laid vp for vs in Christs blood and to witnesse and testifie it vnto them and to be the seale therof For the sacrament dooth much more liuely print the faith and make it sincke downe into the hart then do bare words onely Now when the words of the testament and promises are spoken ouer the bread this is my body that was broken for you this is my blood that was shed for you they confirme the faith but much more when the sacrament is seene with the eies and the bread broken the wine powred out and looked on and yet more when I taste it and smell it As you see when a man maketh a promise vnto another with light words betweene theÌ„selues so they departed he to whom the promis is made beginneth to doubt whether the other spake earnestlye or mocked doubteth whether he will remeÌ„ber his promise to abide by it or no. But when any maÌ„ speaketh with aduisement the words are more credible if he swear it coÌ„firmeth the thing more and yet the more if hee strike hands if hee giue earnest if hee call recorde if he giue hand-writing seale it so is the more more beleeued for the heart gathereth â—o he spake with aduisement deliberation good sadnes he clapped hands called recorde and put to his hande and seale the man cannot bee so faint without the feare of God as to denie al this shame shal make him abide his promise though hee were such a man as I could not compel him if he woulde denie it And thus we dispute God sent his sonne in our nature and made him feele our infirmities that moue vs to sinne and named his name Iesus that is a Sauior because he should saue his people froÌ„ their sinnes and after his death he sent his Apostles to preach these glad-tydings to thrust them in at the eares of vs and set vp a sacrament of them to testifie them to seale them and to thrust them in not at the eares onely by rehearsing the promises of the testament ouer it neither at our eies onely in beholding it but beat them in through our feeling tasting smelling also and to bee repeated dailie to be ministred to vs. He wold not think we make half so much a do with vs if he loued vs not wold not haue his Sacrament to bee a witnes and testimonie between him vs to confirm the faith of his promisses that wee should not doubt in them when we looke on the seales of his obligations wherewith he hath bound himselfe this to keepe the promisses couenants better in mind and to make them the more deepely to sinke into our hearts and be more earnestlie regarded Timoth. Considering that this which you saie is too plaine great shame it is that there is such neglect of the Sacrament as there is and that it is so seldome vsed but surelie want of faith and the security which ouerspreadeth this our Countrie is the cause of it the Lord if it be his will remoue the same Now let me heare a litle how you lead your life and haue your conuersation among men Euseb. I haue my conuersation among men as sincere as I can in righteousnes and holines which is after Gods commaundements our Sauiour saith Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Timoth. It is but a dim light which wee can carrie before men and small are our good works and to be esteemed of no value If we were preachers or rich men or noble men then we might saue soules giue good couÌ„sel help manie by our almes but you I are poore men of base birth of low degree how can we then do anie good works Euseb. As touching good works by that measure of knowledge that God hath giuen me I thinke that all works are good which are done according to the obedience of Gods law in faith with thankesgiuing to God with a mind desirous of his glorie alone I think that I or any maÌ„ els in doing theÌ„ please God whatsoeuer I do within the law of god as when I make water And trust me if either winde or water were stopped I should feel what a pretious thing it were to do either of both what thaÌ„ks ought to be giuen God therfore Moreouer I put no difference betweene workes but whatsoeuer commeth into my hands that I do as time place occasioÌ„ giueth according to my degree For as touching to please God there is no work better then other God looketh not first on my works as the world doth or as though he had neede of them but God looketh first on my hart what faith I haue to his word how I beleeue him trust him and how I loue him for his mercie that he hath shewed mee hee looketh with what heart I work not what I work how I accept the degree hee hath put me in not of what degree I am Let vs take an example You are a Minister and preach the worde I am a kitchen boy wash my maisters dishes Of the ministerie hark what the Apostle saith if I preach I haue nought to reioice in for necessitie is put vpon mee if I preach not the gospel as who should saie God hath made me so woe is to me if I preach not If I do it willinglie saith he then I haue my reward that is then am I sure that Gods spirite is in me that I am elect to eternall life If I do it against my wil the office is committed to me that is if I do it not of loue to God but to get a liuing therby for a worldlie purpose had rather otherwise liue then do I that office which God hath put vpon mee but do not please God So then if you preached not or in preaching had not your hart aright you minister the office they that haue the spirit of God heare his word yea though it were spokeÌ„ by an Asse the woe belongeth to you but if you preach wilâ—ingly with a true hart coÌ„science to God then shal you feel the earnest of eternal life and the working of the spirit of God in you And your preaching is a good work in you Now I that minister in the kitchin and am but a kitchin boy receiue all thinges at the hand of God knowe that God hath put me in such an office submit my selfe to his wil and serue my Maister not as a man but as Christ himselfe with a pure heart according as Paul teacheth me putting my trust in God and of him seeke my reward Moreouer there is not a good deede done but mine heart reioiseth therein yea when I heare that the word of God is preached by you and see the people turne vnto God I consent to this deede my heart breaketh out in me yea it springeth and leapeth in my breast that
condemnation but shall most certainely escape the same Take this for a most certaine truth that the man that hates dislikes his sins both before and after hee hath done them shall neuer be damned for them Christian. I am euen hart sicke of my manifolde sinnes and infirmities these good words which you speak are as flagons of wine to refresh my wearie laden and weltting soule I haue begunne to flee sinne and to detest it long agoe I haue beene oft dipleased with mine infirmities and corruptions when I offende God my heart is greeued I desire to leaue sinne I flee the occasions of sinne I woulde faine fashion my life to Gods word and I praie vnto God that he woulde giue mee grace so to doo and yet which is the griefe by the strength of the flesh by the sleights and power of Sathan I am often ouertaken and fall maruellouslie both by speach and by deed Minister Haue courage my good brother for whereas you haue an affection to doo the thinges that are acceptable vnto God it argueth plainely that you are a meÌ„ber of Christ according to that of Paul They which are of the spirite fauour the things of the spirite Well then if Sathan euer obiect anie of your sinnes to your make aunswere thus that you haue forsaken the first husbande the fleshe and haue espoused your selfe to Christ Iesus who as your head and husbande hath taken vpon him to answere your debts and therefore if he vrge you for them referre him ouer vnto Christ. For there is no sute in lawe against the wife the husbande liuing yea I adde further if you bee ouer caried with Sathans temptations and so fall into anie sinne you shall not answere for it but Sathan it shall surely be rekoned on his score at the daie of iudgmeÌ„t for he was the author of it if you fal by the frailtie of your flesh it shal perish therefore but you shal stil haue Christ you aduocate Christian. Indeede as you saie I haue in me an affection to please God but when I come to performe my obedience there I faile Minister Therefore marke this further As long as the children of God are in this life God regardeth more the affection to obeie then the obedience it selfe And they shall bee vnto mee saith the Lorde of hostes in that daie that I shall doe this for a flocke and I wil spare them as a man spares his owne sonne that serueth him The Father when he shall set his childe to doe anie busines though he doe it neuer so vntowardlie yet if he shew his good will to doe the best hee can his father will bee pleased and so it is with the Lorde towarde his children you looke to haue some perfection in your selfe but in this life you shall receiue no more but the first fruits of the spirite which are but as a handfull of corne in respect of the whole corne fielde and as for the accomplishment of your redemption you must wait for it til after this life you would bee kissed with the kisses of Christs mouth but here in this world you must bee content if you maie with Marie Magdalen kisse his feete For the perfection of a Christian mans life standes in the feeling and confessing of his imperfections And as Ambrose saith obedience due to God stands more in the affection then in the worke Christian. But why will God haue those whom he hath sanctified labour still vnder their infirmities Minister The causes are diuers First hereby hee teacheth his seruaunts to see in what great neede they stand of the righteousnes of Christ that they maie more carefullie seeke after it Secondlie he subdueth the pride of mens hearts humbleth them by counteruailing the graces which they haue receiued with the like measure of infirmities Thirdlie by this meanes the godlie are exercised in a continuall fight against sinne and are dailie occupied in purifieng themselues Christian. But to goe on forward in this matter there is another cause that makes me feare lest I haue no true repentance Minister What is that Christian I often times finde my selfe like a verie timberlog void of all grace goodnes frowarde and rebellious to anie good worke so that I feare lest Christ haue quite forsaken me Minister As it is in the strait seas the water ebbes and flowes so is it in the godlie in them as long as they liue in this world according to their own feeling there is an accesse and recesse of the spirit Otherwhiles they bee troubled with deadnes and dulnes of heart as Dauid was who praied to the Lorde to quicken him according to his louing kindnes that he maie keepe the testimonies of his mouth and in another place he saith that Gods promises quickened him Which coulde not be vnlesse he had beene troubled with great dulnes of heart Againe sometimes the spirite of God quite withdraweth it self to their feeling as it was in Dauid In the daiâ— of my trouble saith hee I sought the Lorde and my soule refused comfort I did thinke vpon God was troubled I praied and my spirite was full of anguish Againe will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and will he shew no more fauour hath God forgotten to be mercifull c. The Church in â—hâ— Canticles complaineth of this In my beddâ—â— sought him by night whom my soule loued I sought him but I found him not And againe my welbeloued put in his hand by the hole of the dore and 〈◊〉 heart was affectioned towardes him I rose 〈…〉 pen to my welbeloued and my hands did 〈…〉 myrrhe my fingers powre myrrhe vppon â—…dles of the bar I opened to my welbeloued 〈◊〉 my welbeloued was gone and past mine heart was gone when hee did speake I sought him but I coulde not finde him I called but he answered me not Contrariwise God at some other times sheds abroad his loue most aboundantlie in the hearts of the faithfull and Christ lieth betweene tho breasts of his Church as a posie of myrrhe giuing a strong smell Christian. But how can he be a Christian that feels no grace nor goodnes in himselfe Minister The child which as yet can vse no reason is for all that a reasonable creature and the man in a soune feeles no power of life and yet he is not dead The Christian man hath manie quaumes come ouer his heart and he falles into manie a soune that none almost would loke for anie more of the life of Christ in him yet for al that he may be a true Christian. This was the estate of Peter when he denied our sauiour Christ with cursing and banning his faith onelie fainted for a time it failed not Christian. I haue nowe opened vnto you the chiefe things that trouble me and your comfortable answers haue much refreshed my troubled minde The God of all mercie and consolation requite you accordinglie Minister I haue
plucked out their eies to haue done him good yet they fell from the doctrine which hee had taught them to iustification by the works of the Lawe which flat ouerthroweth iustification by faith alone The same appeareth in Iehu who was very zealous for Gods cause and for the defacing of Idolatrie and thereupon God blessed him in his children yet neuerâ—helesse he was a wicked man and followed â—ha vile sinnes of Ieroboam his father XXVI After that hee hath sinned hee doth in many things in which he is faultie amende and reforme his life and doth professe great holines outwardly Herode hee did manie thinges which Iohn Baptist in preaching moued him vnto Saule when he was to be chosen king professed great humilitie Sam. 9. 21. They may represse their vices corruptions and so moderate themselues that they breake not out as did Haman of whom it is written that when he was full of indignation against Mardocheus yet he refrained himselfe And herein the elect and the reprobate differ for the elect are somewhat reformed in euerie one of their sinnes But the reprobate though hee be amended in manie faults yet some one fault or other he cannot abide to haue it reformed and by that in a vile manner the diuel wholly possesseth him As Herode who did manie thinges yet woulde not leaue his brothers wife And no doubt in Iudas most of his sinnes in appearance were mortified and yet by couetousnes the diuel possessed him and held him fast chained in bondage vndâ— him For one sinne is sufficient to him thâ— by it he may bring a man to damnation XXVII Beside this he may haue the gift of woâ—king miracles of casting forth diuels of heâ—ling and such like And this power of dâ—ing strange miracles shall be vsed as an eâ—cuse of some of the reprobates in the day â— iudgement XXVIII Ofrentimes vnto him is giuen the gift of the holie Ghost to discharge the moâ— waightie calling that can bee in anie Common wealth And this is meant when Goâ— is saide to giue Saule another heart that is such vertues as were meete for a King XXIX A reprobate may haue the word of Goâ— much in his mouth and also may be a preacher of the word for so prophesying in Christâ— name shall bee vsed as an excuse of reprobates and we know that among the twelue Apostles Iudas was a reprobate And this may bee well perceiued in the resemblance of tasting which the Author to the Hebrewes vseth We know that Cookes commonlie which are occupied in preparing of banquets haue as much feeling and seeing of the meate as anie other and yet there is none that eateth lesse of it than they for their stomacks are cloied with the smell and tast of it So in like manner it may come to passe that the Minister which dresseth and prouideth the spirituall foode may eate the least of it himselfe and so labouring to saue others he may be a reprobate XXX When as a reprobate professeth thus much of the Gospel though in deede he be a Goate yet hee is taken for one of Gods sheepe hee is kept in the same pastures and is foulded in the same fould with them He is counted a Christian of the children of God so he taketh himself to be no doubt because through the dulnes of his heart he cannot trie and examine himself and therfore truely cannot discerne of his estate whether hee be in Christ or not and it may be thought that Satan is readie with some false perswasion to deceiue him For this is his property that vpon whom God threatneth death there Satan is bolde to pronounce life and saluation as on the contrarie to those to whom God pronounceth loue and mercie to those I say he threateneth displeasure and damnation such malice hath he against Gods children XXXI And hereby it commeth to passe that an hypocrite may be in the visible Church and obey it in the word and discipline and so bee taken for a true member of Christ when as a man in deede regenerate may be excommunicate and end his life before he be receiued againe for this is the end of excommunication that the flesh that is the part vnregenerate may be destroied and the spirit that is the part regenerate may be kept aliue in the daie of the Lord. Nowe the man in whom is spirite and flesh must needes be the child of God because this argueth that he hath the sanctifying spirite of Christ. Againe Paule when he biddeth the Corinthians to comfort the incestious man least through the sleight of Satan he should be ouerwhelmed of ouermuch heauines giueth men to vnderstand that he might haue ended his life in great extremitie of sorrowe before hee had been visiblie receiued into the Church againe XXXII Though God will neuer adopt any reprobate yet by the adoption of the elect they may receiue profite For they finde â—he blessing of God to be on them by reaâ—on that they dwell together and haue sociâ—tie with the children of God For Nohes â—ake euerie one in his familie is saued in the â—lood For Lots cause the men of Zoar are â—reserued from the fire And God woulde haue spared Sodome if there had beene but ten good men in it For Rahabs cause her familie and kindred are at libertie in Ierico When Ioseph was in Putiphars house all thinges prospered well For Samuels cause the Israelites were deliuered from the Philistines And for Paules cause they which were with him in the ship were preserued And againe a reprobate by meanes of the faith of either of his parents may be within Gods couenant and so may be made partaker of Baptisme one of the seals of the couenant Forso God made his couenant with Abraham that he woulde be not only his God but also the God of his seede after him which Paule expoundeth not of a fewe but of all nations Also he saith manifestly that those children either of whose parents are beleeuers or holie which holines is not inherent in their persons but onely outwarde and it is a spirituall prerogatiue graunted them of God in that he vouchsafeth them to be in his couenant whereby they are distinguished from the wicked and prophane men of the world XXXIII Besides this reprobates haue some prerogâ—atiues of God as that he is patieÌ„t towards them that before he will destroy them he vseth many meanes to winne them that they commonly spend all the daies of their liues in prosperitie insomuch that it is saide of them in the Psalme that they goe in continuall prosperitie vnto their death and pine not away as the children of God doe But after a certaine time God in his iust iudgement hardeneth their harts blindeth the eies of their minds he maketh their heads giddie with a spirituall drunkennes and by the strength of their inward lusts as also by the effectuall
my conscience and went nie to perswade mee that my father would thrust me awaie and hang me if hee catched me so that I was like a great while to runne away rather then to returne to my father againe Feare and dread of rebuke and of losse of my fathers loue and of punishment wrastled with the trust which I had in my fathers goodnesse and as it were gaue my faith a fall But I rose againe as soone as the rage of the first brunt was past and my minde was more quiet And the goodnes of my father and his olde kindnes came vnto my remembrance either by mine owne courage or by the comfort of another And I beleeued that my father would not put me away or destroie me and hee hoped that I woulde doe no more so And vpon that I got me home againe dismaied but not altogether faithlesse the olde kindnes would not let me dispaire how beit all the worlde coulde not set mine heart at rest vntill the paine had beene past and vntill I had heard the voice of my father that all is forgotten Timoth. Seeing that you haue thus plainelie and truelie shewed the weaknes of yours and consequentlie of all mens faith shewe mee I praie you howe by the weakenes of faith a Christian is not rather discomforted then comforted and assured of his saluation Euseb. God doth not so much regarde the quantitie of his graces as the truth of them hee approoueth a litle faith if it bee a true faith yea if faith in vs were no more but a graine of mustard seede which is the least of al other seedes it should be effectual and God would haue respect vnto it The poore diseased beggar with a lame hande hauing the palsie also is able neuerthelesse to reach out the same and receiue an almes of a king and so in like manner a weake and languishing faith is sufficieÌ„tly able to reach out it selfe and to apprehende the infinite mercies of our heauenlie king offered vnto vs in Christ. Faith in the 3. of Iohn is compared vnto the eie of the Israelite which although it were of dimme sight or looked a squint yet if it could neuer so little beholde the brasen Serpent it was sufficient to cure the stings of the fiery serpeÌ„ts to saue life Timoth. Seing that you satisfie me in euery point so fully shew me I pray you whether a man may be wicked haue faith whether faith entring expelleth wickednes For I haue heard some saie that a maÌ„ might beleeue the word of God and yet be neuer the better in his life or holier theÌ„ before he was Euseb. Many there are which when they heare or read of faith at once they consent thereunto haue a certain imagination opinioÌ„ of faith as wheÌ„ a man telleth a storie or a thing done in a straÌ„ge land that perteineth not to theÌ„ at al which yet they beleeue tel as a true thing this imagination oâ— opinion they call faith Therfore as soone as they haue this imagination or opinion in their heartes they saie verilie this doctrine seemeth true I beleeue it euen so theÌ„ they thinke that the right faith is there but afterward when they feele in themselues no maner of working of the spirite neither the terrible sentence of the law the horrible captiuity vnder Satan neither can perceiue any alteration in theÌ„selues that any good works follow but find they are altogether as before abide in their old state theÌ„ think they y t faith is not sufficient but that works must be ioined with faith to iustificatioÌ„ but true faith is only the gift of God is mightie in operation euer working being full of vertue it renueth man begetteth him a fresh altreth him changeth him turneth him altogether into a new creature conuersatioÌ„ so that a maÌ„ shal feel his hart clean changed far otherwise disposed then before hath power to loue y t which before he could not but hate delighteth in that which before he abhorred hateth y t which before he could not but loue And it setteth the soul at liberty maketh hir free to follow the wil of god is to the soul as health to y e body after y t a maÌ„ is pined with loÌ„g sickâ—es the legs cannot bear him he cannot lift vp his hands to help him his tast is corrupt sugar is better in his mouth his stomacke longeth after slubbersauce and swash at which a whole stomacke is ready to cast his gorge when health commeth shee changeth and altereth him cleane giueth him strength in all his members lust and will to doe of his owne accorde that which before he could not doe neither coulde suffer that anie man should exhort him to doe hath now lust in wholsome things and his members are free and at libertie and haue power to doe all things of his owne accord which belong to a sounde and whole man to doe And faith worketh in the same manner as a tree bringes foorth fruite of his owne accorde and as a man neede not bidde a tree bring foorth fruite so is there no lawe put to him that beleeueth and is iustified through faith neither is it needefull For the lawe is written and grauen in his heart his pleasure is dailie therein and as without commaundement euen of his owne nature he eateth drinketh seeth heareth talketh goeth euen so of his owne nature without anie compulsion of the lawe bringeth foorth good workes and as an whole man when hee is a thirst tarrieth but for drinke and when he hungreth abideth but for meate and then drinketh and eateth naturallie Euen so is the faithfull euer a thirst and an hungred after the will of God and tarrieth but for an occasion and whensoeuer an occasion is giuen hee worketh naturallie the will of God For this blessing is giuen them that trust in Christs bloude that they thirst and hunger to doe Gods will He that hath not this faith is but an vnprofitable babler of faith and workes and neither worketh what hee bableth nor whereunto his words pretend For he feeleth not the power of faith nor the working of the spirit in his heart but interpreteth the scriptures which speake of faith and workes after his owne blinde reason and foolish fantasies not hauing any experience in himselfe Timoth. Euerie member of Christs congregation is a sinner and sinneth daily some more some lesse for it is written 1. Ioh. 1. If we saie we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. And Paule Rom. 7. That good which I would that do I not but that euill which I would not that doe I. So it is not I that doe it saith hee but sinne that dwelleth in mee So the Christian man is both a sinner and no sinner which how it can be shew it me by your experience Euseb. I being one man in substance and two men in qualitie flesh and