beleeue euerie thing that is true yet not euerie trueth doeth saue neyther doeth the beleeuing of euerie trueth iustifie a man He that beleeueth that God created all things of nought beleeueth truly he which beleeueth that God is a iust god 1. Tim. 1.17 that he is omnipotent that he is mercifull that he is true of promise beleeueth well and holdeth the truth 1. Cor. 1.9 Eph. 1.4 So he that beleeueth the God hath his election froÌ„ the beginning that he also is one of the same elect predestinate hath a good beleefe and thinketh wel but yet this beleefe alone except it be seasoned with an other thing wil not serue to saluation as it auayled not the Iewes which so sought of themselues and yet think to this day to be only Gods elect people Only the faith which auayleth to saluation is that whose obiect is the bodie and passion of Iesus Christ crucified So that in the act of iustifying these two faith Christ haue a mutuall relation must alwayes concur together faith as the action which apprehendeth and Christ as the obiect which is apprehended For neither doth the passion of Christ saue without faith neither doth faith help except it be in Christ 187 No remission but in Christ WHosoeuer beleeueth to get the inheritaunce of heauen or remission of sinne through workes hee beleueth not to get the same for Christs sake And they that beleeue not that their sinnes are forgiuen them and that they shall be saued for Christs sake they beleeue not the gospel Ma. 1.21 Luk. 1.31 For the Gospel saith that we shal be saued for Christs sake and that our sinnes are forgeuen vs through him He that beeleeueth not the Gospell beeleeueth not GOD whereby it followeth that they which beleeue to be saued by their works or to get remission of their sins by their owne deedes beleeue not God but recount him as a lyar and so vtterly deny him to bee God If we beleeue to get the inheritance of heaueÌ„ through good works then we beleeue not to get it through the promisse of God Io. 3.16 Act. 4.12 For GOD hath said that we shall haue the inheritaÌ„ce of heauen and that our sinns are forgeuen vs for his sonnes sake He condemneth not good workes but hee condemneth the false truste in any workes so all the workes wherein a man putteth confidence are therwith poysoned and become euill 188 Of praier to Saincts how it is repugnant to the Mediatorship and Aduocateship of Christ CHrist is the only reconciler mediator and attonement maker betweene God and vs and for that cause sitteth at the right hand of God perpetually to appeare before his face for vs Against the which article of Christs incarnation the teachers among the Papistes doe teache blasphemous doctrine of inuocation of saints that they are our mediators and reconcilers that by their merits and prayers we haue accesse vnto god and are for their sakes heard receaued and accepted into the fauour of God againe euidently displacing the sonne of God from the chiefe office of his eternal preisthood and setting his creatures in his place and dygnitye and that without anye warrant of scripture either by word or example This doctrine is ioyned with two other detestable errors first that they conceaue of Christ as of a dreadfull GOD and terrible iudge and not as of a mercifull Mediatour and therefore that we haue neede of other spokesmen to make the way to him for vs though hee himselfe moste gratiously and mercifully cryeth vnto vs Ma. 11.28 Io. 16.13 Come vnto me all ye that trauail and be heauy loden and I wil refresh you And in sundry places commaundeth vs to pray vnto God the Father in his name assuring vs that whatsoeuer we desire it shal be graunted vs. And therefore do they shewe themselues to mistrust the credit of Christ Secondly in this praying to Saincts not without great daunger of Idolatry they attribute vnto them diuine power For in their praying to them they imagine of them that they be of vniuersal knowledge and vnderstanding not onely what men speake but also what they think in their heartes Again they attribut vnto them almighty power as being able to worke and bring to passe whatsoeuer is desired of them And lastly they shewe themselues to beleeue that they are more mercifull and ready to heare sinners then Christ himselfe which is flatte blasphemy 189 False doctrine concerning inuocation THe manner of the Papisticall inuocation is not to God alone as they should doe but to dead men saying that saincts are to be called vpon as Mediators of intercession Christ as the mediator of saluation And affirme moreouer that Christ was a Mediatour onely in time of his passion which is manifestly repugnant to the wordes of Saint Paule Romaines 8. Ro. 8.34 Where he speaking of the intercession of Christ Who is saith he on the right hand of God maketh request also for vs c. And if Christ bee a Mediator of saluation what needeth then any other intercession of the sainctes for other sutes For saluation beeing once had what can we require more Or what lacketh he more to be obteyned of the saints which is sure to bee saued onelye by Christ And yet in their catholicke deuotioÌ„s why do they teach vs to pray to the blessed Virgine to saue al them that glorifie her c. If saluation only belong vnto Christ Vnlesse they study of purpose to seeme contrary to theÌ„ selues Hitherto also pertaineth the worshipping of reliques Deu. 6.13 Luk. 4.8 and the Idolatrous adoration of sacramentes as the outward signe for the thing signified contrary to the sense of the holy ghost The prophanation also of the Lords supper and false meriting by Masses 190 Christ is the onely intercessor with the Father THe faithfull children of God are assured and doe receaue this comforte that our Lorde Iesus Christ beeing now at the right hande of God in heauen is gentle willing ready and able to help all those which put their trust in him And therefore in all their necessities they content themselues with the intercession of Christ and with his mediation And that chiefly seeing S. Paule sayeth Tim. 2.5 that there is one God and one Mediatour betweene God and man euen the man Christ Iesus which gaue himselfe for the redemption of all men And Saint Iohn saith If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous 1. Io. 2.12 and hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for our only but also for the sinnes of the whole world touâ—hing the intercession of our Lord Iesus Christ in heauen we haue the manifest and inuincible testimonies of the holy scriptures but as touching the intercession of Angels and of sanctes which are in heauen we haue no testimony thereof and therefore the godly regard it not They which beeleeue the word of God in whiche wee haue taught
christian souldier to reioice in the mercy of God to be feruent in prayer to geue thanks to God in all things the heathens which haue no part in the kingdome of Christ are thankful for their life and liberty wealth glorye and worldly prosperity But Christians ought to be thankfull in persecution in thraldome in aduersity in shame in misery and death it selfe Who would think that a Lyon which by nature is fierce and cruell shoulde yeeld forth hony Iud. 14.8 yet Sampson found honye in the bodye of a Lyon Ionas was swallowed vp of a whale yet not hurt Ro. 8.28 We knowe saith the Apostle that al things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God The Apost reioiced in their persecution that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for Christs sake And P speaking of this perfection in the godly saith we reioice vnder the hope of the glory of God Ro. 5.2.3 Neither that onely but also we reioyce in tribulation c who hath not heard of the pacience of Iob his cattel were driuen away his houses consumed with fire Iob. 1.21 his children slaine his body striken with a scurffe his wife loathed him and his freinds forsooke him And yet in all these miseries he fretted not but pacientlye susteining his aduersity The Lorde said he hath geuen the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the lord And again Iob. 13. i5 though he slay me yet wil I trust in him What are wee then that are neither thankfull for riches nor for health nor for our pleasures nor in the aboundance of all thinges which abuse the good giftes of God to dishonor him who hath geuen them vnto vs. The earth is the Lords and all that therein is the worlde and they that dwell therein He openeth his hande and filleth all thinges liuing with his blessing Psa 89.11 Ps 145.16 Ia. 1.17 Col. 2.3 Let vs looke vp into the heauens There is GOD the Father of lights from whom euery good and perfect gift commeth There is our redeemer Iesus Christ in whome are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge When we see how mercifully and aboundantlye the Lorde hath dealt with vs in thinges concerning this life Let vs consider with our selues howe many good men and faithfull seruaunts of GOD lacke the same and haue not receaued these blessings in such measure as wee In all these thinges GOD speaketh vnto vs and sheweth that hee is the giuer and that we haue them at his handes and therefore that we vse them well and not be vnthankfull 244 We must not hide our talent in the grounde WHen we shall attaine vnto the light of the trueth through the might of Gods spirit in any acceptable measure we must not holde fast this treasure as it were lockt vp in a chest But we must communicat the graces of God vnto others doe the best we can to draw on the miserable ignorant people to the seruice of god and to cary about with vs the doctrin to publish it to all men when as it is cōmitted vnto vs as a treasure to bestow the gift which we haue receaued vpon our neighbours according to that measure of faith which GOD hath geuen vs. 1. Pe. 4. i0 Psal 119.171.172 Wee must not neglect those whom we might winne but we must gather as much company to the Lord as we can For we shal not need to feare that our blessing shal be diminished as the case stādeth in an earthly inheritaunce Ro. 14.29 the which when it is deuided into many partes euery one hath but a little For as for the heauenly inheritaunce we are very well assured that we lose nothing neither diminish any part of our right when we draw many of our neighbors yea an infinite multitude they al do encrease our glory and ioy When God calleth vs vnto him he goeth not to worke by portions as things either encrease or decrease in this worlde but we shall haue so much that as I said before our saluation shall bee so much the more encreased and our glory augmented when we haue gathered a multitude to our God 245 How Sathan hath bewitched the Papists THe Diuell hath bene no lesse enuious and hath no lesse preuailed in these latter daies then hee hath done in times past For now also hath he made many men to set forth the imaginations of their owne heartes and hath bewitched many to followe their damnable waies whereby the way of truth is blasphemed and for their owne traditions he hath made the word of the Lorde Iesus to be of none effect this work hath he wroght as we may see among the Papistes For whereas Christ hath taught vs to worshippe in spirit and trueth to drinke the wine in the sacrament of his body and bloude Io. 4.23 Ma. 26.27 1. Cor. 14.19 1. Cor. 10 27. Heb. 13.3 to praye in a knowne tongue to eate of any meats without scruple of conscience to vse holy matrimony in all estates as a remedy against sinne yet as though Christ were no prophet vnto vs they haue abrogated these his lawes and made other contrary of their owne This our eies haue seene and our eares haue heard and whether they wil or no they must needes confesse it Yet notwithstanding they flatter themselues in a maruelous madnesse and doing all thing contrary to the Lord Iesu they say still they cannot erre but they shall one day see and know that Christ is the onely Prophet of the newe testament and blessed be the Lorde who hath made vs this day to beleeue it and while yet the day of health and acceptable time is to hearken onelye vnto him and refuse all the vaine inuentions of men 246 The doctrine of the Papistes repugnant to the scriptures WE are taught by the Scriptures that Christ is ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of GOD the father and from thence and no place els Col 3.1 he shall come to iudge the quick and the dead yet contrary to this article of our faith and contrary to the nature of Christs humanity if we beeleeue not that Christ euen in his fleshe is still in earth with vs yea and that in a thousand places at once the church of Rome wil pronounce vs detestable heretickes The scripture teacheth that we haue redemptiō and iustification by faith in Christs bloud onely without the helpe of our owne vertues and good workes For S. Paule saith Ro. 3.18 Therefore wee gather that a man is iustified by faithe without the deeds of the Law And to the Ep. Ye are iustified by grace Eph 2.8.9 and that not of your selues it is the gifte of God not of woorkes leaste any man should bost And yet if we beleue not that our workes do help vs to our iustification and remission of sins the papists wil condemne vs as heretiks The Scriptures sayth Thou shalt make thee no
is a common thing not onelye to them that haue charge to preach the Gospell but also to all the faithful to be continuallye assaulted of Sathan when they would serue God Luk. 22.31 1. The 2.18 1. Pet. 5.8 Ro. 8.7 And it is also certaine that wee haue as many enemies which do endeuor to turn vs aside from the following of God of his worde as we haue thoughts and affections and therefore it is required that wee bee well armed with the knowledge of the Gospell to fight aswell against nature as against an infinit number of temptations which Sathan hath alwaies ready at hand 6 If we will follow Christ wee must suffer affliction SEing our Lord Iesus Christe is our head and captaine it cannot be but that our life must be as a continuall fight For Sathan who is a deadly enemie to the sonne of God 2. Tim. 3.12 wil neuer leaue the mēbers of Christ in reste but will torment and vexe them so that wee shall haue nothing but disquietnesse in this life And therefore we must take good courage in him that hath ouercome the world Io. 16.13 and our truste in him muste bee such that wee doe not doubt but that the victorie which he hath gotten is gotten for vs. 7 God defendeth those that are his THe fight of the faithfull is a good fight for God doth reache forth his hande vnto them Psal 18.2 1. Tim. 6.12 2. Tim. 4.7 and the victorye is alreadye prepared for them And therefore although the world be froward and althoughe it will alwayes resist the truth and troble them that bring it yet in the ende hipocrisie shal be confounded and the rage and hatred of the hipocrits shall serue to giue a greater glasse lighte to the vertue which God giueth vnto his worde 8 Faith and a good conscience the armour of the faithfull THe true seruaunts of God must be furnished with faithe and a good conscience if they will fight vnder the banner of our Lorde Iesus Christe And moreouer it is chiefly required in the ministers of the gospell that they continue in pure doctrine 2. Tim. 1.18.19 1. Tim. 3 9. 2. Tim. 2 15. that they finde not out false imaginations neither goe astraye from true religion but that they haue right vprightnesse in them And so generallye all the faithfull muste not onely haue a zeale to serue God but they must be defenced with good doctrine and their cheefest rule must be that God may be honored 9 Faith is a pretious treasure FAith is a treasure whiche is well worthy to bee kept For it is the staye that holdeth vs vp Act. 15.9 1. Pet. 1.9 1. Pet. 5.9 it is the prop of our saluation if wee bee not wel grounded in faith we shal quiklie sinke into the bottomelesse pitte of hell Io. 5.24 and therefore as the men of this worlde are carefull to lay vp their gold and siluer which are but corruptible mettals safe and in sure keping so ought we to be much more carefull to laye vp this treasure of faithe in a good conscience For it is a thing far more pretious and deserueth to bee more embraced and maintained 10 The meanes to enioy faith alwayes IF we will enioye faith not onelie for a little time but for euer Wee muste go forwarde with reuerence When God hath once shewed vs the way of saluation there must bee no hipocrisie in vs but the true humilitie of the minde Io. 8.31 Iam. 1.25 Wee must not bee lightheaded to be carried away with our violent lusts nor yet double hearted to mocke God and to despise his grace and so may wee bee sure that God will giue vs such a constancie steedines as shall neuer be ouercōe although all the temptations in the world do rise vp against vs Ro. ◠38 yet God will alwaye keepe vs for our saluation is in his hand and he hath promised to be our keeper and faithefull protector 11 Prayer is a proofe of Faith The chiefest exercise that the children of God haue is to pray vnto God For prayer is a good proofe of our faith when wee haue recourse vnto our God call vppon his name Pro. 15.29 Mat. 21 22. Ro. 12.12 2. Tim. 2.1 2 Iam. 5.15 and doe not onelye thinke and haue care of our selues but our charitie must reach it selfe toward al both small and great whether they bee of our familiar freindes and nighe acquaintance or whether they be strangers and such as we doe not know 12 Faith is not without prayer IT is a true token that we haue profited in the word of God if so bee that we haue an earnest desire and affection to pray vnto God and so that our soules doe as it were breathe thirst after it from day to day for that man which saith that hee trusteth in God and beleeueth the Gospell and in the meane while maketh no accōpt of prayer hee sheweth himselfe to bee but a scorner and an hipocrit Ps 34.13 Coll. 4.2 Luc. 18.1 1. Thes 5.17 For if wee receiue the promises of God if wee bee assured of that whiche hee saith wee must then seeke him for as he promiseth to bee our father and sauiour so he calleth vs vnto him hee reacheth out his hande vnto vs hee seeketh nothing but as we are called to the knowledge of his truth so wee should come and pray him to accomplish those things which we haue hoped for at his hands And theerfore al they that are negligent to praye vnto God do giue a great token that they neuer tasted of his promises 13 Of Prayer Wee muste not onlye pray for the faithfull whiche are our brethren alreadye but for them that are verie farre of as the poore infidels and vnbeleeuers althoughe there seeme to be a great distaunce difference between both yet must we notwithstanding haue pitty and compassion vpon their destruction to the ende that wee maye praye vnto God that he woulde drawe them vnto him selfe 14 Loue is a token of Adoption GOD hath adopted vs to bee his children if we be the members of his sonne Iesus Christe whiche cannot bee vnlesse wee bee ioyned together in brotherlye loue one towards another If we seperate our selues from them whom God wil haue to be his owne Io. 13.35 1. Io. 3.15 1. Io. 4.20 wee deuide in sunder asmuch as lieth in vs the bodie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and so banishe our selues from the kingdome of heauen 15 The price of our redemption VVHereas sinne Sathan deathe Hell and dampnation helde vs in captiuitie we are now deliuered from the tirannie of all thē by Christ Iesus crucified Firste hee ouercame sinne when beeing the sonne of God in the shape of a reprochefull man as an innocent lambe deseruing no punishment and yet suffering moste cruell punishment and bitter deathe gaue himselfe a ful and perfect sacrifice for our sinnes And when sinne was by his death
and passiō destroyed death also in the same victorye was disarmed and maymed 1. Cor. 15.56 For sinne is the sting of death when death had lost his sting was conquered in Christs resurrectiō frō death Sathan also lost his strēgth power which only rested vppon them which through sin were in daunger to death Ro. 6 1◠for the rewarde of sinne is death Finally because hel onely deuoureth those which through sinne and death are slaues vnto sathā it followeth that when the other three were by him so mightily vanquished hell also with all the daunger thereof was subdued and we deliuered from all their tirannie 16 The end of our redemption OVr Lorde Iesus Christe hath payed the price of our redemption and hath deliuered vs frō the captiuity of sinne sathan deathe and hell that we might walke before him in holinesse and righteousnesse al the dayes of our life Luc. 1.75 Ro. 6 3. Moreouer wee are baptised into the death of Christ and as we are pertakers of his death so should we be pertakers of his resurrection to the end that as Christe is risen from death so also wee shoulde rise from the death of sinne vnto the life of righteousnesse 1. Pet. 3.7 Rom. 8.17 Furthermore by the benefite of Christs passion we are made heires of God with him children of light And therefore wee should walk according to our calling haue no fellowship with the workes of darknesse neither passe our tyme in vaine delights but put on the lord Iesus Christe and not satisfie the lustes and desires of the fleshe Wee are also by profession citizens of heauen Eph. 2.19 and of the housholde of God our conuersation therefore shoulde bee in heauen with a manifeste declaration of the contempt of this miserable worlde and the transitory vanities in the same 17 Christ is the true shephearde OVr Lord Iesus Christ hath promised that if we hold him for our shepheard hee will not suffer the Diuel to haue any aduauntage of vs but he wil dispence the vertue and power of God his father whiche shall ouercome all hys enemies Io. 10.11 Eze. 34.23 Esa 40.11 and therefore we shal bee well defended if wee haue Iesus Christ to bee our captaine and guide For the which cause we must learne of him to bee Sheepe and to walke in his obedience and to cōmit our selues to his protection and that we may do so wee muste consider the frailtie that is in vs For when wee once know that we should quickly be ouercome of Sathan if we were not vpholden and maintained by a greater vertue it wil be as a spurre vnto vs to moue vs to haue our whole recourse vnto GOD and to call vppon him with alhumblenes carefulnes 18 Wee cannot merit Gods fauour IF wee stande in talke of acquiting our selues before God it is certaine that wee can finde nothing in our selues worthye suche a reconciliation or that maye come any thing neare it And therefore it standeth vs vppon to search our neede and want in Christ Iesus how by the price of his blood we are reconciled to God his father Io. 15.5 2 Cor. 3.5 and that wee haue free accesse giuen vnto vs so that we may boldelie and confidently call vppon him 19 Iesus Christ muste sanctifie our prayers SO often as the faithfull doe settle themselues to pray vnto GOD they muste knowe that all their prayers must be sanctified and consecrated by the blood of our Lord Iesus Christ For if in prayer wee doe not ground our selues vppon the grace of the onelye Mediatour that was giuen vs we must needes be in doubte and perplexitie all our prayers are polluted and vncleane There is no meane to sanctifie them and to make them stande good and stedfast before God vnlesse they bee watered by the bloud of Christ Iam. 1.6 Mat. 11 24 as the scripture also sheweth that if we pray not in Faith and certainty we shall neuer profitte any thing at all When we come vnto God we must be out of doubt that we pray as it were by his mouth and his wil must be a rule that can neuer deceaue vs He. 11.6 so that we may not swarue from it the least iott that may be neither to the right hand nor to the left For God will not be prayed vnto but after his owne will and not according to the fantastes of men 20 Christ the onelie mediator and why so called OVr Sauiour Christ is not onlie called a Mediatour in respect hereof that hee reconciled vs to God by his deathe at once But because hee appeareth now before the Maiestie of God to th' end that wee might be heard by his meanes 1. Tim. 2.5 For these are two thinges whiche cannot be sundred as namely the death and passion of the sonne of God and that he now maketh intercession for vs. Moreouer Iesus Christ is called the onely Mediatour not onelie because he now maketh intercession for vs but also because he suffered death for vs and therefore we cannot giue this office vnto the saincts but wee muste make them our redemers and so cast Christ cleane away the whiche is an horrible blasphemie 21 The Gospell a necessary witnesse of our saluation IT were to smal purpose that Iesus Christ had redemed vs from euerlasting death and had shed his blood to reconcile vs to God vnlesse wee were certified of this benefitte by meanes of the Gospell for it is faith that bringeth vs into possession of this saluation And although we finde it not but in the person of our Lorde Iesus we must needs come thither yet if we haue not this keye of faithe Iesus Christe shall bee as it were straunge vnto vs and all that he suffered will nothing at all profit vs as indeed it doth not thē belong vnto vs 22 Wee are called by the Gospell WHensoeuer the Gospel is preached wee haue to knowe and consider that it is to make vs pertakers of Iesus Christ that being ingrafted in him Heb. 2.11 wee mighte haue parte and portion in all his riches whatsoeuer he hath may be ours For seeing it hath pleased him once to become our brother we neede not doubt but in taking vppon him our poore wretched estate he hath made such an exchaunge with vs that we might be riche in him By the preaching of the Gospell God calleth vs vnto himself and it wil be neither in vaine nor lost labour if we come accordinglie 23 The perfection of Wisedome GOD hath giuen vs the perfection of wisedome in the holy scriptures and therefore no man shoulde geue himselfe to fables and foolish questions which are not profitable to edification but cleaue faste and content himselfe with the worde of God and with the trueth of doctrine conteyned in the same For the which cause wee are commaunded to try all thinges 1. Th. 5.21 and keepe that which is good For the Diuel cannot so culour his
beare If a poore silly sparrow as Christ assureth theÌ„ falleth not to the grounde without their father that is in heauen 1. Cor. 10.13 Mat. 10.29 they are perswaded that they are far more pretious in the sight of god theÌ„ all the sparrowes in the worlde and therefore that an haire shall not fall from their head without his wil and pleasure The example hereof euidently appeareth in Iob and in the Apostles of Christ The deuel couldâ— not vexe Iob vntil it was graunted him by God Sathan desired to sifte the Apostles as men vse to sifte corne but Christ prayde for them that their faith might not fayle Yea a legion of deuils were not able to hurte a heard of hogges Luk. 12.32 but by the permission of Christ This comfort neuer faileth and when the faithfull betake themselues to this defence they maye be truely sayd to rest vnder the shadowe of the most highest Mat. 19.29 They which refuse persecution offered for Christ his sake cannot be his true disciples but shewe them selues to haue been hypocrites and dissemblers 147 The fauour of God the onelye foundation of consolation EXcept God be gratious vnto vs although all thinges looke pleasantly vpon vs yet no certaine trust can be conceaued And on the contrarie part his onely fauour is a sufficient solace in all sorrowe and a strong defence against all tempestes of aduersities And hereunto appertaine many testimonies of the scriptures where the Sainctes trusting to the only power of God dare despise what soeuer thing commeth againste them in this world Though I should walke through the valley of the shadowe of death I will feare no euill saith the prophet for thou art with me In the Lorde put I my trust Ps 11.1 how say yee then to my soule flye to your mountaine as a byrde I will not saith hee be afrayde of ten thousand of people that shoulde beset mee rounde about Ps 3.6 For there is no power vnder heauen or aboue heauen that can resiste the arme of the Lord therefore he being our defender noe harme at all is to be feared 148 The will of God is alwaye iuste although we see not the reason thereof THe wil of God although the reason therof be vnknowne vnto vs is to be counted iust For the Lord hath his right takeÌ„ from him if he be not at liberty to doe with his creatures as he seemeth best This seemeth hard to the eares of many And there are also some who alleadge that God is put to great reproch if such libertie be geuen vnto him as though they with their disdainefulnes were better diuines then the holy Ghost who hath appointed this rule of humility to the faithfull that they shoulde wonder at the power of God and not esteme it after their own iudgement The Apostle Paule represseth this arrogancie of striuing with God in his Epistle to the Ro. by a most fiue similitude wherein he seemeth rather to haue alluded vnto Esay then Ieremie Ro. 9.20 Esay 5.9 Ier. 18.9 6. For nothing else is taught in Ieremie then that Israel is in the hand of the lord so that for his sinnes he may breake him in peeces as a potter may his earthen vessell But Esay goeth higher saying wo bee to him the gainesayeth his maker namely to the pot that striueth with the potter shall the clay say to the potter what makest thou c. And surely there is no cause why a mortall man shoulde preferre himselfe before an earthen vessel wheÌ„ he compareth himselfe with God 149 Through faith our sinnes are forgiuen WHo soeuer beleeueth in Christ is not iudged that is to saye by the grace and mercy of God he is saued the sentence of deserued condemnation also being taken awaye So the Apostle sayth there is noe condemnation to those that are in Christe Iesus Ro. 8.1 Mar. 16.16 And whereas our sauiour Christe affirmeth that al the faithfull are out of perill of death we may therby gather howe necessarie the certainety and stability of faith is to take away the trembling and oppressing feare of conscience Hee pronounceth that there is no condemnation Io. 3.18 so soone as we beleeue and therfore if for faithes sake a man is not iudged as the truth it selfe plainely affirmeth where is then indulgences and pardons Where are the Romish satisfactions And where is the fayned fyre of purgatorie and such like humaine imaginations and deuises Surely they are vanished away and perished for euer For the truth hath said which ought neuer to be forgotten that who soeuer beleeueth in him hath euerlasting life Io. 6.47 150 Of the true knowledge of God THere is but one God in essence or nature which is the father of whom are all thinges and we in him Ier. 23.33 The same God is inuisible and immartall 1. Tim. 17. He is in al places seeth all thinges and filleth the heauen and the earth He is almightie infinite and eternall he is the maker and preseruer of all thinges He is onely wise gentle iust true merciful The Lorde Exo. 34.6 the Lorde sayeth Moses is stronge mercifull and gracious flowe to anger and aboundaunt in goodnesse and trueth In this deuine essence three persons doe subsist Mat. 3.16 28.9 being truely distinguished from euerlasting in their seuerall properties the Father the Sonne and the holye Ghost But the comforter which is the holy Ghost whome the Father will sende in my name hee shall teach you all thinges and bring all thinges to your remembraunce which I haue tolde you Io. 14.26 These three persons are not three Gods but they are coeternall and coequall 1. Io. 5.7 Act. 17.23 distinct concerning their properties and yet without any manner of inequalitie being by nature so vnited togeather that they be but one God eternall infinite and most perfect in it selfe 151 The power and godhead of God are seene and howe AMongest the properties and persons which are in God which is one there is such distinction that to the Father we must attribute the beginning of working and creating we must holde him for the fountaine and spring of all things To the son we must attribute wisedome couÌ„sell Ps 33.6 the gouernment of things that are made To the holy Ghost we must attribute the power and efficacie of working executing And although that the eternitie of the Father is also the eternity of the sonne and of the holy Ghost for God could neuer be without his wisedome power and in the eternitye there ought neither first nor last to be sought yet is it not a vaine thing nor superfluous to obserue this order in the eternitie â—â— namely that we set the Father first in order and in the second place the sonne which commeth of him in the third place the holy ghost which proceedeth from them both For also the mind of euery one inclineth to consider first God afterwards his wisdome which springeth
vnfaithfull vnto GOD and to his Church we shoulde be like them which suffer the sheepe to be deuoured in sparing the Wolues 73 Of true and false witnesses VVHEN we witnesse or speake truth against the wicked for to send him to death though we saue not his life Yet do we not cease to be true witnesses and to saue liues For in purchasing the punishment of the wicked wee are cause that diuers doe liue in peace and reste and thus doe wee preserue and saue liues the which is a very acceptable thing before GOD who will haue the Magistrates to punish the malefactor Deu. 17.9 Ro. 13.3 i. Tim. 2.2 vppon the othe of two or three witnesses that the euill being purged we might lyue in peace Nowe if the Lorde be carefull of such temporall and corporall sauing and preseruing Let vs vnderstande that by a farre stronger reason he taketh care for the spirituall and eternall sauing of liues as he hath alwayes shewed when he raysed vp true men which haue geuen themselues to shew the way of trueth vnto his people as were Noah Abraham Lot Moyses Iosua the iudges the holy kings and Prophets And not content heerewith Hee hath sent his owne sonne who not onely was a true and faithful witnes for to preache deliuerance as a minister and seruaunt but by himselfe hath made the purgation of our sins sheading his moste precious bloode for the eternall redemption of our soules And if the deliueraunce of our soules be so pretious before God Heb. 1.3 9.12 Ro. 8.32 that he hath not spared his owne sonne It folloeth therefore that we must be careful thereof before all other thinges Otherwise we are great contemners of God and renounce to be saued and redeemed by Iesus Christ the which is to do him great iniury and consequently to put our soules in bondage with the Deuill Nowe for to be carefull of our deliueraunce we must as Iesus Christ hath sent vs his Apostles and disciples for to be true witnesses vnto vs and asmuth as lay in their ministerye haue deliuered vs from death and dānation euen so still now we shoulde demaunde of him such Pastors and Ministers which wil be true witnesses and declare nothing vnto vs but the pure word of God to the which if we cleaue by faith repentance 2. Tim. 4.3 Io. 8.44 they shall deliuer our soules But as they are the most profitable witnesse which preach vnto vs Iesus C. euen so the most exquisit deceiuers ar they which vnder the shadow of religiō do set forth mens traditiōs doctrines of diuels vaine speculatiōs and subtil questiōs For such so much as they can do shut vp the kingdome of heauen from men and doe deliuer them vnto the Deuill 74 Wee muste not vpholde the slaunderer but beare with our brethrens infirmitie IN the worde of God not only those are charged with this sinne of false witnesse that first set on foote and erect a false tale to the discredite of their neighbour but those also that by their approuing of it and eares willingly opened vnto it doe vphold the same For notwithstanding it were set vp yet must it of necessity fal down againe if it shoulde finde none that would by the receiuing and approuing thereof vnderpropp it and as it wer lende their shoulders vnto it Therfore it is said by the holy Ghoste in Exodus Thou shalt not receaue a false tale Ex. 23.1 neither shalt thou put thy hande with the wicked to be a false witnesse It shall not excuse vs that we were not the first authors of it neither yet that many aswell as we did beleeue it but we are taught to take heede how we giue credite to report euen strengthened with the approbation of many whereof notwithstanding wee our selues haue no certayne knowledge that we be not so hasty to giue sentence in our hart and much lesse in place of iustice vse our testimonye against any vpon no sufficient ground moued onely by the speech reportes that runne abroad We are taught neither to goe nor ioyne with the mightie to witnesse a false matter for fauour or feare neither yet vpon a kinde of foolish pittie to honor the poore and to ioyne with them in their vniust cause so pretious woulde the Lorde that the regarde of his trueth should be It is not lawfull for vs to agree with any against God And as for the easie eare that so soone receiueth the slaunderers report the holye Ghost geueth the medicine for it in the prouerbes Pro. 25.23 As the North winde saith he driueth awaye the rayne so doth an angry countenance the slaundering tongue It is the ouer good entertainement that the slaunderous tongue findeth that cherisheth it for the heauie countenance driueth such guestes cleane away It is forbidden as a sinne against this ix commaundement to blaze abroad the infirmities of our brethren and therefore wee must admonish one another and so to hide sinne and iniquitie we desire you brethren saith S. Paule admonish them that are vnruly 1 The. 5.14 comfort the feeble minded beare with the weake be patient towardes all men It is forbidden to expounde thinges that might bee well taken into the worse parte and for some litle blemish to deface the whole It is commaunded vs to shew foorth our zeale against sinnes that be alreadye rype in our selues Mat. 7.3.4 and to turne it that way to be reuenged vpon them when it woulde be so gladly occupyed in suspecting and surmising euil in others which either is not so at all or at the least not so cleare as in our selues So that alwaies this bee our rule from the sight of our owne sinnes to proceede to the reprouing of others 75 The exposition of the last commandement IN the former commaundementes Ro. 7.7 Ge. 6.5 8.12 God would suppresse our will and affections but in this tenth commandement in playne wordes hee forbiddeth all inwarde desire whatsoeuer is vnlawfull to be done as the rebellion of the flesh all corruption of the olde man all blot of originall sinne he vtterly inhibiteth al euil thoughts light motions sodaine affections yea though we neuer fully purpose them neither consent willingly to do them Pro. 20.9 Ro. 7.23 Ep. 4.22 Col. 3.9 Ro. 6.6 Concupiscence wherewith wee loue our selues and seeke our owne cōmodity only not caring for others and are wholy in our nature corrupted is the very selfe same vice or originall sinne wherunto we are borne or subiect God requireth of vs holines and cleannes and not onelye outwarde righteousnes of works but the mind spirite and the powers of the mind perfection and holines such as he him selfe is indued withal And because that al mē are corrupted therfore vnperfect by nature in mind thought also in it selfe by this commaundement we are all conuicted and found guiltie of sinne before God as is more at large taught in the seauenth and eight chapters of S.
illustrate the same as it is written 2. Co. 12.9 My power is made perfect through weaknesse and again where sinne abounded the grace of God abounded much more 122 Foure thinges that concurre in remission of sinnes IN remission of sinnes these foure thinges must concurre and go together the cause that worketh which is the sacrifice of Christs bodie 2. the promisse that offereth 3. Faith that apprehendeth and 4. the repenting sinner that receaueth And althoughe sinnes dayly do growe which daylye prouoke vs to craue remission yet as touching the cause that worketh remission of our dayly sinnes and the meanes which apprehendeth and applieth the said cause vnto vs they remaine alwaies one and perpetual besides which no other cause nor means is to bee sought for of man So that to them that bee repenting sinners and be in Christ Iesus there is no lawe to condemne them though they haue deserued condemnation but they are vnder a perpetuall kingdome and a heauen full of grace and remission to couer their sinnes and not to impute their iniquities through the promise of God in Christe Iesus our Lorde And therefore wicked and impious is the doctrine of them firste with seeke any other cause of remission thē onely the blood of our sauiour Iesus Christ Secondly which assigne any other meanes to apply the bloudshedding of Christ vnto vs besides onely faith Thirdly and especially whiche so limit and restraine the eternall priuiledge of the passion of Christ as though it serued but onelye for sinnes done without and before Faith and that the rest after Baptisme committed must be done away by confession pardons and satisfactory deedes 123 Popishe satisfactions are not warranted by Gods woorde THe faithfull are not bounde by the worde of God to do that pēnaunce which the Papistes call satisfaction For there is one eternall satisfactiō viz. a price recōciliation redemption from our sinnes namelye the death of Christ whereby our offēces and punishmenes deserued for the same are clearly forgiuen and wiped a way And this is confirmed both by the Prophetes by the writings of the Euangelists and Apostles Esa 53.5 Ro. 3.24 1. Co. 1.30 Ro. 5.17.18.19 and chiefly by the Apostle Paule in diuers of hys epistles If therefore by our woorkes and pennance which we suffer that is to say if wee attribute to our satisfaction which consisteth in the correction of our body as fasting prayer almes and other like works the remission of our sinnes and the punishment due therefore or if we suppose that by this satisfaction we satisfie and requit al those things for which we wer guilty before God then truly this satisfaction is directly contrary and striueth against the satisfaction of C. Or else must they say that P. in the like case resoned not aright when he said that if righteousnesse be by the Law Gal. 1.21 then C. died in vaine For euen also after the same sort do we also reason saying If we our selus can make satisfaction for our sins what need then had Christ to dy wherefore the true church of God keepeth still that one eternall satisfaction euen the death of Christ herewith do all the faithfull content them selues iudging their works not to be so perfect or worthy that by thē their sins should be forgeuen and that God by them should be satisfied eternall life be purchased 124 Sin doth possesse our whole nature THe infection of sinne is vniuersally dispersed ouer our nature and hath infected euen the thoughtes themselues so greatly that whē the Apostle Paule will set forthe his damnable estate he doth set it foorthe no otherwise but that he did then follow the will counsel of his thoughts We must therefore learned suspect our thoughtes Eph. 2.3 Col. 3.2 if we will bee aduised by the Apostle and not to imagine with the doctors of Roome that our estate is good so long as the will when it shall haue wrestled at length getteth out not hauing wholy yeelded nor flatlye falne downe Thoughtes therefore running this way after any thing of our neighbours in so doing make manifeste declaration of their poyson and corruption which if they haue no resistaunce do carye vs headlong through the brode waye into destruction Rom. 7.7 If by grace they shal be stopped and resisted in that grace God is to be magnified yet we in that our corruption notwithstanding are iustlye to bee blamed and admonished thereby to seeke for more aide in that parte of our thoughtes leaste if that temptation shoulde lye sore vppon vs Sathan shoulde that waye get entrāce into our hartes 125 The Godlye are ioyfull in affliction THe children of God doe reioice in the middest of trouble knowing that it will bring vppon them experience and tryall of Gods goodnesse in the ende Christ is made vnto them redemption from sinne whereas the vngodly howsoeuer in prosperity they fleshly bragge of their hope in GOD yet when affliction commeth 1. Cor. 1.30 they ar without all hart comfort or courage For they knowe not in deede that Christ is made vnto them redemptiō to deliuer them from al that daunger that commeth for sinne aswel as from sinne it selfe This perswasion causeth the godly in all their afflictions and necessities whatsoeuer Iam. 1.3 to staye themselues in godlye conuersation both towards GOD and man with pacience and assured hope of an happy ende Whenas the vngodly either murmure against GOD or else fall into some one euill dealing or other thereby to purchase their deliuerance which is an assured testimony that they doe not looke to haue it from the Lord. 126 Afflictions come by the prouidence of GOD. ALthough God doeth not by and by helpe his children when they are afflicted yet doth hee not forsake them because by his infinite wisedome and mercy he turneth those things to their saluation which seemed discommodities Ro. 8.18 And although the elect reprobate are indifferently subiect to the like euils yet there is great difference because God instructing the faithfull by afflictions doth further them in the marke of their saluation Whatsoeuer thinges happen to the godly they are so tempered from aboue that the which the world thinketh to be hurtfull the issue declareth it to be profitable ther is no cause therefore why it shoulde grieue vs to be afflicted except wee take in ill parte the election of the Lord wherby we are fore ordeyned vnto life and except we be vnwilling to represent in vs the image of the sonne of GOD whereby wee are prepared vnto celestiall glory 127 Afflictions come of Gods determinate purpose WHen God graunteth sathan liberty to afflict the faithful he doeth it not to pleasure him neither is he moued of anye fauour that hee beareth towardes him but because he hath ordeined it in his own purpose He was not moued by his sute nor perswaded by him to afflict and punish Iob but for asmuch as hee was minded of his owne good wil to chastise
his will that men are afflicted with sicknesse with pouertie with hunger and cold with slaunder and reproch and with all the miserie that maye befall in the life of man But because the same Lorde and God whiche as a iust Iudge sendeth all these thinges is also a most tender louing and kinde father vndoubtedly he wil not suffer any thing to happen vnto vs 1. Cor. 10.13 but that which shall be profitable and a furtherance to our saluation Wherefore in all troubles and afflictions seeme they at the first neuer so greeuous and intollerable the godly receaue them and abide in them not only with patience but also with ioy and gladnes For they perswade themselues as trueth is in deede that God chasticeth euery sonne that he loueth and â—â—â—rfoâ— with cheerefulnes they reioyce in their afflictions knowing that tribulation bringeth foorth patience Heb. 12.6 Ro. 5.3 patience experience experience hope and hope confoundeth not nor maketh ashamed This comforte it was that made Iob patiently to abyde the losse of his goods the spoyle of his landes and the miserable destruction of his children The same comforte caused Ioseph patientlye to abide bondage imprisonment slaunder reproche and daunger of his life for he was certainely perswaded that nothing was done without the prouidence of his heauenly Father Ro. 8.28 which caused him to be resolued that it would fall out to the best in the ende 138 The prouidence of God is a great secrete WHen wee come vnto God and talk of his works we ought to consider that they be too high secrets for our weak wit to reach vnto And it behoueth vs to haue the same perswasion aswell of Gods prouidence generally Ps 36.6 as of the thinges that belong to his spirituall kingdome When wee heare that God ordereth all thinges Io. 5.17 Act. 17.28 and that there is not any thing done in this world without his will let vs knowe that it is a secret which we ought to marke well For although euery man graunt that God is soueraigne Lord gouernor yet notwithstanding when wee come to this point that the thinges which we see to be so troblesome and out of order cease not to bee guided by the secret prouidence of god who holdeth the sterne aboue turneth thinges to such end as he thinketh good we must reuerently consider that wee be not able to mount vp to so high a secret and therfore honor God in the things we know not vntil he reueale vs the things that as yet are hidden from vs. 139 Gods prouidence is ouer all WE might learne in al that we see to confesse the greatnes of the Lord. Why doth not the strength of his workes make vs to confesse his power and all the delight wee haue in them why doth it not make vs acknowledge all his goodnesse to the children of men The Prophet Dauid saith Ps 8.3.4 wheÌ„ I behold the heauens which are the workes of thy hands the Moone and the starres which thou hast ordeyned What is man saye I that thou art mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him Our sauiour Christ declareth Ma. 6.26.28 that when we see howe God feedeth the sparrowes and clotheth the Lillies We are a faithlesse people except wee see hys prouidence ouer vs to feede vs and to clothe vs in all our necessities And sure the truth is except wee see with such eyes the creatures of GOD wee are become creatures degenerat from that image wherein wee were firste formed If we see nothing in the heuens but that they are lighte and aboue our reach the Horse and Mule see this aswell as wee If wee see nothing in the earth but a place to walke in or to take our rest vppon it the beasts and foules se this aswell as wee If in our apparell wee see nothing but pride of a goodly colour If in our meate and drinke wee knowe nothing but the pleasure and sweetnesse of the taste If hearing seing smelling tasting and such like be all the delight we can finde in the workes of God wee haue geuen our preheminence to the domme creaturs which haue these sences more exquisit then wee and wee haue turned the hartes of men into the harts of beasts who with wisedome vnderstanding knowledge reason and prudence can do nothing And the words of the Pr. are fulfilled in vs Ps 49.20 Man when he was in honor had no vnderstanding hee was compared to the bruite beastes and was made lyke vnto them 140 The prouidence of God IN sixe dayes the creation of the world was finished but the gouernement thereof is perpetuall and God doth continually work in preseruing and mantayning the order thereof Act. 17.28 Ps 104.29 Io. 5.17 euen as the Apostle teacheth saying In him we liue moue and haue our beeing Therefore when wee see the Sunne rising the course of the Moone and of the starres the force of nature in seedes and the encrease of our bodies and of the bodies of bruit beasts Wee muste then consider the prouidence of God and the continual working of the Father and of the sonne Neither doth hee by his generall prouidence onely defend the nature which he hath created but doth order and frame euery parte thereof Pro. 30.5 But especiallye hee defendeth and preserueth the faithfull whome hee hath taken into his protection 141 Nothing commeth by fortune but by Gods prouidence AS God of his vnestimable goodnesse made the worlde and all that therein is for the benefitte and commodity of man that he might vse al the inferiour creatures to Gods glory so doth the same Lord and maker by his almightye power and infinite wisedome continuethe same My father stil worketh saith our sauiour Christ Ioh. 1.17 Ps 104.29 and I worke when thou hidest away thy face saith that P. they ar trobled when thou takest away their breathe they die and are turned to their dust When thou lettest thy breath go forth they shal be made thou shalt renue the face of the earth That which wee call and esteeme nature is nothing but the very finger of God working in his creatures Ps 104.29 much more the alteration of naturall courses and thinges done extraordinarilye wherefore wheÌ„ rayne falleth excessiuelie to hurte the earth Gen. 7. or hinder mankinde as it did in the time of Noah or when the cloudes be cleane dried vp that there is no raine at all as it fell out in the tyme of Achab 1. King 17 It is moste euident to bee the worke of GOD according to his iustice punishing the breaking of hys Law and vnthankfulnesse of his people In like manner I might speak of the Earth and water the Sunne and Moone with the residue of the starres in all and euery of which as it is the finger of GOD that keepeth them in their naturall order so is it his power that doth alter and change them and for
causes to his wisdome knowne bringeth out such effectes as be sometimes rather hurtful then beneficiall vnto men Therefore when we see infections sicknesses or such like wee must looke further then into the course of nature and vnderstand that there is a GOD and an ouerruler of nature that doth these thinges This is not true only in those things that appertaine to nature but in those also that are done by the will of man or as we saye prophanelie by fortune or chaunce where as in deede to speake truelye there is neither fortune nor chaunce Ma. 10.26 That which we call fortune is nothing but the hand of God working by causes and for causes which we know not Chaunce and fortune are Gods deuised by man and made by our ignorance of the true almightie and euerlasting GOD. 42 God by his prouidence preserueth all THose things which GOD made by his worde he gouerneth and preserueth with his euerlasting prouidence as testifieth our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles in diuers places of the holy Scriptures For in the hee is said to reste the 7. day from all his workes it is no otherwise to bee vnderstood then that hee ceased from the creation of the heauen the earth Gen. 2.2 which we see not that he left of to gouerne the same and to preserue it For he beareth vp all thinges as the Ap. saith by his mighty word Heb. 1.3 The which thing ought to bring no small consolation to the mindes of the godly for so they learne to rest and stay themselus on Gods prouidence without the which not so much as one hair of their head Luk. 21.18 can perish For hee which feeleth by Faith that al thinges depend vpon God he beleueth also that he falleth into the handes of God when he forsaketh all thinges and entreth into death 143 The right considering of Gods prouidence WHen God vseth worldly meanes and serueth his turne by men as by instruments hee doeth it not to lessen or to diminishe his owne authoritie but contrariwise to shewe that he hath the guiding of them and that if he do but command or hisse as he saith by his Prophet Esa 5.26 7.18 men muste neede go forward to execut his will yea and the very Deuils of hel are cōpelled vnto it And although they be vnwilling that it is vtterly against their intent yet notwithstanding God driueth them by violent power to execute the things that he hath ordeyned in his prouidence And so wee see now after what sorte we must consider Gods prouidence namely that he hath a care of the whole world Io. 5.17 Ps 104.29 and watcheth ouer all his creatures not onely to forsee what may happen as some fantasticall personns imagine that God beholdeth the thinges as it were a far of which are heere beneath and then prouideth for them afterward but also which is more that nothing may be done which he hath not determined so as his will is the rule of all things And therefore it behoueth vs to minde well the prouidence of God to the entent that when any aduersity commeth vppon vs we may alwayes haue respect vnto the first cause 144 Nothing commeth but by Gods Prouidence GOD hath not created the world to leaue thinges in such sort that Fortune as men term it might gouerne all but hee intendeth to the maintayning of his creatures as hee doth Therefore when wee call GOD the maker of heauen and earth Ps 33.6 Wee must not restraine it to one instant but wee muste beare in minde that like as GOD hath framed the world so all power is still in him and hee disposeth thinges heere beneath so as he hath a care of vs Ma. 10.30 and the haires of our head are numbred yea and hee guideth our footesteppes so as nothing commeth to passe which is not foreappointed by his prouidence Besides him there is none sette ouer the Worlde nor none sette ouer the earthe Iob. 34.13 whiche beetokeneth that his creating of the worlde and his gouerning of it are thinges that goe ioyntlye together If we imagine that GOD gouerneth not all things but that some thinges happen by chaunce or fortune 1. Tim. 1.17 wee doe great iniurie vnto God to whom alone all praise and honor is due It is moreouer a cursed blasphemie if wee should thinke that the deuil coulde do any thing without the licence of god for it is asmuch as if we should make the deuil a parti-creator of the world Let vs learne therefore that there is an inseparable band betwene these two thinges namely that God createth all thinges and that he gouerneth all thinges 145 The prouidence of God is not onely generall OVr Sauiour Christ extendeth the carefull prouidence of God to Sparrowes and to the haires of our head to the ende no mā shoulde thinke or imagine that it is onely a generall prouidence as many do in these dayes which as they dare not deny that the world is gouerned by the wisedome and power of God so they thinke it an absurde thing to teach that God is occupied about all particular creatures especially then of the meanest sort And therefore they expound these wordes of Christ and other such like sentences of scripture to be spoken by Hiperbole that is a manner of figuratiue speech passing all truth thereby to signifye meane truth But I would learne of such men what it is that sauing the nature of his godhead may in this respect bee spoken of him more then trueth Ge. 17.1 1. Sam. 2.3 seeing he is almightie of infinite knowledge and is present in all places So much as they shall exempt from Gods disposition in hys creatures so much shal they with dishonor of God pull from his almighty power and infinite wisedome We may not thinke it is any disgracing◠of the maiestie of God to drawe the same his prouidence to the preseruation direction euen of his meanest creatures for he worketh not as men do with labour and griefe or torment of minde his very will is inough is do or alter all things as hee seemeth best And this is the greatest proofe of his exceeding maiestie that he seeth all things that he disposeth and worketh al thinges that he directeth all his creatures to that ende for which in the beginning he made them and yet is the Lord alway righteous and his iudgements true 146 The faithful are surely setled in gods prouidence THe godly when the heate of persecution riseth to th' end that they may not forsake their Lord and captaine First they perswade thēselues as truth is indeed that affliction cōmeth not to them by chaunce or fortune or by the malice of mē but by the certaine knowledge prouidence of that god which is by Christ their heauenly merciful father who neither cā do it for any euil vnto thē nor suffer thē to be further tempted then by his grace they shall bee able to
the flocke of the lord to feed it to preserue it in health and to keepe it from diseases and hurt the which is done by doctrine exhortations reprehension rebuking comfort prayers administration of the sacraments and by the example of a godly and vncorrupt life as may bee proued and knowne many waies by the writings and examples of the Apostles Furthermore it is necessarye of all Christians to be knowne howe they ought to behaue themselus towardes the ministers Io 21.15.16.17 2. Tim. 4 2. Tit. 2.7 and what they ought to thinke of them Chieflye therefore in their function or calling not their persons but Christ that worketh by them is to bee considered Wherefore we must receaue their doctrine when they preach the word of God purely euen as the doctrine of Christ For Christ saith in expresse words in the Gospell he that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth mee Lu. 10.16 Wee muste not looke that Christ should come downe from heauen againe and speake vnto vs seeing he dayly speaketh in his church by his ministers which preach the word of Christ Also the ministers for their parts must behaue themselus honestly well and Christianlike in doctrine life and conuersation They must not seeke their owne honor or gaine but the honor of Christe and profit of his Church They must not thinke that they cannot erre but must suffer themselues to be admonished 1. Pet 5.2 being neither stuborn rash nor proud They must not attribute or geue too muche vnto themselues 2. Tim 2.24 but muste bee lowlye gentle sage paineful and faithfull 204 The true duty of the ministers of the gospell THe true ministers of the gospel must not only haue a sweet and amiable voyce to drawe those to the flocke which yealde themselues teachable and suffer themselues to be taught but they must also disclose and driue away the Wolues and the theues they must haue a loude voyce to cry out against all them that scatter the flocke This is the thing whereunto Gods seruaunts muste imploye themselues if they purpose to execute their dutie Tit. 1.9 They must not onely bee instructed to teache other but bee strong and constant to make it good and to fight when question shal bee to maintaine the doctrine of truth that it may remaine safe and sounde Eze. 3.17 The Prophet Ezechiell compareth them to such as kepe watch in a watch tower and surely it is a charge yea and that a verye mightye and heauye charge while other men sleepe to watch and haue a care of al the flock The name and title also which the holy Ghost attributeth vnto the ministers sheweth plainelye what it is Ma. 5.13 Ez. 34.2 1 Co. 4.1 that GOD calleth them vnto and what they ow to his Church that mē may not think they shal be accounted faithful in the meane while geue themselus to rest and sleepe and to follow the pleasures and lusts of the flesh For God doeth not choose them whom he placeth Shepheards in his Church for any outward shew but he bindeth them to his people for otherwise we cannot serue God but by imploying our selues to serue his whole flock and the greatest honor that the ministers of his worde can haue is to be diligent in seruing all the faithfull 205 The calling of the Ministery THe calling of the ministery and preaching of the gospell is no deuise of any mortall man but the ordinaunce of the liuing God It was hee that ordeyned Moyses and the Prophets 2. Pet. 1 21. The prophecy saith Peter came not in the olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Mar. 3.13 The Lorde Iesus himselfe called appointed and sent forth into the world his apostles to preache the gospell It is the holye Ghoste which ordeyneth faithfull ouerseers to feede the Church of God Act. 20 28. It is Christ also at this day which appointeth Pastors and teachers for the gathering together of his sainctes The firste preacher that euer was vppon the earth was GOD himselfe Eph. 4.11 he preached to Adam in Paradise that comfortable Gospell Gen. 3.16 the seede of the woman shall breake the serpents heade After that hee stirred vp Noah and Lot Moses and the Prophets what shal be said of Dauid and Solomon of the which the one was a moste victorious prince 1. Kin 3. and the other moste welthye and yet haue they gotten more glory and credite by their doctrines and instructions then by all their riches and triumphes The first minister and preacher of the newe testament was Iohn the Baptist Of whom Christ our Sauiour sayeth There was not a greater Prophete Ma. 11.11 Mar. 2.2 among womens children Christe himselfe also was a preacher of the Gospell and witnesseth that he came into the worlde to that purpose Mar. i6 i6 After him the Apostles also were sent into the worlde to the same end Seing then that God himself and his sonne Iesus Christ haue vouchsafed to preach the worde seeing so famous men as the Prophets and Apostles were ordeyned to this purpose it must needes followe that the office of preaching is most famous worthye and excellent 206 With what doctrine ministers muste be furnished IF So bee that the Ministers of Christs Gospel wil do their duties as they ought to doe in the erecting and in the enlarging of Christs kingdome by pure preaching of the worde they must not then stande vppon trifles 1. Tim. 1.4 2. Tim. 2.23 vpon curious and vnprofitable questions but they must labour to edifie in all godlinesse This grace of GOD which was shewed at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ is dayly to be published and preached of them Tit. 2.11 For surely it is a wonderfull secreat that GOD shoulde bee manifested in the fleshe and that therewithall hee should shew vs his heauenly glory to the end that wee might bee vnited thereunto and therfore if all the Ministers and Preachers of Gods worde 1. Tim. 3.16 shoulde neuer cease from shewing foorthe the wisedome which GOD hath vttered in the person of his onely sonne the tyme assuredly shoulde not bee spent in vaine Furthermore whosoeuer will preach the gospell faithfully and profitablye hee muste firste of all and chieflye vrge the doctrine of repentaunce To repentance must be ioyned the doctrine of remission of sinnes Ma. 11.28 which belongeth only to them that repent that are humbled and cast downe that feele in their conscience the torment of sinne and condemnation it doth not appertaine to ignorant and senselesse men to hypocrites infidels athistes iusticiaries prophane and carnall men Mat. 9.13 for these haue nothing to do with the doctrine of remission of sinnes 207 Diuersitie in giftes among the ministers NEcessarie it is that euerie minister preach but yet all such shall not be condemned which haue not such like and so full