people to himselfe euen before the foundation of the world not for qualities sake which then were not but for his owne good pleasure sake and to the end that they should be in time qualified with spirituall and heauenly gifts holy affections blamelesse life and holy conuersation euen as he did predestinate them also before the world vnto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ which was to be actually fulfilled in time that so all might be to the praise of the glorie of his grace And for further proofe that election is before qualities of faith and obedience and not of qualities but of persons to be qualified see what Christ himselfe saith foretelling of the great abhomination of desolation dayes of the tribulation of Antichrist which should come into the world whereby the truth should be cast to the ground and the Saints of the most High consumed But for the elects sake those dayes shall be shortned Meaning by the elect not qualities nor persons qualified but persons to be qualified not then being nor to be till many hundred yeares after euen till these our times as experience hath proued For those dayes of desolation were not then begun neither did that Man of sinne rise vp till neare foure hundred yeares after and those elect were to be in the dayes of his consumption when his dayes of desolation should begin to grow short as the text sheweth which time is now at last come into the world And although his time of desolation hath been long and that his dayes of tyrannie are not yet fully ended yet neuerthelesse both it and they are now well wasted and shortned according to the word of the Lord and his Gospel shineth in stead thereof not only in other kingdomes and parts abroad but chiefly in this our Land blessed be his name therefore which had it not been had Antichrist with his dayes of desolation continued still in the full strength and height they were had not he that sitteth on the white horse whose name is called the Word of God taken his owne cause in hand and with the spirit of his mouth consumed and cut short as he daily doth those abhominable dayes of the Man of sin questionlesse no flesh should now in these last times haue bin saued but all had bin ouerwhelmed with his deceit as it is writtē And except those dayes should be shortned there should no flesh be saued but for the elects sake those dayes shall be shortned nay they are shortned the light of the Gospel shineth the elect are thereby daily called sanctified and saued Hence it is euident that election is before calling and iustification euen as predestination is seeing God doth count and call them his elect so long before they are in being and that election is to those blessed ends whereof the Gospell is the onely meanes And for further confirmation of this point Saint Paul declareth that all the seed which God did couenant with Abraham to call in Isaac saying In Isaac shall thy seed by called yea Isaac himselfe and Iacob likewise were chosen of God in Christ and knowne of him before either Christ or one thousand part of that seede were borne being onely promised of God to Abraham as a seed and generation spirituall not of Isaac and his naturall ofspring onely but of the Gentiles also and were to be deriued in a spirituall maner of that one seed the Messias promised in which Abraham beleeued though he were not to come into the world for many hundred yeares after in respect whereof God said vnto him I haue made thee a father of many nations This seed of Abraham Saint Paul calleth the children of promise because they are all borne by promise as was Isaac being of that one seed which is Christ and part of that small remnant which he had reserued in him before the foundation of the world but for whose sake we had not continued till now but had been made like Sodome long before this day And that this seed and children of Abraham were chosen of God in Christ before they were borne Saint Paul further proueth it by the words spoken to Rebecca concerning Iacob saying And not onely this but when Rebecca also was conceiued by one euen by our father Isaac for the children being not yet borne nor hauing done good or euil that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but by reason of him that calleth it was said vnto her The elder shall serue the yonger as it is witten Iacob haue I loued and Esaw haue I hated By this word of promise concerning Iacob Saint Paul proueth more fully I say that which in substance he had declared before by the word of promise as touching Isaac and as concerning the seed which God did promise Abraham to call in Isaac namely that the purpose of God according to election his free loue in chusing vs first in Christ is the true ground and principall cause of all spirituall blessings in heauenly things which in time we come to enjoy in him For doubtlesse there was no cause in Iacob more then in Esaw why God should haue this respect vnto him more then to Esaw the seed of euill was sowne in him also and their natures were both corrupt euen from their conception yea from Adam in whose loines both they and their parents were when he transgressed And as the tree or plant which for want of strength being yong tender cannot yeeld forth fruit whereby it nature may be shewen yet being in nature euill the substance and root of euill is therein and so as without a replantation and coniunction with some tree or plant of better nature it can bring forth no other but euill fruit so Iacob as well as Esaw his nature being also corrupt and euill had not God intercepted him and as he had chosen him before in Christ so by a new birth or replantation changed his nature his heart I meane he would haue brought forth no other but euill fruit also as well as his brother Esaw euen to his last houre and so haue perished together Thus much shall serue for the truth of Gods election Their third point is That all men haue free will in themselues as well to repent of their sinnes to beleeue the Gospell and obtaine saluation as they haue to remaine in hardnesse of heart and vnbeliefe and in the estate of damnation Answ TO teach that all or that any men haue as free will in themselues to repent to beleeue the Gospell and obtaine saluation as they haue to remaine in the contraries is very erroneous and Antichristian But the truth is this That as we haue all sinned in and from our father Adam and are excluded from the glorie of God and from the ioy of his presence so haue we all lost and are depriued of all possibilitie
and meeknesse whatsoeuer they shall inflict vpon them for they are here called to suffer And that there will come a day in which all Kings Princes and powers must lay downe their Crownes and Scepters at the feet of Christ and resigne all their power and authoritie to him the King of kings and Lord of Lords whose right all the kingdomes of this world are and that all powers and principalities peoples and nations shall serue and obey him the most high Lord and King of all for euer and euer the Scriptures do euidently and often declare so often as would be too long for me now to recite onely some few I will mention for proofe thereof The Prophet Daniel hauing described the foure great Monarchs which were to reigne in the earth ouer the inhabitants thereof frō that time to the end of the world and hauing also foreseene the end and destruction of them saith I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heauen and came to the Ancient of dayes and they brought him neare before him and there was giuen him dominion and glorie and a kingdome that all people nations and languages should serue him his dominion is an euerlasting dominion which shall not passe away and his kingdome that which shall not be destroyed This doth he further explane in the 27 verse of this Chapter saying And the kingdome and dominion and the greatnesse of the kingdome vnder the whole heauen shall be giuen to the people of the Saints of the most High whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and all dominions shall serue obey him As also in the interpretation of the dreame of Nebucadnezzar the first of the f◅ure Monarchs after he had described the last he saith And in the dayes of these kings shall the God of heauen set vp a kingdome which shall neuer be destroyed and the kingdome shall not be left for other people but it shall breake in peeces and consume all these kingdomes and it shall stand for euer And againe speaking of the reigne of the same Monarch he saith But the Saints of the most High shall take the kingdom and possesse the kingdom euen for euer and euer By all which the Prophet sheweth plainly that the Stone which was cut out of the mountaine without hands Christ which was to come of the house of Dauid should by the power of the most high through the word which was to proceed out of his mouth breake in peeces consume destroy all those Monarchs which were to reigne in the world and that he the Lord owner of all should possesse the kingdome and reigne on the earth for euer and euer world without end And that the Saints of the most High not the carnall Iewes yet remaining as some imagine but all his redeemed from the beginning of the world to the end shall possesse the kingdome and reigne with him not in a carnall earthly maner but in a heauenly estate of glorie not for a time but for euer euer beyond all time and that then from thenceforth all powers and dominions people and nations whatsoeuer shall serue and obey him This in briefe is that which the Prophet intendeth which also the rest of the holy Prophets foresaw and foretold of as Saint Peter testifieth saying And he shall send Iesus Christ which before was preached vnto you whom the heauens must receiue vntill the time of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began meaning this great restitution which is to be fulfilled at the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heauen when the seuenth Angell shall sound the last Trump as Saint Iohn witnesseth saying And the seuenth Angell sounded and there were great voices in heauen saying The kingdomes of this world are becom the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for euer euer And that this shall not be till the great Trump shal sound mentioned by Esaias the Prophet by Christ in the Gospell by Saint Paul to the Corinthians Thesfalonians by Saint Iohn in the Reuelation till Christ shall come in the clouds of heauen and that euery eye shall see him euen they that pierced him and that all the kindreds of the earth shall mourne and waile before him is manifest I say by all those seuerall Scriptures as also by the testimonie of the holy Author to the Hebrewes where he saith For vnto the Angels hath he not put in subiection the world to come whereof we speake but one in a certaine place testified saying What is man that thou art mindfull of him or the son of man that thou visitest him thou crownedst him with glorie honour and didst set him ouer the workes of thy hands thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his feete c. In which place the Apostle sheweth cleerly that it is the world to come in which all powers and things shall be actually and visibly seene to be vnder his feet and all the kingdoms of this world shall be the Fathers and his then I say in that world not in this as Christ saith My kingdom is not of this world then when the last enemy is destroyed when this world shall be made another world according to his promise then shall all powers and principalities all people and nations serue and obey him he will no longer be dishonored by them they shall not vse their tongues and powers then as they list and as they had wont to do but all tongues shall confesse and euery knee shall bow to him they that in their life times would not be brought by the faire meanes of his Gospel to serue obey him shall be brought to do it after death by paine yea Satan himselfe the author of wickednesse who neuer intended to giue praise and honour to God or to Christ euen he with all his angels and spirits of wickednesse vnder their torments and by force of the rod of iron which Christ the King of the whole earth shall exercise ouer them in that world shall be compelled with all powers people and kings whatsoeuer to confesse and bow before him serue and obey him praise and magnifie him his iustice and mercie for euer For if at the name of Iesus euery knee shall bow both of things in heauen and things in earth things vnder the earth and that all tongues shall confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the Father as the Apostle speaketh then doubtlesse Satan and his followers are not exempted yet euermore vnder torments as we haue said If Satan and his Angels or any of the cursed children of men which shall be condemned and tormented for euer with them should after iudgement raile against God and blaspheme him as some do teach they shall or
Here we see by the plain commandement of God exhortation of Saint Paul that a separation ought to be made from all kind of Idolatry and vnrighteousnes of the heathen and from all fellowship with them in their vncleane things But here is no separation from the Church though these superstitious Christians were in it Nay it is euident there was neuer any separation admitted either by word or by example except by those that separated themselues to make sects which are reproued by the Apostles vntill such time as by the mallice and subtiltie of the Diuell and through the pride and wickednes of the Bishop and Church of Rome after they had gotten Iurisdiction ouer all that they had brought into the Church the Idolatries and abhominations of the Pagans and so cunningly compounded them with the name and religion of Christ that no man could pertake of any good among them but he must pertake of the euill also Then and not till then I say the Lord commanded saying Goe out of her my people that ye be not pertaker of her sinnes and that you receiue not of her plagues This was not because there were many offenders in the Church of Rome nor because of their personall presence in the Assemblies but because the Lord would not haue his people partake in their owne persons of their sinnes which if they continued with them could not be auoided Neither was there a separation to be made from the Church of the Iewes as bad and as cruell as it was but Christ and his Apostles did alwayes both by word and example teach the contrary onely the false doctrine and hipocrisie and wickednes of the Iewes they warned the faithfull to take heed of And as concerning the Church of England which thou so much contemnest although there be many euill workers vngodly and vnregenerate persons superstitiously minded as well of the Ministery as of the people as out of all doubt there are For if of but twelue Apostles one was a Diuell and that there were false Apostles and false teachers proud and couetous in the primitiue Churches and false brethren belly gods and such like when Christians were but few in number How should it be but there must now be many yet this is not sufficient ground for thy seperation Nay suppose as the truth is that the faithfull be but few in number and rare as the dust or oare that gold commeth of and the vngodly as common as the clay that men make pots of as the Prophet speaketh For doubtles if God said of the Israelites that though their number were as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant of them should be saued we haue no reason to thinke it should be otherwise with vs Nay Saint Paul sheweth plainly that God will finish the worke and cut it short in righteousnes because a short worke will the Lord make vpon the earth Yet what of this thou hast no ground from hence to proue a separation Nay vnlesse thou canst proue that the Church of England hath set vp and doth command the Abhominations of the heathen as doth the Church or Rome and so mix them and Christian religion together as thou couldest not partake of the good but thou must partake of the euill and so sinne against God in thine owne person thou hast no ground at all for thy separation Art thou offended because God hath beene so gracious to this kingdome aboue all other nations in causing the Princes and Kings thereof now in these latter dayes to set their helping hands to the repairing and building vp againe of the decaied walles of Ierusalem and to the restoring of the morning and euening sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing as it was in former time and in the dayes of old Dost thou not know it was the word of truth the sword which proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord ministred by his faithfull seruants whom he raised vp in these latter times which hath beene the cause of the reuolt of the Church and Kingdome of England from the abhominations and tyranny of the Church of Rome and that God hath done it for his chosen sake according to his word art thou not bound to be thankefull vnto God for the same and with gladnesse of heart to imbrace all the good he hath vouchsafed yet so as not therewithall to iustifie any of the present euills nor yet to rest thy selfe secure in that good which is in being as if all things were already come to their full measure and so exclude thy selfe from all future grace and truth which God hath decreed in and by his word to bring to light For as the truth and dayly sacrifice which Christ and his Apostles did erect were not all wholy in a moment cast to the ground nor the abhomination of desolation set vp at full in one day but that the one increased by degrees and the other wasted accordingly so must it now be in the restauration as then iniquitie and falsehood increased and truth and loue faded and waxed cold so now on the contrary iniquitie and falsehood must consume and be expelled and truth and the loue thereof must increase and come to their place againe Iudgement was to begin at the house of God but it must end in the house of iniquitie Learne therefore now to be a wise let the confusions which the heady extreams of those carnall contentious times haue brought forth admonish thee to take better heed embrace thankfully and make right vse of the present good thou seest in place shun the euils and labour to increase in the wisdome which is from aboue doubtlesse there are great riches and treasures with God to be attained such as the carnall mind shall neuer see nor know conuerse with the wise and holy in heart such as are spirituall and heauenly minded haue speciall fellowship with them pray weepe and reioyce dayly together with them call often to minde the hope of the ioy and glory ye shall receiue in the world to come in the day when Christ your Lord shall appeare hope loue and long for his appearing and edifie your selues with these things pray vnto God and vse all good meanes according to your measure and place to redresse what is amisse in others labour thorough patience and meeknesse to winne them to the truth and loue thereof so shall ye be profitable members of the Church of God diligent and faithfull seruants of Christ You are not ignorant I suppose of the manifold mischieues that men haue fallen into by reason of the fleshly wranglings which haue been in these late times what confusion diuision and distraction there is among the people what and how many sundry opinions and seuerall sects there are yea sects vpon sects diuision vpon diuision error vpon error hath been bred and brought forth Many haue risen in these latter times speaking peruerse things to draw disciples after them to get themselues a name
thereof the diuell being the cheife Author for there is nothing that he doth enuie more then the power of truth and godlines if he cannot worke all men asleepe by cold carnall security as he doth the most he will if it be possible deceiue the rest by some pretended strict way of truth for his aime is to deceiue all he spareth none O that the watchmen therefore would lay these things to heart and examine themselues by the examples of the holy Apostles and rules which they haue set downe to proue them by What will it auaile you in the day of accompt that ye haue bin called the Ministers of God the Shepheards of his flocke when ye haue not done the office of faithfull Ministers and Sheepheards to his flock what will your pleasure your profit your praise and estimation of men in that day doe ye good Ah deare Sirs take heed it concerneth your selues much as it doth the people also To be called the Ministers of God is a high and honorable title but a thousand times more honor it is to be a faithfull Minister of God in deed and in truth what though you be not esteemed of the world nay what if ye be despised and hated thereof what though you should be destitude and afflicted and vndergoe hunger thirst cold labours watchings weepings perills prisonments sword c. Christ saith I was an hungry I was athirst I was naked sicke in prison c he meaneth you if ye be his seruants if ye partake not with him in his sufferings how can ye looke to reigne with him if ye follow him not in the regeneration ye shall not sit on throanes with him What will these words of the Lord auaile or concerne you where he saith And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shal be no more death nor sorrow neither shall there be any more paine If ye neuer knew what any of these things meant it is better to sow here in teares that we may hereafter reape with ioy then to laugh here and weepe for euer Let not therefore I humble beseech you the feare of the losse and fauour of friends of your pleasures profits praise or estimation with men or whatsoeuer this world can afford keepe you from following the Lord in whom there is great reward oh happy is the soule that can forsake all these things for the loue of Christ and his Gospells sake for he shall receiue an hundred fould more such treasures as cannot be vttered euen here in this present time and in the world to come life euerlasting feare not if ye can cast your care on him certainly he will not see you left destitute Neuer shall any man know what the treasures of wisdome and riches of his grace in the Gospell are except he can preferre them in his heart aboue all carnall things whatsoeuer nay except he can truly forsake them all and himselfe also for loue thereof neither will God else euer take pleasure in him or impart vnto him his secrets let him be how skilfull how learned how esteemed of men soeuer But he that can like the Merchant sell all he hath and purchase the field wherein the true treasure lieth he shall not onely be rich himselfe but be able to make others rich thereby according also as Christ saith Whoseeuer beleeueth in me as the Scriptures hath said out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life He shall not onely himselfe being entred in by the doore go in and out and finde pasture but shall guide others also in by the same doore to the same pastures of life and so hauing turned many to righteousnes by the faithfull administration of the word of truth shall possesse peace comfort and a good conscience here and when the Lord shall come in his glory to reward euery one according as his works and labours haue beene he shall shine not onely like the brightnes of the firmament as euery wise holy Christian shall doe but as the starres for euer and euer as the Prophet Daniel testifieth saying And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnes as the starres for euer and euer An eight point held at this present by the antient Anabaptists That a King or Maiestrate cannot be a true Christian except he giue ouer his kingly office or Maiestracie Answer THis although it be not fully the opinion of these our English Anabaptists yet because it is a point so generally held among the other sects of them and for that these with others are not yet rightly informed as touching the authoritie of kings gouernours what it is how far it doth extend nor yet how far forth Christians are bound to obey and submit vnto them we will therefore first disproue that error of the elder Anabaptists then shew what the authoritie of kings and gouernours is how far it doth extend and how farforth euery true Christian is bound by the word of God as he is a subiect or Citizen to obey and submit vnto them and then that all kingdomes peoples powers and authorities whatsoeuer shall serue and obey the King of Kings Lord of Lords for euermore They that haue serued and obeyed him according to his Gospell here in this life shall serue honor and praise him freely and with ioy for euer hereafter and they that would not by the voice of the Gospell be brought to serue and obey him here in this life shall be made by force of torments to serue and obey him for euer in the world to come this will we briefely doe if God permit That kings and rulers gouernours and magistrates may be true Christians and retaine their kingly places rule authoritie and magistracie is euident by the examples of Dauid of Solomon and others who were true Christians by faith according to the promise in the Spirit though Christ was not yet come in the flesh they liued and dyed kings of this world and true Christians also and the case is not now altered by the comming of Christ in the flesh the Gospell hath not made any alteration in that respect but doth rather confirme it where Christ saith vnto his disciples who striued among themselues which of them should be the greatest Luk. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. a place which these Anabaptists do chiefly alledge for their purpose The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship ouer them and they that exercise authoritie vpon thē are called gracious Lords but ye shall not be so but he that is greatest among you let him be as the least and he that is chiefe as he that doth serue He doth not here forbid a Christian to be an earthly or temporall King nor such a King to be a Christian nay his words do allow both only he forbiddeth that Christians should aspire in their minds or seeke to be great or to rule ouer one another as they are Christians children of
if they should doe the least mischiefe any kind of way either against Christ or against any of his brethren the children of God which shall then reigne for euer with him how is it then said that al powers shal serue and obey the most High how are all things then subdued to Christ and put vnder his feet how hath he loosed the works of the diuell as the Scriptures speake If the last enemy be death and that death be once swallowed vp in victorie and it be fulfilled which is written O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory what is the thing then left that can doe the least euill against God against Christ against Sion or against any of her children which are now redeemed from all those former captiuities nay none shall euer hurt or destroy in all that holy mountaine and for that old Serpent vpon his belly shall he go and dust shall be his meate When Satan that Serpent went first about to seduce mankind by sowing sinne the sting of death in his heart he aimed not at his owne perpetuall torments neither did he intend to come to praise glorifie God for euer and euer as he shall one day be compelled to do these were no part of his thoughts nay but his aime purpose was to bring all men in subiectiō to himself to do him homage and seruice and so to depriue God of all his honour on earth for euer that he and his wickednesse might haue the rule this was his plot hee litle thought of a seed to come to bruise his head nay after the Seed was promised he ceased not for all this but stroue still to effect his purpose and he preuailed much therein chiefly by presenting riches honor and the glorie of this world vnto men so that when the Seed himselfe in person came he spared not to tempt him with the like baites but he ouercame him and hath in part and shall ere long fully vndoe his whole plot and cast him where he shall receiue that which he aimed not at and force him to doe that which he neuer intended and Sion which had been so long desolate and waste shall be set vp the praise of the whole earth and be established in righteousnesse and safetie for euer according to the Prophets She shall be farre from oppression for she shall not feare and from terror for it shall not come neare to her violence shall be no more heard within her land nor wasting destruction within her borders she shal call her walls saluation and her gates praise her gouernment shall be peace and her exacters righteousnesse all those that formerly despised her and the sons of them that did afflict her shall come bending vnto her and worship at the soles of her feete and shall call her the Citie of the Lord Sion of the holy one of Israel her Sunne shall no more go downe neither shall her Moone withdraw it selfe for the Lord shall be her euerlasting light and the dayes of her mourning shall be ended Reuelat. 15 4. Who shall not feare thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thou onely art holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy iudgements are made manifest FINIS ERRATA Pag. 9 lin 13. 14. iust vpon reade iust vpon them p. 24. l. 23. principall reade principle p. 33. l. 34. braken read broken p. 34. l. 3 consideration read considence l. 30. perfection read protection p. 47. l. 5. points r. point l. 10. read Paradise l. 24. had eaten read had not eaten l 37. they r. there p. 51. l. 33. reade considerations p. 53. l. 37. proue read proues p 69. l. 2. that Church read that the Church l. 5. put out the. l. 32. be reade being p. 71. l. 33. read such as come in by the doore pag. 72. l. 23. successed reade succeeded p. 81 l. 26. he read her p. 86. l. 21. or read of p. 87. l. 24. leaue out a. l. 25 those read these Prou. 8. 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. Reuel 5. 9. Rom. 8. 29 30. Prou. 1. 31. Hosea 13. 9. Ephes 1. 3 4 5 6. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Rom 9. 11 12 13. Math. 24. 22. Dan. 9. 27. Reu. 19. 11 12 13. 2. Thessal 2. 8. Math. 24. ver 22. Rom. 8. 30. Ephes 1. 4. Rom. 1. 16. Rom. 9. 7. Rom. 4 17. Rom. 9. 8. Gal. 3. 29. and 4. 28. Rom. 9. 10 11. ver 12. Ephes 1. 3. Rom. 5. 12 14 18. Psal 51 5. ver 7. Iohn 3. 6. Iob 14. 4. Rom. 3. 9. 5. 12 14 18. Philip. 2. 13. Rom. 9. 16. Deut. 29. 4. Ioh. 6. 44 65. 15. 16. Ier. 10. 23. 2. Cor. 3. 5. Math. 22. 5 14. Luk. 14. 16 17 18 19 20 21. Rom 8. 28 29. 1 16. 1. Cor. 1. 24. 26. Luk 4. 18. Esay 61. 1. Ezek 36. 27. Math. 15. 24. Ezek. 11. 19. Ier. 32 39. 2. Cor. 3. 3 4. Gal. 3. 26 27. Obiect Answ Mat 20. 10 11 12 13 14 15. Obiect Answ Ioh. 3. 5. Iam. 1 17 18. Rom. 9. 16. Reuel 13. 8. 1. Pet. 1. 5. Rom. 5. 10. Ephes 1. 4 5 6. Rom. 8. 29. 30. Acts 15. 9. 10. 43. Rom. 8. 15 16. 〈◊〉 29. Col. 3. 1 2 3. 1. Pet. 1. 5. Psal 62. 2 6 7. Esay 40. 11. Psal 23. 1. Ioh. 15 1 2. Ioh. 10. 29. 17. 6. 10 12 10. 14. 4. ver 28 29 30. Luk 22. 31. Psal 62. 7. 2. Pet. 2. 4. 5 6. Ioh. 15. 5. Luk. 22. 32. Math. 16. 18. Psal 16. 11. Ioh. 13. 1. Ioh. 6. 56 57. Ioh. 6. 47. Rom. 5. 8 9 10. Rom. 8. 35 36 37 38 39. Obiect Ezek. 18. 24. Answ 2. Cor. 2. 15 16 Rom. 16. 15. 16. Col. 1. 23. Mark 10. 15. Math 28. 19. Psal 19. Rom. 10. 18. Rom. 1. 20. Act. 14. 16 17. Act. 17. 27. Heb. 1. 1. 2. 2. Pet. 1. 19. 10 21. Heb. 4. 1. 2. Rom. 10 7 8 ver 6. Heb 1. 2. Rom. 2. 14. Luk 12. 47. Math. 23. 24 24 25 26 27 28. Mat. 5. 20. Ioh. 12. 6. Luk. 6. 43. Iam. 3. 11. 12. Luk. 6. 44. ver 45. Acts. 8 13. Ioh. 6. 66. Mat. 13. 20. Iam. 1. 8. Gal. 5. 6. 1. Cor. 13. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Mat. 13. 4. 5. 6. 7. ver 8. Heb. 6. 8. Mark 11. 13. 14. Luk. 4. 18. Act. 10. 36. 37. Act. 26. 18. Mat. 3. 11. Esa 40. 20. 2. Cor. 1. 21. 22. Eph. 1. 13. Math. 11. 28. Esa 61. 1. 2. 3. Luk. 4. 18. 19. Luk. 7. 22. Mat. 11. 5. Mat. 21. 26. Mark 1. 4. Ioh 3. 5. Eph. 6. 15. Heb. 6. 1. Ioh. 3. 5. Mat. 11. 28. 2 Cor. 3. 3. Ier. 31. 34. Heb. 10. 17. Ier. 31. 38 39. 40. Math. 3. 2. Math. 4. 17. Mat. 3. 11. Ioh 3 5. Tit. 3. 5. Rom. 8. 5. Gal. 4. 6. Rom 8 15. Rom. 8. 2. Iob. 16. 13. Ioh. 16.
life and saluation which are most fully and often recorded â—nd testified in the Scriptures of God to and concerning such persons in such maner qualified as we haue before according to the Scriptures described So that euery man so qualified may see and know through the Spirit of God in and by the same records his name to wit his person soule and body decreed and recorded of God in Christ euen from the foundation of the world to be for life and saluation This is the booke of life of the Lamb slaine for in him it was and is done and of this decree there is no alteration And whereas it seemeth to some that God doth alter his purpose and change his word because he sometimes promiseth blessings and life to men which by reason they on their parts do not that which he requireth he performeth not and likewise threatneth iudgement which by reason men repent he executeth not The truth is it doth but so seem to ignorant men who doe not rightly conceiue of the power of God nor vnderstand the drift and scope of his word For God is not like vnto men to purpose one thing to day and resolue vpon another to morrow but whatsoeuer he hath decreed in his heart shall surely come to passe though he sometimes vse to speake after the maner of men because he knoweth they are but men whom he speaketh vnto He publisheth his Gospell to all men in generall and doth promise saluation to all men that repent and beleeue and he requireth repentance and faith of all yet notwithstanding but few do repent and beleeue and so come to saluation doth God therefore alter his purpose and change his word He also gaue a law to all men before and required obedience thereunto promising life likewise to all that obeyed it but no man euer kept it and liued thereby did God therefore alter his purpose and change his word nay God did neuer purpose in his heart nor promise that any man should here in the flesh keepe his law and liue by it though the Familists say he did neither was it giuen to that end though they affirme it was For if it had bene so God would neuer haue giuen the other nay he knew such was mans miserable condition by his fall and the fiery sharpnes of that law against him that it was so farre impossible for him to keepe the same and liue thereby as that it vtterly slue him and kept him off Therefore God hauing decreed in his heart to saue some was pleased to giue the other if he had not done so but should haue proceeded against all for the breach of the first should he haue done any man wrong nay who dare say so And is he now vniust in publishing his Gospell to all because he saueth not all or darest thou say he altereth his purpose and changeth his word nay let God be true and vnchangeable and all men liers and moueable Men are as backward and vnwilling and haue as little power or strength in themselues to obey the Gospell as they had to keepe the law nay such is yet naturally the pride and loftinesse of mans heart as lamentable experience hath long proued that he rather desireth to remaine vnder the rule and command of the law and so seeke life by the works thereof then to subiect his soule to the rule and commandements of the Gospell viz. to repent of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart and seeke life by faith in the free grace of God in Iesus Christ and follow Christ in the regeneration But so it is I say that before the world was God did purpose and decree in himselfe to saue by the Gospell of his Sonne Iesus Christ a seed a remnant of the foreseene fallen posteritie of mankind which seed he reserued from the beginning coÌ„prehended them in the promise which he first made to Adam saying The seed of the woman shal breake the Serpents head Christ being the principall and they in him and of him and seuereth them with him from the seed of the Serpent in these words And I will put enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed And afterwards againe to Abraham in these words In thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed Meaning by thy seed Christ and by the nations those children which God made Abraham the father of as he said I haue made thee a father of many nations euen they that were to haue the faith of Abraham the seed that were to beleeue in that one seed Christ And again in these words In Isaac shall thy seed be called By all which it is euident that as Christ was promised and seuered from the seed of the serpent so all the seed betweene whom and the seed of the serpent there was to be enmitie were also promised as Gods free people meerly giuen of him to life and seuered by him also from them and as Isaac was borne by promise so are they At this time will I come saith God and Sara shall haue a sonne So Saint Paul saith Now we brethren as Isaac was are the children of promise And that these children of the promise onely are the children of God and counted for the seed the same Apostle also in another place witnesseth in these words They which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed And they are called the children of God because also they are borne of God and adopted through the Spirit of his Son and therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God as he said to Abraham I will he thy God and the God of thy seed For be hath prepared for them a citie Now this seed as God foreknew them all and had chosen them in Christ froÌ„ the beginning and predestinated them to be conformed to his image and likenesse who are therefore said to be written in the Lambs book of life from the foundation of the world And as he seuered them by promise from the seed of the Serpent so from time to time hee calleth them and whom he calleth hee iustifieth and whom he iustifieth them also he glorifieth He hath not done these things to all The seed of the Serpent neuer had any of these priuiledges God neuer chose them in Christ nor predestinated them to be conformed to his image neither were they euer written in the Lambs booke of life from the foundation of the world neither did God euer promise to call iustifie and glorifie them or any of them therefore God neuer altered his purpose nor changed his word or promise as some ignorantly imagine but there hath been euer enmitie betweene the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman euen from the dayes of Cain and Abel to this present and shall be to the end according to the word
of the Lord though they be inlightned and taste as much of the good word of God as either Cain or the Iewes did God vseth threatnings oft times to bring that seed which he promised to call to repentance he giueth them repentance he promiseth grace to the repentant in a speciall particular maner he giueth them faith also to receiue it he promiseth likewise saluation absolutely to these beleeuers he admonisheth them because they of themselues are apt to fall yea and would fall and perish if they stood by their owne strength if God did not sustaine them and had not ordered and disposed of all things for their safetie and wel being he commandeth them to watch and to pray and he giueth them his Spirit which helpeth their infirmities without the which they know not what to aske and it maketh request vnto God for them with sighs and grones which cannot be exprest not because they may yet perish but because they should not perish and for that they are weake and apt to fall and grieue the Spirit He also chasteneth them not for their hurt nor in his wrath but that they should not be condemned with the world And because God hath appointed them to be holy and so to saluation therefore he hath appointed all these things For as he before the world was purposed to saue them so likewise did he determine of the way and meanes whereby to saue them and the meanes is as certaine as his decree And Gods promises concerning life eternal to speake properly are not vpon any conditions though he doth seeme so to propose them to the world but they are absolutely free without any condition of our parts It is true God will saue none but such as repent and beleeue his Gospell bring forth fruite endure to the end c. yet these are not conditions for God giueth all these things to his elect as freely as he gaue Christ vn-them he conformeth them hereby to the image of Christ else grace and saluation were of due debt by desert which to teach is erroneous and Antichristian And although God did elect men in Christ from the foundation of the world yet did not the Elect fall from their Election in the fall of Adam neither did Adam himselfe lose his Election by his fall as they would infer thereupon for Gods Election was not of man considered in his innocencie but of men 〈◊〉 foreseene fallen and therefore they are said to be chosen in Christ who was to be a reconciler and mediator for sinners and not for innocent persons So that the obiection of them which say if the Elect cannot fall out of Gods fauour then did not all fall in Adam If the elect cannot fall from their election then haue not all sinned is very carnall and wicked much like vnto that of the Saduces which said Whose wife shall she be in the Resurrection who like fooles knew not that in the resurrection they neither marry nor giue in marraige So they being ignorant of the wisedome and foreknowledge of God giue out If the elect cannot fall from their election then haue not all sinned And are as bould and thinke themselues aswell armed hereby against the certainty and continuance of Gods election as the Saduces thought themselues against the resurrection when they came in scorne thereof to pose Christ But I omit their friuolous obiections as not hauing any collour of reason because also we shall haue occasion to cleere those things hereafter Thus as we haue said God first publisheth his Gospell and all doe enioy some benefit thereby many are inlightned by it and are made partakers of some common gifts of the Spirit but few are made partakers of those which are speciall and peculiar And this is the order which God doth vse for the calling sanctifying and sauing of his elect First after they are inlightned to know his truth he calleth them in a speciall maner to repentance then in the second place by a more excellent gift of the Spirit he iustifieth the repentant soule from his sinnes and sanctifieth his heart and then thirdly they being now ingrafted into Christ their head doe bring forth fruit in him as before we haue described And these are the plantation of God the trees of righteousnes which the Scriptures speak of God is the husbandman and this is the maner of his husbandry And thus hath he seuered and distinguished his plants from all carnal vnregenerate Christians vnder what name or title soeuer they passe or in what outward estate or Church soeuer they liue And blessed is that man that hath part with them in those speciall gifts and treasures of life for on such the second death shall haue no power Thus haue we proued that whosoeuer is borne from aboue of water and the Spirit Iustified by faith in Christ whose names are written in the booke of life frō the foundation of the world shall neuer fall away nor haue their names razed out of the booke of life againe And that God doth neuer alter his purpose or promise but that all his decrees and promises shall surely come to passe Their fift point That there is no Originall sinne but that all children of all maner of people in the world as well heathens Infidels Idolaters worshippers of Diuels all kind of blasphemers fornicators vncleane persons whatsoeuer as of the faithfull are free from all pollution of sinne both in the conception and birth and dying before they commit actuall sinnes are saued Answ THe truth is though to our shame and sorrow it may be spoken that sin hath taken hold of all the whole posterity of mankind and all are corrupted by a perpetuall seed of generation orignially from Adam so that euery child of man that is borne of flesh as well of the faithfull as of the vnfaithfull is by nature the child of pollution and wrath and dying vnregenerate perrisheth from the glory of God and from the ioy of his presence for euermore This we neede not now to stand to argue for besides the manifold testimonies of Gods word which testifie against vs long and lamentable experence hath sufficiently proued it and doth dayly proue it vnto vs so that we haue more need to mourne for our selues in regard of the euill that is sowne in our natures thereby and to weepe for our children also which are bred and borne of vs as Christ charged the daughters of Ierusalem to doe for themselues and for their children then to stand to dispute the points or once to question whether it be so or no. Neuertheles to stop the mouthes of such as doe deny it we say that when Adam sinned all sinned together with him because all mankind were then in him and therefore when God cast Adam out of Paridice he cast all his posteritie out of Paracice with him and when God cursed the earth he cursed it not to his person alone but all that were to come of him as well
one God and Father and seruants of one Lord Iesus Christ And that if any of them be great Kings Rulers in the world they should not exercise authoritie ouer their brethren as do the Kings of the Gentiles or as now the Lords of Rome do as if they were Lords ouer Gods heritage nay but though they be Kings and as touching their temporall state and dominion doe and may lawfully reigne and rule ouer all and are chiefe and head of all persons as well Ecclesiasticall as ciuill true Christians as others considered also as they are subiects or citizens yet as Kings are Christians and as their subiects are Christians and of the same bodie of Christ with them they may not take Lordship vpon them nor exercise dominion ouer them neither ought they in that respect to yeeld it vnto them because that title of honour and dominion spirituall doth belong to their Lord and Master Iesus Christ onely and therefore he saith Call no man Lord on earth for one is your Lord call no man Master for one is your Master as Saint Paul likewise saith For although there be on earth many that be called Gods and Lords as there be many Gods and many Lords yet vnto vs there is but one God euen the Father of all and one Lord Iesus Christ c. Christ is the Lord the Prince and head of Christians as they are Christians but the King is the Lord and Prince and head of Christians as they are citizens or subiects So that these words of Christ But he that is greatest among you let him be as the least and him that is chiefest as him that serueth haue this meaning That that Christian which is the greatest of Christians in regard of his temporall honour and dignitie of place in this world should be in heart and affection yea and in outward actions of loue meeknesse and humilitie I say as he is a true Christian euen as the least true Christian and he that is chiefest in any externall office or place should as he is a Christian be euen as that true Christian whose place is to serue I say in mercie humilitie charitable actions c. Now that Kings and Rulers haue lawfull authoritie from God ouer all persons and that all ought to be obedient vnto them and their lawes Saint Paul declareth at large saying Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to themselues damnation for rulers are not a terror to good works but to the euill wilt thou not be afraid of the power do that which is good and thou shalt hane praise of the same for he is the minister of God to thee for good but if thou do that which is euill be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vaine for he is the minister of God a reuenger to execute wrath vpon him that doth euill Wherefore ye must needs be subiect not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake For for this cause pay you tribute also for they are Gods ministers attending vpon this very thing Render therefore saith he to all their due tribute to whom tribute is due custome to whom custom feare to whom feare honour to whom honour c. By all which I say it is euident that the power and authoritie of Kings is of God and ordained by him yea though they be infidels and that it doth extend ouer all as wel true Christians as others Ecclesiasticall persons as ciuill and that euery soule ought to be subiect vnto them and to their lawes and ordinances euen for conscience sake alwayes prouided that they be not opposite to the lawes and ordinances of God and rules of the Gospell though they be not the same but their owne euen the ordinances of man as Saint Peter termeth them saying Submit your selues to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as superiour or vnto gouerners as vnto them that are sent by him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that do wel c. If then Kings and gouerners being infidels haue authoritie from God to make lawes and ordinances such as God commandeth not but are their owne and indifferent in respect of conscience towards God some of them and might be left vndone if they were not by authoritie commanded and that this is to be done of euery soule euen for conscience sake and for the Lords sake as the Apostles speake not for conscience as touching religion as if there were any religious vse or conscience that way to be made of them but in respect of dutie to Kings and gouerners As touching the things that God commandeth and they also require we ought to obey them not because the King commandeth them but because God commandeth them and not as mans ordinances but as Gods If I say Christians ought to be thus obedient vnto infidels for such were the Kings where Christians in those days liued much more ought we to be obedient to Christian kings in the like respects and much more authoritie haue they to constitute and require the lawes and ordinances of God according to his word for their office dutie is not only to see their people gouerned and prouided for as touching their temporall states to place officers vnder him ouer them for the same purpose but also and chiefly to see them prouided for as touching their eternall estates to plant ouer them faithfull shepherds to feed their soules with the bread of life and to roote out and suppresse such as spoile and deuoure the flock and sow heresies among the people as haue done and doe the popish priests and Iesuites these Anabaptists Familists and others And as the dutie of a Christian King is to place ouer his people faithfull shepherds so it belongeth to him also to see them prouided for according to the commandement of the Lord which saith Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the oxe which treadeth out the corne For to Princes and Rulers and such as haue power to muzzle their mouthes and to see them prouided for doth the Lord speake Thus much briefly touching the authoritie of Kings and Rulers how far their power doth extend and how far forth Christians are bound to obey and submit vnto them and thus it must be during the time of this world Kings must rule by Gods appointment ouer all people all are bound to obey them in all their lawes and ordinances which are not opposite to the lawes of God but if they shall command any thing that God forbiddeth or forbid anything that God requireth as the Antichrist of Rome and many heathenish Kings gouerners Iews some professed Christian Kings haue done they may not be obeyed but Christians ought rather to suffer with patience