IN the second and third book they received the law. And in this fourth, they begin to work, & to practise. Of which practising ye see many good examples of unbelief, and what 1freewill doth, when she taketh in hand to keep yt law of her own power, with out help of faith in yt promises of god: how she leaveth her masters carcasses by the way in the wilderness, and bringeth them not into the land of rest. Why could they not enter in? Because of their unbelief, Hebrew. 3. For had they believed, so had they been under grace, and their old sins had ben forgiven them, and power should have been given them to have fulfilled the law thenceforth, and they should have been kept from all temptations that had been to strong for them. For it is written, John. 1. He gave them power to be the sons of God, through believing 2in his name. Now to be yt son of God, is to love God and his commandments, and to walk in his way after the ensample of his son Christ. But these people took upon them to work without faith, as thou seest in the 14. of this book, where they would fight and also did, without the word of promise: even when they were warned that they should not. And in the 16. again, they would please God with their holy faithless works (for where Gods word is not, there can be no faith) but the fire of God consumed their holy works, as it did Nadab and Abihu Levit. 10. And from these unbelievers turn thine eyes unto the Pharisees which before the coming of Christ in his flesh, had laid the foundation of freewill, after the same ensample. Whereon they built holy works after their own imagination without faith of yt word, 3so fervently, that for the great zeal of them, they slew the king of all holy works, and the lord of freewill, which only through his grace maketh the will free, and looseth her from bondage of sin, and giveth her love, and lust unto the laws of God, and power to fulfil them. And so through their holy works done by the power of freewill, they excluded themselves out of the holy 4rest of forgiveness of sins by faith in the blood of Christ.
IN the second and thirde booke they receaued the law. And in this fourth, they beginne to worke, & to practise. Of whiche practising ye see manye good examples of vnbeliefe, and what 1freewill doth, when she taketh in hand to kepe yt law of her own power, with out helpe of faith in yt promises of god: how she leaueth her maisters carkasses by the way in the wildernesse, and bringeth them not into the lande of rest. Why could they not enter in? Because of their vnbeliefe, Hebrue. 3. For had they beleued, so had they bene vnder grace, and their old sinnes had ben forgeuē them, and power should haue bene geuen them to haue fulfilled the law thenceforth, and they should haue bene kepte from all temptations that had bene to strong for them. For it is writen, Iohn. 1. He gaue them power to be the sonnes of God, thorow beleuyng 2in hys name. Now to be yt sonne of God, is to loue God and hys commaundementes, and to walke in hys way after the ensample of hys sonne Christ. But these people tooke vppon them to worke without fayth, as thou seest in the 14. of this boke, where they would fight and also did, without the woorde of promise: euen when they were warned that they shoulde not. And in the 16. agayne, they woulde please God with their holye faythlesse workes (for where Gods woorde is not, there can be no fayth) but the fire of God consumed their holy workes, as it did Nadab and Abihu Leuit. 10. And from these vnbeleuers turn thine eyes vnto the Pharises whiche before the commyng of Christ in hys fleshe, had layde the foundation of freewyll, after the same ensample. Wheron they built holy workes after their owne imagination without fayth of yt word, 3so feruently, that for the great zeale of them, they slewe the king of all holye workes, and the lord of freewil, which onely thorowe hys grace maketh the will free, and looseth her from bōdage of sinne, and geueth her loue, and luste vnto the lawes of God, and power to fulfill them. And so through their holy workes done by the power of freewil, they excluded themselues out of the holy 4rest of forgeuenes of sinnes by fayth in the bloud of Christ.
- 1Freewill and unbelief were the overthrow of ou• for e•athers.Freewill and vnbeliefe were the ouerthrow of ou• for e•athers.
- 2Then cannot they be the children of God, which put more trust in their own works, then in the blood of Jesus Christ.Then cannot they be the childrē of God, which put more trust in their owne workes, then in ye bloud of Iesus Christ.
- 3Faithless works.Faithlesse workes.
- 4The Pharisees by their freewill excluded them selves from the salvationThe Pharises by their freewill excluded them selues from the saluatiō
