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
THE FAITH OF THE Church Militant Moste effectualie described in this exposition of the 84. Psalme by that reuerend Pastor and publike Professor of Gods word in the famous vniuersitie of Haffine in Denmarke NICHOLAS HEMMINGIVS A treatise written as to the instruction of the ignorant in the groundes of religion so to the confutation of the Iewes the Turkes Atheists Papists Heretiks and al other aduersaries of the trueth whatsoeuer Translated out of Latine into English c. by THOMAS ROGERS AT LONDON Printed by H. Middleton for Andrew Maunsel ANNO. 1581. ⧠To the right honorable and virtuous Ladie the Comitisse of Sussex c. Grace and fauour both with God and man INfinite and vnspeakeable are the benefits of our God to vs ward right honorable among which his gratious miraculous reuealing of the eternall truth from time to time is as diligently so gratefully to be recorded For manie and those mightie aduersaries hath it had in all ages Satan the prince of darkenesse in Paradise Kaine with his posteritie before the floud after the drowning of the worlde Cham and his seede vntill the promise vnto Abraham from that time vntil the Lawe was deliuered by Moses the Ismaelites the Chaldeans the Persians the Aegyptians blemished and to their powers banished the same In the time of Ahab through the priests of Baal and the false prophets in the time of Nebuchad-nezzar through extreme captiuitie and in our Sauiours time what through the tyrannie of wicked Magistrates and through the heresies of vngodly teachers smal tokens of this truth in the world could be seene of man Furthermore consider we the time after our Sauiours death when the Apostles yet flourished the ages after that vntil this verie daie and we shal finde that verie fiercelie it hath bene assalted and is come vnto our hands with no smal adoe For in the Apostles time Simon and Elymas sorcerers false-apostles and false brethren whereof some at Colossâ— gaue out that the traditions of men were necessarilie to be obserued that the superstitious affliction of the bodie was à religious seruing of God that differences shoulde bee set betweene meates and drinkes and daâ—es according to the Iewish custome and that the sonne of God Christ was not the worker of mans saluation but that by Angels we haue an open accesse prepared vnto the Father others at Ierusalem taught that circumcision was so behooueful vnto saluation that vnlesse men were circumcised it was vnpossible for them to bee saued and that freelie or by faith alone wee are not iustified but by workes also others at Corinth were of opinion that there was no resurrection at al others that it is alreadie past as Hymeneus and Philetus and others to oâ—it the vngodlie opinions both of those which inueighed against Magistrates whom Peter and Iude wrote against and of those which mingled the trueth with vane fables and genealogies as manie did in Asia and in Crete and of those who thought how such as beleeued might liue as theie would in al licentiousnes forsomuch as freelie without good workes they were iustified which imps of Satan by the Epistle of Iude are worthilie consuted and finallie of Antichrist then arising in his members vtterlie denied Christ yea and God too as Atheâ—sts did what in theÌ„ was to seduce men from this truth These being dead others arose both in nuÌ„ber more pleÌ„tifulie for their abhominable errors more hurtfulie to y e Church of Christ. As vnder the Emperor Adrianus the Gnostikes a pestilent companie whereof some were called Barborians some Barbolites some Cod â—ans some Stratio tikes some Phibionites some Zacheans vnder Antoninus Pius not onely the Valentinians of whom did spring the Nâ—asinors the Phenionites the Setheans the Kainites the Orphites the Antitactars and others but also the Marcionites the Cerdomtes the Eucratites and Hydroparactites with the Seuerians vnder Antoninus Verus the Montanistes the Cataphrygians the Artotyrits vnder Philip the Ariabans and Helchesaits the Nouatians and Catharans vnder Decius vnder Gallus the Noetians Patripassians Hermogenians the Millenaries and the Nepotians vnder Galienus the Samosatenians vnder Probus the Manichies c the cursed errors of al which I mind not either for breuitie or for modestie sake to recite To conclude so did the seede of heresies in a short space of time take roote that Augustine in a certaine place confesseth howe in his daies they were growen vnto fourescore and eight principal famous and seueral sects Which enimies to this truth decreased not but dailie more and more forceablie encreased in such wise that their errors were neither in corners taught nor defended by a fewe priuate and obscure fellowes as manie of the former but both publiquelie professed ouer the whole worlde and also stiflie maintained against al men by the greatest tyrans that euer gouerned I meane the Pope and the Turke whereof this by force and hee by fraude and both most wretchedlie for these 900. yeares haue desperatelie addicted themselues to the vtter abolishing of this eternal truth But al in vane For as God in times passed raised vp against Kaine Habel against Cham Sem against the Ismaelites the Israelites Abraham against the Chaldeans Ioseph against the Aegyptians against the Priests of Baal Elias Micheas against the false Prophets Daniel and his felowes against Nebuchad-nezzar Christe against the Pharisies c Philip and Peter against Simon Magus Paul against Elymas the disciples of Christ against false-apostles against heretikes to saie nothing at this time of the blessed Martys whiche vnto the death stucke vnto this trueth Irenaeus Cyril Tertullian Augustine and other Godly fathers by whose learning zeale and constancie the trueth maugre the heads of al aduersaries was maintained So he hath dailie doth stirre vp his seruants to withstand them Howe the one namelie the Turke preuaileth ouer this truth not onelie the manifold companies of Christians in Grecia Mysia Bulgaria Thracia Russia Muscouia but also the Patriarchs of Byzantie of Alexandria of Antioch of Ierusalem al which are Christians the publike seruice of Christians day by day in moe than twentie temples euen in the chiefest ciâ—â—e of his empire at this verie instant al which couÌ„tries persons notwithstanding being tributarie vnto the Turkes do witnes And how the other I meane the Pope his holines doth prosper by the present state of England of Scotland of Germanie France Denmark Bohemia besides other nations and kingdomes for al his bloodie inquisition in Spaine and Massacres in France and murthers in Scotland and wars in the low countries and rebellions in Ireland and conspiracies in England it is apparent to y e view of the whole world Wherby it may be gathered that great is the trueth and it wil preuaile It is the parts therefore of vs which are partakers of this trueth first to be thankeful vnto almightie God for preseruing the same from perishing for gathering to
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
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
ther-vnto through the approbation of their faith who required them that men might vse to beleeue God and them but wise-men the ministers of Sathan either seeke profite or vaine pleasure or either to moue foolishe men to laughter delectation and admiration or to terrifie them The sixt note is the ende Christ at no time wrought any corporal miracle but it had manie spiritual significations whereof the bookes of diuines intreate at large but the illusions of the diuel are comprised within the bounds of vaine ostentation These thinges I thought good briefelie to touch concerning the markes of true and false miracles that al the worlde might see howe greate the vanitie of the Iewes is that blush not by il wordes against their owne conscience to impaire the credite of Christe his miracles CHAP. 7. Howe it was fore-tolde by the Prophetes that the Iewes should set themselues against the Messiah AND that the Iewes of olde looking-for the Messiah shoulde take offence at his person and so stumble thereat that they shoulde not acknowledge him no not when he was present before their eies it was long afore also fore-tolde by the Prophetes that when we see the euent to answere to the prophecies we might fence our mindes against y e slaunders of the cursed Iewes and vtterlie abhorre their detestable contumacie When Isaiah saide Though the number of the children of Israel were as the sande of the sea yet shal but à remnant be saued shewed he not in plaine words that the Iewes should reuolt from the Messiah or more trulie should not acknowledge him in whome alone saluation doth consist When the same Prophet in his 5. Chapter doeth saie My beloued had à vine-yarde in à verie fruiteful hil and he hedged it and gathered out the stones of it and he planted it with the best plantes and he built à tower in the middest thereof and made à wine presse therein Nowe therefore ô inhabitantes of Ierusalem and men of Iudah iudge I pray you betweene me and my vine-yarde doe not these wordes of the Prophet manifestlie set-foorth both the goodnes of God towarde the Iewes and also the contumacie of the Iewes towardes God By both which places it maie be gathered howe their election and state was conditionarie as that which might not depende vpon the prerogatiue of the flesh but of the condition of faith Againe when the same Prophet in his 8. chapter doeth saie Sanctifie the Lord of hostes and let him be your feare and let him be your dread and he shalbe as à sanctuarie but as à stumbling stone and as à rocke to fal vppon to both the howses of Israël and as à snare and as à net to the inhabitants of Ierusalem And manie among them shal stumble and shal fal and shalbe broken shal be snared and shalbe taken doth not the euent answere also to this foresaying And when he addeth Binde vp the testimonie seale vp the lawe among my disciples doth he not expreslie speake of the disciples of the Lorde whome afterward he saith should be as signes and wonders in Israel And again when he saith To the law and to the testimonie if they spake not according to this worde it is because there is no light in them doeth not the Prophet here propose the condition of getting saluation the which al the Prophets do testifie most of the Iewes should neglect But wherefore comes this about Surelie not of the counsel of God sending the Messiah and by him inuiting al men vnto saluation but through the malice of them who offended at the person of the Messiah haue refused to accept him because he was not such à one as theie are to wit couetous ambitions giuen vnto voluptuousnes for euermore vices are enimies to vertues and the best men are enuied of the wicked that he glittered not in his silkes veluet gold siluer iewels y t he had not his garde and gentlemen attending vpon him that he promised not pleasure and bodilie delightes that by force of armes he vanquished not their neighbors about them that he made none of them Dukes and presidents of the nations of the worlde finalie because they acknowledged not the spiritual glorie of his spiritual kingdome Thus hitherto we haue sufficientlie proued the vanitie of the Iewes who giuen to worldlie pleasure acknowledge not the true Messiah enen Iesus Christ the sonne of Marie the virgin therfore falsely name themselues the people of GOD and chalenge the title of the Church Wherfore let vs seeing that we are compassed about with so greate à cloude of witnesses cast awaie euerie thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on let vs runne with patience the race that is set before vs loking vnto Iesus the auctor and finisher of our faith From heauen let vs looke for him who wil iudge the quick and the dead and change our vile bodie that it maie be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie according to the working whereby he is able euen to subdue al thinges vnto himselfe To this onely Messiah y e sonne of God together with the father and the holie spirite be honor might and glorie worlds without end and for euer more amen CHAP. 8. Against Mahomet or the Turkes who take vpon them to be the true Church and yet are not ALthough the madnes of the Turkes doth sufficientlie proue the auctor of their sect to be the diuel yet both because more and more daylie their sect doeth increase and godlinesse decrease in manie who had rather be counted than be godlie indeed and also because Epicures fondlie doe reason of religion I thinke it good to admonish the yonger sort concerning the Turkish sect y t vnderstanding what it is they maie abhorre it the more and shun the same euen as they would the diuel himselfe And that the more distinctlie we maie entrete hereof I thinke it not amisse to examine these pointes 1. What prophecies haue gone-before of this sect 2 What was the occasion thereof 3 Who was the auctor 4 What companions he had 5 Howe it increased was confirmed 6 What lawes it hath 7 what fables are mixed to their guile deceitfulnes 8 What maner of Paradise it promiseth to y e fauorers 9 By what arguments the impietie of Mahomet may be refuted 10 And finalie how the mindes of men may be comforted against the rage of satan ranging so in y e world And although diuers Prophets haue foretold of the wickednes tyrannie of y e Turks yet in this place we wil onelie recite the prophecie of Daniel which he hath in his 7. chapter the which is verie notable and agreeth especialie vnto the tyme when this impietie tyrannie did begin After this saith Daniel I saw in the visions by night and beholde the fourth beaste was fearful and terrible and verie strong It had great iron teeth it
this Temple of God The glorie of the Church surelie is verie great in that the heauenlie wisedome that is the word of God is committed to her in that God heareth her praiers and protecteth her continualie in that she hath alwaies bin inuincible notwithstanding all her afflictions and troubles in that she hath bin famous both with prophecies and miracles in that she hath excelled with manie heroical virtues finalie in that she is appointed to be the heire of eternal life Nowe at the greatenesse of this glorie none can sufficientlie wonder And yet it is more wonderful than al this that the diuine maiestie to wit the Father the Sonne the holie Ghost doth vouchsafe to elect and to consecrate the heart of man for their habitation and there to dwel according to the promise of Christ If anie man loue me he wil keepe my worde and my father wil loue him and we wil come vnto him and wil dwel with him See nowe what à great difference there is betweene the Church of God and other assemblies The Church of God is the Temple of God but other assemblies are in deede the houses of diuels As therfore nothing is more delectable nothing more cleane nothing better nothing more holie than y t is so there is nothing more abhominable nothing more filthie nothing worser nothing more prophane than these assemblies are Not without cause then did Dauid with great admiration breake into these wordes Glorious thinges are spoken of thee O citie of God The consideration of this glorious condition of the Churche should be à good cause to stirre-vp al men to ioine thēselues vnto the Church of God But alas such is the blindnes such is the foolishnes of mans hart that verie few are moued with y e glorie of the Church and manie taken with pleasures delightes riches and promotion can no whit beholde this glorie What puritie is required to be in the Churche maie appeare in that she is taken-for and called The holie Temple of God For as a Temple made by man and consecrated to God should be cleare from idols and al vncleannesse that men therein maie meete syncerelie to serue the Lord through saith according to Gods worde for which cause our Sauiour Christ caste the biers and sellèrs out of the Temple of Ierusalem saieng Mine house shalbe caled the house of praier So euerie Christian that he maie be an holie Temple of God must be separated from the prophane Gentiles haue no place for idols vncleanes within him that al the powers both of his mind bodie maie cōsent trulie syncerelie to serue the Lorde God and finalie that with vnfaigned repentance he maie throwe-down himselfe before the Maiestie of God and rise-againe through confidence in the gratious promise so in the feare of God by mortification of the flesh and quickening of the spirite goe on forwarde dailie more and more vntil he attaine vnto the marke he shooteth at And although none can be cleare from al sinne while he liueth in this world as aboue also I haue touched yet who so reteineth faith and à good conscience is iudged pure holie before God and that in two respectes First by the imputation of the holines of Christ secondlie by inchoation of obedience Wher-of it is that in respect of the vngodlie vnpenitent persons the godlie before God are counted for moste holie for most pure and perfect without al spot or wrinckle For God imputeth not the remnants of sinne vnto them but looketh-vpon them as theie are cloathed and adorned with the righteousnes of his sonne Iesus Christ. Nowe the Church being the holie Temple of God God is necessarilie to be serued in the same and that purelie and holilie And this seruice is à worke commanded of GOD done through faith principalie for the glorie of God Then that this seruice maie be pure holie it is required first of all that the worke of the seruice be holie that is prescribed by the word of God and infected with no humane or diuelish additions For so the Lorde by the Prophet Ieremie doth saie Walke in my commandementes and not in the commandements of your fathers And that the workes commanded by men are not the seruice of God of thēselues the Prophet Isaiah teacheth when he saith In vaine theie worship me teaching for doctrines mens preceptes And Paule in plaine wordes condemneth al such traditions of man Hence therfore let vs conclude à most certain rule No seruice pleaseth God but what he ordeineth commendeth to vs in his word Secondlie vnto the pure and holie seruice of God it is required that the minde and conscience of the worker be holie and pure For when the minde is vnpure it is abhominable whatsoeuer a man doth although to outward shewe it seeme to be à right holie worke exacted by the lawe of God and although there be greate vse therof among men according to that of Paule vnto Titus Vnto the pure are al thinges pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled Theie professe that they know God but by works theie denie him are abominable and disobedient and vnto euerie good worke reprobate And how the minde of man is made pure by faith it is manifest For by faith as witnesseth the Apostle the heartes be purified not because faith of it selfe can doe so but for that by faith the bloud of Christe is applied by the sprinckling wherof our hearts be cleansed from dead workes Thirdlie that the seruice of God maie be holie and pure it is required that the end of the worke be pure and holie that is that without al hypocrisie with à simple heart thou set the glorie of God before thine eies that is that thou do whatsoeuer thou doe onelie because God hath commanded the same to be done whō thie minde is with al thine affection mind wil and life to glorifie A worke so done is à pure and holie seruice of God And although the worke it self be apparent for the most part in y e eies of men verie base yet it is a spiritual seruice of God because it is the work not of y e flesh but of the spirit before which is proposed the glorie of God And that theie who shal violate this holie temple of God shal not escape scot-free this threatning of the Apostle doth declare If anie man doth violate the Temple of God him wil God destroie But this Temple is violated by idols and vncleanes that is by erroneous doctrine superstitious worshippinges schisme by wickednes and prophanes of life who so is guiltie of anie one of these vices doth violate the Temple of God What then shal we saie of the Pope who ouerwhelmeth the doctrine of the Gospel with y e dreames of Monkes who bringeth infinite superstitions into the
sacrificing did please But Caine sacrificed without faith presuming vpon the dignitie of his worke And therefore no maruel though God had no regard vnto his offering The summe of al is this that sacrifice spiced with faith pleased as fat and grateful but that voide of faith it displeased as drie vngrateful But Dauid moste plainlie of al sheweth in his 51. Psal. when the sacrifices of burnt offeringes do please for thus he saith The sacrifices of God are à contrite spirit à broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Ioining there-vnto by and by Then shalt thou accept the sacrifices of righteousnes euen the burnt offering and oblation then shal theie offer calues vpon thine altar Therfore let y e beginning of each good worke proceede from an heart purified through saith without which euerie worke seeme it to the eie neuer so holie is abominatiō before God This I haue spoken the more at large because of some among the fathers who not wel vnderstanding the wordes of Dauid and of Isaiah do agre with Porphirie who most wickedlie did slander the sacrifices of the Iewes which were in vse so long as the common-weale of Moses did stand But the fathers somwhat to excuse these Iewish sacrifices saide howe God did not command but onlie suffer them to the ende theie might keepe the Iewes from idolatrie wherunto theie were inclined Now let vs see the causes of Iewish sacrifices in order as we did propose in y e second place First therfore the cause commanding offereth it selfe who is God himselfe Who for that he is moste wise not without great wisdome did command and appoint this ceremonie Against whome albeit dust and ashes wil set himselfe and obiect manifolde absurdities yet content we our-selues with the moste wise counsel of God the which let vs oppose not onelie against that Atheist Porphirie but also against the diuel and his members who dare to oppose the dotinges of their foolish braine against the wisedome of God Let vs knowe that the saieng of Paul is true who saith The wisdome of the flesh is enimitie against God Thorough this cause commanding the godlie among the Iewes did knowe both how their sacrifices pleased God when through faith theie were done vnto Gods glorie with true meditation of the spiritual signification and also that theie were bound vnto obedience vntil Christ came of whome those sacrifices were figures and who by his owne and perfect sacrifice should set an ende to all figuratiue sacrifices But seeing the Iewes at this daie do obiect to vs howe their sacrifices should not be abolished because God is vnchaungeable I doe answere so long as the cause and condition of the decree is in force so long doth God himselfe abide constant and vnchangeable The material cause of Iewishe sacrifices was either the fruite of earth or cleane beastes which by certain tokens are distinguished in Leuiticus from the vncleane It was furthermore enacted that theie should not vse either leauen or honie in their sacrifices but that theie shold season euerie sacrifice with salt For God the law-giuer would haue them to acknowledge him to be auctor of al aswel of such things as doe spring from the earth as of al liuing creatures beside that are breade and also craue his blessing refer the vse of al thinges vnto his owne glorie The formal cause was the verie manner of sacrifising which for that it was diuers it were much to prosecute the same in this place and therefore I remit the reader vnto the book of Moses caled Leuiticus The endes of the sacrifices instituted were foure whereof the first was that the people prone vnto idolatrie might be reclamed therfrom by these exercises The second y t Gods people might bee kept in the seruice of one God and haue à dailie occasion to exercise godlines The thirde that the people might haue à type of Christe the sacrifice to come The fourth that by thinking of Christ the sacrifice to come the Iewes might be warned of the grieuousnes of sinne the which forsomuch as it could not be cleansed by the bloud neither of buls nor of goates theie might know howe to be cleansed throughlie from their sinne theie had neede of the bloud of the immaculate lambe that is of the promised seede or Messiah who alone could tel howe both to abolish the workes of the diuel sin and death and also pacifie the offended father Secondlie that in this minde theie should flie vnto the mercie of God proposed in the forenamed seede and by faith depend vpon that seede glorifieng y e Lord both in al their mind heart wil conuersation who of his infinite goodnes and wise counsel would after such à sorte redeeme mankind With such motions did the fathers Habel Noah Abraham Isahac Iaacob Moses Dauid Salomon Elias and manie other which feared God sacrifice For these knew right wel how by the outwarde worke onelie God was not pleased but that he respected besid the faith and the mind of the offerers Notwithstanding some as hypocrites wicked liuers among this people did thinke that God regarded the outwarde worke and thereby was pacified as by an expiatorie sacrifice And therefore the Lorde doeth testifie that their sacrifices were both abhominable to him and neuer exacted of him In the third place the kindes of the olde sacrifices doe folow the principal and cheefe diuision whereof is this That one kinde was expiatory caled Olah burnt sacrifice which was offered for sinne by à certaine showe of purging For in verie deede it purged not sinne but onelie bare à figure of the purging to come through the onlie sacrifice of Christ al this being lifted vp vpon the altar was consumed with fire Whereby was signified that Christ the Priest and the sacrifice shoulde be lifted-vp vpon the altar of the crosse with the fire of loue be burned for our sinnes Another was of testification called Hodah For it was done either for supplication or thankesgiuing sake or else for exercise of godlinesse the which of the principal ende thereof was tearmed eucharistical as that other ilstical that is propiciatorie For as Paul interpretes y e same it signified purging to come through the blood of Christ. For so he saith Whom God hath set-forth to be à reconciliation through faith in his bloode Whatsoeuer other sortes be mentioned they are contained vnder these Touching the figuratiue signification of olde sacrifices the Epistle vnto the Hebrewes teacheth generalie howe al were figures of that onelie sacrifice Iesus Christ which being offered al other thinges as figuratiue ought to cease But more particularlie we wil in this place set-downe some things especialie those which maie leade vs as it were by the hande vnto à spiritual instructing of our life and maners First therefore commeth-forth the consecration of Priestes whose dutie was to offer the sacrifice they had foure
Mediators doe vnderstand such patrons as by their own merites worthines maie purchase to vs the fauour of God For this is à common principle among them that men liuing in earth do need patrons in heauen in as much as theie are vnworthie to appeare in the sight of God By which saieng beside that theie bereaue Christ our Mediator of his honor theie make themselues guiltie of threefolde impietie For first while theie make the dead intercessors for the liuing theie doe runne beyond the limits of Gods worde and foole hardilie are carried into damnable darkenes and vpon the steepe mountaines of Hel. From whence to returne backe and to aspire aloft that is à labour and à sore paine But what à prophanenes this is the godlie alone do marke who know that darknes is there where the torch of Gods word is not born-afore who know that al is abhominable which God hath not decreed and who consider that al which dust and ashes doth inuent in religion without the direction of Gods worde doth proceede from Satan Secondlie when theie teach howe we must depend vpon the merites of saintes theie depart from the true foundation of saluation and seeke another foundation to builde their saluation vppon without the worde of God For seeing that mortal man by his owne merite can not attaine saluation it is impossible that the merites of Saintes should bring saluation vnto others which merites for al that the Pope faineth to be the treasure of the Church which he dispenseth not gratis but according to their disbursing who acknowledge the Pope to be the treasurer of the Church Thirdlie in forging such fained patrons to themselues theie are drowned the more deepelie in darkenes For theie departe from the first commandement and with cursed impudencie cal vpon Saintes driuen therunto by the diuel himselfe who hath brought into the world the inuocation of Saintes and that for these causes First to bereaue Christ of his honor Secondlie to make the saintes infamous Lastlie that in time to come theie maie bee partakers of his eternal paines who in this life doe cal vpon saintes The fourth The Popish masse is laide open for filthie lucre sake For theie not onelie doe sel Masses for the redemption of soules out of purgatorie but also make them common to be bought for the obteining of anie thing In which of sinns manie sinns do meete together of which I wil recite à few that with à perfect hatred we maie abhor y e most filthie lucre of the Masse For first this gaine striueth against the foundation of our saluation which is free mercie For by grace saith Paul are ye saued throgh faith that not of your selues it is the gift of God Not of workes least anie man should boast Secondarilie it abolisheth the Lordes supper For who is so blind but maie see how it is farre from the Supper of Christe to seeke filthie gaine therebie which supper the Lord would haue to be à notable argument of his inward loue toward the Church and à testimonie of the redemption of the Church by his death which free redemption of his beloued spouse he sealeth in his supper Thirdlie this huÌ„ting after gain doth vtterlie ouerthrow the Prophecies of the prophets concerning y e benefites of the Mediator of the Newe Testament Ho saith Isaiah euerie one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buie and eate come I saie buie wine and milke without siluer and without monie By water wine milke the prophet vnderstandeth the benefites of the Gospel which he pronounceth are freelie bestowed For as our bodies are nourished by bread wine water and milke so our soules are nourished and susteined by the doctrine of the Gospel by the holie Ghost by the sacraments and other such free giftes of Christ. Fourthlie the buieng and selling of the Popishe Masse doth make miserable men drunke with carnal confidence For by paieng monie for this feigned purgation as it were for an effectual medicine theie persuade them-selues that theie driue-awaie al diseases of the soule and that without faith repentance And because by Masses purchased theie trust theie be armed against the diuel and death theie goe-on the more boldlie in wickednes and dailie become the more obstinate Fiftlie this gaine of Masses is the ground of Purgatorie For to make their Masses the more vendible the Priestes did teach howe there was a Purgatorie of soules after death wherein the soules of the dead should be deteined vntil theie were purged sufficientlie from the spots of sinnes committed in this life And therefore Masses were appointed to be solde to them who desired that either them selues or their friendes might be deliuered from the fire of purgatorie wherebie theie fained that the paines of purgatorie were brought-out Hencâ— the Patrimonie of Peter as theie cal it was exceedinglie encreased And hence it is that the goodes of miserable men are translated from the true heires vnto balde Priestes and Monkes Sixthe this gaine of the Masse and subtiltie of the Romane baude is the strength of the Papacie that is of the Antichristian kingdome And therefore maruel it is not though the Papistes doe so fiercelie contend and fight for their altars For theie feare much that their chimneies would fal downe if their altars were once ouerthrowen The fifte It is abhominable idolatrie to worship à peece of bread in y e place of Christ. For as à litle aboue we haue touched also the Priest after y e mumbling of the historie concerning the institution of Christ doeth firste of al adore the bread himselfe and then lifteth the same vp that the people maie worshippe it For the Papistes be persuaded that by the virtue of the mumbled wordes of the instituted supper the elementes of breade and of wine be transsubstantiated into the verie bodie and bloode of the Lorde which they lay open to be adored but verie erroneouslie For this transsumbstantiation so stiflie defended by Thomas is contrarie to the nature of a sacrament For as in baptisme it is required that the substance of water doe remaine which while it is sprincled according to Christ his institution is à right sacrament and with that water after à secret sort the verie bloode of Christ whereby the inward man is washed from wickednes yea and putteth-on Christ himselfe is present So it is required that in y e supper of the Lord the substance of breade and wine doe remaine which being reached-forth and taken after the institution of Christ are à verie sacrament and with that bread wine after à secret sorte the verie bodie and bloode of the Lorde whereby the inwarde man is nourished fed and refreshed are present So that before the vse whervnto they be ordeined bread and wine are no more à sacrament than is the water of baptisme And therfore it is as great madnes to worshippe the breade and wine as if Ã
this type was fullie accomplished in Christe For as the Prophet saith The Lord hath laide vpon him the iniquitie of vs al. So doth Paul applie the figure to Christe when he saith He hath made him to be sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him Againe Christ hath redeemed vs from the cursse of the lawe being made a cursse for vs. For it is written Cursed is euerie one that hangeth on tree Furthermore as that figuratiue goate was sent into the wildernes to be torne of wilde beasts So Christe was deliuered into the handes of the Scribees Pharises people obeieng the commandementes of their prince the diuel to be slaine for our sinnes and bare the punishment due vnto them as if it had bene his owne Here we must diligentlie distinguish betweene the shadowe and the truth The sinnes of the children of Israel were laide vpon the goate but in a figure onelie but Christ indeede bare the sinnes of the whole world Neither is here anie trope to be admitted For herein our whole hope doth consist herein the infinite loue of God doth appeare finalie herevpon our whole saluation doth depend that our God trulie without trope hath poured forth al his anger vpon his owne sonne as though he had bene guiltie of al the sinnes of the world who trulie and without trope was made a cursse to deliuer vs trulie and without trope from the cursse For otherwise if the wrath of God had bene fained the obedience of the sonne had also bene fained the hope of glorie also which we loke for had bene fained Therefore Christ is to be considered with those qualities which he hath not in him selfe but through imputation in respect of his mediatorship which voluntarilie he tooke vpon himselfe that we likewise after the same sort that is through the imputation of those thinges which were proper to him namelie through the satisfaction of righteousnes and holines iustified and sanctified might be made his brethren and heires of one the same kingdome Fourthlie the sacrifice Christ so orderlie offered vpon y e altar of the crosse did so both pacifie and please y e father the force therof shal euermore continue to the saluation of man The fourth thing which Augustine requireth in euerie sacrifice is the circumstance of persons for whome it is offered Wherevnto Paul in these wordes doth aunswere He gaue himself à ransome for al men And Iohn saith Beholde the lambe of God which taketh awaie the sinnes of the world Moreouer beside these foure thinges which Augustine requireth in our sacrifice wee haue added other foure thinges moe out of the Epistle vnto the Hebrewes in our definition namelie the manner of the sacrifice the perpetual force of the same the forme of applieng it and the final ende of our knowledge and confidence in this sacrifice The manner is that Christ did offer himselfe through the eternal spirit For so saith the Epistle vnto the Hebrewes Howe much more shal the bloode of Christ which through the eternal spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes By the name of the eternal spirit he vnderstandeth the power of the diuinitie ioined with the humanitie the which gouerned al this sacrifice whereof it commeth to passe that this bloode seeing it was the bloode of that man who also was verie God is indued euen with the liuely virtue whereby as he made vs so he was able also to renue vs. In consideration hereof God is saide to haue died and to haue purchased to himselfe à Church by his owne bloode as Paul doeth testifie when he saith Take heede vnto your selues and to al the flocke whereof the holie Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloode Hence then is that which wee added concerning the perpetual force of the sacrifice whereof the Epistle vnto y e Hebrewes doeth saie With one offering hath be consecrated for euer them that are sanctified So by his owne bloode entred he once into the holie place and obteined eternall redemption for vs. Of the application which is through the worde through faith and the sacramentes and also of the final end of Christ his sacrifice we wil entreate afterwarde in their due places CHAP. 30. 1. Of diuerse things to be considered in Christ his suffering and offering-vp himselfe vnto God the father for our sake 2. Particularly for mans miserie which made Christ to suffer BVT here we are to staie à while and deeplie to consider of diuerse weightie pointes namelie howe great the miserie of men was where-into they fel through sinne how great y e displeasure of God was against man for sinning againe how great his mercie was toward man how vnspeakeable the obedience of the sonne of God was how horrible the punishment that he suffered was of what an inestimable incomparable à price the death of y e sonne of God was in that it coulde satisfie and make amendes for the sinnes of all mankinde and contrariwise howe cursedlie vngratefull the maior part of men is in that they will not acknowledge this wonderful worke of God namelie the sacrifice of Christ. First therefore it is beâ—ooueful to consider the miserie of mankinde without the sacrifice of Christ whereof Iob doeth saie Man that is borne of a woman is of short continuance full of trouble Augustine defineth the miserie of man to be an abundance of troble a scarsitie of comfort when à man diuerslie doth suffer but findeth coÌ„fort of none Homer with an out crie affirmeth that nothing is either in greater peril or more miserable than man is But Homer considereth onelie the calamities and miseries and tragical chances wherevnto men are subiect in this life For hee knewe neither the beginning nor the degrees nor the ende of mans miserie The beginning from whence the miserie of mankinde hath sprong and spread-forth none knoweth excepte hee haue learned the same out of the worde of God This word referreth the original of all sinne vnto the diuel the sinne of our first parentes and vnto the propagation of the same sinne vnto al posteritie Which thing Paul Romanes 5. expreslie doeth teach and Isaiah the Prophete doeth saie We al doe vade as a leafe and our iniquities like the winde haue taken vs away The degrees of mans miserie are manifold and verie lamentable The first whereof is à pittiful separation from God Your iniquities saith the Prophete Isaiah haue separated betwene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you Howe great this miserie is no man is able sufficientlie to conceaue For what can be more wretched than to bee separated from God than to bee excluded from the fountane of al goodnesse from al happines and saluation The second degree is to be
the righteousnes thereof 4. Of the sacraments how manie theie are and what theie signifie THe sacrifice of Christ is applied both by the worde by faith and by the sacrament but diuerslie For by the word which is written in the heart by the holie spirite it is offered as by the hand of God By faith beeing conceaued of the word through the holie spirite it is receaued as by the hand of man And by the Sacraments as by the seale of God it is signed For he that beleeueth the preaching of the Gospel wherbie the benefite of Christ his sacrifice is offered by faith which is à worke not of nature but of grace in man he receaueth Christe wholie together with his benefites which benefites are sealed by the sacramentes as that holie Apostle Paule doeth teach Wherebie it appeareth how needeful the ministerie of the worde is as that which is ordained from heauen to offer this incomparable treasure to vs this is it which the Lorde saith Preach the Gospel to euerie creature Againe Teach al nations This ministerie the Apostles deliâ—ered by the handes as it were to posteritie and from them it is come vnto vs and shall not be abolished while this worlde shal endure although Satan with greate rage do persecute such as syncerelie do sound-out the Gospel And therefore it is our partes if we loue our saluation to heare to vnderstand to loue the worde of God to meditate ther-vpon al our life long yea and to beleeue the same and to liue thereafter that at the length we maie come vnto the desired end of happinesse For Dauid in the beginning of his Psalmes sange not in vaâ—e when he sange on this wise Blessed is the man who doeth meditate in the lawe that is in the doctrine of the Lorde daie and night But wherefore is he blessed Because the meditation of the worde worketh two thinges First that thou neither listen vnto the counsels of the wicked nor stand in the waie of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scorneful Secondlie that thou become like à tree planted by the riuers of waters that wil bring forth her fruite in due season vntil thou attaine vnto verie happines it selfe And therefore it is added in another Psalme Blessed are al that trust in him But on the other side where this worde of the Lord is neither loued nor hearkened vnto nor thought-vpon nor beleeued nor done man by litle and litle is wrapped in the counsels of the wicked carried violentlie into the waie of the sinners and at length blasphemeth God and al religion and becommeth à plaine epicure so that at length he feareth not in his hart to saie There is no God although the lieng toung saie otherwise And so he proueth like à tree planted in moste horrible filthinesse and diuelish mud to bring forth fruite meete for death damnation according as it is written in à certaine Psalme Theie be corrupted and abhominable in their waies And that deseruedlie For y e contempt of this word wherbie Christ himselfe doth offer himselfe vnto vs doth highlie offend God yea and bringeth vpon the contemners themselues and vpon their posteritie too blindenes or a reprobate minde al maner wickednes and filthinesse as Paule in his first Chapter vnto the Romans teacheth at large And in another Chapter the same Apostle doth saie Because theie receiued not the loue of the truth and therefore God shal send them strong delusion that there should beleeue lies And the euent in manie nations where Christ himselfe and the Apostles haue preached doth aunswere to this prophesie of Paul touching the punishment of such as contemne the worde of God Neither be the Turkish warres anie thing els but verie tokens of Gods displeasure for the contempt of his worde And therefore let vs be more circumspect by the harmes of other men and esteemâ— we greatlie the benefite of God who hath deliuered to vs his pure worde wherebie he doeth offer this infinite grace and benefite of the sacrifice of his sonne by whose merite we be deliuered from the power of sinne and death and endued with eternal righteousnesse and glorie Secondlie in the application of the sacrifice of Christ it is required that euerie one of yeeres doe beleeue For as the worde doth offer So faith which commeth by hearing of the worde doth receaue Christe wholie with al his merites and beleeueth that al sinnes be forgiuen for the sacrifice sake of the Sonne of God And therefore in the Christian Creede it is saide I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes that is I doe knowe and am firmelie persuaded that God according to his promise wil receaue me into fauour because of the sacrifice obedience of his Sonne and wil not impute my sinnes to me anie-more but vtterlie blot and forgiue yea and remember them no more For faith is not a wauering opinion but à certaine knowledge of the free promise and à firme confidence that sinnes be forgiuen for Christ his sake This faith as touching the certaintie thereof dependeth both vpon euident testimonies of the Scriptures vpon parables and vpon approued examples but as touching confidence it resteth onelie vpon the merite of Christ. Paul after Dauid saith Blessed are theie whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whome the Lord imputeth no sinne And Christ doth saie Sonne be of good comforte thie sinnes are forgiuen thee And to the ruler of the Synagogue the Lorde saith Onelie beleeue And to the woman which had an issue of bloud Thie faith hath made thee whole Among manie parables that is notable which is in the 18. chapter of Matthewe of him which did owe tenne thousand talentes and hauing not wherewith to discharge he was of meere grace forgiuen the debt Hitherto belongeth also the parable of the two debters and of the prodigal sonne Among examples the most excellent is of the Theefe whose sinnes were forgiuen him without anie merites either going-before or comming-afterward I omit Dauid Manasses Peter Paul Magdalene and others With this faith of the remission of sinnes two thinges are continualie ioined which although theie differ from the faith of the remission of sinnes yet can theie be separated at no time And theie are to speake with the Apostle Grace and Gifte of which I wil speake more distinctlie that we maie the better consider what à great blessing faith of the free remission of sinnes is Grace in this place is the verie iustification of à beleeuing man and from the cause is so caled For Paul in the 5. Chapter vnto the Romanes doeth saie so where he compareth sinne and grace together The iudgement came of one offence vnto condemnation but the grace of manie offences vnto iustification And As by the offence of one the fault came on al men to condemnation So by 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
bodie for euermore Whence this same confidence of the healed and quiet conscience doth arise the epistle vnto the Hebrewes teacheth where it is saide We are assured that we haue à good conscience in al things desiring to liue honestlie Therefore as the cause foundation of à good conscience is not our owne worthines for by nature wee are sinners and vnworthie nor merites for of our selues we deserue nothing but death nor anie vertue of our owne for al our righteousnes is as filthie cloutes but euen meere faith in Christ which purgeth it by his bloode from dead workes through whome we haue peace with God So the purpose of the same is in all thinges with all men and in all actions to walke vprightlie namelie by declining from that which is euil and doing that which is good For continualie it thinketh vppon à newe life in Iesus Christ it alwaies detesteth the coate defiled of the fleshe and euermore delighteth in that white garment which in Baptisme is put on For al wee that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ. Which thing Dauid in the spirit did beholde when he said Wash me and I shal bee whiter than snowe to wit through the ornament of righteousnes of the Messiah as with a most white garment being first purged from sinne through his bloode Of this faith and conscience that sinne is blotted-out ariseth a care of wel-doing in Dauid according to that I haue applied mine heart to fulfil thy statuts alwaie euen vnto the end And Paul saith Fight à good fight hauing faith à good conscience In the whole course of this life wee maie beholde à goodlie and an especial vse of the sacrifice of Christ not onelie in aduersitie but also in prosperitie In aduersitie there is none so good à remedie as y e sacrifice of Christ. For as aduersitie doeth put thee in minde of thy sinne either lurking or manifest so the sacrifice of Christ apprehended by faith doth certifie thy conscience both of the forgiuenes of sins whereof ariseth spiritual comfort in al affliction and also of the conformitie of the elect with the son of God For so it hath pleased the wisedome of God that he wil haue his elect like to his sonne but in the crosse and also in glorie And this Paul affirmeth saying If we suffer with him we shal also raigne with him Hitherto also maketh the imitation of Christ his example in the crosse which Peter commendeth vnto vs in these wordes Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an ensample that we shoulde folow his steppes Read mine annotations vpon the 2. chapter of the first epistle of Peter In prosperitie there is more daunger For albeit aduersitie do bring-done manie yet prosperitie doth puffe-vp moe According to this of the Poët The minds of man through prosperitie waxe wanton often-times Againe The minde lifted-vp through prosperitie remembreth neither death nor what may happeÌ„ nor anie measure at al. What then shal à godlie man doe in this case Foure things he shal doe First let him waie with himselfe the things which are called prosperous in this world and consider what they are in them selues Secondarilie let him thinke what a perilous thing it is to enioie prosperitie if the mind be not godlie disposed Thirdlie let him compare al the coÌ„modities of this worlde with the blessednes to come which Christ hath purchased for vs by his death and last of al let him aduisedlie consider whether it be more behoueful to enioie prosperitie of this life with hazard of the soule than to renounce them if occasion serue for Christ his sake Therfore seeing our flesh is ticled like à wild horse beginneth to winch by prosperitie let à godlie man thinke with himself first howe vncertaine brittle mortal temporal fleting transitorie y e prosperitie of this world is which manie enioieng at their hartes desire be for al that in verie deed most miserable secondlie let him thinke y t it hath more deceipt than pleasure For the pleasure which ariseth thereof is like à serpent murthering the soule counsailing proudlie and vaâ—elie euen the spirite of couetousnes and gluttonie This serpent lurking in the most secrete corners of the minde seeketh not but euen destruction Whereby it is apparent that prosperitie doeth more hurt the minde than doeth aduersitie the bodie Thirdlie let a godlie man thinke with himselfe that so great ods there is betweene the felicitie which Christe hath purchased for his beloued and the prosperitie of this world as is betweene a minute of an houre and eternitie betweene death and life betweene miserie and happines For as the prosperitie of this life dependeth vpoÌ„ a reed so the happines promised in Christ is vpholden by the euerlasting trueth of God that it is vnpossible that they shoulde bee deceiued of their hope which continue in the feare of God vnto their liues ende Fourthlie of these things let a godlie maÌ„ gather how it is a much better and blessed thing to renounce worldlie goods as far as godlie christianitie they stand not according to Gods word thaÌ„ for theÌ„ to bring the soule into y e danger of damnation To conclude that wee bee neither puffed-vp nor carried-quite from God by prosperitie there is no such thing as to call into minde the humiliation of the sonne of God vppon the crosse who therefore was humbled that he might exalt vs if so be we do humble our selues vnder the mightie hand of God and are not ashamed of the crosse of Christ. For whosoeuer exalteth himselfe shal be brought lowe and he that humbleth himself shal be exalted We are therefore to take special heede least our flesh through prosperous successe of things do deceaue and kil vs being taken with a certaine baite For that serpent which beguiled Euah of his subtiltie snatcheth euerie occasion to withdrawe vs from Christ and setteth vppon the principal part of man to destroie it with prosperitie And therefore saith Paul Brethren you see your calling howe that not manie wise men after the fleshe not manie mightie not manie noble are called For to the destruction of man sathan abuseth these three things namelie wisedome power and nobilitie of which springeth both the pleasure of the bodie and the pride of minde which if the foolish once get they think themselues happie and blissed meÌ„ So then against this tentation oppose y e crosse of Christ without which al wisedome is but meere foolishnesse all might is but weakenesse all nobilitie is but ignominie and all pleasure is but the food of death For al these mixed with too much bitternes haue an ende with this life If therefore thou wouldest haue true wisedom true might true nobilitie true pleasure and glorie seeke them in Christ alone thou shalt find in whom are hid al the treasures of celestial restes To conclude at the point of death the sight of the prieste Christ
publiquelie yet is it necessarie that all Christians do both knowe and confesse too the doctrine of Christ. The third and there is none iniquitie founde in his lips that is he shunneth false and forged doctrine yea and abhorreth as the pestilence whatsoeuer commeth not from the mouth of the Lorde And therefore Christe saith to all Beware of false Prophetes The fourth He walked in peace and equitie that is he studied to order his life according to the rule of my iustice by keeping peace and equitie with his neighbours And this parte of the couenant Christ also and the Apostles doe applie to all Christians The fifte He turned manie awaie from iniquitie to wit both by word by deede by example this euerie man wil grant al Christians ought to do To conclude as God promiseth life and peace so we are bounde againe to him through faith and obedience Moreouer with the priesthood of Christians manie thinges are ioined which make much for the knowledge of the dignitie and excellencie thereof But the special thinges are which Peter numbreth-vp to wit that Christians are à spiritual house à holie and à roial Priesthood à chosen generation an holie nation à peculiar people and that which passeth al that theie are and be called the children of the liuing God Of this excellent dignitie of Christians Iohn speaketh when he saith To them that beleeue in his name he gaue power to be the sonnes of God Which sentence is both truelie and elegantlie brought into these Verses by Nonnus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to expresse them in à maner word for worde One happie state of heauenlie blisse to al gaue hee That sonnes of euerlasting God theie might cald bee This honour which none sufficientlie can commend ought both to reclaime vs from al filthinesse vnseemelie for the temple of God vnseemelie for roial priestes vnseemelie for à chosen generation for an holie nation vnseemelie vnseemelie for the peculiar people and sonnes of God and to prouoke vs also vnto the seruice of God continualie to offer acceptable sacrifice to God throgh Iesus Christ. For of right our consecration into the priesthoode of Christ doth require the same Because we are priestes to offer sacrifices not propitiatorie which belonged onelie to Iesus Christ the hie priest but Eucharistical and those perpetual Wherefore as the Leuites at certaine daies appointed houres did offer according vnto the Lawe of Moses and after waited vntil their turne came after the Ecclesiastical ordinance of Dauid So are not Christian priestes to intermitte sacrifice but continualie and without ceassing theie must haue ful handes and offer continual sacrifice vnto the Lorde What is Eucharistical sacrifice The Eucharistical sacrifice of Christians is euerie action and passion commanded of God separated from the prophane actions and passions of the world through saith wherewithall as seasoned with salt it is inflamed and sanctified by the holie Ghoste as by fire from heauen and through the merite of Christe is accepted of God into glorie through y e same Iesus Christ. And this is called an Eucharistical sacrifice from the proper end thereof because it is an oblation of our thankfulnes For being reconciled to God through the propitiatorie sacrifice of Christ we offer to him our obedience we honor praise him and continualie giue him thankes For Christ being apprehended by faith giueth the holie Ghost which createth à newe heart within vs and à willing minde wherebie we offer this our gratefulnes to God Nowe it is necessarie that we consider why our obedience is called à sacrifice For the opening of this phraze wil notablie stir vs vp vnto the studie of obedience So then the workes of Christians are called sacrifices by à certaine relation vnto the sacrifices of the olde Iewes For as theie were commanded from heauen to the Priestes were chosen applied sanctified and accepted so in our sacrifices it is necessarie that there be à commandement à choise an application a sanctificatiō and that they be accepted of God In y e old law it was not lawful to offer à sow or anie vnclean beast by the law but onlie such as were cleane according to the lawe So the workes that Christians should offer must not be vncleane that is either forbidden by the worde of God or hypocritical or superstitious but such as GOD commandeth Therefore the Lorde saith by the Prophet Walke in my statutes Secondlie as the cleane lambe which should be offered was separated from the rest of the flocke So by faith our workes are to be separated from the like workes of prophane people The Pharisee gaue almes so did Cornelius the Courtier yet was the Pharisees almes vncleane the courtiers cleane because through faith it was separated from the almes of the Pharisee Thirdlie as the ceremonial sacrifice was applied to the altar by the hand of the priest beeing laide there-vpon so our workes shal be applied to the altar through Christ by whose handling they are sanctified Fourthlie as those olde sacrifices were consumed with fire from heauen and sanctified and so accepted so our sacrifices through the merite of Christ inflamed by the holie Ghost are sanctified with fire from heauen and are accepted through Christe as Peter saith For seeing al our own obedience is vnperfect in euerie work we offend partlie by omitting somewhat partlie by doing more than we ought for at no time our obedience is perfect and ful it cannot be that our sacrifices of them-selues should please God Wherefore as through the merite of Christ theie are sanctified so also through Christ as Peter saith theie are acceptable For Christ maketh our obedience grateful and deserueth that our obedience both in the crosse also in the lawe of sacrifice is commended So y t our sacrifices please not in respect of any excellencie of merit but throgh Christ in whō God waieth our works y t he maie accept them as most worthie sacrifices For as the faultie sacrifice of the olde people which came to the altar through error touched y e altar was not chāged for a better but was taken as purged and holie by reason it had touched the holie place so our workes albeit theie are verie faultie yet become theie cleane and apte for holie sacrifice and acceptable to GOD through touching our altar Christ who through faith is touched And although the summe of the doctrine of the Christians sacrifices maie be vnderstoode by that wich is spoken yet to make it the more euident we wil more particularlie entreate of them that it maie appeare howe theie agree together and folowe each of other Among the sacrifices of Christians in the first place is the offering of our selues which is done in Baptisme and answereth to the washing which was vsed at the consecration of Leuitical Priestes For through baptisme we are visiblie and sacramentalie seuered from the prophane world
pure in heart blessed are the merciful Which formes of speech containe not as the Papistes do gesse the causes of blessednes but theie describe the qualities and studies of such men as are alreadie become the heires of the kingdome of God For the nature of faith is such that it stirreth vs in whome it dwelleth to shewe obedience vnto the Lord or as Paule saith to serue God through righteousnesse after such time as the burden of sinne is remoued-awaie from vs and we are made righteous through the righteousnesse of Christ Who is the end of the lawe for righteousnesse vnto euerie one that beleeueth So that the Papistes doe verie il when theie doe not rightlie with Paule distinguish betweene the proper benefite of Christe and our due obedience For so Paule vnto the Ephesians doth write By grace are ye saued thorough faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least anie man should boast himselfe This doth Paule speake of the proper benefite of Christe afterward that followeth which doth concerne our due obedience and the cause thereof For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them What thing I praie you could be spoken more plainlie The third step is when necessitie requireth to keepe on the right waie through the valeie of teares For as in the Actes of the Apostles it is saide We must through manie afflictions enter into the kingdome of God And Paul Al that wil liue godlie in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution It can not therefore be otherwise but that the godlie going on to heauen ward must be enforced to suffer sundrie and diuers troubles This Iob doth meane when he saith Blessed is the man whome the Lorde correcteth therefore refuse not thou the chastising of the Almightie For he maketh the wound and bindeth it vp he smiteth and his handes make whole For as Paul saith When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord because we should not be condemned with the world And Christ Blessed are then which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake Blessed are yee when men reuile you He addeth the reason for theirs is the kingdome of heauen toward which theie goe while patientlie bearing the crosse theie folowe Christ which crosse is not the cause of raigning but onelie the waie vnto the kingdome through Christ. The fourth step is to runne the course of this life in the feare of God euen vnto the last gaspe of life Hereof spake the Lorde when he saide He that endureth to the ende he shalbe saued And in the Reuelation Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord and theie die in the Lord that departe out of this world in faith and calling-vpon God The ende of which faith as Peter saith is the saluation of soules Wherebie it is apparent that blessednes is ascribed to the aboue mentioned degrees with á condition of perseuerance euen to the ende Therefore saith Paule If you be not moued awaie from the hope of the Gospel And Christ If you abide in me and my wordes abide in you And vnto the Hebrues We are made partakers of Christ if we keepe sure vnto the end the beginning wherewith we are vpholden These are the steppes vnto life and euerlasting blessednesse because theie keepe vs in the waie vnto Christe who is the onelie waie vnto happinesse Wherfore he y t entereth into the right waie proceedeth in the right waie and keepeth à right course by night and by daie in aduersitie and prosperitie toward the happinesse before his eies is called happie because of the euent for that he goeth the right waie vnto felicitie Moreouer the bodies being dead the soules of the righteous vntill the last iudgement by the ministerie of Angels be receaued into Paradise there to enioie blessednesse with Christ according to the promise To daie shalt thou be with me in Paradise Hereof sprang that wish of Paul I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ and that voice in the Reuelation Blessed are the dead which die in the Lorde Euen so saith the spirite for theie rest from their labors their workes followe them And although this blessednesse of the soules be vnspeakeable yet it is not absolute Because perfect blessednesse is of the whole natures not of à part of man as alreadie we haue shewed as at the last daie shal come to passe the bodies being raised For which purpose there is à certaine last iudgement appointed of God in which this ful and absolute felicitie shal be conferred vpon the Saintes So that the Saintes whose bodies doe sleepe in the duste haue receaued alreadie single robes but shal not be endued with double vntil we al meete together The first robe is the verie felicitie it selfe the rest of soules in Christ. But the seconde shal be y e immortalitie and glorie of y e bodies which shal be fashioned like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ for euer and euer And so at y e length we shal perfectlie be blessed ioined to God the soueraigne blisse with perfect loue the image of God after which we at the first were made and afterwarde redeemed being reformed in vs. In this image perfecte righteousnes perfect holinesse perfect libertie perfect wisedome perfect cleerenes and glorie shall shine Dauid had respect herevnto when he saide When I awak I shal be satisfied with thine image For in this world there shal be no satietie Which thing Salomon also doeth witnesse when he saide The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing By which saying Salomon doth signifie that nothing sufficeth man before he come vnto God enioie God and blessedlie to rest in him For God hath ingraffed such à desire in the heart of man that no good thing can suffice him besides the soueraigne happinesse which hauing once attained hee resteth therein all blessed So that the most perfect state of man shal be eternal felicitie the which we begin here in this life and in the life to come shall perfectlie enioie the same Hitherto belongeth that saying of Prosper The life to come is thought to be blessedlie euerlasting and euerlastinglie blessed where certaine securitie is secure quietnes and quiet ioifulnes happie eternitie eternal happines where perfest loue is no feare at all This happie state was offered in à vision to Iohn in the Reuelation For he sawe the holie citie newe Ierusalem come downe from heauen prepared as à bride trimmed for her husbande Wherein neither sorowe neither crying neither death shal bee but ioie peace quietnes and euerlasting life the walles whereof are of Iasper and the citie it selfe pure golde The temple whereof was God almightie and the Lambe the glorie of God did lighten it and the lambe is the light of
the house of God betwene those that expel and vtterlie separate vs frō the familie of God and bring vnder the dominion of sathan Manie are the infirmities in y e faithful diuerse wicked affections spring-vp and oftentimes they offend of ignorance notwithstanding so long as they retaine faith and à good conscience they doe abide in the house of God not as of his household onlie but as liuelie stones also of which the house is builded But when wittinglie and of purpose theie sinne theie ouerthrow their conscience and make shipwrack of faith and so are cast out from the spiritual familie of God vntill through repentance theie come home againe For such is the goodnes and mercie of God that this house is alwaies set-open to such as vnfainedlie repent And forsomuch as this house of God is the Temple wherin God wil be worshipped therefore God maketh mention of the chiefe seruice in the same when he saith for euer and euer theie wil praise thee And as the grounde of this praising of God is the goodnes and mercie of God according to the saieng of the Psalme Praise ye the Lord because he is good for his mercie endureth for euer Vnder which his goodnes and mercie are comprehended al his works al his benefits al y e promises of God as maie be gathered out of the 136. Psal So y e praise of God consisteth in y e true knowledge of God in the meditation of the wonderfull workes of Grd in an assured trust of his promises in true obedience in praier in lauding his goodnes and mercie in confession c. Wherefore none can duelie praise God but such as dwel in his house namelie such as are trulie religious whose praises God liketh-of and alloweth whose eares are open not vnto the mouth but vnto the hart not vnto the tongue but vnto the life of the cōmender as Augustine saith So that neither of the wicked who sound one thing with their lips and shew an other thing in their life nor of hypocrites because y e face of their soule if so I maie speak is filthilie defaced with the mire of vane glorie and vnder the pretence of lauding God doe seeke their own praise nor yet of hirelings is god praised for theie praise their bellie not God but the godlie which liue through faith whose whole cogitations and good workes are commendations of God they onelie praise God Therefore saith Augustine Whatsoeuer thou doest do it well and thou hast praised God And whereas the workes of God as the Sunne the Moone y e starres the fishes of the sea lightening and thunder be saide to praise God it is by à figure called Metonymia because through their bewtie great commodities which they bring to mankinde they prouoke men to praise God Againe whereas God is saide as maie appeare in the Psalmes to be praised with Cymbals Tympanies and sundrie instrumentes of musicke that was but figuratiuelie done For they signified howe God in the newe Testament was to be praised with y e sweet musike and harmonie of sounde doctrine and of godlie behauiour Organs and Musike maie bee reteined in the Temples of Christians so long as they bewtifie further the ministerie and do not hinder the same but from these things let that Iewish persuasion touching the opinion of worshippe be farre abandoned The like iudgement maie bee giuen of singing of Psalmes and other lessons in the Church Moreouer when the Psalme saith For euer and euer it signifieth howe the Church shall abide for euer yet that out of this life it shal be translated vnto immortall glorie and ioined to the souerainge happines in which it shall bee blessed for euermore And this is the ende of our religion which alone reduceth vs vnto the originall from whiche we haue estraied and alone restoreth vs to perfection and blessednesse than which nothing is to be desired more For in verie deede this is perfection and happines euen for euerie thing to attaine the ende for which it was created and therein to rest and be blessed Wherefore the vse of this verse is three-folde The first is that we studie out of Gods word to knowe God the father in Iesus Christ thorough the holy spirit y t we shut our selues thorough faith into his house and therein continue that we both in heart and in conuersation doe praise God whom we knowe and being praised do loue being loued doe expresse and imitate and by immitating enioie him and by enioieng be made immortal and blessed and finalie that being made immortal blessed we maie abide euerlastinglie in the soueraigne happines singing Psalmes hymn◠continualie to God with all his elect This continual praising of the euerlasting God hath annexed there-vnto most pure holie and comfortable pleasure According to the Psalme Iacob shal reioyce and Israel shalbe glad and in an other Psalme At thie right hande there are pleasures for euermore Another vse is that in al afflictions troubles we fetch cōfort cōsidering y t both we are in the house of God and also that by the testimonie of the holie spirite we are pronounced blessed notwithstanding that in the sight of the world we seeme miserable For after night the cleare daie wil appeare So that the promise of blessednesse ought to be in steede of à remedie vnto vs against the bitternesse of the crosse The thirde vse is that so manie as are out of this house of God although theie haue manie goodlie children outward peace good successe in their matters yea and in the eies of men do seeme blessed yet theie are extremelie miserable as theie which hasten the readie waie vnto endlesse perdition From which neither Epicurus Zeno nor Aristotle can fetch their families whom miserablie theie haue fedde with à vaine hope of blessednesse THE SECOND part of the Psalme CHAP. 1. 1. The summe of the second parte of this Psalme generalie 2. The inuincible courage of true Preachers 3. Whether al the ministers of the Gospel haue the holie Ghost THe second parte of this Psalme comprised in three verses name lie in the 5. 6. and 7. describeth the state of the Doctors of the Church The members of which description are these The first concerneth the courage and weapons where-with Doctors are to be fenced The second with what mind and studie men are to enter-into the ministerie The thirde how theie are to passe through the vale of teares in setting-forth and enlargeing the kingdome of God The fourth an allegorical representation of the ministers of the worde The fift a promise of blessing and of good successe in the ministerie The sixte a final cause of this successe That it maie appeare howe the ministerie of the worde is preserued by the presence and power of God in the Church The fift verse BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE STRENGTH IS IN THEE THis first part of the description doth minister courage
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
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
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
Martyrdome 421 kinds of martyrdome 421 profite of martyrdome 421 whie the godly suffer martyrdome 424. Martyrs who 421 423. Martyrs not to be worshipped 427 428. Masse The Masse 168 none indifferent thing 168 an harlot 203 the masse à sacrifice and à sacrament and howe 204 Canon of the Masse 205 the abomination thereof 206 whie it is abominable 207 not commanded of God 207 contrarie vnto the institution of Christ 208 the ground of purgatorie 216 the strength of Antichrist 216 with what argument maintained by papistes 222 the Popishe masse one thing their communion an other 230. Material cause of sacrifices 183. Christ our onelie mediator 302. Mediators betweene God and man 212 à Mediator whie needeful 486. Meditation what 144 fruit of holy Meditation 323 Meditation offered by baptisme 106. Men worshipped for Gods 191. Men by Aristomenes sacrificed 194 by the French men sacrificed 195 by Germans 195 sacrificed vnto Bacchus 193. vnto Maâ—s sacrificed 193 sacrificed vnto Saturn 194. Merchants 96. God his mercie whereunto compared 266 what it comprehendeth 390 his mercie in punishing sin 414. Christ y e way by merit 123. Merits of the sainctes the treasure of the Church 214. Ministerie of the Gospel 129 difference betweene the ministerie and the ministers 397. Ministers Kindes of Ministers in the Church 150 auctoritie to make ministers à note of y e true church 172 the the holie spirit howe in ministers 398 ministers howe called 399 knowledge of Gods word required in à Minister 400 state of wicked ministers 404 true ministers aboue al subiect vnto affliction 408 coÌ„forts for ministers in their troubles 450 ministers whie priests 361 and howe 362. Miracles Diuine miracles what and their effectes 64 whie wrought and whie not wroght in these daies 66 howe wrought 68 Miracles of Christ 28 howe to knowe false from true Miracles 67 diuelish Miraâ—les howe done 68 Miracles not wroght by the diuel 69. Miserie Miserie of man without Christ 258 cause of man his miserie 258 the degrees of mans Miserie 259 the ende of mans Miserie 262. The Moone worshipped for a God 191. Mount Zioâ— what 53. Musike why reteined in the Church 391. N Natural life 127. Natural philosophie 401. Nature of oile 345. Noblemens children sacrificed 194. O Obedience to the Lawe 373. Obedience to the Lawe a part of Christ his sacrifice 247. Obedience to Magistrates 430. Obseruation 402. Office of the Messiah 51 61. Office of the priest in the olde Lawe 186. Nature of Oile 345. Opinions of Christ 17. Oracle of Apollo 194. Order whie obserued in the Church 167. Ordinarie power of the Church 152. Organs why reteined in the Church 391. Original cause of idolatrie 189. Ouerseers 151. Oxen worshiped for Gods 191. P Paine followeth pleasure 380. Palenes worshipped for a God 191. Pallace of the Messiah 52. In the Papacie what good thinges 228. Papistes 16 they neglect the commandements of God for their owne traditions 512. Papistical seruice 2â—â— Papisticall good workes what 511 the causes of them 513. Papistical traditions diuers 511. Paradise of the Turkes 90. Parentes killed of their children in sacrifices 93 Parentes murtherers of their owne children in sacrifices 194 195. Partes of Christ his Priesthoode 242. Paschal Lambe compared to Christ. 35. The Passeouer whie instituted 26. Patience à sacrifice 359. Patriarchs 151. People of the Messiah 56. Perpetuitie of the Church 391. Persecution 441 à twofold persecution 467. Philosophie natural 401. Pleasure of y e bodie à vaine thing 380. Pomegranate 180. The Poore most readie to embrace the gospel 26. The Pope the keeper of Epicurns booke 100. Whom the Pope curseth 164 his punishing of transgressorâ— 168 205 The Pope a spiritual baude 203 whie forsaken of Luther 209 Popes vsurpers of auctoritie 151. The summe of Poperie 97. A Popish priest who 197. Popish priesthoode contrarie to the priesthoode of Christ 198 Popish baptisme 229. Power of the Church 152 156. Praier Praier 401 true praier what 456 à sacrifice 356 when accepted 301 302 signified by incense 197 publique Praier a note of the true Church 17â— Praise of God a sacrifice 355. Praise of God 390 wherein it consisteth 390 who praise God 390 howe the creatures praise God 391. Whether Preachers in the time of persecution may flie 441. Preachers be the souldiers of Christ. 12. Preaching of Christ. 2â— Preaching nccessarie 322. Preaching a note of y e true Church 171. Preaching to y e spirites 102. Presence of God in the Church 452. God whie present in the Church 451. Preseruation of y e Church 125. Priest The Priest his office in sacrificing 186 the necessitie of an hie Priest 237 his condition 239 Christians are priestes and howe 344 ministers are Priestes 361 ministers howe Priests 362 Priesthood of the new Testament 242. Popish Priesthood contrarie to the Priesthood of Christ 198. Princes idolatrous not to be obeied 430. Gift of prophecie not tied vnto any one calling of men 169. Prophecies of the Turkes 77. Propitiatorie sacrifice 235. 250. Prosperitie daungerous 338. Punishment Punishment of Dauid 5 of the vngodlie 118. 161. 190. 196. 323. 331. In deserued punishment what to be considered 411. God his iustice and mercie in punishing sinne 414. Purenesse in this life what 116. Purgatorie 216 à vane thing 221 grounded vppon the Masse 216. Puritie of the Church 115. Q Quantitie of God 84. R Reason of man is vane 370. Reiection of the Iewes 43 causes of the same 74. Religion 99. Diuersities of religion 104. Remission of sinnes whaâ— 496. Repentaunce a sacrifice 357. Resurrection of Christ 38. 45 confirmed by manie testimonies 46. Reward of sinne 162. Riches 146. Righteousnesse what 498. 500 à sacrifice 359. Righteousnesse of faith and workes oppugned 330 righteousnesse of workes oppugned 327 S True Sabboth what 62. Sacramentes howe manie 334. Sacrifice Sacrifices of the Iewes 177. 178 of the Gentiles 193 of Christians 235. Sacrifices of the Iewes of what kindes 185â— the causes of them 182. Sacrifices of Christians howe manie 247. Burnt Sacrifice 185. Sacrifice eucharistical 185 236. 349. kindes thereof 352. Sacrifice of good workes 349 of Obedience 247. of patience 359. of praier 356. of Praise 355. of propitiation 235. 250. of repentance 357. of righteousnesse 359. of the Masse 204. Sacrifices of them-selues please not God 178. In a sacrifice what to bee considered 251. Sacrifices of the olde Law howe offered 253. Captiues 195 children 194 195. men 193. 194. parentes Sacrificed 193. Salt 188. Saintes Saintes cannot be intercessors for vs 213. Saintes inuocated a seruice of the diuel 214. their worship why inuented 429. Sanctification how it commeth 106. Satietie not in this life 377. Seede of Abraham 309. Selfe hatred 290. Selfe loue 289. twofolde 290. Serpent of brasse 31. Serpents taken for GOD 191. Seruice of the Churche 116. What Seruice of Papistes maie be heard 228. Societie with CHRIST 131. Sophisters 443. howe to be resisted 444. Soules of the righteous where 376. they Sleepe not vntil the
3 5. 6. Rom. 8 34. Heb. 7 24. 25. Heb. 10 14. 1. Iohn 2 1. Fiue things to be considered in Christe his intercession 1. Christe is to be praied vnto in two respects Rom 4 10. Heb 5 6. Euseb. Lib. 10. Eccles. Hist. 2. In what respect Christ is an intercessor Magist. Sent. Lib. 3. Distinst 19. 3. When Chrih is an intercessour for vs. Rom. 5 10. 2. 4. When God doeth accept the praiers of the faithful Iohn 15 16. Math. 6 9. Heb. 7 25. 5. We are to make none our mediator saue Christe onelie 1. Iohn 2 1. 2 Properties of à liuelie faith Against aâ—ricular confession and absolution True absolution what Of this point somewhat more is spoken aboue Chap. 17. Mat. 18 18. * Chap. 24. in the 3. reason whie the masse is abhominabe Heb. 7 12. Heb. 9 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. The old couenaÌ„t what The new coueant what The ancient fathers before Christ partakers of the newe couenant The newe couenant was in al ages The partes of the couenant betweene God and man Gen. 17 7. 4. 1. The matter or foundation of the couenant 2. Cor. 5 19. Isai 54 10. 2. The wonderful loue of God to vs ward in making this couenant 3. The perpetuitie of God his couenant Heb. 6 13. 14. 17. 18. 4. The largenes of the couenant Seede of AbrahaÌ„ what 5. God bestoweth immortalitie vpon his confederats How we doe couenant with God for our partes Gen. 17 1. Gen. 22 4. 5. c. The couenant of God fulfilled and confirmed by the bloud of Christ. Baptisme and the L. Supper seales that God hath fulfilled his couenant 1. Cor. 11 25 The couenant beweene God and man how iâ— is defined Iere. 31 31. 32. 33. 34. Gal. 4 24. 25. 26. c. The old Testament what Signe of the old couenaÌ„â— Ende of the old couenaÌ„t Time of the couenaÌ„t promised Heb. 9 17. Reuel 13 8. Luk. 1 76. 77. 78. Eze. 36 26. Ezek. 36 26 Difference betweene the new Testament and the Gospel Aug. Lib. 2. Retract Aug. ad Bonif Lib. 3. Whether the ten-commandements be abrogated or no Heb. 8 13. Exo. 19 16. 17. c. Mat. 19 17. Gal. 3 24. Rom. 10 4. 2. Cor. 3 13. 14. c. 1. How the sacrifice of Christ is applied to vs by the word The necessitie of preaching Mar. 16 15. Psal 1 2. Fruite of meditating vpon the worde of God Psal. 1 2. 3. Psal. 2 12. PunishmeÌ„t of the contemners of Gods word Psal 14 1. Psal. 53 1. Psal. 14 1. Psal 53 1 â— Thess 3 10. 11. Warres of the Turke are tokenâ— of God his displeasure for conteÌ„pt of his word 2. Howe the sacrifice of Christ is applied to man by faith Euerie man saued by his own faith Faith what Faith whervpon grounded Rom. 4 7. 8. Psa. 32 1. 2. Matth. 9 2. Mark 5 36. Luk. 8 48. Mat. 18. 21. 22. c. Luk. 7 41. 42. Luk. 15 11. 12. c. 1. Grace Rom. 5 16. 19. Iustification what Against the righteousnes of workes Phil. 3 7. 8. 9. Rom. 10 4. Rom. 3 28. Gal. 2 21. Ephes. 2 8. 9. Rom. 10 4. Rom. 1 16. 17. Against the righteousnes of faith and workes together Rom. 10 3. Gal. 3 11. 12. The arguments of the aduersaries against the doctrine of iustification The true sense of S. Iames touching works Mat. 19 17. Rom. 10 4. Rom. 3 31. Gifte Luk. 1 74. 75. 3. How by the sacraments we maie applie the sacrifice of Christ to our selues Two no â—â—oe sacraments Baptisme whie but once ministred to maÌ„ what iâ— signifieth The L. Supper what is signifieth whie often receaued The conscience healed by the sacrifice of Christ. Mar. 2. 17. Phil 3 20. 21. Heb. 13 18. Esai 64 6. Heb. 9 14. Rom. 5 1. Gal. 3 17. Psal. 51 7. Psal. 119 112. 1. Tim. 1 18. 19. 2. Tim. 2 12 1. Pet. 2 21. The minde of à godlie wise man in prosperitie 1. Pet. 5 6. Luk 14 11. 1. Cor. 1 26. Col. 2 3. Iohn 8 52. Reue. 14 13 Psa. 116 15 Exod. 19 5. 9 Ephes. 2 3. How Christians are made priests Ephes. 5 26. Reuel 1 5. 6. Rom. 6 3. Gal. 3 27. Psal. 132 9. 2. Cor. 1 21. 22. 1. Pet. 2 9. The couenant betweene God and Christians Priests Mal. 2 5. 6. 7. Paries of the couenaÌ„t betweene God and Christian Priestes Psa. 111. 10. Matt. 7 15. 1. Pet. 2 5. 9. Rom. 9 26. Iohn 1 12. Eucharisticall sacrifice what The workes of Christians whie called a sacrifice Kindes of Eucharistical sacrifices 1. We offer sacrifice as Baptisme 2. Christians do offer sacrifice when theie dailie crucifie their wicked affections Rom. 13 1. Rom. 12 2. Rom. 6 10. 11. Luk. 9 23. Rom. 12 1. Luk. 9 23. 3. ChristiaÌ„â— do offer sacrifice when theie praise God Psal. 50 23 14. Hos. 14 3. Confession of the faith in the time of persecution whie necessarie Rom. 10 10. 4. Christians doe sacrifice when theie praie Psal. 14 2. Reuel 5 8. Mich. 6 6. 8. 5. Christians doe offer sacrifice to God when theie repent vnfainedlie Psal. 51 17. Isai. 57 15. Isai. 66 2 Iere. 23 29. 6. Christians do sacrifice when theie suffer affliction patientlie Iob. 19 25. 7. The seauenth sacrifice of Christians righteousnes in conuersatioÌ„ Psal. 4 5. Hos 6 6. Heb 13 16. The 8. sacrifice of Christians Rom. 15 15 16. The ministers of the Gospel how and when priestes 1. Pet. 5 3. Psal. 50 16 17 1 Dan. 12. 3. The summe of this verse Who trulie happie God principalie and through himselfe happie End of man what Fal of man 1. Iohn 3 â— An obiectioÌ„ Matth. 5 4. 10. 2. Tim. 2 12 2. Tim. 2 1â— Psal. 119 1. The first step vnto heauen Isai. 5 Luk. 11 28. Psal. 1 1 2. Psal. 119 2. Excellencie of God his worde Worldlie wisedome Rom. 10 18 1. Tim. 2 4. Mat. 21 43 What is to be learned by seeing manie nations at this daie without the Gospel of Christe Mat. 21 33 Howe the word bringeth saluation 2. Cor. 2 16. Iohn 17 3. Luk. 11 28. Rom. 4 7. The 2. step vnto heaueÌ„ Psal. 112 1. Psa. 119 1. Matth. 5 5. Rom. 10 4. Ephes. 2 8 9. 10. The 3. step vnto heaueÌ„ Act. 14 22. 2. Tim. 3 12 Iob 5 17. 18. 1. Cor. 11 32 Matt. 5 10. 11. The 4. step vnto heaueÌ„ Mat. 10 22. Reue. 14 13 1. Pet. 1 9. Coloss. 1 23. Iohn 15 7. Heb. 3 14. Where the soules of the righteous are vntil the daie of iudgement Luk. 23 43. Phil. 1 23. Reue. 14 13. Phil. 3 21. Psal. 17 15. Ecclesi 1 8. Reuel 21. 2. 4. 18. 22. 23. Reuel 22 5. 4. 1. Cor. 2 9. 1. Cor. 13 12 Rom. 1 17. Gal. 5 16. Coloss. 3 1. Heb. 11 13. Heb. 13 14. Phil 3. 13. 14. Against the vaine opinions of the Philosophers concerning true happines Against the Epicures Prou. 5 3. 4. Antisthenes Critolaus Architas
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