but to eat the flesh of the son of mā to drink his bloud is nothing else but to eat the bread of life wherupon it directly followeth that therfore it is nothing else to eat the flesh of the sonne of mā to drink his bloud but to beleue in him Which also is euident in that you shall find in that chapter within the compasse of the foresaide verses the same thinges both promised to the eaters and drinkers of Christes fleshe and bloude and to the beleeuers in him and also the same things threatned to the not eaters and drinkers thereof which are to the not beleeuers in him Which argueth that they are both one especially seeing the one is put for the other in the Chapter following verse 37.38 In the former whereof we reade thus Nowe in the last and great day of the feast Iesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come vnto me drinke but in the latter whereas if he had continued the metaphoricall speech wherein he beganne he shoulde haue saide he that commeth vnto me and drinketh of mee changing his phrase and yet retayning his former meaning to shewe vs that to drinke him is nothing else but to beleeue in him hee saieth in the steed thereof Hee that beleeueth in me as saith the Scripture out of his bellie shall flowe riuers of waters of life And therefore not without good ground said Augustine Crede manducasti Beleeue and thou hast eaten Tract 25. vpon Iohn And Tertullian de resurrectione carnis 29. writeth that Christ is auditu deuorandus ruminandus intellectu fide digerendus that is to be deuoured by hearing to be chewed on by vnderstanding and to be digested by faith So that by all these proofes laide together wee see that Christ is receiued by faith that wee growe in him by faith yea to a perfect man in Gods sight and lastly that hee is as surely apprehended of vs by faith to our spirituall maintenance in the worde preached and sacramentes ministred which are the dishes wherein one and the selfe-same Christ is offered vnto vs as meate and drinke being set before vs is taken in by eating or drinking thereof to our temporall nourishment Whereof the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud is a most effectuall ratification and particular confirmation to euery right receiuer thereof by faith If it were otherwise that wee coulde not get to be in Christ and hee in vs by faith in him but to accomplishe this it were necessary bodily to take him into vs by the mouth of our bodies then forasmuch as there were neuer any that died that coulde be blessed that died not in him all the good Patriarkes Prophets and other seruantes of GOD that died before hee had an humane body must bee condemned But the contrary thereof is euident in that Abraham is placed in state of saluation by Christ Luk. 16.24 c. Yea and with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Luk. 13.28.29 And therefore Paul is bolde 1. Cor. 10.3.4 to say of them that were before Christ that they all ate one spirituall meate and dranke the same spirituall drinke that we doe Christ which coulde not be otherwise effectually but by beleeuing aright in CHRIST to come Let vs therfore labour by diligent vse of the meanes that GOD hath appointed vs for that purpose to attaine to a right and sounde faith in Christ and to nourishe it still by the vse of the same meanes seeing thereby wee see it commeth to passe that wee put on Christ and be vnited vnto him so that wee may bee saide according to the vsuall phrase of the Scripture to bee in him and consequently alwaies found ready to dye in him Of which number I count as well them that died before Christ in a right faith in him to come as since in him already come But not by euery kind of faith But nowe least wee deceiue our selues in thinking we haue attained vnto this faith and so are in Christ when it is nothing so wee are diligently to consider what manner of faith that is and of what nature it is that worketh this great and glorious effect And the rather are wee diligently to consider hereof because this woorde Faith is not alwaies taken in one and the selfe-same signification in the Scriptures for there are diuers sortes and kindes of faith Not by the miraculous faith Vnderstande therefore Righte Honourable and welbeloued in our Sauiour Iesus Christ that it is not fides miraculosa a faith to woorke miracles by that is a resolution by some extraordinarie meanes of Gods will to worke a wonder and therefore thereupon to attempt it in his name and to bring it to passe that maketh vs haue this fellowshippe with Christ For of such as haue this faith we reade thus Mat. 7.22.23 Many wil say vnto me in that day saith Christ Lorde Lorde haue we not in thy name prophecied And by thy name cast out Diuels And done many great workes And then will I professe to them Not by the historicall faith I neuer knewe you depart from me you workers of iniquitie Neither is it an historicall faith onely whereby wee assent to the trueth of those thinges that are written in the Scripture For no doubt of it the very diuels of hell are enforced to yeeld thus much to their smart and woe And therefore we read Iames. 2.19 The diuels beleeue and tremble Not by the temporarie saith Neither is it a temporary faith fleeting in the conceite of man not firmely setled and rooted in his heart For such as haue that kinde of faith onely are compared by our sauiour Christ Mat. 13. to the thornie and stonie ground wherein though for a time the good seede of the woorde seemed to make faire promise of a plentifull haruest yet ere due time of haruest came either through the cares and pleasures of this life it was so choaked and ouer growen or through the scorching heate of persecution so burnte vppe that it came to no good And therefore you haue hearde that it is sayde heare not without cause Which dye in the Lorde to shewe vs that it must bee a continuing and perseuering faith vnto the ende howsoeuer in the meane time it bee assaulted that must serue the turne in this case to make vs such as of whom the LORDE here speaketh Not by the dead faith I say further that a faith though seeming to be neuer so liuelye in woordes yet if it be fruitlesse in good woorkes it is not the faith that canne make vs to be in Christ For both immediatlye before the woordes of my text and in the ende thereof it is euident that a faith accompanied with good woorkes is heere required For before you reade that Iohn set downe these woordes Heere is the patience of Saintes heere are they that keepe the commaundementes of GOD and the faith of Iesus And my text concludeth that
might be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the woorkes of the lawe because that by the workes of the Lawe no fleshe shal be iustified In which words he excludeth from the office of iustifying not onely the workes of vnbeleeuers but also of them that beleeue saying that he and such as he was which beleeued in Christ did so beleeue not that they might bee enabled thorowe their owne woorkes to iustifie vp themselues but the plaine contradictorie that is that they beleeued in him that they might still bee iustified by their faith in him and not by their woorkes which were woorkes done after their faith though he calleth them the workes of the Lawe because therein they were prescribed Againe where haue they any grounde for this pointe of diuinitie that CHRIST merited that their workes or the woorkes of any shoulde bee meritorious Doe they not see that this were in effect to say that CHRIST communicateth his owne glorious office of beeing a Sauiour to those workes and so remaineth not a full and a perfect Sauiour in him-selfe and by himselfe Whereas we reade flatly to the contrary Isai 43.11 where hee sayth vnto vs thus I euen I am the Lorde and beside me there is no sauiour To conclude therefore this point if the righteousnesse that GOD hath prouided for vs in CHRIST were not the righteousnesse that should make vs righteous why is it that wee reade that the faithfull shall say Isai 45.24 In the Lorde haue I righteousnesse and strength and that his name shall be our righteousnesse Ierem. 23.6 33.16 And that the Messias shall bring with him an euerlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 Who seeth not that it is seeing God hath appointed that we shoulde be so iustified as that the whole glorie may bee his and none ours which cannot be if it come by any woorkes at all done by vs Rom. 3.27 4.4 to make vs conclude with Paul that he is made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redeÌ„ption that he that reioyceth may reioice in him 1. Cor. 1.30.31 If yet they wil say that this caÌ„not be that we shoulde bee termed or accounted righteous by a righteousnesse that is not in our selues but in Christ I aske them why they holde so They must answere because it is a principle in Philosophie that the accident must bee in the subiect whereof it hath denomination To whom fiest I answere that it is not in vaine that Saint Paul hath giuen vs this warning be wâ—â—e least there be any that spoile you through vaine Philosophie Colos 2.8 Secondly I say that howsoeuer this be a sounde principle in Philosophie yet it is false in diuinitie which I prooue thus Christ was one in whom there was no sin Isai 53.8 and yet we read that the Lorde laide vpon him the iniquities of vs all verse 6. In so much that he was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities and the chastisement of our peace was laide vpon him and with his stripes we are healed ver 5. Whereby I see that our vnrighteousnesse was imputed vnto him though there were no vnrighteousnesse at all inherent in him Where-uppon it must needes followe that as well may his righteousnesse bee imputed vnto vs which beleeue that of our selues are vnrighteous Yea no doubt of it that change hath GOD made with vs in him to impute vnto him our vnrighteousnesse that his righteousnesse might bee imputed vnto vs. For we reade that hee was made sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that we should be made the righteousnesse of GOD in him 2. Cor. 5.12 By Iohn therefore hee willeth the Laodiceans Apoc. 3. to come to him to buy of him but freely Isai 55. 1. long white garmentes to couer their nakednes vers 18. That is to haue at his hands by faith perfect righteousnesse whereby they may bee made righteous And what peeuishnes is this to deny the imputation of Christes righteousnesse to the beleeuer in him and to holde that the righteousnesse of Saints may bee imputed vnto him that buyeth a pardon which they all holde And how can it bee otherwise but that his righteousnesse shoulde bee the righteousnes of all theÌ„ that beleeue in him For it being as it is an infinite and absolute righteousnesse and they that beleeue in him thereby being as you haue heard in him and one with him how can it be I say any otherwise but that those thinges that bee in him should so farre bee communicated vnto them as is meet and necessarie for them Whereupon it commeth that we reade Apoc. 3.21 he saith that he will grant to them that ouercome to sitte with him in his throne as he ouercomining sitteth with the father in his But to passe from this point to the last particular branch of their faith wherein they plainely confesse that their faith breedeth not in them assuraunce and confidence of their saluation but such a hope onely as may be ioyned with doubtfulnesse whether it shal be so in the ende or no. I will easily grant them that as long as they builde beside the onely foundation Christ as they doe vpon the satisfactions and merites of man it cannot be otherwise Nay I say further that forasmuch as there is no couenant betwixt God and man of any saluation but onely in Christ Iesus the promised seede for all the promises runne in the singular number In one which is Christ Gal. 3.16 and they are all yea amen in him 2. Cor. 1.20 it is horrible presumption so farre off it is from being humility for theÌ„ once to hope or to call in question whether they may or shal be saued seeking for any part thereof for any thing that is not be For it is to looke after some fort to bee saued after a meere fancy and deuise of man full of robberie and blasphemy against Iesus Christ which howe absurd it is let any man iudge And as long as their owne consciences enforce them to confesse that they haue no better faith than this let them be assured that though they we are their tongues to the stumpes and their knees till there grow bornes on thrm in praying to GOD for their saluation they shall neuer be heard For it is written Iam. 1.6.7 Let him aske in faith wauer not for he that wauereth is like the waue of the Sea tost and caried awaie neither let that man thinke that he shall receaue any thing of the Lord. And whereas an assured confidence of saluation in Christ is counted of them presumption I say they may be ashamed but once to thinke so For vnto the right beleeuer God hath first giuen his generall promise that such a one whatsoeuer hee be shall not perish but haue eternall life Iohn 3.16 And this woorde is in writing in the place before named and else where very often in GODS booke and in the vse of the Sacramentes it is particularly applyed to euery one that so beleeueth Roman 4.
to beleeue that for his â—â—ly sake they shal not only be quit of al their sins the punishmeneâ— due for the same but that also God will vouchâ—â—â—â— to accouÌ„t theÌ„ righteous and woâ—â—thy or meet for the kingom of heauen for his righteousnes imputed vnto theÌ„ So that faith seeketh for the whol matter and cause to be saued by in Christ Iesus alone in him alone it findeth apprehendeth sufficient matter why the owner of it shold be iustified and saued The grouÌ„d of this faith in the coÌ„futation of the popish faith you haue heard already wherunto ad yet these 2 manifest places wherof the first is in the 10. of Ioh. 1. 7. where Christ flatly teacheth that he is the only dore into Gods sheepfold that so earnestly that he pronouÌ„ceth theÌ„ all theeues robbers that seek to get in any other way The other is in the 4. of the Act. 10.12 where we read that Peter boldly before the high Priests and their company in a solemne assembly sayth Be it knowen vnto you all to all the people of Israell that there is saluatioÌ„ in no other but in Iesus of Nazareth For amoÌ„g meÌ„ there is giueÌ„ no other naÌ„e vnder heaueÌ„ wherby we must be saued The which 2 places if there wer no more to be fouÌ„d through out the whole scripture were sufficient to put vs out of all doubt that there is no part of saluation to be looked for but only in through and for Iesus Christ And therfore the greater is the iudgment of God vppon the Church of Rome which notwithstanding these places will yet seeke for some part of the cause of their saluation by their owne satisfactions and merites But 〈◊〉 to whom the Lord hath giuen grace to see the glorious riches which hee hath prepared for vs in this his son hereby may be assured the seeing there lacketh in Christ neither ablenesse nor willingnes to be such a one that wtout all wauering wee may he bold to beleeue that God as both able and willing freely fully soly wholy to iustifie vs here and to glorifie vs elswhere for this his sons sake alone Which persuasion grounded vpoÌ„ this and other such groundes in the Scripture before touched is that which I boldly affirme vnto you to be the faith that indeede maketh vs to be in the Lord so ready to dye in the Lorde I exhort you therfore as many as be desirous to dye in the Lord to seeke in time by this sayth to liue in the Lord. Remember that it is the Lordes gift that by the ordinary means of the word preached Gal. 5. Ro. 10.14 1. Cor. 1.21 And therfore if you would haue it and hauing it once reteyne and keepe it you must diligently seeke it at the Lords hands by the vse of this means and that while the Lord doch offer the means vnto you least as he threatneth Pro. 1.24.26 Because he called ye refused he will laugh at your destructioÌ„ mock when your fear commeth Do not defer off the seeking for it and the streÌ„gthening of it vntil old age come If you wil do in it you must learne to liâ—â— in iâ— first and there is no reason yâ— you should spend the strength of your dayes in vanity ignorance misbeliefe and infidelity in the seruice of 〈◊〉 in the and 〈◊〉 these things are weary of you to think that it is enough to serue God with your old dry rotten bones God neuer liked to be serued with the lame blinde and maimed of the flock but the strong lusty vnblemished hee alwaies called for Mal. 1.8 13. And therfore let euery one in his youth time of his streÌ„gth remeÌ„ber his creatour turn vnto him Ec. 12.1 A briefe report testimony of the Earle of Bedfords life and death Of this fayth and early and timely seeking for it this noble person whose funeral and burrall we are now about hath bin a noble example vnto vs. For we know that not only in his later daies in her Maiesties time that now is when to be of this fayth was and hath bin safe and commendable vnto him but also before when to shewe himselfe of this fayth was daungerous to his liuing and honour he hath shewed himselfe in his life a zealous and constant professor and confessour of this faith vsing al good means both priuatly and publikely to nourish it by the diligent vse of the means aforesayd I my selfe haue bin both an eye witnesse and an eare witnesse that both in respect of his sins he had infallible tokens of a very broken and contrite hart and thought as baselye of himselfe in respect of himselfe as a true penitent man should and that yet casting his eyes vpon Gods mercyes towards such in Christ noâ—â—aÌ„ could be more comforted and râ—ysed vp agayne Notwithstanding he was as free from the common corruptions of the world wherinto â—eâ— of his place are greatly assaulted and prouoked to fall and as ful of loue and charity and all the fruites thereof as lightly amongst men any can be found yet this I canne testifie of him and I thinke so canne all that knew him and were acquainted with him that he was neuer the more puffed vppe with any conceyt of his own righteousnes yea though his course of life and dealing with all men were such that he had got this title commonly in the mouthes of al The good Earle of Bedforde yet stil his cry was that only in Iesus Christ and his merites was all his hope and trust concerning his saluation And truely as he liued in this faith in this sort so to the glory of his God al our good exaÌ„ple and his own euerlasting comforte hee dyed constantly in the same And therefore as they that were most about him can testifie a litle before his death in this his last sicknesse out of the abundance of his heart and fayth that was lodged therein hee vttered these words with great comfort Satan is cheyned Satan is cheyned The seede of the woman hath broken the serpentes head The seede of the woman hath broken the serpents head Euen for mee Euen for mee And a little before his death he ioyned in prayer with a godly Minister whom hee kept in his house for the watering of himself and his family from time to time with the water of life vnto the Lorde most earnestly and made in his hearing after some good comfort giuen him by him a notable sweete and Christian confession of his fayth in God the father God the son and God the holy Ghost shewing how fully he hoped to be saued in and for Iesus Christs sake alone coÌ„cluding in the end thus Thus I beleeue with my heart to iustification confesse with my mouth to saluation and so quietly within a very litle space after gaue vppe the Ghost I dare therefore be bolde to place him within the number of them that here in my text the
that I alwaies seeke is to edifie theÌ„ that heare me with as good and necessary doctrine as I can As for gloriousnesse of words pleasant and delicate speech I think it becommeth the philosophers chaire but not the pulpit For I finde that Paul hath written that hee vvas not sent to Preache the Gospell vvith vvisedome of vvoordes least the Crosse of Christ should bee made of none effect 1. Corinth 1.17 And therefore vvhen hee came among them he saieth hee came not vvith excellencie of vvoordes or of vvisedome shevving vnto them the testimonie of God For hee esteemed not to knovve anie thing among them saue onelie Iesus Christ and him crucified 1. Corinth 2.1.2 Sometimes there are some sentences of the Doctors and ancient fathers interlaced but they are not by mee at any time alleadged as though their testimonie or iudgement vvere a sufficient argument to grounde a trueth vpon For all trueth must haue and hath his sufficient warrant from the canonicall Scriptures and hauing so it is a trueth though all the Doctors and Fathers shoulde gaine-saie it I onely therefore bring them in as vvitnesses of the trueth in their times receiued partly to shewe the Popish vaine bragge of antiquitie in these pointes and partely to beate them from their errours vvith their owne weapons Howbeit herein I haue beene very sparing though indeed I might haue beene in the citing of them verie plentifull they are so full of excellent sentences to the same endes and purposes for the vvhich these fewe out of them vvere alleadged Nowe my reasons that moue me to bee so bolde as to make this Sermon appeare againe after this sorte vnder your Lordshippes protection making my choise of you to dedicate it vnto are these First I am perswaded that you vvere a principall meanes that I vvas occasioned first to conceaue and preach it Secondly you are the man to whome among all other and aboue all other I am most bound for your manifolde kindenesses diuersly shewed vnto mee and therefore hee that maie most iustly chalenge all dutifulnesse and tokens of thankefulnesse vvhich lie in my poore povver to shewe amongest vvhich I beseech you accept this as one though it bee but a small one Thirdely I knowe suche is your sincere affection to the trueth of Doctrine therein contayned and such vvas your vnfayned loue and affection to-vvardes him whose memoriall it still reuiueth that as you took pleasure in hearing of it once so you wil delight your selfe in reading perusing of it often Which reasons considered I hope you will beare with my boldnes herein and others I trust whosoeuer they bee will approue of this my so doing And therefore beseeching the Lord of his mercy long to preserue you your vertuous and good wife my verie good Ladie with all your children in health all true honour and prosperity I cease from any farther troubling of your Honor at this time At Bletchley the 25. of December 1585. Your honours alwaies to commaund THOMAS SPARKE Text. Apocal. 14.13 I hearde a voice from heauen saying vnto me write Blessed are they that die in the Lord thencefoorth euen so saith the spirit that they rest from their labours and their workes accompany them The certainty of the truth in this scripture conteined noted to breede attention obedieÌ„â—e thereto THis present occasion considered right honorable dearly beloued in our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus this portion of Scripture offereth most fit necessary matter both to me to speak of to you to he are For as you may well perceiue herein is set down what the state and condition of al those is that die in the Lorde yea immediatly vpoÌ„ that their death Of which number I hope all you here present are fully perswaded this honorable person whose funerall day heere this is was one And the more reuerently both to mooue me to speake thereof and to prouoke you all the more attentiuely to listen to that which is therin auouched we are to wey that that which herein is set down is a proposition or assertion not first deuised vttered and recorded by the will wit of man but which came downe from heauen left in writing thus vnto vs by expresse and speciall commandement from thence confirmed also to be most true by the assent and approbation of the holy Ghost For Iohn the beloued disciple of Iesus Christ a faithfull witnesse testifieth vnto vs that he heard a voice from heauen commaunding him to write it also hee telleth vs that this heauenly voice had no sooner tolde him that the thing which he shoulde write was this Blessed are they that dye in the Lorde thenceforth but that the Spirit said yea vnto it adding further that such rest from their labors and that the woorkes of such accompany them Wherefore in the feare of God we are al of vs so to consider of the matter taught vs in this proposition as of matter most weighty most certain true For if Iohn himself had left it in writing but by the ordinarye direction of his Apostolike spirite wee ought not at all to haue doubted either of the necessarinesse or certainety thereof For euen thereby both hee and all the rest of his fellowes writers of the Canonical Scriptures were euer preserued in their writinges both from all erring in their writings and also from committing vnto writing any needelesse or vnprofit able thing Howe much lesse it being as you haue hearde most earnestlie affirmed and by most inuincible authoritie confirmed and strengthened may we doubt of any thing taught vs in this heauenly oracle Out of all doubt euen hereby we are to begin with al al of vs fast bound most readily to beleeue euery thing to be most certainelye true which herein is taught whatsoeuer wee haue taught heeretofore or fleshe and bloode can say to the contrarie hereafter otherwise most gracelessely wee shoulde call into question whether there be trueth or no in a most vehement asseueration of the almighty which once to doe were blasphemie The scope occasion and other circumstaunces thereof The scope and drift that our most wise and louing GOD had in causing these woordes to be registred and recorded in this booke after this sort to the eternall consolation of his considered wee shall euen thereby perceiue that it was not without very great cause why euen thus they were set downe For it appeareth in certaine chapters before this whereof these woordes are a part that it was reuealed vnto Iohn how Antichrist shoulde come grow and flourish in his kingdome to the ecclipsing of the trueth marueilouslie Wherefore in this Chapter as our verie aduersaries are compelled to confesse to his comfort and the farther consolation of the Church the Lord vouchsafeth to reueale vnto him the fall of Antichrist and the manner how in this sorte first in causing him to see an Angell flie in the middest of heauen hauing an euerlasting Gospell to preach vnto them that dwell
inforced our Rhemists vpon this place though they plainly shew that they would very gladly haue the words restrained only to Martyrs that so easily they might shifte off the place when it is alleadged against their purgatory to confesse that yet it may be takē as spoken generally of all that departe in the state of grace Wherefore seeing this general sense most fully and strongly answereth the circumstances of the text best agreeth with the letter therof offereth more generall comfort to Gods children accordeth best with the vse of the same and other the like phrases in other places of the Scripture in so much that our very aduersaries against whom most that sensr maketh haue in print confessed that that may be the sense we may safelye conclude that they which are here spoken of are all generally that depart this life in Christ Iesus our Lorde whether they liued or dyed before Christ or since or shall hereafter and children dying within Gods election and couenaunt The necessitie of perseuerance This thus concluded determined it is worthy to bee marked that it is saide which die in the Lord. For therby we learne that vnlesse we perseuere vnto our end in refusing the beasts marke both in forehead hand that is any way to be fauorers of the abhominatiōs and superstitions of Antichrist what meanes soeuer he vse to seduce vs and continue also in a constāt and sincere profession of Christs truth vnto our death that here is no comfort at all offered vnto vs but our portion is set downe before by the voice of the 3. Angell to drinke of the cup of Gods wrath and to be tormented euermore Wherfore let euery one of vs not only take warning by the light of the gospell shining nowe amongest vs to seperate our selues quite from Antichrist and his religiō and to be no fauorers of him or his opinions either secretly or openly but let vs also imbrace the sincere religion of Iesus Christ offered vnto vs by the gospel and perseuere in the zealous profession therof what means soeuer fraudulent or violent he shal vse to shake vs and so doing wee may bee sure we are of the nūber here spokē of els not For it is writē He that perseuereth to the end shal be saued Mat. 10.22 Be faithful vnto the ende I wil giue thee the crown of life Apo. 2.10 on the other side No mā that putteth his hande to the plough looketh hack is meete for the kingdō of God Luk. 9.62 most fearfully is the iudgmēt of God denoūced against al apostataes and reuolters frō a known truth Heb. 6.4.5.6 10.26.27 and in the 2. epistle of Pet. 2.20.21.22 By this therfore that wee haue heard already we see that neither Turkes Iewes Pagans nor Atheistes can be of the number heare spoken of that dye in the Lorde because they doe not acknowledge Iesus Christ so much as to bee a Lord yea and that it is not enough for a time neuer so well to acknowledge him to be Lorde and king and professe faith in him vnlesse wee perseuere in our so doing vnto our death let antichrist do what he can against vs therfore and that so al backsliders from the sincere religion of Iesus Christ are also shut out from this number of thē that dye in the Lord. The necessitie of spiritual vnion with Christ Further yet we are to weigh the force of this phrase in the lord for it is of great importance in that euidently thereby is taught vs that there is a very nigh coniunction and vnion necessarily required to bee betwixt the Lorde and them that euer woulde bee of the number of them that die in the Lorde It is not enough therefore for such to knowe the Lorde what hee is in nature and what hee is in office and to be able and willing to vtter their knowledge vnlesse therewithall they proceede euen to be in the Lord. For the former is but to come nigh him which is nothing except wee get into him The necessitie of this vnion betwixt vs and our Lord and Sauiour Iesus or else wee cannot bee saued ariseth of this that wheras our saluation lyeth in an attonement and vnion betwixt god and vs and there is no other meanes in the wisedome of God found out and appointed to vs men hauing by our sinnes made a diuision betwixt him and vs to recouer this vnion againe with God but by becomming one with Christ Iesus our Lord in whose person for our sakes God-head and māhoode bee vnited so that thereupon it must needs thus stand with vs that vntill wee bee in Christ and so one with him wee remaine still deade in our sinnes and trespasses at enmitye with God and indeede without life before him But when it is once come to passe that wee are in him ingrafted and growing in him then our heauenly father being well pleased in him becommeth to be so also in vs for his sake Whereuppon it must needes bee that our sinnes are forgiuen and that we are at one againe with God and liue in deede in his sight in that Christ liueth in vs and wee in him So that as necessary as the vnion of the soule and body of man be to cause this temporall life so needefull is the vnion of Christ spiritually to euery man to cause him to liue before God For as the body is dead when the soul is sundred from it so whole man though otherwise in respect of this common life he be neuer so liuely is starke dead spiritually whiles Christ and hee be seuered For as we read 1. Ioh. 5.11 that this is a most certain truth that God hath giuen vnto vs eternal life so this is as certaine as it there followeth that this life is in his sonne Wherupon as he saith in the next verse thus the case stādeth that he that hath the sonne hath life and he that hath not the son hath not life For confirmation of this doctrine of the necessitye of our spirituall and mysticall vnion with Christ it serueth that he is called the head and all that shall be saued his Church and body Colos 1.18 Eph. 1.22.23 and that he is compared by himself Ioh. 15.5 to a vine whereinto his heauenly father so ingrafteth al those as branches that shall be saued that they grow in him and that also Ioh. 6.55 where he compareth his flesh to meat indeede and his blood to drinke indeede in the eating and drinking whereof lyeth saluation and in the not eating and drinking whereof lyeth damnation as there hee sayeth expreslye verse 53.54 For by these metaphors it is euident especiallye seeing the grounde of them is the similitude betweene the metaphor and the thing metaphorised euen in this pointe that as the bodye receiueth life from the heade and is dead without it as the branch though it bee neuer so neere the vine stock yet if it abide not in it and growe not in it hath no