O fSawsftratagemi. 8 i ButbeÌoued,ifwe would not be fubduedby Satan, Iet vs §3e,,.4. be mollcarefull inwithflanding this dangerous aflault : for fiory we may there is notanyonetemptation wherewithSatan preuaileth f acre for more,thanby perfivading men to content thetnfel_ues with a on4 ciuillkindofhoneflie,which is deflitute ofreligionand the true feare ofGod. And to this end let vs confider,that ciuill honeflie feueredfrom true pietie is but glorious iniquitie : for when we haue attained to as greatameafure thereof, as poffibly we canin this ageofcorruption,we (hall comeíhort in diuers duties ofmany oftheHeathens who haueexcelled in thefc morali and ciuill vertues:and confequentlywhenwe are at thebell we (hall bebut honefl Infidels and goodnatu- red worldlings, ifwe doe not ioyne thcreunto the duties of pietie. And howgoodly a thew foeuer our workes make in theeies ofmen,yet are they odious inGods fight, iftheybe not done inknowledge, and grounded onGods word and commandem nt,but in ignorance & according to our owne inuentions and the floc. conceit ofourblindvnderflanding; iftheyproceede not from the true loue ofGod, which is the onelie fhuntaine of ail acceptable obedience,but from the loueofour fe'ues and other carnali refpe&s; ifthey beenot the fruitesofa lively faith,but donein ignoranceand infide- litie; for,whatfoeueris not donein faith,isfnne,as it is Rom.14. Rom. 4.25; 23 .and therefore cannotpleafe God,Heb.1 i.6.Bywhich we Hcb.z1.6. arenot tovnderflandanhifloricall faith,whereby we know andare afhured that thofe workes wee doe are commanded inGods word; but a true iuflifying faithwhich loth applie vnto vs Chrifl Iefus, andall Gods mercifull promifes made in him. For,that our workes maybe acceptable before God, there is required firfI that our perfons bee acceptable vnto him,neithercananythingwe doi pleafe him,fo longas wee remainhis enemies, inwhich ílatewe are by nature, tillwe are reconciled in Chriflour Mediatour,as appeareth,Rom.5 . Rom. S.1o. ao.Nowvnleffe we haue faith,we cannot applyvntovs Chrifl Co1, 1.10. nor his merits and righteoufnes, bywhom onelywee are re- conciled vnto God.and confequentlywe remaineGodsene- mies,who can doenothingpleating in his fight. Secondly, the befl ofour workes are imperfee1,and ming- G led
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