was onely able to giue a sufficient price for that heavenly purchase as al the faithfull from the begining of the worlde haue vndoubtedly beleeved Apoc. 19. 10 so that it is a sure token of the spirit of a true prophet to giue testimony therevnto Wee haue saith Austine Iesus Christ our Aug. in Epi. Ioh. tract 1. advocate and he is the propitiation for our sinnes he that holdeth this holdeth no heresie he that holdeth this maketh no schisme And if the very Apostle Saint Iohn had saide saith the same Father If any man sinne Aug cont Epistâ—l Paâ—… l 2. Cap. â— yee haue me for your advocate and I obtaine pardon for your siâ—…es What faithfull person woulde haue endured him VVho woulde haue taken him for an Apostle of Christ and not for a very Antichrist And yet the church of Rome the lesse catholike and the more haereticall schismaticall and Antichristian is she teacheth vs not to rest vpon the mediation and merite of Christs passion as the onely propitiation and satisfaction for sinne and the onely meritorious cause of our saluation but also to trustâ—n our owne merites in the workes of supererogation performed by the saintes and in their praiers and intercessions Opposit 15. The sincere professors of the catholike faith acknowledge Christ to be nowe onely in heaven according to the flesh whither he is ascended and from whence they looke for him to come to iudgement wheras seduced and seducing heretikes * See fol. vvill needes haue him to be here also now in earth albeit he be seated aboue the highest heavens THe flesh of CHRIST when it was on earth surely it was not in heaven and nowe because it is in heaven certainly Vigil contr Eut l. 4 Cap. 4. it is not in the earth Yea so farre is it from being in earth that vvee looke for Christ after the flesh to come from heaven whome as he is GOD the Word vve beleeue to be vvith vs on earth Then by your opinion either the word is comprised in a place as vvell as the flesh or else the flesh is every where togeather with the vvord seeing one nature doth not receiue in it selfe any different or contrary estate Now to be contained in a place and to be present every where be thinges diverse and very dislike and for so much as the Word is every where and the flesh of CHRIST is not everie where it is cleare that one and the same CHRIST is of both natures that is every where according vnto the nature of his Deity and contained in a place according vnto the nature of the humanity This is the catholike faith confession which the Apostles delivered the martyrs coÌ„firmed and the faithfull persist in to this day And therefore whereas the church of Rome teacheth that the flesh of Christ is in heaven and in earth togeather at one time confoundeth the distinction of the properties of the tvvo natures of CHRIST by teaching him according to the property of his humane nature so to be contained in a place that he is also in ten thousand thousand places at one time What doth she thereby but condemne the catholike faith and confession delivered by the Apostles confirmed by the martires and continued among the faithfull vnto the time of Vigilius Opposit 16. The catholike faith by the warrant of the word of God acknowledgeth but two places after this life and the contrarie opinion proceedeth from See Aug. â—uch ad Lâ—… Cap. 6. 7. a blinde albeit it seemeth a kind affection LAstly to omitte other thinges which might be alleaged to this purposâ— for there are so many oppositions betweene the doctrine of Christ and Antichrist as there are maine groundes of our christian profession as it may appeare throughout al the partes and parcels of this treatise the catholike faith teacheth that there are but two places after this life So Austine Aug. Hâ—…pog Lib. 5. The first place the catholike faith builded vpoÌ„ â—iuin autority beleueth to be the kingdome of heaven the second to bee hell where every apostata and infidell is tormented And as for any third place we are vtterly ignorant thereof neither doe we finde any such in the scriptures And what shall the church of Rome be still esteemed to be catholike which will not allow of this pointe of the faith neither which yet S. Austinâ— allowed to be catholike Div. 2. That the church of Christ is not alwaies visible OVr creede teacheth vs to say I beleeue and not I see the I beleeue the holy catholike church catholike church that is hovvsoever the members of the true church are not alvvaies visible nor their companies conspicuous yet I beleeue that GOD hath his church and congregâ—tion in some place or other which rightly and sincerely worshipeth him in spirit truth And therfore this church as it is sometimes likened to the Moone in her full brightnes so it is sometimes compared to the same greatly obscured and after a sort loosing her vvhole light And as it is sometimes resembled to a city built vpon a hill vvhich is admirable for her exceeding beautie and glorie so it is sometimes also compared to a cottage in a vineyarde and to a lodge in a garden of cucumbers and to a besieged câ—…ty defaced and wasted with extreame misery and to a countrey overâ—… and after a sorte dispeopled by the sworde of the enemy As it came to passe not onely amonge the Israelites in the time of Elias but also in the kingdome of Iudah in the time of Isayas who complaineth that al maÌ„ner of corruptions in al estates of meÌ„ were so grievous had made so great havocke that had not the Lord reserved vnto himselfe a small reâ—nant they had beene made as Soâ—oma and like vnto Gomortha And 〈…〉 29. how stoode the case with the church in the beginning of the Apostles times vvas it not such that it gaue iust occasion to Saint Paul to renevv againe the same complainte Yea this remnaunt vvas so smal at our Saviours death that it hath beene deemed by some that the church was only then in the blessed Virgin and in Davids and Ieremies time this company also was so inconspicuous that one of them crieth out 〈…〉 1. Helpe Lord for there is not one godly man left and the other is willed by the Lorde himselfe to runne to and fro through the streetes of Ierusalem and to inquire if there were one that executed iudgement and embraced truth and hee would spare all for ones sake Div. 3. That hypocrites and vngodly persons are not the true members of the holy catholicke church of Christ which is the congregation of the predestinate THe true church is holy and so are al the true members therof for that they are vnited and ioyned togither by the bands of one holy and pure spirit 〈…〉 1. For if the vngodly were members of this church shee were to be called vnholy
all treachery periurie and lies it may appeare in that shee allovveth her base children beeing brought even before the Magistrate to pretende ignoraunce vvhen they knovve the matter right vvell but as they say not to open it to SVCH in that also shee allovveth vvell of breach of faith and promise made to such as shee accounteth and condemneth for heretikes VVhereby vvee may perceaue hovve vvell shee leadeth her follovvers to the Lordes hill and to the holy tabernacle of his heavenly kingdome vvherevnto none are admitted but such as sweare to their neighbour and disappoint him not though it bee to their â—vvne hinderaunce Psal 15. 4. 10 Lastly albeit the lawe being spirituall setteth downe a rule to our soules and spirites and to all the very motions and affections of our heartes forbidding all such as tende either to the dishonour of God or to our neighbours hurt yet the church of Rome teacheth that concupiscence if it get not the full consent of our vvill and a setled resolution to accomplish the same is not a transgression Rom. 7. 7. In ipsa deliberatione â—acinus est tametsi ad actum non perveneris Cic. off l. 3. Nam scelâ—…â—nira se tacitum qui concipit vllum Facti crimen habet Horat. of the lavve of GOD neither can bee iustly condemned of sinne VVhereas the Apostle testifying of himselfe that hee had not knowne concâ—pisâ—…nce to bee sinne excepte the lawe had saide thou shalt not lust meaneth not in all likely hoode that kinde of lust which is ioyned vvith a full consent of the vvill for so hee being brought vp at the feete of a learned Doctor in the lavve shoulde haue had lesse knovvledge then the very heathen themselues of vvhom some could say that the very consultation to sinne was sinne albeit it came not to execution and that a bare purpose to doe evill maketh guilty of the deede done CHAP. 10. That by the law there is no entraunce to life but only by faith in Christ Iesus that the law detecteth the deadly wounde of sinne but ministreth not the soveraigne salue causeth not favour but wrath not a blessing but a curse directing vs to Christ to trust in his death and not suffering vs to rest in our selues nor yet to trust in our â—vvne righteousnesse COncerning the vses of the law it is manifest The vses of â—…e law that the lavve vvas giuen to teach vs how farre vve are endebted to God being an obligatioÌ„ wherin we are bound that vnder a great forfeiture to loue God vvithall our heart soule and strength our neighbours as our selues Whereby vve may easily collect hovv vnable vvee are to discharge this â—ebt For in the regenerate themselues the flesh albeit it be subdued in part yet it still rebelleth against the spirit Rom. 7. 23. neither is it vtterly vanquished and overcome but is one of those enemies that we must still fight against vntill the finall ende of our spirituall warfare which is not vntill the last gaspe of this traÌ„sitory life So that all the time of our continuance heere in this worlde the lawe of God is impossible in respect of the flesh and such an Rom. 8. 3. Act. 15. 10. heavy and vveighty burden that none of the faithfull were ever able to beare and therefore this vvay to life is cleane shut vp doe this and thou shall liue because of the impossibility of the condition And yet the church of Rome teacheth that we may in this life fulfil the vvhole law and discharge our huge debt yea and make payment in part also for the debt of other Furthermore the law thus opening that perfect righteousnes which the Lorde requireth at our hands and our inability to performe the same is therefore said to bring vs to the knowledge of our sinnes and sinne provoking vvrath Rom. 3. 20. Rom 4. 15. Gal. 3. 10. it is said also to worke wrath and the wrath of God being not vnarmed it is also said to make vs subiect to the curse and for that the faithfull thus beholding their great danger are thereby stirred vp to seeke for deliverance it is called our schoole mâ—…ster that bringeth Rom. 10 4. Gal. 3. 24. vs to Christ which is our only deliverer and redeemer Contrary to all which most evident vses of the lavv set dovvne by the Apostle the church of Rome teacheth that the law bringeth vs not so much to the knowledge of our sins in the transgression therof as to the knowledge of our perfect righteousnes which is obtained by the full keeping and obseruing of the same and so consequently not to wrath but to favour not to the curse but to the blessing not to death but to life to trust in our selues and in our owne righteousnes and not to glory alone in the death of Christ as in the only meritorious cause of our great deliverance Thus hath the Bishoppe and church of Rome not only vndermined the foundations of faith but also hath subverted the lavve of God the rule and levell of a godly life Now if hee that breaketh Math. 5. 19. the least of the commaundementes and teacheth other to doe the like shall bee called least in the kingdome God vvhat shall then become of that man of sinne and of his sinnefull generation vvhich 2. Th. 2. 3. allovve not onely of the transgression of one of the least of these commaundementes but of every one of them little and great yea what strange either impudencie or hypocrisie may we iustlie thinke to possesse their soules for that they yet so greatly extoll their owne sincerity and rightnes as if truth iustice and godlines did after a sort liue and die vvith them and as if they were the Iob. 12. 2. onelye men that flowed and abounded with all good vvorkes vvhereas they thus violate and disanull the sacred and inviolable lavve of God the rule and levell of all good vvorkes Surely if sanctitie in doctrine bee a sure note of an holy church and impurity of an impure as Bellarmine saith howe impure then is the church of Rome whose impure doctrine thus offendeth against all the rules of sanctity and godlines CHAP. 11. 1 That we ought to make our prayers only to God 2 That we ought to sanctifie the name of God by giuing to him that glorie which is due vnto him 3 That we ought to promote the gospell of Christ being the only meanes for the erecting of his kingdome 4 That all the faithful without exception and not such as are of the Religious sort only ought to endevour to fulfill the will of God even after that manner as it is performed of the Angels in heaven 5 That the faithfull enioy their daily breade â—y the most franke and free gifte of God and not by their â—vvne merites and deservinges and therefore much more the release and remission of all their trespasses and sinnes 6 That vvee ought neither to cast our selues nor yet to cause
so make vs his beloued childreÌ„ Our harts are as barreÌ„ grouÌ„d bearing Matth. 1 â— nothing but weeds trash vntill we be manured by the Lords husbaÌ„dmeÌ„ haue receiued the pure seed of the word yea 1. Pet. 2. 25 we are all as sheepe going astray waÌ„dring in the waies of death destructioÌ„ vntil we are reclaimed by our great sheepheards voice and so brought home to Christs folde Now if we gladly receaue the seede of the worde and fructifie thereby accordingly heereby wee may bee assured that wee are that good grouÌ„d which doth receiue blessing of God And if we harkeÌ„ to this our great shepheards voice and not to the voice of a stranger heereby also we may assure ourselues that vvee are Christes heape and that we belong to his stocke Good cause therefore haue the faithful servants of Christ to loue and embrace the word of God not only for that it is an immortal seede wherby they are begotten to an immortal life of barren ground are made fruitful of waÌ„dring sheepe are reclaimed home to the fold of Christ but also for that it coÌ„taineth the baÌ„ds of the covenaÌ„t of our peace with God and the evidences for the assurance of the remission of our sinnes and of our inheritaunce in the kingdome of glory There is no wise man that is to enioy any temporall landes or possessions either by coppy or by Indenture or by deedes of gift but that hee vvill make good accounte of all such evidences as concerne the same and learne also the contents thereof that so he may know the iustnesse of his title to such possessions And if at any time he be vniustly molested and kept from the enioying of any of those lands he putteth the maâ—ter in suite and speaketh for iustice and making proofe of his title by the view of his evidences sentence passeth on his side and so he obtaineth his right and lawfull possessions It hath beene thought in the time of darkenesse that if a man had beene buried in a cloyster and in a Monkes coule having a crosse and a pardon put into his graue vvith him that those thinges had beene a sufficient safe conduct to fence him from the fenne and that they had beene as good an assuraunce for the silly soule to passe from hence to heaven as a pasport subscribed with a Iustices hand and ratified and confirmed with his â—…ne and allovved is a sure protection with vs for a poore travâ—…ling man to preserue him from al maner of molestation But 〈…〉 the light of the gospel hath appeared it is manifest known that these are but forged evideÌ„ces and of no validity for that no creature is able to bestow so great giftes as are the remission of sâ—nnes deliverance from hell and the inheritaunce of eternall glory or giue any assurance for the obtaining of the same it is God oâ—…ly that can make a grant of these graces and the assurance thereof that he hath made vnto the faithfull in his holy and sacred word are the only evidences that can fully warrant our iust title right to the same The which thing as it is wel known vnto the whole coÌ„pany of the Lords people so it was throughly setled in the hart of a faithfull brother not long since departed from vs in the Lord a George Wrisly bacheler of law fellow of new Colledge in Oxford fellow while he liued of an honourable foundation but now a fellow citizen of the saints enioying the priviledges of a far more honorable society who by order of his house was a studeÌ„t of those laws which are pleadable in the coÌ„sistory before an earthly iudge can giue vs some protectioÌ„ here in this world but by his godly choice he was also a student of those laws which are onely pleadable at the bar of the highest iudge can warrant vs the assuraÌ„ce of greater blessings And therefore he lying in his death bed feeling himselfe sicke vnto death and knowing that his time was now come of his present appearing in that place where he was to lay in his claime to his heauenly inheritance called for his evidences which did concerne the same that is he called for his bible which he had before daily vsed in his health read the fifteenth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians therin beholding how sin was fully satisfied for by the death of Christ and so abolished and sin being abolished death must needs be vanquished for that it hath all his strength from sin and so being assured of his deliverance from death and of his right to the possession of eternal life laying these his evidences open vpon his brest clas-â—ping theÌ„ close to his hart with both his armes yeelded vp immediatly his faithful soule into the hands of his most loving Saviour and now resteth vndoubtedly vnder the altar praising lauding God continually For no doubt to him belongeth the heauenly inheritaunce vvhich vnfainedly loueth and embraceth all such evidences as doe concerne that heauenly inheritance and he hath most assuredly right and interest in everlasting life who highly esteemeth religiously embraceth that eternall will and testameÌ„t of our great gracious God wherin is beqâ—…athed vnto al the faithful the gift and legacy of eternall life and hee shall most certainely enioy the incomparable benefite of the covenant of grace who hath fulfilled the condition thereof by having the law of God planted in his heart and firmely setled in his inwarde man The second note is a full resting vpon God and a placing of our whole trust and confidence onely â—n him according to the direction of this our christian creede I beleeue in GOD. For hee is not to be accounted faithfull that beleeueth in any other but he that beleeueth only in God And it is onething to beleeue here is a God and another thing to beleeue God and another also to beleeue in God He that beleeveth in God shall never be confounded seeing he is made Rom. 10. 11 Ioh 1. 42. Mat. 16. 18. thereby a living stone as Peter was built vpon a most sure foundation and strong rocke hell gates shall never prevaile against him they shal neuer bring him to eternal confusion They that travaile saith Iob 6. 18 19. 20. Iob in the quarters of Tema and Seba in the time of a drought and seeke for some refreshing for themselues and their beastes to the rivers that overflowed and made a great flowde in the winter time returne confounded without succour for that the waters of those rivers are dried vp So it is with all such as trust in creatures they digge to themselues pits even Ier. 2. 13. broken pits that can hold no water haue recourse to dryed brooks therfore in the end are vtterly confounded for this their vaine and fond choice For they that follow lying vanities forsake and Ion. 2. 8. abandon their owne mercy Now
God for those his so wel known and manifest mercies Exod. 20. 2. no good but needs must be without al fruite And especially he vvill not enter into covenant and league vvith any to become their gracious God in Christ and to accept them for his peculiar people to giue them remission of sins eâ—ernal life and the first fruits of the spirit as the pledge of their caelestial heavenly inheritance but that he will make knowen vnto them this his gracious league and covenant vvith the articles and conditions belonging to the same for othervvise hovve can they performe the conditions And if they knowe not that they haue such and such giftes from God howe can they be thankefull to God for them and employ them to their owne good If they beleeue not that God is their God how can they honour him as their God If they bee not perswaded that they are beloued of God how can they be stirred vp to loue God If they be not assured that God hath accepted of them as of his trusty faithful servants what encouragement can they haue to demeanâ— themselues as his trusty and faithfull servants Surely the spirit of God which knoweth the deepest misteries of the Lords own most privy secret counsels therfore much more searcheth the harts raines of al men and vnderstandeth all their thoughtes taketh it as a thing well knowen acknowledged of all the faithsul servants of God that God louâ—th them and hath manifested the same vnto them by his manifold giftes and that he hath declared himselfe to be their God and hath taken them to be his people and therevpon inferreth that they should honour him aâ— their God and walke worthy of their high and heavenly calling that they should loue him be thankfull vnto him and bee ready continually to testifie the same by their duetifull regard vnto his service and by their humble obedience to all his commaundementes I am the Lord thy God saith God himselfe vnto his true and faithfull servantes among the whole natioÌ„ of Israel That brought you out of the land of Aegypâ—… out of the house of boâ—dage and therevpon requireth to bee accepted of them as their onely GOD and to haue humble obedience yeelded to all his commaundementes And so the holie posterity of these faithfull servants of God doe in most plâ—ine wordes acknowledge los 24. Even that God is their God and hath done thus thus for them therfore that they are bound to seâ—ue him alone to honour him as their only God The same moâ—iue God vrgeth to Abraham the father of the faithfull I am Gen. 17. 1. thy God alsufficient walke before me and be thou perfect that is I am â—ntred into covenant with thâ—e to be thy God I haue and vvill supply all thy wantes and haue wilsticke vnto thee in all thy necessities theâ—fore see that thou throughly sticke vnto me and cleaue perfectly vnto my service The Apostle St. Paule writing to the saints at Ephesus that is to the faithfull in Christ Iesus Eph. 3 1. beginneth with Blessed bee God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ and presently annexeth the cause thereof which vvas The blessing of them vvith all sperituall blessinges in CHRIST Iesus their election predestination redeÌ„ption the revelation of the mysteries of the will of God vnto them their hope faith and their sealing with the spirit of promise these blessings he remembreth not as things doubtfull and vncertaine but as things most manifest well knowen vnto theÌ„ Likwise he exhorteth the Theslalonians to keepe their vesselles in holines honor not to defraud 1. Thess 4. 2 or oppresle one another because they knew what commandements were given vnto them in Christ and that they were not called to vncleanes but to holinesse So to the Coâ—…nthians havinâ— remâ—mbred 1. Cor. 6. 11. them what they were before their calling even such as were desiled with most filthie and abhominable sinnes then hee addeth as a thing vvell knovven and acknovvledged by them all but yee are vvashed but yee are senctâ—fied but yee are iustified in the name of our LORDE Iesus and by the spirâ—te of our GOD and therevpon farther vrgeth as thinges also fullie knovven and confessed both the fruite and the benefite of this formes grace and the duetie also that is to bee performed â—or the same Knovve yee not saith hee that your bodies are the meÌ„bers of Christ Shal I then Ver. 15. take the members of Christ make them the members of an harlette GOD forbidde Yea Ver. 19. Know yee not that your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost which is in you whom ye haue of God and that ye are not your owne but are bought with a price Therefore glorifie God in your bodie your spirit which are Gods So likewise to the Romanes chiefly considering the season saith the Apostle and knowing that the night is passed and the day is nigh therefore let vs cast away the works of 〈◊〉 13. 11. darknes and let vs put on the armour of light let vs walke honestly as in the day time And againe to the faithful among the Thessalonians Yee are all the children of the light and of the day we are not of the night Thes 5. 5. neither of darknes Therfore let vs not sleepe as other â—o but let vs watch be sober For they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that are druÌ„ken are drunken in the night but let vs which are of the day be sober putting on the brestplate of faith and loue and the hope of salvation as an helmet For God hath not appointed vs to wrath but to obtaine salvation in Christ Iesus who died for vs that whether wee wake or sleepe wee shoulde liue togither with him Wherefore comfort your selues togither and edifie one another even as yee doe And in deed what greater comfort can there come to the faithfull then to be assured that they are not the children of the night neither of darknes but the children of the light and of the day And what more availeable for edification in godlines then to knowe that they are not appoinâ—ed to wrath but to salvation and therefore that they ought to bee employed wholy in all such dueties as do concerne all such as are to be saved Neither is this argument proper to S. Paule alone but coÌ„mon with him to al the Prophets Apostles who tasted with him of the sweete blessings of the same Saviour and were made partakers of the same comfortable spirit Beholde saith Moses the heaven 〈◊〉 10. 14. and the heaven of heavens is the Lords the earth also and all that is therein Notwithstanding he hath set his delight on vs and hath loved vs and hath chosen vs to be his people and hath preferred vs before many other nations that are farre greater and mightier then we that we also might learne to make
choice of him before all other to prefer him to bee our only God So the Prophet David foreseeing by the spirite that God woulde gather vnto him his elect and chosen out of all nations of the whole earth cryeth out vnto them and saith O bee ioyfull in the Lorde all yee lands serue the 〈◊〉 100. 1. Lord with gladnes and come before his presence with a song Be yee sure that the Lord he is God it is he that hath made vs and not we our selues we are his people and the sheepe of his pasture c. Be ye sure saith David build vpon this that God is the true God that he hath made vs and taken vs also to be his people and therefore he exhorteth againe and againe to reioice in the Lord to be thaÌ„kfull vnto him for his great goodnes So S. Peter yee are saith he to all the faithfull to whom he wrote a chosen generation a royall nation 1. Pet. 2. 9. and an holy people that yee shoulde shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknes into his marveilous light Likewise Saint Iohn Behold saith hee what loue the father hath shewed vs that vvee 1 Ioh. 3. 1. should be called the sonnes of God c. Why Hee that is but in a play to beare the person only of the sonne of an earthly king and that but for the space of two or three houres will in no wise then demeane himselfe like to a cullian A sonne saith Malachy honoureth his father and a servant his master If I then saith God himselfe Mala. 1. 6. vnto his people be your father where is my loue and if I be your master where is my feare Now every meane Logitian knoweth that a Inepta est probatio obscuri per aequè obscuruÌ„ multo magis per magis obscurum thing not knowne or but meanly appreheÌ„ded is to receiue light and confirmation not from an argument which is as obscure and doubtfull much lesse from that which is more doubtfull and obscure For how can that which is darke it selfe driue away darkenes or how can that which is doubtfull it selfe remoue doubtfulnes Wherefore in that the spirit of God doth exhort the faithful not to serue themselues but the Lorde for that â—hey are bought with a price and therfore are not their own but the Lords and to walke soberly because they are the children of the day and to do such things as accompany salvatioÌ„ for that they are ordained to salvation and to employ themselues not to base vses but to the most honourable service of the Lord because they are vessels of gold prepared to glory and so forth it followeth necessarily that it ought to bee vnto them as evident and as certaine at the least that they are not their own but are bought with a price that they are the children of the day that they are ordained to salvatioÌ„ that they are vessels of golde prepared to glory as that they should serue not themselues but the Lord that they should walk warily as in the day that they should do such things as accompany salvation that they should employ themselues not to base vses but to the honourable service of God And verely no other argumeÌ„t of it selfe alone is able to asswage the flames of selfe loue which are so great and to cause vs to deny our selues our friendes pleasures and commodities bee they they never so sweete and to make vs willingly to beare the disfavours of prince and people alians and allies and to vndergoe all manner of crosses and afflictions bee they never so burdensome and bitter but onely that invaluable loue of God manifested in that glorious worke of mans redemption and in the residue of his blessings of grace When the Apostles seemed to wordly wise men to be stark madd for that they so willingly submitted themselues to so many and great inconveniences that they might giue testimony to the Gospell of Christ the Apostle St. Paule setteth downe the cause that moued them ther vnto saying The loue of Christ constraineth vs because we thus iudge that if one bee deade â— Cor. 5. 14. Christes â—oue toâ—…ards his â—aithfull â—ervants â—elt in their harts not onely allureth but even compelleth theÌ„ most willingly to vndergoe all manner of burdens in his service for his glorie for al then we weâ—e al deade And he died for al that they which liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him that died for them and rose againe The loue of Christ then is the most forcible argument even to compell and constraine vs to do our duties to God be they never so contrary to our corrupt affections yea it maketh the yoke of Christ light easie to the spirit whâ—ch otherwise is so burdensome vnto the flesh And hence it is that those of the faithful which haue had greatest revelation of the grace of Christ and strongest assurance of his loue haue most of all died vnto themselues and liued vnto Christ and haue aboue all other denied their owne sweete selues and renounced their Jearest pleasures and commodities and haue with such a burning affection embraced their sweete Saviour and redeemer and so highly esteemed of his most precious blood that all other sweete things haue after a sort growen out of tast with them and all other precious thinges haue become of no price I am deade saith St. Paule to the lawe and am crucified with Christ I liue and yet Gal. 2. 19. not I nowe but Christ liveth in me and in that I liue nowe in the flesh I liue by he faith of the Sonne of God who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for mee I see well saith Austine in an Epistle to Dardanus that thou doest esteeme little of mee although I make great account of thee and it is for that thou art young and I am olde thou vvise and I vndiscreete thou rich and I poore thou more vertuous then I am yet I will deny that thou hast a better God thâ—n I or a better law or a better redeemer thâ—… I for in the matter of redemption the Lord dealt so equally among all men that I vvill not acknovvledge any advantage in thee or anie superiority in mee O good Iesus saith hee O the redeemer of my soule vvherevvithall shall I requite thy clemencie or satisfie thy goodnesse for not shedding better bloode for all thine electe then thou diddest for my sinnes alone Novve vvhat caused this man of GOD thus to humble and debase himselfe in respecte of himselfe and thus to advaunce himselfe in respect of GOD and to cry out that he knew not how to be sufficiently thankfull vnto his gracious redeemer but a greater revelation of the grace of CHRIST and a stronger assurance of his loue then ordinarily is graunted to the coÌ„mon sort of the faithfull The which thinges also stirred vp the like passions in Cyrill and Bernard and
aftervvardes by the vvill of God delivered vnto vs in the holy Scriptures that is might bee the foundation and pillar of our saith The doctrine then delivered in the Scriptures is a most sure doctrine and hee that buildeth his faith thereon buildeth vpon a most strong foundation but hee that buildeth vpon any thing else buildeth vpon the slippery sande If anie thinge saith Chrysostome be spoken vvithout the Scripture the knovvledge of the Chrysâ—in Psal 95. bearer halteth novve staggering novve graunting novve dâ—testing the speech as vaine and novve receiving the same as probable but vvhere the Scripture the testimonie of GODS voice commeth forth it confirmeth the talke of the speaker and the minde of the hearer And verely vvee may bee fully assured that to bee sound and perfect vvhich is delivered in the holy Scripture the which vvhosoever follovveth vvalketh safely and all other doctrines may bee suspected vvhich the Lavve and the Prophets vvith the Gospell doe not confirme For as for our ovvne narrations and declarations they haue no credite at all vvithout the divine bookes and therefore if vve wil be accounted the teachers of truth wee must not â—et abroach our ovvne inventions or any manner of doctrine received froÌ„ man but only â—ecite rehearse out of the scriptures the doctrine of Christ our onely Doctor and teacher For humane testimonies are not sufficient aâ—d allowable in divine matters of what force and validity soever they be in humane affaires to warrant divine matters they are not of sufficient auctority albeit they be the revereÌ„d testimonies of Apostolicall men For they were apostolicall men on both sides in the first age of the primitiue church that contended so eagerly about the observation of Easter and pretended both apostolicall tradition yet even so neere the Apostles time on the one side at the least there was in al likely-hood but a meere pretence Wherfore Ier. in 1. Hagg. Ierome is bolde to avouch that the sword of the spirit which is the word of God doth strike through those things which without the auctorities testimonies of the scripture men doe finde out faine as if they had them by apostolical tradition Cyprian also thought it to be a sufficient exception against any apostolical Cyp. ep 74. tradition if it were not written in the bookes of the Prophets Apostles For the Lord saith he doth testifie that those things are to be done which are registred in writing as to Iosuah the sonne of NuÌ„ Let not the booke of the lawe depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou mayst observe do all things that are written therin In all well ordred countries kingdomes there is a common beame or ballance or sealed weights allowed measures for the preservation of iustice equitie which would not vndoubtedly be so well kept if every one were permitted to follow what measure he listed This common ballance among the Lordes people Aug. cont Donatist â—2 c. 6. is the Lords owne word therfore when any goe about to measure their faith or their workes by their owne good intentes and meanings or by the opinions iudgments of men it is as it were a taking to themselues of new ballance that is to be esteemed no better then flatt forgery these their measures are to be broken themselues to be punished for that they presume to refuse the Lords weights measures to gette to themselues other of their owne devising Wherfore if we desire to be rightly instructed what is the holy perfecte wil of God what are the things that belong to his service we must not now seeke for any new revelation nor for any information to be given vs by Angels or by any from the dead we must not follow the customes of the multitude nor say a conspiracy to that whereto the people saith a conspiracy neither must wee be over ruled by the examples of our forefathers nor yet by the pretence of apostolike traditions seing all these are but false ballances vncertaine deceaveable guides The books of the Prophets Apostles are the onely iust ballances the onely sure infallible teachers that will not mislead vs nor carry vs into errors Wherefore most holesome is the counsell of the preacher VVhen thou goest vp saith hee to the Eccl. 4. 17. house of God take heede to thy foote be more ready to heare then to offer the sacrifice of fooles for they know not that they doe evill Our naturall light in divine matters is grosse darkenes our fleshly wisedome 1. Cor. 3. 19. is meere follie and therfore he that will come to the house of God there offer vp to God as parte of his service any thing either drawen out of his owne foolish braines or taken froÌ„ others like to himselfe he doth offer to God the sacrifice of fooles wheras he that is affraide to thrust vpon God his owne or other mens follies therfore is ready to harkeÌ„ most diligeÌ„tly to the word of the most wise God the full fountaine welspring of all true wisdome he is in the ready way to offer to God that service vvhich is most gratefull and acceptable vnto him as being most agreeable to his owne will And no doubt but that hereof it was that in the ancieÌ„t church of the Iewes every Saboth day wheÌ„ the Lords people went vp to the Lords house to perform that service which wâ—s acceptable vnto him the bookes of Moses were read expounded Act. 15. 21. as it may appeare by the history of Nehemiah by the common practise of Christ and his Apostles For this cause in the primitiue church all bookes that vvere not Canonicall vvere in Concil Laod. Caâ— â—9 some Christian churches forbidden to be read in their publike asseÌ„blâ—es in those churches where there was a tolleration of some books to be read that were Apocripha that was done not as if any point of faith could sufficiently be confirmed by their auctority but for the edification of manners by the ensamples of the servantes of GOD therein remembred vvhose lives vvere framed according vnto the Lavve of GOD and according vnto the rules of the Canonicall Scriptures For vvee ought not to follovve the holiest of the Saintes but vvith this restriction as they follovve CHRIST Bee follovvers saith Saint Paule of mee as I am of CHRIST So that if the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 1. himselfe in any thing bee it never so little decline from GOD and turne out of the directe vvaie of his commandements we must turne from him if he leaue God we must leaue him only in what things he most vprightly walketh vvith God in those thinges vve are bounde ro walke with him steppe by steppe and to follow his holy and godly example But the precepts of a sincereâ— faith and of an holy life delivered in the Caâ—onicall scriptures doe in all pointes leade
vs directly to GOD and in the least iote and title thereof they are vnerring and vndeceiueable teachers and therefore they are to bee embraced and followed vvithout any limitation or restriction at all The lavve of the Lorde saith David is perfect and converteth the soule Psal 19 7. and needeth no supply to â—e made there vnto He that addeth any thing to the same setteth but a rotten patch vnto a new and whole garment Yea whereas such is our forget fulnes and readines to let slippe out of our heartes holy things that still vvee haue neede to bee 2. Pet. 1. 12. remembred and to bee put in minde of the same and vvhereas such is our slâ—cknesse and lazinesle in walking on forvvard in the Lordes vvaies that still vvee haue neede to haue the spurre in our sides the holesome and heavenly instructions of the Canonicall scriptures being the meanes appointed by God both to remember vs at all times of our duety tovvardes God and also to stirre vs vp continually to the performaunce of the same The faithful teaching heaâ—ing and embracing of the word of God is the most principall yea the only necessary duty of a faithfull christian Luk. 10. 40. therefore the dilligent teaching hearing and meditating therof hath beene iudged to be the most principall yea the only necessary duety of a faithfull Christian and a most certaine token of our vnfained loue towarde God and an evident marke of a true servant of Christ O Martha Martha saith our blessed Saviour thou art trouâ—led about many thinges but one thing is necessarie Mary hath chosen the best pars vvhich shall never bee taken from her Now Martha was troubled about many things which were provided for the better entertainmenâ— of Christ himselfe and his disciples but Mary was busied about the caroful entertainement and laying vp in her heart of the divine instructions of Christes heavenly doctrine and therefore it is a farre more acceptable worke to haue care that our soules be fedde with GODS holy worde then with our bodily sustenaunce to refresh the bodies of GODS dearest Saintes yea it is after a sort the only or at the least the most necessary duety of all other from the which vve ought in no case to be hinderâ—d no not for the performance of any other duety VVhen complainte vvas made to the Apostles for some disorder that vvas committed aboute the providing Act. 6. 1. for the poore and as it seemeth it was required at their handes that they themselues setting aside the preaching of the vvoâ—de for a â—ime shoulde more throughly looke into that matter and redresse the abuse they aunsvvere peremptorelie that it vvas not meete that they shoulde leaue the worde and serue tables and therefore they committing that businesâ—e of lesse importaunce to men of meaner giftes themselues possessing the highest roomes in the Church and being endued with the greatest gifâ—es employed themselues in continuall praâ—er and preaching as being the greatest and chiefest dueties And verily it is a more glorious vvorke to builde the spirituall temple of GOD in the heartes of the faithfull by the preaching of the vvoorde then to â—recte a sumpâ—uous temple of timber and stones for the out vvarde exercise of the service of God it is a farre more excellent vvorke by the seede of the nevve birth to be get many children to God and so to enlarge the kingdome of heaven then by ouâ— vvealth vvisedome and provvâ—sse to enrich and enlarge any earthly kingdome it is a farre more excellent vvorke to feede the soules that are ready to famish with the bread of life then to feede the bodies of such as vvant with our temporall sustenaunce It is a farre more excellent vvorke to bring those that sit in darckenesse and in the shaddowe of death to the vision of GOD by the light of the vvâ—orde then to deliver them out of bodyly bondage and to enrich them with all earthly and temporall commodities For our fâ—ll vision of GOD is the cause of our perfect blessednâ—sâ—e so that wheÌ„ 1. Ioh. 3. 2. vve shall see him vvith open face themshall vvee be perfectly blessed and the nearer in this life vve come to behold him the nearer we come to this our perfect bleslednes now here in this life wee behold him principally in the glasse oâ— his worde espeoâ—ally in the mirrout of the glorious gospell of CHRIST and 1. Cor. 3. 18 therefore the more often and the more reverently wee contemplate the same and the more serious is ouâ— study and meditation therein the nearer we come to our perfect blessednes Wherfore it was not without cause that our Savâ—our himselfe a little before his ascension â—nto heauen did so straightly charge Peter a principall Ioh. 21. 15. man among his Apostles that if hee did loue him more then the rest he should feede his sheepe more then the rest and by his continuall holding ouâ— of the light of the word he shoulde bring the Lordes people to the vision of God as to the châ—efest bâ—essing of God and to the cause of all other blessing And hereof it is that on the Lordes day which is especially dedicated to the service of God the Lord especially requireth both of Pâ—est people that they shoulde principally be emploied in the teaching hearing meditating of the holy word of God as being not only in it selfe a principal worke but also the cause of al good works and of the whole worship and service of God And therfore wheÌ„ this so principal and necessary a worke began to be neglected among vs Englishmen when the service of God according vnto the order of Gregory began to be established in our churches the people had their senses satisfied more with sweete soundes goodly shewes then their soules fed with the heavenly foode of the word Venerable Bede ablbeit he bare great reverence to the Bed l. 4. c. 18. de gest Anglor church of Rome could not refraine himselfe but that he must vtter his great dislike thereof in plaine tearmes Heretofore saith he insteede of these things the principall service of God consisted in the preaching of the gospell and in the hearing of the word of God Neither must we imagine that there was more need of the diligeÌ„t preaching hearing of the word of God in former ages then is now or shal be to the end of the world not only for that whether we be baptised or vnbaptised and descend either from faith full or faithlesse progenitors we are all without any difference equally Rom. 3. 9. by nature blind and ignorant of God and therfore stande in neede to haue the lampe of the worde alwaies burning in our hands if we desire to be preserved from continuall stumbling falling but also for that the most part of all that professe themselues Christians content themselnes with an out ward professioÌ„ of the faith albeit they feele no inward conversion and take theÌ„selues to be
the Interpreter but vpon the light it selfe of the divine doctrine which is now sufficiently manifest vnto them being duely vveighed and considered without the auctority of the Interpreter When wee beleeve saith Austine being now made more strong in the faith we vnderstand that vvhich we beleeve not novve men but God himselfe inwardly strengthning lightning our mind And thus do we teach the people of God which are already setled in the faith of Christ not to ground their faith vpon their owne private fancies nor vpon the private opinions of any other man or men be they few or many nor yet vpon any humane interpretations of scripture but vpon the plaine sentence of GOD himselfe deciding and determining what is falshood and what is truth that is vpon the interpretations of holy scriptures which are delivered in the scriptures theÌ„selues eveÌ„ vpoÌ„ those plaine manifest places therof which are in theÌ„selues so evideÌ„t cleare that they stand in neede of no interpreter at al not yet to frame their liues according vnto the decrees of the church the special rules of such as are fouÌ„ders of any private devotioÌ„s but according vnto the general laws coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„ts of God hiÌ„selfe For theÌ„ wil both our faith life be acceptable to God when this is throughly fixed and setled in our harts we can truly sincerely say Thus do I beleeue thus do I liue because the Lord himselfe whose servaÌ„t I am hath coÌ„maÌ„ded me thus to beleeue thus to live For this is not a sufficient warraÌ„t security for vs to say My conscience iudgeth this or that to be good therfore it is good or my coÌ„scieÌ„ce iudgeth this or that to be evil therefore it is evill to be avoided for then should al superstitious Idolatrous kindes of serving of God be good ChristiaÌ„ religioÌ„ evil because the coÌ„sciences of all Infidels allow of the one condemne the other before the eies of their minds be lightned their coÌ„sciences reformed by the holy and heaveÌ„ly rules of our ChristiaÌ„ professioÌ„ And verely not our selues our own consciences but God only is our Lord iudge who hath autority to enact lawes to set theÌ„ out vnto vs as limits bouÌ„ds the which if we in any wise traÌ„sgresse we do coÌ„mit iniquity sin And therfore albeit the Apostle teacheth that he that Rom. 14. 23. eateth of things lawful sinneth if in coÌ„science he doubt whether he may do so or no yet herein he sinneth not for that he traÌ„sgresseth any law of his own coÌ„science seeing she hath noÌ„e autority to make any but for that either doubting in coÌ„scieÌ„ce whether God doth allow of his fact or no or else being parswaded that he doth disallow it yet he wil needs do the same being carried away with his own headstroÌ„g affectioÌ„s or by the perswasioÌ„s of othe meÌ„ For heerein he doth tredde vnder foote the autority of God sette GOD himselfe after a sorte at naught in that hee resolveth to do this or that albeit he doubteth whether God doth allowe it yea albeit he is perswaded that God doth disallow coÌ„demne the same Our conscience then must not be our canon rule in matters belonging to the service of God but God himselfe in his Canonicall scriptures For they are the onely sure and infallible witnesses of the will of God and our consciences cannot rightly bee assured of any thinge that is not delivered in those bookes And therfore seeing that in what thing soever we do belonging to the worshippe service of God we must be assuredly perswaded that it pleaseth God for whatsoever is done without Rom. 14. 23 this faith certain persuasioÌ„ is sinne we must not be ledde therein either by the vncertaine guesses of our owne coÌ„sciences or by the doubtfull coniectures of other men but only by the warrant of the Canonicall scriptures But the church of Rome will haue the deciding of all doubtes and controversies to be devolved froÌ„ Alabaster the scripture to the interpreter that is from the text to the glosse from God to man from the master to the servant from the iudge to the minister as if the iudge himselfe could not sette downe his owne definitiue sentence no not in writing as plainly fully and sufficiently as it can be delivered by the mouth of his messeÌ„ger and shee commaundeth the people to sette their faith vpon the decisions of the Pope and vpon the determinations of his counsellers vpon the bookes Apochryphs vpon traditions and vnwritten verities and to order their lives not according vnto the prescription of the law of God alone but also according vnto her owne ordinances and the rules of the founders of her relligious orders Wherefore shee which most vniustly accuseth vs to misleade the people into errour and heresie may in truth bee most iustly charged therwith seeing the cause of heresie is not the diligent and humble resort to the word of God the very fountaine and welspring of all heavenly truth that by this touchstone wee may trie discerne sound and currant doctrine from vnsound counterfeite but either the vtter reiecting forsaking of this holy word or the mingling of our owne fancies and dreames therwith or the dotages and inventions of other men For by this meanes hath truth faith bin banished heresie Idolatry brought in even froÌ„ the beginning of the world vnto this day For how â—ell Adam and Eue into their Apostasie but by forsaking the commaundement of God delivered vnto them by the Lords own mouth And what was the cause that al the posterity of Adam excepting only the family of Abraham fell by little and little into al errour and heresie vntil they came into most grosse and damnable Idolatry but as the Apostle testifieth for Act. 14. 18. that God suffered them all to walke in their owne waies For he had given his word only to Iacob his statutes ordinances to Psal 147. 19 Israel he had not deâ—lt so with any other nation neither had the heathen knowledge of his lawes And amongst this people of Israell vvhat was the cause that the tenne tribes at once fell avvay from God They fell avvay from the house of David because of the sinnes of Solomon and by the folly of Rehoboham his sonne but they fell from God when they vvoâ—shipped the calues that vvere set vppe by Ieroboham vvho made Israell to sinne contrary to the lavv and commaundement of God they forsooke the vvorshippe of God in Ierusalem ordained and established by the Lordes ovvne vvorde and set vppe in Dan and Bethell a new kinde of worshippe of God according vnto their owne inventions and so they fell avvay from the living GOD. And when those tenne tribes for their Idolatries and sinnes were carried out of their owne countrey into captivity by the king of Ashur the Samaritanes were placed in their roomes the cause also
of their Idolatries was their following of the corrupt customs of their owne countries and their refusall of the ordinaunces and 2. Kin. 17. 34 lawes of God And what was the cause that the Iewes theÌ„selues also which had the law and the prophets to direct them in al the waies of God did so often fall away from the service of God and defile theÌ„selues with abominable Idolatries but that they either vtterly forsooke the directioÌ„ of the word of God and follovved their owne inventions or the corrupte customes of their forefathers or else they mingled their owne dreames and the traditioÌ„s of their elders togither with the worshippe of God delivered in his worde which ought to haue bin kept pure and sincere without any mixture without any such hotch-potch mingle maÌ„gle The cause of the Idolatries that so much abouÌ„ded in the time of the Iudges was for that there was no king in Israel who was to coÌ„mand Iud. 17. 1. the carefull keeping of the law of God but every man did that which was good in his owne eies And what was the cause of those outragious dolatries in the daies of the kings especially in the daies of Manasses and Amon his sonne but this that the lavve of 2. Chro 34. 14. God was so neglected that the very autheÌ„tical coppy therof given by the hand of Moses himselfe was lost And if we will know also what was the cause of those damnable Idolatries that so prevailed in the daies of the prophets we may heare the same out of their mouthes who were the principall actors or at the least the chiefe abetters therof The word say they to the prophet Ieremy which thou hâ—st spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord we will not heare Ier 44. 16. it of thee but we will doe whatsoever goeth out of our owne mouth as to â—…rae incense to the Queene of heaven and to powre out our drinke offerings vnto her as we haue done both we and our Fathers our kings our Princes in the cittie of Iudah and in the streetes of Ierusalem for then had we plenty of victuals and were well and felt none evill Their wilful reiecting of the word of God and their obstinate resolution to follovve their ovvne customes and the practise of their forefathers vvas the cause of all their abominable Idolatries Neither vvas the vtter reiecting of the woorde of GOD the cause of so many corruptions in the Iewish religion but alâ—o the mingling therewith of their ovvne Inventions and of the traditions of their forefathers For in the Lordes fielde there oughte nothing to bee sowen but the most pure seede of the worde of God whatsoever is beside the same it is not good corne but cockle and darnell and they of the Lordes family are onely to be fedde with the holesome foode of that vvorde which is provided for their sustenaunce by their heavenly master whatsoever meate they take beside it is corrupte leaven yea deadly poison And therefore both GOD himselfe did most sharpely reproue the hypocriticall Iewes in the time of the Prophete Isay and our Saviour CHRIST the Scribes and Phaâ—isies in his dayes not foc that they did vtterlie reiect the service of GOD prescribed in his own word for it is cleare manifest that they did not so but for that they did corrupt the same with the mingling of their owne leaven they condemne that worship for Isa 20. 14. Mat. 1â— 9. vaine which is prescribed either wholy or in part by the precepts and doctrines of men And verily as in the bodies of men either want of good holesome food or the receiving of corrupt and bad either wholy or but in parte is the cause of many bodily disâ—ases even so either the want of the holesome food of the worde of God or the receiving of the corrupt food of humane doctrins either wholy or in part doth breed many sins corruptioÌ„s in our soules and make them sicke even to death Yea this hath bred al manner of errours heresies and Idolatries in all ages and at all times This was the cause of errour vnder the law and that amoÌ„g the Lords own people They erred in their hearts saieth the Lorde Psa 95. 10. himselfe because they haue not knowne my waies And why erred the Sadducies at the time of our Saviours appearing in the flesh so grosly and that in the chiefest grounds principles of the faith Mark 12. 23 Aug. in psa 131. Cyp. de simpl praelatorum Chrys hom 3. de Laza Yee erre saith our Saviour vnto them not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God This is the cause of all evill saith Austine that the scriptures are not knowne Hence saith Cyprian proceede errours for that menreturne not to the head nor seeke to the spring of truth nor keepe the doctrine of our heavenly Master The reading of the scriptures saith Chrysostome is a strong fortresse against sinne and the ignoraunce of them is a great downefull and a deepe hell to know nothing of â—he divine lawes is a great losse of salvation this thing hath bred heresies and brought in a corrupt life and hath turned al topsie turvy For how can it otherwise be but that health must needes decay and sicknesse grow where either holesome foode is not received at all or else is not received alone without the mixture of that which is corrupt And how can it otherwise bee but that weedes must needes spring vp where either good seed is not sowen at al or else not without the mixture of cockle and darnell And how can it otherwise be but that such must needs be misledde which either will not at all follow those are vnerring guides or else will not be guided by them alone but by such also as may be deceived Wherfore in that the church of Rome doth not only keep the greatest part of the people from the liberty of reading the holie scriptures but also doth mingle with the pure foode thereof the corrupt leaven of humane doctrines it cannot otherwise be but that spiritual sicknesses must grow in her apace ghostly health and strength greatly decay And seeing that shee soweth in the harts of the people not the sincere seede of the worde of God alone but also the darnell of mens inventions it caÌ„not be but that weedes must neâ—des mount vp and overgrowe the good corne And seeing she will haue her followers ledde by bookes Apocripha vnwritten verities ordinaunces of the Church decrees of Popes canons of Councels rules of Friers customes of the multitude traditions of forefathers and the like and not by the books alone of the Canonicall scriptures who are the only sure and vndeceiueable guides it is no marvaile that shee hath beene so misledde out of the way of truth hath wandred in the by-pathes of heresies and Idolatries even as the Idolatrous Iewes and Gentiles haue bin before her for that they followed the same
but especially for that they are after a sorte committed in a mockaâ—e of the bloode of Christ and doe proceede from the forgetfulnesse of his death The which if it bee so then vve must hold this for a sure thing that wee ought not to be grieved so much for that we haue broken the commandement of God as for that wee haue forgotten that wee were redeemed by the bloode of Christ and haue contemned the great price of our most glorious redemption VVherefore that wee may be brought the sooner to repentaunce and to acknowledge the greatnesse of our sinne vve must all our whole life be busied about this that we may vnderstande hovve great is that price of our redemption and that vve may so worthyly esteeme of the blood of the new testameÌ„t as we ought to do It followeth in the nexte verse And the two disciples heard him so speaking and they follovved Iesus Ioh. 1. 37. That testimony which Iohn the Baptist gaue of Christ that he was the lambe of God before two of his disciples causeth them to come to Christ and to follow him Whereby wee learne how effectuall is the preaching of Christ yea how powerfull is one worde or two concerning Christ and his crosse to alter and change the very heartes of men Verily there is no other speech whereby a stony hart may be made flesh and an vnfaithfull man may be made faithfull Speake as much as thou liste of the most famous factes of all the Kinges and Emperours that ever haue beene and of their goodly vertues and great glory these things may delight the minds of men but they wil not renevv them But speake thou of the man crucified a thing in shevv base and foolish this vvord of the crosse which is foolishnes to them that perish is the wisdome power of God to theÌ„ that are saved Nay that we may let passe these profane persons with their deedes teach againe againe the very law of God eveÌ„ this law is weak by reason of the flesh Rom. 8. 3. But that which the law cannot the worde of the crosse can Now what is the cause of this great efficacie The Lord which is the matter and subiect of this word is a spirit which is able to set our harts at liberty in so much that if they be once fixed vpon him the vaile of corruption which before did so cleaue vnto vs wil soone be taken away and if we do duely looke into that glory of his which doth shine in the gospel as in a glasse we shall be changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of God Before Phillip called thee I saw thee when thou wast vnder the figge tree Ioh. 1. 48. The more any one doth search into the vnsearchable riches of Christ and the greater revelation hee hath of the same the more is his faith and loue also encreased and the more vnspeakeable and glorious is his ioy 1. p. 1. 8. Wherefore this ought to be our continuall labour day and night by praier and by reading and meditating vpon the scriptures to seeke after the mistery of Christ that so at the length there may be opened vnto vs the treasures of all knowledge and vnderstanding that are hid in him and so al other things may be vnto vs as trash in comparison of that inestimable treasure It is strange to see how the Apostle that looked most into that excellent mistery could never satisfie himselfe in setting forth and amplifying the greatnesse thereof God saith he which is rich in mercy of his great loue wherwith he loved vs. Eph. 2. 4. Hath given vnto vs so worthy a Saviour in whom are bid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Coll. 2. 3. Haue care therefore saith he that yee may be able to comprehend what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints Eph. 1. 18. He saw much and beleeved much and magnified much this great mistery Verily verily I say vnto you from hence forth yee shall see the heavens open and the Angels of God ascending and descending vpon the sonne of man Ioh. 1. 51. The opening of the misteries of faith engendreth faith and the revealing of Christ maketh a Christian Speake to men of heaven and of everlasting life and of al maÌ„ner of blessings both bodily and ghostly and yet they cannot beleeue vntill they see Christ by whom and for whom are all these things For if we be throughly touched with the sense of sinne and of the wrath of God most iustly provoked to punish vs for the same wee must first finde him that hath satisfied the iustice of God for our sinnes before wee can hope for eternall life Yea if I do not beholde Christ and haue him present before the eies of my minde it is so far of that I should see heaveÌ„ and heavenly glory that I shall feele nothing but terrours and feares and extreame anguish and bitternes of soule But when Christ doth once shine vnto me then is there sure hope of eternall life They then that desire to bee partakers of all manner of blessings and to be assured of life everlasting must seek Christ and set him before their eies and behold him true God and true man who died for their sins and rose againe for their iustification and thence will issue and proceede a ful trust and confidence of obtaining al such benefites blessings which he hath thereby purchased for them That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirite is spirite Ioh. 3. 6. The only presence of Christ by faith is the means wherby the spirit worketh our regeneration Now Christs preseÌ„ce is imperfectly appreheÌ„ded in this life by faith but perfectly by sight in the life to come And hereof it is that our regeneratioÌ„ which is but imperfect in this life shal be most perfect in the life to come This we knowe saith S. Iohn that when Christ doeth appeare we shall bee like him for wee shall see him as hee is 1. Ioh. 3. 2. Yea that presence of Christ shal be so glorious and so effectuall in vs that it shall transforme even our vile body and make it like to his glorious body Phil. 3. 21. For we must know that the presence of Christ is not like the presence of earthly princes the which if thou beholdest a thousand times thon shalt be made thereby never a whit the more glorious but if thou once truely beholde the glorious presence of Christ thou shalt straitwaies bee changed and transformed into the same As Moses left vp the brasen serpent in the wildernes so must the son of man be lifted vp that whosoever beleeveth in him shoulde not perish but haue life everlasting Ioh. 3. 14. As they which beheld the brasen serpeÌ„t were healed of the sting of the fiery serpents which otherwise could not bee cured So theÌ„ beholding of Christ lifted vp vppon the crosse doth cure