9 They that will have a true faith in Christ must believe in him, that he is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Are then thy cogitations confounded? Seest thou no knowledge, not so much as a literal knowledge of Christ, but all is doubtfulness, all is dullness, all is deadness in thee, as though thou never knewest, heardest, readest,1 or learnedst any thing? Now know and believe, that whatsoever knowledge, experienced power of understanding, was in Jesus Christ, the same is made thine; he is thine anointing, that will teach thee all. Hast thou knowledge, and yet thy life not brought agreeable or proportionable to thy knowledge? Thou art troubled with thy sins, thou feelest no goodness, thou thinkest thy self as an evil tree void of all good fruit: Now remember2 that as Christ being no sinner, was made of God a sinner, and punished of God as a sinner for thee: thou having no righteousness, art made through Christ righteous, and shalt be rewarded of God as righteous through him. It may be God hath enlightened thee with heavenly understanding, he hath hitherto strengthened thy desire in giving thee to walk ⟨p. 32⟩uprightly; but now thou art afraid thou shalt not persevere, because of thy corruptions: thou tremblest to remember how many excelling thee in gifts and graces have fallen away, and that all is but hypocrisy, thine own heart thou thinkest will one day beguile thee: now call to mind that Christ is made unto thee holiness, not as a new Moses to follow,3 but as a Messiah to believe in, as the author and finisher, of thy holiness; so that to persevere seemeth impossible to thee, yet with him it is possible: yea and more easy to continue thee in holiness being begun, than to convert Zacheus, Matthew, and Mary Magdalen, or to reconcile the Lamb and the Lion, & others which he hath surely done. There4 is one thing yet troubles thee; thou hast many things promised thee, and thou thinkest they are not performed; thou lookest for peace of thy mind, and behold a wound of the spirit; thou art the heir of the whole earth, and yet pinched with poverty; thou art Lord of liberty, and yet liest in prison: it is so, and yet in all this see Christ is thy redemption,5 not suffering thee to be overcome with any of these in this life, & freeing thee wholly from them in the life to come.
9 They that will haue a true faith in Christ must belieue in him, that he is our wisdome, righteousnes, sanctification, and redemption. Are then thy cogitations confounded? Seest thou no knowledge, not so much as a literall knowledge of Christ, but all is doubtfulnes, all is dulnes, all is deadnes in thee, as though thou neuer knewest, heardest, readest,1 or learnedst any thing? Now know and belieue, that whatsoeuer knowledge, experienced power of vnderstanding, was in Iesus Christ, the same is made thine; hee is thine annoynting, that will teach thee all. Hast thou knowledge, and yet thy life not brought agreeable or proportionable to thy knowledge? Thou art troubled with thy sinnes, thou feelest no goodnes, thou thinkest thy selfe as an euill tree voide of all good fruite: Now remember2 that as Christ being no sinner, was made of God a sinner, and punished of God as a sinner for thee: thou hauing no righteousnesse, art made through Christ righteous, and shalt be rewarded of God as righteous through him. It may be God hath enlightened thee with heauenly vnderstanding, he hath hitherto strengthened thy desire in giuing thee to walke ⟨p. 32⟩vprightly; but now thou art afraid thou shalt not perseuere, because of thy corruptions: thou tremblest to remember how many excelling thee in gifts and graces haue fallen away, and that all is but hypocrisie, thine owne heart thou thinkest will one day begu•le thee: now call to minde that Christ is made vnto thee holines, not as a new Moses to follow,3 but as a Messias to beleeue in, as the author and finisher, of thy holinesse; so that to perseuere seemeth impossible to thee, yet with him it is possible: yea and more easie to continue thee in holinesse being begun, than to conuert Zacheus, Mathew, and Mary Magdalen, or to reconcile the Lambe and the Lion, & others which he hath surely done. There4 is one thing yet troubles thee; thou hast many things promised thee, and thou thinkest they are not performed; thou lookest for peace of thy minde, and behold a wound of the spirit; thou art the heire of the whole earth, and yet pinched with pouertie; thou art Lord of libertie, and yet liest in prison: it is so, and yet in all this see Christ is thy redemption,5 not suffring thee to be ouercome with any of these in this life, & freeing thee wholy from them in the life to come.
- 1True remedies against deadness and au•es.True remedies against deadnes and au•es.
- 2Christ is our wisdom.Christ is our wisedome.
- 3Christ is our holiness.Christ is our holines.
- 4Esa. 11. 3. 4. 5.
- 5Christ is our redemption.
