humane nature But vnto Christ many things are so attributed Ergo. The minor is proued by that Iohn 8. v. 19. Verely Verely I say vnto you Before Abraham was I am This can by no meanes be vnderstood of the humane nature because Christs Natiuity was two thousand yeares after Abraham That trifling exposition which the Samosateuian Heretikes giue of this place before Abraham was to wit the father of the faithfull I am is altogether vnsound and not sounding with the text neither with the scope and intention of Christ in this place For he was to answer to the obiection of the Iewes who had said in the verse going before Thou art not yet fiftie yeares old and hast thou seene Abraham Now what an answer should this haue beene if he had said Before Abraham was the father of the faithfull I am for that should haue beene as ridiculous an answer as if when one should say to me thou art not yet forty yeares old and hast thou seene Sigismund king of Polonia and I should answer Before my sonne shall get a sonne and be a father I am would not all laugh at such an answer giuen to that question and that Christ is Man it needes no prouing because all grant it Why is not the sole humane nature of Christ called a Person as well as euery one of vs be called persons Although the humane nature of Christ consisteth of a soule and a body euen as we doe notwithstanding it can not subsist a part by it selfe without adioyning it to the diuine nature whereas we can subsist euery one by himselfe seuerally otherwise he is like vnto vs in other things sinne only excepted as the Scripture witnesseth Heb. 2. v. 14. Because therefore the children are partakers of flesh and blood euen Christ also was made partakers of them And v. 16. He tooke not the Angels but the seede of Abraham whereupon hee ought to bee made like vnto all his brethren in substance namely according to his soule and body Which may be obserued against the Vbiquitaries who conceit there was another kind of humane substance in Christ then such as we haue namely such a one as can be in one and the selfe-same instant of time euery where in all places both in heauen and earth and so they confound the diuine and humane nature one with the other I haue heard what be the parts of Christs Person now shew me what is the vnion of those two parts in Christs Person It is that indissoluble knot wherby the humane nature is so surely tied vnto the diuine and the diuine nature so linked to the humane that of them two is made but one Person and that those natures for euer cannot be dis-ioyned the one from the other What are we to consider in this vnion Two things to wit The cause of the vnion of the two natures in Christ and then the proprieties of this vnion What is the cause of the vnion of these two natures in Christ The conception of the humane nature in the Virgin Maries wombe wrought by the Holy Ghost and then the Natiuitie and Incarnation whereby after that most straite coniunction of the humane nature with the diuine in the Virgin Maries wombe the man Christ was borne and brought forth into this light See Syst. Theolog pag. 323. How many proprieties hath this vnion Three First that it is exceeding fast and sure Secondly that it can not possible be dissolued Thirdly that by reason thereof those things that agree only to the one nature are notwithstanding attributed to the whole Person because of either of those two natures See Syst. Theolog pag. 320. I haue heard as touching the Person of Christ now it remaines that I be instructed in the office of Christ and first of all that you tell mee how the office of Christ is called generally It is in generall termed the office of a Mediatour What is a Mediatour Generally a Mediatour importeth such an one as doth reconcile the party offending to the party offended which reconciliation consisteth in these three things 1 The Mediatour must take intercession for him that hath grieued the partie offended 2. He must satisfie the partie offended for the iniurie and wrong done 3. He must promise and likewise prouide that the offender shall not offend any more And therefore when we say Christ is a Mediatour it is as if we say that Christ is that Person that hath appeased God whom Mankinde by their sinnes had most grieuously offended and who hath giuen satisfaction to the iustice of God by his Passion and Death who prayeth for sinners and applyeth his merit vnto them by faith who regenerateth them by his holy Spirit that they may begin in this life to hate sinne and to be warie that they offend God no more Of how many sorts is the office of Christ our Mediatour Of three sorts Propheticall Sacerdotall and Regall in regard wherof our Sauiour is called Christ i. e. anointed and appointed vnto this triple office because in the Old Testament by Gods own command there were anointed Prophets Priests and Kings Which is the Propheticall office of Christ and in what doth it consist It consists in two things 1. In the Office of teaching And 2. in the Efficacie of his teaching for Christ is called a Prophet 1. Because hee hath reuealed God and Gods will vnto Angels and vnto men For God could no otherwise be knowne then by the Sonne according vnto that The Sonne who is in the bosome of the Father he hath reuealed him vnto vs. 2. Because hee hath appointed and preserued in his Church the Ministery of the Gospel and bestoweth on his Church able Teachers and Ministers fitting and furnishing them with gifts necessarie for teaching Ephes. 4. v. 3. Christ hath giuen some to be Prophets other to be Apostles and Teachers 3. Because he is powerfull by the Ministerie of the Word and inclineth the hearts of such men as are elect to beleeue and obey the Gospell Luk. 24. v. 25. Then he opened their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures Act. 16. v 14. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia to attend vnto those things which were spoken by Paul Which is the Priestly Office of Christ and wherein doth it consist It consists in three things 1. In the purging of our sinnes 2 In the vertue and applying of that purgation 3. In his Intercession for vs for as the Priest in the Old Testament had two Officers the one to make attonement for sinne and the other to pray for the people So likewise the Priestly Office of Christ heerein consisteth 1. That he should offer himselfe as a Sacrifice to his eternall Father for our sinnes 2. That he should make intercession for vs vnto his eternall Father What are there to be considered in the first part of Christs Priestly Office to wit in the satisfaction for our sinnes There be two namely the causes
of Christ were not of it selfe sufficient but needed some additament to fil it vp but there by a Synecdoche the passions of Christ he calleth all such as the members of Christ were to suffer as if he said I must also endure those afflictions which Christ shall feele in his members as he expresly annexeth I fulfill the remnant of Christs passion in the flesh for the body of Christ which is his Church that he might plainely shew that hee spake not of that passion which Christ suffered for our sinnes but of the crosses and afflictions which the Church must sustaine in this world which church by a metaphorical kind of speaking is the body of Christ. And this which wee haue spoken about the sufficiency of the passion of Christ wee must note againe against the Papists who teach and say that expiation and purging of sin is partly by good workes which shall be confuted in the doctrine of iustification partly by the Masse which shal likewise be confuted in the point of and concerning the Lords Supper and partly by Purgatory which they say is a fire in which the soules of men after this life are tormented with temporall paines and are purged from sinnes and from which the soules of such as are aliue by fauour and by prayers may be deliuered as the Councell of Trent saith in the fifth Session Against which obserue these reasons First in the sacred Volume there is no one testimony of Purgatory no not so much as one example of any one that was in that Purgatorie fire Ergo it is a nice inuention of their own braine They vrge a place 1. Co. 8. vers 13. where it is said that by the fire shall be made manifest and proued euery mans worke of what sort it is But they apply this to Purgatory very foolishly for the Apostle speaketh as touching the edification of the Church and saith that the time shall come when it shal be tried and examined how much euery one hath profited in edifying the Church by the word of God and the holy Spirit which two he calleth fire by a metaphor He addeth further Vers. 15. He shall be saued but euen as it were by the fire where abiding still in the metaphor and similitude hee saith that not all those who haue not edified aright shall straightway bee damned for euer but that they shall suffer a tryall in their own conscience because they haue not so faithfully discharged their office as they should Secondly obserue two manifest sayings of the holy Writ wherein you shall find but two places only that must bee in the next world pointed out vnto you the one for the blessed the other for those who are eternally damned Mark the last Ioh 5. Verely verely I say vnto you who so heareth my word and belieueth in him that sent mee shall not come into iudgement and by consequence not into Purgatorie which is a part of Iudgement but shall passe from death to life Reuel 4 vers 14. Blessed are they henceforth which die in the Lord. Henceforth that is frō the very moment wherein they die There is also a plaine place Luke 23.43 where Christ saith to the thiefe To day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradice whereas he if any needed this Purgatorie fire I haue heard sufficiently as concerning the first part of Christs Priestly office namely the purging away of our sinnes tell me what is the second part of the Priestly Office of Christ It is that effectuall application whereby Christ doth all sufficiently and powerfully apply that his purging performed by him vnto the faithfull so that by it they may obtaine remission of sinnes reconciliation and peace What is the third part of this Office of Christ. It is his intercession for vs. What doe you meane by intercession I doe not meane any prayer or sute whereby Christ would get vnto vs againe the fauour of God as one man is said to interceed for an other that he may procure him somwhat but I vnderstād first that perpetuall value force of the Sacrifice of Christ namely in that Christ presenteth his passion which he suffered for vs vnto the eternall Father Secondly the Fathers consent resting in this Passion of Christ contented and agreeing that this Passion of Christ shall bee of force for vs for euer Which is the third office of Christ His Regall office for Christ is not only a Prophet and a Priest vnto vs but he is also a King In what points consisteth the Regall Office of Christ In foure First in that he gouerneth the Church by his Spirit and by his Word and doth not onely shew vnto vs by his Word what we ought to doe but by the worke of the Spirit in vs enableth vs to doe them Secondly in that hee defendeth vs against our enemies Satan sinne and death that they haue no power to hinder our saluation Thirdly in that hee beautifieth his Church with excellent gifts and appointeth the Ministerie of his Word making men obedient vnto this his owne ordinance Fourthly In that at the end of the world hee shall appeare to be iudge of all men and shall condemne the wicked to eternall punishments but shal make the godly to shine with eternal glorie I doe already conceiue the Office of Christ what it is and of how diuers sorts it is now I would haue you tell me what the obiect is about which Christ exercises this his Office It is the Church How many waies is Church taken Two waies in a large or in a more strict signification What is the Church taken in the large acception It is the multitude or company of all such men as haue the word of God preached vnto them in which company there be many hypocrites which doe not belieue truly and therefore are damned for euer What is the Church as it is strictly taken It is that number and company of men which are elect of Christ by faith vnto eternall life And this company is wont to be parted into two rankes the one Militant the other Triumphant That company of the elect and godly is called the Militant Church which remaineth yet on earth but the Triumphant is that company of the faithfull that is already in Heauen And so the rule of the Fathers is to be vnderstood He shal neuer be a member of the Church Triumphant that hath not been a member of the Church Militant But whereas the Church is diuided into the visible and inuisible Church that is no true diuision to speake properly but onely a distinction of diuers respects in the church For the church is said to be visible in respect of the men themselues which are in the Church and may be seene and inuisible in respect of the internall graces to wit of faith and other gifts of the holy Spirit which are not so obuious to the senses Which must be noted against the Papists who would haue
that was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse Againe Vnto him not that worketh but that belieueth in him which iustifieth the wicked his faith is counted for righteousnesse Luk. 8 Mark 6. saith Christ onely belieue which is all one as if he had said By faith alone thou shalt obtaine euerlasting life So then although these words bee not manifestly extant By faith alone we are iustified yet the sense is manifestly put downe and other words therevnto equiualent are contained in the Scripture for whereas the Apostle saith Rom. 3.28 We conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law Certainely it is all one as if he said Wee conclude that a man is iustified only by faith for a man must needs be iustified either by faith or by workes a third way none can be able to shew Paul plainely saith to the Galath We know that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ. Not By those righteous deeds which wee haue done but by his owne mercy he hath saued vs through the Lauer of regeneration and renewing of the holy Spirit Therfore it remaineth that we say that faith alone doth iustifie a man And that no man is iustified by workes and so consequently that our works doe not merit for vs forgiuenesse of sinnes I prooue it by euident testimonies of holy Writ I. Tit. 3.5 Eph. 2.8 By grace are ye saued through faith that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any should boast Secondly Philip. 3.9 Rom. 3.24 II. We are iustified before we do any works as S. Paul expressely witnesseth of Abraham that before hee had done any good work he was iustified before God Rom. 4.2 where he saith If Abraham had been iustified by workes he had wherein to boast but not with God To him that worketh the wages is not giuen vpon fauour but debt but he that worketh not but belieueth only in him who iustifieth the wicked his faith is imputed vnto him for righteousnes III. Arg. is taken from the proprietie of our works Our works are debts therfore by them can we deserue nothing Antec is confirmed by Luk. 17. When you haue done all that you can do c. 2. Good works are not ours but Gods now by that which is anothers and not our owne wee can merit nothing Antecedent is proued Phil 2.13 God it is who worketh good in you and perfects it Eph. 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which hee hath prepared that we should walke in them Thirdly our good workes are not perfect therefore wee can merit nothing by them for three things there bee required of him that will merit first that hee hath that by which he will merit of his owne secondly that it be no debt thirdly that that bee perfect which three conditions our good workes haue not as it is said Esay 6. All our righteousnesse is like vnto a menstruous cloath And Philip. 3.8 Paul calleth his workes dung I vnderstand what iustifying faith is now tell mee the cause thereof whereby it is begotten in vs The principall cause whereby sauing faith is ingendred is the holy Spirit the instrumentall cause or meanes is either ordinarie or extraordinarie What is the ordinarie meaner whereby the holy Spirit worketh faith in vs It is twofold namely the Word of God and the Sacraments The Word of God you haue already touched now tell mee what is a Sacrament It is a holy signe instituted of God whereby God maketh the belieuers sure of his fauour the forgiuenesse of their sinnes and other benefits likewise by Christ his passion and death to be bestowed vpon them Of what sorts are the Sacraments Of two sorts Sacraments of the old and new Testament How many Sacraments were there in the old Testament Two to wit Circumcision and the Paschall Lambe How many Sacraments be there in the new Testament Two onely Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord What is Baptisme It is a Sacrament of the new Testament whereby sprinkling of the water in the name of Father Sonne and holy Ghost being made we are initiated grafted into the church and whereby there is sealed vnto the faithfull forgiuenesse of sinnes by the bloud of Christ and regeneration vnto life eternall See more in my Syst. of Diuin pag. 451. and in the Comment on Vrsins Catechisme pag. 429. according to the last Edition What is the Lords Supper This wee shall handle afterward in the opening of our particular knowledge wherewith wee must furnish our selues in regard that the knowledge hereof comes nearest vnto our lawfull and seemely preparing of our selues to the Lords Supper Here onely would be noted that eâ—rour of the Papists who haue made seuen Sacraments of the new Testament to wit Baptisme Confirmation Pennance the Eucharist Extreeme Vnction Orders and Matrimony But that number of Sacraments is neither vpholden by any testimonie of holy Writ neither is it propped by the authoritie of any of the ancient Fathers but it is a new deuise hatched not aboue 200 yeares agoe in the time of Lombard the Master of the Sentences Besides euery Sacrament should haue a signe and thing signified but Pennance Orders Matrimony haue no signes at all Further yet euery Sacrament hath annexed promise of grace and appertaines to all belieuers in the Church and to conclude it is more then manifest that all Sacraments ought to be instituted by Christ euery of which markes of a Sacrament cannot bee auerred and truly attributed vnto those fiue Sacraments the Papists faine no to none saue Baptisme and the Lords Supper What is the extraordinarie meanes of Faith Miracles which are extraordinarie signes wherby God after a wonderfull manner wrought and confirmed faith in the time of the Primitiue Church And here must be obserued a double error of the Papists First in that they are of opinion that now there is neede of miracles whereas this is onely the vse of Miracles namely to confirme doctrine at the beginning and first setting a broach of it and therefore must cease after the doctrine bee sufficiently confirmed Second errour is in that they thinke that miracles is a marke of the true Church when as euen very Hypocrites oftentimes haue done miracles yea and can doe them Marke 13. v. 22. Luke 21. where it is plainly told vs that toward the ende of the World there shall arise false Prophets which shall worke miracles But 2. Thess. 2. v. 9. is a notable place against the Papists that doe so brag of their miracles The comming of Antichrist is in the power of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders whence it may appeare that before the end of the World to doe many miracles is a marke of Antichrist and the Apostle cals those miracles lying wonders time and long experience testifieth so much for in
wee professe any other Religion then that which they bequeath'd vnto vs and which we wil liue and dye in too We our forefathers customs still obay Doe as they did and follovv their blind vvay Not striuing busily our vvits to approue By searching doubts but rather shevv our loue By louing euen their errours that are gone Or reuerendly belieuing they had none True it is like enough you will doe so whatsoeuer be said to the contrary For as the wise King saith of a foole Bray a foole in a morter and hee will neuer be the wiser The holy Spirit hath branded those people with black who practiz'd that long since which you plead for now So those nations feared the Lord and serued their images too So did their children and their childrens children as did their fathers so doe they vnto this day It was but a Pagans argument to Theodosius the Emperour Seruanda est tot saeculis fides nostra sequendi sunt maiores nostri qui secuti sunt foeliciter suos And the Emperors Letter to the States of Germany assembled at Wormes against Luther sounds and runnes in the same tenour Our predecessours were obedient to the Romish Church and therefore wee cannot without great infamy and staine of honour degenerate from the examples of our elders but will maintaine the ancient Faith and giue ayd to the See of Rome But here first of al we desire no better Aduocate for our selues then Gratian I will set downe his owne words Si consuetudinem fortassis opponas duertendum quod Dominus dicit ego sum via veritas Non dixit ego sum consuetudo sed veritas Et certe vt beati Cypriani vtamur sententia quaelibet consuetudo quantumuis vetusta quantumuis vulgata veritati omnino est postponenda vsus qui veritati contrarius est abolendus Secondly M. Caluins note on the fourth of Iohns Euangell and the 20. Verse is here worth the noting Verae pietatis desertoribus solenne est vt patrocinium sibi ex Patrum exemplis quaerant It 's a very ordinary thing with Sectaries and Apostates from religion to vrge for their doings their Fathers examples Oh ye Apostaticall generation which doe as much as in you lies to resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers haue done so will you do too But your tame-blind obedience vvell befits Such earth-bred doâ—eish dull and sluggish vvits But ayerie Spirits acquainted vvith the light VVill not be led by custome from the right No loue no friends no predecessors shall Peruert their iudgements they examine all Your Fathers haue stepp'd awry in some points of doctrine and you hauing once entred their by-paths will needs runne into the desert of errour your Fathers liuing in the stinking ayre of Popery could not choose but be tainted with some infection of Heresie What then Dare you say they died in their pollution Did God reueale vnto you the time the houre of their conuersion Do you not know that God might haue his secret working performed vpon them euen at the very last gaspe Doe you not acknowledge that God can saue such as are not pertinacious in their Heresies euen Inter pontem fontem When there is no sensible hope When there is no sensible hope When their soule is at the pits brinke hee can call it backe againe that the pit shall not shut its mouth vpon it I haue often greatly wondred saith M. D. Luther how that in all the time of that tyrannizing Sect of the sonne of perdition for so many hundreths of yeres together the Church should subsist in the midst of such great darknesse and in the throng of so many errours Afterward I conceiued that there were certaine called of God by the Word of his Gospel and Baptisme who walked in the simplicitie and humilitie of their heart thinking the Monkes only and such as were anointed of Bishops to bee holy men and religious but themselues to bee profane and irreligious and in no wise to bee compared with the other Whereupon finding themselues emptie of all good workes and merits which they might oppose to the displeasure and rigour of Gods iustice they clung close to the passion and death of Christ and so in that simplicitie were saued Neither was this the case of simple ones onely but euen of their deepe Doctors their holy Hermites there sanctified Monkes of whom I may truely say That howsoeuer they liu'd among them yet were they not of them Which assertion though it might haue beene doubted of all their life time their habits and cooles and manner of liuing colouring it out to the world that they were Papists yet the point of death approaching put the matter out of question when for all their regularities and obseruances as Monkish as euer for all their comport and carriage as superstitious as euer for all their meanes and maner of liuing as Popish as euer could bee deuised they will bee found to haue dyed true Protestants casting from them all trust and relyance on their owne works and putting their whole trust and affiance in the mercies of God through Christ Iesus Such was that good Hermit Agatho good in name and in truth good Such was that blessed Saint Bernard the best Monke that euer was Both which on their Death beds to haue renounced themselues vtterly and to haue had recourse onely vnto Christ you may reade in that worthy Author afore cited And I thinke verily saith Luther that Ierome and Gregory and many other Fathers and Hermites were after the same manner saued and the ground of this his thus reasoning is for that wee are not to doubt but that euen in the Old Testament many of the Kings of Israel and other Idolaters likewise were saued for because it pleased God euen in the houre of death to turne their hearts causing them to cast away all their vaine confidence they put in their Idols and to apprehend that promise of God as concerning that seed of Abraham which was to come to wit Christ in whom all the nations of the world should bee blessed Hence proceed our charitable censures of such of your Fathers who liuing in the darkenesse of superstitionâ— could not so well see the way to heauen and to reformation in their life time as their meek hearts could haue wished But as for those obstinate wretches furious spirits branded with the marke of the Beast and therefore firebrands of hell too too heady in the pursuit of errour and too too headstrong in their erroneous opinations as the Lord gaue them vp to a reprobate sense that they should not receiue the loue of the truth and so bee saued and they now fry for it So assure your selues if yee insist in their steps and resist all good admonitions you can neuer flye their punishment For it is iust with God that those which haue beene pares culpa shall be also
the Monasteries how many sleights and inuentions doe the Monkes finde out to deceiue the common people and make them beleeue that they worke miracles I haue heard the causes of Iustification tell mee also what is the fruit of Iustification It is that peace of conscience by which a man is made sure of the grace and fauour of God and of eternall life which must especially bee noted against that detestable errour of the Papists who in their Trent Councell Session 6. boldly affirme that a man cannot heereof bee certaine in this life but ought alwaies to doubt of it and they adde that there can bee no greater sinne before God then that a miserable sinner should assure himselfe of Gods fauour yea and further they adde that whosoeuer shall hold that opinion ought to bee accursed To this their abominable errour wee oppose most plaine places of holy writ Rom. 8. vers 15. Yee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage but that spirit of adoption by which we cry Abba Father which spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God This is a very horrible impiety that we will not receiue the testimonie of the Spirit but doubt of the truth and certaintie thereof 1. Iohn 5. He that belieueth in the Sonne of God hath the Testimonie in himselfe And surely if God would haue had vs to haue doubted he would neuer haue sworne that hee would bee compassionate vnto vs. But now hee hath sworne thus much very euidently Ezech. 18. As I liue saith the Lord that is as truly as I am and liue I will not the death of a sinner but that he liue Also Iohn 5. Verely verely I say vnto you whosoeuer belieueth in the Sonne hath eternall life And Woe be to thee then saith Saint Austine if thou belieue not God when he sweares to thee But the Papists obiect They that are weak are subiect to falling and they cannot be sure of the grace of God Answ. Who so are weake they may easily fall I limit the proposition thus vnlesse there bee one that is mightier who vpholdeth them Now God it is that holds vs vp and that helpeth our infirmities And therefore certaine we may bee of the forgiuenes of sins of the grace of God not by our owne nature indeed which is weake but by the helpe and assistance of the holy Ghost making vs strong according to those sayings of holy Writ Psal. 37. vers 24. Though the righteous fall he shall not bee cast off because the Lord putteth vnder his hand Iohn 10.38 I giue vnto my sheepe eternall life neither shall they perish for euer neither shall any one take them out of my hand my Father which hath giuen mee them is greater then all that is he can supply their wants readily and vphold them mightily Rom. 8.38 I am perswaded that neither life nor death neither things present nor things to come shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ. Againe they obiect that place 1. Cor. 10. Hee that standeth let him take heed that hee fall not I answere That the Apostle there speaketh of hypocrites which doe perswade themselues falsly that they stand further he speakes also of the weakenesse of men touching which we cannot be enough admonished to the end that we may think saluation not to lye in our owne strength but in the grace of GOD onely They vrge also that place Eccles. 9. A man knoweth not whether he is worthy loue or hatred Whereto I answere First that this is a fallacie not being limmited wee ought then thus to limet it A man knoweth not of himselfe but hee may knowe it God reuealing it vnto him and the holy Spirit witnessing it Secondly a man knoweth not by those humane causes and by the euent of Fortune and the chances and changes of these outward things And therein the Text it selfe is a mouth to expound it selfe for there it is said that a man by externall changes such as are riches pouerty health sickenesse honour contempt that a man cannot by these things nor any other externall estate iudge and certainely know whether hee bee in the fauour of God or be hated by him And therefore that there argument is not sound which argue thus as many doe I am rich Ergo. I am the sonne of God or I am poore Ergo. God doth hate mee This iudgement then whether wee bee in the fauour of GOD or not we must take from Gods Word Sithence therefore it is certaine that a faithfull soule may bee assured of the fauour of God and the forgiuenesse of sinnes and may bee made partaker of the peace of Conscience as it said Romans 5. verse 1. Being iustified by Faith wee haue peace thence another thing doth necessarily follow to witt That a man when hee is once receiued into the fauour of GOD and hath obtaitained remission of his sinnes that hee I say cannot fall away from the grace of GOD nor loose his Faith nor bee obnoxious vnto eternall damnation For because wee ought not to doubt of the grace of GOD therefore neither can wee fall away from the Grace of God for if wee could fall away from it then wee might doubt of it but wee being once receiued into the grace and fauour of God that wee cannot altogether loose that grace of God the Scripture witnesseth Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to those which are in Christ Iesus if no condemnation then perpetuall fauour and if no condemnation then also no time is there wherein they may slide from the grace of God and fall into condemnation for by no condemnation is excluded both all the kinds thereof and all occasions of falling thereinto Hitherto appertaineth that place which before we haue cited Ioh. 10 My sheepe none shall take out of my hand which is all one as if hee had said My sheepe shall neuer be taken out of my hand which must bee diligently noted against the Papists who affirme that a man after that he is taken into the fauour of God may fall againe out of his fauour euen as if hee had neuer been in fauour but may haue of a mercifull God an vncompassionate and irreconciliable God euen as when one falles out of the fauour of the King in stead of a gentle and kind master hee hath now an angry and cruell King But here they obiect that place in the 51. Psalme where Dauid after that horrible sinne of his was committed prayeth Restore vnto me the ioy of my saluation therefore say they he had lost the fauour of God I answere that the Papists doe not halfe well enough looke into the text for it is not said Restore vnto me my spirit which I had lost but he saith restore my ioy my comfort againe to me Therefore that text makes against themselues for if Dauid had lost that grace and spirit of God then
had he lost that his saluation but he speakes otherwise he saith onely restore comfort vnto me for a true belieuer when that he falleth into sinnes the holy spirit for all that remaineth in him yet it doth not cherish his conscience but it groweth sad and heauy and so ceaseth to bee glad and merry before times he vsed to be he doth therfore desire of God that hee would take away this sadnesse and heauinesse of heart from him and that hee would restore vnto him a ioyfull and gladsome spirit I haue heard as touching the fruit of Iustification what is that you told me was necessarily conioyned and annexed thereunto Because the iust man falls seuen timeseuen in a day therefore to Iustification there must alwaies bee adioyned Repentance True repentance of what parts doth it consist Of two parts one of them as it were contrary vnto the the other to wit griefe or sorrow for sinnes committed and the offending or displeasing of God and then comfort and confidence of the forgiuenesse of sinnes which is to be had by and for the merits of Christ. See the 467. page of my Syst. of Diuinity and in the comment vpon Vrsins Catechisme page 640. Here note a double error of the Papists whereof the first is That vnto true repentance there is required Confession to a Priest To which error we oppose our iudgements First because such a Confession is no where commanded of God Secondly because there is no one example for it of any Saint throughout the whole booke of God no example I say but which teacheth vs to make confession of our sinnes only to God So doth Dauid Psalm 51. Against thee onely haue I sinned O Lord. And the Publicane Luke 18. Standing in thâ— Temple confessed his sinnes onely to God and thence went away iustified Whereupon saith Chryst. Confesse thy sinnes to God for to doe this to man it is not safe for thee for that men may either discouer them or vpbrayd thee with them The other Popish error is that Repentance which they call Pennance is satisfactory as if wee by our repentance did satisfie for our sinnes vnto which detestable errour those places of the holy Bible are to be opposed by which we haue before made cleare that the passion of Christ doth sufficiently satisfie for all our sinnes You haue already sufficiently instructed me about Redemption now take the paines I pray you to instruct me about sanctification Sanctification Regenaration and new Obedience or conuersion vnto God are all one in signification And it is nothing els saue the changing of our depraued or corrupt nature into better and then a setled resolution to auoyd sinne hereafter and to frame our liues to some newe course which may bee pleasing vnto God and beseeming our profession of Faith and Religion which regeneration in this life certainely cannot bee perfect but onely inchoate and alwaies conioyned with a combating and a reluctance against sinne or of the flesh and the spirit As the Apostle very largely setts it downe Rom. 7. Galat. 5. The good saith he that I would I doe not But in that other life we shal perfectly be regenerated sanctified and reformed vnto the Image of God yet for all this Gods will it is our regeneration should bee begun in this life and that good workes bee done by vs as our Sauiour commandeth Math. 5. Let your light so shine before men c. 2. Peter 1.16 Labour to make your vocation and election sure by good workes that is Labour to giue vnto your selues a sure and to others an euident testimonie that you haue true Faith from whence doe spring and arise good workes for Faith without workes is dead and indeed is no Faith 1. Thess. 4. This is the will of God euen your Sanctification Rom. 6.12 Make your members hencefoorth weapons of righteousnesse And most dreadfull is that speach Heb. 13. Without holinesse none shall see God Wherefore if it be demanded whether good workes are necessary vnto Saluation I answer That if wee take Saluation for our first entry thereunto namely Remission of sinnes and iustification then good workes are not necessary because it is most necessarily required that first our sinnes be forgiuen vs before wee can doe any good works pleasing vnto God good workes therefore are of no force to procure remission of sinnes which we doe obtaine onely by Faith contrary to the Papists tenent but if the word be not taken for the remission of sins but for life eternall which hereafter we shal be possessed of there is neede then of good works as a meane and way but not as any meritorious cause of saluation for then indeede shall we bee cloathed vpon if we be not found naked that is in that other life we shall be fully renewed conformed if that we begin that reformation and sanctification in this life And this is that which the Apostle speaketh Heb. 7.14 Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which none shall see the Lord. How many parts are there of our Sanctification Two Good workes and Prayer For in these two standeth our whole Regeneration and conuersion namely to doe good workes and dayly to call vpon God by Prayer What are good Workes or what things are required vnto Works which are good or pleasing vnto God Three things be requisit to good workes First that they spring from a true Faith For Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 Heb. 11.6 Without Fath it is impossible to please God c. Secondly that they bee commanded by God for what works soeuer are enioyned by men and not by God those are not good works Ezech. 9.19 You must walke in my Commandements and not in the Commandements of your Fathers Matth. 18.9 They worship me in vaine teaching for doctrines mens precepts Thirdly that our good works bee alwaies referred to the glory of God and not vnto vaine glory hypocrisie 1. Cor. 11.31 Doe all vnto the glory of God Mat. 5.16 That men seeing your good workes may glorifie your Father which is in heauen Hereby may easily be discerned what is to bee thought of the most of the Papists workes wherewith they thinke that they worshippe GOD such as are their Watchings and Pilgrimages to holy places and adoring of Churches with Shrines and Images for such workes are no good workes First because they are not done out of Faith but out of a most pestilent opinion of meriting and satisfying for sinnes Secondly because they are not commanded by God but inuented and appointed by Popes and Bishops against the expresse commandement of God as that of Fasting and abstaining from Flesh on Friday which manner of Fasting and difference of meate is expressely against the Word of God Matt. 15. That which entreth into the mouth doth not defile the man but that which commeth out of the mouth that defileth the man 1. Tim. 4. The Apostle expressly and plainely nameth the Forbidding of certaine meates
fourthly fully purposing to conforme our selues according to Gods holy Lawes and Commandements Which sorrow of heart for by-past sinne and good purpose of mind to preuent sinne hereafter if wee shall find in vs then may wee perswade our selues of true and vnfained Repentance Touching our Faith in this manner Sin was that by which man became miserable and because he brake the commandements of God and lightly regarded the behests of the most High therefore was he not onely turned out of his most blissefull and happy estate but stood guiltie of eternall death and condemnation both of body and soule for sinne When man sinfull man stood in this dolefull case destitute of all help and succour either from himselfe or other creature liuing in the world it pleased God of his owne loue and free mercy graciously to behold wretched man and to send him a Sauiour euen Iesus Christ the righteous promising remission of sins libertie from the snare of the diuell and in stead of condemnation euerlasting life to all those which with a true faith and stedfast beliefe lay hold on Christs merits applying the promises of God in Christ to their owne soules in particular This when wee shall haue diligently weighed in our mindes then let vs turne to our hearts and see whether wee feele our consciences assured by the Spirit of God that the punishment of our sinne is fully in Christ discharged and that whatsoeuer â—ee hath done for man appertaineth not onely vnto others but euen to vs also And thus if wee shall perceiue our hearts affected wee may perswade our selues of a true and liuely faith Touching Charitie on this wise As charitie is the fruit and effect of a true and liuely faith so that it is impossible we should haue a sound faith but wee must bee fruitfull in good workes and deeds of charitie for as the light can in no wise bee separated from the sunne nor heate from the fire so neither can these two inseparable vertues be disioyned but if faith be the root good workes and charitable deeds will be the fruit insomuch that hereby may wee more then probably iudge of the purenesse and sinceritie of our faith So likewise many be those fruits and effects of true charitie and Christian loue which if by our search wee shall find in vs wee may certainely assure our hearts of the possesion of that rich gemme and precious vertue Charitie They be set downe by Gods own Spirit the Pen-man is the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 13.4 5 c. Loue suffereth long is bountiful loue enuieth not loue doth not boast it selfe it is not pussed vp it disdaineth not it seeketh not her owne things it is not prouoked to anger it thinketh not euill c. This place when wee haue read distinctly and discreetly let vs enter into a serious cogitation and examine our selues first whether wee bee reconciled vnto such as wee haue offended and heartily forgiue such as haue offended vs and secondly bee readâ—e withall to doe them all the good wee can And this affection if wee shall find in our selues vpon our suruey and examination wee may perswade our selues of true and sound Charitie III. The forme of our Scrutinie is after a iudiciall manner of proceeding First wee must examine our selues and take a catalogue of our sins the diuell himselfe hath in store against vs by which wee haue offended Gods iustice Secondly then according to the ten words of the Law we may frame ten seuerall actions and inditements as for instance because I would gladly speake to the capacity of my weakest Brethren muster vp before thee all thy Atheistical conceits or at least so many as thou canst remember and then indite thy selfe for the first commandement looke and see whether thou hast not set vp an image or an idoll in thine heart and so indite thy selfe for the second commandement Call to mind thirdly whether thou hast not by swearing and blaspheming taken Gods Name in vaine remember fourthly whether thou hast not often profaned Gods holy Sabbath fithly whether thou hast not beene disobedient and refractory to Parents and Gouernours sixthly whether thou hast not harboured in thy breast murthering malice and enuie seuenthly whether thou hast not set open thine eyes to vncleannesse and vanitie eightthly whether thou hast not iniured thy neighbour in his goods ninthly whether thou hast not wronged him in his good name nay whether tenthly thou hast not giuen the reines loose to all concupiscence and so for the breach of euery commandement frame a seuerall inditement and plead guiltie This maist thou do by thy selfe yet if thou art weake and desirest helpe thou shalt find the inditement drawne at large for thee in The Practice of Pietie Pag. 565 566. seqq of the eighth Edition For further helpe see Maister Theologus schooling Asunetus in Dents Plaine Mans Path-way to Heauen Pag. 322. seqq of the fifteenth Impression Thirdly then adde thereto so many seuerall sentences of condemnation and so foorthwith fourthly pronounce a perpetuall confusion due to vs with a shame for that which is past with a griefe for that which is present and with a feare of that may come hereafter And when wee can thus bring our selues into the worst taking that can be Tunc optime habet saith Bucer qui pessime habet For hauing thus pronounced this shame of face dew vnto vs God will cease from his sentence of anger nay hee will say This man hath condemned himselfe I need not to condemne seeing hee hath straightly examined himselfe I remit all I will examine him no further hee is free let him come and so let him eat of my Bread and drinke of my Cup. Then being constrained to conclude wee are vnworthy wee must in the next place goe out of our selues and faint after the righteousnesse can make vs worthy which cannot bee effected but by Faith which commeth by the blessing of the Gospel whereby we being conscious of our owne vnworthinesse doe seeke wisedome out of our selues and sue for obedience in the Sonne of God Christ Iesus our Lord. These are those duties which we must thinke vpon before we come to the Lords holy Table now for our behauiour there obserue thus much The duties which are required of vs in the celebration of the holy Communion are of two kinds either Generall or common to this and other times or Peculiar and proper to this seruice I. The generall and common duties are to ioyne with the Congregation in confessing of sinnes in singing of Psalmes and Hymnes in hearing with reuerence and deuotion Gods holy Word preached in praying and the like Secondly touching the proper duties more peculiarly belonging to this seruice and our behauiour in the receiuing of those holy mysteries as the Church hath retained it there is a commandement giuen that wee lift vp our hearts to the Lord. And we must indeed bee
proprieties p. 73. seqq So of Redemption there followes Iustification which you haue I. defined p. 104. II. vnfolded by the cause the effect and the adiunct The cause of iustification is either principall the mercy of God and merit of Christ or instrumentall Faith which is defined and then further opened by the causes which are principall Gods Spirit instrumentall and and those either ordinarie the Word and Sacraments or extraordinarie Miracles p. 105. seqq The effect or fruit of iustification is the peace of conscience by which a man is assured of the fauour of God and his owne saluation p. 115. The adiunct of iustification is Repentance of which see p. 122. So of iustification there remaines Sanctification or Regeneration which is I. defined and then further opened by the parts thereof 2. Goodvvorks Prayer or inuocation p. 124. Thus farre goes our generall knowledge our particular knowledge I said was touching a Sacrament and that is either common to both sacraments where you haue the name and nature of a Sacrament p. 142. or appropriate to the Supper which you haue I. defined p. 143. and then further opened by three considerable things the matter the forme the end The matter is both elementarie and spirituall which are called the termes of the Relation for a Sacrament is a Relation p. 144. The forme or ground or foundation of the Relation is 1. in respect of the Sacrament I. the institution of Christ II. the analogie betwixt the signe and the thing signified 2. in respect of vs it is Faith p. 147. seqq The end or final cause of this Relation is two-fold namely in respect I. of Christ and it is a gratefull commemoration of his Death and Passion II. Of our selues and it is either primarie the confirming of our faith or secondarie and it is threefold I. a consecrating of our selues to God 2. a publike acknowledgement of Christianitie 3. a profession of our charitie p. 155. seqq Thus haue we briefly run ouer the first maine part of preparation consisting of knowledge the other maine part is Deuotion which consists I. in a frequent vse of the Lords Supper pag. 159. II. in worthy receiuing And this deuotion is twofold Antecedent or going before receiuing which is Examination Concomitant or ioyned with that sacred act which is the deeent gesture of our body and the deuout affection of our soule in the time of receiuing those holy mysteries p. 163. seqq Thus farre haue you heard Preparation largely deciphered Preparation concisely proposed is wholly spent in these three short directions I. how to examine our selues before we come to the Lords Table II. how to behaue our selues there III. how to trie our selues afterward written for their sakes that study piety and loue breuitie p. 169. seqq FINIS A Postscript to the Readers GEntle Readers I am to satisfie you anent â—vvo things you haue met vvithall in reading the foregoing Treatise first that the reasons and arguments novv and then are very concisely proposed the syllogismes vvanting one of the premisses or the conclusion or both And my reason of thus doing vvas because I vvrote vnto men endued vvith Logick at least naturall vvhich hauing the pith of the argument is able enough to suggest inferences The other thing is that vvhereas there is sometimes cited Keâ—ker System of Diuinitie you vvould be pleased to haue recourse vnto that vvhich vvas printed at Geneua Ann. Dom. MDC Xâ— vvhere according to the order of pages you shall find the points enlarged vvhich are here but briefly touched FINIS (a) In tâ—mplo Dei offert vnus quisque quod potest aurum argentum lapides prâ—ciosos alii bâ—â—suni purpâ—â—â—am coccum offerunt nobiscum benè agitur si obtulerimus pelles caprarum pilos et tamen Apostolus contemptibiâ—â—oâ—a nostra magis necessaria indicat Hierâ— in prologâ— Galeaâ—o (b) Heb. 5.12 Pro. 2.4 Reuel 17.1.2 (c) DD. Halls Quo vadis p. 15.1 edition Ierem. 3.3 Ezec. 16.30 Ezec. 16.34 Ezec. 23.40 DD. Hakewelâ— Answ to the 2. letter pag. 25. Liâ— alicubi 2. Pet. 2.3 DD. Halls Quo vadis page 76. Reuel 16.13 (e) Iesuites like Apriâ—ocks heretofore here and there one succored in a great Mans hous now you may haue them in euery Countrie village I.D. so that we may say I feare me of them as Richard Grosthead a good B. of Linc. in Hâ—n 3. daies said of the Popes Legates So many disguised daily come into the Realme that the verie names of them recited would bee tedious for anie man to heare Fox Marâ—yrol page mihi 326. (f) Mat. 23.15 (*) The doctrine of the Papists a doctrine of darknes * Vt quicquid passim in variis regionib est sordium tandem per diuersa flumino in mare vnum deportatur ita quicquid blasphemiarum in variis ac diuersissimis sectis reperitur totum id confluxit in Romanam colluuiem Tilleman Hesbus (g) 2. Cor. 6 14. (h) Iuel Apolog pag. 116. The Religion of Papistrie is like a Curtaine made to keepe out the light B. R. (i) Acts 17.11 (k) Apolog. â—celesie Aug. p. 147. * Vt latro crucem ita isti horrent verbum Dei Iuel (l) My Lord of Chichester in his Preface to his booke entituled Directions to knovv the true Church (m) DD. Halls Quo vadis p. 32.1 edit M. Anton. de dominis Archiep Spalat Master Sheldon ex Claud Espenc Coment in cap. 1. Epist. ad Titum (n) Quia exâ—perimento manifestum est si sacra Biblia vulgari lingua passim sine Discrimine permittanâ—tur plus inde ob homiuum temeritatem detrimenti quam vtilitatis oriri idâ—irco c. Index lib. prohibit confect à deput Concilii Trident reg 4. Quid quod populus non solum caperet fructum ex Scripturis sed etiam caperet detrimentum acciperet enim facillime occasioneÌ„ errandi tum in doctrina â—idei tum in praeceptis vitae morum Bâ—â—larm lib. â— de verbo Dei cap. 15. see DD Hakevvâ—lls Answ. Likewise to DD. Car. second letter pag. 11. (o) Vehementer ab istis dissentio qui nolint ab idiotis legi diuinas literas in vulgi linguam transfusas siue quasi Christus tam inuoluta docuerit vt vix à pauculis theologis possint intelligi siue quasi religionis Christianae praesidium in hoc situm sit si nesciatur c. Erasm. in paracles ad Christian. philosophiae studiuÌ„ * Woe vnto you saith Christ that take away the key of knowledge Luk. 11.52 (p) Neque adeo inhumanus fuit Deus vt voluerit huius rei ignoratione per omnes aetates homines torqueâ—i cum neque vllum in Sacris Scripturis passus est esse locum quem siaccuratè pensitemus interpretari non possimus Aug. Steuâ—hius in Genes cap 2. * Dei ordinatio non potest esse peccatorum obstetrix Cyprian * The Papists doingâ— workes of darknesse Ioh. 8.44 (q) Though wee