The Disabled Debtor Discharged, Part 49 – Part 50
He ſaid unto the Woman.
Obſerve we,
Doct. Who ſo are abſolved by CHRIST are diſmiſſed the Court.
There is now no condemnation (ſaith S Paul) to them that are in Chriſt Ieſus. Rom. 8.1.Condemnation (as we know) is a Sentence given by a competent Judge, concerning the puniſhment of an offender, the contrary whereof is Abſolution or Iustification: Rom. 7.24.24.There is none [Now] ſaith S. Paul, that is being thus delivered by Chriſt (as was ſhewed in the Chapter before, v. 25.) And juſtified by Faith in him, We are no more under the Law but under Grace, and therupon he makes that glorious triumph,Rom. 8.33.34. Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods choſen; it is God that juſtifies who ſhall condemne? Let the World, Fleſh, or Divell object what they can, ſue in what Court they pleaſe, yet they ſhall do no good on it; for God hath acquitted and abſolved them, they are diſmiſſed ſo as there is no place for Accuſation.
Vſe 1 The folly of the wicked (then) may be here diſcovered in that they charge the Godly with former courſes, and ſo would bring them into the Court againe, for that wherof they have bin by the Judge cleared, and long ſince diſmiſſed: In ſo doing they ſhew themſelves as fooliſh as malitious, and play but Satans part who is ſtiled to be the accuſer of the Brethren: Nor ſhall they ever be able to repeale or revoke the ſentence paſſed, or ſave their charges in the ſuit: What God ſaid to Peter (in another caſe) they might do well to remember,Act. 10 15. That which God hath cleanſed do not thou account uncleane: So whom God hath acquitted do not dare to charge ſin on; For he that juſtifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the Iuſt, they both are abomination to the Lord, Pro. 17.15.
Vſe 2 And it may afford the godly strong Conſolation: True it is they ſhall not want Accuſers; the Divell and the World will ſift them as narrowly as the Husband-man doth his Corne; and ſearch their lives as ſtrictly as Laban ſearched Iacobs ſtuffe, to ſee if they can find ſomething whereof to accuſe them: Yet they ſhall find nothing to condemne them: Doe they tell us what we have bin? Let us not thinke it a ſhame to ſay with the Apoſtle, I was ſuch a one, but now I am received unto Mercy: Do they tell us of our corruptions and twit us with our infirmities? We ſhould remember then that ſweet ſaying of St. Austin, Aug. cont lit. Petil. l. 3. c. 10.Quantum ille accuſat vitium meum, tantum ego laudabo medicum meum. Looke how farre he accuſeth my fault, ſo farre will I praiſe my Phyſitian who healed me.
The Manner of the Penitents Diſmiſſion is next to be conſidered. She is not barely ſent away, but hath a Teſtimoniall, and a Paſſe given her.
The Testimoniall or Certificate in theſe words, Thy Faith hath ſaved thee. The Paſſe in the other, Gee in Peace.
In the Teſtimoniall wee may finde, Firſt, the Matter effected and wrought for her, which was Salvation [Hath ſaved.]
Secondly, the Meanes whereby it was obtained [Thy Faith.]
In her Paſſe we have, Firſt, the Courſe ſhe is injoyned to take [Goe] 2. The way ſhe is to keep, which is the way of Peace [Goe in Peace] Firſt, of the womans Teſtimoniall.
Thy Faith hath ſaved thee. Text. ]
The Mercy obtained is Salvation. Salvation ſtrictly taken is a preſervation from evill, and ſo it hath reſpect both to Perſons and Things. Thou ſaveſt (ſaith David) both man and beaſt, Pſal. 36.6. Evill is of two ſorts, 1. Temporall. 2. Eternall, and accordingly in Scripture is Salvation taken.
Sometimes it ſignifieth Safety and protection in this world from bodily and outward dangers, as Exo. 14.1.3. But that is not the Salvation which our Saviour here ſpeaks of to Mary.
Sometimes it betokens the eſtate of bleſſedneſſe in heaven, and this we commonly terme Salvation, and ſo it is oppoſed to damnation, by which we underſtand the condition of thoſe who are adjudged to hell. Thus is the word uſed, Phil 2.12. 1 Pet. 1.5.
So Salvation properly notes the negative part of our Happineſſe in Heaven, but with all it implyes an advancement to a ſtate of bleſſedneſſe and immortality to eternall life, Act. 13.48. The Reaſon why Happineſſe is thus called, is rendered to be this; for that it is eaſier to tell what ſhall not be in Heaven, than what ſhall be there: And of this kind is the Salvation our Saviour ſpeaks of in this place.
This Salvation is to be conſidered,Aug de Civ. Dei l. 19. c. 20.27. either as it is initiall and begun here, or as it is complementall and ſhall be perfected hereafter, as it is here begun; ſo Epheſ. 2.7. By Grace you are ſaved. Here it is given us and aſſured unto us; though that full and abſolute perfection of it (in reſpect of degree) is reſerved for another world; and thus our Saviour ſaith to Mary, Thy Faith [hath] ſaved thee; It is done allready for Subſtance, and not now to doe. Thence Obſerve,
Doct. The true and beleeving Penitent even in this life is ſalved.
The Evidence of this Truth appeareth by the contrary; for if the wicked and unbelieving be condemned already, as is evident, Ioh. 3.18. then it will not be hard to conceive, that the Beleever is ſaved already. But what need we ſeeke for further proofe, when it appeares ſo evidently by Gods owne teſtimony who frequently affirmes of ſuch as are penitent, and believing; and of that eſtate of theirs which is only via, even in this their pilgrimage that they are bleſſed, ſaved, &c. Mat. 51. Pſal. 1.1. & 32.1. Epheſ. 2.7. Iohn 17.3.
For, firſt we have Salvation in the Promiſes of it, as 2 Cor. 7.1.
Secondly, Wee have it in thoſe Graces which beginne it, Iohn 17.3. Tit. 3.5. And 2.12. Iohn 3.8.
3. We have it in the Aſſurance of it, 2 Cor. 1.10. 2 Tim 2 19. Act. 5.39.doth the Lord ſay and ſhall he not doe? His Foundation ſtandeth ſure and hath his ſeale. And if this Counſell be of God, as Gamaliell (ſaid in another caſe) ye cannot deſtroy it.
Vſe 1 This may firſt informe us of the happy eſtate of every ſuch one as believes and repents unfainedly: Let their outward eſtate be what it will be, yet their Salvation is certaine, Rom. 8.38. Rom. 14 8.they are already ſaved, and have the beginnings of eternall Life in them; ſo that neither Life nor Death ſhall be able to deprive them of that.
Say we be in as great a ſtrait as were the Iſraelites betwixt the Red-Sea and Pharaoh's Hoaſt: One danger before us ready to ingulfe us; another behind us ready to deſtroy us; yet if thou beeſt righteous and truly penitent, I will ſpeake in the confidence of Moſes, Feare not, ſtand ſtill, behold the Salvation of the Lord. Thine enemies may interrupt thine Aſſurance, but they ſhall never overthrow thy Salvation. As for outward things reſigne up thy ſelfe wholy to Gods abſolute diſpoſe, whither it be by Life or Death: Say with Eli, 1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord let him do what ſeemeth him good; and as David, 2 Sam. 15.26. Let him doe to me as he pleaſeth. Keepe thou the coaſt of Faith and Repentance and feare not thy comming to the holy Land.
Vſe 2 But as for ſuch who acquaint not themſelves with Salvation here; woe to thoſe: If there be no Salvation here had, expect none hereafter. The Gate of Heaven is here below: Chriſt is the Doore by which we muſt enter into the Paradiſe of God: Who ſo layes hold on him with his merits by the beliefe of his ſoule, hath gotten Salvation already: But in not believing and repenting a man is condemned allready: Woefull therefore is the eſtate of ſuch men who never acquaint themſelves with Salvation before the end of their dayes and then begin to dreame of another condition.Cyp tractat. de habit. Virgin 1 Sam. 14.13. Non eſt facilis ad magna aſcenſus (ſaith S. Cyprian) things which are great are not eaſily climbed unto: What ſweat and labour takes a man before he comes to the top of an Hill, as you find Ionathan and his Armour-Bearer tooke before they came to the Philiſtins garriſon. And can we thinke to attaine the height of Mount Sion with a leape? Wherefore let nothing delivered cauſe Security, but put us on to a working out our Salvation with feare and trembling.