of Iudas and of his fellow disciples who could not relish the words of eternall life which Christ spake saying Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you and the case of those Antichrists and of those vnfaithfull euill hearted draw-backs as it hath been the case of many thousands more and is still at this day yet the case of Peter of Iohn and the rest of the Apostles was far otherwise as is now also the case of all regenerate true hearted Christians they beleeue to the sauing of the soule they eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood spiritually by faith and haue eternall life abiding in them they dwell in Christ and Christ in them they are borne of God and therefore draw not backe sinne not to perdition for the seed whereby they are begotten remaineth in them neither can they so sinne because they are borne of God nay they are sealed by the holy Spirit of promise vnto the day of redemption they ouercome the world endure and keepe his words and works vnto the end they are the liuely stones of Gods temple built vpon the chiefe corner stone who are made a spiritual house to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ his Church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile they are the good ground spoken of the good trees which cannot bring forth euill fruit but good only the euill which they doe at any time is not their fruit because it proceedeth not from their hearts but is done vnwillingly through weaknesse for in their hearts they serue the law of God The Scriptures account that to be a mans fruite which cometh from his heart whether it be good or euill because thereby the nature of the fountaine which is the heart is knowne as the nature of trees are by their fruite So that the nature of a good man I meane that which is borne of the Spirit not his fleshly nature is now to bring foorth good fruite only as Christ testifieth saying A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth foorth that which is good We can do nothing against the truth saith the Apostle A good tree cannot bring forth euill fruite And whereas the Scriptures speake so often after this maner If ye hold fast vuto the end If ye continue Him that ouercometh and keepeth my words and works to the end then are ye his house then will he approue of ye then shall ye be saued And on the contrary He that looketh behind him He that endureth not If any draw backe or fall away c. he is not meete for the kingdome of God My soule shall haue no pleasure in him There remaines no more sacrifice for sin The drift of the Spirit of God is to informe vs of the different estates and conditions of Christians of the danger of the one estate and of the well being and safetie of the other that so we seeing the difference and being forewarned thereof might not depend vpon that which is so dangerous but striue vnto that wherein there is safetie And where it saith of some Let them be blotted out of the booke of the liuing I will put his name out of the booke of life The meaning is not that God will put any mans name out of the booke of life that is written therein but his meaning is that such desperate and wicked persons as blaspheme his truth and Spirit shall be set down as it were with a blot cursed vtterly excluded and pronounced against for such as there is no hope or place for repentance as was Iudas and others of his companions of whom it was foresaid Let them be blotted out of the booke of the liuing let them not be written with the righteous c. for they persecue him whom thou hast smitten they talke to the griefe of those whom thou hast chosen So that whereas men may seeme to haue a place among the Saints in the Church of God and to be in as good an estate as they by reason of some gifts of the Spirit which they may receiue and some alteration the word of God may worke in them yet being neuer sanctified in heart by the faith of the Sonne of God in time they discouer themselues to be in heart euill and aduersaries to the truth and such as God doth by his word exclude and pronouuce cursed children twice dead and pluckt vp by the rootes such as neuer had nor shall haue their names written with his people in his records of life which before their discouerie might seeme both to themselues and to others to haue and therefore it is said And from him that hath not shall be taken away euen that which he seemeth to haue which seemeth also to be an improper speech for how can that which a man hath not be said to be taken from him He had something may some say and it is true he had heard and receiued the word with ioy but not in deepenesse of root not in a good heart his heart was neuer sanctified by faith like vnto his that brought forth fruit he was enlightned and had tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come but he seemed and made shew to haue more he presumed no doubt that his name was written in the booke of life which was more then that he had receiued could warrant him This his pretended shew is now also taken from him and his name is openly by the iust sentence of Gods word put out of all hope of being or euer to be written in the book of life and he is now like the earth which bringeth forth nothing but briars and thornes neere vnto cursing it is impossible he should now be renewed For nothing is secret saith the text that shall not be made manifest nor any thing hid that shall not be knowne and come to light Therefore saith he take heed how ye heare For whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen and he shall haue abundance and whosoeuer hath not from him shall be taken away euen that which he seemeth to haue But what is the booke of life for peraduenture it is a secret to some doubtlesse It is both Gods secret and reuealed decree or will concerning such as shal be saued by that which is reuealed the secret is made knowne His secret decree we haue in the first beginning of our writing shewed which briefly is this That God before the world was foreseeing the fall of mankind did chuse in Christ a certaine number of them to life and saluation which were all foreseen and knowne of him and recorded by his decree in the roule of Christ before they were his reuealed will or decree which we haue before also at large exprest is briefly this namely the speciall promises and testimonies of
A DISCOVERY OF THE ERRORS OF THE ENGLISH ANABAPTISTS As also an Admonition to all such as are led by the like spirit of error Wherein is set downe all their seuerall and maine points of error which they hold With a full answer to euery one of them seuerally wherein the truth is manifested By Edmond lessop who sometime walked in the said errors with them PSAL. 40. 1. I waited patiently vpon the Lord and he inclined vnto me and heard my crie He brought me also out of the horrible pit and mirie clay and hath set my feete upon the rocke and ordereth my goings And he hath put in my mouth a new song of praise vnto our God many shall see it and feare and trust in the Lord. Therefore haue I not hid thy righteousnes within my heart but haue declared thy truth and thy saluation and haue not concealed thy mercie and thy truth from the great congregation ver 10. LONDON Printed by W. Iones for Robert Bird and are to be sold at his shop in Cheapside at the signe of the Bible 1623. Their principall points which are handled in this Booke viz. 1 That God did predestinate all men to be saued vpon condition that they repent and beleeuè the Gospell 2 That God did not elect before all time to grace and life any particular persons but in time he doth elect qualities as faith and obedience and then finding these qualities in men he doth elect their persons for the qualities sake 3 That all men haue free will in themselues as well to repent of their sinnes to beleeue the Gospell and obtaine saluation as they haue to remaine in hardnesse of heart and vnbeliefe and in the estate of damnation 4 That the stedfastnesse of mans iustification and saluation doth depend vpon his owne will in continuing in the act of beleeuing and works of righteousnesse and that such as haue faith in Christ Iesus regenerate persons hauing their names written in the book of life may fall away from all may become vnregenerate and haue their names rased out of the booke of life againe and perish and that God doth alter and change his purpose and promise and come to hate and reiect such as he hath formerly loued and iustified 5 That there is no Originall sinne but that all children of all maner of people in the world as well heathens Infidels Idolaters worshippers of Diuels all kind of blasphemers fornicators vncleane persons whatsoeuer as of the faithfull are free from all pollution of sinne both in the conception and birth and dying before they commit actuall sinnes are saued 6 That none ought to be baptized but such men and women of yeares onely as haue attained to true repentance and iustifying faith being both in the account of the Church and in the sight of God regenerate persons and that the baptisme of children vsed is no baptisme at all but is the marke of the Beast spoken of in Reuelat. 13. 7 That the Church of England is a false and Antichristian Church and ought to be separated from As also a touch of the errors of the Familists 8 And that a King or Magistrate cannot be a true Christian except he giue ouer his kingly office or Magistracie AN ADVERTISEMENT to the Christian Reader WHereas Beloued there hath risen and sprung vp from amongst vs many dangerous and erronious opinions in these our last dayes about the subiect of Religion let it not therefore seeme strange vnto you being the Spirit of God did not onely foresee but also foretold of the same long before they did appeare euery one being diuided into sundry and seuerall factions all pretending to worship the true and euerliuing God in spirit and in truth speaking peace vnto themselues when as the most of them do yet lie wallowing in the puddle of iniquity and cradle of securitie being not purged in heart all which doe rise two sundry wayes being branches of one stocke deriued from one principall head namely the spirit of error The first is in that they contemne or so little or lightly esteeme that meanes which by Gods prouidence is affoorded vnto vs vnder our peaceable dread Soueraigne Lord the King Secondly they being selfe conceited or as Saint Paul speakes aduancing themselues in those things they neuer saw rashly puft vp with carnall mindes supposing they know some thing more then others vnderualuing all and ouerualuing themselues the conceit whereof causeth them to fall to Schisme and seperate from all others when as indeed and in truth they being examined by the word and Spirit of God it will appeare to the godly wise that as yet most of them know nothing aright or as they ought to know if euer they expect the saluation of their soules For if they were but possessed with the true knowledge an liue of God in Christ and so were of a sound mind at Saint Paul exhorts all to be it would rather cause humiliation then exaltation which would truly teach euery one how to dâ—meane carry himselfe about so weighty a subiect The neglect hereof doth bring them into a labyrinth of errors following after a forme of godlinesse through the wisdome and knowledge of the braine onely without the power thereof contenting themselues in the out side of religion blessing themselues in what they can doe and measuring the loue of God to themselues by their owne doings as of old their predecessors the Scribes and Pharises did following shadows insteed of substances dreaming of a kind of felicitie in this forme and in that seeking peace and rest to their soules where it is not to be found which condition of theirs I cannot but condole desiring with the Prophet That my head were water and mine eyes a fountaine or well of teares that I might weepe day and night for their misery And in speciall for them who are neere and deere vnto me in the bonds of nature For poore soules they couer their spirituall misery with Adams fig tree leaues or with the spiders web striuing for an outward separation in the flesh when alas it is much to be feared that with many of them there is litle or no care at all for a separation of the soule from sin challenging and assuming vnto themselues soundnes of religion and assurance of Gods loue euer measuring themselues by themselues and not by that eternall wisdome which is Iustified of her children being blinded through selfe-loue not willing to iudge themselues and so become low in their owne eyes that God might be all in all but contrariwise iudging and condemning all but themselues after this maner doe they follow the vision of their owne hearts deceiuing and being deceiued running and flitting from one opinion vnto another being vnstable in all their wayes Which practise of theirs may well be compared vnto certaine flies feeding on the backe of a gald horse which is euer flitting or remouing from one place to another vntill at last they come to sucke so much
life and saluation which are most fully and often recorded â—nd testified in the Scriptures of God to and concerning such persons in such maner qualified as we haue before according to the Scriptures described So that euery man so qualified may see and know through the Spirit of God in and by the same records his name to wit his person soule and body decreed and recorded of God in Christ euen from the foundation of the world to be for life and saluation This is the booke of life of the Lamb slaine for in him it was and is done and of this decree there is no alteration And whereas it seemeth to some that God doth alter his purpose and change his word because he sometimes promiseth blessings and life to men which by reason they on their parts do not that which he requireth he performeth not and likewise threatneth iudgement which by reason men repent he executeth not The truth is it doth but so seem to ignorant men who doe not rightly conceiue of the power of God nor vnderstand the drift and scope of his word For God is not like vnto men to purpose one thing to day and resolue vpon another to morrow but whatsoeuer he hath decreed in his heart shall surely come to passe though he sometimes vse to speake after the maner of men because he knoweth they are but men whom he speaketh vnto He publisheth his Gospell to all men in generall and doth promise saluation to all men that repent and beleeue and he requireth repentance and faith of all yet notwithstanding but few do repent and beleeue and so come to saluation doth God therefore alter his purpose and change his word He also gaue a law to all men before and required obedience thereunto promising life likewise to all that obeyed it but no man euer kept it and liued thereby did God therefore alter his purpose and change his word nay God did neuer purpose in his heart nor promise that any man should here in the flesh keepe his law and liue by it though the Familists say he did neither was it giuen to that end though they affirme it was For if it had bene so God would neuer haue giuen the other nay he knew such was mans miserable condition by his fall and the fiery sharpnes of that law against him that it was so farre impossible for him to keepe the same and liue thereby as that it vtterly slue him and kept him off Therefore God hauing decreed in his heart to saue some was pleased to giue the other if he had not done so but should haue proceeded against all for the breach of the first should he haue done any man wrong nay who dare say so And is he now vniust in publishing his Gospell to all because he saueth not all or darest thou say he altereth his purpose and changeth his word nay let God be true and vnchangeable and all men liers and moueable Men are as backward and vnwilling and haue as little power or strength in themselues to obey the Gospell as they had to keepe the law nay such is yet naturally the pride and loftinesse of mans heart as lamentable experience hath long proued that he rather desireth to remaine vnder the rule and command of the law and so seeke life by the works thereof then to subiect his soule to the rule and commandements of the Gospell viz. to repent of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart and seeke life by faith in the free grace of God in Iesus Christ and follow Christ in the regeneration But so it is I say that before the world was God did purpose and decree in himselfe to saue by the Gospell of his Sonne Iesus Christ a seed a remnant of the foreseene fallen posteritie of mankind which seed he reserued from the beginning coÌ„prehended them in the promise which he first made to Adam saying The seed of the woman shal breake the Serpents head Christ being the principall and they in him and of him and seuereth them with him from the seed of the Serpent in these words And I will put enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed And afterwards againe to Abraham in these words In thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed Meaning by thy seed Christ and by the nations those children which God made Abraham the father of as he said I haue made thee a father of many nations euen they that were to haue the faith of Abraham the seed that were to beleeue in that one seed Christ And again in these words In Isaac shall thy seed be called By all which it is euident that as Christ was promised and seuered from the seed of the serpent so all the seed betweene whom and the seed of the serpent there was to be enmitie were also promised as Gods free people meerly giuen of him to life and seuered by him also from them and as Isaac was borne by promise so are they At this time will I come saith God and Sara shall haue a sonne So Saint Paul saith Now we brethren as Isaac was are the children of promise And that these children of the promise onely are the children of God and counted for the seed the same Apostle also in another place witnesseth in these words They which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed And they are called the children of God because also they are borne of God and adopted through the Spirit of his Son and therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God as he said to Abraham I will he thy God and the God of thy seed For be hath prepared for them a citie Now this seed as God foreknew them all and had chosen them in Christ froÌ„ the beginning and predestinated them to be conformed to his image and likenesse who are therefore said to be written in the Lambs book of life from the foundation of the world And as he seuered them by promise from the seed of the Serpent so from time to time hee calleth them and whom he calleth hee iustifieth and whom he iustifieth them also he glorifieth He hath not done these things to all The seed of the Serpent neuer had any of these priuiledges God neuer chose them in Christ nor predestinated them to be conformed to his image neither were they euer written in the Lambs booke of life from the foundation of the world neither did God euer promise to call iustifie and glorifie them or any of them therefore God neuer altered his purpose nor changed his word or promise as some ignorantly imagine but there hath been euer enmitie betweene the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman euen from the dayes of Cain and Abel to this present and shall be to the end according to the word
in will or power of nature to act any thing either inward or outward as touching the law or as concerning the Gospell whereby to recouer our selues againe or euer to obtaine that which we haue lost So that notwithstanding the Gospell be preached to all and that euery one is inuited to the feast thereof and that there is not any other way or meanes whereby we may possibly recouer and liue yet the most part of the world do vtterly refuse to come so much as to the outward acceptation thereof and those that doe come who being enlightned by the holy Ghost do assent vnto the truth of the Gospell and so come in vnto the outward profession thereof yet for all this such is the euill heart of man if God should not vouchsafe according to his eternall purpose and promise to call in a more speciall maner them whom he foreknew and had predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Sonne to call them I say by a more speciall gift and power of the holy Ghost first to repentance in turning their hearts from all the delight and pleasure they had taken in sinne and in the vanities of the flesh and this world into a wonderfull great sorrow of heart mourning and weeping for the same causing them also with many teares to lament the time that euer they tooke pleasure therein and falling downe at the feete of God with humble hearts confesse vnto him those their sins and follies desiring vnspeakably restlesly mercie and forgiuenesse at his hands loue and reconciliation with him thus taking first away their hard and stony hearts and giuing them hearts of flesh soft and tender hearts and then in the second place to write not with inke and pen but with the speciall finger of his holy Spirit not in tables of stone but in these the fleshly tables of their hearts these their repentant hearts his couenant of mercie and loue assuring them that their sinnes be forgiuen and that he is reconciled with them and they with him in Iesus Christ whom now they haue put on by faith If God should not haue vouchsafed I say thus to call them whom he had predestinated thus to iustifie them and cloathe them but that he is faithfull and cannot lie keeping his couenant for euer as touching that seed which he did promise to call in Isaac they would and should haue perished with the rest notwithstanding any free will or power they haue in nature more then they to attaine to these things But peraduenture some impudent person will obiect that if God doth call and sanctifie some in such a speciall maner by more speciall gifts of the Spirit then he doth affoord to others then his not affoording the same vnto them is the cause of their miserie To answer them put the case that there were two yong men that hauing receiued at their parents hands their portions haue through riot and leudnesse spent all and brought themselues into so great pouertie and debt as that they haue no way or meanes whereby possibly they can recouer and raise themselues againe but are both like to liue in miserie to their dying dayes tell me haue they not been themselues the authors of this their owne ruine and decay and is not this misery iust vpon I suppose as little grace as thou hast thou wilt answer Yea. But admit there were a man of great substance who should out of his owne bountie freely and of his owne accord deliuer one of these yong men out of his miserie pay his debts and restore him to his former estate againe Is this rich man by his free bountie to the one become now the cause of the others misery doest thou dare to affirme it Must thine eye needs now be euil because he is bountiful Is it not lawful for him to bestow his owne where and on whom he pleaseth Or doest thou meane that his not doing the like for the other is the cause of his continuall miserie To answer thee did hee not bring himselfe into it and was it not of it selfe continuall and iust by thine owne confession How then may the thing that neuer was done be the cause of that which is in being Can the effect be before the cause I haue heard that the cause is before the effect but I neuer heard that the effect is or can be before the cause But if I should admit of thine opinion that all men haue free will in themselues to chuse as they haue to refuse grace offered to see what the issue thereof will be let me aske thee what is the reason then that but some men do chuse grace is it because they haue a better and more inclinable will in them by nature then their fellowes If there be no speciall gift of grace to moue them it must be some speciall gift or qualitie of nature For such a speciall differing effect must haue a speciall differing cause Or wilt thou say it is by the operation or secret motion of some planet as some heathenishly conceiue if so yet it is in some sort naturall The effects we speake of are the baptisme of repentance the purification of faith called in Scripture the baptisme or birth of water and of the holy Ghost which are the parts of our regeneration now can any gifts or qualities of nature or operations of planets produce or cause such effects as these Nay doublesse for causes are always greater then effects and greater things then these are not to be found in the natures of men or planets but in God who by the speciall power and vertue of his holy Spirit doth cause these great effects doth worke and produce this new and heauenly birth and therefore the persons thus qualified are said in Scripture to be borne of God 1. Ioh. 3. 9. If thou saist that God put this difference in the will of man by creation then thou makest God the author and cause of sinne which thou wouldest seeme to auoid by excluding his speciall gifts of the Spirit fearing as if it led thee to it whereas it is but thy grosse apprehension that makes thee feare and by this meanes thou runnest thy selfe out of breath thou knowest not whither So then to conclude this point with Saint Pauls words It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie Their fourth point is That the stedfastnesse of mans iustification and saluation doth depend vpon his owne will in continuing in the act of beleeuing and works of righteousnesse and that such as haue faith in Christ Iesus regenerate persons hauing their names written in the book of life may fall away from all may become vnregenerate and haue their names rased out of the booke of life againe and perish and that God doth alter and change his purpose and promise and come to
hate and reiect such as he hath formerly loued and iustified Answ TO teach that the stedfastnes of mans iustification saluation doth depend vpon his owne will in continuing in the act of beleeuing and works of righteousnes and that such as haue faith in Christ regenerate persons hauing their names written in the book of life may fall away from all become vnregenerate and haue their names rased out of the booke of life and perish and yâ— God doth alter his purpose promise of mercie and loue and come to hate and reiect such as he hath formerly loued and iustified to teach all this I say is to denie the very foundation and to make God vnfaithfull and is one of the maine errors of the Antichristian Church of Rome But the doctrine of the Church of God is this That such as to whom God hath giuen true repentance and faith in Christ whereby they are iustified from their sinnes and haue their hearts sanctified such as haue their parts in the first resurrection whose names were written in the booke of life from the foundation of the world shall neuer fall away from this estate nor from any part thereof because they stand not neither are kept by the strength of their owne will act of faith or works of righteousnes but by the power strength of God in and through the vertue and life of Christ their head For as God the Father did of himselfe first chuse them in Christ his Sonne and predestinate them vnto the adoption of children and to be conformed to the image of his Sonne euen from the foundation of the world and as he also in time calleth them to repentance iustifieth them purifieth their hearts by faith through grace in Christ and by the Spirit of his Son which he sendeth forth into their hearts doth adopt them to be his children and conforme them to the image and likenesse of his Sonne both in respect of his death and also in regard of his resurrection dying to sinne and rising to holinesse and newnesse of life from minding earthly things to set their affections on things that are aboue where Christ sitteth at his right hand so I say it is God which in and through his Son doth keepe and defend them as it is written Who are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation Yea he is the rock of their saluation and strong tower of defence he is their watch-man which doth neither slumber nor sleep their shepherd that feedeth them as the Psalmist speaketh he is the husband-man that did not only ingraft and plant them in his Sonne the true vine and cause them to beare fruite in him but euery branch that beareth fruit in him he purgeth that it may beare more fruit he gaue them his Sonne and his Son them and the Sonne reiecteth none that come vnto him but taketh them into his protection like the good shepherd and they heare his voice and he knoweth them and they follow him and he wil giue them eternal life they shall not perish for none are able to pluck them out of his hands and the Father that gaue them him is greater then all and no man is able to plucke them out of his Fathers hands Nay if Satan should desire to sift them and that their faith through the violence of temptation should seeme to faile as touching their act of beleeuing and that their fruit by meanes thereof should not appeare for so it may sometimes befall them as it did the Apostle Peter yet notwithstanding the Lord their rocke the foundation and chiefe corner stone whereon these liuely stones are built sustaineth and vpholdeth them the vertue and strength of him the true vine in which they are ingraffed the Son in whom they haue beleeued he hauing also prayed the Father that their faith faile not shall raise them vp refresh them and make them to flourish again as well in regard of their faith as fruites and being thus conuerted and raised vp shal be able thenceforth to strengthen their brethren And in these respects considerations Christ faith to Peter Vpon this rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it For as at the first they were not iustified from their sinnes by their owne act of beleeuing though their act of beleeuing were necessary vnto their iustification nor yet by their works of righteousnes which followed though they were also necessary for the proofe and manifestation of their faith but by the free grace of God in Iesus Christ ministred vnto them by his word and Spirit which their act of faith onely in their hearts doth entertaine so neither doe they stand or are vpholden by their act of beleeuing though it be necessary also for their continuall comfort that they should be euermore exercised as in the word and promise of God so in the act of beleeuing going on still from strength to strength drawing nearer and nearer vnto God in the full assurance of faith vntill at last they come to see his face and enioy his presence in the promised Ierusalem where is all fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for euermore as assuredly one day they shall not yet by their works of righteousnesse though it be likewise necessary that they should be alwayes walking in and working the works of righteousnes but the stedfastnesse and certaintie of their estates in Christ their life saluation and glorie euerlasting dependeth on the stedfastnesse certaintie and vnchangeablenesse of Gods purpose promise loue and on the loue and life of Christ their head which was once dead but is now aliue and liueth still for euermore And so sure and certaine as God purposeth and it cometh to passe as he promiseth and faileth not loueth once and loueth to the end so sure as Christ which loueth them liueth shall they abide in him liue by him and not die for euer as it is written He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him As the liuing Father hath sent me and I liue by the Father so he that eateth me euen he shall liue by me For he is the bread of life and euery one that beleeueth in him doth in a spirituall maner eate of him and so liueth by him and shal haue euerlasting life For as Saint Paul reasoneth If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled shall we be saued by his life So that he that is once iustified by the blood of Christ and reconciled to God through faith in him his estate is certain and permanent and though the mountaines shall depart and the hils be moued yet shall not the kindnesse and loue of God in Christ depart nor the couenant of peace towards them in
but him alone Therefore in sure consideration of his grace and loue being confounded in themselues and ashamed as touching their owne will and workes and giuing all praise and honour vnto his holy name they do beseech him though they be not worthy the least of his mercies that he would be pleased notwithstanding to extend his grace and loue vnto them and poure forth his holy Spirit the ruler and gouernour of his kingdome here on earth into their hearts to comfort sanctifie and guide them in his truh that being guided and sanctified thereby they may euermore doe his will obey his commandements and walke before him here on earth euen as his holy Angells and seruants doe in heauen And acknowledging his goodnes towards them his prouidence and care in feeding and cloathing them and giuing them all other things which the necessities of this their present life requires do request him also that he would dayly supply and continue the same with his continuall blessing thereon receiuing them alwayes with thanksgiuing knowing that they are all sanctified by his word and prayer And calling to mind their manifold sinnes and trespasses which they in their flesh and bodies of death doe dayly commit against him poure out their soules in teares before him bewailing their wretchednes and misserie herein beseeching him for his Son Iesus Christ his sake through whom they haue now great confidence of his grace that he would not lay their sinnes to their charge but forgiue them hauing also a true testimonie in their consciences which they likewise cleere before him that they are at peace with all men and doe forgiue euen their enemies and so withall doe earnestly intreate him that he would vouchsafe them his gracious and Fatherly perfection to sustaine and keep them that no temptation may at any time preuaile against them to leade or any way to induce them to commit euill in his sight but that they may by the power of his grace and holy Spirit withstand the same And so reposing their trust and whole affiance in him they rest in peace knowing also and acknowledging that the kingdome and the power and the glory is his for euer and euer Amen Thus these iust and sanctified seruants of God goe one from strength to strength as the Prophet speaketh and from faith to faith neuer giuing ouer nor turning backe nor falling away from the liuing God like those that haue an euill heart and vnfaithfull but still step forward drawing neerer and neerer vnto God with a true and good heart in the full assurance of faith vntill they come to see his face in the promised Ierusalem For the iust doe liue by faith as it is written For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Now the iust shall liue by faith But if any draw backe my Soule shall haue no pleasure in them But saith the Apostle we are not of them that draw backe to perdition but of them that follow faith vnto the sauing of the Soule In these words he putteth a plaine difference doth distinguish between them whose hearts being euill and vnfaithfull do turne backe to perdition and them whose hearts are true and iust and who hauing the full assurance of faith doe perseuere and continue vnto the saluation of their soules As if he should haue said There be some indeed whose hearts were neuer sanctified by the faith of Gods elect the faith of Abraham But onely by a generall kind of faith their outward parts their house was a little Superficiallie swept which fall backe to destruction but we meaning himselfe and such sanctified soules with him as himselfe was we are not of that sort but of another euen of them which doe beleeue after another maner who haue the faith of Abraham the faith of Gods elect the effectuall faith the faith of Christ the faith that worketh by loue the faith which maketh a sinner iust the faith by which the iust doe liue and are saued Which very thing Saint Iohn also cleereth speaking of the Antichrists that were gone out from them They went out from vs saith he but they were not of vs If they had bin of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs But they went out from vs that it might be made manifest that they were not all of vs. In which words he proueth planly that if they had euer beene of the faithfull sort namely the sanctified in heart whereof Iohn was one they had neuer fallen back but had without all doubt continued but by this their falling off it was made manifest which was not so cleere before that they were neuer of them what outward shewes soeuer they made The very same againe is manifest concerning Iudas for after he had plaid his treacherous part that he was discouered and burst in peeces the Spirit of God taking notice of his former pretended charitie to the poore which he vttered in these words Why was not this oyntment sold for three hundred pence and giuen to the poore And of this euill couetuous and theuish heart at the same time he saith This he spake not that he cared for the poore but because he was a theefe and had the bag and bare what was put therein So that Iudas was neuer any of the faithfull his heart was neuer vpright from the beginning he belieued not in his heart vnto Iustification he had not the faith of the Saints the faith that worketh by loue the faith of Christ as Christ himselfe testifieth against him saying But there are some of you which belieueth not and Iudas was one of them and the speciall man aimed at as Saint Iohn in the next wordes noteth saying For Iesus knew from the beginning who they were that belieued not and who should betray him And Iesus said vnto them therefore said I vnto you that no man can come vnto me except it be giuen him of my Father Meaning by comming vnto him belieuing in him vnto iustification as he said Come vnto me all ye that are weary and heauy laden c. And againe All that the Father giueth me commeth to me and him that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out Therefore the text saith From that time many of his Disciples went backe and walked no more with him And Iudas though he taried after them yet a while it was but to make vp the full measure of his sinnes For his heart was then as euill if not worse then theirs as Christ testifieth to his face in the presence and hearing of the other Apostles saying Haue I not chosen you twelue and one of you is a Diuell This he spake of Iudas and though he be here said among the rest to be chosen it is to be vnderstood but of his outward office and in respect of the common guifts of the Spirit which he had receiued And although this was the case
of the Lord though they be inlightned and taste as much of the good word of God as either Cain or the Iewes did God vseth threatnings oft times to bring that seed which he promised to call to repentance he giueth them repentance he promiseth grace to the repentant in a speciall particular maner he giueth them faith also to receiue it he promiseth likewise saluation absolutely to these beleeuers he admonisheth them because they of themselues are apt to fall yea and would fall and perish if they stood by their owne strength if God did not sustaine them and had not ordered and disposed of all things for their safetie and wel being he commandeth them to watch and to pray and he giueth them his Spirit which helpeth their infirmities without the which they know not what to aske and it maketh request vnto God for them with sighs and grones which cannot be exprest not because they may yet perish but because they should not perish and for that they are weake and apt to fall and grieue the Spirit He also chasteneth them not for their hurt nor in his wrath but that they should not be condemned with the world And because God hath appointed them to be holy and so to saluation therefore he hath appointed all these things For as he before the world was purposed to saue them so likewise did he determine of the way and meanes whereby to saue them and the meanes is as certaine as his decree And Gods promises concerning life eternal to speake properly are not vpon any conditions though he doth seeme so to propose them to the world but they are absolutely free without any condition of our parts It is true God will saue none but such as repent and beleeue his Gospell bring forth fruite endure to the end c. yet these are not conditions for God giueth all these things to his elect as freely as he gaue Christ vn-them he conformeth them hereby to the image of Christ else grace and saluation were of due debt by desert which to teach is erroneous and Antichristian And although God did elect men in Christ from the foundation of the world yet did not the Elect fall from their Election in the fall of Adam neither did Adam himselfe lose his Election by his fall as they would infer thereupon for Gods Election was not of man considered in his innocencie but of men 〈◊〉 foreseene fallen and therefore they are said to be chosen in Christ who was to be a reconciler and mediator for sinners and not for innocent persons So that the obiection of them which say if the Elect cannot fall out of Gods fauour then did not all fall in Adam If the elect cannot fall from their election then haue not all sinned is very carnall and wicked much like vnto that of the Saduces which said Whose wife shall she be in the Resurrection who like fooles knew not that in the resurrection they neither marry nor giue in marraige So they being ignorant of the wisedome and foreknowledge of God giue out If the elect cannot fall from their election then haue not all sinned And are as bould and thinke themselues aswell armed hereby against the certainty and continuance of Gods election as the Saduces thought themselues against the resurrection when they came in scorne thereof to pose Christ But I omit their friuolous obiections as not hauing any collour of reason because also we shall haue occasion to cleere those things hereafter Thus as we haue said God first publisheth his Gospell and all doe enioy some benefit thereby many are inlightned by it and are made partakers of some common gifts of the Spirit but few are made partakers of those which are speciall and peculiar And this is the order which God doth vse for the calling sanctifying and sauing of his elect First after they are inlightned to know his truth he calleth them in a speciall maner to repentance then in the second place by a more excellent gift of the Spirit he iustifieth the repentant soule from his sinnes and sanctifieth his heart and then thirdly they being now ingrafted into Christ their head doe bring forth fruit in him as before we haue described And these are the plantation of God the trees of righteousnes which the Scriptures speak of God is the husbandman and this is the maner of his husbandry And thus hath he seuered and distinguished his plants from all carnal vnregenerate Christians vnder what name or title soeuer they passe or in what outward estate or Church soeuer they liue And blessed is that man that hath part with them in those speciall gifts and treasures of life for on such the second death shall haue no power Thus haue we proued that whosoeuer is borne from aboue of water and the Spirit Iustified by faith in Christ whose names are written in the booke of life frō the foundation of the world shall neuer fall away nor haue their names razed out of the booke of life againe And that God doth neuer alter his purpose or promise but that all his decrees and promises shall surely come to passe Their fift point That there is no Originall sinne but that all children of all maner of people in the world as well heathens Infidels Idolaters worshippers of Diuels all kind of blasphemers fornicators vncleane persons whatsoeuer as of the faithfull are free from all pollution of sinne both in the conception and birth and dying before they commit actuall sinnes are saued Answ THe truth is though to our shame and sorrow it may be spoken that sin hath taken hold of all the whole posterity of mankind and all are corrupted by a perpetuall seed of generation orignially from Adam so that euery child of man that is borne of flesh as well of the faithfull as of the vnfaithfull is by nature the child of pollution and wrath and dying vnregenerate perrisheth from the glory of God and from the ioy of his presence for euermore This we neede not now to stand to argue for besides the manifold testimonies of Gods word which testifie against vs long and lamentable experence hath sufficiently proued it and doth dayly proue it vnto vs so that we haue more need to mourne for our selues in regard of the euill that is sowne in our natures thereby and to weepe for our children also which are bred and borne of vs as Christ charged the daughters of Ierusalem to doe for themselues and for their children then to stand to dispute the points or once to question whether it be so or no. Neuertheles to stop the mouthes of such as doe deny it we say that when Adam sinned all sinned together with him because all mankind were then in him and therefore when God cast Adam out of Paridice he cast all his posteritie out of Paracice with him and when God cursed the earth he cursed it not to his person alone but all that were to come of him as well
yong as old which proueth that as the curse and punishment for the sinne so the sinne it selfe claue vnto them and continueth from generation to generation in them else the manifold misseries which were vpon children as well as vpon men of yeares were vniust Why should God shut them out of Paradice and not restore them thither againe so soone as they were borne there to haue the same free liberty to eate of the tree of life as Adam had before he fell why should God exact at their hands first so soone as they haue any capacitie the perfect righteousnesse of the Law vpon paine of death as ye confesse if they had eaten with Adam of the tree of knowledge of good and euill why should that fiery two edged sword be set to keepe from them also the way of the tree of life and why are they subiect to all the calamities that came vpon the earth by the sin of Adam if they fell not with him why should God consume them all with their parents in the dayes of Noah by the floud some in the wombe some in the birth and some newly borne if they had beene cleane from all pollutions of sinne would not God haue spared them and the world for their sakes And why did God then destroy the cities of Sodome and Gomorha and not spare them as he promised Abraham to doe if he found ten righteous their If children be free from all pollution of sinne they are not vnrighteous and wicked and if they may be called holy they may be called righteous Else were your children vncleane saith Paul but now are they holy As also if vnclean then polluted as were the children of the Sodomites doubtlesse aboue all the cities of the world And so did God the Iudge of all the world doe right in rooting out that wicked generation as he did also the other of the old world When Adam fell he did not only commit a fault but by the same his fault he not only brought vpon himselfe death and wrath but fell into a gulfe of pollution and wickednesse both soule and bodie Nay when he receiued grace it did not rid and free him of that naturall corruption whereinto the whole man was plunged insomuch as he could not increase and multiply but all the increase that came of him must necessarily be of the same nature that he was both bodies and spirits For to what did God say Increase and multiply and replemish the earth c was it to a senceles body not hauing the breath of life or was it to the whole man in whom God had breathed the breath of life who was thereby made a liuing soule It is true the Spirit is from heauen of God that gaue it and therefore especially is Adam called The Son of God and all mankind are said to be the ofspring of God not that God doth breath in euery perticular child of man in the wombe the breath of life immediately from himselfe in the same maner as he did vnto Adam Nay he did it then once for all insomuch as if God had executed his iustice on Adam immediately vpon his transgression we all had beene hid and had perisht in him both spirits and bodies whereas he being spared brought forth and replenisht the earth else man were inferior to all creatures We reade that God created euery thing to haue seede in it selfe according to his kind and all creatures do we see produce and bring forth their like by the word and prouidence of God when God said bring forth he gaue power by the same his word to the creatures he had made through the meanes he had ordained to doe their office he had set them in Euery tree hath it seed in it selfe the seed being sowne in the earth increaseth to roote and then to branches and afterward bringeth forth fruit or seed againe nothing differing from the seed that was first sowne And as an euill tree bringeth forth seed as euill as it selfe so doth man beget and bring forth as euill and corrupt as himselfe For so saith Iob For how can a cleane thing come out of that which is vncleane And Dauid saith of himselfe that he was shaped in iniquitie and in sinne his mother conceiued him If the fountaine from whence Dauid came was vncleane how could he be cleane That which moued Dauid to call this to minde was not so much any thing concerning his mother as himselfe the apprehension of his owne present sinne he was faln into which he was now lamenting and confessing before God vrged him to call to mind his first beginning and in his confession to charge himselfe with sin euen from the time that his mother first conceiued him and confesseth the same also to his owne shame and confusion thereby to cut off all good opinion of himselfe as touching his originall first estate which he had by his naturall conception and first birth the more to confirme vnto his soule the necessitie of the second new-birth from aboue For he knew that Adam by his sinne had not only polluted himselfe in soule and bodie and was fallen from his first integritie of nature and blessed estate he was in but that the same euill seed which then was sowne in the heart of Adam hath brought forth so great increase that it hath polluted and made vncleane the hearts and natures of all that come of him As also another testifieth saying The graine of euill seed was sowne in the heart of Adam from the beginning and how much vngodlinesse hath it brought vp vnto this time and how much shall it yet bring forth vntill the time of threshing come Ponder now with thy selfe how great fruit of wickednesse the graine of euill seed hath brought forth and when the eares shall be cut downe how great a floore shall they fill In which words this holy Prophet plainly sheweth that their first graine namely the sin which was first sowne in Adams heart was and is the original root and first ground of all sin that hath sprung vp shall spring vp in the hearts of all his posteritie to the worlds end and so of all their misery and therefore he saith againe Oh thou Adam what hast thou done for though it was thou that hast sinned thou art not falne alone but we all that come of thee The very same also doth Saint Paul affirme hauing spoken and being speaking of the reconciliation grace and life eternall which is by the death and life of Christ onely attainable wherefore saith he As by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed vpon all men in whom all men haue sinned and so forward setting it downe not as a thing in question but as wel known shewing that as by one euen Adam sinne entred into the hearts of all men and death is passed vpon them for that all by that meanes haue sinned so grace and
doctrine of the Gospell Yet neuertheles Christ did not neither did his holy Apostles therevpon Iustifie them For then neither he nor they would so soone after haue made such exceptions and write so suspitiously as they did of many of them saying Striue to enter in at the straight gate for many I say vnto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheepes cloathing but inwardly they are rauening wolues Euery tree that bringeth not foorth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heauen Many will say vnto me in that day Lord Lord haue we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out diuells and in thy name done many great workes And then will I professe vnto them I neuer knew you depart from me yee that worke iniquity Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you But there are some of you that beleeue not All these things Christ spake vnto his Disciples who though they did beleeue were baptized yet they had not al of them eaten of his flesh and drunke of his bloud all did not beleeue in him vnto iustification of life all brought not forth good fruit And therefore he saith No man can come vnto me except it be giuen him of my Father And euery branch that beareth not fruit in me he taketh away And euery branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruite So that men may beleeue after a generall maner and be baptized and be in some sort branches in the vine in regard of the outward profession thereof receiue great gifts doe wonderfull workes in the name of Christ and yet not be come to Christ not haue the faith of Christ which iustifieth not beare fruit in him And it will come to passe that in the day of iudgement he will say vnto them Depart from me yee that worke iniquity I neuer know yee And the Apostles also writing to the Churches of their times where all were beleeuers and baptized and that lawfully say that such among them as had not the Spirit of Christ were none of his and doe charge some of them to be carnall and contentious striuing about their outward baptisme some will be of Paul some of Cephas some of Apollo and some of Christ As if this baptisme and the worthinesse of the person by whom they were baptized did make them happy and some of them better then other Some againe there were that did set light by the Apostles of Christ esteemed better of some other false Apostles Some were vncleane lasciuious persons I feare saith Paul to some that when I come I shall not find you such as I would and that I shall be found vnto you such as you would not Examine your selues saith he whether ye be in the faith Proue your selues know ye not your owne selues that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates By which it is euident that men may beleeue and be baptized and yet not be in the faith of Christ not know Christ to be in them which to know is the faith that Christians must haue if they be not reprobates Againe some they charged with the want of the knowledge of God And some that denied the resurrection of the dead And some that made their belly their God and minded earthly things some to be false Apostles false teachers such as taught heresies some false brethren some couetous persons some hipocrites some that raised needlesse questions about the Law some that taught circumcision necessary to saluation and that Christians must be circumcised or they could not be saued some were whisperers Backbiters some were louers of pleasures more then louers of God treacherous high minded yea and what not And yet all beleeuers and Lawfully baptized and were in the Churches euen in the Apostles times but not so approued of them as some others were They did not account of all whom they baptized to haue true repentance and Iustifying faith neither before they baptized them nor after for they knew that it neuer was nor could be so some would proue false in heart and in some the grace of God did not yet appeare vnto iustification therefore they sensured none till they saw iust cause neither did they iustifie any till they saw proofe of their faith but then they did to both their comforts and consolations Nay when they saw great cause of feare and suspition of many yet they vsed strong arguments and perswasions to bring them to repentance as we see how they both spake and write They did not easily reiect any no not an Hereticke without twise or thrise admonition And when Simon Magus discouered himselfe to be in the gall of bitternes and that Peter saw his heart was not right in the sight of God yet Peter cast him not off but said vnto him Repent thy selfe therefore of thy wickednes and pray God If perhaps the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiuen thee Now if this was the estate of the Church in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles how may we thinke it can be better now nay but whē we striue to make it better we make it worse As concerning the inward estate the gifts of the Spirit and power that then were in the Apostles and faithfull seruants of Christ both in the respect of the Administration of the word grace of life and peace and workes of righteonsnes I am sure we all come short of and shall we thinke to outstrip them in the outward Nay doubtles I would we could therein but compare with them so we did also pertake of some of their inward graces otherwise the outward can doe vs small pleasure It is an euident signe that where there is much contending about the outward forme externall washings and such like the inward purification of the heart is little thought of So then as concerning the outward estate of the Church we conclude that as from the beginning there was Cain a beleeuer and sacrificer as was Abel though Abel had iustifying faith and not Cain and as Ishmael was circumcised as well as Isaac though Ishmael might not inherite the heauenly promises as well as Isaac and as in the Church of the Iewes from time to time all that acknowledge that true God and his word and did submit themselues to the outward ordinances of the law were circumcised and were Iewes outwardly though but few were Iewes inwardly and circumcised in heart so was it in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles so is it now and so shall it be to the end Christ himselfe went neuer about to alter this but both he and his Apostles baptized those that did
beleeue and acknowledge him and submit themselues to be informed by his word though they had not yet either true repentance or iustifying faith For they knew that such a beliefe and profession as made men meet for outward baptisme might be where iustifying faith was not and that both that beliefe profession and baptisme did but make a Christian outwardly as the outward profession and circumcision of the Iewes did but make a Iew outwardly and no better did they iudge or conclude of any but when they saw better cause Now concerning the baptizing of children which they say is no baptisme at all but do call it the marke of the Beast we affirme that the children of all such beleeuers as may themselues be baptized may also be baptized and that it is not nor can be the marke of the Beast spoken of but is true outward baptisme First to auoid many of their vaine and idle obiections and that we may come the more cleerer to the point let vs remember that it is sufficiently proued already that all haue sinned in Adam and that death is passed on all for that all haue sinned in him being polluted from their very conceptions and that therefore there is a necessitie of a new birth from aboue of water and of the Spirit as wel to the yongest man of dayes or houres as to the eldest man of yeares So that whosoeuer is borne of the flesh he must be borne again from aboue of the Spirit either sooner or later if he be saued and that although repentance and faith be the parts of this new birth and that repentance hath these parts whereby it is exprest in men of yeares sorrow for sinne confession of sinne and desire of pardon as we haue before defined and that iustifying faith which is the other part of this new birth be an assurance or full perswasion wrought in the repentant heart by the Spirit of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes and reconciliation with God in Iesus Christ as we haue also defined it I say in men of yeares who also do confesse with the mouth as it is written With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation yet neuerthelesse the true nature of both these parts of the new birth may be in another maner defined and still remaine the same in substance as the first part is called in Scripture A heart of flesh an humble and contrite heart a broken heart and Saint Paul calleth it the fleshly tables of the heart in which regard it is called the baptisme of water and the birth of water which we define thus namely that it is a speciall effect or working of the holy Ghost whereby the heart which is naturally hard and stubburne euen from the birth is made soft and tender as water or as flesh is in comparison of a stone that so it may receiue the impression of the grace and loue of God The second part which is called the baptisme of the holy Ghost and the birth of the Spirit we define to be a speciall gift of the Spirit also but more excellent which writeth and sealeth in the soft and tender heart of flesh grace and peace from God in Christ and filleth it with heauenly comfort and ioy like vnto that which is said of Iohn being in his mothers womb when the voice of the salutation of Mary sounded in the eares of Elizabeth The babe leaped in her womb for ioy which doubtlesse was caused by the Spirit of Christ in the soule of the child Now in this sort children are capable of both the parts and so of the whole new birth which in them is no other in nature but the very same which is in men of yeares though it be not outwardly so exprest as we may perceiue by the words of Paul to the faithfull of the Church of Corinth Forasmuch saith he as ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by vs written not with inke but with the Spirit of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of the heart For as the law of death was written in tables of stone and all the hard and stonie hearts of the whole posteritie of Adam not onely might but also did and doe receiue euen in their very conceptions a deepe impression thereof so on the contrary the law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus euer was is and is to be written in hearts of flesh soft and tender hearts and in no other And therefore it was that God did promise to take away from his elect the hard and stonie heart and to giue them a heart of flesh an humble and broken heart because his pleasure and promise is to dwell with such to reuiue and comfort them and no other And to speake plainly howsoeuer perhaps some doe otherwise conceiue it is not our act of beleeuing that doth iustifie vs but it is the free gift of grace sealed in our hearts by the Spirit of Christ whereby God iustifieth vs which grace and Spirit is the cause of our act of beleeuing or faith by which we are so often said in Scripture to be iustified where the effect is named for the cause by reason it is thereby made apparent vnto vs as also in another sense we are said to be iustified by works because works do demonstrate and make manifest our faith to others as it is said of the primitiue Church of Rome that their faith had shined throughout the world meaning by works which are the effects of faith So that Saint Paul calleth the faithfull the Epistle of Christ not so much for their act of beleeuing as in respect of the grace of God which was written in their hearts by the Spirit of Christ by which they did now beleeue and crie Abba Father as it is written He hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts which crieth Abba Father And for this cause the grace of the Gospell is called The law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus These things being so what should now let that children may not be baptized Are they capable as we see of regeneration and are they not capable of the signe thereof May their hearts be sanctified by the Spirit of Christ and may not the filth of their flesh be washed off with water for the baptisme of water is bnt the doing away of the filth of the flesh as Saint Peter speaketh euen as outward circumcision was but the cutting off the fore-skin of the flesh representing the cutting off the sinnes of the flesh the circumcision of the heart as also baptisme doth For the circumcision which was the cutting off part of the fore-skin of the flesh and that baptisme or washing away the filth of the flesh we doe not say that the one was a type of the other but were both types of one truth namely the baptisme or purification of
thereof the diuell being the cheife Author for there is nothing that he doth enuie more then the power of truth and godlines if he cannot worke all men asleepe by cold carnall security as he doth the most he will if it be possible deceiue the rest by some pretended strict way of truth for his aime is to deceiue all he spareth none O that the watchmen therefore would lay these things to heart and examine themselues by the examples of the holy Apostles and rules which they haue set downe to proue them by What will it auaile you in the day of accompt that ye haue bin called the Ministers of God the Shepheards of his flocke when ye haue not done the office of faithfull Ministers and Sheepheards to his flock what will your pleasure your profit your praise and estimation of men in that day doe ye good Ah deare Sirs take heed it concerneth your selues much as it doth the people also To be called the Ministers of God is a high and honorable title but a thousand times more honor it is to be a faithfull Minister of God in deed and in truth what though you be not esteemed of the world nay what if ye be despised and hated thereof what though you should be destitude and afflicted and vndergoe hunger thirst cold labours watchings weepings perills prisonments sword c. Christ saith I was an hungry I was athirst I was naked sicke in prison c he meaneth you if ye be his seruants if ye partake not with him in his sufferings how can ye looke to reigne with him if ye follow him not in the regeneration ye shall not sit on throanes with him What will these words of the Lord auaile or concerne you where he saith And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shal be no more death nor sorrow neither shall there be any more paine If ye neuer knew what any of these things meant it is better to sow here in teares that we may hereafter reape with ioy then to laugh here and weepe for euer Let not therefore I humble beseech you the feare of the losse and fauour of friends of your pleasures profits praise or estimation with men or whatsoeuer this world can afford keepe you from following the Lord in whom there is great reward oh happy is the soule that can forsake all these things for the loue of Christ and his Gospells sake for he shall receiue an hundred fould more such treasures as cannot be vttered euen here in this present time and in the world to come life euerlasting feare not if ye can cast your care on him certainly he will not see you left destitute Neuer shall any man know what the treasures of wisdome and riches of his grace in the Gospell are except he can preferre them in his heart aboue all carnall things whatsoeuer nay except he can truly forsake them all and himselfe also for loue thereof neither will God else euer take pleasure in him or impart vnto him his secrets let him be how skilfull how learned how esteemed of men soeuer But he that can like the Merchant sell all he hath and purchase the field wherein the true treasure lieth he shall not onely be rich himselfe but be able to make others rich thereby according also as Christ saith Whoseeuer beleeueth in me as the Scriptures hath said out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life He shall not onely himselfe being entred in by the doore go in and out and finde pasture but shall guide others also in by the same doore to the same pastures of life and so hauing turned many to righteousnes by the faithfull administration of the word of truth shall possesse peace comfort and a good conscience here and when the Lord shall come in his glory to reward euery one according as his works and labours haue beene he shall shine not onely like the brightnes of the firmament as euery wise holy Christian shall doe but as the starres for euer and euer as the Prophet Daniel testifieth saying And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnes as the starres for euer and euer An eight point held at this present by the antient Anabaptists That a King or Maiestrate cannot be a true Christian except he giue ouer his kingly office or Maiestracie Answer THis although it be not fully the opinion of these our English Anabaptists yet because it is a point so generally held among the other sects of them and for that these with others are not yet rightly informed as touching the authoritie of kings gouernours what it is how far it doth extend nor yet how far forth Christians are bound to obey and submit vnto them we will therefore first disproue that error of the elder Anabaptists then shew what the authoritie of kings and gouernours is how far it doth extend and how farforth euery true Christian is bound by the word of God as he is a subiect or Citizen to obey and submit vnto them and then that all kingdomes peoples powers and authorities whatsoeuer shall serue and obey the King of Kings Lord of Lords for euermore They that haue serued and obeyed him according to his Gospell here in this life shall serue honor and praise him freely and with ioy for euer hereafter and they that would not by the voice of the Gospell be brought to serue and obey him here in this life shall be made by force of torments to serue and obey him for euer in the world to come this will we briefely doe if God permit That kings and rulers gouernours and magistrates may be true Christians and retaine their kingly places rule authoritie and magistracie is euident by the examples of Dauid of Solomon and others who were true Christians by faith according to the promise in the Spirit though Christ was not yet come in the flesh they liued and dyed kings of this world and true Christians also and the case is not now altered by the comming of Christ in the flesh the Gospell hath not made any alteration in that respect but doth rather confirme it where Christ saith vnto his disciples who striued among themselues which of them should be the greatest Luk. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. a place which these Anabaptists do chiefly alledge for their purpose The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship ouer them and they that exercise authoritie vpon thē are called gracious Lords but ye shall not be so but he that is greatest among you let him be as the least and he that is chiefe as he that doth serue He doth not here forbid a Christian to be an earthly or temporall King nor such a King to be a Christian nay his words do allow both only he forbiddeth that Christians should aspire in their minds or seeke to be great or to rule ouer one another as they are Christians children of