676 Maher Creenhams `Readings Nowweargils. Sothat wemeanenothing els, whenwefay, wearc iuflifieti by works,then ifwee fhould fay, works. by; Wedeclare and make knowne, thatweare ;unified bythefe works. For wheneuerygoodworke is of thefpirit of God, and thefpirit of God is giuen tonone , but to the childrenof God ; when wefaile indoingmany things,whereunto wearc byGods fpirit moued;and in thofe things which wedo, wecorrupt thole motions , fothat our bell aélions Rand in need of faith, to haue theta purged, inChilli Irisperfit obedience : it ismanifcft, that our works onely giue a tellimonie to our felueS, and others,thatwe areinflified. If thenwe haue true faith, limnworksbyloue,that asfaithdoth acquite vs fromGnne be- foreGod; fogood worksmay giueeuidence thereof beforemen. Whenthen wee are caried a- way withdulneffe in good things,and with deadneffein weldoing,we are to trieour hearts,ifwe want, Godis notpleafedwith vs, if we hauefaith without works, we detenteour felues. The meaning then of the manof God in thisplace, is thusmuch : Pecaufe I know, that they have happie fucceffe, that loue thee and obey thy word; thismoueth me to kerpe a good conici- ence. So wehaue learned thus much, that it is but follie toboat offaith without good works. Simile. For as we iudge a man tobe aliue, folong as we perceitie his vitall fpirits,his ani mall powers, and naturalioperationstoexercife themfclues, and thinke that he is not dead, while (l the facultiesof the mindare exercifed inthe f ènfes, members and pores of thebodie; but norwithffanding that lifeit Idle is a thingmoll fecret, yetby a mans Peeing, hearing, tailing, touching,going and wor- king we difcerne the fame :even fo , fo longas we perceive thefruits of -God hisfpirit , astil new birth, and theeffeéìsof grace, and fruitsof fanéìification in the Cottle, wethinke himnotfpiritts. ally dead, inwhom therethings are : Andnotwithllanding faith , which is the lifeof Godschi_ dren,be a moll fetter thing:yetwhen we can openoureyes,to fee the wonderful worksof God, to his pravfe, and (hut themfrom feeìngvanities; when our cares areopen to the wordofGod, and doled anddull toheave worldly vanities;whenourmooches canfpeak of Gods judgments, and aredumbe in leafrngs:wc mayfudge by thole& thelike effeels, that thereis thelife of Chriff in vs. And herewithall wemull oblèrue, as thefe natural!workings arenot the caufe of life, bin that rather in fomuch as we lioe,thefethings do exercife thcmfelues invs:euen fo thegood works are no caufe whywee aregood orhueby faith, but becauleby faith in Chriflweeareaccounted good and tufi before che Lord, therefore we arcgood. For as the tree bathnot his goodneffeofì simile, the fruits, but the lions haue theirgoodneffe, becaufe fish thetree was good,fo we cannot be laid to begood in refpeei ofour works, but our works are;good in refpeói ofvs iuflified beforeby Simile. faith. Andas though the fappe lifi'andnourifhmcntofthetree,beathingmoll fecret and hid- denfrom common fenfe; yet by the leases, buds, grceneneffeandfruits thereofwe draw know= ledge ofthe life in it: fo thoughourlife which is hidden inChrill,be hiddenfrom hells and blood, yet by the holy praelifesof good works, weeafily difcerne the fame. Nowfor wantof.this, we may fee the great judgement of God in Coffering the Papifls, here- tikes, andfamilie of loueto fpoilevs of this peace ofconfciertce,by teaching their falfeopinions of jollification byworks. Which thing teeingtheyhold the rather,withfeeing thecoldprofeff onof worldlyProtethants, ìt mull tsceds humble vs. Forthins reafost they, chut arc vnhhablc in the trueth,Surely theirprofeffion is not accordingtothe trueth, it isfo barrenof good works,and they msinrnioenot the true dolirirse whole lisies aie focontrary to theirprofcflions. Woebe to them, bywhom there offen cesdo lot-fly come,andwoe be to them that takefuch offences,and that foutwtlfuliyrheireyes, and will nor fee che croerh. Howbeit we are to profit hereby, and to traue 1 in a greater careofgood works,wherebywe tnay flop thefe blafphernous mouchesoldie aduerfaries. Vero r 67. Mypateoath beepsthy tefiimonies: forlloue them exceedingly. 1.Ere he curtfirmeth thefame do&rive whichhevied before,.for in layingmyfoufehath kpt thy tegimaniei, is all one as ifhe rhould haue Paid, ¡haue loohed (orwaited) on tlyi faluation. For as we often obferued, theman ofGod meaneth the couenant which engen- derethfaith, as the records and tetlimonialsofGodsfauourtowaresys. So thattheeflea of thefe words is .thus Much: Ihaue an intire care in finceritie offaith, to cflCreafC the blefled Witncffes ofthy loue toward me. It is anvfuall phrafe amongthe Hcbrues,when they
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