Christs breasts good vvorkes like S. Peter that followed after Christ Faith the bride good vvorkes the handmaids Faith the bride goeth into the chamber yea into the bed of her beloued vvhere the handmaids come not Faith the roote good vvorkes the fruite Faith only necessary to justification goodvvorkes to saluation Practice 2 The second vse is of thankfulnes For all our good is of god vvhether it be the good of prouidence all sayth Iob is of the lord he giueth it The bread vve daylie eate is called ours but vve beg it of him The goods of the body as Sampsons strength Absolons beauty Sauls tallnes all of god The goods of the mind are of god he giues vvisdome to Solomon taketh it avvay frō Georgius Trapezuntius vvho being somtimes a great scholler at the last by accident forgat his ovvne name The diuersity of good gifts is of god Paull is profound Apollos eloquēt Cephas Zealous Augustine an excellent disputāt Ierome textuall Gregorij morall Ambrose iuditious Origen allegoricall Chrysostome excellent to moue passion all diuersified The goodnes of our vvill is of god My goods of mind are thy gifts Bona mea Dona tua August Conf. 10. lib. 4. cap. If any man think othervvise if he vvere as good as an angell his meate that he eateth as good as Māna his garmēt as good as the Ephod of Aarō let that mā knowe that he must attribute all to god be thankfull for all gods goodnes tovvards him either naturall or ciuill or spirituall or externall internall eternall for all our good is either god himselfe or from god himselfe it is his goodnes that hath follovved vs all our life Practice 3 The third vse is of Enquirie amongst you Marchants Are you traders for these goodly pearles If you be you vvill not abuse the good things of god to euill purposes Neither the goodnes of gods prouidence to excesse royott vanity vilenes nor the goods of your body to vvickednes you vvill not abuse your eares to become a sepulcher to burie the good name of your frend nor your tongues to be organs of despite nor your eies fireballs of enuy nor your hands engines of mischeefe nor your vvhole body a stie and stinck of sinne Nor the goods of your mind vvill you abuse either to your imagination to imagine mischeefe vpon your beds nor in your vvills to desire to doe euill like miscreants vvhen you cannot Nor to be as hammers to knocke out on anothers braines nor as svvords in each others bovvells nor as arrovves to on anothers harts But rather vvhich is the fourth vse here of to directe on another Practice 4 For negatiue justification auailes not It is Pharasaicall For euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruite is hevven dovvne cast into the fire Be therefore directed to recompence noe man euill for euill as Joab did Abner for that 's a poore spirit much lesse euill for good as Iudas did to Christ for that 's a diuells spirit Nay if you doe recompence good vvith good as Ahasuerosh did Mordicai it is but common justice but to ouercome euill vvith goodnes is more then to preach Rom. 12. vlt. or to doe a miracle or to cast out a diuell Practice 5 For if I should expostulate vvith you vvhy vve doe vsurpe these glorious titles as to be called the sonnes of god if vve haue noe good bloud of our heauenly father but are like the fig tree vvhich had only leaues so vve like Nepthalie haue goodlie vvords but doe neuer a good vvorke What doth it profitt vs to be stiled Citizens vvith the saincts Domestickes seruants saincts baptized illuminats Christians haue noe goodnes ansvverable to those goodly titles There may a Zozomen arise obserue that vve Christians like Turckes vvhich call themselues Sarazens vvhen they are but Hagarens soe vve call our selues Christians vvhen vve haue noe goodnes of Christ in vs but are indeed Cretians vvho as Paule citeth out of Epimenides vvere alvvaies Liars Tit. 1. ill beasts slovve bellies For tell me vvhat doe they meane that lay vvaste their consciences by doing euill trading for counterfeits coralls paultry ieat or for euill Doth any hard harted Pharoh imperious Nebuchanezer cruell Adonibezek prophane Passhur false harted Zidkiah foolish Ahab incestuous Ammon mispersvvaded Magus sorcerous Elymas vnmercifull Gluton Prodigall Prodigious vvicked miscreant thinke vvho here doth runne out his tyme vvith euill of sinne that there vvill not come a tyme vvhen the euill of punishment shall be avvarded seauen fold into his bosome Nothing more sure For he that had not soe much goodnes as extended to a crumme of bread had not afforded him a drop of the vvater of mercie Luc. 16. Look to it therefore Masters mortalls For the apostasie of faith vvas in the later tymes 1. Tim. 4.1 but novve for ought that I can see there is an apostasie of goodnes in the vvorld of both vvhich Paule prophecieth 2. Tim. 3.1 Looke therfore to euery case of your conscience Doe you feare the vvrath of god for the guilt of your sinne fall to doing of goodnes 2. Chro. 19.3 god vvill turne avvay his vvrath from you for Christ sake as he did from Iehosophat Is thy soule almost dead in sinne Incline to goodnes Act. 9.36 god vvill raise thee frō death as he did Tabitha that is from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnes Wilt thou be certified of thine election make it sure by good vvorkes 2. Pet. 1.10 Wilt thou be secured from the diuell god vvill check him if thou be doing of good vvill say vnto all the povvers of darknes as Christ sayd vnto those that hindered Mary Magdalen vvhy trouble ye the vvoman Matth. 26. Wilt thou spend thy tyme vvell Gal. 6.10 Doe good vvhile thou hast tyme. Wilt thou be crovvned continue in doing good thou shalt haue honor glory Roman 2. immortallity euerlasting life In a vvord good vvorkes doe not goe before one that is to be justified but they follovve him that is already justified Conceaue not therefore that thou art justified by faith vnlesse thou see good vvorkes follovve thy faith If thou dost imagine othervvise Christ vvas not conceaued in thee by faith nor borne by loue nor suffered nor arose from the dead nor ascended for thee And remember this that in the end of the vvorld in the day of iudgment as the forme is sett dovvne in Mathevves gospell there is noe question made of faith Matth. 25. but of facte vvhat vve haue done or not done For he that beleueth not Ioh. 3. is condemned already saith Christ Be therefore aduised doe the good here you shall see the goodnes of god in the land of the liuing The seuenth lesson The gratious endovvmēts of this reall Marchant to vvhom the kingdome of heauen is resembled are rare For first he is noe Lythersbye or
Coll. 3.6 children of disobedience children of iniquity vvho vvill sell the righteous for siluer Am. 2.6 Hosh. 10.9 Ioh. 12.36 Rom. 9.8 Matth. 8 1â— the poore for shoues yea they vvill transgresse for a crust of bread But there are children of light children of promise children of the kingdome these hauing god to their father CHRIST to their brother the angells to their guard the creaturs to their seruants the holy ghost to their assurer enioy all things 1. Cor. 3.22 for all things are theirs they are CHRISTS CHRIST is gods Practice 3 The third vse is of caution Here see vvhat S. James saith vnto you Goe to novve ye that say to day â—am 4.13.14.15.16.17 or to morrovv vve vvill goe into such a city continue there a yeare buy sell get gaine vvhereas ye knovve not vvhat shal be on the morrovv For vvhat is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little time then vanisheth avvay For that ye ought to say â—if the lord vvill vve shall liue or doe this or that But novve ye reioyce in your boastings all such reioycing is euill Therefore to him that knovveth to doe good doth it not to him it is sinne And further that blessed apostle saith to the secure vvordlings Goe to novve ye rich men vveepe hovvle for your miseries that shall come vpon you Iam. 5.1.2.3 Your riches are corrupted your garments motheaten your siluer gold is cankered the rust of them shal be a vvitnesse against you shall eate your flesh as it vvere fire yee haue heaped treasures together for the last dayes Practice 4 The last practice is of motion The Egiptians sold houses lands possessions to buy them earthly bread vvhat should not vve sell to buy our heauenly Manna Make frends therefore of the vnrighteous Mammon that you may be receaued in to euerlasting habitations But if you vvill vvith Iudas sell Christ neither for god nor goodnes sell Deut. 32.30 or giue any thing then knovve that god vvill sell you Hovve els should one chase a thousand tvvo put ten thousand to flight except their Rocke had sold them the lord had shut them vp Esai 50.1 Therefore saith the lord vvhere is the bill of your mothers diuorcement vvhom I haue put avvay or vvhich of my creditors is it to vvhom I haue sold you Behold for your iniquity haue you sold your selues for your transgressions is your mother put avvay Psal 44 1â— And Dauid complaines that vvhen god is angry vvith a people he sells them for nought Ioel. 3.1 takes noe mony for them And Ioel saith that they haue cast lots for my people haue giuen a boy for a harlot solde a girle for vvine that they might drinke Thus you see this noble marchant reall chooseth rather to sell then to be sold that so he might purchase the price of his redemption The fourtenth lesson Yea this marchant is so resolute that he is not only ready to goe vvith Christ contemne the vvorld but also is fully persvvaded to sell ALL. He is noe Agrippa to be persvvaded almost to become a Christian He is noe Athan to â—oord vp a vvedge of gold a Babylonish garment Nor a Saul to spare Agag the best things But he being come to the full persvvasion of his faith selleth all Whence the doctrine is That they vvhich once come to the full persvvasion of their faith doe willingly consecrate themselues all they haue as holy heauenly reasonable seasonable vvhole burnt offerings to god in Christ Iesus This is cleare first by the degrees of sauing faith For the first degree of faith is a ground vvorke vpon vvhich vve build a trust and confident affiance Hebr. 11.1 Then vve proceed to a reuerend boldnes hauing an aduocate vvith the father Iesus Christ our lord 2. Cor. 3.12 Phil. 3.3 vvho is our master of requests in heauen And vpon these premises vve come to a full persvvasion at the last 1. Ioh. 2.1 conclude vvith Abraham in a full absolute persvvasion of faith that god is able of stones to raise vp children Hence is our harts filled vvith solace our minds vvith rest our mouths vvith praise hovve soeuer the lord deales vvith vs. Exo. â—9 18 Secondly this appeares from the mystery or figure of the vvhole burnt sacrifice For vvhether it vvere a ramme or a lambe it must be tendered ALL. When Abraham vvas to offer vp Isaac it vvas not a legg or a limme an eie or a hand could serue the turne but ALL. Thirdly from euangellicall righteousnes vvhich must exceed Mat. 5.20 surpasse pharisaicall or ells vve shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen Which righteousnes is seene First in contrition of humility by forsaking our selues Matth. 26.24 â— Cor. 7.31 Mar. 10.25 euen all our selues by vsing the vvorld as if vve vsed it not euen all the vvorld by vntvvyning the cable euen ALL the cable that so it may goe through the eie of a needle Matth. 3. Fides fiduciae Secondly this euangellicall rightiousnes issueth froÌ„ faith of assurance that god is able to raise vp children of stones they that haue him for their assuerer are assured by their trust in the lord to stand fast as mount Sion for euer Psal 125.1 Thirdly this righteousnes produceth invocation in holy deuotion Reu. 3.17 Not as the church of Laodicea doth in the Reuelation saying I am rich vvant nothing but as Christ hath taught vs to pray hovv rich soeuer vve are Giue vs our bread for the day Mat. 6. For vvhat is our ALL if god giue not a blessing to euery peece parcell thereof vpon vvhich premisses vve conclude First by questioning vvhat shall seperate vs from the loue of god resolue at at last that nothing shal be able to doe it hovvsoeuer vve are assalted either vvith things aboue vs Rom. 8.35 39. or vvith vs or beneath vs to vvithdravve vs from it The reason of this appeares first from an apostollical question 1. Cor. 4.7 What hast thou that thou hast not receaued Hast thou gold siluer Haggai tells thee It is none of thine Hast thou heards of cattle in thousands Hag. 2. â— the Psalmist vvill tell thee they are the lords Psal 50.10 Hast thou had riches novve hast not The preacher vvill tell thee that god is the ocean from vvhence they ebe Ecc. 1.7 flovve Secondly from a diabollicall suggestion For the deuill could say ALL this vvill I giue then vvhen he had nothing to giue But gods children acknovvledge no such donor Neither doe they conceal the author of their vvealth vvith Esau nor the phisition of their health vvith the nine vnthankfull leapers nor gase gape vpon vvhat they haue as the Israelits did vpon their Manna
asking Man-hu vvhat is this not enquiring vvho gaue it neither doe they arrogate to themselues part deuide stackes vvith god or challenge the vvhole but doe acknovvledge their all to come from the author Ocean of ALL to it they returne their ALL againe Thirdly this appeareth from the selling of Christ for he vvas sold ALL that he might redeeme ALL his Suffred in ALL. In ALL his body yea in ALL his humane soule It vvas ALL heauie euen vnto the death Yea the Iewes sought it in ALL his parts to find it In his braines by the crovvne of thornes in his bloud in his hart thus vvas he made an ALL burnt offering for vs ALL. Shal not vve render to him then our ALL Especially when he requires ALL saying Sonne giue me thy hart vvhich if thou giue thou giuest ALL for that vvill dravve ALL. Indeed if SathaÌ„ hath teÌ„pted our harts to keepe backe part of the price as he did the harts of Ananias Sapphire then haue vve noe part nor portioÌ„ in this busines But gods children doe assuredly knovve that ALL their being vvell being euen ALL their best being is in the creator of ALL things To vvhom they tender not part 〈◊〉 â—â—â—butaries but ALL as votaries to their heauenly master Practice 1 The vse of this is first of Ansvveâ—â— vnto certaine questions that seeme to contradicte this doctrine First of the Papists vvho doe magnifie euangellicall couÌ„sells vvherby they say that vve may performe more then god hath commanded vs these they call vovves of perfectioÌ„ as voluntary pouerty perpetuall continencie vovved obedience Therefore they vrge that vvhich our sauiour spake to the young maÌ„ sell ALL thou hast so forth Mathevve 19.21 I ansvvere that this mandate vvas personall particular of especiall triall They obiecte that of Mathevve the 10.9 Possesse neither siluer nor gold I ansvvere that this mandate vvas temporall that the vvealth of beleeuers might not deuolue to Gentiles infidells Thirdly it is obiected vvhether it be lavvfull for a man to sell ALL bring himselfe to pouerty to giue himselfe to prayer fasting I ansvvere from the vvise man Prouerbs the 5.15 giue vvaters of thy cesterne but keepe the fountaine for thy selfe But in three cases vve must forsake ALL. First in an extraordnary vocation so did the apostles Mathevve 19.27 Secondly in case of the profession of our conscience day of tryall Luc. 14.33 Mathevv 19.29 Thirdly in tyme of persecution famine vvarre Psalme â—2 Luck 12. â—3 Acts. 3.45 But you vvill say then vve pray you make vs vnderstand vvhat is meaÌ„t by the Marchants selling ALL that vve may doe the like Affirmativae Christi leges obligant semper non ad semper Semper velle non ad semper agere Tho Aq. Gulielmus de Sancto amore I ansvvere First that all the affirmatiue lavves of CHRIST doe bind vs allvvaies but not at all tymes Alvvaies to be vvilling but not alvvaies to doe it As for example sell all follovve me That is vvith a preparation of mind to leaue all follovve him in case aforenamed actually to doe it Againe it is sayd he that vvill lose his life shall saue it The meaning is not actually to lose it all tymes but habitually allvvaies to be vvilling to doe it in case of gods dishonor mayntaining the integritie of faith Thirdly it is sayd if any man commeth to me hateth not father mother his ovvne life is not vvorthy to be my disciple The meaning is not actually to hate but habitually to be vvilling in a sober disposed moderation of mind to forsake the loue of father mother yea of a mans ovvne life in case that they stand against the glory of god the good of his church Practice 2 The second vse is of direction against begging and ignorant friers For it is more blessed to giue then to receaue Which of those begging spirits may be coÌ„pared in their voluntary pouerty vvith rich Abraham for faith vvith rich Job for patience vvith rich Ioseph for chastity Take direction therefore to be thankfull for vvhat vve haue to studie to be rich to god in faith loue good vvorkes so if vve haue neither gold nor siluer yet hauing nothing vve shall possesse all things 2. Cor. 6.10 Practice 3 The third vse is of Expostulation vvherin vve may reason the case vvith the sonns of men First vvith the coueteous vvho vvould haue all although he haue the deuill hell all into the bargaine Is not he the greatest Idolater in the vvorld Iniurious to the vvhole trinity For mony is his maker He speakes so If I may attayne to such a sume I am made he makes it his redeemer to rid him of trouble his sanctifier for if he haue goods enough he thinkes he is good enough He is also iniurious to man To his superiors for he sleights them to his equalls for he scornes them to his inferiors for he tramples vpon them Iniurious to himselfe in his naturall life not affording himselfe dyet apparrell beseeming his place nor sleepe recreation meete for his person Iniurious to himselfe in his ciuell life beloued hartely of none truly hated of all most of all iniurious to himselfe in his spirituall life neuer attayning to the knovveledge of a true iustifying faith the comfort of the full resolution thereof In a vvord he is like vnto a hogge a medler neuer good till he is dead Esay 30.14 rotten nor vntill the vvormes haue his carcase an vnthrifte haue his capcase And as he vvas unsatiable to haue the deuill all so shall he meete vvith tvvo vnsatiable things as himselfe the graue hell If I should reason the case vvith the prodigall that spends all in excesse of royott both in drunkennesse leavvdnes vvhat could he ansvvere Heretofore the proverbe vvas he is as drunke as a begger but novve the gallants gentery take it vp Heretofore boyes vvould cry out at them in the streets as at some monster but novve it is cause of boasting Heretofore they vsed to bovve their knees in prayer but novve to drinke healths till they are out of health In leaudnes also he hath spent his all vpon his vvhore or harlott All his body full of rottennes All his vvealth exhausted he himselfe brought to a crust of bread All the povvers of his soule corrupted his strenght vveakned his eiesight dimmed his voice harsh pox penury his coate of armes In a vvord he becomes a vvitch to all his vvitt a theefe to all his vvealth a deuill to his vvhole man Practice 4 The last vse is of Motion God forgiueth vs all our sinnes If he should reserue our sinne Mat. 18.32 impute it vnto vs in vvhat vvofull estate vvere vve shall vve serue him by halfes shall vve not giue him all If a man vvould giue all the substance of
his house for loue it vvould vtterly be contemned saith the Spouse in the Canticles Cant. 8 7. vvithout doubt if vve loue god vvith all our hart vve vvill deny him nothing of all Paule tells vs that vve are all concluded vnder sinne for vve haue all of vs sinned Let vs therefore make our peace vvith our all that vve may obtayne all then haue vve made the best bargaine that euer vve made in the vvorld For then vve shall be deliuered vp in the kingdome by CHRIST to god the father that he may be all in all vvhich god grant vnto vs all AMEN Novve are vve come vnto the last vvhich is this Marchants purchase Blessed vvas his deligence choise constancie skill readines contempt of the vvorld full persvvasion to obtaine so great a purchase for the text sayth he bought it The learning vvhereof is this The fiftenth lesson That it is the greatest purchase of the world so to buy sell in the vvorld that vve may purchase at the last the inheritance of the other vvorld Mat. 16.26 The truth of this appeareth First by Christs question For vvhat is a man profited if he should purchase the vvhole vvorld lose his ovvne soule Or vvhat shall a man giue in exchange for his soule This question poseth all vvorldlie purchasers all subtile exchangers Secondly this appeareth by parable vvhat did all those recusaÌ„ts gaine which vvould not come vnto the supper Luc. 14.16 vvhereunto they vvere so kindly invited One had purchased a farme another bought fiue yoke of oxen euen this they gained that they should not tast of that heauenly supper 1. Cor. 7 29.3â—.31 Thirdly it is plaine by apostolicall exposition of that supper But this I say brethren the tyme is short It remayneth that both they that haue vviues be as though they had none they that vveepe as though they vvept not And they that reioyce as though they reioyced not they that buy as though they possessed not they that vse this vvorld as not abusing it for the fashion of this vvorld passeth avvay In the seond place it appeareth by the rules of buying selling First vvho sees not his ovvne vvant therefore vve buy Rom. 3. We all vvant the grace of god vvho vvould not buy it if he sold all Secondly buyers desire to haue vvhat they vvant for their mony But this purchase is offered vvithout mony Esai 55.1 Phil. 3.8 or monies vvorth Thirdly they buy for a great price vvhat they vvould haue yea vve must account all things as doung to vvinne Christ Fourthly buying selling is by exchange Properly in this there is noe exchange as is shevved before out of Esay 55. 1. And Simon Magus vvas rebuked that thought the grace of god vvas to be bought vvith mony Was it not a blessed exchange for vs vvhen the ramme vvas taken for Isaac 2. Cor. â— 21 that is vvhen he that knevve noe sinne vvas made sinne for vs that vve might be the righteousnes of god in him vvhich caused Martin Luther oftimes to say in his prayers O god thou art my sinne I am thy righteousnes If you shall aske of me hovve this exchange is made I ansvvere in a vvord By faith the friuts thereof prayer good vvorkes For albeit vve haue nothing of our selues to giue yet it hath pleased god to giue himself in his sonne for vs. By vvhich free voluntary gift vve purchase pure gold that enricheth vs royall robes that cover our nakednesse pretious eie salue that maketh vs see The gold is our faith vvhich is much more pretious then gold that perisheth both in brightnes price profitt as S. Peter speaketh 1. Pet. 1.7 The garments vvhere vvith vve are couered are the rich robes of our sanctification Gal. 3.27 For as many of vs as haue bine baptized haue put on Christ Yea all the elect of god haue put on the tender bovvells of mercie kindnes humblenes of mind meekenes long suffering Coll. 3.12 For if we are not thus clothed vvith the robes of grace our filthines vvill appeare to god and vve shall become abhominable The eie salue vvherby vve see vvhat is it but the illumination of gods spirit vvherby vve see vvith Stephen heauen opened Heare vvith Paule things that cannot be vttered by vvords at the last enioy eternall rest vvith Lazarus in Abraham bosome The reason of this appeares from Solomons Counsell Prov. 23.23 Buy the truth Apoc. 3.18 sell it not also vvisdome instruction vnderstanding Secondly from the counsell of an angell I counsell thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou maiest be rich vvhite rayment that thou maiest be clothed that the shame of thy nakednes doe not appeare anoynt thine eies vvith eies salue that thou maiest see Marke vvhat is sayd he counselleth you that you may not distrust this counsell Esay 9.6 The prophet Esay tells you he is the vvonderfull counseller Thirdly from the obseruation of all the godly in all the ages of the vvorld Some haue stolne this purchase by doing good deeds secretly are revvarded openly Matt. 11.12 Some haue taken it by violence For the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence by such as are importunate vvith god day and night for it Others barter for it by leauing frends fauors all to haue this purchase Let all the great men of the vvorld that thinke of nothing els but of their purchasing rents and reuennevvs tell me vvhat purchase can be compared to this The light vvhereof the vvord hath shevved them the right vvhereof reason hath directed them in Practice 1 The first practice of this is of estimation For vvherein is any purchase in the vvorld to be esteemed as this or compared vvith this Either in respecte of continuance or the vvorth The continuance of this purchase is not only for our life time but eÌ„dures till our death yea after our death What purchase then is like this vvhich brings to the penitent pardon for sinns past preseÌ„t to come vvhich clotheth vs vvith the obedieÌ„ce of Christ in the fullfilling of the lavve which dignifieth vs vvith the titles of the sonnes of god the brothers of Christ Iesus vvhich gardeth vs vvith protection of angels turneth all our crosses curses into blessings giues vs his spirit to be our life makes our prayers incense in the nostrills of god makes his ovvne flesh vvhich he took of vs to be a pavvne for vs in heauen Tell me o you purchasers of the earth vvhat royalties of any earthly purchase can be compared to these But this is not all It continues in death For death is noe death to such a purchase but by a blessed exchange is made the vvay to heauen yea after death it continueth for by this purchase our bodies arise againe to life Phil. 3.10 vve haue a royalty to
〈◊〉 The light of this appeares in the vvord of the text vvhich signifieth beautifull coÌ„modious amiable superexcellent pearls Beautifull is goodnes in it selfe for if it could be portrayed in orient colours set out to the life vvonderfull vvould be the loue that men vvould be stirred vp to beare vnto it CoÌ„modious for godline is the goodliest riches Phil. 4.8.9 Amiable in effecte making them amiable that are good superexcelleÌ„t so sayth the Apostle whatsoeuer things are true vvhatsoeuer things are honest Whatsouer things are iust vvhatsoeuer things pure vvhatsoeuer things are louely vvhatsoeuer things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any praise think on these things Those vvhich ye haue both learned and receaued hard seene in me doe the god of peace shall be vvith you The feete of them amiable that bring vs the meanes that makes vs to be good The promise that god vvould be present vvith it 2. Chro. 19 11. For Jehosaphat told his iudges that they should be of good courage doe it god vvould be vvith the good Mich. 6.8 And the declaration of this shevves it to be good For god hath shevved thee o man vvhat is good vvhat the lord requireth of thee surely to doe iustly to loue mercy to humble thy self to vvalke vvith thy god Secondly this appeares by the distinction of goodnes Naturall Morall Deuine Just Mar. For Christian Marchants doe not only desire accidentall good things as a good vvife good children good seruants Titus 2.12 such like vvhich are all gods good gifts And Morall goodnes in themselues but also Deuine goodnes vvhich leads them to this kingdome Heb. 10.24 2. Pet. 1.10 And these things doe soe neare touch vs that vve by goodnes the effecte thereof doe signe to others â— Tim. 1.7 seale to our selues the certainty of our election Wherein also our faith doth not only shevve it selfe but exercise Eph. 4. â—0 inflame vs to a godly seale Thirdly it abandoneth vs from sinne For as by euills vve greeue the holy ghost that sealeth vs vnto god soe by goodnes vve ioy our conscience in the holy ghost Fouerthly as by doing evill vve call to our selues many miseries Deut. 28. so by doing the good vve shall auoyd many euills of punishment see the goodnes of god in the land of the liuing Lastly goodnes is the vvay vvherein gods childreÌ„ ordinarily trade Eph. 2.10 for they are his vvorkmaÌ„shipe created for that purpose Thirdly there is a necessity of being good in gods children Not a necessity of coaction for gods children doe the good Chearfully Not of cause for goodnes is but the vvay and gods children vvalke therein but it is of necessary duty that vve should be good For that 's the vvill of god euen your santification 1. Thes 4.3 It is the commandement of god Let your lights so shine before men that they may see your good vvorkes Matt. 5.16 and glorifie your father vvhich is in heauen Tit. 2.12 it is the end of all preaching Noe good actioÌ„ can be done but by a good man vvho doth it out of a pure hart othervvise it is base sordid out of a true faith vvhich else is a glittering sinne to the glory of god Vae justitiae nostrae siremota justitia Christi judicetur Nam quâ—equid in te est sine Christo Sathan est August vvhich othervvise is but hiprocrisie And this is the cause vvhy it is accepted of god for Christ his sake othervvise all our goodnes vvere menstruous monstrous The right of this appeares forasmuch as reall Christians knovve that god regardeth goodnes more then greatnes Nay there is nothing but foolish man regardeth greatnes Nature doth not for the sonnes of royalty are borne naked the god of nature is noe accepter of persons nor the destroyer of nature for death visits the crovvne assoone as the clovvne Againe it is the end scope of the reall Christians lyving vvhich hath three aspects in doing good First to the praise of god O lett my soule liue it shall praise thee sayth Dauid Secondly to comfort our selues in making our election sure by goodnes Lastly to ouercome others euill vvith our good â— Petr. â— 10 Secondly reall Christians are pertakers of the diuine nature For vvhen god tooke a vevve of vvhat he had made he savve it vvas exceeding good but vvhen maÌ„ tooke a suruay of vvhat he had done behold it vvas nothing but vanity vexation of spirit Thirdly good examples of good men doe encite gods children to goodnes For albeit none are absolutly good but god only 2. Chro. 32 32 2. Chro. 35 26. Yet the scripture stiles Hezekias Iosias to be good kings The goodnes of gods children hath a threefold povver Of Preseruation Vnion Communication It is a preservatiue to pull some out of the fire Iud. Epist 23. Of vnion to make peace Of communication by extending their goodnes to the saincts on earth Thy Christians faith is a proper a peculiar good betvvixt god thine ovvne soule but a Christians goodnes is extensiue delated to all demensions of goodnes The very profession of a Christian is goodnes See in the rule of addition in Christian arythmetike that S. Peter setteth dovvne for sayth he Adde to your faith vertue 2. Pet. 1â— 5.6.7.8 to vertue knovvledge to knovvledge temperance to temperance patience and to patience godlines to godlines brotherly kindnes to brotherly kindnes charitie For if these things be in you abound they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor vnfruitfull in the knovvledge of our lord Iesus Lastly let vs reason from the povver of Christ bloud vvas it shed that vve should be vile still farre should any such thought be from vs that vve should professe religion deny the povver thereof By this then that hath bine spoken both from the light of Illumination in gods vvord by the right of Demonstration in reasoning from the vvord It is plaine that the high vvay to heauen is to consult and resolue to doe all the good vve can vvhile vve are here trading tovvard heauen The vse of this is manifold Practice 1 First of ansvvere to the cauills of popery vvho accuse vs Protestants for contemners of goodnes because vve teach that man is iustified by faith only And here vpon they accuse vs that we preach negatiue priuatiue doctrines not affirmatiue positiue And here vpoÌ„ they say that the tymes are novve become Ablatiue vvhich vvere heretofore Datiue branding vs vvith the heresies of the Synomians Eunomians Jovinians such like vvhereas vve in one vvord ansvvere directly that these are meere slanders vntruths For vve teach onlie that good vvorkes haue noe iustifying quality in themselues before god but that faith only is like Iohn the deuine leaning on