to say in the manner of vtterance and measure of reuelation for otherwise in substance Euangelicall couenant hath alwayes béene one and the same first made to Adam in Paradise afterward renued to Abraham his séed shadowed in the law spoken of by the prophets and preached vnto vs euer since Christ was actually exhibited to the world Father You seeme to say this that the couenant of Grace with the old people of the Iewes and vs differeth only in maner not in matter that is that Christ and all the promises of remission of sinnes and eternall life in him were dimly reuealed and darkely vttered vnto them in Types and shadowes but vnto vs the same are more fully clearely opened and reuealed Child I meane so indéed Father Expresse your meaning more at large in this point Child When a new impression of any booke commeth forth in a fayre letter good print distinctly versed well bound and guilt which béefore was ill printed in a darke letter ill bound couered wée say it is a new booke yet in substance it is the same with the former the difference is onely in the forme and outward qualitie Likewise when a Paynter draweth a darke draught of any kinde of Picture in obscure lineaments and colours and afterward flourisheth it ouer with more liuely fresh and orient colours héere is the same thing in substance but altered in qualitie And thus it fareth béetwixt the Couenant of Grace made with our forefathers and vs. For the oulde people which liued vnder the minoritie and wardshippe of the Church had a darke draught of Christ and all the promises made in him But wée haue them more clearely and liuely set out And as the Apostle sayth We are not as Moises which put a vaile vpon his face c. But wee all beehold as a mirrour the glory of the Lord with open face c. And againe in diuers manners God spake in the olde time to our forefathers by the Prophets but in these last dayes hée hath spoken vnto vs by his Sonne most cléerely and manifestly Father You told me euen now that no man is able to keepe the Law Now therefore tell me what daunger lyeth vppon it If a man breake the Law of God Child Eternall death and damnation for it is written The wages of sinne is death Father Is eternall death and damnation due to vs for euery little sin though it were but in thought onely Child Yea for the least sinne of thought If God should deale with vs according vnto Justice for it is written Whosoeuer keepeth the whole Law and yet faileth in one point is guiltie of all Father How then shall we escape this eternall death and damnation Child Onely by Christ For hée hath redéemed vs from the curse of the Law being made a curse for vs. For it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on a tree And againe Hee that knew no sinne was made sinne for vs that wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him Father How and by what meanes hath Christ redeemed vs from the curse of the Law and death eternall Child By the shedding of his blood vpon the Crosse for the Scripture sayth That hee hath made vp a generall peace betwixt his father and all the elect by the blood of his Crosse And againe Wee haue redemption throught his bloud that is the forgiuenesse of sinne And in another place Wee which vvere farre off are made neere by the bloold of Christ And the author to the Hebrews saith That neither by the blood of Goates and calues but by his owne blood entred he once into the holy place and obtained eternall redemption for vs. Father Haue we no further good by Christ but onely a freedome from death and a deliuerance from hell damnation Child Yes For through him we are reconciled to God the Father as the Scripture teacheth and through him we haue remission of sinnes eternall life and all good things for the Apostle sayth He is made of God for vs wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption Father Is there no other way nor meanes whereby we may obtaine remission of sin eternall life but onely by Christ Child No For the holy Ghost saith There is no saluation in any other for among men there is giuen no other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued And againe To him doe all the Prophets witnesse that through his name onely all that beleeue shall receiue remission of sinne Father What say you then to Popes pardons Indulgences Masses Trentales Dirges and such like May not a man by them obtaine remission of sinnes and eternall life Child Nothing lesse For the Scripture knoweth no such meanes or wayes to eternall life but doth vitterly reiect them as most abhominable deuises of them Father But may not a man be saued by his good works Child No For the Apostle sayth By grace are yee saued through faith and that not of your selues nor of workes least any man should boast himselfe And sure it is that euen in our best actions there is some remedy of corruption as wée doe them for the which God in iustice may condemne both vs and our actions for the Scripture sayth That our very righteousnesse is as a defiled cloath or filthy cloute If then our best workes bée stained how can wée bée saued by works Father If wee cannot bee saued by works then wherefore should wee doe them as good play for naught as worke for naught Child Not so for although wée can not bée iustified in the sight of God by our good works yet they haue their necessary vse and serue to great purpose As first to glorifie God Secondly to publish our Faith to the world Thirdly to bring peace and comfort to our consciences in the discharge of our duties And lastly to winne others Father What doe you call a good worke Child No worke of man is sound and currant indéede except the same bée commaunded of God to bée done and that of our part it bée done in such sort and manner as hée requireth that is from a carefull heart and sanctified mind otherwise whatsoeuer wée do in the worship and seruice of God it is abhominable Father If a man cannot bee saued by his works but by Christ only then tel me whether al men shal be saued by Christ or no Child None shalbée saued by Christ but onely such as beléeue in Christ that is such as doe particularly apply Christ and all the promises made in him to themselues beeing fully perswaded in themselues that Christ with all his merits is theirs Father Are you fully perswaded that Christ with all his righteousnes is yours that you haue speciall interest in him and that he dyed for you particularly and by name Child I am fully so perswaded indéede without all doubting Father How know you certainly that you haue
of the Sacrament of Baptisme let vs now proceede to speak of the sacramēt of the lords supper first tell me what is the special vse of it Child First it serueth to seale vnto our consciences all the promises made in Christ and all the benefits of his death whatsoeuer therfore there is the same vse of it that is of a seale which is to cōfirme and ratifie a writing For in outward things men like wel of a promise but better of a writing best of all of a seale Now therfore the sacrament is as it were y e kings broad seale set to his generall frée pardon For all the doctrine of the Gospel is as it were an open proclamation of pardon to all penitent sinners this sacrament is the seale of the kings pardon to ratifie confirme all the promises of the Gospell for a word or promise must necessarily go before the sacrament which it doth seale confirme vnto vs therefore the sacraments without the word of promise going before are as it were a seale to a blanke Secondly the sacrament of y e Lords supper is as it were a second seale set by the Lords owne hand vnto the former couenant made in baptisme which is renued in the Lords supper betwixt y e Lord himselfe the faithfull receiuer and that by the outward actions of eating bread drinking wine c. Thirdly the Lords supper serueth to represent vnto vs our continuall féeding in the house of God For as by baptisme we are once admitted into the houshold of God so by the Lords supper is signified a daily féeding in the same vpō Christ and all the promises made in him also vpon the word which is our most swéet heauenly manna Father Which bee the outward signes in the Lords supper Child Bread and wine Father Which be the inward things signified Child The body and blood of Christ Father How receiue you the outward signes Child I receiue them with my hands eate them with my mouth digest them with my stomack Father How do you receiue the inward things signified Child Onely by faith and féede of it as of a foode giuen me to life euerlasting Father Is the bread and wine then changed into the substance of the body and bloud of Christ Child No for that were to destroy y e nature of a sacrament which must consist both of heauenly earthly matter Therefore the bread and wine remaine still in their own forme nature substāce but Christs naturall body is in heauen Therfore the papists would make vs beléeue the moone is made of a gréen théese whē they beare vs in hand that bread is changed into flesh and wine into bloud and Christs naturall body is really present in the sacrament and yet we sée it quite contrary with our eyes and a child may discerne that it is neither so nor so Father Is there then no difference beetwixt bread and wine in the sacrament common bread and wine Child There is no difference eyther in substance or forme but only in the vse end whereunto they are applyed which is to represent signifie holy things for wheras before they were common meat now they are holy signes and beare the name of that thing which they signifie otherwise out of this action they are the same with common bread Father You said euen now that Christs bodie and blood and all the benefits of his death are receiued of vs by faith tell me therefore whether a wicked vnfaithfull man can receiue them Child He cannot for if they be receiued onely by faith how shall hée receiue them that hath no faith the vnbeléeuers therefore may receiue the outward signes that is the bread and wine as wel as others as did Iudas but the inward thing signified which is the body and blood of Christ and all the benefits of his passion none can receiue but onely the elect Father If this be true that all that receiue the shell doe not receiue the kernell then it followeth that grace is not necessarily tyed to the outward signe or sacrament Child True indéed for otherwise the faithlesse should gaine as much by the sacrament as the faithfull which were most absurd but most certaine it is that saluation is not tyed nor shut vp within the Sacraments neither doe they giue grace but onely testifie and assure that grace is giuen as sealed euidences doe giue no lands which are otherwise attayned as by inheritance friendship and money but onely testifie that they are giuen and assure the quiet possession and enioying thereof Father Why did God choose these creatures of bread and wine to represent vnto vs the body and blood of Christ rather then any other earthly creature Child Because there are none other earthly creatures that can so fitly represent vnto our outward senses those things which God would haue vs learne by this sacrament Father What be those things that God would haue vs learne by this Sacrament Child By the breaking of the bread we haue to learne the breaking of the bodie of Christ vpon the crosse and by powring forth of the wine the shedding of his blood and by the distributing to all that are present Christs communicating himselfe to all that will faithfully receiue him By eating and drinking wée learne that as bread wine do nourish our bodies in this life so Christs body and blood do nourish our soules to life euerlasting and as the substance of bread and wine by digestion passeth into the substance of our bodies euen so by faith Christ and wée are vnited with an vnspeakable vnion and wée made flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones and this is the proportion and analogie betwixt the signe the thing signified For if the sacraments had not a certaine likenesse of those things wherof they are sacraments then were they no sacraments at all Father What more is to be learned hereby Child That wée being many are one in Christ as of many graines is made one loafe and of many grapes one wine Father For as much as the vnworthy receiuer is dāned as the Apostle saith how wilt thou know whether thou art a worthie receiuer or no Child If I examine my selfe and find that I humbly acknowledge mine owne vnworthines that is to say my sins and be heartely sorry for them and fully purpose amendment of life assuredly resting vpon y e promises of pardon made in Christ then am I worthy because mine vnworthines is forgiuen put out of remembrance Father For whom are the Sacraments ordained Child The sacraments are specially ordained for those which beleeue in Christ and do séeke for remission of sins eternall life onely through his sacrifice for how can the forgiuenes of sin bée sealed vnto the vnbeléeuers whose sin is not forgiuen Father Who ought to approach vnto the Lords supper Child None but such as haue the knowledge of God in some measure
speciall interest in Christ that you shall be saued by his merits sith thousands shal perish which will say as much as you and in words make great brags that they hope to bee saued as well as the best of them all Child I doe certainely know it by the worke of grace in my soule I doe certainely know it because I féele it for this I am sure of that I féele that wrought in me from aboue which cannot bée in any but those whom God will saue Father What is that I pray you Child A liuely féeling of his grace a féeling of his loue a féeling of his mercie assured faith in the promises a féeling of the spirit of adoption a chaunge of my heart an alteration of my wayes an vnfained hatred of all euill and a syncere loue of all righteousnesse Father May not a wicked man haue all this Child No He may haue certaine shewes and shadowes of these things but in déed and in truth these things can be in none but the very elect Father Cannot the wicked and vnregenerate man be fully perswaded that Christ is his and that he shall be saued Child He cannot whatsoeuer he saith because hée cannot possibly receiue the spirit of adoption whereby this inward assurance full perswasion is wrought whereby also the merits of Christs death are sealed to euery particular conscience Father What other reason haue you Child Because none of the wicked haue that liuely and iustifying faith which maketh Christ and all his righteousnesse ours Father But there is none so wicked but he will say he hath faith and for the most part they thinke that they haue all the faith in the world and that there is no want in their faith Child Alas poore soules In these matters of GOD they say and thinke they know not what For Faith is a mystrrie and all heauenly things are such mysteries as they men of this world cannot vnderstand they are hid from their eyes Father Tell me then what is the heauenly and iustifying faith Child A full perwasion and inward assurance of Gods particular loue to vs in Christ with a sence and féeling of the same in our hearts Father May not this be in the wicked Child No It is not possible Father How farre then may a wicked man goe in faith Child A wicked man may goe thus farre to haue knowledge of the truth An assent to the same a ioy both in hearing and speaking of it and an outward profession of it for a time but the inward assurance of Gods loue and sensible féeling of it in their heart they can neuer haue which is indéede the very life of faith Father Is not this knowledge and assent sufficient If a man know the word of God and consent to the truth of it in his heart is not this faith Child No For the diuels may goe so farre and further too For the diuels doe beléeue the Scriptures to bée true They beléeue all the articles of the faith They haue excéeding great knowledge of the will of God and of the whole Scripture they beléeue that there is a God and that there is a reward for the righteous and torments to come for the wicked and as Saint Iames saith The diuels beleeue tremble and yet I hope no man will say the diuels shall bée saued Therefore wée must séeke a difference béetwixt their faith and ours or esse our faith is no better then the faith of diuels Father If this be true then Lord haue mercy vpon vs For out of doubt thousands are deceiued in this matter of faith and most men content themselues with a shadow of it stead of faith indeed And assuredly the faith of many carnal protestants is little better then the faith of diuels Child It is true the more is the pittie for the faith that now a dayes goeth for currant in the world is but an idle dead barren fruitlesse and fantasticall faith or rather an opinion conceit and mathematicall Imagination of the braine Father Hovv many parts be there of the true and liuely faith Child Two Father Which be they Child Iustification and sanctification Father What is iustification Child A setting of vs frée from the guilt of sinne by the blood of Christ Father What is sanctification Child A clensing renuing of our nature by the spirit of God Father How many parts be there of iustification Child Two That is to say remission of sinne and the imputation of Christs righteousnesse for when our sinnes are forgiuen Christs righteousnesse imputed to vs then are wée truly and indéed iustified Father How many parts be there of sanctification Child Two Father Which be they Child Mortification and viuification Father What is mortification Child A dying to sinne Father What is viuification Child A liuing to righteousnesse Father How many parts be there of viuification Child Two Father Which be they Child Regeneration and repentance Father What is regeneration Child A repairing of our nature which was corrupted by Adams fall Father What is repentance Child An inward change of the soule and a conuersion of the whole man vnto God Father Cannot a wicked man haue this repentance which is in the change of the soule and the conuersion of the whole man vnto God Child This is neuer wrought in y e wicked Father How far then may the vvicked goe in repentance Child The wicked may goe thus farre to haue a sight of sin and a féeling of it a confession of it a sorrow for it A great pensiuenesse and terrour after some horrible fact for feare of shame Law punishment hell fire c. as had Iudas Cain Saule Esau Ahab and such like They may haue also a resolution for the time to sinne noe more But that part of repentance which hath the promise of mercy annexed vnto it that is the conuersation of the whole man vnto God they can neuer haue Father How many parts be there of repentance Child Thrée Father Which be they Child Inward sorrow confession new obedience Father Whether is faith before repentance or repentance before faith Child If we respect time then they goe together for so soone as there is fire ther is heat so soone as a man hath faith so soone hée repents but in the order of nature faith goeth before repentāce before all other graces because it is the roote of all things that please God But if we respect the outward manifestation then repentance goeth béefore faith and regeneration and all other vertues Because it first of all appeareth outwardly For Faith is like the sappe of a trée that lyeth hid within the barke But repentance is like the bud that spéedily sheweth it selfe before either blossome fruit or leafe appeare Faith is like the fire and repentance like the smooke for though fire bée béefore smooke yet the smooke sheweth it selfe before the fire Father You defined repentance to bee an inward change of the soule how vnderstand you