vsually compared vnto a hand wherwith we receiue as one saith the rich almes of God if we lack this hand wee shal die for want This holy Faith the mother of repentance faith is called the mother of true repentance and repentance the daughter of faith for assoone as wee haue a true iustifying Faith presently repentaunce followeth with the fruites thereof as Saint Iohn Baptist saith Bring fourth fruit worthy of repentance This liuely iustifying faith is neuer idle Mat. 3.8 A true iustiying faith neuer idle but stil worâ—…eth by â—oue but still worketh by loue and is the roote from whence all good works do spring As the sunne cannot be without light nor the fire without heat nor water without moystnes No more can any one which hath this true iustifying faith be without good works which are the fruites thereof Therefore it is very true which Saint Iames saith that as the body without the soule is deade so faith without workes is deade in it â—am 2.17 selfe Neyther is there any disagreement betweene the doctrine of Saint Paul and Saint Iames though the one saye wee are Rom. 3.28 iustified by faith and the other by workes for Saint Paul speaketh of our iustifying before Iam. 2.24 God by faith only thorough the bloud of Christ and Saint Iames of our iustifying S. Paul and S. Iames reconciled concerning iustificatioÌ„ before men when wee make knowen to the worlde by our good workes which are the fruites of faith that wee are iustified Therefore let vs beleeue the Scripture which saith that Abraham beleeued God Rom. 4.36 and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse That wee are not iustified by the workes of the law but by the faith of Iesus Christ For by grace wee are saued saith Gala. 2.16 Saint Paul through faith not of our selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any Eph. 2.8.9 shuld boast which place doth cut the throte of that grosse opinion of those proud Pharisayicall Papists that ignorantly bragge Popish supererogation superabundant arrogancie and boast of their workes and merites as though they coulde merite heauen with them both for them selues and others forsooth by their works of supererogation but more rightly called superabundant-arrogancie Let vs beleeue the Apostle saying if righteousnesse came by the law then Christ Gala 2.21 dyed in vaine Let vs beleeue the truth it selfe saying when ye haue done all that yee can yet say ye are but vnprofitable seruaÌ„ts ye haue done but what was your duty to do Luk. 17.10 It is our dutie and required of vs vppon Mat. 25.41 paine of damnation to doe good workes which as Saint Paul saith God hath ordained Ephe. 2.10 that we should walke in them but not that we should trust in them to be saued for faith herein must haue the preheminence Therefore Saint Paul counteth all thinges Phil 3 8.9 losse and doung that he might win Christ and might bee found in him not hauing his owne righteousnes but the righteousnesse which is through the faith of Christ Obiection But heere some may say why doe ye alleadge so many testimonies of Saint Paul to this purpose for heseemeth to be contrarie to himselfe and though in many places hee extolleth faith yet in one place hee preferreth 1. Cor. 13. loue charitie before it for he saith now abideth these three faith hope and loue but the chiefest of these is loue True it is chiefe in respect that it doth What S. Paul meaneth by saying that faith is chiefer then loue extend it selfe farre and neare to the benefit and profit of our neighbours for faith profiteth our selues loue our neighbours and because it doth continue longer then faith and hope doth for the vse of theÌ„ both doth cease when wee haue the fruition and possession of that which wee hoped for and when we haue the end of our faith which is the saluation of our soules but loue is onely begun in this life perfected in the life to come in these respects Saint Paul saith it 1. Pet. 1 9. is cheefe Notwithstanding though wee graunt this and say further with the same Apostle that as there is no true loue without faith so there is no true faith without loue because faith worketh by loue yet it Gala. 5.6 is certaine that faith in respect of our saluation and in this matter of iustification is more excellent then loue yea loue must come after faith as an obedient daughter Loue the daughter of faith after her mother which faith doeth bring forth both hope and loue Faith then is the ground of things hoped for Hope is an vndoubted expectation of those things which are promised vnto vs of God by the meanes of Christ Loue is linked vnto them both may not be seperated from them By faith saith the Author to the Hebrus our forefathers obtained a good report Heb. 11.1.2 therefore I conclude that faith ought still to haue the preheminence in iustification for thereby are we receiued made the sonnes Faith must haue the preheminence in iustificatioÌ„ of God euen by our faith in Christ by whome wee obtaine euerlasting life This doctrine as it doth stirre vs vp to beleeue so should it stir vs vnto loue charitie which are the liuely fruites of faith and without it faith is dead in it selfe But here wee must also take heede that we doe not imagine that faith though it be a rare and singular vertue doth thereby of it selfe deserue euerlasting life for so wee should fal into error but faith is called most Christ only hath purchased heauen for vs. faith the instrument to apprehend it holy excellent or precious in this respect that it is the meane appointed by God himselfe wherby we should apprehend and receiue most holy excellent precious gifts whereof the chiefest is eternall and euerlasting life purchased vnto vs by the death passion and resurrection of Christ euen by his righteousnes and obedience Of this eternal and euerlasting life our faith grounded vppon the promises of God doth most certenly assure vs and then by hope which is also the childe of faith we doe with patience waite for the accomplishment and performance thereof For those ioyes which one day we shall haue in perfect possession How faith and hope are distinguished wee doe now enioye by faith and hope the which may thus bee distinguished the one from the other Faith doth apprehend things present and hope things to come by things present I meane also eternall life which may be said to be present in respect that we haue some feeling and tast of it in this life in respect of the certainty of Gods counsell and will touching the saluation of his elect that cannot be altered Therefore the Scripture vseth often times the present tense for the future the time present for the time to come as Christ
saluation therefore none but Gods elect do beleeue Here further we learne that faith is not giuen vs in respect of any righteousnes merite Faith is not giuen for our owne worthines or desert that is in vs but of God his free mercy as well to the Iewes as to the gentils to the Grecian and to the Barbarian to the bond and to the free to male and female wheresouer throughout the whole world dispersed as many as be elected vnto saluation Now although man knoweth not the time No time set when wee shal be called when yet certaine it is that euery one of the elect shal be called one time or other according as God in his diuine prouidence hath appointed For as he chooseth whom he wil so those whome hee hath chosen hee calleth vnto faith by the ministerie of his word and effectual working of his holy spirit when it pleaseth him vnlesse by his secret worke according to his euerlasting counsel and election hee call them in their infancie to himselfe out of this world before they come to yeeres of discretion Heereuppon it is that he calleth some in their youth some in their middle age and some not before olde age some at the dauning of the daie some at the Math. 20. 3 4 5 6 third houre some at the sixt houre some at the eleuenth houre so long as the time of this present life indureth and this light of grace continueth so long the time lasteth of the heauenly calling Let no man or woman therfore despaire Let none despaire of their calling for he that is not called to day may be to morow or doubt of their saluation that are not yet effectually called for they knowe not howe soone they may be only let euerie one praie that when God doth call we may bee ready to yeelde our obedience especially let not the preachers and ministers of Gods word be discouraged though in a long time they see little fruit or their labors for faith many times which is planted by their preaching Faith many times couered as fire in the ashes doeth lie close hidde and couered as the fire in the ashes one daie when God will it shall breake out into flames of charitye and godlynes at least wise if the Gospell which we preach bee hidde it is hid to 2. Cor. 4. 3 them that perish as many as are ordained vnto saluation shall at one time or other yeeld their obedience and so eternally bee saued But because it falleth out often A comfort for weaklings times that manye of the deare children of GOD are verye much grieued yea almost plunged in the pitte of desperation when they heare that none but such as haue faith shall bee saued because they themselues doo not feele the heate of faith so effectuallie as they desire Therefore I haue thought it verye necessarye before I conclude brieflie to shewe that there are diuerse measures of faith some He that hath the least measure of true faith shal be faued greater and some lesser and that the least measure of faith if it bee true fayth sufficeth vnto saluation so shall none of Gods children I hope bee discouraged when sathan shall cast into their mindes the littlenes of their faith First euerie christian must holde for certaine that which Saint Paul teacheth in the fourth to the Ephesians namely that there is one Lord and one fayth next Ephe. 4. 6 it is behoofefull for vs to knowe that this one faith is giuen to the faithful in diuers sundrye measures according as Saint Paule saith in the twelfth to the Romanes That Rom. 12.3 euerie one must vnderstande according to sobrietie according as God hath dealt to euerie man the measure of faith to some a greater measure is giuen to some a lesser Also the fruites of faith are not in all The fruites of faith are not alike in all the faithfull the faithfull a like as namely one fayth full man and woman hath and may haue more knowledge more loue more feare of God more hope more patience more brotherlie kindenes and so foorth then another hath according as hee hath receiued a greater measure of faith but yet the measure of faith by the good prouidence of God is so distributed and deuided that there are none of Gods elect to whome is giuen lesse then may suffice vnto saluation for the measure of faith doth contayne this in it selfe that there is a sufficient portion to euerie one hee that hath the lesser measure shall haue saluation with him that hath the greater And doubtlesse it is done by the speciall counsell and prouidence of God that one hath a greater measure of fayth then another for God hath so moderated all those thinges by his wisedome that to those whom hee hath appointed to endure many great battels hee hath giuen a larger portion of faith As to Ahraham Isaack To those whom God wil try most hee giueth most faith Iacob Moses Dauid and the like whom when hee would try by many trybulations and temptations he vouchsafed to bestow vppon them a greater measure of faith not that therby they should attaine vnto saluation rather then other that haue lesser gifts of faith but that they should serue to the furthering of Gods glory and that they might bee examples to those that are more infirme and weaker Now if any would knowe what the least measure of faith is that any man or woman can haue surely it is this when a man of an What the least measure of faith is humble spirit by reason of the litlenes of his faith doth not yet feele the assurance of the forgiuenes of his sinnes and yet is perswaded that they are pardonable and with his heart prayeth God that hee would pardon and forgiue them Now that such a one hath faith it is perceiued by the good desires Esa 57.17 and prayers which he maketh because such prayers and desires are testimonies of the spirit of God whose property is to stirre vp a longing and a lusting after heauenly Good praiers a token of true faith Rom. 8.26 thinges with sighes and groanes for Gods fauour and mercy in Iesus Christ and where the spirite of Christe is there is Christ dwelling and where Christ dwelleth 2. Cor 13.5 there is true faith howe weake so euer it be Moreouer faith though it bee but lyttle is the gifte and working of God proued by this saying of the Apostle Saint Paule that it is God that worketh both Phil. 2.13 the will and the deede therefore whosoeuer hath this good will and desire in him it is certaine that there is the presence and working of Gods holie spirite Nowe wee must not iudge of the grace of God by the absolute perfection or quantitie of faith but onely by the foundation whereuppon it resteth which foundation is the merites the obedience satisfaction and righteousnesse of the sonne of God imputed vnto
the inwarde as outwarde gouernance and is the vanquisher of iniuries the sure defence against the affectes passions of the soule retaining alwaies ioy gladnes in aduersitie and griefe for patience is best tryed in aduersitie Be constant and patient in aduersitie and in prosperitie humble lowly Be patient in tribulation giue no man cause to speake euill of thee Receiue patiently the wordes of correction though they seeme greeuous for a little season In suffering afflictions Patience is made strong Patience and perseuerance are two proper notes whereby Gods children are truely Patience perseueraÌ„ce in goodnes true marks of Gods children knowen from hipocrites counter feits dissemblers By patience sobrietie we passe ouer the troubles of this world more ioyfully Therefore S. Peter ioyneth them both together saying Ioyne with sobrietie or temperance Patience the one will teach thee to doe well in prosperitie the other to suffer well in aduersitie The feare of God Patience the nurse of all vertues faith prayer humilitie and other vertues do growe increase in vs through patience Euen as iron except it bee often scoured will soone corrupt and waxe rustie so except A similitude the sinfull hart of man and his flesh be often scoured with aduersitie they will soone be corrupted with the rust of filthines and sinne which aduersitie by patience is eyther ouercome or mitigated This gift of patience if God had not alwaies graunted vnto the faithfull in their aduersities they must needes haue fainted yea fallen to Patieâ—ce as a pillar doth support Gods children in aâ—uersity the ground vnder the burthen of their manifold troubles and calamities When our Sauiour Christ had told his disciples and Apostles what great troubles and afflictions they shoulde suffer in this life Luk. 21. 19. he addeth this presently for their comfort that they should possesse their soules in patience And S. Iames willeth vs to let patience to haue her perfect working in vs so shal we Iam. 1.4 be perfect lacking nothing Againe he saith Blessed is that man which patieÌ„tly suffereth temptations for when he is tryed hee shall receiue the crowne of life which God hath promised to them that loue him S. Paul saith Rom. 5.3 TribulatioÌ„ bringeth forth patience patience experience experience hope hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our harts by his holy spirit which is giuen vnto vs. These exhortations vnto patience are very necessary because all troubles aduersities are very hard for our flesh blud to bear except we be vsed to passe vnder the rod of correction we will be All afflictions are greeuous to our fleshly nature like to vntamed heiffers or wild steeres that cannot abide their yokes before they haue a while submitted their neckes vnto them Therefore the holy Ghost saith no chastisement seemeth pleasante but is greeuous Heb. 12 11 for the present season though afterwarde it bringeth forth the quiet fruite of righteousnes to theÌ„ that are exercised therin And our sauiour Chirst saith Take my yoke vpoÌ„ you Mat. 11 29 vse your selue vnto it you shall finde rest vnto your soules for which cause Salomon saith My son despise not the chastning of the Lord neither saint wheÌ„ thou art rebuked of him for whoÌ„ the Lord loueth he chastiseth scourgeth euery sonne that he receaueth So that we see afflictions are not hurtful but good for vs and therefore ought to be borne Afflictions necessary for the children of God Afflictions sure tokens of Gods fauour towards his children patiently Again we may note here that wheÌ„ wee are chastened and corrected of God by sicknesses by pouertie by losse of goods by losse of friendes or so forth if we take the same patiently they are sure testimonies that we are the sons and children of God because those whom hee loueth he chasteneth oftentimes for their amendment but the wicked he suffereth to waxe proude in their sinnes and so fatteth them against the day of slaughter Therfore let not this thing greeue vs as it The wicked fatted against the day of slaughter Psal 37.35 Psal 73.3 18. did Dauid Ieremy to see the wicked florish for a time in this world I saw the wicked florish saith Dauid like a green Bay tree but I pasied bye lo they were gone at length saith he I vnderstood the end of these men how God doth set theÌ„ in slippery places suddenly Ierem. 12.1 they are destroyed cast downe and come to a fearful end This shal be the end of the vngodly that florish for a time But the children of God which are day lie tried here The children of God tried by tribulation as gold in the furnace with the fire of tribulation as the gold in the fornace are therby purified cleansed froÌ„ many sins are made meet temples for the holy Ghost to dwel in Let vs not therefore murmure at this working of God but with patieÌ„ce commit our selues vnto him as vnto a faithful creator Let vs know that health wealth children friends prosperitie and the When God giueth wee must be thankeful when he taketh let vs be patient like are but temporall blessings If God giue them vnto vs let vs be thankeful if he take them from vs againe let vs be patient knowing that he hath reserued greater thinges for vs in heauen If we should alwaies haue rest ease and tranquillitie of body and minde in this life then would we neuer care to aspire vnto that heauenly life where there is nothing els but ioy felicitie vnto which ioy we shal neuer attaine except we suffer patiently in this life afflictions miseries for Christ himself went not vp into ioy before Christ suffered paines before he entred into ioy he suffered paine nay he suffered more pains for vs ten thousande times then all the childreÌ„ of God can or haue suffred since the beginning of the world Therefore the scripture saith that the Prince of our saluation which is Christ was consecrate through afflictions because he should bring many children Heb. 2.10 vnto glory If therefore we wil be partakers with Christ in glorie we must also suffer patieÌ„tly here with him in misery The disciple is not aboue his maister if Christ our Mat. 10.24 mayster haue drunken deepely of this bitter cup of afflictions let vs not refuse to pledge him in that measure which God hath appointed for vs for by afflictions we are made conformable vnto the Son of God It 2. Cor. 4.11 2. Tim. 2. 11.12 Rom. 8. 17. If we suffer with Christ we shal raigne with him is a true saying saith S. Paule If we die with Christ we shal liue with Christ if we suffer with him wee shal raigne with him And againe the same Apostle saith That wee are heyres of God ioynt heyres with Christ if so be we suffer with him that we
blessednesse of the righteous and godly 1. Tim. 4 8. that they haue as Saint Paule sayth the promise of this life and that that is to come The eight and twentie Chapter of Deuteronomic is ful of those blessings which the godly shall haue and of the curses that shall Deu. 28.2 fall vppon the wicked All these blessinges shall fall vppon thee and ouertake thee if 3. thou be godly Blessed shalt thou be in the 4. Cittie and in the field Blessed shall bee the 5. fruite of thy bodye and the fruite of thy ground the fruite of thy Cattell the increase 6. of thy Kine and the flockes of thy sheepe Blessed shall be thy basket and thy dough Blessed shalt thou bee when thou commest in and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out c. Then turning to the wicked and vngodly hee sayth Cursed shalt thou bee in the Vers 16. Cittie and in the fielde Cursed shall be thy basket and thy dough Cursed shall bee the 17. fruite of the bodye and of thy land the increase 18. of thy Kine and the flockes of thy sheepe Cursed also when thou commest in and cursed also when thou goest out and 19. so forth The same thing doth Dauid shewe in the first Psalme when hee saith that the Psal 1. 3. Godly shall bee like a tree planted by the riuers side that will bring forth her fruite in due season his leafe shall neuer fade looke whatsoeuer he doth it shall prosper but contrariwise he saith The wicked shall verse 4. bee nothing so but they are like the chaffe which the winde scattereth away from the face of the earth therefore the wicked shall not stand in iudgement nor the vngodly 5. in the assemblye of the righteous for the Lorde knoweth the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked shall perish So likewise Salomon saith Blessings 6. are vpon the head of the righteous but iniquitie Prou. 10.6 shal couer the heade of the wicked The memoriall of the righteous shall bee blessed but the name of the wicked shall 7 rotte Therefore Dauid saith againe the Psal 11. 5 Lord will trie the righteous but the wicked and him that loueth iniquitie doth his soule abhorre Againe hee saith vpon the wicked God shall raine snares fire and brimstone 6. storme and tempest this shall bee their Gene. 19.24 portion to drinke Which thing wee know hee did vppon the beastly and wicked Sodomites and the Cittyes there about Neyther shall the punishmente of the wicked and saith Dauid in this life but the Psal 9. 17. No end of punishment to the wicked neither in this life nor in the life to come wicked after this life shall bee turned into hell and all the people that forget God O then beloued sith the case is so that the godly are so exceedingly blessed both here and for euer and the wicked so miserably accursed in this life and in the life to come let vs speedily forsake our sins wickednes lest Gods curses come speedily vpon vs and let vs assuredly knowe that if we feare God and loue godlinesse wee shall bee blessed a thousand fold whereof wee haue many examples in the scriptures of such as for their faith and godlinesse haue beene blessed before vs. Abell for his faith and godlinesse his Examples of such as God hath blessed for their faith and godlines Gene 4.4 5.24 7.1 offering was accepted of God when cursed Caynes was reiected God himselfe giuing testimony with Abell that hee was righteous Enoch for his faith and holinesse was taken vp into heauen for he was reported of that he had pleased God Noah for his faith and godlinesse was saued in the Arke when all the world besides except his familie perished in the water Lot seruing God among wicked and vngodly 19.16 people was saued aliue when Sodom and Gomorra were burned with fire and brimestone Abraham for his faith and godlinesse 12 2.3 was blessed of God aboue all them that liued before him So Isaak Iacob and the Patriarkes Heb. 11.9 heyres with him of the same blessing What should we speake of Elias Elisha Samuel and all the rest of the prophets which for their faith and godlines are so renowned in the scripture What shoulde I Luk 1.6 make mention of Zacharias the father and Iohn Baptist the sonne the one is saide to Mat. 11.11 Luk 2.25 Act. 10.2 6.5 2 Cer. 1 12. 4.2 1 Thess 2.10 Women also commended for their faith godlines 2. Pet. 3.5 Gen. 27.46 Exod. 15.20 Iud 5 1 Ester 4 16 Luk. 1 6 1 30. be iust before God walking in all the commandementes of God without reproofe the other that hee was the chiefest among womens children Adde hereunto holy Simeon good Cornelius Saint Stephen Saint Paule and all the rest of the Apostles of whom as Saint Paule saith The worlde was witnesse and God also howe holily howe iustly and vnblameably they walked before God And not onely doth the scripture commend men but womeÌ„ also for their faith godlines as Saraa Rebecca MyriaÌ„ Debora Ester Elizabeth the virgin Mary Martha and Mary the sisters of Lazarus Marye Ioh. 11.5 Luk. 8.3 Mark 16.1 Act. 9. â—9 14. 14.15 2 Tim. 2.1.5 Act. 18.2 Rom. 1 6. Magdalene and Ioanna the wife Chusa Herodes stewarde Susanna and many others which ministred vnto Christ of their substaunce Mary the mother of Iames and Salome and others that bestowed cost on Iesus being deade of Dorcas Lydia Lois and Eunice the grandmother mother of Tymothie of Priscilla Phebe and the elect Lady to whom 2 Ioh. 1. Iohn writeth with infinite other which to repeate at large woulde be more tedious then profitable All these both men women haue beene wonderfully blessed of God for their faith for their holines for their religion for their zeale and godlinesse and are most worthy examples for vs to followe of what calling sexe or degree soeuer wee God wil blesse them that be godly bee If wee be faithfull holy zealous religious and godly as they were then surely God will blesse vs as hee did them For God is one and the same stil I am God saith hee I chaunge not in euerie nation Mala. 3.6 Act. 10.35 hee that feareth God and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him who will rewarde euery one according as hee sheweth forth his faith by his good workes That is as saith Sainte Paule to them Rom. 2. 7 which by continuance in well doing seeke glorie and honour and immortalitie eternall life but vnto them that are contentious 8 and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnesse shall bee indignation and wrath Tribulation and anguish shall be vpon euery foule that doth euil 9. vpon the Iew first and also the Gentile but to euery man that doth good shall bee 10 glorie and honour