vppon vs to let goe the care of that and there to keepe watche and warde where there is no assault made against vs As if sathan should sore assault vs with couetousnesse and labour to enter there breakinge downe the walles of sobrietie and temperaunce in these earthly profites whiche we should vse so soberly and temperantly as if we vsed them not and wee doubting no harme from thence should conuert all our munition and defence to vpholde the walles of gentlenesse loue and meekenesse when as in deede we are not assaulted with wrathe or displeasure Were not this a wofull kinde of warre to lay open where we are assaulted and to bee fenced on those partes where we are not once attempted Were not that a slender victorie for that man to bragge that he hath not one wound vpon his legges whose heade and shoulders haue borne off all It cannot be denied but many that goe for Christians boast themselues greatly of such kinde of victorie that their legges are safe because some grosse euils as reuengement or plaine oppression hathe not preuailed against them when notwithstanding their head is yet bleeding with the strokes of ignorance in GODS worde or carelesnesse of his glorie and their shoulders full of the scarres of couetousnesse or suche other like grieuous woundes This mischiefe is redressed by the lawe by the light whereof we clearely perceiue where the force of the aduersarie lieth soarest vpon vs that we may turne our prayers and all spirituall armour to that part especially So shall our prayers not bee cast off without care at aduenture and by custome but beeing bothe warned of great daunger which without the alarme of the law we would not haue feared and also hauing warning to what place the aduersarie directeth his power our prayers may carefully and directly stande against it Nowe let vs praye vnto our Heauenlie Father that we may learne by the Lawe bothe to bee humbled vnder his mercies and also to be directed vnto his owne good pleasure will to the praise of his name and our owne euerlasting comfort c. The fourteenth Lecture vpon the thirde Chapter of S. Iohn verse 16. So God loued the worlde that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perishe but haue euerlasting life AFter the knowledge of the Lawe and the vse thereof it is necessarie to speake of Christe who is the ende of the lawe howe by faith he is receiued bothe to iustifie vs from the curse and rigour of the lawe and also to sanctifie our hearts to such a liking of those duties that there are appointed to be done as bringeth with it the careful attending vppon the doing thereof This doctrine hath bene somewhat touched in the lawe but a more plentifull discourse thereof is yet required where the mater may be laide open more at large then hitherto we haue heard of For the perfourmance wherof this portion of Scripture that now I haue read vnto you promiseth verie muche Wherein we may vnderstande that the firste spring and founteine of our saluation is the loue of god That is the first cause the principal ground and chiefe beginning of all our happinesse and therfore it is set down here as the cause why Christ was giuen for our sinnes So God loued the worlde sayth the texte that he gaue his onely beegotten sonne The tender affection and loue of God towards vs is placed before that great gift to commend the goodnesse of it For not so muche the gifte as the minde of the giuer is wont to be considered This is noted by the holy Ghost with a speciall note of cōmendation in these wordes Herein is that loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to bee a reconciliation for our sinnes Likewise in the Epistle to the Romanes There is set against the single transgression of Adam as an ouer matche the grace of God and the gifte in grace or by grace The benefite and medicine of Christe his obedience was sufficient for the wounde of Adam his transgression to make it whole withall then remaineth as an aduantage or ouerplus the grace and goodwill of the Father wherin this medicine was lapped and closed vp which is the cause why he maketh a special note of the grace of God and of the gifte in grace or by grace These thinges are diligently to be obserued for they are the groundes of muche good doctrine that is established strongly hereby When we consider what that was that first turned the fauour of God towards vs we may not begin at ourselues as if it had come of our works preparing ourselues for him addressing ourselues towards his obedience we may not beginne at our merites nay we may not beginne at the worke of our redemption and the merite of Christe to make that the first thing that euer turned his heart towardes vs For here it is affirmed by the holie Ghost that he loued vs and therefore gaue his onely begotten sonne for vs When we come to the meriting of Christe we must not looke vpon the vertue of it without the good will and fauour of God wherein it was founded and from whence it hathe the worthinesse and merite that it hath So farre off then are our owne works from bringing their deserte with them and opening by themselues the gates of his goodnesse that the good will of God the father prepareth the way euen for the merite of Christe his passion Our owne woorkes come shorte of beeing the first that hath commended vs vnto God when bothe the good will of God the Father and the merite also of Iesus Christe haue beene there before them in our behalfe Let men therefore ceasse to say or imagine that their owne woorkes were the firste that euer spake one good worde for them when it is so assured by the word of God that they haue had friendes in that courte that haue done for them when al the credit of their owne doeings was vtterly reiected and coulde not be heard Whensoeuer therefore we seeke out the chiefe cause and the first spring of our blessednesse let vs come to the loue of God. For it is saide that God so loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne c. Let vs take heede of beginning at our selues and our owne doinges For as hath beene saide it was the loue of God that did begin all our blessednesse yea and that euen then when we were enimies vnto him and therefore farre from deseruing any good thing at his hands which thing cōmendeth his loue aboue all the loue and affection that is to be found in the worlde For who hath euer beene knowen the Sonne of God excepted to giue his life for his enimies Therefore doth the holy Ghoste vppon iust cause affirme that the loue of God towards vs is herein sette out and commended aboue all loue and affection that we haue heard of because
can not otherwise be compassed And where is that man then that seeing what duties are to be perfourmed bothe to the Lord and to his brethren and in what manner of affection and loue for it is the end of Christe his death and the purchase of his passion to haue a number not only giuen but zelously giuen vnto good workes remembring withall what an enimie he hath at home of his owne nature if there be any feare of God in him that shall not be occasioned hereby more plentifully to practise the meanes of his saluation especially knowing that those who are ingrafted into the body of Christe must dye vnto sinne and rise vp in to these fruites of righteousnes Moreouer the knowledge and meditation of the lawe and commaundements doe helpe vs forward vnto true and sincere Christianitie For a great number deceiue them selues in a generall good meaning whiche they haue to serue the Lord taking that to be the true seruice of him and in the meane time are nothing carefull to keepe a good conscience in the seuerall dueties of the lawe nor any thing traueyling to traine vp their affections to delight therin as if in Christianitie we were to roue vncerteinely aboute good motions and good meanings and had no certeine marks of seuerall dueties set before vs to shoote at that we might so iudge of our selues as we see vs come shorte or wide of them whereas the true Christian in very deede profiteth in drawing neerer and neerer vnto the Lord in making his life and conuersation more conformable vnto the seuerall duties set downe in the commaundementes beeing likewise carefull to approue his doings by the lawes statutes made for the same as in ciuil dealings and traffique a man wil feare to offende against the lawes and statutes prouided in that behalfe And as a wise man that hath much dealing in the worlde wil haue some abstract of the statutes that as occasion requireth he may turne to them and so deale without danger of lawe so it standeth well with the policie of a Christian to be skilfull in the statutes of his God that when he hath to deale with the name of his brother lookeing in this abstract he may see the cautions to be obserued in the same that he offend not against the lawes and statutes of the Highest when soeuer he hath to deale with his goodes he may turne in like maner to that statute that hath prouided for wel dealing therin so auoide the dangers that otherwise he should fall into The like is to be done when there are dealings immediately betwene vs the Lord that we should often loke into this briefe abstract of the statutes of our God to see alwayes what is the prouiso that is made for his glorie and the suppressing of our owne corruption Our corrupte nature doeth aske all this of vs and the man that feareth God giueth no lesse vnto it For the blessed man is saide to meditate in the lawe of his God day and night Nay we see that the only wise God who knoweth better then we our selues what nede we haue hath appointed vs yet more meanes and therfore we must thinke that there is more vntowardnes in vs then we could of our selues suspect For he hath left it a perpetuall order for the education of his children that there should be men of special giftes both for learning and aptnesse to teach also for good life who by teaching exhorting and reprouing should as it were whet the word to make it enter It must of necessitie bee an hard matter that requireth such instruments such workemen for both the instrument and the workmen are from aboue The wisedome of the world could not perfourme this and therefore the Gospell which is the arme and power of God vnto saluation was sent from the bosome of the father and for the workemen we are not at our choyse to take where it seemeth good vnto vs but they are appointed to our hād by the holy Ghost who hath set downe such notes of good learning good life to discerne them by who are of his sending and fit for so weightie a worke as that they giue forth a plaine testimonie vnto vs that they come from Heauen framed and prepared of the Lord him self vnto this work As the goodnesse of our God could not deny vs any thing necessarie so his wisedome would not that we should be loaden with any thing superfluous and vnnecessarie which must force vs to conclude against our selues that we are not knowen vnto our selues vnlesse we see matter within vs necessarily requiring to be pricked forward with the liuely preaching and sounding ministerie of the word and that we tempt the Lord if we content our selues with our priuate readings and meditations and despise the preaching of the worde which the Lord hath seene to be so necessarie that hee hath appointed it not for one sorte of men but vnto all of what condition soeuer neither vnto age alone but perpetuall for all ages and times The labours therefore of them that doe write are not taken in hand that men standing vpon them should contemne or lesse frequent the publique ministerie of the Church but to bring them into greater loue and liking with the same that receiuing some fruite that way they might looke for a greate deale more by that which is appoynted by the Lorde to present vs perfect in Christe Iesus Concerning these Lectures I am to craue generally of all men to whose handes they shall come that in what point so euer they shall thinke their admonition may doe mee good they woulde not denie mee that Christian and Brotherly helpe and likewise if they shall in any thing finde themselues holpen by my trauell that as they are to returne the whole praise vnto GOD to whome onely it is due so they woulde not denie the comfort of their prayers vnto him whom the Lord in mercie hath vouchsafed to make an instrument though most vnworthie of some goodnesse vnto them And of your honour my verie good Ladie I am most humblie to require that this dutie how slenderly soeuer performed may according to your accustomed clemencie be well accepted of that what want soeuer be in the work either of that you desire or that I were in duetie to perfourme may finde a supplie herein for that it proceedeth from a minde moste willing to answer your desire and moste vnwilling if abilitie did serue to be behinde with the leaste parte of that that duetie may in any respect demaunde And as al good Christians should rather be desirous to lerne howe to go forwarde then to heare what good beginnings they haue made so I doubt not Madame but a fewe wordes vttered to that ende especially from me that haue great cause to be thankeful vnto God for that he hath already wrought in you shall finde better interteinement with your honour then much speeche directed to an other purpose howe good
life to come And as it appeareth in Genesis all the mercies that Abraham receiued were conteined vnder these wordes which are the wordes of the couenaunt I will be God to thee and to thy seede after thee The benifite that here is set downe of bringing thē out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage is an experience whiche they had of this goodnesse of God wherin he did apparauntly declare him selfe to be their God and so likewise it is in other places brought in as a confirmation of the couenaunt Because the Lorde loued you sayth the holy ghost and because he would keep the othe which he had sworn to your fathers the Lord hath brought you out by a mightie hand and deliuered you out of the house of bondage from the hand of Pharao king of Egypt that thou mayest knowe that the Lorde thy God hee is GOD the faithfull God whiche keepeth couenaunt and mercie vnto them that loue him and keepe his commaundements This experience of God his goodnesse towardes them and the triall that hee is become their GOD maketh much to bring an obedience and therefore is placed with the couenaunt For when we haue tryall in deed that the Lord hath speciall good wil towards vs it hath greate force in it to bring vs willingly vnder his obedience Therefore we are taught by this alwayes to haue in memorie those benefits of God that haue in them the note and marke of speciall good will and lyking such as he beareth vnto his Children For the remembraunce of those will draw dueties from vs that shall proceed from a frank and free hart Let vs therefore haue a register of his greatest benefites done vnto vs Let vs call to minde what a speciall benefite this is if we had none other that when we were as is the disposition of all Adams children following the lusts and affections of our owne hart in that brode way that leadeth vnto death which so many followe it hath pleased him to pick vs out of so many to giue vs mysliking of that course of life whiche by nature we are so addict and inclyned vnto the earnest hungring and thirsting after that righteousnes that is approued by his worde His benefites may not be ouer passed without consideration they cary with them strong persuasion vnto obedience the faithful doe vse this helpe to further obedience vnto god In the last chapter of Iosua there is mention made of the seuerall benefites of God bestowed vpon his people and all for this end to reclayme them from sinne and to stirre them to free and willing seruice of the lord And the people in the same Chapter alledge his benefites receiued as a reason why they neither may nor wil refuse obedience vnto him God forbid say the people that we should forsake the Lord to serue other Goddes For the Lorde brought vs and our fathers out of the land of Aegypt from the house of bondage and he did those greate myracles in our sight and preserued vs in all the way that we went and among all the people through whome we came and the Lord did cast out all the people euen the Amorites which dwelt in the land therfore will we serue the Lord for hee is our GOD. They gather by these benefites that he is their God and conclude therfore that they wil serue the Lord because he is their God and hath beene so singulerly good beneficiall vnto them And in very deede this persuasion that hee is our God and so tenderly affected towardes vs is the mother of all true obedience the founteine from whence floweth all true worship and seruice of God the note that discerneth betweene the workes of a true Christian and the deedes of an Infidel or heathen man The Christian worketh his obedience hauing this persuasion that God is already his GOD The Infidel and vnbeleeuer hath no suche persuasion and therefore his doinges come not franckly and freely from him to honour the Lorde but slauishly and seruilely to serue himselfe and after that manner as it were to get within the Lorde and to earne his saluation of him selfe It is this faith which made the difference betweene the sacryfice of Abell and the sacrifice of Cayne as the Scripture doeth declare It is this faith that maketh the difference betwene the continencie that we haue reade to haue beene in Infidelles and Paganes and that whiche is in Christians betweene the mercie and almes that procedeth oftentimes from ciuil men and that merciful reliefe that commeth from Christians It is this persuasion of his goodnesse that iustifieth the one whereas the other wanting this is odious hateful in his sight It is this persuasion that God is so rich in goodnesse as to accept of vs which sendeth vs to the true seruice of him The Lord is not only contented to say that he is their GOD but also to bring good euidence for the same in putting thē in mind of that singular benefite of their deliuerance from Egypt which he had bestowed vpon them Wee learne then in this Commaundemente which chargeth vs that we take the Lorde for our God that he hath taken vpon him selfe the prouision to stoare vs with graces and blessings bothe for this life and for the life to come and will haue the honour and glorie of it him self alone because he will declare the riches of his graces towards his faithfull people and by his dealing with them bee knowen to be their god Therefore he bindeth vs to seeke for all good things at his hands alone and in like manner when we haue receiued any thing by humble thanksgiuing to returne the whole praise therof vnto him again Now that we know the meaning of this cōmaundemēt it behoueth vs to apply it to our profit wherein we must first vnderstand that by the meanes of sin which is in euery man by nature man his wit vnderstanding hath receiued such a blindnesse as it cannot conceiue the trueth of this cōmaundement also his wil affection is so poysoned as it cannot take any ioy or lyking in it the tryall wherof may be had in this manner when the man that is not borne againe and receiued into mercie whome the scripture calleth the naturall man because all are such by nature whē he I say is in any streight or necessitie either because he wanteth necessary foode for this life or for that he is in dāger to loose welth credit or life seeth not the ordinarie meanes by which it is likely hee should escape the danger Let it thē be tolde him that God is his God hath a loue towards him and a care ouer him wil in his time by lawful meanes prouide for him yet notwithstanding his wit neither cōceueth this persuation nor his wil affection is any thing made ioyful or comforted therby as one that desirously enclyneth after the hope thereof which is declared by this that
goodnes of his God whom he perceiueth so entirely to imbrace him and to reckon of him as righteous is that which sendeth a true christian to good workes and is here noted as the founteine from whence good woorkes doe flowe and the first marke of a true worshipper of God. For before this persuasion of his fauour towardes vs the workes that are done by vs notwithstanding suche they are as be commanded of God are done rather to make our selues righteous thereby then for any loue and liking of him and therefore defiled with selfe loue our owne profite not directed as they ought by the alone loue of god This loue proceedeth to the doeing of those thinges that are acceptable in the sighte of God for it is the second note of the true worshippers of God to keep his commandements to go to the seruice of God not at aduenture directed by the line of our owne deuotion but by the leuell of his word and commaundement wherein also false worshippers are greately deceiued for as their beginning is euil because it floweth not from loue to God so their proceeding is as daungerous in that they followe not the rule of his worde For notwithstanding the LORD might iustlie reiecte what soeuer deedes of ours though commaunded of him if they should not proceede from loue towardes him yet herein more appeareth the greate blindenesse of Idolaters and false worshippers who in their deuising to serue God happen alwaies on those works that least like him And therefore the seruing of God by Images as it hath often in the Scripture the goodnesse of God set against it for the redresse thereof in that the not restinge therin hath begotten it so hath it also the word of God often times in the Scripture to correct it as not proceeding by the right rule Therefore in Deuterono when the Lord was about to prescribe the manner of his worship it is said thus You heard a voice but saw no similitude Take therefore good heed vnto your selues for you sawe no Image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb where the holie Ghoste maketh the practise and example of Almightie God in opening himselfe by his worde and not by any similitude a sufficient declaration that his wil was we should be directed by his worde and not by Images in the seruice of him In Exodus in like manner the holie Ghoste maketh the teaching by the worde of God a reason why they shuld haue no images You haue seene sayth he that I haue talked with you from Heauen you shall not therefore make with me Gods of siluer nor Gods of goulde you shall make you none And in Esay it is declared that when the worde of GOD shall take place with his they shall abhorre Images as a menstruous cloath Thine eares saith the prophet shall heare a worde behinde thee saying This is the way walk in it when thou turnest to the right hand and when thou turnest to the left and ye shall pollute the couering of the Images of siluer and the rich ornamentes of the Images of goulde and caste them away as a menstruous cloath and thou shalt say vnto it get thee hence Neither is the worde of GOD set downe heere to keepe vs from Images alone but also to restraine vs from seruing of GOD by any deuotion of our owne or good intent whatsoeuer whereof we haue no warrant from the word For in his worde we receiue his owne testimonie for good euil and he hath plainely tolde vs that if we followe our owne heart and our eyes in discerning good and bad wee shall departe and goe a whoreing from him as it is written in the booke of Numbers where they are cōmaunded to haue the lawe continually before their eyes that they should not seeke after their hearte and after their owne eyes after the which faith the holie Ghoste vnto them in the same place you go a whooring In the Gospell after S. Iohn our Sauiour Christ sayth If any man loue me he will keep my word The experience is plaine that if any man doe loue another he will obserue what things hee is delighted withall that in doeing thereof hee may satisfie his affection and wil not be so negligent as whē with a little paines he may learne his dispositiō rashly to aduenture the doing of that which for any thing he knoweth to the contrarie may possibly procure his heauie displeasure This is not humilitie but pride dangerous securitie restrayning the Lord to our lyking not conforming our selues to the good pleasure of his wil. Out of this cōman dement we may learne a notable differēce betwene the church of God the synagogue of sathan The church of God loueth God and keepeth his cōmandements she is that chaste wife that admitteth none beside the Lord into the felowship of her faith she bringeth vp her young ones vnto the lyking of him feeding them with the sound milke of the word The church of Antichriste keepeth not her selfe to her husband alone but admitteth others to the vse of her faith and therefore in the scripture is she fitly resembled vnto an harlot neither doeth she nurce vp her yong ones after the lyking of her husband with the wholesome doctrine of the olde and new Testament which Augustine doth call very fitly the two pappes of the Churche but with the pestilente poyson of good intentes teaching them from their infancie to followe her foote-steppes in going a whooreing after their owne eyes and after their owne heart whiche are the very steppes of an harlot as was euen now proued vnto vs out of the Booke of Numbers Our nature is corrupt in this commaundement as in all the reste and greatly pleaseth it selfe in thinges that it doeth of a good meaning and intent vnto the Lorde not regarding whether they stand approued by his word or no holding this as a true principle that the thing can neuer be euill taken of the Lord whiche is well ment of man The man that will truely examine him selfe in this commaundement muste throughly consider of the former time of his life when hee hath occupyed him selfe in outwarde things not warranted by the worde and yet reputed of him as the speciall pleasing of God nay vnder the defence and shadowe of those thinges hath beene the more carelesse to seeke out and practise the duties of the worde remembring that suche seruice of GOD deserueth to haue a cursse continuing vppon his posteritie vnto many generations Thus shall he easily perceiue what is the benefite that he hath by the mediatour Christ Iesus for the law driueth him therevnto by opening his corruption in this manner and letting him see that there is no helpe but in the alone redeemer Christ Iesus when in him selfe he doeth truely vnderstand that he is only beholden vnto the Lord for his saluation he must begin to warr with his affections that would shake of
And therefore we may learne that this is the estate euen of those ciuil men that are not to be touched with any notorious offence or outward euill This Sabbaoth teaching vs our inward corruption stayeth not there neither is that the end of it but leadeth vs to vnderstand that our iustification sanctification and true holinesse of life are the free works of God within vs which we are compelled to graūt in that we confesse our own ways to be corrupted that the ceassing frō sinn is the ceassing frō our own ways works For if as the truth is our owne wayes be al corrupted defiled with sinne if any good be in vs it must haue a beginning and spring other where then from our selues That the Sabdaoth did signifie our newe birth in Christ to be the workmanship of God within vs may appeare in Exodus Keepe ye my Sabbaoth for it is a signe betweene me and you in your generations that you may know that I the Lord do sanctifie you For the deniall of their owne wayes must needes witnesse theire woorkes of sanctification to proceede from the Lorde and not of them selues The same is witnessed in Ezechiel and in the Actes of the Apostles The couenaunt made with Abraham for blessing all nations in his seede is saide to be perfourmed in Christ in turning euerie one of his from their iniquitie Vnto you saith the holy ghost in that place hath God raised vp his sonne Iesus And him hath he sent to blesse you in turning euerie one of you from your iniquities There is mention made in this commandement of the Lords creation of the worlde in sixe dayes as if the Sabbaoth should only direct vs to the consideration of that worke of our creation not requiring any thing beside especially seeing there followeth that note of inferring Therefore the Lorde blessed the seuenth day halowed it as ifelse there were no other consideration to be had In the fifte of Deute where the lawe is repeated this commandement hathe annexed to it the memorie of their deliuerāce out of Aegypt Remember saith the holy Ghost in that place thou wast a seruaunt in the land of Aegypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence by a mightie hande and stretched-out arme Therefore the Lorde thy GOD commaunded thee to obserue the Sabbaoth day In this diuersitie of benefites to bee considered in the Sabbaoth we may learne the Lord meant rather to induce vs to the freenesse of his goodnesse in Christe in euerie benefite then to binde vs to any one particular fruit and effect therof the clearest testimonie of this free goodnesse we haue in our newe birthe And yet the scripture affirmeth the excellencie of our creation to be in Christ as may appeare by conferring the eighth Psalme with the 2. chapter to the Hebrues verse 7.8 and 9 where the excellencie of man aboue other creatures is put ouer to be cōsidered in Christ being crowned with glorie and honour The Prophet noteth the founteine of all our goodnesse to be in Christ the greatest fruite therof to be our new byrth notwithstanding all other benefites are receiued of his children as fruites and effects thereof And they bound therefore as in sanctification so in creation and deliuerance from Aegypt to acknowlege the alone free worke of Gods goodnesse and this is the cause why the holy Ghost doth not strictly bind them vnto one benefite in the obseruing of the Sabbaoth This commandement teacheth vs mortification for to that ende are wee taught that our nature is corrupt that we may learne to subdue the same to renounce it The Iewes had this special ceremonie of rest to exercise them in the doctrine practise of mortification the truth of which ceremonie is fulfilled in Christe For by the power of his death it is brought to passe that sinne dyeth in his It was necessarie they should be acquainted with this doctrine for the Lord hath no seruice of vs that he will accept of if we learne not to renounce and denie our affections neither can we goe truely to the obedience of him but in the deniall of our selues Our affections are as vntamed coltes that refuse to draw in the yoke of the Lord and therefore must be tamed if we meane to interreine obedience For we can not drawe nere vnto the Lorde except we shall remoue farre from our selues keeping vnder our wisedome and affections that they make no insurrection against the Lorde in the gouernement of his word If a man might reteine his owne affections and desires together with the worshippe of the Lorde it woulde be receiued of many but because they can not stand together but he who is ruled by the one must depart from the other the number of them is small that truely serue the lord For notwithstanding there be many that obserue outwarde thinges that apperteine to the profession of religion and outward deedes which they may do and yet not greatly straine their affections yet because suche men whensoeuer the matter of religion and duetie directly warreth with their affections then do vsually take part with themselues in their affections againste the Lorde their kinde of seruice of the Lord is but in deede a seruing of them selues For they haue not learned this speciall point without the whiche all the rest is nothing It is a small matter for a man to busie him selfe aboute sundrie thinges so that he be surely determined of this that his affections shall no sooner be pressed but he will forthwith set them at libertie and let them goe free If we shal haue taken part with the wisedome of God to the suppressing and abandoning of our owne witt if with his pleasure we haue stoode against our owne then may we say in trueth that there hath beene some religion and seruice of God vsed and practised of vs when it hath preuailed to the displacing of our owne lustes and desires By this commandement falleth to the grounde all free will of man to doe good all workes of preparing vs to receiue Gods grace For what franke and free will vnto God can there be in that nature that is dead in sinne Or how can he boast of the freedome or good inclination of his nature whose glorie and sanctification consisteth in resting and ceassing from the affections and motions of his nature in such a victorie ouer them as he be no longer led nor ruled by them This commaundement teacheth vs to giue all glorie vnto God in the true abasing of our owne corrupt nature for the Lord is not truely honoured and glorified of vs vnlesse he be found true we liars he iust we vniust He will not haue vs stande together with him No iustice but his must be vpholden in the fall of ours he aduaunced in our humilitie Many may be brought with the Phariseie to confesse Gods goodnesse in the benefites they haue receiued of him but fewe
of them But when it pleaseth God to pull any out of their corruption and to begin Christianitie in them hee doeth let them see with assurance of his mercie towarde them but so as notwithstanding he bringeth them not onely to the sight and bewailing of that rebellion which they feele in their affections against his wil but also to the mortifying and subduing thereof The man therefore that will truely examine him selfe hath to consider what resisting of his affections hath beene in his life so shall hee soone perceiue what neede he hath to betake him selfe vnto the mediatour CHRISTE IESVS while his conscience shall wittnesse either of no profiting at all herein or at the least so little as shall sufficiently conuict him and force him to lay holde vpon the righteousnesse of Christe as his only refuge yet so as his care to suppresse his affections be no lesse because hee vnderstandeth what mercie is in Christe but so much the more increased as he perceiueth that trauaile to please the Lord euen as the best thankfulnesse that wee can performe for the great benefite of our redemption Now let vs pray that we may beare such an enimies heart against our owne corrupt affections as may not spare to treade vppon them when soeuer they shall ryse vp against the Lord. ¶ The fifte Lecture vpon the twelfth vearse 12 Honour thy Father and thy mother that thy dayes may be prolonged vpon the land which the Lord thy GOD giueth thee THe former commaundementes doe perfectly instructe vs in all the dueties that apperteine directly to god These following doe giue vs rules and preceptes for the dueties that wee doe owe vnto men The Lord our God being perfect in all happinesse by him selfe alone hath no neede of our seruice yet will he haue tryall of the loue that wee beare vnto him not onely by deedes done immediatly vnto him selfe but also by deedes done for his cause vnto men He therefore meaning to make a tryall of our loue towardes him hath commaunded vs that we should not be altogether our owne men closed vp within our owne profites and pleasures onely regarding and procuring them and wholy taken vp of them but that we should go out of our selues at his commaundement to the good of our brethren witnessing our thankfulnesse vnto God in giuing for his sake this seruice vnto men The dueties vnto GOD going in order before these vnto men do admonish vs of this doctrine that all our doeings towardes men are nothing where Gods glorie doth not go before as it is written in the Epistle of Sainct Iohn In this wee knowe that wee loue the children of GOD when wee loue God and keepe his commaundementes And like as our dealing with men is nothing when the true seruice of God is either not knowen or not regarded so that seruice that is giuen vnto GOD is not accepted when our brethren are neglected of vs. Therefore doeth our Sauiour Christ in Matthew charge vs that when our neighbour hath any thing against vs wee should not presume to offer any gift vnto God before we be reconciled so greatly doeth the Lorde esteeme of this louing conuersation with men that the holie Ghoste maketh it the proofe of our blessed estate as it is written in Iohn Wee knowe that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Concerning that which we do owe vnto men the honourtng of father and mother hath the firste place By Father and mother are all those vnderstoode who are the instruments of GOD in any of his speciall goodnesse towardes vs whome because hee hath vouchsafed to be his meanes in the conueying of that grace that we doe inioy by them he cannot abide that they should be without honour at our handes By honour whiche is required to be giuen vnto them wee are taught so to behaue our selues towardes them in all our dealinge as may wittnesse that in heart wee doe honour them and therefore this honour doeth not so much exact any one seuerall thing as it putteth a qualitie and condition vppon all our behauiour towards them that it should be such as it may be a wittnesse of our hearte howe highlie it doeth reuerence and regarde them If it be demaunded why the Lorde by Father and mother should vnderstand all the instrumentes of his goodnesse towards vs whereas hee maketh mention but of one sorte it may be required of them againe why the Lorde forbidding all kinde of violence should make mention onely of murther For as by murther beeing the chiefe he comprehendeth all of that kinde so by one instrument of his speciall goodnesse hee leadeth vs to the consideration of all the like Moreouer we must reuerence the wisedome of the onely wise GOD heerein who by the moste grosse euils laboureth to worke the loath-thing of all the like and by benefites and good thinges in them selues moste amiable to further the cause of all the rest setting the ouglyest shape he possiblie can vppon euils to terrifie vs withall and giuing to good thinges the countenaunce that may best commend them Our trauaile therefore muste bee to searche into these good thinges which wee receiue by others that when we shall haue founde them wee may as by dutie apperteyneth honour the owners of them Nature may preuaile with them that bee of any consideration for the conceiuing of those benefites whiche they inioye by meanes of theire Parentes so that the trauaile neede not to be muche heerein Reason may persuade euen the moste simple that if wee haue any good thinge in this life or any blessing following it they who haue brought vs into life may iustely clayme a parte therein The matter of Magistrates is not so plaine what good wee receiue by them therefore it craueth more time to be giuē vnto it The Magistrate is the instrument of GOD to preserue that life whiche the Lorde in mercie hath giuen vnto vs For by the administration of iustice and execution of good lawes the outrage of the wicked with whome the worlde is alwayes pestered is restrained from laying violent handes vppon the good which otherwise would at all times burst foorth because the occasion which is the good workes of the one and the euill of the other can neuer bee separate from their liues And that this is the occasion may be proued out of the Epistle of S. Iohn where after inquirie had what it was that moued Caine to slay Abel he answeareth Because his owne workes were euill and his brothers good And least wee should note some extraordinarie thing in Caine hee putteth all the wicked in the ranke with him making it the common disposition of them all and therefore saying We may not bee as Caine which was of the wicked and slew his brother It is therefore no small blessinge and benefite of God that keepeth the sword of the vngodly from our throte whiche is euery houre drawen out and shakē at vs with whom we
naked that thou couer him c. Thus must he not onely leaue oppressing but also take vp mercifull dealing with the needie We see howe by this whiche hitherto hathe beene said the Lorde hath fenced our neighbour his goods and howe contrarie it is to the loue of our neighbour to hurte or hinder him any way in them and how agreeable to the wil of the Lord that we should be meanes that he might inioye the commodities thereof Therefore was there a lawe among the children of Israel made to shewe their loue towardes their neighbour who had planted a vineyard but not tasted of the fruite therof wherin it was prouided that the officer should make proclamation at their going to warfare against their enimies that if there were any who had not eaten of the fruite of their labours they shuld returne home and take comfort and vse of their owne This lawe of loue might not be dispensed withall no not in the heate and vrgent necessitie of warres A notable testimonie to shewe howe well it liketh the Lord that men should take comfort of their own As doth that Lawe also which was giuen in Deuteronomie of not remouing the lande-marke which they of olde time haue set And therefore we are commanded to shewe them this kindenesse and loue to reserue vnto them the comfort of their commodities without impayring of them whensoeuer we shal either borrowe keepe or finde any thing of theirs or in buying and selling exchange with them For we please God shew loue vnto them whensoeuer we shall deale truely with their goodes according as we heard before that God maketh trial of our hart toward our neighbour by our handes as they are wont to deale with them in their commodities It is an vndoubted truth therefore that God is greatly pleased when for obedience vnto him we deale thus faithfully louingly with thē in that which is theirs it is a true fruite of loue and a faithful obedience vnto this cōmandement And because of that whēsoeuer it is done for obedience sake vnto God who doth comaund it and of good wil vnto them who receiue the fruite of it euen this fidelitie in his goodes that we borrowe finde or be trusted withal either else receiue by way of exchange in buying selling is a good worke in deede and an humble obedience to the charge of God giuen vs in this commaundement There are two thinges without the whiche wee shall neuer be able to perfourme any acceptable obedience to God in this commandement The first is an assured faith in Gods promises that he will prouide for vs in the thinges necessarie as well for the bodie as the soule and that he hathe charged himselfe as well with the care and prouision for the one as for the other This faith if it were true woulde consume many feares and cares of our minde for worldly matters and works that followe the same So might we employ our selues vppon the care of better thinges This did the holie Ghoste knowe verie well and therefore meaning to cure couetousnes he maketh the plaster of faithe saying Let your conuersation be without couetousnesse for he hath saide I wil not leaue thee nor forsake thee When our hearts shal be fully persuaded that the Lorde will not leaue vs nor forsake vs we cannot be so greatly tormented with the care to liue and obteine necessarie thinges for vs hauing so strong assuraunce for it as his promise who hathe made all thinges of nothing with his worde And therefore in the former place exhorting them to conscience in buying and selling he sendeth them to the couenant saying I am thy God which wordes as we haue learned in the first commandement conteine promises for al things nedefull for this present life If this be stedfastly beleeued that the Lord wil not leaue vs nor forsake vs there wil be no doubt of our euill dealinges with the goodes of our neighbour whether we buy or sell borrowe or keepe the thinges that be his The seconde thing is to finde a contented minde with that which we haue alreadie and therefore to stay in it as in a riche portion with great thankfulnesse of heart to our God for it bearing our port and countenance in all our doinges accordingly without any exceeding whatsoeuer For if once our affections shall ouerflowe the bankes of our owne condition so that in minde we burne with the desire of a better our dooinges can neuer be persuaded that they must so nerely be loked at but that they may borrowe a litle of conscience equitie to make the prouision according as the desire directeth This doth the Apostle confirme in plaine speeche to Timothe where after persuasion to be content with that we haue because the gayne of godlinesse is great he telleth vs plainly that they who wil be riche fall into many tentations snares and many noysome lustes this is the danger of them that are fallen so farre into friendshippe and loue with a better estate that they wil be rich This being once set downe and determined not onely conscience is constrained to depart but also thankefulnesse to God for our present estate doeth in like manner forsake vs. Let vs learne by this commaundemente to knowe our corrupt inclination toward the goodes of our neighbours and so to viewe our deceiptes that haue beene in vs at any time either in buying or selling borrowing or keeping any thing of his together with our corrupte inclination therevnto that the remedie of redemption broughte vs by Iesus Christe may truely be taken holde of and that wee being made comfortable in his mercie may with courage goe about the obedience of his will in this commaundement so that still we may be more and more freed of all manner of deceipte and more and more inabled to glorifie him in all louing and faithful dealing with the goodes of others Whiche that it may be perfourmed let vs call vppon our heauenly Father in the name of his Sonne that it would please him in the multitude of his mercie to holde vs vp by the hope of his promises that we standing assured of his help may not be drawen by any necessitie to do contrarie to his blessed will and also that we hauing a contentted minde may not be tormented with the hungrie desire of a better estate which being once entred vniust dearling cannot long be kept out The tenth Lecture vpon the 16. verse Thoy shalt not beare false Witnesese c. THis commandement taketh care for the good pame credite honour and estimation of our brethren that we should not bring any blotte or blemishe unto that but by loue mainteine and vphold it For herein the Lord will haue tryall of our loue towards them as wel as in their bodie and goodes and therefore chargeth vs no lesse herein with duetie then before he hathe done in other thinges that are deare and precious vnto them Neither is there any late cause why we
in deede they nourish monsters at home and can well inough awaye with them yea whiche more is play and dallie with them It were good in such causes to practise firste vpon a man him selfe before he take libertie to go abroade first to vse some sharpe dealing with his owne affections to see how that wil work before he shall minister so bitter medicines vnto others For it is an intollerable thinge that greate euils should liue quietly at home when little ones are so sharpely reuenged abroade It is straunge that any manne shoulde play with some that is growne to bee a monster and not to bee able to looke vpon it in the childhoode thereof when it is nothing so deformed nor euill fauoured Suche quarelling with euils not halfe formed in others especially when there is quietnesse with many that be alreadie perfectly shapen at home can not proceede of any sound meaning or hatred against sinne We must remember the end why the Lord hath giuen vs a toung which is that wee should mainteine loue and friendlinesse in communicating the good things that lie hid in our harts affections by our speach and talke one with an other Wherefore wee must carefully consider that we vtter no poyson nor venome that lurketh in our corrupt nature ▪ and is deepely rooted therein by our toung and talke one with an other The holy ghost being priuie to our great infirmitie this way hath in many wordes forewarned vs of the slipperinesse of the toung that wee should haue it vnder sure and safe custodie telling vs in playne wordes that hee who shall let his lippes goe at libertie without restraint shall surely come to destruction according as we are taught in the Prouerbs He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life but he that letteth loose his lippes destruction shal be vnto him And further the good man is described to be musing and meditating what to speake and the folish and euil mā without any moderation of that mēber to be babbling out whatsoeuer first commeth into his head The heart of the righteous studieth to answere but the wicked mans mouth babbleth euill things In this place we see that the holy Ghost ascribeth only a mouth vnto the foolish man and not a hart to ponder and consider his wordes before which hart he giueth vnto the wise man occupying it self in musing and considering how to speake In the same chapter there is yet a clearer and playner difference betwene the wicked and the godly drawn from their vsage in speach that the good man hauing wisdome and therfore good matter to vtter doth notwithstanding beautifie adorne it in entering the cōsideration how to make it good get grace fauour vnto it by obseruing the circumstances of fit time place and manner of vttering whiche most may commend it whereas the wicked and foolish man hath neither care of the matter whiche he is to vtter neyther yet of the maner how to vtter it This vse and end of the toung to communicate the good thinges of our heart one with an other to the increase of loue and friendship among men doth reproue those who are wont to presse vpon others with wordes of wrath and contempt It shall not excuse him that hath layde reproch or contempt vpon his neighbour in his speach to say that his wordes were no wordes of malice but of pleasure and myrth for euen that pleasant speache that nippeth and taunteth oure neighbour and bringeth reproch contempt or griefe of heart vnto him can neuer be so cloaked with the outward shewe of iesting speache but that the Lorde shall clearely see the bitter griefe of contempt or disdaine that lyeth close within it and howe farre that toung is from the maintenaunce of that loue and amitie which increaseth the estimation and credite of his neighbour Moreouer if the vse of the toung bee to communicate the good thinges of the heart not onely these infamous speaches shall be brought to iudgement but also fruitlesse and vnsauourie words that haue not the fruite and profite of wholsome instruction in them As we are taught by the apostle Ephesians that we should let no vnsauourie communication proceede out of our mouth but that which may bring grace vnto the hearers For as we haue heard the tong serueth to communicate together the good things of our heart not the wickednesse or vanitie that lurketh therin and wherof there is so great daunger that we are counselled in the scripture to separate our selues from foolish men when wee perceiue not in them the lippes of knowledge It is apparant by this that hath beene spoken what are the dueties and good works of this commaundement euen the contrarie of these aforenamed It shall be therefore sufficient in a worde to touch them here bycause they are clearely perceyued in their contraries whiche nowe wee haue heard reproued and forbidden in this commandement The general charge of this cōmandemēt is by loue to mainteine and vpholde the credite estimation and good name of our brother For our loue must be declared as well by louing and entire deling with his credit honor good report as by louing behauiour towardes his goods and person It behooueth therefore that the loue which wee beare towarde our brethren should bee fruitfull in the good workes of this commandement bicause this way the inward affection of the hart hath her outgoing and is conuict either of loue or hatred no lesse than in his person and goods As false witnesse standing against the life and bloud of our neighbour was the thing whiche in the first place as we haue heard was forbidden so the good worke contrarie to this is to vse the credite of our testimonie for the defence of him The goodnesse of such a worke is declared in the Prouerbes in these wordes A faithfull witnesse deliuereth soules What worke can be of greater account then to come iustly into this commendation to haue deliuered the liues of men The good workes of them that by their sentence execute iustice is according as it is declared in the person of Iob to deliuer the poore that cryeth the fatherlesse and him that hath none to helpe diligently to seeke out the trueth and goodnesse of their cause to plucke the praye out of the vnrighteous mans teeth This bringeth the blessing of him that was readie to perish vpon them It was forbidden as a sinne againste this commaundement to blaze abroade the infirmities of our brethren The good worke that answereth it is to admonishe one an other and so to hide sinne and iniquitie as it is written 1. Thessalonians Wee desire you Brethren admonishe them that are vnruly comfort the feeble mynded beare with the weake be patient toward all men It was forbidden vs to expound things that might bee well taken into the worse parte and for some little blemishe to deface the whole It is commaunded vs to shewe foorth our zeale against
the eyes of others What shall we say then to those teachers that say there is no daunger nor feare saue when conception is perfected and the will hath wholy relēted and is with delight set downe in it Can there be any conference about the begetting of suche monsters that shall not haue great blame iustly layde vnto it Can thoughts that are married vnto the Lord euer approch vnto the bed of such desires and not bee conuict of faith and fidelitie broken with the Lord him selfe Can she any longer be accounted chaste that admitteth conference of long continuaunce about the enterteinment of others besides her lawfull husband Yet would the Papistes haue such blamelesse howe often soeuer they haue such vnchaste and vngodly meeting if by cōceiuing and fully consenting they bring not foorth sinne The counsel that is giuen vs by the Prophete Dauid is farre otherwise whervnto no doubt the apostle did allude in the place before alledged out of the epistle to the Ephesians for there we are charged that we should shake at such thinges and not perseuere in them but deale earnestly with our heart against them in our chamber and not suffer such continuance in meeting nor continuall meeting whereby this monstrous byrth and conception might iustly be feared There is then occasion offered to stand vpon our watche and to strengthen our affections against suche coueting desires whensoeuer they arise least this cōcupiscence by long dallying with our affections at length get within them and so ouerthrowe them The infection of sinne is so vniuersally dispersed ouer our nature that there is no part free from it for it hath entred and infected the thoughts thē selues and they are poysoned with it so that there is deadly daunger in following and persuing after the will of our owne thoughts The Apostle Paule when he setteth foorth the fearefull estate that hee was in before his conuersion which all men are in by nature for he putteth him selfe in the ranke with others speaketh no otherwise of it but thus That he followed the will of his owne flesh and of his owne thoughts No other guide had hee but run after the direction of his owne thoughts euen then whē his estate was most dānable We must therfore learne to suspect our thoghts if we wil be aduised by the Apostle and not to imagine with the doctours of Rome that our estate is good so long as the will when it shall haue wrastled at length getteth out not hauing wholy yealded nor flatly falne downe Thoughts therfore rūning this way after any thing of our neighbors in so doing make manifest declaration of their poyson corruptiō which if they shal haue no resistāce do carie vs headlong through the broad way into destruction If by grace they shall be stopped and resisted in that grace God is to be magnified yet we in that our corruption notwithstanding iustly are to be blamed and admonished therby to seeke for more ayde in that part of our thoughtes least if the tentation should lye sore vpon vs sathan shoulde that way get entrance into the heart It seemeth a hard doctrine that thoughts wishes and desires should be condemned that lawes should bee made for them and men charged with the ordering of them and no maruel if it appeare so vnto vs for it appeareth that the apostle Paule wold neuer haue suspected any danger in concupiscence lustes and desires if the lawe had not sayde Thou shalt not lust or desire Nay it appeareth plainely in that place that hee thought maruellous well of him selfe before he came to this commandement He tooke him self before to be liuing and in good liking towards God and godlinesse but as he confesseth after he had looked vpon this cōmandement and beheld him selfe a while in this part of the glasse he sawe him selfe plainly to be no body a dead man sold vnto sinne Howe necessarie then is it to sift our selues to examine vs in this commandemēt throughly that we may be humbled vnder the grace of God as apperteineth For if he so singular a man was not throughly cast down before he had wrastled with the iustice of god in this cōmandemēt how requisite is it that we shuld truly trie vs here least that in supposing that to be in vs which we want we becom carelesse in seeking the mercie of Christ without the which there is no hope In this commaundement therefore aboue all the rest it is required that wee be diligent and true tryers of our selues For those who haue no misliking of them selues for the lusting and coueting after the thinges of their neighbours whiche they doe perceiue to be in their thoughts haue no Christianitie in them to be accounted of Euill beeing misliked in trueth will be misliked wheresoeuer it shall be whether in worde thought or deede Euil being truly resisted wil be resisted euē in thought and therfore certein it is that he who neuer hath strouē with euil in his thoughts hath neuer truly strouen with sinne It was meete that the law should vtter all our euil and hide nothing of our vnrighteousnesse from vs that the manifolde corruption therof might force vs to seke the mediatour and peace-maker Christ that we beeing so many wayes conuicted of corruption in our selues might wholy giue ouer the opinion of our owne workes and meriting and so make much of the mercie offered by Iesus Christe which is so muche the more made of by how much we doe more cleerely see our vtter vndoeing without it If onely the acte of murther adulterie thefte and false wittnesse-bearing or the deliberate and setled consent vnto any of those should alone come in question in the cause and matter of sinne against our neighbour many an euil man would hope to make good shifte but when thoughts and desires vnto any of those are called for and examined it will cause any man to cast downe his courage and to fall a pleading of his pardon As before we were endaungered by the doctrine of Rome to conceiue sinne when they notwithstanding bad vs liue without any feare in that respect of sinne so long as we keepe our consent cleare in the matter So here if we shall hearken to their doctrine we come in daunger neuer to magnifie rightly the mercyes brought vs by Christ Iesus while we see not halfe the neede that we haue of him nor the halfe parte of the miserie that we are in without him For a mā may make good shifts if onely deedes and full consents be asked after and so in his owne iudgement no great benefite is obteyned by him that shall supply that whiche is lacking in his behalfe and therefore he maketh no greate haste to seeke after him But when thoughts desires are sifted he must of necessitie acknowledge him selfe greately befriended if so great want of his shal by an other be found answered We must looke in this glasse of the commandements and into this infinite nature of
lust desire and concupiscence that we may be confounded in our selues vtterly that our deliuerie may be from the gates of death that we may knowe how that our saluation consisteth in his meere grace for we can hardly be brought to begge abrode till all reliefe be spent at home There is no daunger in the feeling and acknowledgeing of our pouertie for the Lord hath promised that if those that be heauie loaden with sin shall come vnto him they shall be refreshed neither was there euer found any that despayred who before had not thought too well of him selfe All the daunger is on the other side least wee not taking those to be no sinnes which are sinnes in deed so thinking better of our selues then there is cause should in iustice be iudged of the Lord because we would not proceede by a right rule to iudge our selues By this that wee haue heard it is plaine that a Christian must walke in feare and care not onely to consent to euil towards his neighbour but also to be stirred and pricked with any bee it neuer so little or small a delight therevnto and that our thoughts are poysoned and therefore the daunger great in the not bridling of thē The thing then commaunded is to bring our desires thoughts and delights vnto the good and benefite of our brethren in matters wherein they are to be benefited that we bring not only hands to do wel to our neighbours but also heartes thoughts desires lusting longing and delighting therein according as the apostle testifieth of him selfe that he was delighted with the law of God according to the inner man whervnto accordeth the holie Ghost in the Prouerbs in these wordes It is ioy to the iust to doe iudgement Many haue bene brought to do outward things in them selues good which neuer had any ioyfull desire in them to glorifie God with them but the holie ghost worketh in his not onely a chaunge of workes but also an alteration of thoughtes desires and delights that their desires may be holden within that whiche is good Wherin it behoueth a Christian to be carefull euen thus to transforme his delights not taking it sufficient if hee shall haue brought them at any time from that which was euill vntill he haue ioyned them to that which is good Let our care be increased this way to haue suche desire and delight vnto that whiche is good as may reteine our thoughts and kepe them diligently occupied in suche seruices Be it far from vs to think that the grace of GOD onely reacheth vnto the deede and ful consent letting desires and thoughts take their libertie in their corruption We muste confesse as the trueth is that his grace not onely bridleth thoughts frō rushing into that which is euil but also giueth them a sweete taste in that which is good and holdeth them greatly therevnto There is no man will denie but that we ought to delight in that which is good and surely if the delight be once taken in doing good vnto our neighbour it will gather the thoughtes together and assemble them to that ioy delight If when the delight is wicked the thoughtes are spent therevppon surely if the desire bee chaunged the thoughts also wil resorte greately thither Let vs therefore seeke after the grace of GOD not onely to season our deeds but also our thoughts delights therewith that our studie and thoughts may be occupied in that which is acceptable to him For if some deeds shal at starts be done of vs but the heart neuerthelesse vnchaunged in desires delights it shall not profit vs The vnderstanding that Christians haue of their estate how it fareth betwene God and them is better taken and hath surer profe and more certeyne testimonie from their desires and inwarde affections vnto the lawe of GOD then from their outwarde doeing of things commaunded by the lawe Euil things may be left vndone for feare of punishment for desire of commendation or auoyding of euill speech or for that wee are not tempted with them when notwithstanding the heart shall not in any respect mislike of them Good things also may bee done for praise of man for hope of merites with God when yet the affection shall nothing bee moued that way And this is nothing before God to auoyde euill from thy hand but to embrace it neuerthelesse in thy heart or to doe good with thy hand without any desire of the heart So that bothe in euill deedes left vndone and also in good deedes done we may be deceiued But if the inwarde affection of the heart stand desireously affected after that which GOD hath commaunded vs to doe vnto men and hatefully affected towardes that which God hath forbidden this chaunge cannot be wrought there but by the spirite of GOD alone As for the praise or dispraise of the people it reacheth nothing so farr Let vs then embrace this desire vnto the dueties commaunded vs not giueing any rest vnto the Lorde in our prayers before we shall obteine this inwarde testimonie whiche is aboue all exception to be taken against it and without the which outwarde doeinges are of no account before the Lord who looketh into the affections of man and embraceth a cherefull and delightfull giuer Heere are those men confuted that would driue affections out of the fleashe and kil nature attempting such things as vtterly tend to destroy it as if the nature of man shuld by regeneration becōe altered into the nature of Angels wheras regeneration killeth not nature but restoreth and repayreth it destroyeth not the affections but transfourmeth them from that euill which naturally they are inclined vnto into that which is good commaunded of GOD. The angrie man may not thinke his conuersion and regeneration to be good if hee shall bende him selfe neuer to be moued with any thing at all but if that heate which sometimes hee felte vnto euill be now as feruent vnto that whiche is good then is his conuersion approued before god The couetous man is not then conuerted when he shall haue driuen all desire thirst after worldly commodities out of his minde vnlesse that desire be repaired in him to bestowe and vse those commodities as GOD hath commaunded Neither is that man gone straight way out of the worlde that hath betaken him selfe to a wildernes and cloyster to haue no dealings in the world but he that in dealings of the world hath kept him selfe vnspotted of the world vsing the things therof as if hee vsed them not hee may truely say he hath left the worlde In all these dueties towarde our neighbours we may neuer forget this which hath partely bene touched before that if it were possible for vs to perfourme all dueties vnto men and yet not doe them in obedience vnto God according vnto the rules which before we haue learned it were vtterly to be abhorred For what auaileth it to deale wel with men and in the meane
them something to quiet them withall by loue rewarding rather then reuenging their frowardnesse There is loue and therefore the chiefe propertie thereof can not bee wanting whiche is to be patient and long suffering The litle bearing and forbearing one of an other bothe publiquely and priuately doeth plainely speake that loue is not to be found in the nature of man but is an especiall gift of god For so sicke are we of selfe-loue and so voide of the loue of others that not onely we cannot passe by the transgression of our brother and by a louing hyding of the same cure it but also we can hardly abide that any should in any thing thoughe not euill either in opinion or affection be diuided from vs Nay whiche more is oftentimes we woulde haue all our friendes beare an heauie countenaunce towards him whom we for priuate causes haue begone to mislike But true loue is patient and suffereth long forgiuing others euen as God for Christe his sake hathe forgiuen vs. Neither is there any thing in vs worthie of praise in this worke of loue if this patience and long suffering be absent For asmuche therefore as bothe there hath bene shal be also vnto the end of the world in the children of God weakenesse and wantes bothe in iudgment and in affection it is moste necessarie for him that shall haue dealing with any whatsoeuer to craue earnestly at the handes of God for this excellent stay of loue which is called patience or long suffering without the which it wil be impossible to liue Christianly in any societie howe small so euer especially is this gifte necessarie in these latter dayes where all places and persons almoste are full of offence It is to be obserued that this propertie of loue is not onely at variance with hastinesse that is so soone displeased and so easily offended but also with that other extremitie when a man is so ouerwhelmed with displeasure conceiued as that notwithstanding hee burst not out into heate yet he suffereth his affection towardes the man altogether to quenche in him ceassing any more to shewe forth the fruites of a louing heart Therfore in fewe wordes to comprehend the nature of this propertie of loue it is that good affection whiche passeth through vnkindenesse to vtter it selfe and breaketh through displeasures to make it self knowen by louing deeds being in verie deed the power and work of God and therfore able so strongly against suche strong lets to preuaile It is also said of this loue that it is Bountifull a second note or effecte to discerne it by The worde signifieth him that is courteous gentle and readie to pleasure an other whiche is rather the cause of bountifulnesse then bountifullnesse it selfe For when the heart standeth so sweetely affected it cannot easily be letted from plentifull witnessing of the same as occasion and abilitie will permitte That this is a propertie that cannot be sundered from loue it doeth appeare in the loue and affection whiche parentes beare vnto their children How gentle are they to them howe readie to seeke the pleasuring of them howe plentifull and liberall therein Which commeth wholy of a tender affection towards them This fruite of loue is fitly ioyned vnto the other for when a man can not onely beare the displeasures vnkindnesse of men but also is of a gentle franke dispositiō readie to deserue wel of men howe can there be any thing more required For his patient spirite wil not easily take offence at the euil dealinges of others and his mylde affection will as hardely vse euill dealing towardes another Therefore peace is soone purchased and long continued where there is plentie and store of suche affections Euerie man may see how hard a thing it is to finde either of these fruites of loue For where is that man almoste to bee found that will beare any vnkindenesse at the handes of another Or where is that gentle disposition that hath a grace and facilitie in readinesse to doe well vnto another If any shal haue obteined the one he thinketh it therefore almoste an vnlawfull thing to request the other at his handes For if he be a man that can beare somewhat with the vntowardnesse of others he taketh the desert thereof to be so great as that it were not lawfull to looke for any courteous dealing from him but to holde them selues well satisfied with that other so as euen that were to be vnthankfull for it if they did but seeme to require any thing to be added more vnto it Likewise if any be founde of a gentle and readie affection to pleasure others he thinketh his so doing to carrie with it a dispensation and priuilege for his not bearing of vnkindenesse at the handes of others so harde a thing is it to match these two together But how hard soeuer it be to find these two coupled together in any one yet this is an assured trueth that wheresoeuer loue is there are apparant tokens of them bothe There is bothe patience towardes infirmities and readinesse to deserue wel of those howe many soeuer we shal loue It is lamentable to consider howe farre the dealings of men swarue from these properties Euerie man saith he is in loue and charitie with al men yet if he shall neuer so litle be offended he cannot be kept either from plaine reuenging or at the least from letting go al good liking of the man And as he cānot be kept from reuenging no more can he be dragged and haled to well deseruing of any yet for al this persuadeth he himselfe that al the loue and charitie that is required in a man doeth dwel plentifully in him so vnskilfully vncharitably do we iudge of loue and charitie as if he loued a man who were not prouoked by any affection boiling in him to hate or at lest to mislike him whereas in verie deede loue is a tender liking conceiued of a man and so greatly delighting affecting of him that it maketh him bothe merueilous apt and easie to doe whatsoeuer may pleasure him and also verie harde by any griefe or displeasure to let goe the good liking that once he hathe conceiued of him The worlde knoweth not this affection for it is the speciall worke of Gods grace It needeth no long speeche to declare that the world is not acquainted with it for euerie man almoste is carelesse in offending other so farre is he from this affection that is so readie to pleasure and euerie man also is impatient of the lest displeasure that may be offered from any other This that hath ben spoken of the rarenesse of this affection which we cal loue may not beget in vs a despaire to come by it but a care earnestly to seeke it where it may bee had and wil be had of so many as in the carefull desire therof shal multiplie their petitions prayers to God for it which must be so much the more feruent and often as
this age hathe moste neede of it and is farthest from acquaintance with it This is also a note of loue to discerne it by that it is not Enuious Loue saith the Apostle enuieth not This tender affection of loue that knitteth the hart of one vnto another is so farre from enuying the graces or giftes of God whatsoeuer in any other whome he loueth that he wisheth from his heart that they were more and better then they are For tryall of the trueth herein let vs consider of the affection of parents towards their children where wee are sure that nature hathe planted loue and therefore this note of not enuying which alwayes accompanieth it cannot be wanting there What parentes were euer found except it were some one rare monster in nature that did enuie their children because there were suche plentie or store of giftes in them Nay we see the plaine contrarie that they are greatly delighted to heare them praised of others for their giftes and muche giuen to speake of their praise themselues sometime thinking and affirming those giftes which they haue to be more and greater then in deede they are nay sometime imagining that to be in them in great measure whereof in deede they neuer had any portion no not the least parte so farre are they from any enuying of them for by loue they are so as it were made one that the praises of their children they take to be a part of their owne commendation whiche willingly they would not loose This loue doeth so ioyne together and vnite them that there can nothing be taken from the one but the other taketh him selfe to be maymed thereby as if he had lost some limme or ioynt of his owne For this affection maketh them to growe both into one and who hathe euer enuied the good or benefite that he receiued by some member of his owne bodie The Scripture teacheth vs that we are all members of one bodie and that wee haue our parte of the profit that commeth by the giftes of others through the meruelous working of god What maddenesse therefore were it to enuie our owne commoditie There can be no greater token of an hatefull man then is enuie neither any playner profe that we are diuers from the bodie of Christ then to enuie the giftes of the members thereof There is great diuersitie betweene loue and enuie for he that loueth taketh himselfe to be benefited in the benefite of him whome he loueth him selfe to be praised in the praises of that man whome he liketh The enuious man on the contrarie parte thinketh that another man is not praised but in the self same he is dispraised that another cannot be profited but that in the same he is hindered therfore stormeth when any thing is attributed to another as if in that deede somthing had bene taken frō himself Thus in all thinges the enuious man dealeth as if he were a stranger from the other the louing man as if he were not diuerse but one with the other a verie part and member of the same Let vs therefore keepe our selues farre from this enuie the truest token that can be of the absence of charitie all true feare of God or fellowship with his members For the driuing away of enuie we haue first to deale with our heartes to persuade them as the trueth is in deede that we haue our benefite and profite in their giftes no lesse then the eye hathe benefite from the foote or the foote from the eye which is brought to passe by the secrete and wonderfull working of God. Secondarily that we are of one bodie and that therfore we are intituled after a maner to the prayses commodities or benefits that doe redound vnto them Thirdly that the Lorde is the authour of this diuersitie in giftes and that therefore the enuying of others for their giftes giuen vnto them is in deede to picke a quarell with the Lorde who hath giuen it them and to vtter our mislyking of his distribution and disposing of matters among men And howe daungerous a thing it is to controll the lord I leaue to them to consider of at their leysure Last of al to feede our affection herein is to bring a continuall torment vpon vs For when wil there ceasse to be diuersitie of giftes in men And if we be grieued when others haue that which we haue not when shal we ceasse to be vexed Shall there not be this diuersitie vnto the ende Shal there be any time when all the bodie shal be but one member Let vs not imagine that when we shal giue our harts leaue to enuie some one that this affection will die when he is taken away or when we shal haue preuailed against him nay it is made by that meanes so much the more stronger and as for the occasion it neuer dieth For there shal be alwayes some that shall deserue and iustly haue true prayse and estimation for some thing whiche we haue not and therefore cannot come to haue the praise of it for our selues In deede the nexte way to haue the glorie of it is by loue to be one as one with the true owner thereof To incourage vs to this loue that driueth away enuie let vs remember that in driuing it away we ioyne with the Lord who hathe thus appointed it We approue his doinges as good we acknowledge by thankefulnesse the commoditie that we haue of them we ridde our selues of an infinite and endelesse torment To conclude this propertie of loue it is requisite that we often consider howe vnworthie we are of those benefites that we doe inioy to learne bothe to be contented with them and to be thankfull to God for them and to keepe vs in suche thankefull remembraunce thereof as may make vs studious to walke worthie of them to so great goodnesse of God towardes vs therein as may keepe vs occupied in care how by dueties we may aunswere them alwayes taking heede least we should become vnthankfull euen for the good whiche God did meane towardes vs in those giftes the possession wherof he hath giuen vnto others As loue is voide of enuie so is it reported here by the holy Ghoste that it is voide of dealing insolently frowardly or stubbernely for so soundeth the worde and that it is not puffed vp with pride againste him whome he loueth Moreouer that it doeth no vncomely thing againste him without hauing due regarde of the dignitie of the man his degree estate or condition whatsoeuer These thinges are expressed in three wordes in the text and may be expressed in these three wordes thus that loue dealeth not frowardly proudly nor vncomely These thinges doe I ioyne together in speaking of them because they are of such affinitie one with another Where true loue is there the man who loueth is so persuaded of the excellencie of the other whome he loueth and so rauished with the admiration of some one or other thing in him that in his iudgemente
pronounce him to be accurssed who shall holde that the lawe doth lay any impossible thing vpon vs. The Apostle doth take it to bee so plaine that no man can kepe the lawe that he will not bestow any paines in the proofe thereof The Churche of Rome taketh it to bee so playne that a man may keepe the lawe that they do accursse him whosoeuer shall holde the contrarie But it behoueth vs to rest in the doctrine of the holie Ghoste which therefore holdeth all men accurssed that sticke vnto the righteousnesse of woorkes bycause no man can do all those workes to the which righteousnes and life is promised And righteousnesse is promised not vnto him that shall doe some fewe works but vnto him that shal haue done all that are written in the booke of the law Neyther yet vnto him that for a great time shall haue done all but vnto him that shall haue continued from the beginning vnto the ende of his life in doing all the workes that are commaunded in the lawe Whereby it appeareth that that man who shall offend but in one thing forbidden in the lawe is in so doing shut out from all hold and hope of righteousnesse therby For he is holden accurssed by the lawe that cōtinueth not in all thinges that are written in the booke of the lawe to doe them For the lawe doth offer vs wages for our worke but so that it refuseth to pay any penie but vnto him that shall bring all his worke finished and done bycause the couenaunt was so and the lawe dealeth by Indenture and couenaunt and not otherwise Hee shall not want hyre for his labour that shall haue done his whole taske and all that was set appointed him for to do For the Lorde did couenant with vs for accomplishment of those works that were agreed vpon and set downe in the lawe that when wee should haue perfourmed that obedience it might be lawfull for vs to clayme our wages which is that he that doth them shall liue in them But if wee should come with our worke halfe done and halfe vndone or any euen the least part vndone the lawe sendeth vs away without wages letting vs see the condition of the obligation whiche is that he standeth accurssed without all hope of hire from the lawe that shall not continue to doe all things that are commaunded For the law wil not goe one iote from couenaunt In deede it will keepe couenaunt with vs if we keepe couenaunt with it and bring our whole worke accomplished according to the Indenture If a man shoulde for tenne twentie or fourtie yeare or if it were possible that from his infancie vnto his dying day hee should haue bene a painefull workman to the law doing all the workes thereof truely and without blame and yet slippe in one thing if but in one thought euen vpon his dying day he doth therein forfeit his obligation wherein he standeth bound for continuing in al the works of the law vnto the end Curssed is he sayth the lawe that continueth not And as was sayd before the lawe dealeth not but by Indenture and therefore looketh for and will haue the benefite of the obligation and the forfeiture of the bond at our hands If it shall bee sayde that the good workes that we haue done shall discharge vs of the euill that we haue done that aunswere will not bee taken there is no reason in it nor lawe for it For when we are bound to doe those woorkes which we say will discharge vs from the euill woorkes that wee haue done and more then they be for wee are bound to doe all and it is due debt of our part howe commeth it to passe by what right or reason that parte of payment of one summe whiche is due debt from vs shoulde not onely discharge that whole debt it beeing but a parte thereof but also shoulde discharge vs of an other bond wherein wee stande bounde for the payment of an other summe of monie Wee stande bound not onely to doe well but also to absteine from doing euill The discharge of one bonde if it were fully discharged coulde doe no more but free vs from the daunger of that it can not acquite vs of the other bond wherein wee stande other wayes charged To apply it to our purpose the bond wherein wee stand charged for doing well being in some part aunswered can not cancel the other obligation wherein we stand bound to absteine from euill There is no man that hath an other bound vnto him in two seuerall obligations for two seuerall summes of monie that will by and by after that one is discharged take the other by that payment to bee as good as cancelled there is in it neyther lawe right nor reason Much lesse will any man be so foolish as when but some parte of the one shall bee payde to imagine that then hee must giue ouer not onely the clayme of the other parte yet behinde but also the whole debt of the other bond which in no parte hath bene discharged These things being considered we shall be forced to say with the Apostle So many as sticke vnto the woorkes of the lawe are vnder the cursse For it is written Curssed is euerie man that continueth not in all thinges which are written in the booke of the lawe to doe them If any man shall thinke with him selfe that this reason is not sufficient to proue all accurssed bycause euerie one that dothe not continue is accurssed imagining that a man may continue in all thinges let him examine him selfe by euerie commaundement in euerie seuerall dutie thereof adding therevnto the properties of loue and considering whether his affection may be proued by those effectes to beare loue vnto the lawe and the dueties of the lawe or otherwise ioyning with all his continuaunce in euerie thing euen in the thoughtes of his heart and then no doubt it will bee manifest vnto him selfe that hee is farre from that righteousnesse whiche the lawe requireth and hee by it is bound to perfourme it Hee shall then see that hee him selfe is farre shorte of that number of workes which haue promise of life made vnto the workers therof when they shall haue accōplished those workes in that number of deeds that louing maner of doing which the lord requireth especially if that prouiso be remembred that there must be continuance without interruption both in the deedes and manner of doing euen vnto the end Moreouer the punishments in this world whiche the godlyest that euer liued haue not beene altogether free from declare that no man kepeth the lawe For the lawe doth not onely promise freedome from punishments but also plentie of al maner of blessings in the frut of our body in the fruit of our ground in the increase of our kyne cattle flockes of sheepe in our comming in in our going out in all that we take in hand in causing all that rise vp against vs to fal before
while we were yet sinners and enimies vnto him Christ died for vs. The scripture beareth recorde that Christe died for the vngodly but as it is there affirmed hee is scarce to bee founde that will die for a good man What good man hathe euer beene found that would haue suche compassion as to offer himselfe to die for a godlesse person The Sonne of God giueth his life for vngodly men Meruell not at these wordes neither thinke there is any thing too muche spoken in this matter For in that Chapter it is saide plainely that Christe died for the vngodly for sinners for his enimies and al to commend the greatnesse of his loue It will be graunted of all men that in deede before the death and passion of Christ we were godlesse vngodly enimies to God without any hope of a better life But all men are not persuaded that we doe nowe come suche men into the worlde and continue so vntil by the special grace of God working with his worde we be reclaymed and refourmed whiche for that chaunge is called regeneration or newe birthe All men are not persuaded that when Christe beginneth Christianitie in any he doeth beginne with his enimie Yet doeth the Apostle S. Paule affirme that he as others was by nature the childe of wrath that before his calling he as other men was dead in trespasses and sinnes walking after the course of this worlde after the spirite that woorketh in the children of disobedience but GOD sayth he whiche is riche in mercie throughe his great loue wherewith hee loued vs euen when we were dead by sinnes hathe quickened vs. There is no doubt of it but that he who liueth the moste blamelesse life of all men in the worlde is an enimie vnto God and without all hope of any better life before this especiall woorking and calling of god I doe call Christianitie a speciall woorke of God because it is not to bee founde in the nature of any man how great good thing soeuer it seeme to haue in it but is a peculiar worke of god This is a matter needefull to stande vppon because it giueth vnto God the commendation of that loue whiche is not to be matched in the worlde And in denying this greatest kinde of louing dealing we darken and diminishe the glorie of his mercie appearing so clearely and so aboundantly herein we deale vnthankefully with GOD not giuing vnto him all the praise that of duetie belongeth vnto him If two seruauntes had receiued equall commodities and benefites of one maister the one hauing beene a verie profitable seruaunt to his maister the other a verie vnthrifte and not onely not profitable but also a waster of his goods should the vnthrift sufficiently acknowledge the liberalitie of his maister if he should confesse that he had receiued as muche of him as his fellowe-seruaunt making no mention in the meane time of his vnworthinesse in respect of his fellowe Euerie man seeth the good will of the maister to appeare more in the one then in the other and therefore he should iustly bee accounted vnthankfull if hee woulde not bothe thinke and confesse that he were more beholding to his maister then the other For true thankefulnesse causeth the benefite receiued after a certeine manner to remaine still in the benefactour by thankefull remembraunce not onely of the gifte but also of the maner and qualitie of the gifte especially when it addeth any thing to the worthinesse and deserte of the giuer The cause therefore is great and a parte of our thankfulnesse vnto God is in it to withstand with the Churche of Rome herein that not onely wee haue had these benefites that we haue from God but also that wee haue had them contrarie to our deseruing which vtterly ouerthroweth those workes of preparation and setting our selues in a towardnesse for the Lorde and maketh the benefite to remaine in God by his iust praise not only for the deede dooing but also for tne mercifull maner of dealing with vnworthie men wherin his loue is tryed to haue more in it then any affectiō that hath beene hearde of amongest men that we may truly say with the holy Ghoste not only that God hath loued the worlde but as it is saide in this place So God loued the world noting in that word So no common affection but the highest and greatest degree of loue By this that hathe beene saide before wee doe learne that God did beare tender affection towards his not onely before any deseruing hadde gone before to procure the same but also when as yet they were enimies vnto him and therefore the Apostle in the Epistle to the Ephesians bringeth the benefites of GOD to be considered in his free good purpose and gratious good will towardes vs beeing the head and spring thereof whiche addeth greatly euen to the greatest of his benefites And if the consideration thereof be omitted the whole deseruing of the benefactour is not acknowledged nor deserued praise rendered therevnto When the Apostle had giuen praises vnto God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe for that he had blessed vs with all spirituall blessinges in heauenly things in Christe immediatly in the verse following which is the 4. in number he hath these wordes As he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the worlde c. As if his loue towards vs had not begonne then first when those benefites were bestowed vpon vs but that his good will whereof those were testimonies and fruites was bent towardes vs before the beginning of the worlde whiche is the cause why he letteth vs to see those fruites not barely in them selues alone but in that good will which so long before was inclined towards vs And good will the longer it hath continued the more it is to be esteemed and the benefites of an olde friend and welwiller of long time haue iust occasion in thē to be the more accounted of It is not to be merueyled then why with the gift he bringeth in also the good will of the giuer For the gifte is made thereby the greater bothe for that the good will hath beene of long time continued and also for that it is his goodwill onely and not any thinge either had allready or else hoped for from vs that hath brought all these benefites vnto vs as it followeth in the nexte verse in expresse wordes That he hath predestinate vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christe according to the good pleasure of his will by whome as it is there in like manner affirmed we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his riche grace In all these places we are let to vnderstand that all our benefites euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes came from the good pleasure of his will and the riches of his grace and not as hath beene saide before from any thing of ours either had already or else hoped for Let vs learne therefore to set his loue before
This is the reason why it seemeth madnes and extreme follie vnto his seruants whatsoeuer is not approued by his worde haue it neuer so strong reasons of mans wit to vpholde it withall It is not their wisdome they can see no witt in it For Christe is become wisedome vnto them and they haue learned no suche thinge of him in his word Therefore it is their wisedome to reiect such wisedome It is a merueylous thinge that any man who hath wit and reason should mislike that religion which hath nothing else in it but force of witt and strength of reason But let vs ceasse to meruaile and beginne to magnifie the goodnes of that God who vouchsafeth to become wisedome vnto his teaching them in his worde another manner of wisedome then that whiche is taught them of ther owne wit and reason Here ye see then the first benefite that commeth with Christe vnto his euen wisdome in his word Doe we meane to approue it before God man that we are called vnto the fellowshippe of Christ and become Christians in deede Let vs then become wise after his worde Let vs giue ouer our owne witt and reason in the gouerneing of our liues either towarde God or man and betake vs to his worde who is become our wisedome Let the worde of God dwel richely in vs in all wisedome teaching admonishing ourselues as we are commanded by the Apostle For if in our dealing with God or man we like well inough of the counsell had from our owne witt in vaine is this boaste made that Christe is become wisedome vnto vs For he pulleth his from the deuises of their owne witt in the ordering of their conuersation vnto the gouernment of his word letting them vnderstand and feele the want wretchednesse of the one and the sufficiencie and blessednesse of the other Christe as you see at his first comming chaungeth our wisedome this is his worke Where is then our frank and free will vnto that whiche is good when it is manifest wee cannot see what is good before Christe lighten vs who is become our wisedome Wee haue no will vnto any thing but that whiche our witt approueth and our iudgemente doeth embrace and good things can we not in iudgement imbrace and like before Christe who is our wisedome shall haue chaunged our iudgements If Christe must open our heartes and chaunge our mindes before wee can haue true wisdome and vnderstanding of good things which we must approue in iudgement before we haue a desire and wil vnto them in our affection it followeth necessarily that not from our selues but from Christe commeth all the free will which we haue vnto that which is in deede good For we haue no will vnto any thing but that whiche wee approue and like in our iudgement We can approue and like in our iudgement no good thinge before our iudgement be good Good iudgement wisdome we haue not of our selues but are taught it of Christe and haue it with him who is made our wisedome therefore the desire and will vnto good things wee haue not from our selues but from Christe amongst whose giftes the very formoste is that he giueth him selfe vnto vs when he giueth vs the knowledge of him selfe in his worde The second benefite that we receiue from God the father by Christe is Righteousnes For it is written as wee haue heard before that hee is made wisedome vnto vs and righteousnesse c. This righteousnes consisteth in two points The first is in discharging vs of our sinnes The second is in presenting vs blamelesse before his father in suche perfect obedience as the lawe cannot reproue nor iustely charge with any want This is perfourmed to vs in Christe who hath satisfied in his suffering for our sinnes and wrought our full discharge and also perfectly kept the whole lawe and euerie commaundement thereof in the behalfe of vs that be his For he being God and therefore aboue the lawe as Lorde and giuer therof needed not to haue become a subiect thervnto for him selfe Whereby it appeareth plainly that he went vnder that obedience in our name and for vs and that the same obedience of his is auaylable for vs that be his according as it is written to the Romanes in these wordes As by one man his disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous The tree must be good before the fruite be good and therefore wee our selues must bee righteous before any good fruite of righteousnesse proceede and come from vs The gift is neuer welcome when we can not abide the giuer neyther will the Lorde haue good liking of any thing that is oures before hee shall thinke well of vs Wee are therefore first to be setled by fayth as righteous in Christe before the Lorde will take in good parte any thing that shall proceede from vs Our roote was rotten in Adam and therefore brought foorth fruite accordingly We must therfore be grafted into Christ and then drawe power from him to bring foorth fruite that shall be pleasing vnto him and acceptable in his sight according as our Sauiour Christe sayth in Iohn As the braunch can not beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me His seruants finde want of righteousnesse in them selues and therefore flee vnto him for righteousnesse They see so much in thē selues that they wel vnderstand that they cannot be accepted for thē selues and therfore sticke vnto the righteousnes of an other which is Christ Whē the question is then whervpon ariseth this diuersitie of iudgementes in men that one persuadeth him selfe that the cause why hee is acceptable to God first springeth of him selfe and an other number denyeth all that is in him selfe to haue beene any cause to make him accepted vnto God and dothe attribute the whole cause why he is acceptable vnto God vnto the righteousnes of Iesus Christ which is become theirs by fayth from hence wee haue an aunswere that may satisfie vs whiche is that Christe is made righteousnesse vnto his It is the worke of Christ in them to assure them to bee accepted for the righteousnesse of an other and to giue ouer all the holde that they haue by the reason of any thing that they shall haue doone them selues Our naturall wit and reason can not allow of that It is apparant therefore that wee haue an other scholemaister that doth teache vs this doctrine Can one man for his good workes that he hath done stand so strongly assured in his opiniō of saluation and to bee accepted for them that hee shall offer his ouerplus to helpe other withall and an other man that is not inferiour vnto this other neyther in wit reason nor good deedes so giue ouer all the hope of them that in flat deniall and vtter renouncing thereof he should lay clayme only to the righteousnesse that an other
hath done and boast of that none otherwise then if he shuld haue done it in his owne person Can this I say be thought reasonable vnto any that hath not had an other scholmaister then wit and reason to persuade him therein Can the naturall man bee persuaded that he must first be righteous and then do righteous things and not rather that in doing of many righteous deedes at length hee becommeth to bee accepted for righteous him selfe thereby Or can a naturall man bee persuaded that his fauour with God commeth wholy in respect of an other his doings who hath done him all this good and not rather that his owne doings haue done the moste for him and he that is especially beholding vnto them This commeth from an other teacher then any that wee haue at home it sauoureth not of the earth it is from aboue Ceasse therefore to maruell at suche diuersitie of doctrine when the scholemaisters that teach are so farre differing one from an other as heauen is from earth The seruauntes of God giue ouer their owne righteousnesse they finde nothing in it they doe clearely see it will not goe for payment and therefore doe betake themselues to the merites of an other Neither doe they onely say that they bee vnrighteous in them selues but with griefe doe finde and feele it to be so within them selues But howsoeuer they stand rotten in their own root they are notwithstāding strongly stayd in Iesus Christ whose obediēce they do make so great an account of as if it were their owne perfourmed by them selues The thirde thing that wee doe receiue with Christe is Sanctification or holinesse of life This sanctification followeth immediately after righteousnesse in the place which before I haue alledged For it is not onely requisite that wee should remaine righteous by the obedience of one man once perfourmed but that our whole life should continue consecrated vnto the seruice of him in bringing foorth such fruit as hee hath appointed That righteousnesse which before we haue heard of is as the tree and this holinesse is the fruit therof The nature of our Sauiour Christe was free from all infection not hauing in it any remnaunt or relique of sinne and therefore he was sanctification it selfe and perfectly sanctified When wee beginne to separate our selues from the common corruption of the worlde and bend our selues to purenesse of life approued before God this is the worke of Christe sanctifying and working true holinesse in vs For of our selues we are prophane and vnholy voyde of these fruites of righteousnesse whiche are wrought in vs by Christe The cause why a number do mislike such deedes and conuersation both in them selues and also in others which an other sort of men doe approue delight in following after them with all greedinesse of desire is for that Christ is become sanctification vnto the one sort of people and not vnto the other who continue in their prophane and corrupt wayes not finding any want therein when the other sort are vexed grieued to see such doings abound in others and tormented in them selues if at any time they shall of infirmitie slip into the like not ceasing to apply the meanes whereby they may get victorie ouer them Here ariseth a question necessarie to be discussed whether righteousnesse be in the children of God before sanctification and holinesse of life or good works and holy life do goe before iustification being in his before they be acceptable vnto god Wherein notwithstanding that which hath beene sayde alreadie may be thought sufficient vnto any indifferent man yet it shall not be amisse to adde some more force and strength vnto it It is proued that righteousnesse goeth before good workes Rom. 4.6 where the testimonie of Dauid is alledged pronouncing him blessed and happie to whome the Lorde imputeth righteousnesse without workes And leaste any man should thinke this to bee ment of the ceremoniall workes the verie wordes of the Prophete are cited in the next verse folowing affirming blessednesse to be in the remitting of sinns vnto vs and not in the admitting of good workes for vs If the Apostle doe ioyne with the Prophete in this that God imputeth righteousnesse without woorkes then must I demaund of the aduersaries whether this righteousnesse imputed without woorkes doth exclude all woorkes or but some woorkes If it be aunswered that all kynd of working is not seuered frō this iustification and righteousnesse the question is againe whether those workes that stand with iustification and righteousnesse goe before it or spring of it and so come after it Heere their aunswere is we are iustified withoute woorkes going before but not withoute workes folowing it making this iustification that is saide to be without woorkes to shut out onely those woorkes that are before a man be iustified but not the other For their opinion is that wee are iustified by them wherevpon it followeth necessarily that righteousnesse goeth before holinesse of life that good workes do followe from a man iustified alreadie and are not sent before to iustifie him therewith that was not accepted of God as righteous vntill those were perfourmed The Apostle is plaine in this matter to the Ephesians God which is riche in mercie euen when wee were dead in sinnes hath quickened vs c. There were no woorkes then that went before to quicken vs seeing it is sayde that when we were deade in sinnes not onely sinners but also deade in sinnes God hath quickened vs. This proueth plainely that our good workes and holinesse of life did not procure righteousnesse vnto vs when the matter is cleare that wee were dead in sinnes when he in mercie quickened vs. In like manner the Apostle proueth that holinesse of life is a fruite of them that bee alreadie the seruants of God but now sayth the Apostle beeing freed from sinne and made seruaunts vnto God you haue your fruit in holinesse and the end euerlasting life There is no woorke acceptable vnto God without fayth and persuasion of his good will towardes vs whether it be done at the desire of vaine glory or at the motion and instinct of nature iudging that woorke to bee lawfull and honest For it is fayth that doth purifie the heart and the ende of the commaundement is loue but so that it bee of a fayth vnfeined The tree must be good before the fruite can be good For an euil tree can not bring foorth good fruite Against this it will be excepted that Abraham in offering of his sonne Isaac vppon the altar as sayth the Apostle Iames was iustified and therefore that the works of men eyther vnrighteous before or else but in parte acceptable doe iustifie them and make them rightly to be accepted of God. It appeareth in Genesis that Abraham was iustified before Isaac was borne for the offering of whome vppon the altar the Apostle Iames sayth that Abraham was iustified For in that Chapter it is written
that the word of the Lord came vnto Abraham in a vision saying Feare not Abraham I am thine exceeding great reward And Abraham said Oh Lorde God what wilt thou giue me seeing I goe childlesse Beholde to me thou hast giuen no seede wherefore a seruaunt of myne house shall be myne heire Then the worde of the Lorde came vnto him saying One that shall come out of thine owne bowells hee shall be thine heire Moreouer he brought him foorth and sayde Looke vp nowe vnto heauen and tell the starres So shall thy seede be And Abraham beleeued the Lord and he accounted that to him for righteousnesse By this testimonie we see that Abraham was accoūted righteous not in part righteous or half righteous but with out any addition it was sayde of him that he was righteous before he had any sonne and therefore before he could offer vp his sonne in sacrifice euen then when he made complaint vnto God for that he had no sonne and therefore a seruaunt must bee his heire beleuing the promise that thē was made vnto him for a seede and posteritie that shoulde come out of his owne loynes that fayth was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse and hee him selfe accepted of as righteous before the Lorde Iames sayth that hee was iustified when his owne sonne Isaac was offered vppon the altar and that this deede of his in not refusing to kill his onely sonne for a sacrifice at the commaundement of God did so please the Lorde that he was iustified for it In the other place alledged the holy Ghost affirmeth that hee was iustified before his sonne Isaac was borne euen at that time when the promise was giuen forth that he should haue a sonne and that the beleeuing of this good will of God towardes him herein did so please the Lorde that he accounted of him as righteous for it Howe then Doth the holy Ghost differ from him selfe God forbid But the Apostle Sainte Iames attributeth that to the effect for being ioyned with his cause which the holy ghost in that other place giueth vnto the true and originall cause alone As if one man wold iustifie a workman and commend him aboue others for workes that hee hath seene him do and an other would in like manner iustifie the same but for the inward skill knowledge and conceiuing that he hath of the rules and principles of that trade or occupation what so euer which skill he may discerne by his speache albeit he neuer sawe him worke And albeit a man may say that he is a good workman bicause his worke is good yet if a man wil speake properly he must say he is a good workeman bycause his skill is good For his good skill in that trade is the cause of his good workmanshippe and the goodnesse thereof commeth from thence as from the proper founteine and cause Nowe euerie man knoweth that when any man is commended for his worke it is bycause of the skill and knowledge that appeareth therein and is ioyned therewith as the onely cause and occasion thereof Euen so bycause our fayth appeareth in our good woorkes as our skilfull knowledge dothe in our skilfull workmanship that is giuen to good woorkes which is peculiar vnto fayth as the proper cause thereof and a man shall bee called a skilfull woorkman for his skilfull workmanship when notwithstanding it is most assured that his skilfull knowledge is before his skilfull woorke as also the cause thereof and hee iustly may be called skilfull for it notwithstanding he should bee kept from vttering that his skill in worke many yeres after the perfect knowledge thereof The holie Ghost therefore in Genesis iustifieth Abraham as skilfull for his skill alone and in that epistle of Iames he iustifieth him as skilful of that worke wherein so much skil appeared For it may be lawfull vnto me for the better vnderstanding hereof to resemble fayth by skill and good deedes by skilfull workmanshippe bycause as good workmanship hath all the commendation for the good skill that appeareth in it so haue good woorkes all their praise from the fayth that hath begotten them and is necessarily ioyned with them This is also to be added that bycause there is not in our workes that perfection that is required we are constreyned to stand to the mercie of God and to seeke refuge there by a true fayth and this is the cause why we magnifie faith which otherwise is imperfect as be all things that are in vs bicause it applieth the mercy of God vnto vs wherby our sinnes are pardoned and the want that is in our worke not imputed And for proofe that the Apostle Sainte Iames giueth not that title vnto woorkes to iustifie but bycause of the fayth whiche hath begotte those workes and which is ioyned with them and couereth the imperfections that is in them in the same place where he ascribeth righteousnesse vnto Abraham for offering vp his sonne hee sayth that this scripture was fulfilled Abraham beleeued and it was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse and he was called the friende of God So that all the commendation of this woorke is included in faith and giuen vnto it for the fayth of the doer For other wise hee should haue sayde Abraham wrought and that was receiued bycause it was righteous seeing hee had stoode vppon the commendation of his workes so muche immediately before and was euē yet in the same matter But he sayth Abraham beleeued and that was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse They would match workes with faith in iustification and the Apostle when hee speaketh most of works doth shrowd them vnder fayth saying after mention of his best woorke that this Scripture was fulfilled in it Abraham beleeued and that was imputed to him for righteousnesse and not receiued in the righteousnesse and deseruing of it selfe and he was called the friend of God. And in the eleuenth Chapter to the Hebrues all the woorkes of the godly fathers are ascribed vnto fayth and by name in the seuenteenth verse of that Chapter this deede of Abraham is fathered vpon his faith For workes are so farre from iustifying vs that the cause why they them selues are iustified is in fayth For without fayth it is impossible to please God. And in this chiefe worke of Abraham that nowe wee haue heard of that Scripture of imputing righteousnesse vnto him was fulfilled Therefore the worke did not stande in any account for the worthinesse thereof but onely bycause the Lorde did impute it vnto him for righteousnesse which thing also it did not attaine vnto of it selfe but bycause of fayth whiche was ioyned with it It is to be noted that the Apostle Sainte Iames speaketh here but of one woorke as the offering vp of his sonne and that woorke also not done but onely purposed to be done If therefore his meaning had beene to debate the worthinesse of woorkes and what place they haue in the purchase of our saluation hee would haue taken woorkes
not onely purposed but also practised not some one worke alone but many works long continued Neyther would he haue sayde of that or those works that they were imputed vnto him for righteousnesse but that they wrought his righteousnesse eyther wholy or at the least in part But the purpose of the apostle is to signifie that a true faith is fruitfull in good works and is witnessed by thē and that it is impossible that a true fayth should not be rich in good workes or that righteousnesse should be without holinesse of life For it is impossible that we receiuing comfort in his mercies by fayth should not witnesse the same by a life framed to the liking of him of whome wee haue those comforts The last of these benefites that we receiue by Christe is Redemption that is the deliuerie from all daunger affliction and corruption It is the fruite of his resurrection to raise vs out of all extremities euen from death and the graue and to place vs with his Saintes in that glory that hee hath purchased for vs. Thus is redemption taken for our fredome and deliuerie from our wretchednesse For we hold not with the aduersaries of god his grace that our good deeds do redeeme vs from the daunger of our euill doings neyther yet that by prayers or satisfaction whatsoeuer we can deliuer eyther our selues or other from the daunger in this life and much lesse in the life to come We confesse that howsoeuer we humble our selues by repentance prayers and fruits of good liuing whē his rod of correction is vppon vs that it is onely the free benefite of Christe to deliuer from the daunger thereof and to put an happie end vnto it Wee doe not thanke our deedes for it when wee come foorth of trouble albeit that we haue plentifully brought foorth the fruites of good life We acknowledge it to be onely the worke of Christ who is made of God the father vnto vs redemption to deliuer vs from sinne and all those punishments that come vnto man for it In this benefite of Christ there appeareth a great difference betweene the childrē of God and the children of this world For the children of God glory in trouble knowing that it will bring vpon them experience and tryal of god his goodnesse in the ende as the Apostle teacheth vs. For Christ is made vnto them redemption frō sinne and all the punishments thereof whereas the vngodly howe so euer in prosperitie they fleshly bragge of their hope in god Yet when affliction commeth they are without all heart comforte or courage For why in truth they knowe not that Christ is made redemption vnto them to deliuer them from all that danger that commeth for sinne as well as from sinne it selfe This persuasion causeth the godly in all their afflictions and necessities whatsoeuer to stay them selues in godly conuersation both towarde God and man with patience and assured hope of an happie ende when as the vngodly eyther murmur against God eyther else fall into some one euill dealing or other therby to purchase their deliueraunce which is an assured testimonie that they doe not looke to haue it from the Lord. Nowe wee haue heard what seuerall benefites do come with Christ and that we do not receyue him naked and alone but according as he is giuen vnto vs from God the father clothed with wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and redemption Thus is he giuen vnto the beleeuers and thus is he receiued of the beleeuers And heereby wee may clearely vnderstand what faith is euen that which findeth all want in it selfe and al plentie in Christ that is poore at home and rich abroad that in her necessitie boasteth and is comfortable in an other mans plentie that neuer resteth in her selfe nor any thing of her own haue she neuer so great plentie in respect of others and yet is ioyfull comfortable and well payde and satisfied with Christe in her greatest want For faith is not so highly commended as it is a worke of ours for so it is imperfect as all others be that come from vs but bicause it giueth all glorie from vs vnto god Therfore hath it so iust commendation in the woorde of God wee giue the most vnto it bicause it giueth nothing vnto vs that God may haue all glorie and that he that will glorie may glorie in the lord We doe not exalt it aboue other thinges that proceede from vs bycause it doth exalte vs but bycause it doth abase vs that Christ may be exalted therefore do we magnifie it For faith findeth perfection in God and imperfection in vs Fayth findeth true wisedome to be in Christ charging all the worlde with follie in their wit bee they neuer so wise in the opinion of men before they be lightened with the vnderstanding of his wisedome set foorth in his worde Fayth findeth true righteousnesse in Christ alone and chargeth all men with vnrighteousnesse in them selues as withered braunches proceeding out of the rotten stocke of Adam their first father vntil we be grafted into Christ the root of all righteousnesse Faith findeth true sanctification and holinesse of life in Christ and chargeth all men howe ciuily and honestly so euer they liue in the iudgement of men to bee of a prophane and vnholy nature and disposition except they haue it refourmed by speciall grace from Christ Faith findeth deliuerance from all daunger in Christ and chargeth the deeds of all men with want of abilitie in that behalfe Thus we learne that fayth doth finde all those things in Christ and the want of euerie one of thē in the nature of man nay which worsse is a counterfet of euerie one of them deepely imprinted in vs a counterfet wisedome of man his wit and inuention for the true wisdome of his word counterfet righteousnesse of our corrupt works for the true righteousnesse brought and wrought by Christ alone a feined deuotion grounded by our owne good intent for holinesse and sanctification of life and well doing guided and directed by his worde a false persuasion to auoyde daungers by our owne satisfactions in stead of an assured standing to his redemption and deliuerie in all our necessitie and wantes These are the withered branches of that rotten roote our olde Adam and the nature and disposition of all men goeth this way except they be reclaymed by Christ as all those be in his appointed time that shal inherite with him in his kingdome In as much as we do clearely vnderstand what is in vs before that Christ shall call vs it shall be profitable to consider whether after that Christ hath layde clayme vnto his and giuen them that in truth which before they had in shew fayth doth yet finde any such want and lacke that notwithstanding such a chaunge it resteth onely in Christ and refuseth to stand to any desart whiche this newe obedience can clayme The Scripture is plaine that fayth findeth lacke and want in man notwithstanding that hee be