though hee had decreed to cast vs dovvâ—e into hell fire both for that we owe him for that our whole life is still sustained by him What must we not forsake father and mother al other earthly comfortes whatsoever if that they hinder vs from following Christ Must we not sacrifice vp to God our deere only child if he commaund vs and not onely so but also wish our selues rather to be accursed then God any waies should be dishonoured Surely we ought to loue God aboue all and therefore aboue our selues and wee ought to preferre our peace with God before our peace with the world and the smallest measure of grace godlines before the greatest store of all earthly treasures For otherwise when these things begin to be taken from vs our zeale to Gods service will soone bee cooled as it is sette forth vnto vs in the parable of the sower For by the stony and thorny groundes such being represented vnto vs that haue but a temporary faith who albeit they reioice truely and vnfainedly in the Lord goe on cheerefully in his service for a while yet for that they doe not in sincerity embrace the word of God nor loue the Lord for the Lords sake but are moued especially vpoÌ„ carnal respects to make profession of the faith of Christ therfore they continue not stedfast in their profession but being a little assaulted are soone vanquished Wheras the sound and sincere servants of Chrâ—st being represented vnto vs by the good ground for that in al sinceritie they embrace the word of God and loue the Lord for the Lords sake they stil finding that in the Lord in his word whâ—ch doth moue them more and more to cleave therevnto therefore are constant in their holy profession and can never be cleane removed from the service of God For these persons for that with full purpose of hart they cleaue to the Lord and in all sincerity serue him therefore his favouâ— doth cleaue fast vnto them and his constant loue and goodnes doth alwaies assist them preserve theÌ„ in his feare Wheras on the coÌ„trary side al such as in their workes pretending the Lords service doe indeede seeke their owne and not the Lords in the end loose all their owne and themselues also and are most iustly deprived at the last of their preteÌ„ded shew of the Lords service And so our Saviour Christ told the hypocritical Matth. 6. 1. Pharisies who seemed to be very rich in al good workes that because their praiers and almes deedes were done to please meÌ„ and to wine fame and glory to themselues and not to the Lord therefore they were to looke for no reward at the Lords handes As St. Paule doth testifie also to the whole nation of the Iewes that because they did performe the workes of the whole lawe rather to Rom 10. 3. iustifie themselues thereby then to testâ—fie their obedience to the good will and pleasure of God therfore both themselues and also their workes were reiected of God Wherefore the Apostle to the Hebrewes in the conclusion of his Epistle could not wish a greater blessing vnto them then this that the God of peace which brought againe froÌ„ Heb. 13. 21. the deâ—d our Lord Iesus Christ the great sheepheard of the sheepe by the blood of the everlasting testament shoulde make them perfect in all good workes to doe his will working in them that which was pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ wherby we may learne that the perfection of al good workes is the respect had to the wil and pleasure of God in doing the same Wherfore if we wil be fully assured that our workes are good and allowed of God we must not therein serue our selues and seeke our owne by entending either our estimation before men or our iustification before God but in them wee must seeke those things which are Christes intending if not only yet principally at the least to serue please him to testifie our obedieÌ„ce to his wil. What then may we iudge of al the most glorious works of the children of the Romish synagogue which are The children of the church of Rome doe their works principally to serue themselues and to procure their own good and therefore they are no part of Gods â—…râ—ice done principally to iustifie themselues before God to make satisfaction for their owne sins to merite for themselues the Kingdome of heaven and to releiue the soules of their deare freindes being most miserably tormented in purgatory fire The which merite of their workes is in so great an account with them such a principall motiue to al holy actions that because we deny the same ascribe our whole iustification first and last onely to the merite of Christs death and to the dignity of his passion therefore they charge vs to deny good workes or at the least greatly to diminish the care and studie of doing good workes Yea some of theÌ„ haue not beene ashamed to avouch that if we be not iustified by our good works it were as good to play for naught as to worke for naught As if to doe good workes to testifie our obedience to the good will of GOD and to serue and please him were a thing of nought VVherefore it cannot otherwise bee but that all their good workes howe glorious in shewe soever they bee should bee disallowed of God and vtterly reiected as things of nought 3 The will of God is to be respected of vs in all our workes for that he is our only spirituall Lord who hath authority to rule over our soules Exod. 20. 2. Eze. 20. 19. The third reason why in the performing of all good workes we ought to haue a speciall respect to the will of God is for that hee is our only Lord that hath authority to rule over our consciences and vnto whose supreame and soveraigne will wee owe all humble and dutifull obedience This is one of the reasons that is alleadged by God himselfe at the promulgation of his owne lawe to procure obedience to his commandements I am the Lorde thy God c. thou shalt haue none other Gods before me So likewise when he would haue reclaimed his people from those superstitions Idolatries wherinto they were fallen by following the customes and orders of their forefathers he proposeth vnto them the selfe same argument Yee shall not walke in the ordinaunces of your fathers nor obserue their manners nor defile your selues with their Idols I am the Lorde your God walke in my statutes and keepe my iudgementes and doe them and sanctifie my Sabbethes and they shall bee a signe betweene me and you that yee may knowe that I am the Lorde your God The cause of their falling away from God was the falling away froÌ„ his lawes and the embracing of the decrees and customes of their forefathers and the meanes of their recovery is the acknowledging of the Lordes supreme and soveraigne
east them into an holie extasie and carried them after a sorte out of themselues and made them to haue little regard Cyrill in haec verbâ— sanguis â—ius sit super noset filios nostros of this present vvorlde and of the pompe and glorie thereof vvhich yet are so glorious in earthly mens eies To vvhat ende saith Cyrill shoulde I have vvealth and hope for the inheritance of the goodes of this vvorlds seeing alreadie I am made heire of thy most precious bloode and redeemed vvith thy most glorious death Why should I not verie much esteeme of my selfe seeing thou hast shedde as much bloode for mee alone as thou hast done for all the vvorld So Bernard O good Iesus O the loue of my soule vvho Bern. in haec verbai desiderio desideravi c. amongest mortall men doth so desire to make his life perpetuall as thou didst desire to loose thine for mine What pleasure vvilte thou take on the vvorld to come vvith thine elect seeing heere vppon earth thon didest call that day vvherein thou didest suffer Easter that is a great and solemne feastivall daie And againe O good Iesus O the redeemer of my soule doe I not happely owe thee as much as all the vvorlde ovveth thee seeing I have cost thee as much bloode as all the vvorlde hath done By the which testimonies of these holie men it is evident and plaine that an holie assurance of the great loue of CHRIST vvho hath died for our sinnes in particular and rose againe for our iustification is the strongest purgation to cleanse our soules from deade workes and to quicken them vp to an heavenly life and to strengthen vs in the ready preformance of all such duties as are most gratefull and acceptable to God And verely all manner of good vertuous works seeme they never so glorious in the eies of mortall men are most vile and base in the sight of God vnlesse the loue of Christ be the worker of them al and vnlesse they are performed as well deserved dueties for his sundry and manifold vndeserved mercies How then can there bee any true devotion at al in any of the children of the Church of Rome if they followe the doctrine â—f the assurance of the loue of God in Christ be the strongest band to binde vs to God then the doubtting therof must needs lette vs loose to runne a stray at random out of the Lordes waies as if we were at our owne liberty to liue as wee list The base borne bastardes of the church of Rome condemne in the legitimate children of God the holy assurance of his fauour and loue as Sap. 2. their former brethrren the elder sons of Satan haue done before theÌ„ Eph. 3. 18. of their mother who teacheth them to bee still in doubt of the loue of Christ in particular towards themselues of their effectuall calling into the state of grace and of the remission of their sins and eternall glory seeing the faithfull apprehension sence assuraÌ„ce of Christs loue the fruits therof is the only effectuall worker of all true devotion Howe can either the church of Rome be the faithful spouse of Christ seeing shee stil standeth in doubt of the loue of her bridegrome or her children bee the children of God our heavenly father seeing they are and must be still in doubt whether he beareth a fatherly affection towards them Surely a faithful spoufe cannot still stand in doubt of the loue of her most kind and carefull husband neither can the naturall and kinde childe alwaies feare whether his natural kind father beareth a louing and a fatherly affection towards him seeing hee hath testified the same by his manifold blessinges And therfore the church of Rome caÌ„not be the true spouse of Christ seeing shee knoweth not assuredly whether shee is his beloued neither can her children be the true children of God our heaveÌ„ly father seeing they are and must be stil vncertaine and doubtfull of his kind and fatherly loue of the most principal effectes thereof Nay in that they condemne the true children of God of pride presuÌ„ption for that they are not abashed to make a bold confession of their knowledge of God and of their assurance of his loue and to glory that he is their father and they his sonnes heereby they declare themselues to belong to the congregatioÌ„ of them alignant yea that they are the children of the devil himselfe in that after the very selfesame manner they condemne the holy faith of the children of God as their elder brethren haue done before theÌ„ in the second chapter of the booke of wisdome VVherfore all ye our deere brethren which are as yet covered with the blacke and darke doctrine of the church of Rome which came out of the bottomles pitte from the very prince of darkenes himselfe even as many of you as belong to the number of Gods elect defraud not your selues any longer of the comfort and fruit of Christs loue by continuing still doubtful of the same with the children of vnbeleife but rather labour with al saints that yee may comprehend what is the bredth depth length heigth to knovv the loue of Christ that passeth knowledge that so yee maÌ„y be filled with all fulnes of God Be ye not desirous to continue any longer doubtful of the remission of your sins of your election to eternal life according vnto the doctrine of the teacher of infidelity which yet boasteth himselfe to be the successour of St. Peter but striue yee 2. Pet. 1. 10 rather to make your election sure by your workes according vnto the most holy doctrine of St. Peter himselfe And as I doubt not but that yee vnfainedly desire to bee fruitful and plentifull in all good workes so labour yee by al meanes possible to compreheÌ„d the loue of Christ and to feele in your harts the coÌ„fortable fruits thereof which are the strongest motiues not onely to perswade but after a sort to constraine force vnto the ready persormaÌ„ce of al good workes Be ye not so foolish still to imagine that your workes which are the fruites of the loue of Christ the effectes of your election and iustification bee the causes of the loue of Christ of your election iustification Especially whereas it is God that worketh in you the wil and the deede and that of his owne meere mercy and good wil in Christ and thereby maketh you more endebtted vnto him by the continuance encrease of his blessings take yee heede of that grievous and intollerable pride wherwith the Devill the defacer of the grace and glorie of Christ hath hitherto beguiled you by making you thinke that God is endebtted vnto you by meanes of your good workes and that by them you merite at his hands remission of sins eternal glory For verely if the kissing of our owne handes that is the ascribing The ascribing to our owne witte industry
to trye â— Pet. 1. 6. their obedience and patience and to humble them for their manifold infirmities and sinnes or when Tyrantes persecute them for their most holy faith But as for all voluntary tortures and tormentes they leaue the same to infidels and heretikes vvho thereby seeke after a greater opinion of godlines and devotion before men THe Gentiles did offer vp their sonnes in fire vnto Idols and did â— Reg. â—… 28. â—…v 21. 5. cutte and launce themselues vntill the bloode followed the which voluntary tortures the Lord precisely interdicteth his owne people Contrary to the which interdiction the dearest darlinges of the church of Rome as likewise such among the Turkes as would seeme most devout vse to scourge and to whippe theÌ„selues diverse waies tormenting their owne bodies and not sparing their ovvne flesh Whereby it is evident that they haue â—…ol 2. 23. not onely sorted themselues with the Gentiles and some of the olde heretikes but also with these of the last times who through hipocrisie hunte after a shewe of most rare holines in these outvvard â— Tim. 4. 1. thinges preferring these their wil-worshippes and voluntary devotions before faith repentance and the fruites of the spirit imagining thereby to ascende to the highest degree of the greatest perfection and to be esteemed the only religious of all other Opposit 12. The faithfull souldiers of Christ furnish themselues against their ghostly enimies with such weapons as are taken out of the Lordes armoury whereas the counterfeite christian furnisheth himselfe with such as are framed in the devils forge and in the shoppe of mans invention THe faithfull which fight vnder the banner of Christ even al the members of the militant church knowing the greate force of their fendish foes seeke according vnto the exhortation of the Apostle to be strong in the Lorde and in the power of Eph. 6. 10. his might putting on to that purpose all the armour of God that so they may bee able to stand against all the assaultes of the Devill they stand and their loines girded about with verity hauing on the breastplate of righteousnes and their feete shodde with the preparation of the gospel of peace aboue all they take the shield of faith whereby they may quench all the fiery dartes of the wicked and the helmet of salvation and the sworde of the spirite which is the word of God praying alway with all manner of praier and supplication in the spirite and watching thereunto withall perseverance VVhereas the souldiers of Satans companies are forbidden for the most parte to enter into the Lordes armory wherein are the weapons of all the Lordes worthies wherevvith they prevailed against all their enemies and to fence their soules with that armour of proofe whereby they may be preserued from Chrys in Math. hom 43. Hier. in Mat. ca 23. Num. 9. 11. Tert. de Idola Lact. instit l. 6. ca. 2. all deadly woundes it is enough for them to arme themselues with holy bookes tyed at their girdle but not laid vp in their hartes with holy reliques such as defiled those that touched them vnder the law with holy candle lighted at noone-day to driue away belike spiritual darknesse with holy breaede to put away the famine of the soule with holy water to wash away the spots of the spirit with holy bell to fray the hell-hound with that sacred sound with crossing and crossing againe this and that member and with anoyling the instruments of the fiue wits with holy creame holy salt holy spitile with as holy exorcismes and coniurations as were vsed by the seven sonnes of Sceva the priest with holy graines agnus deies crucifixes with buriall in an holy cloister in a Monkes coule or a Friers frocke with Act. 19. 13. a pardon cast into the graue with the body for the safer passage of the silly soule albeit it had passed and receiued iudgement before with other such furniture of their owne framing as if those things which are without could sanctisie a man and fence him from the woundes of sinne as if the subtile serpent were some silly foole that could be driuen away with such scarre-crowes or some weake and feeble foe that could be overturned with such bulrushes Opposit 13. The faithfull are not puffed vp with pride in respect of Gods graces but rather hang downe their heades in respect of their owne infirmities ascribing to God the glory of all good things IF when wee haue done all that is commanded vs we must say that â—uc 9 54 we are vnprofitable servantes then when we faile more or lesse in all what iust occasion haue we with the humble Publican to stande aloofe and to hange downe the heade and to beate the brest being â—zr 9 6. â—zech â—6 33. â—an â— 7. full of confusion in regarde of our ovvne iniquities Nowe as the faithfull thus cry out shame and confusion against themselues so they ascribe righteousnes to God in all his corrections and endles mercy in all his blessinges magnifying and extoling his glory in both And verely he that seeketh the glory of him â—oh 7. 18. that sent him is true and there is no vnrighteousnes in him But in Aug in â—oh Tract â—9 Antichrist saith Austine there is vnrighteousnes and hee is not true because hee will not seekeâ—… he glory of him that sent him Let vs all then which pertaine to the body of Christ beware lest we fall into the snares of Antichrist and let vs not seeke our owne glory Chrys in Math. Hom. 19. If one cover saith Chrysostome a wolfe with a sheepes skinne how may another know him but by his voice or by his action The sheepe bleateth looking downe ward the wolfe looketh vpwarde and howleth against heaven He then that vttereth the voice of humility and confession according vnto God is a sheepe but hee that howlethout blasphemies against God and against the truth is a wolfe Nowe howe the doctrine of the church of Rome teacheth to lay aside the humility of a sheepe and to take to our selues the pride of the wolfe to advaunce our selues and not to giue the glory of all thinges onely to GOD see before in the preface to the Christian roader Opposit 14. The faithfull Christian as in generall he giueth the glory of all good things onely to Gods mercy and goodnes so especially of his eternall salvation resting onely vpon the mediation and merite of Christes passion for the obtaining thereof and not vpon his owne or other mens workes VVHat worthy thing do we that thereby we may be Walâ—ensis contra Wicleâ—um made partakers of heavenly glory whereas the Apostle saieth I thinke that the passions of this time are not worthy of the glory that shal be revealed Therefore I recken him to be the more sounder divine the more saithfull catholike and more agreeable to holy scriptures who doth flatly deny any such merite And verely our Saviour Christ
out of the same The spirit of God sendeth him not to a second table of penance to tâ—ke holde thereof that by the power thâ—rof he might be deliuered but remember saith he how thoâ— hast received and hearde and holde fast and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 3. repent Now no doubt but he had receiued and heard aâ—d therefore was to hold fast that to the peniteÌ„t humble sinner Christs blood is the purgation of all his sins that by the mediatioÌ„ of his death he doth obtaine remission of theÌ„ not only when he is received into favor at the first but even to his liues end being thereby still pâ—eâ—erued in the same grace obtaining the forgiuenesse of hiâ— dayâ—y offences For so S. Iohn setting downe the meanes whereby the faithfull themselues are continually cured of their dailie infirmities If any man sinne saieth hee vvee haue Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. â—0 our Advocate and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes So the Apostle Saint Paul sheweth that not onely when wee were enemies we were reconciled at the first by the death of Christ and obtained the release of our grosser offences but much more beeing once reconciled and made the children of God by CHRIST wee are still preserued in the same grace and obtaine the forgiuenesse of ouâ—…maller offences by the same meanes The trueth is that none are cured of their sinnes by Christ vvhich continue stil in the same and doe not dayly fight against them vvith dayly repentaunce but yet the physicke is one thing vvhereby the soule is cured and the disposition of the soule another thing vvhereby the soule is prepared that so the physicke may effectually vvorke The preparatiue is one thing and the physicke is another thing the physicke is onely the physicke and nothing else Our Saviour CHRIST is our onely physicke and physition also Repentance after a sort may bee called the preparatiue and the Minister of the vvorde may be to vs in steede of the Apothecarie or as â—he physitions man that is sent to vs vvith the purgation The purgation it selfe is made of none other ingredientes but of the most bitter panges of our Saviours owne passion not of the rootes of our hearty repentaunce neither yet of the fruites of our christian faith that is vvhatsoeuer our sinnes bee and vvhensoeuer they bee committed we obtaine not the forgiuenesse of them by our owne merites nor by the satisfactions of any other but onely by the free and vndeserued mercy of GOD and by the most precious satisfaction of the death of CHRIST All haue sinned saith the Apostle and are deprived of the glory of GOD but are iustified from their sinnes freelye Rom 3. 23. by his grace through the redemption that is in CHRIST IESVS And in trueth otherwise our case were most miserable For in the parable of the debtour the summe of one thousande Mat. 18 24. talents declaring the infinitenesse of our debt doth openly proclaime our insufficiency and inabilitie to discharge the same as also the wordes annexed vvhen he had nothing to pay and I forgaue Psal 130. 3. Iob. 93. Psa 143. 2. thee all thy debt For verily if God should marke what were done amisse vvho vvere able to abide it And if hee shoulde call vs to an accounte vvho vvere able to aunsvvere one for a thousande And therefore our best plea is Enter not into iudgement with thy servants O Lord cal vs not to reckoning put not our billes in suite for we are no way able to make payment we are no way able to make satisfaction Div. 10. That Purgatory is no article of the Christian faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resurâ—…on of â—…sh IF the deliverance of the soules out of Purgatorie had beene an article of the christian faith as it is iudged to be by the church of Rome then it had beene convenient that after mention made of the resurrection of the body out of the custodie of the graue there shoulde haue beene adioyned the deliveraunce of the soule out of the prison of Purgatory the tormentes there being so greate as they say they be the deliverance from thence being as great a blessing at the lest as the raising of the bodies out of their graues should not haue beene altogeather vnremembred especially sinne verie much abounding before the day of the generall resurrection and the Popes pardons nothing so much regarded and his charitie without a fee being not vsual and ordinary Purgatory then must needes be well filled and so the deliverance from thence a great benefite to many Div. 11. That everlasting life is the free gifte of God through CHRIST and noway purchased by the merite of our owne vvorkes 〈◊〉 ever â—…ng IF any thing be bestowed vpon vs by free gift froÌ„ God theÌ„ surely everlasting life is so bestowed as the greatest gift proceeding froÌ„ the most bouÌ„tifull giuer the most excelleÌ„t effect from the most excelleÌ„t cause And why is God else accouÌ„ted a most liberall bountifull free franke and gracious benefactor but that most liberally bountifully frankely and freely he bestovveth vpon his faithfull servantes the most precious crovvne of eternall glory VVhen that bountifulnes saith the Apostle and that loue of GOD our Saviour tovvardes man appeared not by the vvorkes of righteousnes vvhich wee had vvrought but of his ovvne mercie he Tit. 3. 4. saued vs. And verely the glory of this greate bountifulnes must needes haue beene much dimmed if vvee had attained to salvation by our owne merites and not by the LORDES onely mercy The vvages in deede of sinne is death but everlasting life is the gifte of GOD through IESVS CHRIST our Lorde Rom. 6. 23. For our evill vvorkes are perfectly evill and therefore deserue eternall death but our good workes are not perfectly good and therefore eternall life is the free gift of GOD through CHRIST and not a vvages due to the merite of our vvorkes Othervvise vvhy did the Wiseman say Beholde the righteous are here recompenced vpon earth hovve much more the vvicked and the sinner VVhat doth not the LORD as well loue righteousnes Pro 11. 31. to recompence it as he hateth vnrighteousnesse to punish the same Yes verely but this is heere spoken to this end by the VViseman that vve shoulde vnderstand that the sinner most iustly deserueth this punishment vvhereas the righteous deserueth not the revvard And therefore it is not without cause that iust Iob thus speaketh of himselfe If I haue done evill vvoe vnto mee if I haue done righteously yet vvill I not Iob. 10 15. lifte vp my heade being full of confusion because I see mine affliction And vvhy The evill vvorkes of the best are in an higher degree evill then their good vvorkes are in themselues good and therefore in respect of the one they may be rustly cast dovvne vvith the feare of eternall confusion and vvoe but in
the most pretious bloud of Christ for the full accoÌ„plishment of that worke For what if man could giue his house full of treasure yet wee are not redeemed vvith corruptible thinges as with silver and gould but with the most pretious bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and without spotte Or what if he would offer vp in sacrifice a 1000. rammes or a 1000. bullockes and goates It is impossible that the Heb. 10 bloud of bullockes and goates should take away sinnes And therfore when the Apostle had avouched by the warrant of the Prophet that the Lord would not haue burnt offering and sacrifice nor the bodies of slaine beastes then he giueth testimony to the offering of the body of Christ as to the onely true expiatory sacrifice Lastly what if one would offer vp to God the spirituall sacrifices of faith and repentance and of all such workes as are commanded in the morallawe Surely of these also the Apostâ—e hath testified that it vvas impossible to the lavv in as much as it was Rom. 8. 3. weake by reason of our flesh to worke out the worke of maÌ„s redemption and therfore that God sent his owne sonne in the simtlitude of sinsul flesh and foâ— sin condemned sinne in the slesh that the righteousnes of the law might bee fulfilled in vs and so we made righteous before God For our faith repentance iustice temperance the rest are but as broken and clipped money they are to light to weigh in the ballance with our most heavie and burdensome sins and they are also but as one to a thousaÌ„d toward the discharge of our most huge debt Moreover in the perfourming eveÌ„ of our best workes the flesh rebelleth against the spirite so staineth their purity and blemisheth their glory and our spiritual and inward man is but renued in part so that wee can do no good worke with al our hart soule and strength in that degree and measure as the law requireth now that which wanteth of that which the law requireth is a transgression of the law and therefore sin and sinne defiling the worke wherein it is causeth our very righteousnes to bee as a stained cloath and therefore in that respect odious to God procuring his wrath and making vs subiect to the curse of the lawe and therefore not meriting everlasting glory Thus are euen our best sacrifices but as the offering vp of the lame and maimed and therefore of themselues cannot be much lesse make vs acceptable vnto God And thus are these garmentes of our owne righteousnes both stained too short also to couer our nakednes they may be likened to the curtalled garmentes of Davids servantes 2. Sam. 10. 5 which made them ashamed to come into the kings court and to present themselues in his presence And verily if but one of our acquaintance beeing of some good place happen to see vs when wee haue on a sluttish aperne or a fowle ruffe or some base and regardlesse attire how squeamish are we and how do we imagine that wee haue done our selues some great discredite Howe much more then may we worthely blush and be ashamed to come into the presence of the most pure and glorious God who so extreamely loatheth and abhorreth all impuritie vncleannes beeing covered with the slubbered and curtalled garments of our owne righteousnes And how ought we to labour by all meanes possible to put of and to lay aside these rotten ragges in the case of our iustification to embrace and lay hold on Christ that we may be found in him not having Phil. 3. 9. our owne righteousnes which is by the lawe but that which is by faith in him For they are the precious costly garmeÌ„ts of his righteousnes that arelarge enough to couer our nakednes be it never so great they are also so cleare pure holy that they are able to endure the presence of the holy of holies to present vs pure holy in his sight So then the workes of our faith repentance and righteousnes cannot present vs pure and holy before God nor make satisfaction to his iustice for our sins nor meâ—ite the crowne of eternall glory but these so great blessings are procured for vs by the bloud of Christ and are given vs most frankely and freely by his mediation Now if a master shal giue vnto his faithful servant an estate in a liuing either by copy or lease freely without any fine or income wil this kindnesse make him malepert and saucy to set at naught his masters commandement careles to pay his rent and to performe that suite and service that is required at his handes Neither is it credible that the faithfull servantes of God hauing an estate in the glorious inheritance of the kingdome of heaven most frankely and freely granted vnto theÌ„ in Christ without nay coÌ„trary to their owne deservings should thereby take occasion to sinne against God and become careles to performe their obedience to his law being the rent suite and service that is double due vnto him So neither is it likely that they well vnderstanding the guiltines of sinne to bee so great that it could not be done away but by the bloud of Christ and the wrath of God against sin to be so â—etled his iustice so implacable that rather theÌ„ the sins of his own elect should eâ—cape vnpunished he punished theÌ„ with so great severity eveÌ„ vpon his own deare son should hereby be encouraged to coÌ„mit sin to receiue into their bosoâ—…s such a venimous serpeÌ„t whose sting is so daÌ„gerous yea almost incurable Wheras on the coÌ„trary side if sin weâ— so smal a matter that it might be done away by holy water holy bread pardons masses pligrimages almes praiers fastings by other workes of Popish doctrines provocations to sinne popish penaÌ„ce if there were so rich pretious a gift of charity infused into the heart of every faithful ChristiaÌ„ as that therby he were able to make God endebted not only to himslfe but to others also then indeede we needed not altogither to make so great a matter of coÌ„mitting sin and offending God seeing we could so many waies make satisfaction for the same and make God amendes and further also make him endetted vnto vs as herevpoÌ„ many men are bold to trespasse their neighbour for that either already they are as much or more in their debt and danger or for that they can else in time to come easily make theÌ„ ameÌ„des for their former trespasse But God can no way be pleasured by vs neither is worshipped with mens haÌ„ds as if therby any thing were added vnto him and he made endetted Act. 17. 25. vnto vs for the same For as for the workes of our faith repentaÌ„ce and loue we are therby more more endebted vnto him for that he worketh them in vs by his spirit and he is no otherwise endebted vnto vs for the same but only for that of
Marc. 1. 15. one is occasioned by the due consideration of our owne most manifold and greavous corruptions the other by the apprehension of the Lordes most singular and endles goodnes And therefore the scope of the whole Scripture teÌ„ding to teach repeÌ„taÌ„ce faith teÌ„deth likewise to these two ends on the one side to display lay open the incomparable excellencies perfectioÌ„s that be in God that by the beauty therof we may be most earnestly stirred vp to desire reconciliatioÌ„ fellowship with him to place our whole hope confideÌ„ce in him to ascribe vnto him al honour glory on the other side to discover the infirmities corruptions of man that therby he may be induced al selfe loue set aside to distrust deny renouÌ„ce himselfe to haÌ„g down the head being coÌ„fouÌ„ded in himselfe cast downe to the bottomles pitte of hell So the Prophet I say setting downe the mighty working of the gospell at the coming of the Messias testifieth that thereby the high lookes shall be humbled and the Isa 2. 17. 24. 23. loftines of man shall be abated and the Lord onely shall be exalted in that day yea that the Moone shal be abashed and the Sunne ashamed wheÌ„ the Lord shal appeare that is that such things as in our selues seeme beautiful as the SuÌ„ne shal be covered with darknes dashed over as with a coaâ—e in respect of the brightnes of Gods most admirable goodnes shining in the face of the glorious Messias And whaâ— else also meaneth the Prophet â—zechiell in saying that when Ezech. 16. the Lord hath confirmed his everlasting Covenant with vs is pacified towards vs theÌ„ we shal remeÌ„ber our waies be ashamed neuer open our mouthes any more in respect of our shame Wherefore if we will bee partakers of the fruite of the gospell we must be moued thereby to looke throughly into our own corruptioÌ„s to cast down our eies as it were vpoÌ„ our own fowle feete that so we may haue our part in that shaÌ„e which is the path way to worship honor We Eccl. 4. 21. must not be gazing vpon our peacockes tailes nor beholding the SuÌ„ne when he shineth nor the Moone walking in her Iob. 31. 26. brightnes that is we must not admire ourselues no not in respect of our teÌ„poral or spiritual gifts lest our owne harts do flatter vs in secret so induce vs to kisse our own haÌ„ds Surely this is an iniquity to be coÌ„deÌ„ned seing it is a denial Hab. 2. 4. of the Lord aboue For he that lifteth vp himselfe his hart is not vpright for the iust shal liue by faith which teacheth vs not to admire ourselues or to trust in our selues but to go out of our selues and to trust in God and to place our whole hope in the riches of his grace in the fulnes of his goodnes And in truth we can hardly detract to much from man in whose flesh dwelleth no good thing al the imaginatioÌ„s Rom. 7 18. Gen. 6. 5. of whose hart are only evil coÌ„tinually that so he may be brought to cast away al selfe loue pride coÌ„fidence in himselfe take to himselfe his due deserved coÌ„fuâ—ion and shame be vnfainedly huÌ„bled as he ought to be As on the coÌ„trary side we caÌ„ as hardly ascribe to much to Gods goodnes or be overlavish in extolling the hight leÌ„gth bredth depth of the loue of Christ that passeth knowledge that so the pledges of his endles favour may raise vs vp to a true liuely faith to giue him that glory that is due to him And why should mire that lieth in the streete be so gready to be seasoÌ„ed with sugar spice a vile peece of a rotten post to be gilded over with fine gold why should wretched sinful man be desirous to enlarg his own estimatioÌ„ by advauÌ„cing lifting vp himselfe prepare a way to a most daÌ„gerous downfall So God be glorified we ought not greatly regard what becometh of vs seing all is due to him nothing to vs. And verely the most blessed servants saints of God being purged and clensed from all corruptions being admitted to the vision of God and to bebold not his hinder partes but even to see him face to face and so to behold his vnspeakable glory as farre forth as the creature is capable of the same albeit they are so highly advauÌ„ced yet they take their crownes from their owne heades and cast them downe before the throne saying Apoc. 4 10. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receaue honour glorie power for thou hast created all thinges for thy willes sake they were are created never ceasing day nor night to sing holy holy holy Lord God Apoc. 15. 4. almighty who shal not feare thee glorify thy name for thou only art holy Yea our most glorious Lord Saviour Christ Iesus himselfe who was annointed with the oile of gladnes aboue his fellowes and endued vvith the spirite vvith out measure vvho is advaunced to the right hand of GOD and hath all power in heaven and earth giuen vnto him is appointed iudge of quicke deade when he shall haue finished the worke of his Mediator-shippe and shall haue placed al the elect of God in the peaceable possessioÌ„ of that most glorious kingdome which he hath purchased for theÌ„ with his owne blood theÌ„ as he is man he shal deliver vp his kingdome to God be subiect to him that to this end that God may be all in all all glorie honour power 1. Co. 15. 28 praise being worthely ascribed only to him Whereby it is evident that God can never be sufficiently magnified in respect of his incomprehensible goodnes glory as on the contrary side man can never be sufficiently huÌ„bled abased especially in comparison had vnto God And yet the members of the Church of Rome fearing belike that Gods great grace should be to highly magnified that to much should be yeelded therevnto being loath as it seemeth that man should take to himselfe that due deserued shaÌ„e that beloÌ„geth vnto him wil haue neither Conc. Trid. sess 6. cap. 1. Can. 7. al our workes before our coÌ„versatioÌ„ being doÌ„e without faith to be condemned for sinne nor all our good workes after our Cap. â—… con 25. Cap. 2. can 4. conversion to be stained so much as with any â—ental sinne neither all our very sinnes to be damnable and mortall nor yet our conversion it selfe to be wrought only by the spirit of regeneration but also by the power of our owne free wil neither our salvation to be ascribed to the only death of our all sufficient Saviour but also to our owne merites and desertes The Prophet Cap. 11. can 32. Psal 115. 1. David was of another spiâ—…e Not vnto vs O Lorde saith he not vnto vs but vnto
as beleue hath bin more careful for the naturalmaÌ„ by leaving those principles which stande vpon their owne ground that so he may attaine to the knowledge of all such Arts sciences which are profitable for the maintenaÌ„ce of this teÌ„poral life that he hath not left the like principles and grouÌ„ds for the regenerate maÌ„ wherby he may attaine to the knowledge of al such things as do coÌ„cerne eternal life And if Aristotle bee iudge in Philosophy Galene in Physicke Iustinian in the law albeit many of their rules precepts he diversly expounded by their Interpreters even so albeit there be diverse expositions of holy scripture yet God forbide but the holy scripture of God the most cleare pure fountaine of truth should be the iudge of faith that especially by the maine grounds of faith therein coÌ„tained The which are therefore named by the auncieÌ„t Fathers the key A bâ— serm 38. Aug. de doct Christ l. 3. cap 2. 3. De Temp. Serm 119. So r. hist Eccles lib. 5. Cap. 10. and rule of faith for that the perspicuity plainnes of theÌ„ doth open as it were a doore into all the mysteries of faith And hereof it was that not only Theodosius the Emperor vsed theÌ„ as a meanes to end all coÌ„troversies in his time but S. Austin also being to expouÌ„d the first booke of Moses called Gen. setteth theÌ„ down in the forefroÌ„t of his worke as a rule whereby he meaneth to frame al his interpretatioÌ„s that if they misse in the meaning of any particular place yet they may not erre in the substaÌ„ce of faith because he avoucheth nothing but that which is agreable to the grouÌ„ds of faith So likwise TertulliaÌ„ Iraene that liued near the Apostles See Kemnis Exa Trid. Conc. de traditionibus time wheÌ„ certaine heretikes charged the scriptures as the meÌ„bers of the Church of Rome doe now that they were in sufficieÌ„t dark ambiguous that the truth could not be fouÌ„d out by them without traditions they ioined issue with theÌ„ referred themselues to the iudgmeÌ„t of that doctrine which the Apostles delivered by tradition to the Churches the suÌ„me whereof they relate altogeather as it were eveÌ„ as it is set down in the Apostles Creed being the very pith substaÌ„ce of that faith which was delivered first by mouth by the Apostles theÌ„selues afterward set downe in their writings that it might be the pillar fouÌ„datioÌ„ of faith al interpretatioÌ„s of scripture they require to be agreable to this entire perfect body of truth as they had learned of the Apostle S. Paul that al prophecie should bee Rom. 12. 6. sutable proportionable to the faith Vnto the which Testimonies of these learned Fathers I adde the iudgment of Beza KeÌ„nitius quoted before that al indiffereÌ„t persoÌ„s may perceiue that we walke in the saÌ„e waies that these learned Fathers haue trod out vnto vs vsed the same meanes to attaine to the right interpretatioÌ„ of holy scripture and to a sound catholike iudgment in matters of faith No huÌ„ble Serm. in c 3. Cant. christiaÌ„ saith Beza if he desire to be taught caÌ„ be deceiued in the interpretatioÌ„ of holy scripture if he diligeÌ„tly coÌ„fer place with place according vnto the exaÌ„ple of our S. Christ the Math. 4. 7. practise of the auncieÌ„t CouÌ„cels if with all he referre the whole vnto the correspoÌ„deÌ„cy of the articles of our faith which we call our Creede being the suÌ„mary abridgmeÌ„t of every fuÌ„dameÌ„tall point of our Christian religioÌ„ Most notable also to Serm 4 de Incarnat Dumini this purpose is that of Leo If any saith he shal preach vnto you any other thing besides that which ye haue learned let him be accursed preferre not wicked fables before evideÌ„t truth whatsoever it shall happeÌ„ that ye read or heare coÌ„trary to the rule of the Catholike Apostolike Creede accouÌ„t it altogeather daÌ„nable divelish By which testimony of this learned Father we may gather that the doctrine of faith sette down in the Creede is that evideÌ„t truth which was delivered by the Apostles whatsoever is contrary to the same is a wicked fable to be accursed as being no better then flat daÌ„nable divelish Wherefore good ChristiaÌ„ reader if thou wouldst not willingly hold that faith which is fabulous accursed daÌ„nable diuelish examine thy faith according to those grouÌ„ds which are both easie short perfect least thou shouldst plead ignoraÌ„ce in thy selfe or leÌ„gth tediousnes in the worke it selfe Be not ouer credulous in this matter of so greate moment nor so simple as to receaue any pointes of faith which are not agreeable to this rule of faith No although that they be taâ—ght by that Church which maketh her boast that she caÌ„not erre and that the faith of her cheife governor caÌ„ never faile Nay rather if thou wilt be a sound scholer in the schoole of Christ learne to yeelde that reverence honour only to the bookes of Aug ep 91. ad â—litron the diuine scripture that thou firmely beleue that none of the Autors of theÌ„ erred any whit in the penning of the same giue this prerogatiue only to the worde of God that it hath his sufficieÌ„t warraÌ„t credite in itselfe because it is inspired of God proceedeth froÌ„ him which caÌ„not erre deceiue or be deceiued as for the writtings of all other albeit they excel in wisdom holines receiue theÌ„ not because they haue thus iudged but for that they are coÌ„firmed by the autority of the Canonicall scripture or by some reasoÌ„ agreable vnto Hom. 13. in 2. ep ad Cor trueth And verily it is an absurd thing as Chrysost saith in a mony matter not to trust an other but to tell that eveÌ„ after a mans own father in matters of farre greater momeÌ„t which coÌ„cerne Gods glory the salvatioÌ„ of our owne soules in a simple sottish credulity to follow the iudgmeÌ„ts of other men whereas also we haue a most exact ballaÌ„ce rule even the ceÌ„sure determinatioÌ„ of the divine lawes Yea whereas we are precisely coÌ„maÌ„ded to proue all to approue the best â— Th. 5. 21. 1. Ioh 4. 1. 1. Cor. 14. 32. not to beleeue every spirit but to try the spirits whether they bee of God or no for that the spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets therefor by trial to be fouÌ„d true before they be beleeued Neither is it any disgrace to the iudgmeÌ„t of man to be subiect to the ceÌ„sure of Gods spirite already set downe in the canonical scriptures for eveÌ„ the spirit of God speaking in S. Paul was coÌ„teÌ„t to be tried by the sacred scriptures that is in truth by himselfe the BereaÌ„s at coÌ„meÌ„ded Act 17. 11. Apoc. 2. 2. for doing the same as the Angeâ—l of the church of â—phesus is also coÌ„mended for examining
and mercies vpon them Iudge me O Lord saith David according vnto my righteousnes and according vnto the innocencye that is in mee and againe Iudge mee O Lorde for I haue vvalked innocently c. and verse the eight of the same Psalme O Lorde I haue loued the habitation of thy house and the place vvhere thine honour dwelleth O shut not vp my soule with sinners nor my life with the blood-thirsty in whose hands is wickednes their right hand is ful of gifts and coÌ„cerning the assuraÌ„ce that he had of his own faith the spring fouÌ„taine of al good works he likwise testifieth saying Haue mercy vpoÌ„ me O God haue mercy vpoÌ„ me for my soule trusteth in thee vnder the shaddowe of thy winges shal be my refuge vntill this tirannie bee over Isa 38. 3. past So Ezechias Remember now O Lorde how I haue waâ—ked before thee with an vpright hearte and haue done that which is acceptable in thy sight Remember me saith Nehemiah O my God in goâ—dnes according Neâ— 5. 9. 13 22. to all that I haue done for this people And againe Remember me O God concerning this and pardon mee according vnto thy great mercie Pray for vs saith the Apostle for we are assured that wee haue a good Heb. 13. 18. conscience desiring to liue honestly in all things And in truth how could the actions of the faithful haue beene pure and good except they had beene done in faith and in obedience to God and vpon an assured knowledge that they were wel pleasing vnto him How otherwise could they haue beene so bold and that in lue of that service which then they performed vnto him to haue required at the Lords hands that reward which he hath promised to his faithful servaÌ„ts Or if they theÌ„selues were not fully perswaded of their most comfortable faith godly life of the sincerity of an vpright conscience how came it to passe that the light therof was so great that their most deadly malicious enimies were forced to giue testimony thereto with these or the like words These be they which speake as they liue and liue as they speake this is assuredly an holie profession which bringeth forth so holie a conversation this is a ioyfull and comfortable faith which yeeldeth such ioy and comfort amidst so great and grievous torments and in the very terrors of death it selfe O truely great is the God of these christians Their light did so shine before meÌ„ that they did see their goods works and glorifie their father which was in heaven and therefore they did much more assuredly see them themselues Wherfore to conclude this first question A true a faithful christian man is not ignorant of the estate of his own soul nor standeth in feare of al his actions he â—s not in doubt of the purity of his cogitations nor yet vncertaine of his obtained grace he cleerely beholdeth the light of his owne holy life and conversation and both by the markes fruits of his christian faith groweth into a stedfast assurance thereof being thereby enabled to make an vndoubted profession of the same according vnto the direction of this our christian creede I beleeue Novv the first question being thus determined the second follovveth whether a faithfull christian knowing assuredlie that hee hath obtained a true saving and iustifying faith may know also assuredlie that â—e is in the favour of God hath remission of sinnes and a iust title to the inheritance of the kingdome of heaven Andradius the maintainer of the Trâ—dentine faith seemeth to yeeld thus much that if we could assuredly knovv that we had faith repentance loue we might also assuredly knovv that vve vvere in the favour of God had al our sins remitted vnto vs. But of the former he greatly doubteth nay he boldly avoucheth with * Duraeus li. 8. de paradoxiâ— other of his fellovvs that we cannot attaine to any stedfast and certaine assurance of the same Now theÌ„ seeing that the meÌ„bers of the church of Rome know not assuredly whether they beleeue or no or belong to the nuÌ„ber of the faithful servaÌ„ts of Christ it is no mervaile that they know not that they are in the favor of God neither acknovvledge the great mercy of Christ tovvardes themselues in remitting vnto them their iniquities and sinnes Whereas no doubt the faithfull servauntes and children of GOD feeling his lavv written in their Heb. 8. 10. 1 Ioh. 5. 20. heartes and knovving that he hath giuen them a minde to knovv him aright and to perfourme in some measure the vvell deserved duety of obedient servauntes and loving children and that according vnto his ovvne prescription in his most sure and vndoubted vvord do knovv also assuredly thereby that they themselues are vnder the covenant of mercy and in the estate of grace that God is become their loving father in Christ hath cast al their sinnes into the bottome of the sea This question then concerneth not the vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuers whether such may knovv whether they are in Gods favor for doubtlesse they may perswade themselues the cleane contrary but the faithful beleeuers only vnto whoÌ„ for the better streÌ„gthning of their stedfast assurance diverse helpes are ministred by the Lord in his word For as in the coÌ„veiancâ— of earthly lands possessions vvhen any thing is to passe from man to man the graunt is set dovvne in vvriting and signed and sealed vvith the hand and seale of the party that maketh the graunte and subscribed vvith the handes or markes of the vvitnesses present for the same purpose that so the party to vvhome the graunte is made may haue good security for those landes vvhich are after this manner passed over vnto him and as in those evidences the cause of the graunte is sometime signified for the better confirmation of the conveiance even so our most gracious and mercifull GOD purposing of his infinite and endlesse mercy in Christ to giue assuraunce to the faithfull of remission of sinnes and euerlasting life hath caused not only the graunt thereof to be set dovvne in the holy scriptures vnder the handes of diverse as it vvere publike Notaries but also the cause of the saide graunt as So GOD loved the vvorlde not so and so had vve deserued and such or such a summe had vvee giuen but So Ioh. 3. 16. God loved the vvorlde that hee gaue his only begotten sonne vvho is the onely purchaser and price of the purchase also that vvhosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perish but haue life everlasting And that vve might bee most throughly persvvaded of the vnchaungeable vvil of the LORDE concerning this his grant he commaunded it to be proclaimed not in Iurie alone nor any one corner of the world nor to one people onely but gaue in charge to his embassadors to publish the same throughout the vvhole vvorld and to entreate thereof vvith every creature Goe yee saith our Saviour
and condemnation the which he came into the world to sustaine that so he might procure our absolution The which agony continued with him no doubt also on the crosse where he sustaining the punishment of our sinnes which had deserued to be forsaken cried out my God my God why hast thou forsaken mee So great is the weight and burden of sinne howsoever to a foole it seemeth to be but a pastime that it being laide vpon our Saviour himselfe pressed and bruised him so sore that it caused him in the griping griefe of his heavy hart and in the bitter anguish of his sorrowfull soule thus and thus to complaine vnto his God So infinite vnspeakable was the kindnes and loue of our most gratious mercifull redeemer towards vs such vnthankefull and wretched sinners that he tooke from vs this so weighty a burden and laide it vpon his owne shoulders O what great comfort doth come vnto every faithfull christian out of these discomforts of our blessed Saviour What a glorious life doth arise out of his most shamefull death and what an endles blisse out of his most exâ—crable curse O what strong assurance haue we hereby that all our debtes are discharged to the vttermost mite and all our sinnes so punished even to the full that we neede not stand in feare now to bee punished our selues for the same or to be forced again to make satisfaction either in the Popish rigorous coÌ„sistory or the fire of painfull purgatory So great a price doe we iustly set vpon our Saviours most dolefull sufferings and so highly do we esteeme of his most pretious and invâ—luâ—ble paines and yet our masters of Rhemes are not ashamed to lay to our charge that we doe not so much Rhem. in Math. c. 27. disgrace as blaspheâ—e the same for that we teach that not onely in body but also in soule he sustained the paines that were proportionable to our sinnes Div. 6. That Christes obedience and suffeâ—…nges 〈…〉 excellency of his person but also 〈…〉 selues were meritorious of eternall â—…ory THe value of Christs actions albeit 〈…〉 â—…cy of his person yet it resteth not 〈…〉 deriued from theÌ„ce into the very actions and subsisteth as it were habitually in the workes themselues For the more excelleÌ„t and perfect the worke-master is the more excellent and perfect is the worke in it selfe that proceedeth from him And therefore that obedience and righteousnes which our Saviour Christ performed for vs being done in and by his humane nature which was endued with the spirite of holines aboue measure and also by the wil power efficacy of his divine nature which is inâ—…t holines purity perfectioÌ„ it selfe how can it be but that in it selfe it should be of inestimable holines purity and perfection and truely meritorious of eternall glorie For albeit a man might weigh all the droppes of his most pretious blood and counte the â—ust and full number of all his anguishes and paines yet his most fervent zeale tovvardes the glorie of GOD and his infinite loue to manes salvation vvhich mooued him thereto hath a bredth length depth heigth vvhich passeth knowledge and cannot Eph. 3. 18. be measured it is endles infinite and vnsearcheable and therefore being laide in the ballance with the crowne of eternall glory it is able to couÌ„terpoize yea to weigh downe the same The workes of Gods saintes here in this life come shorte of this perfection albeit they proceede from GODS most holie spirit for they are vvrought also by man that hath many imperfections 2. Cor. 12. 7 1. Cor. 13 9 and wantes and are never performed either with that fervency of zeale to the glorie of God or with such aboundance of loue See Mysteryes of mouÌ„â— Calvâ—… the Preface to our neighbours good as they ought to be therefore they are neither satisfactory for sinne nor yet meritorious of eternall glorie as are the most vvorthye vvorkes of our onely redeemer In thee and in mee saith Augustine are of greater or lesse value and weight the perfume of our workes because aâ— some time we doe them with greater devotion then at other times but in the sonne of God it is not so For his loue and charitie was so great to redeeme vs that neither time did encrease it nor trouble made it colâ—e Likevvise the vvorkes of one holy man and the torment of one holy Martyr may bee measured and vveighed vvith the workes and torments of an other because there is no man so holy in this world but by Gods grace there may be an other as holy yea holier to The heire of eternity doth not enter into this accounte neither doth he come vnder this scaâ—tling he is not vveighed as we are weighed nor measured as vvee are measured because it vvould bee a farre easier matter to poâ—ze the mountaines then to bounde out the limites of his merites Howe is it possible to measure his merites vvhose holines puritie and perfection doth exceed all measure Aboue in the resting place of the Trinitie and in the depth of the Divinitie the sonne of GOD hath his measure and vveight for that his merites are so greate and the doloures vvhich he suffred so grievous that there are no doloures of martyres to compare vvith him nor holines of angels to measure him by And howe can it otherwise be seeing that â—…r blessed Saviour did merite more by feasting in the wedding and with Zachoeus then the greate Saint Iohn the Baptist did by fasting in the wildernes Moreover it being granted that the workes which the sonne of God did as man had their limites and end yet the charity by which he did them had no end and if to that which he did suffer there was found a measure yet to the loue wherewith he did suffer there was founde no measure Thou mightest O my IESVS measure and vveigh the bloode vvhich in the mounâ— of Calvary thou didest shedde but vvho can be able to measure and weigh the loue vvith vvhich thou didest shedde it And although the bloode shoulde bee vveighed vvith powndes and ounces yet vvho is able to finde out vveightes to weigh thy bovvels In the ballance of the sanctuarie nothing vvas vveighed but that vvhich vvas of the sanctuarie so in the ballance and vveight of CHRIST nothing is vveighed but the vvorkes of CHRIST for if thou vvouldest vveigh any other thinge vvith him all the holines of the Angelles and all the tormentes of the Martyrs would not weigh so much as one dâ—oppe of his blood Seeing then that we cannot weigh our selues in the ballance of CHRIST he câ—…e to weigh himselfe in ours where in one ballance we did put our Fâ—…ites in the other hee did put his paines which before his Father was of so great weight that it was sufficient to sâ—isfie for our offence VVho could satiâ—fie for our fault if he shoulde not lende vs his paine and punishment to pay our debt And yet the members of the
greate Aâ—…rist who haue solde themselues to deface the incomparable dignity and the most ample sufficiencie of the mosâ— precious â—…ath of our almighty and sufficient Saviour haue not onely vveighed in the same ballance the vvorks of the saintes and maâ—ched them in meriting vvith the workes of Christ albeâ—t they haue gâ—uen them as it were for manners sake the vpper hande but also they haue denied such excellency to rest in his obedience and sufferings Rhâ—m in c. 8. ep adâ—rom that in themselues they should be meritorious of eternall glorie or any whit comparable therevnto Div. 7. That CHRISTES obedience and sufferings are the onely meritorious cause of eternall glorie THe Apostle to shewe that we haue perfect reconciliation with God forgâ—uenesse of sinne and full redemption by Suffered Col. 1. 15. by the blood of Christ setteth downe the excellency of this our most glorious Saviour who spared not to shedde his blood for vs as that he is the image of the invisible GOD the fiâ—st begotten of all creatures that by him all things were created in heaven earth whether they be thrones domiâ—…oÌ„s or powers yea that it pleased the father that in him all fulnes should dwell So the Heb. 1. 1. apostle to the Hebrew to shew that Christ is the perfect purgatioÌ„ of our sins setteth down the excelleÌ„cy of his persoÌ„ that he who is heâ—re of al things by whom also the world vvas made being the brightnes of his fathers glory the engraveÌ„ forme of his person sustaining all thinges by the might of his power hath by himselfe purged our sinnes In respect of the greatenes of the which price that vvas giuen for the raunsome of our soules Saint Peter saith 1. Pet. 1. 18. that vvee are not redeemed vvith corruptable thinges as vvith silver and golde but vvith the pretious bloode of CHRIST as of a lambe vndefiled and vvithout spotte So then our redemption was not valued at gold and silver it vvas not set at solowe a rate neither vvas it purchased vvith so small a price but he that vvas The greatnes of the sacrifice that was offred for sinne the onely begotten SONNE OF GOD the second person in the glorious TRINITIE of the same substance might maiesty with the father hauing taken vpon him our humane nature and ioyned it in one person with his divine and hauing sanctified â—t aboue measure by the infinite purity and perfection thereof and in it hauing fulfilled all righteousnes not onely by doing but also by suffering vvhatsoever vvas ansvvereable to the most exact and severe iustice of GOD for all our sinnes this even this so singular a person thus and thus qualified hath by himselfe purged our sinnes and giuen himselfe a ransome for our soules Behold then here the greatnes of that satisfaction that was made for our sinnes the summe of that raunsome that was paide for our soules the quantity of the price that vvas given for the purchase of the kingdome of glory In respect of the inestimable 2. Cor. 6. 20 value wherof the Apostle saith Ye are bought with a price with a price with a witnesse vvith such and so great a price that all the holines of all saintes and angels is no way matchable or comparable thereto How is it then that sinfull and wretched man should coÌ„ceaue so high an opinion of the worth of his owne workes that he should so much as but imagine that he himselfe could make satisfaction for those sinnes purchase that kingdome that was valued at so high a rate and purchased with so great a price Surely if it be meere madnes to imagine that here in this world we may purchase for an halfepeny that which is iustly valued at ten thousande poundes then it is as great madnes to imagine that vve are able by our ovvne vvorkes to purchase heaven for the which vvas giuen the Sonne of GOD himselfe seeing all our best works are not as an halfepenny to ten thousaÌ„d pound in respect of Christ and his righteousnes Therfore no marvaile though the Apostle S. Paul who had laboured more painefully in the Lords vineyarde and endured more crosses for the Gospell of Christ theÌ„ any of the rest of his fellovve Apostles yet dareth not thrust himselfe in as a party in this vvorke but vtterly disclaymeth and renounceth it saying Was Paule crucified for you Surely no but a 1. Cor. 1. 13 person of farre greater estate excellency worthines dignity and perfection For albeit pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Leo epist 8â— ad Palastinos saintes yet the slaying of no innocent person is the propitiation of the world the iust haue themselues receiued not giuen crownes the manhood of the faithfull hath beene patterns of patience and not endowmentes of righteousnes their deathes indeede haue beene rare and singular but yet none of them therevvithall hath discharged anothers debt whereas there is one LORD CHRIST in vvhome all are deade crucified and raysed vp againe And Augustine saith CHRIST is for me a Aug. in Ioh. Tract 47. dore vnto you for yee are his sheepe purchased by his bloode beholde your price which is not giuen by mee but is deâ—lared and preached by me And in truth no man can deliver his brother no not so much as from Psal 49. 7. bodily death nor make atonement vnto God for him For it cost more to redeeme SOVLES For vvhat recompence can a man giue for his Mat. 16. 26. â—vvne soule much lesse for the soule of any other VVherefore farre be it from the humility of al true and faithful christians that they shoulde so highly esteeme of their ovvne holines as if thereby they coulde make satisfaction for SINNE or merite the crovvne of eternall GLORIE vvhereas the cheifest amongst the SAINTES duely and truely vveighing their ovvne vvorth haue iudged themselues vnvvorthy of the very least of the LORDES mercies O GOD saith Iacob of my Gen. 32. â— father Abraham and God of my father I saak which saâ—dst vnto me returne vnto thy countrey and vnto thy kinâ—ed and I will doe thee good I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies Likewise Iohn the Baptist Ioh. 1 27. confesseth of himselfe that he is noâ—worthy to loose so much as the very â—atcheâ— of Christes shoe and the Centurion that he is not worthy so much as to receaue CHRIST vnder his roofâ— Nowe if these Luc. 7. 6. men so holy and high in favouâ— vvith GOD who haue wrestled prevailed with the Lord himselfe being as greate as any borne of vvomen of so rare singular a faith as hath not beene fouÌ„d no not in Israell if these I say did truely acknovvledge themselues not vvorthy of the Lords meanest blessings no doubt theÌ„ but they did also acknowledge with the prodigaâ—…on themselues not worthy to be called Gods sons nor vvorthy of remission of sins eternal glory And verily
workes but of his meere mercy grace and favour And so our Saviour himselfe teacheth vs in the parable of the husbandman that went and sent labourers into Math. 20. 1. his vineyard whereof some vvere hired at the beginning some at the middle and some at the end of the day and yet each of them receaued the same wages the same hire Vpon occasioÌ„ of which parable Saint Ambrose saith that such as were hired at the latter end Amb de vocat Genâ— l 1. c. 5 of the day do represent vnto vs those which are called to the Lords service at the end and vpshotte of their liues whom he hath chosen without works and vpon whome he doth rather powre forth the riches of his grace then yeelde a rewarde vnto their labours that they also who haue laboured swette the whole day and continued their whole life in the service of God and yet receaue but their penny with the other may thereby vnderstand that they also rather receiue a gift of grace then wages oâ— hâ—râ— due to their workes For there is but one waâ— to liâ—e for all thâ—… are saued and therefore if any of the faithfull be saued by meere merâ—y 〈…〉 without the merite of their owne workes then no dâ—ubt but all are saued after the same manner And verely it would goe verie harde even with the best if they should be put to wâ—…e the gâ—rlande of glory by theâ—… owne worthines before they should weaâ—e iâ— Loose it in deede we could easily and that in the sâ—…te of our greatest innocency and perfection but recover it againe we never could but onely by the meanes of our powerfull Redeemer VVhen Fabitu Maximus had wonne the city Tarentum which Cicero dâ— senecâ—…te Salinator before had lost being forced by the enemy to hide his head in the castle Salinator mette him and saide vnto him By my helpâ— Fabiâ—… thou hast wonne Tarentum True quoth Fabius smiling For if thou hadst not lost it I could not haue recovered it and even so may it be replied to the proude and vaine glorious Papists that are not ashamed to boast that by the meanes and merite of their owne workes Christ hath restored to them againe the kingdome of heâ—ven that in verie deede vnlesse we by our own workes had lost the same he should haue had no neede to haue recovered it A certaine noble mans sonne as it is reported comming to his father for maintenance was sent by him to demise certaine landes to such whose estates were now expired who comming to the place appointed and sitting in court demised to each one his estate for a penny Now might these men iustly boast of the fruite of their penny or of the kindenes of that noble gentleman who lette them renewe their coppies for so small a sine Surely he hâ—d beene a verie vngratefull tenante that would haue done so and altogether vnworthy of so great a favour VVe had all in Adam forfeited our estates in the kingdome of heauen whatsoever the best of vs can giue towardes the renewing of the same it is but as a penny to a good coppy-hold Seeing then our most gratious God hath so tenderly loued vs that he hath giuen vs his onely begotten sonne who hath purchased it againe for vs by his owne death and so hath renewed againe our estates therein wilwilling vs that we should earnestly endeavour to shew our selues dutifull and thankefull vnto him that hath beene so mercifull and gracious to vs telling vs also againe and againe that this our labour shall not be in vaine in the LORD and that it shall not be lost which we employ in his service but that he will crown it with eternall glory shall we nowe ascribe this crowne of glorye to our simple endevours vvhich vve employ in his service or to his infinite and endles goodnes vvho hath purchased it for vs vvith his ovvne blood Verely he vvere too too vnthankfull a vvretch vvho vvoulde ascribe it to the merite of his owne vvorkes and not to the meere mercy of his gracious redeemer The Apostle Saint Paul who if any had to glorie in the merite of his owne vvorkes yet disclaymeth them all in the matter of salvation saying GOD forbid that I shoulde glorie in any thing saue in the crosse of â—ESUS CHRIST For hee Gal. 6. 14. knewe that GOD had made him vnto vs vvisedome righteousnes 1. Cor. 1. 30 sanctification and redemption that hee vvhich glorieth should glory in the LORD He knevve that there vvas no other foâ—dation of his salvation to bee laide then Iesus CHRIST and him 1 Cor. 3. 11. crucified and that there vvas no other name giuen vnder heaven vvhereby vvee might bee saued but onely the name of our blessed Act. 4. 12. Saviour Not the name of our owne or other mens workes oâ— Masses Dirigesses Pardons or the like seeing if it might haue beene vvrought by any such meanes CHRIST had died in vaine he might then haue spared all his paines and avoided Gal. 2. 21. all those most grievous torments vvhich hee endured for mans redemption Especially if it be true vvich they teach that the good vvorkes of the regenerate if not in themselues yet in respect of the spirite vvhose fruites they are are of infinite price satisfactorie for sinne vvhich is infinitely heinous and aunsvvereable to the ioyes of the kingedome of heaven then it had beene sufficient for our Saviour CHRIST to haue bestovved his spirite vpon the faithfull by vvhose infinite purity their vvorkes being sanctified they might haue beene thus enabled to saue themselues and so his ovvne death had beene but superfluous for the vvorking out of mans salvation But if it bee a most heinous impietie to avouch Christes death to be superfluous and that he died in vaine then let vs all which looke for any benefite by his death ascribe the glorie of eternall life onely to him vvho is therefore called Ioh. 6 35. Apoc. 22. 2 1 Ioh. 5. 20. Col. 33. the bread of life the tree of life autor of life yea life it selfe for that our life resteth onely in him that is our onely iust title to eternall life Take hold then of CHRIST take hold of life reach forth thine hand to any other thing and thou reachest it to vanitie and takest holde as it vvere of thornes and of fire Looke not for life but vvhere it dwelleth Our life is hidde in CHRIST vvith GOD death reigneth in the vvhole vvorlde beside and leadeth every creature to the bondage of corruption If thou looke vp into heaven vvithout this reconciler there vvill appeare nothing but displeasure and vvrath if thou cast dovvne thine eyes vppon the earth there thou shalt see nothinge but fearefull confusion If thou call to Abraham hee knovveth thee not if to the wise virgines their oile is not sufficient for themselues and for thee also if to Saint Paule hee vvas not crucified for thee if to the most
themselues many also of the râ—probaâ—e beleeue the mystery of the Trinity the truth of the doctrine coÌ„cerning the vvorkes of the creation redemption and sâ—…ctification but they looke for â—o benefite to redounde to themselues by the fame therefore they beleeue and tremble beeing excluded from all hope But this true catholike faith teacheth the faithfull so to beleeue the doctrine concerning God and his vvorkes that they beleeue also in particular that the benefite thereof belongeth to themselues beeing already receiued into the housholde of faith and made members of the holy catholike church For otherwise then by this faithfull perswasion how could they be induced to beleeue in God and to place their assured hope and confideÌ„ce in him For to beleeue that God is a father redeemer and sanctifier to other and to doubt whether he be such a one to me also were but a cold comfort and a very faint and feeble motiue to induce me to beleeue in God to devote my selfe to his service and to associate my selfe to his church VVherefore it is not to be doubted but that the liuely members of the holy catholike church hauing an holy assurance of the grace and favour of God towardes themselues and being resolued that he is now become their louing father in Christ and hath cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea doe thereby beleeue and reioyce in Gods mercies and so grow daily by little and little into a stedfast aâ— assured perswasion of their full and finall glorification But the church of Rome teacheth her children not to seeke for any assurance in particular of the favour of God and of the remission of their sinnes by the death of Christ but still to doubt and to be in suspence thereof so by keeping them from the true faith excludeth them out of the number of the faithfull and so by consequent out of the true church Whereas the true church the spouse of Christ hauing a stedfast assurance of the loue of her bridegrome is thereby induced not onely to trust confidently in him and to loue him againe but also to testifie the same by harkening most reverently vnto his vndoubted will and resting her selfe onely vpon his most sure word and yeelding all â— Pet. 1. 19. obedience to the same And hereof it is that this true church is sometime called Gods feilde wherein the most pure seede of his Math. 13. 3. holy worde is sowen and not the darnell and cockell of mens inventions sometime his sold wherein are his sheepe which harken onely Ioh 10 5. to the voice of their sheepheard not to the voice of a stranger sometimes Gods family and housholde wherein he ruleth alone all autority Eph 2. 19. of commanding being yeelded to him sometime the mother of the faithfull hauing her children begotten by the immortall seede of the worde of God and nurced also by the sincere milke thereof drawen out of her two brestes which are the olde and the newe testament Lastly Aug in ep Ioh. tract 3. Apoc. 8. 20. she is called a goldeÌ„ candlesticke for that she resteth not on her own light but holdeth out the candle of the word of God to al such as are of his family houshold to direct them therby in the waies of the Lorde and to detect vnto them all stumbling blockes by pathes which might cause them either to stumble or fall or else to wander out of the right way And the verie name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a convocation or congregation doth signifie a company wakened by the shrill call of the voice of a crier out of the drowsie sleepe of ignorance and sinne emploied in the workes and the waies of piety and godlines By all which appellations is signified that the true church hath her children begotten onely of the immortall seede of the word of God and nourished with the sincere milke of the same directed by the light thereof and alwaies ruled by that autority wakened thereby when they fall a sleepe and reclaimed when they beginne to wander made fruitfull also to all good workes Now the church of Rome hath her children begotten also of the corruptible seede of mens traditions and ruled by her owne decrees and decretals for shee will not haue them harken onely to the voice of the true shephearde vttered in the sacred scriptures nor to be obedient to the commaundement of the master of the family onely therein contained nor to be guided by the candle onely of that vndoubted will of God shee deemeth that foode to be to harde meate for them and therefore shee setteth before them the festivityes of her golden legend so causing the prophecy of the Apostle to be fulfilled who saide that the time should come that men shoulde turne away their eares from the truth and 2. Tim 44. should be turned vnto fables Moreover shee addeth to the Canonicall scriptures the bookes Apocrypha and her vnwritten verities to the written word and whereas the holy scripture is profitable after so sufficient a manner to teach that the faithfull christian the man of 2. Tim. 3. 17 God may thereby be made absolute and perfect shee denieth this sufficiency and perfection thereof and whereas the spirit of truâ—h calleth this word a light she calleth it darke and whereas hee avoucheth it to be easie to him that will vnderstand she chargeth it to be an obscure and hidden doctrine even to the Lords owne chosen and peculiar people yea whereas our blessed Saviour the very wisedome of God speaking to the multitude commandeth them to search the scriptures yet shee very flatly forbiddeth the same Ioh. 5 39. Where by it is evident that seeing shee thus disgraceth the holy scriptures inspired of God that vndoubted worde of the bridegrome and his last will and testament sealed with his own blood calling light darkenes and darkenes light harkeneth not wholy â—sa 5. 20. to his decrees therein contained neither suffereth him to strike the stroke only to rule therewith in his owne family repealing disanulling his direct coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts that therefore shee is not to be esteemed the chast faithfull spouse of Christ but a cursed harlot a faithles adulteresse The which thing that it may more evidently appeare I wil here set downe sixteene distinct direct oppositions betweene the true church and the false betweene the faithfull servantes of Christ and the Sinagogue of Satan the limbes of Antichrist Opposit 1. The faithfull especially vnder the raigne of Antichrist flye only to the scriptures as to the onely sufficient iudge for the deciding of all controversies and that according vnto the precise commandement of Christ and the ensample of his faithfull servantes whereas seducing and seduced heretikes take away this key of knowledge and shut the gates against the truth not onely defaming the faithfull for the study of holy scripture but also disgracing those most holy bookes
all treachery periurie and lies it may appeare in that shee allovveth her base children beeing brought even before the Magistrate to pretende ignoraunce vvhen they knovve the matter right vvell but as they say not to open it to SVCH in that also shee allovveth vvell of breach of faith and promise made to such as shee accounteth and condemneth for heretikes VVhereby vvee may perceaue hovve vvell shee leadeth her follovvers to the Lordes hill and to the holy tabernacle of his heavenly kingdome vvherevnto none are admitted but such as sweare to their neighbour and disappoint him not though it bee to their â—vvne hinderaunce Psal 15. 4. 10 Lastly albeit the lawe being spirituall setteth downe a rule to our soules and spirites and to all the very motions and affections of our heartes forbidding all such as tende either to the dishonour of God or to our neighbours hurt yet the church of Rome teacheth that concupiscence if it get not the full consent of our vvill and a setled resolution to accomplish the same is not a transgression Rom. 7. 7. In ipsa deliberatione â—acinus est tametsi ad actum non perveneris Cic. off l. 3. Nam scelâ—…â—nira se tacitum qui concipit vllum Facti crimen habet Horat. of the lavve of GOD neither can bee iustly condemned of sinne VVhereas the Apostle testifying of himselfe that hee had not knowne concâ—pisâ—…nce to bee sinne excepte the lawe had saide thou shalt not lust meaneth not in all likely hoode that kinde of lust which is ioyned vvith a full consent of the vvill for so hee being brought vp at the feete of a learned Doctor in the lavve shoulde haue had lesse knovvledge then the very heathen themselues of vvhom some could say that the very consultation to sinne was sinne albeit it came not to execution and that a bare purpose to doe evill maketh guilty of the deede done CHAP. 10. That by the law there is no entraunce to life but only by faith in Christ Iesus that the law detecteth the deadly wounde of sinne but ministreth not the soveraigne salue causeth not favour but wrath not a blessing but a curse directing vs to Christ to trust in his death and not suffering vs to rest in our selues nor yet to trust in our â—vvne righteousnesse COncerning the vses of the law it is manifest The vses of â—…e law that the lavve vvas giuen to teach vs how farre vve are endebted to God being an obligatioÌ„ wherin we are bound that vnder a great forfeiture to loue God vvithall our heart soule and strength our neighbours as our selues Whereby vve may easily collect hovv vnable vvee are to discharge this â—ebt For in the regenerate themselues the flesh albeit it be subdued in part yet it still rebelleth against the spirit Rom. 7. 23. neither is it vtterly vanquished and overcome but is one of those enemies that we must still fight against vntill the finall ende of our spirituall warfare which is not vntill the last gaspe of this traÌ„sitory life So that all the time of our continuance heere in this worlde the lawe of God is impossible in respect of the flesh and such an Rom. 8. 3. Act. 15. 10. heavy and vveighty burden that none of the faithfull were ever able to beare and therefore this vvay to life is cleane shut vp doe this and thou shall liue because of the impossibility of the condition And yet the church of Rome teacheth that we may in this life fulfil the vvhole law and discharge our huge debt yea and make payment in part also for the debt of other Furthermore the law thus opening that perfect righteousnes which the Lorde requireth at our hands and our inability to performe the same is therefore said to bring vs to the knowledge of our sinnes and sinne provoking vvrath Rom. 3. 20. Rom 4. 15. Gal. 3. 10. it is said also to worke wrath and the wrath of God being not vnarmed it is also said to make vs subiect to the curse and for that the faithfull thus beholding their great danger are thereby stirred vp to seeke for deliverance it is called our schoole mâ—…ster that bringeth Rom. 10 4. Gal. 3. 24. vs to Christ which is our only deliverer and redeemer Contrary to all which most evident vses of the lavv set dovvne by the Apostle the church of Rome teacheth that the law bringeth vs not so much to the knowledge of our sins in the transgression therof as to the knowledge of our perfect righteousnes which is obtained by the full keeping and obseruing of the same and so consequently not to wrath but to favour not to the curse but to the blessing not to death but to life to trust in our selues and in our owne righteousnes and not to glory alone in the death of Christ as in the only meritorious cause of our great deliverance Thus hath the Bishoppe and church of Rome not only vndermined the foundations of faith but also hath subverted the lavve of God the rule and levell of a godly life Now if hee that breaketh Math. 5. 19. the least of the commaundementes and teacheth other to doe the like shall bee called least in the kingdome God vvhat shall then become of that man of sinne and of his sinnefull generation vvhich 2. Th. 2. 3. allovve not onely of the transgression of one of the least of these commaundementes but of every one of them little and great yea what strange either impudencie or hypocrisie may we iustlie thinke to possesse their soules for that they yet so greatly extoll their owne sincerity and rightnes as if truth iustice and godlines did after a sort liue and die vvith them and as if they were the Iob. 12. 2. onelye men that flowed and abounded with all good vvorkes vvhereas they thus violate and disanull the sacred and inviolable lavve of God the rule and levell of all good vvorkes Surely if sanctitie in doctrine bee a sure note of an holy church and impurity of an impure as Bellarmine saith howe impure then is the church of Rome whose impure doctrine thus offendeth against all the rules of sanctity and godlines CHAP. 11. 1 That we ought to make our prayers only to God 2 That we ought to sanctifie the name of God by giuing to him that glorie which is due vnto him 3 That we ought to promote the gospell of Christ being the only meanes for the erecting of his kingdome 4 That all the faithful without exception and not such as are of the Religious sort only ought to endevour to fulfill the will of God even after that manner as it is performed of the Angels in heaven 5 That the faithfull enioy their daily breade â—y the most franke and free gifte of God and not by their â—vvne merites and deservinges and therefore much more the release and remission of all their trespasses and sinnes 6 That vvee ought neither to cast our selues nor yet to cause
liuing GOD saying giue me a man that we may fight togither After the like maner marched forth this other prowde champion with his most stately furniture as he himselfe thought and armour of proofe even vvith a most goodly and glorious shevve of all Antiquity and Novelty Law and Custome Fathers and Councels Histories and all Monuments Reasons naturall and morall togither with the vvhole armies and hostes of heauen and earth and the bandes and companies of all the creatures great and small in confidence hereof he was bold to blaspheme the truth of the gospell and to revile the professors thereof even all the Lordes armies and to provoke them all to an open combate Now there was sent forth against this Gyant little David with a staffe as it were a sâ—ing and a fevve Guilielmus Whitakerus small stones taken out of the cleere streames of the sacred scriptures and so with this armour of the Lordes he overthrewe this vaine glorious Goâ—ah the sonne of pride and child of Antichrist and with his owne sword of Fathers Councels c. he cut of his head and gaue his carcase to be meate for the birds of the aire and the beasts of the field and made it manifest to all indifferent persons that this prowde vaunt was nothing else but a glorious shew of vaine words and a puffing blast of a swelling spirit The Apostle S. Peter by the spirit of prophesie foreseeing the great corruptions of these last and most dangerous daies setteth downe these notes and markes of the false prophets and Antichristes which shall seduce the most part of the Christian world 1 as first in generall tearmes 2. Pet. 2. 1. that they shall prively and vnder the vizard of truth bring in damnable heresies Satan in them turning himselfe into an Angell of light and not shewing himselfe openly as hee is but shaddowing his false-hood vnder the cloake of truth For with â—eiâ—edwordes saith he shall they make merchandize of the people that is vnder the pretence as it were of the Catholike faith the Holy Church the consent of Fathers Christs Vâ—car Peters successor Antiquity Vnity Vniversality they shall sell many â—oules to the Devill when they which be deceaved by such meanes shall perswade themselues that they gaâ—e God 2 Secondly the Apostle setteth downe in particular what shal be the principal of these damnable and privy heresies even this that they shall deny the Loraâ—haâ— bought them that is they shall deny the great vertue sufficiency of our redemption wrought by Christ Quicquid eiuâ— negaris ipsum negavit Aug. in Joh. tract 66. vvhich is in effect a â—…at deniall of Christ himselfe For as Austine teacheth whosoeuer denieth any thing belonging to Christ denieth Christ 3 Thâ—…dly they shal come with so strong delusion that they shal make drunke with the cuppe of their spirituall foâ—nication many of the countries and kingdomes of the earth whereby there shall fall out a great Apostasie from the faith the multitude following their damnable waies 4 Fourthly they shall speake evill of the way of truth charging both the profession thereof with error and heresie and the professours of the same with many most heinous and grievous crimes 5 Lastly Apo. 18. 13. through covetousnes they shall make merchandize of people and set out to sale even their soules for gaine Nowe doe not all these cognisaunces and badges of these heretikes and Antichrists of the last times agree most apparantly to the Pope and his Ministers of whome we may say that they seeme to be friends but indeed Omnes aâ— ici omnes inimici servi Christi servâ—unâ— Antichristâ— Bern. in cÌ„atserm 33. are enemies In shew they serue Christ but in truth Antichrist For howsoeuer in outvvard shevv they seeme to esteeme of the Lord that bought them and of the redemption vvrought by his death yet in effect they cleane overthrovv the vertue and validity thereof in that they teach that vve must seeke for a second iustificatioÌ„ by our ovvne deeds and not content our selues vvith our first iustification by Christ that vve must make satisfaction by the works of Pennance or else in Purgatory for our ovvne sins as if Christes satisfaction vvere not sufficient and that vve must deserue heaven by our ovvne merites as if Christ had not fully bought it vvith his blood Novv what other thing saith S. Austine doe vve Aug. de verb â—om secund â—oh ser 45. fearein Antichrist but that he shall honour his owâ—e name and contÌ„eâ—e Christs And what else doth he when he â—aith I iustifie For to seek to establish our ovvne righteousnes is to derogate from the vertue of Christs righteousnes and to seeke iustification by our ovvne vvorks is to disalovv the fulnes of our iustification by Christ and is not this to honor our selues with the dishonour of Christ which is a marke of a very Antichrist For as our Messias Saviour vvas an all-sufficient God that so he might be an al-sufficient Saviour so he vvil be acknovvledged an al-sufficient Savior or no Savior an entire perfect and only Redeemer or no Redeemer And therefore in that the Bishoppe of Rome and his adherents do deny our Saviour Christ to be an entire perfect only and all-sufficient Saviour they do in effect deny him to be their Savior at al according vnto the prophecie of the Apostle S. Peter And yet haue they set such a gloze vpon this their most wicked doctrine and deliuered forth their poison in such a golden cup that a great nuÌ„ber haue beene deceiued and led into error by them and many haue followed their damnable waies in so much that whosoeuer neuer so little opposed himselfe against them he was strait waies an Horetike and a Lollarde for his labour a fire and a fagot was to good for him and whatsoeuer mischiefe they could do him either in word or deed all was thought to little And did they not with feined words deceiue the world whiles they taught that this doctrine of meriting of saluation by our owne workes was both a magnifying of the vertue of Gods most holy spirit by whose power and efficacy they are wrought and a great provocatioÌ„ to piety godlines in that thereby we should deserue our own salvatioÌ„ yea did they not through couetousnes make merchandize of the people whiles they taught that they had power to remit sinnes that they had the keies of the kingdome of heaueÌ„ that they could by their masles and pardons deliuer any soule whatsoeuer out of Purgatory if that they were well hired and paâ—de for their paines And did they not by their thus merchandizâ—ng of mens soules so well profit gaine that they had gotten into their own hands many of the goodliest possessions in Christendome vvith great aboundance of riches treasures and had still at coÌ„mande as they thought good the purses liuely hoods of all Christians Wherefore seeing that all these markes of the heâ—etâ—kes and
also execution accordingly never making stay of your fervent zeale vntill yee haue brought her to her vtter desolation And so if yee fight this good fight and fulfill your course keepe the faith be yee most assured that there is laid vp for you a crowne of righteousnes 2. Tim. 4. 7. which the righteous iudge shall giue vnto you and to all those that loue his appearing Now to the immortall invisible and onely wise God be all honour and glory dominion and power praise and thankes both now and ever Amen Psal 40. 74. Let all those that seeke thee be ioyful and glad in thee and let all such as loue thy salvatioÌ„ say alwaies The Lord be praised FINIS THE SECOND PART OF THE TRIAL OF TRVTH WHEREIN IS SET DOWNE THE proper fountaine or foundation of all good works the fowre principal motiues which the spirit of God so often vseth in the sacred scriptures to perswade therevnto togither with the contrariety of the doctrine of the Church of Rome to the same wherein also are opened not only the causes of all true piety and godlines but also of all heresie and Idolatry which is and hath beene among Gentiles and Iewes and vs likewise that are called Christians By JOHN TERRY He that commendeth himselfe is not allowed but whom the Lord commendeth 2. Cor. 10. 18. VVhether we be out of our wit we are it to God or whether we be in our right minde we are it vnto you The loue of Christ constraineth vs. 2. Cor. 5. 13. 14. AT OXFORD Printed by Joseph Barnes and are to be solde in Fleetstreete at the signe of the Turkes head by IOHN BARNES 1602. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL Master Doctor RIVES warden of S. Mary Colledge of VVinchester in Oxford commonly called New Colledge and to the residue of the members that are or haue bin of that society IT is a truth generally confessed Right VVorshipful yee the residue beloved in the Lord that of all feastes that is the most sumptuous and dainty which wisedome hath provided for Proâ— 9. her guests the which consisteth of three courses that is of the instructions of faith of the precepts of life and of the rules of discipline and government The two first courses of this worthy feast especially the first coÌ„sisting of the instructions of faith as they haue bin seasoÌ„ed served in by the Lords most skilfull Cookes and sworne servaÌ„ts and also as they haue beene attempted to be distempered even poisoned by the blacke guard of Antichrists kitchin the devils scullery I haue already set before the Christian Reader which vouchsafeth to be a guest at wisedomes table that vnder the tast of the Right Reverend Father in God my very good Lorde the Bishop of SaruÌ„ And now that which was then wanting of the second service without the supply wherof this feast might seeme to be somwhat sparing as far forth as I haue beene credited therewith I present vnto the church vnder the approbation of the Right worshipful M. Doctor Riues laâ—e chiefe overâ—eer of our coÌ„mon mother the Vniversity of Oxford and remaining still a careful Guardian of one of my speciall nurses the Colledge of S. Mary of Winchester in Oxford coÌ„moÌ„ly called New Colledge Sir your kinde affection towardes mee of long time and your friendly perswasion in moving mee to publish to the benefite of the church of Christ the first part of my private labours and your advaÌ„cemeÌ„t by God to the governmeÌ„t of that Colledge vnto the which â—owe more then vnto any other place or person whatsoever seeing there I had my being well wheras elsewhere I had but my bare being or rather with my being my being evil haue induced me so farre forth to presume of your favour and good will as that I am bold to request your protection for the seconde part of these my travailes and paines For my hope is the more that God hath advaÌ„ced you to worshippe that the greater will bee your care to further all such meanes as doe concerne his worship that you do esteeme this to be your chiefest worship that you haue receiued of the â—ord not only a minde to will but also by reason of your place hability to perfourme many thinges that belong to the glory of God and to the good of his church Cicero saide of Caesar that his high estate had nothing greater and his nature nothing better theÌ„ that he was both able ready to preserue many And Plinie saidâ— of Vespasian that the greatnesse of his honor had changed nothing in him but this that now by his advancement he was made able as before he was willing to doe good to many And Aristotle hath set down this as a differeÌ„ce between a king a tyraÌ„t that the one seeketh the publike the other his own private good Lastly the Poet could say that this was the great Hoc reges habeÌ„t magnificum ingens nullus quod ra piat dies prodesse miseris and magnificeÌ„t prerogatiue of princes which no day could take from them to profite the miserable and to protect the suppliant c. Now Christian magistrates know more then these heathenish persoâ—s did which liued without the knowledge of the true God eveÌ„ that they are the Lords Leifetenantes not onely to preserue the commodities of their earthly kingdoÌ„ms for the good of their subiects but much more to maintaine establish among them the meanes whereby they may be made partakers of the kingdome of heaven And verely this is a great dignity vnto you that God the full fountaine of all good thinges hath made you a river to water the plantes of a goodly nursery and to minister vnto theÌ„ al such thinges as might further their growth and a carfull Guardian to fence and keepe them from all such things as might worke their annoy ance that so many good trees might grow vp therein fit to be transplanted into many places of this land to replenish the same with much fruite We also which haue bin heretofore plantes in your nurserie hope that your river wil flowe forth farre further and extend it selfe even vnto vs to water vs with some of your droppes and to bee our fence and fortification that the fruites of faith godlines that growe vpon our branches may bee the better preserved and kept vntill they come to maturity and ripenes And now to come to you my foster brethren as I togither with you expect protection and direction from our common head so as a fellowe member I am bould to put you in minde that while yee may come to the full breast yee desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow thereby if ye haue tasted how sweete the Lord is and what an honour it is to be borne of God and how great is the gaine of faith and godlines And that while the yeeres of plenty coÌ„tinue ye follow the ensample of provident Ioseph and
be any cause or provocation to sin as it is vniustly charged by the enemies of grace and by the favourites and patrons of their owne merites In this question of Iustification there are these three pointes to be considered First before our effectual calling vnto the state of grace the great sufficiency of our natural corruptions to procure wrath and the great insufficiencie of our best workes to prepare vs and to make vs meete to be partakers of the Lordes loue Secondly after our effectual calling the great inhability of our faith repentance loue and of the residue of our works of grace to merite remission of sinnes and eternal glorie Lastly the onely sufficiency of the obedience of Christ for the perfect accomplishing of this great and weighty worke of mans redemption When the scripture teacheth that man by originall sinne is wholy corrupt and that in vs that is in our flesh Rom. 3. 1â— Rom. 7. 18. dwelleth no good thing the purpose therof is not to detract from man al manner of good for the substance and the naturall powers workes both of body soule are good in that they are the Lordes creatures and the workemanship of his owne handes and the light of reason whereby we are taught that there is a God and that iustice equitie is to be observed in the ordering of our publike private affaires is also good and was preserved by God in the soule of man when he fell from God that therby he might be directed and guided for the better managing of al such thinges as belong to the preservation of this present life and therefore there are yet remaining in man since his fal some things that are naturally and civilly good But there There is nothing in man by nature that is religiously good is nothing remaining in him by nature that is religiouslie good that can prepare fitte vs to the readier receaving of faith repentance further vs to the performing of any such thing as belongeth to the true worship service of God For the very wisedome of the flesh is enmitie to God Rom. 8. 7. and therefore is no friend or furtherer of his service yea it is not subiect to the lawe of God neither indeede can bee So that vntill we condemne our owne wisedome of follie we cannot yeeld over our selues to be guided and ruled by the wisedome of God and vntill wee wholy renounce our selues we cannot be admitted into the Lordes family and houshould Neither is it to be feared least the regenerate man being lightned by the word of God to behould to condemne his owne vniversall corruption and embrace salvation only by faith should therby be induced as Campian CaÌ„p rat 8. The doctrine of iustification is no provocation or spur but a strong bridle to all iniquity sinne avoucheth to wallow still in the stinking and loathsome sincke of all iniquitie and sinne to accuse nature to despaire of vertue to withdraw himselfe froÌ„ the obedience of God Nay the more great grievous his sins haue beene before his conversion the more clearely he seeth and behouldeth the same the more they will stinke in his own nostrels the sooner he wil loath leave them also And howsoever he be tempted to returne with the dogge to his vomite with the hogge to the wallowing againe in the mire either by the remnaÌ„ts of his owne corrupt nature or by the instigations and ensamples of others yet he doth not yeelde himselfe captiue to these temptations but casting his eies backe vpon his former corruptions both originall actual he doth with David most severely condemne them and himselfe also for the same doth thereby sharpen and increase his vnfayned harty repentaÌ„ce and his setled purpose of amendement of life as it is to be seene in the one and fiftieth psalme He taketh not liberty hereby to offend againe and to adde vnto the multitude of his former corruptions but rather protesteth with St. Peter to the contrarie Oh it is sufficient that we haue spent 1. Pet. 4. 3. the time past of our life according vnto the lustes of the Gentiles Now seing that the Lord hath made vs to behould to abhorre our former rebellioÌ„s we must resigne the time of our life to come wholy to God Yea the greater hath bin the number of our former sinnes and the more the Lords mercy in pardoning the same the greater must be our care that we offend not any more so gracious a God and merciful a father by adding vnto the huge heap of our former iniquities Indeed there haue bin some carnall libertines in al ages who hearing that the greater our sins are the greater is the mercy of God in pardoning the same haue turned the grace of God into â—antonnes and haue said let vs continue in sinne that grace may abound But as to the vncleane al thinges are vncleane yea the most holy and pure grace of God is an occasion to encrease their vncleane impure lusts so to the pure al things are pure yea the multitude greatnes of their vncleane sins causeth them to loath and abhorre them the more to loue him the more also that hath most franckly and freely pardoned them all There was saith our Saviour to Simon the Pharisee a certaine lender that had two debtours the one owed him 500. Luk. 7. 41. pence and the other 50. VVhen they had nothing to pay hee forgaue them both which of them therefore tell me saith he will loue him most Simon answered and said I suppose that he to whom he forgaue most And he said vnto him thou hast truely iudged Wherby it is evideÌ„t that the faithful the more they perceiue the greatnes of their sinnes and how much they are endebted and endangered vnto God for the same togither with the great mercy of God in pardoning them all will not take occasion thereby to contemne God to cast themselues againe into the like dangerous sinnes but will loue God the more and take the greater care to testifie the same by their duetifull obedience to his commaundements Now concerning the second and third pointes that are to be considered in this question it is most true that the Psalmist testifieth that no man may deliver his brother no Psal 49. 7. not so much as from temporal death nor make atonement vnto God for him for it cost more to redeeme soules in so much that the Son of God himselfe was to become man that he might giue himselfe a ransome for many And therfore The all insufficiency of any thing that is in man and the all suffiâ—iency of the death of Christ to perâ—orme the worke of mans redâ—mption the scripture displaying the insufficiency of any thing whatsoever that can be giuen by man him selfe for the satisfaction of his sinnes and for the redemption of his soule giveth present testimony vnto the most ample sufficiency of
his owne most free and vndeserved goodnes in Christ he hath bound himselfe by promise to giue them a reward And as for the least sin that is bee it but a desire to The most heavy burden even of the lightest sinne and the great deformity of the least iniquity steale a sticke out of thy neighbours hedge or to eate an apple of the forbidden tree seeing in doing the same either we set God so at naught that we vtterly forget him his holy commandements Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house c. Cursed is he that continueth not in every point of the law to doe it wheras we ought most religiouslie to keepe a constant and continual remembrance thereof Or if we remembring the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of God the heavy curse annexed to the transgression of the same yet blesse our selues and promise our selues peace when God menaceth warre and so giue more credit to the suggestions of Satan then to the sacred testimonies and oracles of God harkening to the devil rather then to God and preferring the devil before God seeing herein as much as in vs lieth we robbe God of his truth and iustice of his soveraigne auctority over vs by refusing him to raigne over vs and making choice of the devil to be ruled by him taking after a sort the scepter out of the Lordes hand and the crowne from his head giuing them vnto the Devill if the Lord for this so intollerable an indignity should depriue vs vtterly of his favour and loue and of all his gracious giftes blessinges and deliver vs cleane over vnto the devill to bee partakers with him of al maÌ„ner of curses plagues what should he doe heerein but that in al iustice right is most due vnto vs And how should he herein serve vs also but even according vnto our owne choice For the lesser the commodity or pleasure is for the which wee are so soone perswaded to cast away God and to set his coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts at naught the more manifestly is our vile corruption convicted in that we are so quickly hyred to so wicked a workâ— vpon so base and meane wages And heereof it is that Samuel is bold to cal the traÌ„sgression of Saul in sparing the Gigantum more bellare cum deo best of the sheepe oxen at the earnest motion as it seemeth of the people that to this end to offer sacrifice vnto God rebellion for that therin he did rebel against God ioyne himselfe to that notorious rebell Satan not only so but he further likeneth it to the most odious and abominable sin of Idolatrie and witchcraft And verely as the witch renounceth God giveth her selfe vnto the devil and the Idolater forsaketh the worship and service of God and betaketh himselfe to the service of the Deuill euen so every sinner euen in the smallest and least sinne as much as in himselfe lieth casteth away God and maketh choice of the deuil and therefore if the Lord shoulde vtterly cast him of for the same deliuer him ouer to that cursed serpent to haue his part with him in his torments plagues he should do no other thing therin theÌ„ that which is most iustly deserued And verelie had not our alsufficient Savior made full satisfaction by his most precious bloode for the least as wel as for the greatest of the sinnes of the elect theÌ„selues had not he procured a pardon for the same they woulde haue beene so heauy and burdensome vnto them that they would haue pressed them downe to the bottomlesse pit of hel Neither would their holy life either past or to come haue beene able to haue diâ—charged them of the burden thereof For if one otherwise a very good subiect and of most ciuil and vpright conversation falling into the company of loose and lewd persons by their counsell and perswasion do but ioine with them in one robbery and so commit a trespasse if it bee but against one of the Princes subiects and but against one of the lawes of the common weale it is not his honest life past and the keeping of al the rest of the lawes and the doing good to many of the princes It is a thing worthy to be condeÌ„ned iustly to be grievous to meÌ„ what an offence theÌ„ is it to be grievous vnto God subiects and his duety neuer so well performed before to prince and country nor yet his harty repentance his sincere promise of amendment that can discharge him froÌ„ the same but that law must proceede against him and execution must be done accordingly vnlesse a pardoÌ„ be procured from the prince how much more if one sin against the incomprehensible maiesty of the most glorious deitie by treading vnder foote the least of his commandements shal the seâ—tence of eternal condeÌ„nation proceede against him vnlesse hee obtaine the forgiuenesse thereof by the blood of Christ For if one man sinne against another the 1. Sam. 2. 25 Rom. â— 23. Ezeâ— 10. 20 iudâ—e may iudge it but if one sin against God who shall plead for him The wages of sin saith the Apostle â—… death That soule saith the prophet that sinneth that soule shall die Bas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hier. ep 14 What sin is it saith Basill that any daâ—… cal light I knowe not saith Hierome whether we may cal any sinne light or small the which is done with the contempt of God This then is our doctrine of iustification that our best workes are stained and stand in need of mercy and therefore can neither merite eternal glory nor make satisfaction to God for the least of our sins and that the lightest of our transgressions would haue beene too heauy for vs to beare yea they would haue pressed vs downe to the bottomlesse pit of hel had not our most mercifull Sauiour succoured vs herein by removing them also graciously from vs and by laying them vpon his owne shoulders And if this doctrine provoke to sin I know not what can revoke from the same But now let vs proceede to that other part of the slaunder wherewith all the enemies of the gospel do charge the profession thereof euen with the great penury and want of al good workes For not only the Rhemists do take from vs for the most part the sheepes cloathing that is the very outwarde shew of good workes but also the composer of the VVard word vpon occasion of some civil behaviour acknowledged to be in some of our Recusants taketh vpon him with the prowd Pharisie not only to advance himselfe and his farre aboue vs base and vile Publicanes but also he woulde haue the worlde beleeue that if question were betweene them and vs of good works our chiefest captaines would straight waies relinquish the field not bee so bold as to strike one stroke But this is but one of their Thrasonical brags For I doubt not but a meane souldier fighting vnder the ensigne of the
gospell of Christ may encounter herein euen their stoutest champions For if either we respect the sounde doctrine or the sincere practise of good workes for good words bring forth good manners not only at their birth but also in their growth it shal be declared in the treatise following that the holsome doctrin of good workes is most soundly delivered by vs and not by them and as for the practise let vs nowe briefly take a true view thereof euen in the fowre cardinal vertues wisedome fortitude temperance and iustice and let vs in a word see whether we haue iust cause to giue ground vnto them and to yeeld backe one foote Concerning wisedome which is the Lady and M is The professors of the gospell are no whit behind the papists but a great way before them in the holy exercise of all vertues to all the residue of the vertues not onlâ— our doctrine but our practise also is that both priest and people haue their dayly resort to the word of God the full fountaine welspring of true wisedome and meditate thereon day and night that their harts being continually moistened with the sweete droppes thereof they may be made partakers of her fruits And is it not a point of true wisdome for one that cannot of himselfe wisely iudge of al thinges to make choise of a wise instructer teacher But the doctrine the practise of the church of Rome is to cause the people for the most parte to reiect the daylie reading of the word of God and therfore what wisedome can there be in theÌ„ Ier. 8. 9. yea it hath not bin required much lesse practised by their priestes and great Bishops to be much busied in the Lords bookeâ— it hath beene thought to haue bin inough for them to haue biâ— skilfull in their portuise and in their pontificall It may shame indeede the priestes of Italy who truelie Aenaeas Silvius coÌ„ment de dict fact Alphon. regis 1. 2. 17 Eras 1. 9. ep ad Natal Bedd as it is wel knowen haue no not so much as once read over the new testament whereas among the Thaborites that is the Gospellers yee can hardly finde any woman which cannot aunswere both out of the olde testament and the new And a proveâ—be went currant in Scotland not many yeares since testifieng the blindnes and brutishnes of some of their great Bishops ye are like the Bishops of Dunkelden who knew neither new nor olde lawe Now concerning true Christian courage and manhood it hath beene so great in many thousands of the professors of the Gospel of Christ that even among such as were of the meanest trades and occupations that they haue willingly lost both their liberties and liues to giue testimony vnto the truth of their most holy faith and the paucity of the seedsmen of rebellion that haue bin executed for treason against their prince and country and for the defence of the vsurped iurisdiction of the Romish Antichrist may no way bee compared and matched with them And as for the exercise of temperance and chastity it is well knowne to the whole world how we reverence the divine institutioÌ„ of holy matrimony and keepe our selues within the bounds of this ordinance of the Lord Wheras among our Romish votaries simple fornication hath beene accounted no sinne and it hath beene thought to goe well with them if they liued Si noÌ„ castè â—ameé cautè charily though not chastly And howe chastly some of their religious persons liued among themselues some of their fishpondes haue testified sufficiently and concerning their secular priestes the toÌ„gues of such as liued with them haue witnessed that very few wives in their parishes were left at the least vnattempted by these their ghostlie Fathers that I may omitte the vowed trotting on pilgrimage by many that the barren wombe might so be made fruitfull Lastly concerning iustice equity conscience and an vnspotted and vnblameable life as it hath beene reported by Reinerius an inquisitor and that no doubt vpon sufficient inquiry of our brethren the poore men of Lions that they had a great shew of godlines lived iustly with men and beleeved al things well concerning God and all the articles of the creede saue only saith he that they hated blasphemed the church of Rome so I doubt not but that the like testimony may be given of al the sincere professors of the Gospel and that by the mouth of the very enemy if that he wil lay aside blind malice as Reinerius did and simplie and plainely declare the truth At least suppose his conscience wil not make vs worse then those of his religious orders of whoÌ„ it hath bin testified long since that they haue fallen from conscience to science and from Petr. Rodulph Tossian histor Seraph religion 1. â— science to be bareences And what conscience I pray you and what regard to Gods commandements was in those that apprehended Thomas Sanpaulinus at Paris vpoÌ„ suspition of heresie for that he reproved one for swearing in vaine and never left him vntil they had brought him from the tortures of the racke to end his life in fiery torments And yet these things are not spoken to this end as if we meant to detract al ciuil carriage from all the members of the church of Rome nay that the Deuill himselfe may haue his right we ingenuously confesse and acknowledge the outward exercise of many civill politicke vertues in many of them especiallie the most profitable works of piety liberality and mercy in founding Colledges Hospitals and the like But yet so that if they would take from their Faulcons eies the hood of selfe loue and partiality look into one little corner of the glasse of that paineful labourer in the Lords vineyard Master Doctor VVillet they might Andrew-Willet controv gener 19. error 104. see that the professours of the gospel are nothing behinde them in those so goodly and glorious workes How beit although we were not altogither matchable with theÌ„ in the outwarde worke of these vertues for that wee are no way matchable with them in those great dignities priviledges offices and honors and in those large and ample possessions which they enioied to the ful yet they may know that the poore widdowes mite is as much and more also with Christ then al the large summes which were cast into the treasury by the Scribes Pharisies especially if they were giuen as parte of that pray which vnder pretence of long praier they got from poore widdowes And from whence I pray you did most of those greate Donatiues proceede that were cast into the treasurie by our popish Pharisies Is it not likelie that they were either part of that bootie that they gained by thesale of their Masses and pardons or at the least some portion of the fleeces which they tooke froÌ„ the sheepe for their little and course yea no feeding at all of the flocke of Christ And what
then was this but to rob Peter and to pay Paule or it may be it was the bringing in of the price of an whore yea perhaps of many whores into Hagg. 2. 15. Deut. 23. 18 the temple of God and the offering vp of the vncleane in sacrifice vnto him And here by the way I would demande also of them whether it be not as good and as profitable a worke both to church and common-weale to bring vp our owne natural children begotten in holy matrimony at our owne cost and charges in some honest calling according to our habilitie and carefullie to provide for them convenient portions as to leaue large summes to our base children kinsfolke servants or any other whosoeuer of whose good education as wee haue not the like care so of their good conversation we cannot conceiue the like hope But yet here least we be mistaken protestation is to bee made that as we thinke not that we are borne only for our selues and for our children so wee teach not any to employ their goods to the benefit of themselues and their children only but also to the seruice of God Prince country and of al other also who are our neighbours if they may bee succoured and relieved by our meanes Yea we constantly avouch that the more in wisedome discretion we imploy that way the greater treasure wee lay vp in the safest place not onlie to our owne best gaine but also to the greatest commoditie of our children And as for those which haue no children at al there is no doubt but that the more is required at their haÌ„ds to be emploied to the benefit of other if they wil shew their fidelitie to him whose bailiffes they are in al that they possesse and bee esteemed of him as his faithful servants And yet here it is to be remembred that liberality is but one duty amoÌ„g many that are required in the commandements of God it is but one branch among manie other also that are to spring out of vs if we wil bee good and fruitfull trees it is but parte of that seruice that we must performe vnto God if we wil be acknowledged of him for his faithful seruants Neither must we esteeme him to be a good christian albeit the world like neuer so well of him who is a swearer drunkard or whoremaster if so bee he be a good almes man and careth not who eateth of his Liberality no fitte cloake to cover sinne meate as if this were a cloake to couer al faultes and a sufficient amends for al sinnes for this is but a counterfeit a shaddow of liberality it is not true liberality indeede For shee is not an whore but a chast matrone shee vseth not to sorte her selfe with such base companions shee sorteth her selfe only with her princely peeres and keepeth companie with all the residue of divine and heauenly vertues Neither doth her beauty so much consist in the great glorie of the outward work that is wrought as in the readines and willingnes of the minde of the giuer seeing not many rich noble mighty are effectually called but the poore base weake of this world which are more glorious within with spiritual graces then beautified with the shew and pompe of outward works And yet whereas God hath denied mercy to no state or condition those which are called being rich and noble must know that the more that is given vnto them the more shal be required at their hands and that they that sowe sparingly shal reape sparingly and seeing that God is so liberal and bountiful in all respectes towardes them they ought to be liberal and bountiful for his sake especially towards his sincere faithful servants that so their Lord Master may say vnto them goe too yee good and faithfull servants ye haue bin faithfull in a little I wil make you Lordes over much enter yee into the ioy of the Lord. And againe Come yee blessed of my father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world for I was hungry and yee fedde me Wherfore to conclude it is evident in part by those things which haue bin hitherto delivered that our doctrine of the Gospel is no provocation to sin and that our life is not vtterly void of the exercise of all good workes for then wee should haue greatly provoked the Lord to haue pulled downe the hedge of this our vineyard and to haue remoued his candlesticke out of the midst of vs. But blessed be the Lord the wal of this our vineyard staÌ„deth as yet the bright candle of the sound doctrine of faith and good works burneth in the candlesticke of this our Church of England the which is loÌ„g since put out in the Church of Rome and therfore howsoever they greatly boast of the workes of light there can indee de abound among them nothing but the vnfruitfull workes of the kingdome of darknes The which I beseech those duely to consider of who among them belong to the number of Gods elect that so vnto them in all holy humility and godly sincerity taking a due view of the doctrine of light god may shew so much mercy as to lighteÌ„ the eies of their spiritual vnderstanding and so translate them out of the kingdome of darkenes into the kingdome of light The which thing I beseech thee Christian Reader to helpe forward with thy devout and daylie praiers vnto God especially that the caÌ„dlesticke of this our Church may stand stedfast and vnremoved vnto the worldes end that Gods glorie may more and more be manifested in all the quarters and corners of this little Iland and many children in all succeeding ages may heere be continually begotten borne vnto God Amen Amen Thine in the Lord IOHN TERRIE The summe of two of the most principall pointes of this second part contained in this short prayer Conforme vs O Lord to thy wil and then wil thou whatsoever thou wilt giue vs a true tast of the sweetenes of thy loue in Christ and then let all other thinges be either sweete or sowre vnto vs as thou seest it to be best for vs in thine heavenly wisedome THE SECOND PART of the triall of truth THe pearle of truth is so precious and the treasure thereof so inestimable that God himselfe not only maketh challendge thereto to be the author thereof but also taketh it vnto himselfe as one of his titles of highest honour For as it is braÌ„ded as a note of â—nfamy in the foreheade of the Devill that he is a lying spirit and a spirit of errour yea that hee is a lyar and Ioh. 8. 44. the father of lies so it is an honorable title wherewith Gods name is sanctified God is true and every man a lyar and that as nothing Rom. 3. 4. Heb. 6. 18. Ioh. 14. 6. 17. is more possible to man then to lie so nothing is more impossible to God Neither is it a smal dignity
to be discerned are meant their corrupt opinions and doctrines for that opinions sayings aswel as doings be they good or badde are the effects fruits of good and badde men yet for that also that doctrine not delivered to others but first conceaved by our selues is not the fruite but the cause of faith and faith engendred by sound doctrine engraffeth vs into Christ and so maketh vs good trees bringing forth good workes as good fruit and faith proceeding from evil doctrine bringeth forth evill workes as evil fruit wee will be contented at this time to vnderstand also by fruits wherby false prophets are to be discerned their evill and vngodly workes Especially if it bee added that workes are no otherwise knowen to be good or badde then as they agree or disagree froÌ„ the precepts and rules of good works which are delivered in the canonicall scripture For that is the most exact canon and rule whereby wee must trie both ouâ— faith and our workes and that faith and workes are onely to be approved which are agreeable and consonant thereto And vnlesse wee keepe our selues most carefully to the triall of this iudge wee may easily bee deceived with probabilities and shewes For according vnto the admonition of our Saviour set downe in the former rule false prophets which inwardly are ravening wolves may bee attired in sheepes cloathing that is may haue an outward shewe both of a sounde faith and also of an holy and godly life For the Devill is a most cunning counterfeite and the skilfullest Ape that ever was He can alleâ—ge scripture and the holy word of God to draw vs from that pure doctrine of that holy word and hee can turne himselfe into an angel of light and make his ministers to appeare to bee the children of light and furnish them with the outward shewe of the workes of light yea he can imitate the miraculous workes and wonders of God to perswade the world that God himselfe by hâ—s omnipotent almighty power doth giue testimony vnto his lies The which thing is so much the more carefully to bee considered of vs for that wee are fallen into these latter daies wherein experience hath taught vs that to be true which vvas foretolde by Isidore Gregory that is that the true Church of See Mâ— Fox vol. 1. fol. 418. Christ should want the glorious power of working of miracles before the comming of Antichrist that he might the more freely and without controlement persecute her as a base obiect that Antichrist should come himselfe not onely with straunge signes and wonders to gette the greater credit and admiration but also with a certaine shew of holines that both the lighenes of the reprobate might be detected that are soone caried away with every shew and also that the patience and stayednes of the faithfull might be made manifest who will embrace the truth albeâ— it be not garnished with outward shewes and sette themselues against falshood and lies although they be never so much beautified adorned with the same Heerein theâ— is coÌ„mended vnto vs one speciall point of Christian wisedome that as Christ who was endued with the spirit of wisedome aboue measure iudgeth not according to the sight of Isa 11. 3. 1. Sam. 16. 7. the eies nor reproveth according to the hearing of the eares but iudgeth righteously as God himselfe looketh not on the outward Good workes in shew are not alwaies good workes in deede but sometimes evill and what is the cause therof not the worke it selfe but the maÌ„ner of doing of doing of it maketh it faulty Aug. de doct Christ l. 3. c. 12. 2. Tim. 3. 5. The shewe of good works may be greater among Hypocrites Heretiques and the ve ry Infidels then amoÌ„g sound and sincere Christians appearance but behouldeth the heart so doth the wise and prudent Christian also He iudgeth of the workes of man not according vnto the glorious shewe of the outward action but according vnto the pure sincerity of the inward intention neither doth hee so much respect the worke done as the manner wherby it is done For as the Philosopher can teach vs he is not a iust man that doth iust actions but he that doth them after a iust maÌ„ner as the schoolmeÌ„ haue taught God is not a rewarder of nownes but of adverbes that is God rewardeth not the deeds that are barely iust but such as are done iustly For a iust deed performed but not iustly is a iust deede in shewe but not in substace Now iust deedes onely in shewe and not in substance may bee founde in false Prophets and seducing Heretiques yea they shal be found in the Hereâ—iques of these last times who shall haue a shew of godlines but shal deny the power thereof And verelie such as â—… open offendors notorious malefactors can hardly perswade others to like of that doctrine which themselues professe whatsoever it be but such as are in outward appearance of an holy life and conversation may greatly prevaile and do much mischiefe if that they be teachers of falshoode and lies and of erronious and heâ—…icall doctrines And this the Devill knoweth right well and therfore ofteÌ„times maketh his ministers to seeme to be of an heavenly and Angelical coÌ„versation that so he may by this meanes more easily bring in his divelish errours And hath not our Saviour tolde vs Luke 16 8. that the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light Mat. 23. 15. And doth not experience it selfe teach vs that they are not onely more painefull industrious compassing sea and land to make one of their profession but also more beneficial and bountifull Exod. 32. 24 giuing away their goodâ—… and treasures and robbing themselues and theirs of their most pâ—etions and costly Iewels to make a golden calfe or some other the like Idoll The Apostle Saint Paule hath testified that the Heretiques of these last times shall forbidde mariage and commaund 1. Tim. 4. 2. to abstaine from meate in hypocricy that so they might seeme very abstemious and chast and of a most severe and straite life And Chrysostome hath witnessed lâ—kewise of them that they Chrysost in matth hom 49. shâ—ll haue a greater shewe of abstinence and continency then shall be found among the true Christians And is it not recorded of The very Turkes that such as are of their religious orders vse wonderfull austerity and rigour in punishing their owne bodies that so they might seeme great mortified me And did not Baals Priestes vse to launce themselues vvith kniues vntill they vvere goared in their owne blood But what doe I speake of rigorous 1. Reg. 18. 28 discipline found among Turkes Heretiques Idolators Were there not among the heathen theÌ„selues as notable examples for the exercise of all manner of civill duties as ever were found among any Christians Was not Aristides most famous for iustice Socrates for sobriety
Appius Claudius for fidelity Fabritius for abstinence Scaevola for courage Cato for severity Cimon the Plut. in vita Cimonis Athenian for liberality Of whom it is recorded that he tooke away the moundes and fences from his groundes that the stranger and poore might take what fruite they would to refresh and satisfie themselues there withall besides he prepared a large supper ordinarily to the which any poore man might come and receiue sustenance and if he mette any auncient citizen in ragged and torne attire he commaunded one or other of his follovvers to chaunge his apparell with him and of his retinue that accompanied him some carried large suÌ„mes of mony that if they mette with any honest poore man they might giue vnto him all that he needed And yet vvhat vvere all these so glorious and goodly workes but bare shadowes counterfeites of vertuous actions rather then vertuous actions indeede Yea what were they but Splendid a peccata The best workes of the vnfaithâ—ull aâ—e no better then sinnes Rom. 11. 20. beautiful sinnes And as for the parties themselues shal we therfore esteeme them to haue beene good trees for that they had such an outward shew of good fruite Surely the spirit of truth doth testifie of vs that we are all by nature brambles breers wild â—…ues vntill we be grasled into the true oliue Nowe it is faith that doth grafte vs into the true olive as infidelity doth breake vs of Without saith then we are no better then brambles briars and wilde olives And whâ—… Dee men gather grapeâ— of thorâ—es figges Math. 7. 16. of brâ—arâ— Or doth the wilde oliue bring forth a kinde and natural olive Wherfore all these before named so famous and worthy personages in the eies of flesh bloud for al their glorious shew of goodly fruite living without faith without Christ vvithout God being Ephes 2. 12. alâ—ans from the â—ommâ—n wealâ—h of Israell and from the covenants of grace must needes vndergoe that heavy but iâ—st sentence of the Lord of the vineyard Cutte downe the vnprofitable trees for why Luke 13 7. Math. 3 10. cumber they the grounde And againe Now is the aâ—e laide vnto the roote of the treesâ— therfore every tree that bringoth not forth good fruite is bowâ—n downe and cast into the fire For if I giue al my goods to the poore 1. Cor. 13. 3 and haue not loue it profiâ—…th me nothing that is if this liberall fact of mine proceede not from a sincere harty affection to the good of my neighbour as likevvise if this harty affection towarde my neighbour come not from a sincere loue towardes God vvho is loued for himselfe and in whom also I love my neighbour yea if this my loue towardes God flow not from his loue in Christ towardâ— me embraced and apprehended by a true and lively faith all this my releiving of the poore cannot releiue my selfe and all this my mercy toward the needy cannot be a meanes to convey over vnto me the Lordes mercy For vnlesse all my goodnes be after this manner derived from God the onely fountaine of all goodnes well it may vnto men seeme to be goodnes yet it shall not haue his allowance from God But now let vs returne againe vnto our Saviours rule Beware of false Prophots which come vnto you in sheepes cloathing but inwardlie are ravening wolves ye shall know them by their fruites True teachers which with their harts sincerely embrace that holesome doctrine which they professe with their mouthes togither with their faith full disciples and schollers are as trees planted in the paradise of God and watered with the pure streames of the river of the vvater of life that floweth throughout the paradise of God and so receiving the blessing of God doe there by bring forth fruit good in truth and substance and not in shewe onely or outward appearance whereas false teachers as bastard plantes setled in the wildernes of this barren and vnfruitful world and wette with the venemous drops of the infected and deadly puddles of humane devices and dreames doe thereby bring forth fruit sometimes holesome and good in shew but never in substance For an infected fountaine cannot yeeld forth holesome water neither can a corrupt faith bring forth an vncorrupt life For the mind and vnderstanding are the leaders and guides vnto the will and the affectious and therefore if they be misledde with falshood errour and wander and goe astray in the bye pathes of impiety vngodlines howe can they direct the will and affections in the right way of piety and godlines Verily vnto whomsoever God in his iustice hath denied the knowledge of the groundeâ—and principles of a sound faith to them also he doth deny the gift and blessing of an holy life seeing that selfesame holy doctrine that is the cause of an holy faith is also the cause of an holy life as it is made manifest in the fourth motiue As on the contrary side vnto whom God in his mercy hath given the faithful acknowledging embracing of the grounds and principles of a sounde faith vndoubtedly to them hee doeth likewise graunt the practicall knowledge of an holy life For true faith and sincere loue which are the mother and nurce of all good workes are as Hypocrates twinnes borne togither and living without separation so that if one of them be strengthned the other receiveth strength also and if one of them be weakned the other is weakned they go alwaies hand in hand and bee inseparable companions and never breake company giue entertainement to the one thou must giue entertainment to the other sâ—ut the one of them out of thy dores and the other will in no wise be thy guest nor abide vvith thee the least moment of time For albeit a bare naked knowledge of the grounds of faith may be severed from the practise of a godly life yet a faithfull embracing and a sincere reâ—oiceing in them can never be idle and vnfruitfull but alwaies is accompaned with good works which giue witnesse vnto the sincerity Qui non fac it bonuÌ„ non credit bonum soundnes of faith and do sufficiently declare the holinesse of the doctrine from whence â—hey proceede Holy doctrine embraced but in shew and in hypocrisie may be vnfruitfull but being sinâ—…ly received it maketh good trees which cannot bee without gâ—…d fruite Now then this being evident that good workes are the infalhble notes of a good faith it remaineth that as in the former part of this treatise we declared that faith to be only sounde and catholike which was agreeable to the grounds of faith more briefly abridged in the Apostles Creede and set downe more at large in the canonicall seripture so now we set downe those divine rules of an holy life which are delivered in the same books wherevnto we must frame all our works if that wee desire to bee assured that they shall
be allowed and approved of God The proper cause of all good workes delivered vnto vs by the Not our owne will nor the wil of any creature but the will of God is the fountaine and foundation of all good workes Peccatum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To doe our workes in humble obedience to the will of God to serue and please him therein is a sure signe of a good worke and of the true service and servant of God Ioh. 5. 30. spirit of God in the canonical scripture is a religious respect vnto the will of God in doing the same For as rebellious disobedience against the will and commandement of God maketh an evill worke so sincere obedience maketh a good Even when the will of God is the motiue to induce vs to the performance of all our workes when they are done in obedience vnto hâ—m as the duty and service which he requireth at our handes yea when they are done also to this end and purpose that therein we way serue him according vnto his owne will then they are without controversie his right acceptable service and further declare them that so doe the same to be his loyall and obedient servants For how shal we know a loyall subiect to his prince and a true and trusty servant to his master but by their care and labour to serue and please them in their ready obedience to their willes and commandements even so we may soone know discerne the loyall subiectes and the faithfull servants to the great Lord master of vs al if that al our works are done to serue please him to shew our coÌ„formity to his wil. Vpon this ground did our Saviour Christ himselfe iustâ—fie make good all his owne proceedings I can doe nothing saith hee of my selfe as I heare I iudge and my iudgment is iust because I seeke not mine owne well but the will of the father that sent mee So we that are Christians if we desire to haue our workes holy and good wee must learne by the ensample of our master Christ in none of them to seeke our owne will and to walke in our owne waies but alwaies to haue our â—ies bent vpon him who hath sett out vnto vs our limites boundes The which thing if we sincerely performe we shal be as deare vnto our blessed saviour as if we were his brother or mother For who saith he is Mat. 12. 50. my brother and mother Behould he that doth the will of my father which is in heaÌ„ven the same is my sister brother and mother And whom will he admitte vnto the kingdome of heaveÌ„ Not every one saith he Mat. 7. 21. that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of beaveÌ„ but hee that doth the vvill of my father vvhich is in heaven And verely if Gods will be deare to vs we our selues shall be deare vnto him if we bee câ—refull to fulfill his will he will bee carefull to fulfill our will if we endevour to please him he will endevour to please vs if we be ready to performe all that is in his hart he will be readie to performe all that is in our hart yea he will giue vs more then we can wish or desire The cause of our blessednes is our communion The cause of our blessednes is our coÌ„munion with God True blessednesse is our conformity to Gods will with God and our reconciliation vnto him by the blood of Christ whereby he is become our loving father hath adopted vs into the number of his children And true blessednes it selfe which is heere in this life begunne in the children of God and shall be made perfect in the life to come is nothing else but their sanctification by his holy spirit illuminatioÌ„ by his holy word and their conformity to God both in their mindes and vnderstandings and also in their affections and willes For when Gods wisedome is our wisedome and Gods will our will Gods pleasure our pleasure pleasure when the faith that God commendeth is our faith and the workes that he commandeth re our workes when we haue vnfainedly sought to conforme our selues wholy to the most exact rule of the Lords will to be holy as he is holy then doe we see as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord with open face and are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the spirit 2. Cor. 3. 18. of God For as sinne is our greatest wretchednesse because it Sinne maketh a pâ—ople miserable maketh vs most vnlike vnto God the holie of holies most like vnto the devill that uncleane and impure spirit even so true sanctity is our greatest glory because it maketh vs most like vnto the Lord of glory Seeing then our workes are right which are squared out by the squier of Gods will seeing our seruing of God according vnto his owne pleasure is his wellpleasing and acceptable service yea seeing our conformity to the will of God is our greatest blessednes it is no marvaile that the spirit of God who is of his most privy and secret counsell doth often vrge in direct termes this will of God as a most strong and effectual motiue and inducement to perswade vs thereby vnto the carefull diligent performance of all good workes This is the wil of God saith the Apostle even your sanctification that every one knowe how to possesse 1. Thes 4. 3. his vessell in holines and honour and not in the lustes of concupiscence as doe the Gentiles which knowe not God As if hee had saide your sanctification and your possessing of your vessels in holines and honour is the thing that God willeth and commaundeth and therfore yee ought most religiously to embrace the same to testâ—fie your obedience to his will And againe Reioice evermore pray continually 1. Thes 5. 16 in all thinges giue thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iâ—sus towardes you So the Apostle St. Peter exhorting them to whoÌ„ he wrote to repentance and amendement of life telleth theÌ„ that 1. Pet. 4. 2. it is sufficient that before they were called to the knowledge of the will of God they had spent the time past of their life after the lustes of the Gentiles now saith he as much time as remaineth for vs to liue in the flesh we must liue not after the lustes of men but after the will of God And if we would further be instructed in what workes especially it is the will and pleasure of God to haue vs employed they are the workes of the morall and not of the ceremoniall law Sacrifice and offering saith the Prophet thou vvouldâ—st not haue buâ— Psal 40. 7. mine eares hast thou opened Burnt offrings and sacrifice for sin hast thou not required then saide I Loe I come In the volume of thy booke it is writen of me that I should doe thy will ô my God I am content
to do it yea thy law is in mine hart The which performing of the Lords will rather then the offring of many sacrifices being the principal part of the service of God as it was in some measure done by David â— principall man among the Lords servants and a type and figure of our Saviour Christ so it was most perfectly performed by our Saviour himselfe the accomplishment of all types and figures as the Apostle testifieth Heb. 10. For albeit the curse and condemnation that was laide vpon him in respect of our sinnes was most heavy and grievous vnto his flesh caused him to pray againe againe Father if it be possible let this cuppe passe from me yet for that he knew full well that he therefore came into the worlde to drinke most deepely of this bitter cuppe that by his fathers appointment and will therfore he did most willingly submitte himselfe thereto saying not as I will but as thou wilt not my will but thinâ— bâ—… Math. 26. 39. fulfilled therein And so haue all the lively members of Christ from the beginning of the world patiently endured the heavy burden of the crosse being moved thervnto vpon the same reason WheÌ„ the Lord had revealed to Samuell his most grievous iudgments that he would execute vpon the house of Ely for the most outragious sinnes of his lewde soâ—nes howe doth old Elie prepare himselfe to patience It is the Lorde saith hee that hath thus spoken let him doe what seemeth good in his owne eies even what hee 1. Sam. 3. 18 himselfe willeth and what pleaseth him best So when vvicked Absâ—lon had conspired against his owne father David and had forced him to flie out of Ierusalem the chiefe seate and city of his kingdome howe is David furnished for the patient enduring of this crosse If saith he I shall finde favour in the sight of the Lord he 2. SaÌ„ 15. 26 vvill bâ—ing me againe But if he say I haue no delight in thee let him doe what seemeth good in his owne eies Likewise Iob the patterne of patience when all manner of losses and crosses came vpon him on an heape what was it that moued him so patiently to endure theÌ„ all Naked saith he came I out of my mothers wombe and naked must Iob. 1. 21. I returne thither againe the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. By the which onsamples wee haue to learne to frame our willes to the Lordes wil to conforme our affâ—ctions to his executions and so to square out our workes by his lawe if we will haue our workes good and our service approved and our selues accepted as the Lordes faithfull servants All men by nature in the ordering of their liues and vvorkes would willingly serue themselues by following their owne good intentes and meaninges and by walking after their owne eies the traditions of our elders and fathers and the custoâ—e of the multitude and the commandemeÌ„ts of great and mighty men of such as are seated in high dignity and authority doe mightely sway and prevaile with vs. And therfore if we will not suffer our selues to be mâ—sledde in this matter of the greatest moment of all other it behoveth vs to harken most carefully to the counsel of the wise man Let thine eies saith he behould the right and let thine eie liddes direct the way before Thee ponder the path of thy feete and let Prov. 4. 25. all thy waies be ordered aright Turne not to the right hand nor to the left but râ—fraine thy feete from evill That is in these so weighty matters that concerne the glory of God and the salvation of thine owne soule trust not other mens eies nor follow thou other mens ensamples but looke thou thy selfe to thine own steps and be thou assured that thou walke in all those waies which the Lorde thy God hath commanded thee to walke in and see that thou turne Deut. 5. 29. not either to the right hand or to the left or walke one step out of these waies All of vs with our great grandfather Adam since he turned out of the right way of Gods commandements haue wandered and gone astray in crooked pathes and daungerous waies and doe still runne on hastely and speedily therein vntill the Lord of his great mercy doth open our eies and giveth vs wise and vnderstanding harts to behold and to forsake our owne errours and to returne into the waies of his commaundementes The path of the iust is straight for that the Lord doth direct his steps by taking from his eies the veile of folly and by giving him wisedome to walke warely and to forsake his own blind and perverse waies and to walke in the waies of vnderstanding wisedome According vnto the most holesome counsell of the Apostle Saint Paule given to the Ephesians Take heede saith he that Eph. 5. 15. yee walke circumspectly not as vnwise but as wise redeeming the time because the daies are evill We are altogither so corrupt and evil so is the whole world besides and wee are yet so puffed vp with selfeloue and so blinded with our prowd follies that we mistake the broad way that leadeth to death to be the straight way that leadeth to life and we are growne so stiffe also in our owne most foolish conceipts that we will not willingly take any advise and counsell to the contrary or suffer our selues to be broken of our own wils Therefore we haue great neede to be still remembred by the Apostle to take heede that we walke circumspectly not as vnwise but as wise redeeming the time because the daâ—es are evill And againe bee not vâ—wise to follow still your own foolish braines but be ye carefull to vnderstand vvhat the will of the Lord is And verely Verse 17. the Lords waies must be our waies and his will must bee our set pricke to aime at in all our workes if that we haue a desire to hit the marke and obtaine the best game And therfore that this will of God might only be respected of vs and might most effectually worke in vs it hath pleased the spirit of God in the holy scripture given by divine inspiration to haue set downe fowre principall motiues for the better effecting thereof whereof two concerne the matter it selfe and two the author of this will For Gods wil is onely to direct vs in al our workes 1 first because it is holy iust and perfect 2 secondly for that it is onely acceptable vnto God 3 thirdly because it is the wil of him that onely hath soveraigne auctority and power to rule over our consciences and soules 4 fourthly and lastly for that it is his wil vnto whoÌ„ wee owe our selues and al that we enioy as having received all from him and vnto whom our whole service is dubble due in respect of his infinite and vnspeakeable blessings most frankely and freely and yet most largely and
bountifully bestowed vpon vs. 1 The will of God is to be respected of vs in doing good workes for that it is holy good perfect Rom. 12. 1. If then we wil bee assured to haue our workes good wee must haue our eies bent vpon the will of God that must most carefully be respected of vs yea the holy good and perfect wil of God must be the motiue and inducemeÌ„t vnto vs for the most willing and ready performing of the same The Apostle St. Paule hauing sette downe in the former part of his Epistle to the Romans the principles and groundes of our Christian faith being in the latter part thereof to deliver the doctrine of good workes beginneth that matter after this manner I beseech you saith he by the mercifulnes of God that you giue vp your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable serving of God And fashion not your selues like vnto this world but be yee changed by the renewing of your minde that ye may prooue what is the good will of God acceptable and perfect In which wordes we may obserue these two pointes first in what things the service of God consisteth not in the sacrificeing vp of vnreasonable beasts but in offring vp of our selues for that is our reasonable serving of God secondly who ought to be our directers and guides in performing our service due vnto God not the customes or fashions of this world nor the intents and divices of our owne harts but the good will of God acceptable and perfect Wherby we are to learne that if we wil be the approoved servaÌ„ts of God and haue our service allowed of him we must haue an intentiue eie to the Lords will make it the rule of all our works yea if wee will be citizens with the saintes and of the housholde of God and fellow servants with the Angels themselues then as they stand prest ready alwaies before God to attend his pleasure and to performe his will so must wee also walke continually before God as in his eies in his presence presenting our selues vnto him in our dayly praiers and still labouring by all meanes possible that his will may be done here by vs on earth as it is in heaven Mat. 6. 10. by his holy Angels When that kind of serving of God by the sacrificing of beasts was most in force Samuel said vnto Saule who had transgressed the flat commandement and wil of God to offer as he pretended sacrifice to God Is God so well pleased with sacrifice as when the voice of the Lord is obeied Beholde to obey is better 1. Sam. 15. 22. then sacrifice and to harken is better then the fat of Rammes It is the highest degree of wisedome and goodnes of himselfe to be able to conceiue that which is good and the second degree is of such as knowing their own wants betake themselues to be wholy guided and ruled by those in whom dwelleth wisedome in al abouÌ„dance Now perfect wisedome and goodnes dwelleth only in God his will is most holy iust and perfect yea it is the most perfect rule of all holines and of all iustice Neither doth God will and commande things so much for that they are iust lawful and good but rather those things are therefore iust lawful good for that they are willed and commanded of God When vpoÌ„ occasion of this holy and comfortable doctrine of the gospell that the sinnes of the faithfull doe the more evidently set forth the mercy of God in Christ in that he is of himselfe so good and so good vnto such which Rom. 3. 5. are so and so vnworthy in themselues obiection was made If our vnrighteousnes setteth forth the glory of Gods goodnes then the Lord may seeme to be vniust in punishing sinne for that his glory is thereby the more furthered the Apostle answereth by an exclamation or rather by a detestation saying God forbid else how should God iudge the world Seeing he is not a iudge after the manner of mortal men who being advanced to high estate do many times corruptly abuse their high authority but it is not so with God For his being iudge of the world is not by birth or electioÌ„ or suite or purchase but by nature For in that he is God creator of all hee is iudge of all and his most vpright and vncorrupt will is the soveraigne rule of all righteousnes and it his is the extraordinary prerogatiue of this his most righteous will that hee cannot possibly wil or coÌ„mand any thing that is vniust So that if he coÌ„mand the Israelites to borrow of the Aegyptians Iewels of silver Exod. 3. 23. Iewels of gold so to rob the Aegyptians they may boldly do the same and keepe those Iewels to their owne vses as his lawful gifts as the pledges of his fatherly loue If God coÌ„maÌ„d Levy to Exod. 32. 27 consecrate his hands in blood if he know not father nor mother brother nor friend but execute the Lords veÌ„geance without respect of persons he shall receiue a blessing for the same So likewise if Abraham be commanded of God to kill holy innocent Isaak Gen. 22. 16 his deare and only sonne from whom was to proceed that holy seed in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed if hee but intende in all humble obedience to the will and commaundement of GOD to performe the same GOD will so â—pproue and like of him for it that hee will in recompence thereof even vow and sweare his everlasting blessednes Nay if the most holie but secret counsell of God wherin he hath chosen some to eternall life before they were borne yea before the foundatioÌ„ of the world was laid and refused other be called in question and condemned also by the corrupt reason of maÌ„ yet this is a sufficient iustification thereof vttered by the Lordes owne mouth I Exod. 33. 19 Voluntas beneplacitâ— Mat. 11. 26. will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy and I will haue compassion on whom I wil haue compassion Whervnto our Saviour also subscribeth saying even so O father for so was it thy good pleasure And the same plea is made likewise by the Apostle in the same case he will haue Rom. 9. 18. mercy on whom he will haue mercy and whom he will he hardeâ—eth But this secret wil of God is mainly improued by the Church Not only the secret but also the revealed will of God is blasphemously defaced by the church of Rome voluntas signi of Rome yea and flatly condemned of cruelty and tyranny Neither hath shee any better regard of the revealed will of God set downe in the sacred bookes of the canonicall scripture For shee hath presumed to plucke downe out of the seate of highest iudgment the booke of God in that tongue wherin it was penned by the speciall direction of Gods vn-erring spirite hath
possibly do any thing that can please him better theÌ„ when we yeeld him that service which he himselfe hath coÌ„maunded Now every true and faithfull servant of God woulde most willingly doe vnto God that service which is most acceptable vnto him and therefore hee ought most readilie to addresse himselfe to the carefull performance of all duties as are prescribed in the commandements of God Subiects servants ought to performe their civill duties to their magistrats and masters by yeelding obedience to their lawfull commandemeÌ„ts but yet being so done they are to be esteemed but civil duties But if they wil haue them to be religious duties also theÌ„ they must performe them in obedience not so much vnto men as vnto God for that hee hath most straightly enioyned them to bee subiecte to those whom he hath placed over them Servants saith the Apostle be Coll. 3. 22. obedient vnto them vvhich are your masters according to the flesh in all thinges not with eie service as men pleasers but with singlenes of heart fearing God and whatsoever yee doe doe it hartelie as to the Lord not vnto men knowing that of the Lord yee shall receiue the inheritance for yee serue the Lord Christ By which words wee may learne that servants yeelding their obedience to their bodely masters at the commandement of Christ doe therein serue Christ and therfore howsoever they are heere oftentimes very slenderly rewarded by their bodely masters they shal be sure to bee well rewarded elsewhere by their master Christ Verely it ought to bee a sufficient motiue vnto vs to be exercised in the commandementes of God for that it is the holy and acceptable will of God that we should so doe and yet behould his great and endlesse goodnes who applieth himselfe to our frailety and weakenes not onely by promising vnto vs all manner of blessings both spirituall and temporall thereby to allure vs also to the ready performance of that dutie which shall be so liberally rewarded both in this life and in the The faithfull in some sort may respect both promises threatninges rewardes and punishmeÌ„ts the better to stirre them vp to doe their duties and all many times little ynough but yet to doe the wil of their heavenly father and to please him is the most principall motiue to stir them vp to the ready performance of all good workes life to come but also by threatning vs with all plagues punishments that so he might force and compel vs to that the omission and neglect whereof shall in the end be revenged with so great severity Wherein the Lord dealeth with vs as a wise and carefull father dealeth with his deare childe who while hee is young and wanterh discretion sometimes vseth the terror yea the sharpe blowe of the rodde and sometimes a figge and an apple and the promise of a gay coate the better thereby to nurture him and to traine him vp but when he beginneth to be of yeeres discretion then he seeketh to make manifest vnto him his fatherly care and kindnes towardes him therby to possesse him with the loue of his dutie the which thing when it is once wel perceiued of the kinde and naturall childe then he thinketh that he can never be careful inough by al meanes to please so careful kind a father he is greatly grieved with himselfe if any waie he offend him hee is very much ashamed of his former child shnes in that hee was reâ—dier to hee nurtured with a rodde and an apple then with the due consideration of his fathers loue So dealeth with vs the father of our spirites sometimes assaying to winne vs with his promises and sometimes to terrifie vs with his threates but when we are come to that discretioÌ„ that we are able somewhat to discerne that dignity of our high calling in Christ the great honour of our heavenly and caelestial adoption theÌ„ nothing doth prevaile so much with vs as the due consideration and admiration of the Lords great endlesse mercies which he hath already made manifest vntovs Then we begin to bee ashamed of our too much childishnes that we should still stand in neede either to bee as it were stil flattered or chidde and would most willingly perswade our selues that onely to please so loving and gracious a father ought to be a sufficient motiue of it selfe to induce vs to the careful performance of al duties And verely the kind and louing child of God in doing those workes which are required at his handes seeketh not so much to please men or to profite himselfe as he intendeth to serue and please God by being obedient to his wil and he respecteth al other thinges no otherwise then it standeth with the good likeing and wil of God that he should respect and regard the same Hee loueth God principally for Gods sake not for his own or anie others to gaine any thing thereby to himselfe or to any other The cause saith an auncient father of louing God is God the measure Bern. lib. de diligendo deo of louing him is without measure God verelie saith he is not loued without reward albeit he be to be loued without respect to the reward For he loveth God lesse then hee should that loueth any thing besides GOD. Wherefore if in doing good workes we principally respect praise commendation among men and to be honoured magnified of the multitude for the same or if wee principally regarde either the procuring of the Lordes temporall blessings heere in this life or the purchasing of eternal glory in the life to come then wee serue our selues and not the Lord and loue our selues and not the Lord. And is he not to be accounted a slaue that is forced to his duty for feare of the whippe an hireling that is drawen thereto in respect of his hire Verely the sincere servant of Christ embraceth godlines for it selfe and honoureth God for his owne sake If thou be a slaue saith Nazianzene feare the whippe and if thou bee an Nazianz. de sanct baptism hireling expect thine hire but if also aboue these thou art a sonne reverence God as thy Father doe well for that it is an excellent thing to be obedient to thy father and albeit there were no other thing to bee attained hereafter yet this very thing will be a sufficient reward to haue done that which is well pleasing to thy father I haue applied my minde saith David to keepe thy commandements even to the end Some thinke saith Isidore Clarius the vvord that signifieth to the ende to signifie for the reward Psal 119. But saith he it is to servile a thing and not worthy such a prophet to giue dilligence to Gods commandements for the reward and for the hope of retribution seeing for this one thing that we â—e created by him wee can never satiâ—fie this debt yea saith he we are bound to serue him vvith our whole minde
harken but in parte to the preceptes of men and not to resigne our selues wholy to the Lord to be guided ruled only by his lawes For this people being in outward shew and profession the onely people of God in performing the service of God did observe those things which God himselfe had coÌ„manded yet because they did ascribe somewhat to their owne wisedome and did thinke that they could adde something takeÌ„ out of their owne braines or delivered to them by tradition from their fathers as matters profitable to the servâ—ce of God their wisdome was condemned for folly and their honouring of God for the dishonouring of his holy name and for the corrupting of his service And verely is it not extreme folly and madnes to take vpon vs to be wiser theÌ„ God vnder any pretence whatsoever to presume against so special and peremptory a decree of the supreme iudge of the whole earth set downe in direct termes with his owne penne That which I commaund thee thou shalt doe that only thou shalt not add ought therto nor take ought therfrom And againe Deut. 4. 5. 6 Take beed that you doe that which the Lord your Goa hath commaunded you yee shall not turne to the right hand nor to he left you shall doe that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord not that which is good in your owne eies For who hath knowen the mind of the Lord or who hath beene his counsellour Verely St. Paule had many and great revelations Rom. 11. 54 and was rapt vp into Paradise even into the third heaven and heard such words as cannot be vttered yet he acknowledged that it did not belong vnto him to beare rule over the faith of the people of God Nay he denounceth a double curse against himselfe 2. Cor. 1. 24. Gal. 1. 8. and against any Angel whoÌ„soever if that he presume to deliver any other Gospell or point of faith then was receiued from God himselfe For we are all whatsoever we be but fellow schollers in the schoole of Christ he is our onely teacher scholemaster and his doctrine onely is sound and catholike Wee are but fellow servants vnder one Lord he onely hath authority to rule and raigne over our soules and his commandements must beare the whole sway In the earthly kingdome there is Iewe Gentile In the kingdomes of this world there is a difference betweene prince and people master servant but in the kingdome of Christ all are servaÌ„ts alike vnder one master 1 Cor 2. 24. Heb 1. 14. bond and free Lord and servant prince subiect but in the spiritual kingdome of Christ all are one of the same estate condition and calling they are al alike the Lordes free-men and they are al the servants and subiectes of Christ For what is Paule or what is Apollos but Ministers by whom ye haue beleeved And what are the most glorious Angels themselues Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes that shall bee heires of salvation And what honourable title haue the highest in the church of Christ taken vnto themselues to sette forth their owne dignity honour Iames a servant of God of the Lord Iesus Christ Simon Peter a servant and an Apostle of Iesus Christ Paule a servant of God an Apostle of Iesus Christ And what honorable title haue the highest in the earthly kingdome as they did belong to the spiritual kingdome of Christ taken vnto them selues to the setting forth of their dignity and honour Behould saith David a great king I am thy servant I am thy servant and the sonne of thine handmaide And what honourable title haue the Angels in heaven taken vnto thâ—selues to the setting forth of their dignity and honour I am thy fellow servant saith the Angel to St. Iohn and one of thy brethren which haue the testimony of Iesus worshippe God Yea the most blessed virgin Mary the mother of the Lord who is called by the children of the church of Rome their Lady and Queene of hoaven as if shee were a meeâ—e mate and peere to our Lord acknowledgeth this to be her greatest honour that God had respect vnto the lowe estate of his haÌ„dmaide Al then in the spiritual kingdome of Christ are fellow servaÌ„ts which are not to make lawes in matters concerning the service of God but to proclaime the lawes of their onely Lord and to propose them vnto their fellow servants to be religiously observed by them al. The which if we could so throughly dispatch that we should stand as it were idle for lacke of worke then wee might harken for a new master and goe as it were about the country to seeke more work Or if we could performe so much of his worke as were answerable to that allowance and wages wee receiue froÌ„ him theÌ„ we might seeke for some other worke also for the mending of our wages and for the bettering of our maintenance Or if we could haue better wages allowance and and maintenance at anothers hand then we might cast of the Lordes livery betake our selues to a more profitable service But wee can never so perfectly performe our duty to God but that in many things we shal faile all neither will our labour be it never so great be ever answerable vnto our wages neither is it possible for any of vâ— to finde so good a master as the Lord is and therfore it is good keeping of vs in his service and continuing in his feare that his favour may be our countenance credite and his livery our protection and safety it is good for vs in al our workes to haue his commandements before our eies to sette before vs his soveraigne authority that so in all thinges we seruing him may be acknowledged of him as his faithfull servants But vnto the children of the church of Rome the auctority of this our onely Lord is noâ— so great that he should rule over their consciences by his own laws alone vnlesse there be ioined therto the decrees of their church the constitutions of their popes the Canon of their councels and the rules of the founders of their religious orders Yea their popes power is so great with them that he can dispence with the law of our only Lord and free from obedience to his commandements He can alter the substantial points of the Lords service maime and mangle the institution of Christ wheras none of his owne Concil Trident. Scss 7. c. 13. patches and ragges must in any case bee neglected and omitted without the daÌ„ger of their blacke curse Yea the perfect fulfilling of the whole law of God is so light and easie to these men that they shoulde stand as it were idle and vnimployed if no greater matter were requiâ—ed at their hands therefore the founders of their religious orders haue found out many workes of greater holines and perfection which were not commanded
of him as his most faithful loyal servants The which thing because the children of the church of Rome list not to performe therefore the Lord will not be their Lord not accept of them as of his servantes nor yet allow of any of their workes as good and as a part of his worship and service 4 All obedience is to be yeelded by vs to the will of god for that we haue received all froÌ„ him and therefore are most straitely bound to yeeld to him our whole service Neither ought we only to be respectiue to the Lords good wil pleasure in al our works for that he of right ought to raigne over vs â—s being our only spiritual Lord king for that he will protect defend vs impart vnto vs the commodities of his kingdome but much rather for that he hath bestowed vpoÌ„ vs already so many favors hath shewed vnto vs so great kindnes hath bound vs vnto himselfe with such a multitude of his inestimable invaluable blessings For giftes benefits testifying kindnes loue do oftentimes much prevaile even with the natural vnregenerate maÌ„ yea with the very beasts theÌ„selues that want the light of vnderstanding reason The oxâ— knoweth his owner the asse his masters crib as the law doth allow a grouÌ„d bird to the owner of the ground where the swan is permitted quietly to make her nest without disturbance to hatch and breede vp her young so doth meere kindnes cause the thankfull storke to performe the same without law without constraint But amoÌ„g all other beastes voide of reason strange and wonderfull thinges are reported of the kindnesses of dogges towardes their masters for their simple breeding and for the sorry mainetenaunce they haue received at their hands yea the setled malice of a most caÌ„kered enimy of a most spitefull sycophant who of all savage and fierce beastes is thought by the Philosopher to be the worst hath beene conquered by kindnesse and loue and the most violent pertuâ—bations of rage and sury haue beene turned into the most tender affections of pitty and mercy And therfore it is not without cause that the Apostle exhorteth saying If thine enemie Rom 12. 2â— hunger feede him if he thirst giue him drinkâ— for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire vpon his head Be not evercome of evill but evercome evill with good For oftentimes the streames of kindnes loue do quench the flames of malice and hatred and kindle the coales of kindnesse and loue And therefore we ought not to suffer our selues to be taken prisoners of malice or to yeelde our selues captiues to her to execute herrage but couragiouslie to encounter her and to beate backe all her assaultes and to suffer her not to enter one foote much lesse to surprize the castle of our harts and not only so but also to pursue her manfully being entred into the heartes of our enemies and by the powerfull assistaunce of kindnesse and loue to beate her out of the plaine field and to dispossesse her of her owne castles and forteâ— vvherein shee hath beene before most strongly seated For so did Elizeus and 2. King 6. 23. David and the residue of the Lordes worthies who haue most couragiously fought these spirituall battles and haue most manfully vanquished both their owne of and the Lordes enemies When the bandes of the Aramites that were sent out to apprehend the Prophet Elizeus and to bring him to their king beeing brought into danger not only to be taken prisoners themselues but also to haue had their owne liues taken from them were not only rescued out of danger by meanes of Elizeus but also kindly friendly entertayned this kindnes so far prevailed with them that albe it there was opeÌ„ war between their nation Israel yet after their returne into their own laÌ„d they never returned to vex Israell But who was ever a more malicious enemy to any maÌ„ theÌ„ was wicked Saul to innoceÌ„t David yet astone as he perceived that himselfe beeing shut vp by the providence of God into Davids haÌ„ds he was spared by him his life preserved he was so throughly moved therewith that hee did not only presently withdrawâ— his forces from his pursuite but also most earnestly praied vnto 1. Sam. 24. 20. God and that he would giue him a reward for the same Yea wheÌ„ before having given a speciall charge to all his housholde to kill David lonathan had dehorted him from the same saying Let not the king sinne against his servant against David for he hath not sinned against thee but his workes towardâ—s thee haue beene very good for he did put his life in danger and slow the Philâ—stine the Lord wrought a greaâ— salvation for all Israell thou sâ—west it and thou reioicest Wherefore wilâ— thou then sinne against innocent bloode and slay David without a cause The only mention and recitall of the which matter did so alter Saules malitious hart that he did not only recal his former edict but also confirmed the revocation thereof with a solemne oath saying as the Lord loveth he shall not die Now if kindnes receaved 1. Sam. 19. 6 from our vnderlings and from such as we haue hated and sought their destruction doth even vpon a suddaine alter our affections and compell vs to vow their good to sweare their safety how much more any pleasure beeing done vnto vs by our superiours will glad and cheere vs at the very hart and cause vs to busie all our thoughts how we may in some measure recompence and requite the same What a credite do we thinke it to be vnto vs if the prince shall but take notice of vs and call vs by our name shew vs but some countenance and favour Or if a noble man or a man of state shall steede vs in a matter of some moment howe are we ready to cast our selues after a sort downe at his feete and to make most solemne protestation saying your honours to coÌ„mande yours according to bounden duty for ever your most obedient beadesman and servant as long as life lasteth Now the king of kings and state of states hath not only vouchsafed to haue takne notice of vs to haue provided for our vse service and comfort this so glorious and bountiful world furnished with such variety of all manner of earthly blessings but also hath prepared for vs treasures of farre greater price and value in the life to come how ought we then to be astonished amazed at such kindnes that proceedeth from so high and worthy a state how ought our hearts to be euen rapt and ravished beside themselues at the least apprehension of such invaluable favours Why even Publicanâ—s and sinners loue their lovers and shew kindnes to them of whoÌ„ they receiue kindnes yea the Devill himselfe will in some sort serue them that serue him and will be at the commandemeÌ„t
of the meanest witch that hath before bouÌ„d her selfe vnto him And hee doeth extenuate all that service that Iob himselfe had done vnto God for that he was so sufficiently hyred thereto paide so well for it and that before hand Doth Iob saith he feare Iob. 1. 9. God for nought Haste thou not made an hedge about him and about his house and about al that he hath on every side Thou hast blessed the works of his hands and his substance is encreased in the land and therefore what great thing is it that he doth so regard thee hath he not very good cause so to do Verily if he did not seek to serue thee after the best manner he were the wickedst wretch that ever lived Now if the most envious and malicious wretch of all other who by his intollerable ingratitude and vnthankfulnes had deprived himselfe most iustly of al the Lords blessings could yet notwithstanding reason after this maÌ„ner how much more ought the true and faithfull servants of God themselues which do and for ever shall enioy the inestimable favour of his vnchangeable loue set the loving kindnes of the Lord alwaies before their eies making it a sharpe spurre to stirre them vp to walke on forwarde in the Lords truth and even to run the way of his coÌ„mandements And that Psal 16. 3. so much the rather for that the Lord himselfe hath beene so carefull to remember them thereof in sundry places of divine scripture and that after a most vehement and patheticall manner Ier. 2. 31. O yee generation take yee heede vnto the word of the Lord Haue I bin vnto you a wildernes or a land of darknes Wherfore say my people we are Lords we will come no more vnto thee Surely I haue not bin as a wildernes but as a most fruitful land ministring vnto you all blessings in all aboundance And therefore yee ought to haue beene most fertile in my feare and most plentifull in my service This most ample beneficence of God towards his people is so apparant that he appealeth therein even to themselues O yee inhabitants of Ierusalem and men of Iudah iudge yee I pray you betweene Isa 5. 3. me my vineyard What could I haue done any more vnto my vineyard that I haue not done vnto it So likewise in the Prophet Micah O my Mich. 6. 3. people what haue I done vnto thee or wherein haue I grieved thee testifie against me Surâ—… I brought thee up out of the land of Aegypt redeemed thee out of the house of servants and I sent before thee Moses Aron and Myriam O my people remember now what Balaak king of Moab had devised and what Balâ—am the sonne of Beor answered him froÌ„ Shittim vnto Gilgall that yee may know the righteousâ—es of the Lord. The recital of the which so great kindnesse and loue did so inwardly touch the very hart of the Prophet of the residue of the faithfull to whoÌ„ it was vttered that immediatly in their person he calleth as it were al the powers of his soule to a consultation howe al dâ—tiful thankefulnes may after the best manner be rendred vnto God for these his so large and ample mercies Wherewithall saith he shall I come before the Lord and bowe my selfe before the most high God Shall I come before him with burnt offrings and vvith calâ—es of an yeare olde will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rammes or with teâ— thousand rivers of oile Shall I giue my first borne for my transgression the fiâ—ite of my body for the sinne of my soule Hee hath shevved thee ô man what is good and what the Lord requireth at thy hands Surely to do iustly and to loue mercy to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God Wherby we may learne what be those sacrificeâ— that are best acceptable to God first to do iustlie in giuing to God that which is due to God and to man that which is due to man Secondly to sheâ—e mercy to them that are in misery and lastly to haue Gods goodnes alwaies before our eies our owne vnworthines that so wee may learne to humble our selues to renouÌ„ce our owne worth and to cleaue vnfeinedly vnto God yea to deny to die vnto our selues that so we may devote out selues and our whole liues only to God And verely when the Lord hath once revealed shewed vnto vs how he hath loued vs and given himselfe vnto vs and hath abounded towardes vs in his gracious blessings and hath caused al his creatures to serue to our vse theÌ„ shal we desire in al sincerity to loue and please him and to resigne our selues wholy to his service When God shal say vnto vs ye are my people then shal we answere thou art our GOD. When Christ shal haue Hos 2. 23. made manifest his tender affection to his spouse haue taught her to say my beloued is mine and hath assured me of his â—idelity Cant. 2. 16. then shal shee reply I am his and am fully resolved to keepe true touch and faith with him His loue is mine and shall bee alwaies before mine eles and my service is his and shal be continually in his sight If a master among men should giue vnto his servant an annuity of 20. nobles by the yeere or some little farme or other living if hee serue him not therefore at his becke hee crieth out straight waies against his ingratitude but if he happen to ioine against him in any cause or suite and that with his professed and deadly enemie how intollerable an indignity doth this seeme in his sight Now we our selues haue receaved from our grand master and Lord not only some small parte portion of our liueing maintenaÌ„ce but our selues also whatsoever we enioy out lot tâ— is fallen out vnto vs in a good grouÌ„d we haue a very goodly hevitage Psal 16. 6. for the Lord himselfe is our portioÌ„ he doth maintaine our lotte What vnkind vnthankful wretches are we theÌ„ if we surrender not backe againe vnto him both our selues al that we enioy to be prest ready at his coÌ„mandemeÌ„t If we keepe not a continual remeÌ„braÌ„ce of these inestimable mercies sette theÌ„ not alwaies before our eies wee bee worthy to be cleane cast out of his sight vtterly to be put out of his remeÌ„braÌ„ce If so ful streames flowing froÌ„ so pure a fouÌ„taine do not moisteÌ„ the dry barreÌ„ soile of our soules make vs fruitful to al good works theÌ„ are we verely but badd grouÌ„d â—…re to the curse whose end is to be burâ—…d Vndoubtedly as al the rivers flowing out of the sea returne thither againe so empty theÌ„selues after a sort into their mothers lappe eveÌ„ so the Lords innumerable blessings issuing froÌ„ the maine sea of his loue vnto the vse of his faithful sincere servaÌ„ts are thaÌ„kfully returned by them backe againe and faithfully employed
in his seruice The bondslaues of Satan seeme sometimes to drawe nigh vnto God to seeke the advauÌ„cemeÌ„t of his honor glory but it is either afflictioÌ„ that forceth theÌ„ to cry that they might be delivered Psal 78. 34. Hos 7. 14. Ioh. 6. 26. out of the haÌ„d of the oppressor or they howle vpoÌ„ their beds for corne wine and follow Christ for more bread the gratious gifts of God already receiued do not allure them to come in sincerity to God For they say not in their heartes O let vs feare the Lord which giueth vs raine â—arely late in due season and reserveth Ierem. 5. 24. for vs the appointed weekes of harvest Neither doe they say vvhere Iob. 35. 10. is the God that made vs that giveth vs songes in the night vvhich teacheth vs more then the beastes of the earth and giveth vs more wisedome then the fowles of the heavens But the sincere servantes of Thankfulnes for benefits already received bringeth the faithfull to God wheras hope of profite to come and their owne necessities force hypocrites sometimes to flie vnto him 2 Reg. 5. 17 Is 38. 20. The contemplation of Gods mercies our owne defectes vnworthines is the proper cause of all sincere devotion especially the manifestation of the endles loue of God in Christ is the peculiar cause of faith by faith of all other parts of piety godlines Christ knowing that God hath advaunced them with honour aboue al the residue of his creatures seeke to advaunce his honour aboue al other yea they most duly weighing with theÌ„selues how deeply they are endebted vnto his divine maiesty for his gracious gifts already receiued desire rather to discharge some of the billes of their former debtes then more more stil to grow in arearages Naaman the Syrian being al his life long brought vp in most grosse blindnes Idolatry when he was cured of his leprosy by the goodnes of the God of Israel that is by the goodnes of the only true God Now saith he I know that there is no God but only in Israel therfore wil I not heÌ„ceforth offer any burnt offring or sacrifice to any other God saue to the Lord. So wheÌ„ Ezechias had obtained of God a great deliverance froÌ„ his most dangerous disease howe doth he sing vnto the Lord reioice in his goodnes vow vnto God perpetual homage service The graue saith he caÌ„not coÌ„fesse thee death caÌ„not praise thee but the liuing shall coÌ„fesse thee as I doe this day the father to the children shall declare thy truth The Lord was ready to saue me therfore wil I sing my songs in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life The like may be said of al the residue that haue vnfeinedly given themselues vnto God For how were they drawen therevnto but by the linkes of his loue by the chaine of his blessings Devotion saith Aquinas is a special act of religion importing nothing else but the devoting of a mans hearte to the prompt service of the almighty God the cause wherof is the contemplation meditation of the Lords benefits of our owne defects For if we would duly weigh coÌ„sider with our selues the Lords most bountiful largesse towards vs which are vnworthy of the leasts of his mercies deserue nothing but vengeance and wrath especially if we would religiously record that one invaluable gift of God who so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoever beleeved in him should not perish but haue life everlasting it would not otherwise be but that we should be wounded and pricked at the very hearte for our former contempts disloyalties and rebellions against so good and gratious a GOD and should also be made more careful for the time to come to looke better vnto our steppes and to be more respectiue serviceable vnto our God For so wrought this heavenly phisike in Peter Paule with al the residue of the servants of Christ it purged a way the putrified humours of corrupted affections recovered theÌ„ to spiritual health life It is sufficieÌ„t saith St. Peter that wee haue speÌ„t the time past of our life after the lustes of the GeÌ„tiles walking in 1. Pet. 4 2. Our defectes Gods loue Our dutie or devotioÌ„ vvantonnes lustes drunkennes and in abominable Idolatries But nowe seeing we knowe that Christ hath suffered for sinne we ought also to suffer in the flesh and to cease from sinne and henceforward to liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lustes of men but after the vvill of God So likewise the Apostle St. Paule Wee also our selues vvere in Tit. 3. 3. Our defectes Gods loue times past vnwise disobedient deceiued serving dâ—verse lustes and vâ—lâ—ptuousnes living in malitiousnes and eâ—vy hatefull and hating oâ—… another but when the boâ—…tâ—fulnes and loue of God our Saviour toward man appeared he not onely saved vs from the guilte of our sinnes by giving himselfe a ransome for our soules but also hee destroyed the power Our dutie or devotioÌ„ of sinne in vs and so raysed vs vp to newnes of life For albeit the wicked turne the grace of God into wantonnes saying let vs sinne that grace may abound yet the saying grace of God teacheth the godly another lesson even to deny vngodlines and worldly lustes and to live Tit. 2. 11. iustly soberlie and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope appearing of the mighty God and of our Sâ—viour Iesus Christ vvho gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all â—…iquitiâ— and purge vs to be a peculiar people to himselfe zealous of good workes So likewise albeit the LORDES temporall blessinges are to the wicked as thornes choaking vp the good seedes of pietie and godlines and as baites to snare them and to drawe their heartes from God and as chaines to binde them fast vnto the varities of this wicked world yet to the godlie they are as sweete sauce to make them â—eede more eagerly vppon the foode of their soules and as spurres to make them runne more readilie in the way of Gods commaundementes and as ladders to lifte them vp vnto GOD that so they may come to the fruition of his greater blessinges For to the pure all thinges are pure in so much that their verie sinnes make them to hate sinne the more and the little tast of the LORDES mercies causeth them more vehemently to thirst after a full cuppe of the same mercies yea the more they see their owne wantes and the LORDES fulnes the more they are stirred vp to renouÌ„ce themselues to cleaue Eph. 5. 8. Our de fectes Gods loue Our duty or devotioÌ„ vnfainedly vnto the Lord. Yee were darknes saith the Apostle but now yee are light in the Lord Walke as children of the light as if he should haue said vnto them Remember your
or rather that is risen again who is also at the right handâ— of God and maketh request to God for vs. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or â—…kednes or perill or sword As it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long and are as sheepe appointed for the slaughter Neverthelesse in all these things we are more then conquerours in him that loued vs. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor thinges to come are able to seperate vs from the loue of God vvhich is in Christ Iesus our Lord. In which words it is manifest that the apprehension of the loue of God in Christ doth breede such a strong faith and confidence in God that the faithfull are thereby fully perswaded that they shal be never finally forsakeÌ„ of God not vaÌ„quished cleane overthrowen by the force and furie of all their enemies Now as this loue of God breedeth faith in God so also it engendreth 1. Ioh. 4. 19. loue towards God We loue God saith S. Iohn because he loved vs first and hath revealed this his loue vnto vs hath made vs to apprehend it with the eies of our faith and to be assured Ignoti nulla cupido Tantfi diligimus quantum credimus Gre. in Ez. ho. 22. perswaded of the same For if God loue vs and we be ignorant of it how can we loue him againe for the same For our charity doth so depend vpoÌ„ our faith that so much we loue God as we know and beleeue his loue and goodnesse towards vs. A strong faith a strong loue a weake faith a weake loue For God worketh not in vs as he doth in those creatures which are vtterly voide of al vnderstanding and reason and so haue no sense and feeling of the Lords working in them but in the worke of our regeneratioÌ„ first he informeth the vnderstanding with knowledge and thereby moveth the affections and will Now faith beeing the eie of our spirituall vnderstanding whereby with Abraham the father of Ioh. 8. 56. the faithfull we behold the day of Christ and reioice therein first in him apprehendeth the loue of God towards vs then kindleth in our harts our loue towards him For true faith is not idle 1. Tim. 1. 5. Gal. 5. 6. and vnfruitful but first worketh loue and then worketh by loue shee is the mother of loue in that shee first breedeth it and then Aug de fide operibus c 22. Greg. in Ezek. ho. 9. Faith is the life of loue not loue the soule of faith by loue bringing foorth all good works shee is the grandmother of all good workes And hereof it is that Austine saith that it may rightly be said that all the commandements of God pertaine to faith if not a dead but a living faith that worketh by loue be vnderstoode For as Gregory teacheth Faith is the doore and entrance vnto good workes not good workes vnto faith Neither is loue the soule of faith that quickneth it and giveth it life but faith is the very life of loue and maketh it liuely and industrious in her worke And therfore the Lord vseth to sette before the eies of his faithfull servants his owne loue testified by his sundry and manifold blessings and so causeth them to manifest their loue towards him by their readie obedience to all his commandements And hereof it is that they are called the friendes of God Abraham the friend of God Moseâ— Iac. 2. 23. the friend of God So our louing Saviour vnto his deare disciples HeÌ„ceforth cal I you not servaÌ„ts for the servaÌ„t knoweth not what the master Ioh. 15. 15. The faithfull are accepted of God as his frendes therfore are put in assurance of his loue doth but I haue called you friends for what soever I haue heard of the father I haue made manifest vnto you And what is true and sincere frendshippe but a mutual and interchangeable ben evolence and good wil not lying hidde or kept secret within the closette of the hart but breaking forth and manifesting it selfe by the effectes And therfore in that the â—aithfull are called the frendes of God it is evident both that they feele the loue of God towards themselues â—oÌ„finned vnto them by his gracious blessings that they likewise are stirred vp to loue him to testifie the same by their ready obedience to his will yea this is one sure signe of the speciall loue of Christ towards his that he doth shew himselfe not vnto Ioh. 14. 21. the world but vnto them and so raiseth vp in them faith and loue and strengtheneth them in his feare If a prince favour his subiect and he knoweth it not he must needes loose a great part of the benefit and comfort that he might receiue therby if that he did perfectly vndestand so much And verely that favour caÌ„â— not be great that can be altogeather concealed and kept close A little fire may be covered vnder ashes so preserved for some time but if it be kept so long it wil be extinguished cleane put out but a great fire wil not bee covered but wil shewe it selfe by heate smoke flame even so the great fire of the Lordes loue towards his elect cannot long be hidde but it will make it selfe manifest vnto them sooner or later by the effectes therof Earthlie parents conceale in part their loue from their children beeing in their tender yeares least they should waxe wanton and be made the worse for the same but when they are once come to ripenes of age and to yeares of discretion then they commonly seeke to make it manifest vnto theÌ„ by al the meanes that possibly they caÌ„ and they desire nothing more then that they should be through ly perswaded therof and he is a bastard a very vnnatural child worthy to loose both his name and inheritance which either will not be perswaded of the kind tender affection of his parents towards him or else is made therby more careles negligent to do his duty Even so our heavenly father whose tender loue affectioÌ„ towards his elect so far exceedeth the kindnes of al earthly pareÌ„ts as God exceedeth man testifieth his loue kindnes and care towards his continually either by his gifts or by his corrections or by both albeit he doth not at al times make theÌ„ feele so much it is for this end that wheÌ„ he doth so they should be more throughly moved to mislike theÌ„selues the more for their formet vnkindnes also to loue the Lord the more for his coÌ„stant and coÌ„tinual loue towards such as theÌ„selues were who before had so little regard so much as to take notice of such loue And therfore aâ— such as either wil not be perswaded of the fatherly affectioÌ„ of God towards theÌ„selues condeÌ„ning the same of
each one the other therein then how much more ought they to doe it which are appointed to be publik officers for the same purpose How ougâ—t they especially most carefully to put in practise the exhortation of the prophet by calling continually vnto the people and saying Praise the Lord and call vpon his name and declare his workes among the people Sing vnto him sing praises vnto him and let your talking be of all his wondrous works Reioice in his holy name let the harts of them reioice that seâ—ke the Lord. Seeke the Lord and his strength seâ—ke his face continually Remember the maâ—veâ—lous works that he hath done the wonders and the iudgments of his mouth â—h yee seede of Abraham his servant ye châ—ldren of Iacob his chosen he is the Lord our God â— The 〈…〉 â—…ssistance accordâ—… to his own covenant And yet if all men faile in their duety the Lorde himselfe will not faile in that covenant which he hâ—th made with all his chosen wherein hee hath promised that hee himselfe will write his lawes in their heartes and plant them in their mindes and that he will doe the same so sufficiently that it shall not be a matter of absolute necessity for every one to exhort and to admonish his neighbor saying know the Lord for they shall all know me saith the Lord even Ier. 31 34. from the greatest vnto the least So and so beneficiall it is vnto all the Lords people to know the Lord and his gracious blessings to keepe a continuall remembrance of the same and therefore so and so many meanes hath the Lord appointed in his vnspeakeable wisedome and goodnesse for the stirring vp of every one of his faithful servants to the ready and careful performance of this so beneficiall and necessary a worke So and so carefull hath the Lord been that the people devoted vnto his service should want no meanes to strengthen further them in the holy exercise of sincere devotion Now let vs see how the church of Rome which boasteth so highly of her owne great devotions land of the huge multitude of all manner of good works which so and so abounde among her children religiously extolleth the Lords mercies what a carefull remembraunce shee keepeth of his goodnes seeing as it hath beene shewed that is the mother and the nurce of all sound and sincere devotion and the fountain welspring of all good workes The word of God in setting downe the great gracious blessings of God doth declare vnto vs these three pointes First the cause of them even his owne goodnesse and loue secondly the end which is the manifestation of his goodnes and loue thirdly the effect which is the working therby in the harts of his chosen of al inward graces outward dueties also both to God to our neighbour The grace goodnes loue and mercy of God is the full fountaine froÌ„ whence all his blessings doe issue flow The great blessed worke of mans redemption issueth from thence as our Saviour testifieth So God loved the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but haue Ioh. 3. 16. life everlasting The great blessed worke of the creation and all the residue of his gracious blessings many of the particulars wherof are set down by the prophet Ps 136. come also from thence even because his mercy enduâ—eth for ever This mercy loue of God is not oâ—ly most ample large but also most free vndeserved For every good gift and every perfect giving commeth downe froÌ„ Iac. 1. 17. aboue froÌ„ the father of light we hold all that wee enioy from this grand vniversal lâ—ndlord therefore we must pay our whole rent to him performe only to his court our suit service we are endebted vnto him alone for the loane of al that we possesse therfore to him alone we must discharge all our debt His loue also is most free vndeserved he seeketh therin not to gain any thing to himselfe but only to do good to benefit other this doth farther set forth the greatnes of his loue so doth enlarge the bil of our debt SecoÌ„dly the end why God bestoweth his blessings is that they might be vnto vs most plaine demoÌ„strations of his loue most certain testimonies of his goodnes Shew me saith St. Iams thy faith by thy works I wil shew thee my faith by my works Iac 2. 18. 1. Ioh. 3. 18. My childreÌ„ saith St. Iohn let vs not loue in word in toÌ„gue but in work in truth That loue theÌ„ is in truth that is effectual in works and that faith is souÌ„d right that sheweth it selfe in the fruits Wherfore god who would haue his choseÌ„ know be fully perswaded that he loveth theÌ„ in truth sheweth it forth to them by his most gracious and manifold blessings as by the effects fruits therof and this is also a great addition vnto his loue Thirdly the Lord maketh his loue manifested by his blessings the meanes to beget and to encrease faith loue repentance and the like in the hearts of his elect and chosen children he putteth them not out to vse nor taketh any encrease for them for his estate cannot be bettered nor his blessednes encreased the profite and encrease accrueth to vs and therefore by them we merite nothing at the hands of God nor make him thereby any way endebted to vs but wee our selues are more and more still in his debt for the free lone francke gift of all his blessings Now then to returne againe to the first point The loue of God is the ful fountaine of all manner of his blessings both bodyly and ghostly and he himselfe is not only the author but also the disposer and bestower of them all the blessings themselues and the meanes are of him and the working also of the one and the other Temporal meanes are in themselues nothing without the speciall power of God working in them by them Man liveth not by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God And life consiseth not in the great aboundance of all such thinges aâ— doe belong to the maintenance of life The horse is counted but a vaine thing to saue a man neither can he deliver any one by his much strength the watchman also waketh but in vaine vnlesse the Lord keepe the citty So spirituall meanes also are nothing without the effectuall power of the almighty working by them for that is the very soule and life of all He that planteth is nothing and hee that watereth is nothing but God that giveth the encrease Iohn the Baptist can baptise but with water Austine can but speake to our bodyly eares Christ baptiseth only with the holy Ghost and he that hath his chaire in heaven is he only that can teach the heart The water in baptisme can
of Gods temporall giftes is a deniall of God and therefore much more the ascribinâ— of eternall life to our own merites but of our temporal goods and possessions vnto our owne industry and witte be an iniquity to be condemned because it is a deniall of God then is it a greater iniquity more to be condemned and a more heinous deniall of God to robbe him of the glory of his greatest giftes by ascribing them vnto our owne merites But herein is fulfilled the prophesie of Saint Peter * 2. Pet. 2. 1. who hath plainely foretolde that as there were then false prophets among the people so there shoulde bee false teachers among vs who shoulde prively bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lorde that bought them The truth is that the children of the Church of Rome confesse in word their redemption wrought by Christ but wheÌ„ they theÌ„ selues labour to purchase heaven by their ovvn merites do they not plainely disallowe the sufficiencie of the purchase thereof made by Christ Yea whereas our Rhemistes are so bolde as to call the iustice of God which is residenâ— in Christ appreheÌ„ded by our faith and so imputed to vs because it was wrought for vs a new no iustice a phant asticall apprehension of that which is not a falsâ— faith and an vntrue imputation and to affirme that there is no righteousnes Rhem in c. 3. ep ad Rom. whereby we are iustified before God but that which is inherent in vs being giveÌ„ to vs of God by Christ that therby we might merit for our selues our iustification salvation doe they not in flat tearmes deny Christs own inhereÌ„t righteousnes wherby we are iustified saved ascribe the same to our own inherent righteousnes If a friend should procure of a father some portion of a stocke for his son by the which being well emploied encreased the son should in some spate of time purchase a good farme were the friend or the father or the son to be tearmed the purchaser thereof It is plaine and manifest that none but the son Why then if Christs own righteousnes inherent in himselfe and imputed to vs be a new no righteousnes not the price of our redemption but our owne inherent righteousnesse procured of God our heavenly Father by the death of Christ as by the mediation of our dearest friend then wee our selues are the purchasers of everlasting life and so our owne Saviours and redeemers and are no surther beholding to Christ for the same then for that he hath procured for vs some portion of loue repentaÌ„ce obedience and the like the which being well emploied and encreased by our owne free will is the only price that is given for that heavenly purchase But far be this blâ—sphemous doctrine from the heartes of all true and faithfull Christians let it bee enough for vs to enioy the fruite of our salvation purchased by Christ let vs giue to his owne most pure and perfect obedience this glory that we esteeme it bee the only price that is or could bee equivalent vnto that so great and worthy a purchase And whereas the great endlesse loue of God our Father electing iustifying vs freely in Christ are the steppes vvhereby God descendeth to vs to finish his worke heere begunne in vs by bringing vs heere in this lâ—…e to our sanctification and to our glorification in the life to come and vvhereas also the Lorde in his high and admirable vvisedome hath appointed that this his greate and endlesse loue in electing and iustififying vs freely in Christ should bee the only effectuall meanes to worke our conversion and sanctification and the most strong and forcible motiue to in duce vs to the ready performaunce of all such holy vvorkes as are the steppes and staires to our glorification let vs not presume to perverte this order and course ordayned by God in his greate wisedome by setting the cart before the horse by turning all â—opsie turvey by chaunging the effectes into the causes and the causes into the effectes by placing the highest steppes in the lowest roomes and the lowest in the highest by altring the first into the last and the last into the first and yet all this is done by vs if vvee make our sanctification and good vvorkes the merit orious causes of the loue of God and of our election iustification by CHRIST vvhich are but the effectes and fruites of the same Nay rather seeing God hath not only loved vs but also hath made manifest the same vnto vs by his manifold blessinges by giving our selues vnto our selues and all this glorious vvorlde to our vse and service by giving vs his ovvne deare sonne to iustifie vs by his bloode and to sanctifie vs by his spirite and to leade vs by his worde in the right way to our full and finall glorification howe oughte wee to serue him that hath thus served vs and honour him that hath honoured vs and loue him that hath loved vs to be most desirous to testifie the same by our careful continual emploiment in all those works which he himselfe hath ordained for vs to walk in that in most ready and humble obedience vnto his will not onely because it is holy iust acceptable welpleasing vnto himselfe and the wil of him vnto whom we owe all obedience in respect of his supreme auctority over vs but much more for that we are so deeply endebtted vnto him in respect of his infinite endlesse mercies Seing theÌ„ the wil of God must be the rule squier of al our workes or else they will grow much out of square therfore it coÌ„cerneth vs most nearely to make most diligent inquiry by what meanes we may attaine to the assured knowledge therof that so we may conforme our selues wholy therevnto The knowledge of the most certaine and vndoubted will of The sure certaine â—…ill of God â—s onely to â—e learned â—ut of the Canonical scriptures God is now to be found only in the word of God revealed to the Prophets Apostles by the spirit of God sette downe by theÌ„ in the Canonical Scriptures For as words are given to vs of God that therby we might signify each to other the seÌ„ce meaning of our minds eveÌ„ so hath the Lord himselfe revealed to vs by his written word what is the meaning of his wil hath coÌ„manded vs to seeke for the same onely from thence This commandement Deut. 30. 11. saith Moses which I command thee this day is not hidde froÌ„ thee neither is it farre of It is not in heaven that thou shouldest say who shall goe vp into heaven and bring it vnto vs and cause vs to heare it that we may doe it Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say vvho shall goe over the sea to bring it to vs to cause vs to heare it that vvee may doe it But the word is neere vnto thee even
vs directly to GOD and in the least iote and title thereof they are vnerring and vndeceiueable teachers and therefore they are to bee embraced and followed vvithout any limitation or restriction at all The lavve of the Lorde saith David is perfect and converteth the soule Psal 19 7. and needeth no supply to â—e made there vnto He that addeth any thing to the same setteth but a rotten patch vnto a new and whole garment Yea whereas such is our forget fulnes and readines to let slippe out of our heartes holy things that still vvee haue neede to bee 2. Pet. 1. 12. remembred and to bee put in minde of the same and vvhereas such is our slâ—cknesse and lazinesle in walking on forvvard in the Lordes vvaies that still vvee haue neede to haue the spurre in our sides the holesome and heavenly instructions of the Canonicall scriptures being the meanes appointed by God both to remember vs at all times of our duety tovvardes God and also to stirre vs vp continually to the performaunce of the same The faithful teaching heaâ—ing and embracing of the word of God is the most principall yea the only necessary duty of a faithfull christian Luk. 10. 40. therefore the dilligent teaching hearing and meditating therof hath beene iudged to be the most principall yea the only necessary duety of a faithfull Christian and a most certaine token of our vnfained loue towarde God and an evident marke of a true servant of Christ O Martha Martha saith our blessed Saviour thou art trouâ—led about many thinges but one thing is necessarie Mary hath chosen the best pars vvhich shall never bee taken from her Now Martha was troubled about many things which were provided for the better entertainmenâ— of Christ himselfe and his disciples but Mary was busied about the caroful entertainement and laying vp in her heart of the divine instructions of Christes heavenly doctrine and therefore it is a farre more acceptable worke to haue care that our soules be fedde with GODS holy worde then with our bodily sustenaunce to refresh the bodies of GODS dearest Saintes yea it is after a sort the only or at the least the most necessary duety of all other from the which vve ought in no case to be hinderâ—d no not for the performance of any other duety VVhen complainte vvas made to the Apostles for some disorder that vvas committed aboute the providing Act. 6. 1. for the poore and as it seemeth it was required at their handes that they themselues setting aside the preaching of the vvoâ—de for a â—ime shoulde more throughly looke into that matter and redresse the abuse they aunsvvere peremptorelie that it vvas not meete that they shoulde leaue the worde and serue tables and therefore they committing that businesâ—e of lesse importaunce to men of meaner giftes themselues possessing the highest roomes in the Church and being endued with the greatest gifâ—es employed themselues in continuall praâ—er and preaching as being the greatest and chiefest dueties And verily it is a more glorious vvorke to builde the spirituall temple of GOD in the heartes of the faithfull by the preaching of the vvoorde then to â—recte a sumpâ—uous temple of timber and stones for the out vvarde exercise of the service of God it is a farre more excellent vvorke by the seede of the nevve birth to be get many children to God and so to enlarge the kingdome of heaven then by ouâ— vvealth vvisedome and provvâ—sse to enrich and enlarge any earthly kingdome it is a farre more excellent vvorke to feede the soules that are ready to famish with the bread of life then to feede the bodies of such as vvant with our temporall sustenaunce It is a farre more excellent vvorke to bring those that sit in darckenesse and in the shaddowe of death to the vision of GOD by the light of the vvâ—orde then to deliver them out of bodyly bondage and to enrich them with all earthly and temporall commodities For our fâ—ll vision of GOD is the cause of our perfect blessednâ—sâ—e so that wheÌ„ 1. Ioh. 3. 2. vve shall see him vvith open face themshall vvee be perfectly blessed and the nearer in this life vve come to behold him the nearer we come to this our perfect bleslednes now here in this life wee behold him principally in the glasse oâ— his worde espeoâ—ally in the mirrout of the glorious gospell of CHRIST and 1. Cor. 3. 18 therefore the more often and the more reverently wee contemplate the same and the more serious is ouâ— study and meditation therein the nearer we come to our perfect blessednes Wherfore it was not without cause that our Savâ—our himselfe a little before his ascension â—nto heauen did so straightly charge Peter a principall Ioh. 21. 15. man among his Apostles that if hee did loue him more then the rest he should feede his sheepe more then the rest and by his continuall holding ouâ— of the light of the word he shoulde bring the Lordes people to the vision of God as to the châ—efest bâ—essing of God and to the cause of all other blessing And hereof it is that on the Lordes day which is especially dedicated to the service of God the Lord especially requireth both of Pâ—est people that they shoulde principally be emploied in the teaching hearing meditating of the holy word of God as being not only in it selfe a principal worke but also the cause of al good works and of the whole worship and service of God And therfore wheÌ„ this so principal and necessary a worke began to be neglected among vs Englishmen when the service of God according vnto the order of Gregory began to be established in our churches the people had their senses satisfied more with sweete soundes goodly shewes then their soules fed with the heavenly foode of the word Venerable Bede ablbeit he bare great reverence to the Bed l. 4. c. 18. de gest Anglor church of Rome could not refraine himselfe but that he must vtter his great dislike thereof in plaine tearmes Heretofore saith he insteede of these things the principall service of God consisted in the preaching of the gospell and in the hearing of the word of God Neither must we imagine that there was more need of the diligeÌ„t preaching hearing of the word of God in former ages then is now or shal be to the end of the world not only for that whether we be baptised or vnbaptised and descend either from faith full or faithlesse progenitors we are all without any difference equally Rom. 3. 9. by nature blind and ignorant of God and therfore stande in neede to haue the lampe of the worde alwaies burning in our hands if we desire to be preserved from continuall stumbling falling but also for that the most part of all that professe themselues Christians content themselnes with an out ward professioÌ„ of the faith albeit they feele no inward conversion and take theÌ„selues to be
hoale when they are sicke even to death and therefore haue need of the more spiritual physicke because this their estate is most dangerous of all and such persons of all other are most hardly to be recovered For why did Publicanes and harlots Mat. 11. 21. An infidell is sooner converted then a couÌ„terfeit chri stian and a notorious sinner theÌ„ a dissembling hypocrite Pro. 26. 12. Mat 9. 12. sooner enter into the kingdome of God then the Scribes Pharisies and why would Sodom haue repented before Capernaum but for that all such as content theÌ„sâ—lues with an outward shew of piety and godlines are furthest of indeed from true piety and godlines Seest thou a man saith Solomon that is wise in his owne eies there is more hope of a foole then of such an one So seest thou one that is hoale in his own conceite there is far more hope of his recovery who albeit hee were more dangerously sicke yet hath not so strong an opinion of his own health For it is a good step to health to know a mans owne sicknes but he that cannot be perswaded that he is sicke wil not be perswaded to take physick therefore is past all hope of recovery he that will not bee perswaded that he is out of the way will never be perswaded to seek for a guide and therfore will never come into the right way Wherfore never more neede then nowe that the Lorde shoulde even force vpon vs as faithful guides the doctrine of his holy Apostles and Prophets and never more need then now that our heavenly physition should even constraine vs oftentimes to receiue his spiritual physicke and not only in respect of those that are Christians only in shew who are otherwise past all hope of recovery but also in respect of those that are true Christians indeede who yet notwithstanding are so distempered and crasie that without the continual administring of this spiritual physicke they wil by one ghostly sicknes or other soone fall into great danger yea vnlesse these men be stil feeding on this food they wil soone become so weake and feeble that they will not bee able to doe the Lordes worke vnlesse they be stil moistened with these eaelesâ—…al shewers they wil become fruitlesse and yeeld a smal haâ—vest vnlesse by this net they are stil drawne out of the sea of their sins they will sinke deeper deeper vntil they be drowned vnlesse this light be stil in their hands they will stumble and fall into the pit of destruction vnlesse this voice of the great shepheard doth stil souÌ„d in their eares they wil nothing but wander and go astray vnlesâ—e this spurre be stil in their sides they wil sone be at a stand giue over their iourney vnlesse these bellowes be stil blowing the fire of their zeale wil soone goe out As may appear by the examples of those renowned servants of God Zorobabell Iosuah the residue of that holy remnant of the people of God which returned out of the captivity of Babilon who were soone moued to give over the building of the temple of God and to settle themselues to their owne coÌ„modities pleasures vntill by the vvord of the Lord out of the mouth of the Prophet Haggey they vvere Hagg. 1. 3. effectually stirred vp vnto the finishing of the LORDS worke Wherfore no marvaile that al the faithful servants of God knowing the great necessity of having continuall in their handes and harts the most holesome instructions admonitions of the word of God doe exhort one another zealously after this manner saying Come lette vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lorde to the Isa 2. 5. Mich. 4. 1. house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his lawes and we will walke in his pathes They wil not walke in the vvaies of the Psal 1. 1. vngodly nor stand in the waies of sinners nor sitte in the seate of the scornefull and why their delight is in the law of the Lord. and in that law they doe exercise themselues day and night and thereby they become like erees planted by the water side which bring forth their fruite in due season whose leaves never wither And no marvaile though they prove such fruitful trees seing they are so plentifully watered with such holesome dewes whereas all such as refuse to drinke in continuall those holesome droppes being planted in the dry wildernes of this barren world become withered and deade trees good for nothing but to bee hewen downe and cast into the fire Seeing then the relligious reading hearing and meditating of the worde of GOD is not onely in it selfe a very excellent good worke and a principall part of the service of God which is to bee performed as every day so especially vpon the Lords day but also the meaue to begette and bring forth every good worke and to further the whole service of God to lead the people to the behoulding of God and to their perfect and absolute blessednes what then may we iudge of the vvorkes of the Church of Rome and of her manner of serving of GOD and of her leading of the people to the beholding of GOD and to their perfecte and absolute blessednes seeing shee keepeth this word of GOD fast shutte vp from the greatest part of them vnder the locke and key of a straunge tongue and debarreth them from the continuall reading thereof yea from the reading thereof altogeather and not onely so but also chargeth our Church to lay a stumbling blocke before the people and to minister occasion vnto them of falling into heresie for that wee not onely allowe but also exhort them to haue their continuall and dayly resort to the same that so they might be enabled to know the truth and to discerne it from falshood lies not receiving any doctrine vpon the bare credite of their teachers but trying it by this touchstone before they receive it for currant and good But if hereby we sett open a doore to errour heresie theÌ„ did The doctrine of al teachers is to be tried before it be received Ioh. 5. 39. Act. 17. 11. Christ and his Apostles doe the same before vs and many also Apostolical men For our Saviour himselfe willeth the people to search the Scriptures and no further to give credite to his ovvne Doctrine then they shoulde finde it approved by those vvitnesses And the Beraeans are commended for searching the Scriptures and for putting into those ballances the verie doctrine of the Apostle Saint Paule that so they might see whether it would holde weight For as Austine teacheth all other ballances are deceitfull and therefore in his controversies with Aug. cont Donat. l. 2. cap. 6. the Donatistes he appealeth to them and vvill haue his cause to bee vveighed onely therein And is it not the commaundement of CHRIST himselfe given to the people Beware of false Math. 7. 15. Prephets which come to you in
guides Yea what cause of heresie observed and noted by her own children hath shee not embraced that so shee might defile her selfe with all manner of spirituall abominations If to make choice of religion according vnto the darke light of our owne natural reason and the servile liberty of our own free-will be to follow such guides as must needs lead into errour shee hath taught her children to do the same If to thinke basely of the common dueties generally belonging to all christians and to make choice of singular and private devotions be the cause of heresie shee hath perswaded her children thereto If the overmuch admiring of men and the addicting of our selues to our particular masters bee not only the beginning of schisme but the cause of heresie shee hath made her sectaries and followers not only schismatikes but also heretikes For vvhere may we finde more admiring and magnifying of men of their supreme power authority of their greate priviledges and prerogatiues of the holinesse of their rules and orders canons and constitutions and of the worthines perfectioÌ„ and merite of their workes then is to be found in the Church of Rome Lastly if he be an heretike which is an other-wise teacher or an after reacher and he a superstitious person that doeth any Rhom in 1. cp ad Tim. c. 1. thing supra statutuÌ„ more then is commaÌ„ded how can the chuâ—ch of Rome be free from the note of superstition and heresie seeing shee performeth her devotions otherwise then they were ordained to be done by the Apostles of Christ and most rigorously exacteth many duties which were not commanded by them at all and hath coyned many after-doctrines which were not heard of in their times For was not the word the sacraments otherwise delivered vnto the people by the Apostles of Christ then nowe Otherwise devotions they are by the church of Rome Was the word either publikely reade by them vnto the people in a strange tongue or kept from their owne private reading in a vnknowen language they sent to learne their devotions froÌ„ senceles dombe and deade images did they not penne it in a most vulgar tongue and after a most plaine familiar manner that for theÌ„ learning instructioÌ„ of Luk. 1. 4. Rom. 15. 4. the people Neither was the Sacrament of the Lordes supper ordained by them to be ministred to the people in one kinde nor baptisme with such a number of ceremonies as it is by the church of Rome disguised cast after a sort into a new forme much lesse was the observation of any outward ceremonie rite more rigorously exacted by them then the precise keeping of Christs institutioÌ„ or vrged vnder the paine of a more grievous curse Did the Apostles ordaine the solemne observing of so many festival daies After doctrines and workes supra statutuÌ„ and eves or the building of churches in the honour of the saints or the running on pilgrimage to offer before their images or the sett times of fasting and abstinence or secret coÌ„fession of all sins in the Priests eare or the vow of single life voluntary poverty Francis Dominike and Layola were not borne in their times not the holy rules made of any of their relligious orders but all vvillworships were condeÌ„ned by theÌ„ which afterward were not only Coll. 2. 23. allowed but also preferred before the workes required in the law of God Lastly the supreme auctority and iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome was not ordained by the Apostles neither was he appointed by them to bee a vniversall Bishoppe and to haue dominion over the whole church and to bee the vnerring and infallible iudge vnto whom appeale should bee made in all controversies much lesse was he placed by them aboue all kings and Emperors to depose them to set them vp at his own pleasure neither was any such auctority practised by S. Peter himselfe or by his successors long after him which yet had most skill and best courage to maintaine all doctrine belonging to their most Christian profession neither did they approue the bookes Apocriphs for Canonicall scripture nor their lawfull successors long after them alleaged the auctority of those bookes to confirme any doctrine or point of faith much lesse preferred they any translation before the authenticall text of the scripture as it is now done by the church of Rome and iustified openly by her auctority in her last generall councell of Trent Wherby shee hath made it manifest to the whole world that shee is not in some pointes onely but wholy and altogither fallen away from the word of GOD seeing shee refuseth to receiue it for the foundation of her faith as it was penned in the originalles by the speciall direction of GODS vnerring spirit and admitteth it onely as it is expounded by her translator which vvas not therein directed by any revelation nor had any priveledge of not falling into errour And verely if it bee a good reason against vs as it hath beene sette forth not long since by one of her Pamphleters that the vnlearned among vs haue no faith at all but a meere fancie because they doe builde it vppon our bare translations being not able to examine the truth of them by the originalles then much more may vvee avouch that neither the vnlearned nor yet the learned themselues among them haue anie faith at all seeing they all must vvill they vvill they settle their faith vppon the vvoordes and meaning of their transslator albeit hee differ never so much from the originall VVherefore to conclude seeing the Church of Rome hath embraced all manner of meanes of falling avvaie from GOD and his truth vvee may bee boulde to affirme that shee hath revolted and played the Apostata and so is become not onelie hereticall but also apostaticall yea that shee hath brought in that great apostasy that was foretolde by the Apostle Thus hast thou gentle Reader delivered vnto thee the maine foundation of all good workes the foure principall motiues so often vrged in the divine scripture to stirre vp the faithfull to the right and approued manner that is to be kept in the due performing of all holy actions And herein thou hast on the one side sette dovvne the true fountaine of sincere devotion and of all the parts therof wherin consisteth the true worship service of God and his spirituall and heavenly kingdome and on the other side not only the causes of errour and heresy but also of superstition and of all manner of Idolatry Now it remaineth that thou carefully put in practise these holy precepts and sanctified rules wheÌ„ thou art moued to the performaÌ„ce of any good worke and that thou stirre vp the gift of God in thee by these or the like holy meditations thus reasoning with thy selfe and saying This good worke God himselfe in his holy word commandeth me to performe vnto whose will I owe all obedience for that it is
holy pure perfect gratefull and acceptable to himselfe also for that it is his will vnto whoÌ„ I am ten thousand times bouÌ„d to yeeld al dutiful submissioÌ„ obedience both in respect of his soveraigne auctority that he only hath to rule over my conscience soule also in regard of his infinite blessings which he of his owne vnspeakeable goodnes in Christ hath most freely fully bestowed vpon me And verely our obedience performed to the vvill of God in these respectes is a sweete incense and a most acceptable sacrifice to God wherwith we after a sort gratifie God and grieve the Devill are as an heaven to all holy Angels and a very hell vnto al vncleane spirits So like wise when we are tempted to any wicked worke wee must thus reason with ourselues and say this worke ought in no wise to be done by me no not the least desire to accomplish the same ought once to haue any entrance into my hart because it is contrary to the holy pure perfect will of God agreeable vnto the impure will of the Devill because it is most offensiue grievous to God most gratefull acceptable vnto the Devill because it is a great dishonour to him to whoÌ„ all honour is double due both in respect of his soveraigne auctority over me and also in regard of his manifolde mercies collated vpon me and it is a great honour vnto that most cruell and infamous tyrant the Devill who presseth vpon me thereby to take me captive to the vtter destruction both of my body and soule We are debters as saith the Apostle yea very great debters as great as great may be but not to the flesh nor to our selues nor Rom. 8. 12. to the devil vnles it be that we owe to these al maÌ„ner of evils miseries whatsoever but we are debtters to God that for the loue of a thousand talents for the gift of ten thousand more yet if we haue but a sincere desire to discharge this our debt our most gracious creditour will not onely straitwaies forgiue it all but also wil giue vnto vs ten thousand times more Yea the sincere desire of being obedient to the will of God vpon the former respects and the true care according as God hath enabled vs in some measure to discharge this our debt is a very great mercy a very gracious favour wherby we are more and more endebtted vnto him And verely this is al the discharge of our debt that hee requireth at our hands that we willingly gladly acknowledge him of whoÌ„ we haue received all that we so highly esteeme of his giftes and presume of his good will that we are stil desirous to been debtted vnto him more more by al relligious hearing reading and meditating vpon his holy and sacred word by all servent and devout praier bee continually begging and craving for more and after a sort extorting it out of his handes For his desire is not to be benifited by vs but that we should still more and more bee benefited by him and hee vvould haue vs to acknowledge his loue and to grovve into a stedfast assurance therof that therby we might be more effectually stirred vp to reioyce in his goodnes to be thankful vnto him for his manifold mercies especially he would haue vs most midfully to record that vnmatchable blessing of our redemption wrought by Christ his inestimable loue made manifest therin that therby our hearts might be renewed our affections saÌ„ctified dying to our selues living to God employing our selues to every good worke And hereof it is that the spirit of God especially in the bookes of the new testament doth so often make mention of Christ and of our redemption wrought by him and of his great loue manifested therein as being the matter and subiect of those bookes a â—aÌ„st vvhereof I vvill giue vnto thee in some sentences of one of those bookes penned by Saint Iohn as they be pointed vnto by that learned preacher of the vvord Mr. Robert Rolloc in his commentaries vpon the same booke No man hath soone God at any time the onely begotten sonne of God vvho is in the bosome of the father hee hath revealed him Ioh 1. 18. The Philosophers in all ages haue most painfully searched after truth in their Physikes Ethikes Mathematikes and the rest But the knowledge of the Father in the Sonne doth only deserue the name of truth For to what purpose is it to comprehend in minde heaven and earth and all other thinges if a sinner doth not knowe God in Christ the redeemer That is vnlesse he feele God favourable vnto him and forgiving him all his sinnes in Christ which only doeth pacifie the troubled conscience hee can haue little true comfort in all his knovveledge of all other things be it never so great and smal courage to come vnto God and to rest in him and so to take hold of everlasting blessednes Therefore our Saviour himselfe after that he had said no man knoweth the father but the sonne and hee to whom the sonne hath revealed him Math. 11. 28. immediately addeth Come vnto mee all yee that are wearie and heavy laden and I will refresh you VVhereby hee signifieth that God being revealed in Christ there doeth follovve peace of conscience and vnspeakeable ioy in all those that doe cast their sinnes vpon him The nexte daie Iohn stoode and tvvo of his disciples and beholding Iesus vvalking hee saide beholde that lambe of GOD. Iohn 1. Chap. verse 36. As Iohn oftentimes gaue witnesse to Christ so it is no lesse necessarie at this time that the sacrifice and death of Christ be repeated and reiterated againe and againe For as the Iewes were ignoraunt that Christ the lambe of God shoulde bee offered vppe in sacrifice so vvee after a sort haue forgotten that hee hath beene sacrificed and hath already suffered for our sinnes For vvhat meane these sinnes which so every where abound adulteries murders rapines sacriledges even so many sinnes of all sortes vvhat say I doe they meane but that wee haue forgotten that our Saviour Christ hath suffered for vsâ— For ifit did come into our mindes that vvee vvere once boughte with so greate a price vvoulde vvee so sell our selues and become captiues to so manye sinnes If vvee did remember that vvee vvere washed with the most precious bloodof CHRIST vvoulde vvee againe so defile our selues vvith the filthy mire of this vncleane vvorlde After that Saint Peter had commended vnto the faithfull certaine necessary vertues 2. Peter 1. 9. Hee that hath not these saieth hee is bloude and seeth nothing a farre of but hath forgotten that hee vvas purged from his olde sinnes For let all bee sure of this that who edomes murders and the like to them that make profession of the faith of Christ are not therefore sinnes onely for that they are contrary to the lawe of God