Christ Iesus So that such Heresies Schismes as arise in our Churches like a Math. 13.32 Tares in the field are defended by none but by such as b 2. Tim. 3.13 waxe worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued as appeareth either by their secret colluding vnder colourable tearmes of a true meaning craftily deuised for escaping of due punishment so was it with c Arminius in declarat sententiae Apologia Arminius d Vorstius in Oratione Responsione ad articulos Angliae Vorstius and others or by their open and shamelesse reuolting to Papists as Schioppius Iustus Caluinus Walsingham and others or to Anabaptists as Smith or to Brownists as Iohnson or to the Anti-Trinitarians as Laelius Socinus or to the most abominable Sect of Familists as Dauid George Henry Nichols and some such Phantastikes in England and the Low Countries against all which Viperous Generation and Deuillish Brood of Hellish Heretikes Our Churches pronounce f 1. Cor. 16.20 a Maran-atha and our Soueraigne Princes according to their seuerall Estates of Gouernment vnder God in Christ Iesus are carefull to execute the sentence of death thereby g Deut. 13.5 to purge out all euill from Israel and to root out the Relikes of the Great Antichrist out of their Kingdomes For what should be done else to meete with these mischiefes § XXXIII Surely The vse of the latter doctrine what meanes God Himselfe vsed against the Head the same must bee taken in hand by good Men of God to cut off the Taile I meane that against such Heretikes and Schismatikes they must put in vse the double Sword Spirituall and Temporall that for the Ministerie this for the Magistracie To Ministers For that Ministers must fight with the Sword of the Spirit h Ephes 6.16 which is the Word of God against these enemies the Apostle doth warrantize by this his prescription directed to Titus who i Tit. 1.6.9 must ordaine in euery Citie of Creete where he left him such Elders or Bishops as hold fast the faithfull Word as they haue beene taught that they may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to conuince the Gayne-sayers For as when k Math. 2.14 Christ with Ioseph and Marie flying from HEROD went downe into Aegypt l Euseb lib. 6. de Demonstr Euangelicâ ca. 20. the Images there trembled and when the Gospell began to bee preached by the Apostles the Oracles there m Vid. Zâ—huerum Adag sacr Centur. 5. Adag 63. ceased according to that Prophecie of the burden of Aegypt n Esay 19.1 Behold the Lord rideth vpon a swist cloud and shall come into Aegypt and the Idols of Aegypt shall be moued at his presence and the heart of Aegypt shall melt in the middest of it c. So when Christ shall speake by the preaching of the Gospell for reformation of Religion then Antichrist shall feare and Heresies will flye away as o Iohn 3.23 they who doe euill hate the light to the great encouragement of all Gods seruants who because the Euangelicall and Apostolike faith ouerthroweth all Heresies therefore are alwayes to be most mindfull to keepe that rule saith p Leo primus Epist â—6 cap. 1. Leo to Anatolius For to the q Esay 8.20 Law and to the Testimonie if they speake not according vnto this word it is because there is no light in them since this Word is a r 2. Pet. 1.18 light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawne and the Day-starre arise in our hearts But it may be this Word howsoeuer it be Å¿ Rom. 1.16 the power of God vnto saluation in them that beleeue yet cannot through the iudgement of hardening winne the Heretike although it most euidently conuinceth the Heresie and therefore the Temporall Sword must bee drawne out by the Magistrate onely t Rom. 13.4 who beareth not the Sword for nought To the Magistrate For u Prou. 20.26 a wise King scattereth the wicked and bringeth the wheele ouer them because it is a Law that x Deut. 17.12 the man that will doe presumptuously and will not harken vnto the Priest that standeth to minister there before the Lord thy God or vnto the Iudge euen that man shall dye and thou shalt put away the euill from Israel For lo a double rule fit for all Gouernours to obserue for their quietnesse against all such disturbances the former from y Tertullian lib. contra Gnostices cap. 21. TERTVLLIAN Duritia vincenda est non suadenda Stubbornenesse must by force bee ouercome and not be perswaded by any fayre meanes The latter from z Bernard BERNARD Melius est vt pereat vnus quà m vnitas It is better that one perish then that the vnitie should bee dissolued Princes are here to deale as Chyrurgions doe with ripened vlcers launce the sinners to let out sinne if not from the Offendor who it may be is incorrigible yet from the ouer-lookers and standers by who by that meanes may feare as Cyprian a Cyprian Ser. de lapsis said Plectuntur quidam quò caeteri corrigantur Exempla sunt omnium tormenta paucorum that is Some are punished that others may bee restrained for all may take example although some onely smart To the people of God Therefore if Christian Princes by that true Authoritie which they receiue from God shall seuerely punish either pernitious Heretikes or obstinate Schismatikes according to their due deserts either with Death or Exile or Proscription or Imprisonment or depriuation from Benefice or by any other course which by Law is prescribed wee my deare Brethren must not grudge or murmure thereat as the a Numb 16.41 Israelites did vpon the iust destruction of rebellious Corah and his company lest as they were so we may bee plagued with some Iudgement for our rash discontentment which if it proceede of pitty is folly since they pitty not themselues but if from a settled affection of good liking towards those wicked Imps then it is a part-taking which is as obnoxious to punishment as the sinne was of the principall Offendors seeing as the rule of b 3. Henr. 7.10 Law runneth in high Treason such as Heresie is to God-ward there is no Accessorie When c Prou. â—9 16 the wicked are multiplied transgression increaseth but the righteous shall see their fall Surely wee true Subiects vnto His Soueraigne Maiestie within these His seuerall Kingdomes and Dominions Three dueties are most entirely bound and obliged to a threefold dutie First of Gratulation Secondly of Supplication And thirdly of Obedience 1. Of gratulation Of Gratulation or most heartie thanksgiuing vnto our great and best God that hath so thorowly inflamed the good heart of our most Gracious Soueraigne Lord King IAMES with so godly a zeale for the iust defence of the True Ancient Catholike and Apostolike faith that we may as truely report of His most Sacred
about their businesse in the after-noone that they may well finish their whole worke intended before the night come so wee men now hyred g Mat. 20.6 into the Vineyard at the eleuenth houre are seriously to endeuour our selues h Phil. 2.12 to worke out our own saluation with feare and trembling before our Master commeth that when we are called we may receiue euery man a pennie as the Prophet plainely warned vs i Iere. 13.16 to giue glorie to the Lord our God before he cause darknesse and before our feete stumble vpon the darkâ— mountaines and while we looke for light hee turne it into the shadow of death and make it grosse darknesse For k Aristot lib. 4. Phys cap. 8. naturall motion is swifter in the end then in the beginning because the neerer it commeth to his proper place wherein it must rest the more it desireth to attaine vnto that place in which it may rest If therefore heauen be our home towards which wee make our iourney thither then must we most swiftly returne the neerer we come vnto the place casting far from vs these worldly lets these fleshly fardels these deuillish deceits which slow our speede in our course for the Crowne as wee may read it plainely practised first by Dauid who said l Psal 119.32 I will runne the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt enlarge mine heart Secondly by Zachaeus m Luk. 19.6 who made haste and came downe and receiued Christ ioyfully Thirdly by Saint Paul who n Philip. 3.13.14 forgetting those things which are behinde and reaching foorth to those things which are before pressed toward the marke for the price of the high Calling of God in Christ Iesus fourthly and lastly by all Gods Saints Who o Rom 8.23 waiting for the Adoption euen the Redemption of their bodies follow the good counsell of the Apostle thus aduising them p Heb. 12.1.2 Seeing we also are compassed about with such a cloud of Witnesses let vs lay aside euery weight and the sinne which doth so easily beset vs and let vs runne with patience vnto the Race that is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the authour and finisher of our faith For as Cyprian said well q Cypr. in orat dominicam He that hath renounced the World is greater then the Honours and the Kingdome thereof and therefore hee who dedicateth himselfe to God and his Christ desireth not earthly but heauenly Kingdomes For so must wee be sober and thus now must we watch § IX Watch not in the night only The second vse for Watching in Prayer For Physicians r â—o Ferne. li. 1. Pattilog cap. 17. doe teach that Night-watching weakens the bodies of yong men and Students doe find the heauy hurts of nocturne lucubrations by their sore eyes and dry braines but Watch as well on the day as on the night as well in prosperity as in aduersitie as well in peace as in warfare For the watching hence to bee vrged as a second vse is a spirituall care to bee diligently taken ouer soule and body that we as men aliue from the dead should alwaies Å¿ Rom. 6.13 yeeld our selues vnto God not any way giuing our members to be weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sin but alwaies to bee instruments of righteousnesse vnto God first watching ouer our hearts against euill thoughts since from our hearts proceed t Prou. 4.23 the actions of life Secondly ouer our eyes that wee u Iob. 31.1 thinke not of a Maide Thirdly ouer our mouthes that x Psal 39.1 wee offend not in our tongue Fourthly ouer our feet especially when y Eccles 4.17 wee enter into the House of God Fifthly ouer our hands that z 1. Tim. 5.21 we lay them not suddenly vpon any man lest we be partakers of other mens sinnes Sixthly and lastly ouer all our waies that We a Gene. 17.1 walke before God and bee vpright and that we b Rom. 12.17 prouide things honest in the sight of all men For c Reue. 16.15 blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walke naked and they see his filthinesse Some saith Saint d August Ep. 80. quae ad Hesych AVGVSTINE watch and pray because the Lord will come quickly others because life is short and vncertaine a third sort for that they know not when the Lord himselfe will come and these are alwaies to bee thought the best watchers because they seeme especially to respect that Commandement of Christ saying e Mark 13.35 Watch ye for yee know not when the Master of the house commeth c. and for that they well consider the manifold dangers of this last time wherein first the World as an old rotten house is ready to fall for f 1. Cor. 7.31 the fashion of this World passeth away secondly the Inhabitants thereof are as those in the old World g Gene. 6.4 mightie men to wit in mischiefe and men of renowne to wit in Deuillish and Machiauillian policie for want of the true loue of God as our Sauiour said because h Mat. 24.12 iniquitie shall abound the loue of many shal wax cold thirdly the Deuill hauing i Reue. 12.7 but a short time rageth more and more both by inward temptations by which hee k Ephes 2.2 worketh mightily in the children of disobedience and by outward assaults made very many wayes First by himselfe who as l 1. Pet. 5.8 a roring Lion walketh about seeking whom hee may deuoure and then by his ministers euen a cursed crue of wicked Antichrists who must raigne in these last times So that as in the m Veget. lib. 3. de re Milit. ca. 8. in illum Godes Stewich Military discipline of ancient Romanes their Watches were so set and disposed in their Castris Tents or standing Garrisons as that in the first Watch All in the second their Tyrones Fresh-water-souldiers in the third Viriliores their men of full strength in the fourth and last and the most dangerous Veterani their tryed men stood at the glasse all in their place with such circumspection that if any had slept he was beaten in the morning by all the whole Band with Clubs and Stones euen to the death if hee could not by his speedinesse make a quicke escape so now GOD hath ordained that howsoeuer in the former times of the Church of God the faithfull did watch but as yonglings or in their fresh strength wherein they grew and flourished for almost sixe hundred yeeres together immediately after Christ now in this last Age and most perillous times wherein our foes are euery houre ready to surprize if not to surcharge vs We should stand on the Watch-towres as Old-beaten-souldiers of tryed experience like Caleb who n Iosh 14.11 in Canaan was as fit for Warre or Gouernment as hee had beene fortie yeeres before when Moses first sent him to spie out the Land For
Pelagians what a August lib. 2. contra Pelagium Caelestium cap. 29. Saint Augustine auoucheth and the b Glossa in dist 23. can 1. Canonists repeat that as the Floud c Gene. 7.23 ouerwhelmed all men saue Noe and his family so originall corruption seazed vpon d Rom. 5.12 euery one none excepted but the very e Heb. 4.15 2. Of Christ his birth person of Christ Secondly by that grosse opinion concerning Christs Birth that f Aquin. 3. p. q. 28. art 2. q. 35. art 6. Coccius tom 1. Catholicismi lib. 2. cap. 5. D. Bishop in his answere to M. Perkins Aduertisement Vbi vide D. Abbots Replie Christ was borne of the Virgin clauso vtero the wombe being shut Directly contrary to the cause of his presentation to the Lord in the Temple recorded by g Luke 2.23 the Euangelist out of h Exod 13.2 the Law Euery male that openeth the wombe shall bee called Holy to the Lord by which yet there hapned no breach of virginitie since she i Luke 1.31 knew no man being as Tertullian k Tertull. lib. de Carne Christi cap. 23. The fourth Article vndermined by deuillish doctrines saith A Virgin and not a Virgin a Virgin as touching man and not a Virgin as touching childe-bearing The fourth Article Suffered vnder PONTIVS PILATE was crucified dead and buried hee descended into hell although he dare not deny in the thing done for feare of being found yet hee subtilly vndermineth the efficacie of these actions wrought for our saluation by sundry deuillish doctrines deliuered by his Schoolemen for the easier l Vid. Concil Trid. sess 14. cap. 8 sess 25. ca. 1 1. Of Christs sufferings bringing in of humane satisfactions and the setting open wider the gates of picke-purse Purgatorie For first they say that Christ did not properly suffer any punishment or death but m Bellar. lib. 2. de Christo cap. 8 Feuardent li. 5. Thâ—omac Caluinisticae cap. 11 of the body onely whereas if hearty griefe be a proper passion of the soule by which it is troubled and suffereth paine not by sympathie with the body only but properly in it selfe as all true n Aquin. 1.2 q. 35. art 1. 7. c. in eundem ibidem B. Medina Diuinitie and o Lodon Viues lib. 3. de Anima Philosophy doth teach vs we may rather beleeue that Christ did properly suffer in soule the p Damascen lib. 3. Orthod fid cap. 26. Aquinaâ— 3. part q. 46. art 5 6.7 Caluin Institut lib. 2. cap. 16. §. 10 c. paines of hell although not in regard of losse damnâ— but of feeling sensus and that not for euer as q Esay 66.24 Reprobates finde whose worme neuer dyeth but only for some time and this not long as r M. Luther Iohn Glouer c. apud Io. Fox some faithfull men haue endured a tryall but for a very moment and as it were at an instant euen then when he Å¿ Luke 12.49 grieued t Heb. 5.7 when he feared and when u Mat. 26.38 hee found his soule heauy vnto the death as vpon these symptomes it was concluded by x Concil Hispal 2. can 13. the Fathers of the second Councell of Seuill amongst whom were these great men Isidore and Fulgentius out of a place y Ambros in 23. Luc. of Ambrose that the soule was subiect passionibus to sufferings but the Godhead was free For as Hierome z Hieronym in Esay 53. 2. Of Christ offered said it is very plaine that as his body being beaten and torne did beare the signes of iniurie in the prints of strokes and in the blewnesse so his soule verè doluisse truly grieued lest partly the truth partly a lye should bee beleeued in Christ. Secondly they auerre a Aquin. Opuscul de sacra altaris cap. 1. that as the body of the Lord was once offered vpon the Crosse for originall sinne so it is offered continually vpon the altar for our daily transgressions whereas we are onely bound to beleeue that by one b Heb. 10.14 Offering he hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified then vpon the Crosse so c Iohn 19.29 finishing the worke of our Redemption as his bloud then shed clenseth d 1. Iohn 1.7 vs from all sinne Originall and Actuall without exception as e Eusâ—b lib. 1. Demonstr Euangel cap. 10. Eusebius therefore calleth him the atonement for the whole world the sacrifice for all soules the pure hoste for euery blot and sinne who as f Athanas orat 3. contr Arianos Athanasius saith offered a faithfull sacrifice continually induring and not falling downe For as Chrysostome g Chrysost hom 17. in Ioh. gathered vpon the word in the present tense vsed by h Iohn 1.29 S. Iohn Baptist Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world when he suffered he did not then onely take away our sinnes but from thence hithereto he taketh them away hee is not alwayes crucified for he hath offered one sacrifice for our sinnes but alwayes by that he now purgeth vs from all sinne saith i Aquinas in 1. Ioh. 1.7 3. Of Christ not meriting alone Aquinas himselfe originall actuall mortall veniall Thirdly they k Biel in lib. 3. sentent dist 19. q. 1. conclus 3. Nicholas de Orbellis in eundem ibidem hold that although the passion of Christ did merit saluation for all the sonnes of ADAM yet the working of those that are to be saued must helpe together with it as a merite of congruity or of condignity because although it be the principall yet it neuer was the whole cause nor the sole cause meritorious of opening the Kingdome of Heauen wheras we are not in any sort to acknowledge either any other way to heauen but onely Christ who is l Iohn 14.6 the Way the Truth and the Life or any meritorious worke of man to bee ioyned with Christs merit seeing first m Vid. Caluin lib. 3. Inst cap. 15 §. 2. D. Fulke in 13. Heb. § 15 in Answere to Greg. Martin touching haeret translat cap. 9. no Scripture at all no not in any translation euer made mention of the word Merit secondly no man can plead for any such perfection as thereby to merit being n Gal. 5.17 troubled with his rebellious flesh Thirdly Christs merit is not so weake as to bee supplied by the helpe of our merit his merit being able to redeeme a thousand worlds so effectuall for vs that thereby now o Rom. 8.35 not any thing can be layd to our charge so that against this blasphemie besides these grounds of faith in Scripture we may oppose the iudgement both of ancient Fathers of some moderat learned Papists those both iointly agreeing in the second CouÌ„cel of Orenge against the Pelagians to these Canons p Concil
need shall not want a Scribe well taught vnto the Kingdome of God for perfecting the Saints for the worke of the Ministerie and for the edifying of the bodie of Christ Because that some either planting PAVL or watering APOLLOS shall be sent from God into the World as into the Vineyard at euerie houre till the end of the day For haue there not beforetimes for the space of these sixteene hundred yeeres together many Prophets and Righteous men appeared in the World May not wee find by the delightfull perusall of the Stories Ecclesiasticall how good men were appointed from God either by an extraordinarie calling to reforme things amisse or in ordinarie function to preserue things well settled Surely if this present Generation wil harken neither to the piping nor to the mourning of their play-fellowes in the streets that is c Hieron Hilar Aquin. in Matth. 11. if so they will not attend either to the Gospell or to the Law that comforting this correcting in the preaching thereof then are they cleane without excuse then must they expect from the mightie hand of God most iust and seuere punishment for their so wilfull a Rebellion and resistance of Christs raigning ouer them Indeed the Haruest is great but the Labourers are few if we regard who are fit for these things Yet since one of a thousand may by casting out the draw-net gather very many of euery kinde as PETER wanne two thousand at once and since of those many but a few may be chosen as all the bidden guests had not on a wedding garment the Church may haue choice enough of faithfull Pastors if she seeke them â—hâ—re they may bee found in Naioth or Mount Ephraim in our blessed Vniuersities where the abundance of Godâ— Spirit most comfortably appeareth in the multitude of Prophets and the profitable variety of refined conceits in Prophets ChildreÌ„ some excelling in doctrine others in exhortation this man in the gift of tongues that man in discussing of doubts one in sweetnesse another in soundnesse and euery one in some degree indued with such graces as may iustly giue occasion to any carefull Christian of doubt and distraction in making a good choice of such a fit man of God as may faithfully dispose the secrets of God Yea and further as some may presently vpon the touch of the coale from the Altar in the zeale of Gods glory say with the Prophet Here am I send mee so other may offer their seruice vnseasonably being either young Schollers rather puffed vp in pride then furnished with fit learning or an ouer-worne Seniour superanited from paines and soaked so in ease that he cannot well endure the watchfull labours of a faithfull Pastour or lastly a Wolfe in a Sheepes clothing who in his Colledge might be like a young Serpent not hardened in sâ—ing and harmelesse onely by the most wholsome restraint of Collegiate discipline but comming abroad may appeare in his likenesse eyther of a politike-Popish Time-seruer or of a peeuish-pepusian disturber of the Churches peace And therefore the holy Ghost had good cause and great reason to lay downe plainely in sundry places of sacred Scriptures the readiest meanes and truest marks of Teachers and Guides those for finding these for tryall and both together for our direction who are first to search that we may finde and then to try what we haue found whether he be a seeing or a blinde Guide a Shepheard or a Wolfe For we must try all things and not beleeue till we haue tryed the spirits that are come into the world seeing as SALOMON d Prou. 14.15 obserued The simple beleeueth euery word but the prudent man looketh well to his goings as did good IEHOSHAPHAT in hearing AHABS prophets and the noble Beraeans in trying by the Scriptures the words of Saint PAVâ— A Christian dutie so absolutely necessary that I the least and meanest of all Christs seruants being called by Gods prouidence at the godly appointment of your good Lordship signified vnto me by my most faithfull friend M. THOMAS KYFFIN your Lordships Chapleine to preach at Welch-poole before your Lordship vpon the next Sabbath after your Lordships Visitation there holden before could not thinke of any other better subiect then of this spirituall tryall which the Church thought fittest to bee taught to Gods people at that time by this Text of Scripture which I then expounded being a part of the Gospell appointed to be read in the Church that day For I thanke God for his mercy those my poore labours were by his onely blessing so well accepted first by your good Lordship secondly by my learned and most religious brethren of the Ministerie and lastly by all Gods people then hearing mee that vpon the earnest request of diuers godly Christians for the sight of my notes I haue I feare too boldly enterprised to publish them vnto the world somewhat enlarged in forme more then in matter as the iudicious then hearing but now reading will beare me witnesse Treasure hidden and sealed fountaines are vnprofitable said e Apud Epiphanium lib. de ponder mensuris PHILADELPHVS exhorting the Iewes to turne the Scriptures into other Languages and NERO f Sueton. in Neron could apologize his presumptuous piping by the Greeke Prouerbe There is no respect of secret Musicke For a candle must not be put vnder a bushell neither should the talent be hid g Horat. lib. 4. Od. 9. Paulùm sepultae distat inertiae celata virtus Onely now my feare is in the disproportion of my poore gift no manner of way worthy to be offered to your good Lordship whose dignitie requireth the liueliode of a learned tongue for the true expressement of that due thankefulnesse wherunto I stand for euer obliged by the strength and sweetnesse of your Lordships great fauours both generally declared by your Lordships good proofe of my poore endeuours and particularly demonstrated by your good Lordships late beneficence collating most freely vpon mee a further good meanes for my greater encouragement in liberall studies and the better maintayning of my comfortable charge For vnthankfulnesse is a great sinne and the least suspition thereof is a great griefe to a true honest man who will not be like a Cullinder letting all slip thorow reseruing nought for thankfulnesse which is a binding vertue vnto three good duties h Aquin. 22. q. 18. act 2. in c. first of acknowledgement for the receite secondly of readinesse in giuing of thanks and thirdly of recompence by an honest requitall according to his abilitie Yet since as SENECA i Lib. 5. de Beneficijs cap. 5. well determined it is no shame for inferiours to bee ouer-matched by their superiours in the entercourse of beneficence here is my comfort that your good Lordship according to that great measure of Gods Image in you will accept my willing minde according to that I haue For in the offering of Purification the poore womans Pigeons were as well accepted as the
in Afrike described by Saint PETER m 2. Pet. 2.17 to bee wels without water and cloudes that are carryed with a tempest to whom the mist of darknesse is reserued for euer being as n Epiphan haeres 59. Epiphanius saith like the Basiliscus stately in name as if they were pure but dangerouâ— in nature killing men before men know them and all through hypocrisie for which they may rightly be tearmed as our Sauiour called the Hereticall and Hypocriticall Pharises o Math. 12.34 a generation of Vipers which being euill cannot speake good things For p Plâ—n lib. 11. cap â—7 as the Viper hath his teeth couered ouer with his gummes so these men seeme q Pisâ—at in Schoâ— sup 3. Mat hurtlesse their malice being couered only with a shew of holinesse But as the Viper being full of poyson vpon the pressing of his gums through the dints of his teeth infuseth his venome so these most poysonous and pestilent Polypragmons vpon a pressing pinch will powre out their malice and vengeance vnder sugred tearmes and sweet words as r Psal 10.10 he who croucheth and humbleth himselfe that the poore may fall by his strong ones that wee may well exclaime against such Serpents in these true wordes of sweete Chrysologus Å¿ Chrysolog Ser. 7. Hypocrisis subtile malum secretum virus venenum latens virtutum sucus tinea sanctitatis Hypocrisie is a subtile mischiefe a secret poyson an hidden venome a false dye of vertue a moth of holinesse But falshood will faile neither Flye nor Bee shall trouble vs long since a Day draweth neere wherein all shall appeare in their owne proper likenesse that what God only now seeth in secret then shall be manifest in the sight of all men as t Math. 10.27 there is nothing couered that shall not bee reuealed and hid that shall not bee knowne for the u 1. Cor. 3.13 Day shall declare it because it shall bee reuealed by fire Yet in the meane-while x Cantic 2.15 Take vs the Foxes the little Foxes that spoyle our Vines for our Vines haue tender Grapes saith the Spouse to the Pastors and Magistrates of Israel who are y Act. 20.28 to take heed vnto themselues and to all the Flocke ouer which the Holy Ghost hath made them Ouerseers seeing that z Prou. 20.8 a King that sitteth in the Throne of Iudgement scattereth away all euill with his eyes For these noysome Vermines are not so hidden and secret but that by diligent and warie search they may be found and rid out of our Coasts by a most ready course For the Flyes will quickly bee voyded by the often sweeping of our Houses so clensed from dust the Masse Priest cannot stay where Ecclesiasticall Visitations are frequent for wiping out the filth of Idolatrous Superstitions that both Churches may bee cleered of Buyers and Sellers as our a Iohn 2.13 Matth. 21.11 Sauiour purged the Temple of Hierusalem twice and Church-men may be cleane from all such pollution as may giue occasion for Flyes to swarme as the b Esay 52.11 Prophet said Be yee cleane that beare the Vessels of the Lord. And as nothing can better keepe the humming Bees within their Hiue then a sharpe colde winde so nothing more restraineth Hypocriticall Schismatikes then seuerity of Discipline For as c Prou. 25.23 the Northerne winde driueth away raine so doth an angry countenance a backbyting tongue Reuerend Fathers sat verbum sapienti To preuent Flyes and Bees no way in the World can be deuised better then besides your personall seueritie the seasonable appointment of some good Sweepers who by the force of CHRISTS d Matth. 3.11 fanne may make cleane the floore and gather the wheate and burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire For e Matth. 9.39 the Haruest is great but the Labourers are few but if those few were fit men lesse were your labour and greater your gaine Wherefore to helpe all Saint Paul hath giuen a good rule to Timothie for all you to follow f 1. Tim. 5.22 Vid. Danae ibid. Lay hands suddenly on no man neither bee partaker of other mens sins keep thy selfe pure For you are those g Iohn 10.3 Porters which open the doore vnto the good Shepheards who only are to admit good Shepheards to a Flocke by whom a verie great part or your care is eased it they bee fit to sweepe out the dust of Superstition for preuention of Flyes and carefull to hold by regular conformitie the strength of true discipline to keepe in the Bees h Horat. lib. 1. Ep. 18. Qualem commendes etiam atque etiam aspice ne mox Incutiant aliena tibi peccata pudorem That is Looke well whom yee to Cures shall name Lest others sinnes bring you to shame And with shame griefe and with griefe blame For if the blinde lead the blinde both shall fall into the ditch And so I come § III. To the second maine part The second Part. the simple hearer Shall they not both fall into the ditch Where the ditch is double the former of sinne and error as i Prou. 22.14 The mouth of strange women is a deepe pit hee that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein the latter of punishment and destruction as God k Psal 55.23 will bring the wicked into the pit of destruction and as Hell is called the l Reuel 9.3 bottomlesse pit For both the blinde Leader and the blinded people shall fall into both these ditches by their degrees into the former heere in this life while they m 2. Tim. 3.13 waxe worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued For n Psal 125.5 such as turne aside into their crooked wayes the Lord shall lead them foorth with the workers of iniquitie but into the latter after their departure out of this world as the rich o Luke 16.23 Glutton was tormented in Hell whither p Psal 9.17 the wicked shall be throwne and all the people that forget God For q Esay 5.14 Hell hath enlarged her selfe and hath opened her mouth without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pompe and hee that reioyceth The Doctrine shall descend into it So that hence wee may gather an infallible truth that those who without due tryall or examination will stiffely depend vpon false Teachers shall most surely with those false Teachers fall into vncertaine errors vnto most certaine dangers and destruction For so the holy Ghost hath taught vs first by the Prophets both Esay r Esay 9.16 saying The Leaders of this people cause them to erre and they that are ledde of them are destroyed and Ieremie in Gods Person exclaiming thus bitterly Å¿ Ierem. 50.6 My people haue beene lost sheepe their Shepheards haue caused them to goe astray they haue turned them away on the Mountaines they haue gone from Mountaine to Hill they haue forgotten their resting place Secondly
Fathers whom wee are to reade that from them we may fully perceiue what was the tenour of the Faith in the Primitiue Church and examine how these Teachers agree thereunto For remooue not l Prou. 22.28 saith SALOMON the ancient Land-marke which thy Fathers haue set that is as m Apud Hieron in appendice BEDA n Tomo 2. Ortho dograph SALONIVS and o Lauater Morcer Remus Wilcockes c. all our Interpreters doe expresse the Allegorie transgresse not the limits of faith which the Catholike Doctors haue set downe from the beginning because no p Luke 5.39 man hauing drunke olde Wine straight-wayes desireth new for he saith The olde is better But this meanes is common and challenged by the Papists as making most for them Ob. who seeme to hold most of the ancient Fathers whom they vsually alledge for maintenance of whatsoeuer they hold yea compiling whole Volumes only stuffed with sayings of ancient Doctors as q In Aug. Confessione Torrensis r Canis in Catechismo M. Canisius and Å¿ Cocc in Catholicismo Coccius haue gathered Therefore to cleere the points of this prescription Sol. it shall not bee amisse for any who will try the Truth by the testimonies of ancient Fathers as did that most Reuerend Father and strong Man of Israel t In his Sermon at Pauls Crosse in 26. Articl Bishop Iewel to take these three Rules for his direction in iudgement of Fathers The first is that the Father alleaged 1. Regula bee no Bastard that is no counterfeite Worke foysted into amongst his other Bookes by some coozening Babylonish Marchant that vnder the name of such a good â—ather it may bee more saleable and of better admittance For how many false Writs haue come forth oâ— this kind and are alleaged by craking Coccius I neede not goe farre to finde their owne u Sixt. Senens lib. 2. Biblioth Sixtus Senensis x Baronius passin in Annal. Baronius and y Bellar. lib. de illustr scriptorib Bellarmine discouering more falsehood in this tricke falshood in counterfeiting of Authours then I list to rippe vp seeing two helpes wee haue to discerne true Fathers from bastardly Brats viz. z Hieronym lib. descriptor illust in Minulio Felice August Epist 48. Hyper lib. 4. Theolog cap. 9. obseruat 3. first phrase or stile secondly matter or argument agreeing to their age and time For euery Age of the Church had their seuerall Controuersies which ministred occasion of writing to the Learned accordingly 2. Regula The second Rule is that wee must looke to the Edition of the Fathers Workes that they bee not corrupted and wrested to say more or lesse then they say For how wickedly the Papists haue of late yeeres and yet doe abuse the Writings of the ancient Fathers their Index Expurgatorius and their Copijsts as Azorius calleth them doe too too manifestly demonstrate that a Vid Tho. Iames p. 4 cap. Mysteries of â—ndex Exâ—urgator being but a Table made by the Inquisitors of what they will haue put in or taken out of any Authour as appeareth by those fiue seuerall Editions in Rome Naples Lisbone Madril and Antwerpe now of late to their vtter shame discouered these b Vid. Azâ—rium tom â— Institution lib. 1. cap. 2â— being certaine skilfull Writers of olde hands set in the Vatican to copie out olde Manuscripts into any hand as neere the olde hand as may bee by the direction of the Master of the Palace or the Cardinals of the Congregation in truth thereby as it is iustly feared to make the Vatican Librarie which before-times was accounted a Treasurie of true Bookes now a shop of shamelesse shifts whiles for olde good Monuments wee shall finde foysted into their seuerall Deskes a masse of new base Miniments But be the Fathers true and truely printed as the oldest print is best and most voide of villanie Yet here wee haue a third Rule 3. Regula to examine the wordes of any Father alleaged by these three seuerall Touchstones the first whereof is the Word of God for c Galat. 1.8 If any man preach any other Gospell vnto you then that ye haue receiued let him be accursed the second is the Orthodoxie or right iudgement in faith of the former Fathers For that saith d Tertullian de praescript cap. 31 TERTVLLIAN is the Lords and true which is first deliuered but that is strange and false which is afterward intruded the third is himselfe For e Ausonius in Catonis distichis Conueniet nulli qui secum dissidet ipsi Hee will not agree with any who varieth with himselfe A great assurance then it must needs bee of credit to that Father who is constant in his tenent being agreeable to Scripture and his Predecessors where f Iames 1.8 a wauering minded man is vnstable in all his wayes So that let them now boast as much as they please of the Fathers on their side all their wordes are but winde their Fathers being either Counterfeits or corrupted or not well agreeing to Scripture to their Ancients or vnto themselues as if wee would examine all Coccius his Conclusions wee could now prooue as much as the most famous Thomas g Vid. Doctiss pijss D. Morton his Encounter lib. 1. cap. 12. Morton hath declared against Parsons in the question of Purgatorie 5. Meanes The fift and the last meanes of trying out good Ministers is conference with good men concerning those things which we either heare spoken or see done by Ministers For it is no tricke of a Busie-body or Whisperer but a godly care arising from zeale lest wee should be through a light beliefe seduced into error cunningly couched vnder soft and smooth tearmes as h 1. Cor. 14.35 Women are to aske their Husbands at home if they will learne any thing and the Spouse in the Canticles is thus admonished i Cantic 1.7 If thou knowest not O fayrest among women goe thy way forth by the footsteps of the flocke and feede thy Kids besides the Shepheards Tents For this generall good counsell giuen to the Church by Christ is sit as say k Gregor Nyssen orat 2. in Canticâ— Nysseene and l Psellus apud Theodoretum in Cantic Psellus for euery good soule in the Church which being ignorant of her owne estate albeit by the m 1. Iohn 1.7 Marke bloud of Christ being clensed from all her sinnes she is made of a black a comely creature must follow the counsell of Gods faithfull Children who are n Psal 100.3 his flock sheep of his pasture walking o Psal 84.7 from strength to strength in this vayle of miserie till they meete with God in Zion because as saith p Gregor Magnus in 1. Cantic GREGORIE Whiles shee neglecteth to imitate euery wise man shee followeth reprobate acquaintance whom foolishnesse hath made like vnto brute beasts Wherefore to helpe out of this
errour shee must bring her Kids that is as q Tres Patres Theodorit Psellus Nysse Grego Barnardâ—s Beza Mâ—rcer Guiliel Thomson c. all interpret her vncleane thoughts and inordinate affections besides the Shepheards Tents that is to that order which the Church by her Ministers will prescribe For this is the fruit of spirituall communication that as knowledge ascendeth so loue descendeth when Superiours most tenderly respect their Inferiours to guide them in the way and Inferiours by obedience grow vp in true knowledge as good ground by sweete dewes are cherished for growth For r Prou. 15.31 the eare that heareth the reproofe of life shall abide amongst the wise And thus we haue the fiue seuerall meanes for tryall of Guides which notwithstanding the carping Cauils of Stapleton and others are as an hedge on euery side set double to keepe vs within the ring and compasse of sauing Truth against all Errours broched by men of a reprobate minde whom as we may fully try by these meanes so shall we plainely know by their proper markes For the markes by which we know them The second Answere of the Markes are the fruits which come from them as our Sauiour forewarned Å¿ Matth. 7.16 Yee shall know them by their fruites These bring forth fruits though bad and blasted like the t Esay 5.4 Vine which brought wilde grapes and the bad tree yeelding only corrupt fruite for of u Luke 6.45 thornes men doe not gather figges nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes saith our Sauiour alluding to that common prouerbe thus expressed by Theognis x Theognis in Epicis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non etenim è scilla Rosa nascitur aut hyacinthus Ad semen nata respondent saith y Senec. Ep. 87. Seneca Euery seede hath his owne bodie saith the z 1. Cor. 15.38 Apostle Wickednesse proceedeth from the wicked saith a 1. Sam. 24.14 Dauid So that from a blinde guide we cannot expect any curious conceit or profitable performance of necessary duties that which they bring forth as the best fruite they haue by which they may be knowne from other men being bad and base most vile and villanous whether we respect their doctrine or their life For b Vid. praecipuè Aquinat in Catena Marlaoratum Maldonat Tossanum Piscatorem Stellam in Luc. all learned men whom I haue seene vpon the Gospells thinke these two to be the fruits marks by which good Ministers are knowne from the bad and their thoughts are grounded vpon good reason since both Doctrine is tearmed the c Esay 57.17 fruite of lips which God createth to good mens peace as he said d Socâ—ates apud Diog. Laertium Loquere vt videam Speake that I may know what is in thee for e Meander in Senarijs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mans fashions are known by his speech and life or actions are if they be good called f Philip. 1.11 fruits of righteousnesse as sinnes are called g Gal. 5.20 fruits of the flâ—sh Now then first for the doctrine of bad Ministers 1. Marke it is knowne to be wicked by its both vnheard-of newnesse inbred naughtinesse The newnesse of their doctrine is found out by the late sowing thereof for when h Math. 13.25 the good Husbandman had sowne his good seed then came the enuious man by night as i Iohn 3.20 he that doth euill hateth the light and sowed the tares In omnibus veritas imaginem antecedit postremò similitudo sequitur saith k Tertull. de praescript aduers haer cap. 29. Tertullian that is In all things truth goeth before the image thereof afterward followeth the resemblance For praecedunt Creatoris bonâ— sayeth l Petrus Chrysologus Ser. 96. Chrysologus the Creatours good things goe before mala Diaboli post sequuntur the bad things of the Deuill follow after vt malum quod est ex Diaboli sit accidens non natura that the euill which is of the Deuill may be an accident and no substance The naughtinesse of the same wil be euidently perceiued by these seuerall contents since as Theodorite m Theodorit lib. 3. haer fab in praefat well obserued out of his owne great experience Impia execranda dogmata per se sufficiunt ad suum patrem ostendendum impious and cursed doctrines are sufficient of themselues to shew their father who is the Deuill whiles they breathe belch out either blasphemies against God as in n Vid. Epiphan lib. 1. Panarij Atheisme Graecisme Iudaisme and heresies about the Trinitie and Christs Incarnation or iniuries against men as Turkes by o Vid. Alcoran Azoar 8. Knoll Turk hist. Mahomets doctrine maintaine murders and reuenge or impuritie and vncleanenesse in themselues as Casa p Sleidan Comment lib. 21. the Popes Legate in Venice and B. of Beneuentum most wickedly commended vile Sodomitrie verifying hereby the words of the q Tit. 1.15 16. Apostle Vnto the pure all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their mind conscience is defiled they professe that they know God but in workes they denie him being abominable and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate Therefore sayth St. Augustine r August lib 12 de Gen. ad tit cap. 14. It is no great matter then to discerne him that is a malignant spirit when he shall come or bring vs to those things which are against good manners or the rule of faith for then he is easily discerned of many But to passe from this note of Doctrine their life is to be looked to 2. Marke which will be found quickly to be most wicked and altogether dissonant or disagreeing to the profession of a good Christian by their habit and their acts Their habit by our Sauiour Å¿ Matth. 7.16 is noted to bee two-fold first outward secondly inward The outward habit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheepes clothing which is to be taken or vnderstood two waies First historically for the vsuall garment of the true Prophets who were wont to weare t Zach. 13.4 a garment of haire such as u 2 Reg 1.8 Elijah and other Prophets vsed x Pet. Martyr in 2. Reg. 1. to expresse their repentance and sorrow for sinne whose fashion false prophets tooke vpon them that thereby they might the more easily deceiue simple people albeit some good men did well finde them out as Herodes y Gell. lib. 9. c. 2 of Athens discouered that counterfet Philosopher when he said Video barbam pallium Philosophum nondum video I see a heard and a cloake but as yet I see not a Philosopher For z Phaedrus lib. 1 fab Aesop fab 11 as the Asse in the Lyons skinne by braying monstrously feared all other beasts but the Lyon who knowing him mocked him therefore So Virtutis expers verbis jactans gloriam
vnchangeably indiuisibly inconfusedly and substantially vnited in the person of Christ the only Mediatour betweene God and Man perfectly obedient both in action and in passion in action q Matth. 3.15 fulfilling all righteousnesse to r Iohn 4 34. doe the will of him that sent him and to finish his worke in passion both of soule Å¿ Matth. 26.38 heauy through sorrow for Gods wrath due for mans sinnes vnto the death and of bodie sustayning many torments both in his life time by t Matth. 8.20 Luke 8.1 pouertie and u Luke 13. â—1 Iohn 7.32 c. persecutions and at x Vid. Math. 27 Ioh. 18. 19 his death by mocking buffeting whipping stretching nayling and piercing his sweet side with a sharp Speare vpon the y Gal 3.13 cursed Tree or Crosse then turned to be a blessed Engine of mans true happines in that z Colos 1.21.22 we that were sometimes alienated and enemies in our minde by wicked workes now hath hee reconciled in the bodie of his flesh through death to present vs holy and vnblameable and vnreprooueable in his sight Now this his formall inherent perfection is in himselfe as hee is alone God and Man the only Mediatour betweene God and Man and not that which here wee seeke it being only proper to himselfe who only a Esay 63.3 trod the Wine-presse and none of the people with him Wherefore we must briefly consider of that perfection of Christ which we call effectiue and communicable to wit that which is communicated vnto vs by his working in vs through his holy Spirit that wee b Rom. 8.29 may bee conformed to his Image in which after c Ephes 4.23 God we are new men created in righteousnesse and true holinesse A perfection distinguished according to those degrees which we make in it For as after our fall wee cannot rise of our selues but Christ d Ephes 2.5 must quicken vs so when we are reuiued by a new Birth we cannot attaine to the height of perfection at one leape but as e Gene. 28.18 IAACOBS Ladder had certaine degrees and steppes by which the Angels of God did ascend and descend so this course of perfection wherein we are to ascend vnto GOD hath certaine degrees of holinesse and righteousnesse through which we must passe before we can attaine to the height of our happinesse as the Apostle saith In f Rom. 1.17 the Gospell is the righteousnesse of God reuealed from faith to faith by which g 2. Cor. 3.18 we all with open face beholding as in a Glasse the glorie of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glorie euen as by the Spirit of the Lord. Learned Diuines h Hemingius Syntagm Gloss 4. cap. 4. Aret. Probl. 163. Polanus syâ—tag then out of their good experience obseruing the graduall proceedings of Christians vnto perfection out of the holy Scripture set downe this perfection to bee two-fold First Perfectio viae The perfection of the way Secondly Perfectio vitae The perfection of life that is the course wherein wee must runne this is the Crowne which we shall obtaine i 1. Cor. 9.25 So runne that ye may obtaine The perfection of the way is a blamelesse course of vpright walking only in this life of which the Psalmist thus pronounceth k Psal 119.1 Blessed are the vndefiled in the way who walke in the Law of the Lord and it is found to be two-fold Legall or Euangelicall Legall perfection is that when a man according to the tenour of the Law fufilleth all the Commandements of God as it is required by Moses saying l Deut. 10.12.13 And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walke in all his wayes and to loue him and to serue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule to keepe the Commandements of the Lord and his Statutes which I command thee this day for thy good Euangelicall perfection is a carefull endeuour of a faithfull man vnto the true obedience of Gods holy will reuealed in his Word fully setled for all his life time that hee may still grow in grace vnto glorie as Saint PAVL m Philip. 3.13 14. forgetting those things which are behinde and reaching forth to those things which are before pressed towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus and this perfection is wrought by the Holy Ghost First in the nature and substance of a regenerate man Secondly in his actions In his nature and substance this perfection is wrought when after the remission of our sinnes and the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse for our free and full â—ustification by a liuely faith that inbred corruption arising from the blot of originall sinne is lessened in vs and Gods grace so restored as that by it we grow still better and better for n 2. Tim. 3.13 as sinne maketh the wicked waxe worse and worse so Grace draweth the godly on in perfection to o Psal 84.7 walke from strength to strength till they appeare before God in Zion So that looke how farre sinne hath defiled the natural man by the issues of corruption throughout all the parts and powers of soule and bodie euen so farre doth and shall the Grace of Gods Spirit worke a restitution in the man regenerate that p 1. Thes 5.23 his whole Spirit Soule and Bodie may be preserued blamelesse vnto the Comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. For shall not Iaacob supplant ESAV Shall not the Spirit subdue the flesh Shall mans sinne eneruate or hinder Gods Grace No in no wise if God send his holy Spirit which q Iohn 3.8 bloweth where hee listeth And therefore this perfection of mans nature reformed spreadeth it selfe into many faire branches First in the minde by a quicke perceiuing and a sound iudgement of heauenly things not only for the knowledge of the principles and grounds of GODS Religion but also for the gathering of such good conclusions as may both strengthen and increase faith since r 1. Iohn 2.20 hee hath the anoynting from the Holy One and knoweth all things Secondly in the will by most ready inclinations and settled resolutions for the right performance of all holy Duties prescribed by God for holinesse righteousnesse and sobrietie since thereto are wee Å¿ Tit. 2.12.14 taught therefore are we purged to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good works Thirdly in the conscience both t 1. Iohn 3.18 by boldnesse towards God vpon the full assurance of the remission of our sinnes and by an honest care of liuing vprightly in the feare of God without scarre of scandall giuen or taken to his owne true quietnesse and the profitable edifying of other men since the high way u Prou. 16.17 of the vpright is to depart from euill he that keepeth his way preserueth
aedificatur Ecclesia sed in fine saeculi dedicatur saith the same r Aug. in Ser. 21 de verb. Apost cap. 1. Father Now is the Church builded but in the end of World it is dedicated Ob. Yea but why then doth the Holy Ghost absolutely command vs to be perfect if wee cannot bee perfected here Sol. Surely the reason of such precepts is two-sold first in respect of Gods Elect who by those exhortations vnto perfection are the more encouraged to follow good courses knowing hereby how GOD doth approoue them and finding withall by GODS assisting grace an abilitie and a willingnesse in themselues to performe them because as in the Creation Å¿ Psal 34.9 dictum factum by his Word were all things made so in Regeneration he spake and he doth of his owne meere mercy enable vs with means to perform what he enioyneth vs since t Esay 55.11 his Word shall not returne to him void Secondly in regard of the Reprobates and wicked Worldlings who hereby are not only u Rom. 1.20 without excuse being so plainley warned against their wickednesse but also much restrained of their licentious and madde outragiousnesse as Herod was by x Mark 6.14 Iohn Baptist. Wherefore since the precepts for perfection prooue that wee are not yet made perfect Vses of the Doctrine the vse of this Doctrine thus plainely declared is two-fold First 1. For correction for correction Secondly for direction The correction is of three sorts of Perfectists First Pelagians and Celestians who affirming that a man in this life may be so perfect as to be without sinne were learnedly and largely confuted by Saint Augustine y Aug. tom 7. lib. in Caelest in his booke against Caelestius demonstrating mans present imperfection in this life by his manifold omissions of necessarie duties and his infinite committings of hainous transgressions both in his nature vnregenerate which is wholly sinfull and in his reformed course of life so full of great slips as that he hath need daily to pray z Mat. 6.12 Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs and with the Psalmist a Psal 143.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy Seruants O Lord for no flesh is righteous in thy sight Secondly Papists who stand so much vpon the perfection of mans righteousnesse in this life as that they sticke not to affirme both b Bell. l. 4. de Iustific c 11. c. that a man in this life may perfectly fulfill the Law of God yea that c Cassand in confut art 21. Rhemens in 1. Cor. 9. § 6. he may doe more greater and more holy workes then the Law requireth so that those workes of supererogation may bee sold for money or in courtesie communicated to others for their help as Petrus de Asoto said d In assert Cathol de legâ— apud Tilem Hâ—shsiuÌ„ de sâ—xâ— Papist er art 16. Colon. Antidâ—d de bonis operibus Inter. c. de banis operibus Supererogamus non-nihiâ— de his ad quae ex necessitate tenemur we do supererogate somewhat of those workes vnto which wee are bound of necessitie For Pelagius went not thus farre as they who make men of themselues to bee in a manner equall with Christ both for fulfilling the Law as he fulfilled all righteousnesse and for meriting for others as well as for themselues But what will not proud flesh attempt to say or doe if it be not restrained I cannot for lacke of time lest I bee tedious neither will I further trouble you with any long or laborious Disputation in this double Controuersie which we haue with these Antichristian Aduersaries since you may reade them fully answered in these points by diuers of our c Caluin in Antidot Concil Trid. Sess 6. cap. 11. ibid. Kemnit par 1. Exam. D. Abbots against Bish p. 2. pag. 550. c. D. Willet Synops pag. 914. c. Luc. Osiand fil cap. 12. Ench. in Pontific 4.3 most Reuerend and Learned Diuines Only for a taste wee may thus farre remember you First in the former point that indeed God gaue his Law not altogether vnpossible for man to performe since hee could in his integritie Christ did it for vs and we shall hereafter when wee are restored vnto perfection fully in the life to come But in the meane-time albeit wee are in Christ reclaimed and called to Grace Sol. yet is the Law as Peter said f Act. 15.10 a yoke which neither our Fathers nor we were able to beare by reason of the g Gal. 5.17 flesh still rebelling against the Spirit and our manifold imperfections arising from that h 2. Reg. 4.39.40 wilde Gourd our inbred concupiscence which is death in the pot such an hurt to the heart that albeit Christs i Matth. 11.29 yoke is easie and his burden light his k 1. Iohn 5.4 Commandements are not grieuous in respect of our Charitie or l Rom. 5.1 loue of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost yet are none liuing so able to beare them to carrie them to doe them but he shall sometime fall as the iust m Prou. 24.16 man falleth seuen times in a day and riseth againe hee shall sometimes transgresse as in n Iames 3.2 many things we sinne all because as Saint Augustine o August lib. 4. in Iulian. Pelag. cap. 2. said excellently So farre as concupiscence is in vs it hurteth although not to the destroying vs out of the lot of Saints if it bee not consented thereunto yet to the lessening of spirituall delight of holy minds So that the fault of not fulfilling the Law of God is not either in God commanding or in the Law commanded hee commanding what we should doe and this contayning the duties thereof but in our selues who should rather herevpon confesse our infirmities then arrogate to our selues any such great perfection seeing as S. Paul said p Rom. 7.14 The Law is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sinne And as Saint Augustine concludeth q August in lib. de sp tit c. 19. Lex data est vt gratia quaereretur The Law is giuen that Grace may bee sought Gratia data est vt lex impleretur Grace is giuen that the Law might be fulfilled Neque enim suo vitio non implebatur lex sed vitio prudentiae carnis For it is not by any default of the Law that wee fulfill it not but by default of the wisdome of the flesh which r Rom. 8.6 is enmitie against God for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeed can be Secondly in the latter point where they hold workes of supererogation that is that a man may doe more then is commanded and that out of their abundance they may allot such Workes to the benefit of others they sow vp two Pillowes Å¿ Ezech. 13.14 on all arme-holes the
vs to follow them as t Matth. 5.14.15 Philip. 2.15 Candles in a candlesticke and Cities on a hill and lights now shining in the middest of a crooked and froward generation Few they are to the fulnesse of impietie but I feare me too many to be witnesses against vs for our turning backe in the day of battell Be yee followers of me u Philip. 3.17 saith the blessed Apostle and marke them which walke so as yee haue vs for an ensample Thirdly the quiet time wherein we sit securely euery man vnder x 1. Reg. 4.25 his Vine and vnder his Oliue tree from DAN to BEERSHEBA Ciuill warres beforetime much hindred Reformation Now let Peace breede pietie as well as Plentie that in our fulnesse we may bee more faithfull as y Reuel 3.11 hold that thou hast that no man take thy Crowne Fourthly the last day which is z Rom. 13.12 now neerer then when we first beleeued It will make all perfect in their owne periods let vs be fit to take it in affection a Philip. 1.23 desiring to be dissolued to be with Christ and in action stil hauing b Philip. 4.20.21 our conuersation in heauen whence we looke for the Sauiour the LORD IESVS Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body according to the working whereby hee is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe Semper enim sanctis superest quo crescere possint Et perfectorum gloria principium est saith Prosper c Prosp Epig. 27 Aquitanicus whom thus I translate Alwayes to Saints something remaines By which they may increase And th' glory of the perfect is Th' beginning of their peace The conclusion repeating all in a short summe And thus Right Reuerend Right Worshipfull most dearely beloued in our Lord Christ Iesus you haue heard this Scripture opened at large in these foure points The first part First of proud Teachers being blind guides shewing that no man must take vpon him the Office of a Teacher vnlesse hee bee indued with some measure of Learning lest hee bee reputed but a bold Intruder such as wee manifested our Popish Priests The second part and prating Precisians Secondly of simple Hearers who teach vs that those who without due Tryall or Examination will stiffly depend vpon false teachers shall with those teachers fall into vncertaine Errours vnto most certaine and damnable dangers and therefore wee are both to take heed of and to try our Teachers notified by their markes of inward habits and outward acts Thirdly of the humble Seruant The third part who alwayes acknowledgeth the Soueraigntie of his Master whom wee prooued to be Christ only to the correction of the proud Pope caution to vs for the right vnderstanding of the Kings Title and consolation to all Christians depending vpon so good an Head Fourthly of a conformable Professor The fourth part such as we ought to be not like Pelagians Papists or Anabaptists dreaming of an absolute perfection on earth but as obedient Christians endeuouring our selues by grace to bee perfect here in the way that in the life to come wee may bee fully made perfect in endlesse Glorie through Iesus Christ in whom Lord as wee render vnto thy Maiestie all glory and thankes for thine inestimable blessings both spirituall and corporall so most humbly we beseech thee send vs good Teachers and make vs right Hearers of thy most sacred Will and Word that acknowledging Christ Iesus to be our only Master and Head wee may bee conformed vnto his Image lost by sinne recouered by Grace and fully to bee restored vnto vs in blessed Glory to which the Lord of Glory by his Spirit conduct vs through Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost one Perfect Euer-liuing most Gracious God bee all Honour and Glory now and for euermore Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS A Prayer to be said at all times O Heauenly LORD and omnipotent Father the patterne of all goodnesse and Flowre of all vertues most stout ouer-thrower of all wickednesse and sharpest Rooter vp of vices mercifully behold our frailtie and pronenesse to euill helpe vs with thy supernall Power that wee may learne to despise all earthly pleasures and the vanities thereof and loue all Celestiall and heauenly things Make vs resist all sinne which stands betweene thy Maiestie and our weake spirits ready to ouerthrow vs if thy mercies were not assistant to our poore soules Make vs to withstand all temptations firmely to imbrace vertue to eschew all worldly honours and carnall delights and to bewaile our offences committed in thy sight We beseech thee refrain our vnbridled desires with thy louing hand whereby wee may abstaine from a lewde and loose life and accustome our selues with goodnesse to the end That by thy benefit and gift of Grace by the true worshipping and seruing of thy omnipotent Maiesty we may possesse the Crowne of euerlasting life in thy Kingdome prepared for thine Elect world without end AMEN