was not ignorant what fauour and goodnesse God sheweth towardes his people when they are assembled in his name hee had had sufficiently tryed howe the vertue of the holy Ghost doeth shewe forth it selfe in these holy assemblies and in this body of Iesus Christ vnited together with his members corporally and spiritually to glorifie him all with one heart and voyce why doe the poore captiues of Babylon so muche lament Hierusalem but because they feele what a plague it is to bee so oppressed by tyrannie that men cannot haue anye good fourme of a Churche nor yet serue God according to his pollicie and ordinances nor make publike confession and profession thereof as the faithfull desire But because it is hard for all men to be able Sect. to come to his felicitie to depart wholy this day out of Egypt and Babylon both corporally and spiritually to liue in libertie yet at the least it is necessarie to depart thence in heart and minde if they cannot get thence in body and how can this departure and separation be if we keepe not our selues from the filthines and abominations of this worlde for that it is the true religion as Saint Iames witnesseth He that liueth amongst the Idolaters and communicateth not with their Idolatries and sinnes he is much better separated from them then he that is conuersant with the Godly and hath his heart replenished with superstition and hypocrisie for this separation is made by the holy Ghost who separateth the elect and children of God from the wicked and reprobate and sanctifieth and dedicateth them to serue for his honour and glory for this cause yâ— christiaÌ„s are called saints confesse the holy vniuersall Church Seeing then that the Church is holy that it is nothing else but the assemblie and companie of the faithful it followeth necessarily that al the faithfull which are the members whereof this body consisteth and that this coÌ„pany assembled and made bee holy for this cause we call it also the communion of Saintes And S. Paule writing to the faithfull which haue receiued the Gospell he saluteth them and called them Saintes as it appeareth in all his Epistles for what cause then are they called Saintes but because they are separated from all prophane vses and that they are drawen away from the seruice of the Diuell the world the fleshe that they are wholy dedicated consecrated and sanctified to god to serue him only for the scripture calleth the thing holy which is secluded from all other vse and which is nothing but to the seruice of God and therefore the Lord called his people Leui. 19. 1. Pet. 1. Israell the holy people and commanded them to sanctifie them selues saying be yee holy for I am holy For this cause he hath separated and diuided them from all other people and hath giuen Sect. them lawes ordinaÌ„ces and ceremonies cleane vnlike to all other people to keepe them better in his seruice to this ende that they might not be defiled nor polluted with the superstitions Idolatries and abominations of others wherfore he hath endeuoured by all meanes to draw them from all companie and acquaintance with Idolaters which might any way induce them to worship some other besides him selfe or in other sort then hee had commanded if it were all one that it were no sinne to be in company with Idolaters and to communicate with them in their sacrifices abominations what neede was there that God should giue a Lawe to what purpose hath he so charged the people of Israel with ceremonies if it were lawfull for them to vse al indifferently as they lifted why did Moses study all that he could being thereto appointed of god to ordaine theÌ„ ceremonies â—lat dissonaÌ„t contrary to al their neyghbours about them al the Pagans Idolaters It was for nothing els but that first the Lord would foresee by this way that they should haue no acquaintance and familiaritie with them in that which concerned the seruice of God nor any similitude wherby they might be induced to follow them or obey them with such an opinion of false Gods as the Pagans haue Then to the end it should not seeme they did like vnto them that that which they did to the honour of their God was done to the honour of strange Gods or that it might not seeme that therby they did allow their manner of dealing so farre is it that God would permit it to be lawfull for the people of Israel to communicate with the blasphemies sacriledges abominations of Idolaters that he would not suffer them only to haue any agreement with theÌ„ in ceremonies in their maner of doings with theÌ„ he would not suffer them to haue so much as in the outward thinges euen those which otherwise might haue beene indifferent lawful why did he forbid this so sharply but for the causes aboue sayd to keepe his people alwaies yâ— better wtout waÌ„dering froÌ„ his seruice Wherfore if we wil be accounted Gods people Sect. The office of Gods people we must be holy both in body soule witnes by our words works that we are his children that the works of the wicked displease vs or at the least that wee allowe them not for wheÌ„ the Apostle forbiddeth vs to be partakers of the works of darknes coÌ„mandeth vs rather to reproue theÌ„ he doth sufficiently shew vs that wee cannot be childreÌ„ of light if we do not wholy renounce darknes that we caÌ„not be separated froÌ„ Idolaters Infidels if we coÌ„fourme our selues to their maners their works coÌ„uersation And therfore for a man to boast himself to be faithful outwardly to allow idolatrie to giue good couÌ„tenaÌ„ce to idolatries are things with caÌ„not agree together in a true seruaÌ„t of god Let vs not think our selues excused before god Sect. nor in the coÌ„scieÌ„ce of those with are faithful indeed in saying I know wel enough what my heart is what couÌ„tenaÌ„ce soeuer I cary or what godly shew soeuer I make yet put I no trust neither haue I any deuotion in Idoles but I worship the onely God in my heart it is better yet to doe thus then to persecute the truth and for a man to shewe himselfe an open enemie vnto God But yet it is impossible that the heart should be free from Idolatrie when al the body is defiled and doth reuerence vnto strange Gods to the enemie of God what good heart soeuer a subiect can beare to his prince yet could not the prince beare it that he should do homage to another that he should cary weapon against his natural prince Men say commonly that he the sweareth by art for sweareth him selfe by art we ought not to thinke that the heart remaineth vnsworne if the tongue forsweare it self for we must vnderstand the othe according to the meaning of him that giueth it and not after the meaning of him that
perhaps they had beginneth to waxe cold and altogether to bee extinguished and after that they fall into such despising of God and his word that they are much worse thē they which neuer knewe God Wherefore wee must take heede of that Sect. Transfiguration of Sathan 2. Cor. 11. same subtill Sathan who can so well transfourme him selfe into an angell of light to make the truth of God to serue our affections and to change it into a lye and blasphemy whē Sathan knoweth that there is any feare of God and any knowledge of truth in vs and that we do any thing reuerēce the holy scriptures he armeth him selfe to fight against vs by thē Mat. 4. and hee alleadgeth them to vs as hee did to Christ Iesus when he tempted him Luk. 4. This Sathan is very dangerous who taketh the staffe of the word of God to beate vs withall wherewith he ought to beaten and therewith he giueth vs dangerous woundes The first is that he mooueth vs to blaspheme God The second is which is made woorse that he maketh vs to beleeue and thinke that it is not wickedly done but that it is lawful for vs to doe so at the least it is a small sinne and amongst the lest that we can commit which is more to the entent we should not perish aone in our errours hee pricketh vs forward to entise others to doe the like And to the end he may bee more couert and lesse knowen to giue a better cloke to these reasons he layeth straight before vs Naaman the Sirian or Nicodemus or Saint Paule which applyeth him selfe to all and who made himselfe a Iewe amongest 1. Cor. 9. Sect. Iewes a gentyle amōgst gentyles I doubt not but these reasons seeme fayre and pleasant to the fleshe and that it loueth such proctors and aduocates which will so excuse Proctors and aduocates of the fleshe iustifie it but it must take heede that they vse her not as aduocates and proctors those are without conscience and without the feare of God and which haue no other God but Golde and siluer and haue no regard so they haue money such proctors and aduocates will make thē beleeue whose cause they defend that their matter is good although it be the worst falsest that may be for euery mā easily beleeueth that which he desireth that which pleaseth him he hath affectiō vnto therfore M. aduocate knowing the affection of man abuseth him to his profit gaine to the hurt of the pore contender for if he would tell him at the first that he had an euil cause hee woulde staye from pleading if hee were wise and woulde pursue that cause no more but would doe that which were right and reason and so the aduocate shoulde gain nothing Or if he were an obstinate persō and affectioned aboue measure to his cause against his partie he woulde be vexed and angrie against his aduocate and woulde iudge him ignorant and scant cunning in his arte for telling him trueth And therfore would goe seeke another more to his liking for it is the nature of man to iudge all thinges according to his affection and for his aduantage If thou speake to his fansie thou shalt be the learnedst man in the world but if thou bee contrarye to his opinion thou shalt be but a beast and haste lost immediatly all thy learning and therefore our flesh will haue aduocates to defend their cause well and to allowe what shee desireth seeing it hath such a desire shee shall no more lacke such fellowes as shee desireth then the same proctors which take pleasure in contention spending their money loosing their time and consuming their bodies and soules in strife and debate But what profit shall they haue to cast away Sect. and destroy them selues for the sentence shall not be giuen by the aduocate and proctor nor according to their desire but by the iudge and such as shall please him and when M. Aduocate shall see that the cause of his Client goeth euill whome he hath alwayes kept in good hope till the last cast he will shake him of well enough and leaue him in the myre wherein he hath plunged him for he hath his reckoning he hath fished in a troubled water he hath plucked the bird he hath the feathers the fat and careth no more for the cause and therefore let vs take good heede that we delight not in such defenders and aduocates for there maye be enough found which to please vs and bee in our fauour and well accounted of will flatter vs and tell vs pleasant thinges wee prooue it true in many bellies whiche haue founde suche tast in the Kitchin of Egypt that they thinke them selues vtterly lost so soone as they haue lost the sight of the smoke But when we shall appeare before the iudgement of God the disputation shal not there be decided nor the cause there iudged by their reasons nor according to their sentence but by the iust iudgment of God which is alwayes in truth And therefore let vs count them more deare Sect. Let vs flee flatterers and Parasites which speake simply and roundly vnto vs according to the truth of God then those whiche flatter and seduce vs to please vs and keepe themselues mor at ease for in this diuine court and in these last appeales sentences shall not there be weyed in the ballance of carnal sense humane reason but in the ballance of Gods worde which shall not be vnderstoode according to our fantasie but according to the will of the spirit of God then both Clients and aduocates shall find them selues as much astonied the one as the other and the one shall not ease then the case of the other for they both shal be sufficiently troubled eche one with his owne cause the plaintife shall not there be only in danger as in the courtes and iudgements of men but if he be condemned the proctor and aduocates shal be subiect to the same condemnation with him and more greeuous for if the hearer be condemned because hee hath taken pleasure to heare and followe euill councel much more grieuously shal the councellour be punished who hath had more regard to satisfie his couetousnes affectiō of a poore ignorāt soule then the word of God for hee hath setled him and confirmed him in errour whome hee ought to haue wtdrawen frō errour to haue led him into a better way by his good councel Why doe not these councellours as well alleadge other places of holy scripture whiche Sect. be repugnant to the affectiō of man as they alleadge those whereby they seeke to please it for it is not needefull nowe to trauell muche to finde cloking to our flesh to arme it against truth to furnish it with armour and to put the sword into her hand to fight against it for she is but too cunning by nature to bold hasty to
fight against her owne saluation and to aduance her owne destructiō wherfore shee hath herein more neede of a bridle then a spurre This Satan that endeuoureth himselfe so Sect. much to embolden the fleshe to defile it selfe in Idolatrie and superstition is not very hastye to alleadge vnto it Abraham and all the Patriarkes and Prophets who in what place so euer they be found although they haue beene couersant oftentimes among the Pagans and Idolaters yet were they neuer partakers of their Idolatrie but also made publike confession of their religion and of the true GOD whom they serued Satan and his aduocates that serue him will know nothing of all that they passe it ouer lightly without making any mention therof they haue no care to rehearse the examples of the fayth and constancie of the Hebrewe children or of Daniell whereof the one did choose rather to be cast into the fornace of Nabuchadnazar thē to worship his image Dan. 3. to do honour reuerence to his Idole of gold The other desired rather to be cast into the den throte of the lyons then to remaine onely three Dan. 7. dayes without praying to God and without making open confession of him They can also Exāples of the Apostles and martirs well dessemble the example of the Apostles Martyrs and of so many of the good faithful whiche haue better liked to endure the moste grieuous torments that Tyrants coulde imagine then onely to doe reuerence to an image or put a little insense vpon the fire before an Idole if they had knowne how or would haue dessembled and halted on both feete and haue serued God and Baal they had neuer suffred any thing for Christ Iesus their blood had not beene shed for the testimonie of the trueth and the Churche of Iesus Christ had had no Martyrs I maruell what newe christianitie such men Sect. will bring vs and to what ende they thinke Iesus Christ hath sayde who so denyeth mee before Mat. 10. Mar. 8. men I will denie him before my father his angels Who so is ashamed of me and my wordes in this adulterous and sinfull generation I wil be ashamed of him before my father which is in heauen and before his holy angels He that is not afraid to leese his soule that is to say his life for my sake shall finde it hee that confesseth me before men I will confesse and acknowledge Mat. 16. Ioh. 12. him before my father which is in heauen Wee see plainely by these wordes that Iesus Sect. The faith of a Christiā Christ is not contented with a vayne and dead faith that mā imagineth himself to haue but requireth a true and liuely fayth whiche must be so rooted in the heart that it must bring forth her boughes and fruits outward what are these principall fruites but that wee make profession of Iesus Christ as well in wordes The fruits of faith as workes but what else requireth the Lorde of vs but onely this sacrifice of prayse when the Prophets do prophesie of the church of our Lord Iesus Christ what difference set they betweene it and other religions and betweene her sacrifice and those of the Sinagogue what is the principall point whereby shee may be knowne and separated from others but the sacrifice of prayse whereby I vnderstand here all that the faythful sayth or doth is to the glorye and praise of God for although that praier bee sometimes called especially by that name yet the signification thereof stretcheth farther and comprehendeth other things that apperteine to the diuine seruice for the faythfull man doth not his workes whatsoeuer they be to be iustified by them or to merit by meanes of thē the kingdome of heauen for it is already merites purchased for him not by his merit but by the merit of Iesus and before he was incorporated into the Church of Iesus Christ hee was iustified by fayth in him for he was made vnto vs of God Iustice Wisedome Sanctification and redemption the principall end thē of the workes of the faythful is to prayse God and to giue him laud and thankes for all his benefites after the example of Angels to whom by Iesus Christ hee is associated and conioyned which neuer cease to prayse God in all thinges And yet doe they it not to merit Paradise therby wherof they haue alreadie the fruitiō but because God is their soueraigne goodnesse also mans and that they are created to that end as we are and therefore when Iesus Christ exhorteth his disciples to good works and to make their light shyne by them before men he sayth not to the end that by them you may be iustified or merit Paradise but to the Mat. 5. end that men may see them and glorifie your father which is in heauen Seeing thē it is the propertie of the church Sect. The work of the church to offer vncessantly to God this sacrifice of prayse how can shee without that be the church of Iesus Christ Wherefore hath the Apostle sayd if thou confesse the Lord with thy mouth Ro. 10. Faith and confession and beleeue in thy heart that God hath raysed him from the dead thou shalt be saued for man beleeueth in the heart to iustification and confesseth with mouth to saluation He requireth fayth aboue all thinges without the which all Ro. 14. Heb. 11. is but hypocrisie sinne and abhomination but he requireth also confession of the mouth and the outwarde testimonie of this inward fayth to serue to the glory of God and the edification of our neighbour we see how hee ioyneth the confession of mouth with fayth in hearte because they are thinges inseparable as the soule and life the fire and his brightnes the Sonne and his light the body and his shadowe for if fayth be in heart there is no doubt but that Iesus Christ dwelleth there by fayth as Saint Eph. 2. Paule witnesseth If Iesus Christe dwelleth there he is not then without his holy Spirit But for this cause are wee called the temple of God because God by his holy spirit dwelleth in vs. And therfore the Apostle sayth againe that he which hath not the spirit of Christ is not of Christ and cannot be acounted for a Christian 1 Cor. 6. Sect. Rom. ◠Seeing it is thus howe is it possible if God dwel in the heart that the diuell should be in the tongue in the mouth in the hands in the other mēbers which all take life frō the heart are Iam. 2. al guided gouerned therby S. Iames speaking of the tongue sayth that out of one spring cannot come sweete bitter water yet this will make vs beleeue the contrary to the end that that maye bee verefied in them whiche is sayde in the same place out of one mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing by the tongue we blesse God the father and by the same wee curse men