authoritie or power ouer them for notwithstanding their defection and Apostacie he doth not cease to be still their Lord and their Iudge as he is also vnto the Deuils and vnâ—o other reprobates But this is it whiche wee â—olde that they be not the children of God Gal. 3. nor comprehended within his couenant Rom. 9.8 that â—o them the promises of saluation concerning their efficacye and operation doe not â—ppertaine Gal. 4.6 and that they haue not the spirite of adoption which hath ingrauen and â—ealed the grace of God in their heartes and maketh them to cry Abba father But now to speake properly God is God onely of those who by faith are ingrafted into the family of Abraham and made the children of the promise by reason whereof ten tribes of Israell hauing seuered themselues from the couenant of God vnder the crowne of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat God doth denounce vnto theÌ„ by his Prophet that he doth not acknowledge them any more for his people And to assurr â—n better therof he commandeth the Prophet to call his last sonne his name Locrian for ye are not sayth he my people Hos 1.9 therefore will I not be your God To the Iewes also who made their boast that they had God to be their father Iesus Christ who knew verie well that they had broken his couenant reiecting and persecuting him so obstinately as they did he I say who is the onely meanes and grounde thereof sayd vnto them Ioh. 8.42 Ioh. 8.44 If God were your father then would you loue me for I proceded forth and came from God neither came Iâ— my selfe but he sent me Ye are of your father the Deuill and the lusts of your father ye will doe 〈◊〉 hath beene a murtherer from the beginning â— aâ— abode not in the truth because there is no truthâ— him When he speaketh a lye then speaketh heâ— his owne for he is a lyer and the father thereoâ— By this speech which Iesus Christ had witâ— the Iewes it may well be thought that theâ— were farre ouer-shot in their reckoning tâ— thinke they were the children of God becauâ— they were circumcised and bare about theâ— the tokens of his couenant seeing they were so farre of from being accounted for such as â—he doth rather esteeme them the seed and progenie of the Deuill because they yelded themselues wholly obedient to his hests which are to loue vntrueth and to seeke the death of all those who loue preach or fauor in what sort soeuer the truth We must not then iudge by outward apearance of those that are of the house and family of God For there are many of whom his name is called vpon and who say vnto him Lorde Lorde Math. 7.21 which shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen but he onely that doth his will Many sayth Iesus Christ speaking to the Iewes will say to me in that day Lord Lord haue we not by thy name prophesied and by thy name cast out Deuils And by thy name done many great workes And then will I professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me ye that worke iniquity And Saint Paule speaking to the Iewes in the same sorte who thought theÌ„selues to be vnited vnto God because they had receiued the law the circumcision and other badges of the couenant Did he not say vnto them reprehending that vaine considence which they put in these outward things Beholde thou art called a Iewe Rom. 2.17 and restest in the law and gloriest in God and knowest his will allowest all things that are excellent in that thou art instructed by the law and perswadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blinde a light of them which are in darkenesse an instructor of them which lacke discretion a teacher of the vnlearned which hast the forme of knowledge of the truth in the law Thou therefore which teachest another teachest not thou thy selfe Thou that preachest a man should not steale doest thou steale Thou that sayest a man shoulde not commit adultery doest thou commit adultery Thou that abhorrest Idoles committest thou sacrilege Thou that gloriest in the lawe through breaking the law dishonourest thou God And a litle after he doth conclude verse 28. For he is not a Iewe which is one outward neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one within c. If then the onely obseruation of the ceremonies of the lawe though they were ordained of God and auctorised by his worde were neuerthelesse vnable to knit the people vnto God howe commeth it to passe that the Apostates are so foolishe as to thinke that for hauing betaken themselues to papistry againe that is to say for hauing returned to their owne vomit and abhomination they are entred againe into the couenant of God who is the God of them onely that by faith words and workes doe professe and shewe that they are and will continue his people for euer If â—hen thou hast withdrawne thee from it and â—o cause thy selfe to be in account amongest â—hine owne thou doest declare openly and blamely with a shamelesse face that thou wilt neuer be of that number againe Art thou so vnwise as to beleue that God will be a father â—nto him by force who doth disdaine him and doth refuse to be of his people and to be accounted in his house among his children Moreouer since there is no agreemeÌ„t betwene Christ and Beliall 2. Cor. 6.15 1. Cor. 10.21 and that No man can be partaker of the Lorde his table and of the table of Deuils Hauing reiected Iesus Christ his part â—n betaking himselfe to Antichrist and his company and returning to the masse renounced the death sacrifice of the sonne of God Art thou so brutish as to thinke that denying Iesus Christ to be thy brother Iohn 1. his father can account thee for his sonne considering that â—e is the onely author meane of our adoption and that with out him God doth not onely not hold vs for his freindes and confederates but doth esteeme vs for his mortall foes And therefore S. Rom. 5. Paule doth exhort vs to withdraw our selues from the companye of Idolaters and Infidels if we desire that God should adopt vs to be his children 2. Cor. 6.17 Come oâ— sayeth he from among them and seperate youâ— selues sayth the Lorde and touch no vnclean thing and I will receiue you and I will be a father vnto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters sayth the Lord almighty 1. Ioh. 2.23 Saint Iohn sayeth that whosoeuer confesseth the sonne hath also the father and contrarily whosoeuer denieth the sonne the same hath not the father that iâ— the reason wherefore when he was circumcised the name of Immanuell was giuen him to leâ— vs vnderstand that there is none but he alone that can cause vs to come neere vnto God and set vs into his
the Church of God and wouldest shew them by thine example the way to followe and enter in For it is the schoole and only place where it is possible for anye man to learne to be happie and if they refused to followe thee being not drawne of the Father without whose fauour none can come to Iesus Christ thou art yet at the least discharged of thy dutie towardes them and towardes God But what if a woman be so willfull that she will torment her husband without ceasing if he doe not consent vnto her to commit idolatrye and goe to the Masse with her ought he not in this to obeye her to liue with her in friendshippe and to continue peace in his house To aunswere to this question when that chanceth it is a great temptation for the husbande who ought then to praye vnto God earnestly that he woulde strengthen him to abide constantly in the obedience of his holye will without declining from the same in any sorte Gen. 3. And not doe as Adam did who willing to please his wife displeased God breaking his commaundement whereby a thousande and a thousande euils ensued vnto him and all his posteritie 1. King 11. Neither as Salomon who to the ende he might not offende the strange woman which he had taken to wife against the commaundement of God was by them brought euen to that poynt namely to build Temples to their Idols and forgate himselfe so muche that he worshipped and offered sacrifice vnto them 1. King 12. Which was the cause that of three parts of his Realme two and more were taken away from his sonne Reheboam and translated to lereboam the sonne of Nebat Deut. 13. If there had bene founde in olde time amonge the people of Israell a woman which woulde haue entised her husband to goe and serue straunge Gods the husband was commaunded by and by to make her knowen vnto the Magistrate that she might be condemned and after sentence giuen that he might cast at her the first stone to stone her So farre was it in those times from the husbands to be permitted to beleeue their wiues to obey them worship strange Gods with them Let them then alledge no more such excuses to cloke their disloyalty There are some also who when they are vrged to enter into the Congregation of the Church that alledge for their excuse that it is good to waite vntill all things be at a better staye and more at quiet but they staye for that they will not be of a long tyme ready Gen. 3. for doe they thinke that the Deuill who beareth a deadly hate against the Church who hath sworne to make warre euen from the beginning of the world will euer cease to prouoke stir vp by almeans possible the tyrāts the heretiks the Philosophers the hypocrites the whole synagogue with all her adherents against it Apoc. 20. to persecute it especially in these last times wherin he is loosed more fierce then euer he was before seeing the day of his iudgement draweth neare wherin he shal be condēned to the bottōles pit of hel for euer Apoc. 9. Do they think also that the 2. Antichrists that is to say Mahomet the Pope the one in the East and the other in the West would not striue with al their might to maintaine their tyranny which they haue vsurped in the Church of God to this end 2. Thes 2. they would not endeuor stil to put out the light of the gospell of the word of God which is the sword wherby the one the other shall in the end be destroied Doe they thinke moreouer that the truth can be without enemies in the world where the deuil the father of lies beareth rule men being liers vnfaithfull by nature be his bondslaues Moreouer what doth the Apostle promise vs more in the end and latter age of the worlde 2. Tim. 3. This knovve saith he to Timothe That in the last daies shal come perillous times for men shal be louers of their owne selues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobediēt to parents vnthākful vnholy without natural affection truce breakers false accusers intemperdte fierce despisers of thē which are good traiterous heady highminded louers of pleasure more then louers of God hauing a shewe of godlines denying the power thereof Matth. 24. And hath not Iesus Christ admonished vs foretold vs that there shall be so great tribulation as was not from the beginning of the world nor is at this present nor shal be hereafter We must not then hope that in this wretched world Psal 12. 119. where good men are abased where there is no faith no law that can hold backe the malice of men that we shal euer haue rest that shal be permanēt or sure By reason wherof the delaiers must not flatter thēselues nor feede this vaine hope nor thinke that in the Church of Iesus Christ so lōg as it endureth in the world there should euer be peace which wil not be troubled by the deuil the wicked Let vs tary to se those happy times enioy that rest which we desire Psal 110. vntill Iesus Christ put all his our enemies vnder his footstoole that the son hauing abolished al principalities all powers strength Heb. 1. 1. Cor. 15. giue the kingdome to his Father God be all in all Finally there are some that alledge for their excuse when they are exhorted to come to the Churche that they praye vnto God in their houses that is sufficient for them but they abuse thēselues 2. waies first in that they thinke that beinge out of the bodye of the Church their praiers and other exercises can be acceptable vnto God for if the father approueth no oblation but that which is offered vpon the altar that is to say which is presented vnto him by the sonne howe can they assure themselues that their praiers are heard granted of him seeing they are not members of the bodye of Iesus Christ And also that they be cast of and denied of him which knoweth his sheepe and those which are in his sheepefolde My sheepe sayth he heare my voice Ioh. 10. and I know them and they follow me Considering then that they doe followe not the pastor and heare not his voice Thereof it insueth that they are not numbred among his sheepe and consequently that they and all that proceedeth from them is abhominable before God Therfore he saith speaking of such persons who being separated from the Church content themselues to make their praiers priuately Matth. 7. Euery one that sayth vnme Lord Lord shall not enter into my kingdome of heauen but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heauen Many will say vnto me in that day Lord Lord haue we not by thy name prophesied and by thy name cast out Deuils and by thy
to passe their destruction as likewise contrarily Rom. 8.28 all helpe to saluation to those that loue God and are loued of him againe and there is no creature which doth not by and by make a couenant with vs when we are once firmely knit and vnited vnto him Hosea 2.20 I will euen mary thee vnto me in faith fulnes sayth the Lorde and thou shalt knowe the Lorde And in that daye I will heare sayth the Lord I will euen heare the heauens and they shall heare the earth the earth shall heare the corne and the wine and the oyle and they shall heare Israell Whereby we may easily gather that all creatures draw neere vnto the children of god and do chearish them as soone as they see them come into fauour with God and contrarily that they slide backe and start aside from those who are bereaued of his grace For it is a generall rule which we ought euer to remember Leuit. 25. Deut. 28. namely that the grace and loue of God is the ofspring of all benediction and that his wrath on the other side is the fountaine of all male diction so that without the one nothing is blessed and with the other all things are cursed What then can these wretched Apostates doe who eating drinking going comming whether they sit or stand whether they walke or lye still are euer musing in their bed at the table within and without the house before and behind them of the wrath of God with a firebrand in his hand ready to consume them If they will turne aside Amos. 5.19 they shall meete with a Lyon as sayth the Prophet if they will returne thinking to flee and saue themselues on the other part there will by and by a Beare start out before their eyes and if to assure themselues on all sides they will come to their house againe and leane their hand on the wall they shall finde in it a Serpent whiche will â—ite them which is as much to saye as that â—hey can neither finde hole nor secret corner wherein they may hide themselues from the wrath of God which is exceeding fearefull â—o all those to whome he sendeth it as the Apostle sayeth He. 10.31 That it is a fearefull thing to fall into the handes of the liuing God Which may euidently appeare by the examples propounded vnto vs in the Scriptures Gen. 4.14 as in Caine who hauing slayne his owne brother for religion and fled from the face of God that is to saye hauing giuen him ouer and the Churche which was gathered together in his fathers house neuer had afterward aâ—ye reste of conscience but as a man vexed with furie went heere and there like a vagabound and runnagate with a fire whiche did consume him and with an vnquietnes of minde whiche suffered him not to reste in anye place 1. Sam. 18.10 Saule likewise when the spirite of God had forsaken him and was departed from him did not the cuill spiriâ— foorth-with come vpon him and since thâ— tyme neuer ceased to torment him vntiâ— he had throwne him headlonge into despaire Iudas also after he had betrayed Iesus Christ Ioh. 13. and that the Deuill by reason 〈◊〉 his couetousnesse had once entered into his heart and had drawne him awaye from thâ— true Churche whiche was the companye oâ— Iesus Christ and his Apostles to reconcile himselfe vnto the Priestes and Pharisies and to make him to enter againe into their Sinagogue had he euer any quietnes in his soule after that did he euer thinke of any thinge but onely howe he might destroye himselfe hopyng though in vayne by this meanes to rid himselfe out of that fearefull griefe wherewith his conscience was vexed and tormented And they of whome mencion is made in the Prophetes Apoc. 6.16 cap. 9. and in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn who hauing receiued the badge cognisance of the beast and hauing dronke of the cup of hir whoredomes abhominations not hauing repented seing themselues in the ende ouerwhelmed with the iudgementes of God for hauing euer beene coupled with Antichrist will they not say to the mountaines fall on vs and to the earth open thy selfe deâ—our and swallowe vs vp quicke to the ende â—â—ey may escape by this meanes if it were posâ—â—le the great griefe and anguishe of minde â—herein they liue All which testifie plainely â—nto vs that the wicked who seperate themâ—elues from God and will exempt themselues â—â—om his obedience are so pursued by his iuâ—tice that they can neuer take any good rest â—â— their mindes Also the holy Scripture saith â—hat in whatsoeuer happy florishing estate they be whatsoeuer prosperitie they haue whatsoeuer riches or goodes they do possesse â—o whatsoeuer honours and dignities they are exalted and whatsoeuer delicacies and sweete pleasures they mioye yet notwithstanding they are neuer at rest nor at quiet in their mindes Esay 49. Psa 34.16 For as Dauid saith The face of the Lord is against them that do euill to cut of their remembrance from the earth And their conscience which waiteth continually on them as it were a Sargeat neuer ceaseth to threaten them and to set before their eyes continually the wrath of God and his arme which is alwaies stretched foorth to beat them downe And I pray you what other thing is hell eternal fire gehenna and the bottomlesse pit where the Deuill and the reprobate shall be condemned to remaine for euer then this horror and liuely apprehension and feeling of the wrath oâ— God which doth pearce and goeth cleanâ— through them Iam. 2.19 As Saint Iames saith that thâ— Deuils beleeue there is a God and tremble There is nothing that causeth the Angels in heauen to be contented and happie but onely the feeling of God his loue towardes them which they read and plainely see expressed in his face and in the earth likewise there is nothing that doth comfort the children of God and vpholde them in all their afflictions but his great and incomprehensible loue towardes them which they see vnfolded in his word in his sacramentes and in the whole order of the church and aboue all in the face and death of his sonne That is it which Dauid desired aboue all things sal 4.6 as it appeareth Many say who will shew vs any good But Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. Thou hast giuen me more ioy of hart then they haue had when their wheat and their wine did abounde I will lay me downe and also sleepe in peace for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safetie And contrariwise there was nothing that he grudged at so much nor that grieued him so sore as when he sawe the libertie taken away by the tyrannie and violence of Saule from resorting with the people of God vnto those places whereas he â—iscouered his face vnto them Psal 42.1 As the hart â—rayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my â—ule
of the minde as the ripenes of witte vertue and learning if all these be not blessed of God and accompanied with his grace they can neither profite nor benefite anie way him who possesseth them but contrarily without the blessing of God all will turne to his misery Esay 5 1 Tim 6.9 his riches shall serue to no other end but to set on fire and continue his desires to puffe vp his hearte with pride to cause him nether to regard nor make acoumpt of his poore neighboures to put his trust in vaine corrupt and vncertaine thinges to be at superfluous prodigall expences and which is a great deale worse and most dangerous Luk. 3. to withdrawe him from the kingdome of god to let as thornes weedes to hinder the good seed of the word of god from growing and fructifying in him His frendes in stead of good counsaile wil flatâ—er him Mat. 13.22 will seeke by him their owne profite â—ot his They will withdraw him froÌ„ the feare â—k seruice of God to entice him to follow the â—anities of this world In prosperity they will â—ugh with him sooth him vp but in aduerâ—ty they wil flitte forsake him Concerning â—he bodily goodes as health they wil abuse it to â—ugh sport leap dance play to hauÌ„t company 〈◊〉 feasts to quaffe to coÌ„mit folly excessewith â—ut al measure their strength they wil employ to beate strike maime rauishe steale spoile and oppresse in euery respect al those whome they suppose to be weaker then themselues lesse able to make resistaunce They will vse their beautie and good fauour if they haue anie be it either in their speach or in their countenance in steade of a baude to seduce and circumuent all those with whom they can acquaint themselues into whose fauour they can insinuate As for the goodes of their minde as it might be quicknes and dexteritie of witte they will employ them to inuent craftes and subtities to cosen and deceiue those with whome they haue to deale and to boaste when by some subtill slight they shall haue gotteÌ„ allured some one to intrappe him in their net if they haue learning it will serue but to pusse theÌ„ vp to vaunte of and by a vaine ostentation to cause themselues to be esteemed among men to conclude it is not possible for a man without God who is the chiefest good to vse or acquaint him self with any other good thing For al creatures be good god by his owne testimony after be had created all thinges in sixe dayes 1. Tim. 4 4. approued that which he had done without any exception spake of his workes that all in generall euery one in particular were good Gen. 1.31 that is to sayâ— commodious necessarie pleasant profitable wholesome But in that consideration that he do by his grace blesse the vse of them For as the Apostle saith 1. Tim. 4.5 They be all sanctified by the worde of God and thankes geuing vnto the faithfull only and to those which haue knowen the trueth For as he sayeth in another place Tit. 1.15 vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minds consciences are defiled Is not then the condicion of the Apostates wretched that being without God without his grace they are also miserable in all things that is to say that the bread which they eate the bed whereon they lie the verie coate and shirte which they put on the light which doth lighten them the woode and fire which warmeth theÌ„ the aire which they breath in the water wherewith they wash themselues the earth which doth beare and nourish them and al thinges generally which they vse are vncleane vnto them Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. and bringe a wretchednes vpon them For ther is nothing but the word of God which we beleue and obserue the obedience which we performe vnto him and the feare of his name wherein we walke that doth make vs holie and happie in all thinges As the Prophet saieth Psal 1.2 that he which delighteth in the Lawe of the Lord and in his Lawe doth meditate daye and night shall be like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that will bringe forth her fruite in due season whose leafe shall neuer fade so whatsoeuer he shaldo shal prosper And in an other place Psal 119 165 They that loue thy law shal haue great prosperity they shall haue no hurt And as they who loue God serue him doe prosper in all their affairs vnder his fauour blessing so the wicked who go astray from him blaspheme him thoughe that for a time they haue the winde at will though it seeme to them to the whole world that all things do fall out vnto them according to their minde neuertheles al their felicitie in the ende being accursed and not fauored of god doth finish in great misery As Dauid also saith Psal 1.6 The way of the wicked shall perish But as the wicked caÌ„ not be happy without god being the author of all felicity so they can be no lesse being seperated froÌ„ Iesus Christ who is the only means therof He is the blessed seede which at his coÌ„ming by his obedience first hath takeÌ„ away all the malediction which had bene brought into the worlde by the disobedience and rebellion of our first parentes against the commandementes of God And then secondly hath brought afterward againe the blessing which God had promised to Abraham for him Gal. 3. and his seede That is to saye for those that should beleue in the promise to him made This is also the reason why among other names which are giuen vnto him by Esay this is one amongst the rest namely the name of Prince of peace Esay 9.6 Peace in the Hebrue tongue signifieth prosperity and happy successe it seemeth theÌ„ since the spirit of god hath so named Iesus Christ that he woulde teach vs by the name which he giueth him that he onely at this present is the spring of happines of all good whatsoeuer in the world So the Angels bringing tidinges of his birth into the world Luk. 2.11 told the shepheards of Iudea to whom they disclosed it first Vnto you is borne this day in the city of Dauid a Sauiour vers 14. which is Christ the Lord. Glory be to God in the high heauens peace in earth and towardes men good will And the Prophet speaking of his kingdome sayd Psal 27.3 The mountaines and the hilles shall bring peace to the people by iustice vers 6. And a litle after in the same Psalme He shall come downe like the raine vpon the mowen grasse and as the showers that water the earth Also we see that the Apostle in all his Epistles doeth wish euen in the beginning vnto those to whome he writeth the
of the Lord saith Dauid is reuealed to them that feare him and his couenant to giue them vnderstanding And doth not Iesus Christ say I giue thee thankes ô Father Mat. 11.25 Lord of heauen earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto babes It is so Father because thy good pleasure was such The conclusion then of all the discourse of this chapter shal be that the Apostates being out of the Church are depriued of the word of God of all the benefits which do redound of the inioying therof And though some of them haue bookes thereof yet that doth profit them no more then it doth the Iewes to haue the Bible wherof they haue not the true sence and what auaileth it sayth the Prophet Esay Esay 29.11 to haue a booke that is sealed vp or els open and not to know the letters and characters wherewith it is written The Apostates are depriued of the Sacraments aswell as of the word Chap. 11. THe second instrument which God vseth to entertaine preserue and assure alwayes more more the life which he hath communicated vnto it by his word and promises and which he hath receiued by the faith which he attributeth vnto it be the 2. Sacraments to wit the Baptisine the holy Cōmunion that god hath instituted and annexed vnto his word as seales to confirm helpe our faith 〈◊〉 props pillers to hold stay it on both sides so that it abideth stable and inuincible against all the tēptations wherwith it might be hurt assalted of the vse benefit which might be reaped of them the Apostates do voluntarily depriue themselues when they depart from the fellowship of the church for being seperated from it the baptisme can no more serue thē for a tokē to testifie declare thē to be mēbers therof or that they appertaine any longer to the father the Sonne or the Holy Ghost whose house dwelling place they haue forsaken And euen as if a knight hauing receiued that order of the King made promises taken the accustomed oths if afterward through some hatred or mislike he should depart from that promise troth which he had giuen in token whereof he should send him back his order to signifie vnto him that he would afterward be freed released from his oth So the Apostates hauing giuē ouer the couenāt of God haue also by the same meanes forsaken the tokēs marks therof so that they can not at this present call God any more their father whose children they are not or Iesus Christ their Sauior whose mēbers sheepe they are not or the Holy ghost their director guide whose tēples they are not any lōger although they haue receiued their external signe of baptisme neuertheles they haue not the vertue efficacy nor the thing which is represented thereby so that it may be sayd of thē that they haue a body without a soule they haue a ring not a husband the deds titles without possessing emoying the inheritāce the scepter the crowne the armes without the kingdome and that which they haue can serue them to no other vse out to prooue declare their disloialty and to make them inexcusable in the iudgement of God when as they shall appeare before him For as a man can not haue a more certaine and euident proofe against a theefe to conuince and condemne him then to finde the purse which he hath lately cut in his owne handes so it is not possible to alleage or bring a more cleere argument against the Apostates to prooue that they be disloiall vnto God then to shewe the couenantes of God which they haue broken yet printed and ingrauen in their bodies And as the Apostates are departed from Iesus Christ who is the substance of the sacramentes and of the Church which is the people of God wherein they are administred and receiued where they onely can shew forth their vertue become wholesome so they haue depriued themselues of the whole fruit which they might haue reaped by their baptisine staying in the Church as to assure themselues they were members of the Church and comprehended within the couenant of God and that their sinnes were forgiuen them and washed away in the blood of Iesus Christ that the holy Ghost was communicated vnto them to sanctifie them and in begetting getting them a new by litle litle to change their nature and become new creatures which be no small graces or things lightly to be accounted of Also they are at this present wholly depriued of the communion of the Lorde which is one of the excellentest meanes that we haue to confirme and strengthen the vnion and fellowshippe which we haue with Christ Ioh. 6. For in it we eat his flesh and drinke his blood that he may dwell in vs and we in him inseparably as the foode which is neuer separated frō the body of him that doth eat it after it be once changed into his substance Nowe if it be asked to what ende they haue withdrawne themselues from the table of Iesus Christ disdaining the exquisit and pretious meates that are serued thereon to feede those that come vnto it in a sure hope of an eternall and most happy life It may be answered that it was done that they might be partakers of the table of Deuils 1. Cor. 10.21 where they can not eate or receiue any thing but venome and all kindes of poysons For the Masse whereto they haue this day so great deuotion that they runne wheresoeuer it is song the first to ring to it and to answer in it to helpe as varlets of the chamber to attire the foole that sheweth them this sport what is this but a mysterie of iniquitie 2. Cor. 2. much more expectable then can be named amōg men as denying open renoūcing of the blood and the death of the sacrifice and of their whole redēption of Iesus Christ The head of al iniquity idolatry and to conclude the vtter ouerthrow as wel of the saluation of men as of all religion For the Deuill neuer made a greater breach into the church of God thē whē he established that because he did at once bury as it were in a tombe of forgetfulnes first of all the honor of God Exod. 20. Mat. 4. who is more dishonored blasphemed by this masse then by any thing that euer he had inuented since the beginning of the world Heb. 9.28 10.10 Secōdly the whol benefit of Iesus Christ which is groūded wholly vpon the oblation made by him of himselfe to make satisfaction for all our sins by this satisfaction to procure vnto vs for euer a general remission pardon which this enemy of mankind hath by the meanes of the masse translated to his abhominable priesthood and facrifice of Papistrye And finally all the meanes of the saluation
ill which she receiued of her louers whom she followed and resolued in the end to leaue them and returne to her husbande saying I will goe and returne to my first husbande for at that time was I better then now But this conuersion hath hapned to those onely who fighting against temptations and being not able to vanquishe them because of their weakenes haue yeelded themselus hoping to take heart againe and fight after they had shrunke away the grace of God assisting them to declare and make manifest his power in their infirmitie 2. Cor. 12. which can not be looked for at their handes who in pride of hearte not being pressed with any other temptation then with their owne concupiscences nor led with any other counsel then their owne carnall wit haue willingly departed from the Church as it were making no account of God or of all his blessings hoping to find a better party thē in his house howsoeuer it should fall out it should be euer open vnto them whensoeuer it pleased them to returne after they had assayed other estates But these poore soules doe deceiue themselues making their reckoning thus without their host of whose wil aduise they make no account as though the one and the other were in their power and as though they had the keies of the kingdome of heauen tied at their girdles to open and shut go out and come in at all times whensoeuer it pleaseth them For as God speaketh by his Prophet My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes Esay 55.8 sayth the Lorde for as the heauens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes my thoughtes aboue your thoughtes Gal. 6.7 They must not then thinke that God will suffer himselfe to be so mocked and that he doeth apply himselfe to all their foolish vaine imaginations as they dreame nor that it is in their power to returne vnto him when they list Rom. 9.16 For all this is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God alone which sheweth mercy Phil. 2. and doeth graunt both will and power to performe to whome soeuer he will A man sayth Saint Augustine to this purpose may kill himselfe but so that being deade he can not raise himselfe to life againe Psal 36. So when we haue once separated our selues from God by consequent from life which doeth not abide any where else but onely in him let vs not thinke that there is any one who hath that power besides him nor that it can otherwise be brought to passe then by a true repentance from which the Apostates being excluded Heb. 6. the wrath of God doth hang ouer them and so consequently they abide in death which they shewe euidently then when they are exhorted to returne vnto God and to enter againe into his church For they neuer finde themselues ready to performe it but still delay driue it of vntil such time as the wheele of the iudgement of God going ouer them al at once euen then when they are not aware therof they find themselues crushed and ouer whelmed on the sodaine like Esope his frog 1. Ioh. 2.19 Also S. Iohn taketh Apostacy for a signe of reprobation whē he saith If they had bene of vs that is those whom God hath elected they would haue cōtinued with vs but leauing our company they haue sheewed therby that they were neuer of vs though they haue beene with vs no more then corrupt humours which are not mēbers of the body though they be in the body or the tares which are not of the wheat although they be in the same field with the wheate Rom. 10. For if the continuing in faith and the confession of the same be an argument certayne proofe of our election the forsaking thereof contrariwise shall it not be a marke and token of reprobation Heb. 10. And if the sinne against the holy Ghost be an enuious and obstinate hatred that the diuells and men that loue lying doe beare to the trueth of the Gospell Heb. 6.4.10.26 which is as contrary vnto them as light to darknes what is it possible for a man else to iudge of the Apostates who hauing receaued followed approued beleeued and confessed the trueth for a time do now reiect and blaspheme it do condemne it by worde deed haue it in greater detestation then those who neuer made profession thereof then that the spirit of God being vtterly departed frō thē hath geuē place to the spirit of blasphemye Mat. 12.44 which findeth the house empty swept and garnished then he goeth and taketh vnto himself seuen other spirits worse then him self which being entred dwell ther so that the end of such men is a great deale worse then the beginning whereof we shall haue experience euery day in many who are as it were trumpets to soūd the battell to good mē furies which cease not gadding rūning here ther to incense stirre vp all contentious and troublesome persons that they can meete with all like vnto themselues against the Church And as a candle of tallow if it be put out hauing bene once lighted it stincketh a great deale more then if it had neuer bene burned and as pott likewise wherein there hath ben some precious liquor if after ther should be mingled some other which were naught al that rottē together would yeld a most corrupt and filthy smell so the good things being corrupted with the euil in these wicked men haue made thē worse by the halfe And as among the enemies of Iesus Christ there was none worse or more traiterous then Iudas when he was sequestred from his company wherein he had heard so manie good lessons and seene so many notable examples And as among the Christians of the primitiue Church the heretickes and blasphemers who did seperate themselues from the body of the Church were of all the wickedest so in these last times the Apostates haue ben found to be the dreggs of our Church when as they were tryed Mat. 9. The naughty humors which doe impaire the health of the body which haue bin cast out the soueraigne phisition purging thē The huskes and chaffe which haue bene seuered from the graine by the fanne and flayle Mat. 3.12 god sweeping his flower and to be the verie scumme which commeth out of the pott whē as the fire is first brought nere vnto it to make the flesh sethe which is in it the drosse which hath ben drawen from the gold whē the goldsmythe putteth it into the fornace to purifie it The excrements which haue bene cut of Ezech. 14. Wisd 3.6 from the body to bewtifie it and make it faire when God as a barber tooke the rasor and scissers to paire the nailes and cut the haires thereof Esay 7. Finally though our churches be diminished by the departing of the