the vertue of Christ his resurrection and also the righteousnes which he shoulde haue by him because it is not the workes that maketh the man good but the man that maketh the workes good For you must well know that yf Abraham had not beleeued the Lord he had not been counted righteous for although he were iustified by workes in the sight of men and thereby had somwhat wherin to reioyce yet had he not so in no respect with God For what sayth the Scripture doth it not tell you how that Abraham beleeued the Lorde and he counted that vnto him for righteousnes So that y e workes which he did had been but as dead workes and rotten in the sight of God had he not beleeued the promyse of God concerning the Seede that shoulde come of him Agayne you must as well knowe that Israel obteyned not that which they sought through workes but the election obteyned it neither were they elected vnto saluation because of the workes which in tyme they woulde do but they were elected through the grace of God in Christ Iesus accordyng as the Apostle also testeth the phesians they were saying By grace are ye also saued through faith in Iesus Christ and not of workes sayth he least any man shoulde boast him selfe and therefore the Scripâ—…ure hath concluded all vnder sinne that so men might see playnely how they are iustified freely by the grace of God and not through workes for yf it were of workes then were it not of grace but since it is of grace it can not be of workes as sayth the Apostle Therefore we conclude sayth he that a man is iustified freely through fayth in Iesus Christe and not through workes for to him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt but to him that worketh not but beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly his fayth is counted for righteousnes euen as Dauid declareth the blessednes of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnes without workes saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered blessed is that man to whom the Lorde imputeth not sinne And good cause the holy Prophet had so to say fâ—…r yf men shoulde be rewarded according to their workes or desartes they should be rewarded with euerlasting death because the wages of sinne is death and there is no man but he hath sinned and gon a stray therefore no man but he deserueth the wages of hell and death But yf men do looke for eternall lyfe they must know it commeth as a free gyft of God through fayth in Christe and not in any respect as a due debt vnto them because of their workes For as Abraham receyued not the promise concerning the heireship of the worlde through the fulfilling of the Law but through the righteousnes of fayth no more doth any man receiue the promise of the heireshyp of eternall lyfe through the workes which he can do but through the fayth which he hath in Iesus Christ. What shall we say then concerning good workes Shall we vtterly exclude them No in no wyse for God hath ordeyned them also euen to the ende that those whom he hath elected in Christ shoulde walke in them but not in any respect for men to thinke that they shoulde be the cause of their election neyther that they shoulde thinke the free gift of eternall lyfe commeth as a due debt for them But in deede they are as most excellent fruites which shoulde alwayes floorysh from those whom God hath elected according as the Apostle sayth God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the worlde to the ende that we shoulde be holy and without blame before him in loue So then y e fruites not being the cause of the goodnes of the tree but the tree the cause of the goodnes of the fruites it had ben in vayne I say for the Apostles to looke for good fruites to come from men yf they had not first taken care for the sounde plantyng of the tree that is If they had not first taught men the sounde knowledge of Christ wherby they might see plainely wherein their goodnes stoode it had profited their hearers nothing at all no although they shoulde haue done all the good workes in the worlde or haue mortified them selues neuer so much in the sight of men because without the sounde knowledge of Christ the soule can not be good For I pray you had not the Apostle Paule as great cause to reioyce in the fleshe as any man in the worlde yf by suche thinges God woulde haue been pleased Yes in deede had he for you see he was circumcised the eight day of the kinred of Israel and of the trybe of Beniamin and an Hebrew of Heber and by the Law of the strictest sect euen a Pharisee and also as concerning zeale no man more feruent then he yea and as touchyng the righteousnes which is by the Law euen vnrebukeable and yet you may see that he counteth all these thinges but as dung drosse in respect of y e excellent knowledge sake which he had founde in Christe by the which knowledge he was made to see that notwithstanding all his former righteousnes by the Law yet had he gon to eternall destruction had he not founde the righteousnes which is through fayth in Christ and therefore no maruell was it though he made small accompt of his former righteousnes in respect of the knowledge he had now of Christ. Wherefore in any wyse see that you alwayes desire the same thing for assure your selfe that is more worth in the syght of God then all the burnt offeringes or sacrifices in the worlde for so the Lorde him selfe doth tel you Therefore blame me not I beseech you though somewhat longer I stande vpon this poynt euen vpon this that the sounde knowledge of Christe for vs to haue is more accepted in the syght of God then all the workes which we call good in the worlde For I pray you further was not Cornelius the Captayne that heathen man a godly man as well as Paule Yes euen one whom the holy ghost commendeth to be very deuout to haue the feare of God before his eyes to pray vnto him continually to haue care to teache his whole householde the like and besides all this to be one that gaue much Almes vnto the people and yet you see he was not in that case as he ought to be vntyll such time as Peter had made knowne vnto him the Lorde IESVS that so he myght know that by his death and resurrection came remission of sinnes and onely vnto those that woulde beleeue in his name so that notwithstanding all his former righteousnes yet was he to be counted a most greeuous sinner vntyll such tyme as he apprehended Christ by fayth and therefore is it that the Apostles say so sone as they
it Being altogether disobedient to receiue doctrine though he taught them rising vp yeerely and instructed them continually yet would they not heare neyther would they remember what he had done vnto Shilo but stil prouoked hym vnto the like anger with the workes of their handes for they became such rebellious traytors that the Lordes ministers the prophetes knewe not vnto whome they should speake and admonish because the word of the Lord was vnto them as a reproch and they had no delight at all therein neyther would they take any heede thereto nor to his lawes but cast them off and rather inclined to the statutes of Omry and kept all the maner of the house of Ahab And therefore because they cast off the law of the Lord of hostes and contemned the word of the holy one of Israel his wrath was so kindled agaynst them that as a flame of fire deuoureth the stubble and as the chaffe is consumed of y e flame euen so became their roote as a rottennesse so that theyr land shooke them cleane off for in the dayes of Iehoiakim Iehoakin Zedekias the wrath of the Lord was so kindled that he stirred vp the spirite of the Caldeans that bitter and furious nation against them and gaue them into the hands of Nebuchadnezar king of Babel who carryed them into the land of Shinar euen to the place where the Hebrew toonge at the first was confounded by the foolish building of the seuentie families so likewise at this time almost vtterly lost and the Lord caused them to remaine there as dead bones for the space of seuentie yeeres vntil their owne land had payd her sabbothes according as y e Lord long before by Moses had told theÌ„ For sayth he If ye wil not obey me but walke stubbornly agaynst me and despise mine ordinances and abhorre my lawes then will I walke stubbornly agaynst you and I will scatter you amongst the heathen and will draw out a sword after you and your land shalbe wast your cities desolate then shall the land inioy her sabbothes as long as it lyeth voyd and ye shall be in your enimies land that so your land may rest inioy her sabbothes euen all the dayes that it lyeth voyd it shall rest because it did not rest in your sabbothes when ye dwelt vpon it and euen so it came to passe for hauing neglected their sabbothes of euery seuenth yeare they were carried vnto their enemies land vntill theyr owne land had her fil of her sabbothes for al the daies that she lay desolate she kept sabboth to fulfill seuentie yeares according as the prophet Ieremy did likewise tell them who for the space of fortie yeares laboured amongest them before he could make them beeleue that so it should be but yet in y â— end they found it most true for the Lord of hostes bent hys bowe as an vtter enimie agaynst them and his right hand was stretched out as an open aduersary so that he powred out his fierce wrath like fire and consumed all his pallaces and destroyed his strong holds and made her aduersaries the chiefe and her enimies to prosper agaynst her euen agaynst Ierusalem the perfection of bewtie did he cause the Chaldeans to prosper who brake downe the walles thereof and burnt the house of the Lord and the kings house and all the great houses in Ierusalem burnt they with fire and the holy vessels and all the instruments of the house of the Lord by these prophane were carryed to Babell So that notwithstanding the kinges of the earth and all the inhabitantes of the worlde would not haue beleeued as the prophet sayth that euer the aduersarie and the enemie should haue entered into the gates of Ierusalem yet now did they enter euen into the very sanctuary and made a noyse in the house of the Lord as in the day of solemnitie and stretched out their handes vppon all her pleasant thinges and thus was this famous citie made solitarie that was ful of people yea she that was great amongst the nations became now as a widdow and shee that was as a princes amongest the prouinces was nowe made tributary and the Lord caused her feastes and sabbothes to be forgotten yea he vtterly forsooke his altar and abhorred his sanctuarie so that the waies of Sion as it were lamented because no man came to her solemne feastes but in stead thereof the enimies that passed by clapped their handes at her hissing and wagging their heades at the daughter of Ierusalem saying Is this the citie that men call the perfection of bewtie and the ioy of the whole earth yea all her enimies opened their mouthes against her in y e day of her destruction saying Let vs deuoure her for certainly this is the day that we looked for we haue found it seene it therefore downe with her say the sonnes of Edom and rase her walles yea rase theâ—… euen to the very foundation thereof And thus most despitefully did all her enemies helpe forward her affliction and reioyce ouer her in this her visitation and those that were the tayle are nowe become the head and aduance themselues as Lordes ouer them but from the daughter of Sion is all bewtie departed and her princes are now become as heartes that finde no pasture yea all the noble princes of Sion which were comparable to fine gold are now esteemed but as earthen pitchers and all those that were brought vp in skarlet are nowe driuen to imbrace the doong and those that fed most delicately perish now in the streetes yea the toonge of the suckling childe cleaueth to the roofe of his mouth for thirst and the yong children aske bread but no man breaketh it vnto them but rather the hands of the pitifull women are vpon their owne children to seeth â—…em to be their meate euen vpon the fruite of their owne boâ—… children of a span long So that here we may say againe 〈◊〉 behold both the louing kindnesse and the seueritie of the Lord his louing kindnesse towardes the house of Israel and Iuda so long as they delighted to heare hys voyce and were willing to obey hys commandementes and hys seueritie so soone as they reiected the same according as by all hys prophetes he had tolde them euen so came the curse vpon them as it is written in the law of Moses The iudgementes of God vppon the Iewes after their returne from Babell vnto our sauiour Christ his birth and also of their vtter reiection within seuentie yeares after for not receiuing hym THe prophet Daniel being carried into Babylon in the third yeare of Iehoiakim king of Iuda and continuing there vnto the first yeare of Cyrus king of Persia and vnderstanding also by the scriptures the number of yeares whereof the Lord had spoken vnto the prophet Ieremie how that he would accomplishe seuentie yeares in the desolation
of Ierusalem knew very well that in the first yeare of Darius of the seede of the Medes as also of Cyrus king of Persia these seuentie yeares were expired Whereupon he turneth hymselfe vnto the Lord with fasting and in sackcloth and ashes making his confession and praying O Lord God which art great and fearefull and keepest couenant and mercy toward all them whiche loue thee and toward them whiche keepe thy commandementes but wee haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and haue departed from thy preceptes and from thy iudgementes For we would not obey thy seruaunts the prophetes which speake in thy name to our kinges to our princes to our fathers and to all the people of the land O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee to vs open shame as appeareth this day vnto euery man of Iuda and to the inhabitantes of Ierusalem yea vnto all Israel both neere and farre off through all the countries whither thou hast driuen them because of their offences that they haue committed agaynst thee O Lord vnto vs appertaineth open shame to our kinges to our princes and to our fathers because we haue sinned agaynst thee Yet compassion and forgiueuesse is in the Lord our God albeit we haue rebelled agaynst him For we haue not obeyed the voyce of the Lord our God to walke in his lawes which he had layd before vs by the ministerie of his seruantes the prophetes Yea all Israel haue transgressed thy law and are turned backe and haue not heard thy voyce therefore the curse is powred vppon vs and the othe which is written in the lawe of Moses the seruant of God because we haue sinned agaynst hym and hee hath confirmed his wordes which he spake agaynst vs agaynst our iudges that iudged vs by bringing on vs a great plague for vnder the whole heauen hath not bene the like as hath bene brought vpon Ierusalem All this plague is come vpon vs as it is written in the lawe of Moses yet made wee not our prayer before the Lord our God that we might turne from our iniquities and vnderstand thy trueth therefore hath the Lord made readie the plague and brought it vpon vs. For the Lord our God is righteous in all his workes which he doth for we would not heare his voyce And now O Lord our God that hast brought thy people out of the land of Egypt with a mightie hand and hast gotten thee renowne as appeareth this day wee haue sinned we haue done wickedly yet O Lord according to all thy righteousnesse I beseeche thee let thine anger and thy wrath be turned away from thy citie Hierusalem thine holy mountaine for because of our sinnes and for the iniquities of our fathers Ierusalem and thy people are a reproche to all that are about vs. Now therefore O Lord our God heare the prayer of thy seruant and his supplications and cause thy face to shine vpon thy sanctuary that lyeth wast for the Lords sake O my God incline thine care and heare open thine eies and behold our desolations and the citie wherupon thy name is called for we doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnes but for thy great tender mercies O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord consider and doe it deferre not for thine owne sake O my God for thy name is called vpon thy citie and vpon thy people So here you see a prayer framed vpon a sounde grounde and squared by that iust rule of Moses and according to the forme of that by Salomon with full assurance beeing done according to that rule that the Lord would shewe himselfe a righteous iudge and therefore whiles hee was speaking and praying and confessing his own sinnes and the sinnes of his people Israel and presenting his supplications before the Lord his God for the holy mountaine of his God euen while he was thus praying which was about the time of the euening oblation came the Angel Gabriel vnto him to giue knowledge and vnderstanding of their deliuerance and not onely how that at the very beginning of his supplications the commaundement came forth to returne them from Babylon but also that from that very houre the former seuentie yeares were to be multiplied by seuen and then should Christ the king the most holy be killed and not for himselfe but to confirme the couenant of olde made for the many of all nations that would imbrace the same By the bloud of which couenant they should be freed from confusion and redeemed not onely from the bondage of the outward but also of the spirituall Egypt and Babell and which bloud beeing shed for the remission of sinnes and for a reconciliation of all their iniquities should cause all sacrifice and oblation to cease So that here this welbeloued prophet who alwayes abode constant in the true worship of his God notwithstanding the rage of the enimie was shewed the summe and effect of all Moses and was also heard in that which he required for the Lord euer in wrath remembring mercy doth also at this time remember his mercie and promise of old made vnto their fathers and so bringeth them to the holy hill of Sion agayne euen to that freshe springing mountaine from whence suche gratious streames of doctrine continually issued as were sufficient if rightly vsed to coole the intollerable heate of all the soules that euer were or shalbe in y e world thither I say were these Iewes the people of God agayne brought And from whence Euen from a most filthy pit that without any such water which deliuerance was so great and myraculous as that from this time forward they were not to say any more the Lord liueth that brought the Children of Israel out of the land of Egypt but the Lord liueth that brought them out of the land of the North and from all the landes where he had scattered them yea it was so strange and so farre beyond their expectation as that when it came to passe they were euen like vnto men that dreamed or as men amased at so sodayn a decree and their mouthes were then filled with laughter and their toonges with ioy yea they confessed that the Lord had done great and woonderfull thinges for them But full soone doe they forget it for notwithstanding all this his great mercy and iudgementes shewed vnto them yet still they rebelled agaynst hym prophaning his holy Sabbaothes agayne and making them dayes of marchandice and also ioyned themselues with strang women of y â— land contrary to the law yea they greatly neglected the worke of his holy temple and citie saying The time is not yet come that y â— Lordes house should be built but they thought it was high time to build for themselues that so they might be setled againe in their sieled houses though the Lordes house lay wast Wherfore he was