not onely as the great prophet expounding it aright and giuing the true meaning thereof against the vaine glosses of the Scribes and Pharises nor yet farther as the great high priest making satisfaction for our transgressions thereof but as the soveraigne Lord and King hee ratified it a royall law for euer And therefore in the Apostles commission he gaue them expresse charge to teach them Age Marcion omnesque iam commiserones coodibiles eius Haeretici quid audebitis dicere Resciditnè Christus priora praecepte non occidendi non adulterandi non furandi Ter. aduersus Marcion l. 4. c. 36. whom they baptised o Mat. 28.20 to do whatsoeuer he had commanded them Now wee know what commandement they gaue vs by the Lord Iesus the very same things in substance as Saint Paul reckons them vp 1. Thess 4. and elswhere which had beene formerly given in command by Moses were at first writtē in mans heart to know to do were ever acknowledged due by the light of nature Wherof they were very careful being tēder least by any means their doctrine of grace by p Rom. 3.31 faith should in that respect be misconstrued Wherefore the law remaines the perpetuall rule of our duty The Case whereby we should liue vnto God his glory though it be now altogether vnsufficient for our safety q Rom. 8.3 being weake through the flesh r Rom. 3 v. 19. Now we know that what things soever the law sayth it saith to them who are vnder the law from the which none are exempt Iew nor Gentile Christian nor Heathen that euery mouth may be stopped and all the world become guilty before God For by the deedes of the Law there shall no flesh be iustified in his sight Which wee are taught euer to acknowledge to the praise of the glory of his justice and mercy in the latter part of the prayer First that being shut out for the present from the tree of life in the Paradise of GOD whereof wee might haue eaten and haue liued for euer we now justly stand bound ouer vnto death liuing only vpon sufferance and begging our bread from day to day Secondly the guilt of sin by Natures admonition doth continually gaule our consciences with c Ipsa confusio verecundia quae semper turpitudinum castra sequuntur quasi crudelissimi carnisices conscientiae lacessunt improperant peccatori instant quasiquaedam Eumonides agitatrices furiae reprehensionis stimulos cordi saucio offigentes Ipsa se malitia praejudicat punit Arnold Bonaeval de operibus sex dier cap. 16. shame sorrow and feare whilest we doe nothing but trespasse one an other and all against GOD transgressing his righteous Law whereby our life is lost and death the forfeite and penalty of natures bond is a debt due by vs which we can not avoyde nor recouer vnlesse God shew mercy and forgiue Thirdly praying against temptations wee acknowledge that euery thing in the world which should haue beene for our wealth is now by Gods just proceedings become vnto vs d Quibus accedendo animae consentiendoque quam invexere sibi adjuvant servitutem sunt quodam modo propriâ libertate captivae Boeth lib. 5. pros 1. an occasion of falling For it is iust with God to e Fiunt eadem peccata peccatorum supplicia praeteritorum suppliciorum merita futurorum Aug. l. 5. c. 3. contra Iul. Pelag. punish vs by the same things wherby we haue offended him whilest through lust we take to heart all occasiōs of sin as tinder takes fire vse all means with rage and fury as fire doth fuell to accomplish our owne destruction These are the f 2 Tim. 2.26 snares of Satan vvherein hee taketh men captiues at his pleasure these are the chaines and fetters of darknes whereby he leadeth thē on that they g Psal 69.27 fall from one vvickednes to another and neuer come into the righteousnes of God without his speciall grace and mercy Thus h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Ioh. 5. v. 19 Heb. 2 14. he that hath the power of death that is the Deuill being Gods executioner holdeth men captiues through the feare of death all their life long and all the long life of eternall death vnder the power thereof i Psal 49.14 which gnaweth vpon them like sheepe that lye in Hell where the worme dieth not and the fire neuer goeth out Yet howsoeuer it fare with vs God neither will nor can be defeated of his glory who k Eph. 1.11 Non fit praeter cius voluntatem etiam quod fit contra ejus voluntatem Aug. Enchiric 100. worketh all things wonderfully after the counsell of his owne Will euen whilest hee suffereth them to doe what l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cùm enim sit potestas natura liberae potestatis nihil neque naturae necessitate neque legis sanctione facit Nemesius lib. de naturâ hominis c. 38. possibly they can against the Lavv of his revealed will prescribed vnto them For he will get Himselfe glory vpon the proud and haughty and vpon all that forget God as he did vpon m Exod. 14.17 Pharaoh and his Hoste in their just confusion and vtter destruction So that the very n Rom. 3.5 vnrighteousnesse of men will they nill they shall commend the righteousnesse of God o V. 7. vvhilest the truth of God doth more abound through their lye vnto his glory And by his speciall grace and providence this generall defectiō shall turne in the end to the advantage of his Elect in the advancement of his glory Who knoweth to bring light out of darkenesse and good out of evill p Rom. 9.22 What if God vvilling then to shevv his vvrath and to make his povver knovvne suffered at the first and q Quod non statim in peccatores vindicat patientia est non negligentia Non isle patientiā perdidit sed nos ad poenitentiam reservavit Aug. de verbis Apost Serm. 35. endure still vvith much long suffering the vessels of vvrath fitted to destruction And that hee might make knovvne the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy vvhich he had prepared vnto glory CHAP. II. The Couenant of Grace The Articles and Authors of Grace The Sonne of God the Mediatour The Sonne of man The offices of Christ The grace of our Lord Iesus The spirit of Grace Preventing Grace The state of Grace The praise of the glory of Gods Grace How shall we be saued and God be glorified by vs BY grace we are saued through faith The articles and authors of Grace whereby God is glorified For wee by faith receiuing the benefit giue him the * Eph. 1.6 praise of the glory of his grace whereby he prevents vs wherein he accepts vs wherewith he succours vs hauing first brought saluation vnto vs will finally bring vs to salvation according to the articles of
abrogated by Christ Nor by his Apostles The Iewes typicall vse thereof abolished The Christian sabbath day within the compasse of the commandement The Lords day designed by himselfe for our sabbath It hath euer beene obserued as the sabbath by the Church It respects the kingdome of God The Perfect will of God to bee done on earth The heauenly conuersation How doth faith worke by loue According to the law teaching vs to doe what God hath commanded The law established by faith Although faith rest not in our workes which the law requireth yet are a Eph. 2.10 wee Gods workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God had before ordained not only in his counsell but by his law that we should walk in them And b Gal. 3.12 although the law bee not of faith that is of things to bee only beleiued but to be done for the man that doeth them shall liue in them yet doth the law require faith c Heb. 11.6 without which it is impossible to please God Therefore the law prescribeth faith in the first place and throughout namely that wee acknowlege god the lawgiuer to be the lord our God the only true God and performe that faith vnto him by an vniuerfall vniforme obedience to the whole law and euery title thereof in regard of him that commandeth Which iustifieth our faith to be in God when it answereth his d Servus qui ex domini iussu ea facit tantummodò quae vult facere non dominicam implet voluntatem sed suam Salv. l. 4. de guber Die whole will as well of command as of promise as well in one duety as in another When God gaue the law to the Israelites hee made himselfe knowne vnto them by his wonderfull deliuery of them out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage thereby to binde their obedience in faith to him the only true God Which was but a type and figure of the great saluation from the power of satan by Christ Iesus By faith in whose name thorough his spirit wee truely know and rightly acknowledge the only true God And the faith of God his loue to vs in Christ knits our hearts againe in loue to God and for his sake towards all men as he hath commanded improues the formall worship of God vnto all sincerity in spirit and in trueth and the common ciuility of the world vnto Christian charity zealous of good workes for his glory that hath called vs to the knowledge of his grace For if God so loued vs as wee beleiue then ought we also to loue one another much more him who is the God of all grace and loue Neither doe we beleiue indeed if wee loue not Wee beleiue not Christ his incarnation death passion resurrection and ascension c. Vnlesse e Phil. 2.5 c the like minde bee in vs that was in Christ Iesus Who to redeeme the glory of god in vs laide aside his owne glory equall with the father and humbled himselfe in the forme of a seruant vnto the death of the crosse As the fathers loue to the sonne begat in him the like affection towards vs so doth Christ his f Nullaest maior ad amorem inuitatio quam praeuenire amando Nimisque durus est animus qui delectionem si nolebat impendere nolit rependere August de catèch rud cap. 4. loue if wee embrace it by a true and a liuely faith worke in vs the like loue towards our bretheren for his sake g Iohn 15.9.10 As the father saith hee hath loued mee so haue I loued you continue you in my loue If you keepe my commandements ye shall abide in my loue euen as I haue kept my fathers commandements and abide in his loue It is all one in the law to loue God and to keepe his commandements And h Iohn 14.23.24 if you loue mee saith Christ keepe my commandements Which because we can in no sort doe of our selues Gods law our prayer i 2. Cor 3.5 who are not able as of our selues so much as to thinke any good therefore being preuented with his grace k Phil. 2.13 who worketh in vs both to will and to doe of his good pleasure wee desire of God by prayer as Christ hath taught vs what he doth require of vs by the law l In omnibus enim monitis dei atque mandatis vna cademque ratio est divinae gratiae humanae ebedientiae Nec ob aliud vnquam datur praeceptum nisi vt quaetatur praecipientis auxilium Prosp Who therefore commandeth that wee may know what to craue of him And it is our faith which by prayer obtaineth what the law requireth The graces inspired of God faith hope and loue breathe all againe vnto godby prayer m Rom. 8.26 the spirit helping our infirmities with groanes that cannot be expressed For as the naturall life so the spirituall confists in respiration by hearing and praying without the which there can be no true life and well doing Therefore n Phil. 1.9.10 this we pray that our loue may abounde yet more more in knowledge and in all iudgement that wee being instructed out of the law may approue the things that are more excellent that wee may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ being filled with the fruites of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glory and praise of God o Rom. 10.14 But how shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeved By faith in the sonne of God wee know and beleeue in him the only true God and worship him in spirit and in truth p Gal. 4.6 Who hath sent downe the spirit of his sonne into our hearts Faith in the trinity denyes not the vnity of God crying Abba father Doth our faith now in the trinity contradict the vnity transgresse the commandements Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me Nay the trinity of persons establisheth the vnity of the Godhead whilest himselfe is acknowledged the author mediator and doer of all in all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato in Philebo in Timaeo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quo sensu vide Proclum Is autem dicit Triadem exse omnia efficere Who being infinit is not confined by any person and the persons being distinct are not confounded in God ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serapidis responsum Thuli in Aegipto De his vide August lib 10. de civ Dei cap. 23. In deo vnasubstantia sed tres personae in Christo duae substantiae sed vna persona In Trinitate alius atque alius non asiud atque aliud In saluatcre aliud atq aliud non alius atque alius Vincent Ler inens cont Her cap. 19. The father is God in his infinit essence or being the sonne the same God in his infinit presence and glorious appearing the holy ghost the same
Hallowed be thy thrice glorious name O thou holy one as thou hast commanded That the name of God may bee knowne The Christian sabbath of the holy Catholike Church and worshipped as by euery man in priuate so by all of vs in publike God hath appointed the sabbath for the holy assemblyes representing the holy catholike Church in acknowledgement of his kingdome attending his grace in holy exercises and Christian duties and expecting his glory Which day may not be otherwise imployed farther then necessity enforceth which is god his dispensation and hath no law or then mercy to our selues others requireth n â—at 12.7 which God will haue and not sacrifice Of which duty some question hath beene made of late whether it bee of faith I suppose for these reasons principally First because in nature there is little or no appearance of reason for the sabbath that it should bee morall Secondly because it seemes not to be any where expressely recognised in the new testament as the other commandements are but rather to bee slighted both by Christ and his apostles Thirdly because in keeping the sabbath the Iewes were to obserue certaine ceremonies which are now abolished by the Gospell And lastly because Christians haue neuer kept that day which the Iewes did the commandement seemes to prescribe Which doubts if they may be cleared I hope the ten commandements will holde together and not breake company being all of the same kinde and o Exod. 31.18 c. 34.38 written with God his owne finger He spake these ten words and added no more vnto them For the naturall reason of the sabbath somewhat hath already beene said in the proper place thereof concerning the p I book ch 5. law of nature But may not a law be morall for the vse thereof vnlesse it be naturall in respect of the cause Christ hath promised that where two or three are gathered together in his name he will bee in the midst of them Now although God be euery where at all times yet for our r Ne inordinata congregatio populi fidem minuoret in Corste proptereà dies aliqui constituti sunt vt in vnum oomes pariter veniremus Hieroniad Gal. 4. meetings there must needs be a set time which it is iust that God who appoints the meeting should designe and not wee There may be holy assemblyes as that of Å¿ Acts 10. Cornelius vpon any day to heare the word to praise God and to pray vnto him as occasion is offered inseason and out of season the Lord will be found in them But on the Lords day the holy assemblies must bee and that weekely because hee hath commanded and hath giuen vs the reason which we haue belecued Now for that which Christ said or did we may bee well assured that his intent was not to violate the law of the sabbath The sabbath not abrogated by Christ who came not to breake the law but to fulfill it and was therein so punctuall and exact u Mat. 3.15 to performe all righteousnesse that if it were but a ceremony he would haue obserued it because all was to continue vntill the vaile of the temple his body was rent Hee often tooke occasion indeed by their greatest assemblies on the sabbath daies to doe some miracles workes of mercy in their sight to confirme the truth of what he taught namely that hee was the Lord of the sabbath and the mercifull sauiour of the world This lesson hee first read vnto them out of the * Luk. 4.16.17.18 Prophet Isaiah in one of their Synagogues as his custome was on the sabbath day Which they should now haue taken forth by him being the chiefe and principall end of their sabbath But when they perversely misconstrued his doings he iustifying the same as also his Disciples plucking the eares of corne to satisfie their hunger tooke occasion to teach them better what was the right vse of the sabbath Not a x Cui septima quaeque fuit luâ— Ignava Invenal Sat. 14. Sat. 6. Observant vbi festa mero pede sabbata reges De itinere sabatico Quos etiam irridet Plutarch libel de superstitione superstitious cessation from worke but a spirituall attention to the workes of God euer admitting our workes of mercy and of necessity And if Christ thereby abrogated the sabbath then did hee abolish the other commandements also whereof he said y Mat. 5. So and so it hath beene said vnto you of old but I say vnto you thus and thus shall yee doe and then was the Sabbath abrogated long afore by the Prophet Isaiah in the name of the Lord. z Isa 1.13 The new moones and sabbaths the calling of solemne assemblies I cannot away with But this Christ hath taught vs concerning the sabbath a Mark 2.27 That it was made for man not man for the sabbath as indeed the whole law was made for man not to breake but to keepe it for his owne good This especially was a provisionall statute for his benefit b Quian durabile non est quod requie caret oâ— tium quoddam sanctum Deus praecepit vt insatiabilem hominum cupiditatem fraenaret qui tam seipsoâ— quam servos suos nimijs laboribus exhauriunt modo lucrum faciant Gualterus homil 56. in Luc. partly in regard of his body whose worldly heart would else giue him no rest but would make him out-worke Gods curse if God did not allow vs a rest supplying vs the while with necessaries by his ordinary prouidence c Exod. 16.24 as he did the Israelites by miracle but principally for his soules good that he might attend and receaue the d Homini non ante septimum laetalis inaedia est Plia hist nat l. 11. c 53. Plerique ex his qui septem diebus nihil edere aut bibere volunt in his moriuntur quod si quidam eos super averint nihilominus tamen moriuntur Hyp. l. de carn ad sinem Non possunt boni mores ne secundum naturam quidem ipsam apud eos homines constare qui vnum de septem diebus non observant sanctificant domino Iun. de Pol. Mosis c. 8. spirituall food thereof vnto eternall life As for the Apostles The Sabbath not abrogated by the Apostles St Paul writing to the Galatians condemnes the superstitious e Gal. 4.10 obseruing of daies and months and times and yeares in generall whereof the Iewes accounted some more holy the Gentiles some more happy But to the Colossians he speakes of Sabbaths by name reckoning theÌ„ amongst shadowes he saith f Coloss 2.16 let no man iudge you in respect of the Sabbaths a phrase which he vseth g Rom. 14.4.10.13 elsewhere forbidding all censuring contending about things indifferent amongst which he reckons the obseruing of a day and it may bee that set day for the Sabbath for he saith h V. 6. he that
to worship before him And this we pray that his kingdome may come yet more and more euen the power of his grace that the holy catholicke church may become euery day more and more sanctified and enlarged vntill wee all come to be glorified with him in that eternall rest whereinto hee is entered for vs. ſ Psal 84.1 How amiable are thy tabernacles O Lord of hostes My soule longeth yea euē fainteth for the courts of the Lord. A day in thy courts is better then a thousand elswhere t Heb. 10.19 c Hauing therefore boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the blood of Iesus by a new and liuing way which hee hath consecrated for vs thorough the vaile that is to say his flesh let vs draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith not forsaking the assembling of our selues together u Quum deus noster singulari sua erga nos charitate è septem diebus vnum duntaxat instaurandae fidei nostrae atque adeo vitae aeternae sanctificauit eique diei vt sacrae in eo administratae rèligiones ad permouendam salutem nostram essent efficaces bene dixit deploratum sane is se contemptorem demonstrat sicut salutis propriae ita tam admiraudae dei no stri in nos benificentiae eoque omnino indignum qui in populo dei viuat quicunque non studiat eum ipsum diem domino deo suo glorificando procurandaesaluti propriae sanctificare c Bucer lib. 1. de regno Christi cap. 11. lege totum cap. as the manner of some is but exhorting one an other that so much the more as wee see the day approching Let thy kingdome come O Lord * Psal 110.3 that thy people may be willing now in the day of thy power in the beauties of holinesse from the wombe of the morning x Ps 65.1 Then shall praise waite for thee O God in Sion and vnto thee shall the vow be performed in Ierusalem Thus the duties of Loue to God are all directed vnto him The perfect will of God to be done on earth and exercised by faith in Christ with true godlinesse and this faith againe is approued to God by the workes of loue in all goodnesse towards men for his sake whereunto all the dueties of the second table are reduced y 1 Ioh 3.23 For this is the commaundement of God that wee should beleeue on the name of his sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as hee gaue vs commaundement All the duties of loue prescribed by the law are by faith improued to an higher degree of perfection then the letter imports hee being the a Mat. 5. interpreter who was the lawginer and shall bee our iudge For now wee see that not only the acts but thoughts and occasions of euill are vnlawfull and wee finde our selues bound in conscience to performe our duties to men b Colos 3.22 23. not with eye seruice as men pleasers but with singlenesse of heart fearing God And whatsoeuer wee doe to doe it heartily as to the Lord and not vnto men The first and last commandemets which are the two great commandements including all the rest expressely require the heart Thou shalt haue no other gods Nor couet an others goods c Mat. 15.9 Out of the heart proceede euill thoughts murders adulteries thefts false witnesse c. which are transgressions of the seuerall commandements and by them forbidden as they are any way followed or embraced by vs. But by the last commandement the first motion of euill arising in our corrupt hearts is condemned and wee are thereby made guilty of the sinne that is in vs by naturall corruption d Rom. 7.7 I had not knowne lust except the law had said Thou shalt not lust Howsoeuer the law be giuen for the most part in negatiue termes to restraine first of all frō grosse iniuries and exorbitances and from all the occasions and appendants of sinne which are not allowable at any time yet doth the affirmatiue of the law not only where it is expressed but as it implyed in the prohibitions binde vs at all times though not to all times to doe good vnto all as we haue opportunity So far must wee bee from doing any euill vnto others as rather willingly to suffer euill of others for well doing if it may not be otherwise And the workes of perfection as some call them supposing that they are only e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato As wher Christ saith I counsell thee to buy of mee c. Rev. 3.18 Consitium includit proeceptum Bellarm. Est instrumentum praecepti Thom. Praeceptum ex hypothesi counselled in the Gospell and therefore arbitrary are indeed cōmanded by the law f Ps 19.7 for the law is perfect and are duties necessary for euery man to doe if there bee * As in time of persecution or first plantation of the Gospell So did the first conuerts vid. Act. 2.44.45 cap. 4.32.34 Cause and the case require And otherwise who hath required these things at your hands When the young man whom Christ bad sell all that he had and giue to the poore that hee might follow him g Math. 19.21 if hee would be perfect went away sorrowfull because hee had great possessions then said Iesus vnto his disciples verily I say vnto you h v. 23. That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen i Christiani vnuiscuiusque officium est vt animo propter Christum relinquat omnia par atus etiam ex facto relinquere vbires desiderauerit Iun. in Bell. contra 5. lib. 2. c. 8. S. parag 42. Now that is necessary without which we cannot enter into heauen And what did Christ inioine him more then is intended by the precepts of the law as hee hath interpreted the same * Mat. 5.38 c. Ye haue heard it hath beene said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but I say vnto you that yee resist not euill but whosoeuer shall smite thee on thy righ cheeke turne to him the other also if any man sue thee at the law and take away thy coat let him haue thy cloake also Is it a greater matter to sell that wee haue and giue freely to the poore then to giue to an aduersary that hath already by force or fraud gone beyond vs We are not forbidden k Vid Augustin epistlo quint. ad Marcellin all plea of right nor required causelesly to depart with our own For this were to abet and animate malefactors vnreasonable men to frustrat God his ordinance l Rom. 13.4 whose minister the magistrate is for thy good No more are wee counselled to cast away our goods which are the blessings of God m Act. 17.26 who hath appointed vs the bounds of our habitation nor needlesly to liue vpon the almes of others n Act. 20.35
ragges t Iob 9 30.31 If I wash myselfe saith righteous Iob with snowe water make my hands neuer so cleane yet shalt thou plunge mee in the ditch and mine owne cloathes shall make mee filthy What is that ditch but natures corruption drawen by a perpetuall trench thorough all man kinde from the loines of our first parents Whereof holy king Dauid was by his fall caused to complaine u Psal 51.5 I was shapen in iniquity in sin hath my mother conceaued mee And what are the * Zech. 3.3 filthy cloathes but the carnall motions which being fashioned to our corrupt hearts doe like our garments x Heb. 12 1. easily beset vs and can neuer bee cleane put off vntill nature it selfe bee dissolued Which made Saint Paul cry out y Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Solomon puts the question to all men liuing z Prov. 20.9 wÌ„ho can say mine heart is cleane I am pure from my sinne And himselfe being now become a preacher of repentance makes the answer for all a Eccl. 7.20 There is not a iust man vpon earth that doth good sinneth not If there be any be hee as iust as Iob b Iob. 38.3.40 7. let him gird vp his loines like a man I will demand of thee saith God and declare thou vnto mee Wilt thou disanull my iudgement Wilt thou condemne me that thou maist be righteous c Rom. 3.4 Nay let God be true but euery man a lyer let God be iust but euery man a sinner e Gal 3 19. Wherefore then serues the law it was added because of transgressions that wee may know our f Sedcur praecipitur homini ista perfectio cum in hac vita eam nemo habeat Quia non recte curritur si quo currendum est nesciatur Pet. Lomb. l. 3. Sent. dist 27. lit G. duties and defaults g Rom. 4.15 Where no law is there is no transgression h 1. Ioh. 3.4 for sinne is the transgression of the law i Rom. 5.13 and without the law sinne is not imputed Where sinne is not acknowledged grace is not accepted k Rom. 3.20 but by the law is the knowledge of sinne l Rom. 5.20 Therefore the law entred that the offence might abound but where sinne abounded grace hath superabounded The law euer remaines the perpetuall rule of our duety though vnsufficient for our safety m Rom. 8.3 being weake through the flesh And now it hath a double vse first directly to shew vs n Nec latuit prÄ™ceptorem praecepti pondus hominum excedere vires sed iudicavit ex hoc ipso suae illos insufficientiae admonere vt scirent sanè ad quem iustitiae sinem niti pro viribus oporteret Bernard sup Cant serm 50. what is good and evill that o Rom. 2.18 wee may approue the things that are more excellent being instructed out of the law and that wee may performe the same in all holy obedience to him that commaundeth then obliquely to bring vs by p Data est enim lex superbis hominibus viribus suis totum tribuentibus vt cum implere non possent legem datam praevaricatores inuenirentur facti rei sub lege peterent misericordiam à legis conditore August de actis cum Felice Manich. l. 2. c. 11. repentance to the q Heb. 4.16 throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in the time of need In which respect it is a r Gal. 3.24 schoolemaster still to bring vs vnto Christ reducing vs vnto him obliquely as it were per impossibile not that the law is of things Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil 19. hom Nemo ad impossibile obligatur Non deus impossibilia iubet sed inbendo admonet facere quod possis petere quod non possis Aug. l. de natura gratiae cap. 43. impossible but because we are still impotent and vnable Both which vses of the law Saint Iohn hath put together saying t 1. Iohn 2.1 â— These things I write that you sinne not but if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes Now u 1. Tim. 1.8 we knowe that the law is good if a man vse it lawfully knowing this that the law is not made for a righteous man namely not to iustifie a man nor to condemne any whom God hath iustified but the law is made for the lawlesse and disobedient to curbe and condemne them who will not be reformed * y. 11. according to the glorious gospell of the blessed God Now if our workes done in grace be not answerable to the law of an holy life Good works not well done then sure they can not merit eternall life and glory The things happily are good that we doe in their owne nature and according to the law of God and they may doe good being beneficiall vnto others as to honour our betters is good and the law of God almes deeds are good and doe good to the poore and yet are they not so good as to merit for vs eternall life glory at the hands of God First because they are not so * Querb abs te vtrum haec opera bona benè faciant an malè Si enim quamvis bona male tamensatit negare non potes eum peccare qui malè quodibeâ—t facit August contra Iulian. Col. 1036. l. 4. c. 3. well done as they ought in regard of some necessary circumstance Vnbeleevers may happily doe the things which God requireth but not their duties because they doe them not in conscience to him that commandeth and without faith it is impossible to please God Then if wee of faith doe some duties and neglect others when he that hath commanded one hath commanded all Can some few good workes make satisfaction for so many euill a Heb. 11.6 Whosoever will be saued before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholike faith which except a man belieue faithfully hee cannot bee saved Athanas his Creed Aliud est quod sponte impenditur naturae aliud quod praeceptis dominicis ex charitate debetur obedientiae Greg. hom 27 in Evang. Hoc peccarunt quod homines sine side non ad eum finem ista opera retulerunt ad quem referre debuerunt Aug. l. 4. cont Iulian. c. 3. Sordet natura sine gratia Prosper ep ad Russinum which we haue done and compensation for so many other good workes which wee haue left vndone And yet the very workes of faith by some carnall respects interuening are not so good nor so well done in true loue as they ought For true b 1. Cor. 13.4.5 Plenissima charitas quae iam non possit augeri quamdiu hic homo vivit est in