which can appertaine to none but to the elect Ioh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke hee that beleeveth in me as saieth the scripture out of his bellie shall flow rivers of water of life Rev. 21.6 I will give unto him which is a thirst of the vvell of the water of life freely Now if hee that thirsteth drinke of these waters marke what followeth Ioh. 4.14 Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never be more a thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life The second is a straunge affection wrought in the heart by the spirit of God whereby a man doth so esteeme value and as it were set so high a price on Christ his righteousnesse that hee accounts euen the most pretious things that are to be but as dung in regard thereof This affection was in Paul and it is expressed in the parable in which after a man hath found a treasure he first hides it and the selles all hee hath and makes a purchase of the fielde where it is Now euery man will say of himselfe that he is thus affected to Christ and that hee more highly esteemes the least drop of his blood then all things in the world beside wheras indeed most men are of Esaus minde rather desiring the red broth then Isaaks blessing and of the same affection with the Israelites which liked better the onyons and flesh pots of Egypt then the blessings of God in the land of promise Therefore that no man may deceiue him selfe this affection may bee discerned by two signes The first is to loue and like a christian man because hee is a Christian. For hee that doth aright esteeme of Christ doth in like manner esteeme of the members of Christ. And of this very thing our Sauiour Christ saith He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophets revvarde and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive the revvarde of a righteous man And Saint Iohn saieth Hereby vvee knovve that vvee are translated from death to life because vvee love the breethren that is such as are members because they are so The second signe of this affection is a loue and desire to the comming of Christ whether it be by death unto any man particularly or by the last iudgement universally and that for this ende that there may be a full participation of fellowship with Christ. And that this verie loue is a note of adoption it appeares by that which S. Paul saieth that the crowne of righteousnes is laid vp for all them that love the appearing of Christ. The outwarde token of adoption is New-obedience whereby a man endeauours to obey Gods cōmandements in his life and conuersation as S. Iohn saith Hereby wee are sure that we know him if wee keepe his commandements Now this obedience must not be iudged by the rigour of the morall lavv for then it should be no token of grace but rather a meanes of damnation but it must be esteemed and considered as it is in the acceptation of God who spares them that feare him as a father spares an obedient sonne esteeming things done not by the effect and absolute doing of them but by the affection of the doer And yet least any man should heare be deceiued wee must knowe that the obedience which is an infallible marke of the child of god must be thus qualified First of all it must not be done unto some fewe of Gods commaundements but unto them all without exception Herod heard Iohn Baptist willingly did many things and Iudas had excellent things in him as appeares by this that he was content to leaue all and to followe Christ and hee preached the Gospell of the kingdome in Iurie as well as the rest yet alas all this was nothing for the one could not abide to become obedient to the 7. commandement in leauing his brother Philips wife and the other would not leaue his couetousnes to die for it Vpright sincere obedience doth inlarge it selfe to all the commandements as Dauid saith I shall not be confounded when I haue respect to all thy commandements And S. Iames saith hee which faileth in one law is guiltie of all that is the obedience to many commandements is indeed before god no obedience but a flat sinne if a man wittingly and willingly faile in any one thing He that repents of one sinne truly doth repent of all he that liues but in one known sinne without repentāce though he pretend neuer so much reformation of life indeed repents of no sinne Secōdly this obedience must extend it selfe to the whole course of a mans life after his conversion and repentance We must not iudge of a man by an action or two but by the tenour of his life Such as the course of a mans life is such is the man though he through the corruption of his nature faile in this or that particular action yet doth it not preiudice his estate before God so be it he renew his repentance for his seuerall slippes and falles not lying in any sinne and withall from yere to yere walke unblameable before God men S. Paul saith The foundation of God remaineth sure the Lorde knowes who are his Now some might hereupon say it is true indeed god knowes who are his but how may I be assured in my selfe that I am his to this demaund as I take it Paul answers in the next words Let euery one that calleth on the name of the Lord depart from iniquity that is let men invocate the name of God praying seriously for things whereof they stand in need withall giuing thanks departing frō all their former sinnes and this shall be unto them an infallible token that they are in the election of God Thirdly in outward obedience it is required that it proceede from the whole man as regeneration which is the cause of it is thorough the whole man in bodie soule and spirit Againe obedience is the fruite of loue and loue is from the pure heart the good conscience and faith unfained Thus we haue heard the testimonies and tokens wherby a man may be certified in his conscience that be was chosen to saluation before all worldes If any desire further resolution in this point let them meditate upon the 15. Psal. and the first Epistle of Saint Iohn being parcels of scripture penned by the holy ghost for this ende Here some will demaund how a man may be assured of his adoption if he want the testimony of the spirit to certifie him thereof Ansvvere Fire is knowen to be no painted but a true fire by two notes by heate and by the flame now if the case fall out that the fire want a flame it is still knowen to be fire by the heate In
newnesse of life then we must walke in the spirite Now to walke in the spirite is to leade our liues in shewing forth the fruites of the spirite In Esai the holy ghost is compared unto water powred foorth on the drie land which maketh the willowes to blossome and to beare fruite wherefore those that haue the giftes of the spirit must be trees of righteousnes bringing forth the fruits of the spirit which as they are set downe by Paul are principally nine The first fruit is love which respects both God and man Loue unto God is an inwarde and spirituall motion in the heart whereby God is loued absolutely for himselfe This loue shewes it selfe in two things I. when a mans heart is set and disposed to seeke the honour and glorie of God in all thinges II. when a man by all meanes strives and endeauours himselfe to please God in euery thing counting it a most miserable estate to liue in the displeasure of God and the hearte that is thus affected can haue no greater torment then to fall into sinne whereby God is offended and his displeasure prouoked By these two signes a man may know whether he loue God or no and by them also must hee testifie his loue Now our loue to man is a fruite of this loue of God for God is to be loued for himselfe man is loued for God This loue must not be in shew onely but in deede and action Saint Iohn biddeth us not to loue in worde and tongue onely but in deed and trueth Brotherly loue doth not alwaies lie hid but when an occasion is offered it doeth breake forth into action it is like fire which though for a time it be smothered yet at length it breakes forth into a flame And so much loue a man sheweth to his neighbour as he hath and where none is shewed none is The second fruite is Ioy when a man is as glad at the good of his neighbor as at his own good this is a speciall worke of the holy ghost For the nature of man is to pine away and to grieue at the good of another and it is a worke of grace to reioyce thereat Paul saieth Reioyce vvith them that reioyce And this was the holy practise of the friendes and neighbours of Zacharias and Elizabeth when Iohn Baptist was borne They came and reioyced with them The third fruit of the spirit is Peace Of this Paul speaketh most excellently saying If it be possible as much as in you is have peace with all men It is nothing else but coÌ„cord which must be kept in an holy manner with all men both good bad so farre forth as can be Isai the Prophet speaking of the fruits of the gospell saieth The woolfe shall dwell with the lamb the leopard with the kid c. Where note that in the kingdome of Christ when a man is called into the state of grace howsoeuer by nature he be as a wolfe as a leopard as a lyon or as a beare yet he shal then lay away his cruell nature and become gentle and liue peaceably with all men Now for the practising of this peace there are three duties especially to be learned perfourmed I. rather then peace shoulde be broken a man must yeeld of his owne right When Publicanes came to our Sauiour Christ for tribute he had a lawfull excuse for howsoeuer he liued in lowe estate among them yet hee was the right heire to the kingdome therefore was free neuerthelesse he stood not on his priuiledge but calleth Peter saying Least wee offend them goe to the sea and cast in an angle and take the first fish that câ—mmeth up and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt finde a peece of twentie pence take it and give it to them for thee and me Here we see that our Sauiour Christ rather then he woulde breake the common peace yeeldes of his owne right and so we must doe if we will be good followers of him Secondly when any man shall sinne either in worde or in deed specially if it be upon infirmitie wee must auoide bitter invectiues and mildely tell him of his fault and in all meekenesse and loue labour for his amendment So Paul teacheth us saying If any man be fallen into any fault by occasion restore such an one with the spirite of meekenesse considering thy selfe least thou be also tempted c. Beare yee one anothers burden Thirdly euery man within the compasse of his calling must be a peace-maker betweene them that are at variance This is a speciall duty of godlines and christianitie and therefore our Sauiour Christ doeth highly commend such and pronounceth this blessing upon them that they shall be called the children of God The fourth fruite of the spirit is long suffering and it standeth in two pointes I. when a man deferreth his anger and is hardly brought to it II. being angrie doth yet moderate the same and stay the hotnesse of that affection For the first to bridle anger it is a speciall work of the H. ghost and the meanes to attaine vnto it are these I. not to take notice of the iniuries and wrongs done unto us if they be not of great moment but to let them passe as not knowing them Salomon saith It is a mans discretion to deferre his anger Now how is that done It is added in the next words It is the glory of a man to passe by infirmitie that is when a man shall ouershoote himselfe either in word or in deede to let it passe either wholly or till a time convenient as though we knew not of it The second way to deferre and bridle anger is when a man hath iniuried us either in word or deede to thinke with our selues that wee haue iniured others in the same maner and for this cause Salomon saith Give not thine heartâ— to all the vvordes that men speake least thou doe heare thy servant cursing thee For oftentimes thine heart also knoweth that thou hast cursed others A man must not listen to euerie mans wordes at all times but hee is to thinke that he hath spoken or done the same to other men and that now the Lord meeteth with him by the like as it is saide With what measure yee meete it shalbe measured to you againe This is a thing which few consider Euill men desire good reporte and woulde haue all men speake well of them whereas they can speake well of none but indeede they must begin to speake well of others before others shall speake well of them Thirdly a man must consider how God dealeth with him For so often as he sinneth hee prouoketh god to cast him away and to confound him eternally yet the Lorde is mercifull and long suffering Euen so when men doe offend and iniury us wee must doe as God doth not be angry but fight against our affections endeauouring to become patient
the words of Luke who saith that darkenesse was vpon the whole earth hath thought that the ecclipse was vniuersall ouer the whole word but I rather thinke that Saint Lukes meaning is that it was ouer the whole region or countrey of Iurie For if such a wonder had happened ouer the whole world all historiographers Greeke and Latine and Astronomers diligent obseruers of all ecclipses would haue made speciall mention thereof And though some writers say that it was ouer the whole earth and that it was set downe in record both by the Romanes Grecians yet all their writings prooue no more but this that it was ouer Iurie and Galelie and the countries bordering neere vnto The vses of this miracle are manifold I. This darkening of the sunne giues a checke to the Iewes for their crucifying of Christ they were not ashamed to apprehend accuse and condemne him yet this glorious creature the sunne pulleth in his beames beeing as it were ashamed to behold that which they were not ashamed to doe II. It serues to signifie the great iudgement of God to come vpon the Iewes For as when Christ suffered darkenes was ouer all the land of Iurie and all the worlde besides had the light of the sunne so shortly after blindnes of minde was ouer the whole nation of the Iewes and all the world besides saw the sonne of righteousnes shining vnto them in the preaching of the Gospell III. It serues to aduertise vs that such as carrie themselues towards Christ as the Iewes did haue nothing else in them but darknesse and that they sit in darkenesse and shadow of death and therefore not able any whit better to see the way that leadeth vnto life then he which is cast into a darke dungeon can who if they thus remaine shall at length be cast into vtter darkenesse This beeing the estate of all them that be foorth of Christ we must labour to be freed from this darknes that the day-starre may rise in our hearts and shine vpon vs and put life into vs. IIII. This miraculous and wonderfull darkening of the sunne doth conuince the Iewes that Christ whome they crucified was the Lord of glorie and the Sauiour of the world and it is very likely that this was the principall end of this miracle For whereas neither his doctrine nor his former miracles could mooue them to acknowledge him for the Messias yet this one worke of God doth as it were strike the naile to the head and stoppe all their mouthes V. Besides this whereas at that very instant when Christ was about to make a satisfaction to the iustice of his father for our sinnes the sunne was thus darkned it teacheth vs first to thinke of the passion of Christ not as of a light matter but as of one of the greatest wonders of the worlde at the sight whereof the very frame of nature was chaunged secondly to thinke of our owne sinnes as the vilest things in the world and that they deserue the intollerable wrath of God considering that at the time when they were to be abolished the course of nature euen in the very heauens is turned vpside downe The fourth signe is the rending of the vaile of the Temple from the toppe to the bottome The temple was deuided into two parts the one more inward into which no man might come but the high priest and that once a yeare and it was called the holy of holies the other was that where the people came and offered sacrifices vnto the Lord. Nowe that which parted the temple into these two parts was called the vaile and at the time of Christs passion it was reâ—t from the toppe to the very bottome This hath diuers vses I. The holy of holies signified the third heauen where God sheweth himselfe in glorie and maiestie vnto his Saints now the rending of the vaile figureth vnto vs that by the death of Christ heauen which was otherwise shut by our sinnes is nowe set open and a way made to enter thereto II. It signifieth that by the death of Christ we haue all without impediment free accesse to come vnto God the father by earnest praier in the name of Christ which is a most vnspeakeable benefit III. It signifieth that by Christs death an ende is put to all ceremonies to ceremoniall worship and the sacrifices of the old testament and that therefore in the newe testament there remaineth one onely reall and outward sacrifice that is Christ crucified on the crosse and the whole seruice and worship of God for outwarde ceremonies most simple and plaine IIII. The Temple was the chiefe and one of the most principall prerogatiues that the Iewes had it was their glorie that they had such a place wherein they might worship and doe seruice to the true God and for the Temples sake God often spared them and therefore Daniel praieth O Lord heare the prayer of thy seruant and his supplication and cause thy face to shine vpon thy Sanctuarie that lieth wast for the Lords sake Yet for all this when they beganne to crucifie the Lord of life their prerogatiues helps theÌ„ not nay they are depriued thereof and God euen with his owne hand rends the vaile of the temple in sunder signifying vnto them that if they forsake him he will also forsake them And so may we say of the Church of England No doubt for the Gospels sake we haue outward peace and safetie and many other blessings and are in account with other nations yet if we make no conscience to obey the word of God and if we haue no loue of Christ and his members God will at length remooue his candlesticke from vs and vtterly depriue vs of this ornament of the Gospell and make our land as odious vnto all the world as the land of the Iewes is at this day Let vs therefore vvith all care and diligence shew forth our loue both to Christ himselfe to his members and adorne the Gospell which we professe by bringing foorth fruites worthie of it The fifth signe is the earthquake whereby hard rockes were clouen asunder And it serues very fitly to signifie further vnto vs that the sinne of the Iewes in putting Christ to death was so heauie a burden that the earth could not beare it but trembled thereat though the Iewes themselues made no bones of it And it is a thing to be wondered at that the earth doe not often in these daies tremble and quake at the monstrous blasphemies and fearefull othes by the wounds and blood and heart of Christ whereby his members are rent asunder and he traiterously crucified againe Secondly the earthquake shewes vnto vs the exceeding and wonderfull hardnes of the hearts of the Iewes and ours also they crucified Christ and were not touched with any remorse and we can talke and heare of his death yea we can say he was crucified for our sinnes and yet are we nothing affected therewith
passe through And Esay saith that our sinnes are a wall betwixt God and vs that we cannot enter into heauen And Saint Iohn that no vncleane thing must enter into the heauenly Hierusalem Nowe seeing we haue shut our selues out of heauen by our sinnes it was requisite that Christ Iesus our Sauiour should goe before vs to prepare a place and to make readie a way for vs. For he is king ouerall he hath the keies of heauen he openeth and no man shutteth and therefore it is in his power to let vs in though we haue shut our selues out But some may say if this be the end of his ascension to prepare a place in heauen then belike such as died before the comming of Christ were not in heauen Answer As there are two degrees of glorie one incomplete and the other complete or perfect for the faithfull departed are in glorie but in part and there remaineth fulnes of glorie for them at the day of iudgement when soule and bodie shall be both glorified together so answearably there are two degrees of preparation of places in heauen The places of glorie were in part prepared for the faithful frō the beginning of the world but the full preparation is made by Christs ascension And of this last preparation is the place of Iohn to be vnderstood The vse of this doctrine is very profitable First it ouerthroweth the fond doctrine of the Church of Rome which teacheth that Christ by his death did merit our iustification and that we beeing once iustified doe further merit saluation and purchase for our selues a place in heauen But this is as it were to make a partition betweene Christ and vs in the worke of our redemption whereas in truth not onely the beginning and continuance of our saluation but also the accomplishment thereof in our vocation iustification sanctification glorification is wholly and onely to be ascribed to the meere merit of Christ and therefore hauing redeemed vs on earth he also ascends to prepare a place in heauen for vs. Secondly this serueth to condemne the fearefull lamentable and desperate securitie of these our daies Great is the loue of Christ in that he was content to suffer the pangs of hell to bring vs out of hell and withall to goe to heauen to prepare a place for vs there and yet who is it that careth for this place or maketh any account thereof who forsaketh this world and seekes vnto Christ for it Nowe least any man should say alas I knowe not the way therefore Christ before he ascended made a new and liuing way with his owne blood as the Apostle speaketh And to take away all excuses from men he hath set markes and bounds in this way and hath placed guides in it namely his ministers to shew all the passengers a straight readie course into the kingdom of heauen And though Christ haue done all this for vs yet the blindnes and securitie of men is such that none almost walketh in this way nor careth to come to this mansion place but in stead of this they walke in by-waies according to the lusts of their owne flesh When they are commaunded to goe eastward to Ierusalem they turne westward an other way when they are commanded to goe on forward to heauen they turne againe backward and goe straight to hell Men runne on all the daies of their liues in the broad way that leadeth to destruction and neuer so much as once make inquirie for a resting place in heauen but when the houre of death commeth then they call for the guide whereas all their liues before they haue run out of the way many thousand miles but then alas it is too late vnlesse it be the vnspeakeable mercie of God For they haue wandred so farre astray that in so short a space they cannot be able to come into the right way againe Yet generally this is the state of most among vs whose securitie is so much the more grieuous fearefull because Christ hath done al that heart can wish There is nothing else required but onely that by his grace we should walk in the way There was neuer any that knew the state of the people in these daies but he will say that this is most true which I say Besides as by this we are brought to a sight of the desperate securitie of this age so we may further learne our owne dueties Is Christ gone to heauen beforehand to prepare a place for thee thē practise that which Paul teacheth Haue thy conuersation in heauen The wordes which he vseth are very significant and the meaning of them is this Ye are free denizens of the citie of God and therefore as freemen in Gods house let all your cares and studies all your affaires and doings be in heauen In the world if a man make purchase of an house his heart is alwaies there there he pulls downe and builds againe there he makes him orchards and gardens there hee meanes to liue and die Christ Iesus hath bought the kingdome of heauen for vs the most blessed purchase that euer was hath paid the dearest price for it that euer was paid euen his owne pretious blood and in this citie he hath prepared for vs a dwelling place and made vs free denizens of it therefore all our ioy and all our affaires ought to be there But how shall a man vpon earth haue his conuersation in heauen Answ. We must converse in heauen not in bodie but in heart therfore though our bodies be on earth yet our hearts ioy and comfort and all our meditation must be in heauen Thus must we behaue our selues like good freemen in Gods house It must be farre from vs to haue our ioy and our hearts set on the things of this world Thirdly the consideration of this that Christ Iesus hath prepared a place for vs in heauen also hath trayned the way with his own blood must make euery one of vs to striue to enter in at the straight gate as our Sauiour Christ counselleth vs and that as wrastlers doe which striue for life and death Within this gate is a dwelling place of happines readie for vs. If a man were assured that there were made for him a great purchase in Spaine or Turkie so as if hee would but come thither he might inioy it would he not aduenture the daungers of the sea and of his enemies also if neede were that he might come to his owne Wel behold Christ Iesus hath made a purchase for vs in heauen there is nothing required of vs but that we will come and enioy it Why then should men refuse any paines or feare in the way nay we must striue to get in It may be we shalbe pinched in the entrance for the gate is both straight and low and we must be faine to leaue our wealth behinde vs the pleasures of this life and enter we must though we should be constrained
but if God leaue vs to our selues we shal not onely betray him but by our sinnes euen crucifie him a thousand waies Furthermore let vs bethinke our selues of this whether there be not alreadie condemned in hel who in their liues were not more grieuous offendours then we Esay calleth the people of his time a people of Sodom Gomorrha giuing the Iewes then liuing to vnderstād that they were as bad as the Sodomites as the people of Gomorrha on whome the Lord had shewed his iudgements long before If this be true then let vs with feare and trembling be thākful to his maiestie that he hath preserued vs hitherto frō deserued dānation The vses which respects our liues and conuersations are manifold First seeing God hath elected some to saluation and hath also laid downe the meanes in his holy worde whereby we may come to the knowledge of our particular election we must therefore as Saint Paul counselleth vs giue all diligence to make our election sure In the world men are carefull and painefull ynough to make assurance of lands and goods to themselues and their posteritie what a shame is it then for vs that we should be slacke in making sure to our selues the election of God which is more worth then all the world beside and if we shall continue to be slacke herein the leases of our lands and houses and all other temporall assurances shall be billes of accusation against vs at the day of iudgement to condemne vs. Secondly by this doctrine we are taught to liue godly and righteously in this present world because all those whome God hath chosen to saluation he hath also appointed to liue in newnes of life as Saint Paul saith God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him And againe We are created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them And God hath chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the spirite and faith of the truth The Elect are vessells of honour and therefore all those that will be of the number of the Elect must carrie themselues as vessells of honour For so long as they lie in their sinnes they be like vessells of dishonour imploying themselues to the most base seruice that can be euen to the seruice of the deuill The sunne was ordained to shine in the day and the moone in the night and that order they keepe yea euery creature in his kind obserueth the course appointed vnto it by creation as the grasse to grow and trees to bring forth fruit now the elect were ordained to this ende to lead a godly life and therefore if we would either perswade our selues or the world that we are indeede chosen to saluation we must be plentifull in all good works make conscience of euery euill way and to doe otherwise is as much as to chaunge the order of nature and as if the sunne should cease to shine by day and the moone by night Thirdly when God shall send vpon any of vs in this world crosses and afflictions either in bodie or in minde or any way else as this life is the vaile of miserie and teares and iudgement must begin at Gods house we must learne to beare them with all submission and contentation of mind For whome God knew before them he hath predestinate to be made like vnto his sonne But wherein is this likenes Paul saith in the fellowship of his afflictions and in a conformitie to his death And the consideration of this that afflictions were ordained for vs in the eternal predestination of God must comfort our hearts and restraine our impatience so oft as we shall goe vnder the burden of them Hence againe we learne that they which perswade themselues that they are in the fauour of God because they liue at ease in wealth and prosperitie are farre deceiued For Saint Paul saith God suffereth with long patience the vessells of wrath prepared to destruction to make knowne his power and to shew forth his wrath on them Which beeing so then no man by outward blessings ought to plead that he hath the loue of God Sheepe that goe in fat pastures come sooner to the slaughterhouse then those which are kept vpon the bare 〈◊〉 and they which are pampered with the wealth of this worlde sooner forsake God and therefore are sooner forsaken of God then others Salomon saith No man knoweth loue or hatred that is by outward things for all things come alike to all the same condition is to the iust and to the vniust to the wicked and good to the pure and polluted Lastly it may be an offence vnto vs when we consider that the doctrine of the Gospel is either not knowne or else despised and persecuted of the whole world but we must stay our selues with this consideration that nothing comes to passe by chance that God knowes who are his and that there must be some in the world on whome God hath in his eternall counsell purposed to manifest his power and iustice Againe Ministers of the Gospell may be discouraged when after long preaching they see little or no fruit of their labours the people whome they teach remaining as blinde impenitent and vnreformed as euer they were But they must also consider that it is the purpose of God to chose some to saluation and to refuse others and that of the first some are called sooner some later and that the second being left to themselues neuer come to repentance To this Paul had regard when he saide If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that perish And againe We are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued and in them that perish Hitherto I haue deliuered the truth of this weightie point of religion which also is the doctrine of the Church of England now it followeth that wee should consider the falshoode Sundrie Divines haue deuised and in their writings published a new frame or platforme of the doctrine of Predestination the effect and substance whereof is this The nature of God say they is infinite loue goodnes and mercie it selfe and therefore he propoundes vnto himselfe an ende answearable thereunto and that is the communication of his loue and goodnes vnto all his creatures Now for the accomplishing of this supreame absolute ende he did foure things First he decreed to create man righteous in his own image secondly he foresaw the fall of man after his creatiō yet so as he neither willed nor decreed it thirdly he decreed the vniuersall Redemption of all euery man effectually by Christ so be it they wil beleeue in him fourthly he decreed to call all euery man effectually so as if they will they may be saued This being done he in his eternall counsell foreseeing who would beleeue in Christ did thereupon Elect them
men professing the same religion must be linked in societie and converse togither in Christian loue meekenesse gentlenesse patience as S. Paul taught the Philippians If there be any fellowship of the spirit if there be any compassion and mercy fulfill my ioy that we may be like minded having the same love beeing of one accord and of like iudgement And againe Keepe saith he the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Why Marke how his reason is feâ—ched from this communion Because there is one body one spirit even as you are called into the hope of your vocation one Lorde one faith one hope one baptisme one God and father of all which is above all and in all And no doubt the same reason made Dauid say All my delight is in the saints which be vpon earth Thirdly euery christian man that acknowledgeth this communion must carrie about with him a fellow·feeling that is an heart touched with compassion in regard of all the miseries that befall either the whole Church or any meÌ„ber thereof as Christ our head teacheth us by his owne exaÌ„ple when he called to Saul said Saul Saul why persecutest thou me giving him to understand that he is touched with the abuses done to his Church as if they had directly beene done to his owne person The Prophet Amos reproueth the people because they dranke wine in bowles and annointed themselues with the chiefe ointments but why was it not lawfull for them to doe so yes but the cause for which they are reprooved followeth No man saith he is sory for the affliction of Ioseph In the middest of their delightes and pleasures they had no regard or compassion of the miseries of the poore Church and seruants of God elsewhere in affliction which euery man ought to shew â—orth in the practise of all duties of loue and therefore Paul saith Pray alwaies with all maner of praiers and supplications in the spirit and watch thereunto with all perseverance and supplications for the saints And he highly commendeth the Philippians for communicating to his afflictions And further he biddeth Philemon to comfort Onesimus his bowels in the Lorde And S. Iohn saieth If a mans life woulde saue his neighbours soule hee must lay it downe for him if need require Wee haue all of us daily occasion to practise this duty towards the afflicted members of Gods Church in other cuntries For howsoeuer we enioy the gospell with peace yet they are under persecution for the same and so oft as wee heare report of this we should suffer our hearts to be grieued with them and pray to God for them Wee must heâ—e be admonished not to seeke our owne things but to referre the labours of our callings to the common good especially of the Church whereof we are members As for them that seeke for nothing but to maintaine their owne estate and wealth and therefore in their trades use false weights and measures the ingrossing corrupting mingling of wares glosing lying smoothing swearing forswearing dissembling griping oppressing of the poore c. they may plead for themselues what they will but in truth they neuer yet knew what the communion of Saints meant Lastly considering wee are all knitte into one mysticall body and haue mutuall fellowship in the same our dutie is both to redresse the faultes of our breethren and to couer them as the hande in the bodie laies the plaister upon the sore in the foote or in the legge and withall couers it Loue couers the multitude of sinnes And when men disgrace their brethren for their wants and blase them to the world they doe not the dutie of fellow members Thus much for the first benefit bestowed on the Church the second is Forgivenesse of sinnes which may be thus described Forgivenesse of sins is a blessing of God upon his Church procured by the death passion of Christ whereby God esteemes of sinne as no sinne or as not committed In this description I haue couched fiue points which we are seuerally to consider The first who is the authour of forgiuenesse of sinnes Ansvv. God whose blessing it is for sinne is onely committed against God and the violating of his lawes commandements are properly sinnes And the offence done to any man or creature is no more in it selfe but an offence or iniurie yea the breach of mans coÌ„mandement is no sinne unlesse it doe imply withall the breach of Gods commandement Therefore it is a prerogatiue belonging to God alone to pardon sinne and when wee are taught to say Forgiue us our trespasses as wee forgive them that trespasse against vs the meaning is not that we forgiue sinnes as they are sinnes but onely as trespasses that is losses hurtes and damages done unto us by men It may be further saide God hath giuen this power and commaundement to his ministers to forgiue sinnes saying Whose sinnes yee remitte they are remitted Ansvvere Gods ministers doe not properly forgiue sinnes but onely in the name of God according to his worde pronounce to a penitent sinner that his sinnes are pardoned and forgiuen of God and therefore it is a most certaen trueth that none can forgiue sinnes but God onely it was auouched by the Pharisies and not denied by Christ. Hence it followeth that remission of sinne being once granted remaines for euer because Gods loue unto the elect is unchangeable and his decree concerning their saluation can not be altered The second point is to whome remission of sinnes is giuen Answer To the Catholike Church that is to the whole company of men predestinate to saluation as Esai saieth The people that dvvell therein that is in the Church shall have their sinnes forgiuen And they shall call them the holy people the redeemed of the Lord and thou shalt be named a citie sought out and not forsaken And if there had bene an uniuersall remission of sinnes to all men as some doe dreame it should not here haue bin made a peculiar prerogatiue of the Church The thirde point is what is the means wherby pardoÌ„ of sin is procured at Gods hand Ans. The death passion of Christ so Paul saith Christ dyed for our sinnes that is Christ died to be a paiment satisfaction to Gods iustice for our sins And S. Iohn saith The blood of Iesus Christ his sonne clenseth vs froÌ„ all sinne And Peter saith Knowing that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver gold froÌ„ your vaine conversation c. but with the pretious blood of Christ as of a lamb undefiled without spot The fourth point is after what maner sinne is forgiuen Answ. By an action of God whereby for the merite of Christ hee esteemes and accountes sinne as no sinne or as if it had neuer beene committed Therefore Dauid saieth Blessed is the man to whome the Lorde imputeth no sinne And in Esai the Lorde saieth I have put avvay
childe layeth wormewoode or some other bitter thing vpon her brest to make the childe loathe the milke so likewise God makes vs often feele the miseries and crosses of this life that our loue and liking might be turned from this worlde and fixed in heauen As raw flesh is loathsome to the stomacke so is euerie sinner and unmortified man loathsome unto God till the Lorde by afflictions mortifie in him the corruptions of his nature and specially the loue of this worlde But when a man is afflicted how shall hee be able to endure the crosse Surely by resoluing himselfe that the Lorde hath prepared life euerlasting for him Thus wee reade that Moses by faith when he was come to age refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs ' daughter and choosed rather to suffer adversitie vvith the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt But I pray you what mooued Moses to be of this minde The reason is added Because he had respect to the recompence of reward that is he had alwaies a speciall regard to life euerlasting that was it that made him content and willing to suffer affliction with Gods people in the land of Goshen Here then behold a notable president for us to follow In which wee are taught that the best way to indure afflictions with patience is to haue an eye to the recompence of reward this is it that makes the yoke of Christ easie and lightsome When it shall please God to bring unto us a cup of affliction and bid us drinke a draught thereof to the verie bottom the meditation of life eternall must be as sugar in our pockets to sweeten the cup withall Lastly if this be true that God of his goodnesse endlesse mercie towardes mankind hath prepared life euerlasting yet not for all men but for the elect whose names are written in the booke of life we must aboue all thinges in this world seeke to be partakers of the same Let us receiue this as from the Lorde and lay it to our hearts whatsoeuer we doe euening or morning day or night whether we be young or old rich or poore first we must seeke for the kingdome of heauen and his righteousnesse If this benefit were common to all and not proper to the Church lesse care might be had but seeing it is proper to some alone for this verie cause let all our studies be to obtaine the beginnings of life euerlasting euen in this life For if we haue it not whosoeuer wee be it had bene better for us that we had neuer bene borne or that we had bene borne dogges and toades then men for when they die there is an end of their miserie but man if hee loose everlasting happinesse hath ten thousand millions of yeeres to liue in miserie and in the torments of hell and when that time is ended hee is as farre from the ende of his miserie as hee was at the beginning Wherefore I pray you let not the deuill steale this meditation out of your hearts but be carefull to repent of all your sinnes and to beleeue in Christ for the pardon of them all that by this meanes yee may come to haue the pawne and earnest of the spirite concerning life euerlasting euen in this world What a miserable thing is it that men should liue long in this world and not so much as dreame of another life till the last gaspe But we must not suffer satan thus to abuse and bewitch vs for if we haue not eternall life in this world we shall neuer haue it Hitherto by Gods goodnesse I haue shewed the meaning of the Creede now to drawe to a conclusion the generall vses which are to be made of it follow And first of all we learne by it that the Church of Rome hath no cause to condemne us for heretikes for we doe truly hold and beleeue the whole Apostolicall Symbole or Creed which is an epitome of the scriptures and the verie keie of faith It will be said that we denie the Popes supremacie iustification by workes purgatorie the sacrifice of the Masse for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead the invocation and intercession of saintes c. which are the greatest pointes of religion It is true indeed we denie and renounce them as doctrines of deuils perswading our selues that if they indeed had beene Apostolicall and the verie grounds and pillars of religion as they are now auouched to be they should in no wise haue bin left forth of the Creed For it is an ouersight in making a confession of faith to omit the principall points and rules of faith It will be further saide that in the Creed we beleeue the Church so consequētly are to beleeue all these former points which are taught and avouched by the Church but this defence is foolish For it takes this for graunted that the Church of Rome is the Church here ment which we denie unlesse they can proue a particular Church to be vniversall or Catholicke Nay I adde further that the principall grounds of popish faith for which they contend with us as for life and death are not mentioned in any other Creedes which were made by the Churches councels for many hundred yeres after Christ. Secondly the Creed serues as a storehouse of remedies against all troubles temptations whatsoeuer I. If a man be grieued for the losse of earthly riches let him consider that he beleeues God to be his Creatour who will therfore guide and preserue his owne workemanship by his prouidēce minister all things needfull unto it And that he hath not lost the principall blessing of all in that he hath God to be his father Christ to be his redeemer the H. ghost to be his comforter and that considering he lookes for life eternall he is not to be ouermuch carefull for this life that Christ being our Lord will not forsake us being the seruāts in his own house but will prouide things needfull for us II. If any man be grieued in respect of outward disgrace and contempt let him remember that he beleeues in Christ crucified and that therefore hee is to reioyce in contempt for righteousnesse sake III. They which are troubled for the decease of friends are to comfort themselues in the cōmunion of saints and that they haue God the father Christ and the holy ghost for their friends IIII. Against bodily captivitie let men consider that they beleeue in Christ their Lord whose seruice is perfect libertie V. Against the feare of bodily diseases we must remember the resurrection of the bodie in which all diseases and infirmities shalbe abolished VI. If a man feare the death of the body let him consider that hee beleeues in Christ which died vpon the crosse who by death hath vanquished death VII The feare of persecution is restrained if we call to remembrance