A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

The fourth and last point is the Society. To your faith; To, implies some accession. Faith is a great Queen; it is base to let her go without a Court and a train^g The Queen shall be brought to the King in raiment of needle-work: The Virgins that be her companions shall follow her. The virgins are Virtue, Temperance, &c. Nuda fides, nulla fides: Let us not be Solifidians, as the Papists call us, lest we be Nullifidians, as they are. Faith is of Rebecca's humour; Give me children, or else I die. Languescit fides fine bonis operibus, malis operibus moritur. The want of good works makes Faith sick, evil works kill her out-right. Good deeds are such things, that no man is saved for them, nor without them. Thou hast need of thy faith, or thou canst not be saved; Christ hath need of thy works, or he will not save thee. Not that he needs them for himself, Psal. 16.2. My goodness, O Lord, extendeth not to thee: but for his children, ver. 3. But to the Saints that are in the earth. So that in this respect, Matth. 20.3. Loose the Ass and the Colt, for the Lord hath need of them: unbind your covetous desires, be free in the works of mercy; for the Lord hath need of them. You ask, why should I part with my goods, seeing my faith serves my turn, and is sufficient to save my soul? Yes, but the Lord hath need of them. Use for himself, because need for his; and what you lay out to these little ones, he takes it to himself, he will pay you again. Thus Faith, like that Queen of the South, comes not alone to Solomon; she brings her train after her. Faith is this Queen; let Repentance be her Usher to go before her; and good works the Court that follow her: so let her come to the King of Mercy, the Presence-chamber of Jesus Christ.

The fourth and last point is the Societie. To your faith; To, implies some accession. Faith is a great Queene; it is base to let her goe without a Court and a traine^g The Queene shall be brought to the King in rayment of needle-worke: The Virgins that be her companions shall follow her. The virgins are Vertue, Temperance, &c. Nuda fides, nulla fides: Let us not be Solifidians, as the Papists call us, lest we be Nullifidians, as they are. Faith is of Rebecca's humour; Give me children, or else I die. Languescit fides fine bonis operibus, malis operibus moritur. The want of good workes makes Faith sicke, evill workes kill her out-right. Good deeds are such things, that no man is saved for them, nor without them. Thou hast need of thy faith, or thou canst not be saved; Christ hath need of thy workes, or hee will not save thee. Not that he needs them for himselfe,