law of GOD forgetting belike that the law is so spirituall that it made Paule to crie out of himselfe O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of sinne and death Rom. 7.24 and that Christ most flatly hath said that they worship him in vaine that teach for doctrines mens preceptes Math. 15.9 We vse often to terrifie our hearers from ill workes and from omitting of good by making it manifest vnto them by the iudgements of GOD therefore threatned and executed that so to doe is so daingerous as that thereby they deserue all Gods heauie iudgments to be executed vpon them both in this life and in the life to come and that vndoubtedlye they shall if they repent not Wherein also we goe further than these our aduersaries for they teach that a number of sinnes euen for the littlenes thereof are not deadly or such as deserue damnation which may easily be satisfied for and put away Lastly we forget not to teach them what promises of reward God hath made to such as will carefully walke before him in holinesse and righteousnesse both concerning this life and that which to come assuring them with Paule That godlinesse is profitable vnto all thinges and hath the promise hoth of this life present and of that which is to come 1. Tim. 4.8 wherein we goe so farre that also with Christ we confidently tell them that they shall not lease their rewarde in heauen no not of a cup of colde water bestowed aright in his name vpon any of his Mat. 10.42 For though all that we doe or can doe be infinitelie lesse than we owe to God and are bound to doe for in many things we sinne all Iam. 3.2 yet all that approue themselues to be in Christ by walking not after the flesh but after the spirite in bringing forth the right fruites thereof as Paule teacheth Rom. 8.12.13 c. vndoubtedly for Gods promises sake in Christ Iesus shall both heere and in heauen finde themselues and their workes so liberally rewarded that they shal haue no cause to complaine but rather to wonder at Gods most bountifull crowning of his owne blessinges and graces with further both heere and there Thus then you see that though when the question is in hande why men shall be saued we dare sende them to no other meritorious cause thereof but onelie to Christ and the thinges done by himselfe for vs because we know that his name is the one lie name whereby commeth saluation Act. 4.12 yet when it is demaunded who they are which for Christes sake shall indeede be saued and so rest in Gods tabernacle and for euer dwell vpon his holy hill we are boulde to teach that none but they that according to the time and occasion they haue after they be in him proue themselues to be such by the riuers of water of life flowing out of their bellies as you haue heard and therefore are such as are described to that ende Psalm 15.2 c. And beeing such we counte it no presumption but most commendable faith in them to be fully perswaded because they haue not onelie Gods worde and promise generally offered vnto them and particularly sealed in the administration of the worde and Sacramentes outwardlie but also most effectually inwardly testified vnto their spirites by Gods owne Spirit by these newe fruites thereof to appertaine particularly vnto them to ground this their perswation vpon that for Christes sake vndoubtedly they shal be saued These arguments therefore we doubt not will bee sufficient to moue and to perswade all that vnfainedly be the Lordes euen of loue and thankefulnes towardes him for his vnspeakable loue and mercies towardes them to striue both day and night by all possible meanes so to stirre vp the graces of the spirit in them that indeede worthylie they may bee counted as Riuers of waters of life flowing out of their bellies Thus then at last welbeloued in the Lorde we haue hearde first the circumstances of a notable sermon made by Christ our Sauiour himselfe as where when vpon what occasion and in what manner he made it namelie at Hierusalem in the temple in and vpon the last and most solemne day of the feast of Tabernacles to draw them that were there from their owne vaine superstitions that led them from him to himselfe vttered by him standing and that with a crying voice Secondly you haue heard that he spoke therein to all that be thirstie and to none else that is to all that are truely broken and contrite hearted vnder the burthen of their sinnes and so earnestly long for redemption and deliuerance from the same Thirdly you haue heard that he commaunded such what to ease them of this their spirituall thirst they shoulde doe and that that was and is first to come vnto him that is to know and acknowledge him what he is in person and office and then to drinke of him that is rightlie to beleeue in him and so thereby to make him with all the mercies of God prouided for mans saluation in him their owne which they hauing done lastly you haue heard that he promiseth all such that his Spirit in them all should be as riuers of water of life flowing out of their bellies which was not nor had not beene as yet then because when Christ made this sermon hee was not yet glorified And in handling of all these withall you haue beene shewed what we are to learne euerie one of vs thereby both ministers and people which haue beene such and such and so manie good thinges as that if we haue heard as we ought to doe we haue all of vs I hope euen sufficiently to our saluation learned both howe to beleeue and how to liue to be saued For first we haue beene taught howe by the lawe we are to be humbled and throwne downe that we may be fit patients for Christ Iesus secondly we haue heard by the Gospell how we are to rise againe and to recouer a better standing than euer we had in the first Adam by knowledge and faith of the second Christ Iesus our Lord and Sauiour For we haue beene shewed how the Spirit of God by the ministrie of the worde and Sacramentes through this faith of ours grounded vpon sounde knowledge vnites Christ Iesus himselfe and vs togither though after a spirituall manner yet most truelie and effectually to our saluation and the contrarie doctrine hath at large bene confuted And by the way it hath most plainely beene laide before vs howe we ought to be qualified both in faith and manners both in hearing of the worde and in the vse of the Sacraments that thereby still we may growe vp in the house of GOD in Christ Iesus to be perfect men and acceptable in the sight of his heauenlie father Lastlie by the viewe of the promise we haue beene I trust thorowlie taught what manner of liues we ought to leade as long as we liue after that once we bee got
though therein we shew neuer so much zeale and learning he hath the verie thing he desireth For that doubtlesse hath beene and is still a dangerous stratageme or pollicie of his when he findeth he cannot as he would preuaile by keeping men in ignorance and carelesse security then to doe what he can that they may spend their learning and zeale about matters of the least moment that in the meane time he may the more quietlie by their silence in matters of greatest weight by the other contrary way as it were paue the waie to Atheisme yea I feare much to speake plainely what I thinke that lacke of due consideration hereof in time in some hath not onelie beene one of the next causes of the phantasticall sectes of the Brownistes and Familistes but also of too shamefull encrease in so great light of the Gospell both of Papistes and Atheistes amongest vs. Wherefore my heartes desire and prayer to God for England is and euer shall be and for all the Churches of Christ wheresoeuer in the wide world that this subtiltie of Sathan may both heere and euerie where be throughlie well lookt vnto and the mischiefe thence ensuing be as carefully preuented as possiblie may be for otherwise it may growe intollerable and vncurable And J beseech the Lord heartilie to giue your Grace and all the rest of the reuerend Fathers the Bishops of this land and all others that be in authoritie with you in the same both skill and will power and might by the assistance of his holie spirite speedilie and effectuallie to cleanse and purge these Churches of England and Ireland so of all these foure kindes of dangerous aduersaries that without their stopping of vs at the first or seducing of vs afterward eyther of the right hand or of the left all the rest of vs as brethren and heires of the kingdom of heauen may both happilie get into this way thither and also most stedfastlie and constantlie perseuere therein euen vnto the verie end Thus presuming as you see of your Graces curteous and friendlie acceptance both of this my trauell in pointing out this waie and also of this my bold dedicating the same vnto you J will not cease to praie vnto God to requite and recompence seauen-folde into your bosome both this all your great and vndeserued former fauours towardes mee And thus beseeching him also long to preserue you in health and honour to his glorie the Churches good to your owne euerlasting comfort now euer crauing also pardon for this my boldnes and hoping therof I most humblie take my leaue From Blechlie in Buckingham shire 1596. Your Graces alwaies most readie and willing to be at your commandement Thomas Sparks The high way to Heauen Iohn 7. vers 37.38.39 Now in the last and great day of the feast Iesus stoode and cried saying if any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke He that beleeueth in mee as saith the scripture out of his belly shall flow riuers of waters of life This spake be of the spirit which they that beleeued in him should receiue For the holie Ghost was not yet giuen because that Iesus was not yet glorified IN these wordes welbeloued in our Lorde and Sauiour the holy Euangelist Saint Iohn hath set down the summe and effect of a famous sermon made by Christ himselfe the verie consideration whereof ought both to stirre vppe me to open the same the more reuerently and also to prooue you to listen thereunto the more religiously and attentiuely Herein The method the method that he hath followed and that therefore likewise I must is this First hee noteth certaine circumstances thereof then the substance of the sermon it selfe The circumstances hee expresseth in these wordes Nowe in the last and greate day of the feast Iesus stood and cryed saying and the sermon in the rest and that in this order First he noteth to whom he directed it and his speech therein saying that he beganne it thus If any man thirst then in the rest what it was that he spake vnto such Nowe the summe of his speeches as he hath heere recorded it consisted of two pointes first of a commaundement that he gaue to them to whome he spake and then of a promise that he made them obeying that commaundement of his The commaundement the Euangelist saith was this Let him come to me and drinke and the promise was this hee that beleeueth in mee as saith the scripture out of his belly shall flowe riuers of waters of life So that he commaunded two thinges first a comming vnto him and then a drinking of him and forasmuch as the promise was thus deliuered in a figuratiue and metaphoricall kinde of phrase the Euangelist directed by the spiritte of God of a care he had to leade men to the right vnderstanding of Christes meaning therein and to preserue them from mistaking of the same telleth vs plainely that by the riuers of waters of life that Christ spake of in this promise of his he vnderstoode the spiritte which they that beleeued in him shoulde receiue adding withall that that was not in such measure yet powred vppon such as it shoulde be afterward for that Iesus was not yet glorified for so his wordes the holie Ghost was not yet must be vnderstoode as I shall shewe The circūstances when I come vnto them Wherefore nowe to prosecute these thinges in order as they lie as they shall offer themselues vnto vs in the text First we haue to consider what he hath saide concerning the circircumstances of this sermon Touching which nowe in the last and greate daie of the feast Iesus stoode and cryed saith the Euangelist for the better vnderstanding of which wordes if we peruse the former part of this Chapter it will euidentlie appeare vnto vs that when Christ made this sermon he was at Hierusalem and in the temple there by occasion of the feast of tabernacles which then there they kept solemnized where and when the Iewes sought to take him and therfore purposely the pharisies and high priestes sent officers thither and that to the end that so he being taken they might kill him whereof Christ was not ignorant For there before this at this verie feast teaching openly out of the scriptures to the astonishment of all his enemies that heard him he saith slatly vnto them vers 19. Why goe yee about to kill me Nowe the last day of this feast as we may see Leuit. 23. vers 36 was the eight day when by Gods ordināce they were to haue an holie conuocation and a solemne assemblie vpon which daie Iesus stoode vp and made this sermon with a lowde and crying voyce that so the better he might be hearde throughout that great assemblie and concourse of people All these thinges therefore laid together shew vs plainely thus much that Iesus was the preacher of the sermon and where when and in what manner it was preached by him namely that it
plaine and pregnant in this to show that the perfection of our righteousnes lyeth rather in the sight of our own manifolde vnrighteousnes to vrge vs to thirst after the making of vs righteous through the righteousnes of Christ Iesus thē in any finding at any time of any perfect inherent righteousnesse in our selues Wherefore these thinges considered I trust you will rather vse the meanes before laide before you by mee according to Gods worde to breede in you true hunger and thirst after Christ thē that you wil end any eare at al to these subtilties of Sathan to holde you there from such therefore hopping that by those meanes either God hath heretofore made you or at this present hath or wil let vs proceed The next thing beere to be considered of The commande ment which containes 2. things b. what it is to come vnto Christ is the commandementes here giuen by Christ vnto such as I haue spoken of and haue laboured to make all you wherein as I saide in the beginning he requireth of all such two thinges namely that they shoulde come vnto him and then drinke of him where by comming vnto him we haue not as Augustine hath noted in his 26. and 32 tractes vpon Iohn to vnderstand a comming vnto him by the feete of the bodie For so manie came vnto him touched him and througed him and yet were neuer the better Mat. 5.31 but a comming vnto him by the direction of the eies of the soule by the feete of sound knowledge of him what he is in person and what he is in office When this worde is vsed alone as Mat 11.28 in those wordes of his come vnto me all ye that be wearie and heauie laden and I will ease you then thereby doubtlesse we haue not onely to vnderstand thus much but that therby further is required of vs faith in him grounded vpon this our knowledge of him as vpon the foundation thereof But wher it is coupled with other wordes that either expresly or in effect call for faith as it is here then thus as I haue said it is to be taken as Iohn 6.40 compared with this place makes it euident For there insteed of comming vnto him he saith he that seeth the sonne not vnderstanding thereby the seeing of him with bodily eies but with spirituall and then he goeth on saying and beleeueth in him shall haue euerlasting life Wherefore vntill by the light of the gospell men haue so profited through the inward working of Gods holy spirite in them that they knowe and acknowledge Christ aright both in person and office they haue neither eies not feete in Christes sence here to come vnto him by or withall Pray we therefore for this light and the countenance thereof amongst vs. For certainely the naturall man perceiues not the thinges of God neither can he because they are spirituall 1. Cor. 2.11.14 c. But they that haue the light of the gospell shinning amongst them though before they sat in darknesse and in the shadowe of death yet if the faulte be not in them selues they may see a greate light and life is risen vp to them in this behalfe Mat. 4.16 Peter by this light directing him and shinning vnto him shewed that with these feet he was come to Christ Mathew 16.16 confessing Christ to be the sonne of the liuing God and therefore to his greate comforte and to encourage others so to come vnto him also Christ answered him and said Blessed arte thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloode hath not reuealled this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen Mat 16.17 Surely we here in England Gods name be blessed for it haue had nowe this greate while the light clearely shining amongst vs to direct vs in our comming to Christ to make streight steps vnto our feet least that which is halting be turned out of the way as we are councelled Heb. 12 13. And yet I feare there is such bad and smale cōming to Christ sound amongst vs that he in respect of most of vs hath too too iust cause to say vnto vs as he did to the Iewes in his time This is the condēnation that light is come into the world men loue darknes better then light because their deeds are euil Io. 3.19 wher for we haue cause to thinke that also which in an other place he said vnto some of them euen to be spoken of vs all yet a little while is the light with you walke whiles ye haue light least the darknesse come vpon you for he that walketh in the darke knoweth not whither he goeth and therefore while ye haue light beleeue in the light that ye may be the children of the light Iohn 12.31.36 But that this his aduise and counsell may be in time and that effectually taken to heart and followed of vs in this case in walking aright vnto Christ by the direction of this light whiles it shines amongst vs we are seeing our owne vnablenesse other wise so to doe at all to be as it is to pray him according to his promise made to his disciples that he woulde also praie his father to bestow vpon vs euen the spirite of trueth to teach vs all thinges Iohn 14.16.17.26 and to leade vs vnto all truthe 16.13 For if euer we attaine by this light to the sound and perfect knowledge of Iesus Christ wherein euen the wisedome of God in a mysterie as Paule speaketh is contained 1. Cor 2.7 doubtlesse we shall haue cause with him to say further as he doth there also Ver 10.11 God then hath renealed it vnto vs by his spirite for that searcheth all things even the deep thinges of God For what man knoweth the thinges of a man saue the spirit of man which is in him euen so the thinges of God knoweth no man but the spirite of God Seeing then that Christ commaundeth vs here to come vnto him and to come vnto him is nothing else but according to the light of the gospell directing vs therein by his spirite to be enabled rightly to knowe him acknowledge and confesse him it stan deth vs vpon diligently to marke and to consider howe therein he is described and set forth vnto vs. Which if we doe we shall soone finde What Christ is in person that the summe and substance of all set before vs therein tendeth ether to set out what he is in person or in office let vs therefore before we proceed any further the better to teach vs and to enable vs to doe as Christ here biddeth vs a little consider what in these two respects it hath taught vs. Touching the former what he is in person therein thus much we may learne that whereas most certaine it is as our catholike saith teacheth vs and the whole course of the scriptures proueth that there is but one eternal true and almightie God the maker and gouenour of all the world and yet in the vnity of Godhead that there
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
natures together to the constitution of a man as they doe though infinitely it come short of the reaching to the excellencie of this mysterie that we now speake of may truely be said in diuerse respectes to be a heauenly creature and an earthly mortall and immortall heauenly and immortall in respect of his soule and earthlie mortall in regard of his bodie and diuerse thinges that are proper to the bodie are yet saide of the soule and contrarie they which are speciall to the soule are affirmed of the bodie as for example we say somtimes the soule of man awaketh or sleepeth which are properly saide of the bodie and we say the bodie heareth seeth or vnderstandeth when as in deede the body can doe none of these but by the soule and yet as wee thinke they destroy the nature of man that eyther for the vnion or coupling of these two together to make a man or for any of these phrases woulde eyther turne the one of these into the other confounde one of these with the other or inuest the one nature reallie with the properties that be speciall and peculiar vnto the other so holde we it most firmely in this case that it is plainely hereticall to doe the like These things therfore thus weied and considered we haue iust cause to say and thinke with the Apostle That great is the mysterie of Godlines namely euen this that God is manifested in the flesh and yet iustifyed in the spirit seene of Angels preached vnto gentiles beleeued on in the worlde and receiued vp into glorie 1. Tim. 3.16 And by these thinges we may so clearely see our Christ in person to be verie God and verie man and yet for all that but one person as that both with the Apostle Paul we may call him The mightie and blessed God for euer 2. Tim. 2.13 and the man Christ Iesus 1.2.5 and yet still speake of him as but of the one person as hee doth in both these places And to conclude this pointe heereby also euen sufficientlie we may see and heare all the heretiques and their heresies confuted that euer yet haue sette themselues against anie pointe or parte of the trueth of this doctrine of his person For heereby againste Ebion Cerinthus and Photinus denying his Godheade that hath beene a duouched and against Marcion confessing that and denying the truth of his manhoode that hath beene likewise plainely prooued and consequently Arrius that held rightly of neyther affirming that in respect of the one he was but a created spirit and in regard of the other a bodie onely without any other soule then his created Godhead and Apollinaris that denied that he had the minde or reasonable soule of a man howsoeuer he granted him the sensitiue and growing soule are confounded also especially remembring further that Christ himselfe as plainely to teach them by his wordes that he had a verie soule of a man as by experience they sawe and found he had the very body of a man said not onely that his soule was heauy vnto death Math. 26.38 but dying as Luke reporteth 23.46 cryed with a lowde voyce Father into thy handes I commend my spirit And Nestorius that helde the two natures in him only to be vnited by consociation and assistance and that therefore he had stil a Godhead and a manhood not onely distinct in their natures but also so that in him the sonne of God was one and the sonne of the virgin an other as he was condemned in the counsel of Ephesus for one that was led by the spirit of Antichrist for his so loosing or dissoluing of Iesus so hath the Apostle directly confuted him in this place to the Phillipians and Iohn also as I haue shewed in setting downe plainely that he that was in the forme of God whome Iohn called the worde so tooke vnto himselfe the forme of a seruant that he was made very man or flesh Eutiches also who to ouerthrowe Nestorius taught that the two naturs are so vnited after the incarnation that howsoeuer they were two before after they are but one cannot stand with the apparant distinction that Paule hath made betwixt the assumer and assumed nature both before in and after the assuming of the one by the other vnto himselfe And whereas if this opinion of his were true it should thereupon follow that then eyther the Godhead shoulde be turned into the manhoode or the manhoode into the Godhead for that of the commixtion of both a third thing should growe Euerie one of these absurd consequentes Paule hath refelled also by teaching vs both to remayne without eyther turning of the one into the other or confounding one of them by anie commixtion or otherwise one with an other as we haue hearde And consequentlie heereby both the Lutherans and Papistes who for the maintenance of their grosse reall presence and mouth eating of Christ both God and man doe most eagerlie striue and contende to entitle the manhoode of Christ with the peculiar properties of the Godheade as to be muisible incircumscriptible c. are most plainly prooued to teach heerein hereticall and damned doctrine for that thus confounding the properties with Eutiches in deede and trueth they confounde the natures themselues and therefore let them as they may iustly take the condemnation of Eutiches in the councell of Calcedon to bee also directly their condemnation Vnder this same condemnation come the heretiques 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called because Eutiches being condemned they durst not say whom they followed though with him they hold but one nature after the incarnation to remaine and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thought the diuine nature was turned into the humaine and that therfore they might say that it suffered and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also which holding that there was nothing lefte but the diuine nature and that the other was absorpte of that yet helde that that nature was ignoraunte of manie thinges and the Aphterdoxitae who helde that the humaine nature was impassible for the coniunxion that it had with the diuine and also the Monothelites who therefore taught that there was but onelie will in the person of Christ For all these stumbled and fell with Eutiches in vrging so the vnion of the two natures that they in effecte one waie or other ere they had done eyther by confounding the natures or the properties left but one in effecte Let vs therefore whatsoeuer heretiques eyther olde or newe haue thought or doe or shall thinke to the contrarie moste constantlie holde this as the verie rocke and foundation whereupon if we bee builte and stande faste the verie gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against vs that Christe Iesus in person is verie GOD the seconde person in the trinitie and also verie man the sonne of the blessed virgine Marie and therefore that both these two are so personally vnited in him that he is one person and that without any conuersion of the one nature into
for the worthinesse of the thinges done or suffered by men as for that they are done of men formally iustified before with God by the infused grace of charity and that they are therefore growne to that efficacie by the bloode and merits of Christ for which beleeued but on as they teach God hath iustified them by infusing the gift of charitie into their soules and mindes let them not once thinke or dreame I say that any or all of these their sophisticall and cunning sleights or shiftes eyther can or shall once darken or blemish the plaine euidence and cleare light of this doctrine of iustification redemption and full saluation freely and effectually by faith in Christ Iesus For as for the first of these they cannot be ignorant that whensoeuer the question is in hande how and wherby man is to be iustified before God the scriptures throughout as plainely teach vs that there is but one iustification or waie thereunto as they teach vs that there is but one God Indeede they shewe sometimes that there is a proceeding and growing forward â—â—eerein from vertue to vertue from faith to faith and so from strength to strength in applying vnto vs according to the increasings of our knowledge more and more of our owne wantes and of Christes person and office and according to our proceeding in the strength vertue power of our faith grounded therupon Christ Iesus his merits and sometimes they speak of iustification in a larger or in another signification therfore then they may and doe vrge him that is iustified to be yet more iustified but heereupon to builde that therefore there are two distinct kindes of iustification of man before the tribunall seate of GOD is both to builde without grounde and foundation and wilfullie in a most serious cause to play and seeke by dallying with ambiguitie of wordes to deceiue the simple Now as for their second shift the vanity falshoode therof will soone appeare to any that with any indifferencie wil but consider Paules wordes when in handling of this point he shutteth out workes of the lawe from hauing any thing to doe in the office of iustifying For writing as he did alwaies when he handled this question not to Iewes that indeede thorowe ignorance both of Christ and of the true meaning and vse of the lawe vsed to seeke by the workes of the lawe in their sence that is by workes taught by the lawe and done before grace to be iustified but to conuerted and beleeuing Gentiles to what purpose had it beene to labour so often and so earnestlie to driue them from seeking iustification by such workes of the lawe whereof they coulde neuer make anie such reckoning in that before their conuersion they were not so much as once acquainted with the lawe If therfore we must thinke as we are bounde that Paule wrote and spoke to the purpose and aptlie to those that he had to deale withall out of all question we must needs be of that iudgement that he taught euen the conuerted and beleeuing gentiles in what measure soeuer the spirit of grace enabled them to haue and to performe neuer so manie good workes of the lawe yet when they were neuer so full of them to trust perfectly freely to be iustified by the grace of God through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus and not at all by the workes of the lawe Alas who is so simple as to thinke that the false Apostles sought to perswade the Galathians whome Paule had left setled in seeking their iustification freely by faith in Christ to seeke manie so to be iustified in part or in whole by workes of the lawe done without or before grace and yet if this popish glose must stand Paule in his Epistle written of purpose to perswade the Galathians not to listen to these teaching them to seeke any way to be iustified before God by the workes of the lawe therein eyther disputes to no purpose and fightes but with his owne shadowe or else it must be granted that these were the workes of the lawe that they were taught by them to put some trust and confidence in which to imagine were most grosse and absurde for there is no likelihoode therein at all His reasons that he vsed to shut out the workes of the lawe from the office of iustifying are these for by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3.20 For that our reioycing is in this case excluded not by the lawe of works but by the lawe of faith vers 27. For that if Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God for that the wages is counted to him that worketh not of fauour as he taketh it for graunted it was to Abraham and must be to all the children of Abraham in this case but of debt which likewise he assumeth as graunted to be in this point absurde Rom. 4.2.4 For if they which are of the lawe be heires faith is made voyde and the promise is of none effect For the lawe causeth wrath 14.15 therefore it is by faith that it might come by grace and the promise might be sure to all the seeds 16. As mante as are of the workes of the lawe are vnder the curse For it is written cursed is euery one that continueth not in all thinges which are written in the booke of the lawe to doe them No man is iustified by the lawe in the sight of God it is euident for the iust shall liue by faith and to Abraham and his seede were the promises made he saith not and to thy seedes as speaking of manie but and to thy seede as of one which is Christ Gal. 3.10.11.16 Euerie and all of which argumentes make and serue strongly not onely to debarre woorks done before grace according to the outward letter of the lawe from all office and power to iustifie but also all workes done after grace effectually if mans owne free will in such sort concurre to the working of them as they teach For euen therein and when they are done the lawe findeth such imperfection in the doer as we may see by Paules owne confession Rom. 7.24 that he hath cause to crie O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of sinne and death and to acknowledge euen in such a one as then he himselfe was who doubtlesse was then in the state of grace that the lawe is such a reuealer of sin yet to be in him and therfore also of wrath that he is so farre off from hauing any cause by his own works done after grace to thinke that he deserueth to be iustified or saued in any respect that thereby he may iustly with him take occasion to confesse that though the law be spiritual yet he is carnal so sold vnder sinne that in his flesh there dwelleth no good thing for though to will is present with him that he allowe not the euill he doth because in
desert or merit of man but onely the deserts and merits of his said sonne by faith through imputation made to the beleeuers therein the Apostle saith as he doth not onely that we are iustified by grace but also addeth freely not of our selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast himselfe How it is possible if God should haue studied of purpose to crosse and to preuent for euer all these popish gloses and trickes that he shoulde haue spoken more plainely or pregnantly to aduouch iustification freely and only by faith in Christ Iesus and not for the worthinesse or merit of any thing in our selues first or last And who be so simple that hath any thing had his spirit exercised in the word of God and knowledge of Christ Iesus as by any means to be brought to thinke that Christ comming to be the meritorious and satisfactorie cause of mans saluation as he did that yet so farre off is it that he hath gone quite thorowe with this worke in and by himselfe that in verie deede by the things accomplished in his owne person he hath enabled and dignified thinges to be founde in man and to be done and suffered him at the least to finish vp and perfect by the meritorious and satisfactorie cause of mans saluation For this were not onely to leaue the worke of mans iustification and saluation to be vnperfect for all that hath beene done by him in his owne person but also most vncertaine whether euer it shoulde be finished or no because if the matter be thus to be deuided betwixt Christ and mans owne selfe howsoeuer man might be sure that Christ hath done his part he coulde neuer be sure that he hath or shall hit in iust manner and measure of all that is left for him to doe to perfect the same Yea if this were thus that amongst otherendes that Christ had in his merits and sufferinges he had this thereby so to die our doings and sufferings therewith that they nowe shall be meritorious of and satisfactorie for our owne saluation though by thus saying they would seeme to attribute vnto Christs merits more then we doe in that we denie them this effect in deede and trueth in thus dealing they with Iudas giue him faire wordes saying vnto him haile maister when in secret cunninglie they most vnkindlie and wickedlie seeke to betraye him Heeretofore when they taught this doctrine of mans merits bluntly and flatly without this new colour of their so doing we iustly charged themselues to be the sacrilegious robbers of Christ of that chiefe and speciall honour that appertaines vnto him but now whiles they haue sought to auoyd to put frō themselues the grieuousnes of this charge by this their new deuise in steed of making Christ some restitution and amendes for the wrong they did him they nowe are flatly come to this obstinately to continue in the doing of him the same old wrong still but nowe they will no longer be the onely doers thereof them selues but he himselfe must bee if not the plaine and full principall yet at the least an open and notorious accessary and helper forward of them in this their robbing of him But whatsoeuer they say or doe herein let vs with the apostle beleeue that he is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them and hath an euerlasting priesthoode Heb. 7.24.25 For as we haue often heard before an other of them writeth his owne selfe bare our finnes in his body vpon the tree and so that thereby we are both deliuered from sinne and so healed thereof that thenceforth we shoulde liue in righteousnesse 1. Pet 1.2.4 And with all our heartes let vs shunne and detest all these their popish demses tending as we see all more or lesse to the robbing of Christ of this speciall honour to be a full and a perfect sauiour in That he is King Friest Prophet of and by him selfe To proceed therefore as thus in these two pointes particularly you haue heard howe the gospell sheweth you this to be his office so for the rest before mentioned if we looke into it it will teach vs that in this his office he is our Christ that is our annointed and appointed kinge priest and prophet in and for his Church King to rule gouerne and to protect it from all the enimies and dangers there of priest to redeeme it and to make full and perfect atonement and reconsiliation thorowe his eternall intercession betwixt God and it and prophet to teach and instruct it by his worde from time to time So that he hath of his Church a priestly kingdome which he hath purchased not with gold or siluer but with his owne preticus blood as Peter speaketh 1. epist 1.19 which he gouerneth and ordereth by the scepter of his worde and perfecteth by the powre of his spirit Of the title and right of his kingrick Paule Heb. 4.8 vnderstandeth that Psal 45.6 and 7. as spoken of Dauid thorow the spirit thy throne is for euer and euer the scepter of thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnesse thou hast loued righteousnesse and hated iniquitie wherfore cuen God thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellowes And touching his priesthoode to proue him to be a farre more excellent priest then euer was any of the tribe of Leui. Cap. 7.12 he saith that he was made priest with an oath by him that said vnto him as it is written Psal 110.4 The Lord hath sworne and will not repente thou art a priest for euer according to the order of Melchizedech And lastly concerning his office of a prophet and teacher of his Church Mathew sheweth vs that when he was transfigured in the mount this voyce was heard from heauen vttered of him doubtlesse by his heauenlie father to establish him heerein This is my welbeloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him Cap. 17.5 And to teach vs that all doctors teachers must alwaies stoupe to him and learne that first of him which they teach others he saith be not called doctors for one is your doctor euen Christ Math. 23.10 thereby not forbidding the title but the abuse thereof which is when any dare take vpon them as doctors and teachers onely of trueth to vrge that for trueth vpon the Church or to Gods people which they cannot warrant so to be by the vndoubted voyce and word of Christ His kingdom is not of this world for so he himselfe told Pilate Iohn 18.36 and yet he is such a king as that he is king of kings and Lord of Lords Reue. 19.16 And as king he is lawgiuer vnto his people in whose power it is to saue and destroy Iam. 4.12 As king he gouerneth and guideth his Church both heere and in heauen as the head thereof Ephe. 1.22 As king he liberally bestoweth thereupon from time to time those rich
iustified thē vndoubtedly also will saue them For though euery trueth taught by God in his word be the general obiect of faith yet the proper obiect therof by apprehensiō where of it is so oft said in the scriptures to iustifie is onely Christ Iesus whō it is not inough for faith with her inward eies to know and cōfesse to be as he is in person and office as you haue before heard but as you may sufficiently perceiue by Christes setting of himselfe before the faithfull as the meate and drinke of their soules and by his requiring that they should hunger and thirst after him yea eate him drinke him then by his plaine expounding that eating drinking of him to be beleeuing in him he is by faith to be taken appropriated to euery right beleeuer in him And to put it out of doubt that the iustifying faith or faith in Christ Iesus must haue and indeed hath this effect Paule after he had willed the Corinthians to proue try themselues whether they were in the faith hee streight addeth And examine your selues know you not your own selues that Iesus Christ is in you vnlesse you be reprobates 2. Co. 13.5 when faith thus apprehendeth Christ so possesseth her owner of him as that he himself may know that Christ is in him how cā it be then but he that hath by faith so found and got Christ hath also in him by him a special assurance that his sins are forgiuen him that vndoubtedly he shall for that Christs sake be saued when it doth all this we denie not but most willingly we confesse that there it bringeth forth by the power of the spirit of sanctification good works plentifully in her owner but yet we dare not say that it iustifieth either for the worthinesse of it selfe or for the worthines of all the noble traine of good works inseperablie alwaies in good measure accōpanying it but onely for the worthines of Iesus Christ whom it apprehendeth But that vndoubtedly faith findeth in Christ Iesus full and sufficient cause and matter for which most certainely God will both iustifie saue all those that thereby haue put him on as Paule speaketh Rom. 13.14 all the places of scripture before produced to proue him to be in and of himselfe a full and most perfect Sauiour most pregnantly and forceably scrue Seeing therefore brethren as thereby sufficiently hath appeared by the blood of Iesus We may be bold to enter into the holy place by the new and liuing way which he hath prepared for vs through the vaile that is his flesh and seeing we haue an high priest which is ouer the house of God let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts frō an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water let vs keep the professiō of our hope without wauering for he is faithful that promised Heb. 10.19 For faith is the ground of things hoped for the euidence of things which are not seene Heb. 11.1 Let vs aske thē therfore in faith of our good gracious God and wauer not as Iames coūselleth vs for he that wauereth is like the waters of the sea tost of the winde and caried away neither let that man thinke that he shall obtaine any thing of the Lord Iam. 2.19 And let vs confidently conclude with Saint Paule that beeing iustified by faith we haue peace with God through Iesus Christ by whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto his grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God yea with that hope that shall neuer shame or confound vs. Rom. 5.1 c. For whatsoeuer our aduersaries say or feele to the contrary in themselues we that can finde once by faith that we haue put on Christ that we haue eaten his flesh and drunke his blood yea that he is euen in vs and therefore haue first Gods promises often declared and made vnto vs and then the same particularly outwardly in the sacraments and inwardly in our soules by his spirit thus sealed and applied vnto vs dare boldly with Saint Iohn say that we know we are translated from death to life 1. Epist 3.14 and with Saint Paule that we are perswaded that nothing shall euer seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus For seeing he hath not spared to bestow his owne sonne vpon vs how shall he not with him giue vs all things else Rom. 8.13.39 yea we are sure it is no presumption to beleeue God without any wauering thus many waies testifying his effectuall mercy loue to appertaine euen vnto vs eye we know it were wickedly to call the trueth and faithfulnesse of God into question once to doubt when he so many waies hath sought to put vs out of al doubt No maruel though the papistes can attaine vnto no such ioy and peace or assurance in their consciences of saluation by their faith For first they build as much of their faith vpon the sandie foundation of their owne traditions as vpon the rocke of the canonicall scriptures secondly the faith that they talke on leades them no further then to a generall astent to all trueth reuealed by God vnto man in his word whereof in particular they neyther thinke the knowledge of all that trueth necessary nor yet the speciall application of the promises to any contenting themselues with beleeuing in generall that there is in the Church remission of sinnes purchased by Christ c. And thirdly they hold there is no such faith whereby in for Christ the owner therof can come to any such assurāce of the mercy of God of the forgiuenes of his sins and of life euerlasting yea that that is rather a presumption a mere fiction and inuention then any faith allowed of God vnlesse God giue a man a speciall reuelation as it were telling him by name in particular that he shall haue these in deed for Christs sake and that therefore it is inough for to beleeue that their are these things in deede by Christ purchased And therfore lastly they holde that faith may be in the reprobate and that it is said to iustifie onely bicause it is one of the first dispositions to iustification and that it iustifieth not so much for apprenending Christ the iustifier as for that it obtaineth that Christ shoulde formally iustify her owner by powring into him the grace of charity whereby he may after be able more to iustifie himself and to merite the kingdome of heauen by good works So that in effect they hold teach that it iustifieth not for Christ apprehended applied to her owner but for charitie and other good works that Christ by his grace for the worthinesse therof bestoweth vpon him quite contrary to the scriptures which as we haue heard shut workes quite out from this office of iustifying and purchasing of saluation for man Whereas they know further
vnto vs and by his Spirit communicateth him vnto vs after a spirituall and misticall manner and that we by faith wrought and nourished in vs by this his Spirit and meanes feed vpon to our euerlasting saluation Touching which faith Conclusion of the commandement which thus I haue made as it were the hand mouth of our soule to take Christ offered vnto vs in the word Sacraments withall at the hand of God hsi spirit let it be remembred once againe that Christ here in my text calling for it to drinke him by saith not simply he that beleeueth in mee but with this adition as saith the Scripture Wherby let vs to conclude this point withall learne that in this case it is not inough to beleeue as we list nor as this man or that this company or that teach vs alwayes Yea that we neuer beleeue aright to this purpose vntill we beleeue in Christ as the canonicall Scriptures teach vs. All which as I haue before sufficiently shewed lay him still before vs to be beleeued in as our sole and onely meritorious cause of our saluation with whom we may neither ioyne any other person or thing And so stedfast also our confidence of saluation these teach vs ought to be in him that thereby we may say We haue peace with God through him and such accesse to Gods grace as that we stand therin and reioyce vnder hope which shall neuer be confounded Rom. 5. vers 1.2.3 c. In so much that hauing reckoned vp all thinges that are most likely to doe it yet with Paule all that haue this faith may boldly and triumphantly say That nothing shall seperate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus In any case therefore by the meanes that he hath appointed for that purpose which I haue now also laide before you let vs striue to attaine to this faith and to nourish it when we haue once got it For this is it that ioyneth Christ and vs togither and so fully possesseth vs of him and all the treasured graces and mercies of God prouided for mens saluation in him that therefore it bringeth vnto vs the peace that passeth all vnderstanding Phil. 4.7 and the ioy that none can euer take from vs. Iohn 16.22 We haue the word of God and that written outwardly sealed in the Sacramentes and thereby by his spirit also inwardly offering to seale sealing the same vnto our heartes consciences that God the Father in and by his sonne Christ Iesus by the mightie working of the holie Ghost both can and will saue vs. Whatsoeuer therefore papistes prate to the contrarie let vs most firmly and constantlie thus beleeue and not once dare call the trueth of God thus many waies confirmed vnto vs once into question But then let vs neuer for get that golden saying of Cyprian De duplicimartirio Non credit in Deum qui non in eo solo collocat totius suae salut is fiducia that is He beleeues not in God at all that placeth not the whole confidence of his saluation in him alone And the rather for that thus to doe our Creedes our Baptisme and all the scriptures teach vs. Let vs not therefore by the example or doctrine of Papistes be drawne from hence to put our confidence as they doe both in a number of persons and things that are not God For that were vndoubtedly howsoeuer they would perswade men to the contrary no better than to become plaine reuolters and apostares from the ancient found Catholicke faith which all these most plainely teach and binde vs vnto and in deede to fet vp vnto our selues a new Christ of our owne deuising with whom none of these euer acquainted vs. Wherefore as in these respectes I would wish that we tooke heed of the seauen of the popish faith as of the verie baine poyson of our soules so also beware we of their kinde of faith in the vse of the Sacrament of the body bloode of Christ For as you may perceiue by that which I haue said already of that matter the faith that they most call for in that busines is a beleeuing that Christes very body blood are really there vnder the formes of bread wine so be taken in by the bodily mouth of euery receiuer quite contrarie both to the true sence of the Scripturs in that behalf to the nature of Christ These things thus finished and concluded it remaineth now that we proceede in our text wherein we haue yet to consider of the promise therin made by Christ to all those and to none but to those that by right knowing him and beleeuing in him come vnto him and drinke of him This promise he vtters and expresses in these wordes as you haue hearde The promise out of his bellie shall flowe riuers of water of life whereunto if we referre these wordes as saith the Scripture as many interpreters both olde and newe doe then they teach vs to vnderstand this promise as the Scripture teacheth vs ellewhere and not otherwise And seeing Christ hath vttered the promise in such a metaphoricall phrase as hee hath it may verie well be that of very purpose he placed those wordes as he did not onely to teach vs as we haue heard alreadie that we come vnto him and drinke of him by sound knowledge and right faith as the Scriptures shew vs but also plainelie to instruct vs that in so doing we must looke to haue the wordes of this promise fulfilled vnto vs not in any grosse or literall sence but onelie in such spirituall manner and sorte as the Scriptures themselues in other places declare Heereby then to beginne withall Christ hath giuen vs this moste notable and profitable rule that it is a moste sounde way rightile to expounde Scriptures and so rightlie to vnderstande them to conferre Scripture with Scripture and to admit no sence of figuratiue and darke phrases and speaches in the same but that which may doth stand with other more plaine places which in Gods wisedom and prouidence euen of purpose elsewhere are set downe therein that they may be as a key to let vs into the right sence of the harde than which rule howsoeuer nowe a daies our aduersaries would perswade they haue founde a better namely to make the current practise of their Church which when they haue braued of Doctors and Councelles neuer so much is indeede onely the verie pleasure mutable fansie of their Popes the ancient Fathers haue esteemed and followed this as the best and saifest As it is euident in Augustine De doctrina Christiana Lib. 3.2.6 where he defineth that to be alwaies the sence of the harde place which is taught in plainer and that no sence is to be receiued to be the sence of any which cannot be proued so to be out of other places Of the same minde Hierome showes himselfe to haue beene in his 19. Homilie vpon Esay noting that
though according to the diuersitie of places that they hold in that bodie one and the selfe ame Spirit is diuersly bestowed vpon them as we are taught 1. Cor. 12. Ver. 4. c. So that the Spirit and the giftes and graces of God are here so promised to them all and shal be and are performed as that aptly they may be called riuers of water of life flowring out of their bellies But yet then some may maruaile comparing the spirit and giftes thereof seene in many of the faithfull since Christ was glorified with the Spirit and giftes thereof founde in sundry as in the Patriarches and Prophets and other famous holy men in the olde Testament and finding them in show to be but equall or rather inferiour to some of theirs why Iohn shoulde eyther simply or by waie of comparison thus signifie vnto vs that the Spirite had not beene giuen in such measure before as nowe Christ beeing glorified it should Whereunto though I might answere that Iohn might well say so in that then the partition wall betwixt Iew and Gentile shoulde be pulled downe and so the borders compasse of the Church should wonderfully be enlarged in comparison they were before yet more fullie to aunswere this obiection though in respect of those times wherein the Patriarches and Prophets and holie men of GOD liued in the time of the olde Testament their faith and other fruites of the Spirite that appeared and were founde in them were verie commendable yet in many respectes Iohn might preferre the Spirite and the giftes thereof giuen to beleeuers in the newe Testament so before them in the olde that in comparison thereof the Spirite might be saide not to haue beene before For first though then the mysteries of religion were sufficientlie reuealed for those times yet were they not opened so clearely and lightsomely then as now since the comming of Christ and the Spirit that he beeing ascended he promiseth to his leadeth them to all trueth and teacheth them all thinges Iohn 14.26 In so much that the beleeuing Christian nowe can speake by direction therof more plainly of the Trinitie of Christes person and office and of many other mysteries of Christian religion than any of them had done or could In respect and regard whereof Christ saith of Iohn Baptist verily verily amongst them that are begotten of a woman arose there not a greater and yet notwithstāding he that is least in the kingdome of God is greater than he For he preached Christ and pointed him present and none of them sawe him or spake of him but a farre off and yet after Christ had gone thorow with that which he came for and was ascended by his Spirite he so enlighteneth the heartes of the meanest sounde members of his Church that they can say more of him than Iohn coulde And in this respect Christ saide that manie Kings and Prophets had desired to see and heare those thinges which his Apostles and followers sawe and yet did not Luke 10.24 Then who also knoweth not that the ministrie and reuelation of the will of God was then verie darke it lay so much in types and figures in compasson that it is now Christ being come and ascended at whom those did but aime and poynte at a farre off and that therefore in that respect Paule might truely and iustly say that the night was past and the day come Rom. 13.12 and also magnifie the ministerie of the newe Testament as farre more glorious than that of the olde as most notablie he doth 2. Cor. 3.6 c For then they had but the light of the moone and the starres to direct them whereas we nowe haue the brightnesse of the shining sonne and theirs in comparison was but of the letter and of death and ours is of the spirite of life as Paule sheweth there And therefore how can it be otherwise but that the effectes and fruits of the Spirite beeing conformable in some good measure to the ministry wherby it worketh but that now since his comming and glorification they shoulde be in his as riuers of water of life flowing out of their bellies whereas before they were in comparison but like vnto the little and soft running water from out of the fountaine of Siloah at the foote of the mount Syon And somewhat it maketh the better to make vs vnderstande both what Christ saide and did as Iohn heere hath set it down that Tremelius noteth vpō this place For he telleth vs that the Iewes in their Talmud in the tract of the feast of Tabernacles Chapter Chal. shewe that the last day of that feast was the greatest because as they say their ancient Doctors taught them that whereas the other daies thereof they shoulde in ioy onely once circuit the Altar carrying boughes and palmes in their handes and crying Hosannah that is saue I pray this last day by tradition as they tooke it from Haggai and Zachariah they were so to doe seauen times crying both Hosannah and Hatzlicannah that is saue vs I pray thee and make vs to prosper oftentimes with a lowde voyce and further he reporteth that there it is set downe as the fashion of that people receiued by the tradition as they tooke it from the same Prophets that that day they vsed with greate ioy to drawe water out of the fountaine of Syloach and to carry it to the Priestes that they might powre it vpon the Altar with the drinke offering of wine hauing in the meane time that songe cheerefully alowde which we read Esay 12.3 You shall drawe waters with ioy out of the fountaine of saluation which whiles they did they thought they serued God highly and prouoked him to bestow the Spirit of prophesie vpon them as superstitiously they dreamed that he did vpon Ionas whiles he was so occupied Whereupon as he thinketh it might well be that Iesus tooke occasion as that day standing whereas otherwise when he taught he vsed to sit and to speake but in an ordinarie voyce to cry vnto them that so the better for all that noyse and stirre he might be heard of them If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke he that beleeueth in me as saith the scripture out of his belly shall flowe riuers of water of life so to draw them from that superstitious fashion indeede to drawe water of life out of him the fountaine of liuing waters as he is termed Iere. 2.3 All these things therefore now thus laide and considered togither I hope you vnderstand both Christ and Iohn in these wordes of my text and perceiue what other occasion soeuer he had he had heerein a purpose to promise them that directly come vnto him by drinking of him to satisfie their thirstie soules and that leauing running to all other rotten cesternes that could holde no water they should finde him no drie fountaine but a fountaine to fill them so that they shoulde runne ouer againe therwith to the watering of others and
besides you see that the Lord hath alwaies taken a delight thus to speake of the spirite and giftes thereof that they shoulde receiue that would onelie seeke to come to the Father by him Wherefore seeing the ground of such metaphoricall speeches is alwaies the similitude and resemblance as once I haue said alreadie betwixt the metaphore and the thinges metaphorized The right vse and application of the promise let vs see and viewe what likelihoode there is betwixt riuers of waterof life flowing out of ones bellie and the giftes and graces of Gods spirite promised to them that thus come vnto Christ and beleeue in him Marke therefore amongest manie other properties that water hath it hath these soure that is first to wash and make cleane then to soften and mollifie and next to make fruitfull that which otherwise would be barren and lastly to quench and coole For as you knowe cloathes and other thinges a number are washed and made cleane thereby the earth that otherwise woulde be as Brasse and Iron vnder vs is softened and thereby it falling vpon it in due season and manner it is made fruitefull also and thereby likewise we see fire quenched and heate much cooled and abated Wherefore in that Christ promiseth his spirite vnto those that thus come vnto him and make him theirs by beleeuing in him vnder the name of waters thus much to beginne withall vnlesse we might thinke that he coulde not tell howe to speake aptly which but to imagine were absurd euen hereby we are taught that the spirite of God in such must and will be as water and therefore of power to wash and make them cleane of the soule errours and sinnes wherewith before they were defiled and so also of power to soften their stonie and harde heartes that the seede of the worde may sinke deepe inough therein and to make them bring forth fruite alwaies in due season and finally likewise it will shew it selfe of force to quench in them the fire of concupiscence and to abate the heate of all other sinne Let not any man therefore flatter himselfe and thinke he hath done what heere Christ commaunded vnlesse he can approoue it by the beeing and dwelling of the spirite in him in that sorte and measure that it may worthilie beare the name of water in all these respectes For Christ was and is of infinite power and wisedome and therefore we may be sure he hath made heere no other promise but that which he both can and will performe Neyther lacke of abilitie to be as good as his worde nor rashnesse or vnaduisednesse in passing of it at any time was euer found in him wherefore let vs not be behind in performing the commaundement and nothing is more certaine than that he will not be behinde with vs in performing of his promise If therefore we finde our hearts and liues still delighted with our old filthie errours and sinnes stonie and slinty that the worde can take no roote in or that cannot tremble at the judgementes of God barren of all goodnesse and burning still with lust and on heate with and after other sinnes then whatsoeuer we can prate or talke of Christ or faith in him as yet we are meere strangers from them both Without figure or Metaphor that you may see the plaine euidence thereof marke I beseech you but amongst infinite other places these most plame testimonies of Scripture concerning this point The fruite of the stirit it in al goodnes righteousnes and truth Ephes 5. Ver. 9. They that are in Christ and so partakers of his death and resurrection they must be and are therby and by the power of his spirit deade to sinne aliue to righteousnes Rom. 6. Ver. 3. c. Collos 2. Ver. 11. 12. They that are Christes haue crucified the flesh with the affections lustes thereof Gal. 5. Ver. 24. And with such old thinges are passed away and all things are become newe and therefore they must be new creatures 2. Cor. 5. Ver. 17. For by him we are deliuered from the handes of our enemies to serue him in holines and righteousnes all the daies of our liues that before him and as in his sight without feare Luk. 1.74.75 And therefore we must not walke after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.1 c. and so put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holines being renewed in the spirit of our minde and casting off the conuersation that was in times Past the olde man Ephe. 4. Vers 22. c. yea we may not dare call him Father vnles we passe the time of our dwelling here in feare in being holy as he is holy 1. Pet. 1. Vers 16.17 and if we say we haue fellowship with him and walke in darknes Saint Iohn will plainely tell vs we lie and doe not the truth Epist 1. Chap. 1. Ver. 6. Whereby it is most euident whatsoeuer we haue beene before when once we are come to Christ and haue pur on him the case must be so quite changed and altered with vs that then though Paule may say of vs you were once such and such yet now he may haue cause to say as he saide in the like case of the Corinthians but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God For Dauid can say hauing an eie to Christ then far off purge me with Hisop and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter than snow Psal 51. Vers 7. How then may we doe that dishonour vnto Christ being come as either to think that we are washed in his bloode and so iustified and yet remaine still foule filthie or hauing seemed to be clensed and escaped from the filthines of the world through the knowledge of our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ to suffer our selues to be tangled and ouercome therewith againe If we should thus doe we doe him the greatest dishonour discredit that we can For what cleanly landresse would not take it to be a shame vnto hir to be said or thought to haue washt her clothes they remaining still as foule filthy as euer they were And most certaine it is if hauing put our hand to the plow we looke back againe we are by Christs owne sentence alreadie pronounced vpon vs not meete for the kindom of heauen Luk. 9.62 and if we be backsliders and reuolters Saint Peter hath told vs what we may trust to namely that then our latter end shal be worse than our beginning yea that we are no better than dogs turned to our vomit or than sowes after they are washt returning to the wallowing in the mire 2. Epist Cap. 3.20 And most seareful is that which we read Heb. 6.4 c. 10.26 c. touching apostataes reuolters from the faith for there such are told that it is impossible that they should be renewed
againe by repentance that there is no more sacrifice to be offred for their sins that there is nothing left for them but a fearefull expectation of irreuocable iudgment and condemnation Now doubtles the verie waye and means to come to this dreadfull estate is for them that haue seemed to stand by professing once the sounde faith to be carelesse in maintaining and preseruing conscience in their liues and conuersation and therefore to teach vs asmuch Paul calles vpon his Timothie to maintaine and nourish togither faith and a good conscience for that whiles some as namely Hymineus and Alexander haue made no carefull reckoning of the one they haue made shipwracke of the other 1. Tim. 1.19 20. Let him therefore that seemeth to stande take heede he fall not 1. Cor. 10.12 and in anie case also let him that would seeme to be in deede in Christ Iesus be a new creature 2. Cor. 5.17 for such haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lustes thereof Gal. 5.24 they walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit as ye haue heard Rom. 1. and they are a people zealous of good workes Tit. 2.14 Wherefore let vs neuer once thinke that our sinnes are in Christ Iesus couered vnlesse we finde our selues cured thereof or that for his sake they are pardoned vnlesse we in truth perceiue our bodies and soules purged at the least thereof that sinne raigne not in our mortall bodies Rom. 6.12 For they that so are of God Iohn saith flatly they cannot sinne meaning so as that sinne raigne in them for that they are borne of God and his seede remaineth in them 3.9 Howsoeuer therefore Hypocrites and such as haue but a temporarie faith may and often doe fall headlong into obeying sinne with their full and whole consent as their lawfull king in whose obedience willingly they take delight and so such worthily quite lease those giftes and good graces which they seamed to haue before and consequently by their so falling away as the same Iohn teacheth in the former Chapter Cap. 2. Ver. 10. make it euident that they were neuer of the number indeede that by a liuelie faith were in Christ Iesus for then as he saith they would still haue continued with such yet so it is neither finally nor at any time after with those that once haue vnfainedly and rightly indeede put on Christ For as Paul teacheth most euidently and forciblie Rom. 6. throughout and Col. 1.2 such haue so put him on and are in him that as he once for all died and was buried to put away their sinne and rose againe ascended into heauen and sitteth there at the right hand of the father to confer bestowe vpon them a perfect righteousnes iustification so by the power and efficacie of Christ dwelling in them they are deade to sinne and aliue to righteousnes and therefore howsoeuer will they nill they they may by some reliques of sinne remaining in them to humble them and to wrastle against be inforced with the same Apostle in the next chapter cōplaining of the tyranny of sinne to cry out I do not that good I would but that which I hate that doe I yet all such with a good conscience may comfort themselues againe with him and say if I doe that I would not doe and hate it is not I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in mee Cap. 6.15 20. And in the end they may be sure that the spirit that dwelleth in them will so strenthen them against the flesh that they shall get in the end of the battle the victorie and that in the meane time the flesh shall neuer be able vtterly to preuaile as they may reade Gal. 5.17 24. For that Spirit being once com into thefield though old Adā muster all his beaten woūded souldiers neuer so oft yet that man in whose hart the field is once pitched fought may assure him selfe that it is as absurd for him to think that either in the end or at any time the flesh shall preuaile to driue that spirit out of the field as it is to thinke that a base creature can ouercome God the Creator And to assure all such hereof Christ hath promised when he sends once this Spirit of his vnto them that it shal be their cōmforter that it shal abide with thē for euer Iohn 14.16 that he would beg of his father that he shoulde so doe And therfore they may be sure that he hath done it hath also obtained his sute for he is truth it selfe Iohn 14.6 therfore true in his promise besids he tels vs that he knew his father alwaies heard him Iohn 11.42 Let not that wrong therfor be offerred either to Christ or to his Spirit that any should but once think that either of these can be driuen out of possession after once they haue taken it in theirs either by Sathan the world or the flesh they may be busy to grieue trouble them but neuer shal they preuaile for they are alwayes the strōgerin finitely and their loue care to keep preserue theirs is like them selues that is eternal most constant indeed in that Christ here in our text promiseth his spirite not only in vnder the name of water but of riuers of waters that of life flowing out of their bellies that should doe as before he cōmanded al this being to be vnderstood of the giftes graces of the spirit which he would bestow vpon all such as we haue heard as thereby we are taught that he will giue them to such not in a scant but in a very plentious manner and measure for that he is a liberall giuer Iames 1.5 so by calling them Riuers of the water of life he teacheth vs and assureth vs that they will neuer altogither die or be dried vp for his giftes giuen to such are without repentance Rom. 1.29 They shew also by the other addition of flowing out of their bollies that they will not be smothered and kept in within the bellies of the beleeuers owne selfe whatsoeuer the state of the time be wherein hee liues For they must flow out of their bellies and therefore such must let their light shine be fore men to the glorie of God and good example and profit of others as Christ hath taught them Math. 5.16 Wherefore let the first of these lessons occasion euery one that is desirous to haue any comfortable assurance that this promise is made to him appertaineth vnto him to striue by al lawfull and good meanes to haue the sanctifying giftes of the spirit in such plentifull and abundant measure in him that he may feele and others finde by experience that they may worthily be compared to riuers of water And by the second let euery such one also learne for the better certifying of his owne heart that he is such an one indeed that he must perseuere vnto the end Math. 10.22 euermore bringing forth more
fruite in hir age as the tree planted in the house of God whereunto such are compared Psal 92.13.14 vseth to doe For to the vnspeakable comfort of all such the giftes and graces of the holy spirit vndoubtedly accompanying their right comming vnto Christ and beleeuing in him are heere resembled vnto riuers of waters of life not onely for that they come from the true fountaine of life and will leade and guide the owner therof therunto but also for that in such in whom they are once founde they will neuer eyther wholly or finally faile or drie vp As therefore such may be sure that the foundation of God remaineth sure The Lorde knoweth who are his 2. Tim. 2.19 so they may be by these fruites of the Spirit without hypocrifie founde in them most certaine that according to Saint Peters counsell they haue ioyned vertue to their faith and so consequently haue made their own election so sure vnto themselues which alwaies before was sure with God as that they shall neuer fall For this is the indissoluble chaine of God whereof one linke can neuer at all be seuered or sundred from an other after that but once the first two be coupled whom he knewe before and predestinated to be like to the image of his Sonne and so elected in him before the foundations of the world those he first calleth then iustifieth then sanctifieth and lastly glorifieth Rom. 8.29.30 Ephe. 1.4 Whom therfore indeed we finde once by these riuers of waters of life sanctified we may be out of doubt that thē God hath elected called and iustified and that also them he wil glorifie For this sanctifying spirit beareth witnes with their spirits that they are the children of God and so imboldneth them to cal vpon him saying Abba Father Rom. 8.15.16 and it is the holy Spirite of promise that sealeth them and is the earnest of their inheritance and redemption in Christ Iesus Ephe. 1.13.14 Though therefore such to their own sence and feeling and perhaps also in the conceit of others may haue not onely these graces of the Spirite more eclipsed at one time than at another yea may thinke that they are quite dried vp and vanished yet forasmuch as whom God once loues as doubtlesse he doth all them whom once truely he doth thus qualifie he loues to the end Iohn 13.1 let all such be most firmelie resolued that this is but the better to humble them and to prouoke them when they finde these graces reuiued in them againe to worke out their owne saluation with the more trembling and feare because he that hath begunne this good work in them will neuer giue it ouer vntill he haue brought it to perfection and he it is that will worke in them both the will and the deede of his good pleasure Phil. 1.6 2.12.13 For such haue the infallible markes of Christes elect and chosen sheepe whereof he himselfe most plainelie teacheth that it is impossible that any shoulde eyther take them out of his handes or that any of them should finallie perish Matth. 24.24 and Iohn 10.28 The reason is that they are kept by the power of God through faith to saluation 1. Peter 1.5 Indeede meete it is and verie needefull that such that once haue attained to the graces giftes of the Spirit to be as riuers of waters of life in them that they should doe what they may possiblie to nourish and increase the same and they are to knowe that if they doe fayle in doing of their duetie in this behalfe that they are worthilie caused to see and feele to the greate griefe of their soules the decaye thereof yea that they haue done as much as lies in them vtterly to lease them and to prouoke GOD to be their enemie and therefore they are most earnestlie to repente their negligence and carelesnesse in this pointe But yet the force of this Metaphore these places and a number moe in the Scriptures that are as pregnant to this purpose most plainely showe that when thus it falles out with such that yet in the goodnesse of GOD towardes them this their sence feeling and the iudgement of others prooue no stronglier that these giftes of the Spirite are quite gone in them indeede than the eclipsing or hiding away of the sunne from our eies by foggie mistes or cloudes at noone daies the raking vp of the fire when there is store thereof in the ashes the not stirring of a liue and strong childe in the mothers wombe at all times a like or the not appearing of leaues and fruite vpon quicke trees in an orcharde in the deepe of winter proue that there is no Sunne in the firmament no fyre on the harth no childe in the wombe or that then there is no sappe in the roote of the trees As therefore when neyther the moone fogges nor cloudes are betwixt vs and the Sunne it will appeare and shine againe as when the ashes are remoued and the coles hid thereunder are blowne againe therof may growe as greate a fire as euer before as when the childe stirreth againe though it haue life without motion a greate while before the mother conceiueth as certaine hope that she is with childe as euer before and as when the spring time commeth there will be both leaues and fruite vpon the trees in the orchard that seemed deade before in the winter so is it in this case when GOD shall remooue the lettes and causes as most certainelie he will aswell in this as in these other we see naturallie and commonlie they are then the brightnesse heat motion and liuelinesse of his Spirite shall and will in his appeare againe But then the better and the more easilie that they may finde this to be thus lastly I woulde haue all such to remember that it is not inough that to their owne sence and in their owne conceites they haue these giftes of the Spirit as riuers of waters of life but that if they be such indeede as heere are promised and therfore are performed to all that come vnto Christ and beleeue in him that they must flowe out of their bellies Where by their bellies we are to vnderstand as Augustine hath well noted in his 32. tract vpon Iohn the bellie of the inner man which as he there telles vs is the cōscience of the heart And as there also he saith this flowing of riuers of water out of the bellie of the inner man Beneuolentia eius est qua vult consulere proximo si enim putet quia quod bibit soli ipsi debet sufficere non fluit aqua viua de ventre eius si autem proximo festinet consulere ideo non siccat quia manat that is Is his bountifulnesse wherewith he will prouide for the good of his neighbour for if he thinke that that which hee hath drunke must but serue himselfe the water of life flowes not out of his bellie but if he make hast to doe good to his neighbour it drieth