certaine precepts to the Corinthians which they did well that they obserued them 1 Corin. 11 2. Answ The same answer which was giuen to the first obiection fits this too that is that there is no sound proofe of all particulars The Papists should prooue that those Traditions proceeded from the Apostles which they bragge so fast to bee Apostolicke 5 The Fathers testifie that certaine Traditions came from the Apostles to them Answ 1. The Fathers many times by the name of Traditions vnderstand such things as are contained in the Scripture according to the sence and meaning thereof though not according to the Letter And in this sence there bee in the reason foure termes the Fathers vnderstanding Traditions contained in the Scriptures the Papists Traditions not at all there contained 2 The Fathers by Traditions Apostolick vnderstand sometimes generall customes and rites of indifference which was in the liberty of the Church to alter as occasion should require 3. If any of the Fathers haue maintained other sort of Traditions as Apostolick then the question is whether they did well in accepting such Traditions for Apostolicke which were not Apostolick neither did coÌ„sent with the holy Scripture 6 That infants should be baptized that the Eucharist should bee deliuered to women c. wee haue receiued from vnwritten Tradition onely Answ 1. The Antecedent is not true for concerning the former wee haue Scripture that Baptisme is needfull for all and that it doth belong vnto Infants Iohn 3 5. Mark 10 14 15 16. 1 Corinthians 1 16 c. 2 The Trent Catechisme proueth the Baptisme of Infants by diuers places of Scripture Part 2. cap. 2 quaest 26. As for the latter that the Eucharist belongeth to the whole Church and so vnto women wee haue Christs commandement Math 26 26 27 28. Mark 14 22 c. Luk 22 19 20. 1 Cor 11 26 27 28. 7 The obseruation of the Lords day is not found in the Scripture Ans Seeing it is acknowledged by both sides by the Papists as well as by the Protestants that to set a certaine time a part for Gods seruice is a morall and immurable law and that the Apostles left to the Church the first day of the weeke which is the Lords day in Parte tertiâ— ca. 4 quaest 4. steede of the seuenth day which the Iewes obserued as the Trent Catechisme proueth out of 1 Corint 16 2 and Reuel 1 10 We ought to acknowledge it as a precept of God grounded on the Scriptures CHAP. 5. Of the Letter and the Spirit THE Papists seeke themselues an other starting hole when as they cannot proue See Fran. Coster in his Enchiridion of CoÌ„trouersies Cap 1 of thâ— holy Scripture out of the holy Scripture many their Idolatrous and superstitious opinions to say that the Scripture is a dead and killing letter but the Spirit that is the meaning of the Scripture is contained in the liuing tables of the heart of the Church that therefore all things ought to be iudged determined not out of the Scrip but by the consent of the Church So for examples sake whereas nothing is found in the letter of the Scripture concerning the worshipping of Images that say they is to bee sought for in the hearts of the faithfull that is of the Pope Cardinalls c Wherein the holy Spirit hath written it that Images are to be worshipped As for vs we acknowledge no other Scripture wherein God doth by writing reueale his will beside the sacred bookes of the Bible and this spirituall Scripture of the Papists we reiect Because the holy Scripture described and comprised in letters deserueth this praise that it can make a man perfect therefore vnto There is one manner of Spirit in the outward Scripture another in the inward which are coÌ„trary one to another concerning the authoritie of the Scripture Note heere the Spirit of Christ and Antichrist perfection there is no neede of any other new spirituall Scripture 2 Because that spirituall Scripture which the Papists forge doth disanull the authoritie of the holy Scripture penned in paper by the instinct of the holy Ghost But the holy Ghost cannot be so contrarie to it selfe as to commend highly the Scripture by the Apostles and Prophets and to diminish the authoritie of the same by an inward Scripture 3 Because this inward Scripture is manifestly proued to bee often ontrarie to the outward Therefore the holâ— Ghost if he be the Author of both should â—â— conuicted either of falshood or inconstanie By this meanes we should it open a wide gap to all errours whiles euey man would brag of the inward writing oâ— the holy Spirit and would compare it witâ— and preferre it before the holy Scripture Besides this sauours strongly of the error of the Enthusiasts and Schweneldians on this wise This inward Scripture or writing is either mediate or immediate if mediate then the Scripture keepes his old standing to be the meanes and Rule of this inward writing if immediate then they manifestly fall into the error of the Enthusiasts but our Aduersaries accept not of the former therfore of the later All the paines which the Euangelists and Apostles did take in penning the Scriptures were bootlesse if wee should take no more heede to their writings than to such a like inward Schwenfeldian writing Contrarily our Aduersaries doe argue 1 The Letter killeth but the Spirit giueth life 2 Corin 3â— Therefore we are not to heede the Scripture wâ—tten with inke but the inward Scripture of thâ— Spirit sealed in the heart of the Church Ans 1. Tâ—â—t Paul doth not speake of any inward or oâ—tward distinction of writing but of the diference of the law and the Gospell the wâ—rdes immediatly going before A view of a Doctour like exposition proceeding froÌ„ the inward writing of the heart doe shew â—od saith S Paul hath made vs able Ministâ—rs of the new Testament not of the â—etter bâ—t of the Spirit 2 So then there are fiue terâ—es taking the word Letter in the Antecedent or former proposition according to Paules meaning for the Lawe and in the consequent or later proposition for the whole body of the holy Scripture according to the Papists meaning and vnderstanding the word Spirit in the Antecedent for the Gospell and in the consequent for Enthusiasme or immediate inspiration from God the argument therefore hangeth together like sand Now S. Paul calleth the law a killing letter because that no man can bee iustified and saued by the law but the Lawe doth rather condemne and spiritually kill But he calls the Gospell Spirit because the Gospel receiued by faith doth giue the holy Spirit which doth quicken our harts create them a new stir them vp to good workes 2 I will put my Lawe in their inward parts and write it in their harts c. Ierem 31 33. therfore the will of GOD is to bee learned not out of the outward but inward Scripture or writing
three sonnes Shem Ham and Iapheth c. Genes 6 9 10. 3 Abraham the Father of the faithfull was Will any man say that any vnmaried man is more pure than was Abraham beeing maried maried as were also the other Patriarches 4 Dauid a man after Gods owne heart was maried and in state of wedlocke composed Psalms most acceptable to God being indued in a principall measure with the Spirit of God 5 Ezechiel the Prophet was maried Ezech 24 16. 18. 6 The high Priest who offered holy oblations to GOD might by the lawe of God marie a wife neither was he polluted by mariage bed to be made thereby vnfit for the Priests office And Aaron was commanded by God to burne sweetâ— incense euery morning in the tabernacle before the Arke of the Couenant as it is Exodus 30 7. Neither did the vse of mariage bed hinder him in this behalfe For he begate sonnes 7. And so were the rest of the Priests maried also 8. Zacharie and Elizabeth were both iust before God and walked in all the coÌ„maundements and ordinances of the Lord without reproofe and yet they were man and wife had Iohn Baptist to their son Luk 1 6. 2 In the newe Testament also there were Ecclesiasticall persons holy and religious that lived in wedlock 1 Peter had a mother in law and therefore a wife Math. 8 14. 2 Haue wee not power to leade about a wife being a sister as wel as the rest of the Apostles and as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas 1 Corinth 9 5. 3 Philip the Evangelist which was one of the seaven Deacons had foure daughters which did prophecie Acts. 21 8 9. 4. A Bishop must be vnreproveable the husband of one wife c. having children vnder obedience with all honestie 1 Tim. 3 2 4. 5. Let Deacons bee the husbands of one wife and such as can rule their children well and their owne housholds 1 Timo. 3 12. 6. The like appeareth by the examples of Spiridion and of others in the Primitive Church who being holy men and indued with singular gifts of the Spirit were maried and begat children And often times the legitimate sonnes of Bishops succeeded their Fathers in the Bishopricks Paul doth sharply reproue them which disgrace mariage saying In the latter daies some shal depart from the faith and shal giue heede vnto spirits of error and doctrines of Devils which speake lies through hypocrisie haue their consciences burned with an hot iron forbidding to marie 1 Tim. 4 1 2 3. Finally if matrimonie be a Sacrament if it do confer grace and that grace of the Sacrament causeth as Eckius saith the bed to bee vndefiled why are Ecclesiasticall persons polluted thereby Or why is a state otherwise impure and defiled reckoned among the Sacraments as matrimonie in the opinion of the Papists is Contrariwise our Aduersaries do dispute 1 The vse of Mariage bed after the fall is impure and not without lust Therfore priests who ought to bee pure must abstaine from wedlocke Ans 1 If the speech bee of the motions of concupiscence remaining after Originall sinne whereof the Psalmist maketh mention in his conception Psal 51 5 then is it a fallacie of an accident and that which agreeth to the accident to wit Originall sinne is transferred to the vse of Mariage bed which of it selfe is right lawfull and ordained by God And if because of this accident men should abstain from mariage as froÌ„ an impure state then should they abstain from all other states and workes because in all of them there concurreth somewhat of Originall sinne And because purenes becommeth all Christians therefore all should abstaine from mariage 2 But if the vse of mariage bed bee compared to vnlawfull lusts and aequall thereunto it is manifestly repugnant to these sentences of Scripture 1 In the Scripture the vse of mariage bed lust are opposed as contraries but contraries seeing they destroy one another are not the same 2 To auoide fornication let euery man haue his wife 1 Cor 7 2. and what may the remedy of lust impuritie be called lust Sâ— the sâ—n beames which are as it were the remedy of darknes should be called darkenes and impurity 3 Paul saith let the Husband giue vnto the wife due beneuolence he bids them also come together again 1. Cor. 7. 3 5. And what dooth Paul bid them follow after impuritie dooth he egge them forward to sinne 4 The bed betwixt the godly maried couple is vndefiled Heb. 13. 4. 2 If Mariage bed were so pure then would not Paul bid them abstaine in the time of prayer and fasting Answ 1 Hee speaketh not of all sorts of prayers but of solemne prayers 2 Neither doth he bid them therefore abstaine because the vse of mariage bed is impure and would pollute their prayers but that they may giue themselues to prayer and their prayers may be the more feruent c. Euen as in the time of solemne prayers we leaue of the exercise duties of our proper honest calling that wee may attend to prayers and sermons Heere is then committed a fallacy taking that for the cause which is not the cause 3 I was borne in iniquity c. Psalm 51 5. There Dauid confesseth the impuritie of mariage therefore c. Answ 1 Hee speaketh not of the vse of mariage bed in his parents as if that were of it selfe a sinne but he sheweth that lumpe or masse so to speake of which he was created euen then to haue been polluted with sin for the whole substance of man was corrupt with sinne not by reason of the act of mariage bed but by reason of originall sinne which doth accidentally concur there with heere is then committed the fallacy of an accident 2 Whereas our question heere is not concerning originall sinne whether it be in the regenerate and doe concurre also in their good workes but whether there be in matrimony of it selfe anie impurity our Aduersaries change the state of the question play the Sophisters 4 They that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom 8 8. But those which are maried are in the flesh Therefore c. This is pope Syricius his argument Answ 1 What it is to bee in the flesh Paul expoundeth Gal 5 19. Where he reckoneth vp the fruites of the flesh to wit sins and crimes but there is no mention of mariage but of the contraries thereto 2 To liue in the flesh with Paul is to liue in sinne but with our aduersaries to liue in the flesh is to liue in the state of matrimony Therefore there are foure termes in this argument 5 Yea but many doe vse mariage bed intemperately which is not without impurity Answ 1 This is the fallacy of an accident For this is a thing that accidentally agreeth to mariage besides the right vse and that but amongst some onely â— Neither is a thing which is of it selfe laweful to be condemned because some vse it
cannot be broken vpoÌ„ any preâ—ense of not being able to containe Answer 1 It cannot by any one word bee prooved that these widowes made vowes that they would not afterward marrie this place then is wrongfully wrested to Popish vowes of continencie 2 These widowes are not reproved for that they marrie but for that they secretly play the harlots and then seeke for marriage for a pretense to cover their naughtinesse 3 The first faith is not any vowe but the first faith that was given to Christ in Baptisme this is the first faith which they breake while they make the members of Christ the members of an harlot 4 And Paul biddeth these younger widowes marrie in the same place hee should then bid them breake their vowe if these widowes had made any vow which our Aduersaries will not willingly graunt 5 If this place be vnderstood of vowes it followeth against the Papists that they offend in laying vowes vpon theÌ„ which are not yet come to threeâ—core yeeres of age for Paul would haue such chosen as be threescore yeeres old 4. The vowe which Priests make of chastitie is a free vow of their owne accord neither doth any man compell them to it Ans 1. This wee denie for those that will be admitted into holy Orders haue none other entrance but by vowing A man that is admitted if he marrie is removed from his calling and is punished in his body what a kinde of liberty is this It is therefore a loud lie 5 Paul 1 Timo. 4 1 3. doth not speake of the Pope that he holdeth the doctrine of Devils but he meaneth the Tatianâ— and Encrâ—tiâ—ae herâ—tikes Ans 1. Paul saith of them forbidding to marrie but the Pope forbiddeth to marrie therefore c. 2 It followeth not the Tatiani forbad marriage therefore the Pope which forbiddeth it too is not to bee reprooved There is the like iudgement of like things 3 Though the Pope doe not forbid mariage to all persons yet hee forbiddeth it and therefore hee is rightly condemned by Paul with the Tatiani and Encratitae CHAP. 22. Of the Popish Fastes IN this chapter the controuersie is not whether Christians ought to fast For none of our side doth denie that but the question is whether the popish fastes such as are in vse amongst our Aduersaries bee to be approued and necessarie to be obserued But because so many things meete together in the popish fastes which are repugnant to the holy Scripture let vs treate of them all seuerally 1 Error 1 And first of all our Aduersaries do place their fastes not in sobriety or temperance in meate and drink neither in a totall abstaâ—ing from all meate and drinke for a certaine time which was vsed of the Auncients but in abstinence from flesh and white meates c. onely putting a difference betwixt meates And they presse that difference to be obserued with such seuerity that amongst them he is accounted to commit a more hainous crime who should taste flesh vpon the dayes forbidden than hee that should be taken in adulterie or other wickednesse And in some places especially of Italy and Spaine men are in greater danger for tasting flesh vpon the dayes inhibited than for committing capitall crimes Wee disallow and reiecte this obseruation and preposterous choise of meates for these reasons Because there is not any either commandement or example in the whole Scripture of the new Testament of this difference and choise of meates and therefore it is rightly reiected as a meere will-worship 1 Teach them to obserue all things that I haue commanded you Matt 28 20. 2 Of such like obseruations Christ sayth In vaine they worship mee teaching for doctrines mens precepts Matth 15 9. In the Newe Testament those Leuiticall differences of meates are taken away which after a sorte are brought in againe of our aduersaries 1 The things that God hath purified pollute thou not Act 10 15. 2 Whatsoeuer is set before you eate 1 Cor 10 27. 3 That which goeth into the mouth defileth not the man Matth 15 11. 4 Meate maketh vs not acceptable to God for neither if we eate haue we the more neither if we eate not haue we the lesse 1 Cor 8 8. 5 The Kingdome of God is not meate nor drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the Holy ghost Rom 14 17. 6 It is a good thing that the heart bee stablished with grace and not with meates which haue not profited them that haue beene occupied therein Heb 13 9. By this difference and choise of meates layed vpon the Church as if it were necessarie Christian libertie is impugned 1 In the latter times some shall departe from the faith and shall giue heede vnto spirits of errours and doctrines of deuills which speak lyes through hipocrisie and haue their consciences burned with an hote iron forbidding to marrie and commanding to abstaine froÌ„ meats which God hath created to be receiued with giuing thaÌ„ks of theÌ„ that belieue know the truth for euery creature of God is good and nothing ought to bee refused if it be receiued with thankesgiuing 1. Tim 4 1 2. c. 2 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not let not him that eateth not iudge him that eateth Rom 14 3. 3 Let no man condemne you in meate or in drinke c. Colos 2 16. 4 If ye be deade with Christ from the ordinances of the World why as though yee liued in the World are ye burdened with traditions As touch not taste not handle not Which all perish with the vsing and are after the commandements doctrines of men which things haue indeed a shew of wisdome in voluntary religion and humblenes of minde and in not sparing the body neither haue they it in any estimation to satisfie the flesh Coloss 2 20 c. 5 Vnto the pure are all things pure Titus 1 15. 6 Whatsoeuer is soulde in the shambles eate yee and aske no question for conscience sake 1 Corinth 10 15. Contrariwise our Aduersaries doe reason 1 Obedience is due to the Church but the Chuâ—ch hath ordained such fasts Therefore c. Answer 1 In customes and indifferent ceremonies for orders sake obedience is to be performed to the Church but not in matters of necessity and articles of our beliefe vnlesse it be vpholden by the authority of the scripture whereof we haue spoken in the beginning of this booke Thither we referre the Reader 2 Neither is that rightly ascribed to the Church which is tyrannously obtruded to be obserued of Christians by superstitious men vnder the name of the Church 2 Hee that is weake eateth herbes Rom. 14. 2. Therefore the eating of flesh may rightly be forbidden for the weake ones sake Answ 1 Paul speaketh of those that be weake but the Church respecteth not the weake but onely their owne tyranny which they would establish by such superstitious precepts 2 Paul addeth presently vpon it let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not
Answer 1. The Epistle to the Hebrewes cap 8 vers 10 doth so expound these words that hee compareth together the constraint or coaction of the law of Moses to wit the involuntarie and enforced obedience and the renovation of the mind by the Spirit of the Gospell whereby the beleeuers by the Sanctification of the Spirit wrought by the preaching of the Gospell doe performe a willing voluntary obedience to God the wil of man being set at liberty by the Spirit of God and doe delight in the Law of â—od and haue no more stony hearts but fleshly tractable to performe obedience vnto their Lord. 2 What priuiledge soeuer is graunted by this gratious promise the Pope Cardinalls and the rest of that Hierarchie haue no reason to challenge it as proper to themselues seeing the Apostle applyes it as doth also the Prophet to all euen the least of Gods children They shall no more teach euerie man his neighbour saying know the Lord for they shall all know mee from the least to the greatest of them as it followeth in the next words Ierem. 31 34 and Heb. 8 11. 3 Yee are the Epistle of Christ ministred by vs and written not with inke but with the Spirit of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in the fleshy tables of the heart 2 Corinthians 3 3. Answ 1. Paul compares the commendatorie letters whereby some of the falâ—e Apostles did glory in their ministerie and the worke it selfe which ought to commend the work-man and shewes that he hath no neede of letters of commendation because the effect of his preaching in the Corinthians did testifie that his Ministerie ioyned with the holy Spirit was powerfull and effectuall It will by no meanes therefore hence follow that there is one inward and an other outward Scripture 2 The contrary doth rather follow hereof because the holy Ghost was powerful by the meanes of Pauls ministerie that therfore it was a mediate and not immediat word wherby it pleaseth him to save those that believe Rom 1 16. 4 Yee have no neede that any Man should teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you all things c. and you have an oyntment from him which is holy and yee haue knowen all things 1 Ioh 2 20 27. Therefore we must have recourse not to the Scripture but to the annointing of the Spirit Ans 1 That Saint Iohn speaketh of the annointing which Christians receive by the preaching of the Gospell these wordes do shew Let therfore abide in you the same which yee have heard from the beginning verse 24. Also I write no new commandement vnto you but an old commandemeÌ„t which ye have had from the beginning c. verse 7. Therefore S. Iohn dooth not teach that there is a two-fold Scripture but declareth that they were inlightned by the publike ministery of the Word endued with the Holy ghost that now they do know by those thinges which they had heard how they ought to behave theÌ„selues in all things 2 It is therefore no good conclusion from the publike mediate ministerie to the immediate writing of the Spirit seeing there bee foure termes 3. If such an inwarde writing had been sufficient what need had there bin of Iohns outward writing 5 All thy Children shall be taught of God Isai 54 13. Ioh 6 45. Ans 1. The Prophet Christ do speake of the knowledge of Christ which should be more plentifull in the new Testament than is was in the olde but never a whit of the inward and outward Scripture 2. If they mean an immediate teaching then fall they into the absurditie of the Enthusiasts Schwenfeldians if they meane a mediate teaching let them know that the holy Scripture is that medium that meanes which is able to instruct vs to Saluation 2 Timoth 3 17. 3. It were strange If the Papists would attribute this inward writing and gift of vnderstanding Scriptures which they claime by these places to the common lay people among them yet all these places are meant of all the faithfull vnder the gospell as it is evident by the words circumstances of the places cited CHAP. 6. Of Councells THE Papists in defence of their errors obiect vnto vs the authority of certain CouÌ„cells as sacred and such as may not bee gaine sayde We willingly imbrace those Councells whose decrees speake out of the holy scripture alleaged in his true meaning but if any where they swarue from the truth we think they ought to bee examined by the rule of the holy Scripture and do believe that no faithfull man is bound to stand to their authority if they decree any thing against Scripture But above all we detest their Idolatrous councells And that which I have sayd is built on these grounds following We reade in the holy scriptures that some Councells have erred 1 The Councell which was for the condemning of Christ Mat 26 27. 2 The Councell which condemned Peter and Iohn Act 4 5. 3 The councell which condemned Stephen Act 7. 4 The Councell that was gathered against Paul Act 22 23. Certain Councells celebrated in the time of the antient Fathers and afterwards have erred for example 1 Manie Councells forbade the Ministers of the Church to marrie contrary to the expresse Word of God 2 The Councell of Constance admitted the mangling of the Lords Supper 3 The Trent Councell hath confirmed Carte loads of errors So some other councells which for brevity sake I passe over in silence have either decreed false opinions or have approved them being inuented of others before Which to bee so our Divines have plainely proved in their severall Treatises Becavse some Councels disagree one with an other in their whole constitutions which See Erasmus in his annotatioÌ„s on the 1 Corinth 7 no man can deny who hath read and compared together the decrees of all the Councells Reade but the decrees of Gratian and thou shalt often times finde diverse and contrarie Canons concerning one and the same matter alleaged of him in the same distinctioÌ„ The Papists themselues receive not all things nor all Canons in all Councells Take for example the Canons which are caried about vnder the name of the Apostles Manie Canons of Councells are countersaite For the Bishops of Rome have beene conuicted of forgerie for corrupting the Canons of the Councell of Nice In one and the same Councell in divers copies the words number of the Canons are different Look the Tomes of the councells They be men that are gathered together in Councells and seeing they be men why may they not bee deceived and lye as the Scripture speaketh Psalm 116 11. for neither is the Spirit of God tyed to those persons Contrarily thus our Aduersaryes reason thus 1 All the faithfull were bounde to the obseruation of the Councell of Ierusalem Acts 15. Therfore they be bound to keepe the councels of Bishops Ans There is great difference between the Councell of the Apostles and
make coÌ„parison between a vaine and true faith and desire to haue the true faith to bee shewed or proved to bee such by workes 3. That which hee doth derogate from a dead faith is wrongfully wrested to a iustifying faith 2 Yet the Protestants cannot endure this proposition Good workes are necessarie to Saluation therefore they beleeue that iustifying faith is without good workes Ans That which we deny in some respect and consideration only that our Aduersaries take as simplie and absolutely spoken in all respects We distinguish between faith works as betweene the cause and effects of iustification we denie good workes to be necessarie as causes of iustification or saluation but wee require them as necessarie conditions of them which are iustified and shall be saued Our Aduersaries maintaine that faith is informed Condition 5 by charitie but we say that charitie is rather informed by faith Because faith doth not please God in iâ— selfe but for and because of Christ whome it layeth hold on In euerie Relation two things doe concurre nowe faith in that respect in which it iustifieth is in the predicament of Relation first the foundation which is the matter or materiall parte and secondly the forme or formall part which is the destinating or referring of it to an other thing which it respecteth So faith as it is taken in a generall acception is the foundation or materiall part or the thing in which this Relation is the formall part is the ordaining or referring of it to an other thing to wit vnto Christ Because the efficient cause doth informe the effect and not contrariwise therefore because charitie is the effect of faith and faith the efficient cause of charity faith cannot bee informed by charity Contrariwise our Aduersaries doe reason 1 Paul makes faith to be of no reckoning without charitie 1. Corinth 13 therfore charitie doth â—nforme faith Ans 1. Paul speakes there of the saith of miracles not of iustifying faith 2. He doth not say that faith is informed by charitie but commendeth the necessitie oâ— charitie in some respect because that the faith that hath not charitie following it is not the true and sauing faith 2 Faith worketh by charitie Galat. 5. 6 therefore charitie doth informe faith Ans 1 Charitie is heere placed for the meanes and instrument by which saith worketh Now meanes and instruments are not the forme of that thing by which they are moved but are said rather to bee informed by that which moueth or worketh by them 2. Paul heere describes a true and iustifying faith by the effects thereof Therefore our Aduersaries vnderstand not what faith is Question 2. Of the certainetie of saluation Because in the handling of this question the Author hath many thinges throughout which might â—rooue offâ—nsiue I thought it better to referre the reader to the writings of our Countrey-men then to leaue â—â— things scandalous or to make it vp with many patches which the reader may haue exactly done otherwhere if he please to reade Maister Perkins in his Reformed Catholicke and in his treatise of Conscience and Maister Downham Christian warfare booke 2 Chap 6 7 8 c. CHAP. 12. Of good Workes VVHat we are to thinke of iustification by workes hath beene declared in the former chapter there remaine yet two principall errors of our Aduersaries one of the worke wrought an other of good workes themselues to the doing whereof Christians are bounde Now let vs treate of them in generall and in particular Question 1. Whether a good worke doe please GOD by vertue of the worke wrought though it be done without a good and sanctified minde as for example while they vse the Sacraments heare Masse singe Canonicall houres c. without deâ—â—tion Our Aduersaries affirme it but wee denâ—â— it and teach that the worke doth not please goâ— vnles it bee done by a man that is iustified and when that the person is in sauour with God then that the worke is accepted also And this is proved by this reasons following Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom 14 23 But that which is by the work wrought onely is not of faith therefore c. Woe bee to you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites for ye tithe mint and anise cummin and leaue the waightier matters of See a work otherwise commanded tithing with out mercy and faithfulnesse the lawe as iudgement and mercie and fidelitie Matt 23 23 This people draweth neere vnto me with their mouth and honoureth mee with their lipps but there hart is farre of from me Matt 15 8 Isai 29 13. The same thing is proued by the example of the Israelites and others whereas their works no not those which were commanâ—â—d theÌ„ did please God any longer because of want of faith in the persons that did â—hem 1. Sacrifice was a worke acceptable to God Abel sacrificed and Cain sacrificed but his worke was not accepted the reason whereof is given in the Epistle to the Hebrewes cap. 11. ver 4. By faith Abel offered vnto God a greater sacrifice than Cain by the which faith he obtained witnesse that he was righteous c. 2. To him will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words Hee that killeth a bullock See works what they are by the worke wrought is as if he flew a man hee that sacrificeth a sheep as if he cut off a dogs neck he that offereth an Oblation as if he offered Swines bloud hee that remembreth Incense as if hee blessed an Idoll Isa 66 2. 3 4. 3. VVhat haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of Ramms and of the fatte of the fed beastes and I desire not the bloud of bullocks nor Heere is a large Catalogue of works done without faith and an honest hart of Lambes nor of Goates When yeâ— come to appeare before mee who required this at your handes to tread in my Courts Bring no moe oblations in vaine Incense is an abhomination vnto mee I cannot suffer your new moones nor Sabbaths nor solemne daies it is iniquitie nor solemne assemblies My soule hateth your new Moones and your appointed feasts they are a burden vnto mee I am wearie to beare them And when yee shall stretch out your handes I will hide mine eyes from you and though yee make many praiers I will not heare for your The cause why they displeased God hands are full of bloud Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your workes from before mine eyes cease to doe euill learne to doe well seeke iudgment relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widowe And come now let vs reason together faith the Lord though your sinnes were as crimsin they shal be made white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be as wooll Isa 1 11 12 c. 4. The same is witnessed Psalm 50.