vnto men but vnto God Therefore the holy Ghost is God Another place is 1. Cor. 2.10 The Spirit searcheth all things euen the profound things of God And the verse following For who knoweth the things c. Whence we may thus reason whosoeuer knoweth the secrets the profound secrets of God or which is all one whosoeuer is omniscient is God but the holy Ghost is Omniscient Ergo. The Maior is euident the Minor is expressely in the Text. Secondly whatsoeuer is in God is God but the holy Ghost is in God Ergo. The Proposition is of certaine truth for that God who is a most simple essence voyd of all difference and composition cannot consist of any thing which is not God The assumption is in the text vers 10. where it is said As the reasonable soule is in man that is of the essence of man so the holy Spirit is in God Hitherto may that testimony 1. Cor. 3.16 be referred Know yee not that ye are the Temple of God and that the holy Spirit dwelleth in you where the latter words do expound the former for it is all one as if the Apostle had said Know ye not that yee are the Temple of God seeing that the holy Ghost dwelleth in you who is God But if the aduersaries say that the spirit is nothing else saue the effects and gifts of God they are most manifestly confuted and confounded by the words of the Scripture 1. Cor. 12.4 5 6. There are diuersities of gifts but the same spirit there are diuersities of ministrations but the same Lord c. And verse 11 All these gifts worketh that one and selfe same spirit distributing c. Whence ariseth this argument He that distributeth a gift is not himselfe that gift that is distributed but the holy Ghost is the distributer of all those gifts Ergo. The Proposition is cleare enough The Assumption is plaine in the text where it is said that the spirit worketh and distributeth all those gifts Another argument out of the same text may be this He that is endued with a will he cannot be a bare vertue or accidēt but is a substāce subsisting by it self but the holy Ghost c. Ergo. The Maior is cleare for whosoeuer willeth he vnderstādeth and whosoeuer willeth and vnderstandeth he must be a substance by it selfe subsisting The Minor is clearely set down in the text where it is said The Spirit distributeth to euery one as he will I haue heard the doctrine concerning God tell me now besides what the holy Scripture is It is that testimony and witnesse which God hath giuen to Mankind as touching his owne nature and will and as touching those things which appertaine to the saluation of man How is the holy Scripture diuided Three manner of waies first by reason of the time wherein it was reuealed secondly by reason of that authority it hath in prouing thirdly by reason of the matter which it handleth How is the Scripture diuided in respect of the time wherein it was reuealed Into the Old and New Testament The old Testament therefore is that part of the Scripture which God reuealed to the first of mankind and people of the Iewes which liued vntill the Ministery of Christ which he reuealed I say by the Prophets as by his Scribes and Notaries But the New Testament is called that part of the Scripture which God hath reuealed to mankind after the birth of Christ by the Euangelists and Apostles as by his Pen men or Notaries How is the Scripture diuided in respect of that authoritie it hath in prouing So it is diuided into the bookes which are Canonicall and those which are not Canonicall but Apocryphall Which do you call the Canonicall Books Those which are of vndoubted authoritie in prouing the Articles of Faith or which are the square and rule of our faith for Canonical is deriued from Canon which signifieth as much as a rule or square Of what sort are the Canonicall books Of two sorts either of the old or of the new Testament VVhich bookes of the old Testament are Canonicall The Canonicall Scripture of the old Testament is deuided into foure rancks the first containeth the fiue Bookes of Moses the second those Bookes which are called Historicall as these Ioshua Iudges Ruth the two Bookes of Samuel the two Bookes of Kings the two Bookes of the Chronicles the Books of Esdras Nehemiah Ester The third Bookes which are written in verse which are called Poeticall as these Iob the Psalmes of Dauid the Prouerbs of Salomon Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs the fourth comprehendeth the Prophets which are either greater Prophets in number foure or lesser to wit twelue Which Books of the new Testament are Canonicall The Canonicall Scriptures of the new Testament is diuided into the history of the Euangelists the Acts of the Apostles the Apostles Epistles and the Prophecy or Reuelation of Iohn Which are called Apocryphall or not Canonicall Which are not of infallible truth and authority in prouing the Articles of faith consequently which are not the rule and square of our beliefe but containe precepts of life and historicall instructions Which are those Apochriphall Books Among the Books of the old Testament as wee haue before said there are some found not to bee Canonicall such as the Booke of Tobias Iudith Wisdome which falsely is ascribed to Salomon Ecclesiasticus or Syracides the third and fourth books of Esdras all the bookes of the Maccabees Baruch with Ieremy his Epistle the Prayer of Manasses the fragments of Ester the additions to Daniel as is the Song of the three Children the Historie of Susanna the Historie of Bell and the Dragon None of all these bookes are to bee found in the Hebrew tongue in which Language onely God would haue the bookes of the old Testament to be written neither were they written by the Prophets or any person immediately called of God Neither doth Christ the Euangelists or the Apostles cite them at any time and to conclude there be many vntruths in them Wherefore when the Papists vrge any thing out of these bookes against vs we must answer that those bookes containe not the infallible Word of God and consequently that they haue no firme force or validity in prouing How is the Scripture diuided in respect of the matter it handleth Into the Law and the Gospell for that part of Gods word is called the Law wherein wee are taught what we ought to doe but the Gosspell is that part of Gods Word wherein we are taught what wee ought to belieue and consequently wherein we haue the remission of our sinnes promised vs by faith in Christ. I haue heard sufficiently touching the diuision of the Word of God I pray you also instruct mee in the proprieties of it That will I willingly do so I first admonish you that hereafter wee shal alwaies take the holy Scripture for the Canonicall bookes only and not at all for the Apocryphall VVhat is the first proprietie of the holy Scripture
tenebris Wee trust and desire to bee tried by the light of Gods Word they put their confidence in darkenes whereupon it is that a thiefe stands not in more feare of the Gallowes then they doe of the Scriptures Wee labour to plant knowledge in all saith the reuerend and my much honoured Lord of Chichester and are desirous that euery man may know the things needfull for his saluation they labour to hold all in ignorance their hope is not in the goodnesse of their cause for they see the ruines of Babylon falling euery day onely their care is to blind you and keepe you ignorant If the light of knowledge might freely shine to the world Popery would soone be ashamed of it selfe saith another worthy in our Ch. And not to bee infinite in this kind M. Anton. de Dominis who was once welcommed by vs from the Tents of Antichrist and is ours still if couetousnesse the root of euill and hypocrisie the colour of good hath not put out both his eyes confesseth in that little booke wherein he expresseth the reason of his departure out of the Ch. of Rome the Prodromus to his larger and more fruitfull labours that this closing vp of the Scripture from the people gaue him occasion to suspect their religion and to feare his estate and to thinke on conuersion freely professing there in these termes Scripturae summa apud nos ignoratio that there is nothing whereof the Papists are more ignorant then of the Scriptures Nay a certaine Bishop of Italy was not ashamed to tel Claudius Espencaeus a famous Pontifician that the learned men of Italy it selfe were afraid to study the holy Scriptures least thereby they should become Heretiques and that therefore they employed themselues in commenting vpon the Popes Law-bookes Decrees and the Decretals the which booke though full of lies contradictions impertinences yet because it is the Popes booke it must be respected whilest the holy Scripture lieth as it were in the streets neglected And therefore to barre their seduced followers vtterly from this godly exercise of reading they beare them in hand that to read the Scripture is very perillous and the cause of erring from the faith Sed execratione ac detestatione dignior est ista vox quam responsione Hiper de quot id lectione S. Script lib. 1. pag. 175. Wicked impostors as if God our heauenly Father who hath made his Will and Testament and hath reuealed it by writing vnto vs his children would not haue it read and vnderstood by vs Blasphemous wretches as if God who can neither bee deceiued nor deceiue causing his holy will to be penned both as touching his owne worship and also as touching the meanes of mans saluation and that so powerfully yet plainly withall that he should seeke hereby to entrap and enfold his glorious Creature Man the Creature of his good-will with the mists of ignorance and errour Farre bee it from the thought of euery good Christian once to thinke that from such a good tree should come such bad fruit that from such a blessed cause should proceed such a disastrous effect that from the light should flow darkenes from the reuerend reading of the Scriptures errors As for their Doings that they also are of darknesse it would if I should particularize them require a large volume But to single out and to instance in one wherein they much resemble their prince of darkenesse the deuill who hath been a murtherer from the beginning Let their cruell and barbarous butchering of so many Saints of God meerely in the matter of Religion let the bloudie stabbing and violent murthering of so good and gracious Kings which shewed themselues like good Ezekias forward and bent to reformation Let the diuell in the Vault who was the contriuer of that matchlesse Treason and the Powder Pioners that should haue beene the Actors of the intended Tragedie let all these speake if they belong not to darknesse if they bee not the sonnes of the night Quo male agit odit lucem Aske the Powder-plotters if they hated not and shunned the shining light least their deeds should haue beene reprooued censured condemned as they were and as it fell out happily to this State and Country by the watchfull eye of his prouidence who is the keeper of our Israel and neuer slumbâ—rs nor sleepes but is alwayes ready at hand to shend and defend his people whom he hath set his loue vpon euen for his owne mercie and goodnesse sake howbeit we haue by our sinnes deserued to be cassier'd out of his fauour to bee ouertaken with imminent dangers and to be ouerturned with the power and powder the fire and fury of our enemies But euer loued and blessed bee his mercifull goodnesse and patience that he hath not giuen vs ouer as a prey vnto their teeth Their snare was broken and our soule was deliuered O let this mightie and wonderfull deliuerance bee written on the posts of our gates let vs be euer talking of it to our neighbours and friends to our children and strangers that all with ioynt mouth and consent of heart may praise the Lord God of Israel for euer Now I doe from my soule desire that the blindfolded Papists and ignorant Catholiques as they will be termed would but a little consider of these Doings of this Doctrine and then tell me if they be not nuzled in most pernicious heresie and most tyrannically held vnder the very power of darknesse it selfe They that haue but the least spink of ingenuitie will bewray betime and will timely bewayle their woeful estate These to vse the words of the words of the Prophet shall remember one day their wayes and all their doings wherein they haue been defiled and they shall loath themselues in their owne sight for all their euills that they haue committed And they shal know that the Lord is God when hee hath wrought in them this conuersion for his owne Names sake not according to their wicked wayes nor according to their corrupt doings But for the ignorant obstinate obdurate Papist who will not heare and vnderstand and bee conuerted who spurnes at the very motion of Reformation and being settled on his lees groweth bold and impudent in the cause for who so bold as blind Bayard Let him bee ignorant let him be misâ—ed let him bee misled still These men shall one day know that there hath beene many Prophets among them who are cleare from the bloud of all men and they shall find that their bloud must rest vpon their owne hard hearts and stiffe-neckes What Sir may some of them say doe you so hastily include vs all in the pit of confusion because wee professe another Religion I tell you truely wee haue as good hope to come to heauen as your selfe Doe wee walke in any other saue in the steps of our forefathers and progenitors Do
The first proprietie is that it deriues all its authority from God alone not from the assembly of godly men which is called the Church How prooue you this I prooue it by these reasons first the testimony of God hath not any authoritie from men The Scripture is the testimony of God alone Ergo It hath none authority from men yea the most holy men that be and consequently not from the Church which is nothing else but a company of godly and sanctified men The force and pith of the argument you shall find 1. Ioh. 5. If we receiue the witnesse of men the testimony of God certainely is greater Secondly that must needs be before the Scripture in naturall order of which the authoritie of the Scripture dependeth But the Church is not before the Word of God Ergo. The Maior proposition is euident because that which dependeth of another must needs come after that on which it dependeth The Minor is thus prooued That which is gathered gouerned regenerated by the Word or by the Scripture that is in order after the Scripture But the Ch. Ergo. The Maior is plaine the Minor is prooued by 1. Pet. 1.23 VVee are regenerated borne a new by the word of God Iames 1.18 Hee hath begotten vs by the word of truth Ioh. 17.20 VVhich by their word shall belieue in me Thirdly the foundation of any building depends not on the roofe or vpper roomes which are built vpon the foundation but contrarily those same vpper roomes and the roofe depend vpon the foundation but the Word of God is the foundation Ergo. The Maior is plaine in it selfe The Minor is confirmed by that Ephes. 2.20 You are built vpon the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles The Papists obiect to vs that place 1. Tim. 3.15 VVhere the Church is said to be the pillar and ground of truth Whereto we answer that this argument is sophisticall or a fallacie commonly called a Dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter For the Church is not called the piller and ground of truth in regard of it selfe but in regard of Christ the head who is that corner stone And further it is so called in regard it is the keeper of the Scripture forsomuch as God hath made the Church onely to haue to doe with the treasurie of his Word and in the Church as on the pillar and doore of his house or pallace he hangeth those holy Tables which euery man must go thither to reade No otherwise then the Magistrate hangeth vp on pillars and gates of his Court Tables containing in them his Lawes and Decrees to the end that his subiects may there reade them as in a publike place Lastly the Church is called the Pillar of truth in this respect because that God vseth the testimony of the Church as his instrument and meanes for the proposing teaching and expounding of the holy Scripture vnto men for the Ministers of the Church are the conseruers of truth and the interpreters of the Scriptures yet not so as if the authority of the Scripture did depend on them but because God vseth them as his seruants and Ministers to propound and to beate into the memories of men his holy Scripture euen as a Prince vseth a Cryer for the promulgation of his lawes vnto his subiects And here take this similitude with you a man goeth to the Vniuersitie as vnto the very shop and store-house of learning yet herevpon it followeth not that the truth of that learning we are taught there in the Vniuersitie doth depend on the authoritie of the Vniuersity Besides this must also bee obserued that whatsoeuer the Papists say touching the authoritie of the Church aboue the Scripture doth nothing at all profit them but that they manifestly begge the point in question whilest they thus argue The Church hath authoritie aboue the Scriptures The Pope of Rome is the Church Ergo. For suppose wee grant them their Maior which notwithstanding is false as wee haue manifestly prooued yet they are neuer able to proue their Minor as shal be showne anon more distinctly VVhat is the second propriety of the Word of God or the holy Scripture That it be entire perfect and sufficient to saluation which is proued by that Ioh. 20.30 Many other signes did Iesus which are not written in this Booke but these things are written that you may belieue that Iesus is the Christ that Sonne of God and that you belieuing might haue life by his name Out of which place I thus reason That which is so written that by it wee may belieue in Christ Iesus and so obtaine eternall life that I say is sufficient to life eternall But the Scripture is so written Ergo. Againe thence I thus argue The holy Scripture was written to this end that wee might belieue in the Sonne of God and get eternall life Ergo Whatsoeuer Word is not written profiteth or auaileth vs nothing to faith and to eternal life which must diligently be noted against the errour of the Papists which say there are two words of God the one written the other vnwritten vpon which pretence they will needs obtrude vnto vs Traditions which they call Apostolicall the Decrees of the Popes and the custome of the Church Of which the Councell of Trent in the fourth sessiō thus speaketh VVhosoeuer doth not with like affection of mind reuerence the Traditions of the Church as he doth the holy Scriptures let him be accursed But against these Traditions first note the sufficiency of the Scriptures Secondly this argument The Traditions of the Church either agree with the holy writ or they dissent from it If they be consonant to it then they say the selfe same thing the Scripture saith and so they are Scripture for that ought not in all reason to be done by moe which may be performed by fewer Or they dissent from the Scripture as all the traditions of the Popes as namely that tradition whereby the Cup in the Lords Supper is prohibited to be administred vnto the lay people and such like And if they disagree with the Scripture they cannot fill vp the Scripture for that which is repugnant to any thing doth not fil vp but rather quite ouerthrow it Another testimony of the perfection of the holy Scripture is most manifest in the 2. Tim. 3.6 The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach to reproue to correct to instruct that the man of God may be perfect and perfectly instructed to euery good worke From whence wee may frame these arguments First the Scripture is a totum an entire thing Ergo it is perfect for a totum is that which wanteth no necessary parts Secondly that which sufficeth vs for doctrin for reproof for correction and instruction that is full and compleate for there is none that can shew any thing besides wherunto the
and so of Flesh among the doctrines of Diuels Colos. 2. Let no man condemne you in meate and drinke or in respect of Holydaies Rom. 14. I am perswaded by our Lord Iesus Christ that nothing is vncleane or common of it selfe but to him that thinketh any thing to be common or prophane for the Kingdome of God is neither meate nor drinke but righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost What is then the rule and square of our good workes and so consequently whence doe we know what works be commanded by God The Morall Law or the Decalogue is the onely square of our good works wherby we may know what workes are acceptable vnto God This law is reduced to two heads to wit the true worship of God and then the works of charity which wee performe to our neighbour The worship of God is set downe in the former part of the Decalogue and the loue of our neighbour with the workes of charitie is comprised in the second table Which is the other part of sanctification Inuocation of Gods name How many waies is God inuocated or called vpon Two waies the first way is Petition or begging of those things whereof we stand in need and the second is Thanksgiuing for those which we haue receiued both which kinds of Inuocation is either publike or priuate As touching both of them reade my Syst. of Diuinity pag. 487. And here must be obserued two maine errours of Poperie First is touching the Inuocation of Saints secondly about the worshipping of Images and adoring of reliques As touching the former of these twaine wee in opposition thereunto maintaine that God alone is to be called vpon in Prayer that is the deuout affection of our mind is to bee directed euen vnto God and not vnto Angels nor vnto the Virgin Mary nor vnto the Apostles nor yet vnto those fourteene Helpers as they call them by whose mediation and merits the Papists doe most blasphemously say that they are rid and deliuered from all aduersities as are George Erasmus Basil Pantaleon Vitus Christopher Dennis Dominick Achatius Eustachius Gyles Margaret Barbara and Catherine Hence is the Masse of the fourteene Helpers But vnto this their praying vnto Saints wee oppose the plaine Word of God whereby will bee conuinced that we owe â—he deuout affection of our mindes onely vnto God Deut. 6. The Lord thy God shalt thou worship c. Which place Christ repeating Matth. 4. expounds thus And him onely shalt thou serue producing it against Satans temptation See the like places Exod. 20. Psal. 50. v. 15. Psal. 95. v. 6. Psal. 90.9 10. The Angels themselues forbid this and refuse to bee worshipped as being idolatrous Iudg. 13.16 where the Angell saith vnto Maâ—oah If thou wilt make a burnt Offering offer it vp vnto the Lord and not vnto me Reuel 19 Vers. 20. also the 22. v. 9. the Angell forbiddeth Iohn and stayes him from falling downe before him and worshipping of him Whereupon hee saith to him See thou doe not this for I am thy fellow seruant that is I am also a creature as well as thy selfe Paul Coloss. 2. expressely condemnes worshipping of Angels And note I pray you a very plaine place Rom. 10. How shall they call on him in whom they haue not belieued Whence thus I argue Wee ought not to belieue in the Saints therefore neither ought wee call or pray to them And the Apostle further in his Epistle to the Galathians Chap. 4. vers 5. blameth the Heathen for that they called on them which by nature are not Gods Whence I also argue The saints are not by nature Gods Ergo they are not to be called vpon or if they be called vpon then is committed most filthy idolatrie Yea but the Saints may mediate for vs therefore they are to be called vpon Whereto wee answere denying the Antecedent that the Saints can mediate for vs with God First because we haue one onely Mediator to wit Christ Iesus as it is written There is one Mediatour betwixt God and man euen the man Christ Iesus 1. Tim. 2. v. 5. like places hereunto see Ioh. 19.11.13 Rom. 3.35 Rom. 8.34 Heb. 2.17 Heb. 7.25 Heb 9 12. Secondly the Saints cannot be mediators for that they doe not know the gronings and sighes of our hearts and vnderstand not our priuate troubles and afflictions for these be the conditions of an aduocate or mediator first that our mediatour be nominated and commended vnto vs by plaine and euident testimonies secondly that that same intercessour bee perfectly righteous and holy thirdly that hee also know the gronings and afflictions of him for whom he meanes to mediate none of al which agreeth vnto the saints for the Saints are neither appointed vnto vs by God to be our intercessours neither haue wee any command in holy Scripture that we are to make the Saints mediatours for vs or to call on them Nay rather quite contrary precepts hereunto which we haue before cited Againe wee find not through the whole volume of Gods booke any one example of any Saint that hath prayed vnto a Saint and entreated him to play the mediatour for him Neither does the second condition agree to them for that they are not altogether pure before God that they may mediate for others but they themselues rather haue need of a mediatour as it is said Iob. 15. Yea in his Saints he found vncleannesse Thirdly the Saints are ignorant of our afflictions and affections how can they therefore interceede for vs if they woâ— not what wee aske for God alone challengeth this priuiledge to himselfe to be the searcher of the heart and the discouerer of the thoughts and groanings of men Yea but say the Papists the Saints as the friends of God haue all our groanings and praiers disclosed vnto them in the glasse of the Trinitie Whereto I answere first that if the Saints come to the knowledge of our groanings by God what need is there that first wee should call on the Saints and to what end is it to haue any such mediators with God sithence he to whom they mediate knoweth better what is wanting to vs then the mediators themselues For it should seeme to be a preposterous course to vse any intercessour vnto a King if the King knew the party for whom the mediatour would interceed better then the mediator himselfe And how absurde should it bee if the intercessour should say Tell me I pray you O my King what this fellow asks for whom I am to mediate Secondly I say that the Scripture hath broken that prospectiue glasse al to shiuers Esay 62. Heare from heauen thine holy dwelling place for thou art our Father Abraham heareth vs not and Israel is ignorant of vs but thou art our Father thy name is from euerlasting Where it is plainely affirmed that Abraham and Israel which long agoe were dead and whose soules rested with God in the Heauens did
had he lost that his saluation but he speakes otherwise he saith onely restore comfort vnto me for a true belieuer when that he falleth into sinnes the holy spirit for all that remaineth in him yet it doth not cherish his conscience but it groweth sad and heauy and so ceaseth to bee glad and merry before times he vsed to be he doth therfore desire of God that hee would take away this sadnesse and heauinesse of heart from him and that hee would restore vnto him a ioyfull and gladsome spirit I haue heard as touching the fruit of Iustification what is that you told me was necessarily conioyned and annexed thereunto Because the iust man falls seuen timeseuen in a day therefore to Iustification there must alwaies bee adioyned Repentance True repentance of what parts doth it consist Of two parts one of them as it were contrary vnto the the other to wit griefe or sorrow for sinnes committed and the offending or displeasing of God and then comfort and confidence of the forgiuenesse of sinnes which is to be had by and for the merits of Christ. See the 467. page of my Syst. of Diuinity and in the comment vpon Vrsins Catechisme page 640. Here note a double error of the Papists whereof the first is That vnto true repentance there is required Confession to a Priest To which error we oppose our iudgements First because such a Confession is no where commanded of God Secondly because there is no one example for it of any Saint throughout the whole booke of God no example I say but which teacheth vs to make confession of our sinnes only to God So doth Dauid Psalm 51. Against thee onely haue I sinned O Lord. And the Publicane Luke 18. Standing in thâ— Temple confessed his sinnes onely to God and thence went away iustified Whereupon saith Chryst. Confesse thy sinnes to God for to doe this to man it is not safe for thee for that men may either discouer them or vpbrayd thee with them The other Popish error is that Repentance which they call Pennance is satisfactory as if wee by our repentance did satisfie for our sinnes vnto which detestable errour those places of the holy Bible are to be opposed by which we haue before made cleare that the passion of Christ doth sufficiently satisfie for all our sinnes You haue already sufficiently instructed me about Redemption now take the paines I pray you to instruct me about sanctification Sanctification Regenaration and new Obedience or conuersion vnto God are all one in signification And it is nothing els saue the changing of our depraued or corrupt nature into better and then a setled resolution to auoyd sinne hereafter and to frame our liues to some newe course which may bee pleasing vnto God and beseeming our profession of Faith and Religion which regeneration in this life certainely cannot bee perfect but onely inchoate and alwaies conioyned with a combating and a reluctance against sinne or of the flesh and the spirit As the Apostle very largely setts it downe Rom. 7. Galat. 5. The good saith he that I would I doe not But in that other life we shal perfectly be regenerated sanctified and reformed vnto the Image of God yet for all this Gods will it is our regeneration should bee begun in this life and that good workes bee done by vs as our Sauiour commandeth Math. 5. Let your light so shine before men c. 2. Peter 1.16 Labour to make your vocation and election sure by good workes that is Labour to giue vnto your selues a sure and to others an euident testimonie that you haue true Faith from whence doe spring and arise good workes for Faith without workes is dead and indeed is no Faith 1. Thess. 4. This is the will of God euen your Sanctification Rom. 6.12 Make your members hencefoorth weapons of righteousnesse And most dreadfull is that speach Heb. 13. Without holinesse none shall see God Wherefore if it be demanded whether good workes are necessary vnto Saluation I answer That if wee take Saluation for our first entry thereunto namely Remission of sinnes and iustification then good workes are not necessary because it is most necessarily required that first our sinnes be forgiuen vs before wee can doe any good works pleasing vnto God good workes therefore are of no force to procure remission of sinnes which we doe obtaine onely by Faith contrary to the Papists tenent but if the word be not taken for the remission of sins but for life eternall which hereafter we shal be possessed of there is neede then of good works as a meane and way but not as any meritorious cause of saluation for then indeede shall we bee cloathed vpon if we be not found naked that is in that other life we shall be fully renewed conformed if that we begin that reformation and sanctification in this life And this is that which the Apostle speaketh Heb. 7.14 Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which none shall see the Lord. How many parts are there of our Sanctification Two Good workes and Prayer For in these two standeth our whole Regeneration and conuersion namely to doe good workes and dayly to call vpon God by Prayer What are good Workes or what things are required vnto Works which are good or pleasing vnto God Three things be requisit to good workes First that they spring from a true Faith For Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 Heb. 11.6 Without Fath it is impossible to please God c. Secondly that they bee commanded by God for what works soeuer are enioyned by men and not by God those are not good works Ezech. 9.19 You must walke in my Commandements and not in the Commandements of your Fathers Matth. 18.9 They worship me in vaine teaching for doctrines mens precepts Thirdly that our good works bee alwaies referred to the glory of God and not vnto vaine glory hypocrisie 1. Cor. 11.31 Doe all vnto the glory of God Mat. 5.16 That men seeing your good workes may glorifie your Father which is in heauen Hereby may easily be discerned what is to bee thought of the most of the Papists workes wherewith they thinke that they worshippe GOD such as are their Watchings and Pilgrimages to holy places and adoring of Churches with Shrines and Images for such workes are no good workes First because they are not done out of Faith but out of a most pestilent opinion of meriting and satisfying for sinnes Secondly because they are not commanded by God but inuented and appointed by Popes and Bishops against the expresse commandement of God as that of Fasting and abstaining from Flesh on Friday which manner of Fasting and difference of meate is expressely against the Word of God Matt. 15. That which entreth into the mouth doth not defile the man but that which commeth out of the mouth that defileth the man 1. Tim. 4. The Apostle expressly and plainely nameth the Forbidding of certaine meates