haue borne the image of the earthly so shall wee beare the image of the heauenly o V. 26. The last enimy that shall bee destroyed is death and that by the resurrection of our bodies to eternall life p Rev. 21.4 When God shall wipe away all q Faelices lachrymae quas benignae manus conditoris abstergunt teares from our eyes there shall bee no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there bee any more paine for the former things are passed away which were temporall the life to come shall bee r Dies iste quem tanquam extremum reformidas aeterninatalis est Sen. ep 102. Idem ep 24 Moriar Desmam alligari posse desinam aegrotare posse definam mori pesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod interim morimur ad immortalitatem morte transgredimur nec potest vita aeterna succedere nisi hinc contigerit exire Non est exitus sed transitus temporali itinere decurso adaeterna transgressus Cypr. de mortal eternall A life of glory to the children of God * Life euerlasting and glorious The lowest degree whereof doth infinitly exceed the greatest glory of this world Looke how much the life of a perfect man enioying all outward happinesse in this beautifull and goodly world excels the condition of a weake poore and wretched Embrio shut vp in the wombe a closse and darke habitation so much infinitly much more doth the eternall ſ Cuius rex veritas cuius lex charitas cuiuo modus aeternitas August ep 5. ad Marcellinum life of glory in the highest heauens excell this life and all the glory of this world Nay as much as the life of Grace in the assurance of God his favour and speciall loue excels all worldly profits pleasures and preferments so much and infinitly much more doth the fruition of Gods glorious presence excell this present state of grace For this consists in vsing the meanes then wee shall enioy the end of all our desires and endeavours It is vsually expressed by such things as we know and most esteeme a crowne a kingdome a paradise a citty of gold and pretious stones life ioy glory t 1. Cor. 2.9 but eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither haue entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him Such as they who had but a vision thereof in Christs u Mat. 17. transfiguration would gladly haue made their abode in the admiration thereof for euer such as * 2. Cor. 12.2.4 he who was wrapt into the third heauens hauing heard might not vtter such wherewith we may well x Rom. 8.18 reckon that all the sufferings of this present world are not worthy to bee compared y 2. Cor. 4.17 an exceeding and eternall waight of glory Wherein though all the Saints of God shall haue z Ps 16.11 fulnesse of ioy and pleasures for euermore yet shall it be in different degrees for there are many and a Ioh. 14.2 diuers mansions in Gods house and different degrees of glory b 1. Cor. 15.41 as one starre differeth from another starre in glory c Dan. 12.3 For they that are wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament but they that turne many vnto righteousnesse as the starres for ever and ever The estate of glory which wee beleiue and expect in eternall life is not only a well being but a perpetuall and perfect well doing which is to liue indeed in the ioyfull fruition of all good When the most excellent faculties shall bee imploid on the most admirable obiect in the most exquisit manner and abundant measure with eternall ioy and glory It is the grace of God towards vs now to take such notice and to make such account of vs as we beleiue but it shall bee our glory then to knowe him d ◠Cor. 13.12 as we are knowne of him Now we knowe but in part Wee see now in a glasse darkely but then shall we see face to face e 1. Ioh. 3.2 we shall see him as he is f Iob. 19.27 and we shall behold him with these eyes whereby we shall become like vnto him full of glory in our foules and bodies by the manifestation of his glory vpon vs g Exod. 34.30 as Moses face shone when hee came downe from him in the mount h Colos 3.4 Now is our life hid with Christ in God but when Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall we appeare with him in glory So well shall we be and as well shall we doe For as wee shall receaue glory of God in the vision of his glory in Christ so shall we giue all honour and glory to him and as we shall behold him with these eyes so shall we praise him with these tongues i Ps 137.4 Who can sing the song of the Lord now in a strange land But k Ps 108.1.2 when our glory shall awake even this excellent instrument of praising God which is our glory aboue other creatures then l 1. Cor. 13.1 the tongues of men Angels shall be the eternall trumpets of God his glory m Rev. 4.6.8 The foure beasts full of eyes rest not day and night saying holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come n V. 9. And when those holy ones giue glory and honor and thankes to him that sits on the throne who liueth for euer and euer o V. 10. then also the foure and twenty Elders fall downe before him that sits on the throne and worship him that liueth for euer and ever and cast their crownes before the throne saying thou art worthy O Lord to receaue glory and honour and power And all the Saints shall come in with a full quire singing p Rev. 15.3 the song of Moses and of the Lambe great and marueilous are thy workes Lord God Almighty iust true are thy waies thou king of Saints q Ps 145.10.11 Yea all thy works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall blesse thee They shall speake of the glory of thy kingdome and talke of thy power For thine is the kingdome power and glory For euer and euer Amen FINIS OXFORD Printed by IOHN LICHFIELD Printer to the Famous Vniuersity For WILLIAM WEBB Ann. Dom. 1628.
deliuery from euill and by the way that we may be supplyed with things needfull for this life by his ordinary providence and all to the eternall praise of his Kingdome power and glory Which is not only the first and greatest part but the very end and reason of our most earnest and devoted desires not onely of things spirituall and temporall for our better enablement and incouragement in his seruice here but euen also of life eternall hereafter that seeing wee cannot through our owne default so glorifie God in this life as we ought and might if we had beene so happy we may yet happily bee saued through his grace and mercy to his eternall praise and glory in the world to come Neither hath CHRIST heerein taught vs to pray otherwise then GOD commanded vs to doe For a 1. Tim. 1.5 the end of the Law is loue b 2. Tim. 3.2.4 not of our selues but of God c Deut. 6.5 with all the heart with all the soule with all the minde and with all the strength This is true godlines in the zeale of his glory A duty neuer repealed but ratified by the Law giuer himself here in person saying d Matt. 22.37.38.39 This is the first great Commandement and the other is like vnto it namely that thou loue thy neighbour as thy selfe both in e Incomparabiliter plus charitatis Deo quam nobis fratri autem quantum nobis ipsis impendere debemus nam Deum propter se nos verò provimos propter Deum diligere debemus Aug. de arin l. 8. c. 8. a second place vnto God that is for his sake and according to his will to doe and to be done by as he hath commaunded The reason why we should principally intend GOD his glory trusting him for our safety is intimated in the first wordes of the prayer calling GOD our heauenly Father grounded vpon the first Article of our faith In God the Father Almighty maker of Heauen Earth For a sonne honoureth his father the father provideth for his children Now GOD is our Father both by Nature and Grace who made vs all things both in Heauen and Earth redeemed vs by his Sonne Christ Iesus calleth vs by the Holy Ghost and thereby communicateth himselfe and all good vnto vs wil bring vs to euerlasting life that we may eternally praise him f Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things to him bee glory for euer and euer Amen Wee made not our selues The Author of our good neither can wee saue our selues therefore we are not our owne but his creatures instruments g Act. 17.28 in whom we liue moue haue our being h Prov. 16.4 Who made all things for himself yea euen the wicked for the day of euill i Initio non quasi indigent Deus hominem plasmavit Adam sed ut haberet in quem collocaret sua beneficia Non solum ante Adam sed ante omnem conditionem glorificavit verbum patrem suum manens in eo ipse à patre glorificabatur quemadmodum ipse ait Pater clarifica me c. Qui in â—umine sunt non ipsi lumen illuminant sed illuminantur ab eo Irenaeus lib. 4. adversus haeres cap. 28. Not that his glory depends on the creature for as there was light when yet there was no starre in the Heauen to expresse it no body on earth to reflect it so was k Ioh. 17.5 the glory of God with himselfe before the world was Only it pleased him by the exuberance of his goodnes to manifest his glory in vs whom hee made after his owne Image l Et c. 31. Non indigebat Deus dilectione hominis Deerat autem homini gloriâ Dei quam nullo modo poterat percipere nisi per eam obsequentiam quae est ergà Deum not to gain any accession of glory by vs to himselfe who is himselfe all-sufficient but by communicating his goodnesse to make vs most glorious m Rom. 11.22 had we continued in his goodnessè to the praise of his glory Art requires some compleate materials to worke vpon and Nature out of a rude matter produceth euery creature but n Deus non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solùm vt à Platone sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicendus Iust Mart. in exhort ad Gent. God who is aboue both made all of o Ex nihilo terminativè non materialiter Iul. Scal. exerc 6. sect 13. nothing by creation Which the deepest Philosophy most busie in the search of Nature could neuer fully reach nor can comprehend by discourse of reason howsoeuer some of them seeme to haue had some notice thereof For the wisest of that profession supposing generally that of p Ex nihilo nihil sit in natura constituta non constituenda Vid. Tertul. adversus Hermogin nothing nothing can be vanished away in their imaginations of the q Si nulla fuit genitalis origo Terrarum coeli semperque aeterna fuere Cur supra bellum Thebanum funera Troiae Non alias alij quoque rescecinere Poetae Lucret. lib. 6. Vid. Theoph. Antioch adversus Autolyc lib. 2. Worlds eternity or of an eternall creation or else of a naturall manner of productioÌ„ of al things out of some matter and by some meanes when as yet there were none of theÌ„ But r Neb. 11.3 we through faith vnderstand by the word of God in the history of the Creation that the Worlds were framed by the Å¿ Quin Deum foecundissimo verbo creasse mundum aliquoties agnoscere videtur Trismegist Neque materia nec novo consilio opus fuisse Deo ad mundi creatiouem asserere videtur Algazel contra Averroem Word of God so that things which are seene were not made of things which doe appeare The last of all was man as it were a recapitulation of all for whoÌ„ all was made Who as he had an interest in al the creatures by his making so God gaue him power to vse them all by his blessing t Psal 8.6 For hee made him to haue dominion ouer the worke of his hands and put all things vnder his feete Of all the creatures the Angels who were made the first day when they were all made Angels of u Angelus est imago Dei manifestatio occulti luminis c. Dionys Areop de diuin nomin cujus ve ba prosequitur Alex. de Ales. part 2. qu. 20. memb 3. art 2. Bonavent l. 2 sent distinct 9. ad textum light man who was made the last day a light shining in darkenesse hauing his diuine soule pent vp in a body of clay are only called the x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. A Deo profecta semina non solum ea quibus pater meus me procreavit patrem avus verumetiam in res omnes è terra nascentes ac praecipuè in
ratione praedita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quidninominet quispiam eum filium Dei Arrian epise l. 1. c. 9. sons of God y Iames 1.17 who is the Father of lights And againe wee are his sonnes by grace who of his owne will z Iames 1.18 begat vs by the word of truth through faith in his Sonne a Iohn 1.12.13 For to as many as receiue him to them he giues power to become the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue on his Name which are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Who for his part failes not to provide for our good both in the course of nature and in the state of grace For if an earthly father knowes how to provide good things for his children how much more doth our Father which is in Heauen b Acts 14.17 vvho neuer left himselfe vvithout vvitnes doing good And if hee make c Mat. 5.45 his sunne to rise on the euill and on the good and send raine on the iust and on the vniust hee will certainely cause the d Mal. 4.2 sunne of righteousnesse to arise and e Es 60.1 shine vpon his gracious children and will f c. 44.3 send downe sweete dewes of his spirit into their hearts And g Rom. 8.32 he that hath giuen vs his Son how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Nay our heauenly Father preuents vs with all good things both of nature and grace and all to this end that we should haue the good nature or the grace to vse all to the praise of his glory Which whilest we principally intend wee may be well assured that in the end wee shall be no loosers both because our true happinesse consists naturally in the h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deus salutaris est sed bonumipsum salutare Arrian Epict. l. 2. c. 8. Summum amare bonum summa est beatitudo August epist 111. ad Iulian. fruition and admiration of Gods glory according to the covenant of nature i Levit. 18 5. Rom. 10.5 doe this and liue and also because the glory of God is ingaged vpon the saluation of his faithfull people by the covenant of grace k Habak 2.4 Rom. 1.17 The Iust shall liue by his faith In assurance whereof the faithfull children of God haue beene well content The true Zelotes of God's glory not onely to frame their liues to his glory but to lay downe their liues for his sake putting the last adventure of their soules that they could make in well-doing l 1 Pet. 4.19 into the hands of God a faithfull Creatour The Lord Himself m Phil. 2.6 being in glory equall with God the Father that without robbery was willing to be abased in the forme of a seruant to the pit of hell that the will of GOD might be done on earth by man for the redeeming of his Kingdome in vs to the glory of his holy Name For although the flesh was weake which for the time put him in a terrible agony yet he soone resolued being strong in the spirit n Luke 22.42 Not my will but thy will be done * Iohn 12.27.28 Now is my soule troubled and what shall I say Father saue mee from this houre but for this cause came I to this houre Father glorifie thy Name And at this marke of our high calling his zealous Saints resolued by his grace through faith presse hard in hope and loue Abraham was content to submit so farre to the will of GOD as to o Gen. 22. sacrifice his sonne Isaacke whom he loued and with him for ought that appeared his owne and all mens expected happinesse For the promise that in his seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed was before restrayned to Isaacke p Gen. 21.12 Heb. 11.17.18 In Isaacke shall thy seed be called Only he beleeued that God was able to raise him vp from the dead q V. 19. from whence also he receiued him as in a figure Moses wished to be r Ex. 32.32 rased out of the Booke of life rather then that God should not maintaine his owne glory in the safety and prosperity of his people Israel whereon his glory lay ingaged Iob resolueth in his greatest affliction ſ Iob. 13.15 though the Lord slay me yet will I not forsake him The three children Shadrach Mesach Abednego were resolute not to giue the glory of God to Nebuchadnezzar in his golden image whatsoeuer came of them though they perished t Dan 3.17.18 Our God say they whom we serue is able to deliuer vs out of thine hands O King and hee will deliuer vs but if not bee it knowne vnto thee O King that wee will not serue thy gods nor worship thy golden image which thou hast set vp St Paul was content to be u Rom. 9 3◠Anathema from Christ for his brethrens sake not in mere naturall affection to them though it were great but in a feruent zeale of Gods glory which now might seeme to lye at stake with thē Because x V. 4. to them belonged the adoption the glory the covenant And generally all the new borne which onely are the true borne children of God seeme to bee of the same minde Christianos dicit Plinius Secundus omnia vitia detestari sanctissimè vivere hoc solum in eis posse reprehendi quod nimis faci è pro Deo suo profundant vitam quodque horis antelucanis furgant ad canendas laudes Christi l. 10. ep 97. ad Traian who reioyce not only in hope of the glory of God but euen in their greatest tribulations y Heb. 10.34 suffering ioyfully the spoiling of their goods yea of their z Heb. 11.35.36.37 liues vvith most exquisite torments because the a Rom. 5.5 loue of God is shed abroad in their hearts b 1 Pet. 1.8 vvhom hauing not seene they loue in vvhom though novv they see him not yet beleeuing they reioice vvith ioy vnspeakable and full of glory Nay euery creature doth euen by nature spend it self to set forth the glory of the Creator in some sort or other To glorisie the creatoris the glory of the creature being then most happy when it can serue best and is most vsed to that end for which it was made c Iob. 12.7 Aske now the beastes and they shall teach thee the foules of the aire they shall tell thee Or speake to the earth it shall teach thee and the fishes of the sea shall declare vnto thee If wee were not dull of hearing might we not perceiue an * Cicero in Somn. Scip. harmony of the Spheares the Earth below with a deepe base in consort to the Heauenly quier euery creature of God bearing his part all cōming in with a full Chorus to
the just shall liue by his faith The state of Grace for it shall bee vnto him according to his faith which is of life from God the father in Christ Iesus his sonne our saviour by the Holy Ghost quickning the Holy e Habet popusus Dei plenitudinem suam quāvis magna pars hominū salvantis gratiā aut repellat aut negligat in electis tamen praescitis atque ab omnium gegeneralitate discretis specialis quaedā censetur vniversalitas vt detoto mundo totus mundus liberatus de omnibushominibus omnes homines videantur assumpti Ambr. de vocat Gent. lib. 1 c. 3. Catholique Church which is his body f Eph. 1.23 the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all A life of grace here by reconciliation and communion with God and a life of glory hereafter thorough the forgiuenesse of sinnes and resurrection of our bodies to eternall life The g 1. Pet. 3.7 grace of life in Christ worketh in vs a life of grace by his spirit For the sanctifying graces of GOD rest not in the habit but are in action h 1. Thess 1.3 The worke of faith the labour of loue the patience of hope i Heb. 11. By faith A bell by faith Abraham by faith every one of the holy men in the cloud of witnesses did some notable worke which did evidēce their faith to be indeed as they professed k v. 16. Wherefore God was not ashamed to be called their God l Iam. 2.22 Faith wrought with their works for m Heb. 11.6 without faith it is impossible to please God n Iam. 2.22 by workes was their faith made perfect For the perfection of vertue consists in action So must o c. 1.4 Patience haue her perfect worke p 1. Ioh. 3.18 So must loue be not in word neither in tongue but in deede and in trueth q Iam 2.15.16 If a brother or a sister be naked and destitute of dayly foode and one of you say vnto them depart in peace bee you warmed and filled notwithstanding you giue them not those things which are needfull to the body what doth it profit r 20.26 Faith without workes is dead and so is loue no faith indeede but a bolde presumption no loue indeede but a meere pretence ſ Iam. 2.18 Shew mee thy faith by thy workes but do thy workes before God in faith By faith our selues are iustified before God by good workes our faith and profession are iustified and approved vnto men For thereby it appeares that wee are in the faith and that our faith is in God t Tit. 3.8 This therefore is a faithfull saying that they which haue beleeued in God bee carefull to maintaine good workes u Iam. 2.26 For as the body without the spirit is dead so faith whithout workes is dead also And if our faith be dead whereby wee liue how dead are we * Iud 12. twice dead plucked vp by the roots x Rom 3.4 5. C. We are justified by a liuely faith sayth Saint Paul y Iam 2. We are not iustified by a dead faith saith St Iames wherefore little children z 1. Iohn 3.7 Let no man deceiue you saith St Iohn Hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous even as hee is righteous a 1. Tim 1.14 Now the grace of our Lord is exceeding abundant with faith and loue which are in Christ Iesus b 2. Pet 1.3 According as his Divine power hath giuen vnto vs all things that pertaine vnto life godlines through the knowledge of him that hath called vs to glory and vertue Now although the whole Church and euery true member thereof whom the Father hath chosen whom the Sonne hath redeemed whom the Holy Ghost hath effectually called through sanctificatiō sprinkling of the bloud of Iesus bee holy in Gods account although God bee glorified in his Saints here vpō earth by their blessed cōmunion with him with all men in loue wherby they are also highly dignified in a manner diefied c 2 Pet. 1.4 being made partakers of the divine nature so that they doe far excell al the world besides d 1 Iohn 5.19 that lieth in wickednes e In hac vita multi sine crimine nullus vero esse sine peccatis valet Greg. in Moral Vae etiam laudabili hominū vitae si remota misericordia discutias eam Aug. l. 9. confes c. 13. Nemosine peccato Negare hoc sacrilegium est Solus enim Deus sine peccato est Confiteri hoc Deo immunitatis remedium est Ambros in Ps 118. v. vlt. yet whē all is done we beleeue confesse that we haue stil need of farther grace mercy euen the forgiuenes of our sins if by any meanes we may attaine the resurrection of our bodies to eternall life Wherfore as on the one side f 1 Iohn 1.6 If we say that wee haue fellowship with God walke in darknes we lye doe not the truth So on the other side g V. 8. If we say that we haue no sin wee deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. But if we confesse our sins he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sins to cleanse vs frō all vnrighteousnes If any man think that being of the Church in the cōmunion of Saints hee needeth not the forgiuenesse of sins to the last let him also raise his own body frō death to life h Phil. 3.20 21. But wee looke for the Sauiour the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it maybe fashioned like vnto his glorious body inheriting eternal life Which begins so soon as we beleeue i Iohn 5.25 for the houre is come that the dead heare the voice of the son of God they that heare it liue neuer ends nor shall euer be quite interrupted by sin nor death k V. 24. For he that beleeueth hath euerlasting life shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life The briefe of all is The praise of the glory of Gods grace that l Habak 2. The iust shall liue by his faith which the Prophet Habakucke receiued of God like as Moses receiued the Law namely vpon his watch-towre with expresse charge m v. 2. to write it and to make it plaine on tables And the Apostle hath giuen vs the constat thereof purposely n Gal. 3. comparing the two covenants together o v. 11. That no man is justified by the Law in the sight of GOD it is manifest For the Iust shall liue by faith p v. 12. And the Law is not of faith but the man that doth them shall liue in them q Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting now It is excluded By what Law By the Law of workes Nay but by the Law of faith r 1 Cor. 1.31 That according
was euer delighted to bee vvith the sonnes of men hath spoken in diuerse manners at sundry times at first in personall appearances f Praeludia incarnationis Tertul the forerunnings of his incarnation afterwards by his forewitnessing spirit in the Prophets for g Revel 19 10 the testimony of Christ Iesus is euermore the spirit of prophesie and now at last in the flesh as was promised from the begining Hee is the Word in substance whereof the Scripture is the utterance The vnbeleeving Iewes cavilled with Iesus h Iohn 8.13 that his testimony of himselfe was not good i v. 15. iudging of him after the flesh and according to their manner k c. 5.44 vvho receiued honour one from another and sought not the honour that comes from God But as Christ then proved himselfe to bee the Word incarnate The intent of Scripture so doth the Scripture proue it selfe to bee the vvord written l Iohn 7.18 Hee that speakes of himselfe seekes his owne glory but hee that seekes his glory that sent him the same is true and there is no vnrighteousnes in him So did Christ seeke the glory of God vnto the death so doth the Scripture throughout For it is the maine scope both of the law and of the gospell and of all that haue spoken or written the word of God For they speake not in their owne names in any vaine-glory but in the name of the Lord thus saith the Lord and they conceale not their faultes and infirmities that God only may haue the glory of his owne word Which though it be sometimes n Num verò Deus mentis vocis linguae artifex disertè loqui non poterit Imò verò summa providentia carere fuco voluit ea quae diuina sunt vt omnes intelligerent quae ipse omnibus loquebatur Lactant plaine is alwaies o Ps 19.8 pure though sometimes darke is alwayes p Heb. 4.12 powerfull in all respects most q Institui animum intendere in Scripturas sanctas vt viderem quales essent et ecce video rem non compertam superbis neque nudatam pueris sed incessu humilem successu excelsam velatam mysterijs August l. 3. confes c. 5. maiesticall Againe r Iob. 5.3.4 I receiue not testimony from man saith Christ but these things I say that yee might be saved Indeede in matter of judgement where there is a claime of right a strickt proceeding in law ſ Deut. 17.6 Ioh. 8.17 euery vvord shall stand in the mouths of two or three witnesses t v. 15. c. 5.45 But I iudge no man saith Christ So for the Scripture first of the old Testament u Rom. 15.4 Whatsoeuer thinges were written aforetime were written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope And for the Gospell in the New Testament w Ioh. 20.31 These things are written sayth Saint Iohn that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God and that beleeuing you might haue life through his name Wee may bee sure all this is not forged by any creature man or Angell good or bad for none that hath any feare of God durst arrogate to himselfe such power authority as is proper to God alone and no Deuill nor instrument of his would euer speake so much good of God and x Nulla alia scriptura nisi ista immediatè ducitad vitam beatam quae sola est vita simplicitet quia mortem neseit Lyranus in prolog in SS bibl so much for our good to his glory in our saluation It is our part therefore to giue him the glory that we may reape the benefit y Iohn 3.33 Hee that hath receiued the testimony of Christ hath set to his seale that God is true but he z 1. Iohn 5. that beleueeth not hath made God a lyar because hee beleeueth not the record that God gaue of his Sonne And this is the record that God hath giuen to vs eternall life and this life is in his Sonne It were vnreasonably foolish for vs in this case to demand farther proofe of God his word because it is a case not of iudgement but of couenant and that of his free grace for our only benefit not for any advantage to himselfe and that vpon this onely condition that wee truely beleeue and accept it a Ioh. 5.24 Hee that beleeueth shall neuer come into condemnation b Ioh. 3.18 Hee that beleeueth not needeth no more iudging hee is already condemned in himselfe because hee hath not beleeued For therefore his sinne remaineth for the which the law condemneth Will condemned malefactors stand vpon it to haue the King proue his pardon before they will accept it c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 1.15 This therefore is a faithfull saying worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners Let him receiue it that can saying I am the cheife For the consent of Scripture The consent in Scripture it hath in effect bin declared already the summe whereof is that the Law and the Prophets giue testimony to Christ foretelling what he should doe d Ioh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures saith he for they testifie of me e Quibus Dominus testimonium perhibet tanquà m testibus suis Aug. l. 2. contra ep Gaudentii c. 23. And he againe giues testimony vnto them performing what they forespake of him f Ioh. 5.36 The workes saith hee that the Father hath giuen me to finish the same workes doe witnesse of mee For all things were foretold of him g Ioh 13 19. that when they came to passe wee might beleeue So that the two Testaments giue h Nà m quia latorem duo testamenta per vnum pacta Deum in Christo copulat vna fides Lex antiqua novam firmat veterem nova complett In veteri spes est in novitate fides Sed vetus atque novum coniungit gratia Christi mutuall testimony one to the other in Christ and both giue testimony of him and he to them like i Exod. 25.18 c 37 8. 9. Nonne tanquam duo Seraphin clamant adinuicem concinentiam laudis altissimo Ita duo testamenta fideliter concordantia sacratam concinunt veritatem Deo Aug. ep 119 ad Ianuar as the 2. Cherubims ouer the mercie seate point with their wings one to the other and both looke downe into the Arke of the couenant They in the Old Testament k 1. Pet. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minister the thinges which are now reported vnto vs by them that haue preached the Gospell vnto vs with the Holy Ghost sent downe from heaven which thinges the Angels desire to looke into l Eph. 3.9.10 Even the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all thinges by Iesus Christ which now by the
nemine quam diu â—utem augeriopotest profecto illud quod minus est quam debet ex vitio est ex quo vitio non est qui faciat bonum non peccat Aug. ep 29. ad Hier. loue vaunteth not it selfe is not puffed vp seeketh not her owne but generally their works who most stand vpon them are done either in vaine glory or with carnall confidence or in a superstitious opinion of meriting thereby vnto them selues and as seeking their owne good more then the glory of God Wherefore although wee build vpon the c 1 Cor. 3.11.12.13.15 foundation Christ Iesus yet because there is a mixture of trash wood hay stubble with our purest gold siluer pretious stones wee shall suffer losse in our workes and our selues be saued euen so as by fire Againe what congruity is there of d Gratianon est vllo modo si non sit gratuita omnimodo August ep 106 ad Bon. grace e Meritum meum miseratio domini Bernard bomil 61. in canticum cant merit Grace and merit incompetible that workes should merit thorough grace f Rom. 11.6 For if by grace then it is no more of workes otherwise grace is no more grace but if it bee of workes then it is no more grace otherwise worke is no more worke Moreouer good workes are properly such as doe good as almes deedes and the like g Psal 16.2 Now our goodnes extendeth not to God but descendeth from him h Iam. 1.17 from whom cometh downe euery good and perfect gift It is of God his grace if we doe any good for what hast thou which thou hast not receaued All therefore that wee can possibly doe is no more nor so much as wee owe and that by a double bond first of nature now of grace therefore k Luk. 17.10 when all is done we are but vnprofitable seruants and can challenge nothing vpon desert as due debt at the hands of God Lastly if the workes done in grace be good and perfect and may be thought to merit vpon compact with God yet what l Non dignus suisti quem iustificatum glorificaret Aug. de verb. Apost serm 2. Si quis omnem obedientiam impleret tamen omma mala paenas perferret quae cadere possunt in naturam humanam vt Iob non tamen haec condigna erunt gloriae suturae Orig. in Rom. 8. condignity is there in the best of them equivalent in iust price and value to the glory that is prepared for vs The effect cannot exceed the cause But our iustification excells all workes before grace and our finall saluation all workes done in grace m Quod est meritum hominis ante gratiam cum omne meritum noshuÌ„ non faciatin nobis nisi gratia cumdeus coronat merita nostra nihil aliud coronat quam dona sua Sicut enim ab initio fidei misericordiam consecuti sumus non quia sideles cramus sed vt essemus sic in sine quod erit in vita aeterna coronabit nos ficut scriptum est In miserscordia miseratiouibus August ep 105. ad Sixtum praesbyterum as much as grace excells corruption and as the state of glory shall excell this of grace Martyrdome suffering ill with patience for doing well the worst that men can inflict for Christ cause the best that a man can vndertake is not equall in worth to eternall life n Rom. 8.82 I reckon saith Saint Paul as hauing made a iust and exact computation that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be reuealed in vs. o Cor. 4.17 For the affliction is but light and for a moment which worketh for vs a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory It worketh for vs and wee worke by it for p 2 Tim. 2.12 if wee suffer with Christ we shall also raigne with him And wee by q Rom. 2.7 patience in well doing r Phil. 2.12 worke out our saluatioÌ„ as by a means seruing thereunto yet is it not a meritorious cause deseruing the same Which blessed estate because it is proposed afore hand for our encouragement and performed in the end with approbation of our weake indeauours and doth abundantly Å¿ Si accepturus es vitam aeternam iustitiae quidem stipendium est sed tibi gratia est cui gratia est ipipsa iustitia c. August ep 105. ad Sixtum presbit crum recompence whatsoeuer in the meane time wee doe or suffer for his sake that bestowes it therefore it is t Heb. 11.26 called the recompence of reward And yet when all is done it is the free gift of God u Iohn 1.16 who giueth grace for grace * Mat. 13.12 accumulating more grace vpon him that hath more x Ps 84.11 Hee will giue both grace and glory if wee haue the grace to giue him the glory Our greatest perfection is in aiming at it The Christian hope a Per hoc quantum mihi videtur in ea quae perficienda est iustitia multum in hac vita ille profecit qui quam longe sita perfectione iustitiae prosiciendâ— cognouâ—â— August de sp lit c. 36. Haec est hominis â—â—ra sapientia imperfectum se nosse atque vt ita loquar cunctorum incarne iustorum imperfecta perfectio est Hieron lib. 〈◊〉 dial adversus Pel. cv 15. acknowledging our own imperfectioÌ„ to looke for it in hope to longe for it in the mirrour of all pefectioÌ„ Christ Iesus b Phil. 3.12.13 St Paul suffered the losse of all things making no reckoning of them that he might winne Christ yet did not he account himselfe to haue attained or to be already perfect but forgetting the things behinde hee reaching forth pressed toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus c v. 14. Let vs therefore as many as bee perfect be thus minded d Heb. 11. All the holy men in the cloud of witnesses liued by faith euery one of theÌ„ did by faith some good remarkeable worke but they dyed also in the faith not hauing receiued the promises but expecting them by faith hope in the grace mercy of God e Act. 15.11 we beleiue that thorough the grace of our lord Iesus Christ we shall bee saued euen as they f Tit. 3.7 Who being iustified by his grace are made heires according to the hope of eternall life g Propter incertitudineÌ„ propriae iustitiae periculum inanis gloriae turissimum est fiduciam totam in sola Dei misericordia benignitate reponere Beliarm de iustificat lib. 5. cap. 7. Quis feratorantem non hominibus sed ipsi domino mentientem qui labijs fibi dicit dimitti velle corde dicit que sibi dimittantur peccata non babere Concil Melcuitan Can 8. And
THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESSE A GENERALL DISCOVRSE OF THE REASON THAT IS IN CHRISTIAN RELIGION By WILLIAM SPARKE Divinity Reader at Magd Coll in Oxford and Parson of Blechly in Bâ—â—kingham-shire 1. Cor. 14.19 I had rather speake fiue words with my vnderstanding that I might teach others also then ten thousand words in an vnknowne tongue 1. Pet. 3.15 Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready alwayes to giue an answere to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekenesse and feare OXFORD Printed for WILLIAM WEBB 1628. TO THE MOST ILLVSTRIOVS GEORGE DVKE OF BVCKINGHAM LORD HIGH ADMIRALL OF ENGLAND c. KNIGHT OF THE HONOVRABLE Order of the Garter THE singular grace and Munificent bounty which your Grace pleased to vouchsafe my humble petition for repaire of the Parish Church where I liue vnder your Honourable Patronage most Noble Lord bindeth and at once imboldneth mee to make this publike acknowledgement hauing laboured in the spirituall building whilst the materiall was in hand to set vp through lights in the house of God Such pious deedes of Gratious Lords and Noble Benefactours are worthy to be reported after many reasons now principally for this that the world may discerne against the slanderous adversaries of true religion that shee hath not beene barren nor vnfruitfull of good vvorkes whilst in a fewe late yeares more Churches Colledges and Hospitals haue beene repaired and built then in many ages of their devoutest ignorance and superstition In the meane time what havocke haue they made of the Churches not breaking down the carued worke with axes and hammers but devouring the liuing teÌ„ples of the holy Ghost with fier and sword setting vp their abomination of desolation where they can prevaile Your Grace will goe on to do good as you are great and to Patronise the truth which here comes into your presence in her naked simplicity crauing to goe forth honoured with your name and authority Knowing that God will honour them that honour him 1 Sam. 2.30 but they that dispise him shall be lightly esteemed To him therefore having learned of the good courtier Nehemiah Nehem 2.4 to direct our prayers even whilst wee make petition vnto Princes I bowe the knees of my soule that hee will bee pleased to adde of his Grace to your Grace still more and more who is able to make all graces abound towards you 2. Cor. 9.8.11 that you alwaies hauing all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good worke which shall cause by vs many thanke giuings vnto God Your Grace his faithfull Chaplaine and humble servant in Christ Iesus WILLIAM SPARKE The Preface to the Reader TRVTH proues it selfe and disproues error Which if it might bee fully and fairely cleared in the great mystery of revealed grace would soone put to silence the endlesse controuersies of religion with all honest hearts Wherein many haue at all times languished away which being now growne from words to blowes haue wasted the Churches and shaken the faith of the most insomuch that if Christ should now come a Luke 18.8 should hee finde faith on the earth when b Mat. 24.12 the loue of so many is waxen cold Religion hath beene so long disputed that now it may be questioned whether there be any or no most men seeming to bee resolued according to that of Nigidius in A Gellius Religentem esse oportet c Noct. Attic. l. 4. c. 9. religiosum nefas Whose practise is either vanished into an empty speculation or meerely pretended vnder an idle profession Was ever chaste Virgin or matron so shamefully handled by the most debaushed ruffians as sacred trueth hath been by her loue making paramours whilst every faction haling her to themselues they haue torne her peece-meale amongst them That we neede not serue her now as once the Levite did his concubine d Iudg. 19.29 to cut her in peeces and to send her into all the coasts of Israel Every tribe hath a part and that they make much of more then of the whole which best serues their owne turnes How infinitely is the pretending head swolne bigger then the whole body being long since fallen from it Never was any Saints relique so improved and vbiquitated How vast are the secular armes growne being cemented to that monstrous head without neck or shoulders A Catholique head with Catholique armes How farre are the legges divaricated beyond the stride of any Colossus as if they would never come together againe to walke one and the same way How is the body pined the while and vtterly wasted away whilst every part stands apart as in the f Menen Agrip. Liv. l. 2. Apologue refusing to labour or take care for the whole Is not this the trueth Thus hath shee beene vsed whose life is Christ whose body is the Church in the house of hir friendes They haue peirced my hands and my feete yea my head and my side they may tell all my bones there is no whole part in mee And they who should haue taken downe her tortured body imbalmed and wrapped it vp in fine linnen vntill it rose againe haue playd the curious Anatomists and dissected every member with so many subtile quaeries and disputes that it is almost as hard to finde the trueth in their bookes as in the others liues Which could we see as faire as she is in her iust proportion and comely feature such is her grace that shee would even ravish our soules with vnsatiable loue and delight and would make vs all of one minde minding that one thing vvhich is necessary There haue not wanted skilfull handes I confesse to gather vp and put together her dismembred limbs to adorne and set her out in her liuely beauty and I thinke many of them had the Spirit of God to reviue her againe and to quicken her Since shee hath brought forth many children vnto God And now what more No more but the same againe in an other manner if by any meanes this vvayvvard age not pleased with varieties may bee perswaded g 2 Thes 2.10 to receiue the loue of the truth that vvee may be saued Likenesse begets liking and lookes beget loue I haue therefore indeavoured to present vnto rationall men a view of the reason that is in Christian Religion The reason I say not of it for it is of faith which hath no vvorth if the truth bee obvious but the reason that is in it how it is thus in the Analogie and Symmetrie of the whole and euery part not why euery particular is so or so which being revealed from God may bee apprehended by faith can not be comprehended by any vvit of man Suffice it vs who proceed in our knowledge vpon certaine principles by comparing their issues that we finde all things ansvverable to what we haue receiued and our faith in nothing deceiued or deluded My principall aime in this ensuing discourse is to giue
the Christian Reader a Synopsis or full view at once of our religion in the vvhole contexture thereof for his better resolution Which lest I should obscure or confound by incident discourses I haue beene forced to passe it may be too cursorily thorough most particulars which would require so many and far larger tracts then this little model of the vvhole And because I seeke not herein to perswade or convince Infidels which seemes to bee the scope of h Iustin Martyr Tertul. in their Apologies Arnob. Aug. de Civit. Dei Morn Viues Raimundus de Sabunde others who haue written of this argument but to resolue and confirme our selues in the present truth with whom it were a folly not to dispute ex praecognitis concessis I haue laide the foundation of this little Fabricke in the receiued principles of Religion And lastly that I may not build heterogeneous stuffe thereon i Cor. 3.12 wood hay stubble but rather gold siluer pretious stones I haue vsed so much as might be the very wordes and phrases of Scripture not onely for proofe but for expression which being the Word of GOD can best speake his owne meaning howsoeuer to some it may make the stile seeme not so aequable and pleasing The Word of God is it not k 1 Pet. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rationall milke of our reasonable soules whereby they are nourished to eternall life And our faith hath such force of reason thereby that it is l Heb. 11.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cleare euidence and most evicting argument of things not seene most sublime abstruse And it is able to convince and perswade m 1 Cor. 14.23 c. vnbeleeuers neuer so vnlearned and n 2 Cor 10.5 to cast downe all contrary reasonings of the most subtile adversaries that exalt themselues against the knowledge of God bringing into captivity euery thought to the obedience of Christ. The o Rom. 12.1 service of God thereby prescribed vnto vs is it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reasonable seruice to all that are not p 2 Thes 3.2 vnreasonable and wicked men To whom howsoeuer they take it wee must and can giue q 1 Pet. 3.15 a reason of the hope that is in vs. The Lineaments whereof I haue indeavoured to draw and shadow out in a new but I hope not vnnaturall method which beeing done seemes to mee rather a bare skeleton then any compleat systeme of that solide body which I tooke in hand Yet it sufficeth mee if as in r Ezek. 37.7.8.9 Ezekiels vision in the valley of dead bones the bones become together bone to its bone For the sinewes and the flesh shall come vpon them and the skinne shall couer them about when the breath of GOD shall come from the foure vvindes and blovv vpon them and they shall liue Howsoeuer I am willing to bee deliuered of this meditation as it is after a longer and more painefull travell by fitts then such an imperfect embrio and vnshapen birth may seeme worthy of And by his helpe ſ Iohn 15.5 vvithout vvhom vve can doe nothing I may heereafter polish perfect what I haue now conceiued not altogether I hope without his Spirit When I shall haue better discerned thereof at a distance and may happely haue gained some farther or clearer discouery by information or obtrectation of others For although I haue no reason to expect an adversary herein hauing not willingly irritated or provoked any yet because trueth many times findes foes where it makes none if any shall trouble themselues to quarrell this little peece what shall be justly found amisse I shall most willingly amend easily neglecting what shall bee petulantly carped and submitting my selfe in all things to my blessed Mother this faithfull Church of CHRIST IESVS †Tertul. Difficilium facilis est venia The Contents BOOKE I. CHAP. I. The bond of Nature The glory of God The author of our good The true zelotes of his glory To glorifie the Creator is the glory of the creature How wee should glorifie God prescribed by the Law of Nature Naturall reason of the Law The covenant of Nature The Law euer in force The case CHAP. II. The Covenant of Grace The Articles and Authors of Grace The Sonne of God the Mediator The Sonne of man The offices of Christ The grace of our Lord Iesus The spirit of Grace Preventing Grace The state of Grace The praise of the glory of Gods Grace CHAP. III. The Testaments The Will of God The Word The Scripture That the Scripture is the Word of God The intent of it The consent in it The olde legall Testament The new Evangelicall Testament The event of prophesies The power of the Gospell The Church The administrators and ouerseers Scripture the absolute Canon of faith and life BOOKE II. CHAP. I. The Stipulation of Faith by the Sacraments The answere of a good conscience toward God The Creed The Sacraments Baptisme Poedobaptisme Anabaptisme Confirmation and penance Communion No transubstantiation Participation by faith Cōmunion in loue The Law conditioned The Covenant indissoluble CHAP. II. Faith working by loue according to the Law The Law established by faith Gods Law our prayer Faith in the Trinity denyes not the vnity of God Christ the onely Image of God to be worshipped by faith in his Name By Prophanenes Hypocrisie Blasphemy the Name of God vnhallowed The Christian Sabbath of the holy Catholike Church The Sabbath not abrogated by Christ. Nor by his Apostles The Iewes typicall vse thereof abolished The Christian Sabbath day within the compasse of the Commandement The Lords day designed by himselfe for our Sabbath It hath euer beene obserued as the Sabbath by the Church It respects the Kingdome of God The Perfect will of God to bee done on earth The heauenly conversation CHAP. III. The Refuge of Hope We are saued by Hope The Law perfect we imperfect Good workes not vvell done Grace and merite incompetible The Christian hope Our daily bread Forgiuenesse of sinnes No immunity to sinne Temptations Preservation Resurrection Life everlasting and glorious BOOKE I. CHAP. I. The bond of Nature The glory of God The authour of our good The true zelotes of his glory To glorifie the Creator is the glory of the creature How we should glorifie God prescribed by the law of Nature Naturall reason of the Law The covenant of nature The fall The Law ever in force The case What is chiefely to be desired THat God may bee glorified in our salvation The glory of God Wherein trusting him for our parts we are principally to intend his glory For vnlesse we wil mocke God and deceiue our own soules we must desire as we pray first that the name of God may bee hallowed by the advancement of his Kingdome in the vniuersall subjection of all to his holy will then that wee may bee saued through his grace by pardon of our sinnes protection in temptations and
for grace but every grace in its order first faith then those that are of faith to wit loue and hope x 2. Cor. 3.18 For we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of God namely y c. 4.6 in the face of Iesus Christ z v. 4. by the light of his glorious Gospell a c. 3.18 are changed into the same image frō glory to glory euen as by the spirit of the Lord. God that spake things at the first when he spake them their being still b Rom. 4.17 calleth things that are not is if they were anon they are so c Hos 2.23 ◠Pet. 2.10 He saith to thē that were ' not his people thou art my people and they moued by the holy Ghost say Thou art my God d Gal. 4.9 Now we know God by faith * Ab initio fidei misericordiam consecutisumus non quia fideles eramus sed vt essemus August ep 105 ad Sixtum Fidem vocat Clemens Alexand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 primam salutis inclinationem l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fides est prima quae subjugat animum Deo August lib. de agone Christiano c. 9. or rather we are knowne of God in Christ e 2. Tim. 2.19 hauing this seale The Lord knoweth who are his f 1. Iohn 4.10 And herein is loue not that wee loued him but that he loued vs sent his son to be a propitiation for our sins a Non habet homo vnde diligat Deum nisi ex Deo Aug. l. 15. de tri c. 17. Tales nos amat Deus qualesfuturi sumus ipsius dono non quales sumus nostro merito Conciliū Arausicanū 2. can 12. vid. plur c. 25. Amor Dei quo pervenitur ad Deum non est nisi à Deo patre per Iesum cum Spiritu Sancto Per hunc amorem creatoris benè quisque vtitur creaturis Auglib 4. cont Iul. c. 3. ad caleem When wee were not louing vnto him nor any thing louely in our selues but b Ezek. 16.6 lay weltring in our blood were c Colos 1.21 enemies in our minds by evill workes then he reconciled vs vnto himselfe in Christ d Ezech. 16.6 passing by said vnto vs liue yet now having e Rom. 5.5 the loue of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs f 1. Pet. 1.8 we loue him also though wee haue not seene him g Rom. 5.2.3 wee reioyce not onely ' in hope of his glory but in our afflictions for his sake with ioy vnspeakeable and full of glory h 1. Pet. 4.14 because the spirit of glory of God resteth vpon vs. And still wee follow after in hope God succouring vs with his grace i Phil. 3.11.12 if hauing not yet attained wee may be any meanes apprehend that for the which wee are apprehended of Christ Iesus k Eph. 1.13.14 In whō after that we beleiued we were sealed with that holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the purchased possessiō vnto the praise of his glory l Reu. 22.17 Now the spirit the bride say come let him that heareth say come And let him that is a thirst come and whosoeuer will let him take the water of life m Ideogratia quia gratis datur ideo gratis datur quia non quasimerces redditur post discussionem metitorum sed donum datur post delictorum veniam August de verbis Domini serm 61. freely If it were in man to prevēt God by preparing disposing himselfe vnto grace or any way to make himself more worthy thereof thē others why should not m Rom. 9.13 Israel that followed after the law of righteousnes haue attained to the law of righteousnesse Because they sought it not by faith True but why did they not beleeue because they n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrisost homil 30. in acta At post had not the grace o Matth. 13.11 For to them it was not giuen to know the mysteries of of the kingdome of heaven And for them who receiued the Gospell vnto salvation Saint Paul who was p Phil. 3.5.6 an Hebrew of the Hebrewes and concerning the righteousnesse which is by the law blamelesse professeth saying q Tit. 3.5 not by the worke of righteousnes which we haue done but according to his mercy he saved vs. And how did r Rom. 9.30 The Gentiles which followed not after righteousnes attaine vnto righteousnes evē the righteousnes which is by faith ſ Rom 10.20 Esaias is bold saith I was found of those that t Fides erat quę data est non oranti quae vtique nisi data esset orare non posset quomodo enim invocabunt c. Aug. ep 105. ad Sixtum sought mee not I was made manifest to those that asked not after mee v 1. Cor. 1.26 And why are not many wise called * Deum praeterijsse multos philosophos homines acuti ingenij eximiae eruditionis praeteriisse etiam multos qui si civiles mores spectes innocentes erant vitae probatae vt enim divitias misericordiae suae patefaceret id magis consequitur si eos adducat qui magis reluctentur propter vitae merita ab ea magis sint alieni quam si eos qui humanae rationi videntur esse aptiores August 1. lib. ad Simplicianum quaest 2. many who haue the same meanes and far better naturall parts helpes of art and commendations of life then some poore Publicans and sinners Wee see our calling How that x Mat. 20.16 many are called but few are chosen as it pleaseth him y 2. Tim. 1.9 who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was given vs in Christ Iesus * Electi sunt ante mundi constitutionem ea praedestinatione in qua Deus sua futura facta praescivit electi autem lunt de mundo ea vocatione qua Deus id quod praedestinavit implevit August de praedest sanct c. 17. before the world began z 2. Thess 2.13 Wee are bound therefore to giue thankes vnto God alwaies for the beloued of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen them vnto salvation through sanctification of the spirit and beliefe of the trueth wherevnto wee are called by the Gospell Whilest many others stand a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iud. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proscripti Plutarch in Syll. p. 825. 863. proscribed by the law whereby they were of old fore written to condemnation For the law remaineth an b Col. 2.14 hand-writing against them vncancelled c 2. Thess 2.10 who receiue not the loue of the truth that they might be saued d Hab. 2.4 Now
die excitatum atque in saecula manens Greg. Nazianz orat 43. it s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 698. as the temple of his body excelleth the body of the the temple as much as a spirituall house of liuely stones excelleth a materiall house of earthly stones as much as the Church Catholike excelleth the narrow compasse of Iury. At this time by meanes of these and the like predictions which could not but bee generally rumored abroade the desire of all nations was kindled and the expectation of all people was awakned k Pluribus persuasio inerat antiquis Sacerdotum literis contineri eo ipso tempore fore vt valesceret Oriens profectique Iudaea rerū potirentur Tacit Hist lib. 5. Percrebuerat Oriente toto vetus constans opinio esse in fatis vt eo tempore Iudaeâ profccti rerum potirentur Sueton. lib. 10. It was common throughout that part of the world that the Lord of the whole world should come forth of Iudea as the Heathen writers together with Iosephus doe witnesse whose testimony in this case cannot be suspected Now the time was come that the desire of all nations should come in whom they should all bee blessed l Malach. 3.1 And the Lord himselfe whom they sought came suddenly into his temple even the Angell of the couenant whom wee delight in m Luke 2.28 c. Wherevpon the just old Simeon hauing Christ in his armes sang his Nunc dimittis Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seene thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people to bee a light to lighten the Gentiles and to bee the glory of thy people Israell For this was their glory and the glory of their Temple that n Rom. 9.4 to them pertained the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giuing of the Law and the service of God and the promises Whose are the fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is ouer all God blessed for euer Amen Many other things were foretold of him that should come which were accordingly fulfilled in Christ Iesus o Act 7.24 For all he Prophets from Samuel those that follow after as many as haue spoken haue likewise foretold of these dayes Whos 's other predictions of temporall things also were all generally subordinate to things spirituall and eternall in Christ Iesus So it pleased God to temper them together as the promise of an abundant seede to Abraham and the gathering of the Gentiles in him the promise of the land of Canaan and of an heauenly kingdome the perpetual succession of Davids race in the kingdome of Israel and the eternall kingdome of Christ in his Church the prophesie of the Iewes deliverance from their captiuity and of the generall resurrection Christ his prophesie in the Gospell of the destruction of Ierusalem and of the end of the world p Prophetiae in vicem sibi tempora concinunt vt aliquādò ex futuris praeterita aliquandò ex praeteritis futura probētur Greg. praef in Ezech. that by the event of these temporall things in their seasons they and wee might be the better assured of the eternall to be fulfilled in the end and that by the hope of things eternall we may be comforted howsoeuer it goeth with vs in the meanetime Is it not the word of God who speakes things and they are so Hee foretold things to come in the old Testament but by the new he brings thē to passe For q Rom. 1.16 the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to every one that beleeueth The power of the Gospell effecting that in vs which it tels vs. The glutton in the Gospell was perswaded that r Luke 16.30 if one might come from the dead his brethren would beleeue him though they did not hearken to Moses and the Prophets Behold Christ risen from the dead how by vertue of his quickning spirit in this word of life he gaineth every where infinite beleeuers and so recovereth them from death to life Behold so many ſ Ipse modus quo mundus credidit si consideretur incredebilior resurrectione viz mortuorum invenitur Incredibile est mundum rem tam incredibilem credidisse Incredibile est homines ignobiles infirmos paucissimos imperitos rem tam incredibilem tam efficaciter mundo in illo etiam doctis persuadere potuisse Aug lib. 22. de Civ Dei c. 5. c. 8. Quisque adhuc prodigia vt credat inquirit magnum est ipse prodigium qui mundo credente non credit Aug. l. 22. de Civ Dei c. 8. witnesses come from the dead all giuing testimony to the word of God The Gentiles t Luke 1.79 who sat in darkenesse and in the shadow of death and sinners of all sorts who had u Eph. 2. c. 3.19 beene dead in sinnes and trespasses alienated from the life of God and past feeling Never did the word of any man or any oracle gaine that generall credit and beget such a new life in men so holy so happy nor all that ever men and angels could speake did make such a blessed change throughout the world as the Gospell hath done and that by most vnlikely meanes and motiues A few simple plaine illiterate men telling plainly what they must loose and what they must suffer in the world whosoever would imbrace their doctrine Neither could the most obstinate vnbeleeuers potent adversaries and desperate enemies of the Gospell though they conspired and practised against it never so maliciously ever bee able to suppresse or withstand the mighty power of God his word but it certainely prevailed to their vtter ruine and confusion Neither is it therefore any preiudice to the power authority of God his word although it obtaineth not the same effect with all men x Is 55.10 For it never returnes void but effecteth that for which it was sente y 2 Cor. 2.16 being the savour of life vnto life in them that are saued and the savour of death vnto death in them that perish z C 4.4 In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of them which beleiue not least the light of the glorious gospell of Christ who is the image of God should shine vnto them a Esdras 4.41 Great is the truth and it prevaileth Now is the effect shewes the vertue of the cause but giues it not so doth the Church The Church the professed company of beleeuers giue testimony but not authority to the truth of God his word b 1. Tim 3.15 For the Church is the pillar of truth not that the truth of God his word relyeth on the Church but because the Church is inlightned by the word of truth whereby it reflecteth light againe vnto the word being in the world as c Exod. 13. the pillar of light that went before the Israelites in the wildernesse d
Phil. 2.16 For the sonnes of God shine as lights in the world holding forth the word of life Especially the faithfull ministers of the word whom Christ therefore calleth e Mat 5.14 the light of the world And if their f Reu. 2.5 candlesticke be set vp in a setled and flourishing Church great and glorious is the light thereof especially in the holy assemblies and most principally in generall counsels A faire way-marke and a forcible inducement to way-fairing men to bend their course that way But yet all this cannot make one true beleeuer g Quis enim imponat mihi necessitatem vel colendi quod nolim vel quod velim non colendi Lact. lib. 5. de vera sap cap. 14. Religionis non est cogere religionē quae sponte suscipi debet non vi Tertul. ad Scapulam No authority of the Church can command faith in a man vnlesse h Hos 2.14 Cathedram habet in coelo qui corda docet Aug. God speake to his heart muchlesse doth it giue truth to the word They both are the proper worke of the same i Sicut Christus legis prophetarum impletio est ita spiritus Evangelij Chrisost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil in ps 95. spirit of truth expressed in the Scripture impressed on the heart of euery true beleeuer k 1. Iohn 5.6 It is the spirit that beareth witnesse because the spirit is trueth l 1. Cor. 14.37.38 Wherefore if any one thinketh himselfe to be spirituall let him acknowledge the things that are written even the scripture to be the word of God But if any will be ignorant let him be ignorant still m 1. Corinth 14.23.24.25 The comming together of the whole Church in some place suppose it be in counsell or for diuine service occasioneth one that beleeueth not or that is vnlearned to come in but it is the word there preached that entereth into him and convinceth him and iudgeth him that openeth the secrets of his heart and then falling downe on his face he worshippeth reporteh that God is in them of a truth n Euangelio non crederem nisi me Catholicae Ecclesiae commoueret authoritas August The Church being more sensible may happily first moue a man but o Ego solis canonicis Scripturis sine vlla recusatione debeo consensum Idem August contr Pelag. de natura grat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ego in sola Scriptura acquiesco Theodoret Dial. 1. c. 6. the Scripture being most certaine doth at last resolue every beleeuer They who liue in some low bottome may take notice that the Sunne is risen by the shining thereof vpon some high and eminent Church but who so getteth vp thither sees the Sunne it selfe risen and perceiues with his owne eyes that hee is in the hemisphere of light and sayth as the men to the woman of Samaria p Iohn 4.42 Now I beleeue not because of thy saying I haue heard it my selfe and know it indeed that it is the word of life q 1. Ioh. 5.9 If we receiu the testimony of men the testimony of God is greater r v. 10. He that beleeueth hath the Testimony in himselfe he that leeueth not hath the testimony against himselfe because ſ Iohn 12.48 the word that hath beene spoken that shall iudge him at the last day In the meane time Christ the Testator hath appointed some with power and authority in his Church to publish and require his word The Administrators and overseers as administrators and ouerseers to his Will and Testament The ministers of the Gospell are to administer the the same with the Sacraments as the t 2 Cor. 5.20 Ambassadours of Christ and u 1 Cor. 4.1 stewards of the mysteries of God hauing charge * 1 Tim. 4.16 Act. 20.28 to looke to themselues and their doctrine and to all the flock ouer which the holy Ghost maketh them ouerseers For the commission once giuen by Christ to the Apostles was not to cease with them but to continue euen x Mat. 28.19.20 so long as the precept bindeth and as his promise supporteth which is vnto the worlds end Wherefore they ordeined others by laying on of hands to succede them in that office and ministery with power also to doe the like so to deriue the same by a perpetuall succession to all posterity y Per ministros dispares Dei munus aequale est quia non illorum sed ejus est August contra Crescon lib. 3. c. 6. loquitur de Bapt. Now though the ministers of the Gospell be all of the same order with equall power to administer yet are they not all of the same degree as ouer-seers But some are in higher place z 2 Tim. 5.22 Tit. 1.5 to ordeine Elders a 1 Tim. 1.3 to charge the Pastours to teach no various doctrine b ch 5.19.20 to heare and to censure them c Tit. 1.11 to stop their mouthes and to silence them d ch 3.30 And after the first and second admonition vtterly to reiect a man that is an hereticke Who hauing this speciall power of Iurisdiction reserued to them for e 1 Cor. 14.40 decency and order sake are therefore called Bishops by an excellency that is f Speculatores Inspectores Vid. Duaren de sacr Eccl. minist ac benef lib. 1. cap. 7. ouerseers Besides these whose speciall office is in the Gospell God hath also ordayned the civill Magistrate from the beginning g 1 Pet. 2.13.14 whether the King as supreame or the governours that are sent by him h Custos vtriusque tabulae Vid. Duarenum de sacr Eccl. Minist ac benef l. 1. c. 5. 6. to administer his Law and to ouersee the due performance and execution thereof with power of life and death according to the Lavv of Nature euer in force i 1 Pet. 2.14 for the punishment of euill doers for the praise of them that doe well Whereunto all Nations euen by the light of Nature haue submitted k V. 13. but wee must submit our selues to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake l Rom. 13.4 The Magistrate is the m Hoc jubent Imperatores quod jubet Christus quia cùm bonum jubent per illos non jubet nisi Christus Aug. ep 166. Minister of God to thee for thy good if thou doe that which is good but if thou doe that which is euill bee afraide for hee beareth not the sword in vaine These two ministrations the one ciuill the other Ecclesiasticall doe by mutual offices as the Law and the Gospell jointly and mutually support one another for the building vp of the body of Christ his Church and kingdome The * Vos Episcopi estis corum quae in Ecclesia sunt agenda ego verò episcopus extra Ecclesiam a Deosum constitutus Constantinus Imperator vt refert Eusebius in ejus
of life and out of the Holy City and from the things that are vvritten in this booke BOOKE II. CAP. I. THE STIPVALATION of Faith by â—â—e Sacraments The answer of a good conscience toward God The Creed The Sacraments Baptisme Poedobaptisme Anabaptisme Confirmation and penance Communion No transubstantiation Participation by faith Communion in loue The law conditioned The covenant indissoluble How is the covenant transacted betwixt God and vs BY the word of God on his part The Answere of a good conscience as hath beene declared in the two Testaments which being accepted on our parts by faith that worketh by loue and resteth in hope is mutually sealed and confirmed on both sides by two Sacraments a Heb. 4.2 The word preached profiteth not vnlesse it be mixed with faith in them that heare it nor faith professed vnlesse it worke by loue in them that haue it nor haue we then attained but rest still in hope of the glory of God to be revealed in vs. Faith in a larger sense and not vnvsuall implieth the other graces being a full assent to the word of truth accepting the grace offered in the Gospell vpon trust answering the law by loue which is the fulfilling of the law and the end there of For b 2. Tim. 1.5 the end of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfaigned Which when all is done expecteth the full accomplishment of the promises but of the law and of the Gospell in hope a Heb. 10.36 waiting with patience that after we haue done the will of God we may receaue the promise Thus we stipulate with God b Rom. 12.2 proue his will what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God and c Ioh. 3.33 set to our seales that God is true * Rom. 1.17 And thus the righteousnesse of God is revealed from faith to faith From the truth of God a faithfull creatour to our faith in him his vnworthie creature And in vs from one degree of faith to another vntill we receiue the end of our faith euen the saluation of our soules The faith more especially is that whereof we make confession THE CREED saying I beleeue in God c. according to the Apostles Creed So it is called not only because it agrees with the Apostles doctrine being the very summe and substance thereof and might happily be d Russinus in Symbol Isiod l. 2 de Eccl. officiis c. 23. Aug. ser 131 Ambr. ser 38. agreed vpon by themselues as the absolute e 2. Tim. 1.13 forme of sound words and the rule of the f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. erat 4. coutrà Arianos analogie of faith but principally because it is the very forme of the g 1. Tim. 6 3. words of our Lord Iesus Christ the great h Heb. 3.1 Apostle and high Priest of our calling Which besides his generall doctrine he seemes to haue expresly committed in trust to the Apostles in the very same order instituting the two Sacraments to bee administred by them and their successours in his Church for euer i Eph. 2.20 Which is built vpon the foundation of the Apostles Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone a Regulam veritatis immobilem per baptismum accepimus Iraen adv heres l. 1. c. 1. Baptisme in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost takes vp the former part of the Creed to the holy catholique Church which is holy being b Eph. 5.26 sanctified and cleansed with the washing of water by the word And it is catholike admitting all commers by baptisme as the Lord appointed saying c Mat. 28.19 Goe teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost * Vid. Martin procatech tract 4. Which part of the Creed being at first expressed in those few words and aunciently so vsed in baptisme was after enlarged with more articles especially concerning the second person by occasion of heresies that did arise The supper of the Lord which the Apostle calls d 1. Cor. 10.16 the Communion beginning with the communion of saints includes it and the articles following For Christ instituting this sacrameÌ„t cals e Mat. 26.28 the cup the blood of the New Testament saying expresly that it was shed for many for the remission of sinnes and for the other two benefits of communion in the body and blood of Christ namely the resurrection of our bodies and life everlasting St Iohn reports them plainely from Christ his owne mouth saying a Ioh. 6 5â— whosoever eateth my flesh drinketh my blood hath euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day as he doth in like manner speak of our regeneration by baptisme c. 3. For S. Iohn onely of all the Evangelists doth not expresly report the very institution it selfe of the Sacraments but insteed thereof as it seemeth the spirituall graces intended by them Christ therefore himselfe is the author and finisher of our faith Who gaue vs his word by the Apostles wherevpon we beleeue according to their Creed the b In ea regula incedimus quam ecclesia ab Apostolis Apostoli à Christo Christus â— Deo tradidit Tertul. de praes c. 14. badge and cognisance of the Church catholike and Apostolike for ever c 2. Cor. 4.13 So they beleeued and therefore so spake and wee hauing the same spirit of faith doe also beleeue therefore so speake And so it must bee in the couenant of grace for God will write it in our hearts Euery man must haue as it were by heart the copy of grace the evidence of his saluation the charter of life the counterpane of the couenant betwixt God vs as it were a duplicate of the proued will of God to produce the same for himselfe in his owne person assenting to the truth and consenting with the Church rather then barely to alledge God his word for it although the word of God be the ground of our faith for hee may alledge the word that never beleeues it or else perverts it as they that are d 2. Pet. 3.16 unlearned and vnstable doe to their owne destruction But the iust shall liue by his faith Vpon these tearmes the couenant passeth by a Sacramenta mutuambabent relationem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutuall stipulation The sacraments betwixt God and vs in the sacraments which are certaine b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidelia seu pignora b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsasacrificia per quae faedera intercedente iureiurando sanciebantur b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Iliad 2. mysticall acts and deeds thereof on his part by his word and institution and on our parts by faith and acceptilation As in ciuill contracts besides the bookes drawen and agreed vpon there
they who most presume of their workes whilest they liue are glad if they haue the grace to dye in the faith renouncing all merit of workes to fly vnto the throne of grace for mercy h Iud. 20. v. 21. And yee beloned saith Saint Iude building vp your selues on your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost keepe your selues in the loue of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life Yet is not our saluation the lesse certaine because the finall accomplishment thereof is expected by hope and is not presently put into our owne hands For as our faith is so is our hope i Heb. 11.1 faith being the ground of things hoped for and the reason of the hope that is in vs both of them therefore are firme and sure because built vpon the rocke Christ Iesus k Mat. 16.18 Vpon this rocke as Saint Peter beleeued and confessed Thou l v. 16. art Christ the sonne of the liuing God the holy catholicke Church is built m v. 18. against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile but that euery true member thereof liuing and dying in the communion of saints shall notwithstanding sin death attaine by forgiuenesse of sinnes and the resurrection of the body eternall life And therefore n Rom. 5.2 wee reioice in hope of the glory of God as if wee had already attained To beleeue and hope as a Christian is not as the termes are vulgarly vsed and may perhaps sound in prophane eares to haue an vncertaine opinion and doubtfull expectation which indeed can bee no better in the things of men subiect to falshood and vanity But it is to be certainely assured fully perswaded and firmely resolued o 2 Tim. 1.12 knowing whom wee haue trusted that he is able to keepe that which wee haue committed to him against that day No weake nor vncertaine hold but p Heb. 6.19 an anchor of the soule both sure and stedfast entring into that which is within the vaile whither the fore runner euen Iesus is entred for vs. Faithfull hope is such an assurance q Rom. 8. as Saint Paul professeth by the helpe of Gods spirit knit together and firmely bound vp with that r 28.29.30 golden chaine of the certanity of saluation in Christ Iesus Wherevpon with a bold confidence he bids defiance to all the enimies of grace ſ v. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect c. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angells nor Principalities nor powers nor things preset nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. As our faith and affiance is more and more fixed in God thorough Iesus Christ by his spirit and approued vnto him by loue in well doing so is t Si quis credit etdiligit bene agendo prae ceptis obtemperando efficit vt etiam speret se ad id quod credit esse ventutum August de doctor Christ l. 1. cap. 37. the assurance of our saluation more and more confirmed in vs. For true u 1. Tim. 4.8 godlinesse hath the promises both of this life and of that which is to come Of this life * Mat. 6.33 Seeke ye first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all these things shill be administred vnto you And for the life to come x Pl. 50.23 To him that ordereth his conuersation aright will I shew the saluation of God Therefore as wee beleeue so wee pray in hope which is our last refuge that our heauenly Father who knoweth whereof we stand in need will in his ordinary prouidence giue vs things needfull for this life to whom hee hath giuen grace first to seeke his kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Est autem duplici honoris muneris genere homo affectus quod ipsesolus poenitentiâ veniam peccatorum impetrat et eius vnius corpus quamvis mortale caducum aeternll immortale redditur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quorum alterum quod ad corpus pertinet propter animum alterum quod ad animum propter corpus consecutus est Nemesius lib. de natura hominis c. 1. And that he will freely and fully forgine vs our daily sinnes and trespasses of his meere grace in Christ Iesus remembring whereof wee are made to whom he giues this grace for his sake to forgiue one another Farther wee beleeue and pray in hope that he will guid and keepe vs ever hereafter by his spirit in the way everlasting though it please him to lead vs thorough manifold temptations and that he will deliuer vs in the end from all evill even from death it selfe and from him that hath the power thereof that is the Divell by the resurrection of our bodies to the eternall praise of his kingdome power and glory in the life to come z The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me Thy mercy O Lord endureth for ever Forsake not the workes of thine owne hands Bread the a Lev. 26.26 staffe of life Our daily bread being the most necessary of all temporall things implies the rest It was God his decree that in b Gen. 3.19 the sweat of our browes wee should eat our bread and it is the Apostles iniunction in the name of the Lord Iesus c 2. Thes 3.10 that if any man will not work he shall not eat wherevpon hee exhorteth every one d V. 12. with quietnesse to worke and to eat his owne bread Although it bee our bread our owne bread yet it is Gods gift without whose blessing e Ps 127.2 it is in vaine to rise vp early and so late to take rest to eat the bread of carefulnesse f Iam. 4.2 Yee lust and haue not yee kill desire to haue and cannot obtaine yee fight and warre and yet yee haue not because yee aske not yee aske and receaue not because yee aske amisse that you may consume it on your lusts which should bee for our dayly and necessary vse Some haue not of their own to eat g Ps 128.2 But thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands O well is thee and happy shalt thou be others haue not the h Eccles 4.8 power to eat of their own either not the health or not the heart i 5.19 this is also the gift of God And he giues it power to k Ps 104.15 strengthen mans heart and to sustaine our life from day to day Therefore it is called l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 6.11 daily bread adsubstantiall or supersubstantiall bread because being digested into our bodies it adds daily beyond its owne nature and substance thorough the blessing of God to our substance what the labour of life daily consumes What is there in
calcem though now for a season if need bee we are in heauinesse thorough manifold temptations Which are indeed many and manifold within and without on the right hand and on the left even so many as there are things in the world and motions in our minde and mouers of both Thorough which it pleaseth God to lead vs ordering the occasions giuing leaue to Satan to winnowe vs and leauing vs sometimes to our selues whoÌ„ u Extrema muÌ„di atrocius tentaturus aggreditur quia tanto fit ferveÌ„tior ad saeuitiam quanto se viciniorem sentit ad paenam Greg. mor. l. 34. cap. 1. Satan subornes against our selues with a world of motiues reduceable to three principall heads * 1. Ioh. 2.16 the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life x Iam. 1.3.4.5 But let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot bee tempted with euill neither tempteth he any man But euery man is tempted when he is drawne away of his owne lust and entised Then when lust hath conceaued it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death Which evill of sin death Satan inteÌ„deth we deprecate with God without whose will wee can not bee tempted nor can resist or escape y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad sacrum bellum cum carnis vitiis gerendum nos confera mus oportet Sic tamen vt non in nobis ipsis fiduciam collocemus verum diuino subsidio victoriam permittamus Isidor Pelus l. 2. ep 143. Et mox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In divina autem ope atq auxilio si siduciam nostram positam habeamus victoriam facile consequemur without his power help z 1. Iohn 3.9 Whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sin Preseruation * Omne quod radicaium est nutritur catore solis non arescit August tract 3 in 1. ep Ioh. Radicata est charitas securus esto nihil mali procedere potest tract 8. in â—â—and ep for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is borne of God Not that hee sinneth not at all or only falls into some smaller sinnes or that such sinnes are veniall of their owne nature but he doth not commit sinne he makes it not his practise and trade of life though every sin be mortal for the a Rom. 6.23 wages of sin is death yet doth not he sinne vnto death for by the grace of God he shall haue time and grace to repent b Ezek. 18.22 and then all his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not bee mentioned vnto him in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall liue Although all sinne bee mortall by the law and worthy of death yet doth not the childe of God sinne vnto death c Audeo dicere superbis esse vtile cadere in aliquod apertuÌ„ manifestumque peccatum vnde sibi displiceant qui iam placendo ceciderant August lib. 14. de ciuitate dei cap. 14. Sed etsi aliquando predestinatorum aliquis ad eius slatum infectus contabuit armis poenitentiae accinctus fortior securiorque surrexit expertus admissi turpitudinem hostem suggestorem se consentaneum mira indignatione exhorruit rursum cautior munitior ad conflictus accessit Arnold Abb. Bonaeual de operibus sex dier cap. 4. nay though hee die for his sinne yet doth he not dye in his sinne that dyeth in the Lord. And howsoeuer we fall daily thorough our frailty and may fall dangerously by force of temptation and depart for the time from the grace giuen abusing the gift of grace which was in vs yet shall wee not fall from the grace of God towards vs reserued for vs in Christ Iesus He neuer repents him of giuing howsoeuer we may depart from the grace giuen by abusing our gifts but he that giues forgiues his beloued d Iohn 13.1 and whom he loues he loues vnto the end Neither shall they who are effectually called according to his purpose e In sanctorum cordibus iuxta quasdam virtutes semper permanet spiritus iuxta quasdam vero recessurus venit venturus recedit c. In his itaque virtutibus sine quibus mimime advitam pervenitur spiritus sanctus in Electorum suorum cordibus permanet in his vero per quassanctitatis virtus demonstratur aliquando misericorditer presto est aliquando misericorditèr recedit Gregor hom 5. in Ezech. vtterly depart from the grace giuen but shall by the seed thereof remaining in them f Ar. eccel Angli 16. recouer and amend their liues For g Rom. 11.29 the gifts calling of God are without repentance and h cap. 6.14 no sine shall haue dominion ouer them who are not vnder the law but vnder grace i Ier. 32.40 I will make saith God an euerlasting couenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from mee And as by the feare of God we are restrained from the dominion of sinne all our life time so k 1 Pet. 1.5 by the power of God thorough faith we are kept vnto saluation ready to bee reuealed in the last time l Fides aeterna res est à spiritu scribitur vâ— maneat Ambros in 2. Cor. 3. Quomodo pot est amitti per quod fit vt non amittatur etiam quod posset amitti August de bono persev c. 6. Faith is not only the first answer to Gods call wereby we enter and are admitted into the state of grace nor yet farther the continuall mouer of our hearts in m Charitas quae deseripotuit nunquam vera fuit August ep 111 ad Iulian Ficta charitas est que deserit in aduersitate vid. Sixt. Senens bibl lib. 5. annot 240. loue according to the will of God as hath beene shewed but also the finall grace whereby wee persist vnto the end recouering many slips and falls in sinne yea and redemption from death it selfe if we dye in the faith of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and resurrection of our bodies vnto eternall life n Petrus in lapsu gradum fideì remisit actum intermisit habitum non amisit motumque in eo fuit spiritualis vitae robur non amotum concussum non excussum Tertul. See Mr Hookers sermon of the certainty and perpetuity of faith in the elect saying The faith therefore of true beleeuers though it haue many grieuous downfalls yet doth it still continue invincible it conquereth recouereth it selfe in the end Fides fundit orationem fusa oratio impetrat fidei firmitatem non quae nunquam concutiatur sed quae concussa nunquam epprimatur August de verb. Dom. serm 36. And howsoeuer o 2 Tim. 2.17.18 the faith of some may for the time be ouerthrowne in part as theirs in