2 They that will have a true faith in Christ, must believe in the ends, and in the mercies1 of our salvation. The ends are, that Christ is made of God unto us, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, & redemption. Art thou afraid that thou shalt go out of thy wits, because thou fearest sin? Are thy cogitations confounded? Seest thou no knowledge, no not so much as a literal knowledge of thy salvation, but all is doubtfulness, all is dullness, all is deadness within thee, as though thou never knewest, heardest, or learnedst any thing? Now know, now is the time to believe, that whatsoever knowledge, experience & power2 of understanding was in Christ Jesus, the same is made thine; he is the anointing that will teach thee, he is the Fathers counsellor, he is wonderful, he hath the knowledge of all mysteries, he is the spiritual interpreter of the law, unto whom as the Fathers did approach more nearly, so they did see the power of the law more clearly. He is our wisdom: both the teacher and the thing taught. Hast thou some good measure of knowledge, and yet thy life in no part being agreeable, nor proportionable to thy knowledge; thou art sore troubled for not walking in the ways of righteousness, thou feelest no goodness, thou thinkest thy self as a Sere tree without all fruit? Now remember that Christ Jesus who3 had no holiness by the flesh, by being borne of his mother, who saved great sinners, and made of persecutors preachers, would not have thee to seek for great things in the flesh, seeing himself got so little thereby, but would have thee seek thy righteousness out of thy self in him: who being no sinner indeed was an accounted sinner, and punished as a sinner for thee; that thou having no righteousness, mightest be accounted righteous, and4 rewarded as righteous through him. Well it may be, God hath given thee to walk so uprightly, as the world can in nothing charge thee: but thou fearest thy natural corruption, that thou shalt not persevere, thou tremblest to remember how many excelling thee in ⟨p. 655⟩gifts and graces of the Spirit, have fallen away from the truth, and thinkest all is but hypocrisy, and that thy hypocrisy will one day beguile thee, now call to mind that CHRIST is made to thee holiness, not as new Moses to follow, but as a true Messiah to believe in, the worker, author, and finisher of thy holiness:
2 They that will haue a true faith in Christ, must beleeue in the ends, and in the mercies1 of our saluation. The ends are, that Christ is made of God vnto vs, wisedome, righteousnesse, sanctification, & redemption. Art thou afraide that thou shalt goe out of thy wits, because thou fearest sinne? Are thy cogitations confounded? Seest thou no knowledge, no not so much as a litterall knowledge of thy saluation, but all is doubtfulnes, all is dulnesse, all is deadnes within thee, as though thou neuer knewest, heardest, or learnedst any thing? Now know, now is the time to beleeue, that whatsoeuer knowledge, experience & power2 of vnderstanding was in Christ Iesu, the same is made thine; he is the annointing that will teach thee, he is the Fathers counsellor, he is wonderful, he hath the knowledge of all mysteries, he is the spirituall interpreter of the law, vnto whom as the Fathers did approach more neerely, so they did see the power of the law more cleerely. He is our wisedome: both the teacher and the thing taught. Hast thou some good measure of knowledge, and yet thy life in no part being agreeable, nor proportionable to thy knowledge; thou art sore troubled for not walking in the waies of righteousnesse, thou feelest no goodnesse, thou thinkest thy selfe as a Sere tree without all fruite? Now remember that Christ Iesus who3 had no holinesse by the flesh, by being borne of his mother, who saued great sinners, and made of persecutors preachers, would not haue thee to seeke for great things in the flesh, seeing himselfe got so little thereby, but would haue thee seeke thy righteousnesse out of thy selfe in him: who being no sinner indeed was an accounted sinner, and punished as a sinner for thee; that thou hauing no righteousnesse, mightest be accounted righteous, and4 rewarded as righteous through him. Well it may be, God hath giuen thee to walke so vprightly, as the world can in nothing charge thee: but thou fearest thy naturall corruption, that thou shalt not perseuere, thou tremblest to remember how many excelling thee in ⟨p. 655⟩gifts and graces of the Spirit, haue fallen away from the truth, and thinkest all is but hypocrisie, and that thy hypocrisie will one day beguile thee, now call to minde that CHRIST is made to thee holinesse, not as newe Moses to follow, but as a true Messiah to belieue in, the worker, author, and finisher of thy holines:
- 1Affliction of mind.Affliction of minde.
- 2Christ is our wisdom.Christ is our wisedome.
- 3Seek not for great things in the flesh.Seeke not for great things in the flesh.
- 4Righteousness.Righteousnes.
