and also benefits and commodities of regeneration depend vpon the communion of the new borne children of God with Christ Iesus therefore although I haue before spoken somewhat of their said communion Christ Iesus being shewed to bee the chiefe matter wherein their new birth and being the children of God doth consist and all other points thereof before handled beeing effects of the former yet I will now returne againe thereunto and lay the same more largely forth then before I haue done Touching therfore this communion that we may yet better see what other benefits the children of God haue and what fruits they bring forth thereby let vs further vnderstand that it is in the Scriptures expressed by diuers most significant metaphors and excellent similitudes For first it is compared to the communion betwixt our bodies and our garments in which respect we are bid to put on the Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 13. 14. Secondly it is compared to the communion betwixt vs and our daily meate and drinke In which respect Christ calleth himselfe the meat that abideth to eternall life Ioh. 6. 27. and the bread of God which came downe from heauen verse 33. and the liuing bread which whosoeuer eateth shall liue for euer and also saith that his flesh is bread c. verse 51. and that except we eate his flesh and drinke his blood we haue no life in vs verse 53. because his flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drinke indeed And that he that eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood dwelleth in him and he in him verse 55. Thirdly it is compared to the communion betwixt the vine and the branches In which respect Christ calleth himselfe the vine and vs the branches Ioh. 15. 5. and Paul expresly saith that we are branches c. Rom. 11. 17. Fourthly it is compared to the communion betwixt the chiefe corner stone and the rest of the building Mat. 21. 42. Ephe. 2. 20. Fiftly it is compared to the communion betwixt a man and the house wherein he dwelleth In which resoect Christ said before that he dwelleth in them that eate his flesh and drinke his blood so Paul saith as before also hath beene shewed that Christ dwelleth in our hearts Ephes 3. 17. Sixtly it is compared to the communion betwixt the head and the members For he is said to be the head of his Church and the Church is said to be his body Ephes 2. 20. and wee are called his members Ephes 5. 30. Seuenthly it is compared to the communion betwixt the man and the wife in marriage Therefore he is often called the husband and the Church is often called his spouse And that which the Lord saith and promiseth of marrying the Israelites vnto himsefe for euer in righteousnes in indgement in mercy in coÌ„passion and in faith fulnes c. Hosea 2. 19. 20. is to be vnderstood as of all other the elect as well as of Israel on the one part so also of the second person in the Deity to be after that prophesie incarnate and made man on the other part For it cannot be vnderstood of the father or of the holy ghost because they were neuer to assume our nature whereby to be a fit husband for vs. Therefore also as the man and the wife being before marriage or at least before contract two are after marriage and contract called one flesh Gen. 2. 24. Mat. 19. 5. 6. so the Apostle vsing the same similitude of Christ and vs saith wee are of his flâ—sh and of his bones Ephes 5. 30. To shut vp this point such is the communion betwixt Christ and the children of God that the Apostle doth not only account them compleat in him Colos 2. 10. but saith also that they are the fulnes of him that filleth all in all things Ephes 1. 23. and so he insinuateth generally that Christ is in some sort vnperfect without the children of God as the husband is vnperfect without the wife the head without the other members a man without an house the rest of the building without the chiefe corner stone the vine without the branches the meate and drinke without some to receiue them and the garments without some to weare the same Now to returne to the former metaphors and similitudes so many as the communion betwixt Christ the naturall sonne of God and vs the adopted children of God is in Scripture expressed by by so many waies is our dignity by thi communion amplified and encreased For touching the first was it not a great honour for Daniel as the commandement of Belshazzar to be clothed with purple and to haue a chaine of gold put about his necke Dan. 5. 29. Was it not more for poore Mordecay before appointed to the sword and who had before and who had before sit at the gate of Ahashuerosh in sackeloth and ashes to be cloathed with the kings royall apparell Ester 6. 8. 9. 10. 11. How honourable then is it for such beggerly persons as we were that were not onely starke naked and vtterly without any good apparell but that also were clothed before with most polluted garments of all sinne c. to be clothed with so rich a garment as Christ Iesus is Verily neither Herod himselfe when hee clothed himselfe In his royall apparell Acts 12. 21. not all the Princes in the world that had not Christ Iesus were euer so glorious in apparell as the poorest child of God is that hath put on the Lord Iesus Christ It was an honourable thing to the Israelites that the Lord led them so through the wildernes that for forty yeeres their clothes waxed not old vpon them c. Deuteronomie 29. 5. How honourable a thing then is it for all the children of God both yong and old great and small to be clothed with that garment which as it is called the new man so it will alwaies bee new neuer worne neuer threed-bare or waxing old but remaining as fresh for euer as it was the first day euen the same yesterdaie to day and for euer Hebrewes 13. 8. for euer I say not onely in this world but also in the world to come Touching the second Metaphor was it not an honourable thing for the brethren of Ioseph at their second comming into Egypt to dine with Ioseph and to haue meates set before them from Iosephs owne table Genesis 43. 16. and 34. So also for Mephibosheth though Ionathans owne sonne and therefore of the blood roiall of Saul to be fed with meate from Dauids owne table aâ— one of Dauids own sonnes 2. Sam. 9. 7. and likewise for Chinham the sonne of Barzillai not onely to eate of Dauids meate 2. Sam. 19. 38. but also to be among them that should eate at Salomons table 1. King 2. 7. Was it not a great honour also for the Israelites to be miraculously fed in the wildernes with Manna from heauen which is therefore called angels foode and with quailes and with water out of the rocke How
naturall things and of things pertaining to this life whereby we differ from beasts but as touching the spirituall life whereby to thinke of any thing to affect any thing to approue of any thing to speake of any thing or to doe any thing towards eternall saluation of body and soule and as touching that life of God that is that life that is acceptable to God as the worke of God Ioh. 6. 29. and the workes of the Lord 1. Cor 15. 5. 8. are such as are acceptable to God as touching this life I say which is the first degree and the very beginning of eternal life to be afterward enioyed with God and his holy Angels in heauen all the whole posterity of Adam Christ only still excepted is altogether void of For as the root and stocke of a tree being altogether dead without any sparke of naturall life therin it is not possible that any of the boughs or branches can be aliue and as it is not possible for those men and women that are altogether naturally dead their soules and bodies being separated one from another to bring forth liuing children so it is not possible that our first parents beeing altogether dead vnto God and without the life of God before spoken of we or any other of their posterity should be aliue vnto God They may seeme to haue this spirituall life and this life of God because after a naturall manner they can conceiue and doe conceiue some things thereof yea sometimes the greatest mysteries thereof either after a meere carnall sort or by the speciall wisedom of God reuealing the same vnto them for the furthering of the saluation of other and for the making of themselues the more inexcusable and so for the increasing of their own condemnation but in truth and deed they are altogether destitute of it In this case it is with them as it is with many a woman that hauing a Tympany by the abundance of water or of some other matter of the said Tympany or other such like disease feeling some little stirring in her body like the mouing of a yong infant doth therefore thinke her selfe with child and yet in the end she is deceiued being not with child with any other thing then of a disease vnto death so I say many naturall and wicked men hauing some similitude and like actions of the life of God in them and feeling as it were some little motions of such life as it were little flashes suddenly wrought and suddenly vanishing like lightning do therfore thinke themselues with child of Christ and to haue conceiued him in the womb of their hearts but in the end they are deceiued and find themselues only with child of a spirituall sicknesse vnto death that is of hypocrisie and of a bare resemblance of the life of God in them and not to haue that life it selfe This is not only euident by the former testimony of the Apostle but also by another afterward in the same Epistle where he describeth our naturall state and condition to be that we had our vnderstanding darkned and were strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that was in vs because of the hardnesse of our hearts Ephes 4. 18. Thus I say in that place the Apostle describeth the state of all men naturally The same namely that we are all void of that life of God is manifest by other reasons To omit that before insinuated viz. that as the body is dead without the communion of the soule so man cannot be aliue vnto God that hath lost his communion with God and that indeed naturally men are without God in the world and that because they are without Christ Ephes 2. 12. by whom alone there is communion betwixt God and man and in whom alone is that life so that he that hath the sonne hath life and he that hath not the sonne hath not that life 1. Ioh. 5. 11. 12. although after a common manner effectiuely we all liue moue and haue our being in God Acts 17. 18. To omit I say this reason the same is further manifest because all meer naturall men are also without the immortall seed of God in them whereby they should be borne againe the children of God This immortall seed is the spirit of God as before we haue heard Meer naturall men therfore being without this seed how can they haue the life of God in them Againe if naturally we haue this life of God in vs it must be in our soules or in our bodies It is neither in our soules nor in our bodies therefore not at all Touching our soules what life of God can be in them when as we cannot so much as thinke a good thought of our selues 2. Cor. 3. 5. but al the imaginations of our heart are continually euill Genes 6. 5. and when as we cannot so much as will any thing that is good of our selues but it is God that worketh the will as well as the worke Philip. 2. 13. Where there is any life there will be some hunger and thirst after meat and drinke for preseruing of life or at least some desire of other meanes of life But alasse so farre are we from all hunger and thirst after either bread or water of life that we do vtterly refuse them and reiect them offered vnto vs. Yea that which is more we lay foorth our siluer for that which is not bread and we labour and take great paines for that which will not satisfie vs Isai 55. 2. Those things therfore being as it were the very breath of the life of God if we haue them not how can we haue that life of God it selfe For what life can there be without breath If our soules be thus dead what life of God can be in our bodies As our Sauiour saith If the light that is in vs be darknesse how great is that darknesse Matth. 6. 23. so may I say If the life that is in vs be deadnesse how great is that deadnesse Our eares cannot attend to the word of God therefore also not to any other goodnesse except God open our hearts Acts 16. 14. we cannot so much as turne our eyes from any vanity except the Lord do turn them Ps 119. 36. we cannot open our lips that our mouth may shew forth the praise of God except God do open them Psal 51. 15. neither can we so much as say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy ghost 1. Cor. 12. 5. Moreouer this our spirituall death doth appeare by our bearing all spirituall burthens though neuer so heauy without any sense and feeling of them What is heauier then sand yet all the sand â—n the whole world yea the whole earth with all the minerals of siluer gold lead yron tynne and pewter with all the quarries of stones with all the buildings and all other creatures thereupon is not so heauy as sinne Did not the imputation only of other mens sinnes vnto Christ lie so heauy
on the contrary hunger as much after the bread of God that lasteth to eternall life and thirst after the water of life which whosoeuer drinketh of he shall neuer thirst againe and if we shall as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that we may grow thereby 1. Pet. 2. 2. this shall be a further assurance to our own hearts that we our selues are borne of God The like is to be said of other spirituall actions so also of our spirituall growth and increase For as the naturall child new borne doth daily wax and increase in stature and in strength till it be able to goe and to doe other things answerable to the growth thereof as digesting of stronger meats bearing of burdens speaking like a man c so is it with all that are new borne not of mortall but of immortall seed by the word of God They will be able to digest high points of doctrine and not say of some things as some said of Christs doctrine touching his flesh to bee meat in deed and his bloud to be drinke indeed This is an hard saying who can heare it and so take occasion to leaue Christ and to walke no more with him Ioh. 6. 60. and 66. They will be able to walke strongly vp and downe not stumbling at euery straw They will bee able to beare Gods chastisements without murmuring wrongs at the hands of men without seeking reuenge c. They will be able to do the works of God both belonging to all Christians and also which are more sutable to their speciall callings These things I say and such like will all borne againe grow to doe and by these things they shall discerne their spirituall birth and the life of God to be in them Notwithstanding these things are not alike in all that are new borne no not in all of the same spirituall age For as it is amongst naturall men touching naturall strength some are of a low stature some of a taller some are strong men some are weaklings yea sometimes the yonger are taller and stronger then their elders by many yeeres so is it amongst spirituall men touching this spirituall life and this spirituall birth wherof now we speake But these things shall be more manifest by other things after to be spoken This life of God is the more excellent because it is euerlasting Being once begun it shall neuer haue end being once giuen it shall neuer be taken away Our naturall life shall haue an end I meane the life of the body and soule together begun and continued by naturall meanes and no man knoweth how soone But the life of God shall continue as God himselfe abideth for euer and as the seed whereby men are begotten to this life is not mortall but immortall But of this also more afterward In the meane time by that which hath been said it may appeare that this benefit of our spirituall life is a matter well worthy of all good account and reckoning This present life which our bodies doe liue in this world by their communion with the soule is greatly to be esteemed yea more then all other things appertaining thereunto Satan himselfe could say vnto God Skin for skinne and all that euer a man hath will he giue for his life Iob 2. 4. Amongst the benefits for which wisedome is commended about siluer and gold and pearles and all things that can be desired length of daies is not only one but also the first and placed in the right hand of wisedome whereas riches and glory are in the second place and said to be in the left hand Pro. 3. 16. Our Sauiour saith Is not the life more worth then meat Mat. 6. 25. What then is to be compared vnto it what benefit shall a man haue by any other thing yea by all other things if he haue not meat The Prophet saith that none of those that trust in their goods and beast themselues in the multitude of their riches can redeeme his brother viz. appointed by God to dye or giue a ransome for him that is no man can by any mony prolong the daies of his friend or buy out his death so precious is the redemption of their soules c. that he may liue for euer Psal 49. 6. 7. 8. 9. Is this naturall life so precious which yet as I said shall haue an end and no man knoweth either how soon or in what place or in what manner How excellent then is that spirituall life the life of God and the life that is eternall The more excellent therefore that this life is being a part of that matter wherein consisteth our new birth next to Christ himselfe and comming by Christ the more excellent also is the new birth it selfe of the children of God and their state and condition thereby Thus much for the life of God which all the children of God haue in their regeneration by Iesus Christ CHAP. X. Of some other things further concerning the matter of the regeneration of the children of God and of their very being the children of God viz. of their knowledge of God and of their true wisedome declared by the opposition thereunto of the ignorance foolishnesse and madnesse of all meere naturall wicked and vnregenerate men TO proceed further in declaration of other things concerning the very matter and being of the children of God the next point to be considered is the true knowledge vnderstanding and wisedome wherewith all the children of God are indued and enlightned And these things are to bee taken as some particular degrees of the life of God generally before spoken of as also as parts of the new man and of the image of God repaired and restored in our regeneration yea finally as parts also of our said regeneration it selfe Of these things I will speake as before I haue done generally of the life of God viz. by opposing vnto them the naturall ignorance foolishnesse and madnesse of all naturall men not regenerated that so by this opposition of their contraries the said true knowledge vnderstanding and wisedome may be made manifest to be the more excellent things and the more to set foorth the dignity of our regeneration Now as these things I meane this our naturall ignorance foolishnesse and madnesse be contrary to true knowledge vnderstanding and wisedome so the contrary may be said of these euils that hath been said of those vertues viz. that as those vertues are degrees and parts of the life of God of the new man and of the image of God newly created in all that are regenerated so these euils are also to be accounted as degrees and parts of that death of that old man and of that image of Satan in all the vnregenerate before generally touched Touching both these contraries they are expressed first by certaine metaphors the better to set forth their nature These metaphors are light and darknesse sight and blindnesse and such other phrases as are sutable to the
not this then a great dignity For this is one of the specialest promises that God hath made vnto his people namely that he will set his tabernacle among them and that his soule shall not loath them that also he will walke among them c. Leuit. 26. 11. 12. So then they with whom God hath such communion as to set his tabernacle among them and dwell with them may assure themselues that God will neuer loath them nor leaue them Yea we doe thereby further see that he promiseth not only his presence but also his gratious presence by his power to vphold them by his grace to direct them and by his goodnesse to giue them euery good thing For hee is greater then all Ioh. 10. 29. both in power and wisedome Who therefore can destroy or hurt them whom he will preserue In a strange country and in places of danger oh how great a comfort is it to haue some companie In such a place the truth of that is most apparant that Two are better then one because if they fall the one will lift vp his fellow Eccles 4. 9. 10. But alas what is all the company of man in respect of the society of God They that haue God so with them may truly say If God be with vs who can be or what skilleth it who be against vs God is light and in him is no darknesse 1. Ioh. 1. 5. If therefore we haue him alwaies with vs we shall be sure of light whereby so to see our waies that we may not erre Yea God is the father of lights from whom commeth euery good and perfect gift Iames 1. 17. Therefore they that haue him their shepheard may assure themselues they shall want nothing but that he will make them to rest in green pastures and lead them by the still waters of life restoring their soules and guiding them into the paths of righteousnesse Psal 23. 1. c. Yea they that haue thus God their shepheard shall be sure not only of green pastures and water but also that he will giue them that wine and milke and bread c. whereby their soules may liue and be made fat to eternall life Isai 55. 1. 2. What a priuiledge is this It is a great prerogatiue of the children of God to be garded by an Angel as afterward wee shall heare But alas smal cōfort is there in the presence of an Angel if God himselfe be not with vs. When the Israelites had so offended God and prouoked his wrath against them by making a molten calfe that he denied to go himselfe with them vnto the land which he had promised them and yet at the praier of Moses was content to send an Angell before them to cast out the Canaanites the Amerites the Hittites c. How I pray you did they take this It is said that when they heard this tidings they sorrowed and no man put on his best raiment Exod. 33. 1. c. There is therefore no comfort in the presence of any creature whatsoeuer if God himselfe be not graciously present with the eies of his fauour to behold them and their slate with the eares of his grace to heare their crie Psal 34. 15. and with the right hand of his power to support them Psal 144. 7. and to fill them with good things Psal 104. 28. and 145 16. Therefore Moses himselfe in the three and thirtith of Exodus before alledged vpon Gods deniall of his going in person with the Israelites offering notwithstanding to send an Angell before them Moses himselfe I say reasoneth the case with God in these words saying Wherein shall it be knowen that I and thy people haue found fauour in thy sight Shall it not be when thou goest with vs So I and thy people shall haue preheminence before all the people that are vpon the earth vers 16. As the former sorrowing of the people in the beginning of the Chapter sheweth how heauy a thing it is to want Gods companie though we haue the company of Angels so what can be more plainly spoken then these words of Moses to shew how great preheminence there is in that gratious presence of God wherof now we speake This priuiledge is the more because as all the points before handled so this is both common to all the children of God and also peculiar to them only For it is apropriated to them that are elected called instified and which shall be glorified Rom. 8. 31. and therefore before our calling as wee haue heard we are said to be without God in the world Ephes 2. 12. and it is before obserued that the promise of Gods dwelling with men and making them his tabernacles and temple is ioined with another of making them also his sonnes and his daughters 2. Cor. 6. 18. as noting that it is both common to them all and also proper to them only Therefore the wicked haue no more part in this priuiledge then in the former As the children of God may say that when they are alone they are not alone because God euen the fafather sonne and holy ghost is alwaies with them so whatsoeuer company else the wicked haue yet they may truly say they are alone because God euen the father Sonne and holy Ghost is absent from them As God is infinit and filleth all places so he cannot but be wheresoeuer the wicked are But cold is the comfort of this his presence only For if their eies were opened to see him they should see him no otherwise then Dauid saw the Angell of the Lord between the earth and the heauen with his sword drawen in his hand and stretched out toward Ierusalem 1. Chron. 21. 16. What to do had the Angell of the Lord his hand so stretched out toward Ierusalem euen to destroy it 2. Sam. 24. 16. Neither any otherwise should the wicked see the Lord to be present if their eies were opened then Balaams Asse saw also the same or another Angell of the Lord stand in the way and a sword drawn in his hand at the sight whereof the Asse being stricken with feare flung the first time out of the way into the field and the second time dasnt her masters foot against the wall and the third time lay down vnder him not daring to go in the way Numb 22. 23. Thus I say and no otherwise should the wicked see the Lord present with them not to do them any good but to be reuenged of them for all their wickednesse Thereby they should be so filled and possessed with feare that they should be ready to fly if it were possible and to run away from his presence But whither should they flie from his presence If they should ascend into heauen be is there If they should goe down into hell or make their bed in the graue hee is there If they should take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vttermost parts of the sea yet thither should his hand follow them and
iustification of vs before God who being himselfe most perfect can accept of nothing but that which is likewise fully perfect absolute like vnto himselfe Fourthly that all men owe more to God as hath been before shewed then they are able to pay yea euen he that oweth least Luke 7. 41. 42. and that therefore no man is able by anie workes whatsoeuer to purchase any new benefits at the hands of God Fiftly that Christ hauing satisfied for all our sinnes as hath been before prooued there are none left to vs to make satisfaction for Touching the Sacraments whereas the papists proclaime matrimony to be one we defend our deniall thereof First because God hath instituted no Sacramental signe for matrimonie Secondly all Sacraments are proper to the church but mariage is as well for them that are without the church as for them that are within it Thirdly that whereas Sacraments are to be coÌ„mon to all sorts of members of the church the Papists themselues deny matrimony to belong to their most holy order of Priesthood Fourthly that Sacraments are instituted for confirmatioÌ„ of our faith in Christ but that matrimony was instituted whiles Adam was perfect not belieuing in Christ before his fall neither standing in need of Christ The like we plead against their other supposed Sacraments besides baptisme and the supper of the Lord. Touching baptism wheras we deny against them baptism to take away originall sinne we defend our selues in this behalfe by the word of God viz. by the example of Dauid in his age acknowledging his originall sinne Psal 51. 5. and of Paul complaining of his like sinne Rom. 7. 7. c. and by the testimony also of Iames Chap. 1. 13. c. Whereas we further deny against them baptism to be absolutely necessary to saluation we defend our selues in this behalfe by the word First because circumcisioÌ„ being the same in significatioÌ„ vse that baptism is was intermitted for 40. yeers in the wildernes 2. Because the children of the faithful as soon as they are born and before baptism are within the Couenant 1. Cor. 7. 14. Touching the supper of the Lord whereas they take away the cup from the people we oppose First the institution in both kinds Secondly the words of the Apostle according to the institution mentioning the cup as well as the bread 1. Cor. 11. 25. c. Thirdly the continuall practise of the Apostles Their transubstantiation feined changing of the essence of the elements in the said supper we confute First by the deliuering of them by Christ himself to his disciples he going afterward into the garden and suffering vpon the crosse which he could not haue done if he had giuen himselfe to his disciples before if they had eateÌ„ him before especially he being then not glorified SecoÌ„dly by the end of the supper viz. the remembrance of Christ Christ being preseÌ„t what need of remeÌ„brance Remembrance is of things absent Thirdly the continuance of Christ in heauen til the end of the world Acts 3. 21. Fourthly the nature of a Sacrament requiring an external signe indeed not only the accidents of a sign as well as the thing signified Fiftly that the fathers of the old testament did eat the same spirituall meat drink the same spirituall drink that we do 1. Cor. 10. 3. who could not carnally eat Christs flesh and drinke his blood he then not being made man Sixtly the fruit of eating Christs flesh drinking his blood viz. eternall life Ioh. 6. 51. which cannot be said of al that receiue that supper Lastly that as there is no alteration of the signe in baptisme so there is no cause of change in the signes of the supper of the Lord. The Popish Masse to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and the dead we lay on the ground as Dauid did great Goliah by the sword of the spirit the word of God Tit. 2. 14. Heb. 9. 12. and 25. 1. Pet. 3. 18. All praier to saints we ouerthrow by the same sword First because in the day of our trouble when if euer we haue need of other friends to solicite our cause to God then especially we haue need of them such trouble testifying God to be displeased with vs because I say in the day of such trouble we are coÌ„maÌ„ded to cal vpon God Psa 50. 15. and vpon no other Secondly because from the beginning of the scriptures to the end there is neither precept nor example nor any sentence to warrant inuocation of saints Thirdly because this is derogatory and disgracefull to the onely mediation of Christ before spoken of yea it is blasphemous against the same Fourthly because although it should be granted that the Saints departed doe know our necessities yet they know not our hearts whether when we pray for our selues we pray in faith and trueth or no. All praier for the dead we wound mortally by the same weapon because the word teacheth vs that they that die and are translated out of this world they die either in the Lord and so are blessed and rest from their labor and haue their reward with God in heauen Reu. 14. 13. or els they die out of the Lord and so they goe to that rich man of whom the Gospell maketh mention euen to the diuell and his angels where they are tormented for euer and from whence there is no more passage to heauen then from heauen thither Luk. 16. 26. And this twofold distinction of men dying either in Christ or out of Christ either in the state of saluation to goe presently to God in heauen or in the state of damnation to be thrown immediatly into hell without any third sort either of men here or of state and place after this life we gather from our Sauiour himselfe saving Either make the tree good and his fruit good or the tree euill and his fruit euill Mat. 12. 33. So he maketh only two sorts of men here all to be good or euill therefore he excludeth any middle sort and so consequently denieth also all middle state or place after this life distinct from heauen and hell Secondly we wound the former heresie of praying for the dead by the forme of praier prescribed by our Sauiour wherein he teacheth vs to pray only for them that may doe the will of God vpon earth that haue need of daily bread for this life and that are in danger of tentation and other euill al which things do belong only to the liuing in this world Worshipping of images or of God in images we doe likewise wound vnto death by the same word viz. by the second commandement and by infinit other Scriptures in the old testament and by some also in the â—ewâ— Acts 17 2â— c. 1. Cor. 6. 9. and 10. 7. 14 1. Pet 4. 3. 1 Iohn 5 21 Reu 21. 8. and 22. 15. Secondly because we are forbidden the worship of the holy glorious Angels Reuel 19. 10. and 22. 8. Much
preferments of the Iewes aboue the Gentiles before the comming of Christ that the Lord gaue them his word his statutes and his iudgements Psal 147. 19. and that to them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. viz. outwardly and concerning the letter to be kept by them whereas no other nation had the like benefit then how great is this priuiledge of the children of God aboue the wicked that they only haue the keeping of his word in the closets and cofers of their hearts to their euerlasting good Thus much of the dignity of Gods children by the word of God It remaineth now to speake of the Sacraments wherein I may and will be the shorter because they are only seales for confirmation of the word and either to strengthen our faith the more in the promises of God or to quicken our obedience the more vnto the commandements of God For as touching baptisme it is instituted first of all the better to assure vs of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes by the bloud of Christ by that visible element of water which therein is to be vsed This Peter teacheth when he exhorteth them that by his sermon were pricked in their hearts to bee baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes Acts 2. 38. because as the water washeth away the filth of the body so the bloud of Christ clenseth vs from all our sinnes Rom. 5. 9. Ephes 1. 7. Coloss 1. 20. 1 Iohn 1. 7. Reuel 1. 5. Secondly baptisme was instituted as a Sacrament also of repentance and regeneration because the bloud of Christ doth not onely wash vs from the guilt of our sinnes but also from the spot and blemish of them as we haue heard before And therefore Peter saith that we were elect or select viz. in our calling vnto sanctification of the spirit through the obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Christ 1. Pet. 1. 2. and againe that We were redeemed from our vaine conuersation receiued by tradition of our fathers by the pretious bloud of Christ c. verse 18. 19. Another Apostle also saith that the bloud of Christ shall purge our consciences from dead works to serue the liuing God Heb. 9. 14. Therfore to apply these things vnto baptisme the baptisme of Iohn is called the baptisme of repentance Acts 19 4. and Iohn neuer baptized but hee preached repentance Mat. 3. 8. Luk. 3. 8. Therefore also baptisme is said to teach vs to die vnto sinne and to liue vnto righteousnesse Rom. 3. 4. Gal. 3. 27. Col. 2. 12. In the same respect Paul saith that Christ gaue himselfe for the Church that he might sanctifie it and clense it by the washing of water through the word Ephes 5. 26. In which words the Apostle at least alludeth vnto baptisme and againe he seemeth to vnderstand baptisme by the washing of the new birth Tit. 3. 5. The Apostle also to the Hebrews seemeth to allude to baptisme when hee saith that wee are purged in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water Hebr. 10. 22. Finally touching both the former ends of baptisme baptisme is said to bee the baptisme of repentance and forgiunesse of sinnes Mark 1. 4. As baptisme so serueth for confirmation of faith and instruction in godlinesse so doth also the supper of the Lord. The bread that wee eate and the wine that wee drinke in a religious manner according to Christs institution doth teach vs that as the bread and wine are incorporated into our bodies and made one with them so Christs his flesh and blood are spiritually incorporated into vs and wee into Christ through faith whereby it is said as wee heard before that Christ dwelleth in our hearts Ephes 3. 17. In which respect the cup of blessing which the Minister in the celebration of the Supper blesseth that is which hee praieth God to blesse to that speciall and holy vse is said to bee the communion of the blood of Christ and that the bread which he so blesseth is said to be the communion of the body of Christ 1. Cor. 10. 16. And indeed the Supper of the Lord by the visible elements and the visible actions therein commanded by Christ himselfe putting vs better in remembrance of all that Christ hath done for vs and better shewing his death till he come 1. Cor. 11. 24. 25. 26. then bare preaching would doe for so our eies doe see our hands doe handle our tongues doe taste and our stomaks by the vertue of the bread and wine do feele that which in the word preached our eares doe heare it cannot but be a maruellous and most comfortable confirmation of our faith both for euerlasting saluation in the world to come and also for all things necessary for this life in this present world For how can we doubt of saluation which Christ Iesus hath so deerly purchased for vs and the price whereof we see in so liuely manner represented vnto vs by the bread and the wine by the breaking of the one and the pouring out of the other would he giue so much for vs and then leaue vs in the suds or in danger Yea do not the bread and the wine with the eating of the one and drinking of the other teach vs that Christs flesh and bloud are meat indeed and drinke indeed to preserue vs to that eternall life which he by his death hath purchased for vs Ioh. 6. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. Hath Christ paid so deerly for vs and doth he feed vs so daintily and with such costly diet better then Angels food and will he lose vs and suffer vs to perish and to be taken out of his hands yea sith we that eat his flesh and drinke his bloud spiritually not only in the word but also in the Sacrament doe dwell in Christ and haue Christ dwelling in vs as Christ himselfe in the place before alledged doth testifie will he dispossesse himselfe of his habitation or hauing all power in heauen in earth and euery where els in his hands can he violently by any other power be thrust out of his house and home yea sith as we haue heard the supper of the Lord doth plainly teach vs that wee are flesh of his flesh c. can we perish and he not also perish Touching things necessary for this life whiles we liue in this world the supper of the Lord by putting vs in such remembrance of Christ himselfe doth also most comfortably assure vs of them For he that spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all how shall he not with him giue vs all other things also Rom. 8. 32. And he that spared not his owne life and his owne soule but gaue them for vs and daily doth giue them vnto vs by faith how shall he not being made the heire of all things Heb. 1. 2. and hauing all things in his power and at his disposition how shall hee not I say with himselfe giue
our enemies compassing vs about like mighty bulls of Bashan and like dogs Psal 22. 12. and 16 and as thicke as bees Psal 118. 12. and albeit in that respect whiles we thus hue amongst our enemies wee are subiect to many dangers yet we are as safely kept and as it were garded euen walled round about not by Angels alone but by God himselfe yea the better to assure vs that we shall be as safely kept here in earth notwithstanding all our enemies for that inheritance as that is kept for vs he saith that we are kept by the power of God So saith our Sauiour that he will giue his sheepe eternall life and that they shall not perish neither that any man shall plucke them out of his hands because the father that hath giuen them vnto him is greater then all and no man shall plucke them by any violence out of his hand Ioh. 10. 28. 29. So then the sheep of Christ and children of God are in the hands and custody of God the Father and God the Sonne They may therefore as well doubt of the power of God as of their preseruation for the inheritance now spoken of O inseparable happinesse Without the former preseruation of this inheritance for vs it is small comfort to heare it to be immortall vndefiled and not withering yea the more excellent that this inheritance is noted to be by those three attributes the more would be our griefe if it were not safely kept for vs. What comfort also should we haue by all the foure former commendations if we our selues might in the meane time perish and miscarry Alas what comfort had king Edward the fift by this great kingdome when himselfe was in the custody of his most wicked vnkle Richard the third that most vnnaturally and horribly murthered him and his yonger brother Besides all before written of this inheritance the excellency thereof is laid foorth further in Scripture by phrases of such things as are in greatest regard here vpon earth and chiefly by such things as belong to kings and kingdomes Therefore it is said as before we heard that we shall be cloathed in white that we shall haue crownes vpon our heads and that we shall sit vpon thrones yea on the throne of Christ Iesus himselfe Because kings also fare daintily therefore it is said that the children of God shall eat of the fruit of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God Ren. 2. 7. and of the Manna that is hidden Reuel 2. 17. As also in the Courts of Princes there is the voice of singing men and women 2. Sam. 19. 32. so in heauen all the Saints and all the Angels shall sing a new song and the song of Moses and of the Lamb Reuel 5. 9. 10. 11. and 14. 3. where there is mention of harpes and of a new song yea such a song that no man could learne but the elect bought from the earth Whereas Princes also dwell in stately and princely palaces lift vp thy eies to heauen behold the beauty and glory thereof and consider whether the inside of the greatest and most sumptuous palaces in all the world with all their rich and sumptuous furniture be comparable to the outside of heauen If the outside be so beautifull and glorious are not the inner parts where God himselfe with all his Angels are in all glory much more beautifull and glorious How doth Dauid oft times commend the house of God vpon earth Doth he not speake of the tabernacle before the temple was built by way of admiration O Lord of hosts how amiable are thy tabernacles Psal 84. 1. Doth not he therefore pronounce them Blessed that might dwell in his house verse 4. yea doth he not say that a day in the courts of God is better then a thousand elsewhere and that for his part though hee were then annointed heire apparant to the crowne and diadem of the kingdome of Israel yet he had rather bee a doore-keeper in the house of his God then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse verse 10. If he thought the house of God so amiable vpon earth which is as it were but the gatehouse of heauen how amiable thought he heauen it selfe to be Glorious things saith the Prophet are spoken of thee thou citie of God Psal 87. 3. what city of God The earthly Ierusalem What glorious things are spoken of that city That it is built as a city compact together in it selfe that thereunto the tribes of the Lord goe vp according to the testimony to Israel or of the Israelites to praise the name of the Lord and that there are thrones set for iudgement the thrones of the house of Dauid Psal 122. 3. 4. 5. Were these and many other the like glorious things spoken of the city of God and of Ierusalem vpon earth What then may be said of the City of God and of the Ierusalem of God in heauen That was but a type this is the thing signified That was corruptible and is now destroied this abideth for euer That was an habitation for a time for corrupt and mortall men this is an euerlasting habitation of God himselfe in his glory for all the Angels and for all the Saints purged of all their sinnes and made glorious without any spot or wrinkle That was made by men and with hands this was made by God himselfe without hands That had goodly towers almost past numbring Psal 48. 12. this likewise hath many dwelling places more artificially compact together then all the gorgeous palaces of Ierusalem or of all the Princes in the world Thither the tribes of Israel did goe vp but hither all tribes of all nations vnder heauen are and shall be gathered to praise the name of the Lord by singing those songs before spoken of There were the thrones of Dauid but here is the throne of Christ Iesus for the iudgement of all the world What shall I say more When we shall come to this inheritance though the happy state thereof be described by such things as are vpon earth in greatest price for our better capacity yet for all that no such things are sufficient to set forth and fully to expresse the thousandth part of the excellency thereof The eie of man hath not seen neither hath the eare of man heard neither can the things enter in to the heart of man which God hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Cor. 2. 9. What tongue then of man by any thing or by all things in the world is able to expresse them Yea the truth is that albeit the future condition of the children of God be described by white raiment by eating of the fruit of the tree of life c. and of the Manna that is hidden c. yet we shall neither haue apparrell nor food for our bodies in the world to come As man before his fall liued by corporall food without apparell and after his fall had need as well