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A91998	A den of theeves discovered. Or certaine errours and false doctrines, delivered in a sermon at a visitation holden at Baldocke in the county of Hertford, Decemb. 9. 1641. By Henry Denne, curate at Pyrton in Hertfordshire. And since printed by his owne appointment. Contradicted justly by many of the auditors. And confuted by Thomas-Atvvood Rotherham, now rector of St John Zacharies, London, and sometimes vicar of Iclkeford in Hertfordshire, neare Hitchin. Here you have the point of iustification by free grace fully handled, together with many difficult places of Scriptnre [sic] (much abused) plainly expounded; and some speciall cases of conscience resolved, whereby the weakest Christian, in the greatest conflict, may gather true and solid comfort. With severall tables very necessary and usefull for the reader. Published by authority.	Rotherham, Thomas Atwood, d. 1657.	1643 (1643)	Wing R2000; Thomason E251_3; ESTC R212516	114,466	110

fruit is eternal Christ at the last will welcome none with a Well said but Well done good servant enter thou into thy masters joy If any shall preach to you that because you beleeve you need no repentance neither to bee sorrowfull in confessing your sinnes nor to aske pardon Tell them you have not so learned Christ who himselfe hath taught you that as duely as you aske for your daily bread you should likewise aske for the forgivenesse of sinne let me warne you in the Apostles words 2 Pet. 3.17 Yee therefore beloved seeing yee know these things beware lest yee also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your owne stedfastnesse And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly And I pray God your whole spirit and soule and body be preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ And so I rest Your carefull Watchman for your soules good who seekes not yours but you THO. ROTHERHAM Septemb. 1. 1643. To my Loving Friends and sometimes Parishioners of Ickleford in the County of Hertford Deare Friends I Know this Booke in Answer to Master Denne was expected a yeare agoe and it hath beene almost so long finished But I have beene hindred by the great distractions of the times And my sickly and crazy body besides other deepe sorrowes which since have befalne me As the parting with a Sonne of no small hopes And the death of my truely religious and tender-hearted Mother of whom I may say as Saint Augustin of his Mother Confess lib. 1. cap. 11. Et conturbata mater carnis meae quoniam sempiternam salutem meam charius parturiebat She suffered sorer pangs that I might be borne againe then She did at my first Birth when in sorrow she brought me forth into the world Witnesse her last dying words which at her last farewell at the point of her death she did with deare affection expresse looking upon me stedfastly and saying O Sonne take heed how thou sinnest against God at any time And I may truly say of her as the same Father speaketh in the first of his Confessions An dicam vitam mortalem an mortem vitalem nescio Whether her whole life was a dying life or a living death I cannot tell but this I can tell to my hearts griefe her gray haires were brought downe with sorrow to the grave Thus you see my hinderances yet at last Post varios casus post tot discrimina rerum I have here presented my answer to the Printed Sermon And that I undertake this worke is not out of hatred to the man but love to the truth and to your soules let me advise you in our Saviours words to take heed what you heare and be not tossed to and fro with every winde of Doctrine He gives his booke this Title The Doctrine of John Baptist And yet every one may see he doth throughout his Sermon Preach downe Johns Doctrine as if of purpose he did intend to confute it Take heed of woolves in Sheepes clothing Aul. Gellius lib. 2. Noct. Attic. reports that the habit of Philosophers was once had in great esteeme and it hapned that a man infamous cloathed himselfe in the habit of a Philosopher and this man asking a gift at the hands of Herodes Atticus one of the Consuls for the Common-wealth of Athens he questioned him who he was but he with indignation answered him he was a Philosopher he might know him by his habit to whom the Consul replyed I see sayes he the face and cloathing of a Philosopher but no Philosopher I apply this to this Sermon Here is Christ pretended and Christianity but Faith and Repentance and Charity cryed downe which are the inside of a Christian And men may pretend the Preaching of Free Grace and Christ and this may make a faire shew but unlesse you see Faith working by love and repentance you cannot see a Christian but an Antichristian I am glad I have this love-token to leave with you whom I alwayes did and ever shall wish well I had while I lived with you a trembling care for your Soules good And I can speake it with a safe conscience I never willingly grieved any in the Towne If from some I had hatred for my good will I leave all to God who in time will lay every mans sinne at his owne doore I desire it may be in mercy to their Soules At my remove from you some imbittered Spirits did invenom their tongues against me and yet would appeare to the world as Angels of light at whose hands I have deserved better I may take up the Prophets complaint They said Let us smite him with the tongue and then we will regard none of his words And it is the Devils policy to raise an evill report against our persons that so he might take away the power of our Ministery from the hearts of men that are our hearers but I thank God who hath wrought otherwise in the hearts of most of my people with whom now I live whom I desire to be followers of me so far forth as I am a follower of Christ I speake not out of pride or singularity in regard of my selfe I thanke God I have learned quietly to passe by evill report but in respect of my Minstery Let my accusers be brought to my face if I cannot make a Christian answer to what any man can lay to my charge then let me be blamed I can truely say I have coveted no mans Silver Gold or Apparell And God knowes my heart my care hath beene more to inrich my selfe with inward abilities for my place than to get outward ability by my place I ever tooke more care for the state of my peoples soules than for my outward estate And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctifyed And thus I rest Your true Friend and sometimes carefull Minister THO. ROTHERHAM St. John Zacharies London from my Study August 24. 1643. The Names of the Authors used in this Booke set downe Alphabetically Augustinus Ambrosius Aretius Aquinas Amesius Aristoteles Beyerlinck Bellarminus Brugensis Beza Brentius Bocanus Chrysostomus Chemnitius Concil Trident. Chamierus Cornelius a lapide Cassander Calvinus Cajetanus Durandus Dionys Carthus Davenantius Estius Espencaeus Gregor Magn. Gerhardus Gulielm Paris Gualtherus Gloss interlin Hieronymus Henricus de Urimaria Add. in lib. Sent. Jausenius Joan. Mariana Isidor Hispalens Keckermanus Lombardus Lavaterus Laurentius Lessius Lyranus Machowius Martyr Melancthon Musculus Maldonatus Melchior Adam Molineus Magdeburgensis Osiander Pelargus Polanus Pareus Pererius Pellicanus Prosper Rivetus Rollocus Septuagint Surius Theophylactus Tossanus Toletus Wollebius Zanchius A Table of the principall Contents of this Booke A A Postles How said to doe greater workes then Christ Page 4. Actual remission by legall services p. 63. What actuall remission signifies 64. Actuall and eternall

2. Altera vi●io est qua Deus in aliqua specie corporea figura videtur 3. Tertia est qua videtur per fidem vel aliquod lumen spirituale revelatum sine specie imagine ulla 4. Quarta qua videtur per humanitarem assumptam qui enim Christum hominem vid ebant Deum dicebantur videre qui erat unitus illi humanitati 5. Quinta est omnium suprema qua Deus in suamet essentia aperte clare videtur sicut homo hominem vider haec est visio beatorum quae est visio Dei in essentia substantia propria Tolet in Evang. Joan. cap. 1. Annot. 53. Quod Deum nemo vidit un quam praeter Christum testem oculatum in fallibilis est sententia plures modi suut videndi Deum 1. Per speculum creatutarum 2. Per simulachra imagines 3. Per Angelos 4. Per fidem 5. Per carnem concluditur non videri ipsum nempe per essentiam videri tamen per apparitiones perque modos alios Pelargus in loc quae 2. seene not in himselfe but in his works in the creatures for in them many of the perfections of God are knowne as his wisedome prudence vertue immortality and eternitie Rom. 1.20 21. Againe God is said to bee seene in some bodily shape and likenesse and that either in regard of the outward sense or in regard of the imagination for sometimes God used some likenesse in which hee would appeare to men whether it were the likenesse of a man or of fire or of any other body or creature whatsoever and in regard of this vision God is said to be seene in the old Testament of the Prophets not onely with the inward but with the outward eyes Isa 6.1 Gen. 32.30 Thirdly God is said to be seene by Faith alone without any likenesse Fourthly by his humane nature assumed his flesh for they which see Christ man are said to see God united to his humanitie John 14.9 Hee that hath seene mee hath seene the Father Fiftly God is said to be seene in his owne essence manifestly and plainely as one man sees another and thus hee is seene by the intellect or understanding not by the eye of the body because God is a Spirit This is the vision of the blessed in heaven which is spoken of Matth. 18.10 In heaven their Angels doe alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in heaven 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see through a glasse darkly but then face to face And thus it is concluded no man hath seene God at any time in regard of his essence and being and proper substance as hee is in himselfe as an eye witnesse but Christ There is a (g) Comprehensio duobus modis sumitur Primo pro consecutione alicujus rei quam quis desiderat hoc modo omnes beati in caelis dicuntur comprehensores quia jam confecuti sunt quod in hac vita quaerebant Secundo pro perfecta adaequata cognitione alicujus rei Becan Tom. 1. de vis Dei quae 11. Sic intelligendo res dicitur comprehendi quando ita perfecte cognoscitur quod nihil amplius de re cognosci potest nec absolutum nec comparatum Durand lib. 1. dist 35. quae 2 col 214. in fine A liud enim est videre aliud est totum videndo comprehendere Totum autem comprehenditur videndo quod ita videtur ut nihil lateat videntem Aug. ep 1 12. cap. 9. comprehensive vision whereby God is not onely in his proper essence and substance seene manifestly and clearely but also fully comprehended Comprehension is taken two wayes first for the obtaining of that which any one desireth And so all the blessed in heaven are said to comprehend because they have obtained that which in this life they sought after and in this sense the Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 9.24 So runne that yee may obtaine that yee may comprehend as judicious Beza and the common translation read it Again comprehension is taken for the perfect and adequate knowledge of any thing and so a thing is said to be comprehended by our understanding of it when it is so perfectly known that nothing more concerning it can be known That is perfectly knowne which is knowne so far forth as it is cognoscible or knowable Again that is said to be cōprehended which is so seene that nothing of it lieth hid to the party seeing when he seeth all that is in it Now there can be no (h) Nunquam est comprehensio objecti a potentia nifi quando tanta est intellectivitas potentiae intelligentis quanta est intelligibilitas objecti intellecti aliter enim actus non potest esse adaequatus objecto propter hoc porentia talis non comprehendit objectum Scot. quae reportat lib. 3 dist 14. quae 2. comprehension of the object in regard of the faculty unlesse when the Intellectivitie as the Schoole phrase hath it of the intelligent facultie be such as the intelligibilitie of the object that is to be understood otherwise the act cannot be adequate to the object in this regard such a facultie cannot comprehend the object To make this plaine the act I meane of the intellect the intellect being taken for the intellective or understanding facultie must be as vastly extensive in knowing as the object is cognoscible or knowable So that to see God by this comprehensive vision is so fully to know God that nothing whatsoever is in God is hid but is openly clearly fully and manifestly knowne and thus no man hath seene God at any time but the onely begotten Sonne who is in the bosome of the Father the Spirit not excepted The words taken in this sense t is true that no created nature hath or ever shall see God neither the Angels nor Saints in heaven can see him so farre as to comprehend him Because an (i) Insinitum objectuin ut infin itum comprehendi non potest nisi aliquo actu infinito ut infinicto Scotus quodlib quae 1. infinite object as infinite cannot be comprehended by any but an infinite act considered as infinite The question now will bee of the fourth way of seeing God whether the Fathers and the people of the Jewes did not see Christ according to his flesh his humane nature I answer they did see him so by Faith which makes things to come as already present and this is proved John 8.56 Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad Here is a (k) Metonymia est adjuncti pro subjecto nam diei nomine intelligendus est ipse Christus incarnatus in tempore five die illo manifestatus Rolloc in loc Metonymie of the Adjunct for the Subject for by the day wee are to understand Christ incarnate the time of Christs manifestation in the flesh And thus Abraham saw him and all that were the children of Abraham by Faith Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

atque praecones quibus Evangelium commendabatur ut enim lex Moysis pluribus miraculis in monte Sina per desertum authoritatem sibi conciliavit quae postea destiterunt cum ad terram promissionis ventum est eadem quoque ratione miracula nunc sublata sunt cum Evangelium per universum orbem diffusum est Pet. Martyr loc com clas prim cap. 8. fol. 33. answer as before by greater workes is not meant onely the gift of preaching but the gift of working miracles which is a gift distinguished from preaching as the Apostle proves 1 Cor. 12.4 Now there are diversity of gifts but the same Spirit ver 10. To another the working of miracles To cleare all If the conversion of soules by the Ministery of the word were the gift of miracles then the power of working miracles in the Church should never cease but that is already ceased and now taken away being necessary onely at the first planting of the Gospell but the Gospell being already planted they are not now necessary and therefore miracles now cease In the latter end of the 12. page he confesseth Moses his office was glorious but pag. 13. he hath these expressions Let Saint Paul speake more plaine 2 Cor. 3.9 If the ministration of condemnation be glory much more shall the Ministration of righteousnesse exceed in glory From this place he concludes that Moses is the Minister of condemnation John of Righteousnesse Moses of death John of life He is beside the particular intent of this Scripture That which the Apostle aimes at is not to compare Johns Ministery and Moses together but his owne Ministery with his adversaries as I shall shew at large when I come to expound the place Let me aske one question Was not God the Author of that which Moses was the Minister no man can deny it but lest I should be thought too captious let me shew you how the want of the true interpretation of this chapter and the right meaning of the Apostle hath beene the occasion of great Haeresie There was an Haeretique thirteene hundred yeeres agoe called Manes (r) Cōveniunt rebus nomina saepe suis à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from madnesse as (t) Insanis diabolicis artibus totum se tradidit Osiand Epitom Hist Eccl. Cent. 3. lib. 4 cap. 3. Osiander observes from his madde opinions he held (u) Videamus igitur quid me doceat Manichaeus Aug. to 6 Contr. Ep●st Manichael lib. unus Vetus testamentū repudiat Deum qui in ipsis locutus Manichaei maledictis impetunt De Prophetis sic dicit Spiritum corū esse impietatis sive iniqui●a●is ten●b atum quae ab initio emerserant propterea seducti locuti sunt excaecavit enim princeps eorum mentem siqui● sequi●ur sermones ipsorum moritur in aeternum illigatus in glebam quoniam non didicit cognitionem Paracleti Magdelurg cent 3 cap 5. de Haeres col mihi 77. Saint Augustine calls him Manichaeus He did reject the old Testament I tremble to write downe what he said concerning the Prophets The (w) Mo●tis esse asserit Manes Testamentum legis co quod Apostolus dixeri● 2 Cor. 3.7 Si Testamentum mortis Vetus Testamentum dixit esse alterius Dēi doctoris novum item alterius contraria enim trad●in utroque vide Magdeburg ibid. Verus Testamen●um ab ali● Deo Novum etiam ab alio Deo factum esse dixit utrumque enim Testamentum inter se pugnate Osi●nd Epitom Hist Eccles lib. 4. cap. 3. Magdeburgenses set downe this as one of Manichaeus his errours that he did hold and affirme the Testament of the law by which he meanes the Old Testament to be the Testament of death or condemnation and he laboured to maintaine his Haeresie from this Scripture which he alledgeth to prove Moses to be the Minister of death to wit this which now we are upon namely 2 Cor. 3.7 If the ministration of death c. This Haeretique doth likewise affirme That he which spake with Moses the people of the Jewes and the Priests in the Old Testament was the Prince of darkenesse And what doth he differ in making Moses the Minister of death and so of darkenesse He likewise did hold this damnable opinion that there was one God of the Old Testament another of the New and that the Old and New are contrary the one to the other Men must take heede how they handle a point of so high a Nature so rawly as I am sure he did when he preacht Now let us see the scope of the Apostle in this chapter 2 Cor. 3.9 The Apostle had to doe with (x) Impostores perst●●ngit qui cum legis doctrinam importunius urgerent se non novi sedpotius veteris restamenti ministros esse declarabant idque non sine ignominia Christi qui umbras istas abolere debuit Gualter in I. Epist ad Cor. hom 12. false teachers who were exceeding earnest in pressing the doctrine of the Law and that in opposition and to the undervaluing of Jesus Christ by whose comming those shadowes were and ought to be abolished and given over So that the opposition stands betweene Pauls doctrine and the doctrine of his adversaries the false Apostles Let us see first 2 Cor. 3.6 how the Law is called the letter and so killeth and how it is the ministration of death and condemnation The Apostle doth often use the word letter in opposition to the word Spirit because that which is called the Law of Moses was written Exod. 31.18 in Tables of stone with the finger of God to wit the Decalogue and therefore called the letter (y) Optima fuit ratio cur lex d●ceretur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per antonomasiam quod rectius converreris scriptum quam literam tamen volumus ex more literam interpretari Beza Annota● in Epistad Rom. cap 2. ver 27. But the Apostle lookes at somewhat more for because not onely the Ceremoniall Law but also the Morall which we call the Tenne Commandements did lead to Christ who is every way made Righteousnesse unto true beleevers this use of the law many of the people of the Jewes partly through ignorance and partly through obstinacie did contemne From whence it comes to passe that the Apostle speaking concerning the law onely from the (z) Modo ex Judaeorum hypothesi Beza in loc supposition of the Jewes who did applie the Law to themselves considered severally and apart and separated from Christ And from hence the Apostle calleth it the letter and so the naked Law by it selfe separated from Christ is in Scripture called the letter which is nothing profitable to salvation and this comes to passe through the corruption of mans nature Sometimes this opposition betweene the letter and the Spirit hath respect in particular to the Ceremoniall Law Then the Apostle calleth it the letter (a) Tunc Paulus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocat externum

truth as it was in Christ Jesus who was ever to all beleevers as it is Joh. 14.6 The way the truth and the life No man cometh to the Father but by mee Moses could never come to the Father but by this way and this truth it is blasphemy therfore to say he did not speak according as the truth was in Christ Jesus who was ever that one truth in all ages of the world to all the people of God Againe had not Moses a Conscience sprinkled with the bloud of Christ and did he not in Christ apprehend Gods reconciled face to him in the full pardon and free remission of all his sinnes Why then if Moses spake truth according to conscience shadowing forth the bloud of Christ by the bloud of Bulls and Goats to bee that which did sprinkle the Conscience from dead workes to serve the living God it must needs bee that he spake the truth as it is in Christ Jesus Christ being ever the same in all Ages to the Consciences of all beleevers and certainely Moses spake nothing but what did accord with the truth as it was and is in Christ Jesus he being alwayes that same Truth But to prove this pag. 27. he saith this was the hidden mystery kept secret since the world began but now is made manifest Rom. 16.25 as though this was hidden all the time from Moses to John the Baptist It is strange a man should thus apply Scripture without unfolding the sense of it but it is his course throughout his Booke The scope (r) Quasi restimonii loco ne de praedicatione apostolica quisquam dubitare queat Scripturas propheticas commemotat ut admoneat Evangelii doctrinam nihil habere novi vel ficti sed id tradere quod prophetae olim futurum praedixerint Muscu in loc Hoc additur ne recens hujus Mysterii patefactio suspecta cuiquam fit infirma Testimonium inquit habet prophetarum Pet. Mar. in loc Adeo enim luculentum testimonium reddiderunt Evangelio prophetae omnes ut aliunde melius confirma●● nequeat Calvin in loc of this place if you consider the connexion with the 26. vers but now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the commandement of the everlasting God made knowne to all Nations for the obedience of faith is quite contrary to his application of it and makes against him And by the Scriptures of the Prophets The Apostle makes mention of this if any should make doubt of his Preaching as a sufficient evidence to prove that the Doctrine of the Gospell was no new or fained Doctrine And that he did deliver nothing but what of old the Prophets did foretell should come to passe And therefore it could not be a mystery hidden and kept secret from Moses and the Prophets as he affirmes falsely for then they should have foretold that which they knew not which no man well in his wits will speake or thinke They did foreknow and foresee all those things concerning Christ which afterwards were accomplished This you may see proved Luk. 18.31 Then he tooke unto him the twelve and said unto them Behold we goe up to Jerusalem and all things that are written by the Prophets concerning the Sonne of man shall be accomplished By (s) Secundum revelationem mysterii id est secreti scil de conversione gentium Si autem loquamur de mysterio incarnationis c. Aquin. Com●n Epist ad Rom. cap. 16. lect 2. mystery is understood First the calling of the Gentiles Secondly Christs incarnation This was the hidden mystery in regard of the Gentiles who before the comming of Christ did sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death And now is made manifest and how could the (t) De gentibus nulla quaestio est quiante adventum Christi sedebant in umbra mortis nee vitam hanc aeternam quain Christus suis artulit aut intelligebant aut expetebant Qui poterant cum venturae Messiae praedictiones erant sacris Scripturis consignatae divina autem haec oracula crant Judaeis peculia suit igitur gentilibus simpliciter omni modo absconditum hoc mysteri●● Daven in loc Gentiles know this seeing the predictions of the Messiah to come were set downe and contained in the holy Scriptures And these divine oracles were peculiar to the Jewes onely Psal 147.19.20 He sheweth his word unto Jacob his Statutes and his judgements unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation The Gospell was hid from the Gentiles simply Not so from the Jewes but comparatively in comparison of the cleare light and manifestation of it since the incarnation of Christ as the Apostle himselfe expounds it Ephes 3.5 which in other ages was not made knowne to the sonnes of men as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit So by this it is plaine it was in other ages made knowne To use then this Scripture namely (*) Perpende totū progressum mysterii suit quidem ab aeterno dispos●ū in Deo absconditum suit postea perprophetas patefactū in tempore hominibus ut crederent postremo agnitum revelatū gentibus Cadinal Tol. com in loc Rom. 16.25 to prove that this mystery was kept secret and hidden from the people of the Jewes from Moses to John Baptists time is a false interpretation and misse-application of it if he lookes into the 26. verse he may see this mystery is made manifest by the Scriptures of the Prophets thus you see his exposition is a contradiction if made manifest by their writings then manifested to them Againe he useth 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12. The mystery the Prophets searched after as if he could prove by this place that this mystery was hid and kept secret from Moses and the Prophets but this Scripture makes altogether against his absurdity and plainely proves the contrary The Apostles (u) Scopus Apostoli est removere calumniam illam qua etiam tum temporis doctrina Christiana gravabatur esse eam doctrinam novam atque hactenus inauditam atque incognitam contrarium ergo hic asserit Petrus declarans etiam ab ipsis pro phetis eam esse testificatam ac praedicatam Jacobus Lauren. com in loc aime here is to take off an aspersion which some at that time cast upon the Doctrine of the Gospell saying as it is Act. 17.19 May we know what this new Doctrine whereof thou speakest is They did account it a new unknowne unheard of Doctrine the Apostle affirmes the contrary declaring that it is the same which was testified and Preached by the Prophets themselves who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testisied beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow So that from this place it is evident the Prophets did not onely declare the time but the

its effective energie and efficacie Againe our love doth not onely beare witnesse to our Faith before men but also to our selves that we doe beleeve our consciences telling us that it is such a love that must needs flow from Faith and be a fruit and effect of it Good (b) Opera bona tripliciter veniunt consideranda 1. Ratione materiae sive objecti circa quod versantur 2. Ratione originis ex qua procedunt 3. Ratione finis in quem fiunt Laurent com in Epist Jaceb pag. mihi 178. workes are to be considered 1. In regard of the matter or object about which they are conversant 2. In regard of the originall from which they doe proceed 3. In regard of the end for which they are done Now who can judge of the proper and formall object of a mans love to the brethren whether grace be it or no or who can tell whether it flowes from a sincere affection to grace or no or whether there be any by end or not another man cannot judge 1 Cor. 2.11 For what man knoweth the things of man save the spirit of man which is in him by the (c) Spiritus hominis significar substantialem hominis pattem animum seu intellectum conscientiam hominis quae cuique certissime dictat quid in intimis cordis recessibus lateat quisque in sinu gerat Pare com in loc spirit wee are to understand the substantiall part of man the mind or intellect and conscience which doth certainly dictate and tell to every one what lies hid in the secret passages of his heart and every thing that hee carrieth in his bosome for the mind of man doth not onely understand those things which are abroad or mans outward actions but his very inwards And by reflexion upon it selfe knowes and understands that it understands it selfe And thus its plaine that no other can judge of a mans true love to the brethren but his conscience and spirit and the spirit sanctified can by the Word judge certainly another but conjecturally And thus you see our love beares witnesse to our faith in the secrets of our heart and doth infallibly evidence to us that we doe beleeve And my conscience evidences to me that this love could not be in my heart unlesse I had Faith and our Saviour tels us Mat. 25.40 (d) Eleemosyna haec est quae Christum pascit esurientem in paupere Prosper De promis praedict Dei par 2. cap. 7. Inasmuch as we imbrace his Brethren by acts of love we imbrace him in our armes which none can doe without Faith In his conference Pag. 13. he layes downe this as a Note of love to the brethren If they be in poverty to sell the whole or halfe of our possessions and divide among them The sicke man propounds this question Can I not love them unlesse I sell my possessions and divide among them The Minister makes answer Verily no for true love binds us not onely to lay downe our goods but our lives also where need requireth The sicke man saith He hath not loved them thus The Minister tels him then he hath loved them in word not in deed in tongue not in truth And concludes that few can by this marke be assured of their salvation because they come so farre short of the precept and example of our Lord. To this I answer Cannot a man love the Brethren unlesse he actually sell the whole or halfe of his possessions and divide among them its enough if he carry a minde to sell them if need require which every good Christian doth and will in case of necessity part with his estate and life too Pag. 14. In his conference he saith I doe for the present beleeve untill I shall see ground to the contrary that Saint John doth principally speake of our assurance whereby we know (e) Nos scimus quid nos scimus quia transivimus de morte ad vitam undescimus quia diligimus fratres Nemo interroget hominem redeat unusquifque ad cor suum si ibi invenerit Charitatem sraternam securus sit quia transiit de motte ad vitam Jam in dextra est Aug. Expos in Epist Joan. tract 5. col mihi 613. in fine one another to be the children of God this shewes he understands not the meaning of this place it being chiefely to be understood of the evidence we have in our selves Pag. 15. I doe affirme saith he that he that hath no greater witnesse in himselfe than love to the brethren shall never attaine to assurance of Salvation Mark how within the compasse of three leaves he doth say and unsay for Pag. 12. He doth confesse unfained love to the brethren is a testimony of grace received Now whosoever hath a testimony that he hath received Grace hath assurance by this of his Salvation it makes no matter whether the Testimony he hath be greater or lesse so it be sound and true and a Christian in this case may argue a minore ad majus from the lesser to the greater for he that in Truth hath this witnesse is infallibly certaine of the greater and may by this know that he hath that I meane Faith if by it he understands the greater They are cursed speeches of the sicke man to say Hell gapes for him he shall be damned And cursed be the time that ever I laid a foundation upon the sands As though to affirme that unfained love to the brethren is an infallible note of true beleevers were to lay a foundation upon the sands whereas the Apostle affirmes as much Master Perkins speaking of the right way of ministring comfort to a party distressed layes this downe for one ground Namely to love any man because he is a Christian and a childe of God is a sensible and certaine note of a man that is partaker of the true love of God in Christ and he proves it by this place we are upon 1 Joh. 3.14 Having laid downe this ground saith he The way whereby the party in distresse may be brought within the compasse of the promise of Salvation stands in two things in making tryall and applying of the promise First when a man is in the fit of Tentation he will say resolutely he is sure to be damned Aske him in this fit of his love to God he will answer he hath none at all but aske him further whether he love a man because he is a Christian and a Childe of God then he will say he doth indeed In the second place the applying of the promise of life everlasting to the party distressed And that is done by a kinde of reasoning The first part whereof is taken from the Word of God The second from the testimony of the distressed conscience And the conclusion is the applying of the promise on this manner Major Minor He that loves a man because he is a Christian and a childe of God is certainely himselfe a true childe of God But thou lovest a man because he is a Christian and a childe of God Therefore thou art a childe of God Conclus and art translated from death to life as the Apostle speakes Another ground of comfort for a party distressed Master Perkins layes downe from the unfaigned desire after grace which he in his Conference Page 3. and in his Booke Page 74. doth utterly reject First saith Master Perkins let the comforter aske the party in distresse whether he beleeve and repent The distressed party answers no he cannot repent nor beleeve Then we must further aske whether he doth desire to beleeve and repent To this he will answer he doth desire it with all his heart Now for applying the promise to the distressed the Argument will run thus He that hath an unfained desire to repent and beleeve hath remission of sins and life everlasting Major Minor Conelus But thou hast an earnest desire to repent and beleeve in Christ Therefore remission of sinnes and life everlasting is thine Thus Master Perkins But that I may comfort the poore weake Christian against such Doctrine as this That such as doe desire to beleeve doe not beleeve I will conclude with an Example I have read in the workes of that famous Divine Master Greenham who tels of one Master Chambers of Leycester who in his sickenesse grievously despaired and cryed out that he was damned and after dyed yet it is not for any to note him sayes he with the blacke marke of a reprobate One thing which he spake in his extremity O that I had but one drop of Faith must move all men to conceive well of him for by this it seemeth he had an heart which desired to repent and beleeve And therefore a repentant and beleeving heart indeed Blame me not for having a second bout at such Doctrine as this so destructive to poore distressed Consciences so contrary to the Word of God and against the experience of every true broken hearted Christian What Doctrine soever tends to the vilifying of a sanctified life is a Doctrine of devils though it appeare as an Angell of light And such as labour to make the Law of God of no use not so much as a rule of life to a beleever doe deny the Kingly Office of Christ and they are Antichrist Now the Lord give us broken hearts that we may be low in our owne eyes and not be led by our owne humours but that we may be guided by the Spirit of truth according to the word of Truth I will present you with the golden chaine of Salvation and I have done 1. God hath ordained 2. Christ hath merited 3. The Word doth promise 4. The Sacraments doe seale 5. Faith doth receive 6. The mouth doth confesse 7. Workes doe testifie Now to God onely wise Father Sonne and Holy Ghost be all praise as is most due for evermore FINIS