87 2 How the Papists abuse the word of righteousnes from 87 to 100 3 Why the word is righteous 101 to 102 4 Of the workes of righteousnesse and how to doe them 103 to 107 2 In the sowing-time 1 How obedience seemes lost 108 2 Why thereward is not yet 109 3 Great gaine in obedience 111 4 We are to doe good to many 112 5 We are to doe the beast good 113 6 How the wicked sowe 114 7 World make obedience a labour 115 3 In the persons 1 Great men not too good to serue God 118 to 119 2 Poore not too meane to serue God 120 In the haruest time are 1 propertie of the worke 2 the manner of it 1 Generall obeydience euer rewarded 121 to 124 1 In the propertie 1 How obedience bringeth earthly blessings 125 to 127 2 The haruest of assurance of heauen 129 to 134 2 In the manner 1 All we haue is of mercy 135 2 Papists merits 136 to 137 In the consequence are 1 the action Seeke 2 the obiect the Lord. 3 the cause it is Time 1 In the action 1 We must serue God in our owne persons 139 2 That it is a labour to seeke and why 140 2 In the obiect 1 Of the name Iehouah 143 2 To seeke God in his word 145 3 The seuerall seekers 146 to 147 4 To seeke the loue of God 148 to 149 In the compelling cause 3 In the time past in it 1 The longer in sinne more cause to turne to God and why 150 to 154 2 In the time to come 1 Take time while time is and why 154 to 155 2 The continuance in seeking 156 to 157 3 How and when he come 157 4 The metaphor of the raine 158 to 159 5 Raine for teaching 161 6 Raine for abundance 162 A Table of the principall words in this Booke A A meane in words 69 Assurance of heauen here 129 Apology of the world 116 Apologie for the Church 35. 56 Adultery how committed 29 All the lawes to be executed 80 B Bishops lawfull 55. 56 Brokers 30 Blind Magistrates 82 Best good to be done 114 Boldnes of Ministers 77 Blasphemy of Papists 102 C Couetousnesse 26 Corruption of nature 16 Continuance in obedience 191 Ceremonies 39. 40 Custome in sinne 155 Church of England true Church comming of God how 157 Continuance in sinne 156 D Discipline of 3. sorts 38. 39 Death of sinne where 63 Dissembling protestants 113 Drunkennesse 19. 146 Dumbe Magistrates 82 Dead to sinne 63 Deuil cause of sinne 17. 18 Dead in sinne 152 Doctrnie of England pure 36 37 E Exchange 32 Error of Papists 132. 87 Engrosers 13 Earth for man 5. 7. 8. 9 Euill actions 66. 67 F Free will 97 Faith of our owne 75 Faith the nature of it 130 Faith only in this life 131 G Grace the power of it 72 Good to be done to many 112 God no cause of sinne 16 Gaine in obedience 111 Great men serue God 119 Good how to doe it 106 H Hypocrites 12 Heart most regarded 8. 9. 10 Heart to be rent 61 Hurt of euillworks 70 Hope of the godly 110 Haruest of magistrats 123 Ministers people 124 Haruest temporall 125 Haruest of grace 124 Heart in obedience 105 Hospitalitie 123 I Inclosers 24 Idolatry of Papists 95 Infidelity of ingrossers 24 Instruction 81 Iehouah what it is 143 Iustified how 167 K Knowledge of the word 105 Knowledge of sinne 57. 58. Knowledge of good and micked men 72 Knowledge of the heart 75 Kill sin in the heart 63 L Loue of God to he sought 148 Labour to seeke 115 Lookes wanton 29 Long in sinne 154. 155 loeke vp the word 88 to 90 Lawyer a seeker 139 Lawyer little trueth 21 M Mean in words 69 Merits of Papists 93. 136 Mortifie sinne 70 Magistrates to punish sinners 78. 79. 85 Man to worke his saluation out 73 Mercie of God 133 Murmuring 52. 53 Man part with all creatures 4 Mercie of God gause of this crop 115 Mercie of God greater then sinne 154 Merchants falow ground 21 N Nature of faith 35 Nature of the wicked 15 Nature of merits 96 Names cut off 5 O Obedience seemes lost 108 Oppression 22. to 25 Obedience profitable 122 Ordinances of God 141. 142 Obedience rewarded 121. P Pleasure of sinne 18 Profit of sinne 18 Patrons 24. 25 Pride 13. 27 Profit in words 71 Pardons 98 Purgatory 90. 91 Prayer to Saints 95. 96 Plow our selues 76 R Reward not yet 109 Raine the maner of it 159 Raine for teaching 160 Rob-altar seekes 139 Kighteousnesse of sanctification 168 Righteousnesse of iustification 166. S Slanders of the Papists 102 107 Seeke in our own persons 139 Seeking of sinne 146 148 Swearing 27 Subiect of faith in vs 74 Sathan rules the sinner 17 Sleeping magistrates 80 Sowing of the wicked 114 Sorrowe how differs in the good and bad 61 62 T Trueth not to be found 21 22 Trueth in words 67 68 Tongue to be mortified 65 Translation of the word 88 to 90 Time to seeke 150 Theft of engrossers 23 Thankes-giuing 161 Time past 150 Time to come 154 V Vsury 25 100 Vse meanes to saue the sinner 77 Vnwritten verities 97 Vnmercifulnes of the Pope 99 Vlcer of sinne 152 W Workes not perfit 135 Word righteous why 101 Wicked no right to any thing 143 Wicked sinne of purpose 14 Workes of righteonsnesse 103 Word our rule 84 Whoredome 28 In commendation of the Author VErtere si agricolas terrā est nunc laude docendo Virgilius dignus laudibus esse puto Dignum hunc nostrarum quae animarū cura libellum Sit qui nostra docet vertere corda bene Alex. Bradley To my worthy friend his Celestiall Husbandry THe Husbandry which these dead leaues doe bring Thy liuely voyce did once sweetely sing That thy learned and iudicious hearers thought The Celestiall haruest to them had brought Thereby their hearts so did inflame That they desir'd to heare it once againe Io. Ga. THe ground mans heartis Gods word the plow The harrow repentance is to breake it now The seede obedience sowen in our liues The raine Gods grace whereby it also thriues Then vse it and it will bring Thee to heauen there to sing Then now Prayse God for the gaine And the Author for his paine T. H. THE CELESTIALL husbandry RIght Honorable and well beloued in our best be loued I knowe that many haue been the flowers that my brethren the Prophets haue gathered out of the garden of Gods word giuing a fragrant smell in this place so that I know not what flowers to gather to present you withall that formerly yee haue not seene Yet in this my meditation I considered of my worthy Auditors and so fitted my text accordingly Some of them being Iudges and Magistrats that fitly I might speake to them of Iustice. An other part of them being inferiour subiects that also I might speake to them of obedience In a word considering that heere are vsually auditours of all sorts I
shew of puritie but a vertue and therefore to be countenanced and defended from the prodigious spirits of the world and if I said barking Dogges I sayd but as Dauid did which hunts outward holinesse into Obadiahs caue that it dare not shew it selfe for feare it should be brought vpon a stage or put in verse or to some other vse to make themselues merrie withall Shall this be suffered then religion will be banished ere long and I cannot blame it if it walke in obscuritie already and dare not bee seene But is there neuer an Obadiah in the land nor Hester in the Court nor an Ahimelech at Nob to fauour their profession and protect their persons Non est meae humilitatis diotare vobis yet say as God said to the Iewes Though Israel play the harlot let not Iudah sinne Though the Temporall Magistrate sit still and say nothing yet let not Ecclesiasticall gouernours keepe silence You are the brestplate of defence the helmet of 〈◊〉 and the sword of protection as Tunc iustitia dieitur gladius ex vtraque parte acutus quia hominis defendit corpus ab exterioribus iniuriis animam a spiritu alibus molestiis For the sword of gouernment hath two edges Disciplina ad duo diuiditur ad correctionem et instructionem primum timore sccunaum amore perficitur and happy is that Church where they both doe cut You are the North winde to kill all the vermin and the South to ripen good fruit I meane your authoritie to punish the wicked and cherish the good But I forget my selfe your Lordship is wise as an Angel of God knowing best what to doe Yet giue meleaue not to teach but to pray for you considering your holy profession high place and the weighty causes you are to mannage the manifold euils you may preuent and the great good you may procure And this is all the good I am able to doe desiring the Lord to prosper your godly proceeding to Gods glory and the good of the Church To the same purpose the Lord fill your soule with grace your heart with courage your life with health and your time with length of dayes that after a militarie life ended in grace you may come to liue a 〈◊〉 life in glory Your Lordships to command in all duetie WILLIAM IACKSON To the Worshipfull Companie of Clothworkers William Iackson wisheth grace in this world and glory in the world to come Right Worshipfull IT is no small fauour of God to bee made an instrument of others good which is either by our owne free donations or by disposing of others gifts In the one is manifested our charitie in giuing of our owne and in the other our faithfulnesse in truely performing the will of the dead And to vse the Apostles words What haue we that wee haue not receiued not simply for our owne vse but for the good of others also Therefore that wee may not be found vncharitable we must giue of our owne nor vnfaithfull we must be true in bestowing of others gifts and then we shall bee twice blessed with Iacob and haue a double portion with Beniamin But to bring this home to the doores of your consciences Yea Worshipfull company of Cloth-workers for whome I in particular am bound to pray not so much for your owne donation vnto mee as your faithfull paying of that which others haue giuen for the maintenance of religion Of whom I may say as Dauid did of Ierusalem Many excellent things are spoken of thee thou Citie of God so many excellent things are done by you Yea worthy and worship full Clothworkers with Dorcas you make coates to clothe the naked with the Shunammite you prepare houses for the harbourlesse to dwell in with Obadiah you relieue the Prophets and much more of this nature which to set downe in order would both spend much paper and also a wearinesse to my hand it is sufficient God knowes them and will one day reward the same I speake not this to make you proud but as my duetie to you and to encourage others to the same And so I will conclude with the saying of the Apostle yee haue and doe well yet I beseach you to increase more and more whereby your name may bee more spread on earth and your glory greater enlarged in heauen Your Pensioner WILLIAM IACKSON TO THE READER CHristian reader I am now to salute thy vnderstanding with a few lines of exhortation be thou as willing to embrace them as they are ready to profit thee if vnderstāding be thy tutour and conscience thy lesson And here I desire but two things of thee first to reade with diligence then to marke with iudgement for thou canst haue no sicknes but here is physicke no sore but here is a plaister for it It is like Iacobs ladder one end standing on the earth the other reaching vp to heauen It begins at faith and repentance leading thee along in the path of obedience and so at the length brings thee to glory I would not that any should obiect against the author and so vse the child the worse for the fathers sakc but rather consider that the child may be good though the father be euill I will make no apologie in the behalfe of it for it is able to speake in the defence of it selfe And now I must make an apologie for my selfe why I haue sent this booke forth into the world one cause is in regard I was wronged by euill tongues after I had preached the same wherefore I now send it foorth to make answere for mee A second cause why I send it foorth is this because the matter therein being of great vse and a Sermon is but nine dayes wonder would not haue the funerall so soone therefore I thought good to intreate that fauour of the higher powers to put it in print And now let me intreate thy affections to embrace it and thy diligence to practise it Thus I leaue these fewe lines to thy selfe to be obeyed and thy selfe to the Lord to be glorified Thine if thou be the Lords William Iackson A Table of the parts handled in this Booke In the plow-time are handled 1 the subiect 2 property of the worke 3 propriety of the persōs 1 In the subiect 1 Why man is called earth 5. 6. 7 2 The heart to be looked too and why 8 to 11 3 Wicked sinne of meditation and why 14 to 18 4 The seuerall fallow grounds 19 to 56 2 In the property of the worke 1 The heart is cut by the law 60 to 63 2 The inward thoughts discouered 57 to 60 3 Sinne dies in vs 63 to 73 3 In the proprety 1 Man is to helpe forward his saluation why 73 to 78 2 The magistrates dutie from 78 to 83 In the seed-time are 1 property of the worke Sowe 2 matter to work on Righteousnes 3 the persons You. 1 In the matter 1 The word of righteousnes must rule vs why 84 to
the things of God Yea so farre off that they are foolishnesse vnto him Si in ratione habitaret malum c. as Tollet obserues If euill should dwell in the reason then could it not will that which is good I remember Virgils verse Igneus est ollis vigor caelestis origo Scminibus quantum non noxia corpora tardant Terrenique hebetent artus moribundaque membra Those seedes haue fiery vigor and heauenly spring So farre as bodies Lnder not with fulnesse Or earthly dying members clogge with dulnesse Wee neede not to borrow proofes from the heathen Poets wee find them in our selues and the infallible trueth of God hath spoken it that in vs there dwells no goodnesse Rom. 7. And further the same Apostle saith Wee are all sold vnder sinne And There is none that doth good no not one If our nature be thus corrupt how can it produce any thing but that which is euill The barren heart is the ground of my discourse And according to the common distinction of euill here is a double euill in this barren and bad soile Vnum quodmalus facit One euill which the wicked man doth and then alterum quod malum patitur another euill which hee suffers The euill that hee doth is here the meditation to sinne or as my text saith a heart prepared to sinne The euill that he suffers is the corruption of nature which sauours nothing but vice The Philosopher said that the earth was a naturall mother vnto weedes but a stepmother vnto herbs It is true in this earth man by a procliuity of his owne naturall inclination is apt to produce all manner of euill but can bring foorth no good God must first play the husbandman with him There is no Farmer that so labours his ground as God must our hearts Wicked men are bad earth and base minded and naturally sinke downewards yea with a dull and ponderous declination All his actions haue a low obiect not out of humilitie but of base deiection Apollonius reporteth one strange thing among the rest of his reports That there was a people which could not see in the light but in the darke A strange report yet it is here true by experience The wicked cannot see any thing in the light of grace they haue their light onely in the darkenesse of nature for they here see and vnderstand through the darke cloudes of nature No maruell then if their heartes bee set vpon sinne when they can see nothing but euill Neither is God in this any way causa Peccati eitheir because his whole nature is corrupted or in with holding grace from him For the first the wise man cleareth God saying This haue I learned that God made man righteous but he hath found out many inuentions For how could a good cause produce an euill effect A Deo perfecto nihil malum nihil turpe est saith the Heathen From God that is perfect commeth neither euill nor foule thing Deus malorum causa non est cum bonus sit God is not the authour of euill when he himselfe is most good But as the Lord speaketh by the Prophet Perditio tua ex te Distruction is of thy selfe O Israel As God is not the cause of this corrupted nature and so not the cause of sinne so God is not vniust in withholding his grace from the wicked as some heretickes haue reasoned in this manner Priuatio est a Deo to be depriued is from God Priuatio est Peccatum To be depriued is sinne ergo peccatum est a Deo sinne is from God But this is easily answered for it doth not followe because we can doe nothing without grace that therefore God is bound to giue it Indeed we are bound to serue him but he is not bound to bestow his grace vpon vs it may be illustrated thus The King can raise a begger to great honour is hee therefore bound to doe it no man will conclude it So it is with God if he bestowe his grace vpon this man it is his mercy towards him if he doe it not to another it is none iniustice to him For his grace is free I will haue mercy on him to whom I will shewe mercy and will haue compassion on him on whom I will haue compassion So though man be corrupted God in no wise is the cause of his corruption Then this nature being so corrupt seeth and tasteth nothing but that which is euill A second cause or reason proceedeth from Sathan for hee sitteth in the heart of the wicked as a Prince vpon his throne commanding the same how and when he will This way and that way as the winds doe the Sedars in Libanus As the Apostle Paul saith They are taken prisoners by him to doe his will He is a workeman that is neuer without employment for them The diuell by the testimony of our Lord is the Prince of this world Note then his Monarchy is great and his kingdome bigger then the kingdome of Christ. For broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many runne that way But narrow is the way that leadeth vnto life and fewe walke that way If his kingdome bee so great no maruell if his employments be so many euery subiect therein is a great States-man for he is of the priuy counsell and there is neuer a day but there is a consultation between the Deuill and the heart of a wicked man The Deuill cannot be without the least of these but with great danger to his kingdome There is a two-fold cable-roape where by the Deuill drawes their hearts vnto sinne The first is the profit of sinning Come cast in thy Lot with vs we will finde riches and also fill our houses with spoyles Sinne neuer comes emptie handed for if it dyed we would reiect it We haue all earned Iudas his lesson which is Quid dabis And thus much doth the Apostle intimate in the Romanes where he saieth What profit had yee then in those things Hereby shewing that the end of sinning was the game of profit The second is pleasure and delight of this speaketh the Apostie in his second Epistle to the Thessalonianst They tooke pleasure in vnrighteousnesse And this is that that aggrauates a mans sinne to sinne and then to take pleasure in it Thus hee bindes two sinnes together 1. 2 finne to doe it 2. a sinne to loue it So the Diuell began with Adam and Euah to tempt them to sinne by the pleasure of sinne saying Yee shall bee as Gods knowing good and euill In many arts the more-skilfull the more ill-full Armis polentior astus Fraude goes beyond force Thus Sathan hath stollen trueths garment and put it on errors backe And so because the wayes to hell are full of greene pathes and tempting pleasures many runne apace till they come to their owne place with Iudas Sinne is a coach the Diuell is the carter then needes must they goe
ensue a great happinesse according to that true saying of the Poet Virgil Foelix quipotuitrerum cognoscere causas O blessed hee and excellent that knowes the cause of each euent Thus for our conclusion of this branch obserue that such as are truely plowed by the word and Spirit of God are dead tosinne and sinne in them for they that are Ghrists haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Likewise the same Apostle saith If Christ be in you the bodie is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake If you will haue an example of this that further it may be manifested turne your eyes vnto there of the Acts 18. 19. verses Many that beleeued came and confessed and shewed their workes Many also of them that vsed curious arts brought their bookes and burned them before all men and they counted the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of siluer If you aske a reason of it it is from the power of grace which is able to subdue the power of Sathan For Sathan sinne the flesh and the world can but make a finite power but wee are protected with an infinite power Greater is hee that is in you then hee which is in the word Therefore whosoeuer is borne of God doth not sinne neo potest peccare neither can sinne O excellent gift as one affirmes being donum omnium donorum maximum A gift excelling all gifts Augustine vpon this hath this obseruation Before the law we do not fight vnder the law we fight and are ouercome vnder grace wee fight and ouercome For wee are more then conquerers in Iesus Christ. It is a thing common with the Physicians to driue and purge out a lesser poyson by a stronger as we dayly see a lesser light extinguished by the greater The Sunne puts out the light of the Moone and the power of Gods grace puts cut the power of sinne Thus when the stronger man gets into the house bindes the master and spoyles him of his goods God is the stronger man his grace is the influence which comes downe from heauen to helpe vs in the midst of our conflicts Much like the elements that helped 〈◊〉 in his battell so that he got the victory whereof Claudian sung O nimium dilecte Deo cuimilitat aether Et coniurati veninut ad classica venti O Gods beloued when power aeriall And winds came armd to helpe when thou doest call Let not slip your consideration without obseruation where sinne liues and thriue there all goodnesse withers and dies Dauid put sorth a question Lord let me know mine age and the number of my dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue to liue So many doe say Lord let me know mine estate whether I belong to thee or no. And now I answere as the Frenchman did the Scots and the Irish which of long time had been at controuersie for a piece of ground to which nation it should belong The controuersie was to bee ended by the said Frenchman in this maner Put said he thereinto Serpents and Snakes If they die it belongeth to Ireland but if they liue it belongeth to Scotlands Thus the contiouersie was ended So in like maner if sinne liues and thriues in you you belong to Sathan but if it wither and die then you belong to God So our Lord teacheth vs Matt. 7. 16. You shall know them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by their fruits Thus here is an end of this branch Lastly the terrene plow makes the earth more fit for the seede Euen so doeth the tearing of the heart by true repentance makes it the more apt to embrace the mercie of God The thid part THus we haue gone thorow the subiect and the propertie of the worke now followes the proprietie of the persons lacaem your committing this worke to euery particular person Obserue that all men are agents in their faith repentance contrition and saluation Plowe vp your falowe ground your owne falowe As God saide to Ierusalem Wash thy heart O Ierusalem and by the Prophet Ioel Scindite corda vestrum Rent your hearts So I say vnto you wash and rent your owne hearts for if you will not lay to your helping hand they are neuer like to bee cleane God in the time of the Lawe commanded that lie which should offer an offering was to put his hand vpon the head of it Heb. 3. 2. Hereby shewing that we must haue a hand with God in euery part and worke of regenetation He that made without thee will not instifie thee without thee He made thee without thy knowledge and doth instifie thee with thy consent Therefore said Christ If you will find seeke If you will receiue then aske For no seeking no finding no asking no receiuing God proclaimes not Ho euery one that is athirst I will bring him water But Ho euery one that is athirst let him come and fetch water Supper is made ready by our Lord all things are prepared at his owne cost and charges and when it was ready hee said not goe carie it to these men but goe bid them come in and eate it Herevnto tend the words of Paul Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling And Peter also saith Make your calling and election sure Sure it is with God not with vs vntill then Worthily doth that sieke person perish that calleth not for the Physician but refuseth him comming of his owne accord vnto him Man by the ordinance of God is appointed an agent for his owne saluation For the subiect of faith repentance and contrition are in vs not in God Indeed God is the efficient cause the word the instrumental cause but our hearts willes and affections the materiall cause that is subiectum conuersionis the subiect of conuersion as the schoolmen define the fanie Delor est in corde Sorrow is in the heart Fuga est in voluntate Flying is in the will and that with purpose not to commit sinne any more Auertio est in corde voluntate a malo ad bonum The turning is in the heart and will from euill vnto that that is good still the subiect is in vs and so we must needes be agents For wee are not like a piece of waxe that receiues no impression but what is put into it being meerely pasaiue but actiue as formerly hath been shewed And to adde the sentence of Aristotle Nemo voleus malus nec inuitus foelix No man is euill with his will nor any man is happie against his will In thy mouth and heart is the cause of saluation saith Chrysostomes that is the 〈◊〉 use and subiect as hath beene sayd And as the subiect is in vs so euery man is best acquainted with his owne heart which other men is not able to know for What man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him it is a
are in the state of grace or no. Knowe yee not that Christ is in you except yee be reprobates Me thinkes the same wisedome should bee obserued with the soule as is with the body A man prooues his horse that he be not deceiued a man casteth vp his estate that he prooue not a begger and shall wee not prooue the state of our soules that we bee not damned A man be he neuer so poore will not out of one house till he be sure of another and shall we depart this life and not bee sure of heauen O no. The Mandarins hold it a thing vnfortunate to die before they haue made ready their sepulchres I hope a Christian then should be more wise for his soule to worke out his saluation with feare fearing to depart before hee hath finished the same Therefore let vs liue well as long as wee haue time for neither the Pilot when the shippe is drowned nor the Physition when the sicke man is dead profiteth any thing at all and therefore make your calling and election sure that you may liue in comfort die in peace and rise in glory And thus you haue heard and seene the haruest of grace The next circumstance obiects to our meditation the haruest of glory and here I must confesse I want a head to inuent a heart to conceiue knowledge to vnderstand iudgement to determine memory to retaine and a tongue to expresse What a croppe the haruest of glory is for as it is written Eye hath not seene care hath not heard what God hath prepared for those that loue him Situ altissimum it is high in situation quantitate maximum great in quantity natura purissimum pure in nature luce plenissimum full of light capacitate amplissimum and exceeding large for continuance eternall and for quantitie infinite I may with more peace of conscience to my selfe and greater profit to you shewe you how to come to so great a glory then to tell you what it is The manner THe last branch of this haruest is the manner which is according to merey so saith my text lephi chesed and we may reade and turne it thus to the face of mercy or to the fauour of grace or to the mouth of beneuolence or the fauour of hope all meeting as so many lines in one center shewing that all things temporall and spirituall are of the mercy of God For neither our plowing nor sowing deserueth this haruest but Gods mercy giuing it It is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in God which sheweth mercy This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace for grace First God giues grace to serue him and then hee giues a second grace as the reward So Augustine on this obserues Ipsa fides gratia est faith it selfe is grace Et vita aterna gratia est progratia And life eternall is grace for grace But is it come to this to bee for all our plowing of repentance and sowing the seede of obedience still of mercy Obserue then that man hath nothing of deseruing and by vertue of merit so doeth Christ tell vs that when we haue done all that we can yet are wee still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnprofitable And if it please you to take another witnesse you may from the Syriach word battila vnprofitable And thus by the mouth of two witnesses this sentence is firme when all is done wee are vnprofitable Siinutilis est qui fecit omnia c. If hee bee vnprofitable which did all what reward is due to vs then Surely none of the blessed promises of God but a fearfull looking for of iudgement And therefore the Apostle desired not to bee found in the puritie of his owne workes because thereby he could not be saued but in the righteousnesse of Christ. It is manifest therefore that there is no saftie in our workes because the spirit teacheth vs to flee from them as not a sure refuge to trust vnto And to this tends that saying of Iuda where he saith we should looke not for the reward of works but the mercy of God which as it did initiat vs into grace so it must consummate vs to glory The trueth whereof will yet more plainly appeare by this proposition Those works which are not perfit deserue nothing But the workes of the Saints are not perfit Ergo Our workes deserue nothing For how can an euill cause produce a good effect We know that Qualis causa talis effectus Such a cause such effect Man is not so iustified not so sanctified Vt non sit in nob is peccatum That there should bee no sinne in vs and while it is in vs it is a stayne to our workes as a little milke changeth the fountaine of water and a cloud obscureth the light of the Sunne And so what patience without murmuring what faith without doubting what zeale without coldnesse what loue without hatred what charity without couetousnesse what knowledge without ignorance what chastitie without concupiscence and what obedience without defect So saith Esai that our righteousnesse is as a stayned cloth And as Augustine saith Multum boni facit sed non perfectum bonum facit He doth much good but not that which is perfectly good So that wee haue neede to goe to God and aske pardon rather for the sinne in the worke then a reward for the good Then to conclude the Saints reape this haruest Non pro merito not for merit sed pro gratia but for grace I must not let passe now the doctrine of Popery which teacheth a doctrine contrary to this namely that wee are not simply beholding to God but in some sort to our selues as to workes And they make two kindes of workes or merits the one is Meritum de congruo merit of congruity which are preparatiue workes that goe before iustification Such were the works of Cornelius as they say which though they be not meritorious ex debito institiae by due debt of iustice yet do deserue at Gods hands of congruity The other they call Meritum de condigno merits of condignity when the reward is iustly due by debt and such are the works of the Saints But this distinction of workes wee approoue not of For these workes done before iustification though they seeme to haue a shew of goodnesse in themselues yet are they not pleasing to God because the persons are not iustified and his worke that is not iustified is abominable in the sight of God Secondly they are not done in faith and Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne so that these cannot be preparatiue workes Againe for those workes done after sanctification we deny not but that they are pleasing and acceptable to God yet doe they deserue nothing by vertue of their worth as Ambrose saith In respect of others that is other men they are worthy but in respect of the thing
of our endeuours I know that you will cut and slash me in your censures as meate to the cauldron yet Dicatur veritas rumpatur inuidia Let trueth be spoken and enuie burst her gall We had neede to doe by and with you as the little children did with Minerua the goddesse so esteemed by them that ruled the memorie the storehouse of discipline and of wisedome which children at this Mineruaes feast vsed to carrie new yeeres gifts to their masters making play dayes of the same to the seruice of the Goddesse whereof came this verse of Ouid Pallida nunc pueri tenerique or note puella qui bene placarit Pallida doctus erit Now Pallas Temple youth and damsels fill He that can please her shall haue mit at will Desire we your good commendations e yea we would but then wee must shew our selues refractary to established orders wrangle about formes and shadowes and shoote squibbes in the ayreat those that are in authority then we shall please you and our doctrine shal be embraced Otherwise we cannot purchase your fauour for your Motto is Wee loue such preaching But let vs see if there bee any iust cause of your calumniations which if there be it will appeare either in doctrine discipline or manners First that it may appeare that there is none in doctrine obserue these three points following First that it must be from God that is The doctrine vpon which we build our saluation must be such as God hath preseribed vnto his Church For Cursed are they that adde thereunto as is manifest by our Lord In vaine they worship mè teaching for doctrine the precepts of mens yea if an Angel should preach any other doctrine then that which God hath deliuered let him bee accursed No doctrine goes currant in the ballance of the Sanctuary but such as comes fró the bosome of the Father Then iudge if the Church of England doth erre or no fró this point namely retaining that doctrine and only that doctrine which God hath prescribed We doe not like the Papists teach you to build your faith vpon vnwritten verities Secondly as it must be from God so it must be compleat that is the whole will of God must be vsed in the Church For the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to conuince and to instruct in righteousnesse That the man of God may be perfect to euery good worke For not one syllable of Gods word must be kept backe And in this the Church of England cleareth her selfe as in the former not keeping backe any part of Gods word from the Church but freely teaching and giuing liberty vnto prosessors wholly to enioy it Indeed if we should with the Church of Rome locke vp the word in an vnknowen tongue or steale part out from it as they doe the second Commandement we were then iustly to bee accused Thirdly and lastly it must bee rightly ordered which the Church of England obserues For wherein doeth our Church offend in this For we teach Gods loue the primary cause of our saluation Christ his obedience and suffering to be the materiall cause and faith the instrumental cause Againe we teach first Election then Calling then Iustification then Glorification Therefore if there be the same which God commanded and all that God commanded and also ordered according to his will then the Church of England is not to be condemned nor refused for any thing in the doctrine thereof Seeing you haue no iust cause to complaine in regard of doctrine let vs see if there bee any in the discipline and gouernment thereof To that end that wee may perceiue this point the clearer we will obserue the discipline in three branches first diuine secondly necessary thirdly indifferent First diuine gouernment of discipline is such an order as is set downe by God in his word as Prayer the Sacraments the excommunicating of wicked persons gathering of almes for the poore and Ministers and Elders for the gouernement of the Congregation c. All which are practised in the Church of England yet they obiect that the Sacraments are not obserued as Christ instituted them For there is added the surplesse kneeling the crosse and the like But to these I answere thus First the time when Christ commaunded or ordeined these in the Church the Church was not then established and confined to any place and therefore orders could not be ordained before the Church was established Secondly they may be answered thus Christ did not say as oft as yee obserue these orders yee shew the Lords death but as oft as ye eate of this bread and drinke of this cup setting downe the subiect and leauing the ordering of it vnto the Church touching outward ceremonies Thirdly it may bee answered thus The Church hath not appointed these ceremonies as any parts of the Sacraments For then they could not bee Sacraments but when they should bee so deliuered and so receiued But now to shew that these outward ceremonies are no parts of the Sacraments They are administred sometimes with them and sometimes without them at the discretion of the Ministers And besides this obserue that when any are of this opinion that these are not lawfull Sacraments without the ceremonies that then these are denied the ceremonies though they hauc the Sacrament to the end they may know these ceremonies to be no part of diuine discipline for if they were they could not nor might be omitted In the next place behold that discipline which wee call necessary that is the vse of such things as God hath not commanded and yet they are needfull and warrantable by consequence from the word of God As for example wee haue no commandement for the manner or for me of consecrating the Sacraments yet it is necessarie that they should bee consecrated Moreouer what commandement haue wee for a forme of prayer yet it is necessary otherwise there would be a confusion in the Church Againe what commandement haue we for the buriall of the dead yet it is necessary that there should be some forme vsed that there may be some distinction betweene the buriall of Christians and dogges Of this nature are Te Deum laudamus after the first Lesson and Benedictus after the second And likewise Magnificat and Nunc demittis Also the Collects and Churching of women and the like which albeit God hath not set downe by way of precept yet they are needfull and cannot be omitted Lastly behold that discipline which wee call indifferent that is the vse of such things as may be vsed or omitted it being no vertue to vse them nor any vice to omit them Such are the Surplesse the Crosse in Baptisme kneeling at the Communion wearing a white cloth to be Churched and sestiuall dayes which things may be done or omitted as occasions may serue The Church of England doeth not like the Church of Rome tye the conscience to the