in will or power of nature to act any thing either inward or outward as touching the law or as concerning the Gospell whereby to recouer our selues againe or euer to obtaine that which we haue lost So that notwithstanding the Gospell be preached to all and that euery one is inuited to the feast thereof and that there is not any other way or meanes whereby we may possibly recouer and liue yet the most part of the world do vtterly refuse to come so much as to the outward acceptation thereof and those that doe come who being enlightned by the holy Ghost do assent vnto the truth of the Gospell and so come in vnto the outward profession thereof yet for all this such is the euill heart of man if God should not vouchsafe according to his eternall purpose and promise to call in a more speciall maner them whom he foreknew and had predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Sonne to call them I say by a more speciall gift and power of the holy Ghost first to repentance in turning their hearts from all the delight and pleasure they had taken in sinne and in the vanities of the flesh and this world into a wonderfull great sorrow of heart mourning and weeping for the same causing them also with many teares to lament the time that euer they tooke pleasure therein and falling downe at the feete of God with humble hearts confesse vnto him those their sins and follies desiring vnspeakably restlesly mercie and forgiuenesse at his hands loue and reconciliation with him thus taking first away their hard and stony hearts and giuing them hearts of flesh soft and tender hearts and then in the second place to write not with inke and pen but with the speciall finger of his holy Spirit not in tables of stone but in these the fleshly tables of their hearts these their repentant hearts his couenant of mercie and loue assuring them that their sinnes be forgiuen and that he is reconciled with them and they with him in Iesus Christ whom now they haue put on by faith If God should not haue vouchsafed I say thus to call them whom he had predestinated thus to iustifie them and cloathe them but that he is faithfull and cannot lie keeping his couenant for euer as touching that seed which he did promise to call in Isaac they would and should haue perished with the rest notwithstanding any free will or power they haue in nature more then they to attaine to these things But peraduenture some impudent person will obiect that if God doth call and sanctifie some in such a speciall maner by more speciall gifts of the Spirit then he doth affoord to others then his not affoording the same vnto them is the cause of their miserie To answer them put the case that there were two yong men that hauing receiued at their parents hands their portions haue through riot and leudnesse spent all and brought themselues into so great pouertie and debt as that they haue no way or meanes whereby possibly they can recouer and raise themselues againe but are both like to liue in miserie to their dying dayes tell me haue they not been themselues the authors of this their owne ruine and decay and is not this misery iust vpon I suppose as little grace as thou hast thou wilt answer Yea. But admit there were a man of great substance who should out of his owne bountie freely and of his owne accord deliuer one of these yong men out of his miserie pay his debts and restore him to his former estate againe Is this rich man by his free bountie to the one become now the cause of the others misery doest thou dare to affirme it Must thine eye needs now be euil because he is bountiful Is it not lawful for him to bestow his owne where and on whom he pleaseth Or doest thou meane that his not doing the like for the other is the cause of his continuall miserie To answer thee did hee not bring himselfe into it and was it not of it selfe continuall and iust by thine owne confession How then may the thing that neuer was done be the cause of that which is in being Can the effect be before the cause I haue heard that the cause is before the effect but I neuer heard that the effect is or can be before the cause But if I should admit of thine opinion that all men haue free will in themselues to chuse as they haue to refuse grace offered to see what the issue thereof will be let me aske thee what is the reason then that but some men do chuse grace is it because they haue a better and more inclinable will in them by nature then their fellowes If there be no speciall gift of grace to moue them it must be some speciall gift or qualitie of nature For such a speciall differing effect must haue a speciall differing cause Or wilt thou say it is by the operation or secret motion of some planet as some heathenishly conceiue if so yet it is in some sort naturall The effects we speake of are the baptisme of repentance the purification of faith called in Scripture the baptisme or birth of water and of the holy Ghost which are the parts of our regeneration now can any gifts or qualities of nature or operations of planets produce or cause such effects as these Nay doublesse for causes are always greater then effects and greater things then these are not to be found in the natures of men or planets but in God who by the speciall power and vertue of his holy Spirit doth cause these great effects doth worke and produce this new and heauenly birth and therefore the persons thus qualified are said in Scripture to be borne of God 1. Ioh. 3. 9. If thou saist that God put this difference in the will of man by creation then thou makest God the author and cause of sinne which thou wouldest seeme to auoid by excluding his speciall gifts of the Spirit fearing as if it led thee to it whereas it is but thy grosse apprehension that makes thee feare and by this meanes thou runnest thy selfe out of breath thou knowest not whither So then to conclude this point with Saint Pauls words It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie Their fourth point is That the stedfastnesse of mans iustification and saluation doth depend vpon his owne will in continuing in the act of beleeuing and works of righteousnesse and that such as haue faith in Christ Iesus regenerate persons hauing their names written in the book of life may fall away from all may become vnregenerate and haue their names rased out of the booke of life againe and perish and that God doth alter and change his purpose and promise and come to
him be euer remoued from them as the Prophet testifieth Nay what shall or can possibly separate them from the loue of Christ or froÌ„ the loue of God the Father towards them in him Shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword As it is written For thy sake are we killed all the day long and are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Nay saith Saint Paul In all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs. For I am perswaded saith he that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Thus as God did predestinate call iustifie and sanctifie them so it is he that keepeth defendeth them and the stedfastnes of their estates in him doth depend vpon the stedfastnes and immutabilitie of his purpose promise loue and on the loue and life of Christ and all is free without any respect of will faith or works of ours in him and of him to whom be all power and glorie praise and thanksgiuing for euer Amen But some will obiect and say What then meaneth the Scriptures which so often speake of falling away from righteousnesse from faith from Christ from God as where it saith But when the righteous man turneth away from his righteousnes and committeth iniquitie and dieth in them for the iniquities that he hath done shall be die And againe it is said that he which taketh the plough by the hand and looketh behind him is not meete for the kingdome of God And againe When a soule spirit is cast out of a man and he walking in drie places findeth no rest but returneth to the house from whence he came out and finding it swept and garnished entreth therein with seuen more worse then himselfe and the end of that man shall be worse then the beginning And again some are said to beleeue for a time to be offended when tribulation cometh And some branches are said to be taken away from the vine Others to withdraw themselues and to depart away from the liuing God to be made partakers of the holy Ghost and to taste of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come and to fall away not to be renewed againe by repentance That a man may be sanctified by the blood of the testament and afterwards tread vnder foote the Son of God and count the same blood as an vnholy thing and despight the Spirit of grace Some to be cleane escaped from the filthinesse of the world and after this to be entangled againe whose end also is worse then the beginning likened vnto the dog that returneth to his owne vomit and to the sow that is washed and turneth to wallow in the mire againe And some that do make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience with diuers other sayings to this purpose Also these doubtfull speeches He that endureth to the end If ye hold fast vnto the end Whose house ye are if ye continue He that ouercometh and keepeth my words vnto the end And againe Let them be blotted out of the booke of the liuing I will take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy Citie These Scriptures seeme to contradict all that is said before and to proue that there is no estate to be attained vnto but may be fallen from lost and vndone againe These Scriptures may seeme with men not instructed of God to contradict all what haue been mentioned before and to proue a falling away from all grace whatsoeuer but with such as God hath been pleased to instruct it is otherwise and although not only your sects but the Antichristian Church of Rome the Arminians and others doe conceiue and teach from these Scriptures that there is no estate to be attained vnto in this life but men may fall therefrom and perish and because you will not admit as it were too grosse yee should of contradiction in Scriptures wrest wring all the former Scriptures which doe cleerly proue the contrary either to make for this your erronious conceit or else at least not to oppose the same yet I say neuerthelesse the truth is that ye are deceiued not only in this but in the other of your points being most of them of the same nature but all tending to the wrong marke It is true these Scriptures do plainly shew that men may attaine to many excellent graces and gifts of the holy Ghost they may receiue the word with ioy take the plough by the hand be enlightned beleeue and be baptized they may be branches in the vine they may haue a foule spirit cast out of them and be swept and garnished they may taste of the heauenly gift and be made partakers of the holy Ghost and taste of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come they may be in some respects sanctified by the blood of the testament and be cleane escaped from the pollutions of the world they may haue a kind of righteousnes and be in some sort termed righteous men they may haue faith to cast out diuels and doe many great works all this they may attaine vnto and yet come short of the chiefe things fall away from all lose all and Christ may notwithstanding all these things iustly and truly say vnto them in the day of account Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie I neuer knew ye And it is as true that there be greater and more speciall things then all these which whosoeuer can attain shall as certainly abide in Christ and be saued as Christ abideth in the Father and liueth But the greatest difficultie lieth in this to distinguish these things rightly asunder according to the meaning of the Scriptures that so their true difference being discerned of vs we may not only auoide the great confusion which the want thereof hath caused in the mindes of many and the sundry errors they through their ignorance haue fallen into but may be brought to examine and proue our selues by the rule thereof whether our estates be yet such as will abide the triall in the day of account or no. If we find that they be we haue then great cause of comfort if not then haue we great reason to feare and with all speed to humble our soules before God and earnestly â—o desire him that he would be pleased to forme his sonne Christ in vs and to conforme vs vnto his image which is the estate that will giue vs boldnes in the day of his appearing Now that we may rightly vnderstand these things and discerne their true difference let vs obserue that as the Gospel hath two seuerall operations in the hearts and consciences of men to some it is the sauour of life vnto life and
cleane the outside of the cup and platter they had such a kind of beliefe and were as strict in all outward obseruations as all this and yet their insides were foule their hearts were full of rancor and malice and so may it be with thee for all this Here is a faire blade indeede but where is the fruit Doest thou not know that except thy righteousnes exceed the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharises thou shalt in no wise enter into the kingdome of God Herod heard Iohn gladly and did many things willingly and Iudas no doubt was faire in the leafe but his heart was euer corrupt as the Euangelist testifieth saying This he spake not that he had care of the poore but that he was couetous and carried the bag How thinkest thou can an euill tree bring forth good fruit or can one and the same fountaine bring forth sweet waters and bitter Or can a stincking polluted fountaine bring forth sweet waters The heart of man is the tree or fountaine from whence either good or euill commeth as Christ himselfe testifieth A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth that which is good and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is euill If thy heart be euill and vncleane how canst thou then bring forth from thence any good fruit Grant thou art sanctified outwardly thou hast belieued and art baptized thou hearest the word with ioy thou art all as before is spoken yet if in heart thou beest hard and vnrepentant proud puft vp couetous vnmercifull one that louest thy selfe and this present euill world enuious to others cruell what will all thy beliefe and righteousnes auaile thee Nay admit thou hadst all faith so as thou couldest moue mountaines and that thou shouldst giue all thy goods to the poore and thy bodie to be burned and that no man could tax thy heart by any euill fruit that yet appeared nor thy selfe perceiue thine owne heart to be euill yet if thou hast not that faith which worketh by loue that loue with her naturall properties which the Apostle describeth saying Loue suffereth long and is kind it enuieth not it vaunteth not it selfe it is not puffed vp it behaueth not it selfe vnseemly it seeketh not her own it is not easily prouoked it thinketh none euill it reioyceth not in iniquite but it reioyceth in the truth It beareth all things it belieueth all things it hopeth all things it endureth all things I say if thou hast not that faith which bringeth forth these effects thou art nothing thou art but as a sounding brasse and as a tinckling Cimball notwithstanding all thy gifts of knowledge faith prophesie righteousnes or whatsoeuer and shalt be found to be but either as the high waies side or as the stony ground or thornie ground mentioned in the Gospell which indured not which neuer came to bring forth goodfruit neither in the greatest nor least measure like vnto the good ground described after and thy end will be like that earth which notwithstanding the raine commeth oft vpon it bringeth forth nothing but thornes and briars and is therefore neere vnto cursing and as the tree which though it haue had much dressing yet because it bringeth not forth goodfruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire Consider therefore what neede there is that we should dilligently enquire into these things and see the difference betweene these two estates and that our care and study might and dayly should be to learne the best Now touching the speciall administration of the Gospell and those gifts of the Spirit which are perticuliar to afew euen Gods elect onely The speciall administration of the Gospell is this namely a particular application or preaching the word of promise the glad tidings of peace the forgiuenesse of sins to the soule of a sinner whereby he is truly possest of the grace loue of God in Iesus Christ through faith in him and of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes And this is neuer done but by a speciall gift and power of the holy Ghost Now the course which God doth take to effect and bring this thing to passe is this when and after such time as God by the generall administration of his Gospell hath made knowne and by a common gift of the Spirit hath caused them to beleeue and assent vnto the summe or necessary parts thereof as namely that repentance and remission of sins is granted to sinners and saluation to all that can attaine thereto then doth he by a special more effectuall gift of the Spirit work vpon the hearts of his elect whom he fore knew and had predestinate calling them to repentance that is to say turning them from all their sinnes and from the wayes of all the fleshly and sinfull pleasures wherein their soules had formerly delighted into a great feare sorrow for the same and with many teares to lament the time that euer they tooke pleasure therein and falling downe before him with humble and contrite hearts confesse their sins vnto him desiring in an vnspeakable maner mercy and forgiuenesse at his hands peace loue and reconciliation with him which till they obtaine they can take no rest they haue no ioy they cannot be satisfied none of all their former delights will afford them now any comfort they stand aloofe looking strangely vpon them like friends in aduersitie finding them now no fit companions for them Nay there is not any thing that will or can relieue their poore distressed soules or giue them their desired content but onely the loue of God in Iesus Christ sealed in their hearts by his holy Spirit of promise These are those poore which the Scriptures speake of vnto whom Christ was sent to preach good tidings the bruised and broken in heart them that labour sore and are heauie laden the sicke the lost the dead which Christ came to binde vp to heale to seeke out to quicken and raise to life these I say and none but these are they whom the Prophet speaketh of testifying of the Sauiour and of the speciall administration of the Gospell of peace saying The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me and he hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the poore he hath sent me to binde vp the broken hearted to proclaime liberty to the captiues and the opening of the prison to them that are bound to proclaime the acceptable yeare of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all that mourne to appoint vnto them that mourne in Sion to giue vnto them beauty for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heauinesse that they might be called Trees of righteousnes the plantation of the Lord that he may be glorifiea And these are the poore of whom Christ himselfe speaketh
saying And the poore haue the Gospell preached vnto them or receiue the Gospell as some translations haue it for the word doth import such a preaching as doth imply a receiuing of it in the heart of him to whom it is so preached as also doth the words of Esay before mentioned And although all haue it preached vnto them in the former generall maner yet none haue it preached vnto them in this speciall peculiar sort but these poore repentant persons onely who alone are capable of the receit thereof by faith vnto Iustification this is that effect of the holy Ghost in the heart of man which the Scriptures call The baptisme of Iohn the baptisme of water the baptisme of repentance the birth of water the baptisme which Iohn preached the preparation of the Gospell of peace repentance which is the beginning of the Gospell of Iesus Christ the first principall of the doctrine of Christ the beginning and first part of regeneration as the Scripture declareth it the labour and trauell in the birth but not the full perfection of the new birth onely the soule of the sinner trauelleth readie to be deliuered this is the second effect of the holy Ghost but the first peculiar Then doth God in the third place reach forth his hand and taketh hold of this poore labouring soule and by another speciall effect and power of the holy Ghost doth deliuer him and bring him forth washeth him cleanseth him from his bloud wherein he lay polluted his sinnes which cried out so iustly against him and lay so heauy vpon him easeth him of all and writeth in his heart of flesh his contrite repentant heart his couenant of mercie and loue which it so much desired assuring it that he is now reconciled with him and that his sins are cleane forgiuen and forgotten neuer to be reckoned or remembred more and that he hath loued him and doth loue him in Iesus Christ and will neuer put him out of fauour so long as Christ remains in fauour This is the special administration of the word and that gift of the Spirit whereby Christ is formed in the heart of the poore repentant sinner through faith by which he is iustified from all his sinnes and his heart sanctified and is the second part and finishing of the new birth and these are alwayes together in the act of iustification the word the Spirit and faith so that a sinner cannot be said to be actually iustified till the couenant of remission of sinnes which God hath made to the repentant sinner be applied by the Spirit to his broken heart and that he beleeueth in his heart that his sinnes be forgiuen and that God loueth him in Iesus Christ and this administation of the word gift of the Spirit and faith are expressed in Scripture and distinguished from all other administrations of the word gifts of the Spirit and kinds of faith whatsoeuer by seuerall distinct names As first this administration of the word is called in Scripture The glad tidings of peace and good things good tidings the binding vp of the broken heart libertie to the captiues The opening of the prison to them that are bound Comfort to the mourners The reuiuing of the spirits of the humble and contrite The couenant of the remission of sinnes The couenant of life and peace The kingdome of God Ease Rest to the soule The word of his grace The word preaching peace by Iesus Christ The word of reconciliation c. And it is so called in regard of the great and speciall benefit it bringeth doth administer vnto the soule of the repētant sinner by the applicatiō of the Spirit And for that it is directed of God and appointed to be preached to such and to no 〈◊〉 For though the Gospell be preached to all in a generall consideration as before is shewed yet as it is here intended it belongeth to none nor is to be preached to any but the repentant only And repentance though it be a part of the Gospel as it is sometimes in a generall maner proposed yea the beginning and first principle thereof and a peculiar gift of the Spirit as before also is noted yet as it is intended in these seuerall Scriptures repentance is no part but onely the preparation thereunto or the making ready the heart of a sinner for the same in which consideration Iohn the Baptist and our Sauiour both preached saying Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand where they make repentance to be one thing and the kingdome of God the glad tidings of the Gospel another require repentance in the first place as a thing necessary to be effected in them before they could receiue by faith the glad tidings of the Gospell the kingdome of God which was at hand to follow after and to be preached vnto them thereupon Which order was also obserued by the Prophets before as Dauid To day saith he if you will heare his voice harden not your hearts c. lest ye enter not into his rest In which words he declareth plainly to the people that if they would beleeue the promise of entrance into rest and so by faith enter thereinto they should vnharden their hearts that is to say repent otherwise there was no possibilitie of beleeuing of entrance And secondly as the speciall administration of the word which is so peculiar to the repentant is distinguished from all other common administrations so is the Spirit or rather the effect of the Spirit by which this glad tidings of peace is applied vnto and written in the heart of the repentant set forth and distinguished also in Scripture from other gifts of the Spirit by peculiar and distinct names as The baptisme of the holy Ghost The birth of the Spirit The renewing of the holy Ghost The Spirit of Christ The Spirit of the Sonne which crieth Abba Father the Spirit of adoption the Spirit of life the Spirit of truth the Comforter the anointing of the holy Ghost and such like And it is so called in regard of the speciall effects it worketh in the hearts of the repentant beyond those that are common to others as faith righteousnesse peace ioy in the holy Ghost and other vnspeakable comforts and treasures of life And thirdly as the word and Spirit so the faith which the Spirit causeth in the heart of the repentant by the application of the same word of God and the testification of his loue vnto it is also exprest and distinguished from all other kinds of faith by speciall distinct names as The faith of Gods elect The faith of Christ The faith of Iesus Christ The effectuall faith The faith of the Sonne of God The faith of the Saints Their most holy faith Their precious faith The faith which iustifieth The faith which sanctifieth the heart The faith of Abraham
beleeue and acknowledge him and submit themselues to be informed by his word though they had not yet either true repentance or iustifying faith For they knew that such a beliefe and profession as made men meet for outward baptisme might be where iustifying faith was not and that both that beliefe profession and baptisme did but make a Christian outwardly as the outward profession and circumcision of the Iewes did but make a Iew outwardly and no better did they iudge or conclude of any but when they saw better cause Now concerning the baptizing of children which they say is no baptisme at all but do call it the marke of the Beast we affirme that the children of all such beleeuers as may themselues be baptized may also be baptized and that it is not nor can be the marke of the Beast spoken of but is true outward baptisme First to auoid many of their vaine and idle obiections and that we may come the more cleerer to the point let vs remember that it is sufficiently proued already that all haue sinned in Adam and that death is passed on all for that all haue sinned in him being polluted from their very conceptions and that therefore there is a necessitie of a new birth from aboue of water and of the Spirit as wel to the yongest man of dayes or houres as to the eldest man of yeares So that whosoeuer is borne of the flesh he must be borne again from aboue of the Spirit either sooner or later if he be saued and that although repentance and faith be the parts of this new birth and that repentance hath these parts whereby it is exprest in men of yeares sorrow for sinne confession of sinne and desire of pardon as we haue before defined and that iustifying faith which is the other part of this new birth be an assurance or full perswasion wrought in the repentant heart by the Spirit of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes and reconciliation with God in Iesus Christ as we haue also defined it I say in men of yeares who also do confesse with the mouth as it is written With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation yet neuerthelesse the true nature of both these parts of the new birth may be in another maner defined and still remaine the same in substance as the first part is called in Scripture A heart of flesh an humble and contrite heart a broken heart and Saint Paul calleth it the fleshly tables of the heart in which regard it is called the baptisme of water and the birth of water which we define thus namely that it is a speciall effect or working of the holy Ghost whereby the heart which is naturally hard and stubburne euen from the birth is made soft and tender as water or as flesh is in comparison of a stone that so it may receiue the impression of the grace and loue of God The second part which is called the baptisme of the holy Ghost and the birth of the Spirit we define to be a speciall gift of the Spirit also but more excellent which writeth and sealeth in the soft and tender heart of flesh grace and peace from God in Christ and filleth it with heauenly comfort and ioy like vnto that which is said of Iohn being in his mothers womb when the voice of the salutation of Mary sounded in the eares of Elizabeth The babe leaped in her womb for ioy which doubtlesse was caused by the Spirit of Christ in the soule of the child Now in this sort children are capable of both the parts and so of the whole new birth which in them is no other in nature but the very same which is in men of yeares though it be not outwardly so exprest as we may perceiue by the words of Paul to the faithfull of the Church of Corinth Forasmuch saith he as ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by vs written not with inke but with the Spirit of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of the heart For as the law of death was written in tables of stone and all the hard and stonie hearts of the whole posteritie of Adam not onely might but also did and doe receiue euen in their very conceptions a deepe impression thereof so on the contrary the law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus euer was is and is to be written in hearts of flesh soft and tender hearts and in no other And therefore it was that God did promise to take away from his elect the hard and stonie heart and to giue them a heart of flesh an humble and broken heart because his pleasure and promise is to dwell with such to reuiue and comfort them and no other And to speake plainly howsoeuer perhaps some doe otherwise conceiue it is not our act of beleeuing that doth iustifie vs but it is the free gift of grace sealed in our hearts by the Spirit of Christ whereby God iustifieth vs which grace and Spirit is the cause of our act of beleeuing or faith by which we are so often said in Scripture to be iustified where the effect is named for the cause by reason it is thereby made apparent vnto vs as also in another sense we are said to be iustified by works because works do demonstrate and make manifest our faith to others as it is said of the primitiue Church of Rome that their faith had shined throughout the world meaning by works which are the effects of faith So that Saint Paul calleth the faithfull the Epistle of Christ not so much for their act of beleeuing as in respect of the grace of God which was written in their hearts by the Spirit of Christ by which they did now beleeue and crie Abba Father as it is written He hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts which crieth Abba Father And for this cause the grace of the Gospell is called The law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus These things being so what should now let that children may not be baptized Are they capable as we see of regeneration and are they not capable of the signe thereof May their hearts be sanctified by the Spirit of Christ and may not the filth of their flesh be washed off with water for the baptisme of water is bnt the doing away of the filth of the flesh as Saint Peter speaketh euen as outward circumcision was but the cutting off the fore-skin of the flesh representing the cutting off the sinnes of the flesh the circumcision of the heart as also baptisme doth For the circumcision which was the cutting off part of the fore-skin of the flesh and that baptisme or washing away the filth of the flesh we doe not say that the one was a type of the other but were both types of one truth namely the baptisme or purification of
to others the sauour of death vnto death not of it selfe but through the wickednes of mens hearts so likewise there is a two-fold administration thereof the one generall common to all the other speciall peculiar to a few that which is generall and common is a publique declaration that such a thing there is whereby all men in general haue this benefit namely yâ— whereas after Adam had sinned before the promise was made that the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head there was no time nor place for repentance to any nor remission of sins vpon any ground to be expected now since that time by vertue of the promise all sinne iâ— made pardonable there is time and place for repentance to all and remission of sinnes thereupon granted so that whosoeuer shall come and with sorrow of heart confesse his sinnes vnto God and humbly desire mercie and forgiuenesse at his hands shall receiue it and thus far the Gospell is preached to all euen to euery creature vnder heauen as Saint Paul speaketh so that there is not nor hath been a nation or people in any time or part of the world that can truly say we haue not heard it for as it is written their sound went forth throughout all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world and so all are left without excuse because God hath not left himselfe without witnesse But the maner and measure of Gods declaration of his Gospell hath been diuers he declared it vnto the nations of the Gentiles in former times yea and at this present doth in diuers parts of the world onely by the workes which he hath created and benefits that he daily giueth them as the heauens and firmament day and night Sunne and raine and in that he giueth them fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with food and gladnesse with many other blessings all which do in their maner and kind preach and declare vnto them that God is good and gracious to mankind and hath some speciall respect vnto him and doe also call vpon them daily to seeke him that made all and giueth all those good things vnto them and proueth vnto them that if they had sought they might haue found in him yet greater things which some of them doubles haue attained vnto the rest by this means are left without excuse He shewed it to the nation of the Hebrewes not onely by his works and benefits which they especially had in great abundance but in another more excellent maner and in a far greater measure as namely by the testimonies of the Fathers and by the ministerie of Moses and the Prophets who receiued it from God and spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost he stretched forth his hand all the day long vnto that people preaching his Gospell the word of faith vnto them so as that they of all other had least reason to say in their hearts Who shall ascend into heauen for vs to fetch it vs or who shall go downe into the deepe to bring it vs that we may heare it and doe it but the word was nigh enough vnto them euen in their mouthes and in their hearts and if the Gentiles were left without excuse much more they And now he hath spoken and declared it vnto vs in these last times by his Sonne Iesus Christ that Seed which was promised to Adam to Abraham was spoken of by Moses foretold by the Prophets in whom by whom and through whom all blessings all hope all grace and life is granted is purchased is to be attained by him I say and by his holy Apostles in the power and gifts of the holy Ghost he hath declared vnto vs all things cleerly many whereof being such as in all other former ages were not knowne so that the earth floweth with the knowledge of the Gospell in these dayes aboue all those other times past and many haue been enlightned through the preaching of it by the Spirit and haue beleeued and giuen their assents vnto the truth of it many haue tasted of the heauenly gift and haue been made partakers of the holy Ghost haue tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come many are able to preach and discourse thereof in great and excellent measure and if the Hebrewes could at no time truly say we haue not heard it nor yet those Gentiles that had not the Law to wit those Scriptures and ordinances of the Law which the Hebrewes had what can we then say who haue not only had all the meanes and light which those Gentiles Hebrews had but also the plaine reuelation of the Gospell according as it was foretold to be in these last times confirmed by the death resurrection of Iesus Christ and left recorded vnto vs by his holy Apostles in full measure how can it be I say therefore but that the things which we haue heard and beleeued will be vnto vs the sauour of death vnto death in a fuller and larger measure then vnto any of them seeing we haue receiued a greater larger measure of knowledge if we obey not the Gospell if we attaine not vnto the speciall grace and benefits thereof for as the Lord himselfe testifieth He that knoweth his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes But some will say we haue not onely knowledge of his will but obedience also we are not like vnto those strange fornicators and idolaters of the Gentiles nor as the cruell vnbeleeuing Hebrewes which killed the Prophets and murdered the Lord of glorie neither are we of the common sinners of the world though we haue been so heretofore nay the power of the holy Ghost by the preaching of the word of God hath altered vs the foule spirit is now cast out by a stronger then he we are now cleane escaped from the filthinesse of the world our liues and actions are reformed we apply our selues now to the hearing of the word we conferre thereof and reade it oft we pray also oft we receiue the Sacraments oft we instruct our children and our seruants in the principles of Christian religion we keep the Sabbath we distribute of our goods to the poore we neglect no dutie which we conceiue we ought to performe so that we are washed and sanctified by the blood of the testament I confesse thou hast here a kind of obedience and doest in part thy masters will and art so far forth sanctified by the blood of the testament for by it all graces and gifts of the Spirit are purchased and thou couldest neuer haue attained to these things but by vertue of it yet I say notwithstanding all this the chiefe thing may be wanting in thee for if this be to do thy masters will according to our Sauiours meaning then doubtlesse the Scribes and Pharises did his will as wel as thee they made
of the Lord though they be inlightned and taste as much of the good word of God as either Cain or the Iewes did God vseth threatnings oft times to bring that seed which he promised to call to repentance he giueth them repentance he promiseth grace to the repentant in a speciall particular maner he giueth them faith also to receiue it he promiseth likewise saluation absolutely to these beleeuers he admonisheth them because they of themselues are apt to fall yea and would fall and perish if they stood by their owne strength if God did not sustaine them and had not ordered and disposed of all things for their safetie and wel being he commandeth them to watch and to pray and he giueth them his Spirit which helpeth their infirmities without the which they know not what to aske and it maketh request vnto God for them with sighs and grones which cannot be exprest not because they may yet perish but because they should not perish and for that they are weake and apt to fall and grieue the Spirit He also chasteneth them not for their hurt nor in his wrath but that they should not be condemned with the world And because God hath appointed them to be holy and so to saluation therefore he hath appointed all these things For as he before the world was purposed to saue them so likewise did he determine of the way and meanes whereby to saue them and the meanes is as certaine as his decree And Gods promises concerning life eternal to speake properly are not vpon any conditions though he doth seeme so to propose them to the world but they are absolutely free without any condition of our parts It is true God will saue none but such as repent and beleeue his Gospell bring forth fruite endure to the end c. yet these are not conditions for God giueth all these things to his elect as freely as he gaue Christ vn-them he conformeth them hereby to the image of Christ else grace and saluation were of due debt by desert which to teach is erroneous and Antichristian And although God did elect men in Christ from the foundation of the world yet did not the Elect fall from their Election in the fall of Adam neither did Adam himselfe lose his Election by his fall as they would infer thereupon for Gods Election was not of man considered in his innocencie but of men 〈◊〉 foreseene fallen and therefore they are said to be chosen in Christ who was to be a reconciler and mediator for sinners and not for innocent persons So that the obiection of them which say if the Elect cannot fall out of Gods fauour then did not all fall in Adam If the elect cannot fall from their election then haue not all sinned is very carnall and wicked much like vnto that of the Saduces which said Whose wife shall she be in the Resurrection who like fooles knew not that in the resurrection they neither marry nor giue in marraige So they being ignorant of the wisedome and foreknowledge of God giue out If the elect cannot fall from their election then haue not all sinned And are as bould and thinke themselues aswell armed hereby against the certainty and continuance of Gods election as the Saduces thought themselues against the resurrection when they came in scorne thereof to pose Christ But I omit their friuolous obiections as not hauing any collour of reason because also we shall haue occasion to cleere those things hereafter Thus as we haue said God first publisheth his Gospell and all doe enioy some benefit thereby many are inlightned by it and are made partakers of some common gifts of the Spirit but few are made partakers of those which are speciall and peculiar And this is the order which God doth vse for the calling sanctifying and sauing of his elect First after they are inlightned to know his truth he calleth them in a speciall maner to repentance then in the second place by a more excellent gift of the Spirit he iustifieth the repentant soule from his sinnes and sanctifieth his heart and then thirdly they being now ingrafted into Christ their head doe bring forth fruit in him as before we haue described And these are the plantation of God the trees of righteousnes which the Scriptures speak of God is the husbandman and this is the maner of his husbandry And thus hath he seuered and distinguished his plants from all carnal vnregenerate Christians vnder what name or title soeuer they passe or in what outward estate or Church soeuer they liue And blessed is that man that hath part with them in those speciall gifts and treasures of life for on such the second death shall haue no power Thus haue we proued that whosoeuer is borne from aboue of water and the Spirit Iustified by faith in Christ whose names are written in the booke of life frō the foundation of the world shall neuer fall away nor haue their names razed out of the booke of life againe And that God doth neuer alter his purpose or promise but that all his decrees and promises shall surely come to passe Their fift point That there is no Originall sinne but that all children of all maner of people in the world as well heathens Infidels Idolaters worshippers of Diuels all kind of blasphemers fornicators vncleane persons whatsoeuer as of the faithfull are free from all pollution of sinne both in the conception and birth and dying before they commit actuall sinnes are saued Answ THe truth is though to our shame and sorrow it may be spoken that sin hath taken hold of all the whole posterity of mankind and all are corrupted by a perpetuall seed of generation orignially from Adam so that euery child of man that is borne of flesh as well of the faithfull as of the vnfaithfull is by nature the child of pollution and wrath and dying vnregenerate perrisheth from the glory of God and from the ioy of his presence for euermore This we neede not now to stand to argue for besides the manifold testimonies of Gods word which testifie against vs long and lamentable experence hath sufficiently proued it and doth dayly proue it vnto vs so that we haue more need to mourne for our selues in regard of the euill that is sowne in our natures thereby and to weepe for our children also which are bred and borne of vs as Christ charged the daughters of Ierusalem to doe for themselues and for their children then to stand to dispute the points or once to question whether it be so or no. Neuertheles to stop the mouthes of such as doe deny it we say that when Adam sinned all sinned together with him because all mankind were then in him and therefore when God cast Adam out of Paridice he cast all his posteritie out of Paracice with him and when God cursed the earth he cursed it not to his person alone but all that were to come of him as well