commandement of dooing repentance is vniuersall and the promises therevnto annexed be likewise vniuersall and includeth all people as Venite ad me omnes Matt. 11. Esaie 53. Come vnto me all yee And againe Delicta omnium nostrum tulit He hath borne all our sinnes Thus haue the seruants of God alwaies wrestled with sin that the pricking thereof should not perse them to death Thus did the woman the Cananite which acknowledged hir selfe vnworthie of Christs benefits obteine grace and mercie by faith and constancie in hir inuocation and praier FALSIL. The diuell dooth miracles and strange works what difference therefore is there betweene true miracles and false VERIL. There is a three double difference The first is taken of the substance oâ— miracles bicause that the diuell truelie cannot imitate or followe the true miracles or the miracles of the church as to raise vp the dead to life againe to let the course of the sun to stop the course of flouds and to make the barren to beare children The second difference may be taken of the accident that is to wit in confirmation of false worshippings and false doctrine as the â—â—racles which were doone among the gentils and papists were doone of the diuell for the confirmation of idolatrie and false worshipping as the inuocation and praier to the dead contrarie to the expresse word of God saieng Thou shalt haue none other gods but me Exod. 20. And this rule is alwaies immutablie to be obserued that we must beléeue no miracle doon contrarie to the expresse word of God Also Deut. 18. Thou shalt not enquire the truth of the dead The third difference is that the miracles in the church doo repell and cast out the diuell whether he will or no Luc. 11. as Christ did cast out the dum diuell and afterward the dum spake the people maruelled the like he did other times also FALSIL. Can the holie and elect people of God fall and léese the Holie-ghost their faith 〈◊〉 grace of God and be damned VERIL. No they cannot for our sauiour Christ hath said Matth. 24. Except those daies of trouble should be shortened no flesh that is no man should be saued but for the sake of the elected those daies shal be shortned And againe False christs and false prophets shall arise and shall giue great signes and wonders insomuch that if it were possible the verie elect should be brought into error By these words it appeareth manifestlie that God in mercifull prouidence will shorten the daies of trouble that shall be towards the end of the world bicause his elected and holie people may not thereby be brought to euerlasting destruction and that it is not possible for them to be so brought into error by false christs and false prophets that they should by error be brought into euerlasting damnation 1. Cor. 10. And S. Paule hath written thus to the Corinthians God is faithfull and will not suffer you to be tempted aboue your power but euen in the midst of the temptation he will make a waie that you may be able to beare it Rom. 8. And againe to the Romans Who will laie any thing to the charge of Gods elect 2. Tim. 2. And againe to Timothie The firme foundation of God standeth stedfastlie hauing this seale God knoweth who be his But least this doctrine should encourage any man to lead a carelesse life the apostle saith in the next sentence Let euerie one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie And to the Romans There is no condemnation to them that be in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh Eph. 4. And to the Ephesians the apostle saith Gréeue not the holie spirit of GOD in whom you are sealed against the daie of redemption Our care is to liue without sinne according to the exhortation of th'apostle Iohn 1. Ioh. 2. My little babes I write these words to you that you should not sinne but if any man doo sin we haue an aduocate with the father euen Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins Gods elected doo sinne as the wise man saith verie often but they rise againe by repentance Prou. 24. The righteous person saith he falleth seuen times and riseth againe but the vngodly fall downe headlong into mischiefe FALSIL. The elect people are alwaies beloued of God therefore they cannot fall VERIL. The elect people are indéed beloued of God and so beloued that nothing can separate them from his loue Rom. 8. As the apostle writeth I am sure that neither death neither life neither angels neither principalities neither powers neither things present nor things to come neither fortitude neither higth neither depth neither any other creature can separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. But yet they may and doo fall â—s Salomon saith Prou. 24. and being downe they rise againe being lifted vp by that louing Father from whose loue their often and horrible falles cannot separate them For so God loued the world that is Iohn 3. his elect in the world that he gaue his onlie begotten son that all that beleeue in him shuld not perish but haue euerlasting life FALSIL. Tell me what is blasphemie and whether the sinne therof be remissible and pardonable or no VERIL. Blasphemare est maledicere ac malè precari alâ—js per nomen seu inuocationem Dei Blasphemie is a sinne against the Holie-ghost a curssing and reproching commonlie referred vnto the despite of GOD when one knowing and willinglie would adnihilate and make void the power of God and withstand the truth that a man knoweth as the Phariseis reuiled reiected Christ oppugning the truth manifested vnto them by the testimonies of God and attributed the works of Christ to the diuell Matth. 12. Marc. 3. Luc. 11. Exod. 10. and to take vpon him aboue the might of God as Pharao Senacherib and Holophernes did And touching pardon thereof I answer by distinction that they are forgiuen which sinne therein by ignorance and afterward truelie repent them thereof as S. Paule did 1. Tim. 1. which saieth that he was a blasphemer but yet he receiued mercy forgiuenes of his sinne bicause he persecuted the congregation of GOD ignorantlie And this is a generall rule euer inuiolablie to be obserued Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis Matth. 11. Come vnto me all ye that are heauie laden with the burthen of sinne c Vius ego dicit Dominus Eze. 18.33 1. Tim. 2. Rom. 5. As sure as I liue saith the Lord I will not haue the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and liue And that God would haue all men to be saued Againe Gratia exuberat super delictum Grace is more aboundant than sinne We must déeme of the will of God according to these saiengs of scripture and promises and not after our owne
said O mors ero mors tua Ose 13. morsus tuus ero inferne Oh death I will be thy death oh hell I will be thy destruction that is to saie I will destroie and abolish death and hell in such sort that they shall not anie more be able to hurt me nor my church or congregation from henceforth FALSIL. Whie did there manie others rise with Christ after his passion Matt. 27. as the euangelists doo make mention and came into the holie citie VERIL. To the end that we should beléeue This was a figure of the resurrection that Christ would raise vp his whole church in the latter daie and that his church should haue eternall saluation wherein the faithfull shall enioie the fruition and the sight of God with the most swéete loue of him during all eternitie the beginning of which estate of life is perceiued and knowne in the resurrection of Christ that we should not be doubtfull of the remainder of another and better life after our temporall death in this world and that at the generall resurrection all both the quicke and dead shall be rewarded according to their works doone here in this world good or euill FALSIL. He that calleth vpon one God the maker of heauen and earth calleth vpon the true God The Turkes and Iewes call vpon one God the maker of heauen and earth Therefore they call vpon the true God VERIL. I denie the minor For the Turkes and Iewes calling vpon one God they denie him to be the true God the maker of all things which is the father of our Lord Iesus Christ The infidels call not vpon the true God Therefore they call vpon an idoll and not vpon the true God Further they cannot be certeine by hearesaie first bicause they haue no promise next bicause they reiect and as it were cast from them the sonne of God the mediatour cruellie blaspheme him and tyrannouslie persecute him in the members of his church and chosen vessels to saluation FALSIL. What is the finall end of Christes incarnation VERIL. It is to béecome a sacrifice for his church and that he might be present with hir quicken hir by the gift of the Holie-ghost and might raise vs vp vnto eternall life Therfore the sonne of God is not onelie a redeemer reconciling vs to his father by the merit of his death but he is a sauiour in effect Esaie 7. Matth 1. Dani. 12. whereby he is called Emanuell that is to saie God with vs. And the prophet saith Christ standeth Pro filijs populi propugnans eos For to defend the children of the people FALSILOQVVS For how manie causes is the church of God subiect to the crosse of afflictions VERILOQVVS There be sixe causes of the churches afflictions The first cause is common and pertinent to all men that is to wit sinne or the corruption of nature following the fall of our first parents and spred abroad by generation into all their posteritie And of this cause it was said Gene. 3. In quacunque die comederis morte morieris Whensoeuer thou doost eate of the trée thou shalt die the death And againe Rom. 5. Per vnum hominem peccatum in mundum intrauit per peccatum mors By one man sinne came into the world and by sinne came death The philosophers make will and matter the cause of sickenesse and of death as the substance of an apple is the cause of his putrifaction But these are not the principall causes The principall and chéefe cause of sickenesse and death is sinne for the which mans nature is subiect to corruption and death And the second cause truelie whie the church or congregation of God is more subiect to the crosse and miserie than other men are is the diuell which bicause he hateth God he inuadeth his church the more gréeuouslie than anie other companie The third cause is bicause God would haue his wrath against sinne to be perceiued and knowne which the wicked companie and the epicurean sort doo securelie contemne and scoffe at The fourth cause is for that the church hath also hir sinnes which must be mortified by the crosse of afflictions The fift is bicause God would haue our afflictions to be the testimonies of his presence in his church when he deliuereth vs by his diuine power The sixt cause is that we should be certeine that there remaineth another iudgement in the which the godlie that haue béene afflicted in this life as Iohn the baptist and Paule with others shall be rewarded and the wicked as Herod Nero and such other shall be punished with eternall death bicause it is impossible that the godlie people should be alwaies in miserie and the wicked contrariewise should be still in pleasure FALSIL. Whie dooth Christ call the diuell Iohn 16. the prince of the world VERIL. He dooth not call him so in respect that he is the maker and the guider of the world which is the onelie worke of God but bicause he dooth beare rule in worldlie men and such as are not new borne which securelie giue themselues ouer to sinne whom the diuell leadeth whither it listeth him according to his will and pleasure holding them still to be his bondslaues captiues and thralles as long as they liue licentiouslie The holie apostle also calleth him the gouernour of such liuers Ephe. 2. saieng Ye walked in time past according to the course of this world Ac iuxta principem cui potestas est aeris qui est spiritus nunc agens in filijs cōtumacibus And after the gouernour that ruleth in the aier the spirit that now worketh in the children of vnbeléefe and disobedience FALSIL. What dooth Christ meane by the world in the gospell Iohn 16. VERIL. He meaneth worldlie and carnall men which falslie and wickedlie iudge of Christ and of the doctrine of his church of whom there be foure sorts First the mightie men of power iudge the doctrine of the gospell to be Seditiosam Luc. 23. seditious 1. Cor. 1. The wisemen of the world suppose it to be Stultitiam foolishnesse Matt. 26. The iusticiaries accompt it to be Blasphemiam in Deum blasphemie against God The Epicures doo esteeme the gospell to be Anilem fabulam commentitiam an old wines fained fable Psalm 14. as for example The foole said in his heart Non est Deus There is no God And the first psalme calleth such persons Derisores scorners Thus we sée that these foure kind of people mightie men of power worldlie wisemen iusticiaries that is such as suppose they can make themselues righteous in the sight of God by the merit of their owne workes and Epicures which do make Summum bonum their chéefe felicitie to be in all voluptuous carnall and licentious liuing with greedines thereof beléeuing as the Saduces did that after our death there is no part of man remaining These foure sorts are taken for the world in the scriptures of
as Christ himselfe saieth Iohn 17. Ego meipsum sanctifico pro eis I doo sanctifie my selfe for them that is as much to saie as I die for them and doo pacifie the wrath of mine eternall father by the sacrifice of my death FALSIL. The rich man that wore purple and silke and banketted delicatelie was damned Luc. 16. Therefore fine clothes as silke and purple with delicate fare are naught and damned things VERIL. I denie the consequent bicause it is the fallacie of the accident For the rich man was not damned for his purple and silke neither for his delicate fare which indéed are all the good creatures of God and manie good and godlie men haue well vsed the same as Dauid Salomon and others But â—irst he was damned for that he did abuse the â—ame good gifts to wit he put his whole trust and confidence in those things as though they should helpe and deliuer him in the daie of wrath and vengeance Next he was damned for his securitie and the contempt of God and his neighbour whom he did not succour with his riches as he ought to doo therefore he was cast awaie from God and damned according as the holie apostle saieth Iacob 2. Iudicium absque misericordia erit ei qui misericordiam non praestiterit He shall haue iudgement without mercie which sheweth no mercie The same sinnes therefore were reigning in this rich man which God reprooued in the Sodomites saieng Ezech. 6. Peccatum Sodomae superbia saturitas panis prosperitas otium manum pauperi non porrigebant The sinne of Sodome was pride fulnesse of bread prosperitie and idlenesse and they did not reach out their hands to the poore These were the sinnes wherefore the rich glutton was damned and not his riches good clothes and delicate fare which are the great blessings of God and are to be vsed alwaies with thankes giuing without anie offense For thus it is written of riches Benedictio Domini diuites facit Prou. 10. The blessing of the Lord maketh men rich And out of all question if men would followe Christes proposition and rule touching riches where he saieth Primùm quaerite regnum Dei iusticiâ—â— eius First séeke ye the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof and then all these other things meaning thereby riches and worldlie blessings shall be giuen vnto vs more easilie and with the lesse trauell bicause it is a small thing in the sight of the Lord to make a poore man rich and a rich man poore FALSIL. The Stoiks argument That thing is good which maketh men good Riches doo not make men good Therefore riches are not good VERIL. First I answer by distinction to the maior A good thing is twofold morall and naturall morall which maketh good things as vertues and a naturall good thing as riches health and honors These doo not make things good yet they are themselues the excellent and good gifts of God which men oftentimes abuse to euill purpose Luc. 16. as did the rich man in the gospell to his owne destruction FALSIL. What is ment in the scripture of God by the bosome of Abraham VERIL. Thereby is ment the gathering togither of them which are graffed into the promise of Abraham into this companie to wit of the holie patriarchs prophets apostles martyrs and saints all they are caried by the angels of God that depart out of this life in â—he true state of faith and saluation bicause â—uch cannot miscarrie as doo commit themâ—elues in sure confidence to the mercifull tuiâ—ion of Christ FALSIL. What is the chéefest thing whereof euerie one ought to be most carefull â—uring all his life time VERIL. Euerie one ought to be most carefull first Matth. 16. how he can be saued in the daie of iudgement before Gods tribunall seate and so to come to euerlasting life next to â—iue according to Gods holie will during our â—ife 1. Pet. 5. whereby we shall receiue an vncorruptible crowne in the end when euerie man shall go to the reaping of that fruit which he hath sowne in this world FALSIL. Are not all people discharged of their sinne Rom. 8. seeing that Christ hath paied the punishment due for them VERIL. None are discharged from the paines which our sinnes deserue Iohn 3. Colos 2. sauing those that take hold vpon Christ and his mercies with a true faith FALSIL. Lazarus is saued Lazarus was a poore man c. Luke 16. Therefore pouertie dooth saue vs and by a consequent other good works also so that we are not iustified and saued by faith onelie VERIL. I denie the consequent for that there is a fallacie in the word according that it is simplie spoken And the euangelist making mention of Lazarus pouertie compriseth therein all his obedience that is to saie his repentance his faith in the promised Messias his deliuerer his patience and other vertues which were testimonies and signes of his faith Rom. 3.4.5 For we are iustified and saued by faith onelie therefore bicause faith taketh handfast on Christ not for anie merit or vertues of ours which are too weake and beggerlie to satisfie the wrath of God expressed in his lawe FALSIL. Luke 14. Wherefore is God the father in the parable ment to be the rich man which had his ghests to supper VERIL. Genesi 2. Bicause God hath made man after his owne image Then next bicause God dooth loue man well being made after his image for Christes sake which tooke vpon him the massie lumpe of our flesh Iohn 14. 1. Cor. 6. And thirdlie bicause man is Templum Dei the temple of God FALSIL. Such things as hinder and let the studie and loue of godlines are euill meet to be refused and reiected Riches power honors and mariage doo hinder and let the studie and loue of godlinesse Luc. 14. as in the parable of the gospell Therefore they are euill and to be refused of Christians VERIL. I denie the consequent bicause riches power honours and mariage doo not hinder and let the studie and loue of godlines onelie of themselues or of their owne nature but by an accident that is to saie through the euill disposition of men which preferre bodilie gifts before heauenlie and eternall gifts The abuse therefore of these things is reprooued and not the things themselues which are the good gifts of God and all the good gifts and creatures of God may be vsed as meat drinke cloth and so foorth yet not for pleasure and vnto riot but for necessitie Matth. 14. and that with thanks giuing alwaies as Christ himselfe giueth vs in example that he neuer brake bread without the giuing of thanks Ephe. 5. And the holie apostle also teacheth vs alwaies to vse Gratiarum actione The giuing of thanks FALSIL. What is the house of God and who are they that are called into it VERIL. The house of God is the number of the elected