his first rebellion and corrupting of hys nature we are all gilty of that as he was and then also gilty of our sinnes proceeding of that rebellion wherefore we may well be worse then he but no better Thinke well he confessed him iustly punished thought he deserued more punishment than euer was put vpon him Taking euer consolatiō of the sweet promises of god in the which he beleeued and in all his troubles conforted him with hope to be deliuered of them as all faithfull doe And to be restored to the glorie hee was eiect frō for his owin foolishnes without al merits or deseruings of himself which ware nothing in him and muchles in vs. There hath beene no difference betweene the expulsion of ADAM forth of paradise and Lucifer out of the heauin if the promisse had not beene made to ADAM Through faith in the which promis he euer hoped victory against the deuill who had deceaued him that by power and strength of the promissed seed not through any power or might of him self Euin so should we do cōfiding in the promisses of god and the merites of the promissed seed Christ Iesu to be deliuered of the tyrannie of the Deuill the calamities and trubles of thys miserable world THE VI. CHAP. 1 Wherfore we should reioyce in tribulation 2 Vnder what pretext the wicked pursues the iust 3 Whereby ryseth the dishonoring of God 4 The diuersitie of opinions touching the article of iustification and who are iust before God 5 What is the substance of iustification and why the article therof should be holden in memorie TO the faithful these bodily afflictions and troubles are marueilous necessarie for by them the faith is tryed and made more pretious thē gold which is purified by the fire for by many troubles it is needefull to vs to enter in the realme of heauen by firme and constāt perseuering in faith as sayth S. P. And also it behoued Christ to suffer so to enter into his glory that is not for him selfe but for vs. Therfore the godly men in theyre troubles and afflictions take great consolation and confort And anchors them vpon God alone by faith to whome they can come no other way thinke them no better nor greater then their maister christ but should take both confort consolatiō of his word saying seeing the world hath persecuted mee they shal persecute you also This persecution is a communiō with the passions of Christ in the which wee haue great matter to reioyce so we suffer not as homicides theefes or euill doers but for Christs sake and his word as S. Pet. sayth in his first Epist. the 4. Chapter But in this matter take no care what the world iudge of thee but to thy owne conscience and the scriptures of god for the iudgemente of the world pronuncis cōtrarie to the word of god calling them which professes the same Heretikes seditious men and perturbers of common weales Therfore they thinke they punish iustly in birning slaying banishing and confisking of landes and goodes And howbeit the faithfull suffer all patiently and vndeserued yet they say they suffer iustly as traitors heretickes homicides perturbers of common weales and euill doers Let these sayinges not moue the faithfull brother but confort thee with thy Maister Christ who was called by the aduersaires of veritie a seducer of the people a drūkard a deuourer or glutton an open sinner conuersant amongest them an authorizare of their sins His Apostles were called heretikes and their doctrine heresie The Prophets were called perturbers of common weales and traitors to their countrie prophesing cōtrary the common weale and libertie of the realme as ye may reade of Elias and Ieremie in diuers places of his prophesie Which Scriptures I praye you reade and ye shall perceaue no difference betwene the blasphemations of the Prophetes of Christ himselfe and his Apostles and the faithfull in these dayes for all was and is done by the wicked vnder colour of holynes Herefore let vs seek refuge at our god and sticke fast to his word who can nether deceaue nor be deceaued for the world is full of deceit iudgeth euer the wrong part of the which vniust iudgement cōmeth all the diuersity of opiniōs and sittes ruling this day in the church of Christ to the dishonoring of the name of god deminishing of his glory and no little perturbation of common weales the cause hereof is the neglecting of faith taking frō the same her due office which is to iustifie only by her selfe without the deedes or workes of the law that is mā of wicked is made iust by the mercy of God through faith in the bloud of Iesu Christ without the deedes or workes of the law This I dare affirme because the scriptures of god testified the same to be true as herafter shalbe declared at lēgth Here ryseth the contention for some brags and boastes them to haue faith haue no works others reioysing them to haue faith attribute and giue the iustification to works others haue workes and looke nothing to faith as hipocrites others again there are the which haue nether faith nor works as the plaine wicked vngodly My welbeloued brethren let vs auctorise neither of these persons For all they impung this article of iustification Against the first speakes S. Iames in his Epist. Against the next Saint Paule speakes in his Epist. to the Roma Galath and diuers other places And against the other two kindes of men the hole scriptures speakes By these cōsideratiōs moued I thought necessarie for my owne eruditiō your confort my welbeloued brethren to declare forth show my beliefe cōcerning the article of iustification as the scriptures teache mee hauing no respect to mās opinion that thereby we may haue consolation through our mutuall faith And be more ready to giue coumpt and reakoning to all which aske of vs any question of our faith Alwayes in this and all other thinges submitting my selfe to the scriptures of god and aucthoritie of the faithful church of christ which is gouerned ruled keeped and defended from all spot of heresie by the holy spirit who moues this ardent thirst in our soule to seeke Christ the fontaine of liuing watter loue charity in our harts to Christ our brothers saluation as our owne The fondatiō and grondstone hereto is faith and the shielde or buckler to defende vs with against the firy dartes of Sathan at the which he euer shoots becaus it is our victorie against him and gets dominion of the world but if he finde vs destitute or disarmed of our shield he shal wound vs so that hee may safely or lightly take vs captiue to his realme therfore this our faith shold neuer be idle but euer working by loue that is to bee euer cled with our shield being vigilant walkfull because our said aduersarie Sathan is euer
That is in forme of holynes He hath entred in the church in wonderfull subteltie for hee hath cled him with the most honest and shining works inuented this day by mens wit or reason Yea with the same works commanded also by God and by them maintaineth defended him selfe wholy yea verylie he had cled him with the blessed sacramēt of the body and bloud of christ for hee can well disguise him in workes with pride vaine glorie hipocrisie diffidēce dispaire Idle faith as to beleeue the historie onely presumption of the owne merites c. But in perfite faith which is the groundstone of this article of iustification he can neuer enter Therefore vnder colour of holines he hath caused and dayly causeth the prelates of the Church as they call them who should of their vocation haue to the shedding of their bloud defended this Article pursue the same most cruelly with all tormentes inuented by mans wit vnder the false pretence of good workes hauing no respect to faith And so shall Abell dye and Cain liue Ye shall vnderstand that the oft repeating of the death of Abell and the life of Cain is no vaine storie nor purpose but the true similitude of the Church of christ which first watered with the bloud of Abel remaineth example to this houre and shal to the seconde cōming of Christ to the latter iudgemēt In the which two persons is set forth to vs the perfite knowledge of the Church which consistes in the godly and vngodly And euer the perfite and iust Churche is pursued with the wicked neuer pursueth by which the disciples and seruauntes of Christ are knowen as testifie the holy scriptures I exhort you which are aduersaries to this article of iustification consider with your selfe if euer ye red the history in canonical scriptures or prophane histories that euer the true and perfite church frō the beginning of the world to this houre persecuted any but euer was persecuted and the godly glad thereof Herefore the forme order of this tyrannicall persecutiō vsed this day by them hauing the ecclesiasticall power in their handes against the faithfull professours of this article I iudge to be of the deuill and may say truely to them as Christ saide to the Scribes Pharisies all the bloud which is shed from the bloud of Zacha. whome they slew betwene the altare the temple shall come vpon these cruell tirantes which impunge this Article and slaye the faithfull professours thereof Against these sayings the aduersaries of faith and veritie crye The canon Lawe the aucthoritie of the Church the long consuetude the examples of the Fathers the Bishop of Romes aucthoritie the generall Counsels Heresie Heresie So there is no remeady but let Abel dye and Cain liue that is our lawe My hartes yee which haue entered in the Church of Christ by the bishoppe of Romes law and aucthoritie with his faire bulles your shauen crounes smaring you with oyle or chreame and cloathing you with all Ceremonies commanded in your law If yee thinke you therethrough the successours of the Apostles and Fathers of the church ye are greatly deceaued for that is but a politike successiō or ceremonial The successiō of the Church is farre otherwyse the which requireth you to haue knowledge in the scriptures of God to preache and teache the same with the other qualities cōditions cōteined in the scriptures as hereafter shalbe showē in the speciall vocations of the which if ye be expert and your vocation lawefull according to the worde of god doubtles ye are the successors of the apostles haue the same auctority they had committed to them by Christ. And if ye want the saide conditions and qualities Yee are but reauing wolfes clede with shepe skinnes what authoritie that euer the bishop of Rome giue you For it is no more in his power to make a Bishop of him which can not preache nor hath the knowledge to rule the flocke committed to his care according to the word of god then it is in his power to make an asse to speake or bee man or yet cause a blinde man to see Therefore I pray you learne the scriptures that ye may walke in your vocation right for of your succession yee haue no more matter to glorie then the Iewes had to glorie against Christ calling them the sonnes of Abraham whom he called the Sonnes of the deuill They gloried in the carnall succession and ye glory in the politike or Ceremoniall succession And all is one thing God sende you knowledge and vnderstāding of his worde that yee may cease from your tyrannie and the true faithfull may liue in rest and quietnes THE XII CHAP. 1 The diuision of iustice in generall with the definition of euery part thereof 2 The cause that no man is iust by the law 3 Scriptures and examples prouing all me except Iesus Christ to be sinners LEt vs passe forewarde in the discussing of this Article of iustification for knowledge of the which necessarie it is to showe what iustice is of man what of the lawe either of God or man which being shortly discussed wee shall the more easily come to the knowledge of our christiā iustificatio which is a thing farre aboue all law either of god or man for it is the iustice by the which a wicked man is made iust through faith in the bloud of Iesus Christ without the works of the lawe because of the deedes of the law no flesh shalbe made iust before god as the apostle saith This is asmuch to say as because no man fulfilleth the law nor doth the deedes and workes of the same in the pure and cleane estate as the lawe required them to bee done according to the puritie of the same Therfore the law can pronunce none iust before god This worde iustice or rightuousnesse generally by the philosophers is takē cōmonly for the obedience and outwarde honesty according to all vertues of morall maners the which a man may doo and performe of his owne power and strēgth This is called an vniuersall or general Iustice after the philosophicall definition the same S. Pau. called the righttuousnesse of the law or workes because the Transgressours of this iustice are punished as wicked and vnrighteous For whome the Lawe is made and ordinate as Saint Paule sayeth 1. Timoth. the first Chap. for the iust needeth no law These morall maners and discipline is the most excellent rayment or habite wherewith man may bee cled Neuerthelesse they can not make a man iust before God nor is not the Iustice which we speak of here in this treatise The Politike or Ciuill Iustice is the obediēce which euery Subiect and Inferiour estate of mā giueth to their prince and Superiour in all the worlde The which proceedeth of the lawe of nature and is a good worke without the which obedience to the punishmēt of the wicked and defence of the
opinions iudgements but the perfite christian mā should looke first in his corruption of nature consider what the law requireth of him in the which he finding his imperfection and sinnes accused for that is the office of the law to vtter sinne to mā and giueth him no remedy then of necessitie is he cōpelled either to dspaire or seeke Christ by whome hee shall get the iustice that is of value before God which can not begotten by any law or works because by the deedes of the lawe no fleshe shalbe iustified before God Yee shall not meruell of the oft rehearsinge of these wordes that of the deedes of the law no fleshe shalbe made iust that is declared reputed foūd or pronounced iust before god for they are rehearsed before the forthsetting of the article of iustification that it may seeme the more cleare and to that effect the same wordes were spoken by the Apostle Rom. the third Chapter Of this maner we know what euer the lawe speaketh to them it speaketh whiche are in the lawe that all mouthes may bee stopped and all the worlde made subiect vnto god because by the deedes of the law no fleshe shalbee made iust before him And therefore I haue repeated them so oft because they lead all men to the perfite knowledge of their iustificatiō which is in Christ. This proposition of the holy spirite is so perfite that it excludeth if ye will vnderstande the same right all the vaine foolish arguments of sophistrie made by the iustifiers of them selfes which peruerte the wordes of S. Paule as they doo the other scriptures of god to their peruersed sence and mind saying that the Apostle excludeth by these wordes the workes of the law Ceremoniall and not the deeds of the law of nature morall law of Moyses The which shameles sayings are expresly euacuat by the wordes of the Apost Insomuch that no man of righteous iudgement can denye but shall feele the same as it were in their hands by this probatiō the law speaketh to all that is accuseth all men that are vnder the law All men are vnder the law of nature or the law of Moys Therefore the Apost speaketh of the law of nature Moy. and of all men which he comprehendeth vnder Iewe gentill as he proueth by his argumētes in the first and second Chap. to the Roma And concludeth in the third Cha. all men are sinners If all men bee sinners none is iust If none bee iust none fulfill the lawe If none fulfill the lawe the lawe can pronounce none iust Therefore concludeth he that of the deedes of the law no flesh shalbe founde iust before God The same is proued by Dauid in the 13. Psalme Here ye see by the words of the Apostle he intendes to proue and declare all men Sinners That is to stoppe all mens mouths and to dryue them to Christ by the accusation of the law No law may make or declare all men sinners and subdue the whole world to God but the law of nature and Moyses Therefore vnder that word law the Apost comprehēded the law morall and not the law Ceremonial only Becaus it followeth in the text The knowledge of sinne is by the lawe And also I knewe not sinne sayth S.P. but by the lawe Nor I had not knowen that lust or cōcupiscence had bene sinne were not the law said Thou shal not lust Therefore ye cānot eschew but confesse that the Apostle speaketh of the law morall yea and of all lawes and all men because hee excepts none Therefore let vs conclude with the Apost and the holy spirite that the iustice of god is without the law made patent and forthshowē by the lawe and prophetes And then shall we come to our Iustice which is Christ as S. P. saith the 1. Epist. the first chap. to the Corinth If yee will saye of your vaine conceate as ye which are aduersaries to faith euer obiects vanities that the Apostle in his conclusion comprehendeth not all men proceeding from Adam by naturall propagation but that some iust men are excepted Ye shall not finde that exception in scripture of any man except Christ. Who beeing both God and man is expresly excepted because hee neuer contracted sinne Fraude nor deceat was neuer found in his mouth by this exceptiō all other are excluded because there is no other who can be found iust but he For that cause he only fulfilled the law and satisfied the same By whome all which beleeue are accepted as iust without the deedes of the lawe through faith in the bloude of Iesu Christ. Let vs passe forward therefore in the scriptures for to finde the Iustice of a christian man which can not be founde in the lawe nor deedes thereof THE XVI CHAP. 1 The diuersitie of names of that iustice which is acceptable before God 2 Iustice is plainly reueled in the euangell 3 What is to liue in faith or by faith THe iustice whereof we haue made mentiō in the beginning and that is so cruelly and tyranously persecuted by our aduersarie Sathan is called the iustice of God the iustice of faith and the Iustice of a Christian man The whiche is all one thinge glued and ioyned together that by the same wee are in Christ and hee in vs by the mercy of god purchased by christ through faith in his bloude without all our deseruings either proceeding or following the same And it is so farre different from the other iustice of the law as darkenesse from light and heauen from earth becaus it wilbe alone and not participant with any other thing that Christ may haue his due honour Who obtained this iustice frō the father and is the price thereof And first it is called the iustice of god because it proceedeth only of the mercy of God Secondly the iustice of faith because faith is the instrument whereby in Christ we obteine the mercy of God freely giuen to vs for Christes sake And thirdly it is called ours because by faith in Christ without all our deseruinges wee receaue the same and are made reputed and compted iust and accepted in to the fauour of god And all three ar one Iustice deuided by sundrie names as is before saide which is this article of iustification As by example almes deede is but one name And yet after the common maner of speaking it is appropriat truely to three that is to the Giuer to God and to the Receauer In almes the poore and indigent haue no part but only to receaue and giue thankes The giuer freely giueth of his liberalitie substance and for gods sake So it is properly called the almes of the giuer and iustly attribute vnto god becaus for his sake it is giuē And also to the receauer becaus he is made rich therewith In the like maner this iustice of God proceedeth of his aboundant mercy and grace fauour and goodnes which hee beareth toward man kind that is poore
the disciples the which neither wee nor our Fathers might beare but by the mercy of Iesus Christ we beleeue to be made safe as they were And S. August in the 157. Epist. saith Therefore if the fathers being vnable to beare the yoke of the old lawe beleeued them to be made safe by the mercy of our lord Iesu Christ It is manifest that the same mercy or grace made the old fathers to liue iust by faith Now ye may see clearely that the old fathers were all made safe through the mercy of God without all the deedes of the law Then how will you make your selfe safe with workes which neuer did so good workes as the fathers So there can bee no better conclusion to exclude your workes in the article of iustificatiō then S. P. maketh saying that a man is made iust by faith without the deedes of the law Therefore faith onely iustifieth before god Ye shall vnderstand that it is all one thing to say faith onely iustifieth And to saye faith without workes iustifieth As by example if one saye the goodman is in the house alone or he is in the house without anybody with him This is all one maner of speaking The scripture saith mā is made iust by faith without the workes of the law Therefore we may well say that faith onely iustifieth For confirmation hereof yee shall reade the 2. Chapter to the Hebre. before rehearsed in the which yee shall finde the histories briefly repeated by the Apost testifiing the fathers to bee made safe by faith referring nothing to workes except onely that the workes beare a outwarde testimonie of the faith Abell by faith or in faith offered to god a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain did by the which hee obteined witnesse that hee was iust god bearing witnesse of the offerings and by the same hitherto speaketh being dead God looketh first to the hart of man before hee looke to his workes as testifieth the voyce of God saying I iudge not after the sight of man For hee seeth the thing whiche appeareth outwardly But I beholde the hart That is the man is first made iust by faith And accepted in the fauour of God as Abell was And then his workes are acceptable and please God because they are wrought in faith That it is the mind of the Apost S. P. to exclude all workes either going before or following faith to bee of the substance of the Article of iustification proued clearely the arguments and matters of his Epist. Specially to the Rom. Galath Hebre. In the which he laboureth so diligently that all the Sophistes and workers that are Iustifiers of themselfes may not get a corner to hyde them into from his conclusions without they deny Christ and his office At the least in effect as they doo after their maner But the wisedome of god and his holy spirite deceaueth them for when they wrest and throwe the scriptures to their minde in one place they are compelled in another place of the same Scripture to confesse them selfes Lyers In the Epistle to the Rom. from the beginning to the 12. chap. and in the Epistle to the Galath to the 5. Chap. with all laboure and diligence he setteth forth the iustice of god to bee through faith in Iesu Christ without all workes of the lawe And when he hath established the same Article of iustification Then setteth he forth the workes of righteousnes in the which a christian mā shal liue becaus the iust shal liue in faith This order ye may see in the saide Epistles and in the Epist. to the Hebre. hee declareth the office of Christ his priesthood and sacrifice and giueth faith her place the 11. Chap. All his laboure was to exclude the mixtion which now these fained workers would haue ioyned in with faith and the benefite of Christ which is no other thing but the worke of the deuil our aduersary to make the death of christ in vaine as the Apost sayth Therefore if iustice be of the law or by the law christs death is in vaine But thinke not that I intende through these assertions to exclude good works No god forbid for good workes are the gift of god and his good creatures And ought and should be done of a christian as shalbe showen hereafter at length in their place But in this article of iustification yee must either exclude all workes or els exclude Christ from you and make your selfes iust the which is impossible to do because we are wicked and can do no good at all which can be of value before God or pacifie his wrath except Christ first make our peace For that is his office for the which he came in the world and suffered death So if yee will not exclude Christ exclude your workes For in this case there is no concurrence more then there is betweene darknes light For what participation hath righteousnesse with iniquitie or what fellowship hath light with darknesse The definition of this Iustice is made plaine by S. P. Ro. the 3. Chap. which I exhort you to reade consider worde by worde conceaue and prent them well in your harts then shall ye be able to contend and fight valiātly against sathā and his sophistes of whom yee shall haue victorie by faith which is our victorie that ouercōmeth the world The iustice of god is by the faith of Iesu Christ In all and vpon all which beleeue in him there is no distinctiō or exception All haue sinned and haue need or are destitute of the glorie of god But they are made iust by his mercy freely without the workes by the redemption which is in Christ Iesu whome god hath proponed or layd before a sacrifice or satisfactiō by faith in his bloud to the forthshowing of his iustice for remissiō of the sinnes by past the which god hath suffered to the forthshowing of his righteousnes at this time that hee may be iust and iustifie him which is of the faith of Iesu Christ. Where thē is thy glorie or vanting it is excluded by what law of works No but by the law of faith Therfore we beleeue surely a man to be made iust by faith without the deedes of the law Now I pray you tell me what plainer words may be spokē or termes inuēted to exclude all our works merites or power to be participant with god in this article of iustification They are as plaine and cleare as the sonne in midday Neuerthelesse because the wordes are so pretious and necessarie aboue all things to be imprented and continually keeped in the hart of man I will make some declaration of euery part and particle of this definition And proue by authoritie of scripture this iustice of god by the which a man is made iust to be without all works or power of mā only by faith in the mercy of god Of this Iustice Dau. speaketh saying lead me in thy iustice O lord because
But beleeued in one god and that the same god had promised a Saueour to redeame the world So god looking vpon the faithfull hūble and simple hart of Cornelius and the feruent desire of his prayers which desire doubtles was conforme to the sayinges of the Proph. Esay O if thou wouldest break a sunder the heauens that thou might come doune would not haue him deceaued to looke for him which was already come Therefore he caused him send for Peter to instruct him in the present faith And to certifie him that Christ was come whome he looked for so ardentlie Yee may read the text thē shall yee perceaue the sermon Peter made vnto him which was only of the opening of the Scripturs testifieing the comming of Christ in the fleshe and fulfilling of all the promises and Prophets sayings spoken of him before and that he was risen from deathe and had giuen Peter and the rest of his Disciples Apostles cōmād to preache repentance and remission of sinnes to all which would beleeue in his name c. To the which words and preaching of S. Peter Cornelius his whole housholde gaue firme faith and receaued by a visible signe the holy spirit The which is no other thing but this article of iustification For hee beleeued the word of god and by faith in Christ through the mercy of God receaued the holy spirit without all working of any deede of the lawe of Moyses but onely being vnder the Law of nature and so was baptised c. Therefore yee can not proue by this authority of scripture that either the works preceeding or following the gift of the holie spirite was the cause of his iustification or yet any parte thereof But first being iust through the faith which the fathers had who had also the holy spirit truely worshipped god and feared him of loue so he was iust And in that righteousnes wrought the fruites of faith in prayers and almes deeds And secondly being taught by Peter beleeued that Christ was comme the sure Sauiour of the world and had fulfilled all which was spoken of him by the prophetes By this faith was hee by the mercy of God made iust and receaued the holy spirite visiblie without all works or deseruings And then in the kingdome of Christ and righteousnesse wrought the fruites of faith vnto life as all perfite Christians should doo They alledge another text Galath the 5. Chap. Faith which worketh by loue c. by these wordes they would inferre of their corrupted maner that faith onely iustifieth not before god but faith which worketh by loue By this maner of vnderstanding they not only make the Apost false but also cast all downe destroye the same thing which hee hath builded for in the fourth Chap. of the same Epist. preceeding with great laboures and inuincible arguments hee setteth forth the article of iustification prouing faith only to iustifie without all deedes or workes of the law And then in the 5. chap. he beginneth to set foorth the fruites of faith saying ye are abolished frō christ which would be made iust by the lawe Ye haue left grace for we by thee spirite of faith beholde or looke for the hope of righteousnes for into Christ Iesus neither is circumcision nor vncircumcision any thing worth but faith which worketh by loue In these words shortly in briefe termes the Apost excludeth all workes and lawes sacrifices worshippings both of Iew and gentill to haue any mixtiō with Christ in the iustificatiō of a christian for if there had bene any more excellēt work or greater in estimation among the Iewes which were the chosen people of god thē circūcisiō no doubt but the Ap. would haue excluded the same so the principall work cōmanded by god and giuē by him as the seale of his promis couenāt made to Abrahā being excluded forth of of this article how can any other worke of lesse or equall estimation haue parte thereinto Therfore the Apost cōcluding shortly cōprehēding the whole estate of a Christian mā saith neither is circumcision nor vncircūcision any thing worth in christ but faith which worketh by loue he saith not loue which worketh by faith but faith whiche worketh by loue that is faith inwardly maketh a mā iust before God who hath no neede of our workes for the whole worlde and all that is therein is his and loue outwardly testifieth of thy inwarde faith towarde thy neighbour who hath need of thy works for whose vtilitie and profite thou art cōmanded to do good workes To whome thy faith auaileth nothing And so this text impungeth not the article of iustification but fortifieth the same Ye read loue greatly extolled by S.P. the 1. to the Corinth the 13. chap. as it is worthy but ye find neuer iustificatiō before god attribute to loue for that is not the office therof But loue followeth faith in the third degree whose office the Ap. setteth forth in the said ch Specially how that loue suffereth all thinges beleeueth all thinges hopeth all thinges and endureth all thinges Yea verily some thinges which faith may not suffer nor wil on no wayes suffer as a light superstitiō repūgning to the word of god loue will or may suffer the same to be in it for the weakenes of the infirme brother But faith may in no maner suffer the same because it may be preiudiciall to the article of iustificatiō and induce the mixtion of works Also Faith Hope and Charitie being reakoned the Apost exalteth Charity to be the most excellent of the thre but giueth her none of their offices But if ye wil vnderstand the text well ye shall know the Apostles mind by the cōclusion saying now we see through a glas darkly but thē we shall see face to face Now I know in part but then shall I knowe euen as I am knowen and nowe abydeth Faith Hope and Charitie but the chiefest of these is Charitie as he would say Now we ar imperfite but then we shalbe perfite Faith and Hope shall both perish and vanishe awaye but Charitie shall remaine in her perfection for then she is in her perfectiō when the other two haue takē effect and are vanished away for in the heauē there is neither faith nor hope but Charitie is in her most excellēt degree there which neuer hath an ende The cause wherefore the Apo. extolleth Charitie yee shall consider in the first to the Corinth the 12. ch the which I pray you reade For in that whole Epist. there is no question of the Article of iustification nor of the office of faith but an instruction how the Christian man should liue reprouing hatred enuy dissentions and opinions amōgst the Corinth which became not to be amōgst christiās therefore he exhorted them aboue all thinges to Charitie which is the band of peace the most excellēt vertue to be had euer kept among the Christians for by that
men shall know you saith Christ to bee my Disciples Therefore howbeit Charitie be the most excellēt vertue and that the whole life of a perfite christiā is faith Charitie or faith working by Charitie Neuertheles Charity iustifieth not before god nor yet hath any mixtiō with faith in the making of the wicked iust but followeth faith as the due fruites thereof conforme to the order of scriptures before rehearsed and as also hereafter shalbe showen To impung this article they alledge this text If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commands By the which they would inferre that the keeping of the commands is in our owne power of free wil and that we fulfilling the same according to our power and strenght may thereby obteine the kingdom of heauen by our works The which is as agreable to the saying of Christ as blacke white is as yee shall clearely vnderstande by the Scriptures Christ being asked and inquired by the young man what he should doe or worke that he might haue eternall life answeared on this maner saying If thou will enter into life keepe the cōmands which ar they sayeth the young mā Iesus āswered thou shalt not kill thou shalt not cōmit adultery thou shalt not steale thou shalt speak no fals witnes thou shalt honour thy father and thy mother and thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Here yee see Christ teacheth the young man the workes of the second table which concerne our neighbour onely and speaketh no thing of the first table which perteineth properly to God and consisteth into faith Therefore by these wordes of Christ it may not be inferred that he sendeth any to the law to obtein perfectiō therin that is to say iustification or saluation but onely to let them know what the Law requireth of them and what they wer oblished to doe that they seing no remeady thereinto might seeke Christ who came in the world to call all vnto him and not to sende them to the Law for that was the office of Moyses What auailed Christs comming in the fleshe If hee would haue sent man to the Lawe to get saluation but Christ declareth plainely hereafter in the same texte that there was no perfection to be had in the deedes of the Lawe of mannes doing as appeareth by the answere made to the young man and precept giuen to him When the young man said he had obserued all the said deedes of the Law from his youth c. Howbeit hee made a lye Christ accused him not because it was not his office but said vnto him if thou wilt be perfite go thy waye and sell all that thou hast giue it to the poore and come and follow me But when the young man harde that saying he went away sorrowfull and left Christ because he had great possessions These wordes of Christ are no other thinge but the declaration of the fained man to let his hart be knowen which beleeued that through fulfilling of the outward deeds of the law he might be found iust before god And also to teache vs the duetie which we are bound to do to our neighbour For howbeit Christ hath freed vs from the thraldome and malediction of the law he will that we worke the workes of charitie to the vtility of our neighbour and nothing draweth vs so much therefrom as auarice and couetousnes Therefore Christ opened the young mās couetous hart which hee would haue hidden as all hypocrites do and taught him if he would bee perfite to followe him in whome is all perfection And so this text maketh nothing for them which impunge this article of iustification but rather against them becaus the matter of which christ speaketh doth concerne the neighbour only and works to be wrought to his weale vtility which of necessitie followe the article of iustification as the fruits of faith done by the iustified mā who may or can finde no better workes to doo nor they which are commanded in the law of God The aduersaries of faith reading the scriptures where euer they finde mentiō made of works that part they collect not to the effect as it is spoken by the holy spirite but to the intēt they may impung thereby the holy spirit as cōtrarie to him selfe This proceedeth of the deuill to empoyson the article of iustificatiō that is to mixt the same with workes that hee may enter and obteine his place by the which hee may abolishe faith or at the least the perfite office thereof and diminishe the glorie of God But for eshewing of this yee who will knowe the perfite estate of a Christian man where euer yee finde mention made of faith in the scripture without any adiection thereto ye shall vnderstand it of perfite faith vnfained which without al workes either preceeding or following the same iustifieth And vpon this faith S.P. groundeth all his arguments to proue that faith onely iustifieth before God without the law or works which he euer excludeth as is proued by the scripturs before rehersed And where euer ye find mention made of works in the scripturs without any adiection ye shall vnderstand them of perfite workes wrought into faith of these workes S.P. maketh mentiō in all his ep after he hath set forth the article of iustification therefore the workes are but the witnessing of faith and the obedience which is required of the iust and faithfull man to the glorie of god profite of his neighbor by the which the iust obteineth witnessing of his faith as is proued clearly by S.P. to the Heb. the 11. ch where hee reakoned frō the iust faithfull Abell their works in speciall till he come to Gedeō Barac Sampson Iepthe Dauid Samuel the prophetes in general declaring thē all to haue done many great and excellēt workes into faith and yet ascribeth nothing to works but to faith onely showwing the workes to be the testimonie witnessing of their faith outwardly and no part of their iustification concluding in this maner the which by faith haue subdued and ouercome Realmes haue wrought righteousnesse obteyned and gotten the promisse haue stopped the mouthes of Lyons quenched the violence of fire and escaped the edge of the sworde c. Here is a cleare solutiō to all the obiectiōs of workes made by the aduersaries of faith for seing the ap saith it is impossible to please God without faith where then are the works which preceede faith and moue god to giue grace fauour which ye call de Congruo And then ye worke of your owne strength and power as yee say the workes which deserue remission of sinnes and euerlasting life yea not only sufficient to your selfe but also superaboundant to saue others which yee call De cōdigno opera supererogationis The scriptures are plaine against your false superstitions and sophisticall argumentes concluding that neither workes preceeding nor following faith haue entres in making of a wicked man iust nor yet
whē we cast frō vs all our wisedome righteousnesse holines and redemption and receaue them frō Christ who is made to vs by god our wisdome iustice holynesse and redemption And confesse vs to haue nothing of our selues but euill and all our goodnes to be from god as S. Iames saith in his Ep. the 1. Ch. This our crosse is no other thing but the troubles and afflictions both spirituall corporall that we haue in this presēt life the which are the probatiōs exercises of our faith whereby the same is tryed searched by our heauenly father to our weale And testifie vs to be the sonnes of god and not bastardes And therefore we should gladly accept the same with thankes giuing from the bottome of our hart thinking them to come to vs for the best and that we are the beloued of god So accepting them And then in the greatest troubles and afflictions raise vp our hartes with faith hope beleeuing surely our good god to be so faithfull and true that he wil not suffer vs to be ouercome or confoūded tēpted aboue that we be able but will euen giue the issue with the tentatiō that we may bee able to beare it because our weak and fragill nature is knowē to him He will haue cōpassion vpō vs for Christs sake by whome wee are reconciliate to his fauour So let vs not go astray but follow Christs footesteppes That is to suffer all thinges patiently and thinke that we haue deserued more for our sinnes Also remembring that Christ our sauiour hath suffered ten thousand times more for vs. On this maner we followe Christs footsteppes who hath borne our sinnes in his body vpon the crosse that being dead frō sinne we shuld liue in righteousnes My harts ye which are aduersaries to the article of iustificatiō learn to read the scripturs with effect to the perfite vnderstanding thereof and thē ye shal obteine knowledge to begin to do good workes in faith pleasant and acceptable to god Since we haue made mention of three kinde of personnes that is of them which goe before Christ of them which goe astray from Christ and of them which follow Christs footesteppes It is necessarie to let them bee knowen by them selues that the true and faithfull may be knowē by their deedes They which confide in their owne workes merites and deseruings thinking therethrough to obteine the kingdome of heauen and satisfie for their owne sinnes Not onely for them selues but also of the superaboundāce of their merits for others of the which they make marchādise These are they which goe before Christ and are called Antichristes or contrarie to Christ because they vsurpe his office and wilbe Iustifiers of them selues and others They which thinke faith not sufficient to iustifie without workes but will haue their own good deedes ioyned to helpe Christ in their iustification These are they which go astray frō Christ wilbe equall with him in their owne iustification for none of these hath Christ suffered death Therefore hee shall abstract frō these two kindes his wisedome righteousnes holines and redemption and shall suffer them to contend with the law in the latter iudgement whose workes being accused and the puritie and cleanes required according to the perfection of the lawe all their noble workes and deedes of good zeale and intention shalbee found abomination in the sight of God how excellent or shining that euer they be before men to whome it shalbe said Passe your waye from mee ye workers of iniquitie Lucifer was throwen downe out of the heauen because hee would haue made him equall with god Adam forth of paradise becaus he pretēded to know more then was giuen him in commandemēt to know c. The Pharisie of whom Christ maketh mention pretended no other thinge but a great rewarde for his good workes The same thing pretende all they which impūg this article of iustificatiō for will ye compare their sayings and doinges it is the same selfe thing but of another arrayemēt Neuertheles they are as like as a egge is like another And so they are not of Christes little flocke which hee hath chosen and follow him The thrid kind of personnes are they which putte all their trust hope and confidence in Christe take his crosse vpon their backes and dayly followe Christ in his footsteppes neither declining to the right hande nor to the left that is grounded in faith euer working by charitie absteining frō euill and doing good works in the which they put no confidence but thinke when they haue done all whiche is commanded them to doo neuertheles they think them selues but vnprofitable seruants they lay their sinns vpō Christes backe and follow him by faith ascribing all their wisedome iustice holynesse and redemption to Christ and nothing to them selues nor their merites because they are sinners and through the dregges of sinne left in them of the old corrupted man their workes are not perfite according to the perfection which the law requireth Therefore they may not stande in iudgement with them of their owne power and strēgth but beleeue the same workes through faith in Christ to bee accepted as obedience to the lawe and through Christs merites made perfite These are they to whome it shalbee saide Come vnto mee yee blessed of my Father and possesse the Kingdome of Heauen prepared vnto you from the beginning of the Worlde Against the whiche the Lawe hath no place to accuse nor condemne their workes of any imperfection because they are Christs workes made by him perfite through faith in his bloud THE XXIII CHAP. 1 What the reason of man perswadeth to be done in the matter of religion 2 Argumentes against good zeale and good intention 3 The papisticall church this day is worse thē the externall church of the Iewes in the dayes of the Prophets Christ. 4 What fruite bringeth the good zeale of man THe blinde reason witte and vnderstanding of man which is but the desires and appetites of the fleshly man is the cause why wee misknowe the good and perfite order to doe good workes taught vs in the scriptures neglecting the worde of god following our own will which teacheth vs good zeale and good intention This our reason affirmeth good and thinketh that God shall approue the same according to our desire whiche is but flesh I meane of the whole man and all that is in him But the spirit and word of god teacheth vs to walke in the spirite not to performe the desires and lustes of the fleshe For the flesh euer contendeth against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh Therefore we are commanded to fight valiantly against the desires of the fleshe and to absteine from the lustes and appetites thereof and to followe the will of God which is to walke in the spirite and clothe vs with Christe Iesus This order the Apostle teacheth Galath
works by the which they should seeke iustificatiō neglecting true faith Whiche pestilent workes so hath abolished the effect of perfite faith that they which are called bishops vnderstand nothing thereof but pursue all them which truely preache or defende the same by the which they showe them selues the Church malignant For the chosen neuer pursue but euer is pursued The sommarie of the twelfth Chapter IVstice in generall is an outward obedience or honestie which a man may performe of his owne power And is deuided in the iustice of man that is which cōmeth of the law which mā maketh And in the iustice of the law of god The iustice of man is deuided in politick and Ceremoniall Politicke iustice is an obedience which the inferiour estate giueth to their superiour which should be keept because it is the command of God that princes be obeyed Ceremoniall iustice is the obseruing of statutes and traditions commanded by the Bishope of Rome counsels or Shoolemaisters which ar to be keept so that they repung not to the law of god nor yet that by thē men seeke remission of sinns The iustice of the Law of God is to fulfill the same as it requireth that is to loue feare serue and honour god with all thy harte and strenght thereof Which because no creature in earth doeth there is no man iustified by the workes of the Law for in all man Iesus Christ excepted is found sinne as proue the examples of Abraham Moyses Noe and vthers most holie fathers in whom all sinne was found For by the transgression of Adam all his posteritie became rebels to the Lawe And are compelled to pray with Dauid Enter not in iudgement with thy seruaunt O Lord for in thy sight no liuing creature shalbe found iust The sommary of the xiij chap. SEing thē our forefathers were not iust by the law nor workes thereof of necessitie must we seeke the iustice of another that is of Iesus Christ which the law may not accuse In whom if we beleeue we ar receaued in the fauour of god accepted as iust without our merits or deseruinges But here obiecte the wicked as their vse is when any thing transcendeth their capacitie in vnderstanding these questiones First wherefore gaue God the Law if man may not fulfill the same Secōdly wherefore shuld we work good works seing by them we are not made iust thirdly whereby were the fathers made iust The sommary of the 14. Chap. FOr vnderstanding of the first question man should learne to know god as hee is declared in the Scripture That is to know him creator and maker of all which also made all his creatures in their first creation good and perfite who not onely gaue a law to man but also to the rest of his creatures as to beasts Sunne Moone sea and elements That thereby he might be glorified knowē Lord. And so to man hee gaue a Lawe to the effect he should know his maker and obey him Which Law when Adam transgressed he lost his perfection and righteousnesse And so the cause why mā may not fulfil the law is that the law remaineth in the owne perfection in the which it was first created by god but mā by his disobedience and foolishnesse fell from his perfectiō And therefore should he accuse him selfe and not god that he may not fulfill the law which is perfite The sommary of the 15. Chap. IN Adam after his transgression remained a litle of that knowledge and power with the which he was indewed by god from him it descēded in his posteritie whereby man may worke the outward workes of the Lawe But the whole obedience thereto giueth no mā For these wordes proue all man Iesus Christ excepted to be sinners by the law Of the deedes of the law shall no fleshe be iustified before god Which wordes Sophistes would abolish saying Paull speaketh of the Ceremoniall law and not of the morall or law of nature but the plaine wordes of Paull proue them to be lyers He sayeth The law speaketh to all which are vnder the Law And all men is vnder the law morall And therefore Paull speaketh of the lawe morall which condemneth al man Iesus Christ excepted The sommarie of the 16 Chap. THe iustice which is acceptable before god hath diuerse names first it is called the iustice of god becaus it proceedeth onely of the mercy of god secōdly it is called the iustice of faith because faith is the instrumēt whereby we apprehēd the mercy of god And last it is called iustice becaus by faith in christ it is giuē vs freely without our deseruings but euē as the dry earth receaueth the raine but all deseruinges of the self So receaue we the iustice which is of value before god without all our workes but yet we must suffer god to worke in vs. And this iustice is plainly reuealed in the euāgel frō faith to faith That is wee should continue in this faith all our life For the iust liue by faith euer trusting to obteine that which is promissed whiche is eternall life promissed to vs by Iesus Christ. The sommarie of the 17. Chap. THe faith of the fathers before Christs comming in the flesh and ours in the new testament was and is one thing For they beleeued them to stande in the fauour of god by reason of that promissed seede which was to come whome wee beleeue is come already and hath fulfilled all which was spoken of him in the law and prophets By this faith were the fathers made safe without all their works as testifieth Peter And where our aduersaries aske them what auailed workes We answere that works are an outward testimony to faith by which only man is first made iust therafter his works pleas God because the persone is acceptable And so no godly man forbiddeth good workes but of necessitie must they bee excluded from the iustification of man For Paull saith if iustice bee of the lawe Christs death is in vaine For albeit iustice sometime be ascribeth to man that is not because it proceedeth of man but because it is giuen to man freely by god like as our faith is called the faith of Iesus Christ because by him we are repute iust for he is made to vs from god wisedome iustice holynes and redemption And so all the scripture testifieth vs to bee made iust freely by the mercy of God that all glory may be giuē to him And therefore who maked workes a part of their owne iustification spoile god of his glorie The sommarie of the 18. Chap. GOD loueth vs because wee are his own handywork created vnto good works in christ Iesus In whom we remaine as branches in the wine roote bringing forth good fruites not of our owne strenght but of the power of the spirite of Iesus christ remaining in vs by true faith which works the law may not cōdemne becaus they are the works of Iesus christ and not ours And so the glorie of works is
excluded by the law of faith For in our iustification wee onely receaue as did our Father Abraham whose sonnes wee are by faith which was reakoned iust before he wrought any good works The veritie of the scripture proueth that the heritage commeth not by the lawe for by the law Ismaell and Esau the eldest sonnes should haue succeeded to the heritage and not Isaac Iacob which were yonger And so by the promis commeth the heritage and not by the lawe For the law euer accuseth craueth more of vs thē we ar able to pay And therfore damnation abydeth vs without we apprehēd Iesus Christ which payeth for vs that which the lawe requireth For hee alone taketh away the sinnes of the world Hee called all to him self and sendeth none to the law to seek iustificatiō And therfore who seeketh any parte thereof by their workes spoile Christ of his office The sommary of the 19. Chap. AS the good tree beareth good fruites so the iust man worketh good workes but neither maketh the fruite the tree good nor yet the workes the man iust for as the tree is before the fruite so the mā is iust before the worke be good We should worke good workes becaus wee being sometime the sonnes of gods wrath and subiects to sathan are bought by the blood of Iesus Christ to serue in his kingdome in the which ruled faith hope and charitie euer working righteousnes vnto life By the cōtrarie in the kingdome of the deuill rule incredulitie dispaire and enuy euer working vnrighteousnes And so we owe obedience to him whose seruants we ar There be diuers princes realmes subiects and rewardes no man can serue both nor of both the rewardes no man shall be participant but who serueth sinne receaueth eternall death for his reward and who serueth righteousnes receaueth life euerlasting by Iesus Christ. The sommarie of the 20. Chap. WOrkes are commended in the scripture not that they iustifie before God but that they are the fruites of a iustified man wrought to testifie his true faith Which onely iustifieth without workes either preceeding or following the same And that proueth Paull saying without faith it is impossible to please god And also all which is not of faith is sin whereof it is plaine that sophistes alledging that workes preceeding faith deserue the grace of god De Congruo say asmuch as sin deserueth the grace of god for all workes preceeding faith is sinne And that workes following faith iustifieth not testifieth the same Ap. saying not of the works of righteousnes which we haue wrought shall we be safe but acording to his mercy god hath made vs safe And so neither works preceeding nor following faith iustifie The sommary of the 21 chap. THE wicked by works of their own intention would be a part of their owne saluation because thay seek their own glorie as did the Scribs and Pharisies and not the glory of God But seing the works commanded by god done without faith to deserue remission of sinnes are abomination before god as testifieth Esay what shalbe of the vaine workes of man set vp without the commād of god by which hypocrites would be made iust And if we should confesse as commandeth Iesus Christ when we haue done all yet wee are but vnprofitable seruauntes where is the merite of the workes of supererogation which hypocrites would sell to others And if Paull which had right excellent works esteemed them al to be but filthinesse that he might winne Christ and be found in him not hauing his owne iustice which is of the lawe but the iustice which is of the faith of Iesus Christ If Paull I say sought no iustice in his own works how shal we whose workes are on no maner equall to the workes of Paull be iustified thereby And therefore with the scripturs and Apostles we cōclude that by faith onely in Christ we ar made iust without all law or workes And after man be made iust by faith and possesseth Iesus Christ in his hart then can he not bee idle For with true faith is also giuen the holie spirite which suffereth not man to bee idle but moueth him to al godly exercise of good workes The sommarie of the 22. Chap. AFter the article of iustification christians should bee instructed to doe good works not these which are inuēted by mā but which are cōmanded by god amōgst which the principall is to reioyce in tribulation giuing thankes to god in all things with sure hope and patience abyding his deliuerance knowing that the life of man is a perpetuall battell vpō earth The law of the mēbers euer rebelling against the law of the mind The law of the members wee call the tyrannie of the deuill euer drawing vs to the lustes of the flesh not onely in externall works but also in the inwarde affections of the minde as to doubt of the goodnesse and mercy of god to be sloughtful and not to loue and feare him with our whole hart The law of the minde or of the spirite is the motion of the holie ghost stirring vs vp to all iustice and righteousnes which we know to bee good and yet finde no power in our selfe to performe the same And this battell is most vehement in the most holy as witnesseth Paull And therefore to kill this outwarde man which is our wit reason and will we should offer our bodies vnto god in a quicke liuely and holy sacrifice but before this sacrifice bee pleasant to god must the minde which is the Fountaine of all good workes bee renewed with the spirite of god and made cleane which is when we cast from vs our wisedome righteousnes holynes and redemptiō and receaue the same from Iesus Christ. Some there is which put their whole trust in their own works thinking thereby to obteine the eternall glorie And these men go before Christ and are called Antichristes Others there is which thinke faith not sufficient but will haue their workes ioyned to helpe Christ and these goe astray from him For none of these two kindnes suffereth Iesus Christ death but for them onely which follow him laying all their sinnes vpon his backe The Sommarie of the 23. Chap. THe foolish reason of man perswadeth vs to leaue the workes commanded by god And to set vp workes of our own inuention thinking God to bee pleased therewith becaus they are done of good zeale and intention The scriptures of God showeth all the thoughtes and cogitations of man to be euill at all time And if so bee what is our good intentiō But whether the intent of man bee good or not the fruites proceeding therefrom shall testifie For as sometime in Israell abounded all Idolatrie they hauing gods according to the multitude of their Cieties So nowe amongst them which are called Christians are set vp carued Images defended adorned and worshipped contrarie the expresse commandement of God The blessed sacrament of Christs body and bloud abused and prophaned before them And all this
the paine which the curse of the lawe inioyned to vs by sinne in whome wee haue redemption by his bloude remission of our sinnes according to the riches of his mercy and grace What wordes may bee more plaine to proue this iustice onely by faith in Christ excluding our merites Yee haue the same assertion in the Epistle to Titus the second Chapter Galath the fourth and Apocalypsis the fifth chapter Where it is written Thou art worthie O Lord to take the booke and open the seales of it for thou art slaine hast redeemed vs to god in thy bloud hee saith not in our workes but in thy bloud Here ye may see and consider our sinnes were no light thinges Cōsidering there was no other thing whiche might pacifie the wrath of the Father but the bloud and death of his onely begotten sonne Christ Iesu to bee made man for that cause And now for vaine inuented Imaginations of ignorant Sophistes which will not onely be their owne redemers but also redeme others this pretious bloud is repute in vaine or a light thing It followeth whome God hath layde before a sacrifice or satisfaction through faith in his bloud to the forthshowing of his iustice for remission of the sinnes by-past the which god hath suffered or in the suffering of god to the forthshowing of his Iustice at this time that he may be iust and iustifie him which is of the faith of Iesu Christ. Here the apostle aboundeth in wordes to exclude all sophistrie and vaine conceate of workes which mē intende and would intende to make satisfaction for sinne For hee setteth forth Christ here the full sacrifice and satisfaction for sinne And therefore he called him the mediatour of the new testament by intercession of his death And also Christ offered a sacrifice for sinnes and for euer sitteth at the right hand of God beholding till his enemies bee made his foote stoole And S. Iohn saith if any shall sinne we haue an aduocate before the father Iesus Christ who is iust and he is satisfaction for our sinns not only for ours but for the whole worlds that through faith in his bloude For there is nothing may bring vs thereto but faith only And no satisfactiō may be but Christes death who hath ones dyed therefore and shall not dye againe death shall haue no more dominion of him In the which hee hath declared him iust in fulfilling the promis made of him in the lawe and prophetes That is that he was to make vs iust which could not make our selues iust And where hee saith for remission of sinnes bypast the which God hath suffered c. Vnderstand not that of the sinns bypast before the cōming of Christ onely but also of all sinnes committed to the worldes end For these words are spoken foorth of the mouth of god with whome all things is present as yee may consider by the wordes of Christ speaking to the Iewes on this maner Before Abrahā was I am Howbeit Abrahā was dead a thousand yeares before his incarnation So to the penitent all sinnes are bypast Therefore the remission of sinnes by past in Christes bloude indured to the end of the worlde This is necessary to know for two causes principally The one is for confounding of the heresie of the Nouatiās which peruert the sayings of the Apost wherevpon they would inferre that man once beeing iustified and thereafter falling in sinne may haue no place of repentance whiche were the peruerting of all the scriptures of God and his promisse in the bloud of Christ who is the lambe of god that taketh away the sinnes of the world And our aduocate sacrifice and satisfaction Howbeit the Apost speaketh plainly that it is impossible to be renewed to repentance through renewing of baptisme for that were to crucifie christ againe not in his fleshe but in thy fleshe which would be new baptised The other cause is to exclude their opinion which think that Christ satisfied but for originall sinne onely that baptisme giueth or hath purchaste grace to man after the baptisme that he may satisfie for his owne sinnes by recompensation as god were a marchant to chop change with man That if Christ was the first marchant they shalbe the next And this is as great a heresie as the other by the which they would make the death of Christ but a vaine trifle and chaunge faith into workes of mans making The which is the work of the deuill that euer intended to impung this Article of iustification by the mixtion of workes This opinion S.I. confoundeth in his 1. Epistle the first and 2. chap. where he declareth first if a man say he hath no sinne hee deceaueth himselfe And then if man sinne as doubtlesse all men dooth he sayth wee haue an Aduocate Christ Iesu who is iust and is a satisfaction for our sinnes Moreouer all men howe iust that euer they bee neede dayly to praye forgiue vs our debts as we do our debtours the which prayer were not necessarie nor Christ had neuer taught the same If we might haue satisfied for our owne sinnes at any time So Christ is euer our satisfaction and we dayly sinners Therefore we ought euer to pray forgiue vs our debts as we forgiue our debtours It followeth in the definition where is thy glorie by what lawe is it excluded of works No but by the law of faith and concludeth man to be made iust by faith without the deeds of the law ye shall vnderstand that glorie in this place is taken for the sure trust and beleefe which men putte in their owne workes and merites the which the apost wil haue cleanly excluded forth of this article giuē wholy to christ who deserueth the same becaus he is obteiner thereof to vs through faith in his bloud The which faith wil haue no thinge participant with it in this case more then the sight of the eye will haue or suffer the finger in it to help the sight No it can not suffer a mote but euer waters being hurt till the mote be taken foorth Euen so faith foorthshoweth all thing to the glorie of God and merites of Christ without all workes or merites of man If Abraham had beene made iust of works thē had he wherein to reioyse but not before god And also hee had not obteined that name to be called the father of the faithfull but the father of workers Therfore the scripture saith Abra. beleeued god and it was reakoned to him for righteousnesse In the which scriptures yee shall not onely finde this iustice whiche is of value before god attribute and giuen whole to faith in the mercy of God but also the workes expresly excluded For either wee must be made iust by faith only or by workes only because they may not bee mixt without Christes death be in vain for to him that worketh saith Paule The
thankefull vnto god whome we knowe to be fauorable gentle kinde and mercyfull to the godly and to the wicked wrathfull and angrie This is the solutiō to the argumēt made in the beginning which proueth wherefore should we doo good if we be free from the law and freely iustified by the mercy of God through faith without our deseruinges Therefore choose you now if ye wilbe seruants to sinne or seruantes to righteousnesse Subiectes of the kingdome of Christ or of the kingdome of the deuill for wee are made free and iust by grace through faith that we shuld liue in righteousnes to Christ who hath dyed for all that they which liue liue not now to thē selues but to him which hath suffered death for them and hath risen againe from the same Keeping this order yee shall neuer cease to doo good works as occasion requireth THE XX. CHAP. 1 An answere to all scriptures which our aduersaries alledge for them against the iustification of faith 2 Wherfore works are commended in scriptures 3 An argument prouing that no workes iustifie NOw because there is some Scripturs which our aduersaries wold cause to bee seene either contrarie to the scriptures before rehearsed for probation of this article of iustification or els with them they would mixt this article so that faith not only iustifieth without works Therefore I will rehears some of the most principal of them And cause you vnderstand by the same scriptures they are neither contrarie to his article nor yet haue any entresse with faith in the making of a wicked man iust but followe faith as the due fruites thereof In the which the Christian man should liue as said is before In the Epistle of S. Iames the second Chap. It is said Bretheren what profite is it if a man say hee hath faith but hath no works may his faith saue him And again ye see saith hee that a man is iustified of workes and not of faith only Here the aduersaries of faith make a a great feast but they vnderstande this saying of the holy Apostle as they doo the other scriptures euer working with the Deuill to make the holy spirite contrarie to himselfe which is impossible But will yee vnderstand take heede and read the text ye shal see clearely that the Apostle speaketh of the historicall or idle faith that is dead without workes to the confusion of the wicked christians which haue no faith but in the mouth and not of the faith which maketh a man iust before God and obteineth remission of sinnes By the same examples and wordes that he rehearseth for he saith the deuill troweth beleeueth and dreadeth but the deuill can neuer beleeue that christ hath redeamed him and purchaste to him the mercy of god remissiō of sinnes and eternall life whiche is the faith to whome S. Paul ascriueth iustification only And also he reproued the euill Christian which sayeth hee hath faith and neglecteth the deedes of charitie in cloathing of the naked and feeding of the hungrie whiche deedes are the fruits of faith of the which S. P. speaketh Therefore there is no contrarietie in the Scriptures before rehearsed but concurrence And also the offering of Isaac as mention is made before was done aboue thirtie yeares after the iustification of Abraham to the forthshowing of his obediēce as the text proueth Gene. the 15. Chap. 22. Chap. In the which offring the scripture was fulfilled as saith S. Iames Abraham beleeued God and it was compted to him for righteousnes Here ye may see clearely S. Iames speaketh nothing of the iustification before god but of the iustificatiō before thy neighbour becaus of the examples authorities of the scriptures alledged by him which ar of works done in faith by the faithful long after their iustification For faith onely iustifieth before God as S. P. saieth without works And workes iustifie before man outwardly and declare a man iust before his neighbour in exercising the deedes of charitie which are approued before God and acceptable to him in them whiche are reconciliate by faith in the mercy of God and beareth witnesse that a man is iust Therefore yee who would alledge this authoritie of S. Iames to impung the articlcle of iustification which we confesse vnderstand not the Scripturs nor haue no foundatiō for you but ignorance babling of words They alledge an other text the 10. of the Actes of Cornelius whose prayers almes deedes past vp in the sight memory of god By the which words they would inferre his works made him iust or at the least prouoked God to call him to the faith which is all one thing For if we by our deedes may prouoke god to loue vs or to haue mercy vpon vs through our merits by the same reason we may make our selues iust And so we need no other sauiour but let Christs death be in vaine But my welbeloued bretheren yee shall vnderstād that God first loued vs prouoked vs to loue him wee being sinners vnworthie of loue yea enemies also as the Scriptures of god teach you Io. 1. ep and 4. Chapter and in his euangell the 3. Chap. and Rom. the 5. Chap. And therefore god first preueened vs with loue all goodnes and we not him And so shal ye vnderstād this text following of Corn. The text saith there was a man named Cornelius a captaine c. a deuout man one that feared god withall his houshold which gaue great almes to the people prayed god continually c. To whome the angell sent from god said thy almes and prayers are past vp in the sight of God c. Here yee see this mā was faithfull and iust by the first two proprieties by the which hee is commended which can not stand without faith That is deuout and fearing god Deuout is to say a true worshipper of god No mā truely cā worship God or please him but in faith becaus it is impossible to please god with out faith Cornelius worshipped God truelie and so pleased him therefore he was faithfull he feared and dread god by loue for that is the feare whereof the text speaketh Therefore Cornelius was faithfull because that loue can not be without faith The works which Cornelius wroght wer the fruites of faith and pleased god because god approued the same which hee had neuer allowed except they had bene done in faith For all which is not of faith is sinne Therefore yee must confesse that Cornelius was faithfull and iust before god or els ye must deny the scriptures which good forbid And then will yee say to what effect was Peter sent for to instruct him in the faith and teach him what he should doo if he was faithfull what faith was it he had To that I shall answer Cornelius had the same faith that Adam Noe and the fathers had for he beleeued the promised seede which was Christ knew not that he was come
may saue you It is writtē all which is not of faith is sinne How then can ye do any worke preceeding faith that it may please God or prouoke him to loue you considering all that ye doo out of faith is sinne Will ye say that he deliteth in sin No no it is a thinge most abominable in his sight therfore all that euer ye do how excellēt the work be in your sight it is sin before God and yee heape sinne vpon sinne which is abomination in his sight as sayeth the Prophete Esay The workes which follow faith make you not iust because or euer yee worke good works yee must be made first iust and thereafter in faith yee worke the works of iustice Neuerthelesse the saide workes may not saue you nor merite the kingdome of heauen to you muchlesse may they merite to others But yee are made safe by the mercy of God and not of workes as S. P. sayeth Not of workes of righteousnesse which we haue done shall we be saued but according to his mercy God hath saued vs Here yee see not onely workes excluded in generall forth of this article but also the workes of iustice which can not be done but by the iustified man where are then your workes which deserue the kingdome of heauen of their worthinesse not onely to your selues but superaboundant to others They are excluded by the Scriptures of God Therefore I exhort you to exclude them also cleaue to faith THE XXI CHAP. 1 The opinion of the wicked seeking their owne glorie 2 The workes commanded by God done without faith ar abomination before him 3 Whereby commeth the new birth 4 Paule refuseth his workes seeking no Iustification thereby 5 The conclusion of all the Scriptures 6 What is giuen to man which hath true faith I Meruell greatlie of your blindnesse which are aduersaries to this article would euer mixt it with works specially of your owne making that yee may bee a parte of your owne saluation But I ought not meruell thereat because yee seek your own glory not the glory of god for euer ye cry the law the law good works good works the which yee neuer doe nor yet it is in your power of your selfe to complete according to the perfectiō that yee may set thē before the iudgement seat of god And this same thing did your forefathers the scribes Pharisies against Christ. And now yee against his faithfull litle flocke of the same blindnesse and ignorance For to establish your owne iustice yee neglecte the iustice of god and will not be subiect thereto as the Apost sayeth And Christ sayeth Yee are they which iustifie your selues before men but god knoweth your harts because that which is of great estimation in mens eyes is abominable before god Euen so it is of your workes not commanded by god how honest or shining that euer they be in the sight of of man for verily God wilbe pleased with no workes of mans innentioun but with the workes commanded by him selfe And the same should be done in faith according to his will and not ours for the which we are commanded and should daylie praye Thy will o heauenly father be fulfilled not ours What better works cā mā doe thē the works cōmāded by god as praiers almes deedes fastings and keeping of holy dayes and others as ye may reade Esay the first Chap. The which god by the mouth of the prophet calleth abomination And Christ called prophecying preaching casting forth of Deuils miracles wonders and signes and many other great and excellent vertues done in his name The workes of iniquitie and the doers of them the workers of iniquitie saying passe away from me all yee which are workers of iniquitie for not all which say vnto mee Lord lord shall enter in the kingdome of heauen But they which doo the will of my Father whiche is in Heauen These workes are contemned by god for no other cause but that they ar wrought by the wicked without faith or mixt with the article of iustificatiō thinking therethrough to be made iust or to be a part of their owne iustification And therefore cannot please God but greatly displease him because the good worke is conuerted into sinne through the iniquitie of man Neuerthelesse they appeare in the sight of man to be most excellent good and should haue a great reward after the iudgement of man but yee see here what rewarde god giueth them And seing the workes commaunded by God to be done are so displeasant in his sight wrought by the wicked without faith What shalbe of your workes which are not commanded by God nor haue no authoritie in his Scriptures but inuented by your selues of your good zeale and intention to make your selues iust by them hauing no respect to faith but to the working of them of the selfe deed yea verily expresse contrarie the scripture and plaine Idolatrie Neuerthelesse he that doth them yee make iust and he that doth them not yee condemne Is this any other thing but to make the death of Christ in vaine and to be iustifiers of your selues for seing the iustice which is of value before God is not of the deedes of the law how can it be of your deeds Therefore Christ wil say vnto you Passe from me all ye workers of iniquitie I know you not Notwithstanding in other places of the scripture yee shall finde the same workes greatly commended by God where they are done by the iust man as the fruites of faith reward promised to the workers of them So they confesse them vnprofitable Seruantes when they haue done all that they can For Christ saide to his Disciples when yee haue done all whiche is commanded you to doe then say wee are vnprofitable seruantes Wee haue done that which wee were bounde to doe And if they which fulfill all the commandements of god are compted or repute by him vnprofitable seruants what haue wee to glorie in which fulfill not one of his commandements Now I pray you lay this text to your assertion if thou wilt enter into life keep the commandements and ye shal thinke shame of your sayings insomuch as yee would impung the article of iustification there with and mixt workes with faith to the making of a wicked man iust Now I trust it be sufficiently prouen by authority of the scripture as is before rehearsed at length to the satisfactiō of a Christian and godly man that works are excluded forth of this article of iustificatiō haue no participatiō therewith but follow faith as the due fruites therof that all glorie may redound to god howbeit the wicked hypocrits and iustifiers of thē selues will neuer be satisfied by any authoritie of the scripture for they cannot nor will not be content with god nor his word but euer impung the same to establish their owne authoritie and glorie And therfore are neuer at rest
nor quietnes in their conscience with God because they reiect the mercy grace and peace of god the which ar the substāce of the estate of a christiā wherein the iust liueth by faith ar so necessary that they should euer be blowen in at the eares of the faithful by the ministers of the word Therefore where euer the Apost S. P. writed or preached howbeit there was no question of the law nor workes thereof hee neuer pretermitted in the beginning of his Ep. as the other Apost in like maner vsed to certifie the Christian congregation of the substance of this article saluting thē with grace and peace which is asmuch to say as the mercy of god by the which ye are made iust and accepted as righteous in the fauour of god the Father through faith in Iesus Christ our only Lord and Sauiour Rest quietnesse in your cōscience I desire to be with you and remaine with you continually that thereby ye may worke the fruites of faith by charitie or loue in righteousnes to the glorie of god and profite of your neighbour through Iesus Christ by whome we haue this mercy and grace and entres to the father and the same grace the which grace is giuē to vs by god in Iesus Christ that no fleshe should reioyce in his sight who hath giuen him selfe for our sinnes that he might deliuer vs out of this presēt wicked worlde according to the will of god the father according to the riches of his mercy the which hee hath aboundantly shed forth vpon vs by whose mercy we are made safe He hath called vs by his holy vocation not according to oure workes but according to his purpose and mercy the which hee hath giuen to vs by Iesus Christ. And S. Peter saith blessed bee god the father of our lord Iesus christ who according to his great mercy hath begotten vs of newe into a liuely hope by the rysing of our Lorde Iesus Christ from the death Therefore if wee bee borne and gotten of new by mercy It is not of workes nor of our deseruinges but freely giuen vs by the grace and mercy of God through faith in Iesu Christ. Nor we haue no righteousnesse of the law nor workes as is before clearely proued by the scriptures at length And the same S. P. testifieth in his owne body to bee true who wrought many excellét works of the law Neuertheles he reputeth all but filthines that he may winne Christ and be found in him not hauing his owne iustice or righteousnes which is of the law but that iustice which is of the faith of Iesu christ And seing the holy Ap. the chosen vessell of god might not obteine righteousnes in the law nor works but in the mercy of God through faith in the pretious bloud of Iesu Christ Alace what blindnes is in vs wicked and miserable sinners which will euer glory cry good works which we neuer do and will haue them mixt with this article of iustificatiō In so much that Christ after our iudgement is not sufficient to saue vs and make vs iust howbeit it be the cause wherfore he was made man for vs only Therefore let vs cōclude with the Ap. and the holy scripturs that by faith only in christ we ar made iust without the law workes thereof And after mā be made iust by faith and possesseth Christ in his hart knowing perfitely him to be his iustice and his life thē shall he not be idle but euē as the good tree shal bring forth good fruite because a man truely beleeuing hath the holy spirite and where he is hee suffereth not man to bee idle but doth moue and prouoke him to all godly exercises of good workes as the loue of god patience in troubles and afflictions calling vpō the name of god thankesgiuing to the forthshowing of charity and loue vnto all This is the order of a Christians life and the substance of good workes as hereafter followeth and as we haue also touched some thing in the beginning concerning the trouble and patience thereof THE XXII CHAP. 1 What workes should Christians doe 2 The life of man is a perpetuall battell 3 What is the law of the members and what the law of the spirite 4 What sacrifice we should offer to god what is required that our sacrifice be acceptable 5 Who followeth Christ who goeth before him who is equall with him BEcause good workes are the fruites of faith and necessarie must follow the same and proceede of the iustified man as the good fruits of the good tree without the whiche no Christian man may gette witnessing of his faith Therefore after the forthsetting of the article of iustification should euer mention be made of good workes and all faithfull taught to doe the same The which methode S. P. vseth in all his ep but specially in the Epist. to the Romans and Galath For being iustified by faith we are at peace with God by our Lord Iesus Christ. But then hastely riseth the battel and strife with the world and persecution because all which wil liue godly in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution Then shalt thou begin to reioyce of thy trouble knowing surely that thou art the sonne of God because he chasteneth all sonnes whom he loueth This affliction whether it be in spirit or body bringeth pacience to thee which is the proufe of thy faith Then conceaue thou hope whose office is to confort thee that thou bee not ouercomme in thy affliction so then faith and hope being ioyned together the loue fauour and grace of god are by his holy spirite shed abroade in our hartes by the which we as valiant knightes passe to a new battell against the deuill the world and the fleshe of whome wee obteine victorie by faith and suffer not sinne to rule ouer vs. This methode to good workes teacheth the Apost Rom. the .5 and 6. Chapter exhorting vs that as wee of before gaue oure members to bee weapons of vnrighteousnes vnto sinne to the death that now wee being iustified by faith giue to god our members weapons and armour of righteousnesse vnto life For the rewarde of sinne is death but the grace of god is eternall life by our lord Iesu christ Then let vs surely beleeue hee who hath begunne the good worke in vs which is god shall performe the same to the daye of our Lord Iesus Christ. And so to begin good works is not to suffer sinne to rule in this mortall body that we obeye not the lustes concupiscence of the same The whole life of man is but a battell vpon the earth And who soeuer will pas fordward in the seruice of god hee must prepare him for tentation and trouble This battell S. P. had and as a knight of great experience taught vs the same how he fand a law in his mēbers repungning
thereby the strentgh of the flesh somewhat is dantoned and ceaseth to rebell against the spirite And beginneth to seeke god who is a peculiar Father to the faithfull deliuering them from all tribulations Not for their worthynesse but for his own mercie Worldly tribulations are the signe and token of gods loue albeit the wicked and vnfaithfull iudge otherwise which in tyme of tribulation runne from God seeking help at man which is but vaine whereof they being frustrate and deceaued fall in desperation The sommary of the fourth Chapter THe faithfull thanke god in tribulation and albeit our wicked nature teacheth vs to flye from God as did our first parent Adam after his transgression Yet faith in Iesus Christ leadeth vs to the throne of our Fathers grace where we finde goodnes mercy iustice giuen to vs freely by Iesus Christ as they were giuen to Adam Who albeit fled from god yet he moued of loue toward his own handywork followed him and albeit Adam at the voice of god repented not but obstinately excused his sinne yet god made to him the promisse of saluation before hee pronounced his wrath cōtrary sinne which of his righteous iudgement hee must punish And so Adam wrought nothing which might moue god to make this promisse more then hee wrought that of dust and clay hee should be made a liuing Creature to the Image and similitude of god And to Abraham being an Idolater was made the promisse hee should be the father of many nations which hee merite not to whiche promisse Abraham giuing credite was reakoned iust by the which it is plaine that the mercy of god and not our workes is the cause that hee calleth vs by his worde whereto wee giuing credite are reakoned iust all our deseruinges or merites being excluded The Sommarie of the 5. Chapter ADam expelled forth of paradise had no consolation except in the blessed seede promissed By whom hee beleeued him to stande in gods fauour for all bodily consolation which hee had of his two Sonnes was turned in dolour when Cain killed Abell In the which dolour Adam many yeares remained will God hauing compassion vpō him gaue him another sonne named Seth of whome descended the blessed seede For this sonne Adam gaue thankes vnto god taking all afflictions in patience knowing him worthie of greater punishmēt by whose example we should patiently with thankesgiuing vnto god suffer all tribulatiō For none descending of Adā by naturall propagatiō are iuster then hee was after his fall which all his life suffered trouble hauing no confort but that he should ouercome all worldly calamitie yea and also the slightes of Sathan which had deceaued him by the blessed seede promissed And this same should be our confort in all tribulations The sommarie of the 6. Chap. BY bodily afflictions our faith is tryed as gold by the fire They are also a communion with the passions of Iesus Christ. And therefore in them haue we matter and cause to reioyce considering we suffer without cause committed contrarie man Notwithstāding the wicked persecute the faithfull in all ages as if they had beene mischieuous or euill doers as may be seene in the persecution of the prophets Apost of Iesus Christ him self The cause hereof is the neglecting of gods word and taking from faith her due office whereof riseth all dishouring of god for none may or can honour god except the iustified man And albeit in diuerse men there be diuerse opinions of iustification yet they alone in whome the holy spirit worketh true faith which neuer wanteth good workes are iust before god The substance of iustification is to cleaue fast vnto god by Iesus christ and not by our selfe nor yet by our workes And this Article of iustification should be holden in recent memorie because without the knowledge thereof no workes are pleasant before God The sommarie of the seuinth Chap. AS by perswasion of Sathan Adam and Eue seeking wisedome contrarie Gods commandemēt were deceaued and fell in extreame miserie So they seeking iustification otherwise then teach the Scriptures remaine vnder the wrath of god for faith alone reconciliateth man to god which the Lawe whose office is onely to vtter sinne and trouble the conscience as it did to Adam after his transgression may not doe Therefore who list to resist Sathan let him cleaue to faith for it is the onely shield which his dartes may not pearse The sommary of the eight chapter CAin a wicked hipocrit killed his brother Abell For no other cause but that his brothers sacrifice pleased god because it was offered into faith And the posteritie of Cain pursued perpetually them which depēded vpon the blessed seede while god was compelled to drown the whole world 8. persons being reserued amongst whom yet was keept the seed of Sathan in the third sonne of Noe Cham. From the dayes of Noe to Abraham this article of iustification altogether was obscured Idolatry spredding ouer all The cause thereof was they followed the external works of the holy fathers in sacrifice but had no respect to faith without the which all sacrifices ar Idolatrie The sommarie of the ninth Chapter GOd of his mercy prouiding that his Church should not perish altogether renewed to Abraham the promisse of the blessed seede made to Adam whereto Abraham giuing credit is without his workes reakoned iust But shortly after begā sathā newly to pursue the iust by his mēbers stirring vp Ismaell against Isaac Esau against Iacob but the iust at the end shall preuaile as hath done Iesus Christ whose brethrē we ar by reason he is very man of the seed of Adam And also because in him wee are adopted and made the sonnes of god The fleshly mā is euer deceaued iudging the wicked to bee the chosen as Abraham beleeued Ismaell And Isaac beleeued Esau to haue beene their heires But faith iudged righteously which caused Rebecca to labour with diligence that Iacob the youngest sonne should be blessed by his father The sommary of the 10. Chap. THe Iewes hauing a carnall opiniō of the seede promissed that their Messias should rule temporally as did Dauid refused Iesus Christ appearing simple poore But the cause which moued Sathā to stirre vp his members against Christ was that hee plainly taught that by faith without all workes man is reakoned iust For the wicked thinking to make their foolishe workes a part of their iustificatiō may neuer suffer them to bee damned And the true Preacher can neuer but exclude them from the iustification of man as did the prophetes Iesus Christ him selfe and his Apostles for which they suffered death leauing to vs a sure testimonie for confirmation of this article which after Christs death was plainly preached The sommarie of the 11. Chapter SAthan perceauing his crafts wherewith hee deceaued mankinde discouered and his head troden downe by the death of Christ cled him in a new arrayement And finding them whiche should haue truely preached idle perswaded man to inuent new
Workes iustifie before men onely Heb. 11. Cornelius had faith and thereby wroght good workes Heb. 11. What faith Cornelius had wherefor was Peter sent vnto him Esa. 65. Math. vlt. Mar. 16. Luc. 24. Sophistes would make the holy spirit speaking in S.P. contrarie to him selfe Psal. 49. Note The nature of loue * Why Charitie is called the chiefest Collos. 3. Io. 15. Math. 19. Luc. 18. * The wordes of Christ vttered the hipocrisie of the young man How the wicked doo read the scripturs Rom. 14. Marke diligently Tit. 3 The workes of Iustice is excluded in the cause of iustification The wicked aduance theÌ„ of works which they neuer doe Rom. 10. â—ue 16. Esa. 55 56 57. 58. Zach. 1. God neuer was nor wilbe pleased with works of mans inuention Workes which of them self are good done without faith are abomination before god Math. 7. Note well Luc. 17. Esay 48. * Hypocrites are neuer at rest in their conscience A repetition of the article of iustification and substance thereof The salutation of the Apost Rom. 1. Rom. 5. 1. Cor. 1. Galath 1. Ephe. 1. 2. 2. Timoth. 1. 1. Pet. 1. Philip. 3. * Paule wrought many excellent good workes but reputeth them nothing The entresse to good workes The method of S.P. in wreting Ro. 5. 2. Tim 3. Prou. 3. Heb. 12. Apo. 3. Rom. 5. 1. Io. 5. The reward of sinne is death Ro. 6. Philip. 1. The beninning of good workes Iob. 7. Whosoeuer serueth the lord must prepare him self for trouble Rom. 7. * The repungning of the flesh Ro. 8. Rom. â— Rom. 12. Colloss 3. Io. 6. The will of God Ro. 6. To bee crucified with Christ. The sacrifice pleasant to God Psal. 50. Psal. 4. The old man Collos. 3. * That is loue and extoll his magnificence in all kinde of godlie life Ephe. 4. Esa. 1 Mat. 16 Marc. 8. Luc. 14. 1. Pet. 2. Who followeth Christ. 1. Cor. 1. The cros of the faithfull Heb 1. â— Rom. 8. Psal. 30. 70. God will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that we may susteine 1. Cor. 10. Esay 53. 1. Pet. 2. * Who goeth before Christ. * Who goeth astray froÌ„ Christ. Luc. 16. Math. 7. The punishment of pride Luc. â—8 To follow Christ. Math. 27. All men depeÌ„ding vpon his own reason is deceaued The coÌ„futation of good zeale good inteÌ„tion Gen. 6. Gen. 8. Psal. 43. Deutr. 12. Ier. 11. * The coÌ„mandement of god contrarie our good zeale Psal. 115. Esa. 55. Mich. 6. All which man shold doe is conteined in the scriptures Psal. 93. Who doth workes not commaÌ„ded by God in his scriptures incurris his malediction Ier. 15. â—9 4. Reg. 21 2. Cro. 33. The fruits of good zeale Ier. 2. The wordes of Ieremie ar true this day 〈◊〉 â—2 11. Exod. 20. Leuit. 26. Deu. 5. Psal. 80.96 113. * Strange worshipping of God is not conteined in the scriptures Good workes Esa. 58. Ier. 7. 26 Ezech. 18. Psal 33. 1. Pet. 3. Tac. 1. Io. 1. Luc. 3. The vocation and office of men of warre Io. 6. Faith is the worke of God Io. 6. There is no perfection but in Christ. 1. Cor. 3. * Christ is the head and foundation of our felicitie vpon whom we should build good workes Coloss. 3. Math. 11 * Wherefore Christs yoke is easie and his burdeÌ„ light Of generall and speciall vocations Immediate vocation Mediate vocation Vocation generall * Charitie is the baÌ„d of peace 1. Cor. 12. Ephe. 4. 5. * Why the faithfull are called one body 1. Cor 3 Ephe. 2. Act. 9.14 20. Rom. 5. 1. Cor. 12. Math. 38. Mar. 16. Iob. 33. Act. 10. Ia. 2. Gal 2. Galath 3 1. Pet. â—â— Al faithful are kinges and priests Note well Ephe. 5. * Euery member should serue in his owne vocation Rom. 12. Ro. 13. * Loue is euer debt Men shuld seeke no knowledge but it which is profitable The diuision of the estaits of men The office of kinges and magistrates The king should loue his subiects Pro. 1. Psal. 110. * No man may know god but by his word The king should haue knowledge of gods law Deu. 17. Iosu. 1. Psal. 1. 3. Reg. 3. Iaco. 1. Psal. 19. Sap. 1. 1. Pet. 5. Luc. 1. The king should set forth the true and destroy the false religion of god in his kingdome Deut. 17. Psal. 2. Deut. 4. * To seeke wisedome other wayes but in gods scripturs is foolishnes 1. Cor. 1. Zach. 7. 7. Esay 1. Psal. 81. Exod. 28. Leuit. 19. Deut. 16. Exod. 18. Io. 10. * Iudges should be honoured because they are participant in power with god Deut. 1 Psal. 11. Esay 40. 1. Pet. 1. Iac. 1. Whereof shall iudges be accused whereof not * A iudge of corrupted life caÌ„ neuer minister iustice equallie * Subiects follow the vices of their superiour magistrates * God coÌ„monly punished the wicked by them which are more wicked Ier. 7. Marke diligently 1. Reg. 15 1. Reg. 15. 2. Tim. 4. 2. Tim. 2. 1. Tim 6. The bloud of the flocke perished for fault of spiritual food shalbe required at the bishope Ezech. 3. The coÌ„plaint of Chrisostom * Without a bishope preache truelie he can do no good worke before god * The legacie Paull vnto bishops That is sorrow eterne daÌ„nation abideth you 1. Cor. 3. 1. Timoth 6 Tit. 2. 2. Timoth. 2 Malach. 2. Sap. 11. 1. Reg. 2 3. Reg. 2. 1. Reg. 2. * The punishment of Dauid perteineth to bishops aswell as to princes Ephe. 5 Collos. 3. 1. Pet. 3. 1. Cor. 7. Coloss. 3. 1. Pet. 3. 1. Tim. 1. Tim. 5. Psal. 77. Deut. 6. Coloss. 3.4 Ephe. 6. * Right Prayer * The vnfaithles worke no good workes Ro. 14. * The life of the fathers should be cleane because it is a mirrour to the sonnes 1. Tim. 3. Marke diligently Deut. 8. Math. 4. The faithfull lameÌ„t the faults of others