. The Reubenites, Gadites, and halfe the Tribe of Manaſſeh had their lot allowed already; yet were they not ſuffered ſo to reſt; butkkIoſh. 1.14.Josh 1:14 to paſſe before their brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and to helpe them. Nor is it enough for Peter and Paul to comfort themſelves in the ſecurity of their owne ſalvation; but they muſt labour the converſion and confirmation of their brethren. Thus are they qualified, to whom the lot of faith, and of eternall life by faith, is ordained. Heaven is not for every one, but for the Saints: would any man have a lot in Canaan, let him be ſure he be a true Iſraelite. It is not the bare hope and probability of a little, that can give the ſoule the ſatisfaction of comfort. For a man to ſtand to the courteſie of his Miniſter, for all the knowledge which hee requires in heavenly bleſſings: had beene for an Iſraelite to take it upon truſt of the Spyes, who were ſent to view and report the goodneſſe of the land; and never to enter it himſelfe.

3. For the poſſeſſion it ſelfe, no mortall eye hath ſeene it, nor eare hath heard it; bleſſed ſoules whoſe lot it ſhall be to enjoy it. But I leave this point to your meditation; for our Apoſtle ſpeakes here of the preparing lot, not of the poſſeſſing lot. Let us get the lotterie of grace, and we ſhall be aſſured the lot of glory. But p. 24alas how ſlowly doe we goe about this holy buſineſſe! Ioſhua was faine to chide the ſeven tribes; Ioſh. 18:2. for neglect of their Inheritance. How long are you ſlacke to goe to poſſeſſe the land, which the God of your fathers hath given you? we may be all thus juſtly reproved; how long deferre we to make ſure our election, and to get the earneſt of everlaſting life?

Thus we have conſidered this precious Iewell of faith, and how we have obtained it: by no worthineſſe of our owne, but by lot: that is, the free gift and diſpoſion of God; who gives it, or denies it, according to his owne good pleaſure. If he have given thee this lot of beleeving, the thanks be to him: if thou draw a blanke and doeſt not obtaine it, yet he hath done thee no wrong: who ſhall command that ind…pendent proprietary to give away his owne? That have obtained it: here is matter of correction, of direction. Firſt, this corrects the errors of two ſorts:

1. Such as have not obtained faith; who thinke that they may beleeve when they liſt: reſpecting only Dei facultatem & facilitatem, the ſufficencie and indulgencie of GOD: not regarding the obduration of their owne hearts, and their indiſpoſition to receive it. Recipitur quicquid ad modum recipientis: whatſoever is received, is received according to the meaſure and capablenes of the thing which receives. Stones and ſand will not be leavened, but meale. There is matter in the rocke to build a houſe of; not forme and proportion till it bee hewed out. Thoſe five fooliſh Virgins, Mat. 25. thought they might get oile at their pleaſure: but becauſe their lamps were out, themſelves could not be let in. Many thinke whereſoever they loſt their faith, they ſhall finde it on their death-bed. But Nemo ſibi promittat, quod non promiſit Evangelium: let no man promiſe himſelfe that, which the Goſpell doth not promiſe him. If they cannot finde it in the Church, they will hardly finde it in the chamber: if the ordinary meanes to beget faith have not wrought it, how ſhall it be taken when it is not offered? But ſaith Auguſtine, Fides in poteſtate eſt; faith is in a mans power: but that Father never meant that an infidell can beleeve when he liſt, but when God gives him that liſt, mans will is not compelled. As he addes, Cùm vult quiſque credit: when a mans will is to beleeve, he does beleeve: but whence hath he that will? the finger of GOD moves his will. Fides eſt voluntaria certitudo abſentium, ſaith another: faith is a voluntary perſwaſion of abſent things?llRom 9.16.Rom 9:16 But it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of GOD that ſheweth mercy. God muſt give the will, act, effect and all. The Fathers never averred, that an unbeleever can make himſelfe a beleever by his owne power: but when God hath given him the power of faith, he can then beleeve.mmIohn 15.5.John 15:5 Without me you can doe nothing, ſaith Chriſt: not parum, very little: but nihil, nothing at all. The members muſt be ſet in the body, before they can execute any offices for the body: neither are they members, becauſe they are working; but are therefore working, becauſe they are members. The tree brings forth the fruit, the fruit doth not bring forth the tree. Papiſts in their Congruities, and Libertines in their Potentials, run too much upon a very baſe figure, foreign, the cart before the horſe; merit before mercy. Doe not thinke, To beleeve, ſo eaſie a matter: the death of Chriſt darkned the Sun, ſhooke the earth, clave the rockes, opened the graves, and raiſed the dead; yet did not put faith into the Iewes hearts. It was a great miracle, Deum naſci, for God to be borne of woman: a great miracle, Virginem parere, for a Virgin to beare a childe, and ſtill to remaine a Virgin: but the greateſt miracle of all is Fidem haec credere, for a mans faith to beleeve theſe things. Bernard makes this to be the moſt wonderfull mixture and compoſition of the three. Firſt, Deus & Homo, God and man, a ſtrange union; that hominem eſſe incipit, qui Deum eſſe non deſinit; He ſhould begin to be man, who is God without beginning, without ending: Divinity and Humanity in one individuall Perſon; this is very myſticall. Next, Mater & Virgo, a Mother and a Virgin: Quod Virgo eſſet quae peperit, & Mater eſſet quae Virgo remanſit: That ſhee ſhould be a Virgin ſtill, which was now a Mother; that ſhe ſhould be a Mother, which remained a pure Virgin; this was ſingularly admirable: maternitie and virginitie at p. 25once in the ſame individuall perſon. Laſtly Cor hominis & fides, mans heart and faith; a naturall underſtanding, and ſupernaturall objects mixed together. Fire and water would ſooner be reconciled then theſe two, without the ſupernaturall combining worke of Gods ſpirit. This is the moſt wonderfull miſture and myſterie. This Faith is no eaſy thing to obtaine. Potes a te deficere, ſed teipſum reficere non potes: ille reficit; qui te fecit. Auguſtine. Thou maieſt fall off, from thy ſelfe; not recover thy ſelfe: He onelyonly that made thee, can reſtore thee. Faith is Gods gift; no man can obtaine it, if he detaine it.

2 Such as have obtained it, ne Superbiant, that they bee not proud of it.aa1 Cor. 4.7.1 Cor 4:7 What haſt thou that thou didſt not receive? now if thou didſt receive it, why doſt thou glory as if thou hadſt not received it? Let not the moſt famous diſdaine the meaneſt nor the meaneſt repine at the mightieſt. Inſultation and malice are enemies to grace and faith.bbRom. 11.20.Rom 11:20 Be not high minded, but feare. Pride was the firſt ſinne that ever was in the world, and it ſhall be the laſt. As other infirmities decreaſe in us, ſo pride doth encreaſe. Mille virtutibus affluens, propter arrogantiam amiſit faelicitatem, ſaith Chryſoſt. on that Phariſe. Luke 18.11. Though he abounded with many vertues, yet he loſt all by his ſelfe-conceitedneſſe. God I thanke thee (for he was not a petitioner, but a proclaimer) I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjuſt, adulterers, or even as this Publicane. Yet he was all theſe; an Extortioner, for in relying on his owne merits, he did rob GOD of his glory, and extort that from him which hee will not give to another. Vnjust, in condemning the publican without due proofe; ſo being himſelfe a guilty perſon worthy to be condemned, he uſurpes the office of a Iudge, and cenſures another. An Adulterer, in being wedded to vaine glory, and enamoured of popular applauſe: leaving the humble and chaſt love he owes to God he runs a whoring after his owne proud inventions.ccIam. 4.4.Jas 4:4 Saint Iames calls them Adulterers that embrace the friendſhip of the world. Thus he did verbis proferre virtutem, Ierom.& factis deſtruere veritatem: like a bad mill that keepes a great clacking, and grinds little. Howſoever all ſins may be ſaid to be in the devill ſecundum reatum, in reſpect of guiltineſſe: yet only pride is in him ſecundum affectum, in reſpect of his deſire: ſaith Thomas. His darling ſin, his character is Pride. Hens uſe to cackle ſo ſoon as they have laid their egs, & by this meanes they are inſtantly taken from them. The proud man may doe ſome good workes, but by his clacking and boaſting he looſeth them. The phariſaicall Papiſts have haply laid ſome egges, but they ſo cackle them that they quite marre their market. Inſolens faelix, infaelix. Poore men advanced, and growing proud, are like clouds drawne up on high by the Sun; and when they are there, they darken the Sunne that drew them up. God may ſay to them, as Sara ſpake to Abraham concerning Hagar; I have given thee my handmaid, and now I am deſpiſed in thine eyes. But it is certaine; they have leaſt faith that thinke they have all faith. Men that make themſelves ſo ſure of heaven, that they will ſcarce change places with the departed Saints; may perhaps wiſh themſelves one day in the poore Publicans caſe and place; Lord be mercifull to me a ſinner.

Thus much for the reproofe of thoſe two errors; one in the defect, the other in the exceſſe: neither whereof have indeed obtained faith: Now for direction to thoſe that have obtained it: this twofold.

1 Learne to acknowledge the author Haſt thou obtained that precious Iewell denyed to thouſands, be the more thankefull. As Thales Mileſius asked no other reward of his readers, but ubi mea legeris, me agnoſce; Where thou readeſt me, acknowledge me So God requires of his creatures, that where they find the benefits, they thankefully acknowledge the Benefactor. God hath kept nothing to himſelfe but his glory, and this he will not give to another: as Pharaoh gave all to Ioſeph, only excepting the throne: yet in this glory we are too forward to be ſharers. When the Babilonians heard the muſicke, cornet, flute, harpe, &c. they fell downe, and worſhipped the Idol. So men when they heare the muſicke of their owne praiſes,Dan 3.Dan 3 Idolize themſelves, and worſhip a golden calfe. The wife is bound to be chaſtly reſerved p. 26to her owne husband; and not with a tempting dreſſe to invite adulterers. Vaine glory trickes us up, not for God our husband, but for ſtrange lovers; he will acknowledge no ſuch wife. Ioab ſent meſſengers to David, that he ſhould bring in his forces, and take Rabbah; his reaſon was,dd2 Sam. 12.28.2 Sam 12:28 leſt I take the Citie and it be called after my name: not Ioab thy ſervant, but David the King muſt have this honour. So God cannot indure that his creature ſhould divide the glory with himſelfe; give him all willingly, or he will have all in deſpight of thee. Aſcendat gratia tua, ut deſcendat gratia ſua: let thy thankefull acknowledgement goe up, that his great bountie may come downe.

2 Learne to preſerve what thou haſt gotten.eeRevel. 2.15.Rev 2:15 That which you have already, hold faſt till I come. This was Saint Pauls happineſſe, that having finiſhed his courſe, yet he had ſtillff2 Tim. 4.7.2 Tim 4:7 kept the faith. The loſſe of faith is a dangerousgg2 Tim. 1 19.2 Tim 1:19 ſhipwracke: if it be poſſible, ſave your veſſells, ſave your goods, ſave your wares, ſave your bodies; but though you loſe all, ſave your faiths, ſave your ſoules. Imagine thy ſelfe a veſſell; the ſea this world, thy fraight Faith: there is a man of warre againſt thee; the barke is Diffidence, the ſouldiours Atheiſme, Hereſie, Schiſme, Prophaneſſe: the charged Cannons and ordinance are Pride, Luſt, Hypocriſie, to which drunkenneſſe is the maſter gunner, and gives fire. The Arch-pyrate is the devill, who ſo violently aſſaults us, and bords us with his temptations, that often we are faine to blow up our deckes, loſe ſome of our neceſſary appertenances; glad like the young man in the Goſpell, Relicto ſyndone fugere, to ſave our ſelves, though we leave our caſe behind us. There be alſo Rockes of perſecutions, and Gulfes of errors; horrible gulfes in the Sea of Rome, dangerous ſwallowes about Amſterdam. When opinion goes before us, it is a great queſtion whether truth will follow us. Looke to thy faith. Perit navis, ſi pereat fides; ſhipwracke thy faith, and drowne thy ſoule. Caſt Iudas out of the ſhip, and take IESUS in: Turbatur navis in qua Iudas, ſervatur navis in qua Ieſus. That ſhip is troubled that harbours a Traitor: the ſhip is ſafe that hath in it the Saviour: now he hath CHRIST, that hath faith. If therefore by faith thou be freed from the bondage of Satan; take heed leſt by laying downe this refuge thou be againe captived. Let not the world like a crafty theefe ſteale away thy faith: looke to your faith yee covetous, forſake not the word to embrace the world. Be not like Plaices, which have a blacke ſide ſo well as a white: when their turnes are once ſerved by the white, they inſtantly, ſhew you the blacke. Though the faith of Chriſt be in their mouthes, the love of the world is in their hearts. Let no extremity of ſorrowes or ſufferings enervate thy faith: When a lewd malefactor being condemned to die with juſt Phocion, raild at the Iudge, the law, his enemies, and looked on death with terrour and amaſedneſſe: he thus cheared him with encouragement: doeſt thou grudge to die with Phocion? O thou faint-hearted profeſſor, doſt thou grudge to die with Chriſt, or for Chriſt? keepe thy ſhield of faith, and thou ſhalt victoriouſly march with the Saints on earth; and triumphantly ſing with the Angels in heaven. Faith obtained, faith retained, ſhall without faile advance thy ſoule to eternall glory.

Through the righteouſneſſe of God, and our Saviour Christ. Here is the ground of this meanes, the Iuſtice of our redeemer. Some read theſe words diſtinctim, by diſjoyning them; Dei, & Salvatoris; Of God, and Of our Saviour. This reading may ſtand where Righteouſneſſe is referred to God, as to the cauſe efficient: and to Chriſt, as to the cauſe meritorious. Auguſtine admoniſheth us of the Trinitie here and teacheth us to collect it from ſuch places. Sub Dei nomine Pater, ſub Salvatoris Filius, ſub Pacis & Gratiaevoce Spiritus ſanctus exprimitur: By the name of God he underſtands the Father, by Saviour the Sonne, by Grace and Peace the Holy Ghoſt. But with Saint Ambroſe, they are better read Conjunctìm: and this is plaine from the Greeke context, where all are contained under one article. Aquin thus: Of GOD, that is of CHRIST, Secundum Divinitatem effectivè: Of our SAVIOVR, that is of CHRIST, ſecundum Humanitatem meritoriè. But I leave that as too curious p. 27and take the words to be conſtrued onelyonly copulatively: anſwerably to that of Paul; hhTit. 2.13.Titus 2:13Looking for the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Ieſus Chriſt. Here can be no diſtinction of Perſons thought on: for it is the Great God that appeares in judgement, but no Perſon of the Deitie properly appeares in judgement at the laſt day, but IESUS CHSRIST.iiIohn 5.22.John 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man: but hath committed all judgement unto the Sonne: therefore CHRIST is there called the Great God. For the Mediator betwixt God and man, is perfect God and perfect man; and yet not two, but one CHRIST. One not by confuſion of ſubſtance, but by unitie of Perſon, as Athanaſius.

Here is then full teſtimony that CHRIST is God, againſt the Arrians. But when I reade that Fevardentius reports; how many of the Polonians have derogated from this eternall Deitie of Chriſt, and that from the writings of Calvin, and other Reformed Catholikes; I muſt ſigh with Polycarpus! O bone Deus, in quae me tempora reſervaſti, ut ista audiam! Good God, what times doe I live in, to reade and heare ſuch impious and impudent ſlanders! Let any indifferent man judge, whether they or we derogate more from our Saviour Chriſt: we in reſting our whole ſalvation upon him, or they in joyning other Saviours with him. They ſay, that if God will beare halfe the charges in cooperation, we may merit our owne glory, fulfill the Law, have workes to ſpare for our neighbours: whereof Rome hath ſuch ſtore, that ſhe can ſpare England ſome out of her ſuper fluity, if we will pay for them. But that we thinke, as when one boaſted how faire a ſhe-ſlave he had bought for a pound, another anſwered that ſhe was too deare of a groat: ſo if we ſhould beſtow our moneyes on ſuch ſupererogatory ſtuffe, every peny-worth would be worſe than other. We teach that our beſt actions are full of ſinne, our ſatisfactions debts, that no merit can doe us good, but the merits of Ieſus Chriſt. Whether of us more wrongs our Saviour? No, let them take their owne egge out of our neſt, we never layed it, we will never hatch it.kkRom 9.5.Rom 9:5 He is over all, God bleſſed for ever: Amen. He is the God of ſalvation, and he ſhall be found a God in judgement. Qui negârunt in carne mortali, confitebuntur in igne immortali. They that have denied it in their mortall fleſh, ſhall acknowledge it in immortall fire. I cannot ſay logically, Quid ſit, what he is; but Quis ſit, who he is: there is no Logicke ſufficient to expreſſe Chriſt. De lumine, Aug.non ſine lumine: No man can ſpeake of the Light, but by the light. The beſt apprehenſion of him is negatiue: he cannot lye, he cannot dye, he cannot deny himſelfe. He is God of the Father, as a branch from the root, as fragance from the Pomander, as words from the ſoule, as light from the Sunne. Man of the Virgin, by over-ſhadowing of the Holy Ghoſt, who withall hath caſt a ſhadow over this myſtery. Man, not by taking mans perſon into his owne nature, but by taking mans nature into his owne Perſon. But in all this, Mallem ignorantiam humiliter confiteri, quàm ſcientiam impudenter profiteri; I will rather humbly acknowledge my ignorance, than proudly profeſſe my knowledge. Therefore, as the Philoſopher ſitting on the banke of a River, and obſerving it to ebbe and flow ſeven times a day; becauſe he could not by Philoſophie finde out the hidden cauſe, he threw himſelfe headlong into it, with theſe words; Quoniam ego non capio te, tu capies me: Becauſe I cannot conceive thee, doe thou receive me. So I offer my ſelfe in all humilitie to Chriſt, God and man, my bleſſed Saviour; Quoniam ego non capio te, capias me. O Lord I cannot comprehend thee, doe thou therefore comprehend me, for ever!

Through the righteouſneſſe, &c. VponUpon this ground let me build five inſtructions, or concluſions which are naturally deduced from it.

1 All grace to our ſoules, all good to our bodies; all peace that may concerne this life or that to come, is derived to us through the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt. Whatſoever good deſcends from God to us, is granted through Chriſt; whatſoever good aſcends from us to God, is accepted through Chriſt. We are elected in Chriſt, redeemed by Chriſt, ingraffed to Chriſt, ſaved for Chriſt. God gives to all Dona, gifts; but they are onelyonly true comforts to thoſe that enjoy them through Chriſt. p. 28David out of the great love he bore to Ionathan, which was paſsing the love of women, was alſo loving to Mephiboſheth the ſonne of Ionathan; ll2 Sam 9.7.2 Sam 9:7he ſet him at his owne table, and reſtored him all the land of Saul his father. Mephiboſheth was lame and decrepite, yet David loved him for Ionathans ſake. Infinite is the love of God to his owne Sonne, therefore hee is called the Sonne of his love, Coloſſ. 1.13. In whom he is well pleaſed. We are lame and deformed, warped, wicked, wretched; there is nothing in us that hee ſhould deſire us: yet hee reſtores us all the lands our Father Adam loſt, yea, and ten thouſand times more than ever he was owner of; and will one day ſet us at his owne table, yea, in his very Throne, Revel. 3.21. and make us partakers of his glory: ſo did David to Mephiboſheth for Ionathan his Fathers ſake, ſo doth GOD to us for IESUS his Sonnes ſake. Conſider man in a foure-fold eſtate; Confectionis, as he was made; Infectionis, as he was marred; Refectionis, as he was repaired; Perfectionis, as hee ſhall be accompliſhed: and ſee how all mercy ſtill came to us through CHRIST. Firſt, GOD made man happie, becauſe holy; without miſery, becauſe without iniquitie.mmEccleſ. 7.29Eccl 7:29 This I have found, that God made man righteous, and in that righteouſneſſe he had the Image of God, Epheſ. 4.24. If a glorious Heaven above him, a fruitfull Earth under him, command of the creatures below him, the guard of Angels about him, the peace of conſcience within him: if all this could make him happie, he was not ſcanted. He was created thus through Chriſt:nnCol. 1.16.Col 1:16 By him were all things created that are in heaven or earth, viſible or inviſible, &c. Secondly, man ſtood not thus long; hee fell from his holineſſe, ſo from his happineſſe; hee loſt the favour of the Creator, the ſervice of the creature; a curſe fell upon him for his ſinnes. Loe now, he lyes weltring in his owne gore, who ſhall heale him? God redeemes him through Chriſt;ooIohn 3.16.John 3:16 So he loved the world, that he gave his onelyonly begotten Sonne; he ſent him to doe it. Behold him hanging, bleeding, dying upon the curſed Croſſe to ſave us. Thirdly, a Redeemer is come, what is man the better for it, if he hath not power to beleeve on him? Faith he can have none, if it be not given him through Chriſt.ppPhil. 1.29.Phil 1:29 It is given to you in the behalfe of Chriſt to beleeve. Againe, Lord helpe; for Chriſt his ſake grant us a third merciemercy; make us beleevers, or we are never the better; we had as good have no Saviour, as not have him our Saviour: and ours he cannot be, unleſſe himſelfe make us his. Laſtly, for the ſtate of perfection and immortall bleſſedneſſe,2 Tim. 4.8.2 Tim 4:8 it is through CHRIST. There is laid up for me, ſaith Paul, a Crowne of righteouſneſſe; and not for me onelyonly, but for all thoſe that love his appearing. Who ſhall give this to us! The righteous Iudge; and that is Ieſus Chriſt. Thus all good comes to us through Chriſt.

Againe, all our good is accepted onelyonly through the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt. Our very perſons are accepted in the Beloved: Epheſ. 1.6. if our perſons, then our good actions. If we pray, he chargeth us to doe it, Nomine meo, qqIohn 16.23.John 16:23In my name; then we are ſure to ſpeed; God will give it you. Auguſt. in Pſalm. 85. Orat pro nobis, or at in nobis, oratur à nobis. Hee prayeth for us, as our Advocate: he prayeth in us, by his holy Spirit: is prayed to of us, as ourrrEſay 9.6.Isa 9:6 Everlaſting Father. Oramus ad illum, per illum, in illo: Wee pray unto him, wee pray by him, we pray in him.ſſIohn 14.6.John 14:6 I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Venitur per me, provenitur ad me, permanetur in me. I am the Way, you come by me: I am the Truth, you come unto me: I am the Life, you ſhall dwell for ever in mee. Hee is the Beginning of Salvation, therefore the Way: the midſt of Salvation, therefore the Truth: the end of Salvation, therefore the Life; ſaith Ferus. Via incipientium, veritas proficientium, vita perfectorum. The way of them that begin, the truth of them that grow forward, and the life of them that are perfect. In matter of diſputation with Atheiſts or Heretikes, concerning Gods Wiſdome, Majeſty, Power, &c. exerciſe all thy wit and induſtry, to convince the Adverſary. But when thou commeſt into another ſchoole, to wraſtle with the Devill, with the Law, with Sinne and Death, in the matter of thy Iuſtification; then fix thy eye upon no God, but the perſon of the God-head incarnate; Behold the p. 29Lambe of God, that takes away the ſinne of the world. Gods ſeat is ſaid to be compaſſed about with a Rain-bow, Revel. 4.3. The Rain-bow was a ſigne of his covenant made with man; here doth ſignifie his perpetuall mercy to us in Chriſt. If he ſhould marke what is done amiſſe, who is able to ſtand? If he enter into judgement with us, no fleſh living ſhall be juſtified. But here is our comfort; there is a Rain-bow about the Throne; he can looke no way upon his Church, but thorow the Rain-bow; through Ieſus Chriſt. Hence it is, not to us a terrible Throne; but attHeb. 4.16.Heb 4:16 Throne of grace, ſo full of mercy, that wee may boldly come unto it. Though, verſ. 5. out of the Throne proceed lightnings, and thundrings, and terrible voyces; though there be ſeven lampes of fire burning before it: yet all is well ſo long as there is a Rain-bow about it. Thus all good things come to us in Chriſt: that we may humbly acknowledge, and heartily ſing with Paul; uuRom. 11.36.Rom 11:36Of him, and through him, and to him are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

2 The faith of a Chriſtian is well grounded, upon the righteouſneſſe of Christ xx1 Cor. 3.11.1 Cor 3:11For other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Ieſus Chriſt. That houſe of faith only ſhall ſtand, that is built on thisyyMatth. 7.25.Matt 7:25 Rocke. Neither, the Raine that fals in whole ſhowers of proſperity; nor the voluminous Flouds, that rore out perſecutions; nor the adverſe winds, that blow with the loudeſt violence of oppoſition; ſhall overthrow that houſe, becauſe it is founded on a rocke. zzMatt. 16.18.Matt 16:18Thou art Peter, and upon this Rocke (which thou haſt acknowledged to be the Son of the living God) I will build my Church: and the gates of hell ſhall not prevaile againſt it. Though Stephen Gardiuer apoſtated did reade that Text with the Popes ſpectacles, in the dayes of Queen Mary; and made the Pope ſupreme founder of Faith. Yet formerly in the dayes of King Edward the ſixth, he preached it otherwiſe, that the Rocke was only Chriſt. Non agnovit Petrum eſſe Petram, ſed Petri Dominum. Domus Dei credendo ſundatur, ſaith Auguſtine. The foundation of Gods houſe in mans heart, is Faith. Firſt, place the foundation, then reare up the building; the Inſtruments of which edifice are the Word and Sacraments. Here is no place for Traditions of men, or Conſtitutions of Popes: the ground of faith is the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, not our owne merits: if in thy garden any grace or good works ſpring over the wall, and ſaucily challenge to it ſelfe a prerogative of merit; deale with it as the Gardiner doth with ſuperfluous branches, prune it off: or as Torquatus with his over-venturous ſonne; cut it downe with the ſword of the Spirit for daring beyond the commiſſion. The Iuſtice of Chriſt is the ſole compaſſe of faith: our adverſaries oppoſe this both with pens and tongues, violently in the Schooles, invectively in the Pulpits: but come they to their death-beds, to argue it betweene God and their owne ſoules; then Grace and grace alone; mercy and only mercy; Ieſus and none but Ieſus. This their great Bel-weather is driven to confeſſe:aaDe Iuſtiſ. lib 5. cap. 7. By reaſon of the uncertainty of our owne righteouſneſſe, and the danger of vain-glory, the ſafeſt courſe is Fiduciam totam in ſola Dei miſericordia & benignitate reponere; to put our whole truſt and confidence in the onelyonly goodneſſe and mercy of God. But perhaps Bellarmine ſpake this as a …ee…e Ieſuite; and afterwards being made Papable, he was willing to retract and unſay it.

God threatens, Gen. 6.5. to deſtroy the World with a Floud, becauſe the imaginations of mans heart were evill continually. And Gen. 8.21. God promiſeth no more to curſe the ground for mans Take; becauſe the imaginations of mans heart are evill from his youth. The ſame reaſon that is alleaged why God will not ſpare the world; is alſo alleaged why he will ſpare the world. It ſerves to prove, that not mans merit, but Gods mercy is the cauſe why confuſion is withholden.bbMalac. 3.6.Mal 3:6 I am the Lord, I change not: therefore ye ſonnes of Iacob are not conſumed. Let them truſt in their owne workes, our ſoules beleeve on this ground, the righteouſneſſe of IESVS CHRIST. This is the Faith, and thus grounded, that our Church commends, that God requires: in this we live, in this, and for this, (if need be) let us die, that we may live for ever. Let the memorie of her be bleſſed, even that our Debora, whereof all true hearted Engliſh are glad to heare: Shee was truely the Defender of this true, ancient, Catholike, p. 30and Apoſtolike Faith: ſhe reared up the Preaching of this faith, ſhe maintained this faith, ſhee lived in this faith, in this faith ſhee died: applying to her owne ſoule the mercies of God through the righteouſneſſe of Ieſus Chriſt.

Let this teach every ſoule humbly to caſt himſelfe downe at the feet of Chriſt, and to be beholding to him onelyonly for his ſalvation. Our beſt works are but blankes, and when they come before him, ſhall bluſh for ſhame. Let us then goe out of our ſelves, and know that we are onelyonly ſaved by the righteouſneſſe of our Lord Ieſus.

3 We collect hence, that it is not Faith which properly ſaves us, but the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt whereon it is grounded.ooEpheſ. 2.8.Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye ſaved through faith: by grace effectually, through faith inſtrumentally. The hand is ſaid to nouriſh the body, not of it owne nature and vertue, but becauſe it is an inſtrument to reach meat to it. It was the bloud of the Paſchall Lambe, for which the deſtroying Angell paſſed over the Iſraelites houſes; faith onelyonly ſprinkles the poſtes. We are not juſtified for the onelyonly act and quality of beleeving: it is the Iuſtice of Ieſus that juſtifies us, which faith apprehends. Faith brings the Creeple to the Beautiful gate of the Temple, Act 3. to the Word are promiſes of the Goſpell; and there it is able to receive (though with a ſicke hand, yet with an hand) the almes of grace, Chriſts merits and mercies. It was the braſen Serpent that healed, not the eye that looked on it; yet without a looking eye, there was no helpe to the wounded partie by the promiſed vertue.

4 Obſerve, that Faith had need of a good foundation, for it is an heavie and waightie building. All other vertues lye upon faith, as their Baſis. Hope upon faith, for no man hopes for that which he not beleeves: Patientia filia Spei, Spes Fidei. As Patience is the daughter of Hope, ſo Hope is the daughter of Faith. Repentance lyes upon Faith; for how ſhould contrition for ſinne be admitted, if remiſſion of ſin were not beleeved. Charitie upon Faith; why ſhould we part with our goods for Gods cauſe, if we beleeve not that God would with everlaſting charitie embrace us? Faith beares a great waight: yet the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt beares that and all. Quanta vis fidei, quae tale ſuſtentat pondus; quanta vis Chriſti quae talem ſustentat fidem! How great is faith that is able to beare up ſuch a burden: how much greater is Chriſt, that is able to beare up faith?

Our ſinnes are of infinite number and preſſure: Doth any man extenuate them with a ſelfe-flattering mitigation; thinke that hee hath but a few, and few ſhall not bring him to judgement? No, they are infinite in number, hainous in nature, ſwelling in meaſure: the ſands of the ſea, haires of our heads, ſtarres of heaven, are ſooner reckoned. No ſoule of it ſelfe is able to ſtand under them: the wicked ſhall one day finde them ſo heavie, that they will thinke rockes and mountaines farre lighter; crying to theppRevel. 6.16.Rev 6:16 rockes, fall upon us; and to the mountaines, cover us. Now Faith takes all this burden upon her ſhoulders, ſhe brings it to Chriſt, and he takes it upon his ſhoulders: being confident of his fidelitie, that it ſhall anſwer the invitation and promiſe of his mercy;qqMat. 11.29.Matt 11:29 Come to mee all that are heavie laden, and I will give you rest.

Our miſeries are many and mighty, dejecting us under the Load; we know not how to beare them. Wee bring this burden alſo, and lay t upon Faith, and Faith layes it upon Chriſt. Some are afflicted in reputation, ⁱ as Suſanna; others in children, as Eli: ſome by enemies, as David; others by friends, as Ioſeph: ſome in body, as Lazarus; others in goods, as Iob; others in liberty, as Iohn. In all extremities let us ſend a meſſenger to Chriſt for eaſe; faithfull Prayer. If Faith can but carry the burden to him, he will carry it for us, and from us for ever.

Our cares are many and mightie; too great a load for our ſelves to beare. Feare of what may come, expectation of what will come, deſire of what will not come: no redreſſe of all theſe in our ſelves: what fleſh and bloud can ſupport this burden? None; therefore Faith takes Chriſts word, and layes all theſe doubts or ſorrowes upon his righteouſneſſe. Vt qui invenit ſollicitudinem in ſeculo, inveniat requiem in Domino. p. 31That whoſoever hath found trouble in the world, may find reſt in the Lord.

Our ſickneſſes, our paines, our departures are heavy; Suſtulit Chriſtus. rrEſa. 53.4.Isa 53:4Chriſt hath borne our griefes, and carried our ſorrowes. We have all erred like ſheepe, and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. When death, that proud Champion; comes in his fearefulleſt ſhape to affront and affright us, faith hath recourſe to the righteouſneſſe of CHRIST; and beſeecheth him to helpe us with this burden; to eaſe the pangs, and ſweeten the bitterneſſe of death, and hee doth it.

5 Laſtly we inferre, that our ſalvation ſtands ſure in the Lord, becauſe it hath this ground, the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt. God doth not truſt us with our owne life, but hides it in his Sonne IESVS.ſſCol. 3.3.Col 3:3 Yee are dead, and your life is hid with Chriſt in God. Otherwiſe, if it were in our owne hands, we ſhould eaſily be tempted to ſell it; as Adam did for an apple, and Eſau for a meſſe of pottage. But Ponitur in tuto, quia reponitur in Chriſto: it cannot but be ſafe, which the LORD keepes. Happy ſoule, whoſe treaſure is thus layed up; where no ruſt or moath can corrupt it, no theefe breake through to ſteale it. An Engliſh merchant that trades in Turky, does not build or plant in Turkey, but tranſports all for England. The Burgeſſes of heaven may admit ſome ſlight trafficke in this world, but they lay up all for their owne countrey. Quae nam eſt haec ſtultitia illîc reponere, unde iturus es: Chryſ.& illuc non praemittere, quo iturus es! what follie is this for a man, to hoord up his treaſure there, where he is ſure he muſt not continue: and not to convey it thither, where is continuance for ever? If earth ſhould vaniſh and nature diſſolve; yea if heaven paſſe away with a noiſe, and the elements melt with heate; ruat orcus, & ortus; I will looke to the righteouſneſſe of my Saviour Chriſt, and ſtand upright. Let all our enemies doe their worſt, the devill tempt, the world afflict, ſinne menace, death affright; yet faith ſhall vanquiſh all through the righteouſneſſe of Ieſus Chriſt. He is righteous that hath promiſed:tt2 Theſ. 1.6.2 Thess 1:6 it is a righteous thing with God, to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you: and to you who are troubled, reſt; when the Lord Ieſus ſhall be revealed from heaven with his mightie Angels. Let no man dare to call the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt into queſtion: woe unto him that ſhall make God a lyar. Shall he ſay, whoſoever beleeves, ſhall be ſaved, and ſhall we doubt? Shall wee annihilate his Croſſe, evacuate his bloud, runne into the fire from whence we are ranſomed, and die paſt hope? GOD forbid it, and the faith of our owne ſoules forbid it; there is aſſurance of ſalvation through the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt.