doting women who through the diuels delusion suppose that they themselues doe that which indeede the diuell doth alone albeit they endeauour cunningly to cloake this sinne yet by the same meanes they may defend murther adulterie and what other sinne soeuer II. Those which doe consult with Magitians they doe also worship the diuel for they reuolt frō God to the diuell howesoeuer they plaister vp their impietie with vntempered morter that they seeke Gods helpe though by the meanes of Magitians 1. Sam. 28.13 The woman said to Saul I saw gods ascending from the earth Leu. 20.6 If any turne after such as worke with spirit◠and after soothsayers to goe a whoring after them then will I set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people Esay 8.19 20. When they shall say to you Enquire at them which haue a spirit of diuination and at the soothsayers which whisper and murmure Should not a people enquire as their God from the liuing to the dead to the law and to the testimonie The affirmatiue part Thou shalt worshippe God in spirit and trueth Iohn 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and trueth For so soone as any man beginneth to worship God after an ouerthwart and vnlawefull manner he then adoreth an idoll howsoeuer he seemeth to colour his impietie Paul therefore Rom. 1.23 saith that such as worshipped the creature and turned the glorie of the incorruptible God to the similitude of a corruptible man did forsake the Creator v. 25. and 1. Cor. 10.20 Those things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to diuells and not vnto God To this part therfore appertaine such things as respect the holy solemne seruice of God I. The true and ordinarie meanes of Gods worshippe as calling vpon the name of the Lord by humble supplication and hartie thanksgiuing and the ministerie of the Word and Sacraments Act. 2.41,42 They that gladly receiued his word were baptized the same day there were added to the Church about three thousand soules And they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and of prayers 1. Tim. 2.1 I exhort you especially that praiers supplicatiōs be made for all men for kings all in authoritie Act. 20.7 The first day of the weeke the Disciples being come togither to breake bread Paul preached vnto them readie to depart on the morrow and continued the preaching vnto midnight Tertul. Apolog. chap. 39. We come into the assemblie and congregation that with our praiers as with an armie we might compasse God This kind of violence offered to God is acceptable to him If any man so offend that he must bee suspended from the publike place of praier and holy meetings all ancient men that be of any account beare rule being aduanced to this honour not by bribes but by their good report c. read the rest II. An holy vse of the meanes First in the ministers who ought to administer al things belonging to Gods worship according to his word Math. 28. 20. Teaching them to obserue all things which I haue commaunded 1. Corinthians 11. 23. I haue receiued of the Lord that which also I haue deliuered Secondly in the rest of the assemblie whose dutie is in praying vnto God in hearing the word preached and read and in receiuing the Sacraments to behaue thēselues outwardly in modestie and without offence 1. Corinth 14.40 Let all things be done honestly and by order Inwardly they must take heede that their hearts be well prepared to serue God Eccles. 4.17 Take heede to both thy feete when thou entrest into the house of God c. and chap. 5.1 Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thine heart he hastie to vtter a thing before God Againe wee must looke that wee approch neere God in confidence of his mercie togither with a contrite and repentant heart for all our sinnes Heb. 4. 2. The word that they heard profited not because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it Psal. 26.6 I will wash mine hands in innocencie O Lord and so come before thine altar III. The helps and furtherances of the true worship are two Vowes and Fasting and they are not to be takē as the worship of God it selfe For we may not obtrude any thing to God as good seruice and as though it did binde the conscience except he haue ordained it for that end and purpose A vow in the New Testament is a promise to God with a full intent to obserue some corporall and externall duties which a Christian hath on his owne accord without iniunction imposed vpon himself that he may thereby the better be excited vnto repentance meditation sobrietie abstinence patience and thankfulnes towards God Gen. 28.20 Then Iaakob vowed a vow saying If God will be with me and will keepe me in this iourney which I goe and will giue me bread to eate and cloathes to put on so that I come againe to my fathers house in safetie then shall the Lord be my God and this stone which I haue set vp as a pillar shall be Gods house and of all that thou shalt giue me I will giue the tenth to thee In vowing we haue these things to obserue 1. We must not vow that which is vnlawfull 2. We ought not to vowe the performance of that which is contrarie to our vocation 3. Vowes must be of that which we can doe 4. They must be farre from so much as a conceit of merit or worship of God 5. We must so performe our vowes as that they encroch not vpon Christian libertie giuen vs in Christ for we are bounden to pay our vowes no longer then the causes thereof either remaine or are taken away Deut. 23.18 Thou shalt neither bring the hire of a whore nor the price of a dogge into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow v. 21. When thou shalt vow a vow vnto the Lord thy God thou shalt not be slacke to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee but when thou abstainest from vowing it shal be no sinne vnto thee c. v. 23. Psal. 66.14 I will pay thee my vowes which my lips haue promised Fasting is when a man perceiuing the want of some blessing or suspecting and seeing some imminent calamitie vpon himselfe or other abstaineth not onely from flesh for a season but also from all delights and sustenance that he thereby may make a more diligent search into his owne sinnes or offer most hūble praiers vnto God that he would withhold that which his anger threatned or bestow vpon vs some such good things as we want Matth 9.15 Can the children of the marriage chamber mourne so long as the bridegrome is with thē 1. Cor. 7.5 Defraud not one another except for a time that ye may the better fast and pray Ioel 2.12 Wherefore euen now saith the Lord be ye turned
a signe betweene me and you in your generation that ye may know that I the Lord doe sanctifie you The same is recorded Ezech. 20.12 It signified also that blessed rest of the faithfull in the kingdom of heauen Esai 66. 23. From moneth to moneth and from sabbath to sabbath shall all flesh come to worship before me saâ—â—h the Lord. Heb. 4.8,9 10. If Iesus had giuen them a rest c. The Sabbath is likewise ceremoniall in that it was obserued the seauenth day after the creation of the world and was then solemnized with such ceremonies Numb 28.9 But on the sabbath day ye shall offer two lambes of a yeare old without spot and two tenth deales of fine floure for a meate offering â—ingled with oyle and the drinke offering thereof 10. This is the burnt â—ffering of euery Sabbath beside the continuall burnt offering and drinke offering thereof But now in the light of the Gospel and the Churches professing the same the ceremonie of the Sabbath is ceased Col. 2.16 Let no man condemne you in meate and drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new moone or of the Sabbath 17. which are but shadowes of things to come but the bodie is Christ. The obserâ—ation of the Sabbath was translated by the Apostles from the seuenth day to the day following Act. 20. 7. The first day of the weeke the Disciples beeing come together to breake bread Paul preached to them 1. Cor. 16.1,2 Concerning the gathering for the Saints as I haue ordained in the Churches of Galatia so doe ye also euery first day of the weeke let euery one of you put aside by himselfe and lay vp â—s God hath prospered him that then there be no gatherings when I come This day by reason that our Sauiour did vpon it riâ—e againe is called the Lords day Revel 1.10 I was rauished in the spirit on the Lords day The obseruation of the Sabbath thus constituted by the Apostles was neuerthelesse neglected of those Churches which succeeded them but after was reuiued and established by Christian Emperours as a day most apt to celebrate the memorie of the creation of the world and to the serious meditation of the redemption of mankind Leo and Anton. Edict of holy daies The obseruation of the Sabbath is morall in as much as it is a certaine seauenth day preserueth and conserueth the ministerie of the word and the solemne worship of God especially in the assemblies of the church And in this respect we are vpon this day as well inioyned a rest from our vocations as the Iewes were Esai 58.13 If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy will on mine holy day and call my Sabbath a delight to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord and shalt honour him not doing thine owne waies c. Finally it is morall in that it freeth seruants and cattell from their labours which on other daies doe seruice vnto their owners The affirmative part Keepe holy the Sabbath day This we doe if we cease from the workes of sinne and our ordinarie calling performing those spirituall works which we are commanded in the second and third Commandement I. To arise earely in the morning that so we may prepare our selues to the better sanctifying of the Sabbath ensuing This preparation consisteth in priuate praiers and taking account of our seuerall sinnes Mark 1.35 In the morning very earely before day Iesus arose and went into a solitarie place and there prayed The day following was the Sabbath when he preached in the Synagogues 39. Exod. 32. 5 6. Aaron proclaimed saying To morrow shal be the holy day of the Lord so they rose vp the next day earely in the morning Eccles. 4. vers last Take heede to thy feete when thou entrest into the house of God II. To be present at publique assemblies at ordinarie howers there to heare reuerently and attentiuely the word preached and read to receiue the Lords Supper and publikely with the congregation call vpon and celebrate the name of the Lord. 1. Tim. 1.2,3 Act. 20.7 2. King 4.22,23 Act. 13.14 15. When they departed from Perga they came to Antiochia a citie of Pisidia and went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and sate downe And after the lecture of the Law and Prophets the rulers of the Synagogue sent vnto them saying Ye men and brethren if ye haue any word of exhortation for the people say on III. When publique meetings are dissolued to spend the rest of the Sabboth in the meditation of Gods word and his creatures Psal. 29. from the beginning to the ending Act. 17. 11. These were also more noble men then they which were at Thessalonica which receiued the word with all readinesse and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so We must also exercise then the workes of charitie as to visit the sicke giue almes to the needie admonish such as fall reconcile such as are at iarre and discord amongst themselues c. Nehem. 8.12 Then all the people went to eate and to drinke and to send away part and to make great ioy The negatiue part Pollute not the Sabboth of the Lord. This is a grieuous sinne Matth. 24.20 Pray that your flight be not in winter nor on the Sabboth daie Lament 1.7 The aduersaries saw her and did mocke at her Sabboths Leuit. 19.30 Ye shall keepe my Sabboths and reuerence my Sanctuarie I am the Lord. In this part are these things forbidden I. The workes of our calling wherein if we doe ought it must be altogether in regard of charitie and not in regard of our owne priuate commodity II. Vnnecessarie iourneyes Exod. 16.29 Tarrie euery man in his place let no man goe out of his place the seuenth day By this reason the master of the family must that day remaine at home to sanctifie the Sabbath with his household III. Faires vpon the Sabboth daie Nehem. 3.19 When the gates of Ierusalem began to be darke before the Sabboth I commaunded to shut the gates charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabboth and some of my seruants set I at the gate that there should no burden be brought in on the Sabboth day read v. 15,16,17,18 IV. All kind of husbandrie as plowing sowing reaping mowing bringing home haruest other the like Exod. 34. 21. In the seauenth day shalt thou rest both in earing time and in haruest shalt thou rest V. To vse iestes sports banquetting or any other thing whatsoeuer which is a means to hinder or withdraw the mind from that serious attention which ought to be in Gods seruice for if the workes of our calling must not be exercised much lesse these whereby the minde is as well distracted from Gods seruice as by the greatest labour VI. An externall obseruation of the Sabboth without an internall regard of godlines Esa. 1.14,15 My soule hateth your new moones and your appointed feastes they are a burden vnto me I am wearie to
Ministers sinne against their neighbours is this not to preach the word of God to their charge that they thereby might be instructed in the waies of life Prou. 29.18 Where there is no vision the people decay but he that keepeth the Law is blessed Esai 56. 10. Their watchmen are all blind they haue no knowledge they are all dumbe dogs they cannot barke they lie and sleepe and delight in sleeping And these greedie dogges can neuer haue ynough and these shepheards they cannot vnderstand for they all looke to their owne way euery one for his aduantage and for his owne purpose Ezech. 3. 18. When I shall say to the vvicked Thou shalt surely die and thou giuest him not warning the same wicked man shall die in his iniquitie but his blood will I require at thy hands And not onely not to preach at all but to preach negligently is vtterly condemned Ier. 48.10 Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently Revel 3.16 Because thou art lukewarme and neither hote nor cold it will come to passe that I shall spew thee out of my mouth This reprooueth nonresidencie of ministers which is an ordinarie absence of the minister from his charge namely from that particular congregation committed vnto him Esai 62.6 I haue set watchmen vpon thy walls O Hierusalem which all the day and all the night continually shall not cease yee that are mindfull of the Lord keepe not silence and giue him no rest till he repaire and till he set vp Ierusalem the praise of the world Act. 20.28,29,30,31 Take heede therefore vnto your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchasedwith his owne blood For I know this that after my departing shall grieuous wolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke Moreouer of your selues shall men arise speaking peruerse things to draw disciples after them Therefore watch and remember that by the space of three yeares I ceased not to warne euery one night and day with teares 1. Pet. 5.2,3 Feede the flocke of God which dependeth vpon you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthie lucre but of a readie minde not as though ye were Lords ouer Gods heritage but that ye may be ensamples to the flocke Ezech. 34.4 and 33. The Councel of Antioch the 17. Can. If any Bishop by imposition of hands inducted into a charge and appointed to gouerne a people and he neglect to take vpon him that office but delaieth to goe vnto the congregation allotted vnto him such an one shall be prohibited from the Lords table till he be enforced to attend vpon that charge or at the least somewhat be determined by a complete assembly of the Ministers of that Prouince The Councel of Sardice the 14. Canon We remember that our brethren in a former assemblie decreed that if any lay-man remaining three Sabboths or Lords daies that is three weekes in a citie did not in the same citie frequent the Church assemblies he should be excommunicated If then such things are not allowable in lay-men much lesse in Ministers for whome it is neither lawfull nor conuenient without vrgent necessitie to be absent from his parish Church longer then the time aboue mentioned To this decree there was not one non placet but euery one said It liketh vs well The CouÌ„cel held at Const. in the 24. Canon decreed that Ministers ought not to haue their substitutes or vicars but in their owne persons with feare and cheerefulnesse performe all such duties as are required of them in the seruice of God The Canon law doth conclude the same things dist 39. Canon si quis vult debent indesinenter c. The Bishops saith the Canon ought to be continually resident in Gods tabernacle that they may learne somewhat of God and the people of them whilest they read often and meditate vpon Gods word Againe in the Canons intituled Pontifices and siquis in clero Episcopos qui dominici gregis suscipiunt curam c. The Bishops which take upon them to feede Gods flocke ought not to depart from their dutie least they loose that excellent talent which God hath bestowed vpon theÌ„ but rather striue with that one talent to get three more talents And in the 80. Can. of those which are tearmed the CanoÌ„s of the Apostles there is an expresse mandate that such whether Bishop or Senior who attendeth not vpon their office in the Church shall forthwith be remooued from that place The Chalcedon Councell Canon 10. Let no man be ordained Minister of two Churches in two seuerall cities but let him remaine in that vnto which he was first called And if for vaine glorie he shall afterward goe to a greater congregation let him immediately be recalled to his first charge and in that onely exercise his ministerie But if one be called to another charge let him simply giue ouer the former and haue no interest in the same c. For this thing looke to the decree of Damasus and the Councel of Trent sect 7. Can. 8. There are notwithstanding the former testimonies some cases wherein it is permitted to the Minister that he may be absent if by his absence the congregation be not endammaged I. Sicknes the Councell of Menâ—z 25. Canon If a Bishop be not at home or be sicke or vpon some exigent cannot be present at his parish let him procure one who vpon Sabbothes and festiuall daies will preach vnto his charge Augustine testifieth epist. 138. that he was absent on the like occasion II. Allowance of the Church to be absent for a time vpon some necessarie and publike commoditie for the same Coloss. 1.7 Epaphras is their minister but chap. 4.12 he beeing absent saluteth them And Ambrose though he were Bishop of Millaine yet went he twise Ambassador into France to make agreement betwixt Maximus and Valentinian Ambrose 5. booke and 27. epist to Valentinian the Emperour III. If by reason of persecution he be enforced to flee and see no hope to procure the safetie of his people This made Cyprian to be absent from Carthage as he testifieth in his epistles Thus much concerning sinnes against our neighbour Now follow such sinnes as a man committeth against his owne person as when a man doeth hurt kill and endanger himselfe Matth. 16.24 If any man will follow me let him denie himselfe take vp his crosse and follow me Matth. 4. 6. He saide vnto him If thou be the sonne of God cast thy selfe downe headlong for it is written He shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee and with their hands they shall lift thee vp least at any time thou shouldest dash thy foote against a stone 7. Iesus said vnto him It is written againe Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Therefore for a man to be his owne executioner though to escape a most shameful death is vtterly vnlawfull and vngodly The affirmatiue part Thou
Testament where the Lord biddeth the Israelites to come out from Idolaters and to touch no vncleane thing and the reason followeth out of Ieremie that if they doe so then God will be their father and they shall be his children euen his sonnes and daughters which reason Paul vrgeth in the next chapter to this effect considering wee haue these promises that therefore we should clense our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and growe vp vnto holinesse in the feare of the Lord where if we marke the place diligently we shall finde this lesson that euery man who takes God for his father must not onely in this sinne of Idolatrie but in all other sinnes separate himselfe that men by his godly life may know whose child he is But some will say this exhortation is needlesse amongst vs for we haue no cause to separate our selues from others because all among vs are Christians all beleeue in God and are baptized and hope to be saued by Christ. Answer In outward profession I confesse we carrie the shew of Christians but in deede and truth by our liues and conuersations very many among vs denie Christ for in euery place the common practise is to spend the time in drunkennes and surfetting in chambering and wantonnesse yea great is the companie of those that make a trade of it take this lewd conuersation from many men and take away their liues And on the Lords day it may be seene both publikely and priuately in houses and in the open streetes there is such reuell as though there were no God to serue In the sixe daies of the weeke many men walke very painefully in their callings but when the Lords day commeth then euery man takes license to doe what he will and because of the Princes lawes men will come formally to the Church for fashions sake but in the meane time how many doe nothing else but scorne mocke and deride and as much as in them lyeth disgrace both the word and the ministers thereof so that the common saying is this oh he is a precise fellow he goes to heare Sermons he is too holy for our companie But it stands men in hand to take out a better lesson which is if we will haue God to be our father we must shew our selues to be the children of God by repentance and newnesse of life he can not be but a gracelesse child that will lead a rebellious life flat against his fathers minde Let vs then so behaue our selues that we may honour our father which is in heauen and not dishonour him in our liues and callings rather let vs separate our selues from the filthinesse of the flesh loathing those things which our father lotheth and fleeing from those things which our father abhorreth And thus much for the duties Now follow the consolations which arise from this point But first we are to know that there are three sorts of men in the world The first are such as will neither heare nor obey the word of God The second sort are those which heare the word preached vnto them but they will not obey both these sorts of men are not to looke for any comfort hence Now there is a third sort of men which as they heare Gods word so they make conscience of obeying the same in their liues and callings and these are they to whome the consolations that arise out of this place doe rightly belong and must be applied First therefore seeing God the father of Christ and in him the father of all that obey and doe his will is our father here note the dignitie and prerogatiue of all true beleeuers for they are sonnes and daughters of God as saith Saint Iohn So many as receiued him to them he gaue a prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name This priuiledge will appeare the greater if we consider our first estate for as Abraham saith We are but dust and ashes and in regard of the depriuation of our natures we are the children of the deuill therefore of such rebells to be made the sonnes of God it is a wonderfull priuiledge and prerogatiue and no dignitie like vnto it And to inlarge it further he that is the sonne of God is the brother of Christ and fellow heire with him and so heire apparant to the kingdome of heauen and in this respect is not inferiour to the very angels This must be laide vp carefully in the hearts of Gods people to confirme them in their conuersation among the companie of vngodly men in this world Secondly if a man doe indeauour himselfe to walke according to Gods word then the Lord of his mercie will beare with his wants for as a father spareth his owne sonne so will God spare them that feare him Now a father commandes his childe to write or to applie his booke though all things herein be not done according to his minde yet if he finde a readinesse with a good indeauour he is content and falls to praise his childes writing or learning So God giueth his commaundement and though his seruants faile in obedience yet if the Lord see their heartie indeauour and their vnfained willingnesse to obey his will though with sundrie wants he hath made this promise and will performe it that as a father spareth his sonne so will he spare them If a child be sicke will the father cast him off nay if through the grieuousnes of his sicknesse he can not take the meate that is giuen him or if he take it and for faintnesse picke it vp againe will the father of the childe thrust him out of doores no but he will rather pitie him And so when a man doth indeauour himselfe through the whole course of his life to keepe Gods commandements God will not cast him away though through weakenesse he faile in sundrie things and displease God This prerogatiue can none haue but he that is the childe of God as for others when they sinne they doe nothing els but draw downe Gods iudgements vpon them for their deeper condemnation Thirdly hence we learne that the childe of God can not wholly fall away frō Gods fauour I doe not say that he cannot fall at all for he may fall away in part but he can not wholly Indeed so oft as he sins he depriues himself wholly of Gods fauour as much as in him lieth yet god for his part still keepeth the minde and purpose of a father Dauid loued his sonne Absolon wonderfully but Absolon like a wicked sonne plaied a lewd pranck would haue thrust his father out of his kingdome and Dauid although he was sore offended with Absolon and shewed tokens of his wrath yet in heart he loued him and neuer purposed to cast him off Herupon when he went against him he commāded the captains to intreat the yong man Absolon gently for his sake And whē he was hāged by the haire of the
mercie in that he pardoned their sinne for the merites of his Sonne Eph. 1. 18. That the eies of your vnderstanding may be lightned that ye may knowe what the hope is of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in his Saints 19. And what is the exceeding greatnes of his power towardes vs which beleeue according to the working of his mightie power 20. Which he wrought in Christ. Chap. 3.18 That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height 19. And to knowe the loue of Christ. All these things the Lord himselfe hath thus decreed and in his good time will accomplish them to the glorious praise of his Name Pro. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the daie of euill CHAP. 50. Concerning the order of the causes of saluation according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome THere are two things requisite to obtained saluation Predestination and the Execution thereof Predestination is a foreordaining of the reasonable creature to grace in this life glory in the life to come Sebast. Cattaneus Enchirid. tract 1. chap. last This in regard of the first effects thereof which are vocation election and ordination to eternall life hath the cause of it in God namely his will but in regard of the last effect which is the execution of such an ordinance and the obtaining of eternall life it hath the cause of it from man because according to the common opinion Gods predestination is by reason of workes foreseene in men that is God doth therefore predestinate or reiect some man because he foreseeth that he will well or badly vse his grace But for the more euident declaration of this these seuen conclusions must be set downe I. The Predestination and Reprobation of God do not constraine or inforce any necessitie vpon the will of man II. God hath predestinated all men that is he hath appointed and disposed all men so as they might obtaine eternall saluation III. Man is neither by necessitie nor chance saued or condemned but voluntarily IV. God hath predestinated some other hath he reiected V. Those whome God hath predestinated by his absolute predestination which can not be lost they shall infallibly die in grace but they which are predestinate by that predestination which beeing according to preâ—ent iustice may be lost by some mortall sinne which followeth are not infallibly saued but oftentimes such are condemned and loose their crowne and glory Hence ariseth that position of theirs that he which is iustified may be a reprobate perish eternally Torrensis Aug. Confess 2. booke 4. chap. 20. Sect. Therfore predestination is not certaine seeing it may be lost VI. God alone doth know the certaine and set number of them which are predestinate VII There is one set number of them which are predestinate or reprooued and that can neither be increased nor diminished The execution of Predestination is either in infants or those of yeres of discretion Concerning infants the merite of Christ is appliyed vnto them by baptisme rightly administred so that whatsoeuer in originall corruption may truely and properly be accounted for sinne it is not onely as I may say not pared away or not imputed but vtterly taken away For there is nothing that God can hate in such as are renued Concil Trid. 5. sect 5. Can. Neuertheles they are vrged to confesse that there remaineth yet in such as are baptized concupiscence or the reliques of sinn The which seeing it is left in men for them to wrestle withall it hath not power to hurt such as yeeld not vnto it The execution of predestination in such as are of riper yeares hath sixe degrees The first is vocation whereby men not for their owne merits but by Gods preuenting grace through Christ are called to turne vnto God The second is a preparation to righteousnesse whereby men through the inherent power of free-will do apply themselues to iustification after that the same power is stirred vp by the holy Ghost For free-will is onely somewhat diminished and not extinguished and therefore so soone as the holy Ghost toucheth and inlighteneth the heart it worketh togither with the same spirit freely assenting vnto the same This preparation hath seuen degreesâ— Biel. 4. booke 14. dist 2. quest The first is faith which is a knowledge and an assent whereby men agree that those things are true which are deliuered concerning God and his will reuealed in the word of God This is the foundation of iustification and prepareth the heart because it stirreth vp free-will that it may affect the heart with those motions by which it is prepared to iustification I. The act of faith is to apprehend the ouglines of sin the wages therof II. After this followeth a feare of Gods anger and of hell fire III. Then begin men to dislike and in some sort to detest sinne From these ariseth a certaine disposition which hath annexed vnto it the merite of congruitie yet not immediate nor sufficient but imperfect IV. At the length faith returneth to the contemplation of Gods mercies beleeueth that God is readie to forgiue sinnes by the infusion of charitie into those which are before sufficiently prepared and disposed V. Out of this contemplation proceedeth the act of hope whereby faith beginneth to desire and to waite on God as the chiefest good VI. Out of this act of hope ariseth loue whereby God is loued aboue all things in the world VII After this loue followeth a new dislike and detestation of sinne not so much in regard of feare of the punishment in hell fire as in regard of the offence of God who is simply loued more then all other things VIII After all these followeth a purpose of amendment of life and here comes in the merit of congruitie that is sufficient or els the immediate sufficient and last disposition before the infusion of grace The third degree of Predestination is the first iustification wherby men of vniust are made iust not only through the remission of their sinnes but also by a sanctificatioÌ„ of the inward maÌ„ by his voluÌ„tary receiuing of grace gifts The efficient cause of this iustification is the mercy of God and the meritorious passion of our Sauiour Christ whereby he purchased iustification for men The instrumentall cause is baptisme The formall cause is not that iustice which was inherent in Christ but which he infuseth into man and that is especially hope and charitie The fourth degree is the second iustification wherby men are of iust made more iust the cause hereof is faith ioyned with good workes It is possible for such as are renued to keepe the commaundements And therefore it is false that a iust man committeth so much as a veniall sinne in his best actions much lesse that he deserueth eternall death for the same The fift degree is the reparation of a sinner by the
any of Gods creatures or ordinances wee must sanctifie them by the direction of his word and by praier the reason is this because he is Lord ouer all and therefore from his word we must fetch direction to teach vs whether we may vse them or not and when and how they are to be vsed and secondly we must pray to him that he would giue vs libertie and grace to vse them aright in holy maner Also we are so to vse the creatures and ordinances of God as being alwaies readie to giue an account of our doings at the day of iudgement for we vse that which is the Lords not our owne we are but stewards ouer them and we must come to a reckoning for the stewardship Hast thou learning then imploy it to the glory of God and the good of the Church boast not of it as though it were thine owne Hast thou any other gift or blessing of God be it wisdome strength riches honour fauour or whatsoeuer then looke thou vse it so as thou maist be alwaies readie to make a good account thereof vnto Christ. Lastly euery one must in such manner lead his life in this world that at the day of death hee may with cheerefulnes surrender and giue vp his soule into the handes of his Lord and say with Steuen Lord Iesus receiue my soule For consider this with thy selfe that thy soule is none of thine owne but his who hath bought it with a price and therefore thou must so order and keepe it as that thou maiest in good manner restore it into the hands of god at the ende of thy life If a man should borrowe a thing of his neighbour and afterward hurt it and make a spoile of it he would be ashamed to bring it againe to the owner in that manner and if he doe the owner himselfe will not receiue it Vngodly men in this life doe so staine their soules with sinne that they can neuer be able willingly to giue them vp into the handes of God at the day of death and if they would yet God accepts them not but casts them quite away We must therefore labour so to liue in the world that with a ioyfull heart at the day of death we may commend our soules into the handes of our Lord Christ Iesus who gaue them vnto vs. This is a harde thing to bee done and he that will doe it truely must first be assured of the pardon of his owne sinnes which a man can neuer haue without true vnfained faith and repentance wherefore while we haue time let vs purge and clense our soules and bâ—dies that they may come home againe to God in good plight And here all gouernours must be put in mind that they haue an higher Lord that they may not oppresse or deale hardly with their inferiours This is Paul reason Ye masters saith he doe the same things vnto your seruants putting away threatning and knowe that euen your master is also in heauen neither is there respect of persons with him Inferiours againe must remember to submit themselues to the authoritie of their gouernours especially of magistrates For they are set ouer vs by our soueraigne Lord and king Christ Iesus as Paul saith Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers For there is no power but of God and the powers that be ordained are of God And againe Seruants be obedient to your Masters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenes of your hearts as vnto Christ. The comfort which Gods Church may reape hence is very great for if Christ be the Lord of lords and our Lord especially whome he hath created and redeemed we neede not to feare what the deuil or wicked men can doe vnto vs. If Christ be on our side who can be against vs wee neede not feare them that can destroy the bodie and doe no more but we must cast our feare on him that is Lord of body and soule and can cast both to hell Thus much of the fourth title Nowe followes Christs incarnation in these wordes Conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Marie And they containe in them one of the most principall points of the doctrine of godlines as Paul saith Without controuersie great is the mysterie of godlinesse which is God is made manifest in the flesh iustified in the spirit c. And that we may proceede in order in handling them I will first speake of the incarnation generally and then after come to the parts thereof In generall we are to propound fiue questions the answering whereof will be very needefull to the better vnderstanding of the doctrine following The first question is who was incarnateâ— or made man Answ. The second person in Trinitie the sonne of God alone as it is set downe in this article according to the Scripture S. Iohn saith The Word was made flesh and the angel saith The holy one which shall be borne of thee shall be called the sonne of the most high And Paul saith that Christ Iesus our Lord was made of the seede of Abraham according to the flesh And there be sundrie reasons why the second person should rather be incarnate then any other I. By whom the father created all things and man especially by him man beeing fallen is to be redeemed and as I may say recreated now man was at the first created of the father by the sonne and therefore to be redeemed by him II. It was most conuenient that he which is the essentiall image of the father should take mans nature that he might restore the image of God lost and defaced in man but the second person is the essentiall image of the father and therefore he alone must take mans nature III. It was requisite that that person which was by nature the sonne of God should be made the sonne of man that we which are the sonnes of men yea the sonnes of wrath should againe by grace be made the sonnes of God now the second person alone is the sonne of God by nature not the Father nor the holy Ghost As for the Father he could not be incarnate For to take flesh is to be sent of an other but the Father can not be sent of any person because he is from none Againe if the Father were incarnate he should be father to him which is by nature God and the sonne of a creature namely the virgin Marie which things can not well stand And the holy Ghost could not be incarnateâ— for then there should be more sonnes then one in the Trinitie namely the second person the sonne of the father and the third person the holy Ghost the sonne of the virgin Marie It may be obiected to the contrarie on this manner The whole diuine essence is incarnate euery person in Trinitie is the whole diuine essence therefore euery person is incarnate Ans. The whole Godhead indeede is incarnate yet not
be they neuer so good to haue good magistrates godly rulers to gouerne them by wise and godly counsell The necessitie hereof was well knowne to Iethro Moses father in law though he were a heathen man for he biddeth Moses to prouide among all the people men of couragâ— fearing God men dealing truly hating couetousnesse and appoint them to be rulers ouer the people Teaching vs that if couetous malitious and vngodly men not fearing Godâ— goe before the people they also shall in all likelihood be carried into the like sinnes by their example The next point concernes the place where they accuse him which was at the doore of the common hall for hauing brought him before the counsell at Ierusalem and there condemned him of blasphemie afterward they bring him into the common hall where Pilate sate iudge Yet did they not enter in but staied without at the dore least they should be defiled and be made vnfit to eate the passeouer In which practise of theirs we are to marke an example of most notable both superstition and most grosse hypocrisie For they make no bones to accuse and arraigne a man most iust and innocent and yet are very strict and curious in an outward ceremonie And in like maner they make no conscience to giue thirtie pieces of siluer to betray Christ but to cast the same into the treasurie they make it a great and heinous offence And for this cause Christ pronounceth a woe vnto the Scribes and Pharises calling them hypocrites for saith he you tithe mynt anyse and commin and leaue the weightie matters of the law as iudgement and mercie And the very same thing we see practised of the Church of Rome at this day and of sundrie Papists that liue amoÌ„gst vs they will not eate flesh in Lent or vpon any of the Popes fasting daies for any thing and yet the same men make no conscience of seeking the bloode of the Lords annointed and their dread soueraigne And in this we see the most palpable and most grosse hypocrisie of those that be of that Church But shall we thinke that our owne Church is free from such men no assuredly for take a view of the profession that is vsed among the people of England and it will appeare that they place their whole religion for the most part in the obseruation of certaine ceremonies The manner of most men is to come to the place of assemblies where God is worshipped there mumble vp the Lords prayer the commandements and the beleefe in stead of praiers which being done God is well serued thinke they whereas in the meane season they neglect to learne and practise such things as are taught them for their saluation by the ministers of Gods word At the feast of Easter euery man will be full of deuotion and charitie and come to receiue the Lords Supper as though he were the holiest man in the world but when the time is past all generally turne to their old by as againe and all the yeare after liue as they list making no conscience of lying slandering fraud and deceit in their affaires among men But we must know that there is no soundnes of religion but grosse hypocrisie in all such men they worship God with their lippes but there is no power of godlinesse in their hearts The third point is concerning the partie to whome they make this accusation against Christ namely not to a Iewe but to a Gentile for hauing condemned him in their Ecclesiasticall court before Caiphas the high priest they bring him to Pontius Pilate the deputie of Tiberius Caesar in Iudea Where we must obserue the wonderfull prouidence of God in that not onely the Iewes but the Gentiles also had a stroke in the arraignment of Christ that that might be true which the Apostle saith God shut vp all vnder sinne that he might haue mercie vpon all The fourth point is the matter of their accusation they accuse our Sauiour Christ of three things I. that he seduced the people II. that he forbad to pay tribute to Caesar. III. that he saide he was a king Let vs well consider these accusations especially the two last because they are flat contrarie both to Christs preaching and to his practise For when the people would haue made him a King after he had wrought the miracle of the fiue loaues two fishes the text saith he departed from among them vnto a mountaine himselfe alone Secondly when tribute was demanded of him for Caesar though he were the Kings sonne and therefore was freed yet saith he to Peter least we should offend them goe to the sea and cast in an angle and take the first fish that commeth vp and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt finde a piece of twentie pence that take and giue vnto them for thee and me And when he was called to be a iudge to deuide the inheritance betweene two brethren he refused to doe it saying Who made me a iudge betweene you Therefore in these two things they did most falsly accuse him Whereby we learne that nothing is so false and vntrue but the slanderer dare lay it to the charge of the innocent the tongues of the slanderers are sharpe swords and venemous arrowes to wouÌ„d their enemies their throats are open sepulchres the poyson of aspes is vnder their lippes If a man speake gracious words his tongue is touched with the fire of Gods spirit but as S. Iames saith the tongue of the wicked is fire yea a world of wickednes and it is set on fire with the fire of hell therefore let this example be a caueat to vs all to teach vs to take heede of slandering for the deuill then speakes by vs and kindles our tongues with the fire of hell The fifth point is the manner of their accusation which is diligently to be marked for they doe not onely charge him with a manifest vntruth but they beseech Pilate to put him to death crying Crucifie him crucifie him in so much that Pontius Pilate was afraid of them where we see how these shamelesse Iewes goe beyond their compasse and the bounds of all accusers whose dutie is to testiâ—ie onely what they know Now in the matter of this their accusation appeares their wonderfull inconstancie For a little before when Christ came to Ierusalem riding vpon an asse shewing some signes of his kingly authoritie they cut downe branches from the trees and strawed them in the way crying Hosanna Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord but now they sing another song and in stead of Hosanna they crie Crucifie him crucifie him And the like inconstancie is to be found in the people of these our times They vse to receiue any religion that is offered vnto them for in the daies of King Edward the sixth the people of England receiued the Gospel of Christ but shortly after in Queene Maries time the same
heauens the extraordinarie change of the whole world The second opinion is that the ende of the world shall be three yeares and an halfe after the reuealing of Antichrist And it is gathered out of places in Daniel and the Reuelation abused Where a time and halfe a time signifie not three yeares and a halfe but a short time And therefore to take the wordes properly is farre from the meaning of the holy Ghost For marke if the ende shall be three yeares and a halfe after the reuealing of Antichrist then may any man knowe before hand the particular moneth wherein the ende of the world should be which is not possible Nowe the trueth which may be auouched against all is this that no man can know or set down or coniecture the day the weeke the moneth the yere or the age wherin the second comming of Christ and the last day of iudgement shall be For Christ himselfe saith of that daie and houre knoweth no man no not the angels in heauen but God onely may Christ himselfe as he is man knew it not And when the disciples asked Christ at his ascension whether he would restore the kingdome vnto Israel he answered It is not for you to knowe the times and seasons which the father hath put in his owne power And Paul saith Of the times and seasons brethren you haue no neede that I write vnto you For you your selues knowe perfectly that the daie of the Lord shall come euen as a thiefe in the night Nowe wee knowe that a man that keepeth his house can not coniecture or imagine when a thiefe will come and therefore no man can set downe the particular time or age when Christ shall come to iudgement This must we hold steadfastly and if we read the contrarie in the writings of men we are not to beleeue their sayings but account of them as the deuices of men which haue no ground in Gods word To come to the third point namely the signes of the last iudgement they are of two sorts some goe before the comming of Christ and some are ioyned with it The signes that goe before are in number seuen recorded distinctly by the holy Ghost The first is the preaching of the Gospel through the whole world So our Sauiour Christ saith this Gospell of the kingdome must bee preached through the whole world for a witnesse vnto all nations and then shall the ende come Which place must thus be vnderstood not that the Gospell must be preached to the whole world at any one time for that as I take it was neuer yet seene neither shall be but that it shall bee published distinctly and successiuely at seuerall times and thus vnderstanding the words of Christ if wee consider the time since the Apostles daies wee shall finde this to be true that the Gospel hath beene preached to all the world and therefore this first signe of Christs comming is alreadie past and accomplished The second signe of his comming is the reuealing of Antichrist as Paul saith The daie of Christ shall not come before there be a departure first and that mā of sinne he disclosed euen the sonne of perdition which is Antichrist Concerning this signe in the yeare of our Lord 602. Gregory the eight pope of Rome auouched this solemnly as a manifest trueth that whosoeuer did take to himselfe the name of Vniuersall Bishop the same was Antichrist Now fiue yeres after Boniface succeeding him was by Phocas and Emperour entituled Vniuersall Bishop pastour of the Catholike Church in the yeare of our Lord 607. and of all Popes he was the first knowne Antichrist and since him all his successours haue taken vnto thē the same title of Vniuersal and Catholike Bishop whereby it doeth plainely appeare that at Rome hath bin and is the Antichrist And this signe is also past The third is a generall departing of most men from the faith For it is saide in the place before named let no man deceiue you for the day of Christ shall not come except there be a departing first Generall departure hath bin in former ages When Arius spread his heresie it tooke such place that the whole worlde almost became an Arian And during the space of 900. yeares from the time of Boniface the popish heresie spread it selfe ouer the whole earth and the faithfull seruants of God were but as an handfull of wheat in a mountaine of chaffe which can scarse be discerned This signe is in part already past neuertheles it shall continue to the ende because men shall continually depart from the faith And the nearer the end of the world is the more Satā rageth seeks to bring mē into his kingdō Therefore it standeth vs in hād to labour for the knowledge of true religiō hauing learned it most hartily to loue the same The fourth signe is a generall corruption in manners This point the Apostle sets downe at large saying Toward the latter daies shall come perilous times wherein men shall be louers of themselues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnthankefull vnholy and without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers intemperate fierce despisers of them which are good◠traytours headie high minded louers of pleasures more then louers of god c. This generall corruption in the manners of men is noted by our Sauiour Christ when he saith When he commeth he shall scarse sinde faith vpon the earth This signe hath bin in former ages and is no doubt at this day in the world For it is hard to finde a man that walketh iustly soberly and faithfully doing the duties of his calling to God and man The fifth signe of Christs comming stands in terrible and grieuous calamities For Christs disciples asking him a signe of his comming and of the ende of the world he saith There shall be warres and rumours of warres nation shall rise against nation and realme against realme and there shall be pestilence and famine and earthquakes in diuers places and men shall be at their wittes endes These haue bin in former ages In the first three hundred yeares after Christ were tenne most fearefull persecutions and since in Europe the Church of God hath bin wonderfully persecuted by the Antichrist of Rome in the hundred yeares last past The sixth signe is an exceeding deadnes of heart so as neither iudgements from heauen nor the preaching of the word shall mooue the hearts of men So Christ saith It shall be in the comming of the sonne of man as it was in the daies of Noe and in the daies of Sodom they knew nothing till the flood came and fire from heauen destroied them all This signe vndoubtedly is manifest in these our daies howsoeuer it hath beene also in former times For where are any almost that are mooued with Gods iudgements or touched at the preaching of the word nay rather men harden their hearts and become secure and careles The small
We are carefull to flie the infection of the bodily plague oh then how carefull should we be to flie the common blindnesse of minde and hardnes of heart which is the very plague of all plagues a thousand fold worse then all the plagues of Egypt And it is so much the more fearefull because the more it takes place the lesse it is perceiued When a malefactour on the day of assise is brought forth of the iayle with great bolts and fetters to come before the iudge as he is going all men pitie him and speake comfortably vnto him but why so because he is now to be arraigned at the barre of an earthly iudge Now the case of all impenitent sinners is farre more miserable then the case of this man for they lie fettered in bondage vnder sinne and Satan and this short life is the way in which they are going euery houre to the barre of Gods iustice who is the King of kings and Lord of lords there to be arraigned and to haue sentence of condemnation giuen against them Now canst thou pitie a man that is before an earthly iudge and wilt thou not be touched with the miserie of thine owne estate who goest euery day forward to the barre of Gods iustice whether thou be sleeping or waking sitting or standing as a man on the sea in a shippe goes continually toward the hauen though he himselfe stirre not his foote Begin now at length to lay this point to your hearts that so long as ye runne on in your blind waies without repentance as much as ye can yee make post hast to hel-ward and so long as you continue in this miserable condition as Peter saith Your iudgement is not farre off and your damnation sleepeth not Thirdly seeing those whom God hath purposed to refuse shall be left vnto themselues and neuer come to repentance we are to loue and embrace the word of God preached taught vnto vs by the ministers of the Gospell withall submitting our selues vnto it and suffering the Lord to humble vs thereby that we may come at length out of the broad way of blindnes of mind and hardnes of heart leading to destruction into the strait way of true repentance and reformation of life which leadeth to saluation For so long as a man liues in this world after the lusts of his owne heart he goes on walking in the very same broad way to hell in which all that are ordained to condemnation walke and what a fearefull thing is it but for a little while to be a companion in the way of destruction with them that perish and therefore I say once againe let vs all in the feare of God lay his word vnto our hearts and heare it with reuerence so as it may be in vs the sword of the spirit to cut downe the sinnes and corruptions of our natures and worke in vs a reformation of life and true repentance The third point concerning the decree of Reprobation is the Iudgement to be giuen of it This iudgement belongeth to God principally and proâ—erly because he knoweth best what he hath determined concerning the estate of euery man and none but he knowes who they be which are ordained to due and deserued damnation And againe he onely knoweth the hearts and wills of men and what grace he hath giuen them what they are and what all their sinnes be and so doth no angel nor creature in the world beside As for men it belongs not to them to giue iudgement of reprobation in themselues or in others vnlesse God reueale his will vnto them and giue them a gift of discerning This gift was bestowed on sundrie of the Prophets in the olde testament and in the newe testament on the Apostles Dauid in many psalmes makes request for the confusion of his enemies not praying onely against their sinnes which we may do but euen against their persons which we may not doe No doubt he was guided by Gods spirit and receiued thence an extraordinarie gift to iudge of the obstinate malice of his aduersaries And Paul praies against the person of Demetrius saying The Lord reward him according to his doings And such kind of praiers were lawful in them because they were carried with pure and vpright zeale and had no doubt a speciall gift whereby they were able to discerne of the finall estate of their enemies Againe God sometimes giues this gift of discerning of some mens finall impenitencie to the Church vpon earth I say not to this or that priuate person but to the bodie of the Church or greater part thereof S. Iohn writing vnto the Churches saith There is a sinne vnto death that is against the holy Ghost I say not that thou shouldest praie for it in which wordes he takes it for graunted that this sinne might be discerned by the Church in those daies And Paul saith If any man beleeue not the Lord Iesus let him be had in execration Mara-natha that is pronounced accursed to euerlasting destruction Whence it appeares that the Church hath power to pronounce men reiected to euerlasting damnation vpon some speciall occasions though I dare not say ordinarily and vsually The primitiue Church with one consent praied against Iulian the Apostata and the praiers made were not in vaine as appeared by the euent of his fearefull ende As for priuate and ordinarie men for the tempering and rectifying of their iudgements in this case they must followe two rules The one is that euery member of the Church is bound to beleeue his owne election It is the commandement of God binding the very conscience that wee should beleeue in Christ. Nowe to beleeue in Christ is not onely to put our affiance in him and to be resolued that we are iustified and sanctified and shall be glorified by him but also that we were elect to saluation in him before the beginning of the worlde which is the foundation of the rest Againe if of things that haue necessarie dependance one vpon another we are to beleeue the one then we are to beleeue the other Nowe election and adoption are things conioined and the one necessarily depends vpon the other For all the elect as Paul saith are predestinate to adoption and wee are to beleeue our owne adoption and therefore also our election The second rule is that concerning the persons of those that be of the Church we must put in practise the iudgement of charitie and that is to esteeme of them as of the elect of God till God make manifest otherwise By vertue of this rule the ministers of Gods worde are to publish and preach the gospel to all without exception It is true indeed there is both wheate and darnell in Gods fielde chaffe and corne in Gods barne fish and drosse in Gods net sheepe and goates in Christs folde but secret iudgements belong vnto god the rule of loue which is to think wish the best of others is to be followed
God but without that is forth of the Church are dogs enâ—hanters whoremongers adulterers c. And the Arke out of which all perished figured the Church out of which al are condemned And for this cause Saint Luke saith that the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saued And the reason hereof is plaine for without Christ there is no saluation but out of the militant church there is no Christ nor faith in Christ and therefore no saluation Againe forth of the militant church there are no meanes of saluation no preaching of the word no inuocation of Gods name no Sacraments and therefore no saluation For this cause euery man must be admonished euermore to ioyne himselfe to some particular church beeing a sound member of the Catholike church The third rule is that the church which here we beleeue is onely one As Christ himselfe speaketh My doue is alone and my vndefiled is the onely daughter of her mother And as there is onely one God and one Redeemer one faith one baptisme and one way of saluation by Christ onely so there is but one church alone The Catholike church hath two parts the church Triumphant in heauen and the church Militant on earth The Triumphant church may thus be described It is a companie of the spirits of iust men triumphing ouer the flesh the deuill and the world praising God First I say it is a companie of the spirits of men as the holy Ghost expressely tearmeth it because the soules onely of the godly departed as of Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid c. are as yet ascended into heauen and not their bodies Furthermore the properties of this companie are two The first is to make triumph ouer their spirituall enemies the flesh the deuill the world for the righteous man so long as he liues in this world is in continuall combate without truce with al the enemies of his saluation and by constant faith obtaining victorie in the ende of his life he is translated in glorious and triumphant maner into the kingdome of glorie This was signified to Iohn in a vision in which he saw an innumerable companie of all sorts of nations kinreds people and tongues stand before the Lambe clothed in long white robes with palmes in their handes in token that they had beene warriours but now by Christ haue gotten the victorie and are made conquerours Their second propertie is to praise and magnifie the name of God as it followeth in the former place saying Amen praise and glorie and wisdome and thankes honour power and might be vnto our God for euermore Hence it may be demanded whether Angels be of this Triumphant church or no Ans. The blessed Angels be in heauen in the presence of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost but they are not of the mysticall bodie of Christ because they are not vnder him as he is their redeemer considering they can not be redeemed which neuer fell and it can not be prooued that they now stand by the vertue of Christs redemption but they are vnder him as he is their Lord and King and by the power of Christ as he is God and their God are they confirmed And therfore as I take it we can not say that Angels are members of the mysticall bodie of Christ or of the triumphaÌ„t church though indeed they be of the coÌ„pany of the blessed The church Militant may be thus described It is the companie of the elect or faithfull liuing vnder the crosse desiring to be remooued and to be with Christ. I say not that the Militant church is the whole bodie of the elect but onely that part thereof which liueth vpon earth and the infallible marke thereof is that faith in Christ which is taught and deliuered in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and this faith againe may be discerned by two markes The first is that the members of this companie liue vnder the crosse and profit by it in all spirituall grace And therefore it is said that we must through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of heauen And our Sauiour Christ saith If any man will come after me let him denie himselfe and take vp his crosse euery day and follow me The second marke is a desire to depart hence and to be with Christ as Paul saith We loue rather to be remooued out of this bodie and to be with Christ. And againe I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all Where yet we must remember that the members of Christ doe not desire death simply and absolutely but in two respects I. that they might leaue off to sinne and by sinning leaue to displease God II. That they might come to enioy happines in heauen and to be with Christ. Touching the generall estate of the Militant church two questions are to be considered The first how farre forth God is present with it assisting it by his grace Ans. God giues his spirit vnto it in such a measure that although the gates of hell can not preuaile against it yet neuerthelesse it remaines still subiect to errour both in doctrine and manners For that which is true in euery member of the church is also true in the whole but euery member of the Militant church is subiect to errour both in doctrine and manners because men in this life are but in part enlightened and sanctified and therefore still remaine subiect to blindnesse of minde and ignorance and to the rebellion of their wills and affections whereby it comes to passe that they may easily faile either in iudgement or in practise Againe that which may befall one or two particular churches may likewise befall all the particular churches vpon earth all beeing in one and the same condition but this may befall one or two particular churches to faile either in doctrine or manners The church of Ephesus failed in leauing her first loue whereupon Christ threatneth to remooue from her the candlesticke And the church of Galatia was remooued to an other Gospell from him that had called them in the grace of Christ now why may not the same things befall twentie yea an hundred churches which befell these twaine Lastly experience sheweth this to be true in that generall Councels haue erred The Councell of Nice beeing to reforme sundrie behauiours among the Bishops and Elders would with common consent haue forbidden marriage vnto them thinking it profitable to be so vnlesse Paphnutius had better informed them out of the Scriptures In the third Councell at Carthage certaine bookes Apocrypha as the booke of Syrach Tobie and the Macchabees are numbred in the Canon and yet were excluded by the Councell of Laodicea And the saying of a Diuine is receiued that former Councels are to be reformed and amended by the latter But Papists maintaining that the Church can not erre alleadge the promise of Christ Howbeit
meditation of life eternall must be as sugar in our pockets to sweeten the cup withall Lastly if this be true that God of his goodnesse and endles mercy towards mankind hath prepared life euerlasting yet not for all men but for the elect whose names are written in the booke of life we must aboue all things in this world seeke to be partakers of the same Let vs receiue this as from the Lord and lay it to our hearts whatsoeuer we doe euening or morning day or night whether we be young or old rich or poore first we must seeke for the kingdome of heauen and his righteousnes If this benefit were common to all and not proper to the Church lesse care might be had but seeing it is proper to some alone for this very cause let all our studies be to obtaine the beginnings of liâ—e euerlasting giuen in this life For if we haue it not whosoeuer we be it had beene better for vs that we had neuer beene borne or that we had beene borne dogges and toades then men for when they die there is an ende of their miserie but man if he loose euerlasting happinesse hath ten thousand millions of yeares to liue in miserie and in the torments of hell and when that time is ended he is as farre from the end of his miserie as he was at the beginning Wherefore I pray you let not the deuill steale this meditation out of your hearts but be carefull to repent of all your sinnes and to beleeue in Christ for the pardon of them all that by this meanes yee may come to haue the pawne and earnest of the spirit concerning life euerlasting euen in this world What a miserable thing is it that men should liue long in this world and not so much as dreame of another till the last gaspe Let vs not suffer Satan thus to abuse and bewitch vs for if we haue not eternall life in this world we shall neuer haue it Hitherto by Gods goodnes I haue shewed the meaning of the Creede now to draw to a conclusion the generall vses which are to be made of it follow And first of all we learne by it that the Church of Rome hath no cause to condemne vs for heretickes for we doe truly hold and beleeue the whole Apostolicall Symbole or Creede which is an epitome of the Scriptures and the very key of faith It will be said that we denie the Popes supremacie iustification by workes purgatorie the sacrifice of the Masse for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead the inuocation and intercession of Saints c. which arâ— the greatest points of religion It is true indeede we denie and renounce them as doctrines of deuills perswading our selues that if they indeede had beene Apostolicall and the very grounds and pillars of religion as they are now auouched to be they should in no wise haue beene left forth of the Creede For it is an ouersight in making a confession of faith to omit the principall points and rules of faith It will be further saide that in the Creede we beleeue the Church and so consequently are to beleeue all these former points which are taught and auouched by the Church but this defence is foolish For it takes this for graunted that the Church of Rome is the Church here meant which we denie vnlesse they can prooue a particular Church to be vniuersal or Catholike Nay I adde further that the principall grounds of popish faith for which they contend with vs as for life and death are not mentioned in any other Creedes which were made by the Churches and Councells for many hundred yeares after Christ. Secondly the Creede serues as a storehouse of remedies against all troubles and temptations whatsoeuer I. If a man be grieued for the losse of earthly riches let him consider that he beleeues God to be his Creatour who will therefore guide and preserue his owne workmanship and by his prouidence minister all things needefull vnto it And that he hath not lost the principall blessing of all in that he hath God to be his father Christ to be his redeemer and the holy Ghost to be his comforter and that considering he lookes for life eternall he is not to be ouer much carefull for this life and that Christ being our Lord will not forsake vs beeing the seruants in his owne house but will prouide things needefull for vs. II. If any man be grieued in respect of outward disgrace and contempt let him remember that he beleeues in Christ crucified and that therefore he is to reioyce in contempt for righteousnes sake III. They which are troubled for the decease of friendsâ— are to comfort theÌ„selues in the communion of Saints and that they haue God the Father and Christ and the holy Ghost for their friends IV. Against bodily captiuitie let men consider that they beleeue in Christ their Lord whose seruice is perfect libertie V. Against the feare of bodily diseasesâ— we must remember the resurrection of the bodie in which all diseases and infirmities shall be abolished VI. If a man feare death of the bodie let him consider that he beleeues in Christ which died vpon the crosse who by death hath vanquished death VII The feare of persecution is restrained if we call to remembrance that God is a Father Almightie not onely able but also willing to represse the power of the aduersarie so farre forth as shall be for the good of his children VIII Terrours arising of the consideration of the last iudgement are delaied by remembrance of this that Christ shall be our iudge who is our redeemer IX Feare of damnation is remedied by consideration that Christ died to make satisfaction for vs and now sitts at the right hand of his father to make intercession for vs and by the resurrection of the bodie to life euerlasting X. Terrours of conscience for sinne are repressed if we consider that God is a Father and therefore much in sparing and that it is a prerogatiue of the Church to haue remission of sinnes Trin-vni Deo gloria AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAYER In the way of Catechising seruing for ignorant people Corrected and amended Hereunto are adioyned the prayers of Paul taken out of his Epistles By W. Perkins Printed for Iohn Porter and Ralph Iackson 1600. To the right Honourable Edward Lord Russell Earle of Bedford Grace and peace be multiplied RIght Honourable if you consider what is one of the chiefest ornaments of this Noble state vnto which God hath aduanced you it wil appeare that there is none more excellent then the spirit of grace and prayer For what doth your heart affect would you speake the languages Behold by prayer you may speak the most heauenly tongue that euer was euen the language of Canaan Would you haue the valor of knighthood By prayer you may stand in place where Gods hande hath made a breach and doe as much as all the chariots and
preserues men from falling into sinne as crosses desertions And these in number exceed the first as long as men liue in this world Before it can be declared what these desertions are this conclusion is to be laid down He which is once in the estate of grace shall be in the same for euer This appeareth in the 8. of the Rom. 30. where Paul sets downe the golden chaine of the causes of saluation that can neuer be broken so that he which is predestinate shall be called iustified glorified And a little after he saith Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect and Who shal seuer vs from the loue of Christ and I am perswaded that no creature shall be able to seuer vs froÌ„ the loue of Christ which he would not haue saide if men beeing in the estate of grace might fall quite froÌ„ grace And how should they which are iustified haue peace with God if they were not sure to perseuer righteous before God to the end And how shall it be said that hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God wherewith Gods loues his elect is shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen them if any may vtterly fall from that loue How should the testimonie of the spirit which testifieth to the elect that they are the children of God be true and certen if it may be quite extinguished Lastly how shall that of Iohn be true They went out of vs becanse they were not of vs if they had beene of vs they should haue remained with vs if a man may wholly fall from Christ which hath once bin made a true meÌ„ber of him Our Sauiour Christ saith My sheep heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I giue life eternall to them and no man shall take them out of my hand or out of my fathers hand and whatsoeuer my father giueth me shall come vnto me and whosoeuer commeth to me I will not cast out And if any of the elect beeing effectually called might wholly fall from grace then there must be a second insition or ingrafting into the mysticall bodie of Christ and therefore a second Baptisme nay for euery fall a new infition and a new Baptisme which must in no wise be graunted wherefore they which are predestinate to be in the state of grace are also predestinate to perseuer in the same to the ende Hereupon it followeth that the desertions of Gods elect are first of all partiall that is such as wherein God doth not wholly forsake them but in some part Secondly temporarie that is for some space of time and neuer beyond the compasse of this present life For a moment saith the Lord in Esay in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercie haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer And to this purpose Dauid well acquainted with this matter praieth forsake me not ouer long This sort of desertions though it be but for a time yet no part of a Christian mans life is free from them and very often taking deepe place in the heart of man they are of long continuance Dauid continued in this dangerous fall about the space of an whole yeare before he was recouered Luther confesseth of himselfe that after his conuersion he lay three yeares in desperation And common experience in such like cases can make record of longer time The manner God vseth in forsaking his owne seruants is of two sorts the first is by taking away one grace putting another in the roome the second by hiding his grace as it were in a corner of the heart God takes away his grace and puts another in the roome diuers waies I. First he bereaueth his owne children of outward prosperitie yea he will loade them with crosses and yet he will make a good supplie by giuing patience Dauid is driuen out of his kingdome by his owne sonne a heauy crosse yet the Lord ministreth an humble and patient spirit so as he was content to speake If the Lord thus say I haue no delight in thee behold here I am let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes So likewise Christian Martyrs are bereaued of all outward safetie and laid open to the violence and persecution of tyrants yet inwardly they are stablished by the power of the might of God when they are most weake they are most strong and when they are most foiled then they obtaine victorie II. Secondly the Lord cuts off the daies of this life and for recompence to his owne elect giues life eternall The righteous is taken away for the euill to come This is manifest in Iosias of whom it is said Behold I will gather thee to thy fathers and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the euill which I will bring vpon this place III. Thirdly God takes away the feeling of his loue and the ioy of the holy Ghost for a season and then in the roome thereof he kindles an earnest desire and thirsting with grones and cryings vnto heauen to be in the former fauour of God againe This was Dauids case when he complained and saide My voice came to God when I cried my voice came to God and he heard me in the day of my trouble I sought the Lord my sore ranne and ceased not in the night my soule refused comfort I did thinke vpon God and was troubled I praied and my spirit was full of anguish Selah The like was the estate of the Church making her mone vnto God in Esay O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy waies and hardened our hearts from thy feare Returne for thy seruants sake and for the tribes of thine inheritance IV. Fourthly God graunts his seruants the holy meanes of saluation namely preaching praier sacraments and holds backe the efficacie of his â—pirit for a time In this case they are like the corne field that is plowed sowed with good corne but yet for a time it neuer giues rooting beneath nor so much as a shew of any blade appeares aboue Thus the spouse of Christ wheÌ„ shee comes into his wine-seller shee falls into a swowne so as shee must be staied with flaggons and comforted with apples because shee is sicke of loue V. Fiftly God giueth his children a strong affection to obey his will but he lets them faile in the act of obedience it selfe like as the prisoner who hath escaped the hand of his gayler hath an affection to runne a thousand miles euery houre but hauing happily his bolts on his legges he can not for his life but goe very softly gauling and chaâ—ing his flesh and with much griefe falling againe into the handes of his keeper This is it that Paul complaineth of when he saith I delight in the law of God concerning the inner man but I see
but spirituall Againe in the supper of the Lord euery beleeuer receiueth whole Christ God and man though not the godhead now by this carnall eating we receiue not whole Christ but onely a part of his manhood and therefore in the sacrament there is no carnall eating and consequently no bodily presence Reason VII The iudgement of the auncient Church Theodoret saith The same Christ who called his naturall bodie foode and bread who also called himselfe a vine he vouchsafed the visible signes the name of his owne bodie not chaunging nature but putting grace to nature whereby he meanes consecration And The mysticall signes after sanctification loose not their proper nature For they remaine in their first nature and keepe their first figure and forme and as before may be touched and seene and that which they are made is vnderstood beleeued adored Gelasius saith Bread and wine passe into the substance of the bodie blood of Christ yet so as the substance or nature of bread and wine ceaseth not And they are turned into the diuine substance yet the bread and wine remaine still in the propertie of their nature Lumbard saith If it be asked what conuersion this is whether formall or substantiall or of an other kind I am not able to define And that the fathers held not transubstantiatioÌ„ I proue it by sundrie reasons First they vsed in former times to burne with fire that which remained after the administration of the Lords supper Secondly by the sacramentall vnion of the bread and wine with the bodie and blood of Christ they vsed to confirme the personall vnion of the manhood of Christ with the godhead against heretickes which argument they would not haue vsed if they had beleeued a popish reall presence Thirdly it was a custome in Constantinople that if many parts of the sacrament remained after the administration thereof was ended that young children should be sent for from the schoole to eate them who neuerthelesse were barred the Lords table And this argues plainely that the Church in those daies tooke the bread after the administration was ended for common bread Againe it was once an order in the Romane Church that the wine should be consecrated by dipping into it bread which had beene consecrated But this order cannot stand with the reall presence in which the bread is turned both into the bodie and blood Nicholaus Cabasilas saith After he hath vsed some speech to the people hee erects their mindes and lifâ—s their thoughts from earth and saith Sursum corda Let vs lift vp our hearts let vs thinke on things aboue and not on things that are vpon the earth They consent say that they lift vp their hearts thither where is their treasure and where Christ sits at the right hand of his father Obiections of Papists I. Their first reason is Ioh. 6.55 My flesh is meat indeede and my blood is drinke indeede therefore say they Christs body must be eaten with the mouth and his blood drunke accordingly Ans. The chapter must beâ— vnderstood of a spirituall eating of Christ his bodie is meate indeed but spirituall meate his blood spirituall drink to be receiued not by the mouth but by faith This is the very point that Christ here intends to prooue namely that to beleeue in him is to eate his flesh and to drinke his blood are all one Againe this chapter must not be vnderstood of that speciall eating of Christ in the sacrament for it is said generally v. 53. Except ye eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you and if these very wordes which are the substance of the chapter must be vnderstood of a sacramentall eating no man before the coÌ„ming of Christ was saued for none did bodily eate or drinke his bodie or blood considering it was not then existing in nature but onely was present to the beleeuing heart by faith II. Obiect An other argument is taken from the words of the institution This is my bodie Ans. These words must not be vnderstood properly but by a figure his bodie beeing put for the signe and seale of his body It is obiected that when any make their last wills and testaments they speake as plainely as they can now in this supper Christ ratifies his last will and testament therefore he spake plainely without any figure Ans. Christ here speaketh plainely and by a figure also for it hath beene alwaies the vsual manner of the Lord in speaking of the sacraments to giue the name of the thing signified to the signe as Gen. 17. 10. circumcision is called the couenant of God and in the next verse in the way of exposition the signe of the couenant And Exod. 12. 11. the paschall lambe is called the angels passing by or ouer the houses of the Israelites whereas indeede it was but a signe thereof and 1. Cor. 10.4 The rock was Christ. 1. Cor. 5.7 The passeouer was Christ. And the like phrase is to bee founde in the institution of this sacrameÌ„t concerning the cup which the Papists theÌ„selues confesse to be figuratiue when it is said Luk. 22. This cup is the newe testament in my blood that is a signe seale and pledge thereof Againe the time when these words were spoken must be considered and it was before the passion of Christ whereas yet his bodie was not crucified nor his blood shed and consequently neither of them could bee receiued in bodily manner but by faith alone Againe Christ was not onely the author but the minister of this sacrament at the time of institution thereof and if the bread had beene truely turned into his bodie and the wine into his blood Christ with his own hands should haue taken his owne bodie and blood and haue giuen it to his disciples nay which is more he should with his owne hands haue taken his owne flesh and drunken his owne blood and haue eaten himselfe For Christ himselfe did eate the bread and drinke the wine that he might with his owne person consecrate his last supper as he had consecrated baptisme before And if these words should be properly vnderstood euery man should bee a manslaier in his eating of Christ. Lastly by means of popish real presence it comes to passe that our bodies should be nourished by naked qualities without any substance which in all philosophie is false and erronious To help this and the like absurdities some Papists make nine wonders in the sacrament The first that Christs bodie is in the Eucharist in as large a quantitie as he was vpon the crosseâ— and is now in heauen yet excludes not the quantitie of the bread The second that there be accidents without a subiect The third that bread is turned into the body of Christ yet is not the matter of the bodie nor resolued to nothing The fourth that the bodie increaseth not by consecration of many hosts and is not diminished by often
A golden Chaine OR THE DESCRIPTION OF Theologie containing the order of the causes of Saluation and Damnation according to Gods word A view whereof is to be seene in the Table annexed Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences Printed by IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1600. To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader there are at this day foure seuerall opinions of the order of Gods predestination The first is of the olde and new Pelagians who place the cause of Gods predestination in man in that they hold that God did ordaine meÌ„ either to life or death according as he did foresee that they would by their natural free-will either reiect or receiue grace offered The second of them who of some are tearmed Lutherans which teach that God foreseeing howe all mankinde beeing shutte vp vnder vnbeleefe would therefore reiect grace offered did hereupon purpose to choose some to saluation of his meere mercie without any respect of their faith or good workes and the rest to reiect beeing mooued to doe this because hee did eternally foresee that they would reiect his grace offered them in the Gospell The third Semipelagian Papists which ascribe Gods predestination partly to mercie and partly to mens foreseene preparations and meritorious workes The fourth of such as teach that the cause of the execution of Gods predestination is his mercie in Christ in them which are saued and in them which perish the fall and corruption of man yet so as that the decree and eternall counsell of God concerning them both hath not any cause beside his will and pleasure Of these foure opinions the three former I labour to oppugne as erronious and to maintaine the last as beeing trueth which will beare waight in the ballance of the Sanctuarie A further discourse whereof here I make bold to offer to thy godly consideration in reading whereof regard not so much the thing it selfe penned very slenderly as mine intent affection who desire among the rest to cast my mite into the treasurie of the Church of England and for want of gold pearle and pretions stone to bring a rammes skinne or twaine and a little Goates haire to the building of the Lords tabernacle Exod. 35.23 The Father of our Lord Iesus Christ grant that according to the riches of his glorie thou maiest bee strengthened by his spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in thy heart by faith to the end that thou being rooted and grounded in loue maiest bee able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and height thereof to knowe the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge that thou maiest be filled with all fulnes of God Amen Farewell Iulie 23. the yeare of the last patience of Saints 1592. Thine in Christ Iesus W. P. A GOLDEN CHAINE OR THE DESCRIPTION OF Theologie THE CONTENTS 1 Of the bodie of Scripture and Theologie pag. 1 2 Of God and the nature of God ibid. 3 Of the life of God pag. 3 4 Of Gods glorie and blessednes pag. 5 5 Concerning the persons of the Godhead pag. 6 6 Of Gods workes and his decree pag. 8 7 Of Predestination and creation pag. 10 8 Of Angels pag. 11 9 Of Man the state of innocencie pag. 12 10 Of sinne and the fall of angels pag. 13 11 Of mans fall and disobedience pag. 15 12 Of Originall sinne pag. 16 13 Of Actuall sinne pag. 19 14 Of the punishment of sinne pag. 22 15 Of Election and of Iesus Christ the foundation thereof pag. 23 16 Of the vnion of the two natures in Christ. pag. 25 17 Of the distinctioÌ„ of both natures pag. 27 18 Of Christs natiuitie and office pag. 27 19 Concerning the outward meanes of executing the decree of Election and of the Decalogue pag. 36 20 Of the first commandement pag. 38 21 Of the second commandement pag. 42 22 Of the third commandement pag. 54 23 Of the fourth commandement pag. 61 24 Of the fift commandement pag. 66 25 Of the sixt commandement pag. 73 26 Of the seuenth commandement pag. 82 27 Of the eight commandement pag. 88 28 Concerning the ninth commaundement pag. 95 29 Of the tenth commandement pag. 100 30 Of the vse of the Law pag. 101 31 Of the Couenant of grace pag. 102 32 Of the Sacraments pag. 103 33 Of Baptisme pag. 107 34 Of the Lords Supper pag. 111 35 Of the degrees of executing Gods decree in election pag. 113 36 Conceâ—ning the first degree of the declaration of Gods loue pag. 114 37 Concerning the second degree of the declaration of Gods loue pag. 121 38 Concerning the third degree of the declaration of Gods loue pag. 124 39 Of Repentance and the fruit thereof pag. 128 40 Of Christian warfare pag. 129 41 Of the first Assault pag. 130 42 Of the second Assault pag. 131 43 Of the third Assault pag. 134 44 Of the patient bearing of the Crosse. pag. 136 45 Of the calling vpon God pag. 138 46 Of Christian Apologie and Martyrdome pag. 139 47 Of edification and Almes among the faithfull pag. 140 48 Of the fourth degree of the declaration of Gods loue and of the estate of the Elect after this life pag. 141 49 Of the estate of the Elect at the last day of iudgement pag. 143 50 Of the estate of the Elect after iudgement pag. 144 51 Concerning the order of the causes of Saluation according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome pag. 146 52 Concerning the decree of Reprobation pag. 163 53 Concerning the exâ—â—â—tion of the decree of Reprobation pag. 164 54 Concerning a new deuised doctrine of Predestination taught by some new and late Diuines pag. 167 55 Of the state and condition of the Reprobates when they are dead pag. 175 56 Of the state of the Reprobates in hell pag. 176 57 Of the Application of Predestinanation ibid. AN EPOSITION OF THE SYMBOLE OR Creede of the Apostles THE CONTENTS The Creede pag. 185 Faith pag. 187 God pag. 198 The three persons pag. 202 The Father pag. 205 Gods omnipotencie pag. 212 The creation 217. 221 Gods counsell pag. 218 The creation of heauen pag. 228 The creation of Angels pag. 231 The creation of Man pag. 236 Gods prouidence pag. 242 Adams fall and Originall sinne pag. 252 The couenant of grace pag. 259 The title Iesus pag. 262 The title Christ. pag. 266 The title Sonne pag. 271 The title Lord. pag. 278 The incarnation of Christ. pag. 279 Christs humiliation pag. 295 Christs passion pag. 297 Christs arraignment pag. 300 Christs execution pag. 328 Christs sacrifice pag. 350 Christs triumph pag. 356 Christs buriall pag. 376 The descension of Christ. pag. 372 Christs exaltation pag. 370 Christs resurrection pag. 379 Christs ascension pag. 396 Christs sitting at c. pag. 407 Christs intercession pag. 409 Christs kingdome pag. 417 The last iudgement pag. 420 The holy Ghost pag. 436 The Church 451.488 Predestination pag. 453 The
straunger that is within thy gates For in sixe daies the Lord made the heauen and the earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seauenth day therefore the Lord blessed the seauenth day and hallowed it The Resolution Remember This clause doth insinuate that in times past there was great neglect in the obseruation of the Sabboth and would that all degrees and conditions of men should prepare themselues to sanctifie the same especially those that be gouernours of families in corporations and cities to whome this commandement is directed To keepe it holy or to sanctifie it To sanctifie it is to seuer a thing from common vse and to consecrate the same to the seruice of God Here are described the two parts of this commandement the first where of is rest from labour the second sanctification of that rest Sixe daies These wordes containe a close answer to this obiection It is much to cease from our callings one whole day The answer together with a first reason to inforce the sanctification of the Sabbath is in these wordes which is taken from the greater to the lesse If I permit thee to follow thy calling sixe whole daies thou maist well and must leaue one onely to serue me But the first is true Therefore the second The first propositioÌ„ is wanting the second or assumption are these words Sixe daies c. The conclusion is the commandement it selfe Here may we see that God hath giuen vs free libertie to worke all the sixe daies The which freedome no man can annihilate Neuerthelesse vpon extraordinarie occasions the Church of God is permitted to separate one daie or more of the seuen as neede is either to fasting or for a solemne day of reioycing for some benefit receiued Ioel 2.15 The seuenth day The second reason of this commaundement taken from the ende thereof If the Sabbath were consecrated to God and his seruice we must that day abstain from our labours But it was consecrated to God and his seruice Therefore we must then abstaine from our labours The assumption is in these words the seuenth day c. where we must note that God alone hath this priuiledge to haue a Sabbath consecrated vnto him and therefore all holy daies dedicated to what soeuer either Angel or Saint are vnlawfull howsoeuer the Church of Rome haue imposed the obseruation of them vpon many people In it thou shalt doe This is the conclusion of the second reason illustrated by a distribution from the causes Thou thy sonne thy daughter thy seruant thy cattell thy stranger shall cease that day from your labours Any worke That is any ordinarie worke of your callings and such as may be done the day before or left well vndone till the day after Yet for all this we are not forbidden to performe such workes euen on this day as are both holy and of present necessitie Such are those works which doe vpon that day preserue and maintaine the seruice and glorie of God as I. a Sabbath daies iourney Act. 1.12 Which is now Hierusalem containing a Sabbath daies iourney II. The killing and dressing of sacrificed beasts in the time of the law Matth. 12.5 Haue ye not read in the law how that on the Sabbath daies the Priests in the Temple breake the Sabbath and are blamelesse III. Iourneys vnto the Prophets and places appointed vnto the worship of God 2. King 4.23 He said Why wilt thou goe to him this day it is neither new moone nor Sabbath day Psal. 84.7 They go from strength to strength till euery one appeare before God in Zion Such also are the works of mercie whereby the safetie of life or goods is procured as that which Paul did Act. 20. 9. As Paul was long preaching Eutychus ouercome with sleepe fell downe from the third loft and was taken vp dead but Paul went downe and laid himselfe vpon him and embraced him saying Trouble not your selues for his life is in him vers 12. And they brought the boy aliue and they were not a little comforted II. To helpe a beast out of a pit Luk. 14.5 Which of you shall haue an oxe or an asse fallen into a pit and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day III. Prouision of meate and drinke Matth. 12.1 Iesus went through the corne on a Sabbath day and his Disciples were an hungred and began to plucke the eares of corne and to eate In prouision we must take heede that our cookes and houshold â—eruants breake not the Sabbath The reason of this is framed from the lesser to the greater out of that place 2. Sam. 25.15 Dauid longed and said Oh that one would giue me to drinke of the water of the well of Beth-lehem which is by the gate vers 16. Then the three mightie brake into the host of the Philistims and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem that was by the gate and tooke and brought it to Dauid who would not drinke thereof but powred it for an offering vnto the Lord. vers 17. And said O Lord be it farre from me that I should doe â—his is not this the blood of the men that went in ieopardie of their liues therefore would he not drinke The reason standeth thus If Dauid would not haue his seruants aduenture their corporall liues for his prouision nor drinke the water when they had prouided it much lesse ought we for our meates to aduenture the liues of our seruants IV. Watering of cattell Math. 12.11 The Lord answered and said Thou hypocrite will not any of you on the Sabbath daies loose his oxe or asse out of the stable and bring him to the water Vpon the like present and holy necessitie Phisitians vpon the Sabbath day may take a iourney to visit the diseased Mariners their voyage Shepheards may tend their flocke and Midwiues may helpe women with childe Mark 2.27 The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath Within thy gates This word gate signifieth by a figure iurisdiction and authoritie Math. 16.18 The gates of hell shall not ouercome it Let this be a looking glasse wherein all Inholders and intertainers of strangers may looke into themselues and behold what is their dutie For in sixe daies The third reason of this commaundement from the likâ— example That which I did thou also must doe But I rested the seauenth day and hallowed it Therefore thou must doe the like God sanctified the Sabbath when he did consecrate it to his seruice men sanctifie it when they worship God in it In this place we are to confider the Sabbath how farre forth it is ceremoniall and how farre forth morall The Sabbath is ceremoniall in respect of the strict obseruation thereof which was a type of the internall sanctification of the people of God and that is as it were a continuall resting from the worke of sinne Exod. 31.1.3 Speake thou also vnto the children of Israel and say Notwithstanding keepe ye my sabbath for it is
of afflicted conscience 129 Commemoration of the creature 55 Commendation for well doing to be vsed 100 Commaundements to man in innocencie 13 Companie 85 want of Compassion 74 Complaints 74 Compunction 165 Concupiscence 100 Conception of sinne 21 Condemnation is by man 164 Confession of sinnes 119 Confidence in creatures 41 Cookes must keepe the sabbath 63 Coniuring 50 Coniunction with God 115 Conscience corrupted 18 not Comforted by a generall election 172 Concealing of sinnes 21,99 Consent in sinne 21 Contentation 92 Contentions 74 Contempt of superiours 71 Contempt of Gods seruice 48 Corne for the poore 75 Conuersation 58 to Couet what â—00 Counterfait wares 89 Countenance austere 74 Couetousnes 89 Couenant of grace and workes 36 102 Couenant with sathan 49 who are in the Couenant 108 Contracts how with whome 88 Contingencie not taken away by gods decree 9 Controuersies how decided 75 Conuersion to God whence 19 Crauing pardon for sinnes 119 Credulitie 98 Creation 10 creatures must not be vsed hardly 74 Cryings 74 Crosses 136 Crueltie 72 Cursings 55 Custome in sinne 21 ConstaÌ„tine what figure he saw 4â— D Damage in goods a punishment 23 Damnation 164,171 Dauncing 85 Death a punishment 23 Death not to be feared 142 Death of the elect 141 Death driuen farre off 20 Decalogue 36 Decree of God 8 it is secret 164 Degrees in sinning 20 Degrees in deuills 15 Defence of a mans selfe 81 Deniall of our selues 1â—8 Derision is persecution 74 Derision of Gods creatures 55 of superiours 71 Desire to please God 40 desires of the flesh how auoided 135 holy Desperation 117 Deuils 36 what they can doe 49 Differences of actuall sinne 21 Disdaine 95 Disobedience 71 Distinction of dominions a punishment 23 Distinction of persons 6 Distrust in God 40 Dissolute life 58 Doubtfulnes 40,132 Dreames 19 Diuination 50 Discerning 126 Duties of man to himselfe 71 E Eares of corne may be pulled to satisfie hunger 80 Eating with circumstances 87 Edict of the law 36 Edification 140 Elders fathers 66 Elect know themselues elect 163 election 23,114,146 by Christ. 24,114 meanes of election 24,36 it is Gods gift 114 it is not generally of all 168 notes of election 177 elect can not finally fall 160 elect haue dominion ouer creatures 124 Elohim what 1 eleuation in the masse 48 enchantments 51 enterludes 85 enuie 74,95 entising to sinne 21 encourage such as feare God 81 equalitie in contracts 93 errours of Predest confuted 149 estate of infidelitie 16 estate of the elect after death 141 143,144 estate of wicked men 175 estimation of our selues 20 eternall life 144 eternall ioy 145 eternall destruction 23,174,175 euangelicall promises indefinite 132 euill things how good with God 9 10 euill thoughts 20 excellencie of gifts reuerenced 69 excuse of sinne whence 18 execution of Gods decree 23 execution of election 25 execution of the decree of reprobation 164 exposition of scripture to xpe 33 externall obseruation of the sabbath 65 extolling of a mans selfe aboue others 72 eyes full of adulterie 84 F the Fall of a christian souldier 130 131 the remedies 131 before my Face what 39 the Fall 14 Falling from God 166 decreed of God 16,173 Faith 117,120,155 a temporarie faith 166 how faith is begotten 33,103 degrees in working it 118 degrees in Faith 120 Faith how shaken 120 not commaunded in the morall law 121 Faires may not be on the sabbath 65 the Faithfull alone haue title to Gods goods 124 False witnesse 95 False sentence 91 Fasting 53,88 Father what 66 Fatherlesse 74 Feare of God 40 of deâ—th 166 to offend God 127 Feasts 87 to idols 45 at Feasts leaue somewhat 87 Feeble not to be inuried 74 Fighting ibid. Flatterie 97 Flight in persecution 140 Forgerie 99 Foreknowledge of God 9 Fornication 82 Found things restore 89,94 Free-will not taken away by Gods decree 9 Free-will 151,153 Frowardnes 74 Funerals how to be solemnized 79 Fulnes of bread 85 G Gaine lawfull 91 vnlawfull ibid. Gaming for gaine ibid. Gate what 63 Gifts of the holy Ghost not saleable 89 Gleanings 80 Glorification 141 perfect Glorie 144 Glorie of God sought aboue all 100 it is the ende of all 146 176 Gospell 103 thought follie 20 God is and what 1 he is denied 20 his nature 1 simplenes 2 infinitenesse 2 he hath neither subiect nor adiunct 2 his essence ibid. immutabilitie ibid. searcher of the heart 3 the life of God ibid. how he willeth euill 3 his loue mercie c. ibid. what God can doe 5 his glorie knowne onely to himselfe ibid how God is knowne to man ibid. God the Father 7 his properties ibid. God the Sonne ibid. he onely incarnate 24 how sent 7 how the Word ibid. his properties 7 God the holy Ghost 8 Gods operation and operatiue permission 9 thy God what 38 others gods what 38 39 Good meaning 20 Good name 99 Goodnes of the creature 11 Gouernment of Christs Church 35 when corrupted 48 Grace can not be extinguished 160 Grapes may be plucked 79 Grief for others our own sins 127 Grauen image 43 Grudges 74 Guiltlesse what 54 H Hallow the sabbath 61 Hardnes of heart 23 Hard and soft heart 42 Hatred of God 42,164 of our neighbour 74 Heauens threefold 11 Hellenisme 40 Heresies spring froÌ„ original sin 17,18 Hell fire 176 Holy Ghost 8 not Christs father 25 Holines of mind 126 of memorie ibid. conscience ibid. will 127 affections ibid. bodie 128 Honour what 83 Hope 39,127 Hope of pardon 118 House coueted 100 Humilitie 40 Hungring after grace 118 Hunting 81 Husbandrie on the sabbath 65 Hypocrisie 47,48 I Idlenes 88 Iealous what 43,44 Iesting at scripture 58 Iewes 35 Idolatrie 45 Idolaters 35 Idol 43 Idolatrous seruice may not be heard 45 Idolaters sorie when they omit their fained worship 18 Illumination 126 Iehouah 38 Image of God 11 how much of Gods Image we reteined 17 Ingrossing commodities 90 Infamie a punishment 23 Infants how saued 114 Infants in the couenant 108 Infants which condemned 164 Ingratitude 72 Inhabitants of the world 11 Inholders dutie 63 Ignorance from Adam 17 sinne of Ignorance 21,22 Impatience in afflictions 41 Impotencie of minde 17 of will 19 Inclination to euill 17 Impuritie of conscience 18,19 Inescation 21 Iniuries 74 Indulgences 47 ImputatioÌ„ of mans sins to Christ. 31 Imputation of Christs righteousnes to man 122 imputatiue iustice prooued 123,156 Iosephs pietie 98 Iourneies on the sabbath day 65 Iudaisme 40 Images in Churches vnlawfull 44 Infirmities to be concealed 78,97,99 Infirmities of the bodie couered by Christ. 33 Infidels how damned 167 Ioy in the holy Ghost 128 Iudgements of God must be regarded 58 Iudging 99 last Iudgement 143 Iust dealing 92 Iugling 51 Iustice. 129 of the faithfull 160 Iustification 121,122 second Iustification confuted 157 Intermission of Gods seruice 48 Interpreting amisse 75 Interpreting wel 98 Iustice inherent 156 K to Kill what who when 73 the Knowledge of Gods law bruiseth the heart 177 the Knowledge of the Gospel 118 Kings are fathers 66
L Labour commanded 88 Labourers must be paid 74,91 Law of God morall 36 the Lawe can not be fulfilled in this life 160 vse of the Law 101 vse of it in the regenerate 102 Church Lawes by Christ. 33 Lawe 95 Lawyers sinne 91 Leagues which are lawfull 78 Leagues with infidels 79 Leagues with the godly 54 Lenitie in correction 72 Lending freely 94 Life vnoffensiue 81 vnordinate 88 long Life promised to children 67 Lordships distinguished 23 Lottes 56 Loue of God 39,41 markes of it 40 Loue of God in Christ. 113 Loue of the creature more then god 41 the Lords supper 111 Lower roome at table 87 Lying 54,96 Lucke good and bad 56 Lust of heart 82 Lutherans consubstantiation 112 M Madnes a punishment of sinne 23 Magistrates fathers 66 Magistrates winking at sinne 21 Magistrates to be obeyed 68 Magicke 49 Magitians 35,41,49 Magitians not to be sought vnto 51 Malice 95 Man and wife abusing their libertie 84 Mans creation with circumstances 12 13 created mutable 13 his fall 15 Man Gods image 45,56 pleasures with Men. 82 Manichees condemned 41 Mariage to be sanctified with praier 60 Mariage without parents consent 71 with infidels 46 Marie Christs mother continued a virgine 27 Marcion 41 Martyrdome 139 Marchandise solde to an idolatrous vse 46 Masse may not be heard 45 Mayming of the bodie 74 Meditation of the creation on the Sabbath 65 Meditation of Christs passion 31 Meditation in the promises of the Gospel 118 Meanes of Gods worship 52 Members of Christ. 116 Gods mercie aboue his iustice 44 Merit of congruitie 154 of condignitie 161 the Minde corrupted 17 MINISTERS fathers 66 Ministers sinnes 21 Ministers dutie 52 Mirth at meate 87 Miseries of our neighbour 77 Modestie 85 Monasticall vowes 47 Monkes 91 Monuments of idolatrie 46 Mortification 124 Mourning 80 Mother what 67 Mothers must nurse their owne children 72 Musicke lawfull 81 Musicke in Churches 47 Murder vnpardonable 75 N Naamans worship in the Temple of Rimmon 45 Name of God 54 good Name 99 Necromancie 50 Neglect of Gods seruice 48 Neighbours who and how to be loued 66,74 Non-residencie reprooued by scripture and councels 76,77 Notions of the minde 17 O Obedience to god how measured by him 48 Obedience to superiours 69 Obedience to the law 20 euangelicall Obedience 129 Occasiōs of strife how ministred 76 Offences against superiours 71 equalls 72 inferiours 72,77 Old men fathers 67 Operation of God 9 Oppression 89 Originall sinne 17 not taken away by baptisme 152 Outward actuall sinne 20 Originall sinne deserueth death 173 Othes 59 lawfull ibid. vnlawfull ibid. P Particular perswasion of saluation 119 Paines in childbirth 23 a Punishment for sinne 23 Parents how said to be holy 108 Parents prolong their childrens life 67 Patience in perils 39 Patience with preseruatiues 137 Peace of God 148 Perfection of sinne 21 Permission of euill 14 Periurie 5 Peoples dutie in Gods seruice 52 petition 60 Peters fall 22 Pirats 91 philosophie 81 phisicke 81 pictures 44 plague 81 plaies 85 Pledges to be restored 75,90 to be redeemed 93 strange Pleasures 82 pollution 197 pollution by night 84 the Pope Antichrist 35 Popish superstitions 47,58 popish fasting 48 popish traditions 48 power of the law 102 of Christs death 126 preaching of the Gospel an image of Christ. 45 it begetteth faith 33 praier 138 praiers of the faithful 139 to creatures 49 a meanes to sanctifie Gods creatures 60 praiers on particular occasions 60 praising of God in heauen 145 Predestination 10,167 it is both of the Elect and reprobate 149 immutable 150 not by foreseene workes in man 172 it may be knowne 177 what it is to the Papists 146 Predestination applied 176 preseruatiues against assaults of temptation 131 vocation 131 faith 132 sanctification 134 presumption 22,42 pride 42 promises of God and man 36 promises must be kept 94 pronenesse to diseases a punishment 22 pronouncing vniust sentence 96 propagation of sinne 17 profession of God commanded 39 138 processions 45 prognostications 56 prophesies 50 prophanations of sabbaths 64 punishments of sinne 22 punishments inflicted by superiours to be borne 69 punishments how to be inflicted 70 Q Quarrellings 74 R Railings forbidden 74 Raising of prises in wares 89 Remission of sinnes 122 reioycing at our neighbors good 77 Rebaptizing 110 Rebellion inward 20 Recreation 81 Relikes of idols vnlawfull 46 Reliefe of such as are godly 140 Remember what it signifieth 61 Representing of God in an image 44 Reprobates 165 how farre they may go in godlines 164 Reprobates may know the lord 165 haue temporary faith 165 a tast of the heauenly gifts ibid. outward holines ibid. their falling from God ibid. death 175 condemnation ibid. estate in hell 176 Reprobation 163 Reprobate sense 17 Reuerence to superiours with many branches 68 Reuenge 74 Restitution 89,94 Repentance 129 howe in Reprobates 165 howe in God 2 Resurrection 143 Reading sometimes begetteth faith 103 to rise early on the Sabbath 63 Rogues 91 Robberies ibid. the Romish Hierarchie 48 Rules for the communion of properties 7,26 Rules for vowes 52 Rules for equalitie in contracts 93 Rules for the interpretation of the decalogue 37 Rules for such as would be saued 103 S Sabellius condemned 41 Sabbath commanded in Paradice 63 Sabbath 61 how sanctified 63 how morall and ceremoniall 63,64 why changed 64 a Sabbath daies worke 62 preparation to the Sabbath 64 how prophaned 65 Sacraments 104 how necessarie 107 Sacrifice and Sacrament differ 107 Saluation 146,171 Saluation according to the Church of Rome 146 Saints not to be praied for 49 Samuel raised vp not true Samuel 50,51 Sanctuaries 76 to Sanctifie what 61 Sanctification of Gods creatures 60 Sanctification with the effects thereof 124 Satans shifts to cause infidelitie 132 Satan Gods ape 50 his Sacraments 50 Scandals 76 Scriptures only expoūded by Christ. 34 Serpents head bruised 171 Second causes are not frustrate by Gods decree 8 Securitie 20,42 Seruice of God in heauen 145 Sellers sinne 89 Seruants eie seruice 72 Shame of nakednes a punishment 22 Shooting 81 Signes in the sacraments 105 Sinne what 13 mortall Sinne. 160 why it raigneth in man 102 one Sinne forgiuen all forgiuen 134 Sinne corrupteth onely faculties 17 Sinnes of omission and commission 20 Sinne against the holy ghost 22,166 Sixe daies to worke 62 Single life 87 Sobrietie 86 Soule punished 23 Sorrow for sinne 136 Societie with infidels 46 Soules in heauen 142 Southsaying 50 christian Souldier 129 Spirit of slumber 18 Spirituall drunkennes ibid. Sports on the Sabbath 65 Starres what force they haue 57 Stealing 88 Step-parents to be honoured 66 Strangers not to be iniuried 78,80 the Sting of death 142 Subiect to satan 35 Subiection to Satan a punishment 23 Suretiship 94 Suites in law 47 Supremacie in the Pope a note of Antichrist 35 Superstition 56 Suspitions 96 Superiours dutie to inferiours 70 Superiours to be reuerenced 67 they must speake first 68 Subiects are freed from their allegiance to their prince by the Pope 72 Swearing any way 55 T
present vnto you an Exposition of another part of the Catechisme namely the Symbole or Creede of the Apostles which is indeede the very pith and substance of Christian religion taught by the Apostles imbraced by the ancient fathers sealed by the blood of martyrs vsed by Theodosius the Emperour as a meanes to ende the controuersies of his time and hereupon hath beene called the rule of faith the keye of faith And furthermore I hope that your Lordship will accept the same in good part the rather because you vouchsafed when you were in Cambridge to be an hearer thereof when it was taught and deliuered Thus crauing pardon for my boldnes I take my leaue commending your L. and yours to the protection of the Almightie Ann. 1595. Apr. 2. Your L. to command William Perkins The Contents of the booke The Creede pag. 185 Faith 187 God 198 The three persons 202 The Father 205 Gods omnipotencie 212 The Creation 217,221 Gods counsel 218 The creation of heauen 228 The creation of Angels 231 The creation of man 236 Gods prouidence 242 Adams fall and originall sinne 252 The couenant of grace 259 The title Iesus 262 The title Christ. 266 The title Sonne 271 The title Lord. 278 The Incarnation of Christ. 279 Christs humiliation 295 Christs passion 297 Christs arraignment 300 Christs execution 328 Christs sacrifice 350 Christs triumph 356 Christs buriall 367 The descension of Christ. 372 Christs exaltation 378 Christs Resurrection 380 Christs ascension 396 Christs sitting at c. 407 Christs intercession 409 Christs kingdome 417 The last iudgement 420 Of the holy Ghost 436 The Church 451,488 Predestination 453 The mysticall vnion 483 The communion of Saints 500 The forgiuenesse of sinnes 506 The resurrection of the bodie 509 Life euerlasting 516 In handling of the foresaid points for orders sake is considered 1. The meaning or such points of doctrine as are necessarie to bee knowne thereof 2. The duties to be learned thereby 3. The comforts that Gods pleople may gather thence AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED I beleeue in God c. NO man iustly can be offended at this that I begin to treat of the doctrine of faith without a text though some be of mind that in Catechising the minister is to proceed as in the ordinary course of preaching onely by handling a set portion of scripture therefore that the handling of the Creede beeing no scripture is not conuenient Indeede I graunt that other course to bee commendable yet I doubt not but in Catechising the minister hath his libertie to followe or not to followe a certaine text of scripture as we doe in the vsuall course of preaching My reason is taken from the practise of the Primitiue Church whose Catechisme as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrues sheweth was contained in sixe principles or grounds of religion which were not taken out of any set text in the old Testament but rather was a forme of teaching gathered out of the most cleare places thereof Hence I reason thus That which in this point was the vse and manner of the Primitiue Church is lawfull to be vsed of vs now but in the Primitiue church it was the manner to catechize without handling any set text of scripture and therefore the ministers of the Gospell at this time may with like libertie do the same so be it they doe confirme the doctrine which they teach with places of scripture afterward Nowe to come to the Creede let vs begin with the name or title thereof That which in English we call the Apostles Creed in other tongues is called Symbolum that is a shot or a badge It is called a shot because as in a feast or banquet euery man payeth his part which beeing all gathered the whole which we call the shot amounteth and so out of the seuerall writings of the Apostles ariseth this creed or briefe confession of faith It is a badge because as a souldier in the field by his badge and liuerie is knowne of what band he is and to what captaine he doth belong euen so by this beleefe a christian man may be distinguished and knowne from all Iewes Turkes Atheists and all false professours and for this cause it is called a badge Againe it is called the creed of the Apostles not because they were the peÌ„ners of it conferring to it besides the matter the very style frame of words as we haue theÌ„ now set down Reason I. there are in this creed certen words phrases which are not to be found in the writings of the Apostles and namely these He descended into hell the Catholike Church The latter whereof no doubt first began to be in vse when after the Apostles daies the Church was dispersed into all quarters of the earth Secondly if both matter and wordes hâ—d beene from the Apostles why is not the creede Canonicall Scripture as well as any other of their writings III. The Apostles had a summarie collecollection of the points of Christian religion which they taught and also deliuered to others to teach by consisting of two heads faith and loue as may appeare by Pauls exhortation to Timothie wishing him to keepe the patterne of wholesome wordes which he had heard of him in faith and loue which is in Christ Iesus Nowe the Creed consists not of two heads but of one namely of faith only not of loue also Wherfore I rather think that it is called the Apostles Creede because it doth summarily conteine the cheife and principall points of religion handled and propounded in the doctrine of the Apostles and because the points of the Creede are conformable and agreeable to their doctrine and writings And thus much of the title Now let vs heare what the creed is It is a summe of things to be beleeued concerning God and concerning the Church gathered forth of the scriptures For the opening of this description First I say it is a summe of things to be beleeued or an abridgement It hath beene the practise of teachers both in the newe and olde Testament to abridge and contract summarily the religion of their time This the Prophets vsed For when they had made their sermons to the people they did abridge them and penned theÌ„ briefly setting them in some open place that all the people might reade the same So the Lord bad Habakuk to write the vision which he sawe and to make it plaine vpon tables that he may runne that readeth it And in the newe testament the Apostles did abridge those doctrines which otherwise they did handle at large â—s as may appeare in the place of Timothie afore named Nowe the reason â—hy both in the old and newe Testament the doctrine of religion was abridged is that the vnderstandings of the simple as also their memories might be hereby helped and they better inabled to iudge of the trueth and to discerne the same from falshood And for this ende the Apostles
nature darknes and let God but speake to our blind vnderstandings our ignorance shall depart and we shall be inlightened with the knowledge of the true God and of his will as Paul saith God that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse is he which hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus Christ. Secondly God made all creatures without motion labour or defatigation for his very bidding of the worke to be done was the doing of it And this thing no creature can doe but God onely though vnto Adam labour was without paine before the fall Thirdly the matter and the first beginning of all creatures was nothing that is all things were made when as there was nothing whereof they might be made as Paul saith God calleth those things which be not as though they were And indeede in the first creation all things must be made either of the essence of God or of nothing but a creature can not be made of the essence of God for it hath no parts it is not diuisible and therefore God made all things that were made out of himselfe or his owne essence the conclusion then is that the framing of the creatures in the beginning was not of any matter but of nothing because before the creation out of God there was nothing This must teach vs to humble our selues Many there be that stand vpon their ancestours but let them here looke whence they came first namely as Abraham saith of himselfe of dust and ashes And what was this dust and ashes made of surely of nothing wherefore euery mans first beginning is of nothing Well then such men as are caried away with their pedigree and descent if they look well into it they shall finde small cause to boast or bragge And this consideration of our first beginning must mooue vs to true humiliation in our selues Fourthly God in framing his creatures in the beginning made them good yea very good Now the goodnes of the creature is nothing else but the perfect estate of the creature whereby it was conformable to the will and minde of the Creator allowing and approouing of it when he had made it for a creature is not first good and then approoued of God but because it is approoued of God therefore it is good But wherein will some say stands this goodnes of the creature I anâ—wer in three things I. in the comelines beautie and glorie of euery worke in his kind both in forme and constitution of the matter II. In the excellencie of the vertue which God hath giuen to it for as he hath appointed euery creature for some especiall ende so he hath fitted and furnished it with sufficient power and vertue for the accomplishing of the same ende III. In the exceeding benefit and profitablenesse that came by them to man But since the fall of man this goodnes of the creature is partly corrupted and partly diminished Therefore when we see any want defect or deformitie in any of them we must haue recourse backe againe to the apostasie of our first parents and remember our fall in them and say with a sorrowfull heart this comes to passe by reason of mans most wretched sinne which hath defiled heauen and earth and drawne a curse not onely vpon himselfe but vpon the rest of the creatures for his sake whereby there goodnes is much defaced Fifthly the ende of creation is the glorie of God as Salomon saith God made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill And God propounds this principall ende to himselfe not as though he wanted glorie and would purchase it vnto himselfe by the creation for he is most glorious in himselfe and his honour and praise beeing infinite can neither be increased nor decreased but rather that he might communicate and make manifest his glorie to his creatures and giue them occasion to magnifie the same For the reasonable creatures of God beholding his glorie in the creation are mooued to testifie and declare the same among men The sixth shall be touching the time of the beginning of the world which is betweene fiue thousand and sixe thousand yeares agoe For Moses hath set downe exactly the computation of time from the making of the world to his owne daies and the Prophets after him haue with like diligence set downe the continuance of the same to the very birth of Christ. But for the exact account of yeares Chronologers are not all of one minde Some say there be 3929. from the creation to Christs birth as Beroaldus some 3952. as Hierome and Bede some 3960. as Luther and â—o Lucidus some 3963. as Melancthon in his Chronicle and Functius some 3970. as Bullinger and Tremellius some towards 4000. as Buntingus Now from the birth of Christ to this day are 1592. yeares and adding these together the whole time amounteth And God would haue the very time of the beginning of the world to be reuealed first that it might be knowne to the Church when the couenant of grace was first giuen by God to man and when it was afterward renewed and how Christ came in the fulnesse of time Gal. 4. secondly that we might know that the world was not made for the eternall and euerliuing God but for man thirdly that we might learne not to set our hearts on the world on the things therein which haue beginning and ende but seeke for things eternall in heauen And before the time which I haue named began there was nothing beside God the world it selfe and all things else were vncreated Some men vse to obiect and say what did God all that while before the world was how did he imploy himselfe what was he idle Ans. The Iewes to this badde question make as badde an answer For they say he was continually occupied in making many little worlds which he continually destroied as he made them because none pleased him till he made this But we must rather say that some things are reuealed which God did then as that he decreed what should come to passe when the world was that then the blessed persons in Trinitie did take eternal delight each in other If any man will needes know more let him heare what Moses saith Secret things belong to the Lord our God but things reuealed to vs and to our children for euer and let them marke what one eluding the question answered namely that God was making hell fire to burne all such curious persons as will needes know more of God then he hath reuealed to them for where God hath not a mouth to speake there we must not haue an eare to heare therefore our dutie is to let such curious questions passe Seuenthly some may aske in what space of time did God make the world I answer God could haue made the world and all things in it in one moment but he
sheepe of the house of Israel Christ Iesus came to poure oile into our woundes Christ came to set them at libertie which are in prison and to place them in freedome that are in bondage Now a man cannot poure oile into a wound before there be a wound or before it be opened and we feele the smart of it And how can wee be set at libertie by Christ except we feele our selues to be in bondage vnder hell death and damnation When the Disciples of Christ were vpon the sea in a great tempest they cried Master saue vs we perish So no man can hartily say I beleeue Iesus Christ to be my Sauiour before he feele that in himselfe he is vtterly lost and cast away without his helpe But after that we perceiue our selues to be in danger and to be ouerwhelmed in the sea of the wrath of God then we crie out with the disciples Lord Iesus saue vs we perish Many protestants in these daies hold Christ to be their Sauiour but it is onely formably from the teeth outward and no further for they were neuer touched with the sense of their spirituall miserie that they might say with Daniel Shame and confusion belongeth vnto vs and with the Publicane I am a sinner Lord be mercifull to me And therefore the conclusion is this that if we will haue Christ to be our Sauiour we must first beleeue that in our selues we are vtterly lost and so must that place be vnderstood where Christ saith he is not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel that is to those which in their owne sense and feeling are lost in themselues Secondly if Christ be a Sauiour then we must acknowledge him to bee so But howe shall we doe this I answer Thus A man is taken to be a skilful Phisition by this that many patients come vnto him and seeke for helpe at his hands And so should it be with Christ. But alas the case is otherwise Euery man can talke of Christ but fewe acknowledge him to be a Sauiour by seeking to him for their saluation because they iudge themselues righteous and feele not themselues to stand in need of the helpe of Christ. Nay which is more If a man be knowne that can cure straunge diseases men will seeke to him by sea and land and sell both goods and landes to get helpe at his hands Euen so if men were perswaded that Christ were a perfect Sauiour and that they were sicke and vtterly vnable to be saued without him they would neuer rest nor be in quiet but seeke vnto him for his help and crie with Dauid O Lord say vnto my soule that thou art my saluation The womaÌ„ that was diseased with an issue of blood came behinde our Sauiour Christ and when shee had but touched him shee was healed In the same maner if we shal seeke to come to Christ and doe but touch his pretious bodie and bloode by the hand of faith the issues the bleeding wounds of our soules shall be dried vp When a man that had beene sicke eight and thirtie yeres was come to the poole of Bethesda he was faine to lie there vncured because when the angel troubled the water euermore some stept before him but if we will seeke to Christ for the saluation of our soules no man shall preuent vs or steppe before vs. And if we finde our selues to be so laden with the burden of our sinnes that we can not drawe neere vnto him let vs then doe as the palsie man did he got foure men to carrie him on their shoulders to the place where Christ was and when they could not by reason of the prease of people enter into the house they opened the roofe and let him downe in his bed by cordes to Christ that hee might be healed And so let vs vse the helpe of such as be godly that by their instructions and consolations they may as it were put to their shoulders and by their praiers as with cordes bring vs to Christ that we may receiue eternall saluation beeing otherwise dead in sinne and subiect to damnation Lastly whereas Ioseph and Marie gaue this name not at their owne pleasure but at the appointment of God himselfe this ministers a good instruction to all parents touching the naming of their children when they are baptised that they are with care and deliberation to giue conuenient names vnto them which may put them in minde of duties either to God or men This is worthie of our obseruation for many care not howe they name their children yea it is at this day and euer hath beene that some giue such names to them as that at the very rehearsing thereof laughter ensueth But this ought not to be so for the name is giuen vnto children at the time of their baptisme in the presence of God of his Church and angels euen then when they are to be entred into the Church of God and that in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy ghost therefore though we doe not place religion in titles or names yet neuerthelesse a wise godly choice in this matter is to be had that the names imposed may be in steade of instructions and admonitions to the parties named and for this cause in the olde Testament names were giuen either by propheticall instinct or according to the euent of things which came to passe about the time of the birth of children or they were borrowed from the holy ancetours to put the posteritie in mind to follow their steps And thus much of the duties Now followe the consolations that Gods Church people râ—ape from this that the sonne of god is our Sauiour WheÌ„ as all mankind was included vnder sin and condemnation then the Lord had mercy vpon vs and gaue vnto man the couenant of grace in which he promised that his owne sonne should be our redeemer This is a great and vnspeakable comfort as may appeare in that the angels so greatly reioiced herein wheÌ„ Christ was born Behold say they I bring you tidings of great ioy that shall be to all the people that is that vnto you is borne in the citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the lord Now if they reioice thus exceedingly at Christs birth who was not their Sauiour because they stood not in need to be redeemed then much more ought the Church of God to reioyce herein whome it doth principally concerne and no maruel for if we had wanted this blessed Sauiour it had bin better to haue bin a bruit beast or any other creâ—ture then a man for the death of a beast is the ende of his woe but the death of a man without a Sauiour is the beginning of endlesse miserie Satan and his angels are fallen and haue no Sauiour but when man was fallen God of his mercie dealt not so with him but gaue his owne sonne to restore him to a better
for our saluation He is like the Physitian who goes on to launch the wound and heares not the patient though he crie neuer so till the cure be ended Now followeth the second thing to be considered in Christs apprehension namely the dealing of the Iewes wherein we must consider foure things I. how they consult togither concerning Christs apprehension II. how they came to the place and mette him III. how they laid hands on him IIII. how they bound him and tooke him away For the first before they enterprised this matter they did wisely and warily lay their heads togither to consult of the time and place and also of the manner of apprehending him So Saint Matthew saith There assembled together the chiefe Priests and the Scribes and the Elâ—ers of the people into the hall of the chiefe Priest called Caiphas and consulted how they might take Iesus by subtiltie Whence we learne two good instructions first the Iewes hauing a quarrell against Christ could neuer be at â—est till they had his blood and therefore they consult how they might take him but God did so order the matter and disâ—â—ose of their purposes and consultations that euen thereby he did confound them and their whole nation â—or by reason of this hainous sinne against Christ came the iust wrath of God vpon them and so remaineth vnto this day Whereby we see that the Lord will ouerthrow such in their owne wisdome that will be wise without the direction of Gods word and against Christ. And thus it was with Achiâ—ophel who for wisdome was as the oracle of God yet because he rebelled against the Lords annointed God confounded him in his owne wisdome For when his counsell which he gaue against Dauid was not followed he thought himsâ—â—â—e despised as the text saith and sadled his asse and arose and went home into his 〈◊〉 and put his houshold in order and hanged himselfe in this action he shewed himselfe more senslesse then a bruit beast And in our daies the Leaguers that haue bound themselues by othe to roote out the Church of God by his most wonderfull prouidence turne their swords against themselues and destroy each other Therefore if we would be wise we must learne to be wise in Christ for els our counsell will be our owne confusion Secondly hence we learne that if any shall liue in stubbernnesse and rebellion against Christ tâ—â— Lord will so carrie and order those men or that people that in the 〈…〉 shall be the very causes of their owne perdition This we see most pâ—â—â—nâ—â—y in the example of these Iewes for they euermore enuyed Châ—â—st and now they goe on to take counsell against him but God so disposed thereof that euen by this meanes they brought destruction vpon themselues and their countrey This must teach thee to take heed how thou liuest in thy sinnes for if thou doe so the Lord hath many waies to worke thy confusion as thy conscience to condemne thee thy friends to forsake thee the deuill his angels to torment molest thee and his creatures to annoy thee Yea the Lord can leaue all these and mâ—ke thine owne selfe to be the direct meanes of working thine own confusion both in bodie and soule eternally that euen then whâ— thou art most warie and wise in thine owne behalfe and this is the reward of all those that walke on in their euill waies without any true conuersion Hauing consulted in the next place they come to the garden where Christ was to be apprehended And here we are to consider who they were that 〈◊〉 â—â—mely the Scribes and Pharises the high priests and their seruants a â—â—nd of sâ—â—ldiers the seruants of Pontius Pilate the Elders of the Iewes aâ—â—â—hich came with one coÌ„sent to the place where Christ was that they might 〈◊〉 him Where we learne a good lesson that all sorts of wicked men disagreeing among themselues can agree against Christ. The Scribes and Phariseâ—â—ere two contrarie sects and at discord one with another in matters of reâ—â—gioâ—â— and Iudas was one of Christs disciples the Elders differed from theÌ„ all 〈◊〉 souldiours were Gentiles all these were at variance among themselues and could not one brooke another So also we read that Herod and Pontius Pilate were not friends but at the same time when Christ was apprehended Pilate sent him to Herod and they were made friends Now as these wicked men did all conspire against Christ so doe the wicked ones of this world in all countries and kingdomes band themselues against the Church of Christ at this day And howsoeuer such be at discord among themselues yet they doe all ioyne hand in hand to persecute Christ in his members And the reason is plaine because Christ and his religion is as flatte opposite to the corrupt disposition of all men as light is to darknes Againe whereas we see so many sorts of men so amiably consenting to take Christ we may note how all men naturally doe hate and abhorre him and his religion And looke as then it was with Christ so hath it bin with all his members and will be to the ende of the world They are accounted as the offscouring of the world men not worthie to liue on the face of the earth as Christ told his Disciples saying Ye shall be hated of all nations for my names sake Let vs also marke how all these came furnished to apprehend Christ the text saith they came with clubs and staues as vnto a theefe All the whole nation of the Iewes knew right well that Christ was no man of violence but meeke and lowly and yet they came armed to apprehend him as though he had beene some mightie potentate that would not haue beene apprehended but haue resisted them Where we see the propertie of an euill conscience which is to feare where there is no cause at all This causeth some to be afraid of their own shadowes and if they see but a worme peepe out of the ground they are at their wits ende and as Salomon saith The wicked flee when none pursueth them After that they are now come to Christ we are to consider two things in their meeting I. Christs communication with them II. The treason of Iudas Concerning their conference it is said Iesus knowing all things that should come vnto him went forth and said vnto them Whome seeke ye they answered him Iesus of Nazareth Iesus answered I am he Now so soone as he had said I am he the stoutest of them fell to the ground as beeing astonished at the maiestie of his word Where note that the word of God is a word of power The same power was in his word when he raised vp Lazarus for when he had lien in the graue and had entred into some degrees of corruption he did no more but saide Lazarus come forth and he that was dead came forth And hence we may also marke what a wonderfull
his word and receiuing his sacraments and as the Prophet saith they honour God with their lipps but their hearts are farre froÌ„ him We may see daily experieÌ„ce of this euery man will say Lord Lord but in their liues and conuersations fewe there bee that denie him not both in the duties which they owe vnto God as also in duties towards their brethren Many come to heare Gods worde because they are compelled by the magistrates lawes but when they are come they worship not God in their hearts which is plainely seene by the breach of Gods holy sabboth in euery place and that they make more account of a messe of pottage with Esau then of their birth-right and of thirtie peeces of siluer then of Christ himselfe The third point to bee handled in Christs apprehension is that they lay hold on him wherein we must consider two things I. the resistance made by Christs disciples II. their flight For the first Christs disciples resisted and specially Peter drawing his sword stroke one of the high priests seruants and cut off his eare This fact our Sauiour Christ reprooues and that for these causes I. because his disciples were priuate men and they that came to apprehend him were magistrates Secondly he was to worke the worke of mans redemption nowe Peter by this fact did what he could to hinder him And from this practise of Peter we may learne that nothing in the world is so hard to a man as to take vp his crosse and followe Christ. One would thinke it should bee a hard matter for him to encounter with enemies especially they being stronger then he but Peter stoutly resisting makes nothing of it whereas a little before when Christ tolde him and the rest concerning his passion they were so heauie with griefe that they could not hold vp their heads so hard a thing it is to beare the crosse and for this very cause afterward when Christ reprooued him for striking both he and all the rest of the disciples fled away Secondly Peter in all mans reason was to be commended because he strake in the defence of his master but Christ reprooues him for it Whence we learne that if a man be zealous for Christ hee must be zealous within the compasse of his calling and not be zealous first and then looke for a calling but first looke for a calling and then be zealous Which thing if Peter had marked hee had not dealt so rashly for being without the compasse of his calling he could not but doe amisse Here it may be demaunded whether Christ and his religion may not be maintained by the sword I answer that the magistrate which is the vicegerent of the Lord is the keeper of both tables and therefore is to maintaine religion with the sword and so may put to death Atheists which holde there is no God of which sort there are many in these daies and heretiques which malitiously maintaine and holde any thing that ouerthrowes the foundation of religion in the Churches wherof they were members But some obiect that in the parable of the fielde the seruants are commanded not to pluck vp the tares from the wheat but to suffer both to growe till haruest and that therefore there must bee no separation of heretickes and true Christians before the last day of iudgement Ans. The scope of that place is not to forbidde the execution of heretiques but it speakes only of the finall separation which must be in the ende of the world For there the master of the familie doth signifie God himselfe aud the fielde the Church militant spread ouer the face of the whole earth and by tares is meant not onely heretiques but also all those that are forth of the church the seruants are Gods holy angels and the haruest is the last iudgement Here further it may bee demaunded who may vse the sword Ans. All mâ—n may vse the sword to strike and to kil into whose hands God putteth the sword Nowe God putteth it into the hand first and principally of the publike magistrate who when iust occasion serues may drawe it out And againe it is put into a priuate mans hand sometime A priuate man when he is assailed of his enemie may take the sworde in way of his owne defence and may kill his enemie therewith if there be no other helpe not doing it vpon malice but because he can no otherwise escape and saue his own life and so for want of a magistrate he is a magistrate vnto himselfe In the â—light of the disciples we may consider two things the time and the qualitie of the persons The time was at the apprehension of our Lord Sauiour And this came to passe not without the speciall prouidence of God that it might be known that Christ had no helper or fellow in the accoÌ„plishment of the work of our redeÌ„ption that wheras we for our sinnes deserued to be forsaken of all creatures he being our pledge and surety might be forsaken for vs. As for the qualitie of the persons that flie they were the chosen disciples of Christ such as had beleeued in him confessed him and preached in his name And this serueth to teach vs that God will otherwhiles forsake his owne children and seruants and leaue them to themselues in some part that they may feele their wants and miseries their weakenesse in themselues and by that meanes be humbled throughly and be touched with an hungring desire after Christ. As a mother sets down her child and hides her selfe suffering it to crie fall and breake the face not becanse shee hates it but that shee may teach it to depend vpon her and loue her so god giueth grace to his children yet againe sometime he doth in part withdrawe it from them then they faile in their duties sundrie waies and this he doth to make them ashamed of themselues and to cause them to put all their confidence out of themselues in the merits of Christ. The fourth thing to be considered in Christs apprehension is their binding of him In which action of theirs we are to obserue first of al the circumstance of time when this binding was When our Sauiour Christ had said vnto them I am he they being astonished fell to the ground and with all when Peter had smitten off Malchus eare with his sworde Christ healed the same miraculously Yet after all this though they had seene his wonderfull power both in word and deede they proceede in malice against him and lay handes on him and bind him as a malefactour In this wee note what a fearefull sinne hardnesse of heart is the danger whereof appeareth in this that if a man be ouertaken with it there is nothing that can stay or daunt him in his wicked proceedings no not the powerfull words and deedes of Christ himselfe And indeede among Gods iudgements there is none more feareful then this and yet how feareful soeuer it be it is a
suffered V. the excellencie of his passion For the first the person that suffered was Christ the iust as Peter saith Christ also hath once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vniust and againe Christ Iesus the iust saith S. Iohn is the reconciliation for our sinnes And in his execution we shall haue manifest declarations of his righteousnes and iustice consisting in two most worthie points First when he was vpon the crosse and the souldiours were nailing his handes and feete thereunto and racking his bodie most cruelly he praied Father forgiue them they know not what they do These souldiers were by al likelihood the very same that apprehended him and brought him before Caiphas and from thence to Pontius Pilate and there platted a crowne of thornes and set it on his head buffeted him and spitefully intreated him as we haue heard and yet Christ speakes no worde of reuenge vnto them but with all patience in the very extremitie of their malice and iniurie he praieth vnto his father to forgiue them Hence wee are taught that when iniuries are done vnto vs we ought to abstaine from all affection of reuenge and not so much as manifest the same either in word or deede It is indeede a hard lesson to learne and practise but it is our parts to indeauour to do it and not onely so but to be readie for euil to doe good yea euen at that instant when other men are doing vs wrong euen then I say wee must be readie if it be possible to doe them good When as Christs enemies were practising against him all the treacherie they could euen then he performeth the worke of a Mediatour and praieth for them vnto his father and seeketh their saluation Againe whereas Christ praieth thus Father forgiue them we gather that the most principall thing of all that man ought to seeke after in this life is the forgiuenesse of sinnes Some thinke that happines consisteth in honour some in wealth some in pleasure some in this some in that but indeed the thing which we should most labour for is reconciliation with God in Christ that wee may haue the free remission of all our sinnes Yea this is blessednes it selfe as Dauid saith Blessed is he whose iniquitie is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Here then beholde the madnesse of the men of this worlde that either seeke for this blessing in the last place or not at all The second testimonie of Christs righteousnesse giuen in the middest of his passion was that he behelde his mother standing by and commended her to the custodie of Iohn his disciple whereby he gaue an example of most holy obedience vnto the fifth commandement which prescribeth honour vnto father and mother And this his fact sheweth that the obseruing of this commandement standeth not in outward shew and reuerence onely but in a godly recompence in procuring vnto parents all the good we can both concerning this and a better life It often falls out that children be as it were Cains to father and mother some raile on them some fight with them others see them pine away and sterue and not releeue them But all dutiful children must here learne that as their parents haue done many duties vnto them and brought them vp so they againe must in all reuerence performe obedience vnto them both in word and deede and when occasion is offered releeue them yea in all they can doe good vnto them Againe in this we may see what a wretched state is that which the Church of Rome calleth the state of perfection namely to liue apart from the companie of men in fasting and praying all the daies of a mans life for hereby the bond of nature is broken and a man can not do the dutie vnto his parents which Gods lawe requireth and Christ here himselfe practiseth nor the duties of a member of Christ which are to be done to the whole Church and to the rest of the members thereof The place where Christ suffered is called Caluarie or Golgotha that is the place of dead mens skulles without the walles of Ierusalem Concerning the reason of this name men bee of diuers opinions Some say it was so called because Adam was buried there and that his skull beeing there found gaue the name to the place And this is the verie opinion of some ancient diuines that Christ was there crucified where Adam was buried but because it hath no certaine grounde I leaue it as vncertaine Others thinke it was called Caluarie because the Iewes were wont to carrie out the bones of the dead men and there to heape them togither as in times past the manner was in the vauts of sundrie Churches in this land And some others thinke it was called Golgotha or Caluarie because theeues and murtherers and malefactours were there executed stoned burned whereby it came to passe that many skulls and bones of dead men were found there The time when Christ was executed was at the Iewes passeouer when not onely the Iewes but also many Proselytes of many countries and nations were assembled and therefore this execution was not in a priuate corner but openly in the viewe of the world For as he was a Sauiour not to the Iewes onely but also the Gentiles so it was very requisite that his death should bee publike before all men both Iewes and Gentiles As for the houre of the day in which he suffered there is some difficultie in the Euangelists for S. Iohn saith that he was condemned about the sixt houre of the day and Saint Marke saith he was crucified the third houre Hence it may be demaunded howe both these can stand togither Ans. Howesoeuer the Iewes naturall daie beganne at euening yet the artiâ—ificiall daie beganne at sunne-rising and ended at sunne-setting and it was diuided two waies First into twelue partes called twelue houres whether the daies were longer or shorter Secondly into foure partes or quarters and euery part contained three houres as from the first houre to the third was one part called morning from the third houre to the sixt another part called the sixt houre from the sixt houre to the ninth the third part called the ninth houre and from the ninth houre to the twelfth the fourth part called euening Nowe when Saint Iohn saith Christ was condemned about the sixt houre it must be vnderstood of the second quarter of the daie called the sixt houre and whereas Saint Marke saith he was crucified the third houre of the day hee speakes of the lesser houres twelue whereof made the whole day and thus they both agree for the third houre of the day and the beginning of the second quarter followe each other immediately Againe it may be answered that Christ was condemned at sixe of the clocke after the Romane account which begins the day at midnight and crucified at three which is nine of the clocke in the morning with vs after the Iewes account
his keeper and said Into thy handes O Lord do I commend my spirit Nowe our Sauiour Christ being in the like distresse both by reason of the Iewes who euery way sought his final destruction confusion especially because he felt the full wrath of God seazing vpon him doth make choice of Dauids words and apply them to himselfe in his distresse And by his example was are taught not onely to reade the generall history of the bible but also to obserue the things commanded and forbidden and to apply the same vnto our selues and to our particular estates and dealings whatsoeuer thus the prophet Dauid saith God! How can this be for no part of Scripture penned before the daies of Dauid saith thus of him True indeede but as I take it Dauids meaning is that he read the booke of the lawe and found generall precepts and commandements giuen to Kings and Princes that they should keepe all the ordinances and commandements of God which he beeing a King applyes particularly to his owne person and thereupon saith In the volume of the booke it is written of me c. And this dutie is well practised by the people of God at this day for the Psalmes of Dauid were penned according to the estate of the Church in his time and in these daies the Church of God doeth sing the same with the same spirit that Dauid did and doth apply their seueral estates and conditions Nowe in that Christ commends his soule into the handes of his father hee doth it to testifie that he died not by constraint but willingly and by his own practise he doth teach vs to do the like namly to giue vp our own soules into the hands of god because this dutie is of some difficultie we must obserue three motiues or preparatiues which may induce vs to the better doing of it The first is to consider that God the father of Christ is the creatour of our soules and therefore he is called the father of spirits And if he be a creatour of them then is he also a faithfull preseruer of them For sure it is that God will preserue his owne workemanship Who is or can be so carefull for the ornament preseruation of any worke as the craftes-master and shall not God be more carefull then man Wherefore S. Peter exhorteth vs to committe our soules vnto God as vnto a faithfull creatour The second motiue is this wee must looke to be resolued in our consciences that â—od the father of Christ is our father euery man for himselfe must labour to haue the assurance of the pardon of his owne sinnes and that the corruption of his soule bee washed away in the blood of Christ that he may say I am iustified sanctified and adopted by Christ. And when any man can say thus he shall be most desirous and willing to commit his soule into the handes of God This was the reason which mooued Christ to lay down his soule into the handes of God because he is his father The third motiue or preparatiue is a continuall experience obseruation of Gods loue and fauour towards vs in keeping and preseruing him as appeares by Dauids example Into thy hands saith he I commit my soule for thou hast redeemed me O thou God of trueth The time when we are specially to commend our soules into the hand of God is first of all the time of any affliction or danger This was the time wheÌ„ Dauid commended his soule into the hands of God in the Psalme before named We knowe that in any common danger or perill as the sacking of a citty or burning of an house if a man haue any pretious iewell therein he will first fetch that out and make choise of a faithfull friende to whose custodie he will commit the same euen so in coÌ„mon perils and daungers we must alwaies remember to commit our soules as a most pretious iewell into the handes of God who is a faithfull creatour Another more speciall and necessarie time of practising this dutie is the houre of death as here Christ doth and Steuen who when the Iewes stoned him to death called on God and said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit And as this dutie is very requisite and necessarie at all times so most especially in the houre of death becaâ—se the danger is great by reason that Satan will then chiefely assault vs and the guilt of sinne will especially then wound the conscience Lastly at al times we must commit our soules into Gods handes for though we be not alwaies in afflictioâ— yet we are alwaies in great danger and when a man lieth downe to rest he knoweth not whether he shall rise againe or no and when he ariseth he knoweth not whether hee shall lie downe againe Yea at this very houre we knowe not what will befall the next And great are the comforts which arise by the practise of this dutie When Dauid was in great danger of his life and his owne people would haue stoned him because their hearts were vexed for their sonnes and daughters which the Amalekites had taken it is said hee comforted himselfe in the Lord his God And the practise of Paul in this case is most excellent for the which cause saith he I suffer those things but I am not ashamed for I knowe whome I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that hee is able to keâ—pe that which I haue committed vnto him againâ—t that day This worthie seruant of God had committed his life and soule into Gods hand and therefore he saith In all my sufferings I am not ashamed where we see that if a man haue grace in his life-time to commit his soule into Gods hand it will make him bold euen at the point of death And this must be a motiue to cause euery man daily and hourely to lay downe his soule into the handes of God although by the course of nature he may liue twentie or fourtie yeares longer But howsoeuer this dutie be both necessarie and comfortable yet few there be that practise the same Men that haue children are very carefull and diligent to bring them vp vnder some mans tuition if they haue cattel sheep or oxen they prouide keepers to tend them but in the meane season for their owne soules they haue no care they may sinke or swimme or doe what they will This shewes the wonderfull blindnes or rather madnesse of men in the world that haue more care for their cattell then for their owne soules but as Christ hath taught vs by his example so let euery one of vs in the feare of God learne to commit our soules into the hand of God Againe in that Christ layes downe his owne soule and withall the soules of all the faithfull into the hands of the father we further learne three things The first that the soule of man doth not vanish away as the soules of beasts and other creatures there is gâ—eat difference
experience that our hearts are not content with a formall and drowsie profession of religion but that we feele the same power of Christ whereby he raised vp himselfe from death to life to be effectuall and powerfull in vs to worke in our hearts a conuersion from all our sinnes wherein we haue lien dead to newenesse of life with care to liue godly in Christ Iesus And that we may further attaine to all this we must come to heare the worde of God preached and taught with feare trembling hauing heard the word we must meditate therein and pray vnto God not onely publikely but priuately also intreating him that he would reach forth his hand and pull vs out of the graue of sinne wherein we haue lien dead so long And in so doing the Lord of his mercy according as he hath promised will send his spirit of grace into our hearts to worke in vs an inward sense and feeling of the vertue of Christs resurrection So dealt he with the two disciples that were going to Emmaus they were occupied in the meditation of Christ his death and passion and whiles they were in hearing of Christ who conferred with them he gaue them such a measure of his spirit as made their hearts to burne within them And Paul praieth for the Ephesians that God would inlighten their eies that they might see and feele in themselues the exceeding greatnesse of the power of God which he wrought in Christ Iesus when he raised him from the dead Thirdly as Saint Paul saith If wee be risen with Christ then we must seeke the things that are aboue But howe and by what meanes can wee rise with Christ seeing we did not die with him Ans. We rise with Christ thus The burgesse of a towne in the parliament house beareth the person of the whole towne and whatsoeuer he saith that the whole towne saith and whatsoeuer is done to him is also done to all the towne so Christ vpon the crosse stood in our place and bare our person and what he suffered we suffered and when he died all the faithfull died in him and so likewise as he is risen againe so are all the faithfull risen in him The consideration whereof doth teach vs that we must not haue our hearts wedded to this world We may vse the thinges of this life but yet so as though we vsed them not For all our loue and care must be for thinges aboue and specially wee must seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost Wee must therefore sue for the pardon of sinne for reconciliation to God in Christ and for sanctification These are the pretious pearles which we must seeke and when we haue found them we must sell all that we haue to buy them and hauing bought them wee must lay them vp in the secret corners of our hearts valuing and esteeming of them better then all things in the world beside Thus much of Christs resurrection containing the first degree of Christs exaltation Nowe followeth the second in these wordes Hee ascended into heauen in the handling whereof we are to consider these speciall points I. the time of his ascension II. the place III. the manner IV. the witnesses V. the vses thereof For the first the time of Christs ascension was fortie daies after his resurrection when he taught his disciples the things which appertaine to the kingdome of God And this shewes that he is a most faithfull King ouer his Church procuring the good thereof And therefore Esay saith The gouernment is on his shoulder and the Apostle saith hee was more faithfull in all the house of God then Moses was Hence we gather that whereas the Apostles chaunged the sabboth from the seauenth dâ—y to the eight it was no doubt by the counsell and direction of Christ before his ascension and likewise in that they planted Churches and appointed teachers and meete ouerseers for the guiding and instruction hereof we may resolue our selues that Christ prescribed the same vnto them before his ascension and for these and such like causes did he ascend no sooner Now looke what care Christ at his ascension had ouer his Church the same must all masters of families haue ouer their housholds when God shall call them out of this world They must haue care not onely that their families be well gouerned while they liue but also that after their death peace loue and good order may be continued in their posteritie And therefore the prophet Esay is sent to Ezechias King of Iudah to bid him set his house in order for he must die signifying that it is the dutie of a good master of a familie to haue care not onely for the gouernment of his house whilst he is aliue but also that it may be well gouerned when he is dead The same also must be practised of Gods ministers a part of whose fidelitie is this that they haue not onely a care to feede their particular flocks while they are aliue but also that they further prouide for the people after their departure as much as they can Example whereof we haue in Peter who saith I will endeauour alwaies that ye may be able also to haue remembrance of these things after my departure The place of Christs ascension was the mount of Oliues neere Bethanie and it was the same place from whence Christ went to Ierusalem to be crucified One place serued to be a passage both to paine and torments and also to glorie This shewes that the way to the kingdome of heauen is through afflictions There are many which haue Gods hand heauie vpon them in lingering sicknesses as the dead palsie and such like wherein they are saine to lie many yeares without hope of cure whereupon their beddes which should be vnto them places of rest and ease are but places of woe and miserie Yet may these men hence haue great comfort if they can make good vse of their sicknesses for the beddes whereon they suffer so much torment shall be places from whence they shall passe to ioy and happinesse Againe there be many that for the testimonie of the truth and for religions sake suffer imprisonment with many afflictions now if they can vse their afflictions well their prisons shall be Bethanies vnto them although they be places of bondage yet God will at length make them places of entrance to libertie Many a man for the maintaining of faith and good conscience is banished out of his countrey and is faine to liue in a strange place among a people to whome he is vnknowne but let him vse it well for though it be a place of griefe for a time as Bethanie was to Christ when he went to suffer yet God will make it one day to be his passage into heauen Thus much of the place of his ascending The third thing to be considered is the manner of Christs ascension and
him saith Behold I am vile and againe I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes In the same manner we being his subiects and people must looke to be exercised with temptations and afflictions which shall make vs bend and bow for our sinnes past as the olde man goeth crooked and doubles to the earth by reason of age The second is to preuent sinnes in the time to come A father when he sees his child too bold and venterous about fire and water takes it and holds it ouer the fire or ouer the water as though he would burne or drowne it whereas his purpose indeede is nothing els but to preuent daunger in time to come In like manner Christs subiects are bolde to sinne by nature and therefore to preuent a mischiefe chiefe he doth exercise them with affliction and seemes for a season as though he would quite forsake his Church but his meaning is onely to preuent offences in times to come The third ende is to continue his subiects in obedience vnto his commandements so the Lord saith when he would bring his Church from idolatrie Behold I will stop thy way with thornes make an hedge that shee shall not find her pathes The holy Ghost here borrowes a comparison from beasts which going in the way see greene pastures desire to enter in therefore goe to the hedge but feeling the sharpnes of the thornes dare not aduenture to go in So Gods people like vnto wild beasts in respect of sinne viewing the greene pastures of this world which are the pleasures thereof are greatly affected therewith if it were not for sharpnes of crosses temptations which are Gods spirituall hedge by which he keepeth theÌ„ in they would range out of the way and rush into sinne as the horse into the battell The fourth and last worke of Christ in respect of his Church is that he sits at the right hand of his father to defend the same against the rage of all enemies whatsoeuer they are and this he doth two waies First by giuing to his seruants sufficient strength to beare all the assaults of their enemies the world the flesh and the deuill For Paul saith those to whome the Lord hath giuen the gift of faith to them also he hath giuen this gift to suffer afflictions And the same Apostle also praieth for the Colossians that they may be strengthened with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse The euidence hereof we may most plainely see in the most constant deaths of the Martyrs of Christ recorded both in the word of God and in the Church histories It is wonderfull to see their courage and constancie For at such times as they haue beene brought to execution they refused to be bound or chained willingly suffering most cruel torments without shrinking or feare such courage and strength the Lord gaue them to withstand the violent rage of all their aduersaries Secondly he defends his Church by limiting the power and rage of all enemies And hence it is that although the power of the Church of God on earth be weake and slender in it selfe and contrariwise the power of the deuill exceeding great yet can he not so much as touch the people of God And he more preuailes by inward suggestions and temptations then by outward violence And if it were not that the power of Christ doth bridle his rage there could be no aboad for the Church of Christ in this world Thus we haue seene what are the workes of Christ in gouerning his church and we for our parts that professe our selues to be members thereof must shew our selues to be so indeed by an experience of these works of his in our owne hearts And we must suffer him to gather vs vnder his owne wing and to guide vs by his word and spirit and we are to acquaint our selues with those spirituall exercises whereby his good pleasure is to nurture vs to all obedience Lastly we must depend on his ayde and protection in all estates And seeing we in this land haue had peace and rest with the Gospell of Christ among vs a long time by Gods especiall goodnesse we must now after these daies of peace looke for daies of tribulation we must not imagine that our ease and libertie will continue alwaies For looke as the day and night doe one follow another so likewise in the administration of the church here vpon earth Christ suffereth a continuall intercourse betweene peace and persecution Thus he hath done from the beginning hitherto and we may resolue our selues that so it will continue till the end and therefore it shall be good for vs in these daies of our peace to prepare our selues for troubles and afflictions and when troubles come we must still remember the fourth worke of Christ in the gouernment of his church namely that in all daungers he will defend vs against the rage of our enemies as well by giuing vs power and strength to beare with patience and ioy whatsoeuer shall be laid vpon vs as also bridle the rage of the world the flesh and the deuill so as they shall not be able to exercise their power and malice to the full against vs. Thus much of the dealing of Christ toward his owne Church and people Now followeth the second point namely his dealing toward his enemies and here by enemies I vnderstand all creatures but especially men which as they are by nature enemies to Christ and his kingdome so they perseuere in the same enimitie vnto the end Now his dealing towards them is in his good time to worke their confusion as he himselfe saith Those mine enemies that would not that I should raigne ouer them bring them hither and slay them before me And Dauid saith The Lord will bruise his enemies with a rodde of iron and breake them in pieces like a potters vessell And againe I will make thine enemies thy footesâ—oole As Iosuah dealt with the fiue Kings that were hidde in the caue he first makes a slaughter of their armies then he brings them forth and makes the people to set their feete on their necks and to hang them on fiue trees So Christ deales with his enemies he treads them vnder his feete and maketh a slaughter not so much of their bodies as of their soules And this the Church of God finds to be true by experience as well as it finds the loue of Christ towards it selfe Now he confounds his enemies two waies The first is by hardnesse of heart which ariseth when God withdraweth his grace from man and leaueth him to himselfe so as he goeth on forward from sinne to sinne and neuer repenteth to the last gaspe And we must esteeme of it as a most fearefull and terrible iudgement of God for when the heart is possessed therewith it becomes so flintie and rebellious that a man will neuer relâ—nt or turne to god This
of Christ in feeding clothing lodging and visiting of them For we must thinke that many of those against whome this reason shall be brought did know religion and professe the same yea they prophesied in the name of Christ and called on him saying Lord Lord and yet the sentence of condemnation goeth against them because they shew no compassion toward the members of Christ and therefore it is a principal vertue and a speciall note of a Christian to shew the bowels of compassion towards his needie brethren Here againe we note that it is not sufficient for vs to abstaine from euill but we must also doe good For it is not saide I was an hungred and ye tooke from me but When I was hungrie ye gaue me no mâ—ate They are not charged with doing euill but for not doing good S. Iohn saith The axe is laid to the roote of the tree and the reason followes not because the tree bare euill fruit but because it bare not good fruite therefore it must be cast into the fire This condemnes a bad opinion of all worldly men who thinke that all is well and that God will be mercifull vnto them because they doe no man harme Thus we see how the deuill blinds the eyes of men for it will not stand for paiment at the day of iudgement to say I haue hurt no man vnlesse we further doe all the good we can The third point is the defence which impenitent sinners make for themselues in these words Lord when saw we thee an hungred or thirstie or naked or in prison or sicke and did not minister vnto thee Thus in their owne defence that which Christ saith they gainsay iustifie themselues Here marke the nature of all impenitent sinners which is to sooth and flatter themselues in sinne and to maintaine their owne righteousnes like to the proud Pharisie in his prayer who bragged of his goodnes and said Lord I thanke thee that I am not as other men are extortioners c. and in the very same manner ignorant persons of all sorts among vs iustifie themselues in their strong faith and bragge of their zeale of Gods glorie and of their loue to their brethren and yet indeede shew no signes thereof And truly we are not to maruell when we see such persons to iustifie themselues before men whereas they shall not be ashamed to doe it at the day of iudgement before the Lord Iesus himselfe The last point is Christs answer to them againe in these words Verily I say vnto you in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me This sentence being repeated againe doth teach vs the lesson which we learned before that when we are to shew compassion to any man especially if he be a meÌ„ber of Gods Church we must not consider his outward estate or his basenes in that he waÌ„ts food or raiment but behold Christ in him not respecting him as a man but as a member of Christ. This it is that must mooue vs to coÌ„passion and cause vs to make a supplie of his wants more then any respect in the world beside And surely when Christ in his members comes to our dores and complaines that he is hungrie and sicke and naked if our bowels yearne not towards him there is not so much as a sparke of the loue of God in vs. The seuenth point in the proceeding of the last iudgement is the retribution or reward in these words and they shall go into euerlasting paine and the righteous into life eternall How doe the wicked enter into hell and the godly into heauen Answ. By the powerfull and commaunding voice of Christ which is of that force that neither the greatest rebell that euer was among men nor all the deuills in hell shall be able to withstand it And seeing that after the day of iudgement we must remaine for euer either in heauen or in hell we are to looke about vs and to take heed vnto our hearts Indeede if the time were but a thousand or two thousand yeares then with more reason men might take libertie to themselues but seeing it is without ende we must be most carefull through the whole course of our liues so to liue and behaue our selues that when the day of iudgement shall come we may auoid that fearefull sentence of euerlasting woe and condemnation which shall be pronounced against the wicked And whereas all wicked men shall goe to hell at Christs commaundement it teacheth vs willingly to obey the voice of Christ in the ministerie of the word For if we rebell against his voice in this world when in the day of iudgement sentence shall be pronounced against vs we shall heare an other voice at the giuing whereof we must obey whether we will or no and thereupon goe to euerlasting paine whither we would not Let vs therfore in time denie our selues for our sinnes past and onely relie vpon Christ Iesus for the free remission of them all and for the time to come lead a new reformed life Thus much of the order of Christ his proceeding at the day of iudgement Now follow the vses thereof which are either comforts to Gods Church or duties for all men The first comfort or benefit is this that the same person which died for vs vpon the crosse to worke our redemption must also be our iudge And hence we reape two speciall comforts I. The people of God shall hereby inioy ful redemption from all miseries and calamities which they had in this life So Christ himselfe speaking of the signes of the ende of the world saith to his disciples When you see these things lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere Then he shal wipe all teares from their eyes Secondly we shall hereby haue a finall deliuerance from all sinne Now what a ioyful thing it is to be freed from sinne may plainly appeare by the crie of S. Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death And certen it is that he which knowes what sinne is seriously repents him of the same would wish with all his heart to be out of this world that he might leaue off to sinne and thereby cease to displease God The second comfort is this the godly in this world haue many enemies they are reuiled slandered and oftentimes put to death well Christ Iesus at the day of iudgement will take euery mans case into his owne hand he will then heare the complaint of the godly howsoeuer in this world they found no remedie and then he will reuenge their blood that is shed vpon the earth according to their prayer This comfort is to be coÌ„sidered especially of all those that are any way persecuted or molested by the wicked of this world Now follow the duties to be learned of euery one of vs and they are diuers First the consideration of the last iudgement serueth
man and therefore Christs death appertaines and belongs to all men indifferently Answer The preaching of the Gospell is an ordinance of God appointed for the gathering togither and the accomplishment of the number of the elect and therefore in the ministerie of the word grace and saluation is offered principally and directly to the elect and onely by consequent to them which are ordained to iust damnation because they are mingled with the elect in the same societies and because the ministers of God not knowing his secret counsell in charitie thinke all to be elect And though God in offering grace doe not conferre it to all yet is there no delusion For the offering of grace doth not onely serue for the conuersion of a sinner but also to be an occasion by mens fault of blinding the minde and hardening the heart and of taking away excuse in the day of iudgement To conclude this point Vniuersall redemption of all men we graunt the Scripture saith so and there is an vniuersalitie among the elect and beleeuers but vniuersall Redemption of all and euery man as well the damned as the elect and that effectually wee renounce as hauing neither footing in the scripture nor in the writings of any ancient and orthodoxe diuine for many hundred yeares after Christ his wordes not depraued and mistaken As for Vniuersall vocation it is of the same kinde with the former◠because it is slatte against the word of God in which is fully set downe a distinction of the whole world from the creation to the daies of Christ into two parts one the people of God beeing receiued into the couenant the other beeing the greatest part of the worlde No-people and forth of the couenant From the beginning of the world to the giuing of the lawe the Church was shut vp in the families of the Patriarches and the couenant in the verie familie of Abraham was restrained to Isaak and the members of these families for this cause were called the sonnes of God the rest of the world beside being tearmed as they were indeede the sonnes of men From the giuing of the lawe til Christ the nation of the Iewes was the Church of God and the rest of the world beside no people of God And therefore Esai calls them prisoners and them that are in darkenesse and Ose Such as are without mercie and no people and Zacharie Such as are not ioyned to the Lord and Paul Such as are set to walke in their owne waies being without God and without Christ in the world And this distinction betweene Iewe and Gentile stood till the very ascension of Christ. And hereupon when he was to send his disciples to preach hee charged them not to goe into the way of the Gentiles and not to enter into the cities of the Samaritanes but rather to goe to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and when the woman of Canaan made request for her daughter he gaue a deniall at the first vpon this distinction saying It is not meete to take the childrens bread and giue it vnto dogges and againe I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel It wil be said that this distinction arose of this that the Gentiles at the first fell away from the couenant contemned the Messias It is true indeede of the first heades of the Gentiles the sonnes of Noe but of their posteritie it is false which in times following did not so much as heare of the couenant and the Messias The Prophet Esai saith of Christ A nation that knewe not thee shall runne vnto thee And Paul speaking to the Athenians saith that the times of this their ignorance God regarded not but now admonisheth all men euery where to repent and to the Romanes he saith that the mysterie touching Christ and his benefits was kept secret since the worlde began and nowe opened and published among all nations And if the Gentiles had but knowne of the Messias why did not their Poets and Philosophers who in their writings notoriously abuse the Iewes with sundrie nickenames at the least signifie the contempt of the Redeemer Wherefore to holde and much more to auouch by writing that all and euery one of the heathen were called it is most absurde and if it were so the Caniballs and the sauadge nations of America should haue knowne Christ without preaching which by the histories of the discouerie of those countries is knowne to be false Againe if the Vocation of euery man bee effectuall then faith must bee common to all men either by nature or by grace or both now to say the first namely that the power of beleeuing is common to all by nature is the heresie of the Pelagians and to say it is common to all grace is false All men haue not faith saith Paul nay many to whome the Gospell is preached doe not so much as vnderstand it and giue assent vnto it Satan blinding their mindes that the light of the glorious gospell of Christ should not shine vnto them and to saie that faith is partly by nature partly by grace is the condēned heresie of the semi-Pelagian for we can not so much as thinke a good thought of our selues The last defect in the platforme is that they ascribe vnto God a wrong end of his counsels namely the communication of mercie or goodnesse in eternal happines For the absolute and soueraigne ende of all Gods doings must bee answerable to his nature which is not mercie and loue alone but also iustice it selfe and therefore the right ende is the manifestation of his glorie both in iustice and mercie by the expresse testimonie of scripture Againe if the communication of his goodnes were the highest end of all his counsells all men without exception should be saued because God can not be frustrated of his end and purposed if but one man be damned he is damned either because God will not saue him or because he can not If they say he will not then is he changeable if he can not then is he not omnipotent considering his purpose was to conuey happinesse to all creatures Thus much of the efficient cause of the Church namely Gods predestination which doctrine could not here bee omitted considering no man can beleeue himselfe to be a member of the Church vnlesse withall hee beleeue that he is predestinate to life euerlasting Nowe wee come to the second point namely the Mysticall vnion which is the very forme of the Church whereby all that beleeue are made one with Christ. To the causing of this vnion two things are required a Donation or giuing of Christ vnto that man which is to bee made one with him and a Coniunction betweene them both Of the first the Prophet Esai saith Vnto vs a child is borne and vnto vs a sonne is giuen and Paul Who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all
when he is come which is the spirit of truth he will lead you into all truth Ans. The promise is directed to the Apostles who with their Apostolicall authoritie had this priuiledge granted them that in the teaching and penning of the gospel they should not erre and therefore in the councell at Ierusalem they conclude thus It seemes good vnto vs and to the holy Ghost And if the promise be further extended to all the Church it must be vnderstood with a limitation that God will giue his spirit vnto the meâ—bers thereof to lead them into all truth so farre forth as shall be needfull for their saluation The second question is wherein stands the dignitie and excellencie of the Church Ans. It stands in subiection and obedience vnto the will and word of his spouse and head Christ Iesus And hence it followes that the Church is not to chalenge vnto her selfe authoritie ouer the Scriptures but onely a ministerie or ministeriall seruice whereby shee is appointed of God to preserue and keepe to publish and preach them and to giue testimonie of them And for this cause it is called the pillar and ground of truth The church of Rome not content with this saith further that the authoritie of the Church in respect of vs is aboue the authoritie of the Scripture because say they we can not know Scripture to be Scripture but by the testimonie of the Church But indeede they speake an vntruth For the testimonie of men that are subiect to errour can not be greater and of more force with vs then the testimonie of God who can not erre Againe the Church hath her beginning from the word for there can not be a Church without faith there is no faith without the word there is no word out of the Scriptures and therefore the Church in respect of vs depends on the Scripture and not the Scripture on the Church And as the lawyer which hath no further power but to expound the law is vnder the law so the Church which hath authoritie onely to publish and expound the Scriptures can not authorize them vnto vs but must submit her selfe vnto them And whereas it is alleadged that faith comes by hearing and this hearing is in respect of the voice of the Church and that therefore faith comes by the voice of the Church the answer is that the place must be vnderstood not of that generall faith whereby we are resolued that Scripture is Scripture but of iustifying faith whereby we attaine vnto saluation And faith comes by hearing the voice of the Church not as it is the Churches voice but as it is a ministerie or meanes to publish the word of God which is both the cause and obiect of our beleeuing Now on the contrarie we must hold that as the carpenter knowes his rule to be straight not by any other rule applied vnto it but by it selfe for casting his eye vpon it he presently discernes whether it be straight or no so we know and are resolued that Scripture is Scripture euen by the Scripture it selfe though the Church say nothing so be it we haue the spirit of discerning when we read heare and consider the Scripture And yet the testimonie of the Church is not to be despised for though it breede not a a perswasion in vs of the certenty of the Scripture yet is it a very good inducement thereto The militant Church hath many parts For as the Ocean sea which is but one is deuided into parts according to the regions and countries against which it lieth as into the English Spanish Italian sea c. so the Church dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth is deuided into other particular churches according as the countries are seuerall in which it is seated as into the Church of England and Ireland the Church of France the Church of Germanie c. Againâ— particulaâ— Churches are in a twofold estate sometime lie hid in persecution wanting the publike preaching of the word and the administration of the Sacraments and sometimes againe they are visible carrying before the eyes of the world an open profession of the name of Christ as the moone is sometime eclipsed and sometime shineth in the full In the first estate was the Church of Israel in the daies of Eliah when he wished to die because the people had forsaken the couenant of the Lord broken downe his altars slaine his Prophets with the sword and he was left alone and they sought to take his life also Behold a lamentable estate when so worthie a Prophet could not finde an other beside himselfe that feared God yet marke what the Lord saith vnto him I haue left seuen thousand in Israel euen all the knees that haue not bowed vnto Baal and euery mouth that hath not kissed him Againe it is said That Israel had beene a long season without the true God without priest to teach and without the law Neither must this trouble any that God should so farre forth forsake his Church for when ordinarie meanes of saluation faile he then gathereth his Elect by extraordinarie meanes as when the children of Israel wandered in the wildernes wanting both circumcision and the Passeouer he made a supplie by Manna and by the pillar of a cloud Hence we haue direction to answer the Papists who demand of vs where our Church was three-score yeares agoe before the daies of Luther we say that then for the space of many hundred yeares an vniuersall Apostasie ouerspread the whole face of the earth and that our Church then was not visible to the world but lay hid vnder the chaffe of Poperie And the truth of this the Records of all ages manifest The second estate of the Church is when it flourisheth and is visible not that the faith and secret election of men can be seene for no man can discerne these things but by outward signes but because it is apparant in respect of the outward assemblies gathered to the preaching of the word and the administration of the Sacraments for the praise and glorie of God and their mutuall edification And the visible Church may be thus described It is a mixt companie of men professing the faith assembled together by the preaching of the word First of all I call it a mixt companie because in it there be true beleeuers and hypocrites Elect and Reprobate good and badde The Church is the Lords field in which the enemie soweth his tares it is the corne flore in which lieth wheate and chaffe it is a band of men in which beside those that be of valour and courage there be white liuered souldiours And it is called a Church of the better part namely the Elect whereof it consisteth though they be in nuÌ„ber fewe As for the vngodly though they be in the Church yet they are no more parts of it indeede then the superfluous humours in the vaines are parts of the bodie But to proceede
and some are the very foundation and the former may be battered the foundation standing Againe if the errour be directly or by necessary consequent euen in common sense agâ—inst the foundation consideration must be had whether the Church or partie erreth of weaknes or malice if of weaknes the party is to be esteemed as a meÌ„ber of the Catholike church And thus Paul writes vnto the church of Galatia as to a church of God though by false teachers it had bin turned away to another Gospell and embraced the fundamentall errour of iustification by works But when any man or church shal hold fundâ—mental errours in obstinacie or affected ignorance we are not then bound to repute them any longer as churches or Christians but as such to whome condemnation belongs as Paul sheweth by the example of Iannes and Iambres And as Iannes and Iambres saith he withstood Moses so doe these also resist the truth men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith Yet withall this caueat must euer be remembred that we rather condemne the errour then the person that erreth because Gods mercie is like a bottomles sea whereby he worketh what he will and when he will in the hearts of miserable sinners The second question is where at this day we may finde such visible Churches as are indeede so â—nd members of the Catholike church And for the resoluing of it we are tâ— goe through all countries and religions in the world And first to begin with Turkes and Iewes we are not in any wise to acknowledge their Assemblies for churches because they worship not God in Christ who is the head of the church As for the Assemblies of Papists which haue bin a great part of the world if thereby we vnderstand companies of men holding the Pope for their head and beleeuing the doctrine established in the councill of Trent in name they are called churches but indeede they are no true or sound members of the Catholike church For both in their doctrine and in the worship of God they rase the vâ—ry foundation of religion which will appeare by these three points First of all they holde iustification by workes of grace auouching that they are not onely iustified before God by the merit of Christ but also by their owne doings Which opinion flatly ouerturneth iustification by Christ. For as Paul saith to the Galatians If ye be circumcised Christ profiteth you nothing that is if ye looke to be iustified by the workes of the ceremoniall law ye are fallen from Christ ioyne circumcision and Christ together in the matter of iustification and ye doe quite ouerthrow iustification by Christ. Now if this be true which is the word of God that can not lie then we say to the Papists If ye will needes be iustified by workes of grace ye are fallen from grace The second point is that they maintaine daily reall sacrifice of the bodie of Christ in the Masse for the sinnes of the quicke and dead And this is also a fundamentall heresie For Christs sacrifice on the crosse must either be a perfect sacrifice or no sacrifice and if it be often iterated and repeated by the Masse-priest it is not perfect but imperfect The third point is that they worship the Images of the Trinitie and of Saints departed and their Breaden-god which is as vyle an abomination as euer was among the Gentiles all beeing directly against the true meaning of the second commaundement and defacing the worship of God in the very substance thereof Thus then it appeares that the old church of Rome is changed and is now at this day of a spouse of Christ become an harlot and therefore no more a church of Christ indeede then the carkasse of a dead man that weareth a liuing mans garment is a liuing man though he looke neuer so like him And whereas they plead for themselues that they haue succession from the Apostles the answer is that succession of person is nothing without succession of doctrine which they want and we see that Heretikes haue succeeded lawfull Ministers Secondly whereas it is alledged that in the Popish assemblies the sacrament of Baptisme is rightly for substance administred and that also it is a note of a Church three things may be answered First that baptisme seuered from the preaching of the gospel is no more a signe of a Church then the seale seuered from the indenture is of force that is nothing Circumcision was vsed in Colchis yet no church and among the Samaritanesâ— and yet no people Secondly Baptisme in the assemblies of the Church of Rome is as the purse of the true man in the hand of the thiefe and indeede it doth no more argue them to bee Churches then the true mans purse argues the thiefe to be a true man For baptisme though it be in their assemblies yet doth it not appertaine vnto them but vnto another hidden Church of God which he hath in all ages gathered forth of the middest of them Thirdly though they haue the outward baptisme yet they by necessarie consequent of doctrine ouerturne the inward baptisme that stands in iustification and sanctification Moreouer whereas it is alleadged that they maintaine the bookes of the olde and new testament penned by the Prophets and Apostles the answer is that they doe it with adding to the Canon and by corrupting the natiue sense of the Scriptures in the very foundation and therfore they are but as a lanthorne that shewes light to others none to it selfe Fourthly it is further said that they holde the Creede of the Apostles and make the same confession of faith that wee doe I answer that in shewe of wordes they doe so indeede but by necessarie consequents in the rest of their doctrine they ouerturne one of the natures and all the offices of Christ and therewithall most of the articles of the Creede And herein they deale as a father that in outward shewe tenders the bodie of his childe and will not abide the least blemish vopn it and yet by secret conueiances inwardly annoyes the heart the braine or the liuer and so in trueth destroies the same Fifthly it is alleadged that Antichrist must sitte in the temple of God that is the Church therefore say some that desire an vnion betweene vs and the Papists popish assemblies are true churches but the argument is not good For it is one thing to be in the Church and another thing to be of it And Antichrist is said to sit in the Church not as a member thereof but as an vsurper or as the pyrate in the shippe of the marchant and hence it can not be prooued that the assemblies of Papists are Churches but that in them and with them there is mingled an other hidden Church in the middest whereof Antichrist the Pope ruleth though himselfe hath no part therein Lastly whereas some beeing no Papists thinke their churches to be like a bodie diseased and full of sores and woundes from
ministery that Iesus Christ was the true Messias Thus wee see where at this day wee may finde the true Church of God Nowe I come to the third question and that is at what time a man may with good conscience make separation from a Church Ans. So long as a Church makes no separation from Christ we must make no separation from it and when it separates from Christ we may also separate from it and therefore in two cases there is warrant of separation The one is when the worship of God is corrupt in substance And for this we haue a commandement Be not saith Paul vnequally yoked with infidels for what fellowship hath righteousnes with vnrighteousnesse or what communion hath light with darknesse or what concord hath Christ with Belial or vvhat part hath the beleeuer vvith the infidel or vvhat agreement hath the temple of God with idols wherefore come out from among them and separate â—our selues saith the Lord. And we haue a practise of this in the old testament When Ieroboam had set vp idols in Israel then the priests and Leuites came to Iudah and Ierusalem to serue the Lord. The second is when the doctrine of religion is corrupt in substance as Paul saith If any man teach otherwise and consent not to the wholesome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse he is puffed vp from such separate your selues A practise of this we haue in the Apostle Paul who beeing in Ephesus in a Synagogue of the Iewes spake boldly for the space of three moneths disputing and exhorting to the things which concerne the kingdome of God but when certaine men were hardened and disobeyed speaking euill of the way God he departed from them and separated the disciples of Ephesus and the like hee did at Rome also As for the corruptions that be in the manners of men that be of the Church they are no sufficient warrant of separation vnlesse it be from priuate companie as we are admonished by the Apostle Paul and by the examples of Dauid and Lot By this which hath beene said it appeares that the practise of such as make separation from vs is very badde and schismaticall considering our Churches faile not either in the substance of doctrine or in the substance of the true worship of God Nowe to proceede in the Creede The Church is further set foorth by certaine properties and prerogatiues The properties or qualities are two holines and largenes That the Church is holy it appeares by Peter which cals it an holy nation and a chosen people and by S. Iohn who cals it the holy cittie And it is so calledâ— that it may be distinguished from the false Church which is tearmed in Scriptures the synagogue of Satan and the malignant Church Nowe this holinesse of the Church is nothing else but a created qualitie in euery true member thereof whereby the image of God which was lost by the fall of Adam is againe renued and restored The author of it is God by his worde and spirit by little and litle abolishing the corruption of sinne and sanctifying vs throughout as Christ saith Father sanctifie them in thy truth thy word is trueth And holines must bee conceiued to bee in the Church on this manner it is perfect in the Church Triumphant and it is onely begunne in the Church militant in this life and that for speciall cause that we might giue all glorie to God that we might not be high minded that we might work our saluation with feare and trembling that we might denie our selues and wholly depend vpon God Hence we learne three things first that the Church of Rome erreth in teaching that a wicked man yea such an one as shall neuer be saued may be a true member of the Catholike Church for in reason euery man should be answerable to the qualitie and condition of the Church whereof he is a member if it be holy as it is he must be holy also Secondly we are euery one of vs as Paul saith to Timothie to exercise our selues vnto godlines making conscience of all our former vnholy waies endeauouring our selues to please god in the obedience of all his commandemeÌ„ts It is a disgrace to the holy Church of God that men professing themselues to be meÌ„bers of it should be vnholy Thirdly our duty is to eschew the society of Atheists drunkards fornicatours blasphemers and all wicked and vngodly persons as Paul saith Be no companions of them and haue no fellowship with vnprofitable workes of darknes And he chargeth the Thessalonians that if any man among them walke inordinately they haue no companie with him that he may be ashamed The largenes of the Church is noted in the word Catholicke that is generall or vniuersall And it is so called for three causes For first of all it is generall in respect of time because the Church hath had a beeing in all times and ages euer since the giuing of the promise to our first parents in Paradise Secondly it is generall in respect of the persons of men for it stands of all sorts and degrees of men high and low rich and poore learned and vnlearned c. Thirdly it is Catholicke or vniuersall in respect of place because it hath beene gathered from all parts of the earth specially now in the time of the new Testament when our Sauiour Christ saith that the Gospell shall be preached in the whole world To this purpose Iohn saith in the Reuelation I beheld and loe a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kinreds and peoples and tongues stood before the throne and before the lambe cloathed with long white robes and palmes in their hands And the Church which we here professe to beleeue is called Catholicke that we may distinguish it from particular Churches which are not beleeued but seene with eye whereof mention is made often in the Scriptures Rom. 16.5.1 Cor. 16.19 the Church in their house and the Churches of Asia Coloss. 4.15 Salute Nymphas and the Church in his house Act. 11.22 the Church of Ierusalem Act. 13.1 the Church at Antioche c. That the Church is Catholicke in respect of time place person it ministers matter of endlesse comfort vnto vs. For hereby we see that no order degree or state of men are excluded from grace in Christ vnlesse they will exclude themselues Saint Iohn saith If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous Now it might be answered it is true indeede Christ is an aduocate to some men but he is no aduocate to me Saint Iohn therefore saith further and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for our sinnes onely but for the whole world that is for all beleeuers of what condition or degree soeuer Thus much of the properties of the Church now follow the prerogatiues or
bodie In the handling whereof sundrie points must be considered The first whether there be a resurrection or no This question must needes be handled because Epicures and Atheists in all ages and at this day some doe call this article in question Now that there is a resurrection of the bodie after death it may be prooued by many arguments whereof I will onely touch the principall The first is taken from the worke of redemption Saint Iohn writeth that Christ came to dissolue the workes of the deuill which are sinne and by sinne death and hence I reason thus If sinne and death are to be dissolued vtterly then the bodies of the faithfull which are dead in the graue must needes be made aliue otherwise death is not abolished but sinne and death must be vtterly abolished therefore there shall be a resurrection Secondly God had made a couenant with his Church the tenour whereof is this I will be thy God and thou shalt be my people This couenant is not for a day or an age or for a thousand yeares or ages but it is euerlasting and without ende so as Gods people may say of God for euer God is our God and likewise God wil say of his church for euermore this people is my people Now if Gods couenant be euerlasting then all the faithfull departed from the beginning of the world must be raised againe to life And if God should leaue his people in the graâ—e vnder death for euer how could they be called the people of God for he is a God of mercie and of life it selfe and therefore though they abide long in the earth yet they must at length be reuiued againe This argument Christ vseth against the Sadduces which denied the resurrection God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing but God is the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob which are dead therfore they must rise again The third argument must be taken froÌ„ the tenor order of Gods iustice It is a special part of gods glory to shew forth his mercie on the godly and his iustice vpon the wicked in rewarding them according to their works as the Apostle saith God will reward euery man according to his works to them that by continuance in well doing seeke glory hoâ—our â—nâ— immortalitie life eternall but vnto them that disobey the truth that be coÌ„tentâ—â—â—â— and obey vnrighteousnes shall be indignation and wrath But in this life God rewardeth not men according to their doings and therefore Saâ—â—mon speaking of the estate of all men in this world saith All things come alike to all and the same â—ondition is to the iust and vniust to the good and badde to the pure and polluted to hâ—â— that offereth sacrifice and to him that offereth none Nay which is more here tâ—e wicked flourish and the godly are affâ—â—cted The vngodly haue hearts ease and all things at will whereas the godly are oppressed and ouerwhelmed with all kind of miseries and are as sâ—eeâ—e appointed for the slaughter It remaines therefore that their 〈◊〉 needes be a generall resurrection of all men after this life that the righteous may obtaine a reward of Gods free mercie and the wicked vtter shame and câ—nâ—usion But some will say It is sufficient that God doe this to the soule of euery man the bodie needeth not to rise againe I answer that the vngodly man doth not worke wickednesse onely in his soule but his bodie also is an instrument thereof and the godly doe not onely practise righteousnes in their soules but in their bodies also The bodies of the wicked are the instruments of sinne and the bodies of the righteous are the weapons of righteousnes and therefore their bodies must rise againe that both in bodie and soule they may receiue a reward according to that which they haue wrought in them The fourth argument which is also vsed by Paul is this Christ himselfe is risen and therefore all the faithfull shall rise again for he rose not for himselfe as a priuate man but in our roome and stead and for vs. If the head be risen then the members also shall rise againe for by the same power whereby Christ raised himselfe he both can and will raise all those that be of his mysticall bodie he beeing the first fruits of them that sleepe The fifth argument is taken from expresse testimonie of Scripture Iob hath an excellent place for this purpose I am sure saith he that my Redeemer liueth and he shall stand the last on the earth and though after my skin wormes destroy this bodie yet I shall see God in my flesh whome I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall behold and none other for me And Saint Paul to the Corinthians auoucheth and prooueth this point at large by sundrie arguments which I wil not stand to repeate this one remembred If saith he the dead rise not againe then your faith is vaine our preaching is in vaine and the godly departed are perished The sixth argument may be taken from the order of nature which ministreth certaine resemblances of the resurrection which though they be no sufficient proofes yet may they be inducements to the truth Both Philosophers and also Diuines haue written of the Phoenix that first shee is consumed to ashes by the heat of the sunne and that afterward of her ashes riseth a young one and on this manner is her kind preserued Againe swallowes wormes and flies which haue lien dead in the winter season in the spring by vertue of the sunnes heat reuiue againe so likewise men fall in sownes trances beeing for a time without breath or shew of life and yet afterward come againe And to vse Pauls example before the corne can grow and beare fruit it must first be cast into the ground and there rotte And if this were not seene by experience men would not beleeue it Againe euery present day is as it were dead and buried in the night following and yet afterward it returnes againe the next morning Lastly we read how the old Prophets raised some from death and our Sauiour Christ raised Lazarus among the rest that had lien foure daies in the graue and stanke why then should any thinke it impossible for God to raise all men to life But let vs see what reasons may bee alleadged to the contrarie First it is alleadged that the resurrection of bodies resolued to dust and ashes is against common sense and reason Ans. It is aboue reason but not against reason For if impotent and miserable men as experience sheweth can by art euen of ashes make the most curious workmanship of glasse why may wee not in reason think that the omnipotent and euerliuing God is able to raise mens bodies out of the dust Secondly it is said that mens bodies beeing dead are turned into dust and so are mingled with the bodies of beasts and other creatures and one mans bodie with another and
on their children it is vaine and friuolous For it is Gods will that we should not cast the care of heauenly things onely but all our care vpon him 1. Pet. 5. 7. And he hath elswhere commaunded that earthly things should be asked at his hand 1. King 8.35 and the same hath beene asked in praier of Iacob Gen. 28.10 and Salomon Prouâ— 20.7 And wheras the Lords praier is a perfect platforme of praier temporall blessing must haue some place there vnlesse we will ascribe the hauing and inioying of them to our owne industrie as though they were no gifts of God which to thinke were great impietie By bread then we must vnderstand properly a kind of foode made of the floure of graine that is baked and eaten and thus it must be taken in those places of scripture where bread is opposed to water or wine by a figure more generally it signifies all things whereby temporal life is preserued in this sense goates milke is called bread Prou. 27.27 and the fruit of trees Ier. 11.19 and all things that passe to and fro in trafficke Prou. 31. 14. And so likewise in this place by this one meanes of sustaining our bodies and temporall liues all other meanes whatsoeuer must be vnderstood as meate drinke clothing health libertie peace c. And whereas our Sauiour Christ vnder the name of bread and not vnder the name of any other plentifull or daintie food teacheth vs to aske temporall blessings he doth it for two causes The first is that we might hereby learne frugalitie and moderation in our â—â—et apparell houses and be content if we haue no more but bread that is things necessarie to preserue life which Paul comprehends vnder food and clothing For we are taught in this petition to aske no more We must not with the Iâ—raelites murmure because they had nothing but Manna Question Must we then vse Gods creatures onely for necessitie Ans. We may vse them not onely for necessitie but also for honest delight and pleasure Psal. 104. 15. God giues wine to make glad the heart of man and oyle to make his face shine And Iohn 12.3 our Sauiour Christ allowed of the fact of Marie which tooke a pound of oyntment of Spikenard very costly and annointed his very feete so that all the house was filled with the smell though Iudas did esteeme it wast Yet if it so fall out that the Lord doe graunt vs but bread that is so much as shall holde bodie and soule together we must thankfully content our selues therewith 1. Tim. 6. 8. Therefore when we haue foode and rayment let vs be therewith content This contentation was practised of Iacobs Gen. 28.20 A second cause is to teach vs that there is a particular prouidence All men willingly confesse the generall prouidence of GOD ouer all things but beside that we must acknowledge another more speciall prouidence euen in the least things that be because euery morsell of bread which we eate would no more nourish vs then a peece of earth or a stone vnlesse God giue his blessing vnto it Daily The word in the originall is thus much in effect Bread vnto our essence or substances then the meaning is giue vs such bread from day to day as may nourish our substances Thus praieth Agur Prou. 30. 8. Feede me with foode conuenient for me Some there are which put an Angelical perfection in fasting but we are taught in Scriptures that as aboue all things we are to seeke for life eternall so we must in this life haue care to sustaine and maintaine our naturall life that we may haue conuenient space and time to repent and prepare our selues to the kingdome of heauen Fasting in it selfe as it is an abstinence from meate is no part of Gods worship but in it owne nature a thing indifferent and therefore it is to be vsed so farre forth as it shall further vs in Gods seruice and no further And seeing we are taught to pray for such foode as shall preserue nature and maintaine the vitall blood we ought not to vse fasting to the hindrance or destruction of nature Our bread 1. Quest. How is bread ours Ans. Paul shewes how 1. Corinth â— 22 Ye are Christs and all things are yours So then by meanes of Christ bread is called our For GOD hauing giuen Christ to vs doth in him and by him giue all things else to vs. 2. Quest. How may I know that the things I enioy are mine by Christ and that I doe not vsurpe them Ans. 1. Tim. 4. 4. Paul saith that the creatures of God are good and that the vse of them is sanctified to vs by the word and prayer Then if we haue the word of God to tell vs that wee may enioy and vse them and also if wee pray to God for the right and pure vse of them we are no vsurpers but indeede right owners of them not onely before men but also before God 3. Question If the creatures must be made ours by Christ how comes it to passe that the vngodly haue such abundance of them Ans. We lost the title and interest of the creatures in Adam yet God of his mercie bestowes temporarie blessings vpon the vniust as well as vpon the iust but for all that vnlesse they be in Christ and hold the title of them by him they shall in the ende turne to their greater condemnation And whereas we call it our bread we learne that euery man must liue of his owne calling and his owne goods Here also is condemned all oppression stealing lying cogging and other such deceitfull meanes which men vse to get wealth and goods Many thinke it no sinne to prouide for their families in such order but in saying this petition they pray against themselues 2. Thess. 3. 10. He which laboureth not let him not eate Eph. 4.28 He which stole let him stealeâ— no more but rather labour with his hands the thing that good is This day We say not here this weeke this moneth this age but this day what meanes this may we not prouide for the time to come Ans. It is lawful yea a man is bound in good manner to prouide for time to come Act. 11.28 The Apostles prouided for the Church in Iudea against the time of dearth foretold by Agabus And Ioseph in Egypt in the yeares of plentie stored vp against the yeares of famine Wherefore in these words our Sauiour his meaning is onely to condemne all distrustful care that distracts the minds of men and to teach vs to rest on his fatherly goodnes from day to day in euery season this is noted vnto vs Numb 11. where the Israelites were commanded to gather no more Manna then would serue for one day and if they did it putrified Whereby God taught them to rest on his prouidence euery particular day and not on the meanes Giue vâ— Not me This serues to teach vs that a man must not onely regard himselfe but also be
peruse What one shall then escape and say I can my selfe excuse In iudgement with thy seruant Lord oh enter not at all For iustified in thy sight not one that liueth shall And for thy pitie plentifull O Lord I thee intreat To grant me pardon for my sinne for it is wondrous great O Lord what earthly man doth know the errours of this life Then clense me from my secret sinnes which are in me most rife And keepe me that presumptuous sinnes preuaile not ouer me And then I shall be innocent and great offences flee To thee O Lord my God loe I doe stretch my crauing hands My soule desireth after thee as doth the thirstie lands As handmaids watch their mistris hands some grace for to atchiue So I behold thee Lord my God till thou doe me forgiue Lord turne thee to thy wonted grace my silly soule vptake O saue me not for my deserts but for thy mercie sake My soule why dost thou faint and quaile so sore with paine opprest With thoughts why dost thy selfe assaile so sore within my brest Trust in the Lord thy God alway and thou the time shalt see To giue him thankes with laud and praise for health restorde to thee For why his anger but a space doth last and slacke againe But in his fauour and his grace alway doth life remaine Though gripes of griefe and pangs full sore doe lodge with thee all night The Lord to ioy shall thee restore before the day be light The Lord is kind and mercifull when sinners doe him grieue The slowest to conceiue a wrath and readiest to forgiue And looke what pitie parents deare vnto their children beare Like pitie beares the Lord to such as worship him in feare The Lord that made me knowes my shape my mould and fashion iust How weake and fraile my nature is and how I am but dust O God create in me an heart vnspotted in thy sight And eke within my bowels Lord renue a stable spright With thy free spirit confirme thou me and I will teach therefore Sinners thy waies and wicked shall be turned to thy lore My soule is rauisht with desire and neuer is at rest But seekes to know thy iudgements hie and what may please thee best O would to God it might thee please my waies so to addresse That I might both in heart and voyce thy lawes keepe and confesse In righteousnes I doe intend my time and daies to serue Haue mercie Lord and me defend so that I doe not swerue And with thy sauing health O Lord vouchsafe to visit me That I the great felicitie of thine elect may see And with thy peoples ioy I may a ioyfull minde possesse And may with thine inheritance a glorying heart expresse The Lord the God of Israel be blest for euermore Let all the people say Amen praise ye the Lord therefore FINIS A TREATISE TENDING VNTO A DECLARATION WHETHER A MAN BE IN THE ESTATE OF DAMNATION OR IN THE ESTATE OF GRACE and if he be in the first how he may in time come out of it if in the second how he may discerne it and perseuer in the same to the ende Reuiewed and corrected by the Author The points that are handled be set downe in the page following 2. Pet. 1. vers 10. Giue all diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye doe these things ye shall neuer fall Printed for I. P. and I. L. 1600. The Contents of the booke How farre a Reprobate may goe in Christian Religion The estate of a true Christian in this life which also sheweth howe farre the elect beeing called goe beyond all reprobates in Christianitie A Dialogue to the same purpose gathered out of the sauorie writings of Master Tindall and Bradford Howe a reprobate may performe all the religion of the Church of Rome The conflicts betweene Satan and a Christian. How the word of God is to be applied aright vnto the conscience Consolations for the troubled consciences of weake Christians A Declaration of certaine spirituall Desertions TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL AND MY CHISTIAN FRIEND MASTER Valentine Knightly Esquire one of her Maiesties Iustices of peace in Northampton shiere SIr I pray you consider with me an especiall point of Gods word carefully to be waied it is this Many professors of Christ in the day of grace perswade themselues that they are in the estate of grace and so the true Church esteemeth of them too yet when the day of grace is past they contrariwise shall finde themselues to be in the estate of daÌ„nation remedilesse A dolefull case yet a most resolute trueth and the reason is plaine Men that liue in the Church are greatly annoyed with a fearefull securite and deadnes of heart by which it comes to passe that they thinke it enough to make a common protestation of the faith not once in all their life times examining themselues whether they be in the estate of grace before the eternall God or not And indeede it is a grace peculiar to the man Elect to trie himselfe whether he be in the estate of grace or not The further opening of the trueth of this point as also the daunger of it I haue enterprised in this treatise which I am willing to bestow on you both for the profession of the faith which you make as also for that Christian friendship you haue shewed to me Accept of it I pray you and vse it for your edification Thus I commend you to God and to the word of his grace that is able to builde you vp further and giue you an inheritance among them which are sanctified From Cambridge this 24. of Nouember 1589. Your Worships to command William Perkins To the Christian Reader GOod Reader it is a thing to be considered that a man may seeme both vnto himselfe and to the Church of God to be a true professour of the Gospel and yet indeede be none All professors that be of this sort are excellently described Luk. 8. vers 13. in thesâ— words And they which are vpon the stony grouÌ„d are they which when they shal heare receiue the word with ioy but hauing no roote beleeue for a time in the time of temptation goe away Where are to be noted three things First their faith in that they are said to beleeue for a season Secondly the fruits of that faith in that they are said to receiue the word preached with ioy Thirdly their vnsoundnesse in that they are compared to stony ground and in the time of temptation goe away Concerning their faith wheras the spirit of God saith that they doe beleeue these things are to be considered First that they haue the knowledge of the word of God Secondly that they both can and doe gâ—ue assent vnto the word of God that it is most true Thirdly
giue consent and in his heart subscribeth to the equitie of Gods law as may appeare by the saying of Medea Video meliora probóque deteriora sequor That is I know what is best to be done and like it yet I doe the worst This approbation in the Reprobate commeth from constraint and is ioyned with a disliking of the lawe in the elect being called the approbation of the law proceedeth from a willing and ready mind and is ioyned with loue and liking IV. And by reason of this light of nature a meere natural man and a reprobate may be subiect to some temptations for example hee may be tempted of the deuill and of his owne corrupt flesh to beleeue that there is no God at all As Ouid saith of himself Eleg. 3. Sollicitor nullos esse putare deos I am often tempted to thinke there is no God V. The reprobate for all this knowledge in his heart may bee an Atheist as Dauid saith The foole hath said in his heart there is no God And a man may now a daies find houses and townes full of such fooles Nay this glimmering light of nature except it bee preserued with good bringing vp with diligent instruction and with good companie it will be so darkened that a man shall know verie litle and lead a life like a very beast as experience telleth and Dauid knewe very well who saith Man is in honour and vnderstandeth not he is like to beasts that perish VI. Wherefore this knowledge which the reprobate receiueth from nature and from the creatures albeit it is not sufficient to make him doe that which shall please God yet before Gods iudgement seat it cutteth off all excuse which he might alleadge why he should not be condemned VII Beside this naturall knowledge the reprobate may be made partaker of the preaching of the word be illuminated by the holy ghost and so may come to the knowledge of the reuealed will of God in his word VIII Thus when they heare the preaching of the word god profereth saluation to them and calleth them yet this calling is not so effectuall in them as it is in the elect children of God For the reprobate when he is called he liketh himselfe in his owne blindnes and therefore neither will he and if he would yet could he not answer and be obedient to the calling of God The elect beeing called with speed he answereth and commeth to the Lord and his heart beeing readie giueth a strong and loud eccho to the voice of the Lord. This eccho we see in Dauids heart Whē saith he thou saidst Seek ye my face mine heart answered vnto thee O Lord I will seek thy face And god himself speaketh the same of his children Zach. 13.9 They shall call on my name and I wil heare them I wil say it is my people nowe marke the eccho and they shall say the Lord is my God IX After that he hath an vnderstanding of Gods word hee may acknowledge the truth of it and confesse it and if neede require be a defender of it As Iudas was and Iulian the Apostata X. The reprobate may haue a feeling of his sinnes and so acknowledge them and the punishment due vnto them as Saul did who said I haue sinned come againe my sonne Dauid for I will doe thee no harme because my soule was precious in thine eies this day Behold I haue done foolishly and haue erred exceedingly Thus did Caine when he said My punishment is greater then I can beare Galerius Maximinus a vile persecutor of Christians had his bowels rotting within him so that an infinit number of wormes continually crawled forth of his bodie and such a poysoning stinke came from him that no man coulde abide him being thus plagued with the hand of God he began to perceiue his wickednes in persecuting Christians and he confessed his sinnes to the true God and assembling the chiefe rulers about him he commanded that all within his dominions should cease to trouble Christians and in all haste he made a lawe for the peace and libertie and the publike meetings of Christians XI The reprobate hath oftentimes feare and terrour of conscience but this is onlie because he considereth the wrath and vengeance of God which is most terrible When Paul preached before Foelix and by the maiestie of Gods spirit did as it were thunder from heauen against his sinnes◠doubtlesse he made his heart to ake and euery ioynt of him to tremble Ecebolius a Philosopher of Constantinople in the daies of Constantius professed Christian religion went beyond all other in zeale for the same religion yet afterward vnder Iulian he fell from that religion vnto Gentilisme But after Iulians death making meanes to bee receiued into the Church againe ouerwhelmed with the horror of his own conscience for his wicked reuolting he cast himselfe down on the groūd before the doores of the church crying aloud Calcate me salē insipidum Trample on me vnsauerie salt And the deuill beleeueth the worde of God and at his owne damnation he trembleth These seruile feares though they harden the heart of the reprobate as heate doth the yron after it hath bin in the furnace yet these feares in the children of God are very good preparations to make them fitte to receiue grace like as we see the needle which soweth not the cloath yet it maketh a passage and entrance for the thread which serueth for this vse to sowe cloath togither XII A reprobate before he commit a sin is often vexed within himselfe feareth to commit it not because he hateth and disliketh the sin for it selfe but because he cānot abide the punishment due vnto the sin When the daughter of Herodias danced before Herod and pleased him that hee might doe her a pleasure he bad her aske what she would shee asked Iohn Baptists head in a platter Herod did grant her request but yet he had a grudging in heart he was sore grieued at it In like maner Pilate was very much troubled inwardly before he condemned our Sauiour Christ. XIII After he hath committed a sin he sorroweth and repenteth yet this repentance hath two wants in it First he doth not detest his sin and his former conversation when he repenteth he doth bewaile the losse of many things which he once enioyed he crieth out through very anguish through the perplexities which God in his iudgement layeth on him yet for his life he is not able to leaue his filthy sinne if he might be deliuered he would sinne as before Esau wept before his father with great yelling and crying but after hee was gone from his fathers presence he hated his brother who had got his blessing and in contempt of his father chose him a wife against his liking Pharao as oft as the Lord laid any calamitie on him he euermore desired to be deliuered from it
is full of botches blaines and sores but much more are those men to be abhorred which haue lien many yeares starke dead in sinnes and trespasses and therefore now doe nothing els but rot and stinke in them like vgly loathsome carrions Secondly he which is no Christian is vnder the power of darknes hauing Sathan for his prince and god and giuing vnto him in token of homage his best parts euen his minde and conscience to be his dwelling place and his whole conuersation is nothing els but a perpetuall obedience to Sathan If Atheists and worldlings and carnall gospellers were perswaded of the truth of this as it is most true it would make them howle and crie though now they liue at ease without feeling any prick of conscience for sinne And if they had but the least sense of it in the world it would make their flintie hearts to bleede and it would make them shed riuers of teares But how long shall they continue in this vile estate Truly vntill they come to Christ awake therefore thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shal giue thee light open thine heart to receiue Christ and then he will come and binde the strongâ— man Sathan and cast him out and dwell in thee himselfe Thirdly he which is no Christian is in daunger of all the iudgements of God so that euery moment some of them may befall him He may perish sodainly by water with the old world he may be consumed with fire and brimstone with Sodom and Gomorrha he may be swallowed vp of the earth with Dathan and Abiram he may hang himselfe with Iudas he may haue his braines dashed against the ground and be eaten vp of dogges with Iesabel he may die in hardnesse of heart with Pharao he may despaire with Caine and Iudas he may be stricken with sodaine death with Ananias and Saphira his wife he may be eaten of wormes with Herod he may be smitten with trembling that he cannot heare Gods word with Foelix he may voide his guttes at the stoole with Arius he may crie at his death that he is damned with Latomus he may be left vnto himselfe to mocke blaspheme and renounce Christ with Iuhan and he may suffer many more fearefull iudgements whereof the Lord hath great store and all tend to the confounding of them which will not be humbled vnder his hand Contrariwise the true christian is so farre out of the reach of Gods iudgements that they cannot hurt him Christ is a couering and a cloud against the heate and tempest of Gods iudgements when a mans heart is sprinkled with the bloode of this immaculate Lambe all the the plagues of God passe ouer him In the destruction of Ierusalem the righteous beare a marke in their foreheads and are saued Therefore let him that hath regard to his owne safetie become a Christian. Thirdly the man which is no Christian is in daunger of eternall death and damnation in hell fire and they which fall into this estate it had beene tenne thousand fold better for them if they had neuer bin borne for they are quite separated from the presence of God and from his glorie all the company they haue is with the deuill and his angels Their bodies and soules are tormented with infinite horror and anguish arising of the feeling of the whole wrath of God in which as into a bottomlesse sea they are plunged Thus they are alwaies dying and yet are neuer dead Furthermore the length of this torment must be considered which greatly aggrauates the paine If a man might be deliuered from the paines of hell when he had suffered them so many yeares as there be droppes in the sea or little sands in the whole earth it were some comfort but after that those yeares be expired there shall come no release but the damned shall continue in shriking yelling and gnashing of teeth enduring the consuming heate of Gods wrath without any ende for euer and euer Yea to goe further a wicked man carrieth an hell about him in this life namely an euill conscience which if it be neuer so little touched with any part of Gods anger a man shall feele himselfe to haue euen the pangs of hell in his heart Now therefore they that would escape out of this hellish and damnable estate while they haue time let them pray for the pardon of their sins in Christ and walke according to the spirit in newnes of life and then they may assure themselues that there is no condemnation can belong to them And it must be alwaies remembred that he which would liue when he is dead must die while he is aliue namely to sinne And againe he which would rise to eternall life in the day of iudgement must rise from sinne before he die vnto newnesse of life The fourth reason God hath appointed vnto euery man that liueth in the Church a certaine time of repentance and of comming to Christ. And hee which mispendeth that time and is not made a christian then can neuer be saued This made our Sauiour Christ weepe for Ierusalem and say O if thou hadst knowne at the least in this thy day those things which belong to thy peace but now are they hidden from thine eyes And he further signifieth the destruction of Ierusalem because shee knew not the time of her visitation Againe the neglecting of this time is one cause why not one or two but many shall seeke to enter into the kingdome of heauen and yet shal not be able It is a marueilous thing that they which seeke to be saued should perish but the fault is theirs which seeke when it is too late Now therefore thou secure worldling thy conscience telleth thee that thou hast not yet repented and that thou art not as yet a liuely member of Iesus Christ. And thou knowest further that howsoeuer thou art aliue at this time yet thou hast no lease of thy life God may call thee forth of this world the next yeare the next weeke the next houre yea he may strike thee with sudden death at this very present And in very truth if thou goest forth of this world being no repentant sinner thou goest damned to hell Wherefore delay not one minut of an houre longer but with all speed repent and turne vnto God and bring forth fruits worthie of amendment of life that all thy sinnes may be done away when the day of death or the day of iudgement shall be And doe not thinke with thy selfe that it shall be sufficient to deferre thy turning vnto God till the last ende For late repentance is seldome true repentance And he which continueth long in any sinne is in a dangerous case If a man lie long in any disease he will scarce recouer his former health and he which is growne in the custome of any sinne and the sinne is become ripe in him it is a thousand to one
vncertaintie all his life but especially in the houre of death must needes disquiet him And truly when a man shall haue done many thousand workes yet his heart can neuer be at quiet as it appeareth in the yong man who though he had laboured all his life to fulfill the law thereby to be saued yet distrusting all his doings he asketh further of our Sauiour Christ what he might doe to be saued Furthermore it is the doctrine of the church of Rome that there is nothing in the regenerate that God can hate and that they are inwardly pure and without spot A doctrine that will make any Christian conscience despaire For if a man shall fall to examine himselfe he shall find that he is solde vnder sinne compassed about of sinne he shall see his particular sinnes to be as the haires of his head at the sight and feeling of which he shall finde that there is much matter in him worthie of hatred and damnation too He beeing in this case will beginne to doubt whether he be the child of God or not and perseuering in this doubting he shall be driuen to despaire of Gods loue towardes him considering that he cannot find any such purenesse in himself as the doctrin of the church of Rome requireth Lastly experience it selfe teacheth that the Romish religion can bring no peace to the conscience in that some for the maintaining of it haue despaired As Francis Spira who against his owne conscience hauing abiured the truth and subscribed to the doctrine of the Romish Church most fearefully despaired of his saluation which could not haue beene if that doctrine had beene agreeable to Gods word which is spirit and life to the receiuer For the same cause Latomus a doctor of Louane despaired crying that he was damned because he had opposed himselfe to the knowne truth This also befell Gardner at his death as the booke of Acts and Monuments declareth The third argument THat religion which agreeth to the corruption of mans nature a Reprobate may truly professe it the religion of the Church of Rome agreeth to the corruption of mans nature therefore a reprobate may truly professe it The proofe I Neede not stand to prooue the proposition the assumption is rather to be confirmed which first I will prooue by induction of particulars First that a man should be iustified by works is an opinion setled in nature as may appeare in them that crucified our Sauiour Christ for when they were pricked in their hearts at Peters sermon they saide Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued and this said the yong man before named not what should I beleeue but what should I doe to be saued So then in them it appeareth that it is a naturall opinion of all men to thinke that they must be saued by doing of somewhat A Papist will say though this be naturall thus to thinke yet it may be good for there is some goodnes in nature I answer that the wisdome of the flesh is enmitie to Gods wisdome Rom. 8.7 and aâ—l men by nature are nothing but flesh for naturally they are the children of wrath Secondly the worshipping of god in images is a great matter in the Church of Rome but this manner of worshipping is nothing but a worke of the flesh which thus I prooue Idolatrie is naturall and a worke of the flesh but to worship God in images is idolatrie The children of Israel when they erected the golden calfeâ— they did commit idolatrie and yet they did not worship the calfe it selfe bâ—â— God in the calfe For when the calfe was made they proclaimed an holy day not to the calfe but to the Lord. And Baal that detestable idol was nothing but the image of God as appeareth in Hosea the prophet At that day saith the lord thou shalt calme no more Baal It remaineth therfore that to serue God in an image is a work of the flesh and altogether agreeth to the vile corruption of nature Thirdly pride and a desire to be a aduanced aboue other is a naturall corruption to this agreeth the Popes primacie his double sword and triple crown yet the outragious pomp of that seate is as a paire of bellowes to kindle the concupiscence and to make the hidden sparkes of pride to breake out into a great flame Fourthly Doubting of Gods prouidence mercie is a naturall corruption in all men to this agreeth and from hence issueth that foolish and vaine opinion concerning doubting of our saluation and of the remission of sinnes Fiftly selfe-loue and selfe-liking are naturall corruptions to this agreeth that doctrine of the Papists not ouermuch to abase our selues but to maintaine freewill by nature and to thinke that we haue so much goodnes that we are able to prepare our selues to receiue and in some sort to merit grace Sixtly idlenes and riotousnes is a naturall corruption and to it very fitly answereth the great number of feasts of holy daies of halfe holy daies which the Church of Rome vseth Seuenthly Couetousnes is a naturall corruption and to the feeding of this vice serueth Purgatorie a fire of great gaine which in very truth if it had not burned very hot the fire in the Popes kitchin had burned very colde hitherto serue Pilgrimages saying of Masses and selling of pardons for money Eightly to be at libertie is the desire of nature answerable to this is that opinion that the spiritualtie is to be exempted from subiection to Magistrates Ninthly to commit adulterie is naturall to this agreeth the Stewes and the permission of simple fornication Tenthly ignorance is a filthy corruption in nature this the Church of Rome maketh the mother of deuotion and it is inioyned the lay man as a meanes of his saluation for he must beleeue as the church beleeueth he is not bound to know XI Infidelitie is naturall and to this agreeth that they call vpon Saints and Angels the Lord hauing commanded them to call vpon him in the name of Christ what argueth this els but hearts distrusting Gods goodnes and guiltie consciences XII Images in the Church of Rome came from infidelitie because men in reason could not perswade themselues that God was present vnlesse that were made manifest by some signe and image Which thing the Israelites declared when they said to Aaron in the wildernes in Moses absence Make vs gods to goe before vs. XIII Satisfactions for sinne are naturall for wicked men when they haue offended God they haue alwaies vsed some ceremonies to pacifie God with which when they haue performed then they thinke they haue done enough XIV The church of Rome saith that the Scriptures are darke obscure the blind man findeth fault with the darknes of the sunne If the Scriptures appeare to any to be obscure the fault is not in the Scriptures but in the blindnes of the minde of him which readeth and heareth them XV. Lastly pardons open
a gap to all licentiousnes therefore they agree to mans corrupt nature for who almost will not sinne when he may get a pardon for his sinnes for a little peece of money as twentie shillings or foure nobles And what is it but cosonage to sell pardons which shall be in force many yeares after the ende of the world as the Pope doth It is naturall to a man to serue God in certaine ceremonies without the power of godlines and this seruice is prescribed by the religion of the Church of Rome which standeth only in outward and corporall ceremonies as the outward succession of Bishops garments vestures gestures coloures choice of meat difference of daies times and places hearing seeing saying touching tasting numbring of beads gilding and worshipping of images building Monasteries rising at midnight silence in cloysters abstaining from flesh and white meat Fasting in Lent keeping Imber daies hearing Masse and diuine seruice seeing and adoring the bodie in forme of bread receiuing holy water and holy bread creeping to the crosse carrying Palmes taking ashes bearing Candles Pilgrimages going censing kneeling knocking altars superaltars candlestickes pardons In orders crossing annointing shauing forswearing marriage In baptisme salting crossing spatling exorcising washing of hands At Easter confession penance dirge satisfaction and in receiuing with beards new shauen to imagine a bodie where they see none and though he were there present to be seene yet the outward seeing and touching of him of it selfe without faith conduceth no more then it did the Iewes At Rogation daies to carrie banners to followe the Crosse to walke about the fieldes After Pentecost to goe about with Corpus Christi plaie At Hollowmasse to watch in the Church to say Dirge or commendation and to ring for all soules to pay tithes truly to giue to the hie Altar And if a man will be a priest to say Masse and Mattens to serue the Saint of that daie and to lift well ouer the head In sickenes to be anneled to take his rites after his death to haue funerall and Obites said for him and to be rung for at his Funerall moneths minde and yeare minde This is the summe of the catholike religion standing in bodily actions not in any motions or worke of the holy Ghost working in the heart The morall law containing perfect righteousnes is flat opposite to manâ— corrupt nature therfore whatsoeuer Religion shall repeale and make of none effect the commandements of the morall lawe that same religion must needs ioyne hands with the corruption of nature and stand for the maintenance of it This doth the religion of the Church of Rome it may be it doth not plainly repeale them yet in effect it doth if it shall frustrate but any one point of any one commandement yea the whole lawe thereby is made in vaine 1. The first commandement requireth that we haue the true Iehoua for our only God Church of Rome maketh other gods beside this true God it maketh the body of Christ to be god because they hold it may bee in many places in heauen in earth at the same time which thing is only proper to God It maketh euery Saint departed to bee God because it holdeth that Saints doe heare vs now being vpon the earth that they know our thoughts when we pray to them which none but the true God can doe It maketh the Pope to be God and that in plaine words Pope Nicholas saith Constat summum Pontificem à pio principe Constantino Deum appellari It is well known that the Pope of the godly prince Constantine was called God Againe in the extraâ—agants of the same Cannon law it is written Dominus Deus noster Papa Our Lord God the Pope And againe Christopher Marcellus said to the Pope Tu es alter Deus in terris Thou art another God vpon earth and the Pope tooke it to himselfe As the Pope in plaine wordes is made God so the power giuen to him declareth the same He can make holy that which is vnholy and iustifie the wicked and pardon sinnes hee may dispense contrarie to the saying of â—n Apostle he can change the nature of things and of nothing make somewhat What is all this but to place the Pope in Gods roome and to robbe the Lord of his Maiestie Againe the Church of Rome maketh Marie the mother of Iesus to bee as God In the Breuiary reformed and published at the commandement of Pius the V. shee is called a Goddesse in expresse words and she is further tearmed the Queene of heauen the Queene of the world the gate of heauen the mother of grace and mercy Yea shee is farre exalted aboue Christ and he in regard of her is made but a poore vnderling in heauen for papists in their seruice vnto her pray on this manner saying Shew thy selfe to be a mother and cause thy sonne to receiue our praiers set free the captiues and giue light to the blind Lastly the very crosse is made as a God For they salute it by the name of their only hope and pray it to increase iustice to the godly and to giue sinners pardon Wherfore the Church of Rome beside the one true God distinguished into three persons the father the sonne and the holy ghost maketh also many other and so in trueth hath repealed his first commandement And they haue very plainely repealed the second commandement in that they teach it lawfull to make images of the true God and to worship him in them For the flat contrarie is the very scope of this commandement namely that no image must be made of the true Iehoua nor any worship be performed vnto him in an image which appeareth thus In Deutronomie Moses maketh a large Commentarie of this commandement and this very point he sets down expressely saying take heed to your selues for ye sawe no image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the middest of the fire that ye corrupt not your selues and make you a grauen image or representation of any figure c. His argument I set downe thus As God appeared in mount Horeb so he is to be conceiued and represented but hee appeared in no image in mount Horeb only his voice was heard therefore he is not to be conceiued or represented in any image but men are to be content if they may heare his voice Againe that sin to which the people of Israel were specially giuen euen that doth the Lord specially forbid but to this were the people of Israel specially giuen not so much to make images of false gods as to make images of the true God and to worship him in them which I prooue thus In the booke of Iudges it is said that the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord and serued Baalim Now these Baalims what are they Surely Idols resembling the true God as the Prophet Hosea declareth
restore Ans. Let him acknowledge the fault and God will accept the will for thee deede As Paul sayeth in the like case If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that which a man hath and not according to that which a man hath not Quest. When a man by restoring shall discredit himselfe howe shall he restore and keep his credit Ans. Let him if the thing to be restored be of small moment make choice of some faithfull or honest friend who may deliuer the thing in the behalfe of the partie concealing his name Quest. Howe if the parties bee dead Ans. Let him restore to the heires and successors if there be none let him restore to God that is the Church and the poore IV. Case of teares VVHether doth repentance alwaies goe with teares or not Answer No For verie pride and hypocrisie will drawe foorth teares And some there are that can weep for their sins in the presence of others whereas being alone they neither will nor can Some againe are of that constitution of bodie that they haue teares at commaund And a godly man with drie cheekes may mourne to God for his sinnes and intreat for pardon and reâ—â—ue iâ— Yet in all occasions of deeper griefe for sin teares will follow vnles men haue stonie flinty hearts And yet againe though the greatest cause of sorrowe be offered the softest heart that is sheds not teares at the first but afterwards it wil. When the bodie receiues a deepe wounde at the first ye shall see nothing but a white line or dint made in the flesh without any blood staie but a while then comes blood from the wound in great aboundance So at the first the minde is astonished giues no teares but after some respite or consideratioÌ„ teares follow V. Case of death VVHether the repentant sinner can alwaies shewe himselfe comfortable on his death bed Ans. Though the comfort of Gods spirit shal neuer be abolished from his heart yet he can not alwaies testifie it For he may die of a burning ague and by reason of the extremitie of his fits bee troubled with idlenesse of head and breake out into raging speeches and blasphemies Likewise he may die of a sicknesse in the braine and be troubled with grieuous convulsions so as his mouth shall be writhen to his eares his necke turned behind him and the verie place where he lies shall shake through his treÌ„bling as daily experience will testifie Neither is any to thinke this straunge for Salomon saith All things in outward matters come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked to the good and to the pure and to the polluted and to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not CHAP. XII Of the contraries to Repentance COntrary to repentance is Impenitencie whereby men continue in one estate neither sorrowing for sinne nor turning from it It is one of the most grieuous iudgements that is if it be final For as a sicke man then is most sicke when he feeles the least sicknes and saith he is well so miserable man is in most miserie when he feeles no miserie and thinkes himselfe in good estate This sin befalls them that iudge themselues righteous needing no repentance As the Pharises in the daies of Christ the Catharists in the primitiue Church the Anabaptists in our age Adde vnto these such as haue hardened their hearts so as they can discerne betweene good and euill nor tremble at Gods iudgements but rather fret rage against them till God in his wrath either destroy them or cast them to final despaire As it befell Iulian the Apostata who died blaspheming and casting his owne blood into the aire Betweene the two extreames Repentance and Impenitencie is placed couÌ„terfeit repentance For the wicked nature of man can dissemble and counterfeit Gods grace as the Lord complaines of the Iewes Her rebellious sister Iudah hath not returned vnto me with her whole heart but fainedly saith the Lord Ier. 3.10 Counterfeit repentance is either ceremoniall or desperat Ceremoniall wheÌ„ meÌ„ repeÌ„t in outward shew but not in the truth of heart As Saul Then said Saul to Samuel I haue sinned for I haue transgressed the commandemeÌ„ts of the Lord thy words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice Now therfore I pray thee take a way my sin turne again with me that I may worship the Lord c. Again I haue sinned but honour me I pray thee before thâ— elders of my people Of Ahab When Ahab heard these words he rent his cloathes and put on sackcloath and fasted and went softly And the word of the Lord came to Elijah saying Seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me Dissembled repentance may be discerned because men after a time returne to their old byas againe Pharao king of Egypt saide vnto Moses and Aaron Pray vnto the Lord that he may take away the frogges from me and from my people And When Egypt was smitten with hayle he said I haue now sinned and the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked Pray yee vnto the Lord that there be no more mightie thunders and hayle Again troubled with grashoppers he saide I haue sinned against the Lord your God and against you and now forgiue me my sinne onely this once c. Now marke the issue of all when Pharao saw that he had rest giuen him he hardened his heart and hearkened not vnto them as the Lord had said This is the ordinarie and common repentance that most men practise in the world Desperate repentance commonly called Penitencie is when a man hauing onely Gods iudgements before his eyes is smitten with horror of conscience and wanting assurance of Gods mercie despaires finally This was Iudas repentance who when he had brought againe the thirtie pieces of siluer confessed his fault and went and hanged himselfe CHAP. XIII Of corruptions in the doctrine of Repentance THe Church of Rome at this day hath corrupted the ancient doctrine of Repentance beeing one of the speciall points of religion The corruptions are specially sixe The first that they make repentance or penance to be a sacrament which cannot be because it wants an outward signe And though some say that the words which the priest rehearseth in absolution are the signe yet that can not be because the signe must be not onely audible but also visible The second that a sinner hath in him a naturall disposition which beeing stirred vp by Gods preuenting grace he may and can worke together with Gods spirit in his owne repentance But indeed all our repentance is to be ascribed to Gods grace wholly The soule of man is not weake but starke dead in sinne and therefore it can no more prepare it selfe to repentance then the bodie beeing dead in the graue can dispose it selfe to the last resurrection The third corruption that contrition in
suffereth for his sinne It is true indeede there bee other causes of the wantes of the bodie and of sickenesse beside sinne and though they be not knowne to vs yet they are knowne to the Lord. Hereupon Christ when he sawe a certaine blind man and was demaunded what was the cause of the blindnesse answered neither hath this man sinned nor his pareÌ„ts but that the work of God should be shewed on him Yet wee for our parts who are to goe not by the secret but by the reuealed will of God must make this vse of our sickenes that it is sent vnto vs for our sinnes When Christ healed the man sicke of the palsie he saieth bee of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and when he had healed the man by the poole of Bethesda that had bin sicke thirtie eight yeares he bids him sinne no more least a worst thing happen vnto him giuing them both to vnderstand that their sickenesse came by reason of their sinnes And thus should euery sicke man resolue himselfe Nowe when wee haue proceeded thus farre and haue as it were laid our finger vpon the right and proper cause of our sicknes three things concerning our sinnes must bee performed of vs in sickenesse First we must make a new examination of our heartes and liues and say as the Israelites said in affliction Let vs search and â—ry our waies and turne againe to the Lord. Secondly we must make a newe confession to God of our new and particular sinnes as God sends new corrections and chastisements When Dauid had the hand of God verie heauie vpon him for his sinnes so as his verie bones and moisture consumed within him he made confession of them vnto God and thereupon obtained his pardon and was healed The third thing is to make newe praier and more earnest the euer before with sighes and grones of the spirit and that for pardon of the same sins and for reconciliation with God in Christ. In the exercise of these three duties standes the renouation of our faith and repentance whereby they are increased quickened and reuiued And the more sickenesse preuailes and takes place in the bodie the more should we bee carefull to put them in vre that spirituall life might increase as temporall life is decaied When King Ezechias lay sicke as he thought vpon his death-bed hee wept as for some other causes so also for his sinnes and withall he praied God to cast them behind his backe Dauid made certaine Psalmes when he was sicke or at the least vpon the occasion of his sickenes as namely the 6. the 32. the 38. the 39 c. they all are psalmes of repentance in which we may see howe in distresse of bodie and minde he renewed his faith and repentance heartely bewailing his sinnes and intreating the Lord for the pardon of them Manasses one that fell from God and gaue himselfe to many horrible sinnes when hee was taken captiue and imprisoned in Babylon he praied to the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers and praied vnto him and God was intreated of him and heard his praier and brought him againe into Ierusalem into his kingdome and then Manasses knewe that the Lord was God Nowe looke what Manasses did in this tribulation the same thing must wee doe in the time of our bodily sickenesse Here I haue occasion to mention a notorious fault that is very common in this age euen among such as haue long liued in the bosome of the Church that is this Men nowe a daies are so farre from renuing their faith and repentance that when they lie sicke and are drawing toward death they must bee Catechised in the doctrine of faith and repentance as if they had beene but of late receiued into the Church Whosoeuer will but as occasion is offered visit the sicke shall finde this to bee true which I say What a shame is this that when a man hath spent his life and daies in the Church for the space of twentie or thirtie or fourtie yeares he should at the verie ende of all and not before begin to inquire what faith and what repentance is and howe his soule might bee saued This one sinne argues the great securitie of this age and the great contempt of God and his worde Well let all men hereafter in time to come be warned to take heede of this exceeding negligence in matters of saluation and to vse all good meanes before hand that they may be able in sicknesse and in the time of death to put in practise the spirituall exercises of inuocation and repentance Nowe if so be it fall out that the sicke partie cannot of himselfe renewe his owne faith and repentance he must seeke the helpe of others When the man that was sicke of the dead palsie could not goe to Christ himselfe hee got others to beare him in his bed and when they could not come nere for the multitude they vncouered the roofe of the house and let the bed downe before Christ euen so when sicke men can not alone by themselues do the good duties to which they are bound they must borrowe helpe from their fellowe members who are partly by their counsel to put to their helping hand and partly by their praiers to present them vnto God and to bring them into the presence of God And touching helpe in this case sundrie duties are to bee performed Saint Iames sets down foure two wherof concerne the sicke patient and other two such as be helpers The first dutie of the sicke man is to send for helpe where two circumstances must be considered who must be sent for and when For the first Saint Iames saith Is any sicke among you let him call for the elders of the Church Whereby are meant not onely Apostles and all ministers of the gospell but others also as I take it which were men ancient for yeares indued with the spirit of vnderstanding and praier and had withall the gift of working miracles and of healing the sicke For in the primitiue Church this gift was for a time so plentifully bestowed on them that beleeued in Christ that souldiers cast out deuills and parents wrought miracles on their children Hence we may learne that howesoeuer it be the dutie of the ministers of the word principally to visit and comfort the sicke yet is it not their dutie alone for it belongs to them also which haue knowledge of Gods worde the gift of praier Exhort one another saith the holy Ghost while it is called to daie And againe Admonish them that are disordered and comfort those that are weake And indeede in equitie it should be the duty of euerie Christian man to comfort his brother in sickenesse Here wee must needes take knowledge of the common fault of men and women when they come to visit their neighbours and friends they can not speake a work of instruction and
debt due vnto him And so soone as any man beginnes to know Christ crucified he knowes his owne debt and thinks of the paiment of it Thus we see howe Christ is to be knowne nowe wee shall not neede to make much examination whether this manner of knowing and acknowledging of Christ take any place in the world or no for fewe there be that knowe him as they ought The Turke euen at this verie daie knowes him not but as he was a prophet The Iewe scorneth his crosse and passion The Popish Churches though in word they confesse him yet doe they not knowe him as they ought The Friers and Iesuits in their sermons at this daie commonly vse the Passion as a meanes to stirre vp pietie and compassion towards Christ who beeing so righteous a man was so hardly intreated and to inflame their hearts to an hatred of the Iewes and Iudas and Pontius Pilate that put our blessed Sauiour to death but all this may be done in any other historie And the seruice of God which in that Church stands nowe in force by the Canons of the Councill of Trent defaceth Christ crucified in that the passions of martyrs are made meritorious and the very wood of the crosse their only help and the virgin Marie the Queene of heauen and a mother of mercie who in remission of â—innes may command her sonne and they giue religious adoration to dumme crucifixes made by the hand and art of man The common protestant likewise commeth short herein for three causes First whereas in word they acknowledge him to bee their Sauiour that hath redeemed them from their euill conuersation yet indeede they make him a patrone of their sinnes The thiefe makes him the receiuer the murderer makes him his refuge the adulterer be it spoken with reuerence vnto his maiestie makes him the baud For generally men walke on in their euill waies some liuing in this sinne some in that and yet for all this they perswade themselues that God is mercifull and that Christ hath freed them froÌ„ death and damnation Thus Christ that came to abolish sinne is made a maintainer thereof and the common pack-horse of the worlde to beare euery mans burden Secondly men are content to take knowledge of the merit of Christs passion for the remission of their sinnes but in the meane season the vertue of Christs death in the mortifying of sin and the blessed example of his passion which ought to be followed and expressed in our liues conuersations is little or nothing regarded Thirdly men vsually content themselues generally and confusedly to know Christ to be their redeemer neuer once seeking in euery particular estate and condition of life and in euery particular blessing of God to feele the benefit of his passion What is the cause that almost all the world liue in securitie neuer almost touched for their horrible sinnes surely the reason is because they did neuer yet seriously consider that Christ in the garden lay groueling vpon the earth sweating water blood for their offences Againe all such a by fraud and oppression or any kind of hard dealing sucke the blood of poore men neuer yet knewe that their sinnes drewe out the heart blood of Christ. And proud men and women that are puffed vp by reason of their attire which is the badge of their shame and neuer cease hunting after strange fashions doe not consider that Christ was not crucified in gay attire but naked that he might beare the whole shame and curse of the lawe for vs. These and such like whatsoeuer they say in word if we respect the tenour of their liues are flat enemies of the crosse of Christ and tread his pretious blood vnder their feete Now then considering this so weightie and speciall a point of religion is so much neglected O man or woman high or lowe young or olde if thou haue beene wanting this waie begin for verie shame to learne and learning truly to knowe Christ crucified And that thou maiest attaine to this behold him often not in the wooden crucifix after the Popish manner but in the preaching of the word and in the Sacraments in which thou shalt see him crucified before thine eies Gal. 3.1 Desire not here vpon earth to beholde him with the bodily eie but looke vpon him with the eie of true and liuely faith applying him and his merits to thy selfe as thine owne and that with broken and bruised heart as the poore Israelites stung with fierie serpents euen to death behelde the brasen serpent Againe thou must looke vpon him first of all as a glasse or spectacle in which thou shalt see Gods glorie greater in thy redemption then in thy creation In the creation appeared Gods infinite wisdome power and goodnesse in thy redemption by the passion of Christ his endlesse iustice mercie In the creation thou art a member of the first Adam and bearest his image in thy redemption thou art a member of the second Adam In the first thou art indued with naturall life in the second with spirituall In the first thou hast in the person of Eve thy beginning of the rib of Adam in the secoÌ„d thou hast thy beginning as thou art borne of God out of the blood of Christ. Lastly in the first god gaue life in commanding that to be which was not in the second he giues life not by life but by death euen of his owne forme This is the mysterie vnto which the angels themselues desire to looke into 1. Pet. 1.12 Secondly thou must behold him as the full price of thy redemption and perfect reconciliation with God and pray earnestly to God that hee would seale vp the same in thy verie conscience by his holy spirit Thirdly thon must behold Christ as an example to whome thou must conforme thy selfe by regeneration For this cause giue diligence that thou maist by experience say that thou art dead and crucified and buried with Christ and that thou risest againe with him to newnesse of life that he enlightens thy minde and by degrees reforms thy will and affections and giue thee both the wil and the deed in euery good thing And that thou maist not faile in this thy knowledge read the historie of Christs passion obserue all the parts and circumstances thereof apply them to thy selfe for thy full conuersion When thou readest that Christ went to the garden as his custome was where the Iewes might soonest attach him consider that he went to the death of the crosse for thy sinnes willingly and not of constraint and that therefore thou for thy part shouldst doe him all seruice freely and frankely Psal. 110. 3. When thou hearest that in his agonie his foule was heauie vnto death know it was for thy sinnes and that thou shouldest much more conceiue heauines of heart for the same againe that this sorrow of his is ioy and reioycing vnto thee if thou wilt beleeue in him therefore Paul saith I say againe reioyce
thas there is meant Babylon of Assyria The third Babylon is mysticall whereof Babylon of Assyria was a type and figure and that is Rome which is without question here to be vnderstood And the whore of Babylon as by all circumstances may be gagathered is the state or regiment of a people that are the inhabitaÌ„ts of Rome and appertaine thereto This may bee prooued by the interpretation of the holy ghost for in the last verse of the 17. chapter the woman that is the whore of Babylon is said to be a citie which raigneth ouer the kings of the earth nowe in the daies when S. Iohn penned this booke of Reuelation there was no cittie in the world that ruled ouer the kings of the earth but Rome it then being the seate where the Emperour put in execution his Imperiall authoritie Againe in the seuenth verse shee is said to sit on a beast hauing seauen heads ten horns which 7. heads be seuen hills v. 9. whereon the woman sitteth also they be seuen kings Therefore by the whore of Babylon is meant a cittie standing on seuen hills Now it is well known not onely to learned men in the Church of god but euen to the heathen themselues that Rome alone is the cittie built on seuen distinct hils called Caelius Auentinus Exquilinus Tarpeius or Capitolinus Viminalis Palatinus Quirinalâ—â— Papists to helpe themselues doe alleadge that old Rome stood on seuen hells but nowe is remooued further to Campus Martius I answer that howsoeuer the greatest part of the cittie in regard of habitation be not nowe on seauen hills yet in regard of regiment and practise of religion it is for euen to this day vpon these hills are feated certaine Churches and Monasteries and other like places where the Papal authoritie is put in execution and thus Rome beeing put for a state and regiment euen at this day it stands vpon seuen hills And though it be come to passe that the harlot in regard of her latter daies euen changed her seat yet in respect of her yonger times in which shee was bred borne she sate vpon the seuen hils Others because they feare the wounding of their owne heads labour to frame these words to an other meaning and say that by the whore is meant the companie of all wicked men in the world wheresoeuer the deuill being the head thereof But this exposition is flat against the text for in the second verse of the 17. chapter shee is opposed to the kings of the earth with whome shee is said to commit fornication and in the last verse shee is called a citie standing on seuen hills and raigning ouer the kings of the earth as I haue said and therfore must needs be a state of men in some particular place And the Papists themselues perceiuing that this shift will not serue their turne make two Romes heathenish Rome and that wherof the Pope is head now say they the whore spoken of is heathenish Rome which was ruled by cruell tyrants as Nero Domitian and the rest and that Rome whereof now the Pope is head is not here meant Behold a vaine and foolish distinction for Ecclesiastical Rome in respect of state princely dominion and crueltie in persecuting the Saints of God is all one with the heathenish Empire the See of the Bishop beeing turned into the Emperours court as all histories doe manifest But let the distinction be as they suppose yet by their leaues here by the whore must be vnderstood not onely heathenish Rome but euen the Papall or Ecclesiasticall Rome for v. 3 of this chapter the holy Ghost saith plainly that she hath madâ— all nations drunke with the wine of the wrath of her fornication yea it is added that shee hath committed fornication with the kings of the earth whereby is signified that shee hath endeauoured to intangle all the nations of the earth in her spirituall idolatrie and to bring the kings of the earth to her religion Which thing cannot be vnderstood of the heathenish Rome for that left all the kings of the earth to their owne religion and idolatrie neither did they labour to bring forraine kings to worship their gods Againe chap. 17. v. 16. it is saide that the ten hornes which be ten kings shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked which must not be vnderstood of heathenish Rome but of popish Rome for whereas in former times all the kings of the earth did submit themselues to the whore now they haue begun to withdraw themselues and make her desolate as the king of Bohemia Denmarke Germanie England Scotland and other parts therefore this distinction is also friuolous They further alleadge that the whore of Babylon is drunke with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs chap. 17.6 shedde not in Rome but in Ierusalem where the Lord was crucified and the two prophets beeing slaine lie there in the streets Reuelat. 11.8 But this place is not meant of Hierusalem as Hierome hath fully taught but it may well be vnderstood of Rome Christ was crucified there either because the authoritie whereby he was crucified was from the Romane Empire or els because Christ in his members was and is there daily crucified though locally in his owne person he was crucified at Ierusalem And thus notwithstanding all which hath beene saide we must here by the whore vnderstand the state and Empire of Rome not so much vnder the heathen Emperours as vnder the head thereof the Pope which exposition besides the authoritie of the text hath the fauour and defence of auncient and learned men Bernard saith They are the ministers of Christ but they serue Antichrist Againe The beast spoken of in the Apocalyps to which a mouth is giuen to speake blasphemies and to make warre with the Saints of God is now gotten into Peters chaire as a lyon prepared to his pray It will be said that Bernard speakes these latter words of one that came to the Popedome by intrusion or vsurpation It is true indeede but wherefore was he an vsurper He rendreth a reason thereof in the same place because the Antipope called Innocentius was chosen by the kings of Almaine France England Scotland Spaine Hierusalem with consent of the whole Cleargie and people in these nations and the other was not And thus Bernard hath giuen his verdict that not onely this vsurper but all the Popes for this many yeares are the beast in the Apocalyps because now they are onely chosen by the colledge of Cardinalls To this agreeth the decree of Pope Nicolas the second ann 1059. that the Pope shall afterward be created by the suffrages of the Cardinall Bishops of Rome with the consent of the rest of the cleargie and people and the Emperour himselfe and all Popes are excommunicate and accursed as Antichrists that enter otherwise as all now doe Ioachimus Abbas saith Antichrist was long since borne in Rome shall be yet aduanced higher in the Apostolicke
sufficient to comfort and direct him All this argues that poperie denied with the mouth abides still in the heart and therefore we must learne to reuerence the written word by ascribing vnto it all manner of perfection The eight point Of Vowes Our Consent Touching Vowes this must be knowne that we doe not condemne them altogether but onely labour to restore the puritie of doctrine touching this point which by the Church of Rome from time to time hath beene corrupted and defaced Wee holde therefore that a vowe is a promise made to God touching some duties to be performed vnto him and it is twofold generall or speciall The generall vowe is that which concerns all beleeuers and it is made in the couenant both of the lawe and of the Gospell I will here onely speake of the vowe which is made in the couenant of the Gospel in which there be two actions one of God the other of man God in mercie on his part promiseth to men the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting and man againe for his part promiseth to beleeue in Christ and to obey God in all his commandements Al men euer made this vowe vnto God as the Iewes in circumcision which also they renued so often as they receiued the Passeouer in the newe testament all that are baptized doe the like And in Baptisme this vowe is called the stipulation of a good conscience whereby we purpose to renounce our selues to beleeue in Christ and to bring forth the fruites of true repentance and it ought to be renued so oft as we are partakers of the supper of the Lord. This vowe is necessarie and must bee kept as a part of the true worship of God because it is a promise wherein we vowe to performe all duties commanded of God either in the law or in the Gospell It may be demanded considering we are bound to obedience how we binde our selues in baptisme thereto Ans. Though we be alreadie bound partly by nature and partly by the written worde yet may wee renue the same bond in a vowe and hee that is bound may further bind himselfe so it be for this ende to helpe his dulnesse for want of zeale and to make himselfe more forward in duties of loue to men and the worshippe of God to this ende Dauid sware to keepe the lawe of God Psal. 119.116 though he were bound vnto it by nature and by the written lawe it selfe The speciall vowe is that which doeth not reach to the person of all beleeuers but onely concerns some speciall men vpon some special occasions And this kind of vowe is two-fold The first is the vowe of a ceremoniall dutie in the way of seruice to God and it was in practise in the Church of the Iewes vnder the old testament examples hereof are two especially the first was the vowe of the Nazarites whereto no kinde of men were bound by Gods commandement but they bound themselues God onely prescribing the manner and order of keeping the same with rites pertaining thereto as abstinence frō wine the not cutting of their haire and such like The second example is of the Iewes when of their own accords they vowed to giue god house or land sheepe or oxen or any like things for the maintenance of the legall worship and of this also God prescribeth certaine rules Leuit 27. Nowe these vowes were part of the Iewish pedagogue or ceremonial lawe wherein God trained vp the Iewes in the old testament and beeing obserued of them they were parts of Gods worship but nowe vnder the Gospell they are not beeing all abolished with the ceremoniall lawe to which Christ put an ende at his death vpon the crosse It is true Paul made a vowe and since kept the same in the time of the newe testament Act. 18. yet not as a part of Gods worship but as a thing indifferent for the time wherein he onely condescended to the weaknesse of the Iewes that by this meanes he might bring them the better vnto Christ. And whereas Christ is called a Nazarite Matth. 2.23 wee may not thinke he was of that very order because he did not abstaine from wine but he was so tearmed because he was the veritie accomplishment of this order For by it was signified that Gods Church was a peculiar people seuered or chosen out of the world and that Christ in respect of holinesse was also seperated from all sinners And the words in S. Mathew he shall be called a Nazarite are borrowed from the booke of Iudges cap. 13. where they are properly spoken of Sampson and in type or figure of Christ. For as Sampson saued Israel by his death so did Christ saue his Church And as Sampson killed his enemies more by death then by life so did Christ. It is plaine therefore that this kind of vowe bindeth not vs for there are no more ceremonies to be kept vnder the gospell for parts of Gods worship but the outward rites of baptisme and the Lords supper Vowes concerning meates drinkes attire touching tasting times places daies were proper to the Iewes The second kind of speciall vowe is that whereby a man promiseth freely to performe some outward and bodily exercise for some good ende and this vow also if it be made accordingly is lawful and belongs both to the Church of the old and newe testament In the old we haue the example of the Rekabites Ier. 35. who by the appointment of Ionadab their father abstained from strong drinke and wine from planting vineyards and orchards whereby Ionadab intended onely to breake them before hand and to acquaint them with their future condition and state that they should bee strangers in a forraine land that so they might prepare themselues to indure hardnes in the time to come And nowe in the newe testament wee haue warrant in like manner to vowe as if a man by drinking of wine or strong drinke finde himselfe prone to drunkennes he may vow with himselfe to drink no more wine nor strong drinke for so long time as he feeles the drinking thereof wil stirre vp his infirmitie and minister occasion of sinning Of this kinde also are the vowes in which we purpose and promise to God to keepe set times of fasting to taske our selues in praier and reading of holy scriptures and to giue set almes for speciall causes knowne to our selues and to doe sundrie like duties And that we be not deceiued in making such vowes certen rules must be remembred I. that the vowe be agreeable to Gods will and worde for if it be otherwise the making as also the keeping thereof is sinne Vowes must not be the bonds of iniquitie II. It must so bee made that it may ftand with Christian libertie For we may not make such things necessarie in conscience which God hath made free Now Christian libertie allowes vnto vs the free vse of all things indifferent so it be out of the case of offence Hence it followes that vowes must be
worship God in by or at any image for this is the thing which as I haue prooued before the second commandement forbiddeth And the fact of the Israelites Exod. 32. in worshipping the golden calfe is condemned as flat idolatrie albeit they worshipped not the calfe but God in the calfe for v. 5. Aaron saith Tomorrow shall bee the solemnitie of Iehouah whereby he doth giue vs to vnderstand that the calfe was but a signe of Iehouah whome they worshipped Obiect It seemes the Israelites worshipped the calfe For Aaron saith v. 4. These bee thy Gods O Israel that brought thee out of Egypt Ans. Aarons meaning is nothing else but that the golden calfe was a signe of the presence of the true God And the name of the thing signified is giuen to the signe as vpon a stage he is called a king that represents the king And Augustine saith that images are woont to be called by the names of things whereof they are images as the counterfeit of Samuel is called Samuel And we must not esteeme them all as madde men to thinke that a calfe made of their earings beeing but one or two daies old should bee the God that brought them out of Egypt with a mightie hand many daies before And these are the points of difference touching images wherein we must stand at variance for euer with the Church of Rome For they â—rre in the foundation of religion making indeed an idol of the true God and worshipping another Christ then we doe vnder new tearmes maintaining the idolatrie of the heathen And therefore haue we departed from them and so must we still doe because they are Idolaters as I haue prooued The X. point Of reall presence Our Consent I. We hold and beleeue a presence of Christs bodie and blood in the sacrament of the Lords supper and that no fained but a true and reall presence which must be considered two waies first in respect of the signes secondly in respect of the communicants For the first we hold and teach that Christs bodie and blood are truely present with the bread and wine beeing signes in the Sacrament but how not in respect of place or coexistence but by sacramentall relation on this manner When a word is vttered the sound comes to the eare and at the same instant the thing signified comes to the mind and thus by relation the word and the thing spoken of are both present togither Euen so at the Lords table bread and wine must not be considered barely as subsistaÌ„ces and creatures but as outward signes in relation to the bodie and blood of Christ and this relation arising from the very institution of the Sacrament standes in this that when the elements of bread and wine are present to the hand and to the mouth of the receiuer at the very same time the bodie and blood of Christ are presented to the minde thus and no otherwise is Christ truely present with the signes The second presence is in respect of the communicants to whose beleeuing hearts he is also really present It will bee said what kind of presence is this Ans. Such as the communion in the sacrament is â—uch is the presence and by the communion must we iudge of the presence Nowe the communion is on this manner God the father according to the tenour of the Euangelicall couenant gives Christ in this sacrament as really and truely as any thing can bee giuen to man not by part and peecemeale as wee say but whole Christ God and man on this sort In Christ there be two natures the godheadâ— manhood The godhead is not giuen in regard of substance or essence but only in regard of efficacie merits operatioÌ„ coÌ„ceiued thence to the manhood And further in this sacrament Christs whole manhood is giuen both bodie and soule in this order First of all is giuen the very manhood in respect of substance and that really secondly the merits and benefits thereof as namely the satisfaction performed by and in the manhood to the iustice of God And thus the intire manhood with the benefits thereof are giuen wholly and ioyntly togither For the two dislinct signes of bread and wine signifie not two distinct giuings of the bodie apart and the blood apart but the full and perfect nourishment of our soules Againe the benefits of Christs manhood are diuersly giuen some by imputation which is an action of God accepting that which is done by Christ as done by vs and thus it hath pleased God to giue the passion of Christ and his obedience Some againe are giuen by a kind of propagation which I cannot fitly expresse in tearmes but I resemble it thus As one candle is lighted by another and one torch or candle-light is conueied to twentie candles euen so the inherent righteousnes of euery beleeuer is deriued from the storehouse of righteousnesse which is in the manhood of Christ for the righteousnes of all the members is but the fruit thereof euen as the naturall corruption in all mankinde is but a fruit of that originall sinne which was in Adam Thus we see howe God for his part giues Christ and that really To proceede when God giues Christ he giues withall at the same time the spirit of Christ which spirit creates in the heart of the receiuer the instrument of true faith by which the heart doeth really receiue Christ giuen of God by resting vpon the promise which God hath made that he will giue Christ and his righteousnesse to euery true beleeuer Now then when God giues Christ with his benefits man for his part by faith receiues the same as they are giuen there riseth that vnion which is betweene euery good receiuer and Christ himselfe Which vnioÌ„ is not forged but a reall true and neere coniunction nearer then which none is or can be because it is made by a solemne giuing and receiuing that passeth betweene God and man as also by the bond of one and the same spirit To come then to the point considering there is a reall vnion and consequently a reall communion betweene vs and Christ as I haue prooued there must needes bee such a kind of presence wherein Christ is truely and really present to the heart of him that receiues the sacrament in faith And thus farre doe wee consent with the Romish Church touching reall presence The dissent We differ not touching the presence it selfe but onely in the maner of presence For though we hold a reall presence of Christs bodie and blood in the sacrament yet doe we not take it to be locall bodily or substantiall but spirituall and mysticall to the signes by sacramentall relation and to the communicants by faith alone On the contrarie the Church of Rome maintaines transubstantiation that is a locall bodily and substantiall presence of Christs bodie and blood by a change and conuersion of the bread and wine into the said bodie and blood Our reasons I. This corporall presence ouerturnes sundrie articles
praier and humiliation are practised in fasting And I doe now specially intreat of this kind Conclus II. We ioyne with them in the allowance of the principall and right endes of a religious fast and they are three The first is that thereby the minde may become attentine in meditation of the duties of godlinesse to be performedâ— The second is that the rebellion of the flesh may be subdued for the flesh pampered becomes an instrument of licentiousnes The third and as I take it the cheefe ende of a religious fast is to professe our guiltinesse and to testifie our humiliation before God for our sinnes aud for this ende in the fast of Nineue the very beast was made to abstaine Conclus III. We yeeld vnto them that fasting is an helpe and furtherance to the worship of God yea and a good worke also if it be vsed in a good maner For though fasting in it selfe beeing a thing indifferent as eating drinking are is not to be tearmed a good worke yet beeing applied and considered in relation to the right ends before spoken of and practised accordingly it is a worke allowed of God and highly to be esteemed of all the seruants and people of God The difference or dissent Our dissent from the Church of Rome in the doctrine of fasting stands in three things I. They appoint and prescribe set times of fasting as necessarie to be kept but we hold and teach that to prescribe the time of a religious fast is in the libertie of the Church and the gouernours thereof as speciall occasion shall be offered When the disciples of Iohn asked Christ why they and the Pharises fast often but his disciples fasted not he answered Can the children of the marriage chamber mourne as long as the bridegroome is with them but the daies will come when the bridegroome shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast Math. 9.15 where he giues them to vnderstand that they must fast as occasions of mourning are offered Where also I gather that a set time of fasting is no more to be enioyned then a set time of mourning It was the opinion of Augustine that neither Christ nor his Apostles appointed any times of fasting And Tertullian saith that they of his time fasted of their owne accordes freely without law or commandement as occasions and times serued And Eusebius saith that Montanus was the first that made lawes of fasting It is obiected that there is a set time of fasting prescribed Leuit. 16.29 Ans. This set and prescribed fast was commanded of God as a part of the legall worship which had his ende in the death of Christ therefore it doth not iustifie a set time of fasting in the new testament where God hath left man to his owne libertie without giuing the like commandement It is againe alleadged that Zacharie 7.5 there were set times appointed for the celebration of religious fasts vnto the Lord the fifth and the seauenth moneths Ans. They were appointed vpon occasion of the present afflictions of the Church in Babylon and they ceased vpon their deliuerance The like vpon like occasion may we appoint It is further obiected that some Churches of the Protestants obserue set times of fasting Ans. In some Churches there be set daies and times of fasting not vpon necessitie or for conscience or â—eligions sake but for politicke or ciuill regardes whereas in the Romish Church it is helde a mortall sinne to deferre the set time of fasting till the next day following Secondly we dissent from the Church of Rome touching the manner of keeping a fast For the best learned among them allow the drinking of wine water electuaries and that often within the compasse of their appointed fast yea they allow the eating of one meale on a fasting day at noone-tide and vpon a reasonable cause one houre before the time of fasting not yet ended But this practise indeede is absurd and contrarie to the practise of the olde testament yea it doth frustrate the ende of fasting For the bodily abstinence is an outward meanes and signe whereby we acknowledge our guiltinesse and vnworthinesse of any of the blessings of God Againe they prescribe a difference of meates as whit-meate onely to be vsed on their fasting daies and that of necessitie and for conscience sake in most cases But we holde this distinction of meates both to be foolish and wicked Foolish because in such meates as they prescribe there is as much filling and delight as in any other meates as namely in fish fruites wine c. which they permit And it is against the ende of a religious fast to vse any refreshing at all so farre as necessitie of health and comelinesse will permit Thus the Church in times past vsed to abstaine not onely from meate and drinke but from all delights whatsoeuer euen from soft apparell and sweete oyntments Ioel 2.15 Sanctifie a fast let the bridegroome goe forth of his chamber and the bride out of her bride chamber Dan. 10.3 I ate no pleasant breade neither came flesh nor wine within my mouth neither did I annoint my selfe at all till three weekes of daies were fulfilled 1. Cor. 7.5 Defraud not one an other except it be with consent for a time that ye may giue your selues to fasting and prayer Againe we holde this practise to be wicked because it taketh away the libertie of Christians by which vnto the pure all things are pure And the Apostle Gal. 5. biddes vs to stand fast in this libertie which the Church of Rome would thus abolish For the better vnderstanding of this let vs consider how the Lord himselfe hath from the beginning kept in his owne handes as a master in his owne house the disposition of his creatures for the vse of man that he might depend on him and his word for temporall blessings In the first age he appointed vnto him for meaâ—e euery hearb of the earth bearing seede and euery tree wherein there is the fruit of a tree bearing â—eede Gen. 1.29 And as for flesh whether God gaue vnto him libertie to eate or not to eate we hold it vncerten After the flood the Lord renewed his graunt of the vse of the creatures and gaue his people libertie to eate the flesh of liuing creatures yet so as he made some things vncleane and forbad the eating of them among the rest the eating of blood But since the comming of Christ he hath inlarged his word and giuen libertie to all both Iewes and Gentiles to eate of all kinds of flesh This word of his we rest vpon holding it a doctrine of deuills for men to commaund an abstinence from meates for conscience sake which the Lord himselfe hath created to be receiued with thanksgiuing Socrates a Christian historiagrapher saith that the Apostles left it free to euery one to vse what kinde of meate they would on fasting daies and other times Spiridion in lent dressed swines flesh and set
kind of feare or sorrow is commanded Malac. 1.6 If I be a father where is my feare if I be a lord where is my feare And Chrysostome saith that the feare of hell in the heart of a iust man is a strong man armed against theeues and robbers to driue them from the house And Ambrose saith that Martyrs in the time of their sufferings confirmed themselues against the crueltie of persecuters by setting the feare of hell before their eyes Abuses touching Confession are these The first is that they vse a forme of confession of their sinnes vnto God vttered in an vnknowne language beeing therefore foolish and ridiculous withall requiring the aide and intercession of dead men and such as be absent whereas there is but one Mediatour betweene God and man the man Iesus Christ. The second is that they in practise make confession of their sinnes not onely to God but to the Saints departed in that they make praier to them in which they aske their intercession for the pardon of their sinnes and this is not onely to match them with God in seeing and knowing the heart but also to giue a part of his diuine worship vnto them The third and principall abuse is that they haue corrupted Canonicall confession by turning it into a priuate auricular confession binding all men in conscience by a law made to confesse all their mortall sinnes with all circumstances that change the kind of the sinne as farre as possibly they can remember once euery yeare at the least and that to a priest vnlesse it be in the case of extreame necessitie But in the word of God there is no warrant for this confession nor in the writings of Orthodoxe antiquitie for the space of many hundred yeares after Christ as one of their owne side auoucheth And the commandement of the holy Ghost Confesse one for an other and pray one for an other Iam. 5.17 bindes as well the priest to make confession vnto vs as any of vs to the priest And whereas it is said Math. 3. that many were baptised confessing their sinnes and Act. 19.18 Many that beleeued came and confessed and shewed their workes the confession was voluntarie and not constrained it was also generall and not particular of all and euery sinne with the necessarie circumstances thereof And in this libertie of confession the Church remained 1200. yeares till the Councill of Lateran in which the law of auricular confession was first inacted beeing a notable inuention seruing to discouer the secrets of men and to inrich that couetous and ambitious See with the reuenewes of the world It was not knowne to Augustine when he said What haue I to doe with men that they should heare my confessions as though they should heale my diseases nor to Chrysostome when he saith I doe not compell thee to confesse thy sinnes to others And If thou be ashamed to confesse them to any man because thou hast sinned say them daily in thine owne minde I doe not bid thee confesse them to thy fellow seruant that he should mocke thee confesse them to God that cureth them The abuse of Satisfaction is that they haue turned canonicall satisfaction which was made to the congregation by open offenders into a satisfaction of the iustice of God for the temporall punishment of their sinnes Behold here a most horrible prophanation of the whole Gospel and specially of the satisfaction of Christ which of it selfe without any supplie is sufficient euery way for the remission both of fault and punishment But of this point I haue spoken before Hitherto I haue handled and prooued by induction of sundrie particulars that we are to make a separation from the present Church of Rome in respect of the foundation and substance of true religion Many more things might be added to this very purpose but here I conclude this first point adding onely this one caueat that we make separation from the Romane religion without hatred of the persons that are maintainers of it Nay we ioyne in affection more with them then they with vs. They die with vs not for their religion though they deserue it but for the treasons which they intend and enterprise we are readie to doe the duties of loue vnto them inioyned vs in the word we reuerence the good gifts in many of them we pray for them wishing their repentance and eternall saluation Now I meane to proceede and to touch briefly other points of doctrine contained in this portion of Scripture which I haue now in hand In the second place therefore out of this commaundement Goe out of her my people I gather that the true Church of God is and hath beene in the present Romane Church as corne in the heape of chaffe Though Poperie raigned and ouerspread the face of the earth for many hundred yeares yet in the middest thereof God reserued a people vnto himselfe that truly worshipped him and to this effect the holy Ghost saith that the Dragon which is the deuill caused the woman that is the Church to flie into the wildernesse where he sought to destroy her but could not and shee still retaines a remnant of her seede which kept the commaundements of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ. Now this which I speake of the Church of Rome can not be saide in like manner of the congregations of Turkes and other infidels that the hidden Church of God is preserued among them because there is no meanes of saluation at all whereas the Church of Rome hath the Scriptures though in a straunge language and baptisme for the outward forme which helpes God in all ages preserued that his Elect might be gathered out of the middest of Babylon This serues to stoppe the mouthes of Papists which demaund of vs where our Church was fourescore yeares agoe before the daies of Luther whereby they would insinuate to the world that our Church and religion is greene or newe but they are answered out of this very text that our Church hath euer beene since the daies of the Apostles and that in the very midst of the papacie It hath bin alwaies a Church and did not first begin to be in Luthers time but onely then began to shew it selfe as hauing bin hid by an vniuersall Apostasie for many hundred yeares together Againe we haue here occasion to consider the dealing of God with his owne church and people He will not haue them for externall societie to be mixed with their enemies and that for speciall purpose namely to exercise the humilitie and patience of his few seruants When Elias saw idolatrie spred ouer all Israel he went a part into the wildernes and in griefe desired to die And Dauid cried out Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Mesheck and to haue my habitation in the tents of Kedar Psal. 120.5 And iust Lot must haue his righteous soule vexed with seeing and hearing the abhominations of Sodom Thirdly by this
is that euery seruant of God must take heede howe hee trauels into such countries where Popish religion is stablished least hee partakes in the sinnes and punishments thereof Indeede to goe vpon ambassage to any place or to trauell for this end that wee may performe the necessarie duties for our speciall or generall callings is not vnlawefull but to trauell out of the precincts of the chnrch onely for pleasures sake and to see strange fashions hath no warrant And hence it is that many men which goe forth in good order well minded come home with crased consciences The best traueller of all is he that liuing at home or abroad can goe out of himselfe and depart from his owne sinnes and corruptions by true repentance FINIS An aduertisement to all fauourers of the Romane religion shewing that the said religion is against the Catholike principles and grounds of the Catechisme GReat is the number of them that embrace the religion of the present Church of Rome beeing deceiued by the glorious titles of Vniuersalitie Antiquitie Succession And no doubt though some be wilfully blinded yet many deuoted this waie neuer sawe any other trueth Nowe of them and the rest I desire this fauour that they will but weigh and ponder with theÌ„selues this one thing which I will nowe offer to their considerations and that is That the Romane religion now stablished by the councell of Trent is in the principall points thereof against the grounds of the Catechisme that haue beene agreed vpon euer since the daies of the Apostles by all Churches These groundes are foure the first is the Apostles Creed the second is the decalogue or tenne commandements the third is the forme of praier called the Lords praier the fourth is the Institution of the two Sacraments baptisme and the Lords supper 1. Cor. 11.23 That I may in some order manifest this which I say I will begin with the Symbole or Creed And first of all it must bee considered that some of the principall doctrines beleeued in the Church of Rome are that the Pope or Bishop of Rome is the vicar of Christ and the head of the Catholike church that there is a fire of purgatorie after this life that images of God and Saints are to be placed in Churches and worshipped that praier is to bee made to Saints departed their interceffion to be required that there is a propitiatorie sacrifice daily oâ—â—ered in the masse for the sinnes of the quicke the dead These points are of that moment that without them the Romane religion caÌ„not stand and in the councel of Trent the curse Anathema is pronounced vpon all such as denie these or any of them And yet marke the Apostles Creede which hath bin thought to containe all necessarie points in religion to bee beleeued and hath therefore beene called the kay rule of faith this creed I say hath not any of these points nor the Expositions made thereof by the auncient fathers nor any other Creede or confession of faith made by any councel or Church for the space of many hundred yeares This is a plaine proofe to any indifferent man that these be new articles of faith neuer knowne in the Apostolike Church that the fathers councels could not find any such articles of faith in the books of the old and new testament Answer is made that all these points of doctrine are beleeued vnder the article I beleeue the Catholike Church the meaning whereof they wil haue to be this I beleeue all things which the Catholicke church holdeth and teacheth to be beleeued If this bee as they say we must needes beleeue in the Church that is put our confidence in the Church for the manifestation and the certentie of all doctrines necessarie to saluation and thus the eternal trueth of God the Creatour shall depend on the determination of the creature and the written word of God in this respect is made vnsufficient as though it had not plainely reuealed all points of doctrine pertaining to saluation And the ancient Churches haue beene farre ouerseene that did not propound the former points to be beleeued as articles of faith but left them to these latter times 2. In this Creede to beleeue in God and to beleeue the Church are distinguished To beleeue in is pertaining to the Creatour to beleeue to the creature as Ruffinus hath noted when he saith that by this preposition in the Creatour is distinguished from the creature and things pertaining to God from things pertaining to men And Augustine saith It must be knowne that we must beleeue the Church and not beleeue in the Church because the Church is not God but the house of God Hence it followes that we must not beleeue in the Saints nor put our confidence in our workes as the learned Papists teach Therfore Eusebius saith We ought of right to beleeue Peter and Paul but to beleeue in Peter and Paul that is to giue to the seruants the honour of the Lord we ought not And Cyprian saith He doth not beleeue in God which doeth not place in him alone the trust of his whole felicitie 3. The article conceiued by the holy Ghost is ouerturned by the transubstaÌ„tiation of bread and wine in the masse into the bodie and blood of Christ. For here wee are taught to confesse the true and perpetuall incarnation of Christ beginning in his conception and neuer ending afterward and wee acknowledge the trueth of his manhood and that his bodie hath the essentiall properties of a true body standing of flesh bone hauing quaÌ„titie figure dimeÌ„sions namly length breadth thicknes hauing part out of part as head out of feet feet out of head being also circuÌ„scribed visible touchable in a word it hath al things in it which by order of creatioÌ„ beloÌ„g to a body It wil be said that the bodie of Christ may remaine a true bodie yet be altered in respect of some qualities as namely circumscription But I say againe that locall circumscription can no way be seuered from a bodie it remaining a bodie For to be circumscribed in place is an essentiall propertie of euery quantitie and quantitie is the common essence of euery bodie And therefore a bodie in respect of his quantitie must needs be circumscribed in one place This was the iudgement of Leo when hee said The â—odie of Christ is by no meanes out of the trueth of our bodâ—â— And Augustine when he said Onely God in Christ so comes that he doth not departâ—â—o returnes that he doth not leaue vs but man according to bodie is in place and goes out of the same place and when he shall come vnto another place he is not in that place whence he comes To helpe the matter they vse to distinguish thus Christs bodie in respect of the whole essence thereof may be in many places but not in respect of the whole quantitie whereby it is only in one place But as I haue
is plainely ouerthrowne the excuse which they make that they worshippe not images but God and Saints in images for neither God nor the Saints doe acknowledge this kinde of honour but they abhorre it Whence it followes necessarily that they worship nothing beside the image or the deuise of their owne braine in which they faine to themselues such a god as will be worshipped and receiue our praiers at images It will be saide that the Papists doe no otherwise tie the worship and inuocation of God to images then God tied himselfe to the sanctuarie and the temple of Salomon And I say againe it was the will of God that he would shew his presence and be worshipped at the Sanctuarie and the Iewes had the warrant of Gods word for it but we haue no like warrant either by promise or commandement to tie Gods presence to an image or crucifix Againe reason yet further may discouer their idolatrie They which worship they know not what worship an idol but the Papists worship they know not what I prooue it thus To the consecration of the host there is required the intention of the Priest at the least vertually as they say and if this be true it followes that none of them can come to the Masse or pray in faith but he must alwaies doubt of that which is lifted vp by the hands of the priest in the masse whether it be bread or the bodie and blood of Christ. For none can haue any certentie of the intention of the priest in consecrating this bread and this wine but rather may haue a iust occasion of doubting by reason of the common ignorance and loosenesse of life in such persons Thirdly the commaundement touching the Sabbath giues a libertie to worke sixe daies in the ordinarie affaires of our callings and this libertie cannot be repealed by any creature The Church of Rome therefore erreth in that it prescribeth set and ordinarie festiuall daies not onely to God but also to Saints inioyning them as straitly and with as much solemnitie to be obserued as the Sabbath of the Lord. Fourthly the third commaundement or as they say the fourth inioynes children to obey father and mother in all things specially in matters of moment as in their marriage and choice of their callings and that euen to death and yet the church of Rome against the intent of this commaundement allowes that clandestine marriages and the vowe of religion shall be in force though they be without and against the consent of wise and carefull parents Fiftly the last commandement of lust forbiddes the first motions to sinne that are before consent I prooue it thus Lusting is forbidden in the former commandements as well as in the last yea lusting that is ioyned with consent as in the commandement Thou shalt not commit adulterie is forbidden lusting after our neighbours wife in the next lusting after our neighbours goods c. Now if the last commandement also forbid no more but lust with consent it is confounded with the rest and by this meanes there shall not be ten distinct words or commandements which to say is absurd it remaines therefore that the lust here forbidden goes before consent Againe the Philosophers knew that lust with consent was euill euen by the light of nature but Paul a learned Pharise and therefore more then a Philosopher knew not lust to be sinne that is forbidden in this commandement Rom. 7. Lust therefore that is forbidden here is without consent Wicked then is the doctrine of the Romane Church teaching that in euery mortall sinne is required an act commaÌ„ded of the will and hence they say many thoughts against faith and vncleane imaginations are no sinnes 6 Lastly the words of the second commandement And shew mercie to thousands on them that loue me and keepe my commandements ouerthrowes all humane merits For if the reward be giuen of mercie to them that keepe the law it is not giuen for the merit of the worke done To come to the third part of the Catechisme the Lords praier is a most absolute and perfect forme of praier For which cause it was called of Tertullian The breuiarie of the Gospel and Coelestinus saith the law of praying is the law of beleeuing and the law of working Now in this prayer we are taught to direct our praiers to God alone Our father c. and that onely in the name and mediation of Christ. For God is our father onely by Christ. It is needelesse therefore to vse any inuocation of Saints or to make them our mediatours of intercession vnto God and it is sufficient if we pray onely vnto God in the name of Christ alone 2 In the fourth petition we say thus Giue vs our daily bread In which words we acknowledge that euery morsell of bread is the meere gift of God What madnes then is it for vs to thinke that we should merit the kingdome of heauen by works that can not merit so much as bread 3 In the next petition Forgiue vs our debts foure opinions of the Romane religion are directly ouerthrowne The first is concerning humane Satisfactions For the child of God is here after his conuersion taught to humble himselfe day by day and to pray for the pardon of his daily sinnes now to make satisfaction and to sue for pardon be contrarie The second opinion here ouerthrowne is touching merits For we doe acknowledge our selues to be debters vnto God yea bankrupts and that beside the maine summe of many thousand talents we daily increase the debt therefore we can not possibly merit any of the blessings of God It is meere madnes to thinke that they which cannot pay their debts but rather increase them day by day should deferue or purchase any of the goods of the creditours or the pardoÌ„ of their debts if any fauour be shewed theÌ„ it comes of meere goodwil without the least desert In a word this must be thought vpon that if all we can doe will not keep vs froÌ„ increasing the maine summe of our debt much lesâ—e shall we be able by any merit to diminish the same By good right therfore do al gods seruaÌ„ts caâ—t downe themselues and pray Forgiue vs our debts The third opinion is that punishment may be retained the fault beeing wholly remitted but this can not stand for here sinne is called our debt because by nature we owe vnto God obedience and for the defect of this paiment we further owe vnto him the forfiture of punishment Sinne then is called our debt in respect of the punishment And therefore when we pray for the pardon of sinne we require the pardon not onely of fault but of the whole punishment And when a debt is pardoned it is absurd to thinke that the least paiment should remaine The fourth opinion is that a man in this life may fulfill the law whereas in this place euery seruant of God is taught to aske a daily pardon for the breach of the
Christ. 1. Cor. 3.1 II. Conclusion The first material beginnings of the conuersion of a sinner or the smallest measure of renewing grace haue the promises of this life and the life to come The exposition THE beginnings of conuersion must bee distinguished some are beginnings of preparations some beginnings of composition Beginnings of preparation are such as bring vnder tame and subdue the stubburnenesse of mans nature without making any change at all of this sort are the accusations of the conscience by the ministerie of the lawe feares and terrors arising thence coÌ„punction of heart which is the apprehension of gods anger against sin Now these and the like I exclude in the conclusion for though they goe before to prepare a sinner to his conuersion followingâ— yet are they no graces of God but fruites of the law that is the ministerie of death of an accusing conscience Beginnings of composition I tearme all those inwarde motions and inclinations of Gods spirit that follow after the worke of the law vpon the conscience and rise vpon the meditation of the Gospel that promiseth righteousnes and life euerlasting by Christ out of which motions the conuersion of a sinner ariseth and of this it consisteth what these are it shall afterward appeare Againe grace must be distinguished it is twofold restraining grace or renuing grace Restraining grace I tearme certaine common giftes of God seruing onely to order and frame the outward conuersation of men to the lawe of God or seruing to bereaâ—e men of excuse in the daie of iudgement By this kind of grace heathen men haue beene liberall iust sober valiant By it men liuing in the Church of God haue beene inlightened and hauing tasted of the good worde of God haue reioyced therein and for a time outwardly conformed themselues thereto renewing grace is not common to al men but proper to the elect and it is a gift of Gods spirit whereby the corruption of sinne is not onely restrained but also mortified and the decaied Image of God restored Now then the conclusion must onely be vnderstood of the second and not of the first for though a man haue neuer so much of this restraining grace yet vnlesse he haue the spirit of Christ to create faith in the heart and to sanctifie him he is as farre from saluation as any other Now then the sense and meaning of the conclusion is that the very least meanes of sauing grace and the very beginnings or seedes of regeneration doe declare and after a sort giue title to men of all the mercifull promises of God whether they concerne this life or the life to come and therefore are approoued of God if they be in trueth and accepted as greater measures of grace That which our Sauiour Christ saieth of the worke of miracles â—f you haue faith as a graine of Musterd seede ye shall say vnto this mountaine remooue hence to yonder place and it shall remooue must by the lawe of equall proportion be applyed to faith repentance the feare of God and all other graces if they bee truely wrought in the heart though they bee but as small as one little graine of musterd-seede they shall be sufficiently effectuall to bring forth good workes for which they were ordained The Prophet Esay 42.3 saith that Christ shall not quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised reede Let the comparison be marked fire in flaxe must be both little and weake in quantitie as a sparke or twaine that cannot cause a flame but onely a smoake specially in a matter â—o easie to burne Here then is signified that the gifts and graces of Gods spirit that are both for measure and strength as a sparke or twaine of fire shall not be neglected but rather accepted and cherished by Christ. When our Sauiour Christ heard the young man make a confession of a practise but of outward and ciuill righteousnes he looked vpon him and loued him and when he heard the Scribe to speake discreetely but one good speach that to louâ— God with all his heart is aboue all sacrifices he said vnto him That he was not farre from the kingdome of heauen Therefore no doubt hee will loue with a more special loue and accept as the good subiects of his kingdome those that haue receiued a further mercie of God to be borne anew of water and of the spirit III. Conclusion A constant and earnest desire to be reconciled to God to beleeue and to repent if it be in a touched heart is in acceptation with God as reconciliation faith repentance it selfe The Exposition LVst or desire is twofold naturall and supernaturall Naturall is that whose beginning and obiect is in nature that is which ariseth of the naturall will of man and anecteth such things as are thought to be good according to the light of nature And this kind of desire hath his degrees yet so as they are all limited within the compasse of nature Some desire riches honours pleasures some learning and knowledge because it is the light and perfection of the minde some goe further and seeke after the vertues of iustice temperance liberalitie c. and thus many heathen men haue excelled Some againe desire true happinesse as Balaam did who wished to die the death of the righteous because it is the propertie of nature to seeke the preseruation of it selfe But here nature staies it selfe for where the minde reueales not the will affects not Supernaturall desires are such as both for their beginning and obiect are aboue nature for their beginning is from the holy Ghost and the obiect or matter about which they are conuersant are things diuine and spirituall which concerne the kingdome of heauen and of this kind are the desires of which I speake in this place Againe that we may not be deceiued in our desires but may the better discerne them from flittering fleeting motions I adde three restraints First of all the desire of reconciliation the desire to beleeue or the desire to repent c. must be constant and haue continuance otherwise it may iustly be suspected Secondly it must be earnest and serious though not alwaies yet at sometimes that we may be able to say with Dauid My soule desireth after thee O Lord as the thirstie laÌ„d And as the heart braieth after the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God euen the liuing god Thirdly it must be in a touched heart for when a man is touched in conscience the heart is cast down and as much as it can it withdrawes it selfe from God For this cause if then there be any spirituall motions whereby the heart is lift vp vnto God they are without doubt from the spirit of God Thus then I auouch that the desire of reconciliation with God in Christ is reconciliation it selfe the desire to beleeue is faith indeede and the desire to repent repentance it selfe But marke how A desire to be reconciled is not
people receiued the wretched and abhominable doctrine of the church of Rome And not many yeares after when it pleased God to bring againe the light of his glorious Gospel by our gracious Prince the same people turned from poperie and embraced the true religion againe And thus with the Iewes one while they crie Hosanna to Christ and receiue his Gospel and shortly after they crie Crucifie him crucifie him by embracing idolatrous poperie Let vs therefore learne in the feare of God by the ficklenes of the Iewesâ— that sing two contrarie songs in so short a space to acknowledge our inconstancie and weaknes in the matter of religion whereby if God leaue vs 〈…〉 â—itle to our selues we shall straightway forsake Christ his Gospel and all Tâ—â—â—â—â—ch of the accusation Now followeth Christs examination before â—oâ—â—â—us Pilate for when the Iewes had thus falsly accused him then Pontius Pilate tooke him and brought him into the common hall and asked him this question Art thou the King of the Iewes Now Christ beeing thus examined made as Paul also testifieth a good confession The summe thereof stands in foure heads The first is that he confesseth himselfe to be a King not such an one as they accused him to be yet a true King Whence we may learne diuers instructions first that euery Christian man in the midst of his miserie and affliction hath one that is most sufficient euery way to defend him against all his enemies the world the flesh and the deuill For this King can doe whatsoeuer he will and therefore when the legion of deuills would enter into a herd of swine they could not without his leaue And when the Centurions daughter was dead he but spake the word and shee arose And when Lazarus was dead and had lien in the graue foure daies he but saide Lazarus come forth and he came forth bound hand and foote Yea euen hell and death giue place to his word and nothing can resist his power And therefore he that is a true member of Christ needes not to feare any enemies be they neuer so great or so many And againe as Christ is able so is he readie and willing to saue and defend all that beleeue in him For he it is that gaue his life for his subiects which no King would doe and shedde his blood for their redemption which he would neuer haue done if he had not desired their saluation Secondly whereas Christ is a mightie King which can doe whatsoeuer he will let all such among vs that haue hitherto liued in ignorance and by reason of ignorance liue in their sinnes at length begin to come vnto him and doe him homage and with penitent hearts fall downe before him otherwise if they continue in their old rebellions let them know whatsoeuer they be high or low that he hath a rod of iron in his hand to bruise them in pieces their soules shall smart for it as both Pilate Caiphas and the rest of the Iewes were with a full cup rewarded for crucifying the Lord of life And if Christ cannot draw thee in this life from thy crooked waies be sure at the houre of death he will breake thee in pieces like a potters vessell This must we learne in regard of the first point that he said plainely He was a King Now follows the second part of his confession namely that his kingdome was not of this world Where he sets downe what kinde of King he is he is no earthly king his kingdome stands not in the power of men nor in earthly and outward gouernment but his kingdome is spirituall and his gouernment is in the very hearts and consciences of men His kingdome is not outward to be seene of men but inward in the heart and â—oule and therefore it is onely begunne in this life and is continued and accomplished in the world to come in the kingdome of glorie where Christ shall be all in all in the hearts and consciences of all the Elect. Now then if this be so howsoeuer Satan haue heretofore raigned in vs and made our hearts as it were his pallaces yet now let vs prepare a roome for Christ that he may come and dwell in vs let him rule our hearts wills and affections that they may become conformable to his will let vs resigne our selues wholly to be ruled by him that his spirituall kingdome may be in vs. This kingdome in the heart and conscience is the pearle and hidde treasure which when a man findeth he sells all that he hath and buieth it Let vs therefore in the feare of God esteeme it as the most pretious thing that may be and so liue in this world as that Christ may rule inwardly in vs by his word and spirit And againe seeing this regiment of Christ is heauenly and the full manifestation of it is reserued till the life to come we must therefore vse this world and all things in it as honour wealth ease and libertie as though we vsed them not As a trauailer vseth his staffe in his iourney as long as it doth further him so long he will carrie it with him but when it hindereth him then he casts it away so must we vse the things of this life namely as long as they are helps to further and make vs fitte for the kingdome of heauen but if they be any hinderance to this spirituall regiment of Christ we must renounce them and cast them away be they neuer so pretious to vs. The third point of Christs confession is concerning the meanes whereby he gouerneth his kingdome I came saith he into this world to beare witnesse of the truth that is to preach the Gospell and doctrine of saluation and hereby he teacheth that the outward administration of his kingdome stands specially in the preaching of the word which is a principall ordinance of his seruing to gather his Church from the beginning of the world to the ende thereof And for this cause he hath in all ages set apart chosen ministers for the publishing of the doctrine of the Gospell And hence it is manifest that the gift of prophecie is the greatest gift that God bestowes on his Church for the building thereof And therfore it ought to be most highly esteemed as a most pretious iewell And for this cause also the schooles of learning are to be reuerenced maintained all other meanes vsed for the furthering of them because they are vnder God the fountaines and welsprings of this gift of prophecie The last point is concerning the subiects of Christs kingdome expressed in these words They which are of the truth heare my voice In which he sets down the true marke of his seruants and subiects that they are hearers of that heauenly and sauing word which he reuealed from the bosome of his father It may be alleadged the most wicked men vpon earth yea the deuils themselues may be hearers of the truth of Christ. Ans. There be
mindfull of others For a man that hath wealth is made a steward to distribute his goods to the poore and the good of Gods Church True loue seekes not her owne things the branches of the vine are loden with clusters of grapes not for themselues but for others the candle spends it selfe to giue others light Giue If bread be ours wherefore are we to aske it it may seeme needlesse Answ. Not so for hereby we are taught to waite on God who is the fountaine and the giuer of all blessings Men vsually driuen to any distresse vse euill meanes as robbing deceiuing consulting with wizzards c. 2. Againe here we learne that though a man had all the wealth in the world all is nothing without Gods blessing Question The rich neede not say Giue vs c. for they haue abundance already and what neede they aske that which they haue Answer Let a man be neuer so rich and want nothing that can be desired yet if he want Gods blessing in effect he wants all Wherefore euen Kings and the greatest personages that be are as much bound to vse this petition as the poorest Gods blessing is riches saith Salomon Prou. 10.22 Thou maist eate and not haue enough be clothed and not warme earne wages and put it in a broken bagge Hag. 1. 6. if God doe not blesse thee This blessing of God is called the staffe of bread Esay 3. 1. In bread there bee two things the substance and the vertue thereof proceeding from gods blessing this second that is the power of nourishing is the staffe of bread For take away from an aged man his staffe and he falls and so take away Gods blessing from bread the strength thereof it becomes vnprofitable and ceaseth to nourish Lastly here we see that all labour and toile taken in any kind of calling is nothing and auailes not vnlesse God still giue his blessing Psal. 127.1 3. The wants which are to be bewailed SInnes which we are taught in this petition to bewaile are two especially I. Couetousnesse a vice which is naturally engrafted in euery mans heart it is when a man is not content with his present estate This desire is vnsatiable men that haue enough would still haue more Wherefore he which shall vse this petition must be grieued for this sinne and pray with Dauid Psal. 119. 36. Incline my heart to thy commandements and not to couetousnes And he must sorrowe not so much for the act of this sinne as for the corruption of nature in this behalfe Couetous people will plead that they are free from this vice but marke mens liues and we shall see it is a common disease as Dauid noted Psal. 4.6 where he brings in the people saying who shall shew vs any good This then is a common sinne that we are taught to mourne for 2. The second want is diffidence and distrustfulnes in Gods prouidence touching the things of this life Men also will shift this off and say they would be sorrie to distrust God But if we doe but a little looke into the corruption of our nature we shall see that we are deceiued For beeing in prosperitie wee are not troubled but if once we be pressed with aduersitie then we howle and weepe and as Paul saith 1. Tim. 6.10 Men peirce themselues through with many sorrowes If a man shall loose a part of his goods what then doth he straight hee goes out to the wise man is this to beleeue in God No it is to distrust God and beleeue the deuill 4. Graces to be desired THe grace to be desired is a readines in all estates of life to rest on Gods prouidence whatsoeuer fall out Psal. 37.5 Commit thy way to the Lord trust in him and he shall bring it to passe Prou. 16. 3. Commit or role thy workes vpon the Lord and thy thoughts shall be directed Whereby we are admonished to take paines in our callings to get meate and drinke c. If the Lord blesse not our labour we must be content if he doe we must giue him thankes Now for this cause we are further to pray to God that hee would open our eies and by his spirit teach vs in all his good creatures to see his prouidence and when meanes faile and are contrarie then also to beleeue in the same and to followe Pauls example Phil. 4.12 5. Errours confuted PApists teach that men by workes of grace may merit life eternall and increase of iustification in this life But howe can this be for here we see that euery bit of bread which we eate is the free gift of God without any merit of ours Now if we can not merit a peece of bread what madnes is it to thinke that we can merit life euerlasting 2. They also are deceiued who thinke that any thing comes by meere chance or fortune without Gods prouidence Indeede in respect of men who know not the causes of things many chances there are but so as that they are ordered and come to passe by Gods prouidence Luk. 10.31 By chance there came downe a certaine priest that way Forgiue vs our debts 1. The Coherence THis is the fift petition and the second of those which concerne our selues in the former we craued temporall blessings in this and the next which followeth we craue spirituall blessings Where we may note that seeing there is two petitions which concerne spirituall things and but one for temporall that the care for our soules must be double to the care of our bodies In the world men care for their bodies their hearts are set for wealth and promotion they can be content to heare the word on the Sabbath yet neither then nor in the weeke day doe they lay it vp in their hearts and practise it which argues that they haue little or no care for their soules Question What is the cause that first we craue things for the bodie and in the second place those which concerne the soule Ans. The order of the holy Ghost in these petitions is wonderfull for the Lord considers the dulnes and backwardnes of mens natures and therefore he traines them vp and drawes them on by little euen as a schoolemaster doth his yong schollers propounding vnto them some small elements and principles and so carrying them to higher points For the former petition is a step or degree to these two following The ruler by the healing of the bodie of his child is brought to beleeue in Christ. Ioh. 4.53 He then that will rest on Gods mercie for the pardon of his sinnes must first of all rest on Gods prouidence for this life and he that can not put his affiance in God for the prouision of meate and drinke how shall he trust Gods mercie for the saluation of his soule Here we may see the faith of worldlings they say that God is mercifull and that they beleeue in Christ which can not be true seeing in lesser matters as meate and drinke they