not make thee ashamed Rom. 5.5 Yea by this Hope thou art and shalt be saued Rom. 8.24 Conclude not thy selfe then to be out of the fauour of God because thou art not yet free from sin and Satans temptations but comfort thy selfe in hope that as Christs prayer for Peter was heard 〈◊〉 22.32 that though he failed in faith and that foâ— a time yet he could not faile totally and finally so it is heard also for thee For he hath prayed for thee as effâ—ctuâ—lly as he did for him yea for all that shall beleeue on him Iohn 17. Iâ—h 17.20 And th refore as Iob Iob 19.25 in the middest of his misâ—â—e did co fort himselfe with this meditation that his Râ—dâ—mer unâ—d so doe thou comfort thy selfe in Câ—riâ—â— thâ—â— one droppe of his blood is of vertue to procure pardon for all thy sinnes if the sinnes of all the men in the world were thine And therefore waite with patiâ—â—ce 2. Cor. 22.9 aâ—d bâ— content with Gods answer to Paul My gâ—aâ—e is suâ—â—â—â—ient for thee and my strength shall be made manâ—fest in thy weâ—â—â—nesse It is not for our merits bâ—t for the meâ—i s oâ— C râ—â—â— that God freely accepts vs. And this is thâ— prâ—mise of God to those who are once his châ—ldren on whom hâ— hath ouâ—e bestowed these graces of the knowledge of Christ of faith of repentance of â—egeneration and newnesse of life which thou canst not deny once to haue beene in some measure in thee though he suffer them to fall into diuers great and grieuous temptations yea temptations of this nature yet he will lay no more vpon them 1. Cor. 10.13 then he will make them able to beare and if he suffer them to be ouercome for a time yet will he make a way to escape he will giue them the grace of repentance and faith by which they shall bee reconciled and reassured of the loue of their heauenly Father Doubt not then to apply the promises of God in particular into thy selfe vpon repentance and comming to Christ because their is no kinde of sinne which thou canst commit but the mercy of God in Christ is farre greater For that sinne against the holy Ghost thou canst not commit which is not any transgression of the morall Law either in generall or particular either of ignorance or infirmitie or a sinne committed wilfully presumptuously and against a mans conscience though these bee grieuous sinnes Bucan loc Com. But an vniuersall and a finall Apostacie or falling away from Christ it is a voluntarie renouncing of the knowne truth of the Gospel and a rebellion proceeding from the hatred of it being ioyned with a tyrannicall sophisticall and hypocriticall oppugnation of the same when a man that hath beene enlightened with the true knowledge of Christ and conuinced in his conscience of the truth of it by the blessed Spirit Heb. 6.5 and hath tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come but it is onely a taste for they that doe feede of these graces spiritually and doe digest them and are nourished by them to newnesse of life God will neuer suffer them to fall into this sinne when such an one I say shall afterward vniuersally and with a full consent fall from the truth deny Christ persecute him with reproaches despising the sacrifice of his death and passion and continuing thus without repentance to the end this is the sinne against the holy Ghost Thus did Iulian and other Apostates sinne and of these is that of the Apostle to be vnderstood Heb. 6. verse 6. This sinne I say thou canst not fall into beeing ingrafted into Christ by faith and for all other sinnes bee they neuer so grieuous remission is promised vpon faith and repentance and that freely not for the merit of thy faith or repentance but for the merit of Christ Why then shouldest thou not apply the generall promises of grace vnto thy selfe in particular Come vnto me saith Christ all ye that be weary and heauy leaden and I will refresh you this promise is generall Mat. 11.28 But thy owne conscience will tell thee that thou art weary and heauy loaden with the burden of thy sinnes and therefore thou mayest well conclude that comming vnto Christ the promise of mercy belongs to thee Whosoeuer shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued this is a generall promise Mark 16.16 But thy owne conscience will tell thee that thou art baptized and that thou beleeuest though it may be thy faith is but weake but like a graine of mustard-seede that is very small Matth. 17.20 yet if thou canst but say with the man in the Gospel I beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeleefe Marke 9.24 If thou canst but touch the hemne of Christs vesture with the finger of faith if the hand of faith by which thou mayst lay fast hold on him be wanting yet by this touch of Christ euen with the finger of faith the vertue of Christ may flow forth sufficiently to stop the bloody issue of thy sinnes and to cure the maladies of thy soule and with this thou mayest truly apply the promises of grace vnto thy selfe To conclude this then since thou art and must bee a souldier while thou liuest in the campe or field of the Church faint not at the sight of thy enemies though they be many and terrible 2. King 6.16 but comfort thy selfe with this that as Elisha said to his seruant There are more with thee then with them yea and though thou be weake yet the strongest part is on thy side thou hast God thy friend to send thee more ayde of grace if at any time thou art decaied in thy strength thou hast Christ a conquerour thy Captaine vnder whose banner thou dost fight thou hast the blessed Spirit to encourage thee and though he may leaue off to shew his fauourable presence for a time yet will he not long be absent from thee though for a moment he hide his face yet with euerlasting kindnesse will he haue compassion on thee Esay 54.7 8. In a word thou hast myriades of Angels to accompany thee and the prayers of the Saints of the whole Church yea of Christ himselfe at the right hand of his Father like the showting of the Israelites Iosh 6.20 to make the walles of Iericho the strength of thy enemies to faile And therefore goe on with faith and constancie to endure the combate and faint not though thou hast many losses of grace many wounds by sinne by thy spirituall enemies for Christ being thy Captaine thou shalt certainly be conquerour in the end But if with all this thou findest that thou art vnable to apply the promises of mercy and free grace vnto thy selfe or to doe it so weakely that feare is not yet remooued Confession and Absolution an excellent meanes of peace Then as in the sicknesse of thy body thou art ready to seeke to the Physitian for helpe
and counsell that he may apply somewhat vnto thee to cure thy disease so must thou doe in this sicknesse of thy soule Thou must flye to the Minister of God whom he hath appointed for thy helpe herein The Priests lippes must preserue knowledge Malac. 2.7 and thou must seeke the Law at his mouth To him thou must open the wounds of thy soule Iam. 5.16 the causes and occasions of thy feare whether they be thy sinnes if any trouble thy conscience or thy temptations to sinne thy weakenesse of faith and holinesse or the like that hee vpon sight of thy estate and arguments of thy faith and repentance though they be weake may apply the promises of mercy the refreshing oyle of the Gospel vnto thy soule Thou must confesse thy sinnes and weaknesse as that reuerend Diuine Mr. Perkins Perkins Cases of Conscience lib. 1. cap. 1. sect 1. well obserueth that the Minister of God may pronounce the sentence of absolution of thy free remission and reconciliation with God in Christ vnto thee that hence thy hope and confidence in God may be confirmed which he may truly doe if by thy confession he finde in thee the grounds and signes of faith and repentance of which thou mayest finde many signes in this Treatise and no doubt but some in thy selfe if thou be called brought to repentance and faith in Christ I will here put you in minde A most comfortable ground of assurance that our sinnes are pardoned in Christ but of one ground of comfort for many And this is that A desire to repent and beleeue in a touched heart and conscience is faith and repentance it selfe though not in nature yet in Gods acceptation by Christ This is euident in Scripture First because If there be a willing minde it is accepted not according to that a man hath not but according to that he hath 2. Corinthians 8. verse 12. Againe God doth not onely call all that thirst and desire to the waters of life and offers them freely Esay 55. verse 1.2 but if they doe but desire and thirst for it he promiseth to giue it them freely Reuel 21.6 Reu. 22.17 And he will be as good as his word to thee thou shalt be sure to receiue and taste of these waters of comfort if thou wilt pray for it and desire it and expect with patience and tarry the Lords leisure for it Thou art blessed in the desire of it Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for first or last they shall be satisfied Matth. 5.6 and then blessed shalt thou be in the happie possession of it A bruised reede will he not breake and smoaking flaxe will he not quench that is the least sparkes of grace but kindle them to thy comfort Matth. 12.20 The Lord saith Dauid heareth the desires of the poore the poore in Spirit especially who are blessed though they be poore in their owne eyes seeing but little or no faith or holinesse in themselues yet they are rich in Christ in whom God accepteth them for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Matth. 5 3. If thou confessest that thou hast but this desire in thee as thou thy selfe mayest apply to thy selfe with the help of thine own coâ—science spirituall vnderstanding so may the minister also boldly and certainly apply the promises of grace and mercy to thy soule M. Perkins Cases of Conscience lib. 1. cap. 7. sect 5. And that with this or the like argument He that hath an vnfained desire to repent and bâ—leeue in Christ hath remission of sinnes and life euerlasting But thou hast an earnest desire to repent and beleeue in Christ as thy owne conscience cannot choose but tell thee and as thou confessest vnto him and therefore as thou mayest apply and conclude so if thou canst not he may certainly conclude to thee and for thee That remission of sinnes and life euerlasting belongs to thee and therefore he may assuredly and boldly for to procure thy peace the better pronounce vnto thee that excellent sentence of Absolution The Booke of Common Prayer in the visitation of the sicke appointed by our Church for the comfort of sicke and distressed soules Our Lord Iesus Christ who hath left power to his Church to absolue all sinners which truly repent and beleeue in him of his great mercy forgiue thee thine offences And by his authoritie committed to me I absolue thee from all thy sinnes in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen And if thou be as thou oughtest to be perswaded of the power of this absolution thou mayest after this possesse thy soule in peace with assurance that thou art iustified freely in Christ and labouring to increase in holinesse thou needest not doubt of happinesse in the end For this is one end why Christ hath giuen that power of binding and loosing vnto his Ministers those keyes of the kingdome of heauen That whatsoeuer they doe binde on earth Math. 16.19 should be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer they should loose on earth should be loosed in heauen And withall gaue them the holy Ghost to direct and guide them Receiue yee the holy Ghost saith Christ whose soeuer sinnes yee remit they are remitted vnto them and whose soeuer sinnes yee retaine they are retained Ioh. 20. verse 22 23. And this power though it be not absolute but ministeriall Christ absoluing by his ministers yet as no water could cure Naamans leprosie but the waters of Iordan 2. King 5. because God had giuen a speciall gift vnto them So the same words of absolution being pronounced by any other cannot haue that power to worke on the conscience or to perswade to peace as when they are pronounced by him that hath this ministeriall office because the promise only is giuen to Gods Ministers who are sent forth to this end Ioh. 20.12.13 And being pronounced by them in this forme and manner Christ doth as certainly loose thee from the bonds of thy sinnes by his Ministers as he did loose Lazarus by his disciples from the bonds with which he was tyed when he had raised him to life Iohn 11.44 Be at peace therfore quiet thy conscience with diuine Answ 3 Hope and confidence in Christ and the God of peace shall be with thee 2. Cor. 13.11 And yet further thirdly for thy decay in grace Quench not the spirit saith the Apostle to the Christian Thessalonians Against decay in grace 1. Thes 5.19 in whom no doubt the grace of Gods Spirit was in good measure The Spirit therefore may bee quenched and Gods dearest children may lose grace for a time though not finally and totally because God in his mercy doth in due time renue the vigour and strength of his graces in them Thou must not conclude then by thy decay in grace for a time or want of holinesse that thou art excluded from the fauor of God in Christ The best wheate hath
owne Person and secondly by his Ministers he hath reueiled the Gospel that is that secret counsell of his Father concerning the redemption of mankind vnto vs. For this was one end why God sent his Sonne that he should preach the Gospel to the poore Esay 61.1 And in this respect Christ is that Prophet foretolde by Moses Deut. 18.15 The Lord thy God will raise vp vnto thee a Prophet from the middest of thy brethren like vnto me vnto him shall ye hearken Againe as Christ is our Prophet so is he also our Priest or hath also a Sacerdotall Office by which hee being that Mediator betweene God and man by his Actiue and Passiue Obedience by his doing and suffering he hath perfectly fulfilled the Law for vs fully appeased the wrath of his Father and reconciled vs vnto him so that now God the Father beholding vs in his Sonne Christ accepteth vs as iust and righteous for his sake Heb. 10 19. Mat. 3.17 And thus is Christ our Redeemer our Sauiour our Priest who by offering vp that Sacrifice of himselfe once for all Rom. 3.25 as a sweet smelling incense of reconciliation for our redemption hath made an attonement to God for vs. The Lord sware and will not repent Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchizedek Psal 110.4 And by this his Priesthood of seruants we are become sonnes Galat. 4.4 and of bondslaues freemen in him Lastly Christ is our King First by his power 3 The Kingly Office of Christ Ezek. 37.24 Dan. 9.25 Reuel 19.16 by which he ruleth over all creatures For all power is giuen vnto him both in heauen and in earth Math. 28.18 Secondly by his grace by which peculiarly he defendeth and gouerneth his Church making it rich in earth with aboundance of grace and rich in heauen with aboundance of glorie defending it outwardly by his power and guiding it inwardly by his blessed Spirit Ioh. 14.16.17 Psal 2.9 Psal 20.1 Mat. 11.28 1. Cor. 15.55.56.57 And in this respect properly he is said to be a King First because he hath vindicated and redeemed his Church which before Satan kept in thraldome Secondly because he hath ouercome that king or prince of darkenesse the Diuell And thirdly because all those that doe flye vnto him for succour he defendeth them here and maketh them blessed for euer hereafter And in this respect that is most true which was spoken by the Prophet That he hath set his King Christ vpon his holy hill of Sion Ps 2.6 And thus you see briefly what is to be knowne of Christ both in respect of his Person and of his Office But how or with what kind of knowledge must we Question 2 know this may be a second demand With what kind of knowledge we must know Christ Answere A two-fold knowledge of God Chriâ—â— before this doubt bee fully cleared And to resolue this question wee must know that there is a two-fold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cognition or knowledge of God and of Christ The first is a true certaine and perfect knowledge and this is that by which a man doth truly certainly and perfectly that is not in part only and aenigmatically or as in a glasse darkely but in whole and most cleare manner know God and Christ as hee is God and man in one person Zanchius in 1. Ioh. cap. 2.3 v. And with this perfect and absolute knowledge in this world onely Christ as he was man did know God But with this knowledge in this life Christians do not know God neither can they know him thus till the life to come Nay with this full perfect and absolute knowledge Christ is not knowne of vs especially as he is God or as vnited God and man in one person in that his most wonderfull and admirable vnion For in this life we are not fully vnited to Christ our head neither shall be till we be glorified with him in heauen And therefore in this life that of the Apostle may be truely verified both of the knowledge of God and of Christ For now we see through a glasse darkely but then face to face now I know in part but then shall I know euen as also I am knowne 1. Cor. 13.12 Secondly therefore there is an imperfect knowledge but yet it is true and certaine yea and euident also though not with the euidence of sence and naturall reason yet with the euidence of faith and spirituall vnderstanding And this is that by which all the elect being regenerated by the Spirit of God doe in this life know and acknowledge God and Christ That of the Prophet is truely verified in this They shall know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgiue their iniquities and J will remember their sinne no more Jeremiah 31.34 Zanchius in Epist ad Ephes cap. 4. And as there are two sorts of men in the Church who professe Christ The first of Hypocrites who do brag indeed of the knowledge of Christ and in words doe confesse him to be true God and true man and a Sauiour but in their deeds they deny him alwaies liuing in their sins and neuer repenting yea howsoeuer they professe an obedience to the Law of God performing or rather seeming outwardly to performe some of the Commandements yet in their minds and hearts they loue not the Law of God yea rather they hate it nor are they delighted with the Law but rather loathe and dislike it they themselues being but Hypocrites and their profession mere Hypocrisie The second kind are of the elect and regenerate though their regeneration in this life bee imperfect and these are they who doe so know Christ and beleeue in him Psal 51. Mat. 26.75 Luke 15.21 Nam â—isi DeuÌ„ ex animo diligunt sincere cordis affectu multam tamen adhuc cordis animae partem occupatam habent carnis cupiditatibus quibus retrahuntur â—istuntur quo minus citato ad deum cursu pergant Calvin Institut lib. 3. cap 19. sect 4. Rom. 7. Quid hic faciciam cum sentiunt nihil se minus quaÌ„ legem praestare volunt aspirant conantur Sed nihil ea qua decei perfectione Calvin lib. 3. ca. 19. sect 4. A twofold imperfect kno lâ—dge that they doe studie and endeuour truly and sincerely to compose and frame their liues according to his will and example and if at any time they fall into sinne into the breach of Gods Commandements by their owne weakenesse and the tentations of their enemies the World the Flesh or the Diuell yet with Dauid or Peter or the Prodigall they are truly sorrowful and vnfeignedly repenting they returne againe to God the Father of mercie to Christ their most gracious redeemer and being reassured of the free remission of their sinnes in him they rise as it were from death to life from sinne to righteousnesse and being inflamed with a loue of God and of
sit The body hath both to be and to be well and by whose power which hee hath kept onely to himselfe that vnity of the Church doth stand of which it is sayde Vna est coluÌ„ba mea My doue is one as S. Aug. obserues And with this vnity our Church shal prosper the glory of Israel the light of the Gospell shall for euer dwell amongst vs. Menenius Agrippa long since shewed the danger of division Liuie Dec. 1. lib. 8. when the common people disobeying their gouernors he told them that wise parable of a dissentioÌ„ between the meÌ„bers of the body the belly denying their seruice so long to the belly till they began to be feeble not able to helpe one another And Scilurus when being neere his death he called his eighty sons Plutarch Tom. 1. moral Apoph descite reguÌ„ dict gaue theÌ„ a sheafe of arrowes to breake and when they could not while they were bound vp together hebade them take the arrowes asunder and then they breake them with ease signifying that if they being brethren continued in vnity their enemies could not hurt them but otherwise they might soone be brought to confusion Salust de Bell. Ingurthm Concordia parvae res crescunt discordia maximae dilabuntur said king Mycipsa to his sonnes By concord small things increase but by discord the greatest are speedily dissolued Much more I might speake of Division how hurtfull it is to the Church especially about shadowes and ceremonies A sermon on the Rainbow in Gen. 9.13 and such like but I haue touched this vpon another subiect Therefore I conclude since we all haue giuen our names to Christ let vs all labour to be one in him If any man be in Christ he is a new creature If any man None excepted from this newnesse that are in Christ Gen. 17.14 Chrystop Marcell in Concil Lat. sess 4. There is an vniuersality in the proposition which comprehendeth all To shew that there is none priuiledged of what state calling or condition soeuer they be if he be or will be in Christ he is and must bee a new creature In the old Law that person who would not bee circumcised that soule was cut off from the people of God Gen. 17.14 And in the Gospell hee that is non circumcised in heart and made new by regeneration hee shall haue no part with the Saints of heauen Ioh. 3.3 The wise man is not priuiledged by his wisedome nor the strong man by his strength the King is not freede by his crowne and dignity nor the Priest by his power of the Keyes no not the * Tu es alter Deus in terris Câ—edâ—re Dominum Deum nostrum papam non potuisâ—e statuere prout statuit Haeretieum censeretur Extrau Iohn 22. cum inâ—ce in Gloss impress Lugdun An. 1555. Pope himselfe who would seeme to be a god vpon earth opening and shutting binding and loosing pardoning and punishing at his pleasure yet if he open not vnto Christ and become a new man in him Christ will cut him off as a withered branch and with all his priuiledges cast him into the fire of Hell For if any man be in Christ and will haue benefite by him hee is and must truely endeauour to be a new creature Make no excuses then nor delay the time to leaue off the bondage of Satan and submit thy selfe to the seruice of Christ The seruice of Christ is perfect freedome as the seruice of Satan is absolute slauery when Christ cals therfore Mat. 11.28 come willingly vnto him that thou mayest find rest vnto thy soule The world calleth and we runne hastily to it The Deuill calleth and without delay wee hearken vnto him the flesh calleth and we resist not the temptations thereof and why should we delay or bee disobedient then to the call of Christ delay is most dangerous and disobedience most perilous to the soule For as it is related of Tamerlane that great warriour Paul Iovâ— lib. 2. virâ—ru illustrium Primo die castra candida rendeb at secundo nigra tertio â—â—â—ra who ouercame all Aegypt Persia and Asia the lesse and named himselfe not a man but the scourge of God that when he came to fight against any City the first day hee pitched white tents the second blacke and the third red to shew that they who yeelded themselues the first day shâ—uld bee saued with all that they had those who deferred till the second should bee receiued but not without some punishment but for those that delayed till the third day they should he destroyed without mercy So it is with this great and mighty warriour Christ Isesus who is the King of Kings Reuel 19.16 and Lord of Lords The first day that is in the beginning when he calleth men to repentance to forsake their sinnes and follow â—ighteousnesse he hangeth out his white tents of grace to shew that those who are obedient to the heauenly call he will receiue them to fauour free them from much misery which otherwise sinne would haue brought vpon them and reward them with happinesse for euer in heauen The second day that is when men haue a long time neglected his mercy made excuse and refused his instruction he hangeth out blacke tents to shew that they must come then with much repentance with much sorrow with many teares like the Prodigal Mary Magdalen before they can tast the sweetnesse of his fauour The third day that is when then the time of grace the time of this life is past at the day of iudgement either particular at the howre of death or generall at the end of the world he wil hang out and pitch his red tents declaring the vengeance that hee will then powre vpon the wicked because it is a time of iustice and not of mercie Plutarch de sanitat tuenda pag. 257. Quam ob breuem voluptatis causam summam amisi faelicitatem And then though it be too late as Lycimachus being surprized in the Countrey of Thrace by King Dromichetes and driuen into such a streight that he was constrained to yeeld himselfe and his Army to his enemy for very thirst cryed out in the bitternesse of his griefe hauing tasted the water good God for how short a pleasure haue I lost a most excellent happinesse So will they be constrained to cry but all in vaine For how short a pleasure in sin and wickednesse haue we lost the pleasure of eternall felicitie Oh then beloued Let vs not make excuses like the vnthankefull guest Mat. 22. Matth. 22.5 nor suffer any thing to hinder vs from Christ though it were our hand or a foot or our eye or any thing more deare vnto vs But let vs willingly and readily and cheerefully giue our selues vnto Christ that in him wee may obtaine that newnesse required because no man is excepted no man priuiledged If any man be in Christ hee is a new Creature
be in Christ I haue laid the foundation of our vnion at large I will once againe Catechise the point in briefe before I come to the vse That if it be possible you may yet more plainely vnderstand it The question Quest 1 may be demanded if Christ be in vs how are we in Christ or if we be in Christ how is Christ in vs I answer Answ First that Christ is in vs as the King is in his kingdome to rule ouer vs as the father of his family is in his household to ouersee vs as the bridegroome is in the bride-chamber to honour vs as the head is in the bodie to guide and direct vs in all our actions but all this in a spirituall manner Or otherwise Christ is in vs First by faith and charitie as a Sauiour in the hearts of those that are saued Secondly by his spirit of vertue and grace by which hee doth quicken illuminate feede gouerne and conserue his children After the first manner one friend may bee in the breast of another by affection and loue but after the second no mortall man can be in the heart of any man but onely Christ in vs which sheweth the excellency of this heauenly vnion Quest 2 Secondly How are we in Christ I answer Answere we are in Christ not carnally neither but after a spirituall manner For although our bodies are not carnally in Christ nor Christs in ours yet spiritually we are vnited to Christ and Christ to vs we are one with Christ and Christ with vs In the Booke of Common Prayer the exhortation at Communion Hosh 2.19 20. we dwell in Christ and Christ in vs as our Church doth witnes and this in a more neere manner as is admirably declared in that excellent vnion of the husband and wife For Christ is our heauenly Bridegroome and we are his Spouse Cant. 5.1 2. He hath married vs vnto himselfe in righteousnesse and in iudgement and in louing kindnesse and in mercies and in faithfulnesse and in the knowledge of the Lord An excellent wedding ring beset with sixe beautifull Diamonds to illustrate that most gracious and glorious vnion betweene Christ and his Church Quest 3 But Christ is righteousnesse and life it selfe in him is no sinne neither was death able to hold him in the prison of the graue How then is it possible that sinfull man who is subiect vnto death by sinne should any way be in Christ or Christ in him Like thing are woont to be ioyned to like but betweene so different and contrarie natures what communion or fellowship is any where to be found Are we in Christ as the creatures are in God After this manner not only all men are in him For in him we liue and mooue and haue our beeing Acts 17.28 but also all things that liue for hee is before all things and in him all things consist Coloss 1. verse 7. and this were a vnion common to wicked men and to the brute beasts as well as to vs. How then are we in Christ Quest I answer Answ wicked men haue not this vnion with Christ Wicked men haue no vnion with Christ but only the elect no not so much as the vnion of nature for howsoeuer in generall in that Christ was truly man as they are they may seeme to haue a kinde of communion yet in this there is a maine difference that Christ did not take vpon him our humane nature corrupted and defiled with the pollution of sinne August in Ioh. Sine peccato sine peccati macula S. Bern in vigil Natiuit serm 4. Mater est sine corruptione virginitatis filius sine omni labe peccati Esay 53.9 but sanctified and made most pure and holy in the wombe of the blessed Virgin by the power of the diuine Spirit he was conceiued without sinne and borne without the least spot of iniquitie he liued and dyed without sinne Neither was there any guile found in his mouth The wicked therefore being conceiued in sinne and borne in sinne liuing and dying in sinne they can haue no vnion with Christ neither in the qualitie of his nature nor in Grace It is only the Elect who are purified by the blood of Christ iustified by imputation of his merit and sanctified and regenerated daily by the power of his Spirit that haue this vnion and Communion with Christ Hee that keepeth his commandements dwelleth is him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in vs by the Spirit which he hath giuen vs. 1. Ioh 3.24 If any man loue me he will keepe my words and my Father will loue him and we will come vnto him and make our abode with him Iohn 14.24 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 who worketh a change in their hearts and by steppes and degrees conformes them to the image of Christ This vnion is a vnion of faith by which our hearts are purified Acts 15.9 which belongeth only to the Elect and therefore to them onely pertaineth this vnion not barely as they are men but Christian men not in respect of their generation but regeneration not according to the substance of the humane nature receiued from the first Adam but according as it is renued with sanctitie and heauenly puritie in the second by the power of whose Spirit dwelling in vs Our mortall bodies are quickened to nâ—wnesse of life Rom. 6.10 11. And thus Christ is in vs not in the wicked he is in vs by an internall a true and liuely co-adunation and vnion of the spirit which consists in a true and sincere faith and a true and vnfeined loue by which we are conformed to Christ our head for by faith and loue we are translated into Christ so that now we liue no longer in our selues but in him Our life is hid with Christ in God Coloss 3.3 I liue saith the Apostle yet not I but Christ liueth in me and the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who loued me and gaue himselfe for me Gal. 2.20 We liue not by our selues but by Christ who liueth in vs And therefore first this is a most excellent benefit and comfort to the soule of a Christian It is profitable for vs that our life of grace is not in vs but in Christ For if our spirituall life of grace were our own and did consist onely in our selues wee should soone spend it like prodigals and die that spirituall death that brings death eternall But our life being in Christ and Christ in vs hauing once giuen this life of grace vnto vs for our eternall comfort in all temptations he will neuer take this life totally and finally from vs but though he may withdraw his breath for a time yet he will returne reuiue and quicken vs to life euerlasting And to this end Christ is in vs by his
creatures wee are â—re-made Answ Jf any man bee in Christ through the grace of God in him he is a new creature It is God the Father in Christ by the blessed spirit that worketh this new creation But what kind of creatures doth he make vs I answer that as God in his first creation did create Adam according to his owne image and similitude Gen. 1.27 So in our second creation hee doth renue and repayre in vs by little and little the excellency of that image which wee lost by the fall of oâ—â— first parents he re-makes vs like vnto himselfe in wisedome in righteousnesse in true holinesse alike in all heauenly vertues as much as it is possible as God in his wisedome thinkes convenient for finite creatures To expresse the excellency of an infinite Creatour this similitude he beginneth in this life and will one day perfect it fully in the life to come The absolute patterne of this image is Christ hee is the Idaea and liuely figure of our heauenly natiuity both of that which we must striue for here and that which we shall haue hereafter For as we haue borne the image of the earthy so shall we beare the image of the heauenly 1. Cor. 15.49 that is that image of the new man Which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4.24 In righteousnesse that is in obedience to the first table Zanchus com in Ephes in the duty we owe to God and in obedience to the second Table in the duty which wee owe to our neighbour and in holinesse that is in that purity of life which we ought to haue in our own selues our soules and consciences in the sight of God And Beholding with open face as in a glasse the glory of the Lord we are changed into this same image from glory to glory euen a by the Spirit of the Lord 1. Cor. 3.18 So that the second creature shall be made like but beeing confirmed by grace in Christ more excellent then the first In the first creation God gaue vnto Adam rule and dominion ouer all the creatures and in our second creation the right of this Dominion is re-giuen vnto vs. And this Dominion we should labour to exercise Origen S. Chrysost in Gen. But as Origen and S. Chrysostome expresse it we should haue dominion ouer the fishes of the sea by ruling our appetites and lustfull desires ouer the birds of the heauen by pulling downe ambition with the cords of humility ouer the creeping things of the earth by keeping in avarice with the bounds of charity ouer the beasts of the field by holding in anger with the raines of temperance And thus if we doe we shall seeme to rule well and be rewarded with double honour as Saint Paul speaketh in another kind 1. Tim 5.17 Wee shall declare our selues to be new men in Christ such as haue our parts in the first resurrection and of whom the second death shall haue no power Reu. 20.6 For those who are new creatures are free men in Christ and those who are in Christ are new creatures If any man be in Christ he is a new creature 5. Quest But what meanes wee may attaine this newnes S. August Tom. 9. de decem chordis Whosoeuer desireth to be a subiect in the kingdome of Christ he must bee a new creature But by what meanes may a man attaine to this new Creation Or how may a man come to be a new man in Christ Saint Augustine obserues well that the old man in the state of nature cannot sing the new song in the state of grace but that hee may sing it he must striue to be a new man in Christ but how he may be a new man heare not me saith the Father but the Apostle Put off the old man and pâ—t one the new Eph. 4.24 So that as before grace we are like Lazarus dead in the graue of our sinnes vnable to rise from iniquity vntill Christ giue vs his hand and power of grace to reuiue and strengthen vs contrary to the error of Pelagians of which I haue spoken before so after this grace we haue a spirituall life giuen vnto vs our vnderstandings being inlightened and wills rectified and though it bee but weake yet must wee not thinke our selues as stocks and stones or like children sitting idle in the market place but we must worke in the vineyard beeing called and vsing the grace that God hath giuen vs labour to worke out and perfect this newnesse in vs on Gods part it is wrought by the blessed Spirit within and by the word and Sacraments without But there is somewhat required of vs that wee striue to cherish the sparks of grace which God kindleth in vs that we reiect not the Spirit but imbrace those speciall meanes of Faith and Repentance and Prayer and labour earnestly to obtaine them Because without Faith and Repentance none of this newnesse can bee found in vs. Faith upon sight of our sinnes meriting Gods iustice on the one hand and beholding the mercy of God in Christ on the other hand worketh in vs that godly sorrow which causeth repentance neuer to be repented off That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that dolour and griefe arising in the heart for sin committed against so good a God so mercifull a Father it is a meanes by the operation of the Spirit to beget in vs that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that change of the minde that newnesse which is so acceptable with God in Christ As the Eagle feeling her wings heauy doth plunge them into a fountaine and washing off her olde Feathers reneweth her youth So likewise a Christian feeling the the burden of the old Man must wash himselfe in the fountaine of repentance Ioel. 2.12 in a riuer of teares for his impuritie that by this meanes washing off the old Feathers of sinne hee may put on the new wings of righteousnesse by which hee may flie with comfort strengthened by grace to the heauenly Tabernacle It is related againe of the Eagle Barradius that when the vpper crooked part of her bill doth grow long that she cannot eate her meate she striketh her bill against a stone and breaking off the part that did hinder reneweth her strength After the same manner we must breake of the impediments of our sinnes by repentance that hinder vs from taking the heauenly food of our soules as Daniel Dan. 4.27 counselled Nebuchadnezzar that with the Eagle we may be renued and strengthened more and more by Christ in the inner man Ephes 3.16.7 that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith and our faith appeare in holinesse without which no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 Lastly S. Augustine S. August lib. 8. de Ciuit. dei in Psal 56. relateth of the Serpent that when she groweth old she draweth her selfe through a narrow hole and by this meanes leauing her old skinne she renueth her age Our
liues with the teares of true repentance If you find a sorrow in your soules that you haue yeelded so much to Satan as to entertaine his euill motions as not to haue beene more watchfull to auoide his fleights more carefull to escape the occasion of his entisements but suffered lust to proceed so farre as to conceiue and bring forth sinne in you yea some open sinne to the dishonour of God and shame of your profession for into such may the deare child of God fall by the violence of temptations If this be a griefe to you and that you can flye by faith in Christ like Prodigals to the Father of mercy bewailing your sins and crauing pardon and resolue with your selues to bee more carefull hereafter to eschew the euill and to doe the good If you finde with S. Paul a will and desire in you to cherish the graces that God hath bestowed vpon you Rom. 7.18 and so to encrease your regeneration that you may be conformed to the image of Christ It is euident that this new Creation is begunne in you And therefore without question yee are in Christ and Christ who by his Spirit hath begunne so good a worke he will encrease his grace and one day bring it to perfection to the eternall ioy and comfort of your soules For if any man be once in Christ he is and shall be a new Creature But what if I haue not these signes of newnesse in me may some man obiect 1. Obiection Against our new Creation am I therfore out of Christ and so haue no part of his death and passion then am I in a fearefull and miserable estate for I finde that Satans temptations oftentimes get the victorie over me that I am not able in many things to resist them that I haue much corruption in me for I see a Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my minde and leading me captiue to the Law of sinne so that what I would doe that doe I not and what I would not doe that doe I. Answere To comfort a weake Christian I answer this was Saint Paules complaint Rom. 7.19 And know this for thy comfort that if thou hast but the beginnings of grace and a desire to haue them increased thou art entred into Gods hospitall and God will in due time wholly cure the wounds of thy soule Luk. 10.34 he will powre in wine and oyle and not leaue thee till hee bring thee to perfect health And this striuing and combating against sinne though it be yet but in the Embrio in the conception as it were in desire only yet it is an euident signe that grace hath entred into thy heart and this new creation is begun in thee For while the strong man armed keepeth the pallace Luk. 11.21.22 the things that he possesseth are in peace that is so long as Satan dwelleth in the corrupt heart of a naturall man without any grace of faith or this spirituall newnesse in him all is in peace there is none of this combating or striuing betweene the flesh and the spirit in his soule But when a stronger then he commeth that is when Christ commeth to dwell in the heart by faith and by his Spirit to worke in vs this new creation then is the warre begun betweene Christ and Belial and this combate to be found in the heart of a Christian which is a plaine demonstration that thou art in Christ yea though thou finde many corruptions which are not yet fully purged from thy heart For as a liuing body although naturally it be the subiect of sence yet one part may for a time be benummed when the rest are quicke and liuely so a regenerate man in whom this worke is begun may haue some part vnreformed when the rest is renued by grace As a man is not borne a strong man at the first nor a plant growne vp to a tree in a moment so it is with the state of a Christian we are by degrees conformed to the image of Christ Musculus in Text. Vetus creatura non ita subitò exuitur nec noua repentè induitur saith a good interpreter The old man is not so soone put off nor is the new man so soone put on this must haue time to be brought to perfection It is a comfortable obseruation of S. Bernard S. Bern in serm 1. Domin Palm Qui parvulus natus est parvulos a gratia non excludit He that was borne a little one himselfe doth not exclude little ones from grace that is such as are babes in this new creation For as a little branch is as truely in the vine as a great one though it bring not forth so much fruite so is a man that is but a new conuert and newly engrafted into Christ by faith as truly in Christ yea and though he be weake in himselfe and may seeme easily to be broken off yet Christ will keepe him as sure in him and nourish him with grace till he come to strength as he that hath beene a long time in Christ and obtained an excellent measure of this new creation For hee that is once engrafted into Christ by faith though Christ may suffer him to bee shaken with the winde of temptations Matth. 14.30 31. or with Peter on the water to feare and doubt and begin to sinke being affrighted with the waues of Satans assaults though Christ may leaue him to himselfe for a time yet he will neuer totally and finally forsake him he will not suffer the winde to breake him off nor the waues of the sea to drowne him For though we be weake yet Christ is strong though we be often vnconstant yet Christ is constant in his loue to the end Imperfectnesse in our brethren no sufficient cause to condemne them for reprobates Ezekiel 47.3 4 5. Seeing therefore this grace of newnesse in a Christian is but like those holy waters in Ezekiels vision first to the ancles then to the knees after to the loynes and at last a great riuer not to be passed ouer that is not perfect at first but increasing by degrees and since that many who are engrafted into Christ may yet haue some corruption to be found in them not fully cleansed It must teach vs not rashly to condemne those for hypocrites for such kinde of Ciuill honest men which cannot be saued whom we may see subiect to some imperfections What though thy brother hath not obtained so great a measure of grace as thou hast Is it the part of a Christian in an instant to enter into the treasurie of Gods secrets and condemne such a one for a reprobate Who gaue thee authoritie to climbe vp into the Iudgement seate of Christ that thou shouldest so speedily pronounce sentence against thy brother and because regeneration is but new begun in him exclude him quite out of the fauour of God Charitie is the badge of a Christian and thence thou mayest learne a
securitie to make thee the more to feare sinne and the fruit of sinne this spirituall desertion that thou mayest auoyde it or to preuent spirituall pride or to try thy faith patience constancy and trust in his promise or to mooue thee to esteeme better of the seruâ—ce of Gods loue and of these spirituall graces in thee hereafter or to teach thee that confessing thine owne vnworthinesse and weakenesse in performing of the Lawe thou shouldest flye by earnest prayer vnto Christ who hath performed it for thee implore mercy at his hands with the renuing of these graces and assurance of Gods loue againe vnto thee because in him God is well pleased and in him thou mayest finde mercy in the depth of misery If it be God it is for these or the like ends and it is a sure argument to confirme thy faith to ascertaine thee that thou art engraffed into Christ and that mercy embraceth thee on euery side 2. How and to what end Satan moueth to doubt 1. Pet 5.9 Ionas 4.7 Isa 50.4 Againe if it bee Satan that tempteth and persuadeth thee to this doubting he doth it to worke despayre in thy soule and so to procure thy vtter destruction And therefore beleeue him not yeeld not vnto him resist the temptation at first entrance preuent the occasion by not musing too much without asking counsell at the learned of those high mysteryes which thou vnderstandest not and auoide solitarinesse the opportunity that Satan desires to hatch his mischieuous practises when Eue was alone Gen. 3.2 3. she was tempted by Satan Be circumspect and giue no credite to him that persuades thee to such euill motions First because hee is a lyar Ioh. 8.48 Secondly because he is thy enemy that seeketh thy destruction 1. Pet. 5.8 And why shouldest thou beleeue a lyar and giue credite to thy aduersary rather then to the sweete promises of the Father of mercy This were iniustice in thee to preferre Satan before God and thy enemy before thy friend How full the Scripture is of the sweet promises of mercy if thou searchest Ezek. 18.27 Mat. 11.28 Iob 13.14 15 thou maiest finde to thy comfort And therfore hold this for a ground that though thou mayest be subiect to doubting yet by Gods assistance with holy Iob thou wilt neuer despaire but pray earnestly and without ceasing for the gift of perseuerance and the re-assurance of Gods fauour thus shalt thou finde comfort in the latter end And thus I haue answered thy conclusion to shew that thou oughtest not to despayre of the Fauour of God in Christ because Gods mercy is free for the merit of Christ not for thy deseruings Againe that thou art subiect to diuers temptations 2. Answ Of Satans obiections and entised often to grieuous sinnes sometime to thinke that there is no God to doubt of the Scripture of God of his prouidence his power or the like sometimes to deny Christ sometimes to lay violent hands vpon thy selfe sometimes to sinne against the first table and sometimes against the second and that although thou desirest and prayest to be free from them and from those ill motions and corruptions that are in thee yet thou findest that thou canst not Satan the world and the flesh not leauing off to assault thee and therefore beginnest againe to feare thy estate to doubt of Gods loue and to bee perswaded that the promises of grace belongs not vnto thee and therefore thou oughtest not apply them particularly vnto thy selfe 1. Thâ—â—â— câ—uâ—es of Coâ—â—â—â—nâ—s in the 〈◊〉 oâ— G ds ch ldren Iam. 3.2 I answer that thesâ— temptations and corruptions may sometimâ—s be fâ—und in the bâ—st of Gods children in those vpon whom hee hath bestowed an excellent measure of grace arising either from the corruption of their owne naturâ—s fâ—om which they are not yet fully purged and in whâ—ch there are the seedes of all thâ—se sinnes of atheisme infiâ—elity and the like or els from the temptations of Satan from which they neither are nor can be free so long as they liue in this vale of misery Paul was often buffeted with Satans temptations Rom. 7. 2. C r. 12. â— Gen. 9.24 Gen. 19.33 34 Gen. 12. â—9 Psâ—l 51. â—â— Iob 13.6 Iob. 16 9. Peter had a shrewd fall when he denyed his master Noah Lot and faithfull Abraham had their resurrections from sinne and Dauid was constrained to pray Create in me a cleane heart oh God and how tâ—rrible were Iobs temptations Iob. 6.4 If these then were not free how canst thou looke to be priuiledged 2. Christians in this life â—â—e euer souldiers and haâ—â— these enemies to fight against But to satisfie thee further know that thou art yet a meâ—ber of the Church militant and therefore subiect to this fighting and warring continually against sinne and Satâ—ns temptations nor canst thou be free from these till thou art a member of the Church tryumphant which shall be in the world to come For first thy regeneration is not perfâ—ct in this life and therefore the seedes of sinne aâ—d corruption remaining there is a seare and doubting in Gods dearest children yea and sometimes a kind of dâ—spayre but Christ hath felt the terrour of Gods absence that the faithfull might be deliuered froÌ„ it yet there will be a continuall combate in thee betweene the flâ—sh and the spirit 1 Pet. 5.8 Mâ—t. 27.49 Secondly Satan is a perpetuall enemie and he will neuer leaue off to seeke thy destruction Howsoeuer therefore thou mayest get the victory and bee at peace for a time when vpon true repentance thou art reconcilâ—d vnto God yet thy enemies will advâ—nture againe and thou shalt bee sure of many skirmages with them before thou canst passe through the wildernesse of this world to the Canaan of heauen Temptation is one signe that thou art the child of God and it is profitable for a Christian therefore Saint Iames Count it all ioy saith he that ye fall into diuers temptations knowing this that the tryall of your faith worketh patience Iam. 1.2 3 4. Our Sauiour himselfe was tempted and that to grieuous sinnes to idolatry to distrust in Gods prouidence to doubt whether hee were the Sonne of God or not to pride and vaine-glory yea to lay violent hands vpon himselfe and be the cause of his owne death and when the deuill left him it was but for a season Luk. 4.13 Saint Paul was an excellent Christian and the deare child of God and yet could not bee free from â—hese assaults he had the seeds of sinne in him and a 〈◊〉 in his members rebelling against the law of his mind Rom. 7.23 and often leading him captiue to the law of sinne he had inward enemies and he was not free from outward the messenger of Sathan was sent to buffet him that is 2. Cor. 12.7.8 Sathan assaulted him with one temptation or other to moue him to sinne And Saint Paul prayed thrice that is often and earnestly