authoritie or power ouer them for notwithstanding their defection and Apostacie he doth not cease to be still their Lord and their Iudge as he is also vnto the Deuils and vnâ—o other reprobates But this is it whiche wee â—olde that they be not the children of God Gal. 3. nor comprehended within his couenant Rom. 9.8 that â—o them the promises of saluation concerning their efficacye and operation doe not â—ppertaine Gal. 4.6 and that they haue not the spirite of adoption which hath ingrauen and â—ealed the grace of God in their heartes and maketh them to cry Abba father But now to speake properly God is God onely of those who by faith are ingrafted into the family of Abraham and made the children of the promise by reason whereof ten tribes of Israell hauing seuered themselues from the couenant of God vnder the crowne of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat God doth denounce vnto theÌ„ by his Prophet that he doth not acknowledge them any more for his people And to assurr â—n better therof he commandeth the Prophet to call his last sonne his name Locrian for ye are not sayth he my people Hos 1.9 therefore will I not be your God To the Iewes also who made their boast that they had God to be their father Iesus Christ who knew verie well that they had broken his couenant reiecting and persecuting him so obstinately as they did he I say who is the onely meanes and grounde thereof sayd vnto them Ioh. 8.42 Ioh. 8.44 If God were your father then would you loue me for I proceded forth and came from God neither came Iâ— my selfe but he sent me Ye are of your father the Deuill and the lusts of your father ye will doe 〈◊〉 hath beene a murtherer from the beginning â— aâ— abode not in the truth because there is no truthâ— him When he speaketh a lye then speaketh heâ— his owne for he is a lyer and the father thereoâ— By this speech which Iesus Christ had witâ— the Iewes it may well be thought that theâ— were farre ouer-shot in their reckoning tâ— thinke they were the children of God becauâ— they were circumcised and bare about theâ— the tokens of his couenant seeing they were so farre of from being accounted for such as â—he doth rather esteeme them the seed and progenie of the Deuill because they yelded themselues wholly obedient to his hests which are to loue vntrueth and to seeke the death of all those who loue preach or fauor in what sort soeuer the truth We must not then iudge by outward apearance of those that are of the house and family of God For there are many of whom his name is called vpon and who say vnto him Lorde Lorde Math. 7.21 which shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen but he onely that doth his will Many sayth Iesus Christ speaking to the Iewes will say to me in that day Lord Lord haue we not by thy name prophesied and by thy name cast out Deuils And by thy name done many great workes And then will I professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me ye that worke iniquity And Saint Paule speaking to the Iewes in the same sorte who thought theÌ„selues to be vnited vnto God because they had receiued the law the circumcision and other badges of the couenant Did he not say vnto them reprehending that vaine considence which they put in these outward things Beholde thou art called a Iewe Rom. 2.17 and restest in the law and gloriest in God and knowest his will allowest all things that are excellent in that thou art instructed by the law and perswadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blinde a light of them which are in darkenesse an instructor of them which lacke discretion a teacher of the vnlearned which hast the forme of knowledge of the truth in the law Thou therefore which teachest another teachest not thou thy selfe Thou that preachest a man should not steale doest thou steale Thou that sayest a man shoulde not commit adultery doest thou commit adultery Thou that abhorrest Idoles committest thou sacrilege Thou that gloriest in the lawe through breaking the law dishonourest thou God And a litle after he doth conclude verse 28. For he is not a Iewe which is one outward neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one within c. If then the onely obseruation of the ceremonies of the lawe though they were ordained of God and auctorised by his worde were neuerthelesse vnable to knit the people vnto God howe commeth it to passe that the Apostates are so foolishe as to thinke that for hauing betaken themselues to papistry againe that is to say for hauing returned to their owne vomit and abhomination they are entred againe into the couenant of God who is the God of them onely that by faith words and workes doe professe and shewe that they are and will continue his people for euer If â—hen thou hast withdrawne thee from it and â—o cause thy selfe to be in account amongest â—hine owne thou doest declare openly and blamely with a shamelesse face that thou wilt neuer be of that number againe Art thou so vnwise as to beleue that God will be a father â—nto him by force who doth disdaine him and doth refuse to be of his people and to be accounted in his house among his children Moreouer since there is no agreemeÌ„t betwene Christ and Beliall 2. Cor. 6.15 1. Cor. 10.21 and that No man can be partaker of the Lorde his table and of the table of Deuils Hauing reiected Iesus Christ his part â—n betaking himselfe to Antichrist and his company and returning to the masse renounced the death sacrifice of the sonne of God Art thou so brutish as to thinke that denying Iesus Christ to be thy brother Iohn 1. his father can account thee for his sonne considering that â—e is the onely author meane of our adoption and that with out him God doth not onely not hold vs for his freindes and confederates but doth esteeme vs for his mortall foes And therefore S. Rom. 5. Paule doth exhort vs to withdraw our selues from the companye of Idolaters and Infidels if we desire that God should adopt vs to be his children 2. Cor. 6.17 Come oâ— sayeth he from among them and seperate youâ— selues sayth the Lorde and touch no vnclean thing and I will receiue you and I will be a father vnto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters sayth the Lord almighty 1. Ioh. 2.23 Saint Iohn sayeth that whosoeuer confesseth the sonne hath also the father and contrarily whosoeuer denieth the sonne the same hath not the father that iâ— the reason wherefore when he was circumcised the name of Immanuell was giuen him to leâ— vs vnderstand that there is none but he alone that can cause vs to come neere vnto God and set vs into his
their coÌ„sultations The first shal be that ther is no saluation but in the church As the Prophet sayth Ioel. 2.32 And it shal come to passe that whosoeuer shal cal one the name of the Lord shal be saued for in mouÌ„t Sion in IerusaleÌ„ shal be deliueraÌ„ce as the Lord hath said in the reÌ„â—ant whom the Lord shal cal Esay 4.5 Esay saith as much The Lord shal create vpoÌ„ euery place of mouÌ„t SioÌ„ vpoÌ„ the assemblyes therof a cloud smoke by day the shining of a flaming fire by night for vpon al the glory shal be a defence a couering shal be for a shadow in the day for the heat a place of refuge a couer for the storme for the rayne So doth Zachary in his song Luc. 1.68 Blessed be the Lord god of Israel because he hath visited redeemed his people That we may theÌ„ be made partakers of the saluation which god the Father doth offer vnto vs in his sonne we must be vnited vnto him made members of his body that is to saye that we be adopted into the houshold of Abraham with whom the couenant hath bene made and associated by faith with the holy vniuersall church which caÌ„ not be done except we beleue the communion of the Sainctes and vntil such time as we be ioyned with theÌ„ in the publicke assemblyes wherein the word of God is preached the Sacramentes administred the order kept in confessions prayers and open thankes geuinges and in the discipline and censures which are made of maners to put in authoritie the practise and vse of the worde of God and to meete with those corruptions which otherwise easily enter into the Church and alter it The second Axiome is Luke 12. that in thinges which God doth commaunde we ought not to delaye nor to be slowe to put them in execution But alwayes to haue our loynes girded vp and houlde in our handes the burning lampe to be readye to goe euery where whether it shal please him to send vs. And to do readily that which he coÌ„maundeth vs Rom. 1. Heb. 11. Gen. 12.4 For true faith is euer accompanied with this ready obedience as we see by experience in Abraham the Father of the beleeuers who was ready to departe out of his countrey and leaue all his commodities yea and to sacrifice his owne sonne in whom he put the effect and truethe of the promise Gen. 22.3 as soone as God had commaunded him And that is it which Iesus Christ teacheth vs to aske of his Father to wit Mat. 6.10 that his will should be done in earth as it is in heauen That is to say that he do graunt vs the grace that we be as ready and willing to doe his will as the Angells which are in heauen who haue no sooner receaued the commandement of God but euen in the verye instaunt they put it in execution for God loueth not those dodgers which bargayne and aske still more dayes of aduise to deliberate vpon that which he commaundeth them whether they should do it or not For sithens he is the Soueraigne Lord commandeth nothing but that which is reasonable and for the profit of those whome he will employ in his seruice must we take counsell whether we should obey him or no in that which he doth commaunde vs and to be more hastie or slower in accomplishing his will then are senseles creatures which doe not come short or go beyonde in anie one litle point of that which the creatour doth command them Psal 23.5 Exod. 4.14 Ier. 1.7 The Scripture teacheth how God was greeuously prouoked against Moses Ieremy and Ionas in that they were wayward in taking the charge and commission which he was to giue them in obeying that which he commaunded them And the great daunger wherein Ionas fell because because he would haue fledde away Ion. 1.4 to the end he might haue exempted himself from going to Niniuye whether God would haue sent him doth shew plainly enough the iminent perill to which they lay open themselues who delay so long to enter into the Church to obey in that the calling of god who doth summone inuite them so willingly vnto him Esay 65. hauing euery day from morning to night his armes stretched forth to receaue and embrace them comming vnto him And are they not amased at that which Iesus Christ spake vnto him that would haue followed him but vpon that condition that he would suffer him Luk. 9.62 first to go bid them farewell which were at his house No maÌ„ sayeth he to him that putteth his hand to the plowe and looketh backe is apt for the kingdome of God The thirde Axiome that we ought neuer to let flippe the occasion of weldoing nor a receauing the benefite that God doth set before vs when occasion offreth it selfe but apply our selues immediatly vnto it and vse it lest that it being once lost it cannot be possiblye recouered againe That is it which Christ Iesus sayde speaking vnto the Iewes Yet a litle while is the light with you Ioh. 12 35. walke while ye haue light least the darknesse come vpon you for he that walketh in the darke knoweth not whether he goeth admonishing them thereby that they should take heede of reiecting of the grace which God offred vnto them in him by him that if they did it being taken from theÌ„ they could no more come by it which they haue fouÌ„d in deed for hauing not receiued the light then when it was offred they haue bene vtterly depriued therof and are yet at this day So that since fifteene hundred yeares ago there hath not beene in the whole world a people more wretched than that because they haue not knowne the time of their visitation Luk. 19 44 and haue not receyued the great benefites which God would haue bestowed on them then wheÌ„ they were offered those that were bidden to the wedding of the kings son did excuse them selues Matt. 22 5. the one alledging their merchandize the other their domesticall busines and the rest those impediments which they had they were so farre from satisfiyng and contenting the king by these excuses that contrariwise his anger beeing more extremely kindled against those that had not made any account of the honor fauour that he did vnto them he pronounced them vnworthy of his liberalitie and of euer being receiued into his house Mat. 25.10 The foolish virgines because they had not the care to light their lamps in due time were ouertaken by the comminge of the bridegroome and excluded out of the hall where the banket was made which dothe teache vs not to imitate the slouthefull who gaspe and wringe their handes or hange downe their armes then when they shoulde worke in the time of neede But to followe the example of the Ant who earelie and betimes maketh her prouision foreseeing that in
AN EXCELLENT AND LEARNED TREATISE OF APOSTASIE MADE BY the most reuerend and godly learned man M. Iohn de l'Espine Minister of the word of God in the Churche of Anger 's in the Dukedome of Anjou DIRECTED AGAINST THE Apostates in the Churches of France Written first in the French tongue by the author him selfe and now faithfully translated into English The contentes of the booke appeare in the page following ANCHORA SPEI * Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautrollier dwelling in the Black-friers neare Ludgate Anno. 1587. THE CONTENTES OF THE CHAPters following in this Treatise The Preface Chap. 1. That there is want of iudgement in the Apostates Chap. 2. What the wretchednes of the Apostates is Chap. 3. That God departeth from the Apostates Chap. 4. That the Apostates are euer pursued by the Iustice of God whiche suffereth them not to haue any rest in their consciences Chap. 5. That the Apostates are without God though they thinke and defend the contrary Chap. 6. That as the Apostates are without God so they are without Christ Chap. 7. That the Apostates being departed from Iesus Christ are miserable Chap. 8. That the Apostates being separated from Iesus Christ are also depriued of his spirite Chap. 9. That as the Apostates haue giueÌ„ ouer God which in the authour of life so also they do coÌ„teÌ„ne those meanes which they may vse to come vnto him Chap. 10. That the Apostates are depriued of the Sacraments as well as of the word Chap. 11. That the Apostates haue no faith Chap. 12. That the Apostates are without the Church Chap. 13. That it is a most dangerous thing for the delayers of time who knowe the true Churche not to adioyne themselues presently vnto it Chap. 14. What the causes are whiche hinder the delayers from comming to the Churche and how light and friuolous they are Chap. 15. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL MAISTER THOMAS RANDOLPH Esquire Maister and Comptrouller of her Maiesties Posts and one of the Chamberlaines of her Highnesse Exchequer THOMAS VAVTROLLIER Printer wisheth prosperitie in this life and the ioyes of the life to come OVR Sauiour Christe Right Worshipful and most Christian Gentleman setting forth the state of the kingdome of heauen by the parable of the seede Matth 13. teacheth that some felvpâ—n stony ground where it had not much earth and â—one it sprange vp because it had not depth of earth and when the Sunne rose vp it was parched and for lacke of rooting withered away which our Sauiour himselfe in the 20. verse of the same chapter expoundeth to be he who heareth the word and incontinently with ioy receiueth it yet hath he no roote in himselfe and dureth but a season for assoone as tribulation or persecution commeth because of the word by and by he is offended The trueth of which doctrine hath bene most euident in the Churche of God in all ages Gen. 18. Lot his wife will needes looke backe to filthy Sodome because it is a rich and a pleasant place and the olde sonnes of Israel rather then they will suffer a litle aduersitie as the people of God will returne into Egypt an accursed land so they may haue their Leekes their Garlike and Onions and many will rather returne to Caiphas and to the pallace of thâ— High Priest Heb. 13.13 then they will goe forth with Iesuâ— Christ out of the Campe bearing his reprocheâ— refusing vtterly to drinke of the cuppe of thâ— Sonne of God to weare his cognisance and arâ— ashamed of the choller of his order and wilâ— at no hand suffer any thing with Iesus Chrisâ— who hath suffered all thinges for them tâ— raigne and to be glorified for euer with himâ— And surely very miserable experience hereoâ— in these laste times may dailye be seene in thâ— Churches about vs as those of France and other places so many for the heate of persecution and least they shoulde beare the crosse of Christ haue and daily do returne to that spirituall Egypt and mystical Babylon the mother of all abhominations Among many reuolts and defections there hath bene none more fearefull and horrible then that most dreadful Apostasie which befell not long since on Saint Bartholomewes day in the Churches of Anjou so many falling away which neuer since returned to the sheepefolde of Christ which moued this excellent and godly learned man Maister I. de l'Espine Minister of the word of God in the Church of Anger 's to write this most excellent Treatise vnto them that they might remember from whence they be fallen that they may see howe they haue defiled the Temple of God and made sad his holy spirite and the holy Angels to be in sorowe and heauines beholding their fall in betraying the son of God and in sclandering the sufferings of his glorious Martyrs banished driuen from â—heir countries and houses depriued and forsaken of their fathers mothers wiues children parents friends cast into dungeons amonge Toades and Serpents bound and fettered with â—ll crueltie and outrage by hangmen and executioners mangled afflicted and tormented But alas these haue refused this so great an honour 1. Pet. 4. Rom. 8. as to communicate with the passions of Iesus Christ and to be made conformable vnto his image in suffering with him and for the profession of his moste glorious Gospell This godly and learned Treatise written by the Author in the Frenche tongue for the vse and benefite especially of his owne Church being deliuered and commended vnto me by a reuerend and learned man faithfully translated into English I thought it a meditation very necessary in these times for the Church of England also who although nowe God be praised she neede notto shrinke for any fiery triall yet she knoweth not how neare the Lord his visitation is Mat. 25. and our Sauiour teacheth his seruants continually to watche That I haue presumed to dedicate it vnto your Worshippe 〈◊〉 thinke fewe men will aske and no man ought to maruaile who knoweth your zealous and most Christian profession and the great duties wherein I stand bound to your Worship for your great fauour and assistance in my distresses and afflictions Onely I beseech you tâ— receiue it as a signification of my thankefulâ— mind in dutie towards your Worshippe The Lord giue you grace still to continue euen tâ— the ende to blesse you here with all increase of Worship and with all spirituall ioyes in heauenly things in his most blessed Sonne Christ Iesus London From my poore house in the Blacke-Friers this present 9. of May. 1587. Your Worships in all dutie THOMAS VAVTROLLIER Heb. 6.4 It is impossible that they whiche were once lightened and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and haue tasted of the good worde of God and of the powers of the world to come If they fall away should be renewed agayne by repentance seyng they crucifie agayne to them selues the sonne of God and make a mocke of him
8.17 we must be likewise participant of his crosse and tribulations Wil they thē that God who is vnchangable in his counsailes decrees should breake them for their sakes that by an especiall priuiledge he should except them from the commō rule and exempt them alone from persecution from which his owne sonne was not freed when in great feare and horrible anguish of death he desired his father saying Mat. 26.39 O my Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me Should they not content themselues with this condition that their estate should be like to their Lord and Maisters And yet it is better Heb. 7.26 for of all the children of God there is none that hath suffred so much in this world as the first borne who was his naturall sonne his onely sonne his welbeloued sonne and who alone was innocent and vndefiled amongest all men Were it not a great shame for a man to request to be crowned hauing not fought and to receaue the price of the race 2. Tim. 2.5 wherein he neuer ranne that were to reape hauing not sowen and to gather not hauing laboured 1. Cor. 9. Doe not we feare least we shoulde be thought not onely too too fine and daintie but also treacherous and disloyall if whilest the other fight in the fielde couered on all sides with dust and blood weary out of breath halfe dead for the great thirst which they indure we shuld stay still vnder the tent in the shadow to refresh vs at our ease by the bottels flagons Whē Dauid would haue sent the valiāt knight Vriah vnto his house 2. Sam. 11.11 there toly delite himselfe with his wife being returned frō the cāpe frō which he came by the cōmandement of his general to bring tidings vnto the King of the army excused himselfe frō doing of that which the king cōmanded by a notable excellent aunswer God forbid said he that thy seruaunt should euer suffer so shamefull a reproch that he hath lien soft in his house whē his captaine in the war hath in his pauiliō laid on the straw bed What shame then or rather what impudēcy is it for the delaiers to dwel stil in their houses drinking of good wine making mery in the meane time they beholde their captaine Iesus Christ tied vnto the crosse Ioh. 19.29 to whome is giuen vinegre to quench his thirst The Rubenites Gadites and the halfe tribe of Manasses Numb 32. thogh Moses by the cōsent of al the other tribs had assigned vnto them their portion dwelling in the lands which they had conquered on the other side of Iordan vpon the two Amorean Kings Sehon the King of Basan for that cause had noweleisure to rest themselues their wiues and their children not taking any more paines in the trauels labours of warre neuertheles they would not inioy this rest whilest their brethren were in the fieldes fighting conquering of the Chananits the residue of the land which God had promised vnto thē for their inheritāce but with a noble valiant hart did offer themselues to go the foremost in the battell to be partakers of all the toiles daungers of their brethren vntill such time as they also should be setled haue occasion to rest as they themselues had Which is an example of great courage which these weake and faint heartes should set before their eies to imitate consider with themselues what a reproch it is to eate the hony as drones when it is gathered and refuse in the meane time the paynes to goe into the fieldes to gather it But what Which of these two will they be Children or bastardes Heb. 12.8 If they choose rather to be bastardes besides the reproche they get thereby they can not be heires If they be children they must be partakers of the chasticements afflictions which are cōmon to all the children whereby they get their inheritance Rom. 5. Gal. 6. Mat. 5.11 Why doe they flye the crosse and persecutions of Iesus Christ seeing it is the badge and chiefest glorie of Christians Doe they thinke they shall be miserable when they shall be iniuried imprisoned banished robbed of al their goods That their names shal stinke and be execrable to the whole world and that euery euil word shall be sayd against them for Iesus Christ his cause Nay contrariwise he pronounceth those happie and sayth that it is one of the seales of our election to assure them that the kingdom of God doth belong vnto them and that this narrowe way which they abhorre so much Mat. 7.14 is euen that which leadeth thereunto and he pronounceth those wretched who desire riches pleasures and the honors of this worlde Wo be to you that are riche Luk. 6.24 for ye haue receiued your consolation Wo be to you that nowe laugh for ye shall waile and weepe Wo be to you when all men speake well of you for as he sayth in an other place that which is highly esteemed amongst men Luc. 16.15 is most commonly abhominable in the sight of God Soph. 1. I will visit all those who as wine rest vppon their dregs That is to say which loue rather to wallowe and rot in their filth then to rise and hasten themselues to preuent the iudgement of God and the day of his wrath Which shall be vnto them no doubt a day of tribulation anguish of darkenes and obscurity of weping and gnashing of teeth Apoc. 21.8 The fearefull sayeth S. Iohn shall not enter into the kingdome of God but shall haue their part as also al vnbeleeuers liars and Idolaters in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the seconde death but he that ouercommeth shall inherite all things and I will be his God and he shall be my sonne Shoulde not the threatnings of God so horrible correct the feare of the most fearefull person in the worlde And on the other side those excellent promises that God maketh vnto all those that shall be couragious and who fighting manfully shall be victors ouer their enimies ought they not to incourage stirre vp the greatest coward that is to take the whole armour of God that is the breastplate of righteousnesse The shielde of faith the helmet of saluation Eph. 6.13 the sword of the spirit which is the word of God To resist the Deuils the Lords of the world and gouerners of the darkenesse of the same and to fight against al the malicious spirits which are in heauenly places 1. Cor. 10.5 cast downe all imaginations euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bring into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ The spirit of God which is a power frō on high Luk. 24.49 Ioh. 3.5 which by faith is communicated vnto vs by our regeneration is it a spirite of feare and not