the price thereof not according to the worthinesse thereof but according to mens purses will euer seeke to get heauen And further seeing that the lawe is the lawe of God who for that he made vs able at the first to keepe it may by good right still call for the keeping of it at our handes though before he call for it he knoweth now that such is our corruption of the one side and the perfection of it of the other side that we can not keepe it thereby we are to learne to fall downe before him and with the teares of our soules to confesse our debt that therin he demaundeth indeede to be due debt vnto him in regard of the state wherein he created vs but that by our owne fault we are growne now vtterly vnable to pay it and therefore that there is nowe no other way for vs to escape the danger of his infinite iustice but by flying to the throne of his mercy in his sonne Christ Iesus O if we would breake vp the fallowe landes of our heartes as we are counselled to doe Iere. 4.4 by causing this sharpe plowe of the law to make deepe forrowes in it For then so much good feede of the gospell as is woulde not daily be spilt and lost vpon vs for that our heartes for lacke heereof are either like the high way or like to stony or thorny ground But finding that the hardnesse of our hearts is such that this plough alone wil not pearce deep inough to breake them vp let vs adde thereunto the weight of Gods threatned iudgementes against the transgressours of the lawe Entering into which meditation we shall finde first generally Gods curse denounced against all those that doe not obserue and keepe all the words of the law Deut. 27.26 And to goe no further then to that Chapter and the next in particular we shall finde so manie most fearefull iudgementes threatened to all transgressours of the lawe as that thereby wee may easelie perceiue that to all transgressours thereof the Lorde would haue vs to vnderstande that infinite and most intollerable are the plagues both in this life and that which is to come that be threatned and due And in verie reason we must needes see it must bee so for sinne or transgression of the lawe beeing as it is an offence against the almightie and so a meanes directlie to deserue the seueritie of his iustice to be shewed against the same who is so simple but he must needes see that all miseries in this life and eternall death and damnation in the life to come are but iusty threatned against all that breake the law Nowe these thinges thus beeing may we thinke that those beeing both due and threatned that the infinite iustice of GOD is such that it will not inflict or execute the same when or vpon whome he list To what end tende all the fearefull examples of Gods vengeance executed vppon men that wee reade of in the scriptures and in other bookes and daily seeby experience but to teach vs that God is not a bare threatner but that he both can and wil be as seuere as his threatnings come vnto if there be not a iust and sufficient stop to stay the fiercenesse of his iust wrath from breaking out against all the generation of mankind Yf al this will not serue to make vs haue broken and contrite heartes for our sinnes and so to hunger and thirst after Christ let vs further yet behold the vglinesse of our sinnes and the extreeme danger that we were in by the meanes of them in this that God hath not spared his onely begotten sonne to giue him to vs to be borne and to liue and die for vs as he did For heerein as the loue and bountifulnesse of our God towardes man hath most gloriously appeared as Paule noteth Titus 3.4 so therein and thereof we may say with the Psalmist that mercy and iustice haue most notably mette and kist each other Psal 85.10 for doubtlesse such was the loue of the father towardes the sonne that if in his wisedome any other phisition or any other meanes could or woulde haue serued to haue recouered and cured vs of our sinnes he woulde neuer haue so farre debased his sonne as beeing God to appoint him to become man and in his manhoode to haue endured liuing and dying for vs that which he did O then in that the office of a sauiour was committed vnto him in that he taking vppon him to goe through therewith as he did beeing as he was in person not man onely but God also yet found it so heauie and difficult a thing we haue most iust cause to see and beholde that it is a thing of the greatest difficulty that may be to satisfie the iust wrath of God for sinne In him we knowe there was no sinne and in his mouth there was no guile Esay 53.9 1. Pet. 2.22 for such an high priest it became vs to haue that was seperate from sumers and needed not as the priestes of the olde Testament first to offer for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples Hebr. 7.26.27 And yet in that he bare our infirmities he was surely driuen to carrie our sorrowes insomuch that he was debased as he was and wounded and broken as he was for our transgressions and iniquities Esay 53.3.4.5 In that therefore his pure and holy manhoode though it had personally vnited vnto it a Godhead to enable it to goe thorow with that which it had to doe and suffer going vnder the burthen but of our sinnes was driuen into those bloodie sweates and agonies that it was in the garden Luke 22 44. and both there and after vpon the crosse before he coulde say all is finished Iohn 19.30 to say Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me my soule is heauie vnto death Math. 26.39 and 38. and my God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Mathewe 27.40 it was made manifest vnto the whole worlde that infinite is the seueritie of Gods iustice against fin that none but such an one was euer able to haue borne the burden thereof and to haue gotte from vnder it againe to triumphe ouer it as he hath proued that he did by his most glorious and comfortable resurrection and ascention into heauen after his death and passion when thus the iustice of GOD and his wrath against sinne was manifested in his suffering thorowe astonishmente thereat from the sixte howre vnto the ninthe there was darknesse ouer the whole earth the vaile of the temple rente from the toppe to the bottome the earth did quake and the stones were clouen and the graues did open themselues Math 27 45.51 52. if these then and all the former laide togither will not or cannot so astonishe or amaze vs at the sight of our sinnes and of all Gods wrath due vnto vs and most surely ready we cannot tell how soone to destroy vs if it be not stayed by this
our mediatour Iesus Christ as that hereby our heartes breake and rente a sunder for sorrowe we make euident demonstration that we are more blockish and sencelesse than these sencelesse creatures so we shal proue that we are none of those to whome Christ here speaketh But if here by as Ioel hath taught vs Cap. 2. ver 13. we take occasion to rent our hearts and not our garments and so to hunger and thirst aright for comforte from Christ then whatsoeuer we haue beene before of Christ it hath beene said vnto vs both for good direction herein and euerlasting comforte A brused reed shall he not breake and smoking flaxe shall he not quench Esaie 42.3 when the Lorde therefore by reading or preaching of his worde or by any other meanes that it shal please him to vse to that purpose bringeth all these or any of these to our remembrance then we are to make our reckoning that of his good grace fauor therby he giues vs iust occasion so to see our sins that in the sight feeling of the burthen therof we should thus hunger thirst after him that through him we might be deliuered from them And the more and better we dwell vpon the mediation of these fower thinges the Lord withall opening our eyes and heartes rightlie to vnderstand them and the vse thereof to this ende the more forcible we shall finde them to worke this effect But the trueth is through our originall sin we haue brought with vs into the world such a generall forwardnesse to all euill and backwardnesse to all good ioyned with such grosse blindnesse in thinges spirituall and by actuall sinnes daily flowing from this bitter fountaine in vs we haue al of vs so hardned our owne heartes that though the Lord by sounding these thinges outwardlie in our eares may make vs without all excuse if hereby we take no occasion thus to be humbled before him yet most certaine is it that the hearing of these things neuer so often outwardlie beaten vpon will neuer prooue forcible and effectual inwardly to breede in vs this true spiritual hunger and thirst vntill the Lorde himselfe of his speciall fauoure and grace both open the eyes of our mindes and mollifie and soften our hard heartes and so indeede himselfe by his owne hand and power heereby worke this in vs. This taught Moses the Iewes saying yet the Lord hath not giuen you an heart to perceiue and eies to see and eares to heare vnto this day Deut. 29.4 And yet this is in deede the Lordes speciall worke he sheweth the same people againe by his prophet Ezechiell saying I will put a newe spirit within their bowels I wil take away the stonie heart out of their bodies and will giue them an heart of flesh Cap. 11.19 when therefore we finde that neither the meditation of the lawe nor yet of the iudgementes threatned nor executed against the breakers thereof nor the hearing nor thinking of Christes passion with the cause thereof can breede or prouoke this to be in our harts we crie vnto God with Ephraim Ier. 31.18 Conuert thou me I shal be conuerted for thou art the Lord my God and with Dauid Psal 119.18 open mine eies that I may see the wunders of thy lawe And so in his good time if we be his doubtlesse we shall finde all these so worke together to the breaking of our hard hearts with remorse for our sinnes that euen in respect thereof we may say with him also Haue mercy vpon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed my soule is sore troubled I fainted in my mourning I cause my bedde euerie night to swimme and water my couch with my tears Psalm 6.2 c. yea with a good conscience without all dissembling we shall be able to say with him as the hearte brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God euen for the liuing God Psal 42.1.16.2 For when we haue the due sence and feeling in deed of our sinnes that we ought to haue before euer we will seek after Christ as we should we will and must as I haue shewed before be vndoubtedly wearie thereof and desirous to be easd of the most heauie burden of them And let vs not thinke that it is inough thus to be once in al our life namelywhen first we come to Christ and turne vnto him aright For though then it be most necessarie in respect both of our originall and actuall sinnes wherein perhaps we haue liued a long while before thus to be affected when we seeke first pardon and remision thereof in him yet for as much as after we be come vnto him and haue put him on though thenceforth sin shall reigne no more in our mortall bodies it will yet doe what we can be found so cleauing vnto vs dwelling in vs that if we should say we haue no sinne we should deceaue our selues 1. Ihon 1.8 For that when by experience we are enforced the best of vs with Iames. 3.2 to confeste that in many thinges we sinne all we are still from time to time as long as we liue so to looke into the glasse of the lawe and to meditate vpon the rest as that thereby we may take occasion continually to nourish earnest hunger and thirst after Christ that for our newe and daily sinnes we may more and more seeke vnto him and applie him dayly afresh vnto vs. For both Dauid and Paule long before they wrote the one the 51. Psalme the other the 7. to the Romaines were in the state of grace and the fauour of God the former by faith in the messias to come the other by faith in him alreadie come and yet as it is euident in both those places both these conferring the pure and spirituall lawe of God with their owne liues take occasion thereby not onely to see and confesse their owne sinnes but also in a spirituall manner to hunger and thirst after forgiuenesse thereof and therefore to fly to God in the person and mediation of Christ Iesus for that they were perswaded that if he tooke in hād the washing of them in his precious bloodshed they shoud be whiter then snow be cleandeliuered frō the sinful body of the flesh Let vs therefore first and last and when souer we would come vnto Christ which we shall haue neede to doe continually as long as we liue here this way that I haue shewed you both seeke to beginne and still to continue this spirituall hunger and thirst in vs after him Sathan our malitious olde and subtile enemie knoweth full well all this to be most true Sathans deuises take vs from thirsting First shewed and then confuted and therfore whereas he was too weak to stay God from prouiding vs thus in his sonne meate and drinke to satisfie our hungrie and thirstie soules withall and to seed on to saluation we may be sure yet that he will doe
their conceptes of purgatory and the releefe of soules there by a number of things which they seeke to make men beleeue will serue well to that end of the ouerplus merits and satisfactions of others to be communicated to such as lacke either through the common force of the communion of saintes or by the speciall intention of the doer and sufferrer of them or of the ordinarie disposer thereof at his pleasure which they hold to be the pope and of their mediation and intercession of saints and Angels for their deuout worshippers and callers vpon are as it were so manie strong cables to holde men backe either altogether or in great parte from longing and thirsting at all after Christ Lastlie their doctrine hath been and is such to blunt the edge and force of the law which God hath left as I haue shewed righthe vnderstood to driue men herunto that in verie deed they haue left it as it is and must bee vnderstood by their gloses and additions and detractions about the same without any force at all in effect to this purpose For first at their pleasure they leaue out the second commaundemente and to make yet vp the number of 10. they deuide the last into two secondly though Dauid neuer so much magnifie the perfection thereof as we haue heard Psal 19.7 yet it shall be so imperfect with them as that there are 5. commandements more which they call the commaun lements of the church beside infinite other traditions for the obseruing whereof often times they make the commandements of God of noe effect as the pharises did for theirs which must needs be obserued say they or else a man cannot lead such a holy christian life as he should thirdly they are so confident resolute that it is possible for man to keepe the lawe of God that they haue cursed al that hold the contrarie they teach a man may doe that more also and that God were a very tirant if man coulde not keep fulfil his law Yea herm they haue gon so far as that not onely they hold that a man may in euery point so exactly keep it that he can neither be charged with trāsgressiō of any commādment therin contayned nor yet in iustice be debarred from the wages rewarde of saluation which by perfect keeping thereof he hath merited and deserued Which whiles they teach and doe first they make some negligent and carelesse in studying and meditating of the lawe to the purpose aforesaid seeing by them they are occasioned to thinke that man may adde therevnto and take from thence at his pleasure and so by this means the law stands these in no steed to this end and secondly by their last kind of doctrine hereof whereas both the nature of the law it selfe and all the circumstances vsed by God in the first promulgation thereof plainly shew that by Gods ordinance it was and is appointed to make man to tremble and quake at the sight of his manifold greate sins imperfections therby made known vnto him that so therby he might take occasion the sooner and the more earnestlie to seeke to be made righteous by Christ and to haue that vnrighteousness of his owne pardoned couered they haue quite trāsformed altered the vse therof as though it were giuē of God of purpose strongly to lead man to a strong conceit of his own ablenes to keep fulfil the same so consequently therby to an opiniō that either Christ is not very much to be thirsted for at al or else that one may very quickly haue done with him Their rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 borrowed from Plutarch that is lawes must be made according to mans ability to keepe them will not beare out and iustifie this their opinion of mans ablenesse nowe to keepe the lawe For it is sufficient for clearing of God of all blame herein as I haue shewed before that man as he created him at the first was able to keepe this lawe which now both plaine and plentifull experience and the expresse scripture it selfe saith it is impossible for him to doe through the weaknesse of the flesh Rom. 8.3 For what reason is there seeing man is fallen from his abilitie by his owne follie eyther that God therefore shoulde fall or alter in his rule of righteousnesse or that he may not challenge that at his handes that in respect of his creation and otherwise he owes him though he know well inough before hand that he is not able to pay him one of a thousand Especially seeing man may make this most notable and profitable vse thereof euen therby to take occasion to see from what he is fallen and to what that so he may giue ouer euer trusting to come to heauen by keeping of the law whereof he is so great a breaker that he may seeke and trust only to come thither by beleeuing the gospell of Iesus Christ To maintaine yet the fansie of mans abilitie and possibilitie to keep the law they haue deuised a number of shiftes all which also tende to the quenching of spirituall hunger and thirst after Christ For to this end some of them haue taught that the precise full and perfect sence of the law is not for vs heere in the way to our country but when we come there and that here we may be saide to haue kept it though in an inferiour and imperfecter sence other some thinke and haue written that man may be saide to be a keeper and fulfiller of the law when for the most part he doth so but others misliking of both these as not pregnant inough to aduance mans abilitie and the facility or easines of the law teach plainly that the iustified man or man in the state of grace findeth the lawe of GOD in his most perfecte sence an easie yooke for him to beare and to vndergoe for that by grace his is enabled perfectly to keepe and fulfill it all in euery pointe euen here And yet in deede these lustie lads for all this for that by experience they finde that saying of Iames. In many things we sinne all Cha. 3.2 verified in them euen when they thinke themselues to be in that state and for that they finde likewise that Sainte Paul in that state in deede yet complaineth of concupiscence which he founde in himselfe by comparing himselfe with the lawe that was is spirituall holye and good and sheweth that most gladly he woulde be rid thereof Romaines 7.7 c. Are faine to helpe out this their position with this that those sinnes whereof Iames speakes and others of men in that case are but veniall sinnes and that the first motions to sinne or concupiscence founde in the regenerate after baptisme are not sinne And the better yet to make this vntempered morter to cleaue though Christe haue toulde vs that an account is to bee giuen for euery idle worde Math. 12.36 Yet these veniall sinnes of theirs amongst which I am sure
they bring idle wordes must be pardonable euen for the littlenes thereof must not be accounted contra legem that is contrary to the law but only praeter legem that is to saye besides the lawe and such as may be washt and doone away by knocking of the breaste by holye water by saying the Lordes prayer by fasting a day by an almes giuing by generall confession of sinnes or by a Bishops blessing yea as one saith though these be done without any inward good motion at all Yea if all these will not serue their great Bellarmine will not yet be put or driuen from this position of the ablenesse of man to keepe the lawe For after he had tried with other of his fellowes what these coulde doe to wipe away the obiections made against the same pressing Paules experience to the contrarie Rom. 7. though it be there neuer so plaine that by the law euen then he found himself a breaker of the lawe and therefore no perfect keeper therof yet for that Paule there to comfort him selfe with all confesseth that in his mind or inward man he delighted in the lawe allowed of that which was good and condemned the contrarie he sayeth that in so saying Paule prooues and shewes that he was for all the lawe in his members which likewise he saith rebelled against the lawe of his minde and led him captiue vnto the lawe of sinne a perfect keeper euen then of the lawe For the lawe saith he is not giuen to the sence or flesh but to the minde and spirit of man wherein Paule kept the lawe though in the other respect he had such cause to complaine And whereas he knewe that such as they counte no veniall but deadly sinnes haue beene found and may be againe euen in the regenerate yet such he will defend may be counted perfect keepers of the lawe when they haue risen againe by repentance and haue had those their sinnes forgiuen in Christ Yea though he be enforced by a place out of Saint Augustines first booke of his retractions Cap. 19. to confesse that there is aduouched by him some imperfection in the best mens keeping of the lawe yet to doe the best that he coulde to couer and cure the wounde that that saying had giuen his cause he would make his reader beleeue that the imperfection that he findes therein is but Carentia perfectionis the want of perfection and not the transgression of any one commaundement which he resembled to the omitting of one letter in writing of much If this be learnedlie to defende a position or the maintenance thereof not onelie to fall into so manie absurdities as these be and then besides to be driuen to vse such a sort of friuolous and fruitles shiftes as these be what position can possible to be foolish and false but that a man of any wit may defende it And who can be so simple and blinde but he must needs perceiue that in all this geare whether they see it or not that Sathan directly by their mouthes and pens laboreth and sweateth most egerly and directly to make men so drunken and full with a conceite of their owne perfection or at least small imperfection that they hunger nor thirst after Christ as they haue cause in deede to doe Who but men bewitched with an opinion that whatsoeuer their Romain prelates alow for currant and found doctrine how contrary so euer it be in deede to scriptures fathers reason and all would euer hold either al or any of these For most plentifully by all these a number of times wee haue shewed them their vanitie and folly in all of these and to this daie they neither haue nor euer will be able to answere vs to the purpose herein And assure thyselfe that herein I haue charged them with nothing but with that which I finde in the best and most famous writers of their side as namely in Andradius Osorious Canisius Vega Fransciscus de victoria the censure of Colen their Rhemish notes of the new testament and in Bellarmine But howsoeuer therfore they may stand ressolute herein yet I hope euen the bare recitall hereof maketh thee Christian reader to see the verie grosse absurditie thereof also If there were noe more to cause thee to see it but this that the rest of all these their doctrines plainelye tendes and is as I haue shewed to driue man either to thinke his soules sicknes through sinne not to be so daungerous and grieuous as it is indeede and therefore as we teach it to bee or for his recouery thereof to trust to other phisick or Phisitions then to the onely phisition of our soules Christ Iesus euen that surelye were and is sufficient For how can that doctrine be any way found or good that naturally bringeth forth or breedeth eyther of these cursed fruites so daingerous to mans saluation or so iniurious to the honour and glorie of Christ Iesus Yet that thou maist not be without thy particular counterpoyson in a readines against euery one of these their poisons to Iustifie our doctrine and to confute theirs touching original sin free will remember that with vs against them it is written touching the former thus The imagination of mans hart is only cuil euen from youth Gen. 6.5 8.21 the naturall man perceiueth not the thinges of the spiritte of God neither can he knowe them 1. Cor. 2.4 Yea that before our conuersion we are said to haue hard and stonie heartes Ezech. 11.19 Rom. 2.5 but also to be darknesse Ephes 5.8 and dead by sinne Ephes 2.5 and that touching the other Paule hath most plainely taught the Saintes at Phillippis that it was God that wrought in them both the will and the worke and that of his owne good pleasure Cap. 2.13 and that Christ himselfe most plainely hath said that no man can come vnto him but whom the father draweth Ioh. 6.44 and that without him we can doe nothing Iohn 15.5 And their next three are sufficiently confuted euen in that we read and we knowe it is most certaine that our Christ is able perfectly to saue al them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them Heb. 7.25 and hath offered himselfe once for all to take away the sinnes of many Cap. 9.28 yea with that one offering hath consecrated for euer them that are sanctified 10.14 especially it beeing also most plainely written as it is that as there is but one God so there is but one mediatour betwixt God and man the man Christ Iesus 1. Tim. 2.5 and that there is no other allowed doore whereby at all to enter into Gods sheepefolde but onely the same Christ Iesus Iohn 10.1.9 c. For these places are most pregnant to cut the throte for euer of all those deuises and may satisfie and will anie that are not wilfullie disposed to wrastle for the aduauncing of the creature and his owne founde deuise though to the darkening and obscuring
also very great grosse sins and that oftentimes haue ouertaken yet doe the better sort of men they themselues holde veniall sins not to be sins simplie but improperlie Wherupon it should follow by their construction that Iames should speake but in this sense in many thinges we sinne all not simplie but improperlie And counting such a number of sins veniall as they do I wonder they are not ashamed yet to bolde that they are not contrary to the law but besiâ—s it For what perfectioÌ„ were there in the rule of righteousnesse prescribed therein if it left such a number of sins vncheckt and incountred That they all should be but at the omitting of a letter in writing of much or as some others haue said but as a few small motes in a faire garment and therfore to be pardoned either for their own littlenes or to be wiped clean away by such trifling means as they to that end say wil serue it is strange that any that haue any knowledge of God or his iustice or of his written word should either so say or thinke For who knowes not that God requires the whole heart soule of man and that al the faculties and powers both of body and soule shoulde whollie serue him and that as hee himselfe is puritie it selfe so his iustice is so infinite pure that it can abide nothing that hath anye imputitie in it And who can read Christes exposition but of these two commaundementes thou shalt not kill thou shalt not commit adultery and of that parte of the third thou shalt not forsweare thyself Mat. 5.12 c. but he shall euen therby plainely perceiue that Christ there hath taught vs that a number of those which they count their veniall sinnes are grieuous sins before God directly forbidden in his law and such as if the Lord should but enter into iudgement with vs for we were neuer able to abide it For there to be angry vnaduisedly to say to another â—aca to call one foole to looke on a woman to lust after her to sweare vainely at all by the smallest thing that is are there expresselye forbidden by Christ as contrary to these lawes and as sinners euerie one of them worthy of grieuous and heauy punishmeÌ„t And yet many of these if not all they must needes confesse be such as they count but veniall smnes Let not any man therefore liften vnto these men thus seeking to extenuate the vilenes and heauines of any sin how small soeuer but rather let euery one learne of Christ to account the smalest sin that he falleth into in thought word or countenaunce damnable inough of it own nature if God lay it to the charge of the committer thereof That concupiscence or the first motions to sinne arising in our minde are not sinne may I woulde thinke appeare sufficiently to be false in that Paule so complaineth thereof as he doth and woulde so saine be rid of it as we reade Romans 7.7.17.24 and that expresly it is forbid in the last commaundementâ— thou shalt not lust after or desior any thinge that is thy neighbours Which to be so by this it is enident that by Christes owne oxposition as we haue heard lust confented vnto but secretly in thought is condemned and forbid in the former commandementes For there is no probabilitie that the Lorde of purpose setting downe the summe of his law so breeflie as he doth in these 10 commaundementes of his and distinguishing it into 10. expresly as he doth Deut 4.10 that either he would forbid one thing often or confounde one commaundement and the matter thereof with an oother which of necessitie must be granted yet to be so vnlesse for the distinction of this last commandement from the former we say that therein bare and naked vnlawfullust or concupiscence though not consented vnto is expresly condemned and in the other the same yealded and consented vnto And thus it seemeth Paule tooke it and vnderstood it in sayinge he had not knowne lust meaning that it is sinne but that the law saith thou shalt not lust Romains 7.7 and there vpon doubtlesse he is driuen to acknowledge as he doth there the lawe to be spirituall and himselfe vnable to answere in his flesh the perfection thereof And God requiring as I said before and as we are taught by the summe an abridgement of the law often repeated in the scriptures that we shoulde loue him with our whole heart and our neighbour as our selfe howe can our heartes be wholie his when there are but these first filthie motions to sinne neuer so little a while flying vp and downe there Wherefore if sinne be as Iohn hath defined it the transgression of the law 3.4 and hereby the verie life of the lawe and the substance thereof be broken as doubtlesse it is howe can it be but that bare lust and the first euill motions to sinne though by and by resisted are sinne and that simplie and properlie Nowe as for the last fillie shiftes of Bellermine to say that the law was not giuen to the sence but to the minde and therfore that Paule obeying the lawe in his mind was no breaker thereof though he found that in his members which led him to the contrarie what is it else but to say so we serue God in our minde it makes no matter howe we behaue our selues in our bodies or flesh as though the same God that created the soule created not the bodie also and therefore required not as well that the one parte of man as the other though first he would haue the soule shoulde serue him Who therefore of any wisedom or learning would haue thought that such a beggerly and fond answere as this would haue serued to haue clean dasht answered such an inuincible argument as he takes vpon him to answere herewith And as for his other 2. they are verie ridiculous For what is it to proue that the keeping of the lawe is possible to the regenerate to say that if thay fall into any mortall sinne repenting therof and hauing the same forgiuen then they are counted still as keepers therof For this is not by their meritte and perfect keeping of the law but by the grace of the gospel which offereth pardon to these that repent though they haue trasgressed the lawe And as forthe last which as his answere to Augustines place 1. retract Cap. 19. that thereby indeed is confessed a want of perfection in mans keeping of the lawe and not a transgression of any commandement how can it stand seeing as it is cleare in deed in Augustine and he himselfe is therefore enforced to confesse it that his answere is there that the perfection required by the lawe cannot be found in man in this life otherwise then whiles all thinges therein commaunded are accounted as doone when whatsoeuer is not done is pardoned And as in deed in other poore lahours of mine already in print I haue shewed the ancient fathers are most
not vp and that because it floweth For as Christ hath taught vs by the parable of the Talents Matth. 25.4 c. in no case we may conceale or hide the Talentes that he bestowes vpon vs but vse them we must to his best aduantage for otherwise they shall bee quite taken from vs whereas if we laye them forth and vse them to the gaine of him that bestowed them they shall not onelie be increased but in the ende we shall haue a moste comfortable rewarde Pseudonicodemits then whatsoeuer the time and place bee where and when we liue wee may at no hande bee that is for feare of the Iewes or Pharisies we may not be such as dare with Nichodemus come stealinge to Christ by night onelie Iohn 3.1 For Christ moste plainelie hath tolde vs Mark 8.38 That whosoeuer he bee that will be ashamed of him and of his wordes amongest an adulterous and sinnefull generation he will be ashamed of him in the glorie of his Father As therfore we beleeue with the heart to righteousnesse so Saint Paule teacheth vs that we must confesse with our mouthes to saluation Rom. 10.10 For where true and liuelie faith is indeede there it wil make her owner to be at the same pointe that the Psalmist was whatsoeuer come of it when he saide I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken Psal 116.10 And likewise where true faith is as it worketh immediatelie with GOD in heauen for the iustification of her owner through Christ Iesus so streight also and so thenceforth it setteth the heart of her owner so on fire with loue both towardes God that in his Christ hath so tenderly loued him and towardes man for his sake that thence he is most carefull that such workes and wordes may flowe as both shall and may giue a liuelie testimonie thereof both to God man For all such haue with Saint Paule learned that by Christ they are redeemed from all iniquitie and purged to be a peculier people vnto himselfe zealous of good workes Tit. 2.14 Thus if these riuers of waters of life flow out of our bellies then and not else we may be sure we are come vnto Christ and haue drunke of him to eternall life Whiles then we teach thus as no otherwise wee doe doe we set open any gappe of libertie or licentiousnes to our hearers or are we in our doctrine any way enimies to good works as our aduersaries slander vs Nay doe we not as earnestly and vehemently as they can for their liues vrge men to doe them Indeede we dare not teach them when they haue done neuer so manie of them in any case to make any peece of a sauiour eyther of any thing they doe or suffer because as you haue heard we learned out of the Scriptures that that office so intirely and wholly is to be referred to Christ that it may not be imparted or communicated without antichristian robbing of him of that speciall honour that belongs vnto him to anie thing or person else But yet notwithstanding as now you heare we most plainely teach that none can haue any certaintie in himselfe without which our faith is but a fruiteles wauering conceite that as yet he is in Christ and shall be saued vndoubtedlie for his sake vntill the power of him dwelling in him truelie appeare by these fruites of the spirite that are heere for their puritie multiplicitie vtilitie and continuance called riuers of water of life flowing out of the bellies of such And therefore though we dare not with our aduersaries teach men nor encourage men to doe good workes either in part or in whole to earne deserue or merit heauen by which vnlesse we would say with them we say nothing to this purpose yet most cleare and euident it is that to that end we vse and vrge all the arguments that the Scriptures haue taught vs. For we beseech them by the mercies of God with Paule Rom. 12.1 to giue vp their bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God in seruing him according to his word and not according to the fashions of the world For that by these tender mercies of God towardes vs in Christ Iesus we that beleeue aright in him are deliuered out of the hands of all our enemies that we should serue him without feare all the daies of our life in holinesse and righteousnesse before him Luke 1.74.75 For in that this grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared it teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlines worldly lusts that we should liue soberly righteously godly in this present world Tit. 2.11.12 Yea hauing rightlie laid hold of this grace we say againe with the same Paule That we are Gods workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which he hath ordained that we shoulde walke in Ephes 2.10 Againe with Christ to this ende we say vnto all Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Matth. 5.16 and loue one another as he hath loued vs for by this shall all men knowe that yee are his Disciples Iohn 13.34.36 And with Peter we exhorte all men to ioyne vertue to their faith to their vertue knowledge to their knowledge temperance to their temperance patience to their patience godlinesse and to that botherlie kindenesse and loue so to make their election sure 2. Peter 1.5 6. With Iames also we crie and call vpon euerie one that maketh confession of faith to shewe his faith by his workes which if hee doe not we as plainely tell him with the same Iames that his faith is deade in himselfe Iam. 2.17 c. For the faith that auaileth in Christ Iesus as Paul hath taught vs worketh by loue not that loue is in the forme of faith for how can one distinct vertue be the forme of an other but that it is the inseperable companion of a liuely and sound faith Neither are we negligent in often laying before our people Gods law and the true meaning thereof both to teach them what good workes are and to incite them to doe the same Wherein we dare be bould to say we goe beyond our aduersaries in leading men aright to good workes For we vrge and shewe the lawe of GOD to be so perfect and absolute a rule of good workes that it reacheth to the condemning of the first motions arising in our mindes to sinne though they be not at all yeelded vnto and liked of for that it calleth for the whole heart to be occupied onely in the things that please GOD and that all sinne is condemned therein and all vertue commended whereas our aduersaries the papistes holde the lawe to be so imperfect that it condemneth not these first motions to sinne and that there are a number of good workes and as meritorious that haue for their grounde but the traditions and commandements of men as manie that are expresly commaunded by the
what he can to keepe vs from this hunger and thirst proceeding from a deepe and due feeling of our sinnes and the grieuousnesse thereof that so eyther lothing this heauenly foode or not sufficiently finding our neede and want thereof through our owne fault we may be neuer the better for it And the meanes whereby he most preuaileth heerein be ignorance security and errour By ignorance hee preuaileth with all those be they Iewes Turkes Papistes or whatsoeuer whom by any cunning he can keepe in ignorance eyther of the lawe person or office of Christ of which sort wonderfull manie be By securitie he preuaileth not onely also with the former but likewise shamfully with the carnall gospellers beguiling their heartes being as yet indeed for all their faire outward shewe in words quite voyde of al true loue and delight either in the law or gospell through the deceitfulnes of sinne and by teaching of them to turne the grace of God into wantonnes and most lewdly to abuse the mercies of God in Christ by presuming therby to haue their sinnes forgiuen them when and howe they liste though they as longe as they list continue therein By errour also he preuaileth mightilie with verie many and nowe a daies wonderfully amongst the papistes For as though directly they had conspired with fathan to keepe men from euerhauing that hunger and thirst after Christ that I haue proued to be most necessary notwithstanding the great light that shineth in the world and discouereth and detecteth their dealing herin to be too too bad they haue set abroach and defend a number of opinions which can lead to no better or other end but toblunt and to dull the edge very greatly at the least of alsuch hungring and thirsting after Christ For to what other or better end serueth either their refusing to ioyne with vs or their teaching as they doe in the doctrines of original sinne and mans free will in things spirituall and good with vs they will not holde that originall sinne is such an vniuersall inbred and inborne corruption and priuitie in man where by not onely it is euident that Adams sin is imputed vnto him and that the guiltines thereof therefore is his withall the other bad fruites and consequentes thereof but also amongst all other this that naturally euen by the force and power thereof he is altogether in al the powers both of his body and soule corrupted and prone to all euill and backward to euery thing that is good but to the full constitution of the nature thereof they hold that it is inough to say it is either a want of originall righteousnesse which ought to be in vs or an habituall auersion from God which they hold to be but such as that therewith may and doth in some yet stand mans free will to good that it is so quite taken away and abolished in the baptisme of euery one that thenceforth there remaines not though concupiscence remaine still anie reliques thereof at all or cause why man should be grieued either at or with the feeling therof as at or with sin And such frewil is it which they hold man hath after his fall euen to and in that which is spirituall good as that man in his first conuersion to God hauing but the outward means thereof sufficiently offred vnto him that euen that grace is sufficient to conuert him if he would himselfe which they holde he might if he list and being once conuerted that is as they take it the outward meanes being once so fully and effectually proferred him as whereby he taketh occasion rightly to vse his frewill in accepting of grace so offered then they holde by the meanes of grace ther vpon bestowed vpon him which they count and call the habit of charitie he can will freely and worke any good thing Whereas wee as we haue often shewed enforced both by the scriptures fathers reason and all experience confesse and teach that by the fall of Adam our freewill to and in that which is good indeed is so lost as that what good meanes so euer at any time be outwardly presented vnto vs yet thereby we shall neuer be able to will well by any power left in vs nor euer shall indeede vnlesse GOD inwardlie by his spirite withall first create and frame in euerie one of vs a new heart and will to choose that which is good and then alwaies after assist strenthen and guide the same therein Who may not therefore euen hereby plainlie see that fathan mightily preuaileth by their doctrine to holde men backe from hungring and thirstinge after Christe as they shoulde For if originall sinne bring no deeper nor vniuersaller corruption with it then they teache it doth into the nature of man and may and is so quickely and vtterly abolished out of the same againe by baptisme and man hath in him selfe remaining such a free will to good that before his conuersion vpon the offering of the outward means thereof sufficiently he may be conuerted if he wil himselfe and that after he needs no daily or further supplie of the spirit to leade his wil alwaies therevnto but that which he receiued in his first conuersion to worke together with the natiue or hereditarie free will that was before in man then surely what is there left either by the cōsideration of our originall sinne or by the viewe of our lacke of free will to good an inseperable companion thereof to make vs to long and to thirst after Christ For by their doctrine if we bee but baptized we are quite rid and freede from the former and as for the latter we haue it naturallie so as yet it is not quite taken from vs by Adams fall but onely by our sinnes originall and actuall so settred and hindred that either vpon sufficient meanes but outwardly offered we may vse it againe euen to the accepting thereof to our conuersion or after but by vertue of grace receiued at once in our conuersion for euer then vse and shewe it free to the working out of our owne saluation After baptisme then you see they hold it needlesse for a man to trouble his conscience with originall sinne or any parte thereof and to deliuer the other out of captiuitie where into it is brought by sinne that so as some of them speake they may goe with the owne foote thereof and flie with the owne winges and feathers thereof which it had before though it coulde not vse them there is no more in effect to doe but to haue the outwarde meanes sufficientlie profered for that euen therevpon if man wil vse his free will as they say he may doe if he will all the rest touching the full freedome there of wil follow Their doctrine also of satisfying for our sinnes by our selues and others of the force and validitie of indulgences masses and such like thinges purchased for vs likewise either by our selues or others either whiles we are aliue or dead and
shall be no more a thirst but it shall be in him a well of water that springeth vp to eternall life It is good listining therefore to Esays proclamation in this respect to euerie one that thirsteth come yee to the waters yea yee that haue no siluer come buie and eate I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money 55.1 For doubtlesse they that hereby will learne to come vnto him by faith for the foode of their soules and so giue ouer laying out their siluer or labouring for that which will not proue bread to satisfie them which al they doe which are at neuer so much paines and cost by any other meanes to satisfie their hungrie and thirsty soules they as they are further taught there though they be vtterly vnable of them selues to giue any recompence vnto him for the same yet in him they shall finde both meate and drinke sufficient not onely to refresh their soules but euen to delight them with fatnesse When people therefore for all this will not trust onely to this all sufficient sauiour of their soules but besides him deuise vnto themselues other persons and thinges in that respect to be trusted vnto what doe they else but giue GOD occasion to complaine of them as Ieremie he did of the Iewes and therefore to say O yee heauens be astonied at this be afraide and vtterlie confounded saith the Lorde For my people haue committed two euils they haue forsaken the fountaine of liuing waters to dig them pits euen broken pittes that can holde no water Iere 2.12.13 And yet as plaine as these thinges bee the Church of Rome hath doth and will still most grossly and openly commit these 2. great euils whatsoeuer either God or man can say to the contrarie as we shall see most plainly ere I haue done howsoeuer let them doe thus as longe as they list let vs onely seek and trust vnto the fountaine of liuing waters Christ Iesus our Lorde and sauiour Howe be it the better and the more Thē more particular ly that by him we haue full remissiō of our sinnes to occasion vs soe to doe indeede as wee ought from pointe to pointe and in all respectes let vs see more particularly howe this office of our sauiour is set sorth in the Gospell vnto vs. For it contenteth not it selfe with this summarilye telling vs that hee is the full and perfecte sauiour of the worlde but because hee that is such an one indeede muste first then purchase for vs full remission of our sinne for which otherwise all Gods curses and iudgmentes both in this life and in that which is to come must come vpon vs and also he must prouide for vs we neuer hauing nor euer beeing able to haue any such of our owne a perfect righteousnes answerable euen to Gods most perfect rule of righteousnesse whereby we may be made righteous before him and haue iust and right title to the kingdome of heauen into which being as it is the throne of the most pure God no impure and vncleane thing or person can or may enter Yea because to the full compassing of this for vs and to the making vs indeed partakers and possessors hereof which is our Sauiours office to doe it is necessarie that he shoulde then be a king to conquer our enimies and to gouerne and keep vs a prophet to teach and guide vs by his worde and a priest to redeeme vs and to make continuall intercession for vs the gospell most notably doth in all these respects describe Christ vnto vs to be such an one as the sauiour of the worlde should bee and as we haue neede of But first let vs heare what it saith touching the two former and after we will come to the view also of the other Touching the first of which that is full remission of our sinnes as it was promised at the first by God to Adam and Eue. Gen 3.15 That he shoulde tread downe the serpents heade and after was more plainly reueiled to Daniel that when Messiah the prince shoulde come he shoulde confirme the couenant and not onely cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease but also finish the wickednesse of his people seale vp their sinnes and reconcile their iniquitie 9.27 and 24. and therefore by Isaiah plainlie foretolde that he shoulde be so wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities that the chastisment of our peace shoulde be vpon him and that by his stripes we shoulde be healed 53.5 so in the newe testament we reade that an Angell from heauen tolde Ioseph most plainlie shortlie after his conception That his name shoulde be called Ihesus because he shoulde saue his people from their sinnes Mat 1.21 And therfore ere yet he was borne olde father Zacharie by the inspiration of the holy ghost prophesied that his sonne Iohn shoulde goe before his face to prepare his waies and to giuē knowledge vnto his people of their saluation by the remission of their sinnes Luke 1.16.77 which after Iohn faithfully performed saying of him in the presence of a great multitude he being then there also Beholde the Lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the world Io. 1.16 His apostles also most plainlie bear witnes to his point according to their commission Luke 24.47 For we read Act 10.45 that Peter most confidently in presence of a great companie said and testified that to him all the prophets witnes that through his name al that beleeue in him shoulde haue remission of their sinnes And therefore in his first epistle Cap. 2 24. he applieth so that before aleadged testimony of Esay to this purpose that he saith in his owne body vpon the tree he so bare our sinnes that we being deliuered there from hauing by his stripes our selues healed we should liue in righteousnes And Iohn he is as plaine saying If any man sin we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust he is the reconciliation of our sins and not for our sins onely but for the sinnes of the whole world 1. Epist Cap 1.12 And what can be more plaine and pregnant to this end then that sweet saying of saint Paule this is a true saying worthie of al men to be receiued that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners whereof in great humility and feeling of his sins he acknowledgeth himselfe cheese 1. Timo 1.15 yea to shew vs that he tooke this remission of sinnes that he lookt for through Christ to be ful and perfect not onely to discharge vs of all the eternall punishmentes due vnto vs for our sinnes in the worlde to come but also of the whole curse of the law within the compasse wherof are all kinde of temporary punishments in this life as we may see Deu 27. 28 as he saith ther is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus Rom. 1.8 so Galathians the third the 13. also he writeth that he became accursed for vs
Christ hath suffered and howe much he hath left to be suffered by vs or when they haue suffered all that eyther for quantitie or quality is meete to make the remission plenarie complet and full But thus in the iust iudgement of God it is fit that they should entangle themselues with grosse and intricate absurdities that leaue the onely true way to heauen Christ Iesus and thus seeke out biepathes of their owne inuention to bring them thither Let vs therefore good brethren giue no care vnto them but as we haue beene most plainely taught out of the canonicall scriptures be fullie perswaded that there is full and absolute remission of all our sinnes vnto vs if we repent therof aright and beleeue in Christ Iesus And as plainely doubtlesse doe the same scriptures And a derfect righteousnesse by imputation and the gospell therein contained shew vs that in the same Christ Iesus we are by faith to seeke to be made righteous not by any righteousnesse of our owne doing but by a righteousnesse in Christ Iesus And yet I am not ignorant that the papistes are at such opposition also to this that their learned diuines of Louan most impudently and shamefully haue written that it is as absurde to say that we can be made righteous by the imputation of Christes righteousnes as it is for a man to be counted an asse by the imputating vnto him the forme of an asse the rather therefore and the more diligentlie let vs marke what therin we are taught of this point also Paule doubtlesse so speaking of that rightiousnesse whereof to this ende GOD is an allower and a liker saith flatlie That it is on all and vppon all that beleeue in him Rom. 3.22 For he is made vnto vs of God not onely our wisedom sanctification and redemption but also our righteousnesse as the same Apostle writeth 1. Cor. 1.30 And lest with the papistes we shoulde thinke that this righteousnesse is that inchoated inherent righteousnesse which is founde in the regenerate taught them by the law and wrought in them by the spirit of God receiued by beleeuing the Gospell which indeede the scriptures call sanctification and the fruites of the spiritte in such he saith in the first to the Romanes 17. That this righteousnesse of God is reuealed by the Gospell from faith to faith and that as he addeth without the lawe Rom. 3.21 which may well and truely be saide of the righteousnesse that is most perfect and absolute in Christ Iesus to the knowledge whereof we come by the Gospell and not by the lawe and whereof more and more according to the increasinges of our faith we find our selues possessed For this righteousnesse of God is by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue as he speaketh in the verie next verse but this we cannot say of the foresaid inherent righteousnesse in any of our selues for the lawe rightlie vnderstoode reueales vnto vs a perfect rule of holines and righteousnesse yea perfecter then through the weakenesse of the fleshe it is possible for vs to answere and keepe as long as we liue heere Rom. 8.3 and therefore because without such a righteousnesse as is perfect in the eies of GOD himselfe we can haue no entrance into the most righteous kingdome of God he hath as there we are taught sent his sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh to condemne sinne in the flesh That wee that walke not after the flesh but after the spiritte in him yet might haue the righteousnesse of the lawe fulfilled in vs. 3. 4. vers For Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnesse to euery one that beleeueth Rom. 10.4 And therefore this same Paule Gallat 2.16 though I dare be bolde to say he had then as much inherent righteousnesse of his own as euer had any merit-munger in the world writeth thus We that are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowe that a man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe but by faith of Iesus Christ euen we I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by faith in Christ and not by the workes of the law because by the workes of the lawe no flesh shall be iustified And yet more plainelie to shewe that he made no reckoning of anie inherent righteousnesse of his owne eyther before his conuersion or after to iustifie himselfe by before God at all but onely to this purpose of Christes righteousnesse to be imputed vnto the beleeuer in him most notablie to the shame and iust consutation and confusion of all that will not submitte themselues to this righteousnesse of God but through a blinde and an ignorant zeale will still seeke to establish their owne righteousnesse for all the fearefull warning that they haue of the reiection of the Iewes euen for this verie fault as most cleerely they are taught Rom. 10.2.3 in this Epistle to the Philippians Cap. 3 vers 7.8.9 he hath set downe these wordes The thinges that were vantage vnto mee I counted losse for Christes sake yea doubtlesse I thinke all thinges but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Iesus Christ my Lord. For whome I haue counted all thinges but losse and doe iudge them to be dunge that I might winne Christ and might be found in him not haning mine owne righteousnesse which is of the lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith Whose example herein he there also setteth before al that minded to be perfect to follow vers 14.15 c. If notwithstanding any should be sound that would not he hath tolde them most confidentlie that whey mighte trust to Gal. 5.4 saying yee are abolished from Christ whosoeuer is iustified by the law yee are falne from grace All which proofes laide together make it most cleare that Iesus Christ in office is so the sauiour of the world that he is so so wholie and solie fullie and freelie that without sacrilegious robbing of him of that honour and glorie that is due vnto him alone and that most iustlie in that high office of sauing mens soules as the meritorious cause thereof he may neyther haue Saint nor Angell in heauen nor man merit nor any thing else in earth ioyned or coupled with him at all Let not the papistes therefore once thinke that their newe founde distinction of former and latter iustification or that their telling vs that by the workes of the lawe Paule vnderstoode the workes only done before grace by the bare lighte of the letter of the lawe or that in this article when he so oft teacheth vs that we are iustified by grace he ment thereby the infused grace or habite of charitie or that their going about to hide and shadow their robbing of Christ of iustifying the beleeuer in him thorowlie in and by his owne selfe in teaching their latter iustification to be by mans own merits and satisfactions not so much
Testament wherein by beeing dipped in or sprinkled vpon with water in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost we are assured that God the Father can and will in the blood and by the blood of his Sonne by the mighty working of the holy Ghost wash away our sins and so receiue vs and incorporate vs into his Church that we shal be his new borne children and inabled to be holy because he is holy We administer it to infants because it succeedeth Circumcision which was by Gods ordinance appointed to be ministred to the infants of the Iewes when they were but eight daies old Ge. 17.12 because Christ said Suffer little children to come vnto me for of such is the kingdom of heauen Mat. 19.13 because we read that the Apostles baptised whole households as Act. 16.33 amongest which sometimes it is most likelie there were some infantes and lastly because we finde that God promised not onelie to be the God of Abraham but also of his feede after him Gen. 17.7 and that Saint Paule most plainely teacheth that if one of the parents be beleeuing then is the seede holy 1. Cor. 7.14 And therefore it beeing administred to such and in water and in that manner that it is by Christs ordinance the nature of water beeing as we knowe it to bee we may and ought to learne all these lessons that we are all borne and conceiued in sinne and therewith so defiled that we stand need of washing that this washing and cleanseing is to be had at God the Fathers hands through Iesus Christ by the working of the holie Ghost and no where else that God both can and will thus wash and cleanse vs and that therefore this Trinitie in vnitie is onely to be beleeued in and trusted vnto for the matter of our saluation and to be honoured in all thankfulnesse for the same by our ceasing from sinne and doing of that which is good Whereupon we see that they that would lead vs after we haue once beene thus baptised to put our faith and confidence for any part of our forgiuenes of sinnes or saluation eyther in any other person or thing as the cōmon fashion is amongst papistes doubtlesse they would haue vs to reuolt from that faith wherein we were baptised and whereunto therby we haue most solemnly bound our selues Heereby also we may perceiue that though Baptisme it selfe be but once to be ministred for the reason before shewed yet as oft as euer eyther we finde our sinnes readie to shake our faith or otherwise to trouble vs by meditation thereof we are thus to haue our recourse againe vnto it to the strengthening both of our faith and to the weakning of the power of sinne howsoeuer the papistes would perswade vs that it serueth onely to assure vs of remission of sinnes before because we may be sure that God is alwaies readie if we can beleeue in him to performe vnto vs whatsoeuer he hath offered vnto vs therein Which doubtlesse is the remission of all our sinnes before or after we beleeuing and repenting thereof Or else if onely thereby were offered forgiuenesse of sinnes before it then surely the Church would haue deferred it to the last or later then eyther it hath or yet doth And as for the other Sacrament Of the other Sacrament if we doe with any diligence but consider that which we finde set downe thereof Mat. 26.26 c. Mar. 14.22 c. Luk. 22.19 c. 1. Cor. 11.23 c. we shall there finde whatsoeuer appertaineth eyther generally to a Sacrament or particularly vnto it most plainely and effectually expressed For there it is euident that Christ instituted it and commanded his ministers to administer it vntill his comming againe that he ordained very bread and wine to be the outward visible elements and his bodie broken for his and his blood shed for the remission of their sinnes to be the things by the other figured signified and represented yea thereby both offered and truely deliuered and communicated to the right and worthy receiuer And therefore to assure thē of as much he called the bread broken distributed his body broken the wine powred forth giuen thē in the cup his blood of the new Testament shed for many to the remission of their sins We therefore by warrant from hence do define this To be a Sacrament of the new Testament instituted by Christ and to administred by his ordinance and to be receiued according to the same of his faithfull people consisting not onely of bread broken wine powred out into the cup to be distributed receiued of al worthy commers thereunto in remembrance of his death and passion and as vndoubted tokens by his institution though not of their own nature both that his body was broken and his blood shed for all his in general and also particularly for the full redemption and saluation of euery right receiuer hereof but also of the very broken body and bloodshed of Christ for our saluation therewith all as certainely offred to be fed on to eternall life and fed on indeed by euery worthy communicant though by spirituall meanes as the other are offered vnto them taken and fed on by the instruments of the bodie Whereupon most earnestly we exhort euery one that would worthily come vnto this table and so be partakers indeed to their comfort of this Sacrament with Saint Paule in any case to trie and examine themselues first and to iudge themselues least for want of so doing they be heere iudged of the Lord by eating of this breade and drinking of this cup vnworthily to haue made themselues guiltie of his bodie and bloode and so to eate and drinke their own damnation For though we holde breade and wine heerein still to retaine their former substance and essence because euen by the expresse wordes of the institution in the places before quoated so much is euident and the common nature of a Sacrament requireth the continuance of the outwarde element in his former nature that so it may carrie the better and apterresemblance of the thing whose name it beareth yet we know and most willingly confesse with all antiquitie that thereof heere by vertue of Christes institution which doth and shal remaine in force stil to the worlds end alwaies to effect the same in bread and wine according to his ordinance set aside and vsed to this purpose there is a verie great change and alteration But that is but in name vse and estimation For whereas before they were but called bread and wine and serued but to the common vse of the nourishing and cheering of the bodie and therefore so onely were to be esteemed heerein they beare the names of the verie bodie and bloode of Christ and they serue as the Lordes good meanes to lead and strengthen our faith to feede therupon indeed to our saluation The vse thereof and therefore we esteeme of them herein not as they are
againe by repentance that there is no more sacrifice to be offred for their sins that there is nothing left for them but a fearefull expectation of irreuocable iudgment and condemnation Now doubtles the verie waye and means to come to this dreadfull estate is for them that haue seemed to stand by professing once the sounde faith to be carelesse in maintaining and preseruing conscience in their liues and conuersation and therefore to teach vs asmuch Paul calles vpon his Timothie to maintaine and nourish togither faith and a good conscience for that whiles some as namely Hymineus and Alexander haue made no carefull reckoning of the one they haue made shipwracke of the other 1. Tim. 1.19 20. Let him therefore that seemeth to stande take heede he fall not 1. Cor. 10.12 and in anie case also let him that would seeme to be in deede in Christ Iesus be a new creature 2. Cor. 5.17 for such haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lustes thereof Gal. 5.24 they walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit as ye haue heard Rom. 1. and they are a people zealous of good workes Tit. 2.14 Wherefore let vs neuer once thinke that our sinnes are in Christ Iesus couered vnlesse we finde our selues cured thereof or that for his sake they are pardoned vnlesse we in truth perceiue our bodies and soules purged at the least thereof that sinne raigne not in our mortall bodies Rom. 6.12 For they that so are of God Iohn saith flatly they cannot sinne meaning so as that sinne raigne in them for that they are borne of God and his seede remaineth in them 3.9 Howsoeuer therefore Hypocrites and such as haue but a temporarie faith may and often doe fall headlong into obeying sinne with their full and whole consent as their lawfull king in whose obedience willingly they take delight and so such worthily quite lease those giftes and good graces which they seamed to haue before and consequently by their so falling away as the same Iohn teacheth in the former Chapter Cap. 2. Ver. 10. make it euident that they were neuer of the number indeede that by a liuelie faith were in Christ Iesus for then as he saith they would still haue continued with such yet so it is neither finally nor at any time after with those that once haue vnfainedly and rightly indeede put on Christ For as Paul teacheth most euidently and forciblie Rom. 6. throughout and Col. 1.2 such haue so put him on and are in him that as he once for all died and was buried to put away their sinne and rose againe ascended into heauen and sitteth there at the right hand of the father to confer bestowe vpon them a perfect righteousnes iustification so by the power and efficacie of Christ dwelling in them they are deade to sinne and aliue to righteousnes and therefore howsoeuer will they nill they they may by some reliques of sinne remaining in them to humble them and to wrastle against be inforced with the same Apostle in the next chapter cōplaining of the tyranny of sinne to cry out I do not that good I would but that which I hate that doe I yet all such with a good conscience may comfort themselues againe with him and say if I doe that I would not doe and hate it is not I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in mee Cap. 6.15 20. And in the end they may be sure that the spirit that dwelleth in them will so strenthen them against the flesh that they shall get in the end of the battle the victorie and that in the meane time the flesh shall neuer be able vtterly to preuaile as they may reade Gal. 5.17 24. For that Spirit being once com into thefield though old Adā muster all his beaten woūded souldiers neuer so oft yet that man in whose hart the field is once pitched fought may assure him selfe that it is as absurd for him to think that either in the end or at any time the flesh shall preuaile to driue that spirit out of the field as it is to thinke that a base creature can ouercome God the Creator And to assure all such hereof Christ hath promised when he sends once this Spirit of his vnto them that it shal be their cōmforter that it shal abide with thē for euer Iohn 14.16 that he would beg of his father that he shoulde so doe And therfore they may be sure that he hath done it hath also obtained his sute for he is truth it selfe Iohn 14.6 therfore true in his promise besids he tels vs that he knew his father alwaies heard him Iohn 11.42 Let not that wrong therfor be offerred either to Christ or to his Spirit that any should but once think that either of these can be driuen out of possession after once they haue taken it in theirs either by Sathan the world or the flesh they may be busy to grieue trouble them but neuer shal they preuaile for they are alwayes the strōgerin finitely and their loue care to keep preserue theirs is like them selues that is eternal most constant indeed in that Christ here in our text promiseth his spirite not only in vnder the name of water but of riuers of waters that of life flowing out of their bellies that should doe as before he cōmanded al this being to be vnderstood of the giftes graces of the spirit which he would bestow vpon all such as we haue heard as thereby we are taught that he will giue them to such not in a scant but in a very plentious manner and measure for that he is a liberall giuer Iames 1.5 so by calling them Riuers of the water of life he teacheth vs and assureth vs that they will neuer altogither die or be dried vp for his giftes giuen to such are without repentance Rom. 1.29 They shew also by the other addition of flowing out of their bollies that they will not be smothered and kept in within the bellies of the beleeuers owne selfe whatsoeuer the state of the time be wherein hee liues For they must flow out of their bellies and therefore such must let their light shine be fore men to the glorie of God and good example and profit of others as Christ hath taught them Math. 5.16 Wherefore let the first of these lessons occasion euery one that is desirous to haue any comfortable assurance that this promise is made to him appertaineth vnto him to striue by al lawfull and good meanes to haue the sanctifying giftes of the spirit in such plentifull and abundant measure in him that he may feele and others finde by experience that they may worthily be compared to riuers of water And by the second let euery such one also learne for the better certifying of his owne heart that he is such an one indeed that he must perseuere vnto the end Math. 10.22 euermore bringing forth more