in y ◠same verse if your eyes had not dazled you might haue seene that the Apostle after his thankes giuing for his deliuerance from the danger of that same bodie of death against which he had exclamed confesseth that euen then as touching his minde he serued the law of God but in his flesh the law of sinne Which place is as cleare as the sun-shine not onelie to shew the falshood of your first reason against our interpretation of the 7. to the Rom. but also to proue so your great shame the trueth of the generall assertion aforesaide namelie that The regenerate are not free frō sinne Yet these are not all the foiles you receiue by it for it cutteth likewise the throte of your second reason before it haue time to draw one breath of life for where you say Therefore after this he thanketh God in Christ that he was deliuered from that bodie of sinne which made him to doe that euil he would not and to leaue vndone the good he would You would make vs belieue that Paul in this place was a changed man so as he could no more sin vnwillinglie as before which purpose of yours now you sée is preuented and therefore your reason spoilde yet ere I passe I must admonish the Reader to consider of what spirite this sauoureth that in alledging the 25. verse which soundeth thus I thanke my God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Now therefore euen I in my minde doe serue the law of God but in my flesh the law of Sinne. He bringeth it out thus He thanketh God in Christ and so cutteth off all the rest but chopping into the roome thereof these wordes that he was deliuered from that bodie of sin which made him to do that euil he would not and to leaue vndone the good he would A sentence I confesse of like length but neither of like nature nor trueth If anie say for E. G. For now I vnderstand he is dead that he added that part not as to haue it taken for the wordes of scripture but the sense of the place I could easely admit that answere were it not for the sakes of some of his sect who as I vnderstand can not read at all and yet are very stiffe in his opinions I know not how they haue béene this way abused Besides it is not comuenient in citing of scripture to sow anie peeces of our owne into it without putting some partition wall betwixt or bringing in the seruant in some differing weed from his maister that the one be not taken for the other of the commers in Moreouer if hee bring those wordes for the meaning of the place yet hee is too impudent and blasphemous presuming to speake directlie against the spirite of God which it is cleare that hee doth when the text saith Paule had yet such an enimie of flesh about him as serued the law of sinne and this man saith Paule was now deliuered from that bodie of sinne as made him do the euil he would not Two thinges in their substance flat contrarie though chaunge of wordes at first would seeme to couer it But lest we should maruaile at this dealing he makes a custome of the matter for the next place he bringeth out of the beginning of the 8. chap. where hee would faine make S. Paule speake according to his humor for whereas the text is There is now therefore no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus which walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirite You must vnderstand it as it is thus paraphrasticallie deliuered by him To them which are in Christ Iesus there is no condemnation or no such bodie of death which is the cause of our condemnation for they walke not after the flesh as he was forced to doe by the law of sinne when as he did the euil he would not and left vndone the good hee would but they walke after the spirite and so doe the good they would His bolonesse here as before whether it sauour of Babilon or no I leaue it to the christian Reader to iudge But three thinges must be obserued and examined wherein beyond al reason warrant he abuseth this place of the Apostle First for the worde condemnation by that he wil haue vnderstoode the bodie of death therein without anie necessitie transforming the effect into the cause as though he would cōpel the holie ghost to speake for his purpose but without all probabilitie both forasmuch as that word is no where vsed in that sense as also this verse repeating the argument of the 5. chap. 1. verse of the same Epistle concerning iustification by faith onely proued by an argument drawne from the effectes toucheth nothing at all that speciall obiection which hee answereth in the latter ende of the 7. chapter whereby he was occasioned so to handle that conflict of the flesh and the spirite So that then we sée if E. G. would haue taken this worde condemnation in his naturall sense and not malitiously peruerted it as one that would wilfullie runne into the pit he should haue béene so farre off finding his bodie of death in it as that much rather the sunne shine of comfort would appeared vnto him to haue banished the night of dark discomfort that came vpon him in his sicknesse when as this place rather would haue told him there is no condemnation towardes thee if thou be Christes agréeably whereto the spirite saith in the 33. and 34. verses afterwarde who shall laye anie faultes against the elect of God It is God that iustifieth who is hee that shall condemne It is Christ that is dead yea rather that is risen againe who sitteth also at the right hand of God and entreateth for vs. The second thing I obserue is concerning these wordes They walke not after the flesh which walking he taketh to be al one with that S. Paule calleth the law of sinne in his members whereas he might aswell haue compared a beast vnto a man for by that other law in his members it is manifest he meant the power of sinne which gate oportunities manie times against him although in his inner man to his might he made resistance as all open eyes may sée both by the opposing of the law in the members to the inner man as also by the whole suite and circumstances of the text Contrariewise in the other place Paule speaketh of the minde giuing obedience to the law of the members which he calleth To walke according to the flesh as when there is no resistance made to sinne So that her◠the holie Ghost speaketh of a whole man willingly going after sin there of a man falling but sometimes through infirmitie also there he sheweth in what respect the law hath a worke of death in our mortal bodies according to the obiection in the 13. verse but here he teacheth a note to know our selues truly iustified by euen our sanctification according to the matters handled from
the beginning of the sixt chapter Thirdly E. G. expoundeth walking according to the spirit to be a doing of the good we would Either this is idle or els it soundeth a full abilitie to do the good we would And then I sée well one wilfull maister or Pilot is able to cast away a ship full of men Let those that haue béene hetherto addicted to this man looke better to them selues he hath giuen the ship in this place one notable stroke vpon the rocke of frée will they can not endure many moe before they make shipwracke of faith But he wil proue it I trow that they that walke after the spirite can do what good they would because forsooth the Apostle affirmeth of him selfe in Christ that the law rule or power of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus did free and deliuer him froÌ„ the law rule or power of sinne which before preuailed ouer him vnto death The Reader must be aduertised that this clause which before preuailed ouer him vnto death groweth not vnto the text but is the addition of a presumptuous spirite And whereas he would séeme to borrow it from the places before cited in the 7. of the Rom. he blasphemeth there being no sillable to proue that sinne preuailed ouer Paule vnto death but the flat contrarie And whereas to make the word law in both places the fuller to serue his turne by he setteth to all his strength to stretch it out with these wordes rule or power let him take héed lest the text therby sodenly breaking he receiue some dangerous fall for by rule and power he would haue vs vnderstaÌ„d an absolute rule or vngainsaid iurisdiction which the spirite of regeneratioÌ„ bringeth vs by which sin should be so banished in vs as no more to be able to shew his face wherein he playeth Sathans part with vs to beguile vs w t false allegatioÌ„ of scripture not caring so his sense might stand though he set the scripture at oddes with it selfe For as Sathan tempting Christ to throw him selfe headlong from the Pinacle sollicited him thereunto with It is written he shall giue his angels charge ouer thee they shall hold thee vp in their handes that thou hitte not thy foote against a stone dissembling in the meane time that this must nâ—edes be vnderstoode of an action done in the feare of God a warranted calling the other sense being flatly gainsaide by the place of Deut. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God so in like maner this man in strayning here the text to this his sense would â—aine haue vs not to sée our fréedom by the law of the spirite to be meant in that place a deliuerance from the danger of sinne and death which the law brought vs into before as Paule had proued in y â— 7. chap. 7. 13. verse 6. although the 25. verse of the same chap. which E. G. him selfe alloweth to be spoken of Paule a regenerate man must necessarilie enforce it when as the Apostle saith there Therefore euen I nowe in my minde do serue the law of God but in my flesh the law of sinne For otherwise there is a plaine contradiction betwixt this place and the 2. verse of the 8. chap. if this mans interpretation thereof may stand Well if you will not yet belieue him now he sends you to consider the whole two chapters going before and following after the said 7. chap. And what shall we finde there for his purpose forsooth That the Apostle doth plainely define the regenerate man to bee so dead to sinne as that he can not liue in sinne but in righteousnesse that is as long as he continueth a regenerat man as that he doth leaue the coÌ„mitting or seruing of sinne and he doth serue and do with his members righteousnesse as he before did serue or commit sinne he hath his fruite in holines and not in sinne and the end euerlasting life He is not in the flesh or a carnall man as was Paule before his delinerance froÌ„ the bodie of death but he is in the spirite his bodie of sinne being so deade or mortified in respect of sinne as that he liueth in righteousnesse and doth not the deedes of the flesh Hath anie man heard a more vncertaine answere if this man walke not like a giddie-braine I neuer saw anie He is off and on here and there faine he would speake out and he dare not The Apostle saith he doth plainely define the regenerate man to bee so dead to sinne who lookes not here for a great blow as that he can not liue in sin Is it no better alas poore faintling But you may perceiue his heart was good eueÌ„ to haue striken out his blow at length that it might haue sounded The regenerate hath power not to sin anie more which is y e stroke he must strike if he mean to war against our said assertion but he knew wel inough that then all y e scripturs which there he citeth would haue laid hands on him Again next that he interpreteth coÌ„mitting sinne by seruing sin contrarie wise in the next sentence seruing sinne by committing sinne And at latter end saying He that is in the spirite liueth in righteousnes and doth not the deedes of the flesh he both offereth an inkling to his Disciples to take holde of his meaning and withal cunningly reserueth a vantage to himselfe to wash his hands of the blooude of those he should thereby seduce as Pilate did his handes from the bloud of Christ otherwise he would haue deliuered plainly thus he that is in the spirite liueth in righteousnesse so that he doth not anie deedes of the flesh anie more To haue thus therefore pointed out his fraudulent dealing for the simple soules sakes is answere inough for this place for if I should take anie other course therewith I sée not how a needlesse strife of wordes can be auoided as where no cleare meaning can bee found and I am warned not to answere a foole according to his foolishnesse lest my selfe also become like him I shall méete him more plainely hereafter without these starting holes and that variable monster of often regeneration with him which here he leadeth tyed in the string of a parenthesis and then shall they both féele by the grace of God the strong hand of trueth to encounter them Hitherto I will reduce as fittest for this place the residue of the controuersie concerning the 7. to the Rom. which he as a man that had waged battaile both against trueth and all good order hath bestowed other where He acknowledgeth these sixe reasons to be brought by our side out of the 7. chap. to the Rom. to proue Pauls acknowledging of sinne euen in his regenerate estate namely 1. In that he saith there hee had a will to do well 2. A loue of goodnes 3. A loathing of euil 4. A strife against the flesh 5. A delight in the
I trow he bringeth some reasons let vs giue eare vnto them First saith he The Apostle biddeth vs walke in the spirit and then wee should not fulfill the lusts of the flesh or we should not leaue vndone the good we would Then he sheweth the inconuenience which would follow if wee did not walke in the spirit that is the flesh then would force vs to leaue vndone the good which God commanded or the good we would Thirdly and lastly he sheweth that if we be not thus led by the flesh but by the spirit wee shall not then be vnder that law of sin which maketh vs leaue vndone the good we would Well let vs first try his fidelitie in the text after that y e strength of his reason For of trueth in all these wordes here as his follie is miserable so his vntrue dealing with the text is damnable In the 16. verse besides that he foloweth the worser translations which are read thus Walke in the spirit and then you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh whereas it is righter thus Walke by the spirit and fulfil not the lust of the flesh Besides this I say which somewhat bewrayeth his euill hart he is so impudent as to adde such a paraphrase as vtterly corrupteth the text it self It is in his parenthesis Or we should not leaue vndone the good we would he wold haue y e reader vnderstaÌ„d that not to performe the lusts of the flesh is as much as to doo that good that we would But there is great difference betwixt them For not to performe the lusts of the flesh is to staie the accomplishing of such sinnes outwardly as our lusts doo inwardly solicite vs vnto But to do the good we would if it be taken according to Pauls meaning is not only to abstaine from the actions of sin which is but the first step of sanctification but to bring to passe all good that wee would in our conuersation of life Now the regenerate man hauing his affection sanctified by the spirite of God approueth willeth all the law of God therefore by this mans exposition he should bée able also to performe al y e law of God In which point he is not only Antichristian and therefore a lier but one that contumeliously as it were to his téeth withstandeth the spirit of God who in the next verse saith flatly Wee cannot doo whatsoeuer we wold In this 17. verse giuing the sense of it he is yet if it were possible more shameles for hee deliuereth it as though Paul should say in effect these words vnto the Galathians For if you doo not walke in the spirite the flesh then will force you to leaue vndone the good you would The reason that moued him to make this sense of Pauls words is this That the Apostle there reasoneth from an inconuenience I answere first whensoeuer the literall sense may stande with the proportion of faith and coÌ„sent of other scriptures there it is to be followed and preferred for otherwise it must argue a iudgement stained with some corrupt preiudice but of this place the literall sense is both agreeable to faith and the other scriptures which euerie where testifie that the elect doo sin and therefore cannot doo the good they would for it is certaine that the elect doo desire to walke in all the lawe of God therefore ought the literall sense in this place to haue béen followed And so Paul should haue béen heard according to the euident meaning of his owne wordes not enforcing his exhortation to the Galathians by a reason taken from the inconuenience that might follow as this man foolishly fableth but by an argument of comparison from the lesse to the greater and that in this sort They that by reason of some strong enemie in themselues cannot attaine to doo euen whatsoeuer in y e rightnes of their mind they would haue cause to labour so much the more to follow the spirit and forsake the waies their flesh stirreth them vnto in all things but such is your condition by reason of the sight betwéene the flesh and the spirit two mere contraries and therefore you haue so much greater cause to take heed to this exhortation Now as you see this argument lyeth plaine according to the literall interpretation which euerie wise interpreter first striueth to attain to so far forth as he may and containeth doctrine not onlie agreeable to the scriptures but also verie notably making for the purpose of y e Apostles exhortation so on the other side if we should stand to the exposition of this miserable man first the sense must he such as neuer a word in the text giueth countenance vnto as is manifest by coÌ„paring it with his exposition and then such a point of doctrine shalbe set downe as is vtterly without rime or reason as they speake yea such a reason shall the Apostle persuade the Galathians withall which is a horrible thing to grant as is foolish absurd and one part of it ouerthrowing another And this is it woorthie for euerie man to looke vpon When he had first wâ—lâ—d them to walke in the spirit and not fulfil the lusts of the flesh then this should bee his argument to persuade them For if you do not walke in the spirit the fâ—â—sh will force you to leaue vndone the good you would How foolish and vnsauerie is this to say If you will not walke right you shall bee forced not to walke right I neuer heard that a willing minde néeded forcing But O how far from the Apostles spirite who when he would reason from the end or as this man saith from the inconuenience of a thing as in other places hee doth setteth another maner of edge vpon his argument as for example and euen in the verie like case in the 8. of the Epistle to the Romanes exhorting to forsake the flesh and follow the spirite among other arguments he hath this For if you liue according to the flesh you shall dye but if by the spirite you mortifie the actions of the bodie you shall liue He can not make vs belieue therefore that Paule was so rude a workeman as hee pretendeth Now in that I saide one part ouerthroweth another I suppose there is none so simple as séeth it not or cls I pray you what good willeth he that walketh not in the spirite May not a man as easilie make a rope of sand Thus much for the 17. verse let vs looke if anie better spirite led him in the 18. the text is this But if you be led by the spirite then are you not vnder the law He deliuereth it thus If we be not thus led by the flesh but by the spirite wee shall not then be vnder that law of sinne which maketh vs leaue vndone the good we would In the second page of his booke he would make vs belieue that our ministers haue a singuler fleight in peruerting the scriptures
I perceiue he dreamed of his own disease and so when he wakened told his dreame of others For is not this very sleight and cunning conueyance vpoÌ„ this text in stead of the law of coÌ„mandements to profer vs y e remnant of old Adam yet remaining in the regenerate man but let those admire him whose eies he hath bemisted They whose eyes the Lord hath opened to sée may rather wonder at his impudencie then be deceiued by such shifting If the scriptures could haue lent him but one example for this word law being simplie set down as it is here without anie word of restrainte accompanying it to haue meant the law of the members he might haue had some warrant of this his dealing But a rubbed forehead that can not chaunge colour maketh a hold tongue to vtter anie falshood Before if the Reader do remeÌ„ber whereas we reade in the 1. verse of the 8. ch to the Rom. There is now no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus This man expâ—undeth the word condemnation by the bodie of death which Paule spake of before in the 7. chap. 24. verse Here he can make the word law sound the remnant of sin or vnregenerate part which Paule in that place also to the Rom. termeth the law of sin in his members Now if it bee lawfull for a man to vse this libertie namely to interprete termes of scripture onely for his own turne both taking them from their manifest sense and yéelding no proofe thereof by conference of other places then is there no heresie in the world so foule as the diuel in his members cannot find shift inough to maintain by colour of scriptures This considered my answere might be sufficient if I barely denyed his foolish fiction Yet because his friends shal know that I stand by the heape of trueth I will not spare in ansâ—â—ring to fill his measure full To the disproofe therefore of his sense let vs first remoue the doubtfulnesse of his speach and after that the falshoode The doubtfulnesse is in these wordes we shall not then be vnder the law of sin if he vnderstand here such a being vnder as is a willing lying downe and subiection thereunto which Paule forbiddeth and is onely true in the vnregenerate then this makethnothing for him selfe nor against our assertion though we granted him this meaning of that place If so be then we take it to meane as necessity enforceth that as manie as are led by the spirit are no more subiect in anie respect to the remnants of sin but that they may do whatsoeuer good they would then this can not bee the sense of that place because it is flat contrarie to the Apostle both in the verse afore going which I hope is clearely euicted from the aduersaries sense as also in the 1. verse of the 6. chap. where Paule plainely graunteth that euen they that haue the chiefest measures of spirituall graces may also be taken tardie in offences Wherefore if this mans minde had not béene forestalled with corrupt opinions which like the worst melancholie turneth euen those things that be verie coÌ„trarie in their owne nature to the féeding and maintenance of it selfe hee might haue found such a sense of this place as had beene both sutable to that exhortation the Apostle maketh to the Galat. as also well according with euerie point of doctrine which anie where els he teacheth namely that those that are led by the spirite are not vnder the law as touching the guilt and condemnaiion thereof as Rom. 8. 1. in in which respect it is deade Rom. 7. 6. and wee are no more subiect to it Rom. 6. 15. and hereby the Apostle vtterlie remoued all scruple of waâ—t endeuour that might sticke in the Galathians mindes by occasion of his former argument The rest from the 19. to the 21. verse being but a distribution of the effectes of the flesh and making nothing at all for his interpretation of the 17. verse which is the question is therefore idlely here brought in of E. G. to fill vp roome As for the end of the fruites of the flesh there set downe to wit that Adulterers Idolaters drunkardes gluttons c. shall not bee heires of the kingdome of GOD it hath beene of our part so firmely alwaie belieued and taught that the Church of GOD neuer needed the life of E. G. nor of anie such tumultuous spirite on this blasmous manner to vrge it Thus hauing gained this place also to our cause the proud building of frée will and Anabaptistical holines which he foolishlie raised thereupon is fallen and there appeareth therein foundation for nothing els but the humble habitation of Gods children not onely outwardlie laide at with the stormes of worldly calamities but most of all inwardlie assailed with the buffeting temptations of Sathan and rebeilious affections of onr owne remaining nature as that although wee watch and labour against them all the dayes of our life yet shall we be neuer in this life vtterlie rid of them nor yet in such case of abilitie as alwaies and in euerie thing to preuaile against them And therefore in this respect is our redemption obserued to be twofold the one from the cursse of the law and seruitude of sinne which held thereby the other from the coruption of our bodie The first fréeth vs from the rule and iurisdiction of our corrupt nature the second from the verie corrupt nature it selfe By meanes of the first we are so deliuered from our sinfull nature as that we yeelde no more willing obedience therunto it hauing no right ouer vs but do wage continuall battaile against it so as though it sometimes get the vantage preuaile yet we also manie times haue victorie ouer it But by the other we shall haue so full and coÌ„plet deliuerance as that neither anie corruption at all shall be left vnto vs nor yet anie other aduersarie that now by meanes of it take part against vs to annoy vs. Finally the benefit of our first redemptioÌ„ we enioy with great comfort in this life as those that being anoyed yet can neuer be taken anie more or spoiled of our aduersary but the sâ—cond we hold in y e assurance of hope onely it being a thing which as for the excellencie we sigh grone for that we might once fréely worship our redéemer without all impediments of the flesh so we are sure in that day to see it when the sonnes of God shalbe reuealed which is the day that euen all the creatures tures els likewise do long to sée and groane in the expectation of it with vs yea which that holy vessel S. Paul casting all thinges alreadie gained behind him laboured with all contentioÌ„ vnto as one that confessed him selfe whilest he liued here neither to haue attained the marke nor yet to be perfect Out of all which standing on the naturall sense of the verie worde of God what appeareth clearer vnto vs
am come into the worlde to execute iudgement that they which see not might see and they which see might be made blind Should we gather by these last wordes that the Pharises did sée We know that our Sauiour meant nothing les for he saith of them flatly in another place that they are blind leaders of the blind Thus E. G. might haue séene the holie Ghost sometime leauing the proprietie of speach to apply himselfe to the sense of those whom his reproofe should most concerne for the déeper impression therof But I must answere him moreouer that this libertie of stretching comparisons is vnlawfull For like as they that compare thinges together reckon it sufficient that there bee proportionable agréement in those points wherein the comparison standeth although in euery circumstance one be not like an other so we must be wise in reading to vnderstād chiefly the scriptures namely to note and receiue the verie drift and point of the comparison and busie our selues no further in the other partes of the same Which rule if E. G. had here known or els obserued I should haue had no cause in this place to note him for an encrocher vpon the spirite of God For whereas the Apostle was to proue the false teachers to be seruants of corruption he doth it by an argument of equall effects and notes of victorie set out by a similitude of martiall conquest wherein the case is such that whosoeuer is ouercome in fight is diligent to apply himselfe afterwarde to serue his pleasure that ouercame him Now what is the drift of this comparison but to shew by one proper note of both that the seruitude is alike in both conquests Wherby the carnall professors might sée that howsoeuer they perswaded themselues of fréedom and libertie with the children of God though they followed their lusts stil making the Gospel a protection of their loosenes yet should their daylie iniquities in spite of their beardes argue against them that they are no lesse the seruants of sinne séeing they occupie themselues in the workes thereof then we sée them to appeare seruants of their conquerours who apply them selues to do their commandements and this the Apostle amplifieth in the next verse by a comparison of vnlike endes Now hauing here the full purpose and meaning of the Apostle what warrant haue we to straine the comparisen to make the circumstances meete likewise If it were warrantable for E. G. herehence to infer a resistance because there is mention of a victorie why might not another of as euil a spirite and by the like libertie gather that a man seruing sin aboundantlie shall neuer be brought to death therby because we know it is so by the law of armes that he that yéeldeth his life his seruice to his conquerour is accepted into grace and neuer endangered anie more so long as hee abideth faithfull vnto him but that the error is infinite that commeth by this maner of dealing with comparisons in the scriptures this one example shall be in stead of manie others euen the parable of the vniust Steward in the Gospel which if a man of an vncleane spirite should come to handle according to the seuerall partes of it he might make plaine footing for manifest theft in the 8. verse and all kind of oppression and popish merits in the 9. verse and that cleane beside the purpose of our Sauior Christ who in al that parable had simply this meaning to shew that the care and prouidence of the children of God touching the eternall life is euen farre short of the care that prophane worldlings haue in temporall things Other circumstances of the particuler practises of the steward in accomplishing his forecast are of no regarde in all the matter Thus haue you all the arguments this good patrone can bringe for his naturall man which being poore two and too too weake yea false and fabulous yet he is so foolish as to cast his plot out of them and make diuisions for the safe seating of him there as in his naturall habitation yea that with sound of trumpet as it were liking to bee contrarie to all others in the matter But Solomon saith The frowarde are abhomination vnto the Lord and shame taketh the foolish out of the way His wise collection of absurdities with his lying reports oft repeated other railings I willingly passe by as thinges that escaped him immediatly vpon his wakening out of that dreame wherein he thought we had held the inner man to be the spirite of God Where he taketh the inward man both of the regenerate and vnregenerat person but for the heart minde or conscience thus far equaling either with the other ignorantly arrogantly and without all ground of scripture what should I answere let it goe for me to the fulfilling of the measure of his follie In the rest of this diuision he hath promised to stand vpon two points 1. To reconsile some scriptures which seeme at first blush to say the contrarie 2. To shew what difference the holy Ghost maketh betweene the inner man of the good and the inner man of the bad In the first his ignorance is wofull and in the latter his impudencie wonderfull His some scriptures fall out to bee but one place and that not the most pregnant for this purpose for where the question is whether the naturall man bee endued with an inwarde man he bringeth that place to the Cor. which denyeth the naturall man to be able to perceiue the thinges that be of God which though it bee mightier against him then hee or his can euer answere yet because it concerneth knowledge chiefly and toucheth not the affection directly it appeareth he was willingly and therefore wofully ignorant of all other places which cut the combe and spoile all the powers of his naturall man concerning the righteousnes of God Sufficient of such places haue I set downe before where I haue done the naturall man his right But now sith E.G. hath brought out this place as easiest for him to answere let vs sée how well he will auoide it The argument it afordeth is of this sorte he that is not able to vnderstand the speciall righteousnesse of God is much lesse able to will it but the naturall man is not able so much as to vnderstand it therefore much lesse to will it I meane by speciall righteousnesse the speciall forme thereof which God propoundeth vnto men which is the sense of this place to the Corinthes agréeable to the 17. verse of the 1. chap. of the Epistle to the Romanes For otherwise we know the Apostle alloweth the prophane Gentile to haue a certaine generall notion and vnderstanding of God and his law but because it is not nor can not bee according to Gods prescribed rule yea though that rule bee amongst them therefore is it saide also to be enemitie against God As for the argument E. G. belike saw it not for he
of their hearers then from them selues in their own behalfe If anie yet further aske while I haue done it This is my answere if some other els had done it I hope I should haue receiued it with thankes giuing Fare ye well most louing cosen and according to your wonted kindnesse receiue this simple token of my good will The Lord blesse preserue you and youres vnto his heauenlie kingdome London the XX. of the IX Moneth Your kinsman most louing and assured in Christ Stephan Bredwell ¶ THE FIRST PART against his wicked slaunder IN your woordes E. G. to the reader I vnderstand the disease you propounde to cure and in the rest following the causes of the same the disease is the euil life or to vse your owne words the sorie life of manie which seeme Zealous professours The causes are poyson and the giuers of that poyson The poyson is A persuasion that albeit men bee Vsurers Extortioners Drunken Leacherous c as that no sparckles of vertue or grace appeare in them yet if they at anie time condemne this euill in them-selues approue the contrarie godlines belieue that their sinnes are pardoned in Christ loue these their teachers and be beneficiall vnto them and desire to heare their delectable Sermons they maie though they cease not from their former sinnes assure them-selues for all that to bee the deare children of God sanctified by Christs spirit and so elect and praedestinate to saluation as that they cannot possiblie bee damned what sinne soeuer they commit The sicknes I acknowledge 〈◊〉 too gréeuous and this poyson I confesse is as infectious as that of the Cockatrice Who bée these mercilesse murderers that dare infect the fâ—â—de of Christes flocke with this mortall poyson You say priuie libertines carnall gospellers A colde answere in sâ— hote and necessarie sute an vnprosperous cure followeth such sleight discouering of causes But whie doe you not name them vnto vs whie are you so darke in so daungerous a matter If they bee worthelie suspected as accessaries that vpon an inquirie of murder which they sawe direct the pursuers with doubtful and ambiguous notes to take the murderers then must I charge you with as great a guiltines that seeing so many soules poysoned daily with this pestilent doctrine and knowing as you seeme the dooers thereof could finde in your heart to passe them vnnamed But let vs see whom your darke description well wayed pointeâ—h vs vnto Through the pollicie of Satan you saie this poyson is profered by such men as make a great shâ—we of godlines and yet denay as you heare the power thereof and that with most goodlie and godlie wordes of righteousnes regeneration repentâ—unce sanctification mortification and what not to seduce the simple soule By this though men of your spirit like enough perceiue your meaning yet what is this to those that knowe you not and are vnacquainted with your phrases You giue slender addresse hereby to the simpler sort that I saie litle of the offence you laie before them to stumble on whilest your description giueth no speciall difference but hath al the notes pointing out the best sort of preachers If you aske mee whether those be the best preachers that make a great shewe of godlines and yet denaie the powre thereof I answere if you had left this note so to the libertie of mens iudgments and not restrained them with as you heare to applie the same to your onelie accusation and thereby to iudge I would not neither coulde I haue occompted this note in anie wise appliable to a godlie preacher But now séeing the note to stand in these wordes This poyson is profered by men that make a great show of godlines and the other wordes And yâ—â— denaie as you heare the power thereof to be but an enforsâ—â— conceipt of your owne peruerse vnderstanding wee haue good cause to crie out of you that haue giuen vs no other notes to know the poisoners by then such as maie agrée especiallie in the iudgement of the vnexercised with the truest teachers of the gospell Againe in that sentence and by that clause is daungerouslie insâ—nuated vnto the simple that euen the preachers of godliest outward shew and God onelie iudgeth the heart him-selfe with the most graue and godlie tearmes of regeneration sanctification such others doo nothing els but vnder hand and priuilie as you spake sowe those venimous séedes of poisonous doctrine aboue mentioned which as it shall appeare Christ willing to be as false as the Deuill him-selfe so layeth it open a wide gappe vnto all Atheisme on the one side and on the other side armeth the Dartes of the persecuting papists as it were with wilde fire against vs. Their father the Deuill who is a lier from the beginning hath of late yeares erected them a newe Forge in the Shop of the blasphemous Jesuites how heauie a iudgement is comne vpon you that of a christian are become a minister of matter vnto that broode to coyne new reproches and reuilings against the christians and saintes of God But saie you in sadnes E. G. that this abhominable doctrine by you mentioned is openlie taughte by men of great godlines in outward appearaunce Naie doo you saie that it is taught generally or for the most part in the Church of England speake plainelie man and be not cawtelous like the old serpent If here you woulde shrinke the want of such exceptioÌ„s in your writing your quarelling at such pointes of doctrine as they all dooe holde with swéete consent the generall accusation of the liues of the gospellers together with your wilfull departure from our Church are as a walle behinde you so as you cannot hide your heade And if you stande forth and abide by it then I aske you where is your euidence where be your proofes and witnesses Haue you no déede of theirs to shew against them Nor none to depose with you and yet would you bée belieued of your bare worde You I saie a priuate man accusinge the Church of God in a whole kingdome What saide I in a kingdome Naie throughout Christendome for in preaching the redemption by Christ they haue all troden one common path with our ministers as appâ—ereth both by their confessions commentaries and printed sermons If this sinne be not in time repented E. G. thinke not otherwise but in that great daie before the iudgement seate of the Lambe you shall pleade guiltie holding vp your hand with Satan th'accuser of Gods children But you saie If they shall blame me because I bring not their meaning in their owne woordes let them shew their meaning to be otherwise then I haue set it downe or els all that feare God and loue goodnes must needes abhorre them c. Naie rather it was your part putting on the person of an accuser to haue built herein vpon so sure a grouÌ„d of profe as that either you would haue brought forth their owne wordes or writinges saying so much exprâ—sâ—ie
or at least such assertions and sentences as out of which you might reasonablie gather it by necessarie consequence and implication As for them if their dailie preaching coulde beate no better vnderstanding into your head yet their infinite volumes which euerie where confute this madnes might haue made you blushe at your rashnes haue caused your woordes to sticke fast in your mouth that they might neuer haue come to light You in this importunate arrogancie prouoking them to shewe you another meaning giue vs plaine enough to vnderstande that your selfe are altogether vnacquainted with their writinges which if you bee what madnes hath possessed you to condemne the thinges you knowe not If it be otherwise and that you graunt you are well acquainted with their doctrine therefore dooe of knowledge charge them with this hainous sinne then can it not be but that you haue borowed y ◠yron forehead of some Jesuite which knoweth not howe to blushe euen in the most desperate insolencie of lying and forgerie Now I heare you say But that men maie be sure I belie them not but speake that which is too true of them it shalbe now shewed how sleightlie they peruert holy scripture for the proofe of that which is layde to their charge First let vs call to minde E. G. the question wherein lieth the controuersie betwixt vs. This is it Whether the preachers of the gospell teache that Vsurers Extortioners Couetous men proude men Leacherous persons drunkardes gluttons c. Hauing no sparkles of vertue or grace appearing in them and continuing without ceassing in the foresayde sinnes maie notwithstandinge assure them-selues to be the elect children of God so as they cannot possibly bee damned what sin soeuer they commit onlie so that they sometime condemne this euill in them selues approue the contrarie godlines belieue that their sinnes are pardoned in Christ loue these their teachers desire to heare delectable sermons This you stiflie auouche I vtterlie denie it and put you to the proofe of it you beginne to prooue it thus They peruert holie scriptures to that ende therefore they saie somuch in effect I deny they peruert holy scriptures to that end Nowe giue vs your instances The first place which you call poyson is this Paul say they was a sanctified man the childe of God and yet he fealt no good thing dwelling in his fleshe but the euill fruites thereoof yea he fealt a lawe or power of sinne in his members forcing him to doo the euill he would not and to leaue vndone the good hee woulde and so leading him captiue to commit sinne If you had meant sincerelie you would haue produced nothing of their owne against them without notinge their names or coatinge such places in their writinges as might witnes your reporte This by the waie Nowe to the place wherby you would gaine your cause if I should grant vnto you that this place of Paul is misinter preted by them which you shall neuer gaine at my hands yet how can you out of this place make good your accusation against them Was it for lack of will or skill that you shew not how you gather your cōclusion out of this assertion That your will is good experience teacheth vs that your skill is not sufficient argueth more pride Remember E. G. that you said not barelie you would shew how They peruert holie scriptures But how they peruert them to proue this which you lay to their charge Now if you shew a hundreth euidences and yet neuer a one that specifieth that lande you claime what iudge will giue sentence on your side So though it were possible for you to charge the ministers of the gospell with manie other crimes and yet faile in the proofe of this one you haue nowe vndertaken all this labour in your sorie booke is lost naie I would it were so lost as it might not bee found to redouble your condemnation But let vs examine that which you haue left at libertie If by this place you saide anie thinge at all for your cause then thus you reason All that vnderstand this place of Paul thus dooe it to conclude that which I haue laide to their charge but the Preachers of the Gospell generally vnderstande it so therefore they dooe it to that end But that the first part of your argument hath no truth in it I would grant your conclusion For I grant the preachers of the gospell generally doo interprete that place so and therefore I rightly pronounced of you that you accuse not the Church of England onlie of Libertine preaching but al others of the gospell likewise throughout Christendome with it But wée will not yet throw awaie your argument but rather prosecute it to the vt-most to see if anie pith of reason maie bee found in it This place of Paul thus vnderstood what can it conclude Forsooth that a regenerate man and elect childe of God so long as hée beareth flesh and bloud about with him cannot be frée from all sinne The reason is because so notable a vessell as Paul testifieth so-much of him-selfe Now sir is it all one to saie the regenerate man is not frée from all sinne with this That Drunkards Gluttons Leachours c. though they continue in their sinnes without ceassinge maie neuerthelesse assure them-selues to be saued if they belieue their sinnes are pardoned in Christe c And doo all that conclude the first point auouche the latter leasing I hope by this time your impudencie in this pointe is open The second instaunce you bring vs is this But they obiect that Paul witnesseth of him-selfe that he had a pricke in the fleshe and that God would not deliuer him from that weakenes Goe to if this interpretation of Paules pricke bee not aright what maketh it for you Are you so short witted E. G. as so soone to forget what so latelie you assumed and tooke vpon you to shew namely how they peruert holy scripture to proue that wicked doctrine which you charge them withall Els why doo you not vncouer the danger of this interpretation and make manifest how it leadeth to that terrible downefall of pestilent persuasion aforesaid All that haue common sense in them sée that this place noting onlie holie Paul to haue his infirmities hatcheth no such monster as you in a spirituall drunkennes haue dreamed of And thus you go forward to a third instance It is set downe say they for a certaine point of doctrine that the spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh lusteth against the spirit so that ye cannot do the things ye would This confirming the interpretation of the first place of Paul setteth the picture of your minde as it were in a glasse before mine eies wherein I see that some godlie men hauing taken paines with you to remoue you frō your errours and namely from this which you hold That the regenerate man hath full power to abstaine from all sin and to doo the
not delightfull to the flesh but if by flesh he meane whole Paul as by his next words It was a messenger of Sathan sent to buffet his flesh not to tempt him to sin he must néeds doo or elshée corrupteth the text then the first part of his argument is false where he saith Sin is delightfull to the flesh For it is proued before that sin is loathsome to the regenerate man and he doth it vnwillingly whensoeuer he falleth into sin So here we see this man would sophistically beguile vs with a failation of Homonymie Concerning that he saith This prick was a messenger of Satan sent to beat or buffet his flesh not to tempt him to sin Let the Reader note first that of is here rashly put in betwixt Messenger Sathan Secondly he sheweth his accustomed sawcines in restraining to a part that which the text attributeth to the whole as where Paul saith The Angell Sathan did buffet him E. G. saith He did buffet his flesh His meaning thereby hee sheweth soone after for he would haue vs to vnderstand by this prick and buffeting of Sathan nothing but the outward humblings and afflictions of Pauls bodie which afterward indéed he reckoneth vp as things wherein he made his profit and reioycing also But what reasons bringeth hée that the place must thus be vnderstood Forsooth Because Paul reioyced and tooke pleasure in these his infirmities which hee would neuer haue done if they had been vices and such fleshly infirmities as they speake of First marke his words Such fleshly infirmities as they speake of What may he mean by this think you If you read the first page of his book where he maketh a flood of slandrous spewings to drowne if it were possible all the sincerest Preachers of the Gospell in you shall sée he would haue the simple take it thus that our Preachers doo extenuate and hide the gréeuousnes and ouglenes of the grossest sinnes in the world with the nice and soft terme of infirmities which is so open a lie as it bewrayeth there was no feare of God before his eies Now for his reason if he will thus meane by infirmities whoredom drunkennes oppression c. We are so far from vnderstanding them to be anie cause of Pauls reioycing who was far from their infection as that we denie the temptations lust and eggings of sin which héere we take for the prick in his flesh or the buffets of Sathan which are by his continuall stirring vp those lusts of concupiscence yea or yet his infirmities indéed whereby he meaneth his weake condition and necessarie subiection vnto these things to bee anie true causes of his glorying no more if you remember well then the law could be truly said to be the cause of sin for that the naturall man was the more stirred vp to rebellion by it And yet it is true that Paul gloried in his infirmities not in respect that they were vncleannes in the sight of God for in that regard they humbled him and kept him from being proud of his reuelations but in respect that they were the waie that the Lord had chosen both to doo him best good and also to aduance his own power by for so he plainly expresseth it when he saith Therefore I glorie rather in my infirmities that the power of Christ might dwell in mee And the diuine answere it selfe said to him My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through weaknes If beside this refutation of his reason some require more to the clearing of this place to our side I wil adde two or thrée arguments moe out of the text it selfe to proue Pauls infirmitie in this place to be a sinful weaknes and not the outward pouertie reproches persecutions anguishes for Christ which he afterward remembreth First because those can bee vnderstood but of a bodely or outwarde weaknes but by this is ment a spirituall or inward weaknes which I proue by the very cause of this weaknes which is the prick there mentioned which being no outward thing but inwardly fastened in the flesh for so y ◠text giueth hath his proper effect not in outward abasing of the person in the eies of men for that doo those things that come to him from without but for that it inwardly reprocheth straineth and so abaseth him in the eies of the Lord. Herehence I gather my second argument in that this weaknes was such as humbled Paul in the sight of God so as though he had the comforts of excellent reuelations yet he durst not boast himselfe by them for the priuitie of his inward vncleannes which hée knew was open vnto the eies of the Lord. Now we know there is nothing in the worlde can make vs hang downe our heads before our God but sin only for concerning all outward persecutions and anguishes wée haue a recompencing comfort and ioy in the presence of our God euen in the mids of their enduring so as in them we are more then conquerours as the same Apostle testifieth in another place Therefore it must néeds bée vnderstood a sinfull infirmitie which Paul there acknowledged in himselfe My third argument I take from that that the Apostle prayed simply for the remouing of it which because it cannot be confirmed by a like example in all the scriptures naie is plainly disallowed by the practise of the Apostles Act. 5. v. 41. And by Paul himselfe likewise in sundrie places it proueth strongly that outward afflictions maie not be vnderstood thereby but that sinful weaknes which euen then remained in him And so thus we see this place wel agréeing with the former of the 7. to the Rom. And to proue the question of the regenerate mans weaknes equally with it Againe for further proofe of that question because by the word of two or thrée witnesses a matter standeth firme there is added vnto these a third place out of the Epistle to the Galathians in these words The flesh lusteth against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh and these are between themselues contraries so as you cannot doo whatsoeuer you would E. G. fearing y ◠light of this place would faine if he could at least make our eies dimmer in séeing it and thus he answereth The flesh indeed will lust in all men against the spirit but that it shall so preuaile against the spirite in the regenerate man that he shall not be abled by the spirit to do the things he would that I deny An answere not only false but frantick False I say two waies first in that he saith The flesh will lust in all men against the spirit as though all men had the spirit Secondly in that hée benieth That it can so preuaile against the spirit in the regenerate man as though he that hath the spirit of God is not a regenerate man Surely me think this geare hangeth togither like the words of a frantike man But here
answereth neuer a worde But to this text of the Corinthes he opposeth a place of the Romanes where the naturall man is said to haue the law writen in his heart Out of which two places he would faine resolue that the naturall man knoweth and approueth the commandements of God according to the rule of his will but onely lacketh abilitie to walke in them Abilitie being the verie difference betwixt the regenerate and him And hereupon without anie more labour of reconciling places he leapeth into his second point being gladlie ridde of the former But hast maketh wast accompanieth daunger Two places of scripture that by wordes séeme contrarie can not be easelie or vndoubtedly reconciled without the thréed of a third place at the least to sowe them together And that third place must not be the word of a man but the word of God For he that shall péece his owne wordes vnto the wordes of the liuing God shall haue the plagues added vnto him mentioned in the word of God Yet E. G. in reconciling these places deliuereth his owne sense without testimonie of other scripture for the same Therefore he can not be excused of presumptuous and wicked dealing therein Againe call you that reconciling when the sentence of reconciliation it selfe directlie fighteth with one of the textes Truely it is like as if a man pretending to part a fray should set vpon one of the parties himselfe But it is manifest that E. G. resolution of these two places standeth directlie against the place of the Corinthes as appeareth both generallie by the whole drift of the chapter and perticulerlie by the reason S. Paule there rendreth while the naturall man can not vnderstand the thinges that be of God to wit because they haue a spirituall vnderstanding in them which the naturall man can not reach vnto Now if E.G. sense stand that the naturall man hath the same knowledge with the regenerate man then is the Apostles reason quite ouerthrowne Therefore it appeareth that E.G. hath here reconciled no places at all And now that his foile is apparant in this I will procéed to buckle with him in the next You know he promised to shew what difference the holie Ghost maketh betwene the inward man of the good and the inward man of the bad Let vs attend vnto him though he haue thereby enlarged his question frō the naturall man to the vnregenerate The difference he putteth thus that whereas the vnregenerate man misliking euil and desirous to will and to do that which God commandeth wanteth notwithstanding strength either to will or doe anie thing that good is according to the commandement the regenerate man hath that strength added to him by the spirite of God so as he can both will and do that which God commandeth though flesh and blond striue neuer so much against it Let vs diuide the partes and examine them a sunder Who séeth not that all the drift of E.G. in this section is to able his naturall man to say as much as S. Paule saide in the 7. to the Romanes when he said To wil is present with me but to performe that is good I attaine not to c. to the ende he might prooue that Paul spake that but concerning his estate before he was regenerate and therefore hath he all this while béen busilie blewing in the face of his naturall man to fill him as full of an inner man as he coulde but now when wee come to trie him by his speach he saith he woulde both will doe but he hath no strength either to will or doe whereas the regenerate man in a true measure willeth to doo the commaundement of God in the perfectest maner so that we sée this is but a rashe Ephraimite who stammeringly pronoūceth siboleth for shiboleth therefore hee must néedes haue here the rewarde of a conquered Ephraimite that henceforth wee be troubled no more with him Wel though he haue thus ouerthrown his own purpose for his natural and vnregenerate man yet he mindeth to make vp his losse in the giftes of the regenerate person For if hee might once furnish him throughly with frée will he would soone prooue that Paul was no regenerate man when he coulde not doo the good hee woulde His verie woordes are these The inner man minde or conscience of the regenerate and righteous man it hath strength and sufficiencie by the spirit of God both to will and do that good which God commaundeth though flesh and blood striue neuer so much against it First for his phrase wherein the conscience is put to y e office of the members not so strangely as fondly I will not take the vantage that I could but referre it to his ouersight being persuaded that indéed hee ment thereby flatly thus much to wit That the regenerate man hath strength and sufficiencie by the spirit of God both to will and doo that good which God commandeth c. To which purpose therfore he saith by and by afterward That God hath often and plainly pronounced that he is not the seruant of righteousnes or of Christ but the seruant of sin and of the deuill which committeth sin with his members and so serueth and obeyeth the lusts of the flesh vntill that Christ hath so loosed the works of the deuill in him that he sin not These two places set togither shewe his meaning to be as I haue said Now is the regenerate man not only a mightie warriour but a soueraign king this latter place hauing clothed him with the robe of perfection and the former put the crowne of frée-will vpon his head Why should we not now make hast to salute him saying All haile victorious king But soft that is a matter not so safe as you take it experience telleth vs that if there bee a prince set vp without right not only he and his proclaymers but all other likewise that congratulate and are knowne to ratifie him with their voices are in litle better case then traitors and so shalbe estéemed and rewarded And if the terror be so great in worldly cases what are we to feare in heauēly matters y ◠Lord our God being king of kings and a ielous God It is best therfore before we salute him king to enquire of his right This must he haue either in himselfe or from another that hath power to giue it him That he hath any such right in himselfe by all the graces of his regeneration the scripture euerie where denieth as hath béen hither to proued And here I saie moreouer if the regenerat should haue such power and perfection in this life he must either haue it at his new birth or els shortly after it so as there may be a manifest season wherin hee may appear by his actions to be euen such a one because E. G. maketh it here an essentiall proper note to know the childe of God by That he sin not Now that he hath it not
vpon his first begetting by the spirit the Apostles themselues are a president who whilest our Sauiour walked with them fell sundry times not only in vnséemely behauiour worthie rebuke as wée in extenuating will speake but also some into foule ambition Peter into grosse deniall of his maister Christ And if we follow them further in their perfect state when they had had the excéeding measure of the spirit poured vpon them we shall find Peter a chief Apostle to haue committed such a sin in Antioch as for which our Sauiour had pronounced that it should be better for a man that a milstone were hāged about his neck and he throwne into the midst of the sea then to commit it What Paul hath confessed of himselfe many places haue béen shewed Iames saith to quench the ambitious controlling of some opinionatiue brethren In many things we sin all And Iohn confesseth vs all himselfe yet sinners when he saith If any man sin wee haue an aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Christ the righteous Yea these words of Iames Iohn freely acknowledging a subiection to sin without any restraint or limitation of time for y ◠ceassing therof in this life doo at one lash cut off all y e interest of the regenerate mans full power dominiō in this life And besides when we consider our daily prayer which Christ our carefull teacher left all his saints to say what shall wée think of that wée are therein commanded euerie day to aske for giuenes of our sinnes If wée be regenerate so as we sin no more what néede we If to stop vp this breach for E. G. any of his disciples haue a liking to bring in his popish distinction of veniall and mortal sinnes let them not spare I could here bring it in to make them blush if it were possible for I haue it written by his owne hand as I am persuaded mentioning the conference betwéene M. Whitaker and him but for that I know of what spirit they are and am loth to loose labour vpō written papers I will not now stand vpon it Thus first wee finde that the regenerate person by no warrantable right in himselfe can take this title vpon him But because some men looke not vpon the right and worthines of a Prince so hée haue the place by the forcible decrée of some mightie monarch that hath power to establish him let vs examine in like maner whether this kingly cōdition of the regenerate man be by the will and appointment of the eternall God or no for by the places I finde quoted some such thing se'emeth to haue béen by E. G pretended and especially his confident spéech declareth it where hee saith This being proued authorised by the word of God c. For the former part that The regenerate man is able to doo what God commandeth though flesh and blood striue neuer so much against him hee coateth thrée places The first is in the 2. Cor. 3. 5. in these words Not that we are fit of our selues to thinke anie thing as of our selues but that we are fit it is of God This text teacheth vs plainly that we are in no wise to ascribe any thing to our selues no not in those works wherin our labor hath chiefest successe for asmuch as there is not the least thought of good that riseth in vs that may in any truth be referred to our selues as the fountaine but to God only Wherehence we drawe these lessons to carry with vs First that no man by nature hath anie thing in him toward the seruice of God Secondly That wee must seeke to him for fitnes in euerie particuler seruice and dutie and return the praise of the successe therof to him alone These things by the grace of God we sée and learne in this text Only how the regenerate should herehence be warranted to haue full strength to kéepe the law this wee shall neuer sée so long as there is one hereticke vpon the face of the earth His second place is Ephes 3. 16. where the Apostle prayeth for the Ephesians That God would giue them euen for his rich glory sake to be mightely strengthened by his spirit in their inner man The effect of the petition is this that there might be a continuing growth of their inward man enlargement of their knowledge in Christ they euery way fulfilled euen to the high measure that God hath appointed This place therefore giueth vs this lesson for our instructiō verie profitably To wit That no regenerate man ought to staie in anie measure of his gifts but to labour and looke continually for the encrease of them Which is so far of from enstalling the regenerate man in any kingdom of absolute power as that with one hand it disrobeth him of all perfection and with the other casteth his glorious crowne of frée-will to the ground For if encrease must bee sought for continually then is there no perfection in this life And if no perfection where is that sufficiencie to doo the commandements Miserable is that case when a man ministreth a sword to cut his own throat withall His third place is Phil. 2. 13. For it is God that woorketh in you both to will and to do according to his franke beneuolence These words preuented a certaine secret obiection or scruple which might be in the mindes of the Philippians vpon the vehemency of the exhortation which Paul made vnto them concerning the accomplishing of their saluation in the 12. verse For that they might not slothfully lye down vnder the burthen as men out of hope and heart to go through with so great an enterprise he putteth them in mind that they haue it from the Lord both to will and also to be able to performe Whereby they had to obserue these two points First that they had not the rightnes of their will of themselues but from y ◠Lord. Secōdly that he was also disposed to giue them abilitie if they sought it Which doctrine necessarily vrgeth this vse therof first humilitie and reuerence in all our behauiour Secondly carefull diligence in continuall séeking of the Lord by praier in euerie thing wee néed he hauing verie well confirmed this last vnto them by his own practise and example in the first Chapter Where he had with feruent affection praied the Lord to giue them more and more abundance of knowledge and iudgement and still to clear the whole course of their life vntill the verie day of Christ Now to cōclude thus from the text The regenerate hath full power to keep the commandements because the Lord dooth giue them both to wil and to doo is not to deale truly with the word of trueth but sophistically to adulterate the same vnto the perill of soules If that be sound reasoning I may in like maner conclude thus Whosoeuer honoreth his father and mother shal liue long in this life because God hath
his olde sophistrie taking it simply which is but in some measure or respect to the great abusing of his reader His second text being the 9. of John and 34. verse let the Christian reader looke vpon it and consider the question further answere I néed not giue The last two places are out of the Epistles of John which indéed I perceiue were such vnto him as certain places of Saint Pauls writings are saide of S. Peter to be to the vnlearned vnstable The places are these Whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not whosoeuer sinneth hath not seene him nor knowne him He that committeth sin is of the deuil because the deuil sinneth frō the beginning And to this ende is the sonne of God reuealed euen to loose the works of the deuil And againe Hee that is borne of God doeth not sin because his seed abideth in him neither can he sin because he is borne of God So also in the 3. Epistle and 11. verse Beloued folow not that which is euil but that which is good hee that doeth well is of God but hee that doth euil hath not seen God But where learned this man in y ◠interpreting of scriptures to take the sense of repugnancie Els knew hée not that euen the same Apostle said a little before If we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs. Yea we doo a horrible thing euen make God himselfe a liuer Either els if he knew the first Chapter why did he dissemble this place in it Or why did he not reconcile it with others séeing it so manifestly gainsayeth the letter of the others Hee could not Or he would not Therefore eyther way a false prophet and seducer euen in the grossest kynde of impudencie Conferre beloued reader the places togither and read the first Epistle of Iohn from the beginnyng of his quotations thitherto or if thou wilt vnto the end and tell me what spirit was in his eyes that he could not see the Apostle in the third Chapter to frame his spéech directly against such as hypocritically professing fayth gaue fréely themselues in the meane time to serue sin and liue in their olde wickednes Especially he being as it were led by the hand vnto it not only by the 6. 7. 8. 9. and 10. verses of the first Chapter but also by the beginning of the second and all the third A reason or two among many shall heere suffice First in that he fully acknowledgeth all y e faithfull ones to sin Secondly in that he promiseth from the Lord pardon vnto vs when we cōfesse our sinnes Thirdly if it happen vs to sin that we haue Jesus Christ our Aduocat These reasons proue that the righteous may possibly fall into sin and yet not to be proued children of the deuill thereby and so consequently that the Apostle spake not of all manner of sinning in the places E.G. citeth but only of that which is in a continuall course and with a whole consent of the heart Which consequence also may directly be proued by the reason that hée rendreth why he that committeth sin is of the deuill to wit Because the deuill sinneth from the beginning Now his reason is of no force at all vnlesse there be hereby granted a resemblance betwixt the deuill and them in the purpose procéeding in sin Which if it be granted then cannot this be spoken of the regenerate who haue the course of sin broken but only of the vnregenerate who kéepe it whole still and who professing faith in an outward shew are neuerthelesse proued by their daily life the children of the deuill since they cease not to sin nor apply not themselues vnto the Commaundements of God which those that are truely borne of God vndoubtedly doe Neither are wee otherwise taught of our preachers nor do belieue howsoeuer this furie was led by his spirite to write but according to this doctrine of John That Christ came to loose the workes of the diuel in all that be his And that by this they shall be knowne to be his euen if they obserue his commandements that is labour and apply them selues with all their strength to do them for that it can not possibly be otherwise with them in that they if they be his haue his séede in them that is his spirite which must néedes bring forth fruite according to his kinde I therefore they can no more giue themselues to the seruice of sinne If this man had béene well catechised himselfe before he fell to writing hee would haue béene better acquainted with our profession then his booke sheweth him now to haue béene For their sakes therefore that are readie to runne after him in this his rashnesse whose cases I protest I tender with a christian affection I will stay here a litle while beséeching them euen as vpon my knées to graunt me for a space their frée attention laying aside for the time all partiall affections God who in his frée mercie and choosing will in Christ hath giuen me the effectuall féeling of his fauor sealed vp in my heart the assurance of his euerlasting loue by his spirite and hath made me worthie in Christ to fight in his spirituall battaile against sinne and in such measure to preuaile as that none liuing can iustly accuse me of any such sins as E.G. saith our preachers do maintaine euen he I say knoweth that in no other respect but onely in the earnest desire of your saluation I do beséech you to returne vnto our Church againe and to forsake that dangerous way which that wilfull man hath set you in For Christes sake consider whither you are running and what will be the end of your race Are you so earnest because you would come to eternall life Christ knoweth my desire is no lesse then yours and that for this cause I am readie to laye downe my life at his pleasure and doe dayly deny my selfe of those thinges which might bee commodious to my present condition But beloued I dare not goe with you as you are now bent because not only danger is in the way but euen the dwelling of death also is the end thereof Which if your eyes haue not yet beene enlightned to sée consider off now at length and I will shew it you First I perceiue your waie is appointed you ouer the mountaine of frée will wherein because he knew you were subiect to the terrors of wilde beastes to kéepe further his credit with you he perswadeth you that you must not account your saluatiō sure Then because he saw likewise that the way was not so smooth and faire but you should pricke your féet often with the thornes of concupiscence raye your clothes with the clay of intemperate affections he telleth you those be but veniall sinnes against which you haue not grace giuen you of God so that it is no matter if you can escape
sinking into the quakemires of grossest sinnes Yea the more to dull your vnderstanding and take away your iudgement that you should perceiue no danger in all the way that you goe he hath as I perceiue giuen you to drinke that sléepie cup of false perswasion that the morall law is abrogated and so purposeth at last to transport you through a thicket of blinde merites into which after you are entred you shall not be able to discerne far before you vntil you light on the other side ere you be ware vpon the vnhappie habitation of death For he that putteth his workes to his iustification falleth from Christ and so is but a dead man But you will answere perhaps that you worthely goe away from our Church as that which in no wise can be the Church of God seeing such loosenesse of life is euen spoken for and maintained by the doctrine of our teachers E.G. telleth you thus much in déed but be not led by and by after euerie word for I will ioyne with you in this point that if this one thing among all his falshoodes be true or stand vpon anie firme probabilitie I will forthwith claspe hands with you and receiue all his other opinions How I haue alreadie so farre proued this accusation of his to be false as that I haue taken away all the shewes of reasons he could bring for the same you haue now heard in the former part of my answere For the rest I will render you here an account of my faith so much as concerneth this matter as I haue learned it at the féete of those men whom he accuseth Which if it be true good and leading to saluation then is their doctrine such E.G. accusation a lye and therfore you may not refuse to ioyne with vs againe I do belieue that Jesus is Christ that is the onely and whole annointed of the Lorde to bring saluation vnto his people I do belieue I say in this same Jesus that he is vnto me that same annointed Priest and King which are the two parts of his Mediatorship The Priesthood of Christ is the first part of his office wherby he is appointed in al those things which are appertaining vnto God so as he can wholy saue all those that come vnto God by him The effectts hereof are two Redemption and intercession Redemption is the first effect whereby he hath wrought for vs the matter of full deliuerance from all euils and of a happines farre more excellent then the first was This redemption consisteth in reconciliation and sanctification Reconciliation is whereby we are deliuered from the curse and restored more perfectly into the fauour of God Hereof commeth remission of sins and imputation of righteousnesse Remission of sins is whereby all guiltinesse and punishment of all sins are remoued from vs by his suffringes Imputation is whereby in him through the imputing of his righteousnesse vnto vs we stand iust and vnblamable before God Upon which sure grounds of remission of sins and imputation of righteousnes are founded the vnmouable fortresses of iustification and adoption Justification is whereby we are deliuered from all guiltinesse of sinne before God and accounted worthie the merite of righteousnes Adoption is whereby we are accounted the sonnes of God heires with Christ By this we haue two speciall benefits The first that euen al afflictions crosses and whatsoeuer men call punishments which in déed are but fatherly chastisments vnto vs shall all turn to the best and for our profit The second benefit is that al the creatures are made subiect to our rule the Angels excepted which do also here minister vnto our health and good Thus much of reconciliation being the first part of our redemption The second is sanctification whereby we are deliuered from the tirrannie of sinne into the libertie of righteousnes and therin walke perpetually receiuing from Christ dayly new encreases thereunto This consisieth of mortifying sinne and rising vp vnto righteousnesse Mortification is whereby sinne is continuallie slaine that is more and more driuen out buried and consumed Rising vp to righteousnesse is whereby a holinesse really inherent being begunne in vs is continuallie encreased And these partes of sanctification hauing reference to the soule are the same which we call true repentance but in respect of the actions of the bodie expressing them they are the fruites of repentance such as are the sundrie partes of obedience Now true repentance is a continuall renewing of all the faculties of the minde from euil vnto good The beginning of this is sorrow according vnto God which as the Apostle saith in the place last quoted bringeth forth repentance vnto saluation and the companion of this repentance is spiritual war or fight which is that fight of the mind as it is renewed against concupiscence the diuel the world and their temptations whereby it commeth to passe that their lustes are not fulfilled Hetherto of redemptiō the first effect of Christs Priesthood Intercession is the second effect of his Priesthood by the which Christ maketh all our obedience being of it selfe vnperfect and defiled with the flesh to be acceptable vnto God through the merite of his death and obedience In this effect moreouer we do consider the action of his diuinitie and of his humanitie The action of his diuinitie is two fold first that by his spirite he might support our weaknesse and in our prayers when as we know not what to pray as we ought might entreat for vs with sighes that can not be expressed that is might prompt vs inwardly in our hart according vnto God The second is whereby hee being the searcher of our heart knoweth the meaning of the spirite like as he doth the imperfections and defilements of the flesh The action of his humanitie herein is to be touched with the féeling of our infirmities for the same to apply by his spirite the merite of his death and obedience whereby so taking away iniquite he maketh our obediēce accepted Hetherto I haue declared how I belieue in Christ concerning his Priesthood insomuch as pertaineth to the present occasion now as concerning his kingly office measured by the same consideration His kingly office is the second part of his Mediatorship whereby he applying vnto his elect the effects of his Priesthood doth spiritually gouerne his Church to the destruction of all his enimies and to the perfect glory of all his childrē The partes hereof are his spiritual administratiō in this world the last iudgement His spiritual administratiō in this world is for the gathering together of his Church preseruation therof vnto y ◠last iudgement This spiritual administration consisteth of an inward working ◠an outwarde diuine gouerning whereof this place requireth no further speach the inwarde working or operatiō is that part
of administration which is in the efficacie of the spirite working inwardlie by the outwarde meanes of diuine pollicie as preaching of the worde ministration of Sacraments c. also this same inwarde operation is twofold as tending to the fulfilling of the decrée of election or reprobation both which againe are diuerse in infants and elder persons In infants I vnderstand the operation after this sorte when as outwardlie that is as pertaining to the iudgement of the Church they are holie through the grace of the couenant whereinto they are entred And of these so manie as are elect of God are after a secret and vnspeakable maner graffed into Christ by the spirite of God The Reprobate of them are for the guiltinesse of their natiue â— originall sinne cast off for euer being left vnto them selues Now in the elder sorte the inward operation is their vocation or calling Uocation is that whereby men are gathered vnto the Church This is accompanied wiâ—â— distribution of gifts and the kéeping and encreasing of them But this vocation we find to be twofold one common to euerie sorte wherein both reprobate and elect are brought as if they were a brotherhood to one outward societie of a church But the other is the proper calling of the elect wherby they are brought vnto election Election is a seperation of them from the world to be citizens together in Christ and of the houshold of God Their proper gifts are faith vnfained and the fruites of faith Faith vnfained is a faith whose facultie is altogether a supernaturall efficacie put into the heart to the aprehending of Christ the promise extant in him The proper action hereof or as Paule speaketh 1. Thes 1. 3. the worke of it is to take hold of Christ and to receiue him applyed vnto vs whereby he not onely dwelleh in our heartes as it is in Ephes 3. 17. but is also put vpon vs as a worthie clothing like as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 2. 27. The fruites of this faith are those which Christ worketh in his elect dwelling in them by faith The chiefe heades of which are reconciliation and sanctification and so the fruites that respect or follow either of them Fruites respecting reconciliation are the fruites of the spirite which spring from the certaine applying of the same reconciliation And those are either respecting iustification or adoption Those of iustification are such as like verie effects of a true cause so do they declare the same iustification for certaine to be applyed vnto vs such as are they which of the Apostle are set downe in their order namely an entrance into the fauor wherein we stand The loue of God towarde vs poured out in our heartes that is by the excellent working of the holie Ghost pleÌ„tifully imprinted in the sense of our soule The peace of our conscience before God spirituall gladnesse and glorying in these benefits Now the fruites respecting adoption are those which do confirme the same yet more certainely vnto vs. To wit the spirite of Adoption hope The spirite of adoption which is here a figuratiue speach the cause being put for the effect is that working of the spirite of Christ which witnesseth vnto our spirite that we are the sonnes of God Wherehence ariseth that boldnesse that we call God our father And haue the certaintie of the inheritance so as with a pledge or earnest pennie confirmed vnto vs here till we be brought to the full libertie to the prayse of his glorie Hope which is the other fruite respecting adoption is whereby from the certaintie of faith we expect with patience all those thinges which are to be fulfilled This patience or waiting is the waiting of the setled or quieted soule for the full redemption from all euils which redemption also I haue largelier spoken of heretofore In this order are the fruits respecting reconciliation Those that respect our sanctification is the gift of right repentance infused in our heartes by faith where the right season of the practising faculties of holie life speciallie towardes God and men is called charitie by a figuratiue phrase ascribing the whole vnto a part And the action of this loue is a laboring in euery good worke Which I belieue euery Christian man so far forth as his life is lent vnto him is bound vnto not that good workes are anie causes of righteousnes for the Apostle flatly calleth them the fruites of righteousnesse nor yet that wee can deserue any thing by them as the filthie Papist speaketh but for others most excellent and necessarie vses which the holy Ghost setteth down vnto vs in sundry places and that both in regard of God and of man Of God in shewing forth his vertuous power thereby to the prayse and glorie of his holy name In regard of man according to the saying of James 2. 18. Shew mee thy faith by thy workes Which this way haue vse both in respect of our selues and of others For to our selues they bring a double benefit for the present life in getting a good testimonie and approbation of others that feare y â— Lord and in assuring more and more our own consciences of the certaintie of our election Also towardes other men our good works haue notable vse whether they be now of the number of the faithful congregation with vs or els euen without the same Of those that are within the Church they bee beneficiall both to the weake and the strong to the weake to confirme and build them vp more To the strong in reioycing them and gladding of their heartes And as for those that are without this our holie conuersation shall either win them if they pertaine to the Lords election being as it were a hand of conduct vnto them in the day of their visitation to bring them to the Gospel of Christ or els stop their mouthes so as they hauing no iust occasion by vs to blaspheme the trueth may be also ashamed when they come to speak euil of our professioÌ„ Thus I hope your consciences beare me witnesse that I soundly belieue in Christ both touching his priestly and kingly office and haue good workes in pretious account in their proper place yet had I neuer other teachers for the matter then such as that wilfull man whom you would follow hath coÌ„demned and by writing laboured to make odious both to friends and enimies So that it is more then probable that the cause of the poyson which he speaketh of euery where so virulently is not at all in our teachers but in such vncircumcised hearers as E.G. was who for lacke of an vnderstanding heart and humble spirite turned that into venome which another man receiueth the permanent foode of life by Neither is it maruel that one and the same cause should haue so contrarie effectes through the onely diuersitie of
the subiects or matters whereon it worketh for nothing is more common in the whole course of nature Let the sunne be an example for all which by one and the same shine of his beames doth not onely soften the waxe harden the claye but also most comfortably fur ther the sprout of the fruites of the earth and yet horribly encreaseth putrefaction in all other thinges that haue not the séed of life in them His next diuision framed against this doctrine that the holy Ghost meaneth him to be the seruant of sinne and of the diuel who willingly with delight committeth sin not misliking it nor striuing against it partly is answered as his place of Peter the rest is not worthie a word of answere in regard of the matter being nothing but a heape of friuolous words either quite from the question or els absurdly begging the question Onely for the simpler sort I will take some occasions that it offreth me to laye abroad some pointes which perhaps the Reader might wish to be instructed in for the further clearing of the controuersie First for the doctrine which hee putteth downe with that poysomous title according to his accustomed lewdnesse I graunt it to bee ours so it be rightly vnderstood Namely that by the words misliking and striuing be not vnderstood euerie light pricke or remorse of conscience which euen the wicked haue not by coÌ„trarie affection of their will for they sinne with all their heart but by the contradiction of their iudgement which they haue by the light of nature whereby they can inwardly controll themselues in committing the grosser sins but an vnfamed hatred and detestation of sinne which the loue of GOD hath wrought in our heartes whereby groweth that warre and spirituall battaile which Paule speaketh off and which none but the children of God haue in them As for his impudent insinuation which in euery place he offreth as though we exempted grosse continuing sinners according to his diuelish accusation euen such as make but an hipocritical profession of religion from the number of the seruants of sinne and of the diuel I will answere it no more supposing his booke doth now blush alreadie thereat But some will aske if the regenerat man do so hate sinne as I haue declared how it commeth to passe that he can fall into sinne at anie time I answere that it falleth out by reason of the vnregenerate condition that is in him sith as I haue aboundantly proued our inherent righteousnesse is in this life but begone in vs. And when I speake of a beginning of inherent righteousnesse I meane such a beginning as hath a dayly procéeding encrease euen as it is saide from strength to strength Which whosoeuer féeleth not in him selfe in some answerable measure to his graces receiued I except onely the afflicted conscience during the storme of affliction let him not flatter himselfe he is not yet in the state of the childe of God And in this exacting of holie life our preachers are so farre from being behind E.G. that he is not worthie to be named the same day they are For he reckoneth it sufficient or to be out of the compasse of daunger if we be able to abstaine from such grosse sins as hee babbleth off in euerie place as though there were no other sins to be spoken off els But they make in comparison small reckoning of him that hath but so farre preuailed for manie ciuile men for other respects then the reuerend loue of God are séene to absteine from those sinnes therefore do they also with all instancie pâ—â—test vnto vs that we must resist euen the first motions of sin and goe into the field with our affections euerie day And when they acknowledge the life of the regenerate not to bee without sinne they speake not that either to deny good works or that they thinke not the good workes of regenerate men to be pleasing vnto god wherby to dull our desier and weaken our members to labour after them but only to stoppe the way of presumption against vs and to make vs vnderstand and sée our vncleannes and impuritie to the perceauing wherreof we are blockish and more then blynd Here hence another question semeth to rise namely whether the regenerate man can possibly fall into anie of the grosser sins In a word the examples of Dauid and Peter do answere yea The euidence of which examples E.G. séeing so full against him deuised this most vnlearned and prophane shift to auoid it to wit that when such are ouercome of their corruption and so commit such sinnes they are destitute of the spirite of Christ and loose the grace of Gods children or of their new birth and regeneration vntil it be renewed againe in them by repentance This is that monster of often regeneration which he made shew off before in his second diuision An egge verie worthie the crow that laied it But let vs sée what he can say for it why we should suffer it to be hatched Peters example he subtilly ouerslippeth But Dauid he saith did therefore praye diligently when he was ouercome of murther and adulterie that God would renew a right spirite in him or giue vnto him a new a right spirite that he would not take his holie spirite from him to wit as he did for the time hee was ouercome of those two horrible sinnes And further he saith also he prayed that God would giue vnto him a new and cleane heart whereby we vnderstand that for the time the grace of his new birth was lost and the image of God was wholy defaced in him A heauie iudgement that you had no better vnderstanding How grosly he abuseth here the text with his 〈◊〉 glosses I hope there is none that either reading or hearing the text will not espy it For whereas Dauid prayeth God to renew a right or as the chiefest translate a firme spiâ—iâ—â— in him it is manifest he prayeth not there fâ—r the spirite of God first because in the next verse following he maketh petition concerning the holie Ghost Secondly the context and epithete leadeth that Dauid by these wordes required one speciall effect of the spirite to be wrought in his minde namely of strength firmitie to be stedfast in the obedience of the Lord hereafter The context I say sheweth it for the words are these Create in me O God a clean heart or as some translate a cleane mind and renew a firme spirite within me Nothing is more sutable then when as the affections are cleansed afiesh that in the next worke stablenesse and constancie be added vnto them But if there were no more saue onely the nature of the word renew it were inough to conuince this frensie of often regeneration for that argueth that Dauid prayed not for y e thing that hee was absolutely without The like shame receiueth his cause in the next verse Cast me not from thy presence and take not away