hearer also are co-workers with God and yet hereof they are not to be proud For what hast thou that 1 Cor. 4. 7 thou hast not receiued And if thou hast receiued it why gloriest thou as if thou hadst not receiued it Of our selues we are dead in our sinnes and altogether vnable to moue our selues to the working out of Faith and an holy life but are meerely passiue Eph 2. 1. Rom. 5. 6 in our spirituall resurrection vntill God by his Spirit put good thoughts into our mindes and holy desires into our hearts yet then we our selues beginne to thinke well and to desire that which is good albeit not of our selues but by the gracious working of God's most holy Spirit By the grace of God saith the Apostle I am that I am and his grace which is in me was not in vaine but I laboured more abundantly then 1 Cor. 15. 10. they all yet not I but the grace of God which is with me I laboured saith the Apostle more abundantly then they all in working out the worke of the saluation of many but yet not I as of my selfe or by any naturall power that was in me but by the worke of the grace of God which was with me For so he doth declare his meaning to be in the third chapter of his second Epistle where for that some among them called in question the truth of his Apostleship hee boldly aâ—oucheth that their regeneration and conversion to God wrought by his ministery but by the power of Christ was a most euident demonstration thereof Such trust saith hee haue wee through Christ to God not that we are sufficient of our selues to thâ—nke any thing belonging to the worke of our owne saluation or to the saluation of any other as of our selues but 2 Cor. 3. 5 our sufficiency is of God The Faithfull then must haue an holy minde and an holy will before they can be the holy ones of God yet it is neither of these that they haue of themselues but of the pâ—wâ—râ—ull grace of God We will saith S. Austin but it is God that worketh in vs to will we worke but it is God that Aug. de gratiâ— libero arâ— c. 16 worketh in vs to worke and that of his owne good will Thus to beleeue and to professe is behâ—ofull and expedient for vs this is according to godlines and truth that an humble and lowly confâ—ssion be made by vs and that all be giuen and ascribâ—d to God seeing our life is in greater security when we ascribe all to God and doe not commit our selues in part to our selues and in part to God So then it is a most certain truth that in our regeneration and deliuerance from the being and bondage of sinne it is God that worketh in vs euery good thought word and worke and also that herein we our selues are co-co-workers with God as it may appeare by this euen for that this worke proceedeth after so slow and slacke a manner Adam indeed was made perfectly holy and righteous and that in a moment euen at his first being and existing because the Lord Almighty and all-sufficient wrought himselfe and by himselfe that holinesse and righteousnesse that was in him but now the Faithfull are herein â—oint-workers with God and therefore this worke goeth forward slowly because of the small measure of grace that is giuen to them the great power of the remnants of their inbrâ—d corruptions which continually striue against the worke of grace and hinder greatly the proceedings thereof The faithfull in diuers places of Scriptures are compared to starres in respect of their profitable and fruitfull vses but may they not also be likened vnto them in respect of their manifold imperfections and aberrations Their proper motions are but slow yea some of them very slow For some of them finish â—heir couâ—se in a yeare one in two yeare one in twelue yeare one in thirty yeare and all that be fixed in the fitmament in forty nine thousand yeares Neither keep they their rightâ— curse always vnder the Ecliptick line but somtimes turne to one side thereof sometimes to the other neither are these their courses still direct and forward but also sometimes retrograde and backward in their cycles epcicycles towards their apogeïon and towards their perigeïon giuing sometimes a cheerefull aspect and sometimes an opposite and disastrous stowne So is it with the faithfull they are slow in the entire accomplishing of any one â—oly motion yet the motions of all the powers of their soules and bodies will not be made perfite vntill the glorious commâ—ng of Christ vnto iudgement Verily while they liue here in this world they follow not continually the streight course of Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse vnder the Eclipticke line of his holy Word but sometimes they turne to one side and sometimes to the other neither doe they alwayes keep a direct course and goe on forward in the way of godlines but sometimes they are retrograde and goe backward and sometimes running in a maze being doubtfull and vncertaine which way to take sometimes they are in their apogeïon and sometimes in their perigeïon that is sometimes they are lifted vp with heauenly meditations and sometimes pressed downe with earthly cares and sometimes they giue a cheerefull aspect to the good proceedings of others and somtimes they become their cleane opposites and cast vpon them a disastrous frowne Wherefore it behooueth the faithfull to giue all diligence to worke out their saluation not only with hearts trembling at their owne imperfections but also by being fearefull to ascribe to themselues the glory of willing or working any thing that is good seeing as the Apostle adâ—oyneth it is God that worketh Phil. 2. 13. in you the will and the deed and that of his own goodwill And yet they themselues must vnderstand desire and accomplish that which belongeth to the honour of God and to their owne and the Churches good if they will be the accepted seruants of God The Church of Rome doth lay this as an hainous offence vnto our charge that by us the nature of man is greatly disgraced in that wee teach that men are become brutish without reason and as dead stocks and stones without sense and life because we teach that by nature they haue not liberty list nor life vnto any thing that is truly and religiously good And why doe they not bring in the same inditement against the bookes of the Canonicall Scriptures which teach that euery man is a beast in his owne knowledge and that our hearts are stony vntill Ier. 10. 14 Ezek. 36. 26. Eph. 2. 1. they be made flesh and that we are starke dead in trespasses and sinnes and therefore haue no sanctified will sense nor life vntill Christ doth quicken vs by his holy Spirit and raise vs vp to an holy life Our doctrine then herein is none other then the very doctrine of the Holy Ghost neither
the greatnes of miracles and wondrous workes done the other is the multitude of such as beleeue Verily God would haue all men saued and come thereto by the knowledge of the truth But this knowledge of the truth is learned out of the 1 Tim. 2. 4 Ioh. 8. 32 Col. 1. â— Gospel the word of truth And therefore did the Lord cause so many strange signes and wonders to be done by the first publishers and preachers thereof that the doctrine of the same Marc. 16. 20. Hab. 2. 4. might bee embraced as diuine and heauenly whereunto the Lord himselfe did giue such testimony For the which purpose also the Lord caused so many diuine graces to shine in the liues and such admirable courage and comfort in the deathes of such as were the first Martyrs and Confessors in the Primitiue Church that that doctrine might be receiued as diuine heauenly which wrought such diuine and heauenly effects The which were so euident and apparent that the very enemy was forced to giue testimony thereto with these or the like words These be they which speake as they liue and liue as they speake this is assuredly an holy profession which bringeth forth such aâ— holy conversation this is a ioyfull comfortable faith which breedeth such ioy aâ—d comfort amidst the very terrours of death O vndâ—ubtedly great is the God of the Christians Their light did so shine before men that they seeing their Mat. 5. 16. good workes did glorifie God the Author thereof So likewise why doth the Lord sometimes cause the sweet dewes of his temporall blessings to distill downe vpon his beloued Vineyard and sometimes againe smite it with the sharpe stormes of his cotrections but that thereby he might prepare it to yeeld a fruitfull and a plentifull Vintage And why doth he suffer the Field of his Church sometimes to lye ley and vnbrâ—ken vp and to be at rest and againe at another time doth breake it vp and fallow it but that he might make it sitter to receiue and nourish the Lord's seed and in the end yeeld a better haruest Yea as a wise and prudent Schoolemaster dealeth with his young and tender Scholler sometimes speaking him faire and giuing him an apple or a fig that so he may winne him vnto his will and sometimes not only threatneth him but vseth also the rod that so he may force and compell him thereunto so dealâ—th Christ our heauenly Master and Teacher with vs his dull disciples and Schollers sometimes seeking to allure vs with a liberall largesse of his temporall blessings carefully to hearken to the holy instructions of his Word and sometimes seeking to compell vs thereto by his sharpe corrections the which yet Psal 106. 45 Luc. 14. 23 are neither our Schoole nor our Schoolemaster but the rod rather in our Schoolemasters hand The Church is our Schoole-house and Christ himselfe is our Schoolmaster and the Bible is the Booke whereby we be taught corrections are the rod in Christs hands whereby we are forced to giue an attentiue eare to the instructions of his word by the which we are made wise and learned Christians Prosperity ordinarily breedeth security and choaketh the Mat. 13. 22. Exod. 6 9. Eccle. 7. 9 Iob. 3. 3. â—…r 15. 10. good seed and maketh it vnfruitfull So aduersity maketh many to murmure against God and to stop their eares against all good admonitions yea it maketh a wise man mad as it may appeare by holy Iob and Ieremie who were thereby occasioned euen to cuâ—se the day of their nativity And therefore it is a speciall blessing of God when by prosperity we are stirred vp to thankfulnes and by aduersity to repentance and to take better heed to the wholesome instructions of God's most holy word Blessed is the man said Dauid whom thou chastnest O Lord and teachest in thy Law that thou maist giue him patience in Psal 94. 12. time of adversity vntill the pit be digged for the vngodly And verily when in our aduersity the Lord doth teach vs out of his Word the vse and end of afflictions and maketh vs seriously to lay it to our hearts then is our adversity made profitable vnto vs by the blessing of God I heard Ephraim saith the Prophet lamenting thus Thou hast corrected me and I was chastised as an vntamed Calfe convert thou me and I shal be converted for thou art the Lord my God Surely after I converted I repented and after I was instructed I smote vpon Ier. 31. 18. my thigh In which words we may perceiue that corrections of themselues cause the professed seruants of God to kicke with the heele and that vntill God by his word instruct them they are not effectually moued by their corrections vnto repentance and amendment of life Wherefore when the Lord openeth the eares of any of his Seruants by their corrections it is by sending vnto them a Messenger one of a thousand to declare vnto them the Lord 's most exact righteousnes and seuerity euen against the sinne of his Elect which cannot be satisfied for the same but by the precious Bloud of their Sauior Christ that thereby they might be brought to Faith and Repentance For then will the Lord haue mercy vpon them and say Deliuer them that they goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation Iob 33. 24. So then it is still the power of the Gospell of Christ sounding in the mouthes of his faithfull Ministers that is able to worke the conversion of a sinner afflictions may cause vs more carefully to giue attendance to the Word as in like manner may paiâ—es penalties inflicted by the Magistrates which are the Lord's Lieutenants ordained to this purpose that they should by their penall statutes euen force their subiects to harken diligently to the commandements of God Not that any can be forced to faith and repentance by any manner of penalty or paine whatsoeuer but by inforcements they may be driuen to come to the Assemblies of the Saints where the Fishers of men cast out the net of the Gospell that at one time or other they may be brought within the compasse thereof and so may be taken vp into Noah's Arke So then still it is the net of the Gospell and the hooke of the Word whereby men are taken and brought vnto God afflictions sent of God and penalties inflicted by the Magistrates are but the baites to make some bite at this hooke and poles to make them come within the compasse of this net Nay this worke of a mans vnfained conuersion to God cannot be wrought by the terrours of the Law of God For the Gal. 3. â— 2. Cor. 3. 6. spirit whereby we are begotten againe and made the children of God is not receiued by the preaching of the Law but by the hearing of faith The Law is the letter that condemneth and killeth causing a sinner to flâ—e from God as from an angry and offended Iudge
shall attaine to the same as likewise what be all those necessary duties which he requireth at their hands So reasoneth Optatus Christ hath Optat. l 5. cont Parm. Donat. dealt with vs as an earthly Father is wont to doe with his children who searing least they should fall out after his decease doth set downe his Will in writing vnder witnesses that if there arise any doubt among them they should goe to his Testament He whose word must end our Controuersies is Christ let vs then goe to his Testament QVEST. LVII The faithfull for the diuine wisedome of the holy Scriptures rightly vnderstood beleeue them to be the Word of God and not onely for the bare authority of the Church If the Gentiles instructed by the light of naturall reason did certainly perceiue the booke of the creatures to be Gods booke by the glorious attributes of God made manifest therein much more the faithfull lightned with the Lampe of Rom. 1. 19. diuine grace may plainly perceiue the booke of the Scriptures wherein God as a familiar friend without casting of a mist doth speak to the heart not onely of the learned but of the vnlearned also as Austin saith to be Gods booke by the diuine Aug. Ep. 3 ad Vol. and heauenly wisedome deliuered therein and therefore they need not build their faith vpon the bare testimony onely of the Church And so reasoneth the Prophet Dauid The Psal 19. 1. heauens saith he declare themselues to be the workes of the glorious God euen by their heauenly influences and diuine operations How much more doth the Law of the Lord by the diuine wisedome and righteousnesse thereof and by the most powerfull and excellent workes that are wrought thereby declare and demonstrate it selfe euidently to be the most wise and righteous word of the most wise and righteous God QVEST. LVIII The naturall man hath no free will in heauenly things Mans will is but feeble and weake for the compassing of earthly businesses that are of any weight or moment therfore in heauenly matters the strength thereof is small or rather as the Apostle saith it is none at all So reasoneth the Wiseman Rom. 5. 6. Sap. 9. 13. What is man that he can know the counsell of God or who can thinke what the will of the Lord is For the thoughts of mortall men are fearefull and their forecasts vncertaine because a corruptible body is heauy to the soule and the earthly mansion keepeth downe the minde that is full of cares and hardly can wee discerne the things that are on earth and with great labour finde we out the things that are before vs Who can then seeke out the things that are in heauen who can know thy counsell except thou giue him wisedome and send thy holy Spirit from aboue So Saint Austin It is an absurd thing that we should thinke Aug. de predest Sanct. cap. 26. that God frameth the wils of men for the setling of earthly Kingdomes and that men frame their owne wils for the obtayning of the Kingdome of heauen The Prophets complaint taken vp against the Iewes with whom he liued and who tooke themselues to be Gods people is true against all men as they are naturally corrupted My people are foolish and haue Ierem. 4. 22. no vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge Now if we haue no vnderstanding of that which is good then doubtlesse we haue no will thereunto and if we be so foolish that we will not be perswaded of the truth hereof it commeth from him that so befooled our first parents Adam and Eue that he made them beleeue that if they would forsake the direction of the most wise God and fall from him they should be as Gods knowing good and euill whereas in truth they thereby became diuels and depriued themselues and all their posterity of all knowledge of that which was truely good and of all will thereunto QVEST. LIX No man can make satisfaction to God for transgressing of any of his holy Lawes If a Fellon that hath stollen but a sheepe cannot make satisfaction by his repentance or by any good worke be it neuer so great for this trespasse against the Law of his Prince albeit it be but once committed but must be condemned and suffer for it if he cannot read as a Clarke or be not releeued by a gracious pardon from his Prince much lesse can any one by his repentance or any other good worke satisfie for any trespasse committed against any one of the holy Lawes of God but hee must be condemned and suffer for it vnlesse he can reade the Couenant of grace written in his owne heart and finde therein the pardon of his sinnes procured vnto him by the most precious Bloud of Christ Wherefore howsoeuer the proud Romanists by their own deuised workes of satisfaction satisfie and please themselues and their blind followers yet they shall be neuer able thereby to satisfie and please God QVEST. LX. The people ought not to imbrace the doctrine of their Teachers without triall It is no wisedome in matters whereon our whole estate in this world consisteth to commit them wholly to thecare of others and not to looke into them our selues how much lesse wisedome is it in matters of faith whereon dependeth the saluation of our soules to suffer our Teachers to deliuer vnto vs for the ground-worke thereof what doctrine they list without due examination and triall especially seeing that the Spirit of God commandeth vs otherwise to doe Let thine Eyes saith Solomon behold the right and let thine eye-liddes direct thy Pro. 4. 25. way before thee Ponder the Path of thy feet and let all thy wayes be ordered aright So Iesus the Sonne of Syrach Take counsell Eccl 37. 13. of thine owne heart for there is none more faithfull vnto thee then it For a mans minde is sometimes accustomed to shew him more then seuen watchmen that sit aboue in an high towre We must not then trust our Teachers eyes but our owne nor rest wholly vpon the warning of our watchmen but keepe watch and ward our selues ouer our owne soules The welfare of euery one 's owne soule concerneth himselfe most and therefore it lyeth vpon himselfe to looke to himselfe into the doctrine that he receiueth from his Teachers that it bâ— wholsome sound and powerful to beget and increase a true faith because theron dependeth the welfare of his owne soule And verily if a man may tell money after his bodily Father and not trust his eyes in the tale thereof how much more may he examine the doctrine of his ghostly Father whether it hath vpon it the right stampe and whether he hath deliuered his iust and full tale especially seeing the Lord doth enable him thereto if he belong to the Couenant of Grace For this is the Couenant that I will make with the house of Israell after those Heb. 8. 10.
and Man are of sufficient worthines to satisfie for sinne or to purchase the inheritance of the kingdome of Heauen The Bread and Wine in the Eucharist are not transubstantiated into the very Body Blood of Christ The righteousnes prescribed in the Law deliuered by Moses is that true righteousnes whereby we are iustified before God and not that righteousnes which is said to be obtained by the vndertaking of Popish vowes From the formall cause We are not iustified by those workes of righteousnesse commanded in the Law which are wrought by our selues but for those which were done by our Sauiour Christ in his owne person for vs and are made ours by the Lord 's gracious iâ—putation The forme and manner to attaine to true sanctification is not to receiue the holy Word of God and the Sacraments onely with our bodily senses but rather with the powers of our Soules nor to trauaile farre and neare on pilgrimage to see and kisse holy Reliques but to see and touch holy things by the inward powers of our mindes which are the proper subiects of sanctification From the finall cause Saluation and â—ternall life is from our blessed Sauiour and not from any other person or thing The outward Elements in the Eucharist are not Bread and Wine in shew but in substance There is no miraculous turning of Bread Wine in the Eucharist into the very Body and Blood of Christ nor any other the like miracle Iustification is by faith alone not by faith and workes ioyned together in that worke The faithfull after this life are not punished in the fire of Purgatory From the effects The carnall eating of Christ's Body is nothing auaileable to aeternall life but only the spirituall eating thereof by faith Concupiscence is sinne euen in the Regenerate The workes of God reuealed in the Scriptures doe manifestly declare them to bee the word of God especially the worke of Regeneration wrought by the wise and powerfull doctrine thereof in the hearts of all the sincere embracers of the same and therefore they are not to be receiued for such only vpon the testimony of the Church The Soule of our Sauiour Christ descended locally into hell From the Subiect Fasting or any outward thing doth not sanctifie any but only the inward graces of the spirit and such things as doe breed strengthen the same There is no such place appointed for the faithfull as Purgatory is faigned to be Christ is not corporally in the Eucharist but only in Heauen The City of Rome is the mysticall Babylon and the titulary Catholick Roman Church is the certaine seat of the great Antichrist of the latter times From the adiuncts The Word of God rightly vnderstood doth giue credit to it's selfe and doth cause it selfe to bee beleeued and embraced as the Word of God for the excellency of the diuine doctrine contained therein and not only for the bare testimony of the Church Kneeling is the fittest gesture of the body at the reuerent receiuing of the holy Eucharist Holines doth not consist in vowing to abstain from riches meates and marriages but rather in the holy and lawfull vse of them The Body of Christ is at one time but in one place Christ's Body and Blood ought not and in truth cannot bee often offered vp to God by the Masse Priests as a propitiatory sacrifice for the sinnes of quicke and dead Christ's flesh is not eaten with our bodily mouthes It is a property only belonging to God to forgiue sinne Enoch and Elias cannot come in their owne persons to resist Antichrist and to be slain of him FroÌ„ things that be diuerse Regeneration is not wrought by the power of free-will but by the operation of the spirit of God None are elected for foreseene workes FroÌ„ things that be contrary A true faith is not seated in that soule where infidelity raigneth or any other sinne Saluation is not merited by our own workes FroÌ„ things that bee opposite priuatiuely The naturall man hath no free will to that which is religiousty good FroÌ„ things depending vpon relation No diuine worship or seruice is to be giuen to any Angell or Saint FroÌ„ things that haue the same proportion of reason The faithfull are made righteous before God by the righteousnes of Christ imputed vnto them The faithfull may aswell know themselues to be endued with true loue as with true faith The Cup in the Eucharist is not to bee taken away from the Lords people The paines of Popish pennance or Purgatory cannot be satisfactory for the least sinne Matrimony is lawfull for the ministers of the Gospell The nailes and speare wherewith our blessed Sauiours most precious Body was tormented grieuously are not to bee worshipped with diuine worship FroÌ„ things that haue the greater proportion of reason The sinnes of the faithfull shall not be punished in the fire of Purgatory The Sacraments be not instruments of grace vnlesse their vses be rightly vnderstood Images are not to be worshipped with diuine worship The word of God is not to be read vnto the simple people in a strange tongue In all matters that concerne the diuine worship and seruice of God no doctrine is to be receiued which is not warranted by the authority of the Canonicall Scripture The naturall man hath no free will to that which is religiously good Not the suffering much lesse the vowing of voluntary pouerty is the way to perfection The people ought to be able to discerne the doctrine of their teachers Our whole iustification is by the free vndeserued mercy of God in Christ The going on pilgrimage to visit the relickes of the Saints doth not sanctifie The faithfull haue the assurance of their own saluation giuen vnto them FroÌ„ things that haue the lesse proportion of reason The least sinnes are mortall and damnable All things necessary to saluation are plainly deliuered in the Bookes of the Canonicall Scriptures The faithfull embrace the Scriptures aâ— the Word of God for it selfe not only for the testimony of the Church The naturall man hath no free will to that which is religiously good No man can make satisfaction to God for any one sinne The people ought not to embrace the doctrine of their teachers without tryall The faithfull are saued by their owne faith not by the faith works of any other God did praedestinate before all worlds some to aeternall saluation in Christ Iesus and others to aeternall damnation through their owne sinnes FroÌ„ things that be vnlike No image ought to be made to represent the Diuine Maiesty All the workes of Inâ—idels are sinnes FroÌ„ things that bee like The true seruants of God doe know themselues to be the true seruants of God God giueth saluation in Christ and not in any other Vngodly Hypocrites are no true members of the Church of Christ The testimony of God deliuered in the Canonicall Scripture and not receiued by bare tradition is the sure euidence ground of truth The
The Gospell is the ministery of righteousnesse and life reuealing the light of God's countenance shining in Hos 11. 4. Christ and opening his Fatherly affection and loue whereby he draweth his Elect vnto him The most that the Law of God can effect either by the aequity of the holy precepts thereof or by the seuerity of the threatnings denounced therein is happily for a time to stay sin vndoubtedly it hath not power enough to â—lay it it may stop for a while the current of sin cut down some of the boughs thereof but it cannot empty the fountaine of sin nor pluck it vp by the very rootes Much lesse can humane wisdome worke the reformation of sinfull men it may mâ—ke them perhaps couer their sinnes but Humana sapientia ut plurimum efficiat non abscindit vitia sed abscondit Lact. Inst l. 3. c. 26. cannot enable them to cast out their inbred corruptions The vttermost it can work as Lactantius testifieth is to driue corruption inward and to make it hide it selfe for a while but by making men outward conformitans it maketh them in truth no better then dissembling hypocrites For the reason and the wisedome of the naturall man could not finde out many particular transgressions committed against the Law of God nor sound the depth of his â—udgments much lesse could it reach to the height of his mercies and the most strange and incredible expiation that the Lord appointed for sinne This Mystery required a supernaturall reuelation and could not be reuealed but by the doctrin of the Gospel Wherâ—fore when the world by her wisedome knew not God in the wisedome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that belieue For the Gospell is the powerfull voice of our great Shepheard whereby he calleth and recalleth 1 Cor. 1. 21 Ioh. 10. 3. all his wandring sheepe and bringeth them home to his owne fold The Gospell is the banner of Christ whereby hee bringeth back his fugitiue souldiers and draweth them to his Can. 2. 4. Mar. 1. 17. owne colours The Gospell is the net which plucketh vs vp out of the Sea of our sinnes and pulleth vs into Christ's ship and waffeth vs along to the safe hauen of our euerlasting happines in the Kingdome of Heauen The Gospell is that voyce of Christ that raiseth vs vp out of the death of sinne to the life of Ioh. 6. 25. righteousnesse yea it is that aqua vitae that water of life that worketh in vs an holy life and quickneth vs to euerlasting Ioh. 4. 14 life The Gospell is that Zephyrus that life-breathing winde Cant. 4. 16. that blowing vpon Christ's Garden causeth the spices thereof to flow out The Gospell hath in it those sweet deawes and showers which dropping down vpon the dry grounds of our hearts causeth them to yeeld a plentifull haruest The doctrines Deut. 32. 2. of the Gospel are those good sciences that being grafted in ouâ— hearts make vs to become fruitfull trees meeâ—e to be planted in the Paradise of God Lastly the Gospell is that Iac. 1. 21. spirituall and heauenly enchantment that doth metamorphise and transforme vs being as beasts in qualities and conditions into the qualities conditioÌ„s of men yea of holy sanctified men For in it is drawn forth such a liuely picture of our own Isai â—… 6. vilenes and of the excellencie of the Lord and of the strangenes of the remedy making manifest the greatnes of the maâ—ady that therein we all beholding as in a mirrour the glory of God with open face are changed into the same Image from 2 Cor. 3. 18 glory to glory as by the spirit of God Being thereby auerted from our selues conuerted to God wâ—aned from our selues and won to God forced to leaue our selues and to cleaâ—e to God yea to loath our selues and to loue God Wherefore let 2 Cor. 5. 14. Iew and Gentile and whatsoeuer Heretickes preach only or at least principally the Law of Moses or the Law of nature and Nations because they acknowledge not the imputed righteoousnes of Christ Iesus which is published in the Gospell but looke to be saued by their own workes But let the ministers of Christ which are the Ministers of the Gospell preach the Mar. 16. 15. Gospell to euery creature following herein not only the commandement but also the example of their heauenly Lord and Master who testifieth of himselfe on this manner saying Tâ—e Spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath anointed mee Luc. 4 18. that I should preach the Gospell to the poore he hath sent me And verily not only blessed are the â—eet of them that bring Rom. 10. 15 glad tidings of those good things that God giueth to his by the preaching of the â—ospell but also blessed are the cares of Mat. 13. 16. all such as reuerently and religiously hearken thereunto seeing thereby they attaine this high priuiledge to be made the Elect Rom 3 2 Eph. 2 3. and chosen people of God For by nature all being borne in siâ—ne the children of wrath and inheritours of destruction by preaching and hearing of the powerfull doctrine of the Gospell such as are of the number of the Elect and chosen people of God are borne againe as by an immortall seed are made the children of God and inheritours of the Kingdome of 1 Pet. 1. 23. Heauen CHAP. II QVAEST 2. The Word and the Sacraments doe not profite vnlesse the sense and vse of either be rightly apprehended and vnderstood THe power and efficacy of things consisteth not in the letters and wordes wherein they are expressed but in the things themselues being rightly applied to those vses where unto they are ordained by God To ascribe an operatiue and working power to bare letters or words hath bin condemned by all wise and religious persons not only in such as haue bin bâ—witched with diuelish forceâ—ies but also in such as haue bin blinded with grosse and palpable superstition The seuen sons of one Scava a Priest are branded with the note of aeternall infamy for that they tooke vpon them to name ouâ—r them that Acts 19. 13. had euill spirits the name of the Lord IESVS saying We adiure you by IESVS whom Paul preacheth As the Scribes and Pharisees are condemned of grosse and palpable superstition for that they did ascribe a sanctifying Mat. 23. 5. power vnto the Law of God written vpon their garments They did not vnderstand saith S. Ierome that these things are Ierom in Mat. c. â—3 to be carried in their hearts and not on their bodies seeing Libraries and chests haue the bookes but not the knowledge of God The like saith he doe euen now superstitious women amongst vs who haue a zeale of God but not according to knowledge in litle Gospels and in the wood of the Crosse and in other things of the like nature Neither was this
opened by arguments and reasons how much more had the doctrine of the Gospell which is aboue the reach of naturall reason St. Austin hath deliuered certaine reasons why it was iust and right that God should willingly suffer the fall of the first man whereof the principall one is the manifestation of his infinite and endlesse mercy and goodnesse in providing that strange and admirable meanes of mans recovery which is reuealed in the Gospell We saith St. Austin Aug. de corr grat ca. 10. most soundly confesse and most firmely belâ—eue that God who created all things exceeding good and did fore-see that euill things would arise out of good and did iudge that it did beseeme his omnipotent goodnesse euen out of the euill to draw that which is good rather then not to permit â—uill dâ—d so ordaine the estate of Men and Angels that in the same he might make manifest First after what sort their free-will would worke and then what the benefit of his owne grace could effect and also how farre the seuerity of his Iustice would extend it selfe In which words three things are deliuered why God permitted the fall of man First that it might be knowne that the most excellent among the creatures being but in a measure capable of goodnesse may fall away from the same Whereas the Creator onely being infinitely good cannot but continue so for euer Secondly that it might be made manifest that there is no euill so great but that the Lord can prouide in his endlesse goodnesse a remedy for the same Thirdly also that it â—ight be knowne that there is no sinne committed by any one whatsoeuer but that God in his Iustice will punish the same with all severity So then God appointed this strange meanes of mans recouery that is reuealed in the Gospell both that he might make manifest the seuerity of his Iustice in that rather then the sinnes of his Elect and chosen children should escape vnpunished he punished them with that severity vpon their kind suerty that it made him sweat water and blood as likewise that he might make known the vnsearchable riches of his endlesse goodnesse in that to spare vs most wicked Traitors and Apostataes he spared not his owne most dearely beloued Sonne That herein we might behold the omnipotent power wisedome and goodnesse of God in that out of sinne the euill of all euils procured by the most wicked suggestion of Satan to this end that God might be dishonoured in the highest degree and man vtterly ouerthrowne and destroyed thâ— Lord hath not onely drawne vnto himselfe the highest measure of most admirable glory in his strange Iustice and vnspeakeable mercy but also the greatest happinesse to man by binding him most nearely vnto himselfe by the strongest bonds of the greatest loue that could be and in giuing him the greatest assurance of his euerlasting saluation So that in respect thereof we may rightly breake out with that ancient Father into this strange exclamation O happy fall of Adam which was the cause of ordayning so strange and admirable a meanes for mans recouery And how can wee thinke that the truthes of the Law and the Gospell want sound and sufficient arguments and reasons to iustifie their holy and heauenly Doctrines seeing no Idolaters Haereticks or Schismaticks will seeme so absurd and void of iudgement but that they will pretend some shew of reason for the better colouring of their erronious vntruthes As it is apparant by the common practise of all the professors of euery blind devotion and wicked superstition The Idolatrous Iewes Ier. 44. 17. alleadged in the deâ—ence of their Idolatries So haue done both we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Iudah and in the streets of Ierusalem and then had we plenty of victualâ— and felt none euill but since wee left off to burne incense to the Queene of heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her we haue had searcâ—…nesse of all things and haue beene consumed by sword and by â—amine And at another time the Temple of the Lord the Temple of Ier. 7. 4. â—er 18. 18. the Lord. And againe the Law shall not perish from the Priest nor counsell from the wise nor the word froÌ„ the Prophets So Ioh. 4. 20. the Schismaticall Samaritans alleadged for themselues our Fathers worshipped in this mount Like as the Idolatrous HeatheÌ„ Aug. de Ciuit. Dei l. 10. c. 32. Orig. contra â—…um vsed most commonly thus to reason That which is more ancient and long before our dayes cannot be false And againe hath God at the last after so many ages bethought himselfe And doe not the Idolatrous Papists in these times stand vpon the like shewes As the Church the Church Christs Vicar Peters Successor our Fathers our Ancienters O they were good men and did many good workes and who seeth not what manner of men these new Gospellers are So the meere Mal. 3 14. Worldling Epicure and Atheist It is in vaine to serue God for what profit is it that we haue kept his Commandements and haue walked humbly before the Lord of hostes Therefore we count the proud blessed for they that worke wickednesse Wisd 2. 1. are set vp and they that tempt God are deliuered And againe our life is short and tedious and in the death of a man there is no recouery neither was any knowne to haue returned from the graue For we are borne at all peraduenture and we shall be hereafter as if we had neuer beene for the breath is as a smoake in the Nostrils and the words are as a sparke raised out of the heart which being extinguished the body is turned into ashes and the spirit vanisheth as the soft ayre Come therefore let vs enioy the pleasures that are present c. Yea the very Omnifidian who followeth faith not for conscience but for company who will take no manner of paine to seeke out the true faith by searching after the grounds thereof is not thus madâ—e without some shew or shadow of reason For saith he I am an vnlearned man and am to follow my Calling and to leaue the discussing of quaestions of learning to the learned I am ready to come to Church and to doe my duty to God and to liue iustly and peaceably with my neighbours Why the learned themselues cannot agree about the points of Faith and how then shall such an one as I am be able to discerne it and to finde it out The truth is that God wrote his Law in the heart of Adam and thereby set in his minde such a light of reason that he had a right iudgement in all things But Adam was not contented with this treasure of wisdome and this measure of knowledge extending it selfe to all that was good but he would needes know euill also that he might by experience try what would be the event thereof And thereupon he forsooke God the Father of light and betooke
not indure to haue it applied vnto them All meanes are nothing be they neuer so good without the speciall blessing of God as on the contrary side when it 1 Cor. 3. 7. shall please God to blesse the meanes they shall preuaile be they neuer so meane And verily as in bodily wars it is as easie with God to saue with few as with many albeit ordinarily the strongest army the best furnished winneth the field and getteth the victory so in our spirituall warfare against infidelity superstâ—…on and idolatry men of meane gifts by the Lords special blessing may more preuaile then such as are indued with greater graces And yet as the better meanes are the better blessings of God so ordinarily by his disposition and prouidence they doe obtaine the better effect As it is manifest in the Apostles who for that they were indued with the greatest measure of all diuine and heauenly wisedome conuerted more to the faith of Christ then any other of their successours As did likewise those principall men which were in thâ—se last dayes raised vp by God to be the reuiuers of his gracious Gospell spread abroad in a short time the bright beames thereof in many countreys of this West and North parts of the world Daniel and his fellowes may be better nourished with course poulse then some other with a good portion of finer food brought vnto them from the Kings owne table and so some persons may be better edified with a plaine declaration of truth lightened with one or two testimonies out of the word of God then by a great cloud of the same witnesses and by many strong forcible demonstrations but the cause hereof is either in the weaknesse of the spirituall stomacke vnto the which milke doth better agree then strong meat and in the dimnesse of the spirituall eye which can see better with a little light then with a great or in the extraordinary worke of God For ordinarily the greater number and the bigger lights doe giue the greater and bigger light as the better and stronger food doth yeeld the better and stronger nourishment Wherefore the Preachers of the word of God being the Lords stewards and the disposers of the mysteries of God who are therefore set ouer the Lords house that they shouâ—d giue to euery one their portion of food in due season had need to prouide good store of spirituall graine to be laid vp before hand in the baines of their inlarged hearts that therewith they may feed the Lords people to the full As likewise for that they are the Lords Captaines to marshall his bands and companies against the Lords and their owne enemies they ought to be furnished with all manner of spirituall armour that so they may be able to furnish other And verily for any one to take vpon him to discourse and reason without sound and apt reasons and to argue without substantiall and sufficient arguments is to take vpon him to feed without food to fight without weapon to lighten a thing without light and to build without morter timber and stone Wherefore the most wise God hath most prudently prouided for the most plentifull instruction both of Priest and people not only by setting downe in his two bookes of nature and grace all doctrines necessary for their saluation with great variety of all manner of reasons and arguments for the better clearing and confirming of the same but also by often repeating and inculcating of them yea by vrging them againe and againe he hath giuen them a plaine admonition that they should be most diligent to learne those thing ouer againe and againe which he hath beene so carefull so often to teach Verily if we were such as we should be it should be sufficient for vs that the Lord did barely and onely in the booke of the Canonicall Scriptures deliuer the seuerall doctrines of all diuine vereties giuing testimony to each of them but once by the pen of one of his vnerring Secretaries seeing when God speaketh any thing albeit it be but once we ought Chrys aduersuâ— vituperatores monasticae vitae to receiue it with all assurance as if it had beene spoken often times For although when humane testimonies are required in the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word must be established and to him that bringeth not a sufficient number 1 Tim 6. 19. of deponents it is by strict law as if he had brought none yet for that God is true and cannot lie nor beare witnesse to any falshood or vntruth or command any thing that is vnrighteous or vniust therefore in his word which is the infallible foundation of truth if he giue testimony to any thing but once vnder the hand of one of his faithfull registers it is as sufficient as if he had testified the same by them all For if Pythagoras his he said it was enough to his scholers for that he was a most learned and wise Philosopher and the Ipse dixit Centurions come goe and doe this was sufficient to his souldiers Matth. 8. 9. and seruants for that he was a most conscionable Commander yea if the Kings witnesse my selfe be a full warrant Teste meipso to all his grants because of his supereminent power and authority then much more the he said it of the most high God ought to be sufficient to his disciples and all that be of his schoole and the come goe and doe this of the most righteous Commander and Iudge of the whole world ought to beenough to worke a most ready and speedy obedience in all his true and faithfull seruants and the witnesse my selfe of the King of kings and Lord of lords ought to be taken as a most full warrant to all his grants by all his loyall and faithfull subiects Wherefore herein we may behold the strange proceeding of our most great and glorious God remitting after a sort his owne â—ight and submitting himselfe in his great goodnesse to our weaknesse and in his high and endlesse wisdome prouiding a gracious remedy for our infirmity For because we are blinde to conceiue and flow to beleeue and hard to learne and ready to forget the holy mysteries of piety and godlines therefore the Lord hath caused not onely doctrines and reasons and arguments to be set downe at once in the booke of the diuine Scriptures but he hath made them to be reitterated againe and againe that thereby they may become lights to our vnderstanding stayes to our faith and helps to our fraile and weake memory So that albeit we are by nature neuer so dull and blockish yet the same lessons being often repeated and opened and cleered againe and againe we shall be thereby enabled by Gods blessing sufficiently to conceiue and faithfully keepe them in good remembrance Pharaohs dreames were Gen. 41. 32. doubled vnto him that the thing opened therein might get of him the better credit so the instructions of faith and an holy
lightning the vnderstanding with a true faith doth sanctifie the will with all other vertues and establish it also with constancy and perseuerance Wherefore a well-grounded knowledge of the mysteries of godlinesse diuine wisdome and sauing faith doe neuer goe alone but take their traine with them and are alwaies accompanied with all other diuine and heauenly vertues And thus much concerning the necessary combination of sauing faith with all other diuine vertues Now it remaineth that we make manifest what comfortable assurance of Gods fauour and loue faith also giueth to all that truly beleeue CHAP. IIII. The diuine doctrine of the Christian faith doth giue to the sincere imbracers thereof a sauing faith and an assurance thereby of Gods fauour and loue and of eternall happinesse and blessednesse THat which all erronious professions doe promise that the Gospell of Christ doth performe euen a sure faith and a faithfull assurance of the fauour and loue of God and of eternall happinesse and blessednesse For herein is reuealed the Couenant of grace grounded vpon a strong foundation euen vpon him that is Immanuell God with vs a most powerfull Reconciler of men vnto God and a most gracious procurer of Gods fauour and loue For mans sinne being committed against the infinite maiesty of the most glorious Deity could not be done away but by an infinite satisfaction and Gods loue and euerlasting happinesse consisting therein being blessings of an inualuable worth could not haue beene purchased but by an inualuable price Now this infinite satisfaction and inualuable price could not haue beene tendred but by such an one that was true man ioyned in one person to the true God that so he might be a meet Mediatour betweene God and man And so he himselfe testifieth saying I am the way the truth Iohn 14. 6. and the life no man commeth vnto the Father but by me It is then by Christs meanes that wee beleeue in God and haue an assurance of his fauour and loue For to him God gaue after his shamefull death which he suffered for our sins a glorious resurrection as an ample testification of his full satisfaction made for them all and of his victorious conquest ouer death that so we might haue faith and hope in God Wherefore if 1 Pet. 1. 21. God hath plainly opened vnto vs the worke of our redemption and reconciliation wrought by Christ which is the foundation of the Couenant of grace wherein God offereth himselfe to be a gracious God and a louing Father to all such as imbrace it with a true faith it cannot be but if that with a true faith we apprehend this gracious Couenant we should rest thereby throughly perswaded of the Lords inestimable fauour and loue towards vs. Now that the vndoubted truth therof may euidently appeare let vs obserue these three circumstances First the time when this assurance is giuen Secondly the meanes whereby it is wrought Thirdly the witnesses that giue euidence to the certainty and infallibility thereof Now concerning the first when God by the light of the Gospel doth open our eies make vs to behold the light of his couÌ„tenance shining vnto vs in Christ Iesus and thereby doth not only informe our vnderstanding but also reforme our will and affections euen then in some measure he giueth vnto vs this comfortable assurance that he hath admitted vs among the number of his children and hath matriculated vs into the Vniuersity of his Saints and hath entred our names into his booke of life For that which our blessed Sauiour auouched of Zacheus when he willingly receiued by loue Christs person into his house and his doctrine by faith into his heart This day is saluation come to this house for as much as this man is become Luke 19. 9. the sonne of Abraham that is to be auerred of all persons whatsoeuer that readily imbrace the faith that was in Abraham seeing all such as haue their hearts purged by faith are Rom. 4 12. Gal. 3. 26. 2 Tim. 2. 21. vndoubtedly thereby made the sonnes of God and vessels of honour sanctified and meet for the Lord. Now saith Saint Iohn we are the sonnes of God euen as many as by an 1 Iohn 3. 2. effectuall calling are brought to a wise and vnderstanding faith and to an holy and vpright life So Saint Bernard At Bern. ep 107. the rising of the Sunne of righteousnesse at our iustification that is when we are made inberently iust and righteous for so he taketh the word in this place the secret that was hidden from the beginning concerning those that are predestinate and shall be blessed beginneth to appeare out of the depth of eternity whilest a man called by the feare of God and framed to righteousnesse by loue presumeth that he is of the number of the blessed knowing that whom he hath iustified them also he hath glorified In the which very place that we may come to our second circumstance Saint Bernard aduiseth the person that is made an holy and iust man to take for the opener of this mystery of his saluation the Spirit making him righteous and iust and thereby testifying to his spirit that he is the child of God For saith he who is a iust man but he that being beloued of God loueth him againe Which commeth not to passe but by the Spirit of God reuealing by saith the eternall promise of God for his saluation to come the which reuelation that is the ground or meanes of the which reuelation is nothing else but the infusion of spirituall grace by the which the deedes of the flesh are mortified and the man that hath it is prepared to the kingdome of heauen together receiuing by one spirit that whereby he may presume that he is beloued and loueth againe So then when the Apostle auoucheth that the Spirit of God beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the children Rom. 8. 16. of God that he doth saith Saint Bernard by nothing else but by the infusion of spirituall grace whereby the deedes of the flâ—sh are mortified and the man of God is quickened vnto an holy and heauenly life So Origen The testimony of the spirit Oâ—ig in 8. Cap. ad â—…om is an hability giuen by the Spirit not to doe all things for feare but for loue towards God So Ambrose also vpon the same words of the Apostle calleth it an hability giuen by the Spirit of God to leade a life fitting the name of the sonnes of God whereby our heauenly Fathers marke is seene in vs. And this these holy men learned of the holy Apostle Saint Peter Giue saith he all diligence to ioyne to your 2 Pet. 1. 10. faith vertue to your vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance patience to patience brotherly kindnesse to brotherly kindnesse loue c. and hereby make your calling and election sure for if you doe such things ye shall neuer fall For whereas God hath promised to be a
gracious God and louing Father to all such as trust in him loue him and feare him and are carefull to obserue his Lawes and are truly sorrowfull for their daily transgressions and sinnes How can it otherwise be but that the faithfull hauing by their dutifull conuersing with God in the holy exercises of hearing his holy Word and of prayer obtained these graces in some sufficient measure How can it I say otherwise be but that thereby they should be certainly perswaded that God is their louing and gracious God and that they are his beloued people For it is impossible that the promises of God made to his people concerning this matter should be void and without effect Walke saith the Lord in my Statutes and keepe Ex. 20. 19. my iudgements and do them and sanctifie my Sabbaoths and they shall be a signe betweene me and you that ye may know that I am your God Of the certainty and euidency of the truth thereof the Apostle Saint Paul was so confident that he appealeth to euery faithfull mans experience among the Romans concerning the same saying Know ye not that to Rom. 6. 16. whomsoeuer ye giue your selues as seruants to obey his seruants ye are to whom ye obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnesse The faithfull then being well witting to their own hearts that they haue giuen themselues to God and are carefull to performe the works of faith loue holinesse and righteousnesse according vnto the rule of Gods word in obedience vnto God doe so throughly know hereby that they do an acceptable seruice vnto God and that they are his obedient seruants that they doe greatly reioyce therein with the Apostle This is our reioycing euen the 2 Cor. 1. 12. testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly purenesse c. Now if it be obiected that the faithfull know not their owne hearts nor the true nature of these diuine graces nor the right notes and markes of the holy workes that proceed from them and therefore albeit they are indued with these graces and performe these works yet they cannot know that they are the seruants of God We answer first that that obiection is in direct tearmes â—lat contrary to the testimony of the Prophet before alleaged where the faithfull being commanded to do their works according to the rule of Gods Commandements being from their hearts made carefull thereof are thereby assured that they are the obedient seruants of the Lord. Secondly we answere that all men doe in part know their owne hearts and their thoughts words and workes and that the faithfull doe in some measure know the true nature of all heauenly graces and the right notes of their true fruits All men doe know themselues in part because God hath giuen to all a conscience to be a witnesse together with themselues not onely of their words and workes but also of the 1 Cor. 2. 11. very thoughts and purposes of their hearts as the names of conscience doe sufficiently declare For no man knoweth our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conscientia hearts but God and our selues and therefore conscience is a knowledge that we haue of our owne wayes together with God Euery one then by the light of his conscience knoweth Mens non potest non intelligere quod intelligit Nemo nescit se velle quod vult Prou. 14. 10. what he himselfe knoweth and vnderstandeth what he himselfe vnderstandeth and perceiueth what he himselfe thinketh desireth willeth speaketh or doeth Euery one knoweth saith Salomon for what his owne heart is sorrowfull and in what it reioyceth and none else but God onely Euen the very wicked by the meanes of their consciences are made witting to their owne wayes How much more are the faithfull by the light of the word For by the clearenesse of the heauenly doctrines their hearts are opened and they are enabled Act. 16. 14. in some good measure to know themselues and to know God Heb. 18. 11. Iohn 6. 45. Act. 2. 17. and to vnderstand what belongeth to a sound faith and to an holy and godly life For the faithfull know that such an apprehension and knowledge of Christ as causeth all things to be as dung to them in respect thereof is a sure signe of a sanctified minde lightened with the cleare sight of a true faith They know that to desire to inioy the loue of God aboue all other things whatsoeuer and to be willing and ready to conuerse with God and with Christ in the daily and religious exercises of the word of God and prayer and to loue the brethren because they loue God and are beloued of God are true tokens of true Christian loue They know also that to be truly sorrowfull for offending so louing and gracious a God as he hath declared himselfe to be in Christ and in that respect to feare to offend him and to be carefull to walke in all his righteous Lawes are sure signes of true repentance and of the right feare â—…are of God and of sincere holinesse and righteousnesse And they knowing in their owne consciences that they haue by the gracious worke of the Spirit of God such a faith loue repentance feare and righteousnesse know that they are in Gods fauour and loue and that they are his faithfull seruants We know saith St. Iohn speaking in the name of all the faithfull that we are of God 1 Iohn 5. 29. and that the whole world lieth in wickednesse We know that the Sonne of God is come and hath giuen vs a minde to know him which is true and we are in him that is true that is in his Sonne Iesus Christ this same is very God and eternall life And againe we know that we are translated from death â— Iohn 3. 14. to life because we loue the brethren And that he speaketh thus in the name of all the faithfull we may vnderstand in that in the like asseueration he changeth the person saying If ye know that God is righteous know ye that he that doth righteousnesse is â—orne of God by the which testimonies of the 1 Iohn 2. 29. Apostle it is manifest that the faithfull knowing that they are indued with the true knowledge of Christ and with true loue and with true righteousnesse know thereby that they are of God and that they are his elect and chosen children For as a true friend among men doth bestow such fauours and gifts vpon him whom he intirely and tenderly loueth as the receiuer vnderstandeth what they are and their worth also that so by manifesting his great kindnesse he may winne mutuall and reciprocall loue so God the friend of friends giueth his spirituall graces vnto all those whom he hath loued in Christ and chosen in him before the foundation of the world and maketh them to vnderstand what these his principall blessings are and the end why he giueth them euen to assure them of his
pledges and pawnes of Gods loue procured for vs by Christ Iesus and as the first fruites of that heauenly inheritance which he himselfe hath purchased for vs how can we but rest assured to be brought in the time appointed by the Lord to the possession of that whereof we haue so certaine an earnest and so sure a pledge In pasting ouer temporall Land from man to man we esteeme much of good securitie which highly commendeth euen an hard bargaine A sound title and a good conueyance from such and such persons to such and such other maketh the security to be sufficient The goodliest possession that can be passed ouer to any of the sonnes of men is the glorious manner of the coelestiall Paradise the true title thereunto is Christ and his righteousnesse the conueyance thereof is the Word and the Sacraments which giue Christ to all that beleeue and the sure and certaine earnest of the same is the first fruits of the Spirit But to our Romish Catholickes the righteousnesse of our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ performed for vs in his owne person and imputed vnto vs by the Lords most free and vndeserued mercy is a meere nullity and new no iustice and the apprehension thereof by faith is a phantasticall apprehension of that which is not a false faith and an vntrue imputation as our masters of Rhemes haue taught For their Rhem. in c. 3. ad Rom. title to the heauenly Paradise is the merit of that righteousnes which is wrought by themselues and their conueyances are the Popes Indulgences and Pardons and their Priests Absolutions and Masses and the deuotions of the men of their Religious orders But what is their securitie for all this verily nono at all for they are commanded to liue still in feare and doubtfulnesse because they know not how much they faile in the measure and manner of the fulfilling of this righteousnesse and whether or no they shall be enabled to perseuere And verily no maruaile that their security for their heauenly happinesse is so small or none at all seeing their pay for the same is in such light and clipt money yea in such base and counterfeit coyne and their conueyance thereof so feeble and weake The faith of our Romish Catholicks as they themselues teach is such a faith as may be in the deuils and therefore no maruaile but as the deuils beleeue and tremble so they doe beleeue and Iac. 2. 19. tremble also but wheras the pay made for the purchase of the coelestiall Paradise vnto all faithfull Christians is the absolute and perfect rigteousnesse of Christ performed for them and the conueyauce thereof vnto them is the Lords gracious grant thereof set downe in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles and sealed with the seales of the holy Sacraments both of the Old and New Testament therefore the true faithfull Christian needeth not to feare and to doubt of his saluation seeing he hath so good euidence for the same For seeing Christ hath deliuered them out of the hands of their enemies that they should serue the Lord without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse Luke 1. 74. all the dayes of their liues why should they feare or doubt to enioy the fruit of this deliuerance wrought by such a person and by such meanes Assuredly they doe not as the Apostle testifieth speaking in the name of all the faithfull Yee saith he haue not receiued Rom. 8. 16. the spirit of bondage to feare againe but yee haue receiued the spirit of adoption where by we cry Abba Father the same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the Sonnes of God if we be children wee bee also heires of God and heires annexed with Christ This ioyfull and comfortable security of all true and faithfull Christians Saint Cyprian setteth Cypr contra Demetriadem downe after this manner There is saith he with vs strength of hope and stedfastnesse of faith amidst the ruines of a decaying world a couragious minde and a constant vertue and a patience alwayes ioyfull and a soule alwayes secure of God to be our God Thus doth both Scripture and Fathers set forth that comfortable security which GOD by his Spirit hath setled in the hearts of his faithfull seruants The security then which they condemne is that whereby men are made either awlâ—sse of falling into temptations or carelesse of vsing the meanes appointed by God to withstand tentations or bold of their own strength in vsing the meanes and so negligent therby to craue continuall aide and assistance from the Lord for if we fearing to fall into tentations vse carefully the meanes appointed by God to withstand the same and distrusting our owne strength call continually to God for his aide then as the Apostle himselfe commandeth we ought in all things to be secure or without feare being Phil. 4. 6. throughly perswaded of this that the euent of all things shall be happy and that God will turne all to our good Rom. 8. 26. And verily the true Christian faith driueth away distrustfull feare out of the soule of euery true sincere Christian maketh manifest vnto him the soundnes vprightnes of his own heart seeing otherwise it could neuer leade him to true happinesse Yea as the most learned Dr. Fotherby our late most Reuerend and most louing Diocesan Lord Bishop of Sarum lib. 1. Cap. 12. Fol. 1 22. Hath shewed out of diuers of the bookes of the wisest among the Heathen true happinesse hath bin esteemed for a man to haue his soule free froÌ„ terror fearefulnesse nay without this freedome and security it is most certaine that it cannot enioy so much as a shadow of any foelicity or any sound comfort and true contentment seeing true contentment and sound comfort and ioy is founded in a couragious confidence of the heart and in the quiet security and tranquillity of the mind To be full of feare and terrour is a property belonging to a 1 Ioh. 4. 18. 〈◊〉 yea it is a 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 conâ—rary to true confidence and courage Feare saith the Apostle hath Cura quasi cor vrens painefulnesse and it brâ—edeth that care that burneth and scorcheth the heart and 〈◊〉 the soule and it hastneth those Apoc. 21. 8. that willingly entertaine it towards the horrours of hell and excludeth them from the ioyes of Heauen How then ought all the sincere Professors of the Gospell to be thankefull to God for that he hat sent his Gospell vnto them and hath opened theâ—… eyes thereby so to apprehend his vnspeakeable 〈◊〉 Christ reuealed therein that therby they are effectually stirred vp to loue God especially seeing as the Apostle saith there is no feare in loue but perfect loue 1 Ioh. 4. 18. casteth out feare For as a chast spouse is not iealous of her kind huâ—band and a dutiful sonne is not so fearefull as to think that his tender-hearted Father will withdraw his loue froÌ„
called our whole sanctification for that it worketh our whole sanctification as infidelitie is called the proper and after a sort the only sinne because it is the originall of all vnrighteousnesse Aug. cont Ep. Relag lib. 3. cap. 〈◊〉 For what good thing is there that is not obtained by faith By faith we are iustified Rom. 5. 1. By faith we are saued Ephes 2. 8. By faith we are made the sonnes of God Gal 3. 26. By faith we are incorporated into the heauenly Ierusalem and by it as by a cognizance or badge we are distinguished from all other societies The Catholike Faith saith Saint Austine doth distinguish the iust from the vniust not by the Law of workes but of faith without the Aug. ad Bonif. lib. 3. cap. 5. which those very workes which seeme to be good are turned into sinne Now if it were but in these respects faith might challenge the chiefest place of precedency and honour in the assembly of all her princely Peeres but much more may she doe it for that in her owne proper worke she is imploied in beholding imbracing and magnnifying of all the diuine excellences and perfections that be in God wherein consisteth the most proper and peculiar glory and honour of God By workes saith Chrysostome we obey God but faith Chrysost hom 8. in Ep. ad Rom. entertaineth a meet opinion of God and glorifieth him and maketh him much more to be admired then doth the shewing forth of good workes Works commend the doer but faith commendeth God only and what it is it is wholly his for it reioiceth in this that it conceiueth great things which redound to his glory Wherefore no maruell that the Lord himselfe hath such a respect to faith that all his gracious and glorious workes and wordes tend either to the begetting or strengthening of the same For why hath the Lord accomplished his most glorious workes of the Creation Redemption and sanctification but that they might be testimonies of his goodnesse mirrours of his mercy seales of his speciall Act. 14. 17. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Apoc 7. 2. Ephes 1. 14. Cant 1. 3. Hos 11. 4. 2 Pet. 1. 13. grace and fauour pawnes and pledges of his fatherly kindenesse and loue that so he might draw vs and binde vs vnto himselfe and cause vs to trust perfectly in this his fauour and grace which is thus and thus ratified and confirmed vnto vs So why did our most blessed Sauiour send forth his Apostles into the whole world to preach and publish to all creatures these so ioifull tidings of such inestimable fauours as are contained in the Gospell but that the whole woâ—ld might be conuerted to the faith and might beleeue and â—o be saued As for the same end hath he caused the same to be â—…ned for all posterities that thereby there might be wrâ—…t a sauing Marke 16. 16. Iohn 20. 31. faith in the hearts of all the children of God euâ—… to the worlds end Wherefoâ—e without 〈…〉 most singular gift of God sâ—eing 〈…〉 meaâ—es for the effecting and working thereof yea 〈◊〉 most rare blessing and hardly gotten seeing where theâ—…â—…gular meanes are best vsed euen thereof 〈◊〉 appeareth little fruit When 〈◊〉 more 〈◊〉 an Euangelist then a Prophet had published this doctrine of faith euen to the Lords own people whâ—… waâ— his owne testimony concerning his successe thereof Esay 53. 1. but thâ—… Lord who hath beleeued our report to whomis the arme of the Lord 〈◊〉 Nay when our blessed Sauiour himself came in his own person to preach these glad ridings of the Gospell euen with the mouth tongue of the Son of God after so wise and powerfull a manner that his very enemies did wonder at the gracious words that came out of his mouth and were forced to confesse That neuer man spake as he did Yea Luke 4 22. Ioh. 17. 46. after he had wrought many strange and wonderfull signes for the further confirmation thereof yet all this tooke so small effect that by the testimony of Saint Iohn being an eie witnesse of all these things then also was fulfilled the former prophesie Lord who hath beleeued our report Yea their infidelity Iohn 12. 37. Marke 6. 6. was so great that our Sauiour Christ maruelled thereat And yet behold a thing more to be maruelled at that the Apostles themselues who continually heard our Sauiours diuine and heauenly doctrine and daily saw his wonderfull workes were yet so hardly brought to the faith that our Sauiour after his resurrection forced to reprooue them most bitterly for it saying Oh ye fooles and â—low of heart to beleeue all that the Prophets haue spoken No maruell then that albeit Luke 24. 25. the Gospel be published and reuiued in these last daies before the comming of Christ to iudgement by many singular and excellent instruments yet when the Sonne of man commeth he shall not finde faith on the earth Luke 18. 8. The truth is that it is an easie matter to beleeue lies because they are agreeable to our corrupt nature but the doctrine of truth teaching the assurance of Gods loue in Christ is a strange paradox contrary to the common opinion of men We saith the Apostle â—each Iesus Christ crucified a stumbling 1 Cor. 1. 23. bâ—ocke to the â—ew and foolishnesse to the Gâ—ecian Or be it that a slender assent and a formall approbation of the doctrine of faith proceeding from some slight apprehension thereof may bee somewhat generall where it hath beene long time taught by the Preacher and commanded by the Prince yet a settled perswasion proceeding from a sure and sound apprehension is vndoubtedly a strange and wonderfull worke of God Without aâ—… controuersie saith the Apostle great is 1 Tim. 3. 16. this mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh iustified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles and beleeued on in the world yea the agreement of faith with the heart of man is esteemed by Saint Austine to be one of the greatest miracles of our Christian profession And verily if either we looke vpon the prophane worldlings we shall see them scorning at the assurance of the faithfull Sap. 2. 13. which causeth them to glory that God is their Father and hath adopted them for his Sonnes Or if we cast our eyes vpon the faithfull seruant of God himselfe when he is in any great spirituall conflict we shall soone see how ready he is to let loose the sure hold of his hope and to plunge himselfe into the gulfe of despaire because he is guiltie to himselfe of offending so good and so gracious a God by his owne manifold and great iniquities and sinnes Wherefore albeit we haue attained to such a measure of faith as was giuen by Christ to his owne Apostles yet had Luke 17. 5. Marke 9 24. we need continually to pray O Lord increase our faith and to say with the Father of the possessed
seeke and ayme at After the same manner saith he the Lord drawing neare his death had care to set vs in the possession of his grace to the end that his inuisible grace might be giuen by some visible signe and for that end are all Sacraments ordayned QVEST. XII The outward Elements in the Eucharist are not Bread and Wine in shew but in substance The Sacrament of the Lords Supper was odrayned to this end that by the feeding and nourishing of our bodies by the outward Elements our soules might be assured of our spirituall feeding vpon Christ and of aeternall life obtayned thereby Now if we were willed to feed vpon the empty shewes of Bread and Wine and to cherish our selues therewith might we not iustly conceiue that we were bidden as it were to a Iuglers feast to haue our senses deluded rather then to haue our bodies nourished And what assurance could our soules haue thereby of their spirituall nourishing by the Body and Bloud of Christ Sacraments saith Saint Austin if they haue no Aug. Ep. 23. ad Bonifacium likenesse with the things whereof they are Sacraments can be no Sacraments at all Wherefore seeing the bare and empty shewes of Bread and Wine haue no true similitude with the substantiall Body and Bloud of Christ they can in no wise be the externall signes and Sacraments thereof QVEST. XIII There is no miraculous turning of Bread and Wine in the holy Eucharist into the very Body and Bloud of Christ nor any other miracle at all That which the Apostle auoucheth of the miraculous gift of tongues is true also of all miracles that is That they are for 1 Cor. 14. 22. a signe not for them that beleeue but to them that beleeue not And therefore miracles must be open and manifest euen to all such as haue but the sound vse of their outward senses that they may perceiue in them the power and might of the omnipotent God giuing testimony thereby of the diuine truth of Mar. 16. 20. that heauenly doctrine which is confirmed by such diuine witnesses Heb. 2. 4. But in the Lords Supper there is no turning manifest to sense of Bread and Wine into the Body and Bloud of Christ seeing the formes and also the qualities of Bread and Wine remaine there still and therefore in it there is no such miracle And verily Sacraments were not ordayned for Infidels to Act. 8. 37. conuert them but for the faithfull to confirme them in the faith And therefore as Saint Austin saith they may haue reuerence as things religious but they are not to be wondred at as things miraculous And whereas neither the booke entituled the Miracles of holy Scripture ascribed to Saint Austin nor Nazianzen intreating of the Miracles of our blessed Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ doe mention any miracle done by him in his last Supper it is manifest what was the iudgement of the true and Orthodoxe Church in their times concerning the same QVEST. XIIII Iustification is giuen by the free mercy of God in Christ and not mericed by our workes As all other the good gifts of God so Iustification especially is freely giuen to the faithfull in Christ to this end that they should not glory in themselues nor trust in the worthinesse of their owne workes but in the most free and vndeserued goodnesse of God in Christ who is made vnto vs of God 1 Cor. 1. 30. wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption that he that glorieth should glory in the Lord. And that we should in no wise doubt of the truth thereof the Apostle vrgeth and inculcateth the same againe and againe By grace yee are saued Ephes 2. 9. through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lâ—st any man should boast And againe All haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God and are iustified freely by his Rom. 3. 24. grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus that our glorying in our owne workes should be vtterly excluded and that we should glory onely in Christ QVEST. XV. The faithfull after the end of this life are not punished in the fire of Purgatory The end that moueth a kind and a tender-hearted Father to chastise his deare child is his amendment insomuch that if hee Pro magno peccato pâ—… supplicij satis est Patri terrestri quanto magis Caelesti Esay 40. 2. Luke 15. 31. once perceiue that he is amended indeed then doth hee immediately cease from punishment but the deare children of God immediately vpon their deathes cease wholy from sinne and are throughly reformed therefore their heauenly Father which doth greatly reioyce euen at the first beginning of the amendment of his prodigall children here in this life doth not cause them when they are fully reformed after death to bee further grieued with the long induring of extreame torments in the fire of Purgatory For as Saint Bernard saith if all sinne be perfectly taken Bern. in Ps qui habitat Ser. 10. away which is the cause of all euill the effect that is the punishment thereof must needes cease In the Primitiue Church wheÌ„ grieuous pennances were imposed vpoÌ„ enormous sins by the Church Gouernours they were imposed to this end that therby the parties offending might be brought to true serious repentance Insomuch that when the offendor was found to be truely humbled for his sinne were it neuer so hainous none or very little pennance was imposed vpon him or if it were imposed it was soone released As it may appeare not onely by the Apostles readinesse to forgiue the incestuous Corinthian 2 Cor. 2. 4. vpon his serious repentance albeit his sinne was very haynous but also by the history of an incestuous woman who had bin brought with child by her owne sonne of whom it is recorded that she was so deepely displeased with her selfe for this her enormous and monstrous crime that taking in her armes the very child which was both the fruit and witnesse of her wickednesse she went openly to the Bishop as he passed along to the Church with a great traine and kneeling downe before him confessed her fact and craued for it at his hands condigne punishment The Bishop perceiuing by the outward demeanour of this paenitent person the great anguish of her heart for her great sinne inioyned her some abstinence for some forty dayes and so departed but the poore paenitent person thinking this paenance to be too too light for her so haynous and capitall a crime repaireth to the Bishop at another place and with bitter teares putteth him in minde againe of her most odious and enormous sinne and requireth at his hands a more heauy punishment but the Bishop well perceiuing her great sorrow and vnfained repentance lightneth the sentence of her former paenance and inioyneth her some abstinence for some three dayes How much more when we iudge our selues euen in this 1 Cor. 11.
31. life we shall not be iudged of the Lord but when wee cease from sinning the Lord will cease from punishing Wherefore if in this life when other may take encouragement to sinne by the impunity of others and besides the most paenitent sinner that is doth not wholly and fully cease from all sinne yet God and his Ecclesiasticall Ministers doe remit both sinne and punishment vpon the sight of the sinners vnfained repentance and amendment of liâ—e without all doubt the Lord of all mercy will much more doe the same in the life to come and not extreamely torment his owne seruants in Purgatory fire QVEST. XVI The carnall eating of Christs Body is nothing auaileable to eternall life but the spirituall Arguments drawne from the effects When our blessed Sauiour had taught his Auditors that vnlesse they did eate his flesh and drinke his bloud they could haue no life in them and the carnall Capernaits were greatly offended therewith because they thought that he had commended vnto them a bodily and a carnall eating of his flesh he answered It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing Ioh. 6. 63. not intending hereby to recall his former words My Flesh is meate indeed and my Bloud is drinke indeed but to giue them to vnderstand that it is a spirituall eating of his flesh that is auaileable to euerlasting life and not a carnall seeing that profiteth nothing And verily it is not the bodily seeing touching or eating of Christ that can doe vs any good but the spirituall seeing touching or eating of him by faith which is the eye the hand and the mouth of the soule For when a woman hauing an issue of bloud came behinde Christ and touched the hemme of his Luke 8. 49. garment and was immediately healed of her issue at that very time the people thronged him and trod vpon him and receiued no benefit thereby And why the woman touched him with the hand of her faith and was healed thereby as our Sauiour testified saying Oh womaÌ„ great is thy faith be it vnto thee euen as thou wilt but the people were maimed and lacked that hand And so Saint Ambrose vnderstood our Sauiours words Christ saith he healed them that touched him by faith Amb. in Luc. l. 6. cap. 8. whereas to them that wanted faith the touching of Christ or his garments was no benefit at all Yea the blessed Virgine her selfe was more happy in conceauing the faith of Christ in her heart then in conceauing his flesh in her wombe as Austin saith And so he had learned of our blessed Sauiour himselfe Aug. de sancta Virgine cap. 3. Luke 11. 27. for when it was said vnto Christ Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the Pappes that thou hast sucked Nay rather said he Blessed is he that heareth the word of God and keepeth it For by the Word reuerently receiued we obtaine faith and by faith Christ is receiued into our hearts and taketh Apoc. 3. 20. vp his habitation there Now if by our bodily mouthes to receiue Christ into our bodies be a thing altogether vnprofitable then our most wise Sauiour commanded it not to be done at the celebration of the holy Eucharist for he commandeth nothing to be done in the Lords seruice that is vnprofitable Why then doth the Church of Rome so eagerly contend for their transubstantiating of Bread into the Body of Christ and receiuing of it into their bodies by their bodily mouthes but for that albeit this thing be vnprofitable to Gods seruants yet it is not vnprofitable to them not onely by magnifying of their power for that they are able to create their Creator but also by enlarging their reuennewes seeing they haue turned the Bread into the Body of Christ and are able to offer him vp in their Masse as a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of quicke and dead the which thing cannot be but much auaileable to themselues which are sure to be well payed for their paynes QVEST. XVII Concupiscence is sinne euen in the Regenerate themselues Why is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne So the Apostle By sinne death entred into the world and Lam. 3. 37. Rom. 5. 12. therefore all sickenesse and other miseries that lead thereunto Vnto the which seeing euen sanctified Infants which haue receiued the Sacrament of regeneration and are free from all actuall sinne are subiect therefore concupiscence in sanctified infants is sinne vnlesse we will lay to the charge of the most righteous Iudge of the whole world that he punisheth such persons that are without all fault Yea whereas infants giue no consent to their naturall corruptions and yet are punished for them therefore concupiscence is sinne albeit consent is not giuen to it See S. Aug. Serm. de Temp. 45. QVEST. XVIII Faith repentance and loue with all holy workes proceeding from them doe not deserue any thing at all at Gods hands but make the faithfull endebted to God for the same If Abraham saith the Apostle were iustified by workes hee Rom. 4. 2. hath wherein to reioyce but not before God For gifts and benefits doe not make the doner any whit endebted to the receiuer but they deserue at the hands of the receiuer and make him endebted vnto the doner But faith repentance and loue Phil. 1. 29. and all holy workes proceeding from them are the free gifts and blessings of God wrought in them by the operation of 1 Cor. 12. 11. the holy Ghost and therefore are called the fruits of the Gal. 5. 22. Spirit Wherefore hereby the faithfull deserue nothing at Gods hand but are made the more indebted to God So reasoneth Saint Bernard None by good workes can deserue eternall life Bern. Ser. 1. de annunciat at Gods hands seeing all the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be reuealed albeit one person could indure them all The merits of men are not such as vnto the which eternall life is by iustice due and that God should doe wrong to them if he did not reward them there with For that I may not let passe that all merits are Gods gifts and that man is thereby rather made a debter to God then God to man what are all merits being compared to so great glory And therefore Dauid cryed out Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified QVEST. XIX The workes of God reuealed in the Scriptures doe manifestly declare them to be the word of God especially the worke of regeneration wrought by the Diuine and powerfull doctrines thereof in the hearts of all such as faithfully and sincerely embrace the same and therefore they are not to be receiued as such onely vpon the testimony of the Church Knowne vnto God are all his workes from the beginning Act. 15. 18. 1 Cor. 2. 11. of the world and to none other besides
himselfe and therefore he onely is able to reueale them Wherefore seeing the works of the creation redemption and Sanctification which are the most gracious and glorious workes of God are plainely reuealed in the bookes of the Holy Scriptures therefore the doctrines of the holy bookes are faithfully to be embraced as vndoubtedly proceeding from diuine reuelation And verily who could so distinctly and particularly set downe the manner of the creation of man and of all the rest of the creatures but he that hauing the fulnesse of being in himselfe could giue such a manner and measure of being to them all as should manifest his great power wisedome and goodnesse towards man for whose sake principally the world was made And who could lay open the fall of man from his estate of holinesse and happinesse wherein he was created and the manner thereof but he onely from whose obedience albeit man could depart yet he could not depart from his presence nor so much as dazle his sharpe and cleare eyes albeit he could cleane put out his owne but who could open a meanes of mans recouery from this his miserable and wretched estate whereinto he is fallen by his owne folly but he that was onely able to worke his recouery It is euident that sinne being an offence committed against the infinite Maiesty of the most glorious Deity requireth a satisfaction no lesse then infinite Now who could so much as imagine that God being so grieuously prouoked and so highly offended with man should send his owne Sonne to become man that in mans nature he might suffer death for mans deliuery from death and condemnation For doubtlesse one will scarce die for a righteous man for a good Rom. 5. 7. man it may be that one dare dye that then such a person who when he was in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God should die for such persons as were not onely neither righteous nor good but aboue measure vnrighteous and euill and that he should die such a death as proceeded from the intollerable wrath of so highly incensed a God against most execrable and cursed sinnes Isay 53. 1. Who hath beleeued our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed Surely the Gospell wherein this worke is reuealed is Diuine and supernaturall exceeding all humane and naturall apprehension and could not be reuealed but by him that could worke beyond the power of nature The which thing doth more euidently appeare hereby in that wheresoeuer it is plainely reuealed and sincerely imbraced it doth deliuer all such from the most grieuous bondage of sinne and Satan and doth most effectually bring them backe againe vnto God For as Lactantius saith Let humane wisedome stretch it selfe to the vttermost yet it can but cause men to couer their sinnes it cannot enable them to cast them out whereas the Gospell which is the Law of the Spirit of Life not onely freed Saint Paul from the Law of sinne and death but also conuerted Rom. 8. 2. the world and that in short time from infidelity to faith from sinne to righteousnesse from Satan to God albeit it was most mightily resisted not onely with all the wisedome and learning but also with all the power and authority of all the wisest and greatest men of the world and therefore it cannot be denyed but that it is the most mighty and powerfull word of the most mighty and powerfull God The heauens declare themselues to be the workes of God in that they cause the earth which is so bare and barren at Winter to be cloathed in Summer with all manner of hearbes flowers and graine and to abound with all variety of fruit and doth not the doctrine of the holy Scriptures much more euidently declare it selfe to be the most powerfull word of the most powerfull God in that it beautifieth the bare and barren soile of our soules with true wisedome righteousnesse and holinesse and with all manner of spirituall graces It was an euident effect of the diuine power of the mighty word of the omnipotent God that thereby in the Creation all things receiued their essence and being but of an euill man to make a good man yea to make one that is bruitish and diabolicall to become reasonable and Angelicall is a farre greater worke then the Creation of the whole heauen and earth as Saint Austin teacheth And therefore seeing this so strange a Aug. in Iob. tract 72. Isay 11. 9. worke is wrought as Isayas saith by the doctrine of the Canonicall Scriptures hereby it is sufficiently proued that the booke of the Scriptures is the booke of God Wherefore no maruell that the Apostle Saint Paul when 2 Cor. 3. 1. the truth of his Apostleship and Apostolicall doctrine was questioned by some among the Corinthians so confidently auoucheth that he standeth not in need of any testimoniall from men for his approbation and iustification seeing their owne conuersion wrought by that word which was written in their hearts by his Ministery was a most sufficient demonstration that his Apostleship and doctrine was from God The great works wrought here by our blessed Sauiour in the time of his being on earth did sufficiently declare him to be the true Matth. 11. 5. Ioh. 5. 36. Messiah and shall not the greater workes wrought by his word since his departure out of this life plainely demonstrate it to be the very word of the Sonne of God himselfe Wherefore if the blind Papists the most sightfull and spitefull enemies of the sincere Professors of the Gospell of Christ shal still auouch that they cannot know that the doctrine of the Scriptures is the doctrine of God but by the testimony of the Church we answer them as the man cured of his blindnesse by our most blessed Sauiour answered the blind Pharisies when they made protestatiō that they knew not whence our Sauiour was Doubtlesse saith he this is a maruellous thing that yee Ioh 9. 30. know not whence he is and yet he hath opened mine eyes So doe we also answere Doubtlesse this is a maruellous thing that ye know not whence the Scriptures are but by the testimony of the Church and yet they haue doe and shall open the eyes of the mindes and sanctifie the affections of the hearts of all Ioh. 17. 17. Ioh. 7. 17. such as haue beene are or shall be the people of God and shall thereby make them know that they are of God Wherefore hereby these blind Papists plainly manifest themselues to be none of the Lords people seeing they openly professe that they neither know nor can know the graces of sanctification wrought in their hearts by the Spirit and word of God giuing thereby testimony to it's selfe and to the conscience sanctified therewith that it it of God but that they receiue the same so to be onely vpon the testimony of the Church QVEST. XX. That the soule of our blessed Sauiour after his death
that as many as would ioyne the workes of the Law to the grace of Christ in the matter of Iustification They were abolished from Christ and fallen from Gal. 5. 4. grace Yea if we had not sinned but continued in our innocency and had kept all the Commandements of God whereunto God had bound himselfe by his promise to render the reward of eternall life yet in confidence of the merit of our workes we could not haue said rightly vnto the Lord Pay that thou Aug. in Ps 83. Aug. de verb. Apost Ser. 15. owest but performe that which thou hast promised For as the same Father saith God hath not made himselfe a debtor to vs by receiuing any thing froÌ„ vs but by promising vs that which best pleased himselfe But now since our best actions are so stayned by some sinister respect or other in the doing of them that as Gregory saith euen an holy man doth see his Greg. in Ioh. l. 9. c. 1. very vertuous workes to be vicious if they come to be scanned by a iust Iudge then they are so farre off from deseruing of any reward at Gods hands much lesse of Iustification and Saluation that rather in strict Iustice they merit condemnation For so Saint Austin is bold to pronounce of them Woe Aug. confess lib. 9. cap. 13. worth the commendable life of man if thou Iudge it without mercy In what a wofull case then are all proud Papists which will not be iustified and saued but by the merit of their owne workes seeing thereby they be abolished from Christ and are fallen from grace and from the fruit and benefit of both QVEST. XXXVII The naturall man hath no free will to that which is religiously good Arguments drawne from that which is opposite priuatiuely By nature we are all spiritually dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephes 2. 1. And therefore as a man that is bodily dead is able to performe no action that belongeth to a naturall life so cannot wâ—… performe any action that belongeth to a spirituall and supernaturall life vntill we be quickned and raised vp againe by he Spirit of Christ We are now all by nature depriued of all Rom. 5. 6. spirituall power and strength We are 〈◊〉 sufficient of our selues to thinke any good thing as of 〈◊〉 selues Much lesse to will or 2 Cor. 3. 5. to worke any such thing We are saith one Prophet foolish Ier. 4. 22. children and haue no vnderstanding we are wiâ—e to doe euill but to doe well we haue no knowledge We are now all by nature the Gal. 4. 25. children of the bond woman and not of the free The time was when in Adam we had all freedome of will to make choice either of good or euill but since that in him we made choice of that which was euill we are so hardned therein and in such Rom. 6. 20. bondage and slauery to our corrupt lusts that we haue no inclination at all or free motion vnto righteousnesse For as Aug. de correp grat c. 13. Austin saith our will as it is â—ow by nature free and not made free by grace is free from righteousnesse only in bondage to sin For liberty without race as the same Father teacheth Aug. Ep. 89. is nâ—t liberty but contumacy that is a wilfull obstinacy in that onely which is euill QVEST. XXXVIII No religious worship or seruice is to be giuen to any Angell or Saint Arguments drawen from such things as depend vpâ—n relation Let not saith Saint Austin the worship of the dead be vnto vs a matter of Religion Aug. de Vera Reâ—ig c 55 Aug contra Faust Mâ—nich lib. 23. c. 21. Synod MoguÌ„t c. 46. For they are to be honoured for imitation but not to be adored for Religion And againe we worship the Saints with charity but not with seruice neither doe we build temples vnto them For according vnto the censure of the Synode of Ments the Saints which haue shut vp the course of their liues with a blessed end ought worthily to be honoured of vs as the worthy members of Christs body but not with that honour which is due vnto God but with that reuerent regard of society and loueâ— wherewith holy men may be honoured of vs here in this life The like is to be said concerning the worship of Angels I fell said Saint Iohn confessing his owne double fall at the Angels feet to worship him but he said vnto me See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow seruant and one of thy brethren which haue the testimony of Iesus Apoc. 19. 10. câ— 22. 9. worship God By which words of the Angell vttered once and againe we Seruus est domini seruus may iustly collect that seeing a seruant among men is a seruant of his Lords only not of any one of his fellow seruants and is bound to serue the one onely and not the other therefore seeing all the faithfull haue but one Lord all Angels and Saints being their fellow seruants they ought to deuote themselues Eâ—hes 4. 5. 2. 29. onely to the Religious seruice of God and not vnto the seruice of any Angell or Saint We take it to be a great absurdity and indignity also for one that is admitted into the family of an earthly King to betake himselfe to the seruice of a subiect and is it not a greater indignity for one that by baptisme is admitted into the family of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to betake him to the seruice of an Angell or Saint In Oxford wee are sworne Non suscipere gradum Simeonis that is when we haue taken an higher degree of dignity in the Schooles not to take a lower degree And shal we then when we haue receiued this high degree of honor to be admitted among the seruaÌ„ts of the Almighty Creator of heauen earth shall we I say debase our seâ—ues so low as to seeke for admission into the seruice of a weake creature Let the Romanists then if they list deuote themselues vnto the seruice of the Saints and giue to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuine worship but let the true seruants of God be carefull to giue diuine seruice onely to God QVEST. XXXIX The faithfull are made righteous before God by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to them Arguments drawen from things that haue the same proportion of reason If by the disobedience of the first Adam many were made sinners why by the obedience of the second Adam may not many be made righteous Rom. 5. 19. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Rom. 8. 34. If our sinnes were imputed vnto Christ when hee was pure from all sinne why may not his righteousnesse be imputed vnto vs albeit we be stayned with all sinne If Christs sufferings and death are made ours and we thereby are deliuered from condemnation Why may not his righteousnesse as well be imputed vnto vs
against all their sinfull maladies For the remedy could not haue been thus decreed vnlesse the malady had been so also QVEST. LXIII No Image ought to be made to represent God Arguments drawen from things that be vnlike Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth For an Image is made to be a similitude or likenesse and so to resemble that for the representation whereof it is made But no creature that may be represented by a bodily Image is like vnto God and therefore no Image of any such creature is meete to be made to represent God thereby So reasoneth the Prophet Behold the Isay 40. 15. Nations are to God as the drop of a Bucket and are counted as the dust of the ballance Yea all Nations are before him as nothing they are counted to him lesse then nothing yea as meere vanity To whoÌ„ then will ye liken God or what similitude will ye set vp vnto him Among all the creatures of this inferiour world the nearest to God and the meetest representation of him is the spirit and soule of the regenerate man indued with holinesse and true righteousnesse the which things cannot well be represented by any bodily shape and therefore much lesse the vnmatchable Maiesty of the incomparable Deity And so the Apostle hath taught saying For as much as we are the generation Act. 17. 29. of God representing him by our spirituall nature which cannot well be resembled by any bodily shape we ought not to thinke that the Goâ—head is like vnto gold siluer or stone grauen by the art or inuention of man Wherefore no Image or bodily shape ought to be made to represent God QVEST. LXIIII. All the workes of Infidels are sinnes Nature is common to all men but not grace By grace the faithfull are ingrafted into Christ and are made good Treeâ— bringing forth good fruit But the best among the Infidels is as a Bryer and the most vpright sharper then a thorne hedge Mich. 7. 4. Rom. 11. 24. they are by nature wilde Oliues yea they are as Trees twice dead plucked vp by the roots the which if they seem to bring Iude v. 12. forth fruit that fruit of theirs soone withereth away coÌ„meth to no thing and so the end proueth that they are altogether without good fruit Wherefore all the works of Infidels are fruitlesse and sinfull workes QVEST. LXV The true seruants of God know themselues to be the true seruants of God Arguments drawne from such things as are like As any one that is admitted into another mans seruice and hath a setled purpose to discharge his duty faithfully vnto his Lord and Master must needes know that he is such an ones seruant yea that he is his faithfull seruant euen so euery true beleeuer that is entred into the Lords family and hath this grace giuen vnto him to be carefull in all simplicity and sincerity 2 Cor. 1. 12. to performe all those duties that the Lord requireth at his hands cannot be ignorant that he is the seruant of God yea that he is his faithfull and sincere seruant So reasoneth the Apostle Know yee not to whomsoeuer yee giue your selues as Rom. 6. 1â— seruants to obey his seruants yee are to whom yee obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnesse And this the Apostle spake of all true Christians in the Church of Rome that had but ordinary gifts and not of such onely that had this comfortable knowledge giuen vnto them by an extraordinary reuelation if there were any such there QVEST. LXVI God giueth saluation to the faithfull in Christ and not in any other As it is sacriledge to add to a maÌ„s Testament or solemn Couenant so much more is it to adde vnto Gods Now Gods Testament Act. 3. 25. or Couenant is this that he giueth saluation to the faithfull for the obedience of one that is of Christ And therefore all such are not better then sacrilegious persons which adde to this Couenant the workes of the Law performed by themselues as the meritorious causes of Gods fauour and loue and of their owne happinesse and blessednesse So reasoneth the Apostle saying Brethren I speake after the manner of men if it Gal. 3. 15. be but a mans Testament or Couenant when it is confirmed no man doth abrogate there from or adde thereunto To Abraham and his seed were the promises made viz. In thy seed shall all Nations be blessed he saith not saith the Apostle and to thy seeds speaking of many but to thy seed as of one which is Christ And this I say the Law which was foure hundred and Gen. 22. 18. thirty yeares after cannot disanull the Couenant that was confirmed a fore of God in respect of Christ that the promise should be of none effect And therefore all such of our Romanists which will needes adde to eternall blessednesse giuen freely in Christ the meriting thereof by their owne workes are iustly chargeable as guilty of grieuous sacriledge because they adde to the couenant of God QVEST. LXVII Vngodly persons are no true members of the Church of Christ As Botches and Sores and all corrupt humours are to the body of Man so are all vngodly persons to the Church Isay 1. 5. which is the mysticall Body of Christ But Botches and Sores and corrupt humors are no members of mans Body but when they are taken away the Body is eased and made whole and sound also So vngodly persons are no true members of the Church of Christ But as Saint Iohn saith are the limbes and 1 Ioh. 3. 8. members of the Deuill howsoeuer they themselues are perswaded to the contrary QVEST. LXVIII The testimony of God set downe in the Canonicall Scriptures and not receiued from vnwritten Traditions is the onely sure euidence and ground of truth As in buying and selling of temporall commodities euery honeâ—… subiect will bee content to stand to the measures weights and ballances that are marked and sealed with the marke and seale which is allowed by the Kings Law and to receiue for currant all such coine as beareth the Image and Matth. 22. 20. superscription of the Prince and to refuse all other so euery good Christian is religiously to embrace that doctrine that beareth the stampe of the Canonicall Scriptures and is liable to those measures weights and ballances and hath iust cause to refuse all that which will not hold weight by them So reasoneth Saint Austin Let vs not bring forth deceitfull Aug cont Donat l. 2. c. 6. ballances whereinto we may put what we will after our owne lust say this is heauy or this is light but let vs produce the diuine ballance out of the holy Scriptures as out of the Lords store-house and into it let vs put that which hath
not now to be esteemed an holy Land Arguments drawen from the Coniugates that is from such things as agree in nature and in name The Iewes themselues are now an vnâ—oly and a detested Nation and therefore Iury is now to be esteemed to be an vnholy and detested Land While the Iewes were an holy people and did faithfully performe those holy duties that their most holy God required in his most holy Lawes then Iury where this holy people inhabited was worthily accounted an holy Land but when they became an vnholy people and defiled their hands with the bloud of Christ and his Martyres those their vncleane workes polluted and defiled their very name and caused it to be had in detestation And why also did they not as well defile their very Land and cause it to be had in execration Surely God himselfe had it in execration when he sent into it the abomination of desolation that is Mat. 24. 15. Luke 21. 20. as Saint Luke expoundeth and explaineth it A destroying army to bring it to vtter desolation that being an euident argument that the Lord had that Land in extreame abomination Now if God himselfe had Iury in extreame abomination then vndoubtedly it is no holy Land QVEST. LXXII The will of man is not by nature free The faithfull themselues are not free indeed vntill by Christ Ioh. 8. 36. they are made free how then can their will be free as long as they continue in the state of nature So reasoneth Saint Austin Aug. ad Bonif. l. 1. c. 3. Why do miserable men dare to be proud of their free will before they themselues be made free or of their own strength Aug. de corrept grat cap. 1â— if now they be made free seeing free will not freed is free from righteousnesse and a slaue to sinne QVEST. LXXIII All the faithfull are Saints Such onely are Saints in the Church of Rome that are Canonised by the Popes or at the least are thought by them to be worthy to haue their names put into the Romish Calender But all the faithfull whereof an huge number are not thus dignified by the Pope are sanctified by the Holy Ghost and 1 Cor. 6. 11. Eph. 4 24. Rom. 1. 7. 1 Cor. 1. 2. Luke 10. 29. Apoc. 20. 12. hath put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse and are called by the very name of Saints by the Apostle and their names and deedes also are written in heauen and in the booke of life Therefore all the faithfull are to be taken for Saints by all the faithfull whatsoeuer meane reckoning the Church of Rome maketh of them QVEST. LXXIIII The Bishop of Rome is not the Vniuersall Pastour of the whole Church Some Popes doe not at all by preaching of the Word of God seed so much as the people of the City of Rome it selfe and none of them all haue such gifts as whereby they are enabled to feed the Vniuersall Church therefore some of them are no feeders or Pastors at all and none of them are the feeders and Pastours of the Vniuersall Church And how can they iustly challenge the office of Saint Peter seeing they so much neglect the trebled charge giuen to Saint Peter by his Master Christ who gaue him the dignity that he might performe the dutie annexed thereunto QVEST. LXXV The Lawes of God onely binde the conscience There is but one Law-giuer that is the Lord of the Conscience and therefore his Lawes onely bind the same So reasoneth Saint Iames There is but one Law-giuer that is able to Iac. 4. 12. saue and to destroy viz. the soule and therefore there is but Matth. 10. 28. one Law-giuer that can giue lawes to the soule and that one Law-giuer is God For God onely searcheth the heart and taketh notice of all the aberrations thereof and can punish them with condigne punishments So reasoneth the Lord himselfe The heart of man is deceitfull and wicked aboue all Ier. 17. 9. things who can know it I the Lord search the heart and try the raynes euen to giue euery man according vnto his wayes and according to the fruit of his workes All Magistrates ciuill and Ecclesiasticall are his vnder-officers not to make lawes but to command that the Lords laws only be put in execution in all matters that concerne the substance of his spirituall kingdome For as concerning the lawes that they haue authority to make in matters of circumstance belonging to the spirituall kingdome and in matters both of substance and circumstance belonging to the temporall gouerment they must be squared by those generall rules that are set downe by this one Law-maker in the authenticall records of his canonicall Scriptures And being so framed they are not for their particularities to be esteemed so much mans laws as they are for the generall grounds of them to be accouÌ„ted Gods owne ordinances And being so made they binde the conscience Rom. 13. 5. Exod. 16. 8. 1 Sam. 8. 7. as the Apostle testifieth and they that refuse to be subiect to them doe not cast away man but God that hee should not raignâ— ouer them QVEST. LXXVI True religion bindeth only to the obseruation of such Canons and rules as are made by God himselfe in matters of substance whereas superstition imposeth other also which are aboue and beside the former Arguments drawen from the Etymology or interpretation of the name Religion hath her name as S. Austin saith Religâ—o à religando Aâ—…oe vâ—…a religione cap. 54. for that by certaine rules and precepts giuen by God himselfe it doth inclose and keepe in as within certaine limits and bounds all such as desire to performe that religious seruice which is acceptable to God least they should goe astray and wander out of the right way that should bring them to God 〈…〉 superstition Superstitio quasi supra statutum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. c. 2. 3. hath her name for that shee is so bold 〈…〉 hardy as to thrust those things vpon Gods people 〈…〉 â—…re aboue and besides the Lawes and statutes of God 〈◊〉 therefore it was not without cause that the wise man so seriously aduiseth all such as desire to be esteemed of God as his religious seruants to take good heed when they goe to the house of the Lord to performe that religious seruice which is acceptable in his sight that they be prepared most readily and reuerently to â—earken Eccl. 4. 17. to the word of God that so they may both learne keep that which is therein commanded vnto them that they presume not to offer to God the sacrifice of Fooles that is that kinde of seruice which is sucked out of their owne or other mens foolish braines and is aboue and beside that which is commanded of God QVEST. LXXVII The Laitic ought to be admitted to the dayly reading of the holy Scriptures If Religion