Doctrine and Law delivered by him or by his Ministry as Acts 19. into John's Doctrine but in the later it is taken properly so we are baptized in the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost for baptism cannot be performed in the name of any creature because to be baptized in the name of any one that is by his command and authority to be baptized for his worship faith and obedience 933. 1 Cor. 10. 23. No temptation hath befallen you but such as is common to men Matth. 4. 3. The devil is a tempter Temptation is the divine probation of our faith and obedience or a devilish tempting of us to sinne or when men tempt us to persevere in sinne or when the weaknesse of our nature draws us into faults and errours such were the temptations of the Saints and of the Corinthians here 934. 1 Cor. 10. 15. Judge ye your selves what I say Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures The Apostle makes all men judges of his cause if any could not judge it was not imbecillity of the Law but the deed because all were bound to know things that concerned their faith for by the Word of God we may judge concerning things that belong to faith the knowledge whereof is necessary for all men and it is acquired by reading meditation invocation and searching the holy Scriptures 935. 1 Cor. 10. 15. I speak as to wise men ch 3. 1. As to carnall and babes The Corinthians were wise in respect of their doctrine but carnall in their affections by reason of their strife and contentions for the most learned have their carnall desires nor were they all wise or carnall for often what belongs to some is imputed to all 936. 1 Cor. 10. 21. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils ch 11. 29. He that cateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh his own damnation The first place is of right and so they cannot nor must not eat or drink though they do eat and drink the later is understood of the fact whereby they take it 937. 1 Cor. 10. 24. Let no man seek his own but every man anothers wealth 1 Tim. 5. 8. But if any man provide not for his own especially for his own house he hath denied the faith and is worse then an Infidel The first is to be understood with limitation that no man out of over-much love of himself should do his own occasions boastingly which is farre from Christian charity which teacheth that a man is not born for himself but to serve God and to do good to his neighbour 938. 1 Cor. 11. 24. Eat this is my Body Rom. 6. 9. The Body dieth no more In the Lords Supper the Body of Christ is not broken by a naturall or carnall manner the Body and the Blood the Bread and the Wine are received conjunctively in respect of the instrument but they are received disjunctively in respect of the manner for the bread and wine is received after one manner the Body and Blood after another manner 939. 1 Cor. 11. 24. Which is broken for you Luk. 22. 1. Which is given The Apostle received from the Lord what he delivered to the Corinthians concerning the sacred Supper without doubt in the first institution the Lord used both the words and because the Evangelists make mention of the name of giving the Apostle addes the other 940. 1 Cor. 12. 3. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Matth. 7. 21. Isa 29 Mat. 7. â—â— Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven In the first place it is not only historically with outward lips to say that Jesus Christ is the Lord but with faith to beleeve that he is the Thâ—â— Lord which hypocrites and devils cannot do for though with their mouth they confesse him yet with works they deny him also no man can say for his own salvation that Jesus is the Lord unlesse he have the holy Ghost 941. 1 Cor. 12 6. God worketh all in all Phil. 2. 12. Work out your salvation God as the first cause works all good in all men we with God work 〈◊〉 our salvation subordinately we are called by God moving and helping us freely and by his grace we cooperate 942. 1 Cor. 13. 2. Though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains I am nothing Rom. 3. 28. We are justified by faith without the works of the Law In the first place by all faith is meant faith of Mat. 17 20. working all manner of miracles so that it can extend it self so farre as to remove mountains yet charity may be separated from such a 〈◊〉 but it can never be separated from a justifying Joh◠〈…〉 faith to subsist without it 943. 1 Cor. 13. 9. We know in part 1 John 2. 20. Ye know all things In this life our knowledge is in part and imperfect but in the next life it shall be perfected the later place is concerning necessary things to the knowledge of Antichrist that is done by the holy Ghost leading us into all truth by degrees and parts 944. 1 Cor. 13. 12. We see now through a glasse darkly but then face to face 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all as with open face beholding the glory of the Lord. The face in Scripture is taken for Gods Essence Exod. 33. 23. for his generall presence Deut. 31. 17. for Gods grace Numb 6. 25. for his revenge Rev. 6. 16. for knowledge and internall vision Exod. 33. 11. of this in the first place but in the later is meant the sight of God in our Country that is in heaven as it is said through a glasse and in a riddle in respect of the Law for God is seen by us in part in the Word of God as he is 945. 1 Cor. 13. 13. Now abideth faith hope and charity but the greatest of these is charity Gal. 5. 6. Faith works by love Charity being the effect of faith is the inferiour for by faith we are justified and Christ Rom. 5. 1. dwelleth in us and we please God we are the sons of God and obtain eternall life Charity is not the greatest vertue but because it shall remain in the next life in its operations 946. 1 Cor. 14. 31. You may all prophesie one by one Heb. 5. 4. No man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God The Apostle understands all that are lawfully Jer. 28. 2. 1 Pet. 4. 11. called to the Office of Prophesying 947. 1 Cor. 15. 9 I am the least of the Apostles ver 10. I laboured more then they all He was the least in order because he was the last called to be an Apostle but he was greater in labouring because the charge of all the Churches was committed unto him In the first Rom. 15. 16 17. place he speaks lowly of himself according to Christs commandment When you have done all
shall be called the Prince of peace of his peace there shall be no end Matth. 10. 34. Think not that I came to send peace on the earth I came not to send peace but the sword In the former place is understood the true Christian peace of God and Christ which we have with God our Neighbour and our selves In the latter is meant worldly peace that we have with men of this world which is often bad Yet Christ doth not of himselfe bring the sword but by accident in regard of the malice of the World and the Devill who are the authours of contentions 409. Isai 9. 6. He shall be called the everlasting Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. He shall deliver up the Kingdome to his Father when he shall have put down all principality Since Eternall and Kingly power belongeth unto Christ it shall never be taken from him but the manner of his government shall be changed for he shall no longer govern his Church by the Ministery of his Word and Sacraments but shall represent it to his heavenly Father freed from all evill Nor shall there be any more worldly governments after the blessed resurrection 410. Isa 9. 7. Of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end Luke 12. 49. I came to send fire into the earth and what will I but that it may be kindled It is not meant a fire of discord and malice amongst men but a fire of pure doctrine consuming all filth and temptations betwixt the spirit and the flesh the true and false teachers the godly and the wicked the Devill and men For the Gospell is no cause of troubles but as lime when it is mixt with water groweth hot so the wickednesse of men stirred up by Gods Word rageth against Christ and his Gospell 411. Isai 26. 20. The wicked will not behold the Majesty of the Lord. Chap. 40. 5. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it The Prophet speaks concerning the Kingdome of Christ and the state thereof and and he teacheth in the former place that the wicked shall be so blinded that they cannot perceive the mighty work of God wherein he hath shewed his greatnesse his glory his power and his mercy which blindnesse of theirs doth not take away the glory of God and of Christs Kingdome which all men may see in the saving worke of mans Redemption 412. Isai 28. 16. Behold I lay in Sion a stone a sure foundation saith the Lord. 1 Cor. 3. 10. I have laid the foundation saith Paul God laid the foundation of our salvation in respect of his decree the sending of his Son and the perfection of mans salvation Paul laid the foundation in respect of manifestation and of his office and of the Christian Religion at Corinth 413. Isai 38. 1. Set thy house in order for thou shalt die and not live Vers 5. I 2 King 20. 1. 2 Chron. 32. 24. will adde unto thy dayes fifteen yeares saith the Lord. Augustine saith that Ezechias was in order to die according to some causes of future events In Gen. tit l. 6. c. 17. yet God added fifteen years to his life doing only that which be foreknew he would do before the beginning of the world Gods Justice brought the command for Ezechias death but his Mercy prolonged his life and so Ezechias Piety and Repentance is proved 414. Isai 41. 7. Chap. 46. 6. They lavish gold out of the bag and weigh silver in the ballance and hire a Goldsmith and he maketh it a God 1 Cor. 8. 4. An Idoll is nothing Silver and Gold and such materials as the Idols are made of were created by God but relatively unto God they are said to be nothing because they have nothing of God in them for God will not be worshipped by Idols 415. Isai 42. 8. Chap. 48. 11. I will not give my glory to another Mat. 11. 29. Chap. 28. 19. All power is given to me in heaven and in earth God will not give his praise and glory to an Image Christ to whom all power and glory is given is not only man but the true and eternall God also with the Father and the holy Ghost having co-equall glory with them but by reason of his office of Mediator all things are given him of the Father 416. Isai 42. 8. I will not give my glory to an other Rom. 8. 14. The glory of God shall be revealed in us The first place is concerning those things wherein God will be glorified by us in this life that is by worship adoration invocation The latter concerning the participation and place of glory in the life to come which he will communicate to us 417. Isai 42. 10. Sing unto the Lord a new Song that is the Gospell Gen. 3. 15. It was sung in Paradise concerning the blessed seed of the woman That Evangelicall song is called new not from time but because it comprehends new and wonderfull things a new light is kindled by it it makes a new Creature and shews us the new way to heaven 418. Isai 45. 6 7. I am the Lord and there is none else I forme the light and create darkenesse I make peace and create evill I the Lord do all these things Gen. 1. 31. And all that God made was good God makes evill not of sin but of punishment and calamity by which he justly afflicts sinners Also the Prophet here opposeth the evill of the misery of war to the good of peace Mad men here wrest the name of evill as though God were the author of evill that is sin but it may easily appear how absurdly they do it abusing the testimony of the Prophet The Antithesis sheweth this sufficiently the members whereof must be compared together for he opposeth peace to evill that is to adversity 419. Isai 49. 6. I wil also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the earth Mat. 10. 5. Christ sent the twelve saying unto them Go not into the way of the Gentiles but to the lost sheep of the house ef Israel The first is concerning the generall gracious Ministery of Christ to both Jewes and Gentiles The latter concerning the especiall sending forth of the Apostles to the Jews alone to whom the Gospell was first published untill such time as the partition wall betwixt the Jews and Gentiles was broken Mat. 28. 19 Mark 16. 15 Luk. 2. down which was done in the resurrection of Christ Afterwards he sent the Apostles to all Nations for he was the light of the Gentiles 420. Isai 52. 10. The Lord hath made have his holy arme in the eys of all the Nations Mat. 15. 24. I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Christ was sent for the salvation and redemption of all Nation His office of teaching and confirming his Doctrine by
prophesied in the year 3110. 492. Jon. 1. 3. Jonas rose up to flee unto Tharsis from the presence of the Lord. Vers 9. I fear the Lord the God of heaven who hath made the sea and the dry land Jonas would not flee from God so much as to escape his office by flying Vers 9. In the midst of the tempest he gives the Mariners an account of his Religion and of his flight confessing that for his disobedience that great tempest was sent 493. Jon. 1. 10. Jonas fleeth to Tharsis from the presence of the Lord. Psal 139. 7. Whither shall I goe from thy spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence Jonas was not ignorant that no man could so flee from the face of the Lord but he thought that if he forsook the holy land then all divine apparitions to him would cease and that God would then call some other man to the office he had laid upon him 494. Jon. 2. 6. The earth with her bars was about me for ever Vers 10. The fish cast Jonas on the dry land Jonas thought in the belly of the Whale that he should remain there but God brought him forth and shewed thereby that he had power over life and death 495. Jon. 3. 4. Yet 40. dayes and Nineveh shall be overthrown Vers 10. God spared them The divine commination was conditionall if they repented not but because they did embrace the word of God and detesting their wickednesse they did turn to the Lord with all their hearts God spared them Of such 〈◊〉 10. 7 〈◊〉 10. God means speaking thus If I speak against a Kingdom or a Nation that I will root it out and that Nation repents of their evill ways I will repent that I thought to doe so to them 496. Jon. 3. 4. Jonas foretold the overthrow of Nineveh and it was not performed Duet 28. 22. If a Prophet speak in the name of the Lord and that thing cometh not to passe the Lord hath not spoken it but the Prophet hath spoken it presumptuously That Sermon of Jonas was not so much a prophesie as a commination Moses speaks not of comminations and Prophesies which have a condition included but of such Prophesies as are absolute as Samuel foresaid to Saul that two men should meet him 497. Jon. 3. 9. Who knows whether God will return and repent Mal. 3 6. I the Lord change not Num. 23. 19. Jon. 1. 7. Repentance and passions of men are attributed to God not properly but figuratively and by way of comparison and by Anthropopathy whilst God shews himself as a man repenting otherwise with God there Jam. 1. 17. is no change 498. Jon. 4. 11. In Nineveh were more then 120000 persons which partly by want of age and partly by simplicity did not know their right hand from their left Gen. 8. 21. The imagination of mans heart is prone to evill from his youth Between the right and the left hand they did not know the difference who were yet so young as to be free from actuall sinnes and others in years that were simple and sincere MICHAS Prophesie THe Morasihite against the Kings the Judges the Priests and false prophets in Judah and Israel He threatens perdition to impenitent sinners and promiseth salvation to the Saints which remained He prophesied in the year 3197. 499. Mich. 1. 2. And thou Bethlehem Ephrata though thou be little amongst the thousands of Judah out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel Mat. 2. 6. And thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah art not the least amongst the Princes of Judah for out of thee shall come a Governour that shall rule my people Israel The Prophet cals it Bethlehem Ephrata and Matthew Bethlehem Judah for a difference from an other city so called in the Tribe of Zabulon It was indeed a little Towne before Christs coming before Christ was born but afterwards it became a most noble City because the Messias was born there Matthew cites the place of the Prophet faithfully which the Pharisees had corrupted and sets down the words which the Pharisees speak unto Herod 500. Mich. 5. 2. And thou Bethlehem Ephrata out of thee shall he come forth unto me that shall be Ruler in Israel Joh. 7. 27. Whence Christ is no man knows The Prophet expresly names the place of Christs nativity the Jewes not knowing Christ to be the true God did mingle his temporall generation with his eternall contending amongst themselves Doth not the Scripture say that being of the seed of David Christ should come from the City of David 501. Mich. 7. 5. Trust ye not in a friend 1 Cor. 13. 7. Charity believeth all things The first place is a rule of Prudence needfull for Charity The Prophet bids us not to suspect ill of all men but he complains of the corrupt manners of his times when men could believe no man therefore he saith we must deal circumspectly which is agreeing to Charity lest we be defrauded by craft or malice Christ himself did not trust himself with Joh. 2. 25 26. the Jews because he knew all men and knew what was in man 502. Mich. 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned Vers 9. He will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse The people of Israel being miserably afflicted could not boast in the sight of God of their innocence therefore they ought patiently to endure Gods corrections but before their enemies being innocent they did rise up by divine help The Babylonians were formerly to the Israelites as the Turks and Tartars are now adayes to the Christians afflicting us without cause though in the sight of God we are not without fault NAHUMS Prophesie the Elkoshite HE Prophesieth against the Assyrians He denounceth destruction to the Ninivites 100 years after Jonas he comforts the Jews preaching unto them the message of peace 503. Nah. 1. 2. The Lord avengeth and is furious Psal 103. 8. The Lord is very pitifull long suffering and full of mercy God is jealous a severe Judge and revenger not pardoning the sins and wickednesse of impenitent sinners but he is most mercifull as a tender Father to the godly and such as be penitent 504 Nah. 1. 9. Affliction shall not rise up the second time Rom. 1. 28. The wicked shall be punished in this world when they are delivered up to a a reprobate sense to do those things which are not convenient and in the world to come with eternall destruction Justice doth not punish twice sufficiently for the same fault but it is not disagreeing to justice to inflict divers degrees of punishments for the same sault so temporall punishments to the wicked are but the beginning of eternall punishments But the Prophet teacheth here that God will so deal with the Assyrians in the Land of Judah that there shall be no need of a second judgement 505. Nah. 1. 15. For the wicked
of judgement against the obstinate Jews God is said to have kept his people as the apple of his eye so long Deut. 32. 10. Psal 17. 8. as they were obedient But temporall punishments inflicted on the wicked do not infringe the truth of his promise and of divine performance 519. Zech. 3. 9. I will remove the iniquity of his land in one day Revel 13. 8. Christ is slain from the beginning of the world In one day is the performance of Christs passion who dying for our sins restored us unto life But he was slain from the beginning of the world in Gods determinations by election virtue efficacy and acceptation and in respect of the fruits of it which redounded to the Church under the old Testament 520. Zech. 6. 13. He shall sit and rule upon his throne Isai 9. 7. He shall sit upon the throne of Daaid and upon his Kingdome Luk. 1. 33. Christ in respect of his divine nature hath his throne from everlasting to everlasting But in respect of his humanity being he is born of the seed of David according to the flesh the Lord God hath given him a throne that he may reign over the house of Jacob forever 521. Zech. 11. 12. They weighed for my price 30 pieces of silver Mat. 27. 9. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet they took 30 pieces of silver the price of him that was valued whom they did value Eusebius saith that Jeremiahs name was put De Demonstraâ—â— l. 10. c. 4. for Zecharias name by the errour of the Scrivener Out of Jeremiah some make the computation where he makes mention of 17 shekels which make 30 pieces of silver Jer. 32. 9. 522. Zech. 13. 7. Awake O sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered Joh. 10. 10. No man takes away my life from me The Prophet mentioneth God the Father commanding in the name of the whole Trinity whose words outwardly are common to the three Persons and undivided that his shepheard namely Christ should be slaine that contradicts not Christs words who willingly laid down his life for us 523. Zech. 13. 7. The sheep shall be scattered Joh. 17. 12. Those that thou gavest unto me I have kept them Chap. 18. 9 10. I have not lost one God the Father speaks of the scattering Christ of the keeping That scattering takes not away Christs keeping because none of the Apostles which his Father gave to him perished but the son of perdition MALACHIES Prophesie HE complains of the wickednesse of the people of the Jewes and the Priests He comforts the godly Threatens the wicked Exhorts all to repentance and faith in Christ He was the last that prophesied before Christs incarnation In the year of the world 3513. 524. Mal. 1. 2. Was not Esau Jacobs brother saith the Lord yet I loved Jacob and hated Esau 2 Chron. 19. 7. There is no accepting of persons with God God is a most free agent and doth all things that he doth according to his own good pleasure he respects not the externall quality of the person nor his condition nation sex riches poverty hatred c. so he loved Jacob revealed himself unto him gave to his posterity the land of Canaan He neglected Esau who was Isaacs eldest son and most beloved of his Father nor was he bound by any laws to do otherwise unto him 525. Mal. 1. 8. If you offer the blind the lame the sick for sacrifice is it not evill Psal 50. 8. I will not reprove thee for thy burnt sacrifices The Prophet speaks of sacrifices the Psalmist of the sacrificers Sacrifices were to be offered unto God without spot or fault not blind or lame but without scars scabs or blisters for Christ of whom they were but types was an Lev. 22. 22 25. oblation most pure and absolute and free from all spots for our sins 526. Mal. 2. 7. The Priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the law at his mouth Mat. 22. 29. You erre not knowing the Scriptures of God The first place is concerning the office of the Priests who were bound to keep knowledge that the people might seek for knowledge at their mouth and they were to answer the people Lev. 10. 11 that inquired concerning the law The latter is concerning the ignorance of the Priests who fit upon Moses chair contrary to Gods commandement and their own duty which was the cause that the people together with the Priests and the Scribes ran to errour Hitherto we have described the Reconciliations of appearing contrarieties in the Canon of the old Testament for the space of 4000 years from the creation of the world from Adam Noah Abraham and Solomon untill the time that Christ came Now follow those of the new Testament from Christs Nativity to the end of the world RECONCILING Of Places of the NEW-TESTAMENT THe Scripture of the New-Testament is the Word of God written after Christ was revealed by the Apostles and Evangelists in the Greek tongue some few things were written in Hebrew namely St. Matthews Gospel and the Epistle to the Hebrews It is divided Euseb l. 3. c. 26. l. 6. c. 11. 19. Jeron in Catal. Scriptorum into Evangelical and Epistolical books Those are the Evangelical books which contain a part of the glad tidings or the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ with the History from his Nativity to his Ascension into Heaven at the thirty fourth year of his age The Gospel of St. MATTHEW IT contains the Genealogy of Jesus Christ his birth education his Prophetical Office in Preaching Miracles his Priestly Office in the oblation of himself for our sins and his Kingly Office in his rising from the dead and the government of his Church 527. Mat. 1. 1. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 1. 4. Tit. 3. 9. Avoid foolish and endlesse genealogies The knowledge of Christs genealogie is more profitable that we may know Jesus to be the true Messias promised of the seed of Abraham and David Paul condemns the madnesse of those who tell mens fortunes by their Nativities and such as move unprofitable questions concerning genealogies which the Jews addicted themselves much to neglecting the study of godlinesse those he bids us to avoid as vain and idle and Heathenish fancies 528. Mat. 1. 1. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ the son of David the son of Abraham Luk. 3. 23 38. Who was the son of Heli Nagge Matthat c. of Adam of God Matthew and Luke differ not Matthew describes the genealogie of Christ by the line of Solomon to Joseph Luke by Nathan another son of David from Josephs Father in law who was called Eli to David and so far as Adam the father of mankind 529. Mat. 1. 6. David the King begat Solomon Luk. 3. 31. Who was the son of Nathan who was the son
a mans faith and judgeth by the works as the effects of mens faith and life and condemns bad works for unbelief 822. Rom. 2. 13. The doers of the Law shall be justified Gal. 2. 16. For by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Justification is attributed to the Law and to Works not simply but by supposition if any man can perfectly fulfill the works of the Law but no man can in this weaknesse perfectly fulfill the Law 823. Rom. 2. 14. The Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law ch 8. 7. The carnall minde is enmity to the Law of God for it is not subject to the Law of God The naturall Law convinceth the Gentiles the written Law the Jews The Apostle doth not in the former place affirm that all the Gentiles do fulfill the Law but indefinitely the things contained in the Law for he speaks of outward works and civil discipline which was honest amongst some Gentiles In the later by the name Carnall he understands unregenerate part and the corruption of nature 824. Rom. 2. 14. The Gentiles have not the Law 1 Joh. 3. 4. Sinne is the transgression of the Law The Gentiles indeed had not the Law published in writing by Moses but the naturall Law in the first Creation was printed in every man which we transgressed in Adam and so were made sinners Adam was saith Ambr. on Luke l. 7. and in him we were all Adam fell and in him all men fell 825. Rom. 2. 25. Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law Gal. 5. 2. ch 6. 15. If you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Externall circumcision in the Old Testament was a Sacrament upon condition of the Law fulfilled Under the New Testament as other Ceremonies it is mortall in the place of this came Baptism in former times it did profit the Fathers as a seal of the righteousnesse of faith after Christ came and the Gospel was planted it was taken away by the full plenty of spirituall Circumcision 826. Rom. 3. 2. The Jews exceed the Gentiles much every way ver 9. What then are we better then they no in no wise ch 10. 12. The Apostle speaks in the former place in respect of the Jews excellency from the Covenant of God who was pleased to bestow on the Jews the grace of his Covenant and his Law before the Gentiles were called in the later place he speaks of the Jews themselves who deserved no more favour at Gods hands then the Gentiles nor were they better then we and continuing in their unbelief they have lost their priviledges they were nothing to be preferred before the Gentiles but now we are all one in Christ and that prerogative is taken away Gal. 3. 28. 827. Rom. 3. 4. Every man is a lyar ch 9. 1. I say the truth in Christ I lye not Man as he is man corrupt is subject to lye but being regenerated and enlightened with the holy Ghost he embraceth truth as is manifest in Paul 828. Rom. 3. 8. We must not do evil that good may come ch 9 18. God bardening the wicked produceth that which is good In the former place is spoken of evil of sinne in the later of evil of punishment It is the singular goodnesse of God that he so over-rules sin that it may be converted to good as we see in Joseph 829. Rom. 3. 12. There is no man that doth good no not one John 13. 10. chap. 15. 3. You are clean through the word which I have spoken By nature by reason of inherent sinne we are all unclean by the grace of God in Christ we are cleansed and our hearts are purged 830. Rom. 3. 20. For by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight ch 2. 7. To them who continue by patience in well-doing shall he render glory and honour and eternal Life The first place shuts out all works from mans Justification not by fault of the Law but by accident that is by the fault of men In the later the Apostle urgeth works as necessary not by necessity of the cause to justifie but to be present Rem in him that is justified for works are nâ—â— cause of reigning but they are the way to the Kingdom 831. Rom. 3. 28. Faith is greater then charity 1 Cor. 13. 8. Charity then faith Faith is greater as it is the cause of charity and our victory by faith Christ dwelleth in our hearts we please God but charity without Exod. 3. 17. out faith is sinne Charity is said to be greater then faith or hope because it never fails but shall endure in our future state of perfection faith and hope then ceasing as to their actions but it is not greater in respect of Justification because charity doth not justifie Legally for in many things we offend all and it is not perfect nor Evangelically because in the Gospel the act of Justification is ascribed to Faith 832. Rom. 3. 25. God hath set forth Jesus Christ to be a propitiation John 18. 2. Judas delivered him to the Jews The Father delivered his Son out of love to us but Judas delivered Christ out of covetousnesse The Father for us and for our salvation Judas for thirty pieces of silver to his own destruction 833. Rom. 3. 28. We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law James 2. 24. You see that by works a man is justified and not by faith only Paul doth not separate as to existency Gal. 5. 6. works from faith which works by love but the object of Justification before God James rejects faith which wants good works that is a dead faith of the devil v. 17 19. and attributes to works the declaration of Justification v. 21. yet he confirms a lively faith v. 22. by the example of Abraham Augustine saith that when the Apostle saith a man is justified by faith he doth it not that works should be despised because they follow the man justified they do not go before Justification 834. Rom. 3. 31. Do we then make void the Law through faith God forbid yea we establish the Law Heb. 7. 18. There is a disanulling of the Commandment going before through the weaknesse thereof The first place is of the Morall Law which faith confirmeth because Christ came to fulfill it and not to destroy it and the end of the Law is to bring us to Christ The later place is concerning the ceremoniall Law which is abrogated because the shadow was to give place to the substance 835. Rom 4. 7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Mat. 5. 2. Blessed are the poor in spirit the clean in heart the mercifull In the first place is spoken of the cause of blessednesse namely remission of sins and imputation of righteousnesse in the later of vertues which are the way to blessednesse 836. Rom. 4 15.