that they possessed the same with this coÌ„dition that what soeuer they had they must hold as of him shew the same also in deed in effect to be so And therwithal also that there should be oblations bestowed vpon the poore of those tithes for it is not said that the priests shuld eat and drinke vp all but keepe themselues within compasse thereby to shew that they were not exempt from the generall law but were beholden to God for the food which they did eat and that all came from his pure meere goodnes We see then how that the tithes which were conteined in the law were especially for the people of Israel And yet notwithstanding the tithes were verie common amongst the Heathen euen for kings princes and noble men Wee see likewise by prophane histories that they were also exacâ—ed and that in some countries they exacted more then in other some according to the â—ertilitie and goodnes of the soile for it was â—ot so great a charge to the husbandmen â—hat had fatte soyles and plentifull bearyng groundes to pay the eight part as it was to â—hose that had but leane and barren ground to paie the tenth part But bee as bee may this worde Tythe or Tenth hath beene a common and ordinary amongst all nations And all Princes and great men as I haue alreadie saide sithens the Ghospell was receiued haue bestowed part of the tithes towardes the maintenance of the Ministers of the worde as is verie great reason according to the saying of Saint Paul That they which ministred at the Aulter in the olde Testament were mainteined that they which at this daie sacrifice vnto God after a more excellent manner that is which winne soules vnto him to make of them sacrifices vnto his maiestie that they should also bee as well prouided for and mainteined and although GOD hath not quallified how nor by what manner of reuenue they should bee mainteined yet is there a lawe for it Now then sith God hath been knowne through the preaching of the Ghospell a Christian order and lawe hath been made for the giuing and bestowing of one part of tithes And herein wee may see the deceit of the Pope and of his shauelings for when they handle the lawe of tithes in their Canons they take it as if it were transferred to them after that Iesus Christ had put an end vnto the priesthood of Leuy All these are very leasings falsefying the holie scripture wickedly corrupting the same For we see to the contrary as hath been before shewed that it is long ago sithence that it was not knowne what the paying of tithes was by vertue of the lawe of Moses and they were always paide either to the Emperour or to some other perticuler great men But now sith the thing hath bin so ordeined so therin be no abuse and to make men belieue contrary to all truth that it came from the holy scripture but to be taken for a politike law Let vs hold that rule which Saint Paul setteth downe 1. Cor. 9.9.10.11.12.13 to wit That wee musle not the mouth of the Oxe when hee trauelleth to feede vs and therefore it standeth with a far greater reason that they which preach the doctrine of the Ghospell ordeined in so excellent an estate shuld not be abridged and depriued of their maintenance but be verie well waged Now as I haue alreadie saide when tithes and such like are bestowed vnto a good vse we must not so straightly looke into the matter as to aske the cause why it is so as many fantasticall fellowes will who at this day could bee contented to turne the whole world vpside downe saying O it is no time now to paie tithes for seeing the thing hath been so long abused it is no reason it should any longer continue Then must wee by their saying scrape out all for they think that Christianitie consisteth in changing the colour of the Sunne and the Moone But if there be any thing that is to be amended as I haue said as if the Papists haue brought in any false opinion let that be vtterly abolished But in the meane while let vs hold vs vnto al good ordenance to wit let the tithes and all such things that are for the maintenance of the poore and the Ministers let these thinges bee reduced vnto their lawfull vse and let not vnsaciable wide gullets deuour all Let them not consume them vpon their superfluities in pompes drunkennes and other dissolutenes but let them know that these are holy goods which ought to be reserued for the vse of the Church as well for the maintenance of the poore as I haue alreadie said as also for the feeding of those which serue God and his people Thus wee see that it was fit wee should touch by the way the lawe concerning tithes and let vs now go on with that which followeth Moses now returneth to the king of Sodome of whoÌ„ he had before spoken and ceaseth to speake of Melchisedech Hee saith that the king of Sodome would haue nothing els but the personnes and leaue all the spoyle to Abram As if hee would haue saide that hee demaunded no whit of that which was taken from him by his enemies for hee knew verie well that Abram had wonne it by conquest he onely required but the persons and his dwelling place Wee know not whether he did this hipocritically yea or no considering that all was in AbraÌ„ his hands or whether hee thought in truth that hee was worthie of all and that it was inough that hee and his people were rescued from the handes of his enemies But how euer it was it is saide that Abram refused that offer that hee would take nothing that was his no not so much as a thread or a shoolatchet That is to saie not the worth of a pinne as wee commonly say saue that saith hee which the yoong men haue eaten for they came not thither to paie any reckoning and besides they could haue no lesse reward for ventring their liues to deliuer the Sodomites Well sir as for that which they haue eaten let that I say alone but as for those that came with mee Aner Eshcol and Mamre they must needes haue their portion of the spoyle for I will abridge them of no whit of their benefite neither is it for mee to impose a law or matter of necessitie vppon them I am liberall and therefore I can in no wise straighten nor measure them Let them then take their shares as for mee I will haue nothing And for the better confirming of his speech hee saith I haue lifted vp my hand vnto the Lord the most high GOD possessor of heauen and earth as if hee would haue said that hee had sworne and would performe it because it was not lawfull for him to call backe his word and so thereby stoppe his mouth about the matter Wee see heere that Abram his meaning was to eschue all offences when
vnto God wee must beleeue that God is and that hee is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him VVee cannot come then vnto God except we beleeue that God is that is to say we must not be wauering nor doubtfull but wee must bee firmely and constantly assured that that God which created heauen and earth is hee who sheweth himselfe vnto vs and whose will wee knowe both by the lawe and Gospell and not to reason what God is as the poore heathen haue done who haue beene so maruellously tormented about it and haue runne themselues so farre into such a Labyrinth and Maze as that they could neuer winde themselues out of it againe But we know that God is manifested vnto vs in that he is beneficiall vnto vs for our saluation And thus much for the first point The second is that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seeke him Now this word Rewarder importeth not that God rendreth that vnto vs which he ovveth vs but that vve shall not bee frustrate in putting our trust in him And therfore vve must looke after vvhat manner vvee aske him For if vvee vvill bring our vvorkes vvith vs that is euen to kicke against God so farre off is it for vs to bee vnited vnto him by that meanes And saint Paul saith that vvhen the Ievves thought to trust in their vvorks and put their hope of saluation in them that they hurt and vndid themselues and that vvas the cause of their breake necke insteede of going forvvard VVherefore if vve vvill seeke God aright vve must without all doubt cast from vs all vaine presumption of our ovvn strength For seeing he hath adopted vs of his meere fauour and grace it is most certaine vve shall neuer be accepted of him except it bee because hee forgiueth vs our sinnes And thus saith the Apostle shall vve be assured that if vve seeke God after this sort vvee shall neuer bee frustrate And for the same purpose is it saide I am the Lorde which brought thee out of Vr of the Chaldees to giue thee this Lande to inherite it This is as much as if God hid bound himselfe a newe vnto his seruaunt Abram declaring vnto him that he should not need to feare but that which he before heard should be accomplished and that although the effect thereof was deferred and prolonged a great while yet must hee walke patiently knowing that God speaketh not in vaine and besides that hee hath his times and seasons for the accomplishing of his will And that it lyeth in him and in his secret counsaile and is not to be brought to follow our appetites and humours But yet wee are to note that God confirmed the faith of Abram by his auncient benefites For hee faith I brought thee out of Vr of the Chaldees And this made Abram to trust a great deale more vnto God whenas he had already found by experience that God was his father and Sauiour For by how much that we haue heretofore felt pi the goodnes aide and helpe of God by so much more should we assure our selues of him for the time to come Thus wee see how the experience of the time past should still more and more assure vs afterwarde And this was the pretence of God in saying I haue brought thee out of Vr of the Chaldees As if he should haue saide it is not now onely that I haue shewed my selfe to bee thy God but thou hast felt that I haue vpholden thee with a mighty outstretched arme thou wert vtterly cast away and a poore damned soule and yet did I take thee vnto my self to the ende to saue thee And therefore sith I haue pluckt thee out of the bottomlesse pit of hell let my grace which thou hast now felt be an inuincible fortresse vnto thee and I for my part also will so continue No we it is certaine that we haue this generall rule also from God which is that one grace which hee bestoweth on vs dravveth another vvith it For hee is neuer vveary and this is a spring that can neuer be dravvn dry therfore let vs boldly dravv out of it and vve shall bee sure to find alwaies more and more to fill vs vvithall Thus then vve see what this saying importeth I am the Lord which brought thee out of Vr of the Chaldees After that God hath set before vs his maiestie and shevved himselfe to bee the maker both of heauen and earth hee bringeth in this as an especiall matter vvhich is that Abram had felt and knovvne him to bee such a one vvhen as hee had pluckt him out of the bottomles depth vvherein he vvas and he addeth To giue thee this land to inherite it Heere as I haue already said God renueth all the promises vvhich he had made to his seruant Abram because he should make a collection of them For faith ought to haue this priuiledg to heap vp together vvhatsoeuer may defend it against all the temptations and assaultes of Sathan Here we see what the cause is of the ruine of a great many of men that is their negligence and securitie For as I haue already saide they thinke themselues to be great Doctors when as they haue learned but one sentence out of the holy Scripture yea they suppose that they haue euen inough of it But when they shall come to the tryall they vvill shew themselues then to be but empty vessels For if the Diuel fiâ—d but the least hole to enter into them hee will poison them with his deadly poison much like vnto a broken tile vppon an house for the raine that shall run in at the brokennes thereof will in processe of time rot the whole house Euen so fareth it with such as think themselues too too well learned and yet are in very deede most blockish dunces whom the Diuell after finding an hole in so entreth in thereat as that the house falleth quite and cleane vnto the ground Now we must not be weary in profiring but make a good big collection of all the promises of God and alwaies haue a feeling of the fruit of them and not onely so but wee must also labour continually to increase our faith as it is very needfull because it will euer be weake And to be short we must still go on from fâ—ith to faith It is said that God gaue the land of Chanaan to Abram It was in very deede already giuen him as we haue heard in the twelfth Chapter And this was reiterated vnto him many times his eares were now well beaten with it It should seeme then that this was an vnprofitable and superfluous kind of speach But as I haue alreadie said this was an inestimable benefit vnto Abram whenas he was thus refreshed and comforted that hee might not faile but still follow the holie calling of God Moreouer wee are to note that God entertaineth him onely with wordes And herein we see what honour we are to beare him and not distrust
himselfe but hy reason of him whose figure he beare as Dauid was far greater then all the Angels when it was said of him Thou art my sonne Psal 2.7 Hebr. 2. ◠this daie haue I begotten thee This was not spokē saith the Apostle of any Angel and yet was Dauid a wretched sinner the sonne of Adam euen as well as any of the rest And how then is it here that he is so highly exalted as that the Angels are made inferiors vnto him It is because that this figure represented the maiestie of the sonne of God not the person of Dauid alone Wee must then come to this point that Melchisidech could not bee aboue Abram but in regarde of the truth which he figured And therefore wee must conclude that Iesus Christ was euen then declared to the end that the beliefe of the faithfull might bee altogither grounded on him because there was none other saluation giuen vnder heauen from the beginning but the same which is at this daie reuealed vnto vs in the Gospell Now it is true that there is a common kinde of blessing For to blesse is oftentimes taken in the holie scripture for to praie as hereafter wee shall see that one common man blesseth another saying God blesse thee as when we salute one another they are blessings this is the common phrase of the holie scriptures But there is a singuler blessing which is reserued for the priestes And therefore marke why it is so often saide in the lawe The priestes which blesse the people in the name of God that is to say which haue that authoritie giuen them thereto And the same forme hath been deliuered vnto vs in the sixt Chapter of Numbers where it is said Num. 6.23.24.25 26. Luk. 1.24.50 Thus shall the priestes blesse my people The Lord blesse you and keepe you the Lorde make his face to shine vpon you And againe The Lord be fauourable vnto you and grant you his peace Thus wee see what a form the Lord hath set downe in his church And for this cause also it is said when as Iesus Christ ascended into heauen that he lifted vp his handes ouer his Apostles as the priestes did to the end to accomplish the figures of the lawe in blessing his Disciples This then is the blessing which is heere spoken of Hebr. 7.7 And marke why the Apostle reasonneth not without cause that it must needs be that Melchisedech in this qualitie was farre more excellent then Abram because hee blessed him And yet is Abram the father of the whole Church We are therfore to conclude that our Sauiour Christ hath a farre greater maiestie then any earthly maiestie hath or can haue and that in the person of the Mediator Wherefore all power and dignitie must bee subiect vnto him and regard him and both great and small must acknowledge and confesse that God his father hath giuen vnto him the chiefe aucthoritie euen in this humane nature of his and euery knee must how and kneele vnto him Thus we see how these wordes of S. Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians are to be vnderstood Philip 2.9.10 And this is it which we are to remember It remaineth now that wee apply these wordes to our own vse benefit that is we must not doubt but that Melchisedech blessed Abram in a figure euen as at this daye our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the euerlasting Priest blesseth vs in the name of God his Father For this praier which is here set downe is not in vain but must needes bee effectuall because wee know that it could not bee otherwise chosen but that he must needs be heard Let vs therfore conclude that so long as wee put our trust in Iesus Christ wee haue him for our Aduocate towards God his Father And although we are cursed in Adam and do daily bring a new curse vpon our heads through our sins transgressions yet notwithstanding the same shall hereby be blotted out prepared in that our lord Iesus christ vouchsafeth in deed in truth to take vpon him the office to blesse vs. We see also the praier which he once made in the gospel after S. Iohn in this maner Holy father I do not onely pray here vnto thee for these to wit Ioh. 17.20 21. for the eleuē apostles and Disciples which he had chosen vnto himself But I pray also for all those which shall belieue in my name through their preaching that they may all be one in me as I am one in thee and that wee may be all one In this sort did our sauiour Iesus Christ pronounce these words out of his owne month to wit that he praid not for his Disciples alone which were of his own company but also for as many as belieue in him through their preaching Let vs heere then learne that when soeuer wee shall imbrace the doctrine of the Ghospell in true obedience that wee be surely persuaded that the sonne of God is giuen to vs for our souereign and onely good Thus we see how powerfull his praier will alwaies be for it is needlesse for him to beginne the same at euening at morne euerie day For it is sufficient that he hath sealed it with his blood and by that onely and euerlasting sacrifice which hee offered vp once for all For wee are assured to haue our praiers heard when as we pray vnto God in the name of our lord Iesus Christ For our praiers shuld stink yea infect the aire if wee considered what God is and afterward considered what wee our selues are Howbeit our praiers are made holy through the priestly blessing of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ vnto whom we must looke that wee might bee partakers of all his benefites Thus we see in summe how we are to applie this saying of Moses vnto our benefite and the building vp of our faith where it is said That Abram the father of the faithfull was blessed We see herein that Abram as of him selfe was accursed sith hee was faine to borrow the priestly blessing And Melchisedech also right well knew that there is nothing in vs but miserie and wretchednes and that it is God that must blesse vs and that we must imbrace it with all humilitie if wee will enioy the benefite that is brought vnto vs by our Lord Iesus Christ and which hee daily offreth vnto vs by the preaching of the Gospell Now hereupon Moses reciteth the blessing of Melchisedech BLESSED ART THOV ABRAM saith he OF GOD MOST HIGH possesser of heauen and earth And blessed bee the most high God that hath deliuered thine enemies into thy hand hee blessed Abram in the name of God as wee haue alreadie alledged out of the law Wee must not heere vnderstand that when the priestes haue the office to blisse that it proceedeth as from their owne authoritie and that God hath resigned his office ouer vnto them and his honour and praise to be thereby so
much lessened For when God worketh by his Ministers yet loseth hee thereby no part of his dignitie neither is his power therby by anie whit obscured or yet anie thing of that which he giueth taken from him But it pleaseth him to vse these means with this cōdition that men should alwaies come againe vnto him not draw any one drop of good from any other fountain then frō that spring head Here we see namely why it is said Blessed art thou Abram of God most high as if Melchisedech should haue said that he is nothing of himself nor can do any thing as of himself But seeing that God had called him to serue him that he should also call vpon him testifie likewise his name vnto Abram We see then that it is the office of Iesus Christ to blesse that is to say to make vs agreeable vnto God to blot out all the iniquitie that is in vs. But this must conduct vs to God a great deale hier that is vnto the inestimable loue of God the Father Rom. 8.32 who spared not his onelie son but deliuered him to death for vs. When the principall cause of our saluation is shewed vnto vs the scripture setteth before vs the loue of God Ioh. 3.16 God then so loued the world as that he spared not his onely sonne Thus wee see how wee are blessed by the priestly power of this Sonne of GOD. Howbeit the Father notwithstanding calleth vs vnto him that wee might honour him and acknowledge so great a benefite that it hath pleased him to bestow vppon vs euen through that spring-head To be short we see here that all the good which wee are to desire and hope for commeth from God alone from whome alone we must looke to receiue and haue the same Euerie man desireth to liue easily and pleasantly and to haue whatsoeuer he thinketh to bee fit for him And this is a wish which is common both with the good and the bad But fewe there are that seeke for their felicitie in God They desire all to bee happie and blessed and yet they make no account of him from whome all blessednes and felicitie proceedeth And this kinde of dealing is like vnto a man which were so meruellous thirstie and feeble as that he were readie to giue vp the ghost withall and another should come vnto him and say Behold here is a verie fine spring of water and yet hee would not once vouchsafe to drinke of it and should haue there also water and wine and yet would not once come neere to taste of the same Euen so fareth it with such as desire and couet to vnderstand whatsoeuer commeth into their said braines and which they also knowe to bee meete and requisite for them and yet notwithstandyng doo contemne GOD and will in no wise come neere him Let vs then learne that as often as we desire to haue either for our soules our bodies that which is to be wished to begin at this end that God is merciful vnto vs and doth so receiue vs to his mercie as that wee may approach and haue enterance vnto him and may be so satisfied with his benefites as may bee profitable for our saluation Thus then wee see what it is that wee are to obserue by this saying That Abram is blessed euen of the most high God After this Melchisedech addeth a blessing in that God had giuē victory vnto our father Abram AND BLESSED saith hee BE THE LIVING GOD THAT HATH DELIVERED THINE ENEMIFS INTO THINE HAND By this we are admonished alwaies to ioyne praise and thankesgiuing vnto God with the petitions and supplications which we make vnto him as S. Paul also sheweth vnto vs in his Epistle to the Philippians Philip. 4.6 when hee saith Let your desires and petitions be manifest to God That is to say bite not vpon the bit saith hee as the infidels do when as they see this thing were good and fit for mee They complaine But wherefore Their hearts are euen closed vp and neuer come vnto GOD to craue at his hands the things which they want And therfore the Apostle saith in that place Poure put your petitions thoughts and desires before God that is to say whē you know your selues to want this thing and that seeke for the benefite where it is and there you may finde it to wit in God Let your praiers supplications and thankesgiuings shewe that you are before God when you haue praied as I haue before said Let your thankesgiuing bee conioyned with your petitions For if we pray murmuringly with a grieued and discontented minde that is to blaspheme his holie name And therefore our praiers must be a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour For we do him great wrong and iniurie when as we will make him to submit him selfe and be subiect to our appetites and not be contented with his fauour and grace We see then why we ought to be roundly admonished as often as we pray vnto God to render vnto him also praise and thanks yeeld our selues wholly to his will and acknowledge and confesse all the benefits which we haue receiued at his hands as in the Psalme it is said Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble Psal 50. and I will heare thee 〈◊〉 and thou shalt praise and glorifie me And after this sort wee see howe Melchisedech doth here the like as touching Abram Now that we may the more familyarly comprehend this matter we are to note that our praiers are to haue regard as wel vnto the time past as vnto the time to come for the time past to confesse vnto God the benefits which we haue alreadie receiued of him and for the time to come to craue of his maiestie that it would please him to continue and perseuere the same his mercie vnto vs as he hath begun euen vnto the end Now we are here especially to note this one thing that althogh Abram was so mightily aduanced as to be made the father of the faithfull to be blessed of God with all vertues and to haue a most excellent spirit of faith yet Melchisedech neuertheles told him that hee was continually to go forward and increase from grace to grace vnto the ende and daily haue recourse vnto God to call vppon him For when he blessed him he read him eftsoones a lesson which hee was well to looke vnto and to practise the same also all the daies of his life If it behoued then Abram continually to call vpon God what graces soeuer he had receiued and how honourable soeuer he was and yet notwithstanding must alwaies bee exercised in praiers and supplications what then shall become of vs that are so far inferiour vnto him in all these things Thus then wee see why I haue said that our praiers should haue respect vnto the time to come seeing wee haue alwaies need of God his helpe to haue mercie vpon vs and heale vs and more and
we see that it is humilitie that leadeth vs vnto our Lord Iesus Christ that wee might be partakers of the righteousnes which he bringeth vs. Now humilitie is not such a maner of thing as many suppose it to be as to shewe a godly and humble countenance before God but we must be so bare and emptie of any good thing in vs as that we must cast our selues downe at his feete and acknowledge that wee are nothing els but miserable and wretched sinners and so without al hope of saluation as of our selues Thus we see how wee come vnto his mercie which is by the feeling apprehending of our miseries And these two things caÌ„not be seperated For why is it that God taketh pitie vpon vs and helpeth vs Forsooth it is because he beholdeth our miseries and that is it which stirreth and moueth him to mercie And see also why S. Paul treating of our saluation saith Ephe. 2.8.10 you are not saued as of your selues it is the gift of God throgh faith for ye are his workemanship because hee hath created you in Christ Iesus vnto good works which he hath before ordeined that ye should â—oo them Here Saint Paul excludeth whatsoeuer good opinion wee can conceiue of our owne power when as he saith Go to now if ye shal attribute any part of commendation of saluation vnto your selues and yet thinke that you haue not atteined thereunto as of your selues but that you haue been holpen therein see how this geare may or can stand togither For you were created mortal men that is to say Sinners and therefore all accursed banished and estraunged from the presence of God in whom is all goodnesse And therefore you must conclude that you are all as it were dead Wherefore there must be a new and a second amendment and reparation before you bee any thing in the sight of God And when you haue been regenerated in Iesus Christ the same then is called a new creation And therefore euerie one of you is the creature of God when as he hath formed and called you vnto himselfe without anie disposition therunto for your owne part but God hath prepared good workes by his holie spirit Seeing then that it is thus we may very well conclude that our saluation commeth no whit of our selues no not one drop of it but is the onely meere gift of God proceding of his owne liberality Thus then we see as touching the first point that for the obteining of mercy and grace at God his hands wee must truly acknowledge our selues what we are how miserable our estate conditioÌ„ is that we are all but castawaies Now wheÌ„ I speak thus it is not meÌ„t that our knowledge must be a rouing vnderstaÌ„ding swimming in our brain but our harts must by it be deadly wounded that we may feele the iudgements of God so to terrifie vs as that wee may bee brought almost into vtter dispaire For how shuld we know what a benefit meat drink is except we were touched with hunger and thirst For if we were stuffed ful we would continue so we would neuer seek after crum nor crust as we say but it is hunger that driueth vs to hunt after victuals for when wee are sicke wee seeke for remedie but if a man wer so sensles as that he felt no kind of grief he would die an hundreth times before hee wold call for help or yet once desire it wherfore as I haue alreadie said wee must bee so touched with our miseries as if we wer dead in deed as if wee felt that death whereof the scripture speaketh that wee might attaine to that life whiche our Lorde Iesus Christ offereth vnto vs by his Ghospell and this is the cause why the scripture so often reproueth and as it were condemneth vs for our sinnes For God taketh no pleasure in dealing with vs after this maner but because he knoweth the necessitie thereof So then looke how many threatenings sentences of condemnation of reproofes and such like are in the holy scripture they are euen so many Mallettes to knocke vs on the heads to bring vs vnto that humilitie which wee are so farre from vntill such time as hee hath violently in such sorte mortified vs. And thus much for this straine Moreouer we must come to a larger account and reckening of that which hath bin already spoken which is that vntill such time as we haue beheld our miseries in the word of God wee shall be lulled in a dead sleepe in our hypocrisie become very careles and this securitie will cause to contemne the word of God and so by little and little be quite and cleane excluded from it Now God hath set before vs our condemation namely in the lawe and in verie deed all the scripture is full of them and when it is said that it is profitable amongst other thinges it layeth out the reproofes And besides we knowe what the Ghospell teacheth 2. Tim. 3.16 Mat. 3.2 4.17 Repent and amend for the kingdome of God is at hand Thus wee see how God disposeth his elect to receiue the free righteousnes which he bestoweth vpon them by his sonne which is that wee should repent and amend And what is the meaning hereof Forsooth there must be such a sorrow and griefe in vs for our sinnes as that we must condemne our selues for our wickednes and be reuenged of our selues as S. Paul saith â— Cor. 7.9.10.11 for hee setteth not downe only the word Sorrow and Feare but â—aith that wee should haue such a vehement desire and zeale as to be as it were a duenged of our selues because wee are so great enemies vnto God Now although this doctrine is met withall in all the holie scripture neuertheles God hath especially or deined his law for that purpose and therefore it is why Saint Paul saith rom 7. That it bringeth nothing but wrath When as wee shall thronghly weigh and consider that which is spoken wee shall finde God to be against vs and cannot come neare without it be to haue him armed and thundring against vs clearly to destroy vs. True at is that the law right well sheweth vs what it is to liue righteously and to attaine thereunto if we were capable therof as hereafter shal be more largely handled It is written in Leuiticus That who soeuer shall do these thinges shall liue by them but in the meane while let vs see whether we come anie thing neare vnto that which God commandeth vs yea or no In very deed we are so arrogant and proud as that the law vntill we well vnderstand it can neuer bee able to conuince and conquere all our fond presumption For we see how Saint Paul Rom. 7.9.10 who from his youth was trained vp and instructed in the law and a Doctor thereof yet notwithstanding saith that hee still presumed on his vertues and thought himself to be a very righteous man because he knew
be 6 And Abram belieued the Lord he counted that to him for righteousnes WE heard yesterday how Abram in making his moane vnto God because he had neuer a childe to be his heire mistrusted not the promise as many of vs will murmure and grudge if hee by and by yeeldeth not vnto vs that we desire and which best liketh vs. Now Abram would not do so but contented himselfe that hee felt God to bee good and gracious vnto him and that hee was his both in life and in death For he neuer went further but the thing which he only looked vnto was which way the promise might be accomplished Now he had in very deed promised the Redeemer and for that cause was he so earnest to haue issue but not in any worldly respect as we haue heretofore said but because he could not otherwise be persuaded that God loued him And this is the rather confirmed by the promise which God made him for hee granted him his request euen at the very first reproued him also for his doubting thereof because God had giuen him his word before For he said HE SHALL NOT BE THINE HEIRE but one shall come out of thine own bowels he shal be thine heire No doubt of it God many times graunteth vnto men their vnaduised requestes but we see heere that he aduowed his seruant Abrams desire And it was not without cause forsomuch as he craued nothing els but to haue the promise ratified by that meane that it was required but because he was ouer hastie God said vnto him no and repulsed his ouer vehement hotte desire not but that hee might lawfully require to see the Redeemer howbeit wee must alwaies keepe a measure and how euer it is rest vppon the prouidence of God because he knoweth when it is best to do vs good And therfore we must patiently abide his leisure for as the holie scripture saith it is the verie propertie of faith so to do To be short we see here how God sheweth that Abrams request in desiring to haue issue liked him well considering to what end he desired it And because hee saw his weaknes hee would needes adde thereunto some confirmation and brought him out of his Tent and said vnto him LOOKE VP NOW VNTO HEAVEN and tell the Starres if thou be able so shall thy seede bee But if there bee such an infinite number of Starres as that they shall dazle thine eyes when thou wouldest looke vpon them to tell them euen so shall thy seede after such an vnaccustomed sort bee multiplied as that men shall wonder thereat by reason of the strangenes thereof Now as we haue alreadie handled in the twelfth Chapter this place cannot otherwise bee interpreted but that Iesus Christ is the head and direct line as it were of the seed of Abram for we shall heare hereafter that Ismael was begotten and yet for all that the promise was not accomplished notwithstanding that he was the naturall sonne of Abram but not as Saint Paul saith the naturall sonne of the promise And therefore wee must not take this here to be a carnall generation but looke higher to wit Galat 4.23 we must discerne betweene the children of Abram as they are in their estate and order whereby they are knowne and aduowed to be the children of God and those that bee bastardes although they come of his race For although Isaac begot Esaw and Iaakob and Esaw was the first borne and both of one woman yet for all that was Esaw turned quite and cleane out of the doores Now no man could perceiue the diuersitie why of these two children Iaakob should bee preferred before the other consideryng that they were conceiued both at one time borne both at once and besides Esaw the first borne And why then is hee accounted as a straunger and to haue neyther roome nor place in this spirituall inheritance which GOD promised to Abrams posteritie The reason is because the blessing was taken from him and giuen to his yoonger brother but yet he had the right of the first borne Wee see heére then in summe that if wee take all those to bee the seede of Abram which come of him as concerning the flesh wee shall finde neither reason nor yet sound grounde heerein Againe although God adopted all the posteritie of Iaakob yet was the greatest part of them made straungers vnto him Wee see also why GOD so oftentimes disavowed them by his Prophets Wherefore there must needes bee a chiefe and principall one of this seede or else we shall neuer bee able to haue the truth of this promise No doubt of it they spake not onelye of Iesus Christ as some haue ouer rawlye done but this order also must bee kept that is wee must set Iesus Christ before vs and bee conioyned togither in him and then this vnion will cause vs to be holden and reputed the children of Abram Wherefore there could bee no such seede as is here spoken of except Iesus Christ were the head and wee vnited to him as members of his bodie and thereby to be of the house of God and so consequently of the house of Abram Now we see that God made this seede to seeme small that he might encrease it And this is a kinde of dealing which seemeth straunge vnto the world but wee must all be brought to be acquainted with this For according to the common opinion when wee speake of seed the first borne must bring in the second and so all the rest one after another Now God dealeth otherwise when as hee will haue seede yea such a great number and multitude as that it would make a man abashed to see it and GOD so cutteth off abridgeth and diminisheth it as that in time it commeth so to passe that it seemeth to bee as it were quyte and cleane consumed and no whit left thereof as in the tenth Chapter of his Prophet Isaiah he saith but hee doth it because hee would within a while after multiply the same beyond all mans reason and expectation to the ende his wonderfull power might bee the better knowne and all men thereby bee forceably driuen to worship him For although there descended of Abram maruellous many people as first of all the twelue Tribes besides the Ismaelites and the Idumeans yet was there neuer so great a multitude in his house as came by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ For they which apperteined not vnto Abram as concerning the flesh were notwithstanding made his houshold meney For as we shall hereafter see he was the father of all the faithfull in generall Wherefore the posteritie of Abram was far greater when as hee lessened that which descended of him concerning the flesh then if he had let them all to haue remained and continued still We are therefore heereby admonished not to measure the workes of God according to our opinion and fantasie but giue place vnto his incomprehensible power and be contented when he hath
said the word that he is of power able to accomplish the same as hereafter it shall be more at large handled In that God brought Abram out of his Tent where he dwelt and made him looke vp to heauen to behold the Starres thereof wee shall not need to busie our selues about this childish subtiltie as how God compareth the church to the Starres because we are citizens of the kingdome of heauen dwelling here vppon earth as strangers alwaies trauelling further For this is not the meaning of the place And also where wee haue heeretofore spoken of dust some men in a speculatiue sort haue thought the Church to bee there set downe vnder the image and figure of dust and that the world shuld make no account of it these are nothing els but more trifling toyes without any sound ground But we see why God set before his seruant Abram the Starres of heauen to looke vppon them euen that hee might behold his power not by his owne discourse reason iudge of the truth of this promise which in the naturall conceipt of man was incredible For we shall neuer haue faith vntill such time as this fault bee amended and corrected to wit to leaue our owne naturall iudgement and cast away all our owne wisedome that we might attribute vnto God alone the honor due vnto him Now let vs see if this be not a most notable excellent glasse of the infinit power of God to behold this infinite multitude of Starres of heauen created in a moment And we see also in the Psalme why this miracle is magnified where it is said Psal 147.4 That it is he that numbreth the multitude of the Stars giueth them their names that is to say it is hee that maketh them subiect vnto him and to his gouernment And therefore when we open our eyes to behold the Stars we must by and by looke vnto their creation for in a minute assoone as God had spoken the word behold the heauen was full of this army royall as the scripture calleth them Thus we see that the heauenly hostes were created in a minute and are continually obedient vnto his maiestie We see that all the Stars keep their due course and compasse and although their reuolution be euery way great that the Planets may remoue the firmament may be all mixed togither yet wee see that they are all so directed as that wee are enforced to wonder at it Seeing then it is so no maruell though this glasse was let before the eyes of Abram for therein hee might haue thus concluded sith GOD in a moment furnished all heauen with Starres where before was not one may hee not also furnish not onely my house but an whole Country yea many Countries whensoeuer hee meaneth to bestowe posteritie vppon mee For his power is no whit lessened for hee did not onely create the world at once but after hee had created it hee miraculously preserued the same continually And therefore Abram had a sure and certaine token and as it were a pawne giuen him And heerein wee see that God knew some infirmitie to bee in him not that hee distrusted that which God had promised but because hee was a man he could not keepe himselfe within such compasse but that hee would needs aske the question how it could be possible that in his seede all the nations of the world should be blessed and therefore because his faith was somewhat weake as yesterday wee heard wee see why God after this manner added vnto him this aide and helpe And so wee haue to note in this place as in all the rest that God supporteth vs in all our weakenesse Not that we should flatter pur selues for wee are to fight against all our passions against al our euill thoughtes and affections to giue place vnto the truth of God and to hold it for certaine and infallible howbeit whatsoeuer wee doo it cannot bee but that it must in some sort bee weake and although wee know not our owne faults yet God knoweth them well inough How then should we do if hee of his infinite goodnes spared vs not Here then we see what wee are to consider from this Text where it is sayde That God confirmed Abram both in his word and in his promise as we might daily see the like in our selues if wee were not blinded in our owne malice because we regard not so narrowly and diligently the workes of God as we should But if we made benefite of all the meanes which God offreth vs that we might assure our selues of his promises wee should see that where he spared his seruant Abram as hee knoweth vs to be an hundreth times more weake that he will not for his part forget any thing which may confirme our faith Now heereupon Moses addeth and saith THAT ABRAM BELEEVED GOD and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Here wee see a Text plaine inough and at the first sight not greatly to bee stood vpon and yet the Iewes are so blockish and blinde as that they know not what it meaneth And amongst Christians also hardlie shall we find one amonst an hundreth which vnderstandeth onely the meaning of these words For if these three or foure words were truly vnderstood THAT ABRAM BELEEVED and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes without doubt it wold ouerthrow the whole state of Popery all superstitions which at this day beare sway should cease and all controuersies now in dispute be appaised For this is the key which openeth what soeuer is requisite for our saluation this is the meanes to decide all controuersies this is the foundation of all true religion to be short this is it that setteth open the heauens vnto vs if we can comprehend that which Moses heere in a word setteth downe vnto vs. And so much the more are we to detest these dogges that are so shameles as to dare to obscure such a maruellous cleare light of which sort are they which say that Abram was taken to be a wise man and that that was a vertue in him to beleeue God now we should in verie deed abhorre these dogges For these are the most wicked blasphemies that Sathan is anyway possibly able to spue out Now as for the Iewes wee are no whit to maruell at them because they had no expositor No doubt of it God mightily shined in the face of Moses howbeit they had a vale before them as S. Paul saith 2. Cor. 3.14.15 and therfore they passed ouer these words without thinking of them what they imported But they which professe themselues to bee Christians are able to shew the meaning hereof by the authoritie of Saint Paul Rom. 4.3 Gala. 3.6 when these I say shall manifestly set themselues against God and like mastiue curres fight so impudently as we see them do what reason haue they for it I do not now speake of Papists but I speake of these diuellish spirites which
satisfactions and do recōpence God otherwise in doing of things which they are not commanded as fasting on such a day abstaining from eating of flesh another day going on pylgrimage causing Masses to be sung and such other like tryfling toyes which they make a mountaine of to acquite themselues before God Thus we see how they bestow themselues all their life long to be made righteous by their workes and merits being once iustified by faith that is to say being brought into the way They confesse that Iesus Christ openeth the doore vnto them but they saie that they themselues must enter in at it and performe the voyage There is in them also another error for they thinke that when they do any good deed although there be much euil amongst yet that this good deed is accounted of and this they call partiall righteousnes And thus they make a patched and peeced righteousnes taking here and there a peece rouing about making such a medley as is nothing worth but a confused matter or no vnderstanding They say also that we are first iustified by the meere grace of Iesus Christ and next by Faith and then by our workes and partly by our satisfactions which serue to appaise the wrath of God against vs and to acquit vs of all the sinnes wherof we are guiltie And this is the opinion of the Papists Let vs now see when it was that Abram was iustified as we haue alreadie touched it hee was a man indued with all vertues a man that had forsaken him selfe wholy to please God And therefore it might seeme that hee mought haue had some righteousnes in him if any were to bee founde in anie liuing creature and yet for all that his faith was imputed vnto him for righteousnes And therefore S. Paul concludeth therupon that he had no workes in him to iustifie himselfe And when I pray you had hee none in him For sooth euen then when hee had had so notably trauelled endured such trials as that hee might haue been the verie patterne as it were of all Angellike vertues for his chastitie for his patience for his obedience towardes God for his pietie to bee short he mortified all his affections that he might frame himselfe wholly vnto the righteousnes of God And when he had done all this yet as Saint Paul saith had he nothing whereof to glory but must stop his mouth vntill such time as hee was iustified by faith and therfore we see by the circumstance of the time that the righteousnes of faith wherof wee now speake is not such as the Papists imagine But it is as much as if the scripture should say seeing then that we are poore miserable sinners engaged vnto God and vnder the condemnation of eternall death it must needs be that hee must accept of vs by some other mean that is he must not examin what we are nor yet looke to finde any thing in vs which any way might make vs acceptable in his sight but hold vs to be righteous because it is his good pleasure so to doo or else because we rest vpon his promises by which he hath preuented vs. Here wee see the righteousnes that endureth which extendeth it selfe both in life and death But we are now to set downe these thinges more largely and plainly And first wee are to remember that which earst I touched that is wee must seeke for our righteousnes els where then in our selues because there is none in vs. And see why S. Paul so greatly insisteth and standeth vpon the curse of mankinde when as he would driue vs to this point that God freely justifieth vs for there hee sheweth that the Heathen are also condemned although they haue neither lawe scripture nor Prophets and saith that they are of themselues alreadie damned and need neuer go any farther For God hath manifested himselfe to all in general in giuing vs eyes to behold the creation of the world Now we see that we smother and suppresse the glory which we ought most manifestly to behold And therfore we must conclude that we are all yea most vnthankfull sacrilegers because we robbe God of that honour that is due vnto him As for those that are vnder the law there is a double condemnation vppon their heades for they sinne wittingly because they know the will of God plainly manifested vnto them Heere then wee see all mankinde enclosed within the curse Let therefore saith he euerie mouth be stopped and be still whereupon hee bringeth in many places of the scripture to shewe that God looked vppon the children of men and found not one good but all corrupt that is to say they were so wrapped vp in their iniquities as that they were to be abhorred Here then we see what we are to note in the first place that is wee are hereby to vnderstand what our state condition is vntill such time as God commeth vnto vs to haue mercie vpon vs and looketh after vs when as we are plunged in the bottomles pit of hell Thus then we see at what ende we must begin if we will rightly vnderstand how and wherefore we are iustified by Faith But this cannot now be followed as it should and therefore we wil let it alone vntill our next exercise Let vs now then fall downe before the maiestie of our good God and mercifull Father in Iesus Christ in acknowledging our manifold sinnes and iniquities whereby we are most engaged and bound vnto him and for which wee ought to be vtterly confounded in our selues And although we be cast down into such a bottomles depth of dispair yet let vs not cease to lift vp our heades and hands vnto his maiestie seeing he hath shewed vs such fauour as to looke after vs because he would gather vs vnto himselfe and because also that Iesus Christ descended into hell to bring vs out thereof and lead vs vnto the kingdome of heauen And therefore let this bee so printed in our hearts as that wee may be truely lifted vp by faith to call vpon this good God who hath adopted vs for his children and wholly rest vppon him And let vs farther beseech him to grant vs the grace so to walke as that his adoption be not vaine nor vnprofitable in vs but that it may shew the fruites thereof insomuch as we shall bee gouerned by our Lorde Iesus Christ accordingly as hee hath incorporated vs into himselfe Let vs not onely c. THE SECOND SERmon of Iustification Gen. Cap. 15. 6 Abram beleeued the Lord and hee counted that to him for righteousnes WE beganne yesterday to handle which was the right way to learn how to please God by faith that is wee must begin at our first estate and condition and see what wee were borne in Abram In whom we see our selues to be all accursed damned and lost And vntill such time as we know that aright we shal neuer feele what it is to obtaine the fauour and mercie of God Here
then wee see the true foundation whereon to build which is that after wee haue rightly examined what we are and finding nothing in our selues but vtter shame and confusion we might seeke for the remedie els where And for the making of such a triall wee must of necessitie come to the scriptures In verie deed if euery man did consider himselfe without flatterie we should iudge our selues without any further triall We should not need to vse long circumstances about the finding out of testimonies inough against our selues for euerie one of vs hath an hotte burning skarre in himselfe to imprint the curse of God vpon vs. But because wee are subiect to hide our sinnes and bury them therfore hath God set his word before vs as a glasse that we might therein behold how to learne to iudge our selues thereby and not after our owne fantasies And although wee perceiue not at the first our owne miserie yet when we shall see the same laid open by the word of God that were inough wholly to confound vs. For if euerie one of vs should trust to his own opinion we would then be all righteous For Salomon saith That we are all so blinded with selfeloue as that there is not one of vs all but wil make our selues belieue that we are wonderfull verteous Pro. 21.2 But it is God saith hee that weigheth the hearts And therefore we must be tried by another balance for when we thinke our selues to be ful of merits they proue nothing else but false stuffe and verie drosse And when the world also thinketh so of vs it declareth that they looke no farther but to the outward shew Now that which men so highly esteeme of is abhominable before God And why so because that wee must iudge of workes according to the hidden and secret affection of the heart Lu. 16.15 And besides there is no puritie therein for it is imposible that wee should be pure clean vntill such time as it is said in the Actes of the Apostles that wee bee purged by faith Act. 15.9 And on the other side we shal neuer be able to serue God with a free affection without we know that he will be good and mercifull vnto vs as it is said in the Psalme Psal 13◠4 With thee O Lord is alwaies mercie and plenteous redemption Now these miserable faithlesse people who doubt of the will of God and are neuer quiet but in great perplexitie without doubt can neuer serue God couragiously neither will God at any time accept of that they do for he wil haue vs sacrifice vnto him willingly and S. Paul also saith 1. Cor. ◠8.7 That he loueth those which deale liberally with him and come with a free affection Here then we see that our works how glorious soeuer they seeme to be either in our owne eyes or in the eyes of the world are but dung and filth before God vntil such time as hee hath cleansed vs of our sports and vncleannes and besides hath shewed vs what marke he would haue vs shoote at to what we shuld direct the whole course of our life that is to saie he would haue vs honour him and being once dedicated vnto his seruice labour to conforme our selues fully and wholy vnto that righteousnes which he hath set before vs. Howbeit we will handle this more at large when as wee shall speake of the law but for this present it shal suffice that we vnderstand that because wee are carried with selfe loue and that that is not only as it were a wimple to blindfold our eyes but doth also as it were wholly bewitch vs so as wee are become very blockish and do not once conceiue thinke of our miseries And therfore as I haue alreadie said it is meete that God should condemne vs by his word Rom. 3.10 11.12.13 14.15.16.17.18 And for that cause also doth S. Paul bring in so many testimonies shewing by them that we are all damned Euery one therfore as I haue alreadie said should haue this feeling in himselfe without any other iudge but because we are so sinfull so full of dissimulation and haue so many shops and priuy closets to withdraw put vs by from the true sure knowledge of our sinnes therfore must the word of God serue vs for a looking glasse to behold them in Now thē seeing that we are of nature pernerse nothing in vs but rebellion and malice and all our affections thoughts so many inimities against God as S. Paul saith Rom. 8. how can we any way possibly present offer vnto his maiestie any thing that hee may well like of In very deed we may haue some foolish arrogant proud cōceit of our selues howbeit that shal be alwaies but to redouble our woe for pride is a sin that more displeaseth God then all the rest And therfore we must confesse that as we are but naturall men wee are so great enimies vnto god as that our very thoughts imaginations are all contrarie vnto his wil neither can we so lōg as we liue either speak or do any thing whatsoeuer but it must needs heap vpō our heds a most grieuous cōdemnatiō Wherfore we see why the scripture compareth vs vnto dead men when as God once forsaketh vs vntill such time as our Sauior Christ hath shewed himselfe to be our life we are no better then dead men And I pray you what can a dead man doo Moreouer we are therefore to learne take forth this lesson or els we shal neuer be able to lay open what the goodnes of god is towards vs in our lord Iesus Christ But shuld dispaire in our selues to put our trust in God For wee are so inclined vnto this presumptiō which is so rooted in vs as that we wil alwaies extoll our selues And therfore god must altogither cast vs down that we may be redressed by his hand vpholdē by his power Furthermore we are soon puffed vp with a smal blast of wind of vain arrogancy therfore before such time as we are to receiue any true substance frō god we must first be very empty as it were hunger starued And so namely why it is sayd Psal 132.15 That God filleth the hūgry pore afflicted No doubt of it his goodnes extēdeth it self to none but to those that are worthy of it but whē we speak of gathering his church togither he must thē prepare it by this meane and for that cause it is namely said Esay 91. 1 That the spirite of God must rest vpon our Lord Iesus Christ that he might announce deliuerance vnto the captiues to make the miserable blind to see to heale the sick and diseased and to strengthen comfort the feeble and weake Now hee accomplisheth that when he saith Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie laden and I will refresh you and you shall finde rest to your soules Here then
hath giuen vnto his onely sonne that we might thereby be drawne and wholly cleaue vnto him And that wee may learne to be gathered togither vnder the confidence which hee hath giuen vs in him fighting against all our infirmities and in the meane while that all presumption and pride be cast downe in vs and that there remaine nothing else in vs but to confesse that as he is iust so also that it belongeth to him to poure out his righteousnes vpon vs to the ende wee may enioy the fruite which proceedeth thereof to wit the inheritance of the heauenly life And that hee will not onelie c. THE FOVRTH Sermon of Iustification 6 Abram beleeued the Lord and he counted that vnto him for righteousnes 7 Againe he said vnto him I am the Lorde that brought thee out of Vr of the Chaldees to giue thee this land to inherit it WE said yesterday that when God had once receiued the faithfull into his grace and fauour that he acknowledged and maketh knowne also that which he bestoweth vpon them For by faith we receiue the holie Ghost because Iesus Christ cannot be separated from it And therefore wee must needs be renewed when as we beleeue God because we apprehend his power which hee offereth vnto vs to communicate with vs in his sonne Now God cannot set light by and reiect his owne gifts wherefore hee must accept of these workes which hee giueth vs not that they are worthy as we haue alreadie said because there is alwaies some infirmities so to corrupt them as that they are vnworthy either to be accounted of or receiued And although God should find fault reiect whatsoeuer good that we able to thinke or doo yet could we in no wise accuse him of crueltie And why so Forsooth because they may be alwaies amended and yet doth hee accept of that which is not worthie the acceptation al because he acknowledgeth vs for his children and also vpholdeth vs as by his Prophet is saide If then wee aske why God alloweth of our weake affection in seruing of him It is because he beareth with vs and would not haue vs marked as mercenarie and hired men but contenteth himselfe to see vs serue him franklie and freelie none otherwise than as a naturall father requireth at the handes of his childe For although a childe shall marre that which his father setteth him to doo yet is the father glad when as he hath seene that in very deede his meaning was to doo it well Euen so fareth it with our good God who bearing a fatherly loue vnto vs forgetteth whatsoeuer defect is in our workes and will not call them to an account Here I say wee see in summe how that ouer and besides our persons wee are iustified also by that we doo that is to say that God accepteth both of our selues and of our workes also as righteous And let vs also see from whence this word Reward whereof the Scripture so often speaketh proceedeth For God sheweth not onely in the lawe but also in the Gospell that they which serue him faithfully shall not lose their labour nor be frustrate of their hope And why so Verily because their Reward is surely laide vp in heauen But how can this agree with that which wee haue alreadie said That is that if our works iustifie vs then must faith and the promises as saint Paul saith be of none effect Now wee shall see them agree right well together when as one of them shall depend vpon another But if we shall on the one side put our works in one ballance and the grace of God in another without doubt we shall find great contrarietie Neuerthelesse when as wee say e that God hath mercie vpon vs because wee are sinners and that when hee hath regenerated vs by his holy spirite that hee alloweth and liketh of the good which he hath put in vs albeit it be nothing in respect of the ill that remaineth When we shal speake after this manner it is as much as if wee should say that first God is mercifull vnto vs and doth not impute vnto vs our sinnes and iniquities but adopteth vs who were lost and damned soules to bee his children And in the second place it is said that hee iustifieth vs also by our works and that because he is mercifull and will not iudge vs rigorouslie neither regardeth them what they are to esteeme of them as worthy or meritorious But dealeth in this behalfe as a natural louing father doth And herein in I say Math. 9.13 1. Tim. 1.13 2. Tim. 1. Tit. 3.5 is no repugnancie And so although our Sauiour Iesus Christ saith that hee came to call sinners and not the righteous and although saint Paul also saith that he came to call sinners to saluation and that it is not for any workes that we haue done that the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen is prepared for vs but because he is louing and kinde vnto vs and is disposed to bestowe his infinite goodnes vpon vs and yet for all this receiue we reward that is to say that when we haue serued God we shall be rewarded as oftentimes it is saide in the holy Scripture Thus we see that after this sort these two places which seeme to be repugnant one to another agree very wel together that is that by Faith we are imputed righteous and that the zeale which Phineâ—â— had in maintaining the honour of God and purging the Sanctuarie which was polluted Num. 25.7 Psal 106.30.31 was imputed vnto him for righteousnes Heere wee see when Phinees the Priest sawe so infamous and detestable an act to bee committed by an Adulterer and an Adulteresse in the Sanctuarie as could not bee a greater and such a villanie as the like was neuer heard of in Israell that the Lord so armed him as that he slewe them both and it is saide that it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes Now this was a vertuous worke and therefore shuld seeme that he was not iustified by faith but yet as I haue already saide this may very well hang together For Phinees was the sonne of Abram and therefore God must be mercifull vnto him as well as vnto the rest But because that God holpe him and was reconciled vnto him by that grace which hee bestoweth vpon all his chosen euen vnder the old Testament wee see that God reputed it as a righteous worke And how so verily that forsomuch as there was some imperfection and weakenes in him therefore must God as I haue already saide support him Let vs also heare what saint Paul saith which is this Colos 1.5 that wee must labour powerfullie to serue God for the hopes sake which is laid vp for vs in heauen of which hope we haue heard before in the word of truth of the Gospell where saint Paul sheweth that the faithfull more couragiously and vehemently goe on to serue and honour God and giue themselues to bee