that he might learne to feare the Lord his God No maruell if the Quéen of the Ethiopians chiefe gouernour Acts. 8. had a desire to read the scripture hauing happily heard the commendation therof No maruell if the noble men of Berea did diligently reade the scripture because they were throughly perswaded that it was the doctrine of life and the power of saluation And this is one of the waightiest and most profitable spéeches that euer our Sauiour vttered Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life And they are they which testifie of mee Which sentence diuideth it selfe into these two principall parts whereof the first is a commandement Search the Scriptures The second is an effectuall reason to moue vs to the fulfilling of that commandement For in them ye thinke to haue eternall life c. In the commandement we may consider our vnwillingnesse to search Secondly the manner how we should search Thirdly the great hinderances that keepe vs backe from searching The connsel of a friend is good but the heart of a man is froward against good counsell so that where he loueth dearly he wisheth that to his counsell he could adde a commaundement Therefore the holie spirit of God and our redéeming friende knowing howe slowe and howe vnwilling we are to take good counsell taketh vppon him to commaund vs to so good a worke as is greatly for our behoofe as though counsell were not sufficient nay scarce to commaund would serue For as the flesh and the world for the most part haue the vpper hand and Gods good spirit is welny quenched so heanenly matters are of base account and the desires of the world preuaile and carry vs whither they would Forgo all saith Christ to the young man and giue to the poore but he went away sad and heauy They that are worldly minded and are not touched with yeloue of God cannot loue his word and if they be willed and spoken to neuer so much to search the word of God yet they cannot heare Wisedome crieth in the stréetes to them that passe by and euery one passeth by and do not regard because that vanitie is in their eyes and in their mindes and in their hearts so that wisedom can find no place nor such a soule as shall bid it welcome and giue it entertainment If we had had but half a word or half a counsell to search after wealth and riches although it were into far countries we should refuse no labour if to séeke for honour and promotion euery one wold haue thought himself worthie to weare a crowne if to séeke for pleasures who would not haue followed the lure Nay who would not prease and throng to get in although the gate were neuer so straight But whē it comes to search the scriptures to learne the word of God euerie one hath this shift I pray thée haue me excused As though the waies of death were the waies of life and he that shuld counsell vs to search the word of God were rather our enemy then our friend As the Apostle speaketh to the Galathians Am I therefore become your enemy because I wish you well He that reproueth a man shall finde more fauour at the last then he that flattereth with his tongue and he that searcheth the word of God shall finde more comfort at the last then all the delights of the world could affoord him Many that haue gone astray and liued in the displeasure of God when they haue harkened vnto the word of God they haue bene so altered in minde and purpose that thencefoorth they haue determined with themselues to take a new course and to liue in the feare of GOD. For the word of God is forcible to beget vs a new life What age is more licentious and giuen to naughtie wayes then youth is and yet the word of God is of such vertue that it is able to tame their disordered humours Else the Prophet Dauid would not haue verified the same Psalme 119. 9. Wherewithall saith he shall a yoong man redresse his way euen by taking heede thereto according to thy word And the Apostle Saint Paule also witnesseth the like effect in the commendation of Timothy in that he had knowne the holy scriptures of a child which had made him forgoe and forsake the disordered course of vnbrideled youth and had furthermore made him wise vnto saluation Well wée are counselled and commaunded to search the word of God yet where there is one to giue vs that counsell there is a hundreth to drawe vs backe For as where God hath his Church the Diuell also hath his chappell so as God hath his sauing the word the diuell hath destroying bookes inough Hée workes with the flesh and the flesh ouercommeth the spirit as Eue did Adam when she brought him to his destruction When the Preacher is at his Sermon you shall sée some fewe to heare but goe to the stage Playes and you shall finde multitudes If it be an amorous booke or of pastime and mirth euerie one hath it in his hand but if the word of God be laide before vs we count it a matter too solemne and will not vouchsafe to reade it The wisedome of the flesh is enmitie to God and the nature of man is giuen to hate that knowledge that leadeth to God But as for the want of the knowledge of the word of God many perish so because they refuse to search it whereby their euil waies may be redressed and they kept in the feare of God therefore god giueth them vp to a reprobate sence to followe wickednesse euen with gréedinesse and to fall into foule and hainous offences Because there is no knowledge of God in the land saith the Prophet Hosea 4. 12. they breake out by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring and bloud toucheth bloud and one sinne and mischiefe commeth after an other What followeth such matters our consciences will giue vs to consider and we cannot be ignorant what is like to fall out If they were wise saith the Prophet Moses they would consider their latter end and if the vanitie of folly did not too much raigne within vs we would séeke after wisedome and not be slow to search the word of God But let vs leaue them that care not for this knowledge The maner how to search and so care not for an other life so that they may liue in this world at their pleasure let vs leaue them to their fancies which at length will deceiue them and to their vanities wherein they are delighted And as for them who haue any hearts to read the word of God indéed whose hearts God hath touched and moued thereunto let vs searche and set downe the best way how they may bee directed in the reading thereof that it may tende moste to their profit First therefore as holy things must not be touched with VVith reuerence vnwashen hands according to the prouerbe so must we
the iniuring and oppressing of our neighbours to do good to all and by little and little it draweth vs not onely to the loue thereof but euen with an earnest purpose of mind we are therby wonne to take that way that leadeth to euerlasting life For it mortifieth our sinfull desires by shewing vs the It mortifieth sinfull desires bitter punishments that remaine and that they shall neuer enter into the kingdome of God that are led by them Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies for the wages of sin is death that is the euerlasting death of bodie soule Know ye not that the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God Be not deceiued neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God God is not mocked for what we sowe that shall we reape for he that soweth to his flesh and followeth his fleshly desires shall therehence reape corruption and woe but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting For we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his bodie according to that hee hath done whether it be good or euill And blessed are they that doo his commandements that their right may be in the trée of life and may enter in through the gates into y◠Citie For without shall bedogs inchanters and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies Finally to whom it shall be said Depart from mee ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuel and his angels It abateth and restraineth sin within vs as we reade Psal It worketh bettering 119. I haue hid thy word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Through the reading of thy word I got vnderstanding therefore I hate all wicked waies Yea they that are godly minded and painful and diligent in searching the scriptures with a desire by Gods grace to profit by them they for the most part bring foorth such plentifull good fruit to godward and such an vpright conuersation to the world that in their faith beliefe to God and in their life to men they séeme in a maner blamelesse without fault although indéed while we liue in this world we are compassed with many infirmities and greatly pressed with the burthen of our sinnes which doo so hang and cleaue so fast vnto vs. By the reading whereof and the working of Gods good spirit in our hearts and consciences and in our liues and conuersation wee beginne to bee altered and chaunged into that which wee reade And we become daily lesse and lesse proude lesse wrathfull lesse couetous and lesse desirous of worldly and vaine pleasures And daily forsaking our olde vicious life we encrease in vertue more and more Well therefore may the word of God Iames 1. 21. be called a sauing word which is able thus to saue vs by bringing vs in hate of sinne and bréeding in vs the loue of God and all goodnesse So that we may say with the Prophet Dauid Thy word is the verie ioy of my heart It teacheth vs to be heauenly minded and to prepare our selues to heauen by setting the vanities of the world Prepareth vs vnto heauen before our eyes and the ende of the worlde and howe we should watch against that time that we be not condemned with the world Loue not the world saith Saint Iohn nor the things that are in the word For the loue of the worlde driueth out the loue of God but he that regardeth the word of God and fulfilleth his will abideth in GOD for euer whereas the world and all the vanities thereof doo perish and fade away 2. Pet. 3. 10. 11. The day of the Lord meaning thereby the latter day will come as a théefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noyce and the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the workes therein shall be burnt vp Séeing therefore that all these things must be dissolued what manner persons ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlines being prepared to heauen and heauenly minded Take heed to your selues watch and pray continually that ye may escape those things that shall fall on the world and that ye may stand before the sonne of man not tremblingly but with great ioy and comfort Aduersitie misery crosses and troubles through griefe VVorketh patience in all worldly miserie◠and thought cast many away but they that are practised in reading the word of God know that there is nothing more auaileable to lift vp our hearts to Godward and to settle our mindes there whereas true ioyes are to be found then is the reading of the word of God Many fret and fume and vexe themselues when losse of goods and friends and other such worldly helpes doo ouertake them but the word of God doth bréede a quiet and contented mind as to say with Iob Naked came I into the world and naked shall I go out The Lorde hath giuen and the Lorde hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord And to say with the Apostle Saint Paule Phil. 4. 11. 12. I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content and I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be ful to be hungry and to abound and to haue want all which I am able to do through the helpe of Christ which strengthen me Godlines is great riches and a contented minde passeth all resoluing with our selues according to the direction of Gods word that God worketh all for the best to them that loue and feare him That which doth ouerthrow some and cast them in their graues through the fault of their owne impatient minds worketh wonderously in other some which haue recourse and séeke counsell in Gods word as to ioyne them vnto God and to bring them out of the loue of the world and all the vanities thereof And as he wisheth to the Colos so let vs desire that we may be strengthened through his glorious power vnto al patience with ioyfulnes giuing thanks vnto the father who hath requited all griefs and troubles all losses all miseries with a farre greater recompence in this that he hath made vs méete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light As the word of God doth strengthen vs in all worldly Maketh vs indure persecution death it selfe miseries to take all things with a contented and patient minde so euen in the losse of our liues for the defence of a good cause and Gods truth it moketh vs ioyfull and excéeding glad As some when they were whipped and scourged for the profession of Christ endured it with ioyfull mindes and praising God that they were counted worthie to suffer for his truth Reioycing in
giuen for the purchase of a zealous giuing of our liues to those workes And therefore doth the Apostle tell vs that we are not our owne as to frame our liues after our owne liking but we are to serue the Lord both with our bodie and with our spirite because they are the Lords who hath bought them with a price If we humble not not our selues to a zealous following of good works we withhold the Lords due for he hath paide a great price to purchase a good life at our hands and dearly paide for a life ledde in zealous obedience vnto his word For we are not barely to giue some good words either to shewe some good countenance towards religion and Christian conuersation but to haue our conuersation declare that we are affected with the same and become studious of such an estate of life And such are they which declare themselues to be the peculiar people for whome the Lord laide out his life As for those who walke so indifferently betwéene true religion and false that a man cannot discerne whether they are more inclined vnto as also those that walke so euen betwéene a eiuill life and a Christianlike behauiour that the difference is not easily perceiued they doo declare themselues as yet not to be affected in desire toward those dueties which the Lord hath laid vpon his people to performe Now where this purchase of his hath taken place and effect they are become a peculiar people zealous of good workes And if cold and luke-warme christians may haue but litle comfort froÌ„ the death of Christ what shall become of them who are sworne enemies either to true religion or els to a good life and christian behauiour It is said here that we must be purged and so the Apostle would haue vs to become a peculiar people vnto our God zealous of good works Which agreeth with that of S. Peter 1. Ep. 2. 9. Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkenesse into his maruellous light Which in time past were not a people yet are now the people of God which in time past were not vnder me rcie but now haue obteined mercie He gaue himselfe to purge vs which office of purging the holy ghost performeth not by miracle but by meanes as I haue said afore Which spirite of God pray we that it may so worke togither with his grace in our heartes yâ— we may be throughly taught and also perswaded vtterly to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lustes as we haue made a vow and faithfull promise thereof in our baptisme so that we may liue soberly without excesse and riot righteously without doing iniurie and wrong and godly with a care to do all good workes whereby we may please God and liue in fauour and credit among men Spending as much time as remaineth in this life not after the lustes of the flesh or the vanities of the world or after the temptations of the diuell but after the will of God knowing this that if we liue after the flesh we shall die but if we mortifie the déeds of the body by the spirite we shall liue And what though some should mocke at vs for our reformed life and godly and holy conuersation for the diuell will stirre vs vp enemies inough for al such matters we must be prâ—uided prepare our selues before-hand And this is a great comfort vnto vs in that matter to teach vs not to be dismaied but still to hold on our course constantly considering that they that are so wilfully and so maliciously bent against vs shall giue account of their doings to him that is readie to iudge them Rather let vs be contrarily minded vnto them and let vs learne to set out our selues against all worldly hinderaunces whatsoeuer framing our selues to be such as looke for the blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of the Almightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ And let vs not make the death of Christ of so small account as not to be zealous and carefull of good workes séeing he tooke vpon him a bitter death for our sakes not only to deliuer vs from our â—innes but also that we should leade a godly a holie and sanctified life Which God graunt and giue vs the grace that we may so doo And the Lord guide our hearts to the loue of God and to the waiting for of Christ To God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost thrée persons and one euerliuing God be rendred all praise dominion and power now and for euermore Amen Deo gratia solique gloria Here endeth the Patterne of Sanctification To the Right Worshipfull and one of his chiefest friends M. Francis Newport Esquire Iustice of Peace and Quorum in the Countie of Salop S. I. wisheth blessings of God in this life and the ioyes of that which is to come THe remembrance of your former curtesies Right Worshipfull makes me that I caÌ„not forget you when I remember my chiefest friends Wherefore deuising with my selfe how I might in some sort shewe my thankfull mind toward you I could not do it otherwise then by presenting this slender gift of my studie before your eyes wishing praying that the effect and meaning thereof might take so deep a consideration in your hart that it may worke your heauenly consolation assurance VVhose patronage likewise I humbly desire may giue credit and countenance thereunto I should haue remembred the right worshipfull my Ladie your mother but the matters of learning are more fit to bee directed to men of knowledge then vnto that sexe which is not so well acquainted therwith Only this I may say to shewe my good will from my heart and to giue vnto her Ladiship her due that although her estate be worshipfull yet is her report and remembrance honorable As long as she liueth she shall increase it when it shall please God to take her to himself she shall not loose it God requite vnto her and comfort her in her most need as shee hath bountifully relieued and comforted my father and mother and vs his children euen all the houshold of vs. And I doubt not but that many housholdes in Shropshire especially in Shrewesbury may saie the same Yet ought this so much to bee her comfort as that her onlie staie I meane her saluatioÌ„ is wrought by the death and precious blood-sheading of Iesus Christ our Sauiour onlie of his mercy without any desert of ours and by no other meanes whatsoeuer I would to God that many both honorable and worshipfull women in the lande whom God hath inriched no doubt to do good to others and to supplie the wants of those that stand in need would take her course that they might deserue the like commendation and haue the praiers and hearts of the people which is more woorth then all their landes and treasures or
giuen to wicked waies with gréedinesse and are so subiect to the bondage and slauery of the diuell and of sin that we thinke no way better then the broad way that leadeth to destruction thinking that heauen is in this world and that hell is but an old wiues tale saying vnto our selues Peace peace and all is in safety when sodainly either death shall ouertake vs or the latter day bring vs to iudgement True it is that which the eie seeth not the heart rueth not and the diuell hath diuers deuices to blinde the eies of our vnderstanding to make vs still to run on vntill it be too late to turn backe Being destitute of the grace of God and not as yet regenerate we are holden vnder the euill spirit of bondage setting all our delight in earthly and transitorie things yéelding vp our selues to our fleshly desires being strangers from God and strangers from our redéemer strangers from the life to come and altogither vnacquainted with his grace Wherby although we may think we are in the estate of fréedome and as fréemen yet are we of no better account then the basest seruants that liue and againe vnder such a maister whose seruice is nothing els but tyrannie shaddowed ouer with flattery a roaring lion seeking after his pray a gréedy wolfe clothed in a shéep skin But as Christ came into the world to destroy the workes of the diuel so hath he caused his grace to be published and sent his spirit into our hearts to open the eies of our vnderstaÌ„ding to turn our harts and make them relent to make vs sée how cruell our maister is whome we serue and how dangerous an estate we are in being nothing but bondage slauery death destruction And this is the peculiar effect of the spirit of God and of his grace to shew vs our miserable estate by the law of God to strike our consciences with the rememembrance of our sinnes that we may vnderstand that we are in a desperate estate vnlesse we fly to Christ for succor Wherfore being directed by the spirit of god our stubburn harts are made to yéeld and to shed abundance of teares in consideratioÌ„ we haue offended God Which spirit of fréedom prouoketh vs to flie vnto Christ our only succour by a stedfast faith to take hold of the promises of gods mercy through the death of Christ whereby it commeth to passe yâ— our sins are forgiuen and although we are vnworthy therof are we accounted numbred among the children of God This is that spirit of adoption that maketh vs reioyce vnder the glorious libertie of the sonnes of GOD. Which maketh our ioy so much the more aboundant in consideration of our fearefull estate whereby we were so miserable So that wee may boldly triumph with the Apostle saying Reioyee in the Lord alwaies and againe I say reioyce For what greater ioy can there be then the ioy and peace of a quiet conscience being fully resolued of forgiuenesse of sinnes and of the fauoure of God who hath aduanced vs to so high a dignitie as of his enemies to make vs his sonnes and children Wherefore in meditation of our former estate let vs follow the Apostles counsaile 1. Pet. 1. 17. Passe the time of your dwelling here in feare and liue not carelesly as thongh we might doe what we list much like to wanton children which had néed continually to be corrected with the rod. But as the Apostle saith Brethren be not children in vnderstanding but as concerning maliciousnesse be children but in vnderstanding be of a ripe age so manie I say brethren as concerning wickednesse and vngodly behauiour let vs be children but as concerning the feare of God let vs grow from strength to strength vntill we be of a ripe age A dutifull seruaunt standeth alwaies in feare and distrust that that which he doth to his maister be not perfitly and sufficiently done as one desirous to continue his maisters fauour and good liking toward him So also a dutifull child should be careful still to please his father for feare not onely of loosing his fathers good wil but also of hindering himselfe from the which otherwise his father would leaue him and do for him How much more should an adopted child looke vnto himselfe and to his waies because he is taken in but of fauour without any desert and onely vpon pitie and compassion rather then vpon any other consideration Wherefore it is not for vs to make a triumph of our adoption and to make our boast and vaunt of it but rather in a godly sort to humble our selues through feare forecasting with our selues how to continue Gods good will toward vs which through our negligence and carelesse behauiour may be remooued For as they that come to goods to landes and possessions by fauour friendship and by adoption through their own foolishnes may dispossesse themselues of all so if a godly wisdome be not vsed the benefit of adoption may greatly be disgraced in vs and we may bring our selues into that case as iustly to thinke that we are none of Gods children So did that godly king Dauid and that holy blessed Apostle S. Peter by their infamous sinnes so alter the certaintie of their adoption as though they had quite béen forsaken of God So the it is not without great cause that the Apostle vseth these words Let him yâ— standeth take héed least he fall As if he had said let the adopted children of God take héed lest they offend God and let the testimony of a good coÌ„science be alwaies a reioycing vnto them and that the certaintie of our adoption may alwaies be warranted vnto vs. Where is therefore our ioy or where is our chiefest care grounded and setled not in the things of this world neither in this world Better it is to be in the house of mourning then to be in the house of laughter better it is to mourne for our â—innes past then in worldly sort to reioyce of our adoptions Considering that wheÌ„ Adam and Eue were in the chiefest worldly ioy and thought themselues in the estate of Angels and in high fauour with God they procured theÌ„selues to be mimiserable wretches and not worthie the name of gods children Who before had a blessing if they had continued in the fauour and grace of God and could haue perceiued their happie estate or if at lestwise they could haue foreséen the danger that would haue followed but instéede of a blessing they receiued a curse and instéed of fauour great displeasure Although we may be certified of our adoption yet it behâ—ueth vs so long as we dwell in this world and are compassed with this our sinnefull flesh to be circumspect and wise to be warie and watchfull knowing that the broade way is as neare vnto vs as the narrowe way the right hand as neare as the left the diuel tempting the world inticing the flesh yéelding nay fighting and resisting the good spirit
dig too far in mynes are subiect to the fall of the earth and also to damps that may arise both which they are to haue as great care vnto as yâ— siluer or gold which they take so great pains for Let vs desire knowledge of God as Salomon did to his comfort benefit and not desire it as Eue did to her hurt For they that aspire and clime so high fall againe like Babell and runne into doubts while they séeke for resolutions This desire of ouersearching is a rocke against the which many haue made shipwracke busieng their heades with vnknowne misteries before they vnderstand necessary See more in M. â—miths sermon called A looking Glasse for Christians principles It is good to leaue off learning where God hath left off teaching For they which haue an eare where God hath no tongue misse of their desire while they looke for knowledge and wander into thickets deserts while in the meane time it were more safe for them to kéepe the high way Content thy selfe therfore to know those things onely which pertaine to thy saluation and say with that blessed Apostle S. Paul I desire to know nothing but onely Christ crucified Let no man presume to vnderstand aboue that which is méete for him to vnderstand but let his vnderstanding be ruled by Sobrietie as God hath granted to euerie one the measure of faith Neither let vs be discouraged from reading least we should search too farre For those things which God hath set downe vnto vs to know and vnderstand we cannot search too much But our fault is herein when we wil know more then is reuealed and more then it is Gods will that wée should know Otherwise as we are euery day euery houre falling away from God so the continuall reading of the scriptures may be a meane to kéepe our selues within the feare of God The word of God is the séede of life and he that hath regard thereunto shall continue in life Wherewithall shall a yoong man nay wherewithall shall yoong and old and euerie estate direct their way but by ruling themselues after the word of God And as there is a fault to be too carefull and to search too farre so is it as great a fault to bee too carelesse and negligent As when wée reade for fashion sake or with a light consideration when wée haue not a godly religious and a deuout care to haue our selues edified instructed and comforted It is not inough for vs to settle our selues to reade it by fits here a litle and there a litle here a line and there a line now some what and after a while nothing at all but if we minde to profit thereby we must make it our daily studie and chiefest exercise The warfaring man will trauaileth vntill he come to his iournies end our life is but as a continuall trauaile and still we must haue recourse to the word of God for counsell and direction vntil our time be to leaue the earth and go to heauen But as no gift of God doth prosper with vs vnlesse we To make our praiers to god that we may profit in reading make our praier to God that he will giue a blessing vnto it so especially in the reading of Gods word we must vse this helpe The vnderstanding of our minde by nature is nothing else but darknesse and againe our hearts be inclined to all naughtie corruptions and vnlesse we pray vnto God to remoue these stumbling blockes neither shall we be instructed in our soules nor amended in our liues If thou wantest wisedome aske it of God and when thou settest thy selfe to the reading of the Scriptures pray that thy reading may tend to thy profit Abrahams seruaunt prayed that hée might haue a prosperous iourney so ought wée much more to pray that we might bee happie in our reading or that our reading might procure our happinesse And euen as when we pray so also when wée reade wée must bee godly affected that is wée must vnburthen our mindes and our hearts from all worldly cares and fleshly desires that GOD may haue his working in vs and that his holy spirite may guide and direct vs. And so it shall fall out that as the snow and the raine doo water the earth that it may bring forth increase so in our reading our eyes shall be opened that we may sée and our cares that we may heare and our hearts that we may conceiue that all may be referred to Gods glory our owne comfort and the profit of others or else all our labor study shal be in vaine They that abound with riches worldly wealth because they pray not yâ— God will giue a blessing vnto it it turneth often to their hurt so they that read Gods word and pray not withal that God may make it profit with them it often preuaileth with theÌ„ no more but to make them without excuse It is not so much read and profit but pray and profit and then they reading shall turn to good For as reading is profitable â—o prâ—ier is more necessary which setteth forward euerie good worke and bringeth downe Gods help from heauen Now although in the reading of the word of God we 〈…〉 is 〈◊〉 word is kept from 〈…〉 an 〈…〉 tongue â—schue all those faults which I haue before remembred yet there are two other rockes and mountaines to clime ouâ—r And this is the crosse that we shall finde in all good endeuours that there are mightie hinderances and pullbacks whereas the way to do euill is plaine and hath no let Concerning which two principall hinderances first of all it is lamentable to consider how that the word of God should be as it were forcibly kept froÌ„ doing good to other and that they for whose sake it was ordained should haue least profit by it or rather no profit and benefit at all as if that foode should be prepared and cast away for want of eating The word of God is the foode of the soule which cannot choose but perish if it be not fed and nourished by it He that bringeth vs a glasse to looke in and yet shutteth it vp with the couer he that bringeth vs into the light and yet closeth our eyes he that setteth meate before vs and forbiddeth vs to eate may iustly séeme to delude vs and he himselfe rightly to be accused of folly So the word of God which is to vs as a glaâ—â—â— to looke in thereby to sée our defaults which is a light vnto vs whereby our steppes ought to be directed which is the foode whereby our soules are nourished if it be deliuered vnto vs though peraduenture in a learned yet in a straunge and vnknowne tongue which none of vs vnderstand and know what profit shall we take thereby If one of an outlandish nation a Spaniard a Frenchman an Italian shuld light into our company which are English men and should speake vnto vs in their tongue language meruellous good
tribulation reioycing in persecution reioycing in torments reioycing in death because they haue bin so well learned in gods schoole in gods booke that the loue of God is throughly shed abroad in their harts by the inward secret and most heauenly working of his holy spirit Triumphing against the world and the cruelties thereof being fully perswaded that neither life nor death nor any thing else shall be able to seperate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus We learne that we are the children and beloued of god and that we are heires euen the heires of god and fellow heires with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him For the afflictions that may fall out vnto vs are not worthie of the glorie that shall be shewed vnto vs and that we shall receiue in the kingdome of heauen If it were not so saith the Apostle we were of all men the most miserable if our hope were ended in this life and if that persecution had not a ioyfull recompence He that striueth not shall neuer be crowned and he that doth not take vp Christ his crosse euen to the death shall neuer come where he is To them that thus endure trouble and are thus hated reuiled and slaine of the world they know and are assured by gods word that there is a crowne reserued for them which the Lord shall giue them at that day dreadfull to others but ioyfull to them When it shall be said vnto them Come ye blessed enioy the kingdome prepared of my father for you from the beginning of the world Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue etrnall life And thus they do performe it It followeth in those words which I haue reade vnto They testifie of Christ you touching the effectuall reason that should moue vs to the reading of the scriptures And they are they which testifie of me In them ye thinke to haue euerlasting life because they direct vs vnto the knowledge of Christ wherein consisteth life According as he saith of himselfe I am the way the truth and the life To him saith the Apostle Act. 10. 43. giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his name all that beléeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes This is life euerlasting saith the Euangelist S. Iohn 17. 3. that they know thée to be the onely very god and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ And thus the word of god doth testifie of our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 3. 16. That God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne for the redemption of the world that whosoeur beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting They are they which testifie that I am the onely life to true repentant sinners to giue them ease and comfort that are swallowed vp and ouerwhelmed with heauie sorrowes and as it were vtterly cast away through griefe and distresse of minde for their sinnes According as the Apostle saith Christ came into the world to saue sinners Come vnto me saith Christ all ye that be heauily loaden with the burthen of your sinnes and I will ease you and I will refresh you For I came not to saue the righteous but to call the sinners to repentance They are they which testifie of his holie and vndefiled conception being conceiued by the holie Ghost and borne of a virgine and so being without all blot of sin to the intent that we might be freed from our vncleannes which we draw from our parents being born in sinne and conceiued in iniquitie being defiled by originall sinne and naturall corruption which testifie of his life and conuersation that it was altogither vnrebukable blamelesse and that in euery point he fulfilled the law of God y◠his righteousnes perfect obediēce might be imputed vnto vs which are otherwise vnder the curse of the law that our sinne and disobedience might be couered and that we might not be called to account for the same which testifie that hée was condemned before an earthly iudge to acquite vs from the dreadfuil sentence of the heauenly iudge which testifie that in bodie soule he suffered gréeuous torments that the wrath of god might not take hold of vs which testifie of the wonderful worke of his resurrectiō of his triumphing ouer death sin hell and the diuel to make vs ioyful conquerers which testifie of his glorious ascention into heauen to giue vs assurance of y◠heauenly possession which he hath purchased for vs which testifie y◠he shal be y◠iudge of quick dead to giue vs euerlasting comfort which haue put our whole trust in him when all other vnbeléeuers wicked vngodly people shal stand in his presence with great horror séeing his comming shall bee to be reuenged of their vnbeliefe and contempt Finally in an other consideration we may say that they They bring vs to the knowledge of God our selues are they that testifie of him For first and principally they teach vs the knowledge of God Secondarily and consequently the knowledge of our selues The knowledge of the Almightie power of God in the creation of all things of his infinit wisdom in disposing them in their due order of his great goodnes in doing al these things for the vse and benefit of mankinde Indéed the creation of the world and all the creatures therein do bring vs to the knowledge of God and this is onely the scripture of the heathen people but yet this doth not shew vnto vs sufficiently how God is our God and our father in Iesus Christ which knowledge we do only attain by reading the word of God And this is the scripture of the Christians Through which knowledge of God in respect of Christ we learn that God hath entred into a couenant with all faithful people that he would be their God and that they should be his people And that therfore they ought to performe vnto god his due scruice which especially consisteth in these thrée points First to worship the true God and to detest all idolatry and false gods to make our praiers to God alone and religiously and deuoutly to serue him Secondly that the worship of God doth cōsist in spirituall matters as faith hope charitie obedience righteousnes holines innocency patiēce truth and all godlines Thirdly to improue accuse and condemne all wickednesse and sinne infidelitie desperation disobedience impatience lying hipocrisie hatred slaunder iniurie and wrongfull dealing vncleannesse lust gluttony and all other vngodlinesse and iniquitie Furthermore that God doth in mercy and fauour reward the good and according to his iustice punish the offendors and that therefore he hath prepared ioyes and torments after this life For our soules are such that they neuer die and our bodies shall rise again to be ioyned to our soules at the latter day In respect of which knowledge of God the scriptures do perswade vs so to liue in this world that
a fearefull word that although they dreame of mercy yet they shall finde the contrary For God will neuer recken them to be innocent nor euer reserue his mercie for them And although they crie Lord Lord yet shall they not enter into his kingdome For when they thinke to enter into his rest it shall be said vnto them Depart from me I know you not Let vs alwaies remember that the Lorde is strong and that his anger is fearefull and that his punishments are intollerable and hell torments euerlasting that so the feare of the Lord may still be before our eyes and that we may be affraide to offend his maiestie Then shall his mercy stand vs instead when wée fall and haue offended whereas otherwise we shall be bolde to commit sin and flatter our selues that god wil be merciful when as indéed we do but deceiue our selues and shal surely find hell when we thinke to go to heauen God graunt that the knowledge of God may turne to our good and that through our defaulte in flattering of our selues and presuming too much of Gods mercy we fall not away from mercy To whose mercy I commende you desiring you not to forget his iustice For God is a consuming fire and wilfull and obstinate sinners shall neuer escape his euer-during wrath To God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost be all glory and praise both now and euer Amen Deo gratia solique gloria Of his Creation Genesis 1. 1. In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth AS I haue set downe vnto you the knowledge of God by his properties and qualities so also is he further knowne by the consideration of his workes As saith the Psalme The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament sheweth his handie worke Amongst the workes of God first in order most notable is the worke of his creation wherein his power and wisedome is manifestly séene giuing vs a larger and more delightfull knowledge of him then that we should busily occupie our studies in searching the secret and hidden nature of God The spirit of God beginneth first with the declarion of this most excellent worke bréeding the knowledge of God in our mindes as it were by a wonder In the beginning God made the heauen and the earth Which sentence dooth affoord vs these thrée instructions First the consideration of the creation of the world Diuision and the creatures thereof and whither the world and the creatures were made to endure and to continue for euer Secondly how the world and all the creatures therin conteined were made Thirdly the cause the ende and vse wherefore they were made The world it selfe how beautifull a pallace is it and as it were a heauen in respect of hell beneath as it selfe also is a thing of nothing in respect of heauen aboue The heauen glistereth with the glorious sight of the Sunne the Moone and the starres The Sunne reioyceth to runne his course euen his spéedie and haiâ—ie course and as it were the glory of all Gods creatures commeth forth with a maiestie forbidding the eyes of all earthly creatures to behold it which by his force dooth burne the mountaines seuen times more then doth the heat of a furnace God giueth light to the darknes it self and causeth the Moone to appear when the light the glorious beames of the Sun are gone down The infinit multitude of the stars shew forth his wonderfull wisdome and decketh the heauens much more then all the precious stones costly ornaments the are in princes courts Cast down your eies behold the creatures on the earth The mighty lion which is a figure of gods power at whose roaring all the beasts of the forrest do tremble the rauening beare the instrument of his wrath as the example of the mocking children that did disdain the Prophet Elisha doth testifie the nourishing cloathing creatures the cow the shéep and the goat to the praise of his goodnes Wherin also the trées do instruct vs the oliue trée with his fatnesse the figtrée with his swéetnesse the vine trée with his cherishing How do the hearbes set forth the wisedom of God In that he hath giuen to euery hearbe his propertie some for comfort some for delight some to continue life some to restore life as none know it better then the expert Phisitian to whoÌ„ God hath opened his wonderfull works therin Besides these looke vpon the lilly of the field whom God hath so richly arraied that Salomon in all his roialty is not like to one of these A woÌ„der it is to sée how he hath hid great treasure in the lower parts of the earth not only tin lead brasse and iron but siluer also gold precious stones The earth the world euery part therof giue manifest witnesse what God hath wrought Euery element is furnished with his creatures the aire with birds the earth with trées hearbs and inestimable treasure and as the waues of the sea are innumerable so are the creatures therein conteined euen as the stars of the skie which no man can terme call by their names but only God himself To euery beast of the field and to euery foule of the heauen Adam gaue names but the creatures of the sea as the hidden work of God Adam saw not man knoweth not neither caÌ„ they euer be searched out that we may wonder at Gods wonders Some haue said that there is no creature on the earth but the sea doth yéeld the like Among the creatures of the sea none setteth forth the work of Gods creation so much as the huge great whale which ouerturneth mightie ships and striketh a feare into the hart of man As saith the Psalm 104. 24. O Lord how manifold are thy works In wisdom hast thou made theÌ„ all The earth is full of thy riches so is the wide great sea also wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great beastes There goe the ships and there is that Leuiathan whom thou hast made to take his pastime therein When the wise man had delighted himself with the remembrance of the works of Gods creatioÌ„ either being rauished with the delight or vnable to satisfie his mind he breaketh forth saith Who hath seen all the creatures of God that he might tell vs For when he hath searched to the vtmost of his power yet may he truly say There are hid yet greater things then these be and we haue séen but a fewe of his works He doth not measure the knowledge of man in this matter that he hath attained the one halfe but leaueth him in the very enterance as though he had had but a glimce of some and not a sight of all As Adam being placed in Paradice had not a full view of all the secretes thereof neither had he any vnderstanding of the trée of life but assoone as he had tasted of the trée of knowledge for his rebellion and disobedience
neither did any heresie false doctrine false religion idolatrie superstition or vaine opinions blind his vnderstanding or trouble his minde Then was there no wicked lustes that did assault his will and desire or that did hinder him from the worship and seruice of God but hée was wholly framed and inclined to doo the will of God His eyes were not filled with lust his tongue was not giuen to euil slanderous and blasphemous spéeches his hands were frée from theft his féete were not swift to shead blood drunkennesse and gluttonie had not taken hold on him fornication and whoredome had not defiled him neither had any other sinne that may bee named power ouer him But whatsoeuer things were true whatsoeuer things were honest whatsoeuer things were iust whatsoeuer things were pure whatsoeuer things pertained to loue and charitie whatsoeuer things were of good report if there were any vertue or if there were any praise on these thinges his thoughts were setled to these thinges his minde was onely and wholly inclined And thus you see what is ment by holinesse and righteousnesse which is the chiefest part of the image of God and the especiall consideration thereof The next matter which is to be considered in the image of God is that our first parents had Fréewill to performe that which was good pleasant and acceptable in the sight of God But they had it in such sort that they might fall away frō it and when they were fallen away they could not come to it againe neither was it in their power to recouer it as also their posteritie could neuer attaine vnto it although they make great boast They giue forth spéeches of winde and great brags without truth Indéed it cannot be denied but that in the time of the innocencie of our first parentes they had Fréewill as we read Eccle. 15. 14. God made man from the beginning and left him in the hand of his counsel and gaue him his commandements and his precepts that if he would he might obserue the commaundements and testifie his good will He set water and fire before him to stretch out his hand vnto which he wold Before man was life and death good and euil choose him whether But alasie in stéed of good he did choose euil in stéed of a blessing a curse in stéed of life death By the gift of God it was in his power and Fréewill to obey the commandements of God that so after this life hee might bee partaker of the heauenly toyes Which gift for want of good héed taking he lost and that to the great misery ouerthrow of all mankind This gift and good quallitie did not long continue but by an vnhappie meanes he did commit euil and so to the end of his life continued inclining rather to euil thē doing good Once he had Fréewil and at the time of his creation when God powred his blessings on him in great measure but after that he fell away from God by disobeying his commandement neither he nor his posteritie had euer after any power to do good of themselues but rather the contrary And then was their Fréewill turned into a slauish will because it was wholly made subiect to the power of sinne through their owne desert and through their owne procurement and through the craftie working of the diuel and now all our mindes are set vpō nothing so much and delighteth in nothing more then in ill doing Much like a crooked trée which can neuer grow straight The first man had not this grace of God whereby he should neuer encline to euill but yet he had that grace whereby hee might alwayes haue bene preserued from euill if hée woulde haue continued therein but by his Fréewill he forséeke this grace And when he had thus wounded himselfe hée could not bee healed of himselfe and when hée had made himselfe sicke hée could not rise againe at his pleasure But for the better vnderstanding of this matter I will laie you downe foure degrées of Fréewill in man which may stand and bee approoued by the scriptures and written word of God The first degrée is that hée had Fréewill but chaungeably that is GOD left him in the hand of his owne counsell to stande or fall to continue or to go astray hée gaue him not withall full strength to abide and to hold out vnto the ende as he gaue vnto the heauenly Angels who by his grace continue in well doing And such was his weakenesse that he did not continue whereby we may vnderstand what is in man if he be left vnto himselfe and not vpholden by God his grace The second degrée of Fréewill is to bee considered after the fall of our first parents and that may truly be termed a slauish will being as I may say frée and most farre from doing well and most vnable thereunto Because now no flesh that is men and women that are begotten of flesh blood can of themselues do but the workes of the flesh that is all that euil naught is as euery one hauing iust triall of themselues knowe whether those things that they doo are perfectly agréeable to the commandements of God and so their owne conscience shall be their witnesse and thereby they shall accuse and iudge themselues that they are farre wide And although in the outward shewe of the worlde such workes which they do may seeme good and godly yet being examined by the lawe of God and by the straight rule thereof we must néeds confesse and acknowledge our works to be both naught and euill so farre foorth as they procéede from our selues and are not directed by God which direction of gods good grace holy spirit maketh an other difference Wherfore the third degrée of Fréewill is in them whome God hath called to a better course of life that is to holinesse and righteousnesse to vertue and goodnesse And yet this power of Fréewill to doo good is very weake and slender because they cannot stand endure and continue they cannot do that which is good without the especiall grace and gift of God Who also are readie to fall away from god into some gréeuous sinne or other euery houre As indéed such kinde of people the diuel doth greatly and mightily and most of all tempt and prouoke to sinne For for them which are his owne alreadie he takes no thought They who are thus altered and their mindes chaunged from following euill waies which come by the temptations of the diuel and the secret deceits of sinne that dwelleth within them and of the world which hath so many euill examples to allure them they should soone swarue and easily be ouercome vnlesse they were sustained and vpholden by the help assistance of God Which helpe which gift which grace and assistance we obtaine at the hands of God onely by praier and by a stedfast faith The last and the fourth degree of Fréewill is in the best sort of people and that after this life in
light of reason doo teach them and informe them what is good their conscience bearing them witnesse and the lawe of God â—ore perfectly establishing it and making it knowne The lawe of our slesh yet the lawe of our fleshe is most vnperfect and full of obstinate rebellion For our corrupt nature turneth the benefite of the lawe to our destruction whereby it followeth that that is moste peruerse and wicked which turneth that which is wholesome in it selfe to condemnation In the vnregenerate man it bringeth foorth death and may well be accused of him because it hath this operation in him that it causeth wrath stirreth vp grudging fretting and murmuring of our nature How the lawe is the power of sinne For the more it presseth by reason of our infirmitie in that wee are not able to withstand it it stirreth vp sin because wée are readie and moste desirous to doo that which is sorbidden it is the force and power of sinne it increaseth sinne and slaieth vs and maketh vs guiltie of the wrath of God and eternall death and damnation Wherefore if wée say there is no sinne in vs we How we do the workes of the lawe are founde liars béeing reprooued by the lawe And as for the outwarde woorkes of the lawe whiche wée doo are either for feare of punishment which might ensue vppon the offence or else for loue of our selues that we might reioyce in our owne righteousnesse But séeing with our workes there is ioyned stubburnnesse and the heart rebelleth within because the lawe reproueth our concupiscence and that naturally euen from the loines of our forefather Adam there is ingraffed into vs a seruile feare and deadly hatred of the lawe if not of the lawe-giuer our workes can in no wise come to the height that they may please GOD. The lawe therefore is spirituall and iust and holie and good and by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne therefore is euery mouth stopped and all the worlde found subiect vnto the iudgement of God Howe then may No man iustified by the lawe wée imagine that by the workes of the lawe we may bee iustified séeing that it is sayd by the woorkes of the lawe shall no flesh bee iustified Againe it is impossible to be made righteous by the lawe not onely to him The regenerate are stained with sin that is not regenerate but vnto the regenerate also in that their righteousnesse is stained with so many sinnes and they culpable of iudgement before God For the lawe cannot iustifie those that are in the flesh The lawe is spirituall but we are carnall sold vnder sinne and enemies to God and strangers from the common wealth of Israel Howsoeuer therefore we thinke to please God by the outwarde workes of the lawe yet is not that the righteousnes which The righteousnesse that God requireth is of the heart No iustification by works God requireth For the circumcision is of the heart in the spirite not in letter whose praise is not of men but of GOD. But if Abraham bee iustified by workes hée hath wherein to reioyce but not with God séeing that if iustification might be accomplished by the workes of the lawe it were altogither debt and not fauoure But that should not be blinded with a vaine opinion of debt and merit there the Apostle crosseth this sentence with a contrary position For to him that woorketh not but beléeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Whiche afterwarde hée prooueth more manifestly by the fall and ruine of the Iewes béeing compared with the Gentiles What shall we say then that the Gentiles which followed righteousnesse haue attained vnto righteousnesse euen the righteousnesse which is of faith But Israel which followed the lawe of righteousnesse could not attaine vnto righteousnesse Wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it it were by the workes of the lawe For they being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and going about to establish their owne righteousnesse haue not submitted Our iustification is by Christ In all humilitie we ought to confesse our selues to be sinners themselues to the righteousnesse of God For Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnesse vnto euerie one that beléeueth And vnlesse we acknowledge our selues to be sinners being voide and destitute of any righteousnesse that is in vs we séeme to deface and to darken the worthinesse and dignitie of Christ Which consisteth in this that he is the onely light saluation life resurrection and righteousnesse and the soueraigne phisicke of euery mans soule and to what end If not to lighten the blind to restore them that were condemned to quicken them which were dead to raise them vp which wer brought to nothing to cleanse them which were polluted with all filthinesse to cure and heale them which were death sicke and almost swallowed vp thereof Nay but if we attribute any part of He that attri buteth any thing to himselfe derogateth froÌ„ God and wrastleth with him How Christ is a rocke of offence righteousnesse vnto our selues we wrastle as it were with Christ whose propertie it is to beate downe them that are fleshly minded and to reléeue those that are heauie laden with the burthen of of their sinnes So that Christ is a stumbling blocke and a rocke of offence not that it agreeth vnto him to be so but that malicious mindes do take offence through their owne corruption For they stumble by reason of their owne pride and their damnation is in them selues What sencelesse blockishnesse is it therefore in vs that we should deriue saluation righteousnesse and iustification from the lawe which is our downfall and the cause of wrath Neuerthelesse if we be not as yet satisfied he vseth an other effectuall proofe whereby we may plainly sée that righteousnesse and iustification is not by the lawe For the promise that was made to Abraham the father of the faithfull that he should be the father of many nations through gods euerlasting couenant with him that he would be his god and the god of his séede after him I say the promise The promise is not by the lawe that he should be the heire of the worlde was not giuen to Abraham and to his séede through the lawe First because the lawe cannot comprehend the promise secondly because faith should be ioyned in vaine to the promise which should be apprehended by workes Againe if iustification depended Iustification that is the righteousnesse of God pertaineth vnto all vpon the lawe of Moses then should god be the Sauiour only of the Iewes but it is god who shall iustifie circumcision of faith meaning the Iewes and vncircumcision through faith meaning the gentiles And in that that Abraham was iustified being vncircumcised it also followeth that iustification belongeth vnto them that are vncircumcised This therefore may be the generall conclusion of this point that we are not iustified by the law the
works thereof comprehended in these thrée propositions All both Iewes and gentiles are vnder sinne that is are iustly condemned for sinne All haue sinned and are iustly depriued of the glory of god that is of euerlasting life All the world is subiect to the iudgement of god And herein is the praise of his iustice in that we deserue it as also the praise of his mercy in that fréely in Christ he forgiueth vs so great damnation So that here it resteth that there is but one way of But one way of saluation saluation to wit Iesus Christ and his righteousnesse apprehended by faith For the gospell of Christ is the power of god vnto saluation to euery one that beléeueth to the Iewe first and also to the Grecian Vnto which faith although VVorkes that works are necessarily adioyned and are as the light which is séen togither with the flame yet they auaile not vnto iustification but rather signifie that a man is inwardly iustified before god Therefore although faith be not without workes yet faith alone without workes doth Faith onely iustifieth iustifie The lawe manifesteth sinne and death which was before the lawe it causeth wrath and dooth not reconcile vs vnto God but the true reconciliation and purification The righteousnesse of God commeth only from the righteousnesse which is of God And séeing righteousnesse is not sound by the law it is necessary and behoouefull that we looke for righteousnesse elsewhere And because man could not accomplish any righteousnesse therefore least hée should vtterly perish God exhibiteth a way which he promised of olde whereby he should be iustified and saued before him Christ is our righteousnes without the lawe The matter and grounde of this righteousnesse is Christ apprehended through faith who is offered vnto all because all haue sinned Which righteousnesse is fréely giuen without any merit of ours for wée are iustified freely by his grace through the God the au thour of this righteousnesse redemption that is in Christ Iesus The authour of this righteousnesse and iustification is God for hée so loued the world that hée gaue his only begotten sonne to bee offered vp for our sinnes and to make full satisfaction that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Whom GOD set foorth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his blood Righteousnes in the death and resurrection of christ The materiall cause is the death and resurrection of Christ for hée was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification The cause formall or instrumentall is faith whereby as it were with an hande wée apprehende the righteousnesse of GOD. For with the heart man beléeueth vnto saluation and to righteousnesse Christ is our reconciliation through faith while wée laie holde of the promises The end of this righteousne what of Gods mercy in him The finall cause is the glorie and praise of the goodnesse of God in that being enemies hée reconcileth vs vnto him Wherefore we are not saued by workes or partly by faith and partly by woorkes but all our reioycing is excluded by the VVe are iustified not by workes but by faith lawe of faith And our iustification dependeth onely vpon GOD that his glorie might be established for the promise of God is through faith and not by the lawe For as the lawe is the cause of wrath so is faith the appeasing of our consciences whereby we vnderstand that we are iustified And if any man make the lawe his grounde and his rocke hée is fallen from grace for they are vtterly abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the lawe So that they that put their confidence in the workes of the lawe Christ shall profit them nothing By whome onely wee obtaine to bee called the sonnes of god and the heires of the kingdome of heauen by whome we are deliuered and redéemed from the lawe that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes For GOD hath giuen the spirit into our hearts that we may cry Abba father Which spirit we receiue by faith and not by the workes of the lawe for they that are vnder the lawe are vnder the curse and vnder moste dreadfull feare And the generall proposition of the Apostle is that no man is iustified by the lawe for the lawe is not of faith but the iust shall liue by faith For by faith wée are the séede posteritie and children of Abraham and heires by promise and fellowe heires with Christ of his euerlasting kingdome By the lawe and the couenant there is a difference betwixt the Iewes and the Gentiles but by by faith there is neither Iewe nor Grecian there is neither bonde nor frée there is neither male nor female For all are one in Christ Iesus Therefore by faith is iustification whereby the scriptures foresawe that the gentiles should bee saued and that the lawe could giue no life and that by the lawe there was no righteousnesse because the scripture hath concluded all vnder sin that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ shuld be giuen to them that beléeue Therefore it is by faith that it might come by grace that the promise might be sure vnto all both them of the lawe and to them of the seede of Abraham Wherefore séeing the righteousnesse of man by nature is nothing else but wickednesse and hipocrisie backsâ—iding by excuse boasting by vaine knowledge without practise and that the lawe cannot be fulfilled because the corruption of man is quite contrary vnto it and abhorreth the lawe and that we are all vnder sinne and so by the lawe vnder damnation in that it letteth vs to vnderstand the hugenesse of our sinne and the curse and punishment due thereunto euery mouth is stopped and all the world subiect vnto the iudgement of god and to that damnation which the law of god and the corruption of our nature requireth And that the Apostle might bring vs to the perswasion of the iustice of faith which is the pathway and the highway vnto saluation he saith that we know that whatsoeuer the law saith it saith it to them which are vnder the lawe So that there is but one way of saluation euen the righteousnesse of god There are three braunches of the righteousnesse of God by saith Remission of sinnes by faith whereof are thrée especiall braunches Remission of sinnes Imputation of Christ his righteousnesse Sanctification newnesse and holinesse of life Remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes is giuen to the church and faithfull of god in that of his frée mercy and goodnesse their sinnes are blotted out and the account made voyd that they shall not be called vnto iudgement neither shall any punishment be exacted at their hands Whereby all satisfaction falleth to the ground in that of his frée mercy and goodnesse the Lord putteth away the remembrance and punishment of our sinnes forgiueth al our infirmities redéemeth our life from the graue and crowneth vs with
sathan vnder their féete For this From whence is victory in this fight victory is in Christ and therefore S. Paul with a gladsome voice breaketh out I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Who indéed is sufficient wel able to endue vs with that strength that we may valiantly ouercome the assaults Armour of proofe and firy darts of satan For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe holds principalities and powers euen the prince of darkenesse of this world and al spiritual wickednes which is in high places as it were on the higher ground and hath maruellous vantage ouer vs. Wherefore we ought to be more héedfull We ought to watch and be diligent and diligent alwaies and watchfull that the enemy take vs not at vnawares séeing not only our enemies without vs are very strong but also our owne flesh is ready to betraie vs and to take armour against vs. And who knoweth not how hard a thing it is to behaue himselfe wisely and warily in a ciuill warre Wherein although wee knowe not which part shall haue the vpper hand yet to fight with an expert and renowned Captaine it séemeth vnto vs that the victorie is written in our handes yea and our hearts are fully perswaded and reioyce in hope thereof In this fight we cannot want a wise and expert Captaine whiche hath borne the brunts of this warre and ouercome the daunger by a greater force from aboue then euer was séene to be in man Whose The best coūsel in this fight is continually to resist sinne and to meditate and practise mortification counsell is that by all meanes continually wee resist sinne giuing vs to knowe and vnderstande that hée that obeyeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne vnto death But wée are neither seruants nor debters vnto the flesh to liue after the flesh for if wée liue after the fleshe wee shall die for euer but if wée mortifie and kill the déedes of the bodie by the spirite wee shall liue If wee desire to beare about vs the dying of our Lord Iesus Christ the life of Iesus shal be made manifest in our bodies euen in our mortal flesh We are baptised in Christ euen into his death that as he was raised vp from the dead to the glory of thy father so we should walke in newnesse of life that our olde man being crucified the bodie of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serue sin in that we are dead thereunto Therefore because our life is hid with Christ in God let vs set our affections on those things which are aboue and let vs mortifie our members which are on the earth fornication vncleannesse inordinat affections euill concupiscence couetousnesse which is idolatry As the victory ouer sin consisteth in the mortification of our sinfull flesh So the way to happinesse is viuification and holinesse of life togither with all those workes of the flesh which the Apostle nameth Galat. 5. 19. 22. or elsewhere yea and all those which are contrary to the wholsom doctrine of Christ knowing that the wrath of God commeth vppon the children of disobedience and that the end of sinne is death and that the frute of holinesse and the end therof is euerlasting life for the wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Thinke ye therefore that ye are dead to sinne but are aliue to God in Iesus Christ our Lorde whome God hath raised vp and sent to blesse vs in turning euery one of vs from our iniquities that we might walke in the spirit and in all godlinesse of life whereby we may auoyd the lusts of the flesh and walke worthie of that vocation whereunto we are called being followers of God as deare children approuing that which is pleasing vnto the Lord By all meanes auoiding the fellowship of the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse and that as children of light we may fulfill the workes and bring forth the frutes of light and of the spirit in all godlinesse righteousnesse and truth hauing peace in our conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost to godward through Christ giuing thankes alwaies with spirituall songs singing and making melodie to the Lord in our hearts Now seeing we By this sanctification we are inabled to performe our dutie to are in Christ let vs be as new creatures for olde things are passed away behold all things are become new For whereas before we were haters of God and maliciously set against him now through his mercy who hath written his lawes in our harts and giuen vs a hart of flesh through the grace which we haue in Christ we are readie and willing to loue God to feare him and to kéepe his commaundements God whereby he dwelleth in vs and we in him ready to acknowledge him to be the giuer of all good thinges readie to giue him thankes for all his benefites readie in all necessities and agréeuances to pray vnto him and to séeke helpe at his hands to put our trust only in him Yea the image of God in a measure is renued and restored in vs that we might walke in newnesse of life because he is holy And as our life and conuersation is renewed to the glory of God so is it also profitable to the furtherance of our neighbour whome in all charitable order we are as Our neighbour willing to helpe as our selues being mercifull humble long suffering forbearing one an other forgiuing one an other as Christ forgaue vs. Prouiding for the necessities of one an other as Christ is plenteous toward vs in all good things hartily louing one an other laying aside all filthinesse not only for the loue of God and hatred of sinne but also for feare of offence least our brethren by our example should be drawne to euill Dealing in all simplicitie in that the old man is put off with his workes putting away all hatefull and cursed speaking for that the gospell and doctrine of Christianitie is in all kindnesse and brotherly loue which is euen the full accomplishment of the law submitting our selues one to another in the feare of the Lord. Having the peace of God ruling in our hearts the word of Yea we are instructed how to behaue our selues in all wisedome God plenteously dwelling in vs in all wisedome procuring all things honestly in the sight of God men hauing peace as much as in vs lieth with all men vsing this worlde as though we vsed it not neither being too much axalted in prosperitie nor cast downe in aduersitie but as the children of God we commit our waies vnto him yéeld our selues to the direction of his holy spirit in all obedience depend vpon his prouidence trust in his promises waite patiently for the day of reuelation the comming of Christ endure and perseuere vnto the end Yea we are mortified in the body because of sinne hauing our
sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill So that the iustice of God shall appeare to his glory euen in the destruction of the wicked Ro. 3. 5. Nowe if our vnrighteousnesse commend the righteousnesse of God what shall we say Is God vnrighteous that punisheth I speake as a man For thus the wicked vse to reason and yet them selues shal be found in fault and the workers of their ouerthrow Ro. 9. 19. The wicked say Why doeth he yet complaine and find himselfe agrieued at vs For who hath resisted his wil séeing he hath thus determined of vs The Apostle aunswereth them O man who art thou which pleadest a gainst God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and an other to dishonour What and if God woulde to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowne suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction In this matter we ought not to dispute or to be inquisitiue but rather in high estimation to reuerence the will of God and perswade our selues that we are of the number of those on whom Gods mercy shall be shewed and labour by all meanes by praier and all other holy and vertuous exercises to assure our selues of the same Election proceedeth only from the will of God but not because he did foresee what was in vs. Deut. 4. 37. And because he loued thy fathers therfore he chose their féede after them and hath brought thée out of Egipt in his sight by his mightie power Ezech. 16. 59. 60. Thus saith the Lord God I might euen deale with thée as thou hast done Neuerthelesse I will remember my couenant Ioh. 15. 16. Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordeined you that ye go and bring foorth frute and your frute remaine Rom. 9. 10. Rebecca when shée had conceiued by one euen by our father Isaac ere that the children were borne and when they had done neither good nor euil that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth It was said vnto her The elder shall serue the yoonger As it is written I haue loued Iacob and I haue hated Esau For he saith to Moses I will haue mercy on him to whom I will shewe mercy and I will haue compassion on him on whom I will haue compassion So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 11. 5 Euen so at this present time is there a remnant through the election of grace And if it be of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace But if it be of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke What then Israel hath not obtained that he sought but the election hath obtained it and the rest haue bene hardened According as it is written God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber eies that they should not sée and eares that they should not heare vnto this day Tim. 1. 9. Who hath sauid vs and called vs with a holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was Ephe. 2. 8. For by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Not of workes least any man should boast himselfe For wée are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them He hath chosen vs to doo good workes and not to be carelesse because we are chosen but rather to assure to our consciences our election by good workes According as we read Collos 1. 10. That ye might walke worthie of the Lord and please him in all things being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of god strengthned with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse Giuing thanks c. Ephe. 1. 5. 11. Who hath predestinate vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his wil In whom also we are chosen when we were predestinate according to the purpose of him which worketh all things after the counsaile of his owne will Although the causes of Reprobation procéed principally from the secret and hidden purpose of God yet are there also sufficient causes in our selues Among the rest these thrée Driginall sinne that is that naturall corruption wherein we are born Secondly the daily sinnes and offences which we commit Thirdly Vnbeliefe Gods hidden purpose Rom. 9. 13. I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau Where he saith not only that Esau was ordained to be hated before he did any euil for in so saying he should not séeme to exclude any thing but actuall sinne and incredulitie but also saith expresly before he was borne Wherefore he excludeth originall sinne also If the Apostle had grounded reprobation vppon mans corruption the case had bene cleare and resolute if it had bene true But forasmuch as he saith plainly if so pleased God and it was not in their power to change this his good pleasure he bridleth mans wisdom that it might reuerence and wonder at Gods misteries as it is most iust to do And also encourageth the elect to honour the grace of god which is declared and made famous by such a comparison Causes in our selues of reprobation Originall sinne Psal 51. 5. Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sin hath my mother conceiued me Ephe. 2. 3. By nature we are the children of wrath Iohn 3. 19. And this is the comdemnation that light is come into the world and men loued darknesse rather then light because their déedes were euill Their owne corruption is a cause in themselues of their owne damnation Actuall and daily sinne Ephe. 4. 17. Hencefoorth walke not as other Gentiles walke in vanitie of their mindes hauing their cogitations darkened and being strangers from the life of god through the ignoraunce that is in them because of the hardnesse of their hart which being past féeling haue giuen themselues vnto wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse euen with gréedinesse 1. Cor. 9. 10. Know ye not that the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of god Gal. 6. God is not mocked For whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he reape For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting Rom. 8. 13. If we liue after the flesh ye shall die But if mortifie the déeds of the bodie by the spirit ye shall liue Vnbeliefe Exod. 5. 2. And Pharaoh said Who is the Lord that I should heare his
execute his election VVHen God determined with himself the things before The foundation of that election which is manifest vnto vs. meÌ„tioned he by a more manifest order of causes which notwithstanding was eternal as all things are present to him disposed orderly all the degrées whereby he wold bring his elect vnto his kingdom Forasmuch therfore as he is merciful yet could not forget his iustice before al other things it was necessary that a mediator shuld be appointed by whoÌ„ maÌ„ might be perfectly restored and that this shuld be done by the mercy grace which doth appear in the saluation of his elect But maÌ„ being so weak that he cannot abide the waight of gods wrath doth so much flatter himselfe in his most miserable blindnesse that he cannot perceiue it because he is wholly in bondage to sin so that the lawe of god is to him as death so farre is he vnable of himselfe to recouer his liberty or to satisfie the lawe of God in the very least â—ote God therefore the most mercifull father of the elect moderating in such sort his iustice with his infinit Iesus Christ our mediator mercy appointed his onely sonne who was the very same substance and God eternall with him that at the time determined he should by the power of the holy ghost be made very man to the end that both the natures being ioyned in Iesus Christ alone first all the corruption of man should Iustification and santification in christ be fully healed in one man who should also accomplish all iustice and moreouer should be able inough to sustaine the iudgement of God and be a Priest sufficient and worthy of himself to appease the wrath of God his father in dying as iust and innocent for them that were vniust sinners couering our disobedience purging all our sinnes which were laid vpon him And finally with one onely offering and sacrifice of himself should sanctifie al the elect mortifieng and burying sin in them by the partaking of his death and buriall quickening them into newnesse of life by his resurrection so that they should finde more in him then they had lost in Adam And to the intent this remedy should not be found ordained in vaine the Lord god determined to giue his son with al things appertaining vnto saluation to theÌ„ whoÌ„ he had determined in himself to choose on the other side to giue theÌ„ vnto his son that they being in him he in theÌ„ might be coÌ„summate made perfect in one by these degrées that follow according as it pleased him to bring foorth euery one of his elect into this world For first when it pleaseth him to disclose that secret which he had purposed froÌ„ before al beginning at such time as meÌ„ least looke for it As meÌ„ are blinded and yet think they sée most cleare when as in very déede death and damnation hangeth ouer their heads hée commeth suddenly setteth before their eies the great danger Externall vâ—caâ—ionâ— wherein they are and that they might be touched more sharply and liuely he addeth to the witnesse of their owne conscience being as it were a sléepe and dead the preaching of his lawe examples of his iudgements to strike them The lawe with the horrour of their sinnes Not that they should remain in that feare but rather that beholding the great danger thereof should flie to that onely mediator Iesus Christ In whom after the sharpe preaching of the lawe he setteth The Gospell foorth the swéete grace of the Gospell but yet with this condition that they beléeue in him who onely can deliuer them from condemnation and giue them right and title to the heauenly inheritance Yet all these things were but vaine if he should only set before mens eyes these secrets by the externall preaching of his word written and published in the Church of God which notwithstanding is the ordinary meanes whereby Iesus Christ is communicate vnto vs. Therefore as touching his elect vnto the externall The inward calling preaching of his word he ioyneth the inward working of his holy spirit the which doth not restore as the Papists VVhat Free-will is after the fall of Adam imagine the remnants or residue of Fréewill For what power soeuer of Fréewill remaineth in vs serueth to no other vse but willingly to sin to flie from God to hate him and so not to heare him nor to beléeue in him neither yet to acknowledge his gift no not so much as to thinke a good thought and finally to be children of wrath malediction But contrariwise changeth their hard hearts of stone into soft hearts of flesh draweth them teacheth them lighteneth their eyes and openeth their sence their heart their eares and vnderstanding First to make theÌ„ to know as we haue said before their own misery and next to plaÌ„t in them the gift of faith wherby they may perform the condition which is ioyned Faith hath two parts Faith which doth apprehend iustificaon by Christ and sanctification to the preaching of the gospel And that standeth on two points the one wherby we know Christ in generall beléeuing the story of Christ and the prophecies which are writ of him the which part of faith as we shal declare in due place is sometimes giuen to the reprobate The other which is proper and only belonging to the elect consisteth in applying Christ who is vniuersally and indifferently preached to all men to our selues as ours And that euery man make himselfe sure of his election which hath bene hid before al time in Gods secret and afterwards reuealed vnto vs partly by inward testimony of our conscience through the holy Ghost ioyned to the externall preaching of Gods word and partly also by the vertue and power of the same spirit who deliuering the elect from the seruitude of sinne perswadeth and conducteth them to will and worke the things which pleased God These then be the degrées whereby it pleased God to create and forme by his especiall grace that precious and peculiar gift of faith in his elect to the intent that they may imbrace their saluation in Iesus Christ But because this faith in vs is yet weake and only begunne to the end that we may not only perseuer in it but also proffit which thing is most necessary for all men to do first according to the time that our adoption is reuealed vnto vs this Baptisme faith is sealed in our hearts by the sacrament of Baptisme and afterward euery day more and more is confirmed and sealed in vs by the sacrament of the Lords supper Of the The Lords supper which two Sacraments the principall end is that they bée sure and effectuall signes pledges of the communion of the faithfull with Christ who is their wisdome iustice sanctification and redemption For this occasion it is so oftentimes mentioned by Saint Paul that we being iustified by faith haue peace with
25. 26. Instructing them with méekenesse that are contrary minded shewing their faults out of the lawe of God prouing if God at any time will giue them repentance that they may know the trueth And that they may come to amendement out of the snare of the diuell which are taken of him at his will Acts 2. 37. Now when they heard it they were pricked in their heart and said vnto Peter the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do Not that they should remaine in feare but beholding their danger might flie to Christ 1. Ihon. 2. 1. 2. My babes these things write I vnto you that ye sinne not and if any man sinne we haue an aduocat with the father Iesus Christ the iust And he is the reconciliation for our sinnes Ihon. 2. 12. As many as receiued him to them he gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beléeue in his name Ihon. 3. 16. 17. 18. God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life For God sent not his sonne into the world that he should condemne the world but that the world through him might be saued He that beléeueth in him shall not be condemned but he that beléeueth not is condemned alreadie Mat. 9. 13. I came not to call the righteous but the sinners vnto repentannce Ro. 1. 16. The gospel is the power of saluation to euery one that beléeueth And so almost in euery leafe of the whole scripture Called they are to comfort by the preaching of faith Ro. 8. 17. Then faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God Ro. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Chap. 5. 1. Then being iustified by faith we haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Chor. 5. 18. All things are of God which hath reconciled vs vnto himself by Iesus Christ and hath giuen vnto vs the ministery of reconciliation For God was in Christ and reconciled the world to himselfe not imputing their sinne vnto them and hath committed to vs the word of reconciliation Now theÌ„ are we imbassadours for Christ although God did beséech you through vs we pray you in Christ his stéede that yée be reconciled to God For he hath made him to be in sinne for vs that knowe no sinne that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in him 1. Pet. 1. 23. Being borne anew not of mortall séede but of immortall by the worde of god who liueth and endureth for euer Coloss 1. 27. 28. God would make knowne which is the riches of his glorious ministerie among the Gentiles which riches is Christ in you the hope of glorie Whome we preach admonishing euery man in all wisedome that we may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus Gene. 3. 8. Adam and Eue heard the voice of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the coole of the day So God chooseth his best time to winne vs not in the time of our offence when indéede he might iustly destroie vs but after we haue committed sinne in mercy he calleth vs that we shall remember and haue remorse for that which we haue done Iohn 6. 47. Verely verely I say vnto yâ—â— He that beléeueth in me hath euerlasting life The outward preaching profiteth not vnlesse the inward working of Gods good spirit be ioyned vnto it Ihon. 6. 44. No man can come to me except the father which hath sent me drawe him by the power of his spirit â—â—d v. 65. Iesus said no man can come vnto me except it be giuen vnto him of my father Mat. 13. 10. 11. His disciples said to him Why speakest thou to the people in parables And he said because it is giuen vnto you to know the secrets of the kingdome of god but to them it is not giuen Iohn 4 10 Iesus said vnto her If thou knowest the gift of god who it is that saieth to thée Giue me drinke thou wouldest haue asked of him and he would haue giuen thée water of life Iohn 3. 3. Iesus said vnto Nicodemus verely verely I say vnto thée except a man be borne againe he cannot sée the kingdome of god 1. Cor. 2. 11. 14. For what man knoweth the things of a man sauing the spirit of a man which is in him euen so the things of god knoweth no man but the spirit of god But the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of god For they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he knowe them because they are spiritually discerned 2. Cor. 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of god Ezek. 11. 19. The spirit of god worketh in vs by altering our hearts And I will giue them one heart and I will put a new spirit within their bowels and I will take the stony heart out of their bodies and I will giue them a heart of flesh Chap. 36. 26. Iohn 16. 13. When the spirit of truth is come he will leade you into all truth Psal 119. 18. Open my heart that I may vnderstand the wondrous things of thy lawe Ephe. 1. 9. 16. 17. 18. Hee hath opened vnto vs the mistery of his will according to his good pleasure which hee had purposed in him I make mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lorde Iesus Christ the father of glory might giue vnto you the spirit of wisedome and reuelation through the knowledge of him That the eyes of your vnderstanding may be lightened that ye may knowe what the hope is of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in the saints And what is the excéeding greatnesse of his power toward vs which beléeue Esay 50. 5. The Lord God hath opened my eare and I was not rebellious neither turned I backe Psal 119. 73. Thine hanâ—s haue made me and fashioned me O giue me vnderstanding therefore that I may learne thy commandements Collo 1. 9. We cease net to pray for you and to desire that ye might be fulfilled with knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding Iere. 31. 34. And they shall teach no more euery man his neighbour and euery man his brother saying Knowe the Lord For they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I wil forgiue their iniquitie and will remember their sinnes no more 2. Tim. 2. 25. Prouing if God at any time will giue them repentance and open their hearts Luke 24. 16. 45. When our Sauiour Christ talked with the two disciples that went to Emaus their eyes were holden that they could not know him Then opened he their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures Acts. 16. 14. And a certaine woman named Lydia a seller of purple of the citie of the Thyatirians which worshipped
God for if righteousnesse be by the lawe then Christ died without a cause Rom. 10. 4. For Christ is the end of the lawe for righteousnesse vnto euery one that beléeueth And chapter 11. 5. 6. Euen so then at this present time is there a remnant through the election of grace And if it be of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke Ephe. 2. 4. 5. 8. 9. 10. But God which is rich in mercie through his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when wee were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs togither in Christ by whose grace ye are saued For by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of god Not of woorkes least any man should boast himselfe But that we should be carefull to shewe foorth good workes therefore hée speaketh in the next verse Verse 10. For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them 1. Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his own purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was 1. Pet. 2. 12. And haue your conuersation honest among the gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which they shall sée glorifle god in the day of the visitation Perseuerance in faith is requisite vnto saluation Mat. 10. 22. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name But hee that endureth to to the ende shall be saued Mat. 24. 45. Blessed is that seruant whom his maister shall finde so doing Now we need not feare lest this doctrine make vs negligent or dissolute For this peace of conscience whereof we speake ought to be distinct and seperate from foolish securitie and he that is the sonne of God seeing he is moued and gouerned by the spirit of God wil neuer through the consideration of Gods benefit take occasion of negligence and dissolution Rom. 5. 1. 2. Then being iustified by faith we haue peace toward god through our Lord Iesus Christ By whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto this grace wherin we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of god Rom. 8. 12. 13. 14. 15. Therfore brethren we are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the déeds of the body by the spirit ye shall liue For as many as are ledde by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Ephe. 1 4. Aâ— he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue 2. Tim. 1. 7. For God hath not giuen to vs the spirit of feare but of power and of loue and of a sound mind 1. Iohn 3. 20. 21. 24. If our heart condemne vs God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things Beloued if our heart condemne vs not then haue wée boldnesse towards God For he that kéepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him And hereby wée know that he abideth in vs euen by the spirit which hée hath giuen vs. This matter of Predestination is obscure aboue all others vnto the wit of man but opened and reuealed vnto vs by the word of God The Scripture therfore witnesseth that they that are predestinate vnto saluation are first called and that so effectually that they heare and beleeue and fructifie then also are they iustified and sanctified and in the life to come glorified Iohn 6. 44 45. No man can come vnto me except the father which hath sent me drawe him by the force of gods word and by the secret working of his spirit And I will raise him vp at the last day As it is written in the Prophets And they shall be taught of God Euery man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the father commeth to me Acts. 2. 47. And the Lord added to the Church by the Apostles preaching from day to day such as should be saued Iohn 10. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. â—ée beléeue not for ye are not of my shéepe as I said vnto you My shéepe heare my voice and I knowe them and they followe me And I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall ueuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand My father which gaue them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my fathers hand Acts. 13. 48. And when the Gentiles heard it they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained vnto eternall life beléeued And chap. 16. 14. And a certaine woman named Lidia a celler of purple of the city of the Thyatirians which worshipped God heard vs whose heart the Lord opened that she attended vnto the things that Paul spake Hebr. 3. 7. 8. Wherefore as the holy Ghost saith To day if ye shall heare his voice harden not your hearts as in the prouocation according to the day of temptation in the wildernesse And. chapt 42. For vnto vs was the Gospell preached as also vnto them but the word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it Consider by litle and litle and try diligenly if thou be iustified and sanctified in Christ through faith For these two be the effects or ftuites whereby the faith is knowne which is their cause 2. Cor. 13. 5. Proue your selues whether ye are in the faith examine your selues knowe ye not your owne selues except ye be reprobates Rom. 8. 30. Moreouer whom he predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified As for this thou shalt partly knowe by the spirit of Adopion which crieth within thee Abba father Gal. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. That hée might redéeme them which were vnder the lawe that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes And because ye are sonnes God hath sent foorth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts which crieth Abba father Wherefore thou art no more a seruant but a sonne Nowe if thou be a sonne thou art also the heire of GOD through Christ Rom. 8. 15. For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father And partly by the vertue and effect of the same spirit which is wrought in thee Rom. 16. 17. The same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of god and heires annexed with Christ 1. Iohn 3. 24. For he that kéepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he
11. 12. According to the eternall purpose which he wrought in Christ Iesus our Lord. By whom we haue boldnesse and entraunce with confidence by faith in him 1. Thes 5. 24. Faithfull is he which calleth you which will also do it Hebr. 10. 23. Let vs kéepe the profession of our hope without wauering for he is faithfull that promised Rom. 8. 38. 39. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And therefore I cannot nor I may not doubt of my saluation So farre then it is against reason to say that this doctrine maketh men negligent or dissolute that contrariwise this alone dooth open vs the way to search out and vnderstand by the power of the holy Ghost Gods deepe secrets 1. Cor. 2. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. The things which eye hath not séene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans hart are which God hath prepared for them that loue him But God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his spirit For the spirit searcheth all things yea the déepe things of God For what man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him Euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Now we haue receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are giuen to vs of God It maketh vs painfull in good workes Ephe. 2. 10. For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them 1. Iohn 3. 24. For he that kéepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him and thereby we know that he abideth in vs euen by the spirit that he hath giuen vs. Gal. 5. 17. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that we cannot do the same things that we would Knowing this infirmitie to be in vs it stirreth vs to good workes And chap. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Be not deceined God is not mocked For whatsoeuer a man soweth that also shall he reape For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption And he that soweth to the spirit shal of the spirit reape life euerlasting Rom. 6. 1. What shall we say then Shall we continue stil in sin that grace may abound God forbid Hebr. 10. 24. And let vsconsider one an other to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes Iam. 3. 17. The wisedome that is from aboue is first pure then peâ—â—eable gentle easie to bee intreated full of mercy and good workes without iudging and without hipocrisie It maketh vs inuincible against all temptations and vexations For how shall he stand sure and constant against so many grieuous temptations both within and without against so many assaults of fortune as the world doth terme it that is not well resolued in this point of Gods predestination toward him and of his election in Christ Iob. 13. 15. Loe though hée slaie me yet will I trust in him Rom. 8. 28. Also we know that all things worke togither for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose Verse 31. What shall we then say to these things If God be on our side who can be against vs Verse 35. 37. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or peril or sword In all which things we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs. Iohn 16. 33. Maruell not though the world hate you In the world ye shall haue affliction but in me ye shall haue peace Be of good comfort I haue chosen you out of the world and none shall take you out of my hands Rom. 15. 3. Through Christ we reioyce in tribulations that we may say with the Apostle We are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but we perish not Ia. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. My brethren count it exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuerse temptations knowing that the trying of your faith bringeth forth patience And let patience haue her perfect work that ye may be perfect and intire lacking nothing Of the which number of the elect he is that findeth himselfe in this daunger and trouble Rom. 8. 16. 17. 18. The same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him For I count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthie of the glorie which shall be shewed vnto vs. Luke 23. 43. Iesus said to the théefe on the crosse Verily I say vnto thée To day shalt thou be with me in Paradice This part is to be considered and weighed and that with great modestie principally in these two considerations First that the height of Gods iudgements may at all times bridle our curious fancies Secondly that we doo not apply it to any man particularly or any certaine company For the first let it be sufficient that we vnderstand generally that there be vessels prepared by Gods iudgement and appointed to destruction The which séeing God doth not reueale vnto vs who they are we ought both in example of life and praier diligently to endeuour to winne and recouer to their saluation yea euen very such of whom by séeing their horible vices we almost dispaire Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may sée your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen 1. Pet. 2. 12. Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euil of you as of euill dooers may by your good workes which they shall sée glorifie God in the day of the visitation And chap. 3. 15. 16. Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be readie alwaies to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you And that with méekenesse and reuerence hauing a good conscience that when they speake euill of you as of euill dooers they may be ashamed which blame your good conuersation in Christ 1. Cor. 9. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. For though I be frée from all men yet haue I made my selfe seruant vnto all men that I might winne the moe And vnto the Iewes I become as a Iewe that I may winne the Iewes to them that are vnder the lawe as though I were vnder the lawe that I may win them that are vnder the lawe to them that are without the lawe as though I were without the lawe when I am not without the
and performeth nothing but that which is wondrous wise and also in respect of vs who cannot enter into the depth of Gods counsailes nor any way of our selues can we attane vnto the knowledge of his workes it may also well be termed a misterie For flesh and blood cannot conceaue the things which are of God which onely are knowen and perceiued by the spirit of God We speake wisdome among them that are perfect not the wisdome of this world neither of the princes of this world which come to naught But we speake the wisdom of God in a mistery euen the hid wisdome which God had determined before the world vnto our glory Which none of the princes of this world hath knowne For had they knowne it they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory When our first parents had offended thy hid themselues from God because this grace and mercy was hid from theÌ„ vntil God reuealed it vnto them saying The séed of the woman should breake the serpents head This grace of God is hid froÌ„ the wise who maketh account to be saued by their workes and who also are puffed vp with the same conceipt of their owne wisdome For the Scribes and the Pharisées and the Doctors of the lawe refused yea and condemned the grace of God to them offered From whom the grace of God was hid who had eyes to sée would not sée it According as we read in the 9. tha of the gospel after S. Ioh. V. 41. If ye were blind saith our Sauiour Christ to the Pharises ye should not haue sinne but now ye say we sée therefore your sinne remaineth Which is the iust iudgment of God vpon those the are wilfully blind wil not be partaker either of the grace of god or of their owne saluatioÌ„ Ioh. 9. 39. I am come saith Christ vnto iudgement into this world the they which sée not might sée that they which sée might be made blind Indeed this grace of god is offered vnto al but few there be yâ— do receiue it therefore few shall be saued Yet so the this matter commeth to passe through their owne fault and the whole world is left without excuse they especially who haue eies to see and sée not or rather wil not sée whose damnation in time to come wil be most iust But how hath this grace of God appeared It hath appeared not only wheÌ„ men least looked for it but also in such a time when it might doo most good wheÌ„ it might best be accepted As if Christians being vnder the Turkish slauery might be set frée when as they looked for nothing but perpetuall misery in the time of most cruel extremitie or as if one lying in a dangerous sicknes looking for nothing but death should haue remedie eueÌ„ then wheÌ„ al hope were past or as one being taken of the enemy preseÌ„tly to be slain yet shuld be rescued set frée And what greater slauery then the thraldom of the diuill and what greater death then the death of yâ— soule and what greaenemy then he whose hatred neuer endeth Yet such is the mercy of god yâ— when we haue deserued death damnation he commeth with these glad tidings Repent amend for the kingdom of God is at hand The Angels sing it Luk. 2. 14. Glory be to God in the high heauens and peace in earth and toward men good will Hereunto do all the prophets witnesse as saith the Apostle S. Peter preaching vnto Cornelius Act. 10. That through the name of Christ all that beleeue in him shuld receiue forgiuenesse of sins Yea our sauior Christ appeared vnto the Apostle S Paul from heauen as we reade Act. 26. Sending hun forth to open the eies of the people yâ— they might return froÌ„ darknes to light and from yâ— power of satan vnto god yâ— they might receiue forgiuenes of sins inheritance amoÌ„g them yâ— are sanctified by faith Which thing he witnessed most earnestly vnto the Ephesians Act. 20. 18. Ye know saith he from the first day that I came into Asia after what maner I haue bin with you at all seasons seruing the Lord with all modesty and with many teares tentations which came vnto me by the laying await of the Iewes And how I kept back nothing that was profitable but haue shewed you taught you openly throughout euery house Witnessing both to the Iewes to the Grecians meaning therby all sorts of people repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Iesus Christ Yea he is very carefull yâ— this grace of God might bee preached vnto all to their bettering and to their profit in that he warneth Timothie and by him all other ministers preachers and teachers counsailing him and them to instruct with méekenesse them that are contrary minded prouing if at any time they may receiue this grace And that they may come to amendment out of the snare of the deuill which are taken of him at his will Tit 3. 3. We our selues also saith the Apostle were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lusts and diuers pleasures liuing in maliciousnesse and enuie hatefull hating one an other But when the bountifulnesse and loue of God our Sauiour toward man apreared not by the workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the newe birth aâ—d the renuing of the holy Ghost Which he shead on vs abundantly through Iesus Christ our sauiour that we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life Without controuersie greate is the misterie of godlinesse which is God is manifested in the flesh iustified in the Spirit séene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beléeued on in the world and receiued vp in glory Which misterie although it lay in the beginning of the world as hid and vnknowne yet nowe is reuealed hath appeared and this sauing health hath nowe shewed it selfe the grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all hath bene made manifest vnto all That which was foretold by the prophets and holy men and was reuealed but to a fewe hath appeared as glorious as the sunne in his brightnesse whose beames are spread ouer the world this great grace hath béene and must be preached to all nations and to the end of the world is like to be offered vnto all It appeareth vnto all yet all â—â— not receiue it Christ came to saue sinners and his merâ—â—â—â— preached vnto them they are negligent wilfull and 〈◊〉 they make litle or no account and onely the repentent they are partakers of this grace For this is the condemnation of the world that light being come into the world men loued darknesse rather then light because in the workes of darkenesse all their delight was set And howe can this grace being offered take any place in our hearts before we haue remorce of our wicked waies before we féele and
perceiue the gréeuousnesse of our sinnes and haue a desire to leaue and forsake them before we hunger and thirst for this grace This is euen the light of the world which did shine abroad and yet the world knewe it not Christ came vnto his owne his owne receiued him not Oh howe secret are God his iudgmeÌ„ts that his grace is hid from some and appeareth vnto other And yet howe is this grace hid But froÌ„ them that make more account of their pleasures and fulfilling of their lusts who make more account of their wealth and riches as it is set downe in the parable of the séede cast in the earth then they do of this grace yea of this rich grace who cleaue vnto the world and loue the world more then God In whose mindes and hearts the God of this world that is to say the diuil doth raigne by his temptations As the Apostle witnesseth writing to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 4. 4. If our gospell and if this grace of God be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that the light of the glorious gospell of Christ should not shine vnto them And as the world knew him not and his owne people to whom he was sent receiued him not so as many as did receiue him to them he gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beléeue in his name and so are partakers of his grace Which are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Which grace although it hath bine a mistery hid since the world beganne and from all ages yet nowe is made manifest to his saincts to his beloued and those that do receiue him To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of this glorious mistery among the gentiles which riches is Christ the hope of glory in euery one of vs that are saued Whom we preach saith the Apostle admonishing euery one and teaching euery man in all wisdom that wée may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus and that euery one may be capable of this grace For God that commaunded the light to shine out of darkenesse is he which hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ hath sent vs foorth to preach that this his grace may euery where appeare Which doth appeare and shewe it selfe to all but so that the repentant sinners the faithfull beléeuers those onely that are made righteous in Christ do receiue the same Who as by this grace they are receiued into the fauour of God their sinnes being forgiuen them so are they not in any sort to take a libertie vnto themselues to sinne againe The lawe entred hereupon that the offence should abound and be made notorious neuerthelesse where sinne abounded their grace abounded much more That as sin had raigned vnto death so might grace also raigne by righteousnesse vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then Shall we continue still in sinne yâ— grace may abound God forbid How shal we yâ— are dead to sinne liue yet therein After the Apostle had shewed that by grace the mercy of god wée were saued fréely beloued fréely iustified and made righteous he sheweth also howe we are sanctified that is by practisiing all good workes so continning in this grace As we reade Tit. 3. 8. This is a true saying these things I wil thou shouldest affirm teach that they which haue beléeued in god might be carefull to shew foorth gods workes The good spirit of god and his grace it teacheth vs how we should be sanctified that is by denieng all vngodlinesse worldly lusts also by liuing soverly righteously godly in this present world They who beléeue are also iustified made righteous and they who are iustified yâ— is made righteous are also sanctified made holy This worke therefore of sanctification procéeding from the grace of god is liuely expressed in this text which I haue read vnto you And so much for the generall proposition The grace of God hath appeared vnto 〈◊〉 Vnto this generall proposition may be added thrée other principall parts of this text As first what is the effct of this Diuisicâ— grace that is sanctification wherein this sanctification coÌ„sisteth which is mortification viuification or yâ— I may vse more plaine euident termes in vtterly foresaking the lusts of our flesh our owne will desires imbracing all the is good leading a life agréeable to God his will Which part is set downe in these words teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse worldly lusts and yâ— we should liue soberly and righteously godly in this present world The second part is a perswasion reason mouing vs to this sanctification that is the glorious inheritance of the kingdome of god set downe by the circumstance of Christ his comming At which time the godly shall be receiued in to the kingdome of god in these words looking for the blessed hope appearing of the glory of the mighty god of our sauiour Iesus Christ The third part setteth downe the cause of this sanctification and yâ— is Christ who hath redéemed and purged vs to his purpose yâ— we might performe all good workes in these wordes Who gaue himselfe for vs yâ— he might redéeme vs from all iniquitie purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good workes The grace of god hath appeared vnto all and teacheth vs. In the life of man there are two teachers There is the wicked spirit of the diuil being accompanied The eâ—fect of this grace with our be â—raâ—eng flesh the naughty examples wicked 〈◊〉 of the world this teacher moueth vs to all 〈◊〉 worldly luâ—ts which fight against the soule this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath an 〈◊〉 multitude of schollers The other teacher is the spirit of God the grace of God which hath but a fewe followers because yâ— fewe imbrace the godly 〈◊〉 Mortification which 〈◊〉 Of which distinction I might 〈◊〉 stand on bring 〈◊〉 matter of godly edifieng but I leaue 〈◊〉 The grace of God teacheth vs howe farre héeretofore wee haue gone astray and openeth vnto vs howe loâ—t 〈◊〉 but â—aies haue bene wherein wée haue so â—elighted and howe greatly wée haue offended GOD. Whereas otherwise the eies of our vnderstanding are shut vp and we togither with the world and wicked company are carried away And first it sheweth vs how greatly we haue offended concerning religion and the seruice of God mentioned in these words Teaching vs to deny vngodtinesse which hath respect to that dutie we owe vnto God comprehended in the foure first commandements God hath created vs to serue and to worship him and to come to the knowledge of his wil as he
and those that confesse their sinnes as for the proude and them that vaunt and boast and make so great account of their good workes God beholdeth them a farre off A lowly an humble and contrite spirit is the onely sacrifice that god accepteth The grace of god worketh lowlinesse and humblenesse in our hearts it frameth vs to confesse our sinnes and by all meanes to endeuour to amend and neuer boast our selues of our good workes or to trust to be saued by them but rather by the mercy of god Although questionlesse they that do not practise good workes and as much as in them lieth labour to lead a holy and godly life shall neuer enter into the kingdome of god nor into the rest of blessed soules And therefore it followeth very well in my text The grace of God teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts Which are nothing else but the workes of the flesh which cannot agrée or at lestwise ought not to be séene in them that are sanctified by the grace of God These worldly lusts and workes of the flesh are such that no man can be ignorant of and they are too too manifest Which are as the Apostle reckneth them vp adultery fornicatiō vncleannes wantonnes idolatry witcheraft hatred debate emulatiōs wrath cōtention seditions heresies enuy murthers drunkennes gluttony and such like Whereof saith he I tolde you before as I also haue told you before that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of god For the performance of our inordinate affections and euil concupiscences the wrath of god commeth If we be led by the works of the flesh we shall die the death Well are they called in the Epistle to the Ephesians 4. 22. Deceiueable lusts because they deceiue vs in the end In the beginning is ioy and pleasure but in the end is destruction According as we reade Prou. 14. 12. There is a way which séemeth right to a man but the issues therof are the waies of death Let euery one of vs thinke that the grace of god dooth thus perswade vs that forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh wee should arme our selues with the same minde as to mortifie the déeds of the flesh and to cease from sinne That hencefoorth wee should liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lusts of men but after the will of god For it is sufficient and more then should haue béene that wee haue spent the time past as the wicked doo in this world Wherein it will séeme straunge to them that we runne not with them vnto the same excesse of riot And therefore they wil not spare to speake euill of vs to defame vs and to cast out many slaunders against vs. Wherein let vs be patient and referre the matter to God they shall answere for their ill deeds and giue accounts to him that is readie to iudge them All the punishments of this life death and death again in another world the seuere iudgement of God who is it that hath any sparke of grace that will not relent and haue remorce that will not now learne to deny their worldly lusts knowing that it shall cost them deare Who in this life would leape into the sea knowing he shall be drowned Who is it that would throw himselfe into the fire knowing that he shall be consumed All worldly lusts are vnderstood by the vncleannesse of the flesh because principally and aboue the rest we are giuen thereunto And therefore 1. Thess 4. 3. This is the will of God euen our sanctification and that we should abstaine from fornication That cuerie one of vs should know how to possesse his vessell that is his bodie in holinesse honour and not in the lust of concupiscence euen as the Gentiles and Heathen and wicked persons which know not God 1. Cor. 3. 16. Know ye not that we are the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs If any of vs destroy the temple of God him shall God destroy For the temple of God is holy which we are For our soules our hearts and consciences are the place wherein God should dwell They that follow their worldly lusts and delight in the workes of the flesh and are led by them it is a token that they are past grace and that God hath deliuered them vp to a reprobate minde Rom. 1. So when we do refraine and frame our selues another way it is a token that gods grace doth worke with vs. And that we may say as the Apostle that no fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers buggerers théeues railers extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God And such were some of vs yea such by nature are we all and who can say that either he is not or at leastwise was not in the number So that if it be otherwise we are washed we are sanctied and made clean in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the spirite of our gracious God who sendeth his grace into our hearts For such is the vertue of that spiritual fellowship which we haue with Christ that as the soule naturally ioyned to the bodie bringeth forth her effects so Christ dwelling in vs by faith and by the holy Ghost after a spirituall maner and by a spirituall vertue doth shew his power in vs to inable vs to resist sinne and to bridle the corrupt desires of the flesh Christ by his death hath abated the power of sinne that it can no longer be rancke in vs to do what we wil but dooth by little and little die vntill it be wasted and worne away For as when y◠hart of a man hath receiued a deadly wound he is accounted for dead although he liue a while because he cannot escape death so sinne in the death of Christ hath receiued a deadly wound And by reason of that neare coniunction which by faith we haue with Christ we are said to be dead with him vnto sinne I beseech you therfore brethren saith the Apostle Rom. 12 by the mercies of God that you giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God As indéed it cannot be that where the grace of God doth worke effectually but that we should deny our worldly lusts or at leastwise by little and little cause them to die in vs. They who by a true faith laie holde of Christ and his merits and do apply vnto themselues the death of Christ with all his benefits are also desirous to offer themselues acceptable vnto god For they that by the grace of god are made righteous by the same grace are also made holy séeing that Christ is made vnto vs both righteousnesse and sanctification as we read 1. Cor. 1. 30. Holinesse is a necessary consequent of the grace of god whereby they that are truly touched in all thankfull sort shewe themselues to god and doo approue themselues vnto him in all vprightnesse and innocencie of life Our minds our
forgetfull This third part setteth downe the cause of our sanctification in these wordes Who gaue himselfe for vs that hee might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to bee a peculiar people zealous of good workes The cause of our sanctification lieth The cause of sanctification partly in the death and passion of Christ and partly in the power of his holie spirite who is his vicegerent and deputie here on earth Before it pleased our sauiour to die for vs and by the shedding of his pretious bloud to clense vs from our sinnes we were altogither polluted and as the Prophet saith lying in our bloud Gréeuous sinnes in the sight of God miserable wretches appointed to death because through our iust desertes we were to looke for nothing els but eternall tormentes In which miserable and wofull estate our pitifull Sauiour séeing vs to be in gaue himselfe and offered himselfe most willingly to doe vs all the good he could and to make vs of a defiled and vnclean◠people cleane and holy And because in the lawe of Moses sacrifices were offered vp for the sinnes of the people and beastes slaine and bloud shed as we reade Heb. 9. 22. All thinges were by the lawe purged with bloud and without shedding of bloud is no remission and forgiuenesse therefore it pleased our Sauior Christ to shed his dearest bloud that as the Prophet Esay ca. 53. saith by his stripes we were healed so by his bloud we might be clensed Which thing the Prophet Dauid meaneth in his 51. Psal which is the Psalme of his repentance wherein he sheweth his heartie griefe and his vnfeigned sorrow for those hainous sinnes whereby he had prouoked Gods wrath against him Haue mercie vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnesse according to thy compassions put away mine iniquities Wash me throughly from mine iniquitie and cleanse me from my sinne Purge me with hisope and I shal be cleane wash me and I shal be whiter then snowe Now if the bloud of bulles and goates and heiffers in the time of Moses lawe which law God ordained though Moses was the minister if the bloud of these beastes in Moses lawe sprinckling them that were vncleane did sanctifie and clense them by an outward kinde of clensing and sanctification Howe much more saith the Apostle Heb. 9. 14. shall the bloud of Christ that most perfect and absolute sacrifice who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God At the time of his death and passion this matter was most notably declared when as his side being pierced through with a speare there issued out from thence both water and bloud to giue out a most effectuall signification that hée was the cause of our sanctification and cleansing from our sinnes Which is prooued by that which we reade I. Corinth 6. Knowe ye not saith the Apostle that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God Be not deceiued neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkardes nor railers nor extortioners shall inherite the kingdome of God And such were some of you and who can say my heart is cleare But ye are washed but ye are sanctified and made cleane in the name of the Lord Iesus that is by the shedding of his bloud and also we are sanctified and made cleane saith hée by the spirite of our God According to that of the Prophet Dauid in the Psalme aforesaide Wash me throughly and cleanse me from my sinne and establish me with thy frée spirit which may assure me that I am drawne out of the slauery of sin and that my guiltinesse shall be no more laid to my charge The law entred thereupon that the offence should abound that is the it might be known to be notorious neuerthelesse where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more That as sinne had raigned vnto death so might grace also raign by righteousnesse and sanctification vnto eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. The which grace that is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes through the blood of Christ the good spirit of God the holy Ghost doth certifie vnto our hearts And therefore it is well said to be the comfortor as our Sauiour Christ promised that after his ascention vp into heauen hée would send the comfortour Ib. 14. 16. and 16. 7. By the vertue of which spirite the power of sinne is beaten downe and our hearts are renued our mindes altered our liues chaunged and we become new creatures which before were foule and filthie ougly and loathsome through the deformitie of sinne and now are we sanctified and made holy But wherefore hath Christ redéemed vs from all our 〈◊〉 of good workes iniquitie and purged vs that we might be a peculiar people vnto himselfe if it bee not to this intent and purpose that wee should bee zealous of good workes A thankfull minde would aske how so great benefits might be requited and if no recompence could be made as certainly it cannot it would be desirous to know how part of a mends might be made and would be maruellous readie to put in practise any dutie which might shewe the thankfulnesse thereof Thou néedest not in this matter to go farre to enquire and search it out only this is required of thée that thou maiest shewe thy thankfulnesse bee zealous of good workes For we are the workmanship of God esperially by grace created anew in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wee should walke in them Heere are all carnall gospellers condemned who liue in hope that vnder the countenance of their profession all libertie of life will be borne out well inough Who turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and make their profession their shame making Christ his death to bee nothing else but as it were a boude vnto their lewde life Here may we sée that the Lord hath not laide downe his life to purchase no other thing at our hands besides a profession of the truth but that he bought with his bloud a zealous addicting of our selues to Christian conuersation It is a wonder to sée how the wicked will boast of the benefite of Christ his blood how mightie it is to merite how sufficient to saue from sinne But for all that they will not giue ouer any libertie of life that before they haue enioyed whereas the life of Christ was giuen to purchase a new conuersation as well as a new profession For he gaue himselfe for vs that we might giue our selues vnto him being a peculiar people zealous of good workes Let vs marke it then my brethren that he gaue himselfe for vs that our life might be let out to honour him He made not so slender a purchase with so great a price as if he had a déep and sorrowfull sigh or a good word at our last breath that would suffice him no his life was
belong to God and yet liue in sin what is it if we come to the church and in an outward shew of good works would haue others to thinke vs to be Gods deare children when neither our owne heartes and consciences neither yet the spirite of God can testifie that we are such as we would séeme to be both before God and in the sight of men S. Iohn saith plainly 1. Ioh. 1. If we say that we haue any company with God and walke in darkenesse doing that which displeaseth God we lie and the trueth is not in vs. Loue and obedience to God shew forth our adoptiō but they that passe not for the commandementes of God shew that there is no loue and obedience in them 1. Ioh. He that saith he knoweth and loue God and yet keepeth not his commandements is a lier Some falsly perswaded themselues that they loue God when they hate their neighbours but the same Apostle telleth them If any man say I loue God and yet hateth his brother he is a liar He that saith he is the light and hateth his brother he is still in darkenesse he that loueth his brother dwelleth in the light but he that hateth him walketh in darknesse and knoweth not whither he goeth for darkenesse hath blinded his eies And moreouer he saith Hereby we manifestly know the children of god from the children of the diuel he that doth not righteously is not the child of god neither he that hateth his brother As the tree is knowne by his frute so is our adoption made knowne vnto vs by godly and christian affections Let vs not therfore any further deceiue our selues in thinking we are the adopted children of god when as yet we haue a greater delight in sin then in god For then our sinful liues shall declare the contrary against vs and shall make vs to be ashamed of our boasting whatsoeuer we shall think or say for our selues It is not our fond and vain imaginations that the spirit of god doth witnesse vnto but a sanctified heart and a cleane soule and a pure life is the house that the spirit of god doth dwel in and which also doth giue such manner of people a full assuraunce that they pertaine to god and that as they are the sonnes of god in this life so shall they be the saints of god in another life Also this is no small token of our adoption when we féele our hearts inclined and our minds maruellous desirous Hearing God◠word to heare the word of god preached According as we read Iohn 8. He that is of God heareth Gods words ye therfore heare them not because ye are not of God For who do more scorne and disdain to heare gods word and do make a iest of it then they who as we terme thē are gracelesse and make litle reckoning whether they be accounted the children of god or no. So that by the contrarie it may euidently appeare that they in whome the grace of god hath taken effect do greatly reuerence and greatly regard the word of god Because not only from time to time it is a meane to seale gods promises in our hearts and to make vs more and more to reioyce in the Lord but also by little and little the selfesame marke in their foreheads And although I might recite more I wil adde but one other token of Gods adoption in his children and that is that they are sorrie Sory to see others offend whē they see other do wickedly and endeuour to withdraw them from their wicked waies giuing them counsell and admonishing them to the contrary hating their sinnes and louing their soules Exhorting also their brethren and sisters to continue in the grace of God according to the counsell of the Apostle Let vs exhort one another and prouoke vnto good workes Take héede brethren lest at any time there be in any of you an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God But exhort one an other daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Praying continually that the spirit of God which hath assured vs of our adoption may rule and raigne in vs and that from so holy a roote may spring godly blossomes as faith loue mercy patience humilitie chastitie desire of Gods word hartie good will to his ministers diligence in praier togither with all increase of righteousnesse They that earnestly and with a good heart heare Gods word and bring foorth worthie frutes they that reuerence and regard the ministers of Gods word they that exercise themselues in all good workes they whose delight is in them that feare God and who make much of the Godly and who also are sorrie to sée others fall from God they no doubt are such who may certainelie assure themselues of their adoption and of the loue and fauour of God So much for the second part of this text noting out vnto vs the assurance of our adoption and confirming vs in the same set downe in these words The same spirit beareth witnesse wiih our spirit that we are the children of God 3. The third part which followeth is nothing else but ioy and comfort honour and dignitie If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with The worthinesse of adoption Christ In which words are conteined the worthinesse of our adoption and that in as high degrée of honour as may be Nowe we are no more seruants subiect vnder the feare and bondage of the lawe but the sonnes of God hauing obtained his fauour through the meanes of our elder brother Christ Iesus If sonnes we are more then sonnes and that is heires and that not of an earthly patrimonie Heires but of the kingdome of heauen Heires of kings or emperours nay more then that heires of God yea and fellowe heires with Christ our Sauiour which sitteth at the right hand of God far aboue al principallitie might and power and dominion in most excellent dignitie A seruant lightly is neuer preferred to that dignitie as to be made an heire and how should it come to passe y◠wee being seruants and bondslaues vnder the spirit of bondage feare should obtaine so great a fréedome and dignitie as to be the heires of God but only through the bountifulnesse of God which passeth all the preheminence and dignitie y◠man can gine or is or would be willing to giue especially to a seruant And how should we that are seruants sinners perswade our selues of so great a dignitie as to be made heires if it were not that the spirit of God did assure our hearts y◠our reconciled God had made vs his children his sonnes and of sonnes heires It is not a thing vsuall in the world that the sonnes of any one man should all be heires no although their progenitors were nobles Our prouerbe is that a man of smal wealth is called bnt ayonger