and also benefits and commodities of regeneration depend vpon the communion of the new borne children of God with Christ Iesus therefore although I haue before spoken somewhat of their said communion Christ Iesus being shewed to bee the chiefe matter wherein their new birth and being the children of God doth consist and all other points thereof before handled beeing effects of the former yet I will now returne againe thereunto and lay the same more largely forth then before I haue done Touching therfore this communion that we may yet better see what other benefits the children of God haue and what fruits they bring forth thereby let vs further vnderstand that it is in the Scriptures expressed by diuers most significant metaphors and excellent similitudes For first it is compared to the communion betwixt our bodies and our garments in which respect we are bid to put on the Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 13. 14. Secondly it is compared to the communion betwixt vs and our daily meate and drinke In which respect Christ calleth himselfe the meat that abideth to eternall life Ioh. 6. 27. and the bread of God which came downe from heauen verse 33. and the liuing bread which whosoeuer eateth shall liue for euer and also saith that his flesh is bread c. verse 51. and that except we eate his flesh and drinke his blood we haue no life in vs verse 53. because his flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drinke indeed And that he that eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood dwelleth in him and he in him verse 55. Thirdly it is compared to the communion betwixt the vine and the branches In which respect Christ calleth himselfe the vine and vs the branches Ioh. 15. 5. and Paul expresly saith that we are branches c. Rom. 11. 17. Fourthly it is compared to the communion betwixt the chiefe corner stone and the rest of the building Mat. 21. 42. Ephe. 2. 20. Fiftly it is compared to the communion betwixt a man and the house wherein he dwelleth In which resoect Christ said before that he dwelleth in them that eate his flesh and drinke his blood so Paul saith as before also hath beene shewed that Christ dwelleth in our hearts Ephes 3. 17. Sixtly it is compared to the communion betwixt the head and the members For he is said to be the head of his Church and the Church is said to be his body Ephes 2. 20. and wee are called his members Ephes 5. 30. Seuenthly it is compared to the communion betwixt the man and the wife in marriage Therefore he is often called the husband and the Church is often called his spouse And that which the Lord saith and promiseth of marrying the Israelites vnto himsefe for euer in righteousnes in indgement in mercy in coÌ„passion and in faith fulnes c. Hosea 2. 19. 20. is to be vnderstood as of all other the elect as well as of Israel on the one part so also of the second person in the Deity to be after that prophesie incarnate and made man on the other part For it cannot be vnderstood of the father or of the holy ghost because they were neuer to assume our nature whereby to be a fit husband for vs. Therefore also as the man and the wife being before marriage or at least before contract two are after marriage and contract called one flesh Gen. 2. 24. Mat. 19. 5. 6. so the Apostle vsing the same similitude of Christ and vs saith wee are of his flâ—sh and of his bones Ephes 5. 30. To shut vp this point such is the communion betwixt Christ and the children of God that the Apostle doth not only account them compleat in him Colos 2. 10. but saith also that they are the fulnes of him that filleth all in all things Ephes 1. 23. and so he insinuateth generally that Christ is in some sort vnperfect without the children of God as the husband is vnperfect without the wife the head without the other members a man without an house the rest of the building without the chiefe corner stone the vine without the branches the meate and drinke without some to receiue them and the garments without some to weare the same Now to returne to the former metaphors and similitudes so many as the communion betwixt Christ the naturall sonne of God and vs the adopted children of God is in Scripture expressed by by so many waies is our dignity by thi communion amplified and encreased For touching the first was it not a great honour for Daniel as the commandement of Belshazzar to be clothed with purple and to haue a chaine of gold put about his necke Dan. 5. 29. Was it not more for poore Mordecay before appointed to the sword and who had before and who had before sit at the gate of Ahashuerosh in sackeloth and ashes to be cloathed with the kings royall apparell Ester 6. 8. 9. 10. 11. How honourable then is it for such beggerly persons as we were that were not onely starke naked and vtterly without any good apparell but that also were clothed before with most polluted garments of all sinne c. to be clothed with so rich a garment as Christ Iesus is Verily neither Herod himselfe when hee clothed himselfe In his royall apparell Acts 12. 21. not all the Princes in the world that had not Christ Iesus were euer so glorious in apparell as the poorest child of God is that hath put on the Lord Iesus Christ It was an honourable thing to the Israelites that the Lord led them so through the wildernes that for forty yeeres their clothes waxed not old vpon them c. Deuteronomie 29. 5. How honourable a thing then is it for all the children of God both yong and old great and small to be clothed with that garment which as it is called the new man so it will alwaies bee new neuer worne neuer threed-bare or waxing old but remaining as fresh for euer as it was the first day euen the same yesterdaie to day and for euer Hebrewes 13. 8. for euer I say not onely in this world but also in the world to come Touching the second Metaphor was it not an honourable thing for the brethren of Ioseph at their second comming into Egypt to dine with Ioseph and to haue meates set before them from Iosephs owne table Genesis 43. 16. and 34. So also for Mephibosheth though Ionathans owne sonne and therefore of the blood roiall of Saul to be fed with meate from Dauids owne table aâ— one of Dauids own sonnes 2. Sam. 9. 7. and likewise for Chinham the sonne of Barzillai not onely to eate of Dauids meate 2. Sam. 19. 38. but also to be among them that should eate at Salomons table 1. King 2. 7. Was it not a great honour also for the Israelites to be miraculously fed in the wildernes with Manna from heauen which is therefore called angels foode and with quailes and with water out of the rocke How
preferments of the Iewes aboue the Gentiles before the comming of Christ that the Lord gaue them his word his statutes and his iudgements Psal 147. 19. and that to them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. viz. outwardly and concerning the letter to be kept by them whereas no other nation had the like benefit then how great is this priuiledge of the children of God aboue the wicked that they only haue the keeping of his word in the closets and cofers of their hearts to their euerlasting good Thus much of the dignity of Gods children by the word of God It remaineth now to speake of the Sacraments wherein I may and will be the shorter because they are only seales for confirmation of the word and either to strengthen our faith the more in the promises of God or to quicken our obedience the more vnto the commandements of God For as touching baptisme it is instituted first of all the better to assure vs of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes by the bloud of Christ by that visible element of water which therein is to be vsed This Peter teacheth when he exhorteth them that by his sermon were pricked in their hearts to bee baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes Acts 2. 38. because as the water washeth away the filth of the body so the bloud of Christ clenseth vs from all our sinnes Rom. 5. 9. Ephes 1. 7. Coloss 1. 20. 1 Iohn 1. 7. Reuel 1. 5. Secondly baptisme was instituted as a Sacrament also of repentance and regeneration because the bloud of Christ doth not onely wash vs from the guilt of our sinnes but also from the spot and blemish of them as we haue heard before And therefore Peter saith that we were elect or select viz. in our calling vnto sanctification of the spirit through the obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Christ 1. Pet. 1. 2. and againe that We were redeemed from our vaine conuersation receiued by tradition of our fathers by the pretious bloud of Christ c. verse 18. 19. Another Apostle also saith that the bloud of Christ shall purge our consciences from dead works to serue the liuing God Heb. 9. 14. Therfore to apply these things vnto baptisme the baptisme of Iohn is called the baptisme of repentance Acts 19 4. and Iohn neuer baptized but hee preached repentance Mat. 3. 8. Luk. 3. 8. Therefore also baptisme is said to teach vs to die vnto sinne and to liue vnto righteousnesse Rom. 3. 4. Gal. 3. 27. Col. 2. 12. In the same respect Paul saith that Christ gaue himselfe for the Church that he might sanctifie it and clense it by the washing of water through the word Ephes 5. 26. In which words the Apostle at least alludeth vnto baptisme and againe he seemeth to vnderstand baptisme by the washing of the new birth Tit. 3. 5. The Apostle also to the Hebrews seemeth to allude to baptisme when hee saith that wee are purged in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water Hebr. 10. 22. Finally touching both the former ends of baptisme baptisme is said to bee the baptisme of repentance and forgiunesse of sinnes Mark 1. 4. As baptisme so serueth for confirmation of faith and instruction in godlinesse so doth also the supper of the Lord. The bread that wee eate and the wine that wee drinke in a religious manner according to Christs institution doth teach vs that as the bread and wine are incorporated into our bodies and made one with them so Christs his flesh and blood are spiritually incorporated into vs and wee into Christ through faith whereby it is said as wee heard before that Christ dwelleth in our hearts Ephes 3. 17. In which respect the cup of blessing which the Minister in the celebration of the Supper blesseth that is which hee praieth God to blesse to that speciall and holy vse is said to bee the communion of the blood of Christ and that the bread which he so blesseth is said to be the communion of the body of Christ 1. Cor. 10. 16. And indeed the Supper of the Lord by the visible elements and the visible actions therein commanded by Christ himselfe putting vs better in remembrance of all that Christ hath done for vs and better shewing his death till he come 1. Cor. 11. 24. 25. 26. then bare preaching would doe for so our eies doe see our hands doe handle our tongues doe taste and our stomaks by the vertue of the bread and wine do feele that which in the word preached our eares doe heare it cannot but be a maruellous and most comfortable confirmation of our faith both for euerlasting saluation in the world to come and also for all things necessary for this life in this present world For how can we doubt of saluation which Christ Iesus hath so deerly purchased for vs and the price whereof we see in so liuely manner represented vnto vs by the bread and the wine by the breaking of the one and the pouring out of the other would he giue so much for vs and then leaue vs in the suds or in danger Yea do not the bread and the wine with the eating of the one and drinking of the other teach vs that Christs flesh and bloud are meat indeed and drinke indeed to preserue vs to that eternall life which he by his death hath purchased for vs Ioh. 6. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. Hath Christ paid so deerly for vs and doth he feed vs so daintily and with such costly diet better then Angels food and will he lose vs and suffer vs to perish and to be taken out of his hands yea sith we that eat his flesh and drinke his bloud spiritually not only in the word but also in the Sacrament doe dwell in Christ and haue Christ dwelling in vs as Christ himselfe in the place before alledged doth testifie will he dispossesse himselfe of his habitation or hauing all power in heauen in earth and euery where els in his hands can he violently by any other power be thrust out of his house and home yea sith as we haue heard the supper of the Lord doth plainly teach vs that wee are flesh of his flesh c. can we perish and he not also perish Touching things necessary for this life whiles we liue in this world the supper of the Lord by putting vs in such remembrance of Christ himselfe doth also most comfortably assure vs of them For he that spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all how shall he not with him giue vs all other things also Rom. 8. 32. And he that spared not his owne life and his owne soule but gaue them for vs and daily doth giue them vnto vs by faith how shall he not being made the heire of all things Heb. 1. 2. and hauing all things in his power and at his disposition how shall hee not I say with himselfe giue
honourable then is it for the poorest children of God to eate of Christs owne flesh and to drinke Christs owne blood Verily neither the meate of Dauid nor the dainty fare vpon Salomons table in his greatest glory nor the dointiest fare of any other Princes in the world in their greatest solemnities nor the Manna and quailes and water out of the rocke before mentioned to be giuen to the Israelites was euer comparable in any respect to this diet of the meanest sonnes and daughters of God Touching the third former metaphor what a strange thing is it that such siences as we were though indeede compared to wilde oliue branches yet ten times worse should be grafted into so precious and pleasant a stocke as Christ is and thereby bring forth fruits agreeable to Christ himselfe Iohn 15. 5. Philippians 1. 11. Though in our grafting Iouis omnia plena the siences which we graft bee nourished by the vertue of that stocke whereinto they are grafted yet they bring forth fruit according to their owne nature not according to the nature of the thâ—cke whereinto they are grafted But wee beeing grafted into Christ not the better into the worse but starke naught into the best are both nourished by vertue from him and also doe bring forth fruits agreeable to his nature not to our owne Touching the fourth former metaphor how great a grace is it for vs that were so rough and vnhewen stones as we were to be hewen smooth and made fit to bee coupled to such a precious corner stone as Christ is The same is much more to be vnderstood of the dignitie of Gods children in respect of the first former metaphor For if it bee an honour to bee wrought and carued and euery way made fitte to be coupled to such a precious corner stone as Christ Iesus is how much greater honour is it to bee made an house for Christ himselfe to dwell in yea for him not onely as man but also as God and man Hauing beene before habitations of Satan and houses of vncleane spirits Mat. 12. 43. c. Is it not an honourable change of such to be made houses houses yea more then houses For God filleth all things and all things in some sort as touching the essence of GOD euen the wicked themselues are full of God Is it not I say an honourable change of such as we were to bee made houses yea more then houses euen holy houses tabernacles and temples of the liuing God 1. Cor. 3. 16. and 2. Cor. 6. 16. verily touching this matter this second Scripture before alledged is the more to be obserued because with the former point of men to be houses and tabernacles and temples for God himselfe and of Gods dwelling among men and familiar walking or conuersing with them the Apostle ioineth also another ancient promise of God viz. that be would be a father vnto them and that they should be sonnes and daughters vnto him 2. Cor. 6. 18. Leuit. 26. 11. 12. For by this conioining of these two together the Apostle doth most plainly teach that the former honour of being Tabernacles and Temples for God is proper onely to them that are the sonnes daughters of God The dignity of the children of God in respect of this metaphor is yet the greater because as the whole world in all the beautie of it was at the first made a palace for man to dwell in so man himselfe in this second creation is made a palace for God to dwell in Touching the sixt former metaphor is it not more then meruailous that such vile persons as we naturally are euen little better then limmes of the diuell at least his children and bondslaues as hath beene before shewed should haue so honourable and glorious an head as Christ Iesus is that sitteth at the right hand of God in the heauen and hath the Angels good and bad in subiection vnto him 1. Pet. 3. 22. Besides all before spoken of the excellency of Christ in speaking of him as of one of the efficient causes of our regeneration is he not most excellently also described to bee clothed with a garment downe to the feete and girded about his pappes with a golden girdle to haue his head also and haires white as white wooll and snow and his eies as a flame of fire yea to haue his feete like vnto fine brasse burning as in a fornace and a voice as the sound of many waters yea to haue further in his right hand seuen starres a sharp two edged sword going out of his mouth and his face shining as the sunne shineth in his strength Reuelation 1. 13. c. Neither is the dignity of the children of God thus amplified in respect that they haue so excellent a head excellent for power for wisedome for iustice for meeknes for goodnes for all things that are excellent but also because as Christ hath no other body then his Church so the Church hath no other head but Christ Iesus and as none doth or can giue life to other either to quicken them from the death of sinne here or to raise them at the latter day when before that by the doctrine of the Papists themselues the Pope shall be suppressed as none I say can thus giue life to men but onely Christ Iesus for who dareth say that the Pope can raise vp a man either from his sinne or from the graue especially when the Pope himselfe shall be dead so none is or can be the head of the Church but only Christ Sith therefore Christ is not onely so excellent an head but also the sole and onely head of the children of God in this respect also it must bee granted that their state is so much the more honourable Yea this honour of the children of God by Christ Iesus his being their head is the more because as he hath not taken the nature of angels vpon him but onely the nature of man so hee is not the head of Angels as he is of elect men For as it is a monstrous bodie that hath two heads so is it no lesse monstrous for the bodie to bee of one nature and the head of another And as the Angels cannot be neither euer are called the members of Christ so Christ cannot bee called the head of the Angels All the members also of the body of Christ are said to grow to a perfect man in Christ and euery part and member of the body of Christ is said to receiue daily encrease as it were by nerues c. Ephesians 4. 13. 15. 16. Let no man here mistake me As kings are called heads that is chiefe gouernours of their people so Christ not onely as GOD but also as God and man is the head and chiefe gouernour and that absolutely without any such limitation as kings haue of the Angels as well as of all other creatures But in that speciall maner that he is head of men borne anew vnto God hee is not the
19. 10. 11. and 119. 14. 72. and 103. And as the word of God generally is thus commended so specially the Gospel is valued at the same rate Mat. 13. 44. 45. where it is not only called by the name of the kingdome of heauen because it is the word of that kingdome Mat. 13. 19. that is the word whereby we attaine both vnto the kingdome of grace in this world and also the kingdome of glory in the world to come but also by a double parable for the more certainty thereof it is commended to be better then all treasures and then all pearles Paul also comparing the Gospell with the law saith thus If the ministration of death written with letters and ingrauen in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance c. how shall not the ministration of the spirit be more glorious For if the ministration of condemnation was glorious much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceed in glory 2. Cor. 3. 7. 8. 9. Yea so excellent also is the mystery of the Gospell that one end thereof is said to be that vnto principalities and powers in heauenly places that is vnto the blessed Angels waiting vpon God in the heauens might be made knowen by the Church the manifold wisedome of God Ephes 3. 10. our Sauiour also threatneth that such as should not receiue his disciples sent forth by two and two to preach for a time for preparation of the way to the Gospell should find it harder at the day of iudgement then the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha who had been most fearefully destroied with fire and brimstone from heauen Mat. 10. 15. The Apostle also speaking comparatiuely of the punishment of the transgressors of the law and of the Gospell saith If the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and euery transgression and disobedience receiued a iust recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation which at the first began to be preached by the Lord and afterward was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him God bearing witnesse thereunto both with signes and wonders and diuers miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost c. Heb. 2. 3. 4. In these two places ioyntly considered we haue first an argument for the excellency of the Gospell from the punishment of the contemners thereof For first if they should receiue so great a iudgement not that resisted them and draue them out of their countries with fire and sword but that did not receiue them which were sent only by their preaching to prepare a way for the Gospell then as followeth comparatiuely in the second place before alleged how much greater shall the punishment of those be that both neglect and also contemne and persecute the Gospell Doth not this commination of so great punishment to the neglecters and contemners of the Gospell much magnifie the excellency of the Gospell Againe in the second place before alleged we see other arguments for the excellency thereof viz. first it was first preached touching the cleare manifestation of it not by any seruants as in former time the word had been preached but by the Lord himselfe as before he had said that in these last daies God hath spoken vnto vs by his sonne Heb. 1. 1. Secondly that God himselfe had borne witnesse actually to the excellency thereof by signes wonders c. thirdly that he also graced it with many gifts of the holy ghost according to former prophecies in that behalfe especially that of Ioel 2. 28. so applied by Peter Act. 2. 17 To conclude therfore this argument sith this word of God is so excellent whereby the regeneration of the children of God of whom I doe now speake is at first wrought and afterward perfected shall we not thinke that the state of such children of God is also excellent Do not wise men according to the worthinesse of any work apply and vse the more worthy instruments about the same Much more therefore are we to thinke the same of the most wise God CHAP. VIII Of faith a chiefe internall cause of regeneration or the first degree and step thereunto and of Christ againe as he is the chiefe matter of regeneration as before we heard him to be one of the principall efficient causes likewise thereof HItherto we haue heard of the dignity of Gods children by the efficient causes of their adoption both principall and instrumentall And all these causes touching their owne being haue beene externall For although the spirit of God be within in vs when it doth adopt and regenerat vs and so may be called internal in respect of the operation thereof in vs yet it may be accounted externall in in respect of the being that it hath of it selfe and by it selfe without vs. The next thing to be handled for the further amplification of the said dignity is faith because it may be considered in this argument either as a meer internall efficient cause of our said adoption and regeneration or as the first step and degree thereunto It may be considered first as a meere inward thing because all the being of it is altogether within vs not at all without vs. It may be considered as an efficient cause of our adoption because it is that whereby we lay hold of Christ by whom and in whom alone we do both at the first receiue the spirit of adoption and be regenerated the children of God and also afterward do feede so vpon him that wee grow vp to a perfect stature of him Therefore these phrases to come to him to eat his flesh and to drink his bloud are often vsed especially Ioh. 6. to expresse our communion with him by faith and to signifie our beleeuing in him So also it is said that Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Ephes 3. 17 and that we stand by faith viz. in Christ Rom. 11. 20. So also faith is not only the inward instrument of our communion with Christ but also the next fountaine of all other vertues afterward to be spoken of wherein likewise consisteth our regeneration and new birth For by faith our harts are purified Act. 15. 9. and faith worketh by loue Galat. 5. 6. and this loue is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13. 10. and the bond of perfection Colos 3. 14. and commeth out of faith vnfeined 1. Timo. 1. 5. and therefore fayth vnfained may be said to bee the next cause of our communion with Christ and consequently of all other things wherin our regeneration doth consist As also not beleeuing God and beleeuing the diuell were the first degrees of mans fall Genes 3. 3. and 6 so to cast away al giuing credit to the diuell and to beleeue in God is the first degree of our regeneration and new birth whereby wee that were fallen are raysed vp againe This faith is the beleeuing of all things past of all things present of all
iustification of vs before God who being himselfe most perfect can accept of nothing but that which is likewise fully perfect absolute like vnto himselfe Fourthly that all men owe more to God as hath been before shewed then they are able to pay yea euen he that oweth least Luke 7. 41. 42. and that therefore no man is able by anie workes whatsoeuer to purchase any new benefits at the hands of God Fiftly that Christ hauing satisfied for all our sinnes as hath been before prooued there are none left to vs to make satisfaction for Touching the Sacraments whereas the papists proclaime matrimony to be one we defend our deniall thereof First because God hath instituted no Sacramental signe for matrimonie Secondly all Sacraments are proper to the church but mariage is as well for them that are without the church as for them that are within it Thirdly that whereas Sacraments are to be coÌ„mon to all sorts of members of the church the Papists themselues deny matrimony to belong to their most holy order of Priesthood Fourthly that Sacraments are instituted for confirmatioÌ„ of our faith in Christ but that matrimony was instituted whiles Adam was perfect not belieuing in Christ before his fall neither standing in need of Christ The like we plead against their other supposed Sacraments besides baptisme and the supper of the Lord. Touching baptism wheras we deny against them baptism to take away originall sinne we defend our selues in this behalfe by the word of God viz. by the example of Dauid in his age acknowledging his originall sinne Psal 51. 5. and of Paul complaining of his like sinne Rom. 7. 7. c. and by the testimony also of Iames Chap. 1. 13. c. Whereas we further deny against them baptism to be absolutely necessary to saluation we defend our selues in this behalfe by the word First because circumcisioÌ„ being the same in significatioÌ„ vse that baptism is was intermitted for 40. yeers in the wildernes 2. Because the children of the faithful as soon as they are born and before baptism are within the Couenant 1. Cor. 7. 14. Touching the supper of the Lord whereas they take away the cup from the people we oppose First the institution in both kinds Secondly the words of the Apostle according to the institution mentioning the cup as well as the bread 1. Cor. 11. 25. c. Thirdly the continuall practise of the Apostles Their transubstantiation feined changing of the essence of the elements in the said supper we confute First by the deliuering of them by Christ himself to his disciples he going afterward into the garden and suffering vpon the crosse which he could not haue done if he had giuen himselfe to his disciples before if they had eateÌ„ him before especially he being then not glorified SecoÌ„dly by the end of the supper viz. the remembrance of Christ Christ being preseÌ„t what need of remeÌ„brance Remembrance is of things absent Thirdly the continuance of Christ in heauen til the end of the world Acts 3. 21. Fourthly the nature of a Sacrament requiring an external signe indeed not only the accidents of a sign as well as the thing signified Fiftly that the fathers of the old testament did eat the same spirituall meat drink the same spirituall drink that we do 1. Cor. 10. 3. who could not carnally eat Christs flesh and drinke his blood he then not being made man Sixtly the fruit of eating Christs flesh drinking his blood viz. eternall life Ioh. 6. 51. which cannot be said of al that receiue that supper Lastly that as there is no alteration of the signe in baptisme so there is no cause of change in the signes of the supper of the Lord. The Popish Masse to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and the dead we lay on the ground as Dauid did great Goliah by the sword of the spirit the word of God Tit. 2. 14. Heb. 9. 12. and 25. 1. Pet. 3. 18. All praier to saints we ouerthrow by the same sword First because in the day of our trouble when if euer we haue need of other friends to solicite our cause to God then especially we haue need of them such trouble testifying God to be displeased with vs because I say in the day of such trouble we are coÌ„maÌ„ded to cal vpon God Psa 50. 15. and vpon no other Secondly because from the beginning of the scriptures to the end there is neither precept nor example nor any sentence to warrant inuocation of saints Thirdly because this is derogatory and disgracefull to the onely mediation of Christ before spoken of yea it is blasphemous against the same Fourthly because although it should be granted that the Saints departed doe know our necessities yet they know not our hearts whether when we pray for our selues we pray in faith and trueth or no. All praier for the dead we wound mortally by the same weapon because the word teacheth vs that they that die and are translated out of this world they die either in the Lord and so are blessed and rest from their labor and haue their reward with God in heauen Reu. 14. 13. or els they die out of the Lord and so they goe to that rich man of whom the Gospell maketh mention euen to the diuell and his angels where they are tormented for euer and from whence there is no more passage to heauen then from heauen thither Luk. 16. 26. And this twofold distinction of men dying either in Christ or out of Christ either in the state of saluation to goe presently to God in heauen or in the state of damnation to be thrown immediatly into hell without any third sort either of men here or of state and place after this life we gather from our Sauiour himselfe saving Either make the tree good and his fruit good or the tree euill and his fruit euill Mat. 12. 33. So he maketh only two sorts of men here all to be good or euill therefore he excludeth any middle sort and so consequently denieth also all middle state or place after this life distinct from heauen and hell Secondly we wound the former heresie of praying for the dead by the forme of praier prescribed by our Sauiour wherein he teacheth vs to pray only for them that may doe the will of God vpon earth that haue need of daily bread for this life and that are in danger of tentation and other euill al which things do belong only to the liuing in this world Worshipping of images or of God in images we doe likewise wound vnto death by the same word viz. by the second commandement and by infinit other Scriptures in the old testament and by some also in the â—ewâ— Acts 17 2â— c. 1. Cor. 6. 9. and 10. 7. 14 1. Pet 4. 3. 1 Iohn 5 21 Reu 21. 8. and 22. 15. Secondly because we are forbidden the worship of the holy glorious Angels Reuel 19. 10. and 22. 8. Much
to make his house like the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat that made Israel to sinne and like the house of Baasha the sonne of Ahijah because of the prouocation wherewith hee had prouoked and made Israel to sinne and touching Iezebel who for Ahabs sake had commanded to put Naboth to death that the dogges should eat her by the wall of Izreel and further that the dogges should eat him of Ahabs stocke that died in the Citie and that the fowles of the field should eat him that should die in the field As I say the Lord had threatned all this for the innocent blood of Naboth euen of poore Naboth that had but one vineyard to so great a King and Queene as Ahab and Iezebel were 1. King 21. 21. c. so was not all performed accordingly partly 1. King 22. 38. and partly 2. King 9. 35 As the Lord from time to time by Ieremiah had threatned captiuitie and desolation to the Iewes partly for their other sinnes partly for their hard dealing with him so was not all performed As our Sauiour threatned to make Ierusalem desolate not only for her great contempt and obstinacie generally in that he hauing laboured to gather her children together as an hen gathereth her chickens they would not for all that be so gathered together but also particularly because they had killed the Prophets and stoned them which had beene sent vnto them Mat. 23. 37. so was it not performed in due time and is not that citie desolate as touching the habitation of the lewes to this day and are not the Iewes more scattered heere and there thorow all countries vpon the earth then any other nation whatsoeuer As the Lord had commanded Moses to write in a booke the vtter destruction of the Amalâ—kites and that the Lord would haue euerlasting warre with them till they should bee confounded so did hee not remember this booke of remembrance 400. yeeres against after-generations when all men thought it to haue beene so raked vp in dust that it should neuer haue beene reuiued Did not the Lord for execution of that which he had written before raise vp Saul telling him that he remembred though all other had forgotten and did not so much as dreame of any such thing what Amalek had done to Israel how they had laid wait for them in the way as they came vp from Egypt a worthy thing to bee considered by all such as securely sleepe in their old sius long sithence committed Note because God doth not speedily execute sentence Eccl. 8. 11. and therefore straightly commanding him to goe and to smite Amalek and to destroy all that pertained vnto them hauing no compassion on them but slaying both man and woman both infant and suckling both oxe and sheepe both camell and asse 1. Sam. 15. 2. 3. As the Lord threatned by the mouth of Zechariah the son of Iehoiada when he was most wickedly and vnkindly put to death by Ioash whom Iehoiada the father of Zechariah preserued when all his other brethren were murdered and aduanced to the kingdome of Iuda as I say the Lord threatned by the said Zechariah at the time of his stoning to death that the Lord would looke vpon his death and require it so did not the Lord indeed looke vpon it and require it For did he not send a fourefold iudgement vpon Ioash and his people in that behalfe First when the yeere was out Aram came against him and against Iudah and Ierusalem and destroied all the Princes of the people sending the spoile of them to the King of Damascus Yea though the army of Aram were but asmall company yet did not the Lord deliuer a very great army of loash into their hands Secondly did not he being left by the Aramits fall into great diseases Thirdly did not his owne seruants so thirst after his blood that though they saw his diseases to signifie hee would not liue long yet they could not stay till he died of them but conspired against them for the blood of the children of Iehoiada the Priest not so much respected by them as they were directed by God to reuenge it and slew him on his bed Fourthly when he was so slaine is it not noted that they buried him indeed in the cily of Dauid but for his dishonour not in the Sepulchre of Kings 2. Chron. 24. 21. c. Not to trouble the reader with too many examples I will adde but one more of the performance both of Gods promise and also of his threatning as well in the life to come as before wee haue heard the same by the former examples to haue beene performed in this life For how doth our Sauiour describe his last sentence in the day of iudgement Doth he not giue this the reason why hee placed the sheepe on his right hand and pronounced them blessed and bade them inherit the king dome prepared for them from the foundations of the world viz. that when hee was hungry they had giuen him meat when he thirsted they had giuen him drinke when he was a stranger they had lodged him when he was naked they had cloâ—hed him when he was sicke they had visited him when he was in prison they had come vnto him And when they are described to reply when they had seene him so and so and when they had done so and so vnto him doth not our Sauiour answer Verily I say vnto you inasmuch as yee haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it vnto me Doth hee not in like ma merset downe the reason of his sentence aâ—ainst the goats placed on his left hand and condemned to euerlasting fire prepared for the dineil and his angels viz for that he had beene hungry and they had giuen him no meat hee had beene thirsty and they had giuen him no drinke he had beene a stranger and they had not lodged him c. And when they are there produced as replying When saw we thee thus thus and did not thus thus vnto thee doth not our Sauiour returne this answer Verily I say vnto you Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me Mat. 25. 34 c. Do not these things further demonstrate the excellent state of Gods children Do we not heereby see in what grace and fauour they are with God What greater interest can there be what sweeter fruit then the reward of the kindnes that is shewed vnto the children of God what heauier losse what sharper sauce then the iudgements of God vpon them that shew any vnkindnesse vnto the children of God Though they perhapssee no benefit for the present but rather may seeme to impaire their outward state yet in the end they shall find that in respect whereof they shall thinke wharsoeuer cost they haue bestowed vpon the children of God to be the best bestowed money that euer they laid out in all