that the word of the Lord came vnto Abraham in a vision saying Feare not Abraham I am thine exceeding great reward And Abraham said Oh Lorde God what wilt thou giue me seeing I goe childlesse Beholde to me thou hast giuen no seede wherefore a seruaunt of myne house shall be myne heire Then the worde of the Lorde came vnto him saying One that shall come out of thine owne bowells hee shall be thine heire Moreouer he brought him foorth and sayde Looke vp nowe vnto heauen and tell the starres So shall thy seede be And Abraham beleeued the Lord and he accounted that to him for righteousnesse By this testimonie we see that Abraham was accoūted righteous not in part righteous or half righteous but with out any addition it was sayde of him that he was righteous before he had any sonne and therefore before he could offer vp his sonne in sacrifice euen then when he made complaint vnto God for that he had no sonne and therefore a seruaunt must bee his heire beleuing the promise that thē was made vnto him for a seede and posteritie that shoulde come out of his owne loynes that fayth was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse and hee him selfe accepted of as righteous before the Lorde Iames sayth that hee was iustified when his owne sonne Isaac was offered vppon the altar and that this deede of his in not refusing to kill his onely sonne for a sacrifice at the commaundement of God did so please the Lorde that he was iustified for it In the other place alledged the holy Ghost affirmeth that hee was iustified before his sonne Isaac was borne euen at that time when the promise was giuen forth that he should haue a sonne and that the beleeuing of this good will of God towardes him herein did so please the Lorde that he accounted of him as righteous for it Howe then Doth the holy Ghost differ from him selfe God forbid But the Apostle Sainte Iames attributeth that to the effect for being ioyned with his cause which the holy ghost in that other place giueth vnto the true and originall cause alone As if one man wold iustifie a workman and commend him aboue others for workes that hee hath seene him do and an other would in like manner iustifie the same but for the inward skill knowledge and conceiuing that he hath of the rules and principles of that trade or occupation what so euer which skill he may discerne by his speache albeit he neuer sawe him worke And albeit a man may say that he is a good workman bicause his worke is good yet if a man wil speake properly he must say he is a good workeman bycause his skill is good For his good skill in that trade is the cause of his good workmanshippe and the goodnesse thereof commeth from thence as from the proper founteine and cause Nowe euerie man knoweth that when any man is commended for his worke it is bycause of the skill and knowledge that appeareth therein and is ioyned therewith as the onely cause and occasion thereof Euen so bycause our fayth appeareth in our good woorkes as our skilfull knowledge dothe in our skilfull workmanship that is giuen to good woorkes which is peculiar vnto fayth as the proper cause thereof and a man shall bee called a skilfull woorkman for his skilfull workmanship when notwithstanding it is most assured that his skilfull knowledge is before his skilfull woorke as also the cause thereof and hee iustly may be called skilfull for it notwithstanding he should bee kept from vttering that his skill in worke many yeres after the perfect knowledge thereof The holie Ghost therefore in Genesis iustifieth Abraham as skilfull for his skill alone and in that epistle of Iames he iustifieth him as skilful of that worke wherein so much skil appeared For it may be lawfull vnto me for the better vnderstanding hereof to resemble fayth by skill and good deedes by skilfull workmanshippe bycause as good workmanship hath all the commendation for the good skill that appeareth in it so haue good woorkes all their praise from the fayth that hath begotten them and is necessarily ioyned with them This is also to be added that bycause there is not in our workes that perfection that is required we are constreyned to stand to the mercie of God and to seeke refuge there by a true fayth and this is the cause why we magnifie faith which otherwise is imperfect as be all things that are in vs bicause it applieth the mercy of God vnto vs wherby our sinnes are pardoned and the want that is in our worke not imputed And for proofe that the Apostle Sainte Iames giueth not that title vnto woorkes to iustifie but bycause of the fayth whiche hath begotte those workes and which is ioyned with them and couereth the imperfections that is in them in the same place where he ascribeth righteousnesse vnto Abraham for offering vp his sonne hee sayth that this scripture was fulfilled Abraham beleeued and it was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse and he was called the friende of God So that all the commendation of this woorke is included in faith and giuen vnto it for the fayth of the doer For other wise hee should haue sayde Abraham wrought and that was receiued bycause it was righteous seeing hee had stoode vppon the commendation of his workes so muche immediately before and was euē yet in the same matter But he sayth Abraham beleeued and that was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse They would match workes with faith in iustification and the Apostle when hee speaketh most of works doth shrowd them vnder fayth saying after mention of his best woorke that this Scripture was fulfilled in it Abraham beleeued and that was imputed to him for righteousnesse and not receiued in the righteousnesse and deseruing of it selfe and he was called the friend of God. And in the eleuenth Chapter to the Hebrues all the woorkes of the godly fathers are ascribed vnto fayth and by name in the seuenteenth verse of that Chapter this deede of Abraham is fathered vpon his faith For workes are so farre from iustifying vs that the cause why they them selues are iustified is in fayth For without fayth it is impossible to please God. And in this chiefe worke of Abraham that nowe wee haue heard of that Scripture of imputing righteousnesse vnto him was fulfilled Therefore the worke did not stande in any account for the worthinesse thereof but onely bycause the Lorde did impute it vnto him for righteousnesse which thing also it did not attaine vnto of it selfe but bycause of fayth whiche was ioyned with it It is to be noted that the Apostle Sainte Iames speaketh here but of one woorke as the offering vp of his sonne and that woorke also not done but onely purposed to be done If therefore his meaning had beene to debate the worthinesse of woorkes and what place they haue in the purchase of our saluation hee would haue taken woorkes
necessitie whatsoeuer indureth longer then they wishe or increase vpon them after their suite made for deliueraunce because the Lord wil worke a more glorious worke in their deliuerance for the comfort and increase of their faithe notwithstanding it be some long time after shall we say the Lorde hathe reiected their prayers because he hath delayed so long God forbidde For the Lorde according to the good counsel of his will hath not iustified the innocencie and good causes of his sometimes no not before their death And as it hath bene said of the time so likewise is it to be thought of the meanes maner of helping relieuing vs if that hath ben other then we coulde haue prescribed shall we denie the Lord to haue hearde our suites because the helpe that we haue had hath not beene in the same manner that we haue conceiued to be best This one thing we haue often to call to remembrance that before the request of these outward necessities there is the desire of doing his will here in earth to teach vs that the Lord is thus helpful in outward necessities oppressing them vnto the prayers of suche as haue not onely the knowledge of his will but also the desire to do it For that goeth before the other in our prayer therfore in our desire in as much as true praier goeth not without the desire of the hart vnto the request of the tongue Those therfore that looke for these outward blessinges when they call vnto the Lord must learne both to know what his will is reueled in his word also to haue a desire to doe the same For vnto those that thus worship him the Lord hath promised to incline his eare according as it is written in these wordes We knowe that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God doth his wil him heareth he putting them in hope of beeing heard that be worshipers of him making those the worshippers not that do vnto him whatsoeuer liketh them but that are doers of his liking wil which is opened to vs in his word To the confirmation of this may be added that which is written in the first Epistle of S. Iohn in these wordes whatsoeuer we aske we receiue of him because we do those thinges whiche are pleasing in his sight By this it appeareth that witches sorcerers whiche wil haue the name of wisemen and wise women who are thought to do so many things with prayer cannot preuaile with the Lorde to obteine these outward thinges of him in fauour and goodwil for of all people they are the most ignorant of his will therefore of his worship But as euen nowe it was proued if any man be a worshipper of God and a doer of his will him heareth he Those are they to whō the Lord hath made promise that he wil be mercifully inclined vnto in their prayers petitions he is nighe vnto al that call vpon him in trueth he wil fulfil the desire of thē that feare him he wil heare their crie and will saue them The Lord preserueth all them that loue him saith the holy Ghost It may so fal out that the prayers of witches such like may be instrumentes of his iustice for the punishment of sinne in others and for the hardening of their own harts but it is as sure as the lord liueth that they neuer obteine any thing by their prayers to their good in fauour good liking of the lord But as for the seruants of God they are in assured hope to haue their prayers heard whē they shal cal vpon the Lord in their outward distresses for they are persuaded as the truth is in deede that it standeth vpō the name glorie of the Lord to stand by his in their necessities for to succour and help them as the matter shall require Wherefore they require it as a part of his owne glorie as an argument and assurance that he reigneth here in earth as a matter that is agreeable to his good pleasure and will according as they haue learned out of his word whiche giueth them an assured hope of beeing heard and maketh them bolde to call vppon him knowing that his owne glorie the renoune of his owne kingdome and a matter that is agreeable to his owne good liking and will is in hande while their distresses wants are brought before the Lord to be holpen relieued by him A manifest confirmation proofe of this is to be found in the Psalme In the whiche place the prophet speaketh much in the beginning of extolling the name of God of meditating the beautie of his glorious maiestie of shewing foorth the glorie of his kingdome and speaking of his power after this it followeth that the Lorde vpholdeth all that fall that he fulfilleth the desire of them that feare him that he wil heare their crie and will saue them as if the glorie of his name and renoune of his kingdome were seene in this to lift vp his that fall to heare their crie and saue them And no doubt the Lord will haue it knowen here vpon earth that he is Lorde ouer all true faithfull in his word by the helpe and defence that he will graunt vnto his whensoeuer in their distresse they shal by faithful prayer resorte vnto him His meaning is to leaue manifest and plaine profe that he ruleth herein earth euē by that mercie that he hath to bestowe vpon his who cal and crie vnto him in their necessitie with an assured hope of being heard For the glorie of his name the honour of his kingdome and the good pleasure of his will go ioyntly together with the hearing regarding of their cause according as they are set before this petition in this fourme of prayer that is prescribed by the lord Where before we make mention of daily bread there is request made for the halowing of his name the comming of his kingdome and dooing his wil because euen then when he relieueth the necessities of his that call vpon him his name is hallowed his kingdome commeth and that is perfourmed which is agreeable to his will. This cannot but minister hope and comfort vnto vs in all our necessities that his honour and glorie is after a manner darkened in our distresse and as it were suffereth in the same which the lord God cannot but erecte and aduaunce and therefore fauour our distresse wherevnto his owne honour is so neerely ioyned Nowe let vs pray c. ¶ The xvij Lecture vppon the 12. and 13. verses 12 And forgiue vs our debts as we also forgiue our debters 13 And lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs frō euil for thine is the kingdome and the power and the glorie for euer Amen IN this petition we do require the forgiuenesse of our sinnes wherein wee are to vnderstande that by this worde sinne is not onely ment the guiltines that we haue brought in
The Children of God by the eyes of faith see a secret blessing promised which they apprehend by hope when as the common sorte wanting this eye cast away all hope vnlesse by a sensible manner they perceiue and presently may groape the goodnes and help of god The man that will take no knowledge that there is wante of faithe in him but doth professe as the most wil do that he trusteth in God with all his heart and that there is no mistrust of God in any parte or corner thereof is to be sent back to his doeings and thoughts that are and haue beene in him in the time of his troubles dangers pouertie or decay to consider if there haue beene thē in his hart no more doubting fearing or suspecting to bee prouided for from the Lorde then hath beene in other times by this meanes if there bee any sense or iudgement in him he shall be constrained to confesse the weaknesse of his faith so seeke his comfort in Christ beeing conuict within him selfe of suche mistrust and vnbeliefe as the lawe doeth accurse and condemne For if a man wil not willingly be wise in the beguyling of him selfe he may soone see and perceiue a greate diuersitie in him selfe at those times that where so longe as hee had helpes and and holdes to go by he was comfortable bolde confident those beeing taken away hee is become without all courage comforte or hope If there were no want of faith how could there bee any lack of comforte or hope If his confidence were not in the meanes how could he be as a man with out all hart or hope so soone as the meanes are either vtterly taken away or else diminished especially seeing the goodnesse of the Lord whiche is the ground of faith indureth for euer And that the man whiche will take no knowledge of the want of his faith may bee brought to the sighte of himselfe let him well consider with himselfe what shoulde bee the cause that when he hath aboundance and wanteth no necessarie help he is so exceeding sparing and carelesse in his manner of seruing and seeking of the Lorde in respect of the feare and care that he is in so soone as he shall be any way distressed and the paynes also that then he taketh in his manner of seruing the Lorde if his faith be at both times one why shuld his care whiche doth bewray his feare be almoste none at one time and so plentifull at another but onely that there was want of faith before albeit he coulde not espie it the meanes standing as a myst or a cloude betweene him and the light that would teache him truly to discerne The man therefore that boasteth of the perfection of his faith not feeling any want therin denying that he trusteth in his riches friendship authoritie or wealth muste bee willed to sette them a while aside in his thoughts and considerations imagining seriously and in good earnest that he had them not then let him aske his conscience truly serch out his spirits whither he could be as confident comfortable and hopefull in his heart in the wanting as in the hauing thereof his heart will then tell him the contrarie if he search truely and throughly and his deedes will declare no lesse For we shall se such as couragious and as confident as may be in their wealth credit and health and when they are taken away as faint and feeble as men that neither haue hart nor hope Thus must a man be sifted both in abundance and want that in the true sight of his pouertie he may be forced carefully thankfully to lay hould vpon the mercies brought by Iesus Christ As for vs that professe we know Christ are led to magnifie his mercies by the experiēce of sinne that we haue within our selues Let vs remember that it is our parte to declare that we are his and in him by dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto righteousnesse Let vs therefore bee ashamed to beare the name of Christ to carrie the coūtenance of them that loue his gospell and yet in our nccessities to bee as mistrustfull and as readie to helpe it by one vnlawfull shift or other as euer we were or as they are that neither professe nor knowe the gospell Let vs be ashamed to professe the gospell and in the meane time to be at no more mislyking nor warre with our mistrustfull thoughtes then wee haue beene when wee had no knowledge of the same Hath not the Lord therefore died that by his power we might die vnto sinne hath he not appeared to weaken the power and strength of sinne in those that be his that although they cānot driue sinne from being at all in the flesh yet they might driue it from reigning and rulinge in them abeating the power and force thereof How can men thinke then that there is any trueth of Christianitie begunne in them beeing in the same manner affected towarde their mistrustfull thoughtes and euil shiftes that proceede thereof as they were from the beginning ere euer they knewe the word and Gospel of their GOD hauing no more hatred of them nor greater war and strife with them It is true that the Lord in mercie for Christ couereth the sinnes of his but it is as true that the Lorde cureth the sinnes of his It cannot be denyed but that for Christe he doeth pardon the sinnes of his seruantes neither may we deny but that in Christ he doeth also purge the sinnes of his seruants Let vs therefore brethren resorte vnto God by faithful prayer that as he hath taken away the condemnation of sinne so he would more and more abolish the rule and kingdome thereof Our hope is great for our promises are many our capteine is stronge our enemie hath often beene foyled euen in fraile flesh as feeble as we bee but the conquerors haue euer beene careful much giuen to vse the meanes of the word and prayer often in the fielde with their owne affections hauing vpon them the compleate harnesse of a Christian Now let vs pray vnto our heauenly father that wee may so see our wante of faithe that wee may truely magnifie the grace and mercie of GOD in Christe whiche couereth the imperfection thereof and also that we may haue such strength from the power of his death that by the meanes thereof we may more and more preuaile bothe ouer our mistrustful nature in want and also ouer our carelesse and secure estate in plentie and abundance ¶ The second Lecture vpon the thirde fourth fifte and sixte verses 3 Thou shalt haue none other Gods before me 4 Thou shalt make thee no grauen image neither any similitude of things that are in heauen aboue neither that are in the Earth beneath nor that are in the waters vnder the earth 5 Thou shalt not bow downe to them neither serue them for I am the Lorde thy GOD a ielous God visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vppon the
hath done and boast of that none otherwise then if he shuld haue done it in his owne person Can this I say be thought reasonable vnto any that hath not had an other scholmaister then wit and reason to persuade him therein Can the naturall man bee persuaded that he must first be righteous and then do righteous things and not rather that in doing of many righteous deedes at length hee becommeth to bee accepted for righteous him selfe thereby Or can a naturall man bee persuaded that his fauour with God commeth wholy in respect of an other his doings who hath done him all this good and not rather that his owne doings haue done the moste for him and he that is especially beholding vnto them This commeth from an other teacher then any that wee haue at home it sauoureth not of the earth it is from aboue Ceasse therefore to maruell at suche diuersitie of doctrine when the scholemaisters that teach are so farre differing one from an other as heauen is from earth The seruauntes of God giue ouer their owne righteousnesse they finde nothing in it they doe clearely see it will not goe for payment and therefore doe betake themselues to the merites of an other Neither doe they onely say that they bee vnrighteous in them selues but with griefe doe finde and feele it to be so within them selues But howsoeuer they stand rotten in their own root they are notwithstāding strongly stayd in Iesus Christ whose obediēce they do make so great an account of as if it were their owne perfourmed by them selues The thirde thing that wee doe receiue with Christe is Sanctification or holinesse of life This sanctification followeth immediately after righteousnesse in the place which before I haue alledged For it is not onely requisite that wee should remaine righteous by the obedience of one man once perfourmed but that our whole life should continue consecrated vnto the seruice of him in bringing foorth such fruit as hee hath appointed That righteousnesse which before we haue heard of is as the tree and this holinesse is the fruit therof The nature of our Sauiour Christe was free from all infection not hauing in it any remnaunt or relique of sinne and therefore he was sanctification it selfe and perfectly sanctified When wee beginne to separate our selues from the common corruption of the worlde and bend our selues to purenesse of life approued before God this is the worke of Christe sanctifying and working true holinesse in vs For of our selues we are prophane and vnholy voyde of these fruites of righteousnesse whiche are wrought in vs by Christe The cause why a number do mislike such deedes and conuersation both in them selues and also in others which an other sort of men doe approue delight in following after them with all greedinesse of desire is for that Christ is become sanctification vnto the one sort of people and not vnto the other who continue in their prophane and corrupt wayes not finding any want therein when the other sort are vexed grieued to see such doings abound in others and tormented in them selues if at any time they shall of infirmitie slip into the like not ceasing to apply the meanes whereby they may get victorie ouer them Here ariseth a question necessarie to be discussed whether righteousnesse be in the children of God before sanctification and holinesse of life or good works and holy life do goe before iustification being in his before they be acceptable vnto god Wherein notwithstanding that which hath beene sayde alreadie may be thought sufficient vnto any indifferent man yet it shall not be amisse to adde some more force and strength vnto it It is proued that righteousnesse goeth before good workes Rom. 4.6 where the testimonie of Dauid is alledged pronouncing him blessed and happie to whome the Lorde imputeth righteousnesse without workes And leaste any man should thinke this to bee ment of the ceremoniall workes the verie wordes of the Prophete are cited in the next verse folowing affirming blessednesse to be in the remitting of sinns vnto vs and not in the admitting of good workes for vs If the Apostle doe ioyne with the Prophete in this that God imputeth righteousnesse without woorkes then must I demaund of the aduersaries whether this righteousnesse imputed without woorkes doth exclude all woorkes or but some woorkes If it be aunswered that all kynd of working is not seuered frō this iustification and righteousnesse the question is againe whether those workes that stand with iustification and righteousnesse goe before it or spring of it and so come after it Heere their aunswere is we are iustified withoute woorkes going before but not withoute workes folowing it making this iustification that is saide to be without woorkes to shut out onely those woorkes that are before a man be iustified but not the other For their opinion is that wee are iustified by them wherevpon it followeth necessarily that righteousnesse goeth before holinesse of life that good workes do followe from a man iustified alreadie and are not sent before to iustifie him therewith that was not accepted of God as righteous vntill those were perfourmed The Apostle is plaine in this matter to the Ephesians God which is riche in mercie euen when wee were dead in sinnes hath quickened vs c. There were no woorkes then that went before to quicken vs seeing it is sayde that when we were deade in sinnes not onely sinners but also deade in sinnes God hath quickened vs. This proueth plainely that our good workes and holinesse of life did not procure righteousnesse vnto vs when the matter is cleare that wee were dead in sinnes when he in mercie quickened vs. In like manner the Apostle proueth that holinesse of life is a fruite of them that bee alreadie the seruants of God but now sayth the Apostle beeing freed from sinne and made seruaunts vnto God you haue your fruit in holinesse and the end euerlasting life There is no woorke acceptable vnto God without fayth and persuasion of his good will towardes vs whether it be done at the desire of vaine glory or at the motion and instinct of nature iudging that woorke to bee lawfull and honest For it is fayth that doth purifie the heart and the ende of the commaundement is loue but so that it bee of a fayth vnfeined The tree must be good before the fruite can be good For an euil tree can not bring foorth good fruite Against this it will be excepted that Abraham in offering of his sonne Isaac vppon the altar as sayth the Apostle Iames was iustified and therefore that the works of men eyther vnrighteous before or else but in parte acceptable doe iustifie them and make them rightly to be accepted of God. It appeareth in Genesis that Abraham was iustified before Isaac was borne for the offering of whome vppon the altar the Apostle Iames sayth that Abraham was iustified For in that Chapter it is written