his grace and holie spirite where I might haue been borne in an ignorant time and region God would that I shoulde be borne in these daies and in this countrie where is more knowledge reuealed then euer was here or in manie places els is Where I might haue beene of a corrupt iudgement entangled with manie errours of Papistrie of the familie of loue of that hypocritical Brown by Gods goodnes my iudgement is reformed and he hath lightened mine eies to see my heart to imbrace his sincere truth By all which things I doe confirme my faith of this that God alwaies hath beene is and wil be for euer my father at my departing forth of this world will giue me the crowne of euerlasting glorie Secondlie when as man is euermore doubting of the promises of God be they neuer so certain God of his infinite mercie to preuent all occasions of doubting promiseth to giue his owne spirit as a pledge pawne or earnest pennie vnto his children of their adoption election to saluation Now since it pleased God to call me from hypocrisie to bee a member of his Church I feel that in my self which I neuer felt or heard of before In times past I came to praiers and to the preaching of Gods word euen as a Beare commeth to the stake now the word of God is meate and drinke to me and praier is no burden vnto me but my ordinarie exercise If I rise in the morning I am not well till I haue praied and giuen thankes to God if I doe any thing it commeth into my minde to pray In my praiers I finde great ioy and comforte and the exceeding fauour of God I neuer think I can well take my rest or doe anie thing else except first I aske it at Gods hande in Christ. Lastlie when my minde and heart is whollie occupied in worldlie matters I am stirred vp and as it were drawne to pray vnto God for the remission of my sinnes and the assurance of my saluation and in praier I haue had those grones which for their greatnes cannot bee expressed Nowe from whence commeth all this From the Diuell No. In these actions I haue found him my enemie and a continuall hinderer of them For he by his craft when I haue beene heauie and weake hath assailed to prouoke me to some sinnes whereunto my cursed nature was most giuen and I hauing yeelded to him haue beene so hardened and blinded by those sinnes that for a time I haue made light account of the worde of God and praier Well then peraduenture this came from mine owne selfe No neither This cursed nature of mine hath beene more pleased and delighted with sinne and with the pleasures of the world then with such exercises from which it draweth mee presseth me down as lead I cannot think that such a poisoning Cockatrice can laie such good egges or that wild crabbe trees such as all men are in Adam can bring foorth sweete fruites according to the will of God except God plucke them foorth of Adam and plant them in the garden of his mercie and stocke them and graft the spirite of Christ in them Wherefore these are the workes of Gods spirit and my conscience is thereby certified that God hath giuen me the spirite of adoption and therefore that his fauour and mercie shall continue towardes me for euer For the giftes of God are without repentance and whome God once loueth him hee loueth for euer Thirdlie there bee certaine fruites of Gods children which I finde in mee by which I am confirmed in Gods fauour Saint Iohn in his first epistle saith that hereby wee know that wee are translated from death to life because we loue the bretheren Truelie â— feele in my heart a burning loue towardes them which are good Christians though I neuer knewe them nor saw them and I am verie desirous to doe anie good for them and if drops of my heart bloude would doe them good they should haue them Moreouer I hate all sinne and wickednesse with a bitter hatred and I long to see the comming of my sauiour Christ to iudgement I am grieued and disquieted because I cannot fulfill the law of God as I ought all which I haue learned foorth of Gods word to be tokens of Gods children And thus you see what euidence I haue to shewe that I am a true member of the Church militant and in the fauour of God Timoth. Haue you a stedfast faith in Christ as these arguments seeme to proue without all wauering doubting and distrusting of Gods mercie Euseb. No no. This my faith which I haue in Christ is euen fought against with doubting euer assailed with desperation not when I sinne onely but also in tentations of aduersitie into which God bringeth me to nurture me to shew me mine owne heart the hypocrisie false thoughts that there lie hid my almost no faith at al and as litle loue euen then happily wheÌ„ I thought my self most perfect of all for when tentations come I cannot stand when I haue sinned faith is feble when wrong is done vnto mee I cannot forgiue in sicknes in losse of goods in al tribulation I am vnpatient wheÌ„ my neighbor needeth my helpe that I must depart with him of mine owne then loue is cold And thus I learne feele that there is no power to do good but of God only And in al such tentations my faith perisheth not vtterlie neither my loue and consent to the law of God but they be weake sicke wounded not cleane dead As I dealt with my parents being a child so now deal I towards God my louing father When I was a child my father and mother taught me nurture wisedome I loued my father all his commaundements and perceiued the goodnes he shewed mee that my father loued mee and all his precepts are vnto my wealth and profit and that my father commandeth nothing for anie need he hath thereof but seeketh my profit onelie and therefore I haue a good faith vnto all my fathers promises and loue all his commaundements and doe them with good will and with good will goe euerie daie to the schoole And by â—he waie happilie I sawe companie plaie and with the sight was taken and rauished of my memorie and forgot my selfe and stoode and beheld and fell to plaie also forgetting father and mother all their kindnes all their lawes and mine owne profite also How beit the knowledge of my fathers kindnes the faith of his promisses and the loue that I had againe vnto my father and the obedient minde were not vtterlie quenched but laie hid as all things doe when a man sleepeth or lieth in a traunce And as soone as I had plaied out all my listes or else by some had been warned in the meane season I came againe to my olde profession Notwithstanding manie temptations went ouer my heart and the lawe as a right hangman tormented
none If this be so it may be then required how these vnsounde professours differ from true professours I answere in this they differ that they haue not sounde hearts to cleaue vnto Christ Iesus for euer Which appeareth in that they are compared to stonie grounde Now stony groundes mingled with some earth are commonly hot and therefore haue as it were some alacrity and hastines in them and the corne as soone as it is cast into this ground it sprouteth out very speedily but yet the stones wil not suffer the corne to be rooted deepely beneath and therefore when Summer commeth the blade of the corne withereth with roots and all So it is with these professours they haue in their hearts some good motions by the holy Ghost to that which is good they haue a kinde of zeale to Gods worde they haue a liking to good things and they are as forwarde as any other for a time and they doe beleeue But these good motions and graces are not lasting but like the flame and flashing of strawe and stubble neither are they sufficiēt to saluatiō With the true professours it is farre otherwise for they haue vpright and honest hearts before the Lord. Luke 8. vers 15. And they haue faith which worketh by loue Galath 5. vers 6. And that Christian man which loueth God whatsoeuer shall befall yea though it were a thousand deaths yet his heart can neuer bee seuered from the Lord and from his Sauiour Christ as the spowse speaketh vnto Christ of hir owne loue Cant. 8. vers 6. Set me as a seale on thy heart and as a signet vppon thy arme for loue is as strong as death Iealousie is as cruell as the graue the coales thereof are fierie coales and a vehement flame Much water cannot quench loue neither can the floudes drowne it if a man should giue all the substance of his house for loue they would greatlie contemne it Wherefore good Reader seeing there is such a similitude and affinitie betweene the temporary professour of the Gospell and the true professour of the same it is the duetie of euery Christian to try and examine himselfe whether hee be in the faith or not 2. Cor. 13. vers 5. And whereas it is an harde thing for a man to search out his owne heart we are to pray vnto God that he would giue vs his spirit to discerne betweene that which is good and euill in vs. Nowe when a man hath found out the estate of his heart by searching it he is further to obserue and keepe it with all diligence Prouerb 4. vers 23. that when the houre of death or the day of triall shall come he may stand sure and not be deceiued of his hope And for this purpose I haue described the most of these small treatises which follow to minister vnto thee some helpe in this examining and obseruing of thine owne heart Reade them and accept of them and by the blessing of God they shall not bee vnprofitable vnto thee 1589. CERTAINE PROPOSITIONS DECLARING HOW farre a man may go in the the profession of the Gospel and yet be a wicked man and a reprobate I A Reprobate hath in his mind a certain knowledg of God of common equitie among men of the difference of good from bad and this is partly from nature partly from the contemplation of Gods creatures in which the wisedom the power the loue the mercie the maiestie of God is perceiued II This knowledge is only generall and imperfect much like the ruines of a Princes pallace it is not sufficient to direct him in doing of a good worke For example the reprobate knoweth that there is a God and that this God must be worshipped come to particulars who God is what a one hee is howe hee must bee worshipped Here his knowledge faileth him and he is altogether vncertaine what to doe to please God III By reason of this knowledge the reprobate doth giue consent and in his heart subscribeth to the equitie of Gods lawe as may appeare by the saying of Medea Video meliora probóque deteriora sequor That is I knowe what is best to be done and like it yet I doe the worst This approbation in the reprobate commeth from constraint and is ioyned with a disliking of the lawe in the elect being called the approbation of the lawe it proceedeth from a willing ready mind and is ioyned with loue and liking IIII And by reason of this light of nature a meere natural man and a reprobate may be subiect to some temptations for example he may be tempted of the Deuill and of his owne corrupt flesh to beleeue that there is no God at all As Ouid saith of himselfe Eleg 3. 8. Sollicitor nullos esse putare deos I am often tempted to thinke there is no God V The reprobate for all this knowledge in his heart may be an Atheist as Dauid saith the foole hath saide in his heart there is no God And a man may nowe a daies finde houses and townes full of such fooles Nay this glimering light of nature except it be preserued with good bringing vp with diligent instruction and with good company it will be so darkened that a man shall knowe very little and leade a life like a very beast as experience telleth and Dauid knew very well who saith Man is in honor and vnderstandeth not he is like to beasts that perish VI Wherfore this knowledge which the reprobate receiueth from nature from the creatures albeit it is not sufficient to make him doe that which shall please God yet before Gods iudgement seat it cutteth off all excuse which he might alleage why he should not be condemned VII Beside this naturall knowledge the reprobate may be made partaker of the preaching of the word and be illuminated by the holy Ghost and so may come to the knowledge of the reuealed will of God in his word VIII Thus when they heare the preaching of the word God profereth saluation to them and calleth them yet this calling is not so effectuall in them as it is in the elect children of God For the reprobate when he is called he liketh himselfe in his owne blindnes and therefore neither will hee and if he would yet could he not answer and be obedient to the calling of God The elect being called with speede he answereth and commeth to the Lord and his hart being ready giueth a strong and a loud eccho to the voice of the Lorde This eccho wee see in Dauids heart when saith he thou saidest seeke ye my face mine heart answered vnto thee O Lord I wil seeke thy face And God himself speaketh the same of his children Zacha. 13. 9. They shall call on my name and I will heare them I will say it is my people nowe marke the eccho and they shall say the Lord is my God IX After that he hath an vnderstanding of Gods word he may
elect haue in themselues the spirit of Iesus Christ testifying vnto them perswading them that they are the adopted children of God For this cause the holie Ghost is called the spirit of adoption because it worketh in vs the assurance of our adoption and it is called a pawne or earnest For as in a bargaine when part of the price is paied in earnest then assurance is made that men will pay the whole so wheÌ„ the child of God hath receiued thus much froÌ„ the holy ghost to be perswaded that he is adopted chosen in Christ he maie be in good hope and he is alreadie put in good assurance fullie to inioy eternall life in the kingdom of heaueÌ„ Indeed this testimonie is weake in most men can scarce bee perceiued because most Christians though they may be old in respect of yers yet they are babes in Christ not yet come to a perfect grouth may find in themselues great strength of sin and the graces of God to be in small measure in theÌ„ And again the children of God being most distressed as in time of triall in the houre of death then the inward working of the holy ghost is felt most euidently But a reprobate cannot haue this testimonie at al though in deede a man flattereth himselfe and the Deuill imitating the Spirit of God doth vsuallie perswade carnall men and hypocrites that they shall bee saued But that deuilish illusion and the testimonie of the Spirite may bee discerned by two notes The first is heartie and feruent prayer to God in the name of Christ. For the same spirite that testifieth to vs that wee are the adopted children of God doth also make vs crie that is feruentlie with grones and sighes filling heauen earth pray to God Now this heartie feruent and loud crying in the eares of God can the Deuill giue to no hypocrite for it is the speciall marke of the Spirite of God The other note is that they which haue the speciall testimonie froÌ„ the Spirite of God haue also in their harts the same affections to God which children haue to their father namelie loue feare reuerence obedience thankefulnes for they call not vpon God as vpon a terrible Iudge but they cry Father Father And these affections they haue not whome Sathan illudeth with a phantasticall imagination of their saluation for it may bee that through hypocrisie or through custome they may call God Father but in truth they cannot doe it XXXI The elect beeing thus assured of their adoptioÌ„ iustificatioÌ„ are indued with hope by which they looke patiently for the accomplishing of all good things which God hath begunne in them And therefore they can vndergoe all Crosses and afflictions with a quiet and contented minde because they knowe that the time will come when they shall haue full redemption from all euils This was the patâ—ence of Paules hope wheÌ„ he said that nothing in the world could seuer him from the loue of God in Christ. And like to this was the patience of Policarpe of Ignatius who when he was coÌ„demned and iudged to be throwne to wilde beasts and now heard the Lyons roring he boldly yet patiently said I am the wheate of Christ I shal be ground with the teeth of wild beasts that I may be founde good breade Also the same was the patience of the blessed Martir saint Laurence who like a meeke Lambe suffred himself to be tormented on a fiery gridiron and when he had beene pressed downe with fire pikes for a great space in the mightie spirit of God spake vnto the Emperor that caused him thus to be tormeÌ„ted on this wise This side is now rosted enough turne vp O tyrant great Assay whether rosted or rawe thou thinkest the better meat XXXII The third maine benefit is inward Sanctification by which a Christian in his mind in his will and in his affections is freed from the bondage and tyrannie of sin sathan and is by litle and litle inabled through the spirit of Christ to desire approue that which is good to walke in it And it hath two parts The first is Mortification when the power of sin is continually weakned consumed diminished The second is Viâ—ificatioÌ„ by which inherent righteousnes is really put into theÌ„ afterward is coÌ„tinually increased XXXIII This sanctification is wrought in al Christians after this manner After that they are ioined to Christ and made misticallie bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Christ worketh in them effectually by his holy spirite and his workes are principallie three First he causeth his owne death to worke effectuallie the death of all sinne and to kill the power of the flesh For it is as a Corrasiue which being applied to the part affected eateth out the venime and corruption and so the death of Christ by faith applyed fretteth out and consumeth the concupiscence the corruption of the whole man Secondly the buriall of Christ is the buriall of sinne as it were in a graue Thirdly his ResurrectioÌ„ sendeth a quickning power into them to make them rise out of their sinne in which they were dead and buried to worke righteousnes to liue in holines of life Lazarus bodie lay foure daies and stancke in the graue yet Christ raised it and gaue him life againe and made him do the same works that liuing meÌ„ do so also Christ dealeth with the soules of the faithfull they rotte and stincke in their sinnes and would perish in them if they were left alone but Christ putteth a heauenlie life into them maketh them actiue and liuely to doe the will of God in the workes of Christianitie and in the works of their callings And this sanctification is throughout the whole maÌ„ in the spirit soule and mind 1. Thes. 5. 23. And here the spirit signifieth the mind and memorie the soule the will and affections XXXIIII The sanctification of the minde is the enlightning of it with the true knowledge of Gods word It is of two sortes either sprituall vnderstanding or spirituall wisedome Spirituall vnderstanding is a generall conceiuing of euerie thing that is to be done or not to bee done out of Gods word Spiritual wisdome is a worthie grace of God by which a man is able to vnderstand out of Gods word what is to be done or not to be done in any particular thing or action according to the circumstances of person time place c. Both these are in euery Christian otherwise Paul would neuer haue praied for the Colossians That they might bee fulfilled with knowledge of Gods will in all wisedome spirituall vnderstanding In both these excelled Dauid who testified of himself that Gods word was a lanterne to his feete and a light to his path and that God by his commandements had made him wiser then his enimies that he had more
shall haue such an excellent communion with God that he shal be vnto them all in all For in the end of the world whē the whole number of the elect is accomplished Christ shall present them to his father and as he is mediator he shal cease to be a King a Priest a Prophet as Paule saith then shall be the ende when he hath deliuered vp the kingdome to God euen the Father when he hath put downe all rule al◠authoritie and power Againe among the elect there shall not bee king and subiect father mother child maister seruant noble ignoble rich poore liuing dead Some will say what then shall there be I answere one glorious and euerlasting God the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost shall be in all the elect all that heart can wish and desire Men shall not be in darkenesse neither shall they neede the light of the Sunne Moone or Starres God himselfe immediately shall be their light as Iohn saith And the Citie hath no neede of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glorie of God doth light it and the Lambe is the light of it Men shall not then neede meate drinke clothing sleepe recreation fire shade respiration or any other such like but God himselfe immediately shal be their life and all things concerning life by Christ. Which Iohn signifieth when he saith that he saw a pure riuer of water of life cleere as Christal proceding out of the throne of God of the Lamb there being by either side of it the tree of life which bare two manner of fruites and gaue fruit euerie moneth And whereas God is continually to be worshipped in heauen they neede no other tabernacle or temple thereunto but God himselfe shall be their temple as Iohn saith I saw no temple therein for the Lorde God almightie and the Lambe are the temple of it Fourthly from this glorious communion which is betweene God and Christ as he is man and all the saints which are his members there ariseth an vnspeakeable ioy and gladnes wherewith they are filled Dauid saith that Gods children shall be satisfied with the fatnes of his house and that he shall giue them drinke out of the riuers of his pleasures This ioye vndoubtedlie is infinite and the Saintes are not onelie replenished with it but they are also swallowed vp of it as with an huge and infinite sea of waters as may appeare in Peter who at the transfiguration of Christ was so rauished out of measure with ioy at the sight of it that he quite forgot himself saying to Christ Maister it is good being here let vs make three tabernacles here one for thee one for Moses and an other for Elias Lastly out of this communion ariseth a perfect loue of God whereby the Saints loue God with all their hearts with all their soules and strength and this loue sheweth it self in that they are eternally occupied in worshipping God by singing of songes of praise and thankes giuing vnto him Now thē seeing the kingdome of heauen is so glorious and none can haue it but the true Christian let all men accompt the best thinges in this worlde as drosse and dung so that they may obtaine Christ and his righteousnes The last reason is the endlesse loue of Iesus Christ shewed in his death and passion Thou art by nature the childe of wrath and vengeance Sathan hath wounded thee with manie a deadlie wounde of sinne thou liest bleeding at the heart and and art like to die eternally Thou being in this estate there is no Man on earth no no Saint in heauen no Angell no creature at all is able to helpe thee Christ onely was able hee therefore came downe from heauen and became man for this cause to worke thy deliuerance Furthermore in the curing of the wounde of sin no hearbe no water no plaister no Phisicke can doe thee any good onely the bodie and bloude of Christ is soueraigne for this matter being stieped in the wrath of GOD. Hee therefore subiected himselfe to the death euen the death of the Crosse vpon which hee suffered the wrath of God due to the sinne of mankinde and of his owne heart bloude hee tempered for thee a soueraigne medicine to heale all thy woundes and sores Nowe therefore despise not this mercie seeke vnto Christ lay open all thy sores pray him that hee woulde vouchsafe thee if it bee but one droppe of his bloude then he will come vnto thee by his holy spirite he will wash and supple thy wounds in his bloud and binde them vp He is the tree of life the leaues whereof heale the nations If thou get but one leafe of him thou art well it will heale thee and restore thy dead soule that thou maiest liue eternallie in the kingdome of heauen If this reason will not mooue thee to be a Christian thy case is desperate It is the best reason that Paule could vse to this purpose As obedient children saith he fashion not your selues vnto the former lustes of your ignorance but as hee which hath called you is holie so bee yee holie in all manner of conuersation His reason followeth Knowing that yee were not redeemed with corruptible thinges as siluer and golde from your vaine conuersation receaued by the tradition of the Fathers but with the precious bloud of Christ as a Lamb vndefiled and without spotte Thus much haue I spoken to the worldling who in his heart makes no more account of Christ then of his olde shooes and who had rather bee without Christ then be without his pigges with the Gaderenes Nowe for the true Christians I haue nothing to saie but this The Lorde increase the number of them And the Lorde fulfill them with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spiritual vnderstanding that they may walke worthie of him and please him in all thinges beeing fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of God And whereas they are at continuall warre against the flesh the world and the Diuel Lord Jesus strengthen them with all might through thy glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnes And deere father of all mercie plant that gouernement in thy Church euerie where which thou hast reuealed in thy worde That thy Saintes may worshippe thee in o those meanes in that order and comelines which thou hast appointed abounding in righteousnes peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost Amen Amen A Dialogue of the state of a Christian man betweene Eusebius a perfect Christian and Timotheus a wise Christian and the most of it was gathered here and there out of the sweete and sauorie writings of Maister Tindalland Maister Bradford TImotheus Because of our auncient acquaintance and familiaritie deare friende Eusebius I will make bolde with you to aske such questions as may be for my edification and comfort and of no other matters but
sit one on y e right hand of Christ the other on the left They would pray that fire might descend froÌ„ heaueÌ„ consume the Samaritans WheÌ„ Christ asked who say men that I am Peter answered Thou art the sonne of the liuing God as though Peter had beene as perfecte as an Angell But imediatlie after when Christ preached â—nto them of his death and passion Peter was angry and rebuked Christ and thought earnestlie that hee had raued and not wist what hee had said as at another time when Christ was so feruentlie busied in healing the people that he had no leasure to eate they went out to holde him supposing that hee had beene beside himselfe And one that cast foorth Diuelles in Christes name they forbadde because hee waited not on theÌ„ so glorious were they yet And though Christ taught alway to forgiue yet Peter after long going to schole asked whether men should forgiue seauen times thinking that eight times had beene too much And at the last supper Peter woulde haue died with Christ but yet within fewe houres after he denied him both cowardly shamefullie And after the same manner though he had so long hearde that no man must auenge himselfe but rather turne the other cheeke to the smiter againe yet when Christ was in taking Peter asked whether it were lawfull to smite with the sworde and taried no answere but laide on rashlie So that although wee bee once reconciled to God yet at the first we be but children and yong scholers weake and feeble and must haue leasure to growe in the spirite iâ— knowledg loue and deeds thereof as yong children must haue time to growe in their bodies and so in like manner the sting of the serpent is not pulled out at once but the poyson of our nature is minished by little and little and cannot before the houre of death be wholie taken awaie Timoth. I perceiue by your godlie discourse the manifolde conflictes betweene the flesh and the spirite and that the flesh is like to a mightie Giant such a one as was Goliah strong lustie stirring enimie to God confederate with the Diuell and the spirite like to a little childe such a one as was little Dauid new borne weake and feeble not alwaies stirring nowe then what meanes do you vse to weaken the flesh and strengthen the spirit Euseb. I vse to tame my flesh with praier and fasting watching deedes of mercie holie meditations reading the scriptures and in bodilie labour and in with-drawing all manner of pleasures from the flesh and with exercises contrarie to the vices which I finde in my bodie most inclined to and with absteining from all things that encourage the flesh against the spirit as reading of toyes and wanton bookes seeing of plaies and enterluds wanton communication foolish iesting effeminate thoughts and talking of couetousnes which Paul forbiddeth Eph. 5. magnifying of worldly promotions If these will not mortifie my flesh then God sendeth me some troubles and so maketh me to grow waxe perfect and fineth and trieth me as gold in the fire of tentations and tribulations Thus verie often he maketh me to take vp my crosse naileth my flesh vnto it for the mortifying thereof Marke this if God send thee to the sea promise to go with thee he wil raise vp a tempest against thee to prooue whether thou wilt abide by his word and that thou maist feele thy faith weakenes and perceiue his goodnes for if it were alwaies faire weather and thou neuer brought into such ieopardie whence his mercie onlie deliuereth thee thy faith should bee onelie a presumption thou shouldest be euer vnthankefull to God and merciles vnto thy neighbour If God promise riches the waie therevnto is pouertie whom he loueth him he chasteneth whom he exalteth hee casteth downe whom he saueth he first damneth hee bringeth no man to heauen except he send him to hell first if hee promisâ— life he slayeth first when he buildeth he casteth downe all first he is no patcher hee cannot abide another mans foundation he will not worke till all bee past remedie and brought to such a case that meÌ„ may see how that his haÌ„d his power his mercy his goodnes his truth hath wrought altogether hee will let no man be partaker with him of his praise and glorie his works are wonderfull contrarie to mans workes who euer saue he deliuered his own sonne his only sonne his deere son his darling vnto the death for his enimies to win his enimies to ouercome theÌ„ with loue that he might see loue loue again and of loue likewise to doe to other men to ouercome them with well doing Ioseph saw the Sun and the Moone and seauen starres worshipping him neuertheles ere that came to passe God laid him where he could see neither sun nor moone neither anie star of the skie and that many yeres and also vndeserued to nurture him to make him humble meeke to teach him Gods waies and to make him apte and meete for y t roome honor again he came to it that he might be strong in the spirit to minister it well God promised the children of Israel a land with riuers of milke honie yet hee brought them foorth the space of fortie yeares into a lande where in riuers of milke and honie were but where so much as a drop of water was not to nurture and teach them as a father doth his sonne and to doe them good at the latter ende to seduce their cankred nature to make them strong in the spirite to vse his benefites aright Lastlie God promised Dauid a kingdome and immediatelie stirred vp Saul against him to persecute him and to hunt him as men doe hayres with gray-houndes and to ferret him out of euerie hole and that for the space of manie yeares to turne him to make him to mortifie his lustes to make him feel his own diseases in fine to make him a good man and a good King Timoth. But how if it come to passe that you be tempted to anie great sinne and the fleshe ouercome the spirit in what case are you then Euseb. There is no bodie here but you I and I take you to bee a Christian and a faithfull friende therefore I will shewe a little of my exhortation The last yeare by reason of the dearth I and my familie were put to great pinches and most commonly we had nothing but bread and water here vpon I bethought mee howe I might get somewhat to releiue my familie It came into my minde that in our Towne a rich man had a great flocke of sheepe and that I might take one of them without any hurt of him I was verie loath at the first but because there was such great stealing of sheepe I was in extremitie in the night I went among his sheep and tooke a lambe and told my familie that it was giuen me I presently killed it the
indeede yet in the faithfull it wil be so for they haue in their harts a perswasion that wheras they are daÌ„ned in theÌ„selues yet in Christ the mercie of God is most plentiful to their saluation and all this God confirmeth and sealeth vnto them by his holie spirite and therefore they cannot but loue God again and that with a feruent loue euen aboue al things in the world and so they loue all Gods creatures and euen their enemies because they beare the image of God whom they loue like as if I haue a friend and loue him I loue all of his name all his kinred and all that appertaine vnto him And by the waie here is a good waie to know whether we haue faith or not Though faith onelie iustifie and make the marriage betweene our Soule and Christ and is properlie the marriage garment yea and the signe Tau that defendeth vs from the smiting and power of euill Angels anâ— is also the rocke on which Christs Churcâ— is built and standeth against all weather oâ— winde and tempest yet is faith neuer seuâ— red from hope and charitie then if a man will be sure that his faith is perfect let him examine himselfe whether he loue the law and in like manner if he will know whether hee loue the lawe that is loue God and his neighbour then let him examine himselfe whether he beleeue in Christ onelie for the remission of sin and obtaining the promises made in the scripture And euen so let him compare his hope of the life to come with faith and loue to the hatred of sin in his life which hatred the loue of the law ingendreth in him And if they accompanie not one another all three together then let him be sure all is but hypocrisie Timoth. Yet by your leaue faith cannot make a man iust before God without hope and charitie then they also with faith haue some stroke in iustification Euseb. I answere though they be inseparable yet I praise God I doe conceiue howe these three haue three separable sundrie offices Faith onlie is an vndoubted sure â—oue in Christ in the father through him â—ertifieth the conscience that the sin is forgiueÌ„ the daÌ„nation of the law taken awaie And with such perswasions mollifieth the â—art maketh it loue God again his law And as oft as we sin faith only keepeth that we forsake not our profession and that loue vtterlie quench not hope faile onlie maketh the peace again for a true beleeuer trusteth in Christ alone and not in his own workes nor ought else for the remission of sins The office of loue is to powre out againe the same goodnes that it hath receiued of God vpon hir neighbor to be to him as it feeleth Christ to be to it self The office of loue is onelie to haue compassion and to beare with hir neighbour the burden of his infirmities 1. Pet. 4. Loue couereth the multitude of sins that is to saie coÌ„sidereth the infirmities interpreteth al to the best taketh for no sin at al a thousand thinges of which the least were inough if a man loued not to goe to lawe for to trouble disquiet an whole Towne and sometime a whole Realme too The office of hope is to comfort in aduersitie and to make patient that we faint not nor fall downe vnder the Crosse or cast it of our backes Thus these three inseparable haue separable offices effects as heat drynes being inseparable in the fire haue yet their separable operations for drynes onelie expelleth the moistnes of all that is consumed by fire and heaâ— onelie destroieth the coldnes And it is not all one to saie the drynes onelie and the drynes that is alone neither is it all one to saie faith onelie and faith that is alone Timoth. You are to be commended you are so perfect in these high points of religion but I know you speake of experience for in you faith hope towardes God charity towards your neighbor are inseparable Euseb. I require no commendations shame and confusion befall mee eternallie that all glorie may be vnto God Timoth. But let vs talke on further of our dueties which we must performe if we will liue Christian like among men And I praie you tell mee what doe you meane that you giue so much vnto the poore considering you are so poore your self I speake my conscience if you had abilitie you woulde doe more theÌ„ an hundred of those rich men do Euseb. God knowes my heart it is a hell vnto me to see my brother for whom Christ shed his bloud to want if I haue anie thing in the world to giue him Among Christian men loue maketh all things common euerie man is others debter and euerie man is bound to minister to his neighbour and to supplie his neighbours lacke of that wherewith God hath indued him Christ is Lord ouer all euerie Christian is heire annexed with Christ therefore Lord ouer all and euerie one is Lord of whatsoeuer another hath if then my brother or neighbour need I haue to helpe him and if I shew not mercie but withdrawe my hands from him then rob I him of his owne am a thief A ChristiaÌ„ maÌ„ hath Christs spirit now Christ is merciful if I shall not be mercifull I haue not Christs spirit if I haue not Christs spirit theÌ„ am I none of his And though I shew mercie vnto my brother yet if I doe it not with such burning loue as Christ did vnto me I must knowledge my sinne and desire mercie in Christ. Timoth. If a man must be franke and free then a man must giue of his owne stocke to the poore and diminish his own substance Euseb. Yea indeed we are made stewards of those goods which God hath giuen vs shal a steward take all vnto himself without reproof I am sure that they which were couetous at Peters first Sermon after Christs ascention diminished their substance when they sold them gaue them to the poore I am sure that the Churches which were in Macedonia which sent reliefe vnto their Churches euen aboue their abilitie they beeing in extreame pouertie did dimisse their possessions and God graunt our conuersations may be like theirs And that wee should be like theÌ„ their examples of great compassion are recorded in the Scriptures Tim. Many of vs haue our selues wife children father mother kinsfolke to relieue so y t it wil be hard to deale after this manner Euseb. Had not these men I named so yea I warraÌ„t you had they And the waÌ„t of loue which you deeme of the Gospell of Christ knoweth not y t a maÌ„ should begin at himself theÌ„ desceÌ„d I wot not by what steps Loue seeketh not hir own profit but maketh a ma to forget himself turn this profit to another maÌ„ as Christ sought not himself or his own profit but ours This terme
acknowledge the truth of it and confesse it if need require be a defender of it As Iudas was Iulian the Apostata X The reprobate may haue a feeling of his sins so acknowledge them the punishment due vnto them as Saul did who said I haue sinned come againe my sonne Dauid for I will doe thee no harme because my soule was pretiou◠in thy eies this day Behold I haue done foolishly and haue erred exceedingly Thus did Cain when he said my punishment is greater then I can beare Galerius Maximinus a vile persecutor of Christiās had his bowels rotting within him so that an infinite number of wormes continually craulled foorth of his bodie and such a poysoning stinke came from him that no man could abide him being thus plagued with the hand of God hee began to perceiue his wickednes in persecuting Christians and he confessed his sins to the true God and assembling the chiefe about him he commaunded that all within his Dominions shoulde cease to trouble Christians and in all hast he made a law for the peace and liberty and the publike meetings of Christians XI The reprobate hath oftentimes feare and terror of conscience but this is onely because he considereth the wrath and vengeance of God which is most terrible When Paul preached before Foelix by the maiestie of Gods spirit did as it were thunder from heauen against his sinnes doubtlesse he made his heart to ake and euery ioint of him to tremble Ecebolius a Philosopher of Constantinople in the daies of Constantius professed Christian religion and went beyond all other in zeale for the same religion yet afterward vnder Iulian he fell from that religion vnto Gentilisme But after Iulians death making meanes to bee receiued into the Church againe ouerwhelmed with the horror of his owne conscience for his wicked reuolting hee cast himselfe downe on the ground before the dores of the Church crying aloude Calcate me salem insipidum trample on me vnsauerie salt And the Diuel beleeueth the word of God and at his owne damnation he trembleth These seruile feares though they harden the heart of the reprobate as heate doth the yron after it hath beene in the furnace yet these feares in the children of God are very good preparations to make them fitte to receiue grace like as wee see the heedle which soweth not the cloth yet it maketh a passage and enterance for the threede which serueth for this vse to sowe cloth together XII A reprobate before he commit a sinne is often vexed within himselfe and feareth to commit it not because hee hateth and disliketh the sinne for it selfe but because he can not abide the punishment due vnto the sin When the daughter of Herodias daunced before Herode and pleased him that hee might doe her a pleasure hee bad her aske what shee woulde shee asked Iohn Baptists head in a platter Herode did graunt her request but yet hee had a grudging in heart and he was sore grieued at it In like maner Pilate was very much troubled inwardly before he condemned our Sauiour Christ. XIII After he hath committed a sinne he sorroweth and repenteth yet this repentance hath two wants in it First hee doth not detest his sinne and his former conuersation when he repenteth he doth bewaile the losse of many things which he once enioyed he cryeth out through very anguish and through the perplexities which God in his iudgement layeth on him yet for his life he is not able to leaue his filthy sinne and if he might be deliuered he would sinne as before Esau wept before his father with great yelling crying but after hee was gone from his fathers presence hee hated his brother who had got his blessing and in contempt of his father chose him a wife against his fathers liking Pharao as oft as the Lorde laide any calamitie on him he euermore desired to bee deliuered from it yet afterward alwaies hee returned to his olde bias againe Foelix trembled before Paul for all that he coulde not leaue his couetousnes but euen then he sought for a bribe Secondly the repobate when he repenteth hee can not come vnto God and seeke vnto him he hath no power no not so much as once to desire to giue one little sobbe for the remission of his sins if hee would giue all the worlde hee cannot so much as giue one rappe at Gods mercie gate that he may open to him He is very like a man vpon a Racke who cryeth and roreth out for very paine yet cannot desire his tormentor to ease him of his paine Caine would haue been voide of his trembling but hee coulde not aske pardon of his sinne from his heart neither coulde Saul or Iudas or now can the Diuel XIIII The reprobate may humble himselfe for some sinnes which he hath committed and may declare this by fasting teares When Eliah reproued Ahab for his Idolatrie and threatned him from the Lord it is said that when hee had heard these wordes hee rent his clothes and put sackcloth vpon him and fasted and went softly in token of mourning and this humiliation staied Gods wrath for a time XV. He may confesse his sinnes euen his particular sinnes before men but this is onely then when his soule is tormented for them and can find no ease For then hee sticketh not to vtter his secret filthinesse to the hearing of all men and to the open shaming of himselfe When God smote all that was in the fieldes of AEgypt with hayle then Pharao sent and called for Moses Aaron sayd vnto them I haue now sinned the Lorde is righteous but I and my people are wicked pray ye vnto the Lord for it is enough that there be no more mightie thunders c. So Iudas when he saw that Christ was condemned and felt an hell in his conscience brake out and said I haue sinned in betraying the innocent bloud And the experience of these dayes giueth fearefull examples for the proofe of this point XVI He hath often a desire to be like the children of God and to be saued not becaus◠he hath anie loue to the kingdome of God but because he is afraide of hell As Balaa◠ouerpressed with a feare of gods iudgemēt prayed thus Oh that my soule might die the death of the righteous and that my last ende might be like his XVII The wicked in their distresse may pray to God and God may heare their prayers and graunt them their request as the Israelites wickedly murmuring against God desired flesh in the wildernes God heard their crie and rained Quailes among them But God heareth the wicked after one sort and them that feare him after an other thē that feare him he graunteth their requestes of loue mercie to the other of indignation and anger As may appeare in the Israelites who when they were in eating of their Quayles and the
meat was within their teeth God in his anger stroke them with a sore plague And which is more strange then this God hath performed that which he hath promised to the vnbeleeuers though they refused to aske it at his handes of this thing wee haue a worthie example in King Achas who vtterly refused to haue a signe of his deliuerance and the confusion of his eneâ—ies when God offered it to him and yet â—e Lord deliuered him XVIII The reprobate may yet goe further in the â—rofession of religion and may seeme for a â—ime to bee planted in the Church for hee doth beleeue the promises of God made in Christ Iesus yet so that hee cannot applie them to himselfe In this thing the elect and the reprobate differ The reprobate generally in a confused maner beleeueth that Christ is a sauiour of some men and he neither can nor desireth to come to the particular applying of Christ. The Elect beleeueth that Christ is a sauiour of him particularly The reprobates faith may perish in this life but the faith of the elect cannot The reprobate may be perswaded of the mercie and goodnes of God towardes him for the present time in the which hee â—eeleth it the elect is not onely perswaded of the mercies he presently inioyeth but also he is perswaded of his eternall election before the foundation of the world of his euerlasting life which yet he doth not inioy Yea if God would confound him and he sawe nothing but present death and hell fire yet such is his nature that still he would beleeue for faith and hope are noâ— grounded vppon sence and feeling but are the euidence of those thinges which were neuer yet seene or felt The life of the faithfull is hid in Christ as the sappe in the roote of the tree their life is not in sence and feeling but in hoping and beleeuing which often times or contrary to mans sence and feeling is in Dauid who saith Create a newe heart in me Psal. 51. XIX After that hee hath receiued a generall a temporal faith in Gods heauenly word and his most mercifull promises of euerlasting life contained therein by the power of the spirite of God he commeth to haue a tast in his heart of the sweetnes of Gods mercies and a reioycing in consideration of the election adoption iustification and sanctification of Gods children But what is this tast I expresse it thus after the meaning of Gods word Suppose a banket prepared in which are many sweete and pleasaunt and dainty meates At this banquet they which are the bidden guests they must be set downe they see the meates they tast them they chawe them in their mouthes they digest them they are nourished fed and strengthned by them they which are not bidden to this â—east may see the meates handle them and â—ast of them to feele how good they are but â—hey must not eate and feede of them The first resemble the elect which truely eate digest and are nourished by Christ vnto euerâ—asting life because they haue great aboundance of the vitall heate of Gods holy spirit in them and doe feele sensibly his grace and vertue in them to strengthen them and guide them The second sort truly resemble the reprobates which neuer in truth enioy Christ or any of his benefites appertaining to saluation but onely see them and haue in their heartes a vanishing but no certaine or sound feeling of them so that they may be changed and strengthened and guided thereby To vse another similitude The reprobates haue no more feeling and enioying of Christ and his benefites than those men haue of the Sunne which see onely a glimmering of his light at the dawning of the day before it riseth Contrarywise the elect they haue the day-star euen the sonne of righteousnes Iesus Christ rising in their hearts the day spring from an high doth visite them the glorie of God doth rise vpon them they haue their eies annointed with the ointment of the spirite which is the true eie salue and doâ— plainely behold this sonne of righteousnes they inioy his presence they effectually feele his comfortable heate to quicken anâ— reuiue them XX From this sence and taste of Gods grace proceede manie fruites as first generallie he may do outwardly all things which true Christians doe and he may leade such a life here in this world that although he cannot attaine to saluation yet his paynes in hell shall bee lesse which appeareth in that our Sauiour Christ saith it shall bee easier for Tyrus Sydon for Sodome and Gomorrah than for Capernaum and other Cities vnto which hee came in the day of iudgement XXI Also the reprobate may haue a loue of God but this loue can bee no sincere loue for it is only because God bestoweth benefites and prosperitie vpon him As appeareth in Saule Who loued God for his aduauncement to the kingdome and here is a difference betweene the elect and reprobate the elect loue GOD as children their fathers but reprobates as hirelings their maisters whome they affect not so much or themselues as for their wages XXII Also a reprobate hath often a reioycing â—n doing those things which appertayne to â—he seruice of God as preaching praier Herod heard Iohn Baptist preach gladlie and the seconde kinde of naughtie ground receiueth the word preached with ioy XXIII A reprobate often desireth them whom he thinketh to be the children of God to pray for him As Pharao desired Aaron Moses to pray to God for him So did Simon Magus desire Peter to pray that none of the things which hee had spoken against him should come to passe But yet they cannot pray them selues because they want the spirit of Christ. XXIIII He may shew liking to Gods Ministers he may reuerence them and feare to displease them Thus did Simon Magus who at Phillips preaching beleeued wondered at his miracles and kept companie with him And Herod is saide to feare Iohn knowing that he was a iust man holie also he gaue reuerence to him Antonius the Emperour called Pius though hee was nâ— Christian yet in a general Parliament helâ— at Ephesus he made an act in the behalfe of ChristiaÌ„s that if anie maÌ„ should trouble oâ— accuse a ChristiaÌ„ for being a Christian the party accused shuld go free though he were found to bee a Christian and the accuseâ— should be punished And Plinius Secundus gouernour of Spaine vnder Traianus the Emperour when he sawe an innumerable company of Christians to be executed being moued with compassion he wrote in their behalfe being no Christian vnto Traianus to spare them that coulde be charged with no crime and his letter is yet extant XXV Hee may bee zealous in the religion which he professeth and fall from that profession as the Galathians did who after that they had receiued Paule as an Angell and woulde haue
euer loue and proue all thinges to rule with loue but if loue wil not serue then you must vse the office of an other person or sinne against your father Euen so when you are a temporall person you put not of the spirituall therefore you must euer loue but when loue will not helpe you must with loue execute the office of the temporall person You must loue your neighbour in your hart because he is your brother in the first state yet you must obeie your ruler who hath power ouer you and when neede requireth at his commandement you must goe with the constable or like officer and breake open your neighbors doore if hee will not open it in the kings name yea if he will not yeld in the kings name you maie smite him to the ground till he bee subdued and looke what harme he getteth that be vppon his owne heade Timoth. I vnderstand you well As I am a member of the spirituall bodie of Christ I must in all my conuersation follow him with patience meekenes and long suffering ouercomming other mens euils with weldoing yet if the hurt be greater then I can beare I must take a new person on me and if I be a ruler with loue seeke amendment if a subiect then in the feare of God complaine to my ruler But further I pray you soile me this doubt If I shall be taken for a soldier me thinks that I should then shake off all loue and meekenes then I could not practise this Christian rule Euseb. Yes if our Queene God saue her grace should send you on warfare into another countrie you must obeie at Gods commandement and go and auenge your Princes quarrell which you knowe not but that it is right When you come thether remember the two stats in which you are and knowe that in the firste state that is the regiment spiritual you must loue them with whome you fight and that they are your brethren bought with Christes blood as well as you and for Christes sake hate them not yet as you are in the second state a Souldior at your Princes commandement you must fight against them and mainteine your Princes quarrell and bring them vnder hir power and therewithall be content with your Princes wages neither desire your aduersaries life or goods saue to aduantage your Prince So then a Souldior neede not cast away meekenes for he may fight with his enemie and slaye him and yet loue him Timoth. Another thing I would knowe of you which now commeth to my minde I haue a Landlord he seemeth to be a verye good man he countenanceth all the good prechers in our country he rideth vsually ten miles to hear sermons I hold of him an house a little land not scarse enough to find my poore family my lease is come out I haue taken a new lease but I haue paide such a great fine and my yearly rents are so racked that I feare I all my houshold are like to beg our bread this is it disquieteth me and almost maketh me at my wits end what is your counsell and aduise Euseb. Surelie it maketh my hearte to bleede to see how manie men bragge of the Gospell and yet what little fruite the gospell hath in them and what little loue they shew euen they which abound in rents and landes My poore aduise is this that you would with patience depende vppon Gods prouidence It is said blessed are the meeke for they shall inherite the earth Then let all the world studie to doe you wronge yea let them studie to bring you to extreeme miserie and doe it too yet if you bee meeke you shall haue foode and raiment enough for you yours And no doubt God who is alwaies true of his promise shall raise vp some to helpe you And my counsell is that you giue your landlorde now and then a Capon now a pigge now a Goose and if you bee able a lambe or a Calfe and let your wife visite your Land-ladie nowe and then with spiced cakes with apples peares cheries and such like and bee you readie with your Oxen or horses fiue or sixe times in the yeare to fetch home theiâ— wood to plowe their land then no doubt God maie soften their hartes moue them to haue some pittie compassion on your â—oore estate Timoth. I haue done all this Naie maie â—t be spoken betweene you and me I am at commandement am as a drudge to theÌ„ â—o do their busines and to leaue my owne â—…ndone and yet haue neither meat drinke â—or monie Euseb. More is the pittie But remember â—hat they which cannot come to see men â—eale vprightly in the world yet do in their â—arts hunger and thirst after this righteousâ—es are pronounced blessed Timoth. To let this passe shew me one â—ule howe I might generallie in all matters â—e haue my selfe among men and then for â—his time I will cease to trouble you Euseb. Aske your own conscience what â—ou maie or ought to do Would you men â—id so with you then doe you it Would â—ou not bee so delt with then doe it not â—â—ou would not that men should doe you â—rong and oppresse you You would not â—â—at men should doe you shame rebuke â—…e on you kil you haue your house froÌ„ you â—…tice your seruant away or take against â—…ur wil ought that is yours You wold not â—…at meÌ„ shold sell you false ware when you put theÌ„ in trust to make it readie or to lay it out for you and you woulde not that men should deceiue you with great othes swearing that to be good which is indeed verie nought you would not that men should sel you ware that is nought too dere to vndoo you doe no such thing then vnto your neighbours but as loth as you woulde bee to buie false ware and too deere for vndoing your selfe so loth bee you to sell false ware or too deere for vndooing your neighbor And in al cases how glad would you be to bee holpen so glad bee to helpe your neighbour So in all things aske your conscience what is to bee done betweene your neighbour and you and she wil teach you But because you are wearie of reasoning I will also end Desiring God to encrease in vs his heauenlie graces as faith and repentance and loue according to his good pleasure Amen The Assertion A Reprobate may in truth be made partaker of all that is contained in the Religion of the Church of Rome and a Papist by his Religion cannot goe beyong a Reprobate The first Argument HE which may in truth be made partaker of the chiefe pointes of the Popish religion may bee made partaker of all but a reprobate may be made partaker of the chiefe points of the Popish religion therefore a reprobate may be made partaker of all The proofe of the Argument THE proposition is plaine and euerie Papist will graunt it all the controuersie is of
of the last commandement perceiued thereby that the desires and lusts of his hart to which he did not yeeld his consent were sinnes damnable before God and knowing this he then saw himself to be most miserable renoūcing his owne righteousnes he sought for righteousnes in Christ. Lastly it teacheth that originall sinne is done away in Baptisme and that is the least sinne of all other What is this but to extenuate mās corruption for when the root of corruptiō is takē away and it is made so little a sinne actuall sinnes cannot bee taken for such heinous matters And for the second point the Church of Rome dooth too too much extoll the power of man and his naturall strength It saith that all actions of men vnregenerate are not sinnes and that originall sinne needeth no repentance that a man hath some free will to do spirituall things that a man by meere naturales may loue God aboue all things feare God beleeue in Christ if we respect the very acte of the worke that the Gentiles might gather out of Philosophie knowledge sufficient for saluatiō that a man without the helpe of the holy Ghost may performe things acceptable to God that the minde of man vnderstandeth of it selfe manye things which be spirituall and heauenly that a man regenerate may fulfill the whole lawe of God that a man may prepare himself to receiue grace to merit grace at Gods hands that he may do works of Supererogation c. By this it appeareth y t the church of Rome ascribeth to much to the nature of mā which is only altogether euill dead in sinne chained vp in miserable bōdage vnder Sathā the prince of darknes and therefore it is euident that all the preaching that is vsed in that Church will not humble a sinner and make him denie himselfe therefore their preaching may peraduenture benumme a corrupt conscience and make it secure but it cannot pacifie the troubled conscience nor disquiet it by the threatnings of the law that by the promises of the Gospell it maie be quieted Againe this religion teacheth that a man must doubt of his saluation as long as he is in this life behold a Racke or Gibbet erected by the church of Rome for the tormenting of tender consciences for when a man doubteth of his saluatiō he also doubteth of Gods loue and mercie to him he which doubteth of Gods loue cannot loue God again for how can anie man loue him of whose good will he doubteth and when a man hath not the loue of God in him he hath no grace in him therefore his conscience must needes be defiled and voide of true peace yea he must needes be a wicked man and that saying of Salomon must needes agree to him The wicked flieth whē no man pursueth by reason of the guiltines of his conscience but the godlie is bold as a Lion Againe Blessed is the man saith Dauid whose sinnes are pardoned where hee maketh remission of sinnes to bee true felicitie nowe there is no true felicitie but that which is inioied and felicitie cannot be inioied vnlesse it bee felt and it cannot be felt vnlesse a man know himselfe to be in possession of it a man cannot know himselfe to be in possession of it if he doubt whether hee hath it or not and therefore this doubting of the remission of sinnes is contrarie to true felicitie is nothing else but a torment of the conscience For a man cannot doubt whether his sinnes be pardoned or not but strait waie if his conscience bee not seared with an hoat iron the verie thought of his sinne will strike a great feare into him for the feare of eternall death and the horror of Gods iudgements will come to his remembrance the consideration of which is most terrible Vndoubtedlie this religion must needes be comfortlesse Alas poore men as we are we are no better then passengers in this worlde our waie it is in the middle of the Sea where wee can haue no sure footing at all and which waie so euer wee cast our eies wee see nothing but water euen opening it selfe to deuoure vs quicke the Diuell and our rebellious flesh raise vp against vs infinite thousandes of tempestes and stormes to ouerthrowe vs but beholde God of his great and endlesse mercie hath brought vs to Christ as to a sure Ancker holde hee bibddeth vs to vndoo our Gables and fling vp our Anckers within the vaile and fasten them in Christ we do it as we are commanded but a Sister of ours I meane the Church of Rome passing in the Ship with vs as it seemeth who hath long taken vppon hir to rule the healme dealeth too too vnkindelie with vs shee vnlooseth our Anckers and cutteth in pieces our Gables shee telleth vs that wee maie not presume to fasten our Ancker on the rocke shee will haue vs freelie to roue in the middle of the Sea in the greatest fogges and the fearefullest tempestes that bee if wee shall follow hir aduise wee must needes looke for a Shippewracke for the least flawe of winde shall ouerturne vs and our poore soules shall bee plunged in the gulphs of hell Lastlie Iustificatiō by works causeth trouble disquietnes to the cōscience No mās conscience can bee appeased before Gods wrath be appeased Gods wrath cānot be appeased by anie workes for the best works the regenerate can doe are imperfect and are stained with some blemish of corruption as may appeare both in the Prophet Esai and in Paule both which had a great misliking of that good which they did because it was mingled with sin And againe euerie man is bound by duetie to keepe the whole lawe so that if a man could keepe it perfectlie he should doe no more then that he is by duetie inioined to doe and therefore he which looketh to merite eternal life at Gods hand by keeping the lawe trusteth but to a broken staffe and is like the Bankrupt that will paie one debt by another for by his sinne euerie man is indebted to the Lord and is bound to answere to the Lord the full punishment of all his sinnes this debt the Papist saith we maie discharge by obedience to the law that is by a new debt which we are as well bounde to paie to our God as the former To end this point let a man looke to bee saued by works and therefore let a man imploie himselfe to do the best works he can yet he shall neuer come to knowe when he hath done sufficient to satisfie Gods wrath and this vncertaintie all his life but especiallie in the houre of death must needes disquiet him And truelie when a man shall haue done manie thousand workes yet his heart can neuer be at quiet as it appeareth in the young man who though hee had laboured all his life to fulfill the law thereby to be saued yet
distrusting all his doings he asketh further of our Sauiour Christ what he might doe to be saued Furthermore it is the doctrine of the Church of Rome that there is nothing in the regenerate that God can hate and that they are inwardlie pure and without spot A doctrine that will make anie Christian conscience dispaire For if a man shall fall to examine himselfe he shall finde that he is sold vnder sinne compassed about of sinne hee shall see his particular sinnes to be as the heires of his head at the sight and feeling of which he shal find that there is much matter in him worthie of hatred damnation too Hee beeing in this case will begin to doubt whether he be the childe of God or not and perseuering in this doubting he shall be driuen to dispaire of Gods loue towards him considering that he cannot finde anie such purenes in himselfe as the doctrine of the Church of Rome requireth Lastlie experience it selfe teacheth that the Romish religion can bring no peace to the conscience in that some for the maintaining of it haue dispaired As FrauÌ„ces Spira who against his own coÌ„science hauing abiured the truth and subscribed to the doctrine of the Romish Church most fearefullie dispaired of his saluation Which coulde not haue beene if that doctrine had been agreeable to Gods word which is spirite and life to the receiuer For the same cause Latomus a doctor of Louane dispaired crying that he was damned because he had opposed himselfe to the knowen truth This also befell Gardner at his death as the booke of Acts and Monuments declareth The third Argument THat religion which agreeth to the corruption of mans nature a Reprobate maie truelie professe itâ— the religion of the Church of Rome agreeth to the corruption of mans nature therefore a Reprobate maie truelie professe it The proofe I Neede not stand to prooue the proposition the Assumption is rather to bee confirmed which first I will proue by induction of particulars 1. That a man should be iustified by workes is an opinion settled in nature as maie appeare in them that crucified our Sauiour Christ for when they were pricked in their hearts at Peters Sermon they saide Men and bretheren what shall we doe to bee saued and this saide the young man before named not what should I beleeue but what should I do to be saued for that in them it appeareth that it is a naturall opinion of all men to thinke that they must bee saued by dooing of somewhat A Papist wil saie though this be naturall thus to thinke yet it maie bee good for there is some goodnes in nature I answere that the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie to Gods wisedome Rom. 8. 7. and all men by nature are nothing but flesh for naturallie they are the children of wrath 2. The worshipping of God in Images is a great matter in the Church of Rome but this maner of worshipping is nothing but a worke of the flesh which thus I proue Idolatrie is natural and a worke of the flesh but to worship God in Images is Idolatrie The children of Israell when they erected the golden Calfe they did commit Idolatrie and yet they did not worship the Calfe it selfe but God in the Calfe For when thâ— Calfe was made they proclaimed an Holidaie not to the Calfe but to the Lorde And Baal that detestable Idol was nothing but the Image of God as appeareth in Hosea the Prophet At that daie saith thâ— the Lorde thou shalt call mee no moâ— Baal It remaineth therefore that to serue Goâ— in an Image is a work of the flesh and altogether agreeth to the vile corruption â— nature 3. Pride and a desire to be aduaâ—ced aboue other is a naturall corruption 〈◊〉 this agreeth the Popes Primacie his doâ—ble Sword and triple Crowne yea the ouâ— ragious pompe of that seate is as a paire oâ— bellowes to kindle the concupiscence and to make the hidden sparkes of pride to breake out into a great flame 4. Doubting of Gods prouidence and mercie is â— naturall corruption in all men to this agreeth and from hence issueth that foolisâ— and vaine opinion concerning doubting â— our saluation and of the remission of sinne 5. Selfeloue and selfeliking or naturall coâ—ruptions to this agreeth that doctrine â— the Papistes not ouermuch to abase ouâ— selues but to maintaine free will by nature and to thinke that we haue so much goodnes that wee are able to prepare our selues to receiue and in some sort to merit grace 6. Idlenes and riotousnes is a corruption naturall and to it verie fitlie answereth the great number of feasts of holidaies of halfe holidaies which the church of Rome vseth â— Couetousnes is a natural corruption and â—o the feeding of this vice serueth Purgatoâ—ie a fire of great gain which in verie truth â—f it had not burned very hoat the fire in the Popes kitchin had burned verie colde hiâ—herto serue Pilgrimages saying of Masses â—nd selling of Pardons for money 8. To be â—t libertie is the desire of nature answerable â—o this is that opinioÌ„ that the Spiritualitie is â—o bee exempted from subiection to Magistrates 9. To commit adulterie is naturall to this agreeth the Stewes and the permission of simple fornication 10. Ignorance is a filthie corruption in nature this the Church of Rome maketh the mother of deuotion and it is inioined the laie man as a means of his saluatioÌ„ for he must beleeue as the Church beleueth he is not bound to know 11. Infidelitie is naturall and to this agreeth that they cal vpoÌ„ Saints Angels the Lord hauing commanded them to call vpon him in the name of Christ what argueth this els but hearts distrusting Godâ— goodnes and guilty consciences 12. Images in the Church of Rome came from infidelitie because men in reason coulde noâ— perswade themselues that God was presenâ— vnlesse that were made manifest by somâ— signe and Image Which thing the Israelites declared when they saide to Aaron 〈…〉 the wildernes in Moses absence Make 〈…〉 gods to go before vs. 13. Satisfactions foâ— sinne are naturall for wicked men wheâ— they haue offended God they haue alwaiâ—â— vsed some ceremonies to pacifie God with which when they haue performed theâ—… they think they haue done inough 14. Thâ—… Church of Rome saith that the Scriptureâ— are darke and obscure the blinde man finâ— deth fault with the darkenes of the Sunneâ— if the Scriptures appeare to anie to bee obscure the fault is not in the Scriptures buâ— in the blindnes of the minde of him whicâ— readeth and heareth them 15. Lastlie pardons they open a gappe to all licentiouâ— nes therefore they agree to mans corrupâ— nature for who almost will not sinne wheâ— he maie get a pardon for his sinnes for a liâ— tle piece of money as twentie shillings or foure Nobles It is naturall to a man to serue God in certaine ceremonies without the power