Ephes. ii. 1922.

15. "Ye are not strangers and foreigners, but citizens with the Saints, and of the Household of God (saith the Apostle), and are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief Cornerstone, in whom all the building being coupled together, groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are built together to be the habitation of God by the

Spirit." And we are the habitation of God by the Spirit, [1 John if we believe; for it is written, "Whosoever confesseth iv. 15.] that Jesus is the Son of God, in him God dwelleth, and

he in God." The strength of this Habitation is great, it prevaileth against Satan, it conquereth sin, it hath death in derision; neither principalities nor powers can throw it down; it leadeth the world captive, and bringeth every enemy that riseth up against it to confusion and shame, 1 John and all by Faith; for "this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our Faith. Who is it that overcometh the world, but he which believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"

v. 4, 5.

Matt. vii. 25.

[1 Cor. x. 4.]

Rom. xi. 17.

16. The strength of every building which is of God, standeth not in any man's arms or legs; it is only in our Faith, as the valour of Samson lay only in his hair. This is the reason, why we are so earnestly called upon to " edify" ourselves "in Faith." Not as if this bare action of our minds, whereby we believe the Gospel of Christ, were able in itself, as of itself, to make us unconquerable, and invincible, like stones, which abide in a building for ever, and fall not out. No, it is not the worthiness of our believing, it is the virtue of him in whom we believe, by which we stand sure, as houses that are builded upon a rock. He is a wise man which hath builded his house upon a rock; for he hath chosen a good foundation, and no doubt his house will stand; but how shall it stand? Verily, by the strength of the rock which beareth it, and by nothing else. Our fathers, whom God delivered out of the land of Egypt, were a people that had no peers amongst the nations of the earth, because they were built by Faith upon the rock, which rock is Christ. "And the rock (saith the Apostle

in the first to the Corinthians, the tenth chapter) did follow them." Whereby we learn not only this, that being built by Faith on Christ, as on a rock, and grafted into him as into an olive, we receive all our strength and fatness from him; but also, that this strength and fatness of ours ought to be no cause, why we should be high-minded, and not work out our salvation with a reverent, trembling, and holy fear. For if thou boastest thyself of thy Faith, know this, that Christ chose his Apostles, his Apostles chose not him; that Israel followed not the rock, but the rock followed Israel; and that "thou bearest not the root, but the root Rom. thee." So that every heart must this think, and every tongue must thus speak, "Not unto us, O Lord, not [Psal. unto us," nor unto any thing which is within us, but unto thy Name only, only to thy Name belongeth all the praise of all the treasures and riches of every Temple which is of God. This excludeth all boasting and vaunting of our Faith.

xi. 18.

cxv. 1.]

v. 12.

17. But this must not make us careless to "edify" ourselves "in Faith." It is the Lord that delivereth men's souls from death, but not except they put their trust in his mercy. It is God that hath given us eternal life, but no otherwise 1 John than thus, If we believe in the name of the Son of God; for he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life. It was the Spirit of the Lord which came upon Samson, and made him strong to tear a lion, as a man would rent a kid; but his strength forsook him, and he became like other men, when the razor had touched his head. It is the power of God whereby the faithful " have subdued Kingdoms, [Heb. wrought righteousness, obtained the promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword:" but take away their Faith, and doth not their strength forsake them? Are they not like unto other men?

18. If ye desire yet farther to know, how necessary and No needful it is that we edify and build up ourselves in Faith, of God mark the words of the blessed Apostle; "Without Faith it Faith. is impossible to please God." If I offer unto God all the e sheep and oxen that are in the world; if all the temples that were builded since the days of Adam till this hour, were of my foundation; if I break my very heart with calling upon God, and wear out my tongue with preaching; if I sacrifice my body and my soul unto him, and have no Faith, all this availeth nothing. "Without Faith it is impossible to please God." Our Lord and Saviour therefore, being asked in the sixth of St. John's Gospel, "What shall we do that

John vi. 28, 29.

Ixxx.

we might work the Works of God?" maketh answer, "This is the work of God, that ye believe in him, whom he hath sent."

19. That no Work of ours, no building of ourselves in any thing can be available or profitable unto us, except we be edified and built in Faith, what need we to seek about for long proof? Look upon Israel, once the very chosen and peculiar of God, to whom the Adoption of the faithful, and the glory of Cherubim, and the Covenants of Mercy, and the Law of Moses, and the Service of God, and the Promises of Christ were made impropriate, who not only were the offspring of Abraham, father unto all them which do believe, but Christ their offspring, which is God to be blessed for evermore.

20. Consider this people, and learn what it is to "build [Psalm yourselves in Faith." They were the Lord's Vine: "He brought it out of Egypt, he threw out the Heathen from their places, that it might be planted; he made room for it, and caused it to take root, till it had filled the earth; the mountains were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were as the goodly cedars; she stretched out her branches unto the sea, and her boughs unto the river." But, when God having sent both his Servants and his Son to visit this vine, they neither spared the one, nor received the other, but stoned the Prophets, and crucified the Lord of Glory which came unto them; then began the curse of God to come upon them, even the curse whereof

Psal. lxix.

the Prophet David hath spoken, saying, "Let their table be 22, 23. made a snare, and a net, and a stumbling-block, even for a xi. 9, 10. recompence unto them: let their eyes he darkened, that

Rom.

they do not see, bow down their backs for ever," keep them down. And sithence the hour that the measure of their infidelity was first made up, they have been spoiled with wars, eaten up with plagues, spent with hunger and famine; they wander from place to place, and are become the most base and contemptible people that are under the Ephraim, which before was a terrour unto nations, and they trembled at his voice, is now by infidelity so vile, that he seemeth as a thing cast out to be trampled under men's feet. In the midst of these desolations they cry, "Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts, look down from Heaven, behold and visit this Vine:" but their very prayers are turned into sin, and their cries are no better

xi. 20.

than the lowing of beasts before him. "Well (saith the Rom. Apostle), by their unbelief they are broken off, and thou 22. dost stand by thy Faith: behold therefore the bountifulness and severity of God; towards them severity, because they have fallen, bountifulness towards thee, if thou continue in his bountifulness, or else thou shalt be cut off." If they forsake their unbelief and be grafted in again, and we at any time for the hardness of our hearts be broken off, it will be such a judgment as will amaze all the powers and principalities which are above. Who hath searched the counsel of God concerning this secret? And who doth not see, that Infidelity doth threaten Lo-ammi unto the Gen- Hosea tiles, as it hath brought Lo-ruhamah upon the Jews? It i may be that these words seem dark unto you: but the words of the Apostle, in the eleventh to the Romans, are plain enough; "If God have not spared the natural branches, Rom. take heed, take heed, lest he spare not thee:" build xi. 21. thyself in Faith. Thus much of the thing which is prescribed, and wherein we are exhorted to " edify" ourselves. Now consider the conditions and properties which are in this place annexed unto Faith. The former of them (for there are but two) is this, "Edify yourselves in your Faith."

21. A strange and a strong delusion it is wherewith the Man of Sin hath bewitched the world; a forcible spirit of error it must needs be, which hath brought men to such a senseless and unreasonable persuasion as this is, not only that men clothed with mortality and sin, as we ourselves are, can do God so much service as shall be able to make a full and a perfect satisfaction before the tribunal seat of God for their own sins, yea, a great deal more than is sufficient for themselves; but also, that a man at the hands of a Bishop or a Pope, for such or such a price, may buy the overplus of other men's merits, purchase the fruits of other men's labours, and build his soul by another man's Faith. Is not this man drowned in the gall of bitterness? Is his heart right in the sight of God? Can he have any part or fellowship with Peter, and with the successors of Peter, which thinketh so vilely of building the precious Temples of the Holy Ghost? Let his money perish with him, [Acts and he with it, because he judgeth that the gift of God may be sold for money.

ii. 4.]

22. But, beloved in the Lord, deceive not yourselves, neither suffer ye yourselves to be deceived: ye can receive no more ease nor comfort for your souls by another man's faith, than warmth for your bodies by another man's clothes,

or sustenance by the bread which another doth eat. "The [Hab. just shall live by his own Faith." "Let a Saint, yea a Martyr, content himself that he hath cleansed himself of his own sins" (saith Tertullian). No Saint or Martyr can cleanse himself of his own sins. But if so be a Saint or a Martyr can cleanse himself of his own sins, it is sufficient that he can do it for himself. Did ever any man by his death deliver another man from death, except only the Son of God? He indeed was able to safe-conduct a thief from the cross to Paradise: for to this end he came, that being himself pure from sin, he might obey for sinners. Thou which thinkest to do the like, and supposest that thou canst justify another by thy righteousness, if thou be without sin, then lay down thy life for thy brother; die for me. But if thou be a sinner, even as I am a sinner, how can the oil of thy lamp be sufficient both for thee and for me? Virgins that are wise, get ye oil, while ye have day, into your own lamps: for out of all peradventure, others, though they would, can neither give nor sell. "Edify yourselves in your own most holy Faith." And let this be observed for the first property of that wherein we ought to edify ourselves.

(Rom.

23. Our Faith being such, is that indeed which St. Jude doth here term "Faith:" namely, a thing " most holy." The reason is this, we are justified by Faith: for Abraham iv 22.] believed, and this was imputed unto him for righteousness. Being justified, all our iniquities are covered; God beholdeth us in the righteousness which is imputed, and not in the sins which we have committed.

i. 8.]

24. It is true we are full of sin, both original and actual; whosoever denieth it is a double sinner, for he is both a

[I Johu sinner and a liar. To deny sin, is most plainly and clearly to prove it; because he that saith he hath no sin, lieth, and by lying proveth that he hath sin.

25. But imputation of righteousness hath covered the sins of every soul which believeth; God by pardoning our sin hath taken it away: so that now, although our transgressions be multiplied above the hairs of our head, yet