Use 1 1Use 1. Inform. It may serve to justify the Church of England against the calumny of malevolent men. Julian upbraided the Christians, that they were Solifidians; and the Church of Rome lays upon us this aspersion that we are against good works. Indeed we plead ⟨p. 22⟩not for the merit of them, *but we are for the use of them, Titus 3. 14. Let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses. We preach they are needful, both necessitate precepti, and medij. We read the Angels had wings and hands under their wings, Ezek. 1. 8. It may be an hieroglyphical emblem of this truth; Christians must not only have the wings of faith to fly, but hands under their wings to work the works of mercy. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that you maintain constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. Titus 1. 8. The Lamp of faith ⟨p. 23⟩must be filled with the oil of Charity. Faith alone justifies, but justifying faith is not alone. *You may as well separate weight from lead, or heat from fire, as works from faith. Good works though they are not the causes of salvation, yet they are evidences. *Though they are not the foundation, yet they are the superstructure. Faith must not be built upon works, but works must be built upon faith. Rom. 7. 4. Ye are married to another that ye should bring forth fruit unto God. Faith is the Spouse which marries Christ, and good works are the children which faith bears. For the vindication of the Doctrine of our Church, and in the honour of good works, I shall lay down these four Aphorisms.
Use 1 1Use 1. Inform. It may serve to justifie the Church of England against the calumny of malevolent men. Julian upbraided the Christians, that they were Solifidians; and the Church of Rome layes upon us this aspersion that we are against good workes. Indeed we plead ⟨p. 22⟩not for the merit of them, *but we are for the use of them, Titus 3. 14. Let ours also learne to maintain good works for necessary uses. We preach they are needful, both necessitate precepti, and medij. We read the Angels had wings and hands under their wings, Ezek. 1. 8. It may be an hieroglyphical embleme of this truth; Christians must not onely have the wings of faith to flie, but hands under their wings to work the works of mercy. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that you maintain constantly, that they which have beleeved in God might be careful to maintain good workes. Titus 1. 8. The Lampe of faith ⟨p. 23⟩must be filled with the oile of Charity. Faith alone justifies, but justifying faith is not alone. *You may as well separate weight from lead, or heat from fire, as works from faith. Good workes though they are not the causes of salvation, yet they are evidences. *Though they are not the foundation, yet they are the superstructure. Faith must not be built upon works, but works must be built upon faith. Rom. 7. 4. Ye are married to another that ye should bring forth fruit unto God. Faith is the Spouse which marries Christ, and good works are the children which faith bears. For the vindication of the Doctrine of our Church, and in the honour of good works, I shall lay down these four Aphorismes.
- 1Inform.
- *Asserunt ponticifij, bona opera [Greek or Hebrew] esse peccati, mortis terrores vincere, neque miserecordia Dei, & propitiatore Christo egere quas in operibus opiniones, ut impias damnamus. Melancthon. De Justif. Debitorem ipse se Dominus secit non accipiendo sed promittendo. Austin in Psal. 83.Asserunt ponticifij, bona opera 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 esse peccati, mortis terrores vincere, neque miserecordia Dei, & propitiatore Christo egere quas in operibus opiniones, ut impias damnamus. Melancthon. De Justif. Debitorem ipse se Dominus secit non accipiendo sed promittendo. Austin in Psal. 83.
- *Fides sola justificat, sed fides justificans non est sola.
- *Bona opera sunt via ad regnum non causa regnandi. Bern.
