againe by repentance that there is no more sacrifice to be offred for their sins that there is nothing left for them but a fearefull expectation of irreuocable iudgment and condemnation Now doubtles the verie waye and means to come to this dreadfull estate is for them that haue seemed to stand by professing once the sounde faith to be carelesse in maintaining and preseruing conscience in their liues and conuersation and therefore to teach vs asmuch Paul calles vpon his Timothie to maintaine and nourish togither faith and a good conscience for that whiles some as namely Hymineus and Alexander haue made no carefull reckoning of the one they haue made shipwracke of the other 1. Tim. 1.19 20. Let him therefore that seemeth to stande take heede he fall not 1. Cor. 10.12 and in anie case also let him that would seeme to be in deede in Christ Iesus be a new creature 2. Cor. 5.17 for such haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lustes thereof Gal. 5.24 they walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit as ye haue heard Rom. 1. and they are a people zealous of good workes Tit. 2.14 Wherefore let vs neuer once thinke that our sinnes are in Christ Iesus couered vnlesse we finde our selues cured thereof or that for his sake they are pardoned vnlesse we in truth perceiue our bodies and soules purged at the least thereof that sinne raigne not in our mortall bodies Rom. 6.12 For they that so are of God Iohn saith flatly they cannot sinne meaning so as that sinne raigne in them for that they are borne of God and his seede remaineth in them 3.9 Howsoeuer therefore Hypocrites and such as haue but a temporarie faith may and often doe fall headlong into obeying sinne with their full and whole consent as their lawfull king in whose obedience willingly they take delight and so such worthily quite lease those giftes and good graces which they seamed to haue before and consequently by their so falling away as the same Iohn teacheth in the former Chapter Cap. 2. Ver. 10. make it euident that they were neuer of the number indeede that by a liuelie faith were in Christ Iesus for then as he saith they would still haue continued with such yet so it is neither finally nor at any time after with those that once haue vnfainedly and rightly indeede put on Christ For as Paul teacheth most euidently and forciblie Rom. 6. throughout and Col. 1.2 such haue so put him on and are in him that as he once for all died and was buried to put away their sinne and rose againe ascended into heauen and sitteth there at the right hand of the father to confer bestowe vpon them a perfect righteousnes iustification so by the power and efficacie of Christ dwelling in them they are deade to sinne and aliue to righteousnes and therefore howsoeuer will they nill they they may by some reliques of sinne remaining in them to humble them and to wrastle against be inforced with the same Apostle in the next chapter cōplaining of the tyranny of sinne to cry out I do not that good I would but that which I hate that doe I yet all such with a good conscience may comfort themselues againe with him and say if I doe that I would not doe and hate it is not I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in mee Cap. 6.15 20. And in the end they may be sure that the spirit that dwelleth in them will so strenthen them against the flesh that they shall get in the end of the battle the victorie and that in the meane time the flesh shall neuer be able vtterly to preuaile as they may reade Gal. 5.17 24. For that Spirit being once com into thefield though old Adā muster all his beaten woūded souldiers neuer so oft yet that man in whose hart the field is once pitched fought may assure him selfe that it is as absurd for him to think that either in the end or at any time the flesh shall preuaile to driue that spirit out of the field as it is to thinke that a base creature can ouercome God the Creator And to assure all such hereof Christ hath promised when he sends once this Spirit of his vnto them that it shal be their cōmforter that it shal abide with thē for euer Iohn 14.16 that he would beg of his father that he shoulde so doe And therfore they may be sure that he hath done it hath also obtained his sute for he is truth it selfe Iohn 14.6 therfore true in his promise besids he tels vs that he knew his father alwaies heard him Iohn 11.42 Let not that wrong therfor be offerred either to Christ or to his Spirit that any should but once think that either of these can be driuen out of possession after once they haue taken it in theirs either by Sathan the world or the flesh they may be busy to grieue trouble them but neuer shal they preuaile for they are alwayes the strōgerin finitely and their loue care to keep preserue theirs is like them selues that is eternal most constant indeed in that Christ here in our text promiseth his spirite not only in vnder the name of water but of riuers of waters that of life flowing out of their bellies that should doe as before he cōmanded al this being to be vnderstood of the giftes graces of the spirit which he would bestow vpon all such as we haue heard as thereby we are taught that he will giue them to such not in a scant but in a very plentious manner and measure for that he is a liberall giuer Iames 1.5 so by calling them Riuers of the water of life he teacheth vs and assureth vs that they will neuer altogither die or be dried vp for his giftes giuen to such are without repentance Rom. 1.29 They shew also by the other addition of flowing out of their bollies that they will not be smothered and kept in within the bellies of the beleeuers owne selfe whatsoeuer the state of the time be wherein hee liues For they must flow out of their bellies and therefore such must let their light shine be fore men to the glorie of God and good example and profit of others as Christ hath taught them Math. 5.16 Wherefore let the first of these lessons occasion euery one that is desirous to haue any comfortable assurance that this promise is made to him appertaineth vnto him to striue by al lawfull and good meanes to haue the sanctifying giftes of the spirit in such plentifull and abundant measure in him that he may feele and others finde by experience that they may worthily be compared to riuers of water And by the second let euery such one also learne for the better certifying of his owne heart that he is such an one indeed that he must perseuere vnto the end Math. 10.22 euermore bringing forth more
therefore it is the fashion of the scriptures after hard things to ioyne other that be plaine Origen also in his first Homilie of Hierimie and Chrysostome in diuers places namely writing of the holy Ghost and in his 12. Homtlie vpon Genesis are most pregnant in this point the one reiecting all sences and interpretations as of no credit without warrant from other scriptures and the other affirming plainely that the scriptures so expounde themselues that they suffer not the Reader to erre Whereupon no man no not amongst vs is more earnest to vrge all sortes of men to read the scriptures than Chrysostome as any man may see in his 9. Homilie vpon the Collossians in his third vpon Matthew Let vs therefore in this case take triall of this rule that so we may learne what we are to vnderstande by these riuers of water heere spoken of and promised And for as much as when these wordes were first vttered by Christ then the Canonicall scriptures onely of the olde Testament were written it shal be most fit to looke into them for this purpose Wherein to this end verie pertinent it is that the blessed man which doubtlesse he is that commeth vnto Christ and drinketh of him aright is described in the first Psalme to be like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that will bring forth his fruite in due season and whose leafe shall not fade but whatsoeuer he doth it shall prosper Vers 3. But that in the fiue and fiftie of the prophesie of Esay vers 1. c. in my iudgement and in my opinion best agreeth with this and appertaineth hereunto For there after that the thirsty are solemnly as it were by way of proclamation called and allured to come to the waters and so freely being come to drinke wine and to cate milke and that which was fatte and good a promise is made them if they would so do that they should liue and enioy the sure mercies of Dauid That also Esay 59.20.21 may well be as a Commentarie vpon this where after that it is said that the redeemer shall come vnto Sion it is saide that this couenant shal be made with them that turne from iniquitie in Iacob that his spirite and word shoulde neuer departe from them nor from their seede after them which couenante or promise is more fully opened Ieremie 31.33.34 vnto which time of the comming of the Messiah and the performance of this promise then Ioell hauing an eye he bringeth in GOD promising then that he woulde poure out his spirite vpon all sortes olde and yong men and women Cap. 2. vers 28. whereunto in my opinion it seemeth that Iohn thought that Christ had relation in this promise-making heere in that in plaine termes he telleth vs that this he spake of the Spirite which they should receiue that beleeued in him for saith he the holy Ghost was not yet bycause that Iesus was not yet glorified This therefore is euen sufficient to teach vs in what sence the scripture woulde haue vs to vnderstand that riuers of waters of life shall flowe out of the bellies of such as will come vnto him drinke of him and beleeue in him as we haue heard namely euen of the plentifull giftes and graces of the spirite that vndoubtedly he woulde bestowe and continue in such And let it not seeme strange vnto any man thus to heare the spirite of God watering and moystening the house of God and washing and softning the heartes of those that be in neede therof compared vnto waters for it is very vsuall in the scriptures For not onely Psal 1.3 Esay 55.1 c. as I haue noted before by riuers of water waters we cā vnderstād nothing so fitly as the most plentifull rich graces of God in Christ but also elsewhere often both in the olde Testament and in the new the same or like speeches are vsed whereby we can vnderstand nothing else For after that God to perswade Iacob not to feare had said I will powre water vpon the thirstie and floudes vpon the drie ground to make it plaine that he vnderstoode nothing else thereby immmediatly he addeth I will powre out my spirite vpon thy seede and my blessing vpon thy buddes and they shall growe as amongest the grasse and as the willowes by the riuers of waters Esay 44.2.3.4 And what else could or did Ezechiell vnderstande Cap. 47.1 c. by the vision of waters flowing out of the Lordes house in such a plentifull manner that they were first ancle deepe then thigh deepe then vnpassageable on euerie side whereof growe all fruitfull trees whose leafe shoulde not fall and that monethly should bring forth fruite and that wholesome and medicinable And we beleeuing as we doe that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne as both the scriptures and all sound confessions of the Catholicke and Christian faith teach what can we more fitly vnderstand by that pure riuer of water of life cleare as chryst all that Iohn saw proceeding out of the throne of God the Lambe c. Reuel 22. Vers 1. than the holy Ghost proceeding and flowing from the father and the sonne to cheere and to make fruitful the Citizens of the heauenly Hierusalem And by that water of life which Christ taught the woman of Samaria to aske of him whereof if a man drinke he saide he should neuer thirst againe for that it should be in him a well of water springing vp to euerlasting life noe doubt of it he vnderstoode nothing else but the Spirit which he would bestow vpon all his to regenerate and sanctifie them effectually withall Hereby then you may see not only this interpretation iustified that by riuers of water of life flowing out of the bellies of such as come vnto Christ and rightly make him their owne by drinking of him we are to vnderstand the Spirit of God and the plentifull graces thereof promised to the faithfull but also that this is a Metaphore very fit apt to expresse the same or else that God woulde neuer haue so much delighted therein as thus by the often vsing it he sheweth he hath done Howbeit before we proceede any further to confider of the ground why this Metaphor should be counted so apt and so much to this purpose delighted in we are first to vnderst and that by the belly frō whence these riuers of water of life shoulde flowe is meant the soule heart and good conscience by faith purified in the beleeuers Actes 15. Ver. 9. For the end of the commaundement and so the shew of all the good fruites of the Spirit in Gods children commeth from a pure conscience and both them from faith vnfained as Paule testifieth 1. Tim. 1. Ver. 5. The bellie and bowels are no seate or fountaine from whence such things issue or flowe Then whereas Iohn saith the holy Ghost was not yet whereof he telleth vs we are to vnderstande Christes promises we must take heede
iustified thē vndoubtedly also will saue them For though euery trueth taught by God in his word be the general obiect of faith yet the proper obiect therof by apprehensiō where of it is so oft said in the scriptures to iustifie is onely Christ Iesus whō it is not inough for faith with her inward eies to know and cōfesse to be as he is in person and office as you haue before heard but as you may sufficiently perceiue by Christes setting of himselfe before the faithfull as the meate and drinke of their soules and by his requiring that they should hunger and thirst after him yea eate him drinke him then by his plaine expounding that eating drinking of him to be beleeuing in him he is by faith to be taken appropriated to euery right beleeuer in him And to put it out of doubt that the iustifying faith or faith in Christ Iesus must haue and indeed hath this effect Paule after he had willed the Corinthians to proue try themselues whether they were in the faith hee streight addeth And examine your selues know you not your own selues that Iesus Christ is in you vnlesse you be reprobates 2. Co. 13.5 when faith thus apprehendeth Christ so possesseth her owner of him as that he himself may know that Christ is in him how cā it be then but he that hath by faith so found and got Christ hath also in him by him a special assurance that his sins are forgiuen him that vndoubtedly he shall for that Christs sake be saued when it doth all this we denie not but most willingly we confesse that there it bringeth forth by the power of the spirit of sanctification good works plentifully in her owner but yet we dare not say that it iustifieth either for the worthinesse of it selfe or for the worthines of all the noble traine of good works inseperablie alwaies in good measure accōpanying it but onely for the worthines of Iesus Christ whom it apprehendeth But that vndoubtedly faith findeth in Christ Iesus full and sufficient cause and matter for which most certainely God will both iustifie saue all those that thereby haue put him on as Paule speaketh Rom. 13.14 all the places of scripture before produced to proue him to be in and of himselfe a full and most perfect Sauiour most pregnantly and forceably scrue Seeing therefore brethren as thereby sufficiently hath appeared by the blood of Iesus We may be bold to enter into the holy place by the new and liuing way which he hath prepared for vs through the vaile that is his flesh and seeing we haue an high priest which is ouer the house of God let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts frō an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water let vs keep the professiō of our hope without wauering for he is faithful that promised Heb. 10.19 For faith is the ground of things hoped for the euidence of things which are not seene Heb. 11.1 Let vs aske thē therfore in faith of our good gracious God and wauer not as Iames coūselleth vs for he that wauereth is like the waters of the sea tost of the winde and caried away neither let that man thinke that he shall obtaine any thing of the Lord Iam. 2.19 And let vs confidently conclude with Saint Paule that beeing iustified by faith we haue peace with God through Iesus Christ by whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto his grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God yea with that hope that shall neuer shame or confound vs. Rom. 5.1 c. For whatsoeuer our aduersaries say or feele to the contrary in themselues we that can finde once by faith that we haue put on Christ that we haue eaten his flesh and drunke his blood yea that he is euen in vs and therefore haue first Gods promises often declared and made vnto vs and then the same particularly outwardly in the sacraments and inwardly in our soules by his spirit thus sealed and applied vnto vs dare boldly with Saint Iohn say that we know we are translated from death to life 1. Epist 3.14 and with Saint Paule that we are perswaded that nothing shall euer seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus For seeing he hath not spared to bestow his owne sonne vpon vs how shall he not with him giue vs all things else Rom. 8.13.39 yea we are sure it is no presumption to beleeue God without any wauering thus many waies testifying his effectuall mercy loue to appertaine euen vnto vs eye we know it were wickedly to call the trueth and faithfulnesse of God into question once to doubt when he so many waies hath sought to put vs out of al doubt No maruel though the papistes can attaine vnto no such ioy and peace or assurance in their consciences of saluation by their faith For first they build as much of their faith vpon the sandie foundation of their owne traditions as vpon the rocke of the canonicall scriptures secondly the faith that they talke on leades them no further then to a generall astent to all trueth reuealed by God vnto man in his word whereof in particular they neyther thinke the knowledge of all that trueth necessary nor yet the speciall application of the promises to any contenting themselues with beleeuing in generall that there is in the Church remission of sinnes purchased by Christ c. And thirdly they hold there is no such faith whereby in for Christ the owner therof can come to any such assurāce of the mercy of God of the forgiuenes of his sins and of life euerlasting yea that that is rather a presumption a mere fiction and inuention then any faith allowed of God vnlesse God giue a man a speciall reuelation as it were telling him by name in particular that he shall haue these in deed for Christs sake and that therefore it is inough for to beleeue that their are these things in deede by Christ purchased And therfore lastly they holde that faith may be in the reprobate and that it is said to iustifie onely bicause it is one of the first dispositions to iustification and that it iustifieth not so much for apprenending Christ the iustifier as for that it obtaineth that Christ shoulde formally iustify her owner by powring into him the grace of charity whereby he may after be able more to iustifie himself and to merite the kingdome of heauen by good works So that in effect they hold teach that it iustifieth not for Christ apprehended applied to her owner but for charitie and other good works that Christ by his grace for the worthinesse therof bestoweth vpon him quite contrary to the scriptures which as we haue heard shut workes quite out from this office of iustifying and purchasing of saluation for man Whereas they know further
worthily kept backe and that all such alwayes after should a moneth after the rest eate the Passcouer and not before that in the mean time they might purifie themselues Likewise Leuit. 7.20 the Lord saith If any doe eate of the flesh of the Peace offerings that appertaine vnto the Lord hauing his vncleannes vpon him the same person shal be cut off from his people And therefore the godly priest Iehoiada had such a care that these lawes should be obscrued that to his commendation for euer it is recorded of him 2. Chro. 23.19 that he set Porters by the gates of the house of the Lord that none that was vncleane in any thing should enter in And when this is not done the Lord complaineth saying VVho is there among you that would shut the dores c. Mal. 10. Seing then here by it is euident that in the olde Testament God was thus carefull to haue none vnfit admitted to the Sacramentes thereof we may be well assured that he hath as greate care for the Sacraments of the new Our warraÌ„t to admit childreÌ„ to the other is that they be borne and descended of such parentes as professe faith in Christ and therfore to whome and their seede God hath made Couenant to be their God and the other reasons before alleadged to that purpose incourage vs withall to the same but in that Saint Paule as we heard already woulde haue euery one before he eate of this bread and drinke of this cup in this Sacrament to trie examine and iudge himselfe we may plainely learne that none but such as haue discretion and knowledge so to doe and so doe indeede are fit to be admitted to this Most christianly therefore it is prouided that none shoulde presume heere in England to present himselfe to the Lordes table before notice thereof giuen to his minister that he may try whether he can answer his Catethisme or otherwise if he know him to be out of charitie or guiltie of any notorious crime he may put him off vntill he can answere it and vntill he haue satisfied the congregation by the testifying of his repentance and be reconciled vnto the partie whom he hath wronged And not without great and vrgent cause is Christostome so earnest as we may read he was in his 83. Homilie vpon Mathew to perswade the ministers of his time in no case willingly to admit any wicked person to this table willing them that if they durst not or coulde not keepe backe such to tell him for he would die rather then he woulde admit eyther Consull Duke or King for any feare that he knew to be vnfit I would to God therfore that generally all we of the Ministerie would take better care of this then hitherto too many of vs haue done Otherwise doubtlesse we shall not onely before the Lord be guiltie of the monstrous sinne of prophaning his holy misteries in prostituting of them to prophane and filthie persons but also both to the peril of our owne soules and our peoples we shall willingly or carelesly and negligently at the least let them runne apparantly to eate and drinke their owne damnation whose saluation we are bounde to tender and to further what we may as our owne And therefore that complainte of the Lordes vsed in the like case Mal. 1.6.7 will he take vp and vrge against vs saying vnto all such carelesse and negligent ministers O Priestes that despise my name and ye say wherein ye offer vncleane breade vpon mine aultar and ye say wherein haue we polluted thee In that yee say the table of the Lorde is not to be regarded Which after he prooues indeede and effect they did whatsoeuer their wordes were in that contrarie to the lawe they offered the blinde lame and sicke for sacrifice For into this verie fault we runne when we admit as too commonly we doe vnto the receiuing of this Sacrament any whome we before knowe not to be fit both for knowledge and life to receiue the same worthilie Howsoeuer welbeloued let the nature and vse of this Sacrament perswade you that be the people in no case to offer your selues vnto this Sacrament before you finde in your selues an heartie hunger and thirst after Christ Iesus therin offered vnto you as you haue heard and so true repentance for your sinnes past and then a liuely faith grounded vpon Gods promises in him and lastly both these testified vnto your owne soules and consciences by the true fruits of both dying euerie day more and more to sinne and liuing to righteousnesse to be without all hypocrisie and dissimulation For of these quarters and partes must the wedding garment be made which he must bring with him and haue vpon his backe that when the maister of this feast comes in to view his guestes would be approued of him Otherwise let him come neuer so readily with the other guestes heerewith apparrelled indeede and then handle the matter neuer so cunningly to cause all them to take him to be as worthy a guest as any of themselues yet when this suruey your comes that searches the hearts and reynes he shall quickly be confounded and not able to answere one word for his defence in coÌ„ming so irreuerently so shall heare that fearfull sentence which will he nill he he must vndergoe pronounced on him Take him and binde him hande and foote and let him haue his place in vtter darknesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Math. 22.12.13 O therefore deare brethren before we come bither let vs deuoutly religiously and reuerently consider who we are who it is that hath called vs whither we are called before whom we shall appeare and to what end that if not these single yet these ioyntly and together may moue vs to come in that worthy sort that is meete If we had but to intertaine our Landlord a man of worship or noble man we would haue a care to put on our best apparell to decke cur houses in the best manner and in any case to prouide that no fluttish corner be found therein where he should come to offend him or when we are in his presence that any irreuerent or vnseemely worde or deede should passe from vs how much more ought we to haue this care heere where by our comming we make a shew that we meane to intertaine and receiue in Christ Iesus himselfe our Lorde and Sauiour for euer to dwell in vs that all thinges within vs then be prepared accordingly Saint Paule hath tolde vs and we may trust him that we may not take the meÌ„bers of Christ and make them the members of of an harlotâ— 1. Cor. 6.15 that we cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of Deuils be partakers of the table of the Lord and the table of Deâ—iâ— 1. Cor. 10.20 and that as righteousnesse hath no fellowship with vnrighteousnesse or light with darknesse so Christ hath no concord with Beliall or the vnbeleeuer part with the beleeuer 2. Cor. 6.14.15