iust no common weale might bee conserued and kept in rule and order but all would run to confusion Therefore are Princes and higher powers commanded of God to be obeyed as his good worke for they ar the ministers of God vnto good Neuerthelesse yee shall neuer finde man so iust in fulfilling this iustice but the lawe of nature shall accuse him that hee hath not done his whole duetie whiche the same requireth Neither the Prince to the Subiect nor the Subiect to the Prince nor equall to equall that is Neighbour to Neighboure The knowledge of this lawe of nature is borne with man prented in his harte with the finger of God And therefore let euery man consider his owne estate and hee shall perceaue that if god wil accuse him with this law he shall not be found iust because of the deedes of the law no flesh shalbe found iust before God Notwithstanding hee which doth the deedes of this law and is obedient thereto in doing and leauing vndone according to the external works is so reakoned iust before mā and liueth in the same and therefore hath the name of iustice The Ceremoniall Iustice is the obedience and fulfilling of the Statutes ordinances and traditions of man made by the bishop of Rome and other bishops Counsels Schoolemaisters and Householders for good rule and order and maners to bee kept in the church schooles and families This is a good work and necessarie to be had with these conditions that is that they be made not repugnāt to the law of god that through keping of them no man thinke him the holyer before god nor yet therefore to obteine remission of sinnes or to bee found righttuous before god Nor yet that the same may bind or oblish any mā to the obseruing of them vnder the paine of deadly sinne Neuerthelesse how well that euer ye obserue or keep them that is this law Ceremoniall ye shall not bee found iust there through before God becaus of the deedes of the lawe no flesh shalbe found iust before him The Iustice of the law morall or Moy. law which is the law of God exceedeth is far aboue the other two iustices It is the perfite obedience required of mā according to all the works and deeds of the same Not only in externall and outward deed but also with the inward affections and motions of the hart conforme to the commandement of the same saying Thou shalt loue thy lord god with all thy hart with all thy mind with all thy power and strength And thy neighbour as thy selfe This is no other thing but the law of nature prented in the hart of man in the beginning nowe made patent by the mouth of god to man to vtter his sin and make his corrupted nature more patent to him selfe And so is the lawe of nature and the lawe of Moyses ioyned together in a knot which is a doctrine teaching all men a perfite rule to know what he should do and what he should leaue vndone both to god and his neighbour The Iustice of the lawe is to fulfill the law That is to doo the perfite workes of the lawe as they are required from the bottome of the hart And as they are declared expounded by Christ and who soeuer transgresseth the same shall neuer be pronounced iust of the law But there was neuer man that fulfilled this lawe to the vttermost perfection thereof except onely Iesus Christ. Therefore in the lawe can we not finde our iustice because of the deedes of the lawe no fleshe shalbe made iust before God For the probation hereof wee will showe the aucthorities of the Scripture frō the beginning how the most holy fathers were trāsgressours of the law And therefore could neuer be made righteous by the same and if they which were most holy could not be foūd iust by the deeds of the law much lesse may the wicked be pronounced iust by the same Therefore wee must take this conclusion with the Apostle S. Paule All haue sinned haue neede or are destitute of the glorye of God And are made iust freely by grace through faith in the bloud of Iesus christ Adam first in the paradise transgressed the law and therefore the same accused him and condempned him and all his posteritie as rebels and transgressours of the same to the death Neuertheles the law remaineth still holy iust and good requiring the same holynesse Iustice and goodnesse of vs as testified S. P. Roma 7 And because wee doo not the same the lawe euer accused vs and pronounced vs rebelles and transgressours as our forefather Adam was Who might neuer be pronounced iust by the law becaus of the deeds of the law no flesh shal be made iust before god seeing all mē gotten by naturall propagatiō hath descended of Adam he is corrupted and rebel to the law as Adam was For he might get no better sonnes nor his nature was This corruption is so infixt in the nature of man that hee is neuer cleane purged thereof so long as this mortall body of sin the spirit remaineth together and this is the cause why wee fulfill not the lawe in the pure and cleane forme as the same requireth the deedes thereof to be done For this cause S.P. sayeth Nowe I worke not this euill but the sinne which dwelleth in me for I know ther dwelleth in me that is in my flesh no good for the good which I would that doo I not but the euill which I would not that doo I as Paule wold say so rebellous is my wicked nature to the affections of my spirit that the very things which I know good and would doo for weakenes may I not complete I would loue feare honor and thanke God with all my hart and all my strength and adheere to his promis in euery houre and all tribulation but by the wicked fleshe I am impedite to doo the same For howbeit I haue feare and loue begun into me yet are naturall securite and concupiscence impedimēts that they be not pure and perfite as the law requireth and albeit I haue faith begun in me which teacheth that God is true in al his promisses Yet natural dubitatiō and imbecillity causeth me frequently to doubt if God shall deliuer And so murmurs sometime the fleshe and loues not God withall the hart Here my hartes ye may learne at the Apost to know this corruption of nature For he giues the example in himselfe and in no other teaching euery one of vs to iudge our selfe and not our neighbour This corruptiō of nature is called originall sinne which is the wanting of originall iustice that should haue beene in man according to his first creation This corruption of nature followed the fall of Adam in all men that the nature of mā may not truely obey the lawe of god nor fulfill the same for the inherent faultes and concupiscence in the hart of man engendred of
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
and iustice as we may clearly perceaue in our first parent For after he had transgressed the law and commandemēt of god he fled from him whom god followed moued of loue toward his handie work and called him again in the which he did shew his goodnes and whē he accused Adam of his sin he was not penitēt nor trusted not in the mercy of god or asked forgeuenesse But excused hys transgressiō and fault Neuerthelesse god of his infinite mercy made the promes of saluatiō or euer he would prononce the sentence contrarie the man or woman saying to the serpēt I shall put enymity betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and the womans seede The seed of the womā shal tread downe thy head and thou shal sting the same on the heele Adam was cōforted with these words and through faith in thys promis was of wicked made iust that is receaued again in fauour and through faith in the bloud of Christ to be shed was accepped as iust And thereafter god manifested his Ire and wrath contrarie sinne which of his righteous iudgemēt he can not suffer vnpunished and pronūced the sentēce first against the woman and then against the man and eiected them forth of paradise cloathing them with skinne coates saying behold Adam is made as it were one of vs knowing good and euil that is asmuch to say O miserable mā now thou mayest perceaue thy state and the fruites thou hast gotten for the transgression of my cōmandemēt what is thy knowledge that thou hast learned nothing but to fly from thy Maker to passe frō life to death from great pleasure to all miserie And so Adam is spoyled of all the noble gifts he was indued with in his creation as here after time place at more length shalbe showen read with order the 3. Chapter of Genes and thou shalt vnderstand this matter clearly Nowe yee may see what was our first parents part in the obteining of this promisse of God Very lie no more then he had of his creatiō but rather lesse for beyng but dust and clay hee made no euill cause but being made man he disobeyed his Maker trangressed his law vsurping glorie to hym selfe and knowledge which became him not to seeke For the which he deserued nothing but eternall dampnation Abraham in his fathers house an Idolater as he was and the rest of his house made no good cause to god nor merite to obteyne the promisse that he should bee the father of all faithfull but only beleeued in the promis of god as hereafter shalbe discussed but euen as thei were accepted as iust through faith without all their merites or deseruinges so shall wee bee which are the Sonnes of Abraham and heires of the promisse No other way shold we seeke but the order taught vs in the scriptures of God that is if wee wilbe sure of our saluation and haue passage to the father passe vnto Christ who sayeth I am the waye the trueth and the life no man commeth to the father but by me If yee had knowledge of me ye should also haue knowledge of the Father Therefore if we will walke right in the way go with christ and walk in him if wee will not bee deceaued passe vnto him for he is the veritie who cā nether deceaue nor be deceaued if we wil not die the eternal death he is the life These gifts may we haue of no other but of him by him only through faith in the mercy of God by the operation of the holie spirit THE V. CHAP. 1 The consolation of Adam expelled from Paradise 2 The consolation of Adam whiche hee tooke of his two sons turned in dolor 3 What Adam did when hee receaued Seth for Abell whome Cain slew 4 The confort of Adam in all afflictions and example left to vs therinto GReat was the trouble and afflictiō both of body and spirite which was in Adam standing trimbling before god whome hee had so highlye offended perceauing him self deceaued of the false promis made by the Serpent which was that he shuld not die how beit hee eat of the aple but should bee like vnto God knowe good and euill being therefore eiected forth of that pleasant gardin of all delite and pleasure in to the miserable earth to eat his bred with the sweat of his face Trust well he was sore penitēt now would haue suffered great torment vpon his body to haue satisfied for his offences but that could not be nor might not stand with the iustice of god What was his confort then nothing but this promisse which he apprehended by faith and beleeued him to be in the fauour of god for that promiseth seedes sake This conforted his spirite or els of despair he had perished in this sorrow trouble for he found no remeady in himself For his bodily cōsolatiō god sent him twoo sonnes by naturall propagation to his owne Image and similitude This was no litle consolation and confort to Adam but this bodilie confort turned shortly into great displeasure when the one Brother slewe the other of malice by the which Adam was destitute of all succession Thus dolorously lead he his life a long time desiring euer at God succession in place of Abell Of whome god had pitie and compassion and sende him a Sonne named Seth of whome descended the promissed seed that god might be found true in his sayings for rather would he haue raysed Abel frō death to life then his promis shuld not haue bene fulfilled By this was the dolor and trouble of Adam conuerted into ioy and gladnes For the which hee gaue thankes and praise vnto God saying god hath sēt me another seed for Abell whom Cain hath slain here he saith not that he hath gottē a sonne in place of Abell Howbeit by naturall generation he begat him Eue bare him of her bosom but saith god hath sent me another seede for Abell ascriuing the same to the gift of god and not to the work of man This is a notable exāple to al the faithful to receaue all thinges forth of the handes of God giuing him euer thankes therfore as the holy Fathers did not contemning the work nor helpe of man whome God maketh the instrument to do that thing which is his godly will to performe Let vs herefor take example of our forefather that like as he was subiect to trobles and afflictions all the daies of his life in this miserable world Euin so are we let vs take therefore all thing in patience thinking vs to haue deserued the same iustly how iust that euer we be or appeer to the world trust well there is nor was neuer mā which descended of Adam by naturall propagation iuster nor he was after his fall for there is no mention in the scripture of any offense done by Adā cōtrarie the lawe of his god after his expulsion forth of paradise And as for
his first rebellion and corrupting of hys nature we are all gilty of that as he was and then also gilty of our sinnes proceeding of that rebellion wherefore we may well be worse then he but no better Thinke well he confessed him iustly punished thought he deserued more punishment than euer was put vpon him Taking euer consolatiō of the sweet promises of god in the which he beleeued and in all his troubles conforted him with hope to be deliuered of them as all faithfull doe And to be restored to the glorie hee was eiect frō for his owin foolishnes without al merits or deseruings of himself which ware nothing in him and muchles in vs. There hath beene no difference betweene the expulsion of ADAM forth of paradise and Lucifer out of the heauin if the promisse had not beene made to ADAM Through faith in the which promis he euer hoped victory against the deuill who had deceaued him that by power and strength of the promissed seed not through any power or might of him self Euin so should we do cōfiding in the promisses of god and the merites of the promissed seed Christ Iesu to be deliuered of the tyrannie of the Deuill the calamities and trubles of thys miserable world THE VI. CHAP. 1 Wherfore we should reioyce in tribulation 2 Vnder what pretext the wicked pursues the iust 3 Whereby ryseth the dishonoring of God 4 The diuersitie of opinions touching the article of iustification and who are iust before God 5 What is the substance of iustification and why the article therof should be holden in memorie TO the faithful these bodily afflictions and troubles are marueilous necessarie for by them the faith is tryed and made more pretious thē gold which is purified by the fire for by many troubles it is needefull to vs to enter in the realme of heauen by firme and constāt perseuering in faith as sayth S. P. And also it behoued Christ to suffer so to enter into his glory that is not for him selfe but for vs. Therfore the godly men in theyre troubles and afflictions take great consolation and confort And anchors them vpon God alone by faith to whome they can come no other way thinke them no better nor greater then their maister christ but should take both confort consolatiō of his word saying seeing the world hath persecuted mee they shal persecute you also This persecution is a communiō with the passions of Christ in the which wee haue great matter to reioyce so we suffer not as homicides theefes or euill doers but for Christs sake and his word as S. Pet. sayth in his first Epist. the 4. Chapter But in this matter take no care what the world iudge of thee but to thy owne conscience and the scriptures of god for the iudgemente of the world pronuncis cōtrarie to the word of god calling them which professes the same Heretikes seditious men and perturbers of common weales Therfore they thinke they punish iustly in birning slaying banishing and confisking of landes and goodes And howbeit the faithfull suffer all patiently and vndeserued yet they say they suffer iustly as traitors heretickes homicides perturbers of common weales and euill doers Let these sayinges not moue the faithfull brother but confort thee with thy Maister Christ who was called by the aduersaires of veritie a seducer of the people a drūkard a deuourer or glutton an open sinner conuersant amongest them an authorizare of their sins His Apostles were called heretikes and their doctrine heresie The Prophets were called perturbers of common weales and traitors to their countrie prophesing cōtrary the common weale and libertie of the realme as ye may reade of Elias and Ieremie in diuers places of his prophesie Which Scriptures I praye you reade and ye shall perceaue no difference betwene the blasphemations of the Prophetes of Christ himselfe and his Apostles and the faithfull in these dayes for all was and is done by the wicked vnder colour of holynes Herefore let vs seek refuge at our god and sticke fast to his word who can nether deceaue nor be deceaued for the world is full of deceit iudgeth euer the wrong part of the which vniust iudgement cōmeth all the diuersity of opiniōs and sittes ruling this day in the church of Christ to the dishonoring of the name of god deminishing of his glory and no little perturbation of common weales the cause hereof is the neglecting of faith taking frō the same her due office which is to iustifie only by her selfe without the deedes or workes of the law that is mā of wicked is made iust by the mercy of God through faith in the bloud of Iesu Christ without the deedes or workes of the law This I dare affirme because the scriptures of god testified the same to be true as herafter shalbe declared at lēgth Here ryseth the contention for some brags and boastes them to haue faith haue no works others reioysing them to haue faith attribute and giue the iustification to works others haue workes and looke nothing to faith as hipocrites others again there are the which haue nether faith nor works as the plaine wicked vngodly My welbeloued brethren let vs auctorise neither of these persons For all they impung this article of iustification Against the first speakes S. Iames in his Epist. Against the next Saint Paule speakes in his Epist. to the Roma Galath and diuers other places And against the other two kindes of men the hole scriptures speakes By these cōsideratiōs moued I thought necessarie for my owne eruditiō your confort my welbeloued brethren to declare forth show my beliefe cōcerning the article of iustification as the scriptures teache mee hauing no respect to mās opinion that thereby we may haue consolation through our mutuall faith And be more ready to giue coumpt and reakoning to all which aske of vs any question of our faith Alwayes in this and all other thinges submitting my selfe to the scriptures of god and aucthoritie of the faithful church of christ which is gouerned ruled keeped and defended from all spot of heresie by the holy spirit who moues this ardent thirst in our soule to seeke Christ the fontaine of liuing watter loue charity in our harts to Christ our brothers saluation as our owne The fondatiō and grondstone hereto is faith and the shielde or buckler to defende vs with against the firy dartes of Sathan at the which he euer shoots becaus it is our victorie against him and gets dominion of the world but if he finde vs destitute or disarmed of our shield he shal wound vs so that hee may safely or lightly take vs captiue to his realme therfore this our faith shold neuer be idle but euer working by loue that is to bee euer cled with our shield being vigilant walkfull because our said aduersarie Sathan is euer
nor quietnes in their conscience with God because they reiect the mercy grace and peace of god the which ar the substāce of the estate of a christiā wherein the iust liueth by faith ar so necessary that they should euer be blowen in at the eares of the faithful by the ministers of the word Therefore where euer the Apost S. P. writed or preached howbeit there was no question of the law nor workes thereof hee neuer pretermitted in the beginning of his Ep. as the other Apost in like maner vsed to certifie the Christian congregation of the substance of this article saluting thē with grace and peace which is asmuch to say as the mercy of god by the which ye are made iust and accepted as righteous in the fauour of god the Father through faith in Iesus Christ our only Lord and Sauiour Rest quietnesse in your cōscience I desire to be with you and remaine with you continually that thereby ye may worke the fruites of faith by charitie or loue in righteousnes to the glorie of god and profite of your neighbour through Iesus Christ by whome we haue this mercy and grace and entres to the father and the same grace the which grace is giuē to vs by god in Iesus Christ that no fleshe should reioyce in his sight who hath giuen him selfe for our sinnes that he might deliuer vs out of this presēt wicked worlde according to the will of god the father according to the riches of his mercy the which hee hath aboundantly shed forth vpon vs by whose mercy we are made safe He hath called vs by his holy vocation not according to oure workes but according to his purpose and mercy the which hee hath giuen to vs by Iesus Christ. And S. Peter saith blessed bee god the father of our lord Iesus christ who according to his great mercy hath begotten vs of newe into a liuely hope by the rysing of our Lorde Iesus Christ from the death Therefore if wee bee borne and gotten of new by mercy It is not of workes nor of our deseruinges but freely giuen vs by the grace and mercy of God through faith in Iesu Christ. Nor we haue no righteousnesse of the law nor workes as is before clearely proued by the scriptures at length And the same S. P. testifieth in his owne body to bee true who wrought many excellét works of the law Neuertheles he reputeth all but filthines that he may winne Christ and be found in him not hauing his owne iustice or righteousnes which is of the law but that iustice which is of the faith of Iesu christ And seing the holy Ap. the chosen vessell of god might not obteine righteousnes in the law nor works but in the mercy of God through faith in the pretious bloud of Iesu Christ Alace what blindnes is in vs wicked and miserable sinners which will euer glory cry good works which we neuer do and will haue them mixt with this article of iustificatiō In so much that Christ after our iudgement is not sufficient to saue vs and make vs iust howbeit it be the cause wherfore he was made man for vs only Therefore let vs cōclude with the Ap. and the holy scripturs that by faith only in christ we ar made iust without the law workes thereof And after mā be made iust by faith and possesseth Christ in his hart knowing perfitely him to be his iustice and his life thē shall he not be idle but euē as the good tree shal bring forth good fruite because a man truely beleeuing hath the holy spirite and where he is hee suffereth not man to bee idle but doth moue and prouoke him to all godly exercises of good workes as the loue of god patience in troubles and afflictions calling vpō the name of god thankesgiuing to the forthshowing of charity and loue vnto all This is the order of a Christians life and the substance of good workes as hereafter followeth and as we haue also touched some thing in the beginning concerning the trouble and patience thereof THE XXII CHAP. 1 What workes should Christians doe 2 The life of man is a perpetuall battell 3 What is the law of the members and what the law of the spirite 4 What sacrifice we should offer to god what is required that our sacrifice be acceptable 5 Who followeth Christ who goeth before him who is equall with him BEcause good workes are the fruites of faith and necessarie must follow the same and proceede of the iustified man as the good fruits of the good tree without the whiche no Christian man may gette witnessing of his faith Therefore after the forthsetting of the article of iustification should euer mention be made of good workes and all faithfull taught to doe the same The which methode S. P. vseth in all his ep but specially in the Epist. to the Romans and Galath For being iustified by faith we are at peace with God by our Lord Iesus Christ. But then hastely riseth the battel and strife with the world and persecution because all which wil liue godly in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution Then shalt thou begin to reioyce of thy trouble knowing surely that thou art the sonne of God because he chasteneth all sonnes whom he loueth This affliction whether it be in spirit or body bringeth pacience to thee which is the proufe of thy faith Then conceaue thou hope whose office is to confort thee that thou bee not ouercomme in thy affliction so then faith and hope being ioyned together the loue fauour and grace of god are by his holy spirite shed abroade in our hartes by the which we as valiant knightes passe to a new battell against the deuill the world and the fleshe of whome wee obteine victorie by faith and suffer not sinne to rule ouer vs. This methode to good workes teacheth the Apost Rom. the .5 and 6. Chapter exhorting vs that as wee of before gaue oure members to bee weapons of vnrighteousnes vnto sinne to the death that now wee being iustified by faith giue to god our members weapons and armour of righteousnesse vnto life For the rewarde of sinne is death but the grace of god is eternall life by our lord Iesu christ Then let vs surely beleeue hee who hath begunne the good worke in vs which is god shall performe the same to the daye of our Lord Iesus Christ. And so to begin good works is not to suffer sinne to rule in this mortall body that we obeye not the lustes concupiscence of the same The whole life of man is but a battell vpon the earth And who soeuer will pas fordward in the seruice of god hee must prepare him for tentation and trouble This battell S. P. had and as a knight of great experience taught vs the same how he fand a law in his mēbers repungning
by man Therefore we let the specialities of them passe and referre the same to thy iudgement good reader Thankes be to god these abuses and groundes are not vnknowen we will passe forward to the knowledge of the workes commanded vs to doe and work by the scriptures of god as the fruites of faith THE XXIIII CHAP. 1 What workes Pastors should teache vnto their flocke 2 Wherefore the yoke of Christ is sweete and his burden light to Christians 3 Vocation mediate and immediate 4 Vocation in generall by the which all true Christians are equall made Kinges and Preists in Christ bloude IF any will aske or inquyre what workes should the faithfull doe I can finde no perfiter answear to make thereto then the Euangell teacheth vs. As S. Luke sayeth the 3. chapter Iohn the baptist preaching repentance in remission of sinnes the people inquired at him what they should doe to whom he answeared saying He that hath two coates giue to him that hath not one And he that hath meate let him doe in like maner This is no other thing but to exercise the deedes of mercy and charitie toward thy neighbour as the Prophet Esay sayeth breake thy breade to the hungry needie and the poore who ar cast out bring into thy house when thou seest the naked clothe him contemne or despise not thy owne flesh This is the forth-showing of thy faith which S. Iames desireth of thee in his epistle Thou art taught the same with the other works of charity to thy neighbour Ezech. the 15. The Publicanes and open sinners inquired in like maner what they should doe to whom he answeared saying yee shall doe no further then that which is commaunded you to doe as he would say decline and cease to doe euill and learne to doe good as yee ar teached by the Propete Esay the 1. Chapter And Dauid teacheth you the perfecton of religione saying Come to me my sonnes and heare mee and I shall teach you the feare of of the Lord. Who is he who liueth and loueth to see good dayes let him refraine his toung from euill and his lippes that they speake no fraude decline from euill doe good seeke peace and followe the same Therefore passe your waye and sinne no more for I will not send you to the lawe to get remeady of your sinnes But looke in the law and behold what is ordeined you to do The which will declare you to be sinners transgressours And then ye shall seeke Christ for remeady whose forerunner I am It is he in whome ye shall finde remeady Therefore I say vnto you beholde the lambe of god which taketh awaye the sinnes of the world And being inquired of the souldiers what they should doe He answered saying yee shall strike nor hurt no man nor yet do wrong or iniurie to any personne but bee content of your wages which is asmuch to say as oppresse none take no persons geare violently yee are publicke officers depute by princes magistrats for keeping of good rule and order amongst the people for rest and quietnes of the commō weale for the which cause ye haue your wages Your office is honest and the good worke of god Therefore looke on your own vocation and do that iustly which is commanded you and exceede not your bounds Here is a good order taught you which are ministers of the worde to learne the auditour in generall or speciall to doe good works That is to show them the works cōmanded by god the right fruits of repentance and faith to the which ye should send them and not to vaine workes inuented by man which is no other thing but to heape sinne vpon sinne And Christ being asked by the Iewes What shall we doe say they that we might work the workes of god answered saying This is the worke of God that yee beleeue in him whome hee hath sent Here hee sent them not to the law howbeit the law be the worke of god but to faith which is not the work of mā but the work of god which hee worketh in man Therefore Christ saith to vs Beleeue and yee shalbee safe And so let vs say with S. Peter Lord to whome shall we passe thou hast the words of life wee will seeke no other but beleeue in thee Yee shal consider that Christ after hee had refreshed the people with their corporall foode Then he taught them the perfection of a Christian man And fed them with the spirituall foode And they which receaue the same did follow him the rest left him which had no faith but tooke his doctrine carnally of externall and outwarde workes as did the young man to whome Christ made the answere as is before rehearsed Math. the 19. Chap. By the which scriptures we are taught to follow christ becaus there is no perfection but in the following of him Therefore as wee haue receaued our Lorde Iesus Christ let vs walke in him being rooted and builded in him and cōfirmed in the faith as we haue learned aboūding in the same with giuing thanks as the Apost saith Coloss. the 2. Chap. for hee is the fountaine of all goodnes and the head of our felicitie and let vs haue respect to no other thing nor laye no other foundation For as the Apost saith No man may lay another foundation nor that which is already layde the which is Iesus Christ. Let vs build vpon this foundatiō gold siluer and pretious stones which are the workes of God commanded in the holy scripture to bee wrought into faith euery one according to his vocatiō in the which we should walke worthely as wee are called with all humilitie and meeknesse and patience supporting one another in loue and charitie carefull to keepe the vnitie of the spirite in the band of peace as we are taught by the Apost Ephes. the 4. Chapter And Christ saith Take my yoke on you and learne of me that I am meeke and lowly in harte and yee shall finde rest vnto your soules For my yoke is easie and my burden light The which wordes Christ would neuer haue spoken if hee had laden vs with the law For that burdē is so weightie that neither we nor our fathers might beare it as S. Pet. saith in the Actes of the Apost the 15. Chapter But verily the yoke of Christe is easie and his burden is light to the faithfull chosen for they lay all vpon Christs back and follow him through faith confiding nothing in their owne workes nor merites but euer working all good according to their vocation giuing all glorie and honor vnto God not exceeding the boundes of their vocation which is the best rule that the faithfull can haue to doe good workes to the knowledge thereof we will make some short declaration and then make an ende Yee shall vnderstande that there is two kindes of godly vocatiōs The one is immediate by
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
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
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.