precious bloud so much as in them lieth Ought not they which do heare these things to be more affrayde of sinninge A pricke to Pricke vs forward to doe good then if it were sayd that sinnes are wiped away by good works CHAP. XVII The reconciling of the promises of the Law and the Gospell Quest 1 IF good works do not iustifie to what purpose serue the promises of the Law* Deut. 7.11 Ier. 7.3 33 An. God maketh promise to none but such as are perfect obseruers of his Law which are no where to be found Therfore all mankind by the Law remaineth in danger of the curse 2 Obiect By this meanes all the promises of the Law should be voide of effect and vaine An. It is true vnlesse the goodnesse of God dyd help by the Gospell when it assigneth Christ alone when he setteth Christ for the fulfilling of righteousnesse* Gal. 2.16 3 Obiect That is repayed to the workes of the faithfull which God promised in his Law to the followers of righteousnesse An. But in that repaying or rendering we must always consider the cause Why our workes be acceptable to God which winneth fauor for our workes And it is three fold the first that God turning away his eys frō beholding the works of his seruants doth embrace them in Christ and reconcile them to him self by the coming of faith only betweene without anie help of works The seconde is that he extolleth workes of his fatherly goodnesse without esteeming their worthinesse to this honour that he maketh some account of thē The third that he receiueth the same with pardō not imputing their imperfectiō Therfore grace is the cause of repairing 4 Obiect God is no accepter of persons but in euerie nation he which doth righteousnesse is accepted of him There is a double accepting of persons An. There is a double accepting of persons First such as man is by nature God findeth nothing in him wherewith he may be enclined vnto mercie sauing only miserie Obiect The prayers and almes deedes of Cornelius came into the sight of the Lord* Act. 10.31 therefore man is prepared by good works to receaue grace An. Cornelius was alreadie illuminate by the Spirite of wisedome and also sanctified who was a follower of righteousnesse Therefore he had from the grace of God those thinges which in him did please God as it is sayd Therfore seing all men are lost by nature and God would not haue them lost surely that accepting doth not respect mans righteousnesse but it is a pure token and proofe of Gods goodnesse toward miserable sinners 5 The second accepting whereof Peter maketh mention is that whereby the faithfull after their calling are approued of God euen in respect of their workes because the Lord cannot but loue those good things which he worketh in them by his Spirit Cornelius was freely accepted before his good works could be accepted 6 And to the end these things may be the better vnderstood The promyses of the lawe we must marke whether the promises be of the law or of the Gospel For they must not be taken in one and the same sense The promises of the Law do alwayes promise a reward vpon condition if we shall do But the promises of the Gospell do rather shewe what maner persons God his seruants be which haue receaued his couenant in good earnest thē expresse the cause why God doth good to them 7 Quest Why then haue good workes the title of righteousnesse giuen them Deu. 6.25 24.13 How good workes doe iustifie and why is it said that a man is iustified by them* An. They iustifie if they be perfect works and we are too blame that they are not such 8 Obiect We are not iustified without faith neither are we iustified by it alone workes fulfill righteousnesse For faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse* Rom. 4.3 Gen. 15.6 that notable fact of Phinees is imputed for righteousnesse * Psal 106.31 Iud. 25.7 Deut. 26.26 How faith doth iustifie 9 An. A man is not counted righteous for one or two good works neither yet for manie because he which offendeth in one is guiltie of all neither is there found any worke which is in all respects pure And faith alone doth iustifie by laying holde vppon Christ our righteousnesse In that place Phinees is counted righteous before men who praised his fact not before God 10 Obiect As Dauid saith Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen * Ps 112.1 Psal 32.1 So on the other side Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord * Psal 14.21 which taketh pitie vpon the poore * Psal 1.1 that hath not walked in the counsell of the wicked * Iam. 1.12 c. An That which Paule saith is most true * Mat. 5.3 that blessednesse consisteth in remission of sinnes * Rom. 4.3 For because those vertues shall neuer be in man in such sort that they can be acceptable to God of them selues it is proued that man shal allwayes be miserable vnlesse he be rid out of the miserie by forgiuenesse 11 Obiect Iames teacheth in plaine words that both Abraham was iustified by workes and that all we likewise are iustified by workes and not by faith alone* Iam. 2.12 An. Iames speaketh of a dead faith but we of the liuely the faith of the deuils is hādled in that place but we intreate of the faith of the faithfull 12 There is another fallacie in the worde Iustified Because it is sayd there that Abraham was iustified that is counted iust before men in respect of his works but we speake of iustificatiō before God* 13 Obiect The doers of the Lawe are iustified and not the hearers* Rom. 4.3 An. It is true if any man fulfill it 14 Quest Why then do the faithfull so boldly offer their righteousnesse to be examined by the iudgement of God and why do they couet to haue sentence giuen of them according to it* Rom. 2.13 An. We are to consider two things therein first they bring not all their whole life but some speciall cause into iudgement For Dauid saith in an other place* Psal 7.9 27 1. 18.21 26 19. If thou shalt marke iniquitie who can abide it Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant* Againe they do not chalenge to them selues righteousnesse in respect of the righteousnesse of God but inasmuch as they compare them selues with the wicked Psal 130.3 So Dauid sayd to Saull Let the Lord render to euerie man according to his righteousnesse and truth* Psal 14.30 15 Obiect Salomō saith that he which walketh in his integritie is iust 1 Sam. 26.23 Pro. 20.7 12 28. Ezech. 18.9.21 After which maner Ezechiel reporteth that he shall liue which shall do iudgement and iustice* An. But let one of the children of Adam come abrode with so great integrity if there be none they must either perish in
faith gathereth manifolde fruite hence first we vnderstand that Christ by his ascending into heauen The fruites of Chrysts sitting at the right hande of the father hath opened the entrance of the kingdome of heauen which was shut by Adam because he is entred in thither in our flesh and as it were in our name* Secondlie that he sitteth at the right hand of the father to bee our patron intercessour Eph. 2.5 and aduocate* Last of all faith layeth hold vpō his power wherein our strength is placed Heb. 7.25 and also our power riches and triumphing against hell* Rom. 8.3.4 17 And he shall descend from heauen in a visible shape as he was seene ascend * Eph. 4 6. and he shall appear to all with vnspeakeable maiestie of his kingdome with brightnes of immortalitie with infinite power of the Godhead hauing the Angels to garde him that he may iudge the quicke and the dead that is those which are alreadie departed this life those which shall be aliue then shal be translated transformed into a new nature euen in a moment 1. Cor. 15 5. 51. 1. Thes 4.16 Consolation drawen from the last iudgement A similitude 18 Hence ariseth excellent comfort in that wee heare that he shal iudge who hath alreadie appointed vs to be partners with him of honour in iudging so far off is it that hee shall sit vppon his iudgement seat to condemne vs. For how shoulde a most merciful prince destroy his people how should an head wast his members A Caueat 19 Therefore seeing we see the whole summe of our saluation to be comprehended in Christe wee must beware that wee doe not draw away from him the least iot thereof Act. 4.12 For hee is our saluation our strength our cleannes our redemption our righteousnesse * 1 Cor. 1.33 CHAP. XVII That it is rightlie and properlie said that Christ hath deserued saluation for vs. Obiect 1 IF Christe haue deserued saluation for vs the grace of God shall be darkened for desert and grace are contrarie Lib. 1. de pred San Cap. 15. An. I aunswere with Saint Augustine* The most cleare light of predestination grace is our Sauiour himself the man Christ Iesus who hath obtained so to be with no deserts of works or faith going before in the humane nature whiche is in him For he which made him of the seede of Dauid a iust man Note that should neuer be vniust without any merit he maketh those that be members of that head iust of vniust Desert dependeth vpon mercye Therefore desert is not set against the mercie of God but it dependeth thereupon 2 This distinction is gathered out of that which Iohn saith* So God loued the worlde that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him may not perish We see how the loue of God hath the first place Causes of saluation as the principal cause and faith in Christ doth follow as the second cause Obiect Christ is only the formall cause of saluation he hath not the true effect An. If we obtaine righteousnesse by faith which resteth vpon Christ is the matter of saluation surelie we must seeke for matter of saluation in him 3 And it is soundly gathered that Christe hath by his obedience purchased and deserued fauour with his father For if he haue made satisfaction for our sinnes if he haue suffered the punishment that was due to vs if by his obedience he haue appeased God if the iust hath suffred for the vniust* what it is to deserue Col. 1.10 1 Cor. 1.19 c. 1 Ioh. 1.7 we may conclude that by his righteousnes he hath purchased saluation for vs which signifieth as much as to deserue 4 And that is all one as that wee were purged by his blood and that his death was a satisfaction for our sinnes* 5 And the Apostles doe plainly pronounce that hee hath paide the price that he might redeeme vs from the giltinesse of death Rom. 3.24 that we are iustified by his grace through the redemptiō which is in Christ whome God hath made the propitiatorie through faith which is in his blood* Christ geueth that which is denyed in the lawe whence we gather that we must fet that from Christ which the law shoulde giue if anie man could fulfill it and that we obtaine that through the grace of Christe which God promised to our workes in the law Quest Did Christ deserue any thing for himself Curiositie An. This is foolish curiositie For what need had the only son of God to come downe that he might purchase some new thing for himself And the Lord declaring his owne counsell did put the matter out of doubt for it is not said that the father prouided for the profit of his sonne in his deserts but that he deliuered him to death that he did not spare him because he loued the world* Rom. 8.32 Ioh. 17.19 whereby it appeareth that he purchased nothing for himselfe who sanctified himself for our sake THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE INSTITVTION OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION Of the manner how to receiue the grace of Christ and what fruites we haue by the same and what effects doe followe CHAP. I. That those thinges which are spoken of Chirst doe profite vs by the secret working of the spirite NOW must wee se how those good things com to vs which the father hath giuen to his son not to his own proper vse but that he might inriche the needy And first we must hold this that whatsoeuer Christe hath done it profiteth vs nothing so long as we are separate from him Faith ioyneth vs to Christ Eph. 4.15 Rom. 1.17 1. Pet. 2.4 And wee growe to bee one with Christe by faith* which faith is giuen vs partlie by the preaching of the worde partlie by the secrete working of the spirite* 2 But that the matter may be more euident wee must vnderstande that Christe came furnished with the holie Ghost after a peculiar maner to wit Why Chryst came that hee may separate vs from the worlde and gather vs togeather into the hope of eternall inheritance For this cause is he called the spirite of sanctification Rom. 1.4 because he doth not onlie foster vs with a generall power as other liuing creatures but he is also the roote and seed of the heauenlie life in vs. 3 That such is the effectuall working of the spirite in vs The efficacie of the Spirit euen the verie titles which are giuen him doe testifie and manifestlie proue hee is called the spirit of adoptiō* Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.15 the earnest seale of the inheritāce* water* oile* the annointing* fire * Isay 55.1 44.3 Ioh. 7.37 the fountaine and hand of God All which doe plainlie teach that we are made members of Christe by the grace and power of Christe that hee may containe vs vnder him and that wee
of men For the vncleannesse of their conscience argueth that they are both of them vnregenerate by the Spirit of God Againe there is in them no regeneration because no faith without which there is no iustification What can sinners then bring forth which are estranged from God Hagg. 2.12 but that which is execrable in his iudgement* 8 Therfore hypocrites and such as keep wickednesse inwrapped in their hart do in vaine studie to bring God indebted to thē by their works Ies 1.13 For they shall more and more prouoke him* seing the sacrifices of wicked men are abhominable before God* Prou. 15.8 4 The workes of the Regenerate 9 Now let vs see what righteousnesse those haue whom we haue placed in the fourth ranke Let vs graunt that they are reconciled iustified mortified sanctified by the grace of Christ that they walke in the wayes of the Lord through the guiding of the holy Ghost yet let them not be puffed vp there remaine remnants of imperfection which may minister argument of humilitie There is none so righteous which doth good and not sinne* 1 Kin. 8.48 Then what maner righteousnesse shall they haue 30 Againe although it might be that we might haue some works which might be pure perfect yet one sinne is sufficiēt to extinguish all the remēbrāce of our former righteousnesse as saith the Prophet and whereto also Iames agreeth* Ezech. 18.24 Iam. 2 10. He which offendeth in one is made guiltie of all 11 Therefore we must stand stoutly in these two that there was neuer anie worke of anie godly man which if it be examined by the sharpe iudgement of God was not damnable Secondly if anie such be graunted yet being corrupted with sinnes it looseth his grace And this is the chiefe point of our disputation 12 Obiect Good workes are not of so great value by inward dignitie The Popish woorkes as that they are sufficient to obtaine righteousnesse but this that they are of so great value is of grace accepting them Againe so long as we liue the faultes which are committed are recompenced with workes of supererogation An. That which you call accepting grace is nothing else What acceptinge grace is but his free goodnesse whereby the Father embraceth vs in Christ when as he clotheth vs with innocencie accounteth the same ours that by the benefit therof he may take vs for holie pure and innocent That no works of man doe please 13 If these things be true surely no good workes can make vs acceptable to God of them selues nay nor please him saue onely inasmuch as man being clothed with the righteousnes of Christ doth please God obtaine remission of his sins For God hath not promised the reward of life to certaine workes but onely pronounceth that he which doeth these things shal liue setting down a curse for those which shall not abide in all things Therfore all the righteousnes of men being gathered on one heap cannot be sufficient to make recompēce for one That doth the sinne of Adam proue 14 And to boast of workes of supererogation how doth it agree with that which is commanded that when we haue done all things which are commaunded vs Workes of supererogation Luk. 17.10 we say that we are vnprofitable seruants* and that we haue done no more then was our dutie to do To say before God is not to dissemble or lie but to determine with thy self that wherof thou art certaine 15 Obiect Paule did yeelde of his owne right which he might if he would haue vsed neither dyd he only employ vpon the Corinthians so much as he ought of dutie but he bestowed vpon thē paines freely beyond the bounds of his dutie An. He did this lest he should haue bene a stumbling blocke to the weake but not that he might do somewhat of supererogation for the Lord. Because all our works are due to the Lord as the proper possessions of bondmen 16 Therfore we must driue away two plagues in this point Confidence and gloryinge are Plagues Psal 143.2 Ies 45.20 61 3. the first that we put no confidence in the righteousnesse of workes Secondly that we ascribe no glorie to them When confidence is once gone glorying must needs be packing also* 17 Furthermore if we respect the fower kinds of causes we shall find none of them to agree to works in the establishing of our saluation 1 The efficient 2 Materiall 3 Formall The efficient is the mercie of our heauenly Father the materiall is Christ with his obedience the formall or instrumentall is faith And these three doth Iohn comprehend in one sentence* Ioh. 3.16 So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that euerie one which beleueth in him may not perish but haue euerlasting life* 4 Finall The finall cause is the declaration of Gods righteousnesse and the praise of his goodnesse as Paule witnesseth* Rom. 3.25 Therefore seeing we see all the parts of our saluation to be thus without vs what cause is there why we should nowe haue anie affiance in works or glorie in them 18 Obiect But holy men do often make mentiō of their innocency and integritie Why holie men made mention of their righteousnes An. That is done two wayes either by cōparing their good cause with the euill cause of the wicked they thereby conceaue sure hope of victorie not so much for commending of their owne righteousnesse as for the iust and deserued condemning of their aduersaries Or else because euen without cōparing them selues with other when they recorde them selues before God the cleannesse of their owne conscience bringeth them both some consolation also confidence But when they are busie about the grounding establishing of their saluation they set their eyes vpon the goodnesse of God alone 19 Therfore when holie men cōfirme their faith by innocencie of their conscience and take and gather thēce matter of reioycing they do nothing else but call to mind by the frutes of their calling that they are adopted by the Lord into the place of children* Pro. 14.26 Gen. 14.40 1 Kin. 20.3 not that they place in them any foundation of their righteousnesse and saluation In psal 137. Note 20 This selfe same thing doth Augustine shew in a fewe words* I commend not the workes of mine hands I feare lest when thou shalt looke into them thou find more sinnes then merits but I say despise not the works of thine hands behold thy worke in me not mine owne worke If thou shalt see mine thou condemnest it if thine thou crownest it Because whatsoeuer good workes I haue they are of thee He setteth downe two causes why he dare not bost of his works before God first because if he haue any good works there he seeth nothing which is his owne secondly because euen that is oppressed with the multitude of sinnes 21 Obiect The good workes of the faithfull are
the causes for which the Lord doth good to them Election is the beginninge of graces An. The cause wherby God is moued to do good to those that be his is not thē handled but only the ordinarie dispensatiō Because God by heaping graces vpon graces taketh occasion by the former to adde the latter that he may omit nothing which may serue to the enriching of his seruants so by this meanes he prosecuteth his liberality yet so that he will alwayes haue vs to respect the free election which is the fountaine and beginning CHAP. XV. That those things which are boasted of the merites of workes do ouerthrow aswell the praise of God in geuing righteousnes as the certaintie of saluation 1 VVE haue alreadie dispatched that which is chiefe that a man is iustified by the mercie of God alone by the communicating of Christ alone and therfore by faith alone not by workes Whether good workes deserue fauor It remaineth that we discusse this question that howsoeuer works are not sufficient to iustifie a man yet whether they do not deserue fauour at Gods hands 2 Surely whosoeuer he were that first applyed merit to mens workes compared with Gods iudgemēt Merit he prouided verie euil for the sincerity of faith Obiect The auncient writers of the Church did euerie where vse it An. Would God they had not ministred matter of errour to their posteritie by the abuse of one litle word 3 The Scripture doth shew what all our works deserue when it denieth that they are able to abide the sight of God because they be full of vncleanenesse* againe what if we should fulfill the Law Ezec. 36.22.32 Lu. 17 20 we are vnprofitable seruants* Obiect The Lord doth call those good workes which he hath bestowed vpon vs ours and doth not onely testifie that they are acceptable in his sight but that they shall also haue a reward An. He doth it for this cause that we may be encouraged by so great a promise that we may not be weary of well doing and that we may be thankfull indeede to God for so great bountifulnesse Works are good as they are of God Obiect If workes be of God then are they good An. They are good as they are of God but man polluteth defileth by his vncleannes those works which were good Quest How then do they please God are not vnprofitable to the doers of them An. Not because they deserue this but because the goodnesse of God doth of it selfe set this price vpon them Eccle. 16.14 4 Obiect Mercy will make place for euery one according to the merit of his works* An. It is thus in Greeke for euerie one shal find according to his works Obiect With such sacrifices men merit at Gods hands Heb. 13.16 saith the Apostle* An. There is nothing else in the Greeke but that such sacrifices do please God and are acceptable to him Obiect Good works do merit those graces which we haue giuen vs in this life but eternall saluation is the reward of faith alone An. Isaias doth shewe that the increasings of the faithfull are the giftes of his owne free goodnesse* Is 51.1 5 Paule teacheth in manie places that we haue the fulfilling of all good things in Christ* and nothing of ourselues 1 Cor. 1.3 Eph. 1.4 Coll. 1.14 Ioh. 10.28 6 Obiect Morall works make men acceptable to God before they be ingrafted into Christ An. But the Scripture saith that they are all in death which possesse not the Sonne* and againe 1 Ioh. 5.12 Rom. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is done without faith is sin* Obiect Christ deserued for vs the first grace now it standeth vs vpon not to be wanting to the occasion offered vs. An. O impudencie as if Christ did only set open the way to saluation Would God they did but tast what these sayings meane He hath life which hath the Sonne* 1 Ioh. 5.12 Whosoeuer beleeueth is past frō death to life * Ioh. 5.12 and such like * Rom. 3.14 1 Ioh. 3.23 Eph. 2.6 Coll. 1.13 7 Obiect A man is iustified by faith which is formed because good works haue from faith to be auailable to righteousnesse An. That is to name faith in mockage and to steale from God the praise of good works Obiect The principall cause is in good workes Free will and yet free will is not excluded by which cometh all merit An. The Apostle saith that we are the workmāship of God created vnto good workes which he hath prepared that we should walk in them* Eph. 2.10 Therfore seing there commeth no good from vs vnlesse we be regenerate and regeneration is of God In good workes nothinge is of our selues there is no cause why we shold chalenge to our selues one ownce in good works 8 That is most plainly shewed by manie testimonies of Scripture* Wherupon we conclude that men are not iustified before God by workes but we say that all those which are of God are regenerate and made a newe creature that they may passe frō the kingdome of sinne 2 Ioh. 1.8 1 Pet. 4 3. 2 Tim. 2.20 c. A similitude vnto the kingdome of righteousnesse and that by this testimonie they make their calling sure and are iudged as trees by the frutes CHAP. XVI The refutation of those sclaunders wherewith the Papistes indeuour to burthen this doctrine to bring it in contempt Obiect 1 BY the iustification of faith good works are destroyed An. Yea they are rather established Because we dreame not of a faith that is voide of good workes There be no works good without faith or of iustification which is without these Notwithstanding we place iustification in faith and not in workes 2 Obiect Mens minds are brought frō the desire of well doing when we take from them the opinion of deseruing Heb. 9.13 Lu. 1.74 Rom. 6.6.18 Tit. 2.11 c. An. If men must be pricked forward no man can vse sharper goads then those which are fet from the ende of our redemption and calling For it were vnseemely sacriledge if being once cleansed we shold defile our selues with new filthinesse and so profane the holy bloud of Christ How euerye man shall bee rewarded accordinge to his workes 3 Obiect God shall giue euerie man according to his workes An. That is a kinde of exhortation which the Scripture doth oftentimes vse that he may omit no way that may encourage vs. 4 Obiect Men are inuited to sinne whē we hold free forgiuenesse of sinnes An. We say that remission of sinnes is of so great estimation that it can not be recompēced with anie good of ours and that therefore it could neuer be gotten vnlesse it were free Remission is free to vs not to Christ Furthermore to vs it is free not to Christ who payed so deare for it Therfore men are admonished that so oftē as they sinne they do so often shed his most
away all respect of our worthinesse 2 Obiect That appertaineth vnto the age wherin the Gospell was first preached An. This is so filthie an inuention that it needeth none answer 2 Tim. 3.9 3 He hath called vs saith Paule* with an holie calling not according to our works but according to his purpose and the grace which was giuen vs by Christ Election is the cause of good workes before the word began Therfore he did not foresee vs to be holie but he hath chosen vs that we might be holie Obiect God repayeth the grace of election to merits going before notwithstanding he graunteth it for those which are to come Whence holynes cometh Eph. 1.5 Gen. 48.19 An. Holinesse is deriued from election as from his cause* and not on the contrarie 4 Therfore saith the Lord* Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated If foreknowledge were of any importance in this difference of the brethren it shold be out of season to make mention of the time seing they were not yet borne Examples Gen. 58.19 5 So reiecting Ismaell he choseth Isaach Setting aside Manasses he doeth more honour Ephraim* The force of the first birth 6 Obiect We must not determine of the summe of the life to come by these inferiour small benefits that he which hath bin aduaunced vnto the honor of the first birth should therfore be reckened to be adopted vnto the inheritance of heauen An. The Apostle was not deceiued neither did abuse the Scriptur but he saw that God ment to declare by an earthly signe the spirituall election of Iacob which otherwise lay hid in his inaccessible throne Like as the pledge of the heauenly habitation was annexed to the land of Chanaan Obiect God foreseeth all thinges which he doth not An. Seing Peter saith in Luke* Act. 2.21 that Christ was by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God appointed to death he doeth not bring in God as a beholder but as the authour of saluation 7 Obiect He reckeneth Iudas among the elect How Iudas was amonge the elect whereas he was a deuill An. This is referred vnto his Apostolicall office which though it were an excellent myrrour of the fauour of God yet it doth not containe in it hope of eternall saluation 8 Obiect Ambrose Origene Hierome thought that God doth distribute his grace among men as he foreseeth that euerie man will vse it well An And Augustine also was of that mind* Lib. retract 1. cap. 11. but when he had better profited in the knowledge of the Scripture he did not onely call it backe as euidently false but did strongly confute it writing against the Pelagians 9 Obiect The foreknowledge of merits is not indeed the cause of predestination on the behalfe of the act of predestinating but on our behalfe it may after a sort be so called Thomas fu 1. sect Tract 25 Quest 13. The goodnes of God the cause of election namely according to the particular estimation of predestination An. On the other side when the Lorde will haue vs behold nothing in election but meere goodnesse if anie man desire to see anie more there it shall be a disordered greedinesse Obiect Glorie is predestinate for the elect after a sort according to their deserts because God doth predestinate grace to them whereby they may deserue glorie Predestination is the handmaid of election An. Yea predestination vnto grace serueth the election of God is as it were her handmaid For grace is predestinate for them to whom the possession of glorie is long time assigned because the Lord bringeth his children to iustification from election 20 Obiect God should be contrarie to him selfe if he inuite all men generally to come to him do only admit a fewe whom he hath chosen An. The generalitie of the promises doeth not take away the difference of speciall grace Quest Howe shall these two be reconciled that all should be called vnto repentance faith by outward preaching and yet the Spirit of repentance and faith should not be giuen to all Amos. 4.7 8 11. An. He which threatneth that when it rayneth vpon one citie there shal be drought vpō another* he which elsewhere denounceth a famine of doctrine doth not bind him selfe with a certaine lawe to call all men alike Act. 16.6 and he which forbiddeth Paul to preach the word in Asia and turning him from Bithinia draweth him into Macedonia doth shewe that he is at libertie to distribute this treasure to whom he will Obiect There is a mutuall consent betwene faith and the word An. Namely whersoeuer faith is But it is no new thing that the word doth fall among thornes or in stony places* Mat. 13.4 not only because the more part is indeed stubburn against God but bicause all haue not eyes and eares Quest How then shall it agree hang together that God doth call those vnto him who he knoweth will not come An. Augustine answereth* Wilt thou dispute with me wōder with me crie out O depth August de ver Apost Ser. 11. Eph 1.3 Note Let vs both agree together in feare lest we perish in error Moreouer if election as Paule witnesseth bee the mother of faith then faith is not generall because election is speciall 11 Furthermore as Iacob is receiued into fauor hauinge as yet deserued nothinge by good workes So Esau is hated beinge as yet polluted with no wickednes Wherby it appeareth that the foūdation of predestination is not in good works And to this end are the reprobate raysed vp that the glorie of God may be made manifest throgh them The ende of reprobation Therfore if we cānot allege any reason why God vouchsafeth his of mercie saue onlie because it pleaseth him that it should be so neither shall we haue anie thing else in reiecting the other but his will For as he hath mercie on whom he will Rom 9.18 so he hardneth whom he will* CHAP. XXIII A refutation of the slaunders wherewith this doctrine hath alwayes bene wrongfully burdened Obiect 1 THere is indeed in God election but not reprobation An. Election it self should not stand vnlesse it were set against reprobation Whom God reiecteth Therfore whom God passeth ouer he reiecteth adopting the rest vnto saluation Whence cometh that saying of Christ Euerie tree which my father hath not planted Mat. 15.13 shall be pluckt vp by the rootes * Obiect God doeth not altogether reiect those whom in lenitie he suffereth but he waiteth to see whether they will repent or no. An. As if Paule doth attribute patience to God whereby he waiteth for their conuersion who he saith are made fit for destruction* Rom. 9.20 Obiect The vessels of wrath are sayd to be prepared to destruction that God hath prepared the vessels of mercie because by this meanes Paule ascribeth to God the praise of saluation layeth the blame of perdition vppon those who
directed vnto it 2. It did onely shewe a shape in figure of the truth being absent This sheweth the truth being present 3. That by reason of the Law was the ministerie of damnation and death This of righteousnesse and life 4. That of bondage which may cause feare in the mindes This of libertie which may lift them vp vnto hope 5. The word was only assigned vnto the nation of the Iewes It is now preached to all nations The sum of doctrine which is to teach 1. What Christ is Chap. 12. God that he may geue vnto his Righteousnesse Sanctification Redemption Man because he was about to pay mans debt 2. To what end he was sent to wit that hee might execute the office of a Chap. 15. 1. prophet 1 In foretelling things to come 2. In fulfilling the prophecies 3. In Doing The will of his Father Teaching The will of his Father 2. King 1. In gouerning The Church Euery member therof In defending his from euerie iniury of the aduersaries 3. Priest 1. In offering his bodie for sinnes 2. In reconciling God vnto vs by his obedience 2. In making prayers continuallie for his 3 Howe he hath fulfilled all the parts of our redemptioÌ„ Cha. 16.17 1. In dying for our sinnes 2. In rising for our iustification 3 In openinge vnto vs the heauens by his ascention 4. By sitting at the right hande of the Father 5. Thence he shall come to iudge the Liuing Dead Howe Christ is receiued 1. By the power of the holy Ghost who ioyneth vs vnto Christ Therfore is he called the spirit of Sanctification Adoption The earnest and seale of our saluation Water Oyle A fountaine Fire 2. By faith as by an hande receauing saluation whose Cha. 2. Office which is 1. Common is to subscribe vnto the truth of God Howe often It speaketh Whatsoeuer It speaketh How soeuer It speaketh 2. Proper to respect in Christ Gods Will Into the certaintie wherof the holie Ghost doth Illuminate our minds Confirme our harts Mercie Into the certaintie wherof the holie Ghost doth Illuminate our minds Confirme our harts Promises of grace Into the certaintie wherof the holie Ghost doth Illuminate our minds Confirme our harts Thence is set the definition that saith is a firme and certaine knowledge of Gods good will toward vs which being grounded in the trueth of the free promise in Christ is both reuealed to our mindes by the holie Ghost and sealed in our harts by him Effects are these 1. Repentaunce which is double 1. True which consisteth vpoÌ„ two partes 1. MortificatioÌ„ which proceedeth from 1. Knowledge of sinne 2. The true feelinge of the iudgement of God 2 Viuification whose frutes are 1. Godlinesse toward God 2. Loue toward our neighbour 3. Hope of eternall life 4. Holinesse of life 2. False and Papisticall whose parts are 1. Contrition of heart for the acknowledging of sinne 2. Confession of the mouth Priuate which is made 1. To God alone 2. To the minister 3 To a faithfull friend Publike 1. Of the whole Church 2. Of one 3 Of many Before the Church These two parts may be referred to true repentance 3. Satisfaction of the workes the fulfillinges whereof are 1. IndulgeÌ„ces in this world 2. Purgatory after death These are set against the free forgeuenesse of sinnes 2. Christian life Looke A. 3. Iustification Looke B. 4. Prayer Looke C. A 2 Christian life wherof there are two partes 1. Loue of righteousnesse that we may be holy Chap. 6. Because God is holie Because we are ioyned vnto him and are reckened among his people 2. That there be a rule appoynted vs which may not suffer vs to erre in the studie of righteousnesse that we may bee made like to Christ There is a patterne thereof set before vs the forme wherof we must expresse in our life in Word and Deede Here unto are added the benefites of God whereunto if we do not answer it shal be a point of great vnthankfulnesse The summe of a ChristiaÌ„ life is the deniall of our selues whereof there are fower endes 1. That wee may consecrate our selues to God to be a liuely sacrifice 2. That we may seeke not the thinges that be our owne but those which are Gods Our Neighbours 3. That we may bear the crosse paciently the frutes whereof are that Chap. 8. 1. Our weakenesse may the better appeare 2. That our patience may be tried 3. Our faultes may be corrected 4. That being humbled we may the mâ—re earnestly call vppon God 5. We may the more earnestly meditate vpon eternall life 4. That wee may knowe how to vse this life and the helpes thereof Chap. 10. 1. For necessitie wherein we must obserue fower things 1 That we possesse all thiÌ„gs as possessing nothing 2 That we suffer Penury patieÌ„tly Abundance moderatly 2. That we know to Haue enough To be hungry To want paciently 3 That we haue respect of our neighbour Because we must giue an accompt of our stewardship 4. That all thinges be answerable to our calling 2. For delectation that We may haue the greater cause to prayse God his goodnesse 3. Effect of faith is iustification here consider Chap. 11. What it is to be iustified Hee is iustified who by the iudgmeÌ„t of God is Iudged lust Accompted lust He is iustified by workes Whose life is pure and free from reprehension There was neuer any such He is iustified by faith Who being excluded from the righteousnesse of works layeth hold vpon the righteousnesse of faith Such are the faithfull What followeth thereupon Ch. 13.14 Great consolation Because in steed of a cruell iudge we haue a most gentle Father That being sanctified we may thinke vpoÌ„ holinesse ChristiaÌ„ libertie which consisteth in three thinges Chap. 19. 1. That the consciences of the faithfull may lift vp them selues aboue the Law and forget the righteousnesse of the Lawe 2. That their consciences being free from the yoke of the Lawe they may willingly obey the will of God 3. That they may not be holden with any religion of indifferent things before God Yet we must take heede of two inconueniences That we do not abuse the giftes of God to our lust That we auoyde offence which is double Giuen Taken C Prayer is the fourth effect wherin we must consider marke the Chap. 20. Fine fruits The first Whilest that we accustom our selues to flie vnto God our hart is enflamed with a more earnest desire to Seeke Him Loue Him and Worship Him Seconde No euill concupiscence or desire maye come into our heart whereof we are ashamed to make God a witnesse Thirde That we may receaue Gods gifts with thankesgiuing Fourth That hauing gotten a gift wee may the more earnestly thinke vpon his goodnesse Fifte That the vse may confirme vnto vs the Goodnesse Of God Prouidence Of God Trueth Of God 4. Lawes The first That wee be so framed as those who enter in to speak vnto God therefore let 1. Our hands be be lift vp 2 Our
hart be moued 3 Let vs perseuere The second is that We feele our necessitie The thirde That wee dispoyle our selues of all thinking vppon our owne glorie giuing God the glorie wholy The fourth Lyinge prostrate let vs encorage our selues with a sure hope to obtaine hauing 1. The commandement 2. The Promise They erre who call vpoÌ„ Saincts 1. Bicause the Scripture teacheth that we must call vpon God alone 1. Who alone knoweth what things we need 2. He will be present because he hath promised 3. He is able because he is omnipotent 2. Because he will be called vppon by faith which leaneth to the word alone 3. Because faith is corrupt if it depart from the word in calling vpon Sainctes No word therefore no faith No promise They can neither Heare nor Help The summe is contained in two tables Concerning which looke the next Table vnder C. C The summe of praier is coÌ„prehended Cha. 20. In a Proheme wherin appereth 1. The goodnes of god bicause he is our father wherupon followeth 1. Therefore we are his children to seeke help of anie other were to cast God in the teeth Pouertie or Crueltie 2. Our sins shall not hinder vs from crauing mercie of God humbly 3. Wee must one loue an other like deare brethren 2. The power of God because he is in heaueÌ„ whence we gather 1. That God is spread abroad through all thinges Therefore when wee seeke him let vs be lifted vp aboue the sense of our bodie and soule 2. That he is free from all Corruption Alteration 3. That hee comprehendeth and gouerneth the whole world by his power In two tables The former is appointed wholie for the glorie of God and it containeth three petitions The first requireth that the Name of God that is his Power Goodnesse Wisedome Righteousnesse Truth May be sanctified that is that Men may not without great reuerence neither Speake Of God nor Think Of God Of the second petition The end is that God 1. May amende with the power of his spirite all the wicked lusts of the flesh 2. May frame all our senses vnto the obedience of his gouernment 3. May defend his childreÌ„ bring to nought the endeuours of the wicked The vse 1. It draweth vs from the corruptions of the world 2. It kindleth a desire to mortifie the flesh 3. It teacheth vs to beare the crosse The third entreateth Not of the secrete will of god But of that which is reuealed in the scriptures whereunto answereth willing obedience The latter concerning which looke the table following vnder the letter A. A The latter Table of praier contayneth 3 petitions whiche respect vs our neighbour Chap. 20. The first petition Craueth all things which the vse of the bodie needeth vnder the elements of this world We commit our selues vnto God and commend our selues to his prouidence that he may Feede vs. Cherish vs. Keepe vs. In the second Wee aske as in that which followeth those things which serue for the spirituall life Remission taketh away satisfaction Let vs forgiue being hurt in Worde in Deed. In the third We craue that wee may be furnished with weapons and defended that we may get the victorie Temptations differ in Cause For God Doe Tempt Satan Doe Tempt the world Doe Tempt The flesh Doe Tempt Matter Vppon the right hande in respect of Riches Honour Beautie c. On the left in respecte of Pouertie Contempt Affliction In the end For GOD tempteth his for their good Sathan the fleshe the worlde vnto euill These effectes of faith doe lead vs vnto the certaintie 1 Of electioÌ„ whose Chap. 21. 2. Of rising againe Cause Efficient is the meere liberalitie of God that we may Giue thankes Be humbled Finall that beeing sure of saluation because wee are in the hande of God wee may glorifie him Effects are some times of Ch. 22.23 An whole Countrie and that In louing some In reiecting others House and that In louing some In reiecting others Of one because whom Chap 24. 1 He knew before 2. Called 3. Iustified 4 That hee may at length glorifie them 1. By the preachinge of the word 2. By the lightning of the holie ghost 1. Because wee can by no other meanes be glorified 2. Because Christ rose in our flesh 3. Because God is almightie D God doeth hold vs in the society of Christe namelie by administration or gouernmente Chap. 1. 1. Ecclesiasticall wherein are considered 2. Ciuill concerning which look ** Chap. 20. 1. Which is the church Chap. 12. 1. Inuisible and Catholike which is a Communion of Saints 2. Visible and particular wherein is saluation Which is knowen 1. By the pure preaching of the word 2 By the lawefull administration of the Sacraments concerning which looke B. Chap 14. 2. How it is gouerned where consider Chap 3.4 1. Who beare rule Not Angels But men wherein 1. God sheweth vnto vs his great fâ—uour 2. We haue a verie good exercise vnto 1. Humility 2 Obedience 3. A verie good bond to loue one another 2. Of what sort they be 1. Prophets 2 Apostles 3. Euangelists 4. Pastors 5. Doctors 3. What their calling is 1. Internall when he that is called doth only seeke The glorie of God The edifiyng of the Church 2. Externall wherin mark foure thiÌ„gs 1. What maner persons are to be chosen 1. Of good behauiour 2. Of sounde doctrine 2. How they ar to be chosen to wit 1. Fasting 2. Praier 3 By whom they be chosen 1. Immediat by God Proph. Apost 2 Mediat the word being our guide by the 1. Bishop 2. Elders 3. People 4. by what rite 1. By laying on of haÌ„ds the vses are 3. 1. That the dignitie of the minister may bee comended 2 That he may know that he is coÌ„secra to god 3 That hee may beleeue that hee shâ—ll not want the holie ghoste 3. What power it hath Looke A. 4. Their office 1 To preach the word 2. To minister the sacrameÌ„ts 3. To execute Discipline The state of the olde church was diuid into Chap. 5. 1 Bishops 2. Elders 3. Deacons who diuided the goods 1. To the Bishop 2 To the Cleargie 3. To the Poore 4. To repaire the Churches The power of the Church is considered in respect 1. Of Doctrine Ch. 9 1. Touching the deliuerie of the opinions of faith 1. That none bee deliuered without the worde of God 2. That all be referred vnto the Glorie of God The edifiyng of the churche 2. Touching the expounding of them 2. Of making of lawes C. 10. 1. In commandements which ought necessarilie to bee kept Diuine That they bee agreeable to the word Humane That they bee agreeable to the word 2. In precepts indifferent wherein marke 1. What things are to be followed Haue respect of circumstance Places Persons Times Let Order be kept Comelines be kept 2. What things be to bee fled least in steed of the true worship of God they be exhibited such are popish constitutions 1. Are accounted for the true
Because man hadde rather worshippe stockes and stones then that hee will be thought to haue no God 2 Ob. Religion was inuented by the subtiltie and crafte of a fewe men that by this pollicie they myght keepe the simple people in their duetie whereas notwithstanding those whiche were to others authours of the worship of God did beleeue nothing lesse then that there was a God Naturall wisedome An. I graunt indeed that craftie men did inuent and deuise many things in religion that they might thereby breed a reuerence in the common sort and also make them afraide that they might haue their mindes more obedient But they could neuer haue brought that to passe vnlesse mens mindes had first been possessed with that constaunt perswasion concerning God Whence inclination to religion doth come whence as from seede springeth all inclination to religion Ob. Manie denie that there is any God Atheists An Maugre their heads they do now and then feeele that wherof they are desirous to be ignorant No man did more boldlie contemne God than Caligula Caligula and yet no man was taken with greater feare when any token of Gods wrath was shewed he did quake for feare of God inwardlie whom outwardly he studied to despice CHAP. IIII. That the same knowledge is either choked or els corrupted partlie through ignorance and partly thorow malice 1 AND as experience doth witnes that there is some seed of religion sowen in all men so there can scarse one be found among an hundred which hauing conceaued the same in his heart doth cherishe it Superstitious ignorance neither is there any founde in whom it waxeth ripe so far off is it that the frute appeareth in due time Furthermore whether some doe vanish away their superstitions or other some doe of set purpose malitiouslie reuolt from God yet al do degenerate from the true knowledge of him Wherby it commeth to passe that ther remaineth no true godlinesse in the worlde 2 Ob. Dauid witnesseth that manie do thinke in their heart that there is no God Psal 14 3. * An. That is restrained vnto those wicked and foolish ones Good intent who hauing choked the light of nature do of set purpose make blind themselues that in seeing they may not see 3 Ob. Any light studie of religion howe preposterous soeuer it be is sufficient to saluation The true rule of religion An True religion must be framed according to the will of God as by a perpetuall rule Therfore superstitious mē do worship their own dotings Gal. 4.8 which set vp to God newlie inuented worshippings Such the Apostle saide did serue those which were no Gods * Eph. 2.12 in another place that they were without God * Eph. 2.12 For there is no true religion but that which is conioyned with the truth 4 There is also another offence that they neyther haue anie respect to God but against their willes neither doe they drawe neere to him vntill they be drawn being vnwilling and hanging backe neyther haue they euen then anie voluntarie feare Feare is double which floweth from the reuerence of the Maiestie of God but onely a seruile and constrained feare which the iudgement of God wringeth out of thē which because they cannot escape they quake for feare thereof yet so that they doe also loth and abhorre it That seede remaineth in deed A similitude which can by no meanes bee plucked vp by the roores to wit that there is some Godhead but yet it is so corrupt that it bringeth foorth none but most badde fruites of it selfe CHAP. V. That the knowledge of God doth shine in the making of this worlde and in the continuall gouerning thereof The ende of mans life 1 MOREOVER because the last end of blessed life consisteth in the knowledge of God least the entrance vnto happinesse shoulde be shut before and against any man he hath not only planted in mens minds that seed of religion but he hath also so reuealed himself in the whole workmanship of the worlde and offereth and sheweth himselfe so openlie euerie day that they cannot open their eies but they shall be inforced to behold him Therfore the Prophet crieth out that he is clothed with the light as with a garment * Psal 104.2 And the Apostle calleth the ages of the world the spectacles of inuisible things * Heb. 11.3 Ordinarie workes are naturall testimonies of the wisedome of God 2 Furthermore there be infinit proofes both in heauen and also in earth which do testifie the wonderfull wisedome of God not only those which are more hidden for obseruing wherof Astrologie Phisicke and all natural Philosophie are appointed but also such as euerie most ignorant idiot may see so that the eies cannot be opened but they shal be inforced to be witnesses therof and they must needes breake out into the admiration of him which hath made these things 3 For which reason Paul after that hee had declared that God may be founde by groping euen of those which are blinde addeth foorthwith that hee is not far to be sought because all men do feele vndoubtedlie within themselues the heauenlie grace wherewith they are quickned * Act. 17 27. Vnthankfulnes of men 4 And heere is discouered the filthie vnthankefulnesse of men which while they haue within them a noble shop furnished with innumerable works of God A similitude and also a warehouse stuffed with inestimable plentie of riches do so much the more swel are on the other side puffed vp with pride yea the earth doth beare at this day many monstrous spirites which doubt not ne sticke to corrupt all the seede of the godhead which is sowen in mās nature to suppresse the name of god to put nature in his sted What nature is A godlie meditation from the creatures to the creator wheras rather nature is an order prescribed by God Therefore in matters of so great weight whereto singular reuerence is due to inwrap God confusedly with the inferior course of his works is hurtful wicked 5 Therefore let vs remember so often as euery one of vs doth consider his owne nature that there is one God who doth so gouerne all natures that he will haue vs to haue respect to him and that our faith be directed toward him and that we worship and call vpon him because nothing is more disordered then to enioy such excellent giftes which sauour of diuine nature in vs and to neglect the author which doth geue vs the same freely Quest But for what cause was God moued both to create all these things once and with what cause is he moued to preserue the same now An. His onely goodnesse both was and is the cause The goodnes of God the onlie cause of the creation which ought to be sufficiēt to allure vs to loue him forasmuch as there is no creature vpon which his mercie is
which is good much lesse applie it selfe thereto For such a motion is the beginning of turning to God The beginning of conuersion cometh of God Ier. 31.18 Note which is wholie attributed to the grace of God in the scripture notwithstanding the will remaineth which maketh hast vnto sinne with a most earnest affection This is well set downe by Bernard that it belongeth to man to will to corrupt nature to wyll that which is euill to grace to will that which is good We doe euill of necessity not being constrained Whereupon it followeth that men are drawen vnto euill by necessitie of will and yet they are not constrained to commit it 16 It appeareth more plainelie by the contrarie remedie of Gods grace howe great the corruption of our nature is An argument drawen from regeneration For seeing the Lord dothe of his pure grace giue vs what good thing soeuer is in vs it followeth that mans minde is in his owne nature deuoid of all goodnesse For that cause it is saide that he which hath begun in vs a good work will finish it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Ph. 4.6 2.13 * Obiect The Lord beginneth that which is good because the will being of it selfe weake is holpen An. The spirite saith otherwise I will giue you saith he a new heart I will put a newe spirite in the midst of you and I will take away the stonie heart out of your flesh I will giue you a fleshie heart I will put my spirite in the midst of you and I will make you walke in my commaundements Ezech. 35.26 * 7 Obiect Will being turned away from goodnesse by nature is couerted by the power of God alone but being prepared it hath an office and part in doing Ad. Bonifa ep 106 An. Augustine teacheth that grace goeth before euery good work but so that will doth accōpany it not leade it that it cometh after as a wayting man and not as a foregoer Therefore he attributeth no praise of good works to mans will Obiect Grace can do nothing without will neither can will do anie thing without grace An. As if the will it selfe did not worke by grace Note For the Lord preuenteth him that is vnwilling that he may be willing and followeth the willing that he may not will in vaine 8 Therefore there can no will be found which is enclined to good saue in the elect Election But the cause of election must be sought without men There is no will vnto goodnes saue onlie in the elect whereby it is proued that man hath not of him self a right will but that it floweth from the same good pleasure whereby we are elect before the creation of the world There is also another reason for seeing the beginning of willing and doing well commeth from faith faith is the gift of God Faith it followeth that it is of mere grace when we begin to will that wich is good being enclined and bent naturally to euill 9 Thence come the prayers of holy men let him encline our hart vnto him selfe saith Solomon that we may keepe his commandements* And Dauid beseecheth God to create a cleane heart in him* Rom. 8.58 Psal 51.12 Obiect Such prayer is a signe of a godly holy affection An. Though Dauid had alreadie repēted in part yet he compareth his former state with that sorowfull fall which he had tried Therefore taking vpon him the person of a man estraunged from God he doth for good causes desire to haue those thinges geuen him which God giueth to his elect in regeneration Therefore beeing like to a deade man hee desireth to be created a freshe Christ teacheth that manifestly by the similitude of a vine A similitude Ioh. 15.1 where he concludeth without me ye can do nothing Obiect The iuyce is now included in the branch and also force to bring forth frute and therefore it taketh not all from the earth or from the first root because it bringeth some thing of her owne An. But Christ meaneth nothing else but that we be drie wood and nothing worth when we be separate from him 10 Obiect God moueth the will but it is afterward in our choice either to obey or to resist the motion An. Yea he moueth it so effectually that it must needs follow Obiect Chrysostome saith whome he draweth he draweth him being willing Therefore God reacheth out his hand waiteth to see if it may please vs to be holpen by his helpe An. Such was the state of man whiles he stood but after his fall the doctrine of Christ is true* No man commeth to me Ioh. 6.45 vnlesse the Father drawe him Perseuerance is the gift of God 11 As touching perseuerance it is not to be doubted but that it ought to be counted the free gift of God Obiect It is giuen according to desert as euerie man hath shewed him selfe not vnthankefull to the first grace because it is in our hand to chuse or refuse grace when it is offered An. God heapeth vpon his seruaunts newe graces because when he liketh the work which he hath begun in them Gods liberalitie Phil. 2.13 he findeth in them somewhat wheron to bestowe greater graces whence that doeth come To him that hath shall be giuen* Also God worketh in vs both to will and to accomplish after his good pleasure Obiect God worketh we worke together Because after that we haue giuen place to the first grace our indeuors do worke together nowe with the grace following An. That is after we be once tamed How we worke together brought by the power of God to the obedience of righteousnesse we go on willingly and we are bent to follow the working of grace this is true Not that man taketh of him selfe somewhat whereby to labour with the grace of God 12 Obiect I haue laboured more then they all saith Paull not I but the grace of God with me Therefore he laboured together with the grace of God An. He ascribeth the whole praise of the labour to grace alone by that correction It is not I saith he which haue laboured but the grace of God which was present with me 13 Augustine saith * that the grace of persisting in goodnesse was giuen to Adam if he would Lib. de correp grati cap. 2. Note but it was not graunted to him to will that he might be able that it is graunted to vs both to will and also to be able It was the first libertie to be able not to sinne ours is greater not to be able to sinne 14 Obiect Will is not taken away by grace Whence the grace of perseuerance commeth Epist 105. but it is changed from euill to good and is holpen when it is good saith Augustine An. His meaning is onely this that man is not so drawen that he is caried as it were by outwarde force and violence without the motion of
againe may possesse him * Luke 3.16 * 1. Ioh. 2.20.27 * Ioh. 4.14 4 But because faith is his principall worke * Eph. 4.15 Rom. 8.29 Faith is the principall work of the Spirit those things are referred vnto it for the most part which we finde vttered to expresse the force and operation of the spirite because by faith alone hee bringeth vs to the light of the Gospell As Iohn teacheth that there is a prerogatiue graunted to those which beleeue in Christe to be the sonnes of God because they are borne not of flesh and blood Ioh. 1.13 Mat. 16.17 but of God* CHAP. II. Of faith where is set downe the definition thereof and the properties that it hath are declared 1 VVHEN in the schooles they dispute about faith The faith of the Schoolmen so sone as they heare it named they conceiue no higher thing but a certain cōmon assenting to the historie of the Gospell and in calling God simply the obiect therof they carrie away sillie soules rather with a vanishyng speculation then direct thē to the mark For God dwelleth in light that no man can come vnto therfore Christ must needs come between for which cause hee calleth himselfe both the light of the world the way the truth the life* because no man commeth vnto the father but by him The mediatour Ioh. 18.12 14 6. 2 Therfore let vs thanke the schoolemen for this euill who haue couered Christ as with a veile drawen before him whom vnlesse wee doe directlie behold wee doe alwaies wander through many Labyrinths Mazes And beside that they do deface the whole force of faith with their dark mistie definition they haue forged a deuise of intangled faith with which name adorning most grosse ignorance they delude the sillie common people Intangled faith to their great destruction Ob. It is sufficiēt to beleeue that which the holy church beleeueth neither need we to seek any further An. Is this to beleeue to vnderstand nothing so that thou doe obedientlie submitte thy sense to the church faith is not placed in ignorāce but in knowledge that not only of god but also of the wil of god 3 Ob. Because we be inuironned with ignorance many things are to vs dark now wherein it is good for vs to suspend our iudgement and to settle our selues to keep the vnitie of the church An. I graunt but yet it is a most absurd thing to giue ignorance tempered with humilitie the name of faith For faith lyeth in the knowledge of God of Christ not in the reuerēce of the church vnder the title wherof somtimes most monstrous errours are thrust in Faith lyeth in the knowledge of God Ob. We beleeue nothing absolutely without adding this condition If the church do beleeue so An. By this meanes truth should be holden in error light in darknes true knowledge in ignoraunce Absurdities 4 Obiect So long as we are in our pilgrimage in the world our faith is entangled An. I graunt that we be ignorant of many things and that we be compassed about with many clouds It is the greatest wysdome to goe forwarde For the principall wisedome of euerie most perfect man is to go forwarde Which we may note in the Disciples of Christ before they were fullie illuminate Because they did stagger euen in verie small things 5 But yet for all this the desire which the faithfull haue to learne and profit Voluntary ignorance doth much differ frō grosse ignorance wherein they droupe which are content with an entangled faith such as the Papistes imagine For if Paule do sharpely condemne those who are alwayes learning can neuer come to the knowledge of the truth howe much greater reproch do they deserue who of set purpose are desirous to know nothing 6 Therfore this is the true knowledge of Christ The true knowledge of Christ if we receaue him such as he is offred of his father to wit clothed with his Gospell because as he is appointed to be the mark wherat our faith must ayme so we can not come directly to him vnlesse the Gospell go before vs. Quest If faith be restrained to the Gospell what shall the doctrine of Moses and the Prophetes profite vs An. It was sufficient at that time to edifie faith Why the Gospell is called the doctrine of faith Rom. 10.4 but because we haue a more perfect manifestatiō of Christ in the Gospell Paule doth for good causes call it the doctrine of faith* 7 And although it be the office of faith to subscribe to the truth of God as often and whatsoeuer and howsoeuer he doth speake yet it doth properly respect his good will mercie and promises of grace in Christ into the certaintie whereof the holie Ghost doeth illuminate our mindes and confirme our hearts The definition of faith Whence we shall haue a perfect definition of faith if we say that it is a firme and certaine knowledge of Gods good will toward vs which being grounded in the trueth of the free promise made in Christ is both reuealed to our mindes and sealed vp in our heartes by the holie Ghost vnformed faith 8 Therefore that distinction of faith formed vnformed which flieth about in the schooles is vaine Obiect They which beleeue whatsoeuer is necessarie to saluation haue faith although they be touched with no feare of God An. Paule saith otherwise with the hart man beleeueth vnto righteousenesse* Rom. 10.10 therefore faith may in no case be seuered from a godly affection of righteousnesse 9 Obiect Paule teacheth an vnformed faith saying if anie mā haue all faith so that he can moue mountaines and yet haue no loue he is nothing* 1 Cor. 13.2 An. Faith is put in that place for power to worke miracles Cor. 12.10 which the reprobates also had* Therefore it is no maruell if it bee separate from loue Obiect There be many formes of faith An. There is one onely true faith of the godly Obiect Manie beleeue that there is a God that the historie of the Gospell is true and euerie parte thereof Historicall faith also they are moued with threatenings promises An. The name of faith is giuen to such but vnproperly because they do not resist the word of God with manifest vngodlinesse 10 But this whether shadowe or image of faith A shaddow of faith as it is of no importaunce so it is vnworthie to haue the name of faith Obiect Simon Magus is said to haue beleeued* An. He doth shortly after bewray his want of faith Such are they in whom the seed of the word is choked before it can bring forth frute* Let those which bost of such images of faith know that they are no better then the deuils* Act. 8.13 11 Obiect Paule affirmeth that faith is a fruite of election* Luk. 8.13 Faith of the Deuills and of the reprobate Ia. 2.19 1.
Th. 15. Faith is the fruite of election Heb. 6.4 Luk. 8.7.13 Temporall faith whie then is it attributed to the reprobate An. The reprobate are sometimes moued with the same feeling that the elect are* although none be illuminate into faith neither do in deed feele the efficacie of the Gospell but those which are predestinate vnto saluation By such temporall faith or which endureth onely for a short season they are made without excuse Obiect Therefore there remaineth no more for the faithful wherby they may esteme their adoptiō An. Although there be great likelihood betwene the elect of God and those which haue a fraile faith enduring only for a time yet the sure confidence is only in the elect that they crie Abba father* Gal. 4.6 which alone continueth stable and firme 12 Obiect The will of God is vnchangeable and his trueth doth neuer wauer therefore the feeling of Gods loue wherwith men are indued shall neuer decay An. The reprobate can neuer go so farre as to pearce into that hidden reuelatiō which the Scrip doth attribute to the elect alone As a tree which is not planted deepe inough that it may take roote doth wither in successe of time though for some yeares it sende foorth both leaues A similitude and blossomes and frutes Obiect We might call the Spirit deceitful which doth besprinkle the reprobat with such light which afterward perish An. He doth not quicken the seed which lieth in their harts that it may alwayes remaine incorruptible as in the elect* Rom. 5.5 The signification of faith 1 Tim. 3.9 1 Tim. 4.1 13 Also we must marke the doubtfull signification of the word For faith doth oftentimes signifie as much as the sound doctrine of godlinesse* Contrariwise it is sometimes restrained vnto some particular obiect * Mat. 8.10 Sometimes it is put for the gift of miracles * Coll. 13.10 sometimes for the doctrine whereby we are taught in the faith But we speake of the true faith whereby the children of God are iustified The exposition of the definition Knowledge 14 Nowe let vs prosecute euerie particular point of the definition By knowledge we meane not euerie comprehending such as men vse to haue in their matters but altogether infinite and farre surpassing all other knowledge that rather by perswasion of the truth of God then by reasonable demonstration Obiect There is no knowledge of that which is infinite An. Bicause the Lord hath reuealed to his Saints the secret of his will How faith is a knowledge 1 Ioh. 31. Certayne and firme which was kept secret from ages and generations faith is for good causes called in the Scriptures a knowledge* 15 We adde that it is certaine and firme that the more sounde constancie of perswasion may be expressed For as faith is not content with a doubtfull and rouling opinion so neither with a darke conceit but it requireth a full and certaine certaintie such as that vseth to be which we haue of known and tried things 16 This is the chiefe point of our faith Toward vs. that we do not thinke that those promises of mercie which the Lorde doeth offer are true onely without vs and not in vs but rather by comprehendinge them within vs wee make them our owne Hence springeth that confidence which Paule calleth peace* Rom. 5.1 17 Obiect But the faithfull finde it farre otherwise Faith is peace who are not onely tempted with vnquietnesse but also sometimes shaken with most grieuous terrors which do not agree with that certaintie of faith An. When wee say that faith is certaine wee do not imagine anie such certaintie as is not touched with anie doubting because the faithfull haue a continuall combate with their owne distrustfulnesse but they neuer fall from that certaine confidence which they haue conceaued of the mercie of God Wee haue an example in Dauid* Psal 42.6 43.5 The vnquietnes of the faithfull The first kinde of feare 18 Therefore a godly heart doth feele in it selfe a diuision which is partly delighted with sweetenesse by reason of the knowledge of Gods goodnesse partly it is vexed with bitternesse dy reason of the feeling of calamitie partly it leaneth to the promise of the Gospell partly it trembleth by reason of the testimonie of the owne iniquitie Imperfection of faith is the cause of vnquietnesse Which variation commeth by reason of the imperfection of faith forasmuch as we be neuer in so good case in this course of life that being cured throughly of all misbeliefe we are whollie replenished and possessed by faith Effects of faith 19 Let this be the summe So soone as any small drop of faith is dripped into our mindes we do forthwith behold the face of God to be pleasaunt and faire and fauourable to vs a farre of I graunt but with so certaine a sight that we knowe that we are not deceaued And the more we go forwarde the nigher do we come to behold him 20 Paule teacheth both things finely For whē he saith that we know in part and that we prophecy in part* 1 Cor. 13.9 he sheweth what a small portion of that diuine wisedome is giuen vs in this life But the same doth teach elswhere how sure and not deceaueable a tast euen a small drop of faith doth make vs feele when he affirmeth that we behold the glory of God with so great efficacie with open face without hauing any vaile put betweene that we are transformed into the same image* 2 Cor. 3.18 21 Furthermore faith doth arme and fortifie hir selfe with the word Faith leneth vpon the worde Temptation to beare of all brunts If therefore any such temptation do assault her that God is our enemie because he is angrie she aunswereth that he is mercifull euen then when he punisheth Because chastisement commeth rather from loue then from anger Faith is shaken yet at length it hath the victorie so doth Iohn conclude* This is the victorie which ouercommeth the world your faith Chastisment cometh rather from loue then from anger 22 There is another kinde of feare trembling whereby notwithstanding the securitie of faith is so litle diminished that it is thereby more surely established To wit when the faithfull thinking with them selues that the examples of Gods vengeance shewed vpon the wicked are vnto them in steed of instructions they take heede that they prouoke not the wrath of God against thēselues with like wickednesse 23 Therefore we are taught with feare trembling to worke our owne saluation 1 Ioh. 5.4 which is that we accustome our selues to behold the power of God with great casting downe of our selues 24 Obiect So often as we looke vpon Christ we graunt that we finde full matter of good hope but because we be vnworthie of all those good thinges which are offered vs in Christ The seconde kynde of feare The feelinge of our owne vnworthines is the cause of
doubting The hope of the faithfull by beholding our owne vnworthinesse we stagger and doubt An. We thinke vpon Christ not standing a farre of but rather dwelling in vs. Therfore we looke for saluation at his handes because he doth make vs after we be ingrafted into his bodie partakers not onely of all his good thinges but euen of him selfe also 25 Bernard disputeth in like sort Hom. 5. dedica templi by the benefite of God saith he somtimes thinking vpon the soule me thinkes I see in it as it were two contraries if I behold it as it is in it self of it self I cā say nothing more truely of it then that it is brought to nothing but of the mercie of God we haue cause to reioyce not in our selues but in the Lord. 26 Furthermore the feare of the Lord which is called elsewhere the beginning of wisedome* The soonnelie feare and the seruile Pro. 1.7 and in some place wisedome it selfe * Pro. 15.23 although it be but one yet it floweth from a double vnderstanding For God hath in him self the reuerence of a father and of a maister Therfore he that will worship him aright must shewe him selfe both an obedient child toward him and also studie to do the dutie of an obedient seruant Mal. 1.7 27 Obiect Iohn saith that there is no feare in loue but that perfect loue casteth out feare* 1. Ioh. 4.18 An. He speaketh of the feare and terrour of incredulitie The difference betweene terrour and feare from which that feare of the faithfull differeth much For the wicked do not feare God but so soone as they heare of his anger armed with power of reuenge they quake and are taken with horrour forthwith But the faithfull do more feare the offence then the punishment Whereby it commeth to passe that we say there is a double feare seruile and sonnely The goodwill of God is the cause of saluation 28 Nowe we vnderstand and know that the possession of saluation and eternall life is obtained in Gods good will which our faith doth respect For if we can lacke no good thing so long as we haue God to be fauourable to vs it doth aboundantly suffice vs vnto the certaintie of saluation when he him selfe doth certifie vs of his loue Let him shewe his face saith the Prophet Psal 80.4 we shal be safe* Wherfore faith being layde hold on by the loue of God hath the promises of this life and of the life to come The promyses make faith careles and perfect securitie of all good thinges but yet such as may be gathered and had out of the worde 29 Therefore wee make the free promise the ground of faith The free promyse is the foūdation of faith because faith consisteth properlie in it For though it be perswaded that God speaketh the truth whether he command or forbid or whether he promise or he threaten and doth also obediently receaue his commaundements obserue his inhibitions take heed of his threatnings yet it beginneth properly with the promise in it it consisteth and continueth and in it it endeth for it seeketh life in the free promise of mercie in which sense not the Lawe but the Gospell is called the word of faith* Rom. 1 5. 16 17. Pighlus 30 Obiect Such a restraint in pulling faith in peeces doth lay hold but vpon one peece An. Faith hath respect vnto all parts of the word of God but it neuer stayeth vntill it come vnto the free promise of grace in Christ 31 And hereby we gather that faith hath no lesse neede of the word A similitude then frute hath of the liuely roote of the tree because as Dauid doth witnesse Psal 9.11 none trust in God but such as know his name* and in another place I haue hoped in thy worde Psal 119.45 Faith layeth hold vpon the power of God by the worde saue me* Therefore we must not turne aside from the word no not one iote whereby we do also lay hold vpon the power of God which we do not conceaue to be idle but effectuall whereby the Israelits also might learne that God who was the authour of saluation once would be the euerlasting keeper thereof Obiect Sara and Rebecca The errour of Sara and Rebecca through zeale of faith offended An. Both of them erred because they passed the bounds of the word 32 Againe we do not without cause include all promises in Christ Promyses in Christ Rom. 1.17 when as the Apostle includeth all the whole Gospell in the knowledg of him* and in another place he teacheth that all the promises of God are in him yea and amen For whatsoeuer God doth promise he doeth thereby testifie his good will The promyses a testimonye of loue so that there is no promise of his which is not a testimonie of loue But no man is beloued of God which is without Christ For he is the beloued Sonne* Mat. 3.17 17.5 Eph. 1.6 Note 2. Kin. 5.19 in whom the loue of the Father abideth doth afterward descend from him vnto vs. It followeth that we must cast our eyes vpon Christ so often as anie promise is offred vs. Obiect Naaman the Syrian * Act. 10.31 Cornelius the Gentile and Romane* the Eunuch * Act. 8.7 were acceptable to God and yet they knewe not Christ the Mediatour An. I graunt that in some point their faith was entāgled not only as touching the person of Christ but also as concerning his power Naamans faith intangled and the office which was enioyned him by his Father Yet neuerthelesse it is certaine that they were instructed in the principles which gaue them some tast of Christ though it were verie slender Preachinge of the worde 33 And this bare and externall preaching of the worde ought to suffice abundantly to make it to be beleeued vnlesse blindnesse and stubburnnesse did let it Furthermore without the illumination of the Spirite nothinge is done by the woorde Note The holye ghost is the authour of faith Moreouer the Spirite is not onely the beginner of fayth but he doeth also increase it by degrees vntill it bring vs vnto the kingdome of heauen The incresings of faith Obiect On the other side Paule teacheth that the Spirite is geuen by the hearinge of faith* Gal. 5.5 An. If there were one onely gift of the Spirite he should haue spoken absurdly in calling the Spirite an effect of faith who is the authour and cause thereof but forasmuch as he setteth foorth those giftes wherewith God doeth adorne his Church The Spirit put for the giftes of God and by the increasinges of faith doeth bring it vnto perfection no maruell if he ascribe those thinges to faith which doeth prepare vs to receaue the same 34 These are the mysteries of God which are reuealed onely to litle ones * Mat. 16.17 Mat. 11.25 For flesh and bloude doth
may rather helpe then hinder our course Thinges which delight A Caution 2 Cor. 7.31 2 Therefore let this be a principle that the vse of gods gifts swarueth not when it is referred vnto the end appointed of God for God hath created all thinges for our good and not to our destruction Nowe if we consider to what end hee hath created food The end of food wee shall finde that he meant to prouide not onelie for necessitie but also for delectation So in apperrell comelinesse in hearbes trees and fruites besides diuers vses we haue diuersity of tast colour smell and shapes 3 Notwithstanding on the otherside we must diligentlie preuent the lust of the flesh which vnlesse it be brought in order doeth by and by breake out First of all it shall be brideled with one bridle if we set downe A Caution The wantōnes of the flesh that all thinges are therefore created for vs that wee may knowe the authour thereof and giue him thankes for his tender kindenesse toward vs. 4 But there is no certainer way then that which is made to vs by the contempt of this present life and by the meditation of heauenlie immortalitie For therupon folow two rules the first is that those which vse this world be so minded as if they did not vse it* The first rule touching aboūdance 1 Cor. 7.31 Secondly that they doe no lesse patientlie abide penurie then moderatelie suffer aboundance For those which are much occupied about the bodie are for the most part negligent in caring for the soule The other rule touching Penurye 5 The other rule is that those whose substaunce is not great doe know how to suffer want and scarcitie patientlie that they bee not carefullie moued with immoderate desire of riches For he which wil blush when he weareth a simple garment will glorie in a gorgeous Therefore let all those endeuour thē selues to come to this point who haue a desire to liue godlily that they may learne by the example of the Apostle* to be ful to be hungrie the third rule setteth downe Phil. 4.12 3 Rule of loue toward a mans neighbour that we must giue an account of that which is committed vnto vs and as it were of our stewardship euen to God who alloweth none other distribution of Goods but that which is ioined with loue 6 Last of all that is to bee noted that the Lorde cōmandeth euerie one of vs in al the actions of his life to looke vnto his vocation 4 We must haue a respect to our calling least through foolish vnaduisednesse or a wauering conscience all things be turned topsituruie And from this we shall haue excellent comfort because there shall bee no worke so vile and base which if thou doe onelie obey thy vocation shall not shine in the sighte of God CHAP. XI Of the iustification of faith and first of the definition of the name and thing 1 VVE haue alreadie declared diligentlie enough that the onlie helpe which is left for men being accursed by the law to recouer saluation resteth in faith Againe we haue shewed what faith is and what fruites it bringeth foorth What Christ hath done for vs. The summe was this that Christ who is giuen to vs is laid hold on by faith by partaking of whom we reap a double fruit to wit that being reconciled to God through his innocencie wee may haue him nowe in steed of a iudge to be a most merciful father in heauen secondlie that being sanctified by his spirite we may giue our selues to holines purenes of liuing We haue spoken sufficientlie of regeneration And now we must speake of iustification which maketh the principall stay of vpholding religion 2 He is said to bee iustified before God who is both counted iust by the iudgement of God is accepted for his owne righteousnesse sake What it is to be iustifyed before God For as iniquitie is abhominable before God so also a sinner Therefore where sinne is there is the wrath vengeance of God and hee is iustified which standeth before God by the name of a iust person Hee is iustified by works in whose life is found such purenes and holinesse By workes as deserueth the testimony of righteousnes before the throne of God He is iustified by faith who being excluded from the righteousnesse of workes By faith doth lay holde vpon the righteousnes of Christ by faith wherewith being clothed he appeareth before God as iust What iustification is So that we interprete iustification to bee that accepting whereby God receiuing vs into fauour doth take vs for righteous and wee say that the same is placed in our forgiuenes of sinnes and in the imputation of the righteousnes of Christ* Luk. 7.21 16 15. Gal. 3.4 Rom. 5.23 Rom. 6.26 Act. 13.38 3 Also to iustifie in the scripture doth signifie nothing els but to absolue frō giltines him which was accused as if his innocencie were approued 4 And if we omit to contend about the worde if we looke into the thing it self there shall no doubt remaine For Paul by the word Accepting meaneth iustification* Acceptinge Eph. 1.5 Rom. 3.24 We are appointed vnto adoption by Christ according to the good pleasure of God to the praise of his glorious grace whereby hee hath accounted vs acceptable or in fauour 5 Obiect Christ is one with vs we again are one with him Wherefore as righteousnes is essentiallie in Christ so is it in vs and yet not imputed or free but essentiall An. Wee vse with Christ the secret power of his spirite How we are vnited in Christ not that the essence of Christ is powred out into our essence Obiect Not onlie Christ but also the father and the holy Ghost do dwell in vs therefore we are substantiallie in God An. We must consider the maner of dwelling What is meant by dwellinge namelie that the Father and the Spirite are in Christe and like as the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in him so in him wee possesse God wholie 6 Quest Doth God leaue those whom he iustifieth such as they were by nature without changing them from their vices An. Righteousnes iustificatiō cannot be separated Righteousnes and iustification ar not seperate Therefore whōsoeuer God receiueth into fauour he doth also indow thē with the spirit of adoption by whose power hee reformeth and fashioneth them according to his owne image that they may liue godlily and holily Obiect Faith doth not iustifie of it selfe but in asmuch as it receiueth Christ An. I graunt For God doeth properlie iustifie by Christ 1 Cor. 1.3 A similitude who is giuen vs to be our righteousnes and sanctification* But we compare faith to a vessell because vnlesse being emptie we come with the wide open mouth of the soule to craue the grace of Christ we are not capable of Christ Obiect Faith is Christ An. As the pot is the
treasure A similitude Faith an instrument For faith is the onelye instrument to receaue righteousnesse in Christ who is the materiall cause authour and minister 8 Obiect By the ministerie of the external word the internall is receiued Therefore Christe being God and man is made vnto vs righteousnesse in respect of his Godhead not of his manhood An. He is made vnto vs righteousnesse as he is man the mediatour and that which was from euerlasting cannot conueniently be saied to be made to vs. Ios 51.10 Obiect The Lorde shall bee our righteousnesse* An. Hee speaketh of Christ who being God reuealed in the flesh is made our righteousnes 9 Obiect This worke of iustifiying doth by his excellencie exceed the nature of man and therefore it cannot but bee ascribed to the diuine nature An. I graunt Obiect Therefore the diuine nature alone doth iustifie vs. An. It doth not follow for although Christ could neither by his blood purge our soules nor appease the father by his sacrifice Christ doth iustifie as he is man nor deliuer vs from giltinesse vnlesse he had been verie God yet it is certaine that he did all these thinges according to his humane nature For wee are iustified by the obedience of Christ* Rom. 5.19 and he did no otherwise obey but as he tooke vpon him the nature of a seruant therefore we haue righteousnesse giuen vs in his flesh 2 Pet. 1.4 10 Obiect By Christ saith Peter we haue precious and most great promises giuen vs that wee shoulde bee made partakers of the nature of God An. Iohn expoundeth that of the last cōming of Christ 1 Ioh. 3.2 that we should then see God as he is because we shall be like to him 11 Obiect It is an absurd thing to say that the word Iustifie is a lawe tearme To Iustifie is a lawe terme so that it is all one as to absolue seeing that wee must bee righteous in deede An. God doth iustifie both by acquitting or absoluing and also by pardoning wherupon Paul saith 2 Cor. 5.21 God was in Christ reconciled the world to himselfe in not imputing sinnes to men * Psal 32.1 Rom. 4.7 Also Dauid describeth righteousnes without workes thus they are blessed whose iniquities are forgiuen Obiect It is contrarie to God and his nature to iustifie those which doe in deede continue wicked An. The grace of iustification is not separate frō regeneration though they be distinct thinges And God doth so beginne regeneration in the elect in whō there remaine alwaies some remnants of sin doth so proceede during the whole course of their life that they are alwaies subiect to the iudgemēt of death before his iudgement seat Rom. 8.33 But he iustifieth* them not in part but freelie that they may appeare in heauen as clothed with the puritie of Christ 12 Obiect Christ is made to vs wisdome which agreeth onlie to the eternall word 1 Cor. 1.30 Therefore neither is Christ as he is man righteousnesse An. The onelie begotten sonne of God was alwaies indeed his eternall wisedome but that which hee had of the father hath hee reuealed vnto vs namely the treasures of wisedome and knowledge* Coll. 2.3 and so the saying of Paul is not referred vnto the essence of the sonne of God but vnto our vse and it is well applied to the humane nature of Christ Obiect They which place saluation in the death of Christ alone make two Gods in denying that we are righteous by the righteousnesse of God An. That which wee haue in Christ doeth come from the grace and fauour of God also that righteousnes which Christ geueth vs is the righteousnes of God Our righteousnes and lyfe is onlye in the death and resurrection of Christ Wee graunt but we hold stedfastly that wee haue righteousnes and life only in the death and resurrection of Christ Obiect That is properly called righteousnes wherby we are moued to do good But God worketh in vs both to will to do* Phil. 2.13 Therefore we haue righteousnes no where els An. God indeed reformeth vs by his spirite vnto holines of life and righteousnes but immediately by his sonne with whom he hath left all the fulnesse of the holie Ghoste that by his aboundance he might supplie the need of his members Ob. Christ himself was iust by the righteousnes of God because vnlesse the will of the father had moued him he himself would not haue satisfied the office committed vnto him Rom. 3.21 5.9 Papists An. Paul saith that Christ hath giuen vs saluation * to shew his owne righteousnes 13 Ob. Righteousnes is cōpoūded of faith works An. These two do so differ that if the one stand the other must needs be ouerthrown Paul counteth all but doung Ph. 3.8 Faith and workes that hee may win Christ * that he may find in him not hauing his owne righteousnes which is of the law but that which is by the faith of Iesus Christ righteousnes which is of God through faith 14 Ob. Paul speaketh of the works which men do before they be regenerate such as were the Iewes But there is a far other respect to be had of spiritual works Spirituall workes For they be fruites of regeneration An. In the cōparison of the righteousnes of the law the righteousnes of the gospell which he maketh* Gal. 3.11.12 Rom. 10.5.9 hee excludeth all maner works with what title soeuer they be adorned For hee teacheth that the righteousnes of the law is The righteousnes of the law that he obtaine saluation which shall perfourme that which the lawe commanudeth The righteousnes of faith and that this is the righteousnes of faith if we beleeue that Christ died and rose again 15 Obiect Faith is a certainetie of the conscience in looking for at Gods hands a rewarde for deserts Also the grace of God is not the imputation of free righteousnes but the holy ghost to the studie of holinesse 16 An. When the scripture speaketh of the righteousnes of faith it leadeth vs to a farre other thing to wit that being turned away frō the beholding of our workes wee may looke onely vnto the mercie of God and the perfection of Christ 17 Furthermore we must diligentlie note The relatiō betweene faith the Gospell that there is some relation between faith the Gospel because faith is said therfore to iustify because it receiueth the saluation imbraceth righteousnes offered in the gospel and wheras it is said to be offred by the gospel therby is excluded all cōsideration of works which Paul sheweth most plainly in 2. places Rom 12.5 Gal. 3.18 Obiect Then the righteousnes which we haue by our owne industrie and will is reiected An. The law profiteth nothing by commanding because there is none that can fulfill it* Rom. 8.2 18 And it is manifest that no man is iustified by the law because the
poore he biddeth those which labour come to him * Mat. 11.28 he calleth not the iust but sinners * Mat. 9.13 ◠8 Therefore if we will giue place to the calling of Christ let vs abandon both arrogancie also securitie Arrogancie securitie are two plagues Note that beeing readie wee may make hast vnto Christ that being empty hungry we may be filled with his good thinges Because euerie man doth so much hinder the bountifulnesse of God as be doth rest in himselfe CHAP. XIII That ther must be two things obserued in free iustificatiō 1 VVE must especially respect two things first that the Lords glorie remain to him vntouched vndeminished Two thinges in iustification that our cōsciēces haue a calme tranquilitie before his iudgement seate that shal be obserued if he alone be knowē to be iust to iustify him which is of the faith of Iesus Christ Because so long as man hath anie thing to say for himselfe so long there is somewhat taken from the glorie of God Let the knowledge of our owne iniquitie be added Note 1 Cor. 1.13 Rom. 2.19 whereby being beaten downe wee may flie vnto Christ in whom we may reioyce and triumph* 2 So it is indeed we do neuer trulie glorie in him vnlesse wee be throughlie spoiled of our owne glorie* Obiect Hee doeth not glorie who without arrogancie doth recognize his owne righteousnesse The end of iustification An. Such estimation breedeth confidence and confidence glorying Therefore let vs remember that in the whole disputation of righteousnesse wee must haue respect vnto this end that the praise thereof remaine sounde and whole to the Lord. For no man can chalendge to himselfe euen the verie least iote of righteousnesse without sacrilege Whence peace of conscience doth come 3 Whereas wee set downe in the second place that the conscience cānot otherwise be kept before God vnlesse free righteousnesse bee giuen vs by the gift of God let vs alwaies remember that saying of Soloman Who will say I haue cleansed my heart I am purified from my sinne There is no man surelie which is not drenched in infinite filthinesse He shall haue no quietnesse of conscience thereby but shall rather be tormented with the terror of hell He shall profite nothing by deferring or driuing of Pro. 20.9 By works commeth doubting and at length desperation whē euerie man for himselfe accounteth how much hee oweth Desperation cōmeth by workes and how vnable he is to pay Lo now faith is extinguished oppressed for to doubt and despaire is not to beleeue 4 Againe the promise should be voide for if the accomplishment thereof depend vpon our merite when shall wee come to this point to deserue the goodnesse of God Moreouer that second member followeth vpon the former for the promise shall be fulfilled to none but to those which shall beleeue it Therfore if faith be fallen there remaineth no force of the promise Therfore the inheritance is of faith that it may be according to grace Mercy truth are ioyned togither Psal 119.76 Ies 9.6 Eph. 2.4 to establishe the promise for it is abundantlie confirmed when it resteth vpon mercie alone because mercie and truth are knit together with a perpetuall knot* Therfore seeing that faith doth lay hold vpon Christ alone it followeth that hee is not without cause called the king of peace our peace which appeaseth all the trobles of the soule If the meanes bee demaunded we must come vnto his sacrifice 5 For Paul denieth that there is anie peace or quiet ioy left to mens consciences Rom. 1.5 Rom. 8.45 Psal 23.4 vnlesse it bee set downe that wee are iustified by faith which is a thing altogether passiue to iustification bringing nothing of ours to win Gods fauour but we receiue that of Christ which we want CHAP. XIIII VVhat manner of beginning iustification hath and the continuall processe thereof 1 THAT wee may more easilie discusse what maner righteousnesse man may haue during the whole course of this life What manner righteousnes man hath let vs make a fourefold degree For men are either indued with no knoweledge of God as idolaters or being entered by the sacramentes they denie God not with their mouth but in their deedes or they are hypocrites or being regenerate they meditate vpon true holines In the first when they are to bee iudged by their naturall gifts there shall not be foūd one sparkle of goodnes frō the crown of the head vnto the sole of the foote 1 Naturall Idolaters 2 Ob. What excellent giftes soeuer are seen in the vnbeleeuers they are gifts of God as in Titus Traianus iustice Ier. 17 9. Gen. 8.21 moderation equitie in Vespasian continencie 3 An. Neuerthelesse that is true which Augustine writeth that all those which are strangers frō the religion of god howsoeuer they be counted wōderful for the opinion of vertue which men haue of them are not only worthie of no reward but rather of punishment because they pollute the pure giftes of God with the filthines of their heart Obiect They are Gods instruments to preserue societie An. Notwithstāding they do most wickedlie execute these good works of god because they are kept from doing euil not with any sincere desire of goodnesse Why the workes of the wicked be no good workes but by ambition by the loue of themselues or by some sinister affection 4 Furthermore Iohn saith that there is no life without the sonne of God Therefore as for those which haue no part in Christ 1 Ioh. 5.12 how great soeuer they be whatsoeuer they do or goe aboue they goe forward notwithstanding vnto destruction vnto the iudgement of eternal death forasmuch as they cannot please God being destitute of faith* Heb. 12.6 5 The thing shall appeare more plainely if the grace of God be set against the naturall condition of mā as cōtrary The miserie of man is knowen by the grace of God The scripture crieth that God findeth nothing in man whereby he may be moued to do good to him but that he doth preuent him with his free goodnes For what can a man that is dead do to recouer life But when hee doth inlighten vs with the knowledge of him selfe he is said to raise vs vp from death and to make vs a newe creature* 1 Ioh. 5.25 Eph. 2.4 6 So soone as Isaias hath described the vniuersall destruction of all mankind he doth excellentlie adde afterward the order of his restoring* Ies 59.15 If the couenāt of God which is our first ioyning with God do rest vpon the mercie of God Iustification is the beginninge of loue Rom. 5.6 Coll. 1.21 1 Ioh. 4.10 Ose 14 5. there is no foundation left for our owne righteousnesse For if iustification be the beginning of loue* what righteousnesse of works do go before it 7 Vnder this sort are comprehended the second third order
to that which is good And all the whole life of Christians ought to bee a meditation of Godlinesse but before God not the law but Christe must be set for righteousnesse 3 Therefore was Christ made a curse for vs Gal. 3.13 5 1. 3.20 that he might redeeme vs from the curse of the law* 4 The other which dependeth vpon that former is 2 Part of christian libertie that mens consciences obey the law not as being inforced by the necessitie of the law but that being free frō the yoke of the Law they do freely and willinglie obey the will of God And that cannot bee so long as we are vnder the law 5 But so soone as we are deliuered freed from this exaction of the law we can merily with great cheerefulnes answere God when he calleth follow him being our guide For they which are tied to the yoke of the law are like slaues to whom certain taskes are assigned for euerie day they dare not come in their maisters sight A similitude vnlesse they haue done their work taske But children though they haue but done half their task haue left it vnperfect yet do they without feare and freelie offer themselues to their fathers 6 That is the cause for which the authour of the epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 11.2 doth refer vnto faith what good works soeuer wee read were in the holy fathers doth only weigh thē by faith* Therfore Paul to the Romans reasoneth thus Sinne must not haue dominion ouer vs because wee are not vnder the lawe 7 The third that we be bound before god with no conscience of outward thinges which are of themselues indifferent 3 About thinges indifferent but that wee may indifferentlie sometimes vse them and sometimes omit them The knowledge of this liberty is therefore more necessarie for vs because without it our consciences shall haue no rest there shall bee no ende of superstitions Rom. 14.14 8 I know saith Paul that nothing is common but who so thinketh anie thing common to him it is cōmon* 1 Tit. 4.5 He is blessed which doth not iudge himself in that which he alloweth* For all the giftes of God are sanctified by thanksgiuing Christian libertie is spirituall 9 And this is diligentlie to be obserued that christian libertie is spirituall in all his parts whose whole force consisteth in pacifying fearefull consciences before God whether they be vnquiet or careful for remission of sinnes or doubtfull whether vnperfect workes doe please God or they bee troubled about the vse of things indifferent A double fall but there be two sorts of men which offende against it the one of those which make it a cloake for their lusts that they may abuse the good giftes of God to their lust 10 The other is of those who thinke that it is nothing worth vnlesse it be vsed before men By which vnseasonable vsage they oftētimes offend the weak As you may see some at this day who think that their libertie cannot stand vnles they take possession of it by eating flesh vpon the Friday 11 Furthermore we must auoid offences wherof there is one sort which is giuen Double offence another taken Therefore if thou doe anie thing either through vnseasonable lightnesse and wantonnesse whereby the weake may be offended it shall be called an offence giuen by thee Geuen Paul teacheth the contrarie that we receiue the weake That is called an offence taken when a thing which is neither euill done 2 Taken nor out of season is through malice drawen to be occasion of offence Mat. 25.14 Such was the offence of the Pharisees* Therefore wee muste beware that wee giue none offence if others take it wee are blamelesse 12 Paul seemeth to haue set downe a difference both by doctrine and also by examples We must regard the weake between the weake of whom we must haue great regard the Pharisees to whom our liberty may not giue place For when he tooke Timothie to his companie Act. 16.3 hee circumcised him * Gal. 2.3 Hee could not be perswaded to circumcise Titus* The facts were diuers but there was no change of his minde or purpose When hee was free from all he made himselfe a seruant to all that he might saue manie* and withstood false brethren which saith he 1 Cor. 9.66 entred in to spie out our libertie which we haue in Christ* Verilie we must studie to preserue loue and wee must haue respect to the edifiying of our neighbour 1 Cor. 10.23 For all things are lawful but all things are not expedient* 13 Furthermore as our libertie must bee subiect to loue Libertie must be subiect to loue so on the other side loue must bee vnder the purenesse of faith Verilie euen heere also wee must haue respect to loue but vnto the altars that is that wee offende not GOD for our neighbours sake 14 And nowe seeing faithfull consciences hauing this prerogatiue giuē them are not intangled with any snares of obseruations in things indifferēt wee conclude that they are exempted from the power of all men For it is an vnmeet thing that either Christ shoulde loose the thanke for his so great libertie or the consciences themselues the profite* 1 Pet 1.18 For it cost Christ not gold but his owne blood* The gouerment of man is double 15 But least any man stumble before he be ware let vs marke that there is a double gouernment in man One spirituall whereby the conscience is framed vnto godlinesse Spirituall the other politike whereby a man is taught the dutie of humanitie and ciuilitie For there be in man Ciuile as it were two worldes which both diuers kings and diuers lawes do gouerne And yet we must take heede that wee doe not wickedlie draw vnto the ciuill order that which the Gospell teacheth concerning spirituall libertie Obiect We must obey the magistrate not one lie for feare of punishment but for conscience sake also* Rom. 1* 1.5 Therefore mens consciences are bound by the politike lawes What conscience is An. Conscience is nothing els but that feeling which doth not suffer sinnes to lie hid but draweth men vnto the iudgement seat of the iudge 16 Thereby it commeth to passe that the fruite of a good conscience which it the inward integrity of the heart doth come vnto men also The lawe of God must not be made subiect to mans power though it doe properly respect God alone But the lawes of God must not be made subiect to mans power CHAP. XX. Of praier which is the principall exercise of faith and whereby we doe dailie receiue the benefites of God Mans pouertie 1 BY that which goeth before wee plainely perceiue how needie and emptie man is of all good things and how he wanteth all helpes of saluation Therefore if he seeke helpes to releeue his pouertie withall hee
vnlesse wee reproch him with pouertie or crueltie 37 Furthermore let vs knowe for a suretie that sinnes cannot hinder 2 Cor. 13. Lu. 15.20 but that he will receiue be beneficiall to those which submit them selues and craue pardon* 38 Lastlie of all when we call him ours in common we are thereby taught howe great affection of brotherlye loue ought to bee among vs who are sonnes togeather with suche a father Our by the same right of free liberalitie And let vs pray for all* but chiefly for those which ar of the houshold of faith* Eph. 2.24 Gal. 6.20 39 We may pray especiallie both for our selues and also for certaine others yet so that our minde depart not from the beholding the comminaltie Speciall prayer 40 When we say that he is in heauen we signifie that he is not kept in some one country because the heauen of heauens do not conteine him* but that hee is spread abroad throughout all Which art in heauen 1 Kin. 8.37 Ie. 60.1 that when wee seek him we may be lifted vp aboue all sense of bodie and soule Secondlie he is set aboue all change and corruption Finallie he comprehendeth all the whole world and gouerneth it by his power Wherfore this is as muche as if hee had been said to be of infinite greatnes or highnes of an incōprehensible essence of infinite power of eternall immortalitie Hallowed be thy name 41 The summe of the first petition is The first petition that we desire that God may haue the honour whereof he is worthy that men may neuer speake or think of him without great reuerence against which profaning is set By Name we meane his power goodnesse wisedome righteousnesse mercy truth which cary vs to wonder at him prouoke vs to set forth his praise Name Therfore we desire that that name may be sanctified and that God will deliuer that holy name from all reproch and contempt Hallowed yea that he will bring all mankind vnder his reuerence and that all vngodlinesse may be abolished Let thy kingdome come 42 The kingdome of God hath two partes one that God will reform all the wicked lusts of the flesh by the power of his Spirite The partes of the kingdome of God Secondly that he will frame all our senses vnto the obedience of his gouernment that he will defende his children and breake the indeuors of the wicked That doth he by the efficacie of his word which is called his scepter Therefore we craue that he will increase the number of the faithfull and increase their blessinges and also multiplie them that he will raigne in vs by his Spirite that by this meanes the filth of vices being driuen away perfect integritie may flourish vntill the last comming of Christ This prayer doth pull vs backe frō the corruptions of the world it kindleth a desire to mortifie the flesh it teacheth vs to beare the crosse forasmuch as God will haue his kingdome enlarged by this meanes Thy will be done 43 We speake not in this place of the secret will of God wherby God doth gouerne all things The third The will of God is double appoint them to their ende but of that which is made knowen to vs by the Scriptures wherto willing obedience doth aunswere And therefore the heauen and earth are expresselie compared togither Therfore we are commaunded to desire that like as nothing is done in heauen but according to the commandement of God and the Angelles are meekely framed vnto all righteousnesse so the earth may be brought vnder such gouernment as stubburnnesse and frowardnesse being extinguished Geue vs this day our dayly bread The second part The 4 petition 44 The second part followeth now wherein we descend to our owne profit By this we aske in generall of God all thinges which the vse of the bodie needeth vnder the elements of this world we commit our selues to his keeping and prouidence that he may feede Bread Our Dayly foster saue vs. This is no light exercise of faith We aske breade that we may be contented with that portiō which God giueth We call it ours in respect of the gift and daily that the immoderate desire of transitorie things may be bridled in vs Forgeue vs our debtes The fift 45 In this and the next Christ hath briefly cōprehended what soeuer maketh for the heauenlie life Like as the spirituall couenant consisteth onely vpon these two members which couenaunt God hath made for the saluation of his Church I will write my lawes in their hartes and I will be mercifull to their iniquitie* Ier. 31.33 33 8. Sinnes are debts He calleth sinnes debtes because we owe the punishment therof neither could we by anie meanes make satisfaction vnlesse wee should be discharged by this remission and we desire to haue this remission as wee forgiue our debters Remission conditionall that is as wee spare all men and pardon all men by whome soeuer we haue bin hurt in a thing either by deede or word Therefore vnlesse we forgiue we shal not be forgiuē And yet ther is no merit in our remission but the Lord meant by this meanes to help the weaknesse of our faith that it may be not a cause but a signe of our debt which is forgiuen vs. And leade vs not c. 46 Because we haue a continuall combate The Sixt. we desire to be furnished with weapons and to be ayded that we may be able to get the victorie Tentations are manifest And nowe there be manie formes of temptations For euen the euill desires of the minde which prouoke vs to transgresse the Law which either concupiscence putteth into our mindes or the deuill doth rayse are temptations and those thinges which of their owne nature are not euill are notwithstandinge through the subtiltie of Sathan made temptations to drawe vs from God And they are either on the right hand as richesse power honour c. or on the lefte as pouertie contempt afflictions c. through the sweetnesse wherof we are either drunken or else we are offended with their bitternesse and so cast from vs our hope And we say that God leadeth into temptation when he giueth ouer the reprobate whom he hath depriued of his Spirit How god doth lead into temptation to become the bondslaues of Sathan which is a sure testimonie and token of his vengeance For thine is the kingdome 47 Furthermore this is the sound rest of our faith to wit that the kingdome is Gods and the power and the glorie for euer Amen is added whereby is expressed the earnestnesse of our desire to obtaine those things which we haue asked of God 48 We haue what so euer we ought to aske of God taught vs by Christ Mat. 17.5 whome the Father hath appointed to be our teacher* Mat. 17.5 and who is his eternall wisedome * Ies 11.2 Therefore this prayer is
To this are referred burnt offerings drinke offerings oblations Ioh 19.30 first frutes peace offerings* but the sacrifice of cleansing was so offred by Christ alone so finished that there is no place left afterward for anie other sacrifice 1 Sacrifice of purging 14 Wherfore the shauelings by Massing commit blasphemie and that such as is not to be suffered both against Christ and against his sacrifice when they thinke vpon the repeating of the oblation and of newe remission of sinnes 15 Euen Plato doth sufficientlie reproue their vanities wheÌ„ he derideth them very wittilie Platoes scoffe which thought that their wickednesse was couered with these as with veiles and hauing made as it were a couenant with God did more careleslie pamper themselues he seemeth altogether to allude to the vse of the cleansing of the Masse 16 Vnder the other kinde of sacrifice which wee called the sacrifice of thanksgiuing 2 The sacrifice of thankesgiuing all offices of loue are contained which when we doe toward our brethren we honour the Lord himselfe in his members againe all our praiers praises thanksgiuing and whatsoeuer we do to the worship of God which is so necessarie for the church that it cannot be absent from the same* Mat. 1.11 Rom. 12.1 Ph. 4.18 17 Such workes had the name of sacrifices giuen them not onlie in the new testament * Heb. 13.15 1 Pet. 2.9 but also in the old * Osee 14.3 Psal 51.21 The abhomination of the Masse and in this sense all the faithful are called Priests 18 What remaineth but that the blinde may see the deafe may heare and very children may vnderstand this abhominatioÌ„ of the Masse Which being offered in the golden cup hath made all kings of the earth people so drunke that being more blockish then verie beasts they haue placed the ship of their saftie in this one only deadlie gulf This is that Helena for whom the enemies of the truth fight so couragiouslie 19 These are the things which we thought good to speake concerning the two Sacraments There be but 2 Sacramentes Baptisme is the entrance into the Church the vse whereof was deliuered to the Churche of Christe from the first beginning of the newe Testament to the ende of the worlde namelie that Baptisme shoulde be as it were a certaine entrance into the Church and the entring or beginning of faith and the Supper is as it were continuall food The Supper is the dayly food wherewith Christ doth spirituallie feed the familie of his faithfull For that cause it is often repeated but baptisme is not so 20 Therefore let the church of Christ bee content with these two neither let it not onlie admit anie thirde for the present time but not so much as desire it or wait for it vntill the end of the worlde For it belongeth to God alone to erect a sacrament seeing it belongeth to him alone both to promise also to giue saluation CHAP. XIX Of the fiue sacraments falslie so called where it is declared that the fiue other be no sacraments which haue been hitherto commonlie taken for sacraments and also it is shewed what maner of things they be 1 NOW let vs come to the other 5. Sacraments whereto the Papistes haue falslie giuen the name of sacraments seeing they haue neither commandement nor promise God alone doth institute a Sacrament 2 Furthermore we must hold this stronglie that it belongeth to God alone to institute a Sacrament Obiect The old church did hold that there bee seuen Sacraments An. That cannot be proued for when they speak of those signes which ought to bee testimonies of gods grace toward vs they are content with these two namelie Baptisme and the Lordes Supper 1. Of confirmation What confirmation is 4 It was a custome in times past to present the childreÌ„ of christians to the Bishop that they might fulfill that dutie which was required of those which being growen vp did offer themselues to bee baptized For they sate among those that were to be catechised vntill beeing well instructed in the mysteries of faith they coulde make confession of their faith before the Bishop and the people Catechisme then they were examined according to the forme of the Catechisme which was then common And to the end this action might haue more reuerence and dignity they laid their hands vpon them Laying on of handes Which ceremonie I commend and could wish it were restored at this day to his pure vse 5 But the latter age hath put I wote not 〈◊〉 feigned confirmation for a Sacrament of God Feigned confirmation hauing in a manner blotted out the thing it selfe Obiect Confirmation giueth the holie ghost for increase of grace which is giuen in baptisme for innocencie it strengtheneth them to the battaile which in baptisme are regenerate to life which is done with annointing and this forme of wordes I signe thee with the signe of the holie crosse and I confirme thee with the Chrisme of saluation The forme of popish confirmation in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghost An. It is trimlie handsomely done But seeing there is no word of God this sacrilegious boldnesse cannot be excused 6 Obiect We might imitate the Apostle Act. 8 15. To geue the holie ghost which by laying on of hands gaue the holie ghost An. This was an especiall gift in the Apostles lasting but for a time Furthermore they gaue the spirite visiblie which the shauelings doe â—ot 7 Obiect Our ointment is the oile of saluation Popish oyntment An. Who taught you to seeke saluation in oyle Ob. It hath force to strengthen Gal. 4.9 Col. 2.20 An. But Paul draweth vs farre froÌ„ the elements of this world who condemneth nothing more then to sticke to such petie obseruations* Surelie they whiche call oyle the oyle of saluation doe renounce the saluation which is in Christ 8 Againe whereas they attribute more to confirmation then to baptisme because baptisme cannot well be made perfect without confirmation Christians annointed do they not inforce vppon vs their diuelishe wickednesse 9 Obiect All the faithfull must receiue the holy ghoste by the laying on of handes after baptisme that they may be found perfect Christians because he shall neuer be a Christian vnlesse he be annointed with the Bishops confirmation An. Then Christ doth onlie begin Christians the oyle doth make them perfect By this sentence the Apostles Martyrs and a great sort of christians are condemned which were not annointed The dignitie of the popish annoynting 10 Obiect Holy annointing must be more reuerenced then baptisme because it is administred properlie by the hands of the chiefest bishops Baptisme is distributed commonly by all Priests An. O sacrilegious mouth darest thou set fat or oyle defiled onlie with the stinch of thy breath and charmed with mumbling of words against the sacrament of Christ and compare
not poured out * Psal 145.9 6 Also in the secōd sort of his works which happen beside the ordinary course of nature Extraordinary workes there appeare as euident argumentes of his powers For in gouerning the societie of men he doth so temper his prouidence that although he be infinite wayes bountifull and beneficiall toward men Mercy yet notwithstanding he declareth by dayly iudgementes and manifest his clemencie to the godly and his seueritie to the wicked Iudgement Why God doth suffer the wicked to tryumph for a time Whence the iudgement of God is gathered Quest Why doth God oftentimes suffer the wicked to triumph vnpunished for a time and doeth permit the good to be tossed with much aduersitie and also with the malice of the wicked An. When as he punisheth one wickednes with a manifest iudgement of his wrath we must knowe that he hateth all wickednesse whē he letteth manie go vnpunished we must know that there shal be another iudgement wherein they be deferred to be punished In like sort howe great matter doth he minister vnto vs to consider his mercie when as he oftentimes sheweth mercie without being wearie toward miserable sinners Clemency vntill he haue brokē their frowardnesse with doing good to them in calling them home with his more then fatherly tendernesse 7 To this ende when the Prophet setteth down that God doth at a sodeine and contrarie to their expectation helpe miserable men when their affaires are past hope * Psal 107.9 113.7 he gathereth at length that those which are counted fortunate chaunces are as manie testimonies of the heauenly prouidence of God and especially of his fatherly clemencie and that hereby the godly haue matter of ioy ministred vnto them What matter of ioy the godly haue and that the mouthes of the wicked are stopped 8 But in those things we wonder at the power of God The knowledge of God commeth by the euent of thinges and kisse his wisedome Therefore we see that there needeth no longer nor laborious demōstration to set out those testimonies which serue to set forth the maiestie of God whereby we are inuited to the knowledge of God not that which is content with a vaine speculation and doth swimme about onely in the braine but that which shall be sound and frutefull 9 Secondly such knowledge ought not only to raise vs vp to worship God Worship Hope of eternall life but also to awake and lift vs vp to hope for the life to come For when we consider that the tokens which the Lorde sheweth both of his clemencie and also of his seueritie are onely begun and halfe full without doubt we must consider that he doth herein onely make a shew of those things the manifestation and ful deliuerance whereof is deferred vnto another life * Aug. lib. 1. de cruitate Dei Cap. 8. 10 But howe clearely so euer he represent both him selfe and also his immortall kingdome in the mirrour of his works such is our blockishnesse we stand alwayes amazed at such euident testimonies so that they passe away without doing vs any good Mans blockishnes For as touching the framing of the world how manie be there among vs who whiles they either looke vp toward heauen or cast their eyes aside vpon diuerse countreyes of the earth do referre their mind vnto the remembrance of the Creator and do not rather stay in the viewing of the workes created passing ouer the Creator Extraordinary workes And as touching those which come to passe besides the order of the naturall course where is there one that doth not rather thinke that men are whirled and turned about by the blind rashnesse of fortune then gouerned by the prouidence of God 11 Hence came that huge sinke of errors wherewith the whole world hath bene filled and ouerwhelmed Whence naturall idolatrie doth come For euerie mans wit is to him selfe as a maze so that it is no maruell that all nations were brought into diuerse deuises And not that only but also that almost euerie seuerall man had his seueral God For so soone as rashnesse and wantonnesse were ioyned to ignorance Rashnes ioyned with ignorance hath brought forth idolatrie Stoicks and darknesse there was scarce anie one found which did not frame to him selfe an idoll or fansie in steede of God 12 And if so be it the most excellent men did wander in darkenesse such as were the Stoicks and the misticall diuinitie of the Aegyptians who doting with reason faigned to thē selues more Gods what shall we say of the scourings of the people Paul pronoūceth that the Ephesians were without God * Eph. 2.12 Idolaters are without God vntill they had learned out of the Gospell what it was to worship the true God And to the ende the Scripture may make place for the true and one God it condemneth all falshood lying whatsoeuer god-head was worshipped in olde time among the Gentiles * Rom. 1.21 The Samaritanes wist not saith Christ what they did worship * Heb. 2.10.20 Whereupon it followeth that we do alwayes worship at all aduentures which notwithstanding is no small fault vnlesse God do witnesse of him selfe from heauen and declare to vs by his word what he will haue done Naturall lights being lighted for the knowledge of God 13 Therefore so manie burning lampes do shine in vaine in the edifice of the world to set forth the glorie of the author which do so shine round about vs that yet notwithstanding they are not able to bring vs into the right way of thēselues They raise indeede some sparkles but they are choked before they shewe foorth anie perfect light The inuisible godhead is I grant represented by such spectacles * Heb. 11.13 but we haue no eyes to see the same * Rom. 11.19 vnlesse they be lightened by the inward reuelation of the spirite through faith Why we are not excused before God 14 Obiect If we want naturall power so that we can not clime vp vnto the pure and manifest knowledge of God we shall be holden excused if we worship not God as we ought An. All colour of excuse is cut of because the fault of so great dulnesse is within vs neither can we so pretend ignorance but that euen our verie conscience shall alwayes conuince vs both of sluggishnesse and vnthankefulnesse CHAP. VI. That a man hath neede to haue the Scripture to be his guide that he may attaine to the knowledge of God the Creator 1 THerefore although that brightnesse which shineth before al mens eyes in the heauen earth doth spoile mans vnthankfulnesse sufficiently of all defence The creation yet God hath giuen another a better help namely the light of his word The word of God is giuen to saluation that he might thereby be knowen to saluation And this prerogatiue did he vouchsafe to bestowe vpon those whom he would gather nigher