was there any opposition in the Spirit of Christ which was both in Moses and the Prophets 1. Pet. 1. 10. 11 The doctrine of Moses and the Prophets rightly applied very profitable and Christ Of this saluation saith the Apostle the Prophets haue enquired and searched which prophesied of the grace that should come vnto you Searching when or what time the Spirit which testified before of Christ which was in them should declare the sufferings that should come vnto Christ and the glorie that should follow Yea the same Apostle affirmeth that We haue a 2. Pet. 1. 19. most sure word of the Prophets What letteth then but we may attend vnto the sound doctrine of Moses and the Prophets Furthermore the testimonie of the Apostle Paul is pregnant to this purpose who auoucheth That the whole 2. Tim. 3. 16. Corruption needeth correction as well as instruction Reproofes sometimes very needfull Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach improue correct and to instruct in righteousnesse therefore the whole Scripture is necessarie the Christian standing in neede of it either for ground of faith or rule of obedience both in his generall particular calling Like vnto these dreames is the errour of many Libertines who ground vpon that saying in Ieremiah After those dayes Ierem. 31. 33. saith the Lord I will put my Lawes in the◠inward parts and write them in their hearts as also vpon that saying of the Apostle Yee are our Epistle written not with inke 2. Cor. 3. 2. 3. but with the Spirit of the liuing God Although it be true that the knowledge of the Law may be written naturally in mens hearts yet he commanded the same to be writtē in two tables of stone For how doth the Lord write this Law in our hearts How doth he seale vp vnto vs the couenant of our reconciliation and regeneration by the finger of his The preaching of the word the conduit pipe to conuey grace into our harts Spirit but by the doctrine of the Law and Gospell preached heard written read meditated Or how could the Apostles call themselues the Preachers of the New Testament if the Gospel could not be preached And in vaine should Christ bid vs Search the Scriptures Iohn 5. 39. Furthermore the Euangelists and Apostles call their doctrine which was the New Testament a Scripture or Writing as appeareth by that testimony of Luke who thought it meete to write Those Luke 1. 3. things which he had diligently searched out Luke 1. 3. as also Iohn witnesseth who saith That these things are written that ye may beleeue Iohn 20. 31. And the Apostle Paul thought it necessary to write as is plaine in his Epistles Phil. 3. 1. Thus we see that the men of God and The Spirit of God in the hearts of his people and his word agree together Ministers of the Gospell wrote by the Spirit the Gospell with inke the hearts of true beleeuers sanctified by the Spirit through the preaching of the Gospel answering correspondently that word which was both written and preached as was euident among those Conuerts at Corinth in whom was manifest the power of the Gospell the preaching of faith being the power of God to saluation to Rom. 1. 16. euery one that doth beleeue We see then by wofull experience that Satan transforming himselfe into an It is the work of Satan to draw men frō Gods word which is the ground of faith Angell of light seeketh to ground many a poore soule vpon seeming shadowes drawing them from the rocke of refuge and certenty namely Moses and the Prophets Euangelists and Apostles of Iesus Christ who haue written and spoken as the Spirit directed and gaue them vtterance Were not therefore the proud Anabaptist fuller of conceit then iudgement he would neuer paraphrase the sacred Scriptures in that manner as he doth as I haue already shewed and will further shew in one instance Christ saith Mathew 5. 34. Sweare not at all therefore Matth. 5. 34. saith he it is not lawfull in any case to sweare Whereas the Lord vpon necessitie hath commended and commanded a lawfull oath warranting the same both by example and precept as appeareth in Deut. 6. 13. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy Deut. 6. 13. God and serue him and shalt sweare by his Name Yea the Apostle testifieth vppon necessity an oath to be a very good thing An oath saith he for confirmation Hebr. 6. 16. is the end of all strife Thus by conceited exposition would this sect of people bring Christ to abrogate his Fathers law and derogate from his Fathers glorie A proud spirit vnfit to expound the Scripture whereas our Sauiour meaneth nothing lesse for his purpose is nothing else but to expound the Law and deliuer it from the grosse corruptions and deprauations He that willingly wresteth the Scripture neither respecteth God nor Christ of the Scribes and Pharises For they taught that the third commandement was to be vnderstood of periurie onely or false swearing therefore our Sauiour sheweth that in this commandement is forbidden not onely periury and false swearing by the Name of God but also all rash and ordinary swearing in our common talke whether by the Name of God or any of his creatures because swearing amisse by them redoundeth to his dishonour He therefore here forbiddeth all needelesse and superfluous All needlesse swearing is much forbidden in the Scripture oathes in our ordinary communication And as these do erre not knowing nor vnderstanding the Scriptures so do many others as namely the Carnall cauiller that ioyneth himselfe with the publike assemblies partaking of the same word and Sacraments with the Saints of God But this man would haue one line to be sufficient vnto saluation for he findeth it written in the Scriptures That Iohn 3. 36. Naturall men would haue all but they would do nothing he which beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life But if this man reade forward he shall see and finde That he which obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life Such will like the doctrine of faith but they cannot well brooke the doctrine of repentance But if they attend or list to heare they shall heare Christ to be as rigorous as his Father both in summoning all men Marke 1. 15. Luke 13. 5. to repent as also in threatning woes against impenitents The Apostles as they preach faith so they preach sanctification Acts 2. 38. and amendment of life for it is the absolute will of God that we should 1. Thessal 43 1. Pet. 1. 15. be holy as the Lord our God is holy The whole word of the Lord therefore must be deliuered by the Ministers of the Gospell that the whole courses of mens liues may be guided by the rule of faith Christ and his Apostles did not alwayes Rom. 9. 10. 11 preach faith but according to the dispositions
cursed mother of scandall to the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ Nay they liue in the bosome of the Church yet miserably blinde and naked destitute of those sauing graces true humilitie godly simplicity ioy in the Crosse patience faith being in bondage vnto the law and conscience But the sanctified Christian who hath well learned Christ whose heart faith hath thorowly purified this man Actâ— 15. 9. is not vnacquainted with the first be ginnings of sauing repentance as namely godly sorrow indignation with an holy reuenge vpon his vile affections For what seede is quickened except it die yea we 1. Cor. 15. 36. Rom. 6. 4. are buried with Christ in baptisme See then the miserable and vngrounded estate of the vnregenerate though neuer so holie in his owne iudgement and other mens yet being ignorant of Christian buriall and death of sinne he is like a house vppon a sandy foundation subiect to the violent temptations of that prying and raging Serpent ready to be tossed with the waues of his owne corruptions and drawne aside by worldly enticements From whence proceed so many euill surmisings small care in bearing with couering the infirmities of the weake yea Christians must examine well their mortification that wofull sinne of spirituall pride but from vnmortified humours and vnexamined consciences Many thinke if they beleeue the Trinity with a generall confession of their sins all that God requiquireth they haue performed others if they haue had some pangs of sorrow others if they be brought to leaue their grosse sinnes they are not so bad as the worst therefore they imagine themselues to be equall with the best But the sacred Scriptures teach the ground of true repentance to be farre otherwise differing from this speculatiue mortification both in quaâ—titie and continuance To mortifie in the Scriptures is to crucifie or apply that which will make dead It is one thing to get sinne asleepe but it is another thing to get it dead for sleepe may be procured without paine but death cometh not ordinarily without sorrow and perplexitie This mortifying therefore is a destroying of the whole body of sinne an extinguisting of the power and vigour of it We Rom. 656. are grafied with Christ saith the Apostle into the similitude of his death which he in the next verse expoundeth to be a crucifying of the old man and destroying of the whole body of sinne Now this crucifying or destroying is expressed by diuers degrees first there is the wounding of sin when the sinner is pricked with remorse by the law So were those Conuerts at Peters Sermon said to be pricked in their hearts Acts 2. 37. whereupon they cried What shall we do to be saued Secondly a condemning of sinne when the sinner examineth and iudgeth himself guilty before the Lord and thus hath it bene with the Lords peculiar from time to time as may appeare in Dauid Daniel Iob the Prodigall and Dan. 9. 7. the Publican who humbled themselues as lyable to the iustice of the Almighty Thirdly the crucifying of sin when the sinner racketh his owne soule by godly sorrow driuing in the nayles of Gods threatnings restrayning his flesh thorow a spirituall reuenge for some of the 2. Cor. 7. 11. effects of godly sorrow that causeth repentance neuer to be repented of are indignation and reuenge Fourthly the killing of sinne when the sinner putteth off the body of sin and forsaketh his euill wayes The Apostle forbiddeth lying and he addeth an vndeniable reason Yee haue put off the old man with his workes Coloss 3. 9. Yea he enioyneth not a partiall but a thorowout mortification shewing that he which is not inwardly and thorowly mortified was neuer truely mortified Mortifie your members saith he which are on the earth fornication vncleannesse inordinate Where sinne is truly mortified there is no liking of it in the affections affection euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which is Idolatrie Here the Apostle would haue the conceptions and first inclinations to sinne crucified because they are the originall of all vngodlinesse Hence we see as also lamentable experience testifieth that many build vpon seeming shews and vaine perswasions for that alteration that true repentance maketh cannot be found and all for want of found mortification For as there must be renouation in euery facultie vnto all graces so there must be mortification of all sinnes in euery facultie whereas it is otherwise in Agrippa-like Christians and carnall Gospellers who vpon the quieting of conscience and absence of a powerfull Ministery dare fashion themselues according to the courses and customes of the times in apparel and communication not respecting the The mortified Christian watcheth against sinnes of omission Phil. 2. 12. vrgent necessitie of daily watchfulnesse with the constant practise of holy duties But the crucified Christian who seeketh and endeuoureth to worke out his saluation with feare and trembling vpon his daily sinnes executeth daily mortification concluding the necessity of renewed repentance from the sacred Scriptures and his owne corruptions and Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Thus faâ—re haue we waded in the first vse proceed in order to the second Vse 2 In the second place it taxeth those vnwritten verities in the Sea of Rome equalized and ballanced with the truth of sacred Scriptures But seeing that Dagon Popery not able to withstand the Scriptures is fallen before the Arke the fanne of the glorious Gospell hauing already winnâ—wed the chaffe from the wheat the mists of darknesse being expelled by the Sunshine of righteousnesse and the power of Bâ—bell displayed by the banners of him which rideth vpon the white horse infinite in wisedome and inuincible in power and maiestie it is not my purpose therefore to be very large in this vse of confutation although my text would beare me out against all the proud brags of that Antichristian Synagogue Well may we know that Papists together with the rabble of croking lesuites they are no babes they can speake for themselues or rather Baallâ— Though their speeches resemble the ordinarie qualities and conditions of deceiptfull trades-men who when their wares for insufficiency cannot sell themselues their glozing tongues can get quicke and speedy sale for them but for all their iugling glozing and dissembling they shall neuer cleare theÌ„selues from Christs sentence against the Pharises In vaine Matth. 15. 9. they worship me teaching for doctrines the precepts of men This appeareth by Papists build vpon man but Christians vpon God their sandy vnsound foundations whereupon they build as namely humane Consistories lying oracles Decretals apostaticall preferring darkenesse before light shadowes before substances Traditions before commandements yea the creature before the creator What can God do and the Pope cannot do Nay the Church is to iudge of the truth of the Scriptures Tremble Babel for the pride of the Church hath euer bene the ruine of the Church But to insist and search more narrowlie and to manifest
more clearely the rotten ground-worke of this Romish building the Rhemists theÌ„selues comment vpon our text and tell vs that the proper sence is That euery thing that a man doth against his knowledge and conscience is a sinne but they shew the ground neither for knowledge nor conscience something must be vnderstood which is not expressed or else the consequent must conclude that a man can neither erre in iudgement nor conscience which well may be gathered from some of their propositions as namely this one Ignorance the mother of deuotion For it is neither against knowledge nor conscience when that faith will serue which is fixed vpon the Church although that Church be grounded vpon the diuell himselfe Againe other stones there are which Iustificatio est actus indiuiduus ac simul totus belong to this brittle foundation as namely that second iustification by workes as if there were a first and a last in the act of iustification whereas it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a free acceptation of a mans person yea a iustifying of the vngodly as the Apostle witnesseth But to Rom. 4. 5. him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse If any regenerate man might haue merited any thing in the matter of iustification it could not haue bene but Dauid and Paul who were so abounding in the worke of the Lord might haue gained something for themselues but it is farre otherwise as appeareth by their owne testimonies in facred Scripture Lord saith Psal 143. 2. 1. Cor. 4. 4. Iustificatio exprimitur in Hebraico Hizdik Pro. 17. 15. in Graeco 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dauid enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no flesh liuing be iustified The Apostle likewise saith I haue in all good conscience serued God vnto this day neither know I any thing of my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified Besides the word to iustifie is opposed in the Scriptures to condemning signifying an absoluing or imputatiue iustice It is God that iustifieth who can condemne Yea the blessed Apostle Rom. 8. 33. 34. Isai 50. 8. Act. 13. 39. Paul is noâ— aâ—â—aid to publish in the Synagogue of the Iewes at Antioch that From all things from which they could not be iustified by the Law of Moses by him that is by Christ euery one that beleeueth is iustified Well saith Bernard to this purpose Bern. in fest Omnium Sanct. Serm. 1. Vaehominum iustitiae quantumvis laudabili si remota misericordia Dei iudicetur that is Wo to the righteousnesse of man were it neuer so laudable if God setting aside mercy enter to iudge it For this cause holy Iob is not ashamed to confesse that if he would dispute with God yet Iob. 9. 3. could he not make answer vnto one of a thousand Thus you see with what rubbish the foundation of the Romish Church is laid of which a workman would be ashamed yea neuer aduenture so great a building with so slippery a ground-worker but that the prophecy must be fulfilled in them as well as in other namely Christ to be a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence euen to them which stumble at Esay 8. 14. 1. Pet. 2. 8. the word being disobedient vnto the which things they were euen ordained Were it not so how could they withstand so plaine euidences of the spirit in sacred Scriptures as namely iustification only by faith without the works of the Law figured recorded by Moses the Prophets Christ and his Apostles Either it must be of grace or of debt but if debt then were Eph. 2. 8. grace no more grace In like manner they stand vpon Peters prerogatiues aboue the other Apostles which were a thing impossible to humaine reason were they not giuen vp to diabolicall delusions for no other Apostle we reade of that fell so often and grieuously as this man did They tel vs that he walked vpon the water so did none of the rest But what supernaturall act was this for herein by the testimony of the Euangelist he bewraied diffidence and much weakenesse and had not Christ caught him by the hand he had suncke What vnity Matth. 14. 30. therefore or vniformity can there be betwixt the Church of Christ and the Church of Antichrist when there is so Rome cannot stand for it wanâ—eth a sound foundation great difference in the principles Furthermore besides all this other stories there are or rather vanishing rubbish which prop and vphold this Romane Hierarchy neither of Christs or any of his Apostles getting or laying as namely that vngrounded doctrine of Transsubstantiation lately hatched and decreed at the Councell of Lateran being 1215 yeares after Christ vnder Pope Innocentius the third neuer taught by those Fathers of great antiquity namely Irenaeus Tertullian Cyprian Augustine Yea the Euangelists themselues Marke and Matthew are sufficient witnesses of Christs owne words who said that he would drinke no more of the fruite of the vine Matth. 26. 29. Marke 14. 25. which was not bloud but wine as Chrysostome and Cyprian both affirme These things being considered who can iustly Cal. lib. Instiâ— cap. 13. blame M. Caluin thogh he say the mother organ of popish traditions was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an erronious zeale and preposterous humour deriued from Satan the father of lies and vngrounded Axiomes And were not poore ignorant and deluded soules bewitched through the deceits of Satan and vanity of their minds drawne aside with those speculatiue shewes of Antichristian piety and withall blinded The doctriâ—â— of the Romish Church cannot be maintained by Scripture with those false perswasions of admired Cardinals how could it be but they should relinquish such impious falsities and counterfet holinesse grounded vppon nothing but mans inuention I could proceed in shewing the insufficiency and weaknesse of this declining Babell the head corner stone which should vphold the building being cast aside but their apparent folly I ceasse to speak of it being sufficiently manifested to the Church of God by the faithfull witnesses of the Almightie Let Iesuits therefore or rather He that preacheth Christ truly cannot but preach good workâ— Iebusites maintaine their faithlesse doctrines as of free will workes of superâ—rogation with such like yet let Sion fly to the Law and the Testimony and if they speake not according to this word it is as the Prophet saith because there is no light in them And although they falsely Esay 8. 20. charge the Embassadors of Christ as enemies vnto good workes let them set them no higher then the Scriptures and they shall set them no higher then we For we are his workemanship created in Ephes 2. 10 Christ Iesus vnto good workes that we should walke in them Besides The weapons of our warfare are notcarnall but spirituall mighty through God to cast downe 2. Cor. 10. 4. 5. holds casting
downe the imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing euery thought into captiuity vnto the obedience of Christ But where the Lord hath not a mouth to speake there his peculiar people may not haue an eare to heare for Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Vse 3 In the third place it layeth open and bewrayeth the miserable deluge of sinne in these last and worst dayes What aberrations How do men wander from the Lord denying by their works that God The liues of men ordinarily shew what they are that made them and Christ that bought them How few are the families which square their liues by the rule of faith Are not the greatest commandements the oftenest violated Are not these dayes like the sinfull dayes of Noah prophecied of by Christ wherein this principal grace of faith is so meanly prized But alas sins of all sorts in all sorts of people in fore Choro both in Church and market What iniquity can the corrupt heart of Sinne did euer and shal euer abound on the earth man imagine but it may be patronized by a practitioner and warranted by a defender How ridiculous and of base esteeme is the life of faith If any shall examine their liues the diuell by wicked men will forthwith examine and censure Satan can abide profession but not practise their heauenly courses To talke and discourse of religion Satan will sometimes permit but vniuersall and constant obedience he would neuer abide If thou dare set thy face towards Sion behold the northerne army of cruel Assirians No affinitie with sinne small frendship with the world Faith and the world were euer at variance For this is the victory which 1. Iohn 1. 4 ouer commeth the world euen our faith What concord can there be betwixt Christ and Beliall light darknesse Our Sauiour telleth the vnbeleeuing Iewes That the world cannot hate them but him it hated the reason Iohn 7. 7. followeth not for iniury but for innocency not for falshood but for truth he testified that the workes thereof were euill What is the cause that true pietie and grounded sincerity is of so smal account but because the world of the vnregenerate â— Iohn 5. 19. lieth in wickednes and faith to carnall affections bringeth little contentment How can it be that oppressours extortioners vsurers these idolatrouâ— worldlings together with thousands of delicious prodigals should entertaine the Gospell since Zaccheâ—â— must diuide his goods Mathew must bid farewell to his place of customary receipt yea the people of God must vse this world as if 1. Cor. 7. 31. The life of faith very difficult to nature they vsed it not How hard therefore will it be for such as trust in vncertaine riches to subiect themselues to this life of faith May not Gods Ministers take vp a lamentation What happy tidings from the word of faith which we preach how is the way to euerlasting blisse plainly beaten foorth yet how few delight to walke in it How sluggish are our common professours that cannot watch one houre and how faithlesse are those backsliding hypocrites as if the vnchangeable possessour of heauen and earth were vnfaithfull or vnable to recompence and fully reward his faithfull people Thus we see that streight is the way and small is the number that go it Ephraim is an vnruly heifer that will not be tamed Euer haue Gods Saints bene like the shaking of an oliue after the vintage Wicked men are mad men they will not be ordered they are deafe men they will not heare charme the Charmer neuer so wisely If that be sinne which is not done of saith how wofull will it be with the greatest number who neither know nor beleeue being blinde Old naturall men are very miserable for they are full of sinnes and dissolute hauing from their nonage to their old age wandred from the waies of God being seuen fold more the children of hell then they were in their mothers wombes If all actions that want faith be sins how many are the sins of those who were neuer enlightened with the knowledge of God My text hath driuen me into such a narrow streight so paled me in that I cannot get liberty either to licence the nouelties of the Athenians or the blindnesse of the Atheist or the idolatry of the Papist or the dreames of the Anabaptist or the hypocrisie of the Pharisie I am forced either Gods word giueth no libertie to any sin or sinner to raze my text or racke the conscience of euery vnregenerate man but seeing the grosse sinnes of our sinfull times are so apparently arraigned and condemned in all generall teaching and the light of conscience I desire to descend into particulars If therefore indifferent things must be of faith at least in the general how much more matters of greater importance No life of faith without â—â—amination Where is the examination of thoughts words actions Vnder what spirituall and heauenly promise do the workes of impenitents consist What vse can there be of faith without the life of faith For his will and promise are consonants they are companions and cannot be disioyned The vncharitable railer that spends his time in whispering and back-biting the sheepe of Christ who desire to glorifie He which hateth Gods people wanteth faith God in obedience whereas loue edifieth and thinketh not euill but where there is no loue especially to the childreÌ„ of God there is no faith for faith if it Galat. 5. 6. be sound worketh by loue In like manner the proud spirit and secure worldling that esteemeth the powerfull preaching of the Gospel a meane and needlesse labour promising to himselfe repentance without the constant and conscionable vse of the meanes setting at light the blessed doctrine of vocation although in an audible voyce it was hard from heauen This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him And the Apostle dare confidently affirme Matth. 17. 5. Rom. 10. 17. 41. both by doctrine and experience That faith commeth by hearing and no sound hearing without a preacher yea he acknowledgeth the Gospell of Christ to be Rom. 1. 16. the power of God to saluation to euery beleeuer And what good was done in Coâ—inth or Galatia he affirmeth that through Christ by his meanes it was wrought In Christ Iesus saith he to the Church at Corinth I haue begotten you 1. Cor. 4. 15. through the Gospell and expostulateth the matter with the Church at Galatia Gal. 3. 2. Thus receiued ye the Spirit by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of faith preached Thus then we see these wofull contemners of able and conscionable Ministers ground vpon no better a foundation then their corrupted imagination They It is a note of a wicked man not to loue and frequent the meanes of grace will not be guided by God nor established in Christ but
of people and Churches so was their doctrine diuiding the word of truth aright Amongst them of the circumcision the Apostle presseth the doctrine of faith but where the Gospell was established he vnfoldeth further 2. Cor. 6. 34. Tit. 2. 1. 2. 1. Tim. 6. 17. 18. the mysterie of godlinesse teaching other graces and gracious duties necessary and appertaining to Christian life Here we see the wisedome of God in scattering the Scriptures not onely for the making his people more diligent in searching them but also that they may The Brownist a wrester of holie Scripture in many things remaine in his iust iudgement a stone to stumble at euen to such as are disobedient and vnbeleeuing Furthermore would the Familist and Separatist take any paines in comparing Scripture with Scripture they should finde but weake grounds for their indiscreet and vngodly proceedings For although they are bold and peremptory in alledging Scripture yet if they were able to see their pride and ignorance they should finde but a slippery ground-worke to vphold and maintaine their wilfull separation The alledging of Scripture literally and solely without comparison will no more helpe in some cases then bare sufferings without the cause will helpe a man to be The diuell cunning in quoting Scripture Psal 91. 11. Matth. 4. 6. a Christian The diuell for his owne defence hath alledged Scripture he can tell Christ it is written That the Lord had giuen his Angels charge ouer him and with their hands they should lift him vp that at any time he dash not his foote against a stone therefore what if he cast himselfe downe from the pinacle of the Temple But the Lord Iesus knew that although this Scripture was truth yet it was no warrant for him to subiect himselfe to Christians must not consent to euerie quoter of Scripture Satans wil or enterprise such a needlesse action And can we perswade our selues that he laboureth not to traine vp as many as he can in such cunning sophistry will he leaue any arrow in his quiuer vnshot before he will be conquered When humane learning cannot serue he Satan a cunning sophister will not be afraid to vrge diuine Scripture Wofull experience witnesseth his working vpon the corruptions of corrupt professours causing their pride ignorance and hypocrisie to end in Anabaptisme Brownisme and Apostacie But let vs search some of their mainest grounds The first place which I purpose The ground of Separatists to shew is in the 1. Corinthians 5. 6. 7. 11. A little leauen doth leauen the 1. Cor. 5. 6. 7. 11 whole lumpe purge out therefore the old leauen If any which is called a brother be a fornicatour or an idolater or couetous or a rayler or drunkard or extortioner with such an one eate not But the Apostle saith not Particulars will not alwayes hold to maintaine generals Eate not with any that is disobedient but with a brother There were many that denyed the resurrection he commanded not these to be cast forth neither doth he say that when he shall come to them he will cast all such foorth as haue not repented of their fornication 2. Cor. 12. 21. and wantonnesse but bewaile them The person therefore that may not be eaten with is a brother a Christian by name one excommunicated the end whereof Our sharpe dealing with others must be sugred with loue vnto them 2. Thess 3. 14. 15. was not to root him out but to plant him in For this must be done that he might be ashamed neither was he to be accounted as an enemy but admonished as a brother The holy Fathers presently after the primitiue times were troubled themselues The Church euer troubled with schismatickes with such schismaticall Donatists as namely Parmenian and Cresconius with others who grounded themselues vpon this Scripture with such like Vnto whom Augustine writeth in this manner Cum quisque fratrum i. Christianorum intus in Ecclesâ—â— societate constitutorum in aliquo tali peccalo fueriâ— depreheÌ„sus vt Anathemate dign us habeatur fiat hoc vbi periculum schismatis nullum est c. August cont August cont Parm. lib. 3. cap. 3. When any of the brethren that is of the Christians which haue place within in the vnity of the Church be taken in some such sin that he may be counted worthy to be excommunicate let it be done where there is no danger of a schisme This man saith he Corripite non ad eradicandum sed ad corrigendum Cast out that he being stricken through feare may be healed through shame When seeing himselfe excommunicated of the whole Church he cannot finde a multitude to be of his fellowship with whom he may reioyce in his fin and insult ouer the good We see here by the testimony of the Father as also by the prastise of the Apostle that multitudes may not be reiected much lesse whole Churches as these Separatists dreame Lest while we go about to plucke vp Matth. 13. 24. the tares we plucke vp the wheat likewise Other Scriptures they ground vpon as these out of the Prophets Ieremiah 23. 28. What hath the chaffe to do with the Ierem. 25. 28. wheate Also vpon that in Esaiah 52. 11. Depart depart come out from thence touch Esay 52. 11. no vncleane things come out from the middest thereof and separate your selues you that beare the vessels of the Lord. But when was this separation was it not when Babel was incurable neare vnto destruction Otherwise the Prophets themselues yea Christ and his Apostles sinned when they were in the Temple with vngodly multitudes Hath not the chaffe bene euer The Church was neuer without hypocrites with the wheate Is there no chaffe at Amsterdam or hath God no people but there Hath there not bene hypocrites in the Church and who are worse or how shall they be winnowed before the separating Angell come with his The chaffe and the wheat must be together â—ntill the last day winnowing fan The cause now of their separation is because we are Babilonish the Church of England say they is idolatrous and antichristian Admit we were so which is a shamelesse slander yet this is no ground for present and sudden corporall separation If these who were extraordinarily gifted hauing withal the spirit of discerning separated not what ground hath the Brounist The Iewes and false teachers were superstitious enough yet Paul remained among them vntill the Lord called him from thence to go preach vnto them of the vncircumcision And so did Christ For what doth the Lord require more then a disioyning in affection fellowship Besides if all humane constitutions be simply sinnes then were all primitiue reformed Churches idolatrous and vncleane and the Apostles themselues guilty of sinne for communicating with such Nay further who may communicate with the Church of England although he digresse from the same order himselfe For we may not sit at
1. Cor. 8. 10. chap. 10. 21. the Idols table Therefore vntill they proue vs Babilonish and besides all that to be incurable their pretended grounds shall end in meeare conceits for Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne The last sort or sect that I purpose to meddle with who would faine seeke a staffe from Scripture to hold themselues by is the Papist One of their mainest grounds is in the Epstile of Iames 2. 24. Ye see then how that of workes a man is iustified Iam. 2. 24. and not of faith onely Here they ground their second iustification for Second iustification a mere inuention they would haue him that is iust to be more iustified although comparisons of greater and lesser do not make a seuerall kind but declare an increase in the same kind of iustification and not a new kind of iustification Now wheras the Apostles Paul and Iames may seeme to contradict and oppose themselues the one prouing so often in his Epistles that we are iustified by faith without the workes Rom. 4. 3. Galat. 3. 6. of the Law alledging the example of Abraham for iustification by faith whom the Apostle Iames here vseth for iustification by works We must therefore examine and scanne sundry necessarie questions for the reconciling of them as also for the remouing the aduersary from off his blind ground in this weighty point The first question to be scanned is what faith the Apostle Iames meaneth or speaketh of in this place the which he maketh so insufficient whether historicall miraculous hypocriticall or liuely and operatiue It is true that the Apostle Paul speaketh of the last as appeareth Gal. 5. 5. 6. Galathians 5. 5. 6. Circumcision auaileth nothing nor vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue But the Apostle Iames No opposition betweene the Apostles I am 2. 19. Great difference betwixt a liuing faith and a dead faith speaketh of the first namely historicall as appeareth in the 19. verse of this second chapter which he calleth the faith of diuels So then they both speake the truth the one that we are iustified by faith onely without workes speaking of a liuely faith the other that we are not iustified by faith onely speaking of a dead barren and counterfet faith The second question to be scanned is what iustification the Apostle Iames meaneth for there is a twofold iustification as there are sundry sorts of faith First therefore we are iustified before God of which iustification the Prophet Dauid speaketh Psa 32. 1. 2. Blessed is that Rom. 43. Psal 32. 1. 2. man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not his sinne Of which righteousnesse and iustification the Apostle Paul speaketh who saith That Abraham beleeued and it was Gods promise a sufficient ground for iustifying faith counted vnto him for righteousnesse The other iustification is before men which we haue by workes they being as euidences that we are righteous before God Of this iustification doth the Apost Iames speake for Abrahams offering vp of his sonne could not be the cause of his righteousnesse before God for his Rom. 4. 18. faith in the promise was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse thirty yeares before he offered vp his sonne Therefore before God was his faith not made perfect through workes but before men Besides we reade of but few workes that the theefe on the crosse wrought Yet Luke 23. 42. 43. through faith was he iustified and the heauenly paradise promised vnto him The third question to be scanned is what works the Apostle Iames meaneth whether workes going before or after faith It is certaine that the Apostle Paul speaketh of workes going before faith which he denieth to be able to iustifie vs as appeareth Galath 5. 2. 3. 4. Behold I Paul say vnto you that if ye be circumcised Gal. 5. 23. 4. Christ shall profit you nothing for I testifie againe to euery man which is circumcised that he is bound to keepe the whole Law Ye are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the Law ye are fallen from grace But Saint Iames speaketh of workes which follow faith as appeareth in the 18. verse Iames 2. 18. In nature causes of things go before their effects where he saith thus Shew me thy faith out of thy workes and I will shew thee my faith by my workes Besides the author to the Hebrewes declareth that Abrahams obedience and sacrifice was a worke following faith for he saith That by faith Hebr. 11. 17. Abraham offered vp his sonne Isaacke Workes then that follow Iustification cannot be the causes thereof wherefore the Apostle Iames must needs speake of Iustification before men and not before God The fourth question to be scanned is touching the persons with whom they haue to deale a distinction is very apparent Rom. 103. The Apostle Paul was to deale with pharisaicall hypocrites and Iewish teachers who held and taught that vnlesse they obserued the law of Moses they could not be saued But the Apostle Iames was to deale with carnall libertines and Epicure-like professours who boasted of a barren faith and neglected to bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse Many there were that vpon the preaching of faith gaue libertie to the flesh and thereby became the seruants of corruption as the Apostle Peter witnesseth 2. Pet. 2. 18. 19 therefore there must needs be necessitie of their seuerall doctrine and no opposition in it the one being to deale with such as too much preferred workes the other being to deale with such as too much neglected them From whose examples People of different qualities must haue different doctrine preached vnto them the Ministers of the Gospell may learne that one kind of doctrine cannot be necessarie at all times in all places and to all persons therefore must they take heede to their flockes wisely and perfectly to guide by the rule of faith in the life of life for Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Vse 5 The fift vse is an admonition against ignorance Our doctrine will not giue vs libertie nor licence to pleade for simplicity Knowledge very necessarie to the life of faith Christians may make some vse of Satan for he knowes much and laboureth much Pro. 8. 10. 11. for where there is blindnesse in the iudgement there cannot be but sin in the practise Therefore search we for knowledge as for hid treasures let vs make choise of wisedome before gold and preferre it before pearles But for our better proceeding consider we of some motiues and speciall inducements The first is the necessitie of knowledge Our grand enemy the Diuell is subtill and well practised in our manifold corruptions yea he vnderstandeth historically the Scriptures he rageth in these last and worst dayes insomuch that although he cannot hinder many from profession yet he keepeth many from sauing knowledge driuing men into extreames conceits and base absurdities Pray we therefore earnestly for a sanctified vnderstanding Secondly knowledge