goe out againe The Lorde hath giuen and the Lord hath taken Blessed be the name of the Lord. Againe it is not without great cause that they are called Riches of iniquitie because for the most part they are gotten by wrong and oppression by fraude and deceit And therefore no maruell if the Apostle giue this counsell 1. Tim. 6. 8. Let vs saith hée alwaies carry contented mindes For they that will bee rich fall into tentation and snares and into many foolish and noisome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction For the desire of mony is the roote of all euill which while some lusted after they erred from the faith and pearced themselues through with many Lands purchased for a name sorrowes Some there are that heape vp riches to purchase lands to get themselues a name and to leaue the same to their posteritie which thing the Prophet Dauid noteth Psal 49. They trust in their goods and boast themselues in the multitude of their riches They thinke their houses and their habitations shall continue for euer euen from generation to generation and call their landes and houses by their owne names The chiefest delight they haue is to leaue these goodly possessions to their heires that they may kéepe their name and that they be not forgotten on the earth neuer séeking the Lordes fauour and mercy to direct and make strong their desires neither euer séeking to plant his feare in them that must enioy those things But their issue is thereafter and the Lord turneth all crosse in his iudgement so that they are dispearced and driuen often to forsake not onely the place but the verie land For being brought vp in all idlenesse loosenesse and libertie they soone ouerlash and run beyond their compasse and through leaudnesse and ryot they bring all to nothing and being pinched with scarcitie and penury they commit some mischiefe or other whereby they are enforced either to flie their natiue Country or to end their liues both lamentably and fearefully He that neuer knew the getting can kéepe no measure in spending as also euill gotten goods come neuer to the third generation as the wise man saith She begetteth a sonne and in his hand is nothing We thinke them best beloued of God who enioy most The blessing of God in heauenly gifts wealth and substance but if we haue eyes to sée the blessing of God consisteth in heauenly gifts and graces which the common sort doo not enioy albeit their wealth may bee without number What is it for him that had such store of goods to reioyce and say to his soule Soule liue at ease and take thy rest for thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares when that he could not enioy his life a night to an end yea further it may be feared that with his life he lost not only his goods but his soule too In respect wherof we may well say with the Prophet Dauid The greater sort craue worldly goods and riches do imbrace But Lord graunt vs thy countenance thy fauour and thy grace For thou thereby shalt make my heart more ioyfull and more glad Then they that of their corne and wine full great increase haue had When I saw that such delight had such heauinesse I turned aside to behold the excellencie of wisedom and there VVisedome I found but vanitie and vexation For he that séeks by learning to come by wisedome behold how he is incombred before he come to the goale and though all runne yet but one receiueth the prize that is fewe there be that do excell Yet by the way we must not therefore leaue off but run on with a good courage in hope that at last we may obtain The eye is neuer satisfied with reading and the mind searcheth till it be weary our spirits faint before they come to the depth and when they are nearest then are they far off Which maketh the holy man Iob say Cap. 28. Where is wisedome found and from whence commeth it and where is the place of vnderstanding Man knoweth it not and it is hid from the eyes of all the liuing Here is the vexation of the spirit For in the multitude of wisedom is much grief And he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow hée searcheth after it and cannot find it According to y◠saying Maxima pars eorum quae scimus est minima corum quae ignoramus Although we know much yet our ignorance is as great if not greater as if the vnderstanding of man were nothing else but couered ouer with darknesse Many there are who being too desirous to know more then is méete and conuenient for them to search after haue bene so bold as to clime into Gods secrets but with Lucifer they haue had their falles And yet because they cannot be partakers of their vnlawfull desires by lawfull meanes they enter into couenant with the diuel to shew them hidden matters and to helpe them to their desires damning thereby their soules for euer for a worldly delight which cannot long endure Againe some being as it were wrapt into the heauens with a foolish conceit of their owne wisedome thinking none so excellent as they exalted in their imaginations being ouer and aboue rauished with selfe loue rather then there should want any to praise them admire and extoll themselues But euen as it was said to King Nabuchodonozor O King to thée be it spoken thy kingdome is departed from thée so in a manner as by experience we see the self same voice soundeth into their eares To thée that doest admire and exalt thy selfe in thy wisedom to thée be it spoken thou art bereft of thy wit and sences and thy vnderstanding and wisedome is departed from thée Whereby such become a gazing stocke and wonder to men and Angels and a wretched and wofull spectacle to themselues Being thus satisfied with the view of wisedomes vanitie I went along and followed my guide and he brought Honous me to the mount of honour and made me behold the vanitie of this high and mounting delight To sée what créeping and crowching what capping and knéeing and how as seruants and slaues men were sutors to honour and yet behold againe their slippery estate much adoo to come thither and yet soone throwne downe and dispossessed What is the estate of Kings and Princes in their thrones who although they haue many and sundry delights yet are they recompenced with infinit cares and troubles and still in daunger of treachery and treason The Magistrates Iudges and highest Officers in a realme although God hath vouchsafed them in his owne title and called them Gods yet shall they die like men nay for the most part they liue corrupted men Which thing if King Salomon had not séene in his dayes and foreséen what would haue falne out in time to come he would not so resolutely haue set it downe Eccle. 5. 7. If in a country saith he thou seest the oppression of the poore
works thereof comprehended in these thrée propositions All both Iewes and gentiles are vnder sinne that is are iustly condemned for sinne All haue sinned and are iustly depriued of the glory of god that is of euerlasting life All the world is subiect to the iudgement of god And herein is the praise of his iustice in that we deserue it as also the praise of his mercy in that fréely in Christ he forgiueth vs so great damnation So that here it resteth that there is but one way of But one way of saluation saluation to wit Iesus Christ and his righteousnesse apprehended by faith For the gospell of Christ is the power of god vnto saluation to euery one that beléeueth to the Iewe first and also to the Grecian Vnto which faith although VVorkes that works are necessarily adioyned and are as the light which is séen togither with the flame yet they auaile not vnto iustification but rather signifie that a man is inwardly iustified before god Therefore although faith be not without workes yet faith alone without workes doth Faith onely iustifieth iustifie The lawe manifesteth sinne and death which was before the lawe it causeth wrath and dooth not reconcile vs vnto God but the true reconciliation and purification The righteousnesse of God commeth only from the righteousnesse which is of God And séeing righteousnesse is not sound by the law it is necessary and behoouefull that we looke for righteousnesse elsewhere And because man could not accomplish any righteousnesse therefore least hée should vtterly perish God exhibiteth a way which he promised of olde whereby he should be iustified and saued before him Christ is our righteousnes without the lawe The matter and grounde of this righteousnesse is Christ apprehended through faith who is offered vnto all because all haue sinned Which righteousnesse is fréely giuen without any merit of ours for wée are iustified freely by his grace through the God the au thour of this righteousnesse redemption that is in Christ Iesus The authour of this righteousnesse and iustification is God for hée so loued the world that hée gaue his only begotten sonne to bee offered vp for our sinnes and to make full satisfaction that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Whom GOD set foorth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his blood Righteousnes in the death and resurrection of christ The materiall cause is the death and resurrection of Christ for hée was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification The cause formall or instrumentall is faith whereby as it were with an hande wée apprehende the righteousnesse of GOD. For with the heart man beléeueth vnto saluation and to righteousnesse Christ is our reconciliation through faith while wée laie holde of the promises The end of this righteousne what of Gods mercy in him The finall cause is the glorie and praise of the goodnesse of God in that being enemies hée reconcileth vs vnto him Wherefore we are not saued by workes or partly by faith and partly by woorkes but all our reioycing is excluded by the VVe are iustified not by workes but by faith lawe of faith And our iustification dependeth onely vpon GOD that his glorie might be established for the promise of God is through faith and not by the lawe For as the lawe is the cause of wrath so is faith the appeasing of our consciences whereby we vnderstand that we are iustified And if any man make the lawe his grounde and his rocke hée is fallen from grace for they are vtterly abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the lawe So that they that put their confidence in the workes of the lawe Christ shall profit them nothing By whome onely wee obtaine to bee called the sonnes of god and the heires of the kingdome of heauen by whome we are deliuered and redéemed from the lawe that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes For GOD hath giuen the spirit into our hearts that we may cry Abba father Which spirit we receiue by faith and not by the workes of the lawe for they that are vnder the lawe are vnder the curse and vnder moste dreadfull feare And the generall proposition of the Apostle is that no man is iustified by the lawe for the lawe is not of faith but the iust shall liue by faith For by faith wée are the séede posteritie and children of Abraham and heires by promise and fellowe heires with Christ of his euerlasting kingdome By the lawe and the couenant there is a difference betwixt the Iewes and the Gentiles but by by faith there is neither Iewe nor Grecian there is neither bonde nor frée there is neither male nor female For all are one in Christ Iesus Therefore by faith is iustification whereby the scriptures foresawe that the gentiles should bee saued and that the lawe could giue no life and that by the lawe there was no righteousnesse because the scripture hath concluded all vnder sin that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ shuld be giuen to them that beléeue Therefore it is by faith that it might come by grace that the promise might be sure vnto all both them of the lawe and to them of the seede of Abraham Wherefore séeing the righteousnesse of man by nature is nothing else but wickednesse and hipocrisie backsâ—iding by excuse boasting by vaine knowledge without practise and that the lawe cannot be fulfilled because the corruption of man is quite contrary vnto it and abhorreth the lawe and that we are all vnder sinne and so by the lawe vnder damnation in that it letteth vs to vnderstand the hugenesse of our sinne and the curse and punishment due thereunto euery mouth is stopped and all the world subiect vnto the iudgement of god and to that damnation which the law of god and the corruption of our nature requireth And that the Apostle might bring vs to the perswasion of the iustice of faith which is the pathway and the highway vnto saluation he saith that we know that whatsoeuer the law saith it saith it to them which are vnder the lawe So that there is but one way of saluation euen the righteousnesse of god There are three braunches of the righteousnesse of God by saith Remission of sinnes by faith whereof are thrée especiall braunches Remission of sinnes Imputation of Christ his righteousnesse Sanctification newnesse and holinesse of life Remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes is giuen to the church and faithfull of god in that of his frée mercy and goodnesse their sinnes are blotted out and the account made voyd that they shall not be called vnto iudgement neither shall any punishment be exacted at their hands Whereby all satisfaction falleth to the ground in that of his frée mercy and goodnesse the Lord putteth away the remembrance and punishment of our sinnes forgiueth al our infirmities redéemeth our life from the graue and crowneth vs with
tribulation reioycing in persecution reioycing in torments reioycing in death because they haue bin so well learned in gods schoole in gods booke that the loue of God is throughly shed abroad in their harts by the inward secret and most heauenly working of his holy spirit Triumphing against the world and the cruelties thereof being fully perswaded that neither life nor death nor any thing else shall be able to seperate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus We learne that we are the children and beloued of god and that we are heires euen the heires of god and fellow heires with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him For the afflictions that may fall out vnto vs are not worthie of the glorie that shall be shewed vnto vs and that we shall receiue in the kingdome of heauen If it were not so saith the Apostle we were of all men the most miserable if our hope were ended in this life and if that persecution had not a ioyfull recompence He that striueth not shall neuer be crowned and he that doth not take vp Christ his crosse euen to the death shall neuer come where he is To them that thus endure trouble and are thus hated reuiled and slaine of the world they know and are assured by gods word that there is a crowne reserued for them which the Lord shall giue them at that day dreadfull to others but ioyfull to them When it shall be said vnto them Come ye blessed enioy the kingdome prepared of my father for you from the beginning of the world Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue etrnall life And thus they do performe it It followeth in those words which I haue reade vnto They testifie of Christ you touching the effectuall reason that should moue vs to the reading of the scriptures And they are they which testifie of me In them ye thinke to haue euerlasting life because they direct vs vnto the knowledge of Christ wherein consisteth life According as he saith of himselfe I am the way the truth and the life To him saith the Apostle Act. 10. 43. giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his name all that beléeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes This is life euerlasting saith the Euangelist S. Iohn 17. 3. that they know thée to be the onely very god and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ And thus the word of god doth testifie of our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 3. 16. That God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne for the redemption of the world that whosoeur beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting They are they which testifie that I am the onely life to true repentant sinners to giue them ease and comfort that are swallowed vp and ouerwhelmed with heauie sorrowes and as it were vtterly cast away through griefe and distresse of minde for their sinnes According as the Apostle saith Christ came into the world to saue sinners Come vnto me saith Christ all ye that be heauily loaden with the burthen of your sinnes and I will ease you and I will refresh you For I came not to saue the righteous but to call the sinners to repentance They are they which testifie of his holie and vndefiled conception being conceiued by the holie Ghost and borne of a virgine and so being without all blot of sin to the intent that we might be freed from our vncleannes which we draw from our parents being born in sinne and conceiued in iniquitie being defiled by originall sinne and naturall corruption which testifie of his life and conuersation that it was altogither vnrebukable blamelesse and that in euery point he fulfilled the law of God y◠his righteousnes perfect obediēce might be imputed vnto vs which are otherwise vnder the curse of the law that our sinne and disobedience might be couered and that we might not be called to account for the same which testifie that hée was condemned before an earthly iudge to acquite vs from the dreadfuil sentence of the heauenly iudge which testifie that in bodie soule he suffered gréeuous torments that the wrath of god might not take hold of vs which testifie of the wonderful worke of his resurrectiō of his triumphing ouer death sin hell and the diuel to make vs ioyful conquerers which testifie of his glorious ascention into heauen to giue vs assurance of y◠heauenly possession which he hath purchased for vs which testifie y◠he shal be y◠iudge of quick dead to giue vs euerlasting comfort which haue put our whole trust in him when all other vnbeléeuers wicked vngodly people shal stand in his presence with great horror séeing his comming shall bee to be reuenged of their vnbeliefe and contempt Finally in an other consideration we may say that they They bring vs to the knowledge of God our selues are they that testifie of him For first and principally they teach vs the knowledge of God Secondarily and consequently the knowledge of our selues The knowledge of the Almightie power of God in the creation of all things of his infinit wisdom in disposing them in their due order of his great goodnes in doing al these things for the vse and benefit of mankinde Indéed the creation of the world and all the creatures therein do bring vs to the knowledge of God and this is onely the scripture of the heathen people but yet this doth not shew vnto vs sufficiently how God is our God and our father in Iesus Christ which knowledge we do only attain by reading the word of God And this is the scripture of the Christians Through which knowledge of God in respect of Christ we learn that God hath entred into a couenant with all faithful people that he would be their God and that they should be his people And that therfore they ought to performe vnto god his due scruice which especially consisteth in these thrée points First to worship the true God and to detest all idolatry and false gods to make our praiers to God alone and religiously and deuoutly to serue him Secondly that the worship of God doth cōsist in spirituall matters as faith hope charitie obedience righteousnes holines innocency patiēce truth and all godlines Thirdly to improue accuse and condemne all wickednesse and sinne infidelitie desperation disobedience impatience lying hipocrisie hatred slaunder iniurie and wrongfull dealing vncleannesse lust gluttony and all other vngodlinesse and iniquitie Furthermore that God doth in mercy and fauour reward the good and according to his iustice punish the offendors and that therefore he hath prepared ioyes and torments after this life For our soules are such that they neuer die and our bodies shall rise again to be ioyned to our soules at the latter day In respect of which knowledge of God the scriptures do perswade vs so to liue in this world that
sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill So that the iustice of God shall appeare to his glory euen in the destruction of the wicked Ro. 3. 5. Nowe if our vnrighteousnesse commend the righteousnesse of God what shall we say Is God vnrighteous that punisheth I speake as a man For thus the wicked vse to reason and yet them selues shal be found in fault and the workers of their ouerthrow Ro. 9. 19. The wicked say Why doeth he yet complaine and find himselfe agrieued at vs For who hath resisted his wil séeing he hath thus determined of vs The Apostle aunswereth them O man who art thou which pleadest a gainst God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and an other to dishonour What and if God woulde to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowne suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction In this matter we ought not to dispute or to be inquisitiue but rather in high estimation to reuerence the will of God and perswade our selues that we are of the number of those on whom Gods mercy shall be shewed and labour by all meanes by praier and all other holy and vertuous exercises to assure our selues of the same Election proceedeth only from the will of God but not because he did foresee what was in vs. Deut. 4. 37. And because he loued thy fathers therfore he chose their féede after them and hath brought thée out of Egipt in his sight by his mightie power Ezech. 16. 59. 60. Thus saith the Lord God I might euen deale with thée as thou hast done Neuerthelesse I will remember my couenant Ioh. 15. 16. Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordeined you that ye go and bring foorth frute and your frute remaine Rom. 9. 10. Rebecca when shée had conceiued by one euen by our father Isaac ere that the children were borne and when they had done neither good nor euil that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth It was said vnto her The elder shall serue the yoonger As it is written I haue loued Iacob and I haue hated Esau For he saith to Moses I will haue mercy on him to whom I will shewe mercy and I will haue compassion on him on whom I will haue compassion So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 11. 5 Euen so at this present time is there a remnant through the election of grace And if it be of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace But if it be of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke What then Israel hath not obtained that he sought but the election hath obtained it and the rest haue bene hardened According as it is written God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber eies that they should not sée and eares that they should not heare vnto this day Tim. 1. 9. Who hath sauid vs and called vs with a holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was Ephe. 2. 8. For by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Not of workes least any man should boast himselfe For wée are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them He hath chosen vs to doo good workes and not to be carelesse because we are chosen but rather to assure to our consciences our election by good workes According as we read Collos 1. 10. That ye might walke worthie of the Lord and please him in all things being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of god strengthned with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse Giuing thanks c. Ephe. 1. 5. 11. Who hath predestinate vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his wil In whom also we are chosen when we were predestinate according to the purpose of him which worketh all things after the counsaile of his owne will Although the causes of Reprobation procéed principally from the secret and hidden purpose of God yet are there also sufficient causes in our selues Among the rest these thrée Driginall sinne that is that naturall corruption wherein we are born Secondly the daily sinnes and offences which we commit Thirdly Vnbeliefe Gods hidden purpose Rom. 9. 13. I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau Where he saith not only that Esau was ordained to be hated before he did any euil for in so saying he should not séeme to exclude any thing but actuall sinne and incredulitie but also saith expresly before he was borne Wherefore he excludeth originall sinne also If the Apostle had grounded reprobation vppon mans corruption the case had bene cleare and resolute if it had bene true But forasmuch as he saith plainly if so pleased God and it was not in their power to change this his good pleasure he bridleth mans wisdom that it might reuerence and wonder at Gods misteries as it is most iust to do And also encourageth the elect to honour the grace of god which is declared and made famous by such a comparison Causes in our selues of reprobation Originall sinne Psal 51. 5. Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sin hath my mother conceiued me Ephe. 2. 3. By nature we are the children of wrath Iohn 3. 19. And this is the comdemnation that light is come into the world and men loued darknesse rather then light because their déedes were euill Their owne corruption is a cause in themselues of their owne damnation Actuall and daily sinne Ephe. 4. 17. Hencefoorth walke not as other Gentiles walke in vanitie of their mindes hauing their cogitations darkened and being strangers from the life of god through the ignoraunce that is in them because of the hardnesse of their hart which being past féeling haue giuen themselues vnto wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse euen with gréedinesse 1. Cor. 9. 10. Know ye not that the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of god Gal. 6. God is not mocked For whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he reape For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting Rom. 8. 13. If we liue after the flesh ye shall die But if mortifie the déeds of the bodie by the spirit ye shall liue Vnbeliefe Exod. 5. 2. And Pharaoh said Who is the Lord that I should heare his
he had fully and perfectly instified and sanctified them in his sonne And most mercifull forasmuch as he fréely appointed with himselfe to elect them and according as he had purposed chose them fréely in his sonne by calling iustifying and glorifying them by meanes of that same faith which he had giuen them through the same grace and mercie On the other God is perfectly iust ther side touching the reprobate their corruption and infidelitie with such frutes as come thereof and testimonie of their owne conscience shall so reprooue and accuse them that although they resist and kicke against the pricke yet the most perfect iustice of God shall be manisest and shine by all mens confession in their iust condemnation The chiefe notes with proofes As God is iust so it is necessarie that he should saue the iust and condemne the vniust Nowe amongst men none are iust but by faith being by faith ioyned to Christ grafted rooted in him and made on body with him and thereby also iustified sanctified by him and in him Whereof it followeth that the glory to the which they are destinate to the glory of God appertaineth to them as by a certaine right or title Ge. 18. 25. Be it farre from thée from doing this thing to flay the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous should be euen as the wicked be it farre from thée shall not the iudge of all the world do right Ro. 11. 19. 20. Thou wilt say then The braunches are broken off that I might be graft in Well threugh vnbeliefe they are broken off and thou standest and are graft in by faith be not high minded but feare Colloss 2. 6. 7. 8. 9. As ye haue therefore receiued Christ Iesus the Lord so walke with him rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith as ye haue bene taught abounding therein with thanksgiuing Beware lest there be any man that spoile you through Philosophie and vaine deceit through the traditions of men according to the rudiments of the world and not after Christ Made one bodie 1. Cor. 10. 16. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ For we that are many are one bread and one bodie because we are all partakers of one bread Iohn 17. 21. I pray for them that they all may be one as thou O father art in me and I in thée euen that they also may be one in vs and the world may beléeue that thou hast sent me And thereby sanctified and iustified in him and by him Rom. 8. 30. Moreouer whom he predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them also he gloried 1. Cor. 1. 30. But ye are of him in Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set foorth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse by the forgiuenesse of sinnes that are passed through the patience of God To she we at this time his righteousnesse that he might be iust and a iustifier of him which is of the faith of Iesus And also glorified Rom. 9. 23. And that he might declare the riches of his glory vpon the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared vnto glory Ro. 8. 30. And whom he iustified them he also glorified Iohn 17. 22. 23. 24. 25. And the glorie that thou gauest me I haue giuē them that they may be one as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as thou hast loued me Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am that they may be hold my glorie which thou hast giuen me On the other part they which remaine in Adams pollution and death are iustly hated of God and so condemned by him not excepting so much as them which die before they sinne as did Adam Ro. 5. 14. But death raigned from Adam to Moses euen ouer them also that sinned not after the like manner of the transgression of Adam Ephe. 2. 3. We were by nature the children of wrath as well as others The elect in that same moment that they haue receiued the gift of faith haue after a cerraine sort passed from death to life Ihon. 5. 24. Verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my word beléeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life Whereof they hane a sure pledge the Spirit of God that dwelleth within them and certifieth their hearts 1. Cor. 1. 22. It is God which stablisheth vs in Christ who hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts And chap. 5. 4. 5. For indéed we that are in this tabernacle of this earthly body sigh and are burthened because we would not be vncloathed but would be cloathed vpon that immortalitie might be swallowed vp of life And he that hath created vs for this thing is God who also hath giuen vnto vs the earnest of the spirit Ephe. 1. 12. 13. 14. That we which trusted in Christ should be vnto the praise of his glory In whom also ye haue trusted after that ye heard the word of truth euen the Gospell of your saluation Wherein also after ye beléeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the possession purchased vnto the praise of his glory But this their life is hid in Christ 1. Cor. 1. 7. 8. Ye are not destitute of any gift waiting for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ Who shall also confirme you vnto the end that ye may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5. 2. By whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto this grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God and chapter 8. 23. 24. 25. 26. And not only the creature but we also which haue the first frutes of the spirit euen we do sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our bodie For we are saued by hope but hope that is séene is not hope For how can a man hope for that which he seeth But if we hope for that we sée not we do with patience abide for it Colloss 3. 3. 4. For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ which is our life shal appear then shall ye also appeare with him in glory Vntill this corporall death make them to step a degree further and that the soule being loosed out of the bands of the bodie enter into the ioy of the Lord. Ephe. 2. 6.
lawe as pertaining to God but am in the lawe through Christ that I may winne them that are without the lawe to the weake I become as weake that I may winne the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes saue some And this I doo for the Gospell sake Rom. 1. 14. I am debter both to the Grecians and to the Barbarians both to the wise men and vnto the vnwise Philip. 2. 12. 13. Make an end of your owne saluation with feare and trembling lest that through the deceit of sinne ye should fall away or else lest ye be any offence to the weake For it is God that worketh in you both the will the déed euen of his good pleasure Concerning the second that we do not apply this doctrine to any man particularly or to any certaine company For in this also it differeth from election Because election as hath beene said is reuealed to vs by the spirit of God within our selues not in others whose hearts we cannot know And Reprobation is euer hid from men except it bee disclosed by God contrary to the common course of things For who can tell if God haue determined to shewe mercy at the last houre of death to him which hath spent all his life past lewdly wickedly But this trust ought not to incourage any man to maintaine and continue in his sinne vngodlinesse For I speake of those things which we ought to consider in others For the examples of such mercy of God are very rare Neither any man that is wise will promise to himselfe through a vaine securitie and trust that thing which is not in his owne power Iam. 4. 13. 14. 15. 16. Goe too now yée that say To day or to morrow we will go into such a citie continue there a yeare and buy and sell and get gaine And yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrowe For what is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a litle time and afterward vanish away For that yée ought to say If the Lord will and if we liue we will do this or that Now if we cannot promise the continuance of life vnto our selues how much lesse may we assure our selues of Gods mercie at our pleasure Luke 12. 19. 20. The rich man said vnto his soule Soule thou hast much good lain vp for many yéeres liue take ease eate drinke and take thy pastime But God said vnto him O foole this night will they setch away thy soule from thée 2. Tim. 2. 25. The minister is willed to instruct the euill disposed with méeknesse and such as are contrary minded prouing if GOD at any time will giue them repentance Therefore repentance is not at our pleasure or leasure 1. Pe. 1. 14. 15. 16 17. 18. 19. Fashioning not your selues vnto the former lusts of your ignorance But as he which hath called you is holy so be yée holy in all manner of conuersation And if yée call him father which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your dwelling heere in feare Knowing that yée were not redeemed with siluer and gold and such corruptible things Hebr. 12. 14. Follow peace with all men and holinesse without the which no man shall sée the Lord. And if we obserue this order wee shall receiue great fruite of this doctrine especially in these foure considerations First it maketh men humble and to submit themselues to God Secondly it maketh the grace of God to be better knowne of the elect seeing it is not common to all Thirdly it bringeth a godly care to receiue faith when it is offered and to labour to increase it Fourthly it doth confirme vs against all offences All which reasons are more plainly set downe in the last part of this eight chapter Deo gratia A Praier for the Queenes most excellent Maiestie O Most gracious God and heauenly Father by whose disposition Kingdomes and Kealmes are gouerned and by whose power Kings Princes raigne we giue thée hartie thanks that in thy great mercy thou hast set such a Prince and Quéene ouer vs vnder whose godly and peaceable gouernment we enioy glad tidings of thy Gospell and the truth of thy word in manifest sort deliuered vnto vs with peace and quietnesse and other worldly great blessings of thine in a plentifull measure Endue her so with heauenly gifts that her heart may be alwaies framed to the obedience of thy will that by her godly and gracious gouernment thy name may be glorified thy Church edified the poore members of Christ relieued vertue aduanced and vice beaten downe and punished that so in wealth she may surpasse that prosperitie y◠was in the daies of King Salomon and that in life and health she may so be preserued long among vs to thy glorie and our comfort that the yeares of her royall fathers gouernment may bee doubled vpon her And although we for our parts haue and doo daily prouoke thy wrath against vs and haue worthily in respect of thy blessings deserued the contrary as for the heauenly vlessings of thy Gospell and truth ignorance idolatry and superstition for wealth and prosperitie penury and scarcitie for peace and quietnesse troubles and warres for our health and the continuance of our life diseases and death yet in thy mercy be fauourable vnto vs mollifie our hard and stonie hearts that we may repent mortifie sinne in vs that there may be séene amendment in our liues and conuersation that we may yéeld our soules and bodies to the obedience of thy blessed will and commaundements whereby thy manifold and good blessings and benefits may be both increased and continued toward vs. That the heauens may send downe their raine that the earth may giue forth her plentifull encrease that our garners may be full and plenteous with all maner of store that our shéepe may bring forth thousandes that our oxen may be strong to labour that there be no decaie no leading into captiuitie and no complaining in our stréets wherein we shall be blessed who haue the Lord for our God As for her enemies who séeke her destruction let them fall into the pitte that they haue digged for others and let their owne shame light vpon them And let thy crowne florish vpon her head whom thou hast annointed that in the maintenance of thy truth and of thy people it may be knowne that though the heathen rage so furiously togither and the Kings of the earth stand vp in armes against thée and against thine annointed that thou breakest the bowe and knappest the speare in pieces that thou art able to turne the swordes of her enemies to murther themselues And though the horse bee prepared vnto the battaile yet the victorie is from thée who can mightily confounde her foes and put a hooke in their nosthrilles and turne them backe the same way they came The straunge deliuerances which thou hast wrought in her behalfe both
gospell that toward the latter end of the world heresies and errour shall so abound that if it were not for Gods grace and his instructing spirits euen the elect should bee deceiued and togither with the rest should be danmed For damnation is the effect of superstition and heresie and the diuell blinding vs and deceiuing vs dooth vse that forcible meane to draw vs from the knowledge of God and of our owne saluation Which thing the Apostle writing to the Thessalonians 2. Epistle chapter 2. dooth witnesse vnto vs that false teachers shall come vnto vs to deceiue vs â—y the working of the diuell But among whome shall they preuaile among none but them that perish because they receiued not the laue of the truth that they might be â—â—ued And therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they should beléeue lies and that all they might be damned which beléeued not the truth Many are the heresies that are sprung vp in the worlde and where the word of God is not their guide and the spirit of God doth not teach them there is nothing but wandring going astray in the vanitie of their thoghts For the true God the heathen worship the Sun the Moone and the Starres the Turke his Mahomet another people fall downe before Images créepe to crosses goe in pilgrimage to the reliques of Saintes put the only hope of their saluation in their good workes and if that serue not they make account that the praiers of them that are liuing shall doo them good after they be dead and release them being in torments They make their praiers vnto Saintes and thinke by pardons and indulgences and such meanes to haue their sinnes forgiuen them bee they neuer so many so great so hainous and so gréeuous But when the grace of God dooth teach vs instruct vs and lighten our mindes then all blind superstitions and vngodly heresies vanish away at the triall of the truth euen as the fogges and mistes doo breake away when the Sunne appeareth in his force And well may such false opinions vanish away because they are but vanities Copper beareth a shewe of golde and may bee flourished ouer to deceiue the eye of the simple but when it commeth to bee tried by the touchstone it appeareth to be a vaine thing and a thing of no account in comparison of gold So all superstition and heresies may goe for true religion in the mindes of simple and ignoraunt people but when they come to the touchstone the true triall I meane the word of God then if the grace of God do worke in our hearts by the reading and hearing of the word then wee beginne to denie the vngodlinesse of false religion and daily more and more wee growe in this grace and in the knowledge of his truth The ignorant mindes of the Heathen worshipping the Sunne the Moone and the Starres when GOD graunteth them of his knowledge as no doubt GOD vouchsafeth some they shall vnderstand that the Sunne the Moone and the Starres are but Gods creatures and that there is a Creator that made them and a Redéemer that died for them For the mercy of God shall be preached throughout the world and then shall the end of the world come The Turkes although many of them and that the most part of them mocke and scoffe at our crucified Christ yet the seale of God remaineth sure and some are called to the knowledge of the truth and God forbid yâ— the grace of God should be denied vnto them although thousands of them do perish They may be inwardly touched and God may vouchsafe them of fauour and make them partakers of his mercy and they may beleeue althogh they make not so ample profession of their faith and beliefe Those whom we call Papists who are deceiued concerning the truth of religion and the certaintie of their saluation and giue their names and consent vnto falshood before they haue had iust triall of the truth many of them are not perswaded nor euer will yéeld to be perswaded because the grace of god to them hath not as yet appeared For why they are carried away with high conceits of their owne deceiued mindes They thinke their owne inuentions and traditions to be of equall force with Gods word whereas they should in all humble sort submit themselues theâ— unto they thinke so highly of themselues that by their owne good workes they may deserue heauen so that the saluation of God which commeth by his grace and mercy is troden vnder their féete What are pilgrimages and reliques and praiers to saints and purgatorie but mans inuentions Which they can neuer approue to be good neither shall they euer finde warrant for them in Gods word The grace of God teacheth them to deny the vngodlinesse of mens deuices inuentions and traditions and so much the more because God hath pronounced a curse to them that shall adde or put too or diminish and take away any thing from his word I protest saith the spirit of of God vnto euery man Reu. 22. 18. 19. that heareth the words of the Prophecie of this booke if any man shall adde vnto these things God shal adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any man shall diminish of the words of the booke of this prophecie God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy citie and from those things which are written in this booke Daungerous therefore are the deuices and traditions of men and likewise in a most dangerous estate are they who are ruled by them because that in them are contained many thinges that are contrary to the will of God and to his word What is it for vs to be perswaded that we shal be saued by our good workes although good works be necessary and commanded when the truth of Gods word shal direct vs that only by the grace and mercy of God we are saued and not by good workes let them beare neuer so glorious and glistering a shewe in the sight of men and séeme neuer so much to be approued Ephe. 2. 8. By grace are ye saued through faith that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast himselfe The most righteous men next vnto our sauiour Christ that euer liued when they make their praiers vnto God what say they Say they with the Pharisée I fast twise a wéeke I giue almes to the poore I pay tithe of all that euer I possesse No they come not in with such titles and with so glorious a stile Bâ—t as we reade Dan. 9. O Lord be mercifull vnto vs that haue sinned we haue committed iniquitie and done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and departed from thy commandements O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thée and vnto vs open shame As Daniel so also righteous Abraham confesseth of him selfe I am but dust and ashes and as one of no account God regardeth the humble
and those that confesse their sinnes as for the proude and them that vaunt and boast and make so great account of their good workes God beholdeth them a farre off A lowly an humble and contrite spirit is the onely sacrifice that god accepteth The grace of god worketh lowlinesse and humblenesse in our hearts it frameth vs to confesse our sinnes and by all meanes to endeuour to amend and neuer boast our selues of our good workes or to trust to be saued by them but rather by the mercy of god Although questionlesse they that do not practise good workes and as much as in them lieth labour to lead a holy and godly life shall neuer enter into the kingdome of god nor into the rest of blessed soules And therefore it followeth very well in my text The grace of God teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts Which are nothing else but the workes of the flesh which cannot agrée or at lestwise ought not to be séene in them that are sanctified by the grace of God These worldly lusts and workes of the flesh are such that no man can be ignorant of and they are too too manifest Which are as the Apostle reckneth them vp adultery fornicatiō vncleannes wantonnes idolatry witcheraft hatred debate emulatiōs wrath cōtention seditions heresies enuy murthers drunkennes gluttony and such like Whereof saith he I tolde you before as I also haue told you before that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of god For the performance of our inordinate affections and euil concupiscences the wrath of god commeth If we be led by the works of the flesh we shall die the death Well are they called in the Epistle to the Ephesians 4. 22. Deceiueable lusts because they deceiue vs in the end In the beginning is ioy and pleasure but in the end is destruction According as we reade Prou. 14. 12. There is a way which séemeth right to a man but the issues therof are the waies of death Let euery one of vs thinke that the grace of god dooth thus perswade vs that forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh wee should arme our selues with the same minde as to mortifie the déeds of the flesh and to cease from sinne That hencefoorth wee should liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lusts of men but after the will of god For it is sufficient and more then should haue béene that wee haue spent the time past as the wicked doo in this world Wherein it will séeme straunge to them that we runne not with them vnto the same excesse of riot And therefore they wil not spare to speake euill of vs to defame vs and to cast out many slaunders against vs. Wherein let vs be patient and referre the matter to God they shall answere for their ill deeds and giue accounts to him that is readie to iudge them All the punishments of this life death and death again in another world the seuere iudgement of God who is it that hath any sparke of grace that will not relent and haue remorce that will not now learne to deny their worldly lusts knowing that it shall cost them deare Who in this life would leape into the sea knowing he shall be drowned Who is it that would throw himselfe into the fire knowing that he shall be consumed All worldly lusts are vnderstood by the vncleannesse of the flesh because principally and aboue the rest we are giuen thereunto And therefore 1. Thess 4. 3. This is the will of God euen our sanctification and that we should abstaine from fornication That cuerie one of vs should know how to possesse his vessell that is his bodie in holinesse honour and not in the lust of concupiscence euen as the Gentiles and Heathen and wicked persons which know not God 1. Cor. 3. 16. Know ye not that we are the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in vs If any of vs destroy the temple of God him shall God destroy For the temple of God is holy which we are For our soules our hearts and consciences are the place wherein God should dwell They that follow their worldly lusts and delight in the workes of the flesh and are led by them it is a token that they are past grace and that God hath deliuered them vp to a reprobate minde Rom. 1. So when we do refraine and frame our selues another way it is a token that gods grace doth worke with vs. And that we may say as the Apostle that no fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers buggerers théeues railers extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God And such were some of vs yea such by nature are we all and who can say that either he is not or at leastwise was not in the number So that if it be otherwise we are washed we are sanctied and made clean in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the spirite of our gracious God who sendeth his grace into our hearts For such is the vertue of that spiritual fellowship which we haue with Christ that as the soule naturally ioyned to the bodie bringeth forth her effects so Christ dwelling in vs by faith and by the holy Ghost after a spirituall maner and by a spirituall vertue doth shew his power in vs to inable vs to resist sinne and to bridle the corrupt desires of the flesh Christ by his death hath abated the power of sinne that it can no longer be rancke in vs to do what we wil but dooth by little and little die vntill it be wasted and worne away For as when y◠hart of a man hath receiued a deadly wound he is accounted for dead although he liue a while because he cannot escape death so sinne in the death of Christ hath receiued a deadly wound And by reason of that neare coniunction which by faith we haue with Christ we are said to be dead with him vnto sinne I beseech you therfore brethren saith the Apostle Rom. 12 by the mercies of God that you giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God As indéed it cannot be that where the grace of God doth worke effectually but that we should deny our worldly lusts or at leastwise by little and little cause them to die in vs. They who by a true faith laie holde of Christ and his merits and do apply vnto themselues the death of Christ with all his benefits are also desirous to offer themselues acceptable vnto god For they that by the grace of god are made righteous by the same grace are also made holy séeing that Christ is made vnto vs both righteousnesse and sanctification as we read 1. Cor. 1. 30. Holinesse is a necessary consequent of the grace of god whereby they that are truly touched in all thankfull sort shewe themselues to god and doo approue themselues vnto him in all vprightnesse and innocencie of life Our minds our
giuen for the purchase of a zealous giuing of our liues to those workes And therefore doth the Apostle tell vs that we are not our owne as to frame our liues after our owne liking but we are to serue the Lord both with our bodie and with our spirite because they are the Lords who hath bought them with a price If we humble not not our selues to a zealous following of good works we withhold the Lords due for he hath paide a great price to purchase a good life at our hands and dearly paide for a life ledde in zealous obedience vnto his word For we are not barely to giue some good words either to shewe some good countenance towards religion and Christian conuersation but to haue our conuersation declare that we are affected with the same and become studious of such an estate of life And such are they which declare themselues to be the peculiar people for whome the Lord laide out his life As for those who walke so indifferently betwéene true religion and false that a man cannot discerne whether they are more inclined vnto as also those that walke so euen betwéene a eiuill life and a Christianlike behauiour that the difference is not easily perceiued they doo declare themselues as yet not to be affected in desire toward those dueties which the Lord hath laid vpon his people to performe Now where this purchase of his hath taken place and effect they are become a peculiar people zealous of good workes And if cold and luke-warme christians may haue but litle comfort froÌ„ the death of Christ what shall become of them who are sworne enemies either to true religion or els to a good life and christian behauiour It is said here that we must be purged and so the Apostle would haue vs to become a peculiar people vnto our God zealous of good works Which agreeth with that of S. Peter 1. Ep. 2. 9. Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkenesse into his maruellous light Which in time past were not a people yet are now the people of God which in time past were not vnder me rcie but now haue obteined mercie He gaue himselfe to purge vs which office of purging the holy ghost performeth not by miracle but by meanes as I haue said afore Which spirite of God pray we that it may so worke togither with his grace in our heartes yâ— we may be throughly taught and also perswaded vtterly to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lustes as we haue made a vow and faithfull promise thereof in our baptisme so that we may liue soberly without excesse and riot righteously without doing iniurie and wrong and godly with a care to do all good workes whereby we may please God and liue in fauour and credit among men Spending as much time as remaineth in this life not after the lustes of the flesh or the vanities of the world or after the temptations of the diuell but after the will of God knowing this that if we liue after the flesh we shall die but if we mortifie the déeds of the body by the spirite we shall liue And what though some should mocke at vs for our reformed life and godly and holy conuersation for the diuell will stirre vs vp enemies inough for al such matters we must be prâ—uided prepare our selues before-hand And this is a great comfort vnto vs in that matter to teach vs not to be dismaied but still to hold on our course constantly considering that they that are so wilfully and so maliciously bent against vs shall giue account of their doings to him that is readie to iudge them Rather let vs be contrarily minded vnto them and let vs learne to set out our selues against all worldly hinderaunces whatsoeuer framing our selues to be such as looke for the blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of the Almightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ And let vs not make the death of Christ of so small account as not to be zealous and carefull of good workes séeing he tooke vpon him a bitter death for our sakes not only to deliuer vs from our â—innes but also that we should leade a godly a holie and sanctified life Which God graunt and giue vs the grace that we may so doo And the Lord guide our hearts to the loue of God and to the waiting for of Christ To God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost thrée persons and one euerliuing God be rendred all praise dominion and power now and for euermore Amen Deo gratia solique gloria Here endeth the Patterne of Sanctification To the Right Worshipfull and one of his chiefest friends M. Francis Newport Esquire Iustice of Peace and Quorum in the Countie of Salop S. I. wisheth blessings of God in this life and the ioyes of that which is to come THe remembrance of your former curtesies Right Worshipfull makes me that I caÌ„not forget you when I remember my chiefest friends Wherefore deuising with my selfe how I might in some sort shewe my thankfull mind toward you I could not do it otherwise then by presenting this slender gift of my studie before your eyes wishing praying that the effect and meaning thereof might take so deep a consideration in your hart that it may worke your heauenly consolation assurance VVhose patronage likewise I humbly desire may giue credit and countenance thereunto I should haue remembred the right worshipfull my Ladie your mother but the matters of learning are more fit to bee directed to men of knowledge then vnto that sexe which is not so well acquainted therwith Only this I may say to shewe my good will from my heart and to giue vnto her Ladiship her due that although her estate be worshipfull yet is her report and remembrance honorable As long as she liueth she shall increase it when it shall please God to take her to himself she shall not loose it God requite vnto her and comfort her in her most need as shee hath bountifully relieued and comforted my father and mother and vs his children euen all the houshold of vs. And I doubt not but that many housholdes in Shropshire especially in Shrewesbury may saie the same Yet ought this so much to bee her comfort as that her onlie staie I meane her saluatioÌ„ is wrought by the death and precious blood-sheading of Iesus Christ our Sauiour onlie of his mercy without any desert of ours and by no other meanes whatsoeuer I would to God that many both honorable and worshipfull women in the lande whom God hath inriched no doubt to do good to others and to supplie the wants of those that stand in need would take her course that they might deserue the like commendation and haue the praiers and hearts of the people which is more woorth then all their landes and treasures or
belong to God and yet liue in sin what is it if we come to the church and in an outward shew of good works would haue others to thinke vs to be Gods deare children when neither our owne heartes and consciences neither yet the spirite of God can testifie that we are such as we would séeme to be both before God and in the sight of men S. Iohn saith plainly 1. Ioh. 1. If we say that we haue any company with God and walke in darkenesse doing that which displeaseth God we lie and the trueth is not in vs. Loue and obedience to God shew forth our adoptiō but they that passe not for the commandementes of God shew that there is no loue and obedience in them 1. Ioh. He that saith he knoweth and loue God and yet keepeth not his commandements is a lier Some falsly perswaded themselues that they loue God when they hate their neighbours but the same Apostle telleth them If any man say I loue God and yet hateth his brother he is a liar He that saith he is the light and hateth his brother he is still in darkenesse he that loueth his brother dwelleth in the light but he that hateth him walketh in darknesse and knoweth not whither he goeth for darkenesse hath blinded his eies And moreouer he saith Hereby we manifestly know the children of god from the children of the diuel he that doth not righteously is not the child of god neither he that hateth his brother As the tree is knowne by his frute so is our adoption made knowne vnto vs by godly and christian affections Let vs not therfore any further deceiue our selues in thinking we are the adopted children of god when as yet we haue a greater delight in sin then in god For then our sinful liues shall declare the contrary against vs and shall make vs to be ashamed of our boasting whatsoeuer we shall think or say for our selues It is not our fond and vain imaginations that the spirit of god doth witnesse vnto but a sanctified heart and a cleane soule and a pure life is the house that the spirit of god doth dwel in and which also doth giue such manner of people a full assuraunce that they pertaine to god and that as they are the sonnes of god in this life so shall they be the saints of god in another life Also this is no small token of our adoption when we féele our hearts inclined and our minds maruellous desirous Hearing God◠word to heare the word of god preached According as we read Iohn 8. He that is of God heareth Gods words ye therfore heare them not because ye are not of God For who do more scorne and disdain to heare gods word and do make a iest of it then they who as we terme thē are gracelesse and make litle reckoning whether they be accounted the children of god or no. So that by the contrarie it may euidently appeare that they in whome the grace of god hath taken effect do greatly reuerence and greatly regard the word of god Because not only from time to time it is a meane to seale gods promises in our hearts and to make vs more and more to reioyce in the Lord but also by little and little the selfesame marke in their foreheads And although I might recite more I wil adde but one other token of Gods adoption in his children and that is that they are sorrie Sory to see others offend whē they see other do wickedly and endeuour to withdraw them from their wicked waies giuing them counsell and admonishing them to the contrary hating their sinnes and louing their soules Exhorting also their brethren and sisters to continue in the grace of God according to the counsell of the Apostle Let vs exhort one another and prouoke vnto good workes Take héede brethren lest at any time there be in any of you an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God But exhort one an other daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Praying continually that the spirit of God which hath assured vs of our adoption may rule and raigne in vs and that from so holy a roote may spring godly blossomes as faith loue mercy patience humilitie chastitie desire of Gods word hartie good will to his ministers diligence in praier togither with all increase of righteousnesse They that earnestly and with a good heart heare Gods word and bring foorth worthie frutes they that reuerence and regard the ministers of Gods word they that exercise themselues in all good workes they whose delight is in them that feare God and who make much of the Godly and who also are sorrie to sée others fall from God they no doubt are such who may certainelie assure themselues of their adoption and of the loue and fauour of God So much for the second part of this text noting out vnto vs the assurance of our adoption and confirming vs in the same set downe in these words The same spirit beareth witnesse wiih our spirit that we are the children of God 3. The third part which followeth is nothing else but ioy and comfort honour and dignitie If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with The worthinesse of adoption Christ In which words are conteined the worthinesse of our adoption and that in as high degrée of honour as may be Nowe we are no more seruants subiect vnder the feare and bondage of the lawe but the sonnes of God hauing obtained his fauour through the meanes of our elder brother Christ Iesus If sonnes we are more then sonnes and that is heires and that not of an earthly patrimonie Heires but of the kingdome of heauen Heires of kings or emperours nay more then that heires of God yea and fellowe heires with Christ our Sauiour which sitteth at the right hand of God far aboue al principallitie might and power and dominion in most excellent dignitie A seruant lightly is neuer preferred to that dignitie as to be made an heire and how should it come to passe y◠wee being seruants and bondslaues vnder the spirit of bondage feare should obtaine so great a fréedome and dignitie as to be the heires of God but only through the bountifulnesse of God which passeth all the preheminence and dignitie y◠man can gine or is or would be willing to giue especially to a seruant And how should we that are seruants sinners perswade our selues of so great a dignitie as to be made heires if it were not that the spirit of God did assure our hearts y◠our reconciled God had made vs his children his sonnes and of sonnes heires It is not a thing vsuall in the world that the sonnes of any one man should all be heires no although their progenitors were nobles Our prouerbe is that a man of smal wealth is called bnt ayonger
lament Which although we ought not to wish for yet being laide on our shoulders wee must both patiently and thankfully beare it According to the answeres of Ely the Priest and Hezekiah the King though in an other case It is the Lord let him doo what seemeth him good The Iere. 10. 19. word of the Lord is good which thou hast spoken The will of the Lord be done Act. 21. 14. 2. The next thing mentioned in the text is the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked concerning ioy and sorrow in these wordes And the world shall reioyce and ye shall sorrow Wherein it is worthy the consideration to know and vnderstand what is meant by this word world VVhat is meant by this word world Which generally is taken for the heauen the earth the sea and all thinges therein contained Yet more néerely it is taken for the people that dwell in the world Also the customes and fashions of the people are meant by this word world According to our prouerbe and vsuall phrase This is the world that is this is the dealing of the men in the world and this is practised now adaies Againe it is taken for a spéech of woonder It is a world to sée that is it is a maruellous matter Also for those chiefe desires wherwith men are much led and ouertaken in the world as honour dignitie and promotion riches pleasures All which are of chiefest account and doe most raigne in the world Confirmed by S. Iohn 1. Ep. cap. 2. ver 15. Loue not the world neither the thinges that are in the world If any man loue the world the loue of the father is not in him For all that is in the world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eies and the pride of life that is ambition promotion and honour is not of the father but is of the world And the world passeth away and the lust thereof but hee that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer Elswhere it signifieth the wisdome of worldly minded men 1. Cor. 1. 21. For seeing the world by wisedome knew not God in the wisdome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue ca. 26. And we speake wisedome among them that are perfect not the wisedome of this world neither of the Princes and great men of this world which come to nought Sometimes it is taken for the elect people of God according to that we reade Iohn 3. 16. God so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting And although it be manifest that Christ his death is sufficient for all yet this benefite of his death doth rather properly pertaine to the elect that is to them that truely and vnfainedly haue repented them of their sinnes applying the mercies of God in Ieus Christ to the comfort of their distressed soules and relying and depending wholly vpon Gods promises But most commonly it is taken for the worser sort of the people in the world As it is said that Sathan is the prince of this world 2. Cor. 4. 4. Nay the God of the world because the most part serue him more then then God and in whose heartes and mindes and consciences he doth both rule and raigne The godly are against him and against his procéedinges and therefore by this word world the godly in the world are not meant but rather opposed against them that liue in the world Which is confirmed by the spéech of our Sauiour in his praier to God for the elect and godly Iohn 17. I pray for them which haue knowne me beleeued in me I pray not for the world The world hath hated them because they are not of the world as I am not of the world And in the fiftéenth chapter of the same Gospell verse 19. If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne but because yee are not of the worlde but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you And in this last sence this word World is taken for wicked and naughtie men for the haters and persecutors of Gods truth and his Gospell We know we are of God saith Saint Iohn 1. Epist cap. 5. 19. and the whole world lieth buried in wickednesse and is giuen ouer to euill doing In the world saith Christ ye shall haue trouble afflictioÌ„ persecutioÌ„ ye shal be hated of al men for my sake the Gospels be of good comfort I haue ouercom the world Hauing opened vnto you what is meant by the world The ioy of the world and of the wicked it followeth that I should shew you the difference concerning ioy sorrow betwixt them that are of the world and them that are not of the worlde The worlde hath many things wherein it reioyceth but it is an vsurped and a couâ—erfeit ioy no true and sound ioy For the kingdome of God is not meate or drinke or any thing that the world yéeldeth but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Ro. 14. VVorldly matters 17. As they are of the worlde so are worldly matters the chéefest cause of their ioy as to be in honour and high promotion with Haman and Absolon although they know not how neare they are to the fall to swimme in wealth and riches to fare deliciously euery day and to go in purple fine silke with the rich glutton spoken of in the Gospell to enioy large dominions and great possessions faire houses and pleasaunt orchiards swéete gardens with all things that may satisfie the eie and fill the soule with pleasure like to King Nabuchodonosor that bâ—sted of his beautiful pallace Yea they imagine such continuance that they call their houses lands after their owne names as though they should endure for euer The viole tabret singing and dancing feasting banquetting riot and brauery this is the life the ioy of the world while the troubles of Ioseph are not remembred and the poore altogither forgotten in their sight This was the sinne of Sodom Pride idlenesse fulnes of bread contempt of the poore and néedie So that although the people of Sodome be consumed with fire and brimstone from heauen yet it séemeth that their posteritie remaineth and will remaine vntill the wordes ende till fire come downe from heauen the second time and make a wofull and finall destruction The iestures also and dispositions of the world are giuen vp to foolish reioycing and if any be sober and sadde they are not for their company Childish and péeuish gigling prophane laughter dissolute mirth wanton striking out disordered lifting vp the voice and mirth with incontinencie in euerie place All their life is spent in meriment and pastime as though God had not called euery one to painfulnesse and labour in that course of life wherein he hath placed them In time of diuine seruice when we should
mercy and compassion yea he onely forgiueth because he onely is offended I euen I saith he am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes Yea though they were as redde as scarlet and as a menstruous cloth as the starres of the skie and as the sande of the sea-shore which is innumerable Euen originall sinne which Originall sin is the roote of all mischief within togither with al the branches thereof the lusts of the heart the euill motions of the minde the consent of reason the déed performed He forgiueth all our negligence in not kéeping his commandemeÌ„ts and our transgression and rebellion against them he hath deliuered vs from the guilt and from the punishment and hath fréely inriched vs with life eternall by the merites and intercessions of Christ Iesus our mediatour who is our redemption and sanctification and satisfaction that we might bee deliuered from condemnation for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse by the forgiuenesse of sinnes that are passed This is that righteousnesse of God through the faith of Iesus euen the remission of sins wherunto all the prophets witnesse The Apostle speaketh by way of proclamation Be it knowne vnto you therefore men and bretheren that through this man is preached vnto you the forgiuenes of sins and from all things from which ye cannot be iustified by the lawe of Moses by him euery one that beléeueth is iustified By way of consolation and comfort for they are glad tidings Litle children I write vnto you because your sinnes are forginen you for his name sake By way of doctrine And ye knowe that he was made manifest that he might take away our sinnes In whome we haue redemption through his blood that is the forgiuenesse of sinnes Neuerthelesse though we be fréed from the punishment yet are we subiect Affliction and correction to the correction which it pleaseth god to lay vpon vs either for the triall of our faith and patience or to bring vs to humilitie or for some other occasion which he in his wisdome best knoweth The second branch of the righteousnesse of God by faith 2. Imputation of Christ his righteousnes is the Imputation of Christ his righteousnes wherby we are iustified stand as righteous before the iudgement seat of God not being cloathed with our merits but being inriched with his mercy In coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of which righteousnes we are to cite to summoÌ„ our selues before the tribunall seat of Gods iudgement where we shal vnderstand what is that righteousnes which is required at out our haÌ„ds eueÌ„ a most perfect and absolute obedience of the lawe which reqireth VVhat is the true righteousnesse Man is altogither sinne the heart and a most heauenly purenesse And séeing that man is full of corruption and wickednesse and from the sole of the foote vnto the head there is nothing in him but wounds and swellings and sores and that the head is sicke and the whole heart is heauy contrariwise Christ being man and taking our sinfull flesh vpon him yet being without sinne is in most glorious sort apparelled with righteousnesse yea euen the hemme of his vesture lacketh not vertue being so gloriously arraied in a vesture of broydered gold and néedle worke as the Prophet speaketh from Christ haue we all our clearnesse and puritie all our attire wherein we shine as Angels of light by whom all righteousnesse is deriued vnto vs which the prophet in the person of Iehoshua liuely Zacharâ—ah 3. 3. expresseth Now Iehoshua was clothed with filthy garmeÌ„ts and stood before the Angel and he spake vnto those yâ— stood by him saying Take away the filthie garments from him And vnto him he said Beholde I haue caused thine iniquitie to depart from thee I will cloath thee with change of raiment And I said let them set a faire diademe vppon his head so they set a faire diademe vppon his head and cloathed him with garments and the Angel of the Lord stood by What may be the filthie garments Euen the vncleannesse of our wickednes the impurity of our thoughts our abhominable and daily weltring in our sinnes and vntill they are taken away howe ougly and contemptible are we in the sight of God Which place of the Prophet though some interpret it of Christ in that he was cloathed in our flesh and bare our sinnes yet in respect of vs it may haue this sence and meaning For what are wée else before it please god to take mercy vpon vs He it is that cleanseth vs from our sinnes for his name sake he it is that sawe vs when when we were polluted in our bloode and then he said we should liue euen when we were polluted in our blood he said Thou shalt liue Behold I haue caused thine iniquitie to depart away from thée and I will cloath thée with change of raiment For hee What the rich garment is wherewith the polluted sinner is aâ—â—aied was made sinne for vs that knewe no sinne that wée should be made the righteousnesse of God in him Yea where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more that as sinne had raigned vnto death so might grace also raigne by righteousnesse to eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lorde Which righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ is imputed vnto all and vpon all that beléeue By this imputation we are cloathed with the righteousnesse of Christ through whome we behold the face of God to be vnto vs most chéerefull by whome we haue an enteraunce vnto the father by whose puritie and holinesse all our spottes are couered Without which imputation all our workes are vnrighteous for by the righteousnesse of faith are all our workes made perfect and being ingraffed into Christ and made partakeres of his righteousnesse our The effect of this righteousnesse workes are accounted before God as iust and righteous in whome all our imperfections are blotted out and those workes which are done of faith are accepted through the imputation of Christ his righteousnes For as in vs there is nothing but sinne so in Christ is all our sufficiency vpon whom as vpon the sacrifice was cast that curse of man that his condemnation might be our absolution and our happinesse his righteousnesse according to that of the prophet Dauid who knew it by his owne experience to be most true that the man is blessed vnto whome God imputeth righteousnesse without workes Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not sin that the lord might only be iust and a iustifier of him that is of the faith of Iesus Who tooke vpon him our person was accused for vs and iudged as a sinner not for his owne but for the faults and transgressions of other being himselfe pure and