what he can to keepe vs from this hunger and thirst proceeding from a deepe and due feeling of our sinnes and the grieuousnesse thereof that so eyther lothing this heauenly foode or not sufficiently finding our neede and want thereof through our owne fault we may be neuer the better for it And the meanes whereby he most preuaileth heerein be ignorance security and errour By ignorance hee preuaileth with all those be they Iewes Turkes Papistes or whatsoeuer whom by any cunning he can keepe in ignorance eyther of the lawe person or office of Christ of which sort wonderfull manie be By securitie he preuaileth not onely also with the former but likewise shamfully with the carnall gospellers beguiling their heartes being as yet indeed for all their faire outward shewe in words quite voyde of al true loue and delight either in the law or gospell through the deceitfulnes of sinne and by teaching of them to turne the grace of God into wantonnes and most lewdly to abuse the mercies of God in Christ by presuming therby to haue their sinnes forgiuen them when and howe they liste though they as longe as they list continue therein By errour also he preuaileth mightilie with verie many and nowe a daies wonderfully amongst the papistes For as though directly they had conspired with fathan to keepe men from euerhauing that hunger and thirst after Christ that I haue proued to be most necessary notwithstanding the great light that shineth in the world and discouereth and detecteth their dealing herin to be too too bad they haue set abroach and defend a number of opinions which can lead to no better or other end but toblunt and to dull the edge very greatly at the least of alsuch hungring and thirsting after Christ For to what other or better end serueth either their refusing to ioyne with vs or their teaching as they doe in the doctrines of original sinne and mans free will in things spirituall and good with vs they will not holde that originall sinne is such an vniuersall inbred and inborne corruption and priuitie in man where by not onely it is euident that Adams sin is imputed vnto him and that the guiltines thereof therefore is his withall the other bad fruites and consequentes thereof but also amongst all other this that naturally euen by the force and power thereof he is altogether in al the powers both of his body and soule corrupted and prone to all euill and backward to euery thing that is good but to the full constitution of the nature thereof they hold that it is inough to say it is either a want of originall righteousnesse which ought to be in vs or an habituall auersion from God which they hold to be but such as that therewith may and doth in some yet stand mans free will to good that it is so quite taken away and abolished in the baptisme of euery one that thenceforth there remaines not though concupiscence remaine still anie reliques thereof at all or cause why man should be grieued either at or with the feeling therof as at or with sin And such frewil is it which they hold man hath after his fall euen to and in that which is spirituall good as that man in his first conuersion to God hauing but the outward means thereof sufficiently offred vnto him that euen that grace is sufficient to conuert him if he would himselfe which they holde he might if he list and being once conuerted that is as they take it the outward meanes being once so fully and effectually proferred him as whereby he taketh occasion rightly to vse his frewill in accepting of grace so offered then they holde by the meanes of grace ther vpon bestowed vpon him which they count and call the habit of charitie he can will freely and worke any good thing Whereas wee as we haue often shewed enforced both by the scriptures fathers reason and all experience confesse and teach that by the fall of Adam our freewill to and in that which is good indeed is so lost as that what good meanes so euer at any time be outwardly presented vnto vs yet thereby we shall neuer be able to will well by any power left in vs nor euer shall indeede vnlesse GOD inwardlie by his spirite withall first create and frame in euerie one of vs a new heart and will to choose that which is good and then alwaies after assist strenthen and guide the same therein Who may not therefore euen hereby plainlie see that fathan mightily preuaileth by their doctrine to holde men backe from hungring and thirstinge after Christe as they shoulde For if originall sinne bring no deeper nor vniuersaller corruption with it then they teache it doth into the nature of man and may and is so quickely and vtterly abolished out of the same againe by baptisme and man hath in him selfe remaining such a free will to good that before his conuersion vpon the offering of the outward means thereof sufficiently he may be conuerted if he wil himselfe and that after he needs no daily or further supplie of the spirit to leade his wil alwaies therevnto but that which he receiued in his first conuersion to worke together with the natiue or hereditarie free will that was before in man then surely what is there left either by the cōsideration of our originall sinne or by the viewe of our lacke of free will to good an inseperable companion thereof to make vs to long and to thirst after Christ For by their doctrine if we bee but baptized we are quite rid and freede from the former and as for the latter we haue it naturallie so as yet it is not quite taken from vs by Adams fall but onely by our sinnes originall and actuall so settred and hindred that either vpon sufficient meanes but outwardly offered we may vse it againe euen to the accepting thereof to our conuersion or after but by vertue of grace receiued at once in our conuersion for euer then vse and shewe it free to the working out of our owne saluation After baptisme then you see they hold it needlesse for a man to trouble his conscience with originall sinne or any parte thereof and to deliuer the other out of captiuitie where into it is brought by sinne that so as some of them speake they may goe with the owne foote thereof and flie with the owne winges and feathers thereof which it had before though it coulde not vse them there is no more in effect to doe but to haue the outwarde meanes sufficientlie profered for that euen therevpon if man wil vse his free will as they say he may doe if he will all the rest touching the full freedome there of wil follow Their doctrine also of satisfying for our sinnes by our selues and others of the force and validitie of indulgences masses and such like thinges purchased for vs likewise either by our selues or others either whiles we are aliue or dead and
that the same scriptures put a manifest difference betwixt this righteousnesse of the law that lies in doing and that which we haue to make vs righteous by by saith in Christ Iesus Rom. 10.5 c. and Gal. 3.12 And yet euen their great Doctor Bellarmine neither is nor will be ashamed of any of this their doctrine of faith and in this last point though he be enforced to graunt that we are first iustified freely without workes in Christ Iesus and that heauen also is Gods childrens by adoption and inheritance yet the formall cause of our iustification must be with him the infused habite of charitie and good workes after done must make vs to haue a second right vnto the kingdome of heauen and so to further degrees of glory there by the way of wages and iust debt Though for all this when he hath done his best for the maintenance of this second title and right thereunto he dare not teach any with any special assurance confidence that cannot deceiue them to trust thereunto Nay these things thus being most certainly held and taught by thē touching the nature of faith quite contrary to the scriptures I can neuer maruaile that by their faith there is bred no certainner hope or confidence in them of Gods mercie or of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes or of anie thing else that appertaines to saluation then as when they are at the best may finally deceiue them and in the meane time with much feare and doubting of their estate trouble them yea I rather wonder that in the iust iudgement of God they are not in continuall horrour and terrour of conscience and as it were compassed about euery houre with the verie tormentes of hell for that they will not be brought to seeke to come to the father onely by him but by whom as he himselfe hath taught vs none can euer come vnto him Io. 14.6 For whiles thus they pleade and stand vpon a wrong title and would also beare men in hand that a speciall ende and vse of Christes comming was not to procure them sufficient title and right to the kingdome of heauen in and by himselfe and thinges done and suffered by and in his owne person but to inable them by these meanes to make themselues to haue a second a better further title thereunto they are most worthy to loose al the comfort that they might haue if they would stand to the right and onely good title by and for Iesus Christes sake alone And doubtlesse as I haue shewed before if they repent not they will one day all the packe of them finde though too late that Paule hath pronounced sentence of them in the like case of the Galathians Cap. 5.4 saying Yee are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the lawe yee are falne from grace God of his mercie therefore if it be his holy will open their eies in time that they may repent of all these their most dangerous errours and come with vs once to be content to beleeue in Christ Iesus as the Scriptures indeede teach vs. In the meane time let this that I haue said be a sufficient warning to vs as the adopted sonnes of God thorow faith in Christ Ioh. 1.12 to looke for heauen as an inheritance prepared for vs by our heauenly father before the foundations of the world were made Matt. 25.34 and now reserued for vs which are kept by the power of God thorow faith vnto saluation Pet. 1.4 5. that so heauen may be to vs as it is said to be indeed the free gift of God Rom. 6.23 through Iesus Christ our Lord. And let vs let thes hireling and mercenarie minded men alone that disdaine to haue heauen of Gods free almes and therefore will haue it eyther by their owne earninge and deseruing of it or else they will goe without it which they are most like to doe bicause they will haue it otherwise then God himselfe the owner therof hath couenanted and appointed that euer anie shall come by it I know they haue their colours and sophistical deuises to giue yet such a glosse and faire shewe to this their dealing as though for all this all were very well of their sides but all they can gaine therby is this that so much the more they proue their religion to be aptlie and worthily tearmed by the Apostle the mistrie of iniquitie 2. Thess 2.7 and that the proud and pompeous whore of Babylon shoulde haue that worde Mysterie set for her very brand and marke in her forehead and that she should yet carie al her abhominations and fornications wherewith she shoulde make the inhabitantes of the world drunken in a golden cup the sooner to entise them to drinke deepely thereof For indeede and trueth as I haue shewed before and elsewhere they can stand them in no better steede eyther before God or before any that are wise than Adam and Eues fig leaues did them to hide their nakednes from the eies of God For how can they be so sillie and simple as to imagine indeede that in this great light any can wil be so foolish as hearing what they doe so plainelie and plentifully set downe euerie where in the doctrine of the gospell that Christ went thorow effectually in his owne person with the worke of our redemption and saluation as once to be drawne by their sophisticall perswasions that yet what he hath done serueth especially but to merit that chantie first should be bestowed vpon vs and then that thereunto to our good workes proceeding therefrom should be conuaied from his merits a dignitie and power first formally to iustifie vs by the one which we could not bee by the application of him and his merites vnto vs thorow faith and then after to earne and merite more surelie for vs by the other the kingdom of heauen then he had done For they may prate and brag that whiles they thus say and teach they attribute more to the merits of Christ than we doe that both for our iustification and saluation trust onelie thereunto but euerie man for all that vnder these fayre wordes may plainely see that in verie deede they heereby most grosselie woulde make him as I saide before the verie principall in the robbing of himselfe of that speciall honor that is his to be a full and a perfect Sauiour in and by himselfe This faith is wrought by the spirite But inoug his said of this point Howbeit this further touching this faith whereby we eate and drinke Christ and make him our owne welbeloued I would haue you to vnderstand that it is not to be attained vnto by any power or strength of flesh and blood but it is the speciall worke and fruite of the Spirit of God For immediately after Iohn had tolde vs that they that beleeue in Christ at they that receiue him whereby they are made the sonnes of God he saith that such are borne not of bloode nor of the
the price thereof not according to the worthinesse thereof but according to mens purses will euer seeke to get heauen And further seeing that the lawe is the lawe of God who for that he made vs able at the first to keepe it may by good right still call for the keeping of it at our handes though before he call for it he knoweth now that such is our corruption of the one side and the perfection of it of the other side that we can not keepe it thereby we are to learne to fall downe before him and with the teares of our soules to confesse our debt that therin he demaundeth indeede to be due debt vnto him in regard of the state wherein he created vs but that by our owne fault we are growne now vtterly vnable to pay it and therefore that there is nowe no other way for vs to escape the danger of his infinite iustice but by flying to the throne of his mercy in his sonne Christ Iesus O if we would breake vp the fallowe landes of our heartes as we are counselled to doe Iere. 4.4 by causing this sharpe plowe of the law to make deepe forrowes in it For then so much good feede of the gospell as is woulde not daily be spilt and lost vpon vs for that our heartes for lacke heereof are either like the high way or like to stony or thorny ground But finding that the hardnesse of our hearts is such that this plough alone wil not pearce deep inough to breake them vp let vs adde thereunto the weight of Gods threatned iudgementes against the transgressours of the lawe Entering into which meditation we shall finde first generally Gods curse denounced against all those that doe not obserue and keepe all the words of the law Deut. 27.26 And to goe no further then to that Chapter and the next in particular we shall finde so manie most fearefull iudgementes threatened to all transgressours of the lawe as that thereby wee may easelie perceiue that to all transgressours thereof the Lorde would haue vs to vnderstande that infinite and most intollerable are the plagues both in this life and that which is to come that be threatned and due And in verie reason we must needes see it must bee so for sinne or transgression of the lawe beeing as it is an offence against the almightie and so a meanes directlie to deserue the seueritie of his iustice to be shewed against the same who is so simple but he must needes see that all miseries in this life and eternall death and damnation in the life to come are but iusty threatned against all that breake the law Nowe these thinges thus beeing may we thinke that those beeing both due and threatned that the infinite iustice of GOD is such that it will not inflict or execute the same when or vpon whome he list To what end tende all the fearefull examples of Gods vengeance executed vppon men that wee reade of in the scriptures and in other bookes and daily seeby experience but to teach vs that God is not a bare threatner but that he both can and wil be as seuere as his threatnings come vnto if there be not a iust and sufficient stop to stay the fiercenesse of his iust wrath from breaking out against all the generation of mankind Yf al this will not serue to make vs haue broken and contrite heartes for our sinnes and so to hunger and thirst after Christ let vs further yet behold the vglinesse of our sinnes and the extreeme danger that we were in by the meanes of them in this that God hath not spared his onely begotten sonne to giue him to vs to be borne and to liue and die for vs as he did For heerein as the loue and bountifulnesse of our God towardes man hath most gloriously appeared as Paule noteth Titus 3.4 so therein and thereof we may say with the Psalmist that mercy and iustice haue most notably mette and kist each other Psal 85.10 for doubtlesse such was the loue of the father towardes the sonne that if in his wisedome any other phisition or any other meanes could or woulde haue serued to haue recouered and cured vs of our sinnes he woulde neuer haue so farre debased his sonne as beeing God to appoint him to become man and in his manhoode to haue endured liuing and dying for vs that which he did O then in that the office of a sauiour was committed vnto him in that he taking vppon him to goe through therewith as he did beeing as he was in person not man onely but God also yet found it so heauie and difficult a thing we haue most iust cause to see and beholde that it is a thing of the greatest difficulty that may be to satisfie the iust wrath of God for sinne In him we knowe there was no sinne and in his mouth there was no guile Esay 53.9 1. Pet. 2.22 for such an high priest it became vs to haue that was seperate from sumers and needed not as the priestes of the olde Testament first to offer for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples Hebr. 7.26.27 And yet in that he bare our infirmities he was surely driuen to carrie our sorrowes insomuch that he was debased as he was and wounded and broken as he was for our transgressions and iniquities Esay 53.3.4.5 In that therefore his pure and holy manhoode though it had personally vnited vnto it a Godhead to enable it to goe thorow with that which it had to doe and suffer going vnder the burthen but of our sinnes was driuen into those bloodie sweates and agonies that it was in the garden Luke 22 44. and both there and after vpon the crosse before he coulde say all is finished Iohn 19.30 to say Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me my soule is heauie vnto death Math. 26.39 and 38. and my God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Mathewe 27.40 it was made manifest vnto the whole worlde that infinite is the seueritie of Gods iustice against fin that none but such an one was euer able to haue borne the burden thereof and to haue gotte from vnder it againe to triumphe ouer it as he hath proued that he did by his most glorious and comfortable resurrection and ascention into heauen after his death and passion when thus the iustice of GOD and his wrath against sinne was manifested in his suffering thorowe astonishmente thereat from the sixte howre vnto the ninthe there was darknesse ouer the whole earth the vaile of the temple rente from the toppe to the bottome the earth did quake and the stones were clouen and the graues did open themselues Math 27 45.51 52. if these then and all the former laide togither will not or cannot so astonishe or amaze vs at the sight of our sinnes and of all Gods wrath due vnto vs and most surely ready we cannot tell how soone to destroy vs if it be not stayed by this
matter most cleare that that might be trusted to to worke and to procure these effectes he is so cooled that he concludes the matter but thus that he allowes confidence to be put in good works indeed so that pride therein be auoyded but yet for that that pride is so hardly auoided in this case as it is we are alwaies so vncertaine as we must needes bee whether we haue attained to that measure and manner of righteousnesse that to this purpose is necessary he thinketh it most safe when we haue done all the good works we haue or can that yet we put all our trust and confidence in the onely mercy and goodnesse of God Which what is it else but whē he hath done his worst against the imputation of Christs righteousnesse to make the beleeuer in him righteous by for the establishing of this their own inherent righteousnes in the romphe therof euen then to cast vs the bucklets and for shame to take his heeles and to run away from his cause and to leaue vs both the field the victory But alwaies great is the trueth and it will preuaile Wherfore howsoeuer they thinke of themselues we may plainely inough see that their case is pitifull and lamentable in their striuing thus to darkē to obscure the glorie of Christ for the maintenance and setting vp of themselues and their owne deuises in his romphe and yet when all comes to all to be enforced thus in effect to confesse that all the while they haue but kicked against the prickts and for that whervnto they dare not trust in conclusion God of his mercy make them to see their grosse errours heerein and in the meane time let vs runne by the light of the gospell this way be Christ by acknowledging him both in person and office to be such an one as I haue thereby proued and manifested him to bee which when we haue done then we haue made a good beginning to obey Christes commaundement heere but yet the chefe is behinde for he further addeth and drinke By this drinking Christe must be caten and drunken and there fore there must be had a true cōmunion with him he doubtlesse vnderstoode drinking of himselfe thereby implying eating of himselfe also for as he said in the former chapter Except yee drinke his blood so withall he saith except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man yee haue no life in you and whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I wil raise him vp at the last day vers 53. 54. By which figuratiue metaphorical kinde of speach he would teach vs that as it is not inough for him that is hungry and thirsty to come where meate and drinke is to see and behold them yea perfectly to knowe them and be able to say what euery thing is and to what vse it serueth but if he would haue his hunger and thirst satisfied he must thereof both eate and drinke euen so is it in this case For it is not inough to come vnto Christ though we come from point to point as I haue shewed vnlesse that done we goe further yea so farre as that we as surely and verily take him vnto vs and into vs and so make him as certainely our own as meate drinke receiued in and wel digested may be said to be our owne Wherby it most clearely appeareth that as no benefite can arise to the maintenance of this present life by meat and drinke vnlesse they be eaten vpon drunken and as neyther the sap and iuice that is in the meate nor the power nor force of the drinke can be made ours to nourish strengthen our bodies vnlesse we eate drinke the meat and drinke themselues wherein they are lodged contained euen so is it betwixt Christ vs. And therefore Though he be the bread of life his flesh meat indeed his blood drink indeed as we are plainly taught by him they are in the former chap. ver 53 55. yet we can be neuer the nearer therby to the maintenāce of our spiritual life before God vnles by an eating drinking of him fit for that purpose we feed vpon him cat drink himself so cōsequētly by making him wholly God man our very own and so growing into vnion communion with him we attaine vnto all those good things that are prepared for vs in him And to put vs out of al doubt hereof Saint Iohn in his first Epistle Cap. 1.3 sheweth vs that the whole scope of his ministrie and of his fellow Apostles was that there by this communion and fellowship with Christ might be attained saying That which wee haue seene and heard declare wee vnto you that ye may also haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship may be with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ Againe most plaine it is to this purpose that he writeth Cap. 5. of that Epistle vers 11.12 where he saith That God hath giuen vs eternall life he that hath the sonne hath life and he that hath not the sonne hath not life For heerby most plainely first we are taught that the chiefe vse that we are to make of the ministrie is thereby to attaine to haue communion with Christ and then as clearely he shewes vs the better to prouoke vs to striue to make that vse thereof indeede that God in his mercy hauing prouided eternall life for vs which we by the fall of Adam and our owne sinnes had lost in his sonne Christ Iesus that yet he would haue the case so stande with vs in respect thereof that we can neuer haue that vnlesse we haue the sonne himselfe in whom it is treasured coffered vp for vs. Wherby questionlesse the Lorde in his wisedome euen of loue towardes vs hath so ordered the matter for our verie best For when Adam and Eue had life in their owne handes in paradice we haue found by experience they very quickly lost it God therfore hauing so costlie and dearely compassed it againe for vs by the death and passion of his owne welbe loued sonne he sawe it in his wisedome neither good nor safe for vs liuing in this dangerous world to trust it any more in our owne handes and therefore he that is the author and purchaser thereof for vs as he hath the best right therunto by his appointment hath it still lodged for vs in himselfe and that so surely and inseparably that none euer shal or can be partaker thereof but by the communication of his verie selfe first and so once beeing sure of him then also he may withall be assured of the other For these two now by Gods ordinance goe alwaies so togither that where Christ is had there the partie in him is sure of euerlasting life and where he is not had there can be no assurance thereof The blessed sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ was Instituted by him euen
of purpose not onely to keepe still fresh in our remembrance his precious death with all the fruites thereof both generally and particularly but also without all doubt to offer to deliuer and to feale the doliuery to as many as rightly as they should receiue the same a most certaine vnion and communion with whole and full Christ himselfe And to teach vs plainly so much Paule saith 1. Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ the breade which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ As certainely therefore as by bodily eating and drinking in that sacrament or elsewhere the eater and drinker of bread and wine makes himselfe partaker of all the force and goodnesse therein by making themselues first his owne to the chearing and strengthening of this life in the bodie so by such eating and drinking of the bodie broken and blood shed for him of Christ which are the thinges in this sacrament signified and offered vnto him as is fit to make such foode his owne by as verily the worthy and right receiuer in soule feedeth vpon and is nourished to eternall life with the broken bodie and bloodshed of Christ Iesus And to assure al such of this by Christ the bread is faid to be his body broken and the wine his blood shed for the remission of their fins and both so termed and called by his ordinance broken and powred forth are particularly to be giuen to euery such communicant and they are likewise to receiue them and therefore doubtlesse thereby taught not only by that which they see and he are in the administration herof with thankfull and penitent hearts to remember his death and sonowe therein his bodie was broken and his blood shed and seuered from his body and that therefore these so handled are the heauenly and spirituall foode prepared for the maintenance of their spirituall life before God but also by that which further is deliuered and they receiue that they are to assure themselues euerie one in particular that Christ died for them and therefore shall nourish and feede them to eternall life by vniting himselfe most certainely vnto them to that ende and purpose Further yet to teach vs that this moste certaine and reall vnion with Christe is for the whole Church and for the saluation thereof most necessary those other metaphors also serue whereby be is compated to the heade and husband of the Church as of his bodie and wife Ephes 1.12 Cap. 5.32 or to the vine stocke whereinto his heauenly father engrasteth all those branches that euer shall being forth much fruite that he may be glorified Io. 15.5.6.7.8 For hereby we are taught that as it is with these heade husband and stocke in respect of the bodie wife and branches so is it betwixt Christ and all those that shall be saued As therefore vnlesse the head really growe and be vnited to the bodie yea though there can but a haire goe betwixt the one and the other the bodie can haue no life from the head and as mariage beeing consummate it maketh them that were strangers before one bodie one flesh yea one selfe fame Ephes 5.28.29 and that otherwise vnperfected it hath no such effect and lastly as it is not inough for the braunches to touch the vine stocke yea nothing to haue life from thence vnlesse they so growe therin that it and they be as it were one euen so is it in this case betwixt Christ and all those that would be saued by him And therefore to expresse as much Paule saith That such as are his they are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Ephe. 5.30 yea 1. Cor. 1.13 he maketh the Church and Christ but as one perfect man whereof Christ is the heade and the Church his bodie in so much as Ephes 1.23 he calleth the Church his fulnesse to shew that such loue there is betwixt Christ and his Church and that there is also such a perfect vnion betwixt them that though he be he that filleth all thinges and is the perfection thereof that he accounteth himselfe as a heade without a bodie without the true vnion and connexion of the Church with him And therfore Iohn 17.23 he was an earnest suter vnto his father that he might be in his as he his father was in him that so they might be made perfect in one and heerein he knew he was so heard that he accounteth the affliction of any sound member of his Church as the persecution of his owne self and therefore when Saule persecuted such he said vnto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee Act. 6.4 And yet better to assure them thereof he also reckoneth his owne ioyes to be theirs as well as their sorrowes to be his that will open vnto him and be his and therefore to encourage such so to doe and bee he said vnto them Reue. 3.22 that to such he would giue to sit with him vpon his throne and that he woulde sup with them and that they likewise should sup with him The cuidence of this doctrine beeing most strong and apparant as you he are and the papistes themselues not seeming to doubt thereof at all but that theiudgements of God are vnsearchable and that they haue deserued for their wilfull seeking to darken the light of the gospel will they nill they shining amongst them to be made drunke and so quite to be caried away in the most just iudgement of God by a strong dilusion of the enchanted cup ful of formications profered vnto them vged vpon them by the garish whore of Babilon it is a wonder that withal they are not enforced to see to perceiue the most of the absurdities heresies they hold tou ching the article of iustificatiō saluation For how can it otherwise bee but that they that are thus vnited to Christ he to them must needs most certenly as it were sensi bly vnderstād it so to bee by the wonderful alteration that therupon thorowout both in body soule wil grow in thē by the inseparable graces of the spirit alwaies accōpanying his vnion with his And therfore in him there being also as alwaies there is full and certain remission of sins prepared for al them that be so nilie his he neuer going without his perfect righteousnes being as he is the very fountaine of al Gods fauours mercies towards man how is it possible that he should be a mans owne he know it also but that he may and must without any wauering or doubting thereof fully and firmly be assured that his sins are forgiuen him that his righteousnes is his that therfore he may haue a most speciall assurance and confidence of the mercy of God to his most perfect faluation For these graces and fauours of God are neuer seuered frō the person of Christ therfore wheras he is once really truely
iustified thē vndoubtedly also will saue them For though euery trueth taught by God in his word be the general obiect of faith yet the proper obiect therof by apprehensiō where of it is so oft said in the scriptures to iustifie is onely Christ Iesus whō it is not inough for faith with her inward eies to know and cōfesse to be as he is in person and office as you haue before heard but as you may sufficiently perceiue by Christes setting of himselfe before the faithfull as the meate and drinke of their soules and by his requiring that they should hunger and thirst after him yea eate him drinke him then by his plaine expounding that eating drinking of him to be beleeuing in him he is by faith to be taken appropriated to euery right beleeuer in him And to put it out of doubt that the iustifying faith or faith in Christ Iesus must haue and indeed hath this effect Paule after he had willed the Corinthians to proue try themselues whether they were in the faith hee streight addeth And examine your selues know you not your own selues that Iesus Christ is in you vnlesse you be reprobates 2. Co. 13.5 when faith thus apprehendeth Christ so possesseth her owner of him as that he himself may know that Christ is in him how cā it be then but he that hath by faith so found and got Christ hath also in him by him a special assurance that his sins are forgiuen him that vndoubtedly he shall for that Christs sake be saued when it doth all this we denie not but most willingly we confesse that there it bringeth forth by the power of the spirit of sanctification good works plentifully in her owner but yet we dare not say that it iustifieth either for the worthinesse of it selfe or for the worthines of all the noble traine of good works inseperablie alwaies in good measure accōpanying it but onely for the worthines of Iesus Christ whom it apprehendeth But that vndoubtedly faith findeth in Christ Iesus full and sufficient cause and matter for which most certainely God will both iustifie saue all those that thereby haue put him on as Paule speaketh Rom. 13.14 all the places of scripture before produced to proue him to be in and of himselfe a full and most perfect Sauiour most pregnantly and forceably scrue Seeing therefore brethren as thereby sufficiently hath appeared by the blood of Iesus We may be bold to enter into the holy place by the new and liuing way which he hath prepared for vs through the vaile that is his flesh and seeing we haue an high priest which is ouer the house of God let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts frō an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water let vs keep the professiō of our hope without wauering for he is faithful that promised Heb. 10.19 For faith is the ground of things hoped for the euidence of things which are not seene Heb. 11.1 Let vs aske thē therfore in faith of our good gracious God and wauer not as Iames coūselleth vs for he that wauereth is like the waters of the sea tost of the winde and caried away neither let that man thinke that he shall obtaine any thing of the Lord Iam. 2.19 And let vs confidently conclude with Saint Paule that beeing iustified by faith we haue peace with God through Iesus Christ by whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto his grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God yea with that hope that shall neuer shame or confound vs. Rom. 5.1 c. For whatsoeuer our aduersaries say or feele to the contrary in themselues we that can finde once by faith that we haue put on Christ that we haue eaten his flesh and drunke his blood yea that he is euen in vs and therefore haue first Gods promises often declared and made vnto vs and then the same particularly outwardly in the sacraments and inwardly in our soules by his spirit thus sealed and applied vnto vs dare boldly with Saint Iohn say that we know we are translated from death to life 1. Epist 3.14 and with Saint Paule that we are perswaded that nothing shall euer seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus For seeing he hath not spared to bestow his owne sonne vpon vs how shall he not with him giue vs all things else Rom. 8.13.39 yea we are sure it is no presumption to beleeue God without any wauering thus many waies testifying his effectuall mercy loue to appertaine euen vnto vs eye we know it were wickedly to call the trueth and faithfulnesse of God into question once to doubt when he so many waies hath sought to put vs out of al doubt No maruel though the papistes can attaine vnto no such ioy and peace or assurance in their consciences of saluation by their faith For first they build as much of their faith vpon the sandie foundation of their owne traditions as vpon the rocke of the canonicall scriptures secondly the faith that they talke on leades them no further then to a generall astent to all trueth reuealed by God vnto man in his word whereof in particular they neyther thinke the knowledge of all that trueth necessary nor yet the speciall application of the promises to any contenting themselues with beleeuing in generall that there is in the Church remission of sinnes purchased by Christ c. And thirdly they hold there is no such faith whereby in for Christ the owner therof can come to any such assurāce of the mercy of God of the forgiuenes of his sins and of life euerlasting yea that that is rather a presumption a mere fiction and inuention then any faith allowed of God vnlesse God giue a man a speciall reuelation as it were telling him by name in particular that he shall haue these in deed for Christs sake and that therefore it is inough for to beleeue that their are these things in deede by Christ purchased And therfore lastly they holde that faith may be in the reprobate and that it is said to iustifie onely bicause it is one of the first dispositions to iustification and that it iustifieth not so much for apprenending Christ the iustifier as for that it obtaineth that Christ shoulde formally iustify her owner by powring into him the grace of charity whereby he may after be able more to iustifie himself and to merite the kingdome of heauen by good works So that in effect they hold teach that it iustifieth not for Christ apprehended applied to her owner but for charitie and other good works that Christ by his grace for the worthinesse therof bestoweth vpon him quite contrary to the scriptures which as we haue heard shut workes quite out from this office of iustifying and purchasing of saluation for man Whereas they know further
vnto vs and by his Spirit communicateth him vnto vs after a spirituall and misticall manner and that we by faith wrought and nourished in vs by this his Spirit and meanes feed vpon to our euerlasting saluation Touching which faith Conclusion of the commandement which thus I haue made as it were the hand mouth of our soule to take Christ offered vnto vs in the word Sacraments withall at the hand of God hsi spirit let it be remembred once againe that Christ here in my text calling for it to drinke him by saith not simply he that beleeueth in mee but with this adition as saith the Scripture Wherby let vs to conclude this point withall learne that in this case it is not inough to beleeue as we list nor as this man or that this company or that teach vs alwayes Yea that we neuer beleeue aright to this purpose vntill we beleeue in Christ as the canonicall Scriptures teach vs. All which as I haue before sufficiently shewed lay him still before vs to be beleeued in as our sole and onely meritorious cause of our saluation with whom we may neither ioyne any other person or thing And so stedfast also our confidence of saluation these teach vs ought to be in him that thereby we may say We haue peace with God through him and such accesse to Gods grace as that we stand therin and reioyce vnder hope which shall neuer be confounded Rom. 5. vers 1.2.3 c. In so much that hauing reckoned vp all thinges that are most likely to doe it yet with Paule all that haue this faith may boldly and triumphantly say That nothing shall seperate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus In any case therefore by the meanes that he hath appointed for that purpose which I haue now also laide before you let vs striue to attaine to this faith and to nourish it when we haue once got it For this is it that ioyneth Christ and vs togither and so fully possesseth vs of him and all the treasured graces and mercies of God prouided for mens saluation in him that therefore it bringeth vnto vs the peace that passeth all vnderstanding Phil. 4.7 and the ioy that none can euer take from vs. Iohn 16.22 We haue the word of God and that written outwardly sealed in the Sacramentes and thereby by his spirit also inwardly offering to seale sealing the same vnto our heartes consciences that God the Father in and by his sonne Christ Iesus by the mightie working of the holie Ghost both can and will saue vs. Whatsoeuer therefore papistes prate to the contrarie let vs most firmly and constantlie thus beleeue and not once dare call the trueth of God thus many waies confirmed vnto vs once into question But then let vs neuer for get that golden saying of Cyprian De duplicimartirio Non credit in Deum qui non in eo solo collocat totius suae salut is fiducia that is He beleeues not in God at all that placeth not the whole confidence of his saluation in him alone And the rather for that thus to doe our Creedes our Baptisme and all the scriptures teach vs. Let vs not therefore by the example or doctrine of Papistes be drawne from hence to put our confidence as they doe both in a number of persons and things that are not God For that were vndoubtedly howsoeuer they would perswade men to the contrary no better than to become plaine reuolters and apostares from the ancient found Catholicke faith which all these most plainely teach and binde vs vnto and in deede to fet vp vnto our selues a new Christ of our owne deuising with whom none of these euer acquainted vs. Wherefore as in these respectes I would wish that we tooke heed of the seauen of the popish faith as of the verie baine poyson of our soules so also beware we of their kinde of faith in the vse of the Sacrament of the body bloode of Christ For as you may perceiue by that which I haue said already of that matter the faith that they most call for in that busines is a beleeuing that Christes very body blood are really there vnder the formes of bread wine so be taken in by the bodily mouth of euery receiuer quite contrarie both to the true sence of the Scripturs in that behalf to the nature of Christ These things thus finished and concluded it remaineth now that we proceede in our text wherein we haue yet to consider of the promise therin made by Christ to all those and to none but to those that by right knowing him and beleeuing in him come vnto him and drinke of him This promise he vtters and expresses in these wordes as you haue hearde The promise out of his bellie shall flowe riuers of water of life whereunto if we referre these wordes as saith the Scripture as many interpreters both olde and newe doe then they teach vs to vnderstand this promise as the Scripture teacheth vs ellewhere and not otherwise And seeing Christ hath vttered the promise in such a metaphoricall phrase as hee hath it may verie well be that of very purpose he placed those wordes as he did not onely to teach vs as we haue heard alreadie that we come vnto him and drinke of him by sound knowledge and right faith as the Scriptures shew vs but also plainelie to instruct vs that in so doing we must looke to haue the wordes of this promise fulfilled vnto vs not in any grosse or literall sence but onelie in such spirituall manner and sorte as the Scriptures themselues in other places declare Heereby then to beginne withall Christ hath giuen vs this moste notable and profitable rule that it is a moste sounde way rightile to expounde Scriptures and so rightlie to vnderstande them to conferre Scripture with Scripture and to admit no sence of figuratiue and darke phrases and speaches in the same but that which may doth stand with other more plaine places which in Gods wisedom and prouidence euen of purpose elsewhere are set downe therein that they may be as a key to let vs into the right sence of the harde than which rule howsoeuer nowe a daies our aduersaries would perswade they haue founde a better namely to make the current practise of their Church which when they haue braued of Doctors and Councelles neuer so much is indeede onely the verie pleasure mutable fansie of their Popes the ancient Fathers haue esteemed and followed this as the best and saifest As it is euident in Augustine De doctrina Christiana Lib. 3.2.6 where he defineth that to be alwaies the sence of the harde place which is taught in plainer and that no sence is to be receiued to be the sence of any which cannot be proued so to be out of other places Of the same minde Hierome showes himselfe to haue beene in his 19. Homilie vpon Esay noting that