profession of him before men Math. 10 This is that which S. Iames meaneth where hee saith Abraham our father was iustified by works when hee offered Isaack vpon the Aultar seest thou not saith hee that the faith wrought with his workes and through the workes was the faith made perfect c. that is Abraham by this meanes was knowne and declared to be iustified and his faith beeing effectuall and fruitfull by workes was thereby knowne to bee a true faith and not a ded faith for S. Iames speaketh not of the causes of iustification but by what effects we may know that a man is iustified true is the distinction therefore euen of Schoolemen themselues Christ doth iustifie a man effectiue effectiuely by working his iustification faith doth iustifie a man apprehensiue by apprehending because it taketh hold of Christ who is our iustifier And workes doe iustifie also but declaratiue declaringly because they shew that a man is iustified as hath beene said so Christ faith and workes doe all iustifie but diuersly Also it is that Barnard saith workes are via regni but not causa regnandi that is the way to the kingdome but not the cause of the raigning there And now wee see and vnderstand that faith being the onely speciall meane for euery true Christian to attaine vnto saluation and Christ Iesus the speciall cause thereof therefore it behooueth euery child of God to imbrace the benefit of the Gospel seeing God doth so mightely vse the preaching of the same to beget faith to confirm the same in the hearts of the elect so to bring them to saluation We shold greatly therfore esteem of the preaching of the word and haue it in great price as in the 1. Cor. 1.18.21.24 Tim. 4.16 2. Tim. 3.15 Ioh. 5.25 The grace of God and saluation is giuen vnto them onely that haue faith and beleeue in Christ for they onely are iustified Mark 16.16 Therefore neither doth saluation nor the doctrine therefore belong at all vnto infidels or vnbeleeuers Ioh. 3.18 As vnto the beleeuers the Gospel is the power of God vnto saluation so vnto the vnbeleeuers it is the sauor of death vnto death because they either condemn or corrupt it 2. Cor. 2.15.16 The promise of saluation belongeth not onely vnto certaine men as Prophets Apostles but generally vnto all beleeuers Mark 16.16 wherefore no man ought to dispaire or to thinke himself exeÌ„pted but repent beleeue only Lu. 8.50 The Maiesty and excellency of the gospell must needs be great seeing in times past it was promised by the Prophets as a singular and admirable guift being thus promised was commended in wryting for the perpetuall nourishing of the hope of the faithfull The Gospel or Euangel by the very sound and signification of the word is discerned from the law the gospell to speake properly is not a doctrine teaching precepts or perfecter Counsels then the law of God but a doctrine bringing from heauen most ioyfull newes touching the sauiour and grace of God in Christ towards all such as by faith lay hold on the Mediator Hereupon Christ said that the eies and eares of his disciples were happie when they had heard the preaching of the Gospell and seene the same confirmed with miracles for that they saw and heard those things which many Kings and Prophets desired to see heare and yet could not But wee at this day are no lesse happy then the Disciples yea we are much more happy now theÌ„ they were then for albeit they saw Christ in the flesh and heard him teach yea at that time they had not heard that hee died for vs and that our sins being altogether washed away by his death that he had risen againe froÌ„ death ascended into heauen and sat at the right hand of God the father all which are in the gospel declared to vs. By the bookes of the new Testament we bee taught also that Christ afore promised which is God aboue all things most blessed for euer euen he which was shadowed in the bookes of the old Testament and in sacrifices figured that he was sent at the last from the father the self same time which the father did constitute within himself at that time when all wickednesse abounded in the world then he was sent this Iesus our Sauiour being borne in the flesh suffered death and rose again from the dead which acts of his were not done by him in respect of the good works of any man for we are all sinners but that this God our father should appeare true in exhibiting the aboundaÌ„t riches of his grace which he promised and that through his mercy he might bring vs to saluation Wherevpon it is euidently shewed in the new Testament that Iesus Christ being the Lambe the true sacrifice of the world putting away the sins of men came into this world to purchase grace and peace for vs with the father washing vs from our sinnes in his blood should deliuer vs from the bondage of the Diuill whom by sinne wee did serue and so we should bee adopted by him to be the sonnes of God and heires with him of that most excellent and euerlasting kingdome Now that we should acknowledge this singular and excellent benefit of God towards vs Almighty God giueth vs his holy spirit the fruit effect of which is faith in God in his Christ for without the holy Ghost by which we are instructed sealed neither can we beleeue that God the father sent Messias nor yet that Iesus is Christ So no man saith S. Paul can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost the same spirit witnesseth to our spirits that we are the children of God and powreth into our bowels that charity which S. Paul describeth to the Corinthians Furthermore that holy spirit doth giue vs hope which is a sure looking for eternall life whereof hee himselfe is the certaine token and pledge Also hee giueth vs spirituall gifts of which Paul writeth to the Galathians therefore the benefit of faith is not to be despised or so little to be set by for by the meanes of this trust and fayth in Christ which worketh by charity and sheweth it selfe forth by the works of haritâ—â—y moouing men therevnto we are iustified and sanctified that is to say God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which is made our father also by him being our brother doth accompt vs to be iust and holy through his grace through the merit of his sonne Iesus Christ not imputing our sinnes to vs so farre forth that wee should suffer the paines of hell for them Finally Christ himselfe came into the world to the intent that we through him being sanctified and clensed from our sinnes following his will in good workes should deny the things pertaining to the flesh and freely serue him in righteousnes and holines all the dayes of our liues And that by good works which God hath prepared for
thee art thou my sonne my sonnes giue me their hearts and by this they know that I am their father if I dwell in their hearts for the heart is the temple of God therefore if thou be his fonne thou wilt giue him thy heart because thy Father defireth it thy Maker desireth it thy Redeemer desireth it thy Sauiour desireth it thy Lord and King and thy Maister desireth it which hath giuen his sonne for a ransome his spirit for a pledge his word for a guide the world for a walke and reserueth a kingdome for thine inheritance Now if wee would consider the right way whereby we may giue our hearts vnto God the counsell of him whoe speaketh nothing but the very truth and he himselfe is the truth that is our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ which saith where your treasure is there will be your hearts also therefore let our conuersation be in heauen and vpon heauenly thinges that wee may thereby make our trasure there and so wee shall haue our heartes there placed where our enemies cannot take it from vs thus much for this note as hath beene said now it followeth in the next Now if wee haue not remembred our Lord and Creator in the daies of our youth and withall haue not giuen our hearts vnto him whereby we might become religious and to increase in vs renewed hearts and mindes for the better vnderstanding and finding out the right path-way which leadeth vnto eternall happinesse therefore I say if wee haue not prepared our selues and done this already as hath beene declared in this second part it is then now high time to begin to remember God and to giue our hearts vnto him in age or else to forget him for euermore for the gray-head which looketh euery day for his last Sabaoth when hee shall rest in the graue had neede to pray twice asmuch heare twice as much do twice as much to prepare sacrifice of his body and soule ready and acceptable vnto GOD because the night is at hand when he cannot pray nor heare nor repent any more It is said the Diuell is very busie because his time is short but an ould mans is shorter therefore if youth had neede of legges age had neede of winges therefore in the next consequence it is further to bee obserued what further duties wee are to proceede in as followeth Moyses in the 90. Psalme vers 12 saith teach vs to number our daies that we may apply our hearts vnto wisdome this Psalme was compiled by Moyses as may appeare by the title At what time the spies returned from the land of Canaan and God for the murmuring of them pronounced that all which were aboue twenty yeares ould should die in the wildernesse except Caleb and Iosua that encouraged their bretheren to goe into Canaan Now when Moyses heard the sentence of death pronounced against him-selfe and all the Iewes which came out of Egypt except onely two That all should die before they came to the land which they sought for he prayeth thus for himselfe and the rest Teach vs O LORD to number our daies that wee may giue our hearts vnto wisdome that is seeing wee must needs dye and that our dayes are short teach vs therefore to thinke vpon death that wee may dye in thy feare O Lord and so to liue againe for euermore this sheweth vs that the consideration of our mortality will make vs apply our hearts to godlinesse therefore Moyses thinking of his death runneth to wisdome as a remedy against death Therefore wee must come to some Schoolemaister which is like Saint Iohn Baptist what shall wee doe that wee may growe in knowledge as wee grow in yeares Teach mee saith Moyses to number my dayes that I may apply my heart to wisdome whereby Moyses telleth vs that this was one of his helps which made him profit in the knowledge of God To remember his daies as a man which hath a set time for his taxe listneth to the clock counteth his houres So wee haue a set time to serue God worke while it is day Iohn 9.4 saith Christ what hee doth meane by this day the Apostle sheweth vs saying This is the day of saluation that is This life is the day wherein wee should worke our saluation this is a long taxe therefore wee had need to remember our dayes and loose not a minuit least we be be-nighted before our work be done As God hath numbered our dayes so we must learne to remember our dayes or else it seemes we cannot apply our hearts to wisdom that is vnlesse wee thinke vpon death wee cannot fashion our selues to a godly life though we were aswell instructed as Moyses was This we find dayly in our selues that the forgetfulnes of death maketh vs to apply our hearts vnto folly and pleasure and all voluptuousnesse that contrary to his aduice worke your saluation we worke our damnation therefore this is the fruite which commeth to a man by numbring or remembring his dayes God teacheth man to apply his heart to wisdome and that is his lesson which he giueth for that purpose Remember thy dayes that is thinke that wisdom is a long study and that thou hast but a short time to get it and this will make thee get ground of vertue Therefore fiue things are to be noted in these words first that death is the heauen of euery man whether hee sit in the throne or kept in a cottage at last hee must knock at deaths doore The second is That mans life is decreed and his bounds appointed which he cannot passe Thirdly that our dayes are few as though wee were sent into this world but to see it Fourthly the aptnesse of man to forget death rather then any thing else Lastly to remember how short a time wee haue to liue will make vs to apply our hearts to that which is good For the first poynt is that as euery man had a day to come into this world so hee shall haue a day to goe out of this world we are not lodged in a Castle but in an Inne where we are but guests therfore S. Peter calleth vs Pilgrims and strangers we are not citizens of the Earth but citizens of Heauen And therfore the Apostle saith We haue here no abiding citty but we looke for one to come as Christ saith My Kingdome is not of this world so we may say my dwelling is not of this world but the soule soreth vp-ward whence it came and the body stoopeth downeward whence it came euery man is but a tennant at will and there is nothing sure but death In Paradice we might liue or die euery thing and euery day suffers some eclips and nothing standeth at a stay but our Creator calleth to another let vs leaue this world our fathers summoned vs and we shall summon our children to the graue So in an houre wee are and are not wee may well bee called earthen vessells for we are soone changed what
of his death and resurrection meaning thereby that we which are ioyned vnto Christ as an impe is to the stock of a tree ought so to liue of his life as there may not appeare any deformity in vs but that as he hath dyed so wee must dye also and as hee is risen againe so wee must rise againe likewise wee must dye vnto sinne and rise againe vnto newnes of life for that is the death and the life which hee speaketh of How shall wee know that wee bee in him and are made partakers of his graces but by our â—ndeauoring of our selues to keepe his commandements and soothly the only mean to know and to be assured in our selues that we dwell in Christ and Christ in vs is our keeping of his commandements as Iohn teacheth adding further that our knowing that he dwelleth in vs is by the spirit which he hath giuen vs because that by that spirit wee endeauour to follow him and to frame our selues to his will whereby we yeeld proof of the vnion that is between him and vs for euen as the children of the world witnesse themselues to be alone with the world by following their worldly lusts ambition coueteousnes and pleasures which may be likewise sayd also of the members of Sathan So in like case the Christians shew themselues to be made one with Christ by his holy spirit when they follow Christs steppes and make his life to serue them as a most perfect rule to lead their liues by What remaineth then to be done in this case soothly that we on our parts doe enforce our selues by eschewing all flothfullnesse which being hurtfull and noysome in this behalfe for as much as it is of such importance that we cannot neglect it without wilfull disappoynting our selues of our saluation and soueraigne felicity This way is narrow and rough I confesse it is so as all Christians doe and so doth Christ himselfe say it also for in as much as thereby we must forsake our selues to follow Christ which is very painfull and hard to the flesh which desireth nothing but her owne pleasures and commodities no doubt but wee feele it to bee verry bitter and burthensome but what for that yet must we take that way without stepping aside one way or other for that is the only way which after many labours and hard pinches leadeth in the end vnto life As for the other way it is very broad faire and accompanied with great pleasures but the end thereof saith our sauiour leadeth vnto death Now to consider that it is much better to go by labour to rest by tribulation to ioy by death to life then contrariwise to go by rest to labour by ioy to tribulation and by life to death and looke what estate commeth last shall bee euerlasting What thing then should hold vs back or hinder vs in the race ' if it bee the world with all the goodnes honours and pleasures thereof let vs vnderstand that all those things passe away like an arrow which is shot at a white or marke the trace whereof is not perceiued any more by the roughnes and vneasines of the way Let vs consider how there is nothing soe vneasie nor rough which becometh not easie and smooth by continuall vse If it bee the infirmity and weakenesse of our nature let vs thinke vpon him which hath promised to stand by vs to helpe vs and to strengthen vs who being good will helpe vs being almighty wil also strengthen vs conditionally that we pray to him continually Aske saith hee and it shal be giuen vnto you seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shal be opened vnto you Prouided alwaies that wee on our side doe striue our selues for he helpeth not them that are idle and doe nothing hee giueth his spirit but it to such as feeling their owne feeblenesse and being displeased there-with doe earnestly desire and craue his spirit for helpe to such as nothing asketh nothing hee giueth it is euen hee himselfe that worketh in vs both the will and deede how-be-it not so long as wee our selues sleepe not so long as wee fould our armes a crosse and much lesse so long as wee resist him The Kingdome of GOD saith IESVS CHRIST suffereth violence and the violent pluckt it to them and who bee those violent they which beeing inflamed with great desire and zeale to fashion them-selues like to their head and doe violence and force to themselues to the intent that their nature and flesh being restrained and brideled may not cast any impediment in the way of Gods spirit which worketh in them those which feele themselues cold and lasie whether it bee in praying to God or in giuing him thankes for all thinges those that doe quicken and stirre vp themselues without suffering them-selues to goe on and to be ouer-come of their flesh Those which take paines to marke all their owne thoughts and affections and to restraine them from passing their bounds and from rouing a stray setting a sure watch vpon their mindes and following the counsell of the wise Because that from the mind commeth the welspring of al euil and finally they which by CHRISTS spirit doe incessantly crucifie the flesh with the lusts thereof And of a truth wee bee of our owne nature so contrary to GOD and so bent to the seeking of our selues and our affections are so headie and vehement and we be haled vnto euill with so great force of our flesh that we must not thinke that GOD can haue his dominion in vs vnlesse wee vse great force to ouercome and subdue our selues vnto him To conclude that they onely true marke of all Christians and right beleeuers is loue without the which a man may well talke of Christ and of the Gospell and may well haue the Sacraments and all the godly ceremonies that can be deuised and yet all shal be nothing Constancy in going forward vnto the end of our race THe fift part in this happy iorney is Constancy perseuerance to the end for if thou begin by time find the way and go a right and continue not vnto the end thy reward is with them of whom Paul saith their end is worse then their beginning There is nothing in our life which suffereth so many changes as our deuotion hot and cold in and out of and on not in one mood so long as the Sparrow sits vpon the ground Thus man is roulled vpon a wheele that neuer standeth still he is vpon the side of a hill where it is easie to slide and hard to get vp the flesh therefore the Apostle mooued with pitty seeing man stand vpon such a slippery ground as it were in a ship ready to sinke he crieth to them that stand surest take heed least yee fall that is when thou hast put on the armor of light and art in the spiritual field to fight the Lords battaile against the world the flesh and the deuill turne not backe like Demas but
of one body there is noe respect of persons with him noe difference of learned and vnlearned wise or foolish rich or poore his will is that wee all should be as one of one mind and that wee should all thinke one thing and speake one thing and that wee should bee one fould vnder one shepheard and with one mouth glorifie the father of our Lord Iesus Christ For this peace Christ praied for saying sanctifie them through thy truth blesse them take away all bitternesse and swelling from among them make them Citizens of thy heauenly Ierusalem that they may liue in peace and loue one another that they may bee one as thou O Father art one in me and I in thee This peace we had need of the peace of conscience within our selues of peace from the rage and fury of the world and of peace of those that are of Gods houshold Let vs seeke peace at the hand of God and hee will stablish vs in the peace of the Gospell and so giue vs rest and peace of our soules Now that wee haue heard some profitable meanes declared to keepe vs constant from reuolting and turning backe but to perseuer still foreward in our race it is therefore needfull to consider how easily man may bee deceiued that so the better we may know the corruptions and weakenesse of our nature and therefore what cause wee haue euer to walke warily to take heed to ourselues and to pray vnto God that he will incline our hearts vnto his testimonies when I say man may be deceiued I meane not children or babes or the simpler sort of men onely but the learned the wise the politike the Kings and princes of the world the teachers and rulers of the people as appeareth by diuers examples To begin with Adam the first man when hee was in Paradice and made ruler ouer all beasts of the field and was full of graces and blessings of God he soone departed from the counsell of God and gaue eare to the Serpent so easily was he deceued Israel was as the apple of the Lords eye a people whom the Lord loued and to whom be gaue their hearts desire he deliuered them from Pharaoh and with an out-stretched arme led them through the red Sea who would haue thought so great mercies would euer haue beene forgotten or such a people so well taught in the knowledge of God and so often put in mind of their duties should either most part or all of them turne from God Moses was but absent a while he went aside to receiue the tables of the couenant in the meane time they made vnto themselues a molten Calfe and worshipped it they offered vnto it and said these be the Gods of Israell that haue brought thee out of the land of Egipt so easily were the wisest of them and Aaron and the whole multitude deceiued The Children after them forsooke the Lord and serued Baal and Astroth Iudg. 2. they haue turned their backs to me and not their faces sayth God by his prophet Ieremie 2. And was this offence of some small number were they but few or of the baser and simpler sort no they departed from God in great multitudes with ful consent and they warranted their doings by antiquity and by the custome of their fathers before them The Prophet sayth according to the number of thy Citties were thy Gods O Iudah and to the number of thy streetes O Ierusalem haue ye set vp altars of confusion euen Altars to burne Incense vnto Baal Iere. 11.13 Againe in another place he sayth a great multitude euen all the people that dwelt in the land of Egipt in Phathros answered Ieremie saying the word that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord wee wil not heare it of thee but wee wil doe whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our mouth as to burne incense to the Queene of heauen and to poure out drinke offrings vnto her as wee haue done wee and our fathers our Kinges and our Princes c. Iere. 44.16 c. Thus euen among that nation which God hath chosen vnto himselfe the Apostacie was so great the departure from true holinesse was so vniuersall that not only euery Citty but euery street was defiled with their Idolatry and besides the women with burnt-incense vnto other Gods A great multitude yea all the people with one consent cryed out against their prophets and preachers refusing to heare the word of God but maintained their superstitions The like may be sayd of the Scribes and Pharisies they were wise men they were learned and carried a great shew of holinesse yet they loued darknesse better then light they were blind leaders of the blind they dispised the commandements of God for their owne traditions and not only they but Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israell gathered themselues together against the Lord and against his Christ What shall I speake of those churches which the Apostles of Christ planted and watered and confirmed in the truth At Corinth Paul preached the gospell they reioyced at it gladly hee thanked God on their behalfe that in all things they were made ritch in him in all kind of speaches and in all knowledge Yet soone after they abused the holy misteries they denied the resurrection of the dead they became carnall and had enuying and strife contention among themselues The Galathians also reioyced so much in him that hee writeth thus of them I beate you record that if it had beene possible you would haue plucked out your owne eyes and to haue giuen them to me yet they did not abide in the truth but gaue eare to false Apostles and so were deceiued Therefore he reprooueth them saying O yee foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that yee should not obey the truth Are yee so foolish that after yee haue begunne in the spirit yee would now be made perfect in the flesh yee did runne well who did let you that you did not obey the truth I am in feare of you least I haue bestowed labour in vaine Gal. 5. This frailety and weakenes of our corrupt nature hath shewed it selfe forth and hath appeared in all ages we and our fathers haue gone astray and haue followed after lyes the Lord hath looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men to see if there were any that would vnderstand and seeke God but all are gone out of the way they are all corrupt there is none that doth good no not one sayth the Prophet Dauid therefore the Apostle beseecheth the Church of Thessalonica that they settle themselues vppon a sure foundation and that they be not remooued from the truth he putteth them in mind what they haue heard and of whom they haue heard it and exhorteth them to continew stedfast therein Seeke therefore the kingdome of God and the glory thereof and seeke not your selues weigh truth and falsehod in an indifferent ballance soe shall the heauier weight of the