and much more abomination proceedeth frō that zeale which wee call good But how good that euer it appeare in our sight the adhearers thereto shall receaue the malediction of God The sommary of the 24. chapter NO better works can be then Iohn the baptist taught to the people which are the workes of mercy and to desist from fraude iniurie and oppression And these workes and not the vaine inuentions of man pastours should teach their flocks instructing thē first in perfite faith For Iesus christ being asked by the Iewes what they shuld do that they might worke the workes of god that is that they might please god answered This is the worke of God that yee beleeue in him whome he hath sent By the which words our maister vnderstandeth that without faith whiche is the worke of god and not of man no worke pleaseth god The yoke of Christ is easie and his burden is light to the faithfull because they lay all their sinns vpō Christs backe and follow him euery man in his owne vocatiō There is two maner of vocatiōs one immediate by god as the prophetes and Apostles were called to be preachers without authoritie of mā Another is mediate as when one mā called another As Paull called Timoth. Tit. to be bishops There is a generall vocatiō by which all the chosen are called to a Christian religion Hauing one lorde one faith one baptisme In this vocation there is no difference of persons but all are equally loued by god becaus we ar all the sonns of one father al boght with one price all seruaunts to one lord all guided with one spirite all tending to one end and shall all be participant of one heritage that is the life eternall by Iesus Christ by whom we are all made priests and kings but let no mā herefore vsurpe the authoritie of a king in dignitie nor the office of a priest in administratiō of gods word sacraments for that perteinteh to a speciall vocation The sommary of the 25. Chap. All estate of man is conteined within one of these four special vocations either is he prince or subiect pastor or one of the flocke father or sonne lord or seruaunt In the prince is conteined all magistrats hauing Iurisdiction in a cōmounweall Whose duety is first to know god and his lawe which hath placed them in that authoritie Secondly to guide feed and defend their subiects knowing them selues to be no better of their nature then is the poorest in their realme Thirdly to defend the iust and punish the wicked but respect of persons Hauing their harts and eyes cleane and pure from all auarice They are called the sonnes of God and should be obeyed in all things not repungning to the cōmand of god because they ar ordeined placed by god to punish vice mainteine vertue and therefore their owne life should be pure and cleane first because otherwise they can not punish sinne and secondly because the wickednesse of princes prouoketh their subiects to the Imitation thereof And therefore the life of princes shuld be pure cleane as a mirrour to their subiects and should admitte into their kingdomes no worshipping of god except that which is commanded in the scripturs for god being commoned by Idolatry and strange worshipping hath destroyed many kingdomes as all prophecyings witnesse The sommarie of the twenty sixt Chapter THE principall office of a Bishop is to preache the true Euangell of Iesus Christ knowing that if the flocke perishe the bloud shalbe required at his hands And that hee neglecting the preaching of the Euangell is no bishop nor can doe no worke pleasant before god And therefore no bishop should mixt him selfe with temporall or seculer busines for that is contrarie his vocatiō but continually should preache reade exhort his flocke to seeke their spirituall foode in the Scriptures And so the tyrantes in these dayes forbidding men to reade the Scriptures declare them selues wolues and no pastors whom god shall shortly punish because they haue contemned his command attending altogether vpon their own vaine supertitions as he did Hely and his two sonnes vnder law and the whole priesthood after Iesus Christ. The sommary of the twentie ewint chap. THE office of the Father vnder whom is comprehended all housholders is to rule and guide his children family and seruaunts in all godlinesse and honestie instructing them in the Law and word of God For honest housholders who liued in chaste matrimonie ruled guided their housholdes well nurished their children in the feare and reuerence of God were chosen to be Bishoppes in the Primitiue church And therefore they are blasphemous to the holy spirit which inhibit the Laickes so style they the chosen of God learning reading teaching of the holy Scriptures wherin is conteined the foode of the soule wherof Antichristes willing to depriue them would also kill the soule For the soule without gods worde hath nor may haue no life The office of the husband is to loue and defend his wife giuing to her onely his body The office of the wife is likewise to loue and obey her husband vsurping no dominion ouer him And the office of them both is to instruct their children in gods Law euer giuing to them example of good life and holdding them at godly occupations labouring also them selues faithfully for sustentation of their families The sommarie of the 28 Chap. THE office and duetie of the Lord is to pay vnto his seruaunts the rewarde promised And the office of the seruaunt is faithfully to worke and labour to the profite and vtilitie of his lord but fraude or simulation as hee would serue Iesus Christ. The office of the subiect is to obey his prince and rulers placed by him giuing vnto them honour custome and tribute not requiring the cause why they receaue the same for that perteineth not to the vocation of a subiect The office of the sonne is to loue feare and honour his parents Which honour standeth not in words only but in ministring of all thinges necessary vnto them which if the sonne doe not to the father and mother hee can doe no good worke before god And therefore deuilish doctors are they which teach men to found soule masses of their substance suffering father and mother to labour in indigence and pouertie FINIS The workes before written are they in the which euery christian should be exercised to the glory of god and vtilitie of his neighbour M. Henry Balnaues Richard Bannantine Richard Bannātine Iohn knox Gen. 37. Gen. 41. Psal. 104. Gene. 15. Iosue 11. 3. Reg. 12. 3. Reg. 13. 16. Esa. 1 Ier. 3. 4. Reg. 17. vltimo Act. 7. Apo. 7. Scotland Psal. 2. Io. 3. Esa. 59. psal 41. 42. Psal. 76. Psal. 21. 104. * That is the maner how he will deliuer * That is he which of him self hath power and being by whome all had their beginning life and mouing Psal. 32. Io. 1. Ro. 4.
the 5. chapter Romanes the 8. chapter 13. And S. Pet. in his first epistle the 2. chapter O miserable blinde ignorāt mā why doest thou neglect the good worke of god to inuēt a good worke of thy owne making thinking there through to please god saying thou doest it of a good zeale and intention which is asmuch to say as that thy minde and intentione are good in the selfe And because thou thinketh the same good God after thy iudgement should approue the same as good Thou art deceaued because thou vnderstandest not the Scriptures or will not vnderstande the same It is written that the whole thoght of man and all the cogitations of his hart is ready giuen and bent vpon euill at all time And also the witte vnderstanding and conceat of man and the thought of his harte are prone ready and inclined to euill from his youth head and yoūg age And Dauid sayeth The Lord knoweth the cogitations of mans hart that they are vaine Nowe my hartes where will yee finde your good zeale and good intention either is it euill of thee self or els God is false the whiche can not bee yee may call it good but God who hath better knowledge thereof then ye haue by his word testifieth all that is in you to bee but euill as he hath declareth by the mouth of Moyses cōmanding that we do not that thing which wee thinke good but that thing which hee hath commanded vs to do that should we do and neither adde to his word nor take therefrō but walk in the way the which the lord hath cōmanded This showeth thee that thou should not followe thy good zeale and intention thinking therethrough to please god or fulfill his will the which thou can not fulfill but by his worde For all man of them selues are but Lyers and full of vainitie Great is the differēce betwixt the will of god and the will of man The thought of god and the thoughtes of man The wayes of god and the wayes of man as saith the Prophete in the persō of god my thoghts cogitatiōs ar not yours nor your ways mine but as the heauēs ar exalted aboue the earth euen so ar my wayes cogitations frō yours This is no other thing but to teach vs to follow the will and commande of God and not ours who hath declared in his scripturs plainly what we should doe leaue vndone that we neede to seeke no further So doing we shal procure the blessing of God if wee take his erudition and teaching as Dauid sayeth Blessed is the man whom thou O Lord instructeth and of thy Law teacheth him And if we will followe our own teaching doing workes of our owne intention the which wee think good we shal procure the plagues and punishmēts threatned by the Proph Ieremie the 19 chap. because we doe the thing which he hath not commanded nor spoken to vs nor yet hath ascended in his hart Trust well the people thoght they did a great excellent worke to God and sacrifice to please him when they spared not their owne children to kill offer sacrifice vnto god of their innocēt bloud This was their good zeale and good intention But they had no command of god for them and verily yee haue lesse for you to make such sacrifice as yee doe dayly to deceaue the poore people and to purchase to your selues great riches goods possessions Therefore I exhort you by the mercy of God to cast away that good zeale intētion follow the word of god as he hath cōmāded you in the scripurs for they beare witnes of him show to mā what is his wil seeke no further nor confound not the works of God with thy vain thoghts Through the vaine cōceate of mā vsed in these words good zeale intētiō haue al the abuses now ruling in the church of god risen That the sayings of the Proph. spokē to the people of Israell are cōplete this day in the Church of Christ and may be said to vs as they were said to the Iewes Euē as the theef is ashamed whē he is taken euen so is the house of Israel ashamed they their kinges their princes preists Prophets saying vnto the tree or stocke thou art my father and to the stone thou hast be gotten me They haue turned their backe to mee sayeth the Lord God and not their face And in the time of their trouble and affliction they shall say Rise and deliuer vs then shall the Lord say vnto them where are thy gods which thou hast made thee let them arise and deliuer the in the time of thy trouble Thy gods were verily in nomber according to the nomber of thy cities o Iuda what wilt thou contend with me in Iudgement yee haue all left me sayeth the Lord. Now I pray you conferre these words of god here plainly spoken with the doings of these dayes now ruling in the church and then yee shall perceaue the abuse of gods word We praye cōmonly the Pater noster that is our father to the Image of this or that saint made of tree or stone And specially to this or that altar wee kneele which is by our selues or our predicessours foūded vpon such a Saintes name whose picture is well graued in a stocke or stone And with costly colours painted and the blessed Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ after their maner offered dayly to this or that Saint and called his messe for doing of the which there is not a syllabe in gods word for you but the contrarie expresly commanded both that yee should haue no grauen Images nor worshippe them nor yet inuent any maner of worshpping of god But as god hath cōmanded by his word And for your defēce ye haue onely these wordes good zeale intention the which is expresly cōtrarie the first commandement of god for euen as we are forbidden and inhibite to haue strange gods So are wee inhibite to haue strange worshippings of god Blessed be god the matter is so patent and plainely set forth in these dayes concerning the said vaine workes inuented by man to the confusion thereof by the godly men which laboure day and night in his Scriptures to the edification of Christs chosen litle flocke that it is not needful to abide long vpō the discussing of these matters but onely to remit you to the Scriptures and the saide godly declarations made therevpon against the superstitious worshipping of Saintes going in pilgrimage purgeing in purgatorie hallowing of water or other elemēts foundatioun of masses to publike or priuate idolatrie offering or sacrifices making not commāded in the word of god choise of meats forbidding of mariage in the church of god and abominable abuses of the whole Christian religion by the shauen oincted or smeared preists bishops monkes and friers hauing onely there vocation of man and
care vpon his direction as thy head and transgresse not his commandement for that is the will of God I meane not of euill but of all goodnesse because I speake of the fruites of faith and workes of righteousnesse yee are all bound to doo the workes whiche God hath commanded you to do in his holy scripture of mercy loue and charitie by reason of your vocation in the christian religion And these other workes in your speciall vocation In doing of the which thinke that ye do the good work of god and please him if yee worke them in faith albeit Hypocrites commend not the same Beeing occupied on this maner daylie there shall bee no place to vice for your minde is occupied vpon other busines It is but Idlenes to you to passe in pilgrimage to this or that Sainte to sit the halfe of the daye in the Church babling vpon a pare of beades speaking to stocks or stones the thing which neither thou nor they knowe And neglecteth the good worke of God the which thou art bound to doe If thou wilt praye right learne the Lordes prayer in the toung thou vnderstandeth Thy Creede that is the articles of thy beleeue the ten Commandements of god And dayly at thy rysing and downlying at night haue some space to thy contemplatiō thereinto and teache thy housholde the same maner And occupie the rest as is before saide according to thy vocation not exceeding the bounds there of nor seeking no other workes but them which are commanded in the holy scriptures And are necessarie to be done as is written to Titus the 3. Chap. Let the faithfull which are of our nomber bee euer ready and learne to doe good workes to all necessary vses that they bee not vnfruitefull For the faithfull can neuer bee idle because vnfained faith worketh euer by Charitie But they which knowe not their owne vocation can neuer bee faithfull Therefore they can neuer worke good workes but all is euill whatsoeuer thing they do or worke without faith becaus all which is not of faith is sinne Therefore if thou wilt worke well be faithfull and looke euer to thy vocation And thou shalt finde thy conscience teaching thee both to do good and eschew euill at all times Ye should be pure and cleane in your conuersation for good example giuing to your Children and familie For as they see you doe so shall they learne And are euer rather inclined to do euill thē good by reason of this corrupted nature of mā Therefore teach them to loue and feare God to know his lawe being euer your selues an example to them And as it were a mirrour to looke into in all godly life and conuersation For if they behold you liuing together in great loue and charitie chastitie and temperance being mercifull to the poore supporting the indigent after the quantitie of your riches at loue charitie with your neighbour euer speaking good of all creaturs detracting none they shall followe the same doings by the which ye shalbe called the the faithfull fellowship of Iesus Christ true subiects of his realme Your vocatiō is good holy and it becommeth you to know the scriptures For in the primatiue church * the bishops were chosē cōmonly forth of your nōber A godly honest housholder who liued in chast matrimonie ruled and guided his houshold well brought vp his children in subiection reuerēce in all maner of godly teachings Hee hauing this outward witnessing is commanded by the Apost to be chosen to the office of a bishop When this order was kept in the church of Christ the worde of god flourished Therefore woe be to you which saye that laickes or secular men and housholders should not know the scripturs read them or teach their houshold the same yee impung the holy spirite and dishonour the olde Fathers of the Church which taught the contrarie as by example of Chrisostome before rehearsed it is euen alike to you to say temporall or secular men should not heare the worde of god read teach their families the same as to say they haue not a soule for the word of god is the foode of the soule if yee will abstract the foode without the which the soule must perish yee shall make man as a brutishe beaste And if yee will admit them to heare the word yee should admit them to read the same and talke therevpon for what auaileth the hearing if a man should not conceaue and keepe in memorie that thing which he heareth and liue thereafter For Christ sayeth Blessed are they which heare the word of god and keepe the same * The oft reading of the word and cōmunication thereof keepeth the same euer recent in memorie and digesteth in thy hart by continuall meditation some confort and consolation and abstracteth thee from vice and sinne leadeth and conuoyeth thee to all godlie liuing Therefore Dauid calleth that man blessed which deliteth in the lawe of God and hath his meditation therein day and night Wo wo be vnto you therefore which would abstract this blessing from any man or woman the which God pronounceth with his mouth These doings of yours beare witnesse of you that ye ar not the ministers of the word of God or true successors of the Apostles but false teachers fubuerters of the word and very Antichrists Wherfore I exhort you whiche are the faithfull whatsoeuer estate or vocation yee be called to that yee both gladly heare the word of God reade it teache your children family subiects the same confor me your life thereto euer working the deedes of charitie and mercy in all godlinesse according to your vocation and giue no credit to them which teacheth you the contrarie for they are false teachers and members of the Deuil which withdraw you from that thing which is your saluation THE XXVIII CHAP. 1 The duetie of the maister vnto the seruant and contrary 2 Of the subiect to the prince 3 Of the sonne to the father 4 The honour which the sonnes ought to the parents 5 The diuelish doctrine of pestilent papisticall preists in the contrarie thereof If thou be a subiect seruaunt sonne or daughter be obediēt to thy superiour first vnto thy prince as the supreame power and to euery one hauing power from him for they are the ministers of God whom thou shouldest obey not resist ordeined by god to the reuenge of euill doers and louing of the good doers which is the will of god as yee ar taught Romanes the 13. chapter And the first of Peter the 2. chapter Your duetie is to honour al men loue brotherly fellowship feare god honour the king be obedient to him not onely for feare and dreadour of his ire but also for hurting of your conscience because it is the will of God in all thinges not repungning to his command Giue to thy prince and superiour his duetie or what euer he chargeth thee with concerning temporall
The firme weake shall find strēght and confort The rude and simple true knowledge and erudition The learned and godly humble reioycing by the omnipotēt spirite of Iesus Christ to whome bee glorie before his congregation Amen This worke following cōteineth three principall parts The first parte how mā being in trouble should seek refuge at God alone And that naturally all men is subiect to trouble and howe profitable the same is to the godly Last of the cruell persecution of Sathan and his members against the chosen of God The secōd part cōteineth how mā is released of his trouble by faith and hope in the promisses of god therefore declareth the article of Iustification prouing that faith onely iustifieth before God without all deseruing or merite of our workes either preceeding or following faith with a solutiō to certaine cōtrarie argumēts made by the aduersaries of faith this article With the true vnderstāding of such scriptures as they alledge for thē The third and last part conteineth the fruites of faith whiche are good workes which euery man should worke according to their owne vocation in euery estate All this plainely may be perceaued in the life of our first parent ADAM which by transgression of Gods commandement fell in great trouble and affliction From which hee should neuer haue beene released without the goodnesse of God had first called him And secondly made vnto him the promisse of his saluation The which ADAM beleeuing before euer hee wrought good workes was reputed iust After during all his life hee continued in good workes striuing contrarie Sathan the worlde and his owne flesh ¶ THE AVTHOR VNTO THE FAITHFVLL Readers THE loue fauour mercy grace and peace of God the Father God the Sonne with the illumination of God the holy Ghost bee with you all my welbeloued brethrē which thirste after the knowledge of the word of God And most feruently desire the same to the augmentation increasing of the church of Christ dayly to flourish in godly wisedome and vnderstanding through faith vnfained euer working by loue Amen THE I. CHAPTER 1 What should be the study of man And vvhat man should do in time of tribulation AS desirous as the wild hart is in the most burning heat and vehement drouth to seeke the could fontaine or riuer of water to refresh his thirst So desirous should we be O lord God to seeke vnto thee our Creator Maker in all our troubles and afflictions and say with the Proph. Dauid Wherefore art thou sad or sorowfull O thou my soule or sprit why troubles thou me beleeue and hope surely in God that is Confide in his mercy call to remembrance the tyme by past how mercyfull helply propiciāt he hath bene to the fathers and deliuered them of their troubles Euen so shall hee do to thee if thou beleeuest vnfainedly in him seek hym in his worde not inquiring his name what they call him nor what similitude forme or shape he is of for that is forbidden thee in his lawe hee is that he is the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and the God of the Fathers to whome he made the promis of our redemptiō He would show his name no other waye to Moys Exo. 3. chap. but cōmanded him to passe to the people of Israel and say vnto them he which is hath send me to you that is my name frō the beginning that is my memorial frō one generatiō to another THE II. CHAP. 1 How mā comes to the knowledge of god 2 Where shold man seeke God and how he should receaue him 3 And by whome we should offer our petitions BY faith are wee taught to knowe god the father maker and creator of al Heauen Earth and all creatures whom we should beleeue to be almightie of infinite power mercy iustice and goodnes that he created in the beginning all thing of nought as the scripture teacheth vs Gen. 1. Chap. And that by the word which is the sone of god he made all thing which is made who is equall to the father in deuine nature and substance without beginning in the bosome of the father which was with god in the beginning and was also god And at the prefined and preordinate time by god the father was send into the world and made man taking our manly nature and cloathing him with the same and dwelled among vs. And after long time conuersing amongst vs teaching and preaching the realm of heauē being exercised in al trobles and calamities in the which this our mortall body is subiect except sin only finaly for our sakes suffered the most vile death for our redemption And rose from the same the 3. day for our iustification And after 40. daies ascended to the heauens and sites at the right hand of the father our aduocat as testifies the holy scriptures of him And thereafter send the holie spirit to instruct his Disciples of all veritie as hee had promised of before who proceeding from the Father and the Sonne the third person of the Trinitie descended vpon the Disciples in a visible signe of fyrie tounges by whome all Creatures is viuificat and hath life is gouerned ruled sustained and cōforted without the which all creatures would turne to nought Of this maner knowe thy God three Persons distinct in one substance of godhead Confound not the personnes nor deuide not the godhead But beleeue fearmly indoubtedly as thou art teached in the Symbole of the Apostles and of the holy man Athanasius confessed in the holy church of Christ. Ascend no higher in the speculatiō of the Trinitie thā thou art teached in the scriptures of God If thou wilt haue knowledge of the father seek him at the Sone If thou wilt know the Son seek him at the Father For none knoweth the Sone but the father none may com to the knowledge of the father but by the Sonne And also Christ being desired of Phillip one of his Apostles to show them the Father answeared this long time I am with you and ye haue not knowen me Phillip he who hath seene me hath sene the Father beleeuest thou not that I am in the father and the father in me Therefore whath euer thou desirest which good is seeke the same at the son for the Father hath giuen all thing in his power for that cause christ cōmāded vs all to come vnto him seeing he hath al things giuē to him and also cōmandeth vs all to come to him great fooles we are which seeke any other way of the which we are incertaine either in Heauen or in Earth as concerning our saluation wee are sure he loueth vs will heare vs according to his promise Greater loue thā this cā no man showe but that he put his life for his frendes Yea verily we being his Enemies he willingly gaue him selfe to the death to get vs
and iustice as we may clearly perceaue in our first parent For after he had transgressed the law and commandemēt of god he fled from him whom god followed moued of loue toward his handie work and called him again in the which he did shew his goodnes and whē he accused Adam of his sin he was not penitēt nor trusted not in the mercy of god or asked forgeuenesse But excused hys transgressiō and fault Neuerthelesse god of his infinite mercy made the promes of saluatiō or euer he would prononce the sentence contrarie the man or woman saying to the serpēt I shall put enymity betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and the womans seede The seed of the womā shal tread downe thy head and thou shal sting the same on the heele Adam was cōforted with these words and through faith in thys promis was of wicked made iust that is receaued again in fauour and through faith in the bloud of Christ to be shed was accepped as iust And thereafter god manifested his Ire and wrath contrarie sinne which of his righteous iudgemēt he can not suffer vnpunished and pronūced the sentēce first against the woman and then against the man and eiected them forth of paradise cloathing them with skinne coates saying behold Adam is made as it were one of vs knowing good and euil that is asmuch to say O miserable mā now thou mayest perceaue thy state and the fruites thou hast gotten for the transgression of my cōmandemēt what is thy knowledge that thou hast learned nothing but to fly from thy Maker to passe frō life to death from great pleasure to all miserie And so Adam is spoyled of all the noble gifts he was indued with in his creation as here after time place at more length shalbe showen read with order the 3. Chapter of Genes and thou shalt vnderstand this matter clearly Nowe yee may see what was our first parents part in the obteining of this promisse of God Very lie no more then he had of his creatiō but rather lesse for beyng but dust and clay hee made no euill cause but being made man he disobeyed his Maker trangressed his law vsurping glorie to hym selfe and knowledge which became him not to seeke For the which he deserued nothing but eternall dampnation Abraham in his fathers house an Idolater as he was and the rest of his house made no good cause to god nor merite to obteyne the promisse that he should bee the father of all faithfull but only beleeued in the promis of god as hereafter shalbe discussed but euen as thei were accepted as iust through faith without all their merites or deseruinges so shall wee bee which are the Sonnes of Abraham and heires of the promisse No other way shold we seeke but the order taught vs in the scriptures of God that is if wee wilbe sure of our saluation and haue passage to the father passe vnto Christ who sayeth I am the waye the trueth and the life no man commeth to the father but by me If yee had knowledge of me ye should also haue knowledge of the Father Therefore if we will walke right in the way go with christ and walk in him if wee will not bee deceaued passe vnto him for he is the veritie who cā nether deceaue nor be deceaued if we wil not die the eternal death he is the life These gifts may we haue of no other but of him by him only through faith in the mercy of God by the operation of the holie spirit THE V. CHAP. 1 The consolation of Adam expelled from Paradise 2 The consolation of Adam whiche hee tooke of his two sons turned in dolor 3 What Adam did when hee receaued Seth for Abell whome Cain slew 4 The confort of Adam in all afflictions and example left to vs therinto GReat was the trouble and afflictiō both of body and spirite which was in Adam standing trimbling before god whome hee had so highlye offended perceauing him self deceaued of the false promis made by the Serpent which was that he shuld not die how beit hee eat of the aple but should bee like vnto God knowe good and euill being therefore eiected forth of that pleasant gardin of all delite and pleasure in to the miserable earth to eat his bred with the sweat of his face Trust well he was sore penitēt now would haue suffered great torment vpon his body to haue satisfied for his offences but that could not be nor might not stand with the iustice of god What was his confort then nothing but this promisse which he apprehended by faith and beleeued him to be in the fauour of god for that promiseth seedes sake This conforted his spirite or els of despair he had perished in this sorrow trouble for he found no remeady in himself For his bodily cōsolatiō god sent him twoo sonnes by naturall propagation to his owne Image and similitude This was no litle consolation and confort to Adam but this bodilie confort turned shortly into great displeasure when the one Brother slewe the other of malice by the which Adam was destitute of all succession Thus dolorously lead he his life a long time desiring euer at God succession in place of Abell Of whome god had pitie and compassion and sende him a Sonne named Seth of whome descended the promissed seed that god might be found true in his sayings for rather would he haue raysed Abel frō death to life then his promis shuld not haue bene fulfilled By this was the dolor and trouble of Adam conuerted into ioy and gladnes For the which hee gaue thankes and praise vnto God saying god hath sēt me another seed for Abell whom Cain hath slain here he saith not that he hath gottē a sonne in place of Abell Howbeit by naturall generation he begat him Eue bare him of her bosom but saith god hath sent me another seede for Abell ascriuing the same to the gift of god and not to the work of man This is a notable exāple to al the faithful to receaue all thinges forth of the handes of God giuing him euer thankes therfore as the holy Fathers did not contemning the work nor helpe of man whome God maketh the instrument to do that thing which is his godly will to performe Let vs herefor take example of our forefather that like as he was subiect to trobles and afflictions all the daies of his life in this miserable world Euin so are we let vs take therefore all thing in patience thinking vs to haue deserued the same iustly how iust that euer we be or appeer to the world trust well there is nor was neuer mā which descended of Adam by naturall propagation iuster nor he was after his fall for there is no mention in the scripture of any offense done by Adā cōtrarie the lawe of his god after his expulsion forth of paradise And as for
yea aboue all pouertie laden with sinne hauing neede of the grace and mercy of God destitute of all confort and consolation And therefore is called his iustice by reason of the giuing And it is called the iustice of faith or the iustice of Christ because faith is the instrument and Christ the Purchaser of the same And it is called ours by reason of participation of all christes merits which we haue through faith in his blud without our merites or deseruinges Therefore euen as the sickman receaueth his health The poore his almes and the drye earth the raine without all their merites or deseruings So receauest thou of God this iustice which is of value before him by such instrumēts as god prouideth mediatly thereto he being the immediate cause The phisition giueth thee his counsel in thy sickenes exerciseth his labours vpō thee by the creatures of god according to his vocatiō thou doest nothing but suffer to worke in thee til thou be healed And then at commandement of the good Phisition thou keepest good dyet not to get thy health but that thou fall not againe in sicknesse The poore man receauing his almes hath no parte thereunto onely but to receaue The man that giueth beeing the instrument whome God hath made the stewarde of that his gift The Earth receaued the raine and hath no part thereinto but to receaue The Labourer or Plowman beeing the instrument to open the pores of the earth that the raine may descend into it and then it bringeth foorth fruite in due time Euen so it is with man It is called the iustice of God and not of man or of free wil but of God not that Iustice by the which God is iust but the Iustice with the which man is cledd and by the mercy of God of wicked made iust as Saint Augustine saith in his booke of the spirite and the Letter the 20. Chap. in obteining of the which we neither worke nor giue anything to god but receaueth and suffers god to worke in vs. Therefore it is farre aboue all iustice of the law which mā doth and worketh the which are also the works of god both becaus they are of the law and man may do them of his own free will power as to the externall work And also they are the gift of god But alwayes they may haue no place in this Article of iustification before god except yee will exclude the merites of Christ whiche GOD forbid This Iustice was couered in the olde testament vnder Ceremonies and sacrifices but is made knowen and patent vnto vs now by the Euangell of Iesu christ from faith to faith That is not from one faith to another faith but from that faith by the which wee receaue the Euangell of god through hearing of his word and with gladnesse accepte the same in continuall perseuerance growing dayly in perfiter knowledge of god through faith in Christ til we giue vp the spirit into the handes of the Father of heauen Neuer doubting for whatsoeuer tentation or trouble in aduersitie but receauing all thinges from God and of his handes as our forefather Abraham did and iudge all for the best Then followeth the formall cōclusion The iust shal liue in faith that is euer continue in sure trust hoping to obtain the thing he looketh for which is remission of sinnes the gift of the holy spirite and euerlasting life all purchaste by Christ without our merites or deseruinges This is the faith of the which the Prophete Habac. speaketh the Iust shall liue by his faith The iust man and faithfull hath neuer respect to any thing but only to faith in christ And what euer he work or do referreth all to Christ so remaineth he in Christ and Christ in him conforme to the saying of S. P. I liue now no not I but Christ liueth in me for so much as I liue in the fleshe I liue in the faith of the sonne of God who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for mee Here ye may see to liue in the faith is to beleeue in Christ ioyned vnto him continually by faith then liue wee in Christ and Christ in vs frō faith to faith hauing no respect to workes or merites but onely to the merites of Christ. And so the iust liueth by his faith THE XVII CHAP. 1 The definition of faith 2 What faith the Fathers had before Christes incarnation and whereby they were safe 3 Good workes are a testimonie to faith 4 Wherefore workes please God 4 The methode of S. P. in writing and teaching and the necessitie of good workes 6 Wherefore iustice is ascribed vnto man 7 Who spoyleth god of his glorie THe Apostle defineth and declareth what faith is saying faith is the substance of thinges hoped or looked for The Argument or matter of thinges not seene without the which it is impossible to please god That is faith is the true and perfite thought of the hart truelie thinking and beleeuing god the which a man doth whē he beleeueth his word and putteth his sure trust in the mercy of god which is to beleeue that his sinns are forgiuen him for Christes sake only The wrath of the Father pacified he receaued in fauour accepted as iust firmely and vndoubtedly beleeueth the father of heauen to bee euer merciefull gentle helpefull and fauourable vnto him for Christes sake without all deseruinges of his deedes or merites either preceeding faith or following the same This is the Iustice of god which is made patent and reuealed by the sonne of god Christ Iesu in his euangell as said is before In this faith only in Christ were all the Fathers to the comming of Christ in the fleshe made iust without the deeds of the lawe And therefore all the promisses of the cōming of Christ are to bee referred to that promise made in Gen. the 3. Chap. that the seede of the woman shall treade downe the serpents head c. And so the faith of the Fathers in the old testament and our faith in the newe testament was and is one thing howbeit they had other externall rites obiectes ceremonies and signes then we haue And they beleeued in the cōming of Christ to fulfill all promisses and prophesies spokē of him And we beleeue he is come already and hath fulfilled al which was spokē of him in the law and Prophets And hath ascended to the heauines sitteth at the right hande of the father our aduocate And as the Fathers beleeued the first comming of Christ euer desiring and looking for the same by faith Euen so now wee beleeue and looke for his second comming And most feruently desire the same to bee deliuered of this mortall bodye of sinne that wee may rule eternally with him in glory That the Fathers were safe by faith without the deeds of the law S. Pet. testifieth saying wherfore now tēpt ye god to put a yoke vpon the neckes of
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
the deds of the law as proue the Scriptures before rehearsed and by the example of Abra. who had no mix tiō of works in his iustification The which we must affirme to be trew because the Scriptures affirme the same and testifie him to be iustified by imputation through faith because hee beleeued god and gaue sure trust to his promis howbeit the same appeared not possible as indeed it was to the iudgment of man Neuertheles hee doubted not in his faith but beleeued hope against hope therefore it was cōpted to him for righteousnes not onely to him but of the same maner to vs which beleeue and are sonnes to Abrahā by faith And trust wel Abraham did many noble and heroicall works of the law of nature but none of these works were participāt of his iustificatiō before god but only beare witnes to his faith and obedience to god in his righteousnes as shalbe showē hereafter The most excellent work amongst the Iewes was circumcisiō which was giuen to Abra. cōmāded to be vsed in all his posteritie for the signe tokē of the bād and couenant betwene God and him The which was long after the iustification of Abraham as ye may read Gen. the 17. chap. And the Apost sayeth Abrahā receaued the signe of Circūcision the seale of the Iustice of faith c. Therfore this work made him not iust nor yet had any parte of his iustification Neuertheles God reahearsed to him at that time the promisse saying Abraham walke before me and be perfite and I shall put my couenant between me and thee shall multiplie thy seede exceedinglie thou shalbe the father of many nations And after this God tempted Abraham That is searched or espyed out his faith commaunding him to take his sonne Isaac whome he loued and offer him in a sacrifice c. Consider this cōmaund ye shall perceaue it a great tētation of the faith of Abraham and conferre the same with the Scriptures going before where God gaue commaund to him that he should put away his sonne Ismael For the seed of the promis should be fulfilled in Isaac Neuertheles the faith of Abraham was so firme and constant that he rather hoped and surely beleued that god was to raise Isaac from death to life then that his word should be fals or of none effecte And therefore god said vnto him and confirmed the same with an othe saying Because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thy onely begotten sonne I shall blis thee and multiply thy seede as the starres of the heauen and sand of the sea shore because thou hast obeyed my woice and charge Heir yee see and find the promisse repeated again which was made to him long before But it is not saide here That because Abraham did this worke it was cōpted to him for righteousnes but that hee was cōmended by the mouth of god for his obedience and perseuerance in faith for the faithful shuld liue by faith daylie perseuering increasing day by day more more perfite which is from faith to faith giuing euer thanks praise vnto god and obeying his command Yee shall take this conclusion that no man can be called iust which liueth wickedly but hee which is godly and liueth well is called iust Neuertheles his good life or workes haue no participation of this Article Because they are excluded by the Apostle in the wordes before rehearsed for a conclusion that man is made iust before God by faith without the deedes of the lawe vpon the whiche wordes S. Augustine saith These wordes are not to bee vnderstande so that a man receauing the faith if he liue afterwarde wickedly shalbe called iust but hee is made iust without all his workes that he may liue in righteousnes and work well Christ is the end of the law vnto righteousnes to all that beleeue that is christ is the cōsummation and fulfilling of the lawe and that iustice whiche the lawe requireth and all they which beleeue in him are iust by imputation through faith And for his sake are repute and accepted as iust This is the Iustice of faith of the which the Apostle speaketh Rom. the 10. Chapter Therefore if yee wilbee iust seeke Christ and not the law nor your inuented workes whiche are lesse then the lawe Let him bee the mark whereat ye shoote and let him neuer passe foorth of your harte whereto seeke yee that thing which already hath taken an end Is it not writtē in the euangell of S. Luc. the 16. Chap. The law and the Prophetes are vnto the time of Iohne frō the which time the kingdome of God is preached and foorthshowen c. And S. Io. in the 1. chap. of his Euangell saith The law is giuen by Moys but grace and veritie ar giuē by Iesus Christ. These two words are expounded by S.P. Grace that is the mercy of god whereby we ar made safe through faith in Christ and not of works Verity is the fulfilling of the promisses of god for the which Christ was made seruant to circumcision for the veritie of god to confirme the promisses of the fathers here ye see christ will haue no mixtiō with the law nor works therof In this article of iustificatiō because the law is as contrarie to the office of Christ as darknes to light and is as farre differēt as heauen and earth for the office of the law is to accuse the wicked feare them and cōdemne them as trāsgressours of the same The office of Christ is to preache mercy remission of sinnes freely in his bloude through faith giue consolation and to saue sinners for hee came not in to this world to call them which ar iust or think them selues iust but to call sinners to repentance The office of Christ Iohn the baptist declareth saying behold the lambe of God behold him which taketh away the sinnes of the world It is not I sayeth Ihon nor the Law repentance or workes of repentance which I preache that taketh away your sinnes but it is Christ that innocent lambe of god to whome I send you And also Christ sayeth God send not his sonne into the world that he shold accuse condemne or iudge the world but that the world should be made safe by him And after It is not I sayeth Christ to the Iewes that iudgeth you it is Moyses which accuseth you And so the Scriptures testifie that the law accuseth and Christ saueth He sendeth none to the law but rather the law driueth compelleth man to seeke Christ If yee will vnderstande it aright The woman accused of adulterie he sent her not to the law but said to her passe thy waye and sinne no more And to the mā which had bene diseased thirtie eight yeres c. behold thou art made whole now sinne no more that some worse thinge happen thee not Christ called
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
god as the prophetes were called in the old testamēt yea and as Dauid to be a King and Moys a gouernour to the people And as the Apostles in the new testament The other is mediate by mā immediate by god as Iosue in the old testament was called by Moys to bee Gouernour to the people at the commandement of god And as Timoth. and Titus were called by S.P. to bee bishops and as all they which nowe are called to be bishops which are lawfully made according to the word of god and authoritie of the magistrates Therefore to the knowledge of euery mans vocation I remit him to the word of god and his own conscience which are his inward most sure iudges There is a generall vocation by the which we ar called by Christ his word to a christian religion through the which wee are made one body and one spirite Euen as we are called in one hope of our vocatiō for that charitie is required of vs by the word of God which maketh and bringeth vs together in one body thrugh mutuall coniunction of faith working by charity therfore Charity is called the bād of Peace There is but one fellowship of all the faithfull one body That is one church whose only head is Christ. In this church is nor should bee no diuision for there is in this vocatiō christiā religion but one body one faith one baptisme which is the seale of our religion marked by god with the bloud of his only begotten sonne Christ Iesus our lord in whose bloud we are baptised one god and one father of all which is vpon all and by all and in vs all And therefore the Apostle testifieth vs all to be but one body that is one church in Christ. For in to one spirit and by one spirite the whole vniuersall congregation of the faithful is gouerned ruled strengthned and kept There is but one marke or ende to the which all the faithfull cōtend or shoote at that is eternall life Wee are all the Sonnes of one Father and participant of one heritage as we are called in one hope of our vocation And seing we haue but one lord which is Iesus Christ. It is conuenient that his seruantes bee of one minde and not deuided through discord and enuie There is but one profession of faith in all this Christian religion vocation for howbeit wee see in these our dayes many sundry professions and opinions of faith There is but one true faith which is that faith which the Apost of our Lorde Iesus Christ together with the patriarches and prophets haue professed and giuen to all nations through their teaching and preaching as testifie the holy scriptures Vpon the which foundation the whole church of Christ is builded Therefore by one baptisme we ar al made clean purified and by the which we ar ingrafted in Christ and made the people of God purified from our sinnes and altogether buried with Christ. There is amongest vs all but one power or strenght of baptisme and in one name of the father sonne and the holy spirite we are baptised And so ar we made one body into Christ being many members cōpacted and ioyned together into him For the more perfite vnderstanding of this body yee shal reade the whole 12. chap. of the 1. epistle to the Corinth The 4. and 5. to the Ephes. In the which yee shall finde this mater declared by the Apostle at lenght In this generall vocatione their is no distinction of personnes for all men are equall before god of one estate by one generall promis al are called to the faith vnder one Lord and King Iesus Christ who hath shedd his bloud for all which beleeue in him Therefore all Scriptures which make mention that there is no exception of persons before god are referred to this general vocatiō in the Christian religion as Romans the 2. chapter where the Apostle intēding vnder Iewe and gentill comprehending all men to proue them sinners sayeth before God there is no acception of persons And Peter sayeth In veritie I haue found that God is not an accepter of persones but in all nations and people hee is accepted vnto him which feareth him and worketh righteousnesse And S. Iames sayeth My brethren haue not the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons And S.P. saith to the cōfoūding of the fals apost which seduced the Gal. through great authoritie and also to show him selfe equal in power with Iames Peter and Iohn That God is not a respecter of the person of man but in this vocation of Christiā religion by baptism through faith in the bloude of Christ all mē ar equall both Iewe gētill seruād free man woman all are one in Christ Iesus the sonnes of Abraham by faith according to the promis heirs that is to say all which beleeue ar the sonns of god therfore ar they fre heirs of eternal life To this generall vocatiō perteineth the sayings of S. Pet. in these words Yee are a chosen generation a royall priesthoode a holy natiō a people set at liberty that ye should forthshowe the vertues of him that hath called you forth of darknesse into a meruelous light c. The same is said by Moyses Ex. the 19. Chapter Here yee see in this vocation there is no acception of persons We ar all the holy people of God which beleeue vnfainedly yea kinges oincted in Baptisme by the holie Spirit priests making sacrifice to god dayly of this our sinful body mortified from sinne offer a holie and acceptable sacrifice after the maner aboue writtin conforme to the teaching of the Apost Rom. the 12. cha But be ware ye call not your selues kings in office and dignitie nor priests in administration of the word holy sacramentes for that perteineth to a speciall vocation or office by the selfe Therefore I exhort you which reade the scriptures take heede that yee confound not the works of god for if yee doe yee shal not escape error These speciall vocations shall follow in their owne places If we will looke dayly to this christian vocatiō we shal haue perfite knowledge what works we shuld doe what works we should leaue vndone The neglecting hereof is the cause of al the enormities abuses now ruling in the church of christ through the whole world For considering wee ar all members of one body all mēbers haue not one office but euery one serueth other in their owne place as when the eares heare any thing the eyis casteth the sight what it shuld be thē the feete hands prepare them to pursue or defēd to stād or flee And al these mēbers whole body obey the head awaite vpon the direction of the same Euen so we being all mēbers of one body which is the Church whose heade is Christe
should in our estate and office according to the gift of god and grace giuen to vs differing one from another serue in our speciall vocation euery one another in our owne estate Not inuying the gift of god in our neighbour but as the Apostle saith Let vs loue brotherly fellowshippe in going before another in honour reuerēce In doing hereof there would be no strife in the body but if a member were troubled hurt or had any disease all the other members would haue compassion of it And if one mēber were glad or ioyfull all the other mēbers would reioyce with the same as the Apost saith the 1. to the Corinth the 12. Chap. If wee knew this perfitly none would vsurpe anothers office or dignitie to the whiche he were not called but would be cōtēt of his own vocation giue to euery mā his duetie tribute to whom tribute is due custome to whome custome perteineth feare to whome feare belongeth and honour to whome it perteineth The which are all compleite by this saying loue thy neighbour as thy self for the loue of thy neighbour worketh no euill Therefore the Apostle saith Owe nothing to any man but that ye loue together These wordes being obserued ye fulfil the whole law There fore this loue one to another is euer debt and should euer bee payde For will the Prince Superiour do his duetie to the subiect and the subiect his duetie to the Superiour there would bee no disobedience The minister of the word to the auditour and flocke committed to his care The auditour to the minister of the worde there would be no diuision in the Church The father and mother to the children and the children to the parents there would bee no dishonouring The lord to the seruant and the seruant to the lord there would bee no contempt nor trouble in the common weale And so would we all looke vpō Christ our head and be ruled with his word and seek no other way beside it nor mixt the ciuill or politicke estate with the word of god but euery one to serue in the owne rowm and place thē should there be no question of politick works nor no other works of any law to be mixt with faith which iustifieth onely before god as it is before written but euery faithful person should by the word of god know their own vocation diligently exercise them therintill And seeke no further knowledge nor wisedome but that that is needfull to them to know And that with meeknesse and sobernes euer working the works of god which ar the fruits of faith to the honour of god and profite of our neighbour THE XXV CHAP. 1 All estate of man is conteined within one of these four speciall vocations 2 The offices of princes magistrats iudges 3 Wherefore iudges are called the sonnes of God wherefore and in what case they should be obeyed To the more perfite knowledge and vnderstanding of our speciall vocations in the which we shouid walk according to the word of god and gift of the holy spirite we will deuide all the estate of man in four offices dignities or speciall vocations that is to say In the office of a prince vnder whom we comprehēd all kind of man hauing generall administration in the comon weale or iurisdiction of others In the office of the administration of the word of god vnder whom we comprehend all power ecclesiasticall In the fathet mother vnder whom wee wil cōprehend al housholders hauing special families And in the subiect or seruād vnder whom we wil cōprehēd al estate of men subiect to other If thou be called to the office estate or dignitie of a king prince or any supreme power hauing iurisdiction of people in the ciuil ordinance Consider thy estate and know thee perfitely to be the creature of god equal to the poorest of thy kingdom or dominiō his brother by creation and naturall succession of Adam and of nature a rebell to god the sonne of wrath and Ire as hee was as the Apost saith Ephes. the 2. Chap. And the innocent bloud of Christ shed for thy redemption as for him and thou called by faith and borne of newe by baptisme in his bloud the sonne of god by adoption and made fellow heire with Christ of the kingdome of heauen without respect of persons the sonne of fauour and grace Therefore the poorest most vile within thy iurisdiction is thy brother whome thou shouldst not dispise nor contemne but loue him as thy self This is thy debt and duetie because it is the commandement of god whome thou should loue and feare for that is the beginning of wisdome as Solomon saith The right way to rule in thy office is to knowe God of whom thou cā haue no knowledge but by his word and lawe whiche teacheth thee what thou shouldest doe and leaue vndone according to thy vocation And as to thy princely estate and dignitie and office thou art Father to all thy kingdome Their heade in place of god to rule gouerne and keep them vpon whome thou shouldest take no lesse care then the carnall father taketh vpon the best beloued sōne gottē of his body For they are giuen by god to thee in gouernement Therefore thou shouldest begin to knowe the will of thy god take the booke of his law in thy hād read vpō it which teacheth thee the will of god It should neuer passe forth of thy harte nor depart frō thy mouth day and night hauing thy meditation thereinto that thou mayest keepe all which is written therein then shalt thou direct thy waye and haue knowledge vnderstāding of the same This being done thou shalt get the blessing of the which speaketh Dau. saying Blessed is the man which deliteth in the lawe of the Lorde and hath his meditation thereinto day and night Then aske at God wisedome and vnderstandinge which is the knowledge of his godly will and a harte that may receaue teaching that thou mayst iudge thy people decerne betwixt good euil as thou art taught by the example of Solomon For if thou lacke wisedome aske the same at god who giueth aboūdantly And doubt not for he that doubteth in his faith shall obteine nothing from god Cōfide not in thy own wisdome For god maketh wisemen blind which are wise in their owne conceate his witnessing is faithful which giueth wisedome to young babes That is to simple hartes bearing them selues lowly and humbly before god not presuming in their owne wittes For there is no place to wisedome in the proude brest as saith Solomon For god resisteth the proude but to the meeke and humble hee giueth grace The mightie and proude hee casteth downe of their seate and exalteth the humble and lowlie in harte as testifieth the Song of the glorious virgine Marie Therefore humblie and lowly submit thy selfe in the handes of thy God and take thought
1. Ep. the 5. Chap. exhorteth you to feed the flocke of Christ cōmitted to your charge Euen as Christ said to him thrise feede my sheep So sayeth he to you feede the flocke cōmitted to you euery one within his boundes according to your vocation This foode is the word of god and wo be to you which doe not the same because it is your vocation For the Apost saith Wo be to me if I preach not the Euangel c. for the neglecting of this good work vndone yee shalbe accused before god but not for the neglecting of the other vaine superstitious workes inuented by man but rather yee wilbe accused for the doing of them And it wilbe said vnto you Wherefore haue yee left the command of god vndone for your statuts and traditions Yee should teache euerie estate of man how they should behaue them in their conuersation The poore to the rich the riche to the poore the seruaunt to the maister and the maister to his seruaund And giue your selues forth for an example in deed to be followed as yee are teached by the Apost and play not the tyrant or the lord vpon the inferiour ministers and estates of the Church But from the bottome of your harte bee as it were a forme or rule to the flocke as S. Pet. teached you in the first Epistle the 5. Chap. Labour continually in your vocation as the good knights of Christ being ready if neede require to suffer death for the flocke resisting the vnfaithfull and eshewing prophane and worldly triffles as yee are taught by the Apost If ye will attend vpon these workes which are good taught and commanded you to doe as the fruits of faith ye should finde your selues so wel occupyed in the scripture that there shalbe no place found to your vaine superstitions aboue written which are not commanded by God nor his word For in the vsing of them ye do that which is not commanded you and leaue that vndone which is cōmaunded For this cause god suffereth you to be contemned and cast off because ye haue left him he hath left you and will punish you after the same maner as ye haue sinned For the cōtempt of god neglecting of his worde Hely the chiefe Priest was deposed and all his posteritie of the priesthood His sonnes killed in battell the arke of god put in the handes of his ennemies And the people also heauely tormented as testifieth the historie The holy King Dauid for the slaughter of Vrias and adultery of Bath-sheba the sonne of his owne body defiled his daughter The one sonne slew the other and also defiled his wiues and concubins in publike presence of the people and vsurped the crowne of his realme as yee may read the second booke of the kings the 13.15.16 and 18. Chapter This example of Dauid perteineth aswell to you as to princes and to all estates of the world that they may learne not to sinne And if they fall in sinne that they dispaire not but turne to repentance and come vnto god whose will is that all bee safe and come to the knowledge of the veritie THE XXVII CHAP. 1 The office of the fathers to the sonnes Housholders to their families and of Husbandes to their wifes 2 What kinde of men were chosen to bee bishops in the primatiue Church IF thou bee an housholder rule and guide thy familie and houshold bring vp thy childern in all godlynesse and honestie exercising thy selfe in thy occupation faithfully and truely without deceate or fraude to thy neighbour either in word or deede loue thy wife euen as Christ hath loued the Church For thou art debt bounde to loue thy wife euen as thy owne body There is no man which hated or detested his own body but nourisheth feedeth the same as Christ the Church for we are members of his body of his flesh and his bones for that cause man shall leaue father and mother and cleaue vnto his wife they shalbe two in one flesh And in like maner thou womā be subiect to thy husband as if it were to the lord for the man is thy head euen as Christ is the head of the congregation And as the church is subiect to christ euē so be thou subiect to thy husband in all lawfull things This is your vocatiō in the which ye should walke according to the commandement giuen to you by the Ap. Ephes. the 5. Chap. and Colos. the third In these wordes Let euery man loue his wife as himself And let the woman feare and dread the husband this is the commandement of god If ye mē and women wold take care vpon your vocation how honourable the estate of the same is and what yee ought euery one vnto another there were none of you who would commit adulterie or defile your owne bodies nor defraude one another of their duety and right For thou man hast not power of thy owne body but the woman Nor thou woman hast not power of thy owne bodie but the mā Therefore there is neither of you that should giue your bodies to other mē or womē nor abstract one from another that mutuall loue which yee are commāded to haue together This doing ye exercise the good work of god Be not outrageous nor thraward vpon the woman but teach her with meekenes and sweetnesse forbearing her somewhat as the weakest vessell And thou woman pretend no dominion vpon thy Husbande but obey him as thy lord taking example of the obedience of that noble woman Sarai If ye wold keep this order and rule in your own vocation there would be no strife betwixt you but all godlines and loue No mā would cōtemne or disdaine his wife nor no woman her husband but euery one loue other as their own body take care one for another in all things Thou mā should dayly hourely exercise the according to thy vocatiō And labour diligently for sustentation of thy wife children familie That thou mayst minister vnto them their necessaries for if a man take no thought of his owne and specially of his houshold and familie hee hath denyed the faith and is worse thē an infidele Suffer not thy children nor seruants to be idle but se euer that they bee occupied in some good vertueous occupatiō For that is the right way to keep them from vice and sinne because idlenes is the beginning of all euill Teach thē the law of god vse all things with discretion and prouoke not your childrē to anger but bring them vp in good teaching discipline and correction in the erudition of the Lorde Giue vnto your seruants that thing which is iust and right What yee promisse paye them knowing well that ye haue a Lord in heauen And thou womā exercise thee in nourishing and vp bringing of thy children in ruling all thinges within thy house as thou hast cōmandement of thy husband take
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
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