bread to make blood flesh and spirits But God giues it vertue and power beyond the nature and substance thereof to doe vs good speaking a blessing on it for our vse m Deut. 8.3 Mat. 4.4 Wherefore man shall not liue by bread only but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God n 1. Tim. 4.5 Prov. 30.8 And it is sanctified and made convenient for vs by the word of o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Honestum hoc insuper Deum iâ—itio comae prandii inuocari Diotogenes lib. de sâ—â—ctiltate God and prayer Yet it sustaines vs but from day to day for it is but daily bread and not as the tree of life whereof if the man had eaten hee should haue liued for euer The Manna which God gaue the Israelites from heauen it was but daily bread it would not ordinarily keepe vntill the morrow and p Ioh. 6.49 they that did eat thereof are dead Such is the condition of this life and the things thereof q 1. Cor. 15.19 And if in this life only wee had hope then were wee of all men most miserable Wherefore our r Ioh. 6.27 labour must bee not so much for the food that perisheth but for the meat which endureth to eternall life the supersubstantiall bread indeed Å¿ Cant. 8.7 aboue all the substance of our house t Ps 119.14 and to bee reioyced in aboue all substance Which Christ giues vnto vs for him hath the Father sealed u Ioh. 6.51 I am the liuing bread saith he which came downe from heauen if any man eat of this bread he shall liue for euer Gods prouidence doth not exclude ours in the vse of ordinary meanes but requires it directs and giues a blessing therevnto both in the things of this life and for a better But this is our folly we will either doe all our selues or no thing And commonly we can be content to leaue all to God for the world to come but in the things of this world we will bee our owne caruers Of the two * Luc. 16.8 the children of this world are in their generation wiser then the children of light They will provide for this life and we must provide x V. 9. that we may be receaued into everlasting habitations Wherin finding how short our store comes of such a purchase how vnworthy Gods grace we walk Forgiuenes of sins how ill we deserue thorough our owne corruption vtterly distrusting and disclaiming our selues wee flye againe vnto the throne of grace for pardon of our sins protection in temptations and rescue in the end from all evill Who can forgiue sinnes but God only against whom we sinne and doe euill in his sight For howsoeuer wee trespasse wrong Omniamandata Dei facta deputantur quando quiequid non fit ignoscitur Aug. l. 1. Retrac c. 19. and giue offence one to another which we may and must forgiue so farre as concernes vs yet can no man forgiue the sinne which is the transgression of the law but hee only who is the law-giuer He forgiues y Ps 32.5 the iniquity of our sin z Exod. 34 7. The Lord the Lord forgiuing iniquity transgression and sinne And he forgiues * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our debts the obligations of sinne penalties for sinne to whom we are so much bound in duty and by whose law we stand bound ouer vnto death a Rom. 6.23 the iust wages of sinne b Ps 49.7.8 None can by any meanes redeeme his brother or giue a ransome to God for him For it cost more to redeeme their soules so that he must let that alone for euer c Isa 43.25 But I even I am hee saith God that blotteth out all thy transgressions for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes For when the offence is pardoned the d Impium est à Dto diminidiaem sperare veniam August punishment is remitted because it is the forgiuenesse of our debts the penalties of sinne When Christ cured any of their diseases he vsed to say e Mat. 9.6 Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee For they are the cause of all our maladies the remission whereof is therefore a present and a perfect remedy f Ps 103.3 4. God forgiueth all our sinnes and healeth all our infirmities so that they shall not tend to destruction in eternall death the iust wages of sinne and our due debt for the same g Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enimies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled shall we be saued by his life By whose grace we obtaine the forgiunesse not only of h Rom 3.25 sinnes past before grace thorough the forbearance of God but of our i Quotidianae incuâ— sionis Orabant autem vtiq iam fideles iam apostoli NaÌ„ ista oratio Dominica magis fidelibus datur Si debita illa tantummedò dicerentur quae per baptismum dimittuntur catechumenis congeueret magis orare Dimitte nobis debita nostra Aug. in Ps 142. daily sinnes and trespasses for which he hath taught vs as duely to aske pardon as for our daily bread with faith to obtaine k Rom. 5.16 For not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the iudgement was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences to iustification euen so many and so long as we haue grace to beleeue and repent Iustification a terme in law denoting an act of the iudge not any habit in the party iustified being once passed vpon vs in grace l Rom. 8.28 according to his eternall purpose is neuer reversed but standeth more firme then the law of the Medes and Persians howsoever it be often reacted confirmed It was purposed of God to every one of his elect in his counsell from everlasting it was purchased and procured for them in the fulnesse of time by the death and passion of Christ Iesus It is published and proclaimed throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospell it is testified and applied to every penitent beleeuers conscience in the sight of God by his spirit and is sealed by the Sacraments and being apprehended by faith is often m Multò firmior est fides quaÌ„ reponit poenitentia Lactant. l. 5. c. 14. renued by repentance Whereby every poore publican that with true faith and repentance cryes God mercy n Luk. 18.14 goes away more iustified theÌ„ any proud Pharisee that iustifies himselfe o Iob. 33.23.24 And if there be a messenger an interpreter one of a thousand to shew vnto man his righteousnesse in his greatest a gonie and distresse God is gracious vnto him and saith deliuer him from going downe to the pit for I haue founde a ransome for him p Mat. 18.18 Whatsoeuer is loosed on earth it is loosed in heauen for it is God that doth it and
nemine quam diu â—utem augeriopotest profecto illud quod minus est quam debet ex vitio est ex quo vitio non est qui faciat bonum non peccat Aug. ep 29. ad Hier. loue vaunteth not it selfe is not puffed vp seeketh not her owne but generally their works who most stand vpon them are done either in vaine glory or with carnall confidence or in a superstitious opinion of meriting thereby vnto them selues and as seeking their owne good more then the glory of God Wherefore although wee build vpon the c 1 Cor. 3.11.12.13.15 foundation Christ Iesus yet because there is a mixture of trash wood hay stubble with our purest gold siluer pretious stones wee shall suffer losse in our workes and our selues be saued euen so as by fire Againe what congruity is there of d Gratianon est vllo modo si non sit gratuita omnimodo August ep 106 ad Bon. grace e Meritum meum miseratio domini Bernard bomil 61. in canticum cant merit Grace and merit incompetible that workes should merit thorough grace f Rom. 11.6 For if by grace then it is no more of workes otherwise grace is no more grace but if it bee of workes then it is no more grace otherwise worke is no more worke Moreouer good workes are properly such as doe good as almes deedes and the like g Psal 16.2 Now our goodnes extendeth not to God but descendeth from him h Iam. 1.17 from whom cometh downe euery good and perfect gift It is of God his grace if we doe any good for what hast thou which thou hast not receaued All therefore that wee can possibly doe is no more nor so much as wee owe and that by a double bond first of nature now of grace therefore k Luk. 17.10 when all is done we are but vnprofitable seruants and can challenge nothing vpon desert as due debt at the hands of God Lastly if the workes done in grace be good and perfect and may be thought to merit vpon compact with God yet what l Non dignus suisti quem iustificatum glorificaret Aug. de verb. Apost serm 2. Si quis omnem obedientiam impleret tamen omma mala paenas perferret quae cadere possunt in naturam humanam vt Iob non tamen haec condigna erunt gloriae suturae Orig. in Rom. 8. condignity is there in the best of them equivalent in iust price and value to the glory that is prepared for vs The effect cannot exceed the cause But our iustification excells all workes before grace and our finall saluation all workes done in grace m Quod est meritum hominis ante gratiam cum omne meritum noshuÌ„ non faciatin nobis nisi gratia cumdeus coronat merita nostra nihil aliud coronat quam dona sua Sicut enim ab initio fidei misericordiam consecuti sumus non quia sideles cramus sed vt essemus sic in sine quod erit in vita aeterna coronabit nos ficut scriptum est In miserscordia miseratiouibus August ep 105. ad Sixtum praesbyterum as much as grace excells corruption and as the state of glory shall excell this of grace Martyrdome suffering ill with patience for doing well the worst that men can inflict for Christ cause the best that a man can vndertake is not equall in worth to eternall life n Rom. 8.82 I reckon saith Saint Paul as hauing made a iust and exact computation that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be reuealed in vs. o Cor. 4.17 For the affliction is but light and for a moment which worketh for vs a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory It worketh for vs and wee worke by it for p 2 Tim. 2.12 if wee suffer with Christ we shall also raigne with him And wee by q Rom. 2.7 patience in well doing r Phil. 2.12 worke out our saluatioÌ„ as by a means seruing thereunto yet is it not a meritorious cause deseruing the same Which blessed estate because it is proposed afore hand for our encouragement and performed in the end with approbation of our weake indeauours and doth abundantly Å¿ Si accepturus es vitam aeternam iustitiae quidem stipendium est sed tibi gratia est cui gratia est ipipsa iustitia c. August ep 105. ad Sixtum presbit crum recompence whatsoeuer in the meane time wee doe or suffer for his sake that bestowes it therefore it is t Heb. 11.26 called the recompence of reward And yet when all is done it is the free gift of God u Iohn 1.16 who giueth grace for grace * Mat. 13.12 accumulating more grace vpon him that hath more x Ps 84.11 Hee will giue both grace and glory if wee haue the grace to giue him the glory Our greatest perfection is in aiming at it The Christian hope a Per hoc quantum mihi videtur in ea quae perficienda est iustitia multum in hac vita ille profecit qui quam longe sita perfectione iustitiae prosiciendâ— cognouâ—â— August de sp lit c. 36. Haec est hominis â—â—ra sapientia imperfectum se nosse atque vt ita loquar cunctorum incarne iustorum imperfecta perfectio est Hieron lib. 〈◊〉 dial adversus Pel. cv 15. acknowledging our own imperfectioÌ„ to looke for it in hope to longe for it in the mirrour of all pefectioÌ„ Christ Iesus b Phil. 3.12.13 St Paul suffered the losse of all things making no reckoning of them that he might winne Christ yet did not he account himselfe to haue attained or to be already perfect but forgetting the things behinde hee reaching forth pressed toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus c v. 14. Let vs therefore as many as bee perfect be thus minded d Heb. 11. All the holy men in the cloud of witnesses liued by faith euery one of theÌ„ did by faith some good remarkeable worke but they dyed also in the faith not hauing receiued the promises but expecting them by faith hope in the grace mercy of God e Act. 15.11 we beleiue that thorough the grace of our lord Iesus Christ we shall bee saued euen as they f Tit. 3.7 Who being iustified by his grace are made heires according to the hope of eternall life g Propter incertitudineÌ„ propriae iustitiae periculum inanis gloriae turissimum est fiduciam totam in sola Dei misericordia benignitate reponere Beliarm de iustificat lib. 5. cap. 7. Quis feratorantem non hominibus sed ipsi domino mentientem qui labijs fibi dicit dimitti velle corde dicit que sibi dimittantur peccata non babere Concil Melcuitan Can 8. And
the covenant of his grace in our Creed where the agreement is first drawne betwixt God the Father Son and Holy Ghost on the one part and the holy Catholicke tholicke Church on the other as he saith * Ier. 31.33 I will be their God and they shall be my people Then the conditions of the Covenant are expressed first for this life present the Communion of Saints on our part with God and with one an other in loue according to his Law and on Gods part the continuall forgiuenesse of our sinnes For so is the Covenant a Ier. 31.33.34 Heb. 10.16.17 I will put my Lawes in their hearts saith GOD and in their mindes will I write them And their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more And for the life to come God will recouer vs from death by the resurrection of our bodies and we shall euer liue in his sight praising him as hee saith b Ps 50.15 I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Who himselfe alone is the only and all-sufficient cause of our saluation and that of his free grace goodnes the author and first mouer the Mediatour procurer the immediate worker dispenser of all in all The vnsearchable loue of God the Father who made all things and c whose desire is to the worke of his hands fore-seeing that man would not abide in honour to glorifie him vnto eternall life according to the course of Nature provided from euerlasting this way of grace to glorifie himselfe in our saluation Which hee hath euer from the beginning promised in time performeth d 2 Tim. 1.9 calling and sauing vs according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen vs in Christ Iesus before the World began The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ our Mediatour and Redeemer hath abundantly performed the same for vs a 2 Cor. 1.20 in whom all the promises of God are yea in him Amen to the glory of God by vs b 1 Pet. 1.20.21 who verily was fore-ordained before the foundatiō of the World but was manifest in these last times for vs who by him doe beleeue in God that raised him frō the dead gaue him glory that our faith and hope might be in God The Holy Ghost who proceedeth from the Father and the Son doth by an entire fellovvship most comfortably communicate the same grace vnto vs c Rom. 8.16 testifying to our spirits that vve are the children of God in Christ that we are in grace and fauour with him and thereby working d Heb. 12.28 grace in vs againe to serue him vvith reuerence and godly feare e Eph. 1.14 the earnest of our purchased possession vvhereby vve are sealed to the day of redemption Although the severall parts of our saluation bee thus seuerally attributed to the Persons of the Trinity for distinction in respect of their order and the oeconomy amongst themselues according to their personall proprieties yet is our whole saluation as all the outvvorkes are the ioint vvorke of the Trinity But in this whole mystery of grace the eye of our faith is most set vpon our Lord IESVS the f mal 3.1 Angell of the Couenant g Heb. 12.24 the Mediatour of the nevv Testament h Heb. 3.1 the Apostle and High Priest of our calling i 1 Pet. 2.25 the Pastor and Bishop of our soules k Heb. 2.10 the captaine of our saluation the l C. 12.2 author and finisher of our faith Because m Col. 1.19 in him it pleased the Father all fulnesse should dvvell n Ioh. 1.16 And of his fulnesse vve all receiue by his Spirit euen grace for grace The Son of God the Mediatour As he said of Abraham so might he haue saide of Adam before he was I am For he is the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sybil. apud Lactant. l. 4. de vera sapientia c. 6. eternall Sonne of God o Iohn 1.1 his Word and p Prou. 8. Wisdome q Iohn 1.9 the light r Iam 1.17 of the Father of lights ſ Heb. 1.3 the expresse Image of GOD and brightnes of his glory t Exo. 23.20.21 c. 33.14 Esai 63.9 the Angell of his presence very God of very God begotten not made u Mich. 5.2 whose goings out haue beene from euerlasting and x Es 53.8 who can declare his generation * Christus est homo etsi Deus Adam novissimus etsi sermo primarius Tertul de resur carn Although hee bee called the second Adam in regard of the flesh assumed for the worke of our redemption as it was promised from the beginning y Prov. 8.22 The Lord possessed him his essentiall word and wisedome in the beginning of his way before his workes of olde the a Rationem verò eorum quae Deus ab aeterno in sapientia id est in vnigenito verbo disposuit creans ibi omnia simul quae postmodum consequenter producit in opera secundùm provisum ordinem singula traducens c. Ioan. Sarisber Policrat l. 2. c. 21. mirrour of his minde the b Col. 1.15 Image of the invisible God the first begotten of euery creature By whom hee purposed to make all things to preserue some Angels to recouer c Nulla est personarum acceptio quia sic alius gratis honoratur vt alius debito non fraudetur Et mox Nec vlla est personarum acceptio in duobus debitoribus aequaliter reis fi alteri dimittitur ab altero exigitur quod paritèr ab vtroque debetur August ad 2. ep Pelag. l. 2 c. 7. some men of whom hee made choice in him with a non obstante notwithstanding the generall fall at once in Adam and our continuall failing his grace and fals in sin For the Almighty and onely wise God proceedes not meerely vpon occasion or according to a bare speculatiue d Scientia existentium praescientia futurorum dispositio faciendorum providentia gubernandorum praedestinatio salvandorum est Ioan. Sarisber Polycrat l. 2. c. 21. prevision of what would happen but by provision with Almighty power most wisely and justly ordered by his prouidence to accomplish his owne purpose e Eph. 1.11 who worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will Wherefore it seemes most agreeable to Scripture and to the nature of the mystery of his will therein revealed vnto vs which f Durand in 1. sent dist 41. q. 1. art 9. Thom. Aq. 1. part q. 23. art 4. some haue well observed that election was first ordine naturae in the Sonne of God as being the mirrour and then predestination by him as the Mediatour that being an act of Gods praescience this a g Primitiva disponentis Dei gratia Ioan. Sarisber Policrat l. 2. c. 22. praedisposing of his providence h Rom. 8.29 For whom God did fore-know that is approue and make choice of in
was euer delighted to bee vvith the sonnes of men hath spoken in diuerse manners at sundry times at first in personall appearances f Praeludia incarnationis Tertul the forerunnings of his incarnation afterwards by his forewitnessing spirit in the Prophets for g Revel 19 10 the testimony of Christ Iesus is euermore the spirit of prophesie and now at last in the flesh as was promised from the begining Hee is the Word in substance whereof the Scripture is the utterance The vnbeleeving Iewes cavilled with Iesus h Iohn 8.13 that his testimony of himselfe was not good i v. 15. iudging of him after the flesh and according to their manner k c. 5.44 vvho receiued honour one from another and sought not the honour that comes from God But as Christ then proved himselfe to bee the Word incarnate The intent of Scripture so doth the Scripture proue it selfe to bee the vvord written l Iohn 7.18 Hee that speakes of himselfe seekes his owne glory but hee that seekes his glory that sent him the same is true and there is no vnrighteousnes in him So did Christ seeke the glory of God vnto the death so doth the Scripture throughout For it is the maine scope both of the law and of the gospell and of all that haue spoken or written the word of God For they speake not in their owne names in any vaine-glory but in the name of the Lord thus saith the Lord and they conceale not their faultes and infirmities that God only may haue the glory of his owne word Which though it be sometimes n Num verò Deus mentis vocis linguae artifex disertè loqui non poterit Imò verò summa providentia carere fuco voluit ea quae diuina sunt vt omnes intelligerent quae ipse omnibus loquebatur Lactant plaine is alwaies o Ps 19.8 pure though sometimes darke is alwayes p Heb. 4.12 powerfull in all respects most q Institui animum intendere in Scripturas sanctas vt viderem quales essent et ecce video rem non compertam superbis neque nudatam pueris sed incessu humilem successu excelsam velatam mysterijs August l. 3. confes c. 5. maiesticall Againe r Iob. 5.3.4 I receiue not testimony from man saith Christ but these things I say that yee might be saved Indeede in matter of judgement where there is a claime of right a strickt proceeding in law ſ Deut. 17.6 Ioh. 8.17 euery vvord shall stand in the mouths of two or three witnesses t v. 15. c. 5.45 But I iudge no man saith Christ So for the Scripture first of the old Testament u Rom. 15.4 Whatsoeuer thinges were written aforetime were written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope And for the Gospell in the New Testament w Ioh. 20.31 These things are written sayth Saint Iohn that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God and that beleeuing you might haue life through his name Wee may bee sure all this is not forged by any creature man or Angell good or bad for none that hath any feare of God durst arrogate to himselfe such power authority as is proper to God alone and no Deuill nor instrument of his would euer speake so much good of God and x Nulla alia scriptura nisi ista immediatè ducitad vitam beatam quae sola est vita simplicitet quia mortem neseit Lyranus in prolog in SS bibl so much for our good to his glory in our saluation It is our part therefore to giue him the glory that we may reape the benefit y Iohn 3.33 Hee that hath receiued the testimony of Christ hath set to his seale that God is true but he z 1. Iohn 5. that beleueeth not hath made God a lyar because hee beleeueth not the record that God gaue of his Sonne And this is the record that God hath giuen to vs eternall life and this life is in his Sonne It were vnreasonably foolish for vs in this case to demand farther proofe of God his word because it is a case not of iudgement but of couenant and that of his free grace for our only benefit not for any advantage to himselfe and that vpon this onely condition that wee truely beleeue and accept it a Ioh. 5.24 Hee that beleeueth shall neuer come into condemnation b Ioh. 3.18 Hee that beleeueth not needeth no more iudging hee is already condemned in himselfe because hee hath not beleeued For therefore his sinne remaineth for the which the law condemneth Will condemned malefactors stand vpon it to haue the King proue his pardon before they will accept it c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 1.15 This therefore is a faithfull saying worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners Let him receiue it that can saying I am the cheife For the consent of Scripture The consent in Scripture it hath in effect bin declared already the summe whereof is that the Law and the Prophets giue testimony to Christ foretelling what he should doe d Ioh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures saith he for they testifie of me e Quibus Dominus testimonium perhibet tanquà m testibus suis Aug. l. 2. contra ep Gaudentii c. 23. And he againe giues testimony vnto them performing what they forespake of him f Ioh. 5.36 The workes saith hee that the Father hath giuen me to finish the same workes doe witnesse of mee For all things were foretold of him g Ioh 13 19. that when they came to passe wee might beleeue So that the two Testaments giue h Nà m quia latorem duo testamenta per vnum pacta Deum in Christo copulat vna fides Lex antiqua novam firmat veterem nova complett In veteri spes est in novitate fides Sed vetus atque novum coniungit gratia Christi mutuall testimony one to the other in Christ and both giue testimony of him and he to them like i Exod. 25.18 c 37 8. 9. Nonne tanquam duo Seraphin clamant adinuicem concinentiam laudis altissimo Ita duo testamenta fideliter concordantia sacratam concinunt veritatem Deo Aug. ep 119 ad Ianuar as the 2. Cherubims ouer the mercie seate point with their wings one to the other and both looke downe into the Arke of the couenant They in the Old Testament k 1. Pet. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minister the thinges which are now reported vnto vs by them that haue preached the Gospell vnto vs with the Holy Ghost sent downe from heaven which thinges the Angels desire to looke into l Eph. 3.9.10 Even the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all thinges by Iesus Christ which now by the
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