be shevved declaring thereby the certainty and assurednesse of those ioyes and the great good will of God in satisfieng as it were our senses with the same putting one of them to wit our sight for that is said to be shewed vs that wee see and beholde and the same one of the most sure senses for the rest this also being comfortable euen in worldly things that wee do with more patience abide the delaies of our hope when we perswade our selues that our senses shall be satisfied that yet at the length we shall not be frustrate but obtaine which ought much more to comfort and incourage vs in spirituall things in as much as of their owne nature they are not onely farre more excellent than the other but more sure also as which the moath cannot eate nor the canker corrnpt Matth. 6.19 nor theeues take avvay as our Sauiour saith nor we be depriued of them by any meanes or matter whatsoeuer In which respect also euen that Scripture that followeth immediately vppon that which was before alleadged out of the Prouerbs ought greatly to comfort vs namely that vvhen the desire commeth Prou. 13.12 it is as a tree of life Yea and to the same purpose also serueth it in that the apostle dooth after a sort specifie the persons that shall be partakers of those great ioyes saying Ephes 1.4 To vs meaning thereby the faithfull and elect people of God vvhome God in Christ hath ordained before the foundations of the vvorlde vvere laide 1 Pet. 1.4 to an inheritance mortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not avvay reserued in heauen for vs. Whereby hee would giue vs also to vnderstand that euen as the decree of Gods election is immutable and his graces and gifts vvithout repentance Rom. 11.29 so it is most certaine that the persons whome hee hath appointed thereto to shall in time be made perfect partakers thereof which yet is more comfortable if wee do but well weigh this that if wee knewe there were all ioy in the kingdome of God and that the same is most certaine and sure and that it shoulde be reucaled and sette before vs yet that wee shoulde not bee heires of it that it would rather greeue vs to forgo or want so excellent a grace than adde comfort consolation or corage vnto vs in our distresses But now sith we know that it can not be sundred from vs nor we from it bicause as that is the thing so wee are the persons that must partake it there is good cause why we should reioice in the Lord alvvays â—hilip 4.4 and continually to stir vp one an other to reioice againe and againe Concerning all which points togither S. Iohn me thinketh speaketh most excellently saying â— Iohn 3.2 Derely bâ—loued novv are vve the sons of God indeede but yet it dooth not appeare vvhat vvee shall be hovvbeit vve knovv that vvhen he shal appeare vve shal b like him for vve shal see him as he is And this much for this matter Now let vs proceed in the rest of the apostles words following in order as they be Vers 19 For the feruent desire c. That word For doth sufficâ—ently shewe that it is an other reason of comfort in affliction annexed to the former taken as we haue heard before euen from the example of the creatures themselues who notwithstanding the miserable estate and condition that by the meanes of mans sinne and his prophane abusing of them they are subiect vnto doe yet still in their kinde though with groning yet with patience also wait for a time wherein they shall be freed from that vanitie And if they that want wit and reason doe yet notwithstanding performe this how much more should men yea godly men do it who besides that they are indued with a reasonable soule in which also they differ from brute beasts insensible creatures haue the great gift of of christian knowledge and holy faith bestowed vppon them by which they are distinguished from themselues as in regard of the naturall blindnes of their heart and from al other men also that as yet through Gods iudgement in a punishement vpon them for their sinnes doe remaine still in the filth and puddle of their owne corruption Now whereas hee attributeth feruent desire vnto the creatures and that may seeme strange to vs who knowe by common sense and dailie experience that they haue no such reasonable affections we are to vnderstande that the Apostle dooth it by that figure which the rhetoricians call prosopopoeia that is when there is ascribed vnto dumbe vnreasonable or senslesse thinges such a person speech or action as indeed properly doth belong vnto men such other creatures as haue sens and life in theÌ„ which kind of deliuery and propounding matters is coÌ„mon in al writers prophane diuine So do Virgil Homer attribute a person to Fame Tully likewise brings in the couÌ„try or coÌ„monwelth debating the matter with Catiline the conspirator the self-same is vsed as in this place of scripture wherin resonable affections for exaÌ„ple desire vvaiting groning trauelling in paine c. are attributed to vnreasonable creatures Chrysostome also an ancient doctor of the Greek church affirming the same here so in many other of the old new testament The prophet Dauid in one of his psalmes saith that at the comming of Israell out of Egypt Psal 114.1.4 the mountaines leaped like rammes and the hilles as lambes The prophet Ieremiah attributeh vveeping moorning to Rahell one of Iacobs wiues Iere 31.15 who was dead manie hundred yeares before his time Yea our Sauiour himselfe saith to the sea Mar. 4.39 Peace and be still wheras we know that the sea hath no eares vnderstanding or sense but did it rather to shewe that his power pierced euen to the dumbe and deafe elementes And this selfe-same apostle vseth the same likewise when after a sort he attributeth speech to the foot and to the eare saying 1. Cor. 12.15 16 If the foote vvould say bicause I am not the head I am not of the bodie is it therefore not of the bodie And if the eare vvoulde say bicause I am not the eie I am not of the bodie is it not therefore of the bodie Wherein wee are to note that the holie ghost doth not vse this manner of dealing as in a vaine affectation or imitation of humane eloquence for besides that he delighteth not in such courses hee hath no neede to vse them Hebr. 4.13 but rather knowing as indeede all things are naked in his sight that such maner of speeches are not onely delightfull as in regard of varietie but profitable also mightily to stir vp the mindes of the hearers a matter that wee haue neede to respect specially where there is such wearisomnesse and backwardnesse to good things as there is in mans heart hee vseth therefore the same to cause his truth more deepely to sincke into
A CHRISTIAN AND LEARNED EXPOSITION vpon certaine verses of that eight chapter of the Episile of that blessed Apostle PAVLE to the Romanes and namely vpon verse 18.19.20.21.22.23 ¶ VVRITTEN LONG AGOE BY T.W. FOR a most deare frend of his in CHRIST and now lately published in print for the benefite and good of GODS people wheresoeuer GOD IS MY HELPER AT LONDON ¶ Printed by Robert Walde-graue for Thomas Man 1587. ¶ TO HIS VERIE deere friends and good brethren in Christ master Ed. Benlois master Ri. Walter master Ralfe Manning and others of common christian acquaintance vvithin the citie of London euen as vvell as though they were named Th. VV. wisheth aboundance of al goodnes both bodily and spiritual in this life and the eternal saluation of their soules in the life that is to come thorow Christ IF men nay if vve our selues brethren that profes godlines had any either harts to conceiue or eies to see or mouths to speake vve can not choose but beleue behold and confesse the vvonderfull goodnes of Almighty GOD tovvards this last and yet vvorst age of the vvorld vvherin vve liue he hauing plentifully poured forth vpon it so many excellent and great graces specially spirituall as no time heretofore hath bin indued vvith better VVherof had vve nothing els to bear vvitnes but that huge heap of light and religion that GOD hath made to break forth amongst vs it vvere sufficient not only to iustify approue this truth but to condemne the vvorld of horrible ingratitude in not thankefully receiuing and of cursed carelesnes either in abusing or not profiting by such singular fauour some as vve see notvvithstanding the sun-shine of GODS blessed vvord vveltring and vvallovving in the blindnes and ignorance of their ovvn harts not knovving vvhat a pretious ievvell it is others in prophanenes and atheisme horribly scoffing and scorning at the same notvvithstanding the excellency therof others talking of it for vaine iangling but vvithout care of obedience polluting by a levvd life that vvhich is most holy of it selfe othersome making that vvhich is indeed spiritual and as a man may say heauenly a stepping-stone of preferment and vvorldly glory vvherunto being once lifted vp they fall to fostring of pride in themselues and disdainfull carping at others som as sathans seruants and instruments vsing or abusing it rather for the maintainance of erronious and hereticall opinions c. So that a man may safly and certainly conclude that though the light of GOD be come into the vvorld and hath indeed gloriously appeared amongst vs yet men haue loued and daily doo affect darknes rather than light But hovvsoeuer the strength of this impietie doo most plainely and plentifully appeare in the desperate vvicked of the vvorld the poison of this infection hauing spread it self abroad from the very heart of the vngodly into all their veines and sinnevvs so that all the partes of their bodies and povvers of their soules are polluted therevvith yet shall vvesee that by reason of the remainders of originall iniquitie some stinch of the same hath burst foorth euen in the sonnes and seruants of God though not to defile them vvith such fearefull transgressions as the vvicked of the vvorlde are ouertaken vvithall yet to hinder them from the doing of such holie duties as vvherevnto in pietie tovvards GOD and in charity tovvards men they are if my iudgement faile me not straitly bound vvhilest some of them considering mens setlednes in sin and hovv hard they are frozen in the dregs of their iniquity and hauing fevv or no arguments of doing good labor little or nothing at all othersome againe vveighing the vvorthines of gods graces and being loth to offer the glorious mysteries of the Lord to open despite and so thereby to increase the condemnation of the vvicked doe leaue off all means almost to reclaime men from vvickednes and to vvinne them to GOD. VVhat I vvrite novv the godly of the land vvil vvitnes vvith me I thinke and the small labors publike or priuat of men othervvise vvell qualified and the little fruit flovving from the same vvil yeeld sufficient proofe yea as I knovv by practise and experience in some so I feele the same by assaults and suggestions in my selfe to vvhich though mine ovvn naturall corruption and the vvorld of vvickednes that is vvithin me do bid me gladly consent yet that poore portion of grace I account it so not as it commeth from GOD but as it is tainted through my sin that God hath bin pleased to bestovv vpon me vvil hardly suffer me to yeeld bicause I see no reason in truth vvhy other mens sins or the imperfections of GODS children should vtterly discourage them from doing the duties that GOD hath laid vpon them for if vve should so doo vve should neuer perform any seruice to GOD men or our selues bicause ther vvill be alvvays vvickednes in the vvorld and manifold vveaknesses and vvants euen in the dearst saints and seruants of GOD. The thing that I rather vvish vvith all my hart is that euery one of vs and my selfe especially in due examination of our ovvne souls might through Gods great goodnes tovvards vs in Christ find our selues fit not only in affection good vvil but in al heuenly strength spiritual knovvledge also our manifold transgressions being remoued and doone avvay according to our measure of graces receiued in this behalfe to do good vnto many For mine ovvn part I vvillingly acknovvledge my selfe the meanest and the basest of many my good brethren in the ministery of GOD yea so far off am I from presuming any thing as of my selfe that I do asvvell in the sight of my sins before GOD and feeling vvithal of his hand of iustice and iudgement vpon me for the same as in the acquaintance that I haue vvith mine insufficiency ye ignorance before men both vvhich no doubt may iustly cause me to be dull and heauy in euery good duty think and so do vnfainedly confes my selfe vnfit and vnmeet for such vvorthy vvorks And yet I cannot but lay foorth this much that relying vppon the goodnes of the cause and hoping though it seeme almost against hope that GOD vvill giue a greater blessing to the carefull and christian labours of his seruants than vve can see vvith the eie of flesh and bloud I haue bin bold to publish this litle treaty vvherby if the mouths of such enimies of GOD as bark against his holy truth may in som sort be stopped and the comfort and instruction of his people prouided for I shall haue vvherin to reioice as for the common good so on your behalfe my very deare friends of vvhom I am asvvell persuaded as of my selfe and to some of vvhom I freely confes it I ovve in Christ more than my selfe if I could tell hovv to pay it But not being able to perform that and vvithall vnvvilling to continue still in my vnthankefulnes I must confes it tovvards you I haue thought
as much as it hath no good foundation to stand vpon but also bicause it doth wonderfullie darken if not vtterly euacuate and take away both the loue of God and Christes grace and fauour also towardes vs for we knowe and haue learned out of the scriptures and therefore doe beleeue it too that God so loued the vvorlde Iohn 3 16. Rom. 8.32 that he gaue his onely begotten sonne vnto the death for vs all to the ende that euery one of those vvhich beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life which rich loue of his towards vs could not haue so plentifully and plainly appeared if he had therein as wel prouided for his sons profit as for our good And Christs grace can not but be greatly obscured thereby while we fantastically imagine that he came into the world suffred al maner of villanie at the hands of the wicked for some other cause good for himselfe rather than for the worke of our saluation Whereas we are sure that when the Scripture will magnifie his loue towards vs Rom. 5 6.10 it telleth vs that he died for vs vvhen vve vvere his vtter enimies giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that he had no regarde or consideration of himselfe at all but onely of vs yea hee himselfe saith Iohn 17.19 in the gospell after Iohn that for our sakes he sanctified himselfe c. by which hee plainely declareth that he did not onlie sanctifie himselfe for our sakes alone but also that he deriued the fruit and benefit of his owne holinesse ouer vnto vs purchasing nothing thereby vnto himselfe And no doubt but this is the meaning as of the whole Scripture generally so specially of the Prophets and Apostles when they say Vnto vs a childe is borne Isai 9.6 and vnto vs a son is giuen And againe that hee died for our sins Rom. 4.25 and rose for our righteousnes these words vs and ours being so emphaticall and forcible yea after a sort so particularizing the matter and persons that they shew that for vs and our sakes onely and for nothing to himselfe he became man and tooke vpon him the shape of a seruant which had it not beene wholie and altogither true it had beene as easie a matter for the holie ghost or holie men inspired by the spirite of God to haue saide that hee did it aswel for himselfe as for vs but no such phrase can be found and therefore hee mindeth to restraine Christes humbling and the fruites and effectes of it which indeede are all his merits wholy and altogither to vs. Thirdly it may seeme straunge in reason to all men if it be not erroneous in religion amongest Christians that the merites of Christes sufferings shoulde haue a larger reach and be extended further than his passions and sufferings themselues especially sith that they themselues make his sufferings the causes of his merits and his merits the effects of those causes In common sense we know that as a cause is before the effect for an effect can not be before there be a cause working the same effect so it is and must of necessitie also be as large at the least as the effect it selfe if not more large in as much as it must not only giue life and being to the things for the present time produced but also preserue a continuall life in it self for the bringing out of the like effectes still And they themselues haue a rule in philosophie that whatsoeuer worketh or bringeth foorth such a thing as the thing it self is that worketh or bringeth foorth that thing that bringeth forth is in the same kind much more such a thing than that which is broght forth Shall Christ then by his death merite for himselfe and shall hee not in his death die for himselfe But that Christ suffered for himselfe they dare not aduouch for the scripture affirmeth the contrarie saying 1 Pet. 3.18 that the iust suffered for the vniust and that were to make also Christ a transgressor wheras the word telleth vs that he did no sinne neither vvas there any guile found in his mouth 1. Pet 2 22. Isaiah 53.9 yea it were to leaue our selues in our sins bicause a sinner though he should suffer neuer so much cannot cleare himselfe much lesse others from sin or the punishment due vnto the same And therfore also there is no reason why they shoulde holde that Christ merited for himselfe Certainly touching this point this is my persuasion and I rest resolued that all good men wil easly consent with me in the same to wit that this forgerie that Christ suffered on the crosse that so by the merite of his worke hee might get vnto himselfe some thing which before he had not came without all doubt euen from Sathan himselfe who labored by this as by many other the like corruptions to cast a thicke mist or fogge before the most excellent glorie and grace of our Sauiour that so the same being dimmed at the first though not in the whole yet in some small part of it he might in the ende by a little taint and discredite the whole And whosoeuer they are that see Sathans subtilties indeede do not onely perceiue this to be most true but haue their hearts also thorowe Gods goodnesse inlightned to knowe to what ende Sathan doth it namely to bring them by doubting of some part of Christes great glorie at the least to distrust the whole and so by consequence to suffer him yea and that willinglie also to hold vs captiues in vnbeleefe at his pleasure We had neede therefore not onlie to looke well about vs least we be ignorantlie or at vnwares supprised of him in his grinnes but also to hearken and that attentiuely and carefully to the voice of the holie ghost speaking vnto vs in the written worde which oftentimes telleth vs that in Christs death and suffering we shoulde not labour to see taste thinke feele or knowe any thing else but Gods meere grace and goodnes onely and such great and inestimable loue of our Sauiour Christ to vs-ward that hee as a man woulde say quite and cleane forgetting himselfe and looking at nothing but our good was contented to take his life in his hands and vvillingly to lay it dovvne for vs all Ioh. 10.17 18 yea we shall see that whensoeuer the scripture speaketh of the sufferings of our sauiour in plaine wordes and termes it determineth that the fruit and benefit thereof redoundeth wholie and onely vnto vs affirming that by it eternall life is purchased vnto vs and heauen gates set open for vs wee being thereby not onely purged from our filthines but wholy reconciled to God and restored to righteousnes for which purpose amongst many other see one plaine place Hebrewes 10. vers 14 15 16 c. But if they wil needs haue and hold that our sauiour Christ did merit for himselfe then let them tel vs we pray them first at what time he
holie conuersation and godlines to looke for the comming of the Lorde declareth that the heauens being on fire shall be dissolued and the elements shall melt vvith heat and the earth vvith the vvorkes that are therein shall be burnt vp And though this be most true that the Apostle vnderstandeth by that worde creature heauen and earth with all creatures therein contained yet wee must notwithstanding except from that generall and that for the causes and reasons following also these particulars insuing namely the holie and elect angelles the faithfull and godlie people of the worlde the diuelles and damned spirits as also the wicked and vngodlie of the earth spirits as also the wicked and vngodlie of the earth For as for the angelles they haue already the full fruition of the thing it selfe our Sauiour himselfe affirming that they alvvayes beholde the face of God in heauen Mar 18.10 And they can not be wel saide to wish for that that they haue in continuall and most assured possession If anie man will obiect against this trueth 1. Pet. 1.12 that that Saint Peter saith to wit that the very Angelles desire to beholde the publishing of the gospell in this life and the inioyeng that vvhich the gospell promiseth in the life to come I answere that that is not spoken neither must or can be vnderstoode of their owne wants as though they wished that for themselues for as was said before they haue all fulnesse but as in regard of their zeale to the glory of GOD which shall then be perfected when the wicked shall be troden downe for euer and the godly continually exalted and as in respect of vnfained loue to vs and our saluation which is so deare and pretious vnto them that as they are alwayes readie according to the appointment and good will of God what they can to aduaunce and further the same so doubtlesse they doe much reioice therein of which our Sauiour himselfe beareth witnesse in an other place saying â—uke 15 10. that there is ioy in the presence of the angelles of God for one sinner that conuerteth And as for the elect and faithfull people seeing they are of two sorts and yet al making but one bodie that is to say some whome the Lorde hath taken to himselfe and finished the dayes of their pilgrimage heere and othersome that doe and must tarrie the Lordes good leasure for the time of their dissolution and departure hence wee feare not to affirme that either of these may iustly in a true and holie meaning and vppon very good reasons and causes also be excepted from being comprised vnder this generall terme creature for as for the first sort they being in that state and condition that the Angelles are that is alwaies beholding the face of God in heauen they can not nor doe not any more wish the same than they And if at anie time they seeme as the Angelles before are saide to doe the same and for and in regarde of the same considerations and causes they finding also now that they are in heauen that to beleeue in themselues which while they were on the earth they did as in regard of the forefathers of their faith beleeue to be true bicause the holy ghost hath spoken it That they vvithout vs can not bee perfect Hebr. 11.40 And the latter must needes be excepted likewise as who are by the spirite of God in the mouth and penne of the Apostle excepted in the 22. and 23. verses following Philip. 1.23 who daily desire euen in this life to be loosed from hence and to be vvith Christ vvhich is best of all and continually sigh and grone 2. Cor. 5.2 that they may be clothed vvith their house vvhich is from heauen As for the diuels and damned spirites which are the third in number that are excepted from this we haue also good reason to except them both bicause that in their peruersenesse against God and man they do not onelie not carry that loue toward the adauncement of Gods glorie or the accomplishment of the number of Gods elect and their saluation that the Angelles and faithful people do but rather would if they could tel how to the vttermost of their power continually deface both the one and the other and also bicause that they know that when that time commeth then there shall fall vpon them in most dreadfull maner the fulnesse and perpetuitie indeede of their endles condemnation they themselues after a sort confessing the truth of this when they saide to our Sauior Christ Art thou come to torment vs before the time Mat. 8.29 Lastly that the wicked themselues should be excepted there is a double reason likewise one is bicause they are so far off from desiring that day that they do rather prophanely scoffe scorne at as al truth vniuersally so particularly that which is deliuered touching the generall iudgement and the day of the restauration of all things Of whome S. Peter speaketh notably calling them mockers 2. Pet. 3.3 4. and men that vvill vvalke after their ovvne lusts vvhich say vvhere is the promise of his comming for since the fathers died all thinges continue alike from the beginning of the creation the other bicause they labor as much as in them lieth partlie by the manifolde pleasures that they possesse in this life and partly by benummednesse of heart and growing into forgetfulnes to put far from them the euil day wishing that either it might neuer come or els that it might be de ferred as long as possibly might be That wee may say nothing of this that euen they theÌ„selues as the diuels likewise whose slaues and seruants they are do in the sight of their sin the fear of the punishment that they know they haue deserued for it treÌ„ble quake we knowing this also to be true by coÌ„mon experience that no malefactor wisheth the day of his arraignement much lesse the time of his execution for if he might be left to his libertie or put to his choise he woulde be glad rather to liue though it were in all miserie and that therfore neither the diuelles nor the wicked can or will desire that time that shall be vnto them not so dreadful as death only but so fearful terrible both for bodies soules and that for euer and euer world without end as cannot be either thought or expressed In these exceptions I haue freelie according to my poore measure deliuered my minde not meaning yet therein either to attribute perfection to my owne words or to barre or stop vp the way to other who in these deep points may certainly see say more than I do from adding hervnto Only in this behalfe as in all other let vs looke to vtter that we do vpon good grounds and warrants of the word onelie It followeth vvaiteth to wit as it were with a certaine kind of patience and quietnes for howsoeuer the burthen be greeuous vnto them
in reason or an error in religion must of necessitie haue an other sense than the wordes seeme to import or else we should make god the author of al wisdome yea the only vvise God and wisdome it selfe 1. Tim. 1. the father of follie the word which is a most pure fountaine of all truth and sinceritie a filthie puddle of error corruption and lies And if for the saluing vp of mens slippes and sliddes in the words of their lips and mouthes we wil admit so many goodly gloses as they themselues or others for them can deuise or bring and yet perhappes fewe or none of them to purpose or effect if they might be well scanned and weighed why may wee not naie whie shoulde wee not take those assured groundes of christian religion that God hath reuealed in his worde against which no exception can anie manner of way be put and vse them as meanes not to free God from forgerie or deceit for he is always iust and holy though we be corrupt nor to cleare his worde from error which indeede in it selfe is al plainenesse and truth but as very good helpers and aiders to cause vs in an vnderstanding heart to beholde conceiue and beleeue such thinges as to the sound knowledge wherof otherwise we could no manner of way attaine or reach I say then that for as muche as the place in the bare wordes of it crosseth the principles of christian faith and that for as much also as the doctrine of the worde teacheth vs that such celestiall substances and altogither spirituall creatures as Angelles can doe no such earthlie dutie as is heere mentioned nor performe the actions of a naturall bodie that therfore the meaning of this place must of necessitie be this that for our weaknes sake that is attributed to them or spoken of them which in deede and truth and as in respect of their owne excellent natures cannot be verified in them For the strengthning whereof also me thinketh this may somewhat serue namely that as they seemed for the time to haue the shape of men and to take vppon them the proportion of their bodies and yet were not men indeede but alwayes verye Angelles and heauenlie spirites so they did sometimes seeme to vse the actions of humane life and yet vsed them not at all Indeede I both knowe and confesse that not only Scotus and the popish schoole-men are against me in this point but Augustine Peter Martyr and other men also of singular iudgement both newe and olde Howbeit I rest perswaded that euen they themselues if they were liuing and the godlie reader whosoeuer he be will beare with me dissenting from them vppon good reason yea euen vppon their owne reason For if they may say and that vppon iuste cause that Angelles tooke vppon them the shape of mens bodies for a time not by any power in themselues for that worke but by Gods appointment thereto and yet were not men but Angelles continually I hope that other men may say and that vppon as good groundes that they might seeme sometimes to performe the actions of men and yet not doe them indeed Wherevnto also I doe the more willingly incline bicause I am sure of this that nothing here is to be feared as erroneous or doubted as daungerous vnlesse some light-headed fellowe shoulde obiect and say that this faining to do a thing and not dooing of it were euill To whome for answere I say this much that I hartily desire all of that mind to beware and take heed what they speake in that behalfe bicause thereby they shall not onlie accuse those creatures of sinne whom the Lord hath freed from that corruption and the taint thereof I meane the holie blessed and elect Angelles but euen Iesus Christ the sonne of God himselfe of whome wee reade in the gospell after Luke that trauelling after his resurrection toward Emaus with two of his disciples he made as though hee vvoulde haue gone further Luke 24.28 and yet offended not therein bicause hee neuer committed sinne 1. Pet. 2.22 neither vvas there euer guile found in his mouth In a worde to deliuer what I thinke for anie man to conclude that euery fiction either in worde or deede were euill should be not onelie very hard and peremptorie but vtterly false and vntrue The parables that the prophets of God haue vsed and particularly that of Nathan in the first of Samu. twelfe chap. vers 1 2 3 c. and of Hos 1. vers 2 3 c. and of others should so be prooued falshoode and lying which we cannot rightly or safly affirme for as much as they vsed them by authoritie and warrant from the Lorde And yet I minde not to tollerate much lesse to allowe of that wicked license and diuellish libertie that the praters and ianglers of our dayes take vnto themselues in this behalfe both by worde and writing For I haue learned to put a difference betweene suche as Angelles and holy men haue by authoritie from GOD with some glorie vnto his name and good of his people and voide of ostentation or of affection as in respect of themselues vsed and those that prophane persons doe printe and coine sometimes for to manifest their wittes and sometimes for to obtaine credite thereby but alwayes with dishonour vnto GOD and hurte vnto themselues and hinderaunces vnto others as in some particulars and that by rearefull effectes I could well shewe were I so disposed But to the point indeede Let this stande as a resolued truth that for as much as Angels eate not bodilie or earthlie foode and we after the resurrection shal in that many other such like respects bee as the Angelles of GOD that therefore wee shall haue no vse of the restored creatures as for meate and sustenaunce and that therefore againe they fight directlie against the worde of GOD that dare bolt out such bolde and beastlie conclusions besides also that they doe vtterlie euert and destroie the nature and condition of a glorified bodie for if this be right 1. Cor. 15.44 53 that our naturall bodies shall become spirituall bodies not that the bodie shall be altered in respect of substaunce but as in regarde of earthlie qualities onclie And that vvhich is mortall must putte on immortalitie and this bee true also and sound Phil. 3 21. that our base and vile bodies shall be fashioned like vnto the glorious bodie of our Sauiour Christ it must of necessitie followe that if they haue foode to vse or to feede vppon it must be other foode than earthlie or corruptible meate such as our Sauiour himselfe speaketh of saying My meate is that I may doe the vvill of him that sent mee and finish his vvorke Iohn 4.32 for which also hee exhorteth vs to traueil saying Iohn 6.27 Labour not for the meate vvhich perisheth but for the meate that indureth to euerlasting life or else they must confesse that our Sauiour CHRIST since