are 3. distinct persons the father the son and the holy ghost coequal coeternall the light of the gospell makes it most cleare euident that the 2. persons in this trinitie hauing been froÌ„ euerlasting then also being true very God when the fulnes of time was come he tooke vnto him selfe the full and whole nature of man in the wombe of the blessed virgine Marie that by the power of the holy ghost shadowing her she both conceiued and bare a son remaining stil a virgine that was is very God and man also yet not two persons bur one The historie of this his incarnation conception and birth most agreeably to all ancient prophesies giuen before of the comming of the Messiah in respect of all the circumstances thereof of whom he should descend according to the flesh at what time he should come wher he should be borne and in what manner is set forth most plainly by Mat. 10. and by Luke 1. 2. In which also so much as I hauesaid touching his person is taught for therin we finde him termed the son of the almighty Emanuel that is God with vs to proue that he was conceiued born of the virgin his mother a very man there his petegree is deriued euen down from Adam to Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid the rest wherby also it appeare th that he is indeed that seed of the woman and of those descended that should tread down the serpents head in whom al the natioÌ„s of the world should be blessed And yet in this history he is stil spokeÌ„ of neither as of one by the coÌ„mixtion or coniunctioÌ„ of two natures made a third nor yet by the consociation or associatioÌ„ of two natures remaining stil two persoÌ„s but as he became so stil remaineth one onely person consisting of these two natures so therin is he set before vs. This mystery also is most notably in my opinioÌ„ opened vnto vs by saint Paule Phillip 2. vers 5.6.7 and 8. in these words let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God thought it no robery to be equal with god but he made himself of no reputatioÌ„ took on him the form of a seruaÌ„t was made like vnto men was found in shap as a man For her in if the wordes be wel markt he hath most profouÌ„dly set down what he was before his incarnation and what he became then what he was before he sheeweth in these being in the forme of God he thought it no roberie to be equall with God and what he became after in the rest and euen these fewe wordes shew first thabefore his incarnation he was one that had a true being and existence to confute Ebion and Ceriâ—â—â—â— and all their folowers who hold that he tooke all his being existence of the virgin and that therefore he was onely man and Seruetus also hereby is confuted who fant astically blasphemously taught that the word was nothing before that had a being and existence but that it was but the decree in Gods minde of the making and creating of this man and of replenishing him with his godhead For he is said to haue beene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is one existing and being in the forme of God and after it is added that euen this same tooke vnto himself the forme of a seruant To this same purpose saith Iohn in the beginning was the word Io 1.1 and Christ him selfe said before Abraham was I am Io. 8.58 and Paule he himselfe tooke the seed of Abraham Heb 2.16 Secondly by forme of God vnderstanding here the nature of God as after the forme of a seruant we must vnderstand the very nature of man as al sound interpreters both olde newe euer haue done in that it is said that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is being in the the forme of God further that being in the forme he thought it no robery to be equal with god al these things be further taught that this being of his which he had before was the being of a very true God that yet he was a distinct person in the Godhead from the father though equal to with the father For as his being in the forme of man proued that he was a verie man yet a distinct person in that nature from other men equal with them in the common nature so his being in the forme of God and his iust and lawfull thinking which doubtles it was or else it coulde not haue been incident to such an one that it was no wrong or robery to be equal with God proues most substantially that he was before his incarnation by nature very God equal to his father as touching his Godhead though a distinct person from his father For who can be in the forme of God but verie God who can think it no robery that rightly to be equall to God but he that indeed is coequal to with God yet how can these things be said and said truely as certainly they be here of the son of God but they must needs proue that though father son holy ghost be all but one God and haue but one essence that most perfectly one that yet the same is a distinct person from the person of the father For one self same person cannot be said to be equal to it self he therfore that thinketh it no robery to be equal must needs be one person he to whom he accounts himselfe equal an other So that with this one short sentence with these verie fewe wordes as it were with one blow all these heretiques Arrius Photinus Carpocrates Seruetus Sabellius Praxeas the Tritheits and Gentilis their scholers are laid for dead and therefore are meet for euer to be buried in the graues of infamous and blasphemous heretiques For Arrius though he granted that Christ had a being before his incarnation yet he could neuer be brought to confesse that in that being he was God from euerlasting coeternal and coessentiall with the father Photinus and Seruetus with their crue held he was God and the sonne of God and so might be called but not by nature but by grace and office Carpocrates likewise acknowledged in Christ besides his manhoode a celestiall and diuine nature but yet he would not yeelde that it was of the same essence that his fathers was Sabellius Praxeas would haue there to bee but one person named with three names the Tritheits gentilis conteÌ„ded for the destinctioÌ„ of the 3. persons that they would haue theÌ„ to haue 3 distinct essences so consequeÌ„tly to be 3 Gods These here sies of Arrius Photinus Sernetus Carpocrates haue all their deathswound in that expresly he is said to haue bin in the form of God it being most certain that ther by God the father is ment by his form no
the nature with all the assentiall and inseparable harmelesse properties thereof of a true and verie man both in respect of his body and soule That by this forme of a seruant he ment not any other created nature but the nature of man he sufficiently she weth by adding that he was made in the similitude of man and in shape found as a man For Marcion and other heretiques heere upon gathering that he assumed not the verie nature of man but the showe and phantasme of a man they doe most wilfullie but cauill and foolishlie seek to darken a most manifest truth For besides that all the story of his conception birth life and death and most plaine speeches and phrases continually vsed of him in the scriptures prooue that he was a verie true and perfect man both in bodie and soule these wordes giue them no ground to build any such conclusion vpon For Adam is said to haue begot Seth according to his owne image or likenesse Gen. 5.3 and yet we might iustly counte them verie fond that therefore woulde inferre that Seth had not the verie nature of a man that Adam had but a bare shadow or similitude thereof The woordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly englished taking and made well vnderstood made it most cleare that the second person tooke vnto it selfe personally the nature of man so that he vnited so verilie and personally with him selfe as he was the sonne of God and the second person in the trinitie that nature of man that he assumed that Iohn might iustlie say the word was made flesh Cap. 1.14 and that we may most safely beleeue that he that before subsisted onely in the forme of God now also subsistes in the forme of a seruant and that as in respect of the one nature he is the verie sonne of God equall to his father so also in respect of the other he is the verie sonne of his mother and verie man and so lesser and inferiour to his father In the olde testament we reade he appeared in diuerse formes vnto men but yet we neuer can say that then he made him selfe of no reputation by taking such forms vpon him neyther therefore was he made the thinges he appeared to bee because he neuer assumed theÌ„ so to himself that he personally vnited himselfe vnto them And heereby also we may further learne in that the assumer and thing assumed are thus both described heere the one to be that that had his beeing in the forme of God before and in this worke remained still himselfe and the other to be the forme of a seruant accompanied or inuested with the likenesse shape of a seruant that both these notwithstanding this personall vnion are entire and perfect in their owne nature without any abolishing of eyther nature or confounding of other in themselues or in the properties with the other in Christ Lastly these wordes are plaine and forcible to make vs see that notwithstanding the assumer of the forme of a seruant vnto himselfe thereby is made in the likenesse of a man and found in shape as a man that yet he is but one person nowe subsisting both in the true forme of God and in the verie nature or forme of man For as of one person after the finishing of this his incarnation both heere and else where alwaies the gospel speaketh of him Dreame therefore we may not that this vnion of the nature of man personally with the son of God is either in the commixtion of the two natures or by the inhabitation of the one in the other or by the adioining of the one vnto the other or by the assisting of one the other neither yet by the real coÌ„munication of the properties of the one with the other so as that the one nature may simply properly be said to be of the same properties that the other is For though water wine be mixed in one cup the spirit of God dwel in the seruants of God God adioyn him self vnto theÌ„ assist theÌ„ most aparaÌ„tly euery where yet caÌ„not wine the spirit or God be said to haue so taken vnto theÌ„selues water the harts of men or the seruaÌ„ts of God that therefore wine is made water the spirit of God or God the heartes of men or the seruants of God themselues as we heere see him that hath beene alwaies in the forme of God said to haue beene made in the forme of man by his taking vnto himselfe the forme of a seruant And though most certaine it be and therefore most vsuall in the scriptures also the better to note the true reall essentiall and personall vnion betwixt the sonne of God and the nature of man to heare those things that properly appertaine to the manhood to be affirmed of our blessed God and Sauiour and also those things that properlie belong vnto him onely as he is God spoken of the man Christ yet to make it euident that as it is heretical to confound the one nature with the other that so it is also and hath beene euer so accounted of all those who by the motion of Gods spirit and not of their owne haue written the scriptures to coÌ„municate properly the special properties of the one vnto the other they haue neuer so spoken or writ but speaking of these two natures in the concrete that is as the wordes vsed to signifie the same not the person subsisting in the essence and neuer speaking thereof in the abstract as the schoolemen speake that is as the words vsed note the naked and simple essence in it selfe And therefore for this true essentiall and personall vnion of the sonne of God with the forme of a seruant we say according to the trueth and to the scriptures that Christ is God and man but we vse not to say he is Godhead and manheade and we say they crucified the Lorde of glorie so noting that person that was and is the Lord of glorie and vnderstanding this of his person not in respect of that nature whereby he was so the Lord of glory but in respect of the other nature personally vnited thereunto wherein he was passible and might be crucified And so likewise speaking of his person in respect of the other nature we may say and say truely the man Christ is almightie euerie where and infinite because he is so in that respect that he is the sonne of God but we may not say that his manhoode is so For we must vnderstand and alwaies remember that whensoeuer any thing is affirmed of Christ in respect of the one nature that properly belonges vnto aâ—â—ther that the meaning thereof neuer is to inuest the one nature with the properties that are peculiar to the other but that so we speake to shewe the personall vnion of both in one person Wee may see a prettie good image heereof in a man as he consistes of bodie and soule for because of the concurring but of those two
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
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
therefore it is the fashion of the scriptures after hard things to ioyne other that be plaine Origen also in his first Homilie of Hierimie and Chrysostome in diuers places namely writing of the holy Ghost and in his 12. Homtlie vpon Genesis are most pregnant in this point the one reiecting all sences and interpretations as of no credit without warrant from other scriptures and the other affirming plainely that the scriptures so expounde themselues that they suffer not the Reader to erre Whereupon no man no not amongst vs is more earnest to vrge all sortes of men to read the scriptures than Chrysostome as any man may see in his 9. Homilie vpon the Collossians in his third vpon Matthew Let vs therefore in this case take triall of this rule that so we may learne what we are to vnderstande by these riuers of water heere spoken of and promised And for as much as when these wordes were first vttered by Christ then the Canonicall scriptures onely of the olde Testament were written it shal be most fit to looke into them for this purpose Wherein to this end verie pertinent it is that the blessed man which doubtlesse he is that commeth vnto Christ and drinketh of him aright is described in the first Psalme to be like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that will bring forth his fruite in due season and whose leafe shall not fade but whatsoeuer he doth it shall prosper Vers 3. But that in the fiue and fiftie of the prophesie of Esay vers 1. c. in my iudgement and in my opinion best agreeth with this and appertaineth hereunto For there after that the thirsty are solemnly as it were by way of proclamation called and allured to come to the waters and so freely being come to drinke wine and to cate milke and that which was fatte and good a promise is made them if they would so do that they should liue and enioy the sure mercies of Dauid That also Esay 59.20.21 may well be as a Commentarie vpon this where after that it is said that the redeemer shall come vnto Sion it is saide that this couenant shal be made with them that turne from iniquitie in Iacob that his spirite and word shoulde neuer departe from them nor from their seede after them which couenante or promise is more fully opened Ieremie 31.33.34 vnto which time of the comming of the Messiah and the performance of this promise then Ioell hauing an eye he bringeth in GOD promising then that he woulde poure out his spirite vpon all sortes olde and yong men and women Cap. 2. vers 28. whereunto in my opinion it seemeth that Iohn thought that Christ had relation in this promise-making heere in that in plaine termes he telleth vs that this he spake of the Spirite which they should receiue that beleeued in him for saith he the holy Ghost was not yet bycause that Iesus was not yet glorified This therefore is euen sufficient to teach vs in what sence the scripture woulde haue vs to vnderstand that riuers of waters of life shall flowe out of the bellies of such as will come vnto him drinke of him and beleeue in him as we haue heard namely euen of the plentifull giftes and graces of the spirite that vndoubtedly he woulde bestowe and continue in such And let it not seeme strange vnto any man thus to heare the spirite of God watering and moystening the house of God and washing and softning the heartes of those that be in neede therof compared vnto waters for it is very vsuall in the scriptures For not onely Psal 1.3 Esay 55.1 c. as I haue noted before by riuers of water waters we cā vnderstād nothing so fitly as the most plentifull rich graces of God in Christ but also elsewhere often both in the olde Testament and in the new the same or like speeches are vsed whereby we can vnderstand nothing else For after that God to perswade Iacob not to feare had said I will powre water vpon the thirstie and floudes vpon the drie ground to make it plaine that he vnderstoode nothing else thereby immmediatly he addeth I will powre out my spirite vpon thy seede and my blessing vpon thy buddes and they shall growe as amongest the grasse and as the willowes by the riuers of waters Esay 44.2.3.4 And what else could or did Ezechiell vnderstande Cap. 47.1 c. by the vision of waters flowing out of the Lordes house in such a plentifull manner that they were first ancle deepe then thigh deepe then vnpassageable on euerie side whereof growe all fruitfull trees whose leafe shoulde not fall and that monethly should bring forth fruite and that wholesome and medicinable And we beleeuing as we doe that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne as both the scriptures and all sound confessions of the Catholicke and Christian faith teach what can we more fitly vnderstand by that pure riuer of water of life cleare as chryst all that Iohn saw proceeding out of the throne of God the Lambe c. Reuel 22. Vers 1. than the holy Ghost proceeding and flowing from the father and the sonne to cheere and to make fruitful the Citizens of the heauenly Hierusalem And by that water of life which Christ taught the woman of Samaria to aske of him whereof if a man drinke he saide he should neuer thirst againe for that it should be in him a well of water springing vp to euerlasting life noe doubt of it he vnderstoode nothing else but the Spirit which he would bestow vpon all his to regenerate and sanctifie them effectually withall Hereby then you may see not only this interpretation iustified that by riuers of water of life flowing out of the bellies of such as come vnto Christ and rightly make him their owne by drinking of him we are to vnderstand the Spirit of God and the plentifull graces thereof promised to the faithfull but also that this is a Metaphore very fit apt to expresse the same or else that God woulde neuer haue so much delighted therein as thus by the often vsing it he sheweth he hath done Howbeit before we proceede any further to confider of the ground why this Metaphor should be counted so apt and so much to this purpose delighted in we are first to vnderst and that by the belly frō whence these riuers of water of life shoulde flowe is meant the soule heart and good conscience by faith purified in the beleeuers Actes 15. Ver. 9. For the end of the commaundement and so the shew of all the good fruites of the Spirit in Gods children commeth from a pure conscience and both them from faith vnfained as Paule testifieth 1. Tim. 1. Ver. 5. The bellie and bowels are no seate or fountaine from whence such things issue or flowe Then whereas Iohn saith the holy Ghost was not yet whereof he telleth vs we are to vnderstande Christes promises we must take heede
that we vnderstand not that as spoken of the essence or being of the holy Ghost least we fall into the herisie of the Nacedonians who denied the Godheade of the holy Ghost for so he hath beene from euerlasting according to our catholike faith God coetarnall and coequall with the Father and the Sonne And therefore the Psalmist speakeing so therof saith by the word of God were the heanens made and by the spirit of his mouth all the powers thereof Psal 33. Vers 6. And therefore our Creede Baptisme binde vs aswell to beleeue in the holy Ghost as in GOD the Father or in GOD the Sonne And when Christ was baptized as Math. testifieth that there was a voice hearde from Heauen from the Father This is my welbeloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased so hee saith that Iohn Baptist saw the Spirite of GOD descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him Math. 3. Vers 16. 17. Iohn therefore must be vnderstood to speake thus not of the essence or being of the holic Ghost but of the giftes and graces thereof in some further measure than as yet when Christ made this promise they had beene ordinarily giuen vnto them that beleeued in him And I saide aduisedly and of purpose thus for it is most cleare and euident that before this all the Saintes and seruantes of GOD that beleeued in GOD feared him and beleeued in him had the Spirit of God and the giftes and graces thereof in good measure without which they could not haue done so as they did so to do being as it is the speciall worke of the holy Ghost as it is knowne well inough to be And of Simeon doe we not reade in plaine tearmes before this that the holy Ghost was vpon him and that a reuelation was giuen him of the holy Ghost that hee should not see death before he had seene the Lord Christ and that he came by the motion of the spirit into the Temple c. Luke 2.25 c And in deede by yeelding his reason of his speach as he doth saying for Iesus was not yet glorified he giueth vs to vnderstand that his speach is to be but vnderstood by way of comparison and not simply And thus both August in his 32. Tract vpon Iohn and Chrysostome in his 50. Homile vpon this place before me expound it For Augustine there after that he had shewed that Christes wordes can neither be vnderstood of the essence of the holy Ghost which hath beene with the Father from euerlasting nor yet simply of the giftes thereof for that many both in the old Testament and new as there he declareth had good measure thereof his determination is that modus futurus erat dationis huius qui emnino antea non apparuerat that is that yet there should be a manner of giuing thereof which was ueuer seene before whereof this is spoken saith hee And the other in the foresaide place of his most plainly expoundeth the Riuers of water of life largiorem spiritus gratiam more large grace of the Spirit than was giuen before And therefore also both of them there shewe that by the Belly we are to vnderstand the heart and conscience of the inward man answerable to the inwarde drinke and thirst spoken of here by Christ And so often in the olde Testament the Prophets hauing an eye to the wonderfull measure of Gods grace and plentifulnes of Gods spirit that should be powredour vpon the Church the Messias being come though in very deede they speake but by comparison and so of necessitie must be vnderstoode for elsewhere very plainly they shewe that the spirit of God was in good measure vpon them selues and vpon others then yet they vtter the promises of God touching his powring out of his Spirit then as though it were a new thing that hee had neuer done before as you may see and beholde in the 44. of Esay and in the 2. of Ioell in the places before alleaged And thus also must Christes owne saying Iohn 16.7 of necessitie be vnderstoode it is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you for before that it appeareth they beleeued in him to whome he so spake Iohn 6.69 For there Peter in all their names saith we beleeue and know that thou art the Sonne of the liuing God which is a fruite of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 And before his ascention and glorification it was that he breathed vpon them and saide receiue yee the holie Ghost Iohn 20.22 wherefore before in some measure the Comforter was giuen them Indeede after his ascention as we may see he shewed himselfe mindfull of his promise to the full Act. 2. in furnishing them so vpon the sudden with all giftes meete for their calling as that they were filled with the holy Ghost and Spake with other tongues as the Spirit gaue them vtterance If any be now desirous to know why this plentifull and most powrefull furnishing of his with such giftes graces from aboue was reserued to follow as a fruite effect and consequent of his ascention and glorification let him vnderstand that in the infinite wisdome and prouidence of GOD it was that so it might be made manifest vnto his Church to begette in the same a stronge and liuely hope that as by his humiliation and abasemente he had obtained and purchased for it eternall redemption so now by his exaltation and aduancemente he was so setled at the right hande of his Father that he was able to poure downe vpon the same all giftes and graces necessarie to the effectuall applying and sealing the same thereunto So that thenceforth none neede doubte but that he hath gone through with the worke of our redemption and saluation and that as heade and husband ouer his Church he can and will guide decke and surnish the same with all the rich treasures of the graces of GOD which dwell and rest in him as in the fountaine beyonde all measure that of his ouerflowing and infinite fullnes euery member thereof might receiue inough to bring it to perfection in him as most notably Paule teacheth Ephes 4. Vers 9. c. But yet neither Christ nor Iohn heere are so to bee vnderstoode as though this promise of Christ heere were limited and to bee extended noe further than to those vpon whom after his assention in that extraordinary manner he bestowed his spirite the giftes thereof though I cannot but thinke they had an especiall and first eye vnto them as vnto the first fruites of all the rest that shoulde follow For doubtles as Christ requireth all that he spake of before that thirst to come vnto him to drinke and to beleeue in him as saith the Scripture and therefore lookes for all this at the handes of euery true member of his mysticall bodie the church so the thing promised appertaineth and is common to them all