he hath ratified the same with holy sacraments as with his own seale annexed therevnto And verely if circumcision much more Rom 4. 11. baptisme and the Lords supper may worthily be called seales of the righteousnes that cometh by faith The cuppe saith our Saviour Christ Luk. 22. 20 is the new testament in my blood that is to say a seale and an assuraÌ„ce of the graunt of the remission of sinnes and eternall life giuen vnto you through my bloud which is the summe of the new testament And to what end tendeth both these sacraments of the new testament but to assure all the faithfull that they hauing put on Christ haue their sinnes washed away through his blood and that their soules are fedd with very Christ the heaveÌ„ly Mannah Galat. 3. 2â— bread of life whereby they are sustained to everlasting life The cuppe of blessing saith the Apostle which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the communion 1. Corinth 10. 16. of the body of Christ that is to say there all participatioÌ„ of these outward elementes and visible signes are they not most certaine pledges and assurances to all the faithfull of their spirituall vnion and communion with Christ and all his blessings And was not this the iudgment of those godly learned fathers of the councell of Nice in that they will that this holy sacrament of the Lords supper should be sent vnto penitent persons lying in their death beddes which stood as yet excommunicate for apostasie or for some other notorious crime that by the participation of that celestiall food they might be assured of their coÌ„munion with Christ and his church and of the remission of their sinnes and eternall life and so enabled to passe over in peace the end of their laborious and painefull life The which most comfortable doctrine is most coÌ„veniently set downe in our English liturgy at the celebration of these holy misteries in these wordes The body of our Lord that vvas giuen for THEE preserve thy body and soule to everlasting life The blood of our Lord that was shedd for THEE c. For hereby everie faithfull christian that reverently receiveth this holy sacrament may assure himselfe that the spirituall life that is nowe begunne in him and shall be made perfite in the worlde to come 〈◊〉 wrought by the speciall loue of Christ now dwelling in him by a true faith so that he may boldly say with the Apostle both â—n his life In that I nowe liue I liue by the faith of the son of God who loued Gal. 2. 20. Me and gaue himselfe for Me and also at his death I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith hence forth 2. Tim. 4. 7. there is laide vp for me a crowne of righteousnes c. And from whence also proceedeth that ioy in the holy ghost and that peace of God that Ro. 14. 17. 5. 1. passeth all vnderstanding which is felt in the heartes of the faithfull servantes of Christ in their greatest crosses and most greevous afflictions but of a faithfull perswasion of the remission of their sinnes and reconciliation which God procured for them by the death of Christ Otherwise also how could they serue the Lord Luc. 1. 74. Eph 3. Heb 10 22. Iaco. 1. 6. without feare and come vnto him in their praiers with boldnes yea in assurance of faith without wavering without doubting Yea how could they come vnto him not as vnto an offended and an angry iudge but as to a louing and a mercifull father saying O our Father which art in heaven And from whence else proceeded their solemne protestations that they did assuredly knowe that they were in the estate of grace and in the favour of God and that God was their God in particular and after so stable and stedfast a manner that nothing was able to sever them from his loue We knowe that we are of God I know that my redeemer liueth My spirite 1. Ioh. 5. 19. Iob. 19. 25. Luc 1. 77. Psal 18 1. 116 16. reioyceth in God my Saviour The Lord is my strength my castle my deliverer my God and on the other side Behold Lord I am thy servant I am thy servant and the sonne of thine handmaide Yea so great a stay and comfort had the prophet David in this assurance of his owne â—aith that he protesteth his adversities being so many and so Psal 27. 13. grievous as they were he should vtterly haue fainted but that he did beleeue verily to see the goodnes of the Lord in the land of the liâ—ing The which most comfortable assurance of faith was such a stay also to the blessed Apostle S. Paul that howsoever an whole army of Rom 8. 37. tribulations did presse sore vpon him yet he protesteth that hee was a conqueror yea more then a conqueror through him that loued Rom 8 37. him being most assuredly also perswaded for the time to come that neither death nor life nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come should be able to seperate him from the loue of God which was in Christ Iesus our Lord. Neither vvas this comfortable assuraunce of faith a speciall and an extraordinarie prerogatiue granted only to some principall persons among the faithfull but a gifte in some measure common to the whole church For all the children of the church being the children of God are led by the spirite Rom 8. 14. 2. Cor. 2. 12â— of God whereby they know such thinges as are giuen vnto them of God And they are all indifferently commanded in the Lordes praier to call God their father the which name they cannot sincerely vse vnlesse they be perswaded in some measure of faith that he beareth a louing and a fatherly affection towardes them having receaved them into favour for his Christes sake and giuen them a place among the number of his children And vvhy 1 â—oh 5. 13. else saith S. Iohn writing to the whole church in generall these thinges I vvrite vnto you that beleeue in the name of the sonne of God that yee may knowe that yee haue eternall life and that yee may beleeue in the name of the sonne of God So S. Paule writting to the church of the Corinthians in generall Proue your selues knovve yee not your owne selues how that IESVS CHRIST dwelleth in you vnlesse yee bee reprobates and in his former epistle Kâ—ovve yee not that your 1. Cor. 6. 15 19. bodyes are the members of Christ Knowe ye not that ye are the temples of the holy Ghost which is in you whom ye haue of GOD that yee are not your ovvne By the vvhich testimonies of Christ his Apostles it is evident that not a fewe onely but also every mâ—mber of the vniversall church in their times and according vnto the measure of
only doth this their doctrine of satisfaction and merites greate wrong vnto our Saviour Christ by disanulling the covenant of life made in him and by defacing of the sufficiency of his death but otherwise also it is most iniurious vnto God and tendeth highly to the dishonour of his sacred maiesty 1. First it maketh him like to a very vniust and hard Land-lord whoe hauing graunted an estate in a bargaine vnto a yonger brother vpon a sufficient fine tendered by the elder yet will not let the yonger enioy it vnlesse he fine for it againe himselfe 2. Secondly it maketh him like to a cruell Creditour who hauing the debt discharged to the vttermost by a frieÌ„d yet casteth the poore debtour himselfe into prison vntill he there also in parte make some satisfaction 3. Thirdly it maketh him like to a mercilesse Iudge who hauing punished an ofâ—ence with condigne punishment yet will haue the offender punished againe as if he delighted in the tormentes of the miserable 4. Fourthly it maketh him lesse mercifull then man who doth remitte to his penitent brother all manner of offence and all manner of revenge also 5. Lastly it â—inistreth matter to the malitious to the satisfying of his malicious humor to the full seeing as GOD doth pardon vs so vve are to deale one vvith an other and therefore if GOD doth so forgiue vs our sinnes in CHRIST as that we must yet still either afflict our selues vvith the rigorous vvorkes of Penance or else bee cast into the extreame tormentes of Purgatorie then we may also so forgiue our brother as that we may yet procure his most greavous punishment Wherefore let all true and faithfull Christians abhorre those aboâ—inations of the whore of Babylon yea let all such as looke for forgiuenes of sinne and eternal life by the covenant of mercy in CHRIST Iesus giue the glory thereof not to themselues or their owne workes but onely to the death of our al-sufficient Redeemer And yet let them haue a most earnest care to shew forth their most holy faith by their godly workes not as if they were part of the satisfaction made for sinne or anie parcell of the price giuen for the purchase of eternall glorie but thereby to testifie their thankefulnes to him who hath paide the whole price for that purchase himselfe and hath made for them a perfect and full satisfaction For true faith is not idle nor deade but a living faith working by loue albeit this mother iustifieth vvithout the Fides iustificat ante partum Roffensis helpe of her daughters yea before their very birth as the truth hath forced an enimie to confesse For workes do follovve the iustified man they go not before our iustification even as good fruits proceede from a tree which is already good declaring and not making the tree good Wherfore if we which by nature are wilde oliues being ingraffed in Christ are made good oliues and if we which of our selues bringe forth sowre grapes being planted into the true vine yeeld a sweete liquor if we be made good trees and pleasant plantes such as are setled in the caelestiall paradise we owe that wholy to our engraâ—…ing into Christ by a true faith and not in any vvise to the fruites of our faith the vvhich are only requisite and necessary duties vvhich are carefully to be performed of all such as are called to be pertakers of so greate mercies For as in those landes and liuinges vvhich are holden of temporall Lords ther are besides the fines paide for the purchase of the first estates certaine rentes services and other duties vvhich are also to be performed for the quiet and peaceable possessing of the same liuinges and yet he were but a simple tenante that vvoulde imagine those rentes and seruices to be his whole fine or any part or parcell thereof even so the faithfull which haue their estates purchased for them by the death of Christ in the kingdome of heaven must as it vvere pay their rents performe their services submit theÌ„selues to the custoÌ„e of that heavenly mannour and yet they must neither be so proud nor so simple as to thinke that these rentes services and duties are any part or parcell of that fine that was paid for the first purchase of that heavenly inheritance Chap. 13. That the very end and scope of the sacramentes also is to teach the faithfull that remission of sinne and eternall life is obtained onely by faith in Christ VNTO the preaching of the gospell and Bap isme Eucharist doctrine of the new testament vvere adioyned by our Saviour Christ the sacramentes of the newe TestameÌ„t For it pleased our louing and gracious father not only to giue vs eternall life in his onely begotten sonne but also by certaine external rites and ceremonies to take vs as it were by the hand and to put vs into possession thereof If vvee had beene saith Chrysostome spirituall GOD Chrys in Math. hom 83. vvoulde haue giuen vs these thinge nakedly and spiritually but now for that our soules dvvell in bodies hee giueth spirituall thinges vnder visible creatures Visible sacramentes saith another vvere In quaest ve teris testamenti ordained for such as are environed vvith flesh that by the steppes thereof vvee mighte ascende from such thinges as are seene to thinges that are vnderstoode Saint Austine calleth the sacraments Aug. â—ont Faustum Lib. 19. Cap. 16. in generall a visible vvorde as our Saviour calleth the cuppe in particular the nevve Testament in his bloode because as the worde and testament doth teach our eares that the blood of Christ is the purgation of all our sinnes and his body the bread of eternall life even so doe the sacramentes represent the same doctrine visibly to our eies For certaine it is that in the right vse of thâ—se holy mysteries by the reverent receauinug of the bodely creatures God doth ratifie to the faithfull his graunt and donation of spirituall thinges that is of remission of sinnes and of eternall life in CHRIST IESVS and the faithfull in the religiouâ— vse thereof do againe for their part after a sort vow vnto GOD that they will seeke for the same blessinges onely by Christ and not by any other meanes whatsoever VVherefore the members of the church of Rome seeking for remission of sinnes and eternall life not onely by CHRIST but also by their owne merites and satisfactions may worthely be charged not onely as transgressors of the new TestameÌ„t but also as violaters of the holy sacraments and breakers of that solemne and sacred vovve made at thereceauing of these holy mysteries Yea vvhereas in the religious vse of the sacramentes GOD giueth vs CHRIST vvith all his blessinges according vnto the plaine vvordes of the institution of the LORDES supper take yee eate yee this is my body the church of Rome hath turned this tipsie turvy and vvill not so much receaue CHRIST therein as a sacrifice already offered to GOD for them
and that for mine owâ—e take And therefore Berâ—… â—…aking to the faithfull Isa 43 25. saith if thou beleeuest that 〈…〉 but by 〈…〉 Bern. serm â— De Annuntiatione whoÌ„â— alone thou hast â—…ed 〈…〉 well For as no maÌ„ caÌ„ forgiue an other mans 〈◊〉 〈…〉 offence committed against another so none can forgiue sinne as it is sin for that so it is an offence only against God making vs debtours vnto him and offenders against his sacred maiesty Yea as it is high treason for any subiect to take vpon him to remit the offences which are committed against the common weale for that it is an intrusion vpon the princes right and after a sort an vsurpation of the dignity royall so no doubt but that it is high treason against the king of heauen and earth for any creature to take vpoÌ„ him to forgiue sinne as it is sinne for that it is an intrusion vppon the Lordes right and an vsurpation of his dignity royall Who can 〈◊〉 2. 7. forgiue sinne but God only So said the Pharisies when our Saviour tooke vpon him not only to cure the sicknesses of the body but also to pardon the sinnes of the soule But what replied our Saviour to this demande Whether is it easier to say thy sinnes are forgiven thee or to say arise take vp thy bâ—doe and walke In which words he doth not confute their opinion as Chrysostome Hâ—laâ—y reach 〈◊〉 in â—… hom but reproueth them for charging him with blasphemy in that by healing all diseases by his word he declared himselfe to bee true God and therefore that he had authority also to forgiue sinne albeit 〈…〉 Mat. such authority belongeth only vnto God His reason is this It belongeth to the selfe-same authority as wel by his owne power to forgiue sinne as to cure the diseases and sicknesses of the body but saith our Saviour yee might perceiue that by mine owne power I cure the sickenesses of the body the vvhich â—hing being done by the ministery of the Apostles vvas not done by their owne povver but by the power of 〈…〉 12. Christ for so God only vvorketh the same as al other miraculous things also because he onlie is omnipotent therefore yee might also 〈◊〉 136. 4. acknowledge in me vnlesse yee were wilfully blinded the divine povver of God and that I doe not blaspheme in taking vpon mee to forgiue sinne For as for that authority of forgiving sinnes given to the ministers of the 〈◊〉 in Mat â—…6 gospell it is after the same manner as the preists vnder the law had authority given them to make cleane or vncleane now they were not enabled to make cleane or vncleane leapers or no leapers but they had knowledge given them to discerne and authority to pronounce who were such and such and vpon their sentence so the parties were to be taken of all the residue of the Lords people Even so the Ministers of the gospell are to discerne whose sinnes are remitted and whose retained to assure the penitent soule the broken and contrite spirite that his sinnes are forgiuen him even of the Lordes as on the other side to denounce against the carelesse and impenitent sinner the Lordes most heavy but iust vengeance Div. 9. That the faithfull obtaine the release of their sinnes by free forgiuenesse through the death of Christ and not through their owne satisfactions THe Lord of the mannour is not said to forgiue the trespasse The forgiuenes of sinnes that taketh the amercement set vpon the head of the trespasser neither may the creditour bee saide to forgiue the debtour that exacteth the debt or casteth the debtour in prison vntill he make satisfaction No more could God be saide to forgiue vs our sinnes and to remitte on â—…sses and debtes if hee did either here in this life require satisfaction for theÌ„ at our hands by the workes of pennance or after 〈…〉 vs into the prison of purgatory there to make satisfaction But wee beleeue the remission of our sinnes and the free â—…giuenesse of our debtes and trespasses and so the whose gospell teacheth that they are freely forgiuen in respect of ourselues but not freely to our Saviour Christ who paide full deare for the release of them euen that inestimable price of his owne blood It is he that bare our sinneâ— in his owne body on the tree the chasttiement of our peace was 〈◊〉 vpon him 1. Pet 2 24. Isa 53 5. Hâ—… 9. 12. 10. 14. 7 25 Heb. 1. 3. 1. Ioh. 1. 7. he gaue his soule â—n offering for sinne hee gaue himselfe 〈◊〉 some for many by one obâ—ation of himselfe once made hee hath founde eternall redemption and made perfâ—ct for ever them that â—ee â—…fied hee hath purged our sinnes by himselfe and not by vâ— by his owne blood and not by our satisfactioÌ„s And verily it is this blood of the 〈◊〉 wherwithall our garments are throughly clâ—nsed from all spots and are made perfectly pure white it is this blood that is the soveraigne Apoc. 7. 14. salue for all our sores and the onely effectuall medicine which is able to cure all our spirituall and ghostly maladies And if vvee take any thing else we take quid proquo we take that which vvill not ease but will in the end increase our griefe And therefore iâ— we will finde ease indeed we must provide to haue alwaies this physicke in a readines that whensoeuer we are wounded by our ghostly enemy we may apply to our selues a speedy remedy If as ofâ— saith Saint Ambrose as this bloode is shedde it is shedde for remission 〈◊〉 saâ—… ca 6. of sinnes I ought alwaies to receiue it that my sinnes alwaies may bee remitted vnto mee yea I which alwaies sinne ought alwaies to haue this meâ—…icine His meaning is that Christs blood is the onely remedy against sinne and the sacrament thereof a meanes to strengthen our faith and so to vnite vs more and more vnto Christ and to apply this physicke to our soules and therefore that we ought to haue continual recourse therto that so not by the outward signe but by the invisible grace that is by the bloode of Christ it selfe we may be continually cured and made perfectly holâ— And if 〈◊〉 â—…riâ—… pâ—…â—… c. 2. after our baptisme we be after a sort driven from this ship bord by the stormes teÌ„pests of our own corruptions we must not catch after a second table of penance to take hold therof that so we may be preserued by the power thereof from sinking downe in the sea of our sins but we must recouer our selues to our former stay or els we shall be drowned in the bottomles gulfe of our iniquities The Angell of the church of Sardis after that hee had beene called to the estate of salvation in Christ and confirmed therein by the sacrament of baptisme had fallen into the sea of most daungerous sins now how was he to be recouered
out of the same The spirit of God sendeth him not to a second table of penance to tâ—ke holde thereof that by the power thâ—rof he might be deliuered but remember saith he how thoâ— hast received and hearde and holde fast and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 3. repent Now no doubt but he had receiued and heard aâ—d therefore was to hold fast that to the peniteÌ„t humble sinner Christs blood is the purgation of all his sins that by the mediatioÌ„ of his death he doth obtaine remission of theÌ„ not only when he is received into favor at the first but even to his liues end being thereby still pâ—eâ—erued in the same grace obtaining the forgiuenesse of hiâ— dayâ—y offences For so S. Iohn setting downe the meanes whereby the faithfull themselues are continually cured of their dailie infirmities If any man sinne saieth hee vvee haue Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. â—0 our Advocate and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes So the Apostle Saint Paul sheweth that not onely when wee were enemies we were reconciled at the first by the death of Christ and obtained the release of our grosser offences but much more beeing once reconciled and made the children of God by CHRIST wee are still preserued in the same grace and obtaine the forgiuenesse of ouâ—…maller offences by the same meanes The trueth is that none are cured of their sinnes by Christ vvhich continue stil in the same and doe not dayly fight against them vvith dayly repentaunce but yet the physicke is one thing vvhereby the soule is cured and the disposition of the soule another thing vvhereby the soule is prepared that so the physicke may effectually vvorke The preparatiue is one thing and the physicke is another thing the physicke is onely the physicke and nothing else Our Saviour CHRIST is our onely physicke and physition also Repentance after a sort may bee called the preparatiue and the Minister of the vvorde may be to vs in steede of the Apothecarie or as â—he physitions man that is sent to vs vvith the purgation The purgation it selfe is made of none other ingredientes but of the most bitter panges of our Saviours owne passion not of the rootes of our hearty repentaunce neither yet of the fruites of our christian faith that is vvhatsoeuer our sinnes bee and vvhensoeuer they bee committed we obtaine not the forgiuenesse of them by our owne merites nor by the satisfactions of any other but onely by the free and vndeserued mercy of GOD and by the most precious satisfaction of the death of CHRIST All haue sinned saith the Apostle and are deprived of the glory of GOD but are iustified from their sinnes freelye Rom 3. 23. by his grace through the redemption that is in CHRIST IESVS And in trueth otherwise our case were most miserable For in the parable of the debtour the summe of one thousande Mat. 18 24. talents declaring the infinitenesse of our debt doth openly proclaime our insufficiency and inabilitie to discharge the same as also the wordes annexed vvhen he had nothing to pay and I forgaue Psal 130. 3. Iob. 93. Psa 143. 2. thee all thy debt For verily if God should marke what were done amisse vvho vvere able to abide it And if hee shoulde call vs to an accounte vvho vvere able to aunsvvere one for a thousande And therefore our best plea is Enter not into iudgement with thy servants O Lord cal vs not to reckoning put not our billes in suite for we are no way able to make payment we are no way able to make satisfaction Div. 10. That Purgatory is no article of the Christian faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resurâ—…on of â—…sh IF the deliverance of the soules out of Purgatorie had beene an article of the christian faith as it is iudged to be by the church of Rome then it had beene convenient that after mention made of the resurrection of the body out of the custodie of the graue there shoulde haue beene adioyned the deliveraunce of the soule out of the prison of Purgatory the tormentes there being so greate as they say they be the deliverance from thence being as great a blessing at the lest as the raising of the bodies out of their graues should not haue beene altogeather vnremembred especially sinne verie much abounding before the day of the generall resurrection and the Popes pardons nothing so much regarded and his charitie without a fee being not vsual and ordinary Purgatory then must needes be well filled and so the deliverance from thence a great benefite to many Div. 11. That everlasting life is the free gifte of God through CHRIST and noway purchased by the merite of our owne vvorkes 〈◊〉 ever â—…ng IF any thing be bestowed vpon vs by free gift froÌ„ God theÌ„ surely everlasting life is so bestowed as the greatest gift proceeding froÌ„ the most bouÌ„tifull giuer the most excelleÌ„t effect from the most excelleÌ„t cause And why is God else accouÌ„ted a most liberall bountifull free franke and gracious benefactor but that most liberally bountifully frankely and freely he bestovveth vpon his faithfull servantes the most precious crovvne of eternall glory VVhen that bountifulnes saith the Apostle and that loue of GOD our Saviour tovvardes man appeared not by the vvorkes of righteousnes vvhich wee had vvrought but of his ovvne mercie he Tit. 3. 4. saued vs. And verely the glory of this greate bountifulnes must needes haue beene much dimmed if vvee had attained to salvation by our owne merites and not by the LORDES onely mercy The vvages in deede of sinne is death but everlasting life is the gifte of GOD through IESVS CHRIST our Lorde Rom. 6. 23. For our evill vvorkes are perfectly evill and therefore deserue eternall death but our good workes are not perfectly good and therefore eternall life is the free gift of GOD through CHRIST and not a vvages due to the merite of our vvorkes Othervvise vvhy did the Wiseman say Beholde the righteous are here recompenced vpon earth hovve much more the vvicked and the sinner VVhat doth not the LORD as well loue righteousnes Pro 11. 31. to recompence it as he hateth vnrighteousnesse to punish the same Yes verely but this is heere spoken to this end by the VViseman that vve shoulde vnderstand that the sinner most iustly deserueth this punishment vvhereas the righteous deserueth not the revvard And therefore it is not without cause that iust Iob thus speaketh of himselfe If I haue done evill vvoe vnto mee if I haue done righteously yet vvill I not Iob. 10 15. lifte vp my heade being full of confusion because I see mine affliction And vvhy The evill vvorkes of the best are in an higher degree evill then their good vvorkes are in themselues good and therefore in respect of the one they may be rustly cast dovvne vvith the feare of eternall confusion and vvoe but in
haue beene the eâ—ormities of prince people in this church of Rome that they haue poisoned after a sorte the very aire where they liued and haue caused those who in some respectes were their favorites friends thus to haue cast their own dunge in their owne faces and to haue dashed over their mishapen â—eatures with the blacke coale of euerlasting â—nfamy â—herefore small cause hath the viperous brood of this venimous generation thus to hisse against vs and to spet out their poison against our persons for albeit we bee not angels without spot yet we be not Englishmen Jâ—alianate that is Devils incarnate much lesse against our most The holy doctrine of the gospell vniustly charged to be the seed of all wickednes and sinne Luk 10. 20. The certainty of faith the assuraunce of election no hinderer but a fu therer of pâ—ety godlines holy and pure doctrine as if that were the seede of all wickednes and sinne The certainty of our election to eternall life and the assurance that we are the childreÌ„ of God haue our naâ—nes written in heaven which is the most forcible inducement of all other to cause vs to reioice in the Lord and to walke as the children of God and to haue our coÌ„â—ersation in heauen they accuse to be the mother of pride prâ—tumptioÌ„ and of carnal socurity and dissolutenes of life What is it credible that when J continually cal to my remembrance and set before mine eies that God to assure me that hee is my gracious God and louing father hath created mee and sustained me from my mothers wombe hath preserved me from these and these dangers and hath bestowed vpon me these these blessings hath made these these his creatures to serue to my vse that I might the better serue him yea and hath caused these mine affections to haue beene good and profitable vnto me is it credible I say that the assurance of this so great kindnes loue should breed in mine hart vnkindnes to God and the neglect of his honor of mine owne good Either is it credible that when I continually call to my remembrance set before mine eies that God to assure me of my reconciliation vnto himselfe and of my receiuing into his fauor hath reuealed vnto mee his sonne Iesus Christ the pledge of his loue and the meanes of my reconciliation hath opened vnto me his perfect obedience to the whole lawe not for himselfe but for my righteousnes and his invincible patience euen theÌ„ when he dranke so deeply of that so bitter cup of his painfull passion that it caused him to sweat water blood not for his owne but for my sins when I say this is revealed by Culpamea culpa mea culpa mea maxima God to be done for me by so worthy a person who according to his manhood receiued the spirit without measure and according vnto his godhead was infinite holines purity and peâ—fection it selfe that so I might bee assured of so absolute a righteousnes and so full a satisfaction for all my sins as might stand before the most exact iustice of God is it credible I say that the assurance of so great kindnes loue should breed vnkindnes in mine hart and a carelesnes of embracing and holding fast so great mercy and of continuing in such loue Either is it credible that when I continually cal to my remembrance and set before mineeies that God to assure me of mine adoption into the place number of his children hath sealed me with the spirit of adoption and hath by him sanctified mine vnderstanding with the knowledge of his most exact iustice in punishing my sins with such severity vpon my surety that I might be assured of mine acquitting from the same and of his endlesse and vnspeakeable mercy in sparing not his own sonne to spare me and of his wisedome in making his iustice and mercy so to conspire togither for my fuller assuraÌ„ce of my salvation wrought thereby when heereby also my iudgement and affections are so rectified and sanctified that I esteeme to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified and account all other things as losses and dong that I might win Christ and be found in him and be made partaker of the fruit of his death and of the benefire of his resuâ—…ection is it credible I say that so great kindnes should breed vnkindnes in mine hart and cause mee to prophane and to treade vnder foote this holy blood and to bee grievousome to this so comfortable spirit Lastly is it credible that when I cal to my remembraunce and set before mine eies that God to certifie mee of his fauour and loue hath opened vnto mee in his worde that greate charter and graunt of remission of sinnes and of eternall life in Christ Iesus and for my further assuraunce thereof hath written his gracious promises as vndoubted evidences thereof in mine hart that I might no more doubt of my most assured obtaining of these so great giftes then I neede of the admitting and allowing of these evidences that hee hath given me to shew for the â—ame when I come to appeare before the throne of grace is it I say credible that this so great security for mine everlasting blessednes should with â—raw mine hart from the loue of my blessednes and cause me to waâ—ke in cursed and damnable waies which tende to eternal miserie and woe Sure I am that the goodlier our temporal possessions are the better evidences we haue to shew for the same and the kinder our parents were that bestowed them vpon vs with charge not to passe them away in any case the more careful we shal be to keepe the same both for the loue of our most kinde parents and also for our owne welfare and good and shal the assurance of the most glorious inheritance of the kingdome of heaven given vnto me by mine heavenly father whose kindenes so much surpasseth the kindnes of any earthly parentes as God himselfe surpasseth man make me carelesse to keepe so goodly and glorious an inheritance to performe the wil and commandement of mine heavenly father VVhere Matth 6. 22. your treasure is saith our Saviour Christ there will your hart be also And therfore if this wil not moue me throughly to set mine hart and affections on heavenly things that I haue so good evidence for them that they are assuredly mine and that I shal vndoubtedly reape by them such an huge harvest of vnspeakable blisse what wil then moue perswade me therto yea if hereby I am allured drawen vnto sinne what is able to induce me to piety and godlines But this argument hath beene touched in the former is more fully handled in the latter part of this treatise therfore omitting now to wade further therin let vs come to examin whether that other maine point of the Gospel I meane Iustification by faith without works
their faith may assuredly know that they are Christs that they are the true members of his mysticall body the temples of his hâ—ly spirit and that God is become their gratious father hath made them inheritours of his heauenly kingdome Now the faithfull being the adopted sonnes of God in Christ hauing God to be their merciful father haue no iust cause to doubt of their continuance in the favour of God in the estate of grace and salvation in Christ Iesus For the fountaine of this grace in them is as a fountaine of liuing water the streames wherof Ioh. 4. 10. 14. Psal 1 3. Ieâ— â—7 8. 1. Pet. 1. 23. never wax dâ—ie and they become as good trees planted by the water side whose leaues never wither who never cease from yeelding fruite they are borne againe not of mortall seeae but of the immortall seede of the word of God which liueth and lasteth for ever and they are Ioh. 6 35. fedde also with the incorruptible food of the bread of life the vertue whereof is never consumed he that eaâ—eth therof doth never hunger and he that drinketh there of doth never thirst Many great enimies indeede they haue but he that is in them is greater 1. Ioh. 4. 4. then he that is in the worlde and therefore they can never be fully vanquished Our Saviour himselfe doth continually appeare to make intercession for them before the throne of his heauenly father Heb. 7. 25. whose petitions the father will never deny Yea he himselfe is alway present with them even to the end of the world walking in the middest Matâ— 28. 20. Ap 1. 20. of them and holding them in his right hand neither is there any able to take them out of his hand Yea where this sunne of righteousnes beginneth to shine there the light thereof is never vtâ—eâ—ly darkened Esa 60 20. for this sunne never goeth dovvne To the first man saith Austin Aug. de bono qerseuâ—c 12 was giueÌ„ an ability to persevere only if he himselfe would haue vsed the same But to the elect now is giuen perseverance it selfe Christ hath appointed them that they goe and bring forth fruite and that their fruite abide therefore who dareth be so bold as to say peâ—adventure it shall not abide The Lord hath setled his fatherly Rom. 11. 29 Ioh 13. 1. Math. 16. 18 1. Ioh. 2 19 loue and affection vppon them he vvill not repent of it nor revoke it but continue it even to the end he hath built them vppon a most sure rocke hell gates shall never prevaile against them hee hath incorporated them into the heavenly Ierusalem the city of GOD they shall alvvay continue members of that society VVho then dareth bee so bolde as to say peradventure GOD vvill not loue his faithfull servantes to the end peradventure hell gates shall prevaile against them peradventure hovvsoever they are novve for the present yet they shall not continue in that celestiall society Verely â—f the faithfull vvere lefte in their ovvne handes to stande by the right and power of their owne strength there might be great doubt of their constancy and perseuerance But they are committed to a more faithfull keeper their life is hid with Christ in God and they are Col. 3 3. 1. Pet. 1. 5. preserued by his power vnto eternall salvation Or if the continuance of the Lords favour and loue did depende vpon the merites and desertes of the faithfull and not vpon the Lords owne most constant and vnchangeable goodnes there might be iust cause of feare lest the LORD vvould vvithdravve his mercy from them But he that knowing the greate frailty and weakenes yea the foule falles and faultes of his elect and chosen children before the foundation of the earth was laide therfore before he had made any promise of good things vnto theÌ„ did yet in his vnspeakable mercy goodnes steppe as it were over them all and bouÌ„d himselfe being before most free by his gratious promises made vnto them no doubt but the same vnspeakable mercy goodnes vvill cause him being novve bounde and so a debtour in respect of his truth and righteousnes also to steppe over all those stumbling blockes vvhen they are cast in his waie for the stedfast and stable performance of all such thinges as vvere in greate grace and mercy before promised For as the Apostle teacheth the promises made vnto the faithfull are founded vppon grace that so they might bee sure they are not founded Rom. 4 16. vppon the â—ottering stay of mans frailty but vpon the immoveable and vnchaungeable rocke of the LORDES ovvne loue and therefore they are vnmoveable and vnchaungeable Neither is this doctrine as it is vniustly chardged by the enimyes of faith the mother of pride or of carnall securitie and dissolutenes of life but the most sounde doctrine of the christian faith and the most direct way to sincere piety godlines For is not this a necessary dueâ—y of everie true and faithfull christian which is engraffed and incorporated into CHRIST to beleeue confesse that by the vertue of his death he hath full recoÌ„ciliation with God remission of sinnes and an inheritance in the kingdome of glory yeelding most hearty thankes vnto GOD for this his most gratious callinge vnto the estate of salvation in CHRIST â—esus and magnifying â—is vnspeakable goodnes for the same continually Nay not to acknowledge this willingly were plaine infidelity and gladly not to make profession thâ—… of were great vnthankefulnes so far is it of that this doctrine can be iustly charged to be the nurce of pride or the mother of haughty and diveâ—ish presumption being in deede the true nurcâ— of all sounde comfort and â—oy and the naturall mother of all holy and faithfull presumption Presume saith Saint Austine Aug. sâ—rm 28. de vâ— b. â—omini not of thine ovvne doing but of the grace of CHRIST for by grace yee are saved as saith the Apostle this is then not pride but faith to make open profession of that vvhich thou haste reâ—eaved iâ— not presumption but â—evotion I vviâ—… not glorie saith Ambrose Amâ— dâ— lacâ—bâ— viâ—a bâ—ata cap. 6. that I am iust but that I am redeemed for that vvill I glorie neither vvill I glory for that I am voide of sinne but for that my sinneâ— are remitted to my selfe I vvill not glorie for that I haue profited anâ—e or for that aâ—…e hath profited mâ—e but for that CHRIST is an advocate vvith the father for MEE and that his bloode vvâ—… shâ—dde for MEE VVherefore Bernarde speaking to the faithfull If thou saith hee beleevest that thy sinnes cannot bee done avvaâ—e Bâ—rn sâ—r 1. de annuâ—iat but by hiâ—… against vvhome alone thou halâ— offended and vvho himselfe cannot offende thou doest vvell but thou must proceede further and beleeue also that thy sinnes are forgiuen even to thy selfe For to doubte of the most singular
vertue of CHRISTS bloode to vvash and clense the staines of all the sinnes of the faithfull were infidelitie or not to doubt thereof but to doubt vvhether it bee availâ—able to purge and clense THINE iniquities sinnes is to bewray thine infidelity in another degree even in that thou beleevest not thy selfe to belong to that number nor yet to bee partaker vvith them of their mercie VVherefore to teach the faithfull that they shoulde bee persvvaded of the remission of their ovvne sinnes through the death of Christ is to plucke vp the rootes of infidelity it is not to teach pride but faith nor to open a gappe to all â—inne and vvickednesse but contrarivvise most effectuallie to provoke to repentance loue and thankefulnesse and to the practise of all other christian dueties Aâ—d in truth we cannot bee rightly offended with our selues for offending so merciful and gracious a God vntill he hath given vs some sense feeling of his vnspeakeable mercy towardes vs in assuring vs of the pardon of our offences and sinnes Neither can vve vnfainedly loue the Lord and desire to be thankfull vnto him as we ought to be vntil we be perswaded that he loueth vs and beareth a kinde affection tovvards vs. Neither yet can we wholy resigne our selues to God vntil we perceiue that we are not our ovvn but that we are bought with a price that so we should 1. Cor. 6. 20 sanctifie the Lorde both in our bodies and in our spirites which are the Lordes My beloued sâ—ith the spouse is mine and I am his he hath Cant. 2. 16. giuen himselfe to me and hath assured me of his loue and therefore I giue my selfe to him and assure him of mine obedience VVee loue him saith Saint Iohn because he loved vs first For as 1. Ioh. 4 19. one fire kindleth another and one heate raiseth vp another so the â—iâ—…y heate of the Lords kindnes and loue felt in the hearts of the faithful doth kindle againe the fiâ—e of their loue and thankefulnesse towards God causing them to busie all their thoughtes and cogitations how they may after the best manner perfourme this there bouâ—den duety and service to God When the Lord by the prophet had mentioned his great mercies bestowed vpon his people of Israel the prophet straâ—t-waies in the person of the people breaketh out into these words Wherewithall shall I come before Mich 6. 6. the Lorde and bowe my selfe before the high God Likevvise David vppon the like consideration VVhat shall I render vnto the Psa 116. 12. 103. 1. Lorde for all his benefites bestovved on mee and againe Praise the LORDE O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name praise the LORDE O my soule and forget not all his benefites vvho forgiueth all thy sinnes and healeth all thine infirmities vvhâ— saueth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindnes In which words we may perceaue that the sence and feeling of the Lords mercies in reâ—…tting to the prophet David his manifold sinnes was in him as a great vehement flame kindling in his very hart soule a most fervent zealous desire of magnifying and extolling the Lords mercies So Mary loved Luc. 7 47. much because manie sinnes vvere forgiven her â—eeling first the great aboundance of Gods loue tovvardes her selfe in pardonâ—ng her manifolde and grievous sinnes vvhich caused in her as it vvâ—re a reflexion and reciprocation of her loue towards God for those his great and endlesse mercies And surely if the small kindenes of a man and that towardes his enimy doth oftentimes â—eape coales of fire on his heade turning malice into meekenesse Rom. 12. 20 and currishnes into kindenes and so overcomming evill with goodnes how much more the infinite loue of God in pardoning our manifold and grievous sinnes being once felt within vs vvill it not possesse our soules with his loue and winne al our affections to his obedience Surely it vvil cause vs to reioyce if wee may suffer any tribulation for his names sake or performe any other duety whatsoeuer that may be grateful and acceptable vnto him We reioice saith the Apostle in tribulations knowing that tribulation Rom. 5. 4. bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shedde abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost And to say the truth who euer were greater enimies to carnal security and dissolutenes of life more zealous followers of Christ more religious embracers of true piety and godlines then such as aboue all other haue felt the loue of God most aboundantly towardes themselues in assuring them most vndoubtedly of the forgiuenes of all thâ—ir sinnes of their inheritance in the kingdome of glory Wherefore this doctrine which teacheth the faithful to raise vp themselues to a stedfast assurance of Gods mercies tendeth neither to pride noâ— to dissolutnes of life but that doctrine which teacheth to doubt of Gods favour is no better then a flat stepmother to faith and a naturall nurce to infidelity For he that wil rightly come vâ—to God must come vnto him without doubting whereby we see that faith Iac. 1. 6. and doubtfulnesse cannot wel agree together So vvhen God promised Abraham a sonne in his old age adding further that Rom 4. 2â— in his seed al the nations of the earth should be blessed Mâ—t â—4 31. Rom. 14 23 In Gen 4â— The popish faith â—…ke to the Infidell Poets he doubted not saith the Apostle through vnbeliefe shewing thereby that doubtfulnes ariseth of infidelity Wherefore for any that professeth himselfe to belong to the number of the faithfull to doubt of the performance of any of the Lordes promisâ—s in generall or in particular of the promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life made to al that beleeue doth argue a very small faith at the least if it doe not convince the party of â—latte infidelity Non si mihi Iuppiter ipse sâ—…n â—…at â—…am sâ—crem hoc contingere ponâ—… Wherefore as Martin Luther truely avouched if there were no other errors and heresies in the doctrine of the church of Rome but euen this that they teach that the faithful which are iustified before God ought not yet assure themselues of 〈◊〉 owne iustification and of their owne vndoubted calling vnto the estate of grace but remaine stil pensiue and doubtful of the remission of their sinnes and of their interest in the kingdome of glory yet this alone were a sufficient motâ—ue to make a separation from her as being the mother of infidelity and not of faith Div. 3. That we ought to beleeue onlie in God and not in the church or in anie creature THose things which the Gentiles offer vp in sacrifice they I beleeue in God I beleeue the church offer to devils not to God the Iews all hereticks beleeue not in the true God but
greate Aâ—…rist who haue solde themselues to deface the incomparable dignity and the most ample sufficiencie of the mosâ— precious â—…ath of our almighty and sufficient Saviour haue not onely vveighed in the same ballance the vvorks of the saintes and maâ—ched them in meriting vvith the workes of Christ albeâ—t they haue gâ—uen them as it were for manners sake the vpper hande but also they haue denied such excellency to rest in his obedience and sufferings Rhâ—m in c. 8. ep adâ—rom that in themselues they should be meritorious of eternall glorie or any whit comparable therevnto Div. 7. That CHRISTES obedience and sufferings are the onely meritorious cause of eternall glorie THe Apostle to shewe that we haue perfect reconciliation with God forgâ—uenesse of sinne and full redemption by Suffered Col. 1. 15. by the blood of Christ setteth downe the excellency of this our most glorious Saviour who spared not to shedde his blood for vs as that he is the image of the invisible GOD the fiâ—st begotten of all creatures that by him all things were created in heaven earth whether they be thrones domiâ—…oÌ„s or powers yea that it pleased the father that in him all fulnes should dwell So the Heb. 1. 1. apostle to the Hebrew to shew that Christ is the perfect purgatioÌ„ of our sins setteth down the excelleÌ„cy of his persoÌ„ that he who is heâ—re of al things by whom also the world vvas made being the brightnes of his fathers glory the engraveÌ„ forme of his person sustaining all thinges by the might of his power hath by himselfe purged our sinnes In respect of the greatenes of the which price that vvas giuen for the raunsome of our soules Saint Peter saith 1. Pet. 1. 18. that vvee are not redeemed vvith corruptable thinges as vvith silver and golde but vvith the pretious bloode of CHRIST as of a lambe vndefiled and vvithout spotte So then our redemption was not valued at gold and silver it vvas not set at solowe a rate neither vvas it purchased vvith so small a price but he that vvas The greatnes of the sacrifice that was offred for sinne the onely begotten SONNE OF GOD the second person in the glorious TRINITIE of the same substance might maiesty with the father hauing taken vpon him our humane nature and ioyned it in one person with his divine and hauing sanctified â—t aboue measure by the infinite purity and perfection thereof and in it hauing fulfilled all righteousnes not onely by doing but also by suffering vvhatsoever vvas ansvvereable to the most exact and severe iustice of GOD for all our sinnes this even this so singular a person thus and thus qualified hath by himselfe purged our sinnes and giuen himselfe a ransome for our soules Behold then here the greatnes of that satisfaction that was made for our sinnes the summe of that raunsome that was paide for our soules the quantity of the price that vvas given for the purchase of the kingdome of glory In respect of the inestimable 2. Cor. 6. 20 value wherof the Apostle saith Ye are bought with a price with a price with a witnesse vvith such and so great a price that all the holines of all saintes and angels is no way matchable or comparable thereto How is it then that sinfull and wretched man should coÌ„ceaue so high an opinion of the worth of his owne workes that he should so much as but imagine that he himselfe could make satisfaction for those sinnes purchase that kingdome that was valued at so high a rate and purchased with so great a price Surely if it be meere madnes to imagine that here in this world we may purchase for an halfepeny that which is iustly valued at ten thousande poundes then it is as great madnes to imagine that vve are able by our ovvne vvorkes to purchase heaven for the which vvas giuen the Sonne of GOD himselfe seeing all our best works are not as an halfepenny to ten thousaÌ„d pound in respect of Christ and his righteousnes Therfore no marvaile though the Apostle S. Paul who had laboured more painefully in the Lords vineyarde and endured more crosses for the Gospell of Christ theÌ„ any of the rest of his fellovve Apostles yet dareth not thrust himselfe in as a party in this vvorke but vtterly disclaymeth and renounceth it saying Was Paule crucified for you Surely no but a 1. Cor. 1. 13 person of farre greater estate excellency worthines dignity and perfection For albeit pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Leo epist 8â— ad Palastinos saintes yet the slaying of no innocent person is the propitiation of the world the iust haue themselues receiued not giuen crownes the manhood of the faithfull hath beene patterns of patience and not endowmentes of righteousnes their deathes indeede haue beene rare and singular but yet none of them therevvithall hath discharged anothers debt whereas there is one LORD CHRIST in vvhome all are deade crucified and raysed vp againe And Augustine saith CHRIST is for me a Aug. in Ioh. Tract 47. dore vnto you for yee are his sheepe purchased by his bloode beholde your price which is not giuen by mee but is deâ—lared and preached by me And in truth no man can deliver his brother no not so much as from Psal 49. 7. bodily death nor make atonement vnto God for him For it cost more to redeeme SOVLES For vvhat recompence can a man giue for his Mat. 16. 26. â—vvne soule much lesse for the soule of any other VVherefore farre be it from the humility of al true and faithful christians that they shoulde so highly esteeme of their ovvne holines as if thereby they coulde make satisfaction for SINNE or merite the crovvne of eternall GLORIE vvhereas the cheifest amongst the SAINTES duely and truely vveighing their ovvne vvorth haue iudged themselues vnvvorthy of the very least of the LORDES mercies O GOD saith Iacob of my Gen. 32. â— father Abraham and God of my father I saak which saâ—dst vnto me returne vnto thy countrey and vnto thy kinâ—ed and I will doe thee good I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies Likewise Iohn the Baptist Ioh. 1 27. confesseth of himselfe that he is noâ—worthy to loose so much as the very â—atcheâ— of Christes shoe and the Centurion that he is not worthy so much as to receaue CHRIST vnder his roofâ— Nowe if these Luc. 7. 6. men so holy and high in favouâ— vvith GOD who haue wrestled prevailed with the Lord himselfe being as greate as any borne of vvomen of so rare singular a faith as hath not beene fouÌ„d no not in Israell if these I say did truely acknovvledge themselues not vvorthy of the Lords meanest blessings no doubt theÌ„ but they did also acknowledge with the prodigaâ—…on themselues not worthy to be called Gods sons nor vvorthy of remission of sins eternal glory And verily
iustification it selfe is free and dependeth not at all on workes 16. Sixtenethly they teach that the Saintes are not Mediators of Redemption and yet that the vvorkes of supererogation done by the saintes are both satisfactory for the sinnes of other and also meritorious of eternall glory which are the proper workes of the Mediatour of Redemption 17. Seventenethly they say that it is blasphemous against the dignity of Christes blood which hee shed for our sinnes to avouch that hee suffeâ—ed also in soule for the vvhole raunsoming of our soules and for the full satisfying of the most absolute and perfect iustice of GOD as if one of CHRISTES sufferinges did derogate from the other But it is no blasphemye against the dignity of CHRISTES sufferinges vvith them to teach that our ovvne soules must either suffer for our sinnes the most extreme paines of purgatory or endure here the sharpe rigour of their popish penance or else procure trentals of Masses togeather with the sufferings of the saintes to be bestowed vpon vs by the Popes indulgences and pardons 18. Eightenethly they teach that imputatiue righteousnes is a vaine and a frivolous fancy and yet the imputation of the surplussage of the merites of the saintes is not vaine but a greate gaine vnto them yea it is a verie sound and profitable doctrine if not to the cooling of mens soules yet to the warming of the Popes kitchine 19. Ninetenethly the fire of purgatory is sometimes so greavous with our Romanistes belike when they vvould haue their Masses and pardons well paide for to deliver poore soules out of the same that our fire is but a painted fire vnto it and that the tormentes thereof differ nothing from hellish tormentes but onely in continuance and yet sometimes with them againe it is as it were a place Rhem. in Apoc c. 14. of rest 20. Lastly our Rhemistes teach that sinne be the pleasure thereof Rhem. in c 8. ep ad Rom. never so shorte deserueth damnation because it is an aversion from God and proceedeth from the Devill the which thing is true in every sinne and therefore every sinne damnable mortall And yet these men themselues maintaine their olde distincttion of sinnes veniall and of sinnes mortall VVherefore seing that the doctrine of the church of Rome Rhem. in Mat. cap. 5. containeth such contradiction and contradictions cannot be both true it is evident that the spirite of truth is not so annexed to Peters chaire but that the church of Rome may erre as well as other churches planted by the same Apostles yea hereby came in that greate apostasie and falling away from the faith foretold by the Apostle when the greater number of those that professed themselues Christians especially in these westerne partes of the vvorlde did so highlie conceaue of the Bishoppe of Rome as that they tooke him to bee that invincible rocke vpon the vvhich the church vvas builte and against the vvhich hell gates should never prevaile VVhereas he being to vveake to stay himselfe vpright and to withstand so mightie and povverfull enimies vvas lesse able to holde vp the huge building of the vniversall church and to guarde and defende it from so daungerous foes But failing himselfe and falling vnder his owne burden he was the occasion of ruine to all such as did â—…g ep lib. â—…ist 32. stay themselues and rest vpon him And so had Gregory a Bishoppe of Rome signified before to Mauritius the Emperour at what time he endevoured to make the patriarke of Constantinople vniversall Bishoppe and head of the whole church that if there were but one head onely the ruine of that head would be the ruine of the church and that if any should arrogate to himselfe that name in the church the vniversall church must needes come to ruine vvhen hee vvhich is named Vniversall did fall Div. 7 That by our spirituall vnion vvith CHRIST hee and his righteousnes is made ours and so surely imputed vnto vs that wee become thereby righteous before GOD and not by the righteousnes of any of the saintes GReat is the prerogatiue and dignity of all such as are admitted vnto the society of Christes church and are receiued 〈◊〉 comâ—…ion of â—…tes 〈◊〉 1. 3. 〈◊〉 3. 28. 〈◊〉 5. 30. 〈◊〉 2. 16. â—…or 1. 30 into the fellowship of his faithfull Congregation For the church hath fellowship with God and is espoused to Christ made one with him eveÌ„ flesh of his flesh bone of his bone in so much that she iustly layeth claime vnto him saying my beloued is mine I am his as being spiritually maried vnto him and hauing interest in him and all his blessinges By which vnion and communion it came to passe that Christ being one with his church became a debtor in her place paied that which he never tooke being innocent in himselfe was made guilty for her and being most pure in himselfe was made sinne for her and bare her iniquities on his â—or 5 2◠〈◊〉 2 22 〈◊〉 3. 18 〈◊〉 3. 9. owne body vpon the tree that shee likewise being poore of her selfe might in him be made rich and being naked of her selfe might be cloathed with his innocency and being destitute in her selfe of perfect righteousnes might be made the righteousnes of God in him and so become perfectly righteous For as CHRIST by imputation was made sinne for vs and suffered death not for his owne but for our iniquityes even so by imputation are we made righteous in him and so become partakers of eternall glory Novve the faithfull are not after such a manner linked togeather they are not espoused each to other as Christ and his church the Apostle Saint Peter coulde not vnite the church so nearely to himselfe by his spirite that his death and sufferinges might be accepted as done for her redemption And yet see the blindenes of the shameles vvhore of Babylon It is a strange paradoxe vvith her that vvee shoulde be made righteous by the righteousnes of CHRIST imputed vnto vs by the mercie of GOD and applied vnto vs by a true faith but it standeth vvith good reason that vve may bee made righteous by the righteousnes of the saintes imputed vnto vs by the Popes savour and applied vnto vs by his Indulgences and Pardons Div. 8. That GOD onely hath autoritie to forgiue sinne as it is sinne and a transgression of his ovvne lavve THE hurt that cometh to a private man by sinne a private man may release aâ— the prince may pardon that damage The forgiuenesse of sinnes that cometh thereby to the common weale But sinne as it is properly sinne and a breach of the law of God and so a great dishonour to him and a most greavous iniury vnto his dâ—…ine Maiesty so it is only an offence against god against thee only haue â—sinned therfore may only be forâ—…en by him as he himselfe also Psal 51. 4. testifieth It is I it is I that doth 〈…〉
Antichrists of these last times doe so apparantly fit the Pope and his Ministers we doubt not but that we may take them for those very parties and that so much the more if we duely consider how in particular also they derogate from the priestly kingly office of our Saviour Christ whereby he accomplished the worke of our redemption There are two pointes wherein his Priesthood consisteth his sacrifice and his mediation Concerning his sacrifice the Apostle teacheth that as it was appointed for all men once to die and after death Heb. 9. 21. iudgement so Christ was once offered to purge the sinnes of many and that if he should haue often offered himselfe he should haue often suffered As also that this is a difference betweene the sacrifices of the Aaronical Priesthood the sacrifice of Christ that they were often reiterated repeated for that it was impossible that the bloode of bulles and goates should take away sins wheras the sacrifice of Christ was but once made neither needed indeede to bee made any more seeing thereby hee hath brought in eternall redemption and made Heb 9 10. 12 14. perfect for ever them that be sanctified Novv as if our Saviour Christ had not by his oblation of himselfe once made brought in eternall redemption and made perfect for euer them that are sanctified the Pope and his Priests will needes offer him againe in their Masse the which they avouch to bee apropitiatory sacrifice both for Heb. 10. 18. the quicke and the dead albeit as the Apostle hath plainly testified where there is remissiō of sin there is no more sacrifice for sin but our Saviour Christ by his one oblation of himselfe once offered hath procured a plenary and full pardon for all our iniquities and sinnes therfore now there cannot remaine any more sacrifice to bee offered for sin especially wheras our Saviour Christ is our only Priest according to the order of Melchizedech who for that he endureth for ever Heb 7. 24. hath an eternall Priesthood which cānot passe frō him to any other and therfore all our Popish Priests which will needs intrude thēselues to be partners with Christ in this office of his Priesthood wil offer him againe vp vnto God are worthily to be condēned for vsurpers of that honour which no way belongeth vnto them Now as they thus by their Priesthood and by their sacrifice of the Masse do deface the Priesthood sacrifice of Christ so doe they also derogate from the same by their doctrine of the Intercessiō mediation of Saintes For whereas our Saviour Christ hath now long since ascēded into heauē there sitteth at the right hād of God ever living to make intercessiō for vs wheras the vertue of his death passiō is alwaies present before God procuring for vs the favor of God a ready graunt to all our requestes as far forth as it is behouefull cōvenient for vs if this mediation intercessiō of Christ which is continually before God be sufficient what need haue we to seeke for the mediation of the Saintes But this mediation of CHRIST in the iudgemente of Sainte Augustine is so sufficient and the resting onely thereon so sure a marke of a faithfull Christian that he is bolde to make this resolution therein VVee haue IESVS CHRIST our advocate and hee is Aug. in ep Ioh. tract 1. the propitiation for our sinnes he that houldeth this holdeth no heresie he that holdeth this maketh no schisme As likevvise on the contrary side he is bold to affirme that if the verie Apostle Saint Iohn Aug. cont Epist Par◅ Lib. 2. cap. 8 himselfe had saide If any man sinne you haue mee for your advocat and I obtaine pardon for your sinnes that no faithfull person vvould haue acknovvledged him for an Apostle of Christ but rather haue defied him as a verie Antichrist 3 Likevvise concerning our Saviours kingly office and autoritie of making of lawes to guid vs in such a course as that vve may vvalke as it becometh those vvhich are called to be pertakers of so greate mercies we know that we are not our owne but his that hath ransomed vs with so greate a price that we should be subiect to his onely lawes and yeeld our obedience onely to his cōmandementes For we haue no other Lord besides him vvho hath autority to impose lawes vpon vs we haue but one Lord and lawgiuer who is able to saue and to destroy Contrary to this roiall and soveraigne autoritie of Christ the Pope and his adherentes Eph. 4. 5. Iac. 4. 12. haue taken vpon them to impose lawes rules orders vpō the people of God yea haue giuen them praise commendation that by obseruing the same they may doe workes of supererogation availeable for the salvation of other men may winne such credit as to be accoūted the only religious of all other may attaine to greater holines perfectiō thē may be gottē by the law of God So that albeit Moses himselfe after that he had delivered Deut. 4. 8. the law of God to the people testified of the dignity exelēcy thereof that there was no people that had lawes so righteous as vvas all that lavv vvhich he had set before them yet the Pope would beare the world in hand that the rules of Frier Fraūcis Dominicke the rest do lead vnto greater holines perfection thē may be obtained by the law of God Wherefore it is not without 1 Tim 3. 16 4. 1. cause that the Apostle did fore signifie that as our redmption wrought by God manifested in the flesh is the greatest mystery of Christian godlines evē so the prohibitiō of meates marriage according to the rules of Frier Fraūcis the rest should be the doctrine in outward shew of greatest excellency perfectiō amōg false prophets of the last times the limbes mēbers of the great Antichrist wherein the Pope his adherēts most iniuriously derogating frō the law of Christ our only spiritual Lord king doth shew himselfe that man of sin that sonne of pride that very Antichrist who was to sit in the tēple of God to advaūce himselfe aboue God 4 For what doth he else whē he advaūceth his orders rules aboue Gods law not only so but presumethto dispence against the law of God to set greater penalties vpon the breach of his owne orders thē vpō the trāsgressiō of Gods cōmādemēts yea flatly to repeale the precise cōmandemēts of Christ An example whereof we haue in the Lords supper the which was ordained by him in both kindes to assure the faithfull of their full perfect spirituall nourishmēt they haue by him as S. Austin some of the Aug. in tr in Joh. 26. Schole mē also haue taught The which glorie of Christ to be our spiritual nourishmēt vnto eternall life that it might be abolished or at the least
obscured the Devill by the Pope hath maimed this institutioÌ„ of the Lords hath repealed his coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t drink ye al Mat. 26. 27. Luc. 22. 20. of this in restraining the people froÌ„ the vse of the cuppe albeit it be the new testameÌ„t in his blood whereof the people ought to bee pertakers as well as the Preist the Apostle hath added that Gal. 3. 15. vnto the testament of a meere man none will presume to aâ—de or abrogate much lesse to the testameÌ„t of Christ our Lord the Pope his popelings only excepted Whereas also this coÌ„mandemeÌ„t being de livered in generall tearmes at the same time to the same per soÌ„s as that other coÌ„mandemeÌ„t was take ye eate ye this is my body must needes be of the same force bind also to the same obedience The which thing to be most true we neede not seeke for any Gerard. Lorich de Missa publica proreganda further witnes seing vve haue the testimony of one of their owne freÌ„ds who is bold to tearme all such false Catholikes and most wicked blasphemers who hinder the reformatioÌ„ of this noto rious abuse And in very deede the case is so cleare evideÌ„t that by the Bishoppes of Rome theÌ„selues who liued in purer ages the Leo. serm 4. de quadragesima abstaining froÌ„ the cuppe hath beene coÌ„demned as an open errour in the Manichees straite iniunctioÌ„ hath beene giuen that such as abstaine from the one be driven fâ—rm the other for that the Gelasius de consecratione dist 2. c. compâ—rimus dividing of one and the selfe same mystery coulde not bee done without most greaavous sacriledge Wherefore sacrilegious is the pride of al these late Bishoppes of Rome by the testimonie of one of their owne predecessors in that they presume to divide those thinges which Christ hath ioyned togeather to maime and â—angle his new Testament and to repeale his flat coÌ„mandemeÌ„t as also for that in their greatest pompe this verie sacrameÌ„t which they pretende to honour as Christ taking it in truth to bee very Christ is caried before them on an hackney when they theÌ„selues are carried on mens shoulders their owne throne is set aboue the altar the crosse which is caried vpoÌ„ the right haÌ„d of kings swords scepters for that as they say divine honour is due vnto it is notwithstaÌ„ding laide vnder their feete in the lubile they beate vpoÌ„ the gates of Paradise with a golden haÌ„â—er as it is expressed in their Pontificals exercised in their soleniâ—ies Now what are all these things but the plaine steppes of the intollerable Luciferlike pride of the great Antichrist For as he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him is true there is none vnrighteousnes in him so in Antichrist there is vnrighteousnes he is not true because as Aug. in Ioh. tract 29. Austine teacheth he will not seeke the glory of him that sent him 5 Wherefore the B. of Rome must needes be very neare kinne at the least to the great Antichrist in that he so highly advauÌ„ceth himselfe so egerly pursueth his owne glory exalting himselfe not only against god his Christ but much more against Christs Leâ—fetenaÌ„ts the Ecclesiasticall Civill governours of whome it is written I haue saide ye are Gods against the most venerable assemblies Aboue all that is called God Chrys in Math. Hom. 35. Greg. ep l. 4. ep 32. 34 of general councels For â—e will needes haue primaâ—… in earth albeit he finde confusion in heaveÌ„ He will needs take to himselfe the name of vniversall Bishoppe that name of blasphemy whereby the dignity of all Preistes is diminished in that so much is arrogated to one after a frantike madnes yea he will needes take it to himselfe albeit it be against the meaning of the Gospel against all Churches against the ordinaÌ„ce of the Canons albeit in this pride is betokened that the time of Antichrist is at hand he being hereby followed who despising the equalitie of â—oy among the angels laboured to mount vp to the toppe of singularity saying I will advaâ—nce my throne aboue the starres of heaven I vvill sit in the mounte of the Testament even in the North I will get mee vp aboue the cloudes and wiâ—… be like vnto the highest Neither doth his pride stay heere but in all things he laboureth to expresse his image who not contenting himselfe with his Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction were it never so greate in the declining of the Romane Empire was to thrust himselfe into the seate thereof and to chaleâ—dge to himselfe both swordes Ecclesiasticall and Civill and to take vpon himself both the Empire of God men For so Chryâ—ostome hath foresignified that toward the declining of the Romane Empire Antichrist shall come for this Empire Chr. hom 2. in 2. c. ep 2. ad Thes saith he being so renouned none will easely be subiect vnto him but this being void he will invade the power thereof and take it to himselfe in so much that he will take vpon him both the Empire of God and men The which autority hath beene now long since vsurped even to the vttermost by the Bish of Rome who as if he had beene Lord of Lordes King of Kinges hath taken vpon him not onely to depose to set vp Kinges at his owne pleasure but also hath practised the like in the Empire it selfe Neither yet hath his pride staid here but hath advauÌ„ced it selâ—e one steppe higher even aboue the most venerable assemblies of generall Councels who haue the autority represent the face of the whole church For it hath passed Bellar. de Conâ— lib. 2 cap. 14. on his side that his autority is greater then theirs and that â—e is not subiect to their iurisdiction to be cited arraigned or condemned by them His decisions must come forth with a Non obstante whereas their decrees must alwaies be with a Salva semper his faith cannot faâ—le he caÌ„not â—dem l. 4. de â—ontif c. 13. Rhem. in Luc. Cap 22. erre at the least in the Consistory and herefore no man may say to him Sir why doe you so The which presumption is so intollerable so onely beeâ—itting the great Antichrist that a man otherwise as it is likely of his owne faith profession hath for this Avent anna lium l. 6. â—ol 683. cause so proclaimed him to be at the meeting of the Nobles and Prelats in Germany for that he spake proud thinges as if he were some God for that he laide new plots to establish himselfe a king dome made changed what lawes he listed sacked spoiled deceaued killed being that son of perditioÌ„ which they call Antichrist in whose for heade is written a name of blasphemy I am a God I cannot erre In the temple of God hee sitteth and raigneth farre and wide 6 And verely whereas it is the prerogatiue roiall of
the most pretious bloud of Christ for the full accoÌ„plishment of that worke For what if man could giue his house full of treasure yet wee are not redeemed vvith corruptible thinges as with silver and gould but with the most pretious bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and without spotte Or what if he would offer vp in sacrifice a 1000. rammes or a 1000. bullockes and goates It is impossible that the Heb. 10 bloud of bullockes and goates should take away sinnes And therfore when the Apostle had avouched by the warrant of the Prophet that the Lord would not haue burnt offering and sacrifice nor the bodies of slaine beastes then he giueth testimony to the offering of the body of Christ as to the onely true expiatory sacrifice Lastly what if one would offer vp to God the spirituall sacrifices of faith and repentance and of all such workes as are commanded in the morallawe Surely of these also the Apostâ—e hath testified that it vvas impossible to the lavv in as much as it was Rom. 8. 3. weake by reason of our flesh to worke out the worke of maÌ„s redemption and therfore that God sent his owne sonne in the simtlitude of sinsul flesh and foâ— sin condemned sinne in the slesh that the righteousnes of the law might bee fulfilled in vs and so we made righteous before God For our faith repentance iustice temperance the rest are but as broken and clipped money they are to light to weigh in the ballance with our most heavie and burdensome sins and they are also but as one to a thousaÌ„d toward the discharge of our most huge debt Moreover in the perfourming eveÌ„ of our best workes the flesh rebelleth against the spirite so staineth their purity and blemisheth their glory and our spiritual and inward man is but renued in part so that wee can do no good worke with al our hart soule and strength in that degree and measure as the law requireth now that which wanteth of that which the law requireth is a transgression of the law and therefore sin and sinne defiling the worke wherein it is causeth our very righteousnes to bee as a stained cloath and therefore in that respect odious to God procuring his wrath and making vs subiect to the curse of the lawe and therefore not meriting everlasting glory Thus are euen our best sacrifices but as the offering vp of the lame and maimed and therefore of themselues cannot be much lesse make vs acceptable vnto God And thus are these garmentes of our owne righteousnes both stained too short also to couer our nakednes they may be likened to the curtalled garmentes of Davids servantes 2. Sam. 10. 5 which made them ashamed to come into the kings court and to present themselues in his presence And verily if but one of our acquaintance beeing of some good place happen to see vs when wee haue on a sluttish aperne or a fowle ruffe or some base and regardlesse attire how squeamish are we and how do we imagine that wee haue done our selues some great discredite Howe much more then may we worthely blush and be ashamed to come into the presence of the most pure and glorious God who so extreamely loatheth and abhorreth all impuritie vncleannes beeing covered with the slubbered and curtalled garments of our owne righteousnes And how ought we to labour by all meanes possible to put of and to lay aside these rotten ragges in the case of our iustification to embrace and lay hold on Christ that we may be found in him not having Phil. 3. 9. our owne righteousnes which is by the lawe but that which is by faith in him For they are the precious costly garmeÌ„ts of his righteousnes that arelarge enough to couer our nakednes be it never so great they are also so cleare pure holy that they are able to endure the presence of the holy of holies to present vs pure holy in his sight So then the workes of our faith repentance and righteousnes cannot present vs pure and holy before God nor make satisfaction to his iustice for our sins nor meâ—ite the crowne of eternall glory but these so great blessings are procured for vs by the bloud of Christ and are given vs most frankely and freely by his mediation Now if a master shal giue vnto his faithful servant an estate in a liuing either by copy or lease freely without any fine or income wil this kindnesse make him malepert and saucy to set at naught his masters commandement careles to pay his rent and to performe that suite and service that is required at his handes Neither is it credible that the faithfull servantes of God hauing an estate in the glorious inheritance of the kingdome of heaven most frankely and freely granted vnto theÌ„ in Christ without nay coÌ„trary to their owne deservings should thereby take occasion to sinne against God and become careles to performe their obedience to his law being the rent suite and service that is double due vnto him So neither is it likely that they well vnderstanding the guiltines of sinne to bee so great that it could not be done away but by the bloud of Christ and the wrath of God against sin to be so â—etled his iustice so implacable that rather theÌ„ the sins of his own elect should eâ—cape vnpunished he punished theÌ„ with so great severity eveÌ„ vpon his own deare son should hereby be encouraged to coÌ„mit sin to receiue into their bosoâ—…s such a venimous serpeÌ„t whose sting is so daÌ„gerous yea almost incurable Wheras on the coÌ„trary side if sin weâ— so smal a matter that it might be done away by holy water holy bread pardons masses pligrimages almes praiers fastings by other workes of Popish doctrines provocations to sinne popish penaÌ„ce if there were so rich pretious a gift of charity infused into the heart of every faithful ChristiaÌ„ as that therby he were able to make God endebted not only to himslfe but to others also then indeede we needed not altogither to make so great a matter of coÌ„mitting sin and offending God seeing we could so many waies make satisfaction for the same and make God amendes and further also make him endetted vnto vs as herevpoÌ„ many men are bold to trespasse their neighbour for that either already they are as much or more in their debt and danger or for that they can else in time to come easily make theÌ„ ameÌ„des for their former trespasse But God can no way be pleasured by vs neither is worshipped with mens haÌ„ds as if therby any thing were added vnto him and he made endetted Act. 17. 25. vnto vs for the same For as for the workes of our faith repentaÌ„ce and loue we are therby more more endebted vnto him for that he worketh them in vs by his spirit and he is no otherwise endebted vnto vs for the same but only for that of
his owne most free and vndeserved goodnes in Christ he hath bound himselfe by promise to giue them a reward And as for the least sin that is bee it but a desire to The most heavy burden even of the lightest sinne and the great deformity of the least iniquity steale a sticke out of thy neighbours hedge or to eate an apple of the forbidden tree seeing in doing the same either we set God so at naught that we vtterly forget him his holy commandements Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house c. Cursed is he that continueth not in every point of the law to doe it wheras we ought most religiouslie to keepe a constant and continual remembrance thereof Or if we remembring the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of God the heavy curse annexed to the transgression of the same yet blesse our selues and promise our selues peace when God menaceth warre and so giue more credit to the suggestions of Satan then to the sacred testimonies and oracles of God harkening to the devil rather then to God and preferring the devil before God seeing herein as much as in vs lieth we robbe God of his truth and iustice of his soveraigne auctority over vs by refusing him to raigne over vs and making choice of the devil to be ruled by him taking after a sort the scepter out of the Lordes hand and the crowne from his head giuing them vnto the Devill if the Lord for this so intollerable an indignity should depriue vs vtterly of his favour and loue and of all his gracious giftes blessinges and deliver vs cleane over vnto the devill to bee partakers with him of al maÌ„ner of curses plagues what should he doe heerein but that in al iustice right is most due vnto vs And how should he herein serve vs also but even according vnto our owne choice For the lesser the commodity or pleasure is for the which wee are so soone perswaded to cast away God and to set his coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts at naught the more manifestly is our vile corruption convicted in that we are so quickly hyred to so wicked a workâ— vpon so base and meane wages And heereof it is that Samuel is bold to cal the traÌ„sgression of Saul in sparing the Gigantum more bellare cum deo best of the sheepe oxen at the earnest motion as it seemeth of the people that to this end to offer sacrifice vnto God rebellion for that therin he did rebel against God ioyne himselfe to that notorious rebell Satan not only so but he further likeneth it to the most odious and abominable sin of Idolatrie and witchcraft And verely as the witch renounceth God giveth her selfe vnto the devil and the Idolater forsaketh the worship and service of God and betaketh himselfe to the service of the Deuill euen so every sinner euen in the smallest and least sinne as much as in himselfe lieth casteth away God and maketh choice of the deuil and therefore if the Lord shoulde vtterly cast him of for the same deliuer him ouer to that cursed serpent to haue his part with him in his torments plagues he should do no other thing therin theÌ„ that which is most iustly deserued And verelie had not our alsufficient Savior made full satisfaction by his most precious bloode for the least as wel as for the greatest of the sinnes of the elect theÌ„selues had not he procured a pardon for the same they woulde haue beene so heauy and burdensome vnto them that they would haue pressed them downe to the bottomlesse pit of hel Neither would their holy life either past or to come haue beene able to haue diâ—charged them of the burden thereof For if one otherwise a very good subiect and of most ciuil and vpright conversation falling into the company of loose and lewd persons by their counsell and perswasion do but ioine with them in one robbery and so commit a trespasse if it bee but against one of the Princes subiects and but against one of the lawes of the common weale it is not his honest life past and the keeping of al the rest of the lawes and the doing good to many of the princes It is a thing worthy to be condeÌ„ned iustly to be grievous to meÌ„ what an offence theÌ„ is it to be grievous vnto God subiects and his duety neuer so well performed before to prince and country nor yet his harty repentance his sincere promise of amendment that can discharge him froÌ„ the same but that law must proceede against him and execution must be done accordingly vnlesse a pardoÌ„ be procured from the prince how much more if one sin against the incomprehensible maiesty of the most glorious deitie by treading vnder foote the least of his commandements shal the seâ—tence of eternal condeÌ„nation proceede against him vnlesse hee obtaine the forgiuenesse thereof by the blood of Christ For if one man sinne against another the 1. Sam. 2. 25 Rom. â— 23. Ezeâ— 10. 20 iudâ—e may iudge it but if one sin against God who shall plead for him The wages of sin saith the Apostle â—… death That soule saith the prophet that sinneth that soule shall die Bas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hier. ep 14 What sin is it saith Basill that any daâ—… cal light I knowe not saith Hierome whether we may cal any sinne light or small the which is done with the contempt of God This then is our doctrine of iustification that our best workes are stained and stand in need of mercy and therefore can neither merite eternal glory nor make satisfaction to God for the least of our sins and that the lightest of our transgressions would haue beene too heauy for vs to beare yea they would haue pressed vs downe to the bottomlesse pit of hel had not our most mercifull Sauiour succoured vs herein by removing them also graciously from vs and by laying them vpon his owne shoulders And if this doctrine provoke to sin I know not what can revoke from the same But now let vs proceede to that other part of the slaunder wherewith all the enemies of the gospel do charge the profession thereof euen with the great penury and want of al good workes For not only the Rhemists do take from vs for the most part the sheepes cloathing that is the very outwarde shew of good workes but also the composer of the VVard word vpon occasion of some civil behaviour acknowledged to be in some of our Recusants taketh vpon him with the prowd Pharisie not only to advance himselfe and his farre aboue vs base and vile Publicanes but also he woulde haue the worlde beleeue that if question were betweene them and vs of good works our chiefest captaines would straight waies relinquish the field not bee so bold as to strike one stroke But this is but one of their Thrasonical brags For I doubt not but a meane souldier fighting vnder the ensigne of the
wretched estate when yee sate in darknes and in the shaddow of death and forget not Gods mercy that hath translated you out of darknes into the kingdome of light and so see that yee walke worthy of God and of your high calling in Christ Iesus This due consideratioÌ„ of the Lords endlesse mercy in Christ and their owne vnworthines hath beene the only effectual motiue from the beginning of the world to draw the faithful out of the slavery of Satan vnto God and to confirme and establish them in his feare The seede of the woman shall breake the serpentes head made Adam who before hid himselfe from God afterward with boldnes to come into his presence In thy seede shall all the â—ations of the earth be blessed made Abraham who before was bred vp in Idolatry to forsake kindred and countrey and to endure many annoyances in a strange land that so he might shew his humble obedience vnto God Yea by the eies of this faith all the holy men of God before the comming of Christ in the flesh beholding the great goodnesse and loue of God as the Apostle testifieth Hebr. 11. haue offered vp their sacrifices acceptable to God performed all dueties and endured all crosses for the constant confession of this their holy faith And now since the comming of Christ in the flesh wherby was the whole world converted froÌ„ dumbe Idols to serue the living God Was it by the promulgation of the law of Moses or by the preaching of the gospel of Christ Surely the preaching and publishing of the glad tydings of the gospell of the yeare of Iubile of the acceptable day wherein the Lord for his Christes sake had graunted a free full and generall pardon and release of all debts trespasses and sins to all such as would willingly accept and faithfully embrace this vnspeakeable loue and make it the matter of their daily meditation and consolation and the rocke and foundation of their faith and hope was that warrelike chariot wherein the faith of Christ got the full victorie over falshoode and lies and trod vnder foote all infidelity and Idolatry and triumphed most gloriously against all the power and puissaunce of hell it selfe By the sounde of this doctrine did the servauntes of the great shepheard and Bishoppe of our soules call home all his straying and wandring sheepe and gathered them into the folde of Christ by this net did the fishers of men dravve into the arke of Christs Church all such as were before ready to bee drowned in the sea of their sinnes and to bee overwhelmed with the most terrible tempest of the Lordes wrath by this key did the Lords potters open the doore of the kingdome of heauen to them that vvere before most worthely driven out and dispossessed of that celestiall paradise With this ensigne did the Lordes standard bearers gather together all his companies and bandes which before had revolted became fugitiues fighting vnder the Devils colours by this boxe of ointmeÌ„t powred forth did the Lordes Apothecaries reviue and quicken the spirites of all the Lords patients who were before not only in a sound but also starke dead by the most noysome stincke of their abominable sinnes Lastly by this seed of faith sowen in the most drie and barren wildernes of the peoples hearts by the hand of the Lordes painefull and skilfull husbandmen vvas there raysed vppe a most plentifull and fruitefull harvest vnto the Lorde For faith commeth by hearing the word of faith Neither doeth this worde of faith revealing the vnspeakeable loue of God shining in the face of Christ beget faith only but by faith loue praier confession patience repentance feare obedience thankefulnes even all sounde and sincere devotion with all the partes and parcels thereof By faith we haue accesse to God and are admitted into his Church which is therefore called the family of Faith And Baptisme the sacrament of our Baptisme cleanseth as it doth fâ—…her make manifest vnto va and causeth vs to embrace the word of faith initiation and the seale of faith is added to the worde of faith for the further manifestation of the cause of this our admission into so honourable an estate and calling by setting after a sorte before our eies the loue of God who hath given vs his sonne with his owne most precious bloode to wash and cleanse our sinnes whereby there was before a seperatioÌ„ betweene vâ— God Now from whence saith Austine hath the water of Baptisme this vertue that it doth touch the body cleaâ—se the soul but by means of the word whervnto it is added that it might togither with the same not only represent the washing away of our sinnes by the blood of Christ but also â—atifie and coÌ„firme the same for the further strengthning of our fraile faith Not saith hee for that the word is vttered but for that it is beleeved not for that there is such vertue in the letters and sillables or in the pronunciation of the very wordes but for that they are the powerfull instrument ordained of God so to open the Lordes good and gracious meaning towardes vs and to assure vs of his vnchaungeable loue in Christ that thereby we might attaine to a sure faith For as long as we remaine in our naturall blindnes and ignorance either we fly from God as Adam did beeing touched with the pricke of a guilty conscience or else we embrace an Idol in steed of the true God being misled by the wrongful guiding of a blind coÌ„science as now naturally do all the posterity of Adam But wheÌ„ the Lord hath once revealed vnto vs the glory of his endlesse goodnes in Christ and hath made vs to behold the dignity of his death that he endured for our sins and the worthines of his obedience that he performed for our righteousnes thereby we are made bold to enter Heb. 10. 19. into the holy place by the newe and living way which he hath prepared for vs by his flesh and are encouraged to draw nigh with a true hart in assurance of faith being fully perswaded of the perfect purgation of all our sins and of our entire and absolute righteousnes I am saith our Saviour Christ the way the truth and the life no man commeth to the father but by me He then that is set in this way and walketh therein he vndoubtedly walketh in the right way and he cannot misse but come directly vnto God Hee that buildeth on this rocke buildeth on a sure foundatioÌ„ his faith cannot faile he cannot be vanquished his hope is sure he cannot be coÌ„founded He may be bold to triumph with the Apostle saying If God be on our side who can be against vs who spared not his owne sonne but Rom. 8. 31. gave him for vs all how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Who shall lay anie thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth Who shall condemne It is Christ that is dead
choice of him before all other to prefer him to bee our only God So the Prophet David foreseeing by the spirite that God woulde gather vnto him his elect and chosen out of all nations of the whole earth cryeth out vnto them and saith O bee ioyfull in the Lorde all yee lands serue the 〈◊〉 100. 1. Lord with gladnes and come before his presence with a song Be yee sure that the Lord he is God it is he that hath made vs and not we our selues we are his people and the sheepe of his pasture c. Be ye sure saith David build vpon this that God is the true God that he hath made vs and taken vs also to be his people and therefore he exhorteth againe and againe to reioice in the Lord to be thaÌ„kfull vnto him for his great goodnes So S. Peter yee are saith he to all the faithfull to whom he wrote a chosen generation a royall nation 1. Pet. 2. 9. and an holy people that yee shoulde shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknes into his marveilous light Likewise Saint Iohn Behold saith hee what loue the father hath shewed vs that vvee 1 Ioh. 3. 1. should be called the sonnes of God c. Why Hee that is but in a play to beare the person only of the sonne of an earthly king and that but for the space of two or three houres will in no wise then demeane himselfe like to a cullian A sonne saith Malachy honoureth his father and a servant his master If I then saith God himselfe Mala. 1. 6. vnto his people be your father where is my loue and if I be your master where is my feare Now every meane Logitian knoweth that a Inepta est probatio obscuri per aequè obscuruÌ„ multo magis per magis obscurum thing not knowne or but meanly appreheÌ„ded is to receiue light and confirmation not from an argument which is as obscure and doubtfull much lesse from that which is more doubtfull and obscure For how can that which is darke it selfe driue away darkenes or how can that which is doubtfull it selfe remoue doubtfulnes Wherefore in that the spirit of God doth exhort the faithful not to serue themselues but the Lorde for that â—hey are bought with a price and therfore are not their own but the Lords and to walke soberly because they are the children of the day and to do such things as accompany salvatioÌ„ for that they are ordained to salvation and to employ themselues not to base vses but to the most honourable service of the Lord because they are vessels of gold prepared to glory and so forth it followeth necessarily that it ought to bee vnto them as evident and as certaine at the least that they are not their own but are bought with a price that they are the children of the day that they are ordained to salvatioÌ„ that they are vessels of golde prepared to glory as that they should serue not themselues but the Lord that they should walk warily as in the day that they should do such things as accompany salvation that they should employ themselues not to base vses but to the honourable service of God And verely no other argumeÌ„t of it selfe alone is able to asswage the flames of selfe loue which are so great and to cause vs to deny our selues our friendes pleasures and commodities bee they they never so sweete and to make vs willingly to beare the disfavours of prince and people alians and allies and to vndergoe all manner of crosses and afflictions bee they never so burdensome and bitter but onely that invaluable loue of God manifested in that glorious worke of mans redemption and in the residue of his blessings of grace When the Apostles seemed to wordly wise men to be stark madd for that they so willingly submitted themselues to so many and great inconveniences that they might giue testimony to the Gospell of Christ the Apostle St. Paule setteth downe the cause that moued them ther vnto saying The loue of Christ constraineth vs because we thus iudge that if one bee deade â— Cor. 5. 14. Christes â—oue toâ—…ards his â—aithfull â—ervants â—elt in their harts not onely allureth but even compelleth theÌ„ most willingly to vndergoe all manner of burdens in his service for his glorie for al then we weâ—e al deade And he died for al that they which liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him that died for them and rose againe The loue of Christ then is the most forcible argument even to compell and constraine vs to do our duties to God be they never so contrary to our corrupt affections yea it maketh the yoke of Christ light easie to the spirit whâ—ch otherwise is so burdensome vnto the flesh And hence it is that those of the faithful which haue had greatest revelation of the grace of Christ and strongest assurance of his loue haue most of all died vnto themselues and liued vnto Christ and haue aboue all other denied their owne sweete selues and renounced their Jearest pleasures and commodities and haue with such a burning affection embraced their sweete Saviour and redeemer and so highly esteemed of his most precious blood that all other sweete things haue after a sort growen out of tast with them and all other precious thinges haue become of no price I am deade saith St. Paule to the lawe and am crucified with Christ I liue and yet Gal. 2. 19. not I nowe but Christ liveth in me and in that I liue nowe in the flesh I liue by he faith of the Sonne of God who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for mee I see well saith Austine in an Epistle to Dardanus that thou doest esteeme little of mee although I make great account of thee and it is for that thou art young and I am olde thou vvise and I vndiscreete thou rich and I poore thou more vertuous then I am yet I will deny that thou hast a better God thâ—n I or a better law or a better redeemer thâ—… I for in the matter of redemption the Lord dealt so equally among all men that I vvill not acknovvledge any advantage in thee or anie superiority in mee O good Iesus saith hee O the redeemer of my soule vvherevvithall shall I requite thy clemencie or satisfie thy goodnesse for not shedding better bloode for all thine electe then thou diddest for my sinnes alone Novve vvhat caused this man of GOD thus to humble and debase himselfe in respecte of himselfe and thus to advaunce himselfe in respect of GOD and to cry out that he knew not how to be sufficiently thankfull vnto his gracious redeemer but a greater revelation of the grace of CHRIST and a stronger assurance of his loue then ordinarily is graunted to the coÌ„mon sort of the faithfull The which thinges also stirred vp the like passions in Cyrill and Bernard and
east them into an holie extasie and carried them after a sorte out of themselues and made them to haue little regard Cyrill in haec verbâ— sanguis â—ius sit super noset filios nostros of this present vvorlde and of the pompe and glorie thereof vvhich yet are so glorious in earthly mens eies To vvhat ende saith Cyrill shoulde I have vvealth and hope for the inheritance of the goodes of this vvorlds seeing alreadie I am made heire of thy most precious bloode and redeemed vvith thy most glorious death Why should I not verie much esteeme of my selfe seeing thou hast shedde as much bloode for mee alone as thou hast done for all the vvorld So Bernard O good Iesus O the loue of my soule vvho Bern. in haec verbai desiderio desideravi c. amongest mortall men doth so desire to make his life perpetuall as thou didst desire to loose thine for mine What pleasure vvilte thou take on the vvorld to come vvith thine elect seeing heere vppon earth thon didest call that day vvherein thou didest suffer Easter that is a great and solemne feastivall daie And againe O good Iesus O the redeemer of my soule doe I not happely owe thee as much as all the vvorlde ovveth thee seeing I have cost thee as much bloode as all the vvorlde hath done By the which testimonies of these holie men it is evident and plaine that an holie assurance of the great loue of CHRIST vvho hath died for our sinnes in particular and rose againe for our iustification is the strongest purgation to cleanse our soules from deade workes and to quicken them vp to an heavenly life and to strengthen vs in the ready preformance of all such duties as are most gratefull and acceptable to God And verely all manner of good vertuous works seeme they never so glorious in the eies of mortall men are most vile and base in the sight of God vnlesse the loue of Christ be the worker of them al and vnlesse they are performed as well deserved dueties for his sundry and manifold vndeserved mercies How then can there bee any true devotion at al in any of the children of the Church of Rome if they followe the doctrine â—f the assurance of the loue of God in Christ be the strongest band to binde vs to God then the doubtting therof must needs lette vs loose to runne a stray at random out of the Lordes waies as if we were at our owne liberty to liue as wee list The base borne bastardes of the church of Rome condemne in the legitimate children of God the holy assurance of his fauour and loue as Sap. 2. their former brethrren the elder sons of Satan haue done before theÌ„ Eph. 3. 18. of their mother who teacheth them to bee still in doubt of the loue of Christ in particular towards themselues of their effectuall calling into the state of grace and of the remission of their sins and eternall glory seeing the faithfull apprehension sence assuraÌ„ce of Christs loue the fruits therof is the only effectuall worker of all true devotion Howe can either the church of Rome be the faithful spouse of Christ seeing shee stil standeth in doubt of the loue of her bridegrome or her children bee the children of God our heavenly father seeing they are and must be still in doubt whether he beareth a fatherly affection towards them Surely a faithful spoufe cannot still stand in doubt of the loue of her most kind and carefull husband neither can the naturall and kinde childe alwaies feare whether his natural kind father beareth a louing and a fatherly affection towards him seeing hee hath testified the same by his manifold blessinges And therfore the church of Rome caÌ„not be the true spouse of Christ seeing shee knoweth not assuredly whether shee is his beloued neither can her children be the true children of God our heaveÌ„ly father seeing they are and must be stil vncertaine and doubtfull of his kind and fatherly loue of the most principal effectes thereof Nay in that they condemne the true children of God of pride presuÌ„ption for that they are not abashed to make a bold confession of their knowledge of God and of their assurance of his loue and to glory that he is their father and they his sonnes heereby they declare themselues to belong to the congregatioÌ„ of them alignant yea that they are the children of the devil himselfe in that after the very selfesame manner they condemne the holy faith of the children of God as their elder brethren haue done before theÌ„ in the second chapter of the booke of wisdome VVherfore all ye our deere brethren which are as yet covered with the blacke and darke doctrine of the church of Rome which came out of the bottomles pitte from the very prince of darkenes himselfe even as many of you as belong to the number of Gods elect defraud not your selues any longer of the comfort and fruit of Christs loue by continuing still doubtful of the same with the children of vnbeleife but rather labour with al saints that yee may comprehend what is the bredth depth length heigth to knovv the loue of Christ that passeth knowledge that so yee maÌ„y be filled with all fulnes of God Be ye not desirous to continue any longer doubtful of the remission of your sins of your election to eternal life according vnto the doctrine of the teacher of infidelity which yet boasteth himselfe to be the successour of St. Peter but striue yee 2. Pet. 1. 10 rather to make your election sure by your workes according vnto the most holy doctrine of St. Peter himselfe And as I doubt not but that yee vnfainedly desire to bee fruitful and plentifull in all good workes so labour yee by al meanes possible to compreheÌ„d the loue of Christ and to feele in your harts the coÌ„fortable fruits thereof which are the strongest motiues not onely to perswade but after a sort to constraine force vnto the ready persormaÌ„ce of al good workes Be ye not so foolish still to imagine that your workes which are the fruites of the loue of Christ the effectes of your election and iustification bee the causes of the loue of Christ of your election iustification Especially whereas it is God that worketh in you the wil and the deede and that of his owne meere mercy and good wil in Christ and thereby maketh you more endebtted vnto him by the continuance encrease of his blessings take yee heede of that grievous and intollerable pride wherwith the Devill the defacer of the grace and glorie of Christ hath hitherto beguiled you by making you thinke that God is endebtted vnto you by meanes of your good workes and that by them you merite at his hands remission of sins eternal glory For verely if the kissing of our owne handes that is the ascribing The ascribing to our owne witte industry
holy pure perfect gratefull and acceptable to himselfe also for that it is his will vnto whoÌ„ I am ten thousand times bouÌ„d to yeeld al dutiful submissioÌ„ obedience both in respect of his soveraigne auctority that he only hath to rule over my conscience soule also in regard of his infinite blessings which he of his owne vnspeakeable goodnes in Christ hath most freely fully bestowed vpon me And verely our obedience performed to the vvill of God in these respectes is a sweete incense and a most acceptable sacrifice to God wherwith we after a sort gratifie God and grieve the Devill are as an heaven to all holy Angels and a very hell vnto al vncleane spirits So like wise when we are tempted to any wicked worke wee must thus reason with ourselues and say this worke ought in no wise to be done by me no not the least desire to accomplish the same ought once to haue any entrance into my hart because it is contrary to the holy pure perfect will of God agreeable vnto the impure will of the Devill because it is most offensiue grievous to God most gratefull acceptable vnto the Devill because it is a great dishonour to him to whoÌ„ all honour is double due both in respect of his soveraigne auctority over me and also in regard of his manifolde mercies collated vpon me and it is a great honour vnto that most cruell and infamous tyrant the Devill who presseth vpon me thereby to take me captive to the vtter destruction both of my body and soule We are debters as saith the Apostle yea very great debters as great as great may be but not to the flesh nor to our selues nor Rom. 8. 12. to the devil vnles it be that we owe to these al maÌ„ner of evils miseries whatsoever but we are debtters to God that for the loue of a thousand talents for the gift of ten thousand more yet if we haue but a sincere desire to discharge this our debt our most gracious creditour will not onely straitwaies forgiue it all but also wil giue vnto vs ten thousand times more Yea the sincere desire of being obedient to the will of God vpon the former respects and the true care according as God hath enabled vs in some measure to discharge this our debt is a very great mercy a very gracious favour wherby we are more and more endebtted vnto him And verely this is al the discharge of our debt that hee requireth at our hands that we willingly gladly acknowledge him of whoÌ„ we haue received all that we so highly esteeme of his giftes and presume of his good will that we are stil desirous to been debtted vnto him more more by al relligious hearing reading and meditating vpon his holy and sacred word by all servent and devout praier bee continually begging and craving for more and after a sort extorting it out of his handes For his desire is not to be benifited by vs but that we should still more and more bee benefited by him and hee vvould haue vs to acknowledge his loue and to grovve into a stedfast assurance therof that therby we might be more effectually stirred vp to reioyce in his goodnes to be thankful vnto him for his manifold mercies especially he would haue vs most midfully to record that vnmatchable blessing of our redemption wrought by Christ his inestimable loue made manifest therin that therby our hearts might be renewed our affections saÌ„ctified dying to our selues living to God employing our selues to every good worke And hereof it is that the spirit of God especially in the bookes of the new testament doth so often make mention of Christ and of our redemption wrought by him and of his great loue manifested therein as being the matter and subiect of those bookes a â—aÌ„st vvhereof I vvill giue vnto thee in some sentences of one of those bookes penned by Saint Iohn as they be pointed vnto by that learned preacher of the vvord Mr. Robert Rolloc in his commentaries vpon the same booke No man hath soone God at any time the onely begotten sonne of God vvho is in the bosome of the father hee hath revealed him Ioh 1. 18. The Philosophers in all ages haue most painfully searched after truth in their Physikes Ethikes Mathematikes and the rest But the knowledge of the Father in the Sonne doth only deserue the name of truth For to what purpose is it to comprehend in minde heaven and earth and all other thinges if a sinner doth not knowe God in Christ the redeemer That is vnlesse he feele God favourable vnto him and forgiving him all his sinnes in Christ which only doeth pacifie the troubled conscience hee can haue little true comfort in all his knovveledge of all other things be it never so great and smal courage to come vnto God and to rest in him and so to take hold of everlasting blessednes Therefore our Saviour himselfe after that he had said no man knoweth the father but the sonne and hee to whom the sonne hath revealed him Math. 11. 28. immediately addeth Come vnto mee all yee that are wearie and heavy laden and I will refresh you VVhereby hee signifieth that God being revealed in Christ there doeth follovve peace of conscience and vnspeakeable ioy in all those that doe cast their sinnes vpon him The nexte daie Iohn stoode and tvvo of his disciples and beholding Iesus vvalking hee saide beholde that lambe of GOD. Iohn 1. Chap. verse 36. As Iohn oftentimes gaue witnesse to Christ so it is no lesse necessarie at this time that the sacrifice and death of Christ be repeated and reiterated againe and againe For as the Iewes were ignoraunt that Christ the lambe of God shoulde bee offered vppe in sacrifice so vvee after a sort haue forgotten that hee hath beene sacrificed and hath already suffered for our sinnes For vvhat meane these sinnes which so every where abound adulteries murders rapines sacriledges even so many sinnes of all sortes vvhat say I doe they meane but that wee haue forgotten that our Saviour Christ hath suffered for vsâ— For ifit did come into our mindes that vvee vvere once boughte with so greate a price vvoulde vvee so sell our selues and become captiues to so manye sinnes If vvee did remember that vvee vvere washed with the most precious bloodof CHRIST vvoulde vvee againe so defile our selues vvith the filthy mire of this vncleane vvorlde After that Saint Peter had commended vnto the faithfull certaine necessary vertues 2. Peter 1. 9. Hee that hath not these saieth hee is bloude and seeth nothing a farre of but hath forgotten that hee vvas purged from his olde sinnes For let all bee sure of this that who edomes murders and the like to them that make profession of the faith of Christ are not therefore sinnes onely for that they are contrary to the lawe of God
but especially for that they are after a sorte committed in a mockaâ—e of the bloode of Christ and doe proceede from the forgetfulnesse of his death The which if it bee so then vve must hold this for a sure thing that wee ought not to be grieved so much for that we haue broken the commandement of God as for that wee haue forgotten that wee were redeemed by the bloode of Christ and haue contemned the great price of our most glorious redemption VVherefore that wee may be brought the sooner to repentaunce and to acknowledge the greatnesse of our sinne vve must all our whole life be busied about this that we may vnderstande hovve great is that price of our redemption and that vve may so worthyly esteeme of the blood of the new testameÌ„t as we ought to do It followeth in the nexte verse And the two disciples heard him so speaking and they follovved Iesus Ioh. 1. 37. That testimony which Iohn the Baptist gaue of Christ that he was the lambe of God before two of his disciples causeth them to come to Christ and to follow him Whereby wee learne how effectuall is the preaching of Christ yea how powerfull is one worde or two concerning Christ and his crosse to alter and change the very heartes of men Verily there is no other speech whereby a stony hart may be made flesh and an vnfaithfull man may be made faithfull Speake as much as thou liste of the most famous factes of all the Kinges and Emperours that ever haue beene and of their goodly vertues and great glory these things may delight the minds of men but they wil not renevv them But speake thou of the man crucified a thing in shevv base and foolish this vvord of the crosse which is foolishnes to them that perish is the wisdome power of God to theÌ„ that are saved Nay that we may let passe these profane persons with their deedes teach againe againe the very law of God eveÌ„ this law is weak by reason of the flesh Rom. 8. 3. But that which the law cannot the worde of the crosse can Now what is the cause of this great efficacie The Lord which is the matter and subiect of this word is a spirit which is able to set our harts at liberty in so much that if they be once fixed vpon him the vaile of corruption which before did so cleaue vnto vs wil soone be taken away and if we do duely looke into that glory of his which doth shine in the gospel as in a glasse we shall be changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of God Before Phillip called thee I saw thee when thou wast vnder the figge tree Ioh. 1. 48. The more any one doth search into the vnsearchable riches of Christ and the greater revelation hee hath of the same the more is his faith and loue also encreased and the more vnspeakeable and glorious is his ioy 1. p. 1. 8. Wherefore this ought to be our continuall labour day and night by praier and by reading and meditating vpon the scriptures to seeke after the mistery of Christ that so at the length there may be opened vnto vs the treasures of all knowledge and vnderstanding that are hid in him and so al other things may be vnto vs as trash in comparison of that inestimable treasure It is strange to see how the Apostle that looked most into that excellent mistery could never satisfie himselfe in setting forth and amplifying the greatnesse thereof God saith he which is rich in mercy of his great loue wherwith he loved vs. Eph. 2. 4. Hath given vnto vs so worthy a Saviour in whom are bid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Coll. 2. 3. Haue care therefore saith he that yee may be able to comprehend what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints Eph. 1. 18. He saw much and beleeved much and magnified much this great mistery Verily verily I say vnto you from hence forth yee shall see the heavens open and the Angels of God ascending and descending vpon the sonne of man Ioh. 1. 51. The opening of the misteries of faith engendreth faith and the revealing of Christ maketh a Christian Speake to men of heaven and of everlasting life and of al maÌ„ner of blessings both bodily and ghostly and yet they cannot beleeue vntill they see Christ by whom and for whom are all these things For if we be throughly touched with the sense of sinne and of the wrath of God most iustly provoked to punish vs for the same wee must first finde him that hath satisfied the iustice of God for our sinnes before wee can hope for eternall life Yea if I do not beholde Christ and haue him present before the eies of my minde it is so far of that I should see heaveÌ„ and heavenly glory that I shall feele nothing but terrours and feares and extreame anguish and bitternes of soule But when Christ doth once shine vnto me then is there sure hope of eternall life They then that desire to bee partakers of all manner of blessings and to be assured of life everlasting must seek Christ and set him before their eies and behold him true God and true man who died for their sins and rose againe for their iustification and thence will issue and proceede a ful trust and confidence of obtaining al such benefites blessings which he hath thereby purchased for them That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirite is spirite Ioh. 3. 6. The only presence of Christ by faith is the means wherby the spirit worketh our regeneration Now Christs preseÌ„ce is imperfectly appreheÌ„ded in this life by faith but perfectly by sight in the life to come And hereof it is that our regeneratioÌ„ which is but imperfect in this life shal be most perfect in the life to come This we knowe saith S. Iohn that when Christ doeth appeare we shall bee like him for wee shall see him as hee is 1. Ioh. 3. 2. Yea that presence of Christ shal be so glorious and so effectuall in vs that it shall transforme even our vile body and make it like to his glorious body Phil. 3. 21. For we must know that the presence of Christ is not like the presence of earthly princes the which if thou beholdest a thousand times thon shalt be made thereby never a whit the more glorious but if thou once truely beholde the glorious presence of Christ thou shalt straitwaies bee changed and transformed into the same As Moses left vp the brasen serpent in the wildernes so must the son of man be lifted vp that whosoever beleeveth in him shoulde not perish but haue life everlasting Ioh. 3. 14. As they which beheld the brasen serpeÌ„t were healed of the sting of the fiery serpents which otherwise could not bee cured So theÌ„ beholding of Christ lifted vp vppon the crosse doth cure