dooth a man liue by the word of God VERIL. Séeing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is the second person of the diuinitie it is immediatlie effectuall in them that beléeue when it is spoken susteining and comforting them and bringing it to passe maruellouslie that they are nourished and defended thereby as Christ speaketh of himselfe Ego sum via Iohn 14. veritas vita I am she waie the veritie and the life And in another place Iohn 10. Egò vitam aeternam do eis I giue them eternall life FALSIL. The church is the house of God 2. Reg. 12. and the piller of truth Therefore the church dooth not erre VERIL. I may answer the maior by distinction First the church is the house of God and the piller of truth which is vniuersallie true Bicause some members of the church though they be verie few do alwaies obserue the truth Such were these among the people of God Marie Ioseph Zacharie Elizabeth Iohn the baptist Simeon Anna the prophetesse and others in the time of Christ So Iohn the baptist certeinlie knew the Messias to be the sacrifice for all the world when he saied Iohn 1. Ecce agnus Dei qui tollit peccata mundi Behold the lambe of God that taketh awaie the sinnes of the world Which thing the apostles knew not before the Holie-ghost was giuen them And except this error had béene corrected amongst them they had perished Secondlie manie doo erre in the church yet diuerslie some in the foundation that is in the knowledge of the lawe and of the gospell or in the articles of our faith and stubbornelie defend their error as the papists defend their error of the doubt whether we be in the fauour and grace of God or no Articl 10. contrarie to the article of our faith Credo remissionem peccatorum I beléeue the forgiuenes of sinnes Also they mainteine inuocation and praier to saints As long as they wilfullie continue in these errors and others like they are no true members of the church And others erre in common traditions as about eating of flesh and such others as S. Peter noluit edere de immundis Acts. 10. would not eate of vncleane things FALSIL. Dooth the diuell giue the kingdoms and riches of this world VERIL. No bicause it is written in the prophet Dani. 2. Dominus transfert regna atque constituit illa The Lord dooth transferre kingdomes and appoint them And againe it is said Domini est terra Psal 33. plenitudo eius The earth is the Lords and the fulnes thereof FALSIL. Abraham beleeued that his posteritie should inherit the promised land of Canaan Gen. 12. and that his posteritie should be increased as the starres of heauen and as the sand of the sea Therefore S. Paule erred in applieng the example of Abraham to the faith of spirituall things as the forgiuenes of sinnes and eternall life VERIL. I denie the consequent Bicause corporall promises doo include in them the spirituall promise namelie the reconciliation of sinnes for without that the corporall promise is vnprofitable If truelie a man doo not determine that God is at peace with vs and dooth iustifie vs for the loue of Christ Iesus Rom. 8. he can neither aske neither beléeue to receiue corporall gifts as his liuing and defensement in safegard Therefore it is verie requisite that faith touching spirituall things be manifest in our praier Hereof it is that Abraham beléeued the first and principall promise of God Gene. 22. for the séed that should be borne of his posteritie whereby he himselfe and all his ofspring with all nations should be blessed likewise it is said Ero Deus tuus seminis tui post te I will be thy God and the God of thy séed after thée FALSILOQVVS What be the causes of our temptations and falling awaie from God VERILOQVVS There be two chéefe causes First mans imbecillitie and weakenes bicause by Adam we are all sinners and haue of him the inclination to doo euill And the apostle saith Rom. 5. Vnusquisque dum tentatur a propria concupiscentia abstrahitur inescatur Euerie one when he is tempted he is drawne awaie and entised of his owne concupiscence Then sinne groweth consequentlie Iacob 1. first by suggestion next by consent of our spirit and last of all by the pleasure that our flesh taketh to fulfill that suggestion and consent Then we fulfill our lewd desires with gréedinesse contrarie to the mind of the apostle which saith Desideria carnis non perficietis Galat. 5. Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Secondlie the diuell intiseth vs by innumerable meanes secretlie to commit much wickednes yea and that some time against nature as Medea by temptation killed hir owne children Sodome Gomorrha Adama Sebim and Segor sinned against nature and also Iudas in betraieng Christ his redéemer of whom the euangelist saieth Iohn 13. Diabolus in Iudam post sumptam offulam ingressus est The diuell entred into Iudas after that he had receiued the sop So the diuell still letteth our right iudgement in the vnderstanding of the doctrine necessarie for our saluation he putteth darknesse into our harts confirmeth errors in our minds wherefore S. Peter saith Diabolus circuit nos 1. Pet. 5. quaerens quem deuoret The diuell goeth about vs seeking whom he may deuoure and spreddeth abrode such nets of temptations and vices alwaies as he perceiueth vs to be most addicted and giuen vnto FALSIL. What ought christian men to doo when the sting of sinne and worme of conscience dooth bite them VERIL. First they must in no case despaire as though they were not written in the scroll of the liuing And although we be most sinfull all the whole packe of vs in déed yet we must learne of the apostle to saie Rom. 5. Exsuperat gratia super peccatum Grace is more aboundant than sinne we must confesse our sinnes and be trulie repentant for them then may we Cum fiducia ad thronum gratiae accedere Hebru 4. Drawe néere to the throne of grace with hope and confidence in him that is the onelie propitiation and obteiner of mercie for them all that be such We must set before vs the example of such as truelie repented as Manasses Marie Magdalene Peter and the théefe vpon the crosse we must fullie persuade our selues to be predestinate and elected to saluation if we assent to the word of God and beleeue the gospell according to this saieng Quos elegit hos vocauit Whom he hath chosen those hath he also called Next we must thinke that the commandement of God is alwaies immutable how that we must beléeue the sonne of God which saith It is not the will of your father which is in heauen Matth. 18. Vt pereat vnus de pusillis istis That one of these little ones should perish Thirdlie we must thinke that the
people or the church or congregation which is congregated or gathered together vnto repentance and to the knowledge of the truth in Christ first by the prophets next by Iohn the baptist thirdlie by Christ himselfe and his apostles and there are some dailie called into that houshold by the ministers of the church But bicause the Iewes did not obeie the calling of God he reiected and refused them Act. 14. as S. Paule saieth Vobis oportebat primùm loqui sermonem Dei It was meet that the word of God should be first preached vnto you but séeing you put it from you and thinke your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life lo we turne vnto the gentiles Sâ—â— enim nobis praecepit Dominus For so the Loâ—â— commanded vs. Againe the prophet saieth Posui te in lucem gentium Esaie 49. vt sis salus mea vsque 〈◊〉 extremum terrae I haue made thée the light 〈◊〉 the gentiles that thou maist be my health vâ—to to the end of the world FALSIL. Contrition faith and new obedience are the thrée parts of repentance but canst thou make me a seuerall descriptioâ— of these thrée particularlie VERIL. Contrition I can Contrition is thereforâ— a compunction and pricking in our conscience rising and comming of the knowledge of the wrath of God against sinne and wickednesse and a certeine sorrowe for that wâ— haue offended God as the prodigall sonne said to his father when he did acknowledge his sinnes Pater peccaui in coelum coram te Luke 15. non sum dignus vocari filius tuus Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thée and I am no more worthie to be called thy sonne 1. Cor. 5. Colo. 3. Rom. 6.8 Ephe. 4. And S. Paule calleth contrition the mortification or killing of the old man meaning thereby our fleshlie lusts sensualitie and carnall liuing Next Faith faith is the assenting and agréeing to euerie word of God and to his promise of grace made vnto vs in his gospell whereby we haue an assured knowledge of his fatherlie good will towards vs Coloss 2. Hebru 10. through the bloud of Christ and an affiance in the same fatherlie goodnesse towards vs alwaies witnessed in his said gospell for Christes sake onelie and not for anie merit or vertue of ours which we vnprofitable seruants can be able to doo And thirdlie new obedience is described by S. Paule where he saieth New obedience Milita bonam militiam retineto fidem bonam conscientiam 1. Tim. 1. Fight a good fight kéepe the faith and a good conscience that is to saie when we obeie our vocation or calling and commit nothing wickedlie and contrarie to the testimonie of a pure and a good conscience then we shew that new obedience For the performance whereof we haue néed of the presence and aid of the Holie-ghost Iohn 15. in the infirmitie and weakenes of our nature as it is said Sine me nihil potestis facere Without me ye can doo nothing Rom. 8. Phil. 2. Againe Spiritus opem fert infirmitati nostrae The Holie-ghost helpeth our infirmitie Therefore it is God which worketh in vs both the will and also the déed euen of good will whereby we are able to doo such things as may be acceptable in his sight And then this obedience is the fruit and testimonie of a true faith and of our conuersion to God which hath coupled with it alwaies an endeuour of godlie life FALSIL. How manie errors doo the papists vse and teach touching the doctrine of repentance VERIL. They doo vse six errors The first is they hold an opinion and teach that we must haue sufficient contrition Although it be necessarie that we haue some contrition or sorow for the sinnes which we haue committed against God Ioel. 1. as the prophet saith Scindite corda vestra Rent your hearts and not your garments againe Tristitia quae ad poenitentiam est vtilis est The sorrow that causeth repentance is profitable yet contrition is not sufficient to merit or deserue anie goodnesse at Gods hand Their second is they saie that contrition is the merit of reconciliation and forgiuenesse of our sins Which is an horrible contumelie and a reproch against God and a snare of conscience bicause we can neuer know when our contrition is sufficient Therefore we cannot be certeine of the remission of our sinnes and reconciliation with God And this false opinion is a derogation and as it were a diminishing of the death and passion of Christ which is a full equiualent and sufficient price and ransome for the sinnes of all true and faithfull beléeuers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their third errour is that they make no mention of faith in the definition of their repentance For thus they describe their repenâ—ance Repentance is to lament our sinnes â—hat be past and not to commit doo againe â—he same lamented sinnes This is an insuffiâ—ient and false definition bicause it is not sufâ—â—cient to acknowledge our sinnes and to be â—orie for the committing of them Genesi 4. Matt. 10.26 as Caine Aâ—hitophel and Iudas was but it is requisite â—hat we flie vnto faith which resteth in the promises of God and susteineth hir selfe therein â—hat she should not despaire in the terrours of â—nne as Peter and the théefe on the crosse did Iohn 21. through their faith rid themselues from the dread and feare of sinne and death Their fourth error is they saie that the numbering of all the offenses which a man dooth knowe and remember is verie necessarie which is the torment of conscience and vnpossible to be doone as the prophet saieth De licta quis intelligit Psalm 18. Who knoweth his sinnes And Ab occultis meis munda me Clense mâ— from my secret sinnes Yet priuate confession is to be reteined first for the vtilitie and profit of priuate communication next 〈◊〉 the reteining of absolution and concord of the church Their fift error is of satisfactions which thâ— haue taught to be works not of dutie or commanded of God And they feine falselie thaâ— satisfactions are the merit of our reconciliatâ—on with God or that God dooth forgiue vs oâ—â— sinnes for these externall rites and outwarâ— workes sake and that eternall punishment are fullie recompensed and satisfied in theâ— Which is a most detestable and wicked opinâ—on For the passion and death of Christ onlâ— is the merit of our reconciliation with Goâ— and is the full debt and price of mans redemâ—tion And Christ saieth Frustrame colunt maâ—datis hominum They worship me in vaine aftâ—â— mens traditions Their sixt error is they teach men that although they be sufficient repentant for their sinnes confessing them vnto almightie God and vse satisfaction or restitution yet they cannot nor ought saie they to be certeine whether they be in the grace and fauour of God or no haue remission of their sinnes and so to become heires of eternall life
as Christ himselfe saieth Iohn 17. Ego meipsum sanctifico pro eis I doo sanctifie my selfe for them that is as much to saie as I die for them and doo pacifie the wrath of mine eternall father by the sacrifice of my death FALSIL. The rich man that wore purple and silke and banketted delicatelie was damned Luc. 16. Therefore fine clothes as silke and purple with delicate fare are naught and damned things VERIL. I denie the consequent bicause it is the fallacie of the accident For the rich man was not damned for his purple and silke neither for his delicate fare which indéed are all the good creatures of God and manie good and godlie men haue well vsed the same as Dauid Salomon and others But â—irst he was damned for that he did abuse the â—ame good gifts to wit he put his whole trust and confidence in those things as though they should helpe and deliuer him in the daie of wrath and vengeance Next he was damned for his securitie and the contempt of God and his neighbour whom he did not succour with his riches as he ought to doo therefore he was cast awaie from God and damned according as the holie apostle saieth Iacob 2. Iudicium absque misericordia erit ei qui misericordiam non praestiterit He shall haue iudgement without mercie which sheweth no mercie The same sinnes therefore were reigning in this rich man which God reprooued in the Sodomites saieng Ezech. 6. Peccatum Sodomae superbia saturitas panis prosperitas otium manum pauperi non porrigebant The sinne of Sodome was pride fulnesse of bread prosperitie and idlenesse and they did not reach out their hands to the poore These were the sinnes wherefore the rich glutton was damned and not his riches good clothes and delicate fare which are the great blessings of God and are to be vsed alwaies with thankes giuing without anie offense For thus it is written of riches Benedictio Domini diuites facit Prou. 10. The blessing of the Lord maketh men rich And out of all question if men would followe Christes proposition and rule touching riches where he saieth Primùm quaerite regnum Dei iusticiâ—â— eius First séeke ye the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof and then all these other things meaning thereby riches and worldlie blessings shall be giuen vnto vs more easilie and with the lesse trauell bicause it is a small thing in the sight of the Lord to make a poore man rich and a rich man poore FALSIL. The Stoiks argument That thing is good which maketh men good Riches doo not make men good Therefore riches are not good VERIL. First I answer by distinction to the maior A good thing is twofold morall and naturall morall which maketh good things as vertues and a naturall good thing as riches health and honors These doo not make things good yet they are themselues the excellent and good gifts of God which men oftentimes abuse to euill purpose Luc. 16. as did the rich man in the gospell to his owne destruction FALSIL. What is ment in the scripture of God by the bosome of Abraham VERIL. Thereby is ment the gathering togither of them which are graffed into the promise of Abraham into this companie to wit of the holie patriarchs prophets apostles martyrs and saints all they are caried by the angels of God that depart out of this life in â—he true state of faith and saluation bicause â—uch cannot miscarrie as doo commit themâ—elues in sure confidence to the mercifull tuiâ—ion of Christ FALSIL. What is the chéefest thing whereof euerie one ought to be most carefull â—uring all his life time VERIL. Euerie one ought to be most carefull first Matth. 16. how he can be saued in the daie of iudgement before Gods tribunall seate and so to come to euerlasting life next to â—iue according to Gods holie will during our â—ife 1. Pet. 5. whereby we shall receiue an vncorruptible crowne in the end when euerie man shall go to the reaping of that fruit which he hath sowne in this world FALSIL. Are not all people discharged of their sinne Rom. 8. seeing that Christ hath paied the punishment due for them VERIL. None are discharged from the paines which our sinnes deserue Iohn 3. Colos 2. sauing those that take hold vpon Christ and his mercies with a true faith FALSIL. Lazarus is saued Lazarus was a poore man c. Luke 16. Therefore pouertie dooth saue vs and by a consequent other good works also so that we are not iustified and saued by faith onelie VERIL. I denie the consequent for that there is a fallacie in the word according that it is simplie spoken And the euangelist making mention of Lazarus pouertie compriseth therein all his obedience that is to saie his repentance his faith in the promised Messias his deliuerer his patience and other vertues which were testimonies and signes of his faith Rom. 3.4.5 For we are iustified and saued by faith onelie therefore bicause faith taketh handfast on Christ not for anie merit or vertues of ours which are too weake and beggerlie to satisfie the wrath of God expressed in his lawe FALSIL. Luke 14. Wherefore is God the father in the parable ment to be the rich man which had his ghests to supper VERIL. Genesi 2. Bicause God hath made man after his owne image Then next bicause God dooth loue man well being made after his image for Christes sake which tooke vpon him the massie lumpe of our flesh Iohn 14. 1. Cor. 6. And thirdlie bicause man is Templum Dei the temple of God FALSIL. Such things as hinder and let the studie and loue of godlines are euill meet to be refused and reiected Riches power honors and mariage doo hinder and let the studie and loue of godlinesse Luc. 14. as in the parable of the gospell Therefore they are euill and to be refused of Christians VERIL. I denie the consequent bicause riches power honours and mariage doo not hinder and let the studie and loue of godlines onelie of themselues or of their owne nature but by an accident that is to saie through the euill disposition of men which preferre bodilie gifts before heauenlie and eternall gifts The abuse therefore of these things is reprooued and not the things themselues which are the good gifts of God and all the good gifts and creatures of God may be vsed as meat drinke cloth and so foorth yet not for pleasure and vnto riot but for necessitie Matth. 14. and that with thanks giuing alwaies as Christ himselfe giueth vs in example that he neuer brake bread without the giuing of thanks Ephe. 5. And the holie apostle also teacheth vs alwaies to vse Gratiarum actione The giuing of thanks FALSIL. What is the house of God and who are they that are called into it VERIL. The house of God is the number of the elected