who beeing tempted of the deuill and asked how he beleeued answered that he beleeued as the Church beleeued beeing againe asked how the Church beleeued he answered as I beleeue whereupon the deuill as they say was faine to depart Well this fond and ridiculous kind of faith we renounce as being a meanes to nuzle men in blindnes superstition and perpetuall ignorance yet withall we doe not denie but that there is an implicite or infolded faith which is when a man as yet hauing but some little portion of knowledge in the doctrine of the Gospel doth truly performe obedience according to the measure thereof and withall hath care to get more knowledge and shewes good affection to all good meanes whereby it may be increased In this respect a certaine ruler who by a miracle wrought vpon his child was mooued to acknowledge Christ for the Messias and further to submit himselfe to his doctrine is commended for a beleeuer and so are in the like case the Samaritanes And thus much of weake faith which must be vnderstood to be in a man not all the daies of his life but while he is a yong babe in Christ. For as it is in the state of the bodie first we are babes and grow to greater strength as we grow in yeres so it is with a christian man First he is a babe in Christ hauing weake faith but after growes from grace to grace till he come to haue a stroÌ„g faith example wherâ—of we haue in Abraham who was strong and perfect both in knowledge and apprehension This strong faith is when a man is indued with the knowledge of the Gospell and grace to apprehend and apply the righteousnes of Christ vnto himselfe for the remission of his owne sinnes so as he can say distinctly of himselfe and truely that he is fully resolued in his owne conscience that he is reconciled vnto God in Christ for all his sinnes and accepted in him to life euerlasting This degree of faith is proper to him that beginnes to be a tall man and of ripe yeares in Christ. And it commeth not at the first calling of a man vnto grace And if any shall thinke that he can haue it at the first he deceiueth himself For as it is in nature first we are babes then as we increase in yeares so we growe in strength so it is in the life of a Christian first ordinarily he hath a weake faith and after growes from grace to grace till he come to stronger faith and at the last he be able to say he is fully assured in his heart and conscience of the pardon of his sinnes of reconciliation to God in Christ. And this assurance ariseth from many experiences of Gods fauour and loue in the course of his life by manifold preseruations and other blessings which beeing deepely and duly considered bring a man to be fully perswaded that God is his God and God the father his father and Iesus Christ his redeemer and the holy Ghost his sanctifier Now howesoeuer this faith be strong yet is it alwaies imperfect as also our knoweledge is and shall so long as wee liue in this worlde be mingled with contrarie vnbeleefe and sundry doubtings more or lesse A great part of men amongest vs blinded with grosse ignorance say they haue faith and yet indeede haue not For aske them what faith they haue they will answere they beleeue that God is their father and the Sonne their redeemer c. aske them how long they haue had this faith they will answer euer since they could remember aske them whether they euer doubt of Gods fauour they will say they would not once doubt for all the world But the case of these men is to bee pitied for howesoeuer they may perswade themselues yet true it is that they haue no sound faith at all for euen strong faith is assaulted with temptations and doubtings and God will not haue men perfect in this life that they may alwaies goe out of themselues and depend wholly on the merite of Christ. And thus much of these two degrees of faith Nowe in whome soeuer it is whether it be a weake faith or a strong it bringeth forth some fruit as a tree doth in the time of sommer And a speciall fruite of faith is this confession of faith I beleeue in God c. so Paul saith With the heart a man may beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation Confession of faith is when a man in speech and outwarde profession doth make manifest his faith for these two causes I. That with his mouth outwardly he may glorifie God and doe him seruice both in body and soule II. That by the confession of his faith he may seuer himselfe from all false Christians from Atheists hypocrites and all false seducers whatsoeuer And as this is the dutie of a Christian man to make profession of his faith so here in this Creede of the Apostles wee haue the right order and forme of making confession set downe as we shall see in handling the parts thereof The Creede therefore setts downe two thinges concerning faith namely the action of faith and his obiect which also are the parts of the Creed The action in these wordes I beleeue the obiect in all the wordes following in God the Father Almightie maker c. And first let vs beginne with the action I beleeue in God Wee are taught to saie I beleeue not vvee beleeue for two causes First because as wee touched before in the Primitiue Church this Creede was made to bee an aunswere to a demaunde or question which was demaunded of euery particular man that was baptized for they asked him thus What doest thou beleeue then he aunswered I beleeue in God the Father c. And thus did euerie one of yeares make profession of his faith and it is likely that Peter alluded hereunto saying the stipulation or aunswere of a good conscience maketh request to God The second cause is howesoeuer we are to pray one for another by sayingâ— O our Father c. yet when we come to yeares we must haue a particular faith of our own no man can be saued by another mans faith but by his owne as it is said The iust shall liue by his faith But some will say this is not true because children must be saued by their parents faith the aunswere is this the faith of the parent doth bring the child to haue a title or interest to the Couenant of grace and to all the benefits of Christ yet doth it not applie the benefits of Christs death his obedience his merits and righteousnesse vnto the infant for this the beleeuer doth onely vnto himselfe and to no other Againe some may say if children doe not apprehend Christs benefits by their parents faith howe then is Christs righteousnesse made theirs and they saued Answer By the inwarde working of the holy Ghost who is the principal applier
mysticall vnion pag. 483 The communion of Saints pag. 500 The forgiuenes of sinnes pag. 506 The Resurrection of the bodie pag. 509 Life euerlasting pag. 516 AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAIER THE CONTENTS The exposition of the Lords prayer pag. 525 The vse of the Lords prayer pag. 561 Of the circumstances of praying pag. 562 Of Gods hearing our prayers pag. 563 The prayers of Paul pag. 564 A TREATISE TENDING VNTO a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace THE CONTENTS 1 How farre a Reprobate may goe in Christian religion pag. 574 2 The estate of a true Christian in this life which also sheweth how farre the Elect beeing called goe beyond all reprobates in Christianitie pag. 584 3 A Dialogue to the same purpose gathered out of the sauorie writings of M. Tyndal and Bradford pag. 617 4 How a Reprobate may performe all the religion of the church of Rome pag. 642 5 The conflicts of Sathan with a Christian pag. 756 6 How the word of God is to be applied aright vnto the conscience pag. 663 7 Consolations for the troubled consciences of weake Christians pag. 666 8 A Declaration of certaine spiritual Desertions pag. 674 A case of Conscience THE CONTENTS A case of conscience resolued out of the word of God How a man may know whether he be the child of God or no. pag. 685 A Discourse taken out of the writings of Hier. Zanchius wherein the aforesaid Case of conscience is disputed and resolued A Direction for the gouernment of the tongue according to Gods word THE CONTENTS 1 The generall meanes of ruling the tongue pag. 713 2 The matter of our speech pag. 714 3 The manner of our speech what must be done before our speech pag. 716 4 What is to be done in speaking and of wisdome ibid. 5 Of trueth and reuerence in speech pag. 718 6 Of modestie and meekenes pag. 722 7 Of sobrietie vrbanitie fidelitie and care of others good name pag. 725 8 Of the bonds of trueth pag. 729 9 What is to bee done when wee haue spoken pag. 730 10 Of writing ibid. 11 Of silence pag. 731 12 An exhortation to keepe the tongue TWO TREATISES I. Of the nature and practise of Repentance THE CONTENTS 1 What Repentance is pag. 738 2 Of the causes of Repentance pag. 740 3 How Repâ—ntance is wrought pag. 741 4 Of the partes of Repentance pag. 742 5 Of the degrees of Repentance pag. 743 6 Of the persons which must repent ibid. 7 Of the practise of repentance ibid. 8 Of lâ—gall motiues to Repentance pag. 752 9 Of motiues Euangelicall pag. 755 10 Of the time of Repentance pag. 756 11 Of câ—rtaine cases in repentance pag. 758 12 Of the contraries to repeÌ„tance pag. 757 13 Of corruptions in the doctrine of repentance pag. 761 II. Of the combat of the flesh and Spirit pag. 762 The treatise of Dying well p. 773. The treatise of the right knowledge of Christ crucified p. 815. A Discourse of Conscience THE CONTENTS 1 What conscience is pag. 831 2 The actions or duties of conscience where the point is handled Howe any thing is saide to binde the conscience pag. 832 3 The kinds and differences of conscience where is handled libertie of conscience and the question disputed whether a man may in conscience bee vnfallibly certain of his saluation pag. 867 4 Mans duty touching conscience which is to get and keepe it pag. 900 A Reformed Catholike OR A DECLARATION SHEWing how neare we may come to the present Church of Rome in sundrie points of Religion and wherein we must for euer depart from them THE CONTENTS 1 Of free will pag. 910 2 Of Originall sinne pag. 915 3 Assurance of saluation pag. 918 4 Iustification of a sinner pag. 925 5 Of merits pag. 940 6 Of satisfactions for sinne pag. 945 7 Of Traditions pag. 950 8 Of Vowes pag. 955 9 Of Images pag. 961 10 Of reall presence pag. 966 11 The sacrifice of the Masse pag. 972 12 Of Fasting pag. 977 13 Of the state of perfection pag. 980 13 Of the worshipping of saints departed pag. 985 15 Of Implicite faith pag. 991 16 Of Purgatorie pag. 995 17 Of the supremacie pag. 996 18 Of the efficacie of the sacraments pag. 1000 19 Of Faith pag. 1003 20 Of Repentance pag. 1006 21 The sinnes of the Romane Church pag. 1014 An aduertisement to Romane Catholikes pag. 1018 The foundation of Christian Religion gathered into sixe principles p. 1029. A Graine of Musterd-seede THE CONTENTS A man that doth but beginne to be conuerted is euen at that instant the very child of God though inwardly hee be more carnall then spirituall pag. 1046 2. Conclusion The first materiall beginning of the conuersion of a sinner or the smallest measure of renewing grace haue the promises of this life and the life to come pag. 1047 3. Conclusion A constant and earnest desire to be reconciled to God to beleeue and to repent if it bee in a troubled heart is in acceptation with God as reconciliation faith repentance it selfe pag. 1048 4. Conclusion To see and feele in our selues the want of any grace and to be grieued therfore is the grace it selfe pag. 1053 5. Conclusion He that hath begunne to subiect himselfe to Christ and his word though as yet hee be ignorant in most points of religion yet if he haue care to increase in knowledge and to practise that which he knoweth hee is accepted of God as a true beleeuer pag. 1053 6. Conclusion The aforsaide beginnings of grace are counterfeite vnlesse they encrease pag. 1054 The bodie of holy Scripture is distinguished into sacred sciences whereof One is principall Theologie is a science of liuing well and blessedly for euer Other attendants or handmaids I. Ethiques a doctrine of liuing honestly and ciuilly II. Oeconomickes a doctrine of gouerning a familie well III. Politiques a doctrine of the right administration of a common weale IIII. Ecclesiasticall discipline a doctrine of well ordering the Church V. The Iewes commonweale In as much as it differeth from Church gouernement VII Academie the doctrine of gouerning Schooles well especially those of the Prophets CHAP. 1. Of the bodie of Scripture and Theologie THe bodie of Scripture is a doctrine sufficient to liue well It comprehendeth many holy sciences whereof one is principall others are handmaids or retainers The principall science is Theologie Theologie is the science of liuing blessedly for euer Blessed life consisteth in the knowledge of God Ioh. 17 3. This is life eternall that they know thee to be the onely very God and whome thou hast sent Christ Iesus Esai 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant viz. Christ iustifie many And therefore it consisteth likewise in the knowledge of our selues because we know God by looking into our selues Theologie hath two parts the first of God the second of his workes CHAP. 2. Of God and the nature of God THat there is a God it
shall return vnto me with their whole heart In this knowledge of God must we glorie Ierem. 9.24 Let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me for I am the Lord which shew mercie iudgement and righteousnes in the earth II. An vnion with God whereby man is knit in heart with God Iosh. 23. 8. Sticke fast vnto the Lord your God as yee haue done vnto this day Act. 11.23 He exhorted all that with purpose of heart they would cleaue to the Lord. Man cleaueth vnto God three manner of waies in affiance in loue and feare of God Affiance is that whereby a man acknowledging the power and mercie of God and in him against all assaults whatsoeuer doth stedfastly rest himselfe 2. Chro. 20.20 Put your trust in the Lord your God and ye shall be assured beleeue his Prophets and ye shal prosper Psal. 27.1 God is my light and my saluation whome should I feare God is the strength of my life of whom should I be afraid v. 3. Though an hoast pitched against me mine heart should not be afraide though warre be raised against me I will be secure Hence riseth patience and alacritie in present perils Psal. 39.19 I should haue beene dumb and not opened my mouth because thou didst it 2. Sam. 16.10 the King said What haue I to doe with you ye sonnes of Zeruiah If he cursed because the Lord said Curse Dauid what is he that dare say Why doest thou so Gen. 45.5 Be not sad neither grieued with your selues that ye sold me hither for God did send me before you for your preseruatiō v. 8. Now then you sent me not but god himselfe 2. King 6.16 Feare not for they that be with vs are moe thē they that be with thē This affiance engendreth hope which is a patient expectatiō of Gods presence assistance in all things that are to come Psal. 37.5 Cōmit thy way vnto the Lord and trust in him and he shall bring it to passe vers 7. Waite patiently vpon the Lord and hope in him Prou. 16.3 Commit thy worke vnto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be directed The loue of God is that wherby man acknowledging Gods goodnes and fauour towards him doth againe loue him aboue all things Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength The marks of the true loue of God are these I. To heare willingly his word II. To speake often to him III. To thinke often of him IV. To do his will without irkesomnes V. To giue bodie and all for his cause VI. To desire his presence aboue all to bewaile his absence VII To embrace al such things as appertaine to him VIII To loue and hate that which he loueth and hateth IX In all things to seeke to please him X. To draw others vnto the loue of him XI To esteeme highly of such gifts and graces as he bestoweth XII To stay our selues vpon his counsels reuealed in his word Lastly to call vpon his name with affiance The feare of God is that whereby man acknowledging Gods both mercy and iustice doth as it were a capital crime feare to displease God Psal. 103. 3. With thee is mercie that thou maist be feared Habak 3.16 When I heard it my belly trembled my lips shooke at the voice rottennes entred into my bones I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the day of trouble when he commeth vp against the people to destroy them Psal. 4.4 Tremble and sinne not Hence ariseth the godly mans desire to approoue himselfe in all things to his God Gen. 5.22 And Henoch walked with God after that c. Gen. 17. 1. God said to him I am al-sufficient walke before me and be thou perfect Out of these three former vertues proceedeth humilitie whereby a man acknowledging Gods free bountie and prostrating himselfe before him doth ascribe vnto him all praise and glorie 1. Cor. 1.31 Let him that glorieth glorie in the Lord. 1. Pet. 5.5 Decke your selues inwardly with lowlinesse of mind for God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble v. 6. Humble your selues therefore vnder the mightie hand of God that he may exalt you in due time 1. Chro. 29. 10,11 And Dauid sayd Blessed be thou O Lord God of Israel our father for euer and thine O Lorde is greatnes and power and glorie and victorie and praise for all that is in heauen and in earth is thine c. and v. 14. But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer willingly on this sort for all things come of thee and of thine owne hand we haue giuen thee c. The negatiue part Account not that as God which is by nature no God In this place are these sinnes forbidden I. Ignorance of the true God and his will which is not only not to know but also to doubt of such things as God hath reuealed in his word Ierem. 4. 22. My people is foolish they haue not known me they are foolish children and haue none vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knoweledge Ierem. 9.3 They proceede from euill to worse and haue not knowne me saith the Lord. II. Atheisme when the heart denieth either God or his attributes as his Iustice Wisdome Prouidence Presence Psal. 14. 1. The foole hath said in his heart there is no God Eph. 2. 12. Ye had no hope and were without God in the world Malach. 1.2 I loue you saith the Lord yet ye say wherein haue we spoken against thee v. 14. Ye haue said it is in vaine to serue God what profit is it that we haue kept his commandements and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hosts III. Errours concerning God the persons of the Deitie or the attributs Heere is it to be reprooued Hellenisme which is the acknowledging adoring of a multiplicitie of Gods August in his 6. booke of the Citie of God chap. 7. Againe Iudaisme is here condemned which worshippeth one God without Christ. The like may be said of the heresies of the Maniches and Marcian who denie God the Father of Sabellius denying the distinction of three persons and Arrius who saith that Christ the Sonne of God is not very God IV. To withdraw and remooue the affections of the heart from the lord and set them vpon other things Esay 29.13 The Lord said this people draweth neere me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but their heart is farre from me Ierem. 12.2 Thou art neere in their mouth and farre from their reynes The heart is many waies withdrawne from God I. By distrust in God Heb. 10.38 The iust shall liue by faith but if any withdraw himselfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him From this diffidence arise I. Impatience in suffering afflictions Ierem. 20. 14. Cursed be the day wherein I was borne and let not the
to come these shew that he is come III. They were appropriate vnto the posteritie of Abraham but these are common to the whole Church culled out of the Iewes and Gentiles CHAP. 33. Of Baptisme THere are two Sacraments 1. Cor. 10. 1. I would not haue you ignorant that all our fathers were vnder the cloude and all passed through the sea 2. And were all baptized vnto Moses in the cloude and in the sea 3. And did all eate the same spirituall meate 4. And dranke all the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall rocke that followed them which rocke was Christ. Tertull 4. booke contra Marcion August de Symbol ad Catechum 4. booke 6. chap. The first Sacrament is that whereby Christians are initiated and admitted into the Church of God and this is Baptisme The second Sacrament whereby the Church is preserued and nourished is the Lords Supper Baptisme is a Sacrament by which such as are within the couenant are washed with water in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost that beeing thus engraffed into Christ they may haue perpetuall fellowship with him Matth. 28.19 Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Matth. 16.16 He that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued he that beleeueth not shall be condemned 1. Cor. 1.13 Is Christ deuided was Paul crucified for you â—iâ—her were ye baptized into the name of Paul 14. I thanke God I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius 15. Least any should say I had baptized into mine owne name Within the couenant are all the seede of Abraham or the seede of the faithfull These are either of riper yeares or infants Those of riper yeares are all such as adioyning themselues to the visible Church doe both testifie their repentance of their sinnes and hold the foundations of religion taught in the same Church Matth. 3. 6. And they were baptized of him in Iorden confessing their sinnes Act. 8.36 As they went they came to a water then the Eunuch saide See here is water what hindreth me to be baptized 37. Then Philip said If thou beleeue with all thine heart thou maist he said I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God 38. And they went downe into the water both Philip and the Eunuch and he baptized him Exod. 12.48 If a stranger dwell with thee and will observe the Passeouer of the Lord let him circumcise all the males that belong vnto him and then let him come and obserue it and then he shall be as one that is borne in the land for none vncircumcised person shall eate thereof Infants within the Couenant are such as haue one at the least of their parents faithfull 1. Cor. 7.14 The vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified by the wife and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children vncleane but now they are holy Rom. 11.16 If the first fruits be holy so is the whole lumpe and if the roote be holy so are the branches Gen. 17.7 I will establish my couenant betweene me and thee and thy seede after thee in their generations for an euerlasting couenant to be God vnto thee and thy seede after thee 13. He that is borne in thine house and he that is bought with money must needes be circumcised so my couenant shall be in your flesh for an euerlasting couenant Act. 16.31 They said Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy whole houshold Quest. How are the children of faithfull parents in the couenant Answer Holy parents are two waies to be considered First as they were the sonnes of the first Adam and so are as yet partly carnall In this estate they in like sort doe beget their sonnes the children of wrath For the father begetteth a sonne not as he is a good man but simply as a man and therefore beeing impure he must needes beget that which is impure Secondly we must consider the parents as they are the sonnes of God engraffed into the second Adam In this estate though they cannot deriue faith vnto their posteritie for the sonnes of God are not made such by naturall generation but by the adoption of God the Father yet may they beleeue both for themselues and others according to the tenour of the couenant of grace as Adam did sinne both for himselfe and others and as parents in bargaines doe couenant both for themselues and their heires after them Hence it is that Paul saith that the parents are like vnto the first fruits which doe sanctifie the whole lumpe So then the faith of the parents maketh those their sonnes to be accounted in the couenant which by reason of their age doe not yet actually beleeue To be baptized into the name of the Father c. after the receit of the outward signe of washing is to be made one of Gods familie which is his church and to be partaker of the priuiledges thereof Gen. 48.16 The Angel which hath deliuered me from all euill blesse the children and let my name be named vpon them and the name of my fathers Abraham and Izhak that they may grow as fish into multitude in the middest of the earth Esai 4. 1. In that day shall seuen women take hold of one man saying We will eate our owne bread and we will weare our owne garments onely let vs be called by thy name and take away our reproch By this it is manifest that in this washing of Baptisme there is sealed and propounded a marueilous solemne couenant and contract first of God with the baptized in that God the Father vouchsafed to receiue him into fauour the Sonne to redeeme him the holy Ghost to purifie and regenerate him secondly of the baptized with God who promiseth to acknowledge inuocate and worship none other God but the true Iehouah which is the Father Sonne and holy Ghost The externall and visible matter of baptisme is water for the minister may not baptize with any other liquor but onely with naturall water This was the iudgement of the Primitiue Church For when as a certaine minister for want of water tooke sande and baptized one with that the partie thus besanded was further baptized the former beeing esteemed of none effect Niceph. histor 3. booke 33. chapter The externall forme of baptisme is the ministers washing of the baptized according to the prescript rule of Gods word Rom. 10. 4. The ancient custome of baptizing was to dippe and as it were to diue all the bodie of the baptized in the water as may appeare in Paul Rom. 6. and the Councels of Laodicea and Neocaesarea but now especially in cold countries the Church vseth onely to sprinkle the baptized by reason of childrens weaknesse for very few of ripe yeares are now a daies baptized We need not much to marueile at this alteration seeing charitie and necessitie may dispense with ceremonies and mitigate in equitie the sharpnes of them
say then the Gentiles which followed not righteousnesse haue attained vnto righteousnesse euen the righteousnes which is of faith Christ is receiued when euery seuerall person doth particularly apply vnto himselfe Christ with his merits by an inward perswasioÌ„ of the heart which commeth none other way but by the effectuall certificate by the holy Ghost concerning the mercy of God in Christ Iesus 1. Cor. 2.12 Wee haue receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of GOD that we might knowe the things that are giuen to vs of GOD. Ezech. 12.10 I will poure the spirit of grace vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem and they shall looke vnto me whome they haue wounded Rom. 8.16 His spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Eph. 1.13 In whom also ye haue trust after that ye heard the word of truth euen the Gospell of your saluation wherein also after that ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise 2. Cor. 1.22 In the worke of faith there are foure degrees or motions of the heart linked and vnited togither and are worthy the consideration of euery Christian. The first is knowledge of the Gospell by the illumination of gods spirit Esay 53.11 By his knowledge shall my seruant iustifie many Ioh. 7.3 This is life eternall that they knowe thee to be the onely very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. To this in such as are truely humbled is annexed a serious meditation of the promises in the Gospell stirred vp by the sensible feeling of their owne beggerie And after the forsaid knowledge in all such as are enlightened commeth a generall faith whereby they subscribe to the trueth of the Gospell Heb. 4.2 Vnto vs was the Gospell preached as also vnto them but the word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it 1. Tim. 1.19 Hauing faith and a good conscience which some haue put away and as concerning the faith haue made shipwracke 1. Tim. 2.4 Who will that all men should bee saued and come vnto the knowledge of the trueth This knowledge if it be more full and perfect is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the full assuraÌ„ce of vnderstâ—Ì„ding Col. 2.2 That their hearts might be comforted and they knit togither in loue and in all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding to knowe the mysterie of God euen the father and of Christ. Rom. 14.14 I knowe and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe Luk. 1.1 For as much as many haue taken in hand to set forth the storie of those things whereof we are fully perswaded 1. Thes. 1.5 Our gospell was vnto you not in word onely but also in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance The second is hope of pardon whereby a sinner albeit he yet feeleth not that his sinnes are certainly pardoned yet he be beleeueth that they are pardonable Luk. 15.18 I will goe vnto him father and say Father I haue sinned against heâ—uen and against thee and am no more worthie to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruants The third is an hungring and thirsting after that grace which is offered to him in Christ Iesus as a man hungreth and thirsteth after meate and drinke Ioh. 6.35 and 7.37 Reu. 21.6 And he said vnto me It is done I am A and Ω the beginning and the ende I will giue to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shall be satisfied The fourth is the approching to the throne of Grace that there flying from the terror of the Law he may take hold of Christ and finde fauour with God Heb. 4.16 Let vs therefore goe boldly to the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede This approching hath two parts The first is an humble confession of our sinnes before God particularly if they be knowne sinnes and generally if vnknowne this done the Lord forthwith remitteth all our sinnes Psalm 32.5 I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Selah 2. Sam. 12. 13. Dauid said to Nathan I haue sinned against the Lord wherefore Nathan said to Dauid The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die Luk. 15.19 The secoÌ„d is the crauing pardon of some sinnes with vnspeakable sighes and in perseuerance Luk. 15.21 Act. 8.22 Repent of this wickednesse and pray God that if it be possible the thought of thine heart may be forgiuen thee Rom. 8. 26. The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we knowe not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed Hos. 14.2,3 O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie Take vnto you wordes and turne to the Lord and say to him take away al iniquitie and receiue vs gratiously The fift arising of the former is an especiall perswasion imprinted in the heart by the holy Ghost whereby euery faithful man doth particularly apply vnto himselfe those promises which are made in the Gospell Matth. 9.2 They brought vnto him a man sicke of the palsie and when Iesus saw their faith he saide vnto the sicke of the palsie Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Mat. 15.28 O woman great is thy faith bee it vnto thee as thou desirest Gal. 2.20 I liue yet not I nowe but Christ liueth in me and in that I nowe liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me This perswasioÌ„ is ought to be in euery one eueÌ„ before he haue any experieÌ„ce of Gods mercies Mat. 15.22 A womaÌ„ a Canaanite came out of the same coasts and cried saying vnto him Haue mercie on me O Lord the sonne of Dauid my daughter is miserably vexed with a deuill c. 23,24,25,26,27 Ioh. 20.29 Iesus said vnto him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou beleeuest blessed are they which haue not seene and haue beleeued Hebr. 11. 1. Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene In philosophy wee first see a thing true by experience and afterward giue our assent vnto it as in naturall philosophy I am perswaded that such a water is hot because when I put mine hand into it I perceiue by experience an hot qualitie But in the practise of faith it is quite contrarie For first we must consent to the word of God resisting all doubt and diffidence and afterward will an experience and feeling of comfort followe 2. Chron. 20.20 Put your trust in the Lord your God and ye shall be assured beleeue his
Christian mans effectuall calling The temptation is the enterprise of the diuell to blindfold mans minde and to harden his heart least the word of GOD should worke in him to saluation Matth. 13.4 And as he sowed some fell by the waie side and the fowles came and deuoured thē vp 5. And some fell vpon stonie ground where they had not much earth and anon they sprang vp because they had no depth of earth 6. And when the Sunne rose vp they wer parched and for lacke of rooting withered awaie 7. And some fell among thornes and the thornes sprung vp and choked them 19. Whensoeuer a man heareth the word of the kingdome and vnderstandeth it not the euill one commeth and catcheth away that which was sowne in his heart and this is he which hath receiued the seede by the way side A resistance in those that are called is wrought by the spirit of God that causeth men to lend their eares to heare and doth ingraffe the word in their hearts that the immortall seede of regeneration may spring in them Psal. 40.6 Ioh. 6.44 Act. 16.14 Iam. 1. 21. Wherefore lay apart all filthinesse and superfluitie of maliciousnesse and receiue with meeknes the word that is graffed in you which is able to saue your soules 1. Pet. 1.22 Seeing your soules are purified in obeying the truth through the spirit to loue brotherly without faining loue one another with a pure heart feruently 1. Ioh. 3.9 Whosoeuer is borne of god sinneth not for his seede remaineth in him neither can he sinne because he is borne of god A resistance in those that are to be called is when in a sincere heart they doe ioyne the word which they haue heard with faith Luk. 8.15 But that which fell in good ground are they which with an honest and good heart heare the word and keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience Heb. 4.2 Here are certaine preseruatiues to be noted I. Premeditation of the power and vse of the word Eccles. 4.17 Take heede to thy feete when thou entrest into the house of the Lord and be more neere to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles for they knowe not that they doe euill Chap. 5.1 Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thine heart be hastie to vtter a thing before god for God is in the heauen and thou art on the earth therefore let thy wordes be few II. Diligent attention of the minde Act. 16.14 III. An hungring desire of the heart Ioh. 7.37 Nowe in the last and great day of the feast Iesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke IV. Integritie of life Psal. 26.6 V. The casting away of euil affectiōs Iam. 1.22 And be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your owne soules VI. The inward consent and agreement of the heart with the word preached Act. 2.37 VII An hiding of the word in the heart least we should sinne Psal. 119.11 I haue hid thy word in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee VIII A trēbling at the presence of God in the assemblie of the Church Esay 66.2 For all these things hath mine hand made and all these things haue been saith the Lord and to him will I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words Act. 10.33 Then sent I for thee immediatly and thou hast well done to come nowe therefore are we all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God The fall is either a coldnesse in receiuing the word and a neglect thereof or else a falling into errours The remedie for this is subiection which must be made to the iudgement and censure of the brethren and ministers Reuelat. 3.15 I knowe thy works that thou art neither cold nor hote I would thou werest cold or hote Gal. 6.2.1 Tim. 1.20 Of whome is Hymeneus and Alexander whome I haue deliuered vnto Satan that they might learne not to blaspheme CHAP. 42. Of the second Assault THe second assault is concerning faith The temptation is an illusion which the diuell casteth into the hearts of godly men as when he saith Thou art not of the number of the elect thou art not iustified thou hast no faith thou must certenly be condemned for thy sinnes Mat. 4.3 Then came to him the tempter and said If thou be the Sonne of God command that these stones be made bread Helpes which the deuil abuseth for the strengthening of such illusions are these I. Aduersitie as dangers losses persecutions iealousie grieuous offences c. Psal. 73.12 Loe these are the wicked yet prosper they alway and increase in riches 13. Certainely I haue clensed mine heart in vaine washed mine hands in innocency Iob. 13.23 How many are mine iniquities sinnes shew me my rebelliō and my sinne 24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemie 25. Wilt thou breake a leafe driuen to and fro and wilt thou pursue the drie stubble II. The remembrance of sins past Iob. 13.26 For thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth III. A feeling of death euen alreadie at hand The resistance is made by a true faith applying Christ with all his merits particularly after this manner I assuredly beleeue that I shall not be condemned but that I am elected and iustified in Christ and am out of all doubt that all my sinnes are pardoned Esai 53.11 Hee shall see the trauaile of his soule and shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many for he shal beare their iniquities Rom. 8.38 For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come 39. Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. The preseruatiue is in temptation not to behold faith but the obiect of faith which is Christ. Philip. 3.12 Not as though I had alreadie attained vnto it either were already perfect but I follow if that I may comprehend that for whose sake also I am comprehended of Christ Iesus 13. One thing I doe I forget that which is behinde indeauour my selfe to that which is before 14. And follow hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Ioh. 3.14 And as Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernes so must the sonne of man be lift vp that he that beleeueth in him c. The falling is doubtfulnes and distrust of our election and of Gods mercie Psal. 77.6 I called to remembrance my song in the night I communed with mine owne heart and my spirit searched diligently 7. Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and will he shew no more fauour 8. Is his mercy cleane gone for euer doth his promise faile for euermore So Dauid
assent vnto the same knowledge and it is to be found in the deuill and his angels So Saint Iames saith the deuills beleeue and tremble Some will say what a faith haue they Ans. Such as thereby they vnderstand both the Law and the Gospell besides they giue assent to it to be true and they doe more yet in that they tremble and feare And many a man hath not so much For amongst vs there is many a one which hath no knowledge of God at all more thâ—n he hath learned by the common talke of the world as namely that there is a God and that he is mercifull c. and yet this man will say that he beleeueth with all his heart but without knowledge it can not be that any should truly beleeue and therefore he deceiuâ—th himselfe Quest. But whence haue the deuils historical faith were they illuminated by the light of the spirit Ans. No but when the Gospell was preached they did acknowledge it and beleeued it to be true and that by the vertue of the reliques of Gods image which remained in them since their fall And therefore this their faith doth not arise from any speciall illumination by his spirit but they attaine to it euen by the very light of nature which was left in them from the beginning The second kinde of faith is Temporarie faith so called because it lasteth but for a time and season and commonly not to the ende of a mans life This kinde of faith is noted vnto vs in the parable of the seede that fell in the stonie ground And there be two differences or kindes of this faith The first kinde of temporarie faith hath in it three degrees The first is to knowe the Word of God and particularly the Gospell The second to giue an assent vnto it The third to professe it but to goe no further and all this may be done without any loue to the word This faith hath one degree more then historicall faith Examples of it we haue in Simon Magus Acts 8.13 who is saide to beleeue because he held the doctrine of the Apostle to be true and withall professed the same and in the deuils also who in some sort confessed that Christ was the sonne of the most highest and yet looked for no saluation by him Mark 5.7 Act. 19.15 And this is the common faith that abounds in this land Men say they beleeue as the Prince beleeueth and if religion change they will change For by reason of the authoritie of princes lawes they are made to learne some litle knowledge of the word they beleeue it to be good and they professe it thus for the space of thirtie or fourtie yeares men heare the word preached and receiue the sacraments beeing for all this as voide of grace as euer they were at the first day and the reason is because they doe barely professe it without either liking or loue of the same The second kinde of temporarie faith hath in it fiue degrees For by it first a man knowes the word SecoÌ„dly he assenteth vnto it Thirdly he professeth it Forthly he reioiceth inwardly in it Fiftly he bringeth forth some kind of fruit and yet for all this hath no more in him but a faith that will faile in the ende because he wanteth the effectuall application of the promise of the Gospel and is without all manner of sound conuersion This faith is like corne in the house top which groweth for a while but when heate of sommer commeth it withereth And this is also set forth vnto vs in the parable of the seede which fell in a stonie ground which is hastie in springing vp but because of the stones which will not suffer it to take deepe roote it withereth And this is a very common faith in the Church of God by which many reioyce in the preaching of the word and for a time bring forth some fruits accordingly with shewe of great forwardnesse yet afterward shake off religion and all But some will say how can this be a temporarie faith seeing it hath such fruits Ans. Such a kind of faith is temporarie because it is grounded on temporarie causes which are three I. A desire to get knowledge of some straunge points of religion For many a man doth labour for the fiue former degrees of temporarie faith onely because he desires to get more knowledge in Scripture then other men haue The second cause is a desire of praise among men which is of that force that it will make a man put on a shewe of all the graces which God bestoweth vpon his owne children though otherwise he want them and to goe very farre in religion which appeareth thus Some there are which seeme very bitterly to weepe for the sinnes of other men and yet haue neither sorrow nor touch of conscience for their owne and the cause hereof is nothing else but pride For he that sheddes teares for an other mans sinnes should much more weepe for his owne if he had grace Againe a man for his owne sinnes will pray very slackly and dully when he prayeth priuately and yet when he is in the companie of others he praies very feruently and earnestly From whence is this difference surely often it springeth from the pride of heart and from a desire and praise among men The third cause of temporarie faith is profit commoditie the getting of wealth and riches which are common occasions to mooue to choose or refuse religion as the time serueth but such kinde of beleeuers embrace not the Gospell because it is the Gospell that is the gladde tydings of saluation but because it brings wealth peace and libertie with it And these are the three causes of temporarie faith The third kinde of faith is the faith of Miracles when a man grounding himselfe on some speciall promise or reuelation from God doth beleeue that some straunge and extraordinarie thing which he hath desired or foretold shall come to passe by the worke of God This must be distinguished from historicall and temporarie faith For Simon Magus hauing both these kinds of faith wanted this faith of miracles and therefore would haue bought the same of the Apostles for money Yet we must know that this faith of miracles may be in hypocrites as it was in Iudas and at the last iudgement it shall be found to haue bin in the wicked and reprobate which shall say to Christ Lord in thy name we haue prophesied and cast out deuills and done many great miracles And thus much for the three sorts of common faith Now we come to the true faith which is called the Faith of the Elect. It is thus defined Faith is a supernaturall gift of God in the minde apprehending the sauing promise with all the promises that depend on it First I say it is a gift of God Philip. 1.29 to confute the blinde opinion of our people that thinke that the faith whereby they are to be saued is
bredde and borne with them I adde that this is a gift supernaturall not onely because it is aboue that corrupt nature in which we are borne but also because it is aboue that pure nature in which our first parents were created For in the state of innocencie they wanted this faith neither had they then any neede of faith in the same God as he is Messias but this faith is a new grace of God added to regeneration after the fall and first prescribed and taught in the couenant of grace And by this one thing faith differeth from the rest of the gifts of God as the feare of God the loue of God the loue of our brethrē c. for these were in mans nature before the fall and after it when it pleaseth God to call vs they are but renewed but iustifying faith admits no renuing For the first ingrafting of it into the heart in the conuersion of a sinner after his fall The place and seate of faith as I thinke is the minde of man not the will for it stands in a kind of particular knowledge or perswasion and there is no perswasion but in the minde Paul saith indeede that we beleeue with the heart Rom. 10. but by the heart he vnderstands the soule without limitation to any part Some doe place faith in the minde and partly in the will because it hath two parts knowledge and affiance but it seemes not greatly to stand with reason that one particular and single grace should be seated in diuerse parts or faculties of the soules The forme of faith is to apprehend the promise Gal. 3. 14. that we might receiue the promise of the spirit through faith and Ioh. 1.12 to receiue Christ and to beleeue are put one for another and to beleeue is to eate and drinke the bodie and blood of Christ. To apprehend properly is an action of the hand of man which laies hold of a thing and pulls it to himselfe and by resemblāce it agrees to faith which is the hand of the soule receiuing and applying the sauing promise This apprehension of faith is not performed by any affection of the will but by a certen and particular perswasion whereby a man is resolued that the promise of saluation belongs vnto him Which perswasion is wrought in the minde by the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 2.12 And by this the promise which is generall is applied particularly to one subiect By this one action sauing faith differeth from all other kindes of faith From historicall for it wanteth all apprehension and standeth onely in a generall assent From temporarie faith which though it make a man to professe the Gospell and to reioyce in the same yet doth it not throughly applie Christ with his benefits For it neuer brings with it any thorough touch of conscience or liuely sense of Gods grace in the heart And the same may be said of the rest The principall and maine obiect of this faith is the sauing promise God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeues in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life But some will say Christ is commonly said to be the obiect of faith Ans. In effect it is all one to say the sauing promise and Christ promised who is the substance of the couenant Christ then as he is set forth vnto vs in the word Sacraments is the obiect of faith And here certaine questions offer themselues to be skanned The first What is that particular thing which faith apprehendeth Answ. Faith apprehendeth whole Christ God and man For his godhead without his manhoode and his manhoode without his godhead doth not reconcile vs to God Yet this which I say must be conceiued with some distinction according to the difference of his two natures His godhead is apprehended not in respect of his essence or nature but in respect of his efficacie manifested in the manhood whereby the obedience thereof is made meritorious before God as for his manhoode it is apprehended both in respect of the substance or thing it selfe and also in respect of the efficacie and benefits thereof The second In what order faith apprehends Christ Answ. First of all it apprehendes the very bodie and bloode of Christ and then in the second place the vertue and benefits of his bodie and blood as a man that would feele in his bodie the vertue of meate and drinke must first of all receiue the substance thereof To goe forward Besides this mayne promise which concernes righteousnesse and life euerlasting in Christ there be other particular promises touching strength in temptations comfort in afflictions and such like which depend on the former and they also are the obiect of iustifying faith and with the very same faith we beleeue them wherewith we beleeue our saluation Thus Abraham by the same faith wherewith he was iustified beleeued that he should haue a sonne in his olde age Rom. 4.19,22 And Noe by that faith whereby he was made heyre of righteousnes beleeued that he and his familie should be preserued in the floode this conclusion beeing alwaies laide downe that To whome God giues Christ to them also he giues all things needefull for this life or the life to come in and by Christ. And hereupon it comes to passe that in our prayers besides the desire of things promised we must bring faith whereby we must be certenly perswaded that God will graunt vs such things as he hath promised and this faith is not a newe kind or distinct faith from iustifying faith Thus we see plainly what sauing faith is Whereas some are of opinion that faith is an affiance or confidence that seemes to be otherwise for it is a fruit of faith and indeede no man can put any confidence in God till he be first of all perswaded of Gods mercie in Christ towards him Some againe are of minde that loue is the very nature and forme of faith but it is otherwise For as confidence in God so also loue is an effect which proceedeth from faith 1. Tim. 1.5 The ende of the law is loue from a pure heart and good conscience and faith vnfained And in nature they differ greatly Christ is the fountaine of the waters of life Faith in the heart is as the pipes and leads that receiue in and hold the water and loue in some part is as the cocke of the conduit that lets out the water to euery commer The propertie of the hand is to hold and of it selfe it can not cut yet by a knife or other instrument put into the hand it cuts the hand of the soule is faith and his propertie is to apprehend Christ with all his benefits and by it selfe it can doe nothing else yet ioyne loue vnto it and by loue it will be effectuall in all good duties Now to proceede further first we are to consider how faith is wrought secondly what be the differences of it For the first faith is
wrought in and by the outward ministerie of the Gospell accompanied by the inward operation of the spirit and that not suddenly but by certaine steps and degrees as nature frameth the bodie of the infant in the mothers wombe 1. by making the brain and heart 2. by making veines sinewes arteries bones 3. by adding flesh to them all And the whole operation of the spirit stands in two principall actions First the enlightening of the minde the second the moouing of the will For the first the holy Ghost inlightens mens minds with a further knowledge of the law then nature can affoard and thereby makes them to see the sinnes of their hearts and liues with the ouglines thereof and withall to tremble at the curse of the law Afterward the same spirit opens the eye to vnderstand and consider seriously of righteousnes and life eternall promised in Christ. This done then comes the second worke of the holy ghost which is the inflaming of the will that a man hauing considered his fearefull estate by reason of sinne and the benefits of Christs death might hunger after Christ and haue a desire not so much to haue the punishments of sinne taken away as Gods displeasure and also might enioy the benefits of Christ. And when he hath stirred vp a mā to desire recōciliation with god in Christ then withall he giues him grace to pray not onely for life eternall but especially for the free remission and pardon of all his sinnes and then the Lords promise is Knocke and it shall be opened seeke and ye shall finde After which he further sendes his spirit into the same heart that desireth reconciliation with God and remission of sinnes in Christ and doth seale vp the same in his heart by a liuely and plentifull assurance thereof The differences degrees of faith are two I. a weake faith II. a strong faith Concerning the first this weake faith shewes it selfe by this grace of God namely an vnfained desire not onely of saluation for that the wicked and graceles man may haue but of reconciliation with God in Christ. This is a sure signe of faith in euery touched and humbled heart and it is peculiar to the elect and they which haue this haue in them also the ground and substance of true sauing faith which afterwardes in time will grow vp to greater strength Reasons I. Promise of life euerlasting is made to the desire of reconciliation Psal. 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poore Psal. 143. 6. My soule desireth after thee as the thirstie lande Psal. 145. 19. He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Reuelat. 21.6 I will giue vnto him which is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely II. The hungering desire after grace is a sanctified affection where one affection is sanctified all are sanctified where all are sanctified the whole man is sanctified and he that is sanctified is iustified and beleeues III. God accepts the will and desire to repent and beleeue for repenting and beleeuing indeed wherefore this desire of reconciliation if it be soundly wrought in the heart is in acceptation with God as true faith indeede But carnall men will say If faith yea true faith shew it selfe by a desire of reconciliatiō with God in Christ for all our sinnes then we are well ynough though we liue in our sinnes for we haue very good desires I answer That there be many sundrie fleeting motions and desires to doe good things which grow to no issue or head but in time vanish as they come Nowe such passions haue no soundnesse in them and must be distinguished from the desire of reconciliation with God that comes from a bruised heart◠and brings alwaies with it reformation of life therefore such whatsoeuer they are that liue after the course of this world and thinke notwithstanding that they haue desires that are good deceiue themselues Now faith is saide to be weake when a man either failes in the knowledge of the Gospell or else hauing knowledge is weake in grace to applie vnto himselfe the sweet promises thereof As for example we know that the Apostles had all true sauing faith except Iudas and when our Sauiour Christ asked them whome they thought that he was Peter in the person of the rest answered for them all and said Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God for which our Sauiour commended him and in him them all saying Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke that is vpon Christ which Peter confessed in the name of them all will I build my Church And yet about that time we shall finde in the Gospell that they are called men of little faith Now they failed in knowledge of the death of Christ and of his passion and resurrection and were caried away with a vaine hope of an earthly kingdome And therefore when our Sauiour shewed them of his going downe to Ierusalem and of his sufferings there Peter a little after his notable confession beganne to rebuke Christ and said Master haue pitie on thy selfe this shall not be vnto thee And vntill he had appeared to them after his death they did not distinctly beleeue his resurrection Again weake faith though it be ioyned with knowledge yet it may faile in the applying or in the apprehension appropriating of Christs benefits to a mans owne selfe This is to be seene in ordinarie experience For many a man there is of humble and contrite heart that serueth God in spirit and truth yet is not able to say without great doubtings and wauerings I know and am fully assured that my sinnes are pardoned Now shall we say that all such are without faith God forbid Nay we may resolue our selues that the true child of God may haue a hungering desire in his heart after reconciliation with God in Christ for all his sinnes with care to keepe a good conscience and yet be weake sometime in the apprehension of Gods mercie and the assurance of the remission of his owne sinnes But if faith faile either in the true knowledge or in the apprehension of Gods mercies how can a man be saued by it Ans. We must know that this weake faith will as truly apprehend Gods mercifull promises for the pardon of sinne as strong faith though not so soundly Euen as a man with a palsie hand can stretch it out as well to receiue a gift at the hand of a king as he that is more sound though it be not so firmely and steadfastly And Christ saith that he will not breake the bruised reede nor quench the smoking flaxe The Church of Rome beares men in hand that they are good Catholicks if they beleeue as the Church beleeues though in the meane season they can not tell what the Church beleeues And some Papists commend this faith by the example of an old deuout father
of all graces whereas faith is but the instrument As for the places of scripture that mention iustification and saluation by faith they are to be restrained to men of yeares whereas infants dying in their infancie and therefore wanting actuall faith which none can haue without actuall knowledge of Gods will and worde are no doubt saued by some other speciall working of Gods holy spirit not knowne to vs. Furthermore to beleeue signifieth two things to conceiue or vnderstand any thing and withall to giue assent vnto it to be true and therefore in this place to beleeue signifieth to knowe and acknowledge that all the points of religion which followe are the trueth of God Here therefore wee must remember that this clause I beleeue placed in the beginning of the Creede must bee particularly applied to all and euerie article following For so the case standes that if faith faile in one maine point it faileth a man in all and therefore faith is saide to bee wholly copulatiue It is not sufficient to holde one article but hee that will holde any of them for his good must holde them all and hee which holdes them all in shewe of wordes if hee ouerturne but one of them indeede hee ouerturnes them all Againe to beleeue is one thing and to beleeue in this or that is another thing and it containeth in it three points or actions of a beleeuer I. To knowe a thing II. To acknowledge the same III. To put trust and confidence in it And in this order must these three actions of faith be applyed to euery article following which concerneth any of the persons in Trinitie And this must bee marked as a matter of speciall moment For alwaies by adding them to the wordes following we do apply the article vnto our selues in a very comfortable manner As I beleeue in the father and doe beleeue that hee is my father and therefore I put my whole trust in him and so of the rest Nowe wee come to the obiect of generall faith which is either God or the Church in handling of both which I will obserue this order I. I will speake of the meaning of euery article II. Of the duties which we ought to learne thereby III. And lastly of the consolations which may be gathered thence Concerning God three things are to be considered And first by reason of manifolde doubtings that rise in our mindes it may be demaunded whether there be a God many reasons might bee vsed to resolue those that haue scruple of conscience otherwaies wee are bounde to beleeue that there is a God without all doubting As for those Atheists which confidently auouch there is no God by Gods lawe they ought to die the death nay the earth is to good for such to dwell on Malefactours as theeues and rebells for their offences haue their rewarde of death but the offence of those which denies that there is a God is greater and therefore deserues most cruell death The second point followeth namely what God is Answer Moses desiring to see Gods face was not permitted but to see his hinder parts and therefore no man can bee able to describe God by his nature but by his effects and properties on this or such like manner God is an essence spirituall simple infinite most holy I say first of all that God is an essence to shewe that he is a thing absolutely subsisting in himselfe and by himselfe not receiuing his beeing from any other And herein hee differeth from all creatures whatsoeuer which haue subsisting and beeing from him alone Againe I say hee is an essence spirituall because hee is not any kinde of bodie neither hath hee the partes of the bodies of men or other creatures but is in nature a spirit inuisible not subiect to any of mans senses I adde also that he is a simple essence because his nature admits no manner of composition of matter or forme or partes The creatures are compounded of diuers parts and of varietie of nature but there is no such thing in God for whatsoeuer thing he is hee is the same by one and the same singular and indiuisible essence Furthermore he is infinite and that diuers waies infinite in time without any beginning and without end infinite in place because hee is euery where and excluded no where within all places and foorth of all places Lastly hee is most holy that is of infinite wisdome mercie loue goodnes c. and he alone is rightly tearmed most holy because holines is of the very nature of God himselfe whereas among the most excellent creatures it is otherwise For the creature it selfe is one thing and the holines of the creature another thing Thus wee see what God is and to this effect God describes himself to be Iehova Elohim Paul describes him to be a King euerlasting immortall inuisible onely wise to whome is due all honour and glorie for euer The third point is touching the number of Gods namely whether there be more gods then one or no. Ans. There is not neither can there be any more Gods then one Which point the Creed auoucheth in saying I beleeue in God not gods and yet more plainely the Nicene Creede and the Creed of Athanasius both of them explaining the words of the Apostles Creede on this manner I beleeue in one God Howesoeuer some in former times haue erroniously held that two gods were the beginning of all things one of good things the other of euill things others that there was one God in the old testament another in the newe others againe namely the Valentinians that there were thirty couple of gods and the heathen people as Augustine recordeth worshipped thirtie thousand gods yet we that are members of Gods Church must holde and beleeue one God alone and no more Deut. 4.39 Vnderstand this daie and consider in thine heart that Iehouah hee is God in heauen aboue and vpon the earth beneath there is none other Eph. 4.6 One God one faith one baptisme If it be alleadged that the Scripture mentioneth many gods because Magistrats are called Gods Moses is called Aarons god the deuill and all idols are called gods The answere is this They are not properly or by nature gods for in that respect there is onely one God but they are so tearmed in other respects Magistrates are gods because they be Vicegerents placed in the roome of the true God to gouerne their subiects Moses is Aarons god because he was in the roome of God to reueale his will to Aaron the deuill is a god because the hearts of the wicked would giue the honour vnto him which is peculiar to the euerliuing God idols are called gods because they are such in mens conceits and opinions who esteeme of them as of gods Therefore Paul saith an idol is nothing in the world that is nothing in nature subsisting or nothing in respect of the diuinitie ascribed vnto it To proceede forwarde
of a little worldly pelfe oh how are we grieued but seeing our transgressions are the weapons whereby the sonne of God was crucified let vs I say it againe and againe learne to be grieued for them aboue all things and with bleeding and melting hearts bow and buckle vnder them as vnder the crosse Secondly Christ saith of himselfe as Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernes so must the sonne of man be lifted vp the comparison is excellent and worthie the marking In the wildernes of Arabia the people of Israel rebelled against God and thereupon he sent fierie serpents among them which stung many of them to death now when they repented Moses was commanded to make a brasen serpent and to set it vpon a pole that as many as were stung might looke vnto it and recouer and if they could but cast a glaunce of the eye on the brasen serpent when they were stung euen to death they were restored to health and life Now euery man that liueth is in the same case with the Israelites Satan hath stung vs at the heart and giuen vs many a deadly wound if we could feele it and Christ who was figured by the brasen serpent was likewise exalted on the crosse to conferre righteousnesse and life eternall to euery one of vs therefore if we will escape eternall death we must renoūce our selues and lift vp the eyes of our faith to Christ crucified and pray for the pardon of our sinnes and then shall our hearts and consciences be healed of the wounds and gripes of the deuill and vntill such time as we haue grace to doe this we shall neuer be cured but still lie wounded with the stings of Satan and bleeding to death euen at the very heart although we feele no paine or griefe at all But some may aske how any man can see him crucified now after his death Ans. Wheresoeuer the word of God is preached there Christ is crucified as Paul saith Oh foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth to whome before Iesus Christ was described in your sight and among you crucified meaning that he was liuely preached among them We neede not to goe to wodden crosses or to golden crucifixes to seeke for him but where the Gospel is preached thither must we goe and there lift vp our eyes of faith to Christ as he is reuealed vnto vs in the word resting on him and his merits with all our hearts and with a godly sorrow confesse and bewaile our sinnes crauing at his hands mercie and pardon for the same For till such time as we doe this we are grieuously stung by Satan and are euery moment euen at deaths dore And if we can thus behold Christ by faith the benefits which come hereby shall be great for as Paul saith the old man that is the corruption of our nature and the bodie of sinne that raigneth in vs shall be crucified with him for when Christ was nailed on the crosse all our sinnes were laid vpon him therefore if thou dost vnfainedly beleeue all thy sinnes are crucified with him and the corruption of thy nature languisheth and dieth as he languished and died vpon the crosse Thirdly we must learne to imitate Christ as he suffered himselfe to be nayled to the crosse for our sinnes so answerably must euery one of vs learne to crucifie our flesh and the corruption of our nature and the wickednesse of our owne hearts as Paul saith They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof And this we shall doe if for our sinnes past we waile and mourne with bitternesse and preuent the sinnes to come into which we may fall by reason of the corruption of our natures by vsing all good meanes as praier and fasting and the word of God preached and by flying all occasions of offence We are not to destroy our bodies or to kill our selues but to kill and crucifie sinne that liueth in vs and to mortifie the corruption of our nature that rebels against the spirit Christianitie stands not in this to heare the word of God and outwardly to professe the same and in the meane season still to liue in our sinnes and to pamper our owne rebellious flesh but it teacheth vs alwaies to haue in readines some speare or other to wound sinne and the sword of the spirit to cut downe corruption in vs that thereby we may shew our selues to be liuely followers of Christ indeede Fourthly by this wee may learne that the wrath of God against sinne is wonderfull great because his owne Sonne bearing our person and beeing in our place was not onely crucified and racked most cruelly but also bare the whole wrath of God in his soule and therefore we must leaue off to make so little account of sinne as commonly we doe Fifthly whereas the person crucified was the sonne of God it sheweth that the loue of God which he bare vnto vs in our redemption is endlesse like a sea without banke or bottome it can not be searched into and if we shall not acknowledge it to be so our condemnation will be the greater Sixtly in this that Christ bare the curse of the law vpon the crosse we learne that those that be the children of God when they suffer any iudgement crosse or calamitie either in bodie or in minde or both doe not beare them as the curses of God but as the chastisments of a louing father For it doth not stand with the iustice of God to punish one fault twise and therefore when any man that putteth his whole confidence in God shall either in his owne person in his good name or in his goods feele the heauie hand of God God doth not as a iudge curse him but as a father correct him Here then is condemned the opinion of the Church of Rome which hold that we by our sufferings doe in some part satisfie the iustice of God but this can not stand because Christ did make a perfect fatisfaction to the iustice of his father for all punishment And therefore satisfaction to God made by man for temporall punishment is needlesse and much derogates from Christs passion In the crucifying of Christ two things specially must be considered The manner of the doing of it and his continuance aliue vpon the crosse Touching the manner the spirit of God hath noted two things The first that Christ was crucified between two theeues the one vpon his left hand the other vpon his right in which action is verefied the saying of the Prophet Esai He was numbred among the wicked and the Iewes for their parts doe hereby testifie that they esteemed him to be not some common wicked man but euen the captaine and ringleader of all theeues and malefactours whatsoeuer Nowe whereas Christ standing vpon the crosse in our roome and stead is reputed the head and prince of all sinners it serueth to teach euery one of vs
in more speciall manner they giue assent vnto the couenant of grace made in Christ that it is most certaine and sure and they are perswaded in a general and confused manner that God will verifie the same couenant in the members of his Church This is all their faith which indeede proceedeth from the holy Ghost but yet it is not sufficient to make them sound Professors For albeit they doe generally beleeue Gods promises yet herein they deceiue themselues that they neuer applie and appropriate the same promises to their own soules An example of this faith we haue Ioh. 2.24 where it is said that when our Sauiour Christ came to Ierusalem at the feast of Easter manie beleeued in his name and yet hee would not commit himselfe vnto them because he knewe them all and what was in them To come to the second thing those professors which are indued with thus much grace as to beleeue in Christ in a confused maner goe yet further for this their faith though it be not sufficient to saluation yet it sheweth it selfe by certaine fruites which it bringeth forth for as a tree or a branch of a tree that hath no deepe rooting but either is couered with a few moules or els lieth in the water at the season of the yeare bringeth forth leaues and blossomes and some fruite too and that for one or two or moe yeares so one that is an hearer of the word may receiue the word and the worde as seed by this generall faith may bee somewhat rooted in his heart and setled for a season and may bring foorth some fruites in his life peraduenture very faire in his owne and other mens eies yet indeede neither sound nor lasting nor substantiall What these fruites are it may be gathered forth of these wordes where it is said that they receiue the word with ioy when they heare it for here may be gathered First that they doe willingly subiect themselues to the ministerie of the word Secondly that they are as forward as any and as ioyfull in frequenting sermons Thirdly that they reuerence the Ministers whome they so ioyfully heare Lastly they condemne them of impietie which will not be hearers or be negligent hearers of the word Now of these and such like fruâ—ts this may be added though they are not sound yet they are void of that grosse kind of hypocrisie For the mindes of those Professors are in part enlightened and their hearts are indued with such a faith as may bring forth these fruits for a time and therefore herein they â—issemble not that faith which they haue not but rather shew that which they haue Adde hereunto that a man beeing in this estate may deceiue himselfe and the most godly in the world which haue the greatest gifts of discerning how they and their brethren stand before the Lord like as the figtree with greene leaues deceiued our Sauiour Christ as he was man for when in his hunger he came vnto it to haue had some fruit he found none If this be so it may be then required how these vnsound professours differ from true professours I answer in this they differ that they haue not sound hearts to cleaue vnto Christ Iesus for euer Which appeareth in that they are compared to stonie ground Now stonie groundes mingled with some earth are commonly hot and therefore haue as it were some alacritie and hastinesse in them and the corne as soone as it is cast into this ground it sprouteth out very speedily but yet the stones will not suffer the corne to be rooted deepely beneath and therefore when sommer commeth the blade of the corne withereth with rootes and all So it is with these professours they haue in their hearts some good motions of the holy Ghost to that which is good they haue a kind of zeale to Gods word they haue a liking to good things and they are as forwards as any other for a time and they doe beleeue But these good motions and graces are not lasting but like the flame and flashing of straw and stubble neither are they sufficient to saluation With the true professours it is farre otherwise for they haue vpright and honest hearts before the Lord Luk. 8. 15. And they haue faith which worketh by loue Gal. 5.6 And that Christian man which loueth God whatsoeuer shall befall yea though it were a thousand deaths yet his heart can neuer be seuered from the Lord and from his Sauiour Christ as the spouse speaketh vnto Christ of her owne loue Cant. 8.6 Set me as a seale on thy heart as a signet vpon thy arme for loue is as strong as death iealousie is as cruell as the graue the coales thereof are fierie coales and a vehement flame Much water cannot quench loue neither can the flouds drowne it if a man should giue all the substance of his house for loue they would greatly contemne it Wherefore good Reader seeing there is such a similitude and affinitie betweene the temporarie professor of the Gospell and the true professor of the same it is the dutie of euery Christian to trie and examine himselfe whether he be in the faith or not 2. Cor. 13.5 And whereas it is an hard thing for a man to search out his own heart we are to pray vnto God that he would giue vs his spirit to discerne betweene that which is good and euill in vs. Now when a man hath found out the estate of his heart by searching it he is further to obserue and keepe it with all diligence Prou. 4. 23. that when the houre of death or the day of triall shall come he may stand sure and not be deceiued of his hope And for this purpose I haue described the most of these small treatises which follow to minister vnto thee some helpe in this examining and obseruing of thine own heart Read them and accept of them and by the blessing of God they shall not be vnprofitable vnto thee And if they shall any whit helpe thee helpe me also with thy prayer 1595. FINIS CERTAINE PROPOSITIONS DECLARING HOW FARRE A MAN MAY goe in the profession of the Gospel and yet be a wicked man or a Reprobate I. A Reprobate hath in his mind a certain knowledge of God of common equitie among men of the difference of good from bad and this is partly from nature partly from the contemplation of Gods creatures in which the wisdome the power the loue the mercie the maiestie of God is perceiued II. This knowledge is only generall and imperfect much like the ruines of a Princes pallace it is not sufficient to direct him in doing of a good work For example he knoweth that there is a God and that this God must be worshipped come to particulars who God is what a one he is how he must be worshipped Here his knowledge faileth him and he is altogither vncertain what to doe to please God III. By reason of this knowledge the Reprobate doeth
elect For the better knowing of it there is to bee considered First what faith is Secondly how God doth worke it in the hearts of the elect Thirdly what degrees there be of faith Fourthly what are the fruits and benefits of faith IIII. Faith is a wonderfull grace of God by which the elect doe apprehend and apply Christ and all his benefits vnto themselues particularly Here first it is to be coÌ„sidered that the very nature of faith staÌ„deth in a certaine power of apprehending and applying Christ. This is declared by Paul whe he saith Ye are buried with him through baptisme by whome ye are also risen againe with him by the faith of the power of God who raised him from the dead Where it appeareth that faith is made a meanes to communicate Christ himselfe his death and buriall and so all other benefits to the beleeuer Againe to beleeue in Christ and to receiue or to lay hold on Christ are put one for another by Saint Iohn which declareth that there is a speciall applying of Christ euen as we see when a man hath any thing giuen him he reacheth out his hand and pulleth it to himselfe and so makes it his owne Moreouer faith is called the putting on of Christ which cannot be vnles Christs righteousnes be specially applyed to the heart as the garment to the backe when it is put on Lastly this may appeare in that faith is called the eating and drinking of Christ for there is no eating of meat that nourisheth but first it must be tasted and chewed in the mouth then it must be coÌ„ueyed into the stomack there digested lastly it must be applyed to the parts of the bodie that are to be nourished And Paul praieth for the Ephâ—sians that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith which plainely importeth this apprehending and applying of Christ. I adde further that faith is a wonderfull grace of God which may appeare first in that Paul calleth it the faith of Gods power because the power of God is especially seene in the begetting of faith Secondly experience sheweth it to be a wonderfull gift of God when a man neither seeth nor feeleth his sinnes then to say hee beleeueth in Gods mercie it is an easie matter but when a man shall feele his heart pressed downe with the waight of his sinnes and the anger of God for them then to apply Gods free mercie to his own soule it is a most hard matter for then it is the propertie of the cursed nature of man to blaspheme God and to despaire of mercie Iudas who no doubt often preached mercy and redemption by Christ in the securitie of his heart when Gods hand was vpon him and the Lord made him see the vilenesse of his treacherie he could not comfort himselfe in Christ if one would haue giuen him ten thousand worlds but in an hellish horror of conscience hanged himselfe desperately which sheweth what a wonderfull hard thing it is at the same instant when a man is touched for his sinnes then to apply Gods mercie to himselfe Yet a true Christian by the power of faith can doe this as it may appeare in Dauid In the day of my trouble saith he I sought the Lord my sore ran and ceased not in the night my soule refused comfort I did thinke vpon God and was troubled I praied and my spirit was full of anguish and hee addeth the word Sebah a note very likelie of some wonderfull thing Againe he being almost in the gulfes of hell euen then cried to the Lord for helpe Iob saith If God should destroy him yet he would for all that beleeue in him still Vndoubtedly strange is the band of faith knitting Christ his members togither which the anguish of spirit cannot and the strokes of Gods hand doe not vnloose V. This apprehending of Christ is not done by any corporall touching of him but spiritually by assuraÌ„ce which is wheÌ„ the elect are perswaded in their hearts by the holy ghost of the forgiueuesse of their owne sinnes and of gods infinit mercie towards them in Iesus Christ. According to that of Paul Now we haue receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that wee might know the things which are giuen vs of God The things which the spirit of God maketh known to the faithfull particularly are their iustification adoption sanctification eternall life and thus when any are perswaded of these things concerning themselues they doe in their hearts distinctly apply and appropriate Christ and his benefits to themselues VI. The maner that God vseth in the begetting of faith is this First he prepareth the heart that it may be capable of faith Secondly he causeth faith by little and litle to spring and to breed in the heart The preparation of the heart is by humbling an softening of it to the doing of this there are foure things requisite The first of them is the knowledge of the word of God both of the lawe and of the gospel without the which there can be no faith according to that saying of Esaiah By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many And that of Iohn This is eternall life that they know thee to be the onely very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. The onely ordinarie meanes to attaine faith by is the word preached which must be heard remembred practised and continually hid in the heart The least measure of knowledge without which a man cannot haue faith is the knowledge of Elements or the fundamentall doctrines of a Christian religionâ— A fundamentall doctrine is that which beeing obstinately denied all religion and all obtaining of saluation is ouerthrown This knowledge hath a generall faith going with it which is an assent of the heart to the known trueth of Gods word This faith when it is grown vp to some great measure it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the full assurance of vnderstanding and it is to bee seene in the martyrs who maintained Gods trueth against the persecutions of the false Church vnto death VII Although both elect and reprobate may be enlightned to know the word of God yet the elect in this thing goe farre beyond all reprobates for it is specially said of them that God is their schoole-master that he sofeteneth their stony hearts and maketh them pliable that hee draweth them that hee openeth their senses hearts eares vnderstandings that the holy ghost is their annointmeÌ„t and their eie-salue to cleare the eies of their minde to conceiue the mysteries of Gods worde And the difference of illumination in them is threefolde I. First the knowledge which the reprobate hath concerning the kingdoÌ„e of heauen is only a generall and confused knowledge but the knowledge of the elect is pure certaine sure distinct and particular for it is ioyned with a feeling and inward experience of the thing
and all his precepts are vnto my wealth and profit and that my father commandeth nothing for any need he hath thereof but seeketh my profit onely and therefore I haue a good faith vnto all my fathers promises and loue all his commandements and doe them with good will and with good will goe euery daie to the schoole And by the waie happely I sawe a company plaie and with the sight was taken and rauished of my memorie and forgot my selfe and stood and beheld and fell to plaie also forgetting father and mother and all their kindnesse all their Lawes and mine owne profit also Howbeit the knowledge of my fathers kindnes the faith of his promises and the loue that I had againe vnto my father and the obedient minde were not vtterly quenched but laie hidde as all things doe when a man sleepeth or lyeth in a trance And as soone as I had played out all my lusts or else by some had beene warned in the meane season I came againe to my olde profession Notwithstanding many tentations went ouer my heart and the law as a right hangman tormented my conscience and went nie to perswade me that my father would thrust me away and hang me if he catched me so that I was like a great while to run away rather then to returne to my father againe Feare and dread of rebuke and of losse of my fathers loue and of punishment wrastled with the trust which I had in my fathers goodnes as it were gaue my faith a fall But I rose againe as soone as the rage of the first brunt was past and my mind was more quiet And the goodnesse of my father and his olde kindnesse came vnto my remembrance either by mine owne courage or by the comfort of another And I beleeued that my father would not put me away or destroy me and he hoped that I would doe no more so And vpon that I gote me home againe dismayed but not altogether faithlesse the old kindnes would not let me despaire howbeit all the world could not set mine heart at rest vntill the paine had beene past and vntill I had heard the voice of my father that all is forgotten Timoth. Seeing that you haue thus plainely and truely shewed the weaknes of yours and consequently of all mens faith shewe me I pray you how by the weaknes of faith a Christian is not rather discomforted then comforted and assured of his saluation Euseb. God doth not so much regard the quantity of his graces as the truth of them hee approueth a little faith if it bee a true faith yea if faith in vs were no more but a grame of mustard seede which is the least of all other seedes it should be effectuall and God would haue respect vnto it The poore diseased begger with a lame hande hauing the palsie also is able neuerthelesse to reach out the same and receiue an almes of a King and so in like manner a weake and languishing faith is sufficiently able to reach out it selfe and to apprehend the infinite mercies of our heauenly king offered vnto vs in Christ. Faith in the 3. of Iohn is cōpared vnto the eie of the Israelite which although it were of dimme sight or looked a squint yet if it could neuer so little behold the brasen serpent it was sufficient to cure the stings of the fierie serpents and to saue life Timoth. Seeing that you satisfie me in euery point so fully shew me I pray you whether a man may be wicked and haue faith and whether faith entring expelleth wickednesse For I haue heard some say that a man might beleeue the word of God and yet be neuer the better in his life or holier then before he was Euseb. Many there are which when they heare or read of faith at once they consent thereunto and haue a certaine imagination and opinion of faith as when a man telleth a storie or a thing done in a strange land that pertaineth not to them at all which yet they beleeue and tell vs a true thing and this imagination or opinion they call faith Therfore as soone as they haue this imagination or opinion in their hearts they say verely this doctrine seemeth true I beleeue it is euen so then they think that the right faith is there but afterward when they feele in themselues no manner of working of the Spirit neither the terrible sentence of the Law and the horrible captiuitie vnder Sathan neither can perceiue any alteration in themselues and that any good workes followe but finde they are altogether as before and abide in their olde estate then thinke they that faith is not sufficient but that workes must be ioyned with faith to iustification but true faith is onely the gift of god is mightie in operation euer working beeing full of vertue it renueth man and begetteth him a fresh altereth him chaungeth him and turneth him altogether into a newe creature and conuersation so that a man shall feele his heart cleane chaunged and farre otherwise disposed then before and hath power to loue that which before he could not but hate delighteth in that which before he abhorred and hateth that which before he could not but loue And it setteth the soule at libertie and maketh her free to follow the will of God and is to the soule as health to the bodie After that a man is pined with long sicknes the legges can not beare him he cannot lift vp his hands to help him his tast is corrupt sugar is bitter in his mouth his stomack lōgeth after slubbersauce swash at which a whole stomacke is ready to cast his gorge when health commeth she changeth and altereth him cleane giueth him strength in all his members lust and will to do of his own accord that which before he could not do neither could suffer that any man should exhort him to doe and hath now lust in wholsom things and his members are free and at libertie haue power to do all things of his owne accord which belong to a sound and whole man to do And faith worketh in the same maner as a tree brings forth fruit of his own accord and as a man need not bid a tree bring forth fruit so is there no law put to him that beleeueth and is iustified through faith to force him to obedience neither is it needefull For the Law is written and grauen in his heart his pleasure is daily therein as without commandement euen of his own nature he eateth drinketh seeth heareth talketh goeth euen so of his own nature without any compulsion of the law he bringeth forth good works and as a whole man whē he is a thirst tarieth but for drinke when he hungreth abideth but for meat then drinketh and eateth naturally euen so is the faithfull euer a thirst and an hungred after the will of God and tarieth but for an occasion whensoeuer an occasion is giuen he worketh naturally the will
set vp his Sacrament as a signe vpon a high hill whence it may be seene on euery side farre and neere to call againe them that be runne away And with this Sacrament he as it were clocketh to them as a hen doth for her chickens to gather them vnder the wings of his mercy and hath commaunded his Sacrament to be had iâ—â— continuall vse to put vs in minde of his continuall mercie laid vp for vs in Christ blood and to witneâ—â—e and teâ—tifie it vnto them and to be the seale thereof For the Sacrament doth much more liuely print the faith and make it sinke downe into the heart then doe bare wordes onely Now when the words of the testament and promises are spoken ouer the bread this my bodie that was broken for you this is my bloode that was shed for you they confirme the faith but much more when the Saâ—rament is seene with the eies and the bread broken the wine powred out looked on yet more when I taste it smell it As you see when a man maketh a promise vnto another with light words betweene themselues and so they departed he to whome the promise is made beginneth to doubt whether the other spake earnestly or mocked and doubteth whether he will remmber his promise to abide by it or no. But when any man speaketh with aduisemeÌ„t the words are more credible if he sweare it confirmeth the thing more and yet the more if he strike hands if he giue earnest if hee call record if he giue hand writing seale it so is he the more and more beleeued for the heart gathereth lo he spake with aduisement deliberation and good sadnesse he clapped hands called record and put to his hand and seale the man cannot be so faint without the feare of God as to denie all this shame shall make him abide his promise though hee were such a man as I could not compell him if hee would denie it And thus we dispute god sent his sonne in our nature made him feele our infirmities and named his name Iesus that is a Sauiour because he should saue his people from their sinnes and after his death he sent his Apostles to preach these glad tydings to thrust them in at the eares of vs set vp a Sacrament of them to testifie them and to seale them and to thrust them in not at the eares onely by rehearsing the promises of the testament ouer its neither at our eies only in beholding it but beat them in through our feeling tasting and smelling also and to be repeated daiely and to be ministred to vs. He would not thinke we make halfe so much a do with vs if he loued vs not and would not haue his Sacrament to be a witnesse and testimonie betweene him and vs to confirme the faith of his promises that wee should not doubt in them when we looke on the seales of his obligations wherewith he hath bouÌ„d himselfe and this to keepe the promises and couenants better in mind and to make them the more deepely to sinke into our hearts and bee more earnestly regarded Timoth. Considering that this which you say is too plaine great shame it is that there is such neglect of the Sacrament as there is and that it is so seldome vsed but surely want of faith and the securitie which ouerspreadeth this our countrie is the cause of it the Lord if it be his will remooue the same Now let me heare a little how you lead your life and haue your conuersation among men Euseb. I haue my conuersation among men as sincere as I can in righteousnes and holines which is after Gods commandements our Sauiour saith Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen Timoth. It is but a dim light which we can carrie before men and small are our good workes and to be esteemed of no value if wee were preachers or rich men or noble men then we might saue soules giue good counsell helpe many by your almes but you and I are poore men of base birth and of lowe degree how can we then doe any good workes Euseb. As touching good workes by that measure of knowledge that god hath giuen me I thinke that all workes are good which are done according to the obedience of Gods law in faith and with thanksgiuing to God and with a minde desirous of his glorie alone and I thinke that I or any man els in doing them please God whatsoeuer I doe within the lawe of God as when I make water And trust me if either wind or water were stopped I should feele what a pretious thing it were to doe either of both and what thankes ought to bee giuen God therefore Moreouer I put no difference betweene workes but whatsoeuer commeth into my hands that I doe as time place and occasion giueth and according to my degree For as touching to please God there is no worke better then other God looketh not first on my workes as the worlde doth or as though he had neede of them but God looketh first on my heart what faith I haue to his word how I beleeue him trust him and howe I loue him for his mercie that he hath shewed to me hee looketh with what heart I worke and not what I worke how I accept the degree he hath put me in not of what degree I am Let vs take example You are a minister and preach the word I am a kitchin boy and wash my masters dishes Of the Ministery harke what the Apostle saith If I preach I haue naught to reioice in for necessity is put vpon me If I preach not the gospel as who should say God hath made me so woe is to me if I preach not If I do it willingly saith he then I haue my reward that is then I am sure that Gods spirit is in me and that I am elect to eternall life If I doe it against my will the office is committed to me that is I doe it not of loue to God but to get a liuing thereby and for a worldly purpose and had rather otherwise liue then doe I that office which God hath put vpon me but doe not please God So then if you preached not or in preaching had not your heart aright you minisâ—er the office and they that haue the spirit of God heare his word yea though it were spoken by an Asse and the woe belongeth to you but and if you preach willingly with a true heart and conscience to God then you shall feele the earnest of eternal life and the working of the spirit of God in you and your preaching is a good worke in you Now I that minister in the kitchin and am but a kitchin boy receiue all things at the hand of God know that God hath put me in such an office submit my selfe to his wil and serue my master not as a
beeing made they are no more one but twaine and the one hath nothing to doe with the other In this case though the flesh beget sin perish therefore yet the Christian man shal not incurre damnation for it To come more neere the matter you say the flesh begets in you wauerings doubtings and distrustings what then it tâ—oubleth you but feare not remember your estate you are diuourced from the flesh and you are new married vnto Christ if these sins be laid at your doore account them not as your children but renounce them as Bastards say with Paul I doubt indeede but I hate my doubtings and I am no cause of these but the flesh in me which shall perish when I shall be saued by Christ. Christian. This which you haue said doeth in part content mee one thing more I pray you shew me concerning this point namely how I may be able to ouercome these doubtings Minist For the suppressing of doubtings you are to vse three meditations The first that it is gods commandemeÌ„t that you should beleeue in Christ So S. Iohn saith This is his commandement that wee beleeue in the name of his Son Iesus Christ. Thou shalt not steale is Gods commandement and you are loath to breake it least you should displease God pull his curse vpon your head This also is Gods commandement thou shall beleeue in Christ and therefore you must take head of the breach of it least by doubting and wauering you bring the curse vpon you Secondly you must consider that the promises of saluation in Christ are gâ—neral or at the least indefinite excluding no particular man as in one for all may appeare God so loued the world that he gaue his only begoten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Now then so often as you shall doubt of Gods mercie you exclude your own selfe from the promise of God wheras he excludeth you not And as when a prince giues a pardon to all theeues euery one can apply the same vnto himselfe though his name be not set downe in the pardon So the King of kings hath giuen a general pardon for free remission of sinnes to them that will receiue it Beleeue therefore that God is true in his promise doubt not of your owne saluation chalenge the pardon to your selfe Indeede your name is not set down or written in the promise of grace yet let not any illusion of Sathan or the consideration of your owne vnworthines exclude you from this free mercy of God which he also hath offred to you particularly first in Baptisme then after in the Lords supper and therfore you are not to wauer in the applying of it to your selfe Thirdly you are to consider that by doubting and despairing you offend God as much almost as by any other sin You do not aboue hope beleeue vnder hope 〈◊〉 you should do Secondly you rob God of his glorie in that you make his infinit mercy to be lesse then your sinns Thirdly you make him a lier who hath made such a promise vnto you And to these three meditations adde this practise When your heart is toyled with vnbeleefe and doubtings then in all hast draw your selfe into some secret place humble your selfe before God poure out your heart before him desire him of his endlesse mercie to worke faith and to suppresse your vnbeleefe and you shall see that the Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call vpon his name Christian. The Lord reward you for your kindnes I will hereafter doe my endeuour to practise this your counsel Now I wil make bold to shew another that makes me to feare least I haue no faith And it is because I doe not feele the assurance of the forgiuenes of my sinnes Minister Faith standeth not in the feeling of Gods mercy but in the apprehending of it which apprehending may be when there is no feeling for faith is of inuisible things and when a man once commeth to enioy the thing beleeued then he ceaseth to beleeue And this appeareth in Iobs example when he saith Lo though he sley me yet will I trust in him and I will reprooue my waies in his sight he shall be my saluation also for the hypocrite shall not come before him he declareth his faith yet when he saith presently afterward Wherefore hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemie he declareth the want of that feeling which you speake of Christian. Yet euery true beleeuer feeles the assurance of faith otherwise Paul would not haue said Prooue your selues whether you are in the faith or not Minister Indeede sometimes he doth but at some other times he doth not as namely at that same time when God first calleth him and in the time of temptation Christian. What a case am I in then I neuer felt this assurance onely this I â—eele that I am a most rebellious wretch abounding euen with a whole sea of iniquities me thinks I am more vgly in the sight of God then any toad can be in my sight O then what shal I doe let me heare some word of comfort from thy mouth thou man of God Minister Tel me one thing plainly you say you feele no assurance of Gods mercie Christian. No indeede Minister But doe you desire with all your heart to feele it Christian. I doe indeede Minister Then doubt not you shall feele it Christian. O blessed be the Lord if this be true Minister Why it is most true For the man that would haue any grace of God tending to saluation if he doe truly desire it he shall haue it for so Christ hath promised I will giue to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely Whereby I gather that if any want the water of life hauing an appetite after it he shall haue enough of it and therefore feare you not only vse the meanes which God hath appointed to attaine faith by as earnest praier reuerent hearing of Gods word receiuing of the Sacraments and then you shal see this thing verified in your selfe Christian. All this which you say I finde in my selfe by the mercie of God my heart longeth after that grace of God which I want I know I doe hunger after the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereof and further though I want the feeling of Gods mercie yet I can pray for it from the very roote of my heart Minister Be carefull to giue honour to God for that you haue receiued alreadie For these things are the motionâ— of the spirit of God dwelling in you And I am perswaded of this same thing that God which hath begun this good work in you will perfect the same vnto the daie of Iesus Christ. Christian. The third thing that troubles me is this I haue long prayed for many graces of God yet I haue not receiued them whereby it comes oft to my mind that God loues me
beggers but we say that they which beleeue by a true faith doe know whether they truly beleeue or no and they are not deceiued when they say and thinke that they truly beleeue For they are like vnto them which handling a pretious stone by reason that they are indued with sense know and say that they handle it And if no man might certainly know whether he beleeued truly or not why doth the Apostle say Trie your selues whether you be in the Faith And if it be so no man can euer certenly know whether he be iustified considering that they onely which truly beleeue can be iustified And if a man giuing credit to an other mans words doth certeÌ„ly know that he beleeueth him how much more doth he know it which beeing indued with true faith by the holy Ghost beleeueth the Gospel In a word godly writers haue prooued against Schoolemen that they which are indued with true faith in Christ can not be ignorant of it But say they no man is certaine of his perseuerance in faith and therefore out of this vniuersall proposition He which beleeueth namely with a true and constant faith is elected to life no man câ—n conclude that he is elected by reason that albeit he may know that he is indued with true faith yet he can not tell whether it shall be perpetuall This collection is absurd and the learned haue fully prooued that true faith is perpetual And therfore they which certenly know that they beleeue in a true faith are also certaine that the same their true faith shall neuer perish in this world partly for the promise of God I will put my feare into their hearts that they may neuer depart from me and partly for the praier of Christ I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith doe not faile Seeing it is so it is very certaine that God by his word in which generally he saith that all the faithfull are elect doth reueale to euery man his election considering that the proposition taken out of the Gospel is most certaine and euery faithfull man may certainly assume to himselfe that he is indued with true faith in Christ. The third way by which God reuealeth to euery one of vs his Predestination is by the effects of predestination as well inward in vs as outward by which as by certaine markes imprinted in vs he doth seale vs to himselfe in Christ and doth so seale vs that if we shall giue diligent heede we may thereby euidently perceiue that we are set apart from the common sort of men which is often called by the name of the world that we are foreknowne for his sonnes and loued in Christ and predestinated to eternall life yea and that we appeâ—taine no longer to the world but to that citie which is aboue that hath his foundation as the Apostle saith And we haue a twofold reason of this argument one because these effects of which we speake and which we will afterward handle God worketh not in any but in his elect as also afterward we will shew Therefore by right a man may by a true feeling and experience of these effects in himselfe be assured of his particular election and predestination to haue fellowship with Christ in all his graces For if predestination as Augustine witnesseth be a preparation to the blessings of God by which most certainely they are made free whosoeuer are made free therefore whosoeuer feeleth himselfe freed through these graces of God may be assured and certified of his predestination The other reason is that these effects are not onely the effects simplie of predestination but also such effects they are that may also be seales of it namely in printing in vs a liuely forme and image of GOD foreknowing vs louing vs electing vs. And therefore albeit we cannot see the purpose the foreknowledge the election and predestination of God as concerning our selues in God himselfe foreknowing willing and electing vs yet wee may beholde in our selues some sure representations of all these imprinted and euen stamped in vs by the worde and so by the beholding of these formes and impressions in our selues wee shall easily be brought to the knowledge of those patterns as it were which are in the Lord himselfe The matter by reason it is verie good and comfortable may be declared by a similitude God is like vnto the sunne in regard of vs the sunne when it shineth vpon vpon vs and after a sort looketh vs in the face it doth after such a sort imprint an image of his light in our eies that wee also in like manner beeing made partakers of his light may looke againe vpon the sunne it selfe and vpon his light for the light of the sunne and his beames beeing sent downe vpon vs are beaâ—en backe and reflected againe towards the sunne So in like manner the foreknowledge of God by which he hath and would acknowledge for his from all extremitie it alwaies resteth in God and cannot of it selfe be perceiued of vs. But yet whilest God doeth acknowledge vs for his he doth portrait in vs his elect a certaine forme and image of his foreknowledge by which hee maketh vs renouncing all other gods to acknowledge him for our only true God Thus it commeth to passe through this true knowledge of God which he vouchsafeth vs and by which we do acknowledge God for our God and father we may after a sort behold in God himselfe his foreknowledge by which he hath foreknowne vs for his fonnes For first of all God doth acknowledge vs for his then the elect being made partakers of this his light and knowledge he causeth vs in like manner to acknowledge him To this purpose serueth that which our Sauiour Christ saith first saith he I know my sheep after he addeth and againe I am known of mine As though he should say whiles I acknowledge them for my sheepe I make them by meanes of this my light and knowledge that they also can acknowledge me for their pastor So the Apostle saith to the Galathians when ye shall know God or rather are known of him he teacheth therefore that God knew the Galathians because he had first acknowledged them for his in his eternall predestination by giuing vnto them this his wisdome he made them acknowledge the true God for their God The same may bee said of the loue of God by which he loued vs in Christ to euerlasting life before the foundatioÌ„ of the world god by louing vs doth print in our hearts the image of his loue by which we may loue him againe froÌ„ our hearts and as it were by the reflection of the funne beames sent down into our hearts we may be prouoked to loue againe For the loue of God to vs being eternall causing eternall life begetteth in the time appointed a certaine loue in vs seruing for his eternall glorie And to his purpose is that of S. Iohn not that
giue good counsell to doe the ordinarie works of their callings The fourth Things indifferent must be vsed within compasse of our callings that is according to our abilitie degree state and condition of life And it is a common abuse of this libertie in our daies that the meane man will be in meate drinke apparell building as the gentleman the gentleman as the knight the knight as the lord or Earle Now then things indifferent are sanctified to vs by the word when our consciences are resolued out of the word that we may vse them so it be in tâ—e manner before named and according to the rules here set downe They are sanctified by praier when we craue at Gods hands the right vse of them and hauing obtained the same giue him thanks therefore Coloss. 3. 17. Whatsoeuer ye doe in word or deede doe all in the name of our Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God the father by him Thus much of Christian libertie by which we are admonished of sundrie duties I. to labour to become good members of Christ of what estate or coÌ„dition so euer we be The libertie of the citie of Rome made not onely Romanes borne but euen the men of other countries seeke to be citizens thereof Act. 22.28 The priuiledges of the Iewes in Persia made many become Iewes Hest. 8.17 O then much more should the spirituall libertie of conscience purchased by the blood of Christ mooue vs to seeke for the kingdome of heauen and that we might become good members thereof II. Againe by this we are taught to studie learne and loue the Scriptures in which our liberties are recorded We make account of our charters whereby we hold our earthly liberties yea we gladly read them and acquaint our selues with them what a shame then will it be for vs to make no more account of the word of God that is the law of spirituall libertie Iam. 2. 16. III. Lastly we are aduertised most heartily to obey and serue God according to his word for that is the end of our libertie the seruant doth all his busines more chearefully in the hope and expectation he hath of libertie Againe our libertie most of all appeares in our seruice and obedience because the seruice of God is perfect freedome as on the contrarie in the disobedience of Gods commandements stands our spirituall bondage The second propertie of conscience is an vnfallible certentie of the pardon of sinne and life euerlasting That this point may be cleared I will handle the question betweene vs and Papists touching the certentie of saluation And that I may proceede in order we must distinguish the kinds of certentie First of all Certentie is either Vnfallible or Coniecturall Vnfallible wherein a man is neuer disappointed Coniecturall which is not so euident because it is grounded onely vpon likelihoods The second all Papists graunt but the first they denie in the matter of saluation Againe certentie is either of faith or experimentall which Papists call morall Certentie of faith is whereby any thing is certenly beleeued and it is either generall or speciall Generall certentie is to beleeue assuredly that the word of God is truth it selfe and this both we and Papists allow Speciall certentie is by faith to applie the promise of saluation to our selues and to beleeue without doubt that remission of sinnes by Christ and life euerlasting belongs vnto vs. This kinde of certentie we hold and maintaine and Papists with one consent denie it acknowledging no assurance but by hope Morall certentie is that which proceedes from sanctification and good workes as signes and tokens of true faith This we both allow yet with some difference For they esteeme all certentie that comes by works to be vncerten and often to deceiue but we doe otherwise if the works be done in vprightnes of heart The question then is whether a man in this life may ordinarily without reuelation be vnfallibly certen of his owne saluation first of all and principally by faith and then secondly by such workes as are vnseparable companions of faith We hold this for a cleare and euident principle of the word of God and contrariwise the Papists denie it wholly I will therefore prooue the truth by some few arguments and then answer the common obiections Arg. 1. That which the spirit of God doth first of all testifie in the heart and conscience of any man and then afterward fully confirme is to be beleeued of the same man as vnfallibly certen but the spirit of God first of all doth testifie to some men namely true beleeuers that they are the sonnes of God and afterward confirmes the same vnto them Therefore men are vnfallibly to beleeue their owne adoption Now that the Spirit of God doth giue this testimonie to the conscience of man the Scripture is more then plaine Rom. 8. 15. Ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba Father The same Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Answer is made that this testimonie of the Spirit is giuen onely by an experiment or feeling of an inward delight or peace which breedes in vs not an infallible but a coniecturall certentie And I answer againe that this exposition is flat against the text For the Spirit of adoption is saide here not to make vs to thinke or speake but to crie Abba Father and crying to God as to a father argues courage confidence and boldnes Againe the same Spirit of adoption is opposed to the spirit of bondage causing feare and therefore it must needs be a Spirit giuing assurance of libertie and by that meanes driuing away distrustfull feares And the ende no doubt why the holy Ghost comes into the heart as a witnes of adoption is that the truth in this case hidden therefore doubtful might be cleared and made manifest If God himselfe haue appointed that a doubtfull truth among men shall be confirmed and put out of doubt by the mouth of two or three witnesses it is absurd to thinke that the testimonie of God himselfe knowing all things and taking vpon him to be a witnesse should be coniecturall Saint Bernard had learned better diuinitie when he said Who is iust but he that beeing loued of God returnes loue to him againe which is not done but by the Spirit of God reuealing by faith vnto man the eternall purpose of God concerning his saluation in time to come which reuelation vndoubtedly is nothing else but an infusion of spirituall grace by which whilest the deedes of the flesh are mortified the man is prepared to the kingdome of God receiuing withall that whereby he may presume that he is loued and loue againe Furthermore that the Spirit of God doth not onely perswade men of their adoption but also confirme the same vnto them it is most manifest Eph. 4. 30. Grieue not the Spirit whereby ye are sealed vp to the day of redemption and 1. v. 13. After ye beleeued
ye were sealed with the Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance 2. Cor. 1.21 It is God that hath sealed vs and giuen vs the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts Here the words of sealing and earnest are to be considered For things that passe too and fro among men though they be in question yet when the seale is put too they are made out of doubt and therefore when God by his spirit is saide to seale the promise in the heart of euery particular beleeuer it signifieth that he giues vnto them euident assurance that the promise of life belongs vnto them And the giuing of earnest is an vnfallible token vnto him that receiueth it that the bargaine is ratified and that he shall receiue the things agreed vpon And it were a great dishonour vnto God to thinke that the earnest of his owne Spirit giuen vnto vs should be an euidence of eternall life not vnfallible but coniecturall Arg. 2. The faith of the Elect or sauing faith is a certen perswasion and a particular perswasion of remission of sinne and life euerlasting Touching the first of these twaine namely that faith is a certen perswasion yea that certentie is of the nature of faith it appeares by expresse testimonie of Scripture Mat. 14.31 O thou of little faith why hast thou doubted and â— 1. v. 21. If ye haue faith and doubt not Iam. 1.6 Let him aske in faith and wauer not for he that wauereth is like a waue of the sea â—ust of the wind and carried away Rom. 4.20 Neither did be doubt of the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strengthened in faith I will not stand longer on this point which is not denied of any Touching the second part of my reason that faith is a particular perswasion applying things beleeued I prooue it thus The property of faith is to receiue the promise Gal. 3.14 and the thing promised which is Christ with his spirit Joh. 1.12 Now Christ is receiued by a particular application as will appeare if we doe but marke the ende and vse of the ministerie of the word and of the Sacraments For when God giues any blessing to man it is to be receiued by man as God giueth it Now God giues Christ or at the least offereth him not generally to mankind but to the seuerall and particular members of the Church In the Lords Supper as in euery sacrament there is a relation or analogie betweene the outward signes and the things signified The action of the minister giuing the bread and wine to the hands of particular communicants representeth Gods action in giuing Christ with his benefits to the same particular communicants Againe the action of receiuing the bread and wine particularly representeth an other spirituall action of the beleeuing heart which applieth Christ vnto it selfe for the pardon of sinne and life euerlasting Papists yeeld not to this yet if they refuse to maintaine this analogie they ouerturne the sacrament and dissent from antiquitie Augustine saith The bodie of Christ is ascended into heauen some may answer and say How shall I hold him beeing absent how shall I reach vp mine hand to heauen that I may lay hold of him sitting there Send vp thy faith and thou hast laid hold of him And what is more common then an other saying of his What meanest thou to prepare thy bellie and teeth Beleeue and thou hast eaten Againe Eph. 3.12 Paul saith By Christ we haue boldnes and entrance with confidence by faith in him In which words are set downe two notable effects and fruits of faith boldnes and confidence Boldnes is when a poore sinner dare come into the presence of God not beeing terrified with the threatnings of the law nor with the consideration of his owne vnworthines nor with the manifold assaults of the deuill and it is more then certentie of Gods fauour Now whereas Papists answer that this libertie or boldnes in comming vnto God proceedes of a generall faith they are farre wide It is not possible that a generall perswasion of the goodnes and truth of God and of his mercie in Christ should breed confidence and boldnes in the heart of a guiltie sinner and no example can be brought thereof This generall faith concerning the articles of our beleefe was no doubt in Caine Saul Achitophel Iudas yea in the deuill himselfe and yet they despaired and some of them made away themselues and the deuill for all his faith trembleth before God Wherefore that faith which is the roote of these excellent vertues of boldnes and confidence must needes be a speciall faith that is a large and plentifull perswasion of the pardon of a mans owne sinnes and of life euerlasting Againe Heb. 11. 1. faith is called hypostasis that is a substance or subsistance of things hoped for where faith in the matter of our saluation and other like things is made to goe beyond hope for hope waites for things to come till they haue a beeing in the person hoping but faith in present giues a subsisting or beeing vnto them This can not be that generall faith of Papists tearmed Catholicke for it comes short of hope but it must needes be a speciall faith that makes vs vndoubtedly beleeue our owne election adoption iustification and saluation by Christ. And to this purpose haue some of the fathers said excellent well Augustine saith I demand of thee O sinner doest thou beleeue Christ or no thou saiest I beleeue What beleeuest thou that he can freely forgiue thee all thy sinnes Thou hast that which thou hast beleeued Ambrose saith This is a thing ordained of God that he which beleeueth in Christ should be saued without any worke by faith alone freely receiuing remission of sinnes And with Ambrose I ioyne the testimonie of Hesichius vpon Leuiticus who saith God pitying mankind when he saw it disabled for the fulfilling of the works of the law willed that man should be saued by grace without the workes of the law And grace proceeding of mercie is apprehended by faith alone without workes Whereas in the two last testimonies faith is opposed generally to all works and is withall said to apprehend and receiue yea alone to apprehend and receiue grace and remission of sinnes they can not be vnderstood of a generall but of a special applying faith Bernard hath these words If thou beleeuest that thy sinnes can not be blotted out but by him against whome thou hast sinned thou dost well but goe yet further and beleeue that he pardoneth thy sinnes This is the testimonie which the holy Ghost giueth in our hearts saying Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee For so the Apostle thinketh that a man is iustified freely by faith Papists beeing much choked with this place make answer that S. Bernard doth not say that we must beleeue the pardon of our sinns absolutely without respect of works but that he requires the condition of our conuersation and repentance as signes whereby
vs our debts and to it we say Amen that is that our petitions shall without doubt be graunted vnto vs. Aug. serm de Temp. 182. And here note that the Church of Rome in the doctrine of iustification by faith cuts off the principall part and propertie thereof For in iustifying faith two things are required first Knowledge reuealed in the word touching the meanes of saluation secondly an Applying of things knowne vnto our selues which some call affiance Nowe the first they acknowledge but the second which is the very substance and principall part thereof they denie III. Reason The iudgement of the auncient Church August I demande nowe doest thou beleeue in Christ O sinner Thou saiest I beleeue What beleeuest thou that all thy sinnes may freely be pardoned in him Thou hast that which thou beleeuest Bernard The Apostle thinketh that a man is iustified freely by faith If thou beleeuest that thy sinnes cannot bee remitted but by him alone against whome they were committed but goe further and beleeue this too that by him thy sinnes are forgiuen thee This is the testimonie which the holy Ghost giueth in the heart saying thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Cyprian God promiseth thee immortalitie when thou goest out of this world and doest thou doubt This is indeed not to know God and this is for a member of the Church in the house of faith not to haue faith If wee beleeue in Christ let vs beleeue his wordes and promises and wee shall neuer die and shall come to Christ with ioyfull securitie with him to raigne for euer The II. difference touching faith in the act of iustification is this The Papist saith we are iustified by faith because it disposeth a sinner to his iustification after this manner By faith saith he the mind of man is inlightened in the knowledge of the lawe and gospell knowledge stirs vp a feare of hell with a consideration of the promise of happines as also the loue feare of God hope of life eternall Now when the heart is thus prepared God infuseth the habit of charitie other vertues wherby a sinner is iustified before god We say otherwise that faith iustifieth because it is a supernaturall Instrument created by God in the heart of man at his conuersion whereby he apprehendeth and receiueth Christs righteousnes for his iustification In this their doctrine is a twofold error I. that they make faith which iustifieth to goe before iustification it selfe both â—or order of nature as also for time whereas by the worde of God at the very instant when any man beleeueth first he is then iustified and sanctified For he that beleeueth eateth and drinketh the bodie and blood of Christ and is alreadie passed from death to life Ioh. 6.54 The second is that faith beeing nothing else with them but an illumination of the minde stirreth vp the will which beeing mooued helped causeth in the heart many spirituall motions and thereby disposeth man to his future iustification But this indeed is as much as if we should say that dead men onely helped can prepare themselues to their future resurrection For we are all by nature dead in sinne and therefore must not onely be inlightened in mind but also renued in will before we can so much as wil or desire that which is good Nowe we as I haue said teach otherwise that faith iustifieth as it is an instrument to apprehend and apply Christ with his obedience which is the matter of our iustification This is the trueth I prooue it thus In the couenant of grace two things must be considered the substance thereof and the condition The substance of the couenant is that righteousnes and life euerlasting is giuen to Gods Church and people by Christ. The condition is that we for our parts are by faith to receiue the foresaid benefits and this condition is by grace as well as the substance Now then that we may attaine to saluation by Christ he must be giuen vnto vs really as he is propounded in the tenour of the foresaid couenant And for the giuing of Christ God hath appointed speciall ordinances as the preaching of the word and the administration oâ—â—â—e Sacraments The word preached is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeues and the end of the sacraments is to communicate Christ with all his benefits to them that come to be partakers thereof as is most plainely to be seene in the supper of the Lord in which the giuing of bread and wine to the seuerall communicants is a pledge and signe of Gods particular giuing of Christs bodie and blood with all his merits vnto them And this giuing on Gods part cannot be effectuall without receiuing on our parts and therfore faith must needes be an instrument or hand to receiue that which God giueth that we may find comfort by this giuing The III. difference concerning faith is this the Papist saith that a man is iustified by faith yet not by faith alone but also by other vertues as hope loue the feare of God c. The reasons which are brought to maintaine their opinion are of no moment I. Reason Luke 7.47 Many sinnes are forgiuen her because shee loued much Whence they gather that the woman here spoken of was iustified and had the pardon of sinnes by loue Ans. In this text loue is not made an impulsiue cause to mooue God to pardon her sinnes but onely a figne to shew and manifest that God had alreadie pardoned them Like to this is the place of Iohn who saith 1. Ioh. 3. 14. We are translated from death to life because wee loue the brethreÌ„ where loue is no cause of the chaÌ„ge but a signe consequent therof II. Reason Gal. 5.6 Neither circumcision nor vncircumeision auaileth any thing but faith that worketh by loue Hence they gather that faith doeth iustifie togither with loue Ans. The propertie of true faith is to apprehend and receiue something vnto it selfe and loue that goes alwaies with faith as a fruite and an vnseparable companion thereof is of another nature For it doeth not receiue in but as it were giue out it selfe in all the duties of the first and second table towards God and man and this thing faith by it selfe cannot doe and therefore Paul saieth that faith worketh by loue The hand hath a propertie to reach out it selfe to lay hold of any thing and to recâ—â—ue a gift but the hand hath no propertie to cut a peece of wood of it selfe without saw or knife or some like instrument yet by help of theÌ„ it can either deuide or cut Euen so it is the nature of faith to goe out of it selfe to receiue Christ into the heart as for the duties of the first and second table faith cannot of it selfe bring them forth no more then the hand can deuide or cut yet ioyne loue to faith then can it practise duties commended concerning God and man
worship God in by or at any image for this is the thing which as I haue prooued before the second commandement forbiddeth And the fact of the Israelites Exod. 32. in worshipping the golden calfe is condemned as flat idolatrie albeit they worshipped not the calfe but God in the calfe for v. 5. Aaron saith Tomorrow shall bee the solemnitie of Iehouah whereby he doth giue vs to vnderstand that the calfe was but a signe of Iehouah whome they worshipped Obiect It seemes the Israelites worshipped the calfe For Aaron saith v. 4. These bee thy Gods O Israel that brought thee out of Egypt Ans. Aarons meaning is nothing else but that the golden calfe was a signe of the presence of the true God And the name of the thing signified is giuen to the signe as vpon a stage he is called a king that represents the king And Augustine saith that images are woont to be called by the names of things whereof they are images as the counterfeit of Samuel is called Samuel And we must not esteeme them all as madde men to thinke that a calfe made of their earings beeing but one or two daies old should bee the God that brought them out of Egypt with a mightie hand many daies before And these are the points of difference touching images wherein we must stand at variance for euer with the Church of Rome For they â—rre in the foundation of religion making indeed an idol of the true God and worshipping another Christ then we doe vnder new tearmes maintaining the idolatrie of the heathen And therefore haue we departed from them and so must we still doe because they are Idolaters as I haue prooued The X. point Of reall presence Our Consent I. We hold and beleeue a presence of Christs bodie and blood in the sacrament of the Lords supper and that no fained but a true and reall presence which must be considered two waies first in respect of the signes secondly in respect of the communicants For the first we hold and teach that Christs bodie and blood are truely present with the bread and wine beeing signes in the Sacrament but how not in respect of place or coexistence but by sacramentall relation on this manner When a word is vttered the sound comes to the eare and at the same instant the thing signified comes to the mind and thus by relation the word and the thing spoken of are both present togither Euen so at the Lords table bread and wine must not be considered barely as subsistaÌ„ces and creatures but as outward signes in relation to the bodie and blood of Christ and this relation arising from the very institution of the Sacrament standes in this that when the elements of bread and wine are present to the hand and to the mouth of the receiuer at the very same time the bodie and blood of Christ are presented to the minde thus and no otherwise is Christ truely present with the signes The second presence is in respect of the communicants to whose beleeuing hearts he is also really present It will bee said what kind of presence is this Ans. Such as the communion in the sacrament is â—uch is the presence and by the communion must we iudge of the presence Nowe the communion is on this manner God the father according to the tenour of the Euangelicall couenant gives Christ in this sacrament as really and truely as any thing can bee giuen to man not by part and peecemeale as wee say but whole Christ God and man on this sort In Christ there be two natures the godheadâ— manhood The godhead is not giuen in regard of substance or essence but only in regard of efficacie merits operatioÌ„ coÌ„ceiued thence to the manhood And further in this sacrament Christs whole manhood is giuen both bodie and soule in this order First of all is giuen the very manhood in respect of substance and that really secondly the merits and benefits thereof as namely the satisfaction performed by and in the manhood to the iustice of God And thus the intire manhood with the benefits thereof are giuen wholly and ioyntly togither For the two dislinct signes of bread and wine signifie not two distinct giuings of the bodie apart and the blood apart but the full and perfect nourishment of our soules Againe the benefits of Christs manhood are diuersly giuen some by imputation which is an action of God accepting that which is done by Christ as done by vs and thus it hath pleased God to giue the passion of Christ and his obedience Some againe are giuen by a kind of propagation which I cannot fitly expresse in tearmes but I resemble it thus As one candle is lighted by another and one torch or candle-light is conueied to twentie candles euen so the inherent righteousnes of euery beleeuer is deriued from the storehouse of righteousnesse which is in the manhood of Christ for the righteousnes of all the members is but the fruit thereof euen as the naturall corruption in all mankinde is but a fruit of that originall sinne which was in Adam Thus we see howe God for his part giues Christ and that really To proceede when God giues Christ he giues withall at the same time the spirit of Christ which spirit creates in the heart of the receiuer the instrument of true faith by which the heart doeth really receiue Christ giuen of God by resting vpon the promise which God hath made that he will giue Christ and his righteousnesse to euery true beleeuer Now then when God giues Christ with his benefits man for his part by faith receiues the same as they are giuen there riseth that vnion which is betweene euery good receiuer and Christ himselfe Which vnioÌ„ is not forged but a reall true and neere coniunction nearer then which none is or can be because it is made by a solemne giuing and receiuing that passeth betweene God and man as also by the bond of one and the same spirit To come then to the point considering there is a reall vnion and consequently a reall communion betweene vs and Christ as I haue prooued there must needes bee such a kind of presence wherein Christ is truely and really present to the heart of him that receiues the sacrament in faith And thus farre doe wee consent with the Romish Church touching reall presence The dissent We differ not touching the presence it selfe but onely in the maner of presence For though we hold a reall presence of Christs bodie and blood in the sacrament yet doe we not take it to be locall bodily or substantiall but spirituall and mysticall to the signes by sacramentall relation and to the communicants by faith alone On the contrarie the Church of Rome maintaines transubstantiation that is a locall bodily and substantiall presence of Christs bodie and blood by a change and conuersion of the bread and wine into the said bodie and blood Our reasons I. This corporall presence ouerturnes sundrie articles
report and relation of the miracles done in the land of Egypt whereby she was mooued to ioyne hir selfe vnto the people of God and to beleeue as they did By these examples then it is manifest that in the very seruants of God there is and may be for a time an implicite faith For the better vnderstanding of this point it is to be considered that faith may be infolded two waies fiâ—st in respect of knowledge of things to be beleeued secondly in respect of the apprehension of the obiect of faith namely Christ and his benefits Now faith is infolded in respect of knowledge when as sundrie things that are necessarie to saluation are not as yet distinctly knowne Though Christ commended the faith of his disciples for such a faith against which the gates of hell should not preuaile yet was it vnexpressed or wrapped vp in regard of sundrie points of religion for first of all Peter that made confession of Christ in the name of the rest was at that time ignorant of the particular meanes whereby his redemption should be wrought For after this he went about to disswade his master from the suffering of death at Ierusalem whereupon Christ sharply rebuked him saying Come behinde me Sathan thou art an offence vnto me Againe they were all ignorant of Christs resurrection till certaine women who first saw him after he was risen againe had told them and they by experience in the person of Christ had learned the truth Thirdly they were ignorant of the ascension for they dreamed of an earthly kingdome at the very time wheÌ„ he was about to ascend saying Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome to Israelâ— Act. 1.6 And after Christs ascension Peter knew nothing of the breaking downe of the partition wall betweene the Iewes and Gentiles till God had better schooled him in a vision Act. 10.14 And no doubt we haue ordinarie examples of this Implicit faith in sundrie persons among vs. For some there be which are dull and hard both for vnderstanding and memorie and thereupon make no such proceedings in knowledge as many others doe and yet for good affection and conscience in their doings so farre as they know they come not short of any hauing withall a continuall care to increase in knowledge and to walke in obedience according to that which they know And such persons though they be ignorant in many things yet haue they a meaning of true faith and that which is wanting in knowledge is supplied in affection and in some respects they are to be preferred before many that haue the glibbe tongue and the braine swimming with knowledge To this purpose Melancthon said well We must acknowledge the great mercie of God who puts a difference betweene sinnes of ignorance and such as are done wittingly and forgiues manifold ignorances to them that know but the foundation and be teachable as may be seene by the Apostles in whome there was much want of vnderstanding before the resurrection of Christ. But as hath bin saide he requires that we be teachable and he will not haue vs to be hardned in our sluggishnesse and dulnesse As it is saide psal 1. he meditateth in his law day and night The second kind of implicite faith is in regard of Apprehension when as a man can not say distinctly and certenly I beleeue the pardon of my sinnes but I doe vnfainedly desire to beleeue the pardon of them all and I desire to repent This case befalls many of Gods children when they are touched in conscience for their sinnes But where men are displeased with themselues for their offences and doe withall constantly from the heart desire to beleeue and to be reconciled to God there is faith and many other graces of God infolded as in the little and tender budde is infolded the leafe the blossome and the fâ—uit For though a desire to repent and to beleeue be not faith and repentance in nature yet in Gods acceptation it is God accepting the will for the deede Isa. 42.3 Christ will not quench the smoking flaxe which as yet by reason of weakenesse giues neither light nor heate Christ saith Math. 6. 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shall be satisfied where by persons hungring and thirsting are meant all such as feele with griefe their owne want of righteousnesse and withall desire to be iustified and sanctified Rom. 8.26 God heares regards the very grones and sighes of his seruants yea though they be vnspeakable by reason they are oftentimes little weake and confused yet God hath respect vnto them because they are the worke of his owne spirit Thus when we see that in a touched heart desiring to beleeue there is an infolded faith And this is the faith which many of the true seruants of God haue and our saluation stands not so much in our apprehending of Christ as in Christs comprehending of vs and therefore Paul saith Phil. 3. 12. he followeth namely after perfection if that he might comprehend that for whose sake he is comprehended of Christ. Now if any shall say that without a liuely faith in Christ none can be saued I answer that God accepts the desire to beleeue for liuely faith in the time of temptation and in the time of our first conuersion as I haue saide Put case a man that neuer yet repented falls into some grieuous sicknes and then beginnes to be touched in conscience for his sinnes and to be truly humbled hereupon he is exhorted to beleeue his owne reconciliation with God in Christ and the pardon of his owne sinnes And as he is exhorted so he endeauoureth according to the measure of grace receiued to beleeue yet after much striuing he can not resolue himselfe that he doth distinctly and certenly beleeue the pardon of his owne sinnes onely this he can say that he doth heartely desire to beleeue this he wisheth aboue all things in the world and he esteemes all things as dung for Christ and thus he dies I demaund now what shall we say of him surely we may say nothing but that he died the child of God and is vndoubtedly saued For howsoeuer it were an happie thing if men could come to that fulnesse of faith which was in Abraham and many seruants of God yet certen it is that God in sundrie cases accepts of this desire to beleeue for true faith indeede And looke as it is in nature so is it in grace in nature some die when they are children some in olde age and some in full strength and yet all die men so againe some die babes in Christ some of more perfect faith and yet the weakest hauing the seedes of grace is the child of God and faith in his infancie is faith All this while it must be remembred I say not there is a true faith without all apprehension but without a Distinct apprehension for some space of time for this very desire by faith to apprehend Christ and
his woe A. It were so indeede if there were no meanes of deliuerance but GOD hath shewed his mercie in giuing a Sauiour to mankind Q. Howe is this Sauiour called A. Iesus Christ. Q. What is Iesus Christ A. The eternall sonne of God made man in all things euen in his infirmities like other men saue onely in sinne Q. Howe was he made man void of sinne A He was conceiued in the womb of a Virgine and sanctified by the holy Ghost at his conception Q. Why must our Sauiour be both God and man A He must be a man because man hath sinned and therfore a man must die for sinne to appease Gods wrath he must be God to sustaine and vphold the manhood to ouercome and vanquish death Q What be the offices of Christ to make him an al-sufficient Sauiour A He is a priest a prophet a King Q VVhy is he a priest A To worke the meanes of saluation in the behalfe of mankind Q Howe doth he worke the meanes of saluation A First by making satisfaction to his father for the sinne of man Secondly by making intercession Q How doth he make satisfaction A By two meanes and the first is by offering a sacrifice Q VVhat is this sacrifice A Christ himselfe as he is man consisting of body and soule Q VVhat is the Altar A Christ as he is God is the Altar on which he sacrificed himselfe Q VVho was the priest None but Christ and that as he is both God and man Q How oft did he sacrifice himselfe A Neuer but once Q VVhat death did he suffer when he sacrificed himselfe A A death vpon the crosse peculiar to him alone for besides the separation of bodie and soule he felt also the pangâ—s of hell in that the whole wrath of God due to the sinne of man was powred forth vpon him Q. What profit commeth by his Sacrifice A. Gods wrath is appeased by it Q. Could the suffering of Christ which was but for a short time counteruaile euerlasting damnation and so appease Gods wrath A. Yea for seeing Christ suffered God suffered though not in his godhead that is more thaÌ„ if all men in the world had suffered for euer euer Q. Now tell me the other meanes of satisfaction A. It is the perfect fulfilling of the lawe Q. Howe did he fulfill the lawe A. By his perfect righteousnes which consisteth of two parts the first the integritie and purenesse of his humaine nature the other his obedience in performing all that the lawe required Q. You haue shewed how Christ doth make satisfaction tell mee likewise howe he doth make intercession A. He alone doth continually appeare before his father in heauen making the faithfull and all their praiers acceptable vnto him by applying of the merits of his owne perfect satisfaction to them Q. Why is Christ a prophet A. To reueale vnto his Church the waie and meanes of saluation this he doth outwardly by the ministerie of his word and inwardly by the teaching of his holy spirit Q. Why is he also a King A. That he might bountifully bestowe vpon vs and conuey vnto vs all the aforesaid meanes of saluation Q. How doth he shewe himselfe to be a King A. In that beeing dead and buried hee rose from the graue quickened his dead bodie ascended into heauen and nowe sitteth at the right hand of his father with full full power and glory in heauen Q. How else A. In that he doeth continually inspire and direct his seruants by the diuine power of his holy spirit according to his holy word Q. But to whome will this blessed King communicate all these meanes of saluation A. He offereth them to many and they are sufficient to saue all mankind but all shall not be saued thereby because by faith they will not receiue them The fourth principle expounded Q. What is faith A. Faith is a wonderfull grace of God by which a man doth apprehend and apply Christ and all his benefits vnto himselfe Q. Howe doth a man apply Christ vnto himselfe seeing we are on earth and Christ in heauen A. This applying is done by assurance when a man is verely perswaded by the holy spirit of Gods fauour towards himselfe particularly and of the forgiuenes of his owne sinnes Q. How doth God bring men truely to beleeue in Christ A. First he prepareth their hearts that they might bee capable of faith and then he worketh faith in them Q. Howe doth God prepare mens heartes A. By bruising them as if one would breake an hard stone to powder and this is done by hambling them Q. How doth God humble a man A. By working in him a sight of his sinnes and a sorrowe for them Q. How is this sight of sinne wrought A. By the morall lawe the summe whereof is the ten commandements Q. What sinnes may I finde in my selfe by them A. Ten. Q. What is the first A. To make something thy God which is not God by fearing it louing it so trusting in it more then in the true God Q. What is the second A. To worship false Gods or the true God in a false manner Q. What is the third A. To dishonour God in abusing his titles wordes and workes Q. What is the fourth A. To breake the Sabboth in doing the works of their calling and of the flesh and in leauing vndone the workes of the spirit Q. What be the sixe latter A. To doe any thing that may hinder thy neighbours dignitie life chastitie wealth good name though it be but in the secret thoughts and motions of the heart vnto which thou giuest no liking nor consent Q. What is sorrowe for sinne A. It is when a mans conscience is touched with a liuely feeling of Gods displeasure for any of these sinnes in such wise that hee vtterly despaires of saluation in regard of any thing in himselfe acknowledging that he hath deserued shame and confusion eternally Q. Howe doth God worke this sorrowe A. By the terrible curse of the Lawe Q. What is that A. He which breakes but one of the commandements of God though it be but once in all his life time and that onely in one thought is subiect to and in danger of eternall damnation thereby Q. When mens hearts are thus prepared howe doth God ingraft faith in them A. By working certaine inward motions in the heart which are the seedes of faith out of which it breedeth Q. What is the first of them A. When a man humbled vnder the burden of his sinnes doth acknoweledge and feele that he standes in great neede of Christ. Q. What is the second A. An hungring desire and a longing to be made partaker of Christ all his merits Q. What is the third A. A flying to the throne of
in them which are chosen to saluation but vnto them that perish it is by reason of their corruption an occasion of their further damnation Q. How must we heare Gods word that it may be effectuall to saluation A. We must come vnto it with hunger-bitten hearts hauing an appetite to the word we must marke it with attention receiue it by faith submit our selues vnto it with feare and trembling euen then when our faults are reprooued lastly we must hide it in the corners of our hearts that we may frame our liues and conuersations by it Q. What is a Sacrament A. A signe to represent a seale to confirme an instrument to conuey Christ and all his benefits to them that doe beleeue in him Q. Why must a Sacrament represent the mercies of God before our eies A. Because we are dull to conceiue and to remember them Q. Why doth the Sacrament seale vnto vs the mercies of God A. Because we are full of vnbeleefe and doubting of them Q. Why is the Sacrament the instrument of the Spirit to conuey the mercies of God into our hearts A. Because we are like Thomas we will not beleeue till we feele them in some measure in our hearts Q. How many Sacraments are there A. Two and no more Baptisme by which we haue our admission into the true Church of God and the Lords Supper by which we are nourished and preserued in the Church after our admission Q. What is done in Baptisme A. In the assemblie of the Church the couenant of grace betweene God and the partie baptized is solemnly confirmed and sealed Q. In this couenant what doth God promise to the partie baptized A. Christ with all blessings that come by him Q. To what condition is the partie baptized bound A. To receiue Christ and to repent of his sinne Q. What meaneth the sprinkling or dipping in water A. It seales vnto vs remission of sinnes and sanctification by the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Christ. Q. How commeth it to passe that many after their Baptisme for a long time feele not the effect and fruit of it and some neuer A. The fault is not in God who keepes his couenants but the fault is in themselues in that they doe not keepe the condition of the couenant to receiue Christ by faith and to repent of all their sinnes Q. When shall a man then see the effect of his baptisme A. At what time soeuer he doth receiue Christ by faith though it be many yeares after he shall then feele the power of God to regenerate him and to worke all things in him which he offered in baptisme Q. How if a man neuer keepe the condition to which he bound himselfe in baptisme A. His damnation shall be the greater because he breaketh his vowe made to God Q. What is done in the Lords Supper A. The former couenant solemnly ratified in Baptisme is renued in the Lords supper betweene the Lord himselfe and the receiuer Q. What is the receiuer A. Euery one that hath beene baptized and after his baptisme hath truly beleeued in Christ and repented of his sinnes from his heart Q. What meaneth the bread and wine the eating of the bread and drinking of the wine A. These outward actions are a second seale set by the Lords owne hand vnto his couenant And they doe giue euery receiuer to vnderstand that as God doth blesse the bread and wine to preserue and strengthen the bodie of the receiuer so Christ apprehended and receiued by faith shall nourish him and preserue both bodie and soule vnto eternall life Q. What shall a true receiuer feele in himselfe after the receiuing of the Sacrament A. The increase of his faith in Christ the increase of sanctification a greater measure of dying to sinne a greater care to liue in newnesse of life Q. What if a man after the receiuing of the Sacrament neuer finde any such thing in himselfe A. He may well suspect himselfe whether he did euer repent or not and thereupon to vse meanes to come to sound faith and repentance Q. VVhat is an other meaues of increasing faith A. Prayer Q. What is praier A. A familiar speech with God in the name of Christ in which either we craue things needfull or giue thankes for things receiued Q. In asking things needfull what is required A. Two things an earnest desire and faith Q. What things must a Christian mans heart desire A. Sixe things especially Q. What are they A. 1. That he may glorifie God 2. That God may raigne in his heart and not sinne 3. That he may doe Gods will and not his lusts of the flesh 4. That he may relie himselfe on Gods prouidence for all the meanes of this temporall life 5. That he may be iustified and be at peace with God 6. That by the power of God he may be strengthened against all temptations Q. What is faith A. A perswasion that these things which we truly desire God will grant them for Christs sake The sixth Principle expounded Q. After that a man hath led a short life in this world what followeth thē A. Death which is the parting asunder of bodie and soule Q. Why doe wicked men and vnbeleeuers die A. That their bodies may goe to the earth and their soules may be cast into hell fire Q. Why doe the godly die seeing Christ by death hath ouercome death A. They die for this ende that their bodies may rest for a while in the earth and their soules may enter into heauen immediatly Q. What followeth after death A. The day of iudgement Q. What signe is there to know this day from other daies A. Heauen and earth shall be consumed with fire immediatly before the comming of the iudge Q. Who shall be the iudge A. Iesus Christ the Sonne of God Q. What shall be the comming to iudgement A. He shall come in the cloudes in great maiestie and glorie with infinite companie of Angels Q. How shall all men be cited to iudgement A. At the sound of a trumpet the liuing shall be changed in the twinckling of an eye and the dead shall rise againe euery one with his owne bodie and all shall be gathered together before Christ and after this the good shall be seuered from the bad these standing on the left hand of Christ the other on the right Q. How will Christ trie and examine euery mans cause A. The bookes of all mens doings shall be laide open mens consciences shall be made either to accuse them or excuse them and euery man shall be tried by the workes which he did in his life time because they are open and manifest signes of faith or vnbeleefe Q. What sentence will he giue A. He will giue sentence of saluation to the elect and godly but he will pronounce
Christ. 1. Cor. 3.1 II. Conclusion The first material beginnings of the conuersion of a sinner or the smallest measure of renewing grace haue the promises of this life and the life to come The exposition THE beginnings of conuersion must bee distinguished some are beginnings of preparations some beginnings of composition Beginnings of preparation are such as bring vnder tame and subdue the stubburnenesse of mans nature without making any change at all of this sort are the accusations of the conscience by the ministerie of the lawe feares and terrors arising thence coÌ„punction of heart which is the apprehension of gods anger against sin Now these and the like I exclude in the conclusion for though they goe before to prepare a sinner to his conuersion followingâ— yet are they no graces of God but fruites of the law that is the ministerie of death of an accusing conscience Beginnings of composition I tearme all those inwarde motions and inclinations of Gods spirit that follow after the worke of the law vpon the conscience and rise vpon the meditation of the Gospel that promiseth righteousnes and life euerlasting by Christ out of which motions the conuersion of a sinner ariseth and of this it consisteth what these are it shall afterward appeare Againe grace must be distinguished it is twofold restraining grace or renuing grace Restraining grace I tearme certaine common giftes of God seruing onely to order and frame the outward conuersation of men to the lawe of God or seruing to bereaâ—e men of excuse in the daie of iudgement By this kind of grace heathen men haue beene liberall iust sober valiant By it men liuing in the Church of God haue beene inlightened and hauing tasted of the good worde of God haue reioyced therein and for a time outwardly conformed themselues thereto renewing grace is not common to al men but proper to the elect and it is a gift of Gods spirit whereby the corruption of sinne is not onely restrained but also mortified and the decaied Image of God restored Now then the conclusion must onely be vnderstood of the second and not of the first for though a man haue neuer so much of this restraining grace yet vnlesse he haue the spirit of Christ to create faith in the heart and to sanctifie him he is as farre from saluation as any other Now then the sense and meaning of the conclusion is that the very least meanes of sauing grace and the very beginnings or seedes of regeneration doe declare and after a sort giue title to men of all the mercifull promises of God whether they concerne this life or the life to come and therefore are approoued of God if they be in trueth and accepted as greater measures of grace That which our Sauiour Christ saieth of the worke of miracles â—f you haue faith as a graine of Musterd seede ye shall say vnto this mountaine remooue hence to yonder place and it shall remooue must by the lawe of equall proportion be applyed to faith repentance the feare of God and all other graces if they bee truely wrought in the heart though they bee but as small as one little graine of musterd-seede they shall be sufficiently effectuall to bring forth good workes for which they were ordained The Prophet Esay 42.3 saith that Christ shall not quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised reede Let the comparison be marked fire in flaxe must be both little and weake in quantitie as a sparke or twaine that cannot cause a flame but onely a smoake specially in a matter â—o easie to burne Here then is signified that the gifts and graces of Gods spirit that are both for measure and strength as a sparke or twaine of fire shall not be neglected but rather accepted and cherished by Christ. When our Sauiour Christ heard the young man make a confession of a practise but of outward and ciuill righteousnes he looked vpon him and loued him and when he heard the Scribe to speake discreetely but one good speach that to louâ— God with all his heart is aboue all sacrifices he said vnto him That he was not farre from the kingdome of heauen Therefore no doubt hee will loue with a more special loue and accept as the good subiects of his kingdome those that haue receiued a further mercie of God to be borne anew of water and of the spirit III. Conclusion A constant and earnest desire to be reconciled to God to beleeue and to repent if it be in a touched heart is in acceptation with God as reconciliation faith repentance it selfe The Exposition LVst or desire is twofold naturall and supernaturall Naturall is that whose beginning and obiect is in nature that is which ariseth of the naturall will of man and anecteth such things as are thought to be good according to the light of nature And this kind of desire hath his degrees yet so as they are all limited within the compasse of nature Some desire riches honours pleasures some learning and knowledge because it is the light and perfection of the minde some goe further and seeke after the vertues of iustice temperance liberalitie c. and thus many heathen men haue excelled Some againe desire true happinesse as Balaam did who wished to die the death of the righteous because it is the propertie of nature to seeke the preseruation of it selfe But here nature staies it selfe for where the minde reueales not the will affects not Supernaturall desires are such as both for their beginning and obiect are aboue nature for their beginning is from the holy Ghost and the obiect or matter about which they are conuersant are things diuine and spirituall which concerne the kingdome of heauen and of this kind are the desires of which I speake in this place Againe that we may not be deceiued in our desires but may the better discerne them from flittering fleeting motions I adde three restraints First of all the desire of reconciliation the desire to beleeue or the desire to repent c. must be constant and haue continuance otherwise it may iustly be suspected Secondly it must be earnest and serious though not alwaies yet at sometimes that we may be able to say with Dauid My soule desireth after thee O Lord as the thirstie laÌ„d And as the heart braieth after the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God euen the liuing god Thirdly it must be in a touched heart for when a man is touched in conscience the heart is cast down and as much as it can it withdrawes it selfe from God For this cause if then there be any spirituall motions whereby the heart is lift vp vnto God they are without doubt from the spirit of God Thus then I auouch that the desire of reconciliation with God in Christ is reconciliation it selfe the desire to beleeue is faith indeede and the desire to repent repentance it selfe But marke how A desire to be reconciled is not
reconciliation in nature for the desire is one thing and reconciliation is an other but in Gods acceptation for if we being touched throughly for our sinnes doe desire to haue them pardoned and to be at one with God God accepts vs as reconciled Againe desire to beleeue it is not faith in nature but onely in Gods acception God accepting the will for the deede That this doctrine is the will and word of God it appeares by these reasons First of all God hath annexed a promise of blessednes and of life euerlasting to the desire of grace Math. 5. Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shall be satisfied Ioh. 7.38 If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke Reu. 21. I will giue vnto him which is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely Now what is this to thirst properly it is when we are in a drought or drinesse and want drinke to refresh vs to desire it And therefore by a resemblance they are saide to thirst after righteousnesse that want it and would haue it and they thirst after Christ that feele themselues out of Christ and desire yea long after the blood of Christ that they might bee refreshed with it in their consciences Here then we see that the desire of mercie in the want of mercie is the obtaining of mercie and the desire to beleeue in the want of faith is faith Though as yet thou want firme and liuely grace yet art thou not altogether void of grace if thou canst desire it thy desire is the seed conception or budde of that which thou wantest nowe is the spring time of the ingrafted worde or the immortall seede cast into the furrowes of thy heart waite but a while vsing good meanes and thou shalt see that leaues blossoms and fruites will shortly followe after Secondly the desire of any good thing is accepted of God as the liuely inuocation of his holy name Psal. 10. God heareth the desires of the poore Psal. 145. Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him When Moses said nothing but onely desired in heart the helpe and protection of God at the red sea the Lord said vnto him why criest thou vnto me Exod. 14. And when wee knowe not to pray as wee oughtâ— Paul saith that the spirit maketh request by the inward groanes of the heart Rom. 8 26â— Hence I gather when a man in his weakenes praies with â—ighes and groanes for the gift of liuely faith the want whereof he finds in himselfe his very praier on this manner made is as truely in acceptation with God as the praier made in liuely faith Thirdly to the testimonie of Scripture I adde the testimonies of Godly and learned men not to prooue the doctrine in hand but to shewe a consent and to prooue thus much that the thing which I auouch is no priuat phantasie of any man Augustine saieth Let thy desire be before him and thy father which seeth in secret shall rewarde thee openly for thy deâ—ire is thy praier and if thy desire be continuall thy praier is continuall Hee addes further in the same place that the desire is a continuall voice and the crie of the heart and the inward inuocation of God which may bee made without intermission Againe The whole life of a good christian is an holy will and desire And that which thou desirest thou seest not but by desiring art as it were inlarged and made capable that when it shall come which thou shalt see thou maiest be filled Bernard saith What is not desire a voice Yea a very strong voice God heareth the desire of the poore and a continuall desire though we speake nothing is a voice continued Luther saith Christ is then truely omnipotent and then truely raignes in vs when we are so weak that we can scarce giue any groane For Paul saith that one such groane is a strong crie in the eares of God filling both heauen and earth Againe very fewe knowe howe weake and small faith and hope is vnder the crosse and in temptation For it appeares then to be as smoaking flaxe which a good blast of winde would presently put out but such as beleeue in these combates and terrours against hope vnder hope that is opposing themselues by faith in the promises of Christ against the feeling of sinne and the wrath of God doe finde afterward that this little sparke of faith as it appeares to reason which hardly perceiueth it is peraduenture as the whole element of fire which filleth all heauen and swalloweth vp all terrours and sinnes Again the more we finde our vnworthinesse and the lesse we finde the promises to belong vnto vs the more we must desire them beâ—ing assured that this desire doeth greatly please God who desireth and willeth that his grace should be earnesâ—ly desired This doeth faith which iudgeth it a pretious thing and therefore greatly hungereth and â—hirsâ—eth after it and so obtaines it For God is delighted to fill the hungrie with good things and to send the rich emptie away Theodore Beza saith If thou finde not thine heart inwardly touched pray that it may be touched for then must thou knowe that this desire is a pledge of the fathers good will to thee Kimnitius saith When I haue a good desire though it doe scarcely shewe it selfe in some little and slender sigh I must bee assured that the spirit of God is present and worketh his good work Vrsinus saith Faith in the most holy men in this life is vnperfect and weake Yet neuerthelesse whosoeuer feeles in his heart an earnest desire to beleeue and a striuing against his naturall doubtings both can and mâ—st assure himselfe that he is indued with true faith Againe Wicked men doe not desire the grace of the holy spirit whereby they may resist sinne And therefore they are iustly depriued of it for hee that earnestly desireth the holy Ghost hath it alreadie because this desire of the spirit cannot be but from the spirit as it is saide Blessed are they that hunger thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Bradford saith Thy sinnes are vndoubtedly pardoned c. for god hath giuen thee a penitent and beleeuing heart that is an heart which desireth to repent and beleeue for such an one is taken of him hee accepting the will for the deede for a penitent and beleeuing heart indeede Taffine saith Our faith may be so small and weake as it doth not yet bring forth fruits that may be liuely felt of vs but if they which feele themselues in such estate desire to haue these feelings namely of Gods fauour and loue if thâ—y aske them at Gods hand by praier this desire and praier are testimonies that the spirit of God is in theÌ„ and that â—â—ey haue faith alreadie for is such a desire a fruite of the flesh or of the spirit It is of the
A golden Chaine OR THE DESCRIPTION OF Theologie containing the order of the causes of Saluation and Damnation according to Gods word A view whereof is to be seene in the Table annexed Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences Printed by IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1600. To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader there are at this day foure seuerall opinions of the order of Gods predestination The first is of the olde and new Pelagians who place the cause of Gods predestination in man in that they hold that God did ordaine meÌ„ either to life or death according as he did foresee that they would by their natural free-will either reiect or receiue grace offered The second of them who of some are tearmed Lutherans which teach that God foreseeing howe all mankinde beeing shutte vp vnder vnbeleefe would therefore reiect grace offered did hereupon purpose to choose some to saluation of his meere mercie without any respect of their faith or good workes and the rest to reiect beeing mooued to doe this because hee did eternally foresee that they would reiect his grace offered them in the Gospell The third Semipelagian Papists which ascribe Gods predestination partly to mercie and partly to mens foreseene preparations and meritorious workes The fourth of such as teach that the cause of the execution of Gods predestination is his mercie in Christ in them which are saued and in them which perish the fall and corruption of man yet so as that the decree and eternall counsell of God concerning them both hath not any cause beside his will and pleasure Of these foure opinions the three former I labour to oppugne as erronious and to maintaine the last as beeing trueth which will beare waight in the ballance of the Sanctuarie A further discourse whereof here I make bold to offer to thy godly consideration in reading whereof regard not so much the thing it selfe penned very slenderly as mine intent affection who desire among the rest to cast my mite into the treasurie of the Church of England and for want of gold pearle and pretions stone to bring a rammes skinne or twaine and a little Goates haire to the building of the Lords tabernacle Exod. 35.23 The Father of our Lord Iesus Christ grant that according to the riches of his glorie thou maiest bee strengthened by his spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in thy heart by faith to the end that thou being rooted and grounded in loue maiest bee able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and height thereof to knowe the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge that thou maiest be filled with all fulnes of God Amen Farewell Iulie 23. the yeare of the last patience of Saints 1592. Thine in Christ Iesus W. P. A GOLDEN CHAINE OR THE DESCRIPTION OF Theologie THE CONTENTS 1 Of the bodie of Scripture and Theologie pag. 1 2 Of God and the nature of God ibid. 3 Of the life of God pag. 3 4 Of Gods glorie and blessednes pag. 5 5 Concerning the persons of the Godhead pag. 6 6 Of Gods workes and his decree pag. 8 7 Of Predestination and creation pag. 10 8 Of Angels pag. 11 9 Of Man the state of innocencie pag. 12 10 Of sinne and the fall of angels pag. 13 11 Of mans fall and disobedience pag. 15 12 Of Originall sinne pag. 16 13 Of Actuall sinne pag. 19 14 Of the punishment of sinne pag. 22 15 Of Election and of Iesus Christ the foundation thereof pag. 23 16 Of the vnion of the two natures in Christ. pag. 25 17 Of the distinctioÌ„ of both natures pag. 27 18 Of Christs natiuitie and office pag. 27 19 Concerning the outward meanes of executing the decree of Election and of the Decalogue pag. 36 20 Of the first commandement pag. 38 21 Of the second commandement pag. 42 22 Of the third commandement pag. 54 23 Of the fourth commandement pag. 61 24 Of the fift commandement pag. 66 25 Of the sixt commandement pag. 73 26 Of the seuenth commandement pag. 82 27 Of the eight commandement pag. 88 28 Concerning the ninth commaundement pag. 95 29 Of the tenth commandement pag. 100 30 Of the vse of the Law pag. 101 31 Of the Couenant of grace pag. 102 32 Of the Sacraments pag. 103 33 Of Baptisme pag. 107 34 Of the Lords Supper pag. 111 35 Of the degrees of executing Gods decree in election pag. 113 36 Conceâ—ning the first degree of the declaration of Gods loue pag. 114 37 Concerning the second degree of the declaration of Gods loue pag. 121 38 Concerning the third degree of the declaration of Gods loue pag. 124 39 Of Repentance and the fruit thereof pag. 128 40 Of Christian warfare pag. 129 41 Of the first Assault pag. 130 42 Of the second Assault pag. 131 43 Of the third Assault pag. 134 44 Of the patient bearing of the Crosse. pag. 136 45 Of the calling vpon God pag. 138 46 Of Christian Apologie and Martyrdome pag. 139 47 Of edification and Almes among the faithfull pag. 140 48 Of the fourth degree of the declaration of Gods loue and of the estate of the Elect after this life pag. 141 49 Of the estate of the Elect at the last day of iudgement pag. 143 50 Of the estate of the Elect after iudgement pag. 144 51 Concerning the order of the causes of Saluation according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome pag. 146 52 Concerning the decree of Reprobation pag. 163 53 Concerning the exâ—â—â—tion of the decree of Reprobation pag. 164 54 Concerning a new deuised doctrine of Predestination taught by some new and late Diuines pag. 167 55 Of the state and condition of the Reprobates when they are dead pag. 175 56 Of the state of the Reprobates in hell pag. 176 57 Of the Application of Predestinanation ibid. AN EPOSITION OF THE SYMBOLE OR Creede of the Apostles THE CONTENTS The Creede pag. 185 Faith pag. 187 God pag. 198 The three persons pag. 202 The Father pag. 205 Gods omnipotencie pag. 212 The creation 217. 221 Gods counsell pag. 218 The creation of heauen pag. 228 The creation of Angels pag. 231 The creation of Man pag. 236 Gods prouidence pag. 242 Adams fall and Originall sinne pag. 252 The couenant of grace pag. 259 The title Iesus pag. 262 The title Christ. pag. 266 The title Sonne pag. 271 The title Lord. pag. 278 The incarnation of Christ. pag. 279 Christs humiliation pag. 295 Christs passion pag. 297 Christs arraignment pag. 300 Christs execution pag. 328 Christs sacrifice pag. 350 Christs triumph pag. 356 Christs buriall pag. 376 The descension of Christ. pag. 372 Christs exaltation pag. 370 Christs resurrection pag. 379 Christs ascension pag. 396 Christs sitting at c. pag. 407 Christs intercession pag. 409 Christs kingdome pag. 417 The last iudgement pag. 420 The holy Ghost pag. 436 The Church 451.488 Predestination pag. 453 The
a queene Luk. 18.11 The Pharisie standing thus praied to himselfe I thanke thee O God that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers nor yet as this Publiâ—an vers 12. I fast twise in the weeke and giue tithe of all my possessions V. That the Gospell of Gods kingdome is meere foolishnes 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him VI. To thinke vncharitably malitiously of such as serue God sincerely Math. 12.24 When the Pharisies heard that they said he casteth not out diuels but by the prince of diuels Psal. 74.2 They said in their heartsâ— Let vs destroy them altogither VII To thinke the day of death farre off Esay 28.15 Ye haue said We haue made a couenant with death and with hell we are at agreement though a scourge runne ouer and passe through it shall not come at vs. VIII That the paines of hell may be eschewed in the place before mentioned they say With hell haue we made agreement IX That God will deferre his both particular and last generall comming to iudgement Luk. 12. 19. I will say vnto my soule soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeres and vers 45. If that seruaÌ„t say in his heart my master will deferre his comming c. Many carnall men pretend their good meaning but when God openeth their eies they shall see these rebellious thoughts rising in their minds as sparkles out of a chimney The actuall sinne of both wil and affections is euery wicked motion inclination and desire Gal. 5. The flesh lusteth against the spirit An actuall outward sinne is that to the committing whereof the members of the bodie doe together with the faculties of the soule concurre Such sinns as these are infinite Psal. 40. 12. Innumerable troubles haue compassed me my sins haue taken such hold vpon me that I am not able to looke vp yea they are more in number then the haires of mine head Actuall sinne is of omission or commission Again both these are in words or deedes In the sinne of commission obserue these two points The degrees in committing a sinne and the differences of sinnes committed The degrees are in number foure Iames 1. 14 15. Euery man is tempted when hee is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is entised Then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth foorth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth foorth death The first degree is temptation whereby man is allured to sinne This doth Satan by offering to the mind that which is euill Ioh. 13.2 The diuell had now put into the heart of Iudas Iscariot Simons sonne to betray him Act. 5.3 Peter said to Ananias Why hath Satan filled thine heart that thou shouldest lie c. 1. Chr. 21. 1. And Satan stood vp against Israel and prouoked David to number Israel This also is effected vpon occasion of some externall obiect which the senses perceiue Iob 31.1 I haue made a couenant with mine eyes why then should I looke vpon a maide Tentation hath two parts abstraction and inescation Abstraction is the first cogitation of committing sinne whereby the mind is withdrawne from Gods seruice to the which it should be alwaies readie prest Luk. 10.27 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soule with all thy thought Inescation is that whereby an euill thought conceiued and for a time retained in the minde by delighting the will and affections doth as it were lay a baite for them to draw them to consent The second degree is conception which is nothing els but a consent and resolution to commit sinne Psal. 7. 14. He shall trauaile with wickednes he hath conceiued mischiefe but he shall bring forth a lie The third degree is the birth of sinne namely the committing of sinne by the assistance both of the faculties of the soule and the powers of the bodie The fourth degree is perfection when sinne beeing by custome perfect and as it were ripe the sinner reapeth death that is damnation This appeareth in the example of Pharaoh wherefore custome in any sinne is fearefull Sinne actually committed hath fiue differences First to consent with an offendour and not actually to commit sinne Eph. 5.11 Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull works of darknes but reprooue them rather This is done three manner of waies I. When as a man in iudgement somewhat alloweth the sinne of another Numb 20.6,10 Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rocke and Moses said vnto them Heare now ye rebels shall we bring you water out of the rocke vers 12. The Lord spake to Moses and Aaron because ye beleeued me not to sanctifie me in the presence of the children of Israel into the land which I haue giuen them II. When the heart approoueth in affection and consent Hither may we referre both the Ministers and the Magistrates concealing and winking at offences 1. Sam. 2. 23. Ely said Why doe ye such things for of all this people I heare euill of you Doe no more my sonnes c. Now that Elies will agreeth with his sonnes sinnes it is manifest vers 29. Thou honourest thy children aboue me III. Indeede by counsell presence entisement Rom. 1. 31. They doe not onely doe the same but also fauour them that doe them Mark 6.25 26. Shee saide vnto her mother What shall I aske and shee said Iohn Baptists head c. Act. 22. 20. When the blood of thy Martyr Steuen was shed I also stood by and consented vnto his death and kept the clothes of them that slue him The second difference is to sinne ignorantly as when a man doth not expresly and distinctly know whether that which he doth be a sinne or not or if he knew it did not acknowledge and marke it 1. Tim. 1.23 I before was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressour but I was receiued to mercie for I did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe Nomb. 35.22 23 24. If he pushed him vnaduisedly and not of hatred or cast vpon him any thing without laying of waite or any stone whereby he might be slaine and saw him not or caused it to fall vpon him and he die and was not his enemie neither sought him any harme then the congregation shall iudge betweene the slayer and the auenger of blood according to these lawes 1. Cor. 4 4. I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified Psal. 19 13. Cleanse me from my secret sinnes The third difference is to sinne vpon knowledge but of infirmitie as when a man fearing some imminent daunger or amazed at the horrour of death doth against his knowledge denie that truth which otherwise he would acknowledge and embrace Such was Peters fall arising from the ouermuch rashnes of the minde mingled with some feare Thus all men offend when the flesh and inordinate desires so ouerrule the will and euery good endeauour that they prouoke man to
is expressed in the morall law The Morall Law is that part of Gods word which commandeth perfect obedience vnto man as well â—n his nature as in his actions and forbiddeth the contrarie Rom. 10.5 Moses thus describeth the righteousnes which is of the Law that the man which doth these things shall liue thereby 1. Tim. 1.5 The end of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and faith vnfained Luk. 16.27 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength Rom. 7. We know that the law is spirituall The Law hath two parts The Edict commanding obedience and the condition binding to obedience The condition is eternall life to such as fulfill the law but to transgressours euerlasting death The Decalogue or ten Commandements is an abridgement of the whole Law and the couenant of workes Exod. 34.27 And the Lord said vnto Moses Write thou these words for after the tenour of these words I haue made a covenant with thee and with Israel And was there with the Lord fourtie daies and fourtie nights and did neither eate bread nor drinke water and he wrote in the Tables the words of the covenant euen the tenne Commandements 1. King 8.9 Nothing was in the Arke saue the two Tables of stone which Moses had put there at Horeb where the Lord made a couenant with the children of Israel when he brought them out of the land of Egypt Matth. 22.40 On these two commandements hangeth the whole Law and the Prophets The true interpretation of the Decalogue must be according to these rules I. In the negatiue the affirmatiue must be vnderstood and in the affirmatiue the negatiue II. The negatiue bindeth at all times and to all times and the affirmatiue bindeth at all times but not to all times and therefore negatiues are of more force III. Vnder one vice expressely forbidden are comprehended all of that kind yea the least cause occasion or entisement thereto is as well forbidden as that 1. Ioh. 3.15 Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a manslayer Matth. 5.21 to the ende Euill thoughts are condemned as well as euill actions IV. The smallest sinnes are entituled with the same names that that sinne is which is expressely forbidden in that commandement to which they appertaine As in the former places hatred is named murther and to looke after a woman with a lusting eye is adulterie V. We must vnderstand euery commandement of the law so as that we annex this condition vnlesse God command the contrarie For God being an absolute Lord and so aboue the law may command that which his law forbiddeth so he commanded Isaac to be offered the Egyptians to be spoiled the brasen Serpent to be erected which was a figure of Christ c. The Decalogue is described in two Tables The summe of the first Table is that we loue God with our mind memorie affections and all our strength Matth. 22. 37. This is the first to wit in nature and order and great commandement namely in excellencie and dignitie CHAP. 20. Of the first commandement THe first table hath foure commandements The first teacheth vs to haue and choose the true God for our God The words are these I am Iehouah thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage Thou shalt haue none other God but me The Resolution I am If any man rather iudge that these words are a preface to al the commandements then a part of the first I hinder him not neuerthelesse it is like that they are a perswasion to the keeping of the first commandement that they are set before it to make way vnto it as being more hard to be receiued then the rest And this may appeare in that the three commandements next following haue their seuerall reasons Iehouah This word signifieth three things I. Him who of himselfe and in himselfe was from all eternitie Reuel 1.8 Who is who was and who is to come II. Him which giueth being to all things when they were not partly by creating partly by preseruing them III. Him which mightily causeth that those things which he hath promised should both be made and continued Exod. 6.1 Rom. 4. 17. Here beginneth the first reason of the first commandement taken from the name of God it is thus framed He that is Iehouah must alone be thy God But I am Iehouah Therefore I alone must be thy God This proposition is wanting the assumption is in these words I am Iehouah the conclusion is the commandement Thy God These are the words of the couenant of grace Ier. 32.33 wherby the Lord promiseth to his people remission of sinnes and eternall life Yea these words are as a second reason of the commandements drawne from the equalitie of that relation which is betweene God and his people If I be thy God thou againe must be my people and take me alone for thy God But I am thy God Therefore thou must be my people and take me alone for thy God The assumption or second part of this reason is confirmed by an argumeÌ„t taken from Gods effects when he deliuered his people out of Egypt as it were from the seruitude of a most tyrannous master This deliuerie was not appropriate onely to the Israelites but in some sort to the Church of God in all ages in that it was a typâ—â—f a more surpassing deliuerie from that fearefull kingdome of darkenes 1. Cor. 10.1,2 I would not haue you ignorant brethren that all our Fathers were vnder the cloude and all passed through the red sea and were all baptized vnto Moses in the cloude and in the sea Coloss. 1.13 Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes and translated vs into the kingdome of his deare sonne Other Gods or strange gods They are so called not that they by nature are such or can be but because the corrupt and more then diuelish heart of carnall man esteemeth so of them Phil. 3.19 Whose God is their bellie 1. Cor. 4.4 Whose mindes the God of this world hath bewitched Before my face That is figuratiuely in my sight or presence to whom the secret imaginations of the heart are knowne and this is the third reason of the first commandement as if he should say If thou in my presence reiect me it is an heinous offence see therfore thou doe it not After the same manner reasoneth the Lord. Gen. 17.1 I am God almightie therefore walke vpright The affirmatiue part Make choice of Iehouah to be thy God The duties here commanded are these I. To acknowledge God that is to know and confesse him to bee such a God as he hath reuealed himselfe to be in his worde and creatures Col. 1.10 Increasing in the knowledge of God Ierem. 24. 7. And I will giue them an heart to know me that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God for they
doting women who through the diuels delusion suppose that they themselues doe that which indeede the diuell doth alone albeit they endeauour cunningly to cloake this sinne yet by the same meanes they may defend murther adulterie and what other sinne soeuer II. Those which doe consult with Magitians they doe also worship the diuel for they reuolt frō God to the diuell howesoeuer they plaister vp their impietie with vntempered morter that they seeke Gods helpe though by the meanes of Magitians 1. Sam. 28.13 The woman said to Saul I saw gods ascending from the earth Leu. 20.6 If any turne after such as worke with spirit◠and after soothsayers to goe a whoring after them then will I set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people Esay 8.19 20. When they shall say to you Enquire at them which haue a spirit of diuination and at the soothsayers which whisper and murmure Should not a people enquire as their God from the liuing to the dead to the law and to the testimonie The affirmatiue part Thou shalt worshippe God in spirit and trueth Iohn 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and trueth For so soone as any man beginneth to worship God after an ouerthwart and vnlawefull manner he then adoreth an idoll howsoeuer he seemeth to colour his impietie Paul therefore Rom. 1.23 saith that such as worshipped the creature and turned the glorie of the incorruptible God to the similitude of a corruptible man did forsake the Creator v. 25. and 1. Cor. 10.20 Those things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to diuells and not vnto God To this part therfore appertaine such things as respect the holy solemne seruice of God I. The true and ordinarie meanes of Gods worshippe as calling vpon the name of the Lord by humble supplication and hartie thanksgiuing and the ministerie of the Word and Sacraments Act. 2.41,42 They that gladly receiued his word were baptized the same day there were added to the Church about three thousand soules And they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and of prayers 1. Tim. 2.1 I exhort you especially that praiers supplicatiōs be made for all men for kings all in authoritie Act. 20.7 The first day of the weeke the Disciples being come togither to breake bread Paul preached vnto them readie to depart on the morrow and continued the preaching vnto midnight Tertul. Apolog. chap. 39. We come into the assemblie and congregation that with our praiers as with an armie we might compasse God This kind of violence offered to God is acceptable to him If any man so offend that he must bee suspended from the publike place of praier and holy meetings all ancient men that be of any account beare rule being aduanced to this honour not by bribes but by their good report c. read the rest II. An holy vse of the meanes First in the ministers who ought to administer al things belonging to Gods worship according to his word Math. 28. 20. Teaching them to obserue all things which I haue commaunded 1. Corinthians 11. 23. I haue receiued of the Lord that which also I haue deliuered Secondly in the rest of the assemblie whose dutie is in praying vnto God in hearing the word preached and read and in receiuing the Sacraments to behaue thēselues outwardly in modestie and without offence 1. Corinth 14.40 Let all things be done honestly and by order Inwardly they must take heede that their hearts be well prepared to serue God Eccles. 4.17 Take heede to both thy feete when thou entrest into the house of God c. and chap. 5.1 Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thine heart he hastie to vtter a thing before God Againe wee must looke that wee approch neere God in confidence of his mercie togither with a contrite and repentant heart for all our sinnes Heb. 4. 2. The word that they heard profited not because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it Psal. 26.6 I will wash mine hands in innocencie O Lord and so come before thine altar III. The helps and furtherances of the true worship are two Vowes and Fasting and they are not to be takē as the worship of God it selfe For we may not obtrude any thing to God as good seruice and as though it did binde the conscience except he haue ordained it for that end and purpose A vow in the New Testament is a promise to God with a full intent to obserue some corporall and externall duties which a Christian hath on his owne accord without iniunction imposed vpon himself that he may thereby the better be excited vnto repentance meditation sobrietie abstinence patience and thankfulnes towards God Gen. 28.20 Then Iaakob vowed a vow saying If God will be with me and will keepe me in this iourney which I goe and will giue me bread to eate and cloathes to put on so that I come againe to my fathers house in safetie then shall the Lord be my God and this stone which I haue set vp as a pillar shall be Gods house and of all that thou shalt giue me I will giue the tenth to thee In vowing we haue these things to obserue 1. We must not vow that which is vnlawfull 2. We ought not to vowe the performance of that which is contrarie to our vocation 3. Vowes must be of that which we can doe 4. They must be farre from so much as a conceit of merit or worship of God 5. We must so performe our vowes as that they encroch not vpon Christian libertie giuen vs in Christ for we are bounden to pay our vowes no longer then the causes thereof either remaine or are taken away Deut. 23.18 Thou shalt neither bring the hire of a whore nor the price of a dogge into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow v. 21. When thou shalt vow a vow vnto the Lord thy God thou shalt not be slacke to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee but when thou abstainest from vowing it shal be no sinne vnto thee c. v. 23. Psal. 66.14 I will pay thee my vowes which my lips haue promised Fasting is when a man perceiuing the want of some blessing or suspecting and seeing some imminent calamitie vpon himselfe or other abstaineth not onely from flesh for a season but also from all delights and sustenance that he thereby may make a more diligent search into his owne sinnes or offer most hūble praiers vnto God that he would withhold that which his anger threatned or bestow vpon vs some such good things as we want Matth 9.15 Can the children of the marriage chamber mourne so long as the bridegrome is with thē 1. Cor. 7.5 Defraud not one another except for a time that ye may the better fast and pray Ioel 2.12 Wherefore euen now saith the Lord be ye turned
be entertained and receiued in the closet of the heart III. The least cogitation and motion the which though it procure not consent delighteth and tickleth the heart Of this kinde are these foolish wishes I would such an house were mine such a liuing such a thing c. And hitherto may we referre all vnchast dreames arising from concupiscence The affirmatiue part Couet that onely which is auaileable to thy neighbour Here are commended I. A pure heart towards our neighbour 1. Tim. 1.5 The end of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnfained II. Holy cogitations and motions of the spirit Paul praieth 1. Thess. 5.23 that the Thessalonians may be holy not onely in bodie and soule but also in spirit Eph. 4.23 III. A conflict against the euill affections and lusts of the flesh Rom. 7.22 I reioyce in the law of God in regard of the inward man 23. But I see another Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my minde and making me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members 24. Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death 2. Cor. 12.7 8 9. CHAP. 30. Of the vse of the Law THe vse of the Law in vnregenerate persons is threefold The first is to lay open sinne and make it knowne Rom. 3.20 By the workes of the Law shall no flesh be iustified in his sight for by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne The second vse is accidentarily to effect and augment sinne by reason of the flesh the which causeth man to decline from that which is commanded and euer to encline to that which is prohibited Rom. 7.8 Sinne tooke occasion by the commandement and wrought in me all manner of concupiscence for without the Law sinne is dead 9. For I once was aliue without the Law but when the commandement came sinne reuiued 10. But I died and that commandement which was ordained vnto life was found to be vnto me vnto death The third vse is to denounce eternall damnation for the least disobedience without offering any hope of pardon This sentence the law pronounceth against offendours and by it partly by threatning partly by terrifying it raigneth and ruleth ouer man Rom. 3.19 Wee know that whatsoeuer the Law saith it saith it to them which are vnder the Lawe that euery mouth may be stopped and all the world be culpable before God Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the workes of the law are vnder the curse for it is written Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all that is written in the booke of the Lawe to doe them 2. Cor. 3.7 If the ministration of death written with letters and ingrauen in stones was glorious 8. Howe shall not the ministration of the spirit be more glorious For if the ministration of condemnation were glorious c. The ende why sinne raigneth in man is to vrge sinners to flie vnto Christ Galat. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue 24. Wherfore the law was our schoolemaster to Christ. Heb. 12.18,19,20 The continuance of this power of the law is perpetuall vnlesse a sinner repent and the very first act of repentance so freeth him that he shall no more be vnder the lawe but vnder grace 2. Sam. 12.13 Then said Dauid to Nathan I haue sinned against the Lord wherfore Nathan said to Dauid The Lord also hath forgiuen thy sinne and thou shalt not die Rom. 6.14 Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for ye are not vnder the law but vnder grace If therefore thou desirest seriously eternall life first take a narrowe examination of thy selfe and the course of thy life by the square of Gods lawe then set before thine eies the curse that is due vnto sinne that thus bewailing thy miserie and despairing vtterly of thine own power to attaine euerlasting happinesse thou maiest renounce thy selfe and be prouoked to seeke and sue vnto Christ Iesus The vse of the Law in such as are regenerate is far otherwise for it guideth them to new obedience in the whole course of their life which obedience may be acceptable to God by Christ. Rom. 3.31 Doe we therefore through faith make the Law of none effect God forbid nay we rather establish the Law Psal. 119. 24. Thy testimonies are my delight they are my counsellers v. 105. Thy word is a lantarne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathes CHAP. 31. Of the couenant of Grace HItherto concerning the couenant of works and of the Law now followeth the couenant of grace The couenant of Grace is that whereby God freely promising Christ and his benefits exacteth againe of man that he would by faith receiue Christ and repent of his sinnes Hos. 2.18 In that daie will I make a couenant for them c. 19. And I will marrie thee vnto me for euer yea I will marrie thee vnto me in righteousnesse and in iudgement and in mercie and in compassion v. 20. I will euen marrie thee vnto me in faithfulnesse and thou shalt knowe the Lord. Ezech. 36.25 I will poure cleane water vpon you and ye shall be cleane yea from all your filthinesse and from all your idols will I clense you v. 26. And I will giue you a newe heart and a newe spirit will I put within you v. 27. And cause you to walke in my statutes Malach 3.1 The Lord whome ye seeke shall speedily come to his temple euen the messenger of the couenant whome ye desire behold he shall come saith the Lord of hosts This couenant is also named a testament for it hath partly the nature and properties of a testament or will First it is confirmed by the death of the testator Heb. 9.16 Where a testament is there must be the death of him that made the testament 17. For the testament is confirmed when men are dead for it is yet of no force so long as he that made it is aliue Secondly in this couenant we doe not offer much and promise small to God but in a manner doe onely receiue euen as the last will and testament of a man is not for the testators but the heires commodity The couenant albeit it be one in substance yet it is distinguished into the old and new testament The olde testament or couenant is that which in types and shadowes prefigured Christ to come and to be exhibited The newe testament declareth Christ already come in the flesh and is apparantly shewed in the Gospel The Gospell is that part of Gods word which cōtaineth a most worthy welcome message namely that mankind is fully redeemed by the blood of Iesus Christ the only begotten sonn of God manifest in the flesh so that now for all such as repent and beleeue in Christ Iesus there is prepared a full remission of all their sinnes togither with saluation and life euerlasting Ioh.
say first Christ and then his graces because no man receiueth grace frō Christ vnlesse he be made truely partaker of his very bodie and blood euen as no man can by right reape any fruite of the ground whereof first hee hath no iust title and interest The action about Christ is spirituall and is either the action of God or of Faith The action of God is either the offering or the Application of Christ his graces to the faithfull The action of faith is the consideration desire apprehension and receiuing of Christ in the lawefull vse of the Sacrament Thus much of the parts of a Sacrament nowe followeth the vnion of the parts This sacramentall vnion I. is not naturall according to the place for there is no mutation of the signe into the thing signed neither is the thing signed either included in or fastened vpon the signe But II. it is respectiue because there is a certaine agreement and proportion of the externall things with the internall and of the actions of one with the actions of the other whereby it commeth to passe that the signes as it were certaine visible wordes incurring into the externall senses doe by a certaine proportionable resemblance drawe a Christian mind to the consideration of the things signified to be applied This mutuall and as I may say sacramentall relation is the cause of so many figuratiue speeches and metonymies which are vsed as when one thing in the Sacrament is put for another As I. The signe is vsed for the thing signified Exod. 12. 11. Ye shall eate it namely the Lambe in hast for it is the Lords passeouer Ioh. 6. 52. I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen if any eate of this breade he shall liue for euer and the bread which I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world 1. Cor. 5.7 Christ our Passeouer is sacrificed for vs. 1. Cor. 10.17 We that are many are one bread and one bodie because we are all partakers of one bread II. The name of the thing signified is giuen to the signe as The bread is Christs bodie the cuppe is Christs blood 1. Cor. 11.24 Math. 26.28 III. The effect of the thing signified is giuen to the signe as Circumcision is a couenant Gen. 17. 10. Act. 7.8 The cup is the new Testament in Christs blood Luk. 22.16 Baptisme is the washing of the new birth Tit. 3.5 IV. That which properly belōgeth to the signe is attributed to the thing signified Deut. 10.16 Circumcise the foreskin of your hearts Ioh. 6.53 Vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood ye shall haue no life in you The end why a Sacrament was ordained is I. for the better confirmation of our faith for by it as by certaine pledges giuen God of his great mercie doth as it were binde himselfe vnto vs. Now a Sacrament doth confirme our faith not by any inherēt or proper power it hath in it selfe as hath a soueraigne medecine receiued by a patient the which whether a man sleepe or wake it confirmeth his strength but rather by reasoning and vsing the signes when the holy Ghost shall frame in our hearts such a conclusion as this All such as are conuerted rightly vsing the Sacraments shall receiue Christ and his graces But I am conuerted and either now doe or before haue rightly vsed the Sacraments Therefore I shall receiue Christ and his graces II. That it might be a badge and note of that profession by which the true Church of God is distinguished from other congregations III. That it might be a meane to preserue and spread abroad the doctrine of the Gospel IV. It serueth to binde the faithfull that they doe continue both loyall and gratefull to their Lord God V. It is the bond of mutuall amitie betwixt the faithfull How a Sacrament is necessarie to saluation The couenant of Grace is absolutely necessarie to saluation for it comprehending Christ Iesus the very substance of the Couenant man must necessarily either receiue it or perish eternally but a Sacrament is not absolutely necessarie but onely as it is a prop and stay for faith to leane vpon For it cannot entitle vs into the inheritance of the sonnes of God as the couenant doth but onely by reason of faith going before it doth seale that which before was bestowed vpon vs. As we see in humane contracts the bond ariseth from the mutuall consent of the parties but the instrument or bill and the setting to of the seale they doe not make but rather confirme the bond mutually before made the which mutuall consent remaining firme the contract standeth still in force though the instrument or seale be wanting Therefore the want of a Sacrament doth not condemne but the contempt is that which will condemne a man The want of a Sacrament is when we are iustly hindred from the receiuing of the same as when one is preuented by death or liueth in such a place where he cannot receiue the Sacrament And as for the neglect of a Sacrament albeit it be a very grieuous sinne yet is it such an one as for which he that is heartily penitent for the same may well hope for pardon The holy vse of a Sacrament is when such as are truly conuerted doe vse those rites which God hath prescribed vnto their true ends in the receiuing of a Sacrament Therefore I. the reprobate though God offer the whole Sacrament vnto them yet they receiue the signes alone without the things signified by the signes because the signe without the right vse thereof is not a Sacrament to the receiuer of it So Paul saith Rom. 2. 25. Circumcision verely is profitable if thou keepe the Law but if thou be a transgressour of the Law thy circumcision is made vncircumcision And Augustine hath this saying If thou receiue it carnally yet ceaseth it not to be spirituall though to thee it be not so II. The Elect as yet not conuerted to the Lord doe receiue in like manner the bare signes without the thing signified yet so as that that Sacrament shall in them afterward haue his good effect For the Sacrament receiued before a mans conuersion is afterward to the penitent both ratified and becommeth profitable and that vse of the Sacrament which before was vtterly vnlawfull doth then become very lawfull III. The Elect alreadie conuerted doe to their saluation receiue both the signe and the thing signified together yet so as that for their vnworthie receiuing thereof the which commeth to passe by reason of their manifold infirmities and relapses into sinne they are subiect vnto temporall punishments The difference betwixt a Sacrament and a Sacrifice is in a Sacrament God bestoweth his graces vpon vs but in a sacrifice we returne vnto God faith and obedience There are many differences betwixt the Sacraments of the Old testament and these of the New I. They were many these but few II. They pointed at Christ
6.27 For him hath the Father sealed The second is his blessing of it whereby he by the recitall of the promises and praiers conceiued to that ende doth actually separate the bread and wine receiued from their common vnto an holy vse This doth seale that action of God by which he did in the fulnesse of time send Christ to performe the office of a Mediatour vnto the which he was fore-ordained The third is the breaking of the bread and powring out of the wine this doth seale the passion of Christ by which he verely vpon the crosse was both in soule and bodie bruised for our transgressions The fourth is his distributing of the bread and wine into the hands of the communicants This sealeth the action of God offering Christ vnto all yea to the hypocrites but giuing him indeede vnto the faithful for the daily encrease of their faith and repentance The action of the receiuer is double The first is his taking the bread and wine in his hand This sealeth a spirituall action of the receiuer namely his apprehension of Christ by the hand of faith Ioh. 1. 1â— The second is his eating of the bread and drinking of the wine to the nourishment of his bodie This sealeth his application of Christ by faith that the feeling of his true vnion and communion with Christ may daily be encreased 1. Cor. 11.16 The cuppe of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ That doctrine of Transubstantiation which teacheth that the bread is turned into the very bodie of Christ and the wine into his blood is a very fable the reasons why are these I. In the first institution of the Supper which was before Christ his passion the bodie of Christ was then eaten as alreadie crucified Now how the bodie of Christ crucified should after a corporall manner be eaten he himselfe being not as yet crucified it is impossible to imagine II. The bread after the consecration is distributed into parts but the whole bodie of Christ is receiued of euery singular communicant III. The bread is the communion of Christs bodie therefore not his very bodie IV. By this meanes the bodie of Christ should not onely be made of the substance of the Virgin Marie but also of the bakers bread V. Let the bread wine be kept for a time and the bread will mould and the wine turne to vineger after the consecration by which we may conclude that there did remaine the substaÌ„ce of bread and wine VI. This opinion quite ouerthroweth the sacramentall vnion namely the proportion which is betwixt the signe and the thing signed Thâ— lâ—ke may be said of the Lutherans Consubstantiation whereby they bâ—â—re men in hand that there is a coexistence by which the bodie of Christ is eithâ—â— in or with or about the bread Against this these reasons may suffice I. The â—hoâ—â—â—ction of the Supper is done in remembrance of Christ now what 〈…〉 f the bodie of Christ were really present II. Act. 3.21 Whom the heauens 〈◊〉 containe vntill the time that all things be restored III. This is an essential propertie of euery magnitude and therfore of the bodie of Christ to be in one place and circumscribed or compassed of one place IV. If that Christs bodie were eaten corporally then should the wicked as well as the faithfull be partakers of the flesh of Christ but to eate his flesh is to beleeue in him and to haue eternall life V. It were very absurd to thinke that Christ sitting amongst his Disciples did with his owne hands take his owne bodie and giue it wholly to each of his Disciples Such as will in an holy sort prepare themselues to celebrate the Lords Supper must haue First a knowledge of God and of mans fall and of the promised restauration into the couenant by Christ. 1. Cor. 11.26 So often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke of this cuppe ye shew the death of the Lord till he come 29. and discerne his bodie Secondly true faith in Christ for euery man receiueth so much as he beleeueth he receiueth Heb. 4.2 For vnto vs was the Gospel preached as also vnto them but the word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it Furthermore true repentance of their sinnes Esai 66.3 He that killeth a bullocke as if he slue a man he that sacrificeth a sheepe as if he cut off a dogges necke he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines blood he that remembreth incense as if he blessed an idol yea they haue chosen their owne waies and their soule delighteth in their abominations Psal. 26.6 I wash mine hands in innocency O Lord and so come before thine altar Thirdly renued faith and repentance for daily and new sinnes committed vpon infirmitie because euery new sinne requireth a new act both of repentance and faith this renouation must be seene by our reconciliation of our selues to our neighbours for iniuries and wrongs Mat. 5.23 If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee 24. Leaue thy gift before the altar and goe first be reconciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift If thou canst come furnished with these things abstaine not from the Lords table by reaâ—â—n of thy many infirmities If being thus prepared thou feelest that thou hast a corrupt and rebellious heart know this that then thou art well disposed to the Lords table wheÌ„ thou art liuely touched with a sense of thy crooked disposition Luk. 4.18 The spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath annointed me that I should preach the Gospell to the poore he hath sent me that I should heale the broken hearted that I should preach deliuerance to the captiues and recouering of sight to the blind that I should set at libertie them that are bruised Mat. 15.24 He answered and said I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel The Lords Supper is a medicine to the diseased and languishing soule and therefore men must as well seeke to purifie and heale their hearts in it as to bring pure and sounde hearts vnto it If thou feele in thy selfe some great defect and want of faith pray vnto god earnestly that he will vouchfafe to increase it Mark 9.24 The father of the child crying with teares said Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe If thou canst not doe this thy selfe vse the aide of the faithfull which may by their faith carrie thee as men did the sicke of the palsie vpon their sholders and laid him before Christ. Mark 2.3 If thou come not furnished on this maner to the Lords table thou shalt be adiudged guiltie of the bodie and blood of Christ as he is guiltie of high treason who doth counterfeit or clip the Princes coyne 1. Cor. 11.27 He
In whome ye are also built togither to be the habitation of God by the spirit This albeit it be a most neere and reall vnion yet we must not thinke that it by touching mixture or as it were by souldring of one soule with another neither by a bare agreement of the soules among themselues but by the communion and operation of the same spirit which beeing by nature infinite is of sufficient abilitie to conioyne those things togither which are of themselues farre distant from each other the like we see in the soule of man which conioyneth the head with the foote Eph. 2.22 2. Pet. 1.4 Whereby most great and precious promises are giuen vnto vs that by them ye should be partakers of the godly nature in that ye flie the corruption which is in the world through lust Phil. 2.1 If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the spirit c. The things vnited In this vnion not our soule alone is vnited with Christs soule or our â—lesh with his flesh but the whole person of euery faithfull man is â—erely conioyned with the whol person of our Sauiour Christ God man The manner of their vnion is this A faithfull man first of all and immediatly is vnited to the flesh or humane nature of Christ afterward by reason of the humanitie to the Word it selfe or diuine nature For saluation and life dependeth on that fulnesse of the godhead which is in Christ yet it is not coÌ„municated vnto vs but in the flesh and by the flesh of Christ. Ioh. 6 5â— Except ye eate the flesh and drinke the blood of the Sonne of man ye haue no life in you 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him The bond of this vnion This vnion is made by the spirit of God applying Christ vnto vs and on our parts by faith receiuing Christ Iesus offered vnto vs. And for this cause is it tearmed a spirituall vnion Christ because he is the head of the faithfull is to be considered as a publike man sustaining the person of all the elect Hence is it that the faithfull are â—aid to be crucified with Christ and with him to die to be buried Rom. 6.4 5,6 to be quickened Eph. 2.5 to be raised vp and placed in heauen v. 6. Col. 3.1 the which is not onely in regard of the hope of the faithful but because they are accepted of God certainely to haue done all these things in Christ euen as in Adams first sinne all his posteritie afterward was tainted of sinne A member of Christ is diuersly distinguished and is so either before men or God Before meÌ„ they are the members of Christ who outwardly professing the faith are charitably reputed by the Church as true members But such deceiuing at length both themselues and the Church may be reprobates therefore in Gods presence they are no more true members then are the noxious humours in mans bodie or a woodden legge or other ioynt cunningly fastened to another part of the bodie Againe members before God they are such as either are decreed to be so or actually are so already Such as are decreed to be so are they who being elect from all eternitie are either as yet not borne or not called Ioh. 10. 16. Other sheepe haue I which are not of this fold them also must I bring Actuall members of Christ are either liuing or dying members An actuall liuing member of Christ is euery one elected which being engraffed by faith and the spirit into Christ doth feele and shewe forth the power of Christ in him An actuall dying or decaying member is euery one truely engraffed into Christ and yet hath no feeling of the power and efficacie of the quickening spirit in him He is like vnto a benummed legge without sense which indeede is a part of mans body and yet receiueth no nourishment such are those faithfull ones who for a time doe faint and are ouercome vnder the heauie burtheÌ„ of tentations and their sinnes such are also those excommunicate persons who in regard of their engraffing are true members howesoeuer in regard of the externall communion with the Church and efficacie of the spirit they are not members till such time as they being touched with repentance doe begin as it were to liue againe God executeth this effectuall calling by certaine meanes The first is the sauing hearing of the word of God which is when the said word outwardly is preached to such an one as is both dead in his sinnes and doth not so much as dreame of his saluation And first of all the Law shewing a man his sinne and the punishment thereof which is eternall death afterward the Gospel shewing saluation by Christ Iesus to such as beleeue And inwardly the eyes of the minde are enlightened the heart and eares opened that he may see heare and vnderstand the preaching of the word of God The second is the mollifying of the heart the which must be bruised in pieces that it may be fit to receiue Gods sauing grace offered vnto it Ezech. 11. 19. I will giue them one heart and I will put a new spirit within their bowels And I will take the stonie heart out of their bodies and will giue them an heart of flesh There are for the brusing of this stonie heart foure principal hammers The first is the knowledge of the law of God The second is the knowledge of sinne both originall and actuall and what punishment is due vnto them The third is compunction or pricking of the heart namely a sense and feeling of the wrath of God for the same sinnes The fourth is an holy desperation of a mans owne power in the obtaining of eternall life Act. 2.37 When they heard these things they were pricked in heart and said vnto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe 38. Peter said vnto them Repent and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus into the remission of sinnes and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Luk. 15.17 Then he came to himselfe and said How many hired seruants at my fathers haue bread ynough and I die for hunger 18. I will rise and goe to my father and say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee 19. And am no more worthie to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruants c. Matth. 15. 24. He answered and said I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of Israel The third is faith which is a miraculous and supernaturall facultie of the heart apprehending Christ Iesus being applied by the operation of the holy Ghost and receiuing him to it selfe Ioh. 1.1,2,6.35 Iesus said vnto them I am the bread of life he that commeth vnto me shall neuer hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Rom. 9.30 What shall we
Prophets and yee shall prosper They therefore doe very ill who are still in a doubt of their saluation because as yet they feele not in themselues especiall motions of Gods spirit Thus much concerning the way which God vseth in begetting of faith There are beside this two notable degrees of faith The one is the lowest and as I may speake the positiue degree the other is the highest or superlatiue The lowest degree of faith is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little or weake faith like a graine of mustard seede or smoking flaxe which can neither giue out heate nor flame but onely smoke Math. 8.25 His Disciples awaked him saying Saue master we perish 26. And he said vnto them Why are ye fearefull O ye of little faith Math. 7.20 If ye haue faith as much as a graine of mustard seede ye shall say vnto the mountaine Mooue and it shall remooue Esay 42.3 The smoking flaxe shall he not quench Faith is then said to be weake and feeble when as of those fiue degrees aboue mentioned either the first which is knowledge or the fift which is application of the promises is very feeble the rest remaining strong Rom. 14.2 One beleeueth that he may eate all things and another which is weake eateth hearbes 3. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him which eateth not iudge him which eateth for God hath receiued him The Apostles although they beleeued that Christ was the Sonne of the liuing God yet they were ignorant of his death and his resurrection Matth. 16. 16. Ioh. 6.69 Matth. 17. 22. Luk. 9.49 They vnderstood not that word for it was hid from thē so that they could not perceiue it Act. 1.6 They asked him saying Lord wilt thou restore at this time the kingdome of Israel For the better knowledge of this kind of faith we must obserue these two rules I. A serious desire to beleeue and an indeauour to obtaine Gods fauour is the head of faith Mat 5.6 Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Reu. 21.6 I will giue to him that it is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely Psal. 145.19 He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he also will heare their crie and will saue them For in such as begin to beleeue and to be renued the minde will lie not idle but being mooued by the holy ghost striue with doubtfulnesse and distrust indeauour to put their assent to the sweete promises made in the Gospell and firmely to apply the same to themselues and in the sense of their weakenesse desire assistance from aboue and thus faith is bestowed II. God doth not despise the least sparke of faith if so be it by little and little doe encrease and men vse the meanes to increase the same Luk. 17.5 The Apostles said vnto the Lord encrease our faith 6. And the Lord said If ye had faith as much as a graine of mustard seed and should saie vnto this mulberrie tree Plucke thy selfe vp by the rootes and plant thy selfe in the sea it should euen obey you Man must therefore stirre vp his faith by meditation of Gods word serious prayers and other exercises belonging vnto faith The highest degree of faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a full assurance which is not onely certaine and true but also a full perswasion of the heart whereby a Christian much more firmely taking hold on Christ Iesus maketh full and resolute account that God loueth him and that he will giue to him by name Christ and all his graces pertaining to eternall life Rom. 4.20 Neither did be doubt of the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strengthened in the faith and gaue glory to God 21. Beeing fully assured that he which had promised was able also to doe it Rom. 8.38 I am perswaded that neither life nor death c. can separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus 1. Sam. 17.36 Thy seruant slue both the lyon and the beare therfore this vncircumcised Philistim shall be as one of them seeing he hath railed on the hoste of the liuing God Psal. 23.6 Doubtlesse kindnesse and mercy shal follow me all the daies of my life Conferred with v. 1,2,3,4 Man commeth to this high degree after the sense obseruation long experience of Gods fauour and loue Quest. Whether is iustifying faith commanded in the law Answer It is commanded in the lawe of faith namely the Gospel but not in the law of works that is in the morrall law Rom. 3.27 the reasons are these I. That which the law reuealeth not that it commandeth not but the lawe is so farre from reuealing iustifying faith that it neuer knew it II. Adam had fully before his fall written in his heart the morall lawe yet had he not iustifying faith which apprehendeth Christ. Obiect I. Incredulitie is condemned by the law Answer That incredulitie which is toward God is condemned in the lawe but that incredulitie which is against the Messiah Christ Iesus is condemned by the Gospel For as by the Gospel◠not by the law incredulitie in the Sonne as Mediatour appeareth to be a sinne so likewise not by the law is incredulitie in the Messiah condemned but by the Gospel which commandeth vs to heare him and to beleeue in him Mat. 17.5 1. Ioh. 3.23 Thus it is plaine that this sinne not to beleeue in Christ is expressely and distinctly made manifest and condemned by the Gospel And albeit the knowledge of sinne be by the law yet not euery thing which doth reprooue and declare some sinne is the lawe of workes or belongeth thereto Obiect II. But ceremonies belong to the decalogue Answer Ceremonies may be as examples referred to the decalogue but indeede they are appendants to the Gospell CHAP. 37. Concerning the second degree of the declaration of Gods loue THe second degree is iustification whereby such as beleeue are accounted iust before God through the obedience of Christ Iesus 2. Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that we should bee made the righteousnesse of God in him 1. Cor. 1.30 Rom. 5.19 As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one that is Iesus Christ v. 17 shall many also be made righteous Quest. Whether did Christ performe full obedience to the law for vs men alone or for himselfe also Answer I. Not for himselfe as some not rightly would haue him for the flesh of Christ beeing hypostatically vnited to the Word and so in it selfe fully sanctified was euen from the first moment of conception most worthy to be blessed with eternall life Therefore by all that obedience which he performed after his conception Christ he merited nothing for himselfe II. For vs namely for the faithfull he fulfilled all the righteousnes of the law and hence is it that he is called the ende of the law vnto
good ordering of particular both things and actions as person place and time require These two haue these effects which follow I. To discerne betweene good and euill Heb. 5.14 Strong meate belongeth to them that are of age which through long custome haue their exercised to discerne both good and euill Phil. 10.1 That we may discerne things that differ one from an other II. To discerne of spirits 1. Ioh. 4.1 Deerely beloued beleeue not euery spirit but trie the spirits whether they are of God 1. Thess. 5.21 Trie all things and keepe that which is good Act. 17.11 There were more noble men then they which were at Thessalonica which receiued the word with all readines and searched the Scriptures daily whether these things were so III. To meditate vpon the word and works of God Psal. 1.2 But his delight is in the Law of God and in that Law doth exercise himselfe day and night Psal. 119.15 I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy waies Psal. 107. the whole psalme IV. To discerne and acknowledge mans owne inward blindnes Psal. 119.33 Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it vnto the endâ— 28. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law II. The sanctitie of the memorie is an abilitie to keepe a good thing when it is offered to the minde and as neede serueth to remember it Psal. 119.11 I haue hid thy promise in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee Psal. 16.7 I will praise the Lord who hath giuen me couÌ„sell my reines also teach me in the nights Luk. 2.51 His mother kept all these things in her heart III. The sanctitie of conscience which is a grace of God whereby a mans conscience excuseth him for all sinnes after they are forgiuen him in Christ as also of his vpright walking in the whole course of his life 1. Tim. 1.19 Hauing faith and a good conscience which some hauing put away c. 1. Cor. 4.4 I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified Act. 23. 1. Paul said I haue in all good conscience serued God vntill this day Act. 24.16 I endeauour my selfe to haue alway a cleare conscience toward God and toward men Psal. 26. 1 2 3. Iudge me O Lord for I haue walked in mine innocencie my trust hath beene also in the Lord therefore shall I not slide Prooue me O Lord and trie me examine my reines and mine heart For thy louing kindnesse is before mine eyes therefore haue I walked in thy truth Hence in all godly men ariseth the inward peace of God and the outward alacritie in the countenance Phil. 4.7 The peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall preserue your hearts and mindes in Iesus Christ. Prov. 28.1 The wicked flee when none pursueth but the righteous are bold as a Lyon IV. Sanctitie of will whereby man beginneth to will that which is good and to refuse the contrarie Therfore in this estate the will is partly freed from bondage partly in bondage to sinne Phil. 2. 13. It is God which worketh in you both the will and the deede euen of his owne pleasure Rom. 7. 18. I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good c. v. 19 20 21 22. V. Sanctitie of affections is the right moouing of them 1. Thess. 5. 23. Rom. 7.24 Affections of most especiall note are these I. Hope whereby men with sighings looke for the accomplishing of their redemption Rom. 8.23 This hope when it is once strong and liuely hath also her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is full assurance as faith hath Heb. 6.11 And we desire that euery one of you shewe the same diligence to the full assurance of hope vnto the ende 1. Pet. 1.3 Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his aboundant mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead II. Feare of offending God because of his mercie 1. Pet. 1.17 If yee call him father which without respect of person iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your dwelling here in feare Psal. 103.4 There is mercie with thee that thou maist be feared III. A base account of all worldly things in respect of Christ Iesus Phil. 3. 7. But the things that were aduantage to me I accounted losse for Christs sake 8. Yea doubtlesse I thinke all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whome I haue counted all things losse and doe iudge them to be â—oâ—â—g that I might winne Christ. IV. The loue of God in Christ which is like vnto death and as a fire that cannot be quenched Cant. 8.6 Loue is strong as death iealousie is cruell as the graue the coles thereof are fire coles and a vehement flame V. A feruent zeale to Gods glorie Rom. 9.3 I vvould wish my selfe to be separate from Christ for my brethren that are my kinsmen according to the flesh VI. An anguish of minde for our owne sinnes and others also Psal. 119 1â—6 Mine eyes gush out with teares because men keepe not thy law 2. Pet. 2.7 And deliuered iust Lot being vexed with the vncleanly conuersation of the wicked 8. For he beeing righteous and dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull deedes VII Exceeding great ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 The kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost VI. Sanctitie of bodie whereby it is a sit instrument for the soule to accomplish that which is good Rom. 6.19 As ye haue giuen your members seruants to vncleannesse and to iniquitie to commit iniquitie so now giue your members seruants vnto righteousnes in holines CHAP. 39. Of Repentance and the fruits thereof FRom sanctification Repentance is deriued because no man can earnestly repent except he denying himselfe doe hate sinne euen from his heart and embrace righteousnes This no man either will or can performe but such an one as is in the sight of God regenerated and iustified and indued with true faith Therefore albeit in such as are conuerted repentance doth first manifest it selfe yet regarding the order of nature it followeth both faith and sanctification Hence also is it euident that this repentance legall contrition beeing some occasion and as it were a preparation to true conuersion is begotten by the preaching of the Gospel Repentance is when a sinner turneth vnto the Lord. Act. 26.20 He shewed first vnto them of Damascus and at Ierusalem and through all the coasts of Iudea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turne to God and to doe workes worthie amendment of life 1. Ioh. 3.3 Euery man that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe as he is pure
mercie in that he pardoned their sinne for the merites of his Sonne Eph. 1. 18. That the eies of your vnderstanding may be lightned that ye may knowe what the hope is of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in his Saints 19. And what is the exceeding greatnes of his power towardes vs which beleeue according to the working of his mightie power 20. Which he wrought in Christ. Chap. 3.18 That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height 19. And to knowe the loue of Christ. All these things the Lord himselfe hath thus decreed and in his good time will accomplish them to the glorious praise of his Name Pro. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the daie of euill CHAP. 50. Concerning the order of the causes of saluation according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome THere are two things requisite to obtained saluation Predestination and the Execution thereof Predestination is a foreordaining of the reasonable creature to grace in this life glory in the life to come Sebast. Cattaneus Enchirid. tract 1. chap. last This in regard of the first effects thereof which are vocation election and ordination to eternall life hath the cause of it in God namely his will but in regard of the last effect which is the execution of such an ordinance and the obtaining of eternall life it hath the cause of it from man because according to the common opinion Gods predestination is by reason of workes foreseene in men that is God doth therefore predestinate or reiect some man because he foreseeth that he will well or badly vse his grace But for the more euident declaration of this these seuen conclusions must be set downe I. The Predestination and Reprobation of God do not constraine or inforce any necessitie vpon the will of man II. God hath predestinated all men that is he hath appointed and disposed all men so as they might obtaine eternall saluation III. Man is neither by necessitie nor chance saued or condemned but voluntarily IV. God hath predestinated some other hath he reiected V. Those whome God hath predestinated by his absolute predestination which can not be lost they shall infallibly die in grace but they which are predestinate by that predestination which beeing according to preâ—ent iustice may be lost by some mortall sinne which followeth are not infallibly saued but oftentimes such are condemned and loose their crowne and glory Hence ariseth that position of theirs that he which is iustified may be a reprobate perish eternally Torrensis Aug. Confess 2. booke 4. chap. 20. Sect. Therfore predestination is not certaine seeing it may be lost VI. God alone doth know the certaine and set number of them which are predestinate VII There is one set number of them which are predestinate or reprooued and that can neither be increased nor diminished The execution of Predestination is either in infants or those of yeres of discretion Concerning infants the merite of Christ is appliyed vnto them by baptisme rightly administred so that whatsoeuer in originall corruption may truely and properly be accounted for sinne it is not onely as I may say not pared away or not imputed but vtterly taken away For there is nothing that God can hate in such as are renued Concil Trid. 5. sect 5. Can. Neuertheles they are vrged to confesse that there remaineth yet in such as are baptized concupiscence or the reliques of sinn The which seeing it is left in men for them to wrestle withall it hath not power to hurt such as yeeld not vnto it The execution of predestination in such as are of riper yeares hath sixe degrees The first is vocation whereby men not for their owne merits but by Gods preuenting grace through Christ are called to turne vnto God The second is a preparation to righteousnesse whereby men through the inherent power of free-will do apply themselues to iustification after that the same power is stirred vp by the holy Ghost For free-will is onely somewhat diminished and not extinguished and therefore so soone as the holy Ghost toucheth and inlighteneth the heart it worketh togither with the same spirit freely assenting vnto the same This preparation hath seuen degreesâ— Biel. 4. booke 14. dist 2. quest The first is faith which is a knowledge and an assent whereby men agree that those things are true which are deliuered concerning God and his will reuealed in the word of God This is the foundation of iustification and prepareth the heart because it stirreth vp free-will that it may affect the heart with those motions by which it is prepared to iustification I. The act of faith is to apprehend the ouglines of sin the wages therof II. After this followeth a feare of Gods anger and of hell fire III. Then begin men to dislike and in some sort to detest sinne From these ariseth a certaine disposition which hath annexed vnto it the merite of congruitie yet not immediate nor sufficient but imperfect IV. At the length faith returneth to the contemplation of Gods mercies beleeueth that God is readie to forgiue sinnes by the infusion of charitie into those which are before sufficiently prepared and disposed V. Out of this contemplation proceedeth the act of hope whereby faith beginneth to desire and to waite on God as the chiefest good VI. Out of this act of hope ariseth loue whereby God is loued aboue all things in the world VII After this loue followeth a new dislike and detestation of sinne not so much in regard of feare of the punishment in hell fire as in regard of the offence of God who is simply loued more then all other things VIII After all these followeth a purpose of amendment of life and here comes in the merit of congruitie that is sufficient or els the immediate sufficient and last disposition before the infusion of grace The third degree of Predestination is the first iustification wherby men of vniust are made iust not only through the remission of their sinnes but also by a sanctificatioÌ„ of the inward maÌ„ by his voluÌ„tary receiuing of grace gifts The efficient cause of this iustification is the mercy of God and the meritorious passion of our Sauiour Christ whereby he purchased iustification for men The instrumentall cause is baptisme The formall cause is not that iustice which was inherent in Christ but which he infuseth into man and that is especially hope and charitie The fourth degree is the second iustification wherby men are of iust made more iust the cause hereof is faith ioyned with good workes It is possible for such as are renued to keepe the commaundements And therefore it is false that a iust man committeth so much as a veniall sinne in his best actions much lesse that he deserueth eternall death for the same The fift degree is the reparation of a sinner by the
Matth. 11.28 No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whoâ—â— the Sonne will reueale him Luke 8. To you it is giuen to know the mysteries of the kingdome of God Philip. 2. It is God which worketh in you to will and to doe 1. Cor. 12. 13. No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Briefly he who according to God is to be created to righteousnes and holiness Eph. 4.24 cannot any waies dispose himselfe to iustification or new creation For it is impossible that a thing not yet created should dispose it selfe to his creation The IX errour That preparation to grace which is caused by the power of free-will may by the merit of congruitie deserue iustification The Confutation These things smell of more then Satanicall arrogancie For what man but such an one as were not in his right mind would beleeue that he vnto whom so many millions of condemnations are due could once merit the least dramme of grace The prodigall sonne he was not receiued into fauour by reason of his deserts but by fauour Luk. 15.21 His sonne said vnto him I haue sinned against heauen and against thee and am no more worthie to be called thy sonne The X. errour The faith of the godly or that which iustifieth is that whereby a man doth in generall beleeue the promised blessednes of God and by which also he giueth his assent to other mysteries reuealed of God concerning the same The Confutation Faith is not onely a generall knowledge and assent to the historie of the Gospel but further also a certaine power both apprehending and seuerally applying the promises of God in Christ whereby a man doth assuredly set downe that his sinnes are forgiuen him and that he is reconciled vnto God Reasons I. A particular assuraÌ„ce of the fauour of god is of the nature of faith Eph. 3.12 By whom we haue boldnes and entrance with confidence by faith in him Rom. 4.20 Neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strengthened in the faith and gaue glorie vnto God 21. Beeing fully assured that he which had promised was also able to do it Heb. 10.22 Let vs draw nere with a true heart in assurance of faith II. Particular doubtings is reprehended Mat. 14. â—â— O thou of litle faith why didst thou doubt Luk. 12.29 Hang ye not in suspence III. That which a maÌ„ praieth for to god that must he assuredly beleeue to receiue Math. 11.24 But the faithfull in their praiers make request for adoption iustification and life eternall And therefore they must certainely beleeue that they shall receiue these benefits IV. Rom. 5.1 We beeing thâ—refore iustified we haue peace with God But there can be no peace where there is not a paâ—ticuâ—ar assurance of Gods fauour V. That which the spirit of God doth testifie vnto vs particularly that must also be beleeued particularly But the spirit of God doth giue a particular testimonie of the adoption of the faithfull Rom. 8.16 Gal. 4.6 This therefore is in like sort to be beleeued Whereas they say that no man hath a particular assurance but by especiall reuelation as was that which Abraham and Paul had it is false For the faith of these two is set downe in Scripture as an example which we should all follow For this cause Abraham is called the Father of the faithfull and Paul testifieth the very fame of himselfe 1. Tim. 1.16 For this cause saith he was I receiued to mercie that Iesus Christ should first shew on me all long suffering vnto the example of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eternall life Againe whereas they say that we haue a morall assurance but not the assurance of faith it is a popish deuise For Rom. 8.16 The spirit of adoption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together beareth witnesse to our spirits Where we see two witnesses of our adoption our owne spirit and the spirit of God Our spirit doth testifie morally of our adoption by sanctification and the fruits thereof and therefore also the spirit of God witnesseth after another manner namely by the certaintie of faith declaring and applying the promises of God Obiect I. We are commanded to worke our saluation with feare trembling Ans. This feare is not in regard of Gods mercie forgiuing our sinnes but in respect of vs and our nature which is euer prone to slide away and starting from God Obiect II. In respect of Gods mercie we must hope for saluation but in respect of our vnworthines we must doubt Ans. I. We may not at all lawfully doubt of Gods mercie because doubtfulnes is not of the nature of faith but rather a naturall corruption II. If we consider our owne vnworthines it is out of all doubt that we must be out of all hope and despaire of our saluation Obiect III. There be many sinnes vnknowne vnto vs and so also vncertaine whether they be pardoned vnto vs. Answer He that certenly and truly knoweth that but one sinne is pardoned him he hath before God all his sinnes remitted whether they be knowne or vnknowne Obiect IV. No man dare sweare or die in the defence of this proposition I am the child of God or in Gods fauour and iustified Answ. They which haue an vnfained faith will if they be lawfully called not onely testifie their adoption by an oath but seale it also by their blood Obiect V. A man may haue this faith which the Protestants talke of and lie in a mortall sinne and haue also a purpose to perseuere in a mortall sinne Ans. It is farre otherwise for Act. 15.9 True faith purifieth the heart These Sophisters doe further affirme that this faith which to them is nothing but a knowledge and illumination of the mind concerning the truth of Gods word is the roote and foundation of iustification The which if it be true why should not the deuill be iust for he hath both a knowledge of Gods word and thereunto by beleeuing doth giue his assent who notwithstanding he haue such a faith yet can he not be called one of the faithfull Here they except and say The deuils faith is void of charitie which is the forme of faith But this is a doting surmise of their owne braine For charitie is the effect of faith 1. Tim. 1.5 But the effect cannot informe the cause The XI errour Mans loue of God doth in order and time goe before his iâ—stification and reconciliation with God The Confutation Nay contrarily vnlesse we be first perswaded of Gods loue towards vs we neuer loue him For we loue him because he loued vs first 1. Ioh. 4.19 Againe it is impossible that Gods enemie should loue him but he which is not as yet iustified or reconciled to God he is Gods enemie Rom. 5.9,10 Neither is any man before the act of iustification made of Gods enemie his friend The XII errour Iufused or inherent iustice is the formall cause of iâ—stification
whereby the Reprobate I. doth acknowledge his sinne II. Is pricked with the feeling of Gods wrath for sinne III. Is grieued for the punishment of sinne IV. Doth confesse his sinne V. Acknowledgeth God to be iust in punishing sinne VI. Desireth to be saued VII Promiseth repentance in his miserie or affliction in these words I will sinne no more Math. 27.3 Then when Iudas which betraied him saw that he was condemned he repented himselfe and brought againe the thirtie pieces of siluer to the chiefe Priests and Elders Heb. 12.17 For yee know how that afterward also when hâ— would haue inherited the blessing he was reiected for he found no place to repentance though he sought the blessing with teares 1. King 21.27 Now when Ahab heard those wordes he rent his clothes and put sackcloath vpon him and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went softly Numb 23.10 Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last ende be like his Psal. 78.32 For all this they sinned still and beleeued not his wondrous workes 33. Therefore their daies did he consume in vanitie and their yeares hastily 34. And when he slue them they sought him and they returned and sought God earely 35. They remembred that God was their strength and the most high God their redeemer The third degree is a temporarie faith whereby the reprobate doth confusedly beleeue the promises of God made in Christ I say confusedly because he beleeueth that some shall be saued but he beleeueth not that he himselfe particularly shall be saued because he beeing content with a generall faith doth neuer applie the promises of God to himself neither doth he so much as conceiue any purpose desire or endeuour to applie the same or any wrastling or striuing against securitie or carelesnes and distrust Iam. 2. 19. Thou beleeuest that there is one God thou doest well the deuils also beleeue it and tremble Math. 13.20 And he that receiued seede in the stony ground is he which heareth the word and incontinently with ioy receiueth it 21. Yet hath he no roote in himselfe and dureth but a season Ioh. 2.23 Now when he was at Ierusalem at the Passeouer in the feast many beleeued in his Name when they saw his miracles which he did 24. But Iesus did not commit himselfe vnto them because he knew them all The fourth is a tasting of heauenly gifts as of Iustification and of Sanctification and of the vertues of the world to come This tasting is verely a sense in the hearts of the Reprobates whereby they doe perceiue and feele the excellencie of Gods benefits notwithstanding they doe not enioy the same For it is one thing to tast of dainties at a banquet and another thing to feede and to be nourished thereby Heb. 6.4 For it is impossible that they which were once lightened and haue tasted of the heauenly gifts and were made partakers of the holy Ghost The fifth degree is the outward holines of life for a time vnder which is comprehended a zeale in the profession of religion a reuerence and feare towards Gods ministers and amendment of life in many things Mark 6.20 For Herod feared Iohn knowing that he was a iust man and an holy and reuerenced him and when he heard himâ— he did many things and heard him gladly Act. 18.13 Then Simon himselfe beleeued also and was baptized and continued with Philip and wondred when he saw the signes and great miracles which were done Hos. 6.4 O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I entreate thee for your goodnes is as a morning cloud and as the morning dewe it goeth away The second degree of the execution of Gods counsel of reprobation in meÌ„ of ripe age which are called is a falling away againe which for the most part is effected and wrought after this manner First the reprobate is deceiued by some sinne Secondly his heart is hardened by the same sin Thirdly his heart being hardened it becommeth wicked and peruerse Fourthly then followeth his incredulitie and vnbeleefe whereby he consenteth not to Gods word when he hath heard and known it Fiftly an Apostasie or falling away from faith in Christ doth immediately follow this vnbeleefe Hebr. 3.12,13 Take â—eed brethren least at any time there be in any of you an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart awaie from the liuing God 1. Tim. 1.19 This Apostasie is sometimes sinne against the holy Ghost In the sinne against the holy Ghost we haue haue these seuerall points to be considered I. The Name it is called a sinne against the holy ghost not because it is done against the person or deitie of the holy Ghost for in this respect he that sinneth against the holy Ghost sinneth in like sort against both the father the Sonne but it is so called because it is done contrarie to the immediate action namely the illumination of the holy Ghost For albeit this be an action common to the whole Trinitie yet the Father and the sonne doe effect the same by the holy Ghost II. The efficient cause of it which is a set obstinate malice against God and against his Christ. Therefore when a man doth in the time of persecution either for feare or rashly denie Christ he doth not commit this sinne against the holy Ghost as may appeare by the example of Peter who denied Christ. Mat. 26.73.74.75 Neither doth he which persecuteth Christ and his Church vpon ignorance fall into this sinne Paul persecuted the Church of Christ and yet God had mercie on him because he did it ignorantly 1. Tim. 1.13 Many of the Iewes crucified our Sauiour Christ who afterward because they committed that grieuous fact vpon ignorance repenting at Peters sermon they did obtaine remission of their sinnes Act. 3.17 37. III. The Obiect namely God himselfe and the Mediatour Christ Iesus For the malice of this sinne is directed against the very maiestie of God himselfe and against Christ. Hebr. 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall he be worthie which treadeth vnderfoote the Sonne of God and counteth the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing wherewith he was sanctified and doth despise the spirit of grace Therefore this sinne doth directly respect the first table of the morall law and is not some particular slipping aside from the obseruation of those commandements which are contained in this first table such as are some doubtings concerning God or of the truth of the scriptures or of Christ c. but it is a generall defection apoâ—tasie from God and that totally IV. The subiect in which it is This sin is found in none at al but such as haue been enlightened by the holy Ghost and haue tasted of the good gift of God Heb. 6.5,6 Neither is it in him a bare cogitation alone but an externall action or rather such a blasphemie against God as proceedeth from a malitious and obstinate heart Matth. 12. 31. V. The Elect cannot commit this sinne and
to Christ is in bearing afflictions Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions to be made conformable to his death V. To doe good workes Eph. 2. 10. Wee are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus to doe good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Thus much concerning Theologie AN EXCELLENT TREATISE of comforting such as are troubled about their Predestination Taken out of the second answer of M. Beza to D. Andreas in the act of their Colloquie at Mompelgart c. VNlesse saith D. Andreas regeneratioÌ„ be alwaies vnited to baptisme and remaineth in such as are baptized howe should the troubled consciences of those be eased and coÌ„forted who because they feele not in themselues any good motions of gods holy spirit finde none other refuge but the Word and Sacraments especially the Sacrament of Baptisme Now this remedie would be of small force except it be opposed against those imaginations which the diuell casteth into a troubled heart yea except it taught such that God is greater then our heart who in Baptisme hath not onely offered vs the adoption of sonnes but hath indeede bestowed the same vpon vs as it is said by Christ Hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued And by Paul Ye which are baptized haue put on Christ. Dauid beeing armed with the like comfort from his circumcision feared not to ioyne battell with that great giant Goliah and if this were not so it must needs followe that Baptisme were nothing els but an idle ceremonie and also the persons of the Trinitie would be thought lyars Wherefore those afflicted men when Satan assaulteth them must resist him with these wordes Depart from me Satan thou hast neither part nor portion in the inheritance of my soule because I am baptized in the Name of the holy Trinitie and so am truely made the sonne of God by adoption And are these the strong weapons which so many times and in so many wordes haue beene obiected against me by D. Andreas and whereby he hath gotten the victorie But because this his reason is somewhat intricate I will explaine it after this sort First for the place of Scripture which he alleadgeth namely that God is greater then our hearts It is so farre from comforting an afflicted conscience that it will rather driue him to deâ—paire Neither doth Iohn 1. epist. 3.20 make mention of it to ease such as are in despaire shewing vnto them by that sentence the greatnes of Gods mercies but rather that he might therby euen bruise in peeces the hearts of proude persons when they consider the greatnesse of Gods maiestie And for the other place when as a man doubteth of his saluation and feeleth no testimonies of faith in himselfe for such an one wee here speake of what comfort thinke you can hee haue in these wordes Hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued For hee would rather reason contrarily thus I indeede am baptized yet for al that I beleeue not and therefore my Baptisme is not auaileable I must needes be condemned For the saying of August in his treatise vpon Ioh. 6. is verie true who speaking of Simon Magus saith What good did it to him to be baptized bragge not therefore saith he that thou art baptized as though that were sufficient for thee to inherit the kingdome of heauen As for the place of Paul Gal. 3. I shewed plainely before how D. Andreas did violently wrest it to his purpose Neither are his reasons taken from the absurditie that would follow of more force then the former albeit he maketh them especiall pillars to vnderproppe the truth of his cause For I pray you is God of lesse truth because his truth is neglected and derided of them that contemne it Is the ceremonie of Baptisme therefore in vaine because some refuse the grace offered in Baptisme others if we may beleeue D. Andreas reiect that grace when they haue receiued it What Is not the Gospel therfore the power of God to saluation because it is to such as beleeue not the sauour of death to eternall death May not the Supper of the Lord be a pledge of Gods couenant because so may abuse these holy signes or as D. Andreas is of opinion the very bodie and blood of our Sauiour Christ And that I may reason from that which is true in the experience of euery childe can the Sunne be saide to be without light because they which are blinde and asleepe haue no benefit by the light thereof neither such as shut their eyes so close that they will not enioy the comfort of the light But amongst all this one is most childish that Dâ— Andreas will make this his principall argument namely that in vaine did men thus tempted flie at all vnto Baptisme vnlesse we conclude with him that all such as are baptized are in Baptisme adopted the sonnes of God For first if this were a good consequent from baptisme it were in vaine for such an afflicted conscience to gather vnto himselfe a testimonie from the word of God and the other Sacrament of the Lords Supper vnlesse we make all those to be in like sort regenerate and adopted vnto whome the word of God is preached and the Lords supper administred either of which for D. Andreas to affirme is a bold vntruth But to omit this what if we graunt this which D. Andreas requireth concerning Baptisme may not for all that any that is so tempted by Satans pollicie refell this great comforter by his owne argument after this sort I will grant D. Andreas your question suppose I haue beene baptized and adopted the sonne of God yet seeing you teach that the grace of God is not so sure but that I may fal froÌ„ the same as indeed I feele that I haue grieuously fallen what doe you now els but lift me vp with one hand to heauen and with the other cast me downe into hell What meane you therefore to teach me those things which are so farre from easing me as that contrarily they doe more and more lay out vnto me mine abominable and vngratefull heart See now what sure consolation consciences grieuously afflicted may reape by this doctrine of their comforter D. Andreas Now if any be desirous to know what spirituall comfort is most meete to be ministred vnto consciences so troubled I will shew them that which is grounded vpon a sure foundation and which I my selfe haue often found to be true in mine owne experience the which also I purpose to handle more largely for the benefit of the Christian reader First therefore we teach contrarily to that which D. Andreas doth most falsly obiect against vs that the eternall decree or as Paul speaketh the purpose of God must not be sought in the bottomlesse counsel of God but rather in the manifestation of it namely in his vocation by the Word and Sacraments This I speake of such as are
Creede beeing a summary collection of things to bee beleeued was gathered briefly out of the word of God for the helping of memory and vnderstanding of men I adde that this Creede is concerning God and the Church For in these two points consisteth the whole summe thereof Lastly I say that it is gathered forth of the scripture to make a difference between it and and other writings and to shew the authoritie of it which I will further declare on this manner There bee two kinde of writings in which the doctrine of the Church is handled and they are either diuine or Ecclesiasticall Diuine are the bookes of the olde and newe Testament penned either by Prophets or Apostles And these are not onely the pure word of God but also the scripture of God because not onely the matter of them but the whole disposition thereof with the style and the phrase was set downe by the immediate inspiration of the holy ghost And the authoritie of these bookes is diuine that is absolute and soueraigne and they are of sufficient credit in and by themselues needing not the testimonie of any creature not subiect to the censure either of men or Angels binding the consciences of all men at all times and beeing the only foundation of faith and the rule and canon of all trueth Ecclesiasticall writings are all other ordinarie writings of the Church consenting with Scriptures These may be called the word or trueth of God so far forth as their matter or substance is consenting with the written word of god but they cannot be called the scripture of God because the style and phrase of them was set downe according to the pleasure of man and therefore they are in such sort the word of God as that also they are the word of men And their authoritie in defining of trueth and falshood in matters of religion is not soueraigne but subordinate to the former and it doth not stand in the authoritie and pleasures of men councels but in the consent which they haue with the scriptures Ecclesiasticall writings are either generall particular or proper Generall are the Creedes and confessions of the Church dispersed ouer the whole worlde and among the rest the Creede of the Apostles made either by the Apostles themselues or by their hearers and disciples apostolicall men deliuered to the Church and conueied from hand to hand to our times Particular writings are the confessions of particular Churches Proper writings are the bookes and confessions of priuate men Nowe betweene these we must make difference For the Generall Creede of the Apostles other vniuersall Creeds in this case not excepted though it be of lesse authoritie then scripture yet hath it more authoritie then the particular priuate writings of Churches and men For it hath beene receiued and approoued by vniuersall consent of the Catholike Church in all ages and so were neuer these in it the meaning and doctrine can not be changed by the authoritie of the whole Catholike Church and if either the order of the doctrine or the wordes whereby it is expressed should vpon some occasion be changed a particular Church of any country can not do it without Catholike consent of the whole Churche yet particular writings and confessions made by some speciall Churches may be altered in the words in the points of doctrine by the same Churches without offence to the Catholike Church Lastly it is receiued as a rule of faith among all Churches to trie doctrines interpretations of scriptures by not because it is a rule of it selfe for that the scripture is alone but because it borroweth his authoritie froÌ„ scripture with which it agreeth And this honour no other writings of men can haue Here some may demand the number of Creedes Ans. I say but one Creede as there is but one faith and if it be alleadged that wee haue many Creedes as besides this of the Apostles the Nicene Creede and Athanasius Creed c. I answer the seuerall Creedes and confessions of Churches containe not seueral faiths and religions but one and the same and this called the Apostles creede is most ancient and principall all the rest are not newe Creedes in substance but in some points penned more largely for the exposition of it that men might better auoid the heresies of their times Further it may be demanded in what forme this Creede was penned Ans. In the forme of an answere to a question The reason is this In the Primitiue Church when any man was turned from Gentilisme to the faith of Christ and was to be baptised this question was asked him What beleeuest thouâ— then he answered according to the forme of the Creede I beleeue in God c. And this maner of questioning was vsed euen from the time of the Apostles When the Eunuch was conuerted by Philip he said What doth let me to be baptised Philip said If thou doest beleeue with all thine heart thou maist Then he answered I beleede that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God By this it appeares that although all men for the most part amongst vs can say this Creede yet not one of a thousand can tell the ancient and first vse of it for commonly at this day of the simpler sort it is saide for a prayer beeing indeede no prayer and when it is vsed so men make it no better then a charme Before we come to handle the particular points of the Creede it is very requiâ—ite that we should make an entrance thereto by describing the nature properties and kindes of faith the confession and ground whereof is set forth in the Creede Faith therefore is a gift of God whereby we giue assent or credence to Gods word For there is a necessarie relation betweene faith and Gods word The common propertie of faith is noted by the author of the Hebrewes when he saith Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the demonstration of things that are not seene For all this may be vnderstood not onely of iustifying faith but also of temporarie faith and the faith of miracles Where faith is said to be a ground the meaning is that though there are many things promised by God which men doe not presently enioy but onely hope for because as yet they are not yet faith doth after a sort giue subsisting or beeing vnto them Secondly it is an euidence or demonstration c. that is by beleeuing a man doth make a thing as it were visible beeing otherwise inuisible and absent Faith is of two sorts either common faith or the faith of the Elect as Paul saith he is an Apostle according to the faith of Gods elect which also is called faith without hypocrisie The common faith is that which both elect and reprobate haue and it is threefold The first is historicall faith which is when a man doth beleeue the outward letter and historie of the word It hath two parts knowledge of Gods word and an
to beleeue in this one God is in effect thus much I. To knowe and acknowledge him as he hath reuealed himselfe in his worde II. To beleeue him to bee my God III. From mine heart to put all mine affiance in him To this purpose Christ saith This is eternall life to knowe thee the onely God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Nowe the knowledge here meant is not a bare or generall knowledge for that the deuils haue but a more speciall knowledge wherby I know God not onely to be God but also to be my God and thereupon doe put my confidence in him And thus much of the meaning of the first wordes I beleeue in God c. Nowe followe the duties which may bee gathered hence First of all if we are bound to beleeue in God then we are also bound to take notice of our naturall vnbeleefe whereby we distrust God to checke our selues for it and to striue against it Thus dealt the father of the child that had a dumme spirit Lord saith he I beleeue Lord helpe mine vnbeleefe And Dauid Why art thou cast downe my soule and wâ—y art thou so diâ—quieted in me wait on God And that which our Sauiour Christ saide once to Peter men should daiely speake to themselues O thou of littlâ— faith why hast thou doubted But some may say wherein standes our vnbeleefe Answere It standes in two thinges I. In distrusting the goodnesse of God that is in giuing too litle or no affiance to him or in putting affiance in the creature For the first few men will abide to be told of their distrust in God but indeede it is a common and riâ—e corruption and though they soothe themselues neuer so yet their vsuall dealings proclaime their vnbeleefe Goe through all places it shall be found that scarse one of a thousand in his dealings makes conscience of a lie a great part of men gets their wealth by fraud and oppression and all kinde of vniust and vnmercifull dealing What is the cause that they can doe so Alas alas if there be any faith it is pinned vp in some by-corner of the heart and vnbeleefe beares sway as the lord of the house Againe if a man had as much wealth as the world comes to he could finde in his heart to wish for an other and if he had two worlds he would be casting for the third if it might be compassed the reason hereof is because men haue not learned to make God their portion and to stay their affections on him which if they could doe a meane portion in temporall blessings would be enough Indeede these and such like persons will in no wise â—eelde that they doe distrust the Lord vnlesse at some time they be touched in conscience with a sense and feeling of their sinnes and be throughly humbled for the same but the truth is that distrust of Gods goodnesse is a generall and a mother-sinne the ground of all other sinnes and the very first and principall sinne in Adams fall And for the second part of vnbeleefe which is an affiance in the creatures read the whole booke of God and we shall finde it a common and vsuall sinne in all sorts of men some putting their trust in riches some in strength some in pleasures some placing their felicitie in one sinne some in an other When King Asa was sicke he put his whole trust in the Phisitians and not in the Lord. And in our daies the common practise is when crosses and calamities fall then there is trotting out to that wise man to this cunning woman to this sorcerer to that wizzard that is from God to the deuill and their counsell is receiued and practised without any bones making And this shewes the bitter roote of vnbeleefe and confidence in vaine creatures let men smoothe it ouer with goodly tearmes as long as they will In a word there is no man in the world be he called or not called if he looke narrowly vnto himselfe he shall finde his heart almost filled with manifold doubtings and distrustings whereby he shall feele himselfe euen carried away from beleeuing in God Therefore the dutie of euery man is that will truly say that hâ— beleeues in God to labour to see his owne vnbeleefe and the fruits thereof in his life As for such as say they haue no vnbeleefe nor feele none more pitifull is their case For so much the greater is their vnbeleefe Secondly considering that we professe our selues to beleeue in God we must euery one of vs learne to know God As Paul saith How can they beleeue in him of whome they haâ—e not heard and how can they heare without a preacher therefore none can beleeue in God but he must first of all heare and be taught by the ministerie of the word to know God aright Let this be remembred of young and old It is not the pattering ouer of the beleefe for a praier that will make a man a good beleeuer but God must be knowne of vs and acknowledged as he hath reuealed himselfe partly in his word and partly in his creatures Blinde ignorance and the right vse of the Apostles Creede will neuer stand togither Therefore it standes men in hande to labour and take paines to get knoweledge in religion that knowing God aright they may come steadfastly to beleeue in him and truely make confession of their faith Thirdly because wee beleeue in God therefore another dutie is to denie our selues vtterly and to become nothing in our selues Our Sauiour Christ requires of vs to become as little children if wee would beleeue The begger depends not on the releefe of others till hee finde nothing at home and till our hearts bee purged of selfe-loue and pride wee cannot depend on the fauour and goodnesse of God Therefore hee that would trust in God must first of all be abased and confounded in himselfe and in regard of himselfe be out of all hope of attaining to the least sparke of the grace of God Fourthly in that wee beleeue in God and therefore put our whole trust and assurance in him we are taught that euery man must committe his bodie his soule goods life yea all that he hath into the handes of God and to his custodie So Paul saith I am not ashamed of my sufferings for I knowe whome I haue beleeued and am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him against that day A worthie saying for what is the thing which Paul committed vnto the Lord it was his owne soule and the eternall saluation thereof But what mooues him to trust God surely his perswasion whereby he knewe that God would keepe it And Peter saith Let them that suffer according to the will of God committe their soules to him in well doing as vnto a faithfull creatour Looke as one friende laieth downe a thing to be kept of another so must a man giue that he hath to the
and made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in the crosse he ouercame the deuill and all his angels by the power of his almightie father and by his owne power as he is God And euen so must Christian men labour to finde the same power in themselues of this almightie father by which Christ did triumph ouer Satan that by it they may tread him vnder their feete which men can neuer doe by any power in themselues Againe Christ praieth that that cup might passe from him and yet hee saith Not my will but thy will be fulfilled For it was necessary that Christ should suffer And this request was heard not because he was freed from death but because God his father Almightie gaue him power and strength in his manhood to beare the brunt of his indignation Nowe looke as this power was effectuall in Christ Iesus the head to make him able and sufficient to beare the pangs of hell so the same power of God is in some measure effectuall in al the members of Christ to make them both patient of sufficient strength to beare any affliction as Saint Paul saith beeing strengthened with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioifulnesse And this is a notable point which euery one ought to learne that whereas they confesse God to be their Almightie father they should herewithall labour to feele and haue experience in themselues that hee is almightie in the beginning and continuing of grace vnto them and in giuing them power and patience to suffer afflictions Further Christ Iesus when the worke of our redemption was accomplished was lifted vp into heauen and set at the right hand of God in heauenly places farre aboue all principalities and powers c. euen by the power of his father well as this power was made manifest in the head so must it bee in the members thereof Euery childe of God shall hereafter see and feele in himselfe the same power to translate him from this vale of misery in this life to the kingdome of heauen Wherefore to conclude we haue great cause to bee thankefull and to praise God for this priuiledge that hee sheweth his power in his childrē in regenerating thē in making them die vnto sin and to stand against the gates of hel and to suffer afflictions patiently as also that he translates them from death to life And euery one should shew his thankefulnesse in labouring to haue experience of this power in himselfe as Paul exhorteth vs in his Epistles to the Colossians and Ephesians yea read all his epistles and we shal find he mentioneth no point so often as this namely the mighty power of God manifested first in Christ and secondly in his members and he accounteth all things losse that he might knowe Christ and the vertue of his resurrection This point is the rather to be marked because his power in the matter of grace is not to be seene with eye and fewe there be in respect that haue felt the vertue thereof in themselues for the diuell doth mightily shewe his contrary power in the greatest part of the world in carrying them to sinne and wickednesse Secondly hence we learne that which Paul teacheth namely to knowe that all thinges worke togither for the best vnto them that loue God God is almightie and therefore able to doe whatsoeuer he will he is also a father and therefore is willing to doe that which is for our good But some will say we are subiect to many crosses yea to sinne what can our sinnes turne to our good Ans. If God almightie be thy father he will turne thine afflictions yea thy sinnes which by nature are euil beyond all expectation vnto thy saluation And thus much God will doe to all such as be obedient vnto him yet no man must hereupon presume to sinne Thirdly whereas we beleeue that God is a mightie father it serues to confirme gods children in the promises of mercy reuealed in his word The chiefest whereof is that if men will turne from their sinnes and beleeue in Christ they shall not perish but haue life euerlasting I knowe some men will make it an easie thing to beleeue especially those which neuer knewe what faith meant But such persons neede no meanes of confirmation of faith therefore let all those which haue tasted of the hardnes of attaining vnto it learne howe to establish their wauering hearts in the promises of God by the consideration of these two points God is a father and therefore he is willing he is also almightie and therefore he is able to performe his promises He that will bee truely resolued of Gods promises must haue both these setled in his heart and build on them as on two foundations It followeth Creatour of heauen earth We haue spoken of the title of the first person and of his attributes nowe we come to speake of his effect namely the creation but before we come to it we are to answer a certaine obiection which may be made At the first it may seeme strange to some that the worke of creation is ascribed to the first person in Trinitie the father whereas in the Scripture it is common to them all three equally And first that the father is Creatour it was neuer doubted as for the second person the Sonne that hee is Creatour it is euident All things are made by it that is by the Sonne who is the substantiall worde of the father and without it was made nothing that was made And againe it is saide that God by his sonne made the worlde As for the holy Ghost the worke of creation is also ascribed vnto him and therefore Moses saith The spirit mooued vpon the waters and Iob saieth His spirit hath garnished the heauens Howe then is this peculiar to the father beeing common to all the three persons in trinitie I answer The actions of God are twofold either inward or outward The inwarde actions are those which one person doth exercise towards another as the father doth beget the sonne and this is an inward action peculiar to the father and all inward actions are proper to the persons from whome they are So the Sonne doth receiue the Godhead by communication from the Father and the holy Ghost from them both and these are inward actions peculiar to these persons So likewise for the father to send his sonne it is an inward action proper to the father and cannot be communicated to the holy ghost and the sonne to bee sent by the father onely is a thing proper to the Sonne and not common to the father or to the holy Ghost Now outward actions are the actions of the persons in the Trinitie to the creatures as the worke of creation the worke of preseruation and of redemption These and all such actions are common to al the three persons the father createth the sonne createth and the holy
of blood but Christ as he is God cannot die For no passion can befall the Godhead Therefore it was needefull that he should become man that in mans nature he might die and fully satisfie Gods iustice for mans offence Lastly he that must make reconciliation betweene God and man must be such an one as may make request or speake both to God and man For a Mediatour is as it were a middle person making intercession betweene two other persons the one offended the other offending Therefore it is necessarie that Christ should not onely be God to speake vnto the father for vs and to present our prayers vnto him but also man that God might speake to vs and we to God by Christ. For howsoeuer before the fall man could speak to God euen face to face yet since the fall such feare possesseth mans corrupt nature that he cannot abide the presence of God but flyeth from it Nowe whereas I say that it was necessarie that the sonne of God for the causes before alleadged must become man the necessitie must be vnderstood in respect of Gods will and not in respect of his absolute power For if it had so pleased God he was able to haue laid downe an other kind of way of mans redemption then by the incarnation of the sonne of God and he appointed no other way because he would not Thus much of the Incarnation in generall Nowe followe the duties which arise of it And first we are taught hereby to come to Christ by faith and with all our hearts to cleaue vnto him Great is the deadnesse and sluggishnesse of mans nature for skarse one of a thousand care for him or seeke vnto him for righteousnesse and life euerlasting But wee shoulde excite our selues euery way to drawe neare to him as much as possibly we may for when he was incarnate he came neere vnto vs by taking our nature vpon him that wee againe whatsoeuer we are might come neere vnto him by taking vnto vs his diuine nature Againe when Christ was incarnate he was made bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh and therefore proportionally wee must labour to become bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh which we shall bee when we are mystically vnited vnto him by faith and borne anewe by his spirit Moreouer Christ by his incarnation came downe from heauen to vs that we being partakers of his grace might ascend vp to heauen by him And thus we see how the meditation of Christs incarnation should be a spurre to prick vs forward still more and more to come to Christ. Secondly Christs incarnation must be a patterne vnto vs of a most wonderfull and straunge humilitie For as Paul saith Being in the forme of God and thinking it no robberie to bee equall with God made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him forme of a seruant and humbled himselfe and became obedient to death euen to the death of the crosse Yea so farre forth he abased himselfe that as Dauid saith he was a worme and no man And this teacheth vs to lay aside al selfe-loue and pride of heart and to practise the duties of humility as the Apostle exhorts the Philippians in the same place and that shall we doe when we beginne to cast off that high opinion which euery man by nature conceiueth of himselfe and become vile and base in our owne eies Secure drowsie protestants thinke themselues blessed and say in their hearts as the Angel of the Church of Laodicea said I am rich increased with goods and haue need of nothing whereas indeed they are most miserable and wretched and poore and naked and blind And the same fond opinion possesseth the mindes of our ignorant people who chant it in the very same tune saying that God loues them and that they loue God with al their hearts and their neighbours as themselues that they haue perfect faith in Christ and euer had not once so much as doubting of their saluation that all is well with them and that they are past all danger whatsoeuer in the matter of their saluation and therefore neede not take so much care for it Thus yee may see howe men are commonly carried away with vaine and fond conceits of their owne excellencie And truely so long as this ouerweening of our owne righteousnesse raignes in our hearts let preachers speake and say what they will we can neuer become followers of Christ in the practise of humilitie Some will say peraduenture that they neuer had any such opinion of their owne righteousnes but I answere againe that there was neuer yet any man descending of Adam saue Christ but he had this proud phantasie ruling and raigning in him till such time as God gaue grace to chaÌ„ge alter his heart this inward pride the lesse we discern it the more it is and the more we discerne it the lesse it is Therefore though as yet thou see it not in thy selfe yet labour both to see it to feele it to striue against it casting down thy selfe for thy own miserie after Christs own example who being God abased himselfe to the condition of a miserable man For thou shalt neuer be filled with the good things of god till thou be emptied of selfe-loue and selfe-liking For this cause let vs purge and emptie our selues of all conceit of our own righteousnes that god may fil our hearts with his grace Furthermore the incarnation of Christ is the ground and foundation of all our comfort as the names of Christ seruing to expresse the same doe testifie Iâ—akob in his last Testament saith that the scepter shall not depart from Iudah in Shilo that is the Messias come Nowe the name Shilo signifieth the tunicle or skinne that lappeth the infant in the mothers wombe called by the Phisitians the secundine and by a kind of figure it is put for the Sonne of God in the wombe of the virgine made man And Iob to comfort himselfe in his affliction saith I knowe that my redeemer liueth Nowe the word which he vseth to signifie his redeemer by is verie emphaticall for it signifieth a kinsman neere allied vnto him of his owne flesh that will restore him to life And the Lord by the prophet Esay calleth Christ Immanuel that is God with vs which name importeth very much namely that whereas by nature we haue lost our fellowshippe with God because our sinnes are a wall of partition seuering vs from him yet neuerthelesse the fame is restored to all that beleeue by the Mediatour Christ Iesus because his diuine nature is coupled to mans nature and so the word is made flesh And this strait coniunction of two natures into one person ioynes God to men and men to God yea by Christ we are brought to God and haue free accesse vnto him and againe in him we apprehend God and are made one with him And further whereas Christ beside
Adam lastly as it is a farre greater matter by death to ouercome death and to turne it into eternal life then to commaunde that to exist and be which was not before so is the worke of redemption begunne in the birth of Christ more vnspeakable and admirable then the first creation of man Hereupon not 6. cherubims as in the vision of Isaiah not 24. elders as in the Apocalyps but a great multitude of Angels like armies were heard to praise God at the birth of Christ and no doubt the like sight was not seene since the beginning of the worlde And the Angels by their example put vs in minde to consider aright of this benefit and to praise God for it But alas this practise is very rare in this fruitlesse and barren age of the worlde where sinne and iniquitie abounds as may be seene by experience for by an old custome we retaine still in the Church the feast of the natiuitie of Christ so commonly called which neuerthelesse is not spent in praising the name of God who hath sent his sonne from his owne bosome to be our redeemer but contrariwise in rifling dicing carding masking mumming and in all licentious libertie for the most part as though it were some heathen feast of Ceres or Bacchus Secondly Christ was conceiued and borne in bodily manner that there might be a spirituall conception and birth of him in our hearts as Paul saith My little children of whome I trauell till Christ he formed in you and that is when we are made newe creatures by Christ and performe obedience to our creatour When the people said to Christ that his mother and his brethren sought him he answered He that doth the will of God is my brother my sister and mother Therefore let vs goe with the sheapheards to Bethlehem and finding our blessed Sauiour swadled and lying in the cratch let vs bring him thence and make our owne hearts to be his cradle that we may be able to say that we liue not but Christ liues in vs and let vs present vnto him our selues our bodies soules as the best gold mirrhe and frankincense that may be and thus conceiuing him by faith he remaining without chaunge wee shall be chaunged into him and made bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh The world I know neuer so much as dreameth of this kinde of conception and birth for as Dauid saieth Men trauell with wickednesse conceiue mischiefe and bring forth a lie And S. Iames saith Men are drawne away by their owne concupiscence which when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne And these are the ougly and monstrons birthes of these daies But let vs I pray you contrariwise waile and mourne for the barrennes of our hearts that doe so little conceiue the grace of Christ in heart and bring it forth in action The mother of Christ vndoubtedly was a blessed woman but if shee had not as well conceiued Christ in her heart as shee did in her wombe shee had not bin saued and no more can wee vnlesse doe the same The birth of Christ to them that haue touched hearts is the comfort of coÌ„forts and the sweetest balme or confection that euer was Behold say the Angel to the sheâ—pheards we bring tidings of great ioy that shall be to all people but wherein standes the ioy they adde further vnto you this daie is borne in the citiâ— of Dauid a Sâ—uiour which is Christ the Lord. And no maruel for in that birth is manifested the good will of God to man and by it we haue peace first with God secondly with our selues in conscience thirdly with the good Angels of God fourthly with our enemies lastly with al the creatures For this cause the Angels sang Peace on earth good will towards men In the last place the Creede notes vnto vs the parent or mother of Christ the Virgine Mary And here at the verie first it may be demanded howe hee could haue either father or mother because he was figured by Melchisedech who had neither father nor mother Ans. Melchisedech is said to be without father and mother not because he had none at all For according to the ancient and receiued opinion it is very likely that he was Sem the sonne of Noe but because where hee is mentioned vnder this name of Melchisedech in the 14. chapter of Genes there is no mention made of Father or Mother and so Christ in some sort is without father or mother as he is man he hath no father as he is God he hath no mother And whereas Christ is called the sonne of Ioseph it was not because hee was begotten of him but because Ioseph was his reputed father or which is more because he was a legall father namely according to the Iewes lawes in that as sundrie diuines think he was the next of his kin and therefore to succeede him as his lawfull heire Mary became the mother of Christ by a kind of calling thereto which was by an extraordinarie message of an angel concerning the conception birth of Christ in and by her to which calling and message shee condescended saying Behold the handmaid of the Lord be it vnto me according to thy worde And hereupon she conceiued by the holy ghost This being so it is more then sensles folly to turne the salutatioÌ„ of the angel Haile freely beloued c. into a praier For it is as much as if we should stil call her to become a mother of Christ. And shee must be held to be the mother of whole Christ God and man therfore the ancient Church hath called the mother of God yet not the mother of the godhead Furthermore the mother of Christ is described by her qualitie a virgin and by her name Mary Shee was a virgine first that Christ might be conceiued without sinne and be a perfect Sauiour secondly that the saying of the prophet Esay might be fulfilled Behold a virgine shall conceiue beare a sonne according as it was foretold by God in the first giuing of the promise the seede of the woman not the seede of the man shall bruise the serpents heade Nowe the Iewes to elude the most pregnant testimonie of the prophet saie that Alma signifies not a virgin but a young woman which hath knowne a man But this is indeede a forgerie For Esay there speakes of an extraordinary worke of God aboue nature whereas for a woman hauing knowne man to conceiue is no wonder And the word Alma through the whole bible is taken for a virgin as by a particular search will appeare As Maâ—ie conceiued a virgin so it may be well thought that shee continued a virgine to the ende though wee make it no article of our faith When Christ was vpon the crosse hâ—e commended his mother to the custodie of Iohn which probably argueth that she had no child to whose care and keeping shee might be coÌ„meÌ„ded
might and power is in the word preached for it is the very word of Christ and therefore beeing preached by his ministers lawfully called by him thereunto hath the same power force in it which Christ himselfe shewed when he spake on earth It is the sauour of life vnto life to saue those that heare it or the sauour of death vnto death It is like to a vapour or perfume in the aire which in some mens nostrills is sauorie and pleasant and doth reuiue them and others againe it striketh dead And therefore euery one that either now or heretofore hath heard this word preached shall finde it to be vnto them either a word of power to saue their soules or through their corruption the ministerie of death and condemnation Againe if a word spoken by Christ beeing in a base or low estate be able to ouerthrow his enemies then at the last day when he shall come in his glory and power and maiestie to iudge both the quicke and the dead what power shall his words haue Goe you cursed of my father into euerlasting fire which was prepared for the deuill and his angels The consideration of this that the word of Christ shall euen be as powerfull at that day must be a motiue to euery one of vs to cause vs to come vnto him and while we haue time in these daies of grace and mercy to seeke to be reconciled vnto him for al our sinnes least at the last day we heare that dreadful voice of Christ sounding against vs Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire c. And thus much for the communication Nowe followeth Iudas his treason wherein we are to obserue these things I. the qualities and conditions of the man that did the treason He was by calling a disciple chosen to be an Apostle which is the chiefest in Ecclesiall callings and among the disciples hee was in some account because he was as it were a steward in Christs familie and bare the bagge but yet he was a traitour and did more against Christ then all the Iewes did For he brought them to the place where they might apprehend him and when they were come did point him out vnto them and deliuered him into their handes nay he gaue them a signe and token saying Whome I kisse he it is take him and lead him away warily Here wee see the cause why Christ called Iudas a Deuil for he said Haue I not chosen you twelue and one of you is a deuill Hee became to be a deuil and a traitour by nourishing a wicked and a couetous heart And heare we are taught that the ministers of the word if they make no conscience of sinne by the iust iudgement of God doe prooue deuils incarnate this example of Iudas doth manifest the same and the reason is plaine for the more knowledge a man hath the more wicked he is if he want grace They are like in this case vnto a man that hath meat and drink enough but no stomacke to digest meate whereby the more he eateth the more it turneth to his hurt This I speake not to deface the callings of ministers but that those which preach Gods worde should not doe it with impenitent hearts liuing in their owne sinnes For it is a fearefull thing for a man to speake vnto the people of the pardon of their sinne and yet himselfe not to apprehend the same by faith A lump of waxe if you keepe it from heate or from the fire it keepes his own forme still but if it be held to the fire it melts and runnes abroad so ministers who by reason of their callings come neere God if they be lumpes of iniquitie and liue in their sinnes they shall finde that the corruptions of their hearts will melt abroad as waxe at the fire And therfore euery one that is designed to this calling must first purge himselfe of his owne sinnes or els Gods iudgements shal fal vpon him as they did on Iudas that betraied Christ. Secondly let vs consider what mooued Iudas to betray his master namely the desire of wealth and gaine and this couetousnes which is an insatiable desire of money is the roote of all sinne not that all sinnes came of it but because where it is there all other sinnes are preserued do get strength The desire of thirtie peeces of siluer caused Iudas to make an agreement with the Iewes to betray his master Some man will happely say that this practise of Iudas was very straunge and that no man now liuing would doe the like for any money Ans. Iudas is dead indeede but his practise is yet aliue for in the high and waightie calling of the ministerie he that hath charge of soules and either can not teach and feede his flocke or else will not though he betray not Christ in his own person yet he betraies the members of Christ vnto the deuil If a nourâ—e should take a mans childe to bring vp and yet seldome or neuer giue it milke in so much that the childe pineth away for very hunger is not shee the verie cause of the death of it yes verely And so it is with him that taketh vpon him the charge of Gods people and neuer feedes them with the milk of gods word or else so seldom that their soules do famish he is the murtherer of them and hath betraied them into the hands of their enemie and shall be condemned for them as a traitour vnto God vnlesse he repent Besides those that liue by traffique in buying and selling make gaine by lying swearing and breaking the Lords Sabboth they are also very Iudasses for they choppe away their soules with the deuill for a little gaine And more lamentable is their case because it is hard to finde one of an hundred in the world that makes conscience of a lie or of any badde dealing if any gaine at all may come thereby Men vse to crie out on Iudas for betraying Christ and they doe well yet they themselues for a little worldly pelfe betray their owne soules If such would not be counted Iudasses they must leaue off to sin keep a good conscience in gods worship the works of their callings Thirdly let vs consider what course Iudas tooke in betraying Christ hee was very submisse saying Haile Master and kissed him Why did he so Herein he played the most palpable hypocrite for hauing gotten a peece of money he thought that neither Christ nor any of his fellowe disciples should haue knowne of it though Christ knewe it well enough and therefore hee comes in this maner to him thinking that Christ would haue conueyed himselfe from amongst them all at the verie pinch as he had done sometimes before And this practise also of Iudas is common in the world Iudas an enemie vnto Christs speakes him faire and salutes him and so doe most of our secure and drowsie protestantes in England they salute Christ both by hearing
bee they goe to farre for if to die the first death bee to suffer a totall separation of bodie and soule then also to die the second death is wholly and euerie way to bee seuered from all fauour of God and at the least for a time to bee oppressed of the same death as the damned are Nowe this neuer befell Christ no not in the middest of his sufferinges considering that euen then he was able to call God his God Therefore the safest is to follow the meane namely that Christ died the first death in that his bodie and soule were really and wholly seuered yet without suffering any corruption in his bodie which is the effect and fruit of the same that withall he further suffered the extreame horrours and pangs of the second death not dying the same death nor being forsaken of God more then in his own apprehension or feeling For in the very middest of his sufferings the father was well pleased with him And this which I say doth not any whit lesson the sufficiencie of the merit of Christ for whereas he suffered truely the very wrath of God and the very torments of the damned in his soule it is as much as if all the men in the worlde had died the second death and had bin wholly cut off from God for euer and euer And no doubt Christ died the first death onely suffering the pangs of the second that the first death might be an entrance not to the second death which is eternall damnation but a passage to life eternall The benefits and comforts which arise by the death of Christ are specially foure The first is the change of our naturall death I say not the taking of it away for we must all die but whereas by nature death is a curse of God vpon man for eating the forbidden fruite by the death of Christ it is changed from a curse into a blessing and is made as it were a middle way and entrance to coÌ„uaigh men out of this worlde into the kingdome of glorie in heauen and therefore it is said Christ by his death hath deliuered them from the feare of death which all the daies of their liues were subiect to bondage A man that is to encounter with a scorpion if he knowe that it hath a sting he may be dismaied but beeing assured that the sting is taken away he neede not feare to encounter therewith Nowe death in his owne nature considered is this scorpion armed with a sting but Christ our Sauiour by his death hath pulled out the sting of our death and on the crosse triumphantly saith O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory and therefore euen then when wee feele the pangs of death approch wee should not feare but conceiue hope considering that our death is altered and changed by the vertue of the death of Christ. Secondly the death of Christ hath quite taken away the second death from those that are in Christ as Paul saith There is no no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Thirdly the death of Christ is a meanes to ratisie his last will and testament For this cause was Christ the Mediatour of the newe testament that through death which was for the redemption of the transgressions which were in the former testament they which were called might receiue the promise of the eternall inheritance For where a testament is there must be the death of him that made the testament for the testament is confirmed when men are dead for it is yet of no force as long as he is aliue that made it And therefore the death of Christ doth make his last wil and testament which is his couenant of grace authentical vnto vs. Fourthly the death of Christ doth serue to abolish the originall corruption of our sinnefull hearts As a strong corasiue laid to a sore eates out all the rotten and dead flesh euen so Christs death being applyed to the heart of a penitent sinner by faith weakens and consumes the sinne that cleaues so fast vnto our natures and dwells within vs. Some will say howe can Christs death which now is not because it is long agoe past and ended kill sinne in vs nowe Answ. Indeede if we regard the act of Christs death it is past but the vertue and power thereof endureth for euer And the power of Christs death is nothing els but the power of his Godhead which inabled him in his death to ouercome hell the graue death and condemnation and to disburden himselfe of our sinnes Nowe when we haue grace to denie our selues and to put our trust in Christ by faith are ioyned to him theÌ„ as Christ himselfe by the power of his godhead ouercame death hell and damnation in himselfe so shall wee by the same power of his godhead kill and crucifie sinne corruption in our selues Therefore seeing we reape such benefit by the death of Christ if wee will shewe our selues to bee Christians let vs reioyce in the death of Christ and if the question bee what is the chiefest thing wherein wee reioyce in this world we may answer the very crosse of Christ yea the verie least drop of his blood The duties to be learned by the death of Christ are two the first concernes all ignorant and impenâ—tent sinners Such men whatsoeuer they be by the death of Christ vpon the crosse must be mooued to turne from their sinnes and if the consideration hereof will not mooue them nothing in the world will By nature euery man is a vassall of sinne and a bondslaue of Satan the deuill raignes and rules in al men by nature and we our selues can do nothing but serue and obey him Nay which is more we liue vnder the fearefull curse of God for the least sinne Well now see the loue of the sonne of God that gaue himselfe willingly to death vpon the crosse for theeâ— that he might free thee from this most feareful bondage Wherfore let all those that liue in sin ignoraÌ„ce reason thus with theÌ„selues Hath Christ the son of god done this for vs and shal we yet liue in our sinnes hath he set open as it were the veâ—ie gates of hell and shall we yet lie weltring in our damnable waies and in the shadowe of death In the feare of God let the death of Christ be a meanes to turne vs to Christ if it can not mooue vs let vs be resolued that our case is dangerous To goe yet further in this point euery one of vs is by nature a sicke man wounded at the very heart by Satan though we feele it not yet we are deadly sicke and beholde Christ is the good phisitian of the soule and none in heauen or earth neither Saint angel nor man can heale this our spirituall wound but he alone who though he were equall with the Father yet he came downe from his
of the world Secondly all oblations and meate offerings were sprinkled with salt and euery sacrifice of propitiation which was to be burned to ashes was first salted and hereby two things were signified The first that euery one of vs in our selues are loathsome or vile in the sight of God like vnto stinking carrion or raw-flesh kept long vnpoudered A dead and rotten carkeise is loathsome vnto vs but we in our selues are a thousand times more loathsome vnto God The second that we are as it were salted and made sauorie and acceptable to God by the vertue of the sacrifice of Christ vpon the crosse Our dutie then is to labour that we may feele in our selues the biting and sharpnes of the oblation of Christ to wast and consume the superfluities of sinne and the corruptions of our natures And we must withall indeauour that the whole course of our liues and our speech it selfe be gratious and poured with salt least God at length spue vs out of his mouth To this ende hath God appointed his ministers to be the salt of the earth that by their ministerie they might apply the death of Christ and season the people And it hath pleased God to be sprinkle this land with more plentie of this salt then hath beene heretofore But alas small is the number of them that giue any relish of their good seasoning The more lamentable is their case For as flesh that cannot be seasoned with salt putrifies so men that cannot bee sweetned and changed by the sacrifice of Christ doe rot and perish in their sinnes The waters that ishued from vnder the threshold of the Sancturie when they came into the dead sea the waters thereof were holesome but myrie places and marishes which could not be seasoned were made saltpits Now these waters are the preching of the gospel of Chrtst which flowing through all the parts of this I le if it doe not season change our nation it shal make it as places of nettles saltpits at length be an occasion of the eternal curse of god Thirdly Christs priesthood serues to make euery one of vs also to be priests And being priests we must likewise haue our sacrifice and our altar Our sacrifice is the cleane offering which is the lifting vp of pure handes to God without wrath or doubting in our prayers also our bodies and soules our hearts and affections the workes of our liues and the workes of our callings all which must be dedicated to the seruice of god for his glorie and the good of his Church The altar wheron wee must offer our sacrifice is Christ our redeemer both God and man because by the vertue of his death as with sweete odours he perfumes all our obedience and makes it acceptable to God The ministers of the Gospell are also in this manner priests as Paul insinuateth when hee calleth the Gentiles his offering vnto God And the preaching of the word is as it were a sacrificing knife wherby the old Adam must be killed in vs we made an holy acceptable sweete smelling oblation vnto God sanctified by the holy Ghost Therefore euerie one that heareth Gods worde preached and taught must indeauour that by the profitable hearing thereof his sinnes and whole nature may be subdued and killed as the beast was slaine sacrificed vpon the altar by the hand of the Leuite Lastly the exhortation of the holy ghost must here be considered Seeing saith he we haue an high priest which is ouer the house of god let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water the meaning of the wordes is this that if Christ haue offered such a sacrifice of such value and price which procureth pardon of sinne iustification sanctification and redemption then we must labour to be partakers of it to haue our bodies and soules purified and clensed by his blood and sanctified throughout by the holy ghost that thereby we may be made fitte to doe sacrifice acceptable to God in Christ. This is the vse which the Apostle maketh of the doctrine of Christs priesthood in that place which also euery man should apply vnto himselfe for why should we liue in our sinnes and wicked waies euery houre incurring the danger of Gods iudgements seeing Christ hath offered such a sacrifice whereby we may be purged and clensed and at length freed from all woe and miserie Thus much of Christs sacrifice now followes his triumph vpon the crosse That Christ did triumph when he was vpon the crosse it is plainly set downe by the Apostle Paul where he saieth that putting out the hand writing of ordinances that was against vs which was contrarie to vs he euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it vpon the crosse and hath spoiled the principalities and powers and hath made shewe of them openly and hath triumphed ouer â—hem in the same crosse This triumph is set forth by signes and testimonies of two sorts I. By signes of his glorie and maiestie II. By signes of his victorie on the crosse The signes of his glorie and maiestie are principally seuen The first is the title set ouer his head vpon the crosse Iesus of Nazareth king of the Iewes The ende why titles were set ouer the heads of malefactours was that the beholders might knowe the cause of the punishment and bee admonished to take heede of like offences and be stirred vp to a dislike of the parties executed for their offences And therfore no doubt Pilate wrote the title of Christ for the aggrauating of his cause and that with his owne hand Yet marke the straunge euent that followed for when Pilate was about to write the superscription God did so gouerne and ouer-rule both his heart and hand that in stead of noting some crime he sets downe a most glorious and worthie title calling him Iesus of Nazareth king of the Iewes which wordes containe the very summe and pith of the whole gospel of Christ deliuered by the Patriarches and prophets from age to age We must not thinke that Pilate did this of any good minde or vpon any loue or fauour that he bare to Christ but onely as he was guided and ouerruled by the power of God for the aduancement of the honour and glorie of Christ. The like did Caiphas who though a sworne enemie to Christ yet he vttered a prophecy of him saying that it was necessarie that one should die for the people not that he had any intent to prophecy but because the Lord vsed him as an instrument to publish his trueth And when Balaam for the wages of vnrighteousnesse would haue cursed the Lords people for his life he could not nay all his cursings were turned into blessings By this then it appeares that it is not possible for any man doe what he can to stoppe the course of
the vse was among the Iewes for they vsed embalming as a pledge and signe of the resurrection but now since Christs comming we haue a more certen pledge thereof euen the resurrection of Christ himselfe and therefore it is not requisite that we should vse embalming and washing as the Iewes did And the clause which is specified in Saint Matthew is not to be omitted that Ioseph wrapped Christs bodie in a cleane linnen cloath whereby we learne that howsoeuer the strange fashions fetcht from Spaine and Italie are monstrous and to be abhorred yet seeing the bodie of a man is the creature of God therefore it must be araied in cleanly manner and in holy comelines Paul requires that the minister of the Gospel in all things be seemely or comely and herein he ought to be a patterne of sobrietie vnto all men Thirdly after they haue wound the bodie of Christ they lay it in a tombe and lastly they make it sure closing it vp with a stone rolled ouer the mouth of it Also the Iewes request Pilate to seale it that none might presume to open it besides they set a band of souldiours to watch the tombe and to keepe it that his bodie be not stollen away Many reasons might be alleadged of this their dealing but principally it came to passe by the prouidence of God that hereby he might confirme the resurrection of Christ. For whereas the Iewes would neither be mooued by his doctrine nor by his works and miracles to beleeue he causeth this to be done that by the certentie of his resurrection he might conuince them of hardnesse of heart and prooue that he was the sonne of God Thus much of the manner of his buriall Now followes the place where Christ was buried In the place we are to marke three things first that Christ was laid in Iosephs tombe whereby we may gather the greatnes of Christs pouertie in that he had not so much ground as to make himselfe a graue in and this must be a comfort to the members of Christ that are in pouertie And it teacheth them if they haue no more but food and raiment to be therewith content knowing that Christ their head and king hath consecrated this very estate vnto them Secondly the tombe wherein Christ was laide was a new tombe wherein neuer any man lay before And it was the speciall appointment of Gods prouidence that it should be so because if any man had bin buried there aforetime the malitious Iewes would haue pleaded that it was not Christ that rose againe but some other Thirdly we must obserue that this tombe was in a garden as the fal of man was in a garden and as the apprehension of Christ in a garden beyond the brooke Cedron And here we must note the practise of a good man This garden was the place of Iosephs delight and holy recreation wherein he vsed to solace himselfe in beholding the good creatures of God yet in the same place doth he make his owne graue long before he died whereby it appeares that his recreation was ioyned with a meditation of his ende and his example must be followed of vs. True it is God hath giuen vs his creatures not onely for necessitie but also for our lawfull delight but yet our dutie is to mingle therewith serious meditation and consideration of our last end It is a brutish part to vse the blessings and creatures of God and not at all to be bettered in regard of our last end by a further vse thereof The time when Christ was buried was the euening wherein the Sabbath was to begin according to the manner of the Iewes which began their daies at sunne setting from euening to euening according to that in Genesis the euening and the morning was the first day Nowe Ioseph commeth a little before euening and beggeth the body of Christ and burieth it where note that howsoeuer we are not bounde to keepe the sabbath so strictly as the Iewes were yet when we haue any busines or worke to be done of our ordinarie calling wee must not take a part of the Lords sabbath to doe it in but preuent the time and doe it either before as Ioseph did or rather after the sabbath This is little practised in the worlde Men thinke if they goe to Church before and after noone to heare Gods worde then all the day after they may doe what they list and spend the rest of the time at their owne pleasure but the whole day is the Lords and therefore must be spent wholly in his seruice both by publike hearing of the word and also by priuate reading and meditation on the same To conclude the doctrine of Christs buriall Here it may bee demanded howe he was alwaies after his incarnation both God and man considering he was dead and buried and therfore bodie and soule were sundered and a dead man seemes to be no man Ans. A dead man in his kind is as true a man as a liuing man for though bodie and soule be not vnited by the bond of life yet are they vnited by a relation which the one hath to the other in the counsell good pleasure of god and that as truely as man and woman râ—maine coupled into one flesh by a couenant of marriage though afterward they be distant a thousand miles asunder And by vertue of this relation euery soule in the day of iudgement shall be reunited to his own bodie and euerie bodie to his own soule But there is yet a more straighter bond betweene the bodie and soule of Christ in his death and buriall For as when he was liuing his soule was a meane or bond to vnite his godhead and his bodie togither so when hee was dead his verie Godhead was a meane or middle bonde to vnite the bodie and soule and to say otherwise is to dissolue the hypostaticall vnion by vertue whereof Christs bodie and soule though seuered each from other yet both were still ioyned to the godhead of the sonne The vse and profit which may be made of Christs buriall is twofolde I. It serueth to worke in vs the buriall of all our sinnes Knowe ye not saith Paul that all who haue beene baptized into Christ haue beene baptized into his death are buried with him by baptisme into his death If any shall demaund howe any man is buried into the death of Christ the answere is this Euery Christian man and woman are by faith mystically vnited vnto Christ and made all members of one bodie whereof Christ is the head Nowe therefore as Christ by the power of his godhead when hee was dead and buried did ouercome the graue the power of death in his own person so by the very same power by meanes of his spirituall coniunction doth he worke in all his members a spirituall death and buriall of sinne and naturall corruption When the Israelites were in burying of a man for feare of
possibly haue knowne that he had made satisfaction for any of them if he had not risen againe The vses which concerne our selues are of two sorts comforts to the children of God and duties that are to be learned and practised of vs all The comforts are especially three First Christs resurrection serueth for the iustification of all that beleeue in him euen before God the father as Paul saith Christ was giuen to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification which wordes haue this meaning when Christ died we must not consider him as a priuate man as we haue shewed before but as one that stoode in the stead and roome of all the elect in his death he bare our sinnes and suffered all that we should haue suffered in our owne persons for euer and the guilt of our offences was laide vpon him and therefore Esai saith he was numbred among the wicked Now in his rising againe he freed and disburdened himselfe not from any sinnes of his owne because he was without sinne but from the guilt and punishment of our sinnes imputed vnto him And hence it comes to passe that all those which put their trust and affiance in the merit of Christ at the very first instant of their beleeuing haue their owne sinnes not imputed vnto them and his righteousnes imputed Secondly the resurrection of Christ serueth as a notable meanes to worke inward sanctification as S. Peter saith We are regenerate to a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead And S. Paul We are then saith he buried with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glorie of his father so we also should walke in newnesse of life For if we be grafted with him to the similitude of his death we shall be also to the similitude of his resurrection Which words import thus much that as Christ by the power of his owne Godhead freed his manhood from death and from the guilt of our sinnes so doth he free those that are knit vnto him by the bond of one spirit from the corruption of their natures in which they are dead that they may liue vnto God In the naturall bodie the head is the fountaine of all the senses and of motion and therefore by sundrie nerues dispersed through the bodie the power of moouing and of sense is deriued euen to the least parts so as the hands and the feete mooue by meanes of that power which comes from the head and so it is in the spirituall bodie of Christ namely the church he is the head and the fountaine of life and therefore he conueyeth spirituall life to euery one of his members and that very power of his Godhead whereby he raised vp himselfe when he was deade he conueyeth from himselfe to his members and thereby raiseth them vp from the death of sinne to newnes of life And looke as in a perfect body when the head hath sense and motion the hand that is of the same bodie hath also the sense and motion conuenient for it so likewise Christ beeing the resurrection and the life as there is spirituall life in him so euery member of his shall feele in it selfe spirituall sense and motion whereby it is raised vp from sinne and liueth vnto God For the better coÌ„ceiuing of this we must consider two things the outward means of this spirituall life and the measure of it For the meanes if we wil haue common water we must goe to the well and if we would haue water of life wee must goe vnto Christ who saith If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke Now this well of the water of life is very deepe and we haue nothing to draw with therefore we must haue our pipes and conduits to conuey the same vnto vs which are the word of God preached and the administration of the sacraments Christ saith The dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue where by the dead is meant not the dead in the graue but those that are dead in sinne And againe Christ saith the wordes which I speake are spirit and life because the word of God is the pipe whereby he conueieth into our dead hearts spirit and life As Christ when he raised vp dead men did oneâ—y speake the word and they were made aliue and at the day of iudgement by his very voice when the trumpe shall blow all that are dead shall rise againe So it is in the first resurrection they that are dead in their sins at his voice vttered in the ministerie of the word shall rise againe To goe further Christ raised three from the dead Iairus daughter newly dead the widowes sonne dead and wound vp and lying on the hearse Lazarus dead and buried and stinking in the graue and all this he did by his very voice so also by the preaching of his word he raiseth all sorts of sinners euen such as haue lien long in their sinnes as rotting and stinking carrion The sacraments also are the pipes and conduits whereby God conueieth grace into the heart if they be rightly vsed that is if they be receiued in vnfained repentance for all our sinnes and with a true liuely faith in Christ for the pardon of the same sinnes And so I take it they are compared to flagons of wine which reuiue the Church beeing sicke and fallen into a swound As for the measure of life deriued from Christ it is but small in this life and giuen by little and little as Ose saith The Lord hath spoiled vs and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will bind vs vp After two daies he will reuiue vs and in the third he will raise vs vp and we shall liue in his sight The prophet Ezechiel in a vision is carried into the midst of a field full of dead bones and he is caused to prophecy ouer them and say O ye drie bones heare the word of the Lord at the fiâ—st there was a shaking and the bones came togither bone to bone and then sinewes and flesh grewe vpon them and vpon the flesh grewe a skinne Then he prophecied vnto the windes the second time and they liued and stood vpon their feete for the breath came vpon them and they were an exceeding great army of men Hereby it signified not onely the state of the Iewes after their captiuitieâ— but in them the state of the whole Church of God For these temporall deliuerances signified further a spirituall deliuerance And wee may here see most plaâ—nely that God worketh in the hearts of his children the gifts graces of regeneration by little and little First he giueth no more then flesh sinewes and skin then after he giueth them further graces of his spirit which quickeneth them and maketh them aliue vnto God The same also we may
intercession his satisfaction is applied to our persons and by consequent the defect of our workes is couered and remooued and they are approued of God the father In a vision Saint Iohn saw an angel standing before the altar with a golden censer full of sweete odours to offer vp with the praiers of the Saints vpon the same And this signifies that Christ presents our workes before the throne of God and by his intercession sanctifies them that they may be acceptable to God And therefore we must remember that when we doe any thing that is accepted of God it is not for our sakes but by reason of the value and vigour of Christ his merit Fourthly the intercession of Christ made in heauen breedeth and causeth in the hearts of men vpon earth that beleeue another intercession of the spirit as Paul saith He giueth vs his spirit which helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for vs with sighes which can not be expressed but he which searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit for he maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God Now the spirit is said to make request in that it stirres and mooues euery contrite heart to pray with sighes and grones vnspeakable to God for things needfull and this grace is a fruit deriued from the intercession of Christ in heauen by the operation of the spirit For as the Sunne though the bodie of it abide in the heauens yet the beames of it descend to vs that are on earth So the intercession of Christ made in heauen is tied as it were to his person alone yet the grones and desires of the touched heart as the beames thereof are here on earth among the faithfull And therefore if we desire to know whether Christ make intercession for vs or no we neede not to ascend vp into the heauens to learne the truth but we must descend into our owne hearts and looke whether Christ haue giuen vs his spirit which makes vs crie vnto God make request to him with grones sighes that can not be expressed and if we finde this in our hearts it is an euident and infallible signe that Christ continually makes intercession for vs in heauen He that would know whether the Sunne shine in the firmament must not clime vp into the cloudes to looke but search for the beames thereof vpon the earth which when he sees he may conclude that the sunne shines in the firmament And if we would know whether Christ in heauen makes intercession for vs let vs ransacke our owne consciences and there make search whether we feele the spirit of Christ crying in vs Abba Father As for those that neuer feele this worke of Gods spirit in them their case is miserable whatsoeuer they be For Christ as yet makes no intercession for them considering these two alwaies go togither his intercession in heauen and the worke of his spirit in the hearts of men moouing them to bewaile their owne sinnes with sighes and grones that cannot be expressed and to crie and to pray vnto God for grace and therfore all such whether they be yong or old that neuer could pray but mumble vp a few words for fashions sake can not assure themselues to haue any part in Christs intercession in heauen The duties to be learned hence are these First whereas Christ makes intercession for vs it teacheth all men to be most carefull to loue and like this blessed Mediatour and to be readie and willing to become his seruants and disciples and that not for forme and fashion sake onely but in all truth and sinceritie of heart For he ascended to heauen and there sits at the right hand of his father to make request for vs that we might be deliuered from hell and come to eternall life Wicked Haman procured letters from king Ahashuerosh for the destruction of all the Iewes men women and children in his dominions this done Hester the Queene makes request to the king that her people might be saued and the letters of Haman reuoked shee obtaines her request and freedome was giuen and contrarie letters of ioyfull deliuerance were sent in post hast to all prouinces where the Iewes were Whereupon arose a wonderfull ioy and gladnes among the Iewes and it is saide that thereupon many of the people of the land became Iewes Well now behold a greater matter among vs then this for there is the hand-writing of condemnation the law and therein the sentence of a double death of bodie and soule and Satan as wicked Haman accuseth vs and seekes by all meanes our condemnation but yet behold not any earthly Hester but Christ Iesus the sonne of God is come downe from heauen and hath taken away this hand-writing of condemnation and cancelled it vpon the crosse and is now ascended into heauen and there sits at the right hand of his father and makes request for vs and in him his father is well pleased and yeeldeth to his request in our behalfe Now then what must we doe in this case Surely looke as the Persians became Iewes when they heard of their safetie so we in life and conuersation must become Christians turne to Christ imbrace his doctrine and practise the same vnfainedly And we must not content our selues with a formall profession of religion but search our owne hearts and flie vnto Christ for the pardon of our sinnes and that earnestly as for life and death as the thiefe doth at the barre when the iudge is giuing sentence against him When we shall thus humble our selues then Christ Iesus that sit at the right hand of God will plead our cause and be our atturney vnto his father and his father againe will accept of his request in our behalfe Then shall we of Persians become Iewes and of the children of this world become the sonnes of God Secondly when we pray to God we must not doe as the blinde man doth as it were rush vpon God in praying to him without consideration had to the Mediatonr between vs and him but we alwaies must direct our prayers to God in the name of Christ for he is aduanced to power and glorie in heauen that he might be a fit patrone for vs who might preferre and present our praiers to God the father that thereby they might be accepted and we might obtaine our request So likewise we must giue thanks to God in the name of Christ for in him and for his sake God doth bestow on vs his blessings Thus much of Christs intercession the other benefit which concernes Christ kingly office is that he sits at the right hand of his father for the administration of that speciall kingdome which is committed to him I say speciall because he is our king not onely by the right creation gouerning all things created togither with the father and the holy Ghost but also more specially by the right of redemption in respect of another kingdome not
as a closed booke but then it shall be so touched and as it were opened that he shall plainely see and remember all the particular offences which at any time he hath committed and his very conscience shall be as good as a thousand witnesses whereupon he shall accuse and vtterly condemne himselfe The consideration of this ought to terrifie all those that liue in their sins for howsoeuer they may hide couer them from the world yet at the last day God will be sure to reueale them all Now after that mens workes are made manifest they must further be tried whether they be good or euill And that shall be done on this manner They that neuer heard of Christ must be tried by the law of nature which serues to make them inexcusable before God As for those that liue in the Church they shall be tried by the Law and the Gospel as Paul saith As many as haue liued by the law shall be iudged by the law And againe At the day of iudgement God shall iudge the secrets of our hearts according to his Gospell And By faith Noah builded an arke whereby he condemned the old world If this be true then we must in the feare of God heare his word preached and taught with all reuerence make conscience to profit by it For otherwise in the day of iudgement when all our works shall be tried by it the same word of God shall be a bill of inditement and the fearefull sentence of condemnation against vs. Therefore let vs be humbled by the doctrine of the law willingly embrace the sweete promises of the Gospel considering it is the onely touchstone whereby all our words thoughts and works must be examined The sixth point in the proceeding of the last iudgement is the giuing of sentence which is twofold the sentence of absolution and the sentence of condemnation both which are to be obserued diligeÌ„tly that we may receiue profit thereby And first of all Christ shall begin his iudgement with the sentence of absolution which shewes that he is readie to shew mercie slow to wrath In this sentence we are to consider foure points I. a calling of the Elect to the kingdome of heauen II. the reason thereof III. a replie of the Elect IV. the answer of Christ to them againe The calling of the Elect is set downe in these wordes Come yee blessed of my father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world And the words are to be obserued one by one Come ye blessed Though Christ nowe sit in glorie and maiestie in iudgement yet he ceaseth not to shew his tender aâ—fection of loue vnto his chosen And this ouerthroweth the opinion of the Church of Rome which would haue vs rather to come vnto Christ by the intercession of saints then by our selues immediatly because he is now exalted in glorie and maiestie But marke when he was here on earth he said Come vnto me all ye that are heauie laden and I will ease you And when he shall be most glorious in maiestie and power at the day of iudgement he will then also say Come ye blessed of my father and therefore we may resolue our selues that it is his will now that we should come vnto him without any intercession of Saints Ye blessed of my father The Elect are here called the blessed of God because their righteousnes saluation and all that they haue springs of the meere blessing of God Nothing therefore must be ascribed to the worke of man Inherit that is receiue as your inheritance therefore the kingdome of heauen is Gods meere gift A father giueth no inheritance vnto his sonne of merit but of his free gift wherupon it followes that no man can merit the kingdom of heauen by his works The kingdome that is the eternall estate of glorie and happines in heauen therefore in this life we must so vse this world as though we vsed it not all that we haue here is but vaine and transitorie and all our studie and endeauour must be to come to the kingdome of heauen Prepared Here note the vnspeakable care of God for the faithful Had he such care to prouide a kingdome for his children before they were then we may assure our selues he wil haue greater care ouer them now when they haue a beeing For you that is for the elect and faithfull Hence it appeares that there is no vniuersall election whereby as some suppose God decrees that all and euery man shall be saued Indeede if he had said Come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdome prepared for all but receiued of you it had bin something but he saith onely prepared for you and therefore all were not chosen to saluation The reason of this calling is taken from workes as from signes in these words For I was hungrie and ye gaue me meate c. When he saith for I was hungrie he meanes his poore and distressed members vpon earth and thereby he signifies vnto vs that the miseries of his seruants are his owne miseries Thus the Lord saith in Zacharie He which toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye And when Saul was going to persecute them in Damasco and else where that called on the name of Christ he cried from heauen Saul Saul why persecutest thou me And this is a notable comfort to Gods Church and people that they haue an high priest who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities and if he account our miseries his owne miseries then no doubt he will pitie our estate and make vs able to beare the worst And ye gaue me meate Here we note that the principall works of men are those which are done to the poore members of Christ. We are indeede to helpe all in as much as they are our very flesh and the creatures of God but the rule of S. Paul must be remembred Doe good to all but especially to those that are of the houshold of faith Many are of mind that the best works are to build Churches and Monasteries but Christ tells vs here that the best worke of all is to releeue those that be the liuing members of his mysticall bodie The third point is the replie of the Saints to Christ againe in these words Lord when saw we thee an hungred and fedde thee c. They doe not denie that which Christ auouched but doe as I take it standing before the tribunall seat of God humble themselues hauing still an after-consideration of the infirmities and offences of their liues past Here note then that it is a Satanicall practise for a man to bragge of workes and to stand vpon them in the matter of iustification before God And we must rather doe as the Saints of God doe abase our selues in regard of our sinnes past The last point is the answer of Christ to them againe in these words Verily I say vnto you in as much as
to teach all ignorāt persons and impenitent sinners repentance and humiliation for their sinnes and to mooue them with all speede to seeke vnto Christ for the pardon of the same When Paul preached to the Athenians he willed them to repent vpon this ground and reason because the Lord hath appointed a day wherein he will iudge the world in righteousnes To speake plainly we can be content to heare the word and to honour him with our lipps yet for the most part all is done but for fashions sake for still we liue in our old sinnes our hearts are not turned but in the feare of God let vs bethinke our selues of the time when wee shall come before the iudge of heauen and earth and haue all our sinnes laide open and wee must answer for them all This is the point which the holy Ghost vseth as a reason to mooue men vnto repentance and assuredly if this will not mooue vs there is nothing in the world will Secondly to this purpose Paul saith If wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged Wouldest thou then escape the iudgement of Christ at the last day then in this life iudge thy selfe Nowe a man in iudging of himselfe must performe foure things I. he must examine himselfe of his owne sinnes II. he must confesse thē before the Lord. III. he must condemne himselfe as a iudge vpon the bench giue sentence against himselfe Lastly he must plead pardon and crie vnto God as for life and death for the remission of all his sinnes and he that doth this vnfainedly shal neuer be iudged of the Lord at the last day but if we slacke and neglect this dutie in this life then vndoubtedly there remaines nothing but eternall woe in the world to come Thirdly by this we may learne one not to iudge or condemne another as Paul sayeth Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who lighten all things that are in darknes make the counsels of the hearts manifest And Christ saith Iudgement is mine and iudge not and ye shall not be iudged And againe Paul saith to the Romans Why doest thou iudge thy brother for we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ but some will aske howe doth one iudge another Ans. Thus I. when a man doth well to saie of him that he doth euill II. when a man doth euill then to make it worse III. when a thing is doubtfull to take it in the worst part And by any of these three waies we are not to iudge either of mens persons or of their actions Fourthly wee must endeauour our selues to keepe a good conscience before God and before all men This is the practise of S. Paul who in consideration and hope of a resurrection vnto iudgement as well of the iust as of the vniust endeauoured himselfe to haue alwaies a cleare conscience both towards God and towards men His example is worthie our marking and imitation for fewe there be that vpon this occasion make any conscience either of duty to God or to their brethren Fifthly the last iudgement must stirre vs vp to a reuerend feare of God cause vs to glorifie him as the Angel saith in the Reuelation Feare God and giue glorie to him for the houre of his iudgement is come And doubtlesse if any thing in the world will mooue a man to feare the Lord it is this to remember the fearefull and terrible daie of iudgement Nowe hauing spoken hitherto of the first person the father and also of the sonne it followeth in the next place to speake of the third person in these wordes I beleeue in the holy Ghost In which wee may consider two things the title of the person and the action of faith repeated from the beginning The title is Holy Ghost or spirit It may here be demanded howe this title can be fit to expresse the third person which seemes to bee common to the rest for the father is holy and the sonne is holy againe the father is a spirit and the sonne is a spirit Ans. Indeed the father and the sonne are as wel to be tearmed holy in respect of their natures the third person for all three subsisting in one and the same godhead are consequently holy by one and the fame holinesse but the third person is called holy because beside the holinesse of nature his office is to sanctifie the Church of God Nowe if it be said that sanctification is a work of the whole Trinitie the answer is that although it be so yet the worke of sanctification agrees to the Holy Ghost in speciall manner The father sanctifieth by the sonne and by the holy Ghost the sonne sanctifieth from the father and by the Holy Ghost the holy Ghost sanctifieth from the father and from the sonne by himselfe immediatly and in this respect is the third person tearmed holy Againe the third person is tearmed a Spirit not onely because his nature is spirituall for in that respect the father is a spirit and the sonne is a spirit but because hee is spired or breathed from the father and from the sonne in that he procedes from them both Thus wee see there is a speciall cause why the third person is called the Holy Ghost Nowe the action of faith which concernes the third person is to beleeue in him Which is I. to acknowledge the Holy Ghost as he hath reuealed himselfe in the word II. In special to beleeue that he is my sanctifier and comforter III. To put all the confidence of my heart in him for that cause In these wordes are comprised foure points of doctrine which are to be beleeued cōcerning the holy Ghost The first that he is very God For we are not to put our affiance or confidence in any but in God alone And no doubt the penners of the Creede in that they prefixed these wordes I beleeue in before the article of the third person meant thereby to signifie that he is true God equall with the father and the sonne according to the tenour of the Scriptures themselues Peter saith to Ananias Why hath Satan filled thine heart that thou shouldest lie vnto the Holy Ghost and continuing the same speech he changeth the tearme onely and saith Thou hast not lied vnto men but vnto God Whereby hei nsinuateth that the Holy Ghost is very God In the vision of the Prophet Isai the wordes by him set downe are thus I heard the voice of Iehoua saying Whome shall I send c. and he said God and say to this people Ye shall heare indeed but ye shall not vnderstand But Paul quoting the same place spake on this manner Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esay the Prophet saying Goe vnto this people and say vnto them Now these places being compared togither make it plaine that the title of Iehova agreeth to the holy Ghost But yet the enemies of this truth which thinke that the Holy
they that are the sonnes of God are led by his spirit a most notable benefit for looke where the h. Ghost dwelleth there he will be Lord gouerning both heart minde will and affections and that two waies I. by repressing all badde motions vnto sinne arising either from the corruption of mans nature from the world or from the deuil II. by stirring vp good affections and motions vpon euery occasion so it is said The flesh that is the corruption of mans nature lusteth against the spirit the spirit that is grace in the heart lusteth against the flesh that after a double sort first by labouring to ouermaster and keep down the motions thereof secondly by stirring vp good motions and inclinations to pietie and religion In Esay the holy Ghost hath most excellent titles The spirit of the Lord the spirit of wisdome and vnderstanding the spirit of counsel of strength the spirit of knowledge of the feare of the Lord. Now he is so called because he stirres vp good motions in the godly of wisdome of knowledge of strength of vnderstanding of counsell and of the feare of the Lord. And S. Paul saith that the fruits of the spirit are ioy peace loue long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meekenes temperance c. all which are so tearmed because where the holy Ghost ruleth there he ingendreth these good gifts and motions of grace but among all the inward motions of the spirit the most principall are these I. an vtter disliking of sinne because it is sinne And that is when a man hath an eye not so much to another mans sinnes as to his own seeing them is truely sorrowfull for them and disliketh them and himselfe for them not so much because there is a place of torment or a day of iudgement to come wherein hee must answer to God for them all but as if there were no hell or iudgement because God is displeased by them who hath beene vnto him a most louing and mercifull father in redeeming him by Christ. The second is an hungring desire aboue all things in this worlde to be at vnitie with God in Christ for the same sinnes This is a motion of the holy Ghost which no man can haue but he in whome the holy Ghost doth dwell The third the gift of hearty praier For this cause the Holy Ghost is called the spirit of supplications because it stirreth vp the heart and makes it fit to pray and therefore Paul saith that the spirit of God helpeth our infirmities for we knowe not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed This is an ordinarie worke of the holy Ghost in all that beleeue he that would knowe whether he haue the spirit dwelling truely in his heart shall knowe it by this A mother carrieth her child in her armes if it crie for the dugge and sucke the same it is aliue being obserued many daies togither if it neither crie nor stirre it is dead In like manner it is an vnfallible note of a true child of God to crie to his father in heauen by praier but he that neuer crieth nor feeleth himselfe stirred vp to make his mone to God is in a miserable case and he may well be thought to be but a dead childe and therefore let vs learne in praier vnfainedly to poure out our soules before God considering it is a speciall gift of the Holy Ghost bestowed on the children of God The fourth worke of the holy Ghost in the heart of the elect is comfort in distresse and therefore our Sauiour Christ calleth him the comforter whome he will send and in the Psalme hee is called the oyle of gladnesse because he maketh glad the heart of man in trouble and distresse There be two things that fill the heart full of endlesse griefe the first outward calamities as when a man is in any danger of death when he looseth his goods his good name his friendes and such like The second is a troubled conscience whereof Salomon saith A troubled spirit who can beare it and of all other it is the most heauie and grieuous crosse that can bee When as the hand of God was heauie vpon Iob this was the sorest of all his affliction and therefore he crieth out that the arrowes of the almightie did sticke in his soule Nowe what is the comfort in this case Ans. In the middest of all our distresses the holy Ghost is present with vs to make vs reioice and to fill vs with comforts that no tongue can expresse out of the word of god and specially the promises thereof And hereupon the vngodly man when afflictions befall him is readie to make away himselfe because he wants the comfort of the holy Ghost The last benefit wrought in the hearts of the elect is the strengthening of them to doe the weightiest duties of their callings and hence the holy Ghost is called the spirit of strength There be diuers things to bee done of a Christian man that are farre beyond the reach of his power as fiâ—st when he seeth his owne sinnes and is truely humbled for them then to lift vp the hand of faith to heauen and thereby to catch holde on the mercy of God in Christ is the hardest thing in the whole world and this doe all those knowe to be true in some part which knowe what it is to beleeue Secondly it is as hard a thing in the time of temptation to resist temptation as for drie wood to resist the fire when it begins to burn Thirdly when a maÌ„ is put to his choice either to loose his life goods friends and all that he hath or els to forsake religion euen then to forsake all and to sticke vnto Christ is a matter of as great diffâ—cultie as any of the former Fourthly when a man wanteth the ordinary meanes of Gods prouidence as meate drinke and cloathing then at the very same instant to acknowledge Gods prouidence to reioyce in it and to relie theron is as much as if a man should shake the whole earth It is against our wicked nature to trust God vnlesse he first lay downe some pawne of his loue mercie to vs. How then will some say shall any one be able to doe these things Ans. The holy Ghost is the spirit of strength and by him we do all things as Paul saith I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me Concerning these gifts of the holy Ghost two questions may be mooued First what is the measure of grace in this life Answ. Small in respect In this world we receiue as Paul saith not the tenths but the first fruits of Gods spirit the earnest of the spirit Now the first fruits properly are but as an handfull or twaine of corne to a whole corne field containing many acres furlongs of ground
loue In these daies it is hard to finde these duties performed in any place For both practise and prouerb is commonly this Euery man for himselfe and God for vs all but it is a graceles saying and the contrarie must be practised of all that desire to be guided by the spirit The seuenth fruit is faith Faith or fidelitie standeth in these two duties One to make conscience of a lie and to speake euery thing whereof we speake as we thinke it is and not to speake one thing and thinke an other A rare thing it is to finde this vertue in the world now adaies who is he that maketh conscience of a lie and is not truth banished out of our coasts considering that for gaines and outward commodities men make no bones of glosing and dissembling but alas the practise is damnable and the contrarie is the fruit of the holy Ghost namely to speake the truth from the heart he that can doe this by the testimonie of God himselfe shall rest in the mountaine of his holines euen in the kingdome of heauen The second point wherein fidelitie consisteth is when a man hath made a promise that is lawfull and good to keepe and performe the same Some thinke it is a small matter to breake promise but indeede it is a fruit of the flesh and contrariwise a fruit of the spirit to performe a lawfull promise and a mans word should be as sure as an obligation and in conscience a man is bound to keepe promise so farre forth as he will to whome the promise is made Indeede if a man be released of his promise he is then free otherwise if we promise and doe not performe we doe not onely cracke our credit before men but also sinne before God The eight fruit of the spirit is meekenesse which is a notable grace of God when a man prouoked by iniuries doth neither intend nor enterprise the requitall of the same And it stands in three duties The first is to interpret the sayings and doings of other men in better part as much as possibly may be The second when men mistake and misconsture our sayings and doings if the matter be of smaller moment to be silent patient as Christ was when he was accused before the high priests Pharises this being withal remembred that if the matter be of weight and moment we may defend our selues by soft and mild answers The third is not to contend in word or deed with any man but when we are to deale with others to speake our minde and so an ende The last fruit of the spirit is temperance whereby a man bridleth his appetite or lust in meate drinke and apparell In bridling the lust these rules must be obserued I. Eating and drinking must be ioyned with continuall fasting after this manner We must not glut our selues but rather abstaine from that which nature desireth and as some vse to speake leaue our stomackes crauing II. A man must so eate and drinke as afterward he may the better be inabled for Gods worship Creatures are abused when they make vs vnfit to serue God The common fault is on the Sabbath day men so pamper themselues as that they are made vnfit both to heare and learne Gods word and fitte for nothing but to slumber and sleepe but following this rule of temperance these faults shall be amended III. This must be a caueat in our apparell that we be attired according to our callings in holy comelinesse The Lord hath threatned to visit all those that are cloathed in strange apparrell And holy comelinesse is this when the apparell is both for fashion and matter so made and worne that it may expresse shew forth the graces of God in the heart as sobrietie temperance grauitie c. and the beholder may take occasion by the apparell to acknowledge and commend these vertues But lamentable is the time looke on men and women in these daies and you may see and read their sinnes written in great letters on their apparell as intemperance pride and wantonnesse Euery day new fashions please the world but indeede that holy comelines which the holy Ghost doth commend to vs is the right fashion when all is done And these are the nine fruits of the spirit which we must put in practise in our liues and conuersations Fourthly if we beleeue in the holy Ghost and thereupon doe perswade our selues that he will dwell in vs we must daily labour as we are commaunded to keepe our vessells in holinesse and honour vnto the Lord and the reason is good If a man be to entertaine but an earthly prince or some man of state he would be sure to haue his house in a readines and all matters in order against his comming so as euery thing might be pleasing vnto so worthy a guest well now behold we put our confidence and affiance in the holy Ghost and doe beleeue that he wil come vnto vs and â—anctifie vs and lodge in our hearts He is higher then all states in the world whatsoeuer and therefore we must looke that our bodies and soules be kept in an honourable and holy manner so as they may be fit temples for him to dwell in S. Paul biddeth vsâ— not to grieue the holy spirit where the holy Ghost is compared to a guest and ouâ— bodies and soules vnto Innes and as men vse their guests friendly and courteously shewing vnto them all seruice and dutie so must we doe to Gods spirit which is come to dwell and abide in vs doing nothing in any case which may disquiet or molest him Now there is nothing so grieuous vnto him as our sinnes and therefore we must make conscience of all manner of sinne least by abusing of our selues we doe cause the holy Ghost as it were with greefe to depart from vs. When the arke of the couenant which was a signe of the presence of God was in the house of Obed Edom the text saith that the Lord blessed him and all his house but when the holy Ghost dwels in a mans heart there is more then the arke of the Lord present euen God himselfe and therfore may we looke for a greater blessing Now then shall we grieue the holy Ghost by sinning seeing we reape such benefit by his aboad It is said that our Sauiour Christ was angrie when he came into the temple at Ierusalem and saw the abuses therein Now shall he be angrie for the abuses that are done in a temple of stone and seeing the temples of our bodies which are not made of stone but are spirituall figured by that earthly temple seeing them I say abused by sinne will he not be much more angrie Yea we may assure our selues he can not abide that And therefore if we beleeue in the holy Ghost we must hereupon be mooued to keepe our bodies and soules pure and cleane And further to perswade vs hereunto we must remember this that when
righteous man And Saint Iohn saith Hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren that is such as are members euen because they are so The second signe of this affection is a loue and desire to the comming of Christ whether it be by death vnto any man particularly or by the last iudgement vniuersally and that for this ende that there may be a full participation of fellowshippe with Christ. And that this very loue is a note of adoption it appeares by that which S. Paul saith that the crowne of righteousnes is laid vp for all them that loue the appearing of Christ. The outward token of adoption is New-obedience wherby a man endeauours to obey Gods commandements in his life and conuersation as Saint Iohn saith Hereby we are sure that we know him if we keepe his commandements Now this obedience must not be iudged by the rigour of the morall law for then it should be no token of grace but rather a meanes of damnation but it must be esteemed considered as it is in the acceptation of God who spares them that feare him as a father spares an obedient sonne esteeming things done not by the effect and absolute doing of them but by the affection of the doer And yet least any man should here be deceiued wee must knowe that the obedience which is an infallible marke of the childe of God must be thus qualified First of all it must not be done vnto some fewe of Gods commandements but vnto them all without exception Herod heard Iohn Baptist willingly and did many things and Iudas had excellent things in him as appeares by this that he was content to leaue all and to follow Christ and he preached the Gospel of the kingdome in Iurie as well as the rest yet alas all this was nothing for the one could not abide to become obedient to the seauenth commaundement in leauing his brother Philips wife and the other would not leaue his couetousnesse to die for it Vpright and sincere obedience doth inlarge it selfe to all the commandements as Dauid saith I shall not be confounded when I haue respect to all thy commaundements And Saint Iames saith he which faileth in one law is guiltie of all that is the obedience to many commaundements is indeede before God no obedience but a slatte sinne if a man wittingly and willingly carrie a purpose to omit any one dutie of the lawe He that repents of one sinne truly doth repent of all and he that liues but in one knowne sinne without repentance though he pretend neuer â—o much reformation of life indeed repents of no sinne Secondly this obedience must extend it selfe to the whole course of a mans life after his conuersion and repentance We must not iudge of a man by an action or two but by the tenour of his life Such as the course of a mans life is such is the man though he through the corruption of his nature faile in this or that particular action yet doth it not preiudice his estate before God so be it he renue his repentance for his seuerall slippes and falls not lying in any sinne and withall from yeare to yeare walke vnblameable before God and men S. Paul saith The foundation of God remaineth sure the Lord knoweth who are his Now some might hereupon say it is true indeede God knowes who are his but how may I be assured in my selfe that I am his to this demaund as I take it Paul answers in the next words Let euery one that calleth on the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie that is let men inuocate the name of God praying seriously for things whereof they stand in neede withall giuing thanks and departing from all their former sinnes and this shall be vnto them an infallible token that they are in the election of God Thirdly in outward obedience it is required that it proceede from the whole man as the regeneration which is the cause of it is through the whole man in bodie soule and spirit Againe obedience is the fruit of loue and loue is from the pure heart the good conscience and faith vnfained Thus we haue heard the testimonies and tokens whereby a man may be certified in his conscience that he was chosen to saluation before all worlds If and desire further resolution in this point let them meditate vpon the 15. psal and first epistle of S. Iohn beeing parcels of Scripture penned by the holy Ghost for this ende Here some will demand how a man may be assured of his adoption if he want the testimonie of the spirit to certifie him thereof Ans. Fire is knowne to be no painted but a true fire by two notes by heate and by the flame now if the case fall out that the fire want a flame it is still knowne to be fire by the heate In like manner as I haue saide there be two witnesses of our adoption Gods spirit and our spirit now if it fall out that a man feele not the principall which is the spirit of adoption he must then haue recourse to the second witnesse and search out in himselfe the signes and tokens of the sanctification of his owne spirit by which he may certenly assure himselfe of his adoption as we know fire to be fire by the heate though it want a flame Againe it may be demanded on this manner how if it come to passe that after inquirie we finde but fewe signes of sanctification in our selues Ans. In this case we are to haue recourse to the least measure of grace lesse then which there is no sauing grace and it stands in two things an heartie disliking of our sinnes because they are sinnes and a desire of reconciliation with God in Christ for them all and these are tokens of adoption if they be soundly wrought in the heart though all other tokens for the present seeme to be wanting If any shall say that a wicked man may haue this desire as Balaam who desired to die the death of the righteous the answer is that Balaam indeede desired to die as the righteous man doth but he could not abide to liue as the righteous he desired the ende but not the proper subordinate meanes which tend vnto the ende as vocation iustification sanctification repentance c. the first is the worke of nature the second is the worke of grace Nowe I speake not this to make men secure and to content themselues with these smal beginnings of grace but onely to shewe howe any may assure themselues that they are at the least babes in Christ adding this withall that they which haue no more but these small beginnings must be carefull to increase them because he which goes not forward goes backeward Lastly it may be demanded what a man should doe if he want both the testimonie of Gods spirit and his owne spirit and haue no meanes in the world of assurance Ans.
how are the members of the visible Church qualified and discerned the answer followeth in the definition professing the faith Whereby I meane the profession of that religion which hath bin taught from the beginning and is now recorded in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles And this profession is a signe and marke whereby a man is declared and made manifest to be a member of the Church Againe because the profession of the faith is otherwhiles true and syncere and otherwhiles onely in shewe therefore there be also two sorts of members of the visible church members before God and members before men A member of the church before God is he that beside the outward profession of the faith hath inwardly a pure heart good conscience and faith vnfained whereby he is indeede a true member of the church Members before men whome we may call reputed members are such as haue nothing else but the outward profession wanting the good conscience and the faith vnfained The reason why they are to be esteemed members of vs is because we are bound by the rule of charitie to thinke of men as they appeare vnto vs leauing secret iudgements vnto God I added in the last place that the Church is gathered by the word preached to shew that the cause whereby it is begunne and continued is the word which for that cause is called the immortall seede whereby we are borne anew and milke whereby we are fedde and cherished to life euerlasting And hence it followeth necessarily that the preaching of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles ioyned with any measure of faith and obedience is an vnfallible marke of a true church Indeede it is true there be three things required to the good estate of a church the preaching of the Gospell the administration of the Sacraments and due execution of Discipline according to the word yet if the two latter be wanting so be it there be preaching of the word with obedience in the people there is for substance a true church of God For it is the banner of Christ displaied vnder which all that warre against the flesh the deuill the world must range themselues As the Lord saith by the Prophet Esai I will lift vp my hand to the Gentiles and set vp my standard vnto the people and they shall bring their sonnes in their armes and their daughters shall be carried vpon their shoulders Hence it followeth that men which want the preaching of the Gospell must either procure the same vnto themselues or if that can not be because they liue in the middest of idolatrous nations as in Spaine and Italie it is requisite that they should ioyne themselues to those places where with libertie of conscience they may enioy this happie blessing Men are not to haue their hearts glued to the honours and riches of this world but they should be of Dauids minde and rather desire to be dorekeepers in the house of God then to dwell in the tents of vngodlines In the Canticles the spouse of Christ saith Shew me O thou whome my soule loueth where thou feedest where thou liest at noone for why should I be as shee that turneth aside to the flocks of thy companions To whome he answereth thus If thou know not O thou the fairest among women get thee forth by the steppes of the flocke and feede thy kids by the tents of the shepheards that is in those places where the doctrine of righteousnes and life euerlasting by the Messias is published When the Shunamites child was dead shee told her husband that shee would go to the man of God to whome he answered thus Why wilt thou goe to him to day it is neither new moone nor sabbath day whereby it is signified that when teaching was skarse in Israel the people did resort to the Prophets for instruction and consolation And Dauid saith that the people wheresoeuer there aboad was went from strength to strength till they appeared before God in Sion And oftentimes they beeing Proselytes there aboade must needes be out of the precincts of Iewrie Thus we see what the visible Church is now further concerning it three questions are to be skanned The first is how we may discerne whether particular men and particular Churches holding errours be found members of the Catholicke church or no. For the answering of this we must make a double distinction one of errours the other of persons that erre Of errours some are destroiers of the faith some onely weakners of it A destroier is that which ouerturneth any fundamentall point of religion which is of that nature that if it be denied religion it selfe is ouerturned as the deniall of the death of Christ and the immortalitie of the soule iustification by workes and such like and the summe of these fundamentall points is comprised in the Creede of the Apostles and the Decalogue A weakning errour is that the holding whereof doth not ouerturue any point in the foundation of saluation as the errour of freewill and sundrie such like This distinction is made by the holy Ghost who saith expressely that the doctrines of repentance and faith and baptismes and laying on of hands and the resurrection and the last iudgement are the foundation namely of religion and againe that Christ is the foundation and that other doctrines consonant to the word are as gold and siluer laid thereupon Secondly persons erring are of two sorts some erre of wâ—aknes beeing carried away by others or of simple ignorance not yet beeing conuicted and informed concerning the truth Some againe erre of obstinacie or affected ignorance which hauing bin admonished and conuicted still perseuere in their forged opinions This beeing saide wâ—e nowe come to the point If any man or Church shall hold an errour of the lighter kinde he still remaines a member of the Church of God and so must be reputed of vs. As when a Lutherane shall hold that images are still to be retained in the church that there is an Vniuersall Election of all men c. for these and such like opinions may be maintained the foundation of saluation vnrased This which I say is slatly auouched by Paul If any man saith he build on this foundation gold siluer pretious stones timber hay or stubble his worke shall be made manifest by the fire c. and if any mans worke burne he shall loose but yet he shall be safe himselfe And therefore the hay and stubble of mens errours that are beside the foundation on which they are laid doe not debarre them from beeing Christians or members of the church A man breaks downe the windows of his house the house stands he breakes downe the roofe or the walls the house yet stands though deformed he pulls vp the foundation the house it selfe falls and ceaseth to be an house Now religion which we professe is like an house or building and some points thereof are like windowes doores walls roofes
benefits which God bestoweth on it which are in number foure The first is expressed in these words The communion of Saints Where communion signifieth that fellowship or societie that one hath with an other and by Saints we vnderstand not dead men inrolled in the Popes calender but all that are sanctified by the blood of Christ whether they be liuing or dead as Paul saith Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinthus to them that are sanctified in Iesus Christ Saints by calling And God is the God of peace in all the Churches of the Saints Now if we adde the clause I beleeue vnto these words the meaning is this I confesse and acknowledge that there is a spiritual fellowship societie among all the mēbers of Christ beeing the faithfull seruants and children of God and withall I beleeue that I am partaker of the same with the rest This communion hath two parts fellowshippe of the members with the head and of the members with themselues The communion of the members with their head is not outward but altogether spirituall in the conscience and for the opening of it we must consider what the Church receiueth of Christ and what he receiues of it The Church receiues of Christ foure most worthy benefits The first that Christ our Mediatour God and man hath truely giuen himselfe vnto vs and is become our lot and portion and withall God the father and the holy spirit in him as Dauid saith Iehoua is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou shalt maintaine my lot the lines are fallen vnto me in pleasant places yea I haue a faire heritage And My flesh faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer The second is the Right of adoption whereby all the faithfull whether in heauen or earth are actually made the children of God The benefit is wonderfull howsoeuer carnall men esteeme not of it If a mā should either by election or birth or any waie else be made the sonne and heire of an earthly prince he would thinke himselfe highly aduanced how highly then are they extolled which are made the sonnes of God himselfe The third benefit is a title and right to the righteousnes of Christ in his sufferings and his fulfilling of the lawe The excellencie of it is vnspeakable because it serues to award the greatest temptations of the deuill When the deuill replieth thus thou art a transgressour of the lawe of God therefore thou shalt be damned by means of that communion which wee haue with Christ wee answere againe that Christ suffered the curse of the lawe to free vs from due and deserued damnation and when he further replies that seeing we neuer fulfilled the lawe we can not therefore enter into heauen we answer againe that Christs obedience is a fulfilling of the law for vs and his whole righteousnesse is ours to make vs stand righteous before God The fourth benefit is a right to the kingdome of heauen as Christ comforting his disciples saith Feare not little flocke it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome and hence it is sundrie times called the inheritance and the lot of the Saints Furthermore for the conueiance of these benefits vnto vs God hath ordained the preaching of the word and the administration of the Sacraments specially the Lords supper and hath commanded the solemne and ordinarie vse of them in the Church And hereupon the Lordes supper is called the Communion The cuppe of blessing saith Paul which wee blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ and the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ that is a signe and seale of the communion Againe the things which Christ receiueth of vs are two our sinnes with the punishment thereof made his by application or imputation and our afflictions with all the miseries of this life which he accounts his owne and therefore doth as it were put vnder his shoulders to beare the burden of them And this communion betweene Christ and vs is expressed in the scriptures by that blessed and heauenly bargaine in which there is mutuall exchange betweene Christ and vs he imparts vnto vs milke and wine without siluer or money to refresh vs and gold tried by the fire that we may become rich and white raiment that we may be cloathed and eye-salue to annoint our eies that wee may see and we for our parts returne vnto him nothing but blindenes and nakednes and pouertie and the loathsome burden of our filthy sinnes The second part of the communion is that which the Saints haue one with an other And it is either of the liuing with the liuing or of the liuing with the dead Nowe the communion of the liuing standes in three things I. the like affection II. in the gifts of the spirit III. in the vse of temporall riches For the first communion in affection is whereby all the seruants of God are like affected to God to Christ to their owne sinnes and each to other They are all of one nature and heart alike disposed though they bee not acquainted nor haue any externall fellowship in the flesh As in a familie children are for the most part one like another brought vp alike euen so it is in Gods familie which is his Church the members thereof are all alike in heart and affection and the reason is because they haue one spirit to guide them all and therefore Saint Peter saith The multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule neither any of them said that any thing of that which he possessed was his own but they had al things cōmon And the Prophet Esay foretelling the vnity which should be in the kingdome of Christ saith The woolfe shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie with the kidde and the calfe and the lyon aud the fat beast togither and a little childe shall leade them The cowe and the beare shall feede and their young ones shall lie togither and the lyon shall eate strawe like the bullocke The sucking child shall plaie vpon the hole of the aspe and the weaned child shall put his hand into the cockatrice hole By these beasts are signified men that be of a wicked and brutish nature which when they shall be brought into the kingdom of Christ shall lay aside the same and become louing gentle curteous and all of one minde And S. Peter requires of the Church the practise of brothely loue and that is to carrie a tender affection to men not becanse they are of the same flesh but because they are ioyned in the bond of one spirit with vs. Furthermore by reason of this that all the children of God are of one heart there follows another dutie of this communion whereby they beare one the burdens of another and when one member is grieued
without it euery man is more miserable and wretched then the most vile creature that euer was We loâ—th the serpent or the toad but if a man haue not the pardon of his sinns procured by the death and passion of Christ he is a thousand fold worse then they For when they die there is the ende of their woe and miserie but when man dieth without this benefit there is the beginning of his For first in soule till the day of iudgement and then both in bodie and soule for euermore he shall enter into the endlesse paines and torments of hell in which if one should continue so many thousand yeares as there are drops in the Ocean sea and then be deliuered it were some ease but hauing continued so long which is an vnspeakable length of time he must remaine there as long againe and after that for euer and euer without release and therefore among all the benefits that euer were or can be thought of this is the greatest and most pretious Among all the burdens that can befall a man what is the greatest Some will say sicknesse some ignominie some pouertie some contempt but indeede among all the heauiest and the greatest is the burden of a mans owne sinnes lying vpon the conscience and pressing it downe without any assurance of pardon Dauid beeing a king had no doubt all that heart could wish and yet he laying aside all the royalties and pleasures of his kingdome saith this one thing aboue all that he is a blessed man that is eased of the burden of his sinnes A lazar man full of sores is vgly to the sight and we can not abide to looke vpon him but no lazar is so lothsome to vs as all sinners are in the sight of God and therfore Dauid counted him blessed whose sinnes were couered It may be some wil say there is no cause why a man should thus magnifie the pardon of sinne considering it is but a common benefit Thus indeede men may imagine which neuer knew what sinne meant but let a man onely as it were but with the tip of his finger haue a little feeling of the smart of his sinnes he shall finde his estate so fearefull that if the whole world were set before him on the one side and the pardon of sinnes on the other he would choose the pardon of his sinne before ten thousand worldes Though many drousie Protestants esteeme nothing of it yet to the touched conscience it is a treasure which when a man findes he hides it and goes home and sells all that he hath and buies it Therefore this beneâ—it is most excellent and for it the members of Gods Church haue great cause to giue God thankes without ceasing The duties to be learned hence are these And first of all here comes a commoÌ„ fault of men to be rebuked Euery one wil say that he beleeueth the remission of sinnes yet no man almost laboureth for a true and certen perswasion hereof in his owne conscience and for proofe hereof propound this question to the common Christian Doest thou perswade thy selfe that God giues remission of sinnes vnto his Church The answer will be I know and beleeue it But aske him further Doest thou beleeue the pardon of thine owne sinnes then comes in a blind answer I haue a good hope to God-ward but I can not tell I thinke no man can say so much for God saith to no man thy sinnes are pardoned But this is to speake flat contraries to say they beleeue and they can not tell it bewraies exceeding negligence in matter of saluation But let them that feare God or loue their owne soules health giue all diligence to make sure the remission of their owne sinnes withall auoiding hardnesse of heart and drowsines of spirit the most fearefull iudgements of God which euery where take place The foolish virgins went forth to meete the bridegroome with lamps in their hands as well as the wise but they neuer so much as dreamed of the horne of oyle till the comming of the bridegroome So many men liue in the Church of God as members thereof holding vp the lampe of glorious profession but in the meane season they seeke onely for the things of this life neuer casting how they may assure themselues in conscience touching their reconciliation with God till the day of death come Secondly if we be here bound to beleeue the pardon of all our sinnes then we must euery day humble our selues before God and seeke pardon for our daily offences for he giues grace to the humble or contrite he fills the hungrie with good things when the rich are sent emptie away When Benhadad the King of Syria was discomfited and ouercome by the king of Israel by the counsell of his seruants who told him that the kings of Israel were mercifull men he sent them cloathed in sackcloath with ropes about their neckes to intreat for peace and fauour Now when the king saw their submission he made couenant of peace with him We by our sinnes most iustly deserue hell death and condemnation euery day and therefore it standeth vs in hand to come into the presence of God and to humble our selues before him in sackcloath and ashes crauing and intreating for nothing in the world so much as for pardon of our sinnes and that day by day without ceasing till the Lord giue this blessed answer to our consciences that all our sinnes are put out of his remembrance We must not thinke that God putteth grace into mens hearts when they lie snurting vpon their elbowes and either not vse or despise the meanes but we must first vse the meanes partly by making confession of our sinnes to God and partly by crying to heauen for pardon and then when by his grace we beginne to desire grace he giues further grace Lastly if we beleeue the pardon of our sinnes then we must change the tenour and course of our liues and take heede of breaking Gods commandements by doing any of those things whereof our consciences may accuse vs and tell vs that by them we haue displeased God heretofore A man that for some misdemeanour hath beene cast into prison and lien there many yeares winter and sommer in cold irons when he obtaines libertie he will often bethinke himselfe of his old miserie and take heede for euer least he fall into the same offence againe and he which hath seene his owne sinnes and â—elt the smart of them and withall by Gods goodnes obtained assurance touching the pardon of them will neuer wittingly and willingly commit the like sinneâ— any more but in all things change the course of his life As for such as say that they haue the pardon of their sinnes and yet liue in them still they deceiue themselues and haue no faith at all Thus much for the second benefit which God bestoweth on his Church namely remission of sinnes now followeth the third in these wordes The resurrection of the
For in this word is contained the testification of our faith whereas the petitions are only testifications of our desires And as it is in the end so also it is the seale of our praiers to make them authenticall and it is to be vsed as men coÌ„monly take it not onely for this end to answer the minister praying in the coÌ„gregation but also to testifie our faith for the thing desired 2. Graces to be desired HEreby we are taught what grace we are to shewe in praier Wee must labour to giue assent to Gods promises when wee pray and striue against doubting and vnbeleefe Mat 9.11 Lord I beleeue Lord help mine vnbeleefe Psal. 42.11 Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted in me waite on God Many there are that will stand vpon the strength of their faith plead for themselues that they neuer doubted but they are farre wide for true faith beeing imperfect is alwaies accompanied with doubting more or lesse Wherefore the heart that neuer felt doubting is not filled with faith but with presuÌ„ption As for them which are molested with doubtings and complaine of theÌ„ they haue lesse cause to feare for as fire and water doeth neuer striue till they meete no more doth doubting and faith till faith be wrought in the heart To conclude we see what an excellent worke praier is in which two most excellent graces of a Christian man be shewed forth hungring after mercie faith wherby we beleeue the obtaining of it This might mooue men to learn to praie praier being the exercise of grace Of the vse of the Lords praier THe principall vse of the Lords praier is to direct gods Church in making their praiers in all places at all times and vpon all occasions though their praiers should be innumerable and vnlesse they be framed after this praier they cannot be acceptable vnto God In the vsing of it for direction there bee three things required 1. The first is the knowledge of the Lords praier and al the parts therof He that would pray by it must vnderstand the meaning therof the wants therein to be bewailed the graces to be desired for which ende it hath beene expounded 2. Knowing this there is in the second place required thus much skill that hee be able to referre euery want and grace to one of the sixe petitions for example feeling in himselfe pride of heart he must be able to say this is a want in the first petition and feeling a rebellion and slownes in doing Gods commandements he must be able to say this is a sinne to be praied against in the third petition Thus euery want he must refer to his proper head againe he must referre euery grace to be desired to one of the sixe petitions as strength in temptation to the sixt affiance in Gods prouidence to the fourth knowledge of God to the first c. and so in the rest 3. In the third place hee must before he pray consider what bee his wants and imperfections which most trouble him as also the graces which he would obtaine then for the helping of his memorie he must goe to the petitions hee must set those things first in his minde which concerne the first petition and those which concerne the second petition must haue the second place in his mind and so he must proceede in order as he shall haue occasion Thus a man keeping in mind the order of the petitions as they stand shall be able by referring euery grace and want to his proper head to make distinct praier and to varie it as time place and other occasions shall mooue him Quest. Must we of necessitie follow all the petitions in conceiuing a praier Ans. No but onely those which doe principally belong to the time place and occasion as Paul maketh a praier Coloss. 1.9,10 And all the points of it may be referred to the third and last petitions Againe a Christian man may make an excellent confession of his sinnes by this praier if he shall keeping the order of the petitions confesse and bewaile the sinnes which euery petition requires vs to pray against And it serues to make a thankesgiuing to God thus let a man remember all the graces which he hath receiued from God let him then referre them to the petitions giue thankes to God after the order of them turning euery petition into a thanksgiuing Of the circumstances of praier Quest. 1. VVHether a man is to vse a voice in praier Answ. In publike praier it is requisite that there be a voice for the minister iâ— the mouth of the people and to the praier which he conceiues they giue assent For priuat praier vsing of a voice is conuenient yet so as it may be donâ— in silence I. The Lord gaue vs the voice as wel as the heart to blesse him withall Iam. 3.9 II. God created the tongue as well as the heart and so will bee praised by both III. The voice often stirres vp the heart and againe the vehemencie of affection doth often draw out a voice the voice then in priuate praier is requisite yet in some cases may be omitted for it is not absolutely necessarie Moses and Anna praied in silence Quest. 2. What gesture is to be vsed in praier Ans. The worde doeth not affoard any particular direction Our Sauiour and his disciples praied in diuers gestures kneeling staÌ„ding groueling looking to heauen looking down to the earth sitting lying c. Luk. 11.41 Act. 7. god respects not the gesture but the affection of the heart yet two things must alwaies be in gesture first that it bee comely secondly that it doe fitly expresse the affection of the heart as when we aske mercie to look to heauen when we bewaile our sinnes to looke downward and to humble our bodies c. Question 3. What place must we praie in Ans. The place is set downe 1. Tim. 2.8 We may pray in all places of which there is no difference Some wil say that in the time of the lawe the tabernacle and temple were places of diuine praier Ans. The temple and tabernacle were types of Christ and his Church and the vnitie of it but nowe wee hauing the thing it selfe signified thereby may pray in all places Our Sauiour praied in the wildernesse on the Mount Peter on the house toppe Paul by the sea shore yet so that publique praier must be vsed in publike places as Churches Chappels c. not because in them is more holines but for order sake Quest. 4. What is the time appointed for praier Ans. Pray continually 1,5,7 that is vpon all occasions or when a man beginnes any businesse whether it be in word or deede Coloss. 3. 17. or as Daniel who praied thrise euery day Dan. 6.11 or as Dauid who praied at euening and morning and noone-tyde Psal. 55. 18. and seuen times a â—aie that is many Psal. 119.140 Thus wee shall pray continually Euery day affoards three speciall
occasions 1. The entrance to our callings in the morning 2. The receiuing of Gods creatures at noone-tyde 3. The going to rest at night Againe beside set solemne praiers there be certaine kinds of short praiers which the fathers call Eiaculationes that is the liftings vp of the heart into heauen secretly and suddainly and this kind of praying may be vsed as occasion is offered enery houre in the daie Quest. 5. Whether may we pray for all men or no Ans. We may and wee may not We may if all men or mankind be taken distributiuely or seuerally For there is no particular countrie kingdome towne person but wee may make praiers for it And though men be Atheists Infidels Heretikes yea deuils incarnate yet for any thing we knowe they may belong to the election of God except they sinne against the holy ghost which sinne is very seldome hardly discerned of men And in this sence must the commandement of Paul be vnderstood I exhort therfore that first of all supplications praiers c. be made for all men 1. Tim. 2.1 We may not pray for all men if all men or mankind be taken collectiuely that is if all men be considered wholly togither as they make one bodie or company and be taken as we say in grosse For in this bodie or masse of mankind there be some though they be vnknowne to vs yet I say there be some whome God in his iust iudgement hath refused whose saluation by praier shall neuer be obtained Quest. 6. Whether is it possible for a man to pray in reading of a praier Answer It pleaseth some to mooue this question but there is no doubt of it For praier is a part of Gods worship and therefore a spirituall action of the heart of man standing specially in a desire of that which we want and faith whereby we beleeue that our desire shall be granted Nowe the voice or vtterance whether it be in reading or otherwise is no part of the praier but an outwarde meanes whereby praier is vttered and expressed Therefore there is no reason why a forme of praier being read should cease to be a praier because it is read so be it the spirit of grace and praier be not wanting in the partie reading and the hearers Obiect To reade a sermon is not to preach and therefore to read a praier is not to pray Ans. The reason is not like in both For the gift of preaching or prophecie can not bee shewed or practised in the reading of a sermon and for this cause the reading of a sermon is not preaching or prophesie but the grace and gift of praier may bee shewed in reading of a praier otherwise it would goe very hard with them that want conuenient vtterance by reason of some defect in the tongue or by reason of bashfulnesse in the presence of others Of Gods hearing our praiers HItherto we haue spoken of the making of praier to god a word or twain of Gods hearing our praiers Quest. How many waies doth God heare mens praiers Ans. Two waies The first in his mercie when he graunts the requests of such as call vpon him in the feare of his name Secondly hee heares mens praiers in his wrath Thus he gaue the Israelites Quailes according to their desire Psal. 78.29.30.31 Thus often men curse themselues and wish that they were hanged or dead and accordingly they haue their wish Quest. 2. Why doth God deferre to heare the praiers of his seruants Ans. First to prooue them by delay Secondly to exercise their faith Thirdly to make them acknowledge that the things which they receiue are Gods gifts not frō thēselues Fourthly that graces quickly giuen might not be lightly esteemed Fiftly that an hungring after grace might be sharpned increased Question 3. After what manner doth God heare his seruants prayers Answer Two waies First by graunting the thing which was asked according to his will Secondly by denying the thing desired and by giuing something proportionall to it Thus God denies temporarie blessings and in the roome therof giues eternal in heauen Thus he refuseth to remooue the crosse from his seruants and giues in stead therof strength and patience Christ praied that the cuppe might be remooued It was not remooued yet he in his māhood was inabled to beare the wrath of God When Paul praied three times that the pricke in the flesh might be remooued it was answered My strength is sufficient for thee Quest. 4. Why doth not God alwaies heare mens praiers Ans. There be many causes of this The first because oftentimes we know not to aske as we ought Math. 20.22 The second because we aske amisse Iam. 4.3 The third because otherwhiles the things which we aske though they be good in themselues yet they are not good vnto vs and for that cause are withheld 2. Cor. 12.7 The last because God will for some long time deferre the granting of that which we aske that he may stirre vp our faith and hope and our diligence in praier and that we might the better esteeme of the gifts of God when we haue them and shew our selues more thankfull To the Reader PAul in his Epistles hath set downe the summe of many of his prayers they are very gratious and heauenly and I haue here set them downe that thou mightest know them and in thy prayers follow them 16. I cease not to giue thanks for you making mention of you in my praiers 17. That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the father of glorie might giue vnto you the spirit of wisdome and of reuelation in the acknowledgement of him 18. The eyes of your minde beeing enlightned that ye may know what the hope is of his calling and what the riches are of his glorious inheritance in the Saints 19. And what is the exceeding greatnes of his power in vs that beleeue according to the working of his mightie power 20. Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his right hand in heauenly places The Exposition IN this excellent prayer we are to marke two things the first to whome it is made the second is the matter For the first it is made to God the Father who is described by two titles The first The God of our Lord Iesus Christ namely as Christ is man for as Christ is God he is equall with the father The second The father of glorie that is a glorious father and he is so called to distinguish him from earthly fathers The matter of the prayer stands on two principall points First he asketh of God the spirit of wisdome whereby the seruants of God are inabled to discerne out of the word in euery busines which they take in hand whether it be in word or deede what ought to be done and what ought to be left vndone as also the circumstances the time place manner of doing any thing Secondly he praieth for the spirit of reuelation whereby
the faithfull haue their whole estate before God reuealed vnto them according to the word the thing it selfe being otherwise secret and hidden 1. Cor. 2,9,10,12 Further the work of this spirit in the godly is twofold the one concernes God himselfe the other the things of God The worke of the spirit of reuelation which respects God himselfe is an acknowledgement of the Father or of Christ. Now to acknowledge God the Father is not onely to know and confesse that he is a father of the faithfull but also to be resolued in conscience that he is a father to me in particular Secondly that Christ is not onely in generall a Sauiour of the elect but that he is in speciall my Sauiour and redeemer The second worke of this spirit is an illumination of the eyes of the minde to see and know the things of God which he hath prepared for them that doe beleeue and they are two The first is life eternall which is described by fiue arguments 1. It is the Ephesian hope that is the thing hoped for in this life 2. It is the hope of the calling of God because in preaching of the Gospell it is offered and men are called to waite for the same 3. An inheritance properly to Christ because he is the naturall sonne of God and by him to all that shall beleeue 4. The excellencie because it is a rich and glorious inheritance 5. Lastly it is made proper to the Saints The second thing is the greatnes of the power of God whereby sinne is mortified the corrupt nature renued and mightily strengthened in temptations This power is set forth by two arguments The first is the subiect or persons in whome this power is made manifest In them that beleeue Because none can feele this but they which apprehend Christ by faith The second is the manner of manifesting this power in them which is according to the working of his mightie power which he shewed in Christ. And that was in three things First in putting all his enemies vnder his feete v. 2. Secondly in raising him from death Thirdly in placing him at his right hand Now therefore Paul praies that this wonderfull power of God which did shew forth it selfe in the head Christ might likewise shew it selfe in the members of Christ. First in treading Satan and sinne vnder their feete Rom. 16.10 Secondly in raising them from sinne as out of a graue to holines of life Thirdly in aduancing them in the time appointed to the kingdome of glorie in heauen Ephes. 3. 14. FOr this cause I bowe my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. 15. Of whome is named the whole familie in heauen and earth 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glorie that yeâ— may be strengthened by his spirit in the inner man 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith 18. That ye being rooted and grounded in loue may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height 19. And know the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye may be filled with all fulnesse of God 20. Vnto him therefore that is able to doâ— exceeding abundantly aboue all that we aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in vs 21. Be praise in the Church by Christ Iesus throughout all generations for euer Amen The Exposition THese wordes containe two parts a prayer and a thankesgiuing In the prayer these points are to be marked First the gesture I bow my knees wherby Paul signifies his humble submission to God in prayer Secondly to whome he praies To the Father who is described by two titles the first the father of our Lord Iesus Christ and that by nature as he is God and as he is man by personall vnion The other title Of whome the whole familie which is in heauen and earth is named In which words is set downe a description of the Church first it is a Familie because it is the companie of Gods elect children vnder the gouernment of one father 1. Tim. 3.15 It is called the house of God Eph. 2.19 They that beleeue are saide to be of the houshold of God secondly the parts of the Catholike Church are noted namely the Saints in heauen departed and Saints liuing on earth thirdly it is said to be named of the father of Christ because as the father of Christ is the father of this familie so also this familie is called by him Gen. 6.2 Dan. 9.80 Thirdly the matter of the prayer stands of foure most worthie points The first is strength to beare the crosse and to resist spirituall temptations v. 16. where the strength is set out by diuers arguments First that it is the meere gift of God that he would graunt you Secondly the cause of strength by his Spirit Thirdly the subiect or place where this strength must be in the inner man that is in the whole man so farre forth as he is renued by grace Eph. 6.14 The second is the dwelling of Christ in their hearts by faith Faith is when a man beeing seriously humbled for his sinnes is further in conscience perswaded and resolued of the pardon of them and of reconciliation to God Now where this perswasion is in deed there followes necessarily Christs dwelling in the heart which stands in two things the first is the ruling and ordering of the thoughts affections and desires of the heart according to his will as a master rules in his house the second is the continuance of his rule For he cannot be said to dwell in a place who rules in it but for a day The third is the knowledge and the acknowledgement of the infinit greatnes of Gods loue in Christ an effect of the former v. 18 19. the words are thus explaned Rooted and grounded Here the loue of God wherewith he loues the elect is as a roote and foundation of all Gods benefits election vocation iustification and glorification Men are rooted and grounded in loue when Gods spirit assures their hearts of Gods loue and doth giue them some inward sense and feeling of it For then they are as it were sensibly put into the roote and laid on the foundation With all Saints Paul desires this benefit not onely to the Ephesians but also to all the faithfull with them What is the length the bredth Here is a speech borrowed from the Geometricians and it signifies the absolute greatnes or infinitnes of Gods loue and that it is like a world which for length breadth height and depth is endlesse Here note the order or receiuing grace First Christ dwells in the heart by faith Secondly then comes a sense and feeling of Gods loue as it were by certaine drops thereof Thirdly after this ariseth a plentifull knowledge and apprehension of Gods loue and as it were the powring out of a sea into a mans heart that for greatnes hath neither bottome nor banke And know the loue of
peruse What one shall then escape and say I can my selfe excuse In iudgement with thy seruant Lord oh enter not at all For iustified in thy sight not one that liueth shall And for thy pitie plentifull O Lord I thee intreat To grant me pardon for my sinne for it is wondrous great O Lord what earthly man doth know the errours of this life Then clense me from my secret sinnes which are in me most rife And keepe me that presumptuous sinnes preuaile not ouer me And then I shall be innocent and great offences flee To thee O Lord my God loe I doe stretch my crauing hands My soule desireth after thee as doth the thirstie lands As handmaids watch their mistris hands some grace for to atchiue So I behold thee Lord my God till thou doe me forgiue Lord turne thee to thy wonted grace my silly soule vptake O saue me not for my deserts but for thy mercie sake My soule why dost thou faint and quaile so sore with paine opprest With thoughts why dost thy selfe assaile so sore within my brest Trust in the Lord thy God alway and thou the time shalt see To giue him thankes with laud and praise for health restorde to thee For why his anger but a space doth last and slacke againe But in his fauour and his grace alway doth life remaine Though gripes of griefe and pangs full sore doe lodge with thee all night The Lord to ioy shall thee restore before the day be light The Lord is kind and mercifull when sinners doe him grieue The slowest to conceiue a wrath and readiest to forgiue And looke what pitie parents deare vnto their children beare Like pitie beares the Lord to such as worship him in feare The Lord that made me knowes my shape my mould and fashion iust How weake and fraile my nature is and how I am but dust O God create in me an heart vnspotted in thy sight And eke within my bowels Lord renue a stable spright With thy free spirit confirme thou me and I will teach therefore Sinners thy waies and wicked shall be turned to thy lore My soule is rauisht with desire and neuer is at rest But seekes to know thy iudgements hie and what may please thee best O would to God it might thee please my waies so to addresse That I might both in heart and voyce thy lawes keepe and confesse In righteousnes I doe intend my time and daies to serue Haue mercie Lord and me defend so that I doe not swerue And with thy sauing health O Lord vouchsafe to visit me That I the great felicitie of thine elect may see And with thy peoples ioy I may a ioyfull minde possesse And may with thine inheritance a glorying heart expresse The Lord the God of Israel be blest for euermore Let all the people say Amen praise ye the Lord therefore FINIS A TREATISE TENDING VNTO A DECLARATION WHETHER A MAN BE IN THE ESTATE OF DAMNATION OR IN THE ESTATE OF GRACE and if he be in the first how he may in time come out of it if in the second how he may discerne it and perseuer in the same to the ende Reuiewed and corrected by the Author The points that are handled be set downe in the page following 2. Pet. 1. vers 10. Giue all diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye doe these things ye shall neuer fall Printed for I. P. and I. L. 1600. The Contents of the booke How farre a Reprobate may goe in Christian Religion The estate of a true Christian in this life which also sheweth howe farre the elect beeing called goe beyond all reprobates in Christianitie A Dialogue to the same purpose gathered out of the sauorie writings of Master Tindall and Bradford Howe a reprobate may performe all the religion of the Church of Rome The conflicts betweene Satan and a Christian. How the word of God is to be applied aright vnto the conscience Consolations for the troubled consciences of weake Christians A Declaration of certaine spirituall Desertions TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL AND MY CHISTIAN FRIEND MASTER Valentine Knightly Esquire one of her Maiesties Iustices of peace in Northampton shiere SIr I pray you consider with me an especiall point of Gods word carefully to be waied it is this Many professors of Christ in the day of grace perswade themselues that they are in the estate of grace and so the true Church esteemeth of them too yet when the day of grace is past they contrariwise shall finde themselues to be in the estate of daÌ„nation remedilesse A dolefull case yet a most resolute trueth and the reason is plaine Men that liue in the Church are greatly annoyed with a fearefull securite and deadnes of heart by which it comes to passe that they thinke it enough to make a common protestation of the faith not once in all their life times examining themselues whether they be in the estate of grace before the eternall God or not And indeede it is a grace peculiar to the man Elect to trie himselfe whether he be in the estate of grace or not The further opening of the trueth of this point as also the daunger of it I haue enterprised in this treatise which I am willing to bestow on you both for the profession of the faith which you make as also for that Christian friendship you haue shewed to me Accept of it I pray you and vse it for your edification Thus I commend you to God and to the word of his grace that is able to builde you vp further and giue you an inheritance among them which are sanctified From Cambridge this 24. of Nouember 1589. Your Worships to command William Perkins To the Christian Reader GOod Reader it is a thing to be considered that a man may seeme both vnto himselfe and to the Church of God to be a true professour of the Gospel and yet indeede be none All professors that be of this sort are excellently described Luk. 8. vers 13. in thesâ— words And they which are vpon the stony grouÌ„d are they which when they shal heare receiue the word with ioy but hauing no roote beleeue for a time in the time of temptation goe away Where are to be noted three things First their faith in that they are said to beleeue for a season Secondly the fruits of that faith in that they are said to receiue the word preached with ioy Thirdly their vnsoundnesse in that they are compared to stony ground and in the time of temptation goe away Concerning their faith wheras the spirit of God saith that they doe beleeue these things are to be considered First that they haue the knowledge of the word of God Secondly that they both can and doe gâ—ue assent vnto the word of God that it is most true Thirdly
giue consent and in his heart subscribeth to the equitie of Gods law as may appeare by the saying of Medea Video meliora probóque deteriora sequor That is I know what is best to be done and like it yet I doe the worst This approbation in the Reprobate commeth from constraint and is ioyned with a disliking of the lawe in the elect being called the approbation of the law proceedeth from a willing and ready mind and is ioyned with loue and liking IV. And by reason of this light of nature a meere natural man and a reprobate may be subiect to some temptations for example hee may be tempted of the deuill and of his owne corrupt flesh to beleeue that there is no God at all As Ouid saith of himself Eleg. 3. Sollicitor nullos esse putare deos I am often tempted to thinke there is no God V. The reprobate for all this knowledge in his heart may bee an Atheist as Dauid saith The foole hath said in his heart there is no God And a man may now a daies find houses and townes full of such fooles Nay this glimmering light of nature except it bee preserued with good bringing vp with diligent instruction and with good companie it will be so darkened that a man shall know verie litle and lead a life like a very beast as experience telleth and Dauid knewe very well who saith Man is in honour and vnderstandeth not he is like to beasts that perish VI. Wherefore this knowledge which the reprobate receiueth from nature and from the creatures albeit it is not sufficient to make him doe that which shall please God yet before Gods iudgement seat it cutteth off all excuse which he might alleadge why he should not be condemned VII Beside this naturall knowledge the reprobate may be made partaker of the preaching of the word be illuminated by the holy ghost and so may come to the knowledge of the reuealed will of God in his word VIII Thus when they heare the preaching of the word god profereth saluation to them and calleth them yet this calling is not so effectuall in them as it is in the elect children of God For the reprobate when he is called he liketh himselfe in his owne blindnes and therefore neither will he and if he would yet could he not answer and be obedient to the calling of God The elect beeing called with speed he answereth and commeth to the Lord and his heart beeing readie giueth a strong and loud eccho to the voice of the Lord. This eccho we see in Dauids heart Whē saith he thou saidst Seek ye my face mine heart answered vnto thee O Lord I will seek thy face And god himself speaketh the same of his children Zach. 13.9 They shall call on my name and I wil heare them I wil say it is my people nowe marke the eccho and they shall say the Lord is my God IX After that he hath an vnderstanding of Gods word hee may acknowledge the truth of it and confesse it and if neede require be a defender of it As Iudas was and Iulian the Apostata X. The reprobate may haue a feeling of his sinnes and so acknowledge them and the punishment due vnto them as Saul did who said I haue sinned come againe my sonne Dauid for I will doe thee no harme because my soule was precious in thine eies this day Behold I haue done foolishly and haue erred exceedingly Thus did Caine when he said My punishment is greater then I can beare Galerius Maximinus a vile persecutor of Christians had his bowels rotting within him so that an infinit number of wormes continually crawled forth of his bodie and such a poysoning stinke came from him that no man coulde abide him being thus plagued with the hand of God he began to perceiue his wickednes in persecuting Christians and he confessed his sinnes to the true God and assembling the chiefe rulers about him he commanded that all within his dominions should cease to trouble Christians and in all haste he made a lawe for the peace and libertie and the publike meetings of Christians XI The reprobate hath oftentimes feare and terrour of conscience but this is onlie because he considereth the wrath and vengeance of God which is most terrible When Paul preached before Foelix and by the maiestie of Gods spirit did as it were thunder from heauen against his sinnes◠doubtlesse he made his heart to ake and euery ioynt of him to tremble Ecebolius a Philosopher of Constantinople in the daies of Constantius professed Christian religion went beyond all other in zeale for the same religion yet afterward vnder Iulian he fell from that religion vnto Gentilisme But after Iulians death making meanes to bee receiued into the Church againe ouerwhelmed with the horror of his own conscience for his wicked reuolting he cast himselfe down on the groūd before the doores of the church crying aloud Calcate me salē insipidum Trample on me vnsauerie salt And the deuill beleeueth the worde of God and at his owne damnation he trembleth These seruile feares though they harden the heart of the reprobate as heate doth the yron after it hath bin in the furnace yet these feares in the children of God are very good preparations to make them fitte to receiue grace like as we see the needle which soweth not the cloath yet it maketh a passage and entrance for the thread which serueth for this vse to sowe cloath togither XII A reprobate before he commit a sin is often vexed within himselfe feareth to commit it not because he hateth and disliketh the sin for it selfe but because he cānot abide the punishment due vnto the sin When the daughter of Herodias danced before Herod and pleased him that hee might doe her a pleasure he bad her aske what she would shee asked Iohn Baptists head in a platter Herod did grant her request but yet he had a grudging in heart he was sore grieued at it In like maner Pilate was very much troubled inwardly before he condemned our Sauiour Christ. XIII After he hath committed a sin he sorroweth and repenteth yet this repentance hath two wants in it First he doth not detest his sin and his former conversation when he repenteth he doth bewaile the losse of many things which he once enioyed he crieth out through very anguish through the perplexities which God in his iudgement layeth on him yet for his life he is not able to leaue his filthy sinne if he might be deliuered he would sinne as before Esau wept before his father with great yelling and crying but after hee was gone from his fathers presence he hated his brother who had got his blessing and in contempt of his father chose him a wife against his liking Pharao as oft as the Lord laid any calamitie on him he euermore desired to be deliuered from it
no doubt because through the dulnesse of his heart he cannot trie and examine himselfe therfore truly cannnot discerne of his estate whether he be in Christ or not and it may be thought that Sathan is readie with some false perswasion to deceiue him For this is his propertie that vpon whome God threatneth death there Sathan is bold to pronounce life and saluation as on the contrarie to those to whome God pronounceth loue and mercie to those I say he threatneth displeasure and damnation such malice hath he against Gods children XXXI And hereby it commeth to passe that an hypocrite may be in the visible Church and obey it in the word and discipline so be taken for a true member of Christ when as a man indeed regenerate may be excommunicate and end his life before he be receiued againe for this is the end of excommunication that the flesh that is the part vnregenerate may be destroyed and the spirit that is the part regenerate may be kept aliue in the day of the Lord. Now the man in whome is spirit and flesh must needes be the childe of God because this argueth that he hath the sanctifying spirit of Christ. Againe Paul when he biddeth the Corinthians to comfort the incestious man least through the sleight of Sathan he should be ouerwhelmed of ouer much heauines giueth men to vnderstand that he might haue ended his life in great extremitie of sorrowe before he had beene visibly receiued into the Church againe XXXII Though God will neuer adopt any reprobate yet by the adoption of the elect they may receiue profit For they find the blessing of God to be on them by reason that they dwel together haue societie with the children of God For Noahs sake euery one in his family is saued in the flood For lots cause the men of Zoar are preserued froÌ„ the fire And God would haue spared Sodom if there had bin but ten good men in it For Rahabs cause her family and kindred are at libertie in Iericho When Ioseph was in Putiphars house al things prospered well For Samuels cause the Israelites were deliuered from the Philistims And for Pauls cause they which were with him in the ship were preserued And againe a reprobate by meanes of the faith of either of his parents may be within Gods couenant and so may be made partaker of Baptisme one of the seales of the couenant For so God made his couenant with Abraham that he would be not onely his God but also the God of his seede after him which Paul expoundeth not of a few but of all nations Also he saith manifestly that those children either of whose parents are beleeuers are holy which holinesse is not inherent in their persons but onely outward and it is a spirituall prerogatiue graunted them of God in that he vouchsafeth them to be in his couenant whereby they are distinguished from the wicked and prophane men of the world XXXIII Besides this reprobates haue some prerogatiues of God as that lie is patient towards them that before he will destroy them he vseth many meanes to win them that they commonly spend all the daies of their liues in prosperitie insomuch that it is said of them in the Psalme that they goe in continual prosperitie vnto their death and pine not away as the children of God doe But after a certain time God in his iust iudgement hardneth their hearts blindeth the eyes of their minds he maketh their heads giddy with a spiritual drunkennes by the strength of their inward lusts as also by the effectuall opâ—ration of Satan they fall to open infidelitie contempt of Gods word and so run headlong to their own damnation and perish finally And in this they are like to hauks which so long as they liue are caried on the handes of noble men but when they are dead they are cast on the dunghill Iulian the Apostata was first a man learned and eloquent and professed the religion of Christ but afterward he fel and wrote a booke against the religion of Christ answered by Cyril on a time in a battell against the Persians was thrust into the bowells with a dart no man then knew how which dart he pulled out with his owne hand presently blood followed which as it gushed out he tooke it in his hand and flung it into the ayre saying Vicisti Galilâ—e vicisti O thou Galilean meaning Christ thou art the conquerour thou art the conquerour thus he ended his daies in blaspheming Christ whom he had professed The reason of this apostasie is euident Seede that is not deepely rooted in the earth at the beginning of the yeare springeth vp it is greene and bringeth forth leaues flowers and it may be some kind of fruit too when the heat of sommer commeth it parcheth the earth and the corne wanting deepe rooting and therfore wanting moysture withereth away Gods word is like seede which that it may bring forth fruit vnto euerlasting life it must be first receiued of the ground secondly it must be rooted the receiuing of it is when the minde vnderstandeth it and remembreth it he rooting of it is when being beleeued it pierceth to the heart and taketh hold of the affections This rooting is of two sorts the first is when the word rooteth but not deepe ynough as when the word is receiued into the minde and into the heart by the ioy of the heart but not with the residue of the affections The second is a deepe and liuely rooting of the word when the word is receiued into the minde and into the heart by the will and all the affections of the heart The first kind of rooting of the word befalleth to a reprobate who vnderstandeth and reioyceth in the promises of saluation yet he doth not put any confidence in them he can not rest in them he doth not reioyce that his name is written in the book of life he doth not work out his saluation with feare and trembling In a word his heart is in paâ—t softened to reioyce at the preaching of the word of God yet his heart is not opened as Lydias was nor enlarged as Dauid saith to imbrace the truth but the Elect he receiueth the word not onely into his mind least it should be only an imagination but also it is deepely rooted in his heart For 1 In sure confidence he resteth himselfe on Gods promise Rom. 8.38 Heb. 10.22 2 He hopeth and longeth to see the accomplishment of it 1. Thess. 1.10 3 He heartily loueth God for making such a promise to him in Christ. 1. Ioh. 4.10 4 He reioyceth in it and therefore doth meditate on it continually Luk. 10.20 Rom. 5.2 5 He hateth all doctrines which are against it 6 He is grieued when he doth any thing that may hinder the accomplishment of it Math. 26.75 7 He vseth the meanes to come to
saluation but with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 8 He burneth with zeale of the spirit c. And so the rest of the affections are exercised about the promises of God in Christ and by this meanes is the deepe rooting of the word in the heart Thus it commeth to passe that the Reprobate falleth away from faith in the day of triall and temptation but the Elect cannot be changed XXXIIII Thus it appeareth how farre a reprobate may proceed in religion the consideration of this point I direct vnto two sorts of men Carnall gospellers and Papists Carnall gospellers are such among vs as know the word but obey it not or such as bearing a profession neither know it nor obey it And the best of these come short of reprobates in two points 1. In faith they come short of the deuill most of them The deuill beleeueth and trembleth but they contrariwise liuing in their sinnes beleeue and hope How comes this to passe The deuill knoweth the Gospel and the points of it and withall he beleeueth the terrible threatnings of the law and therefore trembleth Drowsie Protestants beleeue the Gospel as the deuill doth though he conceiues the points of it better then they doe as for the law and the threatnings thereof they doe not beleeue them and that makes them euen when they liue in their sinnes to hope and presume of mercie Therefore the deuill beleeues more of Gods word then they doe Secondly they come short of wicked men in outward obedience The young man not yet conuerted to Christ when he was bidden to keepe the commaundements of the second Table answered that he had kept them from his youth and therefore our Sauiour Christ looked vpon him and loued him although this externall obedience was not sufficient for Christ telleth him that one thing is wanting vnto him And in another place he saith except your righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisies you cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Now the carelesse Gospeller is farre from performing this in so much that commonly he makes an open practise of sinne one way or other The causes of their carelesnes are first a perswasion that a man may repent when he will because the Scripture saith At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his heart God will put all their wickednesse out of his remembrance But indeed late repentance is seldome true repentance and it may be iustly feared least that repentance which men when they are dying frame to themselues die also with them Secondly they flatter themselues imagining that the best man that is hath seuen falles euery day into grosse sinnes whereas the place which they abuse out of the Prouerbs The righteous man falleth seuen times in a day and riseth againe it is rather to be vnderstood of falls into affliction then falls into actuall sinnes Thirdly they deceiue themselues most falsly thinking small sinnes or hidden sinnes to be no sinnes and grossest sinnes in which they liue and lie most dangerously to be but sinnes of infirmitie XXXV By this which hath bin said the professours of Christian religion are admonished of two things First that they vse most painfull diligence in working their saluation in attaining to faith in dying to sinne in liuing to newnesse of life and that their hearts be neuer at rest till such time as they goe beyond all reprobates in the profession of Christ Iesus Seest thou how farre a reprobate may goe presse on to the straight gate with maine and might with all violence lay hold on the kingdome of heauen Slial Herod feare and reuerence Iohn Baptist and heare him gladly and wilt thou neglect the Ministers and the preaching of the word shall Pharao confesse his sinne nay shall Satan beleeue and tremble And wilt not thou bewaile and lament thy sinnes and thy wicked conuersation It behooueth thee to feare and take heed least wicked men and the deuill himselfe rise in iudgement and condemne thee For if thou shalt come short of the duties of a reprobate and doe not goe beyond him in the profession of the Gospel sure it is thou must looke for the reward of a reprobate The second thing is that the professour of the Gospell diligently trie and examine himselfe whether he is in the state of damnation or in the state of grace whether he yet beare the yoke of Satan or is the adopted child of God Thou wilt say this need not thou professest the Gospell and art taken for a Christian yet marke and consider that this often befalleth reprobates to be esteemed Christians and they are often so like them that none but Christ can discerne the sheepe from the goates true Christians from apparant Christians Wherefore it behooueth all men that shew themselues to be Christians to lay aside all pride and all selfeloue and with singlenes of heart to put themselues into the ballance of Gods word and to make iust triall whether in thē repentance faith mortification sanctification c. giue waight answerable to their outward profession which if they doe let them praise God if not let them with all speede vse the meanes that they may be borne anew to the lord and may be inwardly guided by his holy spirit to giue obedience to his will least in the day of Gods trial they start aside from him like a broken bow and fall againe to their first vncleannesse XXXVI To come to the second sort of men and to conclude let the most zealous Papist that is trie himselfe and his whole estate with a single heart as in the presence of Gods maiestie and he shall finde that by his whole religion and profession he doth come short of a reprobate or at the least not goe beyond him in these points before named The Lord open their eyes that they may see it Amen THE ESTATE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN IN this life which also sheweth how farre the Elect may goe beyond the Reprobate in Christianitie and that by many degrees I THe Elect are they whome God of the good pleasure of his will hath decreed in himselfe to choose to eternall life for the praise of the glorie of his grace For this cause the Elect onely are saide to haue their names written in the booke of life II Whome God electeth them he calleth in the time appointed for the same purpose This calling of the Elect is nothing els but a singling and a seuering of them out of this vile world and the customes thereof to be citizens of the kingdome of glorie after this life And the time of their calling is tearmed in Scriptures the day of visitation the day of saluation the time of grace III. This seuering and choosing of the elect out of the worlde is then performed when God by his holy spirit indueth them with true sauing faith a wonderfull gift peculiar to the
swallowed vp of ouermuch heauines And further he giueth an other reason which followeth least Sathan should circumuent vs for we are not ignorant of his enterprises And indeede common experience sheweth the same that when any man is most weake then Sathan most of all bestirreth himselfe to worke his confusion The third is that all men which are humbled haue not like measure of sorrowe but some more some lesse Iob felt the hand of God in exceeding great measure when he cried O that my griefe were well weyed and my miseries were laide together in the ballance for it would he now heauier then the sand of the sea therefore my wordes are now swallowed vp for the arrowes of the Almightie are in me and the venome thereof doth drinke vp my spirit and the terrours of God fight against me The same did Ezechias when on his death-bed he said He brake all my bones like a Lyon and like a crane or a swallow so did I chatter I did mourne like a doue c. Contrariwise the theefe vpon the crosse and Lydia in her conuersion neuer felt any such measure of griefe for it is said of her that God opened her heart to be attentiue to that which Paul spake and presently after shee intertained Paul and Silas chearefully in her house which shee could not haue done if shee had beene pressed downe with any great measure of sorrowe neither are any to dislike themselues because they are not so much humbled as they see some others for God in great wisdome giueth to euery one which are to be saued that which is conuenient for their estate And it is often seene in a festered sore that the corruption is let out as well with the pricking of a small pinne as with the wide lance of a raser XII The fourth thing in true humiliation is an holy desperation which is when a man is wholly out of all hope euer to attaine saluation by any strength or goodnesse of his owne speaking and thinking more vily of himselfe then any other can doe and heartily acknowledging himselfe to haue deserued not one onely but euen tenne thousand damnations in hell fire with the deuill and his angels This was in Paul when he said of himselfe that he was the chiefe of all sinners This was in Daniel when in the name of the people of Israel he praied and said O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee and to vs open shame as appeareth this day c. The same was in the prodigall childe who saide Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee and I am no more worthie to be called thy sonne Lastly it was in Ezra who saide O my God I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee my God for our iniquities are increased ouer our head and our trespasse is growne vp vnto the heauen XIII Many are of opinion that this sorrow for sinne is nothing else but a melancholike passion but in trueth the thing is farre otherwise as may appeare in the example of Dauid who by all coniectures was least troubled with melancholie and yet neuer any tasted more deepely of the sorrnw and feeling of Gods anger for sinne then he did as the booke of Psalmes declareth And if any desire to knowe the difference they are to be discerned thus Sorrowe for sinne may be where health reason senses memorie and all are sound but Melancholike passions are where the bodie is vnsound and the reason senses memorie dulled and troubled Secondly sorrow for sinne is not cured by any phisicke but onely by the sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ Melancholike passions are remooued by Phisicke diet musicke and such like Thirdly sorrow for sinne riseth of the anger of God that woundeth and pierceth the conscience but Melancholike passions rise only of meere imaginations strōgly conceiued in the braine Lastly these passions are long in breeding and come by litle and little but the sorrow for sinne vsually commeth on a sudden as lightening into a house And yet howesoeuer they are differing it must bee acknowledged that they may both concurre together so that the same man which is troubled with Melancholie may feele also the anger of God for sinne XIIII Thus it appeareth howe God maketh the heart fit to receiue faith in the next place it is to be considered howe the Lord causeth faith to spring and to breede in the humbled heart For the effecting of this so blessed a worke God worketh foure things in the heart First when a man is seriously humbled vnder the burden of his sinne the Lord by his spirit makes him lift vp himselfe to consider and to ponder most diligently the great mercie of God offered vnto him in Christ Iesus After the consideration of gods mercie in Christ he comes in the second place to see feele and from his heart to acknowledge himselfe to stand in neede of Christ and to stand in neede of euery drop of his most precious blood Thirdly the Lord stirreth vp in his heart a vehemēt desire and longing after Christ and his merits this desire is compared to thirst which is not onely the feeling of the drinesse of the stomacke but also a vehement appetite after drinke and Dauid fitly expresseth it when he saith I stretched forth my handes vnto thee my soule desireth after thee as the thirstie land Lastly◠after this desire he beginnes to pray not for any worldly benefit but onely for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes crying with the poore Publican O God be mercifull to me a sinner Nowe this praier it is made not for one day onely but continually from day to day not with the lippes but with greater sighes grones of the heart then that they can be expressed with the tongue Now after these desires and praiers for Gods mercie ariseth in the heart a liuely assurance of the forgiuenesse of sinne For God who cannot lie hath made his promise Knocke it shall be opened and againe Before they call I will answere and while they speake I will heare Therefore when an humbled sinner comes crying and knocking at his mercie gate for the forgiuenesse of sinne either then or shortly after the Lord worketh in his heart a liuely assurance thereof And whereas he thirsted in his heart beeing scorched with the heat of Gods displeasure beating vpon his conscience Christ Iesus giueth him to drinke of the well of the water of life freely and hauing drunken thereof hee shall neuer be more a thirst but shall haue in him a fountaine of water springing vp into euerlasting life XV. For the better vnderstanding of this that God worketh sauing faith in the heart of man after this manner it must be obserued that a sinner is compared to a sick man oft in the Scriptures And therefore the curing of a disease fitly resembleth the curing of sinne A man that
hath a disease or sore in his bodie before he can be cured of it he must see it feele paine of it and bee in a feare least it bring him into danger of death after this he shall see himselfe to stande in neede of phisicke and he longeth till he be with the phisitian when hee is once come to him he desireth him of all loues to helpe him and to shewe the best skill he can he will not spare for any cost then hee yeeldes himselfe into the Phisitians handes perswading himselfe that by Gods blessing he both can and wil help him after this he comes to his former health againe On the same manner euery man is wounded with the deadly wounde of sinne at the very heart and he that would be saued and escape damnation must see his sinne be sorrowfull for it and vtterly despaire of his own strength to attaine saluation thereby furthermore he must see himselfe to stand in neede of Christ the good Phisitian of his soule and long after him and crie vnto him with deepe sighes and groanes for mercie after this Christ Iesus will temper him a plaister of his owne heart blood which beeing applied he shall finde himselfe reuiued and shall come to a liuely assurance of the forgiuenesse of all his sinnes So it was in Dauid when he repented of his adulterie and murther First God made him see his sinnes for he saith I knowe mine iniquities and my sinnes are euer before me Secondly he felt Gods anger for his sinnes make me saith he to heare ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioice Thirdly he vtterly despaired of his owne strength in that he said stablish me with thy free spirit signifying thereby vnlesse the Lord would stay him with his glorious power he should runne headlong to his owne confusion Fourthly he comes to see himselfe stand in great neede of Gods fauour one mercy wil not content him he praieth for the whole innumerable multitude of his mercies to be bestowed on him to doe away his iniquities Fiftly his desire and his prayer for the forgiuenesse of his sinne are set downe in the whole Psalme And in his prayer he gathereth some comfort and assurance of Gods mercie towards himselfe in that he saith The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Againe the like appeareth in Dauid Psal. 32.3 When I held my tongue my bones consumed in my roring all the day 4. For thy hand was heauie vpon me day and night my moisture was turned into the drought of sommer Sela. 5. I confessed my sinnes vnto thee neither hid I mine iniquities I said I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne To this purpose is the example of R. Glouer Martyr who being somwhat troubled at his entrance into prison testifieth thus of himselfe So saith he I remained without any further conference of any man by the space of eight daies and till the bishops comming in which time I gaue my selfe continually to prayer and meditation of the mercifull promises of God made to all without exception of persons that call vpon the name of his deare sonne Iesus Christ. I found in my selfe daiely amendment of health of bodie increase of peace of conscience and many consolations from God by the helpe of his spirit and sometimes as it were a tast and glimmering of the life to come all for his onely sonne Iesus Christs sake XVI There are diuers degrees and measures of this vnfained faith according as there be diuers degrees of Christians some are yet in the wombe and haue their mother the Church trauelling of them some are newe borne babes feeding on the milke of the word some are perfect men in Christ come to the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ. XVII The least measure of faith that any Christian can haue is compared to the graine of mustard seed the least of all seeds and to flaxe that hath fire in it but so weake that it can neither giue heat nor light but only maketh a smoke and is called by the name of a little faith and it may bee thus described When a man of an humble heart doth not yet feele the assurance of the forgiuenes of his own sinnes and yet he is perswaded that they are pardonable desiring that they might be pardoned and therefore praieth to God that he would pardon them and giue him strength to leaue them XVIII A little faith may more plainely be knowne by considering of these foure points first that it is onely in his heart who is humbled for sinne For the Lord dwelleth with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit to receiue the spirit of the humble and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart Secondly it is in a man especially at the time of his conuersion and calling to Christ after which he is to growe from faith to faith Thirdly this faith though it bee in the heart yet it is not so much felt in the heart this was in Dauid at some times My God my God why hast thou forsaken me saith he The first wordes my God my God are speeches of faith yet the latter why hast thou forsaken me shew that thē he had no feeling of Gods mercie A little faith then is in the heart of man as in the spring time the fruite is in the bud which yet appeareth not but onely hath his nature and substance in the bud Lastly the beginnings and seedes of this faith or at the least signes and effects thereof are three The first is a perswasion that a mans own sinnes are pardonable this perswasion though it be not faith yet it is a good preparation to faith for the wicked cut themselues off quite from Gods mercie in that with Cain they say their sinnes are greater then that they can be forgiuen The second is a desire of the fauour and mercie of God in Christ and of the meanes to attaine to that fauour This desire is a speciall grace of God and it hath the promise of blessednes and it must be distinguished from that desire which wicked men haue who though they desire life eternal as Balaam did yet they cannot sincerely desire the meanes as faith repentance mortification reconciliation c. The third is praier for nothing in this world but only for the forgiuenesse of their sinnes with great sighes groanes from the bottome of the heart which they are not able to expresse as they feele them Now this heartie praying and desire for the pardon of sinne can neuer come from the flesh but onely from the spirit who stirreth vp these heauenly motions of longing desiring sighing after remission of sinne and all other graces of God which hee belloweth vpon his
children And where the spirit of Christ dwelleth there must needes be faith for Christ dwelleth in the hearts of the faithful by faith Therfore as Rebecca when she felt the Twins striue in her womb though it pained her yet shee knew both that shee had conceiued and that the children were quick in her so they who haue these motions and holy affections in them before mentioned may assure themselues that the spirit of god dwelleth in them and consequently that they haue faith though a weake faith XIX Examples of this small faith are euident in the Apostles who though they beleeued that Christ was the Sauiour of the world yet they were ignorant of his death and resurrection which are the cheife meanes of saluation After his resurrection they were ignorant of his ascension of his spiritual kingdome for they dreamed of an earthly kingdome and at his death they all fled from him and Peter fearefully denied him They being in this estate are not said to haue no faith but to be of little faith Another example we haue in Dauid who hauing continued a long space in his two great sinnes adulterie and murther was admonished thereof by Nathan the prophet beeing admonished he confessed his sinnes and straightway Nathan declared vnto him frō the Lord the forgiuenes of them Yet afterward Dauid humbleth himselfe as it appeareth in the 51. Psalme and praieth most earnestly for the forgiuenes of those and all other his sinnes euen as though it had not bin true that they were forgiuen as Nathan told him the reason is howsoeuer they were remitted before God yet Dauid at his first repenting of them felt none assurance in his heart of the forgiuenes of them onely he had a perswasion that they might be pardoned And therefore he vehemently desired and praied to the Lord to remit them and to sanctifie him anew This then being the least measure of faith it must be remembred that he who hath not attained to it hath as yet no sauing faith at all XX. The greatest measure of faith is a full perswasion of the mercie of God For it is the strength and ripenes of faith Rom. 4.20.21 Abraham not weake in faith but being strengthened in the faith was fully perswaded that he who had promised was able to doe it This full assurance is when a man can say with Paul I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And least any should thinke this saying is peculiar to Paul he testifieth of himselfe that for this cause he was receiued to mercie that he might be an example to them which after should beleeue in Christ to life eternall and the whole Church in the Cant◠vseth the same in effect saying Loue is as strong as death iealousie is as cruel as the graue the coales thereof are fierie coales and a vehement flame Much water cannot quench loue neither can the flouds drown it if a man should giue all the substance of his house for loue they would contemne it XXI No Christian attaineth to this full assurance at the first but in some continuance of time after that for a long space he hath kept a good conscience before God and before men and hath had diuers experiences of Gods loue and fauour towards him in Christ. This Paul declareth to the Romanes in afflictions God sheds abroad his loue in their hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen to them but how by degrees for from afflictions ariseth patience from patience commeth experience from experience hope and hope neuer maketh ashamed or disappointeth him of eternall life This is euident in Dauids practise Doubtles saith he kindnes and mercie shall follow me all the daies of my life and I shall liue a long season in the house of the Lord. Mark this his resolute perswasion and consider how he came vnto it namely by experience of Gods fauour at sundrie times and after sundrie manners For before he set downe this resolution he numbred vp diuerse benefits receiued of the Lord that he fedde him in greene pastures and led him by the refreshing waters of Gods word that he restoreth him and leadeth him in the paths of righteousnes that he strengtheneth him in great daungers euen of death and preserueth him that in despight of his enemies he enriched him with many benefits By meanes of all these mercies of God bestowed on him he came to be perswaded of the continuance of the fauour of God towardes him Againe Dauid saide before King Saul Let no mans heart faile because of Goliah Thy seruant will goe and fight with the Philistine And Saul said to Dauid Thou art not able to goe against this Philistine to fight with him for thou art but a boy and he is a man of warre from his youth Dauid answered that he was able to fight with and to slay the vncircumcised Philistine And the ground of his perswasion was taken from experience for thus he saide Thy seruant kept his fathers sheepe and there came a Lyon and likewise a Beare and tooke a sheepe out of the flocke and I went out after him and smote him and tooke it out of his mouth and when he arose against me I caught him by the beard and smote him and slew him So thy seruant slew both the Lyon and the Beare therefore this vncircumcised Philistine shal be as one of thē seeing he hath rayled on the hoast of the liuing God The like proceeding must be in matters concerning eternall life Little Dauid resembleth euery Christian Goliah and the armie of the Philistines resembleth Sathan and his power He therefore that will be resolued that he shall be able to ouercome the gates of hell and attaine to life euerlasting must long keepe watch and ward ouer his owne heart and he must fight against his owne rebellious flesh and crucifie it yea he must haue experiences of Gods power strengthening him in many temptations before he shall be fully assured of his attaining to the kingdome of heauen XXII Thus much concerning faith it selfe now follow the fruits and benefits of faith By meanes of this speciall faith the Elect are truly ioyned vnto Christ and haue an heauenly communion and fellowship with him and therefore doe in some measure inwardly feele his holy spirit moouing and stirring in them as Rebecca felt the Twins to stirre in her wombe Christ is as the head in the bodie euery beleeuer as a member of the same bodie now as the head giueth sense and motion to the members and the members feele themselues to haue sense and to mooue by meanes of the head so doth Christ Iesus reuiue and quicken euery true beleeuer and
by his heauenly power maketh him to doe the good which he doth And as from the stocke sappe is deriued to the grift that it may liue and grow and bring forth fruit in his kind so doe all the faithfull that are grafted into Christ the true vine And as the grift loseth his wild nature and is changed into the nature of the stocke and bringeth forth good fruit so in like manner it is with them that are in Christ who by little and little are wholly renued from euill to good XXIII The Elect beeing thus ioyned vnto Christ receiue three wonderfull benefits from him Iustification Adoption Sanctification Iustification is when the Elect beeing in themselues rebellious sinners and therefore firebrands of hell fire and Gods owne enemies yet by Christ they are accepted of the Lord as perfectly pure and righteous before him XXIIII This Iustification is wrought in this manner Sinne is that which maketh a man vnrighteous the child of wrath vengeance In sinne there are three things which are hurtfull to man the first is condemnation which commeth of â—inne the second is actuall disobedience of the law in sinne the third is the root and fountaine of sinne originall corruption These are three deadly woundes and three running sores in the hearts and consciences of all sinners Now Christ Iesus is perfectly righteous and in him a sinner may finde three inestimable benefits answerable to the three former euills First the sufferings of Christ vpon the crosse sufficient for all mens sinnes Secondly the obedience of Christ in fulfilling the law Thirdly the perfect holines of the humane nature of Christ these are three soueraigne medecines to heale all wounded consciences and they are as three running streames of liuing water to bathe and to supple the bruised and contrite heart Now then commeth faith and first laieth hold of the sufferings of Christ and so a sinner is freed from the punishment and guilt of sinne and from eternall damnation thus the first deadly wound is cured Againe faith laieth hold on the perfect obedience of Christ in fulfilling the law and thus the second wound is cured Thirdly faith applieth the holines of Christs humane nature to the sinner and then he is accepted of God as perfectly righteous and so his third deadly wound is cured Thus a sinner is made righteous by the righteousnes of Christ imputed to him XXV From true iustification proceede many other benefits and they are either outward or inward Outward benefits are three The first is Reconciliation by which a man iustified is perfectly reconciled to God because his sinne is done away and he is arayed with the perfect righteousnes of Christ. The second is that afflictions to the faithfull are no punishments for sinne but onely fatherly and louing chastisments For the guilt and punishment of sinne was borne of Christ. Now therefore if a Christian be afflicted it is no punishment for then God should punish one fault twise once in Christ and the second time vpon the Christian which thing doth not agree with his iustice it remaineth therefore that afflictions are onely corrections in the faithfull The third benefit is that the man iustified doth deserue and merit at Gods hands the kingdom of heauen For being made perfectly righteous in Christ and by his righteousnes he must needs merit eternall life in and by the merits of Christ. And therefore Paul calleth it the iustification of life Rom. 5.18 XXVI Inward benefits proceeding from iustification are those which are inwardly â—elt in the heart and serue for the better assurance of iustification and they are principally fiue The â—irst is Peace and quietnes of conscience As all men naturally in Adam are corrupt so all men naturally haue corrupt and defiled consciences accusing them and arraigning them before Gods iudgement for their sinnes in such wise that euery suspition of death and feare of imminent daunger maketh a naturall man stand agast at his wits end knowing not what to doe but by faith in Christ the Christian is perswaded of remission of his sinnes and so the disquietnes of his conscience is appeased and he hath an inward peace in all extremities which can not be taken from him XXVII The slumbering and dead conscience is much like to the good conscience pacified many through ignorance take the one for the other But they may be seuered and discerned thus First let the beleeuing Christian examine himselfe whether his conscience was afflicted with the sense of Gods iudgements and pressed downe with the burthen of his sinne before he came to that quietnesse for then he may be in good hope that it was the Spirit of God who brought that peace because God hath promised That he will dwell with the humble and contrite to reuiue and quicken them But if he haue alwaies had that peace from the beginning of his daies he may easily deceiue himselfe by taking the numnesse and securitie of a defiled conscience for the true peace of conscience Secondly let him search from whence this peace of his conscience proceedeth For if it come from any thing else but from the certaintie of the remission of sinne it is no true peace as many flattering theÌ„selues in sinne dreaming of a pardon are thereupon quieted and the deuill is readie enough to put this into their minds but this can be no true peace Thirdly let him examine himselfe if he haue a care to keepe a good conscience which if he haue he hath also receiued from the Lord a good and a quiet conscience For if God bestow vpon any man a gift concerning his saluation he giueth him also a care to keepe it XXVIII The second inward benefit is An entrance into Gods fauour and a perseuerance in it which is indeede a wonderfull benefit When a man commeth into fauour with his Prince then he is bold to come vnto him and he may haue free accesse vnto his presence and he may sue to his Prince for any benefit or preferment whereof he standeth in neede may obtaine it before any other so they which are in Gods fauour by reason that they are freely pardoned and iustified in Christ doe boldly approach into Gods presence and they are readie to aske and sure to obtaine any benefit that is for their good The third is a spirituall ioy in their hearts euen then when they are afflicted because they looke certenly to obtaine the kingdome of heauen The fourth is that the loue of God is shed in the hearts of the faithfull by the holy Ghost that is that the holy Ghost doth make the faithfull very euidently to feele the loue of God towards them and doth as it were fill their hearts with it XXIX The second maine benefit is Adoption whereby they which are iustified are also accepted of God as his
Christs wine seller shall fall into a swowne and not feele any refreshing there Yet the beleeuer is not to be dismayd if he feele not alwaies comfort presently after the Sacrament A sicke man feeles no comfort or nourishment when he eateth meate and yet it preserueth his life So the weake christian though he feele himselfe not nourished at the Sacrament by Christs bodie and blood yet he shall see in time that his soule shall be preserued thereby vnto euerlasting life Furthermore when a christian feeleth no comfort by the Sacrament let him then humble himselfe before the Lord more heartily then euer before confessing his sinnes and praying for increase of grace and then he shall feele the fruit of the Sacrament XLIX The third worke is a relieuing of the poore brethren in Christ proceeding of a brotherly kindnes towards them This is a speciall worke not to be done to all men alike as Saint Paul saith Doe good to all men but especially to them of the houshold of faith Directions for this matter are the faithfull of Hierusalem Who were all in one place and had all things common namely in vse And they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as euery one had neede Also the brethren at Corinth in their extreame pouertie relieued the churches of Macedonia liberally not onely according to their power but also straining theÌ„selues beyond their power Yea this reliefe must goe further euen to the bestowing of a mans life if neede so require as Saint Iohn saith Hereby we haue perceiued loue that he laid downe his life for vs therefore we ought also to lay downe our liues for the brethren L. The fourth worke is true praier and Saint Luke setteth out the faithfull the children of God by this description That they call on the name of the lord As on the contrarie it is said of the wicked That they call not vpon God The true Christian calleth on the Lord in truth For the spirit of adoption which is the spirit of prayer is his Schoolemaster to teach him to doe it In praier he is thus disposed first before he praieth he is stricken with some feare and reuerence in regard of Gods maiestie for he considereth that praier is a familiar talking with God Secondly he is inwardly touched with a liuely feeling of his owne wants but especially he is vexed and grieued at his owne sinne and rebellion and this sense of his miserie is as a spurre to quicken his benummed heart Thirdly he humbleth himselfe before his God and laieth open his heart before the Lord shewing a feruent and longing desire to obtaine those things of which he findeth an extreame want in himselfe as the Prophet Dauid did whose desire was like the yawning of the drie ground and this proceedeth from the spirit of God which stirreth vp groanings in the heart which a man oftentimes for his life cannot expresse Fourthly when he maketh his request he doubteth not but by faith he beleeueth that God will grant his requests which he maketh according to his word The ground of his perswasion is double the first is Christ Iesus by whose merits as he hath obtained remission of sinnes so he looketh to obtaine all things else The other ground is the comfortable promises of God which he hath made that he will heare them who truely call vpon him Fiftly he praieth not for a brunt or two but he continueth in praier And although God seeme not to heare him at the first yet hee patiently waiteth on the Lord and still calleth vpon him LI. The fift worke is to walke in some lawefull calling with painefulnesse and vprightnesse so that in performing all the duties of it a man may keepe a good conscience before God and men Thus Dauid determined to walke in the gouernment of his house and kingdome I will doe wisely saith he in the perfect way till thou commest to me I will walke in the vprightnesse of mine heart in the middest of mine house I will set no wicked thing before mine eies I hate the work of them that fall away it shall not cleaue vnto me This sinceritie of Dauids behauiour in his calling made him bolde to offer himselfe to be tried not onely by men but much more by the Lord God himselfe and to bee punished accordingly Iudge me O Lord saith he for I haue walked in mine innocencie Prooue me O Lord and trie me examine my reines and mine heart So vpright and cleere was he in all his doings LII Thus much of faith and the benefits that come by faith Nowe followeth the spirituall exercise of a Christian in his manifold temptations which are in this life inseparable companions of grace The reason is because the deuil hateth Christ with a deadly hatred and sheweth this hatred in a continual persecution of his members as Saint Iohn saith the dragon was wroth with the woman and went and made warre with the remnant of her seede which kept the commandements of god and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ. Now therfore as soone as Christ Iesus beginneth to shewe any token of his loue to any man the deuil contrariwise sheweth forth his enmitie and stirs vp his fellow champions the flesh and the world to warre against him for his confusion And furthermore the Lord in great wisdome permits temptations to the last ende of a Christian man life to trie his faith to purge him of sinne to humble him and to make him depend of his Maiestie to quicken and reuiue the graces of his spirit which otherwise would be dead and decay LIII The temptations of a Christian are specially sixe The first is when inwardly in his heart he is drawn away and intised by his owne concupiscence vnto any sinne The Christians exercise in temptation is a fight and battell betwixt the flesh and the spirit And this fighting standeth in foure things First the flesh stirs vp euil thoughts and desires as a burning furnace continually sendeth vp smoake and sparkes of fire and it eggeth a man forward to euil words and deeds according to that of S. Marke For from within euen from the heart of a man proceede euill thouâ—hts adulteries fornications murders thefâ—s couetousnesse wickednesse deceit vnâ—leannes a wicked eye backbiting pride foolishnesse II. The flesh hindereth and choketh the good motions and desires of the heart as Paul saith I see another law in my members rebelling against the lawe of my minde and leading me captiue to the lawe of sinne which is in my members Againe the same flesh mingleth euery good motion and desire with some corruptions so that the godly mislike the best thing they doe Esay saith of his owne and the peoples righteousnesse that it is but a menstruous cloute The praiers of the Saints must be
he expressed by bringing forth sweete fruites of righteousnes 7 Then hee feeleth that Christ hath withdrawne his spirit 8 He almost despaires for this 9 Yet by priuate praier seekes for Christ. 10 When that will not helpe he resorts to the ministers of the worde at whose handes he findes no comfort 11 Not recouering his first estate through impatience of the loue of Christ he makes his miserie knowne to strangers to see if they can comfort him he somwhat coÌ„forts himselfe in describing Christs excellencie to theÌ„ 12 They then are rauished with him to seeke Christ and require then to know where to find him 13 Answere is made in the assemblies of the Church 14 After this communication the Christians faith and feeling reuiueth Christ returning to him againe 15 TheÌ„ Christ assureth him in his heart of his loue liking towards him 16 Giuing further assurance to him that he shall growe vp and bee made fruitfull in euery good grace 17 After this the Christian comes in such a high measure to loue Christ that nothing shall be able to seuer him from Christ. LVII The fift temptation is a fall into some great sinne as Noah into drunkennes Dauid into Adulterie and murder Peter into the deniall of Christ. The exercise of a Christian in this temptation is this 1 At the first his heart is vsually dulled and made secure with sinne 2 Yet after a while there by some meanes ariseth in his heart a godly sorrowe which is when he is gâ—ieued for this onely cause that by his sinne hee hath displeased God who hath beene to him so louing and mercifull a father whose fauour he would be content to purchase so he might haue it and obtaine it euen with the damnation of his owne soule 3 Then he beginnes to repent himselfe of his sinnes renuing afresh his former repentance 4 This repentance he sheweth by seuen signes 1 A care to leaue that sinne into which he is fallen As they which crucified our Sauiour Christ wheÌ„ they were pricked in their hearts at Peters sermon they shewed this care in saying Men and brâ—thren what shall we doe to be saued 2. An Apologie which is when a man in the heauines of his heart shal not excuse or defend his sinne but confesse it to the Lord and vtterly condemne himselfe for it acknowledging withall that there is no way to escape the wrath of God but by hauing Gods free pardon in Christ. 3 Indignation which is an inward anger and fretting against his ownselfe because he was so carelesse in looking to his owne waies Peter when he had denied his master he wept and that bitterly which sheweth that with sorrow he had also an anger against himselfe 4 A feare rising not so much from the iudgements of God as from this least he should hereafter fall into the same sinne againe and by so doing more grieuously displease God 5 A desire euer after more carefully to please God 6 Zeale in the seruice of God 7 Reuenge vpon himselfe for his former offences for example if a man sinne in surfetting and drunkennes if he euer repent he will bring vnder his corrupt nature by sparing and moderating himselfe LVIII The sixt temptation is outward afflictions which the godly in this life must suffer If any will goe after Christ he must denie himselfe take vp his owne crosse and follow him And S. Peter saith that iudgement begins at Gods house And Paul that we must enter into the kingdom of heauen through manifold temptations The exercise of a Christian in affliction is this 1 At the first they are very heauie and bitter 2 He suffereth them with great lenitie and patience submitting himselfe vnder the hand of God Yet if they be in great measure they will driue him to impatience 3 If they continue he shall feele according to his owne iudgement the wrath and displeasure of God in his heart 4 His old sinnes will come a fresh into his remembrance and trouble him He is sleepie and in his sleepe he hath visions and dreames and anxietie of spirit 5 In this miserie God supports his faith that it faile not and he then forsake Christ. 6 He feeling thus Gods power to strengthen him hath experience of it in himselfe 7 From experience proceedes hope that the grace of God shall neuer be wanting vnto him in any afflictions to come and as he hopeth so it comes to passe 8 With this hope is ioyned a serious humiliation before the Lord with the fruit of peace and righteousnes If the afflictions be for Christs cause vnto death then he in more speciall maner is filled with the ioy of the holy Ghost and he is then stablished with the greatest measure of the strength of Christ that no torment is able to foile and to bring him from Christ though the Christian should die a thousand times for it According to that of Paul To you it is giuen for Christ not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for his sake And this is grounded vpon the promise of God When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee through the flouds that they doe not ouerflow thee when thou walkest through the very fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee LIX Hence ariseth a notable difference betweene the godly and the wicked in the suffering of afflictions A Reprobate the more the Lord laieth his hand on him the more he murmureth rebelleth against God it is contrary with the true Christian none feeleth more the power and rebellion of sinne then he none is more assaulted by Satan then he and oftentimes it commeth to passe that God withdraweth the signes of his fauour from him lets him feele his wrath And this is the greatest temptation of all other when a man shal see the Lord to be his enemie and to his thinking to arme himselfe against him to his destruction As Ezechias did who saith that the Lord did crash his bones like a Lyon Or as Iob saith that the arrowes of the almightie were in him and the venime thereof drunke vp his spirit and the terrours of God did fight against him Yet the true Christian when the world the flesh and the deuill and God himselfe too are against him doth euen then most of all rest in the Lord and by faith cleaue to him Though God should destroy me yet would I trust in him saith Iob. And Dauid saith My God my God why hast thou forsaken me When he saith that God had forsaken him it may seeme to be the complaint of a desperate man not hauing so much as one sparke of faith yet then he saith My God my God which wordes containe a confession proceeding from true faith so that in Dauid it appeareth that the faithfull when they
nothing to say but this The Lord increase the number of them And the Lord fullfill them with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding that they may walke worthie of him and please him in all things being fruitfull in all good works and increasing in the knowledge of God And wheras they are at continual warre against the flesh the world and the deuil Lord Iesus strengthen them with all might through thy glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnes And deare father of all mercie plant that gouernment in thy Church euery where which thou hast reuealed in thy worde that thy Saints may worship thee in those means in that order and comelines which thou hast appointed abounding in righteousnesse peace of conscience and ioy of the holy ghost Amen Amen A DIALOGVE OF THE STATE OF A CHRISTIan man gathered here and there out of the sweet and sauorie writings of Master Tindall and Master Bradford TImotheus Because of our ancient acquaintance and familiaritie deare friend Eusebius I will make bold with you to aske such questiōs as may be for my edification cōfort and of no other matters but euen of religion whereof I see you are an olde professour And the first of all let me bee bold to aske this question of you howe it pleased God to make you a true Christian and a member of Christ Iesus whome I see you serue continually with a feruent zeale Eusebius For that old acquaintance that was betweene vs and for that you are desirous to liue a godly life in Christ Iesus I will not conceale the good worke of my God in me therfore I pray you marke a little what I shall say I will declare vnto you the trueth euen forth of the feeling of mine own conscience The fall of Adam did make me the heire of vengeance and wrath of God and heire of eternall damnation and did bring mee into captiuitie and bondage vnder the deuil and the deuill was my Lord my ruler my head my gouernour and my prince yea and my God And my will was locked knit faster vnto the will of the deuil then could a hundred thousand chaines binde a man vnto a poast Vnto the deuils will did I consent with all my heart with all my mind with all my might power strength will and life so that the Lawe and will of the deuil was written as well in my heart as in my members and I ran headlong after the deuill with full saile and the whole swing of all the power I had as a stone cast into the aire commeth downe naturally of it selfe with all the violent swing of his own weight O with what a deadly and venemous heart did I hate mine enemies With how great malice of mind inwardly did I sley and murther With what violence and rage yea with what feruēt lust committed I adulterie fornication and such like vncleannes With what pleasure and delectation like a glutton serued I my bellie With what diligence deceiued I How busily sought I the things of the world Whatsoeuer I did work imagine or speake was abominable in the sight of God for I could referre nothing vnto the honour of God neither was his law or will written in my members or in my heart neither was their any more power in me to followe the will of God then in a stone ascend vpward of it selfe And besides that I was asleep in so deep blindnes that I could neither see nor feele in what miserie thraldome and wretchednesse I was till Moses came and awaked me and published the lawe When I heard the law truely preached howe that I ought to loue and honour God with all my strength and might from the lowe bottome of the heart because he did create me Lord ouer it and my neighbor yea mine enemies as my selfe inwardly from the groūd of my heart because God hath made them after the likenesse of his owne image and they are his sonnes as well as I and Christ hath bought them with his blood and made them heires of euerlasting life as wel as I and how I ought to do whatsoeuer God biddeth and to abstaine from whatsoeuer God forbiddeth with all loue and meekenes with a feruent and burning lust from the center of the heart Then began my conscience to rage against the Lawe and against God No sea be it neuer so great a tēpest was so vnquiet for it was not possible for me a naturall man to consent to the Law that it should bee good or that God should be righteous which made the law in as much as it was contrarie vnto my nature and damned me and all that I could doe and neuer shewed mee where to fetch helpe nor preached any mercie but onely set me at variance with God prouoked stirred me to raile on god and to blaspheme him as a cruel tyrant And indeed it was not possible to doe otherwise to thinke that God made me of so poysoned a nature and gaue me an impossible law to performe I being not borne againe by the spirit and my wit reason and will being so fast glewed yea nailed and chained vnto the will of the deuil This was the captiuitie and bondage whence Christ deliuered me redeemed and loosed me His blood his death his patience in suffering rebukes wronges and the full wrath of God his prayers and fastings his meekenes fulfilling the vttermost points of the law appeased the wrath of God brought the fauour of god to me againe obtained that God should loue me first and bee my father and that a mercifull father that would consider my infirmitie and weaknes would giue me his spirit againe which he had taken away in Adam to rule gouerne and strengthen me and to breake the bands of Satan wherein I was so straight bound When Christ was on this wise preached and the promises rehearsed which are contained in the booke of God which preaching is called the Gospell or glad tydings and I had deepely considered the same then my heart began to waxe soft and melt at the bounteous mercie of God and kindnes shewed of Christ. For when the gospel was preached the spirit of God mee thought entred into my heart and opened my inwarde eies and wrought a liuely faith in me and made my woofull conscience feele and tast how sweet a thing the bitter death of Christ is and how mercifull and louing God is through Christs purchasing and merits and made me to beginne to loue againe and to consent to the lawe of God how that it is good ought so to be and that God is righteous that made it lastly it wrought in me a desire to be whole and to hunger and thirst after more righteousnesse and more strength to fulfill the law more perfectly and in all that I do or leaue vndone to seeke Gods honour and his will with meekenesse euermore condemning the imperfectnes of my deedes
wil I shewe it you And first of al the dealing of God towards me is a good argumēt to me In the first commandement God hath commanded me to take him to be my God and in the Lords prayer he teacheth me to call him father he hath created the world generally and euery creature particularly for man and so for me to serue for my commoditie necessitie admonition Also he hath made me for his owne image hauing a reasonable soule bodie shape where hee might haue made me a Toad a Serpent a swine deformed franticke Moreouer he hath wonderfully preserued me in my infancie childhood youth middle age hitherto from manifold dangers and perils all which doe confirme in me a perswasion of Gods fatherly loue and that I should not doubt hereof where I might haue beene borne of Turkes loe it was the will of God that I should be borne of Christian parents and be brought into Gods Church by baptisme which is the Sacrament of adoption and requireth faith as well of the remission of my sinnes as of sanctification and holinesse to be wrought of God in me by his grace and holy spirit where I might haue beene borne in an ignorant time and religion God would that I should be borne in these daies and in this countrie where is more knowledge reuealed then euer was here or in many places els is Where I might haue beene of a corrupt iudgement and intangled with many errours of Papistrie and of the Familie of Loue and of the schisme of Browne by Gods goodnes my iudgement is reformed and he hath lightened mine eies to see and my heart to imbrace his sincere trueth By all which things I doe confirme my faith of this that God alwaies hath bin is and will be for euer my father and at my departing forth of this worlde will giue me the crowne of euerlasting glorie Secondly when as man is euermore doubting of the promises of God be they neuer so certaine God of his infinit mercie to preuent al occasions of doubting promiseth to giue his own spirit as a pledge pawne or earnest pennie vnto his children of their adoption election to saluation Nowe since it pleased God to call me from hypocrisie to be a member of his Church I feele that in my selfe which I neuer felt or heard of before In times past I came to praiers and to the preaching of gods word euen as a Beare commeth to the stake nowe the word of God is meate and drinke to me and praier is no burden vnto me but my ordinarie exercise If I rise in the morning I am not well till I haue praied and giuen thankes to God if I do any thing it commeth into my mind to pray In my praiers I find great ioy and comfort and exceeding fauour of God I neuer thinke I can wel take my rest or doe any thing els except first I aske it at Gods hand in Christ. Lastly when my mind and heart is wholly occupied in worldly matters I am stirred vp and as it were drawn to pray vnto god for the remission of my sins and the assurance of my saluation in praier I haue had those grones which for their greatnes cannot be expressed Now from whence commeth all this From the deuil No. In these actions I haue found him my enemie and a continuall hinderer of them For he by his craft when I haue beene heauie and weake hath assailed to prouoke me to some sinnes whereunto my cursed nature was most giuen and I hauing yeelded to him haue beene so hardened blinded by those sinnes that for a time I haue made light account of the word of God and praier Well then peraduenture this came from mine owne selfe No neither This cursed nature of mine hath beene more pleased and delighted with sinne and with the pleasures of the world then with such exercises from which it draweth me and presseth me downe as lead I cannot think that such a poysoning Cockatrice can lay such good egs or that wilde crab trees such as all men are in Adam can bring foorth sweete fruites according to the will of God except God plucke them forth of Adam and plant them in the garden of his mercie and stocke them and graft the spirit of Christ in them Wherefore these are the workes of Gods spirit and my conscience is thereby certified that God hath giuen me the spirit of adoption and therefore that his fauour and mercie shal continue towards me for euer For the gifts of God are without repentance and whome God once loueth him hee loueth for euer Thirdly there be certaine fruits of Gods children which I find in me by which I am confirmed in Gods fauour S. Iohn in his first Epistle saith that hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Truely I feele in my heart a burning loue towards them which are good Christians though I neuer knew them nor saw them and I am very desirous to doe any good for them and if drops of my heart blood would doe them good they should haue them Moreouer I hate all sinne and wickednes with a bitter hatred and I long to see the comming of my Sauiour Christ to iudgement I am grieued and disquieted because I cannot fulfil the law of god as I ought all which I haue learned forth of Gods word to be tokens of Gods children And thus you see what euidence I haue to shewe that I am a true member of the Church militant and in the fauour of God Timoth. Haue you a steadfast faith in Christ as these arguments seeme to prooue without all wauering doubting and distrusting of Gods mercy Euseb. No no. This my faith which I haue in Christ is euen fought against with doubting and euer assailed with desperation not when I sinne only but also in tentations of aduersitie into which God bringeth me to nurture me to shewe me mine owne heart the hypocrisie and false thoughts that there lie hidde my almost no faith at all and as little loue◠euen then happely when I thought my selfe most perfect of all for when temptations come I cannot stand when I haue sinned faith is feeble when wrong is done vnto me I cannot forgiue in sickenesse in losse of goods in all tribulation I am vnpatient when my neighbour needeth my helpe that I must depart with him of mine owne then loue is cold And thus I learne and feele that there is no power to do good but of god only And in al such tēptations my faith perisheth not vtterly neither my loue and consent to the law of God but they be weake sick wounded and not cleane dead As I dealt with my parents being a childe so nowe deale I towards God my louing father When I was a childe my father and mother taught me nurture and wisdome I loued my father and all his commandements and perceiued the goodnes he shewed me that my father loued me
of God For this blessing is giuen them that trust in Christs bloode that they thirst and hunger to doe Gods wil. He that hath not this faith is but an vnprofitable babler of faith and works and neither wotteth what he bableth nor whereunto his words tende For he feeleth not the power of faith nor the working of the spirit in his heart but interpreteth the Scriptures which speak of faith and works after his owne blind reason and foolish fantasies not hauing any experience in himselfe Timoth. Euery member of Christs congregation is a sinner and sinneth daily some more and some lesse for it is written 1. Ioh. 1. If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. And Paul Rom. 7. That good which I would that doe I not but that euill which I would not that doe 1. So it is not I that doe it saith he but sinne that dwelleth in me So the Christian man is both a sinner and no sinner which how it can be shew it me by your experience Euseb. I beeing one man in substance and two men in qualitie flesh and spirit which in me so fight perpetually the one against the other that I must goe either backward or forward and cannot stand long in one estate If the spirit ouercome in tentations then is she stronger and the flesh weaker But if the flesh get a custom then is the spirit none otherwise oppressed of the flesh then as though she had a mountaine on hiâ— backe and as we sometime in our dreames thinke we beare heauier then a milstone on our breasts or when we dreame now and then that we would runne away for feare of some thing our legges seeme heauier then lead euen so is the spirit oppressed and ouerladen of the flesh through custome that shee struggleth and striueth to get vp and to breake loose in vaine vntill the God of mercie which heareth my groane through Iesus Christ come and loose her with his power and put something on the backe of the flesh to keepe her downe to minish her strength and to mortifie her So then no sinner I am if you regard the Spirit the profession of my heart towarde the Lawe of God my repentance and sorrow that I haue both because I haue sinned and am yet full of sinne and looke vnto the promises of mercie in our Sauiour Christ and vnto my faith A sinner am I if you looke to the frailtie of my flesh which is a remnant of the old Adam and as it were the stocke of the olde oliue tree euer and anon when occasion is giuen shooting forth his braunches leaues budde blossome and fruit also which also is as the weaknesse of one which is newly recouered of a great disease by the reason whereof all my deedes are imperfect and when occasions be great I fall into horrible deedes and the fruit of the sin which remaineth in my members breaketh out Notwithstanding the Spirit leaueth me not but rebuketh me and bringeth me home againe vnto my profession so that I neuer cast off the yoke of God from off my necke neither yeelde vp my selfe vnto sinne to serue it but fight a fresh and beginne a newe battaile And I had rather you should vnderstand this forth of the Scriptures by the example of Ionas and the Apostles Ionas was the friend of God and a choseâ— seruant of God to testifie his will vnto the world He was sent from the land of Israel where he was a Prophet to goe amongst an heathen people and the greatest citie of the world then called Niniue to preach that within fourtie daies they should be destroied for their sinnes which message the free will of Ionas had as much power to doe as the weakest hearted woman in the world had power if she were commanded to leape into a tubbe of liuing snakes and adders as happily if God had commanded Sara to sacrifice her sonne Isaac as he did Abraham shee would haue disputed with God ere shee had done it aâ— though shee were strong enough Well Ionas hartened by his owne imagination and reasoning after this manner I am here a Prophet vnto Gods people the Israelites which though they haue Gods word testified vnto them daily yet despise and worship God vnder the likenesse of calues and after all manner of fashions saue after his owne word and therefore are of all nations the worst and most worthie of punishment And yet God for loue of a fewe that are among them and for his names sake spareth and defendeth them how then shall God take so cruell vengeance on so great a multitude of them to whome his name was neuer preached and therefore are not the tenth part so euill as these If I therefore shall goe preach I shall lie and shame my selfe and God too and make them the more to despise God Vpon this imagination he fled from the presence of God and from the countrey where God is worshipped When Ionas entred into the ship he laid him downe to sleepe for his conscience was tossed betweene the commandement of God which sent him to Niniue and his fleshly wisdome which disswaded and counselled him to the contrarie and at last preuailed against the commandement and caried him another way as a shippe caught betweene two streames as the Poets faine the mother of Meleager to be betweene diuers affections while to auenge her brothers death she sought to slay her owne sonne whereupon for very paine and tediousnes he lay down to sleepe to put the commandement out of mind which did so gnaw and fret his conscience as also the nature of all the wicked is when they haue sinned in earnest to seeke all meanes with ryot reuell and pastime to driue the remembrance of sinne forth of their hearts as Adam did to couer his wickednes with aprons of figleaues But God awoke him out of his dreame and set his sinnes before his face for when the lot had caught Ionas then be sure that his sinne came to remembrance againe and that his conscience raged no lesse then the waters of the sea And then he thought he onely was a sinner and thought also that as verily as he had fled from God as verily God had cast him away for the sight of the rod maketh the naturall child not onely to see and acknowledge his fault but also to forget al his fathers old mercy and goodnes And then he confessed his sinne openly and of very desperation to haue liued any longer he had cast himselfe into the sea betimes except they would be lost also for all this God prouided a fish to swallow Ionas When Ionas had beene in the fishes bellie a space the rage of his conscience was somewhat quieted and he came to himselfe againe and had receiued a little hope and the qualmes and pangs of desperation which went ouer his heart were halfe ouercome then he praied to God and gaue thanks vnto him When Ionas was cast
many yeares to turne him to make him to mortifie his lusts to make him to feele his owne diseases in fine to make him a good man and a good king Timoth. But how if it come to passe that you be tempted to any great sinne and the flesh ouercome the spirit in what case are you then Euseb. There is no bodie here but you and I and I take you to be a Christian and a faithfull friend therefore I will shew a little of my experience The last yeare by reason of the dearth I and my familie were put to great pinches and most commonly we had nothing but bread and water hereupon I bethought me how I might get somewhat to relieue my familie it came into minde that in our towne a rich man had a great flocke of sheepe and that I might take one of them without any hurt of him I was very loath at the first but because there was such great stealing of sheepe and I was in extremitie in the night I went among his sheepe and tooke a lambe and I tolde my familie that it was giuen me I presently killed it the skinne and the entralles I buried in my backside the flesh we dressed by quarters and did eate it with thanksgiuing as my manner is but surely very coldly and me thought my praier was abominable in Gods sight After I had thus done we fared well for the space of two daies but I felt my heart hardned and my lippes were almost locked vp that I could not as I was woont praise the Lord. The third night after I went with a quiet conscience me thought to my bed and then I slept soundly till three of the clocke in the morning but I dreamed that one came to carrie me to prison vpon that on a sudden I awaked and being afraid looked about me and fell to consider why I should be afraid and I remembred that I had sinned against God by robbing my neighbour O then my feare increased and I thought that hell gaped to deuoure me and the law looked vpon me with such a terrible countenance and so thundered in mine eares that I durst not abide in my bed but vp and to goe Then the deuill assayled me on euery â—ide to perswade that God had cast me away saying they that be Gods haue power to keep his laws thou hast not but breakest them thâ—rfore thou art a cast-away and a damned creature and hell gapeth and setteth open his mouth to deuoure thee And I thought with my selfe that I had beene alwaies a ranke hypocrite for as the clowdes of the ayre doe couer the sunne so that sometimes a man cannot tell by any sense that there is any sunne the clowdes and winds hiding it from our sight euen so my cecitie and blindnes and corrupt affections and the rage of my conscience did so ouershadow the sight of Gods seed in me so ouerwhelme his spirit as though I had bin a plaine reprobate And thus it came to passe that Dauid making his praier to God according to his own sense and feeling but not according to the truth desired of God to giue him againe his spirit Which thing God neuer doth indeede although he made me to thinke so for a time for alwaies he holdeth his hand vnder his children in their falls that they lie not still as other doe which are not regenerate I beeing thus turmoyled and stung with the conscience of sinne and the cockatrice of my poisoned nature hauing beheld her selfe in the glasse of the righteous law of God there was no other salue or remedie but to runne to the brasen serpent Christ Iesus which shed his blood hanging vpon the crosse and to his euerlasting testament and mercifull promise that was shedde for me for the remission of my sinnes therefore I got me speedily into a close corner in my house and there vpon my face groueling I confessed my sinne and praied aâ—ter this manner in effect Father what an horrible monster am I What traytor What wretch and villaine Thy mercie is wonderfull that hell hath not deuoured me hauing deserued a thousand damnations I haue sinned I haue sinned against thy godly holy and righteous law and against my brother by robbing him whome I ought to loue for thy sake as dearely as my selfe forgiue me father for thy sonne Christ his sake according to thy most mercifull promises and testament forget not good Lord thy old mercies shewed vpon me let them not at this time in me be quite remooued On this manner praying I continued many houres and God which is neere to all them that call vpon him heard me eased my paine and assured me of the remission of my sinne After presently for the more easing of my conscience I went to my neighbour and betweene him me vpon my knees confessed my fault with teares desiring him to forgiue me and I would as Gods law requireth restore that which I stole fourefold he I thanke him was contented and tooke pitie on me and euer since hath been by Gods mercie my good friend So by little and little God restored me to my first estate but me thinkes I haue not that feeling which I had before and haue beene worse euer since God of his great mercie amend me and increase his graces in me Timoth. But I pray you what thinke you wil not God condemne his owne elect children if they sinne Euseb. No for the ground-worke of our saluation is laid in Gods eternall election and a thousand sinnes in the world nay all the sinnes in the world nay all the deuils in hell cannot ouerthrow Gods election And it may be that sinnes doe harden our hearts weaken our faith make sad the spirit of God in vs but take away faith or altogether quench the spirit they cannot God condemneth no man for his sinnes if he be adopted in Christ. For then Ioseph Abraham Dauid Peter Marie Magdalene should be condemned God is like a father and a father if his child be sicke and therefore be froward and refuse and cast away his meate and hauing eaten it spew it vp againe and in his â—it be impatient and raue and speake euill of his father yet I say the father will not cast him forth of his doores but pitieth him and prouideth such things as may restore him to health and when he is whole remembreth not his disordered behauiour in his sicknes Timoth. What meanes doe you finde most effectuall to strengthen your faith to increase Gods graces in you and to raise you vp againe when you are fallen Euseb. Surely I haue very great comfort by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for whereas I am spiritually diseased and am prone and readie to fall and am most cruelly oftentimes inuaded of the fiend the flesh and the law when I haue sinned and am put to flight and made to runne away from God my father therefore hath God of all mercie and of his infinite pitie and bottomlesse compassion
man but as Christ himselfe with a pure heart according as Paul teacheth me putting my trust in God of him seeke my reward Moreouer there is not a good deede done but mine heart reioyceth therein yea when I heare that the word of God is preached by you and see the people turne vnto God I consent to this deede my heart breaketh out in me yea it springeth and leapeth in my breast that God is honoured and in my heart I do the same that you doe with the like delectation and feruency of spirit Now he that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a prophet receiueth a prophets reward that is hee that consenteth to the deede of a prophet and maintaineth it the same hath the spirit and earnest of euerlasting life which the prophet hath and is elect as the prophet is Now if we compare worke to worke there is a difference betwixt washing of dishes and preaching the word of God but as touching to please God none at all For neither that nor this pleaseth God but as farre forth as God hath chosen a man and hath put his spirit in him and purified his heart by faith and trust in Christ. As the scriptures call him carnall which is not renued by the spirit and borne againe in Christs flesh all his works like euen the very motions of his heart mind as his learning doctrine and contemplation of hie things his preaching teaching and studie in the scripture building of Churches founding of Colledges giuing of almes and whatsoeuer he doeth though they seeme spiritual after the law of God neuer so much So contrariwise hee is spirituall which is renued in Christ and all his workes which spring from faith seeme they neuer so grosse as the washing of the disciples feete done by our Sauiour Christ Peters fishing after the resurrection yea deedes of matrimony are pure spirituall if they proceede of faith and whatsoeuer is done within the lawes of god though it be wrought by the body as the wiping of shoes and such like howsoeuer grosse they appeare outwardly yet are sanctified Timoth. What bee the speciall things in which you leade your conuersation Euseb. One thing is the reading of the scripture Timoth. It is dangerous to read the scriptures you that haue no learning may easily fall into errors and heresies Euseb. As he which knoweth his letters perfectly and can spell cannot but read if he be diligent and as he which hath cleere eies without impediment or let and walketh thereto in the light and open day cannot but see if hee attend and take heede euen so I hauing the profession of my Baptisme onely written in my heart and feeling it sealed vp in my conscience by the holy Ghost cannot but vnderstand the scripture because I exercise my selfe therein and compare one place with another and marke the manner of speech and aske here and there the meaning of a sentence of them that bee better exercised then I for I feele in my heart and haue a sensible experience of that inwardly which the spirit of God hath deliuered in the scriptures So that I find mine inward experience as a commentarie vnto me Timoth. We are all baptized belike then we shall all vnderstand the Scripture Euseb. But alas very fewe there be that are taught and feele their ingrafting into Christ their iustification their inward dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto righteousnesse which is the meaning of their Baptisme And therefore we remaine all blind generally as well the great Rabbins which brag of their learning as the poore vnlearned lay man And the scripture is become so darke vnto them that they grope for the doore and can finde no way in and it is become a maze vnto them in which they wander as a mist or as as wee say led by Robbin goodfellow And their darknes cānot comprehend the light of the Scriptures but they read them as men doe tales of Robbin hood as riddles or as olde Priests read their Ladies Mattins which they vnderstoode not And vntill a man be taught his Baptisme that his heart feele the sweetnes of it the scriptures are shut vp from him and so darke that hee could not vnderstand it though Peter Paul or Christ himselfe did expound it vnto him no more then a man starke blind can see though thou set a candle before him or shew him the sunne or point with thy finger vnto that thou wouldst haue him looke vpon As for heresie there is no danger if a man come to the scripture with a meeke spirit seeking there to fashion himselfe like vnto Christ according to the profession and vowe of his baptisme but contrariwise he shall there find the mightie power of God to alter and change him in the inner mā by little and little till in processe he be ful shapen after the image of our Sauiour in knowledge and loue of all trueth and power to worke thereafter Heresies spring not of Scripture no more then darkenesse of the Sunne but are darke cloudes which spring out of the blinde hearts of hypocrites giuen to pride and singularitie and doe couer the face of the Scripture and blind their eies that they cannot behold the bright beames of the scripture Timoth. By this I also can gather that the Papists which cannot reade the Scriptures except they fall into errors haue not the spirit of Christ working in them and teaching them but the lying spirit of Antichrist the deuill that if God would giue them any true feeling and open their eies they would quite change their mindes But what other exercises haue you Euseb. Praier and thanksgiuing to God For God hath promised very boūtifully vnto them which praie in trueth and it is one of the greatest comforts I haue at all times Againe God which commanded me not to steale commandeth me also to praie and his will is that one commandement should bee as well kept as another and therefore I am perswaded that condemnation will befall a man as well for the one as for the other And that prayer ought to bee continually euen in euery busines a man doth me thinketh it most agreeable to Gods will For if I should come into my neighbours house and take his goods and vse them not borrowing them or asking any leaue they would lay handes on me and make me a theefe The worlde and all the things in the world are the Lords not mine so then if I shall daily vse them neuer seeking to the Lord by praier for the vse of them before God I am an vsurper nay a ranke theefe therefore I desire of God hartely that I may vse all his good creatures with feare and reuerence and that I may sanctifie his name in them which Paul sheweth me to be done by the word of God and praier the word shewing me the lawefull vse of his creatures praier obtaining at Gods hands that I may vse them aright If this practise were vsed of men
in their professions callings I am perswaded there would be a thousād vices cut off which in men abound and are committed without shame Timoth. I think the rest of your Christian exercises be the practising of the Commandements of the lawe Euseb. Yea they are indeede Timoth. Me thinkes it is an hard point of the law for a man to loue his enemie Euseb. It is indeede yet in the faithfull it will be so for they haue in their hearts a perswasion that wheras they are damned in themselues yet in Christ the mercie of God is most plentifull to their saluation and al this God confirmeth and sealeth vnto them by his holy spirit and therefore they cannot but loue God againe and that with a feruent loue euen aboue all things in the world and so they loue all Gods creatures and euen their enemies because they beare the image of God whome they loue like as I haue a friend loue him I loue all of his name all his kinred and all that appertain vnto him And by the way here is a good way to know whether we haue faith or not◠though faith onely iustifie and make the mariage betweene our soule and Christ and is properly the marriage garment yea and the signe Tau that defendeth vs from the smiting and power of euill angels and is also the rocke on which Christs church is built and standeth against all weather of wind and tempest yet is faith neuer seuered from hope and charitie then if a man will be sure that his faith is perfect let him examine himselfe whether he loue the law and in like manner if he will know whether he loue the law that is loue God and his neighbour then let him examine himselfe whether he beleeue in Christ onely for the remission of sinne obtaining the promises made in the Scripture And euen so let him compare his hope of the life to come with faith and loue and to the hatred of sinne in his life which hatred the loue of the law ingendreth in him And if they accompanie not one another all three together then let him be sure all is but hypocrisie Timoth. Yet by your leaue faith cannot make a man iust before God without hope and charitie then they also with faith hath some stroke in iustification Euseb. I answer though they be inseparable yet I praise God I doe conceiue how these three haue three separable and sundrie offices Faith which onely is an vndoubted and sure affiance in Christ and in the Father through him certifieth the conscience that the sinne is forgiuen and the damnation of the law taken away And with such perswasions mollifieth the heart and maketh it loue God againe and his law And as oft as we sinne faith onely keepeth that we forsake not our profession and that loue vtterly quench not and hope faile and onely maketh the peace againe for a true beleeuer trusteth in Christ alone and not in his owne workes nor ought els for the remission of sinnes The office of loue is to powre out againe the same goodnes that it hath receiued of God vpon her neighbour to be to him as it feeleth Christ to be to it selfe The office of loue is onely to haue compassion and to beare with her neighbour the burden of his infirmities 1. Pet. 4. Loue couereth the multitude of sinnes that is to say considereth the infirmities and interpreteth all to the best taketh for no sinne at all a thousand things of which the least were enough if a man loued not to goe to law for and to trouble and disquiet an whole towne and somtime a whole realme too The office of hope is to comfort in aduersitie and to make patient that we faint not nor fall downe vnder the crosse or cast it off our backes Thus these three inseparable haue separable offices and effects as heate and drines beeing inseparable in the fire haue yet their separable operations for drines onely expelleth the moystnes of all that is consumed by fire and heate onely destroieth the coldnes And it is not all one to say the drines onely and the drines that is alone neither is it all one to say faith onely and faith that is alone Timoth. You are to be commended you are so perfect in these high points of religion but I know you speake of experience for in you faith and hope towards God and charitie towards your neighbour are inseparable Euseb. I require no commendations shame and confusion befall me eternally that all glorie may be vnto God Timoth. But let vs talke on further of our duties which wee must performe if we wil liue Christian like among men And I pray you tel me what do you meane that you giue so much vnto the poore considering you are so poore your selfe I speake my conscience if you had ability you would do more then an hundred of those rich men doe Euseb. God knowes my heart it is a hell vnto me to see my brother for whom Christ shed his blood to want if I haue any thing in the world to giue him Among Christian men loue maketh all things common euery man is others debter and euery man is bound to minister to his neighbour to supplie his neighbours lacke of that wherewith God hath indued him Christ is Lord ouer all and euery Christian is heire annexed with Christ and therfore Lord ouer all and euery one is Lord of whatsoeuer another hath if then my brother or neighbour neede I haue to helpe him and if I shewe not mercie but withdraw my hands from him then rob I him of his own am a theefe A Christian man hath Christs spirit now Christ is mercifull if I shall not bee mercifull I haue not Christs spirit if I haue not Christs spirit then am I none of his And though I shewe mercie vnto my brother yet if I doe it not with such burning loue as Christ did it vnto me I must knowledge my sinne and desire mercie in Christ. Timotheus If a man must be franke and free then a man must giue of his owne stocke to the poore members of Christ and diminish his own substance Euseb. Yea indeede if neede so require wee are made stewards of those goods which God hath giuen vs shall a steward take all vnto himselfe without reproofe I am sure that they which were conuerted at Peters first Sermō after Christs ascension diminished their substance when they sold them and gaue them to the poore I am sure that the Churches which were in Macedonia which sent reliefe vnto their Churches euen aboue their abilitie they being in extreame pouertie did diminish their possessions and God graunt our conuersatiōs may be like theirs And that we should be like them their examples of great compassion are recorded in the scriptures Timoth. Many of vs haue our selues wife children father mother kinsfolke to relieue so that it will be heard to deale after this manner Euseb.
vncertaintie all his life but especially in the houre of death must needes disquiet him And truly when a man shall haue done many thousand workes yet his heart can neuer be at quiet as it appeareth in the yong man who though he had laboured all his life to fulfill the law thereby to be saued yet distrusting all his doings he asketh further of our Sauiour Christ what he might doe to be saued Furthermore it is the doctrine of the church of Rome that there is nothing in the regenerate that God can hate and that they are inwardly pure and without spot A doctrine that will make any Christian conscience despaire For if a man shall fall to examine himselfe he shall find that he is solde vnder sinne compassed about of sinne he shall see his particular sinnes to be as the haires of his head at the sight and feeling of which he shall finde that there is much matter in him worthie of hatred and damnation too He beeing in this case will beginne to doubt whether he be the child of God or not and perseuering in this doubting he shall be driuen to despaire of Gods loue towardes him considering that he cannot find any such purenesse in himself as the doctrin of the church of Rome requireth Lastly experience it selfe teacheth that the Romish religion can bring no peace to the conscience in that some for the maintaining of it haue despaired As Francis Spira who against his owne conscience hauing abiured the truth and subscribed to the doctrine of the Romish Church most fearefully despaired of his saluation which could not haue beene if that doctrine had beene agreeable to Gods word which is spirit and life to the receiuer For the same cause Latomus a doctor of Louane despaired crying that he was damned because he had opposed himselfe to the knowne truth This also befell Gardner at his death as the booke of Acts and Monuments declareth The third argument THat religion which agreeth to the corruption of mans nature a Reprobate may truly professe it the religion of the Church of Rome agreeth to the corruption of mans nature therefore a reprobate may truly professe it The proofe I Neede not stand to prooue the proposition the assumption is rather to be confirmed which first I will prooue by induction of particulars First that a man should be iustified by works is an opinion setled in nature as may appeare in them that crucified our Sauiour Christ for when they were pricked in their hearts at Peters sermon they saide Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued and this said the yong man before named not what should I beleeue but what should I doe to be saued So then in them it appeareth that it is a naturall opinion of all men to thinke that they must be saued by doing of somewhat A Papist will say though this be naturall thus to thinke yet it may be good for there is some goodnes in nature I answer that the wisdome of the flesh is enmitie to Gods wisdome Rom. 8.7 and aâ—l men by nature are nothing but flesh for naturally they are the children of wrath Secondly the worshipping of god in images is a great matter in the Church of Rome but this manner of worshipping is nothing but a worke of the flesh which thus I prooue Idolatrie is naturall and a worke of the flesh but to worship God in images is idolatrie The children of Israel when they erected the golden calfeâ— they did commit idolatrie and yet they did not worship the calfe it selfe bâ—â— God in the calfe For when the calfe was made they proclaimed an holy day not to the calfe but to the Lord. And Baal that detestable idol was nothing but the image of God as appeareth in Hosea the prophet At that day saith the lord thou shalt calme no more Baal It remaineth therfore that to serue God in an image is a work of the flesh and altogether agreeth to the vile corruption of nature Thirdly pride and a desire to be a aduanced aboue other is a naturall corruption to this agreeth the Popes primacie his double sword and triple crown yet the outragious pomp of that seate is as a paire of bellowes to kindle the concupiscence and to make the hidden sparkes of pride to breake out into a great flame Fourthly Doubting of Gods prouidence mercie is a naturall corruption in all men to this agreeth and from hence issueth that foolish and vaine opinion concerning doubting of our saluation and of the remission of sinnes Fiftly selfe-loue and selfe-liking are naturall corruptions to this agreeth that doctrine of the Papists not ouermuch to abase our selues but to maintaine freewill by nature and to thinke that we haue so much goodnes that we are able to prepare our selues to receiue and in some sort to merit grace Sixtly idlenes and riotousnes is a naturall corruption and to it very fitly answereth the great number of feasts of holy daies of halfe holy daies which the Church of Rome vseth Seuenthly Couetousnes is a naturall corruption and to the feeding of this vice serueth Purgatorie a fire of great gaine which in very truth if it had not burned very hot the fire in the Popes kitchin had burned very colde hitherto serue Pilgrimages saying of Masses and selling of pardons for money Eightly to be at libertie is the desire of nature answerable to this is that opinion that the spiritualtie is to be exempted from subiection to Magistrates Ninthly to commit adulterie is naturall to this agreeth the Stewes and the permission of simple fornication Tenthly ignorance is a filthy corruption in nature this the Church of Rome maketh the mother of deuotion and it is inioyned the lay man as a meanes of his saluation for he must beleeue as the church beleeueth he is not bound to know XI Infidelitie is naturall and to this agreeth that they call vpon Saints and Angels the Lord hauing commanded them to call vpon him in the name of Christ what argueth this els but hearts distrusting Gods goodnes and guiltie consciences XII Images in the Church of Rome came from infidelitie because men in reason could not perswade themselues that God was present vnlesse that were made manifest by some signe and image Which thing the Israelites declared when they said to Aaron in the wildernes in Moses absence Make vs gods to goe before vs. XIII Satisfactions for sinne are naturall for wicked men when they haue offended God they haue alwaies vsed some ceremonies to pacifie God with which when they haue performed then they thinke they haue done enough XIV The church of Rome saith that the Scriptures are darke obscure the blind man findeth fault with the darknes of the sunne If the Scriptures appeare to any to be obscure the fault is not in the Scriptures but in the blindnes of the minde of him which readeth and heareth them XV. Lastly pardons open
body They obiect that God is omnipotent True indeede but there bee some things the doing of which agreeth not with Gods power as to make contradicentia things contradictorie to be both true of which sort these are For that Christs bodie is a true bodie and that it is in many places at once are flatte contrarie beccause as hath bin shewed it is essential to all magnitudes to be in one place and therefore to a bodie And God cannot take away that which is essentiall to a thing the essence remaining whole 2. Againe transubstantiation maketh the Accidents of bread and wine to remaine without the substance Here also is another contradiction as impossible as the former for it is a common saying in schooles Accident is esse est inesse It is of the essence of an Accident to bee in the substance Now therefore if the Accidents bee there is also the bread and wine and if there bee no substance of bread or wine neither can there be any accidents 3. It holdeth that bread is turned into the bodie of Christ and therfore it must needs holde that Christs bodie is made of bakers bread and yet it holdeth and teacheth that Christs bodie is onely made of the seede of Marie quite ouerthrowing the former Transubstantiation V. It teacheth that a man must alwaies doubt of his saluation and likewise it teacheth that in praying we are to cal GOD father which are things quite contrarie For who can truly call GOD father vnlesse hee haue the spirit of adoption and be assured that he is the child of God For if a man shall call god father yet in his heart doubt whether he be his father or not he playeth the dissembling hypocrite wherefore to doubt of saluation and to say Our father c. in truth are contrarie VI. The Church of Rome maketh praier to bee one of the chiefe meanes to satisfie for sinnes But praier indeede is an asking of pardon for sinne Now asking of pardon satisfaction for sinne are contrarie therfore by the iudgement of the Papists praier which is a satisfaction is no satisfactiō And indeed let vs consider what madnes is contained in this popish diuinitie the poore begger commeth very hungrie to the rich mans doore to craue his almes and straightwaies by his begging he will merit and deserue it The same doeth the papist he prayeth verie poorely for the thing which he wanteth yet he looketh very proudly to merit no lesse then the kingdome of heauen by it VII Doubting of saluation hope cannot agree together for hope maketh a man not to be ashamed that is it neuer disappointeth him of the thing which he looketh for And therefore it is called the anchor of the soule both sure and steadfast which entereth into that which is within the vaile So that true hope and the certaine assurance of saluation goe togither VIII True praier and iustification by works cannot stand togither For hee which prayeth truly must be touched inwardly with a liuely feeling of his owne miserie and of the want of that grace whereof he standes in neede Now this cannot be in the heart of that man that looketh to merit the kingdome of heauen by his workes for he that can doe this may iustly conceiue somewhat of his owne excellencie IX Papists teach that it is great boldnes to come immediately vnto God without the intercession of Saints and therefore they vse to pray to Marie that shee would pray to Christ to helpe them yet on the contrarie when they haue so done they pray to God immediatly that he would receiue the intercession of Marie for them And thus they are become intercessors betweene Marie and God Yea when they offer vp Christ praying God to accept their gifts and sacrifices the humble priest that wil not pray to God but by the mediation of Saints is then a mediator between Christ Iesus God the father X. It holdeth that in the masse the Priest offereth vp Christ to his father an vnbloodie sacrifice This is a thing impossible for if Christ in the masse be sacrificed for sin then he must die his blood must be shed Heb. 9.22 And in the Scriptures these two sayings Christ is dead Christ is offered vp in Sacrifice are all one So then the Papist when he supposeth that there may be an vnbloodie sacrifice in effect he saith thus much There is a sacrifice which is no sacrifice And it is not possible that a bloodie sacrifice should be offered in an vnbloodie manner XI In the Canon of the masse the Church of Rome praieth on this wise We humbly beseech thee most merciful father by Iesus Christ thy sonne and our Lord that that thou wouldest accept these gifts and oblations and these holy Sacrifices which thy Church offer to thee c. where first they offer vp Christ to God the father in the name of Christ and so they make Christ to be his owne mediatour Againe they desire God to blesse and to accept his own sonne for they offer vp Christ. If they say he needeth now the blessing of his father they make Christ a weake and imperfect Christ if he need not the blessing of his father their praier is needelesse Also they desire God to accept not one gift or one sacrifice but in the plurall number these gifts and sacrifices whereas they hold that Christs bodie is one only bodie and therefore but one sacrifice And thus they are at variance with themselues XII Papists in word they say that they beleeue put thei◠trust in God yet whereas they looke to be saued by their workes they set the confidence of their hearts in truth vpon their owne doings XIII They put such holines in matrimonie that they make it one of their 7. Sacraments which conferre grace to the partakers of them yet they forbid their Cleargie to marrie because to liue in marriage is to liue according to the flesh and the Councell of Trent opposeth marriage and chastitie XIV It teacheth that soules kept in purgatorie may be redeemed by Sacrifices and Suffrages Against this is a Canon of their lawe taken out of Saint Hierome we know that in this life we may help one another either by praiers or by good counsell but when we shall come before the iudgement seate of Christ neither Iob nor Daniel nor Noe may intreat for any but euery mā is to beare his own burthen And according to another Canon going vnder the name of Gelasius Bishop of Rome Either there is no Purgatorie or the soules which goe thither shall neuer returne XV. And to conclude the most points of their religion are contrarie to their Canons as by searching may appeare in these examples 1 The dead cannot heare the praiers of them which call vpon him 2 Peter and Paul were two of the chiefe Apostles and it is hard to say which was aboue the other 3 Leo the fourth
faith which I haue in his blood God is not displeased if my body be sicke and subiect to diseases no more is he displeased at the disease and sicknes of the soule A naturall father will not slay the bodie of his child when he is sicke and abhorreth comfortable meates and my heauenly father will not condemne my soule although through the infirmitie of faith and the weaknes of the spirit I commit sinne and often loath his heauenly word the foode of my soule Nay which is a strange thing I know it by experience that God hath turned my filthie sinnes to my great profit and to the amendment of my life like as the good Phisitian of rancke poyson is able to make a soueraigne medecine to preserue life Sathan Well be it so that now thou art in the state of grace yet thou shalt not continue so but shalt before death depart from Christ. Christ. I know I am a member of Christs mysticall bodie I feele in my selfe the heauenly power vertue of my head Christs Iesus for this cause I can not perish but shal cōtinue for euer raigne in heauē after this life with him The conflicts of Sathan with the weake Christian. Sathan Thy minde is full of ignorance and blindnes thy heart is ful of obstinacie rebellion and frowardnes against God thou art wholly vnfit for any good worke wherefore thou hast no faith neither canst thou be iustified and accepted before God Christian. If I haue but one drop of the grace of God and if my faith be no more then a little graine of mustard seede it is sufficient for me God requireth not perfect faith but true faith Sathan Yea but thou hast no faith at all Christian. I haue had faith Sathan Thou neuer hadst true faith for in time past when according to thine opinion thou didst beleeue then thou hadst nothing but a shadow of faith and a foolish imagination which all hypocrites haue Christian. I will put my trust in God for euer and his former mercies shewmed me heretofore strengthen me now in this my weaknes 1 He created me when I was nothing 2 He created me a man when he might haue made me an vgly toad 3 He made me of comely body and of good discretion whereas he might haue made me vgly and deformed franticke and madde 4 I was borne in the daies of knowledge when I might haue bin borne in the time of ignorance and superstition 5 I was borne of Christian parents but God might haue giuen me either Turkes or Iewes or some other sauadge people for my parents 6 I might haue perished in my mothers wombe but he hath preserued me and prouided for me by his prouidence euen vnto this houre 7 Soone after my birth God might haue cast me into hell but contrariwise I was baptized and so receiued the seale of his blessed couenant 8 I haue had by Gods goodnes some sorrow for my sinnes past and haue called on him in hope and confidence that he would heare me 9 God might haue concealed his word from me but I haue heard the plētifull preaching of it I vnderstand it and haue receiued comfort by it 10 Lastly at this time God might powre his full wrath on me which he doth not but mercifully maketh me to feele mine owne wants that I might be humbled and giue all glorie vnto him for his blessings Wherefore there is no cause why I should be disquieted but I will trust still in the Lord and depend on him as I haue done Sathan Thou feelest no grace of the holy Ghost in thee nor any true tokens of faith but thou hast a liuely sense of the rebellion of thy heart and of thy lewd and wretched conuersation therefore thou canst not put any confidence in Christs death and sufferings Christian. Yet I will hope against all hope although according to mine owne sense and feeling I want faith yet I wil beleeue in Iesus Christ and trust to be saued by him Sathan Though the children of God haue bin in many perplexities yet neuer any of them haue beene in this case in which thou art at this present Christian. Herein thou prouest thy selfe to be a lying spirit for the prophet Dauid saith of himselfe that he was foolish and as a beast before God and yet he euen then trusted in God And Paul was so ledde captiue of sinne that he was not able to doe the good he would but did the euill which he hated and so in great pensiuenes of heart desired to be deliuered from this world that he might be disburdened of his corrupt flesh Sathan Thou miserable wretch doest thou feele thy selfe gracelesse and wilt thou beare the face of a Christian and by thy hypocrisie offend God as thou art so shew thy selfe to the world Christian. Auoide Sathan Christ hath vanquished and ouercome thee for my cause that I might also triumph ouer thee I am no hypocrite for whereas I haue had heretofore some testimonie of my faith at this time I am lesse moued though faith seeme to be absent like as a man may seeme to be dead both in his own sense and by the iudgement of the physitian and yet may haue life in him so faith may be though alwaies it doe not appeare Sathan But thou art a man starke dead in sinne God hath now quite forsaken thee he hath left thee vnto me to be ruled he hath giuen me power ouer thee to bring thee to damnation he wil not haue thee to trust in him any longer Christian. Strengthen me good Lord remember thy mercifull promises that thou wilt reuiue the humble and giue life to them that are of a contrite heart Sathan These promises concerne not thee which hast no humble and contrite but a froward a rebellious heart Christian. Good Lord forget not thy former mercies giue an issue to these temptations of mine enemie Sathan And you my brethren which know my estate pray for me that God would turne his fauourable countenance towards me for this I know that the praier of the righteous auaileth much if it be feruent HOW A MAN SHOULD APPLIE ARIGHT the word of God to his owne soule I. EVery Christian containeth in himselfe two natures flatte contrarie one to the other the flesh and the spirit and that he may become a perfect man in Christ Iesus his earnest indeauour must be to tame and subdue the flesh and to strengthen and confirme the spirit II Answerable to these two natures are the two parts of Gods word First the Law because it is the ministerie of death it fitly serueth for the taming and mastering of the rebellious flesh and the Gospell containing the bountifull promises of God in Christ is as oyle to power into our woundes and as the water of life to quench our thirstie soules and it fitly serueth for the strengthening of the spirit III Wel then art thou secure Art thou prone to
and vndiscret companie that would seeme to crie out for discipline their whole talke is of it and yet they neither knowe it nor will be reformed by it and yet they are enemies to it as for the lawe of God and the promises of the Gospell they little regard they maintain vile sinnes in refusing to heare the reading or the preaching of the word and this is great contempt of Gods benefits and vnthankefulnesse to him They are full of pride thinking themselues to be full when they are emptie to haue all knowledge when they are ignorant and had neede to bee catechized the poyson of Aspes is vnder their lippes they refuse not to speake euill of the blessed seruants of God Well doe they aboue all things seeke the kingdome of GOD then let them be sincere seekers of it which they shall doe if in seeking Christs kingdome they seeke the righteousnesse thereof vnto which they can neuer come but by the applying of the threatnings of the lawe and the comforts of the gospel to their own consciences But whereas they seeke the one and not the other they giue all men to vnderstand with what spirit they speake CONSOLATIONS FOR THE TROVBLED consciences of repentant Sinners Sinner GOod sir I know the Lord hath giuen you the tongue of the learned to be able to minister a word in time to him that is wearie therefore I pray you helpe me in my miserie Minister Ah my good brother what is the matter with you and what aile you Sinner I liued a long time the Lord he knoweth it after the manner of the world in all the lusts of my filthie flesh then I was neuer troubled but it hath plesed GOD of his mercie to touch my heart and to send his owne sonne that good sheapheard Iesus Christ to fetch me home to his owne fold euen vpon his own necke and since that time it is a wonder to see howe my poore heart hath beene troubled my corruption so boyles in me and Sathan will neuer let me alone Minister Your case is a blessed case for not to be troubled of Satan is to be possessed of him that is to be held captiue vnder the power of darkenes and to be a slaue and vassall of Sathan for as long as the strong man keepes the hold all things are is peace Contrariwise hee that hath receiued any sparkle of true faith shall see the gates of hell that is the deuill and his angels in their full strengthâ— to stand vp against him and to fight with an endles hatred for his finall confusion Sinner But this my trouble of mind hath made me oftentimes feare least God would reiect me and vtterly depriue me of the kingdome of heauen Minister But there is no cause why it should so doe For how should heauen bee your resting place if on earth you were not troubled how could god wipe away your teares from your eies in heauen if on earth you shead them not You would be freâ— from miseries you looke for heauen vpon earth But if you will go to heauen the right waie is to saile by hel If you wil sit at Christs table in his kingdome you must bee with him in his temptations You are as Gods corne you must therefore goe vnder the fâ—aile the fanne the milstone and the ouen before you can be Gods bread You are one of Christs Lambes looke therefore to be fleeced and to haue the bloodie knife at your throat all the daie long If you were a market sheepe bought to be solde you should be stalled and kept in a fat pasture but you are for Gods owne occupying therfore you must pasture on the bare common abiding stormes tempests Sathans snatches the worlds woundes contempt of conscience and frettes of the flesh But in this your miserie I will be a Simon vnto you to helpe you to carrie your crosse so be it you will reueale your mind vnto me Christian. I will doe it willingly my temptations are either against my faith in Christ or against repentance for my sinnes Minister What is your temptation as touching faith Christian. Ah woe is me I am much afraid least I haue no faith in Christ my Sauiour Minister What causeth this feare Christian. Diuers things Minister What is one Christian. I am troubled with many doubtings of my saluation and so it comes into my minde to thinke that by my incredulitie I should quite cut off my selfe from the fauour of God Minister But you must knowe this one thing that he that neuer doubted of his saluation neuer beleeued and that hee which beleeueth in trueth feeleth many doubtings and wauerings euen as the sound man feels many grudgings of diseases which if he had not health he could not feele Christian. But you neuer knewe any that hauing true faith doubted of their saluation Minister What will you then say of the man that said Lord I beleeue Lord helpe mine vnbeleefe And of Dauid who made his moane after this manner Is his mercy cleane gone for euer Doth his promise faile for euermore Hath God forgotten to be mercifull Hath he shut vp his tender mercie in displeasure Yea hee goeth on further as a man in despaire And I said this is my death Hereby it is manifest that a man indued with true faith may haue not onely assaults of doubting but of desperation This further appeareth in that he saith in an other place Why art thou cast downe my soule Why art thou disquieted within me Waite on God for I will yet giue thankes he is my present helpe and my God And in very truth you may perswade your selfe that they are but vnreasonable men that say they haue long beleeued in Christ without any doubting of their saluation Christian. But Dauid had more in him then I haue for me thinkes there is nothing in this wicked heart of mine but rebellion against GOD nothing but doubting of his mercie Minister Let me know but one thing of you these doubtings which you feele doe you like them or doe you take any pleasure in them and doe you cherish them Christian. Nay nay they appeare very vile in mine eies and I do abhorre them from my heart and I would faine beleeue Minister In man we must consider his estate by nature and his estate by grace In the first hee and his flesh are all one for they are as man wife therfore one is accessarie to the doings of the other When the flesh sinneth the man also sinneth that is in subiection to the flesh yea when the flesh perisheth the man likewise perisheth beeing in this estate with the flesh a louing couple they are they liue and die together But in the estate of grace though a man haue the flesh in him yet hee and his flesh are diuorced asunder This diuorcement is made when a man begins to dislike and to hate his flesh and the euil fruits of it this separation
not that I am none of his child and therfore that I haue no faith Minister You are in no other case then Dauid himself who made the same complaint I am weary of crying my throat is drie mine eies faile whiles I waite for my God Christian. But Dauid neuer praied so many yeares without receiuing an answer as I haue done Minister Good Zacharie waited longer on the Lord before he granted his request then euer you did it is like he praied for a child in his younger yeres yet his praier was not heard before hee was olde And further you must note that the Lord may heare the praiers of his seruants and yet they be altogither ignorant of it For the maner that God vseth in granting their requests is not alwaies known as may appeare in the example of our Sauiour Christ Who in the daies of his flesh did offer vp praiers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in that which he feared And yet wee knowe that hee was not freed from that cursed death but must needes suffer it How then was he heard On this manner hee was strengthened to beare the death he had an Angel to comfort him he was afterward freed frō the sorrowes of death And so it is with the rest of Christs bodie as it was with the head Some beeing in want pray for temporall blessings God keepes them in this want and yet he heares their prayers in giuing them patience to abide that want Some beeing in wealth and aboundance pray for the continuing of it if it be the will of God The Lord flings them into a perpetuall miserie and yet he heares their praiers by giuing them blessednes in the life to come You pray for the increase of faith and repentance and such like graces you feele no increase after long praier yet the mercifull God hath no doubt heard your praier in that by delaying to performe your request he hath stirred vp in you the spirit of praier he hath humbled you made you feele your owne wants the better to depend on his mercie for the beginning and increasing of euery spirituall grace Christian. The fourth thing that troubles me is that I cannot feele faith purifie my heart and to worke by loue in bringing forth liuely fruits Minister If this be so continually that faith brings forth no fruite it is very dangerous and argueth a plaine want of faith yet for a certaine time it may be so faith hath not onely a spring time and a summer season but also a winter when it beareth no fruite And there is many a true Christian like the bruised reed that is ouerturned with euery blast of wind and like the flaxe that hath fire in it which by reason of weakenes giues neither heat nor light but only a smoke Christian. Thus much shall suffice for my first temptation wherein I take my selfe satisfied now if you please I will be glad to rehearse the second Minister I am content let vs heare it Christian. I am afraid least I haue not truely repented and therefore that all my profession is onely in hypocrisie Minister What mooueth you to thinke so Christian. Two causes especially the first is they which repent leaue off to sinne But I am a miserable sinner I doe continually displease God by my euil thoughts words and deedes Minister You need not feare For where sinne aboundeth that is the knowledge and feeling of sinne there grace aboundeth much more Christian. I find not this in my selfe Minist But yet you find thus much in your selfe those corruptions which you feele and those sinnes that you commit you hate them you are displeased with your selfe for them and you endeauour your selfe to leaue them Christian. Yea that I doe with all my heart Minister Then how miserable soeuer you feele your selfe by reason of the masse of your sin yet you are not subiect to condemnation but shall most certainly escape the same Take this for a most certaine trueth that the man that hates and dislikes his sinnes both before and after he hath done them shal neuer be damned for them Christian. I am euen heart sicke of my manifold sinnes and infirmities and these good words which you speake are as flaggons of wine to refresh my weary laden and weltring soule I haue begun to flee sinne and to detest it long agoe I haue beene oft displeased with mine infirmities and corruptions when I offend God my heart is grieued I desire to leaue sinne I flee the occasions of sin I would faine fashion my life to Gods word I pray vnto God that hee would giue me grace so to doe yet which is my griefe by the strength of the flesh by the sleights power of Sathan I am often ouertaken fal maruellously both by speech and by deede Minister Haue courage my good brother for whereas you haue an affection to doe the things that are acceptable vnto God it argueth plainely that you are a member of Christ according to that of Paul They which are of the spirit sauour the the things of the spirit Well then if Sathan euer obiect any of your sins to you make answer thus that you haue forsaken the first husband the flesh haue espoused your selfe to Christ Iesus who as your head husband hath taken vpon him to answer your debts and therefore if he vrge you for thē refer him ouer vnto Christ. For there is no sute in law against the wife the husband liuing yea I adde further if you be ouercarried with Satans tēptations and so fall into any sinne you shall not answer for it but Sathan it shal surely be reckoned on his score at the daie of iudgemēt for he was the author of it if you fall by the frailtie of your flesh it shal perish therefore but you shal still haue Christ your aduocate Christian. Indeede as you say I haue in me an affection to please God but when I come to performe my obedience there I faile Minister Therfore marke this further As long as the children of god are i◠this life God regardeth more the affection to obey then the obediēce itself And they shall be vnto me saith the Lord of hosts in that day I shall doe this for a flocke and I will spare them as a man spares his own sonne that serueth him The father when he shall set his child to doe any busines though he doe it neuer so vntowardly yet if he shewe his good will to doe the best he can his father wil be pleased and so it is with the Lord toward his children you looke to haue some perfection in your selfe but in this life you shall receiue no more but the first fruits of the spirit which are but as a handfull of corne in respect of the whole corne fielde and as for the accomplishment of your
in the â—orrest which feedeth on the mast but neuer looketh vp to the tree whence it falleth Thirdly he vseth Gods gifts to euiâ—l endes because either he makes an idol of them by setting his heart on them or els he imploieth them to riot pride and the oppression of godly men A master of musick hath his house furnished with musicall instruments of all sorts and he teacheth his owne schollers artificially to vse them both in right tuning of them as also in playing on them there comes in straungers who admiring the faide instruments haue leaue giuen them of the master to handle them as the schollers doe but when they come to practise they neither tune them aright neither are they able to strike one stroke as they oughtâ— so as they may please the master and haue his commendation This world is as a large sumptuous pallace into which are receiued not onely the sonnes and daughters of God but also wicked and vngodly men it is furnished with goodly creatures in vse more excellent then all musicall instruments the vse of them is common to all but the godly man taught by Gods spirit and directed by faith so vseth them as that the vse thereof is acceptable to God as for the impure and vnbeleeuing indeede they enioy the creatures and gifts of God but the pure vse is wanting for they cannot but abuse them and therefore the wicked and the reprobate though they should commit no other sinnes in the world yet for the vse of their wealth and honour for their very eating and drinking which in themselues are most lawful shal be damned II. Concerning spirituall blessings first God ceaseth to graunt so much as an outward calling to many men For how many nations since the beginning of the world much more particular men haue their bin are shall be which neuer heard the preaching of the Gospell nay not so much as the name of Christ God is knowne in Iurie saith Dauid and he hath not done so to any nation And often in Moses and the Prophets it is mentioned that the couenant was in former times made peculiar to the Iewes And Paul in the Acts saith that God suffered the Gentiles in former times to walke in their owne waies and of the Ephesians before their calling he saith that they were strangers from the promises and without God in the world III. He graunts the outward meanes of saluation namely the Word Praier Sacraments Discipline abundantly but yet he quite withdraweth the operation of his spirit whereby a conuersion might be wrought For they neuer haue that pearcing of the eare which Dauid mentioneth nor the opening of the heart with Lydia nor that teaching of God when they are drawne of the father to Christ. And in so doing indeed onely he offreth grace but doth not exhibite and conferre it not that he mocketh any but that in so doing he may euery way conuince and bereaue them of excuse As the Lord speaketh to Esay Goe and say to this people ye shall heare indeede but ye shall not vnderstand ye shall plainly see but not perceiue make the heart of this people fat make their eares heauie and shut their eyes least they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and conuert and he heale them If our Gospell be hid saith Paul it is hid in them that perish Men that haue long liued vnder the preaching of the Gospel and yet still remaine ignorant and impenitent let them beware and take heede of this desertion and they are with trembling to lay to their hearts that which the holy Ghost speaketh of Hophni and Phinehas They obeyed not the voice of their father because the Lord would destroy them IIII. To goe further he bestoweth on them many worthie properties of faith As first a knowledge of the diuine truth in the Law and the Gospel Secondly an assent to the said truth Thirdly a ioyfull reioycing and boasting in speaking and hearing of it Fourthly an outward profession of it for a time But he doth not bestow that qualitie and vertue of faith which is as it were the very soule of it without which faith is dead and saueth none namely the inward assurance and certificate of his loue and fauour in Christ with a sense and feeling of the same in heart Neither are the former duties of faith perpetuall and sound in them for the reprobate is not induced to them by any assurance of Gods mercie but by other sinister occasions as are First desire of knowledge in diuine mysteries Secondly a delight in it Thirdly praise and commendation among men Fourthly the maintaining of wealth and honor Fiftly the getting of wealth or honour Sixtly a desire to be at vnitie and concord with the Nation or people where the Gospell is preached Therefore when these ends and occasions of their beleeuing cease then also their faith profession cease In this kind of desertion it is to be feared that most men are All in our Church will professe faith in Christ yet seeing the sound conuersion to God and the sinceritie of life and doctrine is very rare we may presume that that maine propertie of faith which is the receiuing and apprehension of Christ is wanting in most therefore let euery man looke to himselfe and betime labour to turne his temporarie faith if he finde it in himselfe into a true sauing faith wherfore he must striue first to feele his extreame need of Christ and his merits Secondly to hunger and thirst after him as after meate and drinke Thirdly to be nothing in himselfe that he may be all in all out of himselfe in Christ. Fourthly to be able to say that he liueth not but Christ liueth in him by faith Fifthly to loathe his owne sinnes with a most vehement hatred and to prize and value Christ and the least drop of his blood aboue a thousand worlds V. Againe in repentance he bestoweth first a sight of sinne secondly a kinde of sorrow for it thirdly a confession of it fourthly a resolution for a time to sinne no more But that part of repentance which hath the promise of mercie annexed that is a conuersion of the whole man to God he neuer giueth it VI. Lastly God giueth to the reprobate his spirit but so farre forth as it shall not any whit regenerate or renew his nature but onely in the outward action represse the act of sinne so as thereby without any inward change he shall be as ciuily iust vpright in outward conuersation as any in the world Thus much of those desertions which befall the deuill and his angels and all reprobates now follow those wherewith God exerciseth euen his owne elect children for the blessings that God bestoweth on them are of two sorts either positiue or priuatiue positiue are reall graces wrought in the heart by the spirit of God priuatiue are such meanes whereby God
another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shal deliuer me from this bodie of death The second maner of Gods forsaking his Elect is when he hides his graces for a time not by taking them quite away but by couering them and by remoouing all sense and feeling of them And in this case they are like the trees in the winter season that are beaten with winde and weather bearing neither leafe nor fruit but looke as though they were rotten and dead because the sap doth not spread it selfe but lies hid in the roote Dauid often was in this case as namely when he saith Will the Lord absent himself for euer And will he shew no more fauour is his mercie cleane gone for euer doth his promise faile for euermore Hath God forgotten to be mercifull Hath he shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure Selah This comes to passe because the Lord very often in and by one contrarie works another Clay and spittle tempered togither in reason should put out a mans eies but Christ vsed it as a meanes to giue sight to the blinde Water in reason should put out fire but Elias when he would shew that Iehoua was the true God poures water on his sacrifice and fils a trench therewith to make the sacrifice burne The like appeareth in the worke of grace to saluation A man that hath liued in securitie by Gods goodnes hath his eyes opened to see his sinnes and his heart touched to feele the huge and loathsome burden of thē and therefore to bewaile his wretched estate with bitternes of heart Hereupon he presently thinkes that God will make him a firebrand of hell whereas indeede the Lord is now about to worke and frame in his heart sanctification and sound repentance neuer to be repented of The man which hath had some good perswasions of Gods fauour in Christ comes afterward vpon many occasions to be troubled and to be ouerwhelmed with distrustfulnes grieuous doubtings of his saluation so as he iudgeth himselfe to haue beene but an hypocrite in former times and for the time present a cast-away But indeed hereby the Lord exerciseth fashioneth and increaseth his weake faith In one word marke this point That the graces of God peculiar to the elect are begunne increased and made manifest in or by their contraries A man in this desertion cap discerne no difference betweene himselfe and a cast-away and the rather if with this desertion be ioyned a feeling of Gods anger for then ariseth the bitterest temptation that euer befell the poore soule of a Christian man and that is a wrastling and strugling in spirit and conscience not with the motions of a rebelling flesh nor the accusations of the deuill which are oftentimes very irksome and terrible but against the wrath of a reuenging God This hidden and spirituall temptation more tormenteth the spirit of man then all the rackes or gibbets in the world can doe And it hath his fittes after the manner of an ague in which euen Gods own seruants ouercarried with sorrowe may blaspheme God and crie out that they are dāned Iob was in this estate as he testifieth Oh that my griefe were waied saith he and my miseries were laid togither in the ballance for it would be heauier then the sand of the sea therefore my words are swallowed vp for the arrowes of the Almightie are in me the venome therof doth drink vp my spirit and the terrours of god fight against me And further he complaines that the Lord is his enemie that he writes bitter things against him and that he sets him as a But to shoote at This was Dauids tēptation when he said O Lord rebuke me not in thy anger neither chastise me in thy wrath haue mercy vpon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed my soule is also sore troubled but Lord howe long wilt thou delay Returne O Lord deliuer my soule saue me for thy mercies sake Hence it follows that when any that hath beene a professour of the gospel shall despaire at his end that men are to leaue secret iudgements to God and charitably to iudge the best of them For example one Master Chambers at Leicester of late in his sicknes grieuously despaired and cried out that he was damned and after died yet it is not for any to note him with the blacke marke of a reprobate One thing which hee spake in his extremitie O that I had but one drop of faith must mooue all men to conceiue well of him For by this it seemeth that he had an heart which desired to repent beleeue therefore a repentant and beleeuing heart indeed For God at all times but especially in temptation of his great mercy accepts the will for the deed Neither is it to be regarded that he said he was damned for mē in such cases speak not as they are but as they feele themselues to be Yea to goe further when a professour of the gospell shall make away himselfe though it be a fearfull case yet stil the same opiniō must be carried First Gods iudgements are very secret Secondly they may repent in the very agony for any thing we know Thirdly none is able to comprehend the bottomlesse depth of the graces and mercies which are in Christ. Thus much of the manner which God vseth in forsaking his elect Nowe followe the kindes of desertion which are two desertion in punishment desertion in sinne Desertion in punishment is when God deferreth either to mittigate or to remooue the crosse and chastisement which hee hath laid vpon his children This befell Christ on the crosse My God saith he my God why hast thou forsaken me This was the complaint of Gedeon Did not the Lord bring vs out of Egypt But now the Lord hath forsaken vs and deliuered vs into the hands of the Midianites Iudg. 6. 13. Master Robert Glouer Martyr at Couentrie after he was condemned by the Bishop and was nowe at the point to bee deliuered out of the worlde it so happened that two or three daies before his death his heart beeing lumpish and desolate of all spirituall consolation felt in himselfe no aptnesse nor willingnesse but rather a heauinesse and dulnesse of spirit full of much discomfort to beare the bitter crosse of martyrdome ready now to be laid vpon him whereupon he fearing in himselfe least the Lord had withdrawn his wonted fauour from him made his mone to one Austine his friend signifying vnto him how earnestly he had praied day night vnto the Lord and yet could receiue no motion nor sense of any comfort from him vnto whome the said Austine answered againe willing him patiently to waite the Lords pleasure and howesoeuer his present feeling was yet seeing his cause was iust and true he
the ende in faith and a true confession of Christ ioyned with a manifest care to liue a godly life and a desire to glorifie him For this gift is bestowed vpon all the elect as the Lord promiseth by Ieremie I will put my feare into their hearts that they may not depart from me And when they shall come to the end of their liues they shall be receiued into the heauenly glorie vntill such time as their bodies also beeing raised vp they may take full possession of eternall life Thus we see that it is very certaine that those which are elected to eternall life are also predestinate to vse those meanes by which as by certaine steps and staires they climbe into that heauenly dwelling place And therefore that we were predestinate to these meanes namely Faith Iustification and good workes because we were elected to eternall life according to the purpose and grace of God Wherefore by this meanes the doctrine also of the Pelagians is confuted as touching predestination to life by our faith and workes which God foresaw we should doe Whereas on the contrarie therefore God did predestinate vs to faith and good workes because he did choose vs to eternall life For the Apostle saith not I obtained mercie because I was faithfull or because I should be faithfull but that I might be faithfull Neither saith he that we are elected in Christ because we should be holy and without blame but that we might be holy and without blame Neither doth he say that we were created in Christ because we did or should doe good works but we were created to good works which God prepared that we might walke in them Lastly he saith not that the grace of Christ appeared because we were to liue soberly iustly and godly but that it therefore appeared that we denying all vngodlines and the lusts of this world might liue soberly iustly and godly iâ— this present world We see therefore that by this doctrine that wicked opinion is ouerthrowne which teacheth that we doe preuent the grace of God by our merits which God foresaw And on the contrarie here we see how foully the bellygods of this world are deceiued which reason thus if we be predestinate to eternall life and our predestination be certaine and vnchangeable what neede wee endeauour our selues beleeue or doe good workes for howsoeuer it fall out and howesoeuer the elect doe liue vndoubtedly they cannot perish because they are predestinate to eternall life Alas poore wretches they see not that they seuer those things that are to be conioyned namely the ende and the meanes of the ende that they breake the chaine which in no wise either can or must be loosed whilst that they seuer their calling iustification yea and Faith too good workes from predestination and glorification As though God did glorifie them whome he did predestinate before he called and iustified them yea and before they can beleeue and shewe their quicke and liuely faith by workes Contrariwise let vs learne what our dutie is If any be elect to eternall life they also are predestinate to the meanes by which they come vnto it And wee beleeue as wee are bound to doe that wee are predestinate to eternall life and therefore we must also beleeue that we haue beene elected to faith and good workes that by them as by certaine steps wee might bee brought to eternall life And therefore so farre must we be from neglecting Faith and the meanes of good works of a holy life that contrariwise it is rather our dutie to keep Faith in a good conscience and to be conuersant in good workes which God hath prepared that we might walke in them And because we can neither attaine to the ende nor the meanes that bring vs therevnto of our selues Therfore it is our part to craue them at Gods hands by praier that hee would giue vs faith and a care to doe good workes and increase them in vs. Neither must we onely aske them but also certainely trust that wee shall obtaine them for Christ his cause For if for all them which are predestinated to eternall life God hath prepared faith by which they may beleeue and good workes to walke in therefore if we beleeue as by Gods commandement we are bound that we are in Christ elected to eternall glorie wee must also be perswaded that before we depart hence hee wil giue vs true repentance encrease true faith inflame vs with loue lastly that hee will minister vnto vs aboundantly all things in Christ to obtaine the ende Yea this confidence also and praier it is one effect of predestination by which wee get the rest Therefore this doctrine we must hold that predestination to eternall life doth not take away the meanes of obtaining it but rather establish them And therfore both these principles are true namely that the elect to life cannot perish and vnlesse a man beleeue in Christ and perseuere vnto the ende in this faith working by loue he shall perish The reason is because in predestination the means the end of it are so ioyned togither that the one can not be seuered from the other Wherefore whosoeuer holdeth not the meanes vnto the ende amongest which faith is one it is manifest that he was neuer predestinate and therefore must needes perish as on the contrarie he which holdeth faith must needes be saued So the truth of these propositions is euident He which beleeueth in the Sonne hath eternal life contrariwise he which beleeueth not in the sonne the anger of God remaineth vpon him because as a constant faith is a signe of election so obstinate infidelitie is a token of reprobation FINIS Bradfords answer to Careles Careles I Am troubled with feare that my sinnes are not pardoned Bradford They are for God hath giuen thee a penitent and beleeuing heart that is an heart which desireth to repent and beleeue For such an one is taken of him he accepting the will for the deede for a penitent and beleeuing heart indeede Trin-vni Deo gloria A DIRECTION FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE TONGVE according to Gods word Printed by Iohn Legate Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1600. To the reader CHristian Reader lamentable and feâ—â—efull is the abuse of the tongue among all sortes degrees of men euerâ— where Hence daily arise manifold sinnes against God and â—nnuâ—erable scandals and grieuances to our brethren It would make a mans heart to bleede to heare and consider howe Swearing Blaspheming Cursed speaking Raâ—ling Backbiting Slandering Chiding Quarrelling CoÌ„tending Iesting Mocking Flattering Lying Dissembling Vaine and idle talking ouerflow in all placeâ— so as men which feare God had better bee any where then in the companie of most men Well thou art thou a man which hast made little conscience of thy speech and talke repent seriously of this sinne and amend thy life least for the abusing of thy tongue thou crie with Diues in hell Send
Lazarus that he may dippe the tip of his finger in water and coole my tongue And if thou be one which hast care to order thy selfe in speech silence according to gods word oh doe it more For what a shame is it that men with the same tongue wherewith they confesse the faith and religion of Christ should by vaine and vngodly speech vtterly denie the power thereof And for thy better helpe herein I haue penned these few lines following concerning the Gouernment of the tongue Vse them for thy benefit and finding profit thereby giue glorie to God M. D. XCII Decemb. 12. W. Perkins OF THE GOVERNEMENT OF THE TONGVE CHAP. I. Of the generall meanes of ruling the Tongue THE gouernement of the tongue is a vertue pertaining to the holy vsage of the tongue according to GODS word And for the well-ordering of it two things are requisite a pure heart and skill in the language of Canaan The pure heart is most necessary because it is the fountaine of speech and if the fountaine be defiled the streames that issue thence can not be cleane And because the heart of man by nature is a bottomlesse gulfe of iniquitie two things are to be knowne first how it must be made pure then how it is alwaies afterward to be kept pure The way to get a pure heart is this First thou must seriously examine thy life and thy conscience for all thy sinnes past then with a heauie and bleeding heart confesse them to God vtterly condemning thy selfe Thirdly with deepe sighes and groanes of spirit crie vnto heauen to God the father in the name of Christ for pardon I say for pardon of the same sinnes as it were for life and death and that day and night till the Lord send downe from heauen a sweete certificate into thy perplexed conscience by his holy spirit that all thy sinnes are done away Now at the same instant in which pardon shall be graunted God likewise will once againe stretch forth that mightie hand of his whereby he made thee when thou wast not to make thee a new creature to create a new heart in thee to renue a right spirit in thee and to stablish thee by his free spirit For whome he iustifieth them also at the same time he sanctifieth The purified heart appeareth by these signes I. If thou feele thy selfe to be displeased at thine owne infirmities and corruptions and to droope vnder them as men doe vnder bodily sicknesse II. If thou begin to hate and to flie thine owne personall sinnes III. If thou feele a griefe and sorrow after thou hast offended God IV. If thou heartily desire to abstaine from all manner of sinne V. If thou be carefull to auoide all occasions and entisements to euill VI. If thou trauell and doe thine endeauour in euery good thing VII If thou desire and pray to God to wash and rinse thine heart in the blood of Christ. When the heart is pure to keepe it so is the speciall worke of faith which purifieth the heart Faith purifieth the heart by a particular applying of Christ crucified with all his merits Elisha when he went vp and lay vpon the dead child and put his mouth on his mouth and his eyes vpon his eyes and his hands vpon his hands and stretched himselfe vpon him the flesh of the child waxed warme Afterward Elisha rose and spread himselfe vpon him the second time then the child neezed seuen times and opened his eies So must a man by faith euen spread himselfe vpon the crosse of Christ applying handes and feete to his pierced handes and feete his wretched heart to Christs bleeding heart and then he shall feele himselfe warmed by the heat of Gods spirit and sinne from day to day crucified with Christ his dead heart quickened reuiued And this applying which faith maketh is done by a kind of reasoning which faith maketh thus Hath god of his mercie giuen his own sonne to be my Sauiour to shed his blood for me and hath he of his mercie graunted vnto me the pardon of all my sinnes I will therfore endeauour to keepe my heart and my life vnblameable that I doe not offend him hereafter in word or deede as I haue done heretofore The language of Canaan is whereby a man endued with the spirit of adoption vnfainedly calleth vpon the name of God in Christ and so consequently doth as it were familiarly talke and speake with God This language must needes be learned that the tongue may be well gouerned For man must first be able to talke with God before he can be able wisely to talke with man For this cause when men are to haue communication one with another they are first of all to bee carefull that they often make their praiers to God that hee would guide and blesse them in their speeches as Dauid did Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lippes And againe O Lord open thou my lippes and my mouth shall shewe forth thy praise Where we may see that the mouth is as it were locked vp from speaking any good thing vntill the Lord open it And Paul hauing the gift of ordering his tongue in wonderful measure yet desireth the Ephesians to pray for him that vtterance might be giuē him and good reason because God ruleth the tongue CHAP. II. Of the matter of our speech THe gouernment of the tongue containeth two partes holy speech and holy silence In holy speech must be cōsidered the matter of our speech and the manner The matter is commonly one of these three either God our neighbour or our selues As concerning God this caueat must be remembred that the honourable titles of his glorious Maiestie be neuer taken into our mouthes vnlesse it bee vpon a weightie and iust occasion so as wee may plainely see that glorie will redound to him thereby and for this cause the third commandement was giuen that men might not take vp the name of God in vaine that is rashly and lightly And therefore lamentable and fearefull is the practise euerie where For it is a common thing with men to beginne their speech and to place titles of Gods most high Maiestie in the fore-front almost of euery sentence by saying O Lord O God! O good God! O mercifull God! O Iesu O Christ c. If a mā be to say any thing he will not say Yea or Nay but O Lord yea or O Lord nay If a man be to reprooue his inferiour he will presently say O Lord haue mercy on vs what a slowbacke art thou what a lie is this c. An earthly Prince if hee should haue his name so tossed in our mouthes at euery worde would neuer beare it and how shall the euerliuing God suffer it nay how can hee suffer it I say no more but thou with thy selfe thinke how for in the third commandement the punishment is set down That he will
vnbeleefe presuming doubting c. As the man in the gospel saith Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe By reason of this fight when vnbeleefe preuailes the very childe of God may fall into fits and pangs of despaire as Iob and Dauid in their temptations did For Dauid once considering the propseritie of the wicked brake out into this speech Certainly I haue clensed mine heart in vaine and washed mine hands in innocency Yea this despaire may be so extreame that it shall weaken the bodie and consume it more then any sicknesse No man is to thinke this strange in the child of God For though hee despaire of his election and saluation in Christ yet his desperation is neither totall nor finall It is not totall because he doth not dispaire with his whole heart faith euen at that instaÌ„t lusting against despaire It is not finall because he shall recouer before the last end of his life To proceede the combat in the will is this The will partly willeth partly nilleth that which is good at the same instant and so likewise it willeth and nilleth that which is euill because it is partly regenerate and partly vnregenerate The affections likewise which are placed in the will partly imbrace and partly eschew their obiects as loue partly loueth and partly doth not loue God and things to be loued feare is mixed and not pure as schoolemen haue dreamed but partly filial partly seruil causing the child of God to stand in awe of God not onely for his mercies but also for his iudgements punishments The will of a man regenerate is like him that hath one legge sound the other lame who in euery steppe which he makes doth not wholly halt or wholly goe vpright but partly goe vpright and partly halt Or like a man in a boate on the water who goeth vpward because he is carried vpward by the vessell and at the same time goes downeward because he walkes downeward in the same vessell at the same instant If any shall say that contraries can not be in the same subiect the answer is they can not if one of them be in his full strength in the highest degree but if the force of them both be delaied and weakned they may be ioyned together By reason of this combat when corruption preuailes against grace in the will and affections there ariseth in the godly a certaine deadnesse or hardnesse of heart which is nothing else but a want of sense or feeling Some may say that this is a fearefull iudgement but the answer is that there be two kindes of hardnesse of heart one which possesseth the heart and is neuer felt this is in them who haue their consciences seared with an hote yron who by reason of custome in sinne are pâ—st all feeling who likewise despise the meanes of softening their hearts And indeede this is a fearefull iudgement There is an other hardnesse of heart which is felt and this is not so daungerous as the former for as we feele our sicknesse by contrarie life and health so hardnesse of heart when it is felt argues quicknesse of grace and softnes of heart Of this Dauid often complained in the Psalmes of this the children of Israel speake when they say Why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy waies Thus much of the manner of the combat in particular before we proceede any further let vs marke the issue of it which is to preuaile against the flesh The spirit preuailes against the flesh at two times in the course of a mans life and at his ende but yet with some foiles receiued I say the spirit preuailes not in one instant but in the whole course of a mans life So S. Iohn saith He which is begotten of God sinneth not for he preserueth himselfe the grace of God in his heart ordinarily preuailing in him And Paul makes it the propertie of the regenerate man to walke according to the spirit which is not now and then to make a steppe forward but to keepe his ordinarie course in the way of godlinesse As in going from Barwicke to London it may be a man now and then will goe amisse but he speedily returnes to the way againe and his course generally shall be right Againe the spirit preuailes in the end of a mans life For then the flesh is vtterly abolished and sanctification accomplished because no vncleane thing can enter into the kingdome of heauen This further must be conceiued that when the spirit preuailes it is not without resistance and striuing as Paul testifieth I doe not the good which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I. Which place is not to be vnderstood onely of thoughts and inward motions as some would haue it nor of particular offences but of the generall practise of his dutie or calling through the whole course of his life And it is like the practise of a sicke man who hauing recouered of some grieuous disease walkes a turne or twaine about his chamber saying ah I would faine walke vp and downe but I can not meaning not that he can not walke at all but signifying that he can not walke as he would beeing soone wearied through faintnesse I added further that this preuailing is with foyles A foyle is when the flesh â—or the time vanquisheth and subdueth the spirit In this case the man regenerate is like a souldier that with a blow hath his brain-pan cracked so as he lies groueling astonished not able to fight or like him that hath a fit of the falling sicknesse who for a time lies like a dead man Hence the question may be mooued whether the flesh preuailing doth not extinguish the spirit and so cut off a man from Christ till such time as he be ingrafted againe The answer is this There be two sorts of Christians one who doth onely in shew name professe Christ and such an one is no otherwise a member of Christs mysticall bodie then a woodden legge set to the bodie is a member of the bodie The second is he that in name and deede is a liuely part member of Christ. If the first fall he can not be said to be cut off because he was neuer ingrafted If the second fall he may be and is cut off from Christ. But marke how he is not wholly cut off but in some part namely in respect of the inward fellowshippe and communion with Christ but not in respect of coniunction with him A mans arme taken with the dead palsie hangs by and receiues no heat life or sense from the rest of the members or from the head yet for all this it remaines still vnited and coupled to the bodie and may againe be recouered by plaisters and physicke so after a grieuous fall the child of God feeles no inward peace and comfort but is smitten in conscience with the trembling of a spirituall palsie for his offence and yet indeede still remaines before
families must principally bestowe their goods vpon their owne children and them that be of their own kindred This man saith God to Abraham of Eleazar a stranger shall not bee thine heire but the sonne which shall come of thy loynes And this was Gods commandement to the Israelites that when any man dies his sonne should bee his heire and if hee had no sonne then his daughter if he haue no daughter then his brethren and if he haue no brethren then his fathers brethren if there be none then the next of his kinne whosoeuer And Paul saith If ye be sonnes then also heires And againe He that prouides not for his owne and namly for them of his houshold is worse then an infidel Therefore it is a fault for any man to alienate his goods or landes wholly and finally from his blood and posteritie It is a thing which the verie lawe of nature it selfe hath condemned Againe it is a fault to giue all to the eldest and nothing in respect to the rest as though the eldest were born to be gentlemen and yonger brethren borne to beare the wallet Yet in equitie the eldest must haue more then any euen because hee is the eldest and because stockes and families in their persons are to bee maintained and because there must alwaies be some that must be fit to doe speciall seruice in the peace of the common-weale or in the time of warre which could not bee if goods should bee equally parted to all The fourth and last rule is that no Will is of force till the testatour bee dead for so long as hee is aliue hee may alter and change it These rules must bee remembred because they are recorded in Scripture the opening of other points and circumstances belongeth to the profession of the law The second dutie of the master of the family concerneth the soules of such as be vnder his gouernmēt and that is to giue charge to them that they learn beleeue and obey the true religion that is the doctrine of saluation set downe in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles The Lord himselfe commends Abraham for this I know Abraham saith he that he will command his sonnes his houshold after him that they keepe the waie of the Lord to doe righteousnes and iudgement And Dauid giues Salomon on his death bed a most notable and solemne charge the summe and substance whereof is to knowe the God of his fathers and to serue him which being done he further commends him to God by praier for which purpose the 72. psalme was made This practise of his is to be followed of all Thus gouernours whē they shall carefully dispose of their goods and giue charge to their posteritie touching the worship of God shall greatly honour God dying as well as liuing Hitherto I haue intreated of the two-folde preparation which is to goe before death nowe follows the second part of Dying-wel namely the disposition in death This disposition is nothing else but a religious and holy behauiour specially towards God when wee are in or neere the agonie or pang of death This behauiour containes three special duties The first is to die in or by faith To die by faith is when a man in the time of death doeth with all his heart relie himselfe wholly on Gods speciall loue and fauour and mercie in Christ as it is reuealed in the word And though their bee no part of mans life voide of iust occasions whereby we may put faith in practise yet the speciall time of all is the pang of death when friendes and riches and pleasures and the outward senses and temporall life and all earthly helps forsake vs. For thē true faith maketh vs to goe wholly out of our selues and to despaire of comfort and saluation in respect of any earthly thing and with all the power and strength of the heart to rest on the pure mercie of God This made Luther both thinke and say that men were best Christians in death An example of this faith wee haue in Dauid who when hee sawe nothing before his eies but present death the people intending to stone him comforted him at that very instant as the text saieth in the Lord his God And this comfort he reaped in that by faith he applied vnto his owne soule the mercifull promises of God as hee testifieth of himself Remember saith he the promise made to thy seruant wherin thou hast caused me to trust It is my comfort in trouble for thy promise hath quickened me Againe My flesh failed and my heart also but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer Now looke what Dauid here did the same must euery one of vs doe in the like case When the Israelites in the wildernes were stung with fierie serpents and lay at the point of death they looked vp to the brasen serpent which was erected by the appointment of God and were presently healed euen so when any man feeles death to drawe neere and his fiery sting to pierce the heart he must fixe the eye of a true and liuely faith vpon Christ exalted crucified on the crosse which beeing done he shall by death enter into eternall life Nowe because true faith is no dead thing it must bee expressed by speciall actions the principal whereof is Inuocation whereby either praier or thanksgiuing is directed vnto God When death had seazed vpon the bodie of Iacob he raised vp himselfe and turning his face towards the beds head leaned on the toppe of his staffe by reason of his feeblenesse and praied vnto God which praier of his was an excellent fruite of his faith Iobs wife in the midst of his affliction saide vnto him to very good purpose Blesse God and die I know and grant that the words are commonly translated otherwise Curse god and die but as I take it the former is the best For it is not like that in so excellent a family any one person much lesse a matrone and principall gouernour thereof would giue such lewd and wretched counsell which the most wicked mā vpon earth hauing no more but the light of nature would not once giue but rather much abhorre and condemne And though Iob cal her a foolish woman yet he doth it not because shee wēt about to perswade him to blaspheme God but because shee was of the mind of Iobs friends and thought that hee stood too much in a conceit of his owne righteousnes Nowe the effect and meaning of her counsell is this Blesse God that is husband no doubt thou art by the extremitie of thine affliction at deaths dore therefore beginne nowe at length to lay aside the great ouerweening which thou hast of thine owne righteousnes acknowledge the hand of God vpon thee for thy sinnes confesse them vnto him giuing him the glorie pray for the pardon of them and end thy daies This counsell is very good and to be
followed of all though it may be the applying of it as Iob well perceiued is mixed with follie Here it may be alleadged that in the pangs of death men want their senses and conuenient vtterance and that therefore they are vnable to pray Ans. The very sighes sobbes and gâ—ones of a repentant and beleeuing heart are praiers before God euen as effectuall as if they were vttered by the best voice in the world Prayer stands in the affection of the heart the voice is but an outward messenger therof God looks not vpon the speach but vpon the heart Dauid saith God heares the desires of the poore againe that he will fulfill the desires of theÌ„ that feare him yea their very teares are loud and sounding praiers in his eares Againe faith may otherwise be expressed by the Last words which for the most part in theÌ„ that haue truly serued God are very excellent coÌ„fortable and full of grace some choise examples whereof I will rehearse for instructions sake and for imitation The last wordes of Iacob were those whereby as a prophet he foretold blessings and curses vpon his children and the principall among the rest were these The scepter shall not depart from Iudah and the lawgiuer from betweene his feete till Shilo come and O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation The last words of Moses are his most excellent song set downe Deut. 32. and the last words of Dauid were these The spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my tongue the God of Israel spake to me the strength of Israel said Beare rule ouer men c. The wordes of Zacharias the sonne of Iehoida when he was stoned were The Lord looke vpon it and require it The last words of our Sauiour Christ when he was dying vpon the crosse are most admirable and stored with abundance of spirituall grace 1. To his father he saith Father forgiue them they know not what they doe 2. to the thiefe Verily I say vnto thee this night shalt thou be with me in Paradise 3. to his mother Mother behold thy son to Iohn behold thy mother 4. and in his agonie My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 5. and earnestly desiring our saluation I thirst 6. and when he had made perfect satisfaction It is finished 7. and when bodie and soule were parting Father into thy hands I commend my spirit The last words of Steuen were 1. Behold I see the heauens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God 2. Lord Iesu receiue my spirit 3. Lord lay not this sinâ—e to their charge Of Polycarpe Thou art a true God without lying therefore in all things I praise thee and blesse thee and glorifie thee by the eternall God and high Priest Iesus Christ thine onely beloued sonne by whome and with whome to thee and the holy Spirit be all glorie now and for euer Of Ignatius I care not what kinde of death I die I am the bread of the Lord and must be ground with the teeth of lyons that I may be cleane bread for Christ who is the bread of life for me Of Ambrose I haue not so led my life amoÌ„g you as if I were ashamed to liue neither doe I feare death because we haue a good Lord. Of Augustine 1. He is no great maÌ„ that thinks it a great matter that trees and stones fall and mortall men die 2. Iust art thou O Lord and righteous is thy iudgement Of Bernard 1. An admonitioÌ„ to his brethren that they would ground the anchor of their faith and hope in the safe and sure port of Gods mercie 2. Because saith he as I suppose I can not leaue vnto you any choise example of religion I commend three things to be imitated of you which I remember that I haue obserued in the race which I haue runne as much as possibly I could 1. I gaue lâ—sse heede to mine owne sense and reason then to the sense and reason of other men 2. When I was hurt I sought not reuenge on him that did the hurt 3. I had care to giue offence to no man and if it fell out otherwise I tooke it away as I could Of Zuinglius when in the fielde he was wounded vnder the chinne with a speare O what happe is this goe to they may kill my bodie but my soule they cannot Of Oecolampadius 1. An exhortation to the ministers of the Church to maintaine the puritie of doctrine to shewe forth an example of honest and godly conuersation to bee constant and patient vnder the crosse 2. Of himselfe Whereas I am charged to bee a corrupter of the trueth I weigh it not now I am going to the tribunall of Christ and that with good conscience by the grace of god there it shall be manifest that I haue not seduced the Church Of this my saying and contestation I leaue you as witnesses and I confirme it with this my last breath 3. To his children loue God the father and turning himselfe to his kinsfolkes I haue bound you saith he with this contestation you which they heare and I haue desired shall doe your indeauour that these my childreÌ„ may be godly and peaceable and true 4. To his friend comming vnto him What shall I say vnto you Newes I shal be shortly with Christ my Lord. 5. being asked whether the light did not trouble him touching his breast there is light enough saith hee 6. he rehearsed the whole 51. psalme with deepe sighes from the bottome of his breast 7. a little after Saue me Lord Iesus Of Luther My heauenly father God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ and God of all comfort I giue thee thankâ—s that thou hast reuealed vnto me thy sonne Iesus Christ whome I haue beleeued whome I haue professed whome I haue loued whome I haue praised whome the Bishoppe of Rome and the whole companie of the wicked persecuteth and reuileth I praie thee my Lord Iesus Christ receiue my poore soule my heauenly father though I bee taken from this life and this bodie of mine is to he laid downe yet I knowe certainely that I shall remaine with thee for euer neither shall any be able to pull me out of thy hand Of Hooper O Lord Iesus sonne of Dauid haue mercie on me receiue my soule Of Annas Burgius Forsake me not O Lord least I forsake thee Of MelaÌ„cthon If it be the will of God I am willing to die and I beseech him that he will graunt me a ioyfull departure Of Caluine 1. I held my tongue because thou Lord hast done it 2. I mourned as a doue 3. Lord thou grindest me to powder but 〈◊〉 sufficeth me because it is thine hand Of Peter Martyr that his bodie was weake but his mind was well that he acknowledged no life or saluation but onely in Christ who was giuen of the father to be a redeemer of mankind and
that Christ crucified is thine beeing really giuen thee of God the father euen as truly as houses and land are giuen of earthly fathers to their children this thou must firmely hold and beleeue and hence is it that the benefits of Christ are before God ours indeede for our iustification and saluation The third point in liuely knowledge is that by all the affections of our hearts we must be carried to Christ and as it were transformed into him Whereas he gaue himselfe wholly for vs we can doe no lesse then bestow our hearts vpon him We must therefore labour aboue all following the Martyr Ignatius who said that Christ his loue was crucified We must value him at so high a price that he must be vnto vs better then ten thousand worldes yea all things which we enioy must be but as drosse and dung vnto vs in respect of him Lastly all our ioy reioycing comfort and confidence must be placed in him And that thus much is requisite in knowledge it appeares by the common rule of expounding Scripture that words of knowledge implie affection And indeede it is but a knowledge swimming in the braine which doth not alter and dispose the affections and the whole man Thus much of our knowledge Now follows the second point how Christ is to be knowne He must not be knowne barely as God or as man or as a Iew borne in the tribe of Iudah or as a terrible and iust iudge but as he is our Redeemer and the very price of our redemption and in this respect he must be considered as the common Treasurie and storehouse of Gods Church as Paul testifieth when he saith In him are all the treasures of knowledge and wisdome hid and againe Blessed be God which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in Christ. And S. Iohn saith that of his fulnesse we receiue grace for grace Here then let vs marke that all the blessings of God whether spirituall or temporall all I say without exception are conuaied vnto vs from the Father by Christ and so they must be receiued of vs and no otherwise That this point may be further cleared the benefits which we receiue from Christ are to be handled and the manner of knowing of them The benefits of Christ are three his Merit his Vertue his Example The merit of Christ is the value and price of his death and Passion whereby any man is perfectly reconciled to god This recōciliation hath two parts Remission of sinnes and acceptation to life euerlasting Remission of sinnes is the remoouing or the abolishing both of the guilt and punishment of mans sinnes By guilt I vnderstand a subiection or obligation to punishmēt according to the order of diuine iustice And the punishment of sinne is the malediction or curse of the whole lawe which is the suffering of the first and second death Acceptation to life euerlasting is a giuing of right and title to the kingdome of heauen and that for the merit of Christs obedience imputed Now this benefit of reconciliation must be knowne not by conceit and imagination nor by carnall presumption but by the inward testimonie of Gods spirit certifying our consciences thereof which for this cause is called the spirit of Reuelation And that we may attaine to infallible assurance of this benefit we must call to mind the promises of the gospel touching remission of sinnes and life euerlasting this beeing done we must further striue and indeauour by the assurance of Gods spirit to apply them to our selues and to beleeue that they belong vnto vs and we must also put our selues often to all the exercises of inuocatiō and true repentance For in and by our crying vnto heauen to God for recōciliation comes the assurance thereof as Scriptures and Christian experience makes manifest And if it so fall out that any man in temptation apprehend and feele nothing but the furious indignation and wrath of God against all reason and feeling he must hold to the merit of Christ and knowe a point of religion hard to be learned that God is a most louing father to thē that haue care to serue him euen at that instant when he shewes himselfe a most fierce and terrible enemie From the benefit of reconciliation proceede foure benefits First that excellent peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding which hath sixe parts The first is peace with God the blessed Trinitie Rom. 5.1 Being iustified we haue peace with God The second peace with the good angels Ioh. 1. 51. Ye shall see the Angels of God ascending and descending vpon the sonne of man And that Angels like armies of souldiers in campe about the seruants of God and as nources beare them in their armes that they bee neither hurt by the deuill and his angels nor by his instruments it proceedes of this that they beeing in Christ are partakers of his merits The third is peace with all such as feare God and beleeue in Christ. This Esai foretold when hee saide that the woolfe shall dwell with the lambe and the leopard with the kidde and the calfe and the lyon and a fatte beast togither and that a little child should lead them c. 11. v. 6. The fourth is peace with a mans owne selfe when the conscience washed in the blood of Christ ceaseth to accuse and terrifie and when the will affections and inclinations of the whole man are obedient to the mind enlightned by the spirit word of God Coloss. 3. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts The fifth is peace with enemies and that two waies First in that such as beleeue in Christ seeke to haue peace with all men hurting none but doing good to all secondly in that God restraines the malice of the enemies and inclines their hearts to be peaceable Thus God brought Daniel into loue and fauour with the chiefe of the Eunuches The last is peace with all creatures in heauen and earth in that they serue for mans saluation Psal. 91.13 Thou shalt walke vpon the lyon the Aspe the yong lyon the dragō shalt thou tread vnder foot Hos. 2.18 And in that day will I make a couenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the foules of heauen Now this benefit of peace is knowne partly by the testimonie of the spirit and partly by a daily experience thereof The second benefit is a recouerie of that right and title which man hath to all creatures in heauen and earth and all temporall blessings which right Adam lost to himselfe and euery one of his posteritie 1. Cor. 3.22 Whether it be the world or life or death whether they be things present or things to come all are yours Nowe the right way of knowing this one benefit is this When God vouchsafeth meate drinke apparell houses lands c. we must not barely cōsider them as blessings of God for that very heathen men which knowe not Christ can doe but we must
offering saith he thou wouldest not but eares thou hast pierced vnto men then said loe I come I desire to doe thy will O God yea thy lawe is within my heart Psal. 40. 7. The second is conformitie in the crosse two waies For first as he bare his own crosse to the place of exequution so must we as good disciples of Christ denie our selues take vp all the crosses and afflictions that the hand of God shall lay vpon vs. Againe we must become like vnto him in the crucifying and mortifying the masse and bodie of sinne which wee carrie about vs Gal. 5.24 They which are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Wee must doe as the Iewes did wee must set vp the crosses and gybbets whereon we are to fasten and hang this flesh of ours that is the sinne and corruption that cleaues and stickes vnto vs and by the sword of the spirit wound it euen to death This beeing done wee must yet goe further and labour by experience to see and feele the very death of it and to lay it as it were in a graue neuer to rise againe and therefore we should daiely cast newe moulds vpon it The third is a spirituall resurrection whereby we should by Gods grace vse meanes that we may euery daie more and more come out of our sinnes as out of a loathfome graue to liue vnto God in newenes of life as Christ rose from his graue And because it is an hard matter for a man to come out of the graue or rather dungeon of his sinnes this worke can not be done at once but by degrees as God shall giue grace Considering we lie by nature dead in our sinnes and stinke in them as loathsome carrion first wee must begin to stirre our selues as a man that comes out of a swowne awakened by the worde and voice of Christ founding in our deafe eares secondly we must raise vp our mindes to a better state and condition as we vse to raise vp our bodies after this we must put out of the graue first one hand then the other This done we must doe our indeauour as it were vpon our knees at the least to put one foote out of this sepulchre of sinne the rather when wee see our selues to haue one foote of the bodie in the graue of the earth that in the day of iudgement we may be wholly deliuered from all bonds of corruption The fourth part is a spirituall ascention into heauen by a continuall eleuation of the heart and mind to Christ sitting at the right hand of the father as Paul saith Haue your conuersation in heauen and If ye be risenwith Christ seekè things that are aboue Conformitie in morall duties is either generall or speciall Generall is to be holy as he is holy Rom. 8.29 Those whome he knewe before he hath predestinate to be like the image of his sonne that is not only in the crosse but also in holines and glorie 1. Ioh. 3. He which hath this hope purifieth himself euen as he is pure Speciall conformitie is chiefly in foure vertues Faith Loue Meekenes Humilitie We must be like him in faith For as he when he apprehended the wrath of God and the very pangs of hell were vpon him wholly staied himselfe vpon the ayde helpe protection and good pleasure of his father euen to the last so must we by a true liuely faith depend wholly on Gods mercie in Christ as it were with both our hands in peace in trouble in life in the very pang of death and we must not in any wise let our hold goe no though we should feele our selues descend to hell We must be like him in meekenesse Matth. 11. v. 28. Learne of me that I am meeke and lowly His meekenesse shewed it selfe in the patient bearing of all iniuries and abuses offered by the hands of sinnefull and wretched men and in the suffering of the curse of the law without grudging or repining and with submission to his fathers will in all things Now the more we follow him herein the more shall we be conformable to him in his death and passion Philip 3. 10. Thirdly he must be our example in Loue he loued his enemies more then himselfe Eph. 5.4 Walke in loue euen as Christ loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs an oblation and sacrifice of sweete smelling sauour vnto God The like loue ought we to shew by doing seruice to all men in the compasse of our callings and by beeing all things to all men as Paul was that we might doe them all the good we can both for bodie and soule 1. Cor. 9.19 Lastly we must follow Christ in humilitie whereof he is a wonderfull spectacle in that beeing God he became man for vs of a man became a worme that is troden vnder foote that he might saue man Phil. 2.5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Iesus Christ who beeing in the forme of God humbled himselfe and became obedient to the death euen to the death of the crosse And here we must obserue that the example of Christ hath something more in it then any other example hath or can haue for it doth not onely shew vs what we ought to doe as the examples of other men doe but it is a remedie against many vices and a motiue to many good duties First of all the serious consideration of this that the very sonne of God himselfe suffered all the paines and torments of hell on the crosse for our sinnes is the proper most effectuall meanes to stirre vp our hearts to a godly sorrow for them And that this thing may come to passe euery man must be setled without doubt that he was the man that crucified Christ that he is to be blamed as well as Iudas Herod Pontius Pilate and the Iewes and that his sinnes should be the nailes the speares and the thornes that pearced him When this meditation beginnes to take place bitternesse of spirit with wayling and mourning takes place in like manner Zach. 12. 10. And they shall looke vpon him whome they haue pearced and they shall lamem for him as one lamenteth for his onely sonne Peter in his first sermon strooke the Iewes as with a thunder clappe from heauen when he said vnto them Ye haue crucified the Lord of glorie so as the same time three thousand men were pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued Againe if Christ for our sinnes shedde his heart blood and if our sinnes mad◠him sweat water and blood oh then why should not we our selues shedde bitter teares why would not our hearts bleede for thē He that findes himselfe so dull aud hardened that the passion of Christ doeth not humble him is in a lamentable case for there is no faith in the death of Christ effectuall in him as yet Secondly the meditation of the passion of Christ is a
most notable meanes to breede repentance and reformation of life in time to come For when wee begin to thinke that Christ crucified by suffering the first and second death hath procured vnto vs remission of all our sinnes past and freed vs from hellâ— death and damnation then if there be but a sparke of grace in vs we begin to be of another mind and to reason thus with our selues What hath the Lord bin thus mercifull vnto me that am in my selfe but a firebrand of hell as to free me from deserued destruction to receiue me to fauour in Christ yea no doubt he hath his name be blessed therefore I will not therefore sinne any more as I haue done but rather indeauour hereafter to keep my selfe from euery euill way And thus faith purifies both heart and life Thirdly when thou art in any paine of bodie or sickenes thinke how light these are compared to the agonie and bloodie sweat to the crown of thornes and nailes of Christ. When thou art wronged in worde or deede by any man turne thine eie to the crosse consider howe meekely he suffered all abuses for the most part in silence praied for them that crucified him When thou art tempted with pride or vaine-glorie consider how for thy proper sins Christ was despised and mocked and condemned among theeues When anger and desire of reuenge inflame thine heart think how Christ gaue himself to death to saue his enemies euen then when they did most cruelly intreat him shed his blood and by these meditations specially if they be mingled with faith thy minde shall be eased Thus we see how Christ crucified is to be known and hence ariseth a threefold knowledge one of God the second of our neighbours the third of our selues Touching the first if we would know the true God aright and know him to our sahiation we must knowe him only in Christ crucified God in himselfe and his owne maiestie is inuisible not onely to the eies of the bodie but also to the vere minds of men and he is reuealed to vs only in Christ in whom he is to be seene as in a glasse For in Christ he setteth forth and giues his iustice goodnes wisdome and himselfe wholly vnto vs. For this cause he is called the brightnes of the glorie and the ingrauen forme of the person of the father Heb. 1. 3. and the image of the inuisible God Coloss. 1.15 Therfore we must not know god and seeke him any where else but in Christ and whatsoeuer out of Christ comes vnto vs in the name of God is a flat idol of mans braine As for our neighbours those especially that are of Christs Church they are to be known of vs on this manner When we are to doâ— any dutie vnto them we must not barely respect their persons but Christ crucified in them them in Christ. When Paul persecuted such as called on the name of Christ he theÌ„ fâ—om heaueÌ„ cried Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Here then let this be marked that when the poore comes to vs for releefe it is Christ that comes to our dores and saith I am hungrie I am thirstie I am naked and let the bowels of compassion be in vs towards them as towards Christ vnles we wil heare that fearefull sentence in the day of iudgement Go ye cursed into hell c. I was hungrie and ye fed me not I was naked and ye did not cloath me c. Thirdly the right knowledge of our selues ariseth of the knowledge of Christ crucified in whom and by whome we come to know fiue speciall things of our selues The first how grieuous our sinnes are and therefore howe miserable we are in regard of them If we consider our offences in themselues as they are in vs we may soone be deceiued because the conscience being corrupted often erreth in giuing testimonie and by that meanes maketh sinne to appeare lesse then it is indeede But if sinne be considered in the death passion of Christ whereof it was the cause and the vilenes thereof measured by the vnspeakable torments endured by the sonne of God and if the greatnesse of the offence of man be esteemed by the endlesse satisfaction made to the iustice of God the least sinne that is will appeare to bee a sinne indeed and that most grieuous and ougly Therefore Christ crucified must bee vsed of vs as a myrrour or looking glasse in which we may fully take a view of our wretchednes and miserie and what we are by nature For such as the passion of Christ was in the eies of men such is our passion or condition in the eies of God and that which wicked men did to Christ the same doeth sinne and Satan to our very soules The second point is that men beleeuing in Christ are not their owne or lords of themselues but wholly both bodie and soule belong to Christ in that they were giuen to him of God the father and he hath purchased them with his owne blood 1. Cor. 3. Ye are Christs and Christs Gods Hence it commeth to passe which is not to be forgotten that Christ esteemeth all the crosses and afflictions of his people as his own proper afflictions Hence againe we must learne to giue vp our selues both in body and soule to the honour and seruice of Christ whose we are The third is that euery true beleeuer not as he is a man but as hee is a newe man or a Christian hath his being and subsisting from Christ We are members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bone Eph. 5.30 In which words Paul alludes to the speech of Adam Gen. 3. Thou art bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh thereby he teacheth that as Eue was made of a ribbe taken out of the side of Adam so doeth the whole church of God and euery man regenerate spring and arise out of the blood that streamed from the heart and side of Christ crucified The fourth is that all good workes done of vs proceede from the vertue and merit of Christ crucified he is the cause of them in vs and we are the causes of them in and by him Without me saith he ye can do nothing and Euery branch that beareth no fruite in me marke well he saith in me he taketh away Ioh. 15.2 The fift point is that we owe vnto Christ an endles debt For he was crucified onely as our suretie and pledge in the spectacle of his passion we must consider our selues as the chiefe debters and that the very discharge of our debt that is the sinnes which are inherent in vs were the proper cause of all the endles paines and torments that Christ endured that he might set vs most miserable bankrupts at libertie from hell death and damnation For this his vnspeakable goodnes if we doe but once thinke of it seriously we must needs confesse that we owe our selues our soules and bodies and all that we haue as a
in the Lord. When thou readest that in the garden he praied lying groueling on his face sweating water and blood beginne to thinke seriously what an vnspeakable measure of Gods wrath was vpon thy blessed Sauiour that did prostrate his bodie vpon the earth and cause the blood to follow and thinke that thy sinnes must needes be most heynous that brought such bloodie and grieuous paines vpon him Also thinke it a very shame for thee to carrie thy head to heauen with haughtie lookes to wallow in thy pleasures and to draw the innocent blood of thy poore brethren by oppression and deceit for whome Christ sweat water and blood and take an occasion from Christs agonie to lay aside the pride of thy heart to be ashamed of thy selfe to grieue in heart yea euen to bleede for thine owne offences casting downe and humbling thy selfe with Ezra saying O my God I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee my God for mine iniquities are increased and my trespasse is growne vp into heauen When thou readest that Christ was taken and bound thinke that thy very sinnes brought him into the power of his enemies and were the very bondes wherewith he was tyed thinke that thou shouldest haue beene bound in the very same manner vnlesse he had beene a suretie and pledge for thee thinke also that thou in the selfe â—ame manner art bound and tied with the chaynes of thine owne sinnes and that by nature thy will affections and whole spirit is tied and chained to the will of the deuill so as thou canst doe nothing but that which he willeth lastly thinke and beleeue that the bondes of Christ serue to purchase thy libertie from hell death and damnation When thou hearest that he was brought before Annas and Caiaphas thinke it was meete that thy suretie and pledge who was to suffer the condemnation due vnto thee should by the high Priest as by the mouth of God be condemned and woonder at this that the very coessentiall and eternall Sonne of God euen the very soueraigne Iudge of the world stands to be iudged and that by wicked men perswading thy selfe that this so great confusion comes of thy sinnes Whereupon beeing further amazed at thy fearefull estate humble thy selfe in dust and ashes and pray God so to soften thy stonie heart that thou maiest turne to him and by true faith lay hold on Christ who hath thus exceedingly abased himselfe that his ignominie may be thy glorie and his arraignment thy perfect absolution When thou readest that Barrabas the murderer was preferred before Christ though he exceeded both men and Angels in holinesse thinke it was to manifest his innocencie and that thy very sinnes pulled vpon him this shamefull reproch and in that for thy cause he was esteemed worse then Barrabas thinke of thy selfe as a most heynous and wretched sinner and as Paul saith the head of all sinners When thou readest that he was openly and iudicially condemned to the cursed death of the crosse consider what is the wrath and furie of God against sinne and what is his great and infinite mercie to sinners and in this spectacle looke vpon thy selfe and with grones of heart crie out and say O good God what settest thou heare before mine eyes I euen I haue sinned I am guiltie and worthie of damnation Whence comes this chaunge that thy blessed sonne is in my roome but of thy vnspeakable mercie Wretch that I am how haue I forgotten my selfe and thee also my God O sonne of God how long hast thou abased thy selfe for me Therefore giue me grace O God that beholding mine owne estate in the person of my Sauiour thus condemned I may detest and loath my sinnes that are the cause thereof and by a liuely faith imbrace that absolution which thou offerest me in him who was condemned in my stead and roome O Iesu Christ Sauiour of the world giue me thy holy and blessed Spirit that I may iudge my selfe and be as vile and base in mine owne eyes as thou wast vile before the Iewes also vnite me vnto thee by the same spirit that in thee I may be as worthie to be accepted before God as I am worthie in my selfe to be detested for my sinnes When thou readest that he was clad in purple and crowned with thornes mocked and spit vpon behold the euerlasting shame that is due vnto thee and be ashamed of thy selfe in this point conforme thy self to Christ be content as he was to be reproched abused and despised so it be for a good cause When thou readest that before his crucifying he was stript of al his cloathes thinke it was that he beeing naked might beare thy shame on the crosse and with his most pretious and rich nakednesse couer thy deformitie When thou readest the complaint of Christ that he was forsaken of his father consider how he suffered the pangs and torments of hell as thy pledge and surety Learne by his vnspeakable torments what a fearefull thing it is to sinne against God and begin to renounce thy selfe and detest thy sinnes and to walke as a child of light according to the measure of grace receiued When thou commest to die set before thine eyes Christ in the midst of all his torments on the crosse in beholding of which spectacle to thy endlesse comfort thou shalt see a paradise in the middest of hell God the father reconciled vnto thee thy Sauiour reaching out his hands vnto thee to receiue thy soule vnto him and his crosse as a ladder to aduance it to eternall glorie Wheras he cried aloud with a strong voice at the point of death it was to shew that he died willingly without violence or constraint from any creature and that if it had so pleased him he could haue freed himselfe from death and haue cast his very enemies to the very bottom of hell When thou readest that he commended his soule into the handes of his Father consider that thy soule also so be it thou wilt beleeue in him is deliuered vp into the hands of God and shall be preserued against the rage and malice of all thine enemies and hereupon thou maist be bolde to commend thy spirit into the hands of God the father When thou readest of his death consider that thy sinnes were the cause of it and that thou shouldest haue suffered the same eternally vnlesse the sonne of God had come in thy roome againe consider his death as a ransome and apprehend the same by faith as the meanes of thy life for by death Christ hath wounded both the first and second death and hath made his crosse to be a throne or tribunall seate of iudgement against all his and thine enemies When thou readest of the trembling of the earth at the death of Christ thinke with thy selfe it did in his kind as it were grone vnder the burden of the sinnes of men in the world and by his motion then it signified that euen
kept vncerten till the time to come are thrust into the text by head shoulders and Hierome hath them not Secondly I answere that the holy Ghost doth not deny simplie the knowledge of gods loue or hatred as though there could be no certaine assurance of it in this life If wee vnderstand the wordes thus then the argument of the holy Ghost must be framed on this manner If loue or hatred were to bee knowne then it must be knowne by the outward blessings of God but it cannot be knowne by the outward blessings of God for all things come alike to all therefore loue and hatred cannot be known The proposition is false For loue may bee knowne other waies then by outward benefits and therefore the reason is not meete to be ascribed to the spirit of trueth Wherefore the true and proper sense of the wordes is that loue or hatred can not be iudged or discerned by outward blessings of God Saint Bernard speakes of this text on this manner that no man knowes loue or hatred namely by him yet that God giues most certaine testimonies thereof to men vpon earth And serm 5. de Dediâ— his words are these Who knowes if he be worthie loue or hatred who knowes the mind of the Lord Here both faith and truth must needes helpe vs that that which is hidden in the heart of the father may be reuealed vnto vs by the spirit and his spirit giuing testimony perswades our spirit that we are the sonnes of God and this perswasion is caused by his calling and iustifying vs freely by faith And S. Hierome though commonly abused to the contrarie saith no more but that men cannot knowe loue or hatred by the present afflictions which they suffer because they know not whether they suffer them for triall or punishment Obiect 3.1 Cor. 4. I iudge not my selfe I know nothing by my selfe Here Paul as not being priuie to his owne estate reâ—useth to giue any iudgement of his righteousnes Ans. It is manifest by the wordes of this epistle that certaine in Corinth boldly more then wisely censured the Apostles ministerie and withall disgraced it in respect of the ministerie of other teachers Therefore Paul in this chapter goes about to make an Apologie for himselfe speaking nothing of his owne person and the estate thereof before God but onely of his ministerie and the excellency thereof And this is the iudgement of Theodoret Aquinas Lira vpon this text And when he saith I iudge not my selfe his meaning is I take not vpon me to iudge of what value and price my ministerie is before God in respect of the ministerie of this or that man but I leaue al to God Here then Paul refuseth onely to giue iudgement of the excellencie of his owne ministerie and in other causes he refuseth not to iudge himselfe as when he said I haue fought a good fight I haue kept the saith hence sorth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous iudge shal giue me 2. Tim. 4.8 And Chrysostome on this place saith that Paul refused to iudge himselfe not simply but onely for this ende that he might restraine others and teach them modestie And where Paul saith I knowe nothing by my selfe the speech is not generall but must bee vnderstood of the negligences and offences in the compasse of his ministerie For hee was priuie to himselfe that in simplicitie and godly purenes hee had his conuersation in the worlde 2. Cor. 1.12 and he knew this by himselfe that nothing should seuer him froÌ„ the loue of God in Christ. Rom. 8.38 Obiect 4. That we may be iustified there is somewhat required in vs namely faith and repentnnce and where these are wanting a man cannot be iustified Now no man can be certen by the certaintie of faith that he repents of his sinnes with all his heart and that he hath such a faith as God requires at our hands considering there is no testimonie in the word of our faith and repentance in particular Therefore no man can be certaine by certaintie of faith that his sinnes are pardoned Ans. It is not necessarie that any man should bee certaine by faith of his faith repentance because faith is only of such things as are present whereas faith and repentance are truely preâ—ent in all that truely beleeue and repent it shall be sufficient if a man may any way be vnfallibly certaine that he hath them And though some men falsly perswade themselues that they beleeue yet he that hath true faith indeede knowes that he hath true faith euen as certainly as he that vnderstands that hee vnderstands Paul saith to the Corinthians Prooue your selues whether yee bee in the faith or no 2.13.5 hereby giuing them to vnderstand that all which beleeue haue the spirit of discerning to know certainely that they doe beleeue Againe he saith of himselfe 2. Tim. 1.12 I knowe whome I haue beleeued And S. Iohn saith 1. epist. 3. 24. By this we knowe that he dwels in vs by the spirit which he hath giuen vs making no question of it but that he which hath the spirit knowes that hee hath the same And testimonies of men are not wanting in this case August Euery one seeth faith to be in his owne heart if hee beleeue if not he seeth it to be wanting Againe A beleeuer seeth his owne faith by which hee answereth that hee beleeueth without doubt and Hee which loueth his brother more knoweth the loue whereby he loueth then his brother whome hee loueth Againe whereas it is said that hauing faith yet we know not whether it be sufficient or no I answer that faith beeing without hypocrisie is sufficient to saluation though it be vnperfect God more respects the trueth of our faith then the perfection thereof And as the hand of the child or of the palsie man though it be feeble is able to reach out it selfe and receiue an almes of a Prince so the faith that is but weake is able to apprehend and receiue Christ with all his benefits Obiect 5. Prov. 28. Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Phil. 2. Worke your saluation with feare and trembling Ans. There is threefold feare one of nature the second of grace the third of distrust Feare of nature is that wherby the nature of man is troubled with any thing that is hurtfull vnto it and therefore auoideth it Feare of grace is that excellent gift which is called the beginning of wisdome and it is a certaine awe or reuerence vnto God in whose presence we doe whatsoeuer wee doe Feare of distrust is when men tremble at the iudgements of God for their sinnes because they haue no hope of mercie Of these three the first was good by creation therefore it was in our Sauiour Christ but since the fall it is defectiue The third is a vice called slauish feare And the second is that which is commanded in these and
in faith but there may be true and suâ—ficient repentance of vnknown sinnes God indeed requires a particular repentance for particular knowne sinnes but if they be hidden and vnknowne he accepts a generall repentance An example whereof we haue in Dauid Who knowes saith he the errours of this life then purge me from my secret sinnes If it were not as I haue said neither Dauid nor any man else could be â—aued For when Dauid â—epented greatly of his murder and adulterie yet we finde not that he repented particularly of his polygamie which in all likelihoode through the swinge and custome of those times was not then reputed to be any sinne specially in the person of a king and yet because as we know he is certenly saued this very sinne is pardoned Therefore when God pardons the knowne sinnes of men whereof they doe in particular repent he doth withall pardon the rest that are vnknowne And by this it appeares that the ignorance of some hidden sinnes after a man with diligence hath searched himselfe cannot preiudice an vnfallible assurance of the pardon of them all and of his owne saluation Obiect 10. We pray for the pardon of our owne sinnes and therefore we are vncerten of pardon the man which knowes that he hath pardon neede not pray for it I answer first when we are taught by Christ to pray for the forgiuenes of our debts we are put in minde not to seeke the pardon of all our sinnes whether past or present but specially of our present and daily offences whereby we make our selues day by day guiltie till such time as we humble our selues repent of them Secondly by this petition we are taught to aske the increase of our assurance because though God bestow endlesse mercie on vs yet we are skant in receiuing of it our hearts beeing like a narrow necked vessell which beeing cast euen into the Ocean sea receiueth in water onely droppe by droppe Obiect 11. No man can beleeue his owne saluation as he beleeues the articles of faith therefore no man can beleeue the pardon of his sinnes and his saluation by an infallible certentie I answer first that euery one that lookes for saluation by Christ is bound in conscience as certenly to beleeue his owne saluation and adoption by Christ as he beleeues the articles of faith Because to the promise of life there is annexed a commandement to beleeue and applie it Secondly this faith whereby we are to beleeue our owne saluation if we respect the true and proper nature thereof is as certen as that faith whereby we beleeue the articles of faith Thirdly as there be diuerse ages in the life of man so there be diuers degrees and measures of true faith There is first of all a beginning or rudiment of faith like the smoking flaxe and bruised reede which Christ will neither quench nor bruise Againe there is weake faith which beleeueth the promise truly but yet is perplexed with many doubtings Lastly there is strong faith which hath ouercome all doubtings and is not onely for nature certen as the former is but also a large and plentifull perswasion of Gods mercie in Christ. Examples of this we haue in Abraham Dauid the Martyrs and such like worthie men Now by the second faith men doe as certenly beleeue their adoption as the articles but not so firmely and fully But by the last remission of sinnes is not onely as certenly but also as fully beleeued as any article of faith Obiect 12. Ancient fathers the lights of Gods Church haue alwaies condemned this vnfallible and speciall certentie of faith which the Protestants hold and maintaine Ans. Though wee builde not the doctrine of our religion vpon the iudgements of men yet we refuse not in this and other points to bee tried by the fathers whose writings well vnderstood make more for vs then for the Popish religion And their testimonies commonly alleadged to confute the certentie of speciall faith are much abused I. Many of them serue to prooue that a man cannot iudge and discerne of euery particular motion and grace of his heart of the increase of these graces and the contrarie disease of speciall vices and wants many whereof are hidden from the vnderstanding Theodoret in his comment 1. Cor. 4. I will not saith he free my selfe from sin but waite the sentence of God for it often falls out that men sinne of ignorance and thinke that to be equall and iust which the God of all sees to be otherwise August de verbis deiâ— serm 23. Peraduenture thou findes nothing in thy conscience but hee findes something that seeth better And vpon Psal. 41. I knowe that the iustice of my God shall abide but whether mine shall or no I knowe not for the saying of the Apostle terrifieth me Hee which thinkes hee standes let him take heed least he fall Here he speakes of his inward righteousnes and that as it is considered in it selfe without the assistance of God For he addes afterward Therefore because there is no stabilitie in me for my selfe hereupon my soule is troubled for my selfe Chrysostom homil 87. on Iohn I am grieued least peraduenture supposing my selfe to loue doe not loue as before when I seemed constant and couragious vnto my selfe I was found but a dastard These and a thousand like testimonies prooue nothing For though a man cannot fully discerne his heart either in respect of euery one of his owne sinnes or in respect of euery grace yet this hinders not but that he may haue an vnfallible certentie of his saluation and also a sufficient gift to discerne his owne faith and repentance II. Other places must be vnderstood of proud presumption and of a kinde of securitie in which men dreame of ease and libertie without trouble or temptation August de corrept grat cap. 13. Who of all the companie of the faithfull as long as he liues in this mortall condition can presume that hee is of the number of the predestinate And de bona persever cap. 22. No man can be secure touching eternall life â—ill this life be ended Bernard epist. 107. Hauing now receiued the knowledge of himselfe in part he may reioyce in hope but not in securitie as yet Hieron Dan. 4. Let no man boldly promise to another the pardon of sinnes III. Some places auouch that a man cannot be sure of perseuerance to the end without fals and decaies in grace all which we grant August de ciuit dei lib. 11. cap. 12. Although the Saints be certaine of the reward of their perseuerance yet they are found to bee vncertaine of the perseuerance it selfe for what man can know that he shall perseuere in the practise and increase of righteousnes vnto the ende except he be assured of it by some reuelation IV. Some places must be vnderstood of experimentall certentie when the euent is accomplished Hieronâ— book 2. against Pelagians Call no man blessed before his ende for as long as we
thus Though Christ hath freed thee from death by his death yet thou art quite barred from heauen because thou neuer didst fulfil the law The conscience answereth I know that Christ is my righteousnes and hath fulfilled the law for me Thirdly the deuill replies and saith Christs benefits belong not to thee thou art but an hypocrite and wantest faith Now when a man is driuen to this straight it is neither wit nor learning nor fauour nor honour that can repulse this temptation but onely the poore conscience directed and sanctified by the Spirit of God which boldly and constantly answereth I know that I beleeue And though it be the office of the conscience after it is renued principally to excuse yet doth it also in part accuse When Dauid had numbred the people his heart smote him 2. Sam. 24.10 Iob saith in his affâ—iction that God did write bitter things against him and made him possesse the sinnes of his youth Iob 13. 26. The reason hereof is because the whole man and the very conscience is onely in part regenerate and therefore in some part remaines still corrupt Neither must it seeme straunge that one and the same conscience should both accuse and excuse because it doth it not in one and the same respect It excuseth in that it assureth a man that his person stands righteous before God and that he hath an indeauour in the generall course of his life to please God it accuseth him for his particular slippes and for the wants that be in his good actions If any shall demaund why God doth not perfectly regenerate the conscience and cause it onely to excuse the answer is this God doth it for the preuenting of great misâ—hiefes When the Israelites came into the land of Canaan the Cananites were not at the first wholly displacedâ— Why Moses rendreth the reason least wild beasts come and inhabit some parts of the land that were dispeopled and more annoy them then the Cananites In like manner God renues the conscience but so as it shall still accuse when occasion serueth for the preuenting of many dangerous sinnes which like wild beasts would make hauocke of the soule Thus much of good conscience now follows euill conscience and that is so called partly because it is defiled and corrupted by originall sinne partly because it is euill that is troublesome and painefull in our sense and feeling as all sorrowes calamities and miseries are which for this very cause also are called euills And though conscience be thus tearmed euill yet hath it some respects of generall goodnes in as much as it is an instrument of the execution of diuine iustice because it serues to accuse them before God which are iustly to be accused It hath spread it selfe ouer mankind as generally as originall sinne therefore it is to be found in all men that come of Adam by ordinarie generation The propertie of it is with all the power it hath to accuse and condemne and thereby to make a man afraid of the presence of God and to cause him to flie from God as from an enemie This the Lord signified when he said to Adam Adam where art thou When Peter saw some little glimbring of the power and maiestie of God in the great draught of fish he fell on his knees and saide to Christ Lord goe from me for I am a sinnefullman Euill conscience is either dead or stirring Dead conscience is that which though it can doe nothing but accuse yet commonly it lies quiet accusing little or nothing at all The causes why conscience lieth dead in all men either more or lesse are many I. Defect of reason or vnderstanding in crased braines II. Violence and strength of affections which as a cloud doe ouercast the minde and as a gulfe of water swallow vp the iudgement and reason and thereby hinder the conscience from accusing for when reason can not doe his part then conscience doth nothing For example some one in his rage behaues himselfe like a madde man and willingly commits any mischiefe without controlment of conscience but when choller is downe he beginnes to be ashamed and troubled in himselfe not alwaies by grace but euen by the force of his naturall conscience which when affection is calmed beginnes to stirre as appeareth in the example of Cain III. Ignorance of Gods will and errours in iudgement cause the conscience to be quiet when it ought to accuse This we find by experience in the deaths of obstinate heretikes which suffer for their damnable opinions without checke of conscience Dead conscience hath two degrees The first is the slumbring or the benummed conscience the second is the seared conscience The benummed conscience is that which doth not accuse a man for any sinne vnlesse it be grieuous or capitall and not alwaies for that but onely in the time of some grieuous sicknes or calamitie Iosephs brethren were not much troubled in conscience for their villanie in selling their brother till afterward when they were afflicted with famine and distressed in Egypt Gen. 42. 2. This is the conscience that commonly raignes in the hearts of drousie Protestants of all carnall and lukewarme gospellers and of such as are commonly tearmed ciuill honest men whose apparant integritie will not free them from guiltie consciences Such a conscience is to be taken heede of vs as beeing most daâ—gerous It is like a wild beast which so long as he lies asleepe seemes very tame and gentle and hurts no man but when he is roused he then awakes and flies in a mans face and offers to pull out his throate And so it is the manner of dead conscience to lie still and quiet euen through the course of a mans life and hereupon a man would thinke as most doe that it were a good conscience indeede but when sicknes or death approcheth it beeing awaked by the hand of God beginnes to stand vp on his legges and shewes his fierce eyes and offers to rend out euen the very throat of the soule And heathen Poets knowing this right well haue compared euill conscience to Furies pursuing men with firebrands The seared conscience is that which doth not accuse for any sinne no not for great sinnes It is compared by Paul 1. Tim. 4.2 to the part of a mans bodie which is not onely bereft of sense life and motion by the gangrene but also is burnt with a searing yron and therefore must needes be vtterly past all feeling This kind of conscience is not in all men but in such persons as are become obstinate heretikes and notorious malefactours And it is not in them by nature but by an increase of the corruption of nature and that by certaine steppes and degrees For naturally euery man hath in him blindnes of minde and obstinacie or frowardnes of heart yet so as with the blindnes and ignorance of minde are ioyned some remnants of the light of nature shewing vs what is
be resolued of Gods special prouidence towards vs in euery case condition of life when we haue so well profited in the schoole of Christ that we can see and acknowledge Gods prouidence goodnes as well in sicknes as in health in pouertie as in wealth in hunger as in fulnes in life as in death we shall be very well content whatsoeuer any way befalls vnto vs. The preseruatiues of good conscience are two the first is to preserue and cherish that sauing faith whereby we are perswaded of our reconciliatioÌ„ with God in Christ for this is the roote of good conscience as hath beene shewed Nowe this faith is cherished and confirmed by the daiely exercises of inuocation and repentance which be to humble our selues to bewaile and confesse our sinnes to God to condemne our selues for them to pray for pardon and strength against sinne to praise God and giue him thankes for his daily benefits And by the vnâ—ained and serious practise of these duties repentance and faith are daiely renewed and confirmed The second preseruatiue is the maintaining of the righteousnes of a good conscience which righteousnesse as I haue said is nothing els but a constant indeauour and desire to obey the wil of god in all things That this righteousnes may be kept to the end we must practise three rules The first is that we are to carry in our hearts a purpose neuer to sinne against God in any thing for where a purpose is of committing any sin wittingly and willingly there is neither good faith nor good conscience The second is to walke with God as Enoch did Gen. 5.24 which is to order the whole course of our liues as in the presence of God desiring to approoue all our doings euer vnto him Now this perswasion that wheresoeuer we are we doe stand in the presence of God is a notable meanes to maintaine sinceritie Ge. 17.1 I am god al-sufficient walke before me be perfect And the waÌ„t of this is the occasion of many offences as Abraham said Because I thought surely the feare of God is not in this place they will slay me for my wiues sake Gen. 20. 11. The third rule is carefully to walk in our particular callings doing the duties thereof to the glorie of God to the good of the common wealth and the edification of the Church auoiding therein fraud couetousnesse and ambition which cause men oftentimes to set their consciences on the tenters and make them stretch like cheuerill Thus we see how good conscience may be preserued Reasons to induce hereunto are many I. Gods straight commandement 1. Tim. 1.19 Keep faith and good conscience And Prou. 4.23 Keepe thine heart with all diligence II. The good conscience is the most tender part of the soule like to the apple of the eie which beeing pierced by the least pinne that may bee is not onely blemished but also looseth his sight Therefore as God doth to the eie so must wee deale with the conscience God giues to the eie certaine lids of flesh to defend and couer it from outward iniuries and so must we vse meanes to auoid whatsoeuer may offend or annoy conscience III Manifolde benefits redounde vnto vs by keeping good conscience First so long as we haue care to keepe it we keepe inioy all other gifts of Gods spirit Good conscience the rest of Gods graces are as a paire of turtle doues when the one seedes the other feedeth when the one likes not the other likes not when the one dies the other dies so where good conscience is maintained there are many other excellent gifts of God Hourishing and where conscience decaies they also decaie Againe good conscience giues alacritie vnto vs and boldnesse in calling on Gods name 1. Iohn 3.21 If our heart condemne vs not we haue boldnesse towards God Thirdly it makes vs patient in affliction comforts vs greatly when by reason of the grieuousnesse of our afflâ—ction wee are constrained to kneele on both knees and take vp our crosse regenerate conscience as a sweet companion or like a good Simon laies too his shoulder and helpes to beare one end of it Lastly when none can comfort vs it will be an amiable comforter a friend speaking sweetly vnto vs in the very agony and pang of death IV. Not to preserue the conscience without spot is the way to desperation It is the pollicy of the deuil to vse meanes to cast the conscience into the sleep of securitie that he may the more easily bring maÌ„ to his own destruction For as diseases if they be long neglected become incurable so the conscience much and often wounded admits little or no comfort Neither will it alwaies boote a man after many yeares to say at the last cast Lord be mercifull to me I haue sinned Though some be receiued to mercie in the time of death yet far more perish in desperation that liue in their sinnes wittingly and willingly against their owne conscience Pharao Saul and Iudas cried all peccaui I haue sinned against god yet Pharao is hardned more and more and perisheth Saul goeth on in his sinnes and despaireth Iudas made away himselfe And no maruel for the multitude of sinnes oppresse the conscience and make the heart to ouerflowe with such a measure of griefe that it can fasten no affiance in the mercie of God Lastly they that shall neglect to keepe good conscience procure many hurts and daungers and iudgements of God to themselues When a ship is on the sea if it bee not well gouerned or if there bee a breach made into it it drawes water and sinkes and so both men and wares and all in likelihood are cast away Nowe wee all are as passengers the world is an huge sea through which we must passe our ship is the conscience of euery man 1. Tim. 1.19 3.12 the wares are our religion and saluation all other gifts of God Therfore it standes vs in hand to be alwaies at the helme and to carrie our ship with as euen a course as possibly we can to the intended port of happines which is the saluation of our soules But if so be it we grow carelesse and make breaches in the ship of conscience by suffering it to dash vpon the rocks of sinne it is a thousand to one that we in the end shall cast away our selues and all wee haue And in the mean season as conscience decaies so proportionally all graces and goodnesse goes from vs Gods commandements begin to be vile vnto vs the knowledge thereof as also faith hope and the inuocation of Gods name decay Experience sheweth that men of excellent gifts by vsing badde conscience loose them all Finis A Reformed Catholike OR A DECLARATION SHEWing how neere we may come to the present Church of Rome in sundrie points of Religion and wherein we must for euer depart from them with an Aduertisment to all fauourers of the Romane Religion shewing how the
them But the first is euidently true Ergo For first the minde must approoue and giue assent before the will can choose or wil and when the mind hath not power to conceiue or giue assent there the will hath no power to will Reason III. Thirdly the holy Ghost auoucheth Eph. ◠1 Coloss. 2. 13. that all men by nature are dead in sinnes and trespasses not as the Papists say weake sicke or halfe dead Hence I gather that man wanteth naturall power not to will simply but freely and frankly to will that which is truly good A dead man in his graue can not stirre the least finger because he wants the very power of life sense motion no more can he that is dead in sinne will the least good nay if he could either wil or do any good he could not be dead in sinne And as a dead man in the graue cannot rise but by the power of god no more can he that is dead in sinne rise but by the power of Gods grace alone without any power of his owne Reason IV. Fourthly in the conuersion and saluation of a sinner the scripture ascribeth all to God and nothing to mans freewill Ioh. 3.3 Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God Eph. 2. 10. We are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus to good workes And c. 4. v. 24. the new man is created to the image of God Now to be borne againe is a worke of no lesse importance then our first creation and therefore wholly to be ascribed to God as our creation is Indeede Paul Philip. 2. 12 13 biddeth the Philippians worke out their saluation with feare and trembling not meaning to ascribe vnto them a power of doing good by themselues And therefore in the next verse he addeth It is God that worketh both the will and the deede directly excluding all naturall free-will in things spirituall and yet withall he acknowledgeth that mans will hath a worke in doing that which is good not by nature but by grace Because when God giues man power to will good things then he can will them and when he giueth him a power to doe good then he can doe good and he doth it For though there be not in mans conuersion a naturall cooperation of his will with Gods spirit yet is there a supernaturall cooperation by grace enabling man when he is to be conuerted to will his conuersion according to which S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 15.10 I haue laboured in the faith but least any man should imagine that this was done by any naturall power therefore he addeth yet not I that is not by any thing in me but Gods grace in me inabling my will to doe the good I doe Reason V. The iudgement of the auncient Church August The will of the regenerate is kindled onely by the holy Ghost that they may therefore be able because they will thus and they will thus because God works in them to will And We haue lost our freewill to loue God by the greatnes of our sinne Serm. 2. on the words of the Apostle Man when he was created receiued great strength in his freewill◠but by sinning he lost it Fulgentius God giueth grace freely to the vnworthie whereby the wicked man beeing iustified is enlightened with the gift of good will and with a facultie of doing good that by mercie prruenting him he may beginne to will well and by mercie comming after he may doe the good he will Bernard saith It is wholly the grace of God that we are created healed saued Coūcil Arausic 2. cap. 6. To beleeue and to will is giuen from aboue by infusion and inspiration of the holy Ghost More testimonies and reasons might be alleadged to prooue this conclusion but these shall suffice now let vs see what reasons are alleadged to the contrarie III. Obiections of Papists Obiect I. First they alleadge that man by nature may doe that which is good and therefore will that which is good for none can doe that which he neither willeth nor thinketh to doe but first we must will and then doe Now say they men can doe good by nature as giue almes speake the truth doe iustice and practise other duties of ciuill vertue and therefore will that which is good I answer that a naturall man may doe good workes for the substance of the outward worke but not in regard of the goodnes of the manner these are two diuers things A man without supernatural grace may giue almes doe iustice speake the truth c. which be good things considered in themselues as God hath commanded them but he cannot do them well To thinke good things to doe good things are naturall workes but to thinke good things in a good maner and to do them well so as God may accept the action done are workes of grace And therefore the good thing done by a naturall man is a sinne in respect of the doer because it failes both for his right beginning which is a pure heart good conscience and faith vnfained as also for his ende which is the glorie of God Obiect II. God hath commanded all men to beleeue and repent therefore they haue naturall freewill by vertue whereof beeing helped by the spirit of God they can beleeue and repent Ans. The reason is not good for by such commandements God sheweth not what men are able to doe but what they should doe and what they cannot doe Againe the reason is not well framed it ought rather to be thus Because God giues men commandement to repent and beleeue therefore they haue power to repent and beleeue either by nature or by grace and then we hold with them For when God in the Gospell commandeth men to repent and to beleeue at the same time by his grace hee inableth them both to will or desire to beleeue and repent as also actually to repent and beleeue Obiect III. If man haue no freewill to sinne or not to sinne then no man is to be punished for his sinnes because he sinneth by a necessitie not to be auoided Ans. The reason is not good for though man cannot but sinne yet is the fault in himselfe and therefore he is to be punished as a bankrupt is not therfore freed from his debts because he is not able to pay them but the bills against him stand in force because the debt comes through his own default The second point of Originall sinne The next point to be handled is concerning Originall sinne after baptisme that is how farreforth it remaineth after baptisme A point to be wel considered because hereupon depend many points of popery I. Our Consent I. Conclus They say naturall corruption after baptisme is abolished and so say we but let vs see how far it is abolished In originall sinne are three things I. the punishment which is the first and second death II. Guiltines which is the binding vp of the creature vnto punishment
sinne in no man after baptisme is voluntarie and therefore no sinne Ans. The proposition is a polliticke rule pertaining to the courts of men and must be vnderstood of such actions as are done of one man to another and it doth not belong to the court of conscience which God holdeth and keepeth in mens hearts in which euery want of conformitie to the lawe is made a sinne Secondly I answer that originall sin was voluntarie in our first parent Adam for he sinned brought this miserie vpon vs willingly though in vs it be otherwise vpon iust cause Actual sinne was first in him and then originall corruption but in vs originall corruption is first and then actuall sinne Obiect III. Where the forme of any thing is taken away there the thing it selfe ceaseth also but after baptisme in the regenerate the forme of originall sinne that is the guilt is quite remooued and therefore sinne ceaseth to be sin Answ. The guilt or obligation to punishment is not the forme of originall corruption but as we say in schooles an accident or necessarie companion thereof The true forme of originall sinne◠is a defect and depriuation of that which the lawe requireth at our hands in our minde will affections and in al the powers both of soule and bodie But they vrge this reason further saying where the guilt punishment is taken away there is no fault remaining but after baptisme the guilt and punishment is remooued and therefore though originall corruption remaine it is not as a fault to make vs guiltie before God but onely as a weakenes Ans. Guilt is remooued and not remooued It is remooued from the person regenerate which stands not guiltie for any sinne originall or actuall but Guilt is not remooued from the sin it selfe or as some answer there bee two kindes of guilt actuall and potentiall The actuall guilt is whereby sinne maketh man stand guiltie before God and that is remooued in the regenerate But the potentiall guilt which is an aptnesse in sin to make a man stand guiltie if he sinne that is not remooued and therefore still sinne remaineth sinne To this or like effect saith Augustine Wee say that the guilt of concupiscence not whereby it is Guiltie for that is not a person but that whereby it made man guiltie from the beginning is pardoned and that the thing it selfe is euill so as the regenerate desire to be healed of this plague Obiect III. Lastly for our disgrace they alleadge that we in our doctrine teach that originall sinne after baptisme is onely clipped or pared like the haire of a mans head whose roots still remaine in the flesh growing and increasing after they are cut as before Answ. Our doctrine is abused for in the paring of any thing as in cutting of the haire or in lopping a tree the roote remaines vntouched and thereupon multiplieth as before But in the mortification of originall sinne after baptisme we hold no such paring but teach that in the very first instant of the conuersion of a sinner sinne receiueth his deadly wound in the roote neuer afterward to be recouered The third point Certentie of saluation I. Our Consent I. Concl. We holde and beleeue that a man in this life may be certain of saluation and the same thing doth the Church of Rome teach and holde II. Concl. We hold and beleeue that a man is to put a certaine affiance in Gods mercie in Christ for the saluation of his soule and the same thing by common consent holdeth the foresaid Church this point maketh not the difference betweene vs. III. Concl. We hold that with assurance of saluation in our hearts is ioyned doubting and there is no man so assured of his saluation but he at sometime doubteth thereof especially in the time of temptation and in this the Papists agree with vs and we with them IV. Concl. They goe further and say that a man may be certaine of the saluation of men or of the Church by Catholike faith and so say we V. Concl. Yea they hold that a man by faith may be assured of his own saluation through extraordinarie reuelatiō as Abrahā others were so doe we VI. They teach that we are to be certaine of our saluation by speciall faith in regard of God that promiseth though in regard of our selues and our indisposition we can not and in the former point they consent with vs. II. The dissent or difference The very maine point of difference lies in the manner of assurance I. Concl. We hold that a man may bee certaine of his saluation in his owne conscience euen in this life and that by an ordinarie aud speciall faith They hold that a man is certaine of his saluation onely by hope both of vs holde a certainty we by faith they by hope II. Concl. Further we hold and auouch that our certainety by true faith is vnfallible they say their cetaintie is onely probable III. Conclus And further though both of vs say that we haue confidence in Gods mercy in Christ for our saluation yet we doe it with some difference For our confidence commeth from certen and ordinarie faith theirs from hope ministring as they say but a coniecturall certentie Thus much of the difference now let vs see the reasons too and fro III. Obiections of Papists Obiect I. Where there is no word there is no faith for these two are relatiues but there is no word of God saying Cornelius beleeue thou Peter beleeue thou and thou shalt be saued And therefore there is no such ordinarie faith to beleeue a mans owne particular saluation Ans. The proposition is false vnlesse it be supplied with a clause on this manner Where there is no word of promise nor any thing that doth counteruaile a particular promise there is no faith But say they there is no such particular word It is true God doth not speak to men particularly Beleeue thou thou shalt be saued But yet doth he that which is answerable hereunto in that he giueth a generall promise with a commandement to applie the same and hath ordained the holy ministerie of the word to applie the same to the persons of the hearers in his owne name and that is as much as if the Lord himselfe should speake to men particularly To speake more plainely in the Scripture the promises of saluation be indefinitely propounded it saith not any where if Iohn will beleeue he shall be saued or if Peter will beleeue he shall be saued but whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued Now then comes the minister of the word who standing in the roome of God and in the stead of Christ himselfe takes the indefinite promises of the Gospel and laies them to the hearts of euery particular man and this in effect is as much as if Christ himselfe should say Cornelius beleeue thou and thou shalt be saued Peter beleeue thou and thou shalt be saued It is answered that this applying of the
hinder our assurance For God makes manifest his power in our weaknes 2. Cor. 12. and he wil not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flaxe Isa. 42. Thirdly if a man loue God for his mercies sake and haue a true hope of saluation by Christ he is in Christ and hath fellowshippe with him and he that is in Christ hath all his vnworthines and wants laide on Christ and they are couered and pardoned in his death and in respect of our selues thus considered as we are in Christ we haue no cause to wauer but to be certen of our saluation and that in regard of our selues The fourth point touching the iustification of a sinner That we may see how farre we are to agree with them and where to differ first I will set downe the doctrine on both parts and secondly the maine differences wherein we are to stand against them euen to death Our doctrine touching the iustificatioÌ„ of a sinner I propound in 4 rules Rule I. That iustification is an action of God whereby he absolueth a sinner accepteth him to life euerlasting for the righteousnes merit of Christ. Rule II. That iustification stands in two things first in the remission of sinnes by the merit of Christ his death secondly in the imputation of Christ his righteousnes which is an other action of God whereby he accounteth esteemeth that righteousnes which is in Christ as the righteousnes of that sinner which beleeueth in him By Christ his righteousnes we are to vnderstand two things first his sufferings specially in his death and passion secondly his obedience in fulfilling the law both which go togither for Christ in suffering obeied and obeying suffered And the very shedding of his blood to which our saluation is ascribed must not onely be considered as it is passiue that is a suffering but also as it is actiue that is an obedience in which he shewed his exceeding loue both to his father and vs and thus fulfilled the law for vs. This point if some had well thought on they would not haue placed all iustification in remission of sinnes as they doe Rule III. That iustification is from Gods meere mercie and grace procured onely by the merit of Christ. Rule IV. That man is iustified by faith alone because faith is that alone instrument created in the heart by the holy Ghost whereby a sinner laieth hold of Christ his righteousnes and applieth the same vnto himselfe There is neither hope nor loue nor any other grace of God within man that can doe this but faith alone The doctrine of the Romane Church touching the iustification of a sinner is on this manner I. They hold that before iustification there goes a preparation thereunto which is an action wrought partly by the holy Ghost and partly by the power of naturall freewill whereby a man disposeth himselfe to his owne future iustification In the preparation they consider the ground of iustification and things proceeding from it The ground is faith which they define to be a generall knowledge whereby we vnderstand and beleeue that the doctrine of the word of God is true Things proceeding from this faith are these a sight of our sinnes a feare of hell hope of saluation loue of God repentance such like all which when men haue attained they are then fully disposed as they say to their iustification This preparation beeing made then comes iustification it selfe â— which is an action of God whereby he maketh a man righteous It hath two parts the first and the second The first is when a sinner of an euill man is made a good man And to effect this two things are required first the pardon of sinne which is one part of the first iustification secondly the infusion of inward righteousnes whereby the heart is purged and sanctified and this habite of righteousnes stand specially in hope and charitie After the first iustification followeth the second which is when a man of a good or iust man is made better and more iust and this say they may proceede from workes of grace because he which is righteous by the first iustification can bring forth good workes by the merit wherof he is able to make himselfe more iust and righteous and yet they graunt that the first iustification commeth onely of Gods mercie by the merit of Christ. I. Our consent and difference Now let vs come to the points of difference betweene vs and them touching iustification The first maine difference is in the matter thereof which shall be seene by the answer both of Protestant and Papist to this one question What is the very thing that causeth a man to stand righteous before God and to be accepted to life euerlasting we answer Nothing but the righteousnes of Christ which consisteth partly in his sufferings and partly in his actiue obedience in fulfilling the rigour of the law And here let vs consider how neere the Papists come to this answer and wherein they dissent Consent I. They graunt that in iustification sinne is pardoned by the merits of Christ and that none can be iustified without remission of sinnes and that is well II. They graunt that the righteousnes whereby a man is made righteous before God commeth from Christ and from Christ alone III. The most learned among them say that Christ his satisfaction and the merit of his death is imputed to euery sinner that doth beleeue for his satisfaction before God and hitherto we agree The very point of difference is this we hold that the satisfaction made by Christ in his death and obedience to the law is imputed to vs and becomes our righteousnesse They say it is our satisfaction and not our righteousnesse whereby we stand righteous before God because it is inherent in the person of Christ as in a subiect Now the answer of the Papist to the former question is on this manner The thing saith he that maketh vs righteous before God and causeth vs to be accepted to life euerlasting is remission of sinnes and the habite of inward righteousnes or charitie with the fruits thereof We condiscend and graunt that the habite of righteousnes which we call sanctification is an excellent gift of God and hath his reward of God and is the matter of our iustification before man because it serueth to declare vs to be reconciled to God and to be iustified yet we denie it to be the thing which maketh vs of sinners to become righteous or iust before God And this is the first point of our disagreement in the matter of iustification which must be marked because if there were no more points of difference betweene vs this one alone were sufficient to keepe vs from vniting of our religions for hereby the Church of Rome doth rase the very foundation Now let vs see by what reasons we iustifie our doctrine and secondly answer the contrarie obiections Our reasons Reason I. That very thing which must â—e our righteousnes
but spirituall Againe in the supper of the Lord euery beleeuer receiueth whole Christ God and man though not the godhead now by this carnall eating we receiue not whole Christ but onely a part of his manhood and therefore in the sacrament there is no carnall eating and consequently no bodily presence Reason VII The iudgement of the auncient Church Theodoret saith The same Christ who called his naturall bodie foode and bread who also called himselfe a vine he vouchsafed the visible signes the name of his owne bodie not chaunging nature but putting grace to nature whereby he meanes consecration And The mysticall signes after sanctification loose not their proper nature For they remaine in their first nature and keepe their first figure and forme and as before may be touched and seene and that which they are made is vnderstood beleeued adored Gelasius saith Bread and wine passe into the substance of the bodie blood of Christ yet so as the substance or nature of bread and wine ceaseth not And they are turned into the diuine substance yet the bread and wine remaine still in the propertie of their nature Lumbard saith If it be asked what conuersion this is whether formall or substantiall or of an other kind I am not able to define And that the fathers held not transubstantiatioÌ„ I proue it by sundrie reasons First they vsed in former times to burne with fire that which remained after the administration of the Lords supper Secondly by the sacramentall vnion of the bread and wine with the bodie and blood of Christ they vsed to confirme the personall vnion of the manhood of Christ with the godhead against heretickes which argument they would not haue vsed if they had beleeued a popish reall presence Thirdly it was a custome in Constantinople that if many parts of the sacrament remained after the administration thereof was ended that young children should be sent for from the schoole to eate them who neuerthelesse were barred the Lords table And this argues plainely that the Church in those daies tooke the bread after the administration was ended for common bread Againe it was once an order in the Romane Church that the wine should be consecrated by dipping into it bread which had beene consecrated But this order cannot stand with the reall presence in which the bread is turned both into the bodie and blood Nicholaus Cabasilas saith After he hath vsed some speech to the people hee erects their mindes and lifâ—s their thoughts from earth and saith Sursum corda Let vs lift vp our hearts let vs thinke on things aboue and not on things that are vpon the earth They consent say that they lift vp their hearts thither where is their treasure and where Christ sits at the right hand of his father Obiections of Papists I. Their first reason is Ioh. 6.55 My flesh is meat indeede and my blood is drinke indeede therefore say they Christs body must be eaten with the mouth and his blood drunke accordingly Ans. The chapter must beâ— vnderstood of a spirituall eating of Christ his bodie is meate indeed but spirituall meate his blood spirituall drink to be receiued not by the mouth but by faith This is the very point that Christ here intends to prooue namely that to beleeue in him is to eate his flesh and to drinke his blood are all one Againe this chapter must not be vnderstood of that speciall eating of Christ in the sacrament for it is said generally v. 53. Except ye eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you and if these very wordes which are the substance of the chapter must be vnderstood of a sacramentall eating no man before the coÌ„ming of Christ was saued for none did bodily eate or drinke his bodie or blood considering it was not then existing in nature but onely was present to the beleeuing heart by faith II. Obiect An other argument is taken from the words of the institution This is my bodie Ans. These words must not be vnderstood properly but by a figure his bodie beeing put for the signe and seale of his body It is obiected that when any make their last wills and testaments they speake as plainely as they can now in this supper Christ ratifies his last will and testament therefore he spake plainely without any figure Ans. Christ here speaketh plainely and by a figure also for it hath beene alwaies the vsual manner of the Lord in speaking of the sacraments to giue the name of the thing signified to the signe as Gen. 17. 10. circumcision is called the couenant of God and in the next verse in the way of exposition the signe of the couenant And Exod. 12. 11. the paschall lambe is called the angels passing by or ouer the houses of the Israelites whereas indeede it was but a signe thereof and 1. Cor. 10.4 The rock was Christ. 1. Cor. 5.7 The passeouer was Christ. And the like phrase is to bee founde in the institution of this sacrameÌ„t concerning the cup which the Papists theÌ„selues confesse to be figuratiue when it is said Luk. 22. This cup is the newe testament in my blood that is a signe seale and pledge thereof Againe the time when these words were spoken must be considered and it was before the passion of Christ whereas yet his bodie was not crucified nor his blood shed and consequently neither of them could bee receiued in bodily manner but by faith alone Againe Christ was not onely the author but the minister of this sacrament at the time of institution thereof and if the bread had beene truely turned into his bodie and the wine into his blood Christ with his own hands should haue taken his owne bodie and blood and haue giuen it to his disciples nay which is more he should with his owne hands haue taken his owne flesh and drunken his owne blood and haue eaten himselfe For Christ himselfe did eate the bread and drinke the wine that he might with his owne person consecrate his last supper as he had consecrated baptisme before And if these words should be properly vnderstood euery man should bee a manslaier in his eating of Christ. Lastly by means of popish real presence it comes to passe that our bodies should be nourished by naked qualities without any substance which in all philosophie is false and erronious To help this and the like absurdities some Papists make nine wonders in the sacrament The first that Christs bodie is in the Eucharist in as large a quantitie as he was vpon the crosseâ— and is now in heauen yet excludes not the quantitie of the bread The second that there be accidents without a subiect The third that bread is turned into the body of Christ yet is not the matter of the bodie nor resolued to nothing The fourth that the bodie increaseth not by consecration of many hosts and is not diminished by often
receiuing The fifth that the bodie of Christ is vnder many consecrated hosts The sixt that when the host is deuided the body of Christ is not deuided but vnder euery part thereof is whole Christ. The seuenth that when the priest holds the host in his hand the bodie of Christ is not felt by it selfe nor seene but the formes of bread and wine The eight that when the formes of bread and wine cease the body and blood of Christ ceaseth also to be there The ninth that the accidents of bread and wine haue the same effects with the bread and wine it selfe which are to nourish and filâ— On this manner it shall be easie for any man to defend the most absurd opinion that is or can be if he may haue libertie to answer the arguments alleadged to the contrarie by wonders To conclude seeing there is a reall communion in the sacrament between Christ and euery beleeuing heart our dutie therefore is to bestowe our hearts on Christ endeauouring to loue him and to reioyce in him and to long after him aboue all things all our affiance must be in him with him wee beeing now on earth must haue our conuersation in heauen And this is the true reall presence which the auncient Church of God hath commended vnto vs for in all these liturgies these wordes are vsed and are yet extant in the Popish masse Lift vp your hearts we lift them vp vnto the lord By which words the communicants were admonished to direct their mindes and their faith to Christ sitting at the right hand of God Thus said Augustine If we celebrate the ascension of the Lord with deuotion let vs ascend with him lift vp our hearts Againe they which are alreadie risen with Christ in faith and hope are inuited to the great table of heauen to the table of Angels where is the bread The eleuenth point Of the sacrifice in the Lords Supper which the Papists call the sacrifice of the Masse Touching this point first I will set downe what must bee vnderstood by the name Sacrifice A sacrifice is taken properly or improperly Properly it is a sacred or solemne action in which man offereth and consecrateth some outward bodily thing vnto God for this end to please and honour him thereby Thus all the sacrifices of the old testament and the oblation of Christ vpon the crosse in the new testament are sacrifices Improperly that is onely by the way of resemblance the duties of the morall lawe are called sacrifices And in handling this question I vnderstand a sacrifice both properly and improperly by way of resemblance Our Consent Our consent I propound in two conclusions Conclus I. That the supper of the Lord is a sacrifice and may truly be so called as it hath beene in former ages and that in three respects I. Because it is a memoriall of the reall sacrifice of Christ vpon the crosse and containes withall a thanksgiuing to God for the same which thanksgiuing is the sacrifice and calues of our lips Heb. 13.15 II. Because euery communicant doth there present himselfe bodie and soule a liuing holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto God For as in this sacrament god giues vnto vs Christ with his benefits so we answerable giue vp our selues vnto God as seruants to walke in the practise of all dutifull obedience III. It is called a sacrifice in respect of that which was ioyned with the sacrament namely the almes giuen to the poore as a testimonie of our thankefulnes vnto God And in this regard also the ancient fathers haue called the sacrament an vnbloodie sacrifice the table an altar the ministers priests the whole action an oblation not to God but to the congregation and not by the priest alone but by the people A canon of a certaine Councell saith Wee decree that euery Lords daie the oblation of the altar be offered of euery man and woman both for bread and wine And Augustine saith that women offer a sacrifice at the altar of the Lord that it might be offered by the priest to God And vsually in auncient writers the communion of the whole bodie of the congregation is called the sacrifice or oblation Conclus II. That the very bodie of Christ is offered in the Lords supper For as wee take the bread to be the body of Christ sacramentally by resemblance and no otherwise so the breaking of bread is sacramentally the sacrificing or offering of Christ vpon the crosse And thus the fathers haue termed the Eucharist an immolation of Chrtst because it is a commemoration of his sacrifice vpon the crosse Aug. Epist. 23. Neither doeth he he which saith Christ was offered For if sacraments had not the resemblance of things whereof they are sacraments they should in no wise be sacraments but from a resemblance they often take their names Againe Christ is sacrificed in the last supper in regard of the faith of the communicants which makes a thing past and done as present Augustine saith When we beleeue in Christ he is offered for vs daily And Christ is then slaine for euery one when hee beleeues that he is slaine for him Ambrose saith Christ is sacrificed daily in the mindes of beleeuers as vpon an altar Hierome saith He is alwaies offered to the beleeuers II. The difference They make the Eucharist to be a reall externall or bodily sacrifice offered vnto God holding and teaching that the minister is a priest properly that in this sacrament he offers Christs bodie and blood to God the father really and properly vnder the formes of bread and wine We acknowledge no real outward or bodily sacrifice for the remission of sinnes but onely Christs oblation on the crosse once offered Here is the maine difference between vs touching this point and it is of that waight and moment that they stifly maintaining their opinion as they doe can be no Church of God For this point raseth the foundation to the very bottom And that it may the better appeare that we auouch the trueth first I will confirme our doctrine by scripture and secondly confute the reasons which they bring for themselues III. Our reasons Reason I. Heb. 9,15 and 26. and c. 10.10 The holy Ghost saith Christ offered himselfe but once Therefore not often and thus there can be no reall or bodily offering of his bodie and blood in the sacrament of his supper the text is plaine The Papists answer thus The sacrifice of Christ say they is one for substance yet in regard of the manner of offering it is either bloody or vnbloodie and the holy ghost speakes onely of the bloodie sacrifice of Christ which was indeede offered but once Ans. But the author of this epistle takes it for graunted that the sacrifice of Christ is onely one and that bloodie sacrifice For he saith Heb. 9.25 Christ did not offer himselfe often as the high priests did and v. 26. For then he must haue often suffered since
all things were cheape 20 That drinking and bezeling in the alehouse or tauerne is good felowship and shewes a good kind nature and maintaines neighbourhoode 21 That a man may sweare by the Masse because it is nothing now and by r Ladie because shee is gone out of the countrie 22 That euery man must be for himselfe and God for vs all 23 That a man may make of his owne whatsoeuer he can 24 That if a man remember to say his praiers in the morning though hâ— neuer vnderstand them he hath blessed himselfe for all the day following 25 That a man praieth when he saith the ten Commandâ—ments 26 That a man eates his maker in the Sacrament 27 That if a man be no adulterer no thiefe nor murderer and doe no man harme he is a right honest man 28 That a man neede not haue any knowledge of Religion because he is not booke-learned 29 That one may haue a good meaning when he saith and doth that which is euill 30 That a man may goe to wizards called wisemen for counsell because God hath prouided a salue for euery sore 31 That ye are to be excused in all your doings because the best men are sinners 32 That ye haue so strong a faith in Christ that no euill companie can hurt you These and such like sayings what argue they but your grosse ignorance Now where ignorance raigneth there raignes sinne and where sinne raignes there the deuill rules and where he rules man are in a damnable case Ye will replie vnto me thus that ye are not so bad I would make you if neede be you can say the Creede the Lords prayer and the ten Commandements and therefore ye will be of Gods beleefe say all men what they will and you defie the deuill from yours hearts I answer againe that it is not sufficient to say all these without booke vnlesse ye can vnderstand the meaning of the words and be able to make a right vse of the Commandements of the Creede of the Lords prayer by applying them inwardly to your hearts and consciences and outwardly to your liues and conuersations This is the very point in which ye faile And for an helpe in this your ignorance to bring you to true knowledge vnfained faith and sound repentance here I haue set downe the principall point of Christian religion in sixe plaine and easie rules euen such as the simplest may easily learne and hereunto is adioyned an exposition of them word by word If ye doe want other good direction then vse this my labour for your instruction In reading of it first learne the sixe principles and when ye haue them without the booke and the meaning of them withall then learne the exposition also which beeing well conceiued and in some measure felt in the heart ye shall be able to profit by Sermons whereas now ye cannot and the ordinarie parts of the Catechisme namely the ten Commaundements the Creede the Lords prayer and the institution of the two Sacraments shall more easily be vnderstood Thine in Christ Iesus William Perkins The foundation of Christian religion gathered into sixe Principles The first Principle Question VVHat doest thou beleeue concerning God A. There is one God creator and gouernour of all things distinguished into the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Prooues out of the word of God 1. There is a God For the invisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world beeing considered in his workes to the intent that they should be without excuse Neuerthelesse he left not himselfe without witnesse in that he did good and gaue vs raine from heauen and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnes 2. This God one Concerning therefore meat sacrificed to idols we knowe that an idol is nothing in the worlde and that there is none other God but one 3. He is creatour of all things In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth Through faith wee vnderstand that the world was ordained by the word of God so that the things which we see are not made of things which did appeare 4. He is gouernour of all things The eies of the Lord in euery place behold the euill and the good Yea and all the haires of your head are numbred 5. Distinguished into the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And Iesus when he was baptized came straight out of the water and loe the heauens were opened vnto him and Iohn sawe the spirit of God descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him And loe a voice came from heauen saying This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased For there are three which beare record in heauen the Father the word and the holy Ghost and these three are one The second Principle Q. What dost thou beleeue coÌ„cerning man coÌ„cerning thine own selfe A. All men are wholly corrupted with sinne through Adams fall and so are become slaues of Sathan and guiltie of eternall damnation 1. All men are corrupted with sinne As it is written there is none righteous no not one 2. They are wholly corrupted Nowe the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your whole spirit and soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in vanitie of their minde Hauing their cogitation darkened and beeing strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their heart When the Lord sawe that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onely euill continually 3. Through Adams fall Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the worlde and death by sinne and so death went went ouer all men for so much as all men haue sinned 4. And so are become slaues of Sathan Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of the worlde and after the prince that ruleth in the aire euen the spirit that nowe worketh in the children of disobedience For as much then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood he also himselfe likewise tooke part with them that hee might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the deuill In whome the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the image of God should not shine vnto them 5. And guiltie of eternall damnation For as many as are of the workes of the Lawe are vnder the curse for it is written Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Lawe to doe them Likewise then as by the offence of
one the fault came on all men to condemnation so by the iustifying of one the benefit abounded toward all men to the iustification of life The third Principle Q. What meanes is there for thee to escape this damnable estate A. Iesus Christ the eternall sonne of God beeing made man by his death vpon the crosse and by his righteousnes hath perfectly alone by himselfe accomplished all things that are needfull for the saluation of mankind 1. Iesus Christ the eternall sonne of God And the word was made flesh and dwelt among vs and we sawe the glory thereof as the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of the Father full of grace and trueth 2. Being made man For he in no sort tooke the angels but he tooke the seede of Abraham 3. By his death vpon the crosse But he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed 4. And by his righteousnes For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous For he hath made him to be sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that wee should be made the righteousnes of God in him 5. Hath perfectly Wherefore he is able also perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them 6. Alone by himselfe Neither is there saluation in any other for among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued 7. Accomplished all things needefull for the saluation of mankind And he is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole worlde The fourth Principle Q. But how maiest thou be made partaker of Christ and his benfits A. A man of a contrite and humble spirit by faith alone apprehending applying Christ with all his merits vnto himselfe is iustified before God and sanctified 1. A man of a contrite and humble spirit For thus saith hee that is high and excellent he that inhabiteth the eternitie whose name is the holy one I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to reuiue the spirit of the humble and to giue life to thē that are of a contrite heart The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise 2. By faith alone As soone as Iesus heard that word spoken he said vnto the Ruler of the Sinagogue be not afraid onely beleeue So Moses made a serpent of brasse and set it vp for a signe and when a serpent had bitten a man then he looked to the serpent of brasse and liued And as Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man bee lifted vp That whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life 3. Apprehending and applying Christ with all his merits vnto himselfe But as many as receiued him to them he gaue power to bee the sonnes of God to them that beleeue in his name And Iesus said vnto them I am the bread of life hee that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst 4. Is iustified before God For what saith the Scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnes Euen as Dauid declareth the blessednes of the man vnto whome God imputeth righteousnes without workes saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered 5. And sanctified And he put no difference betweene vs and them after that by faith he had purified their hearts But ye are of him in Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption The fift Principle Q. What are the ordinarie or vsuall meanes for the obtaining of faith A. Faith commeth only by the preaching of the word and increaseth daily by it as also by the administration of the Sacraments and praier 1. Faith cōmeth only by the preaching of the word increaseth daily by it But howe shal they cal on him in whom they haue not beleeued how shal they beleeue in him of whome they haue not heard and howe shall they heare without a preacher Where there is no vision the people decay but he that keepeth the lawe is blessed My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge because thou hast refused knowledge I will also refuse thee that thou shalt bee no priest to mee and seeing thou hast forgotten the lawe of thy God I will also forget thy children 2. As also by the administration of the Sacraments After he receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnes of the faith which he had when he was vncircumcised that he should bee the Father of all them that beleeue not beeing circumcised that righteousnes might be imputed to thē also Moreouer brethren I would not that yee should bee ignorant that all our Fathers were vnder the cloud and all passed through the sea c. 3. And Praier For whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued The sixt Principle Q. What is the estate of all men after death A. All men shal rise againe with their owne bodies to the last iudgement which beeing ended the godly shall possesse the kingdome of heauen but vnbeleeuers and reprobates shall bee in hell tormented with the diuell and his angels for euer 1. All men shall rise againe with their owne bodies Maruell not at this for the houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voice And they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation 2. To the last iudgement For God will bring euery worke vnto iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill But I say vnto you that of euery idle worde that men shall speake they shall giue account thereof at the day of iudgement 3. VVhich beeing ended the godly And deliuered iust Lot vexed with the vncleane conuersation of the wicked And the Lord said vnto him goe through the middest of the cittie euen through the middest of Ierusalem and set a marke vpon the foreheads of them that mourne and crie for all the abominations that be done in the middest thereof 4. Shall possesse the kingdome of God Then shall the king say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world 5. But vnbeleeuers and rebrobates shall bee in hell tormented with the deuill and his angels Then shal he say vnto them on the left
grace from the sentence of the Law pricking the conscience Q. How is it done A. By praying with sending vp lowd cries for Gods fauour in Christ in the pardoning of sinne and with feruent perseuerance herein till the desire of the heart be graunted Q. What followeth after all this A. God then according to his mercifull promise le ts the poore sinner feel the assurance of his loue wherewith he loueth him in Christ which assurance is a liuely faith Q. Are there diuers degrees and measures of true faith A. Yea. Q. What is the least measure of true faith that any man can haue A. When a man of an humble spirit by reason of the littlenes of his faith doth not yet feele the assurance of the forgiuenes of his sinnes and yet he is perswaded that they are pardonable and therefore desireth that they should be pardoned and with his heart praieth to God to pardon them Q. How doe you know that such a man hath faith A. These desires and prayers are testimonies of the Spirit whose property it is to stirre vp a longing and a lusting after heauenly things with sighes and grones for Gods fauour mercie in Christ. Now where the spirit of Christ is there is Christ dwelling and where Christ dwelleth there is true faith how weake soeuer it be Q. What is the greatest measure of faith A. When a man daily increasing in faith comes to be fully perswaded of Gods loue in Christ towards himselfe particularly and of the forgiuenesse of his owne sinnes Q. When shall a Christian heart come to this full assurance A. Not at the first but in some continuance of time when he hath beene well practised in Repentance and hath had diuers experiences of Gods loue vnto him in Christ then after them will appeare in his heart the fulnesse of perswasion which is the ripenes and strength of faith Q. What benefits doth a man receiue by his faith in Christ A. Hereby he is iustified before God and sanctified Q. What is this to be iustified before God A. It comprehendeth two things the first to be cleared from the guiltines and punishment of sinne the second to be accepted as perfectly righteous before God Q. How is a man cleared from the guiltines and punishment of his sinnes A. By Christs sufferings and death vpon the crosse Q. How is he accepted righteous before God A. By the righteousnes of Christ imputed to him Q. What profit comes by beeing thus iustified A. Hereby and by no other meanes in the world the beleeuer shall be accepted before Gods iudgement seat as worthie of eternall life by the merits o the same righteousnes of Christ. Q. Doe not good works then make vs worthie of eternall life A. No for God who is perfect righteousnes it selfe will finde in the best workes we doe more matter of daâ—uation then of saluation and therefore we must rather condemne our selues for our good workes then looke to be iustified before God thereby Q. How may a man know that he is iustified before God A. He neede not ascend into heauen to search the secret counsell of God but rather desceÌ„d into his own heart to search whether he be sanctified or not Q. What is it to be sanctified A. It comprehendeth two things the first to be purged from the corruption of his owne nature the second to be indued with inward righteousnes Q. How is the corruption of sinne purged A. By the merits and power of Christs death which beeing by faith applied is as a corasiue to abate consume and weaken the power of all sinne Q. How is a man indued with inherent righteousnes A. Through the vertue of Christs resurrection which beeing applied by faith is as a restoratiue to reuiue a man that is dead in sinne to newnes of life Q. In what part of a man is sanctification wrought A. In euery part both bodie and soule Q. In what time is it wrought A. It is begunne in this life in which the faithfull receiue onely the first fruites of the Spirit and it is not finished before the ende of this life Q. What graces of the Spirit doe vsually shew themselues in the heart of a man sanctified A. The hatred of sinne and the loue of righteousnes Q. What proceedes of them A. Repentance which is a setled purpose in the heart with a carefull indeauour to leaue all his sinnes and to liue a Christian life according to all Gods commandements Q. What goeth with repentance A. A continuall fighting and strugling against the assaults of a mans owne flesh against the motions of the deuill and the inticements of the world Q. What followeth after a man hath gotten the victorie in any temptation or affliction A. Experience of Gods loue in Christ and so increase of peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost Q. What followes iâ— in any temptation he be ouercome and through infirmitie fall A. After a while there will arise a godly sorrow which is when a man is grieued for no other cause in the world but for this onely that by his sinne he hath displeased God who hath beene vnto him a most mercifull and louing Father Q. What signe is there of this sorrow A. The true signe of it is this when a man can be grieued for the very disobedience to God in his euill word or deed though he should neuer be punished and though there were neither heauen nor hell Q. VVhat followes after this sorrow A. Repentance renewed a fresh Q. By what signes will this repentance appeare A. By seauen 1. A care to leaue the sinne into which he is fallen 2. An vtter condemning of himselfe for it with a crauing of pardon 3. A great anger against himselfe for his carelesnes 4. A feare least he should fall into the same sinne againe 5. A desire euer after to please God 6. A zeale of the same 7. Reuenge vpon himselfe for his former offence The fifth Principle expounded Q. What outward meanes must we vse to obtaine faith and all blessings of God which come by faith A. The preaching of Gods word and the administration of the Sacraments and praier Q. Where is the word of God to be found A. The whole word of God needfull to saluation is set downe in the holy Scriptures Q. How know you that the Scriptures are the word of God and not mens pollicies A. I am assured of it First because the holy Ghost perswadeth my conscience that it is so Secondly I see it by experience for the preaching of the Scriptures haue the power of God in them to humble a man when they are preached and to cast him down to hell and afterward to restore and raise him vp againe Q. What is the vse of the word of God preached A. First it breedeth and then it increaseth faith
holy spirit who bringeth it forth onely in such as he dwells in c. Then these holy desires and praiers beeing the motions of the holy Ghost in vs are testimonies of our faith although they seeme to vs small and weake As the woman that feeleth the mooning of a childe in her body though very weak assureth her selfe that shee hath conceiued and that shee goeth with a liue childe so if we haue these motions these holy affections and desires before mentioned let vs not doubt but that we haue the holy Ghost who is the author of them dwelling in vs and consequently that we haue also faith Againe he saith If thou hast begun to hate and flee sinne if thou feelest that thou art displeased at thine infirmities corruptions if hauing offended God thou feelest a griefe and a sorrow for it if thou desire to abstaine if thou thou auoidest the occasions if thou trauailest to doe thy endeauour if thou praiest to God to giue thee grace all these holy affections proceeding from none other then from the spirit of God ought to be so many pledges and testimonies that hee is in thee Master Knokes saith Albeit your paines sometimes bee so horrible that you finde no release nor comfort neither in spirit nor bodie yet if thy heart can onely sob vnto God despaire not you shall obtaine your hearts desire And destitute you are not of faith for at such time as the flesh naturall reason the lawe of God the present torment the deuill at one doe crie God is angrie and therefore there is neither helpe nor remedie to be hoped for at his handes at such time I say to sob vnto God is the demonstration of the secret seede of God which is hidde in Gods elect children and that onely sob is vnto God a more acceptable sacrifice then without this crosse to giue our bodies to be burnt euen for the truthes sake More testimonies might be alleadged but these shall suâ—fice Against this point of doctrine it may bee alleadged that if desire to beleeue in our weakenesse bee faith indeede then some are iustified and may be saued wanting a liuely apprehension and full perswasion of Gods mercie in Christ. Answere Iustifying faith in regard of his nature is alwaies one and the same and the essentiall propertie thereof is to apprehend Christ with his benefits and to assure the very conscience thereof And therefore without some apprehension and assuranee there can be no iustification or saluation in them that for age are able to beleeue Yet there be certaine degrees and measures of true faith There is a strong faith which causeth a full apprehension and perswasion of Gods mercy in Christ. This measure of faith the Lord vouchsafed Abraham Dauid Paul the Prophets and Apostles and Martyrs of God It were a blessed thing if all beleeuers might attaine to this height of liuely faith to say with Paul I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor any thing else shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God in Christ but all cannot therefore there is another degree of faith lower then the former and yet true faith called a little or weake faith and it also hath a power to apprehend and apply the promise of saluation but as yet by reason of weakenesse it is infolded as it were and wrapt vp in the heart as the leafe and blossome in the budde For such persons as haue this weake faith can say indeede that they beleeue their sinnes to bee pardonable and that they desire to haue them pardoned but as yet they cannot say that they are without all doubt pardoned And yet the mercie of God is not wanting vnto themâ—â—or in that they doe and can desire and indeauour to apprehend they doe indeede apprehend God accepting the desire to doe the thing for the thing done This which I say will the better appeare if the groundes thereof bee considered Faith doeth not iustifie in respect of it selfe because it is an action or vertue or because it is strong liuely and perfect but in respect of the obiect thereof namely Christ crucified whome faith apprehendeth as hee is set forth vnto vs in the word and sacraments It is Christ that is the author matter of our iustice and it is he that applieth the same vnto vs as for faith in vs it is but an instrument to apprehend and receiue that which Christ for his part offereth and giueth Therefore if faith erre not in his proper obiect but followe the promise of God though it doe weakly apprehend or at the least cause a man onely to endeauour and desire to apprehend it is true faith and iustifieth Though our apprehension be necessarie yet our saluation standes rather in this that God apprehendes vs for his owne then that we apprehend him Phil. 3.12 Out of this conclusion springes another not to bee omitted that God accepts the indeauour of the whole man to obey for perfect obedience it selfe THat is if men indeauour to please God in all things God will not iudge their doings by the rigour of the lawe but will accept their little and weake indeauour to doe that which they can doe by his grace as if they had perfectly fulfilled the lawe But here remember I put this caueat that this indeauour must be in and by the whole man the very minde conscience wil affections doing that which they can in their kinds and thus this indeauour which is a fruite of the spirit shall be distinguished from ciuill righteousnes which may bee in heathen men The trueth of this conclusion appeares by that which the Prophet Malachi saith that God will spare them that feare him as a father spares his childe who accepts the thing done as well done if the child shewe his good will to please his father and to doe what he can IV. Conclusion To see and feele in our selues the want of any grace and to be grieued therefore is the grace it selfe The Exposition VNderstand this conclusion as the former namely that griefe of heart for the want of any grace necessarie to saluation is as much with God as the grace it selfe When being in distresse wee cannot pray as we ought God accepts the very groanes sobbes and sighes of the perplexed heart as the praier it selfe Rom. 8. 26. When we are grieued because we cannot bee grieued for our sinnes it is a degree and measure of godly sorrowe before God Augustine saith well Sometimes our praier is luke-warme or rather colde and almost no praier nay sometime it is altogither no praier at all and yet we cannot with griefe perceiue this in our selues for if we can but grieue because we cannot pray we nowe pray indeede Hierome saith Then we are iust when wee acknowledge our selues to be sinners Againe this is the true wisdome of man to knowe himselfe to be imperfect And that I may so speake the perfection of all iust men in the flesh is imperfect
thee that if thou be demaunded what in thy estimation is the vilest of the creatures vpon earth thine heart and conscience may answer with a loud voyce I euen I by reason of mine own sinnes and againe if thou be demanded what is the best thing in the world for thee thy heart and conscience may answer againe with a strong and loude crie One droppe of the blood of Christ to wash away my sinnes 6 Shew thy selfe to be a member of Christ a seruant of God not onely â—n the general calling of a Christian but also in the particular calling in which thou art placed It is not enough for a Magistrate to be a christiaÌ„ man but he must also be a christian magistrate it is not enough for a master of a family to be a christian man or a christian in the church but he must also be a christian in his family in the trade which he followeth daily Not euery one that is a coÌ„mon hearer of the word and a frequenter of the Lords table is therefore a good Christian vnles his conuersation in his priuate house in his priuate affaires and dealings be sutable There is a man to be seene what he is 7 Search the Scriptures to see what is sinne what is not sinne in euery action this done carrie in thy heart a constant a resolute purpose not to sin in any thing for faith and the purpose of sinning can neuer stand together 8 Let thine indeuour be sutable to thy purpose therefore exercise thy selfe to eschew euery sinne and to obey God in euery one of his commandements that pertaine either to the generall calling of a Christian or to thy particular calling Thus did good Iosias who turned vnto God with all his heart according to all the law of Moses 1. King 25.25 thus did Zacharie Elizabeth that walked in all the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts of God without reproof Luk. 1.6 9 If at any time against thy purpose resolution thou be ouertaken with any sinne litle or great lie not in it but speedily recouer thy self by repeÌ„tance humble thy selfe confessing thy offences by praier intreating the Lord to pardon the same and that earnestly till such time as thou findest thy conscience truly pacified and thy care to eschew the same sinne encreased 10 Consider often of the right and proper ende of thy life in this world which is not to seeke profit honour pleasure but that in seruing of men we might serue god in our callings God could if it so pleased him preserue man without the ministerie of man but his pleasure is to fulfill his worke and willing the preseruation of our bodies saluation of our soules by the imploiment of men in his seruice euery one according to his vocation Neither is there so much as a bondslaue but he must in and by his faithfull seruice to his master serue the Lord. Men therefore doe commonly profane their labours and liues by aiming at a wrong ende when all their care consisteth onely in getting sufficient maintenance for them and theirs for the obtaining of credit riches and carnall commodities For thus men serue themselues and not God or men much lesse doe they serue God in seruing of men 11 Giue all diligence to make thy election sure and to gather manifold tokens thereof For this cause obserue the workes of Gods prouidence loue and mercie both in thee and vpon thee from time to time for the serious consideration of them and the laying of them together when they are many and seuerall minister much direction assurance of Gods fauour and comfort This was the practise of Dauid 1. Sam. 17.33 Psal. 23. all 12 Thinke euermore thy present estate whatsoeuer it be to be the best estate for thee because whatsoeuer befalls thee though it be sicknes or any other affliction or death befalls thee of the good prouidence of God That this may be the better done labour to see and acknowledge a prouidence of God as well in pouertie as in aboundance as well in disgrace as good report as well in sicknes as in health as well in life as in death 13 Pray continually I meane not by solemne and set praier but by secret and inward ejaculations of the heart that is by a continuall eleuation of mind vnto Christ sitting at the right hand of God the father that either by praier or giuing of thanks so often as any occasion shall be offered 14 Thinke often of the worst and most grieuous things that may befall thee either in life or death for the name of Christ make a reckoning of them and prepare thy self to beare them that when they come they may not seeme strange and be borne more easily 15 Make conscience of idle vain vnhonest vngodly thoughts for these are the seeds beginnings of actuall sinne in word and deede This want of care in ordering composing of our thoughts is often punished with a fearfull temptâ—tion in the very thought called of Diuines Tentatio blasphemiarum a tenâ—tion of blasphemies 16 When any good motion or affection riseth in the heart suffer it not to passe away but feede it by reading meditating praying 17 Whatsoeuer good thing thou goest about whether it be in word or deede doe it not in a conceit of thy selfe or in the pride of thy heart but in humilitie ascribing the power whereby thou doest thy worke and the praise thereof to God otherwise thou shalt finde by experience he will curse thy best doings 18 Despise not ciuill honestie good conscience and good manners must goe togither therefore remember to make conscience of lying and of customable swearing in common talke contend not either in deede or word with any man be courteous and gentle to all good bad beare with mens wants and frailties as hastines frowardnes selfe-liking curiousnes c. passing by them as beeing not perceiued returne not euill for euill but rather good for euill vse meate drinke and apparell in that manner and measure that they may further godlines and may be as it were signes in which thou maiest expresse the hidden grace of thy heart Striue not to goe beyond any vnlesse it be in good things goe before thine equalls in giuing of honour rather then in taking of it make conscience of thy word and let it be as a band professe not more outwardly then thou hast inwardly in heart oppresse or defraud no man in bargaining in all companies either doe good or take good FINIS a Mark 4.32 Matth. 26.38 b Ioh. 12.27 Mark 14.35 c Matth. 26.37,42 Ioh. 12. 29. Hebr. 5.7 d Luk. 22.44 e Hebr. 9.5 1. Cor. 5.5,7 Esa. 53.10,11 f Matt. 26.47 g Ioh. 18.13,14 h Ioh. 18.29 i Luk. 2â— 7,8 k Luk. 23. 15. l Matth. 27.24 26. m the same place n Ioh. 19.18 o Gal. 3. 13. p Matth. 27.35,46 q Coloss. 1.24,15 r Ioh. 19.34 s Heb. 9.15,16 t Luk. 23.43,46 u Ioh. 19. 33,42 x
2â— 29 Rev. â— 9 3.9 Psal. 26.5 Ioh. 17.17 1. Tim 1.17 Rom 11 20. Phil. 2 1â— Mat. 9.24 â— Tim. 4.7 Eph 3.7 2. Thess. 3.14 Math. 26.23 Rev. 7.9 Catholica i. per totum orbem diffusa Aug. epiâ—t 170. Ioh. 2.1,2 1. Cor 1.2 and 14.33 Psal. 16.5 Psal. 73.26 a Act. 26.18 Coloss. 1.12 Eph. 1.18 1. Cor. 10.16 Isa. 55. â— Rev. 3 18. Act. 4.32 Isa. 11.6,7 2. Pet. 1.7 Gal 6.2 Gal. 5.13 Mat. 5â— Leuit. 11.44 Mat. 11.28 1. Cor. 11.1 Luk. 13.18 Mat. 7.5 Heb. 10.14 Gal. 6.1 a As Chirurgians â—â—â—derâ—y see armes and legs in ioynt 2. Kiâ—g 6.16 Psal 10â— 23 â—â—od 32.10 b Spiritual 〈…〉 or temporall goods Act â— 21 2. â—or 8.1 Gal 6.10 â—ev 6.10 â— Ioh. 1.6 Phil 2.1 â—ph 4 3. â—sal 16.3 Amos 6.6 â—ph 6.18 Phil. 4.14 1. Ioh. 3 16. Ioh. 20.23 Mark 2.7 Esa. 31. â—4 Esa. 62 1â— â—om 4 25. 1. Ioh 1.7 1. Pet. 1.18 Psal. 32. 1. Esâ— â—4 22 Esâ—â—â— 17 Miâ—h 7.19 Psal. 32. â—â— â— â—ing 2â— â—2 1. Ioh. 3.8 Math. â—2 â—â— Rom. 2. â— Eccles. 9.2 1. Cor. 15. Iob. 19.25 â—â—es 14. 18. 1. Cor. 15.50 Eccles 3.19 Ioh. 5.28 Iob. 19.27 â— Cor. 15.43 â—sal 16.9 Act. 3 1â— a Aug. in Fâ— chir cap. 91. Ioh. 5 2â— Act. 3.19 Hierome 1. Thesâ— 4. â—â— Iob. 19.25 Heb. 11.35 Act. â—4 16 a Or in the meane season Rev. 6.9 Luk. 16.23 Math. 14. â— Dan 4.33 Isa. 64.1 1. Coâ— â— 9 2. Coâ— 1â— 4 Ioh. 17.21 â—ev â—â— 3 â— Cor. 15.28 Rev. â—â— 22 vers 23. Cap. 22. â—â— Rev. 21.4 1. Cor. 13 12â— Gen. 2.23 Mat. 17.4 〈◊〉 66 2◠〈◊〉 â— 9 â—hil 3.21 1. Cor. 25. â—â— â—sal 16.11 1 King 1.40 Mat. â—5 34 Rom. â— â—â—â— Rom. 5.13 Ioh. 5.24 Ioh. 17.3 Gal. 2.20 Dan. 11.3 Math. â—1 22 â— Cor 15.41 Math 10.9 2. Tim. 1 1â— Heb. â—â— â—â— Heb. 11. â—4 a Zach. 12.12 b Esa. 9.12 Rom. 15.6 c 〈…〉 23. psal 59.16 d 2. king 2. e Matth. 7.7 a The minde or vnderstanding b The will and affection A preface to preparation of prayer Psal. 143.1 Psal. 61.1 2 A confession of sin with sorrow of heart Psal. 51.5 Psal. 40.14 vers 16. Psal. 143.4 Psal. 90. 8. Psal. 130.3 Psal. 143.2 3 Prayer for pardon of sinnes knowne and vnknowne Psal. 25.10 Psal. 19. 12. vers 13. Psal. 143.6 4 Faith shâ—wing it selfe in desire of reconciliation with God Psal. 125.2 Psal. 6. Psal. 42. 5 Faith fighteth with diâ—â—rust and I laboureth to ouercome it vers 12. Psal. 30.6 vers 7. Psal. 103.8 vers 13. vers 14. 6 â—rayer for regeneration and Gods holy spirit Psal. 51.10 vers 12. 7 Prayer for obediâ—nce to God in our liues and calling Ps. 119.20 vers 5. Psal. 20.11 8 Prayer for life â—uerlasting Psal. 106.5 vers 6. 9 A conclusion with praising of God vers 46. a Mat. 25. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 Luk. 13. 24. A caueat to all protestants of what estate or condition soeuer b 2. Cor. 13. 5. Psal. 119.59 c Act. 20. 32. Marke that there is a true faith wrought by the holy Ghost very like sauing faith yet not sauing faith a Ro. 1. 21. Psal. 19. 1.3 b Ro. 7. 15. c Psal. 14.1 Rom. 3.10 11. d Psal. 49. 20. e Act. 14.17 Rom. 1. 21. f Heb. 6.4 2. Pet. 2. 23. g Mat. 22. 14. Luk. 13. 14. Prou. 1.24 Ioh. 9.41 Luk. 14.6 h Psal. 27.8 i Heb. 10.26 Act. 1.16.17 k 1. Sam. 29. 21. l Gen. 4.13 m Eus. lib. 8. cap. 17.18 n Socrat. l. â— c. 11. o Act. 2. 37. Rom. 8. 15. p Mar. 6.20 26. q Mat. 27. 19.24 r Mar. 27.3 Heb. 12.17 s Gen. 27.38 27.41 28.9 t Exod. 8.8 Mat. 7.7 u Gen. 3.4 1. Sam. 31.4 Mat. 27.5 x 1. Reg. 21. 27.29 y Exod. 9.27 Num. 22.44 z Num. 2â—â— 10. a Num. 18. 18. b Numb 11. 33. Psal. 78. 31. c Esa. 7. â—1 d Luk. 8. 13â— e Iob. 3. 15. f Heb. 6.4 Mat. 13.20 g 2. Pet. 1.14 1. Ioh. 2.8 Luk. 1.27 Esa. 60. 1,2 h Matth. 11 20,21,22 23. i 1. Sam. 10. â— k Mar. 6.20 l mat 13.20 m Exo. 9.27 n Act. 8. 24. o Rom. 8. 16,26 p Act. 8.13 r Eus. lib. 4. s Plin. lib. 10. â—pist 97. t Gal. 4. 16. u 2. King 10. 16. x 30. 31. y 2. Pet. 2. â—0 Hos. 6.4 1. Sam. 9.21 z Hest. 5 9â— 10. a 1. Thess. 5. 32. a Mat. 7.22 Mar. 9. 38. b 1. Sam. 10. 9. c Mat. 7.22 d Act. 1. 16. 17. Collos. 4. 2. Tim. 4.10 c Ioh. â— 23 24.25 * The elect may be of the Catholike Church and not of the visible and the reprobate may â—e of the visiâ—le and not of the Catholike a 1. Cor. 5.5 b Rom. 8.9 11. c 2. Cor. 2.7 11. d Gen. 7.1 Gen. 19.21 and 18.32 and 39. 3. e Sam. 7. 13 f Act. 27,24 g Gen. 17. 7. 10. h Gal. 3.8 i 1. Cor. 7.14 Rom. 11.16 k Rom. 9.22 and 2.4,5 Gen. 6.3 l Ps. 13. 12. m 2. Pet. 2. 22. 1. Tim. 1.4 2. Thes. 2. 6. Esa. 6.10 n Theod. lib. 3. Hist. cap. â—5 Iâ—cob Berg. chron o Mat. 13. 28. p Act. 15.16 Ps. 119. 32. Mar. 10. 20,21 Prou. 24 1â— q Phil. 2.12 1. Pet. 2. 17. Rom. 11.20 r 1. Cor. 11. 31. Psal. 16.12 and 119.59 s Matth. 25.32,33 â—â—â—ueâ—tto them of the religion of the Church of Rome 〈◊〉 a Eph. 1.4,5 6,7 b Apoc. 20. 12. Vocation c 2. Thess. 2. 13,14 d Eph. 2. 19. g 2. Cor. 6.2 Luk. 19.42 h Col. 2.7 Ioh. 15.19 What faith iâ— i Col. 2.12 k Ioh. 1. 12. Rom. 5. 17. l Gal. 3. 27. m Ioh. 6.36 n Eph. 3.17 o Col. 2. 12. o Psal. 77. 2. 3. p Psal. 103.1 q Iob. 13.15 r 1. Cor. 2.12 How God worketh in the heart Knowledge s Esa 53. 11. t Ioh. 17. u Iob. 33.23 Rom. 10. 14 Col. 2.2 Rom. 14. 14 a Phil. 1.9 b Gal. 5. 17. cum Rom. 7.23 Rom. 3. cuÌ„ Ro. 8. 38. c Mar. 8.24 25. d 1. Cor. 8.2 14.23 e Psal. 40.6 2. Tim. 3. 5. Tit. 1.16 2 Sight of sinne f Ier. 3.13 g Luk. 2. 25. Ioh. 16.8 h Psal. 40. 12. i Lam. 3.40 k Psal. 4.4 l Ro. 7.7 10 m Ier. 17.9 n Psal. 19.12 o Cor. 4.4 p Luk. 16.15 q Iob. 4. 18. 3 Sorrow for sin r Act. 2. 37. s Hab. 3. 16. t Rom. 8. 15 a Iob. 30.30 b Lam. 1. 20. 2.11 Osea 11.8 c Psal. 32.4 d Psal. 88.15 e Ge. 32.25 f Exod. 12. 8 Zach. 12.10 g 2. Cor. 2. 6,7 * Or policies h Iob 6.3 i Esa. 38. 13,14 k Act. 16. 14 4 Good despair l 1. Tim. 1.15 m Dan. 7. 9. n Luk. 15.19 o Ezr. 9.6 Sorrow for sinne melancholy z 1. Sam. 16. 12. 1 Consideration of Gods mercie 2 Feeling of the want of Christ. 3 Desire a Reu. 21.6 Esay 55.1 Luk. 1.53 b Psal. 143. 6. 4 Praier for
forsaking Gods word and seeking other wisdome 4. Their pride in seeking to magnifie theÌ„selues and to become like God 5. Contempt of God in transgressing his commandements against their owne conscience 6. In that they preferre the diuell before God 7. Ingratitude who in as much as in them lieth expel Gods spirit dwelling in them and despise that blessed vnion 8. They murther both themselues and their progeniâ— III. The fruit or effects Out of this corrupt estate of our first parents arose the estate of infidelitie or vnbeleefe whereby God hath included all men vnder sinne that he might manifest his mercie in the saluation of some and his iustice in condemnation of others Rom. 11.32 God hath shut vp all men in vnbeleefe that he might haue mercie on all Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue In this estate we must consider sinne and the punishment of sinne Sinne is threefold The first is the participation of Adams both transgression and guiltinesse whereby in his finne all his posteritie sinned Rom. 5. 12. As by one man sinne enered into the world and by sinne death so death entred vpon all men in that all men haue sinned The reason of this is ready Adam was not then a priuate man but represented all mankinde and therefore looke what good he receiued from God or euill elsewhere both were common to others with him 1. Cor. 15.22 As in Adam all men die so in Christ all men rise againe Againe when Adam offended his posteritie was in his loynes from whoÌ„ they should by the course of nature issue and therefore take part of the guiltines with him Hebr. 7.9,10 And to say as the thing is Levi c. paied tithes to Melchisedec for he was yet in the loynes of his father Abraham when Melchisedec met him CHAP. 12. Of Originall sinne OVt of the former transgression ariseth another namely Originall sinne which is corruption ingendred in our first conception whereby euery facultie of soule and bodie is prone and disposed to euil Psal. 1.1 I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me Gen. 6. 5. Tit. 33. We our selues were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lusts and diuerse pleasures liuing in maliciousnes and enuie hatefull and hating one another Hebr. 12.1 Let vs cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on By this we see that sinne is not a corruption of mans substance but onely of faculties otherwise neither could mens soules be immortal nor Christ take vpon him mans nature All Adams posteritie is equally partaker of this corruptioÌ„ the reason why it sheweth not it selfe equally in all is because some haue the spirit of sanctification some the spirit onely to bridle corruption some neither The propagation of sinne from the parents to the childreÌ„ is either because the soule is infected by the contagion of the body as a good ointment by a fustie vessell or because God in the very moment of creation and infusion of soules into infants doth vtterly forsake them For as Adam receiued the image of God both for himselfe and others so did he loose it from himselfe and others But whereas the propagation of sinne is as a common fire in a towne men are not so much to search howe it came as to bee carefull howe to extinguish it That wee may the better knowe originall sinne in the seuerall faculties of mans nature three circumstances must be considered 1. How much of Gods image we yet retaine 2. How much sinne man receiued from Adam 3. The increase thereof afterward I. In the minde The remnant of Gods image is certaine notions concerning good and euill as that there is a God and that the same God punisheth transgressions that there is an euerlasting life that we must reuerence our superiours not harme our neighbours But euen these notions they are both generall and corrupt and haue none other vse but to bereaue man of all excuse before Gods iudgement seat Rom. 1.19,20 That which may be known concerning God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it vnto them For the inuisible things of him that is his eternall power Godhead are seene by the creation of the world being considered in his works to the intent they should be without excuse Mens mindes receiued from Adam 1. IgnoraÌ„ce namely a want or rather a depriuation of knowledge in the things of God whether they concerne his sincere worship or eternall happines 1. Cor. 2.14 The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can hee know theÌ„ because they are spiritually discerned Rom. 8.7 The wisdome of the flesh is enimitie with God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeede can be II. Impotencie whereby the minde of it selfe is vnable to vnderstand spirituall things though they be taught Luk. 24.45 Then opened he their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures 2. Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient of our selues to think any thing as of our selues but our sufficieÌ„cie is of God III. Vanitie in that the minde thinketh falsehood truth and trueth falsehood Eph. 4.7 Walke no more as other Gentiles in the vanitie of your vnderstanding 1. Cor. 1.21 It pleased God by the foolishnes of preaching to saue those which beleeue 23. We preach Christ crucified to the Iewes a stumbling blocke but to the Grecians foolishnes Prou. 14.12 There is a way which seemeth good in the eies of men but the end thereof is death IV. A naturall inclâ—nation onely to conceiue and deuise the thing which is euill Gen. 6.5 The Lord saw that the wickednes of man was great vpon earth all the imaginations of the thoughts of the heart were onâ—ly euill continually Iere. 4. 22. They are wise to doe euill but to do well they haue no knowledge Hence it is apparant that the originall and as I may say the matter of all heresies is naturally ingrafted in mans nature This is worthie the obseruation of students in diuinitie The increase of sin in the vnderstanding is 1. a reprobate sense when God withdraweth the light of nature Ioh. 12.40 He hath blinded their eies and hardened their harts least they should see with their eies vnderstaÌ„d with their harts and I should heale them and they be conuerted Rom. 1.28 As they regarded not to know God so God deliuered theÌ„ vp vnto a reprobate minde to do those things which are not conuenient 2. The spirit of slumber Rom. 11.8 God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber c. 3. A spirituall drunkennesse Esay 29.9 They are drunken but not with wine they stagger but not with strong drinke 4. Strong illusions 2. Thess. 2.11 God shall send them strong illusions they shall beleeue lies The remnant of Gods image in the conscience is an
obseruing and watchfull power like the eye of a keeper reserued in man partly to reprooue partly to represse the vnbridled course of his affections Rom. 2.15 Which shewe the effect of the law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing That which the conscience hath receiued of Adam is the impurenes therof Titus 1.15 To them that are defiled aâ—â— vnbeleeuing nothing is pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled This impuritie hath three effects the first is to excuse sinne as if a man serue God outwardly he will excuse and cloake his inward impietie Mark 10.19,20 Thou knowest the commandements Thou shalt not c. Then he answered and said Master all these things haue I obserued from my youth Againe it excuseth intents not warranted in Gods word 1. Chron. 13.9 When they came to the threshing floore of Chidon Vzza put forth his hand to hold the Arke for the oxe did shake it The second is to accuse and terrifie for doing good This we may see in superstitious idolators who are grieued when they omit to performe counterfeit and idolatrous worship to their gods Colos. 2.21,22 Touch not tast not handle not which all perish with vsing and are after the commandements and doctrines of men Esay 29.13 And their feare toward me was taught them by the precepts of men The third is to accuse and terrifie for sinne Gen. 50. 15. When Iosephs brethren saw that their father was dead they said It may be that Ioseph will hate vs and will pay vs againe all the euill which we did vnto him Ioh. 8.9 And when they heard it beeing accused by their owne consciences they went out one by one 1. Ioh. 3. 20. If our heart condemne vs God is greater then our heart Though the conscience shal accuse a man truly yet that will not argue any holinesse in it which appeareth in that Adam in his innocency had a God yet no accusing conscience Impurenes increased in the conscience is first such a senseles numnesse as that it can hardly accuse a man of sinne Eph. 4.19 Who beeing past feeling haue giuen themselues to wantonnes to worke all vncleannes euen with greedines 1. Tim. 4.2 Hauing their consciences burned with an hot yron This senselesnes springeth from a custome in sinning 1. Sam. 25.37 Then in the morning when the wine was gone out of Nabal his wife told him those words and his heart died within him and he was like a stone II. Some grieuous horror terrour of the conscience Gen. 4.14 〈◊〉 hold thou hast cast me this day from the earth and from thy face shall I be hid And ver 13. My punishment iâ— greater then I can beare The Symptomes of this disease are blasphemies trembling of body fearefull dreames Act. 24.26 And 〈◊〉 hâ— disputed of righteousnes and temperance and the iudgement to come Felix trâ—mled c. Dan. 5.9 Then the kings coâ—ntenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the ioynts of his loynes were loosed and his knees smote one against the other In the will the remnant of Gods image is a free choice First in euery naturall action belonging to each liuing creature as to nourish to engender to mooue to perceiue Secondly in euery humane action that is such as belong to all men and therefore man hath freewill in outward actions whether they concerne manners a familie or the common-wealth albeit both in the choice and refusall of them it be very weake Rom. 2.14 The Gentiles which haue not the law by nature doe those things which are of the law The will receiued I. An impotencie whereby it cannot will or so much as lust after that which is indeede good that is which may please and be acceptable to God 1. Cor. 2.14 The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Rom. 5.6 Christ when wee were yet of no strength at his time died for the vngodly 2. Tim. 2.26 Phil. 2.13 It is God which worketh in you both the will and the deede euen of his good pleasure II. An inward rebellion wherby it vtterly abhorreth that which is good desiring and willing that alone which is euill By this it appeareth that the will is no agent but a meere patient in the first act of conuersion to God and that by it selfe it can neither begin that conuersion or any other inward and sound obedience due to Gods law That which the affections receiue is a disorder by which they therfore are not well affected because they eschew that which is good and pursue that which is euill Galat. 5.24 They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Rom. 1.26 Therfore God gaue them ouer to filthy lusts 1. King 22.8 The king of Israel said vnto Iehosophat yet is there one of whom thou maiest take counsell but him I hate c. and 21.4 therefore Achab came home to his house discontented and angrie for the word which Naboth spake vnto him and he laid himselfe on his bed turning away his face least he should eate meate That which the bodie hath receiued is I. fitnes to begin sinne This doth the bodie in transporting all obiects and occasions of sinne to the soule Gen. 3.6 The woman seeing that the tree was good for meate and pleasant to the eyes c. tooke of the fruit thereof and did eate II. A fitnesse to execute sinne so soone as the heart hath begun it Rom. 6. Neither giue your members as weapons of iniustice to sinne and vers 19. As you haue giuen your members as seruants to vncleannes and iniquitie to commit iniquitie c. CHAP. 13. Of actuall sinne A After original sin in Adams posteritie actuall transgression taketh place It is either inward or outward Inward is of the minde will affections The actuall sinne of the minde is the euill thought or intent thereof coÌ„trary to Gods law Examples of euill thoughts God the onely knower of the heart hath in diuers places set downe in his word I. That there is no God Psal. 10.4 The wicked is so proud that he seeketh not for God he thinketh alwaies there is no God Psal. 14. 1. The foole saith in his heart there is no God II. That there is neither prouidence nor presence of God in the world Psal. 10.11 He hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth away his face will neuer see vers 13. Wherefore doth the wicked centemne God he saith in his heart thou wilt not regard III. It imagineth safegard to it selfe from all perils Psal. 10. 6. He saith in his heart I shall neuer be mooued nor be in daunger Revel 18.7 She saith in her heart I sit beeing a Queene and am no widowe and shall see no mourning IV. It esteemeth it selfe more excellent theÌ„ other Apoc. 18.7 I sit as
Gospell is vpon condition of mens faith and repentance and that men are deceiued touching their owne faith and repentance and therefore faile in applying the word vnto themselues Ans. Indeede this manner of applying is false in all hypocrites heretickes and vnrepentant persons for they applie vpon carnall presumption and not by faith Neuerthelesse it is true in all the Elect hauing the spirit of grace and praier for when God in the ministerie of the word beeing his owne ordinance saith Seeke ye my face the heart of Gods children truly answereth O Lord I wil seeke thy face Psal. 17.8 And when God shall say Thou art my people they shall say againe The Lord is my God Zach. 13.6 And it is a truth of God that he which beleeueth knoweth that he beleeueth and he that truly repenteth knoweth that be repeÌ„teth vnles it be in the beginning of our conuersion in the time of distresse and temptation Otherwise what thankfulnesse can there be for grace receiued Obiect II. It is no article of the Creede that a man must beleeue his owne saluation and therefore no man is bound thereto Ans. By this argument it apâ—â—â—res plainely that the very pillars of the Church of Rome doe not vnderstand the Creede for in that which is commonly called the Apostles Creede euery article implieth in it this particular faith And in the first article I beleeue in God are three things contained the first to beleeue that there is a God the second to beleeue the same God to be my God the third to put my confidence in him for my saluation and so much containe the other articles which are concerning God When Thomas said Ioh. 20.28 My God Christ answered Thou hast beleeued Thomas Where we see that to beleeue in God is to beleeue God to be our God And Psal. 78. 22. to beleeue in God and to put trust in him are all one They beleeued not in God and trusted not in his helpe And the articles concerning Remission of sinnes and Life euerlasting do include and we in them acknowledge our speciall faith concerning our owne saluation For to beleeue this or that is to beleeue there is such a thing and that the same thing belongs to me as when Dauid said I should haue fainted except I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing Psal. 27.13 It is answered that in those articles wee onely professe our selues to beleeue remission of sinnes and life euerlasting to be vouchsafed to the people Church of God Ans. This indeede is the exposition of many but it standes not with common reason For if that bee all the faith that is there confessed the deuill hath as good a faith as we He knoweth and beleeueth that there is a God that this God imparteth remission of sinnes and life euerlasting to his church And to the end that wee beeing Gods children may in faith goe beyond all the deuills in hell we must further beleeue that remission of sinnes and life euerlasting belongs vnto vs and vnlesse we doe particularly apply the said articles vnto our selues we shall little or nothing differ from the deuill in making confession of faith Obiect III. We are taught to pray for the pardon of our sinnes day by day Matth. 6.12 and all this were needlesse if we could bee assured of pardon in this life Answ. The fourth petition must be vnderstood not so much of our olde debts or sinnes as of our present and newe sinnes for as we goe on from daie to daie so we adde sinne to sinne and for the pardon of them must wee humble our selues and pray I answer againe that wee pray for the pardon of our sinnes not because we haue no assurance thereof but because our assurance is weake and small wee growe on from grace to grace in Christ as children doe to mans estate by little and little The heart of euery beleeuer is like a vessell with a narrow necke which beeing cast into the sea is not filled at the first but by reason of the straight passage receiueth water drop by drop God giueth vnto vs in Christ euen a sea of mercie but the same on our parts is apprehended and receiued onely by little and litte as faith groweth from age to age and this is the cause why men hauing assurance pray for more Our reasons to the contrarie Reason I. The first reason may be taken from the nature of faith on this manner True faith is both an vnfallible assurance and a particular assurance of the remission of sinnes and of life euerlasting And therefore by this faith a man may be certenly and particularly assured of the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting That this reason may bee of sorce two things must be prooued first that true faith is a certaine assurance of Gods mercie to that partie in whome it is Secondly that faith is a particular assurance thereof For the first that faith is a certaine assurance Christ saith to Peter Mat. 14.31 O thou of litle faith wherefore didst thou doubt Where he maketh an opposition betweene faith and doubting whereby giuing vs directly to vnderstand that to be certen and to giue assurance is of the nature of faith Rom. 4.20.22 Paul saith of Abraham that he did not doubt of the promise of God through vnbeleefe but vvas strengthened in faith and gaue glory to God being fully assured that he which had promised was able to doe it where I obserue first that doubting is made a fruit of vnbeleefe and therefore vnfallible certentie and assurance being contrarie to doubting must needes proceede from true faith considering that coÌ„trarie effects come of contrarie causes and contrarie causes produce contrary effects SecoÌ„dly I note that the strength of Abrahams faith did stand in fulnes of assurance for the text saith he was strengthened in the faith being fully assured and againe Heb. 11.1 true sauing faith is said to be the ground and subsistance of things hoped for the euidence or demonstration of things that are not seene but faith can be no ground or euidence of things vnlesse it bee for nature certenty it selfe and thus the first point is manifest The second that sauing faith is a particular assurance is prooued by this that the propertie of faith is to apprehend and apply the promise and the thing promised Christ with his benefits Ioh. 1.12 As many saieth S. Iohn as receiued him to them hee gaue power to be the sonnes of god namely to them that beleeue in his name In these words to beleeue in Christ and to receiue Christ are put for one and the same thing Nowe to receiue Christ is to apprehend and apply him with all his benefits vnto our selues as he is offered in the promises of the gospell For in the sixt chapter following first of all he sets forth himselfe not onely as a Redeemer generally but also as the bread of life and the water of life secondly he sets