not vp and that because it floweth For as Christ hath taught vs by the parable of the Talents Matth. 25.4 c. in no case we may conceale or hide the Talentes that he bestowes vpon vs but vse them we must to his best aduantage for otherwise they shall bee quite taken from vs whereas if we laye them forth and vse them to the gaine of him that bestowed them they shall not onelie be increased but in the ende we shall haue a moste comfortable rewarde Pseudonicodemits then whatsoeuer the time and place bee where and when we liue wee may at no hande bee that is for feare of the Iewes or Pharisies we may not be such as dare with Nichodemus come stealinge to Christ by night onelie Iohn 3.1 For Christ moste plainelie hath tolde vs Mark 8.38 That whosoeuer he bee that will be ashamed of him and of his wordes amongest an adulterous and sinnefull generation he will be ashamed of him in the glorie of his Father As therfore we beleeue with the heart to righteousnesse so Saint Paule teacheth vs that we must confesse with our mouthes to saluation Rom. 10.10 For where true and liuelie faith is indeede there it wil make her owner to be at the same pointe that the Psalmist was whatsoeuer come of it when he saide I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken Psal 116.10 And likewise where true faith is as it worketh immediatelie with GOD in heauen for the iustification of her owner through Christ Iesus so streight also and so thenceforth it setteth the heart of her owner so on fire with loue both towardes God that in his Christ hath so tenderly loued him and towardes man for his sake that thence he is most carefull that such workes and wordes may flowe as both shall and may giue a liuelie testimonie thereof both to God man For all such haue with Saint Paule learned that by Christ they are redeemed from all iniquitie and purged to be a peculier people vnto himselfe zealous of good workes Tit. 2.14 Thus if these riuers of waters of life flow out of our bellies then and not else we may be sure we are come vnto Christ and haue drunke of him to eternall life Whiles then we teach thus as no otherwise wee doe doe we set open any gappe of libertie or licentiousnes to our hearers or are we in our doctrine any way enimies to good works as our aduersaries slander vs Nay doe we not as earnestly and vehemently as they can for their liues vrge men to doe them Indeede we dare not teach them when they haue done neuer so manie of them in any case to make any peece of a sauiour eyther of any thing they doe or suffer because as you haue heard we learned out of the Scriptures that that office so intirely and wholly is to be referred to Christ that it may not be imparted or communicated without antichristian robbing of him of that speciall honour that belongs vnto him to anie thing or person else But yet notwithstanding as now you heare we most plainely teach that none can haue any certaintie in himselfe without which our faith is but a fruiteles wauering conceite that as yet he is in Christ and shall be saued vndoubtedlie for his sake vntill the power of him dwelling in him truelie appeare by these fruites of the spirite that are heere for their puritie multiplicitie vtilitie and continuance called riuers of water of life flowing out of the bellies of such And therefore though we dare not with our aduersaries teach men nor encourage men to doe good workes either in part or in whole to earne deserue or merit heauen by which vnlesse we would say with them we say nothing to this purpose yet most cleare and euident it is that to that end we vse and vrge all the arguments that the Scriptures haue taught vs. For we beseech them by the mercies of God with Paule Rom. 12.1 to giue vp their bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God in seruing him according to his word and not according to the fashions of the world For that by these tender mercies of God towardes vs in Christ Iesus we that beleeue aright in him are deliuered out of the hands of all our enemies that we should serue him without feare all the daies of our life in holinesse and righteousnesse before him Luke 1.74.75 For in that this grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared it teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlines worldly lusts that we should liue soberly righteously godly in this present world Tit. 2.11.12 Yea hauing rightlie laid hold of this grace we say againe with the same Paule That we are Gods workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which he hath ordained that we shoulde walke in Ephes 2.10 Againe with Christ to this ende we say vnto all Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Matth. 5.16 and loue one another as he hath loued vs for by this shall all men knowe that yee are his Disciples Iohn 13.34.36 And with Peter we exhorte all men to ioyne vertue to their faith to their vertue knowledge to their knowledge temperance to their temperance patience to their patience godlinesse and to that botherlie kindenesse and loue so to make their election sure 2. Peter 1.5 6. With Iames also we crie and call vpon euerie one that maketh confession of faith to shewe his faith by his workes which if hee doe not we as plainely tell him with the same Iames that his faith is deade in himselfe Iam. 2.17 c. For the faith that auaileth in Christ Iesus as Paul hath taught vs worketh by loue not that loue is in the forme of faith for how can one distinct vertue be the forme of an other but that it is the inseperable companion of a liuely and sound faith Neither are we negligent in often laying before our people Gods law and the true meaning thereof both to teach them what good workes are and to incite them to doe the same Wherein we dare be bould to say we goe beyond our aduersaries in leading men aright to good workes For we vrge and shewe the lawe of GOD to be so perfect and absolute a rule of good workes that it reacheth to the condemning of the first motions arising in our mindes to sinne though they be not at all yeelded vnto and liked of for that it calleth for the whole heart to be occupied onely in the things that please GOD and that all sinne is condemned therein and all vertue commended whereas our aduersaries the papistes holde the lawe to be so imperfect that it condemneth not these first motions to sinne and that there are a number of good workes and as meritorious that haue for their grounde but the traditions and commandements of men as manie that are expresly commaunded by the
plaine and pregnant in this to show that the perfection of our righteousnes lyeth rather in the sight of our own manifolde vnrighteousnes to vrge vs to thirst after the making of vs righteous through the righteousnes of Christ Iesus thē in any finding at any time of any perfect inherent righteousnesse in our selues Wherefore these thinges considered I trust you will rather vse the meanes before laide before you by mee according to Gods worde to breede in you true hunger and thirst after Christ thē that you wil end any eare at al to these subtilties of Sathan to holde you there from such therefore hopping that by those meanes either God hath heretofore made you or at this present hath or wil let vs proceed The next thing beere to be considered of The commande ment which containes 2. things b. what it is to come vnto Christ is the commandementes here giuen by Christ vnto such as I haue spoken of and haue laboured to make all you wherein as I saide in the beginning he requireth of all such two thinges namely that they shoulde come vnto him and then drinke of him where by comming vnto him we haue not as Augustine hath noted in his 26. and 32 tractes vpon Iohn to vnderstand a comming vnto him by the feete of the bodie For so manie came vnto him touched him and througed him and yet were neuer the better Mat. 5.31 but a comming vnto him by the direction of the eies of the soule by the feete of sound knowledge of him what he is in person and what he is in office When this worde is vsed alone as Mat 11.28 in those wordes of his come vnto me all ye that be wearie and heauie laden and I will ease you then thereby doubtlesse we haue not onely to vnderstand thus much but that therby further is required of vs faith in him grounded vpon this our knowledge of him as vpon the foundation thereof But wher it is coupled with other wordes that either expresly or in effect call for faith as it is here then thus as I haue said it is to be taken as Iohn 6.40 compared with this place makes it euident For there insteed of comming vnto him he saith he that seeth the sonne not vnderstanding thereby the seeing of him with bodily eies but with spirituall and then he goeth on saying and beleeueth in him shall haue euerlasting life Wherefore vntill by the light of the gospell men haue so profited through the inward working of Gods holy spirite in them that they knowe and acknowledge Christ aright both in person and office they haue neither eies not feete in Christes sence here to come vnto him by or withall Pray we therefore for this light and the countenance thereof amongst vs. For certainely the naturall man perceiues not the thinges of God neither can he because they are spirituall 1. Cor. 2.11.14 c. But they that haue the light of the gospell shinning amongst them though before they sat in darknesse and in the shadowe of death yet if the faulte be not in them selues they may see a greate light and life is risen vp to them in this behalfe Mat. 4.16 Peter by this light directing him and shinning vnto him shewed that with these feet he was come to Christ Mathew 16.16 confessing Christ to be the sonne of the liuing God and therefore to his greate comforte and to encourage others so to come vnto him also Christ answered him and said Blessed arte thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloode hath not reuealled this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen Mat 16.17 Surely we here in England Gods name be blessed for it haue had nowe this greate while the light clearely shining amongst vs to direct vs in our comming to Christ to make streight steps vnto our feet least that which is halting be turned out of the way as we are councelled Heb. 12 13. And yet I feare there is such bad and smale cōming to Christ sound amongst vs that he in respect of most of vs hath too too iust cause to say vnto vs as he did to the Iewes in his time This is the condēnation that light is come into the world men loue darknes better then light because their deeds are euil Io. 3.19 wher for we haue cause to thinke that also which in an other place he said vnto some of them euen to be spoken of vs all yet a little while is the light with you walke whiles ye haue light least the darknesse come vpon you for he that walketh in the darke knoweth not whither he goeth and therefore while ye haue light beleeue in the light that ye may be the children of the light Iohn 12.31.36 But that this his aduise and counsell may be in time and that effectually taken to heart and followed of vs in this case in walking aright vnto Christ by the direction of this light whiles it shines amongst vs we are seeing our owne vnablenesse other wise so to doe at all to be as it is to pray him according to his promise made to his disciples that he woulde also praie his father to bestow vpon vs euen the spirite of trueth to teach vs all thinges Iohn 14.16.17.26 and to leade vs vnto all truthe 16.13 For if euer we attaine by this light to the sound and perfect knowledge of Iesus Christ wherein euen the wisedome of God in a mysterie as Paule speaketh is contained 1. Cor 2.7 doubtlesse we shall haue cause with him to say further as he doth there also Ver 10.11 God then hath renealed it vnto vs by his spirite for that searcheth all things even the deep thinges of God For what man knoweth the thinges of a man saue the spirit of man which is in him euen so the thinges of God knoweth no man but the spirite of God Seeing then that Christ commaundeth vs here to come vnto him and to come vnto him is nothing else but according to the light of the gospell directing vs therein by his spirite to be enabled rightly to knowe him acknowledge and confesse him it stan deth vs vpon diligently to marke and to consider howe therein he is described and set forth vnto vs. Which if we doe we shall soone finde What Christ is in person that the summe and substance of all set before vs therein tendeth ether to set out what he is in person or in office let vs therefore before we proceed any further the better to teach vs and to enable vs to doe as Christ here biddeth vs a little consider what in these two respects it hath taught vs. Touching the former what he is in person therein thus much we may learne that whereas most certaine it is as our catholike saith teacheth vs and the whole course of the scriptures proueth that there is but one eternal true and almightie God the maker and gouenour of all the world and yet in the vnity of Godhead that there
Christ hath suffered and howe much he hath left to be suffered by vs or when they haue suffered all that eyther for quantitie or quality is meete to make the remission plenarie complet and full But thus in the iust iudgement of God it is fit that they should entangle themselues with grosse and intricate absurdities that leaue the onely true way to heauen Christ Iesus and thus seeke out biepathes of their owne inuention to bring them thither Let vs therefore good brethren giue no care vnto them but as we haue beene most plainely taught out of the canonicall scriptures be fullie perswaded that there is full and absolute remission of all our sinnes vnto vs if we repent therof aright and beleeue in Christ Iesus And as plainely doubtlesse doe the same scriptures And a derfect righteousnesse by imputation and the gospell therein contained shew vs that in the same Christ Iesus we are by faith to seeke to be made righteous not by any righteousnesse of our owne doing but by a righteousnesse in Christ Iesus And yet I am not ignorant that the papistes are at such opposition also to this that their learned diuines of Louan most impudently and shamefully haue written that it is as absurde to say that we can be made righteous by the imputation of Christes righteousnes as it is for a man to be counted an asse by the imputating vnto him the forme of an asse the rather therefore and the more diligentlie let vs marke what therin we are taught of this point also Paule doubtlesse so speaking of that rightiousnesse whereof to this ende GOD is an allower and a liker saith flatlie That it is on all and vppon all that beleeue in him Rom. 3.22 For he is made vnto vs of God not onely our wisedom sanctification and redemption but also our righteousnesse as the same Apostle writeth 1. Cor. 1.30 And lest with the papistes we shoulde thinke that this righteousnesse is that inchoated inherent righteousnesse which is founde in the regenerate taught them by the law and wrought in them by the spirit of God receiued by beleeuing the Gospell which indeede the scriptures call sanctification and the fruites of the spiritte in such he saith in the first to the Romanes 17. That this righteousnesse of God is reuealed by the Gospell from faith to faith and that as he addeth without the lawe Rom. 3.21 which may well and truely be saide of the righteousnesse that is most perfect and absolute in Christ Iesus to the knowledge whereof we come by the Gospell and not by the lawe and whereof more and more according to the increasinges of our faith we find our selues possessed For this righteousnesse of God is by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue as he speaketh in the verie next verse but this we cannot say of the foresaid inherent righteousnesse in any of our selues for the lawe rightlie vnderstoode reueales vnto vs a perfect rule of holines and righteousnesse yea perfecter then through the weakenesse of the fleshe it is possible for vs to answere and keepe as long as we liue heere Rom. 8.3 and therefore because without such a righteousnesse as is perfect in the eies of GOD himselfe we can haue no entrance into the most righteous kingdome of God he hath as there we are taught sent his sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh to condemne sinne in the flesh That wee that walke not after the flesh but after the spiritte in him yet might haue the righteousnesse of the lawe fulfilled in vs. 3. 4. vers For Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnesse to euery one that beleeueth Rom. 10.4 And therefore this same Paule Gallat 2.16 though I dare be bolde to say he had then as much inherent righteousnesse of his own as euer had any merit-munger in the world writeth thus We that are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowe that a man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe but by faith of Iesus Christ euen we I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by faith in Christ and not by the workes of the law because by the workes of the lawe no flesh shall be iustified And yet more plainelie to shewe that he made no reckoning of anie inherent righteousnesse of his owne eyther before his conuersion or after to iustifie himselfe by before God at all but onely to this purpose of Christes righteousnesse to be imputed vnto the beleeuer in him most notablie to the shame and iust consutation and confusion of all that will not submitte themselues to this righteousnesse of God but through a blinde and an ignorant zeale will still seeke to establish their owne righteousnesse for all the fearefull warning that they haue of the reiection of the Iewes euen for this verie fault as most cleerely they are taught Rom. 10.2.3 in this Epistle to the Philippians Cap. 3 vers 7.8.9 he hath set downe these wordes The thinges that were vantage vnto mee I counted losse for Christes sake yea doubtlesse I thinke all thinges but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Iesus Christ my Lord. For whome I haue counted all thinges but losse and doe iudge them to be dunge that I might winne Christ and might be found in him not haning mine owne righteousnesse which is of the lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith Whose example herein he there also setteth before al that minded to be perfect to follow vers 14.15 c. If notwithstanding any should be sound that would not he hath tolde them most confidentlie that whey mighte trust to Gal. 5.4 saying yee are abolished from Christ whosoeuer is iustified by the law yee are falne from grace All which proofes laide together make it most cleare that Iesus Christ in office is so the sauiour of the world that he is so so wholie and solie fullie and freelie that without sacrilegious robbing of him of that honour and glorie that is due vnto him alone and that most iustlie in that high office of sauing mens soules as the meritorious cause thereof he may neyther haue Saint nor Angell in heauen nor man merit nor any thing else in earth ioyned or coupled with him at all Let not the papistes therefore once thinke that their newe founde distinction of former and latter iustification or that their telling vs that by the workes of the lawe Paule vnderstoode the workes only done before grace by the bare lighte of the letter of the lawe or that in this article when he so oft teacheth vs that we are iustified by grace he ment thereby the infused grace or habite of charitie or that their going about to hide and shadow their robbing of Christ of iustifying the beleeuer in him thorowlie in and by his owne selfe in teaching their latter iustification to be by mans own merits and satisfactions not so much
for the worthinesse of the thinges done or suffered by men as for that they are done of men formally iustified before with God by the infused grace of charity and that they are therefore growne to that efficacie by the bloode and merits of Christ for which beleeued but on as they teach God hath iustified them by infusing the gift of charitie into their soules and mindes let them not once thinke or dreame I say that any or all of these their sophisticall and cunning sleights or shiftes eyther can or shall once darken or blemish the plaine euidence and cleare light of this doctrine of iustification redemption and full saluation freely and effectually by faith in Christ Iesus For as for the first of these they cannot be ignorant that whensoeuer the question is in hande how and wherby man is to be iustified before God the scriptures throughout as plainely teach vs that there is but one iustification or waie thereunto as they teach vs that there is but one God Indeede they shewe sometimes that there is a proceeding and growing forward â—â—eerein from vertue to vertue from faith to faith and so from strength to strength in applying vnto vs according to the increasings of our knowledge more and more of our owne wantes and of Christes person and office and according to our proceeding in the strength vertue power of our faith grounded therupon Christ Iesus his merits and sometimes they speak of iustification in a larger or in another signification therfore then they may and doe vrge him that is iustified to be yet more iustified but heereupon to builde that therefore there are two distinct kindes of iustification of man before the tribunall seate of GOD is both to builde without grounde and foundation and wilfullie in a most serious cause to play and seeke by dallying with ambiguitie of wordes to deceiue the simple Now as for their second shift the vanity falshoode therof will soone appeare to any that with any indifferencie wil but consider Paules wordes when in handling of this point he shutteth out workes of the lawe from hauing any thing to doe in the office of iustifying For writing as he did alwaies when he handled this question not to Iewes that indeede thorowe ignorance both of Christ and of the true meaning and vse of the lawe vsed to seeke by the workes of the lawe in their sence that is by workes taught by the lawe and done before grace to be iustified but to conuerted and beleeuing Gentiles to what purpose had it beene to labour so often and so earnestlie to driue them from seeking iustification by such workes of the lawe whereof they coulde neuer make anie such reckoning in that before their conuersion they were not so much as once acquainted with the lawe If therfore we must thinke as we are bounde that Paule wrote and spoke to the purpose and aptlie to those that he had to deale withall out of all question we must needs be of that iudgement that he taught euen the conuerted and beleeuing gentiles in what measure soeuer the spirit of grace enabled them to haue and to performe neuer so manie good workes of the lawe yet when they were neuer so full of them to trust perfectly freely to be iustified by the grace of God through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus and not at all by the workes of the lawe Alas who is so simple as to thinke that the false Apostles sought to perswade the Galathians whome Paule had left setled in seeking their iustification freely by faith in Christ to seeke manie so to be iustified in part or in whole by workes of the lawe done without or before grace and yet if this popish glose must stand Paule in his Epistle written of purpose to perswade the Galathians not to listen to these teaching them to seeke any way to be iustified before God by the workes of the lawe therein eyther disputes to no purpose and fightes but with his owne shadowe or else it must be granted that these were the workes of the lawe that they were taught by them to put some trust and confidence in which to imagine were most grosse and absurde for there is no likelihoode therein at all His reasons that he vsed to shut out the workes of the lawe from the office of iustifying are these for by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3.20 For that our reioycing is in this case excluded not by the lawe of works but by the lawe of faith vers 27. For that if Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God for that the wages is counted to him that worketh not of fauour as he taketh it for graunted it was to Abraham and must be to all the children of Abraham in this case but of debt which likewise he assumeth as graunted to be in this point absurde Rom. 4.2.4 For if they which are of the lawe be heires faith is made voyde and the promise is of none effect For the lawe causeth wrath 14.15 therefore it is by faith that it might come by grace and the promise might be sure to all the seeds 16. As mante as are of the workes of the lawe are vnder the curse For it is written cursed is euery one that continueth not in all thinges which are written in the booke of the lawe to doe them No man is iustified by the lawe in the sight of God it is euident for the iust shall liue by faith and to Abraham and his seede were the promises made he saith not and to thy seedes as speaking of manie but and to thy seede as of one which is Christ Gal. 3.10.11.16 Euerie and all of which argumentes make and serue strongly not onely to debarre woorks done before grace according to the outward letter of the lawe from all office and power to iustifie but also all workes done after grace effectually if mans owne free will in such sort concurre to the working of them as they teach For euen therein and when they are done the lawe findeth such imperfection in the doer as we may see by Paules owne confession Rom. 7.24 that he hath cause to crie O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of sinne and death and to acknowledge euen in such a one as then he himselfe was who doubtlesse was then in the state of grace that the lawe is such a reuealer of sin yet to be in him and therfore also of wrath that he is so farre off from hauing any cause by his own works done after grace to thinke that he deserueth to be iustified or saued in any respect that thereby he may iustly with him take occasion to confesse that though the law be spiritual yet he is carnal so sold vnder sinne that in his flesh there dwelleth no good thing for though to will is present with him that he allowe not the euill he doth because in
desert or merit of man but onely the deserts and merits of his said sonne by faith through imputation made to the beleeuers therein the Apostle saith as he doth not onely that we are iustified by grace but also addeth freely not of our selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast himselfe How it is possible if God should haue studied of purpose to crosse and to preuent for euer all these popish gloses and trickes that he shoulde haue spoken more plainely or pregnantly to aduouch iustification freely and only by faith in Christ Iesus and not for the worthinesse or merit of any thing in our selues first or last And who be so simple that hath any thing had his spirit exercised in the word of God and knowledge of Christ Iesus as by any means to be brought to thinke that Christ comming to be the meritorious and satisfactorie cause of mans saluation as he did that yet so farre off is it that he hath gone quite thorowe with this worke in and by himselfe that in verie deede by the things accomplished in his owne person he hath enabled and dignified thinges to be founde in man and to be done and suffered him at the least to finish vp and perfect by the meritorious and satisfactorie cause of mans saluation For this were not onely to leaue the worke of mans iustification and saluation to be vnperfect for all that hath beene done by him in his owne person but also most vncertaine whether euer it shoulde be finished or no because if the matter be thus to be deuided betwixt Christ and mans owne selfe howsoeuer man might be sure that Christ hath done his part he coulde neuer be sure that he hath or shall hit in iust manner and measure of all that is left for him to doe to perfect the same Yea if this were thus that amongst otherendes that Christ had in his merits and sufferinges he had this thereby so to die our doings and sufferings therewith that they nowe shall be meritorious of and satisfactorie for our owne saluation though by thus saying they would seeme to attribute vnto Christs merits more then we doe in that we denie them this effect in deede and trueth in thus dealing they with Iudas giue him faire wordes saying vnto him haile maister when in secret cunninglie they most vnkindlie and wickedlie seeke to betraye him Heeretofore when they taught this doctrine of mans merits bluntly and flatly without this new colour of their so doing we iustly charged themselues to be the sacrilegious robbers of Christ of that chiefe and speciall honour that appertaines vnto him but now whiles they haue sought to auoyd to put frō themselues the grieuousnes of this charge by this their new deuise in steed of making Christ some restitution and amendes for the wrong they did him they nowe are flatly come to this obstinately to continue in the doing of him the same old wrong still but nowe they will no longer be the onely doers thereof them selues but he himselfe must bee if not the plaine and full principall yet at the least an open and notorious accessary and helper forward of them in this their robbing of him But whatsoeuer they say or doe herein let vs with the apostle beleeue that he is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them and hath an euerlasting priesthoode Heb. 7.24.25 For as we haue often heard before an other of them writeth his owne selfe bare our finnes in his body vpon the tree and so that thereby we are both deliuered from sinne and so healed thereof that thenceforth we shoulde liue in righteousnesse 1. Pet 1.2.4 And with all our heartes let vs shunne and detest all these their popish demses tending as we see all more or lesse to the robbing of Christ of this speciall honour to be a full and a perfect sauiour in That he is King Friest Prophet of and by him selfe To proceed therefore as thus in these two pointes particularly you haue heard howe the gospell sheweth you this to be his office so for the rest before mentioned if we looke into it it will teach vs that in this his office he is our Christ that is our annointed and appointed kinge priest and prophet in and for his Church King to rule gouerne and to protect it from all the enimies and dangers there of priest to redeeme it and to make full and perfect atonement and reconsiliation thorowe his eternall intercession betwixt God and it and prophet to teach and instruct it by his worde from time to time So that he hath of his Church a priestly kingdome which he hath purchased not with gold or siluer but with his owne preticus blood as Peter speaketh 1. epist 1.19 which he gouerneth and ordereth by the scepter of his worde and perfecteth by the powre of his spirit Of the title and right of his kingrick Paule Heb. 4.8 vnderstandeth that Psal 45.6 and 7. as spoken of Dauid thorow the spirit thy throne is for euer and euer the scepter of thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnesse thou hast loued righteousnesse and hated iniquitie wherfore cuen God thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellowes And touching his priesthoode to proue him to be a farre more excellent priest then euer was any of the tribe of Leui. Cap. 7.12 he saith that he was made priest with an oath by him that said vnto him as it is written Psal 110.4 The Lord hath sworne and will not repente thou art a priest for euer according to the order of Melchizedech And lastly concerning his office of a prophet and teacher of his Church Mathew sheweth vs that when he was transfigured in the mount this voyce was heard from heauen vttered of him doubtlesse by his heauenlie father to establish him heerein This is my welbeloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him Cap. 17.5 And to teach vs that all doctors teachers must alwaies stoupe to him and learne that first of him which they teach others he saith be not called doctors for one is your doctor euen Christ Math. 23.10 thereby not forbidding the title but the abuse thereof which is when any dare take vpon them as doctors and teachers onely of trueth to vrge that for trueth vpon the Church or to Gods people which they cannot warrant so to be by the vndoubted voyce and word of Christ His kingdom is not of this world for so he himselfe told Pilate Iohn 18.36 and yet he is such a king as that he is king of kings and Lord of Lords Reue. 19.16 And as king he is lawgiuer vnto his people in whose power it is to saue and destroy Iam. 4.12 As king he gouerneth and guideth his Church both heere and in heauen as the head thereof Ephe. 1.22 As king he liberally bestoweth thereupon from time to time those rich
iustified thē vndoubtedly also will saue them For though euery trueth taught by God in his word be the general obiect of faith yet the proper obiect therof by apprehensiō where of it is so oft said in the scriptures to iustifie is onely Christ Iesus whō it is not inough for faith with her inward eies to know and cōfesse to be as he is in person and office as you haue before heard but as you may sufficiently perceiue by Christes setting of himselfe before the faithfull as the meate and drinke of their soules and by his requiring that they should hunger and thirst after him yea eate him drinke him then by his plaine expounding that eating drinking of him to be beleeuing in him he is by faith to be taken appropriated to euery right beleeuer in him And to put it out of doubt that the iustifying faith or faith in Christ Iesus must haue and indeed hath this effect Paule after he had willed the Corinthians to proue try themselues whether they were in the faith hee streight addeth And examine your selues know you not your own selues that Iesus Christ is in you vnlesse you be reprobates 2. Co. 13.5 when faith thus apprehendeth Christ so possesseth her owner of him as that he himself may know that Christ is in him how cā it be then but he that hath by faith so found and got Christ hath also in him by him a special assurance that his sins are forgiuen him that vndoubtedly he shall for that Christs sake be saued when it doth all this we denie not but most willingly we confesse that there it bringeth forth by the power of the spirit of sanctification good works plentifully in her owner but yet we dare not say that it iustifieth either for the worthinesse of it selfe or for the worthines of all the noble traine of good works inseperablie alwaies in good measure accōpanying it but onely for the worthines of Iesus Christ whom it apprehendeth But that vndoubtedly faith findeth in Christ Iesus full and sufficient cause and matter for which most certainely God will both iustifie saue all those that thereby haue put him on as Paule speaketh Rom. 13.14 all the places of scripture before produced to proue him to be in and of himselfe a full and most perfect Sauiour most pregnantly and forceably scrue Seeing therefore brethren as thereby sufficiently hath appeared by the blood of Iesus We may be bold to enter into the holy place by the new and liuing way which he hath prepared for vs through the vaile that is his flesh and seeing we haue an high priest which is ouer the house of God let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts frō an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water let vs keep the professiō of our hope without wauering for he is faithful that promised Heb. 10.19 For faith is the ground of things hoped for the euidence of things which are not seene Heb. 11.1 Let vs aske thē therfore in faith of our good gracious God and wauer not as Iames coūselleth vs for he that wauereth is like the waters of the sea tost of the winde and caried away neither let that man thinke that he shall obtaine any thing of the Lord Iam. 2.19 And let vs confidently conclude with Saint Paule that beeing iustified by faith we haue peace with God through Iesus Christ by whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto his grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God yea with that hope that shall neuer shame or confound vs. Rom. 5.1 c. For whatsoeuer our aduersaries say or feele to the contrary in themselues we that can finde once by faith that we haue put on Christ that we haue eaten his flesh and drunke his blood yea that he is euen in vs and therefore haue first Gods promises often declared and made vnto vs and then the same particularly outwardly in the sacraments and inwardly in our soules by his spirit thus sealed and applied vnto vs dare boldly with Saint Iohn say that we know we are translated from death to life 1. Epist 3.14 and with Saint Paule that we are perswaded that nothing shall euer seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus For seeing he hath not spared to bestow his owne sonne vpon vs how shall he not with him giue vs all things else Rom. 8.13.39 yea we are sure it is no presumption to beleeue God without any wauering thus many waies testifying his effectuall mercy loue to appertaine euen vnto vs eye we know it were wickedly to call the trueth and faithfulnesse of God into question once to doubt when he so many waies hath sought to put vs out of al doubt No maruel though the papistes can attaine vnto no such ioy and peace or assurance in their consciences of saluation by their faith For first they build as much of their faith vpon the sandie foundation of their owne traditions as vpon the rocke of the canonicall scriptures secondly the faith that they talke on leades them no further then to a generall astent to all trueth reuealed by God vnto man in his word whereof in particular they neyther thinke the knowledge of all that trueth necessary nor yet the speciall application of the promises to any contenting themselues with beleeuing in generall that there is in the Church remission of sinnes purchased by Christ c. And thirdly they hold there is no such faith whereby in for Christ the owner therof can come to any such assurāce of the mercy of God of the forgiuenes of his sins and of life euerlasting yea that that is rather a presumption a mere fiction and inuention then any faith allowed of God vnlesse God giue a man a speciall reuelation as it were telling him by name in particular that he shall haue these in deed for Christs sake and that therefore it is inough for to beleeue that their are these things in deede by Christ purchased And therfore lastly they holde that faith may be in the reprobate and that it is said to iustifie onely bicause it is one of the first dispositions to iustification and that it iustifieth not so much for apprenending Christ the iustifier as for that it obtaineth that Christ shoulde formally iustify her owner by powring into him the grace of charity whereby he may after be able more to iustifie himself and to merite the kingdome of heauen by good works So that in effect they hold teach that it iustifieth not for Christ apprehended applied to her owner but for charitie and other good works that Christ by his grace for the worthinesse therof bestoweth vpon him quite contrary to the scriptures which as we haue heard shut workes quite out from this office of iustifying and purchasing of saluation for man Whereas they know further
And we finde by lamentable experience in Iudas that he bringing vnto this table though neuer so much shew of pietie knowledge honestie and goodnes yet for that he came as an hollow hearted hypocrite in a purpose to goe on with the treason that for wages he had vndertaken the Deuill immediately vpon his beeing there entred into him and so he neuer ceased vntill he had accomplished his wicked purpose and after by desperate murdering of himselfe had shewed himselfe to be the childe of perdition as we may read most plainely in the storie of the Gospell Iohn 13.27 c. Howe therefore with anie reason may we thinke that we can come vnto the Lordes table there by receiuing of this Sacrament to growe in vnion and communion with Christ and yet be in such palpable ignorance and darkenesse and in such loue with errour and iniquitie as very many that come thither both by their liues before after shew themselues to be If the sonne and heire of our Prince at any time though but in his swathing cloathes should be offered vnto vs to holde in our armes whatsoeuer we had in our handes we woulde readilie let fall to doe that seruice and so to be honoured how much more to put on the Lord Iesus the onely begotten Sonne of God the King of all kinges yea to receiue him into our verie selues to be one with vs should we hastily cast away and lay aside the world the flesh and the deuill and all the wicked lustes and fruites of these If Dauid therefore Psal 24.9 in spirite foreseeing that the Arke which was but a signe and figure of Gods presence amongst the Iewes shoulde one day be brought in by the doores of the Temple to be placed therein before the Temple beganne to be built did crie as he did Lift vp your heades ye gates and lift vp your selues ye euerlasting doers and the king of glorie shall come in let me vpon iuster and greater occasion cry and call vpon euerie one that woulde that Christ shoulde enter into them receiuing this Sacrament lift vp your heartes and be lift vp your selues from all the fruites of the fleshe that this King of glorie may enter in indeede Paule for the sectes and factions and namely for their eating and drinking in the Idoll Temples of meate sacrificed vnto them howsoeuer otherwise they seemed to detest idolatrie and for their lacke of loue that they shewed towardes the poore in their loue-feastes in not tarrying for them gaue the Corinthians to vnderstand that they did so vnworthily eate of this bread and drinke of this cup that they made themselues guiltie of the bodie and blood of Christ are and dranke their owne damnation and that many slept and were weake amongst them as by conference of the tenth and eleuenth chapters together of the first Epistle written vnto them it appeareth How can we then but tremble at the consideration of Gods iudgementes due vnto vs for our vnworthie partaking hereof there beeing such contentions and varieties of opinions amongst some of vs as there bee and besides such a number of other farre grosser sinnes amongst vs then these of the Corinthians were Let vs therefore take Paules remedie that is iudge our selues for this and doe no more so that so we may escape the iudgement of the Lorde 1. Cor. 11.31.32 Yet I would not haue you take me so It is oft to be receiued as though my drift or meaning herein were eyther quite to discourage you from comming or at least to driue you not to come but verie seldome for feare of vnworthy comming For I am not ignorant that Paules saying As often as ye shall eate this breade and drinke this cup ye shewe the Lordes death vntill he come 1. Cor. 11.26 sheweth that it standes very well with the will and pleasure of God that men should often be partakers thereof And therefore it is well knowne it was the fashion of the Primitiue Church vsually euerie Sabbaoth day to communicate And there are great reasons which he that would be accounted a Christian indeede and so to haue faith and knowledge fit for this businesse should not dare to refuse to receiue when he may For to be inuited vnto this table â—o be bid to the mariage of the Kings Sonne the refusall to come whereunto vpon what minde or pretence soeuer we finde so dangerous Math. 22. that both destruction heere and perpetuall exclusion on shutting from the mariage feast is threatned them Vers 7. c. And euerie one may see it is to refuse a most notable meanes to strengthen our faith wherof the strongest in faith stand neede or at least it is plainely to bewray our selues to be such as for want of charitie or for some other grieuous sinne that we know by our selues we think not our selues fit to come So to see our sinnes and to iudge our selues for the same is not altogether to be condemned But yet dearely beloued you must vnderstand that if withall we be heartilie sorie for these our sinnes and purpose vnfainedly amendment and are willing according to the nature and qualitie of our sinnes to giue vnfained testimonie thereof eyther particularly and priuately if that be enough or more publikly if the case so require that is no sufficient reason to keepe vs from this table For the more we see our wants and imperfections yea our faultes and sinnes if withall we rightly repent therof hauing knowledge faith in Christ Iesus right sound though weake and imperfect yet it is verie fit and necessarie that we come to this table so to grow on in all these For it is prepared for hungrie and thirstie soules after Christ and not for proud Pharisies that are puft vp with a conceit of their owne righteousnesse and worthinesse The impenitent and vnbeleeners eate not nor drinke the bodie and blood of Christ at al Indeede they that are destitute of all sound knowledge and faith and shew it by their continuing and going on in errour and impietie and hypocrites that haue none of the things they should haue but in shew are simplie vnworthie to be admitted and they whensoeuer they come make themselues guiltie of the bodie and blood of Christ for refusing it or not hauing wherewith or whereby totake it and so eate the bread drinke of the cup to their damnation And my speach tendes therefore eyther to prouoke such to be repentant and to become new creatures in Christ Iesus or else vntill indeed and trueth by examining of themselues they finde themselues to be in the faith so therby in Christ Iesus lamenting their miserable state and condition there whiles to abstaine For as the couenant belongs not to such whiles they are such so no more doth the feale of the couenant For them therefore by comming to snatch at the seale hauing nothing to doe with the couenant they as much as in them lies prophane the couenant and the author
law of GOD forgetting belike that the law is so spirituall that it made Paule to crie out of himselfe O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of sinne and death Rom. 7.24 and that Christ most flatly hath said that they worship him in vaine that teach for doctrines mens preceptes Math. 15.9 We vse often to terrifie our hearers from ill workes and from omitting of good by making it manifest vnto them by the iudgements of GOD therefore threatned and executed that so to doe is so daingerous as that thereby they deserue all Gods heauie iudgments to be executed vpon them both in this life and in the life to come and that vndoubtedlye they shall if they repent not Wherein also we goe further than these our aduersaries for they teach that a number of sinnes euen for the littlenes thereof are not deadly or such as deserue damnation which may easily be satisfied for and put away Lastly we forget not to teach them what promises of reward God hath made to such as will carefully walke before him in holinesse and righteousnesse both concerning this life and that which to come assuring them with Paule That godlinesse is profitable vnto all thinges and hath the promise hoth of this life present and of that which is to come 1. Tim. 4.8 wherein we goe so farre that also with Christ we confidently tell them that they shall not lease their rewarde in heauen no not of a cup of colde water bestowed aright in his name vpon any of his Mat. 10.42 For though all that we doe or can doe be infinitelie lesse than we owe to God and are bound to doe for in many things we sinne all Iam. 3.2 yet all that approue themselues to be in Christ by walking not after the flesh but after the spirite in bringing forth the right fruites thereof as Paule teacheth Rom. 8.12.13 c. vndoubtedly for Gods promises sake in Christ Iesus shall both heere and in heauen finde themselues and their workes so liberally rewarded that they shal haue no cause to complaine but rather to wonder at Gods most bountifull crowning of his owne blessinges and graces with further both heere and there Thus then you see that though when the question is in hande why men shall be saued we dare sende them to no other meritorious cause thereof but onelie to Christ and the thinges done by himselfe for vs because we know that his name is the one lie name whereby commeth saluation Act. 4.12 yet when it is demaunded who they are which for Christes sake shall indeede be saued and so rest in Gods tabernacle and for euer dwell vpon his holy hill we are boulde to teach that none but they that according to the time and occasion they haue after they be in him proue themselues to be such by the riuers of water of life flowing out of their bellies as you haue heard and therefore are such as are described to that ende Psalm 15.2 c. And beeing such we counte it no presumption but most commendable faith in them to be fully perswaded because they haue not onelie Gods worde and promise generally offered vnto them and particularly sealed in the administration of the worde and Sacramentes outwardlie but also most effectually inwardly testified vnto their spirites by Gods owne Spirit by these newe fruites thereof to appertaine particularly vnto them to ground this their perswation vpon that for Christes sake vndoubtedly they shal be saued These arguments therefore we doubt not will bee sufficient to moue and to perswade all that vnfainedly be the Lordes euen of loue and thankefulnes towardes him for his vnspeakable loue and mercies towardes them to striue both day and night by all possible meanes so to stirre vp the graces of the spirit in them that indeede worthylie they may bee counted as Riuers of waters of life flowing out of their bellies Thus then at last welbeloued in the Lorde we haue hearde first the circumstances of a notable sermon made by Christ our Sauiour himselfe as where when vpon what occasion and in what manner he made it namelie at Hierusalem in the temple in and vpon the last and most solemne day of the feast of Tabernacles to draw them that were there from their owne vaine superstitions that led them from him to himselfe vttered by him standing and that with a crying voice Secondly you haue heard that he spoke therein to all that be thirstie and to none else that is to all that are truely broken and contrite hearted vnder the burthen of their sinnes and so earnestly long for redemption and deliuerance from the same Thirdly you haue heard that he commaunded such what to ease them of this their spirituall thirst they shoulde doe and that that was and is first to come vnto him that is to know and acknowledge him what he is in person and office and then to drinke of him that is rightlie to beleeue in him and so thereby to make him with all the mercies of God prouided for mans saluation in him their owne which they hauing done lastly you haue heard that he promiseth all such that his Spirit in them all should be as riuers of water of life flowing out of their bellies which was not nor had not beene as yet then because when Christ made this sermon hee was not yet glorified And in handling of all these withall you haue beene shewed what we are to learne euerie one of vs thereby both ministers and people which haue beene such and such and so manie good thinges as that if we haue heard as we ought to doe we haue all of vs I hope euen sufficiently to our saluation learned both howe to beleeue and how to liue to be saued For first we haue beene taught howe by the lawe we are to be humbled and throwne downe that we may be fit patients for Christ Iesus secondly we haue heard by the Gospell how we are to rise againe and to recouer a better standing than euer we had in the first Adam by knowledge and faith of the second Christ Iesus our Lord and Sauiour For we haue beene shewed how the Spirit of God by the ministrie of the worde and Sacramentes through this faith of ours grounded vpon sounde knowledge vnites Christ Iesus himselfe and vs togither though after a spirituall manner yet most truelie and effectually to our saluation and the contrarie doctrine hath at large bene confuted And by the way it hath most plainely beene laide before vs howe we ought to be qualified both in faith and manners both in hearing of the worde and in the vse of the Sacraments that thereby still we may growe vp in the house of GOD in Christ Iesus to be perfect men and acceptable in the sight of his heauenlie father Lastlie by the viewe of the promise we haue beene I trust thorowlie taught what manner of liues we ought to leade as long as we liue after that once we bee got