vsurie to the pit of hell as God shall cleerely manifest vnto vs what it is and as we alreadie doe so farre as we are come To the second question I answer that if we did permit vsurie yet it cannot stand in equall ballance with a stewes for to sinne against a mans goods is lesse than to sin against a mans person and continuance and chaste preseruation in this world That God that will establish the chaire of estate to superiours in the fifth commandement will giue superiours chiefly in charge the life of man in the sixt next to that that their life may not stinke to heauen will haue it preserued by honestie in the seuenth next to that because honest persons must be maintained by honest meanes will haue iustice in the eighth in the ninth commandement that honest meanes may bee settled vpon honest persons will haue truth vsurie therefore failing against the iustice of the eighth commandement though detestable in it selfe yet from Gods order seemes to me to be of a shorter size than the Stewes which fighteth against the person in the seuenth The last beautie of our religion which I shall speake of is this That our religion needs not policie to maintaine it It hath preuailed in all ages since Iesus Christ against all power against all policie The bloud of the Martyrs hath bin the dung of our Church And as Pharaohs policy when he would work most wisely could not preuaile against Israel so in the greatest Egyptian darknesse vnder the dominion of Antichrist our Church could not be so obscured but that she hath felt the strength of Romes policy the stroke of her power without her subuersion And at the time when it pleased God to make light to shine out of darknesse that our religion might by degrees climbe againe to its wonted glorie what could the power of the Emperour with the policie of the Pope preuaile against a poore weake man Luther who came with the spirit of power in the name of the Lord For the further propagating of our religion it neither hath neither doth it stand in need of policie If wee should hold a Councell wee need none of the trickes of the Councell of Trent We need not either propound our Canons in such ambiguous termes as will admit of diuers constructions Vpsalensis and Armachanus were created Arâ—h bishops as we reade in the Councell of Trent who yet were Nullatâ—ncases like the ancient Oracles of Apollo neither need wee to create either Archbishops or Bishops to fill vp the number that our voyce may be the more full who haue neither Church nor Diocesses Wee need no bloudie Inquisition to clap the title and punishment of an Heretike vpon euerie one who doth smell either by conuersation or conference of a religion opposite to vs wee need not that Idoll sacrifice of the Masse to fill our purses that poore and poeticall conceit of purgatory to warme our kitchins their Auricular confession to make vs terrible by being of the secretest counsell wee defie to purge either Fathers or any other Authors of their true meaning to make them our witnesses or to be so exact in the prohibition of Hereticall bookes Mar. Anto. de Dom. prosectionis consilium p. 8. 9. that carefull Students in Diuinitie yea Bishops may not reade bookes contrarie to our opinion without licence wee say with the Apostle Iudge yee what I say doe not sweare to the truth of our words except ye finde them so yea of the common people into whose hands many Popish bookes doe fall wee doe but desire this fauour that they would reade them with our answers and humbly desire God that they may finde out the truth remembring thaâ— sweet speech of our blessed Sauiour Iohn 7.17 If any man will doe Gods will hee shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether we speake of our selues Pia mendacia We abhorre godly lies as they terme them to worke deuotion blinde obedience equiuocating can finde no countenancing amongst vs yea our religion perswades to die and manfully to confesse the name of Iesus rather than thus to lye Neither these nor any other trickes of policie blessed be God doe we stand in need of but confidently expect the turning of Achitophels wisdome into folly and the ruine of the spirituall Egypt and Sodome of Rome in Gods due time notwithstanding all her politike factors and agents throughout the Christian world Thus haue we considered the first motiue to further our desiâ—es to be and to be still of the true Church amongst vs. The second is that in it we may inquire 2 Matter of direction in it and haue full and sound direction to bring vs to life eternall And that it is thus amongst vs may be seene in two things First in this that we haue the oracles of God to consult withall Rom. 3.2 as the Apostle calleth the Scriptures Euery meane Artizan with vs may winde vp his heart from all the distractions and troubles of this world by a daily conferring with God out of the diuine acts of his owne heauenly wisdome The booke of God is or may be in euery mans house and hands And if the word of the great Cham of Tartarie standeth for a law because he is blasphemously called of his subiects the sonne of God and the shadow of God Filius Dei Vmbra Dei Anima Dei. Colos 3.16 and the soule of God then infinitely more worthily doe we account the word of our God to be a law vnto vs it being the shadow of his wisdome And therefore he commanding the Colossians no vnnecessarie obedience we hold it as necessarie for vs that the word of Christ dwell plentifully in vs. Yea we account it our happinesse that as in the Island Rhodes the Sunne is neuer so masked with a cloud but that once in a day it doth shine vpon it so our worldly imployments doe neuer so dampe and darken our spirituall life light and heat but that there is or may be at the least some little comfortable intercourse betweene vs and the word of God day by day if we be not our owne enemies We are sure that we are bound to follow Gods will and therefore we are not afraid to know it Yea we hold it our dutie as Gods children to looke into our Fathers Will and Testament that we may be the better furnished not to breake it And if at any time we neglect the reading and searching of the holy Scriptures we doe desire God that he would send his fatherly rod to whip vs vp to more diligence and to say vnto vs as Aristippus said vnto one who asked him what was become of the friendship betweene him and Aeschines It is asleepe but I will awake it Can we thinke it a fault deseruing burning to haue and to reade a Bible in our natiue tongue Or can we be so miserable as not to obey God in reading
we loue the bag better than the Pulpet and we delight more to prare with them for ours than to pray with them for themselues and theirs we are spots and blots in the beautifull assembly of the Saints What beauty is it to see those that should liue in Heauen and draw their people after them to liue in the holes of the earth like Moles and muck-wormes Who will beleeue him that saith Heauen is the best place in the world when all his businesse is to make his nest vpon the earth I dare not say that there ought to be no care for earthly things for we haue bodies that doe depend vpon vs as well as soules but when the thorns do so choake the good seed in vs that the beauty of Gods house decaieth then woe vnto vs. Thirdly it may be done by our wickednesse if the white Nazarites become as blacke as coales if Iacobs smooth voice be accompanied with Esaus rough hands if studies be turned into tap-houses and tauernes and holy tongues which should speake blessings into tongues of wantonnesse and vanity how doth the beauty of Gods house in vs looke like a stinking dunghill to all godly beholders In the feare of God therefore cast we these filthy coales out of our hands we haue sinned against Gods beauty too much already and these miserable times doe call for more beauty in our selues and for more godly care by praying preaching and examples that more of Gods beauty may appeare in those congregations ouer which God hath made vs Shepherds Oh it is a fearefull case to refuse operatiue knowledge Hosh 4 and to forsake the law and fearefull shall be the iudgement vpon such Priests Hosh 10. they shall weepe for want thornes and thistles shall grow vpon their altars Vse 2 Thus haue I spoken vnto you my brethren and so vnto you as I haue not forgot my selfe behold if you will not heare I will turne vnto the people Listen my beloued you haue heard that Gods house hath glorious beautie to draw you to loue it I beseech you by the mercies of God to yeeld vnto two suites which I shall make vnto you My first suit is that you willl bee prouoked and fiered with this beauty I could tell you that the name of this place is the Lord is there that Iesus Christ walketh about this candlesticke that the Holy Ghost is present to second the word in the hearts of all beleeuers that the good Angels doe pry into with admiration the holy fellowship which we haue with God and man but though I doe passe by the beauty of persons the beauty of things may through Gods blessing preuaile with vs. Would you goe to heauen It is the beauty of Gods house which shall lift you vp thither Would you faine see Satan vanquished it is the beauty of Gods house shall doe it the preaching of the Gospell shall make Satan fall downe from heauen like lightning Would you discouer the wickednesse of your owne hearts that you may amend It is the beauty of Gods house that is the discerner of our thoughts and intents of our hearts Heb. 4.12 13. Would you willingly see God in his ordinances and more than an earthen vessell in the congregation of the Saints It is the beauty of Gods house that will manifest the secrets of your hearts vnto you 1 Cor. 14.24 25. and will make you fall downe on your faces and say plainly God is in vs indeed It is true indeed you will say that you can pray and sing Psalmes and that you can haue the word of God at home and therefore this is no such great beauty But let me say with the Apostle Heb. 13.22 I beseech you suffer the words of exhortation for I haue written vnto you in few words as if I should say It is necessary that with a good heart you goe to behold the beauty of Gods house in the preaching of the word because the Scripture is so briefe My second suit is that you would doe your best to make the beauty of Gods house appeare more beautifull through you He that seeth the worth of a thing thorowly will doe his best to make it appeare the more worthy through him both in affection in word and in action he will thinke of it more intirely hee will speake of it with greater praises commendations and if it be within his reach and he be capable he will doe his best to procure it So let vs deale with the house of God and the beauty thereof let vs thinke of it as of the glory of Israel the testimony of Gods presence Let vs not thinke our best words too good for it either in thanksgiuing to God that we haue had it thus long or in praying to him that hee would be pleased for Christs sake to continue it amongst vs still or in commending it to others and perswading them to giue it that right and place in their hearts which it requireth and for our actions ô that we would liue worthy of it Holinesse becommeth Gods house for euer from which if we degenerate what can we expect but that God should take away this beauty and giue vs vp to vile affections to goe a whoring after our owne inuentions What shall I now say vnto you I will put you in minde of a pretty custome in Hungary If an Hungarian bee called a coward he doth neuer wash off the disgrace except he haue proued himselfe in single combat with a Turke I confesse I haue done as much as called you all cowards He that vseth switch and spurre doth as much as tell others that his horse is dull and he that vseth pressing exhortations and motiues doth all one as if he should tell them that they are dull of hearing and too slow to right their owne causes against the propensity of their cursed natures to the contrary You shall neuer wash off this aspersion except you enter Duell with that damnable Turke Security I might tell you how it lulleth vs asleepe in a cursed peace and makes euery one of vs from top to toe neither to minde heauen nor hell how it makes vs pollute our consciences and sinne against them for a friend for a see how it makes the foundations of the earth to be out of course but I passe these things and intreat you only to see how it makes vs prophane Gods Sabbaths pollute his ordinances because it doth blinde vs from seeing the beauty of the Lord. Oh therefore as wee loue God and our soules let vs fight against it by walking as in the sight and presence of our God and as by thinking speaking doing all things in this meeting as if the great king of heauen and earth were with vs in our charge inquiry verdict and sentence so by humbly crauing at Gods hand with the blinde man in the Gospell Lord that I may receiue my sight that wee seeing Gods beauty may admire it we admiting it may
the Scripture except some holy Father grant vs a licence to doe it No as those blessed instruments who made vs acquainted with Gods voice in our mother tongue might reioyce more than hee that made the Harpe of Thales whereby he did appease the tumult of the Lacedemonians so we account it our ioy our reioycing that God speaks not vnto vs in an vnknowne language but that we can conferre with him as our fathers and mothers doe talke with vs when they either doe or should traine vs vp in the knowledge and seruice of God What shall we say then my brethren Surely as Peter said to CHRIST Whither shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life so let vs say to the Church of God amongst vs To what Church shall we ioyne our selues seeing here are the words of eternall life If we grow surfetted and weary of so diuine a blessing let me in the feare of God vpbraid you as Themistocles did the Athenians who were sicke of him Are you weary of receiuing so many benefits from one man So Are you weary of receiuing so many comfortable blessings from one booke Well I say no more of this but pray to God to giue you vnderstanding in all things and intreat you all but to thinke vpon this one thing Bona à tergo formosissima that good things are best when they turne their backs and will most wound our soules in their losse when wee are driuen to say Had I wist The second thing wherein the full and sound direction in our Church for them that doe inquire doth stand is this that as we haue the word so we haue the assistance of the learned for the ministeriall declaration and application of this blessed rule Doth Gods carpenter who should square the Church of God by the rule of the word onely dwell at Rome Or hath any one there a commission from God to square out the faith and manners of a Church by his owne propheticall wisdome without direction from the once giuen written rule No surely as we know no such man by the glasse of Gods word so blessed be God wee finde good workmen at home God hath giuen the gift of tongues to our Church whereby she can present vs Gods holy word in our owne language and lest shee should be taxed of keeping the key of knowledge from others as also chiefly to shew her loue to God in executing her office shee hath done it already that Gods name may be great amongst vs and the meanest member of our Church may follow the direction of our blessed Sauiour Iohn 5.39 to search the Scriptures Act. 17.11 and the example of the Bereans to try whether those Texts which we alledge to proue our Doctrines be so or no. Beside the gift of tongues God hath giuen to our Church the gift of Interpretation We pray to God with Dauid Psal 119.18 Lord open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law We desire and endeuour in our practise to haue an equall respect vnto all Gods commandements Agant orando bene vâ—vâ—ndo ut â—ntelligant and because we cannot doe as we would we are full of that heroicall motion of Dauid Oh that my wayes were so direct that I might keepe thy statutes Psal 119.5 and all because God may not iustly keepe away the light of his word from vs. We yeeld vnto Gods whole truth so farre as we are come and can conceiue it lest God should deliuer vs ouer to beleeue lies We compare spirituall things with spirituall things one place of Scripture with another carrying the sense along according to the scope and circumstances of the place and neuer willingly varying without cleare testimonie from the word of God from the generally receiued sense of the true Church of God Though sometimes in respect of our persons we looke like priuate Elihu rebuking the Ancients Iob 32.6 1 King 22. and like priuate Micaiah defending the truth against many false Prophets yet we speake by the publike Spirit of God as the mouth of the Lord hath spoken in the Scriptures yea we are so carefull that the true sense should be giuen that we subiect the spirit of the Prophets to the Prophets and confidently resolue that whosoeuer shall plead a spirit expounding contrary to the Scriptures is not an administrer but a diminisher of Gods meaning Againe if any controuersie or difficultie doe arise can we say as the Pope that we are Iudges in our owne cases or that we are the Iudges of that which shall iudge vs in the day of Christ No we hate such partialitie such blasphemie We haue the Holy Ghost Act. 15.28 Iohn 16.8 Es 2.4 Psal 119.106 Iohn 12.48 Luke 16.29 who rebukes the world of iudgement and iudgeth amongst the nations and pronounceth righteous iudgements by the word which he hath spoken and speaketh so loud as we may heare him as the hearing heart knowes full well to satisfie vs in our doubts And because we are slow of heart and dull of hearing and must heare by the hearing of the eare to haue the truth of Gods word brought home vnto vs Act. 15.27 therefore as Iudas and Silas were sent to speake by mouth so haue we the ambassadors of God that are in Christs stead to publish and apply the sentence of the Holy Ghost Or if that be not enough as when there was great dissention betweene Paul and Barnabas and them of the circumcision there was a putting ouer to a Councell to determine that question Act. 15.2 so haue we lawfull Synods Councels and Assemblies and all this that the doore of faith may be opened vnto vs so long as they are built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ephes 2.20 Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone Oh blessed be the Father of lights and the God of all consolation who hath giuen vs this comfortable direction How miserable were we if we had not the word whereat wee might inquire And how much comfort should we want if we had not the ministerie of it to declare and apply it vnto vs As therefore it is with the heart of man though naturally it be heauy yet it is not carried downeward but with another naturall motion for the health of the whole bodie it is carried to and fro so though naturally we are carried after nouelties and are too too apt to follow the directions of our owne mindes yet by another naturall motion of grace let vs in our eager desires be carried after our Church where we haue such compleat direction for a godly and humble Christian soule Catâ—â—dra in calis habet qui corda moâ—â—t Thus haue I whetted your desires to pant after the type and the truth It is God that must moue your hearts vnto it To prouoke you therefore to pray vnto him to this end remember that as a white shield was anciently giuen to
Doctrine and secondly to Manners and because both these are in danger in these last and perillous daies In which respect Iesus Christ saith Apoc. 16.15 Behold I come as a theefe Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments of faith and loue lest he walke naked and men see his filthinesse therefore we must watch for the health and securitie of them both First we must watch in respect of Doctrine that so we be not nuzled vp in falshood and errour There is a stabbing of our soules as well as a staruing of them and that is by false doctrine against which wee must watch For the pressing whereof I shall keepe the same course which I did in the former namely to shew you wherein it standeth and how we may be stirred vp to the practise of it If first you aske me wherein this watchfulnesse in doctrine standeth How wee must watch in doctrine Philip. 3.2 1 Thess 5.21 I answer It standeth in a holy care to obserue that rule of the Apostle to the Philippians Beware of dogs beware of euill workers beware of the concision And that to the Thessalonians Trie all things and keepe that which is good 1 Iohn 4.1 And that of Iohn Trie the spirits whether they are of God When we are thus vigilant and watchfull ouer that doctrine which is taught vnto vs as the men of Berea who as they receiued the Word with all readinesse so they searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so or no Act. 17.11 which were taught vnto them when wee are carefull not presently to admit of euery point that is shrowded vnder the authoritie of a Teacher 2 Cor. 1.24 Who hath not dominion ouer our faith when we are not sluggish to enquire and search into euery doctrine that is offered vnto vs but doe humbly resigne our selues vnto Gods teaching Psal 25.9 14. Psal 119.18 34 Iohn 7.17 doe pray that God would open our eyes that we may be taught doe striue to doe the will of God that wee may know of the doctrine whether it be of God or no and doe get a forme of doctrine or the doctrine of the beginning of Christ Hebr. 6.1 2. or the doctrine of Baptismes and laying on of hands or whatsoeuer else you will call the grounds of Religion laid downe by way of Catechismes and vse all other meanes appointed for the finding out of the truth then may wee be said to watch in doctrine If in the second place you shall aske me what may stir vs vp to be watchfull in doctrine Motiues to watch in doctrine I doe humbly offer vnto your considerations diuers motiues First by this meanes we shall discouer those drugges of falshood which by the deceit of euill workers are gilded ouer as if they were no other than Gods truth It is possible that the Deuill should transforme himselfe into an Angell of life and that falshood should bee so washed ouer with craftie distinctions and a seeming allowance of Scriptures and hore-headed antiquitie that it may be taken by the simple hearted for no lesse than truth Ye know that though God be the Ancient of daies yet the deuill hath beene from the beginning and that both truth and falsehood got into Paradise and that the deuill hath had a succession of his seruants as well as God of his Ministers and that it hath beene an old tricke of the deuill to them that rested in the Scriptures to alledge Scriptures Scult Delit. Euang cap. 30. pag. 109. as to Christ whether by mutilation or deprauation as some dispute it it is no matter That we may not be deceiued therefore and drinke the poison of Antichrist in stead of the wholesome liquor of Gods truth and that without suspicion it is necessarie that wee watch in respect of doctrine Secondly by this meanes we shall be brought to reuerence and obey our Pastors and Teachers I know that our aduersaries will tell vs that this watchfulnesse in doctrine is the next way to make the people which are as sheepe to be Iudges of their Pastors who are as shepherds which is as much as if wee should say that by setting a watch in the night-season to examine all passengers wee make them Iudges of Superiours who are many times stayed by them the folly whereof is apparent to the simple For though the people doe examine according to their charge yet they are so farre from passing iudgement otherwise than by the helpe of such meanes as God hath appointed by applying the rule of the Word to the Doctrine to be ruled that it breedeth vnspeakable respect when the people shall see that their Teachers teach them no other doctrine than that which is warranted by the word of God Thirdly to this end God hath giuen the gift of tongues and interpretation to the Church that we might haue translations whereby we might be enabled to doe it Euen as when a King doth will a Proclamation and cause it to be published he doth it to this end that his subiects may examine their actions sutable to that matter in hand and reforme or conforme accordingly So when God doth giue authoritie and power vnto men to publish his will in the Scriptures in our vulgar tongues he doth it vnto this end that we should examine our doctrines and deeds by it and know and liue accordingly Except therefore that we will not answer Gods end and expectation we must watch ouer Doctrine Fourthly this is one reason why the Apostles did confirme their doctrine by the Scriptures of the old Testament to wit not because they wanted authoritie to put what they deliuered vpon the word of God but because we might be drawne on and encouraged to see the consent of the Prophets and Apostles and to search with the men of Berea in the Scriptures for those doctrines which wee doe entertaine Fiftly and lastly we may be moued to watch ouer that doctrine which is deliuered vnto vs by considering what glorious meanes in appearance the aduersaries of the truth haue to gaine vpon our affections that they may infatuate our iudgements For doe but marke what vsually they plead first against vs and secondly for themselues Against vs what is more frequent in their mouthes and writings What the Papists plead for themselues Walsingh search into matters of Religion than to vrge these two things first that we haue no other doctrine opposite vnto them than that which hath beene taught vs by vicious deformers of religion such as Luther was who as they say besides his notorious wickednesse receiued by his owne confession some of his doctrines from the deuil secondly that as it seemes out of the guilt we haue in our consciences and suspicion of the badnesse of our cause we refuse disputations and other publike trials Oh what faire pretences are here if they were true to draw our hearts to hearken to their Antichristian doctrine But as we loue our
and faggot If it be thought that yet this need not bee feared amongst vs I know it well yet we may see by the former considerations what is like to be the successe and we are not quite without experience in those disputes betwixt Mounsieur de Moulin and the Iesuites of France with whom he had to doe who had still the vpper hand in the report of their faction when time soone after hath brought other truth to light Fourthly though they dispute not by proclamation yet they dispute by print for their bookes doe daily flie abroad and they are occasioned in this kinde to doe more than they doe As B. Abbot D. Whitâ— Parâ—râ— c. while they suffer themselues to be beaten backe after their first assault and leaue our champions triumphing in the field Thus we must watch for those things which they plead against vs that so we may preserue our doctrine next wee must watch for those things which they plead for themselues which otherwise may shrewdly shake vs and moue vs in our minds before we are aware But what are these Marke I pray you They will tell you of their Scripture What the Papists plead for themselues Walsingh search out of the defence of the censure holinesse humilitie learning miracles dangers and other wonderfull conueniences of their religion And oh how plausible are these in the sight of a naturall man First they wâ—ll tell you that they haue expresse Scriptures for a great number of their doctrines which they hold against vs which wee cannot auoid without glosses Scriptures and wee haue no expresse Scripture against them And how faire doth this appeare to him that is willing to rule his conscience by the word of God therefore watch I pray you Concerning the supremacie of Peter and so of the Pope they will tell you that Christ said to Peter Marth 16.18 Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church But these words are not plaine to that end for hee doth not say Thou art rocke and vpon thee rocke I will build my Church but Thou art Peter and answerable to thy name which signifieth a stone thou hast made a confession of Christ which shall be and is a rocke whereupon I will build my Church But as for vs we haue plaine Scripâ—ures against that proud supremacie 1 Cor. 3.11 for other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid which is Iesus Christ And if it be said that Peter and the Pope are successiuely ministers and supporters in the same foundation then the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 12.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there are diuersities of administrations but the selfe-same Lord and for matter of ministerie wee haue it plainly that the Church of God is built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ephes 2.20 as well as vpon Peter that is vpon their doctrines and confessions Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone For their breaden-god in the Sacrament they will tell you that they haue expresly the words of Christ Matth. 26. saying This is my bodie Yet our Sauiour doth not say This is my naturall bodie which was borne of the Virgin Marie or This is my bodie as it shall be when I am glorified because we know that he had his mortall bodie sitting at the table with his Disciples which had not yet suffered death But as for vs though we need not any such phantasticall place as should say This is the signe of my bodie because we doe beleeue that in those words of promise Christ doth expresse his plaine meaning according to the nature of the thing that he hath in hand which is the Sacrament and that hee had not spoken so plainly and so fitly if hee should haue said This is a signe of my bodie because he was to represent in those words vnto his Church that in the faithfull receiuing of those signes and seales they should haue whole Christ with all his merits conueyed and setled vpon them Yet this wee haue in plaine words against Christs corporall presence that the heauen must containe him till the time that all things be restored Act. 3.21 Againe for their iustification by works they will tell you that they haue expresly the words of Iames which say that of workes a man is iustified Iam. 2.24 and not of faith onely Which yet are not so expresse as they dreame for by works the Apostle must needs vnderstand the cause with the effect or a liuing and working faith made manifest by works both because otherwise the Apostle would neuer bring in the Scripture which proueth iustification by faith and say Vers 23. that the worke of his offering vp of his sonne was the fulfilling of that Text which speaketh of faith as also Gen. 15.6 because otherwise it would be an absurd inference to say that because Abraham beleeued God Vers 24. therfore ye see that man is iustified of workes and not of faith onely Any man may see that the Apostle to cut the combes of Securitanes who rested in a naked idle and vnprofitable faith saith that we cannot be saued but by that faith which worketh out our saluation Phil. 2. or proceedeth in the way to heauen by loue because it is onely such a faith that iustifieth vs which of necessitie goeth before saluation But for vs wee haue plaine words which tell vs euen when the Apostle speaketh of purpose of iustification that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law therefore by faith onely Rom. 3.28 Rom. 4.5 and that we must renounce in this case euen the works of righteousnesse which we haue done Tit. 3.5 Ephes 2.9 10. and those workes whereunto we are built in Christ Iesus that we should walke in them Againe for the keeping of the Law they will tell you that they haue the plaine words of Paul which say Rom. 2.13 that the doers of the Law shall be iustified which yet are not so plaine as they pretend because they speake no other but with vs that the Law containeth a patterne of perfect righteousnesse and that if we could doe it we should be iustified by the deed Suppositivè But for vs we heare the Scriptures speake plainly that in many things we sinne all Iam. 3.2 1 Iohn 3.4 and that if we sinne we doe transgresse the Law Againe for that proud and cursed doctrine of merit they will tell you that the Scripture often saith plainly Rom. 2.6 that God will reward euery man according to his works Rom. 4.4 yet we see plainly that there is wages counted by fauour as well as by debt in which respect Gods reward may argue Gods free loue and mercy and promise and not our desert especially considering what Christ who teacheth vs not to lie doth teach vs to say that when we haue done all things Luk. 17.10 which are commanded