AND is it possible, that man should produce herbs meet for the acceptation of God? Hath he not pure eyes, which see uncleanness and imperfection in all our works? Is there any man so happy, as to be justified in his sight? No; but it pleaseth him to look upon our works in the Crystal glass, Christ; and because they are the effects of a true faith in him, to esteem them meet. S. Peter saith,1 This is thank-worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. Do even our sufferings then merit? [Greek or Hebrew] even this is grace. To you it is given not only to believe in him, but even to suffer for his sake. This was none of yours, but given you. And when you have suffered,2 yet you must truly with Paul reckon, that the afflictions of this present world are not worthy of that high inestimable weight of glory. There are no works acceptable (Quae praecedunt instificandum, sed quae sequuntur justificatum) which go before Justification, but these that follow it. All of us, as Luther was wont to say, have naturally a Pope bred in our bellies; a Mountebank-opinion of our own worth. Narcissus-like, we dote upon our own shadows; and think our works acceptable enough to God. If we have prayed, ⟨p. 55⟩relieved, believed the history of the Gospel, or attentively heard the word, these are works meet for God. The Monk had but one hole in his Cell, and though it was in the top, upward to heaven, yet the Devil made a shift to creep in there. The Serpent thrusts in his head often in some crack of our good works. Luther paradoxically. […] •niustitiarum •ere sola causa […]. Almost the only cause of all unrighteousness, is (a too-well conceited) righteousness. We are easily induced to think our selves every one,3 as Simon Magas, some great man. There must be a dejection of this thought, an annihilation of our own worth; that we can do nothing meet for God, or worthy his just acceptance. For Serdet in distincti••e Judicis, quod fulget in opinion operantis. That is often foul in the sentence of the Judge, which shines in the imagination of him that doth it.
AND is it possible, that man should produce herbes meete for the acceptation of God? Hath he not pure eyes, which see vncleannesse and imperfection in all our workes? Is there any man so happy, as to bee iustified in his sight? No; but it pleaseth him to looke vpon our workes in the Crystall glasse, Christ; and because they are the effects of a true faith in him, to esteeme them meete. S. Peter sayth,1 This is thanke-worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure griefe, suffering wrongfully. Doe euen our sufferings then merite? 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 euen this is grace. To you it is giuen not only to beleeue in him, but euen to suffer for his sake. This was none of yours, but giuen you. And when you haue suffered,2 yet you must truely with Paul reckon, that the afflictions of this present world are not worthy of that high inestimable waight of glory. There are no workes acceptable (Quae praecedunt instificandum, sed quae sequuntur iustificatum) which goe before Iustification, but these that follow it. All of vs, as Luther was wont to say, haue naturally a Pope bred in our bellies; a Mountebanke-opinion of our owne worth. Narcissus-like, wee dote vpon our owne shadowes; and thinke our workes acceptable enough to God. If wee haue prayed, ⟨p. 55⟩releeued, beleeued the history of the Gospell, or attentiuely heard the word, these are works meete for God. The Monke had but one hole in his Cell, and though it was in the toppe, vpward to heauen, yet the Diuell made a shift to creepe in there. The Serpent thrusts in his head often in some cracke of our good workes. Luther paradoxically. 〈…〉 •niustitiarum •ere sola causa 〈…〉. Almost the only cause of all vnrighteousnesse, is (a too-well conceited) righteousnesse. We are easily induced to thinke our selues euery one,3 as Simon Magas, some great man. There must bee a deiection of this thought, an annihilation of our owne worth; that we can doe nothing meete for God, or worthy his iust acceptance. For Serdet in distincti••e Iudicis, quod fulget in opinione operantis. That is often foule in the sentence of the Iudge, which shines in the imagination of him that doth it.
- 11. Pet. 2. 19.
- 2Rom. 8. 18.
- 3Act▪ 8. 9.
