12. b. q. Rom 7. b. r. Rom. 7. b.c. Å¿. Iere. 30. c. t. Eccle. 5. a. Rom. 2. a. u. Psal. 5. a. x. Apo 3 c. y. Ephe. 5. b. z. Psal. 32. a. Prou. 28. b. a. Psal. 45. b. 139. c. Prou. 1. a. 3. c. 14. Eccle. 4. a. 32. c. Heb. 13. b. b Mar. 1. Actes 2 d. d. Mat. 6. d. Luke 11. a. e. Prou. 3. b. Heb. 12. b. f. Iohn 8. d. Rom. 6. c. g. Mat. 11. c. 28. h. Mat. 1. c. i. Apoc. 2â— a. k. Ioel. 2. a. Amos. 5. b. l. Sop. 1. b. Mala. 4. a. m. Pro. 29. Heb 1.2 b. n.. Mat. 25. d. o. Bar. 3. b. p. Psal. 89. d. q. Ephe. 5. d. r Psal. 89. d. Prou. 3. a. Heb. 12. b. Å¿. Matth. 5. a t. Gal. 4.5 a. u. 1. Pet. 1. b. 2. 2. Pet. 1. a. Heb. 11.33 Iam. 2.23 Rom. 4.35 Man bringeth him selfe vnto Christ by this doctrine of H. N. Rom. 6.11 Agust epist. 89. Iohn 6.44 x. Mat. 18. b. y. Mat. 16. b. Rom. 6. a. z. Galla. 3. â— a. Iohn 1. a 3. a. b. Mar. 1. a. a. Math. 1. a. c. Luke 1. d. 2. b b. Math. 16. b. 17 Rom. 1. a c. Col. 1. b. Hab. 1. a. d. Gen. 1. c. Ihon. 1. a. e. Heb. 1. a Gen. 1.2 Matth. 1.21 Iohn 17 Hebrues 9.24 Psalm 110. Esay 61. Luke 4. Iohn 1.18 Esay 9.6 Math. 28.19 1. Iohn 2.20 Rom. 5.15 Messias and Christ is the state of perfection with H.N. Christ is that estate when men leaue the written worde and betake themselues to reuelations Our seconde birth or regeneration is our Sauiour according to the doctrine of H. N. The oldest father of the familie is Christ This doctrine of H.N. because it leadeth to perfection is sometime called Christ H. N. his opinion of Christ Christ is not God. Adam and Christ after the flesh are one with H.N. H.N. calleth the seconde birth Christ the Godhead Gods true being it self Reue. 17.4 f. Esa. 7. b. Matth. 1. c. Luke 1. d. g. Luk. 2. b. Gal. 4. a. h. Gen. 22 b. Rom. 4. b. Gal. 3. b. Christ is so often conceiued of the holie Ghost as any shall haue profited wel in this doctrine of H.N. q. Ephes 2. d. The Gospell after H.N. Cha. 18 Section 10. Euang. 18. Euan. 18.10 Christ not Abrahams seede after the flesh but only as he foloweth the faith of Abraham Euang. 18. Section 3. Euang. 18. Section 9. Gâ—lla 4.4 Rom. 9.5 Heb. 2.16 Heb. 1.15 i. Colo. 1. b. k. Esa. 53. a.b. l. Matth. 27. b. Luke 23. 1. Timo. 6. b. m. 1. cor 15. a. 1. Pet. 2. c. n. Heb. 1. a. o. Esai 53. b. The newe testament is heauen and the seate of the most highest Esay 53.5.6 Rom. 5.9 2. Cor. 5.21 p. Phil. 2. â— q. Hebr. 12. â— That Christ which H.N. hath brought into the worlde was a sinner in his yong yeares VVhen and how Christ is put to death H. N. is Christ Christ in his yoÌ„g yeares was a sinner Christ suffered for his own sinne VVe must make the purchase of our owne righteousnesse by our selues The doctrine of H.N. is the crosse wherevppon Christ died H.N. is Iudas his illuminate elders be the Scribes and Pharisees By the doctrine of H.N. Christ himselfe had the greatest benefite by his own death Mat. 26. â— Mar. 14.8 Matth. 26.3 1. Cor. 5.7 They that crucified Christ in the flesh wrought thereby their owne saluation Luke 22. r. Phil. 2. a. 1. Pet. 2. c. Heb. 5. b. Å¿. 1. Pet. 2. c. t. Rom. 6 a. Phil. .3 b. v. Rom. 6. a. Colos 2. b. x. Ephe. 4. c. y. Act. 4 b. 1. Iohn 2. a. z. Esai 26. c. 1 Cor. 15. â— 1. Thes 4 b. a. Matt. 24. d. Luke 17. c. Act. 1 b. b. Ephe. 4. b. Col. 2. b. c. Mat. 1 â— Ephe. 5. c. d Mat 18.4 Mat. 16. b. e. Heb. 9. b. Heb. 7.26 Mortification is our iustification according to the doctrine of H.N. Heb. 10.110 Heb. 7.23 Num 21. g. Luke 17.7 1. Cor. 15.17 Ephe. 2.4 Verse 5. f. 1. Peter 1. â— 3. c. g. Rom. 11. c. h. Matt. 10. d. Luke 12. â— i. Rom. 6. a. b. 8 1. Cor. 15. f. Colloss 2 b. k. Rom. 6. a. l. 2. Cor. 4. b. Gala. 6. b. m. Rom. 6. a Gala. 5. c. Colloss 3. a. Mat. 24. a. Iohn 8. c. o. Iohn 10. c. p. Rom. 6. a. Esay 53. The estate of H. N. his Christ was nearer vnto glorie and more honourable in the time of his suffering then euer it was before a. Matth. 28. a marke 16. a Luke 24. a b. c. Actes 1.2.3.4 b. Iohn 20.21 Acts. 10. e. 13. d. e. 1. Cor 15. a c. Rom. 6. a. b. c. 1. Cor. 15. f. According to the doctrine of H.N. Christ sicteth not in our nature that is in the flesh at the right hand of his father but onely in Spirit The holy Ghost is Christ Iohn 20.20 Iohn 20.27 Iohn 20.29 Actes 2.30.32 The flesh of H. N. his Christ is left in the graue and seeth corruption Actes 2.24 d Rom. 6. a. Phil. 3. b. e Rom. 6. a. b. c. 2. Peter 4. a. f Iohn 3. a. Rom. 6 a. g Ephe. 4. e. h Luke 1. g. Ephe. 1. a. i Rom. 8. b. k Esay 26. e. Ezec. 36. c. 37. b l Ose 13. b. Iohn 5. c. m Rom. 6. g. Rom. 8.33 1. Cor. 15.17 Rom. 5.25 Rom. 8. â— Ephe. 2 6. Collo 3. Ephe. 4.8 n. Mark. 16. b. Luke 24. f. Actes 1. b. n. Mark. 16. b. Luke 24. f. Actes 1. b. o. Phil. 2. a. Collo 3. a. Heb. 12. a. p. Mark. 16. b. Actes 1. b. q. Psal. 116. a Ephe. 1. c. r 1. Cor. 15. c. Å¿ Num. 14. c. 1. Cor. 15. c. Euangelie 16.10.11.12 How H.N. his Christ hath ascended into Heauen t. Acte 1. b. v. Mat. 16. d. 24.25 Acte 10. c 2. Tim. 4. a. 1. Peter 4. a. x. Luke 21. 1. Thesta 4. a. Iude. 1. b. y. Esay 3. b. Sapien. 3. a. Mat. 19. c. c. 2. Thessa. 1. a z. Acte 17 d. Iude. 1. b. Here in this life is the fulnesse of eternall life The dead shal rise and liue in H.N. and in the illuminate elders euerlastingly and raigne vpon the earth Iohn 5.29 a. Iohn 14. c. 16 1. Iohn 5. a b. Ioel. 2. c. c. Acts. 2. c. 10. c d. Mat. 19. c. e. Luk. 22. c. 24. f. Mat. 19. Rom. 6. 1. Cor. 2.11 Rom. 8.13 Those of the family which dye before they be elders and come to perfection be damned for euer by the doctrine of H. N. Rom. 8.9 g. Actes 1. a. h. Iohn 3. a. 7. 1. Actes 2. c. k. Apo. 21. a. l. Actes 2. a. Ephe. 1 c. 2. c. m. Gen. 12 a. 22 n. Actes 10. e Ephc. 1. b. 4. d. o. Mat. 28. b. Actes 1. a. 2. a. 10. e. p. Iohn 3. a Sinne is subdued in vs before we haue the holy Ghost Rom. 7 q. Mat. 24. a. Luke 21. a. r. Mar. 16.
which H. N. claimeth vnto himselfe in the first Chapter of his booke intituled Euangelium Regni The Gospel and ioyfull message of the kingdome H. N. Through the grace and mercie of God and through the holy spirite of the loue of Iesu Christe raised vp by the highest GOD from the death according to the prouidence of God and his promises annoynted with the holie Ghoste in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding of Iesu Christe Godded with God in the spirite of his loue made heyre with Christe in the heauenlye goodes of the riches of God illuminated in the spirite with the heauenly trueth the true light of the perfect Beyng elected to a Minister of the gracious woorde which is nowe in the laste time raysed vp by God according to his promises in the moste holy seruice of God vnder the obedience of his loue Answere THE first thing that H. N. would perswade vs is that God hath raised him from the dead or to vse his owne wordes that he is raised vp by the most highest God from the death For confirmation hereof hee alleageth the sixt of Iohn the 17. of the Actes and the seconde to the Ephesians For he wil not seeme to say that thing which two or three shall not be redy to witnesse with hym VVe are therefore to heare what these can say to that point In the sixt of Iohn he directeth vs by this letter f vnto this Scripture conteyned in the 54. verse Whosoeuer eateth my flesh drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him vp at the last day Heere is a promise made vnto all true christians for they onely haue their hartes prepared by faith to digest the flesh and blood of Christe that the Lorde will raise them vppe at the laste day which wee call the day of iudgement and the seconde comming of Christe The promise I graunt is past but the day taken to performe the couenant is yet to come For by the promise it is playne that wee may not looke to haue the matter perfourmed before the laste day which is the seconde comming of Christe I wil not here call it into question whether H. N. be one of them who eate his fleshe and drinke his blood that shall go as graunted at this time onely this I will saye that hee is to begge shamefully who with no other helpe then that hee hath from hence shall obteine so muche as a place among the common sorte of Christians but hee that will vppon this warrant deale as a Prophete and Teacher in the Churche It cannot be excused but that he doeth felloniously enter breake in and steale For there is no colour of anie good title to bee shewed for the same Now I pray you consider of his argument which is this The Lorde will raise vppe all his faithfull at the last day and therefore H. N. is already risen from the dead The matter is established as doone but the grounde is no other then a graunt and promise made in expresse woordes for the time yet to come For our Sauiour Christe sayth playnely that hee will raise them vp at the laste day Where there is not only noted a time to come but of that time also the laste and furthest day is taken and yet yee see that H. N. will haue the matter to be alreadie accomplished in him selfe and that not otherwise then by vertue of this promise Let that bee graunted which H. N hath begged and let his felonious acte for once bee pardoned yet hath hee proceeded no farther in proofe then that hee ought to be taken as a Prophet risen from the dead with condition to wit if that the day of iuddgemēt alredy be past The Lord open the eies of his familie leaste as hee is no Prophet vnlesse that bee paste which is yet to come so they in like maner become no true Christians before that which is for euer past heereafter shall come If the cause of suche confusion bee demaunded this it is He expoundeth the doctrine of our resurrection Allegorically and taketh it to be nothing els but to ryse in our iudgemente and affection from the likyng of all other too the embracing of his doctrine and religion And therefore the day of iudgement which wee looke for is in his opinion already come because the troumpe of his doctrine now soundeth which woorketh this his spiritual resurrection The confutation whereof you shall God willing haue more at large heereafter and yet there is sufficient euen in this place aleadged by him to ouerthrowe it For speaking of the children of GOD who are true Christians possessed by fayth of eternall life and therefore already rysen from the dead because to rise from errour to the imbrasing of the trueth which hee taketh his owne doctrine too bee is with him the rising from the dead euen of those hee sayth I will rayse them vp in the last day appoynting an other resurrection yet to come for those who by a true faith haue alredy taken holde of that spiritual rising from darknesse to light from sinne and iniquitie to righteousnesse and true christianitie If his best bulwarke appointed to beare of the first and greatest assault that shal be made against him bee thus weake there is good hope it wil be no great woorke too winne the hold it selfe His seconde confirmation is taken out of the Acts 17. verse 31. The woordes be these God wil iudge the worlde in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath appointed whereof he hath geuen assurance vnto al in that he hath raised him from the dead A place proper and peculiar vnto Christe alone whom God the father hath raised from corporall death to be an assuraunce vnto vs that hee is the man appointed who shal iudge the world in righteousnesse at the latter day There can be no other place more peculiar and proper vnto Christe then is this whereunto for all that H. N. wil be entituled Notwithstanding yf the woorde of GOD haue geuen it vnto him good reason hee shoulde enioy it Let it therfore bee considered what he hath saide for it This is his reason GOD hath geuen vs assuraunce that hee will iudge the world in righteousnesse by the man Christ in that hee hath raysed hym from the dead therefore H. N. is alreadie risen from the dead If H. N. bee Christ it foloweth necessarily though not by force of this argument yet by sufficient strength from the trueth of the matter it selfe that he shoulde be rysen from the dead because hee is the same person of whom it is sayde that he is already risen from the dead to assure vs of the last iudgement that it shal be holden by him selfe But if H.N. bee anie thing beside Christe there is no maner of helpe to bee had from this place For hee speaketh playnely heere of the bodyly death of Christe him selfe As for the affinitie betweene H. N. and Christe howe
of saying I beleeue in Iesus Christ if we wil become scholers vnto H. N. we are to say I work Iesu Christ The matter that ministreth vnto vs faith and comfort in Iesus Christ is that he being God equall with his father hath notwithstanding abased himselfe in our nature and for our saluation vnto the estate of a seruant wherein he hath humbled himselfe vnto all reproch contempt anguish and bitternesse of paine both in soule and bodie in the time of his life and vnto all infamie and slander by his death For his death was the death of the crosse and his graue was giuen him with the wicked and the wicked had their will of him insomuch that the Prophet saith He was famous for his miserie and affliction This is that loue and friendship which the Apostle saith hath no fellow or match to be found among men For who hath beene found to offer himselfe to an infamous death for his friend the sonne of God doth it for his enemies For he was counted among the transgressours Here is the ground worke of our faith and comfort that when there was no religion or feare of God in vs and therefore deadly enmitie betwene him and vs yet so great was the good will he did beare vnto vs that himselfe would wade throughout all those raging waues to saue and preserue vs that were vnder the water of euerlasting destruction Here is the triumph of Christians in whom religion is in trueth begonne and his feare truely entered and therefore hatred banished and they truely reconciled that if his death were able of enemies to make friends his life which is of much more efficacie power shall well be able where friendship is begonne to continue it for euer If that which is weaker hath done the greater worke the stronger will bee much more able to goe thorowe with the lesse labour H. N. his Christ cutteth of all this comfort For his estate in suffring was not abased and lower then before it had beene but better and nearer vnto glorie H. N. his Christ was not equall with God before the time of his passion and humiliatiō but an vtter enimy vnto god For the time of his humiliation and suffering is from his first entrance into the familie vntill he become an illuminate elder before which time in his opinion hee is a straunger nay an vtter enimie to God and all godlinesse Here is then no argument of good will by abasing himselfe from a better estate vnto a worse whereby comfort especially commeth vnto vs Besides H.N. his Christ suffereth for his owne benefite for hee coulde not come to euerlasting ioy and his perfect estate vnlesse he should die in the flesh And this vtterly killeth all comfort for what argument of good will towardes vs can wee haue from another in that matter whereby himselfe is either the whole or at the least the greatest gayner Moreouer shall his death by reconciling of vs to God which is the greater worke from the weaker instrument put vs in assured hope to be safely kept by his life vnto eternall glorie when wee are both by our owne death suffering to rid vs from the daunger of our sinnes reconcile vs vnto our God and by our life to continue and preserue our selues vnto glorie Howe fearefull is the fall of H.N. and his familie that haue forsaken the true Messias that bringeth so great comfort vnto mankinde to imbrace so cursed and comfortlesse a Christ H.N. The fift Article We beleeue that the God of Abraham hath raysed vp this his sonne Iesus from the dead and that hee euen so the third day rose againe from the dead and appeared or made manifest himselfe vnto his friends which loued him shewing vnto them through his suffering and death of the Crosse the victorie ouer the sinne death deuill hell the flesh and the worlde Answere The resurrection of H.N. his Christ answereth vnto that doctrine which he hath deliuered before touching his death For as that was nothing but a passing out of the flesh or letter of the law which is a condition common to the Nouices and yong ones in H.N. his schoole so this is the resurrection when a man is come into the spirit or that estate of perfection which his illuminate elders are pertakers of That which hath beene spoken of before may sufficiently satisfie vs touching H.N. his opinion that thus he thinketh and not otherwise of the resurrection yet shall it not be amisse to adde one testimonie out of his Euangelie where of purpose he handleth the resurrection of Christ it is in the. 22. Chapter where he speaketh thus Now whē Iesu Christ was foūd faithful in the death of his crosse til vnto his burial to a true Passeouer out of the flesh into the making aliue according to the spirit was also through the power of God his father raised vp frō the death and made aliue againe and that he had shewed himselfe in his making aliue vnto his disciples for that they should stedfastly beleeue so was he then wholy taken vp from the eyes of their fleshe and he set himselfe according to the spirite at the right hande of God his father in the heauenly being and entred euen so as the true high Priest when as the seruice had perfectly ended his course according to the true being in the holy into the most holy his disciples therefore were mindful of all this and what he had said vnto them remained within Ierusalem wayting concordably with supplication and praier for the promises of the father vntil that Christ after the spirite appeared vnto them out of the heauenly being the most holy in the holy in spirituall and heauenly powers like as hee after the Spirite and according to the trueth of the heauenly Godhead is an euerlasting and true Christ of GOD. He is plaine as you heare in this point that Christ his resurrection and making aliue was according to the spirite for he sayth that Iesus Christ was founde faythfull in his death of the crosse to a true Passouer out of the flesh into the making aliue according to the spirit He is likewise as plaine in this that his sitting at the right hand of God is in spirit spiritual For those are his very words as you haue heard he set himselfe according to the spirit at the right hād of god his father in the heauēly being More ouer he is of opinion that he is not a true Christ but as he speaketh imagineth of him that is according to the spirit For touching this point these are his words He after the spirit and according to the trueth of the heauenly Godhed is an euerlasting and true Christ of God. And that in this absurd doctrine heauē earth might come togither and a mingle mangle made of all things hee shameth not to affirme that Christ is the holy ghost and that the doctrine which is deliuered in the 2.
passe from me Let vs ceasse to meruel that the Apostles did beare no part in it for this his praier doth declare that Iesus Christ had his hands full of it Let vs not meruaile why the Apostles had no more lust nor affection to deale in it for Iesus Christe him selfe if he had followed the sence and persuasion of his fleshe had flatly refused it fainted at the firste and neuer haue gone thorowe with it O my father if it be possible let this cup passe How heauy a waight of our sinnes was vpon him not onely is bewrayed by his prayer but also by the droppes of blood that fell from his face and by his often passage as a man greatly distressed and in sore anguish from his Apostles to the place where he prayed and from thence to them againe Somtimes waking them and seeking comfort from the sight of them and sometimes againe intreating his father for fauour Neither doth hee this once and away but sundry times doth he renewe it and make often attemptes to haue ease by it This was the beginning of this his conflict Much anguish was in it as you haue heard and little comforte comming from any yet the farther he proceedeth the more his paine increaseth and the lesse comforte he feeleth Before hee had the sight of his Apostles albeit they could not be kept waking for his comfort now they all flee and forsake him saue Peter who did abide by it a while but in the end did forsweare him His father whome before hee did attempt to intreat now standeth foorth taking the place of iustice the seate of iudgement summoneth al his seruauntes to appeare and answeare for their sinnes Then the sonne of man Iesus Christ commeth foorth to the barre appeareth in the person of all sinners there standeth he to receiue sentence afterwards executiō accordingly which coulde be no slender punishment for it muste be a sufficient satisfaction for the sinnes of all his seruauntes It coulde be no litle blowe that hee did beare for why it was suche a one that the sinnes of all his seruantes did dye of it Howe coulde it be a litle stripe or stroke that was the death of so many sinnes Nay vniuersaly of all the sinnes in his seruauntes When he went vnder it this speache of his O GOD my God why hast thou forsaken mee did sufficiently testifie what waight and burden hee had of it Before he was forsaken of men and his dearest Disciples had leaft him Now sinne hath set his father against him and hee feeleth him an vtter enemie vnto him For that hee wrestled not with an ordinarie and vsuall kinde of deathe his words to his father doe bewray He was to beare the punishment for sinne which muste touche him els howe should we be perswaded that the punishment was sufficient and meete for suche a matter Beholde a true ballance wherein to waie sinne a Glasse that will geue vs the true sight of sinne Looke vppon this glasse ye which thinke that at your last houre ye shal be well enough able to driue away sinne with a sigh Beholde this spectacle yee that take sinne in young men to be the grace of those yeeres and so slender a matter in olde men that it cannot abide the least breath or sight of one that hath gray heares ▪ You see when sinne is to be aunsweared the Apostles left it and Christe him selfe did sundrie wayes declare that he had enough of it Wee may see sufficiently by this that they neuer felt the sting of it who in their speaches and remedies appointed to redresse it doe geue out so slenderly of it There is one thing whereof we are especially to be admonished that wee neuer make our selues giltie of so great vnduetifulnes against our god as to cal his diuinitie into question because he was hūbled vnto this anguishe and paine in our person and bewrayed such sence and feeling thereof in our nature For how doe we answeare the Lorde if wee will let him haue no longer any honour from vs for that he was so greatly humbled for v◠Hereby we may sufficiently see and discerne what a cursed and counterfayte Christe that is which H.N. hath brought into the worlde For H.N. his Christe was not first God and then after when he was to suffer made man but first man and after by his suffering was Godded with god He gaue no speciall argumentes of good will vnto vs by his passion and suffering for him selfe had the greatest benefite by it insomuche as that he coulde not haue beene saued without it He is not this true Christe who offered him selfe a sufficient price for all the sinnes of his seruantes for he leaueth euery one to answeare for his owne sinne telling him that he him selfe and no other is to answeare for it And therefore looke what the sinnes of H N. his Christe cost him the same price muste they pay for theirs if they will beleeue him All the helpe that they haue from him is that he hath paide his money before them so that nowe they shal not neede to trouble them selues either about the price to spende any long time in learning what is required neither yet about the maner to vnderstande where and howe it is to be paide If anye doe maruelle howe H. N. can make away this so plaine an historie let them vnderstande that it is well knowen to those who bee any thing acquainted with him that to sinke any historie H. N. will require no more then one single shot of an Allegorie The Lorde graunt that they which thus abolishe the true Christe and his office to set vp so cursed a creature in his place may bee looked to in time before they shal drawe others into the same condemnation Christe Iesus gaue him selfe for vs to purge vs that we might be a peculiar people vnto him selfe zelous of good woorkes Heere are all the carnall Gospellers condemned who liue in hope that vnder the countenaunce of their profession all libertie of life will well enough be borne out that make Christe his death to be nothing els but a bande vnto their lewde lyfe Heere may wee see that the Lorde hath not laide downe his life to purchase no other thing at our handes beside a profession of the trueth but that hee bought with his blood a zelous addicting of our selues to christan conuersation It is a woonder to see howe the wicked will boast of the benefite of Christe his blood howe mightie it is to merite how sufficient to saue from sinne But for all that will they not geue ouer anye libertie of life that before they haue enioyed whereas it was geuen to purchase a newe conuersation aswell as a newe profession For hee gaue him selfe for vs that wee might geue our selues vnto him a peculiar people zelous of good woorkes Let vs marke it then my brethren that he gaue him selfe for vs to haue the honour of a Christian life
froÌ„ vs He left his life for vs that our life might be let out to honour him He made not so slender a purchase with so great a price as that if hee had a good sigh or a good word at our last breath that would suffice him this life was geuen for the purchase of a zelous geuing of our liues to the works that please him And therfore doth the Apostle tell vs that we are not our owne men to frame our life after our owne liking but are to serue the Lorde both with our body and with our spirite because they are the Lords bought of him with a price Yf we humble not our selues to a zelous folowing of good works we withhold the lords due for he hath paide a great price to purchase a good life at our handes Hee hath with no smal price but dearely bought of vs the honor of a life led in zelous obedieÌ„ce vnto his word For we are not barely to geue some good words either els to shew some good countenance toward religion and christian conuersation but to haue our conuersation declare that we are affected with the same become studious of such an estate of life Suche men declare theÌ„selues to be that peculier people for whoÌ„ the Lord laide out his life As for those who waâ—ke so indifferently betwene true religion false that a man can not discerne whether they are more inclined vnto As also those that walke so euen betwen a ciuil life a christianlike hehauiour that the difference is not easilie discussed they do declare themselues as yet not to be affected in desire towards those dueties which the Lord hath laid vpon his Now where this purchase of his hath taken place they are become a peculiar people zelous of good workes If colde christians haue so litle comfort from the death of Christ what shal become of them that are sworne enimies either to true religion or els to good life christiaÌ„ behauiour It is said here by the Apostle that we must be purged to become a peculiar people vnto our God zelous of good works which office of purging the holy Ghost perfourmeth not by miracle but by meanes wherein we haue great cause to be thankeful vnto God that whereas our foode was exceding grosse vnder the gouernment of the Pope as hauing only for diet the inuentions of man Nowe that pure and fine foode of the woorde of God is not only made lawfull vnto vs but also liberally layde out for vs But herein againe we ar bothe to confesse and acknowledge our want that seing we are not voyde of sinne while we remayne in this flesh and therfore haue neede to be often purged clensed our purgations for all this so greate a change so good a constitution of the minde vnder the Gospell be nowe at this day nothing diuers from those that were vsed in that that greate grossenes which we had vnder the Pope The Cannon lawe I confesse might purge somewhat in those times of ignorance when because the foode was so grosse the minde coulde not but be full of great and grieuous humores but now the constitution of our mindes beyng altered by reason that the foode is so cleane diuers from that it hath benne how can it purge to any purpose Let vs therfore euery one pray that seing by reason of this good diet of the Gospell the state and constitution of our minde is chaunged in steede of the Cannon lawe which passeth ouer many daungerous humors and purgeth them neuer a whit by reason of the great grossnesse that is in it VVe may haue rules Canons out of the worde of God which will pearce further purge other humoures wherof we haue great store those such as do greatly blemishe the Gospell and causeth so greate slaunder vnto our profession as hyndreth many from comyng thervnto Howe often doth the whole body of this realme asseÌ„ble togeather in that highe court of parliament to redresse those euils that are amonge vs ether in bodie goods or name making new statutes and repelinge olde accordinge as by that wisdome and experience which God hath giuen theÌ„ they see perceiue any danger either preseÌ„t or shortly lyke to fal vpoÌ„ them But as for the Church which Sathan maliceth infinitlye more and therfore maketh many sorer assaltes against the same how slenderly in all such assembles is her estate thought vpon And what statutes are their made to preueÌ„t the practises of Sathan Or what old ones be once repelid how vnprofitable or hurtfull so euer experience doth tel vs that they be The Lord touch them with the care of it who haue especial authoritie to redresse it I haue already bene verie long and the weather hath bene very tedious vnto you a woorde therefore or two of the last point and so I make an ende The maner of teaching trayning of schollers in Christ his schoole is by teaching exhorting and rebuking these thinges saieth the Apostle Speake exhort and rebuke with all authoritie We cannot conceaue the matters of saluation by and of our selues they must be taught vs and when wee yeelde vnto them in iudgement beeing perswaded of the truth thereof it is another labour then the former to be rightly affected with them And therfore they must be pressed vpon our affections by exhorting and rebuking for we are not by and by truely touched with our dutie and humbled to the obedience thereof when once wee haue subscribed in our iudgement to the truth and equitie of the thing Men muste haue speciall cunning and skill from God that shall come within vs and make vs in iudgement and affection to yeelde vnto duetie howe shall they preach saith the Apostle vnlesse they be sent This argueth a strong and a woonderful corruptioÌ„ to be within vs which hath so blinded our reason and hardened our affection that they must bee men of speciall giftes and graces that shal be able to open the eyes of our mind to conceiue the trueth and to touche our affections so as they shal be moued to make conscience of the same We may well discerne then howe vnprofitable those ministers bee in their place who know nothing how to exhort and rebuke Who woulde hyre into his haruest a Mower that coulde not set an edge vpon his sith when it should happen to be blunted by stones or other thinges that were hid in the grasse And is not teaching exhorting and rebuking the edge of the worde which maketh it cut And be not our heartes of themselues if Sathan shoulde cast in no outwarde occasions a grounde that is full of stones and what shoulde hee doe then in the haruest of the Lorde that cannot geue an edge to the worde by strengthening the trueth of the doctrine if false Prophets and Teachers should cast in stones of heresie erronious opinions nor yet by waking and rowsing the affections of men by exhorting and rebuking acording to sound doctrine