Ghost yea and more then this we must hold and beleeue that God the father is our father the Sonne our redeemer the holy Ghost our sanctifier and comforter Well then if we must in this manner beleeue in God then we must also know him for we can haue no faith in the thing which is vtterly vnknowne Wherefore if we would beleeue in the father sonne or holy Ghost we must know them in part Ioh. 17. This is life eternall to know thee the onely God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Ioh. 14. 17. The world can not receiue the spirit of truth because it hath neither seene him nor knowne him 1. Ioh. 2.23 Whosoeuer denieth the sonne hath not the father Thirdly this doctrine directs vs in worshipping God aright for vnitie in trinitie and trinitie in vnitie is to be worshipped one God must be worshipped in the Father in the Sonne and in the holy Ghost and if wee worship God the father without the Sonne and the holy Ghost or if we worship the Sonne without the father and the holy Ghost and the holy Ghost without the father and the Sonne we worship nothing but an Idol Againe if we worship the three persons not as one God but as three Gods then likewise we make three Idols Note further that of all the three persons the first person the Father is set in the first place and described to vs by three things I. by his title that hee is a Father II. by his attribute that he is Almightie III. by his effect that he is maker of heauen and earth of these in order as they lie in the Creed And first of the title Father It may seeme that he hath some prerogatiue ouer the Sonne and the holy Ghost because he is set before them but wee must knowe that hee is set before them neither in regard of timeâ— nor of dignitie for therein all three are equall but in regard of order onely The Father is the first the Sonne the second and the holy Ghost the third as may appeare by this similitude If three Emperours equall in dignitie should meete all in one place beeing equall also in power and maiestie if all three should sit downe though one be no better then an other yet one of them must needes sit downe the first and an other in the second place and then the third but yet we cannot say that he which sate downe first is the chiefest And so it is in the Trinitie though none be greater or aboue another yet the Father is in the first place not because he is before the Sonne or the holy Ghost in dignitie or honour but because he is the fountaine of the Deitie the Sonne beeing from him and the holy Ghost from them both Now let vs come to the title of the first person The name Father in Scriptures is ascribed either to God taken indefinitely and so by consequent to all the three persons in Trinitie or particularly to the first person alone For the first God is a father properly and principally according to the saying of Christ Call no man father vpon earth for there is but one your father which is in heauen that is principally whereas earthly parents whome we are commaunded to worship and honour are but certaine images or resemblances of our heauenly Father hauing this blessing that they are fathers from him And hereupon this title agrees to men not simply but so farre forth as God honoureth them with fatherhoode in calling them to be fathers whereas God himselfe receiues this honour from none God is tearmed a Father in respect both of nature and grace He is a father in regarde of natureâ— because he created and gouerneth all things In this regard he is called the father of spirits and Adam is called the Sonne of God He is a father in respect of grace because we are regenerate by him and accepted to be his sonnâ—s by adoption thorough the merite of Christ. And in this respect the second person as well as the first is called a Father and saide to haue an offspring or seede and children But when the name of Father is giuen to the first person it is done vpon a speciall consideration because he is a father by nature to the fe 〈◊〉 â—erson begetting him of his owne substance before all worldes By thâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—peares that out of the title of the first person we may fetch a â—â—â—cription thereof on this manner The Father is the first person in Trinitie begetting the sonne Nowe to beget is the personall proprietie whereby he is distinguished from the other two If it be saide that creatures doe beget and that therefore to beget is not proper to the father the answer is that in this point there are many differences betweene God the father and all creatures First the father begets the sonne before all eternitie and therefore God the father begetting and the sonne begotten are equall in tâ—me whereas in earthly generation the father is before the sonne in time Secondly God the father begets his Sonne by communicating to him his whole essence or godhead which can not be in earthly parents vnlesse they should be abolished and come to nothing Whereas neuerthelesse God the Father giuing his whole nature to his sonne retaines the same still because it is infinite Thirdly the father begets the sonne in himselfe and not forth of himselfe but in earthly generation the father begetting is forth of the child and the child forth of the father And that must not trouble vs which heretiques alleadge against this doctrine namely that if the father who is of one nature with the sonne did beget the sonne then he did beget himselfe for the godhead of the father doth not beget either the godhead or the person of the sonne but the person of the father begets the person of the sonne both which in one godhead are really distinct Thus we see what the Father is Now to beleeue in the father is to be perswaded that the first person in Trinitie is the father of Christ and in him my father particularly that for this cause I intend and desire for euer to put my truâ—t in him The duties which we may learne hence are manifold And here we haue occasion offered first of all to consider who is our father by nature I shall say to corruption saith Iob thou art my father and to the worme thou art my mother seeing God vouchsafeth this great prerogatiue to them that loue him that he will be their father therefore Iob in consideration hereof would haue euery man to haue recourse to his owne naturall condition to see who is his father by natureâ— Iob saith corruption is his father but if we marke well the condition of our nature we shall further see euery man to be the childe of wrath and that Sathan is his father for so long as a man walkes in his sinnes which euery
to teach all ignorāt persons and impenitent sinners repentance and humiliation for their sinnes and to mooue them with all speede to seeke vnto Christ for the pardon of the same When Paul preached to the Athenians he willed them to repent vpon this ground and reason because the Lord hath appointed a day wherein he will iudge the world in righteousnes To speake plainly we can be content to heare the word and to honour him with our lipps yet for the most part all is done but for fashions sake for still we liue in our old sinnes our hearts are not turned but in the feare of God let vs bethinke our selues of the time when wee shall come before the iudge of heauen and earth and haue all our sinnes laide open and wee must answer for them all This is the point which the holy Ghost vseth as a reason to mooue men vnto repentance and assuredly if this will not mooue vs there is nothing in the world will Secondly to this purpose Paul saith If wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged Wouldest thou then escape the iudgement of Christ at the last day then in this life iudge thy selfe Nowe a man in iudging of himselfe must performe foure things I. he must examine himselfe of his owne sinnes II. he must confesse thē before the Lord. III. he must condemne himselfe as a iudge vpon the bench giue sentence against himselfe Lastly he must plead pardon and crie vnto God as for life and death for the remission of all his sinnes and he that doth this vnfainedly shal neuer be iudged of the Lord at the last day but if we slacke and neglect this dutie in this life then vndoubtedly there remaines nothing but eternall woe in the world to come Thirdly by this we may learne one not to iudge or condemne another as Paul sayeth Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who lighten all things that are in darknes make the counsels of the hearts manifest And Christ saith Iudgement is mine and iudge not and ye shall not be iudged And againe Paul saith to the Romans Why doest thou iudge thy brother for we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ but some will aske howe doth one iudge another Ans. Thus I. when a man doth well to saie of him that he doth euill II. when a man doth euill then to make it worse III. when a thing is doubtfull to take it in the worst part And by any of these three waies we are not to iudge either of mens persons or of their actions Fourthly wee must endeauour our selues to keepe a good conscience before God and before all men This is the practise of S. Paul who in consideration and hope of a resurrection vnto iudgement as well of the iust as of the vniust endeauoured himselfe to haue alwaies a cleare conscience both towards God and towards men His example is worthie our marking and imitation for fewe there be that vpon this occasion make any conscience either of duty to God or to their brethren Fifthly the last iudgement must stirre vs vp to a reuerend feare of God cause vs to glorifie him as the Angel saith in the Reuelation Feare God and giue glorie to him for the houre of his iudgement is come And doubtlesse if any thing in the world will mooue a man to feare the Lord it is this to remember the fearefull and terrible daie of iudgement Nowe hauing spoken hitherto of the first person the father and also of the sonne it followeth in the next place to speake of the third person in these wordes I beleeue in the holy Ghost In which wee may consider two things the title of the person and the action of faith repeated from the beginning The title is Holy Ghost or spirit It may here be demanded howe this title can be fit to expresse the third person which seemes to bee common to the rest for the father is holy and the sonne is holy againe the father is a spirit and the sonne is a spirit Ans. Indeed the father and the sonne are as wel to be tearmed holy in respect of their natures the third person for all three subsisting in one and the same godhead are consequently holy by one and the fame holinesse but the third person is called holy because beside the holinesse of nature his office is to sanctifie the Church of God Nowe if it be said that sanctification is a work of the whole Trinitie the answer is that although it be so yet the worke of sanctification agrees to the Holy Ghost in speciall manner The father sanctifieth by the sonne and by the holy Ghost the sonne sanctifieth from the father and by the Holy Ghost the holy Ghost sanctifieth from the father and from the sonne by himselfe immediatly and in this respect is the third person tearmed holy Againe the third person is tearmed a Spirit not onely because his nature is spirituall for in that respect the father is a spirit and the sonne is a spirit but because hee is spired or breathed from the father and from the sonne in that he procedes from them both Thus wee see there is a speciall cause why the third person is called the Holy Ghost Nowe the action of faith which concernes the third person is to beleeue in him Which is I. to acknowledge the Holy Ghost as he hath reuealed himselfe in the word II. In special to beleeue that he is my sanctifier and comforter III. To put all the confidence of my heart in him for that cause In these wordes are comprised foure points of doctrine which are to be beleeued cōcerning the holy Ghost The first that he is very God For we are not to put our affiance or confidence in any but in God alone And no doubt the penners of the Creede in that they prefixed these wordes I beleeue in before the article of the third person meant thereby to signifie that he is true God equall with the father and the sonne according to the tenour of the Scriptures themselues Peter saith to Ananias Why hath Satan filled thine heart that thou shouldest lie vnto the Holy Ghost and continuing the same speech he changeth the tearme onely and saith Thou hast not lied vnto men but vnto God Whereby hei nsinuateth that the Holy Ghost is very God In the vision of the Prophet Isai the wordes by him set downe are thus I heard the voice of Iehoua saying Whome shall I send c. and he said God and say to this people Ye shall heare indeed but ye shall not vnderstand But Paul quoting the same place spake on this manner Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esay the Prophet saying Goe vnto this people and say vnto them Now these places being compared togither make it plaine that the title of Iehova agreeth to the holy Ghost But yet the enemies of this truth which thinke that the Holy
commandement to pray and then after giues a direction for the keeping of it this he doth to stir vp our dulnes and to allure vs by all meanes to this heauenly exercise of prayer wherefore still I say imploy your selues in praier feruently and continually and if you cannot doe it learne to praie Thus much of the commandement of our Sauiour Christ now follow the words of the praier Our Father which art c. THese wordes containe three partes 1. A preface 2. The praier it selfe containing sixe petitions 3. The testification of faith in the last worde Amen Which although it be short yet it doth not containe the smallest point in the praier It is I say a testification of our faith whereas the petitions that goe before are onely testifications of our desires Nowe of these three partes in order We must consider howe our Sauiour Christ doth not set downe the petitions abruptly but he first begins with a solemne preface Whereby wee are taught this lesson that hee which is to pray vnto God is first to prepare himselfe and not boldly without consideration as it were to rush into the presence of God If a man be to come before an earthly prince hee will order himselfe in apparell gesture and wordes that he may doe all things in seemelinesse and dutifull reuerence how much more are men to order themselues when they are to appeare before the liuing God Eccl. 5.1 Bee not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hastie to vtter a thing before the Lord. And Dauid Psal. 26.6 Washed his hands in innocency before he came to the altar of the Lord to offer sacrifice The meanes whereby men may stirre vp their dull and heauie hearts so prepare themselues to praier are three The first is to read diligently the word of God concerning those matters about which they are to pray what then this will be a meanes not onely to direct him but also to quicken the heart more feruently to deliuer his praier This is euident by a comparison The beames of the sunne descending heat not before they come to the earth or some solide bodie where they may reflect and then by that meanes the earth and aire adioyning is made hot euen so the Lord sends down vnto vs his blessed word euen as beames and the goodly sunshine and thereby he speakes to our hearts now when we make our praiers of that which we haue read Gods word is as it were reâ—â—ected and our hearts are thereby warmed with the comfortable heat of Gods holy spirit to poure out our pâ—aiers to God more feruently The second meanes is to pray to God that hee would strengthen vs with his spirit that we might be able to praie as it is practised Psal. 143.1 The third meanes is the consideration of Gods most glorious maiestie wherein we are to remember first his fatherly goodnes and kindnesse whereby hee is willing and secondly his omnipotencie whereby hee is able to gâ—ant our requests One of these imboldened the leaper to pray Lord if thou wilâ— thou canst make me â—leane Mat. 8.2 Therefore both togither are more effectuall Now let vs come to the preface it selfe Our father which art in heauen It coÌ„taines a description of the true Iehoua to whome we pray and that by two arguments the first is drawne from a relation Our Father the second is taken from the subiect or place Which art in heauen Father 1. The meaning IN the opening of this word or title of God two questions are to be opened 1. Quest. Whether by thit title Father is signified the whole Trinitie or some one person thereof Ans. Otherwhiles this name is attributed to all the persons in Trinitie or any of them Mal. 2. 10. Haue wee not all one father c. Luk. 3.38 Which was the sonne of Adam which was the sâ—nne of God And in Esai 36. Christ is called the Father of eternitie because all that are truely knit to him and borne anew by him they are eternally made the sonnes of God Againe oftentimes it is giuen to the first person in Trinitie as in those places where one person is conferred with another And so in this place principally for some speciall respects this title agrees to the first person For first he is the father of Christ as he is the eternall word of the father and that by nature because he is of the same essence with him Secondly he is the father to Christ in respect of his manhood not by nature or adoption but by personall vnion because the humane nature doth subsist in the person of the word Thirdly he is a father to all the faithfull by adoption in Christ. 2. Quest. Whether are we to praie to the sonne and the holy Ghost as to the Father Ans. Inuocation belongs to al the three persons in Trinitie not only to the Father Act. 7.59 Steuen praieth Lord Iesus receiue my spirit 1. Thâ—s 3.2 Now God our Father and our Lord Iesus Christ guide our iourney vnto you 2. Cor. 13.13 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God and the communion of the holy ghost be with you And men are baptized in the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost that is by calling on the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Some may say this praier is a perfect platforme of all praiers yet we are taught to direct our praiers to the Father not to the Sonne or holy spirit I answere the Father Sonne and holy Ghost are three distinct persons yet they are not to be seuered or deuided because they all subsist in one and the same godhead or diuine nature And further in all outward actions as in the creation and preseruation of the world and the saluation of the elect they are not seuered or diuided for they all worke togither onely they are distinguished in the manner of working Nowe if they be not diuided in nature or operation then they are not to be seuered in worship And in this place wee principally direct our praiers to the father because he is the first in order yet so as then we implie the Sonne and holy Ghost For we pray to the Father in the name of the Sonne by the assistance of the holy Ghost And to what person soeuer the praier is directed we must alwaies remember in minde and heart to include the rest 2. The vse TThe vses of this point are manifold 1. First whereas we are taught to come to God as to a father therefore in the name of his Sonne our Sauiour Christ we learne to lay the first ground of all our praiers which is to hold and maintaine the vnion the distinction of the three persons in Trinitie This beeing the lowest and the first foundation of praier it is requisite that all which would pray aright should haue this knowledge rightly to beleeue the Trinitie and to know how the three persons agree and how
vpon the land againe then his will was free and he had power to goe whither God sent him and to what God commanded him his owne imagination laid apart for he had beene at a new schoole and in a furnace where he was purged of much refuse drosse of fleshly wisdom which resisted the wisdome of God For as farre as we be blind in Adam we cannot but seeke and will our owne profit pleasure and glorie and as farre as we be taught in the spirit we cannot but seeke and will the pleasure of God onely Then Ionas preached to Niniue and they repented then Ionas shewed again his corrupt nature for all his trying in the Whales bellie He was so displeased because the Niniuites perished not that he was wearie of his life and wished death for very sorrow that he had lost the glorie of his prophecying in that his prophecy came not to passe but he was rebuked of God as in his prophecie you may read The Apostles Christ taught them euer to be meeke and to humble themselues yet oft they striued among themselues who should be greatest the sons of Zebede would fit one on the right hand of Christ the other on the left They would pray that fire might descend from heauen and consume the Samaritans When Christ asked Who say men that I am Peter answered Thou art the sonne of the liuing God as though Peter had bin as perfect as an angel But immediatly after when Christ preached vnto them of his death and passion Peter was angrie and rebuked Christ thought earnestly that he had raued and not wist what he had saide as at another time in which Christ was so feruently busied in healing the people that he had no leasure to eate they went out to hold him supposing that he had bin beside himselfe And one that cast forth diuels in Christs name they forbad because he waited not on them so glorious were they yet And though Christ taught alway to forgiue yet Peter after long going to schoole asked whether men should forgiue seuen times thinking that eight times had beene too much And at the last supper Peter would haue died with Christ but yet within few houres after he denied him both cowardly and shamefully And after the same manner though he had so long heard that no man must auenge himselfe but rather turne the other cheeke to the smiter againe yet when Christ was in taking Peter asked whether it were lawfull to smite with the sword and taried no answer but laide on rashly So that although we be once reconciled to God yet at the first we be but children and young schollers weake and feeble and must haue leisure to grow in the spirit in knowledge loue and deedes thereof as yong children must haue time to grow in their bodies and so in like manner the sting of the serpeâ—â— is not pulled out at once but the poison of our nature is minished by little and little and cannot before the houre of death be wholly taken away Timoth. I perceiue by your godly discourse the manifold conflicts between the flesh and the spirit and that the flesh is like to a mightie gyant such a one as was Goliah strong lustie stirring enemie to God confederate with the deuill the spirit like to a little child such a one as was little Dauid new borne weake and feeble not alwaies stirring now then what meanes doe you vse to weaken the flesh and strengthen the spirit Euseb. I vse to tame my flesh with praier and fasting watching deedes of mercie holy meditations and reading the Scriptures and in bodily labour and in withdrawing all manner of pleasures from the flesh and with exercises contrarie to the vices which I finde my bodie most inclined to and with abstaining from all things that encourage the flesh against the spirit as reading of toyes and wanton bookes seeing of playes and enterludes wanton communication foolish iesting and effeminate thoughts and talking of couetousnesse which Paul forbiddeth Eph. 5. magnifying of worldly promotions If these will not mortifie my flesh then God sendeth me some troubles and so maketh me to grow and waxe perfect and fineth and trieth me as golde in the fire of tentations and tribulations Thus very often he maketh me to take vp my crosse and nayleth my flesh vnto it for the mortifying thereof Marke this if God send thee to the sea and promise to go with thee he wil raise vp a tempest against thee to prooue whether thou wilt abide his word and that thou maist feele thy faith and weaknesse and perceiue his goodnes for if it were alwaies faire weather and thou neuer brought into such ieopardie whence his mercie onely deliuereth thee thy faith should be onely a presumption thou shouldest be euer vnthankfull to God and mercilesse vnto thy neighbour If God promise riches the way thereupon is pouertie whome he loueth him he chasteneth whome he exalteth he casteth downe whome he saueth he first damneth he bringeth no man to heauen except he send him to hell first if he promise life he slayeth first when he buildeth he casteth downe all first he is no patcher he cannot abide another mans foundation he will not worke till all be past remedie and brought to such a case that men may see how that his hand his power his mercie his goodnes his truth hath wrought altogether he will let no man be partaker with him of his praise and glorie his works are wonderfull and contrarie to mans workes who euer saue he deliuered his owne son his onely sonne his deere sonne his darling vnto the death and for his enemies to win his enemies to ouercome them with loue that they might see loue and loue again and of loue likewise to doe to other men and to ouercome them with well doing Ioseph saw the sunne and the moone and seuen starres worshipping him neuerthelesse ere that came to passe God laide him where he could see neither sunne nor moone neither any starre of the skie and that many yeares and also vndeserued to nurture him to make him humble and meeke and to teach him Gods waies and to make him apt and meete for the roome and honour againe he came to it that he might be strong in the spirit to minister it well God promised the children of Israel a land with riuers of milke and honie yet he brought them forth the space of fourtie yeares into a land wherein no riuers of milke and honie were but where so mâ—ch as a drop of water was not to nurture and teach them as a father doth his sonne and to doe them good at the latter ende to subdue their cankred nature to make them strong in the spirit to vse his benefits aright Lastly God promised Dauid a kingdome and immediatly stirred vp Saul against him to persecute him and to hunt him as men doe hares with gray-hounds and to ferret him out of euery hole and that for the space of
very God and that eternall life Ch. How may we keepe our selues in God and neuer commit the sinne to death Ioh. Little children keepe your selues from Images whether they be of false gods or of the true God PSALME XV. Iehoua Dauid O Iehoua who shall dwell as Pilgrimes dwell in tents in thy tabernacle the Church militant who shall rest in thy holy Mountaine the kingdome of heauen Ieho He that walketh perfectly that is he which leadeth the course of his life vprightly Dau. Who is the vpright man Ieho He that worketh righteousnes according to the commandements of the second table and speaketh the trueth in his heart as he thinketh his heart and tongue agreeing Dau. By what notes may this vpright man be knowe and who is he Ieho I. He that slandereth not with his tōgue II. nor doth hurt to his neighbour III. nor receiueth a false report against his neighbour IV. In whose eies a vile person an vngodly and vnrighteous man is contemned but he honoureth them that feare God V. He that hauing sworne to his owne hinderance changeth not VI. He that giueth not his money to vsurie VII neither taketh reward of the innocent Dau. Are these notes vnfallible Ieho He that doth these things shall neuer be mooued shall abide in Gods fauour for euer A BRIEFE DISCOVRSE TAKEN OVT OF THE writings of Hier. Zanchius Wherein the aforesaid case of Conscience is disputed and resolued Assertion I. Onely the elect and all of them not onely truely may bee but also are in that time which god hath appointed them in this life indeed assured of their Election to eternal life in Christ and this is done not one way but many waies WEe say that the Elect alone may bee and indeede are made sure of their election that so wee may exclude the reprobate hypocrites for considering they are not elected they can neuer be truely perswaded that they are elected I say truely because it may come to passe that many in their owne thinking shall be predestinate yet in trueth they are not perswaded so for they are deceiued We haue an example in temporarie Christians who thinke of thēselues that they beleeue in Christ but truely doe not beleeue for their faith is in hypocrisie and for a time onely Wherefore a true and certaine perswasion of election can neuer befall any of the reprobates because the true perswasion of heauenly matters commeth of the holy Ghost which neuer perswadeth any false matter Wherefore how can reprobates be perswaded that they are elected This cōsidered it is not amisse that we attribute this perswasion of which we now speake to the elect alone Wee adde further that all the elect not onely may bee but are indeed made sure of their Election which must bee demonstratiuely confirmed against Schoole-men and other our aduersaries Wee say this is done in the time appointed because the elect before they be called to Christ are neuer sure of their election nay they neuer thinke of it as appeareth in Paul before hee was called and in others Againe in like manner after they haue beene called yet not presently are made sure of their election but some sooner some later Lastly wee adde that this is done many waies what they are if not perfectly yet in part I will afterward shewe Nowe let vs come to the matter The Schoolemen demaund whether a man may be made sure of his Election And they determine that a man cannot except it be by diuine reuelation because Predestination is in God and not in vs. And no man knoweth the things of God but the spirit of God as no man knoweth the things of man but the spirit of man which is in him Againe who knoweth the minde of the Lord therefore say they some speciall reuelation is needfull if any desire to be certified either of his owne or of any other mans predestination their sayings are not simplie to be disliked but in that meaning in which they vnderstand them they are no waie to be approoued For they take a special reuelation to be this if God shall signifie and say expresly to any either by some Angel outwardly or by his spirit inwardly that he is predestinate to life after which sort they hold that Paul and a fewe other Saints had their predestination reuealed to them So they conclude that because euerie man hath not his election reuealed to him after this manner that all men cannot bee assured of their election But they are deceiued for God not onely by this one manner which they speake of doth reueale his will and his counsels but by many for God reuealeth things either by the inward inspiration of his spirit or outwardly by his word or both inwardly and outwardly by inward and outward effects By his spirit he did inspire his Prophets and open many things to come And Christ said to his Apostles as concerning the holy Ghost Hee shall lead you into all trueth By his word hee spake vnto the prophets and in like manner by his word he teacheth vs his will Also by diuers effects he declareth either his mercie or his iustice as it is knowne The same must bee thought of the reuealing of his election to wit that God reuealeth the same to the elect by the holy Ghost by the word and by the most certaine effects of predestination The first testimonie by which God assureth vs of our election is the inward testimonie of the spirit of which the Apostle saith The spirit of God testifieth vnto our spirits that we are the children of God Nowe what is it to be the sonne of God but first of all to be predestinated to be the child of God by adoption and then to be made actually the sonne of God by faith lastly by the same spirit also to be regenerate as Gods children are to put on the nature of the sonne of God or rather the son of God himselfe as the Apostle speaketh Therefore the holy Ghost whilest he inwardly beareth record vnto our spirits that is to our minds being inlightened by his light that we are the sons of God most plainely reuealeth that we were predestinate from all eternitie to adoption for men are not made the sonnes of God by faith nor regenerate to be the sons of God nor put on Christ except they be first of all predestinated to adoption And there can be nothing more certaine then this testimonie for who better knoweth the things o◠god his counsels decrees then the spirit of God which searcheth all things yea the deepe things of god therefore he can most truly reueale vnto euery one of vs the certaintie of our election And he cannot deceiue vs in reuealing it for he is the spirit of trueth which can neither deceiue nor be deceiued If an angel from heauen should be sent to thee as he was sent to Marie and as he spake vnto the fathers should tel thee
briefly consider the effects of predestination prepared for all the elect without which they can in no wise come to the ende and therefore the first effect of predestination is our Lord Iesus with his obedience merits death resurrection glorie namely in that respect he is made mediatour betweene God the father and vs and the head of all the elect And therefore in as much as he is such a one he is also the cause of all other graces and benefits which come vnto vs by the free predestination of God For the effects of predestination are so ordered among themselues that the first which goe before are the causes efficient or if we will so speake the materiall causes of the latter and those that follow Therefore seeing Christ is the first effect of predestination he is also the cause of all other effects by whome we are made partakers of them The Apostle therefore saith very well to the Ephesians In the first place saith he we are elected in Christ namly as in the head to be his members Secondly he writeth that we are predestinate to adoption by Christ namely to obtaine it for we are adopted into the sonnes of God in Christ the first begotten sonne of God and by making vs partakers of his sonâ—hip we are really made the sonnes of God yea and we are also indued with his spirit too that we might be borne anew Thirdly saith he we are made acceptable and beloued vnto the father and his beloued sonne namely Christ. Fouâ—thly that we haue our redemptioÌ„ in the same Christ by his blood and haue obtained remission of sinnes and all wisdome and vnderstanding as well in heauen as in earth In a word the Apostle sheweth there as also else where that whatsoeuer benefits we doe or shall hereafter obtaine counting from our eternall election euen vnto our glorification all those we now doe and shall obtaine hereafter in Christ and by Christ. Therefore whosoeuer are elected to eternall life besides this that they are elected in Christ they are also predestinate to Christ that is to haue fellowship with him that they may by him enioy all other benefits The second benâ—fit of God and effect of our predestination is our effectuall calling to Christ and to his Gospel in which the elect are onely called because it is by the purpose and grace of God which is giuen vs in Christ. And an effectuall calling is knowne by the effects two of which proceed directly from â—t a heartie kind of hearing the word and the conceiuing of it with a very great constant and continuall delight and a true and sure beleefe of the word of the Gospel Thence it is that Christ saith Who is of God saith he namely by election and effectuall calling heareth the word of God very willingly and from his heart and that continually but ye heare not because ye are not of God And this calling is wrought not onely of the preaching of the word as it is in all that be of yeares but also and that chiefly with the inward inspiration of the holy Ghost whiles that the Father draweth them by his spirit whome he will haue to come to Christ Which also was said to be done in infants For this calling is the beginning of saluation euen in this life and therefore it is the Apostles manner in the beginning of his Epistles to make mention of this calling naming all the faithfull The saints called Therefore it must needes be that all they which are elected in Christ must also at length effectually be called and drawne to Christ. After an effectuall calling followeth Faith the effect of predestination which is said to be peculiar vnto â—he elect And without which as the Apostle saith it is not possible to please God For by it we are ingrafted into Christ and are made the members of Christ and without faith no man can be sauâ—d And that this is an effect of Predestination the Apostle plainly sheweth when he saith that he had obtained mercie namely in Gods eternall predestination that he might beleeue Wherefore whosoeuer are predestinate to obtaine eternall life in Christ and by Christ they are also elect to haue the very gift of faith Therefore it must needs be that at length they shall beleeue in Christ. The fourth benefit is Iustification that is a free pardoning of our sinnes and the imputation of the righteousnes of Christ for it followeth Faith because whosoeuer are indued with true faith in Christ are also iustified And that iustification is an effect of predestination the Apostle sheweth when he puttâ—th it after calling before which he setteth predestination And when he saith that we are elect in Christ that we might be holy and without spot or blame in the presence of God and that this is not done while we are in this world but by the pardoning of all our faults and by the imputation of his perfect obedience Wherefore it must needs be that all the elect shall be iustified and be taken for most pure and without blame in Gods presence With iustification is ioyned regeneration and sanctification by the holy Ghost namely whiles we are made new creatures by him and the sonnes of God too not onely by adoption but also by regeneration For when Christ iustifieth vs he doth not onely forgiue vs our vnrighteousnes impute his righteousnes to vs but also he taketh from vs our stonie heart giueth vs a fleshie heart of his owne and he strips vs of our old man puts on his new man Lastly he taketh away the corruption of our nature and makes vs partakers of his diuine nature and so indeed of the sonnes of men he makes vs the sonnes of God and his brethren too Therefore it is saide that we are predestinated to adoption by Iesus Christ and elect that we may be holy without blame and that which is borne of the spirit is called spirit Therfore the elected to eternall life must needs be begotten anew to be the sonnes of God and be made partakers of the diuine nature and be a new creature in Christ. Hence issueth the sixt effect of predestination which is heedfully to be regarded the loue of righteoâ—unesse and the detestation of sinne For in regeneration the affections are principally chaunged Namely the affections of the corrupt nature and flesh into the affections of the diuine nature and spirit Hence it is that the Apostle saith that they which are borne anew doe walke according to the spirit and not after the flesh and not to sauour the things of the flesh but the things of the spirit And the chiefe affections of the flesh are the loue of sinne that is the concupiscence of the flesh and contrariwise the hatred of righteousnesse and the law of God which are not of the Father but of the world Therefore the chiefe affections of regeneration and the spirit are the loue of righteousnesse and of the
you God is able of these stones to raise vp children to Abraham Philip. 3. 21. According to the working whereby he is able to subdue euen all things vnto himselfe Gods actuall power is that by which he causeth all things to be which he freely will Psal. 135. 6. All things which God will those he doth in heauen and in earth and in all depths CHAP. 5. Of Gods glorie and blessednesse OVt of the former attributes by which the true Iehouah is distinguished from a fained god and from idols arise the glorie of God and his blessednesse Gods glorie or maiestie is the infinite excellencie of his most simple and most holy diuine Nature Hebr. 1.3 Who beeing the brightnesse of his glorie and the ingraued forme of his person c. Dan. 3. Thou art onely God and glorious vpon the earth By this we see that God onely can know himselfe perfectly Ioh. 6.46 Not that any maÌ„ hath seene the Father saue he which is of God he hath seen the Father 1. Tim. 6. 16. Who onely hath immortalitie and dwelleth in the light that none can attaine vnto whom neuer man saw neither can see Exod. 33.18 Thou canst not see my face Notwithstanding there is a certaine manifestation of gods glorie partly more obscure partly more apparant The more obscure manifestation is the vision of Gods maiestie in this life by the eies of the mind through the help of things perceiued by the outward senses Esa. 6.1 I saw the Lord sitting vppon an high throne and lifted vp and the lower parts thereof filled the temple Exod. â—3 22 And while my glorie passeth by I will put thee in a cleft of the rocke and will couer thee with my hand whiles I passe by after I will take away mine hand and thou shalt see my backe parts but my face shall not be seene 1. Cor. 13. 12. Nowe we se as through a glasse darkely The more apparant manifestation of God is the contemplation of him in heauen face to face 1. Corinth 13. 12. But then shall we see face to face Dan. 7. 9 10. I beheld till the thrones were set vp and the ancient of daies did fit whose garment was white as snow c. Matth. 19.16 Gods blessednes is that by which God is in himselfe and of himselfe all sufficient Gen. 17.1 I am God all sufficient walke before me and be thou vpright Col. 2.2.9 For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the godhead bodily 1. Tim. 6.5 Which in due time he shall shew that is blessed and Prince onely c. CHAP. 5. Concerning the persons of the Godhead THe persons are they which subsisting in one Godhead are distinguished by incommunicable properties 1. Ioh. 5.7 There are three that beare record in heauen the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one Gen. 19.24 Then Iehouah raigned vpon Sodom and vpon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Iehouah in heauen Ioh. 1.1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and that Word was God They therefore are coequall and are distinguished not by degree but by order The Constitution of a person is when as a personall proprietie or the proper manner of subsisting is adioyned to the Dietie or one diuine nature Distinction of persons is that which albeit euery person is one and the same perfect God yet the Father is not the Sonne or the holy Ghost but the Father alone and the holy Ghost is not the Father or the Sonne but the holy Ghost alone neither can they be deuided by reason of the infinitnesse of their most simple essence which is all one in number and the same in the Father the same in the Sonne and the same in the holy Ghost so that in these there is diuersitie of persons but vnitie in essence The communion of the persons or rather vnion is that by which each one is in the rest and with the rest by reason of the vnitie of the Godhead therfore euerie each one doth possesse loue and glorifie another and worke the same thing Ioh. 4.10 Beleeuest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father is in me the wordes that I spake vnto you I speake not of my selfe but the father that dwelleth in me he doth the workes Prov. 8.22 The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way I was before the works of old And vers 20. Them was I with him as a nourisher and I was daily his delight reioicing alwaie before him Ioh. 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and that Word was God and chap. 5.19 The Sonne can doe nothing of himselfe saue that he seeth the Father do for whatsoeuer things he doth the same doth the Sonne also There be three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Matth. 3.16.17 And Iesus when hee was baptized came straight out of the water and lo the heauens were opened vnto him and Iohn saw the Spirit of God descending like a doue and lighting vpon him and loe a voyce came from heauen saying This is my belooued sonne in whome I am well pleased The father is a person without beginning who from all eternitie begate the Sonne Heb. 1.3 Who being the brightnes of the glorie and the ingraued forme of his person Psal. 2.7 Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee In the generation of the Sonne these properties must be noted I. Hee that begetteth and he that is begotten are togither and not one before another in time II. He that begetteth doth communicate with him that is begotten not some one part but his whole essence III. The Father begot the Sonne not out of himselfe but within in himselfe The incommunicable propertie of the Father is to be vnbegotten to be a Father and to beget He is the beginning of actions because he beginneth euery action of himselfe effecting it by the Sonne and the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 8.6 Yet vnto vs there is but one God which is the Father of whome are all things and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whome are all things and wee by him Rom. 11. â—6 For of him and through him and for him are all things The other two persons haue the Godhead or the whole diuine essence of the Father by communication namely the Sonne and the holy Ghost The Sonne is the second person begotten of the Father from all eternitie Heb. 1.5 For vnto which of the Angels said be at any time Thou art my Sonne this day begat I thee Col. 1.15 Who is the image of the inuisible God the first borne of euery creaturâ— Ioh. 1.14 And we saw the glory thereof as the glory of the only begotten sonne of the father Rom. 8.32 He who spared not his owne sonne For this cause he is said to be sent from the father Ioh. 8.42 I proceeded forth and came from God neither came I of my selfe but he sent me This sending taketh not
shall come as ye haue seene him goe into heauen Eph. 4.10 He ascended farre aboue all the heauens The end of Christs ascensâ—on was that he might prepare a place for the faithfull giue them the holy ghost and their eternall glorie Ioh. 14.2 In my fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would haue told you I goe to prepare a place for you c. 16.7 If I goe not away the Comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you III. His sitting at the right hand of God the father which metaphorically signifieth that Christ hath in the highest heauens actually all glorie power dominion Heb. 1.3 By himselfe he hath purged our sinnes and sitteth at the right hand of the maiestie in the highest places Psal. 110.1 The Lord said to my Lord sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enimies thy footstoole 1. Cor. 15.25 Hee must raigne till he hath put all his enemies vnder his feete Act. 7.55 He being full of the holy Ghost looked stedfastly into heauen and sawe the glory of God and Iesus standing at the right hand of God Mark 20.22 His regall office hath two parts The first is his regiment of the kingdome of heauen part whereof is in heauen part vpon the earth namely the congregation of the faithfull In the gouernment of his Church hee exerciseth two prerogatiues royall The first is to make lawes Iames 4.12 There is one Lawgiuer which is able to saue and to destroy The second is to ordaine his ministers Eph. 4.11 He gaue some to be Apostles others Prophets others Evangelists some Pastours and teachers c. 1. Cor. 12.28 God hath ordained some in the Church as first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly teachers then them that doe miracles after that the gifts of healing helpers gouernours diuersitie of tongues Christs gouernment of the Church is either his collection of it out of the world or conseruation being collected Eph. 4.12 Psal. 10. The second part of his Regall office is the destruction of the kingdome of darknes Col. 1.13 Who hath deliuered vs from the kingdome of darknes Psal. 2.9 Thou shalt crusâ— them with a scepter of yron and breake them in pieces like a potters vessell Luk. 19.27 Those mine enimies that would not that I should raigne ouer them bring hither and slay them before me The kingdome of darkenesse is the whole company of Christs enemies The prince of this kingdome and of all the members thereof is the diuell Eph. 2.2 Ye walked once according to the counsell of the world and after the prince that ruleth in the aire enen the prince that nowe worketh in the children of disobedience 2. Cor. 4.4 The God of this world hath blinded the eies of the infidels 2. Cor. 6.15 What concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath the beleeuer with the infidel The members of this kingdome and subiects to Satan are his angels and vnbeleeuers among whome the principall members are Atheistes who say in their heart there is no God Psal. 14.1 And Magitians who bargaine with the diuell to accomplish their desires 1. Sam. 28.7 Psal. 58.5 Idolatours who either adorâ— false Gods or the true God in an idol 1. Cor. 10.7.20 Turkes and Iewes are of this bunch so are Heretiks who are such as erre with pertinacie in the foundation of religion 2. Tim. 2. 18. Apostates or reuolters from faith in Christ Iesus Heb. 6.6 False Christs who bâ—are men in hand they are true Christs Matth. 24.26 There were many such about the time of our Sauiour Christ his first comming as Iosephus witnesseth book 20. of Iewish antiquities the 11,12 14. chapters Lastly that Antichtist who as it is now apparant can be none other but the Pope of Rome 2. Thess. 2.3 Let no man deceiue you by any meanes for that day shall not come except there come a departing first and that that man of sinne bee disclosed euen the sonne of perdition which is an aduersarie and exalteth himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth sit as God in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God Reuel 13.11 And I beheld another beast comming out of the earth which had two hornes like the Lambe but he spake like the dragon And he did all that the first beast could doe before him and he caused the earth and them that dwell threin to worship the beast whose deadly wound was healed There were then first Antichristes at Rome when the Bishops thereof would be entitled Vniuersall or supreame gouernours of the whole world but then were they complete when they togither with Ecclesiasticall censure vsurped ciuill authoritie After that Christ hath subdued all his enemies these two things shall ensue I. The surrendering ouer of his kingdome to God the Father as concerning the regiment for at that time shal cease both that ciuil regiment and spirituall policie consisting in word and spirit together II. The subiection of Christ onely in regard of his humanity the which then is when the Sonne of God shall most fully manifest his maiestie which before was obscured by the flesh as a vaile so that the same flesh remaining both glorious vnited to the Sonne of God may by infinite degrees appeare inferiour We may not therefore imagine that the subiection of Christ consisteth in diminishing the glorie of the humanitie but in manifesting most fully the maiestie of the Word CHAP. 19. CONCERNING THE OVTWARD MEANES of executing the decree of election and of the Decalogue AFter the foundation of Election which hath hitherto beene deliuered it followeth that we should intreat of the outward meanes of the same The meanes are Gods Couenant and the seale therof Gods couenant is his contract with man concerning life eternall vpon certaine conditions This couenant consisteth of two parts Gods promise to man Mans promise to God Gods promise to man is that whereby he bindeth himselfe to man to bee his God if he breake not the condition Mans promise to God is that whereby he voweth his allegiance vnto his Loâ—d and to performe the condition betweene them Againe there are two kindes of this couenant The couenant of workes the couenant of grace Ierm 31 3â—.42.43 Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will make a now couâ—nant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah not aâ—cording to the couenant I made with their fathers when I tocke them â—y the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt the which my couenant they brake alâ—hough I was an husband to them saith the Lord. But this shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people The couenant of works is Gods couenant made with condition of perfect obedience and
man doth by nature so long doth he shewe himselfe to be the liuely childe of the deuill And thus Christ reasoneth against the Scribes and Pharises Ye are of your father the deuill and the lusts of your father ye will doe And true it is that no child is so like his father that begat him as euery man by nature is like the deuill and the whole tenour and course of his naturall life without grace is a liuely resemblance of the disposition of Satan Secondly euery one that beleeues God to be a Father and in Christ his father must as a good child be obedient to his fathers will So Salomon saith A wise sonne maketh a glad father How by doing his will and therefore when one told our Sauiour Christ that his mother and brethren stoode without desiring to speake with him he said Whosoeuer shall doe my fathers will which is in heauen the same is my father my sister and mother where we may note that he that will haue God the father to be his father and Christ Iesus his brother must doe the wil of God the father And hence God saith If I be a master where is my feare if I be a father where is my honour Where is plainely taught this second dutie that if God be our father then as good children we must shew obedience vnto him but if we disobey him then we must know that that former saying of Christ will be verefied vpon vs that because men doe the lusts of the deuill therefore they are the children of the deuill But least this fearefull sentence be verefied of vs it is the dutie of euery man that maketh this confession that he beleeues God to be his father first to labour to know Gods will and secondly to performe continuall obedience vnto the same like vnto a good child that would fain please his father and therefore is alwaies readie to doe the best he can And without doubt that man which vnfainedly takes God for his father is then most grieued when as by any sinne he displeaseth him and no other crosse or calamitie is so grieuous vnto him The greatest griefe that the prodigall sonne vpon his repentance had was that he had offended his father by sinning against heauen and against him the same also must be our griefe and all our care must be set on this to consider how we may be obedient children to this our louing father Thirdly that man that beleeues God to be his father must imitate and follow him for it is the will of God that his children should be like vnto himselfe Now we follow God especially in two things I. In doing good to them that persecute vs so saith our Sauiour Christ Pray for them that hurt you that you may be the children of you father which is in heauen for he maketh the sunne to rise on the euill and on the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust II. Our heauenly father is mercifull for he is a father of the fatherlesse and therefore he that will be a sonne of this father must be mercifull to his poore brethren as Iob saith of himselfe I was the eyes to the blinde and I was the feete vnto the lame I was a father vnto the poore Fourthly seeing we beleeue god to be our father we are hereby taught to vse moderate care for the things of this life for if a man know himselfe to be the childe of God then he also knowes that God will prouide for him as we know in a familie the father prouideth for all Now God is a father and his Church is his familie therefore if thou wilt be a member of Gods Church and a child of God thou must cast thy care on God and follow the counsell of Christ. Be not too carefull for your life what ye shall eate or what ye shall drinke And marke his reason drawne from the point which we haue in hand The fowles of the heauen saith he they neither sow nor reape nor carrie into barnes and yet your heauenly father feedeth them are ye not much better then they But alas the practise of the world is contrarie for men haue no care for the knowledge of Gods word nor the means of their saluation all their mindes are set on the things of this life when as Christ saith First seeke the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnes thereof and all these things shall be ministred vnto you If you should see a yong man prouide for himselfe and no man else for him we would presently say surely his father is dead euen so when a mans care is set wholly both day and night for the things of this life it argues that God hath either cast him off or else that he takes him for no father of his Fifthly if God be our father then we must learne to beare any crosse patiently that he shall lay vpon vs either in bodie or in minde and alwaies looke for deliuerance from him for whome the Lord loueth them he chastiseth and if ye endure chastising saith the Apostle God offereth himselfe vnto you as vnto children which may appeare more plainly by this comparison If two children should fight and a man comming by should part them and after beate the one and let the other goe free euery man that seeth this will say that that child which he beates is his owne sonne Euen so when God chastiseth vs he sheweth himselfe vnto vs as a father if we submit our selues Now if our earthly fathers corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence taking it patiently should we not much rather be in subiection to the father of spirits that we may liue Therefore the conclusion is this if we displease God be ye sure he will correct vs and when his hand is vpon vs we must not murmure against him but beare it with a milde spirit and furthermore when we are vnder the crosse we must alwaies looke for deliuerance from this our father onely If a sonne when he is beaten should flee to his fathers enemies for helpe and counsell it would argue that he were but a gracelesse childe Sundrie and diuers calamities and crosses befall men in this life which they can not brooke and therefore it is a common practise of many among vs in thâ—se daies when Gods hand is vpon them to goe for helpe to the deuill they seeke for counsell at witches and wise men as I haue said but let them looke vnto it for that is the right way to double their miserie and to shew themselues lewde children Lastly if we confesse and beleeue God to be the father of Christ and in him our father also then in regard of our conuersation we must not frame our selues like vnto the worlde but the course of our liues must be in righteousnesse and true holinesse Paul exhorteth the Corinthians to separate themselues from Idolaters alledging the place out of the old
and made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in the crosse he ouercame the deuill and all his angels by the power of his almightie father and by his owne power as he is God And euen so must Christian men labour to finde the same power in themselues of this almightie father by which Christ did triumph ouer Satan that by it they may tread him vnder their feete which men can neuer doe by any power in themselues Againe Christ praieth that that cup might passe from him and yet hee saith Not my will but thy will be fulfilled For it was necessary that Christ should suffer And this request was heard not because he was freed from death but because God his father Almightie gaue him power and strength in his manhood to beare the brunt of his indignation Nowe looke as this power was effectuall in Christ Iesus the head to make him able and sufficient to beare the pangs of hell so the same power of God is in some measure effectuall in al the members of Christ to make them both patient of sufficient strength to beare any affliction as Saint Paul saith beeing strengthened with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioifulnesse And this is a notable point which euery one ought to learne that whereas they confesse God to be their Almightie father they should herewithall labour to feele and haue experience in themselues that hee is almightie in the beginning and continuing of grace vnto them and in giuing them power and patience to suffer afflictions Further Christ Iesus when the worke of our redemption was accomplished was lifted vp into heauen and set at the right hand of God in heauenly places farre aboue all principalities and powers c. euen by the power of his father well as this power was made manifest in the head so must it bee in the members thereof Euery childe of God shall hereafter see and feele in himselfe the same power to translate him from this vale of misery in this life to the kingdome of heauen Wherefore to conclude we haue great cause to bee thankefull and to praise God for this priuiledge that hee sheweth his power in his childrē in regenerating thē in making them die vnto sin and to stand against the gates of hel and to suffer afflictions patiently as also that he translates them from death to life And euery one should shew his thankefulnesse in labouring to haue experience of this power in himselfe as Paul exhorteth vs in his Epistles to the Colossians and Ephesians yea read all his epistles and we shal find he mentioneth no point so often as this namely the mighty power of God manifested first in Christ and secondly in his members and he accounteth all things losse that he might knowe Christ and the vertue of his resurrection This point is the rather to be marked because his power in the matter of grace is not to be seene with eye and fewe there be in respect that haue felt the vertue thereof in themselues for the diuell doth mightily shewe his contrary power in the greatest part of the world in carrying them to sinne and wickednesse Secondly hence we learne that which Paul teacheth namely to knowe that all thinges worke togither for the best vnto them that loue God God is almightie and therefore able to doe whatsoeuer he will he is also a father and therefore is willing to doe that which is for our good But some will say we are subiect to many crosses yea to sinne what can our sinnes turne to our good Ans. If God almightie be thy father he will turne thine afflictions yea thy sinnes which by nature are euil beyond all expectation vnto thy saluation And thus much God will doe to all such as be obedient vnto him yet no man must hereupon presume to sinne Thirdly whereas we beleeue that God is a mightie father it serues to confirme gods children in the promises of mercy reuealed in his word The chiefest whereof is that if men will turne from their sinnes and beleeue in Christ they shall not perish but haue life euerlasting I knowe some men will make it an easie thing to beleeue especially those which neuer knewe what faith meant But such persons neede no meanes of confirmation of faith therefore let all those which haue tasted of the hardnes of attaining vnto it learne howe to establish their wauering hearts in the promises of God by the consideration of these two points God is a father and therefore he is willing he is also almightie and therefore he is able to performe his promises He that will bee truely resolued of Gods promises must haue both these setled in his heart and build on them as on two foundations It followeth Creatour of heauen earth We haue spoken of the title of the first person and of his attributes nowe we come to speake of his effect namely the creation but before we come to it we are to answer a certaine obiection which may be made At the first it may seeme strange to some that the worke of creation is ascribed to the first person in Trinitie the father whereas in the Scripture it is common to them all three equally And first that the father is Creatour it was neuer doubted as for the second person the Sonne that hee is Creatour it is euident All things are made by it that is by the Sonne who is the substantiall worde of the father and without it was made nothing that was made And againe it is saide that God by his sonne made the worlde As for the holy Ghost the worke of creation is also ascribed vnto him and therefore Moses saith The spirit mooued vpon the waters and Iob saieth His spirit hath garnished the heauens Howe then is this peculiar to the father beeing common to all the three persons in trinitie I answer The actions of God are twofold either inward or outward The inwarde actions are those which one person doth exercise towards another as the father doth beget the sonne and this is an inward action peculiar to the father and all inward actions are proper to the persons from whome they are So the Sonne doth receiue the Godhead by communication from the Father and the holy Ghost from them both and these are inward actions peculiar to these persons So likewise for the father to send his sonne it is an inward action proper to the father and cannot be communicated to the holy ghost and the sonne to bee sent by the father onely is a thing proper to the Sonne and not common to the father or to the holy Ghost Now outward actions are the actions of the persons in the Trinitie to the creatures as the worke of creation the worke of preseruation and of redemption These and all such actions are common to al the three persons the father createth the sonne createth and the holy
estate whereas he might as iustly haue damned all men for the fall of our first parents as he did the wicked angels for theirs for God is not bound to any creature behold then a matter of vnspeakeable ioy let vs therefore receiue and embrace Christ our Sauiour flie to him for the pardon of all sinnes and praise his name therefore Now we come to the second title of the sonne of God whereby he is tearmed Christ which title is as it were the surname of the second person as some doe thinke yet according to the opinion of some others it is no name at all but onely a meere appellation as when in the like case a particular man is called a Duke or a King It is all one with Messiah in Hebrewe wherewith the redeemer was named in the old Testament and both signifie annointed Among the Iewes before the comming of Christ three estates or orders of men were annointed with oile First of all Kings as Saul Dauid and the rest of the Kings of Iuda Secondly the priests that serued in the Tabernacle and Temple before the Lord when they were ordained and as it were installed into the priesthood were annointed with oyle as first of all Aaron and his sonnes but afterward the high priests alone Thirdly Prophets were thus annointed as Elisha Nowe this legall annointing was a type and figure of the annointing of Christ which was not with bodily oile but by the spirit and it was more excellent then all other annointings were For Dauid saith he was annointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue all his fellowes signifying that neither king priest nor prophet was euer annointed in the same manner as he was Christs annointing is according to both his natures for in what nature â—e is a Mediatour in the same he is annointed but according to both his natures ioyntly he is a Mediatour the godhead is no mediatour without the manhood nor the manhood without the godhead and therefore his annointing extends it selfe both to his godhead and to his manhood Christs annointing hath two parts both of them figured by the annointing of the Iewes The first is his consecration whereby he was set apart to do the office of a Mediatour betweene God and man and therfore to be a king a priest a prophet a king to gather and withall to gouerne his Church and people a priest to make satisfaction and intercession for the sinnes of the elect a prophet to reueale and teach his people the will of God his father And though it be true that Christ is set apart to the work of mediation as he is mediatour or as he is man yet as he is God he doth designe and set himselfe apart to the same worke For to designe the mediatour is a common action of the three persons the father the sonneâ— and the holy ghost and yet considering the father is first in order and thâ—refore hath the beginning of the action for this cause he is said especially to designe as when S. Iohn saith Him hath God the father sealed The second part of Christs annointing is the powring out of the fulnesse of the spirit or grace into the manhood of Christ and it was particularly figured by the holy oile For first that oile had no man but God alone to bee the author of it so the most excellent and vnspeakeable graces of the manhood of Christ haue their beginning from the godhead of Christ. Againe though the same oile was most precious yet was it compounded of earthly substances as myrrhe calamus and Casia and such like to signifie that the spirituall oile of grace whereof the manhood of Christ was as it were a vessell or storehouse did not consist of the essentiall properties of the godhead as Eutiches and his followers in these daies imagine but in certaine created gifts and qualities placed in his humaine nature otherwise we should not haue any participation of them Thirdly the sweete sauour of the holy oile figured that the riches of all grace with the effect thereof in the obedience of Christ doth take away the noisome sent of our loathsome sinnes from the nosthrilles of God and withal doth make our persons and al our actioÌ„s acceptable vnto him as a sweete perfume as Paul saith we are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ c. And Christs death is for this cause tearmed a sacrifice of sweete smelling sauour And we must further vnderstand that theâ—e gifts of Christs manhood are not conferred in a small scantling or measure for Iohn saith God giueth the spirit not by measure because the graces which are in Christ are farre more both in number and degree then all men or angels haue or shall haue though the good angels and the saints of God in heauen are very excellent creatures stored with manifold graces and gifts of God For this cause Christ is called the head of man because he is euery way the most principal and glorious man that euer was Yet for all this are not the gifts of Christs manhood infinite any way because it is a creature and finite in nature and therefore not capable of that which is infinite By Christs annointing the people of God reape great benefit comfort because they are to be partakers thereof For this cause the oile wherewith he was annointed is called the oyle of gladnes because the sweete sauour of it gladdeth the hearts of all his members and brings the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding The holy oyle poured vpon Aarons head came downe to his beard and to the very skirts of his garments and it signified that the spirituall oyle of grace was first of all poured vpon our head Christ Iesus from thence consequently deriued to al his members that by that meanes he might be not onely annointed himselfe but also our annointer Nowe the benefits which we receiue by his annointing are two The first is that all the elect when they are called to the profession of the Gospell of Christ are in and by him set apart and made spirituall kings priests and prophets as S. Iohn saith He hath made vs kings and priests vnto his father And S. Peter out of Ioel I will poure saith the Lord my spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and daughters shall prophesie The second benefit it that all the faithfull receiue the same oile that is the same spirit of God in some little conuenient measure which he receiued aboue measure as Saint Iohn saithâ— The annointing which ye haue receiued of him dwelleth in you and teacheth you all things where by annointing is meant the holy Ghost And hence it is that men are called Christians of the name of Christ that is annointed with the same oyle wherewith Christ was annointed And the holy oyle might not be giuen to a straunger to signifie that to haue the spirit of Christ and to be guided by it is peculiar
of a little worldly pelfe oh how are we grieued but seeing our transgressions are the weapons whereby the sonne of God was crucified let vs I say it againe and againe learne to be grieued for them aboue all things and with bleeding and melting hearts bow and buckle vnder them as vnder the crosse Secondly Christ saith of himselfe as Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernes so must the sonne of man be lifted vp the comparison is excellent and worthie the marking In the wildernes of Arabia the people of Israel rebelled against God and thereupon he sent fierie serpents among them which stung many of them to death now when they repented Moses was commanded to make a brasen serpent and to set it vpon a pole that as many as were stung might looke vnto it and recouer and if they could but cast a glaunce of the eye on the brasen serpent when they were stung euen to death they were restored to health and life Now euery man that liueth is in the same case with the Israelites Satan hath stung vs at the heart and giuen vs many a deadly wound if we could feele it and Christ who was figured by the brasen serpent was likewise exalted on the crosse to conferre righteousnesse and life eternall to euery one of vs therefore if we will escape eternall death we must renoūce our selues and lift vp the eyes of our faith to Christ crucified and pray for the pardon of our sinnes and then shall our hearts and consciences be healed of the wounds and gripes of the deuill and vntill such time as we haue grace to doe this we shall neuer be cured but still lie wounded with the stings of Satan and bleeding to death euen at the very heart although we feele no paine or griefe at all But some may aske how any man can see him crucified now after his death Ans. Wheresoeuer the word of God is preached there Christ is crucified as Paul saith Oh foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth to whome before Iesus Christ was described in your sight and among you crucified meaning that he was liuely preached among them We neede not to goe to wodden crosses or to golden crucifixes to seeke for him but where the Gospel is preached thither must we goe and there lift vp our eyes of faith to Christ as he is reuealed vnto vs in the word resting on him and his merits with all our hearts and with a godly sorrow confesse and bewaile our sinnes crauing at his hands mercie and pardon for the same For till such time as we doe this we are grieuously stung by Satan and are euery moment euen at deaths dore And if we can thus behold Christ by faith the benefits which come hereby shall be great for as Paul saith the old man that is the corruption of our nature and the bodie of sinne that raigneth in vs shall be crucified with him for when Christ was nailed on the crosse all our sinnes were laid vpon him therefore if thou dost vnfainedly beleeue all thy sinnes are crucified with him and the corruption of thy nature languisheth and dieth as he languished and died vpon the crosse Thirdly we must learne to imitate Christ as he suffered himselfe to be nayled to the crosse for our sinnes so answerably must euery one of vs learne to crucifie our flesh and the corruption of our nature and the wickednesse of our owne hearts as Paul saith They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof And this we shall doe if for our sinnes past we waile and mourne with bitternesse and preuent the sinnes to come into which we may fall by reason of the corruption of our natures by vsing all good meanes as praier and fasting and the word of God preached and by flying all occasions of offence We are not to destroy our bodies or to kill our selues but to kill and crucifie sinne that liueth in vs and to mortifie the corruption of our nature that rebels against the spirit Christianitie stands not in this to heare the word of God and outwardly to professe the same and in the meane season still to liue in our sinnes and to pamper our owne rebellious flesh but it teacheth vs alwaies to haue in readines some speare or other to wound sinne and the sword of the spirit to cut downe corruption in vs that thereby we may shew our selues to be liuely followers of Christ indeede Fourthly by this wee may learne that the wrath of God against sinne is wonderfull great because his owne Sonne bearing our person and beeing in our place was not onely crucified and racked most cruelly but also bare the whole wrath of God in his soule and therefore we must leaue off to make so little account of sinne as commonly we doe Fifthly whereas the person crucified was the sonne of God it sheweth that the loue of God which he bare vnto vs in our redemption is endlesse like a sea without banke or bottome it can not be searched into and if we shall not acknowledge it to be so our condemnation will be the greater Sixtly in this that Christ bare the curse of the law vpon the crosse we learne that those that be the children of God when they suffer any iudgement crosse or calamitie either in bodie or in minde or both doe not beare them as the curses of God but as the chastisments of a louing father For it doth not stand with the iustice of God to punish one fault twise and therefore when any man that putteth his whole confidence in God shall either in his owne person in his good name or in his goods feele the heauie hand of God God doth not as a iudge curse him but as a father correct him Here then is condemned the opinion of the Church of Rome which hold that we by our sufferings doe in some part satisfie the iustice of God but this can not stand because Christ did make a perfect fatisfaction to the iustice of his father for all punishment And therefore satisfaction to God made by man for temporall punishment is needlesse and much derogates from Christs passion In the crucifying of Christ two things specially must be considered The manner of the doing of it and his continuance aliue vpon the crosse Touching the manner the spirit of God hath noted two things The first that Christ was crucified between two theeues the one vpon his left hand the other vpon his right in which action is verefied the saying of the Prophet Esai He was numbred among the wicked and the Iewes for their parts doe hereby testifie that they esteemed him to be not some common wicked man but euen the captaine and ringleader of all theeues and malefactours whatsoeuer Nowe whereas Christ standing vpon the crosse in our roome and stead is reputed the head and prince of all sinners it serueth to teach euery one of vs
Ghost is nothing els but the action or operation of God obiect out of the Scriptures to the contrarie I. God knoweth the sonne the holy Ghost knoweth not the sonne for none knoweth the sonne but the father ergo the holy Ghost is not God Ans. That place excludeth no person in Trinitie but onely creatures and false gods and the meaning is this None that is no creature or idol god knoweth the sonne of God but the father And the opposition is made to exclude creatures not to exclude the holy Ghost Againe they obiect that the holy Ghost maketh request for vs with grones and sighes that can not be vttered therefore say they the Holy ghost is not God but rather a gift of God For he that is true God can not pray grone or sigh Ans. Pauls meaning is thereby to signifie that the Holy Ghost causeth vs to make requests and stirreth vp our hearts to grone and sigh to God for he said before we haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Yet further they obiect the words of the Angel Gabriel to the virgin Marie saying The vertue of the most high hath ouershadowed thee and hence they gather that if the holy Ghost be the vertue of God then he is not God indeede Ans. As Christ is called the Word of God not a worde made of letters or syllables but a substantial word that is beeing for euer of the same substance with the father so in this place the holy ghost is called the vertue of the most highest not because he is a created qualitie but because he is the substantiall vertue of the Father and the sonne and therefore God equall with them both Furthermore they alleadge that neither the scriptures nor the practise of the Primitiue Church doth warrant vs to pray to the holy Ghost Ans. It is not true For whēsoeuer we direct our praier to any of the three persons in him we pray to them all Besides we haue example of praier made to the holy Ghost in the word of God For Paul saith to the Corinthians The grace of our Lord Iesus the loue of god the father the fellowship of the holy ghost be with you all And the words are as if S. Paul had said thus O Father let thy loue O Sonne let thy grace O holy Ghost let thy fellowship bee with them all And therefore this first doctrine is true and as well to bee beleeued as any other that the Holy Ghost is God The second point is that the Holy Ghost is a distinct person from the father and the sonne Hereupon the articles touching the three persons are thus distinguished I beleeue in the father I beleeue in the sonne I beleeue in the holy Ghost This point also is consonant to the Scriptures which make the same distinction In the baptisme of Christ the father vttereth a voice from heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased and not the sonne or the holy ghost Secondly the sonne stood in the water and was baptized by Iohn and not the father or the holy Ghost Thirdly the holy Ghost descended from heauen vpon Christ in the forme of a doue and not the father or the sonne but the holy Ghost alone Christ in his commission vnto his disciples saith Goe teach all nations baptizing them into the name of the father the sonne and the Holy Ghost Now if the Holy Ghost had beene the same person either with the father or with the sonne then it had bene sufficient to haue named the father and the sonne onely And the distinction of the third person from the rest may be conceiued by this that the Holy Ghost is the Holy Ghost and not the father or the sonne The third point to bee beleeued is that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the father and the sonne For a further proofe hereof consider these places Paul saith Ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit for the spirit of God dwelleth in you But if any man haue not the spirit of Christ hee is not his And againe Because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of the sonne into your hearts where we may obserue that the holy Ghost is the spirit both of the father and of the sonne Now the holy Ghost is called the spirit of the father not only because he is sent of him but because hee proceedeth from the father as Christ saith to his disciples When the comforter will come whome I shall send vnto you from the father euen the spirit of trueth vvhich proceedeth of the father hee shall testifie of me And therefore likewise he is the spirit of the sonne not onely because he is sent of the sonne but also because hee proceedeth from him Againe in the Trinitie the person sending doth communicate his whole essence and substance to the person sent As the father sending the sonne doeth communicate his essence and substance to the sonne For sending doth presuppose a communication of essence Nowe the father and the sonne send the holy Ghost therefore both of them communicate their substance and essence vnto the same person Thirdly Christ saith The holy Ghost hath receiued of mine which he shall shewe vnto you namely knowledge and trueth to be reuealed vnto his Church Whence we may reason thus the person receiuing knowledge from another receiues essence also the holy Ghost receiues truth and knowledge from Christ to be reuealed vnto the Church and therefore first of all he hath receiued substance and essence from the sonne But some peraduenture will say where is it written in all the bible in expresse wordes that the holv Ghost proceedes from the sonne as he proceedes from the father Answer The scripture saith not so much in plaine tearmes yet we must know that that which is gathered forth thence by iust cōsequence is no lesse the truth of god then that which is expressed in words Hereupon all Churches saue those in Greece with one confent acknowledge the trueth of this point The fourth and last point is that the holy Ghost is equall to the father and the sonne And this we are taught to acknowledge in the Creede in that wee doe as well beleeue in the Holy Ghost as in the father and the sonne And though the holy Ghost be sent of the father and the sonne yet as I haue said before that argues no inequalitie for one equall may send another by consent but order onely whereby the Holy Ghost is last of all the three persons Againe in that the holy Ghost receiueth from the sonne it prooues no inferiority Because he receiues frō the sonne whatsoeuer he receiues by nature and not by grace And he receiues not a part but all that the sonne hath sauing the proprietie of his person Nowe followe the benefits which are giuen by the holy Ghost and they are of two sorts some are common to all
but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer Ch. What other things are we to doe that we may continue Ioh. Little children it is the last time and as ye haue heard that Antichrist shall come a speciall Antichrist the chiefe of all other who is now manifest to be the Pope of Rome euen now are there many Antichrists heretickes denying either the natures of Christ or his offices or the vnioÌ„ the distinction of his natures whereby we know that it is the last time Ch. Those whome you call Antichrists were of our companie and professed as we doe Ioh. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they should haue continued with vs. But this commeth to passe that it might appeare that they are not all of vs. Ch. How can we be assured of our continuance in grace for we may fall as well as they doe Ioh. But ye haue annointment the grace of Gods holy spirit resembled by the annointings in the old Testament from that holy one Christ Luke 1. 15. and know all things Ch. If we know all things then you neede not write vnto vs of these matters Ioh. I haue not writteÌ„ vnto you because ye know not the truth but because you know it and that no lie is of the truth i. ye can distinguish betweene the sound doctrine of the Gospel and errours Ch. What is this lie which you speake of Ioh. Who is a lier a deceiuer a seducer but he that denieth that Iesus is Christ the Messias or Sauiour of mankind The same is that Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Sonne Ch. These whome you meane say they defend the doctrine of God as well as we and they vse to call him Father Ioh. Who so denieth the Sonne hath not the Father Ch. What doe you inferre vpon this if it be the last time as you haue saide Ioh. Let therefore abide in you that same doctrine concerning Christ which ye haue heard from the beginning which the Apostles preached and before them the Prophets since the beginning of the world If that which ye haue heard from the beginning remaine ye beleeuing and obeying it in you ye also shall continue in the same and in the father And this is the promise which he hath promised vs euen life eternall Ch. We cannot perswade our selues of perseuerance seeing men so commonly fall away from Christ among vs Ioh. These things haue I written vnto you concerning them that deceiue you not meaning them of you as you seeme to take it But that annointing the spirit which ye haue receiued of Christ and which hath led you into all truth which ye haue receiued of him dwelleth in you ubideth in you and will so continue and ye neede not that any man teach you any other doctrine beside this which ye haue learned alreadie but as the same Annointing teacheth you all things and is true and not lying and as it taught you ye shall abide in him And now little children abide in him that when he shall appeare we being iustified in Christ. may haue boldnes and not be ashamed neither Sathan nor our consciences accusing vs for sinne before him at his comming Ch. We are still in doubt to returne backe to that which you said before how an endeuour to keepe the commandements should be a signe of fellowship with Christ. Ioh. If we know that he God is righteous know ye that he which worketh righteousnes is borne of him as a child is knowne to haue such a man for his father because he resembleth him CHAP. II. Ch. ARe not we then borne of God Ioh. Behold what loue the Father hath giuen to vs that we should be called the sonnes of God Ch. The world doth not report vs as the sonnes and daughters of God but for the refuse and offscouring of the world Ioh. For this cause the world knoweth not you because it knoweth not him Ch. Can Gods children be subiect to such infirmities and miseries as we are Ioh. Dearely beloued now are we the sonnes of God but yet it is not made manifest what we shall be and we know that when he shal be made manifest we shall be like him hauing not equalitie but likenesse of holinesse and glorie for we shall see him as he is for now we see him as it were through spectacles in the word and Sacraments Ch. Alas poore wretches we are not like Gods children for we are euen sold vnder sinne and daily carrie a masse of corruption about vs. Ioh. Euery one that hath this hope to see him as he is purifieth i. though he be subiect to sinne yet he desireth and vseth the meanes to clense himselfe from sinne euen as he is pure setting before him Christ as a patterne to follow Ch. How prooue you that an endeuour to purifie our selues is a note of adoption Ioh. By the contrarie whosoeuer committeth sinne pâ—actiseth sinne with full consent of will not endeuouring himselfe in holinesse of life transgresseth also the law and for that cause being vnder the curse of the law can not be Gods children for sinne is the transgression of the Law vnderstand by Law not morall Law but any commandement of God whether it be in the law or Gospel And againe ye know that he was made manifest tooke our nature on him that he might take away our sinnes the guilt and punishment at once and the corruption by little and little and in him is no sinne Thirdly whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not he doth not giue himselfe to sinne so as it should raigne in him Whosoeuer sinneth hath not seene him nor knowne him to wit effectually so as he can applie Christ and all his benefits to himselfe Ch. But some teach that faith is sufficient and they embolden vs to liue as we will Ioh. Little children let no man deceiue you he that worketh righteousnes is righteous as he is righteous He that committeth sinne though he say he doth beleeue and therfore thinkes himselfe iustified before God is of the Deuill i. resembleth the Deuil as the child doth the father and is gouerned by his spirit for the deuill sinneth froÌ„ the beginning of the world which appeareth that for this purpose was made manifest the Son of God that he might dissolue the works for the beginning and continuance of all rebellion and disobedience to God of the Deuill And further to display thâ—se seducers whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not i. doth not keepe a course in sinne howsoeuer he fall by infirmitie for his seed i. Gods word cast into the heart by the operation of the Spirit making a man to spring vp into a new creature remaineth in him neither can he sinne because he is borne of God Ch. Briefly to come to the point how may it be knowne who is Gods childe and who is to be
our loue should be a signe of Gods dwelling in vs Ioh. God is loue and therefore he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God God in him Ch. God is loue we grant but how may we know that God is loue to vs Ioh. Hereby is that loue perfect i. fully made manifest in vs that we may haue boldnesse to stand before him without feare in the day of iudgement for euen as he is euen so are we in the world not in equalitie but in conformitie of holinesse As may appeare by the contrarie there is no feare in loue i. when a man is assured of Gods loue to him he doth not distrust nor seruilely feare him in respect of his sinnes but perfect loue casteth out feare for feare hath painfulnes checkings and torments of conscience and he that feareth is not perfect in loue Ch. What other signe is there that God is loue to vs Ioh. We loue him because he loued vs first as when a man warmes him the heat of his bodie is because the fire is first hote Ch. If this be so then they which loue not their brethren are loued of God in Christ seeing all generally say they loue God Ioh. If any man say I loue God and hate his brother he is a lyar for how can he that loueth not his brother whom he hath seene loue God whome he hath not seene And this commandement haue we of him that he that loueth God should loue his brother also CHAP. V. VVHosoeuer beleeueth that Iesus is that Christ true Messias is borne of God and euery one that loueth him which did beget i. God the father loueth him also which is begotten of him the child of God a true Christian Ch. This being manifest that they are hypocrites which say they loue god yet shew no loue to their brethren teach vs how we may know that we loue our brethren Ioh. In this we know that we loue the children of God when we loue God and keepe his commandements that is endeauour to keepe the beginning of the action beeing put for the whole For this is the loue of God the dutie of loue to God that we keepe his commandements Ch. But no man can keepe the Law Ioh. His commandements are not burdenous to them that are in Christ and are freed from the curse of the law which makes the law grieuous and are also guided by his holy spirit And this is apparant for all that is borne of God ouercommeth the world Sathan with all corruptions and workes of darknes Ch. By what meanes Ioh. And this is the victory which hath ouercome the world euen our faith which is the instrument and hand whereby we lay hold on him that he in vs and so we by him might ouercome the world Who is that ouercommeth this world but he which beleeueth that Iesus is that Sonne of God Ch. How may we be resolued that Iesus of Nazareth the sonne of Mary was the sonne of God and the Messias he came but basely into the world Ioh. This is that Iesus Christ which came by water sanctificatiō signified by the legal washings blood imputation of Christs righteousnes or the sprinkling of his bloode not by water onely but by water and blood because Christ worketh both iustification and sanctification togither and it is that spirit a mans owne conscience inwardly purified that beareth witnesse for that spirit is truth that is that the testimonie of the Spirit of adoption certifying vs that we are the sonnes of God is true For that I may speake yet more plainly there are three which beare record in heauen the Father the Word the Sonne and the holy Ghost and these three are one namely in testimonie And there are three which beare record in earth the Spirit and the water and blood and these three agree in one Ch. How shew you that these witnesses be authenticall and to be beleeued Ioh. If we receiue the witnes of men the witnes of God is greater for this is the witnes of God i. that was said to come from heauen which he testifieth of his Sonne Againe he that beleeueth in that Sonne of God hath the witnes in himselfe the peace of conscience which he may feele in himselfe And further he that beleeueth not God maketh him a lyar because he beleeued not the record that God witnessed of his Sonne Ch. What is the effect of that which these witnesses testifie Ioh. And this is that record to wit that God hath giuen vnto vs eternal life and this life is in his Sonne He which hath the Sonne hath life and he which hath not the sonne of God hath not life And to conclude these things haue I written vnto you that beleeue in the name of the sonne of God that ye may know that ye haue life eternal and that ye may beleeue i. increase in faith in the name of that sonne of God Ch. How can we haue life eternal now that are so miserable and so ful of wants Ioh. And this is that assurance that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. Ch. How may we know that God graunteth our prayers made according to his will Ioh. If we know that he heareth that is as it were to giue an eare to our prayers whatsoeuer we aske we know that we haue the petitions which we haue desired of him though the things which we asked be not giuen vs in that measure and manner and time in which we asked them Ch. Let vs heare an example of those things which God will graunt when we pray Ioh. If a man see his brother sinne a sinne that is not vnto death that is which may be pardoned let him aske pardon in his behalfe and he shall giue him life for them that sinne not vnto death there is a sinne vnto death after which necessarily damnation followeth as the sinne against the holy Ghost I say not that thou shouldest pray for it Ch. But is not euery sinne a sinne to death Ioh. All vnrighteousnes is sinne and therefore deserueth death but there is a sinne not vnto death namely that which is pardoned in Christ. Ch. We feare least we haue committed this sinne which is to death Ioh. We know that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one Sathan toucheth him not i. doth him no violence or he can not giue him a deadly wound We know that we are of God and this whole world lieth in euill that is in seruitude vnder Sathan and sinne Ch. How shew you that we are of God Ioh. We know that the sonne of God is come and hath giuen vs a minde to know him that is true and we are in him that is true that is in his Sonne Iesus Christ this same is that
in the name of God that thou wert elected to life euerlasting wouldst not thou say that thou couldst not then doubt any longer of thy election But so much the more certaine is the testimony of the spirit which beareth record to our spirit that we are the sonnes of god by how much the holy ghost doth more know the things of God then any angel and can lesse deceiue then an angel And so much the more sure is this testimonie considering it is not kept in the bodily eares where it might soone vanish away but in our minde and spirit because the spirit beareth record to our spirit And further that the holy Ghost neuer departeth from our spirit but dwelleth in vs abideth in vs speaketh in vs sheweth forth his power in vs prayeth in vs. Therefore the Apostle saith that we haue receiued the spirit of adoption by which we crie Abba father as though he should say this testimonie of the spirit is altogither so sure by which he beareth vs record that we are the sonnes of God that presently without doubting we can call vpon God and crie Abba Father And all the elect haue this testimonie being made the sonnes of God by faith and being renued by the holy ghost and ingraffed into Christ. For so the Apostle speaketh if any man haue not the spirit of Christ he is not his therefore whosoeuer is Christs and is ingraffed into Christ it is necessarie hee should haue the spirit of God And whosoeuer haue receiued and doe inioy the spirit of Christ to their mindes the same spirit beareth recorde that they are the sonnes of God and maketh them to crie Abba Father And it is certaine that no man is renued by the holy Ghost which is not perswaded that God is his most mercifull and most louing father and therefore can call vpon him as a father Therefore although all men in that they are assured by the certaintie of fâ—ith that God is their Father and they are his sonnes do not thereby argue and conclude that they are elected to eternall life yet all men indeede haue thereby a sure testimonie of their election to glorie because if they be the sonnes of God they are also heires of eternall life This testimony I will briefly comprise within this Demonstration Whosoeuer call vpon god and in their hearts crie Abba Father they are the sonnes of God and it is certaine that they thus crie by the spirit of God And they which are the sonnes of God are also heires of eternall life and they haue beene predestinate to adoption therefore it must needes be that all they which are perswaded that they are the sonnes of God by the holy ghost are predestinate to eternall life and must be perswaded of it This is the first testimonie and the first way by which God reuealeth to euery Elect man his predestination namely by the holy ghost within our hearts bearing record vnto vs that we are the sonnes of God in Christ and by Christ. And let this be the first argument also seruing to confirme our assertion The second waie by which God reuealeth to euery man his predestination is by his word I meane not any particular word by which hee doeth declare to any outwardly in priuate and speciall manner and that in expresse wordes his election but the generall word of the Gospell by which Christ calleth all them which beleeue in him elect both by himselfe and by his Apostles as in the new Testament euery where is most manifest For although in particular propositions he say not to thee or to him particularly Thou art elect to eternall life yet by meanes of generall propositions he doeth as well conclude in the heart of euery one that beleeueth that hee is elected as any man shall be able to conclude vnto particular men that euery one of them is a liuing creature indued with reason by this generall proposition Euery man is a reasonable creature indued with reason the assumption beeing suppressed Therefore after this manner dealeth God He hath chosen all and euery seuerall man whome hee was to indue with faith to haue the euerlasting inheritance Furthermore he publisheth it to all the Elect by the Apostles in this generall proposition that all the faithfull are elect to eternall life the assumption is concealed in the word of God But when he giueth vs faith he maketh euery one of vs to make an assumption by himselfe in his minde But I am of the faithfull for I finde in my selfe that I truely beleeue in Christ. Therefore who is it that maketh this conclusion for thee that thou art predestinate to euerlasting life euen God himselfe the proposition beeing taken forth of the gospell and the assumption proceedeth of the gift of faith But that indeede by which we properly attaine to the knowledge of the matter contained in the conclusion is the middle tearme as they call it Wherefore it is manifest that God by the word of his gospell where hee saith that all the faithfull are elect doth reueale to euery faithfull man his owne predestination Onely this one thing is to be required that the faithfull man hearing the vniuersall propopositions in his mind should make an assumption But I am faithfull by the gift and grace of God And is not God said to haue reuealed to euery maÌ„ his speciall malediction in this generall proposition Cursâ—â—is euery one that doth not continue in all things that are written in this booke although he say to no man specially thou art accursed for euery one doeth make this assumption that he is accursed because he knoweth most certainly that he doth not continue in all things that are written in the booke of the lawe Therefore the Schoole-men are deceiued when they say it may be that euery man may be sure of his election namely if GOD which is able will reueale it to him yet that he doth only reueale it to a very fewe as the Apostles for God as hath bin prooued and declared euen by his worde in generall propositions doth reueale to euery man his predestination for what can be more certaine then this demonstration Whosoeuer doe truely beleeue in Christ they are elect to eternall life in Christ but I truely beleeue in Christ therefore I am elected But some make an exception and say that this were a demonstration and that most certaine and euident if a man might bee able to knowe that he were indued with true faith in Christ but here lieth all the difficultie For many thinke that they truely beleeue in Christ whereas neuerthelesse their faith is hypocriticall and temporarie as appeareth by the Euangelists Answere We graunt that they which beleeue by such a faithâ— which is in hypocrisie only lasteth for a time that they are deceiued whilst they think that they doe truely beleeue and yet doe not indeede for they are like them which dreame that they are kings when as they very
Lazarus that he may dippe the tip of his finger in water and coole my tongue And if thou be one which hast care to order thy selfe in speech silence according to gods word oh doe it more For what a shame is it that men with the same tongue wherewith they confesse the faith and religion of Christ should by vaine and vngodly speech vtterly denie the power thereof And for thy better helpe herein I haue penned these few lines following concerning the Gouernment of the tongue Vse them for thy benefit and finding profit thereby giue glorie to God M. D. XCII Decemb. 12. W. Perkins OF THE GOVERNEMENT OF THE TONGVE CHAP. I. Of the generall meanes of ruling the Tongue THE gouernement of the tongue is a vertue pertaining to the holy vsage of the tongue according to GODS word And for the well-ordering of it two things are requisite a pure heart and skill in the language of Canaan The pure heart is most necessary because it is the fountaine of speech and if the fountaine be defiled the streames that issue thence can not be cleane And because the heart of man by nature is a bottomlesse gulfe of iniquitie two things are to be knowne first how it must be made pure then how it is alwaies afterward to be kept pure The way to get a pure heart is this First thou must seriously examine thy life and thy conscience for all thy sinnes past then with a heauie and bleeding heart confesse them to God vtterly condemning thy selfe Thirdly with deepe sighes and groanes of spirit crie vnto heauen to God the father in the name of Christ for pardon I say for pardon of the same sinnes as it were for life and death and that day and night till the Lord send downe from heauen a sweete certificate into thy perplexed conscience by his holy spirit that all thy sinnes are done away Now at the same instant in which pardon shall be graunted God likewise will once againe stretch forth that mightie hand of his whereby he made thee when thou wast not to make thee a new creature to create a new heart in thee to renue a right spirit in thee and to stablish thee by his free spirit For whome he iustifieth them also at the same time he sanctifieth The purified heart appeareth by these signes I. If thou feele thy selfe to be displeased at thine owne infirmities and corruptions and to droope vnder them as men doe vnder bodily sicknesse II. If thou begin to hate and to flie thine owne personall sinnes III. If thou feele a griefe and sorrow after thou hast offended God IV. If thou heartily desire to abstaine from all manner of sinne V. If thou be carefull to auoide all occasions and entisements to euill VI. If thou trauell and doe thine endeauour in euery good thing VII If thou desire and pray to God to wash and rinse thine heart in the blood of Christ. When the heart is pure to keepe it so is the speciall worke of faith which purifieth the heart Faith purifieth the heart by a particular applying of Christ crucified with all his merits Elisha when he went vp and lay vpon the dead child and put his mouth on his mouth and his eyes vpon his eyes and his hands vpon his hands and stretched himselfe vpon him the flesh of the child waxed warme Afterward Elisha rose and spread himselfe vpon him the second time then the child neezed seuen times and opened his eies So must a man by faith euen spread himselfe vpon the crosse of Christ applying handes and feete to his pierced handes and feete his wretched heart to Christs bleeding heart and then he shall feele himselfe warmed by the heat of Gods spirit and sinne from day to day crucified with Christ his dead heart quickened reuiued And this applying which faith maketh is done by a kind of reasoning which faith maketh thus Hath god of his mercie giuen his own sonne to be my Sauiour to shed his blood for me and hath he of his mercie graunted vnto me the pardon of all my sinnes I will therfore endeauour to keepe my heart and my life vnblameable that I doe not offend him hereafter in word or deede as I haue done heretofore The language of Canaan is whereby a man endued with the spirit of adoption vnfainedly calleth vpon the name of God in Christ and so consequently doth as it were familiarly talke and speake with God This language must needes be learned that the tongue may be well gouerned For man must first be able to talke with God before he can be able wisely to talke with man For this cause when men are to haue communication one with another they are first of all to bee carefull that they often make their praiers to God that hee would guide and blesse them in their speeches as Dauid did Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lippes And againe O Lord open thou my lippes and my mouth shall shewe forth thy praise Where we may see that the mouth is as it were locked vp from speaking any good thing vntill the Lord open it And Paul hauing the gift of ordering his tongue in wonderful measure yet desireth the Ephesians to pray for him that vtterance might be giuē him and good reason because God ruleth the tongue CHAP. II. Of the matter of our speech THe gouernment of the tongue containeth two partes holy speech and holy silence In holy speech must be cōsidered the matter of our speech and the manner The matter is commonly one of these three either God our neighbour or our selues As concerning God this caueat must be remembred that the honourable titles of his glorious Maiestie be neuer taken into our mouthes vnlesse it bee vpon a weightie and iust occasion so as wee may plainely see that glorie will redound to him thereby and for this cause the third commandement was giuen that men might not take vp the name of God in vaine that is rashly and lightly And therefore lamentable and fearefull is the practise euerie where For it is a common thing with men to beginne their speech and to place titles of Gods most high Maiestie in the fore-front almost of euery sentence by saying O Lord O God! O good God! O mercifull God! O Iesu O Christ c. If a mā be to say any thing he will not say Yea or Nay but O Lord yea or O Lord nay If a man be to reprooue his inferiour he will presently say O Lord haue mercy on vs what a slowbacke art thou what a lie is this c. An earthly Prince if hee should haue his name so tossed in our mouthes at euery worde would neuer beare it and how shall the euerliuing God suffer it nay how can hee suffer it I say no more but thou with thy selfe thinke how for in the third commandement the punishment is set down That he will
followed of all though it may be the applying of it as Iob well perceiued is mixed with follie Here it may be alleadged that in the pangs of death men want their senses and conuenient vtterance and that therefore they are vnable to pray Ans. The very sighes sobbes and gâ—ones of a repentant and beleeuing heart are praiers before God euen as effectuall as if they were vttered by the best voice in the world Prayer stands in the affection of the heart the voice is but an outward messenger therof God looks not vpon the speach but vpon the heart Dauid saith God heares the desires of the poore againe that he will fulfill the desires of theÌ„ that feare him yea their very teares are loud and sounding praiers in his eares Againe faith may otherwise be expressed by the Last words which for the most part in theÌ„ that haue truly serued God are very excellent coÌ„fortable and full of grace some choise examples whereof I will rehearse for instructions sake and for imitation The last wordes of Iacob were those whereby as a prophet he foretold blessings and curses vpon his children and the principall among the rest were these The scepter shall not depart from Iudah and the lawgiuer from betweene his feete till Shilo come and O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation The last words of Moses are his most excellent song set downe Deut. 32. and the last words of Dauid were these The spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my tongue the God of Israel spake to me the strength of Israel said Beare rule ouer men c. The wordes of Zacharias the sonne of Iehoida when he was stoned were The Lord looke vpon it and require it The last words of our Sauiour Christ when he was dying vpon the crosse are most admirable and stored with abundance of spirituall grace 1. To his father he saith Father forgiue them they know not what they doe 2. to the thiefe Verily I say vnto thee this night shalt thou be with me in Paradise 3. to his mother Mother behold thy son to Iohn behold thy mother 4. and in his agonie My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 5. and earnestly desiring our saluation I thirst 6. and when he had made perfect satisfaction It is finished 7. and when bodie and soule were parting Father into thy hands I commend my spirit The last words of Steuen were 1. Behold I see the heauens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God 2. Lord Iesu receiue my spirit 3. Lord lay not this sinâ—e to their charge Of Polycarpe Thou art a true God without lying therefore in all things I praise thee and blesse thee and glorifie thee by the eternall God and high Priest Iesus Christ thine onely beloued sonne by whome and with whome to thee and the holy Spirit be all glorie now and for euer Of Ignatius I care not what kinde of death I die I am the bread of the Lord and must be ground with the teeth of lyons that I may be cleane bread for Christ who is the bread of life for me Of Ambrose I haue not so led my life amoÌ„g you as if I were ashamed to liue neither doe I feare death because we haue a good Lord. Of Augustine 1. He is no great maÌ„ that thinks it a great matter that trees and stones fall and mortall men die 2. Iust art thou O Lord and righteous is thy iudgement Of Bernard 1. An admonitioÌ„ to his brethren that they would ground the anchor of their faith and hope in the safe and sure port of Gods mercie 2. Because saith he as I suppose I can not leaue vnto you any choise example of religion I commend three things to be imitated of you which I remember that I haue obserued in the race which I haue runne as much as possibly I could 1. I gaue lâ—sse heede to mine owne sense and reason then to the sense and reason of other men 2. When I was hurt I sought not reuenge on him that did the hurt 3. I had care to giue offence to no man and if it fell out otherwise I tooke it away as I could Of Zuinglius when in the fielde he was wounded vnder the chinne with a speare O what happe is this goe to they may kill my bodie but my soule they cannot Of Oecolampadius 1. An exhortation to the ministers of the Church to maintaine the puritie of doctrine to shewe forth an example of honest and godly conuersation to bee constant and patient vnder the crosse 2. Of himselfe Whereas I am charged to bee a corrupter of the trueth I weigh it not now I am going to the tribunall of Christ and that with good conscience by the grace of god there it shall be manifest that I haue not seduced the Church Of this my saying and contestation I leaue you as witnesses and I confirme it with this my last breath 3. To his children loue God the father and turning himselfe to his kinsfolkes I haue bound you saith he with this contestation you which they heare and I haue desired shall doe your indeauour that these my childreÌ„ may be godly and peaceable and true 4. To his friend comming vnto him What shall I say vnto you Newes I shal be shortly with Christ my Lord. 5. being asked whether the light did not trouble him touching his breast there is light enough saith hee 6. he rehearsed the whole 51. psalme with deepe sighes from the bottome of his breast 7. a little after Saue me Lord Iesus Of Luther My heauenly father God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ and God of all comfort I giue thee thankâ—s that thou hast reuealed vnto me thy sonne Iesus Christ whome I haue beleeued whome I haue professed whome I haue loued whome I haue praised whome the Bishoppe of Rome and the whole companie of the wicked persecuteth and reuileth I praie thee my Lord Iesus Christ receiue my poore soule my heauenly father though I bee taken from this life and this bodie of mine is to he laid downe yet I knowe certainely that I shall remaine with thee for euer neither shall any be able to pull me out of thy hand Of Hooper O Lord Iesus sonne of Dauid haue mercie on me receiue my soule Of Annas Burgius Forsake me not O Lord least I forsake thee Of MelaÌ„cthon If it be the will of God I am willing to die and I beseech him that he will graunt me a ioyfull departure Of Caluine 1. I held my tongue because thou Lord hast done it 2. I mourned as a doue 3. Lord thou grindest me to powder but 〈◊〉 sufficeth me because it is thine hand Of Peter Martyr that his bodie was weake but his mind was well that he acknowledged no life or saluation but onely in Christ who was giuen of the father to be a redeemer of mankind and
in the Lord. When thou readest that in the garden he praied lying groueling on his face sweating water and blood beginne to thinke seriously what an vnspeakable measure of Gods wrath was vpon thy blessed Sauiour that did prostrate his bodie vpon the earth and cause the blood to follow and thinke that thy sinnes must needes be most heynous that brought such bloodie and grieuous paines vpon him Also thinke it a very shame for thee to carrie thy head to heauen with haughtie lookes to wallow in thy pleasures and to draw the innocent blood of thy poore brethren by oppression and deceit for whome Christ sweat water and blood and take an occasion from Christs agonie to lay aside the pride of thy heart to be ashamed of thy selfe to grieue in heart yea euen to bleede for thine owne offences casting downe and humbling thy selfe with Ezra saying O my God I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee my God for mine iniquities are increased and my trespasse is growne vp into heauen When thou readest that Christ was taken and bound thinke that thy very sinnes brought him into the power of his enemies and were the very bondes wherewith he was tyed thinke that thou shouldest haue beene bound in the very same manner vnlesse he had beene a suretie and pledge for thee thinke also that thou in the selfe â—ame manner art bound and tied with the chaynes of thine owne sinnes and that by nature thy will affections and whole spirit is tied and chained to the will of the deuill so as thou canst doe nothing but that which he willeth lastly thinke and beleeue that the bondes of Christ serue to purchase thy libertie from hell death and damnation When thou hearest that he was brought before Annas and Caiaphas thinke it was meete that thy suretie and pledge who was to suffer the condemnation due vnto thee should by the high Priest as by the mouth of God be condemned and woonder at this that the very coessentiall and eternall Sonne of God euen the very soueraigne Iudge of the world stands to be iudged and that by wicked men perswading thy selfe that this so great confusion comes of thy sinnes Whereupon beeing further amazed at thy fearefull estate humble thy selfe in dust and ashes and pray God so to soften thy stonie heart that thou maiest turne to him and by true faith lay hold on Christ who hath thus exceedingly abased himselfe that his ignominie may be thy glorie and his arraignment thy perfect absolution When thou readest that Barrabas the murderer was preferred before Christ though he exceeded both men and Angels in holinesse thinke it was to manifest his innocencie and that thy very sinnes pulled vpon him this shamefull reproch and in that for thy cause he was esteemed worse then Barrabas thinke of thy selfe as a most heynous and wretched sinner and as Paul saith the head of all sinners When thou readest that he was openly and iudicially condemned to the cursed death of the crosse consider what is the wrath and furie of God against sinne and what is his great and infinite mercie to sinners and in this spectacle looke vpon thy selfe and with grones of heart crie out and say O good God what settest thou heare before mine eyes I euen I haue sinned I am guiltie and worthie of damnation Whence comes this chaunge that thy blessed sonne is in my roome but of thy vnspeakable mercie Wretch that I am how haue I forgotten my selfe and thee also my God O sonne of God how long hast thou abased thy selfe for me Therefore giue me grace O God that beholding mine owne estate in the person of my Sauiour thus condemned I may detest and loath my sinnes that are the cause thereof and by a liuely faith imbrace that absolution which thou offerest me in him who was condemned in my stead and roome O Iesu Christ Sauiour of the world giue me thy holy and blessed Spirit that I may iudge my selfe and be as vile and base in mine owne eyes as thou wast vile before the Iewes also vnite me vnto thee by the same spirit that in thee I may be as worthie to be accepted before God as I am worthie in my selfe to be detested for my sinnes When thou readest that he was clad in purple and crowned with thornes mocked and spit vpon behold the euerlasting shame that is due vnto thee and be ashamed of thy selfe in this point conforme thy self to Christ be content as he was to be reproched abused and despised so it be for a good cause When thou readest that before his crucifying he was stript of al his cloathes thinke it was that he beeing naked might beare thy shame on the crosse and with his most pretious and rich nakednesse couer thy deformitie When thou readest the complaint of Christ that he was forsaken of his father consider how he suffered the pangs and torments of hell as thy pledge and surety Learne by his vnspeakable torments what a fearefull thing it is to sinne against God and begin to renounce thy selfe and detest thy sinnes and to walke as a child of light according to the measure of grace receiued When thou commest to die set before thine eyes Christ in the midst of all his torments on the crosse in beholding of which spectacle to thy endlesse comfort thou shalt see a paradise in the middest of hell God the father reconciled vnto thee thy Sauiour reaching out his hands vnto thee to receiue thy soule vnto him and his crosse as a ladder to aduance it to eternall glorie Wheras he cried aloud with a strong voice at the point of death it was to shew that he died willingly without violence or constraint from any creature and that if it had so pleased him he could haue freed himselfe from death and haue cast his very enemies to the very bottom of hell When thou readest that he commended his soule into the handes of his Father consider that thy soule also so be it thou wilt beleeue in him is deliuered vp into the hands of God and shall be preserued against the rage and malice of all thine enemies and hereupon thou maist be bolde to commend thy spirit into the hands of God the father When thou readest of his death consider that thy sinnes were the cause of it and that thou shouldest haue suffered the same eternally vnlesse the sonne of God had come in thy roome againe consider his death as a ransome and apprehend the same by faith as the meanes of thy life for by death Christ hath wounded both the first and second death and hath made his crosse to be a throne or tribunall seate of iudgement against all his and thine enemies When thou readest of the trembling of the earth at the death of Christ thinke with thy selfe it did in his kind as it were grone vnder the burden of the sinnes of men in the world and by his motion then it signified that euen
giue good counsell to doe the ordinarie works of their callings The fourth Things indifferent must be vsed within compasse of our callings that is according to our abilitie degree state and condition of life And it is a common abuse of this libertie in our daies that the meane man will be in meate drinke apparell building as the gentleman the gentleman as the knight the knight as the lord or Earle Now then things indifferent are sanctified to vs by the word when our consciences are resolued out of the word that we may vse them so it be in tâ—e manner before named and according to the rules here set downe They are sanctified by praier when we craue at Gods hands the right vse of them and hauing obtained the same giue him thanks therefore Coloss. 3. 17. Whatsoeuer ye doe in word or deede doe all in the name of our Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God the father by him Thus much of Christian libertie by which we are admonished of sundrie duties I. to labour to become good members of Christ of what estate or coÌ„dition so euer we be The libertie of the citie of Rome made not onely Romanes borne but euen the men of other countries seeke to be citizens thereof Act. 22.28 The priuiledges of the Iewes in Persia made many become Iewes Hest. 8.17 O then much more should the spirituall libertie of conscience purchased by the blood of Christ mooue vs to seeke for the kingdome of heauen and that we might become good members thereof II. Againe by this we are taught to studie learne and loue the Scriptures in which our liberties are recorded We make account of our charters whereby we hold our earthly liberties yea we gladly read them and acquaint our selues with them what a shame then will it be for vs to make no more account of the word of God that is the law of spirituall libertie Iam. 2. 16. III. Lastly we are aduertised most heartily to obey and serue God according to his word for that is the end of our libertie the seruant doth all his busines more chearefully in the hope and expectation he hath of libertie Againe our libertie most of all appeares in our seruice and obedience because the seruice of God is perfect freedome as on the contrarie in the disobedience of Gods commandements stands our spirituall bondage The second propertie of conscience is an vnfallible certentie of the pardon of sinne and life euerlasting That this point may be cleared I will handle the question betweene vs and Papists touching the certentie of saluation And that I may proceede in order we must distinguish the kinds of certentie First of all Certentie is either Vnfallible or Coniecturall Vnfallible wherein a man is neuer disappointed Coniecturall which is not so euident because it is grounded onely vpon likelihoods The second all Papists graunt but the first they denie in the matter of saluation Againe certentie is either of faith or experimentall which Papists call morall Certentie of faith is whereby any thing is certenly beleeued and it is either generall or speciall Generall certentie is to beleeue assuredly that the word of God is truth it selfe and this both we and Papists allow Speciall certentie is by faith to applie the promise of saluation to our selues and to beleeue without doubt that remission of sinnes by Christ and life euerlasting belongs vnto vs. This kinde of certentie we hold and maintaine and Papists with one consent denie it acknowledging no assurance but by hope Morall certentie is that which proceedes from sanctification and good workes as signes and tokens of true faith This we both allow yet with some difference For they esteeme all certentie that comes by works to be vncerten and often to deceiue but we doe otherwise if the works be done in vprightnes of heart The question then is whether a man in this life may ordinarily without reuelation be vnfallibly certen of his owne saluation first of all and principally by faith and then secondly by such workes as are vnseparable companions of faith We hold this for a cleare and euident principle of the word of God and contrariwise the Papists denie it wholly I will therefore prooue the truth by some few arguments and then answer the common obiections Arg. 1. That which the spirit of God doth first of all testifie in the heart and conscience of any man and then afterward fully confirme is to be beleeued of the same man as vnfallibly certen but the spirit of God first of all doth testifie to some men namely true beleeuers that they are the sonnes of God and afterward confirmes the same vnto them Therefore men are vnfallibly to beleeue their owne adoption Now that the Spirit of God doth giue this testimonie to the conscience of man the Scripture is more then plaine Rom. 8. 15. Ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba Father The same Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Answer is made that this testimonie of the Spirit is giuen onely by an experiment or feeling of an inward delight or peace which breedes in vs not an infallible but a coniecturall certentie And I answer againe that this exposition is flat against the text For the Spirit of adoption is saide here not to make vs to thinke or speake but to crie Abba Father and crying to God as to a father argues courage confidence and boldnes Againe the same Spirit of adoption is opposed to the spirit of bondage causing feare and therefore it must needs be a Spirit giuing assurance of libertie and by that meanes driuing away distrustfull feares And the ende no doubt why the holy Ghost comes into the heart as a witnes of adoption is that the truth in this case hidden therefore doubtful might be cleared and made manifest If God himselfe haue appointed that a doubtfull truth among men shall be confirmed and put out of doubt by the mouth of two or three witnesses it is absurd to thinke that the testimonie of God himselfe knowing all things and taking vpon him to be a witnesse should be coniecturall Saint Bernard had learned better diuinitie when he said Who is iust but he that beeing loued of God returnes loue to him againe which is not done but by the Spirit of God reuealing by faith vnto man the eternall purpose of God concerning his saluation in time to come which reuelation vndoubtedly is nothing else but an infusion of spirituall grace by which whilest the deedes of the flesh are mortified the man is prepared to the kingdome of God receiuing withall that whereby he may presume that he is loued and loue againe Furthermore that the Spirit of God doth not onely perswade men of their adoption but also confirme the same vnto them it is most manifest Eph. 4. 30. Grieue not the Spirit whereby ye are sealed vp to the day of redemption and 1. v. 13. After ye beleeued
kept vncerten till the time to come are thrust into the text by head shoulders and Hierome hath them not Secondly I answere that the holy Ghost doth not deny simplie the knowledge of gods loue or hatred as though there could be no certaine assurance of it in this life If wee vnderstand the wordes thus then the argument of the holy Ghost must be framed on this manner If loue or hatred were to bee knowne then it must be knowne by the outward blessings of God but it cannot be knowne by the outward blessings of God for all things come alike to all therefore loue and hatred cannot be known The proposition is false For loue may bee knowne other waies then by outward benefits and therefore the reason is not meete to be ascribed to the spirit of trueth Wherefore the true and proper sense of the wordes is that loue or hatred can not be iudged or discerned by outward blessings of God Saint Bernard speakes of this text on this manner that no man knowes loue or hatred namely by him yet that God giues most certaine testimonies thereof to men vpon earth And serm 5. de Dediâ— his words are these Who knowes if he be worthie loue or hatred who knowes the mind of the Lord Here both faith and truth must needes helpe vs that that which is hidden in the heart of the father may be reuealed vnto vs by the spirit and his spirit giuing testimony perswades our spirit that we are the sonnes of God and this perswasion is caused by his calling and iustifying vs freely by faith And S. Hierome though commonly abused to the contrarie saith no more but that men cannot knowe loue or hatred by the present afflictions which they suffer because they know not whether they suffer them for triall or punishment Obiect 3.1 Cor. 4. I iudge not my selfe I know nothing by my selfe Here Paul as not being priuie to his owne estate reâ—useth to giue any iudgement of his righteousnes Ans. It is manifest by the wordes of this epistle that certaine in Corinth boldly more then wisely censured the Apostles ministerie and withall disgraced it in respect of the ministerie of other teachers Therefore Paul in this chapter goes about to make an Apologie for himselfe speaking nothing of his owne person and the estate thereof before God but onely of his ministerie and the excellency thereof And this is the iudgement of Theodoret Aquinas Lira vpon this text And when he saith I iudge not my selfe his meaning is I take not vpon me to iudge of what value and price my ministerie is before God in respect of the ministerie of this or that man but I leaue al to God Here then Paul refuseth onely to giue iudgement of the excellencie of his owne ministerie and in other causes he refuseth not to iudge himselfe as when he said I haue fought a good fight I haue kept the saith hence sorth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous iudge shal giue me 2. Tim. 4.8 And Chrysostome on this place saith that Paul refused to iudge himselfe not simply but onely for this ende that he might restraine others and teach them modestie And where Paul saith I knowe nothing by my selfe the speech is not generall but must bee vnderstood of the negligences and offences in the compasse of his ministerie For hee was priuie to himselfe that in simplicitie and godly purenes hee had his conuersation in the worlde 2. Cor. 1.12 and he knew this by himselfe that nothing should seuer him froÌ„ the loue of God in Christ. Rom. 8.38 Obiect 4. That we may be iustified there is somewhat required in vs namely faith and repentnnce and where these are wanting a man cannot be iustified Now no man can be certen by the certaintie of faith that he repents of his sinnes with all his heart and that he hath such a faith as God requires at our hands considering there is no testimonie in the word of our faith and repentance in particular Therefore no man can be certaine by certaintie of faith that his sinnes are pardoned Ans. It is not necessarie that any man should bee certaine by faith of his faith repentance because faith is only of such things as are present whereas faith and repentance are truely preâ—ent in all that truely beleeue and repent it shall be sufficient if a man may any way be vnfallibly certaine that he hath them And though some men falsly perswade themselues that they beleeue yet he that hath true faith indeede knowes that he hath true faith euen as certainly as he that vnderstands that hee vnderstands Paul saith to the Corinthians Prooue your selues whether yee bee in the faith or no 2.13.5 hereby giuing them to vnderstand that all which beleeue haue the spirit of discerning to know certainely that they doe beleeue Againe he saith of himselfe 2. Tim. 1.12 I knowe whome I haue beleeued And S. Iohn saith 1. epist. 3. 24. By this we knowe that he dwels in vs by the spirit which he hath giuen vs making no question of it but that he which hath the spirit knowes that hee hath the same And testimonies of men are not wanting in this case August Euery one seeth faith to be in his owne heart if hee beleeue if not he seeth it to be wanting Againe A beleeuer seeth his owne faith by which hee answereth that hee beleeueth without doubt and Hee which loueth his brother more knoweth the loue whereby he loueth then his brother whome hee loueth Againe whereas it is said that hauing faith yet we know not whether it be sufficient or no I answer that faith beeing without hypocrisie is sufficient to saluation though it be vnperfect God more respects the trueth of our faith then the perfection thereof And as the hand of the child or of the palsie man though it be feeble is able to reach out it selfe and receiue an almes of a Prince so the faith that is but weake is able to apprehend and receiue Christ with all his benefits Obiect 5. Prov. 28. Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Phil. 2. Worke your saluation with feare and trembling Ans. There is threefold feare one of nature the second of grace the third of distrust Feare of nature is that wherby the nature of man is troubled with any thing that is hurtfull vnto it and therefore auoideth it Feare of grace is that excellent gift which is called the beginning of wisdome and it is a certaine awe or reuerence vnto God in whose presence we doe whatsoeuer wee doe Feare of distrust is when men tremble at the iudgements of God for their sinnes because they haue no hope of mercie Of these three the first was good by creation therefore it was in our Sauiour Christ but since the fall it is defectiue The third is a vice called slauish feare And the second is that which is commanded in these and
all things were cheape 20 That drinking and bezeling in the alehouse or tauerne is good felowship and shewes a good kind nature and maintaines neighbourhoode 21 That a man may sweare by the Masse because it is nothing now and by r Ladie because shee is gone out of the countrie 22 That euery man must be for himselfe and God for vs all 23 That a man may make of his owne whatsoeuer he can 24 That if a man remember to say his praiers in the morning though hâ— neuer vnderstand them he hath blessed himselfe for all the day following 25 That a man praieth when he saith the ten Commandâ—ments 26 That a man eates his maker in the Sacrament 27 That if a man be no adulterer no thiefe nor murderer and doe no man harme he is a right honest man 28 That a man neede not haue any knowledge of Religion because he is not booke-learned 29 That one may haue a good meaning when he saith and doth that which is euill 30 That a man may goe to wizards called wisemen for counsell because God hath prouided a salue for euery sore 31 That ye are to be excused in all your doings because the best men are sinners 32 That ye haue so strong a faith in Christ that no euill companie can hurt you These and such like sayings what argue they but your grosse ignorance Now where ignorance raigneth there raignes sinne and where sinne raignes there the deuill rules and where he rules man are in a damnable case Ye will replie vnto me thus that ye are not so bad I would make you if neede be you can say the Creede the Lords prayer and the ten Commandements and therefore ye will be of Gods beleefe say all men what they will and you defie the deuill from yours hearts I answer againe that it is not sufficient to say all these without booke vnlesse ye can vnderstand the meaning of the words and be able to make a right vse of the Commandements of the Creede of the Lords prayer by applying them inwardly to your hearts and consciences and outwardly to your liues and conuersations This is the very point in which ye faile And for an helpe in this your ignorance to bring you to true knowledge vnfained faith and sound repentance here I haue set downe the principall point of Christian religion in sixe plaine and easie rules euen such as the simplest may easily learne and hereunto is adioyned an exposition of them word by word If ye doe want other good direction then vse this my labour for your instruction In reading of it first learne the sixe principles and when ye haue them without the booke and the meaning of them withall then learne the exposition also which beeing well conceiued and in some measure felt in the heart ye shall be able to profit by Sermons whereas now ye cannot and the ordinarie parts of the Catechisme namely the ten Commaundements the Creede the Lords prayer and the institution of the two Sacraments shall more easily be vnderstood Thine in Christ Iesus William Perkins The foundation of Christian religion gathered into sixe Principles The first Principle Question VVHat doest thou beleeue concerning God A. There is one God creator and gouernour of all things distinguished into the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Prooues out of the word of God 1. There is a God For the invisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world beeing considered in his workes to the intent that they should be without excuse Neuerthelesse he left not himselfe without witnesse in that he did good and gaue vs raine from heauen and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnes 2. This God one Concerning therefore meat sacrificed to idols we knowe that an idol is nothing in the worlde and that there is none other God but one 3. He is creatour of all things In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth Through faith wee vnderstand that the world was ordained by the word of God so that the things which we see are not made of things which did appeare 4. He is gouernour of all things The eies of the Lord in euery place behold the euill and the good Yea and all the haires of your head are numbred 5. Distinguished into the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And Iesus when he was baptized came straight out of the water and loe the heauens were opened vnto him and Iohn sawe the spirit of God descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him And loe a voice came from heauen saying This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased For there are three which beare record in heauen the Father the word and the holy Ghost and these three are one The second Principle Q. What dost thou beleeue coÌ„cerning man coÌ„cerning thine own selfe A. All men are wholly corrupted with sinne through Adams fall and so are become slaues of Sathan and guiltie of eternall damnation 1. All men are corrupted with sinne As it is written there is none righteous no not one 2. They are wholly corrupted Nowe the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your whole spirit and soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in vanitie of their minde Hauing their cogitation darkened and beeing strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their heart When the Lord sawe that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onely euill continually 3. Through Adams fall Wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the worlde and death by sinne and so death went went ouer all men for so much as all men haue sinned 4. And so are become slaues of Sathan Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of the worlde and after the prince that ruleth in the aire euen the spirit that nowe worketh in the children of disobedience For as much then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood he also himselfe likewise tooke part with them that hee might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the deuill In whome the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the image of God should not shine vnto them 5. And guiltie of eternall damnation For as many as are of the workes of the Lawe are vnder the curse for it is written Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Lawe to doe them Likewise then as by the offence of
A golden Chaine OR THE DESCRIPTION OF Theologie containing the order of the causes of Saluation and Damnation according to Gods word A view whereof is to be seene in the Table annexed Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences Printed by IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1600. To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader there are at this day foure seuerall opinions of the order of Gods predestination The first is of the olde and new Pelagians who place the cause of Gods predestination in man in that they hold that God did ordaine meÌ„ either to life or death according as he did foresee that they would by their natural free-will either reiect or receiue grace offered The second of them who of some are tearmed Lutherans which teach that God foreseeing howe all mankinde beeing shutte vp vnder vnbeleefe would therefore reiect grace offered did hereupon purpose to choose some to saluation of his meere mercie without any respect of their faith or good workes and the rest to reiect beeing mooued to doe this because hee did eternally foresee that they would reiect his grace offered them in the Gospell The third Semipelagian Papists which ascribe Gods predestination partly to mercie and partly to mens foreseene preparations and meritorious workes The fourth of such as teach that the cause of the execution of Gods predestination is his mercie in Christ in them which are saued and in them which perish the fall and corruption of man yet so as that the decree and eternall counsell of God concerning them both hath not any cause beside his will and pleasure Of these foure opinions the three former I labour to oppugne as erronious and to maintaine the last as beeing trueth which will beare waight in the ballance of the Sanctuarie A further discourse whereof here I make bold to offer to thy godly consideration in reading whereof regard not so much the thing it selfe penned very slenderly as mine intent affection who desire among the rest to cast my mite into the treasurie of the Church of England and for want of gold pearle and pretions stone to bring a rammes skinne or twaine and a little Goates haire to the building of the Lords tabernacle Exod. 35.23 The Father of our Lord Iesus Christ grant that according to the riches of his glorie thou maiest bee strengthened by his spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in thy heart by faith to the end that thou being rooted and grounded in loue maiest bee able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and height thereof to knowe the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge that thou maiest be filled with all fulnes of God Amen Farewell Iulie 23. the yeare of the last patience of Saints 1592. Thine in Christ Iesus W. P. A GOLDEN CHAINE OR THE DESCRIPTION OF Theologie THE CONTENTS 1 Of the bodie of Scripture and Theologie pag. 1 2 Of God and the nature of God ibid. 3 Of the life of God pag. 3 4 Of Gods glorie and blessednes pag. 5 5 Concerning the persons of the Godhead pag. 6 6 Of Gods workes and his decree pag. 8 7 Of Predestination and creation pag. 10 8 Of Angels pag. 11 9 Of Man the state of innocencie pag. 12 10 Of sinne and the fall of angels pag. 13 11 Of mans fall and disobedience pag. 15 12 Of Originall sinne pag. 16 13 Of Actuall sinne pag. 19 14 Of the punishment of sinne pag. 22 15 Of Election and of Iesus Christ the foundation thereof pag. 23 16 Of the vnion of the two natures in Christ. pag. 25 17 Of the distinctioÌ„ of both natures pag. 27 18 Of Christs natiuitie and office pag. 27 19 Concerning the outward meanes of executing the decree of Election and of the Decalogue pag. 36 20 Of the first commandement pag. 38 21 Of the second commandement pag. 42 22 Of the third commandement pag. 54 23 Of the fourth commandement pag. 61 24 Of the fift commandement pag. 66 25 Of the sixt commandement pag. 73 26 Of the seuenth commandement pag. 82 27 Of the eight commandement pag. 88 28 Concerning the ninth commaundement pag. 95 29 Of the tenth commandement pag. 100 30 Of the vse of the Law pag. 101 31 Of the Couenant of grace pag. 102 32 Of the Sacraments pag. 103 33 Of Baptisme pag. 107 34 Of the Lords Supper pag. 111 35 Of the degrees of executing Gods decree in election pag. 113 36 Conceâ—ning the first degree of the declaration of Gods loue pag. 114 37 Concerning the second degree of the declaration of Gods loue pag. 121 38 Concerning the third degree of the declaration of Gods loue pag. 124 39 Of Repentance and the fruit thereof pag. 128 40 Of Christian warfare pag. 129 41 Of the first Assault pag. 130 42 Of the second Assault pag. 131 43 Of the third Assault pag. 134 44 Of the patient bearing of the Crosse. pag. 136 45 Of the calling vpon God pag. 138 46 Of Christian Apologie and Martyrdome pag. 139 47 Of edification and Almes among the faithfull pag. 140 48 Of the fourth degree of the declaration of Gods loue and of the estate of the Elect after this life pag. 141 49 Of the estate of the Elect at the last day of iudgement pag. 143 50 Of the estate of the Elect after iudgement pag. 144 51 Concerning the order of the causes of Saluation according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome pag. 146 52 Concerning the decree of Reprobation pag. 163 53 Concerning the exâ—â—â—tion of the decree of Reprobation pag. 164 54 Concerning a new deuised doctrine of Predestination taught by some new and late Diuines pag. 167 55 Of the state and condition of the Reprobates when they are dead pag. 175 56 Of the state of the Reprobates in hell pag. 176 57 Of the Application of Predestinanation ibid. AN EPOSITION OF THE SYMBOLE OR Creede of the Apostles THE CONTENTS The Creede pag. 185 Faith pag. 187 God pag. 198 The three persons pag. 202 The Father pag. 205 Gods omnipotencie pag. 212 The creation 217. 221 Gods counsell pag. 218 The creation of heauen pag. 228 The creation of Angels pag. 231 The creation of Man pag. 236 Gods prouidence pag. 242 Adams fall and Originall sinne pag. 252 The couenant of grace pag. 259 The title Iesus pag. 262 The title Christ. pag. 266 The title Sonne pag. 271 The title Lord. pag. 278 The incarnation of Christ. pag. 279 Christs humiliation pag. 295 Christs passion pag. 297 Christs arraignment pag. 300 Christs execution pag. 328 Christs sacrifice pag. 350 Christs triumph pag. 356 Christs buriall pag. 376 The descension of Christ. pag. 372 Christs exaltation pag. 370 Christs resurrection pag. 379 Christs ascension pag. 396 Christs sitting at c. pag. 407 Christs intercession pag. 409 Christs kingdome pag. 417 The last iudgement pag. 420 The holy Ghost pag. 436 The Church 451.488 Predestination pag. 453 The
away the equalitie of essence and power but declareth the order of the persons Ioh. 5â—18 Therefore the Iewes sought the more to kill him not onely because he had broken the Sabboth but said also that God was his Father and made himselfe equall with God Phil. 2.6 Who being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God Although the Son be begotten of his Father yet neuertheles he is of by himselfe very God for he must be considered either according to his essence or according to his filiatioÌ„ or Sonship In regard of his essence he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. of and by himselfe very God for the Deitie which is commoÌ„ to all the tâ—ree persons is not begotten But as he is a person and the sonne of the Father he is not of himselfe but from another for he is the eternall Sonne of his father And thus he is truely said to be very God of very God For this cause also he is the WORD of the father not a vanishing but an essentiall word because as a word is as it were begotten of the mind so is the Sonne begotten of the Father and also because hee bringeth glad tydings from the bosome of his Father Nazian in his Oration of the Sonne Basil in his preface before Iohns Gospel The propertie of the Sonne is to be begotten His proper manner of working is to execute actions from the Father by the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 8. 6. Our Lord Iesus Christ by whome are all things and we by him Ioh. 5.19 Whatsoeuer things he doth the same doth the Sonne also The holy Ghost is the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne Ioh. 15. 26. But when the Comforter shall come whom I will send vnto you from the Father euen the Spirit of truth which proceedeth of the Father he shall testifie of me Rom. 8. 9. But ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit seeing the spirit of God dwelleth in you But if there be any that hath not the spirit of Christ he is not his Ioh. 16.13,14 But when the Spirit of truth shall come he shall conduct you into all truth for he shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoeuer he heareth he shall speake and shall declare vnto you such things as are to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receiue of mine and shew it vnto you What may be the essentiall difference betwixt proceeding and begetting neither the Scriptures determine nor the Church knoweth The incommunicablâ— propertie of the holy Ghost is to proceed His proper manner of working is to finish an action effecting it as from the Father and the Sonne And albeit the Father and the Sonne are two distinct persons yet are they both but one beginning of the holy Ghost CHAP. 6. Of Gods workes and his decree THus farre concerning the first part of Theologie the second followeth of the workes of God The workes of God are all those which he doth out of himselfe that is out of his diuine essence These are common to the Trinitie alwaies reserued the peculiar manner of working to euery person The end of all these is the manifestation of the glorie of God Rom. 11.36 For him are all things to him be glorie for euer The worke or action of God is either his decree or the execution of his decree The decree of God is that by which God in himselfe hath necessarily and yet freely from all eternitie determined all things Eph. 1. 11. In whome also we are chosen when we were predestinate according to the purpose of him which worâ—eth all things after the counsell of his owne will and vers 4. As he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world Matth. 10.29 Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing and not one of them falleth on the ground without your Father Rom 9. 21. Hath not the potter power on the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell â—â— dishonour and another to honour Therâ—fore the Lord according to his good pleasure hath most certainely decreed eâ—ery both thing and action whether past present or to come together with their circumstances of place time meanes and ende Yea he hath most iustly decreed the wicked workes of the wicked For if it had not so pleased him they had neuer beene at all And albeit they of theiâ— owne nature are and remaine wicked yet in respect of Gods decree they are to be accounted good For there is not any thing absolutely euill 1. Pet. 3.17 For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doing then for euill doing The thing which in the owne â—ature is euill in Gods eternal counsel comes in the place of a good thing in that it is some occasion and way to manifest the glorie of God in his iustice and his mercie God his foreknowledge is conioyned with his decree and indeâ—â—e is in nature before it yet not in regard of God but vs because knowledge goeth before the will the effecting of a worke For we doe nothing but those things that we haue before willed neither doe we will any thing which we know not before God his foreknowledge in it selfe is not a cause why things are but as it is conioyned with his decree For things doe not therefore come to passe because that God did foreknow them but because he decreed and willed them therefore they come to passe The execution of Gods decree is that by which all things in their time are accomplished which were foreknowne or decreed and that euen as they were foreknowne and decreed The same decree of GOD is the first and principall working cause of all things which also is in order and time before all other causes For with Gods decree is alwaies his will annexed by the which he can willingly effect that he hath decreed And it were a signe of impotencie to decree any thing which he could not willingly compasse And with Gods will is conioyned an effectuall power by which the Lord can bring to passe whatsoeuer he hath freely decreed This first and principall cause howbeit in it selfe it be necessarie yet it doth not take away freedome of will in election or the nature and propertie of second causes but onely brings them into a certaine order that is it directeth them to the determinate ende whereupon the effects and euents of things are contingent or necessarie as the nature of the second cause is So Christ according to his Fathers decree died necessarily Act. 17.3 but yet willingly Math. 25. 39. And if we respect the temperature of Christs bodie he might haue prolonged his life and therefore in this respect may be said to haue died contingently The execution of Gods decree hath two branches his operation and his operatiue permission Gods operation is his effectuall producing of all good things which either haue beeing or moouing or which are done Gods operatiue permission is that
Sonne of God By this we may see that Christ is one onely Sonne of God not two yet in two respects is he one As he is the eternall Word hee is by nature the Son of the Father As he is man the same Sonne also yet not by nature or by adoption but only by personal vnion Luk. 1.35 Matth. 3.17 This is my beloued Son c. The phrase in Scripture agreeing to this Vnion is the communion of properties concerning which obserue two rules I. Of those things which are spoken or attributed to Christ some are only vnderstood of his diuine nature As that Ioh. 8.58 Before Abraham was I am And that Coloss. 1.15 Who is the image of the inuisible God the first borne of euery creature Some againe agree only to his humanitie as borne suffered dead buried c. Luk. 2.52 And Iesus increased in wisdome and stature and in fauour with God and man Lastly other things are vnderstood only of both natures vnited togither As Matth. 17.5 This is my beloued Son in whome onely I am well pleased heare him Eph. 1.22 He hath made subiect all things vnder his feete and hath appointed him ouer all things to be the head to the Church II. Some things are spoken of Christ as he is God which must be interpreted according to his humane nature Act. 20.28 To feed the Church of God that is Christ which he according to his manhood hath purchased with his own blood 1. Cor. 2.8 If they had knowne this they would neuer haue crucified the Lord of glory Contrarily some things are mentioned of Christ as he is man which onely are vnderstood of his diuine nature Ioh. 3.13 No man ascended vp to heauen but he that hath descended from heauen the sonne of man which is in heauen This is spoken of his manhood whereas we must vnderstand that onely his Deitie came downe from heauen Ioh. 6.62 What if ye should see the sonne of man vz. Christs humane nature ascend vp where hee vz. his Deitie was before Lastlie by reason of this Vnion Christ as he is man is exalted aboue euery name yea he is adored and hath such a great though not infinite measure of gifts as farre surpasse the gifts of all Saints and Angels Eph. 1.21 And set him at his right hand in heauenly places â—â—â—re aboue all principalitie and power and might and domination and euery name that is named not in this world onely but in that also that is to come Heb. 1.6 When he bringeth his first begotten Sonne into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him Col. 2.3 In whome all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge are hidden Phil. 2.9 10. Therefore god exalted him on hie gaue him a name aboue all names that at the name of Iesus euery knee should bow namely worship and be subiect to him both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth CHAP. 17. Of the distinction of both Natures THe distinction of both Natures is that whereby they with their properties and effects remaine without composition mingling or conuersion distinct Ioh. 10.17,18 Therefore doth my Father loue me because I lay downe my life that I may take it againe No man taketh it from me but I lay it downe of my selfe I haue power to lay it downe and haue power to take it againe Ioh. 13.31 32. Now is the Son of man glorified God is glorified in him If God be glorified in him God shall also glorifie him in himselfe Here we may obserue that there is one will in Christ as God another as man Matth. 26.39 Not as I will but as thou wilt This also approoueth that sentence of the Chalcedon Creede Wee confesse that one and the same Christ Iesus both Sonne Lord only begotteÌ„ is known and preached to be in two natures without confusion mutation distinction or separation Lastly hereby it is manifest that Christ when he became that which he was not namely man continued still that which he was very God CHAP. 18. Of Christs Natiuitie and Office THus much concerning Christs incarnation the cleere declaration thereof was by his natiuitie The natiuity of Christ is that wherby Mary a Virgin did after the course of nature and the custome of women bring forth Christ that Word of the father and the Son of Dauid so that those are much deceiued which are of opinion that Christ after a miraculous maner came into the world the wombe of the Virgin beeing shut Luk. 2.23 Euery man child which first openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord. The which place of scripture is applyed to Mary our Sauiour Christ. Hence is it that the Virgin Marie is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring forth god albeit she is not any way mother of the Godhead For Christ as hee is God is without mother and as man without Father It is conuenient to be thought that Mary continued a Virgin vntill her dying day albeit we make not this opinion any article of our beleefe I. Christ beeing now to depart the world committed his mother to the tuition and custodie of his disciple Iohn which it is like he would not haue done if shee had had any children by whom as custome was shee might haue beene prouided for Ioh. 19. 26. II. It is likely that shee who was with childe by the holy Ghost would not after know any man III. It is agreed of by the Church in all ages Christ beeing now borne was circumcised the eight day that he might fulfill all the righteousnes of the law and bâ—â—â—g thirtie yeares of age he was baptized that he beeing publiquely and solemnly inuested into the office of his Mediatorship might take vpon him the guilt of our sinnes He was both circumcised and baptized that we might learne I. That the whole efficacie of the Sacraments depend alone and wholly vpon him II. That he was Mediatour of mankind both before and after the Law as also vnder grace III. That he is the knot and bond of both couenants His Office followeth to the perfect accomplishing whereof he was annointed of his Father that is he was sufficiently furnished both with gifts and authoritie Hebr. 1.9 Therefore God euen thy God annointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Esa. 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord was vpon me therfore be annointed me Ioh. 3.34 God giueth him not the Spirit by measure If any man inforce this as a reason that Christ could not performe the Office of a Mediatour beeing not the meane or middle betwixt God and man but the partie offended so one of the extreames we must know that Christ is two waies said to be the middle or meane I. Betwixt God and all men for being both God and man he doth participate with both extreames II. Betwixt God and the faithfull onely first according to his humanitie whereby he receiued the Spirit without measure Secondly according to his diuine
nature namely as he is the Word Now the Word is middle betwixt the Father and the faithfull I. In regard of order because the Word was begotten of the Father and by it we haue accesse vnto the Father This subordination which is of the Sonne to the Father is not in the diuine essence seuerally and distinctly considered but in the relation or manner of hauing the essence And after this manner those things which are subordinate cannot be vnequall if they haue one and the same singular essence II. In regard of his office the which beeing imposed on him by his Father he did willingly vndergoe and of his owne accord Christ doth exercise this office according to both natures vnited in one person and according to each nature distinct one from the other For in reconciling God and man together the flesh performeth some things distinctly and the Word other things distinctly Againe some other things are done not by the Word or flesh alone but by both together This office is so appropriate to Christ that neither in whole or in part can it be translated to any other Hebr. 7.24 This man because he endureth for euer hath an euerlasting priesthood or a priesthood that cannot passe from one to another Therfore Christ as he is God hath vnder him Emperours Kings Princes to be his Vicegerents who therefore are called Gods Psal. 82.1 But as he is Mediator that is a Priest a Prophet King of the Church he hath no Vicegerent Vicar or Lieuetenant who in his either Kingly or Priestly office in both or but one can be in his stead Christs office is threefold Priestly Propheticall Regall Psal. 110.1,2,3,4 Esai 42.1 Christs Priesthood is an office of his wherby he performed all those things to God whereby is obtained eternall life Heb. 5.9 And being consecrate was made the author of eternall saluation vnto all them that obey him and is called of God an high Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec Chap. 7. 24,25 This man because he endureth for euer hath an euerlasting Priesthood wherefore he is able also perfectly to saue all them that come vnto God by him His Priesthood consisteth of two parts Satisfaction and Intercession Satisfaction is that whereby Christ is a full propitiation to his Father for the Elect. Iob. 23.23 If there be a messenger with him or an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnes then will he haue mercie vpon him and will say Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue found a reconciliation Rom. 3.24 And are iustisied freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus v. 25. Whome God hath set forth to be a reconciliation thorough faith in his blood 1. Ioh. 2. 2. He is a propitiation for our sinnes Christ satisfied Gods anger for mans offence according to his humanitie by performing perfect obedience to the will of God according to his Deitie by ministring such especiall dignitie to his perfect obedience as was both full of merit and efficacie before God for the saluation of the Elect. Ioh. 17.19 For their sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also may be sanctified through the truth Act. 20.28 To feed the flocke of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood 2. Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ and reconciled the world to himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them Satisfaction comprehendeth his passion and fulfilling the Law His passion is the first part of satisfaction by which he hauing vndergone the punishment of sinne satisfied Gods iustice and appeased his anger for the sinnes of the faithfull His passion was on this manner Somewhat before his death partly feare arising from the sense of Gods wrath imminent vpon him partly griefe possessing as it were each part of him so disturbed his sacred minde that inwardly for a while it stroke into him a strange kinde of astonishment or rather obliuion of his dutie imposed vpon him and outwardly made him pray vnto his Father if he would to remooue that cuppe from him the which he did expresse with no small crie many teares and a bloody sweate trickling from his bodie vnto the ground But when he came againe vnto himselfe he freely yeelded himselfe vnto his Father to satisfie vpon the crosse for the transgression of man After this his agonie was ouerpassed by Iudas his treacherie Christ is apprehended and first he is brought to Annas after to Caiaphas where Peter denieth him from Caiaphas is he lead bound to Pilate Pilate posteth him ouer to Herod he transposteth him backe againe to Pilate who acknowledgeth his innocencie and yet condemneth him as an offender This innocent thus condemned is pitifully scourged crowned with thornes scoffed spitted at spitefully adiudged to the death of the crosse on which his hands and feete are fastened with nayles Here staied not his passions but after all these he became accursed to God the Father that is God poured vpon him beeing thus innocent such a sea of his wrath as was equiualent to the sinnes of the whole world He now beeing vnder this curse through the sense and feeling of this straunge terrour complaineth to his Father that he is forsaken who notwithstanding encountring then with Satan and his Angels did vtterly vanquish and ouercome them When this was ended his heart was pierced with a speare till the bloode gushed out from his sides and he gaue vp the ghost and commended his spirit to his Fathers protection the which immediately went into Paradise His bodie whereof not one bone was broken was buried and three daies was ignominiously captiuated of death In this description of Christs passion we may note fiue circumstances especially I. His Agonie namely a vehement anguish arising vpon the conflict of two contrarie desires in him The first was to be obedient to his Father The second to auoid the horror of death Luk. 22.44 Beeing in an agonie be prayed more earnestly and his sweate was like droppes of blood trickling downe to the groūd Hebr. 5.7 In the daies of his flesh did offer vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in that which he feared II. His Sacrifice which is an action of Christs offering himselfe to God the Father as a ransome for the sinnes of the Elect. Hebr. 9.26 Nowe in the ende of the world hath he appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe In this sacrifice the oblation was Christ as he was man Heb. 10.10 By the which will we are sanctified euen by the offering of Iesus Christ once made The Altar also was Christ as he was God Heb. 13.10 We haue an Altar whereof they haue no authoritie to eate which serue in the Tabernacle Hebr. 9.14 How much more shall the bloode of Christ which through
He is able perfectly to saue them that come to God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them Secondly according to his Deitie partly by applying the merit of his death partly by making request by his holy Spirit in the hearts of the Elect with sighes vnspeakable 1. Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of the Father to the sanctification of the Spirit Rom. 8. â—6 The Spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed We are not therefore to imagine or surmise that Christ prostrateth himselfe vpon his knees before his Fathers throne for vs neither is it necessarie seeing his very presence before his father hath in it the force of an humble petition The end of Christs intercession is that such as are iustified by his merits should by this meanes continue in the state of grace Now Christs intercession preserueth the elect in couering their continuall slipps infirmities and imperfect actions by an especiall and continuall application of his merits That by this meanes mans person may remaine iust and mans works acceptable to God 1. Ioh. 2.2 Hee is a reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but for the sinnes of the whole world 1. Pet. 2.5 Yee as liuely stones be made a spirituall house and holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. Reuel 8.3,4 And another Angell came and stood before the altar hauing a golden censer and much odours was giuen vnto him that he should offer with the prayers of all Saints vpon the golden altar which is before the throne and tâ—â— smoke of the odors with the prayers of the Saints went vp before God out of the Angels hand Thus farre concerning Christs priesthood nowe follow his Propheticall and Regall offices His Propheticall office is that whereby he immediately from his Father renealeth his word and all the meanes of saluation comprised in the same Ioh. 1.18 The Son which is in the bosome of his father he hath declared vnto you Ioh. 8.26 Those things which I heare of my father I speake to the world Deut. 18.18 I will raise them vp a Prophet c. The word was first reuealed partly by visions by dreames by speech partly by the instinct and motion of the holy ghost Heb. 1.1 At sundry times in diuers manners God spake in old time to our Fathers the Prophets in these last daies he hath spoken to vs by his sonne 2. Pet. 1.21 Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy ghost The like is done ordinarily onely by the preaching of the word where the holy ghost doth inwardly illuminate the vnderstanding Luk. 24.45 Then opened he their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures v. 21.15 I I will giue you a month and wisdome where against all your aduersaries shall not bee able to speake nor resist Act. 16.14 Whose heart the Lord opened that shee attended on the things that Paul spake For this cause Christ is called the Doctor Lawegiuer and Counsellour of his Church Matth. 23.10 Be ye not called Dâ—ctors for one is your Doctor Iesus Christ. Iam. 4.12 There is one Lawgiuer which is able to saue and to destroy Esa. 9.6 He shall call his name Counsellour c. Yea he is the Apostle of our profession Heb. 3.1 The Angell of the couenant Malac. 3.1 And the Mediatour of the new couenant Heb. 9.15 Therefore the soueraigne authoritie of expouÌ„ding the Scripture only belongs to Christ and the Church hath onely the ministerie of iudgement and interpretation committed vnto her Christs Regall office is that whereby he distributeth his gifts and disposeth all things for the benefit of the elect Psal. 2. and 110.31.2 The Lord said vnto my Lord sit tâ—ou on my right hand till I make thine enimies thy footestoole The execution of Christs Regall office comprehendeth his exaltation Christs exaltation is that by which he after his humiliation was by little and little exalted to glorie and that in sundrie respects according to both his natures The exaltation of his diuine nature is an apparant declaration of his diuine properties in his humane nature without the least alteration thereof Rom. 1. 4. Declared mightily to be the sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead Act. 2.36 God hath made him both lord Christ whome ye haue crucified The exaltation of his humanitie is the putting off from him his seruile coÌ„dition and all infirmities and the putting on of such habituall gifts which albeit they are created and finite yet they haue so great and so marueilous perfection as possibly can be ascribed to any creature The gifts of his minde are wisdome knowledge ioy and other vnspeakeable vertues of his bodie immortalitie strength agilitie brightnesse Philip. 3.21 Who shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body Math. 17.2 He was traÌ„sfigured before them his face did shine as the sunne and his cloathes were as white as the light Heb. 1.9 God euen thy God hath annointed the with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellows Eph. 1.20.22 Christs bodie although it be thus glorified yet is it still of a solide substaÌ„ce compassed about visible palpable and shall perpetually remaine in some certaine place Luk. 24.39 Behold my hands and my feete it is euen I touch me and see a spirit hath no flesh and bones as ye se me haue There be three degrees of Christs exaltation I. His resurrection wherein by his diuine power he subdued death and raised vp himselfe to eternall life 2. Cor. 13.4 Though he was crucified concerning his infirmitie yet liueth he through the power of God Matth. 28.6 Hee is not here for he is risen as he said Come see the place where the Lord was laid The ende of Christs resurrection was to shewe that his satisfaction by his passion and death was fully absolute For one onely sinne would haue detaiâ—ed the Mediatour vnder the dominion of death though he had fully satisfied for all the rest 1. Cor. 15.17 If Christ be not raised your faith is in vaine yee are yet in your sinnes Rom. 4.25 Who was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification II. His ascension into heauen which is a true locall and visible translation of Christs humane nature from earth into the highest heauen of the blessed by the vertue power of his Deitie Act. 1.9 When he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken vp for a cloud tooke him vp out of their sight and while they looked stedfastly towards heauen as he went beholde two men stood by theÌ„ in white apparell which also said Ye men of Galile why stand ye gazing into heauen this Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen
by which the sillie and ignorant people are notably deluded As for that other part of Astrology concerning natiuities reuolutions progressions directions of natiuities as also that which concerneth election of times the finding againe of thinges lost it is very wicked and it is probable that it is of the same brood with implicite and close Magique My reasons are these I. The word of God reckoning Astrologers amongst Magitians adiudgeth them both to one and the same punishment II. But the Astrologer saith he foretelleth many things which as he said come so to passe be it so But howe I demaund and by what meanes He saith by arte but that I denie For the precepts of his arte will appeare to such as read them not with a preiudicate affection very ridiculous VVhence then I pray you doth this curious diuiner foreshew the trueth but by an inward secret instinct from the diuell This is Augustines opinion in his 5. booke and 7. chapt of the Citie of God If we weigh all those things saith he we will not without cause beleeue that Astrologers when they doe wonderfully declare many truths worke by some secret instinct of euill spirits which desire to fill mens braines with erronious and daungerous opinions of starrie destinies and not by any arte deriued from the inspection and consideration of the Horoscope which indeed is none XII Popish consecration of water and salt to restore the minde vnto health and to chase away diuels The reformed Missal pag. 96. XIII To make iests of the Scripture phrase Esai 66.2 I will looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and which trembleth at my wordes We haue an example of such scoffing in the Tripart hist. chapter 36. booke 6. The heathen did grieuously oppresse the Christians and inflicted sometimes vpon their bodies corporall punishments The which when the Christians signified vnto the Emperour he disdained to assist them and sent them away with this scoffe You are to suffer iniuries patiently for so are ye commanded of your God XIIII Lightly to passe ouer Gods iudgements which are seene in the world Matth. 26.34 Verily verily I say vnto thee this night before the cocke crow thou shalt denie me thrise vers 35. Peter said vnto him Though I should die with thee I will not denie thee Luk. 13.1,2,3 There were certaine men present at the same season that shewed him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their owne sacrifices And Iesus answered and said vnto them Suppose ye that these Galileans were greater sinners then all the other Galileans because they haue suffered such things I tell you nay but except ye amende your liues ye shall likewise perish XV. A dissolute conuersation Matth. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before mē that they seeing your good workes may glorifie your Father which is in heauen 2. Sam. 12.14 Because that by this deede thou hast made the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the child that is borne vnto thee shall surely die The affirmatiue part In all things giue God his due glorie 1. Cor. 10.13 To this appertaine I. Zeale of Gods glorie aboue all things in the world besides Numb 25.8 When Phineas the sonne of Eleazer saw it he followed the man of Israel into his tent and thrust them both through to wit both the man of Israel and the woman through hir bellie Psal. 69.22 The zeale of thine house hath eaten me vp and the reproches of the scornefull haue fallen vpon me II. To vse Gods titles onely in serious affaires and that with all reuerence Deut. 28.58 If thou wilt not keepe and doe all the words of this law that are written in this booke and feare this glorious and fearefull name THE LORD THY GOD. Rom. 9.5 Of whome are the fathers and of whome concerning the flesh Christ came who is God ouer all blessed for euer Amen III. An holy commemoration of the creature whereby we in the contemplation and admiration of the dignitie and excellencie thereof yeeld an approbation when we name it and celebrate the praise of God brightly shining in the same Psal. 64.9,10 And all men shall see it and declare the worke of God and they shall vnderstand what he hath wrought but the righteous shall be glad in the Lord and trust in him and all that are vpright of heart shall reioyce Luke 2. 18,19 And all they that heard it wondered at the things that were told them of the shepheards but Marie kept all these things and pondered them in her heart Ierem. 5.12 Feare ye not me saith the Lord or will ye not be afraid at my presence which haue placed the sands for the bounds of the seas by the perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waues thereof rage yet can they not preuaile though they rore yet can they not passe ouer IV. An oth in which we must regard 1. How an oth is to be taken 2. How it is to be performed In taking an oth foure circumstances must be obserued I. The matter or parts of an oth the parts are in number foure 1. Confirmation of a truth 2. Inuocation of God alone as a witnesse of the truth and a reuenger of a lie 3. Confession that God punisheth periurie when he is brought in as a false witnesse 4. An obligation that we will vndergoe the punishment at Gods hand if we performe not the condition II. The forme We must sweare 1. truly least we forsweare 2. Iustly least we commit impietie 3. In iudgement for feare of rashnes Ierem. 4.2 Thou shalt sweare the Lord liueth in truth in iudgement and righteousnes Esa. 48. 1. Which sweare by the name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel but not in truth nor in righteousnes c. Therefore the oth of drunken furious and franticke men also othes of children they doe not impose an obseruation of them but by law are no othes III. The ende namely to confirme some necessarie truth in question Hebr. 6. 16. Men sweare by him that is greater then themselues and an oth for confirmation is among them an end of all strife I call that a necessarie truth when some doubt which must necessarily be decided can none other way be determined then by an oth as when Gods glorie our neighbours bodie or goods or the credit of the partie for whom the oth is ministred are necessarily called into question Rom. 1.9 God is my witnes whom I serue in my spirit in the Gospel of his Sonne that without ceasing I make mention of you 2. Cor. 1. 23. I call God for a record into my soule that to spare you I came not as yet vnto Corinth IV. The diuers kinds or sorts of othes An oth is publike or priuate Publike when the Magistrate without any peril to him that sweareth doth vpon iust cause exact a testimonie together with an oth A priuate oth is which two or more take priuately This so
that eateth this bread and drinketh this cuppe vnworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of Christ. But such as feele not theÌ„selues penitent they neither can come to the Lords table without repentance least they eate and drink their own damnation neither must they deferre repentance by which they may come least they procure to themselues finall destruction CHAP. 35. Of the degrees of executing Gods decree of Election VVE haue hitherto declared the outward meanes whereby Gods decree is executed Now follow the degrees of executing the same The degrees are in number two The loue of God and the declaration of his loue Eph. 1.6 To the praise of the glory of his grace wherwith he hath made vs accepted in his blood 9. And hath opened vnto vs the mysterie of his will according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in him Gods loue is that whereby God doth freely loue all such as are chosen in Christ Iesus though in themselues altogither corrupt 1. Ioh. 4. 19. Wee loued him because he loued vs first Rom. 5.8 God setteth out his loue towards vs seeing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. 10. For if when wee were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne much more wee beeing reconciled shall be saued by his life The declaration of gods loue is two-fold The first towards infants elected to saluation the second towards men of riper yeares The declaration of Gods loue towards infants is on this manner Infants alreadie elected albeit they in the wombe of their mother before they were borne or presently after depart this life they I say being after a secret and vnspeakable manner by Gods spirit engraffed into Christ obtaine eternall saluation 1. Cor. 12. 13. By one spirit wee are all baptized into one bodie whether Iewes or Grecians bond or free and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit Luk. 1. 35. The Angell answered and said vnto her The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most High shall ouershadow thee therefore also that holy thing which shall be borne of thee shall be called the sonne of God 41. And it came to passe as Elizabeth heard the salutation of Marie the babe sprang in her bellie and Elizabeth was filled with the holy Ghost 64. And his mouth was opened immediately and his tongue loosed and he spake and praised Godâ— 80. And the child grewe waxed strong in spirit Iere. 1.5 Before I formed thee in the womb I knew thee and before thou camest out of the wombe I sanctified thee I call the manner of infants saluation secret and vnspeakable because I. they want actuall faith to receiue Christ for actuall faith necessarily presupposeth a knowledge of Gods free promise the which he that beleeueth doth applie vnto himselfe but this infants cannot any waies possibly performe And surely if infants should haue faith actually they generally either loâ—e it when they come to mens estate or at least shew no signes thereof both which they could not doe if before they had receiued actuall faith Nay we see that in those of riper yeares there are not so much as the shadowes or sparkes of faith to bee seene before they be called by the preaching of the Gospell II. Infants are said to be regenerated onely in regard of their internall qualities and inclinations not in regard of any motions or actions of the minde will or affections And therefore they want those terrors of conscience which come before repentance as occasions thereof in such as are of riper yeares of discretion Againe they are not troubled with that conflict and combate betwixt the flesh and the spirit wherewith those faithfull ones that are of more yeares are marueilously exercised CHAP. 36. Concerning the first degree of the declaration of Gods loue THe declaration of Gods loue in those of yeres of discretion hath especially foure degrees Rom. 8.30 1. Cor. 1.30 The first degree is an effectuall calling whereby a sinner being seuered froÌ„ the world is entertained into Gods familie Eph. 2.17 And came and preached peace vnto you which were a farre off and to them that were neere 19. Nowe therfore ye are no more strangers and forrainers but citizens with the Saints and of the â—oushold of God Of this there be two parts The first is Election which is a seperation of a sinner from the cursed estate of all mankind Ioh. 15.19 If ye were of the world the world would loue his own but because ye are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you The second is the reciprocall donation or free gift of God the Father whereby he bestoweth the sinfull man to be saued vpon Christ and Christ againe actually most effectually vpon that sinfull man so that he may boldly saâ—e this thing namely Christ both God and man is mine and I for my benefit and vse enioy the same The like we see in wedlocke The husband saith this woman is my wife whome her parents haue giuen vnto men so that shee being fully mine I may both haue her and gouerne her Againe the woman may say this man is mine husband who hath bestowed himselfe vpon me doth cherish me as his wife Rom. 8.32 He spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs. Esa. 9.6 Vnto vs a child is born vnto vs a son is giuen Ioh. 17.2 Thou hast giuen him power vpon all flesh that he should giue eternall life to all theÌ„ whome thou hast giuen him 6. I haue declared thy name to the men which thou gauest me out of the world thine they were and thou gauest them me and they kept thy worde 7. Nowe they know that all things whatsoeuer thou hast giuen me are of thee Ioh. 10.29 My father which gaue them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my fathers hands Hence commeth that admirable vnion or coniunctioÌ„ which is the ingraffing of such as are to be saued into Christ and their growing vp togither with him so that after a peculiar manner Christ is made the head and euery repentant sinner a member of his mysticall bodie Ioh. 17.20 I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue in me through their word 21. That they all may be one as thou O father art in me and I in thee euen that they may be also one in vs. Eph. 2.20 We are members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones Ioh. 25.1 I am that true vine and my father is the husbandman 2. Euery branch that beareth not fruit in me he taketh away and euery one that beareth fruite he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruite Eph. 2. 20. Built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles â—hose corner stone is Iesus Christ himselfe 21. In whoÌ„ all the building coupled togither groweth vnto an holy temple in the Lord. 22.
say then the Gentiles which followed not righteousnesse haue attained vnto righteousnesse euen the righteousnes which is of faith Christ is receiued when euery seuerall person doth particularly apply vnto himselfe Christ with his merits by an inward perswasioÌ„ of the heart which commeth none other way but by the effectuall certificate by the holy Ghost concerning the mercy of God in Christ Iesus 1. Cor. 2.12 Wee haue receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of GOD that we might knowe the things that are giuen to vs of GOD. Ezech. 12.10 I will poure the spirit of grace vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem and they shall looke vnto me whome they haue wounded Rom. 8.16 His spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Eph. 1.13 In whom also ye haue trust after that ye heard the word of truth euen the Gospell of your saluation wherein also after that ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise 2. Cor. 1.22 In the worke of faith there are foure degrees or motions of the heart linked and vnited togither and are worthy the consideration of euery Christian. The first is knowledge of the Gospell by the illumination of gods spirit Esay 53.11 By his knowledge shall my seruant iustifie many Ioh. 7.3 This is life eternall that they knowe thee to be the onely very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. To this in such as are truely humbled is annexed a serious meditation of the promises in the Gospell stirred vp by the sensible feeling of their owne beggerie And after the forsaid knowledge in all such as are enlightened commeth a generall faith whereby they subscribe to the trueth of the Gospell Heb. 4.2 Vnto vs was the Gospell preached as also vnto them but the word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it 1. Tim. 1.19 Hauing faith and a good conscience which some haue put away and as concerning the faith haue made shipwracke 1. Tim. 2.4 Who will that all men should bee saued and come vnto the knowledge of the trueth This knowledge if it be more full and perfect is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the full assuraÌ„ce of vnderstâ—Ì„ding Col. 2.2 That their hearts might be comforted and they knit togither in loue and in all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding to knowe the mysterie of God euen the father and of Christ. Rom. 14.14 I knowe and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe Luk. 1.1 For as much as many haue taken in hand to set forth the storie of those things whereof we are fully perswaded 1. Thes. 1.5 Our gospell was vnto you not in word onely but also in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance The second is hope of pardon whereby a sinner albeit he yet feeleth not that his sinnes are certainly pardoned yet he be beleeueth that they are pardonable Luk. 15.18 I will goe vnto him father and say Father I haue sinned against heâ—uen and against thee and am no more worthie to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruants The third is an hungring and thirsting after that grace which is offered to him in Christ Iesus as a man hungreth and thirsteth after meate and drinke Ioh. 6.35 and 7.37 Reu. 21.6 And he said vnto me It is done I am A and Ω the beginning and the ende I will giue to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shall be satisfied The fourth is the approching to the throne of Grace that there flying from the terror of the Law he may take hold of Christ and finde fauour with God Heb. 4.16 Let vs therefore goe boldly to the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede This approching hath two parts The first is an humble confession of our sinnes before God particularly if they be knowne sinnes and generally if vnknowne this done the Lord forthwith remitteth all our sinnes Psalm 32.5 I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Selah 2. Sam. 12. 13. Dauid said to Nathan I haue sinned against the Lord wherefore Nathan said to Dauid The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die Luk. 15.19 The secoÌ„d is the crauing pardon of some sinnes with vnspeakable sighes and in perseuerance Luk. 15.21 Act. 8.22 Repent of this wickednesse and pray God that if it be possible the thought of thine heart may be forgiuen thee Rom. 8. 26. The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we knowe not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed Hos. 14.2,3 O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie Take vnto you wordes and turne to the Lord and say to him take away al iniquitie and receiue vs gratiously The fift arising of the former is an especiall perswasion imprinted in the heart by the holy Ghost whereby euery faithful man doth particularly apply vnto himselfe those promises which are made in the Gospell Matth. 9.2 They brought vnto him a man sicke of the palsie and when Iesus saw their faith he saide vnto the sicke of the palsie Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Mat. 15.28 O woman great is thy faith bee it vnto thee as thou desirest Gal. 2.20 I liue yet not I nowe but Christ liueth in me and in that I nowe liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me This perswasioÌ„ is ought to be in euery one eueÌ„ before he haue any experieÌ„ce of Gods mercies Mat. 15.22 A womaÌ„ a Canaanite came out of the same coasts and cried saying vnto him Haue mercie on me O Lord the sonne of Dauid my daughter is miserably vexed with a deuill c. 23,24,25,26,27 Ioh. 20.29 Iesus said vnto him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou beleeuest blessed are they which haue not seene and haue beleeued Hebr. 11. 1. Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene In philosophy wee first see a thing true by experience and afterward giue our assent vnto it as in naturall philosophy I am perswaded that such a water is hot because when I put mine hand into it I perceiue by experience an hot qualitie But in the practise of faith it is quite contrarie For first we must consent to the word of God resisting all doubt and diffidence and afterward will an experience and feeling of comfort followe 2. Chron. 20.20 Put your trust in the Lord your God and ye shall be assured beleeue his
of himselfe saith Psal. 22.1 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and art so farre from my health and from the words of my roring The remedie is double First the operatioÌ„ of the holy spirit stirring vp faith increasing the same Phil. 1.6 I am perswaded of this same thing that he that hath begunne this good worke in you will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ. Luk. 17.5 And the Apostles said vnto the Lord Increase our faith The second is an holy meditation which is manifold I. That it is the commandement of God that we should beleeue in Christ. 1. Ioh. 3.22 This is then his commandement that we beleeue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commandement II. That the Euangelicall promises are indefinite and doe exclude no man vnlesse peraduenture any man doe exclude himselfe Esay 55. 1. Ho euery one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buie and eate come I say buie wine and milke without siluer and without money Matth. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will ease you Ioh. 3.15 That whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life Also the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper doe to euery one seuerally applie indefinite promises and therefore are very effectuall to enforce particular assurance or plerophorie of forgiuenes of sinnes III. That doubtfulnes and despaire are most grieuous sinnes IV. That contrarie to hope men must vnder hope beleeue with Abraham Rom. 4.18 Which Abraham aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that he should be the father of many nations according to that which was spoken to him so shall thy seede be V. That the mercie of God and the merit of Christs obedience beeing both God and man are infinite Esai 54.10 For the mountaines shall remooue and the hills shal fall downe but my mercie shall not depart from thee neither shal my couenant of peace fall away saith the Lord that hath compassion on thee Psal. 103.11 For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie toward them that feare him 1. Ioh. 2.1 My babes these things write I vnto you that ye sinne not and if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust 2. And he is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Psal. 130.7 Let Israel wait on the Lord for the Lord is mercie and with him is great redemption VI. That God measureth the obedience due vnto him rather by the affection and desire to obey then by the act and performance of it Rom. 8.5 For they that are after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit 7. Because the wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeede can be Rom. 7.20 Now if I doe that I would not it is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwâ—lleth in me 21. I find then by the law that when I would doe good euill is present with me 22. For I delight in the law of God concerning the inner man Mal. 3.17 I will spare them as a man spareth his sonne that reuerenceth him VII When one sinne is forgiuen all the rest are remitted also for remission being giuen once without any prescriptioÌ„ of time is giuen for euer Rom. 11.29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Act. 10.43 To him also giue all the Prophets witnes that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes VIII That grace and faith are not taken away by falls of infirmitie but thereby are declared and made manifest Rom. 5.20 Moreouer the law entred thereupon that the offence should abound neuerthelesse when sinne abounded there grace abounded much more 2. Cor. 12.7 And least I should be exalted out of measure c. there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me 8. For this thing I besought the Lord thrise that it might depart from me 9. He said May grace is sufficient for thee IX That all the workes of God are by contrarie meanes 2. Cor. 12.9 My power is made perfect through weakenesse CHAP. 43. Of the third Assault THe third Assault is concerning Sanctificatioâ— The tentation is a prouoking to sinne according as the disposition of eâ—â—ry man and as occasion shall offer it selfe 1. Chron. 21.1 And Satan stâ—â—d vp against Israel and prouoked Dauid to number Israel Ioh. 13.2 And when supper was done the deuill had now put into the heart of Iudas Iscariot Simons sonne to betray him In this tentation the deuil doth wonderfully diminish and extenuate those sinnes which men are about to commit partly by obiecting closely the mercy of god and partly by couering or hiding the punishment which is due for the sinne Then there are helpes to further the deuill in this his tentation First the flesh which lusteth against the spirit sometimes by begetting euill motions and affections and sometimes by ouerwhelming and oppressing the good intentents and motions Gal. 5.17 For the flesh lusteth against the spirit the spirit against the flesh and thesâ— are contrarie one to another so that ye cannot doe the same things that ye would 19. Moreouer the works of the flesh are manifest which are adulterie fornication vncleannesse wantonnesse 20. Idolatrie witchcraft hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditioÌ„s heresies 21. Enuy murthers drunkennesse gluttonie and such like whereof I tell you before as I also haue told you before that they which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of god Iam. 1.14 But euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is entised Secondly the world which bringeth men to disobedience through pleasure profit honour and euill examples Eph. 2.3 Among whom we also had our conuersation in time past in the lusts of our flesh in fulfilling the will of the flesh and of the minde and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others 1. Ioh. 2. 16. For all that is in the world as the lusts of the flesh and the lust of the eies and the pride of life is not of the father but is of the world Resistance is made by the desire of the spirit which worketh good motioÌ„s and affections in the faithfull and driueth forth the euill Gal. 5.22 But the fruite of the spirit is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenes goodnes faith 23. Meeknes temperancie against such there is no law 24. For they that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and the lusts thereof 26. Let vs not be desirous of vaine glory prouoking one another enuying one another The preseruatiues are these whereby Men are strengthened in resisting I. To account no sinne
want 1. Ioh. 5.14 This is the assurance that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. In euery petition we must expresse two things I. A sense of our wants II. A desire of the grace of God to supplie those wants 1. Sam. 1. 10. Shee was troubled in her minde and praied vnto the Lord and wept sore Dan. 9. 4. And I praied to the Lord my God and made my confession saying 5. We haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie c. 16. O Lord according to thy righteousnes I beseech thee let thine anger and thy wrath be turned from thy citie Ierusalem c. to the 20. verse Psal. 130.1 Out of the deepe I called to thee O Lord. 1. Sam. 1.15 Then Hannah answered and said Nay my lord but I am a woman troubled in spirit I haue drunken neither wine nor strong drinke but haue powred out my soule before the Lord c. to the 16. verse psal 143. 6. I stretch forth mine hands vnto thee my soule desireth after thee as the thirstie land Assent is the second part of prayer whereby we beleeue and professe it before God that he in his due time will grant vnto vs those our requests which before we haue made vnto his maiestie 1. Ioh. 5. 14 15. This is the assurance that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. And if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we kâ—â—w that we haue the petitions that we haue desired of him Math. 6.13 Lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill For thine is the kingdome thine is the power and thine is the glorie for euer and euer Amen As for the faithfull howsoeuer they in their praiers bewray many infirmities yet no doubt they haue a notable sense of Gods â—auour especially when they pray zealously and often vnto the Lord. Iam. 5. 16. Pray one for another that ye may be healed for the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent Luk. 1.13 The Angel said vnto him Feare not Zacharias for thy prayer is heard Ionah 4.1 It displeased Ionah exceedingly and he waâ— angrie 2. And Ionah praied vnto the Lord and saide I pray thee O Lord was not this my saying when I was yet in my countrey therefore I preuented it to flee vnto Tarshish for I knew that thou art a gratious God and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnes and repentest thee of the euill Rom. 8.26 Gen. 19.18 Lot saide vnto them Doe not so I pray you my lords c. psal 6.1 O lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastise me in thy wrath c. v. 2,3,4,5 psal 8.9 psal 20.5 psal 35.9.18.28 psal 16.7 Thanksgiuing is a calling vpon Gods name whereby we with ioy and gladnes of heart doe praise God for his benefits either receiued or promised psal 45.1 Mine heart will vtter forth a good matter I will intreat in my words of the King my tongue is as the pen of a swift writer Eph. 5.20 Giuing thanks alwaies for all things vnto God euen the father in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ. psal 36.8,9 How excellent is thy mercie O God therefore the children of men trust vnder the shadow of thy wings They shall be satisfied with the fatnesse of thine house and thou shalt giue them drinke out of the riuer of thy pleasures Coloss. 3.16 CHAP. 46. Of Christian Apologie and Martyrdome THe profession of Christ in dangers is either in word or deede Profession in word is Christian Apologie or the confession of Christ. Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation psal 22.23 I will declare thy name vnto my brethren in the middes of the congregation will I praise thee Christian Apologie is the profession of Christ in word when as we are readie with feare and meeknes to confesse the truth of Christian religion so often as neede requireth and the glorie of God is endangered euen before vnbeleeuers especially if they be not past all hope of repentance 1. Pet. 3. 15. Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be readie alwaies to giue an answer to euery man tâ—â—t asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you 16. And that with meeknesse and reuerence hauing a good conscience that when they speake euill of you as of euill doers they may be ashamed which blame your good conuersation in Christ. Act. 7. the whole chap. Steuen there maketh an Apologie for himselfe Math. 7.6 Giue not that which is holy to dogs nor cast your pearles before swine least they tread them vnder their feete and turning againe all to rent you Profession which is in deede is called Martyrdome Martyrdome is a part of Christian profession when as a Christian man doth for the doctrine of faith for iustice and for the saluation of his brethren vndergoe the punishment of death imposed vpoÌ„ him by the aduersaries of Christ Iesus Mar. 6.18 27,28 Iohn tolde Herod It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy brothers wife And immediately the King sent the hangman and gaue him charge that his head should be brought so he went and beheaded him in the prison 2. Cor. 12. 15. I will most gladly bestow and be bestowed for your soules though the more I loue you the lesse am I loued Notwithstanding it is lawfull for Christians to flie in persecution if they finde themselues not sufficiently resolued and strengthened by Gods spirit to stand Math. 10.23 When they persecute you in one citie flee into another Verely I say vnto you ye shall not haue finished all the cities of Israel till the Sonne of man come Ioh. 10.39 Againe they studied to apprehend him but he escaped out of their hands Act. 9.30 When the brethren knew it they brought him to Cesarea and sent him forth to Tarsus 1. King 18.23 Was it not told my lord what I did when Iesabel slue the Prophets of the Lord how I hid an hundred men of the Lords Prophets by fifties in a caue and fedde them with bread and water Act. 20.22 Now behold I goe bound in the spirit vnto Ierusalem and know not what things shall come vnto me there CHAP. 47. Of Edification and Almes among the faithfull THat profession of Christ which concerneth his members namely the Saints and faithfull ones is either Edification or Almes Edification is euery particular dutie towards our brethren whereby they are furthered either to grow vp in Christ or else are more surely vnited to him Rom. 14. 19. Let vs follow those things which concerne peace and wherewith one may edifie another To Edification these things which follow appertaine I. To giue good example Matth. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen 1. Pet. 2.12 Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that
to beleeue in this one God is in effect thus much I. To knowe and acknowledge him as he hath reuealed himselfe in his worde II. To beleeue him to bee my God III. From mine heart to put all mine affiance in him To this purpose Christ saith This is eternall life to knowe thee the onely God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Nowe the knowledge here meant is not a bare or generall knowledge for that the deuils haue but a more speciall knowledge wherby I know God not onely to be God but also to be my God and thereupon doe put my confidence in him And thus much of the meaning of the first wordes I beleeue in God c. Nowe followe the duties which may bee gathered hence First of all if we are bound to beleeue in God then we are also bound to take notice of our naturall vnbeleefe whereby we distrust God to checke our selues for it and to striue against it Thus dealt the father of the child that had a dumme spirit Lord saith he I beleeue Lord helpe mine vnbeleefe And Dauid Why art thou cast downe my soule and wâ—y art thou so diâ—quieted in me wait on God And that which our Sauiour Christ saide once to Peter men should daiely speake to themselues O thou of littlâ— faith why hast thou doubted But some may say wherein standes our vnbeleefe Answere It standes in two thinges I. In distrusting the goodnesse of God that is in giuing too litle or no affiance to him or in putting affiance in the creature For the first few men will abide to be told of their distrust in God but indeede it is a common and riâ—e corruption and though they soothe themselues neuer so yet their vsuall dealings proclaime their vnbeleefe Goe through all places it shall be found that scarse one of a thousand in his dealings makes conscience of a lie a great part of men gets their wealth by fraud and oppression and all kinde of vniust and vnmercifull dealing What is the cause that they can doe so Alas alas if there be any faith it is pinned vp in some by-corner of the heart and vnbeleefe beares sway as the lord of the house Againe if a man had as much wealth as the world comes to he could finde in his heart to wish for an other and if he had two worlds he would be casting for the third if it might be compassed the reason hereof is because men haue not learned to make God their portion and to stay their affections on him which if they could doe a meane portion in temporall blessings would be enough Indeede these and such like persons will in no wise â—eelde that they doe distrust the Lord vnlesse at some time they be touched in conscience with a sense and feeling of their sinnes and be throughly humbled for the same but the truth is that distrust of Gods goodnesse is a generall and a mother-sinne the ground of all other sinnes and the very first and principall sinne in Adams fall And for the second part of vnbeleefe which is an affiance in the creatures read the whole booke of God and we shall finde it a common and vsuall sinne in all sorts of men some putting their trust in riches some in strength some in pleasures some placing their felicitie in one sinne some in an other When King Asa was sicke he put his whole trust in the Phisitians and not in the Lord. And in our daies the common practise is when crosses and calamities fall then there is trotting out to that wise man to this cunning woman to this sorcerer to that wizzard that is from God to the deuill and their counsell is receiued and practised without any bones making And this shewes the bitter roote of vnbeleefe and confidence in vaine creatures let men smoothe it ouer with goodly tearmes as long as they will In a word there is no man in the world be he called or not called if he looke narrowly vnto himselfe he shall finde his heart almost filled with manifold doubtings and distrustings whereby he shall feele himselfe euen carried away from beleeuing in God Therefore the dutie of euery man is that will truly say that hâ— beleeues in God to labour to see his owne vnbeleefe and the fruits thereof in his life As for such as say they haue no vnbeleefe nor feele none more pitifull is their case For so much the greater is their vnbeleefe Secondly considering that we professe our selues to beleeue in God we must euery one of vs learne to know God As Paul saith How can they beleeue in him of whome they haâ—e not heard and how can they heare without a preacher therefore none can beleeue in God but he must first of all heare and be taught by the ministerie of the word to know God aright Let this be remembred of young and old It is not the pattering ouer of the beleefe for a praier that will make a man a good beleeuer but God must be knowne of vs and acknowledged as he hath reuealed himselfe partly in his word and partly in his creatures Blinde ignorance and the right vse of the Apostles Creede will neuer stand togither Therefore it standes men in hande to labour and take paines to get knoweledge in religion that knowing God aright they may come steadfastly to beleeue in him and truely make confession of their faith Thirdly because wee beleeue in God therefore another dutie is to denie our selues vtterly and to become nothing in our selues Our Sauiour Christ requires of vs to become as little children if wee would beleeue The begger depends not on the releefe of others till hee finde nothing at home and till our hearts bee purged of selfe-loue and pride wee cannot depend on the fauour and goodnesse of God Therefore hee that would trust in God must first of all be abased and confounded in himselfe and in regard of himselfe be out of all hope of attaining to the least sparke of the grace of God Fourthly in that wee beleeue in God and therefore put our whole trust and assurance in him we are taught that euery man must committe his bodie his soule goods life yea all that he hath into the handes of God and to his custodie So Paul saith I am not ashamed of my sufferings for I knowe whome I haue beleeued and am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him against that day A worthie saying for what is the thing which Paul committed vnto the Lord it was his owne soule and the eternall saluation thereof But what mooues him to trust God surely his perswasion whereby he knewe that God would keepe it And Peter saith Let them that suffer according to the will of God committe their soules to him in well doing as vnto a faithfull creatour Looke as one friende laieth downe a thing to be kept of another so must a man giue that he hath to the
Testament where the Lord biddeth the Israelites to come out from Idolaters and to touch no vncleane thing and the reason followeth out of Ieremie that if they doe so then God will be their father and they shall be his children euen his sonnes and daughters which reason Paul vrgeth in the next chapter to this effect considering wee haue these promises that therefore we should clense our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and growe vp vnto holinesse in the feare of the Lord where if we marke the place diligently we shall finde this lesson that euery man who takes God for his father must not onely in this sinne of Idolatrie but in all other sinnes separate himselfe that men by his godly life may know whose child he is But some will say this exhortation is needlesse amongst vs for we haue no cause to separate our selues from others because all among vs are Christians all beleeue in God and are baptized and hope to be saued by Christ. Answer In outward profession I confesse we carrie the shew of Christians but in deede and truth by our liues and conuersations very many among vs denie Christ for in euery place the common practise is to spend the time in drunkennes and surfetting in chambering and wantonnesse yea great is the companie of those that make a trade of it take this lewd conuersation from many men and take away their liues And on the Lords day it may be seene both publikely and priuately in houses and in the open streetes there is such reuell as though there were no God to serue In the sixe daies of the weeke many men walke very painefully in their callings but when the Lords day commeth then euery man takes license to doe what he will and because of the Princes lawes men will come formally to the Church for fashions sake but in the meane time how many doe nothing else but scorne mocke and deride and as much as in them lyeth disgrace both the word and the ministers thereof so that the common saying is this oh he is a precise fellow he goes to heare Sermons he is too holy for our companie But it stands men in hand to take out a better lesson which is if we will haue God to be our father we must shew our selues to be the children of God by repentance and newnesse of life he can not be but a gracelesse child that will lead a rebellious life flat against his fathers minde Let vs then so behaue our selues that we may honour our father which is in heauen and not dishonour him in our liues and callings rather let vs separate our selues from the filthinesse of the flesh loathing those things which our father lotheth and fleeing from those things which our father abhorreth And thus much for the duties Now follow the consolations which arise from this point But first we are to know that there are three sorts of men in the world The first are such as will neither heare nor obey the word of God The second sort are those which heare the word preached vnto them but they will not obey both these sorts of men are not to looke for any comfort hence Now there is a third sort of men which as they heare Gods word so they make conscience of obeying the same in their liues and callings and these are they to whome the consolations that arise out of this place doe rightly belong and must be applied First therefore seeing God the father of Christ and in him the father of all that obey and doe his will is our father here note the dignitie and prerogatiue of all true beleeuers for they are sonnes and daughters of God as saith Saint Iohn So many as receiued him to them he gaue a prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name This priuiledge will appeare the greater if we consider our first estate for as Abraham saith We are but dust and ashes and in regard of the depriuation of our natures we are the children of the deuill therefore of such rebells to be made the sonnes of God it is a wonderfull priuiledge and prerogatiue and no dignitie like vnto it And to inlarge it further he that is the sonne of God is the brother of Christ and fellow heire with him and so heire apparant to the kingdome of heauen and in this respect is not inferiour to the very angels This must be laide vp carefully in the hearts of Gods people to confirme them in their conuersation among the companie of vngodly men in this world Secondly if a man doe indeauour himselfe to walke according to Gods word then the Lord of his mercie will beare with his wants for as a father spareth his owne sonne so will God spare them that feare him Now a father commandes his childe to write or to applie his booke though all things herein be not done according to his minde yet if he finde a readinesse with a good indeauour he is content and falls to praise his childes writing or learning So God giueth his commaundement and though his seruants faile in obedience yet if the Lord see their heartie indeauour and their vnfained willingnesse to obey his will though with sundrie wants he hath made this promise and will performe it that as a father spareth his sonne so will he spare them If a child be sicke will the father cast him off nay if through the grieuousnes of his sicknesse he can not take the meate that is giuen him or if he take it and for faintnesse picke it vp againe will the father of the childe thrust him out of doores no but he will rather pitie him And so when a man doth indeauour himselfe through the whole course of his life to keepe Gods commandements God will not cast him away though through weakenesse he faile in sundrie things and displease God This prerogatiue can none haue but he that is the childe of God as for others when they sinne they doe nothing els but draw downe Gods iudgements vpon them for their deeper condemnation Thirdly hence we learne that the childe of God can not wholly fall away frō Gods fauour I doe not say that he cannot fall at all for he may fall away in part but he can not wholly Indeed so oft as he sins he depriues himself wholly of Gods fauour as much as in him lieth yet god for his part still keepeth the minde and purpose of a father Dauid loued his sonne Absolon wonderfully but Absolon like a wicked sonne plaied a lewd pranck would haue thrust his father out of his kingdome and Dauid although he was sore offended with Absolon and shewed tokens of his wrath yet in heart he loued him and neuer purposed to cast him off Herupon when he went against him he commāded the captains to intreat the yong man Absolon gently for his sake And whē he was hāged by the haire of the
to make all grace to abound towardes them Where also this dutie is taught vs that seeing God is omnipotent and therefore able to make vs abound therefore wee must giue cheerefully to our poore brethren which want Fourthly whereas there are many in euery place which haue liued long in their sinnes euen from their cradle some in wantonnes some in drunkennes some in swearing some in idlenesse and such like out of this place to all such there is a good lesson namely that euery one of them doe nowe become new men and repent of all their sinnes for all their life past For marke what Paul saith of the Iewes which are cutte off from Christ through vnbeleefe and haue so continued in hardnesse of heart and desperat malice against him almost 16. hundreth yeares If saith he they abide not still in vnbeleefe they may bee grafted into their oliue againe and his reason is this because God is able to graft them in againe Euen so though wee haue liued many yeares in sinne and sure it is a daungerous and fearefull case for a man to liue 20.30 or 40. yeares vnder the power of the diuell yet wee must knowe that if wee will nowe liue a newe life forsake all our sinnes and turne to God wee may be receiued to grace and be made a branch of the true oliue though we haue borne the fruits of the wilde oliue all our life long But some will obiect that they haue no hope of Gods fauour because they haue beene so grieuous sinners and continued in them so long Ans. But knowe it whosoeuer thou art God is able to graft thee in and if thou repent he will receiue thee to his loue and fauour This must be obserued of all but especially of such as are olde in yeares and yet remaine ignorant without knowledge they must turne to the Lord by repentance otherwise if they continue still profane and impenitent they must knowe this that their damnation comes post hast to meete them and they to it And thus much for the duties Nowe followe the consolations which Gods Church reape from this that God the father is omnipotent First the wonderfull power of God serueth to strengthen vs in praier vnto God for hee that will pray truely must onely pray for those things for which he hath warrant in Gods word all our prayers must bee made in faith and for a man to praie in faith it is hard therefore a speciall meanes to strengthen vs herein is the mightie power of God This was the ground and stay of the leper whom our Sauiour Christ clensed Lord saith he if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And in the Lords praier when our Sauiour Christ hath taught vs to make sixe petitions in the end he giueth vs a reason or motiue to induce vs to stand vpon and to waite for the benefits before craued in these wordes Thine is the kingdome thine is the power c. Secondly hence wee learne this comfort that all the gates of hell shall neuer bee able to preuaile against the least member of Christ. I doe not say they shall neuer be able to assault or tempt them for that may be but they shal neuer ouercome them How will some say may we be resolued of this I aunswer By reason of faith for if a Christian man do beleeue that God the father and in Christ his father is almightie no enemie shall euer be able to preuaile against him So S. Iohn reasoneth Litle children ye are of God haue ouercome them that is all false teachers because greater is he that is in you that is Christ Iesus by his holy spirit who is God and therefore almightie then he that is in the world that is the spirit of satan therefore you neede not to feare So Dauid compareth himselfe to a silly sheepe and saith Though I should walke through the valley of the shadow of death that is as it were in the mouth of the lyon yet I will feare none euill why so because the Lord is with him thy rodde saith he and thy staffe comfort me Thus much for the benefits Now whereas it is said the first person is a Father as also Almightie ioyne these two togither and hence will arise singular benefits and instructions First whereas we are taught to confesse that the first person is a Father Almightie we and euery man must learne to haue experience in himselfe of the mightie power of this almightie father Why will some say that is nothing for the deuill and all the damned soules feele the power of the Almightie True indeede they feele the power of God namely as he is an almightie Iudge condemning them but they feele not the power of an almightie father this is the point whereof we must indeauour to haue experience in our selues Paul prayeth that the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the father of glorie would giue vnto the Ephesians the spirit of wisedome to see what is the exceeding greatnes of his power in them which beleeue according to the working of his mightie power which he wrought in Christ. Which place must be considered for here the Apostle would haue vs haue such a speciall manifestation of Gods power in our selues like to that which he did once shew forth in Christ. But how did Christ see and finde the power of God as he was manâ— Answer Diuers waies I. On the crosse he died the first death which is the separation of bodie and soule and he suffered the sorrowes of the second death For in his soule he bare the whole wrath of God and all the pangs of hell and after was buried and laide in the graue where death triumphed ouer him for the space of three daies Nowe in this extremitie God did shewe his power in that he raised Christ from death to life And looke as his power was manifested in Christ the head so must it be manifested in all his members for euery man hath his graue which is naturall sinne and corruption which we drawe from our first parents and looke as a man lies dead in the graue and can mooue neither hand nor foote so euery man by nature lyeth dead in sinne Now as God did shew his power in raising Christ from death so euery one must labour to haue this knowledge and experience in himselfe of the mightie power of God in raising him from the graue of sinne to newnesse of life For thus Paul makes a speciall request that he might know Christ and the vertue of his resurrection that is that he might feele in himselfe that power whereby Christ was raised from death to life to raise him also from the bondage of his sinnes to a newe life more and more Furthermore when Christ was vpon the crosse and all the gates of hell were open against him then did he vanquish Satan he bruised the serpents head and as Paul saith he spoyled principalities and powers
If any further alleadge that such as walke according to the commandements of God though their obedience be imperfect yet they haue the promises of this life and of the life to come The answer is that they haue so indeede yet not for their works but according to their works which are the fruites of their faith wherby they are ioyned to Christ for whose merits onely they stand righteous and are acceptable before God And whereas it is said by Peter that baptisme saueth vs his meaning is not to signifie that there is any vertue in the water to wash away our sinnes and to sanctifie vs but that it serues visibly to represent and confirme vnto vs the inward washing of our soules by the blood of Christ. It may further be said that others haue beene Sauiours beside Christ as Iosuah the sonne of Nun who for that cause is called by the same name with Christ. Ans. Iosua after the death of Moses was appointed by God to be a guide to the children of Israel which might defend them from their enemies and bring them to the land of Canaan but this deliuerance was onely temporal and that onely of one people Nowe the Sonne of God is called Iesus not because hee deliuereth the people of the Iewes onely or because he saueth the bodies of men onely but because he saueth both body and soule not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles from hell death and damnation And whereas Prophets and ministers of the word are called Sauiours it is because they are the instruments of God to publish the doctrine of saluation which is powerfull in mens hearts not by any vertue of theirs but onely by the operation of the spirit of Christ. Lastly it may bee obiected that the father and the holy Ghost are Sauiours and therefore not onely the sonne Ans. True it is that in the worke of saluation all the three persons must bee ioyned together and in no wise to bee seuered the Father saueth the Sonne saueth the holy Ghost saueth yet must we distinguish them in the manner of sauing the father saueth by the Sonne the Sonne saueth by paying the ransome and price of our saluation the holy Ghost saueth by a particular applying of the ransome vnto men Nowe therefore whereas the sonne paies the price of our redemption and not the Father or the Holy Ghost therefore in this speciall respect he is called in Scriptures and intituled by the name of Iesus and none but he By this which hath beene saide the Papists are faultie two waies First that they giue too much to the name of Iesus for they write in plaine tearmes that the bare name it selfe beeing vsed hath great power and doth driue away deuils though the parties that vse it be void of good affection whereas indeed it hath no more vertue then other titles of God or Christ. Secondly they are faultie that they giue too little to the thing signified For Christ must either be our alone and whole Sauiour or no Sauiour Now they make him but halfe a Sauiour and they ioyne others with him as partners in the worke of saluation when they teach that with Christs merits must be ioyned our workes of grace in the matter of iustification and with Christs satisfaction for the wrath of God our satisfaction for the temporall punishment and when they adde to Christs intercession the intercession and patronage of Saints especially of the Virgin Marie whome they call the Queene of heauen the mother of mercie withall requesting her that by the authoritie of a mother she would commaund her sonne If this doctrine of theirs may stand Christ can not be the onely Sauiour of mankinde but euery man in part shall be Iesus to himselfe But let vs goe on yet further to search the special reason of the name which is notably set downe by the Angel Thou shalt saith he call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes In which words we may consider three points I. Whome the Sonne of God shall saue II. By what III. From what For the first he shall saue his people that is the elect of the Iewes and Gentiles and therefore he is called the Sauiour of his bodie We must not here imagine that Christ is a Sauiour of all and euery man For if that were true then Christ should make satisfaction to Gods iustice for all and euery mans sinnes and Gods iustice beeing fully satisfied he could not in iustice condemne any man nay all men should be blessed because satisfaction for sinne and the pardon of sinne depende one vpon an other inseparably Againe if Christ be an effectuall Sauiour of all and euery particular man why is any man condemned It will be saide because they will not beleeue belike then mans will must ouerrule Gods will whereas the common rule of diuines is that the first cause ordereth the second The meanes of saluation by Christ are two his merit and his efficacie His merit in that by his obedience to the law and by his passion he made a satisfaction for our sinnes freed vs from death and reconciled vs vnto God Some may obiect that the obedience and the passion of Christ beeing long agoe ended can not be able to saue vs now because that which he did 1500. yeares agoe may seeme to be vanished and come to nothing at this day Ans. If Christs obedience be considered as an action and his passion as a bare suffering they are both ended long agoe yet the value and price of thē before God is euerlasting as in Adams fall the action of eating the forbidden fruit is ended but the guilt of his transgression goes ouer all mankind and continues still euen to this houre and shall doe to the end of the world in those which shall be borne hereafter The efficacie of Christ is in that he giues his spirit to mortifie the corruption of our natures that we may die vnto sinne and liue to righteousnesse and haue true comfort in terrours of conscience and in the pangs of death The euils from which we are saued are our owne sinnes in that Christ freeth vs from the guilt and the punishment and fault of them all when wee beleeue Thus much for the meaning of this title Iesus Nowe follow the vses which arise of it First of all whereas we are taught to make confession that the sonn◠of God is Iesus that is a Sauiour hence it must needes followe that wee are lost in our selues And indeed before we can truly acknowledge that Christ is our Sauiour this confession must needes goe before that we are in truth and therewithall doe feele our selues to bee miserable sinners vnder the wrath of God vtterly lost in regard of our selues for Christ came to saue that which was lost And when he talked with the woman of Cannan he checked her said he was not sent but to the lost
To him is giuen a name at which euery knee doth bow of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth As for the reasons which be alleadged to the contrarie they are of no moment I. Obiect The word of God can not be God the sonne is the word of the father therefore he is not God Answ. The word is taken two waies first for a sounding word standing of letters and syllables vttered either by God or by the creatures now on this manner Christ is not the word of God Secondly there is a substantiall word which is of the substance of him whose word it is And thus Christ is the word of God the father And he is so tearmed I. in respect of the father for as reason and speach hath his beginning from the mind without any passion in the minde so hath he beginning from the father And as the speach is in the minde and the minde in the speach so the father is in the sonne and the sonne in the father II. In respect of all creatures The father doth all things by the sonne by whose powerfull word the world was made is now preserued and shall be abolished III. In respect of the Church For the father by him speakes vnto vs both in the outward ministerie of the word and by the inward operation of the spirit and againe we by him speake to the father II. It may be obiected thus God hath no beginning from any other Christ hath beginning from the father therefore he is not God Answ. Christ must be considered both in regard of his godhead and in regard of his person in regard of his godhead he came not of any but is of himselfe as well as the father is yet in regard of his person he is from the father who is a beginning to the rest of the persons both in respect of order for the Scripture saith not the holy Ghost the Sonne the Father but the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost as also in respect of the communication of the Godhead And whereas it is said that God is of himselfe if the name of God be taken for the Godhead it selfe absolutely considered it is true but if it be taken for any particular person in the godhead it is false III. Ob. None is greater then God but the father is greater then Christ for so he saith the father is greater then I. Ans. Christ there speakes of himselfe as he was a man abased in the forme of a seruant in which respect he is lesse then the father who neuer was incarnate and abased in our nature And though Christ in respect of his nature assumed be inferiour to the father yet doth it not hinder but that he may be equall to him as he is the second person in trinitie or as he is God by one and the same Godhead with the father IV. Obiect He that is made of God this or that is not God but Christ is made God as Paul saith Christ is made vnto vs wisdome righteousnes c. Answ. Christ is said to be made not because there was any beginning of his godhead or any change or alteration in his person but because in the eternall counsell of the father he was set apart before all times to execute the office of a Mediatour and was withall in time called and as it were consecrated and ordained thereunto in his baptisme he is made therefore in respect of his office but not in respect of his person or nature V. Obiect God hath no head Christ hath an head as Paul saith God is Christs head Answ. God that is the father is head of Christ not as he is God simply but as he is God incarnate or made manifest in the flesh and in respect of the office to which he willingly abased himselfe VI. Obiect He which giues vp his kingdome is not God Christ giues vp his kingdome Then saith Paul shall be the ende when he hath deliuered vp the kingdome to God euen the father Answ. Christ is king two waies as he is God and as he is Mediatour as he is God he raignes eternally with the Father and the holy Ghost but as he is Mediatour in the ende of the world when all the companie of the Elect are gathered his kingdome shall cease not simply but in respect of the outward manner of administration for the execution of ciuill and ecclesiasticall functions shall cease And whereas in the same place it is saide that Christ shall be subiect vnto God eternally after the ende it must be vnderstoode partly in regard of the assumed manhoode partly in respect of his mysticall bodie the Church most neerely ioyned vnto him in heauen VII Obiect The first borne of euery creature and of many brethren is a creature and not God but Christ is the first borne of euery creature and of many brethren Answ. He is called the first borne by resemblance or allusion to the first borne in the old testament for as they were principall heires hauing double portions allowed them and the chiefe or gouernours of the familie so Christ is made heire of the world and the head of Gods familie which is his church elected and adopted in him And againe he is called the first borne of euery creature because he was begotten of the substance of his father before any creature was made and therefore it is not here saide that he was first created but first begotten By the reasons which haue bin alleadged as also by the insufficiencie of the contrarie arguments it is more then manifest against all heretikes that Christ is very God Yet to stoppe the mouths of all Atheists and to satisfie all wauering and doubting minds I will adde one reason further The Gospel of Saint Iohn was chiefly penned for this end to prooue the deitie of Christ among other arguments alleadged this is one that Christ gaue a resolute and a constant testimonie of himselfe that he was the sonne of God and very God Now if any man shall say that sundrie persons since the beginning of the world haue taken vpon them and that falsly to be gods I answer that neuer any creature tooke this title and honour vpon him to be called God but the fearefull iudgements of God were vpon him for it In the estate of mans innocencie the deuill told our first parents that by eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and euill they should be as gods knowing good and euill now they beleeued him and affected diuine honour but what came of it surely Adam with all his posteritie is shut vp for this very cause vnder eternall damnation Herod likewise araied in royall apparell and sitting on the iudgement seat made an oration to the men of Tyre and Sidon who gaue a shout saying the voyce of God and not of man Now because he tooke the glorie of God to himselfe and did not returne it to
of death that theÌ„ we may be found readie of the Lord. What shall the Sonne of God himselfe make preparation to his owne death and shall not we most miserable sinners doe the same who stand in need of a thousand preparations more then he wherefore let vs continually thinke with our selues that euery present day is the last day of our life that so we may addresse our selues to death againe the next day The first thing which Christ doth in this preparation is to make â—hoice of the place in which he was to be apprehended as will appeare by conferring the Euangelists together S. Matthew saith he went to the place called Gethsemane S. Luke saith he went to the mount of Oliues as he was accustomed And that we might not imagine that Christ did this that he might escape and hide himselfe from the Iewes S. Iohn saith that Iudas which betraied him knew the place because oftentimes he resorted thither with his Disciples whereas if he had feared apprehension he would haue rather gone aside to some other secret and vnwonted place This then is the first point to be considered that Christ knowing the time of his owne death to be at hand doth willingly of his owne accord resort to such a place in which his enemies in all likelihood might easily finde him and haue fit opportunitie to attach him For if he should haue still remained in Ierusalem the Scribes and Pharises durst not haue enterprised his apprehension because of the people whome they feared but out of the citie in the garden all occasion of feare is cut off By this it is manifest that Christ yeelded himselfe to death willingly and not of constraint and vnlesse his sufferings had bin voluntarie on his part they could neuer haue bin a satisfaction to Gods iustice for our sinnes Here a question offereth it selfe to be considered whether a man may lawfully flie in danger and persequution seeing Christ himselfe doth not Answ. When good meanes of flying and iust occasion is offered it is lawfull to flie When the Iewes sought to kill Paul at Damascus the Disciples tooke him by night and put him through the wall and let him downe in a basket to escape their hands When Moses was called by God to deliuer the Israelites after he had slaine the Egyptian and the fact was knowne and Pharao sought to kill him for it he fledde to the land of Madian And our Sauiour Christ sundrie times when he was to be stoned and otherwaies hurt by the Iewes withdrew himselfe from among them It is lawfull then to flie in persecution these caueats obserued First if a man finde not himselfe sufficiently strengthened to beare the crosse Secondly his departure must be agreeable to the generall calling of a Christian seruing to the glorie of God and the good of his brethren and the hurt of none Thirdly there must be freedome at the least for a time from the bond of a mans particular calling If he be a Magistrate he must be freed from ruling if a Minister from preaching and teaching otherwaies he may not flie And in this respect Christ who did withdraw himselfe at other times would not flie at this time because the houre of his suffering was come wherein he intended most willingly to submit himselfe to the good pleasure and will of his father The second part of the preparation is the praier which Christ made vnto his father in the garden And herein his example doth teach vs earnestly to pray vnto God against the danger of imminent death and the temptations which are to come And if Christ who was without sinne and had the spirit aboue measure had need to pray then much more haue we need to be watchfull in all kinde of praiers who are laden with the burden of sinne and compassed about with manifold impediments and dangerous enemies In this prayer sundrie points worthie our marking are to be considered The first who praied Answ. Christ the Sonne of God but still we must remember the distinction of natures of their operations in one and the same Christ he praieth not in his Godhead but according to his manhood The second is for whome he praieth Ans. Some haue thought that this and all other his prayers were made for his mysticall bodie the Church but the truth is he now praies for himselfe yet not as he was God for the Godhead feeles no want but as he was a man abased in the forme of a seruant and that for two causes First in that he was a man he was a creature and in that respect was to performe homage to God the creator Secondly as he was man he put on the infirmities of our nature and thereupon praied that he might haue strength and power in his manhoode to support him in bearing the whole brunt of the passion to come The third point is to whome he praied Answ. To the father neither must this trouble vs as though Christ in praying to the father should pray to himselfe because he is one and the same God with him For though in essence they admit no distinction yet in person or in the proper manner of subsisting they doe The Father is one person the Sonne an other therefore as the father saying from heauen This is my welbeloued Sonne spake not to himselfe but to the Sonne so againe the Sonne when he praieth he praies not to himselfe but to the Father The fourth point what was the particular cause of his prayer Ans. His agonie in which his soule was heauie vnto death not because he feared bodily death but because the malediction of the law euen the very heate of the furie and indignation of God was poured forth vpon him wherewith he was affected and troubled as if it had beene defiled with the sinnes of the whol world And this appeares first by the words whereby the Euangelists expresse the agonie of Christ which signifie exceeding great sorrow and griefe secondly by his dolefull complaint to his Disciples in the garden My soule is heauie vnto the death thirdly by his feruent praier thrise repeated full of dolefull passions fourthly by the comming of an Angel to comfort him fifthly by his bloodie sweat the like whereof was neuer heard And herein lies the difference betweene Christs agonie and the death of Martyrs he put on the guilt of all our sinnes they in death are freed from the same he was left to himselfe void of comfort they in the middest of their afflictions feele the vnspeakable comfort of the holy Ghost and therefore we neede not meruaile why Christ should pray against death which neuerthelesse his members haue receiued and borne most ioyfully Againe this most bitter agonie of Christ is the ground of all our reioycing and the cause why Paul biddes all the faithfull in the person of the Philippians to reioyce alwaies in the Lord and againe to reioyce And here we are further taught that when we are
because faith is a subsisting of things which are not seene the ground of this hoped for and we must liue by faith and not by feeling Though feeling of Gods mercy be a good thing yet God doth not alwaies vouchsafe to giue it vnto his children and therefore in the extremitie of afflictions and temptations wee must alwaies trust and rely on god by faith in Christ as Christ himselfe doth when he is as it were plunged into the sea of the wrath of God Secondly here wee may see how God dealeth with his children for Christ in the sense and feeling of his humane nature was forsaken yet had he sure trust and confidence in God that caused him to say My God my God God will oftentimes cast his deere children into huge gulfes of woe and miserie where they shall see neither banke nor bottome nor any way to get out yet men in this case must not despaire but remember still that that which befell Christ the head doth also befall his members Though Christ him-selfe at his death did beare the wrath of God in such measure as that in the sense and feeling of his humane nature he was forsaken yet for all this he was the sonne of God and had the spirit of his father crying My God my God And therefore though we be wonderfully afflicted either in bodie or in minde so as we haue no sense or feeling of Gods mercy at all yet must we not despaire and thinke that we are cast-awaies but still labour to trust and rely on God in Christ and build vpon this that we are his children though wee feele nothing but his wrath vpon vs against mercy cleauing to his mercie This was Dauids practise In the day of trouble saith he I sought the Lord my sore ranne and ceased not in the night my soule refused comfort I did thinke vpon God and was troubled my soule was full of anguish and so he continueth on saying Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and will he shewe no more fauour hath God forgotten to be mercifull but in the ende he recouereth himselfe out of this gulfe of temptation saying Yet I remember the yeres of the right hand of the most high I remember the workes of the Lord certenly I remember the wonders of olde Wherefore this practise of Christ in his passion must then be remembred of vs all when God shall humble vs either in bodie or soule or both The fourth thing which fell out when Christ was on the crosse was this after Christ knew that all things were performed and that the scriptures were fulfilled he said I thirst and then there standing a vessel full of vineger one ranne and filled a sponge therewith and put it about an hyssop stalke and put it to his mouth which when he had receiued he said It is finished The points here to be considered are foure The first that Christ thirsteth And we must knowe that this thirst was a part of his passion and indeede it was no small paine as we may see by this when Sisera was ouercome by Israel and had fled from his enemies to Iaels tent he called for a little water to drinke being more troubled with thirst then with the feare of death at the hand of his enemies And indeede thirst was as as grieuour to men in the East countrie as any torment else And hereupon SaÌ„pson was more grieued with thirst then with feare of many thousand Philistims Againe whereas Christ complaines that he thirsteth it was not for his own sake but for our offences and therefore answerably we must thirst after Christ and his benefits as the drie thirstie land where no water is doth after raine and as the hart brayeth after the riuers of water so must we say with Dauid My soule panteth after thee O Lord and the benefits of thy death The second that a sponge full of vineger tied vpon an hyssop stalke was reached to Christ vpon the crosse Now it may be demanded how this could bee considering the stalke of the hyssop is not past a foote long Ans. As the tree of mustard seed with the Iewes is farre greater and taller then with vs in so much that the birdes of lieauen build their neasts in it so it may bee that hyssop groweth much longer in those countries then with vs. Or as I take it rather the hyssop stalke was put vpon a reede and by that meanes the sponge was put vp to the mouth of Christ. The third point is that Christ drinketh the vineger offered but when Not before all things were finished that were to bee done on the crosse And by this he shewes his exceeding care for our saluation He laid aside al things that would turne to his own ease that he mightfully work our redemptioÌ„ sulfil the will of his father who sent him into the world for that end The like care â—ust euery one of vs haue to walke dutifully and as it were to goe with thoâ—ugh-stitch in our particular callings that God may be glorified by vs. WheÌ„ Abrahams seruant came to Bethuel to get a wife for Isaac meat was set before him but he said I will not eate before I haue said my message so likewise wee must first see Gods glorie procured in our affaires and then in the second place if commodity or praise redound to vs we must afterward take it The last point is that when Christ had drunke the vineger he said It is finished Which words may haue a double sense one that such things as were figured by the sacrifices of the old testament are accomplished the other that nowe vpon the crosse hee had finished his satisfaction to the iustice of his father for mans sinne And this of the twaine I rather think to be his meaning If it be said that the buriall and resurrection and ascention of Christ c. which are very necessarie to mans redemption were not yet begun the aunswere is that the workes of Christs priesthood which followe his death serue not to make any satisfaction to Gods iustice for sinne but onely to confirme or apply it after it is made and accomplished on the crosse And if this be so that Christ in his owne person accomplished the worke of redemption and made a full and perfect satisfaction for vs as these words import It is finished then humane satisfactions to gods iustice for sinne are altogither superfluous The fifth euent that fell out when Christ was vpon the crosse was that hee cried with a loud voice and said Father into thy handes I lay downe my spirit that is I commend my soule as being the most pretious thing which I haue in this world into thy custodie who art a most faithfull keeper thereof These wordes are taken by Christ out of the Psalmes for when Dauid was in danger of his life by reason of Saul and had no friend to trust he makes choise of God to be
his keeper and said Into thy handes O Lord do I commend my spirit Nowe our Sauiour Christ being in the like distresse both by reason of the Iewes who euery way sought his final destruction confusion especially because he felt the full wrath of God seazing vpon him doth make choice of Dauids words and apply them to himselfe in his distresse And by his example was are taught not onely to reade the generall history of the bible but also to obserue the things commanded and forbidden and to apply the same vnto our selues and to our particular estates and dealings whatsoeuer thus the prophet Dauid saith God! How can this be for no part of Scripture penned before the daies of Dauid saith thus of him True indeede but as I take it Dauids meaning is that he read the booke of the lawe and found generall precepts and commandements giuen to Kings and Princes that they should keepe all the ordinances and commandements of God which he beeing a King applyes particularly to his owne person and thereupon saith In the volume of the booke it is written of me c. And this dutie is well practised by the people of God at this day for the Psalmes of Dauid were penned according to the estate of the Church in his time and in these daies the Church of God doeth sing the same with the same spirit that Dauid did and doth apply their seueral estates and conditions Nowe in that Christ commends his soule into the handes of his father hee doth it to testifie that he died not by constraint but willingly and by his own practise he doth teach vs to do the like namly to giue vp our own soules into the hands of god because this dutie is of some difficultie we must obserue three motiues or preparatiues which may induce vs to the better doing of it The first is to consider that God the father of Christ is the creatour of our soules and therefore he is called the father of spirits And if he be a creatour of them then is he also a faithfull preseruer of them For sure it is that God will preserue his owne workemanship Who is or can be so carefull for the ornament preseruation of any worke as the craftes-master and shall not God be more carefull then man Wherefore S. Peter exhorteth vs to committe our soules vnto God as vnto a faithfull creatour The second motiue is this wee must looke to be resolued in our consciences that â—od the father of Christ is our father euery man for himselfe must labour to haue the assurance of the pardon of his owne sinnes and that the corruption of his soule bee washed away in the blood of Christ that he may say I am iustified sanctified and adopted by Christ. And when any man can say thus he shall be most desirous and willing to commit his soule into the handes of God This was the reason which mooued Christ to lay down his soule into the handes of God because he is his father The third motiue or preparatiue is a continuall experience obseruation of Gods loue and fauour towards vs in keeping and preseruing him as appeares by Dauids example Into thy hands saith he I commit my soule for thou hast redeemed me O thou God of trueth The time when we are specially to commend our soules into the hand of God is first of all the time of any affliction or danger This was the time wheÌ„ Dauid commended his soule into the hands of God in the Psalme before named We knowe that in any common danger or perill as the sacking of a citty or burning of an house if a man haue any pretious iewell therein he will first fetch that out and make choise of a faithfull friende to whose custodie he will commit the same euen so in coÌ„mon perils and daungers we must alwaies remember to commit our soules as a most pretious iewell into the handes of God who is a faithfull creatour Another more speciall and necessarie time of practising this dutie is the houre of death as here Christ doth and Steuen who when the Iewes stoned him to death called on God and said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit And as this dutie is very requisite and necessarie at all times so most especially in the houre of death becaâ—se the danger is great by reason that Satan will then chiefely assault vs and the guilt of sinne will especially then wound the conscience Lastly at al times we must commit our soules into Gods handes for though we be not alwaies in afflictioâ— yet we are alwaies in great danger and when a man lieth downe to rest he knoweth not whether he shall rise againe or no and when he ariseth he knoweth not whether hee shall lie downe againe Yea at this very houre we knowe not what will befall the next And great are the comforts which arise by the practise of this dutie When Dauid was in great danger of his life and his owne people would haue stoned him because their hearts were vexed for their sonnes and daughters which the Amalekites had taken it is said hee comforted himselfe in the Lord his God And the practise of Paul in this case is most excellent for the which cause saith he I suffer those things but I am not ashamed for I knowe whome I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that hee is able to keâ—pe that which I haue committed vnto him againâ—t that day This worthie seruant of God had committed his life and soule into Gods hand and therefore he saith In all my sufferings I am not ashamed where we see that if a man haue grace in his life-time to commit his soule into Gods hand it will make him bold euen at the point of death And this must be a motiue to cause euery man daily and hourely to lay downe his soule into the handes of God although by the course of nature he may liue twentie or fourtie yeares longer But howsoeuer this dutie be both necessarie and comfortable yet few there be that practise the same Men that haue children are very carefull and diligent to bring them vp vnder some mans tuition if they haue cattel sheep or oxen they prouide keepers to tend them but in the meane season for their owne soules they haue no care they may sinke or swimme or doe what they will This shewes the wonderfull blindnes or rather madnesse of men in the world that haue more care for their cattell then for their owne soules but as Christ hath taught vs by his example so let euery one of vs in the feare of God learne to commit our soules into the hand of God Againe in that Christ layes downe his owne soule and withall the soules of all the faithfull into the hands of the father we further learne three things The first that the soule of man doth not vanish away as the soules of beasts and other creatures there is gâ—eat difference
betweene them for when the beast dieth his soule dieth also but the soule of man is immortall The consideration whereof must moooue euery man aboue all things in this world to be careful for his soule if it were to vanish away at the day of death as the soule of beasts doe the neglect thereof were no great matter but seeing it must liue for euer either in eternall ioy or else in endlesse paines and torments it stands vs vpon euery man for himselfe so to prouide for his soule in this life that at the day of death when it shall depart from his bodie it may liue in eternall ioy and happinesse The second that there is an especiall and particular prouidence of God because the particular soule of Christ is committed into the hands of his father and so answerably the soules of euery one of the faithfull are The third that euery one which beleeues himselfe to be a member of Christ must be willing to die when God shall call him thereunto For when we die in Christ the bodie is but laid asleepe and the soule is receiued into the hands of a most loâ—ing God and mercifull father as the soule of Christ was Lastly whereas Christ surrendring his soule into his fathers hands calls it a spirit we note that the soule of man is a spirit that is a spirituall inuisible simple essence without composition created as the angels of God are The question whether the soule of a childe come from the soule of the parents as the bodie doth come from their bodies may easily be resolued For the soule of man beeing a spirit can not beget another spirit as the angels beeing spirituall doe not beget angels for one spirit begetteth not an other Nay which is more one simple element begetteth not an other as the water begetteth not water nor aire begetteth aire and therefore much lesse can one soule beget an other Againe if the soule of the child come from the soule of the parents then there is a propagation of the whole soule of the parent or of some part thereof If it be saide that the whole soule of the parents is propagated then the parents should want their owne soules and could not liue If it be said that a part of the parents soule is propagated I answereâ— that the soule being a spirit or a simple substance cannot be parted and therefore it is the safest to conclude that the bodie indeede is of the bodie of the pâ—rents and that the soule of man while the bodie is in making is created of nothing and for this very cause God is called the father of spirits Thus much of the crucifying of Christ nowe followeth his death For hauing laid downe his soule into the hands of his father the holy Ghost saith he gaue vp the ghost to giue vs to vnderstand that his death was no fantasticall but a reall death in that his bodie and soule were â—euered as truely as when any of vs die In treating of Christs death we must consider many points The first that it was needfull that he should die and that for two causes First to satisfie Gods iustice for sinne is fo odious a thing in Gods sight that he will punish it with an extreame punishment therefore Christ standing in our roome must not onely suffer the miâ—eries of this life but also die on the crosse that the very extremitie of punishment which wee should haue borne might bee laid on him and so we in Christ might fully satisfie Gods iustice for the wages of sinne is death Secondly Christ died that he might fulfill the trueth of Gods word which had said that man for eating the forbidden fruit should die the death The properties of Christs death are two the first that it was a voluÌ„tarie and willing death the second that it was a cursed death For the first whereas I say Christs death was voluntarie I meane that Christ died willingly and of his owne free accord gaue vp himselfe to suffer vpon the crosse Howsoeuer the Iewes did arraigne and condemne and crucifie him yet if hee had not willed his own death and of his free accord giuen himselfe to die not the Iewes nor all the whole worlde could euer haue taken away his life from him He died not by constraint or compulsion but most willingly and therefore hee saith No man taketh my life from me but I saith he lay it downe of my selfe I haue power to lay it downe and haue power to take it againe And our Sauiour Christ gaue euident tokens hereof in his death for then Iesus cried with a loud voice and gaue vp the ghost Ordinarily men that die on the crosse laÌ„guish away by little little before they come to yeeld vp their liues they loose their speech and onely rattle or make a noise in the throate but Christ at that very instant when he was to giue vp the ghost cried with a loud voice which sheweth plainely that he in his death was more then a conquerour ouer death And therefore to giue all men a token of his power and to shewe that he died voluntarily it pleased him to crie with a loud voice And this made the Centurion to say that he was the Sonne of God Againe Christ died not as other men doe because they first giue vp the ghost and then lay their heads aside but he in token that his death was voluntarie first laies his head aside after the manner of a dead man and then afterward giues vp the ghost Lastly Christ died sooner then men are wont to doe vpon the crosse and this was the cause that made Pilate wonder that he was so soone dead Now this came to passe not because he was loath to suffer the extremitie of death but because he would make it manifest to all men that he had power to die or not to die And indeede this is our comfort that Christ died not for vs by constraint but willingly of his owne accord And as Christs death was voluntarie so was it also an accursed death and therefore it is called the death of the crosse And it containeth the first and the second death the first is the separation of the bodie from the soule the second is the separation of bodie and soule from God and both were in Christ for beside the bodily death hee did in soule apprehend the wrath of God due to man for sinne and that made him crie My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And here wee must not omitte a necessarie point namely how farre foorth Christ suffered death Answere Some thinke that hee suffered onely a bodily death and such paines as followe the dissolution of nature but they no doubt come to short for why should Christ haue feared death so greatly if it had beene nothing but the dissolution of nature Some againe thinke that he died not onely the first but also the second death but it may
bosome and became man and liued here many yeares in miserie and contempt and when no hearbe nor plaister could cure this our deadly wound or desperat sicknesse he was content to make a plaister with his owne blood the paine he tooke in making it caused him to sweate water and blood nay the making of it for vs cost him his life in that he was content by his owne death to free vs from death which if it be true as it is most true then wofull wretched is our case if we will still liue in sinne and will not vse meanes to lay this plaister vnto our hearts And after the plaister is applyed to the soule wee should do as a man that hath bin grieuously sick who when he is on the mending hand gets strength by little and little And so should we become newe creatures going on from grace to grace and shew the same by liuing godlily righteously and soberly that the worlde may see that we are cured of our spirituall disease O happie yea thrice happie are they that haue grace from god to doe this The second dutie concernes them which are repentant sinners Hath Christ giuen himselfe for thee and is thy conscience setled in this then thou must answerably beare this mind and if thy life would serue for the glory of God and the good of his Church thou wouldst then giue it most willingly if thou be called thereto Secondly if Christ for thy good hath giuen his life then thou must in like maner be content to die for thy brethren in Christ if neede be Heâ— saith Saint Iohn laid downe his life for vs therefore weâ— ought to lay downe our liues for our brethren Thirdly if Christ was content to shedde his owne heart blood not for himselfe but for the sinnes of euerie one of vs then we must be thus affected that rather then by sinning wee would willingly offend God we should be content to haue our own blood shed yea if these two things were put to our choise either to doe that which might displease God or els to suffer deathâ— wee must rather die then doe the same Of this minde haue beene all the Martyrs of God who rather then they would yeeld to Idolatrie were content to suffer most bitter torments and cruell death Yea euery good Christian is so affected that he had rather choose to die then to liue not mooued by impatience in respect of the misâ—ries of this life but because hee would cease to offend so louing a father To sinne is meate and drinke to the worlde but to a touched and repentant heart there is no torment so grieuouâ— as this is to sinne against God if once he bee perswaded that Christ died for him Thus much for Christs death nowe followe those things which befell Christ when he was newely dead and they are two especially The first that his legges were not broken as the legges of the two theeues were Of the first S. Iohn râ—ndreth a reason namely that the Scripture might be fulfilled which saith not a bone of him shal be broken which wordes were spoken by Moses of the paschall lambe and are here applied to Christ as beeing typically figured thereby And hence we obserue these two things First that Christ crucified is the true paschall lambe as S. Paul saith Christ our passeouer is sacrificed and S. Iohn saith Behold the lambe of God distinguishing him thereby from the typicall lambe In this that Christ crucified is the true paschall lambe the childe of God hath wonderfull matter of comfort The Israelites did eate the passeouer in Egypt sprinkled the blood of the lambe on the posts of their dores that when the angel of God came to destroy the first borne both of man and beast and saw the blood vpon their houses might passe ouer them that the plague should not be vpon them to destruction So likewise if thou dost feed on the lambe of God and by a liuely faith sprinkle the dore of thine heart with his bloode the iudgements of God in this life and the terrible curse of death with the fearefull sentence of condemnation at the day of iudgement and all punishments due vnto thy sinnes shall passe ouer thee and not so much as touch thee And whereas the legges of our Sauiour Christ were not broken by the souldiours who sought by all meanes possible to worke against him all the mischiefe they could we may note that the enemies of Christ and his Church let them intend to shew neuer so much malice against him they can not goe beyond that libertie which God giueth them they can doe no more for their liues then that which God willeth The Medes and Persians are called the Lords sanctified ones Cyrus is called the man of Gods counsell because whatsoeuer they intended against the people of God yet in all their proceedings they did nothing but that which God had determined before to be done And when Senacherib came against the Iewes as a wilde beast out of his denne the Lord telleth Hezekiah concerning Ashur that he will put his hooke in his nostrills and his bridle in his lippes and bring him backe againe the same way he came that is he will so rule him that he shall not doe the least hurt vnto the Iewes more then God will This is a matter of great comfort to Gods church oppressed with manifold enemies Papists Iewes Turks and all infidels malitiously bent against it for Christs sake For though they intend and practise mischiefe yet more then Gods will and counsell is they can not doe because he hath his ring in their nostrils and his bridle in their lippes to rule them as he listeth The second thing which fell out immediately vpon the death of Christ is that the souldiours pearced his side with a speare and thence issued water and blood The vse which ariseth of this point is two-fold first it serues to prooue that Christ died truly and not in shew or a fained death for there is about the heart a filme or skinne like vnto a purse wherein is contained cleare water to coole the heat of the heart and therefore when water and bloode issued out after piercing of the side it is very likely that that very skinne was pierced for els in reason we can not coniecture whence this water should come Saint Iohn an eye-witnes of this thing beeing about to prooue that Iesus the sonne of Marie was the true Messias bringeth in sixe witnesses three in heauen the Father the Word and the holy Ghost three in earth the Water the Spirit and the blood where no doubt he alludeth to the water and blood that issued out of the side of Christ by spirit we may vnderstand the efficacie and operation of Gods spirit making men to bring forth the fruits of the same as loue peace ioy c. And the second witnes namely water hath relation to the water that
came forth of Christs side which signifieth the inward washing away of sinne and the purging of the heart by Christs blood which also is and was signified by the outward washing of the bodie with water in baptisme The third witnes he calls blood alluding to the blood that issued out of Christs side whereby is signified the expiation or satisfaction made to Gods iustice for mans sinne The same vse had the ceremoniall sprinkling in the old testament typically signifying the sprinkling of Christs blood Now these three witnesses are not to be sought for in heauen but euery Christian man must search for them in his owne heart and conscience and there shall he finde them in some measure And this water and blood flowing out of the side of Christ beeing now dead signifieth that he is our iustification and sanctification euen after his death and that out of his death springs our life and therfore as Eue was made of a ribbe taken out of the side of Adam so springs the Church out of the blood that flowes out of the side of the second Adam Hauing thus intreated of Christs execution let vs now come to the last point namely the excellencie of Christs passion cōsisting in these two points I. a Sacrifice II. a triumph For the first when Christ died he offered a propitiatorie and reall sacrifice to his father and herein his death and passion differeth from the sufferings and deaths of all men whatsoeuer In this sacrifice we must consider foure things I. who was the priest II. what was the sacrifice III. what was the altar IV. the time wherein this sacrifice was offered The priest was Christ himselfe as the author of the epistles to the Hebrewes prooues at large from the third chap. to the 9. and of him we are to consider these foure points The first what is the office of Christs priesthood Ans. The office of Christs priesthood stands in three things I. to teach doctrine and therefore he is called the high priest of our profession that is of the Gospel which we professe because he is the author and Doctour of the same II. to offer vp himselfe vnto his father in the behalf of man for the appeasing of his wrath for sinne III. to make request or intercession to God the father that he would accept the sacrifice which he offered on the crosse for vs. The second point is According to which nature he was a priest whether in his manhood or in his godhead or both togither Ans. The office of his priesthood is performed by him according to both his natures and therefore he is a priest not as the Papists would haue him according to his manhood onely but as he is both God and man for as he is a Mediatour so is he a priest but Christ is a Mediatour according to both natures each nature doing that which is peculiar to it conferring something to the worke of redemption and therfore he is a priest as he is both God and man The third point After what order he is a priest Ans. The Scripture mentioneth two orders of priests the order of Leui and the order of Melchisedeck Christ was not a priest after the order of Aaron and yet notwithstanding in that priesthood were many notable rites whereby the priesthoode of our Sauiour Christ was resembled and we may note fiue especially First in the annointing of the high priests as of Aaron and his sonnes after him oile was poured on his head and it ran down to the very edge of his garments whereby was signified that Christ the true high priest was annointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes that is that his manhoode was filled with the gifts and graces of God both in measure number and degree aboue all men and angels Secondly the sumptuous and gorgious apparell which the high Priest put on when he came into the sanctuarie was a signe of the rich and glorious robe of Christs righteousnesse which is the puritie and integritie of his humane nature and of his life Thirdly the speciall parts of the high Priests attire were first the Ephod the two shoulders whereof had two onyx stones whereon were engrauen the names of the twelue tribes of Israel sixe names on the one stone and sixe on the other as stones of remembrance of the children of Israel to God ward secondly the brestplate of iudgement like the worke of the Ephod wherein were set twelue stones according to the names of the children of Israel grauen as signets euery one after his name Now by these two ornaments were figured two things in Christ by the first that he carries all the Elect on his shoulders and supports them by his spirit so lōg as they are in this world against the world the flesh and the deuill By the second that Christ our high priest beeing now in his sanctuarie in heauen hath in memorie all the Elect their very names are written as it were in tables of gold before his face and he hath an especiall loue vnto them and care ouer them Vpon this ground the church in the Canticles praies on this manner Set me as a seale on thy heart and as a signe◠vpon thy arme And indeede this is a matter of comfort vnto vs all that Christ hath our seuerall names written in pretious stones before his face though he be now in heauen and we on earth and that the particular estate of euery one of vs is both knowne and regarded of him Againe God gaue to Moses the Vrim and Thummim which was put on the breastplate of the high priest when he was to aske counsell from God of things vnknowne before the mercie seat whence God gaue answer What the Vrim and Thummim was it is not knowne and it is like it was not made by any art of man but giuen by God and how it was vsed we can not tell but yet the signification of the words affoardeth matter of meditation Vrim signifies lights and Thummim signifies perfections And by this a further matter was prefigured in Christ who hath the perfit Vrim and Thummim in his breast first because in him are hidde all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge secondly because he reueales to his Church out of his word such things as none can know but the children of God as Dauid saith The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him And for this cause the spirit of Christ is called the spirit of wisdome and reuelation and the spirit of God whereby we know the things that are giuen vnto vs of God as namely our election vocation iustification and sanctification in this life and our eternall glorification after this life yea to euery member of Christ within his Church he giues a speciall spirit of reuelation out of the word whereby he may know that God the father is his father the sonne the redeemer his redeemer and the holy Ghost his
yet afterward for a time hee doth as it were hide the same in some corner of their hearts so as they haue no feeling thereof but thinke themselues to be void of all grace and this he doth for no other ende but to humble them and yet againe after all this the first grace is further renued and reuiued Thus dealt the Lord with Dauid and Salomon for whereas he was a pen-man of Scripture and therefore an holy man of God we may not thinke that he was wholly forsaken with Peter and in this place with Thomas And the experience of this shall euery seruant of God finde in himselfe The second appearance of Christ was to seuen of the disciples as they went on fishing in which hee giues three testimonies of his godhead and that by death his power was nothing diminished The first that when the disciples had fished all night and caught nothing afterward by his direction they catch fish in aboundance and that presently This teacheth vs that Christ is a soueraigne Lord ouer all creatures and hath the disposing of them in his owne handes and that if good successe followe not when men are painefull in their callings it is because God will prepare and make them fit for a further blessing Christ comes in the morning and giues his disciples a great draught of fish yet before this can be they must labour all night in vaine Ioseph must be made ruler ouer all Egypt but first he must be cast into a dungeon where he can see no sunn nor light to prepare him to that honour And Dauid must be King ouer Israel but the Lord will first prepare him hereunto by raising vp Saul to persecute him Therefore when God sâ—ndeth any hinderances vnto vs in our callings wee must not despaire nor bee discouraged for they are the meanes whereby God maketh vs fit to receiue greater blessings at his handes either in this life or in the life to come The second is that the net was vnbroke though it had in it great fishes to the number of an hundred fifty three The third that when the disciples came to land they sawe hotte coales and fish laid thereon and bread Nowe some may aske whence was this foode Answ. The same Lord that was able to prouide a Whale to swallowe vp Ionas and so to saue him and he that was able to prouide a fish for Peters angle with a peece of twentie pence in the mouth and to make a little bread and a fewe fishes to feede so many thousands in the wildernesse the same also doeth of himselfe prouide bread and fishes for his disciples This teacheth vs that not not onely the blessing but also the very hauing of meate drinke apparell is from Christ and hereupon all states of men euen the kings of the earth are taught to pray that God would giue them their daily bread Againe when we sit downe to eate and drinke this must put vs in minde that wee are the guests of Christ himselfe our foode which we haue comes of his meere gift and hee it is that entertaines vs if wee could see it And for this cause wee must soberly and with great reuerence in feare and trembling vse all gods creatures as in his presence And when we eate and drinke wee must alwaies looke that all our speech be such as may beseeme the guests of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Vsually the practise of men is farre otherwise for in feasting many take libertie to surfet to be drunke to sweare to blasâ—heme but if we serue the Lord let vs remember whose guests we are and who is our entertainer and so behaue our selues as being in his presence that all our actions and words may tend to his glorie The third appearance was to Iames as S. Paul recordeth although the same be not mentioned in any of the Euangelists The fourth was to all his disciples in a mountaine whither he had appointed them to come The fift last appearance was in the mount of Oliues when he ascended into heauen Of these three last appearances because the holy Ghost hath only mentioned them I omitte to speake and with the repeating of them I let them passe Thus much of the appearances of Christ after his resurrection the witnesses thereof are of three sorts I. angels II. women that came to the graue to embaulme him III. Christs owne disciples who did publish and preach the same according as they had seene and heard of our Sauiour Christ and of these likewise I omit to speake because there is not any speciall thing mentioned of them by the Euangelists Nowe follow the vses which are twofold some respect Christ and some respect our selues Vses which concerne Christ are three I. whereas Christ Iesus beeing starke dead rose againe to life by his owne power it serueth to prooue vnto vs that he was the sonne of God Thus Paul speaking of Christ saith that hee was deâ—lared mightily to bee the sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead And by the mouth of Dauid God said Thou art my sonne this day I haue begot thee Which place must bee vnderstood not so much of the eternal generation of Christ before al worlds as of the manifestation thereof in time after this manner This day that is at the time of thine incarnâ—tion but especially at the daie of thy resurrection haue I begotten thee that is I haue made manifest that thou art my sonne so is this place expouÌ„ded by S. Paul in the Acts. SecoÌ„dly Christs rising froÌ„ death by his own poâ—er prooues vnto vs euidently that he is Lord ouer al things that are this vse S. Paul makes hereof for saith he Christ therefore died that he might be Lord both of the dead of the quick And indeed whereas he rose againe on this mâ—ner he did herebâ— shew himselfe most plainly to be a mighty prince ouer the graueâ— death hel condemnation one that had alâ— sufficient power to ouercome them Thirdly it prooues vnto vs that he was a perfit priest and that his death passion was a perfect satisfaction to the iustice of god for the â—innes of mankind For whereas Christ died he died for our sinnes now if he had not fully satisfied for them all though there had remained but one sinne for which he had made no satisfaction he had not risen againe but death which came into the world by sinne and is strengthened by it would haue held him in bondage and therefore whereas he rose againe it is more then manifest that he hath made so full a satisfaction that the merit therof doth and shall counteruaile the iustice of God for all our offences To this purpose Paul saith If Christ be not risen againe your faith is vaine and you are yet in your sinnes that is Christ had not satisfied for your sinnes or at least you could not
is his house of grace heauen is his house of glorie Nowe if thou wouldst bring thy child to a place in the house of glorie then thou art first of all to get him a place in the house of grace bringing him vp so in the feare of God that both in life and conuersation he may shew himselfe to be a member of the Church and then assure thy selfe that after this life he shall be remooued to the second house of God which is the house of glorie and there be freeman for euer in the kingdome of heauen And if thou shalt thus prouide for thy childe thou shalt not leaue him as an orphan when thou diest but he shall haue God for his father and Christ for his brother and the holy Ghost his comforter And therefore first of all and aboue all remember to make thy child a member of Gods Church Let the example of Dauid excite all parents hereunto I had rather saith he be a dore keeper in the houâ—e of God then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse For a day in thy courts is better then a thousand â—lse where Lastly hence we may finde remedâ—e against the tediousnes of sicknes and feare of death Thou which fearest death remember that Christ is gone to heuen to prepare a place for thy bodie where it must be glorified and liue for euer with the blessed Trinitie and all the Saints and angels though for a while it lie dead and rot in the graue Remember this also thou which continuest in any lingring sicknesse Christ Iesus hath prepared a place for thee wherein thou shalt rest in ioy and blisse without all paine or faintnes The fourth benefit is that Christ ascended vp to heauen to send the comforter vnto his Church This was a speciall ende of his ascension as appeares by Christs owne wordes It is saith he expedient that I goe away for if I goe not the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will sende him vnto you And againe I will pray vnto the Father and he shall giue you another comforter which shall abide with you for euer euen the spirit of trueth But some wil say howe can Christ send his spirit vnto his Church for the person sending and the person sent are vnequall whereas all three persons in trinitie are equall none greater or lesser then another none inferiour or superiour to other Ans. It is true indeede but we must knowe that the action of sending in the Trinitie makes not the persons vnequall but onely shewes a distinction and order among equalls The father sends the sonne the father and the sonne both send the Holy Ghost yet the father is not aboue the sonne neither the father or the sonne aboue the holy Ghost but all are equall in degree though in regarde of order one is before another and it standeth with reason For two men that are equall in degree may vpon mutuall consent one send another But it may be further demanded howe the holy Ghost can be sent which is euery where Ans. The Holy Ghost indeed is euery where therefore he is sent not so much in regard of the presence of his essence or substance as of his operation whereby he renueth guideth the members of Christ. Nowe then this beeing so here first we haue occasion to consider the miserie of the world When a man is troubled in his minde as no vngodly man but sometime he feeleth the terrour of conscience for his sinnes then hee labours to remooue it by merie company and pleasant bookes whereas Christ at his ascension sent his holy spirit to bee the comforter of his Church and therefore when wee are troubled in conscience for our sinnes we should not seeke ease by such slender meanes but rather seeke for the helpe and comfort of the holy ghost and labour to haue our sinnes washed away and our hearts purified and clensed by the bloode of Christ. As for wine and mirth and such like meanes of comfort neither at the day of death nor at the day of iudgement shall they stand vs in stead or bee able to comfort vs. Againe when crosses and calamities fall the counsell of the minister is not sought for but the helpe of such as are called cunning men and cunning women is that is of charmers inchanters and figure-casters a badde practise Christ at his ascension sent his holy spirit vnto his Church and people to be their guide and comforter in their calamities and miseries and therfore when any man is in distresse he should haue recourse to the right meanes of comfort namly the word and Sacraments and there he should find the assistance of the holy Ghost Thus the prophet Isai informeth the Iewes when they shall say vnto you inquire at them which haue a spirit of diuination and at the southsayers which whisper and murmure Should not a people inquire at their God from the liuing to the dead to the lawe and to the testimonie Rebecca when the two twinnes stroue in her wombe what did shee the text saith shee sent to aske the Lord. Yet commonly the men of these daies leaue God seeke to the instruments of the deuill To goe yet further god vseth for sundrie causes most of all to afflict his dearest children Iudgement saith Peter beginnes at Gods house S. Luke saith that a certaine woman was bound of Satan eighteene yeeres but what was shee a daughter of Abraham that is a child of God When the like condition shall befall any of vs let vs remember the ende why Christ ascended vp to heauen and pray vnto God that he will giue vs his spirit that thereby we may be eased and deliuered or else inabled to perseuere continue in patience and this is the true way and meanes to lighten ease the burden of all afflictions And for this cause Paul praieth that the Colossians might be strengthened with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse For to whomesoeuer God giueth grace to beleeue to them also he giues power to suffer affliction by the inward worke of his spirit Secondly if Christ haue sent vnto his church the holy spirit to be our comforter our dutie is to prepare our bodies and soules to bee fitte temples and houses for so worthie a guest If a man were certified that a prince would come to his house he would dresse it vp and haue all things in as good order as might bee and shall not wee much more endeauour to purifie and clense our soules and bodies from all sinne that they may be fitte temples for the entertainment of the Holy Ghost whome Christ Iesus hath sent to be our comforter The Shunamite was carefull to entertaine the man of God Elisha for shee said to her husband Let vs make him a little chamber I pray thee with walls and let vs set him there a bed and a stoole a table and
this manner I prooue it thus Looke what was his request in our behalfe when he was here vpon earth the same for substance it continues still in heauen but here on earth the substance of his request was that he willed and desired that his father would be well pleased with vs for his merits as appeares by his praier in S. Iohn Father I will that those which thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am that they may beholde my glorie which thou hast giuen me for thou louedst me before the fouÌ„datioÌ„ of the world Therefore he still continues to make request for vs by willing and desiring that his father would accept his merits in our behalfe If it be alleadged that Christ in this solemne praier vsed speech and prostration of his bodie the answer is that these actions were no essentiall parts of his praier The prostrating of his bodie serued onely as a token of submission to God as Christ was a creature and the speech which he vsed serued onely to vtter and expresse his request Furthermore a difference here must be marked between Christs passion and his intercession The passion serues for the working and causing of a satisfaction to Gods iustice for vs and it is as it were the tempering of the plaister the intercession goes further for it applies the satisfaction made and laies the salue to the very sore And therefore Christ makes request not onely for the elect generally but for particular men as Paul Iames Iohn and that particularly as he testifieth of himselfe saying I haue praied for thee Peter that thy faith faile not If any shall say that Christs willing and desiring of a thing can not be a request or intercession the answer is that in vertue and efficacie it couâ—teruailes all the praiers in the word For whatsoeuer Christ willeth the same also the father beeing well pleased with him willeth and therefore whatsoeuer Christ as a mediatour willeth for vs at the handes of his father in effect or substance is a request or praier The third point is that Christ alone and none with him makes intercession for vs. And this I prooue by induction of particulars First of al this office appertaines not to the angels They are indeede ministring spirits for the good of Gods chosen they reioice when a sinner is conuerted and when he dieth they are readie to carrie his soule into Abrahams bosome and God otherwhiles vseth them as messengers to reueale his will thus the Angel Gabriel brings a message to Zacharie the priest that God had heard his praier but it is not once said in all the scriptures that they make intercession to God for vs. As for the Saints departed they can not make intercession for vs because they know not our particular estates here on earth neither can they heare our requests And therefore if we should pray to them to pray for vs wee should substitute them into the roome of God because we ascribe that to them which is proper to him namely the searching of the heart and the knowledge of all things done vpon earth though withall we should say that they doe this not by themselues but of God As for the faithful here on earth indeed they haue warrant yea commandement to pray one for another yet can they not make intercession for vs. For first he that makes intercâ—ssion must bring something of his owne that may be of value and price with God to procure the graunt of his request secondly he must doe it in his owne name but the faithfull on earth make request to God one for another not in their owne names nor for their owne merits but in the name and for the merits of Christ. It is a prerogatiue belonging to Christ alone to make a request in his own name and for his owne merits wee therefore conclude that the worke of intercession is the sole worke of Christ God and man not belonging to any creature beside in heauen or in earth And whereas the Papists can not content themselues with his intercession alone as beeing most sufficient it argues plainely that they doubt either of his power or of his will whereupon their praiers turne to sinne The fruits and benefits of Christs intercession are these First by meanes of it wee are assured that those which are repentant sinners shall stand and appeare righteous before God for euer at what time soeuer Christ beeing now in heauen and there presenting himselfe and his merits before his father shewes himselfe desirous and willing and they whosoeuer they are being sinners should be accepted of God for the same euen then immediately at that very instant this his wil is done and they are accepted as righteous before god indeede When a man lookes vpon things directly through the aire they appeare in their proper formes and colours as they are but if they bee looked vpon through a greene glasse they all appeare greene so likewise if God behold vs as we are in our selues we appeare as vile and damnable sinners but if he looke vpon vs as we are presented before his throne in heauen in the person of our Mediatour Christ Iesus willing that we should be approoued for his merits then we appeare without all spot and wrinkle before him And this is the vse Paul makes hereof It is God saith he that iustifieth and the reason is rendred For it is Christ that is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and makes request for vs. Secondly Christs intercession serues to preserue al repentant sinners in the estate of grace that being once iustified and sanctified they may so continue to the ende For when any seruant of God is ouertaken by the corruption of his owne nature and falls into any particular sinne then Christs intercession is made as a blessed hand to apply the salue of his death to that particular sore For he continually appeares before God and shewes himselfe to be willing that God the father should accept his one only sacrifice for the daily and particular sinnes of this or that particular man and this is done that a man beeing iustified before God may not fall away quite from grace but for euery particular sinne may be humbled and receiue pardon If this were not so our estate should be most miserable considering that for euery sinne committed by vs after our repentance we deserue to be cast out of the fauour of God Thirdly Christs intercession serueth to make our good works acceptable to God For euen in the best workes that a man can doe there are two wants First they are good onely in part secondly they are mingled with sinne For as a man is partly spirit or grace and partly flesh so are his works partly gratious and partly fleshly And because grace is onely begun in this life therefore all the workes of grace in this life are sinfull and imperfit Now by Christs
intercession his satisfaction is applied to our persons and by consequent the defect of our workes is couered and remooued and they are approued of God the father In a vision Saint Iohn saw an angel standing before the altar with a golden censer full of sweete odours to offer vp with the praiers of the Saints vpon the same And this signifies that Christ presents our workes before the throne of God and by his intercession sanctifies them that they may be acceptable to God And therefore we must remember that when we doe any thing that is accepted of God it is not for our sakes but by reason of the value and vigour of Christ his merit Fourthly the intercession of Christ made in heauen breedeth and causeth in the hearts of men vpon earth that beleeue another intercession of the spirit as Paul saith He giueth vs his spirit which helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for vs with sighes which can not be expressed but he which searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit for he maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God Now the spirit is said to make request in that it stirres and mooues euery contrite heart to pray with sighes and grones vnspeakable to God for things needfull and this grace is a fruit deriued from the intercession of Christ in heauen by the operation of the spirit For as the Sunne though the bodie of it abide in the heauens yet the beames of it descend to vs that are on earth So the intercession of Christ made in heauen is tied as it were to his person alone yet the grones and desires of the touched heart as the beames thereof are here on earth among the faithfull And therefore if we desire to know whether Christ make intercession for vs or no we neede not to ascend vp into the heauens to learne the truth but we must descend into our owne hearts and looke whether Christ haue giuen vs his spirit which makes vs crie vnto God make request to him with grones sighes that can not be expressed and if we finde this in our hearts it is an euident and infallible signe that Christ continually makes intercession for vs in heauen He that would know whether the Sunne shine in the firmament must not clime vp into the cloudes to looke but search for the beames thereof vpon the earth which when he sees he may conclude that the sunne shines in the firmament And if we would know whether Christ in heauen makes intercession for vs let vs ransacke our owne consciences and there make search whether we feele the spirit of Christ crying in vs Abba Father As for those that neuer feele this worke of Gods spirit in them their case is miserable whatsoeuer they be For Christ as yet makes no intercession for them considering these two alwaies go togither his intercession in heauen and the worke of his spirit in the hearts of men moouing them to bewaile their owne sinnes with sighes and grones that cannot be expressed and to crie and to pray vnto God for grace and therfore all such whether they be yong or old that neuer could pray but mumble vp a few words for fashions sake can not assure themselues to haue any part in Christs intercession in heauen The duties to be learned hence are these First whereas Christ makes intercession for vs it teacheth all men to be most carefull to loue and like this blessed Mediatour and to be readie and willing to become his seruants and disciples and that not for forme and fashion sake onely but in all truth and sinceritie of heart For he ascended to heauen and there sits at the right hand of his father to make request for vs that we might be deliuered from hell and come to eternall life Wicked Haman procured letters from king Ahashuerosh for the destruction of all the Iewes men women and children in his dominions this done Hester the Queene makes request to the king that her people might be saued and the letters of Haman reuoked shee obtaines her request and freedome was giuen and contrarie letters of ioyfull deliuerance were sent in post hast to all prouinces where the Iewes were Whereupon arose a wonderfull ioy and gladnes among the Iewes and it is saide that thereupon many of the people of the land became Iewes Well now behold a greater matter among vs then this for there is the hand-writing of condemnation the law and therein the sentence of a double death of bodie and soule and Satan as wicked Haman accuseth vs and seekes by all meanes our condemnation but yet behold not any earthly Hester but Christ Iesus the sonne of God is come downe from heauen and hath taken away this hand-writing of condemnation and cancelled it vpon the crosse and is now ascended into heauen and there sits at the right hand of his father and makes request for vs and in him his father is well pleased and yeeldeth to his request in our behalfe Now then what must we doe in this case Surely looke as the Persians became Iewes when they heard of their safetie so we in life and conuersation must become Christians turne to Christ imbrace his doctrine and practise the same vnfainedly And we must not content our selues with a formall profession of religion but search our owne hearts and flie vnto Christ for the pardon of our sinnes and that earnestly as for life and death as the thiefe doth at the barre when the iudge is giuing sentence against him When we shall thus humble our selues then Christ Iesus that sit at the right hand of God will plead our cause and be our atturney vnto his father and his father againe will accept of his request in our behalfe Then shall we of Persians become Iewes and of the children of this world become the sonnes of God Secondly when we pray to God we must not doe as the blinde man doth as it were rush vpon God in praying to him without consideration had to the Mediatonr between vs and him but we alwaies must direct our prayers to God in the name of Christ for he is aduanced to power and glorie in heauen that he might be a fit patrone for vs who might preferre and present our praiers to God the father that thereby they might be accepted and we might obtaine our request So likewise we must giue thanks to God in the name of Christ for in him and for his sake God doth bestow on vs his blessings Thus much of Christs intercession the other benefit which concernes Christ kingly office is that he sits at the right hand of his father for the administration of that speciall kingdome which is committed to him I say speciall because he is our king not onely by the right creation gouerning all things created togither with the father and the holy Ghost but also more specially by the right of redemption in respect of another kingdome not
of God not only bridling sinne in vs but also mortifying and killing the same Indeed both of them are the good gifts of Gods spirit but yet the mortification of sinne is the chiefest being an effectuall signe of grace and proper to the elect The fifth grace and gift of the holy Ghost is to heare and receiue the word of God with ioy In the parable of the sower one kind of badde ground are they which when they haue heard receiue the worde with ioy And this is that which the authour of the Hebrues calls the the tasting of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come We knowe that there is great difference betweene tasting of meate and eating of it They that sit down at the table do both tast and eate but they that dresse the meate do onely see and taste thereof so it is at the Lords table Many there be that haue this gift truely both to tast and eate of the bodie and blood of Christ offered in the word and Sacraments and some againe doe onely taste and feele the sweetnesse of them and reioice therein but yet are not indeede partakers thereof Nowe if this be so then all those which heare the word of God must take heede how they heare and labour to finde these two things in themselues by hearing I. that in heart and conscience they be throughly touched and humbled for their sinnes II. that they be certenly assured of the fauour and loue of God in Christ and that the sweete promises of the Gospel doe belong to them and in consideration hereof they must make conscience of all sinne both in thought worde and deed through the whole course of their liues And this kind of hearing bringeth that ioy which vanisheth not away Thus much of the benefits of the holy Ghost common to all men both good and badde nowe followe such as are proper to the elect all which may be reduced vnto one namely the inhabitation of the spirit whereby the elect are the temples of the holy Ghost who is said to dwell in men not in respect of substance for the whole nature of the holy Ghost cannot be comprised in the bodie or soule of man but in respect of a particular operation and this dwelling standes in two things The first that the holy Ghost doth abide in them not for a time onely but for euer for the word dwelling noteth perpetuitie Secondly that the holy Ghost hath the full disposition of the heart as whē a man commeth to dwell in an house whereof he is lord he hath libertie to gouerne it after his owne will Nowe this disposition of the hearts of the faithfull by the holy Ghost stands in fiue special and notable gifts euery one worthie our obseruation The first is a certen knowledge of a mans owne reconciliation to God in Christ. As it is said in Esai By his knowledge my righteous seruant shall iustifie many And Christ saith This is life eternall that they knowe thee to be the onely verie God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. This knowledge is not generall for then the deuils might be saued but it is particular whereby a man knoweth God the father to be his father and Christ the redeemer to bee his redeemer and the holy Ghost to bee his sanctifier and comforter And it is a speciall worke of the holy Ghost as Paul saith The spirit of God beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the children of God And we haue receiued the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are giuen vnto vs of God The second gift is regeneration whereby a man of a limme of the deuill is made a member of Christ and of a child of Satan whome euery one of vs by nature doe as liuely resemble as any man doeth his owne parent is made the child of God Except a man saith our Sauiour Christ be borne againe by water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Iohn Baptist in saying that Christ baptized with the holy Ghost and fire compares the spirit of god to fire and water To fire for two causes I. as it is the nature of fire to warme the body that is benummed and frozen with colde so when a man is benummed and frozen in sinne yea when he is euen starke dead in sinne it is the property of the Holy Ghost to warme and quicken his heart and to reuiue him II. Fire doth purge and eate out the drosse from the good mettall now there is no drosse nor canker that hath so deepely eaten into any mettall as sinne into the nature of man and therefore the Holy Ghost is as fire to purge and eate out the hidden corruptions of sinne out of the rebellious heart of man Againe the holy Ghost is compared to cleare water for two causes I. man by nature is as drie wood without sappe and the property of the holy Ghost is as water to supple and to put sap of grace into the dead and rotten heart of man II. the propertie of water is to clense and purifie the filth of the bodie euen so the holy Ghost doth spiritually wash away our sinnes which are the filth of our nature and this is the second benefit of the Holy Ghost By this we are taught that he which would enter into the kingdome of God and haue the Holy Ghost to dwell in him must labour to feele the worke of regeneration by the same spirit and if a man would knowe whether hee haue this worke wrought in him or no let him marke what Saint Paul saith They that are of the spirit sauour the things that are of the spirit but they that liue after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh If therefore a man haue his heart continually affected with that which is truely good either more or lesse it is a certaine token that his wicked nature is changed and he regenerate but contrariwise if his heart be alwaies set on the pleasures of sinne and the things of this world hee may iustly suspect himselfe that he is not regenerated As for example if a man haue all his minde set vpon drinking and gulling in of wine and strong drink hauing little delight nor pleasure in any thing els it argues a carnall minde vnregenerate because it affects the things of the flesh and so of the rest And on the contrarie he that hath his minde affected with a desire to doe the will of God in practising the workes of charitie and religion he I say hath a spirituall and a renued heart and is regenerate by the holy Ghost The third worke of the holy Ghost is to gouerne the hearts of the elect this may be called spirituall regiment A man that dwelleth in a house of his owne orders and gouerns it according to his own will euen so the holy ghost gouerns all them in whome he dwelleth as Paul saith
we pollute our soules and bodies with any manner of sinne we make them euen stables and styes for our wretched enemie the deuill to harbour in For when Satan is once cast out if afterward we fall againe to our old sinnes loosenes of life and so defile our bodies they are then most cleane and neat for them to dwell in whereupon he will come and bring seuen other deuills worse then himselfe so a mans last end shall be worse then his beginning Now what a fearefull thing is this that the bodie which should be a temple for the holy Ghost by our sins should be made a stable for the deuil Furthermore S. Paul biddeth vs not to quench the spirit The graces of the holy spirit in this life are like sparkes of fire which may soone be quenched with a little water Now so oft as we sinne we cast water vpon the grace of God and as much as we can put out the same therefore it stands vs in hand to make conscience of euery thing wherein we may offend and displease God And we may assure our selues that so long as we liue and lie in our corruptions and sinnes the holy Ghost will neuer come and dwell with vs. He is a spirit most pure and chast and therefore must haue an vndefiled temple to dwell in Thus we haue heard what is to be beleeued concerning the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Now looke as we beleeue in God distinguished into three persons so we must remember that when we performe diuine worship to him we may distinguish the persons but we are not to seuer them when we pray to the Father we must not omit the Sonne or the holy Ghost but make our prayers to them all for as in nature they are one and in person not deuided but distinguished so in all worship we must neuer confound or seuer the persons but distinguish them and worship the Trinitie in vnitie and vnitie in trinitie one God in three persons and three persons in one God Hitherto we haue intreated of the first part of the Creede concerning God now followes the second part thereof concerning the Church and â—t was added to the former vpon speciall consideration For the right order of a confession did require that after the Trinitie the Church should be mentioned as the house after the owner the temple after God and the citie after the builder Againe the Creede is concluded with points of doctrine concerning the Church because whosoeuer is out of it is also forth of the number of gods children and he can not haue God for his father which hath not the Church for his mother Question is made what the words are which are to be supplied in this article the holy Catholike Church whether I beleeue or I beleeue in and ancient expositours haue sufficiently determined the matter One saith In these words in which is set forth our faith of the godhead it is saide In God the father in the Sonne and in the holy Ghost but in the rest where the speech is not of the Godhead but of creatures aud mysteries the preposition In is not added that it should be in the holy Church but that we should beleeue there is an holy Church not as God but as a companie gathered to God And men should beleeue that there is remission of sinnes not in the remission of sinnes and they should beleeue the resurrection of the bodie not in the resurrection of the bodie therefore by this preposition the Creatour is distinguished from the creatures and things pertaining to God from things pertaining to men Another vpon these words This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him saith If ye beleeue in him ye beleeue him not if ye beleeue him ye beleeue in him for the deuills beleeued God but did not beleeue in him Againe of the Apostles we may say we beleeue Paul but we doe not beleeue in Paul we beleeue Peter but we beleeue not in Peter For his faith that beleeueth in him which iustifieth the vngodly is imputed to him for righteousnes What is it therefore to beleeue in him by beleeuing to loue and like and as it were to passe into him and to be incorporated into his members Now the reasons which some Papists bring to the contrarie to prooue that we may beleeue in the creatures in the church are of no moment First they alleadge the phrase of Scripture Exod. 14.31 They beleeued in God and in Moses 1. Sam. 27. 12. And Achis beleeued in Dauid 2. Chron. 20.20 Beleeue in the Prophets and prosper Ans. The Hebrewe phrase in which the seruile letter Beth is vsed must not bee translated with a preposition that ruleth an accusatiue or ablatiue case but with a datiue case on this manner Beleeue Moses Dauid the Prophets and it doth not impart any affiance in the creature but onely a giuing of credance by one man to another Secondly they alleadge that ancient fathers read the article on this manner I beleeue in the holy Catholike Church Answ. Indeede some haue done so but by this kind of speech they signified no more but thus much that they beleeued that there was a Catholike Church Thus hauing found what words are to be supplied let vs come to the meaning of the article And that we may proceede in order let vs first of all see what the Church is The Church is a peculiar companie of men predestinate to life euerlasting and made one in Christ. First I say it is a peculiar company of men for Saint Peter saith Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation and a peculiar people He speakes indeede of the Church of God on earth but his saying may be also extended to the whole Church of God as well in heauen as in earth Nowe because there can be no companie vnlesse it haue a beginning and a cause whereby it is gathered therefore I adde further in the definition predestinate to life euerlasting Noting thereby the ground and cause of the Catholike Church namely Gods eternall predestination to life euerlasting and to this purpose our Sauiour Christ saith Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers will to giue you the kingdome signifying thereby that the first and principall cause of the Church is the good pleasure of God whereby he hath before all workes purposed to aduance his elect to eternall saluation Therefore one saith well onely the elect are the Church of God And further because no companie can continue and abide for euer vnlesse the members thereof be ioyned and coupled together by some bond therefore I adde in the last place made one with Christ. This vnion maketh the Church to be the Church and by it the members thereof whether they be in heauen or in earth are distinguished from all other companies whatsoeuer Now this coniunction betweene Christ and the Church is auouched by Saint Paul when
and that is Christ and therefore we are said to be chosen to saluation in Christ. He must be considered two waies as he is God we are predestinate of him euen as we are predestinate of the father and the holy Ghost As he is our Mediatour we are predestinate in him For when God with himselfe had decreed to manifest his glorie in sauing some men by his mercie hee ordained further the creation of man in his owne image yet so as by his owne fall hee should infold himselfe and all his posteritie vnder damnation this done he also decreed that the Word should bee incarnate actually to redeeme those out of the former miserie whome he had ordained to saluation Christ therefore himselfe was first of all predestinate as he was to bee our head and as Peter saith ordained before all worlds and wee secondly predestinate in him because God ordained that the execution of mans Election should be in him Here if any demand howe wee may be assured that Christ in his passion stood in our roome and steade the resolution will be easie if we consider that he was ordained in the eternall counsell of God to bee our suretie and pledge and to be a publike person to represent all the elect in his obedience and sufferings and therefore it is that Peter saith that he was deliuered by the foreknowledge and determinate counsell of God And Paul that grace was giuen vnto vs through Christ Iesus before the world was The fifth point is concerning the number of the Elect. And that I expressed in these words hath chosen some men to saluation If God should decree to communicate his glorie and his mercie to all and euery man there could bee no election For he that takes all cannot be said to choose Therefore Christ saith Many are called but fewe are chosen Some make this question howe great the number of the elect is and the answer may bee this that the Elect considered in themselues be innumerable but considered in comparison to the whole world they are but fewe Hence it followes necessarily that sauing grace is not vniuersall but indefinite or partiâ—â—lar vnlesse we will against common reason make the streames more large plentifull then the very fâ—untain it selfe And this must excite vs aboue all thiâ—gs in the world to labour to haue fellowship with Christ to be partakers of the special mercie of God in him yea to haue the same sealed vp in our hearts Benefits coÌ„mon to all as the light of the sunne c. are not regarded of any Things common to fewe though they be but temporall blessings are sought for of all God giues not riches to all men but to some more to some lesse to some none And herupon how doe men like drudges toile in the world from day to day and from yere to yere to inrich themselues Therefore much more ought men to seeke for grace in Christ considering it is not common to all We must not content our selues to say God is mercifull but we must goe further and labour for a certificate in the conscience that we may be able to say that God is indeede mercifull to vs. When the Disciples would haue knowne how many should be saued he omitting the question answers thus Striue to enter in at the straight gate The last point is the ende of Gods election and that is the manifesting of the praise and excellencie of the glorious grace of God Thus hauing seene what Election is let vs come to the Execution thereof Of which remember this rule Men predestinate to the ende that is glorie or eternall life are also predestinate to the subordinate meanes whereby they come to eternall life and these are vocation iustification sanctification glorification For the first he that is predestinate to saluation is also predestinate to be called as Paul saith Whome he hath predestinate them also he calleth Secondly whome God calleth they also were predestinate to beleeue therefore sauing faith is called the faith of the elect And in the Actes as many as were ordained to life euerlasting beleeued Thirdly whome God hath predestinate to life them he iustifieth as Paul saitâ— whome he hath predestinate them he calleth and whome he calleth them he iustifieth Fourthly whome he hath predestinate to life them he hath predestinate to sanctification and holinesse of life as Peter saith that the Iewes were elect according to the foreknowledge of God the father vnto sanctification of the spirit Lastly they that are predestinate to life are also predestinate to obedience as Paul saith to the Ephesians Yee are the workemanship of God created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them This rule beeing the truth of God must be obserued for it hath special vse First of all it serues to stoppe the mouthes of vngodly profane men They vse to bolster vp themselues in their sinnes by reasoning on this manner If I be predestinate to eternall life I shall be saued whatsoeuer come of it how wickedly and lewdly soeuer I liue I will therefore liue as I list and follow the swinge of mine owne will But alas like blinde bayards they thinke they are in the way when as they rush their heads against the wall and farre deceiue themselues For the case stands thus all men that are ordained to saluation are likewise ordained in the counsell of God to vse all the good meanes whereby they may come to saluation And therefore all the elect that liue in this world shall be called iustified sanctified and lead their liues in all good conscience before God and men and they that liue and continue in their own wicked waies disputing on this manner If I be ordained to saluation I shall not be damned ouershoote themselues and as much as they can plunge themselues headlong into the very pit of hell And for a man to liue and die in his sinnes let the world dispute as they will it is an infallible signe of one ordained to damnation Secondly there be others that thinke that the preaching of the word the administration of the Sacraments admonitions exhortations lawes good orders and all such good meanes are needlesse because Gods counsels be vnchangeable if a man shall be condemned nothing shall helpe if a man be saued nothing shall hinder But we must still for our part remember that God doth not onely ordaine the ende but also the meanes whereby the ende is compassed and therefore the very vse of all prescribed meanes is necessarie And for this cause we must be admonished with diligence to labour and vse all good meanes that we may be called by the ministerie of the Gospell and iustified and sanctified and at length glorified If a king should giue vnto one of his subiects a princely pallace vpon condition that he shall goe vnto it in the way which he shall prescribe oh what paines would the man
take to know the way and afterward to keepe and continue in it but behold the kingdome of heauen is the most glorious and royall pallace that euer was and God hath bestowed the same on his elect and he requires nothing at their handes but that they would turne their faces from this world and walke vnto it in the way which he hath chalked forth vnto them in his word Therefore if we would haue life euerlasting we must come forth of the broad way that leades to destruction and enter into the straight way that leades to eternall life Wee must acquaint our selues with the guides which are the Ministers of the word that will crie vnto vs Here is the way walke ye in it when we goe to the right hand or to the left Vocation iustification sanctification repentance new-â—bedience are the markes of the way and we must passe by them all and thus our wearie soules weltring a while in this wretched world shall at length be receiued into eternall ioy and happinesse Touching the knowledge of particular election two speciall points are to be skanned I. whether a man may know his election II. how it may be knowne For the first Papists are of mind that no man can certenly know his owne election vnlesse he be certified thereof by some speciall reuelation from God but the thing is false and erroneous which they say When the disciples of our Sauiour Christ returned from preaching and shewed what wonders they had done and how deuills were subiect vnto them the text saith they reioyced greatly But Christ answered them againe saying In this reioyce not but rather reioyce that your names are written in heauen Whereby he signifies that men may attaine to a certen knowledge of their owne election For we can not neither doe we reioyce in things either vnknowne or vncerten Saint Peter saith Giue all diligence to make your election sure Now in vaine were it to vse diligence if the assurance of election could not be any waies compassed without an extraordinarie reuelation And Paul saith to the Corinthians Prooue your selues whether ye be in the faith or not Where he takes it for granted that he which hath faith may know that he hath faith and therefore may also know his election because sauing faith is an vnfallible marke of election The second point is how any man may come to know his owne election And there be two waies of knowing it The one is by ascending vp as it were into heauen there to search the counsel of God and afterward to come downe to our selues The second by descending into our owne hearts to goe vp from our selues as it were by Iacobs ladder to Gods eternall counsell The first way is dangerous and not to be attempted For the waies of God are vnsearchable and past finding out The second way alone is to be followed which teacheth vs by signes testimonies in our selues to gather what was the eternall counsell of God concerning our saluation And these testimonies are two the testimonie of Gods spirit and the testimonie of our spirits as Paul saith the spirit of God beareth witnesse togither with our spirits that we are the sonnes of God Touching the testimonie of Gods spirit two questions may be demaunded The first is by what meanes the spirit of God giueth a particular testimonie in a mans conscience of his adoption Ans. It is not done by any extraordinarie reuelation or enthusiasme that is an ordinarie reuelation without the word but by an application of the promises of the Gospel in the forme of a practicall syllogisme on this manner Whosoâ—uer beleeueth in Christ is chosen to life euerlasting This proposition is set downe in the word of God and it is further propounded opened and applied to all that be in the Church of God by the ministers of the Gospel set apart for this ende Now while the hearers of Gods word giue themselues to meditate and consider of the sâ—me promise comes the spirit of God and enlightens the eyes and opens the heart giues them power both to will to beleeue and to beleeue indeede so as a man shall with freedome of spirit make an assumption and say but I beleeue in Christ I renounce my selfe all my ioy and comfort is in him flesh and blood can not say this it is the operation of the holy Ghost And hence ariseth the blessed conclusion which is the testimonie of the spirit therefore I am the child of God The second question is how a man may discerne betweene the illusion of the deuill and the testimonie of the spirit For as there is a certen perswasion of Gods fouour from Gods spirit so there be sleights and frauds of the deuill whereby he flatters and soothes men in their sinnes and there is in all men naturall presumption in shew like faith indeede no faith And this counterfait mocke-faith is farre more common in the world then true faith is Take a view hereof in our ignorant and careles people aske any one of them whether he be certen of his saluation or no he will without bones making protest that he is fully perswaded and assured of his saluation in Christ that if there be but one man in a cuntrie to be saued it is he that he hath serued God alwaies and done no man hurt that he hath euermore beleeued and that he would not for all the world so much as doubt of his saluation These and such like presumptious conceits in blind and ignorant persons runne for currant faith in the world Now the true testimonie of the spirit is discerned from naturall presumption and all illusions of the deuill by two effects and fruits thereof noted by Paul in that he saith that the spirit makes vs crie Abba that is father The first is to pray so earnestly with groanes and sighes as though a man would euen fill heauen and earth with the crie not of his lippes but of his heart touched with sense and feeling of his manifold sinnes and offâ—nces And this indeede is a speciall and principall note of the spirit of adoption Now looke vpon the loose and carelesse man that thinkes himselfe so filled with the perswasion of the loue and fauour of God ye shall finde that he very seldome or neuer praies and when he doth it is nothing els but a mumbling ouer the Lords praier the Creede and the tenne Commandements for fashions sake Which argues plainely that the perswasion which he hath of Gods mercie is of the flesh and not of the spirit The second fruit is the affection of a dutifull child to God a most louing father and this affection makes a man stand in feare of the maiestie of God wheresoeuer he is and to make conscience of euery euill way Now those that are caried away with presumption so soone as any occasion is giuen they fall straight into sinne without mislike or stay as fire burnes with speede when drie wood is
benefits which God bestoweth on it which are in number foure The first is expressed in these words The communion of Saints Where communion signifieth that fellowship or societie that one hath with an other and by Saints we vnderstand not dead men inrolled in the Popes calender but all that are sanctified by the blood of Christ whether they be liuing or dead as Paul saith Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinthus to them that are sanctified in Iesus Christ Saints by calling And God is the God of peace in all the Churches of the Saints Now if we adde the clause I beleeue vnto these words the meaning is this I confesse and acknowledge that there is a spiritual fellowship societie among all the mēbers of Christ beeing the faithfull seruants and children of God and withall I beleeue that I am partaker of the same with the rest This communion hath two parts fellowshippe of the members with the head and of the members with themselues The communion of the members with their head is not outward but altogether spirituall in the conscience and for the opening of it we must consider what the Church receiueth of Christ and what he receiues of it The Church receiues of Christ foure most worthy benefits The first that Christ our Mediatour God and man hath truely giuen himselfe vnto vs and is become our lot and portion and withall God the father and the holy spirit in him as Dauid saith Iehoua is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou shalt maintaine my lot the lines are fallen vnto me in pleasant places yea I haue a faire heritage And My flesh faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer The second is the Right of adoption whereby all the faithfull whether in heauen or earth are actually made the children of God The benefit is wonderfull howsoeuer carnall men esteeme not of it If a mā should either by election or birth or any waie else be made the sonne and heire of an earthly prince he would thinke himselfe highly aduanced how highly then are they extolled which are made the sonnes of God himselfe The third benefit is a title and right to the righteousnes of Christ in his sufferings and his fulfilling of the lawe The excellencie of it is vnspeakable because it serues to award the greatest temptations of the deuill When the deuill replieth thus thou art a transgressour of the lawe of God therefore thou shalt be damned by means of that communion which wee haue with Christ wee answere againe that Christ suffered the curse of the lawe to free vs from due and deserued damnation and when he further replies that seeing we neuer fulfilled the lawe we can not therefore enter into heauen we answer againe that Christs obedience is a fulfilling of the law for vs and his whole righteousnesse is ours to make vs stand righteous before God The fourth benefit is a right to the kingdome of heauen as Christ comforting his disciples saith Feare not little flocke it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome and hence it is sundrie times called the inheritance and the lot of the Saints Furthermore for the conueiance of these benefits vnto vs God hath ordained the preaching of the word and the administration of the Sacraments specially the Lords supper and hath commanded the solemne and ordinarie vse of them in the Church And hereupon the Lordes supper is called the Communion The cuppe of blessing saith Paul which wee blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ and the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ that is a signe and seale of the communion Againe the things which Christ receiueth of vs are two our sinnes with the punishment thereof made his by application or imputation and our afflictions with all the miseries of this life which he accounts his owne and therefore doth as it were put vnder his shoulders to beare the burden of them And this communion betweene Christ and vs is expressed in the scriptures by that blessed and heauenly bargaine in which there is mutuall exchange betweene Christ and vs he imparts vnto vs milke and wine without siluer or money to refresh vs and gold tried by the fire that we may become rich and white raiment that we may be cloathed and eye-salue to annoint our eies that wee may see and we for our parts returne vnto him nothing but blindenes and nakednes and pouertie and the loathsome burden of our filthy sinnes The second part of the communion is that which the Saints haue one with an other And it is either of the liuing with the liuing or of the liuing with the dead Nowe the communion of the liuing standes in three things I. the like affection II. in the gifts of the spirit III. in the vse of temporall riches For the first communion in affection is whereby all the seruants of God are like affected to God to Christ to their owne sinnes and each to other They are all of one nature and heart alike disposed though they bee not acquainted nor haue any externall fellowship in the flesh As in a familie children are for the most part one like another brought vp alike euen so it is in Gods familie which is his Church the members thereof are all alike in heart and affection and the reason is because they haue one spirit to guide them all and therefore Saint Peter saith The multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule neither any of them said that any thing of that which he possessed was his own but they had al things cōmon And the Prophet Esay foretelling the vnity which should be in the kingdome of Christ saith The woolfe shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie with the kidde and the calfe and the lyon aud the fat beast togither and a little childe shall leade them The cowe and the beare shall feede and their young ones shall lie togither and the lyon shall eate strawe like the bullocke The sucking child shall plaie vpon the hole of the aspe and the weaned child shall put his hand into the cockatrice hole By these beasts are signified men that be of a wicked and brutish nature which when they shall be brought into the kingdom of Christ shall lay aside the same and become louing gentle curteous and all of one minde And S. Peter requires of the Church the practise of brothely loue and that is to carrie a tender affection to men not becanse they are of the same flesh but because they are ioyned in the bond of one spirit with vs. Furthermore by reason of this that all the children of God are of one heart there follows another dutie of this communion whereby they beare one the burdens of another and when one member is grieued
they are distinguished and the order of them how the Father is the first the Sonne the second the holy ghost the third and therefore how the father is to be called vpon in the name of the sonne by the holy Ghost By this the praiers of Gods Church and the praiers of heathen men are distinguished who inuocate God as creator out of the father Sonne holy Ghost And hence it is manifest that ignorant and silly people which doe not so much as dreame of the vnion distinction and order of the persons in Trinitie make but a cold and slender kind of praying 2. Secondly we may learne hereby that we are not in any wise to inuocate Saints and Angels but onely the true Iehoua The reason standes thus This praier is either a perfect platforme for all praiers or not to say it were not were an iniurie to our Sauiour Christ to say it is so is also to graunt that it doth fully set downe to whome all praiers are to be made Now in these words there is set downe no inuocation but of God alone For in praier to be tearmed Our father is proper to God Esai 64.16 Thou art our father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not yet thou O Lord art our father and redeemer Papists therefore that are the great patrons of inuocation of Saints in their reformed breuiaries missals deale very fondly for first they pray to Marie that shee would pray to Christ for them and when they haue so done like iuglers they come to Christ and pray vnto him that he would accept Maries praier for them 3. Thirdly we learne that there can be no intercessour betweene God and vs but onely Christ. For here we are taught to come to God not as to a iudge but as to a kind and louing father Now he is a father to vs onely by Christ as for Angels and Saints and all creatures they are not able to procure by any meanes that God should become a father no not so much as to one man 4. Againe if the God to whome we pray be a father we must learne to acquaint our selues with the promises which he hath made in his word to quicken our hearts in all our praiers vnto him and thereby to gather affiance to our selues and perswasion that he wil graunt our requests For this word Father implies a readines and willingnes in God to heare and be mercifull to our praiers And a father can not but must needes make promise of fauour to those that be his children and therefore it can not be that he should call God his father truly which hath not in his heart this assurance that God will fulfill all his promises made vnto him Promises made to praier as these and such like are to be marked as follow 2. Chron. 7.14 If my people among whome my name is called vpon doe humble themselues and pray and seeke my presence turne from their wicked waies then I will heare in heauen and be mercifull vnto their sinnes 2. Chron. 15.2 The Lord is with you while ye be with him and if ye seeke him he will be found of you Esai 65. 34. Before they call I will answer and whiles they speake I will heare Matth. 7.7 Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened Luke 11.13 If ye which are euill can giue good gifts vnto your children how much more shall your heauenly father giue the holy Ghost to them that desire him Rom. 10. 12. He that is Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call on him Iam. 4.8 Draw neere vnto God and he will draw neere vnto you 5. If God be a father who is called vpon then praier is the note of Gods child Saint Luke and S. Paul set out the faithfull seruants of God by this note Act. 9.14 He hath authoritie to bind all that call on thy name 1. Cor. 1.2 To them that are sanctified by Iesus Christ Saints by calling with all that call on the name of our Lord Iesus Christ. And contrariwise Psal. 14.4 it is made one of the properties of an Atheist Neuer to call on the name of God And such persons as neither will nor can or vse not heartily to pray to God they may say that they are perswaded there is a God but in their doings they beare themselues as if there were no God 6. He which would pray aright must be like the prodigall child that is he must not onely confesse his sinne saying Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee c. but also haue a full purpose neuer after to offend his father For how can a child call him father whome he cares not continually to displease through his lewd conditions He can not doe it neither can any father delight in such a child therefore in praier we must call to minde our lewdnes and rebellions against our heauenly father and with the Publicane in heauines of soule say Lord be mercifull to be a sinner He which can truly doe this is a kinde childe If we consider our selues as we are by nature we are the children of the deuill no child so like his father as we are like him and in this estate we continually rebell against God for the deuill hath all the heart our whole ioy is to serue and please him A man that is to pray must thinke on this and be grieued thereat And happie yea a thousand times happie are they who haue grace giuen them to see this their state and to bewaile it And further it is not sufficient to confesse our sinnes against our mercifull Father but we must set downe with our selues neuer in such sort to offend him againe to lead a new life This point is very profitable for these times For many there be when any crosse or sicknesse comes on them wil pray and promise repentance and all obedience to Gods word if it shall please God to deliuer them but this vsually is but in hypocrisie they dissemble with God and men For when their sicknes is past like a dogge that hath bin in the water they shake their eares and runne straight with all greedines to their former sinnes Is this to call God Father No he that doth this shal not haue God to be his father but the man that is wounded in his soule for his offences past and carrieth a purpose in his heart neuer wittingly and willingly to offend God againe 7. Lastly here we are to obserue that he which would pray must be indued wiâ—h the spirit of adoption the actions whereof in the matter of praier are twofold The first to mooue the heart to crie and call on God as a father It is no easie thing to pray for to a man of himselfe it is as easie to mooue the whol earth with his hand how then comes it that we pray It is a blessed worke of the spirit Rom. 8.15 We
haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abâ—a that isâ— father And Rom. 8.26 Likewise the spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request And Zach. 12.10 the holy Ghost is called the spirit of grace and deprecatioâ—s or praiers Well then the man that would pray must haue Gods spirit to be his schoole-master to teach him to pray with grones and sighes of the heart for the words make not the prayer but the grones and desires of his heart and a man praies for no more then he desires with the heart and he which desires nothing praies not at all but spends lip-labour The second worke of the spirit is to assure vs in our consciences that we are in the state of grace reconciled to God Rom. 8.16 The spirit of adoption beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God And this inward certificate of the spirit in all exercises of inuocation is very necessarie for he which wants this assurance if he be secure and benummed in his sinnes will not and if he be touched in conscience for them for his life dare not cal God father Also this confutes the opinion of the Church of Rome which teacheth that man is to doubt whether he be adopted or no. For how can a man truly call God father when he doubts whether he be the child of God or no It is a miserable kind of praying to cal God father and withall to doubt whether he be a father Indeede it is true that doubts will often arise but it is our dutie to striue against them and not to yeeld to them Yea but say they to be certaine of Gods mercy is presumption I answer if it be presumption it is an holy presumption because God hath bidden vs to call him father Our Father 1. The meaning THus much of the argument of relation now let vs proceedeâ— It is further said Our father And he is so tearmed because he is the father of Christ by nature and in him the father of euery beleeuer yea of the whole bodie of the Church Quest. Whether may it be lawfull for vs in praier to say not our father but my father Ans. A Christian may in priuate praier say My father This is warranted by the example of our Sauiour Matth. 26. â—9 O my father if it be possible let this cup passe from me And Math. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And Thomas praied My Lord and my God And Paul I giue thanks to my God c. And Gods promise is Ier. 3.19 Thou shalt call me my father The meaning of Christ is not to binde vs to these words but to teach vs that in our praiers we must not haue regard to our selues onely but also to our brethren and therefore when we pray for them in our priuate praiers as for our selues we put in practise the true meaning of these words 2. The vses When we pray wee must not make request onely for our selues and our owne good but for others also as the church and people of God perswading our selues that we also are partakers of their praiers and for the better cleering of this point let vs search who they are for whome wee are to pray Of men there be two sorts some liuingâ— some dead Of these two kinds the liuing are to be praied for and there is no praying for the dead A man that is dead knowes what shall bee his estate eternally if he died a wicked person that is an vnrepentant sinner his state shall bee according in eternall torment if he died hauing repented of his sinnes then hee shall rest with God in his kingdome Apoc. 14.13 Blessed are they which die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Gal. 6.10 While wee haue time let vs doe good to all men Where wee may note that there is a time namely after death when we cannot doe good to others Again of the liuing some are our enemies some our friends Our friends are they which are of the same religion affection and disposition Foes are either priuate or publike Publike foes are either enemies to our countrie as tyrants traitors c. or enemies to our religion as Iewes Turkes Papists Infidels Atheists Now towards all these how ought a man to behaue himselfe in praier Ans. He is to pray for them all Matth. 5.44 Pray for them which hurt you and persecute you 1. Tim. 2.1 I exhort that praiers intercessions c. be made for all men for kings c. Yet wheÌ„ Paul gaue this commandement we read not that there were any Christian kings but all Infidels And the Iewes are commanded to pray for Babylon where they were captiue Ierem. 29.7 And seeke the prosperitie of the cittie whither I haue caused you to be carried captiue and pray vnto the Lord for it Question How and in what manner are wee to pray for our enemies Ans. We are to praie against their â—innes counsels enterprises but not against their persons Thus praied Dauid against Achitophel 2. Sam. 15.31 Lord I pray thee bring the counsell of Achitophel to foolishnesse And thus did the Apostles pray against their persecutors Act. 4.29 O Lord behold their threatnings and graunt vnto thy seruants with all boldnesse to speake thy word Question Dauid vseth imprecations against his enemies in which he prayeth for their vtter confusion as Psal. 59. 109. c. The like is done by Paul Gal. 5.1 2. Tim. 4.14 and Peter Act. 8. 20. though afterwards he mitigates his execration But how could they doe it Ans. 1. They were indued with an extraordinarie measure of Gods spirit and hereby they were inabled to discerne of their enemies and certainly to iudge that their wickednes and malice was incurable and that they should neuer repent And the like praiers did the Primitiue church coÌ„ceiue against Iulian the Apostata because they perceiued him to be a malitious desperate enemie 2. Secondly they were indued with a pure zeale and not carried with desire of reuenge against their enemies intending nothing els but the glorie of God Nowe for vs it is good that wee should suspect our zeale because sinister affections as hatred enuie emulation desire of reuenge will easily mingle themselues therewith Question How farre forth may we vse those Psalmes in which Dauid vseth imprecations against his enemies Ans. They are to bee read and song with these caueats I. We are to vse those imprecations indefinitely against the enemies of God and his Church for we may perswade our selues that alwaies there be some such obstinate enemies but we must not applie them particularly 2. Secondly we must vse them as Augustine saith as certaine propheticall sentences of the holy Ghost pronouncing the last sentence of destruction vpon final and impenitent sinners which oppose themselues against Gods kingdome 3. They may be vsed against our spirituall
enemies the flesh the deuill and his angels and the world 2. Furthermore whereas we are taught to say Our father this serues to put vs in minde that in praying to God we must bring loue to men with vs. We must all be the children of one father louingly disposed one to another For how should he call God his father who will not take the child of God for his brother Math. 5 2â— When thou art to offer thy gift vnto God if thou haue ought against thy brother first be reconciled and then come and offer thy gift So also Esa. â— 15 the Lord saith that when they pray vnto him he will not heare Why because their hanâ—s are full of bloode In these times many men can be content formâ—lly to pray but yet they will not leaue bâ—ibing oppression deceit vsurie c. The common song of the world is Euery man for himselfe and God for vs all this is the common loue and care that men haue each to other The praiers of such are abominable euen as the sacrifice of a dogge as Esay saith For how can they call God their father that haue no loue to their brethren 3. Thirdly hence we may learne that God is no accepter of persons For this prayer is giuen to all men of what state or degree soeuer All then as well poore as rich vnlearned as learned subiects as rulers may say Our father It is not with the Lord as it is with the world but all are his children that doe beleeue The poore man hath as good interest in Gods kingdome and may call God father as well as the king Therfore the weaker sort are to comfort themselues hereby knowing that God is a father to them as well as to Abraham Dauid Peter And such as are indued with more grace must not therefore swell in pride because they haue not God to be their father more then their inferiours haue Which art in heauen 1. The meaning Quest. HOw may God be said to be in heauen seeing hee is infinite and therefore must needes be euery where 1. King 8.27 The heauens of heauens are not able to containe him Ans. God is said to be in heauen first because his maiestie that is his power wisdome iustice mercie is made manifest from thence vnto vs. Psal. 115.3 Our God is in heauen and doth whatsoeuer he will Psal. 2.4 He that dwelleth in heauen shall laugh them to scorne and the Lord shall haue theÌ„ in derision Esai saith 66.2 Thus saith the Lord Heauen is my throne and the earth is my footstoole Secondly after this life he will manifest and exhibite the fulnes of his glorie to his Angels and Saints in the highest heauens and that immediately and visibly 2. The vse 1. HEreby first we learne that Romish pilgrimages whereby men went from place to place to worship God are vaine and foolish The God to whome we must pray is in heauen Now let men trauell to what placeâ— or countrey they will they shall not come the nearer to heauen or nearer to God by trauelling seeing the earth is in euery part alike distant from heauen 2. Secondly this ouerthrowes popish idolatrie as worshipping of crosses cruciâ—ixes roodes c. vsed to put men in minde of God and Christ. We are taught to lift vp our eyes to heauen seeing God is there and how can we doe this as long as our minds and eyes are poaring vpon an image made by mans arte 3. Again we are here admonished to vse the action of prayer with as great reuerence as possible may be and not to think of God in any earthly manner Well reasons Salomon Eccles. 5.1 Be not rash with thy mouth to speake a word before God Why He is in heauen thou art in earth therefore let thy words be few This reuerence must appeare in holinesse of all our thoughts and affections and in all comelines of gesture And for this cause all wandring by-thoughts all vaine babbling is to be auoided but how goes the case with vs that on the times appointed come to the assemblies to pray Many by reason of their blindnes pray without vnderstanding Many when they are present at praier yet haue their hearts occupied about other matters about their goods and worldly busines such men haue no ioy or gladnes in praying it is a burthen to them Many come to the assembly for custome onely or for feare of punishment if they might be left free they could find in their hearts not to pray at all But let all such men know that this maner of praying is a very grieuous sinne nay greater then mocking of father or mother killing or stealing for it is directly against God the other against men This sinne because it is against the first table and therefore more hard to be discerned it is lightly esteemed and it lesse troubles the consciences of ignorant men yea as it is in deede so it is to be esteemed as a disgrace and plaine mockerie of Gods maiestie Wherefore seeing God is in heauen away with all drowsie and dead praying let vs come with reuerence in our hearts before the Lord. 4. Againe we are here to consider that our hearts in praier must mount vp into heauen and there be present with the Lord. Psal. 25.1 â— Vnto thee O Lord lift I vp my soule The little childe is neuer well but when it is in the fathers lap or vnder the mothers wing and the children of God are neuer in better case then when in affection and spirit they can come into the presence of their heauenly Father and by praier as it were to creepe into his bosome 5. And here we must further learne specially to seeke for heauenly things and to aske earthly things so farre forth as they serue to bring vs to an euerlasting and immortall inheritance in heauen to which we are called 1. Pet. 1.3 6. Lastly whereas our father is in heauen we are to learne that our life on earth is but a pilgrimage that our desire must be to attaine to a better countrey namely heauen it selfe and that we must vse all meanes continually to come vnto it In a word to make an end of the preface in it is contained a double stay or prop of all our prayers The one is to beleeue that God can graunt our requests because he is almightie thus much is signified when he is said to be in heauen The second is to beleeue that God is ready and willing to grant the same and this we are tâ—ught in the title Father which serues to put vs in â—ind that God accepts our prayers Ioh. 16.32 and hath a care of vs in all our miseries and necessities Matth. 6.32 and pitieth vs as much as any earthly father can pitie his child Psal. 103.13 Yet must we not imagin that God will indeed giue vnto vs whatsoeuer we doe vpon our owne heads fancie and desire but we must in our praiers haue recourse to the promise
in the Pharisie whose thoughts were these when he praied thus within himselfe O God I thanke thee that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publican c. And as this was in him so it is in vs till God giue grace for so that men may haue praise glory in the world they care not for Gods glory though it be defaced We must therefore learne to discerne this hidden corruption and to mourne for it for it doth poison and hinder al good desires of glorifying god so long as it doth or shall preuaile in the heart 2. Secondly wee are taught here to bewaile the hardnesse of our hearts whereby we are hindred from knowing God aright and from discerning the glory and maiestie of God in his creatures Mark 6.52 The disciples through the hardnes of their hearts could not see Gods power in the miracle of feeding many thousands with a few loaues though themselues were instruments of it and the foode did increase in their hands Our redemption what a wonderful worke is it but how few consider of it or regard it If we see a man haue more wit wealth or honour then we haue wee straight wonder at him but beholding Gods creatures we see nothing in them because we doe not goe higher to acknowledge the loue power wisdome and iustice of the Creator And this is the cause why Gods name is so slenderly honoured among men 3. The third corruption is our great ingratitude for the Lord hath made heauen and earth and all other creatures to serue man yet he is the most vnthankfull of all creatures Bestow many iewels or a kings raunsome on a dead man he wil neuer returne any kindnes so men being dead in sinne deale with God Commonly men are like the swine that run with their groines and eate vp the mast but neuer looke vp to the tree from whence it falleth But the godly are with Dauid to feele this want in themselues and to beseech God to open and as it were to vnlocke their lips that they may indeauour to be thanfull to God Psal. 51.15 4. The fourth is the vngodlines the innumerable wāts that be in our liues and the sinnes committed in the world Psal. 119.136 Mine eies saith Dauid gush out with riuers of water because men keepe not thy lawes The reason is because he which liues in sinne reproches Gods name euen as an euill childe dishonours his father Now some will say that this cannot be because our sinnes cānot hurt God True indeed yet are they a cause of slādering Gods name among men for as we honour him by our good workes so we dishonour him by our offences Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen 4. Graces to be desired 1. THe graces to be desired and to bee praied for at Gods hand are three The first is the knowledge of God that is that we might knowe him as he hath reuealed himselfe in his word works and creatures For how shall any glorifie God before he know him Our knowledge in this life is imperfect Exod. 23. Moses may not see Gods face but his hinder parts 1. Corin. 13.12 We may see God as men doe through spectacles in his word sacraments and creatures And therefore as Paul praied for the Colossians Col. 1.10 That they might increase in the knowledge of God so are wee taught to pray for our selues in this petition 2. We desire that a zeale of Gods glorie may be kindled in our hearts and that we may be kept from prophaning and abusing of his name Psal. 69.9 The zeale of thine house hath eaten me vp Psal. 45.1 My heart shall vtter or cast vp a good matter I will speake in my workes of the king Here the spirit of God borrowes a comparison from men thus As hee which hath somewhat lying heauie in his stomacke is neuer quiet till he haue cast it vp euen so the care desire to glorifie Gods name must lie vpon a mans heart as an heauie burden and he is not to be at ease and quiet with himselfe till he bee disburdened in sounding forth Gods praise Luther saith well that this is Sancta crapula that is an holy surfet and it is no hurt continually to haue our hearts ouercharged thus 3. A desire to lead a godly and vpright life before God and men We see men that in some great calling vnder honourable personages will so order behaue themselues as they may please and honour their masters euen so must our liues be well ordered and we are to labour to walke worthie of the Lord as Paul speaketh that we may honour our heauenly father Thy kingdome come 1. The Coherence THis petition dependes on the former most excellently For in it is laide downe the meanes to procure the first Gods name must bee hallowed among men but howe is it done by the erecting of Gods kingdome in the hearts of men We cannot glorifie God vntil he rule in our hearts by his word and spirit 2. The meaning Thy This word doth put vs in minde that there is two kingdomes one Gods and that is the kingdome of heauen the other the deuils called the kingdome of darknesse Coloss. 1.13 For when all had sinned in Adam God laide this punishment on all that seeing they could not be content to obey their Creator they should be in bondage vnder satan so that by nature we are all the children of wrath and the deuill holds vp the scepter of his kingdome in the hearts of men This kingdome is spirituall and the pillars of it are ignorance errour impietie and all disobedience to God in which the deuill wholly delights which also are as it were the lawes of his kingdome Blind ignorant people can not abide this doctrine that the deuill should rule in their hearts they spit at the naming of him and say that they defie him with all their hearts but whereas they liue in sinne and practise it as occasion is offered though they cannot discerne of themselues yet they make plaine proofe that they liue in the kingdome of sinne and darknesse and are flatte vassels of Satan and shall so continue till Christ the strong man come and binde him and cast him out And this is the estate of all the children of Adam in themselues Wherefore our Sauiour in this petition teacheth vs to consider our naturall estate and to pray that he would giue vs his spirit to set vs at libertie in the kingdome of his owne sonne Kingdome Gods kingdome in Scripture is taken two waies First generally and so it signifieth that administration by which the Lord gouerneth all things yea euen the deuils themselues Of which kingdome mention is made in the ende of this prayer And in the Psalme 97. vers 1. The Lord raigneth let the earth reioyce Againe it is taken more specially and then it signifieth
giue his disciples that they must denie themselues and follow him 2. The second thing is the knowledge of Gods will for otherwise howe shall we doe it How can that seruant please his master which cannot tel what he would haue done of him Most men will haue bookes of statutes in their houses and if they be to deale in any great matter they will doe nothing before they haue looked on the statute In like manner men should haue the bible that is the booke of Gods statutes in their houses the lawes of God must be the men of our counsell before euery action we are to search what is the will of God and then to doe it Here then we are taught to vse the meanes and to pray for knowledge 3. Againe wee are here taught to haue a desire in our hearts and an indeauour in our liues in all things to performe obedience to Gods worde in our liues and conuersations and in our particular callings 4. Lastly we desire patience and strength when it shall please God at any time to exercise vs with the crosse as Paul praies for the Colossians That God would strengthen them by the power of his might vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse Coloss. 1.12 5. Error confuted THE Church of Rome teacheth that men by nature haue free will to doe good and that men being stirred vp by the holy ghost can of themselues will that which is good But if this were so why might wee not pray Let my will be done So farre forth as the will of man shall agree with Gods will but this cannot be as wee see in the tenour of this petition In earth as it is in heauen 1. The meaning HAuing shewed the meaning of this petition Thy will be done nowe we are to speake of the condition which shewes in what manner we should doe it For the question might be howe we would doe Gods will and the answer is that his will must be done in earth as it is in heauen Heauen By heauen here is meant the soules of faithfull men departed and the elect Angels Psal. 103.20 Praise the Lord ye his angels that excel in streÌ„gth that doe his commandements in obeying the voice of his word Earth By earth is vnderstood nothing but men on earth because all other creatures in their kind obey God onely man he is rebellious and disobedient Then the meaning is Let thy will be done by vs men on earth as the Angels and Saints departed doe thy will in heauen Question Doe wee here desire to doe the will of God in that perfection it is done by Angels must we be as perfect as they Ans. The words here vsed in earth as it c. doe not signifie an equalitie as though our obedience could in this life bee in the same degree of perfection with Angels but a similitude standing in the like manner of obedience Now it may be asked in what manner do the angels obey God Ans. They do the will of God willingly speedily and faithfully and this is signified in that they are said in the scriptures to be winged and to stand continually beholding the face of our heauenly father And this is the manner in which wee desire to performe Gods will 2. The wants to be bewailed VVE are here admonished to bee displeased with our selues for our slacke and imperfect obedience to God for our hypocrisie priuie prid presumption deadnes of spirit and many other wants which breake out when we are in doing Gods will There is no seruant of God but hath wants in his best workes so we must vnderstand Paul when he saith To will is present with me but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good Rom. 7.18 Where he signifies thus much in effect that hee could beginne good things but not perfect them and goe through-stitch as we say When the godly doe good workes as heare speake gods word pray praise God c. they perform things acceptable to God but in these actions they finde matter of mourning namely the imperfection of the worke therefore Dauid praieth Psal. 143.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant And here we may see how farre wide the Church of Rome is that holdeth good works to be any way meritorious that be euery way imperfect If the men of that church had grace they might see that the corruptions of the flesh were as gyues and fetters about their legges that when they would faine runne the waies of Gods commandements they are constrained to halt downe right and to traile their loynes after them 3. Grace to be desired THe grace here to be desired is sinceritie of heart or a readie and constant purpose and indeauour not to sinne in any thing but to doe Gods wil so as we may keepe a good conscience before God men Act. 24. 16. And for this cause I endeuour alwaies to haue a cleare conscience towards God and towards men This must we hunger after and pray for seeing it is not sufficient to abstaine from euill but also to doe good and in doing good striue to come to perfection A conformitie with Angels in this dutie is to be sought for and to be begun in this life that in the life to come we may be like them in glorie Giue vs this day our daily bread 1. The Goberence THus much of the three first petitions which concerne God now follow the other three which concerne our selues In which order we learne to pray for those things which concerne God absolutely and for those things which concerne our selues not absolutely but so farre forth as they shall make for Gods glorie the building of his kingdome and the doing of his will But how depends this petition on the former In the first we were taught to pray that Gods name might be hallowed which is done when God raignes in our hearts his wil is done Now further his will is obeied in three things first by depending on his prouidence for the things of this life secondly by depending on his mercie for the pardon of sinneâ— thirdly by depending on his power and might in resisting temptations And thus Gods will is obeied 2. The meaning BRâ—ad By bread in this place many of the ancient fathers as also the Papists at this day vnderstand the element of bread in the Sacrament the bodie of Christ which is the bread of life But that cannot be for S. Luke calls it bread for the day that is bread sufficient to preserue vs for the present day and by this he makes it manifest that the words of this petition must be vnderstood not of spirituall but of bodily foode and the bread of life is more directly asked in the second or fourth petition As for the opinion of Erasmus who thinkes that in this so heauenly a prayer made to God the Father there should be no mention made of bread that is of earthly things which euen the Gentiles bestow
occasions 1. The entrance to our callings in the morning 2. The receiuing of Gods creatures at noone-tyde 3. The going to rest at night Againe beside set solemne praiers there be certaine kinds of short praiers which the fathers call Eiaculationes that is the liftings vp of the heart into heauen secretly and suddainly and this kind of praying may be vsed as occasion is offered enery houre in the daie Quest. 5. Whether may we pray for all men or no Ans. We may and wee may not We may if all men or mankind be taken distributiuely or seuerally For there is no particular countrie kingdome towne person but wee may make praiers for it And though men be Atheists Infidels Heretikes yea deuils incarnate yet for any thing we knowe they may belong to the election of God except they sinne against the holy ghost which sinne is very seldome hardly discerned of men And in this sence must the commandement of Paul be vnderstood I exhort therfore that first of all supplications praiers c. be made for all men 1. Tim. 2.1 We may not pray for all men if all men or mankind be taken collectiuely that is if all men be considered wholly togither as they make one bodie or company and be taken as we say in grosse For in this bodie or masse of mankind there be some though they be vnknowne to vs yet I say there be some whome God in his iust iudgement hath refused whose saluation by praier shall neuer be obtained Quest. 6. Whether is it possible for a man to pray in reading of a praier Answer It pleaseth some to mooue this question but there is no doubt of it For praier is a part of Gods worship and therefore a spirituall action of the heart of man standing specially in a desire of that which we want and faith whereby we beleeue that our desire shall be granted Nowe the voice or vtterance whether it be in reading or otherwise is no part of the praier but an outwarde meanes whereby praier is vttered and expressed Therefore there is no reason why a forme of praier being read should cease to be a praier because it is read so be it the spirit of grace and praier be not wanting in the partie reading and the hearers Obiect To reade a sermon is not to preach and therefore to read a praier is not to pray Ans. The reason is not like in both For the gift of preaching or prophecie can not bee shewed or practised in the reading of a sermon and for this cause the reading of a sermon is not preaching or prophesie but the grace and gift of praier may bee shewed in reading of a praier otherwise it would goe very hard with them that want conuenient vtterance by reason of some defect in the tongue or by reason of bashfulnesse in the presence of others Of Gods hearing our praiers HItherto we haue spoken of the making of praier to god a word or twain of Gods hearing our praiers Quest. How many waies doth God heare mens praiers Ans. Two waies The first in his mercie when he graunts the requests of such as call vpon him in the feare of his name Secondly hee heares mens praiers in his wrath Thus he gaue the Israelites Quailes according to their desire Psal. 78.29.30.31 Thus often men curse themselues and wish that they were hanged or dead and accordingly they haue their wish Quest. 2. Why doth God deferre to heare the praiers of his seruants Ans. First to prooue them by delay Secondly to exercise their faith Thirdly to make them acknowledge that the things which they receiue are Gods gifts not frō thēselues Fourthly that graces quickly giuen might not be lightly esteemed Fiftly that an hungring after grace might be sharpned increased Question 3. After what manner doth God heare his seruants prayers Answer Two waies First by graunting the thing which was asked according to his will Secondly by denying the thing desired and by giuing something proportionall to it Thus God denies temporarie blessings and in the roome therof giues eternal in heauen Thus he refuseth to remooue the crosse from his seruants and giues in stead therof strength and patience Christ praied that the cuppe might be remooued It was not remooued yet he in his māhood was inabled to beare the wrath of God When Paul praied three times that the pricke in the flesh might be remooued it was answered My strength is sufficient for thee Quest. 4. Why doth not God alwaies heare mens praiers Ans. There be many causes of this The first because oftentimes we know not to aske as we ought Math. 20.22 The second because we aske amisse Iam. 4.3 The third because otherwhiles the things which we aske though they be good in themselues yet they are not good vnto vs and for that cause are withheld 2. Cor. 12.7 The last because God will for some long time deferre the granting of that which we aske that he may stirre vp our faith and hope and our diligence in praier and that we might the better esteeme of the gifts of God when we haue them and shew our selues more thankfull To the Reader PAul in his Epistles hath set downe the summe of many of his prayers they are very gratious and heauenly and I haue here set them downe that thou mightest know them and in thy prayers follow them 16. I cease not to giue thanks for you making mention of you in my praiers 17. That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the father of glorie might giue vnto you the spirit of wisdome and of reuelation in the acknowledgement of him 18. The eyes of your minde beeing enlightned that ye may know what the hope is of his calling and what the riches are of his glorious inheritance in the Saints 19. And what is the exceeding greatnes of his power in vs that beleeue according to the working of his mightie power 20. Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his right hand in heauenly places The Exposition IN this excellent prayer we are to marke two things the first to whome it is made the second is the matter For the first it is made to God the Father who is described by two titles The first The God of our Lord Iesus Christ namely as Christ is man for as Christ is God he is equall with the father The second The father of glorie that is a glorious father and he is so called to distinguish him from earthly fathers The matter of the prayer stands on two principall points First he asketh of God the spirit of wisdome whereby the seruants of God are inabled to discerne out of the word in euery busines which they take in hand whether it be in word or deede what ought to be done and what ought to be left vndone as also the circumstances the time place manner of doing any thing Secondly he praieth for the spirit of reuelation whereby
the faithfull haue their whole estate before God reuealed vnto them according to the word the thing it selfe being otherwise secret and hidden 1. Cor. 2,9,10,12 Further the work of this spirit in the godly is twofold the one concernes God himselfe the other the things of God The worke of the spirit of reuelation which respects God himselfe is an acknowledgement of the Father or of Christ. Now to acknowledge God the Father is not onely to know and confesse that he is a father of the faithfull but also to be resolued in conscience that he is a father to me in particular Secondly that Christ is not onely in generall a Sauiour of the elect but that he is in speciall my Sauiour and redeemer The second worke of this spirit is an illumination of the eyes of the minde to see and know the things of God which he hath prepared for them that doe beleeue and they are two The first is life eternall which is described by fiue arguments 1. It is the Ephesian hope that is the thing hoped for in this life 2. It is the hope of the calling of God because in preaching of the Gospell it is offered and men are called to waite for the same 3. An inheritance properly to Christ because he is the naturall sonne of God and by him to all that shall beleeue 4. The excellencie because it is a rich and glorious inheritance 5. Lastly it is made proper to the Saints The second thing is the greatnes of the power of God whereby sinne is mortified the corrupt nature renued and mightily strengthened in temptations This power is set forth by two arguments The first is the subiect or persons in whome this power is made manifest In them that beleeue Because none can feele this but they which apprehend Christ by faith The second is the manner of manifesting this power in them which is according to the working of his mightie power which he shewed in Christ. And that was in three things First in putting all his enemies vnder his feete v. 2. Secondly in raising him from death Thirdly in placing him at his right hand Now therefore Paul praies that this wonderfull power of God which did shew forth it selfe in the head Christ might likewise shew it selfe in the members of Christ. First in treading Satan and sinne vnder their feete Rom. 16.10 Secondly in raising them from sinne as out of a graue to holines of life Thirdly in aduancing them in the time appointed to the kingdome of glorie in heauen Ephes. 3. 14. FOr this cause I bowe my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. 15. Of whome is named the whole familie in heauen and earth 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glorie that yeâ— may be strengthened by his spirit in the inner man 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith 18. That ye being rooted and grounded in loue may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height 19. And know the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye may be filled with all fulnesse of God 20. Vnto him therefore that is able to doâ— exceeding abundantly aboue all that we aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in vs 21. Be praise in the Church by Christ Iesus throughout all generations for euer Amen The Exposition THese wordes containe two parts a prayer and a thankesgiuing In the prayer these points are to be marked First the gesture I bow my knees wherby Paul signifies his humble submission to God in prayer Secondly to whome he praies To the Father who is described by two titles the first the father of our Lord Iesus Christ and that by nature as he is God and as he is man by personall vnion The other title Of whome the whole familie which is in heauen and earth is named In which words is set downe a description of the Church first it is a Familie because it is the companie of Gods elect children vnder the gouernment of one father 1. Tim. 3.15 It is called the house of God Eph. 2.19 They that beleeue are saide to be of the houshold of God secondly the parts of the Catholike Church are noted namely the Saints in heauen departed and Saints liuing on earth thirdly it is said to be named of the father of Christ because as the father of Christ is the father of this familie so also this familie is called by him Gen. 6.2 Dan. 9.80 Thirdly the matter of the prayer stands of foure most worthie points The first is strength to beare the crosse and to resist spirituall temptations v. 16. where the strength is set out by diuers arguments First that it is the meere gift of God that he would graunt you Secondly the cause of strength by his Spirit Thirdly the subiect or place where this strength must be in the inner man that is in the whole man so farre forth as he is renued by grace Eph. 6.14 The second is the dwelling of Christ in their hearts by faith Faith is when a man beeing seriously humbled for his sinnes is further in conscience perswaded and resolued of the pardon of them and of reconciliation to God Now where this perswasion is in deed there followes necessarily Christs dwelling in the heart which stands in two things the first is the ruling and ordering of the thoughts affections and desires of the heart according to his will as a master rules in his house the second is the continuance of his rule For he cannot be said to dwell in a place who rules in it but for a day The third is the knowledge and the acknowledgement of the infinit greatnes of Gods loue in Christ an effect of the former v. 18 19. the words are thus explaned Rooted and grounded Here the loue of God wherewith he loues the elect is as a roote and foundation of all Gods benefits election vocation iustification and glorification Men are rooted and grounded in loue when Gods spirit assures their hearts of Gods loue and doth giue them some inward sense and feeling of it For then they are as it were sensibly put into the roote and laid on the foundation With all Saints Paul desires this benefit not onely to the Ephesians but also to all the faithfull with them What is the length the bredth Here is a speech borrowed from the Geometricians and it signifies the absolute greatnes or infinitnes of Gods loue and that it is like a world which for length breadth height and depth is endlesse Here note the order or receiuing grace First Christ dwells in the heart by faith Secondly then comes a sense and feeling of Gods loue as it were by certaine drops thereof Thirdly after this ariseth a plentifull knowledge and apprehension of Gods loue and as it were the powring out of a sea into a mans heart that for greatnes hath neither bottome nor banke And know the loue of
with the oyntment of the Spirit which is the true eye salue and doe plainly behold the sonne of righteousnes they enioy his presence they effectually feele his comfortable heate to quicken and reuiue them XX. From this sense and tast of Gods grace proceed many fruits as first generally he may doe outwardly all things which true Christians doe and he may lead such a life here in this world that although he cannot attaine to saluation yet his paines in hell shal be lesse which appeareth in that our Sauiour Christ saith it shall be easier for Tyrus and Sydon for Sodom and Gomorâ—ha then for Capernaum and other cities vnto which he came in the day of iudgment XXI Also the reprobate may haue a loue of God but this loue can be no sincere loue for it is only because God bestoweth benefits and prosperitie vpon him as appeareth in Saul who loued God for his aduancement to the kingdome here is a difference betweene the Elect and reprobate the Elect loue God as children their fathers but reprobates as hirelings their masters whom they affect not so much for themselues as for their wages XXII Also a reprobate hath often a reioycing in doing those things which appertaine to the seruice of God as preaching and praier Herod heard Iohn Baptist preach gladly and the second kind of naughtie ground receiueth the word preached with ioy XXIII A Reprobate often desireth them whom he thinketh to be the children of God to pray for him As Pharao desired Aaron and Moses to pray to God for him So did Simon Magus desire Peter to pray that none of the things which he had spoken against him should come to passe But yet they cannot pray themselues because they want the spirit of Christ. XXIIII He may shew liking to Gods Ministers he may reuerence them and feare to displease them Thus did Simon Magus who at Philips preaching beleeued wondred at his miracles kept companie with him And Herod is said to feare Iohn knowing that he was a iust man and holy also he gaue reuerence to him Antonius the Emperour called Pius though he was no Christian yet in a generall parliament held at Ephesus he made an act in the behalf of Christians that if any man should trouble or accuse a Christian for beeing a Christian the partie accused should goe free though he were found to be a Christian and the accuser should be punished And Plinius secundus gouernour of Spaine vnder Trajanus the Emperour when he saw an innumerable companie of Christians to be executed being mooued with compassion he wrote in their behalfe beeing no Christian vnto Trajanus to spare them that could be charged with no crime and his letter is yet extant XXV He may be zealous in the religion which he professeth and fall from that profession as the Galatians did who after that they had receiued Paul as an Angel and would haue plucked out their eyes to haue done him good yet they fell from the doctrine which he had taught them to iustification by the works of the Law which flat ouerthroweth iustification by faith alone The same appeareth in Iehu who was very zealous for Gods cause for the defacing of idolatrie and thereupon God blessed him in his children yet neuerthelesse he was a wicked man and followed the vile sinnes of Ieroboam his father XXVI After that he hath sinned he doth in many things in which he is faultie amend and reforme his life and doth professe great holines outwardly Herod he did many things which Iohn Baptist in preaching mooued him vnto Saul when he was to be chosen king professed great humilitie They may represse their vices and corruptions and so moderate themselues that they breake not out as did Haman of whome it is written that when he was full of indignation against Mordecai yet he refraine himself And herein the Elect and the Reprobate differ for the elect are somewhat reformed in euery one of their sinnes But the reprobate though he be amend in many faults yet someone fault or other he cannot abide to haue it reformed and by that in a vile manner the deuill wholly possesseth him As Herod who did many things yet would not leaue his brothers wife And no doubt in Iudas most of his sinnes in appearance were mortified and yet by couetousnesse the deuill possessed him and held him fast chained in bondage vnder him For one sinne is sufficient to him that by it he may bring a man to damnation Secondly in infidels liuing honestly the spirit of God bridleth the force of sinne the corrupt nature that it breake not out as it doth in many other But in Christians that are indeed godly the same spirit not only represseth the corruptioÌ„ of nature outwardly but also mortifieth it within at the root regenerateth the whole maÌ„ into a new creature Thus then neither the faithfull nor infidels doe effect any thing that is laudable but by the spirit of god the faithful by the spirit of regeneration infidels by the same spirit only suppressing the outward act of sinne XXVII Beside this he may haue the gift of working miracles of casting forth deuils of healing and such like and this power of doing strange miracles shall be vsed as an excuse of some of the reprobates in the day of iudgement XXVIII Oftentimes vnto him is giuen the gifts of the holy Ghost to discharge the most waightie calling that can be in any common wealth And this is meant when God is said to giue Saul an other heart that is such vertues as were meet for a King XXIX A reprobate may haue the word of God much in his mouth and also may be a preacher of the word for so prophecying in Christs name shal be vsed as an excuse of reprobates and we know that among the twelue Apostles Iudas was a reprobate And this may be wel perceiued in the resemblance of tasting which the author to the Hebrewes vseth We know that cookes commonly which are occupied in preparing of bankets haue as much feeling and seeing of the meat as any other and yet there is none that eateth lesse of it then they for their stomackes are cloyed with the smell and taste of it so in like maner it may come to passe that the minister which dresseth prouideth the spiritual foode may eate the least of it himselfe and so labouring to saue others he may be a reprobate And it is thought that some of them which built the Arke were not saued in the Arke but perished in the floud XXX When as a reprobate professeth thus much of the Gospell though in deed he be a goat yet he is taken for one of Gods sheepe he is kept in the same pastures and is folded in the same fold with them He is counted a Christian of the children of God and so he taketh himself to be
hath a disease or sore in his bodie before he can be cured of it he must see it feele paine of it and bee in a feare least it bring him into danger of death after this he shall see himselfe to stande in neede of phisicke and he longeth till he be with the phisitian when hee is once come to him he desireth him of all loues to helpe him and to shewe the best skill he can he will not spare for any cost then hee yeeldes himselfe into the Phisitians handes perswading himselfe that by Gods blessing he both can and wil help him after this he comes to his former health againe On the same manner euery man is wounded with the deadly wounde of sinne at the very heart and he that would be saued and escape damnation must see his sinne be sorrowfull for it and vtterly despaire of his own strength to attaine saluation thereby furthermore he must see himselfe to stand in neede of Christ the good Phisitian of his soule and long after him and crie vnto him with deepe sighes and groanes for mercie after this Christ Iesus will temper him a plaister of his owne heart blood which beeing applied he shall finde himselfe reuiued and shall come to a liuely assurance of the forgiuenesse of all his sinnes So it was in Dauid when he repented of his adulterie and murther First God made him see his sinnes for he saith I knowe mine iniquities and my sinnes are euer before me Secondly he felt Gods anger for his sinnes make me saith he to heare ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioice Thirdly he vtterly despaired of his owne strength in that he said stablish me with thy free spirit signifying thereby vnlesse the Lord would stay him with his glorious power he should runne headlong to his owne confusion Fourthly he comes to see himselfe stand in great neede of Gods fauour one mercy wil not content him he praieth for the whole innumerable multitude of his mercies to be bestowed on him to doe away his iniquities Fiftly his desire and his prayer for the forgiuenesse of his sinne are set downe in the whole Psalme And in his prayer he gathereth some comfort and assurance of Gods mercie towards himselfe in that he saith The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Againe the like appeareth in Dauid Psal. 32.3 When I held my tongue my bones consumed in my roring all the day 4. For thy hand was heauie vpon me day and night my moisture was turned into the drought of sommer Sela. 5. I confessed my sinnes vnto thee neither hid I mine iniquities I said I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne To this purpose is the example of R. Glouer Martyr who being somwhat troubled at his entrance into prison testifieth thus of himselfe So saith he I remained without any further conference of any man by the space of eight daies and till the bishops comming in which time I gaue my selfe continually to prayer and meditation of the mercifull promises of God made to all without exception of persons that call vpon the name of his deare sonne Iesus Christ. I found in my selfe daiely amendment of health of bodie increase of peace of conscience and many consolations from God by the helpe of his spirit and sometimes as it were a tast and glimmering of the life to come all for his onely sonne Iesus Christs sake XVI There are diuers degrees and measures of this vnfained faith according as there be diuers degrees of Christians some are yet in the wombe and haue their mother the Church trauelling of them some are newe borne babes feeding on the milke of the word some are perfect men in Christ come to the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ. XVII The least measure of faith that any Christian can haue is compared to the graine of mustard seed the least of all seeds and to flaxe that hath fire in it but so weake that it can neither giue heat nor light but only maketh a smoke and is called by the name of a little faith and it may bee thus described When a man of an humble heart doth not yet feele the assurance of the forgiuenes of his own sinnes and yet he is perswaded that they are pardonable desiring that they might be pardoned and therefore praieth to God that he would pardon them and giue him strength to leaue them XVIII A little faith may more plainely be knowne by considering of these foure points first that it is onely in his heart who is humbled for sinne For the Lord dwelleth with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit to receiue the spirit of the humble and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart Secondly it is in a man especially at the time of his conuersion and calling to Christ after which he is to growe from faith to faith Thirdly this faith though it bee in the heart yet it is not so much felt in the heart this was in Dauid at some times My God my God why hast thou forsaken me saith he The first wordes my God my God are speeches of faith yet the latter why hast thou forsaken me shew that thē he had no feeling of Gods mercie A little faith then is in the heart of man as in the spring time the fruite is in the bud which yet appeareth not but onely hath his nature and substance in the bud Lastly the beginnings and seedes of this faith or at the least signes and effects thereof are three The first is a perswasion that a mans own sinnes are pardonable this perswasion though it be not faith yet it is a good preparation to faith for the wicked cut themselues off quite from Gods mercie in that with Cain they say their sinnes are greater then that they can be forgiuen The second is a desire of the fauour and mercie of God in Christ and of the meanes to attaine to that fauour This desire is a speciall grace of God and it hath the promise of blessednes and it must be distinguished from that desire which wicked men haue who though they desire life eternal as Balaam did yet they cannot sincerely desire the meanes as faith repentance mortification reconciliation c. The third is praier for nothing in this world but only for the forgiuenesse of their sinnes with great sighes groanes from the bottome of the heart which they are not able to expresse as they feele them Now this heartie praying and desire for the pardon of sinne can neuer come from the flesh but onely from the spirit who stirreth vp these heauenly motions of longing desiring sighing after remission of sinne and all other graces of God which hee belloweth vpon his
nothing to say but this The Lord increase the number of them And the Lord fullfill them with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding that they may walke worthie of him and please him in all things being fruitfull in all good works and increasing in the knowledge of God And wheras they are at continual warre against the flesh the world and the deuil Lord Iesus strengthen them with all might through thy glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnes And deare father of all mercie plant that gouernment in thy Church euery where which thou hast reuealed in thy worde that thy Saints may worship thee in those means in that order and comelines which thou hast appointed abounding in righteousnesse peace of conscience and ioy of the holy ghost Amen Amen A DIALOGVE OF THE STATE OF A CHRISTIan man gathered here and there out of the sweet and sauorie writings of Master Tindall and Master Bradford TImotheus Because of our ancient acquaintance and familiaritie deare friend Eusebius I will make bold with you to aske such questiōs as may be for my edification cōfort and of no other matters but euen of religion whereof I see you are an olde professour And the first of all let me bee bold to aske this question of you howe it pleased God to make you a true Christian and a member of Christ Iesus whome I see you serue continually with a feruent zeale Eusebius For that old acquaintance that was betweene vs and for that you are desirous to liue a godly life in Christ Iesus I will not conceale the good worke of my God in me therfore I pray you marke a little what I shall say I will declare vnto you the trueth euen forth of the feeling of mine own conscience The fall of Adam did make me the heire of vengeance and wrath of God and heire of eternall damnation and did bring mee into captiuitie and bondage vnder the deuil and the deuill was my Lord my ruler my head my gouernour and my prince yea and my God And my will was locked knit faster vnto the will of the deuil then could a hundred thousand chaines binde a man vnto a poast Vnto the deuils will did I consent with all my heart with all my mind with all my might power strength will and life so that the Lawe and will of the deuil was written as well in my heart as in my members and I ran headlong after the deuill with full saile and the whole swing of all the power I had as a stone cast into the aire commeth downe naturally of it selfe with all the violent swing of his own weight O with what a deadly and venemous heart did I hate mine enemies With how great malice of mind inwardly did I sley and murther With what violence and rage yea with what feruēt lust committed I adulterie fornication and such like vncleannes With what pleasure and delectation like a glutton serued I my bellie With what diligence deceiued I How busily sought I the things of the world Whatsoeuer I did work imagine or speake was abominable in the sight of God for I could referre nothing vnto the honour of God neither was his law or will written in my members or in my heart neither was their any more power in me to followe the will of God then in a stone ascend vpward of it selfe And besides that I was asleep in so deep blindnes that I could neither see nor feele in what miserie thraldome and wretchednesse I was till Moses came and awaked me and published the lawe When I heard the law truely preached howe that I ought to loue and honour God with all my strength and might from the lowe bottome of the heart because he did create me Lord ouer it and my neighbor yea mine enemies as my selfe inwardly from the groūd of my heart because God hath made them after the likenesse of his owne image and they are his sonnes as well as I and Christ hath bought them with his blood and made them heires of euerlasting life as wel as I and how I ought to do whatsoeuer God biddeth and to abstaine from whatsoeuer God forbiddeth with all loue and meekenes with a feruent and burning lust from the center of the heart Then began my conscience to rage against the Lawe and against God No sea be it neuer so great a tēpest was so vnquiet for it was not possible for me a naturall man to consent to the Law that it should bee good or that God should be righteous which made the law in as much as it was contrarie vnto my nature and damned me and all that I could doe and neuer shewed mee where to fetch helpe nor preached any mercie but onely set me at variance with God prouoked stirred me to raile on god and to blaspheme him as a cruel tyrant And indeed it was not possible to doe otherwise to thinke that God made me of so poysoned a nature and gaue me an impossible law to performe I being not borne againe by the spirit and my wit reason and will being so fast glewed yea nailed and chained vnto the will of the deuil This was the captiuitie and bondage whence Christ deliuered me redeemed and loosed me His blood his death his patience in suffering rebukes wronges and the full wrath of God his prayers and fastings his meekenes fulfilling the vttermost points of the law appeased the wrath of God brought the fauour of god to me againe obtained that God should loue me first and bee my father and that a mercifull father that would consider my infirmitie and weaknes would giue me his spirit againe which he had taken away in Adam to rule gouerne and strengthen me and to breake the bands of Satan wherein I was so straight bound When Christ was on this wise preached and the promises rehearsed which are contained in the booke of God which preaching is called the Gospell or glad tydings and I had deepely considered the same then my heart began to waxe soft and melt at the bounteous mercie of God and kindnes shewed of Christ. For when the gospel was preached the spirit of God mee thought entred into my heart and opened my inwarde eies and wrought a liuely faith in me and made my woofull conscience feele and tast how sweet a thing the bitter death of Christ is and how mercifull and louing God is through Christs purchasing and merits and made me to beginne to loue againe and to consent to the lawe of God how that it is good ought so to be and that God is righteous that made it lastly it wrought in me a desire to be whole and to hunger and thirst after more righteousnesse and more strength to fulfill the law more perfectly and in all that I do or leaue vndone to seeke Gods honour and his will with meekenesse euermore condemning the imperfectnes of my deedes
wil I shewe it you And first of al the dealing of God towards me is a good argumēt to me In the first commandement God hath commanded me to take him to be my God and in the Lords prayer he teacheth me to call him father he hath created the world generally and euery creature particularly for man and so for me to serue for my commoditie necessitie admonition Also he hath made me for his owne image hauing a reasonable soule bodie shape where hee might haue made me a Toad a Serpent a swine deformed franticke Moreouer he hath wonderfully preserued me in my infancie childhood youth middle age hitherto from manifold dangers and perils all which doe confirme in me a perswasion of Gods fatherly loue and that I should not doubt hereof where I might haue beene borne of Turkes loe it was the will of God that I should be borne of Christian parents and be brought into Gods Church by baptisme which is the Sacrament of adoption and requireth faith as well of the remission of my sinnes as of sanctification and holinesse to be wrought of God in me by his grace and holy spirit where I might haue beene borne in an ignorant time and religion God would that I should be borne in these daies and in this countrie where is more knowledge reuealed then euer was here or in many places els is Where I might haue beene of a corrupt iudgement and intangled with many errours of Papistrie and of the Familie of Loue and of the schisme of Browne by Gods goodnes my iudgement is reformed and he hath lightened mine eies to see and my heart to imbrace his sincere trueth By all which things I doe confirme my faith of this that God alwaies hath bin is and will be for euer my father and at my departing forth of this worlde will giue me the crowne of euerlasting glorie Secondly when as man is euermore doubting of the promises of God be they neuer so certaine God of his infinit mercie to preuent al occasions of doubting promiseth to giue his own spirit as a pledge pawne or earnest pennie vnto his children of their adoption election to saluation Nowe since it pleased God to call me from hypocrisie to be a member of his Church I feele that in my selfe which I neuer felt or heard of before In times past I came to praiers and to the preaching of gods word euen as a Beare commeth to the stake nowe the word of God is meate and drinke to me and praier is no burden vnto me but my ordinarie exercise If I rise in the morning I am not well till I haue praied and giuen thankes to God if I do any thing it commeth into my mind to pray In my praiers I find great ioy and comfort and exceeding fauour of God I neuer thinke I can wel take my rest or doe any thing els except first I aske it at Gods hand in Christ. Lastly when my mind and heart is wholly occupied in worldly matters I am stirred vp and as it were drawn to pray vnto god for the remission of my sins and the assurance of my saluation in praier I haue had those grones which for their greatnes cannot be expressed Now from whence commeth all this From the deuil No. In these actions I haue found him my enemie and a continuall hinderer of them For he by his craft when I haue beene heauie and weake hath assailed to prouoke me to some sinnes whereunto my cursed nature was most giuen and I hauing yeelded to him haue beene so hardened blinded by those sinnes that for a time I haue made light account of the word of God and praier Well then peraduenture this came from mine owne selfe No neither This cursed nature of mine hath beene more pleased and delighted with sinne and with the pleasures of the world then with such exercises from which it draweth me and presseth me downe as lead I cannot think that such a poysoning Cockatrice can lay such good egs or that wilde crab trees such as all men are in Adam can bring foorth sweete fruites according to the will of God except God plucke them forth of Adam and plant them in the garden of his mercie and stocke them and graft the spirit of Christ in them Wherefore these are the workes of Gods spirit and my conscience is thereby certified that God hath giuen me the spirit of adoption and therefore that his fauour and mercie shal continue towards me for euer For the gifts of God are without repentance and whome God once loueth him hee loueth for euer Thirdly there be certaine fruits of Gods children which I find in me by which I am confirmed in Gods fauour S. Iohn in his first Epistle saith that hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Truely I feele in my heart a burning loue towards them which are good Christians though I neuer knew them nor saw them and I am very desirous to doe any good for them and if drops of my heart blood would doe them good they should haue them Moreouer I hate all sinne and wickednes with a bitter hatred and I long to see the comming of my Sauiour Christ to iudgement I am grieued and disquieted because I cannot fulfil the law of god as I ought all which I haue learned forth of Gods word to be tokens of Gods children And thus you see what euidence I haue to shewe that I am a true member of the Church militant and in the fauour of God Timoth. Haue you a steadfast faith in Christ as these arguments seeme to prooue without all wauering doubting and distrusting of Gods mercy Euseb. No no. This my faith which I haue in Christ is euen fought against with doubting and euer assailed with desperation not when I sinne only but also in tentations of aduersitie into which God bringeth me to nurture me to shewe me mine owne heart the hypocrisie and false thoughts that there lie hidde my almost no faith at all and as little loue◠euen then happely when I thought my selfe most perfect of all for when temptations come I cannot stand when I haue sinned faith is feeble when wrong is done vnto me I cannot forgiue in sickenesse in losse of goods in all tribulation I am vnpatient when my neighbour needeth my helpe that I must depart with him of mine owne then loue is cold And thus I learne and feele that there is no power to do good but of god only And in al such tēptations my faith perisheth not vtterly neither my loue and consent to the law of God but they be weake sick wounded and not cleane dead As I dealt with my parents being a childe so nowe deale I towards God my louing father When I was a childe my father and mother taught me nurture and wisdome I loued my father and all his commandements and perceiued the goodnes he shewed me that my father loued me
body They obiect that God is omnipotent True indeede but there bee some things the doing of which agreeth not with Gods power as to make contradicentia things contradictorie to be both true of which sort these are For that Christs bodie is a true bodie and that it is in many places at once are flatte contrarie beccause as hath bin shewed it is essential to all magnitudes to be in one place and therefore to a bodie And God cannot take away that which is essentiall to a thing the essence remaining whole 2. Againe transubstantiation maketh the Accidents of bread and wine to remaine without the substance Here also is another contradiction as impossible as the former for it is a common saying in schooles Accident is esse est inesse It is of the essence of an Accident to bee in the substance Now therefore if the Accidents bee there is also the bread and wine and if there bee no substance of bread or wine neither can there be any accidents 3. It holdeth that bread is turned into the bodie of Christ and therfore it must needs holde that Christs bodie is made of bakers bread and yet it holdeth and teacheth that Christs bodie is onely made of the seede of Marie quite ouerthrowing the former Transubstantiation V. It teacheth that a man must alwaies doubt of his saluation and likewise it teacheth that in praying we are to cal GOD father which are things quite contrarie For who can truly call GOD father vnlesse hee haue the spirit of adoption and be assured that he is the child of God For if a man shall call god father yet in his heart doubt whether he be his father or not he playeth the dissembling hypocrite wherefore to doubt of saluation and to say Our father c. in truth are contrarie VI. The Church of Rome maketh praier to bee one of the chiefe meanes to satisfie for sinnes But praier indeede is an asking of pardon for sinne Now asking of pardon satisfaction for sinne are contrarie therfore by the iudgement of the Papists praier which is a satisfaction is no satisfactiō And indeed let vs consider what madnes is contained in this popish diuinitie the poore begger commeth very hungrie to the rich mans doore to craue his almes and straightwaies by his begging he will merit and deserue it The same doeth the papist he prayeth verie poorely for the thing which he wanteth yet he looketh very proudly to merit no lesse then the kingdome of heauen by it VII Doubting of saluation hope cannot agree together for hope maketh a man not to be ashamed that is it neuer disappointeth him of the thing which he looketh for And therefore it is called the anchor of the soule both sure and steadfast which entereth into that which is within the vaile So that true hope and the certaine assurance of saluation goe togither VIII True praier and iustification by works cannot stand togither For hee which prayeth truly must be touched inwardly with a liuely feeling of his owne miserie and of the want of that grace whereof he standes in neede Now this cannot be in the heart of that man that looketh to merit the kingdome of heauen by his workes for he that can doe this may iustly conceiue somewhat of his owne excellencie IX Papists teach that it is great boldnes to come immediately vnto God without the intercession of Saints and therefore they vse to pray to Marie that shee would pray to Christ to helpe them yet on the contrarie when they haue so done they pray to God immediatly that he would receiue the intercession of Marie for them And thus they are become intercessors betweene Marie and God Yea when they offer vp Christ praying God to accept their gifts and sacrifices the humble priest that wil not pray to God but by the mediation of Saints is then a mediator between Christ Iesus God the father X. It holdeth that in the masse the Priest offereth vp Christ to his father an vnbloodie sacrifice This is a thing impossible for if Christ in the masse be sacrificed for sin then he must die his blood must be shed Heb. 9.22 And in the Scriptures these two sayings Christ is dead Christ is offered vp in Sacrifice are all one So then the Papist when he supposeth that there may be an vnbloodie sacrifice in effect he saith thus much There is a sacrifice which is no sacrifice And it is not possible that a bloodie sacrifice should be offered in an vnbloodie manner XI In the Canon of the masse the Church of Rome praieth on this wise We humbly beseech thee most merciful father by Iesus Christ thy sonne and our Lord that that thou wouldest accept these gifts and oblations and these holy Sacrifices which thy Church offer to thee c. where first they offer vp Christ to God the father in the name of Christ and so they make Christ to be his owne mediatour Againe they desire God to blesse and to accept his own sonne for they offer vp Christ. If they say he needeth now the blessing of his father they make Christ a weake and imperfect Christ if he need not the blessing of his father their praier is needelesse Also they desire God to accept not one gift or one sacrifice but in the plurall number these gifts and sacrifices whereas they hold that Christs bodie is one only bodie and therefore but one sacrifice And thus they are at variance with themselues XII Papists in word they say that they beleeue put thei◠trust in God yet whereas they looke to be saued by their workes they set the confidence of their hearts in truth vpon their owne doings XIII They put such holines in matrimonie that they make it one of their 7. Sacraments which conferre grace to the partakers of them yet they forbid their Cleargie to marrie because to liue in marriage is to liue according to the flesh and the Councell of Trent opposeth marriage and chastitie XIV It teacheth that soules kept in purgatorie may be redeemed by Sacrifices and Suffrages Against this is a Canon of their lawe taken out of Saint Hierome we know that in this life we may help one another either by praiers or by good counsell but when we shall come before the iudgement seate of Christ neither Iob nor Daniel nor Noe may intreat for any but euery mā is to beare his own burthen And according to another Canon going vnder the name of Gelasius Bishop of Rome Either there is no Purgatorie or the soules which goe thither shall neuer returne XV. And to conclude the most points of their religion are contrarie to their Canons as by searching may appeare in these examples 1 The dead cannot heare the praiers of them which call vpon him 2 Peter and Paul were two of the chiefe Apostles and it is hard to say which was aboue the other 3 Leo the fourth
faith which I haue in his blood God is not displeased if my body be sicke and subiect to diseases no more is he displeased at the disease and sicknes of the soule A naturall father will not slay the bodie of his child when he is sicke and abhorreth comfortable meates and my heauenly father will not condemne my soule although through the infirmitie of faith and the weaknes of the spirit I commit sinne and often loath his heauenly word the foode of my soule Nay which is a strange thing I know it by experience that God hath turned my filthie sinnes to my great profit and to the amendment of my life like as the good Phisitian of rancke poyson is able to make a soueraigne medecine to preserue life Sathan Well be it so that now thou art in the state of grace yet thou shalt not continue so but shalt before death depart from Christ. Christ. I know I am a member of Christs mysticall bodie I feele in my selfe the heauenly power vertue of my head Christs Iesus for this cause I can not perish but shal cōtinue for euer raigne in heauē after this life with him The conflicts of Sathan with the weake Christian. Sathan Thy minde is full of ignorance and blindnes thy heart is ful of obstinacie rebellion and frowardnes against God thou art wholly vnfit for any good worke wherefore thou hast no faith neither canst thou be iustified and accepted before God Christian. If I haue but one drop of the grace of God and if my faith be no more then a little graine of mustard seede it is sufficient for me God requireth not perfect faith but true faith Sathan Yea but thou hast no faith at all Christian. I haue had faith Sathan Thou neuer hadst true faith for in time past when according to thine opinion thou didst beleeue then thou hadst nothing but a shadow of faith and a foolish imagination which all hypocrites haue Christian. I will put my trust in God for euer and his former mercies shewmed me heretofore strengthen me now in this my weaknes 1 He created me when I was nothing 2 He created me a man when he might haue made me an vgly toad 3 He made me of comely body and of good discretion whereas he might haue made me vgly and deformed franticke and madde 4 I was borne in the daies of knowledge when I might haue bin borne in the time of ignorance and superstition 5 I was borne of Christian parents but God might haue giuen me either Turkes or Iewes or some other sauadge people for my parents 6 I might haue perished in my mothers wombe but he hath preserued me and prouided for me by his prouidence euen vnto this houre 7 Soone after my birth God might haue cast me into hell but contrariwise I was baptized and so receiued the seale of his blessed couenant 8 I haue had by Gods goodnes some sorrow for my sinnes past and haue called on him in hope and confidence that he would heare me 9 God might haue concealed his word from me but I haue heard the plētifull preaching of it I vnderstand it and haue receiued comfort by it 10 Lastly at this time God might powre his full wrath on me which he doth not but mercifully maketh me to feele mine owne wants that I might be humbled and giue all glorie vnto him for his blessings Wherefore there is no cause why I should be disquieted but I will trust still in the Lord and depend on him as I haue done Sathan Thou feelest no grace of the holy Ghost in thee nor any true tokens of faith but thou hast a liuely sense of the rebellion of thy heart and of thy lewd and wretched conuersation therefore thou canst not put any confidence in Christs death and sufferings Christian. Yet I will hope against all hope although according to mine owne sense and feeling I want faith yet I wil beleeue in Iesus Christ and trust to be saued by him Sathan Though the children of God haue bin in many perplexities yet neuer any of them haue beene in this case in which thou art at this present Christian. Herein thou prouest thy selfe to be a lying spirit for the prophet Dauid saith of himselfe that he was foolish and as a beast before God and yet he euen then trusted in God And Paul was so ledde captiue of sinne that he was not able to doe the good he would but did the euill which he hated and so in great pensiuenes of heart desired to be deliuered from this world that he might be disburdened of his corrupt flesh Sathan Thou miserable wretch doest thou feele thy selfe gracelesse and wilt thou beare the face of a Christian and by thy hypocrisie offend God as thou art so shew thy selfe to the world Christian. Auoide Sathan Christ hath vanquished and ouercome thee for my cause that I might also triumph ouer thee I am no hypocrite for whereas I haue had heretofore some testimonie of my faith at this time I am lesse moued though faith seeme to be absent like as a man may seeme to be dead both in his own sense and by the iudgement of the physitian and yet may haue life in him so faith may be though alwaies it doe not appeare Sathan But thou art a man starke dead in sinne God hath now quite forsaken thee he hath left thee vnto me to be ruled he hath giuen me power ouer thee to bring thee to damnation he wil not haue thee to trust in him any longer Christian. Strengthen me good Lord remember thy mercifull promises that thou wilt reuiue the humble and giue life to them that are of a contrite heart Sathan These promises concerne not thee which hast no humble and contrite but a froward a rebellious heart Christian. Good Lord forget not thy former mercies giue an issue to these temptations of mine enemie Sathan And you my brethren which know my estate pray for me that God would turne his fauourable countenance towards me for this I know that the praier of the righteous auaileth much if it be feruent HOW A MAN SHOULD APPLIE ARIGHT the word of God to his owne soule I. EVery Christian containeth in himselfe two natures flatte contrarie one to the other the flesh and the spirit and that he may become a perfect man in Christ Iesus his earnest indeauour must be to tame and subdue the flesh and to strengthen and confirme the spirit II Answerable to these two natures are the two parts of Gods word First the Law because it is the ministerie of death it fitly serueth for the taming and mastering of the rebellious flesh and the Gospell containing the bountifull promises of God in Christ is as oyle to power into our woundes and as the water of life to quench our thirstie soules and it fitly serueth for the strengthening of the spirit III Wel then art thou secure Art thou prone to
not that I am none of his child and therfore that I haue no faith Minister You are in no other case then Dauid himself who made the same complaint I am weary of crying my throat is drie mine eies faile whiles I waite for my God Christian. But Dauid neuer praied so many yeares without receiuing an answer as I haue done Minister Good Zacharie waited longer on the Lord before he granted his request then euer you did it is like he praied for a child in his younger yeres yet his praier was not heard before hee was olde And further you must note that the Lord may heare the praiers of his seruants and yet they be altogither ignorant of it For the maner that God vseth in granting their requests is not alwaies known as may appeare in the example of our Sauiour Christ Who in the daies of his flesh did offer vp praiers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in that which he feared And yet wee knowe that hee was not freed from that cursed death but must needes suffer it How then was he heard On this manner hee was strengthened to beare the death he had an Angel to comfort him he was afterward freed frō the sorrowes of death And so it is with the rest of Christs bodie as it was with the head Some beeing in want pray for temporall blessings God keepes them in this want and yet he heares their prayers in giuing them patience to abide that want Some beeing in wealth and aboundance pray for the continuing of it if it be the will of God The Lord flings them into a perpetuall miserie and yet he heares their praiers by giuing them blessednes in the life to come You pray for the increase of faith and repentance and such like graces you feele no increase after long praier yet the mercifull God hath no doubt heard your praier in that by delaying to performe your request he hath stirred vp in you the spirit of praier he hath humbled you made you feele your owne wants the better to depend on his mercie for the beginning and increasing of euery spirituall grace Christian. The fourth thing that troubles me is that I cannot feele faith purifie my heart and to worke by loue in bringing forth liuely fruits Minister If this be so continually that faith brings forth no fruite it is very dangerous and argueth a plaine want of faith yet for a certaine time it may be so faith hath not onely a spring time and a summer season but also a winter when it beareth no fruite And there is many a true Christian like the bruised reed that is ouerturned with euery blast of wind and like the flaxe that hath fire in it which by reason of weakenes giues neither heat nor light but only a smoke Christian. Thus much shall suffice for my first temptation wherein I take my selfe satisfied now if you please I will be glad to rehearse the second Minister I am content let vs heare it Christian. I am afraid least I haue not truely repented and therefore that all my profession is onely in hypocrisie Minister What mooueth you to thinke so Christian. Two causes especially the first is they which repent leaue off to sinne But I am a miserable sinner I doe continually displease God by my euil thoughts words and deedes Minister You need not feare For where sinne aboundeth that is the knowledge and feeling of sinne there grace aboundeth much more Christian. I find not this in my selfe Minist But yet you find thus much in your selfe those corruptions which you feele and those sinnes that you commit you hate them you are displeased with your selfe for them and you endeauour your selfe to leaue them Christian. Yea that I doe with all my heart Minister Then how miserable soeuer you feele your selfe by reason of the masse of your sin yet you are not subiect to condemnation but shall most certainly escape the same Take this for a most certaine trueth that the man that hates and dislikes his sinnes both before and after he hath done them shal neuer be damned for them Christian. I am euen heart sicke of my manifold sinnes and infirmities and these good words which you speake are as flaggons of wine to refresh my weary laden and weltring soule I haue begun to flee sinne and to detest it long agoe I haue beene oft displeased with mine infirmities and corruptions when I offend God my heart is grieued I desire to leaue sinne I flee the occasions of sin I would faine fashion my life to Gods word I pray vnto God that hee would giue me grace so to doe yet which is my griefe by the strength of the flesh by the sleights power of Sathan I am often ouertaken fal maruellously both by speech and by deede Minister Haue courage my good brother for whereas you haue an affection to doe the things that are acceptable vnto God it argueth plainely that you are a member of Christ according to that of Paul They which are of the spirit sauour the the things of the spirit Well then if Sathan euer obiect any of your sins to you make answer thus that you haue forsaken the first husband the flesh haue espoused your selfe to Christ Iesus who as your head husband hath taken vpon him to answer your debts and therefore if he vrge you for thē refer him ouer vnto Christ. For there is no sute in law against the wife the husband liuing yea I adde further if you be ouercarried with Satans tēptations and so fall into any sinne you shall not answer for it but Sathan it shal surely be reckoned on his score at the daie of iudgemēt for he was the author of it if you fall by the frailtie of your flesh it shal perish therefore but you shal still haue Christ your aduocate Christian. Indeede as you say I haue in me an affection to please God but when I come to performe my obedience there I faile Minister Therfore marke this further As long as the children of god are i◠this life God regardeth more the affection to obey then the obediēce itself And they shall be vnto me saith the Lord of hosts in that day I shall doe this for a flocke and I will spare them as a man spares his own sonne that serueth him The father when he shall set his child to doe any busines though he doe it neuer so vntowardly yet if he shewe his good will to doe the best he can his father wil be pleased and so it is with the Lord toward his children you looke to haue some perfection in your selfe but in this life you shall receiue no more but the first fruits of the spirit which are but as a handfull of corne in respect of the whole corne fielde and as for the accomplishment of your
reputed the child of the deuill Ioh. In this are the children of God knowne and the children of the deuill whosoeuer worketh not righteousnes is not of God neither to giue you a plai◠example he that loueth not his brother For this is the message which ye haue heard from the beginning that we should loue one another Not as Cain he was of that euill one Sathan and slue his brother and wherefore slue he him because his owne workes were euill and his brothers good Ch. Yet if we loue those which be our brethren according to the flesh neuer so much they cease not to hate and persecute vs. Ioh. Meruaile not my brethren though this world hate you Ch. If not to loue be a note of the child of the deuil what is the note of gods child Ioh. We know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren i. such as be Christians because they are Christians as on the contrarie he that loueth not his brother abideth in death is vnder the state of damnation Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a manslayer and ye know that no man-slayer hath eternall life abiding in him Ch. You haue shewed vs fully that loue is a worke of adoption Now shew vs how we may know whether we loue our brethren or not Ioh. Hereby we haue perceiued loue that he laid downe his life for vs therfore we ought carried with the like affection of loue to lay downe our liues for the brethren Ch. Many in speech doe pretend loue but we find not this willing affection and readines to shew loue Ioh. Whosoeuer hath this worlds good wherewith this life is sustained and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his bowels i. hath no compassion because it sheweth it selfe by the rolling of the intralls from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Ch. What other note is there of true loue Ioh. My little children let vs not loue in word nor in tongue onely but in deede and in truth sincerely 1. For thereby we know that we are of the truth sound professours of the gospell of Christ 2. and shall before him appease our hearts in regard of any accusation that our conscience shall lay vnto vs before Gods iudgement seat If our heart condemne vs an euill conscience accuse vs God is greater then our heart namely in iudging of vs and knoweth all things Ch. How may we know that our consciences will not condemne vs Ioh. Beloued if our hearts condemne vs not then haue we boldnes towards God i. to come vnto him by prayer Ch. What other fruits is there of true loue Ioh. Whatsoeuer we aske we receiue of him because we keepe his commādements and doe those things which are pleasant in his sight Ch. What are these commandements Ioh. This then is his commaundement that we beleeue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commandement Ch. Haue they which keepe these commandements their praiers granted prooue this Ioh. Yes For he that keepeth his commaundements dwelleth in him and he in him Ch. How may we know that God dwelleth in vs and we in him Ioh. Hereby we know that he abideth in vs by that spirit of sanctification whereby we are renued which he hath giuen vs. CHAP. IIII. Ch. TO returne againe to that which was before mentioned shall we beleeue all that say they haue the spirit Ioh. Dearely beloued beleeue not euery spirit i. doctrines which men bragging of the spirit doe teach but trie the spirits whether they be of God for many false prophets are gone out into the world Ch. How may we discerne of spirits Ioh. Hereby shall ye know the spirit of God euery spirit doctrine which confesseth that Iesus Christ the Messias is come in the flesh is made true man this beeing the substance of the Gospel is of God And euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but this is the spirit of Antichrist of whome ye haue heard that he shall come and now already he is in the world Ch. We feare because these false spirits are of great power to perswade and seduce many Ioh. Little children ye are of God and haue ouercome them for greater is he that is in you Gods spirit then he that is in the world the spirit of Sathan Ch. But the doctrine of these men is of great account and hath many followers in the world ours hath but few which imbrace it Ioh. They are of this world therefore speake they of this world and this world i. ignorant and vngodly men heareth them We are of God he which knoweth God heareth vs he which is not of god heareth vs not Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of errour namely by the liking and applause of the world Ch. How may we preserue our selues against these seducers Ioh. Beloued let vs loue one another for loue commeth of God and euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God by a speciall knowledge whereby they are assured that God the father of Christ is their father Christ their Redeemer the holy Ghost their sanctifier He that loueth not knoweth not God for God is loue i. wholly bent to shew his loue and compassion to his people For a proofe of this herein was that loue of God made manifest among vs because God sent that his onely begotten Sonne into the world that we might liue through him Herein is that loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes Ch. What of all this Ioh. Beloued if God so loued vs we ought also one to loue another Ch. How can God manifest his loue to vs he beeing a spirit inuisible Ioh. No man hath seene God at any time neuertheles if we loue one another that is a signe that God dwelleth in vs his loue is perfect in vs i. that loue wherewith he loueth is throughly made manifest towards vs by our loue as the light of the moone shining on vs argueth the light of the Sunne shining vpon the moone of whom as from the fountaine the moone takes her light Ch. How may we know that God dwelleth in vs Ioh. Hereby doe we know that we dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirit Ch. What other signe haue you of Gods dwelling in vs Ioh. We haue seene and doe testifie that the Father sent that Sonne to be the Sauiour of the world Whosoeuer confesseth in faith and loue that Iesus is the Sonne of God in him dwelleth God and he in God Ch. The deuill will confesse Christ. Ioh. And we which is more haue knowne and beleeued the loue which god hath in vs. Ch. Declare how
Vnto iustification we referre a perswasion of the remission of our sinnes by Christ for by this we are iustified and regeneration too or sanctification and renouation of life a good conscience loue not faigned a pure heart and cleane patience in aduersitie and boasting in tribulation all good works and fruits of the spirit adde herevnto the crosse it selfe which we beare for the trueth of the gospel wherefore whosoeuer feeleth that hee is effectually called that hee doth willingly heare the word that hee doth beleeue the gospell that he is sure of the remission of his sinnes that hee burneth with true loue to his neighbour that hee is bent to euery good worke hee cannot but must needes bee perswaded of his election for God onely doeth communicate these vnto the elect Therefore it is plaine that the elect are confirmed in the assurance of their election by the effects of Predestination and that there is a threefold waie by which God reuealeth to euery man his Predestination But if any shall take an occasion the rather of doubting of his election then of confirming himselfe in it of that which hath beene spoken as concerning the fruites of the spirit and the effects of predestination and that peraduenture because he can feele in himselfe few verie weake fruits of regeneration and election yet let him not be discouraged neither let him doubt of his election but let him vnderset himselfe with these proppes First of all if euer hee truely felt in himselfe that testimonie of the spirit which before I mentioned namely that hee is the sonne of GOD let him knowe vndoubtedly that he is such a one and therefore elected to eternall life For the holy ghost neuer beareth record or perswadeth a man of that which is false for he is the spirit of trueth And they are not the sonnes of God except they haue beene predestinate as the Apostle saith to adoption by Christ and none that is the Sonne of God and a man elected can be made a reprobate and the childe of the deuill Therefore albeit hee feele in himselfe both few and feeble effects of regeneration yet let him not doubt of his election otherwise hee shall disgrace the testimonie which he hath receiued of the holy Ghost yea and that too which as yet hee enioyeth although peraduenture by reason that his minde is troubled by euill affections that testimonie of the holy spirit can scarse be heard in him For the true testimonie of our adoption by the holy Ghost being once giuen vnto our spirit lasteth for euer although it is otherwhiles heard more plainely and at other times is more slenderly and scarce perceiued But howe say you may I knowe whether the testimonie doeth proceede from the holy Ghost and therefore whether it bee a true and certaine testimonie I answer first by the perswasion secondly by the manner of the perswasion lastly by the effects of this testimonie and perswasion For the first the holy Ghost doeth not simplie say it but doth perswade with vs that we are the Sonnes drawne of God and no flesh can doe this Againe hee perswades vs by reasons drawn not from our workes or from any worthinesse in vs but from the alone goodnesse of God the Father and grace of Christ. In this manner the deuill will neuer perswade any Lastly the perswasion of the holy Ghost is full of power for they which are perswaded that they are the sonnes of God cannot but needes must call him Abba Father and in regard of loue to him doe hate sinne and whatsoeuer is disagreeing to his will and on the contrarie they haue a sound and a heartie desire to doe his will If at any time thou hast felt in thy selfe any such testimonie perswade thy selfe it was the testimony of the holy ghost and that very true and certain too and therefore that thou art the child of God and predestinate to eternall life This is the prop by which wee must vnderset that weake beleefe wee haue of our certaine election to eternal life Againe hold this without wauering whatsoeuer thou art that art tempted to doubt of thy election euen as nothing is required at our hands to worke our election for God chose vs of his onely meere goodnes so that we may truly know whether we be elect or not this one thing shall be sufficient namely if we shall attaine to the certaine knowledge of this that we are in Christ and partakers of him for he that is now ingrafted in Christ and is iustified it cannot be but that he was elected in Christ before the foundation of the world And that we may be in Christ faith is both required and is sufficient not perfect faith but true faith though it be so little as a graine of mustard seede and feeble like a young borne babe and that sore diseased too Now that faith which is a liuely a true faith lasteth alwaies as hath beene before declared neither can it at any time altogether faile And so it commeth to passe that they which once haue beene truly ingrafted into Christ remaine alwaies and continue in him according to that saying All that my Father giueth me shall come to me and he which commeth vnto me I will not cast forth That is true no doubt that looke how much the faith is more perfect so much the greater power it hath to knit vs more and more to Christ and therefore we must alwaies endeauour to encrease in faith Yet for all that this is most certaine one little sparkle of true faith is sufficient to engraft vs into Christ. And for that cause we must in no wise doubt of our engrafting into Christ and of our election too by reason of the weaknesse of faith and the small and slender fruits it bringeth out But how shall I certenly know say you whether my faith be a true and liuely faith or not Out of the same grounds from whence the testimonie of our adoption is perceiued First of all if you shall truly feele that you are perswaded of the truth of the Gospel yea and that all your sinnes are pardoned you for Christ and you receiued to fauour Againe if you see that this perswasion is grounded not vpon any merits of yours but on the sole goodnes of God and grace of Christ. Lastly if you feele such a confidence to approach vnto and call vpon the Father and such a loue towards him his Sonne Iesus Christ that ye do hate and detest whatsoeuer is against his glorie as all sinne is and on the contrarie be carried away with a desire to doe those things which serue for the aduancing of his glorie and therefore that you loue all those which desire and seeke the same as the brethren and friends of Christ. For these be the effects which can neuer be seuered from true faith And this is the disposition of true faith therefore as long as thou feelest these effects in thy selfe albeit very
law of God and the hatred of sinne For that which is spoken chiefly of Christ Thou hast loued righteousnesse and hated iniquitie is to be vnderstood of all the members of Christ endued with his spirit because it is truly accomplished in them Hence it is that Dauid who in himselfe did represent the disposition of all the regenerate saide of himselfe I haue loued thy law thy law is in the middle of my heart I haue hated all the workers of iniquitie I will not sitte with the wicked Also Paul I am delighted saith he in the law of God according to the inner man that is in as much as I am borne anewe And no man doubteth but that both these affections are the effects of predestinatioÌ„ except he be ignorant that all these are the gifts of God which as in time he bestoweth on his so also he hath decreed to bestow them on them before the foundation of the world And from these two affections beeing the first fruits of regeneratiâ—n ariseth a care and endeauour to doe good workes that is to flie sinne and to fulfill the law of God which is the seauenth effect of predestination For he which hateth any thing from his heart he taketh heede of it as much as he can and he fleeth from it and escheweth it and on the contrarie he which loueth any thing from his heart that also he seeketh after and endeauoureth himselfe to the compassing of it Therefore the Apostle Iohn maketh this a chiefe difference betweene the sonnes of God and the children of the deuill that is betweene them that are borne anew and them that are not borne anew that the children of God both loue and doe righteousnesse and the children of the deuill loue sinne and doe it as also the deuill sinned from the beginning and Christ came to dissolue the workes of the deuill namely in his elect for in the reprobate he leaueth them vntouched because they are not giuen him of the father to be purged borne anew and saued Therefore seeing Christ was before ordained and predestinate to the doing of all these workes and that there is no good wrought in vs which was not prouided for vs in Christ from all eternitie it is a cleare case that the care also of doing good workes is an effect of predestination And the Apostle plainely teacheth it when he saith that we were created in Christ to good workes which God hath prepared that we might walke in them To this purpose serueth that which the Apostle deliuereth of loue vnfained to which he sheweth that we were elect and of a good conscience which he makes the inseparable companion of the faith of the elect Lastly of a pure heart which he ascribeth to the elect considering the vnfaithful haue nothing cleane in them and that their minde and conscience is defiled Now that this care to doe good workes is necessarie in all the elect Peter sheweth it when he bids vs endeauour to make our election and calling sure by good workes as some copies haue it But to whom shall we make it sure not vnto God for it was sure vnto him before the foundation of the world but vnto our selues and to our neighbours And this is one of the chiefest vses of good workes that by them not as by causes but as by effects of predestination and faith both we and also our neighbours are certified of our election and of our saluation too Furthermore considering whiles we haue a care to glorifie God to doe good works and we will not be conformable to the world in the wickednes of it neither submit our selues to our flesh and Sathan the flesh the world and Sathan doe perpetually warre against vs and therewithall it commeth to passe they beeing most valiant enemies that either we are ouercome or at the least in fight are foiled And therfore we are constrained to flie vnto the Lord and to craue his assistance therefore the eight effect of our predestination is the calling vpon God that in this fight he would giue vs ayd against the Deuill the world and the flesh For this is the propertie of the spirit which the elect haue to stir them vp to praier for the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with gronings that cannot be vttered that is to say it mooueth vs to make request And because we are sonnes God hath sent the Spirit of his sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father And God biddeth vs cal vpon him in the day of tribulation promising to heare vs. From these proceedeth the ninth effect of predestination namely a perpetuall repentance for our daily slippes and a continuall desire to be bettered in godlinesse So that also for this cause chiefly we heartily desire to be dissolued out of this world and to be with Christ for this end that we might sinne no more For this is a thing proper to the elect of God euen now borne anew as we may see in the Apostle who speaketh thus in the name of all the regenerate O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death And again I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ. From this ninth effect proceedeth the tenth namely a desire that Christ may come and make an end of all our miseries and sinnes and perfectly restore his owne kingdome That this is proper to the elect the Apostle sheweth when he saith that they loue the comming of the Lord and Iohn bringeth in the spouse of Christ crying Come Lord Iesus come quickly Yea and Christ himselfe hath taught vs to pray Let thy kingdome come And because that they which pray on this wise are also heard according to Gods promise In the day of tribulation call vpon me and I will heare thee hence appeareth the eleuenth effect of Predestination true patience that is not onely true comfort but also a reioycing in aduersitie as the Apostle describeth it And therefore a certaine taking vp of courage and recouerie of strength against his enemies whereby it commeth to passe that all things turne to the saluation of the elect For the elect albeit they be often beaten downe in fight yet because Christ speedily sendeth ayd from heauen vnto them they rise vp couragiously and begin againe the fight against sinne and the deuill and all other the enemies of Christ and they fight so long till they be made conquerours and are assured of the victorie and of the crowne which assurance also is an effect of Predestination giuen to all the elect For what saith the Apostle shall we say to these things If God be on our side who can be against vs Thereforâ— our Lord Iesus teacheth that the elect can not be seduced and so perish no not by the cunning of Antichrist and his miracles And lastly hence appeareth that last effect of Predestination which we can obtaine in this life the gift of perseuerance vnto
when hee had confirmed this by testimonie of Scripturâ— he added This is my faith in which I will die and God will destroy them that teach otherwise This done he shooke hands with all and said Farewell my brethren and deare friends It were easie to quote more examples but these few may be in stead of many and the summe of all that godly men speake is this Some inlightened with a propheticall spirit foretell things to come as the Patriarkes Iacob and Ioseph did and there haue bin some which by name haue testified who should verie shortly come after them and who should remaine aliue and what should be their condition some haue shewed a wonderfull memorie of things past as of their former life and of the benefits of God and no doubt it was giuen them to stirre vp holy affections and thanksgiuing to God some againe rightly iudging of the change of their present estate for a better doe reioyce exceedingly that they must be translated from earth to paradise as Babylas Martyr of Antioch when his head was to be chopped off Returne saith he O my soule vnto thy rest because the Lord hath blessed thee because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eies from teares and my foote from falling I shall walke before thee Iehoua in the land of the liuing And some others speake of the vanitie of this life of the imagination of the sorrowes of death of the beginnings of eternall life of the comfort of the holy Ghost which they feele of their departure vnto Christ. Quest. What must we thinke if in the time of death such speeches be wanting and in the stead thereof idle talke be vsed Ans. Wee must consider the kind of sicknes whereof men die whether it be more easie or violent for violent sicknes is vsually accompanied with frensies and with vnseemely motions and gestures which wee are to take in good part euen in this regard because we our selues may be in the like case Thus much of the first dutie which is to die in faith the second is to die in obedience otherwise our death cannot bee aceeptable to God because wee seeme to come vnto God of feare and constraint as slaues to a master not of loue as children to a father Nowe to die in obedience is when a man willing and readie and desirous to goe out of this worlde whensoeuer God shall call him and that without murmuring or repining at what time where and wheÌ„ it shall please god Whether we liue or die saith Paul we do it not to our selues but vnto God and therefore mans dutie is to bee obedient to God in death as in life Christ is our example in this case who in his agonie praied Father let this cup passe from me yet with a submission not my will but thy will be done teaching vs in the very pangs of death to resigne our selues to the good pleasure of God When the prophet told king Ezechiah of death presently without all manner of grudging or repining he addressed himselfe to praier We are commanded to present our selues vnto God as free-will offerings without any limitation of time and therefore as well in death as in life I conclude then that we are to make as much conscience in performing obedience to God in suffering death as we do of any coÌ„scieÌ„ce in the course of our liues The third dutie is to render vp our soules into the handes of God as the most faithfull keeper of all This is the last dutie of a Christian and it is prescribed vnto vs in the example of Christ vpon the crosse who in the very pangs of death when the dissolution of bodie and soule drew on said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and so gaue vp the ghost The like was done by Steuen who when he was stoned to death said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit And Dauid in his life time being in danger of death vsed the very same words that Christ vttered Thus we see what be the duties which we are to performe in the very paÌ„gs of death that we may come to eternall life Some man will happily say if this be all to die in faith and obedience and to surrender our soules into Gods haÌ„d we will not greatly care for any preparation before hand nor trouble our selues much about the right manner of dying well for we doubt not but that when death shall come we shall be able to perform all the former duties with ease Ans. Let no man deceiue himselfe by any false perswasion thinking with himselfe that the practise of the foresaid duties is a matter of ease for ordinarily they are not neither can they be performed in death vnles there bee much preparation in the life before Hee that will die in faith must first of all liue by faith and there is but one example in all the bible of a man dying in faith that liued without faith namely the theife vpon the crosse The seruants of God that are endued with great measure of grace doe very hardly beleeue in the time of affliction Indeede when Iob was afflicted he said Though the Lord kill me yet will I trust in him yet afterward his faith being ouercast with a cloud he saith that God was become his enemie and that he had set him as a marke to shoot at and sundry times his faith was oppressed with doubting and distrust How then shall they that neuer liued by faith nor inured themselues to beleeue bee able in the pang of death to rest vpon the mercie of God Againe hee that would die in obedience must first of all lead his life in obedience he that hath liued in disobedience can not willingly and in obedience appeare before the iudge when he is cited by death the sergeant of the Lord he dies indeede but that is vpon necesâ—itie because hee must yeelde to the order and course of nature as other creatures do Thirdly he that would surrender his soule into the hands of God must be resolued of two things the one is that God can the other is that God will receiue his soule into heauen and there preserue it till the last iudgement And none can be resolued of this except he haue the spirit of God to certifie his conscience that hee is redeemed iustified sanctified by Christ and shall be glorified He that is not thus perswaded dare not render vp and present his soule vnto God When Dauid said Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit what was the reason of this boldnesse in him surely nothing els but the perswasion of faith as the next words import for thou hast redeemed mee O Lord God of trueth And thus it is manifest that no man ordinarily can performe these duties dying that hath not performed them liuing This beeing so I doe againe renewe my former exhortation beseeching you that ye would practise the duties of preparatioÌ„ in the course of your liues leading
offering saith he thou wouldest not but eares thou hast pierced vnto men then said loe I come I desire to doe thy will O God yea thy lawe is within my heart Psal. 40. 7. The second is conformitie in the crosse two waies For first as he bare his own crosse to the place of exequution so must we as good disciples of Christ denie our selues take vp all the crosses and afflictions that the hand of God shall lay vpon vs. Againe we must become like vnto him in the crucifying and mortifying the masse and bodie of sinne which wee carrie about vs Gal. 5.24 They which are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Wee must doe as the Iewes did wee must set vp the crosses and gybbets whereon we are to fasten and hang this flesh of ours that is the sinne and corruption that cleaues and stickes vnto vs and by the sword of the spirit wound it euen to death This beeing done wee must yet goe further and labour by experience to see and feele the very death of it and to lay it as it were in a graue neuer to rise againe and therefore we should daiely cast newe moulds vpon it The third is a spirituall resurrection whereby we should by Gods grace vse meanes that we may euery daie more and more come out of our sinnes as out of a loathfome graue to liue vnto God in newenes of life as Christ rose from his graue And because it is an hard matter for a man to come out of the graue or rather dungeon of his sinnes this worke can not be done at once but by degrees as God shall giue grace Considering we lie by nature dead in our sinnes and stinke in them as loathsome carrion first wee must begin to stirre our selues as a man that comes out of a swowne awakened by the worde and voice of Christ founding in our deafe eares secondly we must raise vp our mindes to a better state and condition as we vse to raise vp our bodies after this we must put out of the graue first one hand then the other This done we must doe our indeauour as it were vpon our knees at the least to put one foote out of this sepulchre of sinne the rather when wee see our selues to haue one foote of the bodie in the graue of the earth that in the day of iudgement we may be wholly deliuered from all bonds of corruption The fourth part is a spirituall ascention into heauen by a continuall eleuation of the heart and mind to Christ sitting at the right hand of the father as Paul saith Haue your conuersation in heauen and If ye be risenwith Christ seekè things that are aboue Conformitie in morall duties is either generall or speciall Generall is to be holy as he is holy Rom. 8.29 Those whome he knewe before he hath predestinate to be like the image of his sonne that is not only in the crosse but also in holines and glorie 1. Ioh. 3. He which hath this hope purifieth himself euen as he is pure Speciall conformitie is chiefly in foure vertues Faith Loue Meekenes Humilitie We must be like him in faith For as he when he apprehended the wrath of God and the very pangs of hell were vpon him wholly staied himselfe vpon the ayde helpe protection and good pleasure of his father euen to the last so must we by a true liuely faith depend wholly on Gods mercie in Christ as it were with both our hands in peace in trouble in life in the very pang of death and we must not in any wise let our hold goe no though we should feele our selues descend to hell We must be like him in meekenesse Matth. 11. v. 28. Learne of me that I am meeke and lowly His meekenesse shewed it selfe in the patient bearing of all iniuries and abuses offered by the hands of sinnefull and wretched men and in the suffering of the curse of the law without grudging or repining and with submission to his fathers will in all things Now the more we follow him herein the more shall we be conformable to him in his death and passion Philip 3. 10. Thirdly he must be our example in Loue he loued his enemies more then himselfe Eph. 5.4 Walke in loue euen as Christ loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs an oblation and sacrifice of sweete smelling sauour vnto God The like loue ought we to shew by doing seruice to all men in the compasse of our callings and by beeing all things to all men as Paul was that we might doe them all the good we can both for bodie and soule 1. Cor. 9.19 Lastly we must follow Christ in humilitie whereof he is a wonderfull spectacle in that beeing God he became man for vs of a man became a worme that is troden vnder foote that he might saue man Phil. 2.5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Iesus Christ who beeing in the forme of God humbled himselfe and became obedient to the death euen to the death of the crosse And here we must obserue that the example of Christ hath something more in it then any other example hath or can haue for it doth not onely shew vs what we ought to doe as the examples of other men doe but it is a remedie against many vices and a motiue to many good duties First of all the serious consideration of this that the very sonne of God himselfe suffered all the paines and torments of hell on the crosse for our sinnes is the proper most effectuall meanes to stirre vp our hearts to a godly sorrow for them And that this thing may come to passe euery man must be setled without doubt that he was the man that crucified Christ that he is to be blamed as well as Iudas Herod Pontius Pilate and the Iewes and that his sinnes should be the nailes the speares and the thornes that pearced him When this meditation beginnes to take place bitternesse of spirit with wayling and mourning takes place in like manner Zach. 12. 10. And they shall looke vpon him whome they haue pearced and they shall lamem for him as one lamenteth for his onely sonne Peter in his first sermon strooke the Iewes as with a thunder clappe from heauen when he said vnto them Ye haue crucified the Lord of glorie so as the same time three thousand men were pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued Againe if Christ for our sinnes shedde his heart blood and if our sinnes mad◠him sweat water and blood oh then why should not we our selues shedde bitter teares why would not our hearts bleede for thē He that findes himselfe so dull aud hardened that the passion of Christ doeth not humble him is in a lamentable case for there is no faith in the death of Christ effectuall in him as yet Secondly the meditation of the passion of Christ is a
all places suffered this commandement to cease which the faithfull seruants of God would neuer haue done if they had beene perswaded that this law had bound conscience simply It is aunswered that this lawe ceased not because the giuing of offence vnto the Iewes ceased but because it ceased vniuersally yea but it could not haue ceased vniuersally if it had bound conscience specially considering it was propounded to the Church without any mention or limitation of time Thirdly Paul was present in this counsell and knew the intent of the law very well and therefore no doubt hee did not in any of his Epistles gaine-say the fame This beeing graunted it cannot bee that this lawe should bind conscience out of the case of offence For hee teacheth Corinthians that things offered to idols may be eaten so be it the weake brother be not offended Here it is answered that when Paul writ his first Epistle to the Corinthians this commandement of the Apostles touching things strangled blood was not come vnto them Wel to grant all this which can not be prooued let it be answered why Paul did not nowe deliuer it and why he deliuereth a doctrine coÌ„trarie to that which he had decreed at Ierusalem which was that the Gentiles should absolutely abstaine from things offered to idolls As for the testimonie of the fathers they are abused Indeed Tertullian saith plainly that Christians in his daies abstained from eating of blood and he perswades men to continue in so doing because he is of opinion beeing indeede farre deceiâ—ued that this very lawe of the Apostles must last to the ende of the world which coÌ„ceit if the Papists hold not what mean they to build vpoÌ„ him OrigeÌ„ saith that this law was very necessarie in his daiesâ— and no maruell For by Idolithytes he vnderstandes not things that haue beene offered to idols and are afterward brought to priuat houses or to the market as other common meats but hee vnderstandes things that remaine consecrated to idols and are no where else vsed but in their temples which we graunt with him must for euer be auoided as meanes and instruments of Idolatrie Whereas the lawe of the Apostles speakes onely of the first kind As for things strangled and blood he takes them to be the deuils foode and for this cause hee approoues abstinence from them And whereas Augustine saith that it is a good thing to abstaine from things offered to idols though it be in necessitie hee must bee vnderstood of the first kind of Idolithytes which are yet remaining in the idol-temples still consecrated vnto them and not of the second of which the Apostles law as I haue said must be vnderstood Argum. 4. Ioh. 21. Christ saith to Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feed my sheep that is as the word importeth feed and rule my sheepe Ans. This feeding and ruling stands not in making newe lawes but in teaching and gouerning the Church of god according to the doctrine which they had receiued from Christ. And this action of feeding is ascribed to all Christians Reuel 3.27 Who cannot therevpon chalenge a power of making lawes to the conscience Argum. 5. Ioh. 20. As my father sent me so I send you but Christ was sent of his father not onely with power of preaching and ministring the Sacraments but also with authoritie of commanding and giuing iudgement Answ. If this kind of reasoning may stand all the Apostles shall be made redeemers for they were all sent as Christ was and hee was sent not onely to preach the redemption of mankind but also to effect and work the same If this be absurd then it is a flat abusing of Scripture to gather from this saying of Christ that the Apostles had power of binding conscience because he had so It is true indeede that there is a similitude or analogie betweene the calling of Christ and his Apostles but it wholly standes in these points Christ was ordained to his office before all worldes and so were the Apostles Christ was called of his father immediatly and so were they of Christ Christ was sent to the whole world and so were they Christ receiued all power in heauen and earth as beeing necessarie for a Mediatour and they receiued an extraordinarie authority from him with such a plentifull measure of the spirit as was necessarie for the Apostilicall function Lastly Christ was sent euen as he was man to bee a teacher of the Iewes and therefore hee is called the minister of circumcision Rom. 15.8 and so the Apostles are sent by him to teach the Gentiles Thus farre is the comparison to bee enlarged and no further And that no man might imagine that some part of this resemblance standes in a power of binding conscience Christ hath put a speciall exception when he saith Go teach all nations teaching them to obserue all things that I haue commanded you and not commandements of your owne Argum. 6. Rom. 13. Whosoeuer resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to themselues iudgement and ye must be subiect not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake Ans. Magistracie indeede is an ordinance of God to which we owe subiection but how farre subiection is due there is the question For bodie and goods and outward conuersation I grant all but a subiection of conscience to mens laws I denie And between these two there is a great difference to be subiect to authoritie in conscience to be subiect to it for conscience as will be manifest if wee doe but consider the phrase of the Apostle the meaning whereof isâ— that wee must performe obedience not onely for anger that is for the auoiding of punishment but also for the auoiding of sinne and so by consequent for auoiding a breach in conscience Now this breach is not properly made because mans law is neglected but because Gods lawe is broken which ordaineth magistracie and withall bindes mens consciences to obey their lawefull commandements And the damnation that is due vnto men for resisting the ordinance of god comes not by the single breach of magistrats commandement but by a transgression of the lawe of God which appointeth magistrates and their authoritie To this answer Papists replie nothing that is of moment Therefore I proceed Argum. 7.1 Cor. 4. What will you that I come vnto you with a rod or in the spirit of meekenes Nowe this rod is a iudiciall power of punishing sinners Answ. For the regiment and protection of Gods Church there bee two rods mentioned in Scripture the rod of Christ and the Apostolicall rodde The rod of Christ is tearmed a rod of yron or the rod of his mouth and it signifies that absolute and soueraigne power which Christ hath ouer his creatures whereby he is able to conuert and saue them or to forsake and destroy them And it is a peculiar priuiledge of this rod to smite and wound the conscience The Apostolicall rod was a
this perswasion is wrought I answer againe that he auoucheth plainely the generall faith whereby the points of religion are beleeued to be but a beginning or rudiment of faith and therefore not sufficient vnlesse we goe further and applie the grace of God to our selues by faith simply without respect of any condition performed on mans part Indeed I graunt that the truth of conuersion and other workes are by him mentioned afterward but that was for this ende to shew how any man may haue a sensible and euident experience by workes as fruits of the pardon of his owne sinnes and life euerlasting which he beleeueth Arg. 3. S. Iohn penned his first epiâ—tle that he might shew vnto the church of God a way how they might ordinarily and fully be assured of the loue of God and of eternall life and therefore he affoardeth vs many pregnant testimonies for this purpose 1. Ioh. 2.3 And by this we know that we haue knowne him if we keepe his commandements And v. 5. He which keepeth his word in him is the word of God truly accomplished by this we know that we are in him chap. 3. 10. By this are manifest the children of God and the children of the deuill and v. 19. By this we know that we are of the truth and before him we shall make our hearts confident chap. 4. 13. By this we know that we dwell in him he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his Spirit chap. 5.2 By this we know that we loue the sonnes of God when we loue God and keepe his commandements v. 13. I haue written these things vnto you which beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God that ye may know that you haue life eternall To these testimonies first of all answer is made that none of them doe necessarily implie a certentie of diuine faith because we are said to know the things which we learne by coniectures Behold a sillie and poore shift Saint Iohn saith chap. 1.4 These things we write vnto you that your ioy may be full Now it is but an vncerten ioy that riseth by coniecturall knowledge Againe this knowledge brings forth confidence and boldnes euen before God c. 3. v. 19,21 and therefore it can not but include an infalible certentie and to put it out of question that the knowledge here mentioned is the knowledge of diuine faith or as vnfallible as it is or can be it is added chap. 4.16 And we haue knowne and beleeued the loue which God hath toward vs. Secondly it is answered that all these speaches are generall and not concerning particular men but it is false for when Saint Iohn saith we know he speakes of himselfe and includes the rest of the Church in the same condition with himselfe Now he himselfe was fully assured of his owne saluation For Christ a little before his departure out of the world did comfort all his disciples partly by renewing the promise of life euerlasting and of the presence of his Spirit vnto them and partly by praying vnto the father for their finall preseruation so as they could not be fully resolued of their happie estate both in this life and in the life to come Arg. 4. Abrahams faith was a full perswasion whereby he applied the promise vnto himselfe Rom. 4.21 And this faith of his is an example propounded vnto vs according to which we are to beleeue and therefore hâ— is called the father of the faithfull v. 16. and Paul hauing set downe the nature and effects of his faith saith It was written not only for him but also for vs which beleeue v. 22. It is obiected that Abrahams faith was not of saluation but it concerned his ishue in his old age as Paul saith Rom. 4. 18. Abraham aboue hope beleeued that he should be the father of many nations according to that which was spoken So shall thy seede be Ans. We must distinguish the obiect of faith which is either principall or lesse principall Principall is alwaies Christ with his benefits lesse principall are other lesse and particular benefits obtained by Christ. As of Abrahams faith the obiect lesse principall was a carnall seede or ishue and the principall obiect most of all respected as the foundation of all other blessings was the blessed seede Christ Iesus Gal. 3.16 To Abraham and his seede were the promises made He saith not And to the seedes as of manyâ— but and to thy seede as of one which is Christ. And vâ— 29. If ye be Christs then Abrahams seede Thus it is plaine that ishue was neither promised nor desired but with respect to Christ who could not haue descended of Abraham if he had beene wholly without seede Hauing thus alleadged some arguments for the truth I come now to consider the obiections of the Papists Obiect I. Iob beeing a righteous man wanted certentie of grace in himselfe Iob. 9.20 If I would iustifie my selfe mine owne mouth shall condemne me if I would be perfect he shall iudge me wicked though I were perfect yet my soule shall not know it Again v. 25. I am afraid of all my works knowing that thou wilt not iudge me innocent Ans. Bildad in the former chapter extolled the iustice of God and Iob in this chapter giues assent thereto saying v. 2. I know verely it is so and he likewise spends the whole chapter in magnifying the iustice of God and hauing propounded this ende of his speach he doth not speake of himselfe and his owne estate simply as it is considered in it selfe but as he esteemed himselfe beeing compared with God specially then when he entreth into a straight examination of his creature And so must the speech be vnderstood If I were perfect my soule should not know it that is I will not acknowledge or stand vpon any righteousnes of mine owne when God shall enter into iudgement with me And thus much the very Elect angels beeing in possession of heauen and therfore hauing more then assurance thereof can not but say when they are compared with God Againe the wordes according to the originall are commonly of all and so may well be translated thus Am I perfect I know not my soule I abhorre my life that is if I thinke my selfe perfect I haue no respect of mine owne soule or thus I am perfect in respect of you and I knowe not my soule and I abhorre my life namely in respect of mine owne vprightnes And the other place is thus to be translated â— feare all my sorrowes and not all my workes for this is flat against the Hebrew text and Popish translatours themselues followe it not Obiect 2. Eccles. 9. Man knowes not whether hee bee worthie of loue or hatred For all things are kept vncerten till the time to come Ans. First I say the translation is not right the words are thus in the Hebrew and in the Seventie No man knoweth loue or hatred all things are before them As for these wordes all thinges are
and alteration For he which hath a good coÌ„science hath also care to keepe good conscience in all things V. Presumption is peremptorie without doubting whereas the testimonie of conscience is mingled with manifold doubtings Mark 9.24 Luk. 17. 5. yea otherwhiles ouercharged with them Psal. 77.7,8 VI. Presumption will giue a man the slip in the time of sickenes and in the houre of death and the testimonie of good conscience stickes by him to the ende and euen makes him say Lord remember nowe â—owe I haue walked before thee in trueth and haue done that which is acceptable in thy sight Isa. 38.2 The duties of conscience regenerate are two in speciall manner to giue testimonie and to excuse The speciall thing of which conscience giues testimonie is that we are the children of God predestinate to life euerlasting And that appeares by these reasons I. Rom. 8.16 The spirit of God witnesseth togither with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Now the spirit of man here mentioned is the minde or conscience renewed and sanctified To this purpose saith Iohn He that beleeueth hath a witnesse in himselfe 1. Ioh. 5.10 II. That which Gods spirit doth testifie to the conscience the conscience can againe testifie to vs but Gods spirit doth testifie to the conscience of a man regenerate that he is the childe of God 1. Cor. 2.12 Therefore the conscience also doeth the same III. He that is iustified hath peace of conscience Rom. 5.1 Nowe there can bee no peace in conscience till conscience tel the man which is iustified that he is indeed iustified IV. That which the conscience may know certenly it may testifie but conscience may know certenly without reuelation the mans election and adoption as I haue before prooued therefore it is able to giue testimonie of these Againe the regenerate conscience giueth testimonie of a certaine kinde of righteousnesse beeing an vnseparable companion thereof and for this cause it is called of some the righteousnesse of a good conscience Now this righteousnes is nothing els but an vnfained earnest and constant purpose with endeauour answerable thereto not to sinne in any thing but in all things whatsoeuer to please God and doe his will Hebr. 13.18 Pray for vs for wee are assured that we haue good conscience in all things desiring to liue honestly 2. Cor. 1.12 Our reioycing is this the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in fleshly wisdome wee haue had our conuersation in the worlde 1. Cor. 4.4 I knowe nothing by my selfe Esa. 38.2 Lord remember now howe I haue walked before thee with an vpright heart and haue done that which is acceptable in thy sight I adde this clause in all things because that obedience which is the signe or fruit of good conscience of which also it giues testimonie is generall shewing it selfe in all and euery commandement of God Philosophers haue said that Iustice is vniuersall because he which hath it hath all vertues But it is more truely said of this Christian righteousnes or new obedience that it is vniuersall and that he which can performe true obedience in one commandement can doe the same in all Act. 23.1 Men and brethren I haue in all good conscience serued God till this day Psal. 119.6 Then shall I not bee confounded when I shall haue respect to all thy commandements Act. 24.16 In the meane season I endeaâ—our my selfe or take paines to haue a conscience without offence towards God and towards men This shewes that there is a great number of men professing the Gospell that want good conscience For though they shew themselues very forward and willing to obey God in many things yet in some one thing or other they vse to follow the swinge of their owne wills Many are diligent to frequent the place of Gods worship to heare the word preached with liking to receiue the Sacraments at times appointed and to approoue of any good thing all this is very commendable yet these men often when they depart home from the congregation say in effect on this manner Religion stay thou here at the Church doore till the next Sabbath For if we looke into their priuate conuersations the gouernment of their families or their dealings in their particular callings we shall with griefe see much disorder and little conscience It is a common practise with sicke men when they make their wills on their death beds in the very first place to commend their bodies to the graue and their soules to God that gaue them in hope of a better resurrection and all this is well done but afterward they bequeath their goods gotten by fraud oppression and forged cauillation to their owne friends and children without making any recompence or satisfaction But alas this should not be so for obedience that goes with good conscience must be performed to all Gods commandements without exception and if it be done but to some alone it is but counterfait obedience and he that is guiltie in one is guiltie in all As regenerate conscience giues testimonie of our new obedience so it doth also by certaine sweete motions stirre men forward to performe the same Psal. 16.7 My reynes that is the minde and conscience inlightened by the spirit of God teach me in the night season Esai 30.22 And thine eares shall heare a word behind thee saying This is the way walke ye in it when thou turnest to the right hand and when thou turnest to the left Now this word is not onely the voice of Pastours and teachers in the open ministerie but also the voice of renewed conscience inwardly by many secret cogitations snibbing them that are about to sinne A Christian man is not onely a priest and a prophet but also a spirituall king euen in this life and the Lord in mercie hath vouchsafed him this honour that his conscience renewed within him shall be his solliciter to put him in minde of all his affaires and duties which he is to performe to God yea it is the controller to see all things kept in order in the heart which is the temple and habitation of the holy Ghost The second office of conscience regenerate is to excuse that is to cleare and defend a man euen before God against all his enemies both bodily ghostly Psal. 7.8 Iudge thou me O Lord according to my righteousnes and according to mine innocencie in me Againe 26.1,2 Iudge me O Lord for I haue walked in mine innocencie c. Prooue me O Lord and trie me examine my reynes and my heart That the conscience can doe this it specially appeares in the conflict and combat made by it against the deuill on this manner The deuill beginnes and disputes thus Thou O wretched man art a most grieuous sinner therefore thou art but a damned wretch The conscience answereth and saith I know that Christ hath made a satisfaction for my sinnes and freed me from daÌ„nation The deuill replieth againe
forth his best hearers as eaters of his bodie and drinkers of his blood and thirdly he intends to prooue this conclusion that to eate his bodie and to drinke his blood and to beleeue in him are all one Now then if Christ be as foode and if to eate and drinke the bodie and blood of Christ be to beleeue in him then must there be a proportion betweene eating and beleeuing Looke then as there can be no eating without taking or receiuing of meate so no beleeuing in Christ without a spirituall receiuing apprehending of him And as the bodie hath his hand mouth and stomacke whereby it taketh receiueth and digesteth meat for the nourishment of euery part so likewise in the soule there is a faith which is both hand mouth and stomacke to apprehend receiue apply Christ all his merits for the nourishment of the soule And Paul saith yet more plainly that through faith we receiue the promise of the spirit Now as the propertie of apprehending applying of Christ belōgeth to faith so it agreeth not to hope loue confidence or any other gift or grace of God But first by faith we must apprehend Christ apply him to our selues before we can haue any hope or confidence in him And this applying seems not to be done by any affection of the will but by a supernaturall act of the mind which is to acknowledge set downe and beleeue that remission of sins and life euerlasting by the merit of Christ belong to vs particularly To this which I haue said agreeth Augustine Tract 25. on Ioh. Why preparest thou teeth and belly beleeue and thou hast eaten and Tract 50. How shall I reach my hand into heauen that I may hold him sitting there Send vp thy faith and thou laiest hold on him And Bernard saith homil in Cant. 76. Where hee is thou canst not come nowe yet goe to followe him and seeke him beleeue and thou hast found him for to beleeue is to finde Chrysost. on Mark Homil. 10. Let vs beleeue and wee see Iesus present before vs. Ambr. on Luk. lib. 6. c. 8. By faith Christ is touched by faith Christ is seene Tertul. de resur car Hee must be chewed by vnderstanding and be digested by faith Reason II. Whatsoeuer the holy Ghost testifieth vnto vs that we may yea that we must certenly by faith beleeue but the holy Ghost doeth particularly testifie vnto vs our adoption the remission of our sinnes and the saluation of our soules and therefore we may and must particularly and certainly by faith beleeue the same The first part of this reason is true and cannot be denied of any The second part is prooued thus Saint Paul saith Rom. 8.15 Wee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father adding further that the same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God Where the Apostle maketh two witnesses of our adoption the spirit of God and our spirits that is the conscience sanctified by the holy Ghost The Papists to elude this reason alleadge that the spirit of God doth indeede witnesse of our adoption by some comfortable feelings of Gods loue and fauour being such as are weak and oftentimes deceitfull But by their leaues the testimony of the spirit is more then a bare sense or feeling of Gods grace for it is called the pledge and earnest of Gods spirit in our hearts 2. Cor. 1.22 and therfore it is fit to take away all occasion of doubting of our saluation as in a bargaine the earnest is giuen betweene the parties to put all out of question Bernard saith that the testimonie of the spirit is a most sure testimonie epist. 107. Reason III. That which we must pray for by Gods commandement that we must beleeue but euery man is to pray for the pardon of his owne sinnes and for life euerlasting of this there is no question therefore hee is bound to beleeue the same The proposition is most of all doubtfull but it is prooued thus In euery petition there must bee two things a desire of the things wee aske and a particular faith whereby we beleeue that the thing wee aske shall be giuen vnto vs. So Christ saith Whatsoeuer ye desire when you pray beleeue that you shall haue it and it shall be giuen vnto you And S. Iohn further noteth out of this particular faith calling it our assurance that God will giue vnto vs whatsoeuer we aske according to his will And hence it is that in euery petition there must be two grounds a commandement to warrant vs in making a petition and a promise to assure vs of the accomplishment thereof And vpon both these followes necessarily an application of the things which we aske to our selues Reason IV. Whatsoeuer God commandeth in the Gospell that a man must and can performe but God in the Gospell commaundeth vs to beleeue the pardon of our owne sinnes and life euerlasting and therefore wee must beleeue thus much and may be assured thereof This proposition is plaine by the distinction of the commandements of the lawe and of the Gospell The commandements of the lawe shew vs what we must doe but minister no power to performe the thing to be done but the doctrine and commandements of the gospel doe otherwise and therefore they are called spirit and life God with the cōmandement giuing grace that the thing prescribed may be done Now this is a commandement of the Gospell to beleeue remission of sinnes for it was the substance of Christs ministerie repent beleeue the Gospell And that is not generally to beleeue that Christ is a Sauiour and that the promises made in him are true for so the deuills beleeue with trembling but it is particularly to beleeue that Christ is my Sauiour and that the promises of saluation in Christ belong in speciall to me as Saint Iohn saith This is his commandement that we beleeue in the name of Iesus Christ nowe to beleeue in Christ is to put confidence in him which none can do vnles he be first assured of his loue and fauour And therefore in as much as wee are inioyned to put our confidence in Christ wee are also ioyned to beleeue our reconciliation with him which standeth in the remission of our sinnes and our acceptation to life euerlasting Reason V. Whereas the Papists teach that a man may be assured of his saluation by hope euen hence it follows that he may be vnfallibly assured therof For the propertie of true and liuely hope is neuer to make a man ashamed Rom. 5.5 And true hope followeth faith presupposeth certaintie of faith◠neither can any man truly hope for his saluation vnlesse by faith he be certenly assured thereof in some measure The Popish doctors make exception to these reasons on this maner First they say it cannot be prooued that a man is as certain of his saluation by
is eaten his owne flesh which he was to giue for the life of the worlde and what can be said more of the Lords supper Augustine saith that beleeuers are partakers of the bodie and blood of Christ in baptisme and Hierome to Edibia that in baptisme we eate and drinke the body and blood of Christ. If thus much may be said of baptisme why may it not also be said of the word preached Again Hierom vpon Ecclesiastes saith It is profitable to be filled with the bodie of Christ and drinke his blood not onely in mysterie but in knowledge of holy Scripture Nowe vpon this it followes that seeing the worke done in the word preached conferres not grace neither doth the worke done in the sacrament conferre any grace Reason II. Math. 3.11 I baptize you with water to repentance but he that cōmeth after me is stronger then I hee shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire Hence it is manifest that grace in the sacrament proceedes not from any action in the sacrament for Iohn though he doe not disioyne himselfe his action from Christ and the action of his spirit yet doth he distinguish thē plainely in number persons and effect To this purpose Paul who had said of the Galathians that he trauelled of them and beget them by the Gospell saith of himselfe that he is not any thing not onely as hee was a man but as hee was a faithfull Apostle thereby excluding the whole Euangelicall ministerie wherof the Sacrament is a part from the least part of diuine operation or efficacy in conferring of grace Reason III. The blessed Angels nay the very flesh of the sonne of God hath not any quickning vertue from it selfe but all this efficacie or vertue is in and from the godhead of the sonne who by meanes of the flesh apprehended by faith deriueth heauenly and spirituall life from himselfe to the members Now if there be no efficacie in the flesh of Christ but by reason of the hypostatical vnion how shall bodily actions about bodily elements conferre grace immediatly Reason IV. Paul Rom. 4. stands much vpon this to prooue that iustification by faith is not conferred by the sacraments And from the circumstance of time he gathereth that Abraham was first iustified and then afterward receiued circumcision the signe and seale of his righteousnes Nowe we knowe that the generall condition of all sacraments is one and the same and that baptisme succeeded circumcision And what can be more plaine then the example of Cornelius Act. 10. who before Peter came vnto him had the commendation of the feare of God and was indued with the spirit of praier and afterward when Peter by preaching opened more fully the way of the Lord hee and the rest receiued the holy Ghost And after all this they were baptised Now if they receiued the holy Ghost before baptisme then they receiued remission of sinnes and were iustified before baptisme V. Reason The iudgement of the Church Basil. If there bee any grace in the water it is not from the nature of the water but from the presence of the spirit Hierome saith Man giues water but God giues the holy Ghost Augustine saide Water toucheth the bodie and washeth the heart but he shewes his meaning else where There is one water saith he of the sacrament another of the spirit the water of the Sacrament is visible the water of the spirit inuisible That washeth the bodie and signifieth what is done in the soule By this the soule is purged and healed Obiect Remission of sinnes regeneration and saluation is ascribed to the sacrament of baptisme Act. 22.21 Eph. 5. Gal. 3.27 Tit. 2. Ans. Saluation and remission of sinnes is ascribed to baptisme and the Lords supper as to the word which is the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue and that as they are instruments of the holy ghost to signifie zeale and exhibite to the beleeuing minde the foresaid benefits but indeede the proper instrument whereby saluation is apprehended is faith and sacraments are but proppes of faith furthering saluation two waies first because by their signification they helpe to nourish and preserue faith secondly because they seale grace and saluation to vs yea God giues grace and saluation when we vse them well so be it we beleeue the word of promise made to the sacrament whereof also they are seales And thus we keepe the middle way neither giuing too much nor too little to the sacraments The XX. point Of sauing faith or the way to life Our Consent Conclus I. They teach it to bee the propertie of faith to beleeue the whole whole word of God and especially the redemption of mankind by Christ. Conclus II. They auouch that they beleeue looke to be saued by Christ and by Christ alone and by the meere mercy of God in Christ. Conclus III. Thirdly the most learned among them hold confesse that the obedience of Christ is imputed vnto them for the satisfaction of the lawe and for their reconciliation with God Conclus IV. They auouch that they put their whole trust and confidence in Christ and in the meere mercy of God for their saluation Concl. V. Lastly they hold that euery man must apply the promise of life euerlasting by Christ vnto himselfe and this they grant we are bound to doe And in these fiue points doe they and we agree at least in shewe of wordes By the auouching of the fiue conclusions papists may easily escape the handes of many magistrates And vnlesse the mysterie of popish doctrine bee well known any common man may easily be deceiued take such for good protestants that are but popish priests To this end therefore that we may the better discerne their guile I will shew wherein they faile in each of their conclusions and wherein they differ from vs. The difference Touching the first conclusion they beleeue indeed all the written word of God and more then all for they also beleeue the bookes Apocryphal which antiquitie for many hundred yeares hath excluded from the canon yea they beleeue vnwritten traditions receiued as they say from Councills the writings of the Fathers and the determinations of the Church making them also of equall credit with the written worde of God giuen by inspiration of the spirit Now we for our parts despise not the Apocrypha as namely the books of the Machabees Ecclesiasticus and the rest but wee reuerence them in all conuenient manner preferring them before any other bookes of men in that they haue beene approoued by an vniuersall consent of the Church yet wee thinke them not meete to bee receiued into the Canon of holy scripture and therfore not to be beleeued but as they are cōsenting with the written word And for this our doing we haue directiō from Athanasius Origen Hierom and the Councel of Laodicea As for the vnwriten Traditions they come not within the compasse of our faith neither can
vnto thee that thou hast deserued damnation say Lord I oppose the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betweene thee and my euill merits and I offer his merit for the merit which I should haue and haue not If he shall say that he is angrie with thee say Lord I oppose the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betweene me and thine anger Here we see what Papists doe and haue done in the time of death And that which they hold and practise when they are dying they should hold and practise euery day while they are liuing In the last conclusion they teach that we must not onely beleeue in generall but also applie vnto our selues the promises of life euerlasting But they differ from vs in the very manner of applying They teach that the promise is to be applied not by faith asâ—uring vs of our own saluation but only by hope in likelihood coniecturall We hold that we are bound in dutie to applie the promise of life by faith without making doubt thereof and by hope to continue the certentie after the apprehension made by faith We doe not teach that all and euery man liuing within the precincts of the church professing the name of Christ is certen of his saluation and that by faith but that he ought so to be and must indeauour to attaine thereto And here is a great point in the mysterie of iniquitie to be considered for by this vncerten application of the promise of saluation and this wauering hope they ouerturne halfe the doctrine of the Gospel For it inioynes two things first to beleeue the promises thereof to be true in themselues secondly to beleeue and by faith to applie them vnto our selues And this latter part without which the former is voide of comfort is quite ouerturned The reasons which they alleadge against our doctrine I haue answered before now therefore I let them passe To conclude though in coloured tearmes they seeme to agree with vs in doctrine concerning faith yet in deede they denie and abolish the substance thereof namely the particular and certen application of Christ crucified and his benefits vnto our selues Againe they faile in that they cut off the principall dutie and office of true sauing faith which is to apprehend and to applie the blessing promised The 21. point Of Repentance Our consent Conclus I. That repentance is the conuersion of a sinner There is a two-fold conuersion passiue and actiue passiue is an action of God whereby he conuerteth man beeing as yet vncoÌ„uerted Actiue is an action whereby man being once turned of God turnes himselfe and of this latter must this conclusion be vnderstood For the first conuersion considering it is a worke of God turning vs vnto himselfe is not the repentance whereof the Scripture speaketh so oft but it is called by the name of regeneration and repentance wherby we beeing first turned of God doe turne our selues and doe good workes is the fruit thereof Conclus II. That repentance stands specially for practise in contrition of heart confession of mouth and satisfaction in worke or deed Touching contrition there be two kinds thereof Legal and Euangelical Legal contrition is nothing but a remorse of coÌ„science for sinne in regard of the wrath iudgemeÌ„t of God it is no grace of God at all nor any part or cause of repeÌ„tance but onely an occasion thereof that by the mercie of God for of it selfe it is the sting of the law and the very entrance into the pit of hel Euangelical contrition is when a repentant sinner is grieued for his sinnes not so much for feare of hell or any other punishment as because he hath offended and displeased so good and mercifull a God This contrition is caused by the ministerie of the Gospell and in the practise of repentance it is alwaies necessarie and goes before as the beginning thereof Secondly we hold and maintaine that confession is to be made and that in sundrie respects first to God both publikely in the congregation and also priuately in our secret and priuate praiers Secondly to the Church when any person hath openly offended the congregation by any crime and is therefore excommunicate Thirdly to our priuate neighbour when we haue vpon any occasion offended and wronged him Math. 5.23 If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee goe first and be reconciled to him now reconciliation presupposeth confession Lastly in all true repentance we hold and acknowledge there must be satisfaction made first to God and that is when we intreat him in our supplications to accept the death and passion of Christ as a full perfect and sufficient satisfaction for all our sinnes Secondly it is to be made vnto the Church after excommunication for publike offences and it staÌ„ds in duties of humiliatioÌ„ that fitly serue to testifie the truth of our repeÌ„taÌ„ce Thirdly satisfaction is to be made to our neighbor because if he be wronged he must haue recoÌ„pence and restitution made Luk. 19.8 there repentance may iustly be suspected where no satisfaction is made if it lie in our power Conclus III. That in repentance we are to bring outward fruits worthie amendment of life for repentance it selfe is in the heart and therefore must be testified in all manner of good workes whereof the principall is to indeauour day by day by Gods grace to leaue and renounce all and euery sinne and in all things to doe the will of God And here let it be remembred that we are not patrons of licentiousnes and enemies of good workes For though we exclude them from the act of our iustification and saluation yet we maintaine a profitable and necessarie vse of them in the life of euery Christian man This vse is three-fold in respect of God of man of our selues Workes are to be done in respect of God that his commandements may be obeied 1. Ioh. 5.12 that his will may be don 1. Thess. 4.3 that we may shew our selues to be obedient children to God our Father 1. Pet. 1.14 that we may shew our selues thankefull for our redemption by Christ Tit. 2. 14. that we might not grieue the spirit of God Eph. 4.30 but walke according to the same Gal. 5. 22. that God by our good workes may be glorified Math. 5.16 that we may be good followers of God Eph. 5.1 Againe workes are to be done in regard of men that our neighbour may be helped in worldly things Luk. 6.38 that he may be woon by our example to godlines 1. Pet. 3.14 that we may preuent in our selues the giuing of any offence 1. Cor. 10.32 that by doing good we may stoppe the mouthes of our aduersaries Thirdly and lastly they haue vse in respect of our selues that we may shew our selues to be new creatures 2. Cor. 5.17 that we may walke as the children of light Eph. 5.8 that we haue some assurance of our faith and of our saluation 2. Pet.
his woe A. It were so indeede if there were no meanes of deliuerance but GOD hath shewed his mercie in giuing a Sauiour to mankind Q. Howe is this Sauiour called A. Iesus Christ. Q. What is Iesus Christ A. The eternall sonne of God made man in all things euen in his infirmities like other men saue onely in sinne Q. Howe was he made man void of sinne A He was conceiued in the womb of a Virgine and sanctified by the holy Ghost at his conception Q. Why must our Sauiour be both God and man A He must be a man because man hath sinned and therfore a man must die for sinne to appease Gods wrath he must be God to sustaine and vphold the manhood to ouercome and vanquish death Q What be the offices of Christ to make him an al-sufficient Sauiour A He is a priest a prophet a King Q VVhy is he a priest A To worke the meanes of saluation in the behalfe of mankind Q Howe doth he worke the meanes of saluation A First by making satisfaction to his father for the sinne of man Secondly by making intercession Q How doth he make satisfaction A By two meanes and the first is by offering a sacrifice Q VVhat is this sacrifice A Christ himselfe as he is man consisting of body and soule Q VVhat is the Altar A Christ as he is God is the Altar on which he sacrificed himselfe Q VVho was the priest None but Christ and that as he is both God and man Q How oft did he sacrifice himselfe A Neuer but once Q VVhat death did he suffer when he sacrificed himselfe A A death vpon the crosse peculiar to him alone for besides the separation of bodie and soule he felt also the pangâ—s of hell in that the whole wrath of God due to the sinne of man was powred forth vpon him Q. What profit commeth by his Sacrifice A. Gods wrath is appeased by it Q. Could the suffering of Christ which was but for a short time counteruaile euerlasting damnation and so appease Gods wrath A. Yea for seeing Christ suffered God suffered though not in his godhead that is more thaÌ„ if all men in the world had suffered for euer euer Q. Now tell me the other meanes of satisfaction A. It is the perfect fulfilling of the lawe Q. Howe did he fulfill the lawe A. By his perfect righteousnes which consisteth of two parts the first the integritie and purenesse of his humaine nature the other his obedience in performing all that the lawe required Q. You haue shewed how Christ doth make satisfaction tell mee likewise howe he doth make intercession A. He alone doth continually appeare before his father in heauen making the faithfull and all their praiers acceptable vnto him by applying of the merits of his owne perfect satisfaction to them Q. Why is Christ a prophet A. To reueale vnto his Church the waie and meanes of saluation this he doth outwardly by the ministerie of his word and inwardly by the teaching of his holy spirit Q. Why is he also a King A. That he might bountifully bestowe vpon vs and conuey vnto vs all the aforesaid meanes of saluation Q. How doth he shewe himselfe to be a King A. In that beeing dead and buried hee rose from the graue quickened his dead bodie ascended into heauen and nowe sitteth at the right hand of his father with full full power and glory in heauen Q. How else A. In that he doeth continually inspire and direct his seruants by the diuine power of his holy spirit according to his holy word Q. But to whome will this blessed King communicate all these meanes of saluation A. He offereth them to many and they are sufficient to saue all mankind but all shall not be saued thereby because by faith they will not receiue them The fourth principle expounded Q. What is faith A. Faith is a wonderfull grace of God by which a man doth apprehend and apply Christ and all his benefits vnto himselfe Q. Howe doth a man apply Christ vnto himselfe seeing we are on earth and Christ in heauen A. This applying is done by assurance when a man is verely perswaded by the holy spirit of Gods fauour towards himselfe particularly and of the forgiuenes of his owne sinnes Q. How doth God bring men truely to beleeue in Christ A. First he prepareth their hearts that they might bee capable of faith and then he worketh faith in them Q. Howe doth God prepare mens heartes A. By bruising them as if one would breake an hard stone to powder and this is done by hambling them Q. How doth God humble a man A. By working in him a sight of his sinnes and a sorrowe for them Q. How is this sight of sinne wrought A. By the morall lawe the summe whereof is the ten commandements Q. What sinnes may I finde in my selfe by them A. Ten. Q. What is the first A. To make something thy God which is not God by fearing it louing it so trusting in it more then in the true God Q. What is the second A. To worship false Gods or the true God in a false manner Q. What is the third A. To dishonour God in abusing his titles wordes and workes Q. What is the fourth A. To breake the Sabboth in doing the works of their calling and of the flesh and in leauing vndone the workes of the spirit Q. What be the sixe latter A. To doe any thing that may hinder thy neighbours dignitie life chastitie wealth good name though it be but in the secret thoughts and motions of the heart vnto which thou giuest no liking nor consent Q. What is sorrowe for sinne A. It is when a mans conscience is touched with a liuely feeling of Gods displeasure for any of these sinnes in such wise that hee vtterly despaires of saluation in regard of any thing in himselfe acknowledging that he hath deserued shame and confusion eternally Q. Howe doth God worke this sorrowe A. By the terrible curse of the Lawe Q. What is that A. He which breakes but one of the commandements of God though it be but once in all his life time and that onely in one thought is subiect to and in danger of eternall damnation thereby Q. When mens hearts are thus prepared howe doth God ingraft faith in them A. By working certaine inward motions in the heart which are the seedes of faith out of which it breedeth Q. What is the first of them A. When a man humbled vnder the burden of his sinnes doth acknoweledge and feele that he standes in great neede of Christ. Q. What is the second A. An hungring desire and a longing to be made partaker of Christ all his merits Q. What is the third A. A flying to the throne of
reconciliation in nature for the desire is one thing and reconciliation is an other but in Gods acceptation for if we being touched throughly for our sinnes doe desire to haue them pardoned and to be at one with God God accepts vs as reconciled Againe desire to beleeue it is not faith in nature but onely in Gods acception God accepting the will for the deede That this doctrine is the will and word of God it appeares by these reasons First of all God hath annexed a promise of blessednes and of life euerlasting to the desire of grace Math. 5. Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shall be satisfied Ioh. 7.38 If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke Reu. 21. I will giue vnto him which is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely Now what is this to thirst properly it is when we are in a drought or drinesse and want drinke to refresh vs to desire it And therefore by a resemblance they are saide to thirst after righteousnesse that want it and would haue it and they thirst after Christ that feele themselues out of Christ and desire yea long after the blood of Christ that they might bee refreshed with it in their consciences Here then we see that the desire of mercie in the want of mercie is the obtaining of mercie and the desire to beleeue in the want of faith is faith Though as yet thou want firme and liuely grace yet art thou not altogether void of grace if thou canst desire it thy desire is the seed conception or budde of that which thou wantest nowe is the spring time of the ingrafted worde or the immortall seede cast into the furrowes of thy heart waite but a while vsing good meanes and thou shalt see that leaues blossoms and fruites will shortly followe after Secondly the desire of any good thing is accepted of God as the liuely inuocation of his holy name Psal. 10. God heareth the desires of the poore Psal. 145. Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him When Moses said nothing but onely desired in heart the helpe and protection of God at the red sea the Lord said vnto him why criest thou vnto me Exod. 14. And when wee knowe not to pray as wee oughtâ— Paul saith that the spirit maketh request by the inward groanes of the heart Rom. 8 26â— Hence I gather when a man in his weakenes praies with â—ighes and groanes for the gift of liuely faith the want whereof he finds in himselfe his very praier on this manner made is as truely in acceptation with God as the praier made in liuely faith Thirdly to the testimonie of Scripture I adde the testimonies of Godly and learned men not to prooue the doctrine in hand but to shewe a consent and to prooue thus much that the thing which I auouch is no priuat phantasie of any man Augustine saieth Let thy desire be before him and thy father which seeth in secret shall rewarde thee openly for thy deâ—ire is thy praier and if thy desire be continuall thy praier is continuall Hee addes further in the same place that the desire is a continuall voice and the crie of the heart and the inward inuocation of God which may bee made without intermission Againe The whole life of a good christian is an holy will and desire And that which thou desirest thou seest not but by desiring art as it were inlarged and made capable that when it shall come which thou shalt see thou maiest be filled Bernard saith What is not desire a voice Yea a very strong voice God heareth the desire of the poore and a continuall desire though we speake nothing is a voice continued Luther saith Christ is then truely omnipotent and then truely raignes in vs when we are so weak that we can scarce giue any groane For Paul saith that one such groane is a strong crie in the eares of God filling both heauen and earth Againe very fewe knowe howe weake and small faith and hope is vnder the crosse and in temptation For it appeares then to be as smoaking flaxe which a good blast of winde would presently put out but such as beleeue in these combates and terrours against hope vnder hope that is opposing themselues by faith in the promises of Christ against the feeling of sinne and the wrath of God doe finde afterward that this little sparke of faith as it appeares to reason which hardly perceiueth it is peraduenture as the whole element of fire which filleth all heauen and swalloweth vp all terrours and sinnes Again the more we finde our vnworthinesse and the lesse we finde the promises to belong vnto vs the more we must desire them beâ—ing assured that this desire doeth greatly please God who desireth and willeth that his grace should be earnesâ—ly desired This doeth faith which iudgeth it a pretious thing and therefore greatly hungereth and â—hirsâ—eth after it and so obtaines it For God is delighted to fill the hungrie with good things and to send the rich emptie away Theodore Beza saith If thou finde not thine heart inwardly touched pray that it may be touched for then must thou knowe that this desire is a pledge of the fathers good will to thee Kimnitius saith When I haue a good desire though it doe scarcely shewe it selfe in some little and slender sigh I must bee assured that the spirit of God is present and worketh his good work Vrsinus saith Faith in the most holy men in this life is vnperfect and weake Yet neuerthelesse whosoeuer feeles in his heart an earnest desire to beleeue and a striuing against his naturall doubtings both can and mâ—st assure himselfe that he is indued with true faith Againe Wicked men doe not desire the grace of the holy spirit whereby they may resist sinne And therefore they are iustly depriued of it for hee that earnestly desireth the holy Ghost hath it alreadie because this desire of the spirit cannot be but from the spirit as it is saide Blessed are they that hunger thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Bradford saith Thy sinnes are vndoubtedly pardoned c. for god hath giuen thee a penitent and beleeuing heart that is an heart which desireth to repent and beleeue for such an one is taken of him hee accepting the will for the deede for a penitent and beleeuing heart indeede Taffine saith Our faith may be so small and weake as it doth not yet bring forth fruits that may be liuely felt of vs but if they which feele themselues in such estate desire to haue these feelings namely of Gods fauour and loue if thâ—y aske them at Gods hand by praier this desire and praier are testimonies that the spirit of God is in theÌ„ and that â—â—ey haue faith alreadie for is such a desire a fruite of the flesh or of the spirit It is of the
the holy Ghost is by little and little begun and increased in vs. Reasons I. Paul would not so greatly bewaile his originall sinne if after Baptisme it ceased any more to bee sinne I see saith he another law in my mēbers rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captiue vnto the lawe of sinne which is in my members O miserable man ◠who shall deliuer me from this body of death II. Originall sinne is called a sinne out of measure sinfull Rom. 7.13 And Heb. 12.1 a sinne that hangeth fast on or easily compasseth vs about III. Concupiscence is the roote of actuall sin and therefore euen after Baptisme it must properly be a sin IV. Vnlesse that concupiscence were a sinne where would or could be that vehement and hote combate betwixt the flesh and the spirit The VI. errour Baptisme is absolutely necessarie to saluation especially for children The Confutation Wee denie that Baptisme is of absolute necessitie to saluation Reasons I. Sacraments doe not conferre grace but rather confirme grace when GOD hath conferred the same The children of faithfull parents are borne holy not by naturall generation but by the grace of God and are not first made holy by baptisme and as for such as are of yeares of discretion before they be baptized they cannot be baptized vnlesse they beleeue Nowe all such as beleeue they are both iustified and reconciled to God and therefore albeit they without their owne default are depriued of the Sacraments it is vnpossible for thē to perish II. God did precisely appoint circumcision to be on the eight day not on the first or the second nowe there is no doubt but that many infants before their eight daie were preuented of circumcision by death all which for a man peremptorily to set downe as condemned were very absurd III. If circumcision were of such absolute great necessitie why was it for the space of fourtie yeares in the desart intermitted and that onely because the Israelites beeing often in iourney such as were circumcised were by it in ieopardy of death no doubt Moses and Aaron would neuer haue omitted this Sacrament so long if it had bene absolutely necessarie to saluation IV. This doctrine of the absolute necessitie of Baptisme was vnknowne to the auncient Fathers For the primitiue Church did tollerate very godly men though we allow not this their fact that they should deferre their baptisme many yeares yea often to the time of their death Hence was it that Constantine the great was not baptised till a little before his death and Valentinian by reason of his delay was not at all baptized whome notwithstanding Ambrose pronounceth to be in heauen And Bernard in his 77. epist. disputeth that not euery depriuation of Baptisme but the contempt or palpable negligence is damnable The VII errour Man after the fall of Adam hath free-will as well to doe that which is good as that which is euill although it be in a diuers manner that is he hath free-wil to do◠euill simplie and without any externall aide but to doe well none at all but by the grace of God preuenting or guiding vs the which grace notwithstanding euery man hath and to the which grace it is in our free-will either to consent and togither worke with the same or not And therfore the power of free-will to doe that which is good acceptable to God is onely attenuated weakened before conuersion and therefore man can of himselfe worke a preparation to iustification The Confutation Man not regenerated hath free-will to doe onely that which is euill none to doe good He beeing not already conuerted cannot so much as will to haue faith and be conuerted Reasons I. Man is not said to be weake or sicke but dead in sinnes Ephe. 2.1 Col. 1.13 As he therefore that is corporally dead can not stirre vp himselfe that he may performe such workes of viuification no not then when others helpe him so he that is spiritually dead cannot mooue himselfe to liue vnto God II. He is the seruant of Satan and bondslaue of sinne Eph. 2.2 Rom. 6.13 Nowe we knowe that a seruant standeth at the becke pleasure of another and can doe nothing els III. That which no man can by himselfe knowe and beleeue the same he cannot will but no man can knowe beleeue those things that appertaine to the kingdome of GOD. 1. Cor. 2. vers 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God 2. Cor. 3. 5. We are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues Therefore no man can will by himselfe those things that appertaine to Gods kingdome IV. That which is a deadly enemie to goodnes and is directly repugnant thereunto the same desireth not that which is good but the will is an enemie directly repugnant vnto goodnes Rom. 8.7 The wisdome of the flesh is hatred against God for it is not subiect to the lawe of God neither indeed can bee Obiect I. The word is neere vnto thee in thine heart and in thy mouth that thou maiest doe the same Deut. 30. Answer It is easie to performe the lawe legallie but not Euangelically Now this is done when as any man doth fulfill the law by a Mediatour and from him receiuing the spirit of god doth endeuour to performe new obedience Obiect II. God giueth many precepts by which we are commanded to repent beleeue obey God c. Therefore to doe these we haue free-will Answ. Such places doe not shew vs what we can doe but what we should doe our weaknes what we cannot doe neither doe they shew what men can doe but what men should doe II. They are instruments of the holy Ghost whereby he doth renue and conuert such as shall be saued They obiect againe God in commanding these doth not require things impossible Ans. He doth not indeede to men in their innocencie but now to all such as fell in Adam he doth and that by their owne default not Gods Obiect III. Philip. 3. 12. Worke your saluation with feare and trembling Answer Paul speaketh of such as are alreadie conuerted which haue their wil in part freed Obiect IV. If the will be a meere patient it is constrained to doe that which is good Answ. The will both in it selfe and of it selfe is a meere patient in her first conuersion vnto God but if it be considered as it is mooued by the spirit of God it is an agent For being mooued it mooueth It is not therefore compelled but of a nilling will is made a willing will The VIII errour The holy Ghost doth not giue grace to will but onely doth vnloose the will which before was chained and also doth excite the same so that the will by her owne power doth dispose her selfe to iustification The Confutation It is apparantly false To will those things which concerne the kingdome of God as faith conuersion and new obedience is the meere gift of Gods spirit
Matth. 11.28 No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whoâ—â— the Sonne will reueale him Luke 8. To you it is giuen to know the mysteries of the kingdome of God Philip. 2. It is God which worketh in you to will and to doe 1. Cor. 12. 13. No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Briefly he who according to God is to be created to righteousnes and holiness Eph. 4.24 cannot any waies dispose himselfe to iustification or new creation For it is impossible that a thing not yet created should dispose it selfe to his creation The IX errour That preparation to grace which is caused by the power of free-will may by the merit of congruitie deserue iustification The Confutation These things smell of more then Satanicall arrogancie For what man but such an one as were not in his right mind would beleeue that he vnto whom so many millions of condemnations are due could once merit the least dramme of grace The prodigall sonne he was not receiued into fauour by reason of his deserts but by fauour Luk. 15.21 His sonne said vnto him I haue sinned against heauen and against thee and am no more worthie to be called thy sonne The X. errour The faith of the godly or that which iustifieth is that whereby a man doth in generall beleeue the promised blessednes of God and by which also he giueth his assent to other mysteries reuealed of God concerning the same The Confutation Faith is not onely a generall knowledge and assent to the historie of the Gospel but further also a certaine power both apprehending and seuerally applying the promises of God in Christ whereby a man doth assuredly set downe that his sinnes are forgiuen him and that he is reconciled vnto God Reasons I. A particular assuraÌ„ce of the fauour of god is of the nature of faith Eph. 3.12 By whom we haue boldnes and entrance with confidence by faith in him Rom. 4.20 Neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was strengthened in the faith and gaue glorie vnto God 21. Beeing fully assured that he which had promised was also able to do it Heb. 10.22 Let vs draw nere with a true heart in assurance of faith II. Particular doubtings is reprehended Mat. 14. â—â— O thou of litle faith why didst thou doubt Luk. 12.29 Hang ye not in suspence III. That which a maÌ„ praieth for to god that must he assuredly beleeue to receiue Math. 11.24 But the faithfull in their praiers make request for adoption iustification and life eternall And therefore they must certainely beleeue that they shall receiue these benefits IV. Rom. 5.1 We beeing thâ—refore iustified we haue peace with God But there can be no peace where there is not a paâ—ticuâ—ar assurance of Gods fauour V. That which the spirit of God doth testifie vnto vs particularly that must also be beleeued particularly But the spirit of God doth giue a particular testimonie of the adoption of the faithfull Rom. 8.16 Gal. 4.6 This therefore is in like sort to be beleeued Whereas they say that no man hath a particular assurance but by especiall reuelation as was that which Abraham and Paul had it is false For the faith of these two is set downe in Scripture as an example which we should all follow For this cause Abraham is called the Father of the faithfull and Paul testifieth the very fame of himselfe 1. Tim. 1.16 For this cause saith he was I receiued to mercie that Iesus Christ should first shew on me all long suffering vnto the example of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eternall life Againe whereas they say that we haue a morall assurance but not the assurance of faith it is a popish deuise For Rom. 8.16 The spirit of adoption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together beareth witnesse to our spirits Where we see two witnesses of our adoption our owne spirit and the spirit of God Our spirit doth testifie morally of our adoption by sanctification and the fruits thereof and therefore also the spirit of God witnesseth after another manner namely by the certaintie of faith declaring and applying the promises of God Obiect I. We are commanded to worke our saluation with feare trembling Ans. This feare is not in regard of Gods mercie forgiuing our sinnes but in respect of vs and our nature which is euer prone to slide away and starting from God Obiect II. In respect of Gods mercie we must hope for saluation but in respect of our vnworthines we must doubt Ans. I. We may not at all lawfully doubt of Gods mercie because doubtfulnes is not of the nature of faith but rather a naturall corruption II. If we consider our owne vnworthines it is out of all doubt that we must be out of all hope and despaire of our saluation Obiect III. There be many sinnes vnknowne vnto vs and so also vncertaine whether they be pardoned vnto vs. Answer He that certenly and truly knoweth that but one sinne is pardoned him he hath before God all his sinnes remitted whether they be knowne or vnknowne Obiect IV. No man dare sweare or die in the defence of this proposition I am the child of God or in Gods fauour and iustified Answ. They which haue an vnfained faith will if they be lawfully called not onely testifie their adoption by an oath but seale it also by their blood Obiect V. A man may haue this faith which the Protestants talke of and lie in a mortall sinne and haue also a purpose to perseuere in a mortall sinne Ans. It is farre otherwise for Act. 15.9 True faith purifieth the heart These Sophisters doe further affirme that this faith which to them is nothing but a knowledge and illumination of the mind concerning the truth of Gods word is the roote and foundation of iustification The which if it be true why should not the deuill be iust for he hath both a knowledge of Gods word and thereunto by beleeuing doth giue his assent who notwithstanding he haue such a faith yet can he not be called one of the faithfull Here they except and say The deuils faith is void of charitie which is the forme of faith But this is a doting surmise of their owne braine For charitie is the effect of faith 1. Tim. 1.5 But the effect cannot informe the cause The XI errour Mans loue of God doth in order and time goe before his iâ—stification and reconciliation with God The Confutation Nay contrarily vnlesse we be first perswaded of Gods loue towards vs we neuer loue him For we loue him because he loued vs first 1. Ioh. 4.19 Againe it is impossible that Gods enemie should loue him but he which is not as yet iustified or reconciled to God he is Gods enemie Rom. 5.9,10 Neither is any man before the act of iustification made of Gods enemie his friend The XII errour Iufused or inherent iustice is the formall cause of iâ—stification