the beginning of the sixt chapter Thirdly E. G. expoundeth walking according to the spirit to be a doing of the good we would Either this is idle or els it soundeth a full abilitie to do the good we would And then I sée well one wilfull maister or Pilot is able to cast away a ship full of men Let those that haue béene hetherto addicted to this man looke better to them selues he hath giuen the ship in this place one notable stroke vpon the rocke of frée will they can not endure many moe before they make shipwracke of faith But he wil proue it I trow that they that walke after the spirite can do what good they would because forsooth the Apostle affirmeth of him selfe in Christ that the law rule or power of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus did free and deliuer him froÌ„ the law rule or power of sinne which before preuailed ouer him vnto death The Reader must be aduertised that this clause which before preuailed ouer him vnto death groweth not vnto the text but is the addition of a presumptuous spirite And whereas he would séeme to borrow it from the places before cited in the 7. of the Rom. he blasphemeth there being no sillable to proue that sinne preuailed ouer Paule vnto death but the flat contrarie And whereas to make the word law in both places the fuller to serue his turne by he setteth to all his strength to stretch it out with these wordes rule or power let him take héed lest the text therby sodenly breaking he receiue some dangerous fall for by rule and power he would haue vs vnderstaÌ„d an absolute rule or vngainsaid iurisdiction which the spirite of regeneratioÌ„ bringeth vs by which sin should be so banished in vs as no more to be able to shew his face wherein he playeth Sathans part with vs to beguile vs w t false allegatioÌ„ of scripture not caring so his sense might stand though he set the scripture at oddes with it selfe For as Sathan tempting Christ to throw him selfe headlong from the Pinacle sollicited him thereunto with It is written he shall giue his angels charge ouer thee they shall hold thee vp in their handes that thou hitte not thy foote against a stone dissembling in the meane time that this must nâ—edes be vnderstoode of an action done in the feare of God a warranted calling the other sense being flatly gainsaide by the place of Deut. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God so in like maner this man in strayning here the text to this his sense would â—aine haue vs not to sée our fréedom by the law of the spirite to be meant in that place a deliuerance from the danger of sinne and death which the law brought vs into before as Paule had proued in y â— 7. chap. 7. 13. verse 6. although the 25. verse of the same chap. which E. G. him selfe alloweth to be spoken of Paule a regenerate man must necessarilie enforce it when as the Apostle saith there Therefore euen I nowe in my minde do serue the law of God but in my flesh the law of sinne For otherwise there is a plaine contradiction betwixt this place and the 2. verse of the 8. chap. if this mans interpretation thereof may stand Well if you will not yet belieue him now he sends you to consider the whole two chapters going before and following after the said 7. chap. And what shall we finde there for his purpose forsooth That the Apostle doth plainely define the regenerate man to bee so dead to sinne as that he can not liue in sinne but in righteousnesse that is as long as he continueth a regenerat man as that he doth leaue the coÌ„mitting or seruing of sinne and he doth serue and do with his members righteousnesse as he before did serue or commit sinne he hath his fruite in holines and not in sinne and the end euerlasting life He is not in the flesh or a carnall man as was Paule before his delinerance froÌ„ the bodie of death but he is in the spirite his bodie of sinne being so deade or mortified in respect of sinne as that he liueth in righteousnesse and doth not the deedes of the flesh Hath anie man heard a more vncertaine answere if this man walke not like a giddie-braine I neuer saw anie He is off and on here and there faine he would speake out and he dare not The Apostle saith he doth plainely define the regenerate man to bee so dead to sinne who lookes not here for a great blow as that he can not liue in sin Is it no better alas poore faintling But you may perceiue his heart was good eueÌ„ to haue striken out his blow at length that it might haue sounded The regenerate hath power not to sin anie more which is y e stroke he must strike if he mean to war against our said assertion but he knew wel inough that then all y e scripturs which there he citeth would haue laid hands on him Again next that he interpreteth coÌ„mitting sinne by seruing sin contrarie wise in the next sentence seruing sinne by committing sinne And at latter end saying He that is in the spirite liueth in righteousnes and doth not the deedes of the flesh he both offereth an inkling to his Disciples to take holde of his meaning and withal cunningly reserueth a vantage to himselfe to wash his hands of the blooude of those he should thereby seduce as Pilate did his handes from the bloud of Christ otherwise he would haue deliuered plainly thus he that is in the spirite liueth in righteousnesse so that he doth not anie deedes of the flesh anie more To haue thus therefore pointed out his fraudulent dealing for the simple soules sakes is answere inough for this place for if I should take anie other course therewith I sée not how a needlesse strife of wordes can be auoided as where no cleare meaning can bee found and I am warned not to answere a foole according to his foolishnesse lest my selfe also become like him I shall méete him more plainely hereafter without these starting holes and that variable monster of often regeneration with him which here he leadeth tyed in the string of a parenthesis and then shall they both féele by the grace of God the strong hand of trueth to encounter them Hitherto I will reduce as fittest for this place the residue of the controuersie concerning the 7. to the Rom. which he as a man that had waged battaile both against trueth and all good order hath bestowed other where He acknowledgeth these sixe reasons to be brought by our side out of the 7. chap. to the Rom. to proue Pauls acknowledging of sinne euen in his regenerate estate namely 1. In that he saith there hee had a will to do well 2. A loue of goodnes 3. A loathing of euil 4. A strife against the flesh 5. A delight in the
in y ◠same verse if your eyes had not dazled you might haue seene that the Apostle after his thankes giuing for his deliuerance from the danger of that same bodie of death against which he had exclamed confesseth that euen then as touching his minde he serued the law of God but in his flesh the law of sinne Which place is as cleare as the sun-shine not onelie to shew the falshood of your first reason against our interpretation of the 7. to the Rom. but also to proue so your great shame the trueth of the generall assertion aforesaide namelie that The regenerate are not free frō sinne Yet these are not all the foiles you receiue by it for it cutteth likewise the throte of your second reason before it haue time to draw one breath of life for where you say Therefore after this he thanketh God in Christ that he was deliuered from that bodie of sinne which made him to doe that euil he would not and to leaue vndone the good he would You would make vs belieue that Paul in this place was a changed man so as he could no more sin vnwillinglie as before which purpose of yours now you sée is preuented and therefore your reason spoilde yet ere I passe I must admonish the Reader to consider of what spirite this sauoureth that in alledging the 25. verse which soundeth thus I thanke my God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Now therefore euen I in my minde doe serue the law of God but in my flesh the law of Sinne. He bringeth it out thus He thanketh God in Christ and so cutteth off all the rest but chopping into the roome thereof these wordes that he was deliuered from that bodie of sin which made him to do that euil he would not and to leaue vndone the good he would A sentence I confesse of like length but neither of like nature nor trueth If anie say for E. G. For now I vnderstand he is dead that he added that part not as to haue it taken for the wordes of scripture but the sense of the place I could easely admit that answere were it not for the sakes of some of his sect who as I vnderstand can not read at all and yet are very stiffe in his opinions I know not how they haue béene this way abused Besides it is not comuenient in citing of scripture to sow anie peeces of our owne into it without putting some partition wall betwixt or bringing in the seruant in some differing weed from his maister that the one be not taken for the other of the commers in Moreouer if hee bring those wordes for the meaning of the place yet hee is too impudent and blasphemous presuming to speake directlie against the spirite of God which it is cleare that hee doth when the text saith Paule had yet such an enimie of flesh about him as serued the law of sinne and this man saith Paule was now deliuered from that bodie of sinne as made him do the euil he would not Two thinges in their substance flat contrarie though chaunge of wordes at first would seeme to couer it But lest we should maruaile at this dealing he makes a custome of the matter for the next place he bringeth out of the beginning of the 8. chap. where hee would faine make S. Paule speake according to his humor for whereas the text is There is now therefore no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus which walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirite You must vnderstand it as it is thus paraphrasticallie deliuered by him To them which are in Christ Iesus there is no condemnation or no such bodie of death which is the cause of our condemnation for they walke not after the flesh as he was forced to doe by the law of sinne when as he did the euil he would not and left vndone the good hee would but they walke after the spirite and so doe the good they would His bolonesse here as before whether it sauour of Babilon or no I leaue it to the christian Reader to iudge But three thinges must be obserued and examined wherein beyond al reason warrant he abuseth this place of the Apostle First for the worde condemnation by that he wil haue vnderstoode the bodie of death therein without anie necessitie transforming the effect into the cause as though he would cōpel the holie ghost to speake for his purpose but without all probabilitie both forasmuch as that word is no where vsed in that sense as also this verse repeating the argument of the 5. chap. 1. verse of the same Epistle concerning iustification by faith onely proued by an argument drawne from the effectes toucheth nothing at all that speciall obiection which hee answereth in the latter ende of the 7. chapter whereby he was occasioned so to handle that conflict of the flesh and the spirite So that then we sée if E. G. would haue taken this worde condemnation in his naturall sense and not malitiously peruerted it as one that would wilfullie runne into the pit he should haue béene so farre off finding his bodie of death in it as that much rather the sunne shine of comfort would appeared vnto him to haue banished the night of dark discomfort that came vpon him in his sicknesse when as this place rather would haue told him there is no condemnation towardes thee if thou be Christes agréeably whereto the spirite saith in the 33. and 34. verses afterwarde who shall laye anie faultes against the elect of God It is God that iustifieth who is hee that shall condemne It is Christ that is dead yea rather that is risen againe who sitteth also at the right hand of God and entreateth for vs. The second thing I obserue is concerning these wordes They walke not after the flesh which walking he taketh to be al one with that S. Paule calleth the law of sinne in his members whereas he might aswell haue compared a beast vnto a man for by that other law in his members it is manifest he meant the power of sinne which gate oportunities manie times against him although in his inner man to his might he made resistance as all open eyes may sée both by the opposing of the law in the members to the inner man as also by the whole suite and circumstances of the text Contrariewise in the other place Paule speaketh of the minde giuing obedience to the law of the members which he calleth To walke according to the flesh as when there is no resistance made to sinne So that her◠the holie Ghost speaketh of a whole man willingly going after sin there of a man falling but sometimes through infirmitie also there he sheweth in what respect the law hath a worke of death in our mortal bodies according to the obiection in the 13. verse but here he teacheth a note to know our selues truly iustified by euen our sanctification according to the matters handled from
sparke of the loue of God in them they would be so farre of remouing or abstaining themselues from the studie of the scriptures at the sight of these swarmes of heresies as that much rather they would sise out farre larger times thereunto and bend their wits with greater force to sort out the trueth from euerie falshood especiallie seeing the issues of truth and falshoode are life death Others looke into the liues of professors and willinglie from thence take occasion of falling Do you not see saie they that manie of these professors saie well but doe euil Nay some of them feare not to multiplie their sinne with blasphemie saying There is not the best of them all but will doe as other men doe when occasion is offred they meane when sinne commeth to hand In deede manie professors giue euil example by their liues a great number being hipocrites Yea amongst the sincere manie shew their slips and falles whilest yet the new man is tender and not come to his growth If anie man at the sight of these thinges either deferre his comming or yet slacken his hold woe shalbe his portion For these thinges also hath the Lorde forewarned vs of saying Because that iniquitie shalbe multiplied the loue of manie shal waxe cold Is not this a faire watchword Then he addeth But he that endureth to the end shalbe saued Which is a flat priuatioÌ„ of the health and saluation of all such as shall take offence and giue backe at the sight of iniquitie in others Those that say There is not the best of these holy professors but will doe as others doe speake it not as a knowne trueth for it is a manifest lie but because sinne hath such dominion ouer them as that it can not once enter into their heades to conceiue what a case the mortification of a Christian may be like as it is said in our prouerbe He that is in hell thinketh there is no heauen But howsoeuer these wretches feede themselues in their sins with this imagination that all doe accompanie them as though all were well if they had companie inough to goe to the diuel yet if the Lord grant them not better grace they shall find all too late that they were much deceiued in manie their supposed coÌ„panions Those therefore that are the Lords will be so farre off discouraging or cooling by the euil examples of professors as that rather their heede studie and watchfulnesse will be doubled in them by it The same likewise I say by all other iniquities and iniuries of time that can be reckoned Doe we see secret and open persecution or violence prepared for vs Let vs remember that the disciple is not aboue his maister nor the seruant aboue his Lorde Doe they lade vs with odious names and titles and deride our simplicitie as Ismael did Isaac Let vs not be discouraged Is it not ioy to vs to bee like our Lorde and maister Christ If they called the father of the houshold Beelzebub how much more his seruants Yea let the prophane filthians euen afflict vs for holy exercises and crie out of vs as not the friendes of Caesar because we wincke not at their wickednesse let them if they will disdaine vs euen the aire to breath withall and themselues vnder the cloake of our disgrace continue in all dissolutenesse wee shall not saint hereat It shall but declare vs to be the true children of God and not bastardes And in this case let the comfortable wordes of him that suffered a thousand times more for vs stand before our eies Verely verely I say vnto you you shall weepe and lament but the world shall reioyce you in deed shalbe sad but your sadnesse shall turne into ioy And againe And you therefore now shalbe holden in heauinesse but I will see you againe and your heartes shall reioyce and your ioy shall no man take from you Tribulation is the fornace of 〈◊〉 the Lord if we be gold and not chaffe we shall not be turned into ashes by it but made â—ore pure from our drosse The sound corne â—â—ideth winnowing it is the chaffe that the winde carrieth to and fro If wee suffer with Christ we shall be glorified with him â—nd there is no comparison of our suffâ—â—nges here with the ioyes and glorie that shalbe reuealed vnto vs afterwarde For after the affliction of ten dayes if we bee faithfull vnto the end the Lorde shall giue vs a â—â—owne of life And we shal see the day wheÌ„ tâ—e sonne of man shall send his Angels which sâ—all gather out of his kingdom all things that â—ffend those that work iniquitie shal cast â—hem into a fornace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth Then shall the iust shine as the sunne in the kingdom of their father Whosoeuer on the contrarie part preferreth the pleasures and ease of this life to those ioies of the life to come or shall deuide themselues according to the politikes of this worlde as though they could enioy them both let them in time againe consider that saying of Christ If anie will come after me let him denie himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me Let them I say consider it lest the cunning carriage of themselues in this life according to the dissimulations of men to auoide these worldly afflictions bring them not a day too late to heare thaâ— sentence of Christ to their condemnation which at first was set downe for their instruction He that loueth father or mother aboue me is not worthie of me and hee that loueth sonne or daughter aboue me is not worthie of me And he that taketh not his crosse and followeth after me is not worthie of me These thinges I had right worshipfull cosen as standing in your presence to speake vnto all those that should come to reade my booke They that are ignoraÌ„t of these thingâ— haue need to heare them And as many also as haue pure minds may be excited stirred vp by their remeÌ„brance Now the first fruits of my simple labours in these matters I offer as it were thorough your handes vnto the Church of God both in regard of many curtesies wherein you hold me bound deeply endebted as also in that I haue experience of your great desire to see the foggie mistes of ignorance and error dispelled the cleere light of the shining truth to break forth in al things How well the same is in these points perfourmed by me I cannot say I humbly submit me to the iudgement of the Church This only my conscience beareth me witnes of that besides the glorie of God I haue sought nothing in all this businesse If any thinke straunge that one of another profession hath done this I suppose they wil easily be satisfied when they shall coÌ„sider that the doctrine of our ministers being grieuouslie slandred seemed rather to require this defence and testimonie from some
I perceiue he dreamed of his own disease and so when he wakened told his dreame of others For is not this very sleight and cunning conueyance vpoÌ„ this text in stead of the law of coÌ„mandements to profer vs y e remnant of old Adam yet remaining in the regenerate man but let those admire him whose eies he hath bemisted They whose eyes the Lord hath opened to sée may rather wonder at his impudencie then be deceiued by such shifting If the scriptures could haue lent him but one example for this word law being simplie set down as it is here without anie word of restrainte accompanying it to haue meant the law of the members he might haue had some warrant of this his dealing But a rubbed forehead that can not chaunge colour maketh a hold tongue to vtter anie falshood Before if the Reader do remeÌ„ber whereas we reade in the 1. verse of the 8. ch to the Rom. There is now no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus This man expâ—undeth the word condemnation by the bodie of death which Paule spake of before in the 7. chap. 24. verse Here he can make the word law sound the remnant of sin or vnregenerate part which Paule in that place also to the Rom. termeth the law of sin in his members Now if it bee lawfull for a man to vse this libertie namely to interprete termes of scripture onely for his own turne both taking them from their manifest sense and yéelding no proofe thereof by conference of other places then is there no heresie in the world so foule as the diuel in his members cannot find shift inough to maintain by colour of scriptures This considered my answere might be sufficient if I barely denyed his foolish fiction Yet because his friends shal know that I stand by the heape of trueth I will not spare in ansâ—â—ring to fill his measure full To the disproofe therefore of his sense let vs first remoue the doubtfulnesse of his speach and after that the falshoode The doubtfulnesse is in these wordes we shall not then be vnder the law of sin if he vnderstand here such a being vnder as is a willing lying downe and subiection thereunto which Paule forbiddeth and is onely true in the vnregenerate then this makethnothing for him selfe nor against our assertion though we granted him this meaning of that place If so be then we take it to meane as necessity enforceth that as manie as are led by the spirit are no more subiect in anie respect to the remnants of sin but that they may do whatsoeuer good they would then this can not bee the sense of that place because it is flat contrarie to the Apostle both in the verse afore going which I hope is clearely euicted from the aduersaries sense as also in the 1. verse of the 6. chap. where Paule plainely graunteth that euen they that haue the chiefest measures of spirituall graces may also be taken tardie in offences Wherefore if this mans minde had not béene forestalled with corrupt opinions which like the worst melancholie turneth euen those things that be verie coÌ„trarie in their owne nature to the féeding and maintenance of it selfe hee might haue found such a sense of this place as had beene both sutable to that exhortation the Apostle maketh to the Galat. as also well according with euerie point of doctrine which anie where els he teacheth namely that those that are led by the spirite are not vnder the law as touching the guilt and condemnaiion thereof as Rom. 8. 1. in in which respect it is deade Rom. 7. 6. and wee are no more subiect to it Rom. 6. 15. and hereby the Apostle vtterlie remoued all scruple of waâ—t endeuour that might sticke in the Galathians mindes by occasion of his former argument The rest from the 19. to the 21. verse being but a distribution of the effectes of the flesh and making nothing at all for his interpretation of the 17. verse which is the question is therefore idlely here brought in of E. G. to fill vp roome As for the end of the fruites of the flesh there set downe to wit that Adulterers Idolaters drunkardes gluttons c. shall not bee heires of the kingdome of GOD it hath beene of our part so firmely alwaie belieued and taught that the Church of GOD neuer needed the life of E. G. nor of anie such tumultuous spirite on this blasmous manner to vrge it Thus hauing gained this place also to our cause the proud building of frée will and Anabaptistical holines which he foolishlie raised thereupon is fallen and there appeareth therein foundation for nothing els but the humble habitation of Gods children not onely outwardlie laide at with the stormes of worldly calamities but most of all inwardlie assailed with the buffeting temptations of Sathan and rebeilious affections of onr owne remaining nature as that although wee watch and labour against them all the dayes of our life yet shall we be neuer in this life vtterlie rid of them nor yet in such case of abilitie as alwaies and in euerie thing to preuaile against them And therefore in this respect is our redemption obserued to be twofold the one from the cursse of the law and seruitude of sinne which held thereby the other from the coruption of our bodie The first fréeth vs from the rule and iurisdiction of our corrupt nature the second from the verie corrupt nature it selfe By meanes of the first we are so deliuered from our sinfull nature as that we yeelde no more willing obedience therunto it hauing no right ouer vs but do wage continuall battaile against it so as though it sometimes get the vantage preuaile yet we also manie times haue victorie ouer it But by the other we shall haue so full and coÌ„plet deliuerance as that neither anie corruption at all shall be left vnto vs nor yet anie other aduersarie that now by meanes of it take part against vs to annoy vs. Finally the benefit of our first redemptioÌ„ we enioy with great comfort in this life as those that being anoyed yet can neuer be taken anie more or spoiled of our aduersary but the sâ—cond we hold in y e assurance of hope onely it being a thing which as for the excellencie we sigh grone for that we might once fréely worship our redéemer without all impediments of the flesh so we are sure in that day to see it when the sonnes of God shalbe reuealed which is the day that euen all the creatures tures els likewise do long to sée and groane in the expectation of it with vs yea which that holy vessel S. Paul casting all thinges alreadie gained behind him laboured with all contentioÌ„ vnto as one that confessed him selfe whilest he liued here neither to haue attained the marke nor yet to be perfect Out of all which standing on the naturall sense of the verie worde of God what appeareth clearer vnto vs
am come into the worlde to execute iudgement that they which see not might see and they which see might be made blind Should we gather by these last wordes that the Pharises did sée We know that our Sauiour meant nothing les for he saith of them flatly in another place that they are blind leaders of the blind Thus E. G. might haue séene the holie Ghost sometime leauing the proprietie of speach to apply himselfe to the sense of those whom his reproofe should most concerne for the déeper impression therof But I must answere him moreouer that this libertie of stretching comparisons is vnlawfull For like as they that compare thinges together reckon it sufficient that there bee proportionable agréement in those points wherein the comparison standeth although in euery circumstance one be not like an other so we must be wise in reading to vnderstād chiefly the scriptures namely to note and receiue the verie drift and point of the comparison and busie our selues no further in the other partes of the same Which rule if E. G. had here known or els obserued I should haue had no cause in this place to note him for an encrocher vpon the spirite of God For whereas the Apostle was to proue the false teachers to be seruants of corruption he doth it by an argument of equall effects and notes of victorie set out by a similitude of martiall conquest wherein the case is such that whosoeuer is ouercome in fight is diligent to apply himselfe afterwarde to serue his pleasure that ouercame him Now what is the drift of this comparison but to shew by one proper note of both that the seruitude is alike in both conquests Wherby the carnall professors might sée that howsoeuer they perswaded themselues of fréedom and libertie with the children of God though they followed their lusts stil making the Gospel a protection of their loosenes yet should their daylie iniquities in spite of their beardes argue against them that they are no lesse the seruants of sinne séeing they occupie themselues in the workes thereof then we sée them to appeare seruants of their conquerours who apply them selues to do their commandements and this the Apostle amplifieth in the next verse by a comparison of vnlike endes Now hauing here the full purpose and meaning of the Apostle what warrant haue we to straine the comparisen to make the circumstances meete likewise If it were warrantable for E. G. herehence to infer a resistance because there is mention of a victorie why might not another of as euil a spirite and by the like libertie gather that a man seruing sin aboundantlie shall neuer be brought to death therby because we know it is so by the law of armes that he that yéeldeth his life his seruice to his conquerour is accepted into grace and neuer endangered anie more so long as hee abideth faithfull vnto him but that the error is infinite that commeth by this maner of dealing with comparisons in the scriptures this one example shall be in stead of manie others euen the parable of the vniust Steward in the Gospel which if a man of an vncleane spirite should come to handle according to the seuerall partes of it he might make plaine footing for manifest theft in the 8. verse and all kind of oppression and popish merits in the 9. verse and that cleane beside the purpose of our Sauior Christ who in al that parable had simply this meaning to shew that the care and prouidence of the children of God touching the eternall life is euen farre short of the care that prophane worldlings haue in temporall things Other circumstances of the particuler practises of the steward in accomplishing his forecast are of no regarde in all the matter Thus haue you all the arguments this good patrone can bringe for his naturall man which being poore two and too too weake yea false and fabulous yet he is so foolish as to cast his plot out of them and make diuisions for the safe seating of him there as in his naturall habitation yea that with sound of trumpet as it were liking to bee contrarie to all others in the matter But Solomon saith The frowarde are abhomination vnto the Lord and shame taketh the foolish out of the way His wise collection of absurdities with his lying reports oft repeated other railings I willingly passe by as thinges that escaped him immediatly vpon his wakening out of that dreame wherein he thought we had held the inner man to be the spirite of God Where he taketh the inward man both of the regenerate and vnregenerat person but for the heart minde or conscience thus far equaling either with the other ignorantly arrogantly and without all ground of scripture what should I answere let it goe for me to the fulfilling of the measure of his follie In the rest of this diuision he hath promised to stand vpon two points 1. To reconsile some scriptures which seeme at first blush to say the contrarie 2. To shew what difference the holy Ghost maketh betweene the inner man of the good and the inner man of the bad In the first his ignorance is wofull and in the latter his impudencie wonderfull His some scriptures fall out to bee but one place and that not the most pregnant for this purpose for where the question is whether the naturall man bee endued with an inwarde man he bringeth that place to the Cor. which denyeth the naturall man to be able to perceiue the thinges that be of God which though it bee mightier against him then hee or his can euer answere yet because it concerneth knowledge chiefly and toucheth not the affection directly it appeareth he was willingly and therefore wofully ignorant of all other places which cut the combe and spoile all the powers of his naturall man concerning the righteousnes of God Sufficient of such places haue I set downe before where I haue done the naturall man his right But now sith E.G. hath brought out this place as easiest for him to answere let vs sée how well he will auoide it The argument it afordeth is of this sorte he that is not able to vnderstand the speciall righteousnesse of God is much lesse able to will it but the naturall man is not able so much as to vnderstand it therefore much lesse to will it I meane by speciall righteousnesse the speciall forme thereof which God propoundeth vnto men which is the sense of this place to the Corinthes agréeable to the 17. verse of the 1. chap. of the Epistle to the Romanes For otherwise we know the Apostle alloweth the prophane Gentile to haue a certaine generall notion and vnderstanding of God and his law but because it is not nor can not bee according to Gods prescribed rule yea though that rule bee amongst them therefore is it saide also to be enemitie against God As for the argument E. G. belike saw it not for he
sinking into the quakemires of grossest sinnes Yea the more to dull your vnderstanding and take away your iudgement that you should perceiue no danger in all the way that you goe he hath as I perceiue giuen you to drinke that sléepie cup of false perswasion that the morall law is abrogated and so purposeth at last to transport you through a thicket of blinde merites into which after you are entred you shall not be able to discerne far before you vntil you light on the other side ere you be ware vpon the vnhappie habitation of death For he that putteth his workes to his iustification falleth from Christ and so is but a dead man But you will answere perhaps that you worthely goe away from our Church as that which in no wise can be the Church of God seeing such loosenesse of life is euen spoken for and maintained by the doctrine of our teachers E.G. telleth you thus much in déed but be not led by and by after euerie word for I will ioyne with you in this point that if this one thing among all his falshoodes be true or stand vpon anie firme probabilitie I will forthwith claspe hands with you and receiue all his other opinions How I haue alreadie so farre proued this accusation of his to be false as that I haue taken away all the shewes of reasons he could bring for the same you haue now heard in the former part of my answere For the rest I will render you here an account of my faith so much as concerneth this matter as I haue learned it at the féete of those men whom he accuseth Which if it be true good and leading to saluation then is their doctrine such E.G. accusation a lye and therfore you may not refuse to ioyne with vs againe I do belieue that Jesus is Christ that is the onely and whole annointed of the Lorde to bring saluation vnto his people I do belieue I say in this same Jesus that he is vnto me that same annointed Priest and King which are the two parts of his Mediatorship The Priesthood of Christ is the first part of his office wherby he is appointed in al those things which are appertaining vnto God so as he can wholy saue all those that come vnto God by him The effectts hereof are two Redemption and intercession Redemption is the first effect whereby he hath wrought for vs the matter of full deliuerance from all euils and of a happines farre more excellent then the first was This redemption consisteth in reconciliation and sanctification Reconciliation is whereby we are deliuered from the curse and restored more perfectly into the fauour of God Hereof commeth remission of sins and imputation of righteousnesse Remission of sins is whereby all guiltinesse and punishment of all sins are remoued from vs by his suffringes Imputation is whereby in him through the imputing of his righteousnesse vnto vs we stand iust and vnblamable before God Upon which sure grounds of remission of sins and imputation of righteousnes are founded the vnmouable fortresses of iustification and adoption Justification is whereby we are deliuered from all guiltinesse of sinne before God and accounted worthie the merite of righteousnes Adoption is whereby we are accounted the sonnes of God heires with Christ By this we haue two speciall benefits The first that euen al afflictions crosses and whatsoeuer men call punishments which in déed are but fatherly chastisments vnto vs shall all turn to the best and for our profit The second benefit is that al the creatures are made subiect to our rule the Angels excepted which do also here minister vnto our health and good Thus much of reconciliation being the first part of our redemption The second is sanctification whereby we are deliuered from the tirrannie of sinne into the libertie of righteousnes and therin walke perpetually receiuing from Christ dayly new encreases thereunto This consisieth of mortifying sinne and rising vp vnto righteousnesse Mortification is whereby sinne is continuallie slaine that is more and more driuen out buried and consumed Rising vp to righteousnesse is whereby a holinesse really inherent being begunne in vs is continuallie encreased And these partes of sanctification hauing reference to the soule are the same which we call true repentance but in respect of the actions of the bodie expressing them they are the fruites of repentance such as are the sundrie partes of obedience Now true repentance is a continuall renewing of all the faculties of the minde from euil vnto good The beginning of this is sorrow according vnto God which as the Apostle saith in the place last quoted bringeth forth repentance vnto saluation and the companion of this repentance is spiritual war or fight which is that fight of the mind as it is renewed against concupiscence the diuel the world and their temptations whereby it commeth to passe that their lustes are not fulfilled Hetherto of redemptiō the first effect of Christs Priesthood Intercession is the second effect of his Priesthood by the which Christ maketh all our obedience being of it selfe vnperfect and defiled with the flesh to be acceptable vnto God through the merite of his death and obedience In this effect moreouer we do consider the action of his diuinitie and of his humanitie The action of his diuinitie is two fold first that by his spirite he might support our weaknesse and in our prayers when as we know not what to pray as we ought might entreat for vs with sighes that can not be expressed that is might prompt vs inwardly in our hart according vnto God The second is whereby hee being the searcher of our heart knoweth the meaning of the spirite like as he doth the imperfections and defilements of the flesh The action of his humanitie herein is to be touched with the féeling of our infirmities for the same to apply by his spirite the merite of his death and obedience whereby so taking away iniquite he maketh our obediēce accepted Hetherto I haue declared how I belieue in Christ concerning his Priesthood insomuch as pertaineth to the present occasion now as concerning his kingly office measured by the same consideration His kingly office is the second part of his Mediatorship whereby he applying vnto his elect the effects of his Priesthood doth spiritually gouerne his Church to the destruction of all his enimies and to the perfect glory of all his childrē The partes hereof are his spiritual administratiō in this world the last iudgement His spiritual administratiō in this world is for the gathering together of his Church preseruation therof vnto y ◠last iudgement This spiritual administration consisteth of an inward working ◠an outwarde diuine gouerning whereof this place requireth no further speach the inwarde working or operatiō is that part
possession To conclude what is more firme or can giue greater securitie for the possession of anie couenant then dooth the receiuing of an earnest pennie vpon the same Doubtles he that receiueth it reckoneth himselfe as sure of his bargaine as if hée now enioyed it and he that giueth it goeth not againe from that he hath said If the case bée so with men who haue no faith or credence in their word if they be compared with the euerlasting truth himselfe then how much more is the perseuerance of the Saints euen to the possessioÌ„ of the euerlasting inheritance certain and sure vnto them seeing God that cannot be chaÌ„ged hath giuen them the holie Ghost in their harts not only for a seale but for an earnest peny to abide with them till the day of their full redemption and libertie Thus I hope this cause shall néed litle labour of me hereafter From hence E. G. ascendeth to the high palace of predestination there taketh vpon him like a wanton childe more cockedly then with any modestie can be declared For besides the generall view of the glorious buildings comming to the marble of Gods vnchangeable couÌ„sell and reading the writing of his secret decrée he first insolently condemneth the iudgement euen of the chiefest of al such as God hath hitherto giuen vnto his Church to be interpreters of his reuealed will and next that presumptuously setteth foorth himself to be the only true expounder of the same And thus he babbleth First God hath from the beginning purposed appointed elected and chosen in Christ such onely to bee in the state of saluation the children of God and heires of euerlasting life which are in the state of true repentance and amendment of life holie and blamelesse before God in loue and charitie and so made according to the likenes and Image of Christ Secondly God hath from the beginning purposed appointed predestinate elect and chosen all such to bee condemned to eternall death which are not in that state of true repentance and amendment of life Whereupon saith hee it must needs follow that Dauid a murtherer and an adulterer was elect and praedestinate of God from the beginning to be the seruant of sin the child of the deuill and in state of eternall death But on the contrarie Dauid a true penitent a righteous holy man blamelesse before God in loue and charitie hee was elect of God in Christ from the beginning to bee the sonne of God and fellowheire with Christ of his heauenly kingdom To my remembrance I neuer read so short a spéech so full of vnsoundnes If a man would examine euerie word to the farthest diligently gather euerie absurditie that falleth the words would sâ—arse surmount the faultes in number To all that haue their senses exercised they are plaine inough only for the simpler sort I will point at the chiefest First he calleth Dauid the sonne of God which is a fault in that he durst so boldly vse this phrase contrarie to the custome of the scriptures which doo no where giue that title by those words vnto anie but to the onely begotten sonne of God who is called the sonne of God by an excellencie Secondly so déepe was his ignorance that he knew no difference betwéene election and reprobation wheras the former euer tendeth to life and the latter euer to death So that whereas he saith God hath elected chosen all such to bee condemned c. Hee might as well haue said The Prince hath pardoned such a man to be hanged Or The father hath made such a sonne his heire to disinherite him A man would thinke fire and water could not be ioyned togither Thirdly pretending that this point of doctrine hath been hitherto corruptly taught that he would teach the trueth he neglected to set downe what predestination is the discription whereof notwithstanding he ought most exactly to haue set down seeing therupon resteth y â— whole waight of the building Fourthly in the former part of his words he either maketh works the cause of our election or els maketh election nothing els but an appointment or decrée of God concerning such signes as should tell vs who is in the state of saluation As though a decrée were not rather directly of such thinges as shoulde bee brought to passe the things incident thereto hauing a more remote consideration Els can there be an adiunct without his subiect Now in the contrarie member he saith God hath praedestinate all such to bee condemned to eternall death which are not in the state of true repentance Who then is not condemned in the beginning of his life And if euerie one of vs receiue Gods speciall condemnation one time of our life where haue we our dispensatioÌ„ for that sentence afterwarde Againe a little wit might haue serued him to haue put it downe thus rather God hath praedestinate all such to be in the state of eternall death c. For so the contrarietie of his members shuld haue stood at least in some proportion Fiftly if when a man dooth well he be the childe of God when hee sinneth any actuall sin for so I vnderstande his meaning he forthwith become the childe of the deuil and thus again and again as oft as he riseth vp and falleth down it followeth necessarily that the spirite of God dispossesseth y e deuill and againe the deuill dispossesseth the spirite of God from time to time What raging blasphemie is this These shall suffice the reader in respect of my labour for it is easier to enter into moe then to know when to make an end And it is suffiâ—ient confutation thus to haue opened him for a man in this high point both vnskilful inconstant absurd and presumptuous The first two whereof shewed him to lack teaching the third earnest rebuking but the fourth seuere whipping that he might haue learnd how he climed any more so high till the ioynts of his knowledge had béen better knit and the sinews of his vnderstanding got more sense The rest of that diuision is nothing but a continued course of his old shamelesse lying and a begging of that which no bodie will grant him In his next diuision where he saith Because they surmise that Gods praedestination and election should be sure and certaine vnto vs although we doo euill I aske them whereunto men are said of the hoâ—â—e Ghost to be praedestinate and elect in Christ from the beginning If by doing euill hée ment as hée sheweth in all other places presumptuous and raigning sinnes then he is here in his old vaine of lying for we are so far from this iudgement to call any elect that haue sin raigning in them as that we are taught the flat contrarie to wit that the elect after they are called are no more wholly subiect vnto sin to yeld willing obedience thereunto and to serue sin Otherwise if he ment by doing euill any kinde of euill then belike he held that euerie kind of fall
wiping out of the booke in Exod. it is called The booke that thou hast written in the Psalme the booke of the liuing His iust answere might be that there is not meant the booke of predestination to life but the communicating of the couenant which God had made with Abraham and his séed whereby they were now as in a mustre rowle reckoned the onely people of God the Gentiles being excluded But if by way of concession we graunt him that place of the Psalme to respect the booke of life mentioned Apoc. 20. 12. as also anie such place of scripture reporting a racing out of the vngodlie yet he that is not wilfullie blind may sée that those places are not to be taken in a full and exquisite sense as though any such as the scripture thus speaketh of were euer writen in déed in the booke of life but onely according to the supposall of men and estimation that the hipocrite hath of him selfe so doth the scripture in such places answere home to his owne heart that he shall be wiped out of the number among which he thinketh himself so certainly registred and written Which is nothing els but to bee declared and laid open that howsoeuer he hath boastingly borne himselfe among the Saintes he was neuer in trueth of their number before God In likt sorte Iohn speaketh of those that fall away They went out from vs that it might be made manifest they were neuer of vs. And this is according likewise as I alledged before against the hipocrite to take from him euē that which he was supposed to haue This certainly is the vttermost that can bee concluded out of those places although it be graunted E. G. that in them is vnderstood the booke of predestination vnto life For that any in déed once written in the booke of life and predestinate to be saued can fall away or be crossed out of the number anie more is vntrue and vnpossible as I will proue 1. This is a certaine place that the elect cannot fall away God speaking by his Prophet of the new couenant saith I will put my law in their inner parts and I will write it in their hearts and wilbe their God they shalbe my people How farre this reacheth to the assurance I speake of appeareth by the opposition of the effectes of the two couenants touching which he saith first that the new should not be like that which was giuen vnto their fathers neither for the forme thereof for the new should be writen in their hearts arguing the old to be writen but in stone as Paule also speaketh neither yet for the effect for they brake y ◠couenant verse 32. But contrariewise touching the effect of the new he saith and I will be their God they shall be my people Which I say the necessitie of the contrariety enforceth as farre as if the wordes had béene They shall not breake this couenant nor be seperated from me for euer My second reason is from that place of Iohn If they had beene of vs they would haue remained with vs. Which hath this most apparant consequence that all those that are of the number of the elect shall euen so abide for euer For either the Apostle there maketh it a necessarie conclusion or els his reason must bee nothing worth 3. This chaine can neuer bee broken which the Lord himselfe hath made whom he hath knowne before those he hath predestinate whom he hath predestinate those he hath called whom he hath called those he hath iustified and whome he hath iustified those also he hath glorified So that what is clearer then that all that are written in the booke of Gods foreknowledge are predestinate to passe through all the midle meanes euen to glorification And Paule saith afterward nothing can seperate vs from this loue of God in Christ Iesus 4. It is written concerning that many headed beast which should so preuaile with the people of that age vnto Idolatrie Therefore all the inhabitants of the earth whose names are not written in the booke of life of that Lambe slaine from the foundations of the worlde shall worship that beast Now when we sée all those that are written in the booke of life to be vtterly exempted from perill of falling into Idolatrie euery man séeth it most equall that they be exempted from falling away from grace 5. If it were possible for those that are once written in the booke of life to be wiped out againe to what purpose did our Sauiour place all his Disciples ioy and reioycing in this life in this meditation aboue all other that their names were written in heauen Where anie doubtfulnesse is there is no solid ioy nor comfort Finally if it be true that E. G. hath hetherto stood in that euer as a man standeth firme he is predestinate to life and when he falleth he is predestinate to death then it followeth that he is euer anon written in and raced out of the booke of life which is y ◠foreknowledge of God and so it can not be said that predestination is from before the begining of the world when as this man maketh it but a dayly decrée for this life The inconuenience whereof I perceiue he saw not when he set downe that Dauid was predestinate from the beginning to be the child of the diuel when he sinned and againe the childe of God when he repented Wel now at length let vs heare his conclusion of this matter Lastly ◠E. G. we deny not but that God hath also predestinate some neuer to fall away but to be renewed alwaies by repentance and therein to perseuere euen to the day of their death But it can not be knowne who are of this number vntill we see this grace giuen vnto them of God euen to their last end O chaungeable cameleon Had he conclucluded a lite before that that no man is predestinate vnto life at all times And what is this that he now affirmeth Some are predestmate neuer to fall away but to perseuere vnto the end A lier they say had néed of a notable memorie Touching that he saith we can not know who are of this number till the end I sée well he was euen ouer head and eares in poperie But howsoeuer he or any other euil spirites call it impietie presumption and sawcines in the children of God to hold their election in assurance here in this life let vs neuer a whit be discouraged to walke so farre in this point also as we haue iust warrant by the word of God Concerning others we haue litle to say this businesse concerneth euerie mans selfe And if it did not greatly concerne euerie mans owne selfe the Apostle would neuer so vpbradingly haue bidden y ◠Corinthians enter into this examinatiō of themselues saying Try your own selues whether you be in the faith proue your own selues doe you not know your own selues to
encreasing in this life our inner man preuailing more and more and our old Adam consuming still in strength till finallie at the last point of death it ceaseth to be at all and we in the blessed resurrection with perfect bodies receiue the crowne of life which thing God hath promised vnto vs saying he that ouercommeth keepeth my works to the end to him will I giue the crown of life The which notwithstanding this our endeuour and studie obtaineth not for neither do we labour and contend thereunto by our own streÌ„gth but it is by Christ that dwelleth in vs neither yet accomplish we our course by any one receipt or measure of gifts but by dayly obtaining of supplies by praier according as we are commanded Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and you shall finde knocke it shalbe opened vnto you Therefore as the midle graces and meanes come to vs by the mere frée gift of God so of necessitie the â—â—â—all crowning of them must be reckoned that all the glorie may be the Lordes who as hee hath not spared to giue his owne sonne for vs so he will not faile to gratifie vs in all thinges with him There is the goale and this is the race which we are set to runne in vnto the same Which course because we can not so stedfastly hold on but that we doe receiue slips and soiles often times our Sauiour eâ—tsoones purgeth vs with his euerlasting sacrifice and maketh vp our breaches by imputation of his vnspotted righteousnesse Thus as we haue our enimies that alwaies may annoy vs so yet we haue our captaine sure that euer will deliuer vs. Now if any man hard to bee perswaded will here stand questioning why GOD restoreth vs not in one moment but committeth vs to this battaile with Sathan and the flesh whilest we remaine in this life the reasons are at hand first to beat downe our pride and to humble vs that when the naturall ticklinges of our proud conceiptes would arise from the knowledg of our fauour with God the present sight of our remaining corruption might strike downe our tailes againe as the Peacocke doth at the beholding of his foule feete Secondlie for that it is the pleasure of God thus by our weakenes to bring his power to perfect manifestation whilest the foyles of sinne shame vs euen as the despitefull buffetings of an aduersarie and force vs euer anon to runne for rescue whereby we continuallie testifie that the power of the Lord onely saueth vs. Of this our coÌ„dition the conducting of y â— children of Israel into the land of Canaan is a liuely picture We doubt not y e Lord could haue brought his people to the promised land without battaile But because the land of Canaan was a figure of our heauenly countrey it was his pleasure that they in dayly conflicts should bee found conquerours yet by his might for so it was told them The Lorde shall fight for you A goodlie testimonie thereof they had at the winning of Iericho whose walles fell downe at the sound of the trumpets compassing them Which hath a comfortable proportion with the victories that Gods children haue in their spirituall battailes the prayers and groninges of the faithfull being no vaine or idle noyse flying about in the aire but like those pearsing trumpetes at the sound of which the strong walles of Iericho were ouerthrown moreouer after God had brought the Israelits into the land of Canaan he left amongst them the Philistians and other enimies to the end they might not grow secure and that their faith might so be tryed whether they would truely cleaue vnto the Lord or be drawne away after straunge Gods In like sort hath he placed vs to sit with him in the heauens in Christ and meane time here hath left vs the remnants of sinne as enimies to fight withall both to exercise our faith and aduance his glorie In the vnderstanding of this is sure matter of sound comfort wherein I am sure all the children of god doe rest with great reliefe vnto their chased soules in this life That E. G. felt it not nor contented himselfe therwith I leaue it to the Lord in his time to reueale the cause An Admonision to the followers of Glouer and Browne VNderstanding the knitting vp of Glouers exhortation to bee directed especiallie vnto his followers I willingly doe obserue the same course as one that in the earnest desire of my heart doe account nothing too deare that I might compasse to doe them good withall And first I addresse my selfe to those that haue tractable minds among them such as in whom the Lord hath not shut vp all way of entrance but that do yet willingly lodge this thought in their heartes namely that they are men and may erre Beloued in Christ Jesu of what value E. G. admonition put in the conclusion of his booke hath béene with you hitherto I know not What estimation it ought to haue either touching the doctrine of our church or yet the behauiour of such as we take to bee worthie Ministers in the same I referre it vnto you now againe a fresh to be considered If he haue beene found in the tryall of these printed pointes a man of good report then giue him credit in the rest which as yet are not brought to light But if his perfectest pollishinges which no doubt he first aduentured to the vewe of the world be found as hath bene proued false hereticall and popish and set out with such argumentes as in prouing one assertion confute an other yea almost euery aâ—â—eâ—tion so put downe as one part ouerthroweth an other if it be not greatly helped by a fauourable reader how much standeth it you in hand to bethinke you of some conuenient time and waie to despatch your selues of all his snares I know not all the vnsound conclusions he hath left in writing amongst you I haue heard there be manie and his conferences with M. Whitaker and M. Egerton do notoriously proue it Me thinke howsoeuer in some lesse matters your iudgemeÌ„t might faile you a thing incident to the chiefest yet that you should not haue taken so slight markes of your waye as not to discerne your selues carried backward into Egypt againe Which I speake not beloued so much to reproue your ouersight committed in this behalfe for with trembling I consider mine owne frailtie also but to stirre you vp now at length againe to reuiew your estate It may be when you first resolued to take that part whereon now you stand you neither discussed all the coÌ„trarie arguments nor foresaw all the daungerous inconueniences that time through the long patience of God hath now offered vnto you It was hard beloued that you could be drawne to sunder your selues from vs more hard that you did it with bitternesse and reuiling it should now be stoninesse if you would despise brotherly to commune with vs who haue hetherto in some measure
know he practiseth some proofes to the contrarie afterwarde but as one miserably ignoraunt of the difference of the two couenants 5. He accounteth discipline the ground-worke of the church in which doing you know he putteth it in y â— place of Christ himself whereby therefore it is become an Idoll vnto him 6. So far he procéedeth in seducing that he saith the wife ought to go away from her husband if he wil not go with her in y â— case of want of this discipline and which maketh his fault y â— worse he pretendeth ground for this in the 1. Cor. 7. 13 Which place giueth libertie onely against an vnbeléeuing partie which will not be persuaded to embrace the Gospell of Christ nor in anie wise to depart from Idolatrous worship Now what is this to enforce her going froÌ„ him only vpon want or bondage of the outward discipline where they dwell But of this mans absurdities hitherto his time commeth shortly to be better knowne I heare besides that there is one amoÌ„g you who whispereth alreadie in corners that we must not belieue in the holie Ghost Is this to encrease beloued and to abound more more in al iudgement according as the Apostle exhorteth vs Or is it not rather to go backward and to loose euen that you had attained vnto Now to the last point concerning your peace I mean not here the outward peace but I offer again to your view the peace of your conscience eueÌ„ the inward rest and repose of your soules with God in respect of this strange course you haue lately vndertaken Whereof because you are best priuie in your selues I refer it also most vnto your selues Only of those things that in this respect haue bin apparant to all mens eies I wil briefremember you This is easily granted of al that know God what course of life soeuer hath the approbation of Gods chearful countenance shining into the conscience of the practiser thereof it is such as being founded on the sure word of God is the more constantly held on and continued vnto the ende For the spirit within the word without ioyning to the testifying teaching of anie trueth vnto vs bring vs to such peace and comfort with the Lord in the practise of it as maketh vs more and more assured therof and so the firmelier to perseuere therein euen vnto the end Contrariwise that course or demeanour of life that hath any other foundation then this as it shall neuer be confirmed by that inward approbation so is it excéedingly subiect to continuall changes reuoltings If we shall therefore coniecture of your inward peace by the stedfastnes of your outward deporting and carying your selues in this your separat course I suppose we cannot deeme that y â— peace of God hath possessed your minds this while This as you know your great leader hath writ and not hitherto recanted that lodgick is an vnlawfull Art for Christians being forbidden by the scriptures so that hée calleth it a Heathenish fopperie and exhorteth to leaue and beware of it as though the end of it led vnto death Mean time himself vseth it as wel as he can in al his booke Of the life maners of true Christians And in his answere to M. Cartwrightes letter yea and of late admitted reasoning by Sillegismes in his own order put downe in writing before for the forme of the coÌ„ference Let him not here bleare your eies with this foolish saluing of the sore That where hee hath practised logicke himselfe anie way there he hath done it but to foile vs with our own weapons and as forced therevnto by our subtilties It dooth but declare his diuinitie to be pitifull for whatsoeuer is indéed vnlawfull and simply forbidden by the word of God y e same by no circumstance time nor occasion can be made tollerable while that word endureth Secondly whereas he once prouoked you all to flée out of England if you loued as he said your saluation and safetie and would not be guiltie of tempting God Of later time again by priuater writings and his owne practise hée hath counselled a resorting to our Sermons How many of you haue been distracted thereby I leaue it vnto your consciences whilest some perhaps receiued it othersome thought straunge and refused to giue eare vnto that counsell Looke also vpon his late subscribing by your selues Lastly that I excéede not my purpose in length be think your selues what glew he may haue to set these two togither No part of church discipline can be wanting but the church dooth straightway goe to ruine therby for he saith it is the life of the church And againe There may bee a true church of God without the presbyterie Now therefore beloued in Christ Jesu sith your going out with this man hath had so hard eueÌ„t in many of you as to bring you to the vnrecouerable rocks of E. G. and leadeth eueÌ„ the better sort whom Gods iudgement hath not as yet hunted foorth so far to a manifest decaie of true iudgement and vnderstanding ioyning therunto the fearful companion of vncertaintie and restlesse course of life forsake whilest yet there is time such accursed leading and returne to vs your brethren againe who whilest you hold firme the foundation with vs will neuer shrinke you And of this it standeth you in hand the rather to haue care as your contrarie dealing hitherto hath so apparantly damnified the iust cause of Christian discipline Men of anie iudgement and exercise in the scriptures may easily perceiue and doo report with what spirit Browne hath cride for discipline The greater number being of little iudgement condemne all for him O deep reach of Sathan the father of subuerting subtilties But hereof I meane not to make this my place of complaint Thus much therfore vnto those of whom there remaineth hope The rest I haue nothing to say vnto but this there will be a day wherein the Lord will make it manifest he neuer sent you require the blood of his saints which you haue caused to be spilt at your hands again and that most iustly PSAL. 8. 2. Out of the mouth of babes sucklings hast thou ordeined strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the enemie and auenger Praise and thanks bee vnto the Lord our God for euermore Faultes escaped Page 53. Line 30. for while read whie Page 93. Line 29. read abideth for Page 103. Line 3. for worke read word LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe 1586. 1. Cor. 9. 24. Hebr. 12. 1. Psalme 1. Zeph. â— Deut. 1â— 1. Cor 11. 1â— Math. 24. â—4 verse 25. Mat. 24. 12. Mat. 10. 24. Gen. 21. 9. Mat. 10. 25. Heb. 12. 6. 7. â— Ioh. 16. 20. verse 21. Rom. 8. 17. verse 18. Apoc. 2. 10. Mat. â—â— 4â— verse â—â— verse 43. Mat. 16. 24. Mat. 10. 37. 38. 2. Pet. 3. â— â— Gal. 5. 17. Prou. 14. 25. Prou. 15. 21. Verse 14. Rom.