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
Church is made knowne vnto principalities and powers in heavenly places euen the manifold wisdome of God according to the eternall purpose which hee purposed in Christ Iesus our Lord. The word in substance and the word in vtterance the two principall pillars of God his Church stand like the m 1. Kings 7.21 two pillars in Solomons porch Iachin and Boaz. The word giues testimony vnto Christ first foretelling and then reporting all thinges of him and Christ in whom is strength shall stablish his word performing all things accordingly The same reason evicts by processe from the word of God that Iesus is the Christ and by regresse from Christ that the Scripture is the word of God for if those thinges bee fulfilled in Iesus which were spoken of Christ and which none could foretell but God then is Iesus the Christ the Scripture the word of God n 2. Cor. t. 20. Now all the promises of God are yea and in him amen to the glory of God by vs. The Prophesies of the Messiah are precisely obserued throughout the Gospell to bee fulfilled in him with this note That it might bee fulfilled which vvas spoken by the Prophets The offices of Christ intimated in that title and shadowed in the Law are all accordingly discharged by our Lord Iesus as the Apostle demonstrates by a perpetuall paralel in his epistle to the Iewes who stood much therevpon Whatsoeuer is future is vntill then obsoure The old Legall Testament So was the covenant in the Old Testament and that so much the more because it was in a legall forme and went on in a legall tenor by command vvith promise as that of workes did o Exod. 34.28 Ps 78.5 Hee declared vnto them his covenant which hee commanded them to performe even ten commandements Nay not onely the morall duties but euen the graces which had beene promised were commanded in certaine types and figures to be obserued and their faith thereof to be professed by rites and ceremonies The Law was so giuen that it might be not onely an hand writing of ordinances against them but withall an hand leading of them vnto Christ the euer promised Messiah so shadowed vnto them p Quid est aliud hodièque gens ipsa Iudaeorum nisi quaedam scriniaria Christianorum balulanslegem Prophetas ad testimonium assertionis ecclesiae Aug contra Faustum Manichaeum l 12. c. 23. Et idem in Psal 56. In qua erergo opprobrio sunt Iudaei Codicem portat Iudaeus vndè credat Christianus Librarij nostri facti sunt quomodo solent serui post dominos codicesferre stisti portando deficiant illi legendo proficiant And it euer remaines vnto vs an hand-writing against them who haue not beleeued For it should haue beene their q Gal. 3.24 Schoolemaster vnto Christ r v. 19. For it vvas added because of transgressions to keepe them within the pale of the couenant which they were euer most ready to transgresse and to leade them to the fountaine of grace which else they would neuer haue sought whilest by the one law they knew how God would bee served and failing thereof they might perceiue by the other how yet notwithstanding they should bee saued A kinde of discipline fitted to the ſ Gal. 4.1 nonage of the Church and frowardnes of that people that by visible things they might be drawne on and be kept vnder by the Law as it were t Gal. 3.23 guarded and shut vp and paled in vnto the faith which should afterward bee reuealed The ceremoniall law given by Moses in certaine signes and figures proper to that time of infancy for the helpe of their faith is now ceased since the things themselmes came in sight u 1. Cor. 13.10 For when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away as the lesser lights are swallowed vp in the glorious splendour of the Sun Wherefore to practise those ceremonies of figure which are abolished being accomplished were Iewishly to deny Christ and to bring in practise their ceremonies of order by any imposed or with any supposed necessity which was the vvall of partition is very repugnant to Christian liberty w Galo 5.1 we must therefore stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made vs free else Christ shall profit vs nothing The iudiciall law proper to that kingdome of the Iewes for their civill gouernment although it be not necessarily inioyned vs yet being God his owne commentary vpon the morall law and an absolute forme of government appointed by God himself for his owne people cannot be vnworthy our imitation in the equity thereof so farre as it may stand with these times and with the conditions of seuerall nations But the morall law of the necessary duties of loue abideth for euer x 1. Cor. 13.8 For loue neuer failes but is euer more and more perfected from a kinde of servile feare at the first entrance to a vvilling obedience and from the vvill here to a perfect deed hereafter y Iobn 1 17 The Law vvas given by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ They vnder the Old Testament lightly following the letter mistooke the meaning z 2 Cor 3 13. not looking to the end of that vvhich vvas to bee abolished vvherevnto Moses had an eye vnder the vaile For they perceiued not so well the grace intended by the legall Testament which the perfection of the morall law whereof they could not but faile should haue forced them to seeke and the imperfection of the typicall law a Heb 7 19 vvhich made nothing perfect should haue led them to finde But they generally rested in the * in opere operato vvorke done as was commanded by either law when as themselues were vnsufficient to doe the one and the other was in it selfe as vnsufficient to helpe them b Heb 10 1. For if the sacrifices vvhich they offered yeare by yeare continually having a shadow of good things to come and not the reall forme of them could make the commers therevnto perfect vvould they not haue ceased to bee offered c Heb. 7.11 And if perfection vvere by the first Testament vvhat farther neede vvas there that another Preist should arise a Preist of another order d v. 16. made after the power of an endlesse life e c. 9.15 For this cause therefore Christ is the Mediatour of the New Testament that by meanes of death for the redemption of transgressions that were vnder the first Testament they vvhich are called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance The New Evangelicall Testament And now the Gospell preached vnto vs what is it but the performance of that f Rom. 1.1.2 vvhich vvas promised long before by the Prophets in the holy Scripture What is it but g 1. Pet. 1.12 the report of those things vvhich they did minister vnto vs What is it but the
therefore his will is a law to vs and our obedience is true loue vnto him And weebeing many are thereby knit together in one body holding the vnity of the spirit in this bonde of peace Wherefore as wee vowe in baptisme that we will keepe Gods holy will commandements and walke in the same all the daies of our life so by this other sacrament wee renew the same vow so often as wee receiue it repenting our sinnes past the transgressions of that righteous law resoluing and stedfastly purposing thorough Gods grace to leade a new life in all thankfull obedience vnto him and true loue and charity amongst our selues Wherevpon we receaue the blessed sacrament of Christs body blood most deepely binding our selues thereby to performe the same and in the assured faith of Gods grace and helpe that wee may walke in the strength of this spirituall food the way of life by the law prescribed vnto vs. When first the couenant was confirmed by Moses with the Israelites at Horeb The Law conditioned God gaue them the law they accepted saying a Exod. 19.8 all the words which the Lord hath commanded wee will doe and be obedient And when he renewed the same couenant with them in the land of Moab they gaue their faith that they would obey And so doe wee b Deut. 26.17.18 They avouched the Lord to be their God and so doe we the Father Son Holy ghost and God auoucheth the holy catholike Church as then he did them to be his people They promised to walke in his waies and to keepe his commandements and his iudgements as they expected his blessing c c. 27. they bound themselues with an oath and with a curse all which in effect wee likewise doe to liue as becometh his saints euen as wee expect his mercy to forgiue vs our sinnes and the power of his grace to bring vs to ternall life Wherevnto we binde our selues by vow and consignation and as it were by contesseration in the sacraments The law was not only giuen and required by God but approued accepted by them in their hearts to doe it as their mouthes professed In which respect Moses said d Deut. 30.14 the word is very nigh thee in thy mouth and in thine heart that thou maist doe it Howbeit they breake their faith giuen and their spirit was not stedfast with God a Ps 78.37 Their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his couenant But now hauing renewed his couenant as he promised b Gal. 3.7 with the children of Abraham that are by faith the holy catholike Church that they shall be his people and that he will be their God c Ier. 31.33 Lex dei in cordibus scribitur non quia per naturam praeventa sit gratia sed quia per gratiam reparata est natura August de ver a innocent cap. 258. hee puts his law in their inward parts and in their hearts he writes it euen the communion of saints thorough faith that worketh by loue For beleeuing in Christ Iesus we doe thereby acknowledge that the Law is holy iust and good Holy in respect of the things commanded else were not wee sinfull who haue disobayed nor needed wee a mediatour Iust in respect of the penalty inflicted else why should Christ haue dyed that wee might be deliuered Good in respect of the end purposed life to the doer Which Christ hath done and liues for euer and wee also by faith in him If the same minde be in vs that was in Christ Iesus to be obedient to the will of God vnto the death d Cant. 8.6 Loue is stronger then death The couenant indissoluble that neither life nor death can dissolue the communion betwixt God his church or any true member thereof Whom hee hath set as aseale vpon his heart as a seale vpon his arme to loue and to defend for euer For so hee saith e Heb. 13.5 I will neuer leaue thee nor forsake thee f c. 6.7 And being willing more abundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the immutability of his counsell he hath confirmed his word by the sacraments in his blood g v. 8. That by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye wee might haue a strong consolation who haue fled for refuge to lay holde vpon the hope set before vs. We may therefore be bolde vpon it if need be to lay downe our liues for his sake in whom our life is hid with God knowing that euen in death wee shall be more then h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.37 conquerours thorough him that loued vs. i Mat. 20.22.23 Can ye drink saith Christ of the cuppe wherof I shall drinke and can yee bee baptized with the baptisme wherwith I shall be baptized And they said we can And hee said yee shall So must all a 2. Tim. 3.12 Act. 14.22 suffer affliction some way or other that will liue Godly It is the portion of our cuppe and calling conditioned by God vndertaken by vs in these sacraments whereby we are assured that b 2. Tim. 2.12 if we suffer with him wee shall raigne with him Wee are baptized into the death of Christ And the holy communion is not only a sacrament of the grace of life vnto vs but a sacrifice of vs vnto God and a protestation of our seruice vnto him euen vnto the death after the example of Christ Iesus In c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Monumenta salutaris passionis Basil in cannonditur 1 Cor. 11.26 commemoration of whose meritorious sufferings with a thankfull remembrance thereof wee c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Monumenta salutaris passionis Basil in cannonditur 1 Cor. 11.26 se◠forth his death vntill he come d Rom. 12.1 offer vp our selues a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God thorough Iesus Christ consecrating vowing our selues whatsoeuer we are whatsoeuer we haue wholy to his seruice who hath redeemed vs. e 2 Cor. 5.14.15 For the loue of Christ constraineth vs because we thus iudge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that hee dyed for all that they which liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him that died for them and rose againe f Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let vs offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruite of our lips giuing thankes to his name v. 16. not forgetting to doe good and to communicate for with such sacrifice God is well pleased CAP. II. Faith working by loue according to the Lawe The Law established by faith Gods law our prayer Faith in the Trinity denies not the vnity of God Christ the only image of God to bee worshipped by faith in his name By Prophanenesse Hypocrisie Blasphemy the name of God vnhallowed The Christian sabbath of the holy catholike Church The sabbath not