Lorde The blessed state of them that dy in the lord is permanēt they may hereby learne that not onely immediatly after their death they shal rest from their labours and enter vppon their rewarde and so bee blessed but that also this their state is certaine without any falling backe from it and therefore still their reward is called life euerlasting in the scriptures And surely if this be their state immediatly thenceforth without euer any dāger of falling backe to worse then of the contrary it must needs follow that quite contrary immediatly after their death shal be the state and condition of al that die not in the Lord and that there is no hope for euer for them to attaine vnto a better What neede there then a general iudgement will some say I answere for two causes that the bodies thē may be restored to their soules againe that both the ioies of the faithful paines of the faithles to the ful manifestatiō both of gods mercy iustice may be cōsummate and ful that so god thē may outwardly solemnly iustify before al the world his former particular iudgemēt which imediatly before at euery mās death he had laid vpon them Lastly we are not to passe ouer or forget how our aduersaries the Papistes abuse this last clause of the text For they hearing that workes follow such thereupon inferre that works merit eternal blisse The abuse of this place therby to prooue that workes merite confuted Indeed hereupon it followeth as I haue noted before that none haue a right faith in Christ but those that haue also good works to accompany them whensoeuer they dye in the Lord which I would not haue forgotten But hereupon to gather that our workes merite heauen we may not For then they should go before our being in the Lord be a cause therof whereas here it is only sayde that they follow and accompany such Which it should seeme that Augustine had obserued li. de Fide operibus ca. 14. when he said that good workes goe not before iustification but they follow a man iustified Let them therefore followe in Gods name as a fruit of a man in the Lorde but let them not step before as a cause of his being in the fauor of the Lord. And vnderstād that this argument is stark naught good workes shal be rewarded with heauēly blisse therefore they merite it Is no man rewarded but he which hath merited and deserued it first The heire when he commeth to his fathers lands is then wel rewarded for his paines he took in his fathers time yet hee hath not his inheritance for those his paines for then rather some seruant oftentimes should haue the inheritance but for that he was his fathers son heire before Euen so it is in this case we are born the sons of God by faith in Christ Ioh. 1.12 13. so coheires with him of heauen Rom. 8.17 thereby first and then follow good workes in vs not as a cause why we shal haue this inheritance but as a fruit effect flowing frō our thankful mindes to our heauenly father for this notable inheritance thus freely prepared for vs. And yet when we come to the inheritance because it cōmeth after these our works after a sort we may say that euē there by our paines in working are rewarded yet we haue not that reward for our workes but for that we working so were the sons heires of God But for the better loosing of al such popish knots vnderstād that it is not al one to say good works shal be rewarded and to say good works haue merited that rewarde For there are rewards giuen of mercy and so is this as well as of debt and duty Rom. 4.4 Againe there is great ods betwixt these two questions who shal bee saued and why man shal bee saued To the former we answere the well worker to the latter only for Christs sake apprehended by faith And therfore take this for the conclusion we shal be iudged Secundū operum indicium non propter operum meritū according to the testimony y our workes giue of vs not for the merit of our workes For it is writen Ephe. 2.8.9 We are saued by grace through faith that not of our selues it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast himself And yet this doctrine neither letteth nor staieth at al frō good works but is y◠only fountain indeed from whēce al true works do spring flow And therfore y◠Apo. Paul as you may obserue throughout al his epistles first laboreth to set down this doctrine then thereupon after buildeth exhortation to godlines of life the like course tooke Peter as you may see in his first epistle And yet these knewe how to prouoke to good works and in no case may be counted teachers of a doctrine enemy to good works Yea there is none indeed that hath grace to imbrace this doctrine effectually but therby he feeleth by experience his hart so enflamed with loue towardes God for his infinite mercy hereby displaied vnto him both in sauing him frō perishing and in thus freely preparing heauē for him that frō that loue of his there floweth riuers flouds of al thankfulnes in al true obedience to his God wherin he walketh chearfully cōfortably But the Papists being bastards no lawful children of the Lorde beeing not assured of this full and free fauor of his towards thē of a slauish feare with a seruile mind to earn heauē at his hands doe the good which they do Which indeed in matter maner of doing is such that though it carrye the shew of godlines yet it is not so indeede For the matter of good works they wil not fetch warrāt only frō gods reuealed wil in his word but matter good inough with thē For a good worke is any thing for the which they can alleage a traditiō of the elders or their own good intent Which kinde of works the Lord reiecteth as stincking in his sight Isa 29.13 Mat. 15.9 Co. 2.20 c. And as for their maner of doing it is like the Pharises ioyned with a conceit that therefore they may despise others trust to be heard at Gods hands for the merite of their works Which kinde of doing Christ hath cōdēned Mat. 6.1 Luk. 18.9 c. in forbidding vs to do our workes as the Pharisees did in sending home the proude Pharisee vniustified And therfore in very deed as they are without all true christian faith so are they without al true good works And therefore whosoeuer hath any thing to comfort himself by this place it is none of thē No doubt of it this noble mā whose body lieth here amongst vs to be encōbed though euen in outwarde shew of almes giuing other good works he ouermatched most merit mongers yet seeing he trusted only to the meries of Christ and neuer to his owne workes but did them only of loue and thankefulnesse towas his God is among those of whome it is here said Their workes accompany them and therfore now is in ioyful fruition of the reward thereof Whose example as wee that bee of the same faith are to followe that so with him we may bee in euerlasting remembrance both with God and good men as no doubt hee shall so it is an example to stoppe the mouths of the aduersaries that lyingly crye out that they that bee of our religion haue no good woorkes following them The secōd conclusiō Thus at last right honorable and dearely beloued we haue runne thorow this portiō of scrpture and considered both the generall and particular vse thereof And so first we haue heard how strongly it is warranted to conteine nothing but soūd truth namely that not whosoeuer knoweth or cōmeth ny but whosoeuer is by a true a liuely faith vnited vnto Christ dieth in him which is neither a miraculous historicall temporarie dead or popish faith but a faith seeking and apprehending saluation onely in Christ Iesus shal thēceforth be blessed immediatly in resting from all woe in body and soule and in entring vppon possession of their euerlasting rewarde and then thereby more particularly we haue obserued that therefore the body riseth againe and that the soule is neither mortall nor sleepeth that there is no popish purgatory nor any thing that can be done by others for soules departed that can doe them any good to ease or better their estate and finally that though here bee offered vs great encouragement to good workes yet here is nothing to proue that woorkes merite any thing at Gods hand All which doctrine and lessons our honourable friend here departed as I haue from point to point shewed you hath already found true by experience God of his mercy giue vs all grace so to set his example before vs that wee may so followe him that we may euery one of vs one day also to Gods glory and our own euerlasting comfort feele and finde the trueth thereof in our selues This O Lorde we beseech thee to grant vs all for thy onely sonne Iesus Christes sake to whome with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one euerliuing God be all power honour might and maiestie nowe and for euer Amen September 22. An. Do. 1594. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the Father and the most comfortable fellowship of the holy Ghost be with vs all now and euer to direct sanctifie and gouerne vs in all our waies works thoughts Amen FINIS
then whether these be not the greatest and include not the rest They cannot deny but these are punishments due for sinne that the greatest also including all other If therefore the Scripture teach vs that Christ hath freed vs from these then it is euident that he hath freed vs from all Wherefore marke that it is thus written Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnatioÌ„ to those that are in Christ Gal 3.13 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs. If it were not thus that they that beleeue in Christ were assured that Christ had freed them both from all their sinnes and also from their penalty due therefore how coulde it be true that we read Rom. 5.1.2 that they that are iustified by faith haue peace with God through Christ accesse to his grace wherin they stand reâ—olce And if there were not yet enough done to satisfie the iustice of God why did Christ say giuing vp the ghost cosummatum est it is finished Ioh. 19.30 And why is the promise to al Gods children vttered in these wordes Ierem. 31.34 I will forgiue their iniquitie and remember their sinnes no more Yea how can it stand with Gods iustice that hauing for-giuen to the beleeuer all his sinnes hee yet should punish him for them and cause him to satisfie for them Will God punish and driue to satisfaction where the cause is already taken away when he hath been satisfied at once already to the vttermost farthing as it is euident he hath beene in Chryst for al that beleue in him For other wyse Christ hauing taken vpon him to satisfie the iustice of his heauenlye Father shoulde not nor coulde not haue risen agayne ascended into heauen and sit at the right hand of his father Thereby it is euident that by his abasement he hath fully satisfied his father gone through with the work he took in haÌ„d is now able to apply the same to those the be his Yea but all this letteth not wil they say but that we may hold still that by our satisfactions God in part is satisfied seeing we graunt that they are made auailable satisfactions by Christes satisfaction Yea but that were yet to say that Christ purgeth his from their sinnes not by himself but by the helpe and sufferings of others the plaine contrary whereof wee reade Heb. 1.3 in these words He hath by himself purged our sinnes How say you then to manyfold afflictions and in the ende to death laid vppon them that beleeue say they I answeare that these are no satisfactions to God for sinnes already committed but they are his fatherly chastisements to admonish vs to repent vs of sinnes paste and to take heed of sinne hereafter And they are both occasions to them to exercise their vertues and to those that are without instructioÌ„s to take heed of going on in wickednes seeing the Lord so chastiseth his owne house And as for death the stinge thereof is taken away in respect of such soy howsoeuer it be remain the rewarde of sin to the vnbeleeuer yet to theÌ„ the beleeue it is but the last strok of the battel as the dore thorow which they passe froÌ„ this worlde full of misery to the next full of ioy and felicity It is a pitifull thing that of these they cannot tell what to make vnlesse they make them meanes to derogate from the most sufficient and infinite satisfaction made by Christ If the glory of Christ were deare vnto them as it ought they were perswaded as they should that he was both able willing to go thorow with the worke which he tooke in hand that is to be a perfect and a ful Sauiour in himselfe and by himselfe whatsoeuer they thought of theÌ„ they would not once dare to cause theÌ„ to encroch thus vpon his office Alas it is lighter then vanitie it selfe for them to say that by the vertue of Christ there is deserued for them that beleeue in him that eternall punishments due to theÌ„ should be turned into teÌ„porall y for his sake God will coÌ„tent himself with these For first it is a mere deuise of their owne head vtterly without warrant froÌ„ Gods reuealed wil in his word secoÌ„dly howe can it staÌ„d with any reason that he the for Christs sake wil forgiue the greater wil stick at the lesse that he that will forgiue the eternal punishment wil not for-giue the temporary And lastly what a toy is it to imagine that Christ tooke so much paines to satisfie the iustice of his heauenlye father to leaue the accomplishment thereof to the vncertainty of mens satisfactions And truely as you see by this that I haue said their vanity contrariety to the word writren in this particular pointe of their faith concerning remission of sinnes so if you will listen but a while you shall finde their fault as great in the next concerning their iustifying vp or making of themselues righteous by their owne righteousnesse done after faith Concerning which point you are to vnderstand dearly beloned that the quistyon betweene vs and them therein is not as they woulde make the woorlde beleeue whether Chryst be of power in them that beleeue aftertually to cause them to dye to sinne lyue to righteousnes For as you haue before hearde I haue already betermyned that vnlesse it be a faith arcâ—â—panyed with that power it is a deade and 〈◊〉 fayth And therefore wee as earnestlye 〈◊〉 them that beleue to bring forth fruits worthy of forth as they can doe for their lyues But herein lyeth the questyon whether fayth iustifye for the worke it bryngeth foorth or for Chrystes 〈◊〉 whom it apprehendeth and so whether wee may trust to these good fruites when wee haue brought them foorth as that the reby wee may thinke and beleue we are iustyfied before God 〈◊〉 maâ—ited to be saiâ—ed We say wee may not account other wyse of them then as of fruit as and â—â—â—rctes of out full iustification appreâ—â—â—ded in Christ seruing to the glory of God Mit. 5.16 and to testifie both to our seâ—â—â—â— and others that soluation is prâ—pâ—â—â—d for vs in Christ in heauen Iohn 13.35.2 Peâ— 1.5 And in no case â—arâ— we make them any cause eyther of our iustification or saluation But we say with Saint Barnard ser 1 de annâ—â—â—â—â—tione Mariâ— that thou canst not deserâ—e et â—â—â—all life by any woorkes 〈…〉 merites are not such that â—rerâ—all life 〈…〉 as that God shoulde doe man wrong if therefore he shoulde not giueÌ„ it for our good woorkes are Gods giftes and so for them wee are indebted to him and not hee to vs. They accompt of them as of a meritorious cause of their saluation and as of the formall cause of their iustification and therefore to that end they doe them and trust in them Wheras we hold that wee bee in the state of iustification onely for Chrysts sake apprehended by faith
next clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they traÌ„slate Now where as they know it is an aduerbe of affirming and not of time and signifieth Yea Also neuer now Why doe they not translate the saine word Mat. 5. Iam. 5. so also Which if they did theÌ„ we should read there for let your yea be yea let your now be now for let your speech be yea yea let your speech be now now But they found that their vulgar translation readeth it Iam. that is now Yea but they were not ignoraÌ„t that is now Yea but they were not ignoraÌ„t that truely the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could not be so translated but that they cared not for as long as thus to craÌ„ state it though against al reason seemed to souÌ„d better to countenance their Limbus PatruÌ„ for so they gather of it Now saith the spirit c. that is since Christs ascension that it in thus with them that die in the Lord as thought it had not beene so before And it would be noted that the Greek word that is translated labors doth not signify any aâ—tion or operatioÌ„ whatsoeuer but such labor as is wearisome tedious to the doer or sufferer For we must not thinke that the soules of the righteous separated from their bodies liue in idlenesse without exercising theÌ„selues in any kind of action For no doubt of it they are occupied in the contemplation of God wherin their felicity lieth and in praysing him with ioifulnes But we are therby to vnderstand that such is the case of them that die in the Lord that thenceforth immediatly for euer al wo griefe paine whatsoeuer ceaseth to theÌ„ both in body soule with is one part of their blessednes happines here spokeÌ„ of But because blessednes lieth not onely in a not feeling of wo paine but especially in fruition of some present permanent ioy comfort therfore the better to explane vnto vs what blessednes it is that they that die in the Lord thenceforth for euer haue atteined vnto immediately vppon the dissolution of their soule and body it is farther added that the workes of such accompany them that is that presently all the good works of such eueÌ„ vnto the giuing of a cup of cold water to one of gods little ones in the name of a disciple shal be rewarded in heauen with vnspeakeable ioy and felicitie Mat. 10.42 I read it rather And their workes accompany them because so traÌ„slated the force of the greeke is the better expressed For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signify to follow a far off but to follow hard at the heeles therfore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a hand maid besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more properly read with theÌ„ thaÌ„ after them Also thus reading it according to the sense of the greek the circumstaÌ„ce of the place is better answered which was to animate those that liued in the Lord also to die in the lord with hope of present blisse vpoÌ„ their death Wheras if it were read And their works follow them a cauiller to their discoÌ„fort might say that may be so though it be not before the end of a thousaÌ„d yeres after their death so in the meane time they may fry in purgatory And thus it is confirmed likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must here import immediatly theÌ„ce forth For if the reward of their workes followe them so that it is present at their heeles then there is no mean space betwixt And yet I would not haue it hereupon inferted that my meaning is that souls departed in faith haue streight their consummation and full crowne of glory that is prepared for them For I know that that shall not be before the generall resurrection and that the setting of the crown vpon their heads is deferred vnto Christs 2. comming And therfore Iohn in a vision Apo. 6.10 heareth the blessed soules in heauen cry aloud for that day though so that they are contented wtout griefe for to obey the Lord is all their ioy theÌ„ to tary the Lords leasure to abide his pleasure But hereby I would haue it gathered for so it may wel that straight their blisse is such shal be theÌ„ceforth the neither body nor soule shal euer feele the least grief or pain again that presently the soule is in possession fruition of so excellent an estate in heauen in respect wherof it may worthily thinke it selfe right blessed and happy and so fully rewarded for all the workes done by it in the body that it shal not haue cause to coÌ„plaine that any one worke is forgotten not rewarded Euen this therefore hath the Lord from heaueÌ„ in by this word blessed expressed which is a word of greatest importaÌ„ce that he could vse For in blessednes and happinesse both Philosophers and diuines hold that mans chiefe felicity consisteth whereunto in his whole life hee must aime Wherefore no doubt of it euen this state of them that die in the Lorde that by this word and the phrases following to explane it is ment is such a state that the state of princes Emperors in this life let theÌ„ be otherwise as happy as it is possible for meÌ„ to be in comparison hereof is but a misery For what state here is euer was or shal be so happy which is not intermingled was or shal be with some labor paine Yea euen in the delights here greatest ioyes of this world there is saciety wearisomnes and there is no certainty nor vnchangeablenes in states here the best most florishing are so subiect to mutability and alteration but in this there is no griefe of mind nor sickenes or paine of the body no Gangrena nor any other woe Apoc. 21.4 And in the ioies there is continuall comfort delight without wearisomnes and that such as is euerlasting vnutterable and vnconceiueable by the tongue or heart of man And this is now the state and hath bin euer since his departure of this Noble Earle our honourable brother and shal be thenceforth as both God and angels ful wel know we men need not once to doubt this shal be ours also if we liue and die in the Lorde as he hath done It is told vs all so from heauen it is recorded so by a faithful witnes and approued and ratified by the spirit of God God grant vs al grace to beleue it one day to trie the truth certainty of it in our own persons by experience In the mean time let vs somwhat further consider of the doctrine and of the words as they lie wherin it is vttered that we may not only see thus as we haue done hither to the generall principall lesson therein taught vs but also euery particular truth coÌ„firmed therby error confuted therin that we may make the vse of it fully for which it was writen The particular lessons to be learned herein
and that therefore wee shal bee saued for his sake onely and not for our workes at all Let vs now therefore heare what the Scripture sayth to the determination of this question That saying of Christ to his Luke 17.10 is directly contrary to their position where hee sayth when ye haue doone all those thinges that are commanded you say wee are vnprofitable seruantes wee haue doone that which was our duetie to doe For heereby not in way of curtesie as some of them haue sayde but in sadnesse we are taught that if wee kept the whole lawe in euery pointe which neuer man did but Christ that yet we are to account our selues so farre from hauing merited any thing thereby at Gods handes that we are to thinke we haue but payde him that which we ought him and therefore merited no more at his handes than an olde ill better may say he hath merited at his creditours handes when he payeth him but his hare owne How much more stronglye then doeth this place bynde vs from hauing that conceite of our woorkes when wee haue doone them that thereby we are iustified and merite heauen Seeing that the very best woorkers of vs al when wee haue doone what we canne yet finde our selues scarce able where wee owe God golde to paye him leade where wee owe him thousandes to pay him hundredes yea to aunswere him one of a thousande Iob. 9.3 in so much that the righteousnesse of the righteous is but as a steyned cloath Isa 64.6 And therefore Paul though hee wrote the Epistle to the Phillippians a litle before his death when hee was full of sufferinges for CHRIST and of all kinde of good woorkes yet he in the 3. Chapter therof protesteth not onelye in the preter tense that hee counted all his pharisaicall righteousnesse before his conuersion but all then in the present tense but doung that hee might winne Christ and might be founde in him not haning his owne righteousnesse which is of the Lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of GOD through fayth verse 8.9 Wherefore hee boldlye concludeth Titus 3.5 thus Not by the woorkes of righteousnesse which no doubt are woorkes doone in fayth for otherwyse they were not to be called woorkes of righteousnesse but rather woorkes of vnrighteousnesse which wee haue doone but according to his mercy he saued vs. Now to make it cleare that by this righteousnesse of GOD whereby Paule through faith in Christ woulde bee righteous before GOD is ment not an inherent righteousnesse in mans owne selfe Paul opposeth it to that righteousnesse in himselfe And besides Romanes 10.1.2.3 they are seuered in that the one is called the righteousnesse of God the other mans owne righteousnesse But most cleare is that Romains 1.17 where hee affirmeth that that righteousnesse which is called the righteousnesse of GOD is reuealed by the Gospell from faith to faith For it is written The iust shall liue by fayth Whereby it is most euident that this inherent righteousnes which they would haue to make theÌ„ righteous by is reuealed by the morall law And therefore you shall finde that Paul Rom. 10.5.6 7.8.9 distinguisheth the righteousnes of the lawe from the righteousnes that commeth by faith And Rom. 3.21 that hee in plaine tearmes thus determineth this matter Now is the righteousnes of God made manifest without the law hauing witnesse of the Law and the Prophetes to witte the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vppon all that beleeue Which coulde not bee if the righteousnes of God were the good workes that are in men for we come to the knowledge of theÌ„ by the Lawe This is called the righteousnesse of God in an excellencye because the righteousnesse of Christ is the righteousnesse of one that is God and is indeede a righteousnesse absolute before God for the which he cannot but account them righteous to whom it is imputed by fayth In an inferiour sort the godlynesse in Gods children maye be called a righteousnesse of God because it is wrought in them by his spirite but yet as appeareth by these places it is not that righteousnesse whereby we may dare perswade one selues that wee are made righteous before hym but onely a fruite proceeding from that applyed first vnto vs and then testifiyng thereof Further howe could it be sayde truely that life euerlastyng is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the free gift of God Ro. 6.23 if it come at all by meryte To imagyne that it may come of grace and also of workes it is flat agaynst Paul Rom. 11.6 where he sayth If it be of grace it is no more of works or else were grace no more grace but if it be of works it is no more grace or else were work no more woorke In which woordes he deâ—ermineth saluation to come by merite of workes and by grace to bee so contrarye the one to the other as if it come the one way it cannot come at al by â—he other It cannot bee sayde to the shifting off of this place with any reason that here by works are meant workes onely done before faith for he speaketh generally heere of woorkes without distinction And therefore very well saide August contra Pelag. Caelest lib. 2. cap. 24. Gods grace shal be grace no way vnlesse it be free euery way and the drift of the Epistle to the Galath is flatly and directly against such as would be saued partly by grace through faith in Christ and partly by their workes following faith For they were neuer taught by the false Apostles neithee did they then holde iustification by workes done before faith or by workes alone And yet Paul speaking to the purpose to confute them saith If righteousnes come by the lawe Christ died in vaine Gal. 2.21 Chap. 5.4 ye are albolished froÌ„ Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the lawe ye are fallen from grace Vpon which ground said Augustine in his preface vppon the 31. Psal If thou wilt haue nothing to doe with grace boast thy merits and Chrysostome 3. ad Gal. saith thus â—hey saide accursed is hee that leaneth onely to faith Paul sheweth that hee that so doeth is blessed And Ambrose also vpon the same warrant 1. Cor. 1. affirmeth that it is appointed of GOD that he that beleeueth in Christ shal be saued without woorkes onele by faith freely receiuing remission of his sinnes And least they should cauill and say as they are not ashamed to doe that by workes of the lawe are vnderstoode onely workes done before faith by the direction of the Lawe without the infusion of the speciall grace of GOD through Christ marke how notably to preuent that popish shift chap. 2.15.16 he saieth Wee that are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles know that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ Euen we I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we