cause be hindered For doubtlesse it pleaseth political fellowes and ignorant folkes maruelouslie when the lawe and the Gospel or faith and workes in the iustification of man before God are coupled-together For thus theie saie we are debters of the lawe we grant à great defecte in vs which Christ perfourmeth Therefore let vs doe what we can beg that which is behinde of Christ. And so theie ascribe à parte of righteousnesse to their owne workes and merites and à parte to Christ his merites So that some doe participate more and some lesse of Christ his merites according as theie doe abounde or want Theie who thus doe thinke doubtlesse haue no parte of Christ his fauour as most sacrilegious who arrogantlie doe take à part of Christ his office which is to saie to themselues against whom both the whole Scripture and the consent of the true Church is opposed But in this place let vs onelie set Paul the Apostle and doctor of the Gentiles against them who in manie places disputeth to the ouerthrowing of this Pharisaical opinion As Romaines 3. The righteousnesse of God is made manifest without the Law Rom. 4. The promise that he should be the heire of the worlde was not giuē to Abraham or to his seede through the Lawe but through the righteousnesse of faith For if theie saith he which are of the Lawe be heires faith is made voide and the promise is made of none effect In which wordes the Apostle most plainelie doth take iustification from the Lawe yea and from al workes too and ascribeth the same to faith alone teaching that the promise is voide and faith à vaine fiction if before God we are iustified by anie works that is if the workes of the Lawe be either causes or partes of our iustification before God Rom. 10. Theie being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and going about to stablish their owne righteousnesse haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnesse of God And in y e chapter immediat elie insuing he opposeth grace works in the matter of saluation so y t they cannot stād together as causes or parts of righteousnes or saluation If it be of grace saith he it is no more of works or els were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more of grace or else worke were no worke For as Augustine saith it is grace no way which is not free grace euery way Hitherto belongeth that of Paule in an other place By grace are ye saued through faith that not of your selues it is the gift of god not of workes least any man should boast himselfe Could any thing be spokē more plainly Here Paul saith not as y e Papists do of faith and works but he excludeth workes that grace may be grace that saluation may be à gifte and that no man should glorie in the sight of God as bringing any merit which should moue god to iustifie him This boasting is excluded also by the Apostle in another place where he saith where is then the reioicing it is excluded By what Lawe of workes Naie but by the Lawe of faith Therfore we cōclude that à man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Lawe Hereby I suppose it is more cleere than the daie that theie do erre which compound Christian righteousnes of faith and workes together as it were of causes partes Moreouer theie who seke for licentiousnes of life from y e doctrine of free iustification shalbe answered God willing in y e third sort of testimonies Now then hauing laid open the errors touching the equitie of the Gospell I will plainly deliuer and shew which is the true waie to be iustified according to the word of God y t is y e gospel To be iustified therfore according to y e Gospel is for y e beleeuing mā who is absolued frō al guilt of sinne redeemed frō the curse of the law by God to be pronounced free for the ransome sake paide by the mediator to be made righteous by the righteousnes of the mediator imputed to him and finaly to be adiudged to eternal life as a beleeued sonne in the beloued freelie for the mediator Christ his sake So then for him that would be righteous before God three things are necessarie One is that beeing absolued from sinne redeemed from the cursse of the law he be a free man an other is that he haue righteousnes wherby he may in deede be and be thought righteous the thirde that beeing made righteous he be adopted for a sonne and be liked and loued of God as a beloued in the beloued These blessings no man can giue but God onely and therfore Christian righteousnesse is sometime called The righteousnesse of GOD because it is God that iustifieth sometime The righteousnesse of Christ for that his obedience beeing imputed to vs is made our righteousnesse and sometime The righteousnesse of Faith forsomuch as it is free as that which through faith is apprehended while we beleue the gospell Therfore the Lord saith Repentance and remission of sinnes must be preached in my name among al nations The remission of sinnes is the verie absolutiō from guiltines the redemption from the cursse of libertie With this remissiō two other things are cōioined namelie righteousnes adoptiō or free acceptatiō vnto life eternal Hetherto also belong the words of the Angel vnto the Virgin Thou shalt cal his name Iesus for he shal saue his people from their sinnes Here by the word of saluation al the benefites of the mediator be vnderstood But of these things we wil entreate particularlie the more distinctlie and cleerelie to vnderstād these benefites which we obteine by Christ. First therfore we attaine remission of sinnes as Paul saith by the bloud of Christ. For the obedience of Christ vpon the crosse is y e price whereby the iustice of God is satisfied for the sinnes of al those which through faith do conuert For so saith Paul whom meaning Christ God hath set to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood So that y e merit of Christ his bloud is the cleāsing of sinnes which bloud is therefore a sufficient ransome because it is the bloud of the sonne of God Therfore in the Acts it is saide that God hath purchased the Church with his owne bloud And that he which hath remission of sinnes that is which is absolued from the guiltines of sinne is also redeemed from the cursse of the lawe and partaker of the libertie of God his children these sentences do approue Christ hath redeemed vs from the cursse of the law when he was made a cursse for vs. Againe Whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne If the sonne therefore shal make you free ye shalbe free in deede So then whosoeuer do ascribe euen the least merite of cleansing sinnes to any other thing beside the blood of
the righteousnes thereof 4. Of the sacraments how manie theie are and what theie signifie THe sacrifice of Christ is applied both by the worde by faith and by the sacrament but diuerslie For by the word which is written in the heart by the holie spirite it is offered as by the hand of God By faith beeing conceaued of the word through the holie spirite it is receaued as by the hand of man And by the Sacraments as by the seale of God it is signed For he that beleeueth the preaching of the Gospel wherbie the benefite of Christ his sacrifice is offered by faith which is à worke not of nature but of grace in man he receaueth Christe wholie together with his benefites which benefites are sealed by the sacramentes as that holie Apostle Paule doeth teach Wherebie it appeareth how needeful the ministerie of the worde is as that which is ordained from heauen to offer this incomparable treasure to vs this is it which the Lorde saith Preach the Gospel to euerie creature Againe Teach al nations This ministerie the Apostles deliâ—ered by the handes as it were to posteritie and from them it is come vnto vs and shall not be abolished while this worlde shal endure although Satan with greate rage do persecute such as syncerelie do sound-out the Gospel And therefore it is our partes if we loue our saluation to heare to vnderstand to loue the worde of God to meditate ther-vpon al our life long yea and to beleeue the same and to liue thereafter that at the length we maie come vnto the desired end of happinesse For Dauid in the beginning of his Psalmes sange not in vaâ—e when he sange on this wise Blessed is the man who doeth meditate in the lawe that is in the doctrine of the Lorde daie and night But wherefore is he blessed Because the meditation of the worde worketh two thinges First that thou neither listen vnto the counsels of the wicked nor stand in the waie of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scorneful Secondlie that thou become like à tree planted by the riuers of waters that wil bring forth her fruite in due season vntil thou attaine vnto verie happines it selfe And therefore it is added in another Psalme Blessed are al that trust in him But on the other side where this worde of the Lord is neither loued nor hearkened vnto nor thought-vpon nor beleeued nor done man by litle and litle is wrapped in the counsels of the wicked carried violentlie into the waie of the sinners and at length blasphemeth God and al religion and becommeth à plaine epicure so that at length he feareth not in his hart to saie There is no God although the lieng toung saie otherwise And so he proueth like à tree planted in moste horrible filthinesse and diuelish mud to bring forth fruite meete for death damnation according as it is written in à certaine Psalme Theie be corrupted and abhominable in their waies And that deseruedlie For y e contempt of this word wherbie Christ himselfe doth offer himselfe vnto vs doth highlie offend God yea and bringeth vpon the contemners themselues and vpon their posteritie too blindenes or a reprobate minde al maner wickednes and filthinesse as Paule in his first Chapter vnto the Romans teacheth at large And in another Chapter the same Apostle doth saie Because theie receiued not the loue of the truth and therefore God shal send them strong delusion that there should beleeue lies And the euent in manie nations where Christ himselfe and the Apostles haue preached doth aunswere to this prophesie of Paul touching the punishment of such as contemne the worde of God Neither be the Turkish warres anie thing els but verie tokens of Gods displeasure for the contempt of his worde And therefore let vs be more circumspect by the harmes of other men and esteemâ— we greatlie the benefite of God who hath deliuered to vs his pure worde wherebie he doeth offer this infinite grace and benefite of the sacrifice of his sonne by whose merite we be deliuered from the power of sinne and death and endued with eternal righteousnesse and glorie Secondlie in the application of the sacrifice of Christ it is required that euerie one of yeeres doe beleeue For as the worde doth offer So faith which commeth by hearing of the worde doth receaue Christe wholie with al his merites and beleeueth that al sinnes be forgiuen for the sacrifice sake of the Sonne of God And therefore in the Christian Creede it is saide I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes that is I doe knowe and am firmelie persuaded that God according to his promise wil receaue me into fauour because of the sacrifice obedience of his Sonne and wil not impute my sinnes to me anie-more but vtterlie blot and forgiue yea and remember them no more For faith is not a wauering opinion but à certaine knowledge of the free promise and à firme confidence that sinnes be forgiuen for Christ his sake This faith as touching the certaintie thereof dependeth both vpon euident testimonies of the Scriptures vpon parables and vpon approued examples but as touching confidence it resteth onelie vpon the merite of Christ. Paul after Dauid saith Blessed are theie whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whome the Lord imputeth no sinne And Christ doth saie Sonne be of good comforte thie sinnes are forgiuen thee And to the ruler of the Synagogue the Lorde saith Onelie beleeue And to the woman which had an issue of bloud Thie faith hath made thee whole Among manie parables that is notable which is in the 18. chapter of Matthewe of him which did owe tenne thousand talentes and hauing not wherewith to discharge he was of meere grace forgiuen the debt Hitherto belongeth also the parable of the two debters and of the prodigal sonne Among examples the most excellent is of the Theefe whose sinnes were forgiuen him without anie merites either going-before or comming-afterward I omit Dauid Manasses Peter Paul Magdalene and others With this faith of the remission of sinnes two thinges are continualie ioined which although theie differ from the faith of the remission of sinnes yet can theie be separated at no time And theie are to speake with the Apostle Grace and Gifte of which I wil speake more distinctlie that we maie the better consider what à great blessing faith of the free remission of sinnes is Grace in this place is the verie iustification of à beleeuing man and from the cause is so caled For Paul in the 5. Chapter vnto the Romanes doeth saie so where he compareth sinne and grace together The iudgement came of one offence vnto condemnation but the grace of manie offences vnto iustification And As by the offence of one the fault came on al men to condemnation So by the
iustifieng of one the benefite abounded toward al men to the iustification of life So that with faith of y e remission of sinnes grace wherebie we are iustified and accepted before God is ioined al which are comprehended in the definition of iustification Which is defined to be An absolution of him from sinne that beleeueth in Christ an imputation of righteousnes à receiuing vnto eternal life freelie for Christ his sake When I saie for Christ I include the merites of Christ onlie And although the imputatiō of Christ his righteousnes be the forme of our iustification before God yet because these three benefites do necessarilie concur together in our iustification I haue included them within the compasse of the definition Whosoeuer do either folow the righteousnes of workes or compound righteousnesse of faith and workes together theie doe peruert the word of God For Paul writing vnto the Philippians doth on this wise distinguish the righteousnesse of workes from the righteousnesse of faith The thinges that were vantage vnto me the same I counted losse for Christe his sake Yea doubtlesse I thinke all thinges but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whome I haue counted al thinges losse doe iudge them to be dongue that I might winne Christ and might be found in him that is not hauing mine owne righteousnes which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christe What I praie could be more plainelie saide Paule here compareth two righteousnesses together one hee saieth is manns properlie the which hee calleth the righteousnesse of the lawe it is in deede the righteousnesse of man as farre-forth as man doth endeuour to fulfil the same although he can neuer perfectlie fulfill the same and it is also the righteousnes of the lawe because it is required of the lawe the other he saith is of God and is obteined by faith it is of God because God of meere grace imputeth it and giueth it to man and it is also through faith for that it is obteined by faith wherbie Christ is thought to be the end of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth Which two righteousnesses he maketh so contrarie that together theie can not stand For he which by the workes of the law seeketh the righteousnesse wherbie he maie stande boldlie in the presence of God is voide of the righteousnesse of faith and contrariwise who so dependeth vpō the righteousnesse of faith doth not thinke at al that hee is iustified by the lawe And although there is but one righteousnes which consisteth in the perfect obedience of the law yet in respect of the diuers manner of iustification it is saide to be twofolde For he that dischargeth and by his workes fulfilleth the lawe which thing Christ onelie hath done is iustified after one sorte and he which of himselfe fulfilleth not the lawe but beleeueth on Christe who hath fulfilled the same that the obedience of the lawe done by Christ maie bee imputed vnto him for righteousnesse that so he maie haue what the lawe requireth euen the righteousnesse of the lawe yea and with righteousnesse life is iustified after another So that in the manner of obteining the righteousnes of the lawe the difference is For he that doeth the lawe obteineth righteousnes one waie and he that beleeueth another And y t mortal man can obtaine the same by doing but onelie by beleeuing Paul sheweth at large especiallie in his Epistles vnto the Romanes Gal. Ephesians that maruel it is howe men can be so frowarde as to resist the manifest trueth of God What can bee saide more plainelie Wee conclude that à man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law To wit done of our partes What more euidentlie If righteousnes bee by the law then Christ died without à cause What more distinctlie Not of workes but through faith it is the gift of God least anie man should boast himselfe Finalie what more absolutelie Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnesse vnto euerie one that beleeueth that is Christ hath so fulfilled the lawe that euerie one which beleeueth is righteous through his obedience Againe The Gospel is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth for the iust shal liue by faith In this most manifest trueth rest wee our selues leaue we their subtilties to Sophisters wherin they both miserablie intangle themselues and curssedlie seduce others that committe themselues to such schoole-masters They which compounde righteousnesse of faith and workes together as of the partes thereof are better liked of the vnlearned especialie of politike men ignorant of the gospel But the error of these euen by one place of Paul as it were by à thunder-bolt frō heauen wee maie ouerthrowe They being ignorant saith hee of the righteousnes of God that is of the righteousnes of faith and going about to stablish their owne righteousnes haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnes of God that is they are not capable of the righteousnes of faith who withall seeke righteousnes from the lawe For Christ is the end that is the fulfilling and perfection of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth Faith then alone excludeth all merite and al workes of man from the causes of our iustification before God and dependeth vppon Christ alone who imputeth the obedience of the law to the beleeuing man y t he maie haue that which the lawe requireth to wit righteousnes which thing this argument also of Paul in the 3. chap. vnto the Galathians doeth euidentlie confirme in these wordes And that no man is iustified by the law in the sight of God it is euident for the iust shal liue by faith And the law is not of faith but the man that shal doe those things shal liue in them The aduersaries nowe in alleadging for their side against vs the Apostle Iames varie not from their olde wont For neglecting the the most constant agreement of the whole scripture and of al the sainctes of Moses the prophetes of Christe and of the Apostles they wrest à doubtful saying verie subtiltie against vs. The sense whereof would they seeke at the occasion and end whie it was written they shoulde finde that Iames disputeth not of our iustification before God but of the declaration of our iustification before men and that against hypocrits who by their false and dead faith or shadow of faith did thinke thēselues righteous and yet in the meane while defiled themselues with al manner sinnes and wickednes Thē seeing that the word Faith is not taken in y t sense of the Apostles Paul and Iames they do oppose thēselues against y e spirit of god who out of their saying do seek cōtrarieties They alledge also other places such as concerne rewarding of good works rendering to euerie man according to his deeds the blessednes promised to the
poore in spirit to the meeke to peace-makers to such as endure persecution c. But al those and the like sayings are not contrarie to our iudgement if any wil rightlie distinguish betwene y e causes and effectes of iustification the qualities of the iustified For it is one thing to speake of the reward of obedience and of the qualities of those who are alreadie iustified through faith and another thing of the causes of the matter that is of iustification Againe it is one thing to vse the wordes of Bernarde to speake of the causes of gouernement another of the waie to the kingdome Also it is one thing to speake of the essential principles of à thing another of the principles of knowledge But they obiect against vs as à strong buclar the saying of Christ If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundementes That is fulfill the lawe I aunswere Christ shewed à most readie waie vnto life euen the keeping of the commaundementes or fulfilling of the lawe But for that the fault is in vs that wee cannot fulfill the lawe Christ is become the ende of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth And this is it which the same Paul saith in another place Through faith wee establish the lawe euen because through beleefe wee obtaine that which the lawe requireth namelie righteousnes The gift which we saide is conioined with the faith of remission of sinnes is the giuing of the holie Ghost whereby the man iustified onelie by faith is regenerated or sanctified that is is mortified quickened and becommeth à newe man purposing thence-forwarde as much as in him is to order his life according to the rule of Gods worde So that this gift is the cause and beginning of à newe life and obedience For wee are not iustified freelie by faith to the ende wee shoulde hence-forth liue to sinne but that deliuered from sinne wee shoulde serue God in righteousnes and holines all the daies of our life For Zacharias in his songe maketh this to bee the ende of the knowledge of saluation concerning the remission of sinns through the tender mercie of our God This ende of iustification Paule setteth in the 6. vnto the Romanes where by most euident argumentes he sheweth that sanctification is ioined with iustification And thus much briefelie touching y e grace of iustification and of the gifte of sanctification the which are linked with the faith of remission of sinnes and can no more be seuered from the same than maie heate from fire or the beame from the sunne Whereby it is apparent that the Papistes offer vs great iniurie in saying that we do abolish good works and loase y t bridles to men because we saie that by faith alone wee are iustified For they marke not howe wee doe put a difference betweene the proper benefite of Christ and our duetie which is ioined with faith But of iustification God willing wee will speake more at large in the exposition of the last verse of this Psalme the sundrie sorts of testimonies which are commonlie handled in this controuersie being distinguished The thirde place in the application of Christ wee ascribed to the sacramentse which not onelie do offer the merites of Christ the priest as the word doeth but also as seales doe assure thē vnto vs if so be the merits of Christ be reteined fast in the harts through faith For as without faith the word doth not applie the merites of Christ so without faith I speake of the elder sorte the sacramentes doe no good The sacraments which Christ hath cōmended to his Church be two to wit Baptisme the Lords supper wherof baptisme is à sacrament of the entrance into Christianitie therefore is but once takē as Christ died but once for vs. For as baptisme is an effectuall token of the death burial and resurrection of Christ so is it à sacrament of the couenant which God entereth-into with the baptized touching y e purging of sinnes and our reconciliation through Christ so is it also à signe of repentance and of the crosse and à testimonie of the resurrection to come And the Lord his supper is a sacrament of the confirmation and conseruation of Christianitie yea and a remembrance of the couenant established through the blood of Christ. Furthermore it is the meate whereby we are spiritualie nourished in the bodie of Christ therefore often it ought to be receaued The summe of al is this that the sacrament of the newe testament is both an externall signe of the couenant concerning our free iustification before God through the sacrifice of Christ and also a testifying and confirmation of the faith righteousnes of Gods people to him warde CHAP. 40. Of the perpetual vse of the sacrifice of Christ both in the conscience in the whole course of our life and at the houre of death AND although the vse of the sacrifice of Christ is wel nigh seene in the application yet the efficacie and power thereof is more apparent when the knoweledge is reduced vnto practise as it were This practise hath place in the conscience of euerie man in the whole course of life at the agonie of death The conscience of each man is stricken sore with a deadlie wounde vntil it bee healed by the application of physike with Christ alone the Physition doeth minister by his worde spirit In which respect he calleth himselfe the Physition of soules So y t when the conscience is stricken with y e remēbrance of sinne it must be healed by the faith of Christ his sacrifice which if it be liuelie it be sprinckeleth the cōscience with the most comfortable balme of the holie spirite wherewithal it is healed made quiet so that now it is iocound and merie and reioiceth as it were in the crosse of Christ whereas before it was troubled and greatlie vexed Whence proceedeth that saying of the triumphing conscience in Bernard Of the remission of sinnes saith hee I haue an vndoubted argument euen the passion of Christ. For the voice of his bloode crieth more shrillie than did the bloode of Habel crying in the heartes of the elect the forgiuenesse of all sinnes For he was betraied for our offences And no doubt his death is of more power and more effectuall to helpe vs than our sinnes to hurt vs. Such à conscience is neither broken with the threates of the lawe for it knoweth howe it is not vnder the law but vnder grace nor yeeldeth to the suggestions of satan for it knoweth howe the Prince of this worlde is alreadie cōdemned nor is moued with the argumentes of reason for it knoweth the power of him which hath promised and therefore glorifieth him To conclude it resteth quietlie in Christ looking for à ful redemption through the comming of the Sonne of God who shal change our vile bodie that it maie be fashioned like vnto his glorious
pure in heart blessed are the merciful Which formes of speech containe not as the Papistes do gesse the causes of blessednes but theie describe the qualities and studies of such men as are alreadie become the heires of the kingdome of God For the nature of faith is such that it stirreth vs in whome it dwelleth to shewe obedience vnto the Lord or as Paule saith to serue God through righteousnesse after such time as the burden of sinne is remoued-awaie from vs and we are made righteous through the righteousnesse of Christ Who is the end of the lawe for righteousnesse vnto euerie one that beleeueth So that the Papistes doe verie il when theie doe not rightlie with Paule distinguish betweene the proper benefite of Christe and our due obedience For so Paule vnto the Ephesians doth write By grace are ye saued thorough faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least anie man should boast himselfe This doth Paule speake of the proper benefite of Christe afterward that followeth which doth concerne our due obedience and the cause thereof For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them What thing I praie you could be spoken more plainlie The third step is when necessitie requireth to keepe on the right waie through the valeie of teares For as in the Actes of the Apostles it is saide We must through manie afflictions enter into the kingdome of God And Paul Al that wil liue godlie in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution It can not therefore be otherwise but that the godlie going on to heauen ward must be enforced to suffer sundrie and diuers troubles This Iob doth meane when he saith Blessed is the man whome the Lorde correcteth therefore refuse not thou the chastising of the Almightie For he maketh the wound and bindeth it vp he smiteth and his handes make whole For as Paul saith When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord because we should not be condemned with the world And Christ Blessed are then which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake Blessed are yee when men reuile you He addeth the reason for theirs is the kingdome of heauen toward which theie goe while patientlie bearing the crosse theie folowe Christ which crosse is not the cause of raigning but onelie the waie vnto the kingdome through Christ. The fourth step is to runne the course of this life in the feare of God euen vnto the last gaspe of life Hereof spake the Lorde when he saide He that endureth to the ende he shalbe saued And in the Reuelation Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord and theie die in the Lord that departe out of this world in faith and calling-vpon God The ende of which faith as Peter saith is the saluation of soules Wherebie it is apparent that blessednes is ascribed to the aboue mentioned degrees with á condition of perseuerance euen to the ende Therefore saith Paule If you be not moued awaie from the hope of the Gospel And Christ If you abide in me and my wordes abide in you And vnto the Hebrues We are made partakers of Christ if we keepe sure vnto the end the beginning wherewith we are vpholden These are the steppes vnto life and euerlasting blessednesse because theie keepe vs in the waie vnto Christe who is the onelie waie vnto happinesse Wherfore he y t entereth into the right waie proceedeth in the right waie and keepeth à right course by night and by daie in aduersitie and prosperitie toward the happinesse before his eies is called happie because of the euent for that he goeth the right waie vnto felicitie Moreouer the bodies being dead the soules of the righteous vntill the last iudgement by the ministerie of Angels be receaued into Paradise there to enioie blessednesse with Christ according to the promise To daie shalt thou be with me in Paradise Hereof sprang that wish of Paul I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ and that voice in the Reuelation Blessed are the dead which die in the Lorde Euen so saith the spirite for theie rest from their labors their workes followe them And although this blessednesse of the soules be vnspeakeable yet it is not absolute Because perfect blessednesse is of the whole natures not of à part of man as alreadie we haue shewed as at the last daie shal come to passe the bodies being raised For which purpose there is à certaine last iudgement appointed of God in which this ful and absolute felicitie shal be conferred vpon the Saintes So that the Saintes whose bodies doe sleepe in the duste haue receaued alreadie single robes but shal not be endued with double vntil we al meete together The first robe is the verie felicitie it selfe the rest of soules in Christ. But the seconde shal be y e immortalitie and glorie of y e bodies which shal be fashioned like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ for euer and euer And so at y e length we shal perfectlie be blessed ioined to God the soueraigne blisse with perfect loue the image of God after which we at the first were made and afterwarde redeemed being reformed in vs. In this image perfecte righteousnes perfect holinesse perfect libertie perfect wisedome perfect cleerenes and glorie shall shine Dauid had respect herevnto when he saide When I awak I shal be satisfied with thine image For in this world there shal be no satietie Which thing Salomon also doeth witnesse when he saide The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing By which saying Salomon doth signifie that nothing sufficeth man before he come vnto God enioie God and blessedlie to rest in him For God hath ingraffed such à desire in the heart of man that no good thing can suffice him besides the soueraigne happinesse which hauing once attained hee resteth therein all blessed So that the most perfect state of man shal be eternal felicitie the which we begin here in this life and in the life to come shall perfectlie enioie the same Hitherto belongeth that saying of Prosper The life to come is thought to be blessedlie euerlasting and euerlastinglie blessed where certaine securitie is secure quietnes and quiet ioifulnes happie eternitie eternal happines where perfest loue is no feare at all This happie state was offered in à vision to Iohn in the Reuelation For he sawe the holie citie newe Ierusalem come downe from heauen prepared as à bride trimmed for her husbande Wherein neither sorowe neither crying neither death shal bee but ioie peace quietnes and euerlasting life the walles whereof are of Iasper and the citie it selfe pure golde The temple whereof was God almightie and the Lambe the glorie of God did lighten it and the lambe is the light of
For thou Lorde wilt blesse the righteous and with fauour wilt compasse him as with à shielde Againe Thou hast giuen mee the shielde of thy saluation and thy right hand hath staied mee For it seemeth good in the sight of God that the godlie shold not only be cōpassed about with y e crowne of his good wil but also be happie through euerlasting blessednes When Paul writeth vnto the Ephesians Take vnto you the shielde of faith wherewith yee maie quench all the fierie darts of the wicked hee signifieth y t then we are cōpassed-about with the shield of faith when reteining an vnshakened faith of doctrine with à confidence of mercie and à good conscience wee fight à good fight Now what thing I praie you can be more miserable than the enimies of God who haue not this shield For the king of darkenes hath ful power ouer them and casteth them down headlong from one wickednes vnto another til he bring them to vtter destruction The thirde and fourth benefites are Grace and glorie For thus hee saith The Lorde will giue grace and glorie Grace is the fauour of God both pardoning the sinnes of the faithfull for the deathes sake of his sonne also adorning the Church with an vnspotted garment namelie with Christ his obedience or righteousnes Nowe forsomuch as the faithfull doe please through this grace they can not bee otherwise than happie and blessed But they which are without the Church be destitute of this grace guiltie damned in respect of their wickednes Glorie is the attainement of adoption the inhabitation of the holie spirite and the hereditarie possession of eternall happinesse But so manie as bee not within the Church are the bondslaues of Sathan moued with the spirite of the Diuell and reserued for euerlasting shame The fifth good thing or commoditie of the Church which the vngodlie doe want is that which the Psalmist meaneth when hee saith No good thing will be depriue them of that walke innocentlie Here by the fruit iudgement is giuen of the tree For a good tree bringeth-foorth good and profitable fruite but à rotten tree can yeelde nothing but hurtful vnpleasant fruite To walke innocentlie or soundlie or perfectlie for the worde which the Psalmist vseth in this place is oftentimes expressed of interpretors by the worde perfection is when the man which is iustified preferreth obedience towarde God before euen the most pleasant thinges of the worlde This definition maie bee proued out of the 22. Chapter of Genesis Nowe there is a double perfection of Christians of imputation of obedience He is perfect by imputation that beleeueth in Iesus Christ according to that Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth Hee is perfect by obedience which loueth obedience to God warde more than all thinges of the worlde Yet is not this perfection an absolutnes of worke according to the rule of the law but it is a purpose an endeuorment and a studie of the minde whereby a man daielie more and more goeth forwarde vnto the marke of perfection Ths endeuorment throught the approbation of God is called perfection And that this Christian perfection is to be referred vnto the will and affection of the heart these testimonies ensuing doe witnesse Feare the Lorde and serue him in vprightnes in trueth of heart Againe And thou Salomon my sonne knowe thou the God of thy father and serue him with à perfect heart and with à willing minde Hezekiah in the prophecie of Isaiah doeth testifie howe hee fulfilled the same when hee saide I beseech thee Lorde remember now how I haue walked before thee in trueth and with à perfect hart and haue done that which is good in thy sight And this perfection Paul requireth when he saith Fight à good fight hauing faith and à good conscience For through faith the obedience of Christe which is the fulfilling of the Lawe is obteined à good conscience is kept by a willingnes to obeie whereby a godlie man preferreth obedience towarde God before all thinges although mā cannot fulfill the same in such absolute forme as the rule of the lawe doeth require Moreouer when the Psalmist doeth saie No good thing will he depriue them of which walk innocentlie it is to bee vnderstood concerning the rewarding of the obedience showen through faith For in this place hee speaketh not of the causes of saluation but of the effect of faith wherewith being iustified we are saued And therefore this and such like sentences of which sort there be manie in the scripture be thus to bee vnfolded They y t walke innocentlie shall not bee depriued of good thinges Whie so Because they which walke innocentlie doe beleeue And al beleeuers are righteous through Christ his righteousnesse imputed vnto them To the righteous life and abundance of all good thinges in such sorte is proposed that they shal desire nothing to the consummating of true happines And therefore so manie as walke innocentlie shall not be depriued of good thinges After which sort the like sentences are to bee vntied that wee maie be led from the proper effect vnto the proper cause and againe conclude frō the proper cause other effectes adioined and following of the same as when it is saide Blessed are they which suffer persecution for the confession of Christ heere mention is made not of the cause of blessednes but of the effecte of faith and of that which necessarilie doth followe faith And therefore the sentence is thus to be opened They are blessed which suffer persecution for the confession of Christ. Why so Because they doe beleeue For it is a proper effect of faith to confesse Christe in the time of persecution But the faithfull bee righteous through Christe his obedience And the righteous doe liue and are blessed by the hope of eternall felicitie Therefore they who suffer persecution for the confession of Christ are blessed Nowe the holie scripture vseth this manner of speech for two causes One is that we shoulde iudge of true and liuelie faith by the naturall properties which it hath leaste for the true faith wee embrace a fained and false faith Another is that we maie be stirred-vp with the promise of the rewarde of obedience the more cheerefullie to doe our dueties and not waxe negligent in respect of the manifold difficulties which happen manie times and make manie slouthful But touching this point wee haue spoken more at large aboue where wee confuted the errors of Papistes who verie naughtilie doe confounde the causes and effectes and manie times of the qualities affections and workes of y e saintes do make the causes of iustification and saluation whose errors bee ouerthrowen by the pretious bloode of our onelie mediator For in the matter of iustification al mans merites are quite contrarie vnto the merite of Christ his death Last of all seeing the wicked which
thinketh together with the whole Scripture that no man can be iustified by the workes of the lawe forsomuch as man yeeldeth not pure perfect continual obedience therevnto is confirmed Nowe this being so to wit that no man can obserue perfectlie the comaundementes of God nor by the works of the lawe be iustified before God it maie be demaunded what maie be the vse of the law For we must of necessitie acknowledge that the lawe is not giuen-out in vaine Vnto this question we must make this answere Although by the workes of the lawe no man is iustified before God because no man is able to satisfie the same yet is there à diuers vse of the same which is to be considered according to the condition of the states of men I doe omitte the external and political vse which is to gouerne outward manners by discipline agreeing with the law because we now are in hande with that vse of the law which concerneth the conscience of man before the iudgemēt seate of God Therfore before iustificatiō regeneratiō this is the vse of the law in the cōscience of man namely to teach to accuse to condemne It teacheth both what is to be done and what is to be auoided of him that seketh life by the lawe It accuseth the transgressor it pronounceth him guiltie and condemneth and that to this ende that the sinner hauing confessed his wickednes and considered both the wrath of God and his owne miserie may sue for fauor which thing he is not able to attaine of the law by the strength of nature Whereby the law is to the wounded conscience an occasion of seeking Christ the Physition And hereof is the law called A Schoolemaster vnto Christ. Hitherto belongeth that of Paule to the Galathians The scripture hath concluded al vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue This selfe same thing doeth the Lord teach in a parable of the debter where a certaine king doth of his seruaunt whom he knew was not able to paie his debt demaunde ten thousand talents due to him by the lawe which thing he did to the ende that the seruant confessing his pouertie might flie to the mercie of his Lord therby to obtaine a general discharge of the whole debt By this parable the vse of God his law in the consciences of men before free forgiuenes of the whole debt and iustification is depainted For as this debtor payeth nothing of his debt but is freely forgiuē so the law in the act of iustificatiō is vtterlie idle as y t which is neither the cause nor a parte of our righteousnes as it is wrought of vs. But after that man is iustified the spiritual vse of y e law is to prescribe those things which belong vnto a spiritual man or a rule of spiritual seruing of God And so the promises of the law be fulfilled in the faithful through Christ. These things beeing thus learned it is no hard thing to refel the arguments of them who contēd that by the wotkes of the law men are iustified before God Therfore when out of Moses they do obiect He that doth the commandements shal liue in them Therfore by the workes of the law man is iustified It is to be answered that the argument is vntrue For by the law it must be considered what the law in al respects or the iustice of God doth require not what mā is able to do that we may flie vnto y e mercie of God confessing our weakenes especialie seeing it is apparent that no man is able perfectlie to obserue the law Yet more forceablie they do vrge and they obiect vnto vs the saying of our Lord If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundementes Hereof theie conclude à condition of keeping the commaundementes of God and that by keeping thē men are are iustified yea saued But what the Lord ment by those words the parable which euen now we mencioned doth teach For as y e King there exacteth of his debter ten thousand talents and frankelie forgaue the whole det to him which had nothing to paie but flied vnto the mercie of his creditor So the the Lorde vnto the proude hypocrite doth saie If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements to the ende that the hypocrite discending into himselfe might confesse his filthinesse and pouertie and so craue pardon which had he done he had heard with the sinful woman Thee sinnes are forgiuen thee We must therfore acknowledg how the obseruation of God his cōmaundements is pronounced both by Moses Christ himselfe to be the right most readie waie vnto life but the faulte is in our selues whie by that waie though it be verie direct we enter not into life For the condition cannot be perfourmed of vs as aboue it hath beene showen So that by the commaundementes the effect is not concluded because the condition is not obserued which is If thou doe the Lawe but the defect of al men rather that acknowledging our imperfectiō we maie flie vnto the mercie of God And this is the doctrine of Paul concerning the vse of the lawe before conuersion By the lawe saith he commeth the knowledge of sinne Yet this knowledge is not to the ende that we shoulde die in our sinnes but that we shoulde seeke Christ as Paul saith in another place He hath shut-vp al in vnbeleefe that he might haue mercie on al. Againe The scripture hath concluded al vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to thē that beleeue And therefore the obseruation of the lawe is required to iustification that we maie confesse howe that we haue neither in our selues nor of our selues no righteousnesse at al and that through faith we shoulde flie together vnto Christe Who is in the ende of the lawe for righteousnesse to euerie one that beleeueth whereof we are nowe to speake CHAP. 4. 1. The second order of testimonies 2. That works and faith together doe not iustifie 3. True iustification what 4. The things required in à iustified man 5. The causes of mans iustification THe second sorte of testimonies of the holie scripture cōcerning y e iustificatiō of mā before God is euangelical wherin y e most cōforequitie according to the promise of grace is proposed to the penitent sinners namelie that Christ came into the worlde to saue sinners as the Lord himselfe doth saie I am come to cal sinners vnto repentance that is vnto conuersion and that according to the promises made vnto the fathers and commended vnto the Church of God by wonderful miracles But before I declare the iudgement of the true Church touching this matter I wil refel the opinion of them who with the Pharisees compounde Christian righteousnesse both of workes and faith as it were of causes and partes least by their preiudice our
shalbe consumated whē the bodies shal rise againe Both these adoptions haue their glorie For by the adoption begū we haue peace with God which is not onelie the reconcilement of vs with God but also à quiet conscience in Iesu Christ we haue accesse vnto god through our Lord Iesus Christ we haue too à firme trust that God hath à care of vs as his childrē so that al thinges worke-together for the best to vs yea such things as doe seeme most bitter Wherof it is that the saintes euen in the crosse wherebie theie are made like the onelie begotten Sonne of God doe reioice according to the saying of Paul We doe reioice in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because God loueth vs. Of the adoption hereafter to be consummated Paul speaketh on this wise Euen we doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our bodies This redemptiō of the bodie in the same chapter somwhat afore the Apostle defineth to be the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God that is the ful glorie wherin the childrē of God being freed frō al euil shal euerlastinglie and blessedlie inioie the most comfortable sight of God Of this longing for glorie the Apostle speaketh when he saith We reioice vnder the hope of the glorie of God Together with this adoption the which at the last iudgement shalbe perfected formal righteousnes wherebie we shalbe like vnto God for euermore is ioined Which righteousnes the Apostle saith we doe waite for when he saith We through the spirit waite for the hope of righteousnes through faith And what māner of righteousnes that shalbe Iohn declareth in these wordes We knowe that when he shal appeare we shalbe like him euen holie righteous chast and blessed for euer and euer Out of the things which hitherto we haue spoken touching the iustification of man by the method of composition this definition maie be framed Man his iustification before God is an absoluing of the beleeuing man from sinne an imputation of Christ his righteousnes and à receiuing of him vnto eternal life freelie for Christ his sake Nowe the more fullie to open this our iustification let vs in order yet verie brieflie beholde the causes The cause therefore preparing is y e preaching of the gospel which maketh vs to acknowledge and to feele our infirmitie iust damnation The which sense Paul doth terme the spirit of feare because at the preaching of the law it is raised vp in men through the holie spirite When Peter in the Acts vpon the day of Pentecost had accused his countreimen the Iewes for violating both tables of the Lord they conceiued in their minde the spirit of feare that is a wonderful dolor and griefe or pricking in their consciences for their sinnes Therfore afterward in their perplexitie doubtfulnes and despairing as it were he biddeth thē to amende their liues and be baptized euery one of them in the name of Iesus Christ which was in deede a preaching of the gospel This conuersion is made through faith which men do conceaue through the holie ghost when they hearken vnto the gospel By this faith Christ wholy who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption is conceaued that he that reioyceth doe reioyce in the Lord and praise him euerlastingly And this is that knowledge of saluation hid from the wise and men of vnderstanding of this worlde but reuealed to the Church through the worde of the gospel CHAP. 5. 1 The thirde sorte of testimonies 2 How good workes do iustifie 3. Wherein we and the Papists do differ about good works ALthough the fruite of the righteousnes of faith is neuer to be separated from faith yet with al diligence is it to be distinguished from our iustification For the proper benefit of Christ which we obteine by faith alone is one thing and our due obedience which as the fruite out of the tree springeth from faith through which we be regenerate borne the the sonnes of God is another Wherof it is that by the natural properties that it hath we iudge of a liuely faith euen as by the frute we iudge of the tree Hence it is that in this order of testimonies the worde to iustifie hath an other sense than in the afore mentioned orders it had For in this place to iustifie signifieth to shew and declare a man to be righteous As in the Epistle of Iames man is saide to be iustified by workes because through workes he sheweth and declareth himselfe to be righteous And in the scripturs oftentimes theie are pronounced blessed which giue themselues to good workes not that good workes be causes or do merit happinesse but for that they are true tokens of their cause which is faith or the spirit of faith For so many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God And hence it is that the Lord in the gospel after Matthew saith Blessed are the meeke blessed are the merciful blessed are the peacemakers blessed are the patient For these virtues if they be true and not hypocritical showes of virtue do proceede from faith whereby righteousnesse is laid holde on and they be vndoubted markes of the children of God declaring the adoption Therfore this rule is to be helde in memorie when diuers effectes doe depende alike of one and the same cause the consequent doth holde from one effect vnto the other because of their common dependance In Luke it is written of the sinful womā how many sinnes were forgiuen her for she loued much Now because both I meane remission of sinnes and loue depend of faith as of a proper cause the argument is good from loue vnto the remission of sinne because of their common dependance Sophists who thinke that Christ descended from the cause vnto the effect and made loue the cause of remission of sinnes do peruert the meaning of Christ as by the parable which the Lorde bringeth-forth before them it is manifest There was a certaine lender saith he which had twoo debtors the one ought fiue hundred pence and the other fiftie when they bad nothing to pay he forgaue them both Which of them therefore tel me wil loue him most Simon answered and saide I suppose that he to whom be forgaue most Afterwarde he saide to the woman Thy faith hath saued thee goe in peace Doth not the Lord here plainly declare that remission of sinnes doth go before loue and both to wit remission and loue to depende of faith as of their verie cause For many times effectes whereof some doe follow others which notwithstanding shoulde be referred vnto their proper cause to auoyde the confusion of causes and effects be ascribed to one and the same cause Hitherto belongeth the rule of Augustine When saith
example he inuited to the praieng-vnto and worshipping of that God alone euen the onelie and true God which had both giuen à lawe and ceremonies to the people also brought the Iewes out of the land of Egypt But this was it which troubled y e Iewes for that he caled God his Father whom had he denied hee should haue bin like to them that is à liar The third thing which theie obiect is the abrogation of the lawe wherein they make à loude lie For he alone both fulfilled the lawe himselfe and corrected the abuses of the Pharisies yea and alwayes euen to the death of the crosse was subiecte to the lawe The fourth whereby they saie how he spake against y e traditions of y e fathers is most vntrue But what fault is it I pray you to reprehend impietie to condemne superstition and to speake against such thinges as are manifestlie against the worde of God Is it such à crime to blame the peruerse opinion of the Pharisies whereby they place the traditions of men before the commaundementes of GOD especialie when the Lorde himselfe doth saie Walke ye not in the ordinances of your fathers walke in my statutes Saith not the Lorde by the Apostle They worshippe me in vaine teaching for doctrines the commaundements of men But this was one and à principal cause of crucifieng Iesus the Messiah fearing traditions being abolished least they themselues shoulde come into contempt among the people leese not à little of their auctoritie and so by little and little come into decaie The fifth crime is that our Lorde shoulde violate the Sabbaoth the which also is most vntrue For as the true rest of the Sabbaoth is to cease from sinne and to rest in God so the true workes are they which make vnto the abolishing of sinne and promoting of Gods glorie as were the deedes of healing which he wrought vpon the Sabbaoth And in verie deede there can be no more excellent à worke than to helpe man at his extreme necessitie If it be not lawful vppon the Sabbaoth to heale shal it therefore be lawfull to kil à man Is it lawful to drawe out an Asse falen into à pitte and shal it not be lawful on the Sabbaoth by the worde and power of God to heale à man But this people haue neither ende nor measure in slaundering The sixt crime which they laie to his charge is I can destroye this Temple and builde it againe in three daies The occasion of which his wordes was this The Iewes had required à signe of Christ of his zeale and power he therefore according to the manner of the Apostles and of his owne too sheweth them no friuolous temporarie or base signe as they required but à great à wonderful and an euerlasting signe of the resurrection of his bodie whiche should be the third daie after his death which bodie of his was more truelie and aptlie the Temple of GOD than that stonie one of Ierusalem For therein dwelleth à more proper and present God The seuenth crime which theie obiect to our Lorde is that he cast-out diuels in the name of Beelzebub the chiefe of the diuels Which fault by strong argumentes he remoueth from himselfe Matth. 12 and Luke 11. But afore I shew how the faithlesse Iewes do blemish the miracles of Christ I will in fewe wordes declare what is meant by diuine miracles Next I wil briefelie shewe y e markes wherebie the diuine miracles of Christ and of the saintes are distinguished from fained miracles of magicians and diuels For the diuel as one that hateth God and would gladlie turn vs from God by al possible meanes both by him-selfe and his ministers the magicians doth emulate the workes of God and especialie miracles because he seeth howe that thing commeth neerest vnto the diuine power which is aboue nature And therefore as by his owne natural force he is mightier so in the knowledge of the virtues and operation of thinges more skilfull than man he easelie beguileth our senses to deceaue and bring vs from the truth Diuine miracles are such as God worketh which are therefore called miracles because theie bring men into admiration For first theie bring men into the admiration of Gods power wherebie miracles are wrought Secondly through the power of God men gather that the person which doth miracles both is sent of GOD and also bringeth Gods worde for confirmation whereof miracles are shewed as moste euident demonstrations Thirdly through this consideration faith is conceaued in the minde of the doctrine albeit the maiestie of the doctrine doth exceede the reach of reason Fourthlie of credit to the doctrine springeth in the hart à confidence of the promise of y e good things which are brought by the doctrine Fiftlie who so beleeue the doctrine and hope for the promise they do loue and praise God And by miracles as it were by the hand they are led vnto the faith of their condition which is to haue felowship with God and in him to obteine an euerlasting blessednesse for euermore Sixtlie because euerie signe is à signe of somthing signed faith seeketh the analogie comparison betwene the signe and that is signed and so by comparing them together of earthlie gathereth heauēlie spiritual things of visible For the diuine miracles of Christ aboue al haue spiritual significatiōs the which y e aptlie they may be aplied shold be reduced vnto more euident sentences of scripture and notable examples that the spiritual interpretation may be agreeable to faith and consent with the principle groundes of our religion yea and also haue euident examples wherebie the matter is painted out as it were The reason whie Christe and good men would confirme their doctrine to men by miracles is this It was verie meete that faith which is of matters that exceede mans vnderstanding should be confirmed by such things as are aboue nature and contrarie vnto the vsual course of the same that men with their outwarde eies beholding such thinges to be brought to passe as exceeded the power of nature might be stirred-vp to the beholding with the internal eies of the minde that is to the beleeuing of those thinges which are beyonde reason As therefore the thinges which are subiect to reason neede no demonstration that an vndoubted faith may be giuen to them so diuine and celestial by miracles as by certaine heauenlie proofes do deserue credite Nowe the cause why at this daie miracles are not wrought in y e eies of men as they haue bin Augustine sheweth when he saith Neither be these miracles permitted to indure vnto our daies that the minde maie not alwaies seeke after visible thinges and so by the longe vse of them mankinde would waxe colde which through their noueltie was inflamed Neither ought we in these daies to doubte that theie are to be credited who when theie preached those things which
thinges to do First they shoulde washe themselues with water whereby was signified howe by nature they themselues being vncleane were to be cleansed by spiritual water which Christ the chiefe Prieste alone doeth sprincle an effectual badge whereof Baptisme is Then they were to put-on garments not their owne but the priestlie garments which thing betokened the innocencie of Christe wherewithal being cleansed and cloathed with his blood they doe seeme righteous and bewtiful in the presence of God After that they were annointed whereby the spiritual ointment wherewithal they are annointed for Prophetes kings and priestes and whereby they maie be effectualie taught concerning the vertue of Christ his benefites is signified Lastlie they filled their handes that is they sacrificed for then obedience doeth please God when it is shewen of thē who are purged through faith cloathed with the righteousnes of Christ and vncted with Gods holie spirite When they offered burnt offeringes they were admonished to offer vp thēselues spiritualie to God Wherevnto Paul in his 12. chapter vnto the Romanes had regarde When these partes of liuing creatures as the kidneie the liuer the fat which partes of al others are prone vnto concupiscence were sacrificed they were put in minde of killing wicked lustes and concupiscence that they might addict themselues al whole to the seruice of God The parting of the beastes did giue them to learne howe they shoulde cut the worde of God aright and applie the same according to y e condition of men which thing Paul seemeth to point-at when he commandeth to deuide the worde of trueth aright Of the double signification of the altar we haue spoken alreadie Neither maie we ouerpasse howe it was decreed that neither leauen nor honie shoulde be vsed in sacrifices but that they shoulde besprincle euerie sacrifice with salt For as we be admonished by leauen that malice is to be excluded according to the teaching of the Apostle and by honie that al hypocrisie must be laid-awaie So the salte doeth signifie that al workes ought to be seasoned with spiritual wisdome faith and praier otherwise they wil not please God Moe notes of this matter you maie reade in our Commentarie vpon the Epistle vnto the Hebrewes CHAP. 22. 1. Of the original cause of idolatrie 2. Of the diuerse Gods in times passed 3. Festiual daies 4. and sacrifices among the Gentiles AFore we come vnto the sacrifices of the Gentiles wee wil saie somewhat concerning their Gods and their sundrie feastes that thereby we maie cal into minde both what an horrible punishment the blindnes of such as depart from God is and what à great and vnspeakeable benefite it is to haue the worde of God which not onelie sheweth to vs the true God but also prescribeth a right forme of seruing God whereby wee maie bee led through the kingdome of the grace of Christ in this life vntil we shal attaine vnto y e marke y t is vnto glorious immortalitie where we shal be conformable to Christ our Lorde for euermore which conformitie is the repairing of the image of God in vs and the last ende of our creation and reparation through the son of God our onelie redeemer In the 31. chapter of Genesis mention is made of the Gods of the Gentiles where Laban vnto his sonne in lawe doth saie Wherefore hast thou stolne my goods Whereof wee maie gather that the worde of the promise being obscured among the posteritie of Noah foorth-with they inuented strange Gods and fained worshippinges For seeing as Cicero doth saie There is no people neither so vnciuil nor so sauage but although they be ignoraunt which is the true God yet they knowe that some God is to be worshipped hauing lost the true God and his worde they made to themselues fained Gods which thing Paul doeth pronounce was the punishment of their neglecting the true God when he saith Because that when they knewe God they glorified him not as God neither were thankeful but became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was ful of darkenes When they professed themselues to be wise they became fooles For they turned the glorie of the vncorruptible God to the similitude of the image of à corruptible man of birds and fourefooted beastes and creeping thinges Wherefore also God gaue them vp to their heartes lustes vnto vncleanes to defile their owne bodies betweene themselues which turned the trueth of God vnto à lie and worshipped and serued the creature forsaking the creator which is blessed for euer So then idolatrie and the inuention of fained Gods is the iust punishment of apostasie from the true God And this was it which y e same Apostle doth saie Therfore God shal send thē strong delusiō that they should beleue lies that al they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Hitherto of the occasion and cause of idolatrie among the Gentiles nowe ad we somewhat concerning the diuers Gods which they had The posteritie of Noah being grosse rude did not worship God the creator and gouernor of the worlde but the things which to the sight appeared goodlie and wonderful in their blockish and most dul iudgementes they tooke for Gods This error flowed from the parentes vnto the children daielie more and more encreasing through continuance of time it waxed strong The ages folowing deemed it impietie to resist the same For the posteritie thinke they doe owe that reuerence to their predecessors which children do to their parentes euen as many at this daie wil not depart from Poperie because of the reuerence y t they beare to their forefathers And therefore some because of their goodlie shew greatnes worshipped the heauens the starres the Sunne Moone elementes Some did number brute beastes of whome they reaped anie commoditie among the Gods so did the Egyptians oxen cats serpents Some ascribed diuine honor to men either in respect of benefites or for feare or for flatterie Some accounted euen the foule diuels for Gods And others esteemed Palenes Feare the Ague and such like for Gods Al those through the great most miserable calamitie of mankind were called and counted Gods But to speake onlie of men admitted into the companie of y e Gods that was extreeme madnes of theirs to choose them as they did not for their noble virtues but for their notable egregious vices as they did epicures wantons harlots adulterers and them which had ben most shamfulie defiled with y e incest euen of their owne mothers their owne sisters their owne daughters The father of y e Gods they faine somtime in y e shape of à bul somtime of an Eagle somtime of a swane somtime of à golden fleece to be disguised so to haue defloured defiled virgins women They say Mercurie y e president of sweet speech changed himselfe into à goate to obteine his desired pleasure with Venus what should
we stand Fourthlie it is to be noted that the praiers of Saintes are therfore acceptable in the sight of God because they depend vpon the intercession of Christ the highe Priest For when we make intercession for others we praie not trusting in our owne merites or price which we haue paide for redemption but in the merite of Christ his righteousnes and in the ransome which he hath Therefore saith Christe Whatsoeuer ye shal aske the Father in my Name that is depending vpon my merite and intercession he will giue it you Hitherto pertaineth that compellation in the Lordes praier O our Father For as the name of a Father putteth vs in minde of Christ in whom through faith we are the sonnes of God and he is our father So the pronoune Our doth admonish vs of faith that through confidence in the sonne wee should cal vpon the father not trusting in anie worthines or merites of our owne For which cause the Apostle saith Let vs approch vnto God through him For he euer liueth to make intercession for vs. As often therefore as wee would praie let vs consider the cause whie we saie Our Father that we maie both thoroughlie be persuaded that for his sonnes sake we please God and without al doubting also beleeue that for the intercession of the sonne whose members we be through faith we are heard Wherefore theie which bring not this faith do but waste winde when they praie For theie haue none accesse vnto y e father Let such then looke what they do who contrarie to the word of God do depend vpon other patrons Fiftlie forsomuch as the sonne of God is the perpetual priest which maketh intercession for the Church whensoeuer it doth amisse we maie not flie vnto other patrons but vnto Christ alone as the onelie patron and most trustie anchor of safetie Therfore the Apostle Iohn doth saie If anie man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust And he is the reconciliation for our sinnes But then do we rightlie approch vnto this Aduocate for the attainment of the remission of sinnes whē we are sorie for our wickednes cōmitted when we rest our selues with à faith vnfained vpon Iesus Christ the propitiator and intercessor when we purpose afterward through God his grace to leade à pure life and finalie when we cast from our heartes à purpose to sinne Vnlesse these be ioined-together in vaine doest thou boast y t Christ is thie patron Some there be who think theie be pure if once theie haue poured their sinnes into the bosome of some pastor some pastors too do thinke that by their magical absolutions theie can vnburden sinners but both sortes doe most filthilie erre out of y e waie For both Christ alone is y e purger of sins in whō if thou repose not a liuelie faith which hath those foure cōditions which we haue recited in vaine dost thou vnburden thie self in the bosome of y e priest Christ alone it is y t absolueth from sins vnto whom if y u aproch not through faith y u sahlt die in thy sins But the absolution of à priest is then profitable when the confession is tempered with true repentance turning from sin And this absolution of the priest is nothing else than à testimonie of the absolution which is giuen in heauē by our hie priest Iesus Christ. And therfore saith y e Lord Whatsoeuer you loose on earth shalbe loosed in heauen So that the absolution which is pronounced by the minister of the Gospel dependeth vpon his faith which requireth absolution not of the merite either of confession or of pronouncing any wordes whatsoeuer This place would craue a confutation of them who chose other aduocates beside Christ but because this madnes is alreadie mentioned aboue where we dealt with Popish sacrifices I wil not with moe wordes refute them in this place And thus much of y e three parts of Christ his priest-hoode to wit of doctrine of sacrifice and of intercession The other pointe contained in the definition of the priesthoode touching the preseruation of the church the remission of sins the gift of the holie Ghoste and euerlasting life be rather most pleasant fruites than partes of Christ his Priesthoode CHAP. 38. 1. Of the couenant which Christ our hie Priest hath entred into 2. The special pointes to bee considered therein 3. Of the olde and newe couenant or Testament wherein theie doe differ 4. The difference betweene the newe Testament and the Gospel 5. Whether with the olde Testament the tenne commandements be abrogated or no. FOrsomuch as euerie priest as y e Epistle to y e Hebrues doth testifie is a suretie of some couenant for it is behoueful that some certaine couenant be set according to which the mediator betweene the parties at controuersie maie determine that sure peace and friendship maie be established betweene God and men Christ our Priest hath à certaine couenant For as the Leuitical priest had his priesthood and à certaine couenant annexed to the priesthood So Christ our Priest to whome the Leuitical priestes with their sacrifice and couenant gaue place hath his priesthood and certaine couenants annexed to the priesthod For the priesthood being changed as the Epistle vnto the Hebrues doth saie of necessitie there must be a change of the law Againe for this cause is he the mediator of the newe Testament that through death which was for the redemption of the transgressions that were in the former Testament they which were called might receaue the promise of eternal inheritance For where a Testament is there must be the death of him that made the Testament For the Testament is confirmed when men are dead for it is yet of no force as long as he that made it is aliue Wherefore neither was the first ordained without bloud For when Moses had spoken euerie precept to the people according to the lawe he tooke the bloud of calues and of goats with water and purple wool and hyssope and sprinkled both the booke and al the people Saieng This is the bloud of the Testament which God hath appointed vnto you And although by these words of the Apostle it is euident that as the former that is the olde Testament is a couenant annexed to the priesthood of Aaron confirmed by the bloud of brutish creatures whereby GOD did binde himselfe to the Iewes for to giue them the lande of Canaan to their possession if so be for their partes theie obserued the condition which was the fulfilling of the lawe so the newe Testament should be a couenant annexed to the Priesthood of Christe confirmed with the bloud of Christ whereby God doth binde himselfe to forgiue sinnes and to giue a celestial and euerlasting inheritance in heauen but with a condition of faith whose true and right fruite is perfect obedience toward GOD.
righteous in the sight of God although before man he beareth the punishment of sinne Beside with inwarde consolation by his spirite he mittigateth present affliction giueth strength to beare y e deserued punishment with à quiet minde And although the crosse seeme in mans eies an odious thing yet is it yea though it be deserued à sacrifice highlie pleasing God as we maie see in Dauid and in the thiefe The thiefe was punished for his enormous wickednes Dauid suffereth affliction for adulterie and murther which hee had committed Notwithstanding both the crosse of that thiefe from the crosse of the other thiefe hanging on the left-side of Christ and the affliction of Dauid from the punishment of Saule differed in respecte of their sorrowfull and repentant heartes which beeing laide vppon the crosse of Christe as vppon an altar it becommeth consecrated and à most acceptable sacrifice before God Of which kinde of crosse reade more in our annotations vpon the 25. Psalme The thirde kinde of crosse is Dokimasie which is à proofe and trial of faith and constancie in confession This Dokimasie is done manie waies so that easilie it cannot bee included within certaine kindes For faith is tried sometime in prosperitie and sometime in aduersitie sometime inwardlie and outwardlie sometime Abraham was tried by banishment by hunger by hazarde of his wife by differring of the promised seede by the barreunesse of his wife by the commaundement to kil his onelie sonne Isaak whom he loued more than his owne life Al these thinges seemed to bee cleane-against that great promise of the land of Canaan and of the seed which should multiplie euen as the sande of the sea But howe escapeth Abraham howe ouercommeth hee these most greeuous tentations Euen by faith alone Hereby hee persuadeth himselfe that God is not onelie true of promise but mightie also to performe the same heereby he glorified God hereby he meteth with the course of nature heereby hee preferred obedience towarde God before the life of his sonne hereby hee strengthened himselfe in all his troubles Ioseph also hee was tried both on the lefte hande and on the right on the left by his enuious brethren by exile by bondage by the inticementes of an vnchast woman by imprisonment c. on the right hande by the gifte of intrepreting dreames by honour fauour of his prince by preferment aboue other Lordes and by his dexteritie in the whole gouernement Notwithstanding he keepeth à streight course declining neither vnto the lefte nor vnto the right hande but through faith onelie persisteth vnmoueable Iob likewise was tried both by aduersitie and prosperitie First with happie successe of his affaires with manie children store of riches and with worshipful friendes afterwarde with the soudden death of his children with losse of his goodes with lothsome botches and boiles with à brawling and cursing wife with lacke of friendes Nowe holie Iob tossed with these tempestes albeit sometime hee seemed to totter yet by faith hee rose-againe and opposed against present miserie that blessed life and happinesse which GOD who can not lie hath promised to his seruauntes For I am sure saide hee that my Redeemer liueth and that I shall rise-againe at the last daie And this is it which Iohn doeth saie That which is borne of GOD ouercommeth the worlde That it maie be à testimonie as Bernard saith of the celestial generation This triall of faith is compared to the triall of golde in the booke of Wisedome As golde is tried in the fire so men are tried in the fornace of affliction And Peter Through manifolde tentations ye are in heauines that the triall of your faith maie be much more pretious than golde For as by the fire golde is tried whether it be pure or no so by the crosse faith is tried whether it bee without al drosse of hypocrisie But what Is not the iudgement of God according vnto y e truth What iustice can it be to afflict men without cause whie Although affliction cōmeth some-time without à manifest fault yet it neuer commeth without cause whie For this crosse of trial hath manie causes those weightie as the trial of faith y t stirring vp of the heare to cal-vpon God to meditate vpon the word of God the sense of GOD his presence in affliction the contemplation of eternal happines the preseruation from greater euils Therefore albeit the crosse of it selfe be euill yet forsomuch as it healeth and driueth-awaie poisō it is necessarie as the auctor of the Epistle vnto the Hebrues teacheth For as myrrhe notwithstanding it be sharpe and bitter yet it healeth woundes and preserueth from putrifaction So the crosse of the sainctes though it bee irkesome to the flesh and greeuous yet it destroieth no◠but healeth rather And as the waters which were verie bitter in Marah after that the woode was throwen therevnto became sweete so there can no crosse happen to the sainctes of God in this life but it becommeth moste pleasant if the woode of the crosse of Christ bee added as à sauce but if that bee taken awaie the waters become bitter and vnsauerie that is euerie crosse is verie sowre and intollerable vnlesse it bee tempered as it were with the crosse of Christ. Manifolde examples of this kinde of trial maie be red in the 11. Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes The last kinde of crosse is called Martyrie Hereby testimonie is borne to the doctrine of the Gospel the ende whereof is that by it as by à seale as it were of God manie maie bee inuited to embrace the religion of Christ. Augustine expresseth the signification of the name on this wise Testimonies in Greke are called Martyria which word we in these daies vse as à Latine worde Whereof it is that wee call such as are humbled for the testimonie of Christ by sundrie afflictiōs and haue foughten euen to the death for the truthes sake such I saie we call not Testes that is witnesses albeit that is their name in Latine but Martyres after the Greekes Nowe the children of GOD are in this worlde tried after two manner of waies by reproches and by tormentes Let vs examine him saide the wicked with rebukes and tormentes And Paul Therefore we labor and are rebuked because wee trust in the liuing God The benefite comming by the martyrdome of y e Saincts Theodoret verie notablie expresseth when hee saith As in time passed the bushe that Moses sawe was not consumed with fire So neither did the weapons of enimies consume Christians although they were mightilie beset round-about of the wicked But rather as after trees be hewen-downe much moe impes doe springe-vp than the bowes were that were cut-off So nowe also after the slaughter of manie godlie men moe did runne vnto the gospell and that daie by daie than euer did yea and the bloode of the slaine bodies was à certaine
watering of the newe plantes springing-vp in the Church So that à Martyr in suffering doeth not suffer for himselfe onelie as Ambrose saith but also for euerie man For himselfe hee suffereth to bee crowned for euerie man hee suffereth to giue them an example For himselfe to his rest for euerie man to their welfare And although the verie feare of GOD onelie bee à sufficient cause why that Martyrs shoulde endure tormentes couragiouslie for the feare of God shoulde worke so that wee must contemne all other feares after the example of y e Apostles who at the first being sharpelie whipped greeued no whit thereat but triumphed sorowed not but reioiced that they were counted worthie to suffer rebuke for the name of Iesus yet the auncient writers doe make foure causes of the same which they mention on this wise The loue of Christ commaundeth Fortitud◠ouercommeth feare Faith confirmeth the mind patience endureth But in à Martyr I require these thinges in order The firste is à firme knowledge and demonstration of the doctrine of the Church the seconde a liuelie faith in Christ the thirde a constant confession and defence of the doctrine the fourth courage of mind to beare the crosse the fifth obedience or patience vnder the crosse the sixte an inuincible hope the seauenth inuocation of GOD to which together with the cause he shoulde commende his soule All which are euident in Stephan the Proto-martyr For neither as Augustine saith can they haue the life of Martyrs who haue not the liues of Christians seeing it is not the punishment but the cause that maketh à Martyr Wherefore the punishment of Anabaptistes and other obstinate heretikes is not martyrdome but a iust punishment due to them by God and the lawes Manie fanatical heads indeede approch without feare vnto the tormentes but it is because they are deluded by Sathan who endeuoreth by their paines to confirme erroneous opinions vnto the destruction of the Church And therefore let vs duelie consider the cause whie we suffer martyrdome least through the delusiōs of y e diuel we be bewitched for to suffer persecutiō to be in prison to be whipped to be kept frō libertie to be killed is no praise but this is praiseworthie to haue a good cause For y e praise consisteth in y e goodnes of cause not in the bitternesse of punishment Neither would I haue anie man for some certaine opinion not contrarie to the foundation of religion to bring himselfe into danger especialie if the iudgementes of the godlie which agree-together in the grounde are diuerse which notwithstanding maie stande without shaking the foundation I meane the article of faith Heere happilie some enquirer of the iudgementes of GOD maie demaunde howe it commeth to passe that God beeing most righteous can suffer his sainctes whome most entirelie hee doeth loue to bee torne after such an horrible sorte and to be mangled and deformed with such contumelies and that of Sathan and his members Heere wee must open the eie not of reason but of faith not the sense of fleshe but of the spirit must be consulted withal that we maie clerelie beholde the trueth and knowe that nothing commeth to the Sainctes of God without his prouidence vnder the shadow whereof they are couered I confesse indeede it is à trim sight for the Diuel to see Abel murthered of his owne brother Daniel cast into the Lyons denne Iob spoiled of his goodes and replenished with botches Steuen to bee stoned yea and all the sainctes with tormentes and shame to bee executed to death But I confesse too that in the eies of God who testifieth that in his sight the death of his Saintes is pretious it is à much more goodlie sight yet not of it selfe but in respect of the euent And therefore both God and the diuel also wil the punishment of the saintes but not both alike but with à diuers affection and purpose For God of mercie suffereth his Saintes to be afflicted but the diuel persecuteth them of malice God that theie maie be crowned the diuel that theie maie be confoūded God as à Father the diuel as à tyran and hangman God for his owne glorie the diuel to his owne confusion Of these causes Augustine speaketh on this wise Euerie wicked man in himselfe hath à will to hurt but yet hath no power in himselfe that he maie hurte that he would he is now accused that he maie through the secrete dispensation of God he is giuen to one to be punished to another to be proued to another to be crowned To be punished the Israelites were deliuered into the handes of strangers because theie had sinned against God To be proued Iob was deliuered to Satan And Iob was proued but Satan put vnto shame To be crowned the Martyrs were tormented of bloudie persecutors And therefore à great deale more happie are the martyrs in their torments than the moste mightie monarches in their delitiousnes riches honour and pleasures Which thing Augustine also doth witnesse when he saith The men of this world are vnhappilie happie but the Martyrs were happilie vnhappie For theie were vnhappie for à time but theie are happie for euer According to the worde of the LORDE Blessed are theie which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake This successe of the Martyrs is notablie described by the Psalmist in these words Theie that doe sowe in teares shall reape in ioie Theie went weeping and carried pretious seede but theie shal returne with ioie and bring their sheaues And hence it is that the holie Martyrs of God doe cast their eies and their minde not vnto the time of sowing and to the purpose of Sathan that would vtterlie ouerwhelme y e Church of God in the streames of blood but especiallie vnto the most ioieful time when the sheaues shalbee gathered together with gladnes and vnto the reuerend prouidence of God who after this maner by his wise counsel wil haue his saintes to be exercised in this life that theie maie be like his sonne both in the crosse in glorie Whence it is that the holie Martyrs of God doe comfort them-selues in the middes of tormentes For theie knowe That light affliction which is but for à moment causeth vnto them à farre more excellent and an eternal waight of glorie that as it is in the Epistle vnto the Hebrues Chastising bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnes Hitherto maketh that adhortation of Peter Reioice in asmuch as ye are partakers of Christes sufferings that when his glorie shal appeare ye maie be glad and reioice By the remembrance of this prouidence of God let vs strengthē our minds against the offence of the crosse think-vpō à ioiful euent to wit howe theie who in this world beare witnes to Christ shal in y e worlde to come be eternalie blessed with Christ. Furthermore it maie be asked with what seruice are y e martyrs to be worshipped especialie for
feare and shall laugh at him saying Beholde the man that tooke not God for his strength but trusted vnto the multitude of his riches put his strēgth in his malice So y t no euil can be imagined either so plagie or so hurtful as through sinne to be separated from God to be turned from the euerlasting fountane of al goodnes vnto y e most noisome dunghil of al miseries from the most comfortable life vnto the most bitter death finalie from true happines vnto endles tormentes THE THIRD PART OF THIS PSALME CHAP. 1. 1. The partes of this third part 2. wherevpon true praier is to be grounded THE thirde part of the Psalme is à praier wherebie Dauid praieth that the Church maie be defended it is contained in the 8 9 10 and 11. verses and it consisteth of à proposition and of à confirmation of which as they stand we will entreate The eight verse O LORD GOD OF HOSTES HEAR◠MY PRAIER HEARKEN Ô GOD OF IAAKOB This proposition of y e praier is vpholdē with two reasons the former whereof goeth-before the other followeth the proposition For petitions are not wont to bee proponed simplie and nakedlie but most commonlie they are adorned with argumentes of persuasion often they are set out with epithetes applied to the thinge which is asked the more to moue The former reason is contained in these wordes O Lord God of hoastes and it is taken from the power of God as if hee saide Forsomuch as thou art that almightie Lorde of hoastes whome nothing can resiste but all thinges doe yeelde to thy gouernment it is à verie easie thing for you to maintaine and defende your Church against all manner enimies which it hath And therefore I beseech you showe foorth this your power in defending the Church against the furie both of the diuels and wicked men which partlie by snares and partlie in open feelde doe set-vppon your Church The latter reason whereby the petition is adorned and vpholden is this O God of Iaakob This reason is taken from the loue of GOD towarde the Church For when he mentioneth Iaakob hee hath à respecte vnto the promise made vnto Iaakob the Nephew of Abraham and to his seede that is to so manie as by the faith of the promise bee receaued into the familie of Iaakob that is into the Church And the promise made to Iaakob is founded in the blessed seede Iesus Christ therfore it is so much as if he had saide Heare my prayer for our Lord and mediators sake euen Iesus Christ. In all our praiers let vs haue à consideration of these two causes the former whereof teacheth how God is able to accomplish that which wee desire the other how that he wil that because of his fatherlie promise These two causes the Lorde ioineth-together in the forme of praier which he commendeth to his disciples when hee saith After this manner praie yee Our Father which art in heauen For when we saie Our father we signifie y e fatherly goodwil of God toward his sonnes that is toward al y e faithful And when we ad Which art in heauen we shew y e diuine maiestie power of God wherby he is able to do whatsoeuer he will For he will doe whatsoeuer he hath promised For the promise is voluntarie and free Furthermore of these two thinges are gathered The first is how theie alone can rightlie and effectuallie praie who haue the promise the seconde that the force of praier dependeth not vppon the dignitie of man but of the mercie of GOD which promiseth to heare all that through faith vppon the promise doe call vpon him Touching the Lorde of hoastes his fight his armies and triumphes looke our annotations vpon the first verse of this Psalme CHAP. 2. 1. The grounds of praiers 2. God heareth the faithful of what calling soeuer The ninth verse BEHOLD O GOD OVR PROTECTOR AND LOOKE-VPON THE FACE OF THINE ANNOINTED THe repetition of the praier is also adorned with two reasons the former whereof containeth both the aboue mentioned For it is taken both from the power and also from the willingnes of God For when he saith O our protector or shield he doth insinuate both the power whereby hee can and the willingnes wherebie God will assist And when hee addeth also Looke vpon the face of thine annointed He fetcheth his reason in like sorte from the vertue of the promise For when God annointed Dauid for king ouer his people hee promised withall to helpe him so often as through faith hee called vppon him And therefore in à certaine Psalme hee saith Thou preseruest me from trouble Saue thou mee that being saued I maie praise thy name Verie manie such like sentences are in the Psalmes Moreouer this reason is fitlie applied to euerie godlie man in his lawful vocation For as Dauid was called of God vnto the kingdome and therfore he craueth of God that he would defende his owne ordinance So euerie one that is called vnto anie function whether it be ciuill or ecclesiastical shoulde perswade himselfe that his calling is of God and therefore that God wil defende his owne ordinance heare such as call vppon him through faith This comfort they doe lacke which rush-vppon euerie function through fraude without lawful calling CHAP. 3. 1. What an honor it is to be of the true Church of God 2. Causes whie the wicked continewe in their securitie The tenth verse FOR ADAIE IN THY COVRTES IS BETTER THAN A THOVSANDE ELSWHERE I HAD RATHER TO BE OF NO REPVTATION IN THY HOVSE THAN TO DWELL IN THE TABERNACLES OF THE VNGODLIE THE reason of the last proposition Looke vpon the face of thine annointed that is grant that I who am made à king of you maie be restored to my kinglie dignitie And although in this mine exile I coulde get mee the fauor of the kinges my neighbors yea and dwell liue pleasantlie together with them yet more doe I esteeme the Church of God where the worde is preached and according to the word of God both praiers be made and sacrifices offered than the glorious palaces of kinges yea and so am I affected that I woulde chuse to haue the basest and vilest office in the Church of God than without the Church in the pallaces of wicked kinges which neither knowe nor call vppon the God of Israel to florishe with riches power honors and pleasure So that this place doeth teach what an honour it is to bee à citizen of the Church of God so that the most contemptible function in the Church is to bee desired before y e greatest glorie of worldlie kings princes which without the householde of God doe either serue idols or bee meere Atheistes knowing none other GOD besides their bellie But how came this affection in y e most holie king Dauid The reason of this affection is not seene with the eies of y e body but only with y e
welter in their sinnes fighting vnder the standard of sathan are depriued of these blessings whiche the Church onelie is partaker-of doubtlesse there can bee nothing more miserable than to wander without the Church of God and to bee carried from sinne vnto sinne vntill theie fall headlong into euerlasting wretchednesse THE FOVRTH part of the Psalme CHAP. 1. 1. The summe of the fourth part of this Psalme 2. Whie the Church is happie THE fourth part of the Psalme is a conclusion expressed with an admiration wherein is declared howe the true cause of the Churches felicitie is a firme confidence in God The 12. verse O LORD OF HOSTES BLESSED IS THE MAN WHICH TRVSTETH IN THEE HItherto by qualities affections and sundrie actions hee hath shewen who are the citizens of the Church that shal be blessed saued now he laieth before our eies the cause of iustification and of happines namelie a trust in the mercie of God which is ratified in Christ alone Blessed saith he is the man which trusteth in thee This confidence springeth of knowledge according to the saieng of the Psalme Theie that knowe thie name will truste in thee for thou Lorde hast not failed them that seeke thee But whie is he blessed that trusteth in the Lorde Because he is the heire of eternal life Wherefore is he heire of eternal life Because he is righteous Whie righteous For that he is in Christ and of Christe hath that which the lawe requireth namelie righteousnes according to this sentence Christe is the ende of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth And therefore confidence dependeth vpon the promise of free mercie Free mercie dependeth vpon fatherlie kindenes Fatherlie kindenes is grounded in the merite of the sonne the merite of the sonne is the ransome for the sinnes of the whole world which ransome is by faith applied to man For as the medicine not being applied vnto the diseased place bringeth no profite to the sick So the promise of fre mercie in Iesus Christ although of it selfe it be true and strong yet doeth it not profit man vnlesse he haue faith whereby application is made And yet maie it not bee thought that application through faith is made in respect of the merite or dignitie of the beleeuing man but for Iesus Christ his sake whome man through faith apprehēdeth that by his blood he maie be purged from sinne and endued with his righteousnes wherebie God maie accept him For the lawe hath nothing which it maie accuse in the faithful Because theie haue the righteousnes which the lawe exacteth and for which it promiseth life Notwithstanding after that man is iustified by faith he is to liue by the virtue of the spirite of faith For it cannot be that à man at one time can truely beleeue and liue after the flesh Therefore saith Paul If Christ be in you the bodie is dead because of sinne but the spirite is life for righteousnes sake Here the Apostle putteth à double effect of Christ dwelling in vs through faith to witte mortification and life So then wheresoeuer à liuelie and healthful faith is there also be the naturall properties of the same Hence it is that the scripture doth iudge of faith by the properties thereof and that to the ende that no man should deceaue himselfe with à vane shew of faith As therefore we gather the life of the bodie by the motion thereof So we knowe the life of faith by good workes But by the waie diligent heede is to be taken that we do not confoūd the faith wherebie Christ is apprehended either with his properties or with the qualities affections or actions of such as are iustified For theie which so doe ouerthrowe the doctrine of free iustification Moreouer the Hebrewe worde wherebie confidence in this place is signified is opposed against doubtfulnes and expressed by manie wordes of Paul among which are these Elenchos which is when the minde conuicted with firme reasons touching the truth of God doth rest it selfe Hupostasis wherebie the minde setteth it selfe against all obstacles or tentations Plerophoria by which à godlie man is carried with ful course into the hauen of blessednes Pepoithesis confidēce of which ariseth boldnes For these causes faith is compared by the Prophet Isaiah to à girdle about the loines by the Apostle Paul to à shield by Hosea the Prophet to à token of marriage and by Saint Peter to golde which is tried in the fire CHAP. 2. 1. Of iustification 2. The sundrie sortes of testimonies of the holie Scripture concerning iustification FOrsomuch as Dauid in this place doth pronounce those blessed that trust in God and no man can be blessed vnlesse he be righteous For the faithful are therefore blessed because they be righteous for no man euer yet was or shalbe blessed without righteousnes which righteousnes is the cause of life yea and of saluation and true blessednes I thinke it good in this place to adioin à briefe discourse touching the iustification of man before God And although this doctrine of iustification is plainlie deliuered both in the Vniuersities and Temples of this Realme yet forsomuch as much darkenes is often mixed to this cleare light especialie of politike fellowes and hypocrites whereof the one sorte applieng themselues to the Ciuil Courtes do measure righteousnes by the measure of reason and the other putting on the visor of righteousnes wil bee counted righteous and holie◠and neither sort knowe rightlie to iudge betweene those testimonies of Scripture which properlie belong vnto the causes of iustification and betwene those other sentences to be applied vnto other purposes according as circumstances of places and the analogie of faith shall require I will propose foure sortes of testimonies of Scripture which are woont to bee handled in this matter wherebie it shall moste euidentlie appeare what is the true sentence of the Church of God concerning the iustification of man before God and of what account the obedience of the faithful toward God is The sorts of testimonies be these The first is about the extreme right of the lawe according to the rule of GOD his iustice The seconde of the most comfortable equitie of the Gospel according to the promise of grace The third touching the proper and necessarie fruites of faith and of the properties qualities and actions of such as are iustified The fourth of the rewarde of the good workes according to the promises of God This difference of testimonies being knowen it wil be an easie matter to iudge of this whole doctrine CHAP. 3. 1. The first sort of testimonies concerning iustification 2. That no man can fulfil the lawe 3. Against the Pelagians and Papistes 4. Argumentes that none can fulfil the lawe by the power of nature THe first order of testimonies concerneth the extreme right of the lawe according to the rule of Gods iustice which is the lawe it selfe Nowe the extreme right of the lawe is to
Christ they do prophane Christ his blood and extenuat the merit of the Lordes death of which merit we are then made partakers when we beleeue in Iesus Christ. Therefore Paul doth say through faith in his blood that is when a man knowing the promise of grace doth verilie beleeue that his sinnes are forgiuen him for the blood sake of Christ he is truelie partaker of the merit of the Lord his death through which he is absolued from sinne redeemed from the condemnation of the law and set free from the bondage of sinne and Satan With the remission of sinnes righteousnes is ioyned wherby the beleeuer is iustified that is becommeth in verie deede and is iudged righteous before God And this righteousnes is the second benefit of Christ in our iustification Which righteousnes is nothing else than à perfect fulfilling of the lawe done indeede by Christe but ascribed or imputed to vs that beleeue For so saith Paul Christe is the ende of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth that is so manie as beleeue haue that which the Lawe requireth namelie righteousnes but not done of them but imputed to them For so saith Paul To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodlie his faith is counted for righteousnes Now that this righteousnes that is imputed to vs is Christ his obedience the comparisō which Paul doth make witnesseth As by one mans disobedience saith he manie were made sinners So by the obedience of one shal manie also be made righteous meaning so manie as beleue And in another place He hath made him to be sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him that is Christ was made for vs sinne which is à sinner through the imputation of the guiltinesse of al our sinnes to him y t we might be made righteous with God and that by the righteousnes not sticking within vs but which being in Christ is imputed of God to vs through faith Then we are so the righteousnes of God in him as he is sinne in vs to wit through imputation And this is it which Augustine doth saie Our sinnes he made his owne sins that he might make his righteousnes to be ours Herevnto both Moses the Psalmes Prophets do agree Moses he writeth The seede of the woman shal bruse the Serpents head Again In thy seede which is Christ shal all the nations of the earth be blessed This blessing cannot be without y e remission of sins righteousnes and allowance of God If therefore blessing be through Christ deliuerance also frō the cursse is through him through the remission of sinnes we atteine imputation of righteousnes and God his fauor And in the Psalme it is They shal declare his righteousnes to à people that is the Church shal preach not mans righteousnes by workes or ceremonies but the righteousnes of Christ which shalbe imputed for righteousnes to so manie as beleeue The Prophet Isaiah saith By his knowledge shal my righteous seruant iustifie manie for he shal beare their iniquities This testimonie is verie notable for it teacheth how sinnes be washed awaie through y e sacrifice of Christ it teacheth y t Christ y e righteous by his righteousnes doth make others righteous it teacheth also y t applicatiō is made through y e knowledge of the same Christ y t is through an effectual knowledg of Christ And y t is effectual knowledge whē to the knowledg of y e minde y e beleefe of the heart is ioined Also by y t Prophet Ieremiah it is writtē This is the name wherby theie shal cal him the lord our righteousnes Here y e prophet cōmendeth Christ his diuinitie and also pronounceth howe we are iustified through his righteousnes Touching the application the same Prophet speaketh on this wise Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is Now he trusteth in the Lord who beleeueth that being iustified by his righteousnesse he pleaseth God For the obedience of Christ God and man is the most absolute perfourmance of the lawe the which sufficeth al because it is the righteousnes of man who is God This the Prophet declareth when he saith The Lord is our righteousnesse So that from our heartes we must beleeue how the righteousnesse wherebie we are iust before God is not anie qualitie or action in our selues but the obedience of Christ imputed to the faithful So doth Paul most expreslie distinguish betweene y e righteousnesse of man and of Christ when he saith I doe iudge al thinges but doung that I might winne Christ and might be founde in him not hauing mine own righteousnes which is of the lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euē the righteousnes which is of God through faith Nowe if we haue remission of sinnes and righteousnesse through faith to wit perfecte righteousnesse which is of Christe Iesu doubtlesse we are no more vnder the damnable sentence of the lawe which is Cursed is he that confirmeth not al the workes of the lawe to doe them And this meaneth Paul where he saith We are vnder the lawe which condemneth but vnder grace which iustifieth Whie so For that as through the offence of one to wit Adam the fault came on al men to condemnation so by the iustifieng of one namelie Christ Grace abounded towarde al men to the iustification of life That is As the sinne of Adam was the cause of condemnation vnto eternal death So the righteousnes of Christ is the cause of iustification vnto eternal life Now then as Paul saith there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesu. For theie are free frō the lawe of sin of death through Christ the deliuerer The third thing which we saide was required for to make a man righteous before God is that being adorned with Christ his righteousnes he be adopted for the sonne of God and accepted vnto eternal life For as by faith hee obteineth remission of sinnes and righteousnes so likewise by the same faith we obteine the right of adoptiō and the dignitie of Gods children according to that of Iohn He gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name That is he conferred this heauenlie honor vpon the faithful that theie both be and be counted the sonnes of God And Paul ye haue not receiued the spirite of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the spirite of adoption wherbie we crie Abba Father The same spirite beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ. Moreouer this our adoption is two māner of waies to be considered to wit as it is in the life begun through faith and as it
he we do finde such places in the Scriptures as do seeme to attribute righteousnesse to workes special regarde must be had vnto the foundation from which they do spring And when they proceede from faith they are to be ascribed vnto the roote For example Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore the Lorde shal deliuer him in the time of trouble Here mercie toward the needie and poore is not set for a cause of blessednesse For mercie is a particular worke whereby the law of God is not satisfied But such manner of speech Dauid vseth because the effecte is a most certaine argument of the cause it hath So that the man which hath mercie on the poore is blessed because he beleeueth Now then through faith he pleaseth the worke also pleaseth not for the perfectnes thereof but for that God accepteth it because the person is not vnder the lawe but vnder grace And that it is necessarie that the workes which God accepteth of must proceede from faith it is manifest For whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne And without faith it is impossible to please God The Lorde himselfe doth saie Without me ye can doe nothing As the branch cannot beare fruite of it selfe except it abide in the vine No more can man doe anie thing vnlesse he abide in Christ through faith For before we be regenerate we are euil trees Which cannot but bring foorth euill fruite wee are the children of wrath and dead in sinne we are flesh Whose wisedome is enmitie against God we are natural mē which perceiue not the things of the spirit of God And therefore whatsoeuer God promiseth to such as do good works that must not be promised indifferentlie to al but onelie to such as obeie through faith For seeing the iust doe please by faith theie doe necessarilie bring foorth the fruites of righteousnesse of faith namelie good workes which no more can be separated from the righteousnes of faith than the natural propertie from the subiect Wherefore as the argument is alwaie good from the subsistence of anie subiect vnto the natural propertie of the same and contrariwise the propertie being set the subiect of necessitie must be seene so faith which iustifieth man being set good workes which are y e properties of y e spirit of faith are necessarilie set And againe good works being set faith frō which theie do spring must needs be set So whersoeuer faith is not good workes are not wher good works be not ther is not faith the cause of good works Therfore saith Paul Fight à good sight hauing faith and à good conscience which some haue put awaie and as concerning faith haue made shipwracke So often then as promises doe seeme to be annexed to good workes we are to make recourse vnto the roote and ground namelie faith For as there be two beginnings of thinges one is that theie be the other that they be known so faith as the beginning of being worketh so that thou art righteous and good workes as the beginning of knowledge bring it to passe that thou art knowne to be righteous Hence the Lorde at the last daie wil propose the beginning of knowledge to the righteousnesse of faith which shalbe apparent in the sight of al creatures For thus he wil saie Come ye blessed of my father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meat I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke I was à stranger and ye lodged me I was naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came vnto me Here the Lorde wil not haue the workes of mercie toward his members to be merites of the heauenlie kingdome but by certaine tokens he declareth who are the sonnes of God vpon whom the kingdome of God freelie for Christ his sake without anie merites of man shalbe bestowed For so saith Paul The gift of God is eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. And although by that which hitherto hath beene spoken it is none harde thing to iudge howe our doctrine concerning good workes differeth from the papistical imaginations Yet that the more distinctlie and particularlie this difference maie be seene I wil adde somewhat more here-vnto and that for two causes the firste to shewe the vanitie of those men who hearing that both we and the Papistes doe require good woorkes doe thinke that we striue not about matters of importance but onelie about words and that of pride onelie to gaine-saie Wherebie theie doe sufficientlie bewraie themselues to know nothing touching this controuersie of so great importance vpon which al our saluation doth depend Secondlie that godlie auditors maie be rightlie instructed in this matter and necessarie doctrine maie haue alwaie in à readines wherwith to answer such as indeuour to ouerthrow our religion and slaunder the same without reason either of meere malice or of grosse ignorance The difference therefore betweene vs and the Papistes touching good workes consisteth in foure thinges to wit in the matter efficient causes in the manner and in the oft doing of good woorkes If we shal proue this thing by euident argumentes I thinke there is none but wil graunt if so be he wil yeelde vnto the truth rather than to the vanitie of his own minde that for iust causes we are prouoked thus to contend The firste difference therefore is taken from the matter of workes For the Papistes doe place their chiefest workes and worship in the traditions of men the which theie preferre before Gods comaundementes which traditions for al that partelie be in their kinde indifferent as appointed fastes and certaine songues but in their vse and ende vtterlie wicked because theie put à confidence in them while theie perswade themselues that by obseruing of them theie doe merite the remission of sinnes partlie theie are superstitious meerelie ethnical as hallowing of water of fire of herbes of candles with infinit such toies wherevnto also theie doe ascribe the power to abolish sinne and driue awaie diuels and partlie theie are apparantlie wicked as such are that are contrarie to the word of God as is the inuocation of saintes the marchandise of masses the worshipping of Images the bearing about adoratiō of bread These and the like traditions the Papistes with fire and sworde doe vphould caring little or nothing at al for the breach of God his commaundements as euidentlie appeareth by the verie punishmentes which theie doe appoint For in the Papacie the contempt of the idolatrous Masse is more sharpelie punished than adulterie or incest A much more heinous offence is it among the Papists to eate flesh vpon à Fridaie than to kil à man vpon anie daie Wherebie it is apparent that the Papistes doe preferre their traditions before the commaundementes of God which thing is the proper note of Antichrist
either vnto the vnregenerate or vnto the regenerate If it be applied vnto the vnregenerate which are without Christ by the principle which we haue set downe it must needes folow that it is neither ratified nor performable wherefore it is referred vnto the first order of testimonies For it proponeth the iudgement of the lawe concerning the rewardes of good workes But forsomuch as an impossible condition namely if a man do my commaundements he shal liue in them is annexed it cannot be but that the vnregenerate are subiect vnto this damnatorie sentence of y e law Curssed is euery man that continueth not in al things which be written in the booke of the law to do them But if such a promise be referred vnto the regenerate in Christ the promise is firme and perfourmed in whom al promises are yea and Amen But moe thinges in order be to be noted in this place Firste how in the regenerate the rigor of the lawe is taken away which rigor consisteth in three thinges that is to say that none obedience liketh God vnlesse it be perfect that life is not promised but to them which fulfil the lawe that the cursse is denounced to al which offend yea in the least thing Secondly we are to thinke that a man nowe beleeuing pleaseth God as beloued in the beloued and as an heire of eternal life for Christ his righteousnes imputed to him which is the waie of life and saluation according to these wordes of Paul Christ is the end of the lawe for righteousnesse to euerie one that beleeueth Thirdlie it is to be considered that of the beleeuing man whom for Christ his sake he accepteth God requireth obedience and that as à moste louing father he promiseth à rewarde to him not of det for anie goodnes or price of the work but of meere grace through fatherlie kindenes wherbie he imbraceth the beleeuing man in Christ Iesus Fourthlie we must haue in minde that workes so done through faith be testimonies of religion euen as proper effectes be vndoubted arguments of the cause from which theie proceede And therefore is the Lorde saide to rewarde euerie one according to his workes as when Paul saith God wil rewarde euerie man according to his workes which workes be tokens of faith and most vndoubted arguments of the feare of God Of these workes mention shalbe made at the last daie that al creatures maie acknowledg the iustice of God in iudging But if à special promise be made in à certaine thing as when Tobiah doth saie Almes doth deliuer from death doth purge al sin and maketh men to finde life and Daniel Breake off thine iniquities by mercie towarde the poore for that shalbe à salue for thine error this rule which dependeth vpon the principle which we haue aboue set-downe is to be remembred Touching à particular fact we must iudge according to the qualitie either of the deede or of the person that doth it If we iudge by the qualitie of the deede it is moste true that no deedes of man be theie manie or fewe can satisfie the lawe of God as aboue in the firste order of testimonies we haue declared and therefore he cannot merit either righteousnes or life But if according to the qualitie of the person we doe iudge the iudgemeÌ„t wil be diuers as the persons be For the person that worketh either hath faith or he hath not If the person which worketh hath faith his worke done according to the lawe doth please and is imputed to him for righteousnes that is it is thought to be righteous for so much as it pleaseth God in respect of the person But if the person that worketh hath no faith it is impossible that the worke should please while this rule shal holde whatsoeuer is not done of faith is sinne And therefore diligentlie it would be considered what good workes be of themselues and of what account in respect of the workers Of themselues theie are of no valure neither doe theie merit anie whit because theie are not the fulfilling of the lawe Before the righteousnes of faith theie are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen y e vilest doung as Paul speaketh and abominable but after that righteousnes is coÌ„firmed theie are to be estemed not according to their owne desert but according to the goodnes of God which accepteth them for the persons sake y t pleaseth him in which respect these are imputed vnto righteousnes that is are taken for good workes as it is written of the zeale of Phinees which thrust throw the fornicators theie merit reward as Paul saith both in this life aâ—d in the world to come Now returne we vnto the saying of Tobias touching which I do saie first y t in the old traÌ„slation which à little before I cited the words be verie corruptlie red For according to the Greek theie should be thus red Almes or liberalitie doth deliuer froÌ„ death and doth purge al sin Those which exercise almes righteousnes shalbe filled with life This senteÌ„ce caÌ„not be applied to the Pharisee or to anie man y t is not regenerat For as the almes here coÌ„mended is à particular work so in the vnregenerat it is manie waies polluted So that it is to be referred vnto y e regenerat But theie haue remissioÌ„ of sins frely for Christ his sake by whose bloud theie are cleÌ„sed froÌ„ al iniquitie But the last particle in y e saying of Tobias namlie Theie shalbe filled with life that is theie shal enioie à long life doth shew how Tobias speaketh not of purging of sin before God but in this life only before meÌ„ who coÌ„mend those for good righteous men which are merciful liberal toward y e needy The like iudgement is to be giueÌ„ touching y e place of Daniel which in y e hebrue is thus red Redeeme thy sins by righteousnes thy iniquities by mercie towarde the poore lo so thie peace y t is prosperitie felicitie in thie kingdome shalbe lengthened prolonged Here Daniel of necessitie must meane y e fruites of repentaÌ„ce which are most vndouted argumeÌ„ts of faith of the feare of God merit the mitigatioÌ„ of punishments à prosperous successe of affaires both priuate and publike which thing Daniel doth signifie in these wordes Lo so shal thie peace be lengthned proloÌ„ged To be short al y e senteÌ„ces whersoeuer they be redin y e holy scripture coÌ„cerning good works are to be vnderstood according to their circuÌ„stances and as the matter doth require are to be applied to these foure orders of testimonies But theie which confound these orders theie peruert y e scripture and trample vpon y e blood of the son of God with their feete wheÌ„ they indeuor to ascribe that to works which belongeth properlie to y e son of God our mediator Iesus Christ to whome with the father and the holie ghost be honor praise and glorie now
what it signifieth who a member of the same 107 the vnitie thereof 108 gouerned by God himself 109 à smal flocke like an Iland in the sea 109 it hearkeneth vnto Gods word no obeieth Christ onelie 111 in it y e Lorde of hostes doth dwel the Temple of God 113 the glorie therof 114 how it differreth from other assemblies 114 the puritie thereof 115 the holie seruice in the same 116. 389 howe defiled 118 in banishment 119 174 it followeth Christ 121 preserued 125 the marks it hath 148 171 the triple state therof 149 who the heade of the same 149 kinds of men in the Church 150 kindes of ministers therin 150 the power it hath 152 who teachers in the same 170 when troubled 171 the perpetuitie thereof 391 the enimies which it hath 438 God present in the same 451 why 452. how blessed in this life 463. Comforts for the godlie in their troubles 451. Comlines in the Church 167. Commandements of God whether abrogated 318. neglected of Papistes 512. Communicating with Papists 233. CommunioÌ„ of the Papists 230. Comparison betweene the Paschal lambe Christ 35. Concupiscence 288. Condemnation what 477. Confession Augustane confession 96. Auricular coÌ„fession disproued 303 confession of y e faith whie necessary 356 Conscience The coÌ„science 99 108 how healed 335. Consecration 231. Consolation against the Turkes 94. Contemners of the Gospel how punished 323 371. ConteÌ„platioÌ„ what 144 402. Correction 160 how vsed 160. Couenant The couenaÌ„t betweene god and man 306 what it is 310 the partes of y e same 307 347. the foundation therof 307. how fulfilled 310 old and newe couenant 306. The creatures doe praise God and how 391. Crimes obiected against Christ 60. Crosse What it signifieth 408 the kinds therof 408 à note of y e true church 172 the waie vnto heauen 375. Curssings Who may cursse 162 who are to be cursed 102 who curssed of the Pope 164. Custome 201 289 224. Custome of sinning reproued 293. D. A day diuersly taken 48. Daie artificial 48. Daie natural 48. Death of Mahomet 81. Destinies 370. Difference betwene y e ministers and the ministerie 397 betweene the true church other asseÌ„blies 114 betweene y e old Testament the newe 319 betweene sinnes 389. Disciples of Christ forsake him 30. Discipline 159 the partes thereof 159. Disputation of Christ with the Doctors 25. The diuel tempteth Christ 28 the diuel an imitator of God his works 64. the Diuel inuentor of praying vnto saints 214 Diuels worshipped for gods 191 the Diuel can worke no miracles 69â— y e Diuel by nature false cruel 411 the Diuel his purpose 438. Diuersities of religion 104. Diuine miracles what 64. Christ the waie by doctrine 122. Dokimasie 417. Dronkennes 192 E. Elements worshipped for Gods 191. Ende Ende of man 128. 366. of mans miserie 262. of knowledge 404 of comlines in the Church 167 of Iewish sacrifices 183. Enimies of the Churche 438. Euangelistes differ not in substance of doctrin 57. Eucharistical sacrifice 185 what 236. 349 the kinds thereof 352. Examples 160 402 Christ howe the waie by example 1â—4 Excommunication 161 the ends thereof 161. F. Fables of Mahomet 84 concerning y e last iudgement 86 of Lazarus 99. Faith what 325 it onely saueth 325 the righteousnes thereof 330 it purifieth the heart and how 117 faith à remedie against wickednes 294 faith of Abraham 418 the effects of faith 473. The faithfull howe holie 108. Fal of man 367. Father of the Gods 191. Feare of God 137. Feare worshipped for à God 191 Perfect Felicitie what 128. 137. Feast of Aâ—sâ—â—lapius of Apollo of Bacchus of Ceres of Hercules of Iuno of Iupiter of Mercurie of Minerua of Neptune 192. Festiual daies 192. Figuratiue significations of the Iewish sacrifices 186. Filthines of sinne 412. Flesh howe taken in the scripture 144. Wil of the Flesh. 289. Fortitude of the spirite 396. Fruite of meditation 323. Fruite of Godlines 387. Fruite of vngodlines 388. G. Glorie what 466. Glorie of the Church 114. Goate of Aaron 254. A God there is 98 99. God â— fouÌ„tane how 433. God his quantitie 84. God howe present in the Church 451 God the gouernour of the Church 109. Howe the godlie thinke of sinne 413. Why y e godlie suffer martyrdome 424. Fruite of godlinesse 387. Gods of the Gentiles 190. The Gospel what 326. 466. Benefite of the Gospel 243. Gouernment of the Messiah spoken-against 49. Grace what 326. 466. Life of Grace 127. H Right hand of God what 40. True happinesse 365 what it is 392 howe it commeth 366 al men desire it 367 377. Happinesse what in the opinion of Aristotle 383 of Epicuruâ— â—79 380 of Pindarus 382 of Simonides 382 of Socrates 386 of worldlie wisemen 385. No perfect happinesse in this life 376. An harlot the Masse is 203 Significations of the word Hart 140. Harted men 140. Hart of man 138. Head of the Church 149. The waie vnto Heauen 369. Hearers of God his worde the souldiers of Christe 14. Hearers of Gods word why blessed 372. Heretikes who 162. How men are holie in this life 116. Holie daies of the gentiles howe spent 192. Honie 187 what is signifieth 188. Lord of hostes who 9 10. House of God and who dwel therein 389. Hypocrisie what 448. Hypocrites who 447. I Idol Moloch 195. Original of idolatrie 189. Idolatrie à punishment for disobeieng the Lorde 190 196. Idolatrous princes not to be obeied 430. Immortalitie of the soule 100. Incense 177. Ingratitude of man wheÌ„ce 287. Innocencie what 467. Good intents 200. Intercession 212. Christ his intercession for vs 249 294 diuers things to be considered therein 296. Christ howe an intercessor for vs 299 and when 301. Saincts cannot be intercessors for vs 213. Interpretation of scriptures 169. Innocation of Sanctes 111 inuented by the Diuel 214. A fable of the laste iudgement 86. At the last iudgement persect happinesse 376. God his iudgement in punishing sinne 414. Iuridicall power of the church 156. Iustification what 124 326 477 495 503 505. Our IustificatioÌ„ by Christ onelie oppugned 331. Thinges required in a lustified man 495. Causes of mans Iustification 503 K. Keies of heauen 153. they being rightly vsed are à note of the true Church 171. Kingdome of Christ what 50 à spirituall kingdome 51 how gouerned 42 how opened or shut 154. Knowledge 136 ende of knowledge 404 knowledge of y e tongues 401 knowledge of God his word required in a minister 400 howe attained 401 knowledge of Christ what 499. L. Worde Lawe howe taken in the scripture 314 the vse thereof 487 no man iustified thereby 489 the rigor of the same 523. Lawes of Mahomet 83. Lawes of Moses abrogated howe 38. Leauen 187 what is signifieth 188 Life of nature 127. Vertuous life what 144. Logique 401 444. Loue a badge of the true Church 172. Lytron 409. M. Magistrates howe to be obeied 430. Manna à figure of y e Lords Supper 30. Marks of y e true church 171
Martyrdome 421 kinds of martyrdome 421 profite of martyrdome 421 whie the godly suffer martyrdome 424. Martyrs who 421 423. Martyrs not to be worshipped 427 428. Masse The Masse 168 none indifferent thing 168 an harlot 203 the masse à sacrifice and à sacrament and howe 204 Canon of the Masse 205 the abomination thereof 206 whie it is abominable 207 not commanded of God 207 contrarie vnto the institution of Christ 208 the ground of purgatorie 216 the strength of Antichrist 216 with what argument maintained by papistes 222 the Popishe masse one thing their communion an other 230. Material cause of sacrifices 183. Christ our onelie mediator 302. Mediators betweene God and man 212 à Mediator whie needeful 486. Meditation what 144 fruit of holy Meditation 323 Meditation offered by baptisme 106. Men worshipped for Gods 191. Men by Aristomenes sacrificed 194 by the French men sacrificed 195 by Germans 195 sacrificed vnto Bacchus 193. vnto Maâ—s sacrificed 193 sacrificed vnto Saturn 194. Merchants 96. God his mercie whereunto compared 266 what it comprehendeth 390 his mercie in punishing sin 414. Christ y e way by merit 123. Merits of the sainctes the treasure of the Church 214. Ministerie of the Gospel 129 difference betweene the ministerie and the ministers 397. Ministers Kindes of Ministers in the Church 150 auctoritie to make ministers à note of y e true church 172 the the holie spirit howe in ministers 398 ministers howe called 399 knowledge of Gods word required in à Minister 400 state of wicked ministers 404 true ministers aboue al subiect vnto affliction 408 coÌ„forts for ministers in their troubles 450 ministers whie priests 361 and howe 362. Miracles Diuine miracles what and their effectes 64 whie wrought and whie not wroght in these daies 66 howe wrought 68 Miracles of Christ 28 howe to knowe false from true Miracles 67 diuelish Miraâ—les howe done 68 Miracles not wroght by the diuel 69. Miserie Miserie of man without Christ 258 cause of man his miserie 258 the degrees of mans Miserie 259 the ende of mans Miserie 262. The Moone worshipped for a God 191. Mount Zioâ— what 53. Musike why reteined in the Church 391. N Natural life 127. Natural philosophie 401. Nature of oile 345. Noblemens children sacrificed 194. O Obedience to the Lawe 373. Obedience to the Lawe a part of Christ his sacrifice 247. Obedience to Magistrates 430. Obseruation 402. Office of the Messiah 51 61. Office of the priest in the olde Lawe 186. Nature of Oile 345. Opinions of Christ 17. Oracle of Apollo 194. Order whie obserued in the Church 167. Ordinarie power of the Church 152. Organs why reteined in the Church 391. Original cause of idolatrie 189. Ouerseers 151. Oxen worshiped for Gods 191. P Paine followeth pleasure 380. Palenes worshipped for a God 191. Pallace of the Messiah 52. In the Papacie what good thinges 228. Papistes 16 they neglect the commandements of God for their owne traditions 512. Papistical seruice 2â—â— Papisticall good workes what 511 the causes of them 513. Papistical traditions diuers 511. Paradise of the Turkes 90. Parentes killed of their children in sacrifices 93 Parentes murtherers of their owne children in sacrifices 194 195. Partes of Christ his Priesthoode 242. Paschal Lambe compared to Christ. 35. The Passeouer whie instituted 26. Patience à sacrifice 359. Patriarchs 151. People of the Messiah 56. Perpetuitie of the Church 391. Persecution 441 à twofold persecution 467. Philosophie natural 401. Pleasure of y e bodie à vaine thing 380. Pomegranate 180. The Poore most readie to embrace the gospel 26. The Pope the keeper of Epicurns booke 100. Whom the Pope curseth 164 his punishing of transgressorâ— 168 205 The Pope a spiritual baude 203 whie forsaken of Luther 209 Popes vsurpers of auctoritie 151. The summe of Poperie 97. A Popish priest who 197. Popish priesthoode contrarie to the priesthoode of Christ 198 Popish baptisme 229. Power of the Church 152 156. Praier Praier 401 true praier what 456 à sacrifice 356 when accepted 301 302 signified by incense 197 publique Praier a note of the true Church 17â— Praise of God a sacrifice 355. Praise of God 390 wherein it consisteth 390 who praise God 390 howe the creatures praise God 391. Whether Preachers in the time of persecution may flie 441. Preachers be the souldiers of Christ. 12. Preaching of Christ. 2â— Preaching nccessarie 322. Preaching a note of y e true Church 171. Preaching to y e spirites 102. Presence of God in the Church 452. God whie present in the Church 451. Preseruation of y e Church 125. Priest The Priest his office in sacrificing 186 the necessitie of an hie Priest 237 his condition 239 Christians are priestes and howe 344 ministers are Priestes 361 ministers howe Priests 362 Priesthood of the new Testament 242. Popish Priesthood contrarie to the Priesthood of Christ 198. Princes idolatrous not to be obeied 430. Gift of prophecie not tied vnto any one calling of men 169. Prophecies of the Turkes 77. Propitiatorie sacrifice 235. 250. Prosperitie daungerous 338. Punishment Punishment of Dauid 5 of the vngodlie 118. 161. 190. 196. 323. 331. In deserued punishment what to be considered 411. God his iustice and mercie in punishing sinne 414. Purenesse in this life what 116. Purgatorie 216 à vane thing 221 grounded vppon the Masse 216. Puritie of the Church 115. Q Quantitie of God 84. R Reason of man is vane 370. Reiection of the Iewes 43 causes of the same 74. Religion 99. Diuersities of religion 104. Remission of sinnes whaâ— 496. Repentaunce a sacrifice 357. Resurrection of Christ 38. 45 confirmed by manie testimonies 46. Reward of sinne 162. Riches 146. Righteousnesse what 498. 500 à sacrifice 359. Righteousnesse of faith and workes oppugned 330 righteousnesse of workes oppugned 327 S True Sabboth what 62. Sacramentes howe manie 334. Sacrifice Sacrifices of the Iewes 177. 178 of the Gentiles 193 of Christians 235. Sacrifices of the Iewes of what kindes 185â— the causes of them 182. Sacrifices of Christians howe manie 247. Burnt Sacrifice 185. Sacrifice eucharistical 185 236. 349. kindes thereof 352. Sacrifice of good workes 349 of Obedience 247. of patience 359. of praier 356. of Praise 355. of propitiation 235. 250. of repentance 357. of righteousnesse 359. of the Masse 204. Sacrifices of them-selues please not God 178. In a sacrifice what to bee considered 251. Sacrifices of the olde Law howe offered 253. Captiues 195 children 194 195. men 193. 194. parentes Sacrificed 193. Salt 188. Saintes Saintes cannot be intercessors for vs 213. Saintes inuocated a seruice of the diuel 214. their worship why inuented 429. Sanctification how it commeth 106. Satietie not in this life 377. Seede of Abraham 309. Selfe hatred 290. Selfe loue 289. twofolde 290. Serpent of brasse 31. Serpents taken for GOD 191. Seruice of the Churche 116. What Seruice of Papistes maie be heard 228. Societie with CHRIST 131. Sophisters 443. howe to be resisted 444. Soules of the righteous where 376. they Sleepe not vntil the
TareÌ„tinus Aristotle 2. Against the opinion of Pindarus 3. Against the opinion of Simonides 4. Against the opinion of Aristotle 5. Agâ—â—ust the 〈…〉 wise mâ—â— The opinion of Socrates nearest vnto the truth Fruite of godlines Fruite of vngodlines Psal. 33 12. Who dwell in the house of God Difference betweene sinnes How God is serued in his Church Whie God is to be praised Psal 116 1. Mercie of God what it comprehendeth Wherein the true praise of God doeth consist Who doe praise God How the creatures praise God Musical insthruments in the old Law what theie fignified Organs Musike wheÌ„ to be retained in the Church The perpetuitie of the Church Perfection 〈…〉 The vse of 〈◊〉 â— vers Psâ—t 14 7. Psal. 16 11. 2. Cor. 10 4. 5. Iohn 20 22. 23. Mart. Luther Whether al the ministers of the worde haue the holie spirit or no. An answere 2. Cor. 3. â— Iudas Peter Moses Balaam Num. 22 28 29. Peter Iudâ—â— Ministers how called 1. The knowledge of God his word required in ministers Psal. 119. 1. Knowledg of Gods heauenlie mysterie howe attained Praier Psa. 127 1. Studie of the Scriptures Sixe thingâ— necessarilie required in à student of the Scriptures Knowledg of the tongues Logique Natural Philosophie 〈◊〉 4 1â— Obseruation Tradition 2. The second thing required in ministers preachers of the Gospel Feeling of the heart Phil. 1 9. 10. 11. Ende of knowledge State of wicked ministeri 3. The third thing required in the ministers of the Gospel Isai. 62 10. Rom. 8 31. The crosse what it signifieth 1. Kinde of crosse or affliction Mat. 20 2â— Col. 1 13. * In the first parte Chap. 9. 2. kinde of crosse or affliction Heb. 10 29 Ezek. 7 27. Special things to be considered of him who is 〈◊〉 punished for his offences The diuel giuen vnto falshood crueltie 1. Pet. 5 8. Man in affliction is to coÌ„pare his owne sinnes with the punishment he doth either suffer or deserue No man so punished in this worlde according to his deserts Psal. 38 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 10. Howe godlie men doe esteeme of their sinnes Contrition meritorious with the Papistes Isai. 28 21. Luk. 4 23. Mat. 18 11 Mat. 11 28. * Which commentarie of this Auctor is extant in English 3. Kinde of Crosse. Abraham howe tried Ioseph howe tried Troubles of Ioâ— Iob 19 25. 1. Iohn 5 4. Wisd. 3. 6. 1. Pet. 1 6. 7. Exo. 15 25. Eccles. 38 5 4. Kinde of Crosse. Aug. in Psal. 119. Kindes of Martyrdome Wisd. 2 19. 1. Tim. 4 10 Profite of Martyrdome Theod. Lib. 9. de Legibus Exod. 3 2. 3. Acts. 5 40. 41. How manie thinges are to be in à Martyr Acts. 7 55. 56 c. Who suffer as Martyrs Whie God suffereth his Saints to be martyred Psa. 116 15 Math. 5 10 Psal. 126 5 6. 2. Cor. 4 17. Heb. 12 11. 1. Pet 4 13 Howe the Martyrs are to be worshipped Martyrs are not to be worshipped Mat. 4 10. Psal. 121 2. Psal. 50 15. Iohn 16 23. 1. Iohn 2 1. 2. Whether idolatrous Princes are to be obeied 1 Pet. 2 18. Obedience to Magistrates Acts. 5 29. Tyrâ—â—â— how to be resisted Dan. 3 12. 16. 17. 18. 1. Cor. 10 14 Who maie by weapon if neede so require resist Tyranâ— Mat. 22 21 God à wel and in what sense Psal. 42 2. Ier. 2 13. Ierem. 2 13. Iohn 4 10. 14. The water of God what Ioel. 2 28. Iohn 6 68. Reuel 21 6. The water of life howe receaued Iohn 6 35. Isai. 12 3. 4. Iohn 4 14. Zach. 14 8. Gen 2 10. 1. Cor. 10 4. Isai. 55 10. 11. Enimies of the Church who * In the first parte Chap. 3. Page 18. 19. Purpose of Satan Rom. 4 7. 1. Iohn 5 4. Tyrans enimies to the ministers of the Church Psal. 52 5. 6. 7. 8. Whether the preachers in time of persecution maie flie or no. Mat. 10 13. Iohn 10 22. Mat 2 13. 14. Acts 9 25. An obiectioÌ„ Mat. 10 18 Answere Au. Ep. 180. Sophisters an other sort of enimies Pro. 27 16. Logique Eccles Hist. Lib. 13. Hypocrits â— fourth sorte of enimie 〈◊〉 Hypocrites who Mat. 7 15 Hypocrisie what Epicures â â—isi kinde of enimies to religion These obiections are somewhat confuted in the 1. parte Chap. 12 pa. 120 121. Comforts for godlie ministers in their troubles Mat. 16 18. Psal. 115 1. 2. God how present in his Church Num. 14 13 14. Ioshua 3 10 1. Sa. 17 46. Isai. 37 20. Ends of God his presence in the Church Numb 14 9. Psal. 83 17. 18. Psal. 52 5. 6. 7. 1. Reason The latter reason Matth. 6 9. * 1. part cap. 3. Page 11. 12 c. Psal. 32 7. Psal. 32. 7. Psal. 73 16 17. 18. 19. 23. 24. Psal. 73 27 28. Whie the wicked goe on in wickednes Ierem. 4 27. Isai. 5 21. 1. Blessing of the Church The second blessing of the Church Psal. 5 11. 12. Psal. 18 35. Ephes. 6 16. 1. Tim. 1 18 19. The 3. 4. blessing of the Church Grace what Glorie what To walk innocentlie what is signifieth A twofolde perfection Rom. 10 4. Iosh. 24 14. 1. Chr. 28 9 Isai. 38 3. 1. Tim. 18. 19. Psal. 9 10. Rom. 10 4. Effects of faith Rom. 8 10. Isai. 11 5. Ephes. 6 10. Hos. 2 20. 1. Pet. 1 7. Deut. 27 29 Leuit. 18 5. Cond â—nworâ— on what Iustification what Pelagius Against Pelagius Rom. 5 12. 14. 15. 17. 18. 19. Psal. 51 5. Christ not a meere man as the Pelagians did teach Rom 7 14. Iude verse 19. Eccle. 7. 22. Iob. 14 4. The second argument Rom. 2 2. The 3. Argument Gene. 6. 5. Iob. 9. 2. 3. 20. Psal. 14. 1. 2. 3. Psal. 19. 12. Psal. 130. 3 Psal. 143. 2 Prou. 20. 9 Esai 64 6. Ioh. 9. 3. Rom. 3. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14 15. 16 17. The fourth argument Leuit. 18 5. Gal 2 21. Touching the vse of the lawe Vse of the Lawe in the conscience Gal. 3. 24. 22. Matt. 8 23. 24. c. The vse of the Law after mans iustification A confutation of their argumentes which think that by the workes of the Law meÌ„ are iustified Leuit. 18. 5. Matt. 19. 17 Luk 7 48. Rom. 3 20 Rom. 11. 32. Gala 3 22. Rom. 10 4. Matt. 9. 13. Rom. 3. 21. Rom. 4 13. 14. Rom. 10 3. Rom. 11 6. Ephe. 2 8. 9. Rom. 3 27. 28. * Or in the chapter immediatlie following True iustificatioÌ„ what 3. Thinges required in iustification Luk. 24 47. Remission of sinnes what Matt 1 21. Rom. 3 23. Act. 20 28. Gala. 13 13 Ioh. 8 34. 36 Rom. 3 25. True righteousnesse what Rom. 10 4. Rom. 4 5. Rom. 5 19. 2. Cor. 5 21. Gene. 3. 15. Gene. 22 Psal. 22 31 Rom. 10 4. Isai. 53 11. True knowledge of Christ what Iere. 23 6. Iere. 17 7. Phil. 3 8. 9. Deut. 27 26 Gala. 3 10. Rom. 6 14. Rom. 5 18. Rom. 8 1. 2. Ioh. 1 12. Rom. 8 15. 16. 17. Adoption Rom. 8 28. Rom. 5 3. 4. 5. Rom. 8 23. 21 Rom. 5 2. Gal. 5 5. 1. Ioh. 3 2. Iustification what Causes of mans iustification Rom. 8 15. Act. 2 38. 1. Cor. 1 30. 31. Iustification what Iam. 2 24. Rom. 8 14. Matt. 5 5. 7. 9. 10. Luk. 7 47. Luk. 7 41. 42. 43. 50. Rom 14 23 Heb. 11 6. Ioh. 15 5. 4 Matt. 7 18. Eeph 2 3. Rom. 8 7. 1. Cor 2 14 1. Tim. 1 18. 19. Mat. 25 34 35 36. Rom. 6 23. 1. DiffereÌ„ce concerning the matter of good workes Of Papistes works what the chiefe Papistical traditions of what sorts Howe the Papistes doe regarde the commandementes of God The proper note of Antichrist Mark 7 7. The principal good workes of Protestants 1. Tim. 4 1. 2. DiffereÌ„câ— of good workes The efficieÌ„â— cause of Papistical workes * Chap. 3. of this last part Ioh. 15 5. Phil. 1 6. Phil. 2 13. Three things necessarilie required in à good worke or in à good worker rather Psal. 119 105. The wil of man * In the 3. Chap. of this 4. part Psal. 51 10 3. DiffereÌ„ce about good workes 4. DiffereÌ„ce about good workes Matt. 7 18. * Chap. 3. of this fourth part Iam. 2 10. The true ende of good workes Iam. 2 23. Rom. 8 14. Heb. 11 26. 2. Cor 1 20. Psal. 62 12. Rom. 2 6. Leuit. 18 5. Gala 3 13. Deut. 27 26 2. Cor. 1 20. Rigor of the law Rom. 10 4. Rom. 2 6. Tob. 12 9. Dani. 4 24. * Chap. 2. of this fourth part Rom. 18 23. Phil. 3 8. Num. 35 7 8. Tob. 12 9.