yet there is as much life in the weake Flesh as in them The weakest Ioynt of the body so it be liuing is as liuing as the rest So this is the ordinaunce of Diuine prouidence in the body of the Church that euery one of the Elect the members thereof should haue so much Fayth measured out vnto them as might suffice to their saluation As hee that gathered much Manna had not the more and as hee that gathered lesse had not lesse but had enough as well as the other so it is with Fayth the food of the Soule hee that hath the least hath enough to saue his Soule in the day of the Lord as well as hee that hath the greatest measure thereof Thus Fayth is the Seale of our Predestination vnto life in asmuch as none are capable thereof but the sealed sort wherefore it is stiled T it 1.1 The Fayth of the elect Wherefore Luke speaking of the Gentiles who had been Paules auditors Act. 13.48 sayth As many as were ordayned vnto life beleeued In this respect Paul entituleth Fayth 1. Cor. 2.14 The earnest of our adoption and inheritaunce Men simply naturall perceiue not the thinges that are of God and so can not spanne or comprehend the Fayth To this Cum alibi rum in libro de bono perseuerāt giue all the Fathers consent that Fayth is the effect of Predestination So Augustine auoweth against the Pelagians in sundrie places Now whereas others are sayd to beleeue as the Deuils They beleeue and tremble as the temporizers of these dayes it is so abusiuely and improperly sayd of them It is as Augustine sayth Alij cogitant pij credunt The Godly beleeue others doe but thinke The Fayth is not in them but a kinde of Fancie onely This Fayth is a harder matter then the Schoole of Rome conceiueth who recke no more of it then of an ordinarie gift of God of a certaine light of the minde by which one assenteth to the word of God Canis op ca. pa. Rhem. test in 2. Cor. 15.5 as Canisius hath excogitated then of an actiō of the vnderstanding as the Rhemistes would haue it to be onely occupied in generalities and neuer to descende to application in particular Heb. 6.5 Luk. 8.13 Iam. 2.19 as Andradius dreameth For such a Fayth the verie Reprobates may be owners of for their mindes may be illuminated in the knowledge of the trueth and they may bee throughly perswaded of it And therefore they haue this action of vnderstanding And this is the generall Fayth that taketh vp thinges in grosse which the Deuilles themselues haue Wee teach and prooue that Fayth consisteth in a facultie of apprehending and applying Christ that to Beleeue Apprehend and to Receiue Christ are all one Thus Saint John compoundeth and confoundeth them Iohn 1.12 where he sayth As many as receiued him to them he gaue power to be the Sounes of God euen to them that beleeue in his Name Thus is Faith an application of Christ in speciall to it selfe as a poore man when an almes is giuen him he doth put foorth his hand and draw it in againe vnto himselfe and maketh the almes his owne Gal. 3.27 This is the reason of the Metaphor of Putting on of Christ taken vp by the Apostle where hee entreateth of the nature of Fayth But Christ is onely Put on by way of application in particular of his righteousnesse laide to our heartes as the Garment is applyed vnto the backe when it is put vpon it Hitherto hath reference the manducation and potation of Christ which is by Fayth Ioh. 6.35 Now the meate and drinke that wee take downe to doe vs good must be tasted minced by the Teeth conueyed into the Stomacke digested and after all these be particularly applyed to their seuerall partes that are to be nourished by them Hence it is that Saint Paul prayeth for the Ephesians Ephes 3.17 That Christ may dwell in their heartes by fayth Which can not be without the apprehension of him He therefore may properly be sayd to beleeue that can distinctly and truely say of himselfe that he is throughly perswaded in his conscience that he is reconciled vnto God for all his sinnes and is accepted vnto eternall life in him Thus Paul teacheth both by practise and precept as where hauing first set downe the generall Proposition Gal. 2.16 A man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by Faith in Christ Iesu Hee immediatly inferreth the Application of it to himfelfe in particular Wee haue beleeued in Iesu Christ that wee might be iustified by the Fayth of Christ And beneath in the 20. verse more specially he maketh vse thereof thus vnto himselfe I liue by faith in the Sonne of God who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for mee Ney ther doth Paule take this as his prerogatiue or peculiar aboue others but only setteth out himselfe for an example vnto vs that wee should so instruct and comfort our selues Wherefore else where he sayeth 1. Tim. 1.16 For this cause was J receiued vnto mercie that Iesus Christ should first shew on mee all long suffring vnto the ensample of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eternall life And how this is incident to all beleeuers in an other place he telleth vs where hauing thus said cōcerning himselfe I Iudge all thinges but doung Psal 3.8 that I might win Christ and might be found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnes which is of God through faith He teacheth vs that this is direction for vs Vers 15. and the inherent condition of Fayth Let as many as be perfect be thus minded Thus Fayth liueih not in suspense betwixt Hope and Feare as the Crow that flyeth betweene Heauen and Earth but nestleth herselfe in the Woundes of Christ as Doues in the cliftes and holes of Rockes By this Wee stand sayth Saint Paul nay 2. Cor. 1. by this Wee liue sayth the Prophet Abacuc Abac. 2. Fayth is the Spirit and Soule of the Newman Wee haue the name that we liue but indeed we are dead towardes God if wee beleeue not If Peraduenture are not wordes that proceed from the mouth of Fayth but it is the pronuntiation of Babylon Ierom. 51.8 as it is thus written Bring Balme for her Sore Jf she may he healed Peraduenture is a Plaister to be set on the Sore and side of Simon Magus whom Simon Peter summoning to repentance Act. 8.22 saith Pray to God that if it be possible the thoughtes of thine heart may be forgiuen thee Wherefore make wee not our case like the case of the Elephant who lyeth downe and cannot rise againe Let vs not so farre bend the Bowe as to breake it But in the cause of Faith let vs take vp Peters Text Maister it is good for
his treble apostasie which hereby appeareth in that amidest all those stormes of temptations they held fast the Fayth the Ancre of the Soule and called vpon the Lord. Heere I would haue done with this Foundation and haue buckled my selfe to the rest of the Building but that there are obiections of Scriptures against vs that are needfull to bee answeared 1. As this from Ezechiel Ezech. 18.14 Jf the righteous turne away from his righteousnesse and commiteth iniquitie Jn the sinnes that he hath sinned in them he shall die This supposall If is true but where is it simply sayd without an If that the Righteous shall make this reuolt from his righteousnesse If is often in Scripture language as to say Not at all As where it is sayd If a man shall keepe the Law hee shall liue in his owne righteousnesse where this If is as much as that which is impossible Suppositions doe not set downe any thing if they doe an other thing is aymed at then is there supposed God is at such deadly fewde with sinne as who so shall cherrish it in his breast shall feele his vengeance follow him at the backe wherefore it behooueth vs to continue in well doing that beginning in the Spirit wee end not in the Flesh If we doe as we haue sowen we shall reape Wee haue sowen Sinne wee shall reape Iustice 2. Rom. 11.20 An other is from that counsaile of Saint Paul Thou standest by faith be not high minded but feare Wee answere there arrogancie supine securitie is inhibited and an holy feare and reuerence enioyned vs. Those that are of the Foundation can not be of this high minde and presumption as to shake off all feare and to become altogether carelesse for so might the very Elect be reiected to whom this Cautat is directed 3. An other is from this warning of the same Apostle 1. Thes 5.19 Quench not the Spirit I answere that we find not the affirmatiue part that the Spirit is quenched I yeelde that 1. Gods graces may minish in a man To which purpose Ephes 4.30 these dictates and directions are deliuered vs Quench not the Spirit Grieue not the Spirit of God by which ye are sealed to the day of redemption 2. That the graces of God may be buried in a man yea for a time seeme dead like a man in a traunce as Eutychus was when hee fell from the third loft Yet we may say of him Act. 20.9 as Paul did of Eutychus Trouble not your selues for his life is in him Whom we likewise hearten with this text out of Jsaiah Isai 65.8 The wine is found in the cluster and one saieth destroy it not for a blessing is in it As also with this comparison of the same Prophet Isai 6.13 There is substance in the Elme or in the Oake when they cast their leaues In which plight stood Dauid in his adultrie Peter in his apostasie Salomon in his Idolatrie 3 That a man after repentance may haue often relapse yet shall rise againe as Abraham when hee twice lyed as Ioseph when he twice prophanely sweared as Dauid that fell often into adulteries beside other iniquities If Man that hath not a Mite of mercie respected with God must seauentie times seauen forgiue his brother euery day that trespasseth against him how may we faddome comprehend Gods mercies in what boundes may we containe them 4 That a man may sinne presumptuously which is heynous and horrible against which Dauid thus poureth foorth his spirit like water before the Lord Psal 19.13 Keepe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes least they get the dominion ouer mee so shall I be vndefiled and innocent from the great offence 5 Finally Psal 77.7 that a man may despaire of Gods mercie as Dauid did where he playneth it thus Js his Mercie cleane gone for euer and is his Promise come vtterly to an end for euermore And J sayd this is my death Iob. 6.2.3.6 As Job did where he thus bewrayeth it Oh that my griefe were well weighed and my miseries were layde togeather in the ballance For it would be now heauier then the Sand of the Sea therefore my wordes are swallowed vp For the Arrowes of the Almightie are in mee the venome there of did drinke vp my spirit And he further complaineth that God is turned enimie and writeth bitter thinges against him and setteth him vp for a Butte to shoote at As the incestuous Corinthian almost did for he was drouping and stooping that way 2 Cor. 2.7 but that Paul watched him and charged the Corinthians concerning him Comfort him least he be swallowed vp with ouermuch heauinesse As Luther did for three yeares togeather after his conuersion by his owne confession And as some among vs haue done a longer time Yea Despaire may sucke and soake the body as much as any Sicknesse But the Spirit can not quite be extinct in the Elect their Despaire shall be neither Totall nor Finall not Totall because this Despaire shall not be from the whole heart For Fayth in that exigent shall couet against Despaire Not Finall because hee shall recouer himselfe before the end of his life In the meane while it shal be our partes to cherish the sparkes of the Spirit in our heartes and eschew such meanes as are the quenchment thereof But they reason but absurdly who out of the endeauour that must be ours of preseruing of the Spirit would conclude the danger wee are in of quite quenching it For the meaning of the Apostle in that place is onely this That wee be not too indulgent to the Flesh in the fight against the Spirit 3 An other obiection is from the sixt to the Hebrewes Heb. 6.4 5 6. Jt is impossible that they which were once lightned and haue tasted of the Heauenly guiftes c. If they fall away should be renued againe by repentance whereunto wee put in this our double answere 1. First that there it is not saide that such at any time fall away 2. Secondly that many Reprobates haue this illumination but without sanctification yet with some cheere and chaunge of affections such as was in Saule Iudas Simon Magus and in those of the Parable who receiued the seede of the worde with ioy but suffred it not to roote and that such fall for a full due it is both certaine and necessarie But this is nothing to the Elect who after all their fallinges haue againe their happie risings Their faith being seconded with a Corroborating and strengthning grace of perseuerance to the end And this is that grace that Paul wished the Ephesians Ephes 3.16 That they may be strengthned by his spirit in the inner-man Colos 1.11 And to the Colosians that they may be strengthned with all might through his glorious power The grace which he felt in himselfe where he sayeth J am able to doe all things Phil. 4.13 through the helpe of Christ that
strengthneth me The grace that God giueth all such as feare him according to that the royall Prophet sayeth He shall make them strong Psal 103.5 and lusty like an Eagle This grace is ours in a double respect 1. Of the promise of God in Jeremie J will put my feare in their heartes that they shall neuer depart from mee Luk. 22.32 2. Of the Prayer of Christ J haue prayed for thee that thy sayth should not fuile thee Hetherto maketh this sweete speech of Augustine De corrept et gratia cap. 2. Ipse cos facit in bono perseuerare quj facit bonos He that maketh men good maketh men to continue good and hee alloweth not that loue that may be lost wherfore hee sayeth Charitas quae deserj potest nunquam vera fuit That Charitie that may be casseered is but counterfaite 4 An other Obiection is from the examples of such as haue departed from the Fayth Ephes 1.4 1. Thes 1.4 1. Pet. 1.1 as the Ephesians Thessalonians and dispearsed Iewes styled in holy Writinges The elect and chosen whereas many of them did afterward forsake their first Loue and gaue vp their Fayth as it were in the plaine field Heereto we answere that there are two sortes of Iudgementes touching mans estate this way 1. The one is called Iudicium Certuudinis the Iudgement of Certaintie by which an vndoubted doome may be deliuered of any mans Election But that is Gods royaltie peculiar to himselfe sette downe in his sacred and secret booke of counsailes man is not to meddle with it no further then God hath reuealed to one man an othermans estate 2. The other is termed Judicium Charitatis The Iudgement of Charitie whereby wee proceede by the Lawe of Loue esteeming of such as liue in the Church and outwardly beare loue to the word of truth to be in the Calender of the Chosen vntill wee haue a better Schoolemaister then Nature to informe vs the contrarie Now in respect these Ephesians Thessalonians and Iewes did beare these outward markes the Apostle maketh the best construction of their doinges as Charitie would haue him 2. Againe they may be deemed to be thus denominated a maiorj parte of the greatest part according to the common course of speach wherby we call it an Heape of Corne which standeth most vpon the Corne though much confounded with colder and with chaffe 5 An other Obiection Reuel 3.11 is this admonition Saint John giueth Hold that which thou hast that no man take thy Crowne whereby is meant as some would haue it The Crowne of heauenly glory Whereto they inferre this Prouiso of the Apostle 1. Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed least he fall We answere that the Crowne there mentioned is the Crowne of the Ministrie which without losse to our election may be lost and can not be rightly taken for the Crowne of heauenly glorie And what if it could we should graunt so much there would be nothing gotten by it For it is to be conceiued that one of these two wayes it is to be lost 1. Either in respect of our selues 2. Or of God 1. In respect of our selues wee easily yeelde it that wee may soone loose this Crowne from our heads For we are fickle and feeble nothing else but a compound of corruption Now Death and not the Diademe of Glorie is the debt that is due to Sinne. 2. But in respect of God who hath chosen vs and of Christ in whom wee are chosen this Crowne can neuer be taken away from vs in asmuch as the giftes and vocation of God Rom. 11.29 are without reuersion Wherefore in both these respectes wee haue warning in the Scriptures to looke to our standing and to tread sure least wee fall And are taught herewithall that the Elect stand sure in the Sanctuarie of the Lord they are vnder the safe protection of Christ and so can not perish 6 The last Obiection I will deale with is from such places of Scripture as speake of Blotting out of the Booke of life As that peece of Imprecation of Dauids against his Enimies Psal 69.29 Let them be wiped out of the Booke of the Liuing and not be written among the Righteous As that asseueration of the Spirit in the Apocalips Reuel 3.5 He that ouercommeth I will not put out his name out of the Booke of Life Exod. 32.32 Rom. 9.3 As those passionate wishes of Moses Paul to be put out of the writinges of the house of Israel for the saluation of the people of God committed to their charge All which places conclude nothing lesse then that they make shew of at the first sight being not throughly vnderstood Dauids enemies had neuer any name in Gods booke but only in the courtious opinion of the Church And therefore it can not properly be sayd of them that they were spunged out But in Scripture phrase they are taken so to be when their hypocrisie is discouered and they are manifested what they are So Augustine expoundeth those wordes of the Psalme Let them be wiped out of the Booke of the Liuing that is Scriptjnon esse cognoscantur tam ab ipsis quam ab alijs Let it appeare both to themselues and others that they are not written downe They seeme to be written sayth the same Father Secundum praesentem Iustitiam et temporariam fidem as they carry credite in the World for their good carriage of themselues in their outward actions and for their temporarie profession Concerning Moses his wish some thereby would meane the Booke of this present life as if Moses should desire to dye for his People As if he should haue saide Eyther saue them or slay mee But this meaning is too light to suite with the grauitie of this his petition For many Captaines and Valiaunts haue been founde that haue been prodigall of their owne for the safeguard of their Souldiers liues And it is the commaundement the Godly stande charged with to giue their liues for their Brethren Wherein Moses had had his matches euen among the Heathens such as were Philenj that were brethren Decius Curtius Theseus and such like that made no spare of the effusion of their blood for the benefite of their Countrie Wherefore some giue these wordes to the Booke of the Couenant as if he should haue sayd Blot my Name out of thy Church-booke and let it no more be in the number of those to whom thou hast made thy Promises of eternall life Not that Moses desired directly to be damned for the peoples deliueraunce but onely to be excommunicate from the Church that is heere on earth which is somewhat more then to die But some of better iudgement then the the former are of the minde that Moses looked higher then so namely to the Booke of eternall life as if he should thus say Rather then thy whole people should perish let my name no more stand in thy Predestinatiō-booke
beleeueth in him is not ashamed but euery one that sinneth is ashamed therefore hee that falleth into the shame of sinne seemeth as yet not to beleeue Cyprian Cyprian singeth the same song where he saith Quomodo dixit se credere in Christum qui non facit quod Christus facere praecepit How doth hee say that hee beleeueth in Christ who doth not that which Christ hath commaunded him Ambrose is as peremptorie in the Point Amb. lib. 6. Epist 36. where he saith Vbi quis caeperit luxuriart incipit deuiare a vera fide Hee that swaggereth swarueth from the Fayth Aug. in Ioh. serm 61. Augustine hereunto performeth testimonie in sundry places as where hee sayth Qui fidem habet sine spe et dilectione Christum esse credit non in Christum credit Whosoeuer hath Fayth without Hope and Loue beleueth that Christ is but hee beleeueth not in Christ Aug. de fide et operib c. 23. Againe where he sayth Insoperabilis est bona vita a fide quae per dilectionem operatur immo ueró ipsa est bona vita Good life is not to be seuered from Fayth which worketh by Loue yea Fayth is of it selfe good life Wherefore the 12. Article of the Christian confession of the Church of England is most sound which professeth in this wise Good workes are the fruites of Iustifying fayth and doe necessarily spring and grow from thence Wherefore Fayth beeing the badge of the Elect and Workes inseparably being the effectes thereof the sequell must needes bee that Good workes must be also the Liuerie of the Elect whereby they may be knowne Which stoppeth the mouth of our carnall Epicures who vpon the foundation of Gods immutable decree of our election would lay the structure and composition of a dissolute conuersation while they reason thus Wee may liue as wee list because if wee be predestinated vnto life wee can not be lost But such are to know that the End and the Meanes that make to the end must needes goe togeather Fayth and Good Workes inseparably accompanie the worke of our Election God glorifieth not the Elect before hee hath Called and Iustified them yea before they Beleeue and declare by their Workes that they doe beleeue Ephes 2.10 Hence is it that the Apostle sayth Wee are created in Christ Iesu vnto good Workes which God hath ordained that wee should walke in them Ephes 1.4 And hereto serue these inferences of Saint Paul of Loue vnfaigned 1. Tim. 1.19 vnto whic h we are chosen and of a good Conscience which as an impartible companion is of the Fayth of the Elect. This endeauour to performe Good works is to all the Elect necessarie 2. Pet. 1.10 as Peter teacheth where he willeth vs that wee make sure our Election and Vocation by good workes as many Copies haue it not to God our vocation being certaine vnto him before the Worldes creation but to our selues to our neighboures This is one of the chiefest vses we make of Good workes that by them not as causes but effectes of our Election and Fayth wee our selues and our brethren are assured and secured of our saluation Where the mouthes of the Pelagians are stopped who make the foresight of our Fayth and Workes in God the cause of our Saluation when as of the quite contrary-side God hath predestinated vs to Fayth and Good workes because he hath chosen vs to eternall life 1. Cor. 7.25 Wherefore Paul speaketh cautelously where he sayth Jobtained mercy of the Lord to be faythfull he saith not Because I was to be faithfull As where he speaketh in the same manner thus That we should be vnblamable not because we were to bee such As againe where hee sayth Ephes 1.4 Wee are created in Christ Iesu vinto Good workes which God hath ordained that wee should walke in them not because wee did them As finally where he saith Tit. 2.11 The Grace of God hath appeared that wee should liue soberly righteously godly not because wee were so to doe It can not be rightly said that God first foreseeth that men are to beleeue and afterward predestinateth them to beleeue Because whom hee foreknew should beleeue therefore hee foreknew it Contra. Tryphon because hee decreed it Wherefore Iustine Martyr calleth them The Elect who are foreknowne that they should beleeue wherefore such as by Gods grace are delighted in Good workes in them there is a certaine signe and seale that they beleeue in Christ and so that they are elected in Christ vnto eternall life Fayth is of the nature of a Tree in operation which naturally of it selfe bringeth foorth fruites so that there is no need that the Tree be commaunded to yeeld her encrease So the faythfull man without coaction disposeth himselfe to be fruitfull in Good workes the Law of God being grafted in his heart so that his delight is dayly in the same So that of his owne accord he doth Good workes as of him selfe hee cateth hee drinketh seeth heareth and performeth such faculties as are incident to Nature As hee that is thirstie doth but stay vntill drinke come and as hee that is hungrie expecteth his meate and then willingly and naturally hee taketh them both So the Faythfull man hungrie and thirstie of Righteousnesse taketh the aduantage of all occasions to doe the Workes thereof Although Fayth alone iustifieth and knitteth the Marriage knotte betweene the Soule Christ and is properly the Wedding garment and the signe Tau which must Protect vs from the power of the euill Angels yet Fayth is neuer seuered from Charitie Wherefore the Faythfull are resembled to Orchardes Vines and Trees that bring foorth Fruite in season The Church by Isaiah is resembled to a Vine Isai 5.7 furnished with a Wine-presse and Towre for the purpose wherefore Christ sayth Ioh. 15.1 I am the Vine and my Father is the Husbandman euery Branch that beareth not fruite in mee hee taketh away and euery one that beareth fruite he purgeth it that it may bring foorth more fruite Wherefore God is sayd to haue come downe to the Garden of Nuttes Cant. 6.10 to see the fruites of the Valley to see if the Vine budded and the Pomegranats flourished Moreouer we are to Bring foorth Fruites in patience For God Luk. 8.15 the Lord of the Vineyard commeth to his Vine with a pruning Knife in his hand to toppe and cutte off the luxurious Branches that we might bring foorth more Fruite and be in better liking Christians are Trees of righteousnesse Ezech. 47.4.12 grewing by the Riuers of the Sanctuarie But not such Trees as ours are for they take roote vpwarde in Heauen in Christ and their branches grow downeward and fructifie among men Wherefore theoricall Religion is not enough It serueth not our turnes to beare the name of Christians if wee liue not as Christians True Pietie challengeth a departure frō Iniquitie Jacobs smooth Voyce and Esaus rough
of the world being considered in his workes to the intent that they should be without excuse Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neyther were thankfull Now God can not otherwise be glorified but by our cōformitie to the Law by our departure frō iniquitie by our duties of pietie and integritie No other end hee proposeth to himselfe in his afflicted punishments that so they might consider his anger towards sinne to be shie thereof and shunne it He hath determined the Diuels and the Reprobates to damnation to no other ende then to warne the Elect not to sinne and if they sin to saue themselues by repentance and by perfourmance of future obedience The patience of God is to the same purpose His sufferance Rom. 2.4 is only a summons to our conuersion to which end saith the Apostle Despicest thou the riches of his bountifulnes and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance The common and ordinarie benefites of God redound vnto the wicked The Cloudes droppe downe Fatnesse vppon their Cloddes they haue the gracious dew of his blessing though none of his inheritance That his practise might be president and Patterne to vs of pietie and perfection as he intimateth in the conclusion thereof in this sentence of monition Bee yee also perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect 2 All the Workes of our Redemption are of reference vnto this Our departure from Iniquitie For all the Promises of the Gospell in Christ are to dispell Despaire that we should not as absorpt of Desperation plunge our selues through our sinnes into the pitte of Perdition but contrariwise vnder hope of Grace should repent vs of our Trespasses and depart from our Iniquities Christ the Argument of the Gospell conformed himselfe to the rites of the Law could defie euery aduersarie that could accuse him of Sinne was obedient to his Father to the death that his example should be our imitation according to this his direction in such causes I haue giuen you an exsample that as I haue done so should yee doe Hee that saith hee is in him must walke as hee hath walked Hee cured the Sicke raised the Dead filled the Hungrie with good thinges as for other ends so namely and mainely for this one ende that while they recounted how Sinne brought these euils into the World they should shake off these euils and forsake their sinnes the Caution giuen by Christ to the Palsey-man Now thou art whole sinne no more least a greater euill come vnto thee Hee remitted sinnes that wee should committe no more sinnes wherefore hee sayeth to the adultresse in the Ghospell Jf no man condemne thee J doe not condemne thee Goe in peace The same matter of meditatiō ariseth vnto vs out of the circumstances of his passion Hee did beare the Crosse and suffered the shame for vs to deliuer vs determined to eternall death and to leaue vs an example that it seeme not grieuous vnto vs to suffer all manner of euill vniustly for his sake This vse Saint Peter giueth vs of Christe Passion for vs 1. Pet 4.1 Forasmuch as Christ hat suffered for vs in the flesh arme your selues likewise with the same minde which is that hee the hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sinne that he hence forward should liue not after the lustes of men but after the will of God That is in a word as it is else where deliuered That wee should crucifie the flesh with the lustes thereof He prayed for his Enimies to teach vs to forbeare vengeaunce to beare wronges with patience Hee dieth not onely to saue our Soules from death but also to the end that wee should die to our sinnes The application that Paul maketh of that Article of the Fayth He is buried Rom. 6. that wee also should burie our sinnes and roule a great Stone ouer the Graue of them that they neuer rise againe The inference Rom. 6.4 the same Apostle maketh in the same place Wee are buried then with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raysed vp from the dead to the glory of the Father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life Hee dispatcheth his Apostles into the wide perambulation of the world with this legatiue Commisson to preach the Gospell and Remission of sinnes and to this speciall end that wee should make an end of sin as in the clause of that commission is not obscurely intimated where these wordes are added Teaching them to obserue such thinges as J haue commaunded you Hee ascended vp to Heauen not onely to appeare for vs in the presence of God but also to raise vp our Soules from the nethermost Pitte to the vppermost Heauens that wee might learne in liew of this benefite to lead an heauenly life It is the warning that Paul giueth vs out of the sayd Learning Coloss 3.1.2 If yee be then risen with Christ seeke those thinges that are aboue and not those thinges that are on the earth This was Paules course of conuersation Our conuersation is in Heauen Finally foretelling the finall Iudgement hee inserteth this speciall end hereof to giue to euery one according to his workes Wherefore it standeth vs in hand as much as our Soules Bodies are worth to looke to our wayes and to follow our iniquities no more 3 Lastly the workes of our communicate Redemption implye the same condition The Apostle shutteth them all vp in foure wordes 1. Rom. 8. Predestination 2. Vocation 3. Justification 4. Glorification 1. The intention of our Election heedeth this condition as where Paul teacheth it saying Ephes 1.4 Hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue Of our Vocation wee may say the like For God hath not created vs to vncleannesse but vnto holinesse Wee haue Fayth giuen vs to obey his Call First that thereby we might pertake of the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to vs. 2. Next that wee might obserue the Law and that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs. Rom. 6.19 Hence commeth in this Interrogation of the Apostle Doe wee make the Law of none effect through Fayth God forbid yea wee establish the Law Hee Iustifieth vs in pardoning our sinnes that we should be no more factiue instrumentes to sinne 1. Cor. 6. but that we should Giue vp our members as seruantes vnto righteousnesse in holinesse he instilleth his holy Spirit into vs that being made the Members of Christ and the Temples of the holy Ghost wee should take heed how hereafter we pollute and defile our bodyes with iniquities It is the quicke expostulation and question of the blessed Apostle 1. Cor. 15. Know yee not that your bodyes are the Temples of the holy Ghost Hee that shall pollute the Temple of God him shall God destroy All the Religion that we haue in the Church as Preaching Sacraments Prayers Discipline driue at this end to die to sinne to liue to God To conclude our Glorification includeth concludeth the same consideration Then shall God be all in all because then there shall be no more sinne to striue against God Wherefore bend wee and band wee all our Sinnewes and Sides against the sides of Sinne that wee may liue in his feare and die in his fauour and enioy that Place which the Father of old hath prepared Christ of late hath purchased and to which wee are sealed by the Spirit of sanctification To these three Persons and one God be praise and glorie now and euer Amen FINIS