against preaching of Gods woorde that it maketh men neuer the better and ye would haue them leaue talking and fall to doing I confesse there be a number which are counterfeite professors which liue not according to the Gospell and most commonly they be such as haue but a little smacke of the Gospel and yet thinke they know much because they want the meanes hauing the worde either seldome or loosely preached But I will confute your vanitie another waye in this point tell me are not these your sayinges where the woorde is sincerely preached if any seeke to frame their liues after the same when they doe eyther by woorde reprooue your euill wayes or by deede refuse your lewde maners These men are full of the Spirite these are precise fellowes these are holie Saintes these thinke them selues Gods fellowes these thinke them selues better then all other men Ath. We say so in deede there is good cause why Zelot Then I pray ye tell me howe these two thinges can hang together when ye saie there is no amendement of life and yet yee complaine that they be ouer full of the spirit ouer precise and such like May not euery man see that ye pronounce thinges directly contrarie the one to the other that there is no amendment and yet in effect ye say they amende ouer fast Ath. Wee doe not saye that any doe amende ouer fast Zelot When ye say they are ouer holy and what shoulde men be so curious and full of the spirite what is this but to say that they amende ouer fast Is not this to amend when men by due instruction out of Gods woorde come to repentaunce of their former vices and haue a care to keepe them selues from the spottes of the rotten fleshe and filthie worlde Do not you and such as you are after a sort blaspheme when yee reproche men with the spirite Is it a shame for a man nowe a dayes for to haue anye thing to doe with the spirite of God While a man doeth walke after the fleshe in the lustes of vncleannesse he is an honest man But so soone as hee is indued with any grace ye wonder at him as crowes do at an owle yee are readie to floute and mocke him out of his skinne And as if the spirite of GOD were a spirite of dishonour and shame yee mocke men with him Wee may wonder at the longe patience of GOD which hath thus many yeeres suffered himselfe to be dishonoured his spirite reuiled his woorde despised and hath not been reuenged but no doubt the longer hee hath â—aried the heauier will the stroke be Ath. Men are men what shoulde they make themselues more holy then they be Zelot If ye meane one way ye say right for it is a naughtie vice for men to seeme to be holy when they are not or to seeme to be more holy then they be but if yee meane another way as I thinke ye doe that because men are sinfull by nature why shoulde they seeke for to be better then doe ye speake verie wickedly For God calleth men to repentance to turne from their euill wayes God guideth his seruants at all times with his spirite therfore S. paule sayth Rom. 8. There Is no condemnation nowe to those whiche are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite And againe in the same chapter As many as are led by the spirite of God are the sonnes of God Hee sayth that if wee liue after the fleshe we shall dye in other places he doth shewe whiche are the workes of the spirite and whiche are the workes of the fleshe And you like blasphemous wretches allowe those whiche walke after the flesh and condemne those which are led by the spirite Ath. Are none indued with Gods Spirite but such as runne to heare preaching Zelot Whosoeuer hath the spirite of God can not but delight in the woorde of God whiche the same spirite hath vttered The Lorde saith hee which is of God heareth Gods worde The happie man is hee as wee haue in the 1. Psalme whiche hath his delight in the lawe of the Lorde and which doeth meditate in the same day and night We haue in the psalme 112. Blessed is the man which feareth the Lorde hee hath great delight in his commaundements Moreouer the spirite of GOD doeth not guide men without the woorde And therefore it is saide Psalme 119. Thy woorde is a lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathes S Peter sayth I. Epist 1. Hee hath beegotten vs againe not of mortall but of immortall seede which he affirmeth to bee the worde of God that indureth for euer Likewise S. Iames saith cap. 1. of his owne good will begat hee vs by the woord of trueth Seeing therfore that the holy Ghost doth guide men by the worde it followeth that all those which set light by the woorde are led not with the spirite of God but with the spirite of the Diuell I might alleadge a number of testimonies of Scripture to prooue that such as you which make so small accompt of the sacred woorde of God as there be a number yea the greatest number whiche doe not set so muche by it as they doe by an olde shoe are despicers of God worse then brute beastes Ath. Cannot men be lead by Gods spirit and serue God vnlesse they knowe the Scriptures GOD forbidde that all those shoulde bee awry which are not learned is it not enough for plaine countrie men plow men taylours and suche other for to haue their ten commaundementes the Lordes prayer and the beliefe I thinke these may suffice vs what shoulde wee meddle further I knowe men whiche are no scripture men whiche serue GOD as well as the best of them all Will yee condemne such Zelot I sayde before that men can not be lead by Gods spirite and refuse to knowe the Scriptures Neyther can they truelie serue him vntill suche time as they knowe howe for to serue him for GOD teacheth howe he will be serued and hee teacheth onlie in his worde his will is that we shal learne to know him by his worde And therefore he hath appointed the Ministerie of the woorde to continue for euer in his Church that by it men may be built vp in Christe as yee may reade Ephe. 4. For this cause S. Paule exhorteth Tymothie to bee instant in teaching in season out of season he trauelled himselfe night and daie he maketh a verie ferâ—eâ—â— prayer to God continuallie for the Collossians that they might bee fulfilled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding Collos ver 9. For this cause hee exhorteth the Christians to bee children in malice but not to bee children in vnderstanding The holy Ghost doth sharpely reprooue the Hebrewes as wee may see in the latter end of the 5. chap. of that Epistle because they were yet children to be taught when for the time they shoulde haue been teachers Againe there is
The worde of God is certaine and sure because God cannot lie but howe shall I â—â—â—we which is their â—â— sense of it â— shall I beleeue euerie man which doth interprer the worde shall I not the better beleeue 〈…〉 if he say it is not my interpretation but S. Ierome he saith so S. Augustine hee sayth so I promise yée he shall haue the greater credite with me for they were other maner of men then hée Zelot I cannot but â—â—ruell to see howe grosse and dull your head is for to learne the trueth and how readily you can bring out such matters as this ye speake not of your owne head I woulde there were no greater learned men then you blinded in this matter But let mee shewe yee your grosse errour Yee say the word is certaine and sure but the interpretation thereof yee make doubtfull but what are we the better that the worde of God is sure and certaine vnlesse it be sure certaine vnto vs which cannot bee except the interpretation be so It is as good for you to say the word is doubtfull as for to say the sense is doubtfull Nowe when as yee hang the sense vppon men can ye denie but that still it is in doubt This must needes arise in the minde those Doctors said so but they might erre and therefore I am not certaine that this is the sense If this shall bee admitted in the Church what shall become of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full certaintie of fayth which the woorde of GOD doeth require to be in vs it is grounded vpon the word of God for it cannot stande otherwise Moreouer faith is sure what God meaneth or else it is no faith therefore such as woulde hang mens saith vppon the authoritye of men where they must needes still be in doubt and when they are at the furthest they come but vnto this it is 〈…〉 like for to be true because such notable men speake it doe not know a right what faith is for that yee say he shall haue the more credite with you if he say It is not my saying but the saying of Augustine therein ye were euen as good say that your fayth is built vpon men and not vpon God For if ye doe beleeue because some great learned or Godlie man telleth yee the matter this is no true beleefe for wee must bee fully perswaded that God him selfe doeth tell vs or els wee be neuer the neere Ath. Howe shall I know when GOD speaketh â—â— which God speaketh you come and preach one way another commeth and hee doeth proache another way yee preache one contrary to another you say God speaketh hee saith God speaketh whiche shall wee beleeue Is not â—ee to â—eâ— best beléeued which can shew that those greate doctors are on his side Zelot See what a grounde you leaue vnto you know not when GOD speaketh not what God speaketh and therefore yee will haue some of the olde Doctors for to tell are yee sure hee telleth yee right if ye be it is because hee sheweth ye the worde of God why he telleth yee so the credite must bee giuen vnto the word and not to the man But you saie yee can not tell when one doeth alleadge the worde in the true meaning howe then can ye tell when one alleadgeth the doctor in the true meaning he which will falsifie the word of God in the Bible he will not sticke for to falsifie the meaning of the Doctor you may search the scriptures to see whether the testimonies alleadged be so as the men of Berea did when Paule preached Act. 17. 11. You cannot neither are yee commaunded for to searche the doctors And vnlesse yee see the manifest 〈…〉 of gods worde ye are not bounde for to beleeue but if it be plainlie shewed that God hath spoken then yee are bounde vnder the 〈…〉 of damnation for to giue credite vnto it Christe sayth My sheepe heare my voyce a straunger they will not heare Iohn 10. Also S. Iohn saith brethren beleeue not euerie spirite but trie the spirites whether they be of God 1. Iohn 4. he therefore which saith I cannot tell when the voyce of Christ is vttered it is all one as if he should say I am none of the sheepe of Christ because as he saith Euery one of his sheepe do knowe his voyce He that saith I know not which Preacher doth preach truth and which falshood he may euen as well say I am none of those to whome the holy Ghost speaketh and sayth Try the spirites whether they be of God it is a generall precept giuen vnto all Christians Ath. Ye shall neuer make mee beleeue that euerye man is for to iudge whether the Preacher speake true or false Zelot I know not what I shall be able for to make you beleeue but I am sure I can plainely shewe what yee ought to beleeue First marke this the worde came not from man neither can a man teache it ye vnlesse God reueale it by his spirite if it were the wisedome of the worlde or of the flesh then the spirit of the world which is in man and knoweth the secretes of man could teache it but because it is the mysterie of GOD none can make yee learne it but the holy Ghoste which searcheth euen the deepe things of God as S. Paul teacheth 1. Cor. 2. 10 S. Iohn in his first Epistle Chap. the seconde hauing told them that there were euen then many Antichrists he comforteth them with this You saith he haue receiued an annointing from the holy one know all things Like as therefore none of those can learne whoÌ„ God doth not inlighten with his spirite so on the coÌ„trary part all those which are taught within by the spirit doe feele when the doctrine which the same spirit hath taught is vttered he knoweth his owne and he sealeth it vp in their hearts and consciences which being instructed by him must needes consent thereto fully For this cause there is great difference betweene such as set all vpon the authorities of men and such as preach as S. Paul saith he did with the plaine euidence of the spirit and of power 1. Cor. 2. 4. he addeth the reason in the next verse that their faith should not coÌ„sist in the wisedome of men but in the power of God If faith may not hang vpon the wisdome of men and therefore the intising speech which mans wisedome teacheth is to be auoided in setting foorth the Gospell then can it not stand vpon the authorities of men Ath. Is it not lawfull in any respect for to alleadge them Zelot Yes no doubt there are circumstances which may make it sometime very needfull I speake only against this that they are alleaged when as we may alledge the same things out of the worde it selfe And when they are alleadged for men to builde their faith vpon or to make men thinke that there can be no certaintie in the interpretation of the worde
one iotte of it vnlesse we be taught it out of gods worde Ath. God graunt wee may for there bee ouer many which doe not regard it Zelot Let mee nowe aske you further put case one shoulde saye vnto you thus you know all that is to bee done in buylding an house the foundation the walles and the roofe doe these first if yee will learne any more yee may goe to some Carpenter Ath. There is no man so foolishe to giue a man that counsell Zelot It is the Counsell you gaue and the wise men which yee spake of which woulde haue men first to do and afterwarde to learne Ath. Naye to doe that they knowe and afterwarde to learne more for there was neuer more knowledge and lesse dooing Zelot It is a verie pitifull case to see howe the worlde is blinded yee bring not this out of your owne bouget for there bee very manie wise and iollye heades whiche stande muche vppon this which you speake they neuer vnderstoode that whiche Solomon saith Prouerb 1. cap. 22. ver Yee fooles be enemies vnto knowledge or hate knowledge Neither doe they knowe that whiche Saint Paule speaketh 1 Cor. 8 2. If any man thinke he knoweth any thing hee knoweth nothing as yet as hee ought to knowe They neuer considered what the holy Ghoste saith in the latter ende of the fifte Chapter to the Hebrwes ver 12. Where he doth sharply reprooue them because they were children in vnderstanding Neither doe they know that all well doing proceedeth from faith faith doth increase through knowledge it greeueth me to stand vpon the matter the saying is so buzzardly Ath. You would haue all men diuines I thinke it is not for plowmeÌ„ to meddle with the Scriptures Zelot You thinke so but I pray you to whom speaketh the Lorde by the Properer Esay when hee saith My people perishe for want of knowledge Vnto whom speaketh the Lorde by the Prophete Hoseas Chap. â—â— 1. 2. When hee saith there is no truth there is no mercy nor knowledge of God in the land But swearing lying killing theeâ—â—ing coÌ„mitting adulterie c. Vnto whome wrote Saint Paule saying Brethren bee children in malice be not children in vnderstanding vnto whom wrote Saint Peter exhorting so much vnto knowledge Ath. I thinke knowledge doeth make men the woorse for there bée no woorse men then many that be great scripture men none wil deceiue a man sooner then they they wil speake a man faire before his face and bee readie behinde his backe for to cutte his throate Zelot It seemeth that you are no small man there is a great deale of good stuffe in you if you would vtter it Ath. I tell yée my mind plainely I will not flatter any man Zelot Ye need not tell me that I know what maner of man ye be Let vs come to your last words ye did speake very lewdly do yee thinke that knowledge doeth make men woorse Ath. I heare many say so if I speake â—ewâ— lye there bee a number moe beside me that doe so Zelot If knowledge make men the woorse then is it a thing that is not good of it selfe for that whiche is good can not make a man euill is there any beast which will say That to knowe GOD or the wil of God which is most holy and pure can make â— man the woorse No these men are more then beastes Againe the more a man knoweth of God the woorse he should be a very filthie blasphemie Moreouer you are greatly deceiued wheÌ„ ye thinke that all those whiche canne talke of tho Scriptures haue knowledge for there be verye many carnall Pratlers which seeme for to knowe much and yet are as blinde as Buzzardes these are naughty men not because they haue knowledge but because they want knowledge Ath. I cannot tell a man shall heare them saye a greate deale out of the Byble Zelot No doubt a great deale more thâ— they vnderstand now when such do not liue well doth it followe that Gods worde maketh them woorse nay yee be all blinde Asses whiche cannot see that because there is verye little true vnderstanding of Gods woorde among men therefore there is so much vncleanesse For as the holy Ghost saith Psal 119. 9. Wherewithall shall a young man clense his way euen by taking heed therto according to thy word Now when men doe not vnderstand the woorde howe shall they take heede to their wayes for to guyde them by the same And when GOD sayth the woorde doeth cleanse vs his meaning must needes bee that all such as are not purged thereby are foule and filthie in his eyes Ath. Yée haue of your preachers trâ—â— pulpit men and can saye very well but their déedes are as euill as other mens for who is more couetous then they they are neuer content vntill they haue heaped liuing vppon liuing Zeloâ— Such skilfull men as you thinke if a man can preache or rather as a number doe prattle and haue a rowling tongue and can make some shewe of learning that by and by hee is a trime man and hath great knowledge when as in deede hee hath no true knowledge For I count him to haue true knowledge whiche hath so learned Christe that hee is become a newe creature Therefore Saint Iohn in the 3. Chapter 5. 6. verses of his first Epistle speaking of Christe saith That he was made manifest to take away our sinnes and in him is no sinne Whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not Whosoeuer sinneth hath not seene him nor knowne him Likewise in the first booke of Samuel cap. 2. vers 12. It is saide by the sonnes of Elye that they were the sonnes of Beliall and knewe not God and yet they were instructed in the lawe and taught the people And for mine owne part I coulde neuer perceiue that any wicked man coulde preache worth a button I meane concerning the cheefe thinge required in preaching which is the declaration of the power of the spirite which ought for to appeare to the conuersion of sinnefull men For to lay open points of doctrine they may doe it well Ath. It is not for vs that are simple men for to iudge who doth well and who doeth noâ— Zelot Yes that it is for Saint Iohn saieth trie the spirites whether they be of God Our Sauiour Christ sayeth my sheepe heare my voyce a straunger they will not heare Wherevpon it doeth followe that hee which knoweth not when pure doctrine and wholesome is vttered is not as yet among the number of the sheepe of Christ For if he were indued with the spirit of God he shoulde by the same spirite feele when wholesome doctrine is deliuered vnto him Ath. If a man bee learned then hee shall bee able to iudge what is sayle rightly otherwise hée cannot tell Zelot It is not learning alone whiche must iudge of sound preaching for there be manie learned men which cannot iudge wel as also there bee manie vnlearned which are verie well
for those English Doctors whiche can alleadge no more but out of Paul and Peter Zelot It would bee a notable learned Sermon then if the Preacher shoulde speakâ— all latine Ath. Then wee whiche doe not vnderstande latine shoulde bee neuer the better Zelot If so little coulde pleasure you then no doubt a whole sermon would edifie yee much But such vayne men as you doe shew your vanitie when ye looke more after those thinges which should feede your eares then for to haue your soules conuerted Is that to be vsed which cannot edifie at all but serueth for a vaine shewe and disturbeth the minde and memorie of the diligent hearer But let this goe and let vs see the other for alleadging of writers in this matter yee haue sundrie graue men of your side which count those Sermons learned which are set foorth with all sortes of authorities and those which bring the bare worde out of the Bible they make but verball Sermons But doubtlesse they may shewe some grauitie in their beard for there is none in the matter Ath. Are they not thereby knowne for to be learned men euerye Plowe man nowe a dayes can alleadge out of Saint Paul Zelot They are thereby knowne for to bee vnskilfull men and such as are not rightly instructed in the doctrine of S. Paule They make a great shew of learning and yet want the knowledge of the dignitie of gods word When as they bring in the sayings of Plato and Aristotle as fellowes and companions with the oracles of God vttered by his Prophetes and Apostles and as though there were greater and deeper matter in those then in the Bible whereas all the heauenly mysteries and counsels of God are vttered they sticke not to count that vnlearned whiche is brought from thence and greate learning to bee in the sayinges of the other For this cause they doe also seeke for to gaâ—â—ish their sermons and as it were for to set them with pearle when as in effect they doe nothing else but as if a man shoulde mingle leade with pure golde and claye with precious oyle And because yee speake or learning tell me what ye thinke whether Saint Augustine or Saint Paule was the better learned Ath. You shoulde aske that question of such as are learned would yâ—e haue mâ—e tell yâ—e Zelot Is not hee which doth alleadge sentences out of Augustine Ambrose Hierome and Cyprian better learned then they which alleadge out of Moses Esay Peter Paule or Iohn Ath. I tolde ye before that euery man can alleadge out of these if I coulde ceade and had a Bible I coulde doe it also but to alleadge out of the other none can doe that but such as are great Clearkes Zelot Then it seemeth that they were better then Paul and Peter or Moses or els why should they be estemed to be better learned which do cite them Ath. If I might shoote my bolt I thinke they were the lâ—arnâ—der because their writings are so proâ—ounâ—e Zelot I woulde you did thinke so alone but in deede the people haue been so deluded with suche as would make a shew of learning that multitudes are of your mynde which bringeth in a vile and shamefull abasing of the most holy and sacred Bible But let me aske yee certayne questions Doe yee not thinke that if the writinges of those men were to be redde in our tongue that euerie man then coulde bee able to alleadge out of them as they doe out of the Byble Ath. I thinke they might then bee able Zelot Doe yee suppose those shoulde by and by be esteemed for to be learned whiche doe then alleadge sayinges out of them Ath. I sâ—e no cause why then they should not be counted so Zelot Is hee learned in the Bible which can alleadge many sentences Ath. A man may speake muche know little Zelot You might see likewise that men may alleadge sayinges out of great Doctors and yet themselues be great Dawes for hee is learned whom God doth teache for to vnderstande the heauenly mysteries vttered by the Prophetes and Apostles and in vttering them doeth followe the steppes of Paule and the rest The Doctours had all their true learning out of the Bible for in it is seâ—â—e foorth that wisedome whiche is aboue all Ath. The Scriptures are darke hard andâ— therefore men nowe doe not vnderstande them as the Doctors did And for this cause I haue heard preachers saye they are to be vouched Zelot Those Preachers might haue bin wiser then for to maintayne two so grosse opinions The first accusing the Scriptures of such darkenesse as though they coulde not bâ—e vnderstoode whereas in deede the principall and most necessarie poyntes the Lorde hath spoken so clearely that verye simple men maye bee taught for to see the plaine euidence of the worde The other depriueth the Churche of the true interpreter of the worde which is the spirite of God as though the Lord did not now giue such gifts as hee gaue to those Doctors which is a popish opinion also for so long as God giueth his worde to the Churche so long he giueth the interpreter of the same although not in all ages alike but whosoeuer is not blynde may easily see that in this age there bee as great giftes bestowed vppon the Church as euer were in any since the time of the Apostles Ath. Then you are one of those whiche deface the olde Fathers when yee will not allowe them for to 〈…〉 the Sermons To what vse then shoulde â—â—â— reade them Zelot That is a verye false accusation shoulde a man bee accused for deâ—â—â—ing the honour of the Lord Chauncellour because hee would denie him the dignitie and honor of the prince Likewise shall a man bee say de for to iniuâ—ie or deface the Doctors because hee will not giue them the dignitie whiche doeth belong vnto God alone The preacher is the mouth of God vnto the people and not the mouth of men hee is not for to vtter doubtfull matter and vncertayâ—e but suche as may be most euident He must say and proue euen vnto the conscience of the hearer thus God speaketh and thus hee meaneth Hee can not say Augustine saith it therefore God saieth it Augustine sayeth it therefore it is vndoubtedly true for Augustine might and did erre many wayes But hee may saie Saint Paule saith it therefore GOD him selfe saith it S. Paule saith therefore it is vndoubtedly true for looke what he saith or any other Apostle Euangelist or Prophete God hath set it downe by them it is his and not theirs they are but the instrumentes which he vsed for to vtter and penne his will his spirite in them ruled the whole in this case so that they did not nor coulde not erre nowe when the preacher doth laye open their saying not he nor they but GOD speaketh as they were the mouth of God for to set it downe so is hee nowe againe the mouth of God for to recite and declare it Ath.
it serue Zelot Howe proude and presumptuously bolde ignoraunce doth make a man It might seeme to bee a rare thing that a mortall man which is but claye and dust yea a rotten Carion shoulde aduaunce himselfe against God euen the Lorde of infinite wisedome and glorie but that wee see it dayly for to be common Ath. Doe not accuse me for to be proud I would I were as frée from all other faults if it pleased God Zelot If ye were as sicke as ye be proude a verie litle meate woulde giue yee your supper But I knowe you doe not see your pride Ath. I maruell why ye shoulde counte â—â— proude ye see how plaine I goe Zelot You thinke that pride is in the coate when it is in the heart a man may haue a kinges hearte in his breast and yet a beggers coate vppon his backe There is cause why yee doe not goe gay yee are not able for take the ragged dest begger in the worlde and giue her the same wing whiche the great Ladies haue and yee shall see her flie the same flight There is pride against GOD and against men and you are in the deepest of them euen agaynste God Ath. Prooue that because yée condemne me so sore Zelot Yee take your selfe for to bee wise and the Lorde vndiscrete and vnwise For yee charge him with follie when as yee say this doctrine doeth ouerthrowe all and yet hee hath expressed it in sundrie places of his woorde If it bee so exceeding hurtfull then surely Christ was to be blamed Saint Paule and saint Peter with the rest of the Apostles were verie vndiscrete because they haue sette it foorth It seemeth that it had been good for them to haue taken aduise of the deepe heades of the worlde whiche might haue foretolde them the daunger whiche woulde followe and haue saide Maisters take heede howe yee deale with suche doctrine it will turne yee vnto discretite O foolishe wise fleshe this matter is ouer farre beyonde thy reache thou canst neuer come within the smell of it Ath. Smell or smel not let me heare yée aunsweare the matter Zelot You suppose that your reasons are vnaunswerable and that causeth yee to bee so freshe and readie but alas man your halfepenie is no good siluer yee are in a wrong boxe I will shewe you howe childishly ye erre Forsooth say you if God hath chosen a man to saluation before hee was borne then let him doe as euill as he can hee shall not bee damned and whereas the nature of man is prone and readie to seeke after the libertie of the fleshe this doth open a doore vnto him and a wide passage vnto all euill because he needeth not to care what he doth it is appointed before hande what shall become of him This mightie and inuincible reason of yours hath neuer an eye to see with all and although it seeme for to haue good legges yet is it but an olde Criple be not led by it for yee shall both fall into the ditch Did yee neuer heare what S. Paule sayth Ephesians Chapter I. 4. these are his wordes as he hath chosen vs in him before the foundations of the worlde were layde that wee shoulde bee holy and without blame before him through loue Howe stand these two thinges together when you say if men be chosen they may liue as they lust and God sayth by his Apostle that hee hath chosen them for to bee holy and blamelesse in their conuersation And this is vndoubtedly true that those whom God hath predestinate to bee heires of glory hee hath sealed them with the holy Spirite as yee maye reade in the same Chapter They are freed from the bondage of sinne by the spirite they walke in the spirite they are led by the spirite they shewe forth by the fruites of the spirite that the flesh with the lustes and concupiscences thereof is crucified in them and that they are regenerate and 〈…〉 againe of the spirite and so become newe creatures in Christ sinne is abhominable vnto them they hate loth it no lesse then deadlie poison they pant and breath to be wholy set free from the remnantes of it Righteousnesse is deare and precious vnto them their ioye and heartes delight is in it They sigh and grone because they can not reache vnto the perfection of it The word of God doth plainely teach that the electe are thus as I haue shewed and yet men say that election taketh away all care of Godlye life Ath. I like not this that men will saye they know God hath chosen them howe can they tell Can any man tell what God will doe with him Did God euer tell them that they are elected Zelot Howe shoulde you like of this when as yee like of no goodnesse Howe shoulde you which are but a naturall man iudge of thinges spirituall You thinke a man can not tell what GOD will do with him because you are blinde and see not the way ye suppose all other are so you are an Infidell or els ye might plainly heare GOD speake in his woord and tell which shall be saued and which are in the way to damnation Doe ye suppose that it is vncertayne when the scripture telleth a man howe he shall knowe that he is chosen if the woorde of God tell him he is chosen hath not God himselfe then tolde him Read the first Chapter of the seconde Epistle of Peter and there yee shall see how a man shall knowe certainely that he is elected and that hee shall neuer fall For if a man feele that GOD teacheth him by his spirite and reneweth him by repentaunce he is sure because God sayth so that he is chosen to eternall life if at any time hee feele the grace of GOD weake in him then doeth hee doubt and stagger but yet his fayth getteth the vpper hande On the other side when a man liueth in sinne and obeyeth vnrighteousnesse God telleth him plainely that he is in the way to damnation And therefore all those which do not finde in them selues the spirituall birth at the least begunne whereby they may assure them selues that they be chosen May certainly say that as yet their state is damnable Ath. Howe can yee saye their state is damnable so long as they beléeue Can men do more then beléeue Zelot They doe not beleeue for if they beleeue then are they sure that GOD loueth them what is it else which they beleeue if they knowe they bee in fauour with God it is because he chose them in Christ If they doubt of Gods fauour then doe they doubt whether God heareth their prayers therefore they shall not receyue any thing at the handes of GOD as ye may learne in the Epistle of Saint Iames. Chapter 1. verse 6 7. and although manie of the faithfull doe doubt stagger oftentimes yet they are not like the vnfaithful which coÌ„tinue in the same but they get the vpper hande they striue by prayer by