is healthfull to all men hath appeared teaching vs that denying vngodlinesse worldly lusts wee should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ which gaue himselfe for vs that hee might redeeme vs from all vnrighteousnesse purge vs a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good workes These parcels and jnfinite others sowed in the Scripture in diuers places sufficiently shew that the Faith of our vocation and justification and of the Light vnto the which it hath pleased him to call vs Ephe. 5. is to separate vs from the world and from all the polutions and filthinesse there abounding and not to communicate with the workes of darknesse but to walke in righteousnesse truth all the dayes of our life For why are wee called good trees An exhortation taken out of the names of the faithfull if it be not to bring forth good friute in season Why likewise are wee called good ground if it bee not to bring forth all sorts of good friutes euen when we are well tilled and sowed by the word of God which is euery day faithfully and purely administred vnto vs by his seruants Ephe. 5. Wherefore also are wee called the spowse of Christ if it bee not to verifie him by the sanctification which ought to shine and appeare in vs for it is the end that Iesus Christ set before him when hee deliuered himselfe for it to the end to sanctifie it clensing it by washing of water by the word to the end hee might make it a glorious Church hauing neither spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing but that it might bee holy and irreprehensible Moreouer God by his Prophet Esay Esay 56. foretelling what should be the state of the Church at the comming of Iesus Christ saith That there shal be no more Eunuke that shall be able to say by complaint that hee is a drye tree because that euery one of them should keepe his sabbaths and should chuse the things which hee would haue and should keepe his alliance Hee would teach thereby that in his Church there should be no barren or fruitelesse person that all should bee as sayth Dauid Psal 92. Such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall florish in the courts of the house of our God Gal. 5. 6 Also S. Paule sayth he not that Faith worketh by Charitie and that in Iesus Christ nether circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but a new creature opeÌ„ly declaring that by Faith men are so renewed that they chaung their thoughts their affections their words their workes their manners and their whole life and conuersation the which they study to make comformable wholy to the will of God so as it is propouÌ„ded vnto vs in his Lawes and holy ordinances 1. Cor. 3. Why also are wee called temples of God if not by reason of the holy exersices which ought continually to be vsed in our hearts and vnderstandings why likewise are we called high Priests if it be not to giue vs to vnderstand 1. Peter 2 that our dutie is to offer vp our bodies a liuely sacrifice holy pleasing to God Rom. 12. which may bee 〈◊〉 â—easonable seruice And that wee do not conforme our selues to this world but bee transformed by the renuing of our sence to trye what is the good will of our God pleasant and perfect Wherfore also are we called his children js it not to render him the honour the feare and the obedience which true children owe to their Fathers and by that meanes to glorifie him for a wise childe is the glorie of his Father Our confession sheweth that which ought to be inseparablie ioyned to our Faith 1. Iohn 5. In our confession wee say that wee beeleeue in the holy Ghost not onely to assure that he is holy in himsefe hauing a holines essentially residing in him but also for the office which it doth to sanctifie all the elect and render them capable to doe all the good workes which they do and to shew in effect that they are separated from the world the which is steeped in malice and altogether giuen to wickednesse Wee also beleeue the holy catholicke Church that is to say that there is a companie of folkes who by the grace of God are separated from the wicked and consecrated to the seruice of God and that wee are of this nomber By meanes whereof our Faith obligeth vs to liue holyly in the obedience and feare of God so that if wee bee vicious and that our life bee disordinate in any kinde of manner we shew thereby that wee are hypocrites and that our confession is belyed by our works The Prophet Esay sayth that at the comming of Iesus Christ which is the cheife the foundation A sumptuous description of the Church and architect of the Church hee was to build a Temple to God his Father framed of all precious things as of Pearles Saphirs Emeralds Rubies Carbuncles 1. Tim. 3. Which is to instruct vs that the members of the Church of God ought to be rare precious and exquisite in all sorts of vertues To the end that the house of God which is the collom and vpholder of truth should not bee like an edifice builded of mud and slime but a stately pallace sumptuous and worthy of the greatnesse of the maiestie of our God who is the creator of heauen and Earth God sayth S. Iohn is light 1. Iohn 1. and in him is no darknesse at all If we say wee haue fellowship with him and walke in darkenesse we lye and do not the truth But if wee walke in the light as he is the light then haue wee fellowship one with an other and the bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne cleanseth vs from all sinne By that we see plainlie that we haue no society and acquaintance with the Father and the Sonne if we do not our dutie and jndeauour our selues to liue holily and conforme our selus with all our thoghts affections words and actions to his holy will which is layd before vs in his law which the same Apostle confirmes moreouer in his first Epistle chapt 3. vers 6. As many as abide in him sinne not whosoeuer sinneth hath not seene him neither knowne him Babes let no man deceaue you hee that doth righteousnes is righteous euen as he is righteous hee that committeth sinne is of the Deuill for the Diuell sinneth from the beginning for this purpose appeared the Sonne of God to loose the workes of the Diuell whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seed remayneth in him and hee cannot sinne because he is borne of God In this are the children of God knowne and the children of the Diuell whosoeuer doth not righteousnes is not of God nor he that loueth not his brother for if we would sinne willingly and liue
he assayes to ruinate vs are exercises to humble vs to trye our faith and patience Ioh. 1. 3. Luk. â—2 2. Cor. 12. and to jllustrate the glory of God in the shewing forth of the vertues which he hath put into vs The which we see in Iob Peter Paul and other Apostles and in all the Saints that ever were The which by how much they haue been more tempted they haue by so much the more profited in the knowledge and feare of God as sayth the Prophet speaking of the faithfull man Vnto the righteous ariseth light in darknes Psal 112.4 he is mercifull and full of compassion and righteousnes This grace bringeth vs also a sufficiency as Iesus Christ sayth to to the Apostle That his grace ought to suffice him 1. Cor. 12. 1. Tim. 6. And elsewhere that godlinesse is alwayes joyned with sufficiency and contentment As also God contracting allyance with Abraham said vnto him Gen. 17. I am the Lord thy God thy sufficiency and thy defence wherevnto also agreeth that which the Prophet sayth Psal 16.6 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou shalt maintaine my lot The lines are fallen vnto mee in pleasant places I haue a faire heritage And elsewhere O Lord that art my portion Ps 119.57 I haue determined to keepe thy word Seeing then that faith puts vs in possession of our GOD Rom. 11. Iohn 3. in whome and by whome are all things It bringeth vnto vs a beatitude and perfect contentmeÌ„t which is the end and purpose wherevnto we aspire and wherein we trust when we haue attained it And for this cause Faith ought to be more precious and recommendable vnto vs then any thing else whatsoeuer Now to assure vs yet farther of that which is spoken Ephe. 3. 1. Tim. 2. by faith Iesus Christ dwelleth in our hearts who is the warrant of the alliance that we haue made with God and therefore is hee called Emanuell that is to say God with vs Mat. 21. it is the second reason the which ought greatly to make vs esteeme of and seeke after Faith because it vnites vs with Iesus Christ and is the meanes by the which eating his flesh Ioh. 6.17 and drinking his bloud we dwell in him and he in vs for ever so we cannot choose but we must be very happie having the grace of God with all his blessings Item the Iustice Rom. 8. the Life the Light of his Sonne and in summe all thinges that hee giveth vs in his fauour as sayth the Apostle Rom. 5. for even as by sinne and the disobedience of our forefathers wee lost in them the grace of God and consequently all felicity also by the second Adam which is Iesus Christ and his obidience wee recouer better then that which we haue lost for we are now assured that we cannot perish as sayth the Prophet speaking of the Church Psal 48.7 As we haue heard so haue wee seene in the Citie of the Lord of Hostes in the Citie of our God God will stablish it for euer Psal 46. God is in the middest thereof therefore shall it not be mooued Psal 65.4 God shall helpe it verie early Blessed is he whome thou choosest and causest to come to thee he shall dwell in thy courts and wee shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thine house euen of thine holie Temple Iohn 10. And in S. Iohn My sheepe heare my voyce I know them and they follow mee and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand and in Osee Ose 2. I will marry thee in justice and in Faith c. Then as all the jnfidels by their jnfidelity are deprived of Iesus Christ and by consequent of God his Father vnto whome wee cannot come neere but by him they are for this reason accursed and miserable for ever And to the contrary the faithfull everlastingly happie by reason that Faith doth joyne and vnite them jndissolubly with the one and the other The third reason which ought greatly to recommend faith vnto vs is that as we cannot be agreeable to God without it as we haue shewed Rom. 14. also nothing of all that proceeds from vs can be pleasing vnto him without it neither prayeâ—s nor thanksgivings nor confessions nor any worke that wee can doe nor likewise any vertue that is in vs for without Faith all the shew and appearance that is in vs and in our vertues is but hipocrisie There were in old time some Philosophers and Law-makers who although they were jnfidels they seemed nevertheles to be adorned with many laudable vertues as Socrates Licurgus Epaminondas Aristides Phocian both the Catoes and diuers others and neverthelesse all that which seemed resplendant in them was but a maske and false visard of vertue For even as a flower painted vpon a wall hath the forme and colour of a flower but not the life the beauty and the sweetnesse Like also as a fire painted on a board hath the forme therof but not the light nor the heat also all the vertues that were in these great jllustrious personages were all but shadows and shews of vertue And as no meat how exquisite soever it be hath any tast or savour if it be not seasoned with some salt also the patience of Socrates the justice of Aristides the piety of Epaminondas the constancie of Phocion being not seasoned with Faith was but vnsavoury And such personages sayth S. Austin did resemble a liuely horse that trots well and vseth his joynts nimbly but is out of his way for the more he goeth forward the more hee looseth himselfe So such people being not in the way which God hath appoynâ—ed and taught in his Law although they may seeme to runne and gallop well neverthelesse to be short they did nothing but stray and goe farre from their dutie having not chosen the way that they must follow nor the end whereto they must tend which is the cause for the which that good Father sayd in many places that the vertues that were in them beeing destitute of Faith were reputed for sinnes before God grounding his speech vppon that which the Apostle writeth to the Romans All that is done without Faith Rom. 14. is sinne To the end then that wee our workes and our vertues may be pleasing to God true Faith is necessary for vs. CHAP. II. ¶ A diuision of the kinds of Faith wherof mention is made in the Scripture THis word of Faith in the scripture is not alwaies to bee taken in one sence nor in one signification which must bee noted to the end that those that read the woord of God bee not deceaved by the antiquity and equivocation of this word the which is found to be alledged in six sundry sorts wherof fiue are vaine and the last onely is true Now the first kind is the Faith which
forriners but Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets c. Ephes 2.19 By an other elegant similitude he sheweth in the same Epistle that all the liuely members of Iesus Christ are joyned to their head by Charitie saying Following the truth in loue we grow vp vnto him which is the head that is Christ By whome all the body being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt for the fourniture thereof according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of euery part receaueth increase of the body vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue Ephes 4.15.16 From that which is sayd we gather that Charity is the jnfallible marke of christians according to the sentence of the soueraigne Doctour A definition thereof By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples if you loue one another Io. 13.35 Let vs theÌ„ say that charitie is a guift of God who by his holy spirit for the loue of IESVS CHRIST doth inflame the hearts of his children with an ardent dilection which they beare him by reason of his infinite mercy towards them in their election vocation justification sanctification glorification hoped for according to his infallible promises of the which dilection proceedeth the humble and free desire to render him obedience and to witnesse by all good dueties a sincere amity to all men especially to the houshould of faith with whome we rejoyce that they were receaued into favour grace and haue obtained pardon for their sinnes remaining bound with a brotherly affection with them by reason of the loue of God our Father S. Augustine sayd in one of Epistles that charity is a vertue by the which we loue those things that are to be loued which agreeth very fitly with our charity towards God who loued vs euen when we were his enemies The Lord sayd of the woman sinner that her sinnes which had beene great were forgiuen her for addeth he she hath loued much Luk. 7.47 By this doe we know that we loue the children of God when we loue God and keepe his commandements For this is the loue of God that we keepe his commandemeÌ„ts and his commandements are not grieuous 1. Iohn 5.2.3 Who so loueth others hee hath accomplished the Law for that which is said Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit adulterie c. and if there be any other commaundement it is summarily comprehended in this point to wit Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Loue doth not euill to his neighbour therefore is Loue the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.8.9.10 The properties thereof are excellently described by the Apostle in these words Her properties Loue suffereth long it is bountifull Loue envieth not loue doth not boast it selfe it â—s not puffed vp it doth no vncomely thing â—t seeketh not her owne things it is not provoked to anger it thinketh not evill it reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the â—ruth it suffereth all things it belieueth all things it hopeth all things it endureth all things 1. Cor. 13.4 c. What a patterne for vs all God who is Charity it selfe giue vs the grace that all the dayes of our liues we may cast the eye of our thoughts vpon this faire and liuely picture to learne to walke in charitie renouncing all impatience furie enuie arrogancy jmpudency couetousnesse violence malignity jniquity lying cruelty jnfidelity profanenesse jmpiety crimes directly contrary to christian charitie Let vs in order see some effects of charity Her effects which shew what shee is 1. It is the testimonie of Iustification already apprehended following that which the Lord sayd to the Woman sinner whereof hath byn spoken before 2. It is not altogether perfect in this present life but shall bee in the life eternall namely after the resurrection Charitie sayth S. Paul 1. Cor. 13.8 doth neuer fall away whereas as for the Prophesies they shall be abolished and as for the languages they shall cease as for knowledge it shall be abolished 3. Whether wee consider the houshold of Faith or other men Charity is well ordered To this purpose it is sayd Gal. 6.10 Whiles we haue time let vs doe good to all principally to the houshould of Faith 4. A seruile feare doth much hinder mens consciences in the execution of that which appertaineth to their dutie and in the exercises of patience whereto Charity remedieth as saith S. Iohn in his 1. Epistle chap. 4. ver 18. There is no feare in loue but perfect loue casteth out feare for feare hath painefulnesse and he that feare this not perfect in loue 5. The rule of indifferent workes and actions is Charity witnes the acts of the Counsell at Ierusalem the circumsicion of Timothie and such like in the christian primitiue Church To the weake saith S. Paul I became as weake that I might winne the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes saue some 1. Cor. 9.22 6. Charity is the end of the commandement of the law 1. Tim. 1.5 Mathew 22.37 c. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy mind This is the first and the great commandement And the second is like vnto that Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe 7. It may be sayd that charitie is superiour and inferiour to Faith but in diuers respects inferiour by reason of iustification of her originall and of her measure For we are iustified by Faith Rom. 3.27 not by charity the which sheweth That we are iustified Iames. 2.18.21 From faith commeth charity and that which faith apprehendeth is assured and accomplished but charitie hath her progressions and increasings in summe faith is the measure of it and hee to whome God sheweth most mercy more that man loueth God and his neighbours Why charitie is the greatest But on the other side Charity is superiour 1. Because it shall neuer fall away and shall not be abolished in the life eternall but shall there be more accoÌ„plished 2. As it is a happier thing to giue then to receaue charitie imparteth the goods and guifts which it hath receaued and faith apprehendeth and keepeth the goods which God doth promise and present vnto it 3. In the righteousnesse begunne in those that are iustified in Iesus Christ who regardeth properly sanctification and regeneration Charitie hath â—he advantage ouer faith Whence it commeth that wee are iustified by faith not by charitie But it folâ—oweth not therefore that we are iustifiâ—d by Charitie although it bee greater â—hen Faith and Hope For in iustificaâ—ion there is no question to weigh the qualities of these vertues to say this is more proper to iustifie man than the oâ—her two but in them is considered the office the nature and the property of â—aith which consisteth in that onely which it apprehendeth and applyeth to â—he person which belieueth this righteâ—usnes of