life cannot follow and as it is a true and old saying in diuinity Good workes follow him that is iustified * Aug. lb. de fide operibus Non praecedunt iustificandum that is They doe not goe before hee is iustified We doe not hold that an historicall faith iustifies but a liuely faith which inwardly is seene to God and outwardly shewed in good workes and loue to our neighbours Good workes though they be not causa regnandi that is The cause to make vs raigne in Gods kingdome yet they be via regni the way to the kingdome for though God will not reward vs propter opera that is for our works yet he will o Reu. 22.12 Rom. 2.6 reward vs secundum opera that is according to our workes And thus I haue a little exceeded my limits for I study not to be Controuersall but Doctrinall in freeing our * Eccles Angl. in Confess art 12. Iewels Apologie part 2. ca. 20. Zanch. Comment in 1. Thess 4. Luth. Com. Epist ad Gal. c. 5. v. 6. Church-doctrine from the calumniations of the enemies of the grace of God who like the Adder stoppes his eare against the voice of the charmer charme hee neuer so wisely or truely The summe of all is this That wee were not able to redeeme our selues nay no Saints could ransome vs for p Mat. 25.9 they can spare no oyle for our lampes no Angels redeeme vs for God layed folly on his q Iob. 4.18 Angels onely Christ Iesus must bee the r 2. Cor. 5.21 propitiation for sinne that knew no sinne who was made of a woman and made vnder the Law to redeeme vs from the curse of the Law and to iustifie vs by a liuely faith in him and his merits that we might receiue the adoption of Sonnes Now therefore to drawe to a conclusion What shall we render vnto the Lord for all his benefits bestowed vpon vs which benefits wee could not haue receiued but by Christs Incarnation By it we haue a Kingdome in possessionem Possesse the Å¿ Matt. 25.34 kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world His body in refectionem that is for our spirituall repast My u Iohn 6.5.5 flesh is meat indeede his blood in ablutionem that is for clensing vs he * Reu. 1.5 washeth vs from our sinnes in his blood his life in redemptionem for our redemption I x Ioh. 10.11 lay downe my life for my sheepe his Diuinity in visionem to behold it We y 1. Cor. 13.12 shall see him face to face his eternity in fruitionem that is in fruition * Ioh. 17.3 This is life eternall that they may know thee to be the onely very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Oh Beloued had I the tongue of an Angell or you the hearts of glorified Saints I could not vtter nor you conceiue the immeasurable measure of diuine benefits we receiue by the Incarnation of our Sauiour what shal we render for them Let * Psal 115.12.13 vs take the Cup of Saluation and giue thankes and prayse the name of the Lord. Let vs imitate those a Math. 2.11 Wisemen Who hauing found the Babe fell downe and worshipped him and opened their Treasures and presented gifts * Auruâ—â— soluitur quasi Regi magno Thus immolatur vt Deo Myrrha praebetur vt Redemptori c. Aug. in Ser. Epiphan Gold Incense and Myrrh Iuuencus Aurum Thus Myrrham Regique hominique Deoque dona ferunt that is Gold Frankincense and Mirrhe the Wisemen offer To him as King as man as God thâ—y proffer So let vs fall downe and worship this blessed Babe of Bethleem and let vs offer gifts First A liuely faith b 1. Pet. 1.7 which is more precious then gold Secondly heartie Prayers and Prayses which are as Incense vnto the Lord like the c Reu. 5.8 foure and twentie Elders fall downe before the Lambe hauing euery one Harpes and golden Vials which are the prayers of the Saints Thirdly Let vs offer Myrrhe b tter and contrite repentance for ouâ— sinnes considering that Christ who is the fountaine of al goodnesse was for our sinnes and sakes accounted as d Luther loc com tit de Christi passione Luther writes Omnium possimus reputatiuè coram hominibus imputatiuè coram Deo that is as the worst of all by estimation before men by imputation before God by estimation before men So the e Mark 3.22 Scribes blasphemed him He hath Beelzebub by Imputation before God for all our sinnes were imputed to him Propter scelera nostra attritus est sayth f Esay 53.5 Esay that is He was broken for our iniquities and wounded for our transgressions What shal I say more but with g Ioh. 1.29 Iohn Baptist Ecce Agnus Dei that is behold the Lambe of God which takes away the sinnes of the world At this fulnesse of time God sent this Lambe as a Lambe among Wolues to redeeme and to reduce to his fold the scattered flock of Israel Redemptor noster homo nascendo Agnus moriendo Leo resurgendo Aquila ascendendo factus est sayth h Greg. hom 4. Gregorie that is Our Redeemer made man by his Incarnation suffered as a Lambe in his passion shewed himselfe a Lion of the Tribe of Iudah in his resurrection and mounted as a diuine Eagle in his Ascension and now i Heb. 1.3 sitteth at the right hand of his Father By his Incarnation we are regenerated by his Passion redeemed by his Resurrection restored from death to life by k Ioh. 14.2 his Ascension he hath prepared an heauenly possession He was made of a woman and made the Sonne of man that we might be made the Sonnes of God he was made vnder the law and bond to the law that we might be freed from the bendage of the law Hee conquered the law by a double right as l Luther in textum Luther writes First as the Sonne of God Lord of the Law Secondly in our person which is as much as if we had ouercome the law our selues for his victorie is ours All this for our sakes that we might receiue the adoption of Sonnes and hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts which cryeth Abba Father Let this meditation be euermore a Cordial of comfort the aqua vitae water of life to reuiue our sinne-sicke soules and perplexed consciences against Sinne Sathan and the Law which alwayes accuse vs terrifie vs and condemne vs let vs tell them boldly that they haue no power ouer vs for God the Father sent his Sonne maâ—â— of a woman and made vnder the Law to redeeme vs from the curse of the Law Let vs creepe into that hole which bloody * Aug. Manuel 〈◊〉 Longinus made with his speare in our Sauiours side there let vs hide our selues against our foes let vs plunge our bleeding conscience in his bloody wounds dolorous death victorious resurrection and glorious ascension and let vs firmely and faithfully beleeue that our Sauiour was borne liued died rose againe and ascended that wee might receâ—â—e and enioy the fruition of the adoption of Sonnes The dew of heauen which fell vpon the â—eece of n Iudg. 6.38 Gedeon fall downe vpon these our labours â—â—meditations and water them with the dew of diuine grace in all your hearts to his eternall glory and your endlesse comfort and that for Iesus Christ his sake our onely Lord Sauiour and Redeemer to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons in Trinitie one eternall God in vnitie be ascribed euerlasting glory might and Maiestie Dignitie and Dominion Prayse and Thanksgiuing world without end Amen Tri-vni Deo laus gloria 2. MACCA 15.39 If I haue done well and as the story required it is the thing that I desired but if I haue spoken slenderly and barelâ— is that I could
the Marcionites yea all such as deny Christ to bee perfect man or to be come in the flesh Saint g 2. Ioh. 7. Iohn brands them with a character of Antiâ—hrist saying Many deceiuers are entred into the world which confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh hee â—hat is such an one is a deceiuer and an Antichrist Made of a woman he doth not say genitus ex muliers that is begotten of a woman Erasm annot in Textum for though Christ had the materials of his body from Mary yet the holy Ghost was agent in his wonderfull conception Ex muliere non in muliere of a woman not in a woman as Gorranus and Aquinas vpon this place which confutes h Aug. haer 11. Valentinus heresie who taught that Christ had not his body from the Virgin Mary but brought it down from heauen passed thorow the wombe of the Virgin as water thorow a conduit pipe contrary to the text here Made of a woman and the Preposition i Aquinas in locum ex notes the matter as an house is made of stones and timber c. So k Luke 1.42 Elizabeth speaks to Mary Blessed is the fruit of thy wombe So l Rom. 9.5 Pecerit filium mater a quo ipsa nutriretur potiusqua nutriret c. Aug. ser 6. de nat domi Paul speaking of the Israelites saith Of whom are the Fathers and of whom Christ concerning the flesh came c. Quid nobilius Dei Matre quid castius quâ— corpus sine corporis contagione generauit c. Ambro. de virt lib. 2. Si quis sanctam Mariam Dei param non credit extra diuinitatem est Si quis Christum per Virginem tanquam per canalem fluxisse non autem in ea diuino modo quia absque viri opera humano quia iuxt a pariendi consuetudinem formatum esse dixerit aequè Atheus est saith m Nazian Orat. 51. Nazianen or as n Chrysost hom in Psal 9. Chrysostome Maria dei filium concepit credens verbo hoc verbum caro factum est c. that is The Virgin Mary did conceiue the Son of God beleeuing the Word and this Word was made flesh how as o Aug. hom 2. de Natiuit Christi Austen speakes of the same words non deposita sed seposita Maiestate The same p Aug. Ser. 6. in Nat. Domi. Vnigenitus Dei existens ante secula ex Maria vtero natus est homo Gregor Carnem induit verbii Deus ex Sancta Virgine c. Epiph. contra Collyridianos baer 79. Father of this point as in all other excellently Peperit Virgo filium qui Deo filios faceret c. Portanit in vtero filium mater et hunc fudit in forma serui in terris quem habent Angeli imperatorem in coelis that is The Virgin brought foorth a Sonne who should make sonnes to GOD the mother carries the Sonne in her wombe and is borne in the shape of a seruant on earth whom the Angels haue as their Emperour or ruler in heauen So that Valentinus was vaine and much deceiued in dreaming that Christ had not his body from the Virgin Mary when our Text saith He was made of a woman In which Quomodo how you may behold great nay vnspeakeable humiliation that He who is the Creatour of heauen and earth and to vse Saint q Aug. Ser. 27. de temp Austens words Factor terrae factus in terra exterra that is the Maker of the earth made of earth that Hee who was the Father of Mary should be the child of Mary Sine r Aug. Ser. 16. de temp quo pater nunquam fuit sine quo mater nunquam fuisset that is without whom the Father neuer was without whom the mother neuer had beene This is such a wonder that I may burst forth in Å¿ Ier. 2.12 Ieremies admiration Obstupescite coeli super hoc that is O yee heauens be astonied at this And this ineffable and admirable humiliation of Christ as Polanus t Polan part lib. 1. pag. 58. parts it is diuided into two branches 1. The Incarnation Made of a woman 2. The perfection of his obedience Made vnder the â—aw And the Incarnation of Christ hath three parts 1. His conception Conceiued of the holy Ghost Vide Pola part sup dicto loco 2. The personall vnion of both natures 3. The natiuity I will but euen mention them to â—our memories 1. Conceiued of the holy Ghost It is an Article of our â—ith declared by the tongue of an u Luke 1.35 Fides matris non libido cònceperat Aug enchirid cap. 34. Angell that is The â—oly Ghost shal come vpon thee and the power of the most â—igh shall ouershadow thee For as workes of power are ascribed to the Father workes of wisdome to the Sonne and workes of loue to â—he holy Ghost so this being a worke of highest loue it 〈◊〉 specially ascribed to the holy * Maldonat in 1. Matth. Spirit And this Article confutes three sorts of hereticks â—irst the x Iraen lib. 1. cap. 25. Cerinthians secondly the y Clem. Rom. instit lib. 6. c. 6. Ebionites thirdly â—e z Iraen lib. 1. cap. 24. Fecit grauidam Virginem ipse qui erat nasciturus ex Virgine c. Aug ser 6. in Nat. Domi. Carpocratian hereticks who all held and maintaiâ—ed that Christ was the naturall Sonne of Ioseph Verus merus homo that is a meere naturall man begotten of â—oseph contrary to the expresse Text Ioseph knew her not â—ill she had brought forth her first borne Sonne Mat. 1. the â—ast verse 2. The personall vnion of both Natures I will conâ—lude with two testimonies of diuine Scripture first that â—f * Iohn 1.14 Iohn The Word was made flesh And as a Musc loc com tit de verb. Incarn Musculus â—ightly comments vpon those words There was made in â—he wombe of the Virgin a coniunction of the Word and the â—lesh that is to say of the nature of God and man there is â—he personall Vnion The second place out of b 1. Tim. 3. the last Timothy God is manifested in â—he flesh the which words the learned c Piscat super cum locum Piscator paraâ—hrases thus Filius natura sua diuina inuisibilis effecit se â—isibilem assumpta vera natura humana in vnitatem sua â—ersonae that is the Son of God in his diuine nature inuisible made him visible in assuming our humane nature into the vnion of his person In a word with d Aug. Epist 3. Augustine Homo Deo accessit non Deus à se recessit Our Lord tooke vpon him that which he was not and left not to bee that which he was 3. The Natiuity the manner of his Birth I shall speak of that afterward as God shall assist and the time permiâ— And in this Incarnation of Christ and
themselues confesse that Luther Meâ—nction Chemnitius Caluin and other learned Proâ—stants teach that good workes be necessâ—ry to saluaâ—on in some sort and that it is no * Inseparabâ—lis est bona vita à fide c. Aug. de fide operib c. 23. true faith that is â—oid of them though the inward worke of Iustification 〈◊〉 ascribed in holy Scripture to faith onely and herein â—e hold no more then Saint Paul taught vs and the best â—athers approued and some of the Papists allowed I â—ill produce but a testimony or two in steade of the â—loud of witnesses we a e compassed about * Origen in Ep st ad Rom. lib. 3. cap. 3. Origen â—peaking of this point of Iustification saiâ—h Per fidem â—stificatus est latro sine operibus Legis that is By faith the â—heefe was iustified without the works of the Law and 〈◊〉 little after Igitur iustificatur homo per fidem cui ad iuâ—titiam nihil conferunt opera Legis that is Therfore a man is iustified by faith to whom the workes of the Law helpe nothing to his iustifying x Ambros de vocaâ—â—â—ne Gentiâ—â— Ambrose speakes likewise for vs saying Hoc constâ—tutum à Deo vt qui credit in Christum saluus sit sine opere sola fide that is This is so ordained of God that hee which beleeues in Christ shall be saued without works only by faith y Athanas ad Galatas c. 3. Athanasius speaks plainely In lege nemo iustificatur quia iustus ex fide viuit c. concluding Fidem solaÌ„ iustificandi inse habere virtutem that is By the Law none is iustified for the iust man liues by faith onely faith hath the vertue or power of iustifying Saint z Aug. ad Sixtum Presbiterii con Pelagianos Epist 105. Austen hath many places to confirme this point one for all Colligimus hominem non iustificari praeceptis bonae vitae sed per fidem Iesu Christi non lege operum sed lege fidei non litera sed spiritu non factorum meritis sed gratuita gratia that is We collect that a man is iustified not by the precepts of good life but by faith in Iesus Christ not by the Law of works but by the Law of faith not by the letter but by the spirit not by the merits of our works but by free grace If I should examine this point copiously I should as it were write Iliades after Homer Our Diuines haue so chased and traced the Papists in this passage that though they can gather vp their feet nimbly and cunningly yet they haue beene so hard followed that they haue made them ouertake and enter-fire in their pace The old Papists wil condemne their yonger brethren the new Iesuites for they liked this Truth which wee hold weâ—l enough for a Aquinas lect 4. in 3 Rom. lâ—ct 4. in 3 Gal. Aquinas hath left it written that works be not the cause why a man is iust before God but rather a manifestation of his iustice for no man is iustified by works but by the habite of infused faith So b Antididagm Colontens tit de Iustis hom p. 29. Gropper with the Diuines of Colen say By faith we are iustified as by the apprehensiue cause and c Art 1. contra Lutherum Roffensis as moderator of the question saith Fides absque partu operum hoc est cum nondum peperit opera iustificare potest â—at is Faith without the birth of works that is before 〈◊〉 hath brought forth any works can iustifie yea many â—f the Papists approued it for sound Diuinity till the late â—iuiâ—ll Councell of Trent reiected it So that the rayling â—hemists were too intemperat in their glosing Glosse â—pon the third of the Romanes the 22. verse calling it a â—ew no-Iustice a phantasticall apprehension shewing â—eir phantasticall examination of the verse and repreâ—ension of the Truth or as an d Wright Art 9. other of their disciples â—lles it a Solisidian portion or as an e Apolog. Ep. sect 8. other a desolatiâ—n of order a doctrine against the Commonwealth Surely for the reuerence of Romes elder Sonnes they â—ould forbeare to cast such stones lest vnawares they â—oe hit their step-mother As in many things so in this they offer vs wrong imaâ—ining that wee exclude good workes from iustifying â—ith we know that there can be * See D. Abbot against Bishop pag. 482. no reall separation of â—ith from good workes separation mentall in vnder â—anding is negatiue or priuatiue negatiue when in â—e vnderstanding there is an affirming of one and denyâ—g of another priuatiue when of things that cannot â—e separated really yet a man vnderstands the one and â—mitteth to vnderstand the other So in our Iustificatiâ—n wee doe not negatiuely separate other graces from â—ith as if faith existed alone without them but priuaâ—uely making them effects and consequents not conâ—utring causes of our Iustification Wee truely confesse â—hat a iustifying faith is operatiue as f Staplet de Iustificat lib. 9. cap 7. Stapleton himself afâ—â—mes we doe and as g Super Euang. in festo Ioan. Euangelist Luther vsed heerein a fit similiâ—ude Faith is like Saint Iohn in Christs bosome possessing â—ll the merits of Christ and good workes are like Saint Peter following his Master Faith is the h Hom. of good works part 1. nest of good workes and if our birds be neuer so faire they will be â—ost excâ—pt they bee brough forth in true Beliefe our good wo kes vnâ—esse they bee layed vpon the Altar of faith are not acceptable to God Infidels or heretikes saith k Aug. in Psal 8 Austen in doing glorious acts haue not where to lay their young for wanting faith they build vpon the land Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne as the l Rom. 14.23 Apostle Domus Dei credendo fundatur sperando erigitur diligendo perficitur saith * Nemo coÌ„putet bona opera sua aute fidem vbi sides non erat bonum opus non erat Aug. lib. 50. hom homil 17. Austen that is The foundation of Gods house in our soules is faith the walles hope the roofe loue and good life Wee detest and abiure that error of m Aug. haeres 48. Manicheus who thought God made the soule but not the body So the Papists would make the world beleeue that wee so build faith in the soule as if wee professed our selues Libertines in the body or were Nudifidians carnal Gospellers as they are Nullifidians and Merit-mungers No a good faith and a good life bee inseparable like Harpocrates twinnes liue and die together Faith goes before good life followes so n Aug. de fide operib c. 7. Quicquid operaÌ„ur homo ex se naledictae arborâ— malus est fructis Aug. super Ioan. Ser. 4. 48. Austen Nisi praecedat fides vita bona sequi non potest that is Vnlesse faith goes before good