thinketh together with the whole Scripture that no man can be iustified by the workes of the lawe forsomuch as man yeeldeth not pure perfect continual obedience therevnto is confirmed Nowe this being so to wit that no man can obserue perfectlie the comaundementes of God nor by the works of the lawe be iustified before God it maie be demaunded what maie be the vse of the law For we must of necessitie acknowledge that the lawe is not giuen-out in vaine Vnto this question we must make this answere Although by the workes of the lawe no man is iustified before God because no man is able to satisfie the same yet is there à diuers vse of the same which is to be considered according to the condition of the states of men I doe omitte the external and political vse which is to gouerne outward manners by discipline agreeing with the law because we now are in hande with that vse of the law which concerneth the conscience of man before the iudgemēt seate of God Therfore before iustificatiō regeneratiō this is the vse of the law in the cōscience of man namely to teach to accuse to condemne It teacheth both what is to be done and what is to be auoided of him that seketh life by the lawe It accuseth the transgressor it pronounceth him guiltie and condemneth and that to this ende that the sinner hauing confessed his wickednes and considered both the wrath of God and his owne miserie may sue for fauor which thing he is not able to attaine of the law by the strength of nature Whereby the law is to the wounded conscience an occasion of seeking Christ the Physition And hereof is the law called A Schoolemaster vnto Christ. Hitherto belongeth that of Paule to the Galathians The scripture hath concluded al vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue This selfe same thing doeth the Lord teach in a parable of the debter where a certaine king doth of his seruaunt whom he knew was not able to paie his debt demaunde ten thousand talents due to him by the lawe which thing he did to the ende that the seruant confessing his pouertie might flie to the mercie of his Lord therby to obtaine a general discharge of the whole debt By this parable the vse of God his law in the consciences of men before free forgiuenes of the whole debt and iustification is depainted For as this debtor payeth nothing of his debt but is freely forgiuē so the law in the act of iustificatiō is vtterlie idle as y t which is neither the cause nor a parte of our righteousnes as it is wrought of vs. But after that man is iustified the spiritual vse of y e law is to prescribe those things which belong vnto a spiritual man or a rule of spiritual seruing of God And so the promises of the law be fulfilled in the faithful through Christ. These things beeing thus learned it is no hard thing to refel the arguments of them who contēd that by the wotkes of the law men are iustified before God Therfore when out of Moses they do obiect He that doth the commandements shal liue in them Therfore by the workes of the law man is iustified It is to be answered that the argument is vntrue For by the law it must be considered what the law in al respects or the iustice of God doth require not what mā is able to do that we may flie vnto y e mercie of God confessing our weakenes especialie seeing it is apparent that no man is able perfectlie to obserue the law Yet more forceablie they do vrge and they obiect vnto vs the saying of our Lord If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundementes Hereof theie conclude à condition of keeping the commaundementes of God and that by keeping thē men are are iustified yea saued But what the Lord ment by those words the parable which euen now we mencioned doth teach For as y e King there exacteth of his debter ten thousand talents and frankelie forgaue the whole det to him which had nothing to paie but flied vnto the mercie of his creditor So the the Lorde vnto the proude hypocrite doth saie If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements to the ende that the hypocrite discending into himselfe might confesse his filthinesse and pouertie and so craue pardon which had he done he had heard with the sinful woman Thee sinnes are forgiuen thee We must therfore acknowledg how the obseruation of God his cōmaundements is pronounced both by Moses Christ himselfe to be the right most readie waie vnto life but the faulte is in our selues whie by that waie though it be verie direct we enter not into life For the condition cannot be perfourmed of vs as aboue it hath beene showen So that by the commaundementes the effect is not concluded because the condition is not obserued which is If thou doe the Lawe but the defect of al men rather that acknowledging our imperfectiō we maie flie vnto the mercie of God And this is the doctrine of Paul concerning the vse of the lawe before conuersion By the lawe saith he commeth the knowledge of sinne Yet this knowledge is not to the ende that we shoulde die in our sinnes but that we shoulde seeke Christ as Paul saith in another place He hath shut-vp al in vnbeleefe that he might haue mercie on al. Againe The scripture hath concluded al vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to thē that beleeue And therefore the obseruation of the lawe is required to iustification that we maie confesse howe that we haue neither in our selues nor of our selues no righteousnesse at al and that through faith we shoulde flie together vnto Christe Who is in the ende of the lawe for righteousnesse to euerie one that beleeueth whereof we are nowe to speake CHAP. 4. 1. The second order of testimonies 2. That works and faith together doe not iustifie 3. True iustification what 4. The things required in à iustified man 5. The causes of mans iustification THe second sorte of testimonies of the holie scripture cōcerning y e iustificatiō of mā before God is euangelical wherin y e most cōforequitie according to the promise of grace is proposed to the penitent sinners namelie that Christ came into the worlde to saue sinners as the Lord himselfe doth saie I am come to cal sinners vnto repentance that is vnto conuersion and that according to the promises made vnto the fathers and commended vnto the Church of God by wonderful miracles But before I declare the iudgement of the true Church touching this matter I wil refel the opinion of them who with the Pharisees compounde Christian righteousnesse both of workes and faith as it were of causes and partes least by their preiudice our
shalbe consumated whē the bodies shal rise againe Both these adoptions haue their glorie For by the adoption begū we haue peace with God which is not onelie the reconcilement of vs with God but also à quiet conscience in Iesu Christ we haue accesse vnto god through our Lord Iesus Christ we haue too à firme trust that God hath à care of vs as his childrē so that al thinges worke-together for the best to vs yea such things as doe seeme most bitter Wherof it is that the saintes euen in the crosse wherebie theie are made like the onelie begotten Sonne of God doe reioice according to the saying of Paul We doe reioice in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because God loueth vs. Of the adoption hereafter to be consummated Paul speaketh on this wise Euen we doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our bodies This redemptiō of the bodie in the same chapter somwhat afore the Apostle defineth to be the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God that is the ful glorie wherin the childrē of God being freed frō al euil shal euerlastinglie and blessedlie inioie the most comfortable sight of God Of this longing for glorie the Apostle speaketh when he saith We reioice vnder the hope of the glorie of God Together with this adoption the which at the last iudgement shalbe perfected formal righteousnes wherebie we shalbe like vnto God for euermore is ioined Which righteousnes the Apostle saith we doe waite for when he saith We through the spirit waite for the hope of righteousnes through faith And what māner of righteousnes that shalbe Iohn declareth in these wordes We knowe that when he shal appeare we shalbe like him euen holie righteous chast and blessed for euer and euer Out of the things which hitherto we haue spoken touching the iustification of man by the method of composition this definition maie be framed Man his iustification before God is an absoluing of the beleeuing man from sinne an imputation of Christ his righteousnes and à receiuing of him vnto eternal life freelie for Christ his sake Nowe the more fullie to open this our iustification let vs in order yet verie brieflie beholde the causes The cause therefore preparing is y e preaching of the gospel which maketh vs to acknowledge and to feele our infirmitie iust damnation The which sense Paul doth terme the spirit of feare because at the preaching of the law it is raised vp in men through the holie spirite When Peter in the Acts vpon the day of Pentecost had accused his countreimen the Iewes for violating both tables of the Lord they conceiued in their minde the spirit of feare that is a wonderful dolor and griefe or pricking in their consciences for their sinnes Therfore afterward in their perplexitie doubtfulnes and despairing as it were he biddeth thē to amende their liues and be baptized euery one of them in the name of Iesus Christ which was in deede a preaching of the gospel This conuersion is made through faith which men do conceaue through the holie ghost when they hearken vnto the gospel By this faith Christ wholy who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption is conceaued that he that reioyceth doe reioyce in the Lord and praise him euerlastingly And this is that knowledge of saluation hid from the wise and men of vnderstanding of this worlde but reuealed to the Church through the worde of the gospel CHAP. 5. 1 The thirde sorte of testimonies 2 How good workes do iustifie 3. Wherein we and the Papists do differ about good works ALthough the fruite of the righteousnes of faith is neuer to be separated from faith yet with al diligence is it to be distinguished from our iustification For the proper benefit of Christ which we obteine by faith alone is one thing and our due obedience which as the fruite out of the tree springeth from faith through which we be regenerate borne the the sonnes of God is another Wherof it is that by the natural properties that it hath we iudge of a liuely faith euen as by the frute we iudge of the tree Hence it is that in this order of testimonies the worde to iustifie hath an other sense than in the afore mentioned orders it had For in this place to iustifie signifieth to shew and declare a man to be righteous As in the Epistle of Iames man is saide to be iustified by workes because through workes he sheweth and declareth himselfe to be righteous And in the scripturs oftentimes theie are pronounced blessed which giue themselues to good workes not that good workes be causes or do merit happinesse but for that they are true tokens of their cause which is faith or the spirit of faith For so many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God And hence it is that the Lord in the gospel after Matthew saith Blessed are the meeke blessed are the merciful blessed are the peacemakers blessed are the patient For these virtues if they be true and not hypocritical showes of virtue do proceede from faith whereby righteousnesse is laid holde on and they be vndoubted markes of the children of God declaring the adoption Therfore this rule is to be helde in memorie when diuers effectes doe depende alike of one and the same cause the consequent doth holde from one effect vnto the other because of their common dependance In Luke it is written of the sinful womā how many sinnes were forgiuen her for she loued much Now because both I meane remission of sinnes and loue depend of faith as of a proper cause the argument is good from loue vnto the remission of sinne because of their common dependance Sophists who thinke that Christ descended from the cause vnto the effect and made loue the cause of remission of sinnes do peruert the meaning of Christ as by the parable which the Lorde bringeth-forth before them it is manifest There was a certaine lender saith he which had twoo debtors the one ought fiue hundred pence and the other fiftie when they bad nothing to pay he forgaue them both Which of them therefore tel me wil loue him most Simon answered and saide I suppose that he to whom be forgaue most Afterwarde he saide to the woman Thy faith hath saued thee goe in peace Doth not the Lord here plainly declare that remission of sinnes doth go before loue and both to wit remission and loue to depende of faith as of their verie cause For many times effectes whereof some doe follow others which notwithstanding shoulde be referred vnto their proper cause to auoyde the confusion of causes and effects be ascribed to one and the same cause Hitherto belongeth the rule of Augustine When saith
thing commaunded is done as it should be according to the mind of the commaunder The hypocritical Pharisee giueth almes and the iustified Publican giueth almes in like sorte His that is the Pharisies almes the Papists define to be a good worke whereas before God it is abhominable but we pronounce the Publicane his almes a good worke not onely because it is commanded but specialy because through faith wherby the Publicane was iustified it was done to the glorie of God And therefore it hath the forme of a good worke when the worke commanded of God by a person iustified through faith is done principaly for God his glorie And a worke so done whether it be an inward or an outward work is the spiritual seruice of God Moreouer wheras certain ciuil works done euen of such as are not iustified by faith are profitable and do good to manie and therfore thought good works I grant they are so caled and be such too but in vse not in seruice For whatsoeuer an impure person doth it is vnpure abominable before God And though God sometime doe recompence such workes with rewardes he doth it for the vse sake not because they are the seruice that pleaseth him or be good of themselues The fourth thing wherin we dissent from the Papists in the doctrine of good workes is y e diuersitie of ends For they do appoint other endes of good works than we do which folow the direction of God his worde For they say good works are to be done y t we may deserue fauor be iustified through our works before God But how false absurd this Pharisaical opinion is we haue already in the first order of testimonies declared That no works do merit fauor iustificatiō it is hereby manifest because an euil tree cānot bring forth good fruite Therfore what can a mā not renued seeing he is wicked vnpure without vnderstanding vnprofitable merit by vnpure works Again if a man be iustified by works before God it must needes of necessitie be either because he fulfilleth y e whol law according to y e rule of God his iustice or in respect of particular obseruing som certaine commandement But each is false For as aboue we haue proued no mortal man can fulfil the whole law of God neither before conuersion nor after Secondly it is manifest that none is iustified by a particular fact both because it is not the fulfilling of the law which is required vnto y e righteousnes of the law also for that he which faileth in one commandement as Iames doth say is guiltie of al. Then seeing no man may be iustified neither by the whole law nor by a part of the same in vane doe the Papists contend that the ende of the lawe is that men by their owne workes should be iustified in the sight of God But we do teach that good workes be therfore to be don that being iustified by faith we may giue due obedience to God as children to a most louing father that we may be founde liuely branches and bearing frute in the true vine which is Iesus Christ that men seeing our good workes may glorifie God and be prouoked vnto wel doing by our example that through good works we may be directed vnto y e hauen of blessednes that by good workes as by an vndoubted marke of Gods children we may shew our selues enimies to Satan whō in baptisme we renounced y t we may encrease y e ioy of the angels in heauen which are much delited with the repentance of men aud with holines of life and that by workes we may be knowne and declared to be truly righteous that is that we be not deceaued with a vaine shew of faith as it happeneth vnto hypocrits as Iames in his seconde chapter declareth for whom to be iustified is to be declared and acknowledged righteous before the world Abraham beleeued aud is was imputed vnto him for righteousnes Bu when at the commaundement of God he was readie to kil his onely sonne by his willingnes to obey he declared how he was righteous not onely to others but also to himselfe For liuely faith hath this propertie that it preferreth obedience toward God before al worldly things be they neuer so deere as appeareth in Abraham So that he which is so affected that he desireth nothing so much as to obey God and to preferre obedience to him-ward before al things els he hath a most certaine token of a liuely faith and of the spirit of Christ wherby he is moued dwelling with in him For so many as are led by the spirit of God saith Paule they are the sonnes of God to wit through faith a true note wherof is that motion of the spirite wherby we are moued to yeelde obedience to God with al readines although we continualy do feele a combat of the flesh with the spirit which fight vndoubtedly in this life shal neuer cease The summe of this difference tendeth to this point The papists do make workes to deserue and to procure saluation we with Paul number them among the effectes of faith and fruits of the righteousnes of faith The Papists doe place the perfection of righteousnes in works we define them to be an obedience begon pleasing God because of the persō that is righteous which obedience can no more be separated from free iustification than the natural propertie from the subiect it hath as heate from fire as aboue hath been showen CHAP. 6. 1 The fourth order of testimonies 2. The rewardes promised vnto good workes THe fourth order as we proposed is touching the rewarde of good workes according to the promises of god which the godly without iustification do lawfully behold and through faith expect the things promised as Moses is written by faith to haue had respect vnto the recompence of the reward Moreouer the rewarde is promised to good works somtime simply to euery man sometime specialy to this or that man for a particular worke which is obediēce in some certain thing And that rightly without error we may iudge of such cōmon and special promises this principle is to be kept in minde namely that al promises without Christ be to none effecte For if as Paul saith al the promises of God are in Christ yea and Amen that is firme and ratified it foloweth that no promises without Christ can take effect be firme Whereof this also is gathered that none obedience without Christ doth merit reward Now this foundation being cast let vs entreate of the promises of rewarde according vnto the difference which we haue proposed Therefore when reward is promised simply or in general to euery man for good workes as when both in the Psalmes and also in Paul it is said He wil reward euery one according to his workes the promise must be applied by a distinction For such a promise hath a double respect Because it is to be referred
iustifieng of one the benefite abounded toward al men to the iustification of life So that with faith of y e remission of sinnes grace wherebie we are iustified and accepted before God is ioined al which are comprehended in the definition of iustification Which is defined to be An absolution of him from sinne that beleeueth in Christ an imputation of righteousnes à receiuing vnto eternal life freelie for Christ his sake When I saie for Christ I include the merites of Christ onlie And although the imputatiō of Christ his righteousnes be the forme of our iustification before God yet because these three benefites do necessarilie concur together in our iustification I haue included them within the compasse of the definition Whosoeuer do either folow the righteousnes of workes or compound righteousnesse of faith and workes together theie doe peruert the word of God For Paul writing vnto the Philippians doth on this wise distinguish the righteousnesse of workes from the righteousnesse of faith The thinges that were vantage vnto me the same I counted losse for Christe his sake Yea doubtlesse I thinke all thinges but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whome I haue counted al thinges losse doe iudge them to be dongue that I might winne Christ and might be found in him that is not hauing mine owne righteousnes which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christe What I praie could be more plainelie saide Paule here compareth two righteousnesses together one hee saieth is manns properlie the which hee calleth the righteousnesse of the lawe it is in deede the righteousnesse of man as farre-forth as man doth endeuour to fulfil the same although he can neuer perfectlie fulfill the same and it is also the righteousnes of the lawe because it is required of the lawe the other he saith is of God and is obteined by faith it is of God because God of meere grace imputeth it and giueth it to man and it is also through faith for that it is obteined by faith wherbie Christ is thought to be the end of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth Which two righteousnesses he maketh so contrarie that together theie can not stand For he which by the workes of the law seeketh the righteousnesse wherbie he maie stande boldlie in the presence of God is voide of the righteousnesse of faith and contrariwise who so dependeth vpō the righteousnesse of faith doth not thinke at al that hee is iustified by the lawe And although there is but one righteousnes which consisteth in the perfect obedience of the law yet in respect of the diuers manner of iustification it is saide to be twofolde For he that dischargeth and by his workes fulfilleth the lawe which thing Christ onelie hath done is iustified after one sorte and he which of himselfe fulfilleth not the lawe but beleeueth on Christe who hath fulfilled the same that the obedience of the lawe done by Christ maie bee imputed vnto him for righteousnesse that so he maie haue what the lawe requireth euen the righteousnesse of the lawe yea and with righteousnesse life is iustified after another So that in the manner of obteining the righteousnes of the lawe the difference is For he that doeth the lawe obteineth righteousnes one waie and he that beleeueth another And y t mortal man can obtaine the same by doing but onelie by beleeuing Paul sheweth at large especiallie in his Epistles vnto the Romanes Gal. Ephesians that maruel it is howe men can be so frowarde as to resist the manifest trueth of God What can bee saide more plainelie Wee conclude that à man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law To wit done of our partes What more euidentlie If righteousnes bee by the law then Christ died without à cause What more distinctlie Not of workes but through faith it is the gift of God least anie man should boast himselfe Finalie what more absolutelie Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnesse vnto euerie one that beleeueth that is Christ hath so fulfilled the lawe that euerie one which beleeueth is righteous through his obedience Againe The Gospel is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth for the iust shal liue by faith In this most manifest trueth rest wee our selues leaue we their subtilties to Sophisters wherin they both miserablie intangle themselues and curssedlie seduce others that committe themselues to such schoole-masters They which compounde righteousnesse of faith and workes together as of the partes thereof are better liked of the vnlearned especialie of politike men ignorant of the gospel But the error of these euen by one place of Paul as it were by à thunder-bolt frō heauen wee maie ouerthrowe They being ignorant saith hee of the righteousnes of God that is of the righteousnes of faith and going about to stablish their owne righteousnes haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnes of God that is they are not capable of the righteousnes of faith who withall seeke righteousnes from the lawe For Christ is the end that is the fulfilling and perfection of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth Faith then alone excludeth all merite and al workes of man from the causes of our iustification before God and dependeth vppon Christ alone who imputeth the obedience of the law to the beleeuing man y t he maie haue that which the lawe requireth to wit righteousnes which thing this argument also of Paul in the 3. chap. vnto the Galathians doeth euidentlie confirme in these wordes And that no man is iustified by the law in the sight of God it is euident for the iust shal liue by faith And the law is not of faith but the man that shal doe those things shal liue in them The aduersaries nowe in alleadging for their side against vs the Apostle Iames varie not from their olde wont For neglecting the the most constant agreement of the whole scripture and of al the sainctes of Moses the prophetes of Christe and of the Apostles they wrest à doubtful saying verie subtiltie against vs. The sense whereof would they seeke at the occasion and end whie it was written they shoulde finde that Iames disputeth not of our iustification before God but of the declaration of our iustification before men and that against hypocrits who by their false and dead faith or shadow of faith did thinke thēselues righteous and yet in the meane while defiled themselues with al manner sinnes and wickednes Thē seeing that the word Faith is not taken in y t sense of the Apostles Paul and Iames they do oppose thēselues against y e spirit of god who out of their saying do seek cōtrarieties They alledge also other places such as concerne rewarding of good works rendering to euerie man according to his deeds the blessednes promised to the
poore in spirit to the meeke to peace-makers to such as endure persecution c. But al those and the like sayings are not contrarie to our iudgement if any wil rightlie distinguish betwene y e causes and effectes of iustification the qualities of the iustified For it is one thing to speake of the reward of obedience and of the qualities of those who are alreadie iustified through faith and another thing of the causes of the matter that is of iustification Againe it is one thing to vse the wordes of Bernarde to speake of the causes of gouernement another of the waie to the kingdome Also it is one thing to speake of the essential principles of à thing another of the principles of knowledge But they obiect against vs as à strong buclar the saying of Christ If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundementes That is fulfill the lawe I aunswere Christ shewed à most readie waie vnto life euen the keeping of the commaundementes or fulfilling of the lawe But for that the fault is in vs that wee cannot fulfill the lawe Christ is become the ende of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth And this is it which the same Paul saith in another place Through faith wee establish the lawe euen because through beleefe wee obtaine that which the lawe requireth namelie righteousnes The gift which we saide is conioined with the faith of remission of sinnes is the giuing of the holie Ghost whereby the man iustified onelie by faith is regenerated or sanctified that is is mortified quickened and becommeth à newe man purposing thence-forwarde as much as in him is to order his life according to the rule of Gods worde So that this gift is the cause and beginning of à newe life and obedience For wee are not iustified freelie by faith to the ende wee shoulde hence-forth liue to sinne but that deliuered from sinne wee shoulde serue God in righteousnes and holines all the daies of our life For Zacharias in his songe maketh this to bee the ende of the knowledge of saluation concerning the remission of sinns through the tender mercie of our God This ende of iustification Paule setteth in the 6. vnto the Romanes where by most euident argumentes he sheweth that sanctification is ioined with iustification And thus much briefelie touching y e grace of iustification and of the gifte of sanctification the which are linked with the faith of remission of sinnes and can no more be seuered from the same than maie heate from fire or the beame from the sunne Whereby it is apparent that the Papistes offer vs great iniurie in saying that we do abolish good works and loase y t bridles to men because we saie that by faith alone wee are iustified For they marke not howe wee doe put a difference betweene the proper benefite of Christ and our duetie which is ioined with faith But of iustification God willing wee will speake more at large in the exposition of the last verse of this Psalme the sundrie sorts of testimonies which are commonlie handled in this controuersie being distinguished The thirde place in the application of Christ wee ascribed to the sacramentse which not onelie do offer the merites of Christ the priest as the word doeth but also as seales doe assure thē vnto vs if so be the merits of Christ be reteined fast in the harts through faith For as without faith the word doth not applie the merites of Christ so without faith I speake of the elder sorte the sacramentes doe no good The sacraments which Christ hath cōmended to his Church be two to wit Baptisme the Lords supper wherof baptisme is à sacrament of the entrance into Christianitie therefore is but once takē as Christ died but once for vs. For as baptisme is an effectuall token of the death burial and resurrection of Christ so is it à sacrament of the couenant which God entereth-into with the baptized touching y e purging of sinnes and our reconciliation through Christ so is it also à signe of repentance and of the crosse and à testimonie of the resurrection to come And the Lord his supper is a sacrament of the confirmation and conseruation of Christianitie yea and a remembrance of the couenant established through the blood of Christ. Furthermore it is the meate whereby we are spiritualie nourished in the bodie of Christ therefore often it ought to be receaued The summe of al is this that the sacrament of the newe testament is both an externall signe of the couenant concerning our free iustification before God through the sacrifice of Christ and also a testifying and confirmation of the faith righteousnes of Gods people to him warde CHAP. 40. Of the perpetual vse of the sacrifice of Christ both in the conscience in the whole course of our life and at the houre of death AND although the vse of the sacrifice of Christ is wel nigh seene in the application yet the efficacie and power thereof is more apparent when the knoweledge is reduced vnto practise as it were This practise hath place in the conscience of euerie man in the whole course of life at the agonie of death The conscience of each man is stricken sore with a deadlie wounde vntil it bee healed by the application of physike with Christ alone the Physition doeth minister by his worde spirit In which respect he calleth himselfe the Physition of soules So y t when the conscience is stricken with y e remēbrance of sinne it must be healed by the faith of Christ his sacrifice which if it be liuelie it be sprinckeleth the cōscience with the most comfortable balme of the holie spirite wherewithal it is healed made quiet so that now it is iocound and merie and reioiceth as it were in the crosse of Christ whereas before it was troubled and greatlie vexed Whence proceedeth that saying of the triumphing conscience in Bernard Of the remission of sinnes saith hee I haue an vndoubted argument euen the passion of Christ. For the voice of his bloode crieth more shrillie than did the bloode of Habel crying in the heartes of the elect the forgiuenesse of all sinnes For he was betraied for our offences And no doubt his death is of more power and more effectuall to helpe vs than our sinnes to hurt vs. Such à conscience is neither broken with the threates of the lawe for it knoweth howe it is not vnder the law but vnder grace nor yeeldeth to the suggestions of satan for it knoweth howe the Prince of this worlde is alreadie cōdemned nor is moued with the argumentes of reason for it knoweth the power of him which hath promised and therefore glorifieth him To conclude it resteth quietlie in Christ looking for à ful redemption through the comming of the Sonne of God who shal change our vile bodie that it maie be fashioned like vnto his glorious
welter in their sinnes fighting vnder the standard of sathan are depriued of these blessings whiche the Church onelie is partaker-of doubtlesse there can bee nothing more miserable than to wander without the Church of God and to bee carried from sinne vnto sinne vntill theie fall headlong into euerlasting wretchednesse THE FOVRTH part of the Psalme CHAP. 1. 1. The summe of the fourth part of this Psalme 2. Whie the Church is happie THE fourth part of the Psalme is a conclusion expressed with an admiration wherein is declared howe the true cause of the Churches felicitie is a firme confidence in God The 12. verse O LORD OF HOSTES BLESSED IS THE MAN WHICH TRVSTETH IN THEE HItherto by qualities affections and sundrie actions hee hath shewen who are the citizens of the Church that shal be blessed saued now he laieth before our eies the cause of iustification and of happines namelie a trust in the mercie of God which is ratified in Christ alone Blessed saith he is the man which trusteth in thee This confidence springeth of knowledge according to the saieng of the Psalme Theie that knowe thie name will truste in thee for thou Lorde hast not failed them that seeke thee But whie is he blessed that trusteth in the Lorde Because he is the heire of eternal life Wherefore is he heire of eternal life Because he is righteous Whie righteous For that he is in Christ and of Christe hath that which the lawe requireth namelie righteousnes according to this sentence Christe is the ende of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth And therefore confidence dependeth vpon the promise of free mercie Free mercie dependeth vpon fatherlie kindenes Fatherlie kindenes is grounded in the merite of the sonne the merite of the sonne is the ransome for the sinnes of the whole world which ransome is by faith applied to man For as the medicine not being applied vnto the diseased place bringeth no profite to the sick So the promise of fre mercie in Iesus Christ although of it selfe it be true and strong yet doeth it not profit man vnlesse he haue faith whereby application is made And yet maie it not bee thought that application through faith is made in respect of the merite or dignitie of the beleeuing man but for Iesus Christ his sake whome man through faith apprehēdeth that by his blood he maie be purged from sinne and endued with his righteousnes wherebie God maie accept him For the lawe hath nothing which it maie accuse in the faithful Because theie haue the righteousnes which the lawe exacteth and for which it promiseth life Notwithstanding after that man is iustified by faith he is to liue by the virtue of the spirite of faith For it cannot be that à man at one time can truely beleeue and liue after the flesh Therefore saith Paul If Christ be in you the bodie is dead because of sinne but the spirite is life for righteousnes sake Here the Apostle putteth à double effect of Christ dwelling in vs through faith to witte mortification and life So then wheresoeuer à liuelie and healthful faith is there also be the naturall properties of the same Hence it is that the scripture doth iudge of faith by the properties thereof and that to the ende that no man should deceaue himselfe with à vane shew of faith As therefore we gather the life of the bodie by the motion thereof So we knowe the life of faith by good workes But by the waie diligent heede is to be taken that we do not confoūd the faith wherebie Christ is apprehended either with his properties or with the qualities affections or actions of such as are iustified For theie which so doe ouerthrowe the doctrine of free iustification Moreouer the Hebrewe worde wherebie confidence in this place is signified is opposed against doubtfulnes and expressed by manie wordes of Paul among which are these Elenchos which is when the minde conuicted with firme reasons touching the truth of God doth rest it selfe Hupostasis wherebie the minde setteth it selfe against all obstacles or tentations Plerophoria by which à godlie man is carried with ful course into the hauen of blessednes Pepoithesis confidēce of which ariseth boldnes For these causes faith is compared by the Prophet Isaiah to à girdle about the loines by the Apostle Paul to à shield by Hosea the Prophet to à token of marriage and by Saint Peter to golde which is tried in the fire CHAP. 2. 1. Of iustification 2. The sundrie sortes of testimonies of the holie Scripture concerning iustification FOrsomuch as Dauid in this place doth pronounce those blessed that trust in God and no man can be blessed vnlesse he be righteous For the faithful are therefore blessed because they be righteous for no man euer yet was or shalbe blessed without righteousnes which righteousnes is the cause of life yea and of saluation and true blessednes I thinke it good in this place to adioin à briefe discourse touching the iustification of man before God And although this doctrine of iustification is plainlie deliuered both in the Vniuersities and Temples of this Realme yet forsomuch as much darkenes is often mixed to this cleare light especialie of politike fellowes and hypocrites whereof the one sorte applieng themselues to the Ciuil Courtes do measure righteousnes by the measure of reason and the other putting on the visor of righteousnes wil bee counted righteous and holie◠and neither sort knowe rightlie to iudge betweene those testimonies of Scripture which properlie belong vnto the causes of iustification and betwene those other sentences to be applied vnto other purposes according as circumstances of places and the analogie of faith shall require I will propose foure sortes of testimonies of Scripture which are woont to bee handled in this matter wherebie it shall moste euidentlie appeare what is the true sentence of the Church of God concerning the iustification of man before God and of what account the obedience of the faithful toward God is The sorts of testimonies be these The first is about the extreme right of the lawe according to the rule of GOD his iustice The seconde of the most comfortable equitie of the Gospel according to the promise of grace The third touching the proper and necessarie fruites of faith and of the properties qualities and actions of such as are iustified The fourth of the rewarde of the good workes according to the promises of God This difference of testimonies being knowen it wil be an easie matter to iudge of this whole doctrine CHAP. 3. 1. The first sort of testimonies concerning iustification 2. That no man can fulfil the lawe 3. Against the Pelagians and Papistes 4. Argumentes that none can fulfil the lawe by the power of nature THe first order of testimonies concerneth the extreme right of the lawe according to the rule of Gods iustice which is the lawe it selfe Nowe the extreme right of the lawe is to
cause be hindered For doubtlesse it pleaseth political fellowes and ignorant folkes maruelouslie when the lawe and the Gospel or faith and workes in the iustification of man before God are coupled-together For thus theie saie we are debters of the lawe we grant à great defecte in vs which Christ perfourmeth Therefore let vs doe what we can beg that which is behinde of Christ. And so theie ascribe à parte of righteousnesse to their owne workes and merites and à parte to Christ his merites So that some doe participate more and some lesse of Christ his merites according as theie doe abounde or want Theie who thus doe thinke doubtlesse haue no parte of Christ his fauour as most sacrilegious who arrogantlie doe take à part of Christ his office which is to saie to themselues against whom both the whole Scripture and the consent of the true Church is opposed But in this place let vs onelie set Paul the Apostle and doctor of the Gentiles against them who in manie places disputeth to the ouerthrowing of this Pharisaical opinion As Romaines 3. The righteousnesse of God is made manifest without the Law Rom. 4. The promise that he should be the heire of the worlde was not giuē to Abraham or to his seede through the Lawe but through the righteousnesse of faith For if theie saith he which are of the Lawe be heires faith is made voide and the promise is made of none effect In which wordes the Apostle most plainelie doth take iustification from the Lawe yea and from al workes too and ascribeth the same to faith alone teaching that the promise is voide and faith à vaine fiction if before God we are iustified by anie works that is if the workes of the Lawe be either causes or partes of our iustification before God Rom. 10. Theie being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and going about to stablish their owne righteousnesse haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnesse of God And in y e chapter immediat elie insuing he opposeth grace works in the matter of saluation so y t they cannot stād together as causes or parts of righteousnes or saluation If it be of grace saith he it is no more of works or els were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more of grace or else worke were no worke For as Augustine saith it is grace no way which is not free grace euery way Hitherto belongeth that of Paule in an other place By grace are ye saued through faith that not of your selues it is the gift of god not of workes least any man should boast himselfe Could any thing be spokē more plainly Here Paul saith not as y e Papists do of faith and works but he excludeth workes that grace may be grace that saluation may be à gifte and that no man should glorie in the sight of God as bringing any merit which should moue god to iustifie him This boasting is excluded also by the Apostle in another place where he saith where is then the reioicing it is excluded By what Lawe of workes Naie but by the Lawe of faith Therfore we cōclude that à man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Lawe Hereby I suppose it is more cleere than the daie that theie do erre which compound Christian righteousnes of faith and workes together as it were of causes partes Moreouer theie who seke for licentiousnes of life from y e doctrine of free iustification shalbe answered God willing in y e third sort of testimonies Now then hauing laid open the errors touching the equitie of the Gospell I will plainly deliuer and shew which is the true waie to be iustified according to the word of God y t is y e gospel To be iustified therfore according to y e Gospel is for y e beleeuing mā who is absolued frō al guilt of sinne redeemed frō the curse of the law by God to be pronounced free for the ransome sake paide by the mediator to be made righteous by the righteousnes of the mediator imputed to him and finaly to be adiudged to eternal life as a beleeued sonne in the beloued freelie for the mediator Christ his sake So then for him that would be righteous before God three things are necessarie One is that beeing absolued from sinne redeemed from the cursse of the law he be a free man an other is that he haue righteousnes wherby he may in deede be and be thought righteous the thirde that beeing made righteous he be adopted for a sonne and be liked and loued of God as a beloued in the beloued These blessings no man can giue but God onely and therfore Christian righteousnesse is sometime called The righteousnesse of GOD because it is God that iustifieth sometime The righteousnesse of Christ for that his obedience beeing imputed to vs is made our righteousnesse and sometime The righteousnesse of Faith forsomuch as it is free as that which through faith is apprehended while we beleue the gospell Therfore the Lord saith Repentance and remission of sinnes must be preached in my name among al nations The remission of sinnes is the verie absolutiō from guiltines the redemption from the cursse of libertie With this remissiō two other things are cōioined namelie righteousnes adoptiō or free acceptatiō vnto life eternal Hetherto also belong the words of the Angel vnto the Virgin Thou shalt cal his name Iesus for he shal saue his people from their sinnes Here by the word of saluation al the benefites of the mediator be vnderstood But of these things we wil entreate particularlie the more distinctlie and cleerelie to vnderstād these benefites which we obteine by Christ. First therfore we attaine remission of sinnes as Paul saith by the bloud of Christ. For the obedience of Christ vpon the crosse is y e price whereby the iustice of God is satisfied for the sinnes of al those which through faith do conuert For so saith Paul whom meaning Christ God hath set to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood So that y e merit of Christ his bloud is the cleāsing of sinnes which bloud is therefore a sufficient ransome because it is the bloud of the sonne of God Therfore in the Acts it is saide that God hath purchased the Church with his owne bloud And that he which hath remission of sinnes that is which is absolued from the guiltines of sinne is also redeemed from the cursse of the lawe and partaker of the libertie of God his children these sentences do approue Christ hath redeemed vs from the cursse of the law when he was made a cursse for vs. Againe Whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne If the sonne therefore shal make you free ye shalbe free in deede So then whosoeuer do ascribe euen the least merite of cleansing sinnes to any other thing beside the blood of
either vnto the vnregenerate or vnto the regenerate If it be applied vnto the vnregenerate which are without Christ by the principle which we haue set downe it must needes folow that it is neither ratified nor performable wherefore it is referred vnto the first order of testimonies For it proponeth the iudgement of the lawe concerning the rewardes of good workes But forsomuch as an impossible condition namely if a man do my commaundements he shal liue in them is annexed it cannot be but that the vnregenerate are subiect vnto this damnatorie sentence of y e law Curssed is euery man that continueth not in al things which be written in the booke of the law to do them But if such a promise be referred vnto the regenerate in Christ the promise is firme and perfourmed in whom al promises are yea and Amen But moe thinges in order be to be noted in this place Firste how in the regenerate the rigor of the lawe is taken away which rigor consisteth in three thinges that is to say that none obedience liketh God vnlesse it be perfect that life is not promised but to them which fulfil the lawe that the cursse is denounced to al which offend yea in the least thing Secondly we are to thinke that a man nowe beleeuing pleaseth God as beloued in the beloued and as an heire of eternal life for Christ his righteousnes imputed to him which is the waie of life and saluation according to these wordes of Paul Christ is the end of the lawe for righteousnesse to euerie one that beleeueth Thirdlie it is to be considered that of the beleeuing man whom for Christ his sake he accepteth God requireth obedience and that as à moste louing father he promiseth à rewarde to him not of det for anie goodnes or price of the work but of meere grace through fatherlie kindenes wherbie he imbraceth the beleeuing man in Christ Iesus Fourthlie we must haue in minde that workes so done through faith be testimonies of religion euen as proper effectes be vndoubted arguments of the cause from which theie proceede And therefore is the Lorde saide to rewarde euerie one according to his workes as when Paul saith God wil rewarde euerie man according to his workes which workes be tokens of faith and most vndoubted arguments of the feare of God Of these workes mention shalbe made at the last daie that al creatures maie acknowledg the iustice of God in iudging But if à special promise be made in à certaine thing as when Tobiah doth saie Almes doth deliuer from death doth purge al sin and maketh men to finde life and Daniel Breake off thine iniquities by mercie towarde the poore for that shalbe à salue for thine error this rule which dependeth vpon the principle which we haue aboue set-downe is to be remembred Touching à particular fact we must iudge according to the qualitie either of the deede or of the person that doth it If we iudge by the qualitie of the deede it is moste true that no deedes of man be theie manie or fewe can satisfie the lawe of God as aboue in the firste order of testimonies we haue declared and therefore he cannot merit either righteousnes or life But if according to the qualitie of the person we doe iudge the iudgemeÌ„t wil be diuers as the persons be For the person that worketh either hath faith or he hath not If the person which worketh hath faith his worke done according to the lawe doth please and is imputed to him for righteousnes that is it is thought to be righteous for so much as it pleaseth God in respect of the person But if the person that worketh hath no faith it is impossible that the worke should please while this rule shal holde whatsoeuer is not done of faith is sinne And therefore diligentlie it would be considered what good workes be of themselues and of what account in respect of the workers Of themselues theie are of no valure neither doe theie merit anie whit because theie are not the fulfilling of the lawe Before the righteousnes of faith theie are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen y e vilest doung as Paul speaketh and abominable but after that righteousnes is coÌ„firmed theie are to be estemed not according to their owne desert but according to the goodnes of God which accepteth them for the persons sake y t pleaseth him in which respect these are imputed vnto righteousnes that is are taken for good workes as it is written of the zeale of Phinees which thrust throw the fornicators theie merit reward as Paul saith both in this life aâ—d in the world to come Now returne we vnto the saying of Tobias touching which I do saie first y t in the old traÌ„slation which à little before I cited the words be verie corruptlie red For according to the Greek theie should be thus red Almes or liberalitie doth deliuer froÌ„ death and doth purge al sin Those which exercise almes righteousnes shalbe filled with life This senteÌ„ce caÌ„not be applied to the Pharisee or to anie man y t is not regenerat For as the almes here coÌ„mended is à particular work so in the vnregenerat it is manie waies polluted So that it is to be referred vnto y e regenerat But theie haue remissioÌ„ of sins frely for Christ his sake by whose bloud theie are cleÌ„sed froÌ„ al iniquitie But the last particle in y e saying of Tobias namlie Theie shalbe filled with life that is theie shal enioie à long life doth shew how Tobias speaketh not of purging of sin before God but in this life only before meÌ„ who coÌ„mend those for good righteous men which are merciful liberal toward y e needy The like iudgement is to be giueÌ„ touching y e place of Daniel which in y e hebrue is thus red Redeeme thy sins by righteousnes thy iniquities by mercie towarde the poore lo so thie peace y t is prosperitie felicitie in thie kingdome shalbe lengthened prolonged Here Daniel of necessitie must meane y e fruites of repentaÌ„ce which are most vndouted argumeÌ„ts of faith of the feare of God merit the mitigatioÌ„ of punishments à prosperous successe of affaires both priuate and publike which thing Daniel doth signifie in these wordes Lo so shal thie peace be lengthned proloÌ„ged To be short al y e senteÌ„ces whersoeuer they be redin y e holy scripture coÌ„cerning good works are to be vnderstood according to their circuÌ„stances and as the matter doth require are to be applied to these foure orders of testimonies But theie which confound these orders theie peruert y e scripture and trample vpon y e blood of the son of God with their feete wheÌ„ they indeuor to ascribe that to works which belongeth properlie to y e son of God our mediator Iesus Christ to whome with the father and the holie ghost be honor praise and glorie now
is the counsels snares and batteringes whether it be of the worlde or of the diuel cannot preuaile against the same The Church in deede compared to that huge companie of the reprobate and damned diuels is but à verie litle flocke yet continueth it vnmoueable against the force and power of all aduersaries whatsoeuer For notwithstanding manie citizens of the Church be murthered and put to sundrie tormentes yet is not the Church abolished therbie but in death it selfe theie get the victorie while theie keepe their faith and confession For precious in the sight of the Lorde is the death of his Saintes as that which is the gate vnto euerlasting blessednesse Therefore was it wel saide of Augustine The men of this worlde are vnhappilie happie but the Martyrs were happilie vnhappie For theie were for a time vnhappie but happie for euer The Prophet Isaiah compareth the Church to an Iland in his 2. Chapter For as an Iland placed in the sea although it be beaten with many a cruel storme and tempest that arise yet abideth inuincible because the Lord hath set à bound to the Sea which it cannot ouerpasse so the Church abideth safe notwithstanding manifold storms do beate vpon the same For the Lorde of Hostes defendeth and protecteth it who wil not suffer tyrants to vse more crueltie against y e same than it can wel indure or shalbe good for it As often therefore as we heare how the tyrantes of the world doe spoile the Church and murther the members of the same let vs comforte our selues with this cogitation the Lord of Hostes can not forsake his tabernacle which he hath made but wil by his diuine power and presence defende the same and withal praie we vnto this Lorde that he wil not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we be able to beare Moreouer this Church as it is gathered by the word of God so wil it faithfulie reteine y e same without al corruption It knoweth how Christ alone is to be harkened vnto in the ministers of the Gospel And that is it which the Lorde him-selfe doth saie My sheepe heare my voice for theie knowe not the voice of strangers This is à special note wherebie the Church of Christ is distinguished from other assemblies By whiche we are admonished to shunne false-christes and false-prophetes euen as we would the verie diuel him-selfe For this alwaie is the scope of Satan namelie that despising the voice of the Lorde we should hearken vnto him For as he enuironed our first parents by sophistrie and deprauing the worde of God so alwaies he laboureth to entrap the Church after the same sorte and maner And therfore it standeth vs vpoÌ„ aboue al to listen-vnto the voice of our sheepheard despising the voice of strangers by whom the diuel speaketh So then when the Papistes doe bid vs to heare them let vs answer that Christ our shepheard hath commanded to heare his voice onelie and to content vs there-withal This voice of our shepheard is comprehended in the writinges both of the Prophetes and Apostles and that not obscurelie but plainelie as touching the ground of our saluation When the Pope doth bid thee to cal vpon saintes shunne him as the serpent which by his lie cast our first parentes vnto the death For it is contrarie to the wordes of our sheepeheard who saith Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onelie shalt thou serue Againe Cal vpon me in the daie of trouble and so of the rest For a godlie minde is neuer at quiet vnlesse it heare this voice and be truelie persuaded that thus saith the Lorde of hostes Againe this Church forsomuch as it harkeneth onelie vnto the voice of the Lorde of Hostâ—s it cleaueth to him and obeieth him none beside Others folow other masters some cleaue to worldlie riches and pleasures manie are carried-awaie with the tempestes of their owne affections that theie make smal account of the Church of Christ but the true Church possesseth all the treasures of riches in Christ alone for which cause it cleaueth-to and obeieth him it knoweth howe it was saide of their master Be not ye caled Rabbi for one is your doctor to wit Christ. To him alone therfore it seeketh according to the wordes of the Church in the 73. psalme As for me it is good for me to draw neare to God I haue put my trust in the Lord God that I maie declare al thy workes But seeing others that are not in the Church of God to their certaine condemnation doe folowe other masters theie do more and more estrange them-selues from God as in the same Psalme it is saide Loe theie that with-drawe themselues from thee shal perish thou destroiest al them that go a whoring from thee But what is it to cleaue vnto the Lorde of Hostes It is by faith to be espoused and by hope confession and obedience according to his worde to be ioined to him For as by faith we receaue him as our beloued spouse and are ioined to him So by hope confession we continue in him as it were depending to a trustie anchor Whereof we are carried-into his commendation esteeming of al thinges of no price in respect of the obedience we owe vnto him Therefore when the godlie for confession of the Gospel are compelled to change their aboade and see their substance to be seased-vpon let them take consolation from hence looke not so much vpon the present worlde as for the euent the ioieful euent to come which theie shal find if so be theie abide constantlie in the faith and confession let them thinke howe there shalbe à righteous iudgemeÌ„t wherin as theie that cleaue to y e Lord by faith confession shal finde the words of the Psalmist true saying As for me it is good for me to drawe neere to God so such as turne themselues from God by incredulitie and renouncing of confession shal crie-out howe theie are most miserable let them thinke howe confession is necessarie according to this saieng With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation Finalie let them thinke this is an earnest coÌ„mandement of God Flie froÌ„ idolatrie Besides for so much as this true Church is the tabernacle of the Lord of Hostes it hath doubtles the Lorde of hostes dwelling in her And therefore not without good cause is she tearmed the temple of God in the Scriptures Hitherto belongeth that of Paule Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the spirite of God dwelleth in you If anie man destroie the temple of God him shal God destroie For the temple of God is holie which ye are Hence therefore maie be gathered how greate the glorie of the Church is what puritie is required to be in the same how religiously it should serue God and what punishments be prepared for them who shal prophane
saie The name of the Lord is a strong towre the righteous runneth vnto it and is exalted CHAP. 21. 1. Of sacrifices in general 2. Of the sacrifices among the Iewes what theie were FVrthermore seing the Psalmist in this verse maketh mentiō of altars where God laieth as yong ones the godlie bringeth them vp and altars be appointed for sacrifices I wil adde here-vnto something concerning sacrifices and that especialie for the Papistes who by this place would maintaine their idolatrous altars for masses which the godlie doe knowe is nothing els but a diuelish prophaning of the onelie sacrifice of Christe who by his onlie sacrifice once offered hath made the saintes perfect for euermore But that the more distinctlie wee maie speake of sacrifices I wil entreate first of the Iewish sacrifices then of the sacrifices of the prophane gentiles after that of the Papistical idol that is of the Masse which theie saie is à sacrifice and last of al of Christian sacrifices The Iewes by the commandement of God had two altars in the holie citie Ierusalem neither was it lawful for them in anie place beside Ierusalem to haue anie altars the one was of burnt offeringes and was caled the altar of burnt offering the other was of incense and thereof was caled the altar of incense both of them were figures of Christ. For as the altar of burnt offering did shadowe Christ as à purger of sinne so the altar of incense did figure Christe as he was an intreator and intercessor for man For incense did signifie praier Or as witnesseth Dauid who in his 141. Psal. doth saie Let my praier be directed in thy sight as incense the lifting-vp of mine hands as an euening sacrifice For when that holie man Dauid being driuen into banishment could not bè at the sacrifices which were made at Ierusalem in place of incense he dedicateth holie praiers vnto the Lord who be therefore signified by incense because praiers be of none effect vnlesse theie be lifted-vp with à godlie affection of the minde But omitting altars speake we nowe of the sacrifices of the Iewes that after this maner First let vs define what a sacrifice is then shewe we the causes after that wil wee note the principal kindes and last of al adde some general thinges of the figuratiue signification of sacrifices The definition maie be this Sacrifices of the Iewes were ceremonies of offering giftes and burnt offeringes ordeined of God that either to pacifie God being offended or to testifie their seruice and religion Which sacrifices pleased not of them selues because theie were done but in respect of y e faith of the offerers and thinking vpon the spiritual signification And that these rites were instituted of God both the manifest commandement of God often repeated not in Exodus onelie but also in Leuiticus and also the testimonies wherebie God did testifie howe he liked wel of such seruice doth proue And although before Moses time there was no expresse commandement touching sacrifices yet that God accepted them being offered by the godlie the examples of good men doe witnesse Wherof it maie verie easilie be gathered how theie were commanded albeit no mention be made thereof in the written worde Againe Gods acceptation doth confirme that he was the auctor of them not onelie in tolerating them but also in cōmanding them to be vsed For at foure seueral times the sacrifices of the saintes with fire from heauen were inflamed which surelie was an apparent token of Gods alowing them And y t these sacrifices pleased not of themselues it maie easelie be gathered For what wise man wil think that God wil be pacified with the slaughter bloud burning of beastes set on fire For the faith therefore of the offerers and cogitation of à spiritual meaning theie liked God which thing manie sentences of the Prophetes doe testifie Dauid doth saie For thou desirest no sacrifice though I would giue it thou delightest not in burnt offering And againe Here O my people and I wil speake heare O Israel and I wil testifie vnto thee for I am God euen thie God I wil not reproue thee for thie sacrifices or thie burnt offeringes that haue not bin continualie before me I wil take no bullock out of thine house nor goates out of thie foldes The prophet Ieremiah doth saie I spake not vnto your fathers nor cōmanded them when I brought them out of the land of Aegypt concerning burnt offeringes and sacrifices And again saith Isaiah Heare the worde of the Lorde O Princes of Sodome hearken vnto the Lawe of our God O people of Gomorrah what haue I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lorde I am ful of the burnt offerings of rams of the fat of fed beastes I desire not the bloud of Bullocks nor of lambes nor of goates When ye come to appeare before me who required this of your handes to treade in my courts Bring no oblations in vaine incense is an abomination vnto me These sentences do seeme not onlie to be contrarie to y t cōmandement which so often is to be found in Leuiticus but also to condemne the whole Aaronical priesthoode with the altars But for the concilement of these contrarie speeches we wil aleage three testimonies and two examples out of the Scriptures who plainlie shal remoue awaie al doubtfulnes Salomon doth saie The sacrifice of the wicked is abhomination to the Lorde Dauid saith also Vnto the wicked God saide what hast thou to doe to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldest take my couenant in thie mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast caste my wordes behinde thee And Isaiah after he reprehended y e sacrifices of his people addeth Wash you make you cleane Take-awaie the euil of your workes from before mine eies cease to do euil Learne to do wel seeke iudgement relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defende the widowe These places doe plainelie shewe howe the sacrifices of this people were reproued because of the vncleanenes of the heart and il dealing toward man or because of their froward confidence and wicked conuersation For as the hypocrites did offer their sacrifices before God for à recompence so the wicked thoght howe by their burnt-offeringes theie were sanctified albeit theie were touched with no feeling of their sinnes Therefore seeing God commanded sacrifices to be offered that theie might be exercises of godlines surelie the offerers ought to bring vnfeigned repentance and faith without which no maruel it is if the sacrifices were caled abhomination Caine Abel did both offer sacrifices notwithstanding God had respect vnto Habel and to his offering that is vnto his sacrifice but vnto Caine and to his offering he had no regarde Whie so Because Habel bought à faith in the Messiah whome his sacrifice did shadowe wherebie also his obedience in
eies of faith it is not learned in the courtes pallaces of worldlie kinges but in the sanctuarie of God as Dauid himself acknowledgeth when he saith I thought to know this namelie whie the Church is oppressed and the wicked doe florish But it was too painefull for me vntil I wâ—nt into the sanctuarie of God then vnderstoode I their endes Surelie thou hast sette them in slipperie places castest them downe into desolation How souddenlie are theie destroied They perished for their sinne yet I was alwaie with thee thou hast helde by my right hand Thou wilt guid me by thy counsel and afterward receaue me to glorie Dauid therefore by the eies of faith not onelie considereth the glorie of the church the future happinesse of the citizens of the same but also thinketh vppon the most lamentable destruction of those men who call not vppon God in his congregation Of both which that is of the happines of the Church and damnation of the vngodlie Dauid himself speaketh on this wise Lo theie which withdrawe themselues from thee shall perish thou destroiest al them which go à whoring from thee As for me it is good for me to draw-neere vnto GOD therefore I haue put my trust in the Lorde God that I maie declare al thie workes But what is the cause whie so manie mightie men of the worlde doe not consider their endes the better to order their liues as they shoulde The causes hereof are three as Paul saith namelie the vanitie of mind the blindnes of their vnderstanding and the hardnes of their heart The vanitie of minde bringeth to passe that such honest things as are thought to bee embraced by à dreame as it were doe forth-with vanishe-awaie without profite Blindnes of vnderstanding doth so carrie theÌ„ awaie that of those principles of vertue imprinted naturallie in the mindes of men they followe nothing but errors And through their hardnes of heart they are touched with no feare of God Whereof it is that with à reprobate minde wee embrace for goodnes in deede colored good thinges for true riches false vaine glorie for true praise beastlie and moste filthie pleasure for true delight and for the right preheminence vaine arrogancie Of this vanitie blindnesse and hardnesse the Lorde by the Prophete Ieremiah speaketh on this wise My people is foolishe theie haue not knowen mee they are foolishe children and haue none vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to doe well theie haue no knoweledge Whence it proceedeth that according to the saying of Salomon Theie reioce in doing euill and delight in the frowardnesse of the wicked To which kinde of men Isaiah crieth with à lamentable voice Wo when he saith Wo vnto them which are wise in their own eies prudent in their owne vnderstanding For one daie through the most righteous iudgement of God they shall bee condemned to euerlasting tormentes Notwithstanding Epicures which delight wholie in their filthie delightes either because they thinke there is no God at all or if there be à God they suppose hee will not be angrie seeing hee is all mercifull or if hee will be angrie that hee will not alwaies keepe hatred in remembrance they doe not regarde anie whit the wrath of God But this extreme vanitie both the daie of doome in the sight of all creatures of diuels of Angels and of men shall reprooue and also the verie conscience which is à witnesse of à iudgement to come doth speake against CHAP. 4. 1. Whie Dauid chooseth to bee of no reputation in the Church of God 2. The manifold benefits and blessinges which the sainctes of God enioie yea in this life The 11. verse BECAVSE THE LORD GOD IS A SVNNI AND A SHIELD THE LORD WIL GIVE GRACE AND GLORIE AND NO GOOD THING WILL HE DEPRIVE THEM OF WHICH WALKE INNOCENTLIE THIS is an Aetiologe For it rendreth the reason whie Dauid doth choose to bee the most abiect in the house of the Lorde that is in the Church rather than to enioie euen the greatest pleasure and delightes in the tabernacles of y e vngodlie And this reason is fetcht froÌ„ y e enumeratioÌ„ of the good things or benefits which are peculiar to the citizens of God his Church the which the forainers not onelie doe lacke but also are wrapped in the contrarie miseries Wherefore they are to bee illustrated by waie of Antithesis that each maie appeare namelie both howe great the glorie of the Church and contrariwise howe much the miserie of those is who are without the Church The first good thing or benefite of the Church is that God himselfe is in the same as à most bright Sunne which thing I do refer both vnto the cleare knowledge of God and vnto the affections agreeing with the knowledge and also vnto the manifold consolations which the godlie doe take through the light of this sunne For as from the Sunne which we do behold proceedeth to the world both light heate and beames wherebie all things are quickened and nourished So from God who is an inuisible Sunne of the Church there proceedeth both light that is à cleare knowledge of God and heate that is the burning affections of hope faith and loue and also beames which are the manifold consolations wherewithall the soules of the faithare quickened nourished and made merie This Sunne as it ariseth vpon such as feare God So it goeth-down from negligent wicked and prophane folkes And therefore great heede is to be taken least the godlie doe suffer this Sunne to be darkened and hidden from them For as it is à most certaine token of death to à sicke man as Hippocrates saith if he dreame that this visible Sunne is hidden or obscured So à most certain death of the soule is nigh at hand if our Sunne Christe be darkened by abolishing or corrupting of the true doctrine So that so manie as are destitute of this Sunne as are all theie which be without the Church they can not bee otherwise than most miserable For they being blinde and ignorant of God both doe groape in the grosse darkenes of ignorance and are beaten-downe with an horrible amazement of their mindes when sinne sheweth it selfe abroade in their consciences And although the consciences of manie seeme to be seared as it were with an hot iron as if it were voide from all feeling of sinne yet at the point and paine of death it is awakened yea it driueth the miserable soule vnto desperation The seconde benefite of the Church is that God himselfe who is the Sunne is also to the Church in place of à shielde wherewith the householde of the Church are compassed protected and saued against the kingdome of darkenes Hereof in the 5. Psalme it is spoken where it is saide Let all them that trust in thee reioice and triumph for euer and couer thou them and let them that loue thy name reioice in thee
For thou Lorde wilt blesse the righteous and with fauour wilt compasse him as with à shielde Againe Thou hast giuen mee the shielde of thy saluation and thy right hand hath staied mee For it seemeth good in the sight of God that the godlie shold not only be cōpassed about with y e crowne of his good wil but also be happie through euerlasting blessednes When Paul writeth vnto the Ephesians Take vnto you the shielde of faith wherewith yee maie quench all the fierie darts of the wicked hee signifieth y t then we are cōpassed-about with the shield of faith when reteining an vnshakened faith of doctrine with à confidence of mercie and à good conscience wee fight à good fight Now what thing I praie you can be more miserable than the enimies of God who haue not this shield For the king of darkenes hath ful power ouer them and casteth them down headlong from one wickednes vnto another til he bring them to vtter destruction The thirde and fourth benefites are Grace and glorie For thus hee saith The Lorde will giue grace and glorie Grace is the fauour of God both pardoning the sinnes of the faithfull for the deathes sake of his sonne also adorning the Church with an vnspotted garment namelie with Christ his obedience or righteousnes Nowe forsomuch as the faithfull doe please through this grace they can not bee otherwise than happie and blessed But they which are without the Church be destitute of this grace guiltie damned in respect of their wickednes Glorie is the attainement of adoption the inhabitation of the holie spirite and the hereditarie possession of eternall happinesse But so manie as bee not within the Church are the bondslaues of Sathan moued with the spirite of the Diuell and reserued for euerlasting shame The fifth good thing or commoditie of the Church which the vngodlie doe want is that which the Psalmist meaneth when hee saith No good thing will be depriue them of that walke innocentlie Here by the fruit iudgement is giuen of the tree For a good tree bringeth-foorth good and profitable fruite but à rotten tree can yeelde nothing but hurtful vnpleasant fruite To walke innocentlie or soundlie or perfectlie for the worde which the Psalmist vseth in this place is oftentimes expressed of interpretors by the worde perfection is when the man which is iustified preferreth obedience towarde God before euen the most pleasant thinges of the worlde This definition maie bee proued out of the 22. Chapter of Genesis Nowe there is a double perfection of Christians of imputation of obedience He is perfect by imputation that beleeueth in Iesus Christ according to that Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth Hee is perfect by obedience which loueth obedience to God warde more than all thinges of the worlde Yet is not this perfection an absolutnes of worke according to the rule of the law but it is a purpose an endeuorment and a studie of the minde whereby a man daielie more and more goeth forwarde vnto the marke of perfection Ths endeuorment throught the approbation of God is called perfection And that this Christian perfection is to be referred vnto the will and affection of the heart these testimonies ensuing doe witnesse Feare the Lorde and serue him in vprightnes in trueth of heart Againe And thou Salomon my sonne knowe thou the God of thy father and serue him with à perfect heart and with à willing minde Hezekiah in the prophecie of Isaiah doeth testifie howe hee fulfilled the same when hee saide I beseech thee Lorde remember now how I haue walked before thee in trueth and with à perfect hart and haue done that which is good in thy sight And this perfection Paul requireth when he saith Fight à good fight hauing faith and à good conscience For through faith the obedience of Christe which is the fulfilling of the Lawe is obteined à good conscience is kept by a willingnes to obeie whereby a godlie man preferreth obedience towarde God before all thinges although mā cannot fulfill the same in such absolute forme as the rule of the lawe doeth require Moreouer when the Psalmist doeth saie No good thing will he depriue them of which walk innocentlie it is to bee vnderstood concerning the rewarding of the obedience showen through faith For in this place hee speaketh not of the causes of saluation but of the effect of faith wherewith being iustified we are saued And therefore this and such like sentences of which sort there be manie in the scripture be thus to bee vnfolded They y t walke innocentlie shall not bee depriued of good thinges Whie so Because they which walke innocentlie doe beleeue And al beleeuers are righteous through Christ his righteousnesse imputed vnto them To the righteous life and abundance of all good thinges in such sorte is proposed that they shal desire nothing to the consummating of true happines And therefore so manie as walke innocentlie shall not be depriued of good thinges After which sort the like sentences are to bee vntied that wee maie be led from the proper effect vnto the proper cause and againe conclude frō the proper cause other effectes adioined and following of the same as when it is saide Blessed are they which suffer persecution for the confession of Christ heere mention is made not of the cause of blessednes but of the effecte of faith and of that which necessarilie doth followe faith And therefore the sentence is thus to be opened They are blessed which suffer persecution for the confession of Christ. Why so Because they doe beleeue For it is a proper effect of faith to confesse Christe in the time of persecution But the faithfull bee righteous through Christe his obedience And the righteous doe liue and are blessed by the hope of eternall felicitie Therefore they who suffer persecution for the confession of Christ are blessed Nowe the holie scripture vseth this manner of speech for two causes One is that we shoulde iudge of true and liuelie faith by the naturall properties which it hath leaste for the true faith wee embrace a fained and false faith Another is that we maie be stirred-vp with the promise of the rewarde of obedience the more cheerefullie to doe our dueties and not waxe negligent in respect of the manifold difficulties which happen manie times and make manie slouthful But touching this point wee haue spoken more at large aboue where wee confuted the errors of Papistes who verie naughtilie doe confounde the causes and effectes and manie times of the qualities affections and workes of y e saintes do make the causes of iustification and saluation whose errors bee ouerthrowen by the pretious bloode of our onelie mediator For in the matter of iustification al mans merites are quite contrarie vnto the merite of Christ his death Last of all seeing the wicked which
bestowe life and saluation vppon none vnlesse by the sentence of the lawe hee be pronounced righteous and also without respect of persons to adiudge so manie to the cursse and wrath of God and to eternall paines which haue not yeelded pure perfect and cōtinual obedience to the lawe This right of the law is conteined in the promises threats added to the lawe of God And the summe thereof tendeth vnto these two sayinges of Moses Curssed be he that confirmeth not all the wordes of this lawe to doe them And The man which doth them shal liue in them that is as God condemneth the transgressor of the lawe so hee doeth iustifie the fulfiller of the same For as to bee condemned is by God through the accusement of Moses or the law the verie conscience of man bearing witnesse againste him named to be guiltie for transgressing the lawe to bee pronounced vniust and to bee adiudged to eternal death as accursed of God So to be iustified is by God through the quitance of Moses or the Lawe the verie conscience of man excusing him to bee named not guiltie for fulfilling the lawe to bee pronounced righteous to be adiudged to eternall life as blessed of GOD and that in respecte of the couenant betweene GOD and man This being set downe I will propose à demonstration whereby it shall appeare that no mortall man since the fal of our first parentes can legalie be iustified before the tribunal seat of God Iesus Christ onely excepted who is both God and man pure from all sinne absolutelie righteous according to the law And the demonstration is this Whosoeuer doeth perfectlie fulfill the lawe of God is righteous by the lawe and heire of eternall life by the promise of God And contrariwise hee that doeth not fulfill the lawe is accurssed and subiect to the wrath of God and to eternall paines according to the sentence of the lawe But no man since the fall of our first parentes Christ onelie excepted was euer found that coulde fulfill the lawe of God Therefore no man is righteous by the sentence of the lawe and heire of eternal life by the couenant of God but Christ alone who beeing free from contagion of sinne did perfectlie fulfill the lawe but all other besides him are by nature subiect to the cursse to the wrath of GOD and to eternall tormentes The maior is proued from the extreme right of the lawe that is from the promises and threateninges of God his lawe And this no man will denie as apparent by the worde of God but the minor is in controuersie For both the Pelagians and the Papistes doe reiecte the minor as vntrue but theie builde not both vpon the same foundation Pelagius because hee tooke-awaie originall sinne and taught how sin was sent-ouer to the posteritie of Adā not by propagation but by immitation onely ascribed to the power of man y t theie could by their natural strength of them selues fulfil the lawe of God and by the merites of good workes attaine euerlasting life And forsomuch as erroneouslie hee supposed that Christ was à meere man and yet for all that yeelded perfect obedience to the lawe hee concluded that other men likewise if they woulde might obserue the lawe and thereby be iustified and saued But howe weake yea howe false the foundation of Pelagius is the scripture in manie places doeth euidentlie declare For in that hee saith howe sinne is sent-ouer to the posteritie of Adam by imitation onelie it is most vntrue as Paule in his first Chapter vnto the Romanes doth most cleerelie teach where he handleth this verie argument namelie that wee are guiltie not by imitation but by propagation As by one man saith hee sinne entered into the worlde and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forsomuch as all men haue sinned Againe Death raigned from Adam to Moses euen ouer them also that sinned not after the like maner of the transgression of Adam Are not these wordes quite contrarie to the saying of Pelagius which imagineth that sinne is sent-ouer by imitation onely Againe By the offence of one manie are dead that is all which were borne of Adam according to the common lawe of birth Againe through one which sinned death and condemnation came thorough one offence vnto condemnation Againe By the offence of one death raigned through one And again by the offence of one the fault came on al mē to condemnation by one mans disobedience manie were made sinners What can be spoken more plainelie Dauid also hee saith Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceaued mee Here Dauid speaketh not of à certaine sin of his parents as though the worke of marriage were à sinne which is wel knowē to be the holie and lawfull ordinance of God but of the contagion whereby we al y e sort of vs are both conceaued and brought into the world polluted because of the offence of our first parentes in whome the whole nature of man is corrupted and guiltie Therefore vnto the Ephesians Paul saith Wee were by nature the children of wrath so wel as others The foundation therefore of Pelagius being taken awaie the building wherevpon he had builded doth of it selfe come vnto the groūd So that when Pelagius doth argue thus We are borne without original sinne and onelie by imitating sinful Adam we are made guiltie therfore by the power of nature we can fulfil the lawe the Antecedent is constantlie to be denied as that which is contrarie both to the course of the whole scripture to the iudgement of al good writers And whereas the saide Pelagius doth affirme that Christ was onelie man not God too and yet notwithstanding yeelded ful obedience to the lawe and therefore others also maie fulfil the same it is à friuolous argument and ouerthrowne by the consent of the whole Scripture For the whole Scripture doth commend Christ God and man to vs saith he is the onelie sauiour testifieth that he is the beholder of heartes and acknowledgeth him to be present in all places Now y e Papists which also denie the minor of our argument builde vpon another foundation to wit vpon à false definition of God his lawe For with the Pharisees theie thinke that the lawe doth onelie restraine the hande as theie saie and requireth onelie outward ciuil workes which when men doe theie saie how theie are iust before God and doe merit by their obedience eternal life original sinne being abolished through the death of Christ. And therefore theie define the iustification of the vngodlie to be à remissiō of sinnes and à perfection of good works But how vane and friuolous this toieng of the Papistes is first the Law it selfe which brideleth concupiscence doth shewe Secondlie Paul compareth the Lawe of nature of men together as things cleane contrarie We know saith he that the law is
Christ they do prophane Christ his blood and extenuat the merit of the Lordes death of which merit we are then made partakers when we beleeue in Iesus Christ. Therefore Paul doth say through faith in his blood that is when a man knowing the promise of grace doth verilie beleeue that his sinnes are forgiuen him for the blood sake of Christ he is truelie partaker of the merit of the Lord his death through which he is absolued from sinne redeemed from the condemnation of the law and set free from the bondage of sinne and Satan With the remission of sinnes righteousnes is ioyned wherby the beleeuer is iustified that is becommeth in verie deede and is iudged righteous before God And this righteousnes is the second benefit of Christ in our iustification Which righteousnes is nothing else than à perfect fulfilling of the lawe done indeede by Christe but ascribed or imputed to vs that beleeue For so saith Paul Christe is the ende of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth that is so manie as beleeue haue that which the Lawe requireth namelie righteousnes but not done of them but imputed to them For so saith Paul To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodlie his faith is counted for righteousnes Now that this righteousnes that is imputed to vs is Christ his obedience the comparisō which Paul doth make witnesseth As by one mans disobedience saith he manie were made sinners So by the obedience of one shal manie also be made righteous meaning so manie as beleue And in another place He hath made him to be sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him that is Christ was made for vs sinne which is à sinner through the imputation of the guiltinesse of al our sinnes to him y t we might be made righteous with God and that by the righteousnes not sticking within vs but which being in Christ is imputed of God to vs through faith Then we are so the righteousnes of God in him as he is sinne in vs to wit through imputation And this is it which Augustine doth saie Our sinnes he made his owne sins that he might make his righteousnes to be ours Herevnto both Moses the Psalmes Prophets do agree Moses he writeth The seede of the woman shal bruse the Serpents head Again In thy seede which is Christ shal all the nations of the earth be blessed This blessing cannot be without y e remission of sins righteousnes and allowance of God If therefore blessing be through Christ deliuerance also frō the cursse is through him through the remission of sinnes we atteine imputation of righteousnes and God his fauor And in the Psalme it is They shal declare his righteousnes to à people that is the Church shal preach not mans righteousnes by workes or ceremonies but the righteousnes of Christ which shalbe imputed for righteousnes to so manie as beleeue The Prophet Isaiah saith By his knowledge shal my righteous seruant iustifie manie for he shal beare their iniquities This testimonie is verie notable for it teacheth how sinnes be washed awaie through y e sacrifice of Christ it teacheth y t Christ y e righteous by his righteousnes doth make others righteous it teacheth also y t applicatiō is made through y e knowledge of the same Christ y t is through an effectual knowledg of Christ And y t is effectual knowledge whē to the knowledg of y e minde y e beleefe of the heart is ioined Also by y t Prophet Ieremiah it is writtē This is the name wherby theie shal cal him the lord our righteousnes Here y e prophet cōmendeth Christ his diuinitie and also pronounceth howe we are iustified through his righteousnes Touching the application the same Prophet speaketh on this wise Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is Now he trusteth in the Lord who beleeueth that being iustified by his righteousnesse he pleaseth God For the obedience of Christ God and man is the most absolute perfourmance of the lawe the which sufficeth al because it is the righteousnes of man who is God This the Prophet declareth when he saith The Lord is our righteousnesse So that from our heartes we must beleeue how the righteousnesse wherebie we are iust before God is not anie qualitie or action in our selues but the obedience of Christ imputed to the faithful So doth Paul most expreslie distinguish betweene y e righteousnesse of man and of Christ when he saith I doe iudge al thinges but doung that I might winne Christ and might be founde in him not hauing mine own righteousnes which is of the lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euē the righteousnes which is of God through faith Nowe if we haue remission of sinnes and righteousnesse through faith to wit perfecte righteousnesse which is of Christe Iesu doubtlesse we are no more vnder the damnable sentence of the lawe which is Cursed is he that confirmeth not al the workes of the lawe to doe them And this meaneth Paul where he saith We are vnder the lawe which condemneth but vnder grace which iustifieth Whie so For that as through the offence of one to wit Adam the fault came on al men to condemnation so by the iustifieng of one namelie Christ Grace abounded towarde al men to the iustification of life That is As the sinne of Adam was the cause of condemnation vnto eternal death So the righteousnes of Christ is the cause of iustification vnto eternal life Now then as Paul saith there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesu. For theie are free frō the lawe of sin of death through Christ the deliuerer The third thing which we saide was required for to make a man righteous before God is that being adorned with Christ his righteousnes he be adopted for the sonne of God and accepted vnto eternal life For as by faith hee obteineth remission of sinnes and righteousnes so likewise by the same faith we obteine the right of adoptiō and the dignitie of Gods children according to that of Iohn He gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name That is he conferred this heauenlie honor vpon the faithful that theie both be and be counted the sonnes of God And Paul ye haue not receiued the spirite of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the spirite of adoption wherbie we crie Abba Father The same spirite beareth witnes 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. Moreouer this our adoption is two māner of waies to be considered to wit as it is in the life begun through faith and as it
he we do finde such places in the Scriptures as do seeme to attribute righteousnesse to workes special regarde must be had vnto the foundation from which they do spring And when they proceede from faith they are to be ascribed vnto the roote For example Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore the Lorde shal deliuer him in the time of trouble Here mercie toward the needie and poore is not set for a cause of blessednesse For mercie is a particular worke whereby the law of God is not satisfied But such manner of speech Dauid vseth because the effecte is a most certaine argument of the cause it hath So that the man which hath mercie on the poore is blessed because he beleeueth Now then through faith he pleaseth the worke also pleaseth not for the perfectnes thereof but for that God accepteth it because the person is not vnder the lawe but vnder grace And that it is necessarie that the workes which God accepteth of must proceede from faith it is manifest For whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne And without faith it is impossible to please God The Lorde himselfe doth saie Without me ye can doe nothing As the branch cannot beare fruite of it selfe except it abide in the vine No more can man doe anie thing vnlesse he abide in Christ through faith For before we be regenerate we are euil trees Which cannot but bring foorth euill fruite wee are the children of wrath and dead in sinne we are flesh Whose wisedome is enmitie against God we are natural mē which perceiue not the things of the spirit of God And therefore whatsoeuer God promiseth to such as do good works that must not be promised indifferentlie to al but onelie to such as obeie through faith For seeing the iust doe please by faith theie doe necessarilie bring foorth the fruites of righteousnesse of faith namelie good workes which no more can be separated from the righteousnes of faith than the natural propertie from the subiect Wherefore as the argument is alwaie good from the subsistence of anie subiect vnto the natural propertie of the same and contrariwise the propertie being set the subiect of necessitie must be seene so faith which iustifieth man being set good workes which are y e properties of y e spirit of faith are necessarilie set And againe good works being set faith frō which theie do spring must needs be set So whersoeuer faith is not good workes are not wher good works be not ther is not faith the cause of good works Therfore saith Paul Fight à good sight hauing faith and à good conscience which some haue put awaie and as concerning faith haue made shipwracke So often then as promises doe seeme to be annexed to good workes we are to make recourse vnto the roote and ground namelie faith For as there be two beginnings of thinges one is that theie be the other that they be known so faith as the beginning of being worketh so that thou art righteous and good workes as the beginning of knowledge bring it to passe that thou art knowne to be righteous Hence the Lorde at the last daie wil propose the beginning of knowledge to the righteousnesse of faith which shalbe apparent in the sight of al creatures For thus he wil saie Come ye blessed of my father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meat I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke I was à stranger and ye lodged me I was naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came vnto me Here the Lorde wil not haue the workes of mercie toward his members to be merites of the heauenlie kingdome but by certaine tokens he declareth who are the sonnes of God vpon whom the kingdome of God freelie for Christ his sake without anie merites of man shalbe bestowed For so saith Paul The gift of God is eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. And although by that which hitherto hath beene spoken it is none harde thing to iudge howe our doctrine concerning good workes differeth from the papistical imaginations Yet that the more distinctlie and particularlie this difference maie be seene I wil adde somewhat more here-vnto and that for two causes the firste to shewe the vanitie of those men who hearing that both we and the Papistes doe require good woorkes doe thinke that we striue not about matters of importance but onelie about words and that of pride onelie to gaine-saie Wherebie theie doe sufficientlie bewraie themselues to know nothing touching this controuersie of so great importance vpon which al our saluation doth depend Secondlie that godlie auditors maie be rightlie instructed in this matter and necessarie doctrine maie haue alwaie in à readines wherwith to answer such as indeuour to ouerthrow our religion and slaunder the same without reason either of meere malice or of grosse ignorance The difference therefore betweene vs and the Papistes touching good workes consisteth in foure thinges to wit in the matter efficient causes in the manner and in the oft doing of good woorkes If we shal proue this thing by euident argumentes I thinke there is none but wil graunt if so be he wil yeelde vnto the truth rather than to the vanitie of his own minde that for iust causes we are prouoked thus to contend The firste difference therefore is taken from the matter of workes For the Papistes doe place their chiefest workes and worship in the traditions of men the which theie preferre before Gods comaundementes which traditions for al that partelie be in their kinde indifferent as appointed fastes and certaine songues but in their vse and ende vtterlie wicked because theie put à confidence in them while theie perswade themselues that by obseruing of them theie doe merite the remission of sinnes partlie theie are superstitious meerelie ethnical as hallowing of water of fire of herbes of candles with infinit such toies wherevnto also theie doe ascribe the power to abolish sinne and driue awaie diuels and partlie theie are apparantlie wicked as such are that are contrarie to the word of God as is the inuocation of saintes the marchandise of masses the worshipping of Images the bearing about adoratiō of bread These and the like traditions the Papistes with fire and sworde doe vphould caring little or nothing at al for the breach of God his commaundements as euidentlie appeareth by the verie punishmentes which theie doe appoint For in the Papacie the contempt of the idolatrous Masse is more sharpelie punished than adulterie or incest A much more heinous offence is it among the Papists to eate flesh vpon à Fridaie than to kil à man vpon anie daie Wherebie it is apparent that the Papistes doe preferre their traditions before the commaundementes of God which thing is the proper note of Antichrist
For as theie contemne the sentence pronounced against the Pharisees which is Theie worship me in vaine teaching for doctrine mans traditions So theie doe rashlie arrogate to themselues power to make lawes in the Church of God which thing is doubtlesse none other thing than to exalt thēselues aboue God who chalengeth to himselfe alone the authoritie to enact lawes in his owne kingdome But we doe submit our selues to God whose commandements we both doe beleeue and teach also to be the rules of good workes But the commaundementes and traditions of men we do not acknowledg for the seruice of of God but rather with Paul we pronounce them to be the doctrine of diuels For this commaundement of God Walke in my preceptes and not in the preceptes of your fathers we doe preferre before the authoritie of al men whatsoeuer and of Angels Nowe let the godlie reader iudge wether it be more conuenient to yeelde to the Papistes or to vs in the matter or substance of good works For my part I thinke no man is so mad as to obeie men who both can deceiue and maie be deceiued rather than God that cannot erre The second difference is fetcht from the efficient causes The Papistes with the Pelagians doe imagine good workes to proceede from free wil. For theie doe teach that men before regeneration by their pure natural powers can doe good workes which theie doe cal merites of congruitie and by them merite fauour Whose error by euident proofes drawne from the word of God we haue aboue confuted But we with Christ the Prophets and Apostles doe affirme that no good workes as the seruice of God can be wrought before wee be regenerated For Christe doth saie without me ye can doe nothing Moses and the Prophetes doe pronounce the hearte of man naturallie to be wicked Paul he saith I am perswaded that he that hath begunne this good worke in you wil perfourme it vntil the daie of Iesus Christ. And in another place It is God which worketh in you both the wil and the deede These wordes doe plainelie witnesse howe good works doe not proceede frō nature but from grace which thing howe it is done we nowe brieflie wil declare Three thinges therfore vnto the actiō of virtue or à good worke namelie iudgement of minde wil and power be required The iudgement of the minde God by his light that is by his word wherin the holie spirit worketh doth inlighten that we maie both knowe what pleaseth and what displeaseth God à certaine some whereof is proponed in the tenne commaundementes and more at large are opened in the writinges of the Prophets and Apostles And this is it which Dauid saith Thy word is à lanterne vnto my feete Secondlie God maketh the wil of the wicked good while he doth renue the same in the regenerate by his holie spirite The wil as it is à natural facultie hath in it selfe no qualitie at al but is altogether such as y t is which it imbraceth If the thing be good the wil is good but if the thing be euil it is euil And therefore Damascene doth rightlie define it That the wil it selfe is of nature but diuerslie to wil is proper to the person And Chrysostome The wil is ingraffed and bredde in vs by nature and it is also of God And the wil of this or that thing is ours and our iudgement that is not of nature but of the person But nowe when the state of the person doth change the qualitie of y e wil must change also of necessitie But that the person is wicked as that which is led by the sense of the flesh and vnderstandeth not the thinges which are of the spirite of God before regeneration it hath aboue beene declared And therefore there is no doubt but the wil of à person not iustified is euil that is wicked set againste God the slaue to sinne albeit it worketh freelie and not constreinedlie For voluntarilie it chooseth euil for good things This will of man before regeneration would haue God altogether either not to be able or not willing to reuenge or ignorāt altogether of y e wickednes it hath committed And therefore that woulde that he were not à God which so much as in it is would haue him to be either of no power or not righteous or ignorant Cruel and altogether curssed malice is it to desire that the power iustice and wisedome of God should perish But forsomuch as in iustification man is at once both regenerated and made à newe creature in Christ Iesus according to the māner of this newe state the wil of the person taketh à newe qualitie so that the wil which before regeration was euil the slaue of sinne and enimie to God is nowe made good free à friend of God and deliting in his commaundements For the minde being lightened by the worde and the heart through faith being purified the wil commaundeth those thinges which the sound iudgement of the mind doth allow and wherevnto the pure affections doe incline Therefore as the regenerate man is à newe creature so the wil of à newe man is created anewe by the holie Ghost euen as Dauid declareth when he saith Create in me à cleane heart ô God and renne à right spirit within me By the hearte he vnderstandeth both pure affections and also à wil obeying pure affections by à right spirite he meaneth the election of the wil and purpose in that which is good So that it is the worke of God his spirit that the wil is made good where it was euil which being made good it worketh cheerefullie yet through grace and not constrainedlie otherwise wil should not be wil. In the thirde place the iudgement of the minde being reformed by the word and the wil renewed through the holie Ghost the strength also by little little is restored and according to the measure of faith doe grow wherbie we begin to doe somewhat which pleaseth God although in this life we shal neuer be able to satisfie the lawe according to the rigor of his iustice The repairing of this strength is wrought by the virtue of the death burial and resurrection of Christ in the faithful This virtue of Christ is after à sorte depainted in our baptisme as Paul teacheth in his 6. chapter vnto the Romanes Moreouer when the person which is iuste through faith keepeth à good conscience and thinketh continualie of going forwarde his defections are wel taken for he is not vnder the lawe but vnder grace The thirde difference betweene the Papistes and vs about good workes is taken from the manner For theie doe thinke that to be a good worke when that is externallie done that is commaunded For theie require no more vnto the forme of à good work than the action it selfe But wee with Augustine doe pronounce that à worke ought then to be called and thought good when the