is feare which feare is stirred vp in vs through remorse and conscience for sinne which sinne also is reuealed vnto vs by the Lawe and therefore if feare be not the beginning and first fruit of thy faith thou hast good cause to doubte of it and to thinke with thy selfe that thou arte come vnto Christ before the Father draweth and our sauiour Christ telleth vs plainly that no man can Iohn 6. 44 come vnto him except the Father do first dravve him which word dravving doth importe in vs a marueylouse vnwillingâ—esse because the way seemeth verie tedious and vnpleasante vnto vs vntill such time as wee come vnto Christ that is vntill wee haue a iustifyinge faith to beleeue in him And therefore that rashe and forged faith which men doe drawe vnto them selues without the Lord that is without remorse and conscience for sinne may very fitly be compared vnto the faith of him which is spoken off in the Gospel after saint Matthew who came to our Sauiour Christ and saide vnto him Master I will folowe Mâ—â— 8. 19. 20. thee whither so euer thou goest But what was the entertainement that our Sauiour Christ gaue him he telleth him that yâ— Foxes haue heales and the foules of the aire haue nestes but the Sonne of man hath not where to lay his head meaning that whereas vnto an earthly man for a while it may seeme an excellent and sweetâ— thinge to folowe that is to professe Christ yet when he must come to the denying of him selfe and to renounce the loue of eternall things it will be veriâ— bitter and vnpleasant vnto him Hereby you see the entertainement and welcome of those which are so hastie to come before they bee called that is in the pride of theire heartes without any consideration of their owne miserie neede they haue of him nay rather as though hee had neede of them for certaine it is that there are a great manye which when they haue done any small thing that belongeth vnto the duetie of a Christian doe thinke in that pointe that the Lord had neede of them and therefore is become their debter for doinge it But alack it is not so the good or euill which we doe shall profit or hurte our selues we cannot enrichâ— the Lord with any thing that we are able to doe who draweth both yâ— sinners and the deuils to set foorth his glory and therfore can as well be glorified in our condemnation as in our saluation But to leaue this and come to our former matter these ready fellowes which are so soone ripe will be as quickly rotten those yâ— are so hastie to followe Christ vnto the breaking of bread that they maye fill their bellies if they shall but heare this voyce from him Sell all you haue and giue it to the poore although hee promise them neuer so greate treasure in heauen yet they will forsake him if it be to the vtter destruction and â—amishing both of body soule euerlastingly Take me not here that I goe about to condemne our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and speede in turning vnto Christ if it be in trueth neither is it my purpose to withdrawe any man from reading meditating vpon the sweete promises of the Gospel for the Lord hath many wayes to conuert vs by and this may very wel be one euen the consideratioÌ„ of his great mercies offred vnto vs in Christ which may be a good meane to bringe vs to the consideration of our owne vnworthines and vnthankfulnes for the same and of our great miseries without it and so be vnfaynedly brought vnto Christ But rather my purpose is to beaâ—e downe our 〈◊〉 boastinge of faith when it is with so little fruite as though it were possible Gen. 28. 12. for vs to be vpoÌ„ the top of Iacobs ladder before we come neere the foot therof and our heedeles presumings vpon Christ without any remorse or coÌ„science for sinne as though the Lord did iustifie and appoint those vnto eternal saluation whoÌ„ he would neuer sanctify vnto holines of life these sinners are they against whom chiefly heâ—herto I haue proceeded to the end yâ— they may if it be possible be pulled away from yâ— grosse absurditie of putting religioÌ„ in bare names titles figures as though it were a matter of indifferencie whether they which call vpon the name of the lord did depart froÌ„â—â—quity or not to the end I say yâ— we may put no more such confidence in daine shadowes which are without all trueth of substance be coÌ„stantly perswaded in our selues yâ— before we can liue vnto righteousnes we must â—y vnto sin and before we can be vnseperably ioined vnto Christ wee must vtâ—erly be rent away from our selues and see our miserie without him who from euerlasting is appoynted of God his father to be a PhisitioÌ„ only vnto those which are sick and not vnto those which perswade themselues that they are whose and hath bounde himselfe also by promise to satisfie the hungry not those which are full to giue sighte vnto the blinde not vnto those which suppose them selues to see wel mouâ— already that God may be all in all and Christ haue the whole glorye of our sauinge health As hee who hath troden the winepresse of Gods wrath alone for vs without any to help him and to the end alss that euerie mouth may bee stopped and all the world be found culpable before the Lord who hath shutte vp all vnder sinne that he may haue mercy on all not all that are sinners but euery one that confesseth him selfe so to be which hee graunt for his mercies sake Amen CHAP. III. The corruption of man knowen by the Lawe is therby humbled he draweÌ„ to repentance and prepared to receiue the promises of the Gospell HAuinge before shewed the corruptions of our nature and by what meanes yâ— same is made knoweÌ„ vnto vs euen by the law which must of necessitie passe vpon vs by these rules before repeated that we may be humbled in the sight of our sinnes and weryed with the burden of them before we can be prepared to come vnto Christ And how that they doe marueilously abuse the Gospel which will presume vpon the sweets promyses thereof before the Lawe hath thus humbled theÌ„ In so much that Christ is the ende of the Lawe and not thâ— beginning Nowe it followeth that we speake somewhat of those that abuse the law and of the meanes how to shunne auoyde the abusing of it Those which Two abuserâ— of the Lawe 1. In presumâ— non 2. In dispaire doe abuse the Lawe are of two sorts the one are they that will be iustified for doing those things therein commaÌ„ded the other are those which despaire because they are not able to doe them Concerninge the firste that is those which will be iustifyed by the Lawe let them knowe that the Lawe was not giuen vnto vs to that ende as the Apostle witnesseth to the Remâ—nes By the Lawe
of losinge Gods fauour for the same any more It shal be good for vs to procéede vnto the certaintie and vnmoueablenes of our estate and condition after that we bâ— once thus called vnto the hope of gods kingdome For as it is an 〈◊〉 which cannot be warranted vnto vs by any fleshly righteousnesse that wee can doe so in like sort the certaintie therof cannot be decayed by any sinne which we at any time through infirmitie shall committe or fall into no more then the weaknes of man is able to ouermatch the strength of God or our infidelitie to make his faith to be of none effecte And therfore these things considered the sinnes of Gods children are no cause why theyr faith should be darkened or their hope decayed but rather there is great cause in them why their humilitie should be increased and they more freely driuen out of themselues into the strength of Christ for our saluation doth not reste in our selues but in the Lorde who hath decreed from euerlastinge â—â— saue some and therefore as vnpossible as it is for his decree to be altered so vnpossible it is for that number which he hath thereunto appoynted to be damned Heauen and earth shall passe away like a scrowle but no one iote or title of the words shall passe till all thinges â—e accomplished All fleshe is Esay 40. grasse and the glorye thereof as the floure of the grasse but the word of the Lord endureth for euer His giftes callings are without repentance he Rom 11. 2â— Pro. 16. â— hath created all thinges for himself euen the wicked for the day of euil And so it may be saide on the contrarie side that he hath created his childreÌ„ for the day of saluation and glorie and to yâ— end yâ— the heires of promise may yet Heb. 6. 17. be more strengthned in this he hath bouÌ„d himselfe vnto theÌ„ by two immuble things to the ende that wee may hold fast the hope that is set before vs which we haue as an ancore of yâ— soulâ— both steâ—fast and sure which two immutable things are these his worde and an oath His worde in that it is vnpossible that God should lie As the prophet Samuell doth testifie the same The strength of Israel wil not Sam. 15. 29. lie nor repent him for hee is not a man that should repent And again Rom. 23. 19. that wicked Balaam coulde say thus much also God is not a man that he should lie nor the sonne of a man that he should repeat him hath he saide and shal he not doe hath hee spokeÌ„ and shall he not accomplish He hath saide that the righteous shall Psal 112. 6. neuer be moued but be had in euerlasting remembrance He hath said that Israel shall be saued in the Lord they Esay 45. 17. shall not bee ashamed nor consounded world without â—â—d He hath saide that he will be mercifull to our transgressions and will remember our sinnes and iniquities no more Let vs neuer Ierem. 31. 34. thinke that the most highest doth at any time speake wordes in vayn Surely Esay 45. 18. 19. 20. 21. as he hath created the earth not in vaine but to be inhabited so hee hath not saide in vaine to the seede of Iacob seeke yee mee Nay I the Lorde speake righteousnesse and doe righteous thinges as he testifieth by the Prophet Esay Yea hee hath sworne the same also And that is the second thing wherby he hath bound himselfe vnto vs namely his oath I haue sworne by my name saith he the worde is gone foorth of my mouth in righteousnes and shall not returne again yâ— euery knée shal bow vnto me all toÌ„gues shal sweare by my name By bowing of the knee and swearing by the name of God is meant yâ— who le seruice of God wherein he will be serued and worshipped of his Church And marke the emphasis of the word for it is a worde of drawing he hath sworne that they shall do it will they â—ill they If they be Gods children he will drawe them to glorifie him here in this life and will also glorifie them in the life to come Therfore yâ— faithfull cannot pearish And beside this consider his oathe that he hath sworne which is very plentifull in the Scriptures as in yâ— Psalmes I haue sworn by my holinesse that I will not faile Dauid But in Esay it is notably described where hee hath these wordes As I haue sworne that the waters of Noah shall no more goe ouer the earth so haue I sworne that I will no more be angrie with thee nor reprooue thee the mountaines shall remoue and the hilles shall fal downe but my mercie shall not departe from thee nor the couenant of my peace fall away So that hereby it is plaine that the estate of Gods children is more surer then the mountaines and hils Fitly therefore is the Church of Christ compared vnto the Mat. 7. 26. house that is buylded vpon a rocke which although the raine fall yâ— winde blow the flouds come and beate vpon it yet they shall neuer bee able to disturbe the same And why because it is buylded vpon a rocke not a rocke of stone for all such shall come to naught but Christ Iesus vpoÌ„ whom all the faithfull are buylded for there is so neare a coniunction betwene theÌ„ that Christ is theires and they are his God doth beholde all the righteousnes of Christ in them and hath punished all theire sinnes in him and therefore as vnpossible as it is for God to be angry with Christ so vnpossible it is for him to be angrie with vs which beloÌ„g vnto him Feare not therefore litle Luke 12 32. â—â—ocke it is your heauenly Fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome nay he hath giuen it vnto vs already for doth not the scripture say that as hee is meaninge Christ euen so are we 1. Ioh. 4. 1â— in this life what is Christ Christ is freed from condemnation alreadie euen so are we although we be in this life Christ is the heire of heauen and hath the same already in possession in the same estate are we how be it not so fully yet in as greate assurance although we be in this life and therefore marke it for a speciall poynt that the Rom. 8. promisses of eternall life of saluation and of being the sonnes of God are Ioh. 3. still spoken of in the present tence that they are the sonnes of God and not yâ— Ioh. 6. they shal be that they haue eternal life alreadie as it were and not that they shall haue it And in Saint Iohns Gospel it is very plentiful Verely verely Ioh. 5. 24. I say vnto you saith Christ he that heareth my worde and beleeueth in him that sent me hath eternal life shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life already as though it were a thinge done past neuer to
cursed in our basket and store cursed in our houses and in the fruite of our â—wne bodies cursed in al yâ— we take in hand yea and that which is worst of all cursed in our selues with an euerlasting curse from the presence of God who is become vnto vs a terible and stâ—rce iudge from whose face we shall destrethe hils mountaines to fall vpoÌ„ vs and hide vs thundring out heauy feareful threatnings against vs. That Osee â—3 7. 8 he will be vnto euery sinner as a verie lyon as a leoparde in the waie of asâ—hur he wil meet theÌ„ as a she beare that is robbed of her whelpes will breake the verie gall of their hearts he Iere. â— 14. Psalm 11. 9. wil be vnto theÌ„ as a deuouring flame wil raine snares vpoÌ„ their heads fier brimstone stormy teÌ„mpest this shal be the portion of their cup. For euerie Psalm 9. 17. sinner must be cast into hel all nations that forget God head taile roote braÌ„ch not one exeÌ„pted for the reward of sin is death we are al sinners therfore by yâ— law we are al condeÌ„ned we are all vnder yâ— curse the boÌ„dstaues of satan and fire brands of hel Thus yâ— law proceedeth in plunging vs deeper déeper into yâ— pit of sorrow where we can finde no gâ—â—ud for wheÌ„ it hath shewed vnto vs our sins and yâ— vnmeasurablenes of yâ— same with the mâ—gmeÌ„ts heaueÌ„ly plagues of God to be executed vpoÌ„ theÌ„ then eÌ„tereth yâ— fourth 〈◊〉 4. office of the Law of yâ— law which is horror feare 〈◊〉 weeping wringing of haÌ„dâ— c. as it hath bene before made plaine vnto vs by a similitude very pleÌ„tifully proued also out of yâ— scriptures yâ— the children of God 〈◊〉 bene subiect vnto these passioÌ„s of yâ— minde body before they could come vnto the hope of his kingdome therfore lesse may 5. Office of the Lawe be spoken of it now wil theÌ„ the last office of the law is that it seÌ„dâ—th vs vnto christ as yâ— Apostle witnesseth Christ is the end Rom. 10. of the Law for righteousnesse vnto all that beleue and againe The law is our Calat 3. â— schole master to bring vs vnto Christ that we may be made righteous by faith So theÌ„ hereby it is plaine that yâ— last office of yâ— law is to send vs vnto Christ and marke it for a special point yâ— it is the last office therof not yâ— fiâ—st for the â—aw must of necessitie proceed vpoÌ„ vs by these steps before repeated yâ— we may be as it were killed in our selues from all hope of fleshly righteousnes before we can be prepared to receyue yâ— life which is by Christ So theÌ„ hereby you see yâ— the lord in coÌ„uerting of a soule doth eueÌ„ work a miracle â— raise them which are dead to life againe and therfore they do abuse yâ— gospel which wil presume vpoÌ„ yâ— coÌ„forts therof before such time as yâ— law hath thus huÌ„bled theÌ„ for most certaine it is that they which so deale do deceiue theÌ„ selues to yâ— eÌ„crease of pride security For as the law wtout the gospel driueth to dispaire so in like maner yâ— gospel wtout the law maketh vs to presinne therfore of necessitie both worke together but yâ— law hath the first place for vntil such time as yâ— law hath done â—is office in huÌ„bling of vs yâ— gospel caÌ„ not profit neyther yet doth the same appertaine vnto vs no more then a plaister or pleasant healing salue doth belong vnto that wound which is full of corruption and rottennesse euen to the bone for you know that vnto such a wouÌ„d there belongeth first knyues and launâ—ors to open the same and then sharpe and bitter salue to drawe out the corruption and eate out the deade fleshe thereof before there come any healing plaister neere it the nature wherof is to close vp and skinne the vpper parte of the wounde and clense all the corruption and deade flesh within which afterward breede to great inconuenience and make the wounde far more daungerous EueÌ„ so it fareth with all those which are wounded with the venemous dart of selfe loue which wound beinge choaked with the corruption and deade fleshe of couetousnesse and pride and yet will vse no other medicine for the curing thereof then that pleasante healinge salue of the Gospell which if they knewe in trueth howe litle the same did proâ—â—â—te them before such time as the sharpe launcinge knife of Gods Lawe had opened the wounde and the bitter salues of his iudgementes and sharpe threatninges eaten out the rottennesse thereof they would goe an other waye to worke and vse a more sounder dyet for the obtayninge of health although it bee verie tedious and sharpe at the first Surely it is very lamentable to behold the grosse blindnesse and securitie of our age for the most parte of vs nay almost euery one doe thinke that christianitie doth wholy rest in an outward shewe of wordes and therefore if wee canne come to the vnderstandinge of some places of the scripture whereby we may bee able to define and prooue what faith is and the obiecte vpon whome the same taketh holde we thinke it to be such a perfection as we neede goe no further and that there can be no better Christians in the worlde then we our seluâ—s are although there be no more remorse of conscience for sinne in vs then there is in a blind beast But alasse let vs thinke or knowe as much as we will or can in this sorte and let other men which be as blinde as wee our selues are praise vs for our knowledge as much as they list yet al this wil stand for no paymeÌ„t before the Lord nor bringe one sparkell of warrant vnto our soules whereby we may assure our selues to be in his fauour who onely looketh vpon a troubled soule which is humbled with the sight of his sinnes and Psal 51. Esai â—6 2 hath promised to power his Spirit vpoÌ„ those that tremble at his worde Therefore if thou wilt make a true examination of thine estate between God and thee whether thy faith towardes him be vntayned or not prooue not the foundation thereof by thy knowledge how much or whom thou doest knowe but rather by the feare howe much or whome thou doest feare For in trueth there is neyther knowledge nor faith except the beginninge thereof bee feare as it is manifest in diuers places of the prouerbes The feare of the Lorde is the beginning of wisdome By wisdome in that place is meante all things that belonâ—e vnto the knowledge saluation of a Christian man and yet here you see that yâ— holy Ghost sheweth in plaine wordes that the feare of the Lord is the beginninge of â—t and who knoweth not that faith is the chiefest and onely thinge which belongeth vnto euery Christian for the attayning of saluation therefore the beginning of faith
be called backe againe as most certaine it is net no more then the Father is to bee called backe againe from the worke of creation or the Sonne from the worke of redemption or the holy Ghost from the office of sanctification A notable testimony of this vnmoueable estate of the Church we haue in the Psalmes where the holy Ghost vseth these wordes If my children Psal 49. 30 forsake my lawes and walke not in my iudgemeÌ„t if they breake my statutes and kepe not my commaundementes then will I visit theire transgressions with the rod theire iniquitie with strokes but my louing kindnes willl I not take from them nor falsifie my trueth my couenant will I not breake nor chaunge that which hath gone out of my lippes according to that which is writteÌ„ in Malachie I am thy Lord Maâ—â—â— â— I chaunge not and the Sonnes of Iacob are not consumed And therfore when the Lorde doth correcte vs it is not to the end that we should bee consumed but rather to put vs in minde that we haue sinned against Psal 94 12. him and that we may bee spared in 1. Cor. 11. 32. the euill day and not condemned with the world but more of this in his due place Hereby you see then that in the worke of our saluation the Lorde hath no respecte eyther to our sinnes or vertues but vnto his own vnchauÌ„gable purpose vnto his euerlastinge decree and couenant which can not be altered Therefore in Deuteronemie it is thus written The Lorde Deut. 4 31. thy God is a mercifull God he will not despise thee nor forsake thee neyther forget the couenant which he sware vnto thy fathers AbrahaÌ„ Isaac and Iacob Saint Paul saith That if it be but a mans couenant Gal. 3. when it is finished no man doth abrogat or adde anie thing therunto Much lesse in the couenant of God which is writteÌ„ not in paper or parchment but in his euerlastinge decree counsel which is sealed also not with a signet in ware but with the very finger and power of God in the bloodshedding death of his SoÌ„ne Iesus Christ and in raysing him again from yâ— same Neyther hath he left it thus but hath sealed the assurance thereof vnto our heartes also by his spirit which doth testifie vnto our conscience that wee Rom. 8. 16. are those to whom this new couenant doth belong yâ— God is our Father we his children and therefore are imboldened â— Cor. 2. 16. through the mind of Christ to fly vnto him in al our troubles as our stay and refuge to cast our whole care vpon him because that we are fully perswaded that it is he alone which careth 1 Pet. 5. â— for vs. So that now euen amongest a multitude of cares which the world is ouer whelined in we are become carelesse not after the maÌ„ner of a desperat person which conteÌ„neth meanes but rather by the prerogatiue of a free mind which we haue and do obtaine both after in the middest of all christian lawful meanes that are to be vsed caring only for heauenly things True it is that vnto the sight iudgement of the world there are none so miserable as they which are thus minded and why because a fewe outwarde things doe satisfie them because they seeke not there own but are more ready to take wrong theÌ„ do any they looke still vnto those spirituall good things which the Lord hath prouided for theÌ„ not man 〈◊〉 12. 1â— they make long strydes vnto that striue to forget more more this trash pelfe that is behind theÌ„ And as it is with Iohn 10. 5 theÌ„ in life so also it is in religion they will heare no voyce but the voyce of Christ in his worâ—e all other soundes are straunge vnto them and therefore will not heare their voyces No though Gal. 1. â— it be an Angell from heauen they will not haue their â—aith to hange vpoÌ„ men but 〈◊〉 â—arnestly to get setled iudgement in them selues that although the whole world bee ouerwhelmed with eâ—â—ours sâ— as ther be not a man left to instruct theÌ„ yet they will not be offended at the matter but haue sufficient in theire owne â—â—somes to keepe them in the trueth as â—lyaâ— who although al Israeli runne a whoring after Ball 1. King 19. 1â— yet he wil constantly follow the liuing God and as Micheas who although al Balles Priestes flatter yâ— king of Israell â— King 22. 14. speake pleasant things vnto him yet he wil speake nothing but yâ— which yâ— Lord hath put in his mouth and with yâ— Apostls also who although many of the Disciples forsake Christ yet they 〈◊〉 6. â—8 knowe not whither to goe but vnto him Where yâ— deade carkas is thither 〈◊〉 2â— 28 will the Eagles resorte where Iesâ—s Christ is there wil yâ— faithful be They wil follow yâ— LaÌ„be whither so euer he 〈◊〉 14. 4. goeth not only to yâ— breaking of bread which Hipecrites wil do but also vnto yâ— very death wheÌ„ yâ— tryal shal be made for death is vnto them life and therefore they long for it as yâ— scripture doth very plentifully witnesse yâ— same and Christ is all the gaine yâ— they séeke for From whence I pray you commeth all these thinges or what should moue theÌ„ thus to despise this life the things thereof is it not the assurance which they haue of yâ— heauenly life that is laid vp for theÌ„ in christ this is some parts of the fruit of our iustifying faith and yet not all for looke further and wee shall see more greater testimonies of the same then al these For what is the cause why a great many are so valiant that theire feare is past and they care not what man can do vnto them yea they receyue euery bondage as a liberty euery death as a life they take greatest occasioÌ„ of â—oy in yâ— middest of those tormeÌ„ts whereby their enemies goe about to make them most soâ—owfull yea theire tormentors often times are more vexed and weaâ—ed in tormentinge then they them selues are in bearing the tormentes why because the Lord is with them in euery place to comforte them as he Esai â—â— 2. hath promised by Esai the Prophet saying when thou walkest through yâ— waters I will be with thee through the floudes yâ— they shall not ouerflowe thee when thou goest through the fire it shall not burne thee nor the flames kindle vpon thee the holy ghost meaneth not here that the wicked by their â—gins yâ— they vse against Gods childreÌ„ shall not be able to take awaye their naturall life but their spirituall heauenly life which afflictioÌ„s are meanes to confirme and make more sure vnto them yea in far greater glory also which they themselues are well experienced in and therfore some of theÌ„ al though their torments were to be stoned racked torne