to haue of the holie Trinitie VERILOQVVS THe same which the Church holdeth and alloweth of that there is one true liuing and eternall God Iohn 4. Iohn 1. 1. Tim. 6. 2. Cor. 13. Ioh. 1.4.6 Sap. 11. the which is without bodie partes and passions bicause he is a spirit whom neuer anie man yet saw neither can sée nor know but Christ for he can not be séene with carnall eies and he is the God of peace and loue louing all and hating nothing that he hath made he is of infinite power wisdome goodnes and mercie the creatour preseruer and nourisher of all things visible and inuisible which deliuereth vs from euill Esai 43. Iohn 3. Rom. 5. And in the vnitie of this same diuine nature there are thrée distinct persons of the like power essence wisdome glorie and eternitie that is to saie the Father the Sonne and the Holie-ghost which are the blessed Trinitie And the sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 patris Iohn 1. the word of the father is the second person in this Trinitie the true euerlasting glorious and omnipotent God 2. Cor. 4. Col. 1. begotten before all worlds of his eternall father and is his verie image being of like substance togither with him Col. 2. in whome are the treasures of wisdome and of knowledge and fulnes of diuine power He tooke vpon him in the wombe of the blessed virgin Marie humane nature of hir substance and was borne in the world in somuch that there is conioined fullie and perfectlie in the vnitie of person a double nature neuer to be separated that is the nature of God and of man wherof is made one Christ perfect God and perfect man sinne onlie excepted who suffered vnder Pontius Pilate 1. Tim 2. 1. Ioh. 2.4 Eph. 3. Rom. 5.8 Act. 2. and became the mediator betwéene God and man that in him onlie should be found the sufficiencie of remission of all sinnes both originall and actuall for all them that euer were or shal be vpon the face of the earth And the holie-Holie-ghost is the third person in this Trinitie which procéedeth from the father and the sonne and is the holie and diuine power 1. Rom. 10 whereby mens harts are renewed from heauen he is of like essence power glorie and maiestie with the father and the sonne with whome he is coequall coeternall and God euerlasting by whome we comprehend the things of God for he giueth witnesse to our harts 1. Iohn 2. that we are of God by the which also Rom. 1. Gal. 5. 1. Pet. 2. we call vpon the father with confidence faith to be saued by Christ which is the bishop of our soules FALSIL. God made all things and without him was made nothing that was made Iohn 1. Wisd 1. But God made not death sin nor the diuell Therefore God made not all things VERIL. The fallacie lieth in the consequent which must be denied Almightie God that is all wisdome infinit power and goodnes created all things in such excellent goodnes that it is said Valde sunt bona Gen. 1. They were all passing good and God saw that they were good then he blessed them and his sentence is not to be reuoked bicause he being without bodie parts and passions cannot repent And as the diuell was not euer a diuell from the beginning for the Apostle saith Angeli qui non seruarunt originem suam Iude. The Angels which kept not there first estate so he was created and that an Angell of light and not a diuell Colos 3. For God being most perfectly good could not consent to make anie thing but that which was good and his owne pride made himselfe a diuell the author of sinne the heire of eternall fier Matt. 25. Then he tempting our first parents by the apple of disobedience made them likewise so sinfull that by Adam we are all sinners Rom. 5. of whome we haue the inclination to doo euill and then consequentlie followed death and was engendred of our said parents déeds as the onelie fruite of their lewd stubborne disobedience which they learned of Sathans disobedience Sic diaboli inuidia Wisd 2. mors intrauit in mundum So by the enuie of the diuell death entred into the world Rom. 6. And S. Paule saith Stipendium peccati mors est Death is the reward of sinne which still increased and wickednes multiplied by the reason men were tempted drawne awaie and entised of their owne concupiscence Iacob 1. then lust conceiued and brought foorth sinne and sin when it was finished brought foorth death So that then God tooke vnto him death for the punishment of sinne that therewith he might correct the wicked teaching them that transgressors might not lawfullie sin without punishment So it is said in another place Ignis Eccle. 39. grando fames mors omnia haec creata sunt ad vindictam Fier haile hunger and death all these are created for vengeance that is to saie after the fall of man God appointed and exercised all these things for the punishment of the wicked wherby he tooke vengeance of his enimies Rom. 1. and dooth vse them as an instrument to strike the wicked withall and oftentimes dooth punish one sinne with another Thus we doo now see Iaco. 1.17 that Omne donum bonum ac perfectum à patre luminum Euerie good and perfect gift commeth downe from the father of lights and that he made not death sinne nor the diuell in his diuelishnes from the beginning Wisd 1. for he is not delighted in Perditione viuorum in the destruction of the liuing nor can be the author of anie damnation though his wrath and iustice powreth downe his plagues vpon the children of disobedience and vnbeléefe dailie Esaie 5. bicause they drawe sinne vnto them as it were with a cart rope according to the prophets saieng FALSIL. How much shall adulterie be punished by the censure of Gods holie word VERIL. Adulterie which is the violation and breach of the faith promised in mariage a thing odious and forbidden of God Exod. 20. Leui. 18. Deut. 5. is so gréeuouslie punished of him that all adulterers shall without they doo truelie repent bée cast awaie into vtter darkenes 1. Corin. 6. Hebru 13. Ierem. 8. which is without the kingdome of God And if men doo not punish adulterers God himselfe will surelie punish them 2. Reg. 12. As we haue an example of king Dauids sonne which Vrias wife bare vnto him whom the Lord so stroke with sicknes for the adulterie of his father that it fell sicke and died the seuenth daie after Mala. 3. Thus the Lord himselfe verelie will be a swift witnes against all adulterers FALSIL. Carnall copulation is the ordinarie meanes onelie for mankind to be encreased and multiplied and to fill the world Genesi 1. God commanded Adam and Eue to encrease and multiplie and fill the world
commandement of dooing repentance is vniuersall and the promises therevnto annexed be likewise vniuersall and includeth all people as Venite ad me omnes Matt. 11. Esaie 53. Come vnto me all yee And againe Delicta omnium nostrum tulit He hath borne all our sinnes Thus haue the seruants of God alwaies wrestled with sin that the pricking thereof should not perse them to death Thus did the woman the Cananite which acknowledged hir selfe vnworthie of Christs benefits obteine grace and mercie by faith and constancie in hir inuocation and praier FALSIL. The diuell dooth miracles and strange works what difference therefore is there betweene true miracles and false VERIL. There is a three double difference The first is taken of the substance oâ— miracles bicause that the diuell truelie cannot imitate or followe the true miracles or the miracles of the church as to raise vp the dead to life againe to let the course of the sun to stop the course of flouds and to make the barren to beare children The second difference may be taken of the accident that is to wit in confirmation of false worshippings and false doctrine as the â—â—racles which were doone among the gentils and papists were doone of the diuell for the confirmation of idolatrie and false worshipping as the inuocation and praier to the dead contrarie to the expresse word of God saieng Thou shalt haue none other gods but me Exod. 20. And this rule is alwaies immutablie to be obserued that we must beléeue no miracle doon contrarie to the expresse word of God Also Deut. 18. Thou shalt not enquire the truth of the dead The third difference is that the miracles in the church doo repell and cast out the diuell whether he will or no Luc. 11. as Christ did cast out the dum diuell and afterward the dum spake the people maruelled the like he did other times also FALSIL. Can the holie and elect people of God fall and léese the Holie-ghost their faith 〈◊〉 grace of God and be damned VERIL. No they cannot for our sauiour Christ hath said Matth. 24. Except those daies of trouble should be shortened no flesh that is no man should be saued but for the sake of the elected those daies shal be shortned And againe False christs and false prophets shall arise and shall giue great signes and wonders insomuch that if it were possible the verie elect should be brought into error By these words it appeareth manifestlie that God in mercifull prouidence will shorten the daies of trouble that shall be towards the end of the world bicause his elected and holie people may not thereby be brought to euerlasting destruction and that it is not possible for them to be so brought into error by false christs and false prophets that they should by error be brought into euerlasting damnation 1. Cor. 10. And S. Paule hath written thus to the Corinthians God is faithfull and will not suffer you to be tempted aboue your power but euen in the midst of the temptation he will make a waie that you may be able to beare it Rom. 8. And againe to the Romans Who will laie any thing to the charge of Gods elect 2. Tim. 2. And againe to Timothie The firme foundation of God standeth stedfastlie hauing this seale God knoweth who be his But least this doctrine should encourage any man to lead a carelesse life the apostle saith in the next sentence Let euerie one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie And to the Romans There is no condemnation to them that be in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh Eph. 4. And to the Ephesians the apostle saith Gréeue not the holie spirit of GOD in whom you are sealed against the daie of redemption Our care is to liue without sinne according to the exhortation of th'apostle Iohn 1. Ioh. 2. My little babes I write these words to you that you should not sinne but if any man doo sin we haue an aduocate with the father euen Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins Gods elected doo sinne as the wise man saith verie often but they rise againe by repentance Prou. 24. The righteous person saith he falleth seuen times and riseth againe but the vngodly fall downe headlong into mischiefe FALSIL. The elect people are alwaies beloued of God therefore they cannot fall VERIL. The elect people are indéed beloued of God and so beloued that nothing can separate them from his loue Rom. 8. As the apostle writeth I am sure that neither death neither life neither angels neither principalities neither powers neither things present nor things to come neither fortitude neither higth neither depth neither any other creature can separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. But yet they may and doo fall â—s Salomon saith Prou. 24. and being downe they rise againe being lifted vp by that louing Father from whose loue their often and horrible falles cannot separate them For so God loued the world that is Iohn 3. his elect in the world that he gaue his onlie begotten son that all that beleeue in him shuld not perish but haue euerlasting life FALSIL. Tell me what is blasphemie and whether the sinne therof be remissible and pardonable or no VERIL. Blasphemare est maledicere ac malè precari alâ—js per nomen seu inuocationem Dei Blasphemie is a sinne against the holie-Holie-ghost a curssing and reproching commonlie referred vnto the despite of GOD when one knowing and willinglie would adnihilate and make void the power of God and withstand the truth that a man knoweth as the Phariseis reuiled reiected Christ oppugning the truth manifested vnto them by the testimonies of God and attributed the works of Christ to the diuell Matth. 12. Marc. 3. Luc. 11. Exod. 10. and to take vpon him aboue the might of God as Pharao Senacherib and Holophernes did And touching pardon thereof I answer by distinction that they are forgiuen which sinne therein by ignorance and afterward truelie repent them thereof as S. Paule did 1. Tim. 1. which saieth that he was a blasphemer but yet he receiued mercy forgiuenes of his sinne bicause he persecuted the congregation of GOD ignorantlie And this is a generall rule euer inuiolablie to be obserued Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis Matth. 11. Come vnto me all ye that are heauie laden with the burthen of sinne c Vius ego dicit Dominus Eze. 18.33 1. Tim. 2. Rom. 5. As sure as I liue saith the Lord I will not haue the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and liue And that God would haue all men to be saued Againe Gratia exuberat super delictum Grace is more aboundant than sinne We must déeme of the will of God according to these saiengs of scripture and promises and not after our owne
brought vnto pouertie FALSIL. How can our good works or our obedience towards the lawe of God be acceptable or pleasant vnto him VERIL. When our person is righteous or accepted vnto God by faith in Christ then our works please him as it is said of Abel Respexit Deus ad Abel sacrificia eius Genesi 4. The Lord regarded Abel and his sacrifices bicause the person of Abel was righteous through his faith in the promised séed therefore his sacrifices and workes were plesant vnto GOD. But Caines sacrifices pleased not God bicause his person was not righteous that is he was not accepted with God through his incredulitie and vnbeléefe For whatsoeuer is not done of faith is sinne and displeaseth God although it shine neuer so much in outward shew and séemeth to be good in the sight and iudgement of man FALSIL. What difference is there I praie you shew me betweene the spirit and the soule VERIL. The spirit representeth in vs the nature of God and worketh in vs a spirituall life or the renewing of our mind which is brought to passe by the holie-Holie-ghost and the externall voice of the gospell and the spirit is one substance with the soule But in the soule there are manie powers as wit will and memorie yet the spirit is the most pure and furthest from corruption the most high and diuine portion of our soule Our soule is the cause of our naturall life of all the powers and actions thereof yet in vs she dooth neither good nor euill though she taketh part of the sensible wits and naturall motions but she maketh vs indifferent so that if she take part with the spirit then she is hir selfe become spirituall also and maketh vs vertuous and obedient to God but if she take part with the flesh she shall growe out of kind into the maner of the flesh and so to become disobedient and rebellious to God and his lawes The spirit desireth nothing but supernaturall and heauenlie things the flesh delighteth in worldlie pleasures and desireth to haue delicate things But our soule desireth to haue nothing but necessarie things Esai 26. Esaie maketh mention of the soule and spirit saieng My soule shall desire and long for thée in the night and in my spirit and my heart strings I will wake in the morning to please thée Daniel saieth also In cant 3. puerorum Spiritus animae iustorum laudent Dominum Let the spirits and soules of the iust men praise the Lord. Luke 1. The blessed virgine Marie in hir canticle reciteth the soule and the spirit In libro primo Saint Origen writing vpon the Epistle to the Romanes diuideth man into thrée parts to wit the spirit the soule and the flesh happilie following the opinion of S. Paule who writeth thus Vt integer spiritus vester 1. Thes 5. anima corpus sine querela in aduentu Domini nostri Iesu Christi conseruetur That your spirit your soule and your bodie may be kept cleane and vncorrupt that ye be not blamed or accused at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ This I hope is sufficient to prooue the three parts of man and also sufficeth for the description of the spirit and the soule of man FALSIL. Againe what difference is there betwéene Animus and Anima for I haue heard schoolemen saie there is a difference betwéene them VERIL. In déed the schoolemen doo saie that Animus is the mind the will of man affection delectation wrath and sometime they take it for the soule it selfe But Anima is life breath and the verie soule which is a substance created inuisible most like vnto our immortall God hauing none image or figure but onelie of hir immortall creator And they saie that Anima viuimus we liue by the soule Ac animo sapimus and are wise by the mind FALSIL. Are all men receiued of God into grace and so saued or no VERIL. All men are not receiued in the grace of God and so saued but onelie 〈◊〉 as doo acknowledge their sinnes and infirmâ—ties and doo flie for succour in all afflictions both of bodie and of mind vnto Christ our onlie mediatour Esaie 57. For the prophet dooth saie Vâ— habitat Dominus Where dwelleth the Lord Hâ— maketh answer himselfe and saieth In spirit contrito corde humiliato In a contrite spirâ—â— and an humble heart FALSIL. How manie sorts or degrées 〈◊〉 men are there touching acceptance wiâ—â— God VERIL. There are thrée kinds of sorts First prophane persons and Epicures whicâ— perseuere and continue in their wickednes contrarie to their owne conscience against whom the holie apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 6. Nolite errarâ— Be not deceiued Scortatores adulteri non possunt intrare in regnum Dei Whoremongers and adulterers cannot enter into the kingdome of God Rom. 5. Againe Si secundum carnem vixeritie moriemini If ye liue after the flesh ye shall die For carnall liuers cannot without true repentance receiue a spirituall reward after this life The second sort are proud persons and hypocrits which doo trust in their owne holinesse and wisedome and haue good opinion of themselues despising all others in respect of themselues perceiuing a moth in other mens eies that is Matt. 7. finding a small fault in an other mans life and yet not willing to sée the beame that is in their owne eies These two sorts of people carnall epicures and proud hypocrits as long as they be such and so continue they are not receiued of God and so saued in the end The third sort are conuerts such as turne vnto God acknowledging their owne infirmities and flie vnto him for succour in a sure confidence and trust of our mediatour Christ and such are they that Christ dooth call to him where he saieth Matth. 11. Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis onerati estis ego reficiam vos Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie laden and I will refresh you FALSIL. How manie things are requisite and necessarie for such as truelie repent and turne vnto God VERIL. They must haue two things first contrition or the acknowledging of their vnworthines as S. Peter acknowledged himselfe not to be worthie of the presence of Christ saieng Exi a me Domine Luke 5. Lord depart awaie from me and then he setteth downe a reason whie he would haue him depart Quia homo peccator sum Bicause I am saieth he a sinfull man Next they must haue faith whereby we are out of all doubt that God receiueth vs freelie for and by his sonne Christ and by confidence in him we come vnto God the father desiring his grace and aid as the apostle saieth Per hunc filium habemus accessum ad patrem Rom. 5. We haue accesse to God the father by his sonne and by faith in him we drawe nigh vnto God with a sure confidence Ephe. 2.3 knowing that God the father dooth heare
euill what is the office of good angels VERIL. The office of good angels is to preserue and defend Gods people namelie the church the politicall gouernance and commons as the prophet saith Psalm 33. Circumuallat angelus domini timentes eum eripiet eos The angell of the Lord tarrieth round about them that feare him and will deliuer them Againe Angelis suis mandauit de te Psalm 91. vt custodiant te in omnibus vijs tuis He hath giuen his angels charge ouer thée that they shall kéep thée in all thy waies And Christ himselfe speaketh most comfortablie of children Amen dico vobis quòd angeli puerorum semper vident faciem patru mei Matth. 18. qui in coelis est Verelie I saie vnto you that the angels of children behold the face of my father which is in heauen Such is the great humilitie of these most excellent spirits that they be the kéepers of children they sit about their cradels they walke with vs they be with vs in our beds at the fire at the table and euerie where alwaies resisting the wicked angels that they should not hurt vs in bodie or in goods which they alwaies diligentlie endeuour to doo according to this saieng Diabolus circuit nos 1. Pet. 5. tanquam leo rugiens quarens quem deuoret The diuell goeth round about vs like a roring lion séeking whom he may deuoure Thus he dooth not mooued therevnto by anie pleasure or commoditie that he hath thereby but onelie for the insatiable hatred that he beareth against God his sonne Christ whom he would not haue to be glorified in mankind but that all men shuld blaspheme God as he dooth himselfe bicause he knoweth to be still in a damnable state FALSIL. Matth. 18. Christ biddeth vs cut off our hands and féet also to plucke out our eies if they be a let vnto vs Therefore these members must be destroied and cast awaie VERIL. I denie the consequent bicause it is a metaphoricall spéech For our hands and féet doo signifie our fellowes and fréends our eies doo signifie our admonishers and counsell-giuers which would abduce vs and lead vs awaie from God his doctrine true religion or from a godlie life Therefore we must cut off relinquish and auoid their companies and counsels And it is not onelie our outward parts that be lets and hinderances vnto vs to trauell toward the celestiall Hierusalem but also euen our hearts Matth. 12. out of the which doo come euill thoughts and offenses FALSILOQVVS If sinne be the cause of sickenesse and death Matth. 9. whie are christians subiect to death sorrowes and other infirmities incident to mankind séeing their sinnes are forgiuen them VERILOQVVS First bicause the remnant of sinnes hangeth and cleaueth fast yet in the nature of those that are regenerate and new-borne which must be mortified and abolished by death and other calamities as the apostle saith Rom. 7. Corpus mortificatur propter peccatum The bodie must be mortified for sinne which sticketh fast in our flesh or nature Next that God might shew his power infinite in the deliuering of the good contrarie to the power furie and tyrannie of the diuell and his members according as it is written Psalm 5. Mirificauit Dominus sanctum suum The Lord hath maruellouslie wrought with his saints that is he hath wonderfullie deliuered his seruant Thirdlie bicause the faith praier of the godlie might shine and be exercised in calamities as it is said Vexatio dat intellectum Vexation giueth vnderstanding Esai 29.26 Againe Domine in tribulatione visitant te Lord the people in their trouble will visit thée The miserie wherin mankind make their praiers vnto God is a discipline and correction to them to wake them out of their securitie carelesse slumbering in sin FALSIL. Their sinnes must be forgiuen them which doo acknowledge the same and doo promise amendment of life according to this saieng Quorumcunque peccata remiseritis remittentur eis Whose sinnes so euer ye shall forgiue they shall be forgiuen them Againe Luke 24. Preach repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes in my name Therefore there ought to be no excommunication in the church or punishment to be executed vpon the wicked by the magistrate VERIL. I denie the consequent First bicause there is a double ministerie of the gospell the one is the declaration of the gospell by the which the sinnes knowne and the sinnes vnknowne are forgiuen to all them that doo truelie repent according to the former saieng Whose sinnes so euer ye forgiue they are forgiuen them But such as doo manifestlie offend and be often admonished yet will not repent and amend they are to be excommunicated that is they are to be cast out of the societie of the church vntill they doo amend their liues and shew publike signes and tokens of their amendment So Christ commandeth him that falleth first to be admonished that he may of his owne accord returne into the waie if he returne he commandeth him to be receiued if not to be excommunicated as the Corinthians excommunicated the incestuous person at the commandement of S. Paule and as Ambrose excommunicated Stilicons scribe Next the magistrate hath a commandement to punish the wicked for it is written Qui gladium accipit gladio perilit He that taketh the sword shall perish with the sword Also Rom. 13. Magistratus Dei minister est vltor ad iram ei qui quod malum est fecerit The magistrate is Gods minister to take vengeance of him that dooth euill FALSIL. How shall the iudgement be in the end of the world VERIL. Matth. 24. In the end of the world Christ shall come in the clouds of heauen accompanied with the holie angels of his power and flaming fire and at the horrible sound and dreadfull blast of the trumpet which shall then sound as it were these words Surgite mortui 2. Thes 1. venite ad iudicium omnes Arise you dead and come all vnto iudgement All mankind that haue liued from the creation of the world to that time shall rise againe whole and perfect with their bodies soules before the iudgement seat of God and shall go to reaping of the fruits that they haue sowne in this world namelie they that haue sowne in the flesh Galar 6. shall reape corruption of the flesh and those that haue sowne in the spirit shall reape life euerlasting FALSIL. 1. Cor. 15. We shall all rise againe at the last daie The wicked shall not stand in the iudgement Psal 1. Therefore all shall not rise againe VERIL. The consequent truelie is in this place nothing true Psal 1. For the prophet speaketh not héere of the generall iudgement that shall be at the end of the world when Christ shall appeare in the maiestie of his glorie to iudge the quicke and the dead for then all without exception both good and euill shall rise againe to receiue the reward of the works of their bodies Of this resurrection S. Paule speaketh abundantlie 1. Thes 4. 1. Cor. 15. and Dauid compareth in this scripture the good with the wicked praising the vertues of the good saieng His leafe shall not fall awaie And in the same place a little after by a pretie antithesis he describeth the wicked Antitheton a figure when contraries be compared recording Non sic impij non sic The wicked shall be nothing so nor shall prosper in anie their dooings and studies like the godlie but they shall be scattered as most vaine like dust vpon the face of the earth and shall not continue in the function of iudgement and ministerie of office as other men doo but they shall be cut off 1. Reg. 31. 3. Reg. 12. as Saule and Ieroboam were with their posteritie and Dauid continued in his séed and reigned continuallie Againe the wicked shall not arise in iudgement when they shall be giuen to be iudged by the word of God yet will not amend their liues but will flie from the face of the earth with a troubled conscience they will not be reprooued but hate correction when Gods word condemneth them they will growe into the furie of madnesse they will not heare wholsome doctrine but blaspheme it and persecute it euen to the death like swine and mad dogs As for example The Phariseis stirred against the Lord and his Christ they came together they consulted they practised althings to kéepe the pompe of their owne glorie lucre and to destroie Christ and his gospell This is the meaning of the psalmograph The wicked doo not arise and ascend into iudgement to iudge themselues to amendment of life but lie in blindnesse and harden themselues in wickednes not suffering the iudgement of the spirit whereas euerie good man will gladlie haue all his owne righteousnes which is like a defiled cloth to be condemned Esaie 64. and to appeale to the righteousnesse which we haue in Christ Iesus to whom with the father and the holie-Holie-ghost be all power honor and glorie now and for euer and euer Amen FINIS Imprinted at London by H. Denham