Gods wrath mans miserie horrible fast stirring vp still in mankind anger furie warre slaughters murthers and such like with all other kind of wickednes FALSIL. Had not the old fathers the true worshipping of God before the politike gouernance of Moses VERIL. Yes verelie because they had first the morall lawe or knowledge thereof wherby they should liue vertuouslie For God said in paradise Genesi 3. Erunt duo in carne vna They shall be two in one flesh which saieng forbiddeth all wandring lustes and licentious appetites Also they had the doctrine of the promises Genesi 22. De semine contrituro caput serpentis Of the séed that should quash the serpents head wherin all the nations of the earth shall be blessed Thirdlie they called vpon the same God which declared himselfe to his church in his most certeine word and by manie excellent testimonies and that in knowledge and trust of his sonne the promised redéemer of the world FALSIL. Wherefore was the Iewes politike gouernance ordeined séeing that it should be afterwards abolished VERIL. It was ordeined because God would haue the place to be certeine where his sonne should be borne where he should teach and shew foorth the testimonies of his doctrine where he should be crucified and rise againe and from whence the gospell should be first sent into all the rest of the world according to the prophets saieng Psalm 18. Exiuit sonus eorum in omnem terram Their sound went out into all the world Therefore Hierusalem was as it were the towre of the church where the true doctrine was manifested opened and purged by Christ and his Apostles But when Christ was exhibited and profered and the voice of the gospell was published in all the world then it behooued this politike gouernance to be put awaie and abolished First that there might a testimonie remaine that Christ was offered to all the world and that the Leuiticall worshipping was not the true and principall worshipping of the eternall spirituall worshipping of the kingdome of Messias but the true acknowledging of God and his sonne inuocation setting foorth and confessing the heauenlie doctrine the feare of God patience in aduersitie and other spirituall motions agréeing with Gods mind and will As Christ saith Iohn 4. Veri adoratores Deum adorabunt spiritu veritate The true worshippers shall worship God in spirit and in truth FALSIL. Whether was the sinne of Eue greater in eating the apple forbidden by God Luke 2. or the sinne of the virgin Marie in léesing the child Iesus in Ierusalem VERIL. The sinne of Eue was the greater sinne FALSIL. Obiects discerne sinnes according to maius and minus Obiection is any thing that may be seen before our eies The sinne of Marie was greater in obiect for the child Iesus was the son of God better than an apple as a man excelleth a beast Therefore Marie sinned more grieuouslie in léesing by negligence the child Iesus which is the sonne of God than Eue did in eating the apple VERIL. First the maior may be thus answered Obiects discerne sinnes according to maius and minus but not principallie And a principall distinction of she causes of good or euill workes must be had and the mind vnderstanding what they are and considering the commandement and then the will obeieng or repugning chooseth some thing either contrarie to the commandement of God or according to his commandement He therfore that sinneth willinglie and wittinglie committeth a more grieuous sinne than he that sinneth by ignorance Diuersitie of sinne and common imbecillitie and weaknes Againe answer may be made to the minor Marie sinned ignorantlie and not wittinglie because she thought that the child Iesus had béene with Ioseph but Eue sinned willinglie and wittinglie contrarie to hir conscience breaking the commandement of God fréelie choosing the eating of the apple forbidden of God He that so sinneth putteth awaie his faith the Holie-ghost and looseth the fauour of God and is damned without repentance because Stipendium peccati mors est Rom. 6. The reward of sinne is death Of the sinnes of ignorance which are not committed wittinglie and willinglie the prophet speaketh thus Psal 18. Delicta quis intelligit Who vnderstandeth his offenses And Ab occultis meis munda me Domine Psal 19. Lord cleanse me from my secret sinnes Affectate or coueted ignorance is a sinne against our conscience but ignorance not affectate is mans weakenes which dooth not condemne vs so that we acknowlege it and aske forgiuenes thereof at Gods hand with faith and repentance in newnes of life following But to speake brieflie of our first parents offense no man ought to make it a small fault weighing it by the eating of an apple séeing that by Sathans allurements they reuolted and turned awaie from Gods truth to a lie by infidelitie and gaue credence to the wicked and false suggestions of the old serpent the diuell which accused God of vntruth enuie and of malicious withdrawing some goodnes from them and so much they forgat Gods great goodnes and benefits which had made them after his owne image Gen. 1. Coloss 3. that by pride and ambition they sought to be equall with his maiestie also FALSIL. What dooth mariage signifie VERIL. First it signifieth the coupling togither of the diuine nature with mans nature and that maruelous league true and ardent loue wherewith the sonne of God entierlie loueth mans nature which he tooke vpon him Next it signifieth the loue of the sonne of God the defense preseruation of his church whereof S. Paule speaketh Ephes 5. Christus dilexit ecclesiam semetipsum tradidit pro ea Christ loued his church and gaue himselfe for it FALSIL. The consequent is not good from a particularitie to a generalitie Matt. 8. Miracles are particular deliuerings as of the leper and palsie man Therefore we make an euill argument of these examples to saie that God will likewise deliuer all other men VERIL. First I denie the consequent Although examples be particular yet the promise is vniuersall Rom. 10. as Omnis qui inuocauerit nomen Domini saluus erit Euerie one that calleth on the name of God shall be saued Againe Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis Matt. 11. ego reficiam vos Come vnto me all ye that be heauie laden I will refresh you These promises are declared by examples which therefore are not vniuersall because all men doo not receiue them in faith Next there is vnlikenes in bodilie aids and cures for God deliuereth not vs by one meanes alwaies So Ionathas 1. Macab 12 although he were good godlie was killed togither with his father by a craftie policie Manasses who repented was brought out of captiuitie and manie other saints caried awaie into captiuitie to Babylon neuer returned againe Thirdlie a spirituall promise simplie made is vniuersall and is Gods commandement and is vnmoueable that
which generall act of the Holie-ghost was after transferred to the Church which he nourisheth by singular meanes and defendeth it Next the holie-ghost spake by the prophets Thirdlie he appeered in the likenes of a dooue at the baptisme of Christ Fourthlie Matt. 3. he was manifested to the disciples in the daie of pentecost in the shape of firie toongs Act. 2. which patefactions are certeine testimonies that the Holie-ghost is an other person than the father and the sonne FALSIL. Christ saith Iohn 16. The Holie-ghost shall lead you into all truth Therefore Christ taught not his disciples all truth but the Holie-ghost will reueale some new things as the masse traditions and worshipping of the papisticall church VERIL. I denie the consequent and answer by distinction for Christ speaketh of the same veritie which is reuealed in his word as he saith in another place Sermo tuus est veritas Iohn 17. quam spiritus sanctus illustrabit Thy word is the truth which the Holie-ghost shall open He speaketh not of those things which God hath not opened to his church in his holie word as to know the time of our deaths when the daie of iudgement shal be or such like the curious searching out whereof is the rashnes of man forbidden by this saieng Scrutator maiestatis opprimetur à gloria The searcher out of the maiestie of God shall be confounded with his glorie FALSIL. What is the certeine note and marke of the presence of the Holie-ghost VERIL. The spirituall or good motions of the hart as is praier and inuocation the loue to heare the word of God and the true imbracing of the same whereas there are no such motions felt there the Holie-ghost is not and such as are without these good féelings are no true members of the church according to that saieng Rom. 8. Qui non habet spiritum Christi non est eius He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his 2. Reg. 11. Iohn 18. except they doo returne to God by repentance and conuersion as Dauid Manasses Peter and such other did which receiued againe the Holie-ghost by repentance and faith that was put awaie from them by their falles contrarie to their owne conscience FALSIL. What is the office of Christ VERIL. First Christs office is by his preaching to open to vs and his church his fathers eternall will Next to offer him selfe vp a sacrifice to his father for the redemption of all the world and to deliuer his vniuersall church from death sinne and the tyrannie of the diuell FALSIL. Act. 12. Nero killed Paule Herod killed Iohn and Iames Therefore Christ deliuereth not his church giueth hir no peace nor victorie against hir enimies VERIL. Christ giueth vs the eternall victorie which hereafter we shall behold And now we haue the victorie also howbeit we can not see it with corporall eies for the church is preserued though the diuell rage and horriblie inuade it God defendeth it maruelouslie without anie mans power or strength as the father himselfe saith Seruabo vos non in arcu Ose 1. nec in gladio sed in Domino Deo vestro I will not deliuer you through my bowe or sword but in the Lord your God that is in my sonne which is your Lord and your God Also God saith in Zacharie Ego ero igneus murus vester Zachar. 2. I will be to you a wall of fier round about FALSIL. When began the kingdome of Christ in mankind VERIL. The kingdome of Christ or the presence of the sonne of God was in mankind streightwaies from the beginning of the making and receiuing of man among the fathers prophets and the godlie people of the old Testament as Irenaeus saith Semper adest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 humano generi The word that is the sonne of God was alwaies present with mankind Also S. Paule saith Christus hodie heri Hebr. 13. in omnia secula Christ yesterdaie and to daie and the same continueth for euer the author of truth and goodnes FALSIL. The taking awaie of an other mans thing against the owners will is theft Matth. 21. Christ commanded the asse and hir colt to be brought vnto him and that against the owners will Therefore Christ did not well VERIL. The minor is to be denied Christ was the superior Lord of this people although he vsed not that his externall power and right bicause he came to be made a sacrifice for our sins yet notwithstanding he had power ouer this people as he himselfe saith Dominus hijs opus habet Matth. 21. The Lord hath néede of them Againe he tooke not awaie the asse against the owners will but with his good will when the disciples had alleged vnto him the cause of taking hir awaie declaring their message which the Lord gaue them in charge to doo FALSIL. When shall the kingdome of Christ which is the collecting of his church end VERIL. In the last daie when as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 15. Regnum patri suo tradet He shall deliuer vp the kingdome to his father ouercomming all his enimies and his churches as sin death sathan hell all tyrants for then shall we see the verie sonne of God which is corporall he will bring vs vnto his father there shall he present his church before his eternall father then shall we beginne to see and know the father visiblie whose fruition is eternall life In the meane season the kingdome of Christ is named in vs bicause it dwelleth in vs by his ministerie And trulie therefore is his word sent vnto vs for he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both in respect of vs and of his father also And the Apostle here speaketh of Christs kingdome in this world 1. Cor. 15. whereby he congregateth his church together and dooth mightilie defend it by his infinite power and mercie without corporall violence FALSIL. The minister of the gospell ought not to vse corporall violence Christ vsed corporall violence in whipping the biers and fellers out of the temple Iohn 2. Therefore Christ did not well VERIL. This may be answered thrée waies First I denie the minor bicause Christ mooued not sedition neither vsed corporall violence Act. 5. But as Peter killed Ananias and Saphira his wife without corporall violence yea God him selfe quicklie destroied them so Christ here saieth Zelus domus tuae comodit me Psal 69. The zeale of thine house hath eaten me that was a certeine diuine force and indignation enflamed with the loue and desire of the affirming and propagation of the honor of God Secondlie I answer to the minor As the minister of the gospell ought not vse corporall violence truelie but in his owne house so Christ did well in casting out of these chaffering hucsters out of the temple Iohn 2. bicause it was his house and his place Thirdlie Christ is not onlie a minister of the
Luc. 10. Qui vos audit me audit He that heareth you heareth me FALSIL. Tell me I praie you are all christian men priests or no VERIL. Yea that they are trulie For as euerie one regenerate by the participation of water and the Holie-ghost is called a Christian of Christ so by him he is made a king and a priest Apoc. 1. as it is written Fecit nos reges sacerdotes patri suo He hath made vs kings and priests to his father And hereof S. Peter calleth vs Regale sacerdotium 1. Pet. 2. A roiall priesthood For by Christ we haue right and authoritie to preach the word of God yet euerie man in his calling We haue right libertie to call vpon God according to this saieng Inuoca me in die tribulationis Call vpon me in the daie of trouble Againe Quicquid petieritis patrem in nomine meo dabit vobis Whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name he will giue it you We haue also power and authoritie to offer vp sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing Propitiatorie is pacifieng Gods wrath For no mortall man can offer vp a propitiatorie sacrifice because that honor onlie belongeth to Christ our high bishop and Lord. There are fiue kinds of christian mens sacrifices a troubled spirit the sacrifice of righteousnesse the sacrifice of praise or the calues of our lips confessing the name of God the sacrifice of beneficence and communion and our owne bodie which is a reasonable sacrifice The prophet Micheas asked the Lord what acceptable thing he should offer vnto him His answer was I will shew thée O man what thing is good and what the Lord requireth of thée Vtique facere iudicium Mich. 6. diligere misericordiam humilem ambulare coram Deo tuo Namelie that thou doo right loue mercie and walke humblie before thy God But touching them which are called priests amongst vs now adaies you shall vnderstand that they are so called for thrée causes First because they are dedicated to Christ togithers with other Christians and are rightlie called priests because and in as much as they are true Christians Next in imitation of the people of Israell which called them priests that were occupied in the ministerie of the word of God and in the sacrifices of the law and this honor was onelie granted vnto the tribe of Leuy Thirdlie it pleased the holie fathers the successors of the Apostles to adorne before others with this worthie sacerdotall title those which teach the word of God minister the sacraments and declare vnto men that sinne death and damnation are abolished by the onlie sacrifice of Christ our high priest The old priests of the lawe did offer vp beasts but the Apostles and other priests of Christ and his gospell doo as it were slea men and offer vp a liuelie sacrifice to God by the gospell S. Paule testifieth that he made the like sacrifice when he slue the Gentiles with the sword of the gospell Rom. 15. Vt fieret oblatio acceptabilis Deo sanctificata per spiritum sanctum That the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable to God sanctified by the Holie-ghost The papists would so make a sacrifice of a sacrament But the papisticall sacrifice is plaine sacrilege for it was not ordeined to teach Christ and to slea men to God by the sword of the gospell but to offer vp Christ for the quicke and the dead by that meanes defiling and treading vnder foote the sacrifice of Christ which by his priesthood hath found eternall redemption for it is written Hic autem vnam pro peccatis offerens hostiam in sempiternum sedet ad dextram Dei Hebr. 10. This man after he hath offered one sacrifice for sinnes is set downe for euer on the right hand of God and from henceforth tarieth till his foes be made his footestoole For with one offering he hath made them perfect for euer that are sanctified Therfore the popish priests are verie wicked which impudentlie dare reiterat and eftsoones beginne afresh that which is made perfect for euer by Christ our high priest FALSIL. The scripture reporteth Abraham Noe and Iob with others to be good men and iust But Christ saith Marc. 10. there is none good but God onelie and Christ is true Therefore Abraham Noe and Iob with others are not good men and iust VERIL. I denie the consequent For as no man shineth but by Christ Iesus Iohn 1. which is the true light lightening euerie man comming into this world and beléeuing in him so there is none good godlie and holie but by Christ onelie which is Summum bonum The chiefest felicitie the truth the righteousnes the life wisedome and the word of the father 1. Cor. 1. Qui factus fuit nobis sapientia à Deo iustitiáque sanctificatio redemptio Which is of God made wisedome vnto vs and also righteousnes and sanctifieng redemption Iam vos mundi estis Iohn 15. propter sermonem quem loquutus sum vobis Now you are cleane through the word which I haue spoken vnto you The gospell of Christ Iesus doth clense vs and sanctifie vs if it be receiued in faith Rom. 1. Est enim virtus Dei ad salutem omni credenti For it is the power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth Marc. 16. Cui qui crediderit saluus erit Whom who so belieueth shall be saued Iacob 1. So we sée Omne bonum esse à Deo That all goodnes commeth of God which onlie doth purge vs and regenerate vs by his word to be made the sonnes of God of the children of wrath There is none good but whome Gods goodnes doth make good there is none holie but whom God doth make holie there is none vertuous but by Gods vertue No man by nature is good but onlie God which is almightie and omnipotent Man is changed by the spirit and grace of God and is made a good trée righteous holie as man may be good and as it were in a second kind of goodnes not comparable to Gods most excellent goodnes in anie case FALSIL. How manie causes be there of ciuill punishments VERIL. Thrée chiefe causes First the righteousnes and iustice of God which will haue sinnes to be punished with corporall and eternall paines according to the immoueable rule of his diuine iustice His reasonable creatures therefore be bound either to the obedience of GOD their creator or to his punishments Next the publike peace and tranquillitie without the which the gospell cannot be preached neither the church collected togither and preserued in mankind Thirdlie example that others by the punishments of the wicked might be admonished and terrified from the committing of the like sinne FALSIL. The tares in the gospell must not be taken awaie Matth. 13. Adulterers be the same tares spirituallie Therefore adulterers must not be taken awaie VERIL. The consequent is false And
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