Earbury that we had no Gospel faith because no rivers of living water nor gifts of the Spirit flowing out of us Answer Whatever faith he understood by that yet surely they had faith and love enough to keep them from destroying the communion of Saints It was added by Master Earbury that the Ministers of the Church of England allow parish Churches therefore they destroy the communion of Saints Answer absurd enough yet this was said to it communion of Saints is either reall mysticall and spirituall betweene the members of Christs body mysticall and which no believer can be an enemy unto let him be in a parish or any other relation and externall in some or other Church way of communion in the ordinances concerning which true beleevers who all hold spirituall communion might differ and yet be no wayes destroyers of the communion of Saints But how inflicters of temporall punishments and that all of them since Ministers inflict no penalties at all answered why their principles are such they approve of punishment for errors and heresies therefore they destroy the communion of Saints This was looked upon as a meere odium and reproach cast not only on the Ministers but much more on the Magistrates as enemies of the communion of Saints and therefore fitter to be answered by the Magistrate then a Minister Mr. Earbury said also that the Ministers of England did set up societies viz. Presbyteries which did destroy the communion of Saints It was answered that all Ministers did not set up presbyteries and secondly they that did did not destroy the communion of Saints Master Earbury said also that they did allow of an Ordinance of Parliament for the punishment of errors and heresies and therefore they did destroy the communion of Saints It was answered we know of no such Ordinance and therefore could not be said to allow of it After Master Earbury had denyed the qualifications of Ministers because strikers another would needs have them disabled because covetous and that all of them how so they who take other mens goods from them by fraud and circumvention under pretence of giving them somthing for it which was worth nothing are covetous but so doe all the Ministers of England by receiving Tythes ergo all are covetous Answer we did now conceive that our opposites had it in designe to lay us as low as they could by disgracefull speeches and reproaches because they could not beat us down by strength of argument We apprehended the arguments or rather reproches that the Ministers of England were all strikers and covetous to have as little weight as charity in them After this wee proceeded to the second branch of the argument That there were some Ministers in the Church of England approved of according to the mind of Christ That there must be a proof and approbation of Presbyters appeared 1 Tim. 3. 10. Let these also first be proved c. And that many Ministers in the Church of England had undergone sufficient tryall was proved thus They who have been examined and approved by those who are Ministers of Christ able to examine and approve them and designed to that purpose are approved according to the minde of Christ but some Ministers in the Church of England have been thus examined and approved c. Ergo The minor was denied upon two reasons First that they who examined and approved them were not able to do it though as was urged they had understanding and knowledge in the arts languages and Scripture because they had not the Spirit This was thought a very strange and unchristian charge and indeed a reproach upon all the Ministers of England many of which have been and many are such eminent and glorious lights and instruments of good in the Church of Christ Secondly that they who examined and approved any of the Ministers of the Church of England were not Ministers themselves therefore could not approve others Reply They who were themselves qualified approved called and ordained according to the minde of Christ were lawfull Ministers but they that approved Ministers in the Church of England were such Ergo It was said this was idem per idem in a circle It was returned thus that indeed the same thing that was proved at first was proved again by the same argument because the same thing was denied which was denied at first yet this was no circle in regard that hee was forced by the answerer denying that which was the first mayn question to use the first mayn argument again for hee who denyes those to be Ministers of Christ who approved and ordayned us denyes us to be Ministers of Christ who are approved and ordained by them and it is but one and the same question and therefore there can be no medium used to prove their Ministry to be true but the same which was used to prove ours to be true After much time spent in the former debates and it now grew late in the night some notwithstanding were still very importunate to have the Conference carried on unto that branch of the former Argument which concerned the Call of the Ministers whereupon one of the Ministers spake to this effect That unto a Minister two things were required Qualifications fitting him for the service and a Call separating him thereunto The qualifications are 1 Piety of life 2 Abilities of learning and ministeriall gifts whereby hee might be a workman who need not to be ashamed That in both these respects notwithstanding any thing which had been spoken no man could take any just exception against very many Ministers in the Church of England who are well knovvn to be eminent in both The Call is tvvofold Inward from God and Outward from man The Inward call is vvhen a man so qualified vvith piety of Life and abilities of Learning is by the secret vvork of God on his heart moved to desire the office of a Minister and to devote himselfe to serve the Lord and his Church in that employment And that all the Ministers of the Church of England are destitute of this call we dare likewise challenge any man to make good The Outward call is when a man thus qualified moved and inclined by God unto such an office is separated designed and authorised by men thereunto likewise This is considerable eyther as in Ecclesiâ constituâ a Church setled or as in Ecclesiâ Restituendâ a Church to be Reformed In a setled constituted Church this outward call is by Imposition of the hands of the Presbytery upon due and mature examination and approbation of the person so qualified with prayer commending him to God who hath fitted and inclined him unto that service and this call the Ministers of the Church of England had in Collegio presbyterorum But it was objected That we had this our Ordination from Antichristian and wicked men who cannot doe any thing for Christ To this Answer was made 1 That no man was able to affirm that all they
not all five there were none It was answered that Apostles c. were extraordinary Officers but Pastours and Teachers were ordinary Officers to be continued in the Church for the making of Saints by the blessing of God upon their ministery nay for the edefying and perfecting of Saints all Saints for the edefying of the whole body till wee all come not onely into the unity of the faith but to the perfection of the fulnesse of Christ and therefore no Saint is so perfect or excellent a scholar or disciple but he may be taught by the Ministers of Christ for though there be a great deale of variety in regard of those severall degrees of perfection wch are to be found in severall Saints yet the highest perfection of the most accomplished Saint here below is said to be according to the measure of the gift of Christ Ephes. 4. 7. who gave Pastours and Teachers vers. 11 to bring the Saints to the highest perfection attainable in this life verse the 12. Finally it was made most cleare and evident to Master Erbury and all the company that Christ did not only make promises to the Apostles themselvs but to such as were to succeed them in their ordinary Ministery that is to such as were to teach and baptize even unto the end of the world Mat. 28. 19 20. And when enquiry was made who were the successors of the Apostles the answer was that the Elders were the successors of the Apostles because the Apostle when he was to take his leave Act. 20. sent to Ephesus for the Elders of the Church verse 17. and recommended the oversight of the Church to them acknowledging that the Elders were Bishops or overseers of the Holy Ghosts making here is if we may so call it a kind of resignation a most manifest recommendation of the people to whom he had preached to the care of the Elders when Saint Paul was to see their faces no more Acts 20. 25. There was something else objected about the order of the Corinthian-Churches from the 1 Cor. 14. And to that objection there were very many satisfying answers given some of them shall be related First it is evident that the Apostle doth rebuke the disorders in those Churches which did manifestly tend to confusion though caused or occasioned by such as did pretend to Revelation verse 26. How is it then brethren when yee come together every one of you hath a Psalme hath a doctrine hath a tongue hath a revelation hath an interpretation let all things be done unto edifying The Apostle doth declare that he who pretended a revelation was to be tried and judged by the Prophets verse 29. for the spirits of the Prophets are to be subject to the Prophets verse 32. Moreover it is manifest that the Apostle doth not presse the observation of this order as a meer prudential matter but presses it as one of the commandments of the Lord which doth oblige even Prophets and spirituall men verse 37. If any man think himselfe be a Prophet or spirituall let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandements of the Lord Finally there were these four points distinctly proved First that divers amongst the Corinthians were endued with the gift of Prophesie which was as extraordinary as the gift of Tongues or Miracles and no argument taken from an extraordinary example and an extraordinary gift doth prove that ungifted men are authorised to Preach or Prophesie in an ordinary course Secondly divers among the Corinthians were enriched by Christ in every thing in al utterance and in al knowledge 1 Cor. 1. 5. but sure every Saint is not inriched in utterance and all knowledge Thirdly it is most manifest that every Saint did not ordinarily preach or prophesie amongst the Corinthians 1 Cor. 12. 29. Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all teachers are all workers of miracles and verse 30. Have all the gifts of healing c. all the Saints did not teach but only they that had the gift of teaching even as all did not work miracles all did not interpret no more then they did all speake with tongues Fourthly it is most evident that they only did teach whom God set or appointed to teach in the Church and God did set some not all to teach in the Church 1 Cor. 12. 28. Every member is not an eye for where then were the hearing verse 17. Now God hath set the members every one of them in the body even as it hath pleased him verse 18. and every member must be content with its place and observe that order which God hath set The Saints may find themselves work enough if they prepare for hearing and heare as they ought and practise what they heare and therefore they should not take the work of Preaching upon them which is sufficient to take up the whole man but leave it to them whom God hath appointed to give themselves wholly to prayer and preaching It was also declared unto them that Reverend Mr Cotton of New-England was now brought to see their opinion which was once his own to be an error and subscribes to our judgement with a great deale of ingenuity and sweetnesse in his Booke of the Keyes the 20th page The opponents were not able to reply any thing to these answers but desired to know when we would meet again we told them that we could not meet untill that day three weeks because the monethly Fast was to be observed upon the next week and the fifth of November the next week after whereupon it was desired by some of Master Erbury his adherents that our next question might be to this effect Whether there was any Ministry committed to the hands of select persons in the Church of Christ When we came to the place of meeting and the question formerly agreed upon at the last meeting was red which was to be the subject of the present conference it was decried by the Soldiers who denied that to be the question yet we are most assured that it was resolved upon to be then disputed It was desired that we might read the Theses in which the question was fully stated because they did give much light to the clearing of that question which they so much desired at length after much importunity it was yeelded to that we should read them which was done as followeth 1. Almighty God hath and will have a Church on earth unto the end of the world 2 The Father hath committed unto his Son Jesus Christ a the second Person in the blessed Trinity both b God and c man d all power and judgement over this Church and hath appointed him to be a e king a f priest and a g prophet thereunto h so long as the Church shall continue here on earth 3 The Lord Jesus doth not only teach his Church inwardly but hath also appointed external ordinances viz. i preaching the word and
If so then the argument that he was not a Minister because ignorant falls to the ground To this nothing was replyed that we could call to minde But they might all prophecy one by one 1 Cor. 14. 31. It was answered that that was cleerly meant of the Prophets amongst them who were officers and had an extraordinary gift of prophesie by revelation given them verse 30. and not of every one of the people at large 1 Cor. 12. 29. Ephes. 4. 11. No it was not extraordinary for they were to speak to edification exhortation and comfort As if extraordinary officers might not speak to those ends It was further answered that the text in the Ephes. was not exclusive of others and therefore others might preach though not enumerated for elsewhere others were mentioned namely helps governments 1 Cor. 12. It was replied first that though there was mention made of helps and governments which many did interpret of ruling officers Ephes. 4. speaks of officers designed for preaching of doctrine though all officers might not be set downe here yet none ever questioned whether all for doctrine were not set downe Secondly that this must be a full enumeration of all officers for preaching for the Apostle mentions the gifs Christ gave to his Church at his Ascension and if here were not all then Christ at the time of his Ascension did not give all gifs sufficient for his Church which could not be imagined whereupon in the opening of that place four particulars were observed first the time when Christ received and gave these gifts to men Psalm 68. 18. at the time of his Ascension when he led captivity captive it being an expression taken from triumphs of Conquerors after great victories it was their custome then to give gifts and largesses to the people so Christ ascending into Heaven and leading the devill hell and death as it were in triumph having destroyed them and delivered his people from their power at that time gave gifts unto his Church Secondly the gifts given were Apostles c. which were officers for the good of his Church Thirdly the end to which they were given the perfecting the body of the Saints c. Fourthly the time how long they were to continue till we all come c. that is to the end of the world while there shall be any that must be brought into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of Christ and to be perfected in him which alwaies will be as long as the world doth last so that Christ at that time when hee led captive all his enemies that did oppose him in his state of humiliation received gifts and gave them to men that it might appear that in spight of all those enemies he would provide such gifts and officers as were necessary for his Church Now the Apostle reckoning up those gifts in particular and pointing out the ends for which they were given and the time how long they were to last it cannot be supposed that eyther Christ did not then receive and give all gifts necessary or that the Holy Ghost in enumerating those he received and gave should not enumerate all so that they who are not within the number of those officers there mentioned are none of the gifts given to the Church at the time of Christs ascension for the end specified and therefore there must be some other time when Christ gave those to the Church who are only gifted brethren for those ends of perfecting the Saints the worke of the Ministry the edifying of the body of Christ or else it must be acknowledged that themselves not preaching by way of office according to their former answer cannot have so good authority to preach in publick as they have who are the Officers designed by Christ Thirdly whereas it was answered that in the very same chapter the members are said to edifie one another the reply was this by edifying was not in faith and knowledge by preaching but it was edifying in love for so the words are verse 16. it was answered by Master Earbury that those were given ex abundanti though the works they were to doe were in other hands before This being a begging of the question it was further said all are not Apostles c. and that private men were not allowed to doe the works of Apostles and Evangelists and therefore not of Pastors and Teachers if some parts of the text were exclusive so were others it was added that then it will follow if Christ had never given Apostles Prophets c. yet the Saints might have been perfected the body of Christ edified and all brought into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ which seemeth very strange to us We were ready to have pressed other arguments to prove that private men have no authority to preach but the multitude of Souldiers in a violent manner called upon us to prove our calling whereupon it was thus argued They who were qualified approved called ordained according to the minde of Christ are the Ministers of Christ But some Ministers in the Church of England are qualified approved c. Ergo some Ministers in the Church of England are the true Ministers of Christ The minor was denied In the proof of which he began with qualifications which were set down 1 Tim. 3. Titus 1. They who have the qualifications there set down are qualified according to the mind of Christ but some Ministers in the Church of England have those qualifications Ergo it is true that some Ministers in the Church of England are qualified according to the mind of Christ The minor was denied It was demanded what qualifications were wanting the answer was made by Master Earbury that it was one qualification that Ministers must be no strikers but all the Ministers in England are strikers The reply Master Reynolds Master Harris Master Wilkinson are no strikers therefore all are not Master Earbury said they are and all are strikers which hee laboured to prove thus They who destroy the communion of Saints and inflict temporall punishments upon spirituall weaknesse are strikers but all the Ministers of England do so Ergo Both propositions were denied first the major because the Apostle in both places means it of fighting striking according to the usuall acception of the word and of outward violence secondly the minor was denied with this confirmation they that have faith and love do not destroy the communion of the Saints but many Ministers in the Church of England have true faith and love Ergo It was answered by Master Earbury that the Ministers of the Church of England had not Gospel faith and love Ergo It was sayd to that by one of the Ministers that hee himself had a saving justifying faith of the same kinde with that of Abraham therefore hee had a Gospel faith But it was said by Mr.
Christ in the Father To this exposition there were these exceptions taken by our brother 1. Christ had the fulnesse of the Godhead before his ascension and therefore Christ did not ascend that he might receive the fulnesse of the Godhead 2. If the Godhead were imparted to any Saint that Saint would be as Christ is truly God 3. The Saints are not in the Father as Christ is in the Father for the divine Persons are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} quia {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} they are in one another because they have one and the same infinite essence they are all three one and the same God 4. The Father is not the Godhead because the Father if we speak properly is the first Person the Godhead is the nature of all three Persons His next Argument was taken from John 14. 12. The Saints have a greater power then ever Christ had for every one that believes in Christ may doe greater works then ever Christ did Our brother answered that the speech was limited they should doe greater works then these that is greater then the miracles which Christs speech referred to and therefore Master Earbury did ill to interpret the Text as if the words were to be simply and universally taken when it is evident that they are to be restrained quoad materiam subiectam for Christ did satisfie the justice of God for the sins of all the elect which no Saint could ever have done M. Earbury was asked whether he would acknowledge that Christ satisfied Gods justice for the sins of all the elect but he would not answer yea or no but said that M. Cheynell endeavoured to intrap him M. Earbury said that the Apostles gaue the Holy Ghost which was a greater work then ever Christ did M. Cheynell desired him to prove that the Apostles gave the Holy Ghost as Christ did by their owne immediate power or prove that Christ did not give the Holy Ghost M. Earbury replyed that Christ did not give the Holy Ghost before his ascension and so retreated to his first hold as if Christ had ascended that he might receive such a fulnesse of the Godhead as did enable him to give the Holy Ghost Our brother desired them who were accquainted with the Socinian controversies to observe that M. Earbury had not his revelation from Heauen but Poland and desired M. Earbury to consider that Christ satisfied for the sins of the elect before his Ascension M. Earbury his next proof was taken from John 14. 20. 21. Joh. 17. 5. 21. 22. from whence he collected that the same fulness of the Godhead was given to the Saints wch was givē to Christ for the Saints have the same glory because they are one with Christ perfectly one with him as the Father is one with him therefore the fulnesse of the Godhead dwels in them The same glory which Christ asks for in the 5 verse he gives to the Saints verse 22. of the 17 of John there is the same union between Christ and the Saints which is between Christ and this Father verse 21. 23. the same love verse 23. I say the same love saith M. Earbury speake in as high a measure as you will I will prove the same measure nay there is a higher measure of love expressed to the Saints then to Christ though in a mystery there is the same love and the same union that is an union of love Many answers were given to this Argument which need not be repeated To that concerning union with Christ it was answered to this effect That the union betweene Christ and the Saints is either a mysticall union by faith or a morall union by love or a glorious union by a beatificall fruition And because M. Earbury pressed the word as one with the Father as Christ is one our brother answered that there was a received distinction among Divines sicut veritatis sicut aequalitatis sicut similitudinis As doth sometimes note onely the truth of a thing and so the union between Christ and the Saints is a true union a reall though a mysticall and spirituall union 2. As notes no equality in that place of John though it may note a similitude so the proportion and distance be observed betweene creatures and their Creator Finally M. Cheynell told him that the interpretation smelt too strong of Poland when he intimated that there was only an union of love between the Father and Christ for there is also an union of nature but there is not an union of nature between God and the Saints the saints are joyned to Christ by faith and are therefore one spirit with him 1 Cor. 6. 17. but they are not one God with him Then M. Earbury insisted very long upon Coloss. 2. because that Chapter doth explain the mystery of God even the Father and of Christ verse 2. though the Spirit that is the power of God as we said before even Christ who is the wisdome of God and the power of God doth manifest himself Joh. 14. 21. The Father is the eternall God God in himself and of himselfe greater then all and highest of all the Father is the Godhead and he fils the man Christ with all the fulnesse of the Godhead Coloss. 2. 9. For Christ hath all given to him as the Saints have and as there is the fullnesse of the Godhead in Christ so is there also in the Saints For they are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} verse 10. which is rendred compleat now the Saints are not compleat till they are filled with all the fulnesse of God Ephes. 3. 19. filled with love for God is love and that love wherewith we are filled is God filled with Christ the wisdome of God and with the spirit the power of God with those three that are in Heaven this is the mystery and it is incomprehensible for the love of God to Christ and the Saints is Incomprehensible We fear that you would be tired out if all that was objected against this exposition should be related but it must be observed first that when M. Earbury speaks of God he saith God even the Father and when he mentions the Father he saith the Father is God himselfe the eternall God c. whereby he doth intimate that Christ is not God of himself the eternall God equall to his Father Our brother therefore took exceptions against these expressions because they seemed not to drop from M. Earbury but to be affected since they were so often repeated M. Cheynell offered to prove that Christ is God by nature God of himselfe equall to his Father M. Earbury replied dear Sir you are not to dispute but to answer what I object whereas indeed M. Earbury was to have been respondent and did make a Speech instead of a Supposition for the explication of his Thesis and therefore M. Cheynell should have had free liberty to have disputed and M. Earbury was engaged to answer his arguments
but when that would not be permitted and M. Earbury desired our brother to consider that that phrase God by nature was no Scripture phrase Master Cheynell replyed Sir now it appears that you are not so well read in Scripture as you pretend to be you may read the expression Gal. 4. 8. and though you will not give me leave to dispute yet suffer me to expound the place and shew the ground of my Exposition The Apostle shews in this place 1. That religious service must be performed to none but to him that is God by nature from hence it will follow that if Christ be not God by nature we ought not to performe religious service to Jesus Christ 2. The Apostle shews that they are ignorant of God who perform service to them who are not Gods by nature 3. M. Cheynell shewed that Christ was God by nature subsisting in the form of God and was God equall to his Father and proved it from Phil. 2. 6. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} subsisting in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God He who is in the form of God and without prejudice to the Father equall to him must needs be God by nature the selfe same God though not person with the Father and therefore an Independent God God in himself God of himself the eternall God It is robbery to make more Gods then one It is robbery to make the Saints equall with God but it is no robbery to make God the Son equall with God the Father because Christ is God by nature but no Saint is God by nature the fulnesse of the Godhead all the fulnesse of the Godhead dwels and dwels bodily that is really for body is opposed to shadow in the person of the Lord Jesus And therefore it is evident that the same fulnesse of the Godhead which is in Christ is not truly and really in any Saint The Congregation received this exposition with a generall shout and acclamation but M. Cheynell desired them to forbear and told them that if he could not intreat them to be silent he would silence himselfe and proceed no further least such testimonies of approbatiō might give offence or cause disturbance 2. Desired the company to take notice that M. Earbury called the Spirit the power of God almost as oft as he had occasion to mention the Spirit which expression did too plainely declare that M. Earbury held correspondence with the Socinians in their hereticall opinions M. Earbury professed that he never read any of their writings and yet when M. Cheynell distinguished between the spirit and the graces of the Spirit a little after M. Earbury forgot himself and said that was a Polandisme conceiving that the spirit was by that distinction imprisoned in Heaven and he began to tell a story of some cast out by a Synod for such expressions and when M. Cheynell did distinguish afterward between Christ considered as a glorifiedman and as the Lord of glory M. Earbury said glorified man was one of the Polonian expressions let the Reader judge whether M. Earbury never read any of the Polonian Writers 3. Our brother desired M. Earbury to deal plainely and clearly with him whether he did acknowledge and believe three Persons and one God our brothers question was grounded upon M. Earbury his mention of three in Heaven and yet his frequent confounding of the Son with the Spirit for sure if the Son be the Spirit as he doth commonly preach there cannot be three in Heaven for the Son and the spirit are but one as he conceives nay there will be but one in Heaven for the Son is nothing but the wisdome of the Father or the power of the Father and so there will be no more divine persons in Heaven but the Father only Besides M. Earbury saying that the Father is the true God and God is love and the Son is wisdome and the spirit is power M. Earbury seemed to put off his Auditory with a Trinity of Attributes instead of a Trinity of Persons and consequently to make many Threes in Heaven for iustice mercy eternity will make another three in this sense But M. Earbury said that he came not thitherto be catechised but it was easie to reply that he came thither to explaine himself and satisfie the Congregation which could not possibly be done unlesse he would give positive answers to pertinent questions M. Earbury told us that the fulnesse of the Godhead should be revealed more clearely hereafter in the flesh of the saints at the sound of the seventh Trumpet but it was more clearely revealed in the Prophets then by the Apostles becasue the Apostles were most taken up with writing about Faith and particular things yet John the Divine wrote clearly of it 1 John 3. 2. and therefore he pronounced all them to be Antichristian who did not believe that there is the same fulnesse of the Godhead in Christ and all the saints which he conceived to be very cleare from the 1 John 4. 2. 3. that is saith he whosoever denies that Christ is in us is Antichrist for by flesh is not meant the humane nature saith M. Earbury but the coming of Christ is the manifestation of the Godhead in the flesh of Saints for Christ himselfe is the Spirit with God Our brother was here forced to lay open M. Earbury and declare that M. Earbury conceived that Christ was man before the world was and therefore though he came into the world to be made of a woman yet he came not to be made man but to be made flesh Hereupon Mr. Earbury charged our brother with revealing of secrets and said that he had delivered himselfe to that purpose in a private Conference Our brother replied that he had not spoken a word about that Argument if M. Earbury had not led him into it by his perplexed discourse and pronounced such a censure upon all men that are not of his mind as to say they are Antichristian Master Earbury insisted much upon Ephes. 3. 19. That ye may be filled with all the fulnesse of God which our brother said was to be expounded by John 1. 16. of his fulnesse we have all received grace for grace Divers are said in the Scripture to be full of the Holy Ghost when they are sufficiently enabled to perform the dutyes which belong to their present estate and are growing up towards that fulnesse which all the Saints shall enioy when God is all in all But M. Earbury seemed most confident when he came to urge his arguments taken out of the Book of the Revelations The first was drawen from Reuel 2. 26. The Saints haue the same power over the nations to crush and breake them that Christ himselfe hath The answer was that the Saints did not overcome by their owne strength but by the strength of Christ Christ doth overcome and we triumph we have a share in that victory which Christ gaines by his