will bee called Christians and will also with open mouth make profession therof and yet notwithstanding are such as bee farre worse then the Papists for they neuer went thus farre in Popery to saie that those which were damned and cursed before God could any way possibly bee saued without faith The very Papists themselues wil grant this and these dogs do vtterly reiect raze out euerie whit of this as if there were nothing els said but this So Abram a very wise man and this was the vertue in him which made him beleeue God Here we see a sort of villaines that would be accounted to be famous men and bee called Maisters and Doctours and yet are so madde and so possessed with furie as that they would vtterly ouerthrow all Wherefore wee are to bee so much the more attentiue and heedfull vnto that which is here conteined For on the one side Moses saith THAT ABRAM BELEEVED GOD and on the other side he addeth that this beleefe or faith was imputed to him for righteousnes And first we are here to define what BELEEFE is for otherwise wee shall make nothing of it And here we see how the Papists are entangled in their errors for although they confesse in part that wee are iustified by faith yet can they not fully conceiue and accept it And what is the reason Forsooth it is because they vnderstand not what this word Faith or Beleefe meaneth And for the better vnderstanding hereof we must ioyn somthing betweene faith and the promise For a man may sing well with one voice alone howbeit there will bee no perfect melodie without ther be many tunable voices agreeing togither Euen so is it with faith for if the word of God goeth not before and faith agree therwith there will neuer be any good hermony For the word of God faith are two things which cannot be seperated For so a man may speake exceeding much of beleefe and yet notwithstanding it should be as we say like an hie Almaine a barbarous kinde of speech as it is amongst the Papists vntill such time as wee bee come vnto this point that God must speak we must haue our eares open attentiue to obey and giue place vnto his word What thē is Belief It is to receiue whatsoeuer is spokē vnto vs from the mouth of god with such reuerēce as that we hold it to be certain sure And yet wee must do more then all this for God wil somtimes speak in such sort as that we shal be no whit the better to heare him We haue seene heretofore that whē he spake vnto Cayn and asked him where his brother was the Cain right well knew that he must answer before his iudge in despite of his teeth neuertheles he grombled and was angry saying who made mee my brothers keeper Adam also heard the like voice where art thou howbeit hee was so afeard as that he would haue hid himself and haue been glad to haue found some bottomles dungeon to haue fled from the presence of God Wherefore it is not inough for vs to heare the word of God with that authoritie that it deserueth but it must also be therewithall quallified that is to say it must be such a sure and certaine word vnto vs as may make vs approach neere vnto God and make vs partakers of his bountie and goodnes and not to doubt but that he wil be our Father and Sauiour and so therupon may be bold to call vppon him and hold our selues for his children flie vnto him for succour and aide Thus we see how Abram beleeued it was no fantasticall opinion which hee had conceiued in his braine Ro. 10.17 for Faith as S. Paul saith commeth by hearing and by hearing of the word of God Abram then heard and was taught before he beleeued Neither was hee instructed by anie creature or mortall man but knew right well that it was GOD which called him to be one of his children Now this had not been inough as wee haue already sayd but Abram heard these words I AM THINE EXCEEDING Gen. 15. 1 GREAT REWARD I AM THY DEFENCE FEARE NOT FOR I AM THE ALMIGHTIE GOD WHICH HATH BROVGHT THEE OVT OF CHALDE AND OVT OF HER OF THE CHALDEANS and as hereafter wee shall see and as we haue already partly handled it in the twelfth Chapter That Abram beleeued not God in hearing I cannot tell what and which apperteined nothing vnto him or to heare some perticuler speech but he beleeued God when as hee verily beleeued that hee was kept and reserued to be an inheritour of the kingdome of heauen Thus we see what his faith was But for the better vnderstanding hereof wee are to note that there is a perticuler faith and a faith also which comprehendeth whatsoeuer is requisite for our saluation As if God should now threaten vs it might so fall out as that it would moue and touch the hearts of verie hypocrites contemners of his word Now this is said to be a perticuler faith For how many do we see when as the iudgements of God are set before them to be amazed and seared as it were within with an hotte yron looking on euery side when they should fall vpon them and why so Forsooth the reason is that although they would stomacke and brag out the matter neuer so much yet shall they bee driuen to acknowledge and vnderstand that they shal neuer be able to escape the heauenly iudge his handes These men then I say haue a certain kind of faith howbeit it is but in part and it is such a peece of faith as will do them no good as for example you shall see some men assure themselues vppon a perticuler promise when as they are in daunger for if a man shall come and saie vnto them that God will haue compassion vppon them they can lyke verie well of this speech howbeit it is but onelie in an expectation Againe we shall see another man extreemly sicke or suffering great pouertie and it may be that hee will call vppon GOD for aide Another man may bee brought vnto such an extreame daunger as that hee is as it were at his wittes ende yet hee hath a good hope because hee knoweth that God can helpe him Nowe these are but perticuler beleefes and can not saue vs and so consequently not iustefie vs but when wee shall assure our selues of our adoption wherein consisteth all our felicitie this is it that maketh vs hope that GOD will bee our Father vnto the ende because hee hath promised that his children shall not perish and that wee maye call vppon him as vppon our GOD for our vndoubted saluation Now then when as wee shall haue this promise by which God vniteth vs vnto him selfe and so allyeth him selfe vnto vs as that wee neuer doubt that hee will forget vs this then is such a faith as comprehendeth within it all the promises 1. Timo. 4.8 For as Shint
a custome beare sway that such an abuse ruleth reigneth is receiued accepted and that we dwel liue amōgst infidels and idolaters what a condemnation shall that be vnto vs seeing that Melchisedech so constantly firmely persisted stood soundly in his faith beliefe Let vs therefore lift vp our eies vnto God haue our eares fixed as it were vnto his word all our senses attentiue that we be neuer carried away although we shuld be tossed vp downe here below as it were in the sea driuen too and fto with windes and tempests and that if there were a people that should hold a religion that there should be some great king that would haue them thus thus to gouern themselues yet let vs learne to hold vs alwaies vnto our God alone that it is inogh for vs to bewar that we neuer decline from the way which he hath shewed vnto vs by his word that the bright shining light of the law the ghospell be euer before vs that we shal neuer erre so long as we know God to be our guide leader Thus wee see what wee are to learne from the example of Melchisedech Let vs now come to the text of Moses It is said that Melchisedech king of Salem offered bread and wine and was a priest of the liuing God and blessed Abram It is meete that this text bee resolued That Melceisedech inasmuch as he was a king receiued Abram and gaue vnto him bread and wine for the refreshing of his people and being by qualitie a Priest blessed him and that Abram also gaue him the tythe of all the spoile Here we see that Melchisedech is set before vs both a King and a Priest Now here wee are to distinguish of the diuers actes by the seuerall offices For as I haue already said in as much as he was a King he dealt liberally with Abram hee refreshed him and all his company and for as much as hee was a Priest hee blessed Abram Now it was a common thing amongst the auncient Fathers for euery king to be a priest and the very prophane people do shew that that was vsed in many Countries For Kings were not contented with their kingly estate but desired also through ambitiō to be Priests because they thought it to be a more holie dignitie then the maiestie of a King And thus wee see why they would oftentimes be Priests And in verie deed we see that that was a most ambitious desire and that they which coueted credite and estimation would alwaies aspire and clime that way but how euer it is it is certaine that Moses reciteth this as a singular thing in Melchisedech Neuertheles we see that God hath in his law made a difference betweene the one and the other and wil not haue them both to rest in one person And Moses was as excellent a man in all perfectiō F.x. 28.1 of vertues as euer was born in the world and yet wold not God for all that haue him to be a Priest also but would haue his brother Aaron to take vpon him the office because Moses had inough to do with the ciuill gouernment that was laid vpon him And in very deed we see how Osias was punished 2. Chron. 26.21 for being a king hee was arrogantly puffed vp to take vpon him the vsurpation of the priesthood and for onely sensing vppon the Aultar with frankensence hee was striken with a leprosie put to great shame and made a recluse all the daies of his life And yet for all that it seemed that his deuotion was good or at least that he was to be excused Yea but god did not punish the outward act only for he knew well inough the pride of king Osias heart And besides it is said That obedience is better then all the sacrifices in the world 1. Sam. 15.22 And because he thrust himself into an office which God expresly forbad and troubled the vocation order which shuld haue been inuiolably kept vve see wherfore he is punished And for so much as he would not content himselfe with his estate and degree therefore it was meet that hee should be made infamous and detestable and bee quite and cleane seperated from the company of men Thus we see that in the law were two things which were not tollerated to be in one man to wit kingdom and priesthood And therefore seeing it is so wee must conclude that this example which is heere set downe is absolute singular and apperteineth not vnto the law True it is that at that time the lawe was not as then written and the Tribe of Leuie was not yet in the world to take vppon it the right of the priestly dignitie howbeit this example is here set downe vnto vs for instruction to the end the lawe might remaine in her full strength and the Church thereby might bee edified as appeareth by the Psalme by mee alledged And therefore wee must conclude Psal 110. that it was not spoken of Salomon nor yet of any other king descended from the Stemme of Dauid For if they were kings they must not haue entermedled themselues with the priesthood for if they did they were Apostates Wherefore when it is said that there should bee a king a figure of Melchisedech and according to his order and estate that sheweth that it was not spoken of the whole race of Dauid vvhich vvas descended of him according to the flesh sauing vntill such time as vve come vnto the high priest our Lord Iesus Christ True it is that hee is the sonne of Dauid and of his seed But there is in him an especiall yea an onely regard to bee had vvhich is that hee made an end of the priesthood of the lavv because his kingdome is spirituall and that is it also that shall make an end of this earthly kingdom vvhich vvas established but for a time and that vntill his comming Novv vvhen it is called perpetuall the meaning is that hee hath cōtinued in the person of the redeemer And therfore this is it that we are to obserue out of these vvords of Moses vvhen he saith That Melchisedech vvas king of Salem and that hee vvas vvithall a priest We see then that these tvvo offices belong to none but vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ according to that rule vvhich God hath set dovvne in his lavv and therefore vve are out of all doubt that it vvas the priesthood of Iesus Christ vvhich vvas shevved vnto Abram to the end his faith by that meanes might be sealed and the better confirmed For sith the bodie vvas not seene it behoued that there should be some shadovves at the least thereof And therefore had the fathers the shadovves of it for the vpholding of their faith stil looking for the appearing of Iesus Christ They had I say shadovves and figures And although that be not to vs common vvith them yet is it verie profitable for vs. For vve
himselfe but hy reason of him whose figure he beare as Dauid was far greater then all the Angels when it was said of him Thou art my sonne Psal 2.7 Hebr. 2. ◠this daie haue I begotten thee This was not spokē saith the Apostle of any Angel and yet was Dauid a wretched sinner the sonne of Adam euen as well as any of the rest And how then is it here that he is so highly exalted as that the Angels are made inferiors vnto him It is because that this figure represented the maiestie of the sonne of God not the person of Dauid alone Wee must then come to this point that Melchisidech could not bee aboue Abram but in regarde of the truth which he figured And therefore wee must conclude that Iesus Christ was euen then declared to the end that the beliefe of the faithfull might bee altogither grounded on him because there was none other saluation giuen vnder heauen from the beginning but the same which is at this daie reuealed vnto vs in the Gospell Now it is true that there is a common kinde of blessing For to blesse is oftentimes taken in the holie scripture for to praie as hereafter wee shall see that one common man blesseth another saying God blesse thee as when we salute one another they are blessings this is the common phrase of the holie scriptures But there is a singuler blessing which is reserued for the priestes And therefore marke why it is so often saide in the lawe The priestes which blesse the people in the name of God that is to say which haue that authoritie giuen them thereto And the same forme hath been deliuered vnto vs in the sixt Chapter of Numbers where it is said Num. 6.23.24.25 26. Luk. 1.24.50 Thus shall the priestes blesse my people The Lord blesse you and keepe you the Lorde make his face to shine vpon you And againe The Lord be fauourable vnto you and grant you his peace Thus wee see what a form the Lord hath set downe in his church And for this cause also it is said when as Iesus Christ ascended into heauen that he lifted vp his handes ouer his Apostles as the priestes did to the end to accomplish the figures of the lawe in blessing his Disciples This then is the blessing which is heere spoken of Hebr. 7.7 And marke why the Apostle reasonneth not without cause that it must needs be that Melchisedech in this qualitie was farre more excellent then Abram because hee blessed him And yet is Abram the father of the whole Church We are therfore to conclude that our Sauiour Christ hath a farre greater maiestie then any earthly maiestie hath or can haue and that in the person of the Mediator Wherefore all power and dignitie must bee subiect vnto him and regard him and both great and small must acknowledge and confesse that God his father hath giuen vnto him the chiefe aucthoritie euen in this humane nature of his and euery knee must how and kneele vnto him Thus we see how these wordes of S. Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians are to be vnderstood Philip 2.9.10 And this is it which we are to remember It remaineth now that wee apply these wordes to our own vse benefit that is we must not doubt but that Melchisedech blessed Abram in a figure euen as at this daye our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the euerlasting Priest blesseth vs in the name of God his Father For this praier which is here set downe is not in vain but must needes bee effectuall because wee know that it could not bee otherwise chosen but that he must needs be heard Let vs therfore conclude that so long as wee put our trust in Iesus Christ wee haue him for our Aduocate towards God his Father And although we are cursed in Adam and do daily bring a new curse vpon our heads through our sins transgressions yet notwithstanding the same shall hereby be blotted out prepared in that our lord Iesus christ vouchsafeth in deed in truth to take vpon him the office to blesse vs. We see also the praier which he once made in the gospel after S. Iohn in this maner Holy father I do not onely pray here vnto thee for these to wit Ioh. 17.20 21. for the eleuē apostles and Disciples which he had chosen vnto himself But I pray also for all those which shall belieue in my name through their preaching that they may all be one in me as I am one in thee and that wee may be all one In this sort did our sauiour Iesus Christ pronounce these words out of his owne month to wit that he praid not for his Disciples alone which were of his own company but also for as many as belieue in him through their preaching Let vs heere then learne that when soeuer wee shall imbrace the doctrine of the Ghospell in true obedience that wee be surely persuaded that the sonne of God is giuen to vs for our souereign and onely good Thus we see how powerfull his praier will alwaies be for it is needlesse for him to beginne the same at euening at morne euerie day For it is sufficient that he hath sealed it with his blood and by that onely and euerlasting sacrifice which hee offered vp once for all For wee are assured to haue our praiers heard when as we pray vnto God in the name of our lord Iesus Christ For our praiers shuld stink yea infect the aire if wee considered what God is and afterward considered what wee our selues are Howbeit our praiers are made holy through the priestly blessing of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ vnto whom we must looke that wee might bee partakers of all his benefites Thus we see in summe how we are to applie this saying of Moses vnto our benefite and the building vp of our faith where it is said That Abram the father of the faithfull was blessed We see herein that Abram as of him selfe was accursed sith hee was faine to borrow the priestly blessing And Melchisedech also right well knew that there is nothing in vs but miserie and wretchednes and that it is God that must blesse vs and that we must imbrace it with all humilitie if wee will enioy the benefite that is brought vnto vs by our Lord Iesus Christ and which hee daily offreth vnto vs by the preaching of the Gospell Now hereupon Moses reciteth the blessing of Melchisedech BLESSED ART THOV ABRAM saith he OF GOD MOST HIGH possesser of heauen and earth And blessed bee the most high God that hath deliuered thine enemies into thy hand hee blessed Abram in the name of God as wee haue alreadie alledged out of the law Wee must not heere vnderstand that when the priestes haue the office to blisse that it proceedeth as from their owne authoritie and that God hath resigned his office ouer vnto them and his honour and praise to be thereby so
Paule saith The feare of God which proceedeth from Fayth hath not onelie the promises of the life now but of the Life to come For wee maye conclude that all thinges shall goe well with vs if so be that God fauoureth vs and accepteth of vs. Heere then wee see what wee are to retaine as concernyng this worde Beleefe Abram then beleeued GOD that is to saie Abram receiued the promise by which GOD certefied him that hee was his Sauiour that hee embraced our Lord Iesus Christ that was offered him by whom hee knew wee were reconciled vnto God although wee were woorthie to bee accompted his enemies and to haue mortall warres made vppon vs by reason of our sinne and corruption Wherefore Abram is beholden vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ and was fully perswaded that that was the verie bond by which wee are conioyned and vnited vnto God as that we are partakers both of his life and also of all his benefites Here then we see Abrams beliefe to the end we take it not so leanly and sparingly as the Papists do Wee see now in summe that we shal neuer be able to vnderstand what this word Faith and Beliefe meaneth except we come to this melodie of the Promise and of the Receipt thereof And why is it that God so often saith by his Prophets I will call you my people and you shall say Thou art our God Thus we see why God first speaketh and it belongeth to him so to do for what a rash part were it of me to insinuate my selfe to come vnto God and to call him my Father who am no better then a worme crawling vppon the earth no nor so good neither but rather sinne and horrible infection to be condemned for euer whom Sathan by nature possesseth whose bond-slaues wee all are and yet call God my Father Yea to see mee vsurpe and take vppon me such honour as the verie Angels themselues as of themselues are not worthie But when he hath once pronounced this saying I am thy Father now it is no more cursed boldnesse and presumption to take our selues to be of the number of his children but an holy confidence and trust by which we ratefie his truth And this is the greatest honour that we can do him whē as he hath said the word to content our selues therwith and rest therin Thus I say wee see what true beleefe is euen that which is here shewed vnto vs by the example and instruction in Abram Now it is said that that was imputed vnto him for righteousnes and that it was God that imputed the same vnto him We are now to set downe what this word Impute and this word Righteousnes signifieth in comprehending also therewith the name of God This word Impute importeth as much as to allow or account of As when a man oweth any thing if he hath payd it he is allowed it Or if when his debtes are set downe he sheweth that he hath payd this and payd that well hee is so allowed it as that he is discharged of it and hath his quietus est Now in our naturall French language this word Impute is alwaies taken in ill part For we neuer say that anie vertue is imputed to a man for the word Impute importeth a matter of reproach or of a fault done for wee will say this matter will be imputed vnto him as a fault Now the scripture vseth this word in common as well in good part as in ill that is imputeth righteousnes and imputeth not sinnes And therefore when it is said that Faith was imputed vnto Abram it is as much to saie as that it ouerthroweth whatsoeuer might come as from him Neuertheles we shall neuer be able to vnderstand the valure and estimation of this word but by the contrarie For when it is sayd that sinnes are imputed vnto vs it is as much to saie as our sinnes are registred in the Recordes and we stand in them condemned so that there remaineth nothing but iudgement and execution And therefore accursed are wee so long as God imputeth vnto vs our trespasses For it is sayd Psal 32. Blessed are they to whome the Lord imputeth not their sinnes And so consequently accursed is the whole world when as GOD shall proceede as a Iudge against it and impannell a Iewrie of life and death thereon What then is the meaning of these wordes That Faith is imputed for righteousnes It is this that God putteth it into an allowance for vs so that thereby our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs for the one cannot bee vnderstood without the other and therefore the imputing of righteousnes is the cause why our sinnes are no more imputed vnto vs to iudge and condemne vs. For the imputing of righteousnes is in summe meere pardon and absolution Here now we see the right meaning of this word And now let vs see what this word righteousnes importeth For this word is not a vertue as if a man should saie him to be iust and righteous which gouerneth without out reproach But the righteousnes which is here spoken of is a fauour and grace which God bestoweth vppon vs because he would haue mercie vppon vs and of his meere liberalitie bee reconciled vnto vs. And therefore this righteousnes which Moses heere speaketh of is not a qualitie that wee are to looke for in men but a fauour which God beareth vnto vs when as it pleaseth him to burie our sinnes in the bottomlesse sea of his mercy and not once looke after them again and accept of vs as if wee had absolutely accomplished the law And why is that Forsooth because Iesus Christ is righteous and his perfect righteousnes is imputed and allowed vnto vs. And as he is ours by the gift of God his Father and daily offereth himselfe also vnto vs by the Ghospell euen so communicateth he his righteousnes vnto vs when as we possesse and enioy him And God vouchsafeth it euen as well as if wee our selues had wrought the same in our owne persons And thus we see what the meaning of this word Righteousnes is for now I do but vnfold these things by litle and litle because wee meane heereafter to amplifie the true summarie of the whole Wee will nowe come to speake of the name of GOD For men may impute vs to bee righteous by reason of some apparance and outward shewe of holines and vertue which they may thinke to be in vs and to like well of vs and so wee shall haue a great number of imputations that is to say verie Catalogues of righteousnes and imputations we shall be absolued yea and also exceedingly commended and praised when as they shal see vs to haue walked godly vertuously and yet all this is nothing And therefore we must come vnto the heauenly iudge as it is said of him And see why Moses namely expresseth That God imputeth Abrams beleefe for righteousnes Now if all the world had so esteemed and liked of Abrams faith
and had canozized him as a man would say as if he had been an Angell it had vanished away all like smoke but it is God that spake it euen hee who is a competent iudge and to whom belongeth thé giuing of sentence either of saluation or condemnation Wherefore when God absolued Abram after that maner and acknowledged held him for righteous this we see was the principall point And therefore we now see that Abram was iustified by Faith Whereuppon S. Paul saith it followeth that he could no way deserue to be righteous by his workes and that he brought nothing with him of his owne why God should like of him but that he freely receiued him and made him one of his children And in deed S. Paul when hee meaneth to speake of free iustification taketh here this way with himself to shew that there is none other hope to bee saued but by the meere mercie and goodnes or God because hee pardoneth our sinnes that wee might please him Wherefore when S. Paul entreth into this argument hee fetcheth this Theme from Abram for hee presupposeth that which is true that there are not sundrie waies to be iustified before God and that there is but one onely rule And therefore if Abram was iustified by faith we al also must so be without exception Moreouer if there could be found in any mortall man that vertue which might merite no doubt of it Abram surmounted all others therin We haue alreadie heard how he forsooke the country wherin he was borne how he renounced him selfe and all his humane and naturall affections and how he absolutely obeyed God We haue also heard of his patieÌ„ce how coÌ„stantly he aboad in al his temptations how he persisted to the end in the vocatioÌ„ wherunto god had called him to be short we haue heard that he failed in nothing Now we that are here are far from this perfection How then dareth he whatsoeuer he is be once so bold as to vant himself to be able to appeare righteous before God through his owne merits considering that Abram was neuer able to doo it howbeit let that suffice vs which I haue alreadie spoken of to wit that there is but one onelie rule that can make vs please God and that is it which is heere set downe vnto vs in the person of Abram And withall wee must thus conclude also that sith Abram was iustified by beleeuing God that our workes can no whit auaile vs to be lyked of God and to make a foundation of the hope which we must haue of euerlasting saluation it is God that must giue vs all in all and not wee once presume to bring any thing with vs of our owne towardes it We will speake hereof more at large hereafter but in the meane while wee will vse the easiest way of proceeding herein we possibly may Here now we see as I haue already said our A. B. C. And this is the perfection of all our wisedome And will not this be inough when as we haue learned the principle and ground of our faith and vnderstood what entrance we should haue for our profit in the schoole of God which is the principall key of all the Gospell and which leadeth vs euen to the true end wherby we may know which way we may walke aright and attaine vnto the inheritance which God hath layd vp in store for vs. And therefore when as wee shall perceiue that this place leadeth vs thereunto no doubt of it we should either ought to looke vnto it or els we shal be most villainously vnthankfull Now we haue hitherto set downe these things most familiarly and easily so that there is not so yoong a childe as cannot but taste therof Let vs now then come to the point which I haue a ready touched which is that Abram brought nothing with him whatsoeuer why God should accent him but rested wholly vppon the meere grace and liberalitie conteined in the promise Let vs now then hereuppon consider of what time it is spoken Certaine it is that Abram had serued God so long as that a man would haue thought hee might now haue been very well discharged and freed in the common ordinary iudgement of man And therefore it must necessarily follow that Abram was all his life long iustified by the only meane of Faith Now this would seâ—me somewhat obscure and darke if wee should â—not make it more plaine and manifest And it shall bee made the plainer and minifester in giuing light vnto the truth by the leasinges of Poperie and by the errors wherewith all those infernall schooles are corrupted and infected I haue alreadie said that the Papists wil easily inough grant that without faith we can no waies please God â—or be in his fauor Wherfore wheÌ„ they haue â—nce granted this principle that wee are all accursed in Adam then may they as wel say that we must receiue the first grace from Iesus Christ That is to say that seeing we are plunged in the bottomles pit of destruction through originall sinne Iesus Christ must needs fetch vs out of it Now from hence they draw a false and pernicious doctrine by which they corrupt and falsifie Moses conclusion and S. Pauls also most excellent interpretation For they say that the righteousnes which they call Initiall commeth of faith and of pure and simple Faith but that afterward we must be partly iustified by our workes Now this is somewhat darke to bee vnderstood howbeit I will so set it downe as that euerie one shall be able to vnderstand it This word then Initiall is as much to say as Beginning and it is a word that is taken from the Latine for it is as much to say as the beginning righteousnes in a pure faith Wherfore the Papists will confesse that God taketh vs to be his enimies and doth accuâ—se vs because we are nothing els but as it were a most filthie and stinking dunghill aâ—d therefore by reason of our staines and pollâ—tions he cannot chuse but reiect vs. They wil grant al this and it seemeth at the first sight to be the way to humble vs. And besides also they shew no les but that it is Iesus Christ that must help remedie whatsoeuer wants we haue to hold vs by the hand and reconcile vs vnto God his Father Now when they haue brought vs to this then they tel vs that we must in part merite to be righteous and that must forsooth be done though the merites of our workes so as they set downe free righteousnes all at once when as we are receiued into the Church by Baptisme which is inough so we see that Iesus Christ hath done his part And yet in verie deed they adde and say that we cannot be absolutely righteous but they shall in spite of their teeth feele it and experience also will conuince them that they are many waies beholden to God But soone after they come in say that they haue their
charitable because they right well knowe that they shall not loose their labour as it is written Yea but how know they that Forsooth by the testimonie of the Gospell Now what are the words of the Gospel Verily Rom. 3. that God will bee mercifull vnto vs if so wee beleeue in his onelie sonne For the righteousnes which is there offered vs as saint Paul saith hath borne witnes of the law But is not holpen by the law that is to say by whatsoeuer works we are able to doo But because wee are grounded on the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ This Text then sheweth vs that the faithfull may bee a great deale better and more earnestly disposed to serue God because they knowe that their paines shall be accepted And yet notwithstanding they rest themselues vpon this free goodnes which is promised them because they flie vnto our Sauiour Iesus Christ Heere wee see how grosly the Papists are deceiued For from this word Reward they draw the word Merite as if they would play the Alcumistes Now there is great difference betweene the one and the other For what importeth this word Merite To Merite is to make God bound vnto vs that we might say I haue wel deserued this thing or that I am worthy of it And he which doth not acknowledge the Merite is vnthankfull if hee discharge his duetie vnto him vnto whom he is bound and beholden If we could then deserue any thing at Gods handes it must needs follow that he for his part should he beholden vnto vs and doo vs wrong if he paid vs not that which he ought vs. True it is that he is pur debtor but a voluntary debtor For hee shall neuer find any thing in vs why hee should be beholden vnto vs but bindeth himselfe by his promises Now in very deede hee hath promised vs Reward but it is of his owne free gift and of no desert of ours for that were to come from a poste to a pudding-prick to go so from one to another and to conclude that these two words are all one where there is so great diuersitie Wherefore let vs not meruaile though the Papistes still conclude their Arguments thus and storme when we say That works cannot iustifie vs. For their supposall is false that is to say that if GOD rewardeth those that are his that therefore he is bound to doo it and that they are also worthy of it and that their workes import some Merite Nowe all this is not worth a straw The reason I haue alredy shewed to wit that when God promiseth vs Reward it is not because that wee are worthy thereof but because it pleaseth him to adde grace vnto grace and all of his meere mercie goodnes and liberalitie Now we are alwaies to keepe this in minde and in very deede what should we look for at his hands if we had nothing but that that we deserue Assuredly we should be driuen to that vnquietnes vvhereof vvee erst spake that vve should alvvaies bee in doubt and perplexed And therefore our faith must bee certaine And this is that in summe vvhich heere vve are to remember Let vs now come vnto the wordes of Saint Iames who seemeth to be contrarie vnto S. Paul and all the rest of the holie Scriptures as we haue alreadie spoken Iames. 2.24 For Saint Iames saith That we are not iustified by faith but by workes A man would thinke that there could not be found two places more contrarie one to the other as to say That we are iustified by faith onely without works and that we are iustified by workes and not by faith and yet notwithstanding it is most certaine that S. Iames who spake by the spirite of God gainsaid not the doctrine which was preached and published from the beginning in the Church ratified by the Prophets and which hath beene lastly more notably confirmed by our Lorde Iesus Christ and by his Apostles Howbeit the solution is verie easie when as wee shall looke into the drift and meaning of S. Iames For he reasoneth not there what true faith may do neither doeth he speake at all of true faith but of a counterfait faith and such as is but like vnto an image and an illusion For he reasoneth there against such as vnder the colour of Christianitie will take libertie to do al wickednes as at this daye there are too too many And besides the diuel doth so bestirre himselfe to blind vs as he would make vs beleeue that all our sinnes are forgiuen vs and so vnder the name of Christianitie would make vs become verie brutish and thereby peruert all And to bring also the doctrine of the Gospell professors into a slaunder to the end also it might be thought that the doctrine of the Gospell did ouerthrow good workes would not haue vs worship and serue God as the Papistes at this day despitefully reproche vs therewithall VVherefore S. Iames seeing many dissolute and profane people thus falsly abuse the name of the Gospell and pretended the name Faith He saith well Let mee see thy faith without workes and I will shewe thee my faith by my workes whereby he sufficiently sheweth that his meaning was not to speake of such a faith as we haue defined that is that we should be certaine and sure of the goodnes of God by his word and knowe him to be our Father through our Lorde Iesus Christ Now S. Iames speaketh not of such a faith as this is and that which is not such a one cannot bring foorth workes VVe haue alreadie said that by faith we receiue the spirite of our Lord Iesus Christ And he and his spirite cannot be separated And wee knowe that it is said That it is not giuen vnto vs onely for righteousnes but for sanctification also that is to say that wee might be purged of all the filthie lustes of our flesh That we might be made like vnto the righteousnes of God So then if S. Iames had spoken of this true faith it had beene great follie for him to haue said Shewe me thy faith without workes and I will shewe thee my faith by my worlds as is he would haue said that true faith is so conioyned with good workes as without them it is dead to wit it is no faith as afterward he saith And therefore S. Iames right well sheweth that he spake not of a faith which embraceth the promises of God and by which we are certified of our saluation And herein the Papistes do grossely abuse them-selues to forge vnto themselues a faith which they call vnformed that is to say without figure or shape and say that faith of it selfe is as it were but like a piece of earth or claye which a man shoulde take to dawbe withall Here yee see say they what faith is And besides they saie that when Charitie is conioyned thereto then it is like a pot that is made of the same piece or lump of earth which before
had no forme or fashion Thus wee see what a iolly imagination the Papistes haue whereby they declare that they know not what faith is For it is an absolute and singular gift of God And after it is said That we receiue the spirite of adoption by which he so renueth and also incorporateth vs into our Lorde Iesus Christ as that wee are made members of his bodie and withall newe creatures VVee see then that the Papistes knowe not these things neither yet vnderstand the principles and rudiments of Christianitie no more than brute beastes without sence And vvhat a feareful thing is this that they do nothing else but brag of these things And yet they thinke themselues to be the greatest diuines in the vvorld vvhen as they haue made a distinction forsooth betvveene vnformed and formed faith vvhich is as much as if they had said a God in vvhome is no povver nor vertue then a God who shevveth himselfe povverfull and iust And thus haue they forged vnto themselues a double faith And vvhy then doeth S. Iames vse here this vvord And vvhy do vvee vse this vvorde Church This vvorde Bishop this saying Gods seruice Deuotion Zeale But vvhen vve speake of the Papistes vve neuer yeelde vnto them in truth that they haue any church vvhich is to be obeyed For in deed they haue nothing but some ruynes of a Church and a certaine canuassing and tossing of seruice of their ovvn deuising and as they thought to serue God vvithall But that is the Church vvhere God dvvelleth by his vvorde Aftervvard vvhen vvee speake of them vvee vse honourable vvordes and yet our meaning is none other but that they vsurpe these titles vvith iolly shevves markes Hovvbeit vvee do not altogether stand vpon vvords And after this manner dealeth S. Iames for he standeth not vpon the vvorde but taketh vpon him to speake of the friuolous vaunting vvhich vvas in the mouth of these scoffers that vvould be taken for good Christians saith your faith that is to saie that faith vvhich you talke of is nothing As if vvee should aske the question at this day vvhat is the Catholicke Church vvhich the Papists so bragge of Surely it is a very harlot For vve knovve that the true Church is the spouse of our Sauiour Iesus Christ vvhich ought to bee purged and vvashed vvith his bloud Eph. 5.27 1. Tim. 3.15 that she might bee as saint Paul saith vvithout spot or vvrinkle and after that to bee the piller of truth And in steede hereof beholde a den of the eues and an harlot vvhich hath corrupted all the seruice of God and begot nothing but Bastards Thus should vve say and then vvee see that vvee should not thinke saint Iames his phrase of reasoning to be strange because it is an ordinarie and common thing amongst vs. VVe novv then first see that vvhen it is saide that Faith iustifieth vs vve speake not of Faith but after the accustomed manner But vvhen saint Iames saith that faith vvithout vvorks is dead it is to barre such as abuse this name and haue a iollitie to bragge and glorie thereof but in deede haue it not Let vs come novv to the second part vvhen saint Iames saith that vvee are iustified by our vvorkes it should by this seeme that hee is contrary vnto saint Paul Novv vvorkes must not be ioined vvith faith to part halfe stakes vvith it as vve haue already said For if that vvere so then vvee should neuer bee certaine and sure And therefore all consideration of our vvorkes must needes bee excluded or the calling vpon God vvith true confidence to bee taken for his children to hope for the inheritance of the heauenly life vvhich is promised vs vvorks must needes be laid aside for vvhat vvere it if vvorks iustified Novv this vvorde Iustifie is not taken in saint Iames to be approoued before God to reconcile vs vnto him and to make him receiue vs as his children Hovve is it then taken Euen as himself declareth it vvithout any other exposition For he addeth that Abram vvas iustified vvhen hee vvent about to offer vp in sacrifice his sonne Isahack Novv vvee neuer yet read that he sacrificed him to vvit that he meant to make a sacrifice of his sonne vnto God vvhat meant hee then Forsooth this obedience vvhereof vvee shall hereafter speake vvas it that iustified Abram If vvee did speake of the approouing of that vvhich he had at that time done and vvas yet not indeede done VVee must therefore conclude that saint Iames speaketh not in that place hovv vvee are acceptable vnto God but how vve are made righteous For vvhat a blockish speech vvere this to say that the sonne had begotten the Father Novv vvee right vvell knovv that faith is the mother of righteousnes that is to say that it is the meane and instrument by vvhich vve are reconciled vnto God and allovved for his children And therefore faith must go before righteousnes for it is the meane cause the instrumentall or formall cause as vve call it Let vs novv come vnto the obedience of Abram vvhen he vvas readie to sacrifice his sonne for if that be the cause of Abram his righteousnes it must needes be that it vvent before For vvhat a doltish speach vvere this to say that the corne that shall grovve a yere hence shall feede me from this day vntill this time tvvelue monethes Novve there is not the least childe in the vvorld vvhich seeth not this Novv there vvas a long time part before God commaunded Abram to sacrifice his sonne and yet vvas he iustified before VVe see then in summe that vve neede not to looke for any glose out of saint Iames his vvords he saith that he vvas iustified that is to say that he vvas shevved to be iustified For these Scoffers against vvhom hee contendeth saide vvee are iustified by faith and therefore vvhat need vve to take any great care to serue God seeing our vvorkes are of no vvorth neither any reckoning bee made of them in time to come Novv first and formost they peruert all in saying that there shall bee no reckoning made of vvorks For they shal come in account vvith the grace of God But vvhen they shall scoffingly say that it is to no purpose to doo good vvorks is as much as if they vvould teare Iesus Christ in pieces For by faith vve receiue him and are vnited vnto him vvith this condition that he reconcileth vs vnto his father putteth avvay our sinnes and regenerateth and gouerneth vs by his holy spirit And these are inseparable thinges as vve haue alleaged out of saint Paul Seeing then it is so saint Iames had good cause to say how can you be iustified without works For Faith saith he without workes is dead And besides if you bee the faithfull children of God you can be none othervvise iustified than your father Abram vvas Novve Abram vvas so iustified as that good vvorkes vvere ioyned vvith Faith And therefore you must
shevve your selues like vnto him or else you mocke God in prophaning so holy and sacred a thing as the name of faith and righteousnes is Here vve see saint Iames his meaning out of this Text But these Popish mastiue Curres can no vvhit skill of this and vvhat is the reason Verily because they contemne God hovvbeit you shall heare them vvith open mouth talke of good vvorkes and a man vvoulde thinke to heare them debate thereof that they vvere Angels and yet you may see vvhat they are And I vvould to God that the vvhole state of their life vvere not altogether dissolute for a man shall finde neither Monke nor Fryar Doctor nor yet any of that shorne Rable but they are either rybauldes skorners of God vvhoremongers drunkards blasphemers To bee short it shoulde seeme that they had conspired vvith the Diuell to bring the vvhole vvorld vnto confusion And yet for all this they vvil pretend good vvorks and speake of nothing else And therefore it is no meruaile although they bee so blind But to speak but a vvord of that vvhich vve haue explaned out of saint Iames vve are to note that vve ar iustified but not vvithout vvorks yet vve are iustified vvithout vvorks vvhen vve say that vvee are iustified but not vvithout vvorkes vve separate not this And hovv so verily because that he vvho is iustified before God by faith is as much to say that God forgiueth him his sinnes beleeueth in the passion and death of our Lord Iesus Christ and knoweth that by his resurrection he receiueth life from him So then vvhosoeuer beleeueth after this sort is not iustified vvithout vvorkes And vvhy Because that God bestovveth his holie spirit vpon him vvhich so reformeth him as that good vvorkes cannot be chosen but be ioyned together vvith faith And yet is the other saying also true to vvite that vve are iustified vvithout vvorkes that is to saie vvithout any helpe of good vvorkes so as vve alvvaies remain bound vnto God Here vvee see tvvo places vvithout altering the vvordes vvherein it should seeme they vvere altogether diuers and sundry as to say that we are iustified without works that we are not iustified without works howbeit the meaning is that works are not for all this the cause of our saluation as to make them merite any whit before God so as to accept vs according to our worthines But it is because that as I haue already said our Sauiour Iesus Christ beareth vs not onely a simple grace and fauour but a double that is to say that on the one side he couereth all our iniquities and offences through his pure obedience and appeaseth the wrath of God his father by that Sacrifice which hee offered vp once for all to make satisfaction for our sinnes And yet hee so ruleth and gouerneth vs in the meane while by his holy spirite whome hee hath receiued in all fulnes and resteth vpon him that if so be we doo not abuse his grace bestowed vpon vs we are freed from the bands of Sathan that we might take good heede as S. Peter saith not to follow the lusts and desires of the flesh This then wee see may suffice for the exposition of this place Nowe Moses addeth immediately following that God spake againe vnto Abram and said I am the Lord which brought thee out of Vr of the Chaldees to giue thee this Land to inherite it Here we see that God reitereateth his promises for the confirming nourishing and increasing of Abram his faith vntill such time as it was growne vnto a full perfection VVherevppon wee are to conclude that although Abram was the mirrour and patterne of all the faithfull and the very Image of righteousnes yet was his faith imperfect For else the promise that is here set downe were superfluous For if the faith of Abram was so throughly confirmed as that it coulde not bee amended God needed not to haue spoken any more And why so The promises haue this vse and benefit that they draw vs vnto faith and when wee haue gotten it they are to leade vs to the right way to incourage and stirre vs vp to goe on valiantly to refresh vs when we are almost weary to augment our vertue when it beginneth to faile and to be weake Here I say we see why our Sauiour Iesus Christ testifieth declareth vnto vs of his meere goodnes that he is our God that is to begin faith in vs or els to bring it to perfection And therefore wee must conclude that it was needfull for Abram to goe somewhat further And hereby we see that although our faith be vnperfect yet that God ceaseth not to iustifie vs. And what is the reason Because he imputeth not the infirmity that is in it vnto vs but how euer it is wee are here admonished by this place not to bee preuented by any foolish opinion of our owne as a great many of men are who thinke themselues to be such great Clarks as that they will not once vouchsafe to come any more vnto the schoole of God Let vs therefore vnderstand and know that although our faith were greater and more powerfull than now it is yet must wee be schollers all our life long to haue the word of God sounding in our cares and to haue our memories rubbed ouer refreshed that we might not forget that which wee haue learned that that which hath not taken deepe roote in our heartes may receiue a better and deeper impression and that God when he hath cast his seede into vs according to saint Paul his comparison wee may daily water it in vs For it were not inough to haue the seede cast into the grounde without God shoulde sende downe raine from heauen and bedewe it for when the husband-man shall haue done his duety in tilling the lande it is to no purpose without GOD should giue increase thereof from heauen Euen so must it bee with vs when as wee shall haue receiued the seede of the incorruptible life GOD must raine downe from heauen that is to say hee must continually benefite and strengthen our faith which cannot be except we be daily instructed from his mouth Let vs nowe come to the contents of this sentence I am the Lord which brought the out of Vr of the chaldees These words here are inserted for Abram to cause him to eschew all Idolatry and superstition wherein he had been hertofore brought vp For as it is often shewed vnto vs out of the holy Scripture that we must not worship God confusedly nor imagine him to bee such a one as we thinke But wee must know what God that is which we must flie vnto and must bee separated distinguished from all the imaginations deuises of mans braine whereby we so greatly deceiue our selues and are also deceiued by Sathan And that is the reason which S. Paul maketh in his Epistle to the Hebrewes the eleuenth Chapter and the sixth verse saying When wee will come
him although we see not before our eyes the effect of that which he promiseth vs but hold our selues stil in suspens He saith I haue brought thee into this land which I gaue thee VVell my God thou hast promised to giue it mee in deede But beholde I am old and drie when will that time come O care thou not for that for I will be mercifull vnto thee VVell be it so But where is the demonstration of that which I haue looked for all this while For I am at deathes dore and am here a stranger haue no seede as hath beene heretofore said and how shal I do then O Lord VVell take my worde for it This then is the nature of faith To haue all our senses subiect vnto the will of God and beleeue his trueth Our eares also must be open and attentiue to receiue whatsoeuer he speaketh vnto vs and that when he hath once said the worde conclude that it shall be so But which way can that be O we are not to reason that neither is it in our disposition But wee must leaue it vnto the counsell and will of God as we haue alreadie said This then is the honour winch wee must do vnto GOD euen to beleeue his holy worde More ouer wee are still to obserue that which hath heretofore been spoken that is to saye That God simply gaue the land of Chanaan vnto his seruaunt Abraham for a pawne to the end he should not muse to him selfe nor trouble his head about it For then had Abraham had but a colde pull if he had had nothing else but that land But without doubt he was led by another spirite which is Hee sawe the verie day of our Sauiour Iesus Christ as in the Gospell according to Iohn it is written And besides he confessed himselfe to be but a Pylgrime here in this world and therefore looked for his inheritance elsewhere And where it is saide that this lande was giuen him for to inherit that was not the marke which he shot at his minde was not set thereon but had a further reache For by reason as wee haue alreadie saide that hee forsooke his natiue countrey and left it to liue in a strange and an vnknowen place it must needes be that his minde was altogether occupied about the heuenly inheritance So then we are here to note that although the lande of Chanaan is here called his inheritance as also Gods house and resting place yet is it but as a pawne or to speake more properly but as an earnest pennie For a pawne importeth as much at the least as the full worth of the thing which wee are to be assured of But an earnest pennie is as a man would saye nothing And to giue a pennie as we call it vnto God for a bargaine worth an hundreth thousand crownes and more is nothing For of what worth is that piece which wee giue forsooth of no value Now can a potteâ—â— or gallen of wine be worth a great possession or lande that is able to enrich three or fouremen And yet be as be may this earnest pennie is destined vnto such an vse And therefore this lande of Chanaan was the inheritance of all the children of Abraham and of as manie as haue descended of his lyne but yet so as that it vvas but an earnest penie for heauen Insomuch that the verie faithful looked not so much vnto that neither yet set so their mindes on it But setled their cogitations thoughts a great deale higher VVe see then vvhether God meant to call Abram as if he had said that he did him no vvrong in leauing him to languish Because he was sure that the promises should be performed therfore not to stand vpoÌ„ his ovvn vvit And vvhy so Because he was to looke vnto him that spake the worde who was the vnchangeable God Now by reason that wee our selues are so changeable as that our mindes alter euery minute VVee therefore grieue and vexe when we see that God perfourmeth not that at the verie first which he hath promised vs. And because wee see our liues to be so short and the time wee haue to liue to be but as a shadow which fleeteth sodainely away wee thinke that GOD will neuer come time enough wherefore wee must learne to correct this fault by these words that wee heare here to be spoken to Abram I am the Lorde which changeth not And besides wee heare what is said in other places The song of Moses Psal 90.4 2. Pet. 4.8 That a thousand yeares are but as one day with him And Saint Peter also saith That in the last dayes there shall come mockers who shall say where is the promise of his comming as though the threatnings promises of God were of none effect No no saith he deceiue not your selues he will accomplish whatsoeuer he hath spoken though it be late For a thousand yeares with him are as but one day And therefore wee must looke a great deale higher and knowe that sith it is the Lord that hath said it and neuer changeth that he will do that which he hath spoken but not whenas it pleaseth vs but whenas he knoweth it to be best first for his owne glorie and next for our saluation and good neither must we be ouer earnest nor yet ouer remise and slacke but goe out of our selues come vnto him in whome is no inconstancie nor shewe of change for he is the Lorde And let vs learne thus much that when hee hath once spoken the worde that it is enough because his worde is an infallible trueth Furthermore let vs acknowledge his goodnes in supporting and bearing with our weaknes herein because he speaketh not onely once but putteth vs still in remembrance of his promises meaning thereby to haue vs profit and be confirmed by them all the dayes of our life and not beleeue him onely for a day or two but for euer And let vs be guided and gouerned by his power not onely all our life long but euen in death also vntil such time as we are come vnto his kingdom where we shal neuer neede to be more spoken vnto neither haue neede either of Faith or yet any other such like things For then shall we enioy the full brightnes of that which wee doe now but see in the darke and see him face to face as it were in a glasse Let vs now prostrate our selues before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our sinnes beseeching him to cause vs so to feele them as that they may humble vs before him and make vs continually grone vnder the burthen of our iniquities vntill such time as he hath freed vs from this bondage of sinne vvherein vve are and haue a singular desire to conforme our selues vnto his holy vvill and not liue vnto our selues but vnto our Lord Iesus Christ vvho hath so dearly redeemed vs gaue him selfe to death for our sinnes and rose againe for
Christ being dead and risen againe hath also bought vs vnto himselfe to make vs partakers of his glory and continually to conduct vs both in life and death FINIS The Seconde Sermon of Abraham his Sacrificing of his Sonne Isaak 3 Then Abraham rose vp earlie in the morning and sadled his Asse and tooke two of his seruants with him and Isaak his sonne and cloue wood for the burnt offring and rose vp and went to the place which God told him 4 Then the third day Abraham lift vp his eies and saw the place a farre off 5 And said vnto his seruants Abide you here with the Asse For I and the childe will goe yonder and worship and come againe vnto you 6 Then Abraham tooke the woode of the burnt offring and laid it vpon Isaak his sonnee and hee tooke the fier in his hande and the knife and they went both together 7 Then spake Isaak vnto Abraham his father and saide My father And hee answered Here am I my sonne And he said Behold the fire and the woode but where is the Lambe for the burnt offring 8 Then Abraham answered My sonne God will prouide him a Lambe for aburnt offring So they went both together WE haue heard that this was the chiefest and hardest conflict that euer Abraham sustained in all the daies of his life the going with his sonne Isaak into a mountain and there to offer him for a burnt offring because in the first place he was to kill him with his owne hands Now it hath beene shewed vs here before that God would declare vnto vs in our father Abraham that we must so ouercome all our naturall affections as that his honour bee preferred aboue all the rest For although a husbande loueth his wife neuer so dearely a father his children neuer so tenderly yet all this must be troad vnder foote when the matter for the seruing of God commeth in question For that is the most precious of all other precious things VVee haue also declared that Abraham was not tempted onely in that God commaunded him to kill his sonne but in that it seemed that all the promises which God before had made vnto him were all as a man would say quite and cleane frustrate and voide For they all depended vpon that which wee haue already heard That the blessed seede should bee raised in Isaak And therefore it seemed that God meant to frustrate his promise made to Abraham Now although it might seem in any naturall mans reason that God herein was contrary to himselfe that that commandement of his was to adnihilate that which before hee had heard from Gods owne mouth yet he constantly obayed 〈◊〉 Maiestie without further questioning Now it might stand at the first sight that that which he did had no good found foundation of a true and liuely faith because faith hath respect to the promisses And yet as I haue already saide Abraham could looke for nothing but by Isaak his meanes Because it is saide That in Christ Iesus all the promises of God are most sure 2 Cor. 120 and yea and Amen For our Sauiour Iesus Christ must come of the stocke of Isaak and that was in very deede the seede which was promised him How then coulde Abraham bee contented to haue his sonne to die and yet to haue the promises of God to stand in full strength power and vertue Now the Apostle saith That by faith Abraham offred his sonne Isaacke Hebr. 11.17 So that by this wee are let to vnderstand that Abraham fall out as it would rested wholly vpon the word and promise of God and as for the contrarietie which may seeme to bee betweene the commaundement and the promise The Apostle answereth Heb. 11.19 Gen. 21.12 That hee beleeued that God was as able to raise seede out of the ashes of Isaak as he was able to performe his former promises Now this is a profitable point for vs if wee vnderstand it aright For wee are heereby admonished so to beleeue in God as that we looke further than vnto the world and whatsoeuer els wee are able to perceiue and comprehend by our naturall reason and vnderstanding For if faith staid it self vpon that which we see it Were nothing And then were the power of God maruelousely diminished Moreouer wee are to consider of the wordes of the Apostle saying in this manner Faith is the ground of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 and the euidence of things not seene Agreeing with the words of the Apostle in his Epistle to the Romains saying We hope not for the things which we see Rom. 8.24 but for the things we see not yea euen for thinges that seeme to bee impossible Sith then it is so that the promises of God doo not set before our eies that which is contained in them we must as I haue already said when we speake of faith looke further than vnto the world And how is that To wit wee must not measure the infinite power of God with the meanes which are set before vs and as wee comprehend them But when as we shall haue these toyes in our heads as to thinke that this or that can neuer come to passe and that there seeme to bee a very contradiction in the case yet let vs thus conclude without all doubt God will performe whatsoeuer hee hath spoken But wee will say howe can it possibly bee Oh let not vs iudge of it wee must here bring vnder our owne senses and wits and doo God this honour to say that he is faithful But wee knowe not what will bee the issue thereof or else thinke that all is shut vp and closed Here then we see what we are to learne out of these words of the Apostle Now if Abraham had reasoned like naturall man he might haue said that God was not contrary vnto him selfe For he told me that I should haue seede by Isaak and that from thence the Sauiour of the world should come and I must not forget this And yet at this present he hath commanded me to kill Isaak Here is no order in this for I will take him at his first worde and that must stand Thus wee see that Abraham might after this manner haue excused himselfe and yet haue beene a Rebell vnto God vnder the colour of obedience But what doth hee hee considered with himselfe that God was almighty and therefore able to accomplish whatsoeuer promise hee had made concerning Isaak You say wel syr but what if he had died how then And what of that As though God were not Lord ouer death Heere wee see the right conflict of Abrahams faith which is death is set before his eies which was inough to confound him but he extolled the power of God farre beyond all this and said yet will GOD ouercome and bee a mightie Conquerour herein And howe can that bee Oh this is not a matter for any man to iudge or determine of nor to giue scope to