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
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
not onely as the great prophet expounding it aright and giuing the true meaning thereof against the vaine glosses of the Scribes and Pharises nor yet farther as the great high priest making satisfaction for our transgressions thereof but as the soveraigne Lord and King hee ratified it a royall law for euer And therefore in the Apostles commission he gaue them expresse charge to teach them Age Marcion omnesque iam commiserones coodibiles eius Haeretici quid audebitis dicere Resciditnè Christus priora praecepte non occidendi non adulterandi non furandi Ter. aduersus Marcion l. 4. c. 36. whom they baptised o Mat. 28.20 to do whatsoeuer he had commanded them Now wee know what commandement they gaue vs by the Lord Iesus the very same things in substance as Saint Paul reckons them vp 1. Thess 4. and elswhere which had beene formerly given in command by Moses were at first writtē in mans heart to know to do were ever acknowledged due by the light of nature Wherof they were very careful being tēder least by any means their doctrine of grace by p Rom. 3.31 faith should in that respect be misconstrued Wherefore the law remaines the perpetuall rule of our duty The Case whereby we should liue vnto God his glory though it be now altogether vnsufficient for our safety q Rom. 8.3 being weake through the flesh r Rom. 3 v. 19. Now we know that what things soever the law sayth it saith to them who are vnder the law from the which none are exempt Iew nor Gentile Christian nor Heathen that euery mouth may be stopped and all the world become guilty before God For by the deedes of the Law there shall no flesh be iustified in his sight Which wee are taught euer to acknowledge to the praise of the glory of his justice and mercy in the latter part of the prayer First that being shut out for the present from the tree of life in the Paradise of GOD whereof wee might haue eaten and haue liued for euer we now justly stand bound ouer vnto death liuing only vpon sufferance and begging our bread from day to day Secondly the guilt of sin by Natures admonition doth continually gaule our consciences with c Ipsa confusio verecundia quae semper turpitudinum castra sequuntur quasi crudelissimi carnisices conscientiae lacessunt improperant peccatori instant quasiquaedam Eumonides agitatrices furiae reprehensionis stimulos cordi saucio offigentes Ipsa se malitia praejudicat punit Arnold Bonaeval de operibus sex dier cap. 16. shame sorrow and feare whilest we doe nothing but trespasse one an other and all against GOD transgressing his righteous Law whereby our life is lost and death the forfeite and penalty of natures bond is a debt due by vs which we can not avoyde nor recouer vnlesse God shew mercy and forgiue Thirdly praying against temptations wee acknowledge that euery thing in the world which should haue beene for our wealth is now by Gods just proceedings become vnto vs d Quibus accedendo animae consentiendoque quam invexere sibi adjuvant servitutem sunt quodam modo propriâ libertate captivae Boeth lib. 5. pros 1. an occasion of falling For it is iust with God to e Fiunt eadem peccata peccatorum supplicia praeteritorum suppliciorum merita futurorum Aug. l. 5. c. 3. contra Iul. Pelag. punish vs by the same things wherby we haue offended him whilest through lust we take to heart all occasiōs of sin as tinder takes fire vse all means with rage and fury as fire doth fuell to accomplish our owne destruction These are the f 2 Tim. 2.26 snares of Satan vvherein hee taketh men captiues at his pleasure these are the chaines and fetters of darknes whereby he leadeth thē on that they g Psal 69.27 fall from one vvickednes to another and neuer come into the righteousnes of God without his speciall grace and mercy Thus h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Ioh. 5. v. 19 Heb. 2 14. he that hath the power of death that is the Deuill being Gods executioner holdeth men captiues through the feare of death all their life long and all the long life of eternall death vnder the power thereof i Psal 49.14 which gnaweth vpon them like sheepe that lye in Hell where the worme dieth not and the fire neuer goeth out Yet howsoeuer it fare with vs God neither will nor can be defeated of his glory who k Eph. 1.11 Non fit praeter cius voluntatem etiam quod fit contra ejus voluntatem Aug. Enchiric 100. worketh all things wonderfully after the counsell of his owne Will euen whilest hee suffereth them to doe what l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cùm enim sit potestas natura liberae potestatis nihil neque naturae necessitate neque legis sanctione facit Nemesius lib. de naturâ hominis c. 38. possibly they can against the Lavv of his revealed will prescribed vnto them For he will get Himselfe glory vpon the proud and haughty and vpon all that forget God as he did vpon m Exod. 14.17 Pharaoh and his Hoste in their just confusion and vtter destruction So that the very n Rom. 3.5 vnrighteousnesse of men will they nill they shall commend the righteousnesse of God o V. 7. vvhilest the truth of God doth more abound through their lye vnto his glory And by his speciall grace and providence this generall defectiō shall turne in the end to the advantage of his Elect in the advancement of his glory Who knoweth to bring light out of darkenesse and good out of evill p Rom. 9.22 What if God vvilling then to shevv his vvrath and to make his povver knovvne suffered at the first and q Quod non statim in peccatores vindicat patientia est non negligentia Non isle patientiā perdidit sed nos ad poenitentiam reservavit Aug. de verbis Apost Serm. 35. endure still vvith much long suffering the vessels of vvrath fitted to destruction And that hee might make knovvne the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy vvhich he had prepared vnto glory CHAP. II. The Couenant of Grace The Articles and Authors of Grace The Sonne of God the Mediatour 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 How shall we be saued and God be glorified by vs BY grace we are saued through faith The articles and authors of Grace whereby God is glorified For wee by faith receiuing the benefit giue him the * Eph. 1.6 praise of the glory of his grace whereby he prevents vs wherein he accepts vs wherewith he succours vs hauing first brought saluation vnto vs will finally bring vs to salvation according to the articles of
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
therefore his will is a law to vs and our obedience is true loue vnto him And weebeing many are thereby knit together in one body holding the vnity of the spirit in this bonde of peace Wherefore as wee vowe in baptisme that we will keepe Gods holy will commandements and walke in the same all the daies of our life so by this other sacrament wee renew the same vow so often as wee receiue it repenting our sinnes past the transgressions of that righteous law resoluing and stedfastly purposing thorough Gods grace to leade a new life in all thankfull obedience vnto him and true loue and charity amongst our selues Wherevpon we receaue the blessed sacrament of Christs body blood most deepely binding our selues thereby to performe the same and in the assured faith of Gods grace and helpe that wee may walke in the strength of this spirituall food the way of life by the law prescribed vnto vs. When first the couenant was confirmed by Moses with the Israelites at Horeb The Law conditioned God gaue them the law they accepted saying a Exod. 19.8 all the words which the Lord hath commanded wee will doe and be obedient And when he renewed the same couenant with them in the land of Moab they gaue their faith that they would obey And so doe wee b Deut. 26.17.18 They avouched the Lord to be their God and so doe we the Father Son Holy ghost and God auoucheth the holy catholike Church as then he did them to be his people They promised to walke in his waies and to keepe his commandements and his iudgements as they expected his blessing c c. 27. they bound themselues with an oath and with a curse all which in effect wee likewise doe to liue as becometh his saints euen as wee expect his mercy to forgiue vs our sinnes and the power of his grace to bring vs to ternall life Wherevnto we binde our selues by vow and consignation and as it were by contesseration in the sacraments The law was not only giuen and required by God but approued accepted by them in their hearts to doe it as their mouthes professed In which respect Moses said d Deut. 30.14 the word is very nigh thee in thy mouth and in thine heart that thou maist doe it Howbeit they breake their faith giuen and their spirit was not stedfast with God a Ps 78.37 Their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his couenant But now hauing renewed his couenant as he promised b Gal. 3.7 with the children of Abraham that are by faith the holy catholike Church that they shall be his people and that he will be their God c Ier. 31.33 Lex dei in cordibus scribitur non quia per naturam praeventa sit gratia sed quia per gratiam reparata est natura August de ver a innocent cap. 258. hee puts his law in their inward parts and in their hearts he writes it euen the communion of saints thorough faith that worketh by loue For beleeuing in Christ Iesus we doe thereby acknowledge that the Law is holy iust and good Holy in respect of the things commanded else were not wee sinfull who haue disobayed nor needed wee a mediatour Iust in respect of the penalty inflicted else why should Christ haue dyed that wee might be deliuered Good in respect of the end purposed life to the doer Which Christ hath done and liues for euer and wee also by faith in him If the same minde be in vs that was in Christ Iesus to be obedient to the will of God vnto the death d Cant. 8.6 Loue is stronger then death The couenant indissoluble that neither life nor death can dissolue the communion betwixt God his church or any true member thereof Whom hee hath set as aseale vpon his heart as a seale vpon his arme to loue and to defend for euer For so hee saith e Heb. 13.5 I will neuer leaue thee nor forsake thee f c. 6.7 And being willing more abundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the immutability of his counsell he hath confirmed his word by the sacraments in his blood g v. 8. That by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye wee might haue a strong consolation who haue fled for refuge to lay holde vpon the hope set before vs. We may therefore be bolde vpon it if need be to lay downe our liues for his sake in whom our life is hid with God knowing that euen in death wee shall be more then h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.37 conquerours thorough him that loued vs. i Mat. 20.22.23 Can ye drink saith Christ of the cuppe wherof I shall drinke and can yee bee baptized with the baptisme wherwith I shall be baptized And they said we can And hee said yee shall So must all a 2. Tim. 3.12 Act. 14.22 suffer affliction some way or other that will liue Godly It is the portion of our cuppe and calling conditioned by God vndertaken by vs in these sacraments whereby we are assured that b 2. Tim. 2.12 if we suffer with him wee shall raigne with him Wee are baptized into the death of Christ And the holy communion is not only a sacrament of the grace of life vnto vs but a sacrifice of vs vnto God and a protestation of our seruice vnto him euen vnto the death after the example of Christ Iesus In c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Monumenta salutaris passionis Basil in cannonditur 1 Cor. 11.26 commemoration of whose meritorious sufferings with a thankfull remembrance thereof wee c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Monumenta salutaris passionis Basil in cannonditur 1 Cor. 11.26 se◠forth his death vntill he come d Rom. 12.1 offer vp our selues a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God thorough Iesus Christ consecrating vowing our selues whatsoeuer we are whatsoeuer we haue wholy to his seruice who hath redeemed vs. e 2 Cor. 5.14.15 For the loue of Christ constraineth vs because we thus iudge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that hee dyed for all that they which liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him that died for them and rose againe f Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let vs offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruite of our lips giuing thankes to his name v. 16. not forgetting to doe good and to communicate for with such sacrifice God is well pleased CAP. II. Faith working by loue according to the Lawe The Law established by faith Gods law our prayer Faith in the Trinity denies not the vnity of God Christ the only image of God to bee worshipped by faith in his name By Prophanenesse Hypocrisie Blasphemy the name of God vnhallowed The Christian sabbath of the holy catholike Church The sabbath not