corruption that cleaueth vnto the best of our good workes be taken away But when our sanctification here begun shall bee perfected in the world to come shall we not then bee iustified by an inherent righteousnesse No but by the imputed righteousnesse of our Sauiour Christ which being once giuen vs is neuer taken from vs. How is this pollution conueied into the good workes which God worketh in vs There is beside the worke of his owne hand through the operation of his holy spirit a pollution in vs and an infection of ours which commeth from the sin that dwelleth in vs as cleere water put into an vncleane vessell or running thorow a filthie channell receiueth some euill qualitie thereof Wherein doe our good workes faile of Gods Iustice Partly in the instrumentall causes from which they proceed and partly in the finall cause or end whereunto they aime What are the instrumentall causes hindering the perfection of our workes First our vnderstanding in that the worke is not done with knowledge absolute and throughly perfect Secondly in that our remembrance is infeebled and doth not so fully retaine that which the vnderstanding conceiued Thirdly in that the will and affections are short of their dutie Last of all in that the body is not so apt and nimble for the execution of good things as is required Expresse this by a similitude We are in the Instrumentall causes like to a common labourer which being hired by the day worketh with one hand whereas both are required or worketh a piece of the day being hired for the whole What is the finall end wherein good workes faile In that we haue not a direct eye to Gods glory or the good of our neighbour as is required but looke a squint as it were at those duties which are enioyned to vs like to such artificers as prefer their owne credit in their skill before their masters profit If then it be so that sinne cleaneth to our best workes are not our good workes sinne and are not all euill workes equall No doubtlesse bee it farre from vs to thinke it for their imperfection is sinfull but the good worke is not a sinne and euen in bad actions as hath been said some are lesse euill then other How is this pollution taken away Exod. 28.36.37.38 By the intercession of our Sauiour Christ through which our good workes are of account before God VVhat doctrine is here to be gathered A doctrine of great comfort to the children of God to stirre them vp to abound in good workes sith they are acceptable to God in Christ Iesus for where men know any thing to bee delightsome to their Prince they will with all endeauour striue for it Matth. 12. how much more ought we to be pricked forward to the seruice of God who quencheth not the smoking flax nor breaketh the bruised reed yea Matth. 10. which forgetteth not a cup of cold water giuen in faith and for his sake VVhat other reasons are there to stirre vs vp to good workes We ought to remember Gods benefits bestowed vpon all his children as our Election Creation Redemption Calling Iustification Sanctification continuall Preseruation and then particularly such blessings as God hath seuerally bestowed vpon euery one of vs. Are not the iudgements of God also to bee thought vpon for furtherance to this dutie Yes verily to make vs feare to offend in our waies Remaineth there yet any more Good companie Psal 119.63 Pro. 13.20 which with Dauid wee must cleaue vnto not the noblest or of greatest account but the godliest for if we will auoid such a sinne we must auoid all company that delight therein which is no lesse dangerous then good companie is profitable VVhat gather you of this That whosoeuer maketh no choice of companie maketh no conscience of sinne as those that dare keepe companie familiarly with Papists thinking that they may keepe their conscience to themselues VVhat are the parts of sanctification Two first Mortification secondly viuification or a rising to righteousnes What is mortification Mortification is a continuall dying vnto sin slaying killing deadning of sinne proceeding from the vertue of Christ his death and buriall What is the sinne that must be mortified First our naturall corruption or old man called originall sinne which is a readinesse and pronenes to that that is euill and a frowardnes and backwardnes to that which is good called also flesh or the body of sinne Col. 3. Then the fruits thereof which are called the members of that body What is mortification of sinne further compared vnto Col. 3. It is set forth by the name of ragges and filthie stained clothes which wee are loath to looke on as it which we should cast off and lay aside What is Viuification or Quickening or rising to righteousnesse Rom. 6.4.5 It is a rising to newnesse of life proceeding from the power of Christ his resurrection Hitherto of Sanctification What is redemption It is the happie estate that the children of God shall haue in the last day 1. THES chap. 5. vers 19.20 19 Quench not the Spirit 20 Despise not prophecying BY what meanes doth God effect these things and how ruleth he till the last day By the meanes of his spirit and word ioyned together according as the words doe make mention What meane you by the spirit of God to this place That power of God which worketh in the hearts of men things which the naturall discourse of reason is notable to attaine vnto Being incomprehensible how may wee come to some vnderstanding and sense of it By the things whereunto it is compared first Acts 2. Heb. 1. Ioh. 4. Matth. 3. Acts â— to wind to shew the maruellous power of it in operation Secondly to oyle that is of a hote nature that pierceth and suppleth Thirdly to water that cooleth scoureth and cleanseth Fourthly to fire that seuereth drosse and good mettall How is the operation of it Diuers as softening and hardening enlightening and darkning which it worketh after a diuers maner by the word in the hearts of the elect and reprobate according to the good pleasure of God and secret will only and after that according to the good pleasure of his reuealed will and so the lawfull vse thereof is rewarded with a gratious encrease of blessing and the abuse punished with further hardnes to condemnation Is by the word prophecying onely meant the preaching of the word No but by a figuratiue speech all those outward meanes whereby God vseth to giue his holy spirit as are the Sacraments and the discipline of the Church ouer and aboue the preaching of the word which being principall of all is heere set downe for the rest Before we enter into this watter there are some difficulties to be auoided in these words and first I aske why the Apostle hath 〈…〉 spirit before the preaching of the word meaâ—â— by prophecie considering that by and after preaching of the word the Lord giueth his
called a kingdome and therefore euery godly one shall bee a king in heauen How commeth this kingdome by grace or desert By the onely grace of God in Iesus Christ Declare the same more euidently First it is the blessing of God and therefore of grace Secondly it is giuen to vs as to heires not as the wages of a seruant which commonly deserueth more then a sonne Thirdly it was prepared for vs from the beginning of the world and therefore is of the meere loue of God and not of merit So much of the sentence What is the reason of it When Christ was an hungred they fedde him when hee was a thirst they gaue him drinke when he was naked they clothed him when he was sicke and in prison they visited him Doth not this reason plainely strengthen the doctrine of merits For. Not so seeing for importeth not heere the cause but the effect as wee say Summer is come for flowers doe spring and It is a good tree for it bringeth forth good fruit these are effects and not causes Moreouer if Christ would haue taught merit then would hee haue chosen the greatest and chiefest workes as of his owne worship in the first table else some might iustly complaine that they were not rewarded according to the measure of their good workes hauing yeelded a greater obedience to the first table then others Why then doth Christ choose those workes of the second table Because they are most manifest to the world following therein the custome of earthly Iudges who insist most vpon plainest proofes either to conuince the guiltie or cleere the innocent so Christ pronounceth his sentence rather according to workes then to faith and those of the second table rather then of the first because that workes are visible and faith inuisible and for that it is easier to play the hypocrite in the obedience of the first table then of the second Why doth Christ heere vse so long a catalogue of these workes To teach vs to exercise mercy in all those duties and not content our selues with any one of them How could they doe these things vnto Christ whom most of them did neuer see When they did any of them to the poore then they did it vnto him What gather you of this That it was a great honour to lodge Angels at vnawares in stead of strangers but this is a farre more excellent honour whereunto Christians are called being assured that in receiuing the poore they receiue Christ himselfe which should stirre vp the bowels of mercy and compassion in vs towards them seeing not so much as a cup of cold water shall bee vnrewarded But how is it that they being then immortall seeme not to know the meaning of this dutie It is set downe not to note ignorance but to teach vs the exceeding bountifulnesse of Christ which is able to astonish them in the middest of their greatest knowledge for the more men know of God the more they wonder at the vnsearchable wisedome of God So much of the former sentence What is the latter It is spoken to the wicked Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his Angels VVhat is the equitie of this speech It is likewise answerable to their owne desires that in their life thrust away from them the day of the Lord and bid Christ depart When doe the wicked say so to Christ When they refuse to know his will when they disdaine the ministerie the poore and the stranger or doe not prouide for them according to their abilitie What are the parts of this his iudgement First to bee depriued of Gods presence as it is a great part of glory to be continually in his presence Secondly to be euerlastingly tormented in hell fire What is the reason of this sentence It is cleane contrarie to the former in leauing those duties vndone And although the former good workes were not the causes of saluation yet these euill workes are the very next cause of damnation How can that bee Because the best workes of the godly are imperfectly good and cannot deserue life but the euill workes of the euill are perfectly euill and therefore deserue death What is to be considered in their answere Their exceeding wretchednesse whiles they liued heere that neuer considered whom they reiected in reiecting the poore Hitherto of the iudgement What say you to the execution of it Contrarie to the order of the sentences it shall beginne at the wicked for to the end the Angell that shall presently take binde and cast them into hell may attend our Sauiour Christ returning his elect triumphantly going into heauen the sentence must be first executed vpon the wicked Beside that it is agreeable to the order of iustice the Lord appointeth in the Law that the malefactors should be executed in the eye of the Iudge and the godly also that shall see it to abide euerlastingly DAN chap 12. vers 2.3 2 And many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt 3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer WHat is the scope of this place The scope of the Prophet is to hold the faithfull afflicted in a constant course of duety and obedience to the Lord by consideration of the rich reward of the godly and fearefull punishment of the wicked at the second glorious comming of Christ It seemeth by the word many that all shall not rise There seemeth indeed to bee some aduantage giuen to the Iewes who of the first Psalme gather that there is no resurrection of the wicked which notwithstanding is manifestly confuted euen by this place it selfe where it is said that many shall awake to shame euerlasting And when he saith many the word is not restrained to either the iust or wicked but as many of the good should awake and not all so many of the wicked should awake and not all How then is this to be taken It is taken seuerally by it selfe as one whole which is diuided into his parts As if he should say an infinite number shall awake an infinite or a great number of iust and an infinite or great number of the wicked And the like forme of speech to this is vsed of the Apostle Rom. 5. vers 15.19 he saith that many are dead by the sinne of Adam and yet in the 18. vers he sheweth that by those many hee meaneth all and so speaketh that all were condemned in Adam Likewise in the 18. vers it is said that the benefit of Christs death commeth to all meaning the faithfull that by faith are one with Christ as we were all naturally with Adam yet in the 15. and 19. verses those that he called all he tearmeth many Although if he speake of the wicked by themselues and of
the Scriptures of God Is it agreed that these bookes are alone in account of the bookes of the Scripture In the books of the new testament it is agreed that all they and they alone are of that account But in the old testament the Church of Rome holdeth that diuers bookes called Apocrypha are of the same authoritie with the other that haue been named By what reasons may their opinion be ouerthrowen First for that they were not written first in the Hebrew Character which all the books of the old testament are originally written in Rom. 3. Secondly for all the Iewes to whom the oracles of God were committed vnder the old testament did only acknowledge and keepe them Thirdly that these onely were read and expounded in their Synagogues Fourthly that the primitiue churches after the Apostles both Greeke and Latin did only receaue these bookes for the bookes of canonicall Scriptures What noble effects doth the Apostle set forth of the bookes of the Scripture That they are able to make a man wise to saluation through faith in Iesus Christ How is that proued First for that God is the author of them who being for his wisedome able and for his loue to his Church willing to set downe such a rule as may guide them to eternall life hath not failed herein Secondly for that it is profitable to teach all true doctrine and to confute the false to correct al disorder priuate and publique and to informe men in the way of righteousnes Thirdly for that a Minister of the word is thereby made complet and perfect to euery duty of the ministery How doth this last reason hold Most strongly for there being required more of a Minister that must be the eye and mouth of the people themselues if it make him perfect it is much more able to giue them sufficient instruction And seeing the Minister is bound to disclose the whole counsell of God to his people Acts. 20.27 he being thereunto fully furnished out of the treasurie of the word of God it followeth that by him out of the Scriptures they may also be abundantly taught to saluation What other things doe you gather from these causes properties and effects of Scripture First that being able to make vs wise to saluation Math. 23.8 Joh. 5.39 Math. 15.9 we need no vnwritten verities no traditions of men no canons of Councels no sentēces of Fathers much lesse decrees of Popes for to supply any supposed defect of the written word or for to giue vs a more perfect direction in the way of life then is already put downe expresselie in the canonicall scriptures What els draw you from thence Iohn 12.48 Gala. 1.9 From hence and specially from that they are inspired of God I learne that they are the rule the line the squire and light whereby to examine and tryal iudgements and sayings of men yea of Angels and that they can not be iudged or sentenced by any And therefore the Church of Rome hanging the credit and authoritie of the Scriptures on the Churches sentence doth horrible iniury vnto God whiles thereby they make the Churches word of greater credit then the word of God VVhat further doe you learn from hence Matth. 5.18 Psal 19.9 I learne from thence and especially in that it is a rule and a line that it is firme and stable and changeth not And therefore is a rule of steele and not as the Church of Rome imagineth it like a rule of lead which may be bowed euery way at mens pleasures But yet it seemeth dark and hard to be vnderstood and therefore not to be permitted but vnto those that are learned The cleane contrary is taught by the Apostle whē he affirmeth that Timothy was nourished vp in the Scriptures from his infancy For if little children are capable of it by the small vnderstanding they haue and lesse iudgement there is none so grosse which hath the vnderstanding of a man but may profit by it comming in the feare of God and inuocation of his name Hitherto we haue heard of the doctrine of the Scriptures what they are and what are the causes properties and effects of them us being they from whom only all doctrine concerning our saluation must be drawen and deriued What are the parts thereof It is either the doctrine of Works commonly called the Law of of Grace called the promise and sithence the comming of Christ the Gospell GAL. chap. 3. vers 17 18 19 c. to the 25. 17 And this I say that the Lawe which was foure hundred and thirtie yeeres after cannot disanull the couenant that was confirmed afore of God in respect of Christ that it should make the promise of none effect 18 For if the inheritance be of the Law it is no more by the promise but God gaue it vnto Abraham by promise 19 Wherefore then serueth the Law It was added because of the transgressions till the seed came vnto the which the promise was made and it was ordeined by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour THere being two parts of the Scripture before laid downe it followeth to speake of them apart and first of the Law tell me therefore VVhat is the drift of this place It sheweth two wayes wherein happines is recouered the works of the law and faith in the promise of grace that the Law is not that way whereby we can receiue the happines we haue lost How is that shewed For that the promise of grace whereby Abraham was iustified was 430. yeares before the Law and therefore that the Law which commeth after cannot make void the couenant of grace which it should doe if a man were iustified by the law But it may be said that the iustification by workes of the Law doth not make voide the promise of grace when as the matter is so handled as saluation commeth in part by the works of the Law Yes verely it is made voide for if saluation were before the Law was only by grace and now should be by works and grace then the promise of grace only should be made void And therefore the Apostle in the 18. verse doth shew that if it be of the Law it cannot be by the promise of grace Then it should seeme there is no vse of the Law seeing it doth not iustifie vs in all nor in part Not so for it was giuen to shew and discouer sin yea through the corruption of our nature to increase sin so farre is it from taking away sin How is that shewed By the manner of the giuing which was with such terror of thunder lightnings and smoke and fearefull sound of the trumpet as the people could not abide the voyce of God but were faine to desire that they might not heare the voyce of God but that Moses might bee a Mediatour to receiue it at Gods hands and they at his VVhat obserue you from that That the Law is terrible vnto vs by reason of our sinnes
fellowes yet that hee knew not what sinne was vntill hauing commenced Doctor in the schoole of the holy Ghost through the knowledge of the Gospell hee vnderstood this Commandement And therefore it is no great maruell if the great Doctors in Popery remaine ignorant of this Commandement Why what is in it It doth not onely condemne the euill desires Psalm 143.2 Rom. 7.7 but all pronenesse to sinne together with the cause from which the same by the iust iudgement of God commeth and therefore by this Commandement especiallie are all men conuinced of sinne What learne you from hence The errour of the Papists is euidently confuted that hold that we haue free will to doe good or euill Gal. 5.16.17 whereas we cannot but sinne in coueting euill vntill we be borne a new If we sinne necessarily and cannot but sinne then it seemeth we are not to be blamed Yes the necessitie of sin doth not exempt vs from sinne but onely constraint What are the sinnes against this Commandement Either without vs or within vs. What is the sinne without vs That which Adam first committed so farre only as he sinned against his posteritie and not against God directly which we also haue committed in Adam by the Law of propagation and generation For as Adams felicitie should haue bin ours if he had stood in it so was his transgression ours What familiar example is there to make this plaine A man being a slaue his progenie to all posterities shall be slaues A man also being attainted of high treason the attaint of blood reacheth to his posteritie The young serpents and woolues that neuer stung men nor deuoured sheep are notwithstanding worthie to die So much of the sinnes without vs. What are the sins within vs Iames 1.14 Rom. 1.22.23 The depriuation of good and the naturall corruption of being prone to euill which also hee hath at the first minute and moment of his conception Against the Pelagians that teach that sin commeth by imitation How is this sinne noted out vnto vs In that other sinnes haue their speciall names where this properly is called sinne because it is the puddle and sincke of other sinnes and for that also the more it is pressed the more it bursteth foorth as mightie streames that cannot bee stopped till God by his holy spirit restraine it What is the second sinne within vs Wandering and euill thoughts though we neuer like of them How can that be reckoned for sinne which is reiected as soone as it is hatched Euen the rising of such a thing in our minds argueth our corruption of nature for were not that inborne corruption it could not once enter into our thoughts further then it were offered vnto vs by some outward tentation of the diuel or of the world as it was vnto our Sauiour Christ And although in the incorrupt estate of a man hee might dutifully haue thought of the transgression of the Commandement with a perfect hatred of it yet the same should not haue beene as now it is suddenly rising in the mind without thinking or meditation of the naughtines and hatefulnesse thereof where now these thoughts rise suddenly and the hatred and detestation commeth after and is not in such perfection as then it should haue beene Wheras the Lord our God hath the eyes of his glory so pure that hee will not allow of the least corruption in the temple of our hearts where he seateth himselfe and cannot abide that they should be made a thorow-faire for euil thoughts to goe vp and downe as it were ietting in them but will haue all whipped out What is the third sinne within vs When there is a wandring wicked thought with some liking though we reiect it Hither may be referred first vain sudden wishes then dreames which haue some euill in them and yet not from any liking of those things when a man is awake and which a man awake misliketh So much of the Commandement What is the vse of it To teach vs aboue all other commandements that we are miserable and wretched by nature subiect to the curse and wrath of God What followeth to be spoken of The sum of the whole Law because it is a thing annexed to all the Commandements What is the summe Luk. 10.27 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy mind and with all thy vnderstanding and thy neighbour as thy selfe taken out of Deut. 6.5 and Leuit. 19.18 What is the summe of this summe Loue which consisteth in two heads to wit the loue of God and of our neighbour VVhat vse is there of this short summe Very great both to shew the maruellous wisedome of God and also for singular profit that redoundeth thereof Wherein appeareth the wisedome of God That sith it was great cunning to contriue the whole will of God into ten words it must needs be more wonderfull to bring all vnto two VVhat is the profit that redoundeth vnto vs It ariseth of the twofold vse of the Law before spoken namely first that we being humbled might be thereby driuen vnto Christ Secondly that thereby we might be directed to his obedience VVhat profit ariseth of the first vse concerning humiliation That men being brought to a neerer sight of their sinnes might bee the more earnest to come vnto Christ How shall that be That when all our sinnes are gathered and mustered into one troope or heape they may appeare the greater to cast vs downe the more as a man owing sundrie debts vnto diuers or vnto one man in the particulars is confident of his abilitie to pay all as long as he heareth they are but all small summes but hearing the whole summe despaireth of the paiment of it Or when as there be many souldiers comming against their enemie but yet here there scattered they doe not affect vs with so great feare as when they be gathered and ranged in order and are all vnder one sight or view Shew the same in our loue towards God In that it should bee done in simple obedience of the whole man that is all the functions both of soule and body which is impossible for any man to doe VVhat are they of the soule Namely two of the mind and of the affections VVhat are they of the mind The vnderstanding and iudgement vnto both which is memorie annexed VVhat is vnderstanding The vnderstanding is that whereby wee must know perfectly all but wee are ignorant of many things and those which wee know wee know them but in part and that which we know we iudge not aright of nor remember as wee ought Secondly the will whereby we must perfectly loue the knowne good and perfectly hate the knowne euill of which we come a great deale shorter then of the other VVhat are they of the body All the members parts and graces of the body as beautie strength c. which should be wholly bestowed in the seruice of God but the wandring of our eyes in
the face of the earth the Lord God is said to haue wrought most holily For as Iudas the Iewes and Pilate are all said to haue giuen Christ to death so the father and Christ are said to haue done the same and that in the same words though the maner and purpose bee diuers Doth not God then suffer such things to be done He suffereth indeed but this is not an idle permission Act. 2.23 3.18 4.28 as some imagine but ioyned with a worke of God as in the crucifying of Christ it is said they did nothing but that which the hand of God had determined before But doth not this draw God to some slaine of sinne from which he is most free as that which hee punisheth Act. 17.28 In no wise for God is the author of euery action and the diuell and our concupiscence the author of the euill in it as he that rideth on a lame horse causeth him to stirre but is not the cause of his halting How can God haue a hand in these things and yet be free from sinne Hee is a cunning workeman which with an ill toole will worke cunningly and as a most excellent Apothecarie maketh a medicine of the mixture of poyson in it which is not yet poyson but rather medicinable so the Lord in guiding and managing the poyson of sinne draweth treacle from the sinnes of men as it were the poyson in such sort as they turne to his glory good of the Church and cannot be charged with sinne no more then the Apothecarie with poysoning in so gouerning the poyson as it doth the contrarie by his skill vnto that which by nature it would doe And as in painting the blacke colour giueth grace to other the beautifull colors in making them shew better so it is in this worke of God in which the sinne and vntruth of men as by a blacke and darke colour causeth the truth and righteousnes of God as the white to bee more commended and to appeare better But how are these actions of the wicked discerned from the worke of God in them First from the cause from whence the action commeth for Iosephs brethren of enuie sent him into Egypt but God of loue So Shimei cursed of malice but God of iustice against Dauids murther and adulterie Rehoboam out of the vnaduisednesse of his heart refused the request of his people but God by his wise counsell did so dispose of it The diuell from hate to Achab was a lying spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets but God in iustice against his Idolatrie Pilate of ambition and feare the Iewes of malitious ignorance and Iudas of couetousnesse but God gaue Christ and Christ himselfe of loue How else are Gods actions discerned from the actions of the wicked By the end whither they tend for Iosephs brethren sent him to the end he should not come to the honour he foretold out of his dreame but God sent him to prouide for his Church and to fulfill that was foretold Shimei cursed to driue Dauid to despaire but God directed him for exercise of Dauids patience The diuell lied in the false Prophets to ruine Achab but God iustly to punish him for his Idolatrie Rehoboam to satisfie the desire of his yong beardlesse counsellors but God to performe the word that hee had spoken by his Prophet Pilate to please the people and to keepe his credit with Caesar Iudas for the obtaining of the money he desired and the Iewes that our Sauiour Christ should not reigne ouer them but God and Christ to saue his people But were it not better to say that these things were done by Gods permission then by his prouidence and gouernment thereby to auoide an absurdity in Diuinitie that God is the author of euill It is most truely said that God is not the author of sinne whereof he is the reuenger and also that they are done by Gods permission but it is not an idle permission separated from the prouidence and gouernment of God and therefore a distinction of Gods permission separated from his gouernment of sinne is not good Why so Considering that the distinction of such a permission doth not defend the Iustice of God for the which it is deuised How may that appeare If he permit sin he doth it against or with his wil if he doe it against his will then is he not Almightie as one that cannot let that he would not haue done If with his will how can his iustice bee defended if there were not some good thing for which hee doth willingly permit it for if a captaine should suffer willingly his souldiers to be murdered when hee might hinder the slaughter of them although hee put no hand to the murder he is not therfore excusable and free of the blood of his souldiers What else can be alleaged against the permission that is separated from the gouernment of the prouidence For that by this meane God should be spoiled of the greatest part of the gouernement of the world seeing the greatest and most part of the world are wicked al whose actions are as they themselues are wicked Is there yet any further matter against this distinction If in that God doth permit sinne he should haue no hand in guiding and gouerning it then he should haue no hand in the guiding and gouerning of good things for as it is said that he permitteth sin Heb. 6. so it is said also that he permitteth the good May not earthly Magistrates thus punish sinne No verily it were a cursed thing in Magistrates so to doe but God is aboue all Magistrates who euen for our naturall corruption may iustly giue vs ouer to all naughtie affections Why doe the Papists say And suffer vs not to be lead into temptation Exod. â—â— 1. 9.16 â— Kings 22.20 2.1.22 Rom. â— 24.26.18 2. Thes 2 11. In a vaine and foolish feare of making God to be guiltie of sinne if hee should be said to lead vs into temptation and therefore lay the Lords words as it were in water and change his tongue and set him as it were to the Grammar schoole to teach him to speake which teacheth all men to speake whose follie is so much the greater as it is the vsuall phrase of the Scripture What inconuenience followeth vpon this addition Very great for by this bare permission of euil they rob God of his glory working in the most things that are done of men Heb. 6.3 yea euen of the best things the doing whereof is attributed to his permission What learne you from hence The wisdom and iustice of God which can work in an euill action and be free from euill May wee not offer our selues into temptation as Christ did In no wise for hee was carried extraordinarily by the power of his God-head into the desert to bee tempted for our sakes that in his victorie wee might ouercome What learne you of this First that no man should chuse his dwelling
when wee haue peace in our consciences Thirdly when there is peace betweene men which ariseth out of both the former Where should this peace be established Vpon the throne of Dauid that is in the Church of God Are we not partakers of this honour of Kingdom Yes verelie as of his Priests office Rom. 6.12 Rom. 16.20 Reuel 1.6 For wee are Kings to rule and subdue our stirring and rebellious affections and to tread Satan vnder our feet What is the cause of all this The loue and zeale of God breaking through all lets either inward from our selues and our own sins or outward from the enmitie of the diuel and world 1. COR. 1.30 30 But ye are of him in Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisdom and righteousnes and sanctification redemption WHat fruit receiue we by the Kingdome of our Sauiour Christ By it all the treasures brought in by his propheticall and priestly office are dealt and made effectuall to vs continually What are those treasures They are either within vs or without vs. What is the first he here nameth within vs That he is here made vnto vs wisdome Why is this set downe as necessarie to our saluation Because it was necessarie that hauing absolutely lost all godly and sauing wisdome wherein we were first created that it should be againe repaired ere we could be partakers of life eternall Why haue wee not true wisedome naturally able to bring vs to it No verily for although we haue wisdom naturally engrafted in vs to prouide for this present life and sufficient to bring vs to condemnation in the life to come yet we haue not one graine of a sauing wisedome able to saue vs or to make vs step one foot forward to life eternall VVhere is this wisedome to be found In the word of God How come we to it 1. Tim. 6.16 Joh. 1.18 By Christ for God dwelleth in Light which no man hath approched vnto onely the sonne which was in the bosome of his father hee hath reuealed him VVhat is the second effect and that without vs That hee is made vnto vs Righteousnesse namely that we are iustified by the righteousnesse of our Sauiour Christ Is not this an absurd doctrine as that a man should be fed with the meat another eateth or to bee warmed with the clothes another weareth or be in life and health with the life and health of another No doubtlesse for if the sinne of Adam being a man were of force to condemne vs because wee were in his loines why should it seeme strange that the righteousnesse of our Sauiour Christ both God and man should bee auaileable to iustifie others Secondly although it is not meet to measure heauenly things by the yard of reason yet it is not vnreasonable considering that we haue a more strict coniunction in the spirit with him then euer wee had in nature with Adam that a man owing a thousand pounds not able of himselfe to discharge it his Creditor may be satisfied by one of his friends But how can one man saue so many Because the manhood being ioyned to the Godhead it maketh the passion and righteousnesse of Christ of infinite merit How doe you proue this righteousnesse heere to bee meant of the righteousnesse which is in Christ Because he speaketh after of sanctification which is the righteousnesse within vs. What is meant by righteousnes in this place As by the chiefe part thereof our whole iustification which is a deliuerance of vs from all sinne the guilt and punishment thereof and whereby we being accounted righteous euen by the righteousnes of our Sauiour Christ imputed vnto vs are restored to a better righteousnesse then euer we had in Adam What are the parts of iustification Two the not reckoning of our sinnes and the imputation of Christs righteousnes both which are merited by his Priesthood How did he merit the forgiuenesse of our sinnes By his sufferings in abasing himselfe especially to suffer death and so grieuously to pay the payment of our sinnes How commeth it then that Christ hauing borne the punishment of our sinnes the godly are yet in this world afflicted for them and that for the most part more then the vngodly The affliction of the godly is no punishment Ier. 12.3 but a fatherly correction and chastisement in the world that they should not perish with the world whereas the wicked the longer they are spared and the lesse they are punished in this life their danger is the greater for God reserueth their punishment to the life to come What gather you of this Ie. 12.3 That we should not grudge at the prosperity of the wicked when wee are in trouble for as the sheepe and kine are put in fat pastures to be prepared to the shambles so they the more they receiue in this life the neerer and the heauier is their destruction in the life which is to come But to returne where wee left of the forgiuenesse of sinnes is that sufficient to bring vs to the blessed presence of God No but wee must also be made righteous otherwise we cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen as a banckerupts debt being paid hee is not by and by to be made a Burgesse of a Citie without goods nor a beggerly prisoner fit to serue the Prince vnles he be new apparelled How did he merit our righteousnesse By his fulfilling the Law in that hee walked in all the commandements and failed in no duties either in the worship and seruice of God or duties towards men whereby we are made fully and wholly righteous as we were made vnrighteous by Adams sin but we are iustified by a man that is God Hitherto of righteousnesse What is sanctification Rom. 6.14 Psal 19.14 It is a freedome from the tyrannie of sin into the liberty of righteousnesse begun here and increased daily vntill it be fully perfited in the life to come What differences are there betweene Righteousnes imputed and Sanctification 1. Thes 4.3.4 Rom. 5.14.17 2. Cor. 5.21 Rom. 3.21.22 Reuel 22.11 Diuers as first Sanctification is in vs righteousnesse imputed is inherent in our Sauiour Christ Secondly the imputed righteousnesse increaseth not Sanctification doth as it were grow in vs by degrees from walking in it to a further degree of standing and from that to a sitting down in it Lastly Psal 1.1.2 Rom. 8.30 the righteousnesse of our Sauiour Christ is the root or cause Sanctification the effect Doe righteousnesse and sanctification goe together Yes in time they go together Joh. 15.2 Iam. 2.18 and as it were hand in hand for so soone as a man is made partaker of Christs Righteousnesse hee is made holy in some measure although in nature the imputed righteousnes goeth before as the cause before the effect Is there any such Sanctification or holines of life in vs as God doth accept of and will giue reward vnto None 1. Pet. 2.5 Exod. 28.36.37.38 vnlesse the