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
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
Iohn testifieth where he calleth he The Mother of Harlots and the abhominations of the earth and foresheweth how drunke she would be with the blood of the Saints and with the Martyrs of Iesus And as he laid to the charge of the Scribes and Pharisees of his time the blood of the righteous that had been slaine from Abel to Zecharias so he chargeth these with the blood of all that euer for the truth should be slaine vpon the earth and with his owne blood also because they and those that crucified him are all of one house and generation euen from Cain to this day being the right and true successors of one another in euill So that their maine argument of succession in the roomes chaires of the righteous seruants of God auaileth them nothing to the purpose they aime at seeing this not only may be but is their condition notwithstanding For as they were not of Abrahams seed which came of Abraham after the flesh nor they all Israel that came of Israel and as that was not circumcision which was outward in the flesh nor that baptisme which washeth away but the filth of the flesh so neither is that the true heauenly and spirituall succession which is outward by an externall ordination and succession in the roomes and seates of the righteous seruants of God but the true and heauenly succession which haue all those heauenly treasures belonging to it is that which Christ hath built vpon the rocke are they that haue the faith of Peter of Iohn and the rest of the Apostles euen those liuely stones which Saint Peter speaketh of who are by faith built vpon Christ the chiefe corner stone like as Peter was and so are made a spirituall house by this meanes and do offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ and are that chosen generation that royal priesthood holy nation and peculiar people which he describeth who haue receiued spirituall gifts from aboue as Saint Paul testifieth saying Wherefore he saith when he ascended vp on high he led captiuitie captiue and gaue gifts to men According as Saint Iames saith Euery good and perfect gift is from abouâ— and cometh downe from the Father of lights with whom there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning That as they only are the seed and children of Abraham that haue the faith and works of Abraham and as the circumcision of the heart is the true circumcision and as to haue the heart sanctified by faith through the Spirit is to be baptized with the baptisme which saueth to put on Christ by baptisme and to be a true Christian so likewise to be a true Pastor or Elder is to enterâ—â—in by the doore first euen through Christ by faith for he is the doore the way whereby euery true Pastor must enter and to be called and ordained of God by those heauenly gifts of Christ whereby they are made able Ministers of the new Testament and then in the second place to be approued and iustified of his Church and children of wisedome For the calling of a true Minister of God and that which maketh him so to be is as heauenly and spirituall as that which maketh a true Christian else euery true Christian had a greater priuiledge then euery true Minister of Christ which doubtlesse is not so but rather euery true Minister hath a greater yea such are the gifts of the Spirit which Christ since his ascension hath giuen to his Church for the administration of the Gospel of peace that whereas he gaue this testimonie of Iohn that in regard of the gifts of the Spirit which were giuen him for the administration of repentance a greater Prophet then Iohn was neuer before him borne of women yet neuerthelesse he saith that he which is least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he meaning the least true Minister of the Gospell the word of reconciliation And if yet they alledge for their separation as their maner is to doe That in the Church of England there be many very superstitiously minded many vngodly proud couetous and vnclean persons both in the publique office of the ministery as also of the people who do partake as well in the Sacrament of the Supper as in the administration of the word let them remember what hath been manifested before as touching the estate of the Churches in the Apostles times how that there were then in the Churches false Apostles false teachers deceiuers some that preached Christ through enuie some that had eyes full of adulterie and that could not cease from sinne some that made merchandize of the people some who went to law one with annother and that amongst the infidels couetous wicked proud lasciuious persons which had not repented of their wickednes some that made their belly their God whose glory was their shame who minded earthly things and some that at the Sacrament of the Supper were drunken and despised the poore these and diuers other euills were in the Churches and yet no separation to be made from any of them onely the Apostles sharply reproued those deceiuers as euill doers and warned the people with teares to take heed of them and of their euills and to shun them Againe there were some that with conscience of the very Idols of the heathen did eate things in sacrifice to the Idoll as Saint Paul affirmeth saying For some with conscience vnto the Idoll vnto this houre eate it as a thing offered vnto an Idoll Declaring vnto them that the things which the Gentiles sacrificed they sacrificed to Deuills and not to God and said I will not that you should haue fellowship with Diuells yee cannot drinke of the cup of the Lord and of the cup of the deuills yee cannot be partaker of the Lords table and the table of deuills Do yee prouoke the Lord c. And by this it appeareth they came also to the Lords table though as Saint Paul told them they could not truly and spiritually partake thereof so long as they did partake of the other Yea it is euident that these corinthians were much adicted to their old heathenish superstitions For Saint Paul in his next Epistle doth againe call vpon them saying Be not vnequally yoked with Infidels for what fellowship hath righteousnes with vnrighteousnes what communion hath light with darknes and what concord hath Christ with Beliall and what part hath he that beleeueth with an Infidell and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idolls for yee are the Temple of the liuing God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walke in them and will be their God and they shall be my people wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate from them and touch not the vncleane thing and I will receiue you and will be a Father vnto you and yee shall be my Sonnes and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty
notwithstanding all these truths there maintained I dare not attribute so great a work as this vnto any mortall man whatsoeuer any otherwise then his ministery to be the ordinary meanes thereof but desire to giue the praise both now and for euer onely to God vnto whom it is due he being the principall and chiefe worker therein by the powerfull minstration of his holy Spirit that so he may be all in all vnto all And thus in all humilitie of soule I humbly take my leaue proceeding vnto that which followeth beseeching God euen the God of all peace grace mercie and loue to confirme direct and informe all our hearts by his holy Spirit whereby we may not only come to vnderstand the truth thereof but also to practise the same in our liues and conuersations to the praise of the glorie of his grace vntill we come to be safe ariued at the promised Ierusalem which is the hauen or port of eternall rest therein shall all teares be wiped from our eyes and so enioy the presence of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ the Prince of our saluation to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all praise honour and glorie giuen of his Saints for euermore Amen Yours in all Christian dutie Edmond Iessop A DISCOVERIE OF THE ERRORS OF THE ANABAPTISTS Their first point That God did predestinate all men to be saued vpon condition that they repent and beleeue the Gospell We answer GOD did not predestinate all men to be saued nor any man vpon any condition either of repentance faith or whatsoeuer else was to be expected or could be foreseene in them But his predestination was in this sort First God before he created any thing saw and foreknew what would be the nature euent of all things how though he made as excellent creatures as could be created yet there would be weaknesse and folly found in them because to be absolutely perfect and vnchangeable is proper only to God the Creator So that it was impossible God should make his creature equall with himselfe to will all things that be good perfectly and vnchangeably and to do all things that such a will can desire for then he must be God able to create which is impossible because there can be but one God which is the first beginner and Lord of all creatures This one God foreseeing I say what would become of the best creatures he could make how though he should require nothing at their hands but that which they might easily obserue and it was meet and very requisite they should acknowledge a dutie to him their first beginner and Lord in whose goodnesse and power their life and safetie did depend yet they would neglect the same and fall from him he therefore of his meere goodnes hauing great respect vnto his creature which he had resolued to make and being exceeding willing not for any thing he could foresee in them but for his owne good pleasure glorie sake to saue and glorifie of the same consulting with himselfe and with his eternall Wisedome which way and how he might bring his desire to passe did determine by election in and through the same his eternall Wisedome his euerlasting and onely Sonne which was before the depths euer with him as his counseller and hearts delight to sustaine of the one sort I meane the Angels and to redeeme of the other sort I meane mankind such a compleat sufficient companie of both as himselfe pleased to be at his right hand to behold his glorie to minister before him to partake of his pleasures for euermore And because there was no way else but by redemption to saue mankind by reason the first man being once fallen all the rest then in his loines who were to come of him by generation fell together with him and that there was not any one in heauen or in earth that was able to vndoe the workes of the diuell and to deliuer those his elect from his seruitude and bondage but onely the same his eternall Wisedom the Word whereby he made the world therefore as he had chosen them in him so did he decree to send him into the world and in a wonderfull maner to take mans nature and flesh on him that therein he might accomplish his purpose and bring his counsell and desire to passe in subduing his and their enemie and purchasing redemption for them by his death and resurrection And as he did determine before the world was to send him so did he predestinate them whom he had chosen in him and foreknew to be conformed to his image that he might be the first borne among many brethren the rest he resolued to leaue and to reward them with the fruite of their owne wayes Thus God foresaw all things thus did he by his wisedome find out a way to sustaine and restore of his creatures this was his decree and in this sort did he predestinate God did not neither is he euer said in Scripture to predestinate any to do euill nor to preordaine any to condemnation but vpon the foresight of their folly and wickednesse as the cause and ground thereof and so the saluation of man is freely and onely in God in Christ and the condemnation of man is meerly and truly of himselfe without any secret reseruation whatsoeuer as it is written O Israel destruction is of thy selfe but thy saluation is of God Their second point That God did not elect before all time to grace and life any particular persons but in time he doth elect qualities as faith and obedience and then finding these qualities in men he doth elect their persons for the qualities sake Answ TO affirme that God did not elect in Christ before all time some particular persons to grace holinesse life eternal is to denie Gods free vndeserued loue and to say that God doth elect qualities is senslesse and to teach that God doth elect persons for qualities sake is very erroneous and Antichristian We say therefore that Gods election is after this maner First before men or qualities of any sort were God of his meere loue did elect and chuse in Christ out of the whole posteritie and race of mankind which he foresaw and were before him as if they had actually been a seed a remnant to be his people to be his heritage to be holy and without blame before him in loue as Saint Paul doth testifie saying Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things in Christ according as he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue hauing predestinated vs vnto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his owne will to the praise of the glorie of his grace Whence it is euident that God did chuse a
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
hate and reiect such as he hath formerly loued and iustified Answ TO teach that the stedfastnes of mans iustification saluation doth depend vpon his owne will in continuing in the act of beleeuing and works of righteousnes and that such as haue faith in Christ regenerate persons hauing their names written in the book of life may fall away from all become vnregenerate and haue their names rased out of the booke of life and perish and yâ— God doth alter his purpose promise of mercie and loue and come to hate and reiect such as he hath formerly loued and iustified to teach all this I say is to denie the very foundation and to make God vnfaithfull and is one of the maine errors of the Antichristian Church of Rome But the doctrine of the Church of God is this That such as to whom God hath giuen true repentance and faith in Christ whereby they are iustified from their sinnes and haue their hearts sanctified such as haue their parts in the first resurrection whose names were written in the booke of life from the foundation of the world shall neuer fall away from this estate nor from any part thereof because they stand not neither are kept by the strength of their owne will act of faith or works of righteousnes but by the power strength of God in and through the vertue and life of Christ their head For as God the Father did of himselfe first chuse them in Christ his Sonne and predestinate them vnto the adoption of children and to be conformed to the image of his Sonne euen from the foundation of the world and as he also in time calleth them to repentance iustifieth them purifieth their hearts by faith through grace in Christ and by the Spirit of his Son which he sendeth forth into their hearts doth adopt them to be his children and conforme them to the image and likenesse of his Sonne both in respect of his death and also in regard of his resurrection dying to sinne and rising to holinesse and newnesse of life from minding earthly things to set their affections on things that are aboue where Christ sitteth at his right hand so I say it is God which in and through his Son doth keepe and defend them as it is written Who are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation Yea he is the rock of their saluation and strong tower of defence he is their watch-man which doth neither slumber nor sleep their shepherd that feedeth them as the Psalmist speaketh he is the husband-man that did not only ingraft and plant them in his Sonne the true vine and cause them to beare fruite in him but euery branch that beareth fruit in him he purgeth that it may beare more fruit he gaue them his Sonne and his Son them and the Sonne reiecteth none that come vnto him but taketh them into his protection like the good shepherd and they heare his voice and he knoweth them and they follow him and he wil giue them eternal life they shall not perish for none are able to pluck them out of his hands and the Father that gaue them him is greater then all and no man is able to plucke them out of his Fathers hands Nay if Satan should desire to sift them and that their faith through the violence of temptation should seeme to faile as touching their act of beleeuing and that their fruit by meanes thereof should not appeare for so it may sometimes befall them as it did the Apostle Peter yet notwithstanding the Lord their rocke the foundation and chiefe corner stone whereon these liuely stones are built sustaineth and vpholdeth them the vertue and strength of him the true vine in which they are ingraffed the Son in whom they haue beleeued he hauing also prayed the Father that their faith faile not shall raise them vp refresh them and make them to flourish again as well in regard of their faith as fruites and being thus conuerted and raised vp shal be able thenceforth to strengthen their brethren And in these respects considerations Christ faith to Peter Vpon this rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it For as at the first they were not iustified from their sinnes by their owne act of beleeuing though their act of beleeuing were necessary vnto their iustification nor yet by their works of righteousnes which followed though they were also necessary for the proofe and manifestation of their faith but by the free grace of God in Iesus Christ ministred vnto them by his word and Spirit which their act of faith onely in their hearts doth entertaine so neither doe they stand or are vpholden by their act of beleeuing though it be necessary also for their continuall comfort that they should be euermore exercised as in the word and promise of God so in the act of beleeuing going on still from strength to strength drawing nearer and nearer vnto God in the full assurance of faith vntill at last they come to see his face and enioy his presence in the promised Ierusalem where is all fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for euermore as assuredly one day they shall not yet by their works of righteousnesse though it be likewise necessary that they should be alwayes walking in and working the works of righteousnes but the stedfastnesse and certaintie of their estates in Christ their life saluation and glorie euerlasting dependeth on the stedfastnesse certaintie and vnchangeablenesse of Gods purpose promise loue and on the loue and life of Christ their head which was once dead but is now aliue and liueth still for euermore And so sure and certaine as God purposeth and it cometh to passe as he promiseth and faileth not loueth once and loueth to the end so sure as Christ which loueth them liueth shall they abide in him liue by him and not die for euer as it is written He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him As the liuing Father hath sent me and I liue by the Father so he that eateth me euen he shall liue by me For he is the bread of life and euery one that beleeueth in him doth in a spirituall maner eate of him and so liueth by him and shal haue euerlasting life For as Saint Paul reasoneth If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled shall we be saued by his life So that he that is once iustified by the blood of Christ and reconciled to God through faith in him his estate is certain and permanent and though the mountaines shall depart and the hils be moued yet shall not the kindnesse and loue of God in Christ depart nor the couenant of peace towards them in
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
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
The faith which worketh by loue c. And it is so called in regard of the special grace mercie loue of God in Iesus Christ which is shed abroad and sealed by the Spirit in the heart of him that possesseth it and also in respect of the excellent fruite it doth produce and cause to come forth of the same heart which is now truly sanctified by it and in which Christ being now formed dwelleth as mortification to sinne and to this present world loue to God and to Christ the Lord who hath so truly loued them loue to the truth loue to the children of God loue to all men which fruite we will also search for the true nature of and enquire how the Scriptures doe seuer it from all outward appearances and shewes which come neare vnto it hauing the forme thereof but is not the same in truth and power Like as the trees that are planted by the riuer side do bring forth their fruit in due season and as the good ground which hauing receiued the seed that is sowne therein bringeth forth fruit a hundred sixtie and thirtie fold and as the earth which drinking in the raine that cometh oft vpon it bringeth forth herbs meet for him by whom it is dressed so do these righteous trees and branches of the Lords owne planting his good ground and earth which he hath thus dressed and watered bring foorth fruite meete for him their Lord the good husband-man that hath planted dressed them First as they haue receiued mercie at the hands of God by faith and are assuredly perswaded in their hearts of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes so doe they now perfectly and truly euen from their very hearts hate all sin yea and the garment that is defiled therewith and abstaine from all appearance of euill mourning and lamenting when at any time they do but think thereon and mortifying their members and affections of flesh do restrain them frō their old accustomed wayes remēbring that they are washed and redeemed with a great price euen with the blood of the Lamb of God that they should now be holy as their heauenly Father is holy that hath chosen them And though they finde the law of their members to rebel and fight against the law of their minds enticing them night day with strong motions and perswasions to regard and giue entertainment againe to their former lusts and pleasures yet they remembring the day of their feare and great distresse sigh and weepe in soule to thinke that they should yet be constrained by the force of their owne flesh members thereof to cast but an eye or once to thinke vpon that which now their soules do loathe and from which they haue been so graciously deliuered And therefore remembring Lots wife and the end of those that hauing taken the plough by the hand looke behind them by whose examples their Lord hath forwarned them dare not presume to turne aside and grieue the holy Spirit whereby they are sealed vnto the day of redemption but if they should through the strength of temptation and their owne weaknesse fall they go foorth and weep bitterly till they be restored by faith to strength againe and neuer fall or looke behind them so as to giue entertainment in soule to their old delights of sin againe or to embrace this present world or pleasures thereof as aforetime nay though they be hated reuiled and scorned of all men and made a gazing stocke both to men and Angells yet still they go on their way out of the camp following their Lord and willingly bearing his reproach counting his rebukes greater riches then all the pleasures of the Egypt of this world which is now crucified to them and they to it And so in patience possesse they their soules hauing an assured hope that though now they goe on their way weeping sowing precious seed yet there will come a day wherein they shall returne with ioy reape the fruit of their labours and bring their sheaues with them Secondly as they doe hate sin and mortifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof and crucifie vnto themselues this present world and themselues vnto it so doe they now on the contrary part loue God with all their heart and with all their soule and delight in him and in his wayes and this their loue vnto him is caused by that loue wherewith he first loued them which he hath shed forth and sealed in their hearts by his holy Spirit and wherEof they are now assuredlie perswaded as it is written Wee loue him because he loued vs first And as to be beloued of God is a blessing beyond all comparison a treasure not to be vttered so their loue to him is a fruit which no man is able to conceiue the nature of but they alone in whose hearts his loue is first shed forth and they certainly perswaded thereof And as they loue God the Father so doe they loue Christ his Sonne who hath redeemed them from the thraldome of their sinnes and their loue to him is likewise caused by his loue which was first made knowne to them and is exprest in this that while they were his enemies he died for them that they should be reconciled to God his Father and be made the Sonnes of God by adoption in him And greater loue then this hath no man that one should die for his enemies and specially such a one to bring them to so great honour therefore their loue to him is also vnspeakeable And as they loue God the Father and Christ the Redeemer so loue they the children of God who are borne of him and made partakers with them of his grace and loue in Christ As it is written He that loueth him that begetteth loueth him also that is begotten of him And this their loue vnto the children of God as it is not now for naturall respects though in that regard they also loue them but because they are in grace and loue with God and do belong to Christ whom they serue and belong vnto So their loue vnto them is heauenly and spirituall and such as no man hath nor can attaine vnto vnlesse he be borne from aboue of water and the Spirit as they are For the children of this world who are borne but of flesh as they know not the children of God that are borne begotten of him because they know not him that hath begotten them nor Christ whom they serue and follow so neither doe nor can they loue them for his sake nor haue part and fellowship with them in their spirituall and heauenly communion They pray together as children of one Father the Lord of hosts and praise his name with one accord they suffer together as members of one bodie euen that body whereof Christ is the head they weepe together and they reioyce together and are of like
but him alone Therefore in sure consideration of his grace and loue being confounded in themselues and ashamed as touching their owne will and workes and giuing all praise and honour vnto his holy name they do beseech him though they be not worthy the least of his mercies that he would be pleased notwithstanding to extend his grace and loue vnto them and poure forth his holy Spirit the ruler and gouernour of his kingdome here on earth into their hearts to comfort sanctifie and guide them in his truh that being guided and sanctified thereby they may euermore doe his will obey his commandements and walke before him here on earth euen as his holy Angells and seruants doe in heauen And acknowledging his goodnes towards them his prouidence and care in feeding and cloathing them and giuing them all other things which the necessities of this their present life requires do request him also that he would dayly supply and continue the same with his continuall blessing thereon receiuing them alwayes with thanksgiuing knowing that they are all sanctified by his word and prayer And calling to mind their manifold sinnes and trespasses which they in their flesh and bodies of death doe dayly commit against him poure out their soules in teares before him bewailing their wretchednes and misserie herein beseeching him for his Son Iesus Christ his sake through whom they haue now great confidence of his grace that he would not lay their sinnes to their charge but forgiue them hauing also a true testimonie in their consciences which they likewise cleere before him that they are at peace with all men and doe forgiue euen their enemies and so withall doe earnestly intreate him that he would vouchsafe them his gracious and Fatherly perfection to sustaine and keep them that no temptation may at any time preuaile against them to leade or any way to induce them to commit euill in his sight but that they may by the power of his grace and holy Spirit withstand the same And so reposing their trust and whole affiance in him they rest in peace knowing also and acknowledging that the kingdome and the power and the glory is his for euer and euer Amen Thus these iust and sanctified seruants of God goe one from strength to strength as the Prophet speaketh and from faith to faith neuer giuing ouer nor turning backe nor falling away from the liuing God like those that haue an euill heart and vnfaithfull but still step forward drawing neerer and neerer vnto God with a true and good heart in the full assurance of faith vntill they come to see his face in the promised Ierusalem For the iust doe liue by faith as it is written For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Now the iust shall liue by faith But if any draw backe my Soule shall haue no pleasure in them But saith the Apostle we are not of them that draw backe to perdition but of them that follow faith vnto the sauing of the Soule In these words he putteth a plaine difference doth distinguish between them whose hearts being euill and vnfaithfull do turne backe to perdition and them whose hearts are true and iust and who hauing the full assurance of faith doe perseuere and continue vnto the saluation of their soules As if he should haue said There be some indeed whose hearts were neuer sanctified by the faith of Gods elect the faith of Abraham But onely by a generall kind of faith their outward parts their house was a little Superficiallie swept which fall backe to destruction but we meaning himselfe and such sanctified soules with him as himselfe was we are not of that sort but of another euen of them which doe beleeue after another maner who haue the faith of Abraham the faith of Gods elect the effectuall faith the faith of Christ the faith that worketh by loue the faith which maketh a sinner iust the faith by which the iust doe liue and are saued Which very thing Saint Iohn also cleereth speaking of the Antichrists that were gone out from them They went out from vs saith he but they were not of vs If they had bin of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs But they went out from vs that it might be made manifest that they were not all of vs. In which words he proueth planly that if they had euer beene of the faithfull sort namely the sanctified in heart whereof Iohn was one they had neuer fallen back but had without all doubt continued but by this their falling off it was made manifest which was not so cleere before that they were neuer of them what outward shewes soeuer they made The very same againe is manifest concerning Iudas for after he had plaid his treacherous part that he was discouered and burst in peeces the Spirit of God taking notice of his former pretended charitie to the poore which he vttered in these words Why was not this oyntment sold for three hundred pence and giuen to the poore And of this euill couetuous and theuish heart at the same time he saith This he spake not that he cared for the poore but because he was a theefe and had the bag and bare what was put therein So that Iudas was neuer any of the faithfull his heart was neuer vpright from the beginning he belieued not in his heart vnto Iustification he had not the faith of the Saints the faith that worketh by loue the faith of Christ as Christ himselfe testifieth against him saying But there are some of you which belieueth not and Iudas was one of them and the speciall man aimed at as Saint Iohn in the next wordes noteth saying For Iesus knew from the beginning who they were that belieued not and who should betray him And Iesus said vnto them therefore said I vnto you that no man can come vnto me except it be giuen him of my Father Meaning by comming vnto him belieuing in him vnto iustification as he said Come vnto me all ye that are weary and heauy laden c. And againe All that the Father giueth me commeth to me and him that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out Therefore the text saith From that time many of his Disciples went backe and walked no more with him And Iudas though he taried after them yet a while it was but to make vp the full measure of his sinnes For his heart was then as euill if not worse then theirs as Christ testifieth to his face in the presence and hearing of the other Apostles saying Haue I not chosen you twelue and one of you is a Diuell This he spake of Iudas and though he be here said among the rest to be chosen it is to be vnderstood but of his outward office and in respect of the common guifts of the Spirit which he had receiued And although this was the case
of Iudas and of his fellow disciples who could not relish the words of eternall life which Christ spake saying Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you and the case of those Antichrists and of those vnfaithfull euill hearted draw-backs as it hath been the case of many thousands more and is still at this day yet the case of Peter of Iohn and the rest of the Apostles was far otherwise as is now also the case of all regenerate true hearted Christians they beleeue to the sauing of the soule they eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood spiritually by faith and haue eternall life abiding in them they dwell in Christ and Christ in them they are borne of God and therefore draw not backe sinne not to perdition for the seed whereby they are begotten remaineth in them neither can they so sinne because they are borne of God nay they are sealed by the holy Spirit of promise vnto the day of redemption they ouercome the world endure and keepe his words and works vnto the end they are the liuely stones of Gods temple built vpon the chiefe corner stone who are made a spiritual house to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ his Church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile they are the good ground spoken of the good trees which cannot bring forth euill fruit but good only the euill which they doe at any time is not their fruit because it proceedeth not from their hearts but is done vnwillingly through weaknesse for in their hearts they serue the law of God The Scriptures account that to be a mans fruite which cometh from his heart whether it be good or euill because thereby the nature of the fountaine which is the heart is knowne as the nature of trees are by their fruite So that the nature of a good man I meane that which is borne of the Spirit not his fleshly nature is now to bring foorth good fruite only as Christ testifieth saying A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth foorth that which is good We can do nothing against the truth saith the Apostle A good tree cannot bring forth euill fruite And whereas the Scriptures speake so often after this maner If ye hold fast vuto the end If ye continue Him that ouercometh and keepeth my words and works to the end then are ye his house then will he approue of ye then shall ye be saued And on the contrary He that looketh behind him He that endureth not If any draw backe or fall away c. he is not meete for the kingdome of God My soule shall haue no pleasure in him There remaines no more sacrifice for sin The drift of the Spirit of God is to informe vs of the different estates and conditions of Christians of the danger of the one estate and of the well being and safetie of the other that so we seeing the difference and being forewarned thereof might not depend vpon that which is so dangerous but striue vnto that wherein there is safetie And where it saith of some Let them be blotted out of the booke of the liuing I will put his name out of the booke of life The meaning is not that God will put any mans name out of the booke of life that is written therein but his meaning is that such desperate and wicked persons as blaspheme his truth and Spirit shall be set down as it were with a blot cursed vtterly excluded and pronounced against for such as there is no hope or place for repentance as was Iudas and others of his companions of whom it was foresaid Let them be blotted out of the booke of the liuing let them not be written with the righteous c. for they persecue him whom thou hast smitten they talke to the griefe of those whom thou hast chosen So that whereas men may seeme to haue a place among the Saints in the Church of God and to be in as good an estate as they by reason of some gifts of the Spirit which they may receiue and some alteration the word of God may worke in them yet being neuer sanctified in heart by the faith of the Sonne of God in time they discouer themselues to be in heart euill and aduersaries to the truth and such as God doth by his word exclude and pronouuce cursed children twice dead and pluckt vp by the rootes such as neuer had nor shall haue their names written with his people in his records of life which before their discouerie might seeme both to themselues and to others to haue and therefore it is said And from him that hath not shall be taken away euen that which he seemeth to haue which seemeth also to be an improper speech for how can that which a man hath not be said to be taken from him He had something may some say and it is true he had heard and receiued the word with ioy but not in deepenesse of root not in a good heart his heart was neuer sanctified by faith like vnto his that brought forth fruit he was enlightned and had tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come but he seemed and made shew to haue more he presumed no doubt that his name was written in the booke of life which was more then that he had receiued could warrant him This his pretended shew is now also taken from him and his name is openly by the iust sentence of Gods word put out of all hope of being or euer to be written in the book of life and he is now like the earth which bringeth forth nothing but briars and thornes neere vnto cursing it is impossible he should now be renewed For nothing is secret saith the text that shall not be made manifest nor any thing hid that shall not be knowne and come to light Therefore saith he take heed how ye heare For whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen and he shall haue abundance and whosoeuer hath not from him shall be taken away euen that which he seemeth to haue But what is the booke of life for peraduenture it is a secret to some doubtlesse It is both Gods secret and reuealed decree or will concerning such as shal be saued by that which is reuealed the secret is made knowne His secret decree we haue in the first beginning of our writing shewed which briefly is this That God before the world was foreseeing the fall of mankind did chuse in Christ a certaine number of them to life and saluation which were all foreseen and knowne of him and recorded by his decree in the roule of Christ before they were his reuealed will or decree which we haue before also at large exprest is briefly this namely the speciall promises and testimonies of
yong as old which proueth that as the curse and punishment for the sinne so the sinne it selfe claue vnto them and continueth from generation to generation in them else the manifold misseries which were vpon children as well as vpon men of yeares were vniust Why should God shut them out of Paradice and not restore them thither againe so soone as they were borne there to haue the same free liberty to eate of the tree of life as Adam had before he fell why should God exact at their hands first so soone as they haue any capacitie the perfect righteousnesse of the Law vpon paine of death as ye confesse if they had eaten with Adam of the tree of knowledge of good and euill why should that fiery two edged sword be set to keepe from them also the way of the tree of life and why are they subiect to all the calamities that came vpon the earth by the sin of Adam if they fell not with him why should God consume them all with their parents in the dayes of Noah by the floud some in the wombe some in the birth and some newly borne if they had beene cleane from all pollutions of sinne would not God haue spared them and the world for their sakes And why did God then destroy the cities of Sodome and Gomorha and not spare them as he promised Abraham to doe if he found ten righteous their If children be free from all pollution of sinne they are not vnrighteous and wicked and if they may be called holy they may be called righteous Else were your children vncleane saith Paul but now are they holy As also if vnclean then polluted as were the children of the Sodomites doubtlesse aboue all the cities of the world And so did God the Iudge of all the world doe right in rooting out that wicked generation as he did also the other of the old world When Adam fell he did not only commit a fault but by the same his fault he not only brought vpon himselfe death and wrath but fell into a gulfe of pollution and wickednesse both soule and bodie Nay when he receiued grace it did not rid and free him of that naturall corruption whereinto the whole man was plunged insomuch as he could not increase and multiply but all the increase that came of him must necessarily be of the same nature that he was both bodies and spirits For to what did God say Increase and multiply and replemish the earth c was it to a senceles body not hauing the breath of life or was it to the whole man in whom God had breathed the breath of life who was thereby made a liuing soule It is true the Spirit is from heauen of God that gaue it and therefore especially is Adam called The Son of God and all mankind are said to be the ofspring of God not that God doth breath in euery perticular child of man in the wombe the breath of life immediately from himselfe in the same maner as he did vnto Adam Nay he did it then once for all insomuch as if God had executed his iustice on Adam immediately vpon his transgression we all had beene hid and had perisht in him both spirits and bodies whereas he being spared brought forth and replenisht the earth else man were inferior to all creatures We reade that God created euery thing to haue seede in it selfe according to his kind and all creatures do we see produce and bring forth their like by the word and prouidence of God when God said bring forth he gaue power by the same his word to the creatures he had made through the meanes he had ordained to doe their office he had set them in Euery tree hath it seed in it selfe the seed being sowne in the earth increaseth to roote and then to branches and afterward bringeth forth fruit or seed againe nothing differing from the seed that was first sowne And as an euill tree bringeth forth seed as euill as it selfe so doth man beget and bring forth as euill and corrupt as himselfe For so saith Iob For how can a cleane thing come out of that which is vncleane And Dauid saith of himselfe that he was shaped in iniquitie and in sinne his mother conceiued him If the fountaine from whence Dauid came was vncleane how could he be cleane That which moued Dauid to call this to minde was not so much any thing concerning his mother as himselfe the apprehension of his owne present sinne he was faln into which he was now lamenting and confessing before God vrged him to call to mind his first beginning and in his confession to charge himselfe with sin euen from the time that his mother first conceiued him and confesseth the same also to his owne shame and confusion thereby to cut off all good opinion of himselfe as touching his originall first estate which he had by his naturall conception and first birth the more to confirme vnto his soule the necessitie of the second new-birth from aboue For he knew that Adam by his sinne had not only polluted himselfe in soule and bodie and was fallen from his first integritie of nature and blessed estate he was in but that the same euill seed which then was sowne in the heart of Adam hath brought forth so great increase that it hath polluted and made vncleane the hearts and natures of all that come of him As also another testifieth saying The graine of euill seed was sowne in the heart of Adam from the beginning and how much vngodlinesse hath it brought vp vnto this time and how much shall it yet bring forth vntill the time of threshing come Ponder now with thy selfe how great fruit of wickednesse the graine of euill seed hath brought forth and when the eares shall be cut downe how great a floore shall they fill In which words this holy Prophet plainly sheweth that their first graine namely the sin which was first sowne in Adams heart was and is the original root and first ground of all sin that hath sprung vp shall spring vp in the hearts of all his posteritie to the worlds end and so of all their misery and therefore he saith againe Oh thou Adam what hast thou done for though it was thou that hast sinned thou art not falne alone but we all that come of thee The very same also doth Saint Paul affirme hauing spoken and being speaking of the reconciliation grace and life eternall which is by the death and life of Christ onely attainable wherefore saith he As by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed vpon all men in whom all men haue sinned and so forward setting it downe not as a thing in question but as wel known shewing that as by one euen Adam sinne entred into the hearts of all men and death is passed vpon them for that all by that meanes haue sinned so grace and
doctrine of the Gospell Yet neuertheles Christ did not neither did his holy Apostles therevpon Iustifie them For then neither he nor they would so soone after haue made such exceptions and write so suspitiously as they did of many of them saying Striue to enter in at the straight gate for many I say vnto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheepes cloathing but inwardly they are rauening wolues Euery tree that bringeth not foorth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heauen Many will say vnto me in that day Lord Lord haue we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out diuells and in thy name done many great workes And then will I professe vnto them I neuer knew you depart from me yee that worke iniquity Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you But there are some of you that beleeue not All these things Christ spake vnto his Disciples who though they did beleeue were baptized yet they had not al of them eaten of his flesh and drunke of his bloud all did not beleeue in him vnto iustification of life all brought not forth good fruit And therefore he saith No man can come vnto me except it be giuen him of my Father And euery branch that beareth not fruit in me he taketh away And euery branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruite So that men may beleeue after a generall maner and be baptized and be in some sort branches in the vine in regard of the outward profession thereof receiue great gifts doe wonderfull workes in the name of Christ and yet not be come to Christ not haue the faith of Christ which iustifieth not beare fruit in him And it will come to passe that in the day of iudgement he will say vnto them Depart from me yee that worke iniquity I neuer know yee And the Apostles also writing to the Churches of their times where all were beleeuers and baptized and that lawfully say that such among them as had not the Spirit of Christ were none of his and doe charge some of them to be carnall and contentious striuing about their outward baptisme some will be of Paul some of Cephas some of Apollo and some of Christ As if this baptisme and the worthinesse of the person by whom they were baptized did make them happy and some of them better then other Some againe there were that did set light by the Apostles of Christ esteemed better of some other false Apostles Some were vncleane lasciuious persons I feare saith Paul to some that when I come I shall not find you such as I would and that I shall be found vnto you such as you would not Examine your selues saith he whether ye be in the faith Proue your selues know ye not your owne selues that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates By which it is euident that men may beleeue and be baptized and yet not be in the faith of Christ not know Christ to be in them which to know is the faith that Christians must haue if they be not reprobates Againe some they charged with the want of the knowledge of God And some that denied the resurrection of the dead And some that made their belly their God and minded earthly things some to be false Apostles false teachers such as taught heresies some false brethren some couetous persons some hipocrites some that raised needlesse questions about the Law some that taught circumcision necessary to saluation and that Christians must be circumcised or they could not be saued some were whisperers Backbiters some were louers of pleasures more then louers of God treacherous high minded yea and what not And yet all beleeuers and Lawfully baptized and were in the Churches euen in the Apostles times but not so approued of them as some others were They did not account of all whom they baptized to haue true repentance and Iustifying faith neither before they baptized them nor after for they knew that it neuer was nor could be so some would proue false in heart and in some the grace of God did not yet appeare vnto iustification therefore they sensured none till they saw iust cause neither did they iustifie any till they saw proofe of their faith but then they did to both their comforts and consolations Nay when they saw great cause of feare and suspition of many yet they vsed strong arguments and perswasions to bring them to repentance as we see how they both spake and write They did not easily reiect any no not an Hereticke without twise or thrise admonition And when Simon Magus discouered himselfe to be in the gall of bitternes and that Peter saw his heart was not right in the sight of God yet Peter cast him not off but said vnto him Repent thy selfe therefore of thy wickednes and pray God If perhaps the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiuen thee Now if this was the estate of the Church in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles how may we thinke it can be better now nay but whē we striue to make it better we make it worse As concerning the inward estate the gifts of the Spirit and power that then were in the Apostles and faithfull seruants of Christ both in the respect of the Administration of the word grace of life and peace and workes of righteonsnes I am sure we all come short of and shall we thinke to outstrip them in the outward Nay doubtles I would we could therein but compare with them so we did also pertake of some of their inward graces otherwise the outward can doe vs small pleasure It is an euident signe that where there is much contending about the outward forme externall washings and such like the inward purification of the heart is little thought of So then as concerning the outward estate of the Church we conclude that as from the beginning there was Cain a beleeuer and sacrificer as was Abel though Abel had iustifying faith and not Cain and as Ishmael was circumcised as well as Isaac though Ishmael might not inherite the heauenly promises as well as Isaac and as in the Church of the Iewes from time to time all that acknowledge that true God and his word and did submit themselues to the outward ordinances of the law were circumcised and were Iewes outwardly though but few were Iewes inwardly and circumcised in heart so was it in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles so is it now and so shall it be to the end Christ himselfe went neuer about to alter this but both he and his Apostles baptized those that did
the heart by faith So then if they both aimed at one thing or end as shall appeare they did then it will euidently appeare also that by vertue of what precept the one was practised by vertue of the same precept the other is to be performed and practised It is also said that whosoeuer did omit the practise which that precept required was to be cut off from among the people that is to say that such a person ought not to be acknowledged as one in the outward estate of the Church then vnder the law so proportionably it will follow that what person soeuer yong or old that is not baptized he is also to be cut off that is not to be accounted or numbred in the outward estate of Christians now vnder the Gospell May such beleeuers as are not sanctified in heart be baptized as before is proued and may not the children of beleeuers be baptized Why are the children of beleeuers said to be holy the children of vnbeleeuers throwout the whole Scriptures are neuer said to be holy doubtlesse it is because they are in heart holy or else because they being the children of the faithfull haue some promise as touching the inheritance of life belonging to them as the children of the faithfull had formerly and so haue right to enter into the Congregation where the wayes of life are taught as they then by circumcision so these now by baptisme that they may be informed in the wayes of the Lord else would there be no difference betweene the children of the faithfull and the children of infidels So that to this end is the vnbeleeuing husband said to be sanctified to the beleeuing wife and beleeuing wife to the vnbeleeuing husband because otherwise if the vnbeleeuer in this regard were not sanctified to the beleeuer then were their children vncleane that is to say as the children of infidels that haue no promise belonging to them but rather a curse and therefore are vncleane and may not enter It is therefore meete seeing God hath put difference betweene the children of the faithfull and the children of infidels that they should be distinguished from them by some outward signe concerning the same And what can they haue lesse then baptisme which can giue to no man any more then the outward name of a Christian as circumcision did the outward name of a Iew. It doth neither confer nor confirme grace to the heart of any no more then circumcision did It proueth that a man is a Christian outwardly and it teacheth that he should be so inwardly and so did circumcision It proue a man to be a Iew outwardly and it taught that he should be a Iew inwardly yea a Christian inwardly to speake fully as the truth is for euery true inward Iew was a true inward Christian And to be circumcised in heart was to be baptized or purified in heart by faith through the Spirit as also to be baptized in heart by faith through the Spirit is to be circumcised in heart for so doth Saint Paul in plaine words affirme writing to those Christians whose hearts were sanctified by faith saying And ye are compleate in him which is the head of all principalities and powers In whom also yee are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ buried with him in baptisme wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him vp from the dead In which words I say he setteth downe expresly that the baptisme which saueth the baptisme whereby we put on Christ the baptisme whereby our hearts are purged and sanctified and the sinnes of our flesh done away whereby we are buried with Christ and doe rise with him euen that which is through the faith and operation of the Spirit is one and the same with the circumcision of the heart which he therefore calleth the circumcision made without hands the circumcision of Christ whereby also it appeareth clearely and beyond all contradiction that the circumcision or the cutting off the foreskin of the flesh was a signe and true representation of the doing away of their sinnes of the clensing of the heart by faith as now the doing away of the filth of the flesh with the baptisme of water is for which vse and end it was also giuen to Abraham at the first as this Apostle also declareth in an other place saying And he receiued the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnes of the faith which he had being vncircumcised that he might be the Father of all them that beleeued though they be not circumcised that righteousnes might be imputed to them also Where he I say fully declareth that the circumcision of the flesh was giuen not to that end and purpose as the carnall corrupt Iews imagined to teach righteousnes to be by the Law which was to make the promise voide which is to be attained onely by faith and not by workes but is taught and directed to the righteousnes which is by faith through the promise in the circumcision of the heart which Abraham had and which all their seed of whom God made him the Father were to haue and that the circumcision of the flesh was a signe of and did teach the circumcision of the heart if any yet question it the same Apostles words a little before proueth it where he saith For he is not a Iew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one within and the circumcision is of the heart in the Spirit not in letter whose praise is not of men but of God Where we see that there was a Iew outwardly and a Iew inwardly a circumcision outward in the flesh and a circumcision inward of the heart in the spirit The outward had but the name and did onely signifie and teach what should be inwardly in the heart and that in the heart was the thing it selfe All these things being now thus cleere we reason thus That if children might once receiue the signe of circumcision of the heart after the old forme of the Law then may they now after the new forme of the Gospell But they might once after the old forme of the Law Therefore also now after the new forme of the Gospell That they might once after the old forme is past all question And that they may now after the new forme we proue thus That which was once for good ends in the time of the Law appointed and is not by the Gospell disanulled it is lawfull still But it was appointed for good ends that children should receiue the signe of the circumcision of the heart and it is not by the Gospell any way disanulled Therefore it is lawfull now still But these men obiect and say that there is no plaine commandement nor example in the new testament
for baptising of children I answere It saith oft times that whole housholds were baptized without any exception of children and we haue small reason to thinke that beleeuers should be barren more then others The naming of whole housholds without any exception sheweth plainely that the Spirit of truth neuer intended to exclude children If he had euer intended any such thing then doubtles would he haue giuen some little touch or tittle to that purpose which he hath neuer done And to set downe in plaine words particularly that children were or might be baptized there was then no neede because there were none in those dayes that questioned it as there might well and would doubtlesse haue beene if the Apostles had not baptized any but refused them If it might be concluded that there were no children in those mentioned Families as we haue small reason to thinke that Christians beleeuers should be more barren then Infidells yet no doubt in all the Apostles times some children were offered as we see some were brought to Christ and not refused of him which if the Apostles had once reiected the Iewes especially would haue taken exception against them as well they might and haue enquired what should be the reason thereof and also haue demanded why children might not aswell be baptized as before they were circumcised And the Apostles would haue giuen them answere and so by that meanes your question had beene dissolued long agoe But because there were not then in their dayes any such questioners nor any cause of any such question by them giuen therefore they tooke no care either to set downe in particular that children were or might be baptized nor yet to shew any one the least exception against it for they knew it was not a matter of such consequence as you imagine If they had either seene or foreseene any such dangerous euill as you conceiue you see in it as that it was or would be the marke of the Beast which the Spirit speaketh of they would certainly haue foretold and forewarned the Church of it as they haue done of other things which in your sight is of lesse moment that so either it might not haue taken such great place as it hath or else at least that the people of God might without so great difficultie haue seene what a dangerous euill it was or would come to and with constancie and comfort haue auoided and withstood it but they being guided by the holy Ghost haue done whatsoeuer was needfull Againe if there must needs be a plaine word either by some precept or example exprest for the proofe of whatsoeuer may be practised among Christians then where finde we any where written that women in particular may partake in the Sacrament of the Supper though doubtlesse it may be soundly prooued by argument from Scripture that women may partake therein as we haue already proued children may be baptized If I should now demand of you your warrant for a man to baptize himselfe I much maruell where you would finde such a practise in all the new Testament of Christ I am sure it would be a taske too hard for you to find Well to let passe those things we will now go on When the Apostle Peter spake of the baptisme which saueth lest any should mistake him what baptisme he meant he saith Not the doing away of the filth of the flesh So if any of the Apostles or pen-men of the Scriptures when they did set downe that whole housholds were baptized or at any other time had but said except yong children it had been enough And if they had so said what occasion might the Iewes haue taken to except and obiect against it Might they not haue reasoned against it thus Doth Christ the messenger of the couenant of peace and Preacher of good tidings deale more hardly now in this time of the plentie of grace then he did before in the time of the law Might children then be admitted by circumcision into the congregation of the Lord and may they not now by baptisme They were formerly called Iewes and counted of the seed of Abraham in whom a blessing by promise was to be expected as namely that God would call a seed out of that stocke or seed which should inherite his couenant whereof circumcision was a signe vnto them and may they not now be allowed the name of a Christian through Baptisme They are the same that they were then and why should not Christ in whom the blessing and promise resteth be the same Thus they might haue argued if it had been so if the case were now so altered as touching children if Christ were not the same that he then was but it is otherwise and Christ is the same yea and in regard of the large bountie and plentie of grace which he hath now vouchsafed he is more then the same therefore let not children be denied that which belongeth vnto them Christ was much displeased with those disciples that rebuked them that brought little children vnto him that he should touch them and said Suffer little children to come vnto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdome of God Verily I say vnto you whosoeuer shall not receiue the kingdome of God as a little child he shall not enter therein And the text saith he tooke them vp in his armes and layd his hands vpon them and blessed them Whence it is euident that little children ought by no meanes to be denied baptisme because they are such true similitudes of regeneration of which baptisme is a signe and seeing also Christ maketh it an argument against those that would haue hindered them to be brought vnto him saying for of such is the kingdome of God so that it may be as rightly said Suffer little children to come to baptisme and forbid them not for of such is the kingdome of God of such as be conuerted and are become like vnto little children doth the Church of God consist Whereas they further affirme that infants baptisme is the marke of the Beast and so must be cast away with euery part thereof because whosoeuer dieth with that marke on them without repentance shall certainly drinke of the cup of Gods wrath Which marke of the Beast is thus deciphered by them All maner of ordinances which are performed by the ministery of the Church of England being an Antichristian ministery whereof infants baptisme is one are none of Gods ordinances but a marke of the Beast From which obserue what will follow against themselues Euery action which is performed by the ministery of the Church of England is a marke of the Beast But the mariage of the Anabaptists in the Church of England is an action performed by the ministery of the Church of England Therefore the mariage of the Anabaptists in the Church of England is a marke of the Beast Whosoeuer do retain the marke of the Beast shall certainly drinke of the cup of Gods
crouch and bend to her and that he became Lord and master of all then did he among the rest of his requitals entertaine and command such part of the Dragons religion and Church-seruice as might giue him the best content and most aduance his owne temporall state of glorie So that hauing once obtained the Dragons seate and that all his heads hils and hornes were his he thought he might now do what he list fell to desolating of the true worship of God and to consuming of the Saints of the most high the remnant of the true Spouse the children of the woman before described and pulled downe the daily and spirituall sacrifice which they the spirituall house of God offered vp acceptable to him by Iesus Christ cast the truth to the ground as the Prophet had foretold of him brought in and set vp the abhominable and most execrable religion of the heathen compounding it and dignifying the parts practise and practisers of it the more to delude the world with the names and titles of God Christ holy Spirit the word of God his holy Church his worship Seruice his holy Sacraments and Saints And that he might haue all in obedience made such lawes by the aduice of his priuie councell that whosoeuer would not worship the Beast and this image of the Beast the idols and abhominations of the heathen and pagans should by the executioners of his will be taken and killed And because he would be sure to know his own and to find out all that would not submit caused all both small and great rich and poore free and bond to receiue a marke in his right hand or in his forehead and that no man might buy or sell saue he that had the marke c. Now when once things were come to this passe it was no longer time for any soule that would be saued to stay and for this cause it was that Christ commandeth saying Come out of her my people that ye be not partaker of her sinnes and that ye receive not of her plagues for her sins haue reached vnto heauen and God hath remembred her iniquities And these were the very reasons why at the first the Church of England separated from her and also why so many of other nations did forsake her When Wickliffe Husse Tindal Luther Cranmer Latimer and others forsooke the Church of Rome and came out of her they stood not to make question about their outward calling or ordination they had receiued before of the Church of Rome but God hauing called them now by a more speciall heauenly calling to preach his truth they staid not for neither did they look after another Nay if they had the truth might haue lien hid we might haue sat in darknesse vntill this day but they finding the approbation of God and his people It was enough Let me aske If God should vouchsafe to call the Bishop of Rome the Pope that now is and that he should forsake all those abhominations which he now liueth in and become such a Scribe Bishop or Elder as before we haue described who would condemne him or call him Antichrist for that he was once the Pope of Rome though he had neuer other outward ordination more then the approbation of God and his people or who would call the people that should imbrace him Antichristians doubtlesse not any of the children of wisdome Agiane presuppose that the state of all Europe were now as it hath beene heretofore all vnder Antichrist and his Church and that God should call one of the Bishops of that Church out from them and in due him with the knowledge of his truth by his word Spirit and that there be a necessitie as thou saist that he must haue another outward ordination before he can Minister the word of God vnto any people so as to be a Bishop or Elder vnto them whither wouldest thou haue him to goe for it or where wilt thou finde an Eldership to ordaine him In Europe there be none all are Antichristians Wilt thou haue Apostles againe to lay a new foundation and must they ordaine new Elders before their can be a true constituted Church with her offices and ordinances as thou termest them Is this thy iudgement It may be if it be not Nay it must be if thou hold thee to thy former It hath beene the opinion of some of thy predecessors that held themselues as wise as thy selfe whatsoeuer thou art as for instance there were among others three Brethren ancient Separatists from the Church of England liuing sometimes in the Cittie of London their names were Legat these held it stifly that their must be new Apostles before their could be a true constituted Church and they drew it from this their ground the one was called Walter Legat who about twenty yeares since was drowned being with one of his brethren washing himselfe in a riuer called the Old Foord Another of them called Thomas Legat died in Newgate about sixteene yeares since being laid there for the Heresie of Arius The third called Bartholomew Legat was burnt in Smithfield about ten yeares since being condemned for the same Heresie of Arius for they all held and stood stoutly for the same also These Legats had a conceit that their name did as it were foreshew and entitle them to be the new Apostles that must doe this new worke but you see what became of them There was also one Iohn Wilkinson another ancient stout Separatist who with diuers that followed him held the same likewise drawing it from the same ground as a necessary consequence thereof who also came to naught But if there be any yet that will needs haue new Apostles as no doubt there be for their carnall contentions worke still to that point then let me aske thee whence must they come who shall send them Christ is ascended and he doth not now appeare to call and send any as he did the Apostle Paul and Apostles must be such as come from the presence of the Lord and haue seene him For which cause Saint Paul saith in the defence of his Apostleship Haue not I seene the Lord c. And he that was to be in Iudas his roome must be one that had bin conuersant with the Apostles the time of Christs being then on earth an eye witnes to publish that which he saw and beleeued So that Apostles thou canst not vpon any good ground expect If thou saist the Church may ordaine nâ—â— Elders I aske whence came that Church who plant 〈◊〉 first can there be an Orchard of fruitfull trees and was there not a husbandman that planted it Can faith be without preaching or can there be a Church without faith If thou hast found a true Church find but out him that planted it that first preached the word of God vnto it whereby it beleeued and became his Church thou hast found an Elder feare it not thou needest not make further
Here we see by the plain commandement of God exhortation of Saint Paul that a separation ought to be made from all kind of Idolatry and vnrighteousnes of the heathen and from all fellowship with them in their vncleane things But here is no separation from the Church though these superstitious Christians were in it Nay it is euident there was neuer any separation admitted either by word or by example except by those that separated themselues to make sects which are reproued by the Apostles vntill such time as by the mallice and subtiltie of the Diuell and through the pride and wickednes of the Bishop and Church of Rome after they had gotten Iurisdiction ouer all that they had brought into the Church the Idolatries and abhominations of the Pagans and so cunningly compounded them with the name and religion of Christ that no man could pertake of any good among them but he must pertake of the euill also Then and not till then I say the Lord commanded saying Goe out of her my people that ye be not pertaker of her sinnes and that you receiue not of her plagues This was not because there were many offenders in the Church of Rome nor because of their personall presence in the Assemblies but because the Lord would not haue his people partake in their owne persons of their sinnes which if they continued with them could not be auoided Neither was there a separation to be made from the Church of the Iewes as bad and as cruell as it was but Christ and his Apostles did alwayes both by word and example teach the contrary onely the false doctrine and hipocrisie and wickednes of the Iewes they warned the faithfull to take heed of And as concerning the Church of England which thou so much contemnest although there be many euill workers vngodly and vnregenerate persons superstitiously minded as well of the Ministery as of the people as out of all doubt there are For if of but twelue Apostles one was a Diuell and that there were false Apostles and false teachers proud and couetous in the primitiue Churches and false brethren belly gods and such like when Christians were but few in number How should it be but there must now be many yet this is not sufficient ground for thy seperation Nay suppose as the truth is that the faithfull be but few in number and rare as the dust or oare that gold commeth of and the vngodly as common as the clay that men make pots of as the Prophet speaketh For doubtles if God said of the Israelites that though their number were as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant of them should be saued we haue no reason to thinke it should be otherwise with vs Nay Saint Paul sheweth plainly that God will finish the worke and cut it short in righteousnes because a short worke will the Lord make vpon the earth Yet what of this thou hast no ground from hence to proue a separation Nay vnlesse thou canst proue that the Church of England hath set vp and doth command the Abhominations of the heathen as doth the Church or Rome and so mix them and Christian religion together as thou couldest not partake of the good but thou must partake of the euill and so sinne against God in thine owne person thou hast no ground at all for thy separation Art thou offended because God hath beene so gracious to this kingdome aboue all other nations in causing the Princes and Kings thereof now in these latter dayes to set their helping hands to the repairing and building vp againe of the decaied walles of Ierusalem and to the restoring of the morning and euening sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing as it was in former time and in the dayes of old Dost thou not know it was the word of truth the sword which proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord ministred by his faithfull seruants whom he raised vp in these latter times which hath beene the cause of the reuolt of the Church and Kingdome of England from the abhominations and tyranny of the Church of Rome and that God hath done it for his chosen sake according to his word art thou not bound to be thankefull vnto God for the same and with gladnesse of heart to imbrace all the good he hath vouchsafed yet so as not therewithall to iustifie any of the present euills nor yet to rest thy selfe secure in that good which is in being as if all things were already come to their full measure and so exclude thy selfe from all future grace and truth which God hath decreed in and by his word to bring to light For as the truth and dayly sacrifice which Christ and his Apostles did erect were not all wholy in a moment cast to the ground nor the abhomination of desolation set vp at full in one day but that the one increased by degrees and the other wasted accordingly so must it now be in the restauration as then iniquitie and falsehood increased and truth and loue faded and waxed cold so now on the contrary iniquitie and falsehood must consume and be expelled and truth and the loue thereof must increase and come to their place againe Iudgement was to begin at the house of God but it must end in the house of iniquitie Learne therefore now to be a wise let the confusions which the heady extreams of those carnall contentious times haue brought forth admonish thee to take better heed embrace thankfully and make right vse of the present good thou seest in place shun the euils and labour to increase in the wisdome which is from aboue doubtlesse there are great riches and treasures with God to be attained such as the carnall mind shall neuer see nor know conuerse with the wise and holy in heart such as are spirituall and heauenly minded haue speciall fellowship with them pray weepe and reioyce dayly together with them call often to minde the hope of the ioy and glory ye shall receiue in the world to come in the day when Christ your Lord shall appeare hope loue and long for his appearing and edifie your selues with these things pray vnto God and vse all good meanes according to your measure and place to redresse what is amisse in others labour thorough patience and meeknesse to winne them to the truth and loue thereof so shall ye be profitable members of the Church of God diligent and faithfull seruants of Christ You are not ignorant I suppose of the manifold mischieues that men haue fallen into by reason of the fleshly wranglings which haue been in these late times what confusion diuision and distraction there is among the people what and how many sundry opinions and seuerall sects there are yea sects vpon sects diuision vpon diuision error vpon error hath been bred and brought forth Many haue risen in these latter times speaking peruerse things to draw disciples after them to get themselues a name