against his law For in asmuch as the Lord hateth the euill it selfe he cannot but abhorre it wheresoeuer he shall find it whether in heart hand or tongue Whosoeuer hateth his brother saith S. Iohn is a mansteare We see hereby that not onely grosse euils come into reckoning before the Lord but euen hatred setled in the heart although the hand hath neuer beene stretched foorth to execute the same Neither commeth it before him as a trifling toye but it appeareth monstrous hauing no other shape vpon it nor other account made of it then of murther This was the cause why the Lord forbidding hatefull and malitious thoughtes in this commaundement woulde giue it no other name then murther teaching vs that howsoeuer wee nourish such thoughtes and make small account of them yet his iudgemēt is plaine that they be no better then murther when the hart of man is setled in them We may see in the Gospell how our Lord Iesus Christ hateth wordes which proceede from malice and anger and pronounceth that whosoeuer shall say foole to his brother shall bee worthy to be punished Mat. 5.22 Hatred towardes our brother is so greeuous in his sight that it stayneth and defileth what soeuer it toucheth bee it thought or word maketh it so heauie that the Lord can no longer beare it 55 We must absteine from wrong and iniurie THe Lorde in declaring that hee is displeased when one man doth iniurie to another sheweth vs thereby that this ought to withholde vs from doing wrong except we be bereaued of all sence And to the end we mighte better aduise our selues in this thing he declareth further Ex. 20.13 that there cannot be a murther committed but the earth therewith muste needes be polluted and defiled And as it appeareth in the booke of Numbers The effusion of mans blood in it selfe importeth a filth such a blot Num. 35.43 as scarse can be wiped out When mention is made of killing euen in a battle approued and allowed it appeareth 1. Chro. 22. that a man therby is become vncleane because wee mighte learn therebie to haue in greater horror and detestation the effusion of blood 1. Chro. 22 8. If an enemie be killed in open battell althoughe God pardon this because he which killeth him hath iust and lawfull cause and doth it for ne-nessitie yet notwithstanding it is said that the man which hath slaine him is polluted and made vncleane to the end we might knowe that God hath created vs to liue together in peace and that wee can giue neuer so little a blowe in anger to our brother but that we defile our selues and become by and by vncleane before the face of God Io 13.35 The persons of men must be accounted deare and pretious in our sight for vntill we be come vnto such perfection God will alwaies accoūt vs for murtherers If one strike his neighbour and kill him not yet is he alreadie a murtherer before God to the end God might declare vnto vs that howe euer wee esteeme them as light and little faults to bee the occasion of tumults and sedition Deu. 5.17 that hee notwithstanding shall not so account of them because they are al as weighty as murther 56 Of Anger and the effects thereof THe sonnes of Adam are of such a nature that they wil be feared doubted and cannot suffer to bee despised nor to receaue any signe of contempt If it seeme vnto anye one that any do labour to trouble him he is straightwaye moued with anger wrath and sodainly doth shewe it by contentions debates strifes and in outragious words and violent deeds He boyleth so vehemently with impatiencie and furie he hath so great desire to be reuenged for the iniury that he perswadeth himselfe to be done vnto him that he looseth al boldnes and cannot dissemble his naughtie stomacke and yet it seemeth vnto him that he is mightie and strong and that he behaueth himselfe in good order and that his heart is vpright because he suffereth none to hurt or bite him neither to tread him vnder foote But the holy Ghost by the mouth of Solomon pronounceth him to bee a foole Pr. 12.16 Mat. 5.25 A foole saith he in a day shal be knowne by his anger His meaning is not that the foole is satisfied to haue shewed his anger and wrath for a litle space and afterward returneth to be reconciled and to bee freindes againe with them with whom he was angry as euery one of vs must doe in following the goodnes of our heauenly father For he endureth but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life And for to follow him we must obey the exhortation of S. Paule Be angry saith hee but sinne not c. And againe let all bitternes anger and wrath crying and euill speaking bee put away from you with all maliciousnesse Eph. 4.29.31 c. We must not dwell long and abide in the company of the contentious for to knowe the wickednesse of his hart For for euery little thing done contrary to his will hee wil shewe by iniuries raging violences what he is within As Cain against Abell Corach Dathan and Abiram against Moses Gen. 4. Num. 16. 1. Sam. 27. Saul against Dauid the enemies of the trueth against the children of God Not onely among the Papists but also there where they boste of the reformation of the Gospell 57 The exposition of the seauenth commaundement IN the third commaundement of the second table the Lord our God doth not onely forbid all adultery fornication and al other vncleannesse in our bodies but also all impure thoughts and lustes of the heart He forbiddeth vs vnchast behauiour gluttony drunkennesse and all other things whatsoeuer may entice allure vs vnto vncleannesse He commandeth vs to kepe our bodies and soules chast and pure or if the gift of chastity bee not geuen vs then to vse the lawfull remedy appointed by God whiche is mariage for inasmuch as our bodies and souls are the temples of the holy spirit Deu. 5.18 Leu. 18.20 Deut. 23.17 Mat. 5.25 Esay 3.16 Ro. 13.13 Eph. 5.18 1. Th. 4. Heb. 13.4 wee ought to keepe them in all purenesse and not onely to absteine from the carnall act but also to be chast in heart wordes and behauiour The Lorde doth not only forbid adultery but also all vncourteous wrongful and intollerable liuing together he wil haue the life of maried persons to be ruled with charity How great a fault God iudgeth adultery may here be known in that hee hath condemned it with death the which maye more at large bee seene in Iob the thirtie and one chapter and Prouerbs the fift and six chapters 58 Fornication is forbidden Adultery is not onelye condemned and forbidden in this commandemēt but also fornication when both the offendors are single persons Fornication is forbidden in expres words in Deut. There shal be no whore saith the L. of the daughters
CERTAINE FRVITFVLL INstructions and necessary doctrines meete to edify in the feare of God Faithfully gathered together by Iohn Frewen Minister of the word of God Whereunto is added a Table wherein the reader may easily find out the principall matters conteined in this booke 1. Pet. 4.10 Let euery man as he hath receaued the gift minister the same one to an other as good disposers of the manifold grace of God 1. Io. 4.1 c. Dearelie beloued beleeue not euery spirit but trye the spirits whether they are of God for many false Prophets are gone into the world AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Winder for Thomas Chard 1587. To the right worshipfull and his approued good freindes M. Tho. Couentry and M. Leonard Iefferis of Hill and Earles Crome within the county of Worcester and to the vertuous Gentlewomen their wiues I.F. wisheth earnest zeale to the glorious Gospel of Iesus Christ perseuerance and practise thereof vnto the end and in the end health in this life and in the life to come euerlasting ioy felicity through the same our only sauiour the sonne of God OVR Lord Iesus Christ right worshipfull and right deare in the Lord hauing no small experience of the malice and subtle practises of the enemy of our saluation I meane the diuell and knowing that he would leaue nothing vnattempted whereby his disciples might be seduced from the truth of his doctrine he carefully in his gospell geueth them this forwarning Mat. 7 1â— that they should take heed and bewarre of false Prophets which shoulde come to deceaue them and as rauening wolues to deuoure their soules The which warning was neuer more necessary then in these our daies For as there is nothing more pretious in this world then the blessed and heauenly doctrine of the word of GOD and as there are no persons more worthy to be accompâ—ed of then such to whom the Lorde doth geue the spirite of wisdome to open and impart this treasure vnto vs So on the other side there is nothing more daungerous and infectious to the children of God then corrupt false doctrine and no persons more to be hated and speedily auoyded then wicked and lying teachers whom Sathan thrusteth into the Church to blemishe that pretious pearle and means of our saluation Heare not saith God by Ieremy the woordes of the Prophets Ier. 23.16 that prophecy vnto you teach you vanity They speake the vision of their owne heart and not out of the mouth of the Lorde Verse 26. And againe howe long doe the Prophets delight to prophecy lyes euen prophecying the deceit of their owne heart Sathan himselfe the father and founder of al lying and false teaching vsed the same course in Paradice For when God had said vnto Adam Gen. 2.17 3.4 In what hower soeuer thou shalt eate of the fruite of this tree thou shalt dy the death the olde crafty serpent seeking to seduce man from God said nay you shall not die the death but you shal be like vnto God By which glose false interpretation of gods word he pulled them cleane from the obedience of Gods holy will and commaundement to their own vtter ouerthrow heauy iudgement By such like falsehood hee tempted Christ himselfe to make him conceaue ouer great confidence of the prouidence of God towardes him Mat. 4.6 Ps 91.11.12 It is written saith he that he will giue his Aungelles charge ouer thee and with their handes they shall lift thee vp least at any tyme thou shouldst dash thy foot against a stone By like craft of lying and by false sence peruerting the word of God he from time to time instructeth his Messengers and false Proph. to abuse deceaue the simple people of god that be not wel taught by his holy spirit how to withstand them The which false proph to the end they may be discouered and taken heed of it greatly behoueth all Christians that looke to be saued by the death of Christ to bewar whoÌ„ they beleue to haue recours to the rule touchstone of the holy scriptures which is the perfect directory wherby all truth of doctrin is examined wherby we may try and proue the spirits whether they bee of 1. Io. 4.1 2. Pe. 1.20 god For why the whole scripture as saint Paule saith is giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to coÌ„uince to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect to al good works Search the scriptures saith our sauiour Christ for in them ye thinke to haue eternal life and they are these that testify of me Io. 5.39 Thy worde is a lantern vnto my feete sayeth the Prophet Ps 119 i05 Pro. 30.5 and a light vnto my paths Euery word of God is pure saith SalomoÌ„ he is a sheeld to those that trust in him We find not any thing in this world how pretious soeuer it bee that is worthy to haue the word of God compared vnto it for it surmounteth infinitely and beyond reason all things which are and may bee imagined to be excellent and pretious also there is nothing in this world how pretious soeuer it be but doth participat with earth and needeth to be purged cleÌ„sed froÌ„ his drosse superfluities before it caÌ„ be pure but the word of God is clean of it selfe neither hath nor caÌ„ haue any dros for it procedeth not froÌ„ a furnace but froÌ„ the mouth of God which neither caÌ„nor will bring forth any woorke but it shal be so perfect as it ought to bee and wherein nothing may bee amended Hee that is of God saith our sauiour heareth Gods word And again Io. 8.47 Io. 10.27 My sheepe heare my voice I know them they will follow me a stranger they will not follow Now if the aduersaries of the gospel I meane the Papistes would willingly as becommeth Christians submit themselues to this tryer of all truth of faith holinesse which is the worde of God If they would as Christes sheepe heare the voyce of their shephearde Then should they know that nothing is to be added or taken away from the word of God Deu. 4.2 31 Io. 20.51 Then would they say with S. Iohn so much is written that if we beleue we haue saluation by the name of Christ Then woulde they say with S. Paule that the scriptures can make vs wise to saluation 2. Tim. 3. Ambrose And then would they with Ambrose condeÌ„ne all newe doctrine which Christ hath not taught because Christ is life to all beleeuers But because they haue eares hear not eyes see not hearts and yet cannot vnderstand the truth nor find the way of saluation therefore they keepe the scripture in an vnknowen tongue from the coÌ„mon people make it little lesse theÌ„ heresy to haue it in their tongue therefore they so greatly disgrace discredite the Scriptures as vnsufficient
account it straunge that vnder one speciall kinde of obedience to be yeelded to al superiours the whole is comprised For this was not done because God could not speake it in other manner but for our profite and instruction For when wee see that God abaseth himselfe to our rudenes and that hee speaketh according to our capacitie it taketh from vs all excuse remoueth al pretences whatsoeuer and euerie one is bound to order himselfe aright Gen. 6.5 cōfessing that there is nothing which hindereth vs from doing our duties but that we be rebellious against God wil not beare his yoke 51 Of Magistrates and how we must obey them PRinces and Magistrates do not rule for their owne cause but for the common profite neither are they indued with an infinite or vnlimited power but such as is tyed to the health of their subiectes They are bound to God and men in their principalitie Deu. 5.16 Deut. 1.17 16.19 Leu. 19.15 1. Sam. 16 7. Pro. 24.23 Ia. 2.2 vnto God they must giue an account seeing he hath aduaunced them to so great honor and hath placed them as it were in his seat and will haue them gouerne as it were in his person So did Moises and Iosua giue the iudges which they made wel to vnderstand ye shal haue no respect of persons in iudgement saith Moyses but shall heare the small as well as the great ye shal not feare the force of man for the iudgement is Gods And therefore it behoueth Princes and Magistrates to take good heede to themselues knowing that God wil haue an account of them and they must appeare before the Lord Iesus to giue an account of their office which they haue executed They ought to imploy themselues in this that their subiectes be maintained and kept in good peace that euery man may quietly enioy that which is his own that no man be oppressed put to wrong that they themselues stand for right and equitie without accepting of persons Deu. 27.19 Ex. 23.3 that there be no partialitie nor fauour vsed no hatred nor reuenge shewed and that there be an honest and indifferent dealing betwixt man and man that our liues be honest and seemely not dissolute and lawlesse but especially and aboue all that they maintaine Gods honor and pure and true religion according to his worde For as much therefore as the magistrates are appointed to maintaine the state of mankinde and to be their protectors it is great reason that we pray for them and with all humblenes and reuerence submit our selues to their lawes and decrees being not repugnant to the will of God reuealed in his word for otherwise we shall resist the ordinaunce of God 1. Tim. 2.12 Ro. 13.3 and shew our selues to bee publicke enemies of mankind 52 The exposition of the sixt commaundement IN the second commaundement of the second table the Lord our God doth not onely giue vs a lawe to restraine our outward deedes but principally to bridle the affections of the mind He teacheth vs that vnto this knitting together by honoring ech other we ought to bring with vs a singular care of preseruation to bee spread forth vnto euery one He forbiddeth vs all hilling fighting and quarelling Deut. 5.17 Exo. 20.13 Gen. 9.6 Mat. 5.39 Col. 3.13 Leu. 19.17 19. Mat. 5.22 1. Ioan. 3.85 Pro. 20.22 Ma. 25.35 Esay 58.7 Luk. 6.27 Mat. 5.44 Leu. 9.17 reproches mocking and such like He forbiddeth all killing in heart that is all anger malice and desire of reuenge He commaundeth vs to preserue life by exercising the workes of mercy and compassion towardes our brethren and towardes our enemies to loue one an other inwardly in hart as our selues Our Sauiour Christ maketh this exposition of this commaundement Mat. 5. in which place also he teacheth that we must seeke to be agreed with our aduersarie that we must not striue in the law and therfore much lesse assault our neighbours with violence Of these matters the Apostle Paule entreateth more at large 1. Cor. 6. Eph. 4. Ro. 12.17 18.19.20 Num. 35.16 c. The Lord in the lawe accurseth him that taketh reward to shed innocent bloud With murthers the liuely image of God is blotted out and therefore this bloud asketh vengeance at Gods hande and peace is not graunted vnto that lande that maintaineth murtherers vntil it haue drunke their bloud 53. Anger is to be auoyded with hatred and enuie SVch men as be geuen to anger are also cruell Gen 4. 27. Exo 14. 1. Sam. 18. 2. Sam. 15 2. King 12 as we haue example by Cayne Esawe and the brethren of Ioseph A man that is furious is like vnto a floud of water that descendeth with raging as we may see in Pharao Absolon and Roboam Anger is cruell and wrath is raging but who saith Solomon can stand before enuie whereby he giueth to vnderstand that the company of the wrathful and furious man is verye hurtfull and daungerous Pro. 27.4 and therefore that wee should not desire the same but should rather shunne and auoyde it And for as much as we desire not that anie should flye our company as from cruel and wrathful furious and vnmerciful men and also that we would not haue our neighbours to bee such towardes vs Eph. 4.31.32 Col. 3.8 let vs learne with S. Paule to put frō vs al bitternes anger wrath and such like The angry and wrathfull are very daungerous but the enuious are farre more cruell and greater transgressors of this commaundement for besides crueltie and raging the which may be corrected in the angry and wrathfull the enuious is ambitious and arrogant a dissembler purposing malice obstinate and hard of heart against his conscience so that they are altogether without reconciliation as we may see in the Scribes and Pharisies against our Lord Iesus Christ Wherefore let vs take diligent hede not onely of the enuious 2. Pet. 2.1 but also that we our selues enuie not that wee bee no murtherers backebiters nor violent oppressors that wee eschewe anger hatred and wrath and liue in godly peace and quietnes with our neighbours according to the will of God Angry words and thoughts forbiddē in this commaundement THe Lord is not onely carefull to haue obedience from our handes but also from our thoughts and tongues so that both thoughtes and wordes must come vnder subiection vnto him Io. 4.24 that neither of thē be infected with malice which the Lord so hateth and abhorreth For we must interpret the law according to the nature of the Lord who is the law giuer Man by reason that hee onely seeth the deede and cannot discerue of the heart maketh lawes for the outwarde doinges and punisheth thē alone without proceeding further Act. 1 24. Ro. 8.27 1. Th. 2 4. 1. Io. 3.20 1. Io. 3.15 but the Lord who searcheth the harte and reynes maketh lawes for it and punisheth euen the consent of the hart going
the secrets of God And that they may serue God in truth in holines righteousnes all the dayes of their life And now to returne to your worships I most humbly beseech you to accept this my poore labour which I offer vnder your names to the whole church of God The which as I know it commeth vnlooked for not only in respect of your selues but also of diuers other that knowe me aswel in that countrey where I was born as also in other places so also it may seem very rash and needles For who am I that I should take vpon me to publish any thing The vnworthiest of many hundreds the vnablest of many thousands And yet seeing many things more simple lesse needful profitable are both permitted and suffred to come abrode I am not altogether discouraged neither hath any man iust cause to accuse me in this my simple enterprise I knowe these be the dayes of learning knowledge that there be great store of learned deuines in our land whom I beseech the Lorde to blesse Mar. 12.42.43 Luk. 21.2.3 and yet the two mites of the poore widowe cast into the treasurie amonge the great giftes of the welthy are not to be refused The causes that moued me to dedicate this first fruit of my simple trauaile vnto your worships aboue al other are these First your great goodnes from time to time shewed towards me and my friendes the which called vpon mee contitually to shewe some token of thankefulnesse for the same For I must needes confesse that it hath vttered it selfe many and sundry ways and that not without a certaine friendly or rather fatherly care of my well dooing Secondlie that it might be a meane through the assistaunce of Gods spirite to kindle and inflame your heartes with an earnest zeale to the glorious gospell of the sonne of God by dayly and continuall exercise and practise wherein you might be sufficiently furnished with spirituall armur to endure constantly vnto the ende as good souldiers of Iesus Christ against all the assaults of Sathan and his wicked instruments which doe or may come in sheepes clothing to deceaue you and to betray your soules from the way of saluation For of this am I certaine that there will not want false prophets entycing you from Christ and that many stumbling blockes wil be cast namely and especially in your way Master Mistresse I efferis as once hertofore I presumed to aduertise you priuately by letter to the ende you might be discouraged from the way of the Lorde But beware I beseech you againe of their Angelicall or Seraphicall shewe of heauenly life Haue not by and by their doctrine in admiration but carefully looke vnto the clawes of these spirituall wolues and indifferently without affection examine the grounde of their profession by the rule and touchstone of the worde of God and you shall prooue that they deale deceitefully with guile that they be false Apostles and deceitefull workers that they goe about to beguile your senses and to blinde your eyes that they call you to worship an Idoll in steed of the true and liuing God and that they would lead you out of light into darknesse from truth into error from knowledge vnto ignorance If you shall vouchsafe to reade this little booke and to examine it throughly indifferently by the word of God and then it beeing effectually confirmed by the same to make your profit accordingly and as it is committed to your protection so to maintaine and defende it I shall not onely be satisfied and thinke my payes sufficiently recompenced but also be greatly encouraged hartily to pray vnto the Lorde to encrease the giftes of his holy spirite in you that you may goe forwarde more and more to performe that dutie in obedience which he requireth at your handes that you may ouerleape all the lets that Sathan can cast in your way continue in the certainty of true faith and that you may be fully setled vppon the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ being assured that the same onelie is of sufficient abilitie to drawe you out of the dungeon of death And I beseech your worshippes that as God in aboundant measure hath mercifully endued you with all thinges necessarie for this life whereof many thousandes feele the want so without ceasing you would prayse and magnifie him for the same And as you are so nearely ioyned together not onely by reason of your possessions but especially by the bonde of mariage that you are brethren sisters that so you would ioyne togeather in the sincere profession of the glorious gospel of the sonne of God and so goe forward more and more in practise therof that the gospel being rooted in your heartes it may bring foorth sanctification the true seale of your adoption that you may feele his goodnesse in the assurance of that euerlasting and heauenly truth Beware of these two cankers I beseech you that corrupt the whole world I meane pride and couetousnesse Let them not once be named among you as becommeth sainctes Eph. 5.3 Col. 3.5 A day will come when the Lorde will fill your hope with better things then al this world can giue you Stande fast in his trueth in these slippery dayes and aboue all let his glorye and the aduancement of his worde be deare and precious vnto you In Gods matters let his will bee the rule thereof and not your owne wisedome and affections Examine your selues often by it and neglect not the pure preaching of the same Delight in the lawe of the Lord and be good examples to others Care not for the contempt of the worlde but holde fast a good conscience that you may be approued of God And our Lorde Iesus Christ giue you the forgiuenesse of all your sinnes and the peace and comfort of your conscience The Lorde let all his blessinges fall vppon you that you may see the riches and treasures of his mercie that you may be filled with all fulnesse with the spirit that you may behold the glory of the kingdome of god those thinges be reuealed vnto you by his spirite which hee hath prepared for them that loue him Amen The third day of December Anno. 1586. Yours for euer to cōmand in the Lorde Iohn Frewen To the Christian Reader THE matter substance of this booke as I nothing feare to offer and commende vnto thee gentle Reader for thy profitte and instruction in the wayes of the Lorde beeing fully assured that it is the sincere trueth of God and the perfect path way vnto saluation firmely grounded vppon the rocke Christ and sufficiently warranted according to the writinges of the holy Prophetes and Apostles so the Methode manner of setting some part of it downe is not I must needes confesse so exquisite and orderly as I my selfe desire and as thou being learned maiest easily perceaue and discerne One especiall cause of this want is this when I wrote
is a common thing not onelye to them that haue charge to preach the Gospell but also to all the faithful to be continuallye assaulted of Sathan when they would serue God Luk. 22.31 1. The 2.18 1. Pet. 5.8 Ro. 8.7 And it is also certaine that wee haue as many enemies which do endeuor to turn vs aside from the following of God of his worde as we haue thoughts and affections and therefore it is required that wee bee well armed with the knowledge of the Gospell to fight aswell against nature as against an infinit number of temptations which Sathan hath alwaies ready at hand 6 If we will follow Christ wee must suffer affliction SEing our Lord Iesus Christe is our head and captaine it cannot be but that our life must be as a continuall fight For Sathan who is a deadly enemie to the sonne of God 2. Tim. 3.12 wil neuer leaue the mēbers of Christ in reste but will torment and vexe them so that wee shall haue nothing but disquietnesse in this life And therefore we must take good courage in him that hath ouercome the world Io. 16.13 and our truste in him muste bee such that wee doe not doubt but that the victorie which he hath gotten is gotten for vs. 7 God defendeth those that are his THe fight of the faithfull is a good fight for God doth reache forth his hande vnto them Psal 18.2 1. Tim. 6.12 2. Tim. 4.7 and the victorye is alreadye prepared for them And therefore although the world be froward and althoughe it will alwayes resist the truth and troble them that bring it yet in the ende hipocrisie shal be confounded and the rage and hatred of the hipocrits shall serue to giue a greater glasse lighte to the vertue which God giueth vnto his worde 8 Faith and a good conscience the armour of the faithfull THe true seruaunts of God must be furnished with faithe and a good conscience if they will fight vnder the banner of our Lorde Iesus Christe And moreouer it is chiefly required in the ministers of the gospell that they continue in pure doctrine 2. Tim. 1.18.19 1. Tim. 3 9. 2. Tim. 2 15. that they finde not out false imaginations neither goe astraye from true religion but that they haue right vprightnesse in them And so generallye all the faithfull muste not onely haue a zeale to serue God but they must be defenced with good doctrine and their cheefest rule must be that God may be honored 9 Faith is a pretious treasure FAith is a treasure whiche is well worthy to bee kept For it is the staye that holdeth vs vp Act. 15.9 1. Pet. 1.9 1. Pet. 5.9 it is the prop of our saluation if wee bee not wel grounded in faith we shal quiklie sinke into the bottomelesse pitte of hell Io. 5.24 and therefore as the men of this worlde are carefull to lay vp their gold and siluer which are but corruptible mettals safe and in sure keping so ought we to be much more carefull to laye vp this treasure of faithe in a good conscience For it is a thing far more pretious and deserueth to bee more embraced and maintained 10 The meanes to enioy faith alwayes IF we will enioye faith not onelie for a little time but for euer Wee muste go forwarde with reuerence When God hath once shewed vs the way of saluation there must bee no hipocrisie in vs but the true humilitie of the minde Io. 8.31 Iam. 1.25 Wee must not bee lightheaded to be carried away with our violent lusts nor yet double hearted to mocke God and to despise his grace and so may wee bee sure that God will giue vs such a constancie steedines as shall neuer be ouercōe although all the temptations in the world do rise vp against vs Ro. ◠38 yet God will alwaye keepe vs for our saluation is in his hand and he hath promised to be our keeper and faithefull protector 11 Prayer is a proofe of Faith The chiefest exercise that the children of God haue is to pray vnto God For prayer is a good proofe of our faith when wee haue recourse vnto our God call vppon his name Pro. 15.29 Mat. 21 22. Ro. 12.12 2. Tim. 2.1 2 Iam. 5.15 and doe not onelye thinke and haue care of our selues but our charitie must reach it selfe toward al both small and great whether they bee of our familiar freindes and nighe acquaintance or whether they be strangers and such as we doe not know 12 Faith is not without prayer IT is a true token that we haue profited in the word of God if so bee that we haue an earnest desire and affection to pray vnto God and so that our soules doe as it were breathe thirst after it from day to day for that man which saith that hee trusteth in God and beleeueth the Gospell and in the meane while maketh no accōpt of prayer hee sheweth himselfe to bee but a scorner and an hipocrit Ps 34.13 Coll. 4.2 Luc. 18.1 1. Thes 5.17 For if wee receiue the promises of God if wee bee assured of that whiche hee saith wee must then seeke him for as he promiseth to bee our father and sauiour so he calleth vs vnto him hee reacheth out his hande vnto vs hee seeketh nothing but as we are called to the knowledge of his truth so wee should come and pray him to accomplish those things which we haue hoped for at his hands And theerfore al they that are negligent to praye vnto God do giue a great token that they neuer tasted of his promises 13 Of Prayer Wee muste not onlye pray for the faithfull whiche are our brethren alreadye but for them that are verie farre of as the poore infidels and vnbeleeuers althoughe there seeme to be a great distaunce difference between both yet must we notwithstanding haue pitty and compassion vpon their destruction to the ende that wee maye praye vnto God that he woulde drawe them vnto him selfe 14 Loue is a token of Adoption GOD hath adopted vs to bee his children if we be the members of his sonne Iesus Christe whiche cannot bee vnlesse wee bee ioyned together in brotherlye loue one towards another If we seperate our selues from them whom God wil haue to be his owne Io. 13.35 1. Io. 3.15 1. Io. 4.20 wee deuide in sunder asmuch as lieth in vs the bodie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and so banishe our selues from the kingdome of heauen 15 The price of our redemption VVHereas sinne Sathan deathe Hell and dampnation helde vs in captiuitie we are now deliuered from the tirannie of all thē by Christ Iesus crucified Firste hee ouercame sinne when beeing the sonne of God in the shape of a reprochefull man as an innocent lambe deseruing no punishment and yet suffering moste cruell punishment and bitter deathe gaue himselfe a ful and perfect sacrifice for our sinnes And when sinne was by his death
that he might be the Lorde both of the quick and the dead Ro. 14.9 And therefore it is good reason that he should haue the soueraigne rule seing he hath not spared himselfe for our redemption and saluation 34 Wee muste worship God alone VVe are straightlie forbidden of the Lord to worship anye together with him or to admit any worship of him Ex. 20.3 beside his owne which he hath left vs in his worde The Lorde would haue vs to seeke all good thinges at his hands alone and cannot abide that wee shoulde haue other Gods before his face For inasmuch as he hath taken vppon him to care for vs and to honor himselfe by shewing forthe the treasures of his grace vpon vs 1. Pet. 5.7 it shal not be lawfull to darken the lighte of his goodnesse by seeking to obteyne that Ps 55.22 at the hands of any other the gifte of whiche hee hath reserued to himselfe alone for the glory praise of the riches of his grace For let vs be assured that whensoeuer we seeke to any other then him for any part of our welfare we doe as it were hyde the brightnesse of his face that he cānot be seene in the full shewe of his mercie howe he is affected towards vs while they by stepping betweene conueye some praise of the gifte and mercie to themselues Heere wee see all passage to the virgine Marie angels or saincts whatsoeuer to bee stopped vp Mat. 11.28 and the waye to God opened vnto all in their necessities to runne thither with an assured hope ease comfort and refreshing by reason of the promise 35 Images are forbidden in the Lawe of God BEcause there is no comparison betweene God whiche is an euerlasting spirite incomprehensible and a materiall bodye mortall Ex. 20.4 Deut. 5.8 corruptible and visible therefore the Lord commaundeth vs in the second commandement of the first table that we shoulde not represent him in anye visible image Hee forbiddeth not the making of all kinde of images but when they are made to some superstitious ende as either to expresse the Godhead or by that meanes to bring him somewhat nearer to vs or to our vse or to stirr vp or kindle in vs anye kinde of deuotion or as we commonlie saye to put vs in a good minde If we come where they are we must not bowe vnto them nor worship thē neither for there owne sakes whiche is the grosser errour nor yet for others whome they are made to represent whiche also is bad inoughe God is more excellent and greater then that he may be represented by any image For when as heauen and earthe and all thyngs conteined within the compasse of them cannot represent God muche lesse shall vile images made with mens hands doe the same which haue neither life nor mouing nor any thing at all like vnto the most mighty God Esay 44.9 Act. 15.20 17.6 1. Cor. 5.11 Ro. 1.23 as witnesseth the holy Ghost by the mouthe of the Prophets Furthermore the Apostles of Christ them selues with one consent and very earnestly haue forbidden Christians the worshipping of images and before time the holy prophets haue prophecied that the churche of Christians should haue no images 36 Idolatry is enemie to the true seruice of God Great reason it is that we should bee carefull first of all to serue God and to yeelde vnto hym onely the honor and glory which beelongeth vnto him And that we maye well begin to doe so we must abhorre idolatry the which the wise man calleth vanity and lies and so likewise do all the prophets in diuers places In all agee and amongst all nations Pro. 30.8 Esa 41.29 44.9 Ier. 2.5 10.3.14.15 14. it is and hath bene vsuall that the idolaters euen those which are the deuoutest do giue themselues vnto dishonestie filthinesse and vncleannesse vnto oppression and crueltye euen with an vnbrideled lust and desire And the prophetes also doe make greate complaints thereof do reproch the idolaters that they haue forsaken God an that they haue their handes full of bloud So then if wee will beginne earnestlie to serue God we muste begin first to hate idolatrye following the doctrine that Iacob gaue to his houshold Gen. 35.2 Ex. 20.3.4 and God in the beginning of his Lawe And heerewithall lette vs learne to renounce our owne wits and be willing to be broughte to the knowledge of the euerlasting power and diuinitye of God that wee maye glorifie him as God and not turne away our selues from him vnto superstition and idolatry the whiche if we shoulde do wee shall deserue to haue the wroth and indignation of God to be powred vpon our heades as vpon the wicked and vngodly and to giue vs vp vnto a reprobate minde for to condemne vs eternally 37 God and not images is to be worshipped AS we may not take vppon vs to worship any besides the Lorde no more it is lawfull for vs to giue any worshipp to the Lorde Ex. 20 4. Esay 20.4 but onelye that whiche is allowed in his worde And therefore hath hee forbidden vs to make any grauen image imagining that waye to please him and to do a worke acceptable in his sighte For some of those whiche bowe vnto grauen images thinke and say that the Lord is serued therein and that they do it not vnto the image but vnto the Lord represented vnto them in the same But the Lorde in the commaundement Deu. 5.8 forbiddeth aswell the false worship of the true God as the giuing of any parte of his true woorship vnto a false God I meane vnto any besides the onely true God It commeth all from one fountaine to dare be bolde to giue vnto him anye worship besids that which he hath cōmaunded and to worshippe any other besides himselfe which thing he hath in many places plainely forbidden And so he represseth this intollerable boldenesse of man that in his owne deuotion will presume to please the Lord either in the worshipping of others or in any other manner of worshipping him then he himselfe hath opened in his worde 38 We muste worship God according to his worde WE are instructed of the Lorde to do nothing as seemeth vs especially when there is anye question of the seruice of God that we attempt nothing after our owne fantasies but that wee sollowe in all simplicitie that which he appointeth by his worde without adding of any thing vnto it whatsoeuer For assone as we shall haue declined neuer so litle herein Deut. 4.2 12.32 what euer wee alledge to make our cause good God wil not leaue vs vnpunished For it is no vaine threat when God saieth in this second commaundement Deut. 5.9 that he is a Ielous God which visiteth the iniquity of parents vppon their children Wherefore let vs note first of all that forasmuch as we are by nature ouermuch giuen to idolatry this threatning of God commeth always before our
come not neere the gate of the whoremongers and harlots house and that they haue a number of lawfull children neuerthelesse yet as touching them there nothing remaineth but a curse and malediction for vnto the vncleane and infidels nothing is cleane 61 The Papists opinion concerning mariage OVr Lord God hath shewed that all they that cannot absteine from mariage ought to vse it Yea and that which is more if any mā see although otherwise hee haue no neede that hee can serue God better being maried he is bound to marie considering that is a kind of life that god liketh well of accounteth honorable The Pope holy papistes on the contrarieside Ge. 1.27 2.24 kicking against the holye ordinance of God affirme and saye the ministers of the worde of God cannot be holy vnlesse they abstaine from mariage The high Priest saye they in the olde lawe when he went into the Sanctuarie must needes bee seperated from his wife and againe that it is an ordinarie thing amongst them when they offer sacrifice vnto god that he that is in that office must wholly renounce marriage and haue nothing to do with women Concerning the first the papistes speake blasphemie against God in saying that the Shepheardes of the Church of Christ are called to sacrifice Iesus Christ For the masse as we knowe is a verye deuillish and detestable thing True it is that God commandeth vs to sacrifice the soules which we shall get to him by meanes of the Gospell as S. Paule also speaketh vnto the Romaines But as for the high Priest of the olde law Ro. 12. he was a figure of our lord Iesus Christ which is not at this day in vs and therefore it is a beastly and blasphemous argument wherewith the papistes haue deceiued the simple people in that they haue not suffered their priestes to be married and are come to this point to cal the state of marriage a defiling and so despise the ordinance of God Heb. 13.4 The holy Ghost hath pronounced that marriage is honorable for all men and yet the papistes dare affirme that it is foule and filthie therfore the deuill is the authour and finder out of their doctrine And great occasions haue we to prayse God and to giue him hartie thankes for that hee hath drawn vs out of such a confusion and hath shewed vs the only way to serue him so that we may be out of all doubt that he liketh well of our life that we cleaue simply to his word not adding any thing to it Deu. 4.2 12.32 but followe the pure rule that is conteined in the same 62. Christians must be sober continent chast and modest THe will of our God is that wee should liue soberlye and chastlye that christians should bee no adulterers no fornicators not giuen to idlenes wātonnes drunkennes gluttony nor to anye such like but that they should abstaine from al these things and endeuour with al godly affection to discharge their dueties according to his word Ex. 20.14 Luk. 1.75 Gal. 5.19 1. Cor. 6.9 Tit. 2.12 and to walke before him in holines all the daies of their life Whosoeuer are giuen to dissolutenes and excesse it is certain that they are not spirituall what countenance soeuer they make to the cōtrary but they follow the flesh and performe the filthye workes of the same and therefore is this horrible sentence pronoūced against them that they shall not be inheritours of the kingdome of God It is the will of our heauenlye father that christians should liue soberly and moderately auoyding all occasions whereby they might be entyced and prouoked to wantonnesse and vncleannesse But it is not sufficient onely to restraine the outragious wantonnesse and lust of the flesh but also the flesh when it is moste sober and in his best temperance must be subdued and repressed least it fulfill his lustes and desires For the most sober and temperate are manye tymes moste assayled with temptations 63 The exposition of the eight commandement In the fourth commaundement of the second table Deu. 5.19 Eph. 5.3.5 Col. 3.5 Ps 62.10 1. The. 4.6 Ex. 22.21.22.23 Pro. 27.27 Ge 3..19 Eph. 4.28 the Lord our God doth not onely forbid all stealing and such robberies as are punished by common lawes But he forbiddeth al stealing in heart that is all desire of any mans goods wrongfully He forbiddeth al deceit and wrongfull dealing al vnlawful and deceiue able occupations whereby we plucke vnto vs anye part of our neighbours substaunce whether it bee by violence by fraude or by anye other meanes that God hath not allowed by his word And on the other side hee chargeth vs to be content with that portion which the Lorde hath lent vs to applye our selues honestly in our vocation and calling to liue of that which is our owne and also to bee helpfull vnto others All such as feare God must haue regard that the possession and getting of their goods be without couetousnes fraude thefte and deceit but honest and pleasing God as comming by inheritaunce or of honest and diligent paines taking for God in this commaundement forbiddeth vs to take awaye or keepe any thing that is due to another by what meanes soeuer it be done wherfore false weightes and measures are forbidden thinges founde by chaunce must not be kept but restored againe to the true owner That which is left with vs to keepe and lent vs must be wholly geuen home againe The dueties that are due vnto euery man must be done vnto them and no man must be defrauded of the thinges that are his Debtes must be paide at the time appoynted without the hurte of our neyghbours but especially the wages due for mans worke must be paid truely and quickly The Lorde expoundeth this commaundement ver 19. ye shall not steale neither deale falsly nor lye one to another saith the Lorde For in so much as God is a spirite he hath not onely regarde to robberies that be committed in deed Leu. 19.11 Io. 4.24 but he considereth as well our secret enterprises our deuises and purposes and the desires of our minds to come by ryches through our neighbours losse 64 Diuers sortes of stealing THere are many kindes of theeueries for some vse priuy and secret sleightes when they drawe to themselues by subtle meanes and practises the substaunce of another Ex. 20.15 Deu. 5.19 other vse open force and violence and some vse more slie feates and such close cōueiances that a man shall not be able to accuse them before the world and yet because they walke not in al simplicitie and vprightnes they are theeues before God But in the meane tyme we haue to note that god iudgeth not of theftes after the manner of men for they which liue in great credite reputation before men shall not cease to be condemned before god and therfore we must not bring our own fantasyes to iudge of theftes thinking to escape the hand of God
of the lawe as do the hypocrites the superstitious and Idolaters but to th' end we may receaue and learne wisedome of God through his grace and goodnesse whereby we knowing him maye walke in his feare 95 The scripture must be read with reuerence THe readers of the scriptures must be searchers and not corrupters wresters dreamers or superstitious murmurers For the Scriptures do not require anye searching but that which is godlye humble and desirous to knowe and embrace one trueth onelye otherwyse a man maye fynde some whiche reade the Scriptures but not to searche out Gods trueth but rather to hinder the same Euen soe Herode inquired out the trueth out of the scriptures concerninge the place where Christ should be borne Mat. 2.4 not to the end he might worship him but rather to destroy him Also the Pharesies said not to Nicodemus beholde what is writeÌ„ in the scripture coÌ„cerning christ but they said search looke for out of Gallilye riseth no Prophet So in like manner wicked and vngodlye Io. 7.52 men do search the scriptures to corrupt the same to their owne destruction 96 Faith in Christ IT is very necessarie for christians to know first wherof faith in christ doth come what wee must beleeue concerning Christ and in what faith in Christ is to be continued and confirmed Ro. 10.17 Faith the Apostle saith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Secondly if so be faith commeth by hearing of the worde of the Lord and if it be our parte to abide in the same and that wee ought not to beleeue anye other thing then the verye same which is set before vs by the worde whereby wee conceaue faith and beleeuing in the which wee abide very foolish are they which at this day say they knowe not what to beleue and what not for if so be they were abiding in the word of the Lord they shoulde knowe what to beleeue but because they haue already applyed their eares and minde to humaine doctrine it commeth to passe that they being ignorant of Gods trueth are carried about with euery winde of doctrine the which is forbidden by the holy ghost Eph. 4.14 Thirdly this also is manifest in what christian fayth ought to bee maintained and confirmed Io. 8.31 when our sauiour Christ saith that they which continue in his worde are his true disciples So that we must abide in that from which wee haue conceaued our faith We are begotten by the worde of truth thorough faith Iam. 1.18 by the same we are strengthned and confirmed 97 Christ hath freed vs from the lawe OVr Lorde Iesus Christ was sent to redeeme them that were vnder the lawe that wee might receaue the adoption of sonnes Hee was moreouer our peace when hee shedde his bloud to wype out all our sinnes Gal. 4.5 to deliuer vs from all our debtes when he became a curse for vs and was become subiect to all reproch to couer all the faultes which we had committed And whereas God was our enemie as also we on our partes were enemies to him in Christ may wee beholde our agreement Eph. 2.14.15.16 and so likewise the attonement which was made and accomplished 98 There is no chaunge in God WHereas it pleased God to hide the witnesse of his Gospel for a season from the Gentilles and afterwarde to haue it preached throughout all the worlde and chuse such a fitte time for it as hee had determined in his secrete Counâ—â—â— we must not saye that he is chaungeable therefore Iam. 1.17 but wee must learne to worshippe and reuerence him in his prouidence with all humblenesse confessing that nothing proceedeth from him but most iustly and most wisely 1. Tim. 1.17 and that whatsoeuer hee hath once determined and whatsoeuer he doth cannot be controlled 99 The will of God must be our rule WE must not giue our selues too much to our lustes as by nature we are prouoked thereunto but alwayes wayte vpon God to see what his good will and pleasure is and with patience and quietnesse wayte for the same and although manie thinges fall not out as wee would haue them but wee thinke to our foolish reason that God shoulde haue doone other wise yet must we bridle our selues and shewe that obedience vnto God that his counsell may be a sufficient rule for vs 1. Ti. 2.7 remembring also that God hath his due time and it is not for vs to appoint him a time when hee shall doe what he hath to doe this authoritie and office of commaunding is not in our handes Act. 1.7 neither is it in vs to knowe the times and seasons which the father hath put in his power 100 Howe the way is opened for vs to pray AS often as the goodnesse of God is witnessed vnto vs and be promiseth vs his grace although we be wretched sinners As oft also as wee heare that our sinnes were forgiuen vs by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that then payement was made for all our debtes Col. 2.14 and the obligation that was against vs dispatched and rent in peeces and God made at one with vs. We haue the way opened vnto vs to pray vnto God as also the Lorde sayeth I will saye vnto them which were not my people Hos 2.23 thou art my people and they shall say thou art my God therefore so soone as our Lorde GOD maketh vs to taste his goodnesse and promiseth vs that euen as he sent once his onely sonne vnto vs so nowe he will accept vs in his name wee neede not doubt to come vnto him for it is asmuch as if he commaunded vs to praye and the one hangeth vppon the other 101 The drift of the Scripture THe whole course of the scripture teacheth vs especially and aboue all thinges that wee shoulde not doubt but assure our selues and vndoubtedly beleeue that God is mercifull louing and patient Iam. 1.6 that he is neither dissembler nor deceauer but that he is faithfull and true and keepeth his promise yea and hath performed that he promised in deliuering his onely begotten sonne to death for our sinnes Luk. 1.69 that euerye one that beleeueth in him might not perishe but haue euerlasting life Io. 3.16 Here we cannot doubt but GOD is pleased with vs that hee loueth vs in deede that the hatred and wrath is taken away Ro. 4.25 seeing hee suffered his sonne to die for vs wretched sinners 102 We are assured of the fauour of God GReat cause haue wee to yeelde most heartye thankes vnto our good God forasmuch as it hath pleased him to deliuer vs from this monstrous doctrine of doubting wherein we were noussed in the time of ignorance so that wee can nowe assure our selues that the holy ghost cryeth bringeth foorth in our harts groninges that cannot bee expressed Ro. 8.26 We are commanded in the gospell to beholde not our owne
from him finally his power wherby he executeth the decrees and ordinances of his counsell By this reason wee say that the sonne coÌ„meth onely of the Father but that the holy ghost is of the Father of the sonne together Although theÌ„ that we can not consider the wisedome of God but as it proceedeth froÌ„ the father as it is engendred of him yet we must take heede that in this generatioÌ„ we inuent nothing temporall carnall or humaine but rather lette vs worship the same beholding it by faith let vs take heede froÌ„ searching further theÌ„ scriptures do teach vs thereof otherwise we should deserue to be blinded and punished for our ouer great curiositie 152 The vnitie of essence is not taken away by the distinction of persons AS the Sunne that shineth hath three distinct thinges of which euerie one differeth from another the globe the light and heate and although euerie one of these keepe seueraly their properties yet is it but one sun is not deuided into 3. suns So in the Deity the vnitie of essence is not takeÌ„ away by the distinction of persons yet for all that is there no confounding of persons nor chaunginge of one into another The doctrine of the Trinitie is euerie where certainly taught in the Prophetes but more plainely in the writinges of the Euangelistes and Apostles For the Angell Gabryell speaketh vnto Marie the mother of the Lorde in these wordes Luk. 1.35 The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most highest shall ouershadowe thee wherfore the holy thing also which shal be borne shal be called the sonne of god We haue here truly the Father which is the highest the sonne of God which is borne of the Virgin and the holy Ghost which ouershadoweth the virgin Mat. 3.16 At what time also Christ our Lord was baptized in the riuer Iordan of Iohn the Baptist Iohn sawe the holy Ghost comming downe like a Doue and lighting vppon him and there was also a voyce hearde from heauen 2. Pet. 1.17 saying This is my dearely beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased Io. 5. 14. Furthermore Christe our Lorde hath often and sundrie wayes taught that there is a holy Trinitie and lastly he commaundeth all thâ—se that trust in him to be baptized in the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost Wherefore seeing that in the holy scriptures Mat. 28.18 Mar. 16.16 in the Trinitie the vnitie of the Deitie is plainely clearely taught it is mete that we doe simply rest therein not curiously search nor lust after anye further knowledge in this life then which God hath reuealed 153 Gods grace is the only staye and repayrer of all thinges WHen we haue well considered howe brittle our life is wee must also marke howe wee be repayred againe by the grace of god and specially howe we be susteyned vpheld by the same according also as these two pointes are matched togeather in the 104. Psalme Ps 104.29.30 For it is sayd there that assoone as God withdraweth his spirite working al goeth to decay but the Prophet addeth also that if God spread forth his power all is renewed in this worlde and al thinges take their liuelinesse of him And thus wee see what wee haue to marke as namely that when we knowe our selues to be weake and so subiect vnto death as that we must run thither whether we will or no we must also vnderstaÌ„d that in this so great frailtie God holdeth vs by the hand so as we be maintayned by his power and strengthened by his grace But the chief point is that we should haue an eye to the benefite and good grace which God hath giuen vs aboue the order of nature in restoring vs by his worde as sayeth the Prophet Esaye Esay 40.6.7.8 All flesh is as grasse and all the glorie of man is as the flower of grasse the grasse withereth and the flower falleth away whereas the worde of the Lorde endureth for euer 1. Pet. 1.24.25 yea not onely to continue in heauen but also to the ende that by it we may haue euerlasting life and be redeemed out of the vniuersall corruption of this earthly life that God may dwel in vs and make vs pertakers of his euerlastingnesse 154 God is the creator of all things THe Lorde by his eternall woorde hath made and created al things conteyned within the compasse of heauen earth as Moses at larg describeth Ge. 1. By the word of the Lord saith the Prophet were the heauens made Ps 33.6 al the hoste of theÌ„ by the breath of his mouth The Lord herein hath shewed his wisedome power goodnes for by his infinite most excelleÌ„t works which make al men to wonder at them we may in a manner iudge how wonderful the wisedome power goodnes of this workemaster is The Lord hath not only created al things but by his euerlasting spirite preserueth gouerneth theÌ„ Who is like vnto the Lorde our God Ps 113.5.6 that hath his dwelling on high who abaseth himselfe to behold things in heaueÌ„ in earth He hath established theÌ„ for euer hee hath made an ordinance which shall not passe Ps 148.6 All thinges that the circuit of this world conteineth whether they be visible or inuisible all thinges I say were created of God for the vse of man as the Prophet Dauid likewise witnesseth Ps 8. and 23. Ps 8. 23 and also the Apostle Paule It is therefore meete that men be thankeful vnto God and keepe in perfect memory the creation neuer call it into doubt forasmuch as the Sabboth was therefore ordeined of God that the memorie of this benefite might be kept Ex. 20.11 against al aduersaries that denie and despise the creation 155 Of the fall of man GOd at the first created man after his owne similitude likenesse that is to saye righteous vertuous holy iust and good but by his owne fault he fell from the grace which hee receaued and so separated himself from God Eccl. 7.31 Gen. 1.26 insomuch that his nature became full of corruption being blinde in spirite and depriued of all perfectnesse As by one man sinne entred into the worlde death by sin Ro. 5.12 and so death went ouer all forasmuch as all meÌ„ haue sinned Man was created of God and made of two partes the soule and the bodie of which the body was made of the earth but the soule which is spirit and life was inspired by God Gen. 2.7 and thus was man made a liuing creature who afterward although hauing receiued a iust lawe from God and enioying innumerable benefites at his hande yet notwithstanding he was vnthankfull and disobedient vnto his creator beecause that hearing the woordes of the wicked spirit he gaue more credit vnto them then vnto the words of God and was brought vnto this poynt that
Iewes haue a vaile before their eyes leasts they should behold the glory of God in the face of Christ 161 Why our Sauiour Christ came in the flesh WHen as Gods iust wrath against sinne committed by our first parents was so greuous that no creature in heauen in earth was able in any parte to appease the same Io. 1.14 by the vnestimable goodnesse of God his onely and dearelibeloued sonne became a sacrifice to appease his wrath and displeasure and to reconcile vs vnto his Father and by his death and passion procured for vs reconciliation with his Father remission of sin righteousnesse before God Col. 1.20 and eternal life in heauen These be the fruits and benefittes that wee haue by Christs comming in the fleshe If the highnes and excellencie of the meane of our saluation in parte or in al could haue otherwise bin wrought the wisedome of God woulde neuer haue giuen his sonne to death to procure the same benefites for vs. But that he might declare howe odious and displeasant sinne was in the sight of God he let vs by this meanes vnderstand that the offence therof could not be taken away nor mankinde to him be reconciled but onelye by the bloud of the immaculate lamb Christ Iesus his sonne Good Christians therefore must assuredlye perswade themselues Ro. 5.10 that they haue reconciliation with God remission of sinne iustification before God sanctification of the holy Ghost Eph. 1.7 and the heritage of eternall life by the excellencie and fulnes of Christes death and passion onely onelye I say and by nothing els For as it was said before Christ is the onely full and perfect meane of our saluation 162 Faith in Christ the meane of our saluation THere is one onely meane whereby the benefites of Christes passion and victorie are applyed and do also redounde vnto vs and that is onelye faith in Christ Iesu and no other thing which faith it pleaseth almightie God to accept for righteousnesse And this righteousnesse it is which onely standeth before God and none other as we are plainely taught by the Scriptures and especially by the doctrine of S. Paule Which righteousnes thus rising of faith in Christ the apostle calleth the righteousnes of God Phi. 3 9. where he speaking of himselfe vtterly refuseth the other righteousnes which is of the law that he might be found in him not hauing his own righteousnes which is of the law but the righteousnes of Christ which is of faith Againe the same Apostle writing of the Iewes which sought for righteousnes and founde it not and also of the Gentiles which sought not for it and yet found it sheweth the reason why because saith hee the one sought it as byworkes and the law Ro. 9.30.31.32 came not to it who not knowing the righteousnes of god seeking to set vp their owne rightesonesse did not submitte themselues to the righteousnes which is of God the other which were the Gentiles and sought not for it obteined righteousnes that righteousnes which is of faith c. Also in an other place of the same epistle S. Paule writing of the righteousnes which commeth of faith calleth it the righteousnes of God in these wordes Ro. 3.25 whom God saith hee hath set forth a reconciliation through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousnes by the forgiuenes of the sins that are past c. By which righteousnes it is euident that the apostle meaneth the righteousnes of faith which almightie God now reueileth and maketh manifest by preaching the gospell but if wee desire to see yet more plainely this righteousnesse of God how it is taken in S. Paule for the righteousnes of faith and therfore is called the righteousnes of God because it is imputed onely of God to faith and not deserued of man In the same his chapter vnto the Romaines his words be manifest The righteousnes of God saith he is by faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vppon all that beleeue 163 We are iustified by the grace of God in Christ and not by workes NO workes of the law can iustifie men that is to say in gods iudgment acquite and discharge them from sinne from accusation and damnation of the law reconcile them vnto God and make them perfect righteous good and blessed The grace of God alone in Christ Iesus doth these thinges and therefore hee that thinketh beleeueth and teacheth otherwise despiseth the grace of God maketh Christ vnprofitable and therefore maketh also the whole doctrine of the Euangelistes and Apostles voyde and of none effect For the Apostle Paule teacheth plainely that noe flesh shall be iustified in the sight of God by the workes of the law Ro. 3.20 For by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne but now without the law is the righteousnes of God declared by faith in Iesus Christ For all they that beleeue are iustified freelye by grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Also in another place hee saith a man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ For in Christ our Lord Gal. 2.16 as in the true and liuing sonne of God is inclosed fulnesse of grace and all heauenly treasures the which he keepeth not vnto himselfe alone but according to his pleasure and according to our necessitie he bestoweth them vppon vs so that wee shall not want at all anye of those thinges which are requisite vnto our righteousnes perfection and saluation Mat. 28.18 Mat. 11.28 All power is geuen vnto him in heauen and in earth For the which cause he calleth all men vnto him and will heale all our infirmities 164 Howe faith doth iustifye AS the passion of Christ serueth to none but such as do beleeue so neither doth faith as it is onelye a bare qualitye or action in mans minde it selfe iustifie vnlesse it be directed to the bodie of Christ crucified of whom it receaueth al his vertue And therefore these two faitâ— and Christ Iesus crucified must alwaies ioyntly concurre and go together As for example when the people of Israell were commaunded of Moses to looke vp to the brasen serpent neither coulde the serpent haue helpeâ— them except they had looked vp Num. 21. noâ— yet their looking vpwarde haue profited them vnlesse they had directed their eyes vpon the saide Serpent set vp for the same purpose for them to behold So our faith in like case directed to the bodye of Iesus our Sauiour is onely the meanes wherby the merites of Christ are applyed vnto vs and we now iustified before God according to the doctrine of S. Paule who in expresse wordes defining vnto vs what this saith is and howe it iustifieth saith If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus Ro. 10.9 and beleeue in thy heart that god raysed him from death thou shalt bee saued c. Besides this what action â—â— qualitie so euer is in maÌ„ either
13 39 and iustifieth him in the sight of God both in couering his euill deedes and in making his good deedes acceptable to God clyming vp to heauen and there wrastling with GOD and his iudgement for righteousnesse for saluation and for euerlasting life Workes and charitie followe faith and are exercised here vpon the earth and glorieth onely before men but not before God in shewing foorth obedience both to God and to man Further then this our good woorkes doe not reach nor haue any thing to doe in the iudgement of God touching saluation I speak of our good works as S. Paul speaketh Rom. 7. Ro. 7.18 as they be ours and imperfect For else if our works coulde be perfect according to the perfection of the lawe Leu. 18.5 and as Christ wrought them in the perfection of the flesh that is if wee could performe them without any transgression so might wee liue in them but seeing the weakenesse of our flesh cannot attaine thereto it followeth that all glory of iustifying is taken frō works and transferred vnto faith 169 The meaning of being iustified by Faith IF Abraham had beleeued no more but that there was a God in heauen that would not haue serued to haue iustified him for the Heathen do beleeue so much Againe if Abraham had beleeued that god was iudg of the worlde that woulde not also haue serued his turne But when as God saide vnto him I am thy exceeding great rewarde Ge. 15.1 17.7 and I will be thy God and the God of thy seede after thee and moreouer in thee shall all Nations of the earth bee blessed by accepting such promises wherein GOD acquainted himselfe with him and witnessed to him that he tooke him for one of his housholde and as his owne childe and became his Father Abraham was iustified by accepting that promise For assoone as God offered him his goodnesse and grace he beleeued the word and receaued it and then was hee full sure of his saluation To bee iustified therefore by fayth is not a confused opinion of beleeuing that there is a GOD but a holding of him for our Father and Sauiour and that because he sheweth himselfe to be so by his woorde and also giueth vs a good pledge and earnest penny of it in our Lord Iesus Christ insomuch that there he sheweth himselfe to be ioined and vnited with vs and that although wee bee wretched creatures and haue nothing in vs but all mischife Eph. 2.3 yet he faileth not to take vs for his owne and to admit vs into his fauour the reason whereof is because our Lorde Iesus Christ is the meane betwixt him and vs Therfore when we haue that promise and rest wholly vppon it and doubt not but that God doeth and will shewe himselfe gratious to vs vnto the end and therewithall call vpon him and resorte onelye vnto him giuing ouer this worlde and continuing in the hope of the heauenly life then be we sure that wee haue faith and are iustified and that was the manner of our Father Abrahams beleeuing and without that let vs assure our selues that there is no Christianitie at all in vs. For as S. Paule sayth vntill wee knowe what the Gospell is Ro. 10.14 we cannot call God our Father Wee cannot call vppon God except sayth he we knewe him and beleeued in him And howe is it possible for vs to knowe him till he be reuealed vnto vs Therefore faith must needes go before Ro. 10.17 And whereof commeth faith Faith commeth by hearing sayth S. Paule wherefore we must be trayned in the gospell or else we can haue no faith 170 Of free iustification by faith without workes WHen we say that we be iustified by faith it is not ment that there is any worthinesse or desert in our faith as who should say that god were bound to vs and therefore receued vs for it but that because God hath shewed himselfe mercifull towardes vs and promised to be our sauiour we being first bereft of al trust in our vertues do come vnto him by faith knowing wel that if bee cōsider vs in our selus he must neds curse abhorre vs Esay 2.3 seing then that faith bringeth not any thing on mans behalfe but receueth all thinges of Gods meere and free goodnesse there is no questioning what worthinesse there is in vs. For faith not onely helpeth vs to the attainment of our saluation but also bringeth vs all perfection If GOD haue respect to our workes woe will bee vnto vs. Therefore hee muste bee faine to turne away his countenance from the considering of our personnes and to receaue vs alonely in our Lord Iesus Christ or else in his looking vppon vs to marke nothing but our miseries that he may be moued and prouoked to mercy So then GOD hath a double respect in iustifiing vs. The one is that he beholdeth our miseries for inasmuch as he seeth vs so plunged in all confusion he is moued to pitie Againe to the intent he may no more be against vs which are sinners he must be fain to look vpon our Lord Iesus Christ and vpon his righteousnesse that the same may do away all our offences 171 Of Freewill AS concerning Freewill as it may peraduenture in some case bee admitted that men without the grace may doe some outwarde functions of the Law and keepe some outward obseruaunces or traditions so as touching thinges spirituall and pertayning to saluation ◠Cor 3.5 the strength of man being not regenerate by grace is so infirme and weake that he canne performe nothing neither in doing well nor willing well Who after he be regenerate by grace may woorke and doe well but yet in such sorte that still remaineth notwithstanding a great imperfection of flesh and a perpetuall resisting between the fleshe and the spirit From this truth of doctrine the Church of Roome doeth degenerate which holdeth and affirmeth that men without grace may performe the obedience of the Lawe and prepare them selues to receaue grace by working so that these works may be meritorious and e congruo obtaine grace But as for the infirmity which stil remaineth in nature that they nothing regard nor once speake of 172 The doctrine of freewill is an arrogant doctrine THe vnderstanding and Freewil of man not being regenerated is so fowly blotted and defaced in him by his firste transgression so wrapped in sinne and wickednesse that euen by nature he is caried head long vnto all manner of euill so as he is made very vnfitte and vnapt to goodnesse And then what libertie or freewil can be attributed to such a mā Saint Paule saith The wisedom 〈◊〉 the flesh is enemy to God Ro. 8.7 For it is not subiect to the Law of God neither in deede can be But whosoeuer is borne anewe by grace through the operation of the holye Ghoste of him is this saying of Christ to be vnderstood Io. 8.34 36. whosoeuer committeth
sinne is the seruaunt of sinne But if the sonne shall make you free you shall bee free in deede That is you are made free from sinne the Deuil death and damnation that freely with good will by the operation of the holy Ghoste and not by compulsion you might do that good thing which you doe And they which are so redemed and indued with Christian liberty they attribute not the good which they doe vnto their owne power and freewill but to the grace of Christ and to the holy Ghoste whiche worketh the same in them For our Sauiour Christ saith He that abideth in mee Io. 15 5 and I in him the same bringeth foorth much fruite for without me ye can do nothing Saint Paule also sayeth wee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues 2. Cor. 3.5 but our sufficiency is of God And in an another place he saith 1. Cor 47 what hast thou that thou hast not receaued If thou hast receaued it why reioycest thou as though thou hadst not receaued it And againe he saith Phi. i. 29 2.13 Vnto you it is geuen for Christ that not only ye should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake and furthermore it is God saith he which worketh in you both the will and the deede euen of his good pleasure 173 The doctrine of Freewill is blasphemous THey doe greatly erre which doe attribute vnto men freewil and the power to guide and gouern themselues they are also vnthankfull or at leastwise endeuor to bring al the world to vnthankfulnesse and are arrogant when so much as in them lyeth they dispossesse the holy Ghoste of his benefits giftes and attribute them vnto men Wherefore eschuing such doctrine as a deadly pestilence Ro. 12 13 Io. 15.5 Let vs harken vnto sobrietye The which we shal doe if with humblenes we acknowledge our selues to bee the braunches and that we truly confesse with Saint Paule that we are not able of our selues 2. Cor. 3.5 Phil. 2.12 but our strengthe commeth of God Let vs not be proud and arrogant but by humility of mind let vs occupy our selues about our saluation c. 174 We can neither attaine vertue not eschue vice by our Freewill WE cannot attain vnto any vertue nor yet tame and abolishe such faults and vices as are condemned by our freewill nor by any ablenesse that is in vs Phil. 2.13 Tit. 2.11 12 Gal 5.20 21 but God must worke in vs and we muste bee members of our Lord Iesus Christe It is said that wee must liue soberly righteously and godly And how shall we do so when the holy ghost shal rule in vs then shal we haue these vertues It is said that we must fly druÌ„keÌ„nesse intemperancy strife debate pride and such like And how hauing the spirit of meekenesse of the feare of God the spirit of wisedome and discretion and all this was geuen to our Lord Iesus Christ to th' end he should make them that beleeue in him pertakers of it Therefore seeing we are of nature intemperate full of vanity ful of ambition and pride geuen to vnrighteousnesse deceit and wrong let vs come submitt our selues vnto him that was appointed our head know that ther is no other meanes for vs to bee kept in obedience to God and to liue according to his wil vnlesse we bee vnited to the body of our Lord Iesus Christ for then is the holy ghost powred vpoÌ„ vs to strengthen vs the better for he is the fountaine of all holinesse of all righteousnes and to be short of all perfection 175 Opinion of freewil is vnthankfulnes SEing our nature is so corrupted the as God himselfe saith Ge. 6 5 our heart is bent only to euil euen from our youth how can any goodnesse proceede from vs as of our selues how can we chalenge power to fulfill Gods law by our good doings to be reconciled vnto him Io. 15.13 Without me saith Christ you caÌ„ do nothing And S Paule acknowledgeth that he is not able to thinke a good thought as of himselfe 2. Cor. 3.5 but all his sufficiency is of God If Saint Paule doth so humbly acknowledge his weaknesse why should we stand so proudly in our owne conceits Wee loste free will to loue and embrace the commaundements of god through the greatnesse of the sinne of our first Father Adam Wherefore men are vnthankfull and vnkinde vnto the grace of God in attributing much vnto needy and wounded nature Aug. ep 107. The first man Adam was so made that nothing resisted his will but after through freewill he sinned Wee as many as descend from his stocke are caste downe headlong into a necessity of sinning If in the fall of Adam wee loste freewill to loue and embrace the commaundement of God if we shew our selues vnthanful to gods grace by attributing so muche to our maimed and corrupt nature if by Adams offence we be cast into a necessity of sinning Let vs as the Gospell teacheth vs cast away this confidence of our owne power Let vs shake off this self liking hipocrisie let vs submit our selues vnder the mighty hand of God and acknowledge our own infirmity not kick at that doctrine of the gospel that layeth before vs our own weakenes and teacheth vs what need we haue of the grace of God in Christ Iesu 176. Our wil is vtterly blinde till God hath chaunged vs. IT is the power of the holye Ghost through which wee are drawne to the obedience of God according as he hath chosen and adopted vs for his children before the foundation of the world Moreouer the holye scripture sheweth vs Eph. 1.3.4 that we shall alwaies be enemies vnto God vntill hee haue chaunged and renewed vs. And this is the cause why Moses said vnto the people Deu. 29.4 that God had not yet geuen them an vnderstanding heart and seing eyes And therefore to th' end hee might bee obeyed hee saith that hee would giue them a new heart taking away the stony heart Ier. 3 1.33 The prophet Ieremie in the 31. chap. and so likewise Ezechiel and the apostle Paule doe agree in this that God giueth both to will and to performe Eze. 11.19 36.27 And in the firste of Iohn it is said that they which beleeue are not of the will of flesh nor bloud Phil. 2.13 Io. 1.13 Pâ—o. 3.10 But renewed of God Furthermore when the Apostle spâ—â—keth Ro. 3. of the will of man such â—â— it is by nature he decyfereth plainly inough that there is nothing but peruersitie and malice as also in the 8. chap. he saith Ro. 8.7 that all our thoughtes are enmities vnto God Also in his first chap. to the Eph. he sheweth well that faith and regeneration proceeded from no other thing then free electioÌ„ And indeede it must needes be that God accomplish in vs that which 〈◊〉 hath spoken by his prophet
Cor. 4.1 Nowe if the minister be a light to the people he must of necessitie go and shine before them in knowledge and doctrine If hee be the salte hee must needes season If he be a Pastor or Shephearde he must needes feede If he be an husbandman hee must needes haue a care of the Lordes husbandrie If he be a Guide he must needes knowe the way himselfe and open and declare it to other If hee be a Stewarde he must prouide for the housholde If he be a messenger he must be able and willing to doe his message for it standes for the Lordes glorie and credite to haue such Pastors and such husbandmen such stewardes and messengers as haue wisdome and knowledge They that be wise sayeth Daniell shall shyne as the brightnesse of the firmament Dan. 12.3 and they that turne many vnto righteousnesse shall shine as the stars for euer and euer Mat 24.25 The wise and faithfull steward that giueth meate to the houshold in due season when his maister commeth he shal be blessed and made partaker of exceeding ioye and glorie Take heede sayeth the Apostle to thy selfe and to learning continue therein 1. Tim. 4.16 for in so doing thou shalt both saue thy selfe and those that heare thee God so blessed the preaching of his seruant Ionas that thorough it Ionas 3 4 the Niniuites beleeued god humbled themselues and forsooke their former wicked wayes At one preaching of Peter there were wonn to the Lorde about three thousande soules Act. 2.41 Thus doth the Lord blesse his owne meanes and order the minister by pure and faithfull preaching dischargeth his owne soule obteyneth peace in conscience and so is blessed in this life but shall bee farre more blessed in the life to come when hee hath finished his race hee shal receaue an incorruptible crowne of glorie Act. 26.18 The people also by this meanes are many wayes blessed they receaued knowledge faith Ro. 10.17 and saluation their eyes are opened they are turned frō darknesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto God All these great and notable blessings doe ensue the preaching of the word and therefore required most necessarily in euerie minister 200 A right image of a godly Pastor IT is the dutie of all Pastors and ministers to beare a Fatherly and motherly affection not towardes rauening wolues but towardes the poore sheepe miserably seduced and going astray patiently bearing their faultes and infirmities instructing and restoring them with the spirite of meekenesse Gal. 6.1 2 Tim. 2.25 For they can not bee brought into the right way againe by any other meanes and by ouer-sharpe reproouing and rebuking they are prouoked to anger or else to desperation but not to repentaunce Such is the nature and fruite of true and sounde doctrine that when it is well taught and well vnderstoode it ioyneth mens hearts together with a singular concorde but when men reiect godly and sincere doctrine and embrace errors this vnitie and concorde is soone broken 201 The dutie of the ministers THe Pastors and ministers of the Churche must learne that they ought not to exempt themselues from charge and care nor flye labour and trauayle but they ought as pillers to susteyne and beare the Church of God as vppon their shoulders and not bee like vnto the Pope which doeth oppresse it and doth deuoure the same as a rauening wolfe with his like as it is written Matthew 23. vers 4. Heb. 5.4 Secondly that they ought not to thrust in themselues Thirdely that they cannot by their industrie and labour attayne vnto this honour but GOD must make them apt and fitte for the same the which hee doeth when hee openeth himselfe vnto them by his woorde and calleth them to this office endueth them with the wisedome of his spirit A man can receiue nothing Io. 3.27 2. Co. 3.7 except it be giuen him from aboue And we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke anye thing as of our selues Our Lord also doth well shew it whē he sayth vnto his Desciples Mat. 9.37 that the haruest is great but the labourers are fewe He declareth the same also when hee opened the vnderstanding of his Desciples for to vnderstande the Scriptures Lu. 24.25 And although the ministers of the word be as it were pillers of the Church yet haue they nothing whereupon to glorie For what hast thou that thou hast not receaued 1. Co. 4.7 And what is Paule and Apollo but seruantes by whom ye have beleeued But they haue cause to hūble themselues seeing they could not prepare nor place themselues where they are should be voide of power and might without vpholding anye thing except the foundation did beare and vpholde them and that they did not beare and holde vppe the whole building and house 202 What euerie minister ought to preach THe ministers are not bounde to deliuer the counsels of men the traditions of the Fathers the statutes of earthly princes or the authoritie of mortall men but as they are the seruauntes of Iesus Christ Prince of all Princes so are they bounde onely to preach his Gospell The true Prophets neuer spake of themselues vnto the people Ier. 1 Eze. 3. but as they receaued warning from the Lord They had no authority to speake their owne wordes nor the words of anye mortall man Ma. 28. i0 The Apostles might not teach their owne doctrine but onelie that which they had receaued frō their Maister who enioyneth them to teach all things whatsoeuer he had commāded them Mar. 16 i5 1. Cor. 11.23 1. Cor. 15 3. Go saith he and preach the gospell The Apostle writing vnto the Corinth affirmeth that he receiued of the Lord that which he deliuered vnto them Whereby we may see al these teachers confuted which stand vppon the authority of men which ad or diminish any thing from the scriptures which ioyne their owne fantasies and the traditions of men with the holy pure and perfect word of God The Lawe of God saith the Prophet is a perfect law conuerting soules Ps 197 2. Tim. 3.17 The Scripture saith Saint Paule is able to make the man of GOD absolute and perfect to all good workes He that hath a dreame saith GOD by Ieremy let him tell a dreame Ier. 23.28 but he that hath my worde let him speake my worde faithfully And what is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lord Is not my worde lyke a fier and like an hammer that breaketh the stone Our Sauiour in the Gospell speaketh against such teachers Ma. 12 3 saying In vaine they worship me teaching the doctrine and precepts of men Woe therefore wil bee to such sonnes of vanity which preach not Christe but themselues and which doe deface and weaken the authority of the holy scriptures 203 The office of Ministers and howe men ought to behaue themselues towards them THE Office of Ministers is to watch ouer
the flocke of the lord to feed it to preserue it in health and to keepe it from diseases and hurt the which is done by doctrine exhortations reprehension rebuking comfort prayers administration of the sacraments and by the example of a godly and vncorrupt life as may bee proued and knowne many waies by the writings and examples of the Apostles Furthermore it is necessarye of all Christians to be knowne howe they ought to behaue themselus towardes the ministers Io 21.15.16.17 2. Tim. 4 2. Tit. 2.7 and what they ought to thinke of them Chieflye therefore in their function or calling not their persons but Christ that worketh by them is to bee considered Wherefore we must receaue their doctrine when they preach the word of God purely euen as the doctrine of Christ For Christ saith in expresse words in the Gospell he that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth mee Lu. 10.16 Wee muste not looke that Christ should come downe from heauen againe and speake vnto vs seeing he dayly speaketh in his church by his ministers which preach the word of Christ Also the ministers for their parts must behaue themselus honestly well and Christianlike in doctrine life and conuersation They must not seeke their owne honor or gaine but the honor of Christe and profit of his Church They must not thinke that they cannot erre but must suffer themselues to be admonished 1. Pet 5.2 being neither stuborn rash nor proud They must not attribute or geue too muche vnto themselues 2. Tim 2.24 but muste bee lowlye gentle sage paineful and faithfull 204 The true duty of the ministers of the gospell THe true ministers of the gospel must not only haue a sweet and amiable voyce to drawe those to the flocke which yealde themselues teachable and suffer themselues to be taught but they must also disclose and driue away the Wolues and the theues they must haue a loude voyce to cry out against all them that scatter the flocke This is the thing whereunto Gods seruaunts muste imploye themselues if they purpose to execute their dutie Tit. 1.9 They must not onely bee instructed to teache other but bee strong and constant to make it good and to fight when question shal bee to maintaine the doctrine of truth that it may remaine safe and sounde Eze. 3.17 The Prophet Ezechiell compareth them to such as kepe watch in a watch tower and surely it is a charge yea and that a verye mightye and heauye charge while other men sleepe to watch and haue a care of al the flock The name and title also which the holy Ghost attributeth vnto the ministers sheweth plainelye what it is Ma. 5.13 Ez. 34.2 1 Co. 4.1 that GOD calleth them vnto and what they ow to his Church that mē may not think they shal be accounted faithful in the meane while geue themselus to rest and sleepe and to follow the pleasures and lusts of the flesh For God doeth not choose them whom he placeth Shepheards in his Church for any outward shew but he bindeth them to his people for otherwise we cannot serue God but by imploying our selues to serue his whole flock and the greatest honor that the ministers of his worde can haue is to be diligent in seruing all the faithfull 205 The calling of the Ministery THe calling of the ministery and preaching of the gospell is no deuise of any mortall man but the ordinaunce of the liuing God It was hee that ordeyned Moyses and the Prophets 2. Pet. 1 21. The prophecy saith Peter came not in the olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Mar. 3.13 The Lorde Iesus himselfe called appointed and sent forth into the world his apostles to preache the gospell It is the holye Ghoste which ordeyneth faithfull ouerseers to feede the Church of God Act. 20 28. It is Christ also at this day which appointeth Pastors and teachers for the gathering together of his sainctes The firste preacher that euer was vppon the earth was GOD himselfe Eph. 4.11 he preached to Adam in Paradise that comfortable Gospell Gen. 3.16 the seede of the woman shall breake the serpents heade After that hee stirred vp Noah and Lot Moses and the Prophets what shal be said of Dauid and Solomon of the which the one was a moste victorious prince 1. Kin 3. and the other moste welthye and yet haue they gotten more glory and credite by their doctrines and instructions then by all their riches and triumphes The first minister and preacher of the newe testament was Iohn the Baptist Of whom Christ our Sauiour sayeth There was not a greater Prophete Ma. 11.11 Mar. 2.2 among womens children Christe himselfe also was a preacher of the Gospell and witnesseth that he came into the worlde to that purpose Mar. i6 i6 After him the Apostles also were sent into the worlde to the same end Seing then that God himself and his sonne Iesus Christ haue vouchsafed to preach the worde seeing so famous men as the Prophets and Apostles were ordeyned to this purpose it must needes followe that the office of preaching is most famous worthye and excellent 206 With what doctrine ministers muste be furnished IF So bee that the Ministers of Christs Gospel wil do their duties as they ought to doe in the erecting and in the enlarging of Christs kingdome by pure preaching of the worde they must not then stande vppon trifles 1. Tim. 1.4 2. Tim. 2.23 vpon curious and vnprofitable questions but they must labour to edifie in all godlinesse This grace of GOD which was shewed at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ is dayly to be published and preached of them Tit. 2.11 For surely it is a wonderfull secreat that GOD shoulde bee manifested in the fleshe and that therewithall hee should shew vs his heauenly glory to the end that wee might bee vnited thereunto and therfore if all the Ministers and Preachers of Gods worde 1. Tim. 3.16 shoulde neuer cease from shewing foorthe the wisedome which GOD hath vttered in the person of his onely sonne the tyme assuredly shoulde not bee spent in vaine Furthermore whosoeuer will preach the gospell faithfully and profitablye hee muste firste of all and chieflye vrge the doctrine of repentaunce To repentance must be ioyned the doctrine of remission of sinnes Ma. 11.28 which belongeth only to them that repent that are humbled and cast downe that feele in their conscience the torment of sinne and condemnation it doth not appertaine to ignorant and senselesse men to hypocrites infidels athistes iusticiaries prophane and carnall men Mat. 9.13 for these haue nothing to do with the doctrine of remission of sinnes 207 Diuersitie in giftes among the ministers NEcessarie it is that euerie minister preach but yet all such shall not be condemned which haue not such like and so full
measure of knowledge as other haue There is difference in giftes among vs at this day as there was among the apostles yet they all sufficiently preached They which haue any measure of those giftes which the Lord requireth in his ministers 1. The. 5.19 they must not quench the spirit but vse the meanes to encrease their measure if they be painefull carefull watchfull and faithfull in their ministerie with a holye and pure affection the Lord will blesse them Mat. 25.29 To him that hath shall be giuen we cannot at the first come to perfection Apollos a learned doctor seruent in the spirit Act. 8.26 and mightie in the scriptures yet was he ignorant in some thinges and receiued instruction from Aquila and Priscilla Some haue more then others some haue ten talents some fiue and some but one yet let vs alwaies remember and let it neuer slip out of our minds that the slothful and vnprofitable seruant Mat. 25.15 30. shall be cast into vtter darknes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 208 Of the Gospell and how it must be preached VNder the voyce of the Gospell is comprehended the whole historie of Iesus Christ in the flesh and also the fruit and vse of the same historie The story of Christ is briefly comprehended vnder his passion and resurrection the vse and ende wherof is that we should haue repentance and remission of sinnes in his name And this doth Christ himselfe witnes when as he said to his Apostles after his resurrection Luk. 24.46 thus it is writen and thus it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise againe the third day and that repentaunce and remission of sinnes shoulde bee preached in his name among all nations To this agreeth the Apostle Peter when as he saith with other the Apostles to the Counsell and chiefe Priestes The God of our Fathers hath raysed vp Iesus whom ye slue and hanged on a tree Act. 5.30.31 him hath GOD lifte vp with his right hande to bee a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentaunce vnto Israell and remission of sinnes By this we may see how the Gospel must be preached the people must be taught what Christ hath done for them The whole storye of his Incarnation conception birth sufferinges resurrection and ascention must be oftentimes and effectually preached vnto them as they are set downe by the Euangelistes and Apostles but yet this is not inough to shewe what Christe hath done and to rehearse the storie of his incarnatiō but also the minister must be careful to preach the ende the vse and fruite of the same which is that the people may repent be turned vnfaynedly vnto God and so by faith made pertakers of remission of sinnes through Iesus Christ 209 What repentaunce is REpentance is a true turning vnto God a chaunging of the outward and inwarde man a dying to sinne a liuing to righteousnesse and amendment of the whole life Hee which is returned vnto God ought first necessarily to know and vnderstand how he fell from him and to know what God is how we fall from him and how we ought to turne to him againe Mat 9.12 So that he which must repent ought to know his own noughtines and wickednes and also by what meanes the same may be amended which is broken and spoyled but these thinges can in no wise be done of any wretched sinner vnlesse they be drawne hereunto and therein instructed by the spyrit and word of God Mar. 1.15 which they must also stedfastly beleue Io. 6.44 For these thinges are so necessarilye required that vnlesse God by grace through his spirit open and draw the heart of the sinner and by his worde shew vs the perfect way gouerne and keepe vs in the same giue vs true faith whereby to quicken and iustifie vs vnlesse I say he giue vs these all repentance how hard or greeuous so euer it seeme is no true repentance Example hereof maye bee taken of Iudas who repenting for his sinnes confessed the same to the Priestes in the temple saying I haue sinned in betraying the innocent bloud Mat. 27.3.5 yea and he in this prate made satisfaction in that he threw the vnrighteous price of bloud into the temple But this repentance did nothing at all profite him although he had in it contrition confession and satisfaction and because he lacked true faith he dispayred and hanged himselfe On the other side Luk. 22.61.62 the Lord looking backe vpon Peter and the Cocke crowing he remembred his wordes and beleeuing them departed from the wicked companie wept for his sinnes and amended his faultes and this his repentaunce was true and perfect The prophet Ieremy also confirmeth this doctrine ver 18.19 when he prayeth vnto the Lord in his 31. chap. whereby it is euident that true repentaunce and the sorrowing for our sinnes must proceede from God stirring vp the same in vs by faith so as it must not be a repentance or sorrowe according to the world but after the will of God 210 Repentance is necessarie to make pure the conscience and it is not a worke of man THe filth and infection which defileth and corrupteth the person is of the heart and the principal care we ought to haue of our selues is that we be pure and cleane in our heartes and consciences which thing we cannot attaine vnto but by faith and repentaunce And wee must beware that wee resemble not the Scribes and Pharesies to whom our sauiour Christ obiecteth their hypocrisie Furthermore when calling vs to repentaunce God promiseth vs his holye spirite we must vnderstand that repentaunce is not a worke of man but of God who regenerateth vs and reneweth vs by his holy spirit as appeareth by the witnes of Ezechiell Eze. 36.26 a newe hart saith the Lord I wil geue you a new spirite will I put within you c. and so consequentlye it is not of our freewill that wee repent but of the onely mercy of God which will not the death of a sinner The which also Ieremy confesseth saying Ez. 33 11. Ier. 10.23 O Lorde I knowe that the waye of man is not in himselfe and therefore he prayeth on this wise conuert thou me and I shal be conuerted We may learne also in an other place that the wordes of God are hidden from vs Pro. 1.23 if the holy Ghost be not giuen vs to instruct and sanctifie vs. Wherefore we must pray with Dauid Create in mee O Lord a cleane heart and renewe a right spirite within me Ps 51.12 Finally seeing that in bidding vs repent God promiseth vs the knowledge of his word we may perceaue whoe are the true repentantes and whoe are not and lykewyse that they which make not account to repent doe not vnderstand the worde of God although they make neuer so faire a shew to the contrarie 211 Repentance is the gifte of God MEn cannot haue repentance of their own
motion and as they are selfe taught but it is God that giueth it and that of an especiall goodnes I will not the death of a sinner saith the Lord but that hee conuerte and liue Eze. 18.23 33 And how is that possible If we were able to turne our selues vnto the Lord it were a more excellent worke then to create vs and experience it selfe doth sufficientlye condemne vs. It is moreouer an vndoubted doctrine throughout the whole scripture For in euery place our Lord Iesus Christ giueth himselfe the prayse of turning vs shewing that he will soften our stonie hearts Eze. 11.19 20. Phil. 2.3 and make them bowe to obey him and it is his worke not onely to giue vs that we may but that we will and desire to obey his commandementes and to bee shorte there is nothing that the faithfull ought to doe so much as in this behalfe to giue God the glorie confessing that it is in him onely to turne vs that it is he onely that hath adopted vs in such sort that he must needes draw vs by the grace of his holy spirite The Lorde must open our eyes and eares also before we can attayne to this woonderfull wisedome which is conteyned in the gospell Deu. 29.4 Ro. 8.7 because the natural man vnderstandeth not any part of the secrets of God therefore it followeth that it is an especial gift of the holy ghost when he lighteneth our hearts in the faith of his truth 212 Howe we ought to repent THe true preparatiue to repentāce is to be pricked so nearely as we may feele the euill that is in vs condemne our selues for it we must learne to streine our selues to hold our selues as prisoners although the same fall out contrarie to our desire yet neuerthelesse wee must goe on still further that God may winne the vpper hand of vs. We must learn to hate our selues to take displeasure against ourselues and to be reuenged of our owne naughtinesse 2 Co. 7.11 according as the Apostle sayeth 2. Cor. 7. For repentance importeth that men should condemne thēselues and take vengeance on themselues when they see their whole life corrupted and that they should vse an holy anger against it In steede of desiring to bee reuenged of our enemies when they haue doone vs any harme wee should be chafed and angry with our selues yea and punish our selues for faultes when wee cannot frame our selues vnto the will of God Wee should euery man enter into his owne conscience acknowledge howe corrupt and damnable sinners wee are of our selues Mar. 1.15 confesse our sinnes and when we haue doone so let vs enter from them and behold the great mercie of God 213 The qualities of repentance ONe speciall qualitie of repentance is alwayes to bring with it remission of sinnes for where true repentance goeth before there remission of sinnes must necessarily followe after not that repentance deserueth remission of sinnes but because where God worketh repentance there he pardoneth sinne because of his promise Eze. 18.27 When the wicked sayth the Lorde turneth away from his wickednesse that he hath committed and doth that which is lawful and right Esay 55.7 he shall saue his soule a liue And againe let the wicked forsake his wayes and the vnrighteous his own imaginations and returne vnto the Lorde and he will haue mercy vpon him Here we see to whom forgiuenes of sinnes the mercie of God belongeth as namely to the penitent sinners to those that leaue sinne imbrace godlinesse to those that forsake their owne waies and imaginations and turne vnto the Lorde And as for such as walke on in their own waies and folowe the delightes of sin without any sorrowe or purpose to leaue them they haue nothing to doe with the mercie of God and though Iesus Christ had suffered an hundred deathes which could not be yet shall no vnpenitent sinner haue remission of sinnes by his death nor any other benefites of his passion for they belong onely to his Church and chosen people here vpon the earth He therefore that is not of the church he that is not grafted into Christ by faith he that is not a member of his misticall bodie can enioy nothing by Christs death If a mā abide not in me saith our Sauiour Christ he is cast foorth as a branch and withereth Io. 15.6 and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they burne We may reade also in an other place howe God barreth all stubborne sinners from his mercie Deu. 29.18.19 and doth most terriblie shoot out against them He that heareth the words of this curse and blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shal haue peace although I walke according to the stubbornenesse of my owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst the Lorde will not be mercifull vnto him but then the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoke against that man euery curse that is written in this booke shal light vpō him 214 Of Sacraments and what a Sacrament is THE Lorde hath added vnto the preaching of the Gospell most holy Sacramentes as namely Baptisme and the supper of the Lorde The Sacramentes are holy actions of the faithfull in the church of Christ ordeyned by the Lorde himselfe to be signes and seales of true doctrine first doubtlesse bearing witnesse that we are receaued of God into grace and into the couenaunte and that he is our God that he clenseth vs from our sinnes regenerateth and reneweth vs and adopteth or chuseth vs as sonnes and receaueth vs vnto the partaking and fellowship of all good thinges which of vs must bee kept holy and we must liue godly and innocently before him They are also testimonies that the true Messias in times past promised vnto the old Fathers from the beginning of the worlde is nowe exhibited or giuen of God vnto the Church of Christ I meane Christ our Lorde who truely gaue his flesh and bloud vnto death to redeeme vs with his flesh bloud to nourish vs vnto eternall life that we againe as the Church by him redeemed Lu. 22.19 should keepe in continuall memory the death of our Lord 1. Cor. 11.26 praise him extoll him and giue thankes vnto him The Sacraments are also to admonish vs of our duties that wee should lead our liues in true godlines brotherly loue hold that one religion with whose sacramentes we are separated also frō al other religions 215 A Sacrament consisteth of three partes SAcramentes doe consist of three partes the first is the outwarde signe the seconde is the spirituall or inwarde grace and the thirde part is the worde of Christes institutiō or promise which is as it were the life and soule of the Sacrament Water in Baptisme signifieth that as water naturally hath a propertie to wash and clense the filth from the bodie Io. 1.7 so doth the grace of God through Christes bloude wash away
therefore vseth the wordes indifferently as beeing of one meaning Therefore by Christes owne wordes to beleeue in Christ is to eate Christ 230 Of the presence of Christ in the supper CHrist our Lord is indued with a true and natural humane body the truth substance wherof is not taken away by the glorificatiō thereof after the resurrection as the holy scriptures and the articles of our faith do plainly declare Ph. 2.7 Heb. 2.17 for they teach vs in expresse words that there is a diuine and humane nature of Christ to be acknowledged and confessed in one and the same person so that there bee no confusion made of the diuine humane natures of Christ neither of them taken away of vs For although Christ were then in heauen when hee liued vpon the earth and was in this life Io. 5.17 and now also when he is gone vp into heauen Ma. 28.29 Io. 14.18 is neuerthelesse present with the faithfull vntill the end of the world yet the scriptures teach vs that thereby it is not to be concluded that the humane nature was then corporally in heauen when it was fastned vpon the crosse no more then it is now present vpon the earth when it is in heauen also that the vnity of person remayned vndeuided because that the property of the natures remaining cānot seuere or part the same In the meane season it is known to al the faithfull that Christ together and vnseparable true God and man suffered in that part in that which he was subiect vnto suffering that is in his flesh and bloud and that he suffered nothing in that parte in which he could not suffer as namely in spirit or deity Notwithstanding because of the abiding properties of 2. natures yet no man saith that Christ is deuided into 2. persons althought therefore Christ verye GOD and man remain in one and the same person It therefore followeth not that the body of Christ aswell as the diuinity is in this earth and in al places for the humane nature reteyneth his property in Christ therefore he is not corporally in or with the bread yet neuertheles we haue not a supper without Christ For the same Christ which is corporally at the right hand of God and according to his humane nature is not present in this earth Act. 1.11 Mat. 26.11 the very same Christ wholly as the true son of righteousnesse is present in the supper by his spirit power life working I meane in the congregation of the faithful in their harts which celebrate receaue the supper with true faith 231 Christ feedeth vs with his substance OVr Lord Iesus Christ did not onely become mortall man like vnto vs in all things sinne only except to be a brother in deed to al thē that ioyne themselues to him in faith but also he norisheth vs with his substaunce he is our head Heb. 4.15 Io 8.55 Eph. 2.22 4.15 and we must draw our life from him through the vertue of the holy ghost He hath geuen vs a witnesse heereof in his holy supper which we haue as a most certaine pledge and therefore as often as we come to this table wee ought to be confirmed in this that our lorde Iesus Christ is made one with vs and that we can neuer be separated from him That if he be rich we shal not need to feare pouerty if he be strong we shal not need to feare weakenes if he bee the righteousnes of God we shal not need to feare our sins if he be the wisdome of God 1. Cor. 1.30 24. 2.7 we may boldly come vnto him to be made new creatures Moreouer our Lord Iesus Christ doth witnesse that he receiueth vs to him and will haue vs fed with his owne substance and therefore let vs bewarre that we come not to this table vnlesse wee haue this remembraunce whereof the Apostle speaketh the second to Tim. 2. For first of al this is required that we be instructed in the worde And yet it is not enough for vs to be instructed but it must be forcible in vs and wee must consider that if we come to it daily it is a study to exercise our selus with all the daies of our life let vs take diligent heed that we present not our selus to receaue the supper of our lord Iesus Christ vnlesse we haue this before our eyes Ma. 11.19 17.30.31 c. that is vnles we behold the sonne of God which made himself vtterly of no reputation for vs suffered most shamefull reproch and that he went down euen to the lowest and bottomlesse pit of damnation and frō thence was exalted into glory that in the end we might be receaued with him 232 Against the reall presence in the Sacrament OVr Lorde Iesus Christ in his last supper gaue bread vnto his disciples and bread he himself did eate and not his owne body For the eating of Christs body hath a promise of remission of sinnes Christ eating the sacrament had no remission of sins therefore Christ did not eate his owne body Furthermore we are taught in the scripture that Christ is risen ascended into heauen Ma. 26.28 Ma. 28.6 Luk. 24.6 and sitteth on the right hand of the father all the which is spoken of his natural body therefore it is not on earth included in the sacrament I came out from the father saith Christ came into the worlde againe I leaue the world and go to the father the which comming and going he ment of his naturall body Io. 16 28 therefore it is not now in the world One selfe same nature receaueth not in it selfe any thing that is contrary to it selfe but the bodye of Christ is an humane nature distinct from the deity and is a proper nature of it selfe therefore it cannot receaue any thing that is contrary to that nature and varieth from it self But bodily to be present bodily to be absēt to be on earth and to be in heauen Act. 3.21 all at one present time be things contrary to the property of an human nature therefore it cannot be said of the humane body of Christ that the selfe same body is both in heauen and also in earth at one instant either visiblye or inuisibly 233 The wicked do not eate the body of Christ THe Doctors and teachers of the Romish church among other their blasphemous errors and peruerse doctrines do striue for and perswade men to that carnall eating in the sacrament with which as they themselues confesse damnation may be ioyned For they directly against Christs owne words do affirm that the very wicked men and horrible sinners as Iudas and such like doe eate in the sacrament the very reall and naturall body of Christ as fullye as Peter or any other sainct of God or other faithfull Christian hath done or doth The which doctrine of theirs as it is reprochful to the body bloud of
hardened against the grace of God yet let him heare this worde of God and let it often fall into his eares Ier. 3.29 for it is as the Prophet saith a hammer which breaketh the stone in peeces and is able in the power of God to mollifie his heart or if the sinner be suncken downe so deepe that he will not rise it will crush him downe deeper that he may perish in sinne and so God saith to his Prophet Ieremie I will put my words into thy mouth and it shall be as fire Ier. 5.14 and this people shall be as wood and it shall deuour them And this is it S. Paule expresly witnesseth to be the onely meanes to glorifie God to preach the truth of his word vnto all for so saith hee we are alwaies a sweet smelling sauour of Christ vnto God as well in those that perishe as in those that be saued 2. Cor. 2.16 to the one a sauour of life vnto life to the other of death vnto death 237 The cause why the worde of God is despised BEcause the word of God is simple and teacheth vs not high and excellent thinges in the opinion of the world for this cause it is despised and men make no accompt to follow the way which it teacheth thinking it a great dishonour to be conformable to the same and that they should be scarce woorthy to liue Likewise men persecute at all times those that followe it as wicked and esteeme them vnworthy of life But those which despising the worde seeke out thinges which are in price with the worlde and follow them are reputed honest men and are placed alwayes in the most honorable place amonge worldlinges Which is the cause that they thinke themselues to be in good estate and of such force as they shall neuer perish Wherein they deceaue themselues Deu. 4.6 Leu. 18.5 Mat. 22.32 Mar. 12.27 for seeing the worde of God is our wisedome and vnderstanding and that he which doeth the thinges appointed by the same shal liue it foloweth that without this wisedome there is nothing but death 238 It is not for vs to knowe the times and seasons which the father hath put in his owne power BY the woorde of God wee are taught and instructed that the day of the Lorde shall come vpon vs as a theefe in the night When the light of the trueth is taken away when the heart of the good man of the house is at rest and his eyes are darkened that they cannot see and all his sences drowned in worldlye pleasures When wee care for nothing that is godly when we saye peace and rest then will the sonne of man come to iudgement then shall destruction sodainely fall vppon vs. Act. 1.7 1. Thes 5.2 Therefore let vs be readie for in the houre that wee thinke not will the Sonne of man come Of that daye and houre knoweth no man sayeth our Sauiour Christ no not the Angelles which are in heauen Mar. 13.32 neither the sonne himselfe but the Father What may wee thinke then of them that write Bookes and Almanackes and say and teach expresly that such a yeare and at such a time Christe shall come and with these speeches fraye and mocke the worlde Let men know that they are but mortall and that by nature they are vtterly blinde God hath giuen vs knowledge in measure we can not know asmuch as we would Let vs know that which is fitte for vs and speake that that is lawfull to be spoken Let vs thinke vpon the commandements of God to followe them and not search into his workes Luke 21.25 Esa 13.10 Eze. 32.7 Ioel. 2.31 3.15 to be curious in them for he that is curious in searching the maiestie of God otherwise then he hath reuealed in his word shall be oppressed and confounded by his glory Thus much we may well know that the Lorde will come that all fleshe shall appeare before him that the worlde the heauen and the earth the Sunne and the Moone shall haue an end Math. 24.29 42. that the day of the Lord shall come sodenly as a theife in the night This warning God hath giuen vs that we should not be taken vnawares but that we repent and stand in readinesse continually watching and praying euery minute of an houre that we may be caught vp into the cloudes to meete our Redeemer 239 Of the second comming of Christ THe Sonne of God shall come downe with maiesty from heauen the Trumpet of God shal sonnde and be hearde from the one end of the heauen to the other Then shall he be the iudge ouer al flesh Then shall hee shewe himselfe to be king of kinges Lord of Lordes Then shall he not come in humilitie meekenesse and mercye but with dread terror of iudgement and iustice Not with 12. poore Apostles but with so many thousande Angelles to attende vpon him Not in the preaching of the gospel and calling sinners to repentance but in the sound of a trumpet wherwith all the corners of the earth shall be amazed Then shall hee not saye Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie loaden Mat. 11.28 Mat. 15.24 and I will refresh you I am sent to the lost sheepe of the house of Israell He shall not say Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe but he will saye you haue beene ashamed of mee and my worde before men therefore now wil I be ashamed of you before my heauenly Father Then shall they that despised the woorde of God knowe what they despised and the blasphemers shall reape the fruite of their blasphemy Then the carelesse Shepheard and idle Minister which hath not to his power fedde the Lordes sheepe but neglected them and left them at al aduentures which folowing the lustes of his owne heart hath betrayed his flocke and giuen them to be a pray vnto the wolfe shall receaue a iust recompence for his treason Then the aduterer oppressour and vsurer shall haue their life layde open before them They shall see him whome they pearced thorough Reu. 1.7 They shall see his sworde readie drawne to slaye all his enemyes and shall fall downe for feare of him that sitteth vpon the throne But the hearts of the righteous shall reioyce They shall lift vp their heades see him in whom they haue trusted Then shall they say This is the day which the Lorde hath made Ps 118.24 let vs reioyce be glad in it Let vs reioyce vnto the Lorde let vs come before his face with praise let vs sing loud vnto him with Psalmes Such shal be the state and countenance honor maiestie of our God when he shal come down from heauen for our deliuerance 240 Christ is the Apostle and high Priest of our profession IF we be Christians we must learn to professe no other teacher nor no other Sauiour but Iesus Christ onely 1. Cor. 1.30 We must beleeue and
christian souldier to reioice in the mercy of God to be feruent in prayer to geue thanks to God in all things the heathens which haue no part in the kingdome of Christ are thankful for their life and liberty wealth glorye and worldly prosperity But Christians ought to be thankfull in persecution in thraldome in aduersity in shame in misery and death it selfe Who would think that a Lyon which by nature is fierce and cruell shoulde yeeld forth hony Iud. 14.8 yet Sampson found honye in the bodye of a Lyon Ionas was swallowed vp of a whale yet not hurt Ro. 8.28 We knowe saith the Apostle that al things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God The Apost reioiced in their persecution that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for Christs sake And P speaking of this perfection in the godly saith we reioice vnder the hope of the glory of God Ro. 5.2.3 Neither that onely but also we reioyce in tribulation c who hath not heard of the pacience of Iob his cattel were driuen away his houses consumed with fire Iob. 1.21 his children slaine his body striken with a scurffe his wife loathed him and his freinds forsooke him And yet in all these miseries he fretted not but pacientlye susteining his aduersity The Lorde said he hath geuen the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the lord And again Iob. 13. i5 though he slay me yet wil I trust in him What are wee then that are neither thankfull for riches nor for health nor for our pleasures nor in the aboundance of all thinges which abuse the good giftes of God to dishonor him who hath geuen them vnto vs. The earth is the Lords and all that therein is the worlde and they that dwell therein He openeth his hande and filleth all thinges liuing with his blessing Psa 89.11 Ps 145.16 Ia. 1.17 Col. 2.3 Let vs looke vp into the heauens There is GOD the Father of lights from whom euery good and perfect gift commeth There is our redeemer Iesus Christ in whome are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge When we see how mercifully and aboundantlye the Lorde hath dealt with vs in thinges concerning this life Let vs consider with our selues howe many good men and faithfull seruaunts of GOD lacke the same and haue not receaued these blessings in such measure as wee In all these thinges GOD speaketh vnto vs and sheweth that hee is the giuer and that we haue them at his handes and therefore that we vse them well and not be vnthankfull 244 We must not hide our talent in the grounde WHen we shall attaine vnto the light of the trueth through the might of Gods spirit in any acceptable measure we must not holde fast this treasure as it were lockt vp in a chest But we must communicat the graces of God vnto others doe the best we can to draw on the miserable ignorant people to the seruice of god and to cary about with vs the doctrin to publish it to all men when as it is cōmitted vnto vs as a treasure to bestow the gift which we haue receaued vpon our neighbours according to that measure of faith which GOD hath geuen vs. 1. Pe. 4. i0 Psal 119.171.172 Wee must not neglect those whom we might winne but we must gather as much company to the Lord as we can For we shal not need to feare that our blessing shal be diminished as the case stādeth in an earthly inheritaunce Ro. 14.29 the which when it is deuided into many partes euery one hath but a little For as for the heauenly inheritaunce we are very well assured that we lose nothing neither diminish any part of our right when we draw many of our neighbors yea an infinite multitude they al do encrease our glory and ioy When God calleth vs vnto him he goeth not to worke by portions as things either encrease or decrease in this worlde but we shall haue so much that as I said before our saluation shall bee so much the more encreased and our glory augmented when we haue gathered a multitude to our God 245 How Sathan hath bewitched the Papists THe Diuell hath bene no lesse enuious and hath no lesse preuailed in these latter daies then hee hath done in times past For now also hath he made many men to set forth the imaginations of their owne heartes and hath bewitched many to followe their damnable waies whereby the way of truth is blasphemed and for their owne traditions he hath made the word of the Lorde Iesus to be of none effect this work hath he wroght as we may see among the Papistes For whereas Christ hath taught vs to worshippe in spirit and trueth to drinke the wine in the sacrament of his body and bloude Io. 4.23 Ma. 26.27 1. Cor. 14.19 1. Cor. 10 27. Heb. 13.3 to praye in a knowne tongue to eate of any meats without scruple of conscience to vse holy matrimony in all estates as a remedy against sinne yet as though Christ were no prophet vnto vs they haue abrogated these his lawes and made other contrary of their owne This our eies haue seene and our eares haue heard and whether they wil or no they must needes confesse it Yet notwithstanding they flatter themselues in a maruelous madnesse and doing all thing contrary to the Lord Iesu they say still they cannot erre but they shall one day see and know that Christ is the onely Prophet of the newe testament and blessed be the Lorde who hath made vs this day to beleeue it and while yet the day of health and acceptable time is to hearken onelye vnto him and refuse all the vaine inuentions of men 246 The doctrine of the Papistes repugnant to the scriptures WE are taught by the Scriptures that Christ is ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of GOD the father and from thence and no place els Col 3.1 he shall come to iudge the quick and the dead yet contrary to this article of our faith and contrary to the nature of Christs humanity if we beeleeue not that Christ euen in his fleshe is still in earth with vs yea and that in a thousand places at once the church of Rome wil pronounce vs detestable heretickes The scripture teacheth that we haue redemptiō and iustification by faith in Christs bloud onely without the helpe of our owne vertues and good workes For S. Paule saith Ro. 3.18 Therefore wee gather that a man is iustified by faithe without the deeds of the Law And to the Ep. Ye are iustified by grace Eph 2.8.9 and that not of your selues it is the gifte of God not of woorkes leaste any man should bost And yet if we beleue not that our workes do help vs to our iustification and remission of sins the papists wil condemne vs as heretiks The Scriptures sayth Thou shalt make thee no