the present fruite of their labours Obiect All Christians are brethren in which number infants are not so long as we driue them from the supper An. None be heires of the kingdome of heauen Infantes are members of Christ but such as are members of Christ Obiect No man is made our brother but by the Spirite of adoption which is onlie giuen by the hearing of faith An. That is preposterouslie drawen to infants which is spoken onlie of those which are growen vp Obiect By regeneration we be made Gods But those be Gods to whom the worde of God is spoken Which doth not agree to children which are infants An. The place of the Psalme is wrested to a strange sense Againe to feigne that there is a Godhead in the faithfull Seruetus his doting is of Seruetus his dotings Obiect Sheepe and goates were not straightway offered in sacrifice so soone as they came out of the wombe Exod. 13.2 An. All the first begotten so soone as they opened the matrix were holie to the Lord* Therefore we must not wait for mans strength 32 Therfore let vs conclude that those opinions must be taken away which make void that consolation which the faithfull conceiue in their minds by the promises of God which make them vnthankfull toward the mercie of God sluggish to teach their children godlinesse CHAP. XVII Of the holie supper of Christ and what it auaileth vs. The Supper doth nourish those which are begotten by the word Signes 1 LIKE AS we are by baptisme brought into the church of God so by the spirituall banquet we are kept in that life into the which hee hath begotten vs by his word The signes are bread wine which represent vnto vs the inuisible food which we haue by the flesh and blood of Christ The ende is threefold that it may serue for confirmation of our faith A three fold ende for our confession before men and for exhortation to loue Therefore this mistycall blessing tendeth to this ende namelie that it may confirme to vs that the bodie of the Lorde was once so offered for vs that we do now eat the same by eating it do feele in our selues the force of that onlie sacrifice 1 The confirmation of faith is the first ende of the Supper that his blood was shed for vs that it is to vs cōtinuall drinke And so sound the wordes of the promise which is added there 2 And out of this sacrament godlie soules may gather great fruite of confidence and sweetnes because they haue a testimonie that we are growne together into one body with Christ The Supper is a great argument of confidence so that we may cal all that ours which is his againe whatsoeuer is ours hee will haue it so imputed to him as if it were his owne Heereupon it followeth that eternall life is ours and that wee cannot bee condemned by our sinnes from the giltinesse whereof he acquitteth vs. 3 Whereas he commaundeth vs to take hee signifieth that it is ours whereas hee biddeth vs eate The commandement Take he signifieth that that is made one substance with vs. Wheras he saith of his bodie that it is deliuered for vs of his blood that it is shed for vs hee therein teacheth that both these are not so muche his as ours because he tooke both and layd downe both not for his owne commoditie but for our saluation The force of the Supper And the whole force of the sacrament consisteth in these wordes which is giuen for you which is shed for you 4 Therefore they be not the principall parts of the sacrament to preach to vs the bodie of Christe simplie and without anie higher consideration The promise but rather that promise whereby hee doth testifie that his flesh is meat indeed and that his blood is drinke indeede wherewith wee are fedde to eternall life Whereby hee affirmeth that hee is that bread of life of which whosoeuer shall eate hee shall liue for euer 5 That is done both by the Gospell and also more plainlie by the holie Supper Where both hee himselfe offereth him selfe to vs with all his good things we receiue him by faith Furthermore we must in this place beware of two vices 2 Faultes to be taken heede of in the Supper that neither doing too much in extenuating the signes wee seeme to plucke them from their mysteries wherto they are after a sort knit fast nor that beeing immeasurable in aduauncing the same A similitude we seeme in the meane season to darken the mysteries themselues Ob. To eate the flesh of Christ and to drinke his blud is nothing els but to beleeue in Christ himselfe An. Like as not the sight but the eating of bread ministreth foode to the bodie so the soule must trulie and throughlie be made partaker of Christ that by his power it may be quickened to a spirituall life They thinke that to eate is onelie to beleeue Eating is a fruite of faith therfore I say that that eating is a fruit effect of faith 6 This is also to bee obserued that when the cuppe is called the couenant in the blood there is a promise expressed which serueth to confirme faith whereupon it followeth that vnlesse wee haue respect vnto God imbrace that which he offereth we do not rightlie vse the the holie supper 7 Ob. In the supper we are only partakers of the spirit of Christ An. Yea his flesh is meat indeede and his blood is drinke indeed The flesh of Christ is meat indeed neither hath anie man life but hee which eateth that flesh drinketh that blood 8 The summe cūmeth to this end that Christ was frō the beginninng that liuelie word of his father* the fountain of life and the originall frō whence all thinges did alwaies receiue life That life was then made manifest Ioh. 1.2 Christ is the fountaine of life whē the son of God hauing takē our flesh vpō him offred himself to be seen with eyes handeled with hands Moreouer it maketh the selfe same flesh wherein it is to bring life to vs that thorow partaking thereof we may be fed to immortalitie* Ioh. 6.48.58 Heerin the godly haue singular comfort that they finde life in their owne flesh Let them onely hold out the lap of their heart that they may embrace it being present 9 Obiect The flesh of Christ hath not so great power of it self that it can quicken vs which by the owne condition was subiect to mortalitie being now endued with immortality doth not liue of it self An. Yet it is by good right said to geue life The flesh of Christ giueth life which is filled with fulnesse of life that it might poure it out into vs. For the flesh of Christ is like to a fountaine being rich and such as cannot be drawne dry A similitude Eph. 1.22 4.15 which doth poure out into vs
the life which floweth from the godhead into it* 10 Therfore our soules are none otherwise fed with the flesh and bloud of Christ then bread and wine do maintaine and sustaine the corporall life Obiect The distance of place is so great that the flesh of Christ can not come to vs that it may be to vs meate An. The power of the holie Ghost doth so much surpasse our senses The distance of places doth not hinder the partaking that it is a foolish thing to go about to measure his infinitnesse by our measure Let faith conceaue that which the mind doth not comprehend that the Spirite doeth trulie vnite those things which are separate in place After which sort the Apostle sayd that the bread which we breake is the partaking of the bodie of Christ Obiect It is a figuratiue speech wherby the name of the thing signified is giuen to the signe An. By the breaking of bread Breaking of bread the Lord doth not only represent but also deliuer the partaking of his bodie 11 And the holie mysterie of the Supper consisteth in two things in bodilie signes in the spirituall truth Let vs therein consider three thinges the signification the matter which dependeth thervpon the vertue or effect which followeth vppon both The signification is placed in the promises The matter is Christ with his death resurrection Three thinges to be considered The matter The signification The effect Sorbonistes Transubstantiation Lombard lib. 4. dist 12. By the effect we meane redemption righteousnesse and eternall life 12 And although in the mysterie of the Supper we grow together in one body with Christ by faith yet we reiect the error of those which fasten Christ to the element of bread 13 Obiect The bodie of Christ which is in it self visible lieth hid and is couered vnder the forme of bread after consecration* so that onely whitenesse remaineth 14 An. Hence came faigned transubstantiation But there should be no likelihoode betweene the signe and the thing signified Obiect Some of the old writers did vse the word Turning Conuersion or turning in the Supper An. That they might teach that the bread which is consecrated to the mysterie doth much differ frō common bread but they wold not abolish the substance of the outward signes What consecration is 15 That is it which is signified by the worde of consecration that shall appeare by an example The water which flowed out of the rocke in the wildernesse was a signe of the same thing to the Fathers which the wine doth figure to vs in the Supper But it was a common watering to beastes the people and the cattell Whereupon it followeth that there is none other chaunge made but in respect of men by reason of the promise Obiect The rod of Moses being turned into a serpent though it get the name of a serpent yet it retaineth the old name Exod. 4.3 7.20 it is called a rod* So bread is called bread though it be become a new substāce An. The eye was a witnesse of that turning The rod is called a serpent but not in the Supper and in short time it returned to the owne forme therefore it retaineth the name of a rod. 16 Obiect The bodie of Christ as it is inuisible infinite it is euerie where Vbiquitaties therefore nothing doth hinder but that it may lye hid vnder bread An. The nature of a true bodie doth not suffer that 17 Obiect The flesh of Christ had neuer anie other measuringes saue onely so farre wide as heauen and earth do reach How Christ is said to haue waxed and growen And whereas Christ was borne and did grow that was done by dispensation that he might fulfill in the sight of men those things which were necessarie to saluation An. What is this Marcion to ascribe to Christ a phantasticall bodie but to raise vp Marcion from hell Obiect Christs bodie is glorious and immortall therfore there is none absurditie if it be contayned in more places thē one if in no place if in no forme vnder the Sacrament An. But the body was mortal which Christ gaue to his disciples the day before he suffred Mat. 17.2 Obiect He had alreadie shewed his glorie to the three disciples in the mount An. He meant by that brightnesse to giue them a tast of immortalitie for an houre The end of the transfiguration But he had not a double bodie but it was his owne garnished with newe glorie 18 Go to if they will tie and fasten the bodie bloud of the Lord to the bread and wine the one must needs be pluckt away from the other Obiect The bloud is in the bodie and the bodie in the bloud An. That is a friuolous starting hole For they be distinct in signes A Caution 19 Furthermore let vs neuer suffer these two exceptions to be taken frō vs. That no iote of the heauenlie glorie of Christ be diminished or taken away which cometh to passe when he is tied to the earthly creatures Secondly that we do not imagine anie thing to be in his bodie which is not agreeable to mans nature which cometh to passe when it is either said to be infinite or to be in more places then one at one time 20 Obiect The Pronoune This doth only note the forme of bread Popish transubstantiation An. But Christ did testifie that that which he reached to his Apostles namely breade was his bodie Obiect The bread must needes be chaunged into the bodie of Christ because it was sayd This is my bodie An. This word is is neuer taken for to be changed and turned into an other thing Obiect This is my bodie signifieth as much as that the bodie of Christ is with the breade in the bread and vnder the bread An. These speeches are too diuerse that the bread is the bodie Absurdities and that the bodie is with the bread Secondly the bread should be Christ and also God The cup should be the newe Testament whereas it is only a signe thereof 21 But the name of the thing is giuen to the signe because of the alliance which is betwene the things signified and their signes So Circumcision is the couenant * Exod. 12.43 Mat. 3.16 Gen. 17.13 The lambe is the Passeouer* The sacrifices of the Law are the putting away of sinnes the doue is the holie Ghost * 1 Cor. 10.4 The stone is Christ 22 Obiect The force of the verbe substantiue is so great that it admitteth no figure An. And yet Paule expoundeth it where he calleth bread the communicating or partaking of the bodie of Christ* 1 Cor. 10.16 23 Obiect We may not depart one whit from the letter An. Then God is a man of warre* Exo. 15.3 Absurdities God hath eyes eares hands feet Obiect When Christ did comfort his Apostles he spake not darkly or figuratiuely An. It is true
For vnlesse the Apostles had remembred that the bread was figuratiuely called his bodie they should haue bene troubled with a thing so strange or monstrous that Christ should sit at table in their sight should be included in the bread being inuisible 24 Obiect The infinite power of God must not be made subiect to the lawes of nature The power of God An. The question is not what God could do but what he would do And it pleased God that Christ should haue a true bodie 25 Obiect We haue the word wherein the will of God is made manifest The will of God must be ioyned with his power An. The gift of interpretation must not be banished out of the Church which bringeth light to the word Obiect We haue the word An. Such as the Anthropomorphits had in times past when they made God to haue a bodie The error of the Anthropomorphits Mat. 28.20 26 Obiect Christ sayde Behold I am with you vntill the end of the world* An. He sayd in another place Mat. 26.11 Me shall you not haue alwayes with you* For he is present euerie where by his diuine maiestie whereas in bodie he is at the right hand of the Father Quest Shall we then appoint Christ some certaine countrey of heauen An. This is a curious question we beleeue that he is in heauen it is enough 27 These words shewe the same to go away to ascend to be lifted vp on high whiles the Disciples did behold* Act. 1.9 Mar. 16.9 Luk. 24.51 And Paule likewise affirmeth* that we must looke for him from heauen 28 Obiect Augustine saith that the bodie and bloud of Christ are distributed in the Supper * Phil. 3.20 Epist 23. ad Bonifa An. He expoundeth him selfe when he saith that the Sacraments take ther names of the likelihoode of the things which they signifie Take away sayth he spaces from the bodies and they shall be no where and because they shall be no where they shall not be at all Seruetus 29 Obiect The bodie of Christ is in it selfe visible in heauen but in the Supper it is inuisible by dispensation An. Yea Peter saith that the heauen must containe Christ vntill he come againe* Act. 3.21 Obiect His bodie was swallowed vp of his godhead after his ascension An. There should remaine no difference betwene his diuinitie and his humanitie A glorified bodie Obiect His bodie is glorified An. It is not therefore infinite Because Christ sayd Luk. 24.39 See and grope* Obiect Stephen saw him after his ascension * Act. 7.55 An. It was not needfull for Christ to change his place who could make the eyes of his seruaunt so quicke of sight as that they should pearce into the heauens Act. 9.4 Mat. 28.6 Ioh. 20.19 The same must we also say of Paule* Obiect Christ came out of the graue when it was shut* and he came in to his Disciples when the doores were shut* An. As Christ walked vppon the water euen as vpon an hard pauement The miraculous comming out of the graue Luk. 24.31 so no maruell if the hardnesse of the stone did yeeld when he came against it Obiect Christ vanished away suddenly out of his Disciples sight as they went to Emaus* An. He became not inuisible that he might take away the sight of him selfe from them but he did onely go out of sight as before he had holden their eyes that he might not be knowen* Ibid. 16. 30 Obiect Where soeuer the godhead of Christ shall be there shall his bodie be also An. The one onely person of Christ doth so consist vpon two natures that yet notwithstanding either of them hath still her owne properties remayning Obiect No man ascendeth into heauen but he which came downe from heauen the Sonne of man which is in heauen* Ioh. 3.13 Cōmunicating of properties An. We must not despise the communicating of properties Christ was in heauen as he was God vpon earth as he was man 31 Obiect There shall be no presence of Christ in the Supper vnlesse it be in the bread How we enioy the presence of Christ An. As if if Christ lift vs vp vnto him self by his Spirit we do not as well enioy his presence 32 Christ pronounceth that his flesh is the meat of the soule his bloud the drinke of the soule He commandeth vs to take I doubt not but he doth indeed reach it I do receaue it It is an higher mysterie then that it can be vttered in words Obiect Then there shall be a mixture of the flesh of Christ with our soule A powring out or a pouring out therof into the same An. No trulie But let it be sufficient that Christ doth breath out life into our soule frō the substance of his flesh How our soules are nourished by the bodie of Christ yea that he doth poure out into vs his owne life though the verie flesh of Christ do not enter into vs. 33 Obiect This doctrine is contrarie to the true and reall eating The true eating An. The true eating is spirituall Obiect So then we touch only the frute or effect of the flesh of Christ Christ is the matter of the Supper An. Christ is the matter of the Supper therupon followeth the effect the purging of our sinnes Obiect Who so euer are made partakers of the Sacramental eating they are made partakers of the bodie and bloud of Christ The vnbeeleuing receaue onlie the signe An. The vnbeleeuers receaue the signes not the thing signified Obiect Mans vnthankfulnesse can not diminish the faithfulnesse of Gods promises An. I graunt but some receaue the spirituall meate when it is offred them some reprochfully refuse it which are destitute of faith Obiect Hereby the word is diminished This is my body if the wicked receaue nothing but corruptible bread An. God will not be knowne to be true in the verie receauing but in the constancy of his goodnesse Quest How shal Christ come to the condēnation of certaine 1 Cor. 11.29 vnlesse they receaue him vnworthely* An. Men do not purchase to thē selues death by receauing Christ vnworthely but by refusing him Homil. in Ioh. 59 34 Therfore Augustine saith that the rest of the Disciples did eat the bread the Lord but Iudas did eat the bread of the Lord where he doth plainely exclude the vnbeleeuing from partaking of the bodie and bloud of Christ 35 This knowledge will likewise easily draw vs away frō carnall worshipping Carnall worshipping which some haue erected in the Sacrament through peruerse rashnesse Obiect If it be the bodie then the soule and the godhead must be together with the bodie Therfore we must worship Christ An. It is a false accōpanying Accompanying For the body of Christ is not Christ Again the body is in heauen not in the supper Therfor the Apostles did not worship it prostrating thēselues but they tooke it
sitting at table Last of all Luke saith that the faithfull did communicat not in worshipping but in breaking of bread* Act. 2.42 36 The Nicene synod meant to preuent this mischief when it forbad vs to be huÌ„bly intentiue to the signes set before vs. The Nicene synode Neither was it ordained in times past for any other cause Why it was said lift vp your heartes that the people should be admonished before the coÌ„secratioÌ„ to lift vp their harts 37 Obiect We geue this worship to Christ An. Then we need no signe seing Christ sitteth in heauen And wheras they carie about pompously the consecrated host They carie about the consecrated host which they shew forth in a solemne spectacle to be beheld worshipped called vpoÌ„ it is too superstitious We haue hitherto shewed how the mystery of the holy Supper serueth for our faith with God 2 Outward coÌ„fession is the second end of the Supper Now let vs speak of the outward coÌ„fession Paule interpreteth that to be to shew forth the Lords death which was instituted by the Lord before that the disciples should do it in remeÌ„brance of him * Luke 22 19. And that is publikly 1 Cor. 11.26 altogether with one mouth openly to confesse that the whole confideÌ„ce of life saluatioÌ„ is placed in the death of the Lord that we may glorifie him by our confession and exhort others to geue glorie to him by our example 38 Thirdly the Lord also wold haue it to be to vs in steed of exhortation then which none other can more vehemently animate and inflame vs both to purenesse and holinesse of life 3 Ende exhorting to loue also to loue peace consent For he doth so impart to vs his bodie that he is altogether made one with vs we with him Paule did plainly teach that The cup of blessing is the partaking of the bloud of Christ* The bread of blessing is the partaking of his bodie 1 Cor. 10.16 Therfore Augustine doeth oftentimes call this Sacrament the bond of loue The Supper is the bond of loue 39 Hereby is that verie well confirmed whereof I spake that the right administration of the Sacraments is not without the word For what soeuer profit we reape by the Supper the word is requisit whether we be to be confirmed in the faith or to be exercised in confession or to be stirred vp to loue we haue neede of prayer What shall we then say of that dumbe action of the Papists of their magicall inchantment The Masse and of other toyes 40 Furthermore like as we see that this holy bread of the Supper is spirituall meate and wholesome to the faithfull To whome the Supper is poyâ—on so againe it is turned into most hurtfull poyson to all those whose faith it doth not nourish whom it doth not prouoke to the confession of praise and to loue Therfore Paule exhorteth euerie one to trie and examine him selfe 1 Cor. 11.29 The tryall of a mans self 41 Obiect They do eate worthely which are in the state of grace namely pure purged from all sinne An. By such an opinion doctrine all men shold be kept backe from the vse of this Sacrament The Supper is a medicine for the sicke 42 But let vs remember that this holy banquet is a medicine for the sicke a comfort for sinners a reward for the poore which should nothing profit the sounde righteous and rich if anie such could be found Thefore we shall drawe nere worthely if we know our owne vnworthinesse and seeke our righteousnesse in Christ 43 But as touching the outward rite of the action Mans worthinesse The outward rite Prayers all things shal be well done if they be done with loue edification Let vs begin with common prayer theÌ„ let a sermon be made then let the minister hauing set breade and wine vpon the table repeare the institution of the Supper let him recite the promises which are therin left for vs The forme of ministring the Supper let him also excommunicate all those which by the Lordes inhibition are forbidden to come therto let prayer be made that the Lord wil with like benignity frame vs to receiue that food as he hath vouchsafed to bestowe it vpon vs that seing of our selues we are not he will of his mercie make vs worthy of such a banquet and here let either Psalmes be song or let somewhat be read and let the faithfull communicate in such order as becommeth them After the Supper is ended let an exhortation be made to faith confession loue Last of all When the Supper must be celebrated when the thankesgiuing is ended let the Church be dismissed If that were done at least euerie weeke it should be more allowable 44 This was an euill ordinance that it should be receaued but once in a yeare and that but for fashions sake Luke sheweth that it was oftener vsed in the Apostolike Church wheÌ„ he saith that the faithfull continued in the doctrine of the Apostles Act. 2.42 in fellowship in breaking of bread and prayers* Which thing was long time obserued in the Church as we may gather out of the Canons of Anacletus and Calixtus 45 By these constitutions the holy men meant to retaine and maintaine the often vse of the communion deliuered by the Apostles them selues The canons of Anacletus which they saw to be most wholsome for the faithfull to grow out of vse through negligence of the people Augustine testifieth of his age How the often vse of the Supper grewe out of vse by litle and litle In sex cap. Ioh. tract 26. that this Sacrament was prepared and receaued in some places dayly in some places certaine dayes coming betweene* The same doth Chrysostome teach* 46 And surely this custome which commandeth to communicate but once in the yeare is a most certaine inuention of the deuill * In cap. 1. Hom. 26. ad Eph. through whose ministerie soeuer it was brought in 47 Out of the same shop came that other constitution also which did either steale or take from the better part of the people the halfe of the Supper namely the signe of the bloud The signe of the blood was forbidden the lay people which being forbidden the lay and profane men these titles do they geue to Gods inheritaÌ„ce it became proper to a few shauelings annointed persons For this is the coÌ„mandement of eternall God that all drinke Obiect It is to be feared lest the consecrate wine be shed An. As if all daungers were not before seene by the eternall wisedome of God The bodie is distinguished from the blood Obiect One doth serue for both For the body is not without bloud An. As if the Lord had for no cause distinguished his bodie from his bloud both in words and signes We must retaine the profite which we reape in the double
doubting The hope of the faithfull by beholding our owne vnworthinesse we stagger and doubt An. We thinke vpon Christ not standing a farre of but rather dwelling in vs. Therfore we looke for saluation at his handes because he doth make vs after we be ingrafted into his bodie partakers not onely of all his good thinges but euen of him selfe also 25 Bernard disputeth in like sort Hom. 5. dedica templi by the benefite of God saith he somtimes thinking vpon the soule me thinkes I see in it as it were two contraries if I behold it as it is in it self of it self I cā say nothing more truely of it then that it is brought to nothing but of the mercie of God we haue cause to reioyce not in our selues but in the Lord. 26 Furthermore the feare of the Lord which is called elsewhere the beginning of wisedome* The soonnelie feare and the seruile Pro. 1.7 and in some place wisedome it selfe * Pro. 15.23 although it be but one yet it floweth from a double vnderstanding For God hath in him self the reuerence of a father and of a maister Therfore he that will worship him aright must shewe him selfe both an obedient child toward him and also studie to do the dutie of an obedient seruant Mal. 1.7 27 Obiect Iohn saith that there is no feare in loue but that perfect loue casteth out feare* 1. Ioh. 4.18 An. He speaketh of the feare and terrour of incredulitie The difference betweene terrour and feare from which that feare of the faithfull differeth much For the wicked do not feare God but so soone as they heare of his anger armed with power of reuenge they quake and are taken with horrour forthwith But the faithfull do more feare the offence then the punishment Whereby it commeth to passe that we say there is a double feare seruile and sonnely The goodwill of God is the cause of saluation 28 Nowe we vnderstand and know that the possession of saluation and eternall life is obtained in Gods good will which our faith doth respect For if we can lacke no good thing so long as we haue God to be fauourable to vs it doth aboundantly suffice vs vnto the certaintie of saluation when he him selfe doth certifie vs of his loue Let him shewe his face saith the Prophet Psal 80.4 we shal be safe* Wherfore faith being layde hold on by the loue of God hath the promises of this life and of the life to come The promyses make faith careles and perfect securitie of all good thinges but yet such as may be gathered and had out of the worde 29 Therefore wee make the free promise the ground of faith The free promyse is the foūdation of faith because faith consisteth properlie in it For though it be perswaded that God speaketh the truth whether he command or forbid or whether he promise or he threaten and doth also obediently receaue his commaundements obserue his inhibitions take heed of his threatnings yet it beginneth properly with the promise in it it consisteth and continueth and in it it endeth for it seeketh life in the free promise of mercie in which sense not the Lawe but the Gospell is called the word of faith* Rom. 1 5. 16 17. Pighlus 30 Obiect Such a restraint in pulling faith in peeces doth lay hold but vpon one peece An. Faith hath respect vnto all parts of the word of God but it neuer stayeth vntill it come vnto the free promise of grace in Christ 31 And hereby we gather that faith hath no lesse neede of the word A similitude then frute hath of the liuely roote of the tree because as Dauid doth witnesse Psal 9.11 none trust in God but such as know his name* and in another place I haue hoped in thy worde Psal 119.45 Faith layeth hold vpon the power of God by the worde saue me* Therefore we must not turne aside from the word no not one iote whereby we do also lay hold vpon the power of God which we do not conceaue to be idle but effectuall whereby the Israelits also might learne that God who was the authour of saluation once would be the euerlasting keeper thereof Obiect Sara and Rebecca The errour of Sara and Rebecca through zeale of faith offended An. Both of them erred because they passed the bounds of the word 32 Againe we do not without cause include all promises in Christ Promyses in Christ Rom. 1.17 when as the Apostle includeth all the whole Gospell in the knowledg of him* and in another place he teacheth that all the promises of God are in him yea and amen For whatsoeuer God doth promise he doeth thereby testifie his good will The promyses a testimonye of loue so that there is no promise of his which is not a testimonie of loue But no man is beloued of God which is without Christ For he is the beloued Sonne* Mat. 3.17 17.5 Eph. 1.6 Note 2. Kin. 5.19 in whom the loue of the Father abideth doth afterward descend from him vnto vs. It followeth that we must cast our eyes vpon Christ so often as anie promise is offred vs. Obiect Naaman the Syrian * Act. 10.31 Cornelius the Gentile and Romane* the Eunuch * Act. 8.7 were acceptable to God and yet they knewe not Christ the Mediatour An. I graunt that in some point their faith was entāgled not only as touching the person of Christ but also as concerning his power Naamans faith intangled and the office which was enioyned him by his Father Yet neuerthelesse it is certaine that they were instructed in the principles which gaue them some tast of Christ though it were verie slender Preachinge of the worde 33 And this bare and externall preaching of the worde ought to suffice abundantly to make it to be beleeued vnlesse blindnesse and stubburnnesse did let it Furthermore without the illumination of the Spirite nothinge is done by the woorde Note The holye ghost is the authour of faith Moreouer the Spirite is not onely the beginner of fayth but he doeth also increase it by degrees vntill it bring vs vnto the kingdome of heauen The incresings of faith Obiect On the other side Paule teacheth that the Spirite is geuen by the hearinge of faith* Gal. 5.5 An. If there were one onely gift of the Spirite he should haue spoken absurdly in calling the Spirite an effect of faith who is the authour and cause thereof but forasmuch as he setteth foorth those giftes wherewith God doeth adorne his Church The Spirit put for the giftes of God and by the increasinges of faith doeth bring it vnto perfection no maruell if he ascribe those thinges to faith which doeth prepare vs to receaue the same 34 These are the mysteries of God which are reuealed onely to litle ones * Mat. 16.17 Mat. 11.25 For flesh and bloude doth
not reueale them neither doeth the naturall man vnderstande those thinges which are of the Spirit * 1 Cor. 2.14 but the doctrine of God is rather to him foolishnesse Therefore the aide of the holie Ghost is necessarie or rather he is his onely power The word of God is indeed like to the Sunne which shineth to all those to whom it is preached A similitude but with no frute among the blind Note But we which are by nature blind are enlightened by the Spirit 35 Thereupon Paule calleth the Spirit of faith faith not that which we haue naturallie 1 Cor. 4.13 but that which we haue of the Spirit* Therefore he prayeth that God would fulfil in the Thessaloniās all his good pleasure and the work of faith in power* 2. Thess 1.11 For faith is a singular gift Faith is the gift of God which God giueth to whome he will 36 But it is certaine that the minde is not sufficiently illuminate by the vnderstanding and knowledge of the worde vnlesse the certaintie thereof do likewise pearce into the heart both which the Spirite worketh A similitude Eph. 1.13 Therefore he serueth in steed of a seale to seale those promises in our heartes* the certaintie whereof he had before imprinted in our mindes 37 Obiect That confirmation is in vaine Faith is shaken but not ouercome when as faith is tossed and shaken with continuall storms of temptations An. But it is not ouercome because God is the protection aide tower and buckler of the faithful* Psal 13.6 47 3. 27.1 Onely we haue neede of patience* 38 Obiect We can not otherwise be perswaded of the grace and fauour of God toward vs Patience is necessarie Heb. 10.36 Sorbonists Coniectures are contrarie to faith but only by a moral coniecture as euerie one doth think him selfe not to be vnworthie therof An. Nothing is more contrarie to faith then cōiectures Obiect No man knoweth whether he be worthy of hatred or of loue* Eccle. 9.1 An. This place is corruptly translated Salomon his meaning is The sense If anie man will esteeme and iudge by the present state of thinges whome God loueth and whome he hateth he shall take paines in vaine seeing all thinges fall out a like to the iust and the vniust to him that offereth sacrifice and to him that offereth none To know certainly is not to presume 39 Obiect It is a point of rash presumption for a man to chalenge and attribute to him self the certaine knowledge of the good will of God An. I graunt if we tooke so much vpon vs as to make the incomprehensible counsell of God subiect to the slendernesse of our wit But we say simplie with Paule* 1 Cor. 2.12 That we haue not receaued the spirite of this world but the Spirit which is of God who being our teacher we knowe those things which are giuen vs of God Obiect It is rashnesse to boast of the Spirite of God Rom. 8 14. Ioh. 11. An. But Paule pronounceth that they onely are the children of God which are led by his Spirite He being our guide we call God father* and wee knowe assuredly that we be the children of God 40 Obiect Although we may iudge of the grace of God according to the present state of righteousnesse yet the knowledge of perseuering vnto the ende hangeth in doubt Perseuerance Rom. 8.38 An. I am fully perswaded saith Paule* that neither Angels nor powers nor principalities c. shall separate vs from the loue wherewith the Lord loueth vs in Christ Ob. The Apostle had that by an especiall reuelatiō An. But he handleth in that place those good things which al the faithful in general haue by faith and not those which he him selfe alone doth seale Obiect But the same Paul in another place doth terrifie vs by making mention of our weakenesse inconstancie Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall* 1 Cor. 10.12 An. But not with feare and terrour whereby we may be throwen downe but whereby we may learne to humble our selues vnder the mightie hand of God as Peter declareth* 1 Pet. 3.6 41 By these things which we haue alreadie sayd we see that the definition of faith which we set downe varieth not from the Apostles description Where he teacheth that faith is the substance of things to be hoped for What faith is Heb. 11.1 and a certaintie of thinges that are not seene* Obiect Loue is before faith and hope also An. Yea faith alone bringeth forth loue Faith is the mother of loue euerie good worke besides 42 Nowe whersoeuer this faith shall be it can not be but that it hath hope of eternall saluation ioyned with it as an vnseparable companion Faith hath hope for her companyon or rather that it begetteth and bringeth it forth of it self Faith beleeueth that God is true hope waiteth and looketh that in conuenient time he shew his truth Note faith beleeueth that he is our father hope waiteth and looketh that he do alwayes so shewe him selfe toward vs faith is the foundation wherupon hope resteth 43 By reason of this affinitie the Scripture doth sometimes confounde the worde of faith and of hope* Faith and hope are sometymes confounded 1 Pet. 3.4 Obiect Hope hath a double foundatiō the grace of God and merit of workes An. The whole Scripture doeth teach that hope must looke vnto the mercie of God alone Lombardus his error as it were with both eyes as vnto the marke which is common to her as well as to faith CHAP. III. That we are regenerate by faith where repentance is handled The partes of the Gospell 1 THerefore faith doth possesse Christ doth rest vpon the Gospell which hath two parts repentance and remission of sinnes Christ geueth both and we obtaine both by faith And repentāce proceedeth from faith as frute from a tree Repentance proceedeth from faith 2 Obiect Christ and Iohn in their sermons do first exhort the people vnto repentance and then afterward they adde that the kingdome of heauen was at hand* Therfore repentaunce goeth before faith Mat. 3.2 which we haue by the Gospell An. We must not superstitiously stick to the placing of syllables For it is all one as if they should say because the kingdome of heauen is at hande therefore repent For in the Prophet that voyce is commaunded to begin with consolation and glad tidings* Isay 40 3. The partes of repentance 3 Certaine learned men haue sayd that repentance consisteth in two parts in mortification and viuification They interprete mortification to be the sorowe and terrour of minde conceaued of the knowledge of sinne Mortification and the feeling of the iudgement of God Viuification and viuification to be the consolation which ariseth of faith to wit when a man being throwen downe with the conscience feeling of his sinne and