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A03284 The confession of faith contending how the troubled man should seeke refuge at his God, thereto led by faith: with the declaratio[n] of the article of iustification at length. ... Compiled by M. Henry Balnaues of Halhill, & one of the Lords of session, and Counsell of Scotland, being as prisoner within the old pallaice of Roane: in the yeare of our Lord. 1548. Direct to his faithfull brethren, being in like trouble or more ... Balnaves, Henry, Sir, d. 1579.; Knox, John, ca. 1514-1572. 1584 (1584) STC 1340; ESTC S100771 112,936 310

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thankefull vnto god whome we knowe to be fauorable gentle kinde and mercyfull to the godly and to the wicked wrathfull and angrie This is the solutiō to the argumēt made in the beginning which proueth wherefore should we doo good if we be free from the law and freely iustified by the mercy of God through faith without our deseruinges Therefore choose you now if ye wilbe seruants to sinne or seruantes to righteousnesse Subiectes of the kingdome of Christ or of the kingdome of the deuill for wee are made free and iust by grace through faith that we shuld liue in righteousnes to Christ who hath dyed for all that they which liue liue not now to thē selues but to him which hath suffered death for them and hath risen againe from the same Keeping this order yee shall neuer cease to doo good works as occasion requireth THE XX. CHAP. 1 An answere to all scriptures which our aduersaries alledge for them against the iustification of faith 2 Wherfore works are commended in scriptures 3 An argument prouing that no workes iustifie NOw because there is some Scripturs which our aduersaries wold cause to bee seene either contrarie to the scriptures before rehearsed for probation of this article of iustification or els with them they would mixt this article so that faith not only iustifieth without works Therefore I will rehears some of the most principal of them And cause you vnderstand by the same scriptures they are neither contrarie to his article nor yet haue any entresse with faith in the making of a wicked man iust but followe faith as the due fruites thereof In the which the Christian man should liue as said is before In the Epistle of S. Iames the second Chap. It is said Bretheren what profite is it if a man say hee hath faith but hath no works may his faith saue him And again ye see saith hee that a man is iustified of workes and not of faith only Here the aduersaries of faith make a a great feast but they vnderstande this saying of the holy Apostle as they doo the other scriptures euer working with the Deuill to make the holy spirite contrarie to himselfe which is impossible But will yee vnderstand take heede and read the text ye shal see clearely that the Apostle speaketh of the historicall or idle faith that is dead without workes to the confusion of the wicked christians which haue no faith but in the mouth and not of the faith which maketh a man iust before God and obteineth remission of sinnes By the same examples and wordes that he rehearseth for he saith the deuill troweth beleeueth and dreadeth but the deuill can neuer beleeue that christ hath redeamed him and purchaste to him the mercy of god remissiō of sinnes and eternall life whiche is the faith to whome S. Paul ascriueth iustification only And also he reproued the euill Christian which sayeth hee hath faith and neglecteth the deedes of charitie in cloathing of the naked and feeding of the hungrie whiche deedes are the fruits of faith of the which S. P. speaketh Therefore there is no contrarietie in the Scriptures before rehearsed but concurrence And also the offering of Isaac as mention is made before was done aboue thirtie yeares after the iustification of Abraham to the forthshowing of his obediēce as the text proueth Gene. the 15. Chap. 22. Chap. In the which offring the scripture was fulfilled as saith S. Iames Abraham beleeued God and it was compted to him for righteousnes Here ye may see clearely S. Iames speaketh nothing of the iustification before god but of the iustificatiō before thy neighbour becaus of the examples authorities of the scriptures alledged by him which ar of works done in faith by the faithful long after their iustification For faith onely iustifieth before God as S. P. saieth without works And workes iustifie before man outwardly and declare a man iust before his neighbour in exercising the deedes of charitie which are approued before God and acceptable to him in them whiche are reconciliate by faith in the mercy of God and beareth witnesse that a man is iust Therefore yee who would alledge this authoritie of S. Iames to impung the articlcle of iustification which we confesse vnderstand not the Scripturs nor haue no foundatiō for you but ignorance babling of words They alledge an other text the 10. of the Actes of Cornelius whose prayers almes deedes past vp in the sight memory of god By the which words they would inferre his works made him iust or at the least prouoked God to call him to the faith which is all one thing For if we by our deedes may prouoke god to loue vs or to haue mercy vpon vs through our merits by the same reason we may make our selues iust And so we need no other sauiour but let Christs death be in vaine But my welbeloued bretheren yee shall vnderstād that God first loued vs prouoked vs to loue him wee being sinners vnworthie of loue yea enemies also as the Scriptures of god teach you Io. 1. ep and 4. Chapter and in his euangell the 3. Chap. and Rom. the 5. Chap. And therefore god first preueened vs with loue all goodnes and we not him And so shal ye vnderstād this text following of Corn. The text saith there was a man named Cornelius a captaine c. a deuout man one that feared god withall his houshold which gaue great almes to the people prayed god continually c. To whome the angell sent from god said thy almes and prayers are past vp in the sight of God c. Here yee see this mā was faithfull and iust by the first two proprieties by the which hee is commended which can not stand without faith That is deuout and fearing god Deuout is to say a true worshipper of god No mā truely cā worship God or please him but in faith becaus it is impossible to please god with out faith Cornelius worshipped God truelie and so pleased him therefore he was faithfull he feared and dread god by loue for that is the feare whereof the text speaketh Therefore Cornelius was faithfull because that loue can not be without faith The works which Cornelius wroght wer the fruites of faith and pleased god because god approued the same which hee had neuer allowed except they had bene done in faith For all which is not of faith is sinne Therefore yee must confesse that Cornelius was faithfull and iust before god or els ye must deny the scriptures which good forbid And then will yee say to what effect was Peter sent for to instruct him in the faith and teach him what he should doo if he was faithfull what faith was it he had To that I shall answer Cornelius had the same faith that Adam Noe and the fathers had for he beleeued the promised seede which was Christ knew not that he was come
But beleeued in one god and that the same god had promised a Saueour to redeame the world So god looking vpon the faithfull hūble and simple hart of Cornelius and the feruent desire of his prayers which desire doubtles was conforme to the sayinges of the Proph. Esay O if thou wouldest break a sunder the heauens that thou might come doune would not haue him deceaued to looke for him which was already come Therefore he caused him send for Peter to instruct him in the present faith And to certifie him that Christ was come whome he looked for so ardentlie Yee may read the text thē shall yee perceaue the sermon Peter made vnto him which was only of the opening of the Scripturs testifieing the comming of Christ in the fleshe and fulfilling of all the promises and Prophets sayings spoken of him before and that he was risen from deathe and had giuen Peter and the rest of his Disciples Apostles cōmād to preache repentance and remission of sinnes to all which would beleeue in his name c. To the which words and preaching of S. Peter Cornelius his whole housholde gaue firme faith and receaued by a visible signe the holy spirit The which is no other thing but this article of iustification For hee beleeued the word of god and by faith in Christ through the mercy of God receaued the holy spirit without all working of any deede of the lawe of Moyses but onely being vnder the Law of nature and so was baptised c. Therefore yee can not proue by this authority of scripture that either the works preceeding or following the gift of the holie spirite was the cause of his iustification or yet any parte thereof But first being iust through the faith which the fathers had who had also the holy spirit truely worshipped god and feared him of loue so he was iust And in that righteousnes wrought the fruites of faith in prayers and almes deeds And secondly being taught by Peter beleeued that Christ was comme the sure Sauiour of the world and had fulfilled all which was spoken of him by the prophetes By this faith was hee by the mercy of God made iust and receaued the holy spirite visiblie without all works or deseruings And then in the kingdome of Christ and righteousnesse wrought the fruites of faith vnto life as all perfite Christians should doo They alledge another text Galath the 5. Chap. Faith which worketh by loue c. by these wordes they would inferre of their corrupted maner that faith onely iustifieth not before god but faith which worketh by loue By this maner of vnderstanding they not only make the Apost false but also cast all downe destroye the same thing which hee hath builded for in the fourth Chap. of the same Epist. preceeding with great laboures and inuincible arguments hee setteth forth the article of iustification prouing faith only to iustifie without all deedes or workes of the law And then in the 5. chap. he beginneth to set foorth the fruites of faith saying ye are abolished frō christ which would be made iust by the lawe Ye haue left grace for we by thee spirite of faith beholde or looke for the hope of righteousnes for into Christ Iesus neither is circumcision nor vncircumcision any thing worth but faith which worketh by loue In these words shortly in briefe termes the Apost excludeth all workes and lawes sacrifices worshippings both of Iew and gentill to haue any mixtiō with Christ in the iustificatiō of a christian for if there had bene any more excellēt work or greater in estimation among the Iewes which were the chosen people of god thē circūcisiō no doubt but the Ap. would haue excluded the same so the principall work cōmanded by god and giuē by him as the seale of his promis couenāt made to Abrahā being excluded forth of of this article how can any other worke of lesse or equall estimation haue parte thereinto Therfore the Apost cōcluding shortly cōprehēding the whole estate of a Christian mā saith neither is circumcision nor vncircūcision any thing worth in christ but faith which worketh by loue he saith not loue which worketh by faith but faith whiche worketh by loue that is faith inwardly maketh a mā iust before God who hath no neede of our workes for the whole worlde and all that is therein is his and loue outwardly testifieth of thy inwarde faith towarde thy neighbour who hath need of thy works for whose vtilitie and profite thou art cōmanded to do good workes To whome thy faith auaileth nothing And so this text impungeth not the article of iustification but fortifieth the same Ye read loue greatly extolled by S.P. the 1. to the Corinth the 13. chap. as it is worthy but ye find neuer iustificatiō before god attribute to loue for that is not the office therof But loue followeth faith in the third degree whose office the Ap. setteth forth in the said ch Specially how that loue suffereth all thinges beleeueth all thinges hopeth all thinges and endureth all thinges Yea verily some thinges which faith may not suffer nor wil on no wayes suffer as a light superstitiō repūgning to the word of god loue will or may suffer the same to be in it for the weakenes of the infirme brother But faith may in no maner suffer the same because it may be preiudiciall to the article of iustificatiō and induce the mixtion of works Also Faith Hope and Charitie being reakoned the Apost exalteth Charity to be the most excellent of the thre but giueth her none of their offices But if ye wil vnderstand the text well ye shall know the Apostles mind by the cōclusion saying now we see through a glas darkly but thē we shall see face to face Now I know in part but then shall I knowe euen as I am knowen and nowe abydeth Faith Hope and Charitie but the chiefest of these is Charitie as he would say Now we ar imperfite but then we shalbe perfite Faith and Hope shall both perish and vanishe awaye but Charitie shall remaine in her perfection for then she is in her perfectiō when the other two haue takē effect and are vanished away for in the heauē there is neither faith nor hope but Charitie is in her most excellēt degree there which neuer hath an ende The cause wherefore the Apo. extolleth Charitie yee shall consider in the first to the Corinth the 12. ch the which I pray you reade For in that whole Epist. there is no question of the Article of iustification nor of the office of faith but an instruction how the Christian man should liue reprouing hatred enuy dissentions and opinions amōgst the Corinth which became not to be amōgst christiās therefore he exhorted them aboue all thinges to Charitie which is the band of peace the most excellēt vertue to be had euer kept among the Christians for by that
god as the prophetes were called in the old testamēt yea and as Dauid to be a King and Moys a gouernour to the people And as the Apostles in the new testament The other is mediate by mā immediate by god as Iosue in the old testament was called by Moys to bee Gouernour to the people at the commandement of god And as Timoth. and Titus were called by S.P. to bee bishops and as all they which nowe are called to be bishops which are lawfully made according to the word of god and authoritie of the magistrates Therefore to the knowledge of euery mans vocation I remit him to the word of god and his own conscience which are his inward most sure iudges There is a generall vocation by the which we ar called by Christ his word to a christian religion through the which wee are made one body and one spirite Euen as we are called in one hope of our vocatiō for that charitie is required of vs by the word of God which maketh and bringeth vs together in one body thrugh mutuall coniunction of faith working by charity therfore Charity is called the bād of Peace There is but one fellowship of all the faithfull one body That is one church whose only head is Christ. In this church is nor should bee no diuision for there is in this vocatiō christiā religion but one body one faith one baptisme which is the seale of our religion marked by god with the bloud of his only begotten sonne Christ Iesus our lord in whose bloud we are baptised one god and one father of all which is vpon all and by all and in vs all And therefore the Apostle testifieth vs all to be but one body that is one church in Christ. For in to one spirit and by one spirite the whole vniuersall congregation of the faithful is gouerned ruled strengthned and kept There is but one marke or ende to the which all the faithfull cōtend or shoote at that is eternall life Wee are all the Sonnes of one Father and participant of one heritage as we are called in one hope of our vocation And seing we haue but one lord which is Iesus Christ. It is conuenient that his seruantes bee of one minde and not deuided through discord and enuie There is but one profession of faith in all this Christian religion vocation for howbeit wee see in these our dayes many sundry professions and opinions of faith There is but one true faith which is that faith which the Apost of our Lorde Iesus Christ together with the patriarches and prophets haue professed and giuen to all nations through their teaching and preaching as testifie the holy scriptures Vpon the which foundation the whole church of Christ is builded Therefore by one baptisme we ar al made clean purified and by the which we ar ingrafted in Christ and made the people of God purified from our sinnes and altogether buried with Christ. There is amongest vs all but one power or strenght of baptisme and in one name of the father sonne and the holy spirite we are baptised And so ar we made one body into Christ being many members cōpacted and ioyned together into him For the more perfite vnderstanding of this body yee shal reade the whole 12. chap. of the 1. epistle to the Corinth The 4. and 5. to the Ephes. In the which yee shall finde this mater declared by the Apostle at lenght In this generall vocatione their is no distinction of personnes for all men are equall before god of one estate by one generall promis al are called to the faith vnder one Lord and King Iesus Christ who hath shedd his bloud for all which beleeue in him Therefore all Scriptures which make mention that there is no exception of persons before god are referred to this general vocatiō in the Christian religion as Romans the 2. chapter where the Apostle intēding vnder Iewe and gentill comprehending all men to proue them sinners sayeth before God there is no acception of persons And Peter sayeth In veritie I haue found that God is not an accepter of persones but in all nations and people hee is accepted vnto him which feareth him and worketh righteousnesse And S. Iames sayeth My brethren haue not the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons And S.P. saith to the cōfoūding of the fals apost which seduced the Gal. through great authoritie and also to show him selfe equal in power with Iames Peter and Iohn That God is not a respecter of the person of man but in this vocation of Christiā religion by baptism through faith in the bloude of Christ all mē ar equall both Iewe gētill seruād free man woman all are one in Christ Iesus the sonnes of Abraham by faith according to the promis heirs that is to say all which beleeue ar the sonns of god therfore ar they fre heirs of eternal life To this generall vocatiō perteineth the sayings of S. Pet. in these words Yee are a chosen generation a royall priesthoode a holy natiō a people set at liberty that ye should forthshowe the vertues of him that hath called you forth of darknesse into a meruelous light c. The same is said by Moyses Ex. the 19. Chapter Here yee see in this vocation there is no acception of persons We ar all the holy people of God which beleeue vnfainedly yea kinges oincted in Baptisme by the holie Spirit priests making sacrifice to god dayly of this our sinful body mortified from sinne offer a holie and acceptable sacrifice after the maner aboue writtin conforme to the teaching of the Apost Rom. the 12. cha But be ware ye call not your selues kings in office and dignitie nor priests in administration of the word holy sacramentes for that perteineth to a speciall vocation or office by the selfe Therefore I exhort you which reade the scriptures take heede that yee confound not the works of god for if yee doe yee shal not escape error These speciall vocations shall follow in their owne places If we will looke dayly to this christian vocatiō we shal haue perfite knowledge what works we shuld doe what works we should leaue vndone The neglecting hereof is the cause of al the enormities abuses now ruling in the church of christ through the whole world For considering wee ar all members of one body all mēbers haue not one office but euery one serueth other in their owne place as when the eares heare any thing the eyis casteth the sight what it shuld be thē the feete hands prepare them to pursue or defēd to stād or flee And al these mēbers whole body obey the head awaite vpon the direction of the same Euen so we being all mēbers of one body which is the Church whose heade is Christe
first was to stoppe the wholesome winde of Christs Euangell to blow vpō the parts where we conuerse and dwell and secondlie so to oppresse our selues by corporall affliction and worldly calamities that no place should wee finde to godly studie But by the great mercy and infinite goodnesse of God our father shall these his counsels be frustrate vaine For in despite of him and all his wicked members shall yet that same word O lord this I speake confiding in thy holy promisse openly be proclaimed in that same countrey And how that our mercifull father amōgst these tempestuous stormes by all mēs exspectation he hath prouided some rest for vs as this present worke shall testifie which was sent to mee in ROANE lying in Irons and sore troubled by corporall infirmitie in a galley named Nostre Dame by an honourable man and faithfull Christian Brother M. Henry Balnaues of Halhill for the present holden as prisoner thought vniustly in the old pallaice of ROANE Which worke after I had once again read to the great confort and consolation of my spirite by counsell aduise of the foresaid noble and faithfull man Authour of the same worke I thought expediēt it should be digested in chapters And to the better memory of the reader the cōtents of euery Chap. preponed briefly vnto them with certaine annotatiōs to the more instruction of the simple in the margent And also that an Epitome of the same work shuld be shortly collected wee haue likewise digested the same in chapters which follow the worke in place of a table which thing I haue done as imbecillitie of ingine and incommoditie of place would permit Not so much to illustrate the worke which in the self is godly and perfite as together with the foresaid noble man and faithfull brother to giue my confessiō of the article of iustification therein conteined and I beseech you beloued brethrē earnestly to consider if we deny any thing presently or yet conceale or hide which any time before we professed in that article And now we haue not the castle of S. Andrew to bee our defēce as some of our enemies fasly accused vs saying If we wāted our walls we would not speak so boldly But we pray the eternal god that the same affectiō which now thē remained in vs remaine with thē eternally The Lorde shall iudge if all which we spak was not of pure hart hauing no respect either to loue or hatred of any person but onely to the word of God and veritie of his scriptures as we must answere in the great day of the Lorde where no man shall haue place to dissemble But blessed be that lord whose infinite goodnes and wisdome hath tane from vs the occasion of that slaunder and hath showē vnto vs that the serpent hath power only to stang the heele that is to molest and trouble the fleshe but not to moue the spirite from constāt adhearing to Iesus Christ nor publick professing of his true word O blessed bee thou eternall father which by thy only mercy hast preserued vs to this day and prouided that the cōfession of our faith which euer wee desired all men to haue knowē should by this treatise come plainely to light Continue O Lord and graunt vnto vs that as now with pen and ink so shortly wee may confesse with voice and toung the same before thy congregration vpon whome looke O Lord God with the eyes of thy mercy and suffer no more darknes to preuaile I pray you pardō me beloued brethrē that on this maner I digresse vehemēcy of spirite the lord knoweth I lye not compelleth me thereto The head of Sathan shall be troaden down when he beleeueth surely to triumphe Therefore most deare brethren so call I all professing Christes Euangell continue in that purpose which yee haue begunne godly though the battell appeare strong your Captaine is vnexpugnable To him is giuen all power in heauen and earth Abide stand and call for his support and so the ennemies which now affraye you shortly shalbe confounded and neuer againe shall appeare to molest you Consider brethren it is no speculatiue Theolog which desireth to giue you courage but euē your brother in afflictiō which partly hath experiēce what sathans wrath may doe against the chosen of God Reioyse yet I say spiritually bee glad the time of the battell is short but the reward is eternall Victorie is sure without yee list to fly which God forbid frō Christ. But that ye may plainly know wherby are Sathan and the world ouercome and which are the weapons against whome they may not stand yee shall reade diligētly this work following which I am sure no man hauing the spirite of God shal thinke tedious nor long because it conteineth nothing except the very scriptures of God and meditations of his law Wherein is the whole study of the godly mā both day and night knowing that therein are found onely wisedome prudence libertie and life And therefore in reading talking or meditatiō thereof he is neuer satiate But as for the vngodly because their works are wicked they may not abide the light And therfore they abhorre all godly writings thinking them tedious though they conteine not the lēgth of the lords prayer But according to the threatning of ESAY the proph saying because they cōtemne the law of the lord God hee shall cōtemne them Their harts shall be indured in the daye of anguish and trouble they shall dispaire curse the lord god into their harts They shalbe nōbred to the sword in the slaughter shall they fall Thē shal they know that their works were vaine and that they placed their refuge in lies Their vestimēts of spiders webbes which ar their vaine workes shall not abide the force of the lords winde but they shall stand naked the workes of iniquitie in their handes to their extreame confusion And this shall apprehend and ouertake them because they call light darknes and darknes light that which was sweete they called bitter and by the contrarie that which was bitter they called sweet seeking saluation where none was to be found But yee most Christian brethren humbly I beseeche and in the bloud of Iesus Christ I exhort that ye reade diligently this present treatise Not onely with earnest prayer that yee may vnderstād the same aright but also with humble and due thankesgiuing vnto our most mercifull father who of his infinite power so hath strengthned the hartes of his prisoners that in despite of Sathan they desist not yet to worke but in the most vehemency of tribulation seeke the vtilitie and saluation of others It is not my purpose to commend or aduance this worke with wordes as commonly writers of prophane or humane sciēce do seeing the verity by the selfe is onely to be commended But one thing bouldly I dare affirme that no man which commeth with a godly hart hereto shall passe from the same without satisfaction
opinions iudgements but the perfite christian mā should looke first in his corruption of nature consider what the law requireth of him in the which he finding his imperfection and sinnes accused for that is the office of the law to vtter sinne to mā and giueth him no remedy then of necessitie is he cōpelled either to dspaire or seeke Christ by whome hee shall get the iustice that is of value before God which can not begotten by any law or works because by the deedes of the lawe no fleshe shalbe iustified before God Yee shall not meruell of the oft rehearsinge of these wordes that of the deedes of the law no fleshe shalbe made iust that is declared reputed foūd or pronounced iust before god for they are rehearsed before the forthsetting of the article of iustification that it may seeme the more cleare and to that effect the same wordes were spoken by the Apostle Rom. the third Chapter Of this maner we know what euer the lawe speaketh to them it speaketh whiche are in the lawe that all mouthes may bee stopped and all the worlde made subiect vnto god because by the deedes of the law no fleshe shalbee made iust before him And therefore I haue repeated them so oft because they lead all men to the perfite knowledge of their iustificatiō which is in Christ. This proposition of the holy spirite is so perfite that it excludeth if ye will vnderstande the same right all the vaine foolish arguments of sophistrie made by the iustifiers of them selfes which peruerte the wordes of S. Paule as they doo the other scriptures of god to their peruersed sence and mind saying that the Apostle excludeth by these wordes the workes of the law Ceremoniall and not the deeds of the law of nature morall law of Moyses The which shameles sayings are expresly euacuat by the wordes of the Apost Insomuch that no man of righteous iudgement can denye but shall feele the same as it were in their hands by this probatiō the law speaketh to all that is accuseth all men that are vnder the law All men are vnder the law of nature or the law of Moys Therefore the Apost speaketh of the law of nature Moy. and of all men which he comprehendeth vnder Iewe gentill as he proueth by his argumētes in the first and second Chap. to the Roma And concludeth in the third Cha. all men are sinners If all men bee sinners none is iust If none bee iust none fulfill the lawe If none fulfill the lawe the lawe can pronounce none iust Therefore concludeth he that of the deedes of the law no flesh shalbe founde iust before God The same is proued by Dauid in the 13. Psalme Here ye see by the words of the Apostle he intendes to proue and declare all men Sinners That is to stoppe all mens mouths and to dryue them to Christ by the accusation of the law No law may make or declare all men sinners and subdue the whole world to God but the law of nature and Moyses Therefore vnder that word law the Apost comprehēded the law morall and not the law Ceremonial only Becaus it followeth in the text The knowledge of sinne is by the lawe And also I knewe not sinne sayth S.P. but by the lawe Nor I had not knowen that lust or cōcupiscence had bene sinne were not the law said Thou shal not lust Therefore ye cānot eschew but confesse that the Apostle speaketh of the law morall yea and of all lawes and all men because hee excepts none Therefore let vs conclude with the Apost and the holy spirite that the iustice of god is without the law made patent and forthshowē by the lawe and prophetes And then shall we come to our Iustice which is Christ as S. P. saith the 1. Epist. the first chap. to the Corinth If yee will saye of your vaine conceate as ye which are aduersaries to faith euer obiects vanities that the Apostle in his conclusion comprehendeth not all men proceeding from Adam by naturall propagation but that some iust men are excepted Ye shall not finde that exception in scripture of any man except Christ. Who beeing both God and man is expresly excepted because hee neuer contracted sinne Fraude nor deceat was neuer found in his mouth by this exceptiō all other are excluded because there is no other who can be found iust but he For that cause he only fulfilled the law and satisfied the same By whome all which beleeue are accepted as iust without the deedes of the lawe through faith in the bloude of Iesu Christ. Let vs passe forward therefore in the scriptures for to finde the Iustice of a christian man which can not be founde in the lawe nor deedes thereof THE XVI CHAP. 1 The diuersitie of names of that iustice which is acceptable before God 2 Iustice is plainly reueled in the euangell 3 What is to liue in faith or by faith THe iustice whereof we haue made mentiō in the beginning and that is so cruelly and tyranously persecuted by our aduersarie Sathan is called the iustice of God the iustice of faith and the Iustice of a Christian man The whiche is all one thinge glued and ioyned together that by the same wee are in Christ and hee in vs by the mercy of god purchased by christ through faith in his bloude without all our deseruings either proceeding or following the same And it is so farre different from the other iustice of the law as darkenesse from light and heauen from earth becaus it wilbe alone and not participant with any other thing that Christ may haue his due honour Who obtained this iustice frō the father and is the price thereof And first it is called the iustice of god because it proceedeth only of the mercy of God Secondly the iustice of faith because faith is the instrument whereby in Christ we obteine the mercy of God freely giuen to vs for Christes sake And thirdly it is called ours because by faith in Christ without all our deseruinges wee receaue the same and are made reputed and compted iust and accepted in to the fauour of god And all three ar one Iustice deuided by sundrie names as is before saide which is this article of iustification As by example almes deede is but one name And yet after the common maner of speaking it is appropriat truely to three that is to the Giuer to God and to the Receauer In almes the poore and indigent haue no part but only to receaue and giue thankes The giuer freely giueth of his liberalitie substance and for gods sake So it is properly called the almes of the giuer and iustly attribute vnto god becaus for his sake it is giuē And also to the receauer becaus he is made rich therewith In the like maner this iustice of God proceedeth of his aboundant mercy and grace fauour and goodnes which hee beareth toward man kind that is poore
excluded by the law of faith For in our iustification wee onely receaue as did our Father Abraham whose sonnes wee are by faith which was reakoned iust before he wrought any good works The veritie of the scripture proueth that the heritage commeth not by the lawe for by the law Ismaell and Esau the eldest sonnes should haue succeeded to the heritage and not Isaac Iacob which were yonger And so by the promis commeth the heritage and not by the lawe For the law euer accuseth craueth more of vs thē we ar able to pay And therfore damnation abydeth vs without we apprehēd Iesus Christ which payeth for vs that which the lawe requireth For hee alone taketh away the sinnes of the world Hee called all to him self and sendeth none to the law to seek iustificatiō And therfore who seeketh any parte thereof by their workes spoile Christ of his office The sommary of the 19. Chap. AS the good tree beareth good fruites so the iust man worketh good workes but neither maketh the fruite the tree good nor yet the workes the man iust for as the tree is before the fruite so the mā is iust before the worke be good We should worke good workes becaus wee being sometime the sonnes of gods wrath and subiects to sathan are bought by the blood of Iesus Christ to serue in his kingdome in the which ruled faith hope and charitie euer working righteousnes vnto life By the cōtrarie in the kingdome of the deuill rule incredulitie dispaire and enuy euer working vnrighteousnes And so we owe obedience to him whose seruants we ar There be diuers princes realmes subiects and rewardes no man can serue both nor of both the rewardes no man shall be participant but who serueth sinne receaueth eternall death for his reward and who serueth righteousnes receaueth life euerlasting by Iesus Christ. The sommarie of the 20. Chap. WOrkes are commended in the scripture not that they iustifie before God but that they are the fruites of a iustified man wrought to testifie his true faith Which onely iustifieth without workes either preceeding or following the same And that proueth Paull saying without faith it is impossible to please god And also all which is not of faith is sin whereof it is plaine that sophistes alledging that workes preceeding faith deserue the grace of god De Congruo say asmuch as sin deserueth the grace of god for all workes preceeding faith is sinne And that workes following faith iustifieth not testifieth the same Ap. saying not of the works of righteousnes which we haue wrought shall we be safe but acording to his mercy god hath made vs safe And so neither works preceeding nor following faith iustifie The sommary of the 21 chap. THE wicked by works of their own intention would be a part of their owne saluation because thay seek their own glorie as did the Scribs and Pharisies and not the glory of God But seing the works commanded by god done without faith to deserue remission of sinnes are abomination before god as testifieth Esay what shalbe of the vaine workes of man set vp without the commād of god by which hypocrites would be made iust And if we should confesse as commandeth Iesus Christ when we haue done all yet wee are but vnprofitable seruauntes where is the merite of the workes of supererogation which hypocrites would sell to others And if Paull which had right excellent works esteemed them al to be but filthinesse that he might winne Christ and be found in him not hauing his owne iustice which is of the lawe but the iustice which is of the faith of Iesus Christ If Paull I say sought no iustice in his own works how shal we whose workes are on no maner equall to the workes of Paull be iustified thereby And therefore with the scripturs and Apostles we cōclude that by faith onely in Christ we ar made iust without all law or workes And after man be made iust by faith and possesseth Iesus Christ in his hart then can he not bee idle For with true faith is also giuen the holie spirite which suffereth not man to bee idle but moueth him to al godly exercise of good workes The sommarie of the 22. Chap. AFter the article of iustification christians should bee instructed to doe good works not these which are inuēted by mā but which are cōmanded by god amōgst which the principall is to reioyce in tribulation giuing thankes to god in all things with sure hope and patience abyding his deliuerance knowing that the life of man is a perpetuall battell vpō earth The law of the mēbers euer rebelling against the law of the mind The law of the members wee call the tyrannie of the deuill euer drawing vs to the lustes of the flesh not onely in externall works but also in the inwarde affections of the minde as to doubt of the goodnesse and mercy of god to be sloughtful and not to loue and feare him with our whole hart The law of the minde or of the spirite is the motion of the holie ghost stirring vs vp to all iustice and righteousnes which we know to bee good and yet finde no power in our selfe to performe the same And this battell is most vehement in the most holy as witnesseth Paull And therefore to kill this outwarde man which is our wit reason and will we should offer our bodies vnto god in a quicke liuely and holy sacrifice but before this sacrifice bee pleasant to god must the minde which is the Fountaine of all good workes bee renewed with the spirite of god and made cleane which is when we cast from vs our wisedome righteousnes holynes and redemptiō and receaue the same from Iesus Christ. Some there is which put their whole trust in their own works thinking thereby to obteine the eternall glorie And these men go before Christ and are called Antichristes Others there is which thinke faith not sufficient but will haue their workes ioyned to helpe Christ and these goe astray from him For none of these two kindnes suffereth Iesus Christ death but for them onely which follow him laying all their sinnes vpon his backe The Sommarie of the 23. Chap. THe foolish reason of man perswadeth vs to leaue the workes commanded by god And to set vp workes of our own inuention thinking God to bee pleased therewith becaus they are done of good zeale and intention The scriptures of God showeth all the thoughtes and cogitations of man to be euill at all time And if so bee what is our good intentiō But whether the intent of man bee good or not the fruites proceeding therefrom shall testifie For as sometime in Israell abounded all Idolatrie they hauing gods according to the multitude of their Cieties So nowe amongst them which are called Christians are set vp carued Images defended adorned and worshipped contrarie the expresse commandement of God The blessed sacrament of Christs body and bloud abused and prophaned before them And all this
going about vs as it were a roaring lion seking for the pray to deuour or swolow Against whom we shold resist stoutly into faith taking in our hand the sword of the spirit which is the word of god with the rest of the armour perteyninge to a christian knight specified by S. P. Ephe. the 6. Chapter The substance of the article of iustification is to cleaue and stick fast by our God knowing him our Maker and Creator and to beleeue firmly and vndoubtedly that wee are not righteous nor iust of our selfs nor yet by our workes which are lesse nor wee but by the helpe of another the onely begotten Sonne of God Christ Iesu who hath deliuered and redeemed vs from Death the Deuill and finne And hath giuen to vs eternall life as hereafter at length shalbe declared Aboue all thing the saide article is to be holden in memorie recent among the faithfull And at euery tyme houre driuen and inculcat in their eares as it were a trumpet without the which faith which is the fondation of the christian religion and Church of Christ is made so darke and mistie that no place shalbe founde where vpon to build the the perfite workes of faith THE VII CHAP. 1 What obtained Adam and Eue seeking wisdome contrarie Gods commandement and what they which seekes iustification other wayes then teacheth the scriptures 2 Whereby is the wicked man made iust 3 Where may Sathā enter and where not 4 What wrought the lawe into Adam and the office thereof vnto vs. THe ground stone and sure firme rock whereupon all godly workes and vertues are builded our said aduersarie Sathan vexed in the paradise when in the beginning he perswaded entised our forefather Adam and Eue to leaue their faith into God their Maker and Creator and consent to his false perswasiō which was that through their owne wisedome strength and power they might be made equall and like vnto god who gaue them life promised the same euer to endure with all pleasures commodities in paradise The Deuill perceauing the woman voide and without faith loue and feare of God said howbeit ye eat of the fruicts of this trie ye shall not die the death ye know not wherefore God hath forbiddē you to eate of the same but I shall show you the cause God knoweth that in what soeuer daye yee shall eate of the fruict of this trie your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be like Gods knowing good euill This same persuasion hath all the wicked which perswades man to trust to his owne workes merites power and strength therby to be made iust and to get greate rewarde of god for doing of workes not commanded by God but inuented by mās vaine conceat thinking that God shallbe pleased therewith But surely euen as our forefather was deceaued so shall we be if we consent thairto Heerefore giue trust to no thing in this case or matter but to God and his word keeping euer faith pure and clean without all mixtiō of works in the making of a wicked mā iust And then our aduersarie shall get no place to enter to deceaue vs. Ye shall vnderstande that Adam knew good and euill before the eating of the aple for that teached him the law of nature and the other great wisedome hee was cloathed with as yee may reade in Eccles. the 17. Chap. saying god created them with the spirit of knowledge and with wisedome and vnderstanding hee fulfilled the harts of them and shew vnto them good and euill His iudgementes iustice also he shew to thē What thē was the knowledge Adā got of the eating of the aple onely that he had offended his good god trāsgressed his law the which shew to him his offences and sin By this knowledge he vnderstood that hee was fallen frō the good state in which he was created shuld haue remained if he had obeyed the law of his god into the miserable estate of sin for he had neuer knowen what the trangression of the lawe had bene if he had not sinned The law before taught him what he should doo leaue vndone what was good what was euill and after he sinned the lawe vttered the same to him broght him in knowledge thereof for it can do no other thing to the sinner but trouble his minde and bring vpon him great feare and dread This proues the sayings of god to ADAM inquiring who hath showen vnto thee that thou was naked but that thou hast eaten of the tree of the which I commauded thou shouldest not eat This hatred and enimity is old which Sathan hath moued cōtrary mankind had the beginning at the first creation of man of malice cōceaued to bring man in the same rebellion he was in This persecution of sathan shal endure to the latter iudgement therefore let vs bee walke full and diligent euer armed with our shield faith the word of god euer printed in our hartes taking no care of wordly troubles hoping hastely to be deliuered therfrō cōsidering we haue no permanēt Citie here but as Pilgrimes trauailing to and fro beholding and looking for that heauinly citie and place prepared to vs from the beginning of the world THE VIII CHAP. 1 Wherefore Cain slew Abell howe long god suffered the article of iustification to be pursued by the seede of Cain 2 What paine hee tooke at last and howe Sathan reserued his seede 3 Whereof sprang the Idolatrie whiche abounded betweene the dayes of Noe and Abraham and vnder what pretext it was defended SHortly hereafter the said aduersarie a man killer and lyer perswaded entised the one brother to slaye the other of malice without any cause but that the one brother Abell being iust godly offered into faith a more pleasant and acceptable sacrifice vnto God then the other Cain who was wicked and an hipocrit whose sacrifice pleased not god becaus the person was not acceptable to him Therefore god looked to Abell and to his workes vnto Cain and his workes he looked not There followed against the saide article the perpetuall persecution of Sathan intolerable by the sonnes of Cain while God wes compelled prouoked of his ryghteous iudgement to drowne the whole worlde once to purge the same from sin reseruing defending through his mercy onely the perauthor of faith and righteousnesse Noe. Neuerthelesse Sathan keped his seed in the third sonne of Noe Cham as testifies the historie After this the whole world rysing in a madnes fury impugning this article of iustificatiō finding inuenting innumerable Idols and religions with the which they pretēded to please God with their owne works and inuentions euerie one making to him selfe a particular or peculiare god or gods The which is no other thing but to think that without the help of Christ of their owne power works Inuentions they may redeeme them selues from sin all euils and please
whome god gaue consolation saying there is in thy bosom conceaued two sundry nations two people shalbe deuided of thy belly That is thou knowes not which of them is the seede of the promesse the yongest haue I chosen to whome the eldest shall serue This is conforme to the sayinges of S. Paule Rom. the 9. Chap. But trust well she vnderstoode spiritually by faith that Iacob was the promised seede when shee procured and laboured so diligently that he should get the blessing of his father defrauded the eldest Esaw This was not knowē to Isaac for he wold not only that Esawe should succeede to the heritage but to haue gottē the blessing also which Iacob obtained by perswasion of his mother Neuerthelesse Esaw remained with the heritage in his fathers house and ceased not still to pursue Iacob who at last was compelled to fly for feare of his life And so euer the seede of the serpent pursues the chosing conforme to this beginning Let Abell dye and Cain liue But finally the seede of Iacob succeeded to the land of promission And inioyed the heritage Howbeit they were long troubled and afflicted in Egipt THE X. CHAP. 1 The wrong opinion of the Iewes of the promised seede 2 Wherin the vngodly place iustification 3 Sathan moues his members against the true professours of faith 4 Ieremie the Prophet of God resisted the whole Ecclesiasticall power of the Iewes 5 The head of the serpent troden downe by the death of Iesus Christ. 6 The article of iustification preached after the death of Christ. YE shall vnderstande that the Iewes had a fleshly opiniō of this promised seede for they vnderstood that the Messias which was promised to them should rule temporaly as Dauid did and establish his realme in great quietnes rest withal pleasure voluptuousnes as yee may vnderstand by the desire of the mother of the Sons of Zebedee Her Sons being with Christ and his Apostles were of the same opinion as testified the aunsweare of Christ saying to them yee knowe not what ye aske But the spirituall knowledge which the Fathers had was farre different therefrom Who vnderstoode in the spirit that the realme of Christ was spirituall and not temporall to the which they were led by faith By this yee shall vnderstande not only that the fleshely iudgement is deceaued in knowledge of this seede but also of the persecution of Sathan Euer perswading the wicked and vngodly which are his seede to persecute the womans seede of the promisse That is the chosen who according to the promisse of God obtaine victorie by faith in the bloud of Christ. For Sathan intending to destroye this article of iustification may not suffer the preaching thereof that is That by grace through faith and not of our owne rightuousnesse and workes We ar made safe please God are receaued into fauour with him and accepted as righteous and iust not of our merites or deseruinges but through the merits of Christ Iesu our Sauiour By the cōtrary the wicked trusts in their owne strength and merites And will haue their good works inuented by them selfe without the commandement of god a part of their saluation And who will not authorise the same they persecute of deadly hatred and must needes dye as Abell did So let Abell dye and Cain liue that is our law sayeth the vngodly In the Church of the Iewes our saide aduersarie ceased not to impung this article and perswade the wicked to persecute the godly and kill the prophets for preaching the same for defence of the which Ieremie the Prophet resisted the hole Ecclesiastical power authoritie of the Church of the Iewes that is the multitude of the wicked being a few number of the chosen that assisted to him as yee may reade Ieremie the 26 Chap. Not the les afterward hee was stoned to death for the same cause which is the reward of mā that is which mā giueth for the true preaching of this article So let Abell dye and Cain liue Finally the persecution of sathan our aduersary perswaded the death of christ his Apostles and martyres and their true successours all for this article But euer Christ got victorie and triumphed by his word only In so much as he got victorie of the deuill hell and death of the lawe sinne the world and the fleshe through his death and resurrection So by faith in his bloud al the Prophets Apostles martyres confessors with their bloud haue watered the Church and haue left a sure testimonie to vs for confirmation of this article that in the bloud of christ and not in their owne bloud workes or deedes they are made safe and haue gotten the realme of heauen conquest and purchased to them by Christ and not by them selfes nor their merites The which confession is the cause that the godly ar euer persecuted by the wicked So let Abell dye and Cain liue that is our lawe THE XI CHAP. 1 How sathan hath deceaued the worlde after Christ and wherewith he hath cled him 2 An euident argument showing them which this daye are called bishoppes to be the church malignant 3 An exhortation to them which enter in the church by the Popes authoritie aend of his power to make bishops 4 Wherein the wicked Iewes gloried and wherein the Pope his kingdome NOw our aduersary perceauing by the death of Christ that the promise made in Paradise was fulfilled and his head troaden down that is his power strēgth by the sheding of the bloud of Christ this article of iustificatiō laid so abroad the church of christ is so strongly edged with the same that all his imaginatiōs with the which he deceaued mankind had no place to peruert the perfite faith Then inuented he a new maner of habite which hee founde in the same church amongst the slouthfull ministers whome by processe of time seeing them idle not occupied in the reading teaching and preaching of the scriptures hee prouoked to inuent workes of their own conceite And also to abuse the holy sacramentes and good workes of God with vaine superstitions the which they call good workes And by this meanes he hath so drawen them from faith that they knowe not what the same is nor what Christ is but as it were a Theefe hanged vpon a gallous or gibbit innocētly or like another maner of prophane history of Hector or of the great Alexander And therefore hath prouoked them to pursue this Article more cruelly then euer it was pursued from the beginning of the worde Them selfes by worde confessinge the same with their mouth reading singing and of their maner dayly teaching and preaching the same And yet neuerthelesse dayly burning killing banishing the true faithful preachers of the said article confessours therof And so euer shall Abell dye and Cain liue that is our lawe say they Our said aduersarie that he should not be perceaued hath transformed him selfe in to an Angell of light
to the law of his mind which is no other thinge but the tyrannie of the Deuill drawing and prouoking man to followe the lusts and concupiscence of the flesh Not onelie in externall workes but also in the inwarde affections of the minde as to doubt or diffide of the goodnesse and mercy of god or to bee slouthfull voyde and emptie of the loue and feare of god The lawe of the minde is the lawe of god prouoking and calling man to doe all Iustice and righteousnesse whiche the faithfull man consenteth to in his minde to bee good and iust And yet findeth no power in him selfe to performe the same for the whiche the holy Apost with an exclamation saith O vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer mee of this mortall body which is no other thing but a masse of sinne These wordes he saith not as of a doubt in his faith but of a feruent desire to be dissolued and separated from this vile life to bee with Christ because hee giueth thankes vnto god by Iesus Christ by whome hee is deliuered of the said battell Reade the 7. Chapter of the Epistle to the Rom. where yee shall clearely perceaue this matter at lenght Therefore the saintes and holy men vehemently lamente these motiones and affections of the fleshe whiche they feele in their inward wit reason manly wisdome repungning against the spirite and will not bee subiect thereto nor may not of their own power or strēgth but by the spirite of god which beareth witnes with our spirite that we are the sonnes of god There are none which perceaue this battell or valiant fighting but the iust men which confide not in their own workes merits or deseruings but only in the mercy of god through faith in Iesu christ by whom they obtein victory thank god But because this mortall body of sinne is euer repungning vnto the spirite and our greatest ennemie daylie borne about with vs. The Apostle exhorteth vs most feruently by the mercy of God to giue offer the same a quicke liuely holy and pleasant sacrifice vnto God And that our seruice and worshipping of God be reasonable not cōforming our selues to this world but to be renewed and reformed into a new witte knowledge and vnderstanding That we may haue proufe how the wil of god is how good how acceptable and how perfit The which is that we mortifie our bodies members which are vpon earth not only to abstein from externall outward and grosse sinnes as from fornication incest vncleanesse auarice indignation wicked lustes concupiscence ire filthie communications like vnto these reakoned by S. P. but also to cōceaue in our harts the true and perfite feare of god which moueth and causeth vs to abhorre sinne and detest our wicked corrupte nature which euer resisteth the will of God and entiseth vs to follow our owne will wit reason and honest appearance of good zeale and intention the whiche wee should not obeye but the will of God which is to beleeue in him and in Iesus Christ whome hee hath sent and also it is the worke of god for the which wee should euer pray to god thy will be fulfilled and not ours This doing the kingdome of heauen is within vs as Christ saith Luc. the 17. Chapter And the olde man mortified in our bodies and crucified with Christ the body of sinne abolished and destroyed that wee serue no more to sinne the which is no other thing but to cast off all our affections of the fleshly mā and submit vs wholely to Christ and as hee hath risen frō death that we likewise rise with him from sinne and liue a new life in the kingdome of righteousnes no more being vnder the lawe nor sinne but vnder grace That is Christ and his worde the whiche will neuer teache vs to sinne but to all vertue in faith The order hereof S. P. teacheth Romanes the 12. chap. and so forth to the ende of the epistle And S. Peter in his first epist. the 2. chap. teacheth the same This quicke and liuely sacrifice which God desireth of vs and is so pleasant and acceptable in his sight is a contrite and broken harte a troubled spirit humiliate and subiect vnto God These the Prophete calleth the affections of the minde or thoghts of the harte which are broken afflicted and cast downe by the knowledge of sinne place their whole hope and confidence onely in the mercy of god The same affections of the hart hee calleth the sacrifice most acceptable vnto god And commaunded the same to be offered vnto him as it is written Giue vnto the Lord the sacrifice of righteousnesse and put your whole hope into him And in the 49. psal he calleth the same the sacrifice of praise thākesgeuing For we should euer praise god that is preache and foorthshowe in all thinges his infinite goodnes And what euer we think speake or doe direct the same to his glorie This is a worthy sacrifice to be done by a Christian on this maner we are taught by S. P. to the Heb. diuerse other places of the scripture To the fulfilling of this sacrifice is required that we spoyle our selues of the old man that is our first conuersation in sinne which wee haue of naturall propagation of old Adam And is cledde beareth the same so long as we liue after the example of Adam Euer rebels to god and his law And clothe vs with new Adam that is Christ with whom wee are cledde when we reforme our life to the similitude of him which restoreth again to vs the Image and similitude of god to the which we were created This is the right and true holinesse integritie and iustice to the which in Christ we are renewed by the holie Spirit that we should liue in all Iustice and holines of life In that we wer created by god in the beginning that we should walke before him Therefore the Apost commandeth vs to be renewed with the spirit of the minde and cloth vs with the new man The minde is the fountaine beginning of all thinges So it must be renewed if any good works shuld follow And that teacheth the Prophete Esay in these wordes Put away the euill of your thoughts from my eyes c. And so to doe good workes according to the pleasure of god order of the scripture is to beginne to mortifie this sinfull body as is before rehearsed Then are we the good tree whose fruite is sweete and pleasant in the sight of god and acceptable to him Therefore lette vs deny our selues take our owne crosse vpon our backes and followe Christ as he harh commanded vs in his Euangell for the which he suffered death for vs leauing to vs an exāple that we shuld follow his footstepps neither go before Christ nor yet aside with him but let vs follow him the which we doe
whē we cast frō vs all our wisedome righteousnesse holines and redemption and receaue them frō Christ who is made to vs by god our wisdome iustice holynesse and redemption And confesse vs to haue nothing of our selues but euill and all our goodnes to be from god as S. Iames saith in his Ep. the 1. Ch. This our crosse is no other thing but the troubles and afflictions both spirituall corporall that we haue in this presēt life the which are the probatiōs exercises of our faith whereby the same is tryed searched by our heauenly father to our weale And testifie vs to be the sonnes of god and not bastardes And therefore we should gladly accept the same with thankes giuing from the bottome of our hart thinking them to come to vs for the best and that we are the beloued of god So accepting them And then in the greatest troubles and afflictions raise vp our hartes with faith hope beleeuing surely our good god to be so faithfull and true that he wil not suffer vs to be ouercome or confoūded tēpted aboue that we be able but will euen giue the issue with the tentatiō that we may bee able to beare it because our weak and fragill nature is knowē to him He will haue cōpassion vpō vs for Christs sake by whome wee are reconciliate to his fauour So let vs not go astray but follow Christs footesteppes That is to suffer all thinges patiently and thinke that we haue deserued more for our sinnes Also remembring that Christ our sauiour hath suffered ten thousand times more for vs. On this maner we followe Christs footsteppes who hath borne our sinnes in his body vpon the crosse that being dead frō sinne we shuld liue in righteousnes My harts ye which are aduersaries to the article of iustificatiō learn to read the scripturs with effect to the perfite vnderstanding thereof and thē ye shal obteine knowledge to begin to do good workes in faith pleasant and acceptable to god Since we haue made mention of three kinde of personnes that is of them which goe before Christ of them which goe astray from Christ and of them which follow Christs footesteppes It is necessarie to let them bee knowen by them selues that the true and faithfull may be knowē by their deedes They which confide in their owne workes merites and deseruings thinking therethrough to obteine the kingdome of heauen and satisfie for their owne sinnes Not onely for them selues but also of the superaboundāce of their merits for others of the which they make marchādise These are they which goe before Christ and are called Antichristes or contrarie to Christ because they vsurpe his office and wilbe Iustifiers of them selues and others They which thinke faith not sufficient to iustifie without workes but will haue their own good deedes ioyned to helpe Christ in their iustification These are they which go astray frō Christ wilbe equall with him in their owne iustification for none of these hath Christ suffered death Therefore hee shall abstract frō these two kindes his wisedome righteousnes holines and redemption and shall suffer them to contend with the law in the latter iudgement whose workes being accused and the puritie and cleanes required according to the perfection of the lawe all their noble workes and deedes of good zeale and intention shalbee found abomination in the sight of God how excellent or shining that euer they be before men to whome it shalbe said Passe your waye from mee ye workers of iniquitie Lucifer was throwen downe out of the heauen because hee would haue made him equall with god Adam forth of paradise becaus he pretēded to know more then was giuen him in commandemēt to know c. The Pharisie of whom Christ maketh mention pretended no other thinge but a great rewarde for his good workes The same thing pretende all they which impūg this article of iustificatiō for will ye compare their sayings and doinges it is the same selfe thing but of another arrayemēt Neuertheles they are as like as a egge is like another And so they are not of Christes little flocke which hee hath chosen and follow him The thrid kind of personnes are they which putte all their trust hope and confidence in Christe take his crosse vpon their backes and dayly followe Christ in his footsteppes neither declining to the right hande nor to the left that is grounded in faith euer working by charitie absteining frō euill and doing good works in the which they put no confidence but thinke when they haue done all whiche is commanded them to doo neuertheles they think them selues but vnprofitable seruants they lay their sinns vpō Christes backe and follow him by faith ascribing all their wisedome iustice holynesse and redemption to Christ and nothing to them selues nor their merites because they are sinners and through the dregges of sinne left in them of the old corrupted man their workes are not perfite according to the perfection which the law requireth Therefore they may not stande in iudgement with them of their owne power and strēgth but beleeue the same workes through faith in Christ to bee accepted as obedience to the lawe and through Christs merites made perfite These are they to whome it shalbee saide Come vnto mee yee blessed of my Father and possesse the Kingdome of Heauen prepared vnto you from the beginning of the Worlde Against the whiche the Lawe hath no place to accuse nor condemne their workes of any imperfection because they are Christs workes made by him perfite through faith in his bloud THE XXIII CHAP. 1 What the reason of man perswadeth to be done in the matter of religion 2 Argumentes against good zeale and good intention 3 The papisticall church this day is worse thē the externall church of the Iewes in the dayes of the Prophets Christ. 4 What fruite bringeth the good zeale of man THe blinde reason witte and vnderstanding of man which is but the desires and appetites of the fleshly man is the cause why wee misknowe the good and perfite order to doe good workes taught vs in the scriptures neglecting the worde of god following our own will which teacheth vs good zeale and good intention This our reason affirmeth good and thinketh that God shall approue the same according to our desire whiche is but flesh I meane of the whole man and all that is in him But the spirit and word of god teacheth vs to walke in the spirite not to performe the desires and lustes of the fleshe For the flesh euer contendeth against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh Therefore we are commanded to fight valiantly against the desires of the fleshe and to absteine from the lustes and appetites thereof and to followe the will of God which is to walke in the spirite and clothe vs with Christe Iesus This order the Apostle teacheth Galath
care vpon his direction as thy head and transgresse not his commandement for that is the will of God I meane not of euill but of all goodnesse because I speake of the fruites of faith and workes of righteousnesse yee are all bound to doo the workes whiche God hath commanded you to do in his holy scripture of mercy loue and charitie by reason of your vocation in the christian religion And these other workes in your speciall vocation In doing of the which thinke that ye do the good work of god and please him if yee worke them in faith albeit Hypocrites commend not the same Beeing occupied on this maner daylie there shall bee no place to vice for your minde is occupied vpon other busines It is but Idlenes to you to passe in pilgrimage to this or that Sainte to sit the halfe of the daye in the Church babling vpon a pare of beades speaking to stocks or stones the thing which neither thou nor they knowe And neglecteth the good worke of God the which thou art bound to doe If thou wilt praye right learne the Lordes prayer in the toung thou vnderstandeth Thy Creede that is the articles of thy beleeue the ten Commandements of god And dayly at thy rysing and downlying at night haue some space to thy contemplatiō thereinto and teache thy housholde the same maner And occupie the rest as is before saide according to thy vocation not exceeding the bounds there of nor seeking no other workes but them which are commanded in the holy scriptures And are necessarie to be done as is written to Titus the 3. Chap. Let the faithfull which are of our nomber bee euer ready and learne to doe good workes to all necessary vses that they bee not vnfruitefull For the faithfull can neuer bee idle because vnfained faith worketh euer by Charitie But they which knowe not their owne vocation can neuer bee faithfull Therefore they can neuer worke good workes but all is euill whatsoeuer thing they do or worke without faith becaus all which is not of faith is sinne Therefore if thou wilt worke well be faithfull and looke euer to thy vocation And thou shalt finde thy conscience teaching thee both to do good and eschew euill at all times Ye should be pure and cleane in your conuersation for good example giuing to your Children and familie For as they see you doe so shall they learne And are euer rather inclined to do euill thē good by reason of this corrupted nature of mā Therefore teach them to loue and feare God to know his lawe being euer your selues an example to them And as it were a mirrour to looke into in all godly life and conuersation For if they behold you liuing together in great loue and charitie chastitie and temperance being mercifull to the poore supporting the indigent after the quantitie of your riches at loue charitie with your neighbour euer speaking good of all creaturs detracting none they shall followe the same doings by the which ye shalbe called the the faithfull fellowship of Iesus Christ true subiects of his realme Your vocatiō is good holy and it becommeth you to know the scriptures For in the primatiue church * the bishops were chosē cōmonly forth of your nōber A godly honest housholder who liued in chast matrimonie ruled and guided his houshold well brought vp his children in subiection reuerēce in all maner of godly teachings Hee hauing this outward witnessing is commanded by the Apost to be chosen to the office of a bishop When this order was kept in the church of Christ the worde of god flourished Therefore woe be to you which saye that laickes or secular men and housholders should not know the scripturs read them or teach their houshold the same yee impung the holy spirite and dishonour the olde Fathers of the Church which taught the contrarie as by example of Chrisostome before rehearsed it is euen alike to you to say temporall or secular men should not heare the worde of god read teach their families the same as to say they haue not a soule for the word of god is the foode of the soule if yee will abstract the foode without the which the soule must perish yee shall make man as a brutishe beaste And if yee will admit them to heare the word yee should admit them to read the same and talke therevpon for what auaileth the hearing if a man should not conceaue and keepe in memorie that thing which he heareth and liue thereafter For Christ sayeth Blessed are they which heare the word of god and keepe the same * The oft reading of the word and cōmunication thereof keepeth the same euer recent in memorie and digesteth in thy hart by continuall meditation some confort and consolation and abstracteth thee from vice and sinne leadeth and conuoyeth thee to all godlie liuing Therefore Dauid calleth that man blessed which deliteth in the lawe of God and hath his meditation therein day and night Wo wo be vnto you therefore which would abstract this blessing from any man or woman the which God pronounceth with his mouth These doings of yours beare witnesse of you that ye ar not the ministers of the word of God or true successors of the Apostles but false teachers fubuerters of the word and very Antichrists Wherfore I exhort you whiche are the faithfull whatsoeuer estate or vocation yee be called to that yee both gladly heare the word of God reade it teache your children family subiects the same confor me your life thereto euer working the deedes of charitie and mercy in all godlinesse according to your vocation and giue no credit to them which teacheth you the contrarie for they are false teachers and members of the Deuil which withdraw you from that thing which is your saluation THE XXVIII CHAP. 1 The duetie of the maister vnto the seruant and contrary 2 Of the subiect to the prince 3 Of the sonne to the father 4 The honour which the sonnes ought to the parents 5 The diuelish doctrine of pestilent papisticall preists in the contrarie thereof If thou be a subiect seruaunt sonne or daughter be obediēt to thy superiour first vnto thy prince as the supreame power and to euery one hauing power from him for they are the ministers of God whom thou shouldest obey not resist ordeined by god to the reuenge of euill doers and louing of the good doers which is the will of god as yee ar taught Romanes the 13. chapter And the first of Peter the 2. chapter Your duetie is to honour al men loue brotherly fellowship feare god honour the king be obedient to him not onely for feare and dreadour of his ire but also for hurting of your conscience because it is the will of God in all thinges not repungning to his command Giue to thy prince and superiour his duetie or what euer he chargeth thee with concerning temporall
and much more abomination proceedeth frō that zeale which wee call good But how good that euer it appeare in our sight the adhearers thereto shall receaue the malediction of God The sommary of the 24. chapter NO better works can be then Iohn the baptist taught to the people which are the workes of mercy and to desist from fraude iniurie and oppression And these workes and not the vaine inuentions of man pastours should teach their flocks instructing thē first in perfite faith For Iesus christ being asked by the Iewes what they shuld do that they might worke the workes of god that is that they might please god answered This is the worke of God that yee beleeue in him whome he hath sent By the which words our maister vnderstandeth that without faith whiche is the worke of god and not of man no worke pleaseth god The yoke of Christ is easie and his burden is light to the faithfull because they lay all their sinns vpō Christs backe and follow him euery man in his owne vocatiō There is two maner of vocatiōs one immediate by god as the prophetes and Apostles were called to be preachers without authoritie of mā Another is mediate as when one mā called another As Paull called Timoth. Tit. to be bishops There is a generall vocatiō by which all the chosen are called to a Christian religion Hauing one lorde one faith one baptisme In this vocation there is no difference of persons but all are equally loued by god becaus we ar all the sonns of one father al boght with one price all seruaunts to one lord all guided with one spirite all tending to one end and shall all be participant of one heritage that is the life eternall by Iesus Christ by whom we are all made priests and kings but let no mā herefore vsurpe the authoritie of a king in dignitie nor the office of a priest in administratiō of gods word sacraments for that perteinteh to a speciall vocation The sommary of the 25. Chap. All estate of man is conteined within one of these four special vocations either is he prince or subiect pastor or one of the flocke father or sonne lord or seruaunt In the prince is conteined all magistrats hauing Iurisdiction in a cōmounweall Whose duety is first to know god and his lawe which hath placed them in that authoritie Secondly to guide feed and defend their subiects knowing them selues to be no better of their nature then is the poorest in their realme Thirdly to defend the iust and punish the wicked but respect of persons Hauing their harts and eyes cleane and pure from all auarice They are called the sonnes of God and should be obeyed in all things not repungning to the cōmand of god because they ar ordeined placed by god to punish vice mainteine vertue and therefore their owne life should be pure and cleane first because otherwise they can not punish sinne and secondly because the wickednesse of princes prouoketh their subiects to the Imitation thereof And therefore the life of princes shuld be pure cleane as a mirrour to their subiects and should admitte into their kingdomes no worshipping of god except that which is commanded in the scripturs for god being commoned by Idolatry and strange worshipping hath destroyed many kingdomes as all prophecyings witnesse The sommarie of the twenty sixt Chapter THE principall office of a Bishop is to preache the true Euangell of Iesus Christ knowing that if the flocke perishe the bloud shalbe required at his hands And that hee neglecting the preaching of the Euangell is no bishop nor can doe no worke pleasant before god And therefore no bishop should mixt him selfe with temporall or seculer busines for that is contrarie his vocatiō but continually should preache reade exhort his flocke to seeke their spirituall foode in the Scriptures And so the tyrantes in these dayes forbidding men to reade the Scriptures declare them selues wolues and no pastors whom god shall shortly punish because they haue contemned his command attending altogether vpon their own vaine supertitions as he did Hely and his two sonnes vnder law and the whole priesthood after Iesus Christ. The sommary of the twentie ewint chap. THE office of the Father vnder whom is comprehended all housholders is to rule and guide his children family and seruaunts in all godlinesse and honestie instructing them in the Law and word of God For honest housholders who liued in chaste matrimonie ruled guided their housholdes well nurished their children in the feare and reuerence of God were chosen to be Bishoppes in the Primitiue church And therefore they are blasphemous to the holy spirit which inhibit the Laickes so style they the chosen of God learning reading teaching of the holy Scriptures wherin is conteined the foode of the soule wherof Antichristes willing to depriue them would also kill the soule For the soule without gods worde hath nor may haue no life The office of the husband is to loue and defend his wife giuing to her onely his body The office of the wife is likewise to loue and obey her husband vsurping no dominion ouer him And the office of them both is to instruct their children in gods Law euer giuing to them example of good life and holdding them at godly occupations labouring also them selues faithfully for sustentation of their families The sommarie of the 28 Chap. THE office and duetie of the Lord is to pay vnto his seruaunts the rewarde promised And the office of the seruaunt is faithfully to worke and labour to the profite and vtilitie of his lord but fraude or simulation as hee would serue Iesus Christ. The office of the subiect is to obey his prince and rulers placed by him giuing vnto them honour custome and tribute not requiring the cause why they receaue the same for that perteineth not to the vocation of a subiect The office of the sonne is to loue feare and honour his parents Which honour standeth not in words only but in ministring of all thinges necessary vnto them which if the sonne doe not to the father and mother hee can doe no good worke before god And therefore deuilish doctors are they which teach men to found soule masses of their substance suffering father and mother to labour in indigence and pouertie FINIS The workes before written are they in the which euery christian should be exercised to the glory of god and vtilitie of his neighbour M. Henry Balnaues Richard Bannantine Richard Bannātine Iohn knox Gen. 37. Gen. 41. Psal. 104. Gene. 15. Iosue 11. 3. Reg. 12. 3. Reg. 13. 16. Esa. 1 Ier. 3. 4. Reg. 17. vltimo Act. 7. Apo. 7. Scotland Psal. 2. Io. 3. Esa. 59. psal 41. 42. Psal. 76. Psal. 21. 104. * That is the maner how he will deliuer * That is he which of him self hath power and being by whome all had their beginning life and mouing Psal. 32. Io. 1. Ro. 4.
Workes iustifie before men onely Heb. 11. Cornelius had faith and thereby wroght good workes Heb. 11. What faith Cornelius had wherefor was Peter sent vnto him Esa. 65. Math. vlt. Mar. 16. Luc. 24. Sophistes would make the holy spirit speaking in S.P. contrarie to him selfe Psal. 49. Note The nature of loue * Why Charitie is called the chiefest Collos. 3. Io. 15. Math. 19. Luc. 18. * The wordes of Christ vttered the hipocrisie of the young man How the wicked doo read the scripturs Rom. 14. Marke diligently Tit. 3 The workes of Iustice is excluded in the cause of iustification The wicked aduance thē of works which they neuer doe Rom. 10. ●ue 16. Esa. 55 56 57. 58. Zach. 1. God neuer was nor wilbe pleased with works of mans inuention Workes which of them self are good done without faith are abomination before god Math. 7. Note well Luc. 17. Esay 48. * Hypocrites are neuer at rest in their conscience A repetition of the article of iustification and substance thereof The salutation of the Apost Rom. 1. Rom. 5. 1. Cor. 1. Galath 1. Ephe. 1. 2. 2. Timoth. 1. 1. Pet. 1. Philip. 3. * Paule wrought many excellent good workes but reputeth them nothing The entresse to good workes The method of S.P. in wreting Ro. 5. 2. Tim 3. Prou. 3. Heb. 12. Apo. 3. Rom. 5. 1. Io. 5. The reward of sinne is death Ro. 6. Philip. 1. The beninning of good workes Iob. 7. Whosoeuer serueth the lord must prepare him self for trouble Rom. 7. * The repungning of the flesh Ro. 8. Rom. ● Rom. 12. Colloss 3. Io. 6. The will of God Ro. 6. To bee crucified with Christ. The sacrifice pleasant to God Psal. 50. Psal. 4. The old man Collos. 3. * That is loue and extoll his magnificence in all kinde of godlie life Ephe. 4. Esa. 1 Mat. 16 Marc. 8. Luc. 14. 1. Pet. 2. Who followeth Christ. 1. Cor. 1. The cros of the faithfull Heb 1. ● Rom. 8. Psal. 30. 70. God will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that we may susteine 1. Cor. 10. Esay 53. 1. Pet. 2. * Who goeth before Christ. * Who goeth astray frō Christ. Luc. 16. Math. 7. The punishment of pride Luc. ●8 To follow Christ. Math. 27. All men depēding vpon his own reason is deceaued The cōfutation of good zeale good intētion Gen. 6. Gen. 8. Psal. 43. Deutr. 12. Ier. 11. * The cōmandement of god contrarie our good zeale Psal. 115. Esa. 55. Mich. 6. All which man shold doe is conteined in the scriptures Psal. 93. Who doth workes not commāded by God in his scriptures incurris his malediction Ier. 15. ●9 4. Reg. 21 2. Cro. 33. The fruits of good zeale Ier. 2. The wordes of Ieremie ar true this day 〈◊〉 ●2 11. Exod. 20. Leuit. 26. Deu. 5. Psal. 80.96 113. * Strange worshipping of God is not conteined in the scriptures Good workes Esa. 58. Ier. 7. 26 Ezech. 18. Psal 33. 1. Pet. 3. Tac. 1. Io. 1. Luc. 3. The vocation and office of men of warre Io. 6. Faith is the worke of God Io. 6. There is no perfection but in Christ. 1. Cor. 3. * Christ is the head and foundation of our felicitie vpon whom we should build good workes Coloss. 3. Math. 11 * Wherefore Christs yoke is easie and his burdē light Of generall and speciall vocations Immediate vocation Mediate vocation Vocation generall * Charitie is the bād of peace 1. Cor. 12. Ephe. 4. 5. * Why the faithfull are called one body 1. Cor 3 Ephe. 2. Act. 9.14 20. Rom. 5. 1. Cor. 12. Math. 38. Mar. 16. Iob. 33. Act. 10. Ia. 2. Gal 2. Galath 3 1. Pet. ●● Al faithful are kinges and priests Note well Ephe. 5. * Euery member should serue in his owne vocation Rom. 12. Ro. 13. * Loue is euer debt Men shuld seeke no knowledge but it which is profitable The diuision of the estaits of men The office of kinges and magistrates The king should loue his subiects Pro. 1. Psal. 110. * No man may know god but by his word The king should haue knowledge of gods law Deu. 17. Iosu. 1. Psal. 1. 3. Reg. 3. Iaco. 1. Psal. 19. Sap. 1. 1. Pet. 5. Luc. 1. The king should set forth the true and destroy the false religion of god in his kingdome Deut. 17. Psal. 2. Deut. 4. * To seeke wisedome other wayes but in gods scripturs is foolishnes 1. Cor. 1. Zach. 7. 7. Esay 1. Psal. 81. Exod. 28. Leuit. 19. Deut. 16. Exod. 18. Io. 10. * Iudges should be honoured because they are participant in power with god Deut. 1 Psal. 11. Esay 40. 1. Pet. 1. Iac. 1. Whereof shall iudges be accused whereof not * A iudge of corrupted life cā neuer minister iustice equallie * Subiects follow the vices of their superiour magistrates * God cōmonly punished the wicked by them which are more wicked Ier. 7. Marke diligently 1. Reg. 15 1. Reg. 15. 2. Tim. 4. 2. Tim. 2. 1. Tim 6. The bloud of the flocke perished for fault of spiritual food shalbe required at the bishope Ezech. 3. The cōplaint of Chrisostom * Without a bishope preache truelie he can do no good worke before god * The legacie Paull vnto bishops That is sorrow eterne dānation abideth you 1. Cor. 3. 1. Timoth 6 Tit. 2. 2. Timoth. 2 Malach. 2. Sap. 11. 1. Reg. 2 3. Reg. 2. 1. Reg. 2. * The punishment of Dauid perteineth to bishops aswell as to princes Ephe. 5 Collos. 3. 1. Pet. 3. 1. Cor. 7. Coloss. 3. 1. Pet. 3. 1. Tim. 1. Tim. 5. Psal. 77. Deut. 6. Coloss. 3.4 Ephe. 6. * Right Prayer * The vnfaithles worke no good workes Ro. 14. * The life of the fathers should be cleane because it is a mirrour to the sonnes 1. Tim. 3. Marke diligently Deut. 8. Math. 4. The faithfull lamēt the faults of others