moved to be more favorable unto him by his great repentance he doth not onely absolue him from from the sin and from the Excommunication but having enjoyned him a most severe publicke pennance which was to have lasted for a great time before the paines due to his enormious offence would have been fully cancelled he notwithstanding out of the plenitude of his Apostolicall power gratiously pardons the remnant of his pennance Now this pardon would have been no favour nor grace unles at the same time he had pardoned the remnant of the paine still due according to divine Iustice Therefore he declares expressely that he doth it in the power of Christ so he sayth 2. Cor. 2. v. 10. To whom you forgive any thing I forgive allso in the person of Christ that is by Christs commission I give this pardon Christ ratifying the pardon or Indulgence which I give to one so well disposed as I see this delinquent to be 7. And hēce comes in a fourth proof Io. 20. v. 23. Receive the Holy Ghost whose sins you shall remitt they are forgiven and whose sins you shall retaine the are retained Behold power in the Church not only to forgive the remnant of the paine due to the sins forgiven which is all that is done by Indulgences but allso behold a power to forgive the very sin it selfe and consequently to take quite away the very eternity of paine which before was due to the sin See Point 16. Whence you cannot wonder to see power of taking away only temporall paine due to sin when such conditions be fulfilled as wee did expresse here n. 2. THE XXVII POINT That faith alone doth not Iustifie 1. THis is a point point blank against the very prime Point of Protestant Religion as theyr grand Reformers call it who define this faith to be an assured confidence that theyr sins are forgiven them wholy by Christs Passion And yet in all Scripture they will not find one single text to prove that ever yet any one single man was justified by this speciall faith as they call it I say by this speciall Faith which breeds in them an assured confidence that theyr sins in particular are pardoned them for Christs sake Wee aske only for one such Text And yet though the beliefe of this the Protestant beliefe be chiefly grounded in this Point they have not so much as one simple cleere Text so groundles is theyr very ground Look upon the Faith of Abraham who is called the Father of all that believe and see what Faith was counted to him for his righteousnes Rom. 4.3 and you shall find that verse taken out Gen. 15. v. 6. where when God had told him he would multiply his seed like the starres Abraham believed God and he counted it to him for righteousnes Why so For his believing promptly that which God had revealed in a matter so hard to his understanding as is expresly sayd Rom. 4.21.22 Hence I argue thus Here is no mention of his assured confidence that his sins were forgiven him by Christs Passion but here is mention of Iustifying Faith or of Faith counted or imputed to man for righteousnes therefore Iustifying Faith is no such matter as this speciall Faith or confidence How this Faith of Abraham came to Iustify S. Iames tels us that it was by being a Faith effective of good works For he so firmely believed what God had said that he feared not to see that saying made null and voyd though he should offer upon the Altar that very Sonne of his upon whom by name all Gods faire promises seemed grounded For was not Abraham our Father justifyed by works when he had offered Isaac his Son upon the Altar Iam. 2.21 2. Wee say then that Faith alone doth not justify but that Faith working by Charity compleats Iustification Luke 7.47 Many sins are forgiven her because shee loved much So Matth. 22. v. 11. Hee that was called to the marriage Feast and came to it and entred in and sat down could not do this but by faith entring the Church yet because he was not attired in a wedding garment of Charity he was cast out and for his sake it was sayd Many are called but few are chosen 3. S. Paul allso inculcates this 1. Cor. 13.2 If I should have all Faith so that I should move mountaines and have no Charity I am nothing Note the word all Faith Again v. 13. The greater of these three is Charity And again Col. 3.14 But above all things have Charity which is the bond of perfection For Matth. 22. v. 40. On these two Commandements of Charity dependeth the whole Law and the Prophets Yet again Gal. 5.6 Neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Charity or love Behold that very Faith which our very doctrine requires that is Faith working by Charity which allso before he called Faith observing the Commandements of God 1. Cor. 7.19 Where it is sayd Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandements of God Again Gal. 6.15 Neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor incircumcision but a new Creature formed by Charity according to Gods commandements Again Eph 1 4. He hath chosen us before the constitution of the world that wee should be Holy and without blame before him in love or Charity Note how that which makes us Holy and without blame before him is Charity Again Eph. 3 17. Christ dwels by Faith in the hart rooted in Charity Again Hebr. 5.9 He became the author of eternall saluation to all that obey him He was not made the author of this saluation to any but such as did obey him For as is sayd 1. Io. 1.7 If we walke in the light Lex Lux the blood of Iesus Christ clenseth us from all sin Where read you that it doth so if wee walke not in the light or do not obey him 4. Note that besides other Texts I have cited here eight out of S. Paul because our adversaries chiefly ground themselves in those his words Rom. 3.28 A man is justifyed by Faith without the works of the Law Where his meaning only is that neither the works of the written Law done by the Iew nor the works of the Law of nature done by the Gentil before either of them believe in Christ can without Faith in Christ justify any one For neither Iew nor Gentil is justifyed by any one of those works but they are justifyed by that Faith which he told you in the former Texts to worke by Charity and to be a Faith observing the commandments of God making us a new creature rooted in Charity and obeying him Thus S. Paul is explicated by S. Aug. upon this place Yea he is explicated by S. Iames in many places of his second chapter as v. 14. Though a man sayth he hath Faith and have not works can Faith save him Note here first that S. Iames supposeth this may happen that a man may
have Faith but not works and that in this case his Faith will not save him which is that which S. Paul allso sayd before If I have all Faith but have not Charity I am nothing S. Iames goes on v. 21. Abraham was he not justifyed by works offering Isaac Seest thou not how Faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect If this Faith had justifyed before any works proceeded from it it had been perfected before any such works Yet it is sayd that by works this Faith was made perfect Whence followeth v. 24. Ye see then how that by works a man is justifyed and not by Faith only This then is our demonstration if Faith justifyeth alone it justifyeth without works but S. Iames sayth it doth not justify without works therefore it doth not justify alone For by works and not by Faith alone a man is justifyed What more cleer THE XXVIII POINT VVhether our Iustification be any thing inherent in us 1. OVr adversaries doctrine is that wee are only just because God is pleased to repute us so in regard of Christs Iustice imputed to us and thus he doth only cover our sins these sins still remaining in vs but God doth now impute them to us because wee having once layd hold of Christs Iustice by the hands of Faith this Iustice is made ours and by Christs merits wee shall undoubtly be saved Our doctrine opposite in all points shall be point after point proved out of Scripture 2. First then wee say our Iustice is a quality truly inherent in us Ezech. 36.26 A new hart allso I will give you and a new spirit I will put with in you And cause you to walke in my statutes And ye shall keep my Iudgements and do them I need speak no cleerer So Rom. 5.5 The Charity of God is powerd forth in our harts by the Holy Ghost which is given us by the infusion of this Charity into us in us is framed the new creature Gal. 6.15 And this new inward man is sayd Col. 3.12 to be put on by us by such vertues as are inherent As by the bowels of mercies kindnes humblenes of mind meeknes And v. 14. Above all these by Charity which is the bond of perfection Behold the parts of this inward new man of which again he sayth Eph 4.23 Be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holynesse which be qualities most inherent And Eph. 1.4 He hath chosen us before the foundation of the world that wee should be Holy without blame in his sight in Charity which Charity is an inward quality 3. Secondly wee say that by this quality wee are not only reputed just but wee are just verily and really And because wee verily are so wee truly are to be reputed so wee being Holy before him in Charity Eph. 1.4 For as was sayd in the former Texts wee have in us a new hart a new spirit by Charity powred forth in our very harts transforming us inwardly into new creatures and new men being truly renewed in spirit Whence 1. Io. 3. Wee are not only called the Sons of God v. 1. But now wee are the sons of God v. 2. So when you read that Abrahams Fai h working by Charity was imputed to him to righteousnes and he was called the friend of God Iames 2.23 You shall note that he therefore was reputed just and therefore called the friend of God because truly he was just and was truly Gods friend having Faith quickned by Charity in him So Luke 1.6 of Zachary and Elizabeth They were both righteous before God whose eyes see what is the most covered walking in all the Commandements and Ordinances of our Lord without blame They therefore were just even before Gods eyes And this true Iustice in the eyes of God is in the same chapter promised to vs by the grace of the Saviour there foretold that wee may serve him in Holynes righteousnes and Iustice before him all our dayes v. 75. Note this Holynes before him which is to be Holy in his sight Hence God to Noë Gen. 7.1 I have seen thy righteousnes before me Hence allso Col. 1.10 That you may walke worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing fructifying in all good works Giving thanks to the Father who hath made us meet to be partakere of the inheritance of the Saints So Apoc. 3.4 Thou hast a few names in Sardis which have not defiled theyr garments and they shall walk with me in whites because they be worthy And 1. Io. 3.7 Litle Children let no man deceive you He hath doth righteousnes is righteous even as he is righteous Note those words even as he that is God is righteous For God is righteous not by imputative but true interior Iustice of which inward Iustice Christ sayth Matth. 5.20 I say unto you unles your righteousnes shall exceed thae of Scribes and Pharisees you shall not entee into the Kingdome of heaven For if there be not righteousnes in us exceeding Scribes and Pharisees wee shall be damned and no righteousnes shall be imputed to us For as is sayd Rom. 2.2 Wee are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth It were not verity but falsity to repute him just who in very truth is not just but is still a sinner Hence Prov. 17. v. 15. He that justifyeth the impious and he that condemneth the Iust both are abominable before God Dare you say that God doth that which is abominable He reputes things to be as they truly are in themselves So Rom. 2.9 Wrath and Indignation Tribulation and Anguish upon every soule of man that worketh evill He imputes Iustice to no sinner untill he leaves of to be so by true returning to works of Iustice Those whom he reputes clean truly are clean And you are clean Io. 13.10 4. Thirdly hence wee say that our sins be not only covered but wholy taken away For wee by vertue of Gods inward grace given for Christ are clensed made white and glittering For Christ is the Lambe of God who taketh away the sins of the world Io. 1.29 He doth not only cover them but takes them quite away And so Psal 32.2 when David sayth Blessed is the man to whom the Lord doth not impute iniquity and whose sins are covered It followeth there is no guile in his spirit And because there is no guile therefore no iniquity can be imputed to him Protestants still cite the former words but leave out these latter which words teach us excellently that that which is covered from Gods eyes must not be at all and therefore his sin now not being at all cannot now at all be seen For as the same David tells you Psal 103 v. 12. As farre as the east is distant from the West so farre hath he removed our transgressions from us This expressiō though it may be thought very full yet really our sins forgiven are
in another a greate way of And so to goe seeking from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Apocalipse And this though the number of Pointes necessary to saluation be but smale as Protestants all agree I can not therefore thinke is was Gods intention te leave us to the Bible only as to the sole Rule of Faith THE SECOND POINT Tradition besides Scripture must direct us in many necessary Controversies 1. FIrst the word of God may be notified either by Tradition with out writing or by Scripture or writing It is undoubted that the word of God written or unwritten is the Rule of Faith wherefore seeing it hath been proved in the former Point that the writteÌ„ word of God is not our only Rule of Faith it evidently followeth that Gods unwritten word notified by Tradition must be taken as part of this Rule 2. Secondly Moyses was the first Scripture writer and he according to his own story did not write till the world had continued above two thousand and four hundred yeares so long then all the faithfull in the world were truly faithfull without any Scripture All this long time then the unwritten word of God that is Tradition was the only Rule of Faith For even then many had that faith which is defined by S. Paul 11. Hebr. 1. which I prove because in that very place he numbers Abel Enoch Noë Abraham and Sara all having the faith he there described and yet Sara cannot be shewed to have had her faith grounded on any other word of God but that which was delivered by the Tradition of the Church in her times And generally then the faith of all true beleivers was grounded upon Tradition only By this Tradition they knew that God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it Gen. 2.3 And so all held themselves obliged to keep the Saboth By this Tradition they knew the distinction of Beastes cleane and uncleane Gen. 7.2 By this Tradition they knew themselves obliged not to eate the flesh with the blood Gen. 9.4 so likewise that the Tithes were to be pâ—yd to the Priest Gen. 14.20 By only Tradition they knew the fall of Adam theyr future saluation by the Messias to come theyr remedy from sinne by Pennance and repentance theyr reward of Good punishment of evell Againe from Abraham untill the written law that is for some foure hundred yeares they knew by Tradition only that this is the Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you All man kind shall be circumcised an infant of eight dayes Gen. 17.10 Now give me one Text if you can which bide us not to take Tradition for a Rule of Faith after the writing of Scripture 3. Thirdly even after the writing of Scripture the Gentils had not the Scripture yet by Tradition only many of them as apeares by the booke of Iob retained true faith And even among the Iews after they had the Scripture several necessary Pointes where left to be knowne by Tradition only as the remedy for Original sinne before the eight day and for woemen children both before and after As also by only Tradition they knew that all the vertue there sacrifices had to take away sinne was from the blood of theyr Redeemer to come The observing of al these traditions was not any unlawfull Addition to the written word of God whence you may understand the clere meaning of those words so often objected against us Deut. 4.2 You shall not adde to the word I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it For here is only forbidden to add contrary to the law So that other place Ch 12.32 Whatsoever I command you observe thou shall not adde thereunto nor diminish from it For this place is meant only of offerings not any other sacrifices besides those which were in the law prescribed But it was ever lawfull for lawfull Superiors to add more preceps agreable to the law So 2. Ch. 30.21 after the Children of Israël according to the law had kept the solemnity of Azymes seven dayes v. 23. The whole assembly took good counsel to keep other seven dayes And v. 27. Theyr prayer came to the Holy habitation of heaven This addition then did not displease God Again Esther 9.27 The Iews ordained and tooke upon them and theyr seede and upon all that would be ioyned with them so as it should not faile that they keep these two dayes and that these dayes should be kept through out every Generation every family Behold here an other addition and behold also an other again of the Dedication of the Altar made for eight dayes from yeare to yeare 1. Mach. 4.56.59 And that you may know that this booke is Scripture or at least that a feast is to be kept not appointed in Scripture our Saviour himselfe did keep this Feast Iohn 10.22 as I shall shew Point 38. Again the change of the Sabboth into the Sunday is only clearly known by Tradition Yea the manner of keeping it is contrary to all Scripture we have for Scripture sayth Levit. 23.32 From Even unto Even shall ye celebrate Your Sabboth Yet we do not begin the Sunday the even before neither dare wee worke after the even upon Sunday Who taught us this Tradition only 4. Fourthly Tradition is and therfore is truly to be held the word of God making us fully assured of what is not written For example for some yeares after the Death of our Saviour his glorification after death was not written so as to expresse that Iesus was that Christ whom God had glotified and yet before this was written S. Peter sayd truly Acts 2.36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly marke the word assuredly that God hath made the same Iesus whome you have crucified both Lord and Christ We may then have an infallible faith of what is not written yea we are forbidden to believe otherwise then was delivered by Tradition 2. Thess 2.14 Therefore Bretheren stand and hold the Traditions you have bin taught whether by word or by our Epistle For what he taught by his tongue only was as truly the word of God as what he did also write with his penne Yea this which I call Tradition is the Epistle of Christ 2. Cor. 33. you are the Epistle of Christ not written with inke but with the spiritt of the living God This Epistle written with the spiritt of the living God is no lesse true nor of lesse credit then what is writteÌ„ with inke in papers Whereforemost of the Apostles did give their Convertites no other forme of beliefe but what by their preaching they had written in theyr heartes not with inke but with the spiritt of the living God For the proper subject to receive and râ—â—ayne the word of God is not paper but the heartes of the faythfull Whence S. Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 4. What if the Apostles had also left no Scripture Ought not we to follow the order of Tradition which they delivered to them to
his pleasure by graunting him a Plenary Indulgence But if our doctrine be truly understood we all require more for gaining pardon even of the least part of the paine still due to our very least sins then Protestants require to the full forgivenes of all the greatest sins that are or can be takē all togeather with all the paine which can be due unto them which is a point exceedingly to be noted it being apparently true 2. For the first thing which we require to gain any part even of the least Indulgence is to have true faith producing true repentance for our sin This alone with Protestants suffices to remit the guilt of all sins whatsoever and all paines due to all sins of which any man can be guilty Doth it do so with us No it is farre from it We say that after this first he must make a true entire Confession Secondly He must moreover stand obliged to make perfect restitution of any thing to which hs is bound Thirdly he stands obliged to performe the Pennance enjoyned him Fourthly if this pennance fall short of satisfying the divine Iustice for the paines yet due to the sins forgiven the sinner stands still obliged to satisfie the divine Iustice by other penall works Now all that we say is that this paine may be pardoned him by Indulgences though not by Indulgences graunted meerly at the Popes pleasure but by Indulgences graunted by him upon sufficient causes which causes he must carefully examine And after the graunt of Indulgences upon due causes you must not thinke any thing is done untill we on our parts have done what is required What is that It is that after such humble Repentance and after such an entire Confession and restitution as I sayd we performe the things expressed in the Graunt of the Indulgence And when all is done the most that we obtaine is to have pardon due to such sins the guilt of which is allready forgiven by our repentance and Confession But the Protestants teach that Faith alone quite frees men for ever of all theyr sins and of all the paine that was due for theyr sins though never so many or so great for after this faith God imputes theyr sins no longer to them 3. Before I prove that the Pope hath power by Indulgences graunted upon just cause to pardon such as duely performe what is enjoyned I further note that the Blood of Christ was of that infinite value that the shedding of one droppe thereof was able to satisfie divine Iustice for all the sins of the world yea of a million of worlds and able to satisfie also for all the paine that could be due for all those sins Wherefore seeing Christ did not shed his blood for us by dropps but by showers hence it followeth evidently that the satisfactions of Christ alone be in a most high degree superaboundant Tell me now is the most precious treasure of all this superaboundancy of satisfactions in order to cancell the paine due to our sins so wholy lost that even the liveing members of Christs body can receive no benefit by this superaboundancy God forbid They be not treasures wrapped up in a napkin Wherefore there must be a power on earth to dispense this rich treasure but yet to dispense it so as becoms a prudent dispenser of the mysteries of God Now who is the highest and chiefest in this dignity of dispensing but he whome we have proved to be the head and chief Pastour of Christs Church to whome it was sayd To thee I will give the Keyes of the Kingdome of heaven Matth. 16. v. 19. Feede my sheepe Io 21. v 15. See the seventh Point 4. That such Indulgences as here described may be graunted I prove first because to give thus the Keyes of the Kingdome of heaven to S. Peter and to his successours as is there proved is to give power of removing any barr that may shutt us out of heaven whether this barr be the sin it selfe which excludes us eternally if not removed or whether it be the guilt of paine for our sins forgiven which excludeth us onely untill such time as due satisfaction is made for that paine Satisfaction may be made for this paine either by our selves performing sufficiently for this effect such satisfactory workes as we spake of Point 9. and 24. Or which may be performed for us by others For as I may pay my debts by my selfe so I may pay them by a friend 5. And the proofe of this is a second proofe of Indulgences out of Col. 1.24 I Paul who now rejoyce in suffering for you and doe accomplish those things which want of the Passion of Christ in my flesh for his body which is the Church Of which Text see what I sayd Point 24. n. 6. whence appeares that notwithstanding the fullnes and superabondance of Christs Passion in it selfe yet in order to our being made compleatly partakers of severall fruits thereof something may be and often is wanting on our part What is this It is the adjoyning of those satisfactory workes which in that Point we have at large shewed Christ to expect at our hands And untill such workes be performed either by us in person or for us in the person of some other we still stand lyable to the paine due to our sins forgiven Now that an other may offer such workes for us is made evident by the text we cited out of S. Paul affirming that he rejoyced in doeing this deed of charity which consisted in suffering that is in doeing a worke most satisfactory for them and by it to make up or to accomplish in his flesh that which was yet behind or as yet wanted of the Passion of Christ that is what was wanting not on Christs part but on the part o his body which is the Church Now as S. Paul as then confirmed in grace had few sins and many sufferings which he could well spare and give away to pay his brothers debt so had S. Iohn Baptist so had our Lady so the Apostles so the Holy Martyrs and many others But above all Christs sufferings alone had an inexhaustable superaboundance which sufferings although Christ by his ordinary course of providence doth not applie to the full cleansing of our sins and of the paine due to our sins unlesse we doe what is required on our part yet he hath left power to his Vicar on earth upon just causes and with due circumspection to impart by way of speciall favour or Indulgence those superabundant satisfactions of Christ and his Saints unto us that by this superabondancy our wants may be supplied if we duely dispose our selves by his grace to be partakers of that great favour 6. A third proofe of Indulgences out of Scripture is to shew S. Paul exercising in the person of Christ this speciall favour or Indulgence towards the incestous Corinthian Whome in his first Epistle to the Corinthians he had given over to Satan by Excommunication But afterwards
6.9 Be not weary in well doing why so For in due season wee shall reap if wee faint not Sixthly Eph. 6.8 Knowing that every one what good so ever he shall do that shall he receive of our Lord. Seaventhly he seeks in his Convertites the doing of good works by reason of the reward they shall receive for them So Philip 4.16 Ye sent once and againe to my necessity not because I desire the gift But I desire the fruit that may abound to your account Behold S. Paul desired the encrease of theyr merit Eightly 1. Tim. 6.17 Charge them that are rich that they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute Laying up store for themselves a good fundation against the time to come that they may lay hold of an eternall life Ninthly Tim. 2.4.8 There is layed up for me a Crowne of righteousnes which our Lord will render to me in that day a just Iudge and not only to me but c. It is his mercy to promise heaven to our good works it is his mercy to give us that grace which confers all the meritorious value upon these works it is his mercy to excite us by actuall grace to performe such works and to accompany and assist us whilst wee work But it is his Iustice and righteousnes to give that reward which his mercy made these works able to deserve So that now as a just Iudge he rewards our merits though they be his gifts Tenthly Heb. 11.24 Moyses refused to be called the Sonne of Pharao his daughter choosing to be afflicted with the people of God esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures in Aegypt For he had respect unto the recompence of the reward Behold how much Moyses valued the recompence of the reward due to so meritorious an act as that was And Eleventhly Hebr. 10.35 Cast not away your confidence which hath recompense of great reward I might end all these Texts with that of the Apocal. 22.12 My reward is with me to give every one according as his works shall be 5. But I thought fitt to adde that wee Roman Catholicks do so extoll the dignity of good works in regard of that value given them by the grace of Christ merited for us by his Passion that wee say these works thus dignifyed make us worthy of heavenly blisse And this wee prove by Scripture S. Paul Col. 1.12 Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of Saints And Apoc. 3.4 But thou hast a few names in Sardis which have not defiled theyr garments and the shall walke with me in whites because they are worthy Hence Psal 18.21 The Lord shall reward me after my righteous doings According to the cleanes of my hands shall he recompense me See Point 28. n. 2. 3. 6. Against so many and so cleare Texts our Adversaries chiefly object First that the Scripture Isa 64.6 Wee are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnes are as filthy raggs I answer this is sayd of us and our works done meerly by us as wee are left to our selves borne and growen up in sin and not aided nor clensed and dignified by Gods grace And it is a strange inference of our Adversaries to draw from hence that our best works done in grace and by the helpe of Gods grace be all deadly sinns For so in the Texts cited David could not be rewarded after his righteousnes and according to the cleanes of his hands Neither should there be any of so unfiled garments as to walke in whites because they are worthy again how sayth S Iames c. 2.21 Abraham was he not justifyed by works offering Isaac Seest thou not how faith wrought with his works and byworks was made perfect How so if both his faith and his works were deadly sinns What doth God thus reward deadly sin or could such a sin be a worke justifying Abraham In the Texts n. 6. It is sayd that God will repay us for fasting praying giving almes in secret How is this true if all these works be deadly sins in us Tell me how it is possible by heaping up deadly sinns to do what Christ bids us that is to heap up treasures in heavē The yong man of whom I spook was told that by selling all he should purchase a treasure in heaven How then was this selling all a deadly sin If selling all be a deadly sin then to say If thou will be perfect go and sell all is to say go and do a deadly sin if thou wilt be perfect Is that the one thing that was wanting unto him And thus I might argue out of most of the above cited Texts I am sure Christ sayth Matth. 3.10 Every tree that brings not forth good fruit his hewen down and cast into the fire If the fruit of no tree be good then every tree must be burned S. Iames 1.26 Of the doer of the work sayth This man shall be blessed in his deed And S. Paul Phil. 4.18 calls the almes sent to him an odour of a sweet smel a Sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God These almesdeeds then were not filthy raggs 7. Secondly they object out of Luk 17.10 When you have done all that you are commanded say wee are unprofitable servants I answer this is true that by all wee do or can do even by Gods grace wee are servants unprofitable to God For all wee do or can do profits him nothing But wee are servants profitable to our selves For heaping up treasure in heaven and making friends of Mammon to receive us into the eternall Tabernacles are things very profitable unto us as allso to be good and faithfull servants and therfore to be placed over much and enter into the joy of our Lord. S Paul sayd 1. Cor. 13.3 If I should distribute all my goods to be meat to the poore and have not Charity it doth profit me nothing Ergò with Charity it profits me much Yea though faithfull servants be thus unprofitable to God yet in regard of the service they do him he sayth Io. 15. v. 14. Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you a thing of no small profit and honour Again is it not think you any profit to have a hundred fold here in this world and life everlasting in the next for leaving what they had for his like Is it no profit to us to say truly with S. Paul Col. 1 12. He hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints and to walke with him in whites because wee are worthy Apoc 3.4 Had he no profit by overcoming to whome it was sayd He that shall overcome and keepe my works untill the end I will give him in heaven power over the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron Apoc. 2.26 Hee that shall overcome I will give to sitt with me in my throne Apoc. 3.21 Do wee not then by overcoming profit our selves in a high