THE TRIALL OF TRVTH: Containing A PLAINE AND SHORT DISCOVEry of the chiefest pointes of the Doctrine of the great Antichrist, and of his adherentes the false Teachers and Heretikes of these last times.
O yee Hypocrites, yee can discerne the face of the sky, and can ye not discerne the signes of the times?
Let no man deceiue you by any meanes: for (the Lord shall not come) except there come an Apostasie first, and that man of sinne be revealed, the sonne of perdition, who is an adversary, and is exalted aboue all that is called God, or worshipped, so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himselfe that he is God,
AT OXFORD, Printed by JOSEPH BARNES, and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Bible Ann. Dom. 1600.
TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD HIS VERY GOOD Lord, HENRY Bishoppe of Sarum.
RIGHT Reverende Father, and my very good L. I am bold in your Lordshippes name to present to Christ his Church these my travailes vndertaken in defence of the same against her capitall enemy the great Antichrist, especially seeing your Lordship is our Coronell vnder whose conduct we, that are leaders of smal bandes vnder your regiment, are marshalled along vnto these our military services, and are encouraged to fight the Lords battles. VVherefore I am most humbly to craue not only your Lordshippes approbation herein, but also your speciall protection, that so the better successe may ensue.
And I am most earnestly to exhort all those which are Leaders with me of smaller companies, that they would submitte themselues dutifully to the government of their Lieftenant generall, and Coronels appointed over them for their spirituall services, that they take them for their governours and not for their enemies, and that they be preast and ready to put in execution their lawfull designmentes, (howsoeuer some of them perhappes may conceaue, that there might bee devised some better course for the menaging of these affaires.) For doubtles whersoeuer the Generall & Coronels be not readily obeied by their vnder Officers, but deemed & iudged for deadly enemies, there must needes arise sedition and mutinies, and so in the end, vnlesse it be prevented, the vtter overthrowe of the whole army. As therefore, my brethren, wee would bee [Page] loath to be the meanes to weaken & dissolue the Lords bands, and to strengthen and encrease the force of the enemy, let vs so stand vpon our several watches, that we keepe our selues to our owne colours, and discerne our chiefest Patrones & Protectors from our most dangerous and deadly foes, and distinguish our Fathers, that haue begotten vs through the gospell, from such as would bastardize vs, if they could, and rob vs of our caelestiall and heavenly inheritance. Yea whereas the enemy by strong leagues and confederac [...]es, and by all meanes that pollicy can devise, or industry bring to passe, hath long time sought to strengthen himselfe that he might bring vs to vtter destruction: how ought we with one heart and one soule ioine togeather for our owne preservatiō, & especially for the furthering of the glorious gospell of Christ our Lord, & for the establishing of his kingdome? VVe knowe all very well that by peace and vnity small things become great, as by discorde and dissention great things are brought to nothing. And therfore I cannot but greatly reuerence that godly affection of that religious & reverend father in God THOMAS COOPER late Bishop of VVinchester, who lying in his death bed, whē sense, reason, & iudgment began to faile him, yet this desire did not waxe weake, but his importunate wil (if I may so tearme his holy and godly zeale ther in) was, that set praiers should bee appointed for the peace of this our Church, & for the establishing of Christian loue and vnity among our selues The which thing, as I take it, would the more easily come to passe, if we would duely weigh with our selues, that government and ceremonies (about the which we contende) are only in general Calvin. in J. ep. ad Cor. c. 11. commanded in the word of God: but what special kinde of government is fittest for every time and countrey, & what ceremonies in particular belong to order, comelines, and edification, these things are not left in the power of private persons [Page] (for that woulde tende to confusion and all disorder, and cause Controversies to be endles) but to the povver of such as be in autoritie, and the determination of their holesome lawes.
The articles of faith saith Tertullian be the law of faith: Tertul. d [...] virg. vt [...]ad. this law remaining, other matters of discipline and conversation doe admitte the novelty of correction, the grace of God working, & profiting the Church to the end. VVherefore as I would exhort our Leaders of smaller companies to acknowledge and reverence their greater Commanders, and to submit thēselues to their governemēt; so I vvould also most humblie beseech those wich are in higher place & autority to embrace with loue their inferior Officers, which are desirous to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bonde of peace. And Hostes iudicandi suns qui contrae remp. arma ferunt. non qui suo iudie cio tueri velint remp. that they will not over hastely adiudge all those to be factious & mutinous, who differ a little in iudgemēt frō thē in the ordering of the battle, & in the māner of performing of this or that peece of service; if they fly not, nor turne their backes in the skirmish, but advaūce their ensignes couragiously, & employ their forces māfully against the enimy. The time hath ben Euseb. lib. 5. Cap. 23. whē that the diversity in fasting (& so no doubt in other matters of the like kind) hath ben thought to haue ben a cōmendatiō to the vnity in faith. The time hath beene when heady Idem. lib. 5. Cap. 26. Victor seeking a victory to himselfe and so hindering the conquest and triumph of the truth, hath beene overruled by a discrete Irene perswading peace, that so the gospel might gette the greater victorie. The time hath beene when rash Iosuah provoking meeke Moses to put to silence Eldad Numb. 11. & 28. and Medad for prophecying in the host, and not being present as it vvere before his Consistorie, receaued the cheeke for his labour: Enviest thou for my sake? I would to God all the LORDES people could prophecie, and [Page] that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them. For if Christ Ph. 1. 18. be preached any manner of way it ought to be the matter of great ioy to every true & sincere Christiā: And if to vs this dispēsatiō be cōmitted, woe, woe vnto vs if we preach not the 1. Cor 9. 16. Gospell: but if we be instāt herein in seasō, & out of season, and feede Christes sheepe againe & againe, for that they are redeemed with his owne blood, happie are we even by the testimony of the Lord himselfe, seing we are possessed with his loue. And happy also is the estate of those sheepe which haue Ioh 21. 15. a faithfull sheapheard to goe in and out before them, and to lead thē alonge into the pastures of righteousnes: as lamentable is the case of those Cōgregations which are as sheepe scattered abroad without a sheapheard; as wretched is the estate Math 9. 36. of that ground, which hath no skilfull husbandman to manure the same. Surely the harvest is great & the labourers are but few & therefore we must make earnest suite to the Lord of the harvest that he would thrust forth labourers into his harvest. And may we not as truly say, that these battles are hote, & that the leaders thereof on the adverse part are many, expert, & cruel & therefore that there is great neede that all the Leaders of the Lords armies should be stirred vp & encouraged each by other to stand vp in the breach and couragiously to withstand the force of the enimie? The which thinge if any of thē shall either be vnwilling or vnable to performe, order had neede to be taken presētly for such, least the armie thereby should be brought in great danger.
And verely (right Reverend in the Lord) it is lamentable to behold what great massacres, blindnes, and ignorance, superstition and Idolatrie do make as yet in the middest of many Congregations, who are laide as it were wast and desolate, for want, as it may be supposed, either of hability, or else of industry in their Leaders which should withstand the force of [Page] these enimies. How many are there even among those which outwardly notwithstāding cōforme thēselues to law & order, who feede still vpon poisō, for want of holesome foode to be so divided, that they may be able to receaue the same: & like silly sheepe are still ready to stray hither & thither & to become a pray to the greedy wolfe, for wāt of such a sheapheard as should still goe in & out before thē, and direct them along in a right course? For is it not with vs (who are in this our Church as it were the feete of the Ministery) as it was with that image represēted to Nabuchadnezzar in a dreāe, whose feete were part of iron & part of clay? For there are in many (the Lord be blessed for thē, & encrease the number of thē) the strength of iron, whereby they are enabled to stay the people vpright, & to keepe thē in obediēce to God & to their Soveraigne: and there are others like moultring clay hauing little power to strengthē thēselues, & lesse hability to stay others.
Thus am I bold to intimate the estate of Christs sheepe vnto your Lordshippe being our great sheepheard, who not onely by your antority do require our watchfulnes & diligence over our severall flocks, but also by your owne example do perswade vs therevnto verifiyng by your practise the truth of that saying of one of your L. most famous Predecessors; that, as an Emperour should die standing in the fielde, so should a B. in the pulpitte. The high and cheife Bishop of all our soules visite your Lordship daily with his mercies, encrease his graces & blessings vpon you, & preserue you both in body & soule to his owne honour, & to the benefite of his Church. Amen.
To the Christian Reader.
AS it is a necessary duty (good Christian Reader) for every mēber in mans body, even for the meanest and basest as wel as for the most principal to performe their common service for the cōmon benefit & preservation of the whole: even so it is as needful for every member of the Church & cōmon weale, be he higher or lower, greater or lesse, to walke painfully in his seueral calling, & in obediēce to God, who hath thus or thus placed him & carefully to discharge that dutie which the Lord requireth at his hands. For there are none of Gods blessings, be they in cōparison of the greater of never so low a rate & estimatiō, but that they are worthy that we should employ our cares & cogitations about the lavvful obtaining, encreasing, & preserving of the same: & there is no talent so smal cōmitted to any, that is carelesly or cō temptuously to be flunge aside, tied vp in a napkin, or buried Math. 25. in the groūd. Should a little light be cleane put out, wheras it may fit some little cādlesticke, & serue to lightē some little house? Or should a man of meane stature, when he is assaulted by his enemy, stand nothing at al vpon his owne defence, but cast away al manner of weapon, because he is not able to vse Hercules clubbe? Our Saviour Christ (which Isa 42 3. Mat. 21. 16. breaketh not the bruised reede, nor quencheth the smoaking flax) reiected not the testimony of very childrē crying in the tēple & saying, Hosanna, the son of Dauid, but gaue strēgth vnto it with Haue ye never reade; out of the mouthes of babes Psal. 8. 2. and sucklings thou hast made perfite thy praise. Little David vnable to beare the weapon of a man of warre, beeing 1. Sam. 17. [Page] strengthned by the Lords aide, prevailed against great Goliah. And experience doth teach that in martiall services, a meane souldiours bullet may strike some cheife man of the adverse part, and so further the winning of the fielde, and helpe to the getting of the full victorie. The Lords hād is not shortned, nor his spirit tied: the planting and watring of such as haue the greatest giftes is nothing, vnlesse God 1. Cor. 3. 7. giue the encrease: and the laboures of the meanest Minister of Christ may be profitable to his Church, when it pleaseth the Lord to giue a blessing therevnto. Yea the meaner the instrument, the greater is the glorie of him that worketh by the same, when all men that see it shall say, this hath 2. Cor. 47. the Lord done: and shall perceaue that it is his worke. Vpon these groundes haue I beene emboldened (good Christian Reader) albeit but a meane souldiour to come into the fielde with the residue of the Lordes army, to the succouring, if it be but of one soule, or to the rescuing of one captiue out of the enimies handes.
Many things do plainly cōvince the B. of Rome & his adherēts as the most capitall enimies of Christes Church in these last times & endes of the world. For howsoever they pretend thēselues to be the onely preservers, yet in truth they are most greavous destroiers of the Catholike faith: & albeit they make a shew as if they were the cheifest pillars, yet they are the greatest pullers downe of the Church of Christ: and although they glory of their perfect consent and agreement with the doctrine of Christ, yet in truth they maintaine many flat & direct cōtradictiōs against the very groūds & foūdations of the doctrine of Christ. The shortest sūme & abridgment of the doctrine of Christ is, Repēt, & beleeue the gospel. Repētāce & Faith. Whereof the Marc. 1. 15. one is occasioned by the due consideration of our owne most [Page] manifold and greavous corruptions, the other by the apprehension of the Lordes most singular and endles goodnes. And therefore the scope of the whole Scripture tēding to teach repētāce & faith, tēdeth likewise to these two ends, on the one side to display & lay open the incomparable excellencies & perfectiōs that be in God, that by the beauty therof we may be most earnestly stirred vp to desire reconciliatiō & fellowship with him, to place our whole hope & confidēce in him & to ascribe vnto him al honour & glory: & on the other side to discover the infirmities & corruptions of man, that therby he may be induced, al selfe loue set aside, to distrust, deny, & renoūce himselfe, to hāg down the head being cōfoūded in himselfe & cast downe to the bottomles pitte of hell. So the Prophet I say setting downe the mighty working of the gospell at the coming of the Messias testifieth that thereby the high lookes shall be humbled, and the Isa. 2. 17. & 24. 23. loftines of man shall be abated, and the Lord onely shall be exalted in that day: yea that the Moone shal be abashed, and the Sunne ashamed, whē the Lord shal appeare: that is, that such things, as in our selues seeme beautiful as the Sūne, shalbe covered with darknes, & dashed over as with a coa [...]e, in respect of the brightnes of Gods most admirable goodnes shining in the face of the glorious Messias. And wha [...] else also meaneth the Prophet [...]zechiell in saying, that when Ezech. 16. the Lord hath confirmed his everlasting Covenant with vs, & is pacified towards vs, thē we shal remēber our waies & be ashamed, & neuer open our mouthes any more in respect of our shame? Wherefore if we will bee partakers of the fruite of the gospell, we must be moued thereby to looke throughly into our own corruptiōs, & to cast down our eies as it were vpō our own fowle feete, that so we may haue our part in that shāe which is the path way to worship & honor. We Eccl. 4. 21. [Page] must not be gazing vpon our peacockes tailes, nor beholding the Sūne when he shineth, nor the Moone walking in her Iob. 31. 26. brightnes: that is, we must not admire ourselues no not in respect of our tēporal or spiritual gifts, lest our owne harts do flatter vs in secret, & so induce vs to kisse our own hāds. Surely this is an iniquity to be cōdēned, seing it is a denial Hab. 2. 4. of the Lord aboue. For he that lifteth vp himselfe, his hart is not vpright: for the iust shal liue by faith: which teacheth vs not to admire ourselues, or to trust in our selues, but to go out of our selues and to trust in God, and to place our whole hope in the riches of his grace, & in the fulnes of his goodnes. And in truth we can hardly detract to much from man (in whose flesh dwelleth no good thing, & al the imaginatiōs Rom. 7 18. Gen. 6. 5. of whose hart are only evil cōtinually) that so he may be brought to cast away al selfe loue, pride, & cōfidence in himselfe, & take to himselfe his due deserved cōfu [...]ion and shame, & be vnfainedly hūbled as he ought to be: As on the cōtrary side we cā as hardly ascribe to much to Gods goodnes, or be overlavish in extolling the hight lēgth, bredth, & depth of the loue of Christ that passeth knowledge, that so the pledges of his endles favour may raise vs vp to a true & liuely faith, & to giue him that glory that is due to him. And why should mire that lieth in the streete be so gready to be seasōed with sugar & spice, & a vile peece of a rotten post to be gilded over with fine gold? why should wretched & sinful man be desirous to enlarg his own estimatiō & by advaūcing & lifting vp himselfe prepare a way to a most dā gerous downfall? So God be glorified, we ought not greatly regard what becometh of vs, seing all is due to him, & nothing to vs. And verely the most blessed servants & saints of God being purged and clensed from all corruptions, & being admitted to the vision of God, and to bebold not his [Page] hinder partes, but even to see him face to face, and so to behold his vnspeakable glory, as farre forth as the creature is capable of the same, albeit they are so highly advaūced, yet they take their crownes from their owne heades, and cast them downe before the throne, saying: Apoc. 4 10. & 11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receaue honour, & glorie, & power: for thou hast created all thinges, & for thy willes sake they were & are created; never ceasing day nor night to sing holy, holy, holy, Lord God Apoc. 15. 4. almighty: who shal not feare thee & glorify thy name, for thou only art holy? Yea our most glorious Lord & Saviour Christ Iesus himselfe, who was annointed with the oile of gladnes aboue his fellowes, and endued vvith the spirite vvith out measure, vvho is advaunced to the right hand of GOD, and hath all power in heaven and earth giuen vnto him, & is appointed iudge of quicke & deade, when he shall haue finished the worke of his Mediator-shippe, and shall haue placed al the elect of God in the peaceable possessiō of that most glorious kingdome which he hath purchased for thē with his owne blood, thē, as he is man, he shal deliver vp his kingdome to God, & be subiect to him, & that to this end, that God may be all in all, all glorie & honour, power & 1. Co. 15. 28 praise being worthely ascribed only to him. Whereby it is evident that God can never be sufficiently magnified in respect of his incomprehensible goodnes & glory; as on the contrary side man can never be sufficiently hūbled & abased, especially in comparison had vnto God.
And yet the members of the Church of Rome, fearing belike that Gods great grace should be to highly magnified & that to much should be yeelded therevnto, & being loath (as it seemeth) that man should take to himselfe that due deserued shāe that belōgeth vnto him, wil haue neither Conc. Trid. sess 6. cap. 1. Can. 7. al our workes before our cōversatiō being dōe without faith [Page] to be condemned for sinne, nor all our good workes after our Cap. [...]. con. 25. Cap. 2. can. 4. conversion to be stained so much as with any [...]ental sinne, neither all our very sinnes to be damnable and mortall nor yet our conversion it selfe to be wrought only by the spirit of regeneration, but also by the power of our owne free wil: neither our salvation to be ascribed to the only death of our all sufficient Saviour, but also to our owne merites and desertes. The Prophet Cap. 11. can. 32. Psal. 115. 1. David was of another spi [...]e: Not vnto vs, O Lorde (saith he) not vnto vs, but vnto thy n [...]e giue the praise, for thy loving mercy & for thy truthes sa [...]e, Oh, (saith Aust.) God doth prevent thee in all thinges, prevent thou also his wrath: How? Confesse that all good thou receivest of him, and all evil Serm. 10. de ver. Apost. from thy selfe. But the Church of [...]ome regardeth not this holesome counsel of this learned Father, shee will not haue her children to disgrace themselues so much, as to confesse themselues voide of al goodnes and replenished with all evill: neither will shee haue the free mercy of God in Christ so farre fo [...]th m [...]gn [...]fied and extolled, as i [...] all the due deserved glory of al celestial graces were to be ascribed thervnto: and therefore God in his iust wrath hath given her over to her owne blindnes, that making her boast that her faith No manerreth more then hee that thinketh he never erreth. cannot faile, yet shee teacheth divers and manifold errours contrary to all the grounds of the Catholike faith. For many grievous and damnable are the heresies, wherewithall the Bishop and Church of [...]ome are most truely and iustly charged by vs, which professe the Gospell of [...]esus Christ: for the removing wherof the words indeed of the scrip [...]ure are alleadged by them; but the question being of the right sence thereof, albeit the children of that Church pretende for the iustifying of their interpretations the consent of fathers Stap. doct. princ. li. 7. ca. [...] [...] 8 10. [...] l. 10. cap. 11. the common testimony of the faithfull, & the decrees of councels, yet at the last only, or at the least principally, they [Page] rest vpon the definitiue sentence and censure of the Pope. So that the question being whether the Pope bee Antichrist, the ful and finall decision thereof must in the ende as they teach) be devolved to the Pope himse [...]fe, and hee must be the Iudge in his owne cause Now what is this, but aske my fellow, nay aske my selfe, whether I am a thiefe? Whereby they make manifest vnto the whole world the great weaknes and wretchedne [...] of their owne cause, which cannot otherwise be iustified & approved, vnlesse the guilty parties thēselues be suffered to pronounce the definitiue sentence. Whereas our Saviour Christ testifieth of himselfe, saying: If I shoulde beare witnesse of my selfe, my witnesse were not Ioh 5. 31. Ioh. 8. 54. true. And againe: If I should honour my selfe, my honour is nothing worth. If then our Saviour himselfe would not be beleeved vpon his owne bare word, b [...]t had his doctrine confirmed by his Fathers voice from heaven, by the testimonies of the Prophets, and by his owne miracles: what pride possesseth the Popes heart, that he will not submit himselfe as Christ did, and be tried as he was tried? Now herein the Antichristian presumption of the Bishop of Rome in exalting himselfe aboue our Saviour Christ beeing manifestly detected, with the great nakednes and wretchednes of his cause, his friendes to shadow & darken [...]he same, haue raised Camp. rat. 2 Poss. Bibl. select no. 7. cap. 18. vp a mist of a most notorious slander against vs, as if we were those parties, that would be tried by none but by our selues, and would allow in no manner of controversie the iudgement of any Interprete [...], but Luthers, Melancthons, Caluins, Bezaes or the like. The which thing if it were true, we see no reason why we may not iustifie the same far better, then they can their depending vpon the Popes chaire. For these mē were painefully exercised in praier [...], reading, and meditation, and were furnished with the knowledge of [Page] Artes and tongues which are great helpes to the attaining vnto the right interpretation of holy scriptures. Whereas it is averred by men of their ovvne profession as a thing notorious, that many of their Popes haue not vnderstood the Alphonsus li. 1. c. 4. groundes and principles of the very Grammer it selfe: and of those that haue beene learned, the greater sort haue beene expert in pointes of policie, rather then in sound and profound Divinity. Now right interpretation of holy scriptures being obtained from God not extraordinarily by revelation in these daies, but ordinarily by meanes, let all indifferent persons iudge vvhether the vnlearned or politike Popes, or the other so wel studied & learned men were like to be the better Interpreters of holy scriptures. But indeede we stand not vpon this exception, but constantly avouch that this their accusation is a most impudent and shameles slaunder raised vp in al likelyhoode even against their ovvne consciences, as it may appeare by the appeale of that reverend Father John Juell in diverse controversies betweene thē and vs made vnto all approved antiquity cited & censured euen by themselues. For vve like of the testimonies of Fathers, Camp. Rat 5. Church and Councels, and haue iust cause in many pointes to allovv of their decisions: but we tie not the truth necessarily vnto them, but vnto the spirit of truth, who being the Autor, is also the best interpreter of holy Scripture, having therefore plainely set downe in them all necessarie points of faith, that the plaine & easie places therof, might be as lightes to the darke and obscure, for the better opening and explaning of the same.
Yea as in al Artes & Sciences there are some principles and grounds vndeniable and vnavoideable, having open & manifest truth in themselues evident to the light of nature shining in vs, and winning credit to thēselues by their own [Page] perspicuous verity, by the which the certainety of al other precepts of lesse perspicuity & authority is to be tried: evē so in Theology also there are certaine principles & groūds, having open, confessed, & vndeniable truth in themselues, such as are the Articles of the Apostles creede, vnto which the interpretations of darker places are to be referred, & by which the doubts & cōtroversies in matters of faith are to be decided. For these are even as great torch-lightes, lightning both themselues & others also. And as any having but meane skil in that craft, if he set but the level to the worke, shal soone see whether it be right: or if he rub the mettal vpon the touch-stone, he shal quickly perceiue what it is: even so to any that is but meanly experienced in the doctrine of Christ, if he compare his faith to these grounds of faith, he may soone perceiue whether he hold a soūd faith. For as in Law, & Physicke, & in al other libe [...]al Arts & Sciences the painfull studēt may attaine to a sufficient knowledge of the same by the helpe especially of their maine groundes and principles, albeit there bee no vnerring Interpreter able to decide al doubts and controversies therein: even so in Theology, albeit there be none vnerring Interpreter amōg mē, yet the studious & devout Christian may attaine to a sufficient knowledge of al such points of faith as are necessary to salvatiō by the helpe of the maine grounds & principles of faith. Or may we suppose that the God of all, but especially of such as beleue, hath bin more careful for the naturalmā by leaving those principles which stande vpon their owne ground, that so he may attaine to the knowledge of all such Arts & sciences which are profitable for the maintenāce of this tēporal life: that he hath not left the like principles and groūds for the regenerate mā, wherby he may attaine to the knowledge of al such things as do cōcerne eternal life? And if Aristotle bee iudge in Philosophy, Galene in Physicke, [Page] Iustinian in the law, albeit many of their rules & precepts he diversly expounded by their Interpreters: even so albeit there be diverse expositions of holy scripture, yet God forbide but the holy scripture of God the most cleare & pure fountaine of truth should be the iudge of faith, & that especially by the maine grounds of faith therein cōtained. The which are therefore named by the aunciēt Fathers the key A b [...] serm 38. Aug. de doct. Christ. l. 3. cap 2. & 3. De Temp. Serm 119. So r. hist. Eccles. lib. 5. Cap. 10. and rule of faith, for that the perspicuity & plainnes of thē doth open as it were a doore into all the mysteries of faith. And hereof it was, that not only Theodosius the Emperor vsed thē as a meanes to end all cōtroversies in his time: but S. Austin also, being to expoūd the first booke of Moses, called Gen. setteth thē down in the forefrōt of his worke, as a rule whereby he meaneth to frame al his interpretatiōs: that if they misse in the meaning of any particular place, yet they may not erre in the substāce of faith because he avoucheth nothing but that which is agreable to the groūds of faith. So likwise Tertulliā & Iraene that liued near the Apostles See Kemnis. Exa Trid. Conc. de traditionibus. time, whē certaine heretikes charged the scriptures (as the mēbers of the Church of Rome doe now) that they were in sufficiēt, dark, & ambiguous, & that the truth could not be foūd out by them without traditions, they ioined issue with thē, & referred themselues to the iudgmēt of that doctrine, which the Apostles delivered by tradition to the Churches: the sūme whereof they relate, altogeather as it were, evē as it is set down in the Apostles Creed, being the very pith & substāce of that faith, which was delivered first by mouth by the Apostles thēselues, & afterward set downe in their writings, that it might be the pillar & foūdatiō of faith: & al interpretatiōs of scripture they require to be agreable to this entire & perfect body of truth, as they had learned of the Apostle S. Paul, that al prophecie should bee Rom. 12. 6. [Page] sutable & proportionable to the faith. Vnto the which Testimonies of these learned Fathers, I adde the iudgment of Beza & Kēnitius quoted before, that al indifferēt persōs may perceiue, that we walke in the sāe waies, that these learned Fathers haue trod out vnto vs, & vsed the same meanes to attaine to the right interpretatiō of holy scripture, and to a sound & catholike iudgment in matters of faith. No hūble Serm. in c 3. Cant. christiā (saith Beza) if he desire to be taught, cā be deceiued in the interpretatiō of holy scripture, if he diligētly cōfer place with place according vnto the exāple of our S. Christ, & the Math. 4. 7. practise of the aunciēt Coūcels: & if with all he referre the whole vnto the correspōdēcy of the articles of our faith, which we call our Creede, being the sūmary abridgmēt of every fū damētall point of our Christian religiō. Most notable also to Serm 4 de Incarnat. Dumini. this purpose is that of Leo: If any (saith he) shal preach vnto you any other thing besides that which ye haue learned, let him be accursed preferre not wicked fables before evidēt truth: & whatsoever it shall happē that ye read or heare cōtrary to the rule of the Catholike & Apostolike Creede, accoūt it altogeather dānable & divelish. By which testimony of this learned Father we may gather, that the doctrine of faith sette down in the Creede is that evidēt truth which was delivered by the Apostles, & whatsoever is contrary to the same is a wicked fable & to be accursed, as being no better then flat dānable & divelish. Wherefore (good Christiā reader) if thou wouldst not willingly hold that faith which is fabulous, accursed, dānable, & diuelish, examine thy faith according to those groūds, which are both easie, short, & perfect, least thou shouldst plead ignorāce in thy selfe, or lēgth & tediousnes in the worke it selfe. Be not ouer credulous in this matter of so greate moment, nor so simple as to receaue any pointes of faith, which are not agreeable to this rule of faith, No although that they be ta [...]ght by that [Page] Church which maketh her boast that she cānot erre, and that the faith of her cheife governor cā never faile Nay rather if thou wilt be a sound scholer in the schoole of Christ, learne to yeelde that reverence & honour only to the bookes of Aug ep 91. ad [...]litron. the diuine scripture, that thou firmely beleue that none of the Autors of thē erred any whit in the penning of the same: giue this prerogatiue only to the worde of God, that it hath his sufficiēt warrāt & credite in itselfe, because it is inspired of God & proceedeth frō him which cānot erre, deceiue, or be deceiued: & as for the writtings of all other, albeit they excel in wisdom & holines, receiue thē not because they haue thus iudged, but for that they are cōfirmed by the autority of the Canonicall scripture, or by some reasō agreable vnto Hom. 13. in 2. ep ad Cor trueth. And verily it is an absurd thing (as Chrysost saith) in a mony matter not to trust an other, but to tell that evē after a mans own father, & in matters of farre greater momēt, which cōcerne Gods glory, & the salvatiō of our owne soules, in a simple & sottish credulity to follow the iudgmēts of other men, whereas also we haue a most exact ballāce & rule, even the cēsure & determinatiō of the divine lawes. Yea whereas we are precisely cōmāded to proue all, & to approue the best: & [...]. Th. 5. 21. 1. Ioh 4. 1. 1. Cor. 14. & 32. not to beleeue every spirit, but to try the spirits, whether they bee of God or no: for that the spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets & therefor by trial to be foūd true before they be beleeued. Neither is it any disgrace to the iudgmēt of man, to be subiect to the cēsure of Gods spirite, already set downe in the canonical scriptures: for evē the spirit of God speaking in S. Paul was cōtēt to be tried by the sacred scriptures, that is in truth by himselfe; & the Bereās at cōmēded Act 17. 11. Apoc. 2. 2. for doing the same: as the Ange [...]l of the church of [...]phesus is also cōmended for examining thē which said they were Apostles & finding thē liars. So likewise our Saviour Christ [Page] the wisdome of God, in whome were hid al the treasures of knowledge, willeth his auditors to search the scriptures, & Ioh. 5. 39. so to try by thē, whether he taught any other doctrine thē was cōtained in these sacred bookes: for in them (saith he) ye thinke to haue life, & they are my deponēts & witnesses: Neither doth he desire any better lurers to giue evidēce cō cerning the truth of his doctrine. And S. Hierome foretelleth of the faithfull of these last daies, that they shall not suffer In Nah. c. 3. thēselues any longer to be kept in ignorance by their blind guides, but shal ascend vp to the moūtaines of the Apostles & Prophets, that by the cleere light of their infallible doctrine they may be directed in the right way to their eternall salvation. Wherefore as many of vs as desire to be saued by cōming 1. Tim. 2. 4. to the knowledge of the truth, let vs follow the commandemēt of Christ and his Apostles, & the example of the noble Bereās, & of the faithful of these last time; let vs ascēd vp to the mountaine of the Apostles & Prophets, & take them to be our guids in all our ghostly & spirituall affaires, & let vs by their Canonicall writings, especially by the foūdatiōs of faith in thē cōtained, as by a most certaine & sure rule, try the doctrine of al mē & angels, & of al particular Churches whatsoever, be they Frēch, Duch, Spanish, or Italian. I hat law that will not be tried, is worthely suspected, & that doctrine which flieth the light, is the doctrine of darknes. For truth seeketh not corners, it would not be covered vnder a bushel, but set on a cādlestick, she would not haue her face masked, lest she should passe vnknown, she would appeare with opē coūtenāce, that so she might be iustified of all her childrē. For thy furtherāce herein (good Christiā [...]eader) in this short treatise (the which if it giue but occasiō to some other to hādle the same matter in māner more suffi [...]ient, I neede not accoūt my labour to be lost) I haue laide purple [Page] to purple, that it might the better be discerned, as also the cloth of the cōtrary colour: that is, I haue ioined to the Articles of our Christian Creede, the points of our Christian faith agreeable therevnto, as also such erronious and heretical positions, which are repugnāt & contrary to the same. The which thing being so behouefull and necessary, it had bin convenient that some one of great giftes had been emploied therin, neither could his learning & eloquence haue beene more advanced, then in being handmaides in so profitable a service. But now it pleaseth the Lorde to send this present vnto thee by the hands of a simple servitour, and in a rude and vnpolished speech as in an earthen platter or wodden dish, that so the meate may rellish for the meates sake it selfe, & not for the fairenes or goodlines of the dish. But first thou must purge and free thy taste frō the corrupt humors of partiality, and of al obstinate & wilful resolutiōs: neither must thou presume to appointe of thy selfe what shal be sweet, & what sowre, but suffer the Lord himselfe only to be thy taster therein: and so thou maiest also in thy course both taste and see how gracious the Lord is, and at the length attaine to the blessednes of al such, as place their whole hope and confidence in him. The Lord for his mercies sake disperse more & more the grosse misles of al spirituall blindnes and darknes, and open thine heart, as hee did the heart of Lidia, & giue thee vnderstanding in all things, Act. 16. 14. graunting vnto thee the spirit of truth to leade thee into al truth, for his owne glory, and thine vnspeakeable comfort and ioy.
The principall vses of this Treatise.
FIrst here the Reader may behold the pointes of faith, with the errours repugnant therevnto, referred to the Articles of our Christian faith, and to the residue of the maine grounds and principles of our Catholike profession.
Secondly in this collation he may perceiue both the particular pointes of faith to be a light for the better vnderstanding of these grounds of faith, & also the groundes of faith, to giue greater strength for the confirmation of the particular pointes of faith, and for the confutation of the erroures that are contrary thereto.
Thirdly, whereas the people for the most part cannot read the holy scriptures, nor so well vnderstand and keepe in memorie the sentences takē out of the Apostles & Prophets, as they can these groūds of our Christiā professiō, by reason of the more familiar vse of the same, therefore the particular pointes of faith being made open and knowen vnto them the more easily by this collatiō, they may the sooner hereby be brought to the knowledge of the truth, and also confirmed and established in the same.
Fourthly wheras the most venemous Doctrine of Antichrist is the more A preservatiue for the simple against the polloned doctrine of the Romish Antichrist being offered vnto them in a cup of gold, that is, vnder the name the of Catholike, faith. read [...]ly received, for that it is delivered in a cuppe of gold, that is vnder the name of the Catholike faith, even the simple & vnlearned may receiue by this collation a most soveraigne preseruatiue against the same. For it is an vndoubted trueth agreed vpon of both sides, that these groūdes of faith are Catholike and Apostolike, & therefore that all such doctrines as are not agreable thereto, but are contrary to the same, are neither Catholike, nor yet Apostolike. How then, (may even a simple man say to such as would seduce him to the Popish religion, vnder the pretēce of recōciliatiō to the Catholike faith) cā that doctrine be Catholike, which teacheth it to be sufficient to beleeue in grosse, & as the Church beleeueth, wheras the scope & end of my Catholike Creede is, that I not only know & vnderstād, but also be able to make a distinct cōfession of the very hardest pointes of the Christian faith? Secōdly he may say, how can that doctrine be Catholike, which teacheth me to doubt of particular faith, whereas the Catholike Creede teacheth every faithfull Christian constantly to professe without wavering, I BELEEVE. Thirdly be may aa [...]e, how can your Romish doctrine be Catholike, which teacheth me to beleeue in the Church & in the Saintes, wheras my catholike Creede teacheth me to beleeue the Church, and not in the Church, but only in God: Lastly to omitte the rest, whereas my Catholike [Page] Creede teacheth me, that Christ only suffred & died for my sinnes, & that he is my only Redeemer & Saviour, how can your Romish doctrine be Catholike, which teacheth that the Saintes also suffered and died for me, and that their sufferings being applied vnto me by the Popes Pardons, are both SATISFACTORY for my sins, and also MERITORIOVS of eternall glory? wherefore pretende no longer your Romish doctrine to bee the Catholike faith, seeing that it is directly contrary to the maine grounds and Articles of the Catholike faith.
Lastly by this treatise it may be perceived, how the Bishop of Rome and his aaherentes haue brought in that great Apostasie from the faith foretold by the Apostle, and haue also fulfilled all the other prophecies which d [...] concerne the great Antichrist, and therefore that hee is most truly and iustly charged by the professors of the Gospell, to be that very grer [...] Antichrist.
THE TRIALL OF TRVTH.
CHAP. 1.
1 That all fundamentall pointes of faith are contained within the articles of the creede, by the iudgement of diverse catholicke men that lived in former ages: and that all such are to be taken for false prophets, which teach any other faith then is contained in these groundes of faith.
2 That the people ought to examine the doctrine of their pastors & teachers by the rule & levell of the canonical scriptures, and the grounds of faith therein contained.
3 That all pointes of faith necessary to salvation are plaine and easie to every faithful and humble christian, who is sufficiently exercised in the word of God.
4 That the people ought to vnderstand the severall pointes of their faith, and not beleeue in grosse and blindefully as the church beleeveth.
THIS word Symbolū, signifying a summe The Symbole or creede of the Apostles. & an heape cōgested togither, or a signe, or badge to discerne one from another, teacheth vs that in these articles of our faith is contained the whole summe of such things as are to be beleeued of every true & faithfull christian, whereby both the teacher of the true faith may bee discerned from the false, and a right beleever from a wrong. The creede (as testifieth an ancient writer) is a perfect August. ser. 115. de tempore. collection and summe, plaine, shorte, & full: that the playnnes might helpe the weakenes of the hearers, the shortnes their memory, the fullnes their instruction. Vnto whom consenteth Cassianus: the creed (saith Lib. 6. de In [...] car. domini. [Page 2] he) is called a collection or summe, because whatsoever is plentifully dispersed throughout the body of the divine scripture, is heere all collected & knitte vp togeather in a perfect brevity: the Lord herein as a most louing father providing both for the slowenes, and also for the dulnes of some of his children, that the simple and weake minde shoulde not be troubled to vnderstand, that which also it might easily keepe in memory. Russious saith that In exposit. Symboli. this creede is called a signe or badge because in the apostles (as it may appeare by the Actes of the Apostles) many of the circumcised Iewes did fayne themselues to be the apostles of Christ, and either for their bellies sake, or for gaine, went forth to preach, setting out the gospell of Christ not with that sincerity and integrity, as it was delivered by the apostles. Therefore (saith he) the Apostles made this creede to be a marke, whereby it might be knowen, vvho did preach Christ truly according vnto the rules of the apostles. Now by these interpretations of the name Symbole made by these auncient and learned fathers we may obserue these fowre thinges. 1 First that seeing in their iudgementes this creede containeth a perfect summe of our christian faith, therfore the doctrines of the church of Rome concerning pilgrimages, pardons, purgatory, the papall supremacy, and the like, being neither expresly set downe therein, nor necessarily to be drawen out of the same, are no fundamē tall pointes of our christian religion. Nay, may they not admit this as a sufficient exception against them all? they are none of my creede, therefore I neede not beleeue them. Nay, further: doth no [...] this vehemently vrge and presse our Romanistes with the badge and marke of false prophets, in that they teach other fundamentall pointes of faith, then are delivered in this summe of faith? 2 Secondly we learne that seeing the people, that were cōverted to the faith of Christ in the primitiue church, were by this rule to examine & to discerne the doctrine of the true teachers from the false, that even so the faithfull people are novve also by the same rule to examine & to discerne the doctrine of their pastors & teachers, and not in a sottish and brutish simplicity to pinne their faith vpon their sleeues, and without all examination and triall blindfully to followe whithersoever they leade them, and to beleeue as they beleeue. Nay they are to be thankefull to their most gracious God, who hath provided for thē so good a meanes, whereby [Page 3] they themselues, albeit weake and simple, yet may discerne truth from falsehoode, and rest on their owne most assured knowledge, embracing the substance of christian religion, not for company, but for conscience: yea the devill raging, and the limbes of Antichrist threatning, and our great and manifold sinnes deserving, that God should take againe from vs the vse of his worde how ought especially the simple so to lay vp in their heartes the true sence and meaning of these articles of our creede that it may never be takē from them: but that even thereby they may be enabled against all their adversaries to iustifie their sound & christian faith, & be made ready to confirme and seale it with their bloud? 3 Thirdly we learne that seeing the articles of our christian faith were set downe with that shortnes and plainnes, that all the faithfull, be they never so simple, might vnderstand them, and keepe them also in memory (all pointes of faith necessary to salvation or at the least the hardest pointes being in them contained) therefore all thinges necessary to salvation are plaine and easie even to the simplest amongst the Lordes people, if so be Prov 8. 9. & 9. 4. Hebr. 5. 14. they be desirous in all holy humility to vnderstand the truth, & are sufficiently exercised in the word of truth. 4 Fourthly we learne that seeing these articles were set downe plainely for the capacity of the simple, therefore they ought nor to be debarred from the right vnderstanding of them, & detained in the darkenes of ignorance, as it shall be further declared in the nexte chapter. Now on the contrary side the church of Rome teacheth that all pointes of faith necessary to salvation are not set downe no not in the large volumes of the canonicall scriptures, much lesse within the straiter boundes of this shorte summe of faith: that the people should not presume to examine & discerne the doctrine of their pastors & teachers: that the doctrine of faith is full of hardenes and difficulty, & aboue the capacity of the Lords people, and therefore that they must content themse [...]ues to be without this knowledge, perswading themselues that ignorance is the mother of devotion; as may well be of their blinde & superstitious devotion.
CHAP. 2.
That it is not enough for the lay people to beleeue in grosse and blindefully as the church beleeueth, but that they ought to vnderstand the seuerall pointes of their faith.
IN the Lords praier we are taught to call [...] in [...] al [...]tie [...]er of heaven & earth &c. God not my father but our father to teach vs in charity to presume such to bee Gods children, which cal vpon one common father togither vvith vs, in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ our sole and onely mediatour. But in our creede we are taught to saye not vvee beleeue but I beleeue, to teach vs that it is not the faith of any other, but everie ones owne particular faith, vvhich ioyneth him vnto the house-holde of faith, and causeth him to be admitted amonge the members of the faithfull. For as by beleeving that such a one, or such a one taketh a verie good course to make cloth, or to manure the grounde, maketh not an other man a good cloth maker or husband-man vnlesse hee knovve the like courses himselfe, and bee able also to practise the same: even so it maketh not a faithfull christian to beleeue as such or such a faithfull man beleeueth, except hee himselfe holde a right faith. For an others faith can make mee no more faithfull, then an other mans charitie can make me charitable, or an other mans patience can make me patient. The iust shall liue by his owne faith: and Hab 2. 4. not by the faith of any other. And so we are taught by the general cōfession of all the articles of our christian faith which is to be made of every faithfull christian, that the true christian catholike faith is, not to beleeue in grosse and blindfully as the church beleeveth, but distinctly and particularly, both concerning God, that he is one in substance and essence, distinguished into three persons the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost, and also concerning [Page 5] his workes, that he made vs, and not we our selues; that he redeemed vs and not we our selues, and that he sanctified vs, and not we our selues. Where vnto agreeth the creede of Atha [...]asius: Wherin it is most perēptorely avouched, that not not only the learned but the vnlearned also, even whosoever will be saued, not as in the last place but before all thinges neither as a matter only convenient, but as a thing most necessary, must holde the catholike faith, and that he must beleeue and confesse the mistery of the vnity in trinity and of the trinity in vnity, with that other great missery of godlines also, God manifested in the flesh. For as with the hart man Rom 10 10 beleeveth vnto righteousnes so with the mouth he confesseth to salvation. So that the true faith both instructeth the harte with knowledge and directeth also the tongue in the confession of the same. For as Ierome faith of the scripture that it consisteth not in the reading but Advers. Lucif. in the vnderstanding: so we may say that the catholike faith consisteth not in the wordes wherein it is expresse, but in the catholyke sence and meaning: and therefore not the bare reciting of the wordes of the creede, but the right vnderstanding of the of the sence and meaning thereof maketh a sonnde and a catholike christian. This is everlasting life (saith our Saviour Christ) to Ioh. 17. 3. knowe the true God, and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. The which knowledge vvhen the Apostles were to preach to other, they are saide to haue receaued the keyes of the kingdome of heaven: and the same knowledge when they vvere endued withall themselues it vvas a token and signe vnto them that they vvere then receiued among the number of the faithfull. Vnto you (saith our Saviour Christ vnto his disciples) it is giuen Mark. 4. 11. to knowe the misteries of the kingdome of heaven, but vnto them vvhich are without, all thinges are done in parables: that seeing they may see and not discerne, and hearing they may heare and not vnderstand; least at any time they shoulde bee converted and their sinnes shoulde bee forgiuen them. A manifest distinction betweene the children of light and the children of darknes: vnto the one is giuen the key of knowledge which openeth the dore into the kingdome of Luke 11. 52. heauen: the other are left in their blindnes and darkenesse, to fall thereby into the pit of eternall destruction. For the father of light bringeth his children of light, by the light of his word, to the [Page 6] kingdome of light: and the prince of darkenes, bringeth his children of darkenes, through the darkenes of ignorance, to his kingdome of darkenes. Wherefore well may it agree to the Idolatrous Athenians to haue an altar dedicated to an vnknowne God and Act. 17. 23. to professe a blinde kinde of service of God. And well may it beseeme the schismaticall Samaritans to worshippe as their fathers worshipped, Ioh. 4. 20. and to beleeue as their progenitors beleeued, and in truth to beleeue and worshippe they wo [...]e not what: Surely the faithfull servants of the true God know what they worshippe having for the warrant thereof the infallible word of the everliving Lord, and therefore salvation is from them. For the true christian saving faith is a wise, intelligent and an vnderstanding perswasion, it is not a blind, blockish and a brutish fancy: a blind faith is no faith, and a blinde confession is no confession. Be not (saith the prophet David) like the horse and mule, in whom there is no vnderstanding. Psal. 32. 9 1. Cor. 14. 20. Beloved (saith the Apostle) be not children in vnderstanding, but in malice be yee children, in vnderstanding bee yee of perfect age. And againe, be not vnwise, but vnderstande what the will of the Lord is. If thou Eph. 5. 15. 1. Cor. 14. 16. praiest (saith the same Apostle) in an vnknowne tongue how can the vnlearned say Amen, and ratifie it with his consent? euen so if any professing themselues members of the visible church know not the particular points of the christian faith held and taught in the same church, how can they faithfully beleeue the same, or how cā they rightly consent thervnto? Surely as the seed that falleth on the high way & is devoured vp of the fowles of the aire, can never giue hope of Math. 13 4. any good harvest: so the word of God the seede of faith not vnderstoode, can never make vs fruitfull vnto the Lord. Wherefore it was a most godly wish of Moses the man of God: O that all the Num. 11. 29 Lordes people could prophecy and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them. And good cause had the childrē of the captivitie after their returne to their owne coūtrey greatly to reioyce before the Lord, not onely for that the law of God was distinctly read, & soundly and sincerely expounded vnto them, but especially for that the Lord had opened their eies and had caused them to vnderstād the same. For all such as the Lord will haue to be saued, he will haue thē come Neh. 8. 12. 2. Tim. 2. 4. thereto by the knowledge of the truth. And therefore this is also sette downe as a marke of all such as the Lord wil receaue into the covenant [Page 7] of mercy by Christ: Beholde this is the covenante that I vvill Ier. 3 [...]. 34. [...]b. S. 11. make with the house of Israell after these daies saith the Lord, I vvill set my lawes in their mindes, and in their harts will I write them, and I vvill be their God and they shall bee my people: & they shall not teach each one his neighbour saying, know the Lord, for they shall know me even from the least vnto the greatest of them. The which promise how it was accōplished by the preaching of the gospel in the primitiue church, Theodoret may witnesse one for all. We doe manifestly shew you (saith Theod. de [...]rat. gr [...]c. affect. [...]. 5. he) the great power of the doctrine of the Apostles and prophets, for the whole face of the earth, vnder the sunne is full of such wordes: and the Hebrew bookes bee not onely translated into the Greeke, but also into th [...] Romane, Aegyptian, Parthian Indian, Arabian, S [...]y [...]hian, Slavon, and in a worde into all tongues which the nations vse to this day. You may everiewhere see our doctrine vnderstoode not onely of such as bee teachers in the church, and instructers of the people, but also of tailers, weavers smithes & all artificers: yea also of women, and not onely of them which bee learned, but of victuallers, pudding makers, handmaides, and servantes. Neither those men onely that dwell in citties but husbandmen also vnderstande the same: one may finde ditchers and heard-men and planters of vineyardes disputing of the trinity and of the creation of all things, and having better knowledge of the nature of man, then Plato and Aristotle had. Now if in the primitiue church this were an evident testimony of the great power of the glorious gospell of Christ, that it was able to settle the knowledge of the greatest mysteries of christian religion in the hearts of such as were but of the meanest & basest callings; and if it were a commendation then for such as were the meanest and simplest among the professors of the gospell of Christ, that they were able to discourse & dispute even of the deepest points of their christian faith: how is the case altered now in these our dates? as if the same word had lost his former power, and were not able through the anto [...]s blessing to bring to passe the same effect: or as if that which was then so commendable in the professours of christian rel [...]gio [...], were now to be condemned for curiosity, pride, and presumption, a [...] our Rhemistes would beare the world in hand in their preface to their transla [...]ion of th [...] new Testament.
CHAP. 3. division 1. & 2.
1 Whether every faithfull christian may assuredlie knowe whether hee beleeueth aright, and hath a true iustifying faith or no?
2 Whether every faithfull christian knowing that he is in the faith, may know also assuredlie whether he himselfe hath remission of sinnes and eternall life by faith in Christ?
THese questions because they lay opē vnto vs the I beleeue. ma [...]ke wherevnto all true christians doe aime, euen our association with Christ and the fruites thereof, being the most sure and strong foundation of all christian comfort and consolation, I wil therefore by Gods most gracious assistance handle them somewhat more at large, and vse the more words in the opening of the same. And first concerning the first. No mā ought to make professiō of that before God and his congregatiō, which he knoweth not assuredly whether it be so or no: (for that were but meere dissimulation and hypocrisie, and as it were a deluding and mocking of God) but every true christian ought to make profession of his faith euen before God and his congregation after this particular manner, I beleeue: and therefore he ought assuredly to know that he doth beleeue. And so (saith S. Austine) the Epist. 112. faithfull man doth see his owne faith, whereby hee doeth answere without doubting, I beleeue. Secondly, it were bootlesse for a christian man to examine himselfe whether he hath a true iustifying faith or no, vnlesse vpon due examination and triall, he might be able sufficiently to discerne the same: but the faithfull christians are commaunded to examine themselues: Proue your selues (saith the Apostle) Noses teipsum. 2. Cor. [...]3. 5. vvhether yee are in the faith or no, examine your selues: know yee not your owne selues, that Iesus Christ dwelleth in you vnlesse yee be reprobates? The Apostle in this place speaketh of that faith, whereby Christ dwelleth in the harts of the faithful, which can be no other then the true iustifying faith: or if he did speake of the doctrine of faith, yet his reason were as forceable as otherwise. For if it be needful for vs to examine our selues, whether we hold a right opiniō [Page 9] & iudgmēt in the doctrine of faith, thē much more it lyeth vpō vs to proue our selues whether we faithfully reioyce in the same doctrine, & place our cheifest cōfort & happines therein 1 Pet. 1. [...]. which is an evidēt marke of a true iustifying faith: otherwise our right opiniō in maters of faith wil be to vs, as it is to the devils thē selues, only to our greater cōdemnation. Furthermore as one may vnderstād by the true nots of iustice, patiēce, & such like whether he be a iust & a patiēt man, even so by the notes & markes of faith, he may assuredly know whether he hath a soūd faith. The which notes & markes of a right faith, & of a true faithfull christiā Rom. 15. 4. should not haue ben set downe in the Lords booke (wherein whatsoever thinges are written, they are writtē for our learning) but that the faithfull by examining thēselus therby, mightht assuredly perceaue & vnderstād, that they held a right faith. The markes are these
1. First the harty & vnfained loue of the word of God. For a faithful mā, knowing the great benefit that cōeth to himselfe by his true faith, not only maketh great accoūt therof, but also entirely loueth and embraceth the meāes wherby it was begottē at the first, & wherby it is dayly strēgthened & encreased: Now faith cometh by hearing & hearing by the word of god. The word therfore is deerer vnto the faithful Ro. 10. 17. thē gold, yea thē much fine gold sweeter also thē the hony, & the hony cōbe, Psalm. 19. A. 10. & 1. 2. al the day lōg doth he study in it, & meditate theron day & night: & therby he doth becōe as a tree plāted by the water side, which bringeth foth his fruit in due seasō, whose leafe doth never wither. In deede originally we are defiled with sin, & are by nature the children of wrath, vntill Ephes 2 3. Iames 1. 18. the Lord of his owne good will begette vs againe by the word of truth, & so make vs his beloued childrē Our harts are as barrē groūd bearing Matth. 1 [...]. nothing but weeds & trash vntill we be manured by the Lords husbādmē, & haue receiued the pure seed of the word: yea 1. Pet. 2. 25 we are all as sheepe going astray, & wādring in the waies of death & destructiō, vntil we are reclaimed by our great sheepheards voice, and so brought home to Christs folde. Now if we gladly receaue the seede of the worde, and fructifie thereby accordingly, heereby wee may bee assured that wee are that good groūd, which doth receiue blessing of God. And if we harkē to this our great shepheards voice, and not to the voice of a stranger, heereby also we may assure ourselues, that vvee are Christes [Page 10] heape, and that we belong to his stocke. Good cause therefore haue the faithful servants of Christ to loue and embrace the word of God, not only for that it is an immortal seede wherby they are begotten to an immortal life, & of barren ground are made fruitful, & of wādring sheepe are reclaimed home to the fold of Christ, but also for that it cōtaineth the bāds of the covenāt of our peace with God, and the evidences for the assurance of the remission of our sinnes, and of our inheritaunce in the kingdome of glory. There is no wise man that is to enioy any temporall landes or possessions either by coppy, or by Indenture, or by deedes of gift, but that hee vvill make good accounte of all such evidences as concerne the same, and learne also the contents thereof, that so he may know the iustnesse of his title to such possessions. And if at any time he be vniustly molested, and kept from the enioying of any of those lands, he putteth the ma [...] ter in suite and speaketh for iustice: and making proofe of his title by the view of his evidences, sentence passeth on his side, and so he obtaineth his right and lawfull possessions. It hath beene thought in the time of darkenesse that if a man had beene buried in a cloyster, and in a Monkes coule, having a crosse, and a pardon put into his graue vvith him, that those thinges had beene a sufficient safe conduct to fence him from the fenne, and that they had beene as good an assuraunce for the silly soule to passe from hence to heaven, as a pasport subscribed with a Iustices hand, and ratified and confirmed with his [...]ne and allovved, is a sure protection with vs, for a poore trav [...]ling man to preserue him from al maner of molestation. But [...] the light of the gospel hath appeared, it is manifest & known, that these are but forged evidēces and of no validity: for that no creature is able to bestow so great giftes as are the remission of s [...]nnes, deliverance from hell, and the inheritaunce of eternall glory, or giue any assurance for the obtaining of the same: it is God o [...]ly that can make a grant of these graces, and the assurance thereof, that he hath made vnto the faithfull in his holy and sacred word, are the only evidences that can fully warrant our iust title & right to the same. The which thing as it is wel known vnto the whole cō pany of the Lords people, so it was throughly setled in the hart of [Page 11] a faithfull brother not long since departed from vs in the Lord, a George Wrisly bacheler of law & fellow of new Colledge in Oxford. fellow while he liued of an honourable foundation, but now a fellow citizen of the saints, & enioying the priviledges of a far more honorable society: who by order of his house was a studēt of those laws which are pleadable in the cōsistory before an earthly iudge, & can giue vs some protectiō here in this world; but by his godly choice he was also a student of those laws, which are onely pleadable at the bar of the highest iudge, & can warrant vs the assurāce of greater blessings. And therefore he lying in his death bed, & feeling himselfe sicke vnto death, and knowing that his time was now come of his present appearing in that place, where he was to lay in his claime to his heauenly inheritance, called for his evidences which did concerne the same, that is, he called for his bible, which he had before daily vsed in his health, & read the fifteenth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians, & therin beholding how sin was fully satisfied for by the death of Christ, and so abolished; and sin being abolished, death must needs be vanquished; (for that it hath all his strength from sin) and so being assured of his deliverance from death, and of his right to the possession of eternal life: laying these his evidences open vpon his brest, & clas- [...] ping thē close to his hart with both his armes, yeelded vp immediatly his faithful soule into the hands of his most loving Saviour, and now resteth vndoubtedly vnder the altar praising & lauding God continually. For no doubt to him belongeth the heauenly inheritaunce, vvhich vnfainedly loueth and embraceth all such evidences, as doe concerne that heauenly inheritance: and he hath most assuredly right and interest in everlasting life, who highly esteemeth & religiously embraceth that eternall will and testamēt of our great & gracious God, wherin is beq [...]athed vnto al the faithful the gift and legacy of eternall life: and hee shall most certainely enioy the incomparable benefite of the covenant of grace, who hath fulfilled the condition thereof, by having the law of God planted in his heart and firmely setled in his inwarde man.
The second note is a full resting vpon God, and a placing of our whole trust and confidence onely [...]n him, according to the direction of this our christian creede, I beleeue in GOD. For hee is not to [Page 12] be accounted faithfull that beleeueth in any other, but he that beleeueth only in God. And it is onething to beleeue: here is a God, and another thing to beleeue God, and another also to beleeue in God. He that beleeveth in God shall never be confounded: seeing he is made Rom. 10. 11 Ioh 1. 42. Mat. 16. 18. thereby a living stone, as Peter was, built vpon a most sure foundation and strong rocke, hell gates shall never prevaile against him, they shal neuer bring him to eternal confusion. They that travaile (saith Iob 6. 18, 19. 20. Iob) in the quarters of Tema and Seba in the time of a drought, and seeke for some refreshing for themselues and their beastes to the rivers that overflowed and made a great flowde in the winter time, returne confounded without succour, for that the waters of those rivers are dried vp. So it is with all such as trust in creatures, they digge to themselues pits even Ier. 2. 13. broken pits, that can hold no water, & haue recourse to dryed brooks: & therfore in the end are vtterly confounded for this their vaine and fond choice. For they that follow lying vanities, forsake and Ion. 2. 8. abandon their owne mercy. Now al such (as Samuel avoucheth) 1 Sam. 12. 21. as turne backe from God to any whatsoeuer, turne but to lying vanities which cannot profite, nor deliver, for they are but v [...]nity. But they that trust in God come to a ful fountaine, the streames wherof neuer faile, but keepe on stil their constant course, and therfore such are neuer confounded.
3 The third is, to make the incomparable dignity of the death of Christ, the onelie meanes vvhereby vvee come vnto God, and the onelie sure [...] ker of our hope and faith. And verely so hainous and grievous is every transgression and sinne, committed against the infinite maiesty of the most glorious Deity, that nothing was able to make amendes for the same, but that which was also of infinite price: and therefore it was necessary that the sonne of God should giue himselfe a ransome for our soules, that so vve might be assured of a sufficient summe for the full purchase of our redemption. He that will seeke to make payment to the iustice of GOD vvith any thing else, then vvith the death of Christ for our most odious and heynous sinnes, doeth bring but base mony and counterfeite coyne: and he that seeketh to appease his vvrath vvith any other propitiatory sacrifice, is so farre of from finding favour, that he may be sure to drinke the deeper of the cuppe of the LORDES vvrath, and to suppe vppe the [Page 13] very dregges of his heavy displeasure. I am the vvay (saith our Ioh. 14. 6. Saviour) the trueth and the life no man can come to the father but by mee. Christ is that only Immanuell whereby God is made at one with vs: and he is that one mediatour by vvhom vve obtaine peace and reconciliation. All the sacrifices of the lavv vvere but shaddowes and representations of him, his death is the onely true and soveraigne sacrifice. The slaying of beasts did manifest our guiltinesse, and declare by our sinnes hovv we were guilty of death: the sonne of God the autor of life suffered a most bitter and shamefull death, that he might bring vs vnto a most ioyfull and glorious life. Lay hold of him, lay hold of life: trust firmely on the favour of GOD through him, and that faith shall neuer make thee ashamed: treasure vp in thy hearte the most comfortable tydings of his gracious gospell, and desire therein more and more to knovve him, and the povver of his resurrection, and thou doest treasure vppe for thy selfe eternall life. Wee know (saith Saint Iohn) that we 1. Ioh 5. 19. 20. are of GOD, and that the vvhole worlde lyeth in vvickednesse. And vvhy? vvee knovve that the sonne of God is come and that hee hath given vs a minde to knovve him vvhich is true, and vvee are in him vvhich is true, that is in his sonne Iesus Christ: this is very God, and eternall life. If thou knewest (saith our Saviour Christ) to the woman of Samaria) the gift of God, and who it is that saith vnto Ioh. 4. 10. thee, giue me drinke, thou wouldest haue asked of him, and hee woulde haue given to thee the water of life. For if we do but once truely tast of this water of life, we shall so vehemently [...]hust after the same, that vve shall neuer be fully satisfied vntill we haue drunke our full draught. Wherefore where the incomparable vertue of Christes most Aug. de doct Christ. li. 3. cap. 16. Tertull. de resurrect. cap pretious death is sweetly and profitably l [...]ide vvpe in memorie, there is a communicating vvith his passion and a partaking of his flesh: yea where there is a true desire to devoure the same vvith hearing, to chewe it vvith vnderstanding, and to digest it by beleeving, there is the roote of a true faith, and they that cleane and sticke thereto, they are living and fruitfull branches that are engrassed into the true vine. For (as our Saviour himselfe avoucheth) vvhere the dead body is, Luk. 13. 37. thither doe the Aegles resorte. The dead body is CHRIST crucified, the mountinge Eagles are the faithfull Christians: [Page 14] and therefore wheresoever Christ crucified is rightly knowen & reverently embraced, there vndoubtedly is the true christian: to whomesoever God doth reveale his [...]onne and giueth them hability to make a sincere confession of him, blessed are they with Simon the sonne of Ionas: for fleshe and [...]loud [...] hath not revealed Math. 16. 18. this vnto them, but their father which is in heaven: yea blessed Math. 13. 16. are their eies which so see, and blessed are their eares which so heare: & blessed are their heartes whome the Lord hath thus opened, and lightened them with the glorious beames of the Sunne of righteousnesse. Assuredly where this Sunne of righteousnes thus shineth, there are the children of light: and where so pretious a foundation is layde, there is the church firmely built: and they that faithfully cleare to this head corner stone, declare themselues to be the elect and choice stones of the Lords owne temple.
4. The fourth is Ioh. 8. 56. with Abraham the father of the fai [...]full to reioyce whē wee beholde the day of the Lord, yea so to reioice that we esteeme our calling to the estate of salvation in Christ to be our greatest happines and blessednesse, and all other things, which seeme most precious to flesh and bloud, to be most vile, vaine, and as it were nothing in respect of the same. This is evident in the woman representing the church, who being cloathed with the Sunne, is saide Apo. 12. 1. to tread the moone vnder her feete; for that in respect of Christ the sunne of righteousnes she despiseth all earthly and transitory treasures, which are as mutable and changeable as the moone. One of whose childrē (such a mother such a son) protested of himselfe that he esteemed to know nothing but Iesus Christ & him crucified: and 1. Cor. [...]. 2. that he made no other reckoning of al other things but as of damages & losses in respect of the inestimable gain he obtained by him. Phil. 3 7. And of an other of thē it is recorded that he chose rather to suffer adversi [...]y with the people of God, thē to enioy the pleasures of sin for a season, Heb. 1. 24. esteeming the rebuke of Christ Iesus, greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt, for that he had respect vnto the recompence of the rewa [...]d: which was, to be made the sonne of God by faith in Christ, being without comparison a farre greater p [...]erogatiue, then to be called the sonne of Pharaos daughter, and to be heire apparant to that great & glorious kingdome of Aegypt. The riches of this world are glorious Math. 13. 45. in our eies, vntill we haue had a fight of the riches of the kingdome [Page 15] of god: but whē we haue found that pearle of price, thē we are contented to sell all, to buy it, that is, when we haue once tasted how sweet the Lord is, and haue drunke but a little draught of that water of life, all the pleasures and prefermentes of this world will growe out of tail with vs and become vnsavoury in respect of the same. And therefore as it is a note of a man of earth to haue his heart glued to the thinges of this ea [...]n, and to be greedy to devour the draffe thereof: so to haue our heartes set vpon heavē ly things, is a token and marke of an heavenly minde, and of a Aug. de Charitate. person that belongeth to the kingdome of heaven, Let every one (saith Austine) examine himselfe what he loueth, and thereby he shall perceaue to what city he belongeth: if he loue the world and worldly things as fl [...]lenes, riches, and honour, he is a citizen of Babylon: but if he loue God, he is a citizen of Ierusalem.
5. The last is in respect of that infinite and endles loue of God which is confirmed vnto vs in Christ Iesus to desire by all meanes possible to shewe a dutifull thankefulnes vnto him, both by louing the thinges which he loueth, and by honouring the persons which he honoureth. If yee know (saith S. Iohn) that God is righteous, knowe yee also, that he which 1. Ioh. 2. 29. doth righteously is torne of him. For if we resemble Gods image in holines, wisedome, and righteousnes, then assuredly we are Gods children: if our fruite be good, we are good trees: & if the streames of our actions runne cleare and pure, then it is certaine and sure, that the fountaine of our harts is purified by faith, and that so wee belong to the number of the faithfull. So likewise that a louing affection towardes our brethren in Christ is an infallible marke of a true christian, our Saviour Christ himselfe teacheth; by this (saith he) shall all men knowe, that ye are my desciples, if ye loue one another. Ioh. 13. 36. 1. Ioh. 3. 14. Aug in ep. Ioh Tract 5 So S. Iohn: by this we knowe that we are translated from death to life, because we loue the brethren. Let everie one (saith S. Austine) returne home into his owne hart, and if he finde there brotherly loue, let him be secure: for he is already passed from death to life, he is already vpon the right hande. To loue a man, for that he is a man, is a pointe of humanity: to pitty a man, because he is in misery, is the duety of mercy: but to embrace a man, for that he is a christian man, is a point of christianity. Math. 11. 41. He that receiueth a prophet, in the name of a prophet, shall haue a prophetes rewarde: and he that receaueth a righteous man, in the name [Page 16] of a righteous man, shall haue a righteous mans rewarde: and whosoever shall giue to one of these little ones to drinke a cuppe of colde vvater onlye, in the name of a disciple, verely I say vnto you, hee shall not loose his reward. For he that honoureth Gods graces, which he bestoweth vpon his children; declareth thereby that he himselfe hath his part & portion in those graces: and he that loueth Gods servantes, for that they are beloued of God, shevveth himselfe also to be beloued of God. So then these being the sure and certaine signes of a true, sauing, and iustifying faith, if vve may assuredly knovve that they bee in vs (albeit they bee in vs but in some measure) that is to say, If vvee assuredly knowe, whether we vnfeignedly loue the most precious word of God, and place our vvhole trust and faith onely in God, taking the incomparable dignity of the death of CHRIST duely pondered & weighed to be the mother & [...]urce of this our stedfast faith, if we reioyce in our gracious calling to the estate of salvation in Christ as in our greatest and chiefest blessednes, and in respect therof are ready & willing to loue the things which he loueth, & to honour the persons which [...]e honoureth, thē we may also assuredly know, that we haue obtained a true, sauing, & iustifying faith, & that we belōg to the nūber of the faithful. But these things we may assuredly know whether they be in vs or otherwise, especially vpō due examinatiō & triall. 1. Cor. 2. 21 Rom. 2. 15. [...] Conscientia. I knowe what I know. For howsoever we may counterfeite & deceaue others, who canot looke into the secrete corners of our heartes, yet we cannot deceaue our owne sp [...]rites & consciences, whereby we are w [...]ting to our owne waies (as the very names thereof do sufficiently declare) vnlesse we will wilfully claspe them and close them vp.
And yet the coūcel of Trent hath peremptorily defined, Con. Trid. c. 9. de fide iustified. that none can know by the certainty of [...]aith, but that he may be deceaued, that hee hath obtained grace: that is (as I take it) that he hath attained to the estate of grace. Yea our Rhemistes are so shameles, Rhe. in. 4 c. 1. ep. ad. Cor. that they are bold to avouch, that the very Apostle S. Paul du [...]st not, assure himselfe that he was iustified, neither could take vpon him to be iudge of his owne heart and cogitations, whether they were pure 2. Tim. 4 7. 2. Cor. 1. 12 & 11. 23. Rom 7. 25. or no: contrary to the most evident & plaine asseve [...]ations of the Apostle himselfe in diverse places of his own epistles: yea cōtrary [Page 17] to the plaine words of that very verse, whereon they ground this their observation: where the Apostle testifieth that he had foūd his conscience cleare, and his cogitations pure, I am not (saith he) guiltie in conscience of anye thinge. And vvith as greate vntruth is that iust and holy man Iob charged with the ignorance of the estate of his owne soule, and with a doubtful feare even of all his works. For albeit hee might feare both in respect of the imperfections of his best vvorkes, and also in respecte of his vnknowne and secrete sinnes (for vvho knovveth hovve of [...]e he [...] offendeth?) and especially at that time, vvhen the Lordes hande vvas so heavie vpon him: yet what an assured testimonie he had in himselfe of a good conscience, and vvhat an vndoubted assuraunce of his ovvne righteousnesse, iustice, fortitude, chastitie, puritie, equitie, vprightnesse, compassion, mercye, liberalitie, bounti [...]ulnes, magnanimitie and humility he himselfe testifieth most excellentely and at large: and if such as know the same would not giue testimony thereto, yet Iob. 29. & 31. he assureth himselfe, that God will witnesse the same, and therevpon resteth as fully contented. And verily it hath been an ordinary practise of the dearest saintes and servantes of God, b [...]ing best vvitting to themselues of their owne innocencye, sinceritie, and vprightnesse in performing their dutyes both to God and to man, not onely vvhen they haue beene falsely accused and slaundered, but otherwise also to make protestation thereof even before the Lorde to mooue him to take their cause being the cause of his faithfull servants into his owne handes, to cleare them, and to succour them, and to encrease Psal. 7. 8. 26. 1. his graces and mercies vpon them. Iudge me O Lord (saith David) according vnto my righteousnes and according vnto the innocencye that is in mee and againe: Iudge mee O Lorde for I haue vvalked innocently &c. and verse the eight of the same Psalme, O Lorde I haue loued the habitation of thy house, and the place vvhere thine honour dwelleth: O shut not vp my soule with sinners, nor my life with the bloodthirsty, in whose hands is wickednes, & their right hand is ful of gifts, and cōcerning the assurāce that he had of his own faith, the spring & foūtaine of al good works he likwise testifieth saying, Haue mercy vpō me O God, haue mercy vpō me, for my soule trusteth in thee, & vnder [Page 18] the shaddowe of thy winges shalbe my refuge, vntill this tirannie bee over Isa 38. 3. past. So Ezechias: Remember now O Lorde, how I haue wa [...]ked before thee with an vpright hearte, and haue done that which is acceptable in thy sight. Remember me (saith Nehemiah) O my God, in go [...]dnes, according Ne [...]. 5. 9. & 13 22. to all that I haue done for this people. And againe, Remember me O God concerning this, and pardon mee according vnto thy great mercie. Pray for vs (saith the Apostle) for we are assured that wee haue a good Heb. 13. 18. conscience, desiring to liue honestly in all things. And in truth how could the actions of the faithful haue beene pure and good, except they had beene done in faith, and in obedience to God, and vpon an assured knowledge that they were wel pleasing vnto him? How otherwise could they haue beene so bold, and that in lue of that service which then they performed vnto him, to haue required at the Lords hands that reward, which he hath promised to his faithful servāts? Or if they thēselues were not fully perswaded of their most comfortable faith & godly life, & of the sincerity of an vpright conscience, how came it to passe that the light therof was so great that their most deadly & malicious enimies were forced to giue testimony thereto with these or the like words? These be they, which speake as they liue, and liue as they speake: this is assuredly an holie profession, which bringeth forth so holie a conversation: this is a ioyfull and comfortable faith, which yeeldeth such ioy and comfort amidst so great and grievous torments, and in the very terrors of death it selfe: O truely great is the God of these christians. Their light did so shine before mē, that they did see their goods works, and glorifie their father which was in heaven: and therefore they did much more assuredly see them themselues. Wherfore to conclude this first question: A true & a faithful christian man is not ignorant of the estate of his own soul, nor standeth in feare of al his actions: he [...]s not in doubt of the purity of his cogitations, nor yet vncertaine of his obtained grace: he cleerely beholdeth the light of his owne holy life and conversation, and both by the markes & fruits of his christian faith groweth into a stedfast assurance thereof, being thereby enabled to make an vndoubted profession of the same, according vnto the direction of this our christian creede, I beleeue.
Novv the first question being thus determined, the second follovveth: whether a faithfull christian knowing assuredlie, that hee hath [Page 19] obtained a true, saving, and iustifying faith, may know also assuredlie that [...]e is in the favour of God, hath remission of sinnes, and a iust title to the inheritance of the kingdome of heaven. Andradius the maintainer of the Tr [...]dentine faith, seemeth to yeeld thus much, that if we could assuredly knovv, that we had faith, repentance, & loue, we might also assuredly knovv, that vve vvere in the favour of God, & had al our sins remitted vnto vs. But of the former he greatly doubteth, nay he boldly avoucheth with Duraeus li. 8. de paradoxi [...]. other of his fellovvs, that we cannot attaine to any stedfast and certaine assurance of the same. Now thē seeing that the mēbers of the church of Rome know not assuredly whether they beleeue or no, or belong to the nūber of the faithful servāts of Christ, it is no mervaile that they know not, that they are in the favor of God, neither acknovvledge the great mercy of Christ tovvardes themselues in remitting vnto them their iniquities and sinnes. Whereas no doubt the faithfull servauntes and children of GOD feeling his lavv written in their Heb. 8. 10. 1 Ioh. 5. 20. heartes and knovving that he hath giuen them a minde to knovv him aright, and to perfourme in some measure the vvell deserved duety of obedient servauntes and loving children, and that according vnto his ovvne prescription in his most sure and vndoubted vvord, do knovv also assuredly thereby, that they themselues are vnder the covenant of mercy, and in the estate of grace, & that God is become their loving father in Christ, & hath cast al their sinnes into the bottome of the sea.
This question then concerneth not the vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuers, whether such may knovv whether they are in Gods favor (for doubtlesse they may perswade themselues the cleane contrary) but the faithful beleeuers only: vnto whō for the better strēgthning of their stedfast assurance diverse helpes are ministred by the Lord in his word. For as in the cōveianc [...] of earthly lands & possessions, vvhen any thing is to passe from man to man, the graunt is set dovvne in vvriting, and signed and sealed vvith the hand and seale of the party that maketh the graunte, and subscribed vvith the handes or markes of the vvitnesses present for the same purpose, that so the party to vvhome the graunte is made, may haue good security for those landes, vvhich are after this manner passed over vnto him: and as in those evidences [Page 20] the cause of the graunte is sometime signified, for the better confirmation of the conveiance: even so our most gracious and mercifull GOD purposing of his infinite and endlesse mercy in Christ to giue assuraunce to the faithfull of remission of sinnes and euerlasting life, hath caused not only the graunt thereof to be set dovvne in the holy scriptures vnder the handes of diverse as it vvere publike Notaries, but also the cause of the saide graunt: as, So GOD loved the vvorlde (not so and so had vve deserued, and such or such a summe had vvee giuen) but So Ioh. 3. 16. God loved the vvorlde, that hee gaue his only begotten sonne (vvho is the onely purchaser and price of the purchase also) that vvhosoeuer beleeueth in him, shoulde not perish but haue life everlasting. And that vve might bee most throughly persvvaded of the vnchaungeable vvil of the LORDE concerning this his grant, he commaunded it to be proclaimed not in Iurie alone, nor any one corner of the world, nor to one people onely, but gaue in charge to his embassadors to publish the same throughout the vvhole vvorld, and to entreate thereof vvith every creature: Goe yee (saith our Saviour) into the vvhole vvorlde, and preach Mar. 16. 15. the gospell to everie creature: hee that shall beleeue and bee baptized shall bee saved: hee that shall not beleeue, shall bee condemned. And this graunt being thus proclaimed he signed it as it vvere vvith his ovvne hand, by giuing testimony thereto by diverse strange signes and vvonders, vvhich coulde not bee vvroughte but by his ovvne singer: and further ratified the same by his holy Sacramentes, as it vvere, with his owne sacred seale: [...]dding therenuto the blood of all his holy Martyrs and vvitnesses vvhich they most willingly shedde for the full confirmation of the trueth of the same. Neither wanteth it also the testimony of the sonne of God giuen after a sorte vppon his solemne oath: Ʋerily verily I say vnto you, hee that heareth my Ioh. 5. 24. vvorde and beleeueth in him that sent mee, hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but hath passed from death to life, vnto all which testimonies wee may adde also the vvitnesse that hath beene giuen thereto euen by all the prophets: For to Christ giue all the prophets witnesse, that through his name all that beleeue Act. 10. 43. in him shall receaue remission of sinnes.
Now then seeing this doctrine of the gospell of Christ is ratified vnto vs by so many witnesses, we ought not only to be fully perswaded of the truth thereof in generall, that whosoever beleeveth shall be saued but also in particular that I, and thou, and he, which beleeue, shall assuredly also bee partakers of eternall salvation. For the generall is no otherwise true, then it may bee verified in all the particulars: And if I, and thou, and hee, which beleeue cannot bee assured of our saluation, then it cannot bee true that vvhosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued: seeing the drift and purpose of the generall was to containe vnder it al the particulars. If a Prince in the time of a [...]utiny or rebellion shoulde cause a generall pardon to be proclaymed to all that woulde submit themselues, and accepte of mercy, who is so simple that doeth nor vnderstande that the scope of the generall pardon is to assure every one of the rebels in particular, that he may enioy the benefite thereof, if that hee will submit himselfe and accept of mercy. The most mighty Lorde of heauen and earth hath caused to be proclaimed a great Iubile, the acceptable yeere, an yeare of release and pardon euen to all disloyal and rebellious sinners whoseuer they bee, and vvhatsoeuer their offences haue beene, if that they will accepte and faithfully embrace his mercy offered vnto them in Christ Iesus: ought not then euery particular christian, to whom the Lord hath giuen grace faithfully to embrace mercy in CHRIST, assuredly perswade himselfe of the remission of his owne sins, and of life euerlasting? It is vvritten (saieth Cyprian) the iust shall liue by faith: (there is the generall) Nowe (saith he) if thou bee iust and livest by faith, and if thou rightly beleeuest in GOD, why doest thou not vvillingly embrace death, vvhereas thou art to bee vvith CHRIST, and oughtest to be SƲRE of the promise therein: (there is the vse and benefite, which every faithfull christian ought to embrace, and to apply particularly to his owne conscience. (Doth God (saith he) Cyp, serm. 4. de mortalitate. promise vnto THEE at thy departure out of this life, eternall life, and doest thou vvauer and doubte of the same? in which wordes we may perceaue that the generall promise doeth belong to every faithful mā in particular, as well as if his own name had bin set down in the same, & that he ought in no case to doubt, but assuredly to [Page 22] perswade himselfe of the benefit therof) for to be doubtful & not fully assured were to be vtterly (saith he) ignorāt of God, & to offend Christ the teacher of faith with the sin of infidelity, & for one which hath a place in the church, not to haue faith in the house of faith. Wherefore it is not a falling a way by presumption, but a [...] standing by faith, for every faithfull christian, to striue to assure himselfe particularely of the remission of his owne sinnes and of life everlasting. Otherwise why did the Apostle assure the Iaylor in particular of his eternall salvation if he did faithfully embrace the glad [...]idings of the gospell? Beleeue than in the Lord Iesus, and thou shalt be saued & thy house holde. Act. 16. 31. And why else did our Saviour himselfe th [...] teache, & giver of faith, seeing their faith which brought vnto him the man sicke of the paulsy, (with the faith no doubt of the sicke party himselfe) assure the sicke party in particular of the remission of his owne sinnes, man thy sinnes are forgiuen thee? So likew [...]se to the penitent Luc. 5. 20. Luc. 7. 48. woman thy sinnes are forgiuen thee, thy faith hath saued thee, goe in peace. As also to the faithfull and penitent the se: to day shal [...] Luc. 23. 43. thou be with mee in Paradise. And why e [...]se [...]cheth the church of Rome her selfe, that her preists in hearing auricular confession can, Conc. trid. de. part. & fructu poenit. c. 3. and doe by the authoritie of the keyes committed vnto them in their sacrament of penance (vpon the view [...] belike of that faith and repentance of such as open their sinnes vnto them) giue vnto them the remission of their sinnes in particular assuring them thereof to the great consolation of their spirites, and to the peace and quietnes of their consciences? For if other men which cannot looke into my heart and conscience so well as my selfe, can vpon the view of my repentance and faith remi [...]te vnto me my sinnes, or at the least but assure me thereof vnto the peace o [...] my conscience and consolation of my spirite: then no doubt but my selfe which can farre better looke into mine owne conscience, and behold mine owne faith and repentance then any other, (especially when Ih [...]u [...]receaued instruction of such a [...] know how to minister a word [...] in due season) may thereby assure my selfe of the remission, of mine owne sinnes, and of my deliverance from eternall Hebr. 2. 4. Mark. 16. 20. condemnation. And why did the Lord himselfe with signes and wonders, and with [...]vers miracles and giftes of the holy ghost giue testimonie vnto the gospell when it was first preached, and confirme this ioyfull [Page 23] [...]idings of salvation in Christ sent to all that beleeue, but that every faithfull man thereby might vndoubtedly be assured of the remission of his owne sinnes and of his iust title to the inheritance of the kingdome of heaven? What shall we thinke that the divine power of God would, as it were, subscribe to that doctrine which was not heavenly and divine? or that the truth it selfe would warrant a lie, and that with such strange signes and wonders? Neither hath the Lord onely confirmed this doctrine of the gospell of his sonne with straunge wonders wrought by his owne hande: but also he hath ratified the same with holy sacraments as with his own seale annexed therevnto. And verely if circumcision, much more Rom 4. 11. baptisme and the Lords supper may worthily be called seales of the righteousnes that cometh by faith. The cuppe (saith our Saviour Christ) Luk. 22. 20 is the new testament in my blood: that is to say, a seale and an assurāce of the graunt of the remission of sinnes and eternall life giuen vnto you through my bloud, which is the summe of the new testament. And to what end tendeth both these sacraments of the new testament, but to assure all the faithfull that they hauing put on Christ haue their sinnes washed away through his blood: and that their soules are fedd with very Christ the heavēly Mannah & Galat. 3. 2 [...] bread of life, whereby they are sustained to everlasting life? The cuppe of blessing (saith the Apostle) which we blesse, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break is it not the communion 1. Corinth. 10. 16. of the body of Christ? that is to say, there all participatiō of these outward elementes and visible signes, are they not most certaine pledges and assurances to all the faithfull of their spirituall vnion and communion with Christ and all his blessings? And was not this the iudgment of those godly & learned fathers of the councell of Nice in that they will, that this holy sacrament of the Lords supper should be sent vnto penitent persons lying in their death beddes which stood as yet excommunicate for apostasie, or for some other notorious crime, that by the participation of that celestiall food they might be assured of their cōmunion with Christ and his church, and of the remission of their sinnes and eternall life, and so enabled to passe over in peace, the end of their laborious and painefull life. The which most comfortable doctrine is most cōveniently set downe in our English liturgy at the celebration [Page 24] of these holy misteries in these wordes: The body of our Lord, that vvas giuen for THEE, preserve thy body and soule to everlasting life: The blood of our Lord, that was shedd for THEE &c. For hereby everie faithfull christian that reverently receiveth this holy sacrament may assure himselfe, that the spirituall life, that is nowe begunne in him, and shall be made perfite in the worlde to come, [...] wrought by the speciall loue of Christ now dwelling in him by a true faith: so that he may boldly say with the Apostle both [...]n his life, In that I nowe liue, I liue by the faith of the son of God who loued Gal. 2. 20. Me, and gaue himselfe for Me: and also at his death, I haue fought a good fight, I haue finished my course, I haue kept the faith; hence forth 2. Tim. 4. 7. there is laide vp for me a crowne of righteousnes &c. And from whence also proceedeth that ioy in the holy ghost, and that peace of God that Ro. 14. 17. & 5. 1. passeth all vnderstanding, which is felt in the heartes of the faithfull servantes of Christ in their greatest crosses and most greevous afflictions, but of a faithfull perswasion of the remission of their sinnes and reconciliation which God procured for them by the death of Christ? Otherwise also how could they serue the Lord Luc. 1. 74. Eph 3.. Heb 10 22. Iaco. 1. 6. without feare, and come vnto him in their praiers with boldnes, yea in assurance of faith, without wavering & without doubting? Yea how could they come vnto him not as vnto an offended and an angry iudge, but as to a louing and a mercifull father saying, O our Father which art in heaven? And from whence else proceeded their solemne protestations, that they did assuredly knowe that they were in the estate of grace, and in the favour of God, and that God was their God in particular, and after so stable and stedfast a manner, that nothing was able to sever them from his loue? We knowe that we are of God. I know that my redeemer liueth. My spirite 1. Ioh. 5. 19. Iob. 19. 25. Luc 1. 77. Psal. 18 1. & 116, 16. reioyceth in God my Saviour. The Lord is my strength, my castle, my deliverer, my God: and on the other side: Behold Lord I am thy servant, I am thy servant, and the sonne of thine handmaide. Yea so great a stay and comfort had the prophet David in this assurance of his owne [...]aith, that he protesteth, his adversities being so many and so Psal. 27. 13. grievous as they were, he should vtterly haue fainted, but that he did beleeue verily to see the goodnes of the Lord in the land of the li [...]ing. The which most comfortable assurance of faith was such a stay also to the blessed Apostle S. Paul, that howsoever an whole army of Rom 8. 37. [Page 25] tribulations did presse sore vpon him, yet he protesteth that hee was a conqueror, yea & more then a conqueror through him that loued Rom, 8 37. him: being most assuredly also perswaded for the time to come, that neither death nor life, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come should be able to seperate him from the loue of God, which was in Christ Iesus our Lord. Neither vvas this comfortable assuraunce of faith a speciall and an extraordinarie prerogatiue granted only to some principall persons among the faithfull; but a gifte in some measure common to the whole church. For all the children of the church being the children of God are led by the spirite Rom 8. 14. 2. Cor. 2. 12 [...] of God: whereby they know such thinges as are giuen vnto them of God. And they are all indifferently commanded in the Lordes praier to call God their father: the which name they cannot sincerely vse, vnlesse they be perswaded in some measure of faith that he beareth a louing and a fatherly affection towardes them, having receaved them into favour for his Christes sake, and giuen them a place among the number of his children. And vvhy 1 [...]oh. 5. 13. else saith S. Iohn writing to the whole church in generall, these thinges I vvrite vnto you that beleeue in the name of the sonne of God, that yee may knowe that yee haue eternall life, and that yee may beleeue in the name of the sonne of God? So S. Paule writting to the church of the Corinthians in generall: Proue your selues: knovve yee not your owne selues, how that IESVS CHRIST dwelleth in you, vnlesse yee bee reprobates? and in his former epistle: K [...]ovve yee not that your 1. Cor. 6. 15 19. bodyes are the members of Christ? Knowe ye not that ye are the temples of the holy Ghost which is in you, whom ye haue of GOD, & that yee are not your ovvne? By the vvhich testimonies of Christ & his Apostles it is evident, that not a fewe onely, but also every m [...]mber of the vniversall church, in their times, and according vnto the measure of their faith, may assuredly know that they are Christs, that they are the true members of his mysticall body, & the temples of his h [...]ly spirit, and that God is become their gratious father, & hath made them inheritours of his heauenly kingdome.
Now the faithfull being the adopted sonnes of God in Christ, & hauing God to be their merciful father, haue no iust cause to doubt of their continuance in the favour of God, & in the estate [Page 26] of grace and salvation in Christ Iesus. For the fountaine of this grace in them, is as a fountaine of liuing water, the streames wherof Ioh. 4. 10. 14. Psal. 1 3. Ie [...]. [...]7. 8. 1. Pet. 1. 23. never wax d [...]ie: and they become as good trees planted by the water side, whose leaues never wither who never cease from yeelding fruite: they are borne againe not of mortall seeae, but of the immortall seede of the word of God which liueth and lasteth for ever: and they are Ioh. 6 35. fedde also with the incorruptible food of the bread of life, the vertue whereof is never consumed: he that ea [...]eth therof doth never hunger, and he that drinketh there of doth never thirst. Many & great enimies indeede they haue: but he that is in them is greater 1. Ioh. 4. 4. then he that is in the worlde, and therefore they can never be fully vanquished. Our Saviour himselfe doth continually appeare to make intercession for them before the throne of his heauenly father. Heb. 7. 25. whose petitions the father will never deny. Yea he himselfe is alway present with them even to the end of the world, walking in the middest Mat [...]. 28. 20. Ap, 1. 20. of them, and holding them in his right hand, neither is there any able to take them out of his hand. Yea where this sunne of righteousnes beginneth to shine, there the light thereof is never vt [...]e [...]ly darkened: Esa 60 20. for this sunne never goeth dovvne. To the first man (saith Austin) Aug. de bono qerseu [...]c. 12 was giuē an ability to persevere only, if he himselfe would haue vsed the same: But to the elect now is giuen perseverance it selfe. Christ hath appointed them that they goe and bring forth fruite, and that their fruite abide: & therefore who dareth be so bold as to say, pe [...]adventure it shall not abide. The Lord hath setled his fatherly Rom. 11. 29 Ioh 13. 1. Math. 16. 18 1. Ioh. 2 19 loue and affection vppon them, he vvill not repent of it, nor revoke it but continue it even to the end: he hath built them vppon a most sure rocke, hell gates shall never prevaile against them: hee hath incorporated them into the heavenly Ierusalem the city of GOD, they shall alvvay continue members of that society. VVho then dareth bee so bolde as to say, peradventure GOD vvill not loue his faithfull servantes to the end: peradventure hell gates shall prevaile against them: peradventure hovvsoever they are novve for the present, yet they shall not continue in that celestiall society. Verely, [...]f the faithfull vvere lefte in their ovvne handes to stande by the right and power of their owne strength, there might be great doubt of their constancy and perseuerance. But they are committed to a more [Page 27] faithfull keeper, their life is hid with Christ in God, and they are Col. 3 3. 1. Pet. 1. 5. preserued by his power vnto eternall salvation. Or if the continuance of the Lords favour and loue did depende vpon the merites and desertes of the faithfull, and not vpon the Lords owne most constant and vnchangeable goodnes, there might be iust cause of feare lest the LORD vvould vvithdravve his mercy from them. But he that knowing the greate frailty and weakenes, yea the foule falles and faultes of his elect and chosen children before the foundation of the earth was laide, & therfore before he had made any promise of good things vnto thē, did yet in his vnspeakable mercy & goodnes steppe as it were over them all, and boūd himselfe, being before most free, by his gratious promises made vnto them; no doubt but the same vnspeakable mercy & goodnes vvill cause him being novve bounde, and so a debtour, in respect of his truth and righteousnes also, to steppe over all those stumbling blockes, vvhen they are cast in his waie, for the stedfast and stable performance of all such thinges, as vvere in greate grace and mercy before promised. For (as the Apostle teacheth) the promises made vnto the faithfull are founded vppon grace, that so they might bee sure: they are not founded Rom. 4 16. vppon the [...]ottering stay of mans frailty, but vpon the immoveable and vnchaungeable rocke of the LORDES ovvne loue, and therefore they are vnmoveable and vnchaungeable.
Neither is this doctrine (as it is vniustly chardged by the enimyes of faith) the mother of pride, or of carnall securitie and dissolutenes of life, but the most sounde doctrine of the christian faith, and the most direct way to sincere piety & godlines For is not this a necessary due [...]y of everie true and faithfull christian, which is engraffed and incorporated into CHRIST, to beleeue & confesse that by the vertue of his death he hath full recō ciliation with God, remission of sinnes, and an inheritance in the kingdome of glory: yeelding most hearty thankes vnto GOD for this his most gratious callinge vnto the estate of salvation in CHRIST [...]esus, and magnifying [...]is vnspeakable goodnes for the same continually? Nay, not to acknowledge this willingly were plaine infidelity, and gladly not to make profession [Page 28] th [...] of were great vnthankefulnes: so far is it of, that this doctrine can be iustly charged to be the nurce of pride, or the mother of haughty and dive [...]ish presumption, being in deede the true nurc [...] of all sounde comfort and [...]oy, and the naturall mother of all holy and faithfull presumption. Presume (saith Saint Austine) Aug. s [...]rm. 28. de v [...]. b. [...]omini. not of thine ovvne doing, but of the grace of CHRIST; for by grace yee are saved, as saith the Apostle: this is then not pride, but faith; to make open profession of that vvhich thou haste re [...]eaved, i [...] not presumption, but [...]evotion. I vvi [...] not glorie (saith Ambrose) Am [...]. d [...] lac [...]b [...] & vi [...]a b [...]ata cap. 6. that I am iust, but, that I am redeemed, for that vvill I glorie ▪neither vvill I glory for that I am voide of sinne, but for that my sinne [...] are remitted to my selfe: I vvill not glorie for that I haue profited an [...]e, or for that a [...]e hath profited m [...]e, but for that CHRIST is an advocate vvith the father for MEE and that his bloode vv [...] sh [...]dde for MEE. VVherefore Bernarde speaking to the faithfull▪ If thou (saith hee) beleevest that thy sinnes cannot bee done avva [...]e B [...]rn. s [...]r. 1. de annu [...]iat. but by hi [...], against vvhome alone thou hal [...] offended, and vvho himselfe cannot offende, thou doest vvell: but thou must proceede further, and beleeue also, that thy sinnes are forgiuen even to thy selfe. For to doubte of the most singular vertue of CHRISTS bloode to vvash and clense the staines of all the sinnes of the faithfull, were infidelitie: or not to doubt thereof, but to doubt vvhether it bee avail [...]able to purge and clense THINE iniquities & sinnes, is to bewray thine infidelity in another degree, even in that thou beleevest not thy selfe to belong to that number, nor yet to bee partaker vvith them of their mercie. VVherefore to teach the faithfull that they shoulde bee persvvaded of the remission of their ovvne sinnes through the death of Christ, is to plucke vp the rootes of infidelity; it is not to teach pride, but faith; nor to open a gappe to all [...]inne and vvickednesse, but contrarivvise most effectuallie to provoke to repentance, loue, and thankefulnesse, and to the practise of all other christian dueties.
A [...]d in truth we cannot bee rightly offended with our selues for offending so merciful and gracious a God, vntill he hath given vs some sense & feeling of his vnspeakeable mercy towardes vs in assuring vs of the pardon of our offences and sinnes, Neither can vve vnfainedly loue the Lord, and desire to be thankfull [Page 29] vnto him as we ought to be, vntil we be perswaded that he loueth vs, and beareth a kinde affection tovvards vs. Neither yet can we wholy resigne our selues to God, vntil we perceiue that we are not our ovvn, but that we are bought with a price, that so we should 1. Cor. 6. 20 sanctifie the Lorde, both in our bodies and in our spirites, which are the Lordes. My beloued (s [...]ith the spouse) is mine, and I am his: he hath Cant. 2. 16. giuen himselfe to me, and hath assured me of his loue: and therefore I giue my selfe to him, and assure him of mine obedience. VVee loue him (saith Saint Iohn) because he loved vs first. For as 1. Ioh. 4 19. one fire kindleth another, and one heate raiseth vp another: so the [...]i [...]y heate of the Lords kindnes and loue, felt in the hearts of the faithful, doth kindle againe the fi [...]e of their loue and thankefulnesse towards God, causing them to busie all their thoughtes and cogitations, how they may after the best manner perfourme this there bou [...]den duety and service to God▪ When the Lord by the prophet had mentioned his great mercies bestowed vpon his people of Israel, the prophet stra [...]t-waies in the person of the people breaketh out into these words: Wherewithall shall I come before Mich 6. 6. the Lorde, and bowe my selfe before the high God? Likevvise David vppon the like consideration: Ʋ Ʋhat shall I render vnto the Psa 116. 12. & 103. 1. Lorde for all his benefites bestovved on mee? and againe: Praise the LORDE, O my soule, and all that is within mee praise his holy name: praise the LORDE, O my soule, and forget not all his benefites: vvho forgiueth all thy sinnes, and healeth all thine infirmities: vvh [...] saueth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindnes. In which words we may perceaue, that the sence and feeling of the Lords mercies, in re [...]tting to the prophet David his manifold sinnes, was in him as a great & vehement flame kindling in his very hart & soule a most fervent & zealous desire of magnifying and extolling the Lords mercies. So Mary loved Luc. 7 47. much, because manie sinnes vvere forgiven her: [...]eeling first the great aboundance of Gods loue tovvardes her selfe in pardon [...]ng her manifolde and grievous sinnes, vvhich caused in her as it vv [...]re a reflexion and reciprocation of her loue towards God for those his great and endlesse mercies. And surely if the small kindenes of a man and that towardes his enimy doth oftentimes [...]eape coales of fire on his heade, turning malice into meekenesse; Rom. 12. 20 [Page 30] and currishnes into kindenes, and so overcomming evill with goodnes: how much more the infinite loue of God in pardoning our manifold and grievous sinnes being once felt within vs, vvill it not possesse our soules with his loue, and winne al our affections to his obedience? Surely it vvil cause vs to reioyce if wee may suffer any tribulation for his names sake, or performe any other duety whatsoeuer, that may be grateful and acceptable vnto him. We reioice (saith the Apostle) in tribulations, knowing that tribulation Rom. 5. 4. bringeth foorth patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, & hope maketh not ashamed, because the loue of God is shedde abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost. And to say the truth who euer were greater enimies to carnal security and dissolutenes of life, more zealous followers of Christ, & more religious embracers of true piety and godlines; then such as aboue all other haue felt the loue of God most aboundantly towardes themselues, in assuring them most vndoubtedly of the forgiuenes of all th [...]ir sinnes, & of their inheritance in the kingdome of glory? Wherefore this doctrine which teacheth the faithful to raise vp themselues to a stedfast assurance of Gods mercies tendeth neither to pride, no [...] to dissolutnes of life: but that doctrine which teacheth to doubt of Gods favour, is no better then a flat stepmother to faith, and a naturall nurce to infidelity. For he that wil rightly come v [...]to God, must come vnto him without doubting: whereby we see that faith Iac. 1. 6. and doubtfulnesse cannot wel agree together. So vvhen God promised Abraham a sonne in his old age, adding further that Rom 4. 2 [...]. in his seed al the nations of the earth should be blessed: M [...]t [...]4. 31. Rom. 14 23 In Gen 4 [...]. The popish faith [...]ke to the Infidell Poets. he doubted not (saith the Apostle) through vnbeliefe: shewing thereby that doubtfulnes ariseth of infidelity. Wherefore, for any that professeth himselfe to belong to the number of the faithfull to doubt of the performance of any of the Lordes promis [...]s in generall, or in particular of the promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes, and eternall life made to al that beleeue, doth argue a very small faith at the least, if it doe not convince the party of [...]latte infidelity. Non si mihi Iuppiter ipse s [...]n [...]at, [...]am s [...]crem hoc contingere pon [...]. Wherefore as Martin Luther truely avouched, if there were no other errors and heresies in the doctrine of the church of Rome, but euen this that they teach that the faithful, which are iustified before God, ought not yet assure themselues of [...] owne iustification, [Page 31] and of their owne vndoubted calling vnto the estate of grace, but remaine stil pensiue and doubtful of the remission of their sinnes, and of their interest in the kingdome of glory; yet this alone were a sufficient mot [...]ue to make a separation from her, as being the mother of infidelity, and not of faith.
Div. 3.
That we ought to beleeue onlie in God, and not in the church or in anie creature.
THose things which the Gentiles offer vp in sacrifice, they I beleeue in God. I beleeue the church. offer to devils, & not to God: the Iews, & all hereticks beleeue not in the true God, but vpon an Idoll of their owne imagination: the superst [...]tious beleeueth in creatures, the Epi [...]ure hath his belly and pleasure for his God, the Machiavellion his pollicy, the covetous worldling his Mammon: onely the faithful christian beleeueth in God, and reposeth in him al the hope of his felicity, he seeketh to him onely in al his necessities, and giueth him the thankes for al benefites whatsoeuer. If there were any other that could doe so great workes for vs, as are those of the creation, redemption, and sanctification; or if there were any that were partners with God in the same; then were there some cause why we might beleeue in them, and devote our selues to their service. For the articles of our creede do teach vs therefore to beleeue in God, for that it is he that hath made vs, and not wee our selues, nor any other; for that it is he that hath redeemed vs, and not we our selues, nor any other, and for that it is he that sanctifieth vs, and not we our selues, nor any other; and therefore that we haue [...]ust cause to beleeue in him and in none other, and to serue him and none other: especially whereas he is a iealous God, and wil giue his glory to none other: and as he hath no partner with him in his worke, so will hee haue no partner with him in that honour which is due vnto him in respect of the same. Wherefore blessed is the man that trusteth in God, and whose hope the I [...]r. 7. 5. Lorde is: and cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his [Page 32] arms, and so turneth away from the true God. It is not then without cause that our creede teacheth vs to beleeue in God, and not in any creature, to beleeue the church & not in the church nor in any mēbers of the church, We beleeue (saith Pas [...]h [...]sius) the church as the Pasch. l. 1. despiritu sancto. Aug. tract. 29. in Ioh. Euseb. Emiss. hom. 2. [...]nsymb. Rhem. in ep. ad Rom. c. 10 & in ep ad Philem. 2. Cor. 12. 7. mother of regeneratiō, we beleue not in the church as the a [...]tor of regeneratiō: Farre be frō vs this blasphemous opiniō, for it is not lawfull to beleue no [...]ot in an Angell. We beleue Peter, (saith S. Austin) we beleue not in Peter, For to beleeue in Peter or Paul were to bestow vpō the servāt the honour due vnto the Lord. And yet our Rhemis [...]es are so bold as to avouch, that it is lawful to beleeue in the saints & so in the church, albeit it be but a congregation of such, as are or haue beene subiect to manifolde infirmities. The which infirmities the Lorde suffered to remaine in his chiefest servantes and saintes vvhilest they liued, that they shoulde not be lis [...]ed vp above measure but be humble and lovvly as they ought to bee. And vvithout all doubt for the very lyke cause vvere some of the same infirmities registred also by the very direction of GODS most holy spirite, and published to all posteritye least vve also should conceaue too greate an opinion of them, by making them our patrones and LORDES, by seeking vnto them for their protection, by devoting our selues vnto their service, and by placinge our hope and trust in them▪ Neither did the spirit of GOD for this cause lay open onely the infi [...]mityes of the saintes, but also concealed many of those high revelations that [...]. Cor. 12. 6 vvere shevved vnto them, and many also in all [...]y [...]elihoode of the strange vvorkes that vvere vvrought by them, l [...]st they shoulde haue beene exalted aboue measure and ex [...]olled aboue the degree of servantes in the opinion of men. For it is the LORDE of these vvorthye servantes that must encrease: Ioh. 3. 30. Ps. [...]6. 4 [...] & [...]8 3. Eccl. 43. 30 1. Pet. 1. 13 vvhoe indeede is so greate, that hee cannot vvorthely be praised; yea vvhose greatenes cannot sufficientlye bee comprehended, much lesse magnyfied on that manner as it ought to bee, and on vvhose grace vvee ought perfectely to trust▪ vvhereas the greatest amongst the children of vvomen must decrease especially in themselues (fighting against pride which ove [...] Superbi [...] in virtute timenda. threw Adam, & the Angelles & still assaulteth even the best) never so much as imagining with themselues, that they can bee [Page 33] so humble and lowly as they ought to be. For Gods grace is sufficient for them, which assureth thē of the release of their sins, but taketh not cleane away all their infirmities, but suffereth them to feele the pricke & sting thereof, that thereby they may be most earnestly stirred vp to put of swelling pride, & to put on holy humility. God (saith Austine) Aug. cont. Pel. l 3. c. 13. doth [...] his iust ones for the fulfilling of perfect righteousnes, for that as yet they are in danger to bee pu [...]ed vp with pride: that while none liuing is iustified in his sight, vvee may ovve thankes vnto his mercy, and by holy humility may bee cured of pride the principall cause of many mischeifes. Truth it is that our Saviour affirmeth Ioh. 14. 12. that such as beleeue in him shall doe greater vvorkes then those that he himselfe did, vvhilest he conversed here in the flesh. Whereby our Rhemistes doe endevour to iustifie all those straung wonders that are reported to be done by their canonized saints. But be it that many more signes vvere done by the ministery of the Apostles among the Gentiles for the confirmation of the doctrine that vvas straunge vnto them, and therefore required stranger signes for the mooving of the vnbeleevers to the embracing thereof, then vvere done by CHRIST himselfe among the Ievves, because they receaued the bookes of the Prophetes wherein his doctrine was sufficiētly confirmed: yet it hath pleased the spirit of God to haue recorded in holy scripture more miracles done by Christ himselfe, thē were done by the ministery of the Apostles. Yea it hath pleased the spirit of God (as was said before) to haue testified the concealing of straūg revelatiōs shewed to the Apostle S. Paul himselfe, least that any should conceaue of him more thē were meete. With what spirit thē was the autor of the Legēd led, that hath blazed abroad so many straūg wōders reported to be done by their doubtfull & demy-saints, to draw the people no doubt into such an admiratiō of them, as that therby they might be moued to beleeue in thē? What? shall vve imagine that the same spirit (which would haue the straūg revelatiōs of the Chrys. Hom. 5 in Math. Aug. de. mirabil. sacra scripturae l. 1. c. 35. Apostle concealed to that end for the which the sepulcher of Moset was kept secret by God, least the people should haue worshipt him) would haue as straūg or straūger wōders to be published as done by the petty Saints of the Romish church for the farther advaūcing of their estimatiō: Nay, may we not iustly think that as the [Page 34] Devil did striue with Michael about the body of Moses, that his [...]yr. in deut. 34. sepulchet might be knowne, that so he might be worshipped: even so that it [...] the selfe-same spirite that hath stroven so earnestly to bl [...]ze ab [...]oade the incredible vvonders of the Romish Saintes, that so the people might bee mooued to vvorshippe them, and to place their hope and trust in them? For the spirit of CHRIST as it proceedeth from him, so it teacheth that doctrine which he taught, and seeketh to glorifie him, by setting Ioh. 16. 14. forth his greatnesse, that so the faithfull might trust perfectly in his grace, and rest themselues only vppon his sufficiencie: and it teacheth the chiefest among the saintes to account it their greatest honour to honour their Lorde Christ, and to giue testimony Apoc 19. 10. vnto him: (for to giue testimony to Christ is a sure note of the spirite of a true prophet) that so they may bee honoured of him with a roome among the residue of his servauntes. And verily if vvee will rightly worshippe the saintes, vvee must learne by Aug in psa. [...]. their appointment not to vvorshippe them, but to vvorshippe him that ma [...]e heauen and earth, the sea and all that is therein. Yea vvee m [...]st endevour to vvorshippe God as they haue giuen vs an example, by follovving Apoc. 19. 10. & [...]2. 9. Act. 10. 26. & 14. 15. them in the steppes of their sounde and christian faith, & of their ho▪ ly and godly life: and this is the greatest honor that we can do vnto them, which is most grateful and acceptable to them, and most b [...]n [...]ficial vnto our selues. And as for those strange legendary wonders, let vs leaue them to him and his adherents who vvas to come vvith great signes and lying vvonders, and to be discerned Mat. [...] 24. Chrys [...]. in Mat hom. 49. Aug. de vni [...] [...]l. ca. 16. in part by this meanes. Neither neede vve being thus forewarned by Christ himselfe greatly be astonished and amazed thereat, or esteeme better of many of them, then Austine did of the Donatistes miracles: the vvhich he esteemed to be either flat forgeries of seducing men, or else delusions of lying spirits.
Div. 4.
That we may not pray to the saintes departed, nor seeke to them, that by their mediation we may come vnto God, and by their meanes obtaine our petitions.
VPon the question of faith in the saints dependeth the quest [...]ō I beleeue in God. I beleeue the church of their invocatiō. For if we must only beleeue in God, then vve must also pray only only vnto him: and if we cannot trust in the Saints, not hope to be holpen by their means, to what end should we make our praiers vnto them, and seeke vnto them in our necessities? How shall they call vpon him (saith the Apostle) in Rom. 10. 14. whom they haue not beleeued? Surely that vvere to begge at a wrong do [...], and as it vvere to seeke to sucke water out of a s [...]nt. Wherfore if vve vvill haue our praiers to take effect, vve must make thē to him that is able to heare, & also to fulfil & accōplish the same. But God only is omnipotent filling al places vvith his maiesty & povver, searching the very secrets of our harts and reines, and beholding euen with what affection we conceiue our supplicatiōs: & he also is only omnipotent & able to accomplish our desires: the which properties are so peculiar to God as he is God, that no vvay they cā agree to any creature. The saints are neither present in many places to heare al the praiers that are made vnto thē, neither are they able to looke into the hart, to see whether such praiers are made in hypocrisie, or else with an holy & godly sincerity. If the soules of the departed could bee heere present in this world, my godly Aug. de cura [...]ro mort. ca. 13. mother (saith S. Austine) would never leaue me: but true it is that the Psalmist saith when my father & my mother for sooke me, &c. But if our parents be not present vvith vs, what are other that they should know our estate▪ Thou art our father (saith Esay) for Abraham knoweth vs not, and I s [...]aell h [...]th forgotten vs. Now if [...]o great Patriarkes did not know the estate of their owne posterity, How should others know and be helpers vnto theirs? Wherefore we doe no wrong to the Aug. li. de pastore c. 8. holy mountaines, that is, to the saints, when we say our helpe is not from the mountaines but frō the Lord that made heaven & earth: the mountaines themselues do teach the same: & will not only not be offended with thee for [Page 36] it, but will loue thee for the same & favour thee the more: but if th [...] pu [...] thy hope in them, they will be sorry. The truth is, that the Lord cōmandeth vs in all our wantes and necessities to seeke vnto him, who is our only saviour and deliverer, the only fountaine and wel-spring of al good things. Call vpon mee in the day of thy trouble, and I will del [...] ver Psa. 50. 15. thee, and thou shalt glorifie me. Come vnto me (saith our Saviour) all Mat 11. 28. yee that are laden and grievously oppressed, and I will ease you. The name of the Lord (saith Salomon) is an impregnable tower, the righteous shall [...]e Pro. 18. 10. vnto it, and shall be delivered. He then that speaketh vnto God for succour getteth himselfe as it were into an invincible fort, where he is sure to be free from all danger: and he that maketh his suite vnto the Lord, commeth not to a beggarly benefactor, but vnto a rich and a bountiful Founder, who is rich, not to some, but to all that call vpon him.
Neither needest thou doubt of his render affection towardes thee; his goodnes is infinite and so is his compassion, farre greater then the kindnesse of any father or mother, or then is the compassion of any of the saints: the more thou feelest thy selfe burdened with the weight of thy sins, the readier is he to ease and refresh thee: and the more vnworthy thou art in thine ovvne e [...]es, the worthier thou art in his sight: & the more humbled thou art in thy selfe, the nearer thou art to be exalted by him. Come thy selfe vnto him, take no associate but only a faithful & a penitent heart, and thou shalt alwaies haue free accesse. Our Saviour Christ whē he would not heare his own disciples on the behoose of the womā of Canaan, gaue audience vnto her at her own suite, & granted her her petition and request. Tel me (saith Chrysostome Chr [...]s. hom. 12. de Cana [...]a. entreating of this woman) how durst thou come vnto Christ, where as thou art a wicked & sinfull wretch? I know (saith shee) what to do. Behold (saith he) the wisedome of this woman. Shee praieth not Iames, Ioh, or Peter, or any of the company of the rest of the Apostles: shee seeketh no mediatour for her selfe, but for all these taketh repentance for her associate in steed of a mediatour, and goeth directly to the very fountaine it selfe. For therefore (saith shee) he descended, and tooke our flesh vpon him and became man, that I might be bold to speake vnto him himselfe. For (as Ambrose also teacheth) wee neede not make friends to come vnto God, as a Amb. in ep. ad rom. ca. 1. man must doe that will come vnto a Prince; we neede not a spokes-man to [Page 37] procure Gods favour, who knoweth right well every ones good deeds; but we must bring vnto him a devout minde. Where his meaning is, that the faithful, who are reconciled vnto God by Christ, haue no need of any other mediatour to procure thē Gods favor; & not, that they do not still stand in neede of Christ to be their mediatour, be they neuer so righteous, or never so holy. For (as he himselfe else where testifieth) Amb. lib. de Isaac & anim [...]. Christ is our mouth (still) whereby we speake to the father: our eie by the which we see the father: cur right hand which presenteth vs vnto the father: without whose intercessiō neither we nor any of the saints haue any communion with God. So saith Cyrill also, none commeth to the father Cyrill. in Ioh. ca. 16. but by the sonne, by who [...] we are brought to the father by the spirite: & therefore he calleth himselfe a dore, and a way, and saith none commeth to the father but by me. For as there is but one God, so there is but one 1. Tim. 2. 5. mediatour betweene God and man, even the man Iesus Christ: & therefore if any man sin we haue not Peter or Paul or the glorious virgin, but we haue Iesus Christ our advocate, and hee is the propitiation for our 1 Ioh. 2 1. Heb. 7. 27. sins. For it is he that hath an eternall priesthoode alwaies living to make intercession for vs: and it is he that is ascended into heaven there to appeare on our behoofe before God, to be as it were our Lawyer in that celestial court, to preferre our petitions, & to sollicite our suits continually. Yea it is he that is that Angell of the covenaunt th [...] Apoc. 8. 3. doth put the sweete odours of his obedience vnto our praiers, whereby they are accepted before God, and made a sacrifice of a sweet savour vnto his divine maiesty. And verily in whom should we be accepted before God, but in his dearely beloved son in whom hee is well Mat. 3. 17. pleased? And for whom should our Saviour make intercession but for them, whose redemption he hath wrought by his own blood? vvho surely vvill not novv post them of to any other advocate, not cōmend their suites to any other sollicitour: & therfore thrice wretched vvere they if they vvould seeke to any other then only to him, vvho hath taken their causes into his owne hands. Wherefore if vve looke for a good effect in all our praiers, and an happy successe in all our affaires, we must commend vs and ours only to God, and that in the name of our only mediatour, and not in the mediation of any other.
Div. 5.
That it would be an impeachment to the Lordes omnipotency, if sin [...] shoulde be done, himselfe in no respect willing, but altogeather nillinge the sam [...]e.
THe almighty creator and governour of heaven and earth Almighty. Iob 9. 12. Ma h. 8. 8. Eccl. 3. 14. Esa. 14 24. Gen. 50 20. Rom. 8. 28. whose wil hath his forth in al things whatsoever, whose decrees cannot be reversed, no [...] his power resisted, who is even in that selfe same thing most singularly good, wherein man is most notoriously evil, who can drawlight out of darkenes, and turne evill into good, hath made sinne it selfe that proceedeth not from himselfe but from the devill, not only an occasion to destroy Aug. co [...]. Pet. l. 3. c. 13 pride and to plant humility in the heartes of his saints, but also a way for the manifestation of his most severe iustice in the punishment thereof, and of his endles mercy in pardoning the same, and of his infinite wisedome in appointing such a meanes for mans delivery from sinne, whereby he sheweth himselfe both perfectly merciful, and perfectly iust. And in these respectes it may be saide that God willeth, albeit he never iust [...]fieth sinne, but disalloweth, hateth, and interdicteth the same, and that vpon the Aug. Ench. ad Laur. c. 100. paine of eternall damnation. Greate are th [...] workes of the LORD (saith S. Austine) and most exquisite in regard of the in omnes voluntates [...]ius. manifolde respectes of his will: so that by a straunge and vnspeakable manner that is not done BESIDES, which is done AGAINST his vvill: because it should not be done, if he did not suffer it; neither doth he suffer it nilling, but willing. And yet the church of Rome teacheth that God in no respect willeth sinne, but that the sinner performeth the same wholy and altogether against his will. Contrary to the iudgmēt of the wiseman: How might any thing endure if it were not thy vvill? Wisd. 11. 22. Rom. 9. 19. Aug. Ench. ad La [...]. c. 96. Contrary to the Apostle: who hath resisted his will? and greatly preiudicing thereby the Lordes omnipotency according vnto the plaine and direct censure of S. Austine in this very case. It is not to be doubted (saith he) but that God doth well, in suffering whatsoever is done evill, in that he doth not suffer it, but in his iustice: & now verely that which is iust, is good. Wherefore albeit these thinges which are evill, in [Page 39] that they are evill are not good, yet notwithstanding it is a good thing, that not only good, but that evill should BE also. For vnlesse it were good that e [...] should BE, it should not be permitted to BE of the omnipotent good: to whō without all doubt as it is an easie matter to doe whatsoever hee will, so it is as easye a matter to stay whatsoever he will not. The which thinge vnlesse vve firmely beleeue, the very first foundation of our christian faith will be greatly shaken wherein we make profession that we beleeue in GOD the father almighty. Neither is he for any other cause truely called omnipotent or almighty, but for that hee is able to to doe whatsoever he will, and the effect of his will is not hindred by the will of any other creature whatsoever. So then God willeth the actions of the wicked: for he could stay them if he willed them not, and had not appointed to draw good out of them, by making them a meanes to manifest his iustice in the authors destruction. And so the Apostle teacheth in plaine wordes that the wicked and reprobate which are hardened in their sinnes by the malice of Satan and by the corruption of their owne nature, are not hardened by the bare permission onely but also by the will and appointment of God. He hath mercy (saith the Apostle) Rom. 9. 18. Nihil si [...] fr [...]s [...]ra. Frustra fi [...] quod fine car [...]t. on whome he WILL and whome he WILL he hardeneth. The Philosopher could say that nothing in this world is made by God rashly or vainely, not hauing an ende wherevnto it is created, and meanes to bring it to the same end. For there is no wise worke-master here among men that will goe about anything, but that he will first determine with himselfe concerning the end of his worke, and the meanes wherby it may be brought therevnto. Which of you (saith our Saviour Luc. 4. 28. Christ minding to build a tower, sitteth not downe before & counteth the cost whether he be sufficient to performe it &c. Wherfore it cānot be but meere madnes, yea open blasphemy to avouch that the most wise & mighty creator should appoint to make many that should m [...]r [...]e themselues, and not to appointe the end wherevnto they should come, and the meanes whereby they should be brought to the same. For to say that God ordained them to life, but altered his purpose vpon their alteration, i [...] to robbe God of his vnchaungeable goodnes, and of his wisedome and foreknowledge also: to say that God disposed not of them neither this waie nor that way, but left them onely at their owne disposition, is to say [Page 40] that the ordering of the clay is in it selfe, and not in the potter that fashioneth the same: or to say, that God meerly permitteth their eternall destruction, and their sins wherby they are brought therevnto, neither willing nor nilling the same, neither in [...]ning to the one nor yet to the other, is to make the Lord a newter in the ordering and governing of this present world, and to open a gappe to flat Epicurisme.
Div. 6.
That God hath not committed the protection of his church to the Saintes departed out of this life.
THe same power that made al things, is only able to sustaine Maker of heaven & ea [...]th. Col. 1, 17. Psal. 36. 6. & 104. 1. all things, and so it doth. And therefore God is not only called the maker, but also the preseruer both of man and beast. The eies of all waite vpon him, and hee giveth them their meate in due season: he watreth the hils from aboue, the earth is full of the fruit of his workes. For God is not as many vnnatural parents which send their children abroad into the wide world, leauing them to themselues either to sinke or to swimme: nor as the Ostrich, who after shee hath laid her egges in the dust, cleane forsaketh them, caring nothing at all what becommeth of them: but hee keepeth as it were continuall watch and warde ouer all his creatures (cloathing the Lillies, feeding the Fowles, and not suffering so much as a Mat 6 [...]0. & 10. 29. Sparrow to fall to the ground without his will) and therfore much more over his elect and chosen children, guarding them with his fatherly protection, and environing them with his as [...]isting power 1. Pet. 5. 7. Iob. 1. 10. as with a most strong and [...]incible wall, & not suff [...]ing so much as an haire of their heads to fall to the ground without his providence. He rideth vpon the heavens for their helpe, and vpon the Deu. 33. 26. clowdes in his glory: his eies are bent vpon them continually, so that they never go out of his sight, Yea behold he that keepeth Israell Psal. 121. 4. doth neither slumber nor sleepe: the Lord himselfe is their keeper, he is their defence vpon their right hand, and their preserver from all evill. Iob. 34. 13. Hee hath not passed over this his authority to the saintes, nor ioyned any of them with himselfe in commission: hee hath not [Page 41] made them our patrons & defenders (let our Rh [...]mistes say wh [...]t Rhem. in. c. 2 [...]p. 1 ad Tim & Apoc c 2. they list to the contrary) as Saint George for England, S. Denis for Fr [...]nce, S. Andrevve for Scotland. The saintes whil [...]st they liued were Gods instrumentes here in this worlde for the good of his church, and they served their times as it is saide of David: Now they Act. 13 36. 2. Sa. 12 23. are departed hence they are not sent backe againe to be regentes over countries, or to be disburlets of these the Lords earthly and temporall blessings: For they rest from all such labours, being alwaies before the throne of God, seruing and praising him there Apoc 7. 5. & 13. 14. for ever, and therefore well may they contente themselues to leaue the affaires of this world to such as still liue in this world, and not to haue any more portion for ever in all that is done vnder the Eccl 9. 6. sunne, seeing that they haue so liberall & plētifull a portion in the things that are aboue the sunne. Surely king David while he liued Psa. 73 25. here in this worlde knewe no patron besides the Lord himselfe: Est. 14. 3. Is. 6. 16. Whōe haue I in heavē but the [...]: Nor yet did Queene Ester know any other. Lord helpe thou me, which haue no helper besides thee. For Abraham knewe the [...] not, and Israell had forgotten them.
Chap. 4. Div. 1.
That our Saviour Christ according vnto his divine nature is [...] one and the same God vvith the Father.
THe godhead, deity, or the divine nature is of none but of it selfe, being the originall cause and fountaine of all being and subsisting vnto all, as these names Iah and In Iesu [...] Ch [...]ist his onely son [...]. Iehovah do also insinuate. And the divine nature of our glorious God & Lord Iesus Christ is the same divine nature which is in the father, and he himselfe is one and the same God with the father, and therefore [...] and of himselfe; howsoever the wicked brood of the great Antichrist the graūd enemy of Christ doth charg this doctrin with wicked blasphemy. Christ, as God, is of himselfe: as God the sone, is of Rhemist. in. Ioh. cap. 1. Campian. Rat. 8. the father, begottē after an vnspeakable maner of his divine nature & substāce before al worlds. And so speaketh an ancient father: Christ to himselfe is God, but in the re [...]tiō to his father is the sone & so begottē of the father.
Div. 2.
That our Saviour Christ was incarnate by the holy Ghost, and tooke his humane nature only of the seede of man, and not of the seede of any graine by having it transubstantiated into his bodie.
IF the doctrine of transubstantiation bee true (as it is determined Incarnate by the holy Ghost, borne of the virgin Mary. Se [...]. 3. sub Iulio 3. cā. 4 cap. 2. and concluded by the councel of Trent) that by the consecr [...] tion of bread and wine, the vvhole substaunce of breade and vvine is turned into the very substance of the body and blood of Christ: And if the vvordes of the institution of this holy sacrament (this is my bodie) be to be vnderstoode li [...]terally, really, substantially, then our Saviour CHRIST tooke not flesh onely of the blessed Virgin Marie, but also of material bread, that becomming really and substantially his very body. And therefore is Christes body called bread (if that vvve vvill beleeue our masters of Rhemes) for that it is made of bread. So they Rhem. in ca. 6. Joh. haue their Christ not onely of the seede of Abraham and David, but also of the seede of such corne and gra [...]e as growet [...] and springeth out of the earth. Neither doe wee envie them this their breaden CHRIST, vvhose body is daily made by Sacerdo [...] est creator suicreatoris. Qui creavi: [...]e sine me [...]am creatur mediante me a sinnefull priest through the pronuntiation of a fevve vvordes; let them ch [...]vv him and champe him euen as they list: for vve content our selues vvith that Christ to bee our Saviour, who vvas incarnate by the hol [...] Ghost (and not by the vvords of consecration) and tooke his flesh onely of the blessed Virgin Mar [...], and not of the seed of any graine.
Div. 3.
That our Saviour Christ according vnto his humanitie is of a nature finite and circumscriptible, and not present in all or in many places at one time.
THe church of Rome by her doctrine of the reall presence Bo [...]ne of the virgin Mary. doeth take away from Christ the nature of a true humane body, and so overthroweth the trueth of his manhoode, in that shee avoucheth that his body there really present is vncircumscribed, and not contained in space or place. For Aug. ep 57. Q [...] [...] bi est, non est. take away a place from bodies, and they shall bee no vvhere: and if they bee no vvhere, they bee not at all. Yea vvhereas it is an vndoubted and confessed truth, that both the divine & humane natu [...]es of Christ with their severall properties remaine still in him distinct and vnconfounded, and seeing that it is a property of the humane nature of CHRIST beeing a meere creature togither with all other creatures earthly and heauenly to bee finite and contained either vvithin the compasse of one place, or within the limites and boundes of their finite nature; as on the otherside it is a property of the divine nature not to be contained within the compasse of any one place, but beeing infinite and incomprehensible to fill all places with maiesty and glorie; (and to fill many or all places belongeth to the selfe▪ same nature which is in it selfe infinite and incomprehensible, and no way to a finite and limited nature) therefore the church of Rome by her doctrine of the reall presence avouching CHRISTS body to be in ten thousande places at one time (vvhich is a property belonging vnto his deity) is iustly condemned for renewing the heresie of Eutiches in confounding the properties of Christs nature, and in taking away the truth of his humanity.
Div. 4.
That as it is hereticall to worshippe Iudas or the Iewes; so the instrumentes which they vsed, as the nailes, speare, and crosse in renting and tormenting Christs most pretious body.
OVR Saviour Christ was deliuered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God himselfe, he being Suffred vnder Ponti [...]s Pilate. most iust in punishing him who had taken vpon himselfe all our iniquities and sinnes; Pilate, Iudas, and the Iewes yet being most vniust in working the death and condemnation of our most innocent and guiltlesse Saviour. And therefore wicked was the opinion of certaine heret [...]kes called Cain [...], which worshipped Iudas and the Devill for the procuring of the death of Christ: seeing they endevoured to hinder and not to further the salvation of man: even as Ph [...]raeus Iasons enimy thought to haue slaine him, when by opening with the thrust of his weapon the place of his most dangerous and deadly impostume, he was the meanes to cure him of that his malady. And vvicked also is the doctrine of the church of Rome, which teacheth to worship the nailes, speare, and crosse which were the instruments of their outragious cruelty in renting and tormenting his most pretious body: and to reverence the Greeke and the Latin tongues, because in them vvas written his accusation which was most false and vntrue, that he did vsurpe the temporal kingdome of Iurie, whereas he kept himselfe Ioh. 6. 15. & 18. 36. close from the multitude when they would haue made him king; and made open protestation even to Pilate that his kingdome was not of this world. For that, which is applied to a wicked and vngodly vse, is not thereby sa [...]ctified but wickedly prophaned.
Div. 5.
That Christ suffered both in body and soule the paines that were proportionable to our sinnes.
Two things were requisite in our [...]aviors suffering [...] that they Suff [...]d. might be a sufficient satisfaction for our sinnes. First a proportion of the sufferinges to the greatnesse of the sinnes: secondly a right to translate them vpon the parties, for whom they were sustained. 1 The great & high proportion of the sufferings of Christ proceedeth from the excellency of his divine nature, which gaue vertue and dignity to the same: 2 & the right to translate them vpon man, proceedeth from the hum [...]ne nature, in which they were sustained, that so they might be availeable for mans sinnes. For in that man, which had sinned, was according to the purpose & coūsel of God to be redeemed, & not the angels, therefore nor the seed of Angels, but of man, was to be taken, that so in the very nature of man that had sinned, the paines for mans sins might be endured, & so satisfactiō made for mās trāsg [...]ssions. And therfore, as Christ was to take our whole nature vpō him, that so he might be a mee [...] person Aug. cone. F [...]l. ca. 13. to redeeme the whole: so the m [...]anes of our redēption being his sufferings, as he was to take both body & soul, so he was to suffer both in body & soul, that so he might redeeme both body and soul, especially mans soule being the p [...]ncipall in committing the offence, & the body being but as it were an accessory therevnto, the soul was principally to be punished in respect therof, neither had it bin agreeable vnto iustice, that the principall should haue wholy escaped, & that the accessory should haue bin extreamely punished. And certainly our Saviour Christ, being ready presently to enter into those his greatest paines & punishments which he was to endure for mans trāsgressiōs, testifieth of the extreame anguish of his soul, saying. My soul [...] is heavy vnto death: and before he Mat. 26. 3 [...]. came into his enimies hād [...], that buffered him, crowned him with thornes, scourged him, nailed him vppon the crosse, and so tormented his precious bodie, hee suffered his bitter and dreadfull agonye in the garden, the vvhich was so grievous and [Page 46] burdensome vnto him, that it caused him to swette both water & blood, and to crie out againe and againe in that his extremity, Father if it be possible let this cuppe passe from mee; even this cuppe of thy wrath that I am so deepely to drinke of, that so it might passe frō all the elect: the which he calleth his houre that is hi [...] iudgement Mat. 27. 46. [...]. 12. 27. and condemnation, the which he came into the world to sustaine, that so he might procure our absolution. The which agony continued with him no doubt also on the crosse, where he sustaining the punishment of our sinnes, which had deserued to be forsaken, cried out, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken mee? So great is the weight and burden of sinne (howsoever to a foole it seemeth to be but a pastime) that it being laide vpon our Saviour himselfe pressed and bruised him so sore, that it caused him in the griping griefe of his heavy hart, and in the bitter anguish of his sorrowfull soule, thus and thus to complaine vnto his God. So infinite & vnspeakable was the kindnes and loue of our most gratious & mercifull redeemer towards vs such vnthankefull and wretched sinners, that he tooke from vs this so weighty a burden, and laide it vpon his owne shoulders. O what great comfort doth come vnto every faithfull christian out of these discomforts of our blessed Saviour? What a glorious life doth arise out of his most shamefull death? and what an endles blisse out of his most ex [...]crable curse? O what strong assurance haue we hereby, that all our debtes are discharged to the vttermost mite, and all our sinnes so punished even to the full, that we neede not stand in feare now to bee punished our selues for the same, or to be forced again to make satisfaction either in the Popish rigorous cōsistory, or the fire of painfull purgatory? So great a price doe we iustly set vpon our Saviours most dolefull sufferings, and so highly do we esteeme of his most pretious and inv [...]lu [...]ble paines: and yet our masters of Rhemes are not ashamed to lay to our charge, that we doe not so much Rhem. in Math. c. 27. disgrace as blasphe [...]e the same, for that we teach that not onely in body but also in soule, he sustained the paines that were proportionable to our sinnes.
Div. 6.
That Christes obedience and suffe [...]nges [...] excellency of his person, but also [...] selues were meritorious of eternall [...]ory.
THe value of Christs actions, albeit [...] [...] cy of his person, yet it resteth not [...] deriued from thēce into the very actions, and subsisteth as it were habitually in the workes themselues. For the more excellēt and perfect the worke-master is, the more excellent and perfect is the worke in it selfe that proceedeth from him. And therefore that obedience and righteousnes which our Saviour Christ performed for vs, being done in and by his humane nature, which was endued with the spirite of holines aboue measure, and also by the wil, power, & efficacy of his divine nature, which is in [...]t holines, purity, & perfectiō it selfe, how can it be, but that in it selfe, it should be of inestimable holines, purity, and perfection, and truely meritorious of eternall glorie? For albeit a man might weigh all the droppes of his most pretious blood, and counte the [...]ust and full number of all his anguishes and paines, yet his most fervent zeale tovvardes the glorie of GOD, and his infinite loue to manes salvation, vvhich mooued him thereto, hath a bredth, length, depth, heigth, vvhich passeth knowledge and cannot Eph. 3. 18. be measured, it is endles, infinite, and vnsearcheable, and therefore being laide in the ballance with the crowne of eternall glory, it is able to coūterpoize yea to weigh downe the same. The workes of Gods saintes here in this life come shorte of this perfection, albeit they proceede from GODS most holie spirit: for they are vvrought also by man, that hath many imperfections 2. Cor. 12. 7 1. Cor. 13 9 and wantes, and are never performed either with that fervency of zeale to the glorie of God, or with such aboundance of loue See Mysteryes of moū [...] Calv [...] the Preface. to our neighbours good, as they ought to be: & therefore they are neither satisfactory for sinne, nor yet meritorious of eternall glorie, as are the most vvorthye vvorkes of our onely redeemer. In thee and in mee (saith Augustine) are of greater or [Page 48] lesse value and weight the perfume of our workes, because a [...] some time we doe them with greater devotion then at other times, but in the sonne of God it is not so: For his loue and charitie was so great to redeeme vs, that neither time did encrease it, nor trouble made it col [...]e. Likevvise the vvorkes of one holy man, and the torment of one holy Martyr may bee measured and vveighed vvith the workes and torments of an other, because there is no man so holy in this world, but by Gods grace there may be an other as holy, yea holier to. The heire of eternity doth not enter into this accounte neither doth he come vnder this sca [...]tling: he is not vveighed as we are weighed, nor measured as vvee are measured: because it vvould bee a farre easier matter to po [...]ze the mountaines, then to bounde out the limites of his merites. Howe is it possible to measure his merites, vvhose holines, puritie, and perfection doth exceed all measure? Aboue in the resting place of the Trinitie and in the depth of the Divinitie the sonne of GOD hath his measure and vveight: for that his merites are so greate and the doloures vvhich he suffred so grievous, that there are no doloures of martyres to compare vvith him, nor holines of angels to measure him by. And howe can it otherwise be, seeing that [...]r blessed Saviour did merite more by feasting in the wedding and with Zachoeus, then the greate Saint Iohn the Baptist did by fasting in the wildernes? Moreover it being granted, that the workes, which the sonne of God did as man, had their limites and end, yet the charity by which he did them, had no end, and if to that which he did suffer there was found a measure, yet to the loue, wherewith he did suffer, there was founde no measure. Thou mightest O my IESVS measure and vveigh the bloode, vvhich in the moun [...] of Calvary thou didest shedde, but vvho can be able to measure and weigh the loue, vvith vvhich thou didest shedde it? And although the bloode shoulde bee vveighed vvith powndes and ounces, yet vvho is able to finde out vveightes to weigh thy bovvels? In the ballance of the sanctuarie nothing vvas vveighed, but that vvhich vvas of the sanctuarie: so in the ballance and vveight of CHRIST, nothing is vveighed but the vvorkes of CHRIST: for if thou vvouldest vveigh any other thinge vvith him, all the holines of the Angelles and all [Page 49] the tormentes of the Martyrs would not weigh so much as one d [...]oppe of his blood. Seeing then that we cannot weigh our selues in the ballance of CHRIST, he c [...]e to weigh himselfe in ours: where in one ballance we did put our F [...]ites, in the other hee did put his paines, which before his Father was of so great weight, that it was sufficient to s [...]isfie for our offence. VVho could sati [...]fie for our fault, if he shoulde not lende vs his paine and punishment to pay our debt? And yet the members of the greate A [...]rist, who haue solde themselues to deface the incomparable dignity, and the most ample sufficiencie of the mos [...] precious [...]ath of our almighty and sufficient Saviour, haue not onely vveighed in the same ballance the vvorks of the saintes, and ma [...]ched them in meriting vvith the workes of Christ, (albe [...]t they haue g [...]uen them as it were for manners sake the vpper hande) but also they haue denied such excellency to rest in his obedience and sufferings, Rh [...]m. in. c. 8. ep. ad [...]rom. that in themselues they should be meritorious of eternall glorie, or any whit comparable therevnto.
Div. 7.
That CHRISTES obedience and sufferings are the onely meritorious cause of eternall glorie
THe Apostle to shewe that we haue perfect reconciliation with God, forg [...]uenesse of sinne, and full redemption by Suffered. Col. 1. 15. by the blood of Christ, setteth downe the excellency of this our most glorious Saviour, who spared not to shedde his blood for vs: as that he is the image of the invisible GOD, the fi [...]st begotten of all creatures: that by him all things were created in heaven & earth, whether they be thrones, domi [...]ōs, or powers; yea that it pleased the father, that in him all fulnes should dwell. So the Heb. 1. 1. apostle to the Hebrew, to shew that Christ is the perfect purgatiō of our sins, setteth down the excellēcy of his persō, that he who is he [...]re of al things, by whom also the world vvas made, being the brightnes of his fathers glory, & the engravē forme of his person [Page 50] sustaining all thinges by the might of his power, hath by himselfe purged our sinnes. In respect of the greatenes of the which price that vvas giuen for the raunsome of our soules, Saint Peter saith, 1. Pet. 1. 18. that vvee are not redeemed vvith corruptable thinges as vvith silver and golde, but vvith the pretious bloode of CHRIST as of a lambe vndefiled and vvithout spotte. So then our redemption was not valued at gold and silver, it vvas not set at solowe a rate, neither vvas it purchased vvith so small a price: but he that vvas The greatnes of the sacrifice that was offred for sinne. the onely begotten SONNE OF GOD, the second person in the glorious TRINITIE, of the same substance, might, & maiesty with the father, hauing taken vpon him our humane nature, and ioyned it in one person with his divine, and hauing sanctified [...]t aboue measure by the infinite purity and perfection thereof, and in it hauing fulfilled all righteousnes, not onely by doing, but also by suffering vvhatsoever vvas ansvvereable to the most exact and severe iustice of GOD for all our sinnes; this even this so singular a person thus and thus qualified hath by himselfe purged our sinnes, and giuen himselfe a ransome for our soules. Behold then here the greatnes of that satisfaction that was made for our sinnes, the summe of that raunsome that was paide for our soules, the quantity of the price that vvas given for the purchase of the kingdome of glory. In respect of the inestimable 2. Cor. 6. 20 value wherof the Apostle saith: Ye are bought with a price: with a price with a witnesse, vvith such and so great a price, that all the holines of all saintes and angels is no way matchable or comparable thereto. How is it then that sinfull and wretched man should cō ceaue so high an opinion of the worth of his owne workes, that he should so much as but imagine, that he himselfe could make satisfaction for those sinnes, & purchase that kingdome, that was valued at so high a rate, and purchased with so great a price? Surely if it be meere madnes to imagine that here in this world we may purchase for an halfepeny, that which is iustly valued at ten thousande poundes: then it is as great madnes to imagine, that vve are able by our ovvne vvorkes to purchase heaven, for the which vvas giuen the Sonne of GOD himselfe: seeing all our best works are not as an halfepenny to ten thousād pound in respect of Christ and his righteousnes. Therfore no marvaile though the [Page 51] Apostle S. Paul who had laboured more painefully in the Lords vineyarde, and endured more crosses for the Gospell of Christ thē any of the rest of his fellovve Apostles, yet dareth not thrust himselfe in as a party in this vvorke, but vtterly disclaymeth and renounceth it, saying: Was Paule crucified for you? Surely no; but a 1. Cor. 1. 13 person of farre greater estate, excellency worthines, dignity, and perfection. For albeit pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Leo epist 8 [...]. ad Palastinos. saintes, yet the slaying of no innocent person is the propitiation of the world: the iust haue themselues receiued & not giuen crownes, & the manhood of the faithfull hath beene patterns of patience, and not endowmentes of righteousnes: their deathes indeede haue beene rare and singular, but yet none of them therevvithall hath discharged anothers debt, whereas there is one LORD CHRIST, in vvhome all are deade, crucified, and raysed vp againe. And Augustine saith: CHRIST is for me a Aug. in Ioh. Tract. 47. dore vnto you, for yee are his sheepe purchased by his bloode: beholde your price which is not giuen by mee, but is de [...]lared and preached by me. And in truth no man can deliver his brother, (no not so much as from Psal. 49. 7. bodily death) nor make atonement vnto God for him: For it cost more to redeeme SOƲLES. For vvhat recompence can a man giue for his Mat. 16. 26. [...]vvne soule, much lesse for the soule of any other? VVherefore farre be it from the humility of al true and faithful christians that they shoulde so highly esteeme of their ovvne holines, as if thereby they coulde make satisfaction for SINNE, or merite the crovvne of eternall GLORIE; vvhereas the cheifest amongst the SAINTES duely and truely vveighing their ovvne vvorth, haue iudged themselues vnvvorthy of the very least of the LORDES mercies. O GOD (saith Iacob) of my Gen. 32. [...]. father Abraham, and God of my father I saak, which sa [...]dst vnto me, returne vnto thy countrey, and vnto thy kin [...]ed, and I will doe thee good, I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies. Likewise Iohn the Baptist Ioh. 1 27. confesseth of himselfe, that he is no [...]worthy to loose so much as the very [...]atche [...] of Christes shoe: and the Centurion, that he is not worthy so much as to receaue CHRIST vnder his roof [...]. Nowe if these Luc. 7. 6. men so holy and high in favou [...] vvith GOD, who haue wrestled & prevailed with the Lord himselfe, being as greate as any borne of vvomen, & of so rare & singular a faith as hath not beene foūd no not in Israell; if these, I say, did truely acknovvledge themselues [Page 52] not vvorthy of the Lords meanest blessings, no doubt thē, but they did also acknowledge with the prodiga [...]on themselues not worthy to be called Gods sons, nor vvorthy of remission of sins & eternal glory. And verily as all the Lords blessings, so especially these of the greatest value descende vnto the [...]aithful only by gift (and what is so free as gift?) and flovv meerely from the full fountaine of the Lordes most free and vndeserued mercy in Christ, and not from themselues and their owne merites. All haue sinned (saith the Apostle) and are deprived of the glorie of God, Rom. 3. 23. but are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus. And againe, the wages of sinne i [...] death: but everlasting life Rom. 6. 23. is the gift of God through IESƲS CHRIST our Lord. [...]astly, by grace yee are s [...]ved through faith, and that not of your selues, it is the Eph. 2. 8. gif [...]e of GOD, not of vvorkes, least any [...]an shoulde b [...]ast himselfe.
The which with the like testimonies being so evident for our iustification & salvation bestowed vpon vs freely in Christ, haue, as it may be thought, forced the childrē of the church of Rome to devise a double iustification: the first proceeding from Gods free mercy in Christ, the second from our own merite: and deserts. But this distinction they learned not of the Apostle, who affirmeth that not only at the first we are brought into favor with God by Christ, and freely iustified by his blood, but also that much more wee are brought to the end of our salvation and to our full and final glorification by the same free & vndeserued mercy of God in Christ. For so is the Apostles [...]llation. God (saith hee) setteth out his lo [...]e rewards Rom 5. 8. vs, seeing whose we were yet sinners Christ died for vs: Much more then being now iustified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath by him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne, much more being reconciled, we shall bee saved by his life. By vvhich wordes it is evident, not that the faithfull, which are at the first [...]ustified by Christes blood, are made able to iustifie themselues aftervvard by their ovvne vvorkes, and to procu [...]e their ovvne salvation by their owne merites, but much more (saith he) shall they bee preserued in the same grace, and broughte to their salvation by CHRIST and by his life. And verily if our first iustification by Christ bee sufficient, vvhat neede [Page 53] vve seeke for a second iustification by our ovvne vvorkes? And if our title vvhich vve haue to the kingdome of heaven by our Saviours death be good enough, vvhat neede haue we to speake for any other title? Can that vvhich is once iustly mine, be made Quod semel [...] potest mihi [...]quiri pluribus causia. by any other title mor [...] mine? Either can a man haue many [...]ust titles to one thing? Surely there bee tvvo heavens and tvvo salvations, as vvel as there be tvvo iust [...]fications. For hovvsoeuer it be avouched in the vvord of truth, that God will rewarde our vvorkes vvith the inheritaunce of his heauenly kingdome, yet vve must not thinke that so great a revvarde being bestovved vpon so sory a service doth proceede from the merit and worthines of our owne vvorkes, but from the meere mercy of him that doth so accept of vs and of our vvorks in Christ, as that he doth crowne them with eternall glory. The which being bestowed vpon our workes of charity is yet still called an inheritaunce (Came yee blessed Mat. 25. 34. of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the worlde) that we may still knowe and acknowledge that it is not a purchase made by our owne workes, but an inheritaunce freely bestowed vpon such as are adopted into the number of the sons of God by faith in Christ. For as for the straitest of our workes if they were squared by the levell of the law, they would be foūd in some respect crooked: and those things which seeme in vs to carry most weight, if they were weighed in the ballance of Gods iustice, they would appeare too light: our best righteousnes being in some force vnrighteous, and our greatest perfection stayned vvith imperfection. Our knovvle [...]ge (saith the Apostle) is vn 1 Cor. 13. 9 perfect, and our charity is vnperfect, and therefore to be done away in the place of perfection: not that the invvarde graces themselues are then vtterly abolished (for they followe vs in death, and Apo. 14. 13. neuer faile vs, when all earthly treasures b [...]dde vs adevv) but that the imperfections, vvhich remaine in the greatest graces of the most perfect heere in this vvorlde, are to bee done avvay in the vvorlde to come, and the foundation of the kingdome of GOD, vvhich is begunne to bee laide heere in this life, to bee made perfect in the life to come. The perfection (sayeth Sainte Hierome) of all the iust in Hie. l. 1. c [...] Pelag. this life is imperfecte perfection: yea all our righteousnesse (as [Page 54] faith the prophet) is as a menstruous cloth: and therefore the most Esa. 64 6. holy that liue here, should wash themselues with snow water and make Iob. 9. 30. August. de tempore [...]erm 49. themselues most cleane, yet their owne cloathes would make them fil [...]hy. In the resurrection (as saith an ancient father) we beleeue that we shall fulfill all righteousnes, in respect whereof all that we doe in this life is but very dounge. Our humble righteousnes (saith Bernard) of vve haue Bern. serm. 5 de verb. Es. They of the Councell of Trēt haue thought themselues better then these fathers: cursing al such as be of their iudgment. Ses. 6. c. 16. c. 25. any at all, is perhappes sincere▪ but not pure: except perchaunce vve imagine our selues to be better then our fathers, who affirmed no less: truely then humbly, that alour righteousnes was a [...] a stained cloth: for how (saith he) can that righteousnes be pure, which cānot be without faulte? Where first we may obserue, that he tearmeth our righteousnes, which we attaine vnto here in this life, humble: secondly he thinketh it to be so small, that he seemeth to doubt, whether there be any such thing at all: thirdly he calleth it sincere perhaps: fourthly no [...] pur [...] without all doubt: fiftly he affirmeth this even of the best: lastly hee avoucheth it to be a meere impossibility to be otherwise; hovve can that be pure? VVherefore it may not seeme st [...]ange that vvhich Gregorie teacheth, that the holy man doth see his very vertuous worke to bee vicious, if it come to bee scanned of a iust iudge. And that Austin threatneth vengeance and woe against the same: VVoe worth the commendable life of man, if God should iudge it without mercy. Now if Greg. in Iob. l. 9. c 1. Aug. l. 9. Confes. c. 13. our very perfection be imperfect, and our purity impure, & our righteousnes as a menstruous cloth, and as very dounge; if our vertue be vicious, and our commendable life deserue a Woe, thē when the Lord doth reward his faithfull servantes, he doth not the same for the worthines of their workes, but of his meere mercy, grace, and favour. And so our Saviour himselfe teacheth vs in the parable of the husbandman that went and sent labourers into Math. 20. 1. his vineyard, whereof some vvere hired at the beginning, some at the middle, and some at the end of the day, and yet each of them receaued the same wages & the same hire. Vpon occasiō of which parable Saint Ambrose saith, that such as were hired at the latter end Amb de vocat. Gen [...]. l 1. c. 5 of the day do represent vnto vs those which are called to the Lords service at the end and vpshotte of their liues, whom he hath chosen without works, and vpon whome he doth rather powre forth the riches of his grace, then yeelde a rewarde vnto their labours: that they also who haue laboured & swette the whole day, and continued their whole life in the service of God, [Page 55] and yet receaue but their penny with the other, may thereby vnderstand that they also rather receiue a gift of grace, then wages o [...] h [...]r [...] due to their workes. For there is but one wa [...] to li [...]e for all th [...] are saued: and therefore if any of the faithfull be saued by meere mer [...]y [...] without the merite of their owne workes, then no d [...]ubt but all are saued after the same manner. And verely it would goe verie harde even with the best, if they should be put to w [...]e the g [...]rlande of glory by the [...] owne worthines before they should wea [...]e i [...]: Loose it in deede we could easily, and that in the s [...]te of our greatest innocency and perfection, but recover it againe we never could, but onely by the meanes of our powerfull Redeemer.
VVhen Fabitu Maximus had wonne the city Tarentum which Cicero d [...] senec [...]te. Salinator before had lost, being forced by the enemy to hide his head in the castle; Salinator mette him, and saide vnto him: By my help [...] Fabi [...] thou hast wonne Tarentum: True, (quoth Fabius smiling) For if thou hadst not lost it I could not haue recovered it: and even so may it be replied to the proude and vaine glorious Papists, that are not ashamed to boast, that by the meanes and merite of their owne workes Christ hath restored to them againe the kingdome of he [...]ven; that in verie deede, vnlesse we by our own workes had lost the same, he should haue had no neede to haue recovered it, A certaine noble mans sonne (as it is reported) comming to his father for maintenance, was sent by him to demise certaine landes to such whose estates were now expired: who comming to the place appointed and sitting in court, demised to each one his estate for a penny: Now might these men iustly boast of the fruite of their penny; or of the kindenes of that noble gentleman, who lette them renewe their coppies for so small a sine? Surely he h [...]d beene a verie vngratefull tenante that would haue done so, and altogether vnworthy of so great a favour. VVe had all in Adam forfeited our estates in the kingdome of heauen: whatsoever the best of vs can giue towardes the renewing of the same, it is but as a penny to a good coppy-hold. Seeing then our most gratious God hath so tenderly loued vs, that he hath giuen vs his onely begotten sonne, who hath purchased it againe for vs by his owne death, and so hath renewed againe our estates therein, wilwilling [Page 56] vs that we should earnestly endeavour to shew our selues dutifull and thankefull vnto him that hath beene so mercifull and gracious to vs, telling vs also againe and againe that this our labour shall not be in vaine in the LORD, and that it shall not be lost which we employ in his service, but that he will crown it with eternall glory: shall we nowe ascribe this crowne of glorye to our simple endevours vvhich vve employ in his service, or to his infinite and endles goodnes, vvho hath purchased it for vs vvith his ovvne blood? Verely he vvere too too vnthankfull a vvretch, vvho vvoulde ascribe it to the merite of his owne vvorkes, and not to the meere mercy of his gracious redeemer. The Apostle Saint Paul who, if any, had to glorie in the merite of his owne vvorkes, yet disclaymeth them all in the matter of salvation saying: GOD forbid that I shoulde glorie in any thing saue in the crosse of [...]ESUS CHRIST. For hee Gal. 6. 14. knewe that GOD had made him vnto vs vvisedome, righteousnes, 1. Cor. 1. 30 sanctification, and redemption, that hee vvhich glorieth should glory in the LORD. He knevve that there vvas no other fo [...]dation of his salvation to bee laide, then Iesus CHRIST and him 1 Cor. 3. 11. crucified: and that there vvas no other name giuen vnder heaven vvhereby vvee might bee saued but onely the name of our blessed Act. 4. 12. Saviour: Not the name of our owne or other mens workes, o [...] Masses, Dirigesses. Pardons or the like: seeing if it might haue beene vvrought by any such meanes, CHRIST had died in vaine, he might then haue spared all his paines, and avoided Gal. 2. 21. all those most grievous torments vvhich hee endured for mans redemption. Especially if it be true, vvich they teach, that the good vvorkes of the regenerate, if not in themselues, yet in respect of the spirite vvhose fruites they are, are of infinite price, satisfactorie for sinne vvhich is infinitely heinous, and aunsvvereable to the ioyes of the kingedome of heaven; then it had beene sufficient for our Saviour CHRIST to haue bestovved his spirite vpon the faithfull, by vvhose infinite purity their vvorkes being sanctified, they might haue beene thus enabled to saue themselues, and so his ovvne death had beene but superfluous for the vvorking out of mans salvation. But if it bee a most heinous impietie to avouch [Page 57] Christes death to be superfluous, and that he died in vaine, then let vs all which looke for any benefite by his death, ascribe the glorie of eternall life onely to him vvho is therefore called, Ioh. 6 35. Apoc. 22. 2 1 Ioh. 5. 20. Col. 33. the bread of life, the tree of life, autor of life, yea life it selfe: for that our life resteth onely in him that is our onely iust title to eternall life. Take hold then of CHRIST, take hold of life, reach forth thine hand to any other thing, and thou reachest it to vanitie, and takest holde as it vvere of thornes and of fire. Looke not for life but vvhere it dwelleth. Our life is hidde in CHRIST vvith GOD: death reigneth in the vvhole vvorlde beside, and leadeth every creature to the bondage of corruption. If thou looke vp into heaven vvithout this reconciler, there vvill appeare nothing but displeasure and vvrath: if thou cast dovvne thine eyes vppon the earth, there thou shalt see nothinge but fearefull confusion: If thou call to Abraham hee knovveth thee not: if to the wise virgines, their oile is not sufficient for themselues, and for thee also: if to Saint Paule, hee vvas not crucified for thee: if to the most blessed Virgin, shee vvas not annointed nor yet appointed to bee thy Saviour: The vniversall company of all those that are made partakers of the kingdome of heaven doe take their crovvnes of glorie from their ovvne heades, and cast them dovvne at the Lambes feete, acknowledging thereby of vvhome they holde them, giuing the glorie of their salvation onely to GOD and the Lambe, saying: Salvation is of GOD that sitteth vppon the throne and from the lambe. VVith the vvhich catholike consent of all the holy Apoc. 4. 10 saintes vvee may content our selues, and satisfie our consciences sufficiently, hovve many and hovve mightie soever they be here in this vvorlde, that vvill not subscribe to this holy and heavenlie confession. And verely vvee being built vppon CHRIST our immoueable rocke, vvee neede not seeke for the stay and strength of any other foundation: being possessed vvith the maintenance of this most bountifull Founder, vvee neede not begge for an exhibition of any other benefactor: being furthered in all our suites by his mediation, vve neede no other letters of commendation: [Page 58] hauing re [...]aued from him our satisfecit and quiet [...] est, vvee neede not greatly care for the Popes indulgence and pardon: being clensed from all our sinnes by his blood, vve neede not make any reckoning of our purging in purgatory: being cloathed with the most odoriferous garmentes of his obedience, we neede not adde thereto the patches and ragges of our ovvne righteousnesse: being enriched vvith his treasures, vve neede not make much account of our ovvne trash: and hauing his sufferinges and death for the warrant of our right to the kingdome of heaven, we neede not seeke for any further assurance, or for any other title to that happy and heavenly inheritance. Neither indeede doth the true church the spouse of CHRIST seeke for the same to any other then to her kinde and louing bride-grome, shee contenteth her selfe vvith his loue, and satisfieth her selfe vvith his sufficiency: it is enough to her that shee is flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, even the bodie and fulnes of him that filleth all in all. VVherefore if Iesus Christ be our whole, entire, only, and sufficient Saviour; if there be no other name & power where by we may be saued, as the greatnes of that raunsome which he only gaue for our redēption doth sufficiently declare; if the death of Gods dearest saintes come shorte of that price, the vvhich being endured for the confession of the faith of CHRIST is the very crowne of all their vvorkes; if they vvere not vvorthy of the least of the LORDES mercies, but were made partakers of them all most frankely and freely in CHRIST IESVS; if through him they vvere not onely at the first reconciled vnto GOD and receaued into favour, but also preserued in the same, and brought to their full and finall glorification; lastly if their vvorkes vvere rewarded vvith eternal glory, not for the merite and worthines of the same (in that the best of them examined in iustice deserued a curse rather then a blessing) but for the mere mercy of him vvho so vvell accepteth of them and of their doinges in his vvel-beloued sonne: then vvee may conclude that not the best vvorkes of the LORDES dearest saintes, but the obedience and death of his dearly beloued sonne is the onely meritorious cause of eternall salvation. And therefore that [Page 59] the church of Rome by ioyning the saintes to CHRIST in the vvorke of our saluation, and by making them by their owne merites their owne Saviours in parte and others also, and so by robbing of him, vnto vvhome all is due, of the vvhole and entire glorie thereof, is iustly by all the faithfull members of CHRIST dispossessed of the name of the true church, and rightly charged to be the verie throne of that enimy of Christ the great Antichrist.
Div. 8.
That Christes soule descended not into Limbus Patrum to deliver the Fathers.
THere vvas one place for all the faithfull after their death, vvhich departed before the coming of Christ in the flesh: He descended into hell. 2. Reg. 2. 11. Luc. 16. 22. But Elias at his departure was carried vp into heaven, and not downe into Limbus: and Lazarus was carried into Abrahams bosome, which can be no part nor region of hell, as it may appeare by these circumstances. First these two places where Lazarus & the rich man were, are said to be farre off one from the other, & to haue an huge distance set betweene them, which is not so likely to be betweene two places which both (as they say) are situated vnder the earth. Secondly it is saide that there is no passage from the one place to the other, whereas the devils themselues passe higher, even to those that liue here vpon earth. Thirdly it is called a place of comforte where Lazarus vvas refreshed and comforted: wheras in all likely-hoode there is verie colde comforte in any coast or region of hel. Moreover CHRIST vvas in the [...]ore knowledge of GOD alambe slaine from the beginning of the vvorlde, & Apoc. 13. 18 his death vvas then as effectuall to the Fathers to open to them the kingdome of heaven, as it is novve to vs; seeing hee is yesterday and today, and the selfe same for ever, and therefore Heb. 13. 8. the selfe same Saviour and opener of heaven to them, as to vs, they receauing the same end of their faith, as vvee 1. Pet. 19. doe, even the salvation of their soules. For the Fathers vvere the [Page 60] children of God by faith in Christ, as wel as the faithfull since the ascension of Christ, and therefore heauen, as their inheritance, was due vnto them at their departure out of this life, and therefore they vvere not debarred from the same. And vvhat shal we say, that they vvalked in the broad way that leadeth to hell, or in the narrovv way that leadeth to heauen? And therefore at the ende of their life being the end of their vvalke, vvere they not placed in rest, in that their long longed for and desired countrey, which was prepared for them of God? And vvas not this present life to them, Heb. 11. 16. as it is to vs, a time of sowing, and a place of warfare and fight: and the next life a time of reaping and haruest, and a place of crowning and triumphing? Now there is no reaping nor triumphing out of heauen: and therefore the fathers, after their seede time and vva [...]fare ended here in this life, were doubtles brought to heauen being the place appointed for their ioyfull harvest and glorious triumph. And certainely as all those vvhom Christ hath novv reconciled are either in heauen or in earth, as the Apostle testifieth; euen so they were also in the first ages of the church Col. 1. 20. vnder the fathers: and therefore as there are none now in purgatory fire, so there were none then in Limbus Patrum. So Saint Aust. hypog. lib. 5. Austine: the first place the catholike faith by the warrant of divine scripture beleeveth to be the kingdome of heaven, the second hell, where every apostata and infidell is tormented: And as for any thirde place vvee are vtterly ignorant thereof, neither doe vvee finde any such in holie scripture.
Div. 9.
That our Saviours resurrection is as strong an argument against his bodilie presence in many places, as in all.
BEllarmine vseth this argument of Christes rising and leauing He arose againe from [...]he dead. the sepulcher against the Ʋbiquitaries vvho affirme Christes body to be present in all places; whereas it may as well bee vrged against him and his fellowes, vvho teach that his body is in tenne thousande places at one time, euen vvheresoeuer there is [Page 61] any [...]: seeing that nature which may be in so many places at once, may as well be truely in all places. And if it cannot stande vvith the verity of CHRISTES bodie being a creature finite and limited to bee euery vvhere, neither canne it stande vvith the trueth thereof to bee in many places at one time.
Div. 10.
That Christ needeth not to descende bodily to vs, seeing wee must ascend by faith vnto him, that so we may be partakers of him and of his passion.
AS our Sauiour Christ vsed this argument of his ascension to He ascended into heauen. Ioh. 6. 62. teach his disciples which murmured at his doctrine, that it was not a grosse, carnall, and bodily eating of his flesh that he vrged as necessary to eternal life, but a spiritual partaking therof by faith: that at his ascensiō they should see, that he would take away his flesh from them, & place it in heauen at the right hand of God, and not leaue it here to be grosly devoured with their mouthes, and swallowed downe into their stomakes euen so may wee now vse the selfe same argument against the church of Rome, which teacheth the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist: Christ hath by his ascension taken vp his flesh into heauen, & hath placed it at the right hand of God, and therfore it is not to be sought for here on earth, as if it might be either carnally touched with our hands, or really receiued into our stomakes. For so doth Austine and Athanasius vse this argument of Christes ascension. When yee shall see the sonne of man (saith Austine) ascending thither, where he was Aug. in Ioh. tract. 27. also before, then surely yee shall see, that he giueth not forth his body after that manner as yee take it, yea then shall yee perceiue, that the grace of Christ is not consumed with morsels. So Athanasius: Therefore doth Athan. in illud Evangelii, Quicunque dixeri [...] verbum in filium hominis. our Saviour Christ mention his ascension into heauen, to drawe from them their carnall cogitations: and that they might learne, that the flesh whereof hee spake was a celestiall foode from heaven, a spirituall nourishmente vvhich hee himselfe giveth. The vvhich argumente these learned fathers vvoulde neuer haue vsed, if they had [Page 62] knowne or beleeued the doctrine of the church of Rome, which teacheth that our Saviour hauing by his ascension taken away his bodily presence from vs, yet continually causeth his body to be made of bread in the sacrament of his supper, that so it may be carnally, albeit invisibly received. But this invisible presence they did not see nor beleeue, and therefore they condemned all carnall eating with the mouth, and allowed of the spirituall receaving thereof onely by faith. By faith (saith S. Ambrose) Christ Amb. in Luc li. 6. ca. 8. de filia princ. Synag, resuscitata. & li. 10. cap. 24. de hora dominicae resurrectionis. is touched, by faith he is seene: hee is not touched with our body, nor seene with our eies. And againe: We touch not Christ by corporall handling, but by faith: therefore neither on the earth, nor in the earth, nor after the flesh ought we to seeke Christ, if we will finde him. I am the bread of life (saith our Saviour Christ) Ioh 6. 35. that came downe from heaven. He that commeth to me, shall never hunger, and he that beleeveth in me (not he that seeketh to eate my flesh and drinke my blood with his mouth) shall never thirst. So then to come to Christ by faith, and to beleeue in him. is so effectuall a manner of eating of his flesh, that thereby it becommeth to the faithfull receiuer an incorruptible foode, the vertue whereof is neuer consumed. How (saith Austine) shall I possesse Aug. in Ioh. tract. 50. & 25. Christ being now absent? how shall I sende vp my hande to heaven to take holde of him sitting there? Sende vp thy faith, and thou haste possessed him. And againe: Why preparest thou thy teeth, and thy belly? Beleeue and thou hast eaten. He must flie on high (saith Chrysostome) that wil come Chrysost in 1. Cor. hom. 24. to this body, yea to heaven it selfe, or rather aboue the heavens: for where the body is, there the Eagles be. And this was the iudgement of the vvhole church in purer ages, when at the receiuing of these holy mysteries, the people were vvarned to lift vp their hearts, and they Sursum corda. were to answere, we lift them vp vnto the Lord. Whereby they were admonished even at the receiuing of this holy sacrament not to seeke Christs body here below on earth, vpon the Lordes table vnder the shewes of bread and wine, but to lift vp their hearts to heauen to the Lord of life, that so they might possesse him which is life it selfe.
Div. 11.
That Christ being placed at the right hand of God is made Lorde of heaven and earth and protectour of his church, and not any saint or saintes departed.
CHristes sitting at the right hand of God is the dignity and He sitteth at the right hand of God. Ma [...]. 28. 18. Phil. 2. 11. Act. 2. 36. Apo. 19. 16. authority whereunto he is advanced, to be as it were Lord gouernour of heauen and earth: as himselfe testifieth, All power is giuen to me in heauen and in earth. In respect whereof everie knee must bow to him, and euery tongue cōfesse, that Iesus is the Lord, yea the Lord of Lords, and king of kings. Whereby it is evident that he is patron and protectour of his church, to rule it by his spirit, to direct it by his word, to instruct it by his ministers, to enrich it by his graces, and in the end to giue it a full and final cō quest over all her enemies. For it is he that ascending vp on high ledde captiuity captiue, and gaue giftes vnto men, and declared himselfe Lord of heauen it selfe, by powring downe the heauenly treasures of his holy spirite in the shape of fiery tongues vppon his Apostles, whereby they were not only endued with all celestiall Act. 2. 1. wisedome, and with the knowledge of all tongues, but also furnished with all other giftes meete for the discharge of so weighty an office. Neither hath this great state of states dispossessed himselfe of the seate of his kingdome, and giuen ouer the regency of heauen and earth: he hath not resigned his office to any of his servants, nor surrendred his right to any of the saints, nor so much as granted to any of thē the advousen or gift of any of his blessings: but he holdeth the scepter still in his owne hand, reserving all his graces in his owne gift, and keeping them all at his owne disposition. For it is he that still hath the keies of David, that openeth, & Apoc. 1. 13. no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth: He walketh in the midst of the seauen golden candlestickes, and holdeth the seuen starres in his own right hand, ordering all things as it liketh him best, and as it seemeth good to his heauenly wise dome. Against the which royall and soveraigne authority of this our one & only Lord, the church of Rome offendeth, in that shee ioyneth [Page 64] the blessed Virgin vvith the rest of the Saintes partners vvith him in these regalityes, by making them protectours of his church, disposers of his graces, and defenders of the faithfull against their mightie enimies. For vnto the blessed virgin thus they pray: Thou art the sure hope of the miserable, the In prosa missae de conceptione. mother of the orphanes, the releife of the oppressed, the helper of the diseased, yea all in all vnto all. Neither doe they most iniuriously make her CHRISTES mate and fellovve onely, as, her their Ladie, as vvell as him their LORDE, and her Queene of heaven, as vvell as him King: but also in other of their prayers they place her most blasphemously a commander aboue him in this his regall and princely autority: O happy In prosa quae incipit, Mariae praeconie. Roga patrē. Iube natū. childe-vvife purging our sinnes, by thy motherly autoritye commande the Redeemer. And againe, beseech the Father: commande the sonne.
Div. 12.
That Christs seconde coming in the flesh is not secret n [...] privy, but shall bee open and manifest to al mankinde.
THere are two cominges of CHRIST in the flesh mentioned in holy scripture: the first whereof was in humility, From thence he shall come to iudge both the quicke & the deade Zach 9 9. Heb 9. 28. that by his offringes and death he might worke out our redemption, fore-told by the prophet: Beholde the kinge cometh vnto the meeke &c. The second shall be in glorie to iudge all flesh. This second coming of CHRIST in the flesh is put out of his place by the doctrine of the church of Rome, in that she teacheth that in his bodily presence he cometh to them continually in the dayly sacrifice of their Masse, and that to be eaten and devoured of the very wicked and vngodly, that I may say no more. And this coming of CHRIST they vvill haue to be close, secret and invisible, that the prophesie of our saviour might be fulfilled in them: There shall bee Math. 23 24. (saith he) false Christes and false prophetes which shall shew signes and [Page 65] vvonders, so that if it were possible they shall deceiue the very elect: beholde I haue tolde you before; vvherefore if they say vnto you beholde hee is in the desert goe not forth: beholde hee is in the secrete places, beleeue it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the East, and s [...]neth into the West, so shall the coming of the sonne of man be. In which words of our Saviour we may obserue these two thinges: First that the haeretickes of these last times shall avouch a close and secret coming of Christ, saying, Lee hee is here: Loe hee is there. Loe he is really present vnder the shewes of bread and wine, secretly and covertly here in this corner, where this Masse is saide, and there in that: whereas Christ cometh not secretly and covertly now in his flesh, but his second coming shall be, as the lightning which shineth from one end of heaven to the other. Secondly they shall come with straunge signes and lying wonders to confirme thereby as it is likely, their strange and false doctrine. Now what heretikes of those last times haue maintained a secrete and an impossible coming of Christ in the flesh, and haue sought also to confirme the same See Actes and Monumēts. Vol. 2. Fol. 1 [...]48. with such strange signes and lying wonders, but onely the deare children of the church of Rome? VVherefore howsoever these men condemne for Heretikes all such as doe any way withstand their corrupt doctrine, yet we may iustly charge them to be the heretikes of these last times, and that by the iudgment Aug. de vnitate ecclesi [...] c. 11. of that learned Father Austine. After Christ had spoken these wordes (saith he) hee presently ascended into heaven, thereby forearming vs against the heretikes, vvhich in succeeding ages should arise & say, Loe he is there, whome he hath thus warned vs not to beleeue. Neither is there any excuse remaining for vs, if vve beleeue them against the fore-warning of Christ so cleare, plaine, and manifest, that there is none so slowe and dull of hearte, that can iustly say, I vnderstoode it not.
CHAP. 5.
That our free will worketh not togither with Gods spirite in our c [...] version, vnlesse it be to hinder and crosse the same.
WE are al of vs originally shapen in wickednes I beleeue in t [...]e holy Ghost. Psa. 51. 5. Eph 2. 3. Ioh. 3 5. and conceaved in sinne by nature the children of wrath & inheritors of eternall destruction: in so much that vnlesse we be borne againe of water and of the spirit, we cannot see the kingdome of God. And this our first estate and condition, wherein we are all naturally borne, being tearmed Gen. 6 5. Ron. 7. 18. the flesh and the old man, is so wholy euil, & voide of al good, that it is not so much in some part to be amended, as to be cleane cast of, mortified, and killed: and our second estate, being called a second birth and a new creature, signifieth not Col. 3. 5. Eph 4 22. some altering of the corrupt qualities of the soule, but after a sort a ful changing & renewing of the same. In which worke of our deliuerance we are so farre of by our free wil to haue any inclination or readines thereto, that we hate the light whereby we should be Ioh 3. 20. & 6. 44. directed, and wil not come to our deliuerer, except we be drawen; the flesh, that is, our corrupt nature no way furthering but hindering this vvorke. For it lusteth against the spirit; and the law of the Gal 5. 17. Rom. 7 23. members, euē after it is in part subdued in the regenerate, stil shiueth against the law of the minde: the very wisdome of the flesh being enmity with God, and condemning his heauenly doctrine Rom. 8 7. 1. Cor 1. 23 Liberta [...]sine gratia non est libertas, seac [...]tum [...]cia. Aug. [...]p. 89. Iob 21 14. P [...]al. 8 4. Aug. ad [...] nifac. li. 1. ca. 19. of extreame folly. Moreouer we are also by nature so wilfully wedded to our corrupt wil (for liberty without grace is not liberty but cō [...]macie) that we wil none of the knowledge of the Lords waies: but as the deafe adder we stop our eares at the voice of the charmer, charme he neuer so wisely. And so great is the obstinacy of the wicked, that they will do wickedly & wil not vnderstand, vntil the spirit of God of vnwilling maketh willing, of obstinate obedient, & of rebellious pliable and tractable. The Philosophers make reason a queene, & teach that if we would follow her, we should not erre: [Page 67] and in truth the Lord made her a queene at the first, but by yeelding vnto the suggestion of the subtile serpent, & by casting of the Lords commandement, of a queene shee became a captiue, & of a free woman shee was made a slaue. The meanes to be recouered out of the which misery, is not to haue an high conceite of our reason and wisdome, and to place them in the throne to rule & to gouerne, but to place that word which is inspired of God in the seate of gouernment, and to giue vp all rule and authority thereto: and to make our reason and vnderstanding with all the faculties and powers of our mindes, handmaides and seruantes to this honorable Lady, who so wil make vs againe kings & priestes vnto God, and place vs as Lords ouer al our corrupt affections, & tread Satan himselfe vnder our feet. For he that made man at the first, is only able to new make him againe, being now marred by his owne madnes. I knowe (saith the wise man) that God made man Eccl. 7. 31. righteous, but they haue sought many inventions: yea God made man according to his owne image in all holines, wisedome, and righteousnes, and lighted such a lampe of diuine reason and vnderstanding in his minde, that he was not only enabled thereby to rule himselfe and his owne affections, but also to order in great vvisedome the whole host & army of all the creatures. But he being not contented with this so great measure of light, would further become as God knowing good and euill: and therefore thinking that his light did burne too dimme, he vvould needs deliuer it to the Deuil himselfe to be topped, vvho topped it cleane out, leauing nothing but the smoaking snuffe thereof, and so made him, vvho was before a childe of light, a limbe & member of the kingdome of darknes. And novv the case of al the children of Adam is such, & so ful of blindnes and ignorance of God, that if any of Sap 13. 1. 1. Cor. 8. 2. them thinketh that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing as hee ought to know: and if any of them seeme to be wise, they must become fooles that they may be wise: that is, they must acknowledge & bevvaile their 1 Cor 3. 18 owne folly and blindnes, and seeke againe to the father of light, that he would by his spirit of illumination lighten the eies of their spiritual vnderstanding; they must haue continual accesse to that glorious word, vvhich is a lanterne to their feete, and a lighte to their Ps. 119. 105 Isa. 6. 20. pathes, and kindle their candle againe thereat: to the lavv and to [Page 68] the testimony they must continually resort, if they speake not according to this word, it is for that there is no light in them. Their hart is altogither out of frame vntil it be fashioned againe, and as it vvere new wrought by the spirit of God: their siluer is nothing but gros [...]e dros [...]e, vntil it be purged by this fire: their coine is no better then cleane counterfeit, vntill it receaue this stampe: they are grovvne out of the Lords marke, he cannot acknowledge thē for his ovvne, vntill they be marked againe by the spirit of the living God, who is therefore called his seale, wherewith his saintes are Eph 4. [...]0. Apoc. 7. 3 signed against the day of redemption, for that it doth imprint in them the image of God. And certainely in this article of our creede the spirit of God, the third person in the glorious Trinity, is called holy, not so much for that holines doth infinitely rest in himselfe, as it doth also in the Father & the sōne, but rather for that he is the a [...]or of all holines in the children of God, & the meanes wherby they are borne againe, the Father & the sōne working the same by the holy spirit. For the vvhole sanctification of our minde, wil, and affections and of our whole body & soule, is wrought entirely 1. Cor. 12. 11. (& altogither by the operation of this holy spirit: vvho before regeneration vvorketh in vs alone, and of vnvvilling maketh willing, subduing our affections to the obedience of his wil, vvho before stood out as traitors and rebels: and after regeneration worketh Gr [...]tia opera [...], coopera [...]. 2 Cor. 3 17 Ioh 8. 34. R [...]m 6. 16. [...] & 5. togither with vs, giving strength to our wil, that it may therby vvorke also. So that if the question be of free-vvill in the regenerate, we graunt that their vvil is free, for that it is made free by the spirit of liberty but in the vnregenerate vve truely teach, that their vvil is a bondslaue to sinne & Satan, withstanding the vvorke of Gods spirit, vntil their conversion be vvrought thereby. For it is this Lorde that doth prevent vs, of vnvvilling making vs willing; and then assisteth vs vvhen vve are vvilling, least vve vvil in vaine. Novv contrary to this most evident truth, the church of Rome curseth al those, who affirme free-vvil to be altogither lost, or that it doth not concurre vvith God [...] grace in our conversion.
CHAP. 6. Div. 1.
That the true church the spouse of Christ hath a stedfast assurance of the [...]ue of her bride-groome towards her, making it the foundation of her most comfortable faith: being also thereby induced to harken to his vndoubted and knowne will, and to esteeme highly of of his holy word, and in no case to disgrace or disanull the same.
THE description of the true catholike and I bele [...]ue t [...] holy catholike chu [...]ch. apostolike faith set down in these articles of our christian creede doth evidently declare, that they are only to be accounted faithfull that holde this faith: and the company of the faithfull being the true church, that they are also to bee esteemed the true Church. Novve this true catholike and apostolike faith (as hath beene before declared) is, that we beleeue in God the Father the Creator, the Sonne the Redeemer, & the holy Ghost the Sactifier: & that we beleeue also that by this faith we being engr [...]ed in to Christ & so recōciled vnto God, [...] incorporated into the heauenly Ierusalem, & made members of the holy catholike church, & a communion of sain [...]s, and so obtaine remission of sins, & shal attaine to the resurrection of the body, and [...]o li [...]e euerlasting, as the very order & coherence of these articles doth also insinuate. The Deuils themselues & many also of the r [...]proba [...]e beleeue the mystery of the Trinity, & the truth of the doctrine cōcerning the vvorkes of the creation, redemption, and s [...]ctification, but they looke for [...]o benefite to redounde to themselues by the fame, therefore they beleeue and tremble beeing excluded from all hope. But this true catholike faith teacheth the faithfull so to beleeue the doctrine concerning God and his vvorkes, that they beleeue also in particular that the benefite thereof belongeth to themselues beeing already receiued into the housholde of [Page 70] faith, and made members of the holy catholike church. For otherwise then by this faithfull perswasion how could they be induced to beleeue in God, and to place their assured hope and confidēce in him? For to beleeue that God is a father, redeemer, and sanctifier to other, and to doubt whether he be such a one to me also, were but a cold comfort, and a very faint and feeble motiue to induce me to beleeue in God, to devote my selfe to his service, and to associate my selfe to his church. VVherefore it is not to be doubted but that the liuely members of the holy catholike church hauing an holy assurance of the grace and favour of God towardes themselues, and being resolued that he is now become their louing father in Christ, and hath cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea, doe thereby beleeue and reioyce in Gods mercies, and so grow daily by little and little into a stedfast & a [...] assured perswasion of their full and finall glorification.
But the church of Rome teacheth her children not to seeke for any assurance in particular of the favour of God, and of the remission of their sinnes by the death of Christ, but still to doubt and to be in suspence thereof, & so by keeping them from the true faith, excludeth them out of the number of the faithfull, and so by consequent out of the true church. Whereas the true church the spouse of Christ, hauing a stedfast assurance of the loue of her bridegrome, is thereby induced not onely to trust confidently in him, and to loue him againe, but also to testifie the same by harkening most reverently vnto his vndoubted will, and resting her selfe onely vpon his most sure word, and yeelding all [...] Pet. 1. 19. obedience to the same. And hereof it is that this true church is sometime called Gods feilde, wherein the most pure seede of his Math. 13. 3. holy worde is sowen, and not the darnell and cockell of mens inventions: sometime his sold wherein are his sheepe which harken onely Ioh 10 5. to the voice of their sheepheard, & not to the voice of a stranger: sometimes Gods family and housholde, wherein he ruleth alone, all autority Eph 2. 19. of commanding being yeelded to him: sometime the mother of the faithfull hauing her children begotten by the immortall seede of the worde of God, and nurced also by the sincere milke thereof drawen out of her two brestes, which are the olde and the newe testament. Lastly Aug in ep. Ioh. tract. 3. Apoc. 8. 20. she is called a goldē candlesticke, for that she resteth not on her own [Page 71] light, but holdeth out the candle of the word of God to al such as are of his family & houshold, to direct them therby in the waies of the Lorde, and to detect vnto them all stumbling blockes & by pathes, which might cause them either to stumble or fall, or else to wander out of the right way. And the verie name [...] that is, a convocation or congregation, doth signifie a company wakened by the shrill call of the voice of a crier out of the drowsie sleepe of ignorance and sinne, & emploied in the workes and the waies of piety and godlines. By all which appellations is signified that the true church hath her children begotten onely of the immortall seede of the word of God, and nourished with the sincere milke of the same; directed by the light thereof, and alwaies ruled by that autority, wakened thereby when they fall a sleepe, and reclaimed when they beginne to wander, & made fruitfull also to all good workes.
Now the church of Rome hath her children begotten also of the corruptible seede of mens traditions, and ruled by her owne decrees and decretals: for shee will not haue them harken onely to the voice of the true shephearde vttered in the sacred scriptures, nor to be obedient to the commaundement of the master of the family onely therein contained, nor to be guided by the candle onely of that vndoubted will of God: shee deemeth that foode to be to harde meate for them, and therefore shee setteth before them the festivityes of her golden legend, so causing the prophecy of the Apostle to be fulfilled, who saide that the time should come, that men shoulde turne away their eares from the truth and 2. Tim 44. should be turned vnto fables. Moreover shee addeth to the Canonicall scriptures the bookes Apocrypha, and her vnwritten verities to the written word: and whereas the holy scripture is profitable after so sufficient a manner to teach that the faithfull christian the man of 2. Tim. 3. 17 God may thereby be made absolute and perfect, shee denieth this sufficiency and perfection thereof: and whereas the spirit of tru [...]h calleth this word a light, she calleth it darke: and whereas hee avoucheth it to be easie to him that will vnderstand, she chargeth it to be an obscure and hidden doctrine even to the Lords owne chosen and peculiar people: yea whereas our blessed Saviour the very wisedome of God speaking to the multitude commandeth them [Page 72] to search the scriptures, yet shee very flatly forbiddeth the same. Ioh. 5 39. Where by it is evident that seeing shee thus disgraceth the holy scriptures inspired of God that vndoubted worde of the bridegrome, and his last will and testament sealed with his own blood (calling light darkenes, and darkenes light) & harkeneth not wholy [...]sa. 5. 20. to his decrees therein contained, neither suffereth him to strike the stroke & only to rule therewith in his owne family, repealing & disanulling his direct cōmandemēts; that therefore shee is not to be esteemed, the chast & faithfull spouse of Christ, but a cursed harlot & a faithles adulteresse. The which thing that it may more evidently appeare, I wil here set downe sixteene distinct & direct oppositions betweene the true church and the false, betweene the faithfull servantes of Christ, and the Sinagogue of Satan the limbes of Antichrist.
Opposit. 1.
The faithfull especially vnder the raigne of Antichrist flye only to the scriptures as to the onely sufficient iudge for the deciding of all controversies, and that according vnto the precise commandement of Christ and the ensample of his faithfull servantes: whereas seducing and seduced heretikes take away this key of knowledge, and shut the gates against the truth, not onely defaming the faithfull for the study of holy scripture, but also disgracing those most holy bookes thēselues for that their erroures are in them reproved, and adding also vnto them their vnwritten verities, and their wilworshippes of their owne devising.
IN doubts & cōtroversies of Christian religiō the spirit of God sendeth vs neither to the Bishop of Rome, neither to any other Bishop or Bishops, nor yet to Councels, nor to any inter pretou [...]s to rest our faith vpon their resolutions, but rather willeth vs to try the spirites whether they bee of God or no, and no further 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Aug cont. [...]rescon. l 2. cap 31. to beleeue them, then they bring warrant for their doctrine out of the holy Canonicall scripture. For not vvithout cause (as Austine saith) was the ecclesiasticali Canon ordained with most holesome [Page 73] vigilancy, vnto the which certaine bookes of the prophets and Apostles doe appertaine, vvhome in no case vvee dare to iudge, and by vvhome vvee may freely iudge of the other vvritinges of beleeuers and infidels. For shoulde not a people enquire of their GOD? To the lavve Isa. 8 19 o [...] Opta. l. 5. ad Par [...]. (saith Esay) and to the testimonie? In earth (saith Optatus) there can bee no iudgment of this matter, vvee must seek [...] for a iudge from heaven: but vvhy knocke vvee at heaven, vvhen vvee haue his vvill here in the Gospell. Then the Pope by the iudgement of Optatus is no competent iudge, nor any other Bishoppe or Bishoppes here on earth; for that either they bee ignorant in the cause, or else partiall or giuen to sides; but only GOD himselfe in his Canonicall scriptures. And verely for such as vvill not admitte of GOD to be their iudge, where shall vve finde a competent iudge? Surely our Saviour Christ, when controversie vvas betweene him and the Pharisees cōcerning the truth of his doctrine, appealeth not to any interpreter, but to the iudgment and sentence of God in the scriptures: Search Ioh. 5. 39. the scriptures (saith he) for in them yee thinke to haue life, and they are they vvhich testifie of mee. Let the divine scripture (saith Basile) be asked Bas. in ep. [...]a Eust. concerning these thinges, and let the decision of truth proceede altogeather from it. I beseech you (saith Chrysostome) let vs set aside what seemeth Chrys. hom. 13. in 1. Ep. ad Cor. to him, or to him, and let vs seeke for all these thinges out of the scriptures. The writinges (saith Constantine) of the Evangelistes and Apostles, and the oracles of the auncient prophets do instruct vs plainely what Trip. hist. l. 2. Cap. 5. we ought to vnderstande and beleeue of Gods pleasure. And therefore all contention set apart, let vs seeke the solution of these thinges that be propounded out of the scripiures of God. When yee shall see (saith the autor Op. imper [...] in Math. hom. 49. of the imperfect worke vpon Matthew) wicked heresie, which is the army of Antichrist, standing in the holy places of the church, then they that are in Iury let them fly to the mountaines, that is, they which are in christianity let them betake themselues to the scriptures. And a litle after. Why doth hee commande all christians to betake themselues then to the scriptures? Because since the time that heresies haue possessed the churches there can be no proofe of sound christianity, nor any other refuge of Christians that vvoulde knowe the true faith, but the divine scriptures. And againe, The LORDE knovving that in the last daies there vvould bee such a confusion of thinges [Page 74] did therefore command that the christians then liuing being desirous to holde the sinceritie of the true faith should retire to nothing but to the scriptures. For otherwise (saith he) if they rest on any thinge else, they shall stumble and perish, and not come to knowe the true church, but shall fall into the abomination of desolation vvhich standeth in the holy places of the church.
And so verely hath this prophesie beene fulfilled in all the members of the church of Rome, who are now fallen into the abominatiō of desolation stāding in the holy places of the church, embracing Antichrist in steede of Christ, for that they refused to to be directed onely by the divine scriptures which are onely able to stay vs vpright, and to preserue vs from all errours & heresies 2. Tim. 3. 15. and from all the power of the kingdome of darkenes. As on the other side the sincere embracers of the Gospell of Christ haue hereby beene preserued from the snares of Antichrist, in that according to the prophesie of S. Ierome they haue fled to the mountaines of the scriptures, & haue made them their place of refuge. Hi [...]onymus in Nahum Cap. 3. Before (saith he) the coming of the Messias &c. the people shalbe ra [...] sed vp and shall prophesie, vvho before vnder their masters vvere lulled asleepe: and they shall goe to the mountaines of the scriptures, and shall finde there Moses and Iosuah the sonne of Nun, the moū taines the prophetes, the mountaines the Apostles and Evangelistes; and when any slieth to these mountaines, and is occupied in the read [...]ng of the same, albeit hee finde none to teach him, yet his care shall bee approved, [...]hr that hee did flie vnto the mountaines. Contrarily (as Chrysostome Op. imp. in Matt. hom. 44. Luc. 11. 52. saith) Hareticall Priestes shutte vp the gates of truth (taking away with the Pharesies the key of knowledge) for they are assured if truth bee once knovven, their church vvill soone be forsaken, and themselues throwen downe from their priestly dignity In evangelio regni. ca. 23. & 33. Scriptura rij. to be esteemed no better of then other men. Henry Nicholas master of the family of Loue glorieth in the name of Ʋnlearned, & in a scoffe termeth the learned in the scriptures scripture-vvise or scripture-men warning his scholers to be ware of such: whereas he and his like should soone haue beene descried in former ages, Lucifugae scripturarū. Tert. de resur. and noted in their faces with a blacke coale, if it had once appeared, that they shunned the light of the sacred scripture. For it is not the conference of the scriptures that is the path-vvaie to haeresie, [Page 75] but the ignorance of those holie vvritinges. Yee err ( [...]aith our Saviour the teacher of truth to the seduced Sadduces) not knovving the scriptures: out of vvhome there most sufficiently Mat. 22. 29. Chry. hom 3 de Lazaro. he confuteth their heresie. So Chrysostome: the ignorance of the scripture hath bredde haeresies, and hath brought in a corrupt life, and hath turned all vpside dovvne. And therefore they are impudent and shamles haeretikes vvho vvhen they are reproved out of the scriptures, sette themselues (as Irenaeus saith) to Iren. l. 3. cap. 2. reproue the scriptures, as if they vvere not right, and that they are vttered ambiguously, and that the truth cannot be learned out of them by such as knovve not tradition. For if GOD be faithfull Bas. in asce [...]. serm. de fi [...]e. in all his vvorkes (as Basill saith) then it is a manifest falling away from the faith, and a note of pride, either to reiect any of those thinges vvhich are vvritten in the Lordes bookes, or to bring in any thinges vvhich are not vvritten, but are either receaued by tradition from other, or else are sucked out of our own braines: yea that is the vilest (as Austine saith) and the basest kinde of Aug. de ve [...] rarel. ca. 38. Idolatrie when men vvorshippe GOD after their ovvne fancies, obseruing that for a religion, vvhich their deceiuing and svvelling mindes imagine. Nay, it is no lesse an offence to frame God after our ovvne Hil. in. Ps. 1. fancy, then to deny him. And therefore it is not vvithout cause that Saint Austine is so bolde to say, that if any one concerning any Aug. cōt lit. Petil. l. 3 [...]. 6. thing whatsoever which doth belonge to our faith, and our life, albeit hee bee an Angell from heaven, shall [...]each you any thing besides that vvhich yee haue learned out of the scriptures of the lavve and Gospell, let him bee accursed. VVherefore the church of Rome in that shee restraineth the people from the reading of the scriptures, disgracing those holy and heavenly bookes, and reproaching such as are studious of the same, denying also the sufficiency of the doctrine therein contained, and adding thereto her vnvvritten verities, and her vvil-vvorshippes of her owne devising, is most iustly charged to haue fallen from the faith, and to haue sorted her selfe both vvith olde [...]nd nevve haeretikes, to haue spotted her selfe with the vilest and b [...]st kind of idolatrie, and with the deniall of the trewe GOD, and therfore to be held for a cursed company, and for the Congregation of the malignant.
Opposit. 2.
Dumbe and dead images are blinde and wrong guides, which turne vs out of the way of truth and verity: but the writings of the Apostles and prophets are sure guides, and vn erring teachers, appointed by God to bee our instructers, and to set before our eies, and after a sorte to painte out vnto vs in most liuely coloures all those thinges vvhich concerne the true worshippe of God, and the salvation of our ovvne soules.
IMages are teachers of lies, especially such as are made to represent Hab 2. 18. Ier. 10 8. Aug. de [...]iv. Dei l 4. c. 31 Idem de cō sens. Ev [...]ng. lib. 1. ca. 10. Lact instit. lib. 2. ca. 19. the sacred Trinitie which cannot be represented, for that it is invisible and incomprensible. And therefore al such images doe both diminish the feare of the divine maiesty, and also teach errours concerning the same. VVherefore they haue deserved to erre vvho haue sought CHRIST not in the sacred hookes, but on painted vvalles: and may vvorthily bee iudged to haue no religion at all, or at the least no sounde and sincere religion. For al sound and sincere religion is to bee learned, not of dumbe and mute images, but out of the canonicall and sacred scriptures, vvhich Rom. 15. 4. wer not only writen by the appointment of god that they might be our instructers and teachers, but also were so penned by the direction of his Spirite, that they are very profitable and availeable thereunto: yea they are so profitable to this purpose that they are able to fence vs against all corruptions both in doctrine and 2. Tim 3 15 & 16. manners, and to make vs vvise vnto salvation through faith in Christ. For in them are most liuely drawen out the true images of a sounde faith, and of an holy and a godly life, vnto the which if we vvill compare the counterfeites of the same dravvne out by men, we shall easily be able to giue a true iudgement therof. O foolish Galathians (saith the Apostle) vvho hath bewitched Gal. 3. 1. you, that yee shoulde not obey the trueth, to vvhome Iesus Christ vvas before your eies painted, and even crucified among you? And in deede Christ is best painted out before the eies of the people by the doctrine of his painefull pastours and teachers, and not by the pensile of the artificiall painters. Such a faithful teacher [Page 77] vvas Iohn Hus, of vvhom it is recorded that hauing painefully taught in his church called Bethlehem the gospell of Christ, dreamed a little before his death, that he had drawne out there divers goodly images, the vvhich being defaced by the limbes of Antichrist, hee further dreamed that hee sawe the same more liuely drawne out againe by better painters, vvhereby vvas fore-signified the preaching of the learned and godly preachers of these last times. And verily where the dignity and povver of Christs death is sufficiently set out by painefull preaching, there is no neede of painting it in pictures and images made and framed by artificiall painters. It vvas the Devils vvorke to cause that kinde of teaching to cease, which was made the meanes ordained by God both to convert the infidels, and also to confirme the faithfull in the truth of the gospell, & to bring them out of the kingdome of darkenes into the kingdome of light; that he might bring in his kingdome of darkenesse by the corrupt teaching of blinde and dumbe Images. VVherefore seeing that the church of Rome alloweth still of these her lay mens bookes vvhich the prophets call teachers of lyes, and vvill not haue all trueth to bee learned onely out of the booke of bookes the booke of truth, no mervaile that shee hath so shamefully embraced lies, and so fowly fallen away from the truth.
Opposit. 3.
The doctrine taughte and penned by the prophets and Apostles hath no neede of any nevve miracles, seeing it is sufficiently confirmed alreadye by olde: but the Turkes Alcharon and the Popes Decretals haue neede to bee confirmed with new miracles, for they containe new doctrine.
OVr faith is neuer so honourable, nor GOD so well pleased with vs, as when we seeke no signes for the confirmation therof: when the word of God hath such a perswasiō in our hearts, & we haue so deepely tasted of the sweetnes therof, [Page 78] that vve are ready to say to al miracles, Get you hence. Blessed vvere they vvhen miracles vvere in vse, that by miracles vvere brought to embrace the true faith: but more blessed are they that embrace faith for it selfe, and not for that it is testified by miracles. {Blessed no doubt vvas Thomas, for that hee sawe, and beleeved: [...]h. 20. 29. [...] Cor. 1. 22 [...] Cor. 14. [...]. but blessed are they (rather) vvhich see not, and yet beleeue. The vnbeleeuing Iewes sought for a signe, and had also in admiration strange tongues, vvhich vvere appointed for vnbeleevers to conuert them to the faith: they that are already converted haue no neede of the same. VVhen they vvere offered of God he shevved his compassion on mans infirmity: now he hath taken them avvay, he shevveth greater mercy in that he strongtheneth our faith vvithout them. And verily if the vvorde it selfe being now acknovvledged to be the vvorde of God, bee not able to vvinne credite to the doctrine therein contained, neither vvill vvee beleeue though one rose from the deade. Signes [...]uk. 16 31. [...]ar. 16. 20. [...]eb. 2. 4. vvrought by diuine power were diuine witnesses to giue testimony to the doctrine that it vvas diuine: nowe the doctrine is receaued as a diuine doctrine, what neede is there of witnesses stil to testifie the same? Hee is a monster (saith Austine) that as Aug. de civ. Dei l. 22. c. 8 yet seeketh for a miracle. The doctrine in truth of Antichrist and of all false prophets hath neede of new miracles, because their doctrine is straunge and new: and the Deuil (as the spirite of Mat 24 24. [...]. Thess 2. 9 [...]hrys. in Mat. hom. [...]9. Christ hath foretolde) shal be ready to furnish them vvith great variety thereof, that so hee may prevaile the more by them and leade the greater number thereby into errour. VVherefore in that the church of Rome boasteth greatly of her miracles, and taketh exception against our doctrine for vvant thereof, thereby shee betrayeth her infidelity, and bewrayeth her selfe not to bee the church of Christ, but the very seate of the great Antichrist.
Opposit. 4.
The faithfull servauntes of Christ by the preaching of the worde of God having their secret sinnes dis [...]layed and their consciences touched to the quicke, and feeling in their hartes the divine power and maiesty, purity and perfection thereof lightning their mindes, sanctifying their affections, and converting their soules doe fall downe (as the Apostle saith) and worshippe God, and say, that God is in you of a trueth, acknowledging the preachers of that worde to be Gods ministers, and 1. Cor 14. 25. the worde it selfe to bee Gods word, vvhereof they haue so good proofe and so sufficient warrant in their owne heartes: whereas faithlesse hypocrites having felt within them no such divine power of Gods heavenly worde, doe not beleeue it to bee the worde of God, for the words sake it selfe, but for the outwarde testimony and witnes of the church.
THE mighty and powerfull worde of Christ is the scepter of Heb. 1. 8. & 4. 12. Isa. 11. 4. Apo 19. 15. his kingdome whereby he ruleth and raigneth in the heartes of his loyal and obedient subiects: & the most sharpe sword whereby he subdueth and vtterly destroyeth all his enimes. By it he beateth downe, in the heartes of his chosen, infidelity, Idolatry, pride, and vnthankefulnes, and whatsoeuer lifteth vp it selfe against God: and planteth faith, piety, humility, and an hearty desire of sincere obedience and thankefulnes vnto God. In this word being laide open the infinite and inestimable dignity of the sufferings and death of Christ, whereby ful reconciliation is obtained with God, & satisfaction made for sinne to the vttermost, and a perfect purchase made of the kingdome of heauen, how are the faithful encouraged with ful assurance of faith to come vnto God, and to place their whole trust and confidence in him? As by the dreadful denunciations of Gods wrath against all iniquity and sinne set downe in this word, especially by that seuere execution of the iustice of God in the death of Christ, in whom the sins of all the elect were so seuerely punished, that in vnspeakeable mercy they might be most freely pardoned vnto themselues, how are the faithful touched to the quicke, pricked at the very hearts, humbled and after a sort cast downe into hell, that they might be [Page 80] lifted vp againe by the Lordes mercy, & tast & see how gracious the Lord is? So like wise vvhen the infinite wisedome, equity, iustice, righteousnes, integritie, puritie, sanctity, vprightnes which is in every one of the commaundementes of God is made knowen in some measure to everie of the faithfull, how doth it winne all his affections to the loue of this lawe, and cause him to lay it vp fast in his heart as a most precious and invaluable treasure? O the [...] (saith he with the prophet David) the law of the Lord is an vndefiled law, [...]. 19. converting the soule: the testimony of the Lord is sure, and giueth wisedome vnto the simple: the statutes of the Lord are right, & reioice the hart: the commandement of the Lord is pure, & giueth light vnto the eies: the feare of the Lord is cleane, & indureth for ever, the iudgmentes of the Lord are true, & righteous altogeather: And more to be desired then gold, yea then much fine gold, sweeter also then the hony and the hony combe. The Samaritās who at the first were induced to beleeue in Christ (vpon the testimony of the womā which said vnto thē, come & see a man, which hath told me all whatsoever I did: is not he th [...] very Christ?) whē they had heard thēselue, the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth, & had felt in their heartes the power of his doctrine, thē they said to the woman that first brought thē to Christ: Now we do not beleeue for thy words, for we haue heard him our selues, & [...]h. 4. [...]om 13. [...]ug. Conses. [...]ib 8. [...]ap. 12. do beleue that he is the very Christ. So Austin whē he was a cōtētious & carnall Manichee would not beleue the gospell but for the testimony of the church: but when by the divine oracle being admonished to take the booke of God into his hāds, & to reade therein, he had read: Let vs walke honestly as in the day-time, not in gluttony and drunkennes, nor in chambering and wantonnes, nor in strife and envying: but put yee on the Lord Iesus, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lustes of it: this did seeme so holy, heavenly, and divine a doctrine vnto him, and such an admiration and alteration it wrought in his hart, that thē no doubt he did not beleeue for the bare outward testimony of the church, but for the divine fruite, vertue, power, & puritie of the divine word of God, that he himselfe had felt in his own hart. VVherefore in that the children of the church of Rome doe teach and avouch that they doe not, nay cannot beleeue the divine scripture to be the worde of GOD, but for the testimony of the church, it is manifest that they haue not felt the divine power [Page 81] thereof in their heartes, nor haue beene translated thereby out of the slavery of Satan into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God.
Opposit. 5.
The mighty and speedy prevailing of the Gospell of Christ, both at the first publication thereof by the Apostles of Christ, and also at the renovation of the same in these last daies, and that vvithout any earthly helpes or furtherances, yea maugre the malice and spite of the Devill, who set all the power and pollicy of the world with might and maine to suppresse and to roote out the same, declareth the great [...]fficacy of this most mighty truth, vvhich thus hath hitherto, and will still prevaile.
IT is a thing worthy to be obserued, that the mystery of iniquity 2. Thes. 2. 7 beganne even in the Apostles times, creeping in by little and little, being long in working before it came to the full. So that albeit the spouse of Christ remained a pure virgine whiles the Apostles Euseb. l. 3. Cap 32. Niceph. l. 3. Cap 16. liued, yet assoone as they were dead, shee began to be corrupted, and wicked erroures beganne then not onely to be sowen, but also to take roote in the Lordes fielde. The which erroures albeit they were sometimes withstoode, and for a time repressed by the learned and religious fathers that liued in those dayes, yet being countenanced out by the blinde zeale and superstitious deuotion of the multitude, and by the cunning plots and pollicies of their autors and abettors, at the length beganne to be receaued for catholike: as it may in particular more evidently appeare by the historicall observation of the rising, encreasing and growing to the full of that one presumptuous heresie of their Papal supremacy, Whereas the strange and wonderfull prevailing of the gospell of Christ as at the first publishing thereof by the Apostles themselues, even so at the renevvinge of the same in these last times (albeit it vvas vvithstoode vvith all the learning of the greate Rabbyes and Doctors through out all nations, and persecuted [Page 82] by the sword of such as were in authority, and defamed also with all manner of shameful and ignominious reportes) doth manifestly declare that it is the most powerfull doctrine of the almighty [...]b 4. [...]4 [...] Esd. 4. 4 [...]. GOD, and that strong and puissant trueth that must prevaile: according as it vvas most liuely set foorth in the prophesie of Daniell by the little stone cut out vvithout handes, vvhich [...]n. 2. 34. brake that goodly and glorious image in pieces, and became it selfe a great mountaine, so that it filled the vvhole earth, wherefore if quicke and speedy prevailing be an argument of the miraculous power of God giuing thereby testimony vnto the truth, according vnto Augustines opinion, and Bellarmines also, then is the doctrine [...]. 22. de [...] dei c. 5. of such as embrace the gospell the very truth, and the doctrine of Popery a fardell of lyes, for that the one prevailed with speed, and the other crept in by little and little.
Opposit. 6.
The powerfull trueth of the gospell breaketh of all familiar vse vvith the Devill, and stoppeth the course of his Satanicall illusions, vvhich haue great foorth in his kingdome of darkenesse, hee being very familiar with his familiars.
IN the night, Lyons, Beares, and other savage beastes with the venemous serpentes doe bestirre themselues seeking their pray, but when the day appeareth they hide themselues in their dennes and holes, and so man hath the safer passage to betake himselfe to his labour: euen so in the night of ignoraunce and errour the roaring Lyon, redde Dragon, and subtile Serpent beareth the svvay, and the spirites of darkenesse mightely bestirre themselues to establish and strengthen their kingdome of darkenesse; but when the lighte of the gospell beginneth to breake foorth, and the day-starre of righteousnesse once ariseth, then the powers of the kingdome of darkenesse are shaken, and the captaines thereof put to flight. For Satan is no vvay able to vvithstande Christ, Dagon cannot stand before the arke, nor superstition endure the strength and power [Page 83] of true religion. So that vvhere the trueth openeth her mouth and teacheth, there the Devill is driuen out of the chaire and put to silence. VVhen CHRIST sent foorth his seuenty disciples to preach the gospell vnto the Iewes hee testifieth of the effecte thereof saying: Loe I savve Satan lik [...] Luk 10. 18. lightning fall downe from heaven: So vvhen the Apostles vvent foorth to preach the gospell to euery creature, the oracles of the Deuill vvere stroken dumbe, and his common apparitions restrained, and hee vvas bounde for a thousande yeares. Likevvise Apoc 2. 1. vvhen Paule had preached two yeares at Ephesus, the vvorde of Act. 19 19. GOD so mightely grewe and prevailed, that many that vsed curious artes, brought their bookes and burned them before all men. After the same manner vvhen the gospell beganne to bee preached againe in these last daies, the apparition of spirites hath ceased, and the arte of coniuring hath decayed, vvhich was so common in former ages vnder the popish kingdome, that the bookes of that blacke science lay open in some libraries publikely to bee reade, and the mysteries thereof vvere almost knowen, and practised also of euery priest that was but meanely learned. And vvhat ordinary apparitions of spirites then were, vvhat familiarity with Robin-good-fellovve, the Faires, and the like, all olde mens and womens tongues can yet testifie sufficiently. VVhereby it is evident that it was the truth of God, that was first taught by the Apostles amongst the Gentiles, and nowe renewed againe in these last daies: and that both Gentilisme and Papisme are the very proppes and pillars of the Devils kingdome, and the professours thereof his great familiars and friendes.
Opposit. 7.
The faithfull haue their fierce and furious affections cooled and softned by the Lords most meeke spirit and milde word, and of tygers, beares, & wolues are turned into doues, lambes, and sheepe: but the vnfaithfull delight in cruelty and blood.
WHē the Samaritans refused to entertaine Christ; Iames, & Iohn said vnto him, Lord, wilt thou that we commaunde Luk. 9 54. fire to come downe frō heauen to consume them, as did Elias? but Iesus rebuked them saying, yee know not of what spirite yee are: for the son of man came not to destroy mens liues, but to saue them. And the wisedome that is from aboue (euen frō the spirit of wisedome) is first pure, [...]ac. 3. 17. then peaceable, gentle, easie to bee entreated, full of mercy, &c. yea so ful of mercy, that it mooveth the righteous to shewe mercy to his verie Pro. 12. 10. beast, whereas the very bowels of the wicked are cruell. And therefore as Salomon discerned the true mother from the false, for that she chose rather to loose her deare childe, then that her childe should [...] King. 3. [...]3. loose his life: so may we discerne the church the true mother of the faithfull, from the false church their cruell & hard harted stepmother. For in that the church of Rome, when shee ruled the sworde among vs, spared neither age, sexe, nor calling, but brought al to the fire that defied her impieties, yea many also that relented frō the truth, & cōsented with her in her Idolatries, as it is to be seene in diverse places of the Actes and Monumentes of the church of England: & in that her associats yet for al this, yea for all their deep & dangerous conspiracies & treasons so often attempted against our Prince & country, enioy both life & liberty also amōg vs, all that haue eies may easily discerne, who resemble the savage and blood [...]hirsty wolues, & who the milde & meeke sheepe: who the tigerlike & hardhearted stepmother, & who the natural & kinde mother of the faithfull: who the cruell and mercilesse whoore of Babylon embrued with the blood of the Lords saints, & who the [...]po. 18 24. merciful spouse of Christ, that crieth to God for the pardon of her most grievous and cruel persecutors. [...]ct. 7. 60.
Opposit. 8.
The sting of conscience, which some haue felt, which were either persecutors or revolters from the gospell of Christ, is a manifest demonstration of the impregnable povver of the gospell of Christ vvhich cannot be vanquished, and of the light thereof, which cannot bee put out.
THe extraordinary iudgments of God, and especially the See Actes and Monume [...]ts vol. 2. fol. 1902. gnawing vvorme that hath beene felt▪ not only in the guilty consciences of some of the great persecutors of the gospel of Christ, but also of some that haue beene revolters from the same, for some worldly, carnall, and earthly respectes, both in the Primitiue church and in these later ages also, doth manifestly cō vince, that this doctrine of the gospell proceedeth from the Rom. 2. 16. 2 King. 10. 10 Math 5 18. iudge of all flesh, and shal condemne all the condemners thereof; yea that in the ende it shall force themselues to pronounce the sentence of iust condemnation against their owne soules. VVhereas no such examples may truely be found among those, which either by their authority haue restrained, or by the [...]ight of the truth haue beene reclaimed from their popish heresies.
Opposit. 9.
True religion teacheth the faithfull to devote themselues to the worshippe of one true, & all sufficient God, and not to giue religious worshippe to any creature.
THe worshippe of God is called Religion, for that it doth relige Aug. de vera rel ca. 54. Idem de cō s [...]n. Evang. li. 1. cap. 18. and binde vs to one GOD. And therefore the Roma [...]es, vvho receaued into their Panthcon the Gods of all the nations vvhom they subdued to their Empire, hauing subdued the Ievves refused their GOD, beeing the true and onely God, for that they vnderstoode that hee vvoulde bee vvorshipped alone, or not at all. VVhat religion then is [Page 86] that which doeth not teach to worshippe God alone, but to worshippe with religious worshippe saintes and angels also, yee their dead and senselesse images? Verily S. Austine avoucheth, [...]g. Ep. 44. that no dead person is worshipped of Catholike christians. Wherfore the Romish religion is not catholike, nay it is not to be counted religion at al, for that it doth not binde vs to one God onely, but willeth vs to giue religious worshippe to dead creatures also.
Opposit. 10.
The true worshippe and service of God is not clogged with a number of outward ceremonies and bodily observations, but consisteth in a pure and sincere spirite: Neither is it bettered more by one place, then by another.
THe houre cometh (saith our Saviour Christ) and now is, when [...]. 4. 23. yee shall neither in this mountaine, nor at Hierusalē worship the father, but the true worshippers shall worshippe him in spirite and truth, for the father requireth such to worshippe him. God is a spirite, & they that worsh [...]ppe him, must worshippe him in spirite and truth. And therefore when the church beganne to decline from the spirituall worshippe and service of God, and to corrupte the same with a multitude of ceremonies, it was no small greife to the godly that then liued, as it it may appeare by the complainte that Saint Austine made to Ianuarius. For bodily exercise (even when it is [...] Tim. 4. 8. best vsed) profiteth litle, it is godlines that is profitable to all thinges, & hath the promises both of this life and of the life to come. And (as the same Apostle testifieth) the kingdome of God consisteth not in meate & [...]om. 14. 17 drinke (nor in any outward or bodily observation) but in righteousnes, peace, and ioy in the holy Ghost: and he that in these thinges serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Nowe [...]on vox [...] votum. [...]acra aurū [...]n requi [...]nt. [...]gnei sacer [...]tes & au [...]i calices. this principall kinde of seruing of Christ in spirit and truth, which is most acceptable to God and most approved of all good men, is willed to stand aside by the church of Rome: for she will haue her most goodly and solemne service of God, and that vpon her greatest feastes to consist in all manner of melodious musike, in singing, quavering, and orgaine playing, in glistring copes, and [Page 87] sumptuous vestimentes, in creeping to the crosse, and kissing the pax, and in bowing and bending to dumbe images, in long praiers mumbled vp without vnderstanding in a strang tongue & nū bred vpon beades, in wearing this attire and that attire, in going bare-foote, in sack-cloath, and woll-ward, in abstaining from these and these kinde of meates, and in an infinite number of the like bodily exercises. Wherein shee playeth like some wanton children and lustfull women, which feede so long vpon earth, or ashes, or some other like trash, vntill their stomakes loath all mā ner of good and holesome nourishmentes. But these are nought also but false appetites and vnnaturall lustes, tending in the one to the corruptiō of their bodies, and in the other to the destruction of their soules. Moreover whereas our Saviour Christ hath in plaine wordes avouched that the true worshippers of God shall not worshippe at Ierusalem; the church of Rome that she may either shewe her selfe to be contrarie to Christ, or else her children not to be the true worshippers of God, sendeth thē on pilgrimage to Ierusalem there to worshippe, esteeming that to be a chiefe pointe of high devotion: yea shee hath caused not onely great treasures, but also much christian bloode to haue beene wasted for the recovery of that country out of the infidels hands, calling it still the holy lande, albeit the Lorde long since hath reiected and defied it, and hath as it were spit in the very face of it, and hath polluted it with his extraordinary plagues, because of that cursed peoples extraordinary sinnes. And seeing that the name of a Iewe hath long since beene a name of reproach and detestation, euen an abhorred and an accursed name, why is not the name of Iurie also to be had in the like curse & execration? Surely the Lord himselfe (as the Evangelists doe testifie) hath had it Math. 24. 15 Luc. 21. 20. in extreame detestation, and set therein the abomination of desolation, that is (as S. Luke expoundeth the same) a fierce army making vtter desolation, which testifi [...]d that the Lorde had vtterly abhorred it, and had made the most dreadful destruction thereof to be a witnesse of the same. And therefore it is the duety of Monkes (as Bernard saith) to goe on pilgrimage not towardes the earthly but the heavenly Ierusalem, and that not with their feete, but with Bern. Ep. 319. their affections. For with pure & sanctified affectiōs we draw [...]igh [Page 88] to God, and to the holy and heavenly Ierusalem.
Opposit. 11.
The faithfull are in heavines through manifolde tribulations if neede require: vvhich is, when either God himselfe afflicteth them to trye [...] Pet. 1. 6. their obedience and patience, and to humble them for their manifold infirmities and sinnes; or when Tyrantes persecute them for their most holy faith. But as for all voluntary tortures and tormentes they leaue the same to infidels and heretikes vvho thereby seeke after a greater opinion of godlines and devotion before men.
THe Gentiles did offer vp their sonnes in fire vnto Idols, and did [...] Reg. [...]. 28. [...]v. 21. 5. cutte and launce themselues vntill the bloode followed: the which voluntary tortures the Lord precisely interdicteth his owne people. Contrary to the which interdiction the dearest darlinges of the church of Rome, as likewise such among the Turkes as would seeme most devout, vse to scourge and to whippe thē selues, diverse waies tormenting their owne bodies, and not sparing their ovvne flesh. Whereby it is evident that they haue [...]ol. 2. 23. not onely sorted themselues with the Gentiles, and some of the olde heretikes, but also with these of the last times, who through hipocrisie hunte after a shewe of most rare holines in these outvvard [...]. Tim. 4. 1. thinges, preferring these their wil-worshippes and voluntary devotions before faith, repentance, and the fruites of the spirit, imagining thereby to ascende to the highest degree of the greatest perfection, and to be esteemed the only religious of all other.
Opposit. 12.
The faithfull souldiers of Christ furnish themselues against their ghostly enimies with such weapons, as are taken out of the Lordes armoury: whereas the counterfeite christian furnisheth himselfe with such as are framed in the devils forge, and in the shoppe of mans invention.
THe faithfull which fight vnder the banner of Christ even al the members of the militant church, knowing the greate force of their fendish foes, seeke according vnto the exhortation [Page 89] of the Apostle to be strong in the Lorde and in the power of Eph. 6. 10. his might, putting on to that purpose all the armour of God, that so they may bee able to stand against all the assaultes of the Devill: they stand and their loines girded about with verity, hauing on the breastplate of righteousnes, and their feete shodde with the preparation of the gospel of peace: aboue all they take the shield of faith, whereby they may quench all the fiery dartes of the wicked, and the helmet of salvation, and the sworde of the spirite which is the word of God, praying alway with all manner of praier and supplication in the spirite, and watching thereunto withall perseverance. VVhereas the souldiers of Satans companies are forbidden for the most parte to enter into the Lordes armory wherein are the weapons of all the Lordes worthies wherevvith they prevailed against all their enemies, and to fence their soules with that armour of proofe whereby they may be preserued from Chrys. in Math. hom. 43. Hier. in Mat. ca 23. Num. 9. 11. Tert. de Idola. Lact. instit. l. 6. ca. 2. all deadly woundes: it is enough for them to arme themselues with holy bookes tyed at their girdle, but, not laid vp in their hartes: with holy reliques, such as defiled those that touched them vnder the law: with holy candle lighted at noone-day to driue away belike spiritual darknesse: with holy breaede to put away the famine of the soule: with holy water to wash away the spots of the spirit: with holy bell to fray the hell-hound with that sacred sound: with crossing and crossing againe this and that member, and with anoyling the instruments of the fiue wits: with holy creame, holy salt, holy spitile, & with as holy exorcismes and coniurations as were vsed by the seven sonnes of Sceva the priest: with holy graines, agnus deies, crucifixes, with buriall in an holy cloister, in a Monkes coule, or a Friers frocke, with Act. 19. 13. a pardon cast into the graue with the body for the safer passage of the silly soule (albeit it had passed and receiued iudgement before) & with other such furniture of their owne framing, as if those things which are without could sanctisie a man, and fence him from the woundes of sinne: as if the subtile serpent were some silly foole that could be driuen away with such scarre-crowes, or some weake and feeble foe that could be overturned with such bulrushes.
Opposit. 13.
The faithfull are not puffed vp with pride in respect of Gods graces, but rather hang downe their heades in respect of their owne infirmities, ascribing to God the glory of all good things.
IF when wee haue done all that is commanded vs, we must say that [...]uc. 9 54 we are vnprofitable servantes, then when we faile more or lesse in all, what iust occasion haue we with the humble Publican to stande aloofe, and to hange downe the heade, and to beate the brest, being [...]zr 9 6. [...]zech. [...]6. 33. [...]an [...]. 7. full of confusion in regarde of our ovvne iniquities. Nowe as the faithfull thus cry out shame and confusion against themselues, so they ascribe righteousnes to God in all his corrections, and endles mercy in all his blessinges, magnifying and extoling his glory in both. And verely he that seeketh the glory of him [...]oh. 7. 18. that sent him is true, and there is no vnrighteousnes in him. But in Aug in [...]oh. Tract. [...]9. Antichrist (saith Austine) there is vnrighteousnes, and hee is not true, because hee will not seeke [...] he glory of him that sent him. Let vs all then which pertaine to the body of Christ, beware lest we fall into the snares of Antichrist, and let vs not seeke our owne glory. Chrys. in Math. Hom. 19. If one cover (saith Chrysostome) a wolfe with a sheepes skinne, how may another know him, but by his voice, or by his action? The sheepe bleateth looking downe▪ ward, the wolfe looketh vpwarde and howleth against heaven. He then that vttereth the voice of humility and confession according vnto God, is a sheepe: but hee that howlethout blasphemies against God, and against the truth is a wolfe. Nowe howe the doctrine of the church of Rome teacheth to lay aside the humility of a sheepe, and to take to our selues the pride of the wolfe, to advaunce our selues, and not to giue the glory of all thinges onely to GOD, see before in the preface to the Christian roader.
Opposit. 14.
The faithfull Christian as in generall he giueth the glory of all good things onely to Gods mercy and goodnes, so especially of his eternall salvation, resting onely vpon the mediation and merite of Christes passion for the obtaining thereof, and not vpon his owne or other mens workes.
VVHat worthy thing do we, that thereby we may be Wal [...]ensis contra Wicle [...]um. made partakers of heavenly glory, whereas the Apostle saieth, I thinke that the passions of this time are not worthy of the glory that shalbe revealed? Therefore I recken him to be the more sounder divine, the more saithfull catholike, and more agreeable to holy scriptures, who doth flatly deny any such merite. And verely our Saviour Christ was onely able to giue a sufficient price for that heavenly purchase as al the faithfull from the begining of the worlde haue vndoubtedly beleeved: Apoc. 19. 10 so that it is a sure token of the spirit of a true prophet to giue testimony therevnto. Wee haue (saith Austine) Iesus Christ our Aug. in Epi. Ioh. tract. 1. advocate, and he is the propitiation for our sinnes: he that holdeth this holdeth no heresie: he that holdeth this, maketh no schisme. And if the very Apostle Saint Iohn had saide (saith the same Father) If any man sinne, Aug cont. Epist [...]l. Pa [...] l 2. Cap. [...]. yee haue me for your advocate, and I obtaine pardon for your si [...]es; What faithfull person woulde haue endured him? Ʋ Ʋho woulde haue taken him for an Apostle of Christ, and not for a very Antichrist? And yet the church of Rome (the lesse catholike, and the more haereticall, schismaticall, and Antichristian is she) teacheth vs not to rest vpon the mediation and merite of Christs passion as the onely propitiation and satisfaction for sinne, and the onely meritorious cause of our saluation, but also to trust [...]n our owne merites, & in the workes of supererogation performed by the saintes, and in their praiers, and intercessions.
Opposit. 15.
The sincere professors of the catholike faith acknowledge Christ to be nowe onely in heaven according to the flesh, whither he is ascended, and from whence they looke for him to come to iudgement: wheras seduced and seducing heretikes See fol. vvill needes haue him to be here also now in earth, albeit he be seated aboue the highest heavens.
THe flesh of CHRIST, when it was on earth, surely it was not in heaven, and nowe because it is in heaven, certainly Vigil. contr. Eut l. 4 Cap. 4. it is not in the earth. Yea so farre is it from being in earth, that vvee looke for Christ after the flesh to come from heaven, whome as he is GOD the Word, vve beleeue to be vvith vs on earth. Then by your opinion either the word is comprised in a place, as vvell as the flesh, or else the flesh is every where togeather with the vvord, seeing one nature doth not receiue in it selfe any different or contrary estate. Now, to be contained in a place, and, to be present every where, be thinges diverse and very dislike: and for so much as the Word is every where, and the flesh of CHRIST is not everie where, it is cleare that one and the same CHRIST is of both natures: that is, every where according vnto the nature of his Deity, and contained in a place according vnto the nature of the humanity. This is the catholike faith & confession which the Apostles delivered, the martyrs cō firmed, and the faithfull persist in to this day. And therefore whereas the church of Rome teacheth that the flesh of Christ is in heaven and in earth togeather at one time, & confoundeth the distinction of the properties of the tvvo natures of CHRIST by teaching him according to the property of his humane nature so to be contained in a place, that he is also in ten thousand thousand places at one time, What doth she thereby but condemne the catholike faith and confession delivered by the Apostles, confirmed by the martires, and continued among the faithfull vnto the time of Vigilius?
Opposit. 16.
The catholike faith by the warrant of the word of God acknowledgeth but two places after this life: and the contrarie opinion proceedeth from See Aug. [...]uch ad L [...] Cap. 6. & 7. a blinde, albeit it seemeth a kind affection.
LAstly to omitte other thinges which might be alleaged to this purpos [...] (for there are so many oppositions betweene the doctrine of Christ and Antichrist, as there are maine groundes of our christian profession, as it may appeare throughout al the partes and parcels of this treatise, the catholike faith teacheth, that there are but two places after this life. So Austine: Aug. H [...]pog Lib. 5. The first place the catholike faith builded vpō, [...]iuin autority beleueth to be the kingdome of heaven, the second to bee hell, where every apostata and infidell is tormented: And as for any third place, we are vtterly ignorant thereof, neither doe we finde any such in the scriptures. And what shall the church of Rome be still esteemed to be catholike which will not allow of this pointe of the faith neither, which yet S. Austin [...] allowed to be catholike?
Div. 2.
That the church of Christ is not alwaies visible
OVr creede teacheth vs to say, I beleeue, and not I see the I beleeue the holy catholike church. catholike church: that is, hovvsoever the members of the true church are not alvvaies visible, nor their companies conspicuous, yet I beleeue that GOD hath his church and congreg [...]tion in some place or other which rightly and sincerely worshipeth him in spirit & truth. And therfore this church as it is sometimes likened to the Moone in her full brightnes, so it is sometimes compared to the same greatly obscured, and after a sort loosing her vvhole light: And as it is sometimes resembled to a city built vpon a hill, vvhich is admirable for her exceeding beautie and glorie: so it is sometimes also [Page 94] compared to a cottage in a vineyarde, and to a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, and to a besieged c [...]ty defaced and wasted with extreame misery, and to a countrey over [...] and after a sorte dispeopled by the sworde of the enemy. As it came to passe not onely amonge the Israelites in the time of Elias, but also in the kingdome of Iudah in the time of Isayas; who complaineth that al māner of corruptions in al estates of mē were so grievous, & had made so great havocke, that had not the Lord reserved vnto himselfe a small re [...] nant, they had beene made as So [...]oma and like vnto Gomortha, And [...] 29. how stoode the case with the church in the beginning of the Apostles times? vvas it not such that it gaue iust occasion to Saint Paul to renevv againe the same complainte? Yea this remnaunt vvas so smal at our Saviours death, that it hath beene deemed by some, that the church was only then in the blessed Virgin: and in Davids and Ieremies time this company also was so inconspicuous, that one of them crieth out, [...] 1. Helpe Lord, for there is not one godly man left: and the other is willed by the Lorde himselfe to runne to and fro through the streetes of Ierusalem, and to inquire, if there were one that executed iudgement and embraced truth, and hee would spare all for ones sake.
Div. 3.
That hypocrites and vngodly persons are not the true members of the holy catholicke church of Christ, which is the congregation of the predestinate.
THe true church is holy, and so are al the true members therof, for that they are vnited and ioyned togither by the bands of one holy and pure spirit. [...] 1. For if the vngodly were members of this church shee were to be called vnholy in respect of them, for that their number is alwaies the greater [...]as shee is called [...] holy in respect of the godly, for that they are the better part. Wherfore all vngodly and faithlesse dissembling hypocrites, as they seeme onely to be holy, and are not; so they seeme also, but are not in deed the true members of the holy catholike church. For how can they haue the church to be their mother, which are not [Page 95] begotten againe of the immortal seede of the word of God which liueth and lasteth for euer? How can, I say, those bee members of the holy catholicke church, and haue her for their mother, vvho haue not God for their father, who as they honour not God as a father, neither endevour to resemble his image, so he doth not acknowledge them for his sonnes, nor accept them as inheritours of his heavenly kingdome? And doth not our creede reach vs also, that this holy catholike church of Christ is a commun [...]on of saintes, who haue in this life remission of sinnes, and shall attaine in the life to come, to a glorious resurrection, and to l [...]e everlasting? But the wicked & vngodly dissembling hypocrites the sonnes of the bond woman, which are base-borne and bastarde brethren, they haue no part nor portiō in these blessings of God with the sonnes Gal. 4. 30. of the free woman, which are the elect & chosen children of God, and the true members of the holy catholicke church of Christ. Wherefore the church of Rome greatly disgraceth this holy catholike church of Christ, in that shee would allowe an interest in her to impu [...]e and vngodly dissembling hypocrites: as on other respectes shee advaunceth her to high, in assigning her that priviledge that shee cannot erre, and graunting that ability vnto her children, whereby they may perfectly fulfill the law of God.
Div. 4.
That the church may erre in matters of faith.
THe Apostles & prophets had their doctrine from God not onely mediately by instruction, but also immediatly by revelation: Holy. but revelations are now ceased, and the church hath her doctrine now mediatly onely by instruction out of the divine and sacred scriptures: and therefore the church may erre, albeit the Apostles and Prophets were free from errour. For in learning out of the scriptures, the dulnesse and blindnes of our capacity oftentimes misseth of the true sence and meaning thereof, which is no impediment, when as the spirite of God by revelation vseth not the blockishnesse of our vnderstanding to bring vs to the knovvledge [Page 96] of God, but doth immediately by his power sh [...]dde it in our heartes, or else teacheth vs by such as are instructed immediately. [...] 2.
Div. 3.
That every member of the church breaketh the law, and doeth not perfectly fulfill the same.
NO man loveth the Lorde with all his heart, power, and strength, so that all his [...]ffections, cogitations, & thoughts are only employed in the Lords service, and in obedience to his commandementes, and therefore no man perfectly fulfilleth the whole law. For our loue doth so follow ou [...] knowledge, that no man can perfectly loue God, that perfectly knoweth not his loue and goodnes towardes vs: but in this life wee knowe but in [...]. 13. 9 parte, vvee vnderstande but in parte, wee see as through a glasse and in a darke speaking, and so our loue also is but in parte, it is no wise so perfect as it ought to be. VVherefore that perfect loue beeing not in any which the lawe requireth, that which wanteth thereof is sinne [...]p. 29. and a breach of the lawe and commaundementes of God. For to loue the Lorde withall our hearte, soule, and strength is not a point of perfection counselled onely in the gospell aboue the lawe, but a necessary duety commaunded in the lavve: and therefore our Saviour calleth it in sl [...]tte tearmes not onely a commaundement, [...] [...]2. 38. but also the first of the commaundementes. VVherefore all being guilty of the breach of this commaundement, there is none that is able to fulfill the vvhole lawe, much lesse to doe any worke of supererogation, more then is commaunded in the law of God.
Many prowde debtours, hauing not as yet wasted their whole stockes, but beeing only declining and ready to fall, conceaue so well of themselues and of their owne ability, that, when they looke but vpon the particular billes of their debt, they conceaue some hope to recover, and to bee able in time to discharge all: but vvhen they cast them all togither, and so take a viewe of the totall summe, that appeareth by and by [Page 97] to bee so great, that thereby they are cleane dismaide and discouraged, and vtterly excluded from all hope. But the pride of our Romish banke-ruptes is in a farre higher degree, in that the summe of all the commandements contayning the summe of our vvhole debte, bee it neuer so great and neuer so huge, yet it doeth not mooue them to acknowledge their inhabilitie, but they still imagine themselues to be able to fulfil the whole lavve, and so to discharge their vvhole debte, yea and more also, vvith the surplussage vvhereof beeing due vnto them The meanest in the church of Rome are taught that they may fulfil al the commandementes, whereas the very best in the church of Christ more or lesse faile in all. vppon a reckoning and an accountes, they thinke themselues able to helpe tovvardes the dischardge of the debtes of others also. VVhereas in trueth if vvee vvoulde duely looke into the greatnesse of the duety, that is required at our handes in any one of the commaundementes, wee should perceiue the very debte of every one of these particular billes to amounte and grovve to so great a summe, that as long as vvee liue heere in this life, (such is our spirituall penury and beggary) vvee are neuer able to discharge the same. 1. Cōmand. For vvho is there euen amonge the most perfecte and iust, that neuer preferreth profite, or pleasure, or the satisfying of one affection or other before iustice and righteousnesse, and before his loue and obedience to God, thereby placing them after a sort in Gods throne? 2 who alvvaies so highly conceiveth of the incomprehensible maiesty of the almighty Iehovah as hee ought to doe, and of his incomparable and vnmatchable glory that cannot be resembled by any similitude without great impeachment and derogation to the same? 3 Who conceiveth so reverently of the infinite power of the most mighty creator of heaven & earth, that hee neuer taketh his glorious and dreadfull name in vaine, but euer vseth it with such reverence and feare, as is due vnto it? 4 VVho sanctifieth on that manner the Sabaoth day, that ceasing altogither from satisfying his owne vvill, hee suffereth the Lord by his holy spirite and sacred vvorde vvholy to vvo [...]ke in himselfe, and so employeth himselfe only in his service? Yea who is it, that keepeth a perpetuall Sabaoth vnto the LORDE? 5 VVho is it, that so honoureth his p [...]rentes and the rest of his superiors in the Lord, that hee neuer so much as murmureth and [Page 98] [...]dgeth at their lawfull authority? 6 7 8 9 Who is so far of from murder, adultery, thef [...] [...]nd from bearing false witnes, that he neuer transgresseth in any of these not so much as by hatred, carnall lusts, covetous desires, or lie [...]? 10 Lastly who hath his whole heart so possessed with the loue of God and his neighbour, that he neuer delighteth no not for a moment of time in any thought or desire cōtrary the evnto? David a man after Gods owne heart, who is said after a manner to haue fulfilled all his wil, and whose posterity is commēded for walking in his steppes, after that he had most highly magnifi [...]d the law of God as holy and righteous altogether, and had testified th [...]t in keeping thereof there vvas great revvarde, addeth immediatly: but vvho can tell howe of te hee offendeth. O clense [...]l. 19. 12. thou me from my secret sinnes. As if he had said: I know that I, even I my selfe not seldome but often offende against this righteous and perfect [...]avv: yea further I acknowledge my frailty to be so great, that I am perswaded how that some times I commit also faults some or other, which escape my knowledge, and are secret from me. Wherfore if we say we haue no sin, (we cannot but be charged [...]oh. 1 8. as transgressors of this law) we deceaue our selues, and the trueth is not in vs. For not only Saint Ambrose hath confessed of himselfe [...]b. de sa [...]mentis li [...] [...]ap. 6. that he did sinne continually, but the Apostle Saint Iames hath testified of all; that in many thinges wee offende all: not some of vs (saith he) but all of vs offende, and that not in a fewe, but in many [...]. 3. 2. thinges: from the number of which offenders hee excepted not himselfe (albeit he was had in great admiration even of the enemies of the christian faith for his most iust and vpright life) nor any of the rest of his fellow Apostles. Yea Adam himselfe before his fall, being entrenched as it were within the fortification & castle of his owne complete and perfect innocency, the vvalles whereof being as walles of yron, and the gates thereof as of pure brasse, a may den-hold that was neuer taken, neuer shaken by any shot, neuer weakened by any battery, having neuer sustained any manner of breach in any part or parcell thereof; our greate grand-father, Adam himselfe. I say, being here set vpon, withstoode the assault a very shorte time, but straite-waies yeelded, suffering the same to be soone surprised, and himselfe to be taken prisoner by the enemies force. Nowe this holde of innocencie [Page 99] vvhich is restored vnto vs againe by our most powerfull redeemer, and vvherein vvee the posterity of Adam are seated and placed, is nothing so strong and sure in it selfe, as it vvas at the first, vvhen it vvas delivered vnto Adam. The gates thereof are very vveake, and the vvals thereof of small strength to keepe out the force and fury of the enemy. For novv he entreth in at the gate of the eies by pride and covetousnesse, of the tongue by lying and slaundring, of the handes by bribing and stealing, of the tast by gluttony, drunkennesse and exces [...]e: novve hee attempteth to take the same by carnall security, and at another time by murmuring grudging and impatiencie: hee putteth it still in daunger by idle vvordes, vaine imaginations, carnall lustes and earthly affections. Many breaches are quickely made, and the whole hold soone battered, vnlesse it be continually succoured by the Lordes power, and still rescued by his aide. For how can the weake Lambe stande against the bloody wolfe, or the silly sheepe against the roaring Lyo [...]? No mervaile then that we be sometimes vvounded, and sometimes forced to giue ground, and be driuen from our place and standing in these our ghostly and spirituall skirmishes! No mervaile though oftentimes we transgresse the most holy and righteous lawe of God, and turne out of the direct way of his commandements! VVell may it agree with the church triumphant in heauen, resting in the place where righteousnesse dwelleth, and enioying the security of the full conquest & victory, to be free from the danger of al wounds, to attaine to the fulnesse of all righteousnes, and to be most glorious without spot & without wrinckle: how beit surely the church militant remaining in this wicked and sinfull world, where shee is still so fiercely assaulted, is sure neuer long to escape without blowes, neuer to be pure from all staines, neuer to be free from all sinnes. Now sinne being a transgression of the law and a breach 1 Ioh. 3. 4. of the commandement, therefore there is none to be founde that perfectly keepeth the whole lavve, and exactly fulfilleth all the commandementes.
Div. 6.
That the spirite of God the spirite of truth is not alvvaies annexed to the outvvard face of the visible church, and to such as haue the cheife roomes therein, much lesse to any particular church, as to the church of Rome, or to any other..
BEFORE the ascension of our Saviour Christ it was true [...]olike. that the Psalmist saith: In Iurie GOD vvas knovven, his name vvas greate in Israell: hee had not dealt so vvith any [...]. 75. 47. 20 other nation, neither had the Heathen knovvledge of his lavves. And therefore the Apostles vvere vvilled for a time not to [...]. 10. 5. goe into the vvaie of the Gentiles, nor to enter into the cities of the Samaritanes, but to goe onely to the lost sheepe of the house [...]. 15. 26. of Israell. Yea it vvas tolde the vvoman of Canaan by our Saviour himselfe, that it vvas not meete to take the childrens bread, and to cast it vnto dogges: VVhereby hee signifyed that the Israelites onely vvere receaued by GOD into the number of his elect and chosen children; and that all other nations vvere as hogges and svvine, vvallovving in the mire of ignorance and sinne, and therefore most odious and abominable before GOD. But novv by the death of CHRIST [...] 2 14. [...] 28. 19. [...] 10 34. [...] 3. 28. [...] [...]. 10. 12 the partition vvalle is broken downe, and the Apostles commission is enlarged to goe and teach all nations, and to preach the gospell to every creature. For there is novve no more respect of Iewe then of Grecian, but all are one in Christ Iesus: and Gods favor is so procured to all, that as he is Lord of all, so he is rich vnto all [...] 23. that call vpon him. And now is the houre come that the true worshippers worshippe not God in the mount of Samaria, nor yet at Ierusalem, but worshippe him (euery where) in spirite and truth. For now the true service of God and the sincere faith of Christ is not tied to any one place or countrey, but lieth open to all nations: and the church of Christ is now catholike, not annexed any more to any one people, but dispersed abroad through the whole worlde: neither are the large kingdomes of [...]er non [...]frica, [...]undus. Affrica the Lordes onely field wherein the pure seede of his word is sowen, [Page 101] much lesse the smal territories of the city of Jllud esse [...] includere orb [...]m in vrbe. Rome, but the vniversal globe of the whole earth. And yet whē of al the families & kinreds of the earth the Lorde had called out and chosen onely the posteritie of Abraham, and when the church of Christ vvas annexed to that one people alone, the service of God was not thē so tied to thē which had the roomes of the cheife professors therof, but that the lawe did sometimes perish from the priest, and counsell from the auncient, and the Sunne went downe vpon their prophets, in Ier. 7. 4. & 18. 18. Mich. 3. 6. so much that night was vnto them for a vision, and darkenes for a divination. As for example in our Saviours time, those that shoulde haue beene the principall pillars of the church, vvere the cheife subverters thereof: and they which had the roomes of the master builders, reiected the cheife corner stone, and sought the Mat. 21. 42. vtter ruine and dovvne fall of the LORDES house. And as it thus happened to the Sinagogue of the Ievves, even so also it befell the church of CHRIST, when Arrianisme overflowed the outvvarde face thereof, in so much that. Liberius himselfe Hier de eccles scriptoribus in Fortunatiano. being then Bishoppe of Rome yeelded thereto, and confirmed it vvith his subscription. At what time nothing vvas esteemed a matter of greater pietie, and more befitting the servaunt of CHRIST, then to follow vnity, and not to be divided from the communion of the world: when the christian vvorlde Hier. adversus Lucife [...]ianos. sighed and vvondred, that of a Christian it vvas become an Arria [...]. VVherefore no mervaile that diverse particular churches planted by the Apostles themselues haue not beene so firmly seased of the truth, but that they haue beene longe agoe cast out of the possession thereof: no marvaile though they hauing reiected the faith of CHRIST, haue themselues also beene reiected from beeing the people and Church of Christ.
Now that which happeneth to many, may also happen to any, yea to Rome it selfe, and the church thereof, seing they haue no Cypr. ad Pomp. cont. epist. S [...]eph. Hier. ad Princip. Marcel. ep. Tim. 1. greater charter or priveledge of not erring, then any other partilar church. Certainly Cyprian knevve none: for he avoucheth of the Bishope of Rome, that he maintaineth heresie against the church. Hierome knevve none: for hee saith that the fountaine of the Romane faith vvas defiled vvith mudde, and that the [Page 102] faith commended by the Apostle was violated in most things, (albeit our Romanists greatly boast that no good autor hath ever testified of the failing of faith in the church of Rome.) Nay the Apostle himselfe knewe none: for writing to the church of Rome by name, he telleth her plainely that she should not be proude of her stāding, nor insult against the church of the Iewes for her fall: for of [...]. 11. 21 God (saith he) spared not the naturall branches, take thou heede also that he spare not thee. For if they which were Iewes by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, being borne vnder covenant of mercy, and descending from most holy progenitors had no such perpetuity in the favour of God, nor assurance for the continuance of the true worshippe and service of God amongst them, but that they might vtterly fall from both: then surely such as descended from impious and idolatrous parentes, and were straungers and alians from the covenantes of grace, being of the Lordes endles goodnes receiued into favour, can haue no such assurance of the Lordes mercie, but that in successe of time the posterity may fall away from that grace, whereof their progenitors were made partakers And if the true worship & service of God was not vnseperably tied vnto Siloh, Sion, or Ierusalem, wh [...] presumption is it in the church of Rome to make such boast th [...] her faith cānot faile; as if the truth were necessarily annexed to that city, and the spirite of God as it were entailed to Peters ch [...]ire: or as if God were in bonds still to keepe that See vpright, whatsoever else became of all other christian churches. Verely of them it may be verefied that which Terasius Archbishop of Constantinople testified of their like: that the heresie of Macedonius was more tollerable then theirs, in that he avoucheth the spirit of God to be servāt to the father and the sonne: wheras they after a [...]ort make him their servant to convey over continually the certaintie of faith, from the predecessor to the successor. VVhat? may a man in his death bed dispose of the inward qualities of his soule, as he may of his temporall goodes and possessions? May any one make over by deede of gifte vnto an other his faithfull hart and sincere minde? or bequeath by will and testament his piety and godlines? These thinges are personall and appropriated to the person on whome they are bestowed, they pas [...]e not from hand to hand, they remoue [Page 103] not from subiect to subiect: these giftes are not parted by death but accompany vs continually, when all other things bid vs adue, when all all other things faile they faile not, when all other things are lefte behinde, they cannot be lefte, there is no conveyance to be made from one to an other of these goods. For Non na [...]ci [...]ur Christiani, se [...] fimus. vertue is no inheritance, it descendeth not from the father to the child: the child taketh his bodely substance from his parentes at his first birth, but as for the substance of vertue, if he receaue it, he receiveth it by a second birth. Now if these giftes come not by descent from the father to the sonne that succeedeth him an nature & in substance, & in the very covenat of grace also: much lesse doe they come by descent vnto him that succeedeth onely in place and office. It is true indeede that Elias promised Elizaeus th [...]t was to succeede him in his propheticall office, that if he saw him when he wa [...] t [...]ken out of his sight, he should haue his spirite doubled vpon him: But Elias knewe that God hauing appointed Eliz [...]s to succeede him in his propheticall office woulde haue him endued with such a measure of his spirite, that so he might be meete [...]or the execution of the same: moreover his promise was made to the person of Elizaeus alone, and not to any of his successors But the church of Rome will haue the stability of Peters faith to be conveyed over to all his successors, and that to the worlds end: yea shee will haue it annexed to Peters chai [...]e, & to his very consistory and iudgement seate. For when it is proved, that many of the Popes in person were Apostataes from the faith, Lyra in Math c. 16. Conc. Basil. Op. [...]inod. Non locus virum honestat. Qu [...] mal [...]s est vbi (que) mal [...] est. yet (say they) whensoever they sate in iudgment vpon the decision of any doubt, and vpon the determination of any question, they were so directed and guided therein, that they did never pronounce any definitiue sentence against the truth. As if the very place did sanctifie the person, and suddainly change his former resolution; or else did force him to pronounce sentence against his owne setled conscience & iudgment.
But what an assurance the Bishop and church of Rome haue that their faith cannot faile, it may appeare by this, that the truth Verum vero consonat. alwaies being like to it selfe, and one truth evermore agreeing with another, diverse of the very maine groundes of their faith are directly contrary each to other. As first, the church cannot erre: [Page 104] and yet the faithfull themselues, (by vvhom the trueth is preserved in the church, when it is preserved, vnlesse vve imagine that it, may be better preserved by such as are but meere dissembling hypocrites) may altogither and that finally fall from God, and so by consequent from the trueth.
2 Secondly, the faithfull being in danger to fall away wholy from God, yet are still in possibility to be renewed by repentance (for that repentāce is only denied to such as sinne against the holy Ghost) and yet they are not to be rebaptized: whereas if they did vvholy fall away, at their reconciliation and regeneration, they should be admitted againe to the sacrament of regeneration. Or thus: The faithful, that are borne againe of the incorruptible seede of the vvord, and are made the sonnes of God by faith in Christ, may wholy fall away from this grace: but yet so that they may be renewed againe by repentaunce, and recover againe a true faith, and so be borne the second time the sonnes of God: And yet (as they themselues also teach) as we can be but once borne the sonnes of Adam, so we can be but once regenerate and borne the sonnes of God.
3 Thirdly, the children of the faithful in baptisme are devoted to the service of God only, as being only baptised in his name: and yet they may (as they teach) bee devoted also to the service of the saintes.
4 Fourthly, al the infants of the faithful haue their sinnes in baptisme fully washed and clensed, & are made members of the holy catholicke church, and so are effectually called to the estate of grace: And yet I hope they vvil also teach that these be [...] 20. 1. not all called at the first houre.
5 Fiftly, they call their sacrifice of the Masse an vnbloody sacrifice: and yet they teach that Christs blood is there really present. And if they [...]ay that it is called an vnbloody sacrifice, for that the bloode is there present after an vnbloody manner, they might then as vvel call it an vnbodily sacrifice also, for that, as they teach the body of Christ is there also, but not after a bodily manner: whereas in trueth a true body, and true blood, haue alwaies the manner and condition of a true body, and of true blood.
6 Sixtly, they teach that by the wordes of consecration, transubstantiation is made: and yet the nature of the bread is abolished and gone, before the first worde thereof (THIS) is vttered by the Priest: For in the [Page 105] words of consecration whatsoeuer this word (THIS) doth signifie, in any case it must not signifie true and reall bread.
7 Seventhly, Matrimony (as they teach) is an holy sacrament and conferreth grace: and yet it is with them a prophanation of holy orders: (as if one grace did disgrace another, and as if one holy thing were a prophanation to another) and that single life, which vndoubtedly giveth no grace, is an holier estate then the estate of Matrimony: whereas it may be well knowne of euery young scholer, that single life is no vertue, but continencie and chastity either in single life, or else in matrimony.
8 Eightly, they teach that grace sometime worketh alone in vs, which Gratia operans, [...]ooperans. needs must be, if it be at all, in our conversion: and yet they teach, that our free will worketh together also with Gods grace, even in our verie first conversion.
9 Ninthly, they vaunt most confidently themselues to be the only catholikes, & their faith to be vndoubtedly the sound faith, and they determine most peremptonly that the true catholike iustifying faith, consisteth only in beleeving the truth of the articles of our christian creede: and yet they teach that neither they are, nor yet ought to bee assured, that they haue obtained a true faith.
10 Tenthly, they teach that we ought most assuredly to beleue the truth of Gods generall promises: as, whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall neuer be confou [...]ded: & yet they say that it is presumption for this or that particular man which beleeueth, to perswade himselfe assuredly that he shall never be confounded.
11 Elevēthly in their pardons, shriftes, & exhortations to religious actiōs they take vpon them to forgiue to particular persons their sinnes: and yet they also to whome particularly they forgiue must s [...]il doubt whether their sinnes be forgiven For al their catholikes must still stand in doubt thereof, vnlesse it be otherwise opened vnto them by revelation.
12 Twelfthly they teach that they can fulfil the law, & more also, (the which thing cānot be performed without grace, yea without great grace) yet they thus assuredly knowing that they fulfill the law, cā not yet for all that assuredly knowe that they themselues are in the estate of Rom. 14 23 grace: wheras not only the Apostle, but a very heathē mā cāteach thē, that vnto every good actiō (& therfore much more to so many, as [Page 106] whereby the whole lawe is fulfilled, and more also) it is a necessary circumstance that is required, that it be done vpon an [...]er. cō [...]nstā. assured knowledge.
13. Thirtenethly they teach that the fulfilling of the law is an ordinary dutie that is to be performed of the common and vulgar sorte of people, and therefore that their relligious men must striue to ascende to a fa [...]re higher degree of greater perfection: and yet they teach also that the common people cannot attaine vnto the vnderstanding of the sacred scriptures. vvhich containe for a good part but an exposition of the lavve: and yet, as I take it, it is a farre harder matter to doe, then to vnderstand that vvhich is right.
14. Fourtenethly they teach that all pointes of faith necessary to salvation are not contained in [...]he holy scripture; and yet they alleadge scripture for all pointes vvhich are necessary to salvation. And therfore all such pointes may be proved out of the scriptures, or else they greatly abuse the scriptures even by the testimonie of their owne consciences in alleaging them against their me [...] ning only for shewe and not for truth.
15. Fiftenethly some of them teach that Election, which is the precedent cause of the first iustification, dependeth vpon foreseene workes: and yet that the first iustification it selfe is free, and dependeth not at all on workes.
16. Sixtenethly they teach that the Saintes are not Mediators of Redemption; and yet that the vvorkes of supererogation done by the saintes are both satisfactory for the sinnes of other, and also meritorious of eternall glory, which are the proper workes of the Mediatour of Redemption.
17. Seventenethly they say, that it is blasphemous against the dignity of Christes blood, which hee shed for our sinnes, to avouch that hee suffe [...]ed also in soule, for the vvhole raunsoming of our soules, and for the full satisfying of the most absolute and perfect iustice of GOD: as if one of CHRISTES sufferinges did derogate from the other But it is no blasphemye against the dignity of CHRISTES sufferinges vvith them to teach that our ovvne soules must either suffer for our sinnes the most extreme paines of purgatory or endure here the sharpe rigour of their popish penance, [Page 107] or else procure trentals of Masses togeather with the sufferings of the saintes to be bestowed vpon vs by the Popes indulgences and pardons.
18.Eightenethly they teach that imputatiue righteousnes is a vaine and a frivolous fancy: and yet the imputation of the surplussage of the merites of the saintes is not vaine, but a greate gaine vnto them: yea it is a verie sound and profitable doctrine, if not to the cooling of mens soules, yet to the warming of the Popes kitchine.
19. Ninetenethly the fire of purgatory is sometimes so greavous with our Romanistes (belike when they vvould haue their Masses and pardons well paide for, to deliver poore soules out of the same) that our fire is but a painted fire vnto it, and that the tormentes thereof differ nothing from hellish tormentes but onely in continuance: and yet sometimes with them againe it is as it were a place Rhem. in Apoc c. 14. of rest.
20. Lastly our Rhemistes teach that sinne, (be the pleasure thereof Rhem. in c 8. ep. ad Rom. never so shorte,) deserueth damnation, because it is an aversion from God, and proceedeth from the Devill: the which thing is true in every sinne, and therefore every sinne damnable & mortall: And yet these men themselues maintaine their olde distincttion of sinnes veniall, and of sinnes mortall.
VVherefore seing that the doctrine of the church of Rome Rhem. in Mat. cap. 5. containeth such contradiction, and contradictions cannot be both true, it is evident that the spirite of truth is not so annexed to Peters chaire, but that the church of Rome may erre, as well as other churches planted by the same Apostles: yea hereby came in that greate apostasie and falling away from the faith foretold by the Apostle, when the greater number of those that professed themselues Christians, especially in these westerne partes of the vvorlde, did so highlie conceaue of the Bishoppe of Rome, as that they tooke him to bee that invincible rocke, vpon the vvhich the church vvas builte, and against the vvhich hell gates should never prevaile: VVhereas he being to vveake to stay himselfe vpright, and to withstand so mightie and povverfull enimies, vvas lesse able to holde vp the huge building of the vniversall church, and to guarde and defende it [Page 108] from so daungerous foes: But failing himselfe, and falling vnder his owne burden, he was the occasion of ruine to all such as did [...]g. ep. lib. [...]ist. 32. stay themselues and rest vpon him. And so had Gregory a Bishoppe of Rome signified before to Mauritius the Emperour (at what time he endevoured to make the patriarke of Constantinople vniversall Bishoppe and head of the whole church) that if there were but one head onely, the ruine of that head would be the ruine of the church: and that if any should arrogate to himselfe that name in the church, the vniversall church must needes come to ruine, vvhen hee vvhich is named Vniversall, did fall.
Div. 7
That by our spirituall vnion vvith CHRIST, hee and his righteousnes is made ours, and so surely imputed vnto vs, that wee become thereby righteous before GOD, and not by the righteousnes of any of the saintes.
GReat is the prerogatiue and dignity of all such, as are admitted vnto the society of Christes church, and are receiued [...] com [...]ion of [...]tes. [...]. 1. 3. [...]. 3. 28. [...]. 5. 30. [...]. 2. 16. [...]or. 1. 30 into the fellowship of his faithfull Congregation. For the church hath fellowship with God, and is espoused to Christ, & made one with him, evē flesh of his flesh, & bone of his bone: in so much that she iustly layeth claime vnto him saying, my beloued is mine, & I am his, as being spiritually maried vnto him, and hauing interest in him, and all his blessinges. By which vnion and communion it came to passe that Christ being one with his church became a debtor in her place, & paied that which he never tooke: & being innocent in himselfe, was made guilty for her, and being most pure in himselfe was made sinne for her, and bare her iniquities on his [...]or. 5 2 [...] [...]. 2 22 [...]. 3. 18 [...]. 3. 9. owne body vpon the tree: that shee likewise being poore of her selfe might in him be made rich, and being naked of her selfe might be cloathed with his innocency, and being destitute in her selfe of perfect righteousnes, might be made the righteousnes of God [Page 109] in him, and so become perfectly righteous. For as CHRIST by imputation was made sinne for vs, and suffered death not for his owne, but for our iniquityes: even so by imputation are we made righteous in him, and so become partakers of eternall glory. Novve the faithfull are not after such a manner linked togeather, they are not espoused each to other, as Christ and his church: the Apostle Saint Peter coulde not vnite the church so nearely to himselfe by his spirite, that his death and sufferinges might be accepted as done for her redemption. And yet see the blindenes of the shameles vvhore of Babylon: It is a strange paradoxe vvith her that vvee shoulde be made righteous by the righteousnes of CHRIST, imputed vnto vs by the mercie of GOD, and applied vnto vs by a true faith: but it standeth vvith good reason that vve may bee made righteous by the righteousnes of the saintes, imputed vnto vs by the Popes savour, and applied vnto vs by his Indulgences and Pardons.
Div. 8.
That GOD onely hath autoritie to forgiue sinne, as it is sinne, and a transgression of his ovvne lavve.
THE hurt, that cometh to a private man by sinne, a private man may release; a [...], the prince may pardon that damage The forgiuenesse of sinnes. that cometh thereby to the common weale But sinne, as it is properly sinne, and a breach of the law of God, and so a great dishonour to him, and a most greavous iniury vnto his d [...]ine Maiesty; so it is only an offence against god (against thee only haue [...]sinned) & therfore may only be for [...]en by him: as he himselfe also Psal 51. 4. testifieth: It is I, it is I, that doth [...], and that for mine ow [...]e take. And therefore Ber [...] [...]aking to the faithfull Isa 43 25. saith: if thou beleeuest that [...] but by [...] Bern. serm. [...] De Annuntiatione. whō [...] alone thou hast [...]ed, [...] well. For as no mā cā forgiue an other mans [...], [...] offence [Page 110] committed against another: so none can forgiue sinne as it is sin, for that so it is an offence only against God, making vs debtours vnto him, and offenders against his sacred maiesty. Yea as it is high treason for any subiect to take vpon him to remit the offences which are committed against the common weale, for that it is an intrusion vpon the princes right, and after a sort an vsurpation of the dignity royall: so no doubt but that it is high treason against the king of heauen and earth, for any creature to take vpō him to forgiue sinne, as it is sinne, for that it is an intrusion vppon the Lordes right, and an vsurpation of his dignity royall, Who can [...]. 2. 7. forgiue sinne but God only? So said the Pharisies, when our Saviour tooke vpon him not only to cure the sicknesses of the body, but also to pardon the sinnes of the soule. But what replied our Saviour to this demande? Whether is it easier to say, thy sinnes are forgiven thee, or to say, arise, take vp thy b [...]doe, and walke? In which words he doth not confute their opinion (as Chrysostome & H [...]la [...]y reach) [...]. in [...] hom. but reproueth them for charging him with blasphemy, in that by healing all diseases by his word, he declared himselfe to bee true God, and therefore that he had authority also to forgiue sinne albeit [...] Mat. such authority belongeth only vnto God. His reason is this. It belongeth to the selfe-same authority as wel by his owne power to forgiue sinne, as to cure the diseases and sicknesses of the body: but (saith our Saviour) yee might perceiue, that by mine owne power I cure the sickenesses of the body (the vvhich [...]hing being done by the ministery of the Apostles, vvas not done by their owne povver, but by the power of [...] 12. Christ: for so God only vvorketh the same, as al other miraculous things also, because he onlie is omnipotent) therefore yee might also [...] 136. 4. acknowledge in me, vnlesse yee were wilfully blinded, the divine povver of God, and that I doe not blaspheme in taking vpon mee to forgiue sinne. For as for that authority of forgiving sinnes given to the ministers of the [...] in Mat [...]6. gospell, it is after the same manner as the preists vnder the law had authority given them to make cleane or vncleane: now they were not enabled to make cleane or vncleane, leapers or no leapers, but they had knowledge given them to discerne, and authority to pronounce, who were such and such, and vpon their sentence, so the parties were to be taken of all the residue of the Lords people. Even so the Ministers of the gospell are to discerne whose sinnes [Page 111] are remitted, and whose retained: & to assure the penitent soule, the broken and contrite spirite, that his sinnes are forgiuen him even of the Lordes as on the other side to denounce against the carelesse and impenitent sinner the Lordes most heavy but iust vengeance.
Div. 9.
That the faithfull obtaine the release of their sinnes by free forgiuenesse through the death of Christ, and not through their owne satisfactions.
THe Lord of the mannour is not said to forgiue the trespasse, The forgiuenes of sinnes. that taketh the amercement set vpon the head of the trespasser: neither may the creditour bee saide to forgiue the debtour, that exacteth the debt, or casteth the debtour in prison vntill he make satisfaction. No more could God be saide to forgiue vs our sinnes, and to remitte on [...]sses and debtes, if hee did either here in this life require satisfaction for thē at our hands by the workes of pennance; or after [...] vs into the prison of purgatory there to make satisfaction. But wee beleeue the remission of our sinnes, and the free [...]giuenesse of our debtes and trespasses: and so the whose gospell teacheth, that they are freely forgiuen in respect of ourselues, but not freely to our Saviour Christ, who paide full deare for the release of them, euen that inestimable price of his owne blood. It is he that bare our sinne [...] in his owne body on the tree: the chasttiement of our peace was [...] vpon him: 1. Pet 2 24. Isa 53 5. H [...] 9. 12. 10. 14. 7 25 Heb. 1. 3. 1. Ioh. 1. 7. he gaue his soule [...]n offering for sinne: hee gaue himselfe [...] some for many: by one ob [...]ation of himselfe once made hee hath founde eternall redemption, and made perf [...]ct for ever them that [...]ee [...]fied: hee hath purged our sinnes by himselfe (and not by v [...]) by his owne blood (and not by our satisfactiōs.) And verily it is this blood of the [...] wherwithall our garments are throughly cl [...]nsed from all spots) and are made perfectly pure & white: it is this blood that is the soveraigne Apoc. 7. 14. salue for all our sores, and the onely effectuall medicine which is able to cure all our spirituall and ghostly maladies. And if vvee take any thing else, we take quid proquo, we take that which vvill [Page 112] not ease, but will in the end increase our griefe. And therefore i [...] we will finde ease indeed, we must provide to haue alwaies this physicke in a readines, that whensoeuer we are wounded by our ghostly enemy, we may apply to our selues a speedy remedy. If as of [...] (saith Saint Ambrose) as this bloode is shedde, it is shedde for remission [...] sa [...] ca 6. of sinnes, I ought alwaies to receiue it, that my sinnes alwaies may bee remitted vnto mee: yea I which alwaies sinne, ought alwaies to haue this me [...]icine. His meaning is that Christs blood is the onely remedy against sinne, and the sacrament thereof a meanes to strengthen our faith, and so to vnite vs more and more vnto Christ, and to apply this physicke to our soules, and therefore that we ought to haue continual recourse therto; that so not by the outward signe, but by the invisible grace, that is, by the bloode of Christ it selfe, we may be continually cured, and made perfectly hol [...]. And if [...] [...]ri [...] p [...] [...] c. 2. after our baptisme we be after a sort driven from this ship bord by the stormes & tēpests of our own corruptions, we must not catch after a second table of penance to take hold therof that so we may be preserued by the power thereof from sinking downe in the sea of our sins, but we must recouer our selues to our former stay, or els we shall be drowned in the bottomles gulfe of our iniquities. The Angell of the church of Sardis, after that hee had beene called to the estate of salvation in Christ, and confirmed therein by the sacrament of baptisme, had fallen into the sea of most daungerous sins: now how was he to be recouered out of the same? The spirit of God sendeth him not to a second table of penance to t [...]ke holde thereof, that by the power th [...]rof he might be deliuered: but remember (saith he) how tho [...] hast received, and hearde, and holde fast and [...] 3 3. repent. Now no doubt but he had receiued and heard, a [...]d therefore was to hold fast, that to the penitēt & humble sinner Christs blood is the purgation of all his sins, & that by the mediatiō of his death he doth obtaine remission of thē not only when he is received into favor at the first, but even to his liues end, being thereby still p [...]e [...]erued in the same grace, & obtaining the forgiuenesse of hi [...] day [...]y offences For so S. Iohn setting downe the meanes, whereby the faithfull themselues are continually cured of their dailie infirmities: If any man sinne (saieth hee) vvee haue Iesus Christ [...] 2 1. [...]. 5. [...]0. our Advocate, and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes. So the Apostle [Page 113] Saint Paul sheweth, that not onely when wee were enemies, we were reconciled at the first by the death of Christ, and obtained the release of our grosser offences, but much more beeing once reconciled and made the children of God by CHRIST, wee are still preserued in the same grace, and obtaine the forgiuenesse of ou [...]maller offences by the same meanes. The trueth is, that none are cured of their sinnes by Christ, vvhich continue stil in the same, and doe not dayly fight against them vvith dayly repentaunce: but yet the physicke is one thing vvhereby the soule is cured, and the disposition of the soule another thing, vvhereby the soule is prepared, that so the physicke may effectually vvorke. The preparatiue is one thing, and the physicke is another thing: the physicke is onely the physicke, and nothing else. Our Saviour CHRIST is our onely physicke and physition also: Repentance after a sort may bee called the preparatiue: and the Minister of the vvorde may be to vs in steede of the Apothecarie, or as [...]he physitions man that is sent to vs vvith the purgation. The purgation it selfe is made of none other ingredientes but of the most bitter panges of our Saviours owne passion: not of the rootes of our hearty repentaunce, neither yet of the fruites of our christian faith: that is, vvhatsoeuer our sinnes bee, and vvhensoeuer they bee committed, we obtaine not the forgiuenesse of them by our owne merites, nor by the satisfactions of any other, but onely by the free and vndeserued mercy of GOD, and by the most precious satisfaction of the death of CHRIST. All haue sinned (saith the Apostle) and are deprived of the glory of GOD: but are iustified (from their sinnes) freelye Rom 3. 23. by his grace, through the redemption that is in CHRIST IESƲS. And in trueth otherwise our case were most miserable. For in the parable of the debtour the summe of one thousande Mat. 18 24. talents, declaring the infinitenesse of our debt, doth openly proclaime our insufficiency and inabilitie to discharge the same: as also the wordes annexed: vvhen he had nothing to pay: and I forgaue Psal. 130. 3. Iob. 93. Psa. 143. 2. thee all thy debt. For verily if God should marke what were done amisse, vvho vvere able to abide it? And if hee shoulde call vs to an accounte, vvho vvere able to aunsvvere one for a thousande? And therefore our best plea is: Enter not into iudgement with thy servants O Lord, cal [Page 114] vs not to reckoning, put not our billes in suite, for we are no way able to make payment, we are no way able to make satisfaction.
Div. 10.
That Purgatory is no article of the Christian faith
[...] resur [...]on of [...]sh. IF the deliverance of the soules out of Purgatorie had beene an article of the christian faith, as it is iudged to be by the church of Rome, then it had beene convenient that after mention made of the resurrection of the body out of the custodie of the graue, there shoulde haue beene adioyned the deliveraunce of the soule out of the prison of Purgatory: the tormentes there being so greate, as they say they be, the deliverance from thence being as great a blessing at the lest, as the raising of the bodies out of their graues, should not haue beene altogeather vnremembred, especially sinne verie much abounding before the day of the generall resurrection, and the Popes pardons nothing so much regarded, and his charitie without a fee being not vsual and ordinary; Purgatory then must needes be well filled, and so the deliverance from thence a great benefite to many.
Div. 11.
That everlasting life is the free gifte of God through CHRIST and noway purchased by the merite of our owne vvorkes.
[...] ever [...]ng. IF any thing be bestowed vpon vs by free gift frō God, thē surely everlasting life is so bestowed, as the greatest gift proceeding frō the most boūtifull giuer, & the most excellēt effect from the most excellēt cause. And why is God else accoūted a most liberall, bountifull, free, franke, and gracious benefactor, but that most [Page 115] liberally, bountifully, frankely, and freely he bestovveth vpon his faithfull servantes the most precious crovvne of eternall glory? VVhen that bountifulnes (saith the Apostle) and that loue of GOD our Saviour tovvardes man appeared, not by the vvorkes of righteousnes vvhich wee had vvrought, but of his ovvne mercie he Tit. 3. 4. saued vs. And verely the glory of this greate bountifulnes must needes haue beene much dimmed, if vvee had attained to salvation by our owne merites, and not by the LORDES onely mercy. The vvages, in deede of sinne is death: but everlasting life is the gifte of GOD through IESƲS CHRIST our Lorde. Rom. 6. 23. For our evill vvorkes are perfectly evill and therefore deserue eternall death: but our good workes are not perfectly good and therefore eternall life is the free gift of GOD through CHRIST. and not a vvages due to the merite of our vvorkes. Othervvise vvhy did the Wiseman say? Beholde the righteous are here recompenced vpon earth: hovve much more the vvicked and the sinner? VVhat doth not the LORD as well loue righteousnes Pro 11. 31. to recompence it, as he hateth vnrighteousnesse to punish the same? Yes verely: but this is heere spoken to this end by the Ʋ Ʋiseman, that vve shoulde vnderstand, that the sinner most iustly deserueth this punishment, vvhereas the righteous deserueth not the revvard. And therefore it is not without cause that iust Iob thus speaketh of himselfe: If I haue done evill, vvoe vnto mee: if I haue done righteously yet vvill I not Iob. 10▪ 15. lifte vp my heade, being full of confusion because I see mine affliction. And vvhy? The evill vvorkes of the best are in an higher degree evill, then their good vvorkes are in themselues good: and therefore in respect of the one, they may be rustly cast dovvne vvith the feare of eternall confusion and vvoe: but in respect of the other, they ought not to be lifted vp to glorie in themselues and in their ovvne righteousnes. Let vs end with Bernard: My merite is the LORDES mercye. And so, O LORD, graunte vnto vs, appealling vpon this ti [...]e to the Bern. in cā. Serm. 61. throne of grace, to enioy the benefite of grace and mercy: and let the members of the church of Rome, if they list, plead the merite of their ovvne vvorkes, and trie the title of their ovvne deseruinges at the barre of iustice, and [Page 16] soe proue vvhether they shall stande in iudgemente or fall.
And so to conclude this treatise concerning the articles of our Christian creede, seeing that the members of the church of Rome teach so many contradictions against these groundes of [...]a [...]re [...]ely [...]ikes, [...]th [...]e [...]tho [...]d a [...]ike of the catholike faith, let all the vvorlde iudge what iust cause they haue to boast, that they themselues only are the true catholikes, and inheritors as it vvere of the apostolike faith; and that their Popes faith cannot faile, not bee over-come by the gates of hell. The vvhich thinge if it vvere so, vvhat neede were there vvith so greate travaile and studie to seeke for the decision of all doubtes, and the determination of all controversies in matters of faith from GOD himselfe opening the same in the sacred bookes of the canonicall scriptures? what neede vvere there so greatly to seeke after the knovvledge of the artes and tongues, as beeing the keyes that open the dores into the secrete chambers of these holy mysteries? Yea what neede vvere there to craue the helpe of all the god [...] [...]earned of all ages, and their directions set dovvne in their private vvittinges, or else at their publike meetinges and assemblies in their provinciall or generall councels? Certainely this vvere then to goe the nearest vva [...]e about, and as vvhen one knovveth aslu edly vvhere the game is lodged, not to goe directly to the same place, but to traise it out by a trouble-some tracke. For if the Popes faith cannot faile, if hee cannot pronounce sentence against the truth, the nearest vvay to holde a right faith and to side vvith the truth is in all matters of faith to looke to his determinations, and to rest our selues vpon his oracles. And therefore also needles are the greate [...]ue [...]pe [...]s in [...]e cen [...]ay [...]for [...]ole [...]e of [...]stes abours and travailes of many of the children of the church of Rome about the opening and iustifying of diverse points of their superstition and idolatry: VVhereas if they could vvith all their endevoures proue sufficientlye the integritye and infallibili [...]ye of their Popes faith, they had vvonne the fielde and gotten the full conquest, they needed not to strike one stroke more for the further clearing [Page 117] of any other pointe of their doctrine. Neither shoulde they onely by this meanes provide verie vvell for their owne securitie in matters of faith; but also greatly strengthen themselues in their temporalities, and mightely establish their earthly kingdome: as they may easily gather by that greate succesle they had therein, vvhen this maine pointe of theirs vvas generally helde by the most part in former times for sound and catholike. For then whosoever woulde be taken for a member of the catholike church, were he king or Keazer, or whatsoever This newe ar icle of faith concerning the Popes autority & necessary subiection to be giuen thereto, is s [...]b. nefici. all t the church of Rome, that her fiends would condemne her of great f [...]ly, i [...] that shee would leaue it fer al the articles of the Apostles creede. he were, he was vpon the necessity of his salvation to bee builte vpon that Romish rocke, and to settle his safety vpon his triple crowne, who was the greate commander in earth, purgatory, and heaven, he was wholy to be ruled by him vvho had both svvordes temporall and spirituall, and to commit all into his handes. And albeit by this meanes CHRIST himselfe vvas almost forgotten (for vvhat neede vvas there to seeke to him, vvhen his Viceroy coulde doe all) yet this his Vicar generall vvith all his vnder officers vvere veri [...] vvell remembred. And albeit fevve sought for entrance into heaven at the right doore, yet manye came farre and neare, and brought all kinde of keies of gold and silver, landes and luelyhodes to open that doore, whereof Peter and his successors vvere thought to bee the onely, or at the least the cheife porters. For they ver [...]ly thought that if their pasport had beene signed by the Pope, and subscribed with SEENE AND ALLOWED, CHRIST would in no case haue disalovved thereof, but that they had beene thereby most safe and sure, and out of all manner of perill and danger. Hereby grewe that high and royall state to the kingdome of Antichrist: hereby vvere gathered into his storehouses the riches and treasures of Kinges and Princes: and Saint Peters patrimonie vvas in most ample manner encreased, nothing beeing thought to much that vvas bestovved vpon his holines, albeit it vvere with the robbing, spoiling, and vtter vndoing of the party himselfe, and of all his posteritie. In so much that although the spirituall kingdome of CHRIST was not hereby erected in al holines, wisedome, and righteousnes [Page 118] yet an earthly kingdome was obtained for themselues in worldly wealth, pompe and glory. But now behold the hand of the Lord: what is become of this great Babylon which was a terrour to all the kings of the earth? her walles already are wel battered, and downe shee must to the very ground, yea to the bottomles pit of hel: when the sounde faith of al sincere Christians contained in these articles of our Christian creede, as an immoueable rocke in deed shall remaine vnshaken, and shal giue testimony of their engraffing into him, by whose grace they continuested fast and immoueable, and by whose power they are preserued vnto that eternal and everlasting kingdome which he himselfe hath purchased for them with his owne blood. Now to this our almighty and all sufficient king and Saviour, be all honour and glory, praise and thankes both now and euer. Amen.
CHAP. 7. Div. 1.
That the right sence of the word of God is alwaies agreeable to his most holy law, being the most exact rule of all true piety and godlinesse.
AS the true sence & interpretation of Gods [...] holi [...] of the of [...] God [...]eanes [...]scerne [...]ight [...]e of di [...] scrip [...] from [...] wrong. most holy worde, and the pointes of faith drawne out of the same are alwaies agreeable to the articles of the creede which are the maine groundes of our christian faith, and no way thwarte and contradict the same; for that God himselfe the author thereof it true, and alwaies true, and evermore like vnto himselfe: so they are holy, pure, iust, and righteous altogither, even as God himselfe, and his sacred law is holy and righteous altogither. And therefore it is an over-ruled case, that when the litterall sence of any sentence of the word of God favoureth or savoureth of any impiety, and so is contrary to the law of God the rule of all true piety and godlinesse, then that litteral sence is not the true sence, but the figuratiue, [Page 119] mysticall, or spirituall. Except yee eate the flesh of the sonne of Ioh. 6 53. A [...]g oe doct Christ ab. 3 cap. 16. man and drinke his blood, yee shall haue no life in you. Heere (saith S. Austine) our Saviour seemeth to commande an impiety: It is therefore (saith he) a figuratiue speech, willing vs to communicate with the possion of Christ, and sweetely and profitably to lay vp in memory, that his flesh was wounded and pearced for vs.
Div. 2.
That neither faith, nor praier, nor any other part of the honour which is due to God, ought to be communicated to any creature.
THe law was written in two tables, to teach vs, that the duety The divisiō of the lawe into two tables. which we owe to God, and the duety which we owe to our neighbour, is distinct and diverse, and that we shoulde giue vnto God that which is Gods, and vnto man that which is mans. And yet faith, praiers, and vowes, being the principall partes of that service and honour which is due only to God, as Beda witnesseth, the church of Rome communicateth with the Beda in Lu [...]. cap. 4. Saintes, and so bestoweth vpon the creature the honour due to the Creator, and confoundeth the dueties which the Law-maker himselfe hath distinguished and divided; contrary to the iudgement of the church of Christ in former ages. The saintes vvhich [...]ynod. Mogunt. ca. 46. haue shut vp the course of their liues with a blessed ende, ought worthely to bee honoured of vs as the most worthy members of Christs body, but not vvith that honour which is due to God, but vvith that reverent regarde of society and loue, wherewith holy men may be honoured of vs even heere in this life. So Saint Austine: we worshippe the saintes with charitie Aug. cont. Faust. Man. li. 23. ca. 21. [...]em [...] verarel ca 55. and not with service, neither doe wee builde temples vnto them. And againe. Let not the worshippe of the dead bee to vs a matter of religion: for they are to bee honoured for imitation, and not to bee adored for religion. And therfore when information was giuen by the Iewes vnto the heathen magistrates against the christians a little before the execution of that blessed Martyr Policarpe, that they meante [...]o steale Euseb. hist. ecel. [...]. 4. c. 19 away his dead body after his death, and to worshippe him insteed [Page 120] of Christ, their answere was, that they could never leaue Christ, who had suffered for all that were saved in the worlde, nor worshippe any other. For him say they wee adore as beeing the son of God; but the Martyrs as the disciples and followers of the Lord we worthely loue for their exceeding great good will vnto their king and maister, to whom God graunt that we may he companions and scholars.
Div. 3.
That the first table containeth foure, and the second onely sixe commaundementes.
THe church of Rome offendeth in dividing the last cōmandement [...] subdi [...]n of [...] cōmā [...]ents. [...]um be [...] Mar [...]re [...]. a P [...]o [...]to. [...] cate [...]e of [...] in [...]lish. [...]sima in [...]ian. into two, and in ioyning of the second to the first, and in some of their praier bookes and catechismes leauing it cleane out, for the better shadowing (as it seemeth) of their open and manifest transgression of the same commandement: and for the more setting of that out of sight, which might gaull and bite their guilty consciences, and breake the neckes of their dumble Idols. But the distinction of the commaundements dependeth vppon the distinction of the severall dueties therein contained; and therefore the first and the seconde containing severall dueties, are to bee set downe as distinct severall commaundementes: but the last containing onely diverse severall members of one generall duety, if it had beene to be divided, it should not haue beene into two alone, but into diverse and sundry commaundementes.
CHAP. 8. Div. 1.
That we ought to devote our selues only to the religious service of one: true and all-sufficient God.
Commā. 1. THE grounde of this commaundement is: the Lord thy God is an al-sufficient God, therfore thou shalt haue none other gods before him, but shalt devote thy selfe only to his service: as it may appeare by the introduction to this commaundement: I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the lande of Aegypt, and out of the house of bondage: that is, I haue done for thee this great and wonderfull benefite, as in like manner I haue done for thee all other thinges also, therefore as I only haue stoode by thee, so thou shalt onely cleaue to me, and as I only haue shewed my selfe to bee thy most gracious God, so thou shalt shevve thy selfe to bee my faithfull servaunt, by devoting thy selfe only to my service. Heare O my people (saith the Lorde by the prophet David) and I vvill testifie vnto thee, O Israell, if thou wilt hearken Psal. [...]1. 10. vnto mee: there shall no strange Gods bee with thee, neither shalt thou vvorshippe any other God. And vvhy? I am the Lorde thy God that brought thee out of the lande of Aegypt, open thy mouth vvide, and I vvill fill it. That is: I haue not onely perfourmed for thee that great deliveraunce, but also I giue vnto thee all other thinges vvhatsoever thine hearte desireth, and therefore thou shalt cleaue to mee alone, and devote thy selfe onely to mee. So to Abraham: I am thy GOD all-sufficient: vvalke before me, Gen. 17. 1. and bee thou perfecte: that is, cleaue perfectly to mee, and to mee alone. I am hee that bestovveth all good thinges vpon thee, and that after a most plentifull and liberall manner, & therefore thou shalt seeke to none but only to mee. The which commaundement vvhen it vvas broken by the posterity of Abraham, the Prophet Ieremy being amazed at the madnesse of that [Page 122] people, that had [...]ought to other then to that one, true, and al-sufficient God, and had changed their glory for that which did not profite, breaketh out into a very strange & extraordinary exclamation saying: O yee heavens bee yee astonished at this, bee afraid and vtterly confounded saith the Lord: for my people haue committed two [...]. 12. evils: they haue forsaken mee the fountaine of liuing waters; to digge to themselues pittes, even broken pittes that can houlde noe vvater. And for this offence especiallye came so many and greavous destructions vpon this people, according as it vvas threatned also by Moses, even for that they forsooke the GOD of [...]. 29. 26. their Fathers vvhich hade done so much for them, and did vvorshippe strange GODS vvhich had done for them flat nothing. Albeit they did not altogeather reiect the service of the GOD of their fathers; yet for that they did either worshippe other togeather with him, or did worshippe him after another manner then he himselfe had appointed, therefore they are accused as if they had vtterly forsaken the GOD of their fa [...]hers, and had altogeather reiected his worshippe and service. By whose example let vs take heede that we forsake not the one, true, and all-sufficient God, (who is a ful foūtaine of al good things, yea al in al vnto all,) by speaking vnto any other then only to him, and devoting our selues to their service. Especially whereas we haue beene baptized in the name of one God the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost, [...]r. 1. 13 & haue most solemnly vowed our selues therein vnto his sole & onely service; what madnes is it willingly and wittingly to breake this holy vowe by devoting our selues to the service of the saints, as if the [...]ords service were not honorable enough for vs, or at the least not sufficient for vs of it selfe alone? Or if vvee esteeme Gods service to be honorable enough & sufficiēt for vs, what neede haue we to betake our selues also to a meaner service by becoming servants to our fellow servants? for who here in this world being admitted to the Princes service, doth afterward betake [...]ipere [...]um Si [...]s for [...]en by [...] in the [...]vers [...]ty [...] Oxford. himselfe to the service of a subiect? Or what scholar hauing taken the highest degree in the scholes, doth aftervvarde sue to obtaine a lovver? And yet the children of the church of Rome hauing in Baptisme vowed themselues to the only service of one GOD, doe aftervvard devote themselues to the service [Page 123] of the saintes, doe giue them [...] and become their servantes by making them their Patrones and Protectors, and by ascribing to their favourable helpe the good successe of their affaires. Camp [...]p. ad Everg. Merc. Prepos. Gener. societati [...] Jesu. As Camp [...]an before he vvas apprehended here among vs glorieth of himselfe, that he, from his youth being devoted to Saint Iohn the Baptist, vvas thus and thus protected by his aide.
Div. 2.
That we ought not to resemble or worship God in any image or similitude.
2. THe grounde of this commandement is; the true GOD is in comprehensible and incomparable in maiesty and glory, and therefore not to be likned or resembled to any creature whatsoeuer without greate disparagement, and most heinous derogation vnto his glory. The vvhich thing we may learne of the Lord himselfe, who hauing set downe in diverse of his workes his owne incomprehensible and vnmatchable maiesty with the vanity and as it were a plaine nullity of all his creatures in respect thereof, therevpon inferreth: To vvhome vvill yee liken God! or what similitude vvill yee set vp vnto him? for whereas all the Isa. 40. 18. creatures are nothing in respect of him, therefore hee cannot rightly be resembled by anie of them. And for this cause it vvas that the LORD, when he delivered his lavve vnto his people, as he himselfe testifieth, would not appeare vnto them in any likenes or similitude, lest they should corrupt themselues by making Deut. 4. 15. any similitude or image of God, the Lord in that place cōdēning it for a greavous corruption to make any resemblance or representation of himselfe. The which enormity yet for all this, when it vvas committed by the children of Israell in the wildernes, VVhen they turned even their glorie into the similitude of a cal [...]e Psa. 106. 20 that eateth [...]ay; the LORDE vvas so highely offended therevvith, that, had not Moses his servante rose vp in the gappe, his feirce wrath vvould haue broken forth against them to their vtter destruction. As also vvhen the same [Page 124] enormity was committed by the Gentiles, when they in like mā ner turned the glor [...]e of the incorruptible God, into the similitude of an image [...]. 1. 23. of a corruptible man, and of birdes, and of fowre footed beastes, and of creeping thinges, albeit they did it ignorantly through vnbelei [...]e, yet the LORD was so highly offended therevvith that he delivered vp the offendors into a reprobate sence, punishing that their enormous sin with a most great and greavous punishmēt. And yet the church of Rome teacheth not only to make images to resēble God, but also to worship & adore the same.
Div. 3.
That wee ought not to sweare by the saintes or other creatures, but onely by the true God.
3. THE ground of this commandement is: GOD is infinite in might, puissance, and power, and therefore vve must not in any case take his glorious and dreadfull name in vaine, but vse it alwaies with all reverence and feare. The partes of this commandement are two. 1. First because GOD is infinite in power the searcher of the hearte, the maintainer of truth and iustice, and the avenger of all falshoode and wrong, therefore in such cases as iustice and truth cannot couveniently be found out but by oathes, vve must as it vvere appeale vnto GOD, and call him to witnes and iudge what is truth and right by taking an oath onely in his name. 2. Secondly our taking of an oath in GODS name must not at any time be done lightly or vainly, but seriously and religiously, and that in matters of moment and vveight. [...] in [...]h. c. 23. Now contrarie to the first pointe of this commandement the church of Rome offendeth, in that shee alloweth & liketh of s [...]vearing by saintes, thereby after a sorte placing them in GODS throne as searchers of the hearte, iudges of right, maintainers of truth and iustice, and avengers of falsehode and wrong. For (as Chrysostome saith) [...]ys. in [...]. imperf. Math. [...]. 12. he maketh himselfe an Idolater whosoever sweareth by any thinge besides GOD, and sinneth double: First, because he sweareth, and then because he maketh him God by whome he sweareth.
Div. 4.
That all the Lordes people ought especially vpon the Lordes day religiously to frequent the publike assemblies, and [...]oyne togeather in their common praiers, and in preaching and hearing Gods most sacred worde, that thereby they may be stirred to the exercise of all christian duties, and so therein not serue their owne [...]ustes, but keepe that day holy vnto the Lord.
THE ground of this commandement is: God is infinite in wisedome, and onely knoweth himselfe & all such things as belong to his owne worship & service: Neither is he rightly knowen of vs, but so farre forth as it pleaseth him to open himselfe 1. Cor. 2. 11 2. Tim. 3. 16 2. Pet. 1. 20 by his spirit speaking vnto vs in his word, & so revealing himselfe vnto vs. And therefore are we cōmanded on the Lords day to rest from all our bodily labours, and much more from such exercises as tend to the stirring vp of our corrupt lusts, and to the satisfying of our fonde fancies, and to come with the residue of the Lordes people to the publike assemblies in the Lordes house, that his holy spirit may sanctifie our spirites, and by his holy word stirre and excite vs vnto all holy exercises, and so cause vs to keepe the Lordes day holy vnto the Lord. Contrarily the church of Rome depriveth the people of the benefite of publike pra [...]er, and of the worde of GOD, by locking them vp from them in a strange tongue, and so taketh avvay the meanes whereby that day should be sanctified, and in steed thereof hath brought in such abuses, as vvhereby it cannot be but greately prophamed. For the practise of her greate Masters in former times hath beene to solemnize the greate feast of the Lordes Nativity vvith a LORD of misrule: as if our Saviour had come in the flesh to deliver vs from obedience to all good lawes, and to procure a dispensation for all disorder: as also to celebrate that other greate feast of VVhitsuntide (at vvhat time our LORD and Saviour CHRIST Iesus to make manifest [Page 126] his great power that hee had in heaven and earth sent downe in forme of cloven tongues his holy sp [...]rite vpon his Apostles) with a freer vse of all such exercises, as kindle the coales of vncleane lustes, and blow the bellowes to al filthy communication, which are things well-pleasing to the vncleane spirite, but most offensiue to the holy Ghost, and no way tending to the sanctification but rather to the prophanation of the Lords day. VVhereas the purpose of the church of Christ, in forbidding Marriages about the times of the three great solemnities of Christians was, lest by the more free vse of these earthly pleasures and delightes which abound most commonly at marriage feastes, the peoples mindes should bee somewhat hindered from the carefull preparation to receaue the holy sacrament, which was most vsually celebrated at those times, and from the thankefull commemoration of those great benefites which are then also especially to be most religiously remembred. Moreouer whereas the Lord in this commaundement giveth a speciall charge to all his people that in no vvise they forget, but carefully remember to obserue and keepe holy the Sabboth day by frequenting the publike assemblies, and by ioyning vvith the congregation in praier and in hearing the word of God, and in causing those of their families to do the like: as also on the other sixe da [...]es to vvalke paine [...]ullie in their severall callings to his honour, and the good of his people, vvhat shall vvee thinke of the Monkes, Eremites, and An [...]chorists of the church of Rome, which are had in so high reputation for their extraordinary, and, as it is thought, Angelicall holines, vvhich liue in the open and manifest breach of both the partes of this commaundement? For they both forsake the publike assemblies, contrarie to the Apostles [...]. 10. 15. commandement, on the Lords day and do not performe on the other sixe daies the painefull vvorke of any profitable calling to the Lords church: and yet they are put in great hope by their holy mother the church of Rome, that by omitting these so necessary dueties so straitly enioined by the Lord himselfe, for the better perfourming of their ovvne vvill-vvorshippes, they are in the readiest way to the greatest perfection.
CHAP. 9.
5 That the Pope cannot exempt the cleargy from secular iurisdiction, nor licence any Princes subiectes to withdraw their loyalty & obedience, and to take armes against their soveraignes.
6 That the Pope cannot make it lawfu [...]l, much lesse meritorious to lay violent handes on the Lordes Annointed.
7 That the Pope cannot authorise stewes, and incestuous marriages disallowed by God.
8 That the Pope cannot make good the sale of Masses and Pardons, but that it shall be condemned for the [...]t before God.
9 That the Pope cannot licence any to conceale the truth, or to avouch any thing contrary thereto, especially vvhen they are commanded by the Magistrate and that vpon their oath to open the same: nor yet to breake faith and promise made, no not to heretikes.
10 That concupiscence entertained and liked for a while, albeit it get not our full and setled consent, is sinne.
COncerning the commaundementes of the second table, which lay downe our duety tovvardes our neighbour, and belong to the preservation of humane society, the church of Rome is an o [...]ender also against the same, neither can she being charged therevvith iustly and truely pleade not guilty. 5 For against the fift commandement shee offendeth by exempting ecclesiasticall persons from secular iurisdiction, and by discharging (as shee thinketh it expedient) all manner of subiectes, from their oath of obedience made vnto their naturall Princes, and in exciting them also to take vp armes against them, and so to stande out in open rebellion. For this is not to honour the parentes of our countries, Rom. 13. 1. and to yeeld subiection to higher powers, albeit they be heathenish and persecuting Idolaters.
6 See Cardinal de Como his letter to Will. Parry Against the sixth commaundement she offendeth in teaching it to bee not onely commendable but also meritorious to murder even the [Page 128] Lordes Annointed: the vvhich outragious villany many other murders also are like to follovve, all true subiectes (especially such as by speciall oath, hand, and promise of association are bound more precisely thereto) being ready to adventure their liues and liuings for the avenging of the death of their leige and loving Soveraignes. But this heard hearted steppe-dame little regardeth the liues of many, beeing ready at all assayes to embrue her selfe over with blood, so that shee may bring to passe her plots and purposes.
7 [...] lu [...]d tur [...] est [...]dor ex [...]alibet. Against the seventh shee offendeth in allowing, or at the least in tolerating of open stewes, for her great revennew shee receaveth by them: and in dispensing with incestuous and vnlawfull marriages, belike vpon the former respect.
8 And albeit shee hath no colour nor shevve to allovve of theft done by violence, yet shee her selfe vvaxeth vvonderfull rich by that vvhich is done by fraude and deceite, in that she perswadeth the Laity to pay vvell for her Masses and Pardons, thereby robbing them of their landes and goods: for certainely this is no better then cunning cousonage, yea then statte thefte before God. If anie Priest (saith Saint Augustine) [...]e verb [...]ecun [...] Math. 19 [...]0. 47. not contented vvith the wages which hee hath by the commaundement of Go [...] for his service at the altar, doth play the merchaunt, and set to sale his praiers, and to readie to receiue the very vviddovves rewardes, such an one is to bee accounted rather a merchandizer then a Clerke. Neither may vvee alleadge; No man can charge vs vvith invasion, no man can accuse vs of violence: as if oftentimes flattery did not gette a greater boo [...]y from vviddowes then force. And it skilleth not before God, vvhether by force or subtlety thou gettest the goods of others, so thou enioy them by either.
9 Novve hovve this painted Babylonish harlot, vvhich boasteth [...]. tract [...] con. 1. [...]6. [...]se po [...]s this? [...]ee [...] hearte [...] suffi [...] so much of fidelity and truth, liketh in deede of true and faithfull dealing betweene man and man, hovv farre shee is of from all treachery, periurie, and lies, it may appeare in that shee allovveth her base children beeing brought even before the Magistrate to pretende ignoraunce, vvhen they knovve the matter right vvell, but as they say, not to open it to SVCH: in that also shee allovveth vvell of breach of faith and promise made to such as shee accounteth and condemneth for heretikes. VVhereby vvee [Page 129] may perceaue hovve vvell shee leadeth her follovvers to the Lordes hill, and to the holy tabernacle of his heavenly kingdome, vvherevnto none are admitted but such as sweare to their neighbour and disappoint him not, though it bee to their [...]vvne hinderaunce. Psal 15. 4.
10 Lastly, albeit the lawe being spirituall setteth downe a rule to our soules and spirites, and to all the very motions and affections of our heartes, forbidding all such as tende either to the dishonour of God, or to our neighbours hurt, yet the church of Rome teacheth that concupiscence if it get not the full consent of our vvill, and a setled resolution to accomplish the same, is not a transgression Rom. 7. 7. In ipsa deliberatione [...]acinus est, tametsi ad actum non perveneris. Cic. off. l. 3. Nam scel [...] [...]nira se tacitum qui concipit vllum, Facti crimen habet. Horat. of the lavve of GOD, neither can bee iustly condemned of sinne. VVhereas the Apostle testifying of himselfe, that hee had not knowne conc [...]pis [...]nce to bee sinne, excepte the lawe had saide thou shalt not lust, meaneth not in all likely hoode that kinde of lust, which is ioyned vvith a full consent of the vvill: for so hee being brought vp at the feete of a learned Doctor in the lavve, shoulde haue had lesse knovvledge then the very heathen themselues, of vvhom some could say, that the very consultation to sinne was sinne, albeit it came not to execution: and that a bare purpose to doe evill maketh guilty of the deede done.
CHAP. 10.
That by the law there is no entraunce to life, but only by faith in Christ Iesus, that the law detecteth the deadly wounde of sinne, but ministreth not the soveraigne salue, causeth not favour but wrath, not a blessing but a curse, directing vs to Christ to trust in his death, and not suffering vs to rest in our selues, nor yet to trust in our [...]vvne righteousnesse.
COncerning the vses of the law it is manifest The vses of [...]e law. that the lavve vvas giuen to teach vs how farre vve are endebted to God, being an obligatiō wherin we are bound & that vnder a great forfeiture, to loue God vvithall our heart, soule, and strength, & our neighbours as our selues. Whereby vve may easily collect hovv vnable vvee are to discharge this [...]ebt. For in the regenerate themselues the flesh albeit it be subdued in part, yet it still rebelleth against the spirit: Rom. 7. 23. neither is it vtterly vanquished and overcome, but is one of those enemies that we must still fight against, vntill the finall ende of our spirituall warfare, which is not vntill the last gaspe of this trā sitory life. So that all the time of our continuance heere in this worlde the lawe of God is impossible in respect of the flesh: and such an Rom. 8. 3. Act. 15. 10. heavy and vveighty burden, that none of the faithfull were ever able to beare: and therefore this vvay to life is cleane shut vp (doe this and thou shall liue) because of the impossibility of the condition. And yet the church of Rome teacheth that we may in this life fulfil the vvhole law, and discharge our huge debt, yea and make payment in part also for the debt of other. Furthermore the law thus opening that perfect righteousnes which the Lorde requireth at our hands, and our inability to performe the same, is therefore said to bring vs to the knowledge of our sinnes: and sinne provoking vvrath, Rom. 3. 20. Rom 4. 15. Gal. 3. 10. it is said also to worke wrath: and the wrath of God being not vnarmed, it is also said to make vs subiect to the curse: and for that the faithfull, thus beholding their great danger, are thereby stirred vp [Page 131] to seeke for deliverance, it is called our schoole m [...]ster that bringeth Rom. 10 4. Gal. 3. 24. vs to Christ, which is our only deliverer and redeemer. Contrary to all which most evident vses of the lavv set dovvne by the Apostle, the church of Rome teacheth, that the law bringeth vs not so much to the knowledge of our sins in the transgression therof, as to the knowledge of our perfect righteousnes, which is obtained by the full keeping and obseruing of the same: and so consequently not to wrath but to favour, not to the curse but to the blessing, not to death but to life, to trust in our selues and in our owne righteousnes, and not to glory alone in the death of Christ, as in the only meritorious cause of our great deliverance.
Thus hath the Bishoppe and church of Rome not only vndermined the foundations of faith, but also hath subverted the lavve of God, the rule and levell of a godly life. Now if hee, that breaketh Math. 5. 19. the least of the commaundementes, and teacheth other to doe the like, shall bee called least in the kingdome God: vvhat shall then become of that man of sinne and of his sinnefull generation? vvhich 2. Th. 2. 3. allovve not onely of the transgression of one of the least of these commaundementes, but of every one of them little and great? yea what strange either impudencie or hypocrisie may we iustlie thinke to possesse their soules; for that they yet so greatly extoll their owne sincerity and rightnes, as if truth, iustice, and godlines did after a sort liue and die vvith them, and as if they were the Iob. 12. 2. onelye men that flowed and abounded with all good vvorkes, vvhereas they thus violate and disanull the sacred and inviolable lavve of God, the rule and levell of all good vvorkes. Surely if sanctitie in doctrine bee a sure note of an holy church, and impurity of an impure, as Bellarmine saith, howe impure then is the church of Rome, whose impure doctrine thus offendeth against all the rules of sanctity and godlines?
CHAP. 11.
1 That we ought to make our prayers only to God.
2 That we ought to sanctifie the name of God by giuing to him that glorie which is due vnto him.
3 That we ought to promote the gospell of Christ, being the only meanes for the erecting of his kingdome.
4 That all the faithful without exception, and not such as are of the Religious sort only, ought to endevour to fulfill the will of God, even after that manner, as it is performed of the Angels in heaven.
5 That the faithfull enioy their daily breade [...]y the most franke and free gifte of God, and not by their [...]vvne merites and deservinges: and therefore much more the release and remission of all their trespasses and sinnes.
6 That vvee ought neither to cast our selues, nor yet to cause other to full into temptation, by refusing the meanes ordained by GOD for the better vvithstandinge and subduinge of the same.
Our father which art in heaven. THE Lordes praier beeing a most perfect and absolute forme of praier teacheth vs in generall two thinges: first to whom, and secondly for vvhat vvee ought to pray. The party, to vvhom wee ought to pray, is God, who is nowe become our loving father in Christ, and so most readye to graunte our requestes: he is also saide to bee in heaven as holding the kingdome and dominion over all, and so most able to fulfill our desires: and therefore good cause haue vvee in all our necessities to come, and to seeke onely to him and to no other. And so did the faithfull in the Primitiue church as it may appeare by Tertullian in his Apologie and defence of the Christians, that he made on their behoofe against the Heathen. You (saith he speaking to the Infidels) seeke your safety vvhere it is not, and aske it of them, by vvhome it cannot be giuen, neglecting him in whose [Page 133] power it is: Moreover yee seeke to destroy those Christians, vvho knowe both to aske and obtaine it also. For vvee Christians (saith he) looking vp to heaven vvithour handes spreadde abroad, as being innocent; and vvith our h [...]de vncovered, as beeing not ashamed; and vvithout a prompter, as praying from the hearte; doe all of vs alvvates pray for all Emperours, that GOD vvoulde graunte vnto them a longe life, a safe Reigne, a trusty Courte, a faithfull Councell, valiant armies, dutifull subiectes; a peaceable governmente, vvith vvhatsoever else that may bee vvished for either of Prince or people. These thinges I cannot aske of any but of him, of vvhome I knovve I shall obtaine them: For it that is hee alone that doth performe the same, and I am hee vvhich shoulde obtaine them, which am his servante, and doe honour him alone &c. In vvhich vvordes of Tertullian, vve may obserue a manifest distinction made betvveene the true and faithfull christian, and betweene the blinde and supersticious Idolaters: the one of them seeking to the one, true, and al-sufficient GOD who is onely able to helpe and succour them, and the other going and running to such which are not able to performe the same. And verely if ye read over the whole volume of the sacred scriptures, ye shall finde no example of any of the faithfull that made their prayers to any strange God, or to any saint, or Angell, or to any other creature whatsoever, but only to the one, true, and al-sufficient [...]ehovah: ye may finde indeed the example of the damned spirite of the rich glutton in hell, vvho being vtterly excluded from Luc. 16. 24. the favour of GOD, and from all hope of grace and mercy, appealed after a sorte from GOD to Abraham saying, O Father Abraham sende thou I beseech thee Lazarus, if it bee but vvith one droppe of vvater to coo [...]e my tongue, and so somewhat to slocke mine intollerable tormentes.
And yet so grosse and palpable darkenes had over spredde the vvhole face of the Romish church in these latter ages, that their profounde Doctors and greate Masters did not onely teach the people to pray vnto saintes, but also to say vnto them the Lordes prayer, which was made to this end to leade vs onely to God. For the testification of which blindenes to all posterities, these [...]imes vvere made in Scotland concerning the same. [Page 134]
[...]res no [...] colle [...] Con [...]nt i [...]um [...]ero, [...] sancti [...]miles [...]mo. See [...]s and [...]mēts. [...]2. Fol. [...]. Now concerning the matter of this praier the petitions thēselues, and first concerning the sanctification of the Lordes name set downe in the first petition, the first table of the law doth teach vs 1. first to acknowledge God to be all sufficient, and therefore to cleaue onely to him: 2. secondly to acknowledge him to be of incomprehensible glory, and therefore not to presume to resemble him by any similitude: 3. thirdly to ascribe to him infinite power, and therefore to sweare onely, albeit never vainely, by his name: 4. fourthly to acknowledge him to be of infinite wisedome, and his word the conduite of the same to deriue it to vs, and therefore to yeelde our selues wholy to it, to be ruled thereby: And this is to giue to God that which is Gods, to yeelde vnto him that honour which is due vnto him, and so to sanctifie his holy name; according vnto the exhortation of the prophet: Ascribe vnto the Lord O yee k [...]nredes of the people, ascribe vnto the Lord worshippe and power: ascribe to the Lord the honour due [...] 96. vnto his name, worshippe the Lord with holy worshippe. The articles of our Creede doe teach vs also to ascribe vnto God onely the creation and government of this worlde, and redemption and sanctification of the church, and so to sanctifie his holy name. And the whole company of heavenly spirites wondring at the admirable power, holines, iustice, & truth which most gloriously shi [...]e in all the workes of God, doe conspire togeather as it were with one voice to sanctifie and magnifie the most holy name of the Lord saying: Greate and marve [...]lous are thy works Lord God almighty, [...]c. 16. 3 iust and true are thy waies O King of saintes: who will not feare thee and glorifie thy name? for thou onely art holy. Whereby we may perceaue that the whole body of the doctrine of Christ, and the whole study of his holy saintes tende to thi [...] ende, even to sanctifie the glorious name of God by magnifying his infinite greatnes and goodnes, which in truth can never be sufficiently expressed, nor magnified in that manner as it ought to be. Now how the church of Rome the church of the malignant doth hinder the sanctification of the Lordes name, and darken and obscure his great glorie, [Page 135] it hath beene before touched in the setting downe of those principall pointes and cheife groundes of our christian religion.
2. The second petition doth teach vs to pray for the planting & establishing of the kingdome of God. Now this kingdome is tvvofold: the kingdome of grace, and the kingdome of glory. Amonge the auncient Romanes there was no passage to the temple of Honour but through the temple of Vertue: and we that are Christians are taught, that we must haue our partes in the first resurrection from sinne, if we looke to be partakers of the second resurrection, Apoc. 20. 6 and to be delivered from the second death. For we cannot ascēd to Glorification but by the steps or staires of Iustification, and Ʋocation: Rom. 8. 30. that is, we cannot come to the kingdome of glorie, but first we must be partakers of the kingdome of grace. Now the word of grace, the word of life, being the power of God to salvation to all that beleeue, is the onely meanes not onely to erect, but also to establish this kingdome of grace. And therefore Saint Paul taking his fare-well of the pastors of Ephesus saith: Now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to builde further, and to giue you an inheritance amonge them that are sanctified. The which word of grace when it was committed to the Apostles, they were saide to haue receaued the keies of the kingdome of heaven: the which also when it was reiected of the Iewes, they reiected together with it the kingdome of heaven. The which Worde of grace, seing that it is kept by the church of Rome vnder the locke and keie of a strange tongue from the common sort of christians, what is it but a ready way to exclude them also out of the kingdome of God?
3. In the thirde petition all the faithfull are taught to desire that Gods will may be done of them all after that manner in earth, as it is done in heaven of the holy angels, all of them according vnto their measure of grace tending and striuing to this perfection. The which contending to the estate of perfectiō the church of Rome reserueth onely for her holy Votaries, and for such as be of her Rel [...]gious orders, who that they may obtaine a greater opinion of holines then any other, are saide to be onely in the way to this Angelicall perfection, all other estates and degrees of men belike [Page 136] being out of that vvay.
4 Now concerning the fourth and fifte petitions: if we haue our very breade by free gift from God [...] (giue vs this day our daily bread) and not by the merite of our owne vvorkes, how then can we deserue remission of sinnes and eternall glory? 5 yea if by our dayly sinnes vvee adde continually to the summe of our debts, & must continually sue for the forgiuenesse of all our dayly and smaller offences: how can we then make satisfaction for our grosser sins, and merite also more of our creditors goods?
6 Lastly in the sixth petition the faithfull acknowledging their great frailty and weakenes to withstand the temptations of sinne and Satan, are taught to flie continually to the Lords protection, & to fence themselues vnder the shield of his power, that he may either keepe them from the force of the combate, or els deliver them by giving them strength to overcome. But the church of Rome feareth no such frailty in her religious Ʋotaries, and therfore [...] Cor. 7. 2. leaueth them in the hands of their owne lustes, by taking from thē the meanes ordained by God for the avoiding of the same: thereby causing them to tempt God, by refusing the holesome water ordained by him for the cooling of these their fiery flames.
CHAP. 12.
That the graunt of eternall life is given to the faithfull onely in Christ, and not partly through him, and partly through their owne workes.
THe holy and sacred word of God doeth lay open The new Testament [...]r Gospell: [...]at is, the [...]oyfull ty [...]ings of [...]lvation [...] Christ [...]esus. Gen. 3. 24. vnto vs two covenauntes of life made betweene God & man, the oue legall, the other Evangelicall. The first whereof was made with man presently after his creation, and had for the further confirmation thereof the fruite of the tree of life for an holy sacrament, and a sacred assurance of the same; from the most comfortable vse wherof he was vtterly excluded after the breach of that covenant. The articles of this covenant were at the first written in the hart of man, and after set downe in the law of God, which declareth that it depended vpon our owne deedes. And [Page 137] therefore vvhen the Pharisie vvhich looked to bee saued by the vvorks of the lavv, demaunded of our blessed Saviour, what hee should doe to be saued: it was aunswered him, that seeing by the works of the law he looked to be saued, he should perfectly fulfil the commaundementes of the lavv: doe this, and thou shalt l [...]. But Luk. 10. 28. vvhen man by his fall had broken this covenaunt, and so had stepped out of this vvay that leadeth to life, and had gotten into the most daungerous vvaies of sinne and death, the LORDE vvho is rich in mercy and of endlesse goodnesse suffered him not long to wander therein, but soone reclaimed him, and made with him a second covenaunt of life in the seede of the woman that shoulde Act. 3. 25. bruise the serpentes head, and in whom all the families of the earth shoulde be blessed. And hee appointed vnto him certaine sacrifices at the first for the further strengthening and confirming of his faith, as aftervvard he gaue to Abraham the father of the faithfull the signe of Rom 4 11. circumcision as a seale of the righteousnesse before obtained by faith. The articles of this covenant are more at large set dovvne in the Apostles Creede; but most briefly comprised in the Apostles answere to the [...]aylors demande; what shall I do to be saved beleeue thou Act. 16. 31. (say they) in the Lorde Iesus, and thou shalt bee saved and thy housholde. The opposition of these covenants is set dovvne by the Apostle: Moses (saith he) writeth of the righteousnes of the lawe, that hee vvhich doth the same shall liue therein: but the righteousnes which is of faith speaketh Rom. 10. 5. on this wise: Say not thou in thine [...]eart who shall ascende into heauē? (that is, to fetch Christ from aboue:) either vvho shall descende into the deepe? (that is, to fetch vppe Christ againe from the deade.) For if thou acknovvledge vvith thy mouth that Iesus is the Lorde, and beleeue in thine hearte that God raised vppe him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For vvith the heart man beleeveth vnto righteousnes, and with the mouth confession is made vnto salvation. For the scripture saith, vvh [...] soever beleeveth in him shall not be confounded. So thē the first covenāt was foūded on our owne obedience, the secōd on the obedience of Christ: the first dependeth on works, the second on faith, & not on workes. And therfore it is certaine that our deliuery frō death, & our recovery to life by the secōd covenātis only by Christ apprehēded by faith: vnles we wil add some third covenāt of life partly in Christ, and partly in our selues; partly by faith, & partly by workes; & so [Page 138] overthrowe that covenant of life vvhich vvas made vnto vs onely in CHRIST Iesus. For as the making of the second Heb. 8. 7. covenant vvas a disanulling of the first, so an establishing of a third must needes be a disanulling of the second. VVherefore let all true Christians vvay vvell vvith themselues this blasphemous doctrine of the church of Rome, vvho hath coyned another nevve gospell, vvhich bringeth to vs the ioyfull tidinges of remission of sinnes and eternall life partly through Christ, and partly through our selues, and so hath disanulled that covenant of mercy which was made vnto vs only in Christ Iesus.
Neither only doth this their doctrine of satisfaction and merites greate wrong vnto our Saviour Christ by disanulling the covenant of life made in him, and by defacing of the sufficiency of his death: but otherwise also it is most iniurious vnto God, and tendeth highly to the dishonour of his sacred maiesty.
1. First it maketh him like to a very vniust and hard Land-lord, whoe hauing graunted an estate in a bargaine vnto a yonger brother vpon a sufficient fine tendered by the elder, yet will not let the yonger enioy it, vnlesse he fine for it againe himselfe.
2. Secondly it maketh him like to a cruell Creditour, who hauing the debt discharged to the vttermost by a friēd, yet casteth the poore debtour himselfe into prison, vntill he there also in parte make some satisfaction.
3. Thirdly it maketh him like to a mercilesse Iudge, who hauing punished an of [...]ence with condigne punishment, yet will haue the offender punished againe, as if he delighted in the tormentes of the miserable.
4. Fourthly it maketh him lesse mercifull then man, who doth remitte to his penitent brother all manner of offence, and all manner of revenge also.
5. Lastly it [...]inistreth matter to the malitious to the satisfying of his malicious humor to the full, seeing as GOD doth pardon vs, so vve are to deale one vvith an other: and therefore if GOD doth so forgiue vs our sinnes in CHRIST, as that we must yet still either afflict our selues vvith the rigorous vvorkes of Penance, or else bee cast into the extreame tormentes of Purgatorie, then we may also so forgiue our brother, as that we may yet [Page 139] procure his most greavous punishment.
Wherefore let all true and faithfull Christians abhorre those abo [...]inations of the whore of Babylon, yea let all such, as looke for forgiuenes of sinne and eternal life by the covenant of mercy in CHRIST Iesus, giue the glory thereof not to themselues or their owne workes, but onely to the death of our al-sufficient Redeemer. And yet let them haue a most earnest care to shew forth their most holy faith by their godly workes, (not as if they were part of the satisfaction made for sinne, or anie parcell of the price giuen for the purchase of eternall glorie) but thereby to testifie their thankefulnes to him, who hath paide the whole price for that purchase himselfe, and hath made for them a perfect and full satisfaction. For true faith is not idle nor deade, but a living faith working by loue: albeit this mother iustifieth vvithout the Fides iustificat ante partum. Roffensis. helpe of her daughters, yea before their very birth as the truth hath forced an enimie to confesse. For workes do follovve the iustified man, they go not before our iustification: even as good fruits proceede from a tree which is already good, declaring and not making the tree good. Wherfore if we which by nature are wilde oliues, being ingraffed in Christ are made good oliues; and if we which of our selues bringe forth sowre grapes being planted into the true vine yeeld a sweete liquor; if we be made good trees and pleasant plantes such as are setled in the caelestiall paradise; we owe that wholy to our engra [...]ing into Christ by a true faith, and not in any vvise to the fruites of our faith, the vvhich are only requisite and necessary duties, vvhich are carefully to be performed of all such, as are called to be pertakers of so greate mercies. For as in those landes and liuinges vvhich are holden of temporall Lords, ther are besides the fines paide for the purchase of the first estates, certaine rentes, services, and other duties, vvhich are also to be performed for the quiet and peaceable possessing of the same liuinges: and yet he were but a simple tenante that vvoulde imagine those rentes and seruices to be his whole fine, or any part or parcell thereof: even so the faithfull which haue their estates purchased for them by the death of Christ in the kingdome of heaven, must as it vvere pay their rents & performe their services, & submit thēselues to the custōe [Page 140] of that heavenly mannour, and yet they must neither be so proud nor so simple, as to thinke that these rentes, services, and duties are any part or parcell of that fine, that was paid for the first purchase of that heavenly inheritance.
Chap. 13.
That the very end and scope of the sacramentes also is to teach the faithfull that remission of sinne and eternall life is obtained onely by faith in Christ.
VNTO the preaching of the gospell and Bap isme Eucharist. doctrine of the new testament, vvere adioyned by our Saviour Christ the sacramentes of the newe Testamēt. For it pleased our louing and gracious father not only to giue vs eternall life in his onely begotten sonne; but also by certaine external rites and ceremonies to take vs as it were by the hand, and to put vs into possession thereof. If vvee had beene (saith Chrysostome) spirituall GOD Chrys. in Math. hom. 83. vvoulde haue giuen vs these thinge nakedly and spiritually: but now for that our soules dvvell in bodies, hee giueth spirituall thinges vnder visible creatures. Ʋisible sacramentes (saith another) vvere In quaest ve teris testamenti. ordained for such as are environed vvith flesh, that by the steppes thereof vvee mighte ascende from such thinges as are seene, to thinges that are vnderstoode. Saint Austine calleth the sacraments Aug. [...]ont. Faustum Lib. 19. Cap. 16. in generall a visible vvorde, as our Saviour calleth the cuppe in particular the nevve Testament in his bloode: because as the worde and testament doth teach our eares that the blood of Christ is the purgation of all our sinnes, and his body the bread of eternall life; even so doe the sacramentes represent the same doctrine visibly to our eies. For certaine it is that in the right vse of th [...]se holy mysteries, by the reverent receauinug of the bodely creatures God doth ratifie to the faithfull his graunt and donation of [Page 141] spirituall thinges, that is of remission of sinnes, and of eternall life in CHRIST IESVS: and the faithfull in the religiou [...] vse thereof do againe for their part after a sort vow vnto GOD, that they will seeke for the same blessinges onely by Christ, and not by any other meanes whatsoever VVherefore the members of the church of Rome seeking for remission of sinnes and eternall life not onely by CHRIST, but also by their owne merites and satisfactions may worthely be charged not onely as transgressors of the new Testamēt, but also as violaters of the holy sacraments, and breakers of that solemne and sacred vovve made at thereceauing of these holy mysteries. Yea vvhereas in the religious vse of the sacramentes GOD giueth vs CHRIST vvith all his blessinges according vnto the plaine vvordes of the institution of the LORDES supper (take yee, eate yee, this is my body) the church of Rome hath turned this tipsie turvy, and vvill not so much, receaue CHRIST therein as a sacrifice already offered to GOD for them, but vvill offer vp him againe vnto GOD, and that as a propitiatory sacrifice both for the quicke and deade. In so much that this holy sacrament, being ordained of GOD to testifie the sufficiency of that sacrifice, vvhich our Saviour himselfe once offered vpon the altar of the crosse, is cleane perverted by the church of Rome, and as it vvere forced to witnes the contrary: and being appointed to cō tinue the memory of CHRISTES death, and of the singular vertue thereof in procuring the full and perfect redemption of man, by this meanes it is abused to evacuate the crosse of CHRIST, and to annihilate the vertue of that perfect redemption. Thus haue they turned this holy and blessed sacrament into a sacrilegious and Idolatrous sacrifice: the vvhich because it is grounded vpon their doctrine of Transubstantiation and the Reall presence, I vvill therefore adde one vvorde also for the confutation thereof.
The vvorshippers and adorers of their bredden CHRIST doe charge vs (for that vvee deny Transubstantiation and their Reall presence) to make CHRIST a liar, and to deny his plaine vvordes, or at the least greately to darken and obscure them vvith tropes and figures. But that all indifferent [Page 142] persons may vnderstand, vvho they be that make Christ a liar, & darken and obscure his plaine words, I vvould demande of them but this one questiō: which is, In vvhat outward elements Christ ordained this holy sacrament of his body and blood? and vvhat therein be the visible signes of the invisible grace? whether bread and vvine in their nature and substaunce, or the bare and naked shevves thereof? Verily the Evangeliste [...] vvith the Apostle doe Mat. 26. 26. Luk. 22. 19. 1. Cor. 11. 24. testifie, that our Saviour Christ at the institution of this holy sacrament tooke bread in his nature and substance, and not the bare and naked shevves of bread, and when he had given thankes he brake it, & gaue it to them saying, this is my body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of me. And in truth sacramentes if they haue not a certaine similitude (as Austine saith) with the things whereof they are sacraments, Aug. ad B [...] nif. [...]p. 23. they are no sacraments at all, but loose the name and nature of sacraments. Now true and substantiall bread and wine haue a certaine similitude vvith Christ the heavenly Mannah and true bread of life, & the bodily nourishment, that proceedeth from the very substance of these earthly creatures, doth fitly represēt our spiritual nourishment that we haue by Christ: but whitenes, rednos roundnes, with the outward shewes of bread and wine, what resemblance haue they either of Christ himselfe, or of the benefits that we receiue by him? wherfore it is not a giving of the lie to the Lord of truth, nor so much as an obscure and hid kinde of speech, but that which is most familiar and agreeable to the nature of a sacramēt, thus to interpret Christs words (this is my body) this bread is the sacrament or sacred Occam in 4. sent dist. 13. Gardiner in Marco Ant [...] Const. De consecratione dist. 2. c. timorem. Glossa ibidē. signe of my body. Wheras in truth it is not only a great obscuring, but a plaine perverting of our Saviours words to interprete them with some of the members of the Romish church: as this is my body, that is, this bread goeth away, & my body succeedeth in the place therof: or with other of them, this my body is my body: or with a third sort, this Individuum vagum, this I cannot tel what is my body: or this nothing is my body. Surely these doubtfull and strange interpretations of Christs words, doe not only obscure, but pervert the same, deluding the harts of the Lords people, and vndermining the soundnes of their faith. For how can they eate these outward shewes? or what benefite could they obtaine by them if they could eat thē? was not this sacrament of the Lordes supper ordained to the same [Page 143] end, as all other sacramentes are, euen to assure vs of our spirituall vnion with Christ, & the interest that we haue thereby to all his blessings? & how is this herein ratified and confirmed vnto vs? verily not by the bodily receiving of Christs body, nor by receiving of the outward shews of bread & wine, but by the reverent receiving of the holy sacraments and signes of the body of Christ, and of his blood. And seeing there is no bodily commixtion betweene Christ and the faithful, to what purpose serveth a bodily participation? seeing also (as they themselues teach) Christ being bodily receiued of the wicked departeth againe from them: and being bodily receiued of the faithfull, yet is not thereby vnited vnto them nor receiued to life, but only when he is receiued of thē by faith. Lastly, why should the litterall sence of these words (this is my body) be so much vrged, which is impossible, barbarous, & blasphemous, See Thom. Bi [...]son. Epis. Winton. parte 4. fol. 733. but that all the world might most evidently discerne thereby, who is that blasphemous whore of Babylon?
Thus hath the Bishoppe and church of Rome set vp many & manifest contradictions against the gospel and the law, the creed & the commandements, the groundes of faith and of a godly life, and so hath brought in that great Apostasie foretold by the Apostle, 2. The. 2. 3. the which our Rhemistes themselues vpon the same place do in the end resolue to signifie a revolt from most of the pointes of our christian religion, vvhich vvas to be brought in by the greate Antichrist. For whereas all other heretikes, being in comparison but petty adversaries to Christ, haue oppugned but one, or tvvo, or some few pointes of our christian profession, this adversary hath assaulted the whole body thereof, that so he might openly proclaime himselfe to be that grande adversary of Christ, even that very great Antichrist. And therfore we neede not now looke for the cōming of such an Antichrist, which shall seate himselfe in the tēple of Ierusalē, seeing we may behold him already come & placed in Peters chair, & in the statly pallaces of the church of Rome. The which thing as it hath bin sufficiently declared already in the former partes of this treatise, so it remaineth further to be made manifest by diverse other particular prophesies, (wherin the great Antichrist is as it were drawn out in his proper colours, that so hee might be the better known & avoided) which are to be delivered in the chapter following.
CHAP. 14.
1 That the great Antichrist & his adherents shall not be open enemies to all professed Christiās, but rather pretensed favorites and friends.
2 That the principall point of the Christian faith, oppugned by Antichrist and his adherentes, shall not be the dignity and authority of the church, but the vertue and perfection of the worke of the redemption wrought by the heade of the church, vvith his priestly and kingly offices whereby hee accomplished the same, as being the chiefest foundation of our Christian faith.
3 That the principall point of his Antichristian doctrine, wherevnto hee and his adherentes shall ascribe greatest perfection, shall bee the vowe of single life, and abstinence from diverse kindes of meates, and other such will-worshippes of their owne devising.
4 That it is a manifest mark of the Antichristiā pride of the B. of Rome against God, in that he ascribeth greater perfection to the rules of his religious orders, then to the lawe of God himselfe: yea in that he taketh vpō him to dispence with the law of Goa as if he were superior to God.
5 That it is a manifest marke of the Luciferlike and Antichristiā pride of the Bishop of Rome against all that is called God, and counted worthy of honor here in his church, in that as a presumptuous vsurper he exalteth himselfe not only against the Ecclesiasticall, but also against the civill governors, yea against generall councels themselues, which after a sort represent vnto vs the whole church.
6 That the Bishop of Rome in his Antichristian pride mainetaining his owne faith to be an immoueable rocke which cannot be shaken, his decisions to be infallible oracles, which cannot erre, his church to bee eternall which cannot perish, declareth himselfe most manifestly to bee that vaine glorious whore of Babylon which vaunteth her selfe, and saith, I sit as a Queene, & am no widdow, & shall see no mourning.
7 That the seat designed by the spirit of God for the great Antichrist of these last times is that city, which in S. Iohns time raigned over the kings of the earth, & that was Rome: as it may be also con [...]ectured by the number of Antichrists name shadowed in the figures 666, & expressed by Latein [...]s, that is a Romane: or by Romijth, or Italica Ecclesia in the account of the Hebrewe and Greeke letters, and that is the church of Rome.
[Page 145]8 That a Papist, as a Papist, is a limbe of Antichrist, and so no member of Christ, and therefore hath no interest in the worke of our Redemption wrought by Christ: of the which if he will be partaker, hee must flatly renounce all society with Antichrist, and fight the Lordes battles against him vnder the banner of Christ.
1 BEllarmine that great pillar of the heresies In praf [...]. lib de cont [...] rel. tom. 1. Act. 24. 14. Cyp l. 2. [...]p. 3 and Idolatries of of the church of Rome endeavoureth by this meanes to fasten on vs (vvho beleeue all thinges that are vvritten in the Lavv and in the Prophets, and vvhich our Lorde Christ, who vvas before all, hath delivered vnto vs) the heresies that vvere to arise in these latter times, for that vvee vvithstande boldly and cōstantly the most grieuous corruptions of the church of Rome. For (saith hee) the Devill the founder of all falshoode and lies, the enemy of God and of all truth, the opp [...]gner and vnderminer of all the articles of our Christian faith, as in former ages he hath assaulted the first pointes thereof vvhich concerne the mysterie of the blessed Trinitie, so to shevve his hatred against all the pointes of the same, hath novve by vs (as he vvould haue the vvorlde perswaded) in these last times endeavoured the overthrovveof those other articles, vvhich concerne the holie Catholicke Church. But his collection heerein is sophisticall: for that it is one thinge to reprooue the errours of the Church of Rome that novve is, and an other thing to deface the holy Catholicke Church: for that the church of Rome that novve is, is fallen from that faith, vvhich vvas there first planted by the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, as it may appeare to any indifferent person, that vvithout partialiality vvill compare the most parte of that doctrine vvhich shee novve mainetaineth, but vvith that onely vvhich is delivered by the Apostle Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Romanes. The trueth is that the Devill in the Primitiue Church made his chiefe battery against the doctrine of the most glorious Trinity; but that his repulse therein vvas not such, as caused him altogeather to giue over that enterprise. For [...]ee hath [Page 146] in some countreyes renevved the same assault againe in these daies, & hath laboured a fresh to shake that very [...]elfe same foundation. And albeit he be an enimie to al the members of Christs mystical body, yet his cheifest malice is against the heade: And Gen. 3. 15. 1. Cor 3 11 Mat. 16. 18. for that the doctrine of our Redemption wrought by CHRIST it that invincible rocke vvhereon the church is builte, his cheifest assaultes haue beene set against the same by his Ministers the false Prophetes and Antichristes of these latter times; vvho are therfor [...] in holy scripture not so much called [...] or [...], as if they shoulde vtterly deny GOD, or oppugne the doctrine of the blessed Trinitie, as [...], for that they shall (albeit not in outward shevves but in effect and deede) evacuate the crosse of CHRIST and the vvorkes of our redemption vvrought thereby. The great Antichrist (as saith Saint Iohn) shall haue two hornes like a lambe; that is, shall pretend the two folde autority of Christ the immaculate and vndefiled lambe of God: and (as the Apostle testifieth) he shall sit in the temple of God as God, that is, as Gods Leifetenant generall & Christs Vicar vniversall represēting his person & executing his autority: and shall pretend himselfe to be the church of Christ, or at the least shall arrogate to himselfe the cheife [...]eate Aug. de civ. dei lib. 20. Cap. 19. in the same, as S. Austine testifieth, and Theodorete and P [...]masia [...] vpon the same place of the Apostle. And verely if Antichrist when he came, had openly rev [...]ed the olde condemned heresies of the Arrians, Marcionites, Manichees and the like, and had in flat tearmes denied either the natures or the offices of Christ our Saviour, what Christian would not soone haue espied his wickednes? and what faithfull person woulde not straight waies haue abhorred his blasphemy? Therfore that the greate Antichrist might the more easily bring in a greate Apostasie from the faith, and the sooner make drunke all the kingdomes of the earth with the cuppe of his spirituall fornication and adultery, he was to come like an whore with Apoc. 17 4 2. Th. 2. 10. flattery and deceit, vvith stronge delusion and all deceaueablenes of vnrighteousnesse, and to offer forth his poison in a cuppe of gold: that is, he vvas in outvvard appearance to make g [...]ate shevve of the Gospell and faith of CHRIST, and most gloriously to pretend, that he and his adherentes are the onely Catholikes, and the onely pillers of CHRISTES church.
The asse, perceauing that all the beastes of the forest stooped and bovved lovve before the Lion, vvrapped himselfe in a Lyons skinne, and in confidence thereof came among them, and beganne to make an harrish noise, that so he might receaue honour of them: the lesser beastes beholding this bugge, fell downe before him and did him homage: but the greater and vviser beastes discerning him by his voice, set him at naught, and laughed him to scorne. The Bishoppe of Rome knowing what honour is due vnto Christ and his church, hath put on as it were the Lyons skinne by pretending himselfe to be Christs Vicar, and his church to be the church of Christ. Now many men iudging only by the outward appearāce, haue so taken him to be, & haue honoured him accordingly: but other who haue more throughly looked into the truth, haue by the sound of his voice & doctrine found him not to be the vicar nor yet the frend of Christ, but evē his grand enimie the very great Antichrist. For they will not suffer themselues to be deluded with coloures and shewes, seing they will vnderstād & that by the caution giuē by their master Christ, that the heretickes of these last times shall come in sheepes cloathing, when inwardly they be ravening wolues: and that, Antichrist, the head of Math. 7. 15. Greg. in [...]ob. l. 25. cap. 20 Hil. con [...]. Auxentium Chrys [...]in Math. H [...]m. 49. all hypocrites by the iudgmēt of Gregory, shall faine piety, to draw to iniquity: & that, vnder the cloake of the gospell (as Hilary saith) he shall bee contrary to Christ, in so much that Christ shall be denied, whē he is thought to be preached. They know, by the admonition of Chrysostome, that they must come to the divine scriptures only, that so they may rightly discerne the doctrine of Antichrist: seeing that if respect be had to names titles, and profession, he and his adherentes shall professe themselues good Christians, yea they shall pretende greater chastitie and mortification of the flesh, then shall bee founde amongst the true Christians. And so Sa [...]t Paule by the spirite of prophecie had most evidently foretolde that the heretikes of these latter times, that is Antichrist 1. Tim 4. 2. and his adherentes should speake lyes through hypocrisie, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstaine from meates, that so by their hypocriticall shevve of continency and abstinence they might procure the greater credite both to themselues, and to their doctrine. VVherefore [...]t is but a cunning and crafty collusion of Satan, to perswade the worlde that Antichrist his [Page 148] Leife-tenant generall should be an open enimie of CHRIST and his church, and make open vvarre against all professed Christians, that vvhiles they prepared themselues against such an open Antichrist, they might suffer themselues vnavvares to be overtaken by the subtlety and fraude of the true, but privy Antichrist. And so certainly it came to passe: For as he caused the Iewes, vvho professed themselues to be the Lordes onely heritage, to refuse their true Messias and Christ, vvhiles he persvvaded them to looke for such an one, as should come vvith outward pompe, earthly glorie, and establish his kingdome by an high arme of flesh: so he hath prevailed with those that accounted themselues onely to be the mēbers of the true church in these latter daie [...], and hath made them yeeld to the spirituall bondage of Antichrist, whiles he warned them to beware of such an Antichrist, as should proclaime open vvarre, and be at vtter defiāce vvith all professed Christians. But what saide our Sauiour to Math. 16. 3. the deceaued [...]evves? ye hypocrites yee can discerne the face of the skie, and can yee not discerne the signes of the times? They that thus expected a vvorldly Messias should haue diligētly looked into the bookes of the Prophetes, and so duely examined the signes of the true Messias, that finding them throughly perfourmed in CHRIST (as the drifts and discourses of the Evangelistes doe testifie, and our Saviour himselfe vvitnesseth in these vvordes, all thinges are finished) should thereby haue beene induced to haue receiued him for the true Messias. After the like mā ner Ioh. 19. 30. all that profes [...]e themselues to be true Christians, and would not be deluded by the subtle [...]ies of Satan, shoud be carefull to discerne the signes of these times, and to obserue the right notes and markes of the true Antichrist, that so they might be able both to descry and also to avoide his most dangerous snares. VVhen the Pharisies, that looked that their Messias should be a temporall Monarch, demanded of our Saviour Luc. 17. 20. CHRIST, when the kingdome of GOD (the kingdome of the Messias) shoulde come, he aunsvvered: The kingdome of God commeth not vvith observation: Neither shall men say, Loe here, Loe there; for the kingdome of GOD is vvithin you. VVhereby he signifieth, that the kingdome of the Messias should not be vvith outvvard [Page 149] pompe and earthly glory, but that by the preaching of the gospell he should lay the foundation of a true faith and a godly life in the heartes of all his people, and so establish vvithin them his spirituall kingdome, consisting in righteousnes, peace, and [...]oy in the holy Ghost. After the like manner may vve be bold to avouch, Rom. 14. 1 [...] that the kingdome of Antichrist cometh neither vvith observation, for that he shall not be an outvvard and professed enimie to Christianity, but shall vvith greate subtlety vndermine the foundations of a true faith and godly life, and so erect his spirituall & Antichristian kingdome. And hereof it is that Chrysostome calleth Chrys. in Math. Hom. 49. (not bandes and companies of armed souldiers) but heresies the armies of Antichrist: & certaine it is that al heretikes that did arise from the Apostles times, and did oppugne any pointe of faith, 2. Th. 2. 7. are saide to prepare away to the kingdome of Antichrist: for this Mystery of [...]niquitie did vvorke even in the Apostles time: And is called a Mystery, for that it did vvorke secretly, their poysoned doctrine being outvvardly shadovved vvith the profession of the true [...]aith. And verelie hovve came Arrianisme it selfe to overflovve the outvvarde face of the whole Hieron adver [...]. Luciferianos. Leo. Epist. 81 visible church? Infidelitie (saith Ierome) vvas planted vnder the name of faith. So in the time of Leo, hovve vvere heresies sette abroach? you thinke (saith hee speaking to the autors of them) that yee deale for faith, vvhereas yee contende against faith: [...]ee are armed vvith the name of the Church, and yet yee fighte against the Church. But especiallie in these last times, since Antichrist beganne more and more to be disclosed, the olde Serpent hath searched out the verie depth and profundity of all his craftie devices, and hath bestovved all his art, cunning, and skill, to beautifie his corrupte doctrine vvith many faire glozes, and to painte it vvith many glorious colours. An example vvhereof vvee haue in that proude champion of this greate Antichrist, vvho marched forth not many yeares since like Golia [...] the Gittite 1. Sam. 17. (vvho had an helmet of brasse vpon his head, and a brigandine vveighing 5000 shekels of bras [...]e vpon his legges, and a sh [...]lde of brasse vpon his shoulders, the s [...]fte of vvhose speare vvas like a vveavers beame, vvho defiled the host of the liuing GOD saying giue [Page 150] me a man that we may fight togither.) After the like maner marched forth this other prowde champion with his most stately furniture (as he himselfe thought) and armour of proofe, even vvith a most goodly and glorious shevve of all Antiquity and Novelty, Law and Custome, Fathers and Councels, Histories and all Monuments, Reasons naturall and morall, togither with the vvhole armies and hostes of heauen and earth, and the bandes and companies of all the creatures great and small, & in confidence hereof he was bold to blaspheme the truth of the gospell, and to revile the professors thereof even all the Lordes armies, and to provoke them all to an open combate. Now there was sent forth against this Gyant little David with a staffe as it were, a s [...]ing and a fevve Guilielmus Whitakerus. small stones taken out of the cleere streames of the sacred scriptures, and so with this armour of the Lordes he overthrewe this vaine glorious Go [...]ah the sonne of pride, and child of Antichrist, and with his owne sword of Fathers, Councels &c. he cut of his head and gaue his carcase to be meate for the birds of the aire, and the beasts of the field, and made it manifest to all indifferent persons, that this prowde vaunt was nothing else but a glorious shew of vaine words, and a puffing blast of a swelling spirit.
The Apostle S. Peter by the spirit of prophesie foreseeing the great corruptions of these last and most dangerous daies, setteth downe these notes and markes of the false prophets and Antichristes, which shall seduce the most part of the Christian world: 1 as first in generall tearmes, 2. Pet. 2. 1. that they shall prively and vnder the vizard of truth bring in damnable heresies, Satan in them turning himselfe into an Angell of light, and not shewing himselfe openly as hee is, but shaddowing his false-hood vnder the cloake of truth: For with [...]ei [...]edwordes (saith he) shall they make merchandize of the people, that is, vnder the pretence, as it were, of the Catholike faith, the Holy Church, the consent of Fathers, Christs V [...]car, Peters successor. Antiquity, Vnity, Vniversality, they shall sell many [...]oules to the Devill, when they, which be deceaved by such meanes, shall perswade themselues that they ga [...]e God.
2 Secondly, the Apostle setteth downe in particular what shalbe the principal of these damnable and privy heresies, even this that they shall deny the Lora [...]ha [...] bought them: that is, they shall deny the [Page 151] great vertue & sufficiency of our redemption wrought by Christ, Quicquid eiu [...] negaris, ipsum negavit. Aug. in Joh. tract. 66. vvhich is in effect a [...]at deniall of Christ himselfe. For (as Austine teacheth) whosoeuer denieth any thing belonging to Christ, denieth Christ.
3 Th [...]dly, they shal come with so strong delusion, that they shal make drunke with the cuppe of their spirituall fo [...]nication many of the countries and kingdomes of the earth, whereby there shall fall out a great Apostasie from the faith, the multitude following their damnable waies.
4 Fourthly, they shall speake evill of the way of truth, charging both the profession thereof with error and heresie, and the professours of the same with many most heinous and grievous crimes.
5 Lastly, Apo. 18. 13. through covetousnes they shall make merchandize of people, and set out to sale even their soules for gaine. Nowe doe not all these cognisaunces and badges of these heretikes and Antichrists of the last times agree most apparantly to the Pope and his Ministers? of whome we may say, that they seeme to be friends, but indeed Omnes a [...] ici, & omnes inimici: servi Christi serv [...]un [...] Antichrist [...]. Bern. in c̄atserm. 33. are enemies: In shew they serue Christ, but in truth Antichrist. For howsoeuer in outvvard shevv they seeme to esteeme of the Lord that bought them, and of the redemption vvrought by his death, yet in effect they cleane overthrovv the vertue and validity thereof, in that they teach that vve must seeke for a second iustificatiō by our ovvne deeds, and not content our selues vvith our first iustification by Christ: & that vve must make satisfaction by the works of Pennance, or else in Purgatory for our ovvne sins, as if Christes satisfaction vvere not sufficient: and that vve must deserue heaven by our ovvne merites, as if Christ had not fully bought it vvith his blood. Novv what other thing (saith S. Austine) doe vve Aug. de verb [...]om. secund. [...]oh. ser. 45. fearein Antichrist, but that he shall honour his ow [...]e name, and cont̄e [...]e Christs? And what else doth he when he [...]aith. I iustifie? For to seek to establish our ovvne righteousnes, is to derogate from the vertue of Christs righteousnes; and to seeke iustification by our ovvne vvorks, is to disalovv the fulnes of our iustification by Christ: and is not this to honor our selues with the dishonour of Christ, which is a marke of a very Antichrist? For as our Messias & Saviour vvas an all-sufficient God, that so he might be an al-sufficient Saviour, so he vvil be acknovvledged an al-sufficient Savior, or no Savior; [Page 152] an entire, perfect, and only Redeemer, or no Redeemer. And therefore in that the Bishoppe of Rome and his adherents do deny our Saviour Christ to be an entire, perfect, only, and all-sufficient Saviour, they do in effect deny him to be their Savior at al, according vnto the prophecie of the Apostle S. Peter. And yet haue they set such a gloze vpon this their most wicked doctrine, and deliuered forth their poison in such a golden cup, that a great nū ber haue beene deceiued and led into error by them, and many haue followed their damnable waies: in so much that whosoeuer neuer so little opposed himselfe against them, he was strait waies an Horetike and a Lollarde for his labour, a fire and a fagot was to good for him, and whatsoeuer mischiefe they could do him either in word or deed, all was thought to little. And did they not with feined words deceiue the world, whiles they taught that this doctrine of meriting of saluation by our owne workes, was both a magnifying of the vertue of Gods most holy spirit, by whose power and efficacy they are wrought, and a great provocatiō to piety & godlines, in that thereby we should deserue our own salvatiō? yea did they not through couetousnes make merchandize of the people, whiles they taught that they had power to remit sinnes, & that they had the keies of the kingdome of heauē, & that they could by their masles and pardons deliuer any soule whatsoeuer out of Purgatory, if that they were well hired and pa [...]de for their paines? And did they not by their thus merchandiz [...]ng of mens soules so well profit & gaine, that they had gotten into their own hands many of the goodliest possessions in Christendome, vvith great aboundance of riches & treasures, and had still at cōmande, as they thought good, the purses & liuely hoods of all Christians? Wherefore seeing that all these markes of the he [...]et [...]kes and Antichrists of these last times doe so apparantly fit the Pope and his Ministers, we doubt not but that we may take them for those very parties: and that so much the more if we duely consider, how in particular also they derogate from the priestly & kingly office of our Saviour Christ, whereby he accomplished the worke of our redemption.
There are two pointes wherein his Priesthood consisteth, his sacrifice, and his mediation. Concerning his sacrifice the Apostle [Page 153] teacheth that as it was appointed for all men once to die, and after death Heb. 9. 21. iudgement; so Christ was once offered to purge the sinnes of many: and that if he should haue often offered himselfe, he should haue often suffered. As also that this is a difference betweene the sacrifices of the Aaronical Priesthood & the sacrifice of Christ, that they were often reiterated & repeated, for that it was impossible that the bloode of bulles and goates should take away sins: wheras the sacrifice of Christ was but once made, neither needed indeede to bee made any more, seeing thereby hee hath brought in eternall redemption, and made Heb 9 10. 12 14. perfect for ever them that be sanctified. Novv, as if our Saviour Christ had not by his oblation of himselfe once made brought in eternall redemption, and made perfect for euer them that are sanctified; the Pope and his Priests will needes offer him againe in their Masse, the which they avouch to bee apropitiatory sacrifice both for Heb. 10. 18. the quicke and the dead, albeit as the Apostle hath plainly testified, where there is remissiō of sin, there is no more sacrifice for sin: but our Saviour Christ by his one oblation of himselfe once offered hath procured a plenary and full pardon for all our iniquities and sinnes, & therfore now there cannot remaine any more sacrifice to bee offered for sin; especially wheras our Saviour Christ is our only Priest according to the order of Melchizedech, who, for that he endureth for ever, Heb 7. 24. hath an eternall Priesthood which cānot passe frō him to any other: and therfore all our Popish Priests, which will needs intrude thēselues to be partners with Christ in this office of his Priesthood & wil offer him againe vp vnto God, are worthily to be condēned for vsurpers of that honour, which no way belongeth vnto them.
Now as they thus by their Priesthood and by their sacrifice of the Masse do deface the Priesthood & sacrifice of Christ, so doe they also derogate from the same by their doctrine of the Intercessiō & mediation of Saintes. For whereas our Saviour Christ hath now long since ascēded into heauē, & there sitteth at the right hād of God, ever living to make intercessiō for vs, & wheras the vertue of his death & passiō is alwaies present before God, procuring for vs the favor of God, & a ready graunt to all our requestes, as far forth as it is behouefull & cōvenient for vs: if this mediation & intercessiō of Christ which is continually before God be sufficient, what need haue we to seeke for the mediation of the Saintes? But this mediation of CHRIST in the iudgemente of Sainte Augustine [Page 154] is so sufficient, and the resting onely thereon so sure a marke of a faithfull Christian, that he is bolde to make this resolution therein: VVee haue IESVS CHRIST our advocate, and hee is Aug. in ep. Ioh. tract. 1. the propitiation for our sinnes: he that houldeth this, holdeth no heresie, he that holdeth this, maketh no schisme. As likevvise on the contrary side he is bold to affirme, that if the verie Apostle Saint Iohn Aug. cont. Epist. Par [...]. Lib. 2. cap. 8 himselfe had saide: If any man sinne you haue mee for your advocat, and I obtaine pardon for your sinnes, that no faithfull person vvould haue acknovvledged him for an Apostle of Christ, but rather haue defied him as a verie Antichrist.
3 Likevvise concerning our Saviours kingly office and autoritie of making of lawes to guid vs in such a course, as that vve may vvalke, as it becometh those, vvhich are called to be pertakers of so greate mercies, we know that we are not our owne but his, that hath ransomed vs with so greate a price, that we should be subiect to his onely lawes, and yeeld our obedience onely to his cō mandementes. For we haue no other Lord besides him vvho hath autority to impose lawes vpon vs, we haue but one Lord and lawgiuer who is able to saue and to destroy. Contrary to this roiall and soveraigne autoritie of Christ, the Pope and his adherentes Eph. 4. 5. Iac. 4. 12. haue taken vpon them to impose lawes, rules, & orders vpō the people of God, yea & haue giuen them praise & commendation that by obseruing the same, they may doe workes of supererogation availeable for the salvation of other men, & may winne such credit as to be accoūted the only religious of all other, & may attaine to greater holines & perfectiō thē may be gottē by the law of God. So that albeit Moses himselfe, after that he had delivered Deut. 4. 8. the law of God to the people, testified of the dignity & exelē cy thereof, that there was no people that had lawes so righteous, as vvas all that lavv vvhich he had set before them: yet the Pope would beare the world in hand, that the rules of Frier Fraūcis Dominicke & the rest do lead vnto greater holines & perfection, thē may be obtained by the law of God. Wherefore it is not without 1 Tim 3. 16 & 4. 1. cause that the Apostle did fore signifie, that as our redmption wrought by God manifested in the flesh is the greatest mystery of Christian godlines: evē so the prohibitiō of meates & marriage (according to the rules of Frier Fraūcis & the rest) should be the doctrine in outward shew of greatest excellency & perfectiō amōg [Page 155] false prophets of the last times, the limbes & mēbers of the great Antichrist, wherein the Pope & his adherēts most iniuriously derogating frō the law of Christ our only spiritual Lord & king, doth shew himselfe that man of sin, that sonne of pride, that very Antichrist, who was to sit in the tēple of God, & to advaūce himselfe aboue God.
4 For what doth he else, whē he advaūceth his orders & rules aboue Gods law? & not only so, but presumethto dispence against the law of God, & to set greater penalties vpon the breach of his owne orders thē vpō the trāsgressiō of Gods cōmādemēts, yea & flatly to repeale the precise cōmandemēts of Christ? An example whereof we haue in the Lords supper, the which was ordained by him in both kindes, to assure the faithfull of their full & perfect spirituall nourishmēt they haue by him, as S. Austin & some of the Aug. in. tr. in Joh. 26. Schole. mē also haue taught. The which glorie of Christ to be our spiritual nourishmēt vnto eternall life, that it might be abolished, or at the least obscured, the Devill by the Pope hath maimed this institutiō of the Lords, & hath repealed his cōmādemēt (drink ye al Mat. 26. 27. Luc. 22. 20. of this) in restraining the people frō the vse of the cuppe, albeit it be the new testamēt in his blood: (whereof the people ought to bee pertakers, as well as the Preist:) & the Apostle hath added, that Gal. 3. 15. vnto the testament of a meere man none will presume to a [...]de or abrogate, much lesse to the testamēt of Christ our Lord (the Pope & his popelings only excepted.) Whereas also this cōmandemēt being de livered in generall tearmes, & at the same time, & to the same per sōs (as that other cōmandemēt was, take ye, eate ye, this is my body) must needes be of the same force, & bind also to the same obedience. The which thing to be most true we neede not seeke for any Gerard. Lorich. de Missa publica proreganda. further witnes, seing vve haue the testimony of one of their owne frēds, who is bold to tearme all such false Catholikes, and most wicked blasphemers who hinder the reformatiō of this noto rious abuse. And in very deede the case is so cleare & evidēt, that by the Bishoppes of Rome thēselues who liued in purer ages, the Leo. serm. 4. de quadragesima. abstaining frō the cuppe hath beene cōdemned as an open errour in the Manichees: & straite iniunctiō hath beene giuen, that such as abstaine from the one be driven f [...]rm the other, for that the Gelasius de consecratione dist. 2. c. comp [...]rimus. dividing of one and the selfe same mystery coulde not bee done without most greaavous sacriledge. Wherefore sacrilegious is the pride of al these late Bishoppes of Rome by the testimonie of one [Page 156] of their owne predecessors, in that they presume to divide those thinges which Christ hath ioyned togeather, & to maime and [...]angle his new Testament, and to repeale his flat cōmandemēt: as also for that in their greatest pompe this verie sacramēt, which they pretende to honour as Christ taking it in truth to bee very Christ, is caried before them on an hackney, when they thēselues are carried on mens shoulders, their owne throne is set aboue the altar, the crosse which is caried vpō the right hād of kings swords & scepters (for that as they say divine honour is due vnto it) is notwithstāding laide vnder their feete: & in the lubile they beate vpō the gates of Paradise with a golden hā [...]er, as it is expressed in their Pontificals, & exercised in their soleni [...]ies. Now what are all these things but the plaine steppes of the intollerable & Luciferlike pride of the great Antichrist? For as he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him is true, & there is none vnrighteousnes in him: so in Antichrist there is vnrighteousnes, & he is not true, because (as Aug. in Ioh. tract. 29. Austine teacheth) he will not seeke the glory of him that sent him.
5 Wherefore the B. of Rome must needes be very neare kinne at the least to the great Antichrist, in that he so highly advaūceth himselfe, & so egerly pursueth his owne glory, exalting himselfe not only against god & his Christ, but much more against Christs Le [...]fetenāts the Ecclesiasticall & Civill governours (of whome it is written. I haue saide ye are Gods) & against the most venerable assemblies Aboue all that is called God. Chrys. in Math. Hom. 35. Greg. ep. l. 4. ep. 32. & 34 of general councels, For [...]e will needes haue prima [...] in earth, albeit he finde confusion in heavē. He will needs take to himselfe the name of vniversall Bishoppe, that name of blasphemy whereby the dignity of all Preistes is diminished, in that so much is arrogated to one after a frantike madnes: yea he will needes take it to himselfe, albeit it be against the meaning of the Gospel, against all Churches, & against the ordināce of the Canons: albeit in this pride is betokened that the time of Antichrist is at hand, he being hereby followed, who despising the equalitie of [...]oy among the angels, laboured to mount vp to the toppe of singularity, saying, I will adva [...]nce my throne aboue the starres of heaven, I vvill sit in the mounte of the Testament even in the North, I will get mee vp aboue the cloudes, and wi [...] be like vnto the highest. Neither doth his pride stay heere, but in all things he laboureth to expresse his image, who not contenting himselfe with his Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction, were it never so greate, in the [Page 157] declining of the Romane Empire was to thrust himselfe into the seate thereof, and to chale [...]dge to himselfe both swordes, Ecclesiasticall and Civill, and to take vpon himself both the Empire of God & men. For so Chry [...]ostome hath foresignified that toward the declining of the Romane Empire Antichrist shall come: for this Empire Chr. hom. 2. in 2. c. ep. 2. ad Thes. (saith he) being so renouned, none will easely be subiect vnto him: but this being void he will invade the power thereof, and take it to himselfe, in so much that he will take vpon him both the Empire of God and men. The which autority hath beene now long since vsurped even to the vttermost by the Bish. of Rome, who as if he had beene Lord of Lordes, & King of Kinges hath taken vpon him not onely to depose & to set vp Kinges at his owne pleasure, but also hath practised the like in the Empire it selfe. Neither yet hath his pride staid here, but hath advaūced it sel [...]e one steppe higher even aboue the most venerable assemblies of generall Councels, who haue the autority, & represent the face of the whole church. For it hath passed Bellar. de Con [...]. lib. 2 cap. 14. on his side that his autority is greater then theirs, and that [...]e is not subiect to their iurisdiction, to be cited, arraigned, or condemned by them. His decisions must come forth with a Non obstante: whereas their decrees must alwaies be with a Salva semper: his faith cannot fa [...]le, he cā not [...]dem. l. 4. de [...]ontif. c. 13. Rhem. in Luc. Cap 22. erre, at the least in the Consistory, and: herefore no man may say to him, Sir why doe you so? The which presumption is so intollerable, & so onely bee [...]itting the great Antichrist, that a man otherwise, as it is likely, of his owne faith & profession, hath for this Avent. anna lium l. 6. [...]ol. 683. cause so proclaimed him to be, at the meeting of the Nobles and Prelats in Germany; for that he spake proud thinges, as if he were some God; for that he laide new plots to establish himselfe a king dome; made & changed what lawes he listed, sacked, spoiled, deceaued, killed, being that son of perditiō which they call Antichrist, in whose for heade is written a name of blasphemy, I am a God, I cannot erre: In the temple of God hee sitteth and raigneth farre and wide.
6 And verely whereas it is the prerogatiue roiall of the supreme & vn [...]dgeable iudge of all flesh, that he cānot erre, lie or doe vniustly, & therefoe that he is not to be iudged of any, neither may Iob. 9. 12. any man say to him what doest thou? therefore in that the Bishope [Page 158] of Rome taketh vpon him not to erre in iudgmēt, nor to be iudged of any, he may iustly be charged for this cause to take vpō him [...]o be as God. And if in Ieromes and Prospers Iudgment the name Hier. ad Algas. quae. 11. Prosp. de provid. & praedest c. 7. of blasphemy written in the forehead of the whore of Babylon be (Romae aeternae) eternall Rome, (for so the heathen cal Rome, thinking that the Empire thereof shall continue for euer) then much more this blasphemy is the prowde & presumptuous entailing of Gods spiritual & heavēly graces to that citty for euer, in that they vant that their church is eternall and shal never faile, & that their Bishops faith is an immortall and immoueable ro [...]ke, against the which hell gates shall neuer prevaile. For what is this vaunt of the whore of Babylon, I sit as a Queene, and am no widdow, & shall see no Apo. 1 [...]. 7. mourning (spirituall things in this revelation being signified vnder the names of earthly) but as the Bish. of Rome vanteth of himself, The light of true doctrin shal neuer be remoued out of the cadlesticke of my church, & the lampe of my faith shall neuer goe out: but my church shall be the mother of the faithful for euer and I their supreame governour & king, as being Christs great V [...]ca [...] general here in earth, purgatory, & heaven, as it is sufficiently to be seene by my glorious triple crowne? And so as Adam fel by pride, whē he wloud needs be as God, knowing good & evil: & Lucifer whē Gen. 3. 5. he was not cōtent with the dignity of an Angel, but would needs aspire to the top of singularity: euen so the Bish. of Rome fell, whē he would needs advance himselfe into Christs seat, to be his Vicar Apo. 13. 11 generall & Vniversall Bishop of the whole church: when he would needs take two hornes to himselfe like the lambes, & lay claime to both swords: when he was not content with the dignity of a star, but would be as the sun of righteousnes himselfe, frō whō not only al the chiefe starres in al Pastorall dignities, but in kings thrones also, yea in the very Empire it self, should take their light, & receiue their authority from his supremacy. We read in Moses Gen. 1. 16. that God made two great lights, the sun to rule the day, and the moone to governe the night: & that is (if we wil beleeue a Bish. of Rome) the Pope & the Emperour: whose difference in degree & dignity (as some of their Parasites haue taught) is so much, as is the difference betweene the sun & the moone. Now when the Bish. Apoc. 9 1. of Rome thus advanced himselfe in his pride, then fel there from heavē a great star: that is, one who had the place of a great Bishop [Page 159] in the church of Christ, & whose predecessors had beene indeede most notable stars, & singular lights to Gods people, and had had the keies of the kingdome heauē; And he became Vicar generall to the prince of darknes, & had the key of the bottomles pit, who with the grosse mists of his corrupt doctrine obscured the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, & brought in most palpable blindenes & ignorance: for the which cause also he is worthily noted by Apo. 16. 3. the name of a false Prophet, even for that he forgeth falshoode and lies.
7 Wherfore to conclude, seeing all the markes of the great Antichrist of these last times do so apparātly agree to the B [...]. of Rome, we may be bold to avouch in these daies that which Bernard did Ber. ep. 125. in his time, that the beast to whom a mouth was given to speake blasphemies, doth now possesse Peters chaire: & especially seing it was so foretold by the spirit of truth, that the seate of the great Antichrist of the last times should be that city which in S. Iohns time raigned over the whole world, & that was the city of Rome: the which is therefore Apo. 17. 18. called by the anciēt Fathers the westerne Babylō, for that the whore of Babylon should sit there: the which thing is so evident and vndeniable, that our Rhemistes themselues subscribe therevnto vpon the same place of the Apocalipse: & therfore Rome & not Ierusalem is the certaine 7 determined seat of the great Antithri [...]t. As it may also not vnfitly be co [...]ectured by the nūber of Antichrists name shadowed in the figures & expressed by Lateinos, which is a Apo. 13. 18. Ir. cont. [...]i. 5. Romane: or by Romijth, or Italica Ecclesia in the accoūt of the Greek & Hebrew letters, & that is the church of Rome. For Antichrist shal not only invade the terrene state of the Empire of Rome as our Rhemists pretend, but the church of Rome it selfe, seating him selfe in the temple of God, as God; that is, as Gods Lieftenant, and pretending his authority: he shall be a star fallen from that dignity wherin his predecessors were placed, and that worthely, as being notable stars & lights in Christs Church [...] wherby it is evident, that Antichrist shall in Rome possesse both Iurisdictions as vvell the Ecclesiasticall as the Civill, the which being now long since performed by the Bish. of Rome it is manifest that he is the very Antichrist.
8 Wherfore by all these things which haue beene before delivered it is evident that a Papist, as a Papist, is a limbe of Antichrist [...] [Page 160] now a limbe of Antichrist cannot be a member of Christ, and he that is not a member of Christ cannot be partaker of that salvatiō 1. Cor. 10. 21. 2. Coa. 6. 14 that commeth by Christ, & therefore a Papist, as a Papist, cannot be saued. Come you out therefore all from the kingdome of Antichrist, who appertaine to the kingdome of Christ, least if yee be partakers in their Idolatries and sinnes, yee b [...]e partakers also in their plagues. O seeke not any longer to shaddow him, whom out Saviour hath revealed by the brightnes of his gospell, nor to preserue him whom he hath already in part destroyed with the spirit of his mouth: fight no more against Christ, be not enemies any longer to your owne salvation: refuse hence-forth to be leaguers and consederates with the whore of Babylon, and returne withall speede to the spouse of Christ. O pray for the peace of Ierusalem, that yee may sucke comfort out of her breasts, and be refreshed with her consolations. And yee that are the Captaines and souldiers of the Lordes armies sight yee couragiously the Lordes battels, and hate yee that purple-coloured harlot, which hath her garments died with the blood of the saintes: Hearken to that holy blood, that crieth even to heauen for vengaunce, and doe yee also execution accordingly, never making stay of your fervent zeale, vntill yee haue brought her to her vtter desolation. And so if yee fight this good fight, and fulfill your course, & keepe the faith, be yee most assured that there is laid vp for you a crowne of righteousnes, 2. Tim. 4. 7. which the righteous iudge shall giue vnto you, and to all those that loue his appearing. Now to the immortall, invisible, and onely wise God be all honour and glory, dominion and power, praise and thankes both now and ever. Amen.
Let all those that seeke thee be ioyful and glad in thee, and let all such as loue thy salvatiō say alwaies: The Lord be praised.
THE SECOND PART OF THE TRIAL OF TRVTH: WHEREIN IS SET DOWNE THE proper fountaine or foundation of all good works, & the fowre principal motiues which the spirit of God so often vseth in the sacred scriptures to perswade therevnto: togither with the contrariety of the doctrine of the Church of Rome to the same: wherein also are opened not only the causes of all true piety and godlines, but also of all heresie and Idolatry, which is and hath beene among Gentiles and Iewes, and vs likewise that are called Christians.
By JOHN TERRY.
He that commendeth himselfe is not allowed, but whom the Lord commendeth.
VVhether we be out of our wit, we are it to God: or whether we be in our right minde, we are it vnto you: The loue of Christ constraineth vs.
AT OXFORD, Printed by Joseph Barnes, and are to be solde in Fleetstreete at the signe of the Turkes head by IOHN BARNES, 1602.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL Master Doctor RIVES warden of S. Mary Colledge of VVinchester in Oxford commonly called New Colledge, and to the residue of the members that are, or haue bin of that society.
IT is a truth generally confessed, (Right VVorshipful & yee the residue beloved in the Lord) that of all feastes, that is the most sumptuous and dainty, which wisedome hath provided for Pro [...]. 9. her guests: the which consisteth of three courses, that is, of the instructions of faith, of the precepts of life, and of the rules of discipline and government. The two first courses of this worthy feast, especially the first cōsisting of the instructions of faith, as they haue bin seasōed & served in by the Lords most skilfull Cookes and sworne servāts, and also as they haue beene attempted to be distempered & even poisoned by the blacke guard of Antichrists kitchin & the devils scullery, I haue already set before the Christian Reader, which vouchsafeth to be a guest at wisedomes table, & that vnder the tast of the Right Reverend Father in God my very good Lorde the Bishop of Sarū. And now that which was then wanting of the second [Page] service, without the supply wherof this feast might seeme to be somwhat sparing, as far forth as I haue beene credited therewith, I present vnto the church vnder the approbation of the Right worshipful M. Doctor Riues la [...]e chiefe over [...]eer of our cōmon mother the Vniversity of Oxford, and remaining still a careful Guardian of one of my speciall nurses the Colledge of S. Mary of Winchester in Oxford cōmōly called New Colledge. Sir your kinde affection towardes mee of long time, and your friendly perswasion in moving mee to publish to the benefite of the church of Christ the first part of my private labours, and your advācemēt by God to the governmēt of that Colledge, (vnto the which [...]owe more then vnto any other place or person whatsoever, seeing there I had my being well, wheras elsewhere I had but my bare being, or rather with my being, my being evil:) haue induced me so farre forth to presume of your favour and good will, as that I am bold to request your protection for the seconde part of these my travailes and paines. For my hope is, the more that God hath advāced you to worshippe, that the greater will bee your care to further all such meanes as doe concerne his worship: [Page] & that you do esteeme this to be your chiefest worship, that you haue receiued of the [...]ord not only a minde to will, but also by reason of your place, hability to perfourme many thinges that belong to the glory of God, and to the good of his church Cicero saide of Caesar that his high estate had nothing greater, and his nature nothing better thē that he was both able & ready to preserue many. And Plinie said [...] of Vespasian that the greatnesse of his honor had changed nothing in him but this that now by his advancement he was made able, as before he was willing to doe good to many And Aristotle hath set down this as a differēce between a king & a tyrāt, that the one seeketh the publike, the other his own private good. Lastly the Poet could say, that this was the great Hoc reges habēt magnificum & ingens, nullus quod ra piat dies, prodesse miseris. and magnificēt prerogatiue of princes, which no day could take from them, to profite the miserable, and to protect the suppliant &c. Now Christian magistrates know more then these heathenish perso [...]s did, which liued without the knowledge of the true God, evē that they are the Lords Leifetenantes not onely to preserue the commodities of their earthly kingdōms for the good of their subiects, but much more to maintaine & [Page] establish among them the meanes whereby they may be made partakers of the kingdome of heaven. And verely this is a great dignity vnto you, that God the full fountaine of all good thinges hath made you a river to water the plantes of a goodly nursery, and to minister vnto thē al such thinges as might further their growth: and a carfull Guardian to fence and keepe them from all such things as might worke their annoy ance: that so many good trees might grow vp therein, fit to be transplanted into many places of this land, & to replenish the same with much fruite. We also, which haue bin heretofore plantes in your nurserie, hope that your river wil flowe forth farre further, and extend it selfe even vnto vs, to water vs with some of your droppes, and to bee our fence and fortification, that the fruites of faith & godlines that growe vpon our branches may bee the better preserved and kept, vntill they come to maturity and ripenes.
And now to come to you my foster brethren, as I togither with you expect protection and direction from our common head, so as a fellowe member I am bould to put you in minde, that while yee may come to the full breast, yee desire [Page] the sincere milke of the word, that ye may grow thereby, if ye haue tasted how sweete the Lord is, and what an honour it is to be borne of God, and how great is the gaine of faith and godlines; And that while the yeeres of plenty cōtinue, ye follow the ensample of provident Ioseph, and lay vp in the store-houses of your harts all manner of spiritual graine, that when yee be called abroad to be the [...]ords husbandmen, yee may bee able to sow the Lordes fielde with plentifull store of all good seede. Verely the harvest is great, and the Matth. 9. 37 labourers are [...]ewe: and ye may well perceive by experience in your selues, what a labour it is to bring into tillage the vntidy soile of one soule, & to cause it to yeelde but a meane harvest: for vndoubtedly in this kind of husbandry especiallie is the proverbe best verified: A great harvest, and a little corne. And therefore also my brethren while ye are so neere the Lords a [...]mo [...], & [...]ay fitte your selues with weapons of all sortes offensiue and defensiue, furnish your selues nowe with all manner of munition against the time that yee are to be sent to any speciall kind of service by any of the Lordes chiefest captaines & commanders. Ye haue in place of your Honorable Founder [Page] the right reverend Father in God the Bishop of Winchester, one that hath bin of your owne society, a famous and renowned Coronell, who hath most couragiously fought the Lordes battels and hath fitted for you many notable weapons, whereby yee may be able not onely to encounter, but also to subdue and vanquish the enimie: who hath already called some of you, and is readie to cal other of you also, and to place you over no meane bandes O most reverend and renowned Bilson, thou hast best deserved among al our companie to haue the preheminēce, for that thy sword hath hewen cleane a sunder manie of the strōgest & greatest Pillars of the VVesterne Babilon O lift it vp stil against the common enemie: and let it be as the bowe of Ionathan & as the sword of Saule, which never returned emptie 2. Sam. l. 22. from the blood of the slaine, and from the fatte of the mightie. And so as all the sheves of Iosephes brethren did stand about Iosephes sheife, Gen. 37. 7. and did obeysance vnto it: so shal al our swordes stoupe lowe to thy sword, and shal be marshalled at thine appointment.
But to turne to you my brethren which are nowe as it were the Lordes trained souldiers, [Page] and out of whose companie manie captaines are to be chosen for the guiding and leading of many severall bandes: ye may behould and looke vpon the ensamples of your owne predecessors, even of such as haue beene of your owne society: And withal yee may somewhat respect your pay, which no doubt may bee good here, if that you endevour faithfully to performe your service, but especially you may assure your selues that you shall receiue a large allowance when ye come to appeare before the great Lord of all hostes, and the high generall of all armies. Then if yee haue fought the good fight, and kept the faith, and finished your course, there remaineth for you a crowne of righteousnes: and if this be given to every good souldier, what a large portion may every captaine expect?
But here by the way I would willingly put you in minde of this one thing, which is, that many famous captaines and couragious souldiers both in the bodelie and ghostlie fightes, haue beene brought to vtter ruine and decay, by leaving the pursuite of the vanquished enemie, and by turning too hastelie & greedelie after the pray. Wa [...] not Hanniball and his armie made weake and effeminate [Page] by the spoiles of Capua, which could not bee daunted by all those hard labours that they patientlie endured in passing over the vnpassable Alpes? And how els was the large and ample Empire of the city of Rome, and of manie other great kingdōes and coūtries overthrowne? But to omitte these great commanders in bodilie Religio peper [...]t divitias & filia devoravit matrem warres, haue not the most famous captaines in spirituall services come to ruine by the same meanes? What made the high Priestes & Elders among the Iewes to destroy Christ, and to treade vnder their feete his heavenlie doctrine, but that they might retaine the favour of the Romane Emperour, & so might preserue their earthlie estate? And did not the latter Bishops of Rome neglect the true gift of gifts given vnto their predecessors by Constantines Lord, while they laide all their plottes, howe they might most firmelie [...]ease themselues and their successors of the pre [...]ended donation of the Emperour Constantine? And what made them giue over the carefull seeking of that glorious inheritance that St. Peter enioyeth in the highest heavens, but their deepe devising how they might make the counterfeite and forged evidences of St. Peters patrimonie to [Page] goe for currant and good? And whereof also did it proceede that they clouted and patched togither, but with all manner of worldly pollecie and cunning, such an earthly religion as they nowe professe, but that they saw it to bee most fitte for the better maintenāce of their earthly kingdome? And was not all this most significantly shadowed & drawen out vnto vs Apocal. 9. by a starre falling from heaven to earth, who giuing over the care of heavenly matters, and fastening his heart wholy vppon earthlie, became the heade of the blacke and darke kingdome of Antichrist, which can agree to none so fitly as to the Papacy, wherof a Bishop is the cheife prince, who is stil accoū ted as a most principall starre aboue al other by many that thinke themselues to bee the onely Christians? And not onelie this starre is fallen by this meanes, but also Apocal. 12. the dragon is said with this his taile of ambition & covetousnes to throw down evē the third part of the stars of heaven, & to cast them to the earth. Which he bringeth to passe when hee perswadeth them to vse all vnlawfull meanes to bring them to their earthly preferments & commodities, & also whē he causeth them to giue over all their former laboures [Page] in setting forth and promoting the kingdome of God that so they may haue more leasure to seeke their owne, by neglecting the things that are Iesus Christs. Wherfore worthy of most Mr. Foxe in his third consideration given to the professors of the Gospel honourable commendation & commemoration is that sinceritie that was in Wickeleife & others of those times, who went about bare-foote, and very meanely cladde, preaching the ioyfull and glad tydings of the Gospel, thinking it to be a sufficient reward to haue liberty freely to publish the same, albeit it were without all earthly reward. But here I pray you mistake me not: for I thinke it no way to be vnlawful for the ministers of the Gospell to enioy temporall possessions & honours: (seeing they are best worthie of them, that know how to vse them best, and are thereby made more careful to amēd their worke, as they perceive their wages to be amended:) but these things are spoken to this end, that al such as seeke after earthly vanities by al sinister meanes, & are moued therby to giue over their labours in preaching and publishing the Gospell of Christ, may be cōvicted in their own cōsciences, & brought to acknowledge and to bewaile their wretched estate: and that other also seeing their fall [Page] may thereby bee made more watchfull and warie, least they bee taken in the same trappe: the which thing is so much the more carefully to bee obserued by vs all, seeing wee bee fallen into those times, wherin Christ and his Apostles haue plainely foretold vs, that the danger, wherevnto Math. 24 38 Luk. 17. 28. 2. Tim. 3. 4. 2. Pet. 2. 3. Apoc. 12. 4. al shal generally be subiect, and particularly such as be of the Ministery, is this, even the loue of the earth that shall draw away the most part of men from the loue of heaven, and shall make many of Demas his place and giftes to forsake Paule and to embrace this present world, and with Iudas to sell Christ and that for a matter of no great gai [...]e. The faithfull indeede are the right heires even of all the blessings of their heavenly father, but yet so, that they must not be their owne carvers, but seeke for them by such meanes as hee hath ordained, being resolved to be wholy at his dispositiō, and to content themselues with such a portion as he best knoweth to be most meete for them. And what neede haue they too greedily to seeke after the temporal and transitory goods of this world, seeing their portion is fallen vnto them in a very good ground, and they haue a very goodly heritage: seeing God is their Father, and Christ their [Page] brother, and the holy Ghost their comforter, and faith their freehold, and truth their treasure, and godlines their gaine, and goodnes their goods, and righteousnes their riches, & piet [...] their portion, and the kingdome of God their [...]heritāce, & heaven the haven of their eternall rest & blessednes, and the gracious promises of the gospell written in their harts the authenticall evidences for their title and right vnto these and all other blessings of God. But these things are sufficiently knowne vnto you, & therfore I cease any farther to trouble you, most hartely beseeching the most blessed God so to water you al with the plē tiful streames of his heavenly graces, that when yee haue beene as good trees bearing much fruit in the dry wildernes of this barren world, ye may be transplanted by his gracious hand, and set in his celestial and heavenly paradise.
To the Christian Reader.
OF many stūbling blocks (good Christian Reader) that are cast in the way by the servants of Antichrist to keep the people that they do not so much as turne their eies to behold, much lesse, settle their affectiōs to embrace the glorious lighte of the gospell of Christ: this is not the least that they are not ashamed to charge, not only some principal and eminent persons, but generally all the professours thereof with an huge sea of outragious sins, and a great drought of godlines and vertue: yea many points of the most holy doctrine it selfe they avouch to tende directly to the corruption of good maners in all states. But to omit their particula [...] slāders raised vp against particular persons, which haue bin fully answered by others, our severe cēsors of Rhemes, Rhem. in e. 7. Math. The professers of the gospel most vniustly charged by the adversary to bee sacrilegious prophan [...], incestuous & men of in [...]tiable si [...] beside many grievous crimes which they avouch to be cō mon with vs and al other heretickes, charge vs particularly with sacriledge against God and the prophanation of all holy things, and incestuous marriages: and these with the other abominatiōs they would haue the world beleeue to be in so high a degree among vs, as they are likely to be among all such, as are men of insatiable sin. Now if the pulling downe of Idols, and the destroying of Idolatry, & the removing of the superstitious worship of creatures, & the restoring of the pure worship of one almighty and alsufficient God in spirit and truth, according vnto the prescription of his owne most holy word, be sacriledge, & the prophanation of all holy things: and if the abolishing of the common stewes, and the disanulling of the vow of single life, which was indeed the cause of abominable pollutions [Page] and of vnnatural and monstrous murders, and the restitution 1. Cor. 7. 3. of holy matrimony according vnto the direct cōmandement of God by the penne of the Apostle be incestuous pollutions; and if these and the like make vs men of insatiable sin, then we must be content to vndergoe this slander; seeing herein we are made but conformable to our Master Ioh. 6. 48. Christ, who was charged to haue beene in league with the Devil, whereas his comming was to destroy the workes of Mat. 11. 19. the devil: and to haue beene a friend to Publicanes & sinners, being in truth the greatest enemy to sin that ever was borne of flesh & blood. But what manner of men are these themselues, which lay to our charge so grievous crimes? yea what are their most holy and most godly Fathers the Sāctissimi, pijssimi. Lyr. in Mat. c. 16 Platina in Rom. c. 1. [...]drian. Papa. In nomine domini incipit omne malum. Bern. in Cant. serm. 33. The most corrupt & abominable liues of the chiefest enemies of the Gospel of Christ. Popes, vnto whose very becke they owe all obedience? Is it not recorded by principal men among them, that many of them haue beene apostataes from the faith and very monsters and mishapen creatures: such as succeeded not Peter in feeding, but Romulus in manquelling: that they pretended the name of God and the service of Christ, but vnder that name wrought all maner of mischiefe, and did service vnto Antichrist. Neither did this spirituall contagion stay in their greatest personages, but spread it selfe abroad in al states and callings. And no mervaile seeing the whole world doeth frame it selfe to the likenes and liking of such as be in greatest power & authority: especially where the vow of obedience without gaine-saying, yea without inquiring whether it be lawfull or no, is esteemed as one of the highest steppes to the greatest perfection. Whereby it came to passe that Rome it selfe the chiefe city of this Empire became the mother of all abominations, and grew to [...]uch ripenes and perfection in sin, that shee deserved the name of the westerne Babilon, where the whore of whores [Page] evē the great Antichrist of these last times should sit, who was to make drunke all the kings of the earth with the cup of his spiritual fornications & adulteries. Vnto the which place whosoeuer should haue his recourse, first he should see, and then he should be acquainted with, and the thirde time hee himselfe should become a wicked person. For there is liberty of all other thinges, saue only of true pietie Romae omnia cum liceant non licet esse pium. Māt. and godlines. So outragious and abominable haue beene the e [...]ormities of prince & people in this church of Rome that they haue poisoned after a sorte the very aire where they liued, and haue caused those, who in some respectes, were their favorites & friends, thus to haue cast their own dunge in their owne faces, and to haue dashed over their mishapen [...]eatures with the blacke coale of euerlasting [...]nfamy. [...]herefore small cause hath the viperous brood of this venimous generation thus to hisse against vs, and to spet out their poison against our persons: for albeit we bee not angels without spot, yet we be not Englishmen J [...]alianate, that is, Devils incarnate: much lesse against our most The holy doctrine of the gospell vniustly charged to be the seed of all wickednes and sinne. Luk 10. 20. The certainty of faith & the assuraunce of election no hinderer but a fu therer of p [...]ety & godlines. holy and pure doctrine, as if that were the seede of all wickednes and sinne.
The certainty of our election to eternall life, and the assurance that we are the childrē of God, & haue our na [...]nes written in heaven, which is the most forcible inducement of all other to cause vs to reioice in the Lord, and to walke as the children of God, and to haue our cō [...]ersation in heauen, they accuse to be the mother of pride & pr [...]tumptiō, and of carnal socurity and dissolutenes of life. What is it credible that when J continually cal to my remembrance and set before mine eies, that God to assure me, that hee is my gracious God and louing father hath created mee, and sustained me from my mothers wombe, & hath preserved [Page] me from these and these dangers, and hath bestowed vpon me these & these blessings, & hath made these & these his creatures to serue to my vse that I might the better serue him, yea and hath caused these & mine affections to haue beene good and profitable vnto me, is it credible I say that the assurance of this so great kindnes & loue should breed in mine hart vnkindnes to God, and the neglect of his honor, & of mine owne good? Either is it credible that when I continually call to my remembrance & set before mine eies, that God, to assure me of my reconciliation vnto himselfe and of my receiuing into his fauor, hath reuealed vnto mee his sonne Iesus Christ the pledge of his loue and the meanes of my reconciliation, & hath opened vnto me his perfect obedience to the whole lawe not for himselfe but for my righteousnes, and his invincible patience euen thē when he dranke so deeply of that so bitter cup of his painfull passion, that it caused him to sweat water & blood not for his owne but for my sins, when I say this is revealed by Culpamea: culpa mea: culpa mea maxima. God to be done for me by so worthy a person, who according to his manhood receiued the spirit without measure, and according vnto his godhead was infinite holines, purity, and pe [...]fection it selfe, that so I might bee assured of so absolute a righteousnes, and so full a satisfaction for all my sins, as might stand before the most exact iustice of God, is it credible I say that the assurance of so great kindnes & loue should breed vnkindnes in mine hart, and a carelesnes of embracing and holding fast so great mercy, and of continuing in such loue? Either is it credible that when I continually cal to my remembrance and set before mineeies, that God to assure me of mine adoption into the place & number of his children hath sealed me with the spirit of adoption, and hath by him sanctified mine vnderstanding [Page] with the knowledge of his most exact iustice in punishing my sins with such severity vpon my surety, that I might be assured of mine acquitting from the same, and of his endlesse and vnspeakeable mercy in sparing not his own sonne to spare me, and of his wisedome in making his iustice, and mercy so to conspire togither for my fuller assurāce of my salvation wrought thereby; when heereby also my iudgement and affections are so rectified and sanctified, that I esteeme to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified: and account all other things as losses and dong that I might win Christ, and be found in him, and be made partaker of the fruit of his death, and of the benefire of his resu [...]ection: is it credible, I say, that so great kindnes should breed vnkindnes in mine hart, and cause mee to prophane and to treade vnder foote this holy blood, and to bee grievousome to this so comfortable spirit? Lastly is it credible that when I cal to my remembraunce and set before mine eies that God to certifie mee of his fauour and loue hath opened vnto mee in his worde that greate charter and graunt of remission of sinnes and of eternall life in Christ Iesus, and for my further assuraunce thereof, hath written his gracious promises as vndoubted evidences thereof in mine hart, that I might no more doubt of my most assured obtaining of these so great giftes, then I neede of the admitting and allowing of these evidences, that hee hath given me to shew for the [...]ame, when I come to appeare before the throne of grace: is it, I say, credible that this so great security for mine everlasting blessednes should with [...]raw mine hart from the loue of my blessednes and cause me to wa [...]ke in cursed and damnable waies which tende to eternal miserie and woe? Sure I am that the goodlier our temporal possessions are, & the better evidences we haue [Page] to shew for the same, and the kinder our parents were that bestowed them vpon vs with charge not to passe them away in any case, the more careful we shal be to keepe the same, both for the loue of our most kinde parents, and also for our owne welfare and good: and shal the assurance of the most glorious inheritance of the kingdome of heaven given vnto me by mine heavenly father, whose kindenes so much surpasseth the kindnes of any earthly parentes, as God himselfe surpasseth man, make me carelesse to keepe so goodly and glorious an inheritance, & to performe the wil and commandement of mine heavenly father? VVhere Matth 6. 22. your treasure is (saith our Saviour Christ) there will your hart be also. And therfore if this wil not moue me throughly to set mine hart and affections on heavenly things, that I haue so good evidence for them, that they are assuredly mine, and that I shal vndoubtedly reape by them such an huge harvest of vnspeakable blisse, what wil then moue & perswade me therto? yea if hereby I am allured & drawen vnto sinne, what is able to induce me to piety and godlines? But this argument hath beene touched in the former & is more fully handled in the latter part of this treatise: & therfore omitting now to wade further therin, let vs come to examin whether that other maine point of the Gospel, I meane, Iustification by faith without works, be any cause or provocation to sin, as it is vniustly charged by the enemies of grace, and by the favourites and patrons of their owne merites.
In this question of Iustification there are these three pointes to be considered: First, before our effectual calling vnto the state of grace, the great sufficiency of our natural corruptions to procure wrath, and the great insufficiencie of our best workes to prepare vs and to make vs meete to [Page] be partakers of the Lordes loue. Secondly after our effectual calling the great inhability of our faith, repentance, loue, and of the residue of our works of grace to merite remission of sinnes and eternal glorie. Lastly the onely sufficiency of the obedience of Christ for the perfect accomplishing of this great and weighty worke of mans redemption. When the scripture teacheth that man by originall sinne is wholy corrupt, and that in vs, that is, in our flesh Rom. 3. 1 [...]. Rom. 7. 18. dwelleth no good thing, the purpose therof is not to detract from man al manner of good: (for the substance and the naturall powers & workes both of body & soule are good, in that they are the Lordes creatures and the workemanship of his owne handes: and the light of reason whereby we are taught that there is a God, and that iustice & equitie is to be observed in the ordering of our publike & private affaires is also good, and was preserved by God in the soule of man when he fell from God, that therby he might be directed and guided for the better managing of al such thinges as belong to the preservation of this present life:) and therefore there are yet remaining in man since his fal some things that are naturally and civilly good. But there There is nothing in man by nature, that is religiously good. is nothing remaining in him by nature that is religiouslie good: that can prepare & fitte vs to the readier receaving of faith & repentance, & further vs to the performing of any such thing as belongeth to the true worship & service of God. For the very wisedome of the flesh is enmitie to God, Rom. 8. 7. (and therefore is no friend or furtherer of his service) yea it is not subiect to the lawe of God, neither indeede can bee. So that vntill we condemne our owne wisedome of follie, we cannot yeeld over our selues to be guided and ruled by the wisedome of God: and vntill wee wholy renounce our selues, we cannot be admitted into the Lordes family and [Page] houshould. Neither is it to be feared least the regenerate man being lightned by the word of God to behould & to condemne his owne vniversall corruption, and embrace salvation only by faith, should therby be induced (as Campian Cāp. rat. 8. The doctrine of iustification is no provocation or spur, but a strong bridle to all iniquity & sinne. avoucheth) to wallow still in the stinking and loathsome sincke of all iniquitie and sinne, to accuse nature, to despaire of vertue, & to withdraw himselfe frō the obedience of God. Nay the more great & grievous his sins haue beene before his conversion, & the more clearely he seeth and behouldeth the same, the more they will stinke in his own nostrels, & the sooner he wil loath & leave them also. And howsoever he be tempted to returne with the dogge to his vomite, & with the hogge to the wallowing againe in the mire, either by the remnāts of his owne corrupt nature, or by the instigations and ensamples of others, yet he doth not yeelde himselfe captiue to these temptations: but casting his eies backe vpon his former corruptions both originall & actual, he doth with David most severely condemne them and himselfe also for the same, & doth thereby sharpen and increase his vnfayned & harty repentāce, and his setled purpose of amendement of life, as it is to be seene in the one and fiftieth psalme. He taketh not liberty hereby to offend againe, and to adde vnto the multitude of his former corruptions, but rather protesteth with St. Peter to the contrarie: Oh it is sufficient that we haue spent 1. Pet. 4. 3. the time past of our life according vnto the lustes of the Gentiles: Now seing that the Lord hath made vs to behould & to abhorre our former rebelliōs, we must resigne the time of our life to come wholy to God: Yea the greater hath bin the number of our former sinnes, and the more the Lords mercy in pardoning the same, the greater must be our care that we offend not any more so gracious a God and merciful [Page] a father, by adding vnto the huge heap of our former iniquities. Indeed there haue bin some carnall libertines in al ages, who hearing that the greater our sins are, the greater is the mercy of God in pardoning the same, haue turned the grace of God into [...]antonnes, and haue said; let vs continue in sinne that grace may abound. But as to the vncleane al thinges are vncleane, yea the most holy and pure grace of God is an occasion to encrease their vncleane & impure lusts: so to the pure al things are pure, yea the multitude & greatnes of their vncleane sins causeth them to loath and abhorre them the more, & to loue him the more also, that hath most franckly and freely pardoned them all. There was (saith our Saviour to Simon the Pharisee) a certaine lender that had two debtours, & the one owed him 500. Luk. 7. 41. pence, and the other 50. VVhen they had nothing to pay hee forgaue them both: which of them therefore tell me (saith he) will loue him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose, that he to whom he forgaue most. And he said vnto him, thou hast truely iudged. Wherby it is evidēt that the faithful, the more they perceiue the greatnes of their sinnes, and how much they are endebted and endangered vnto God for the same, togither with the great mercy of God in pardoning them all, will not take occasion thereby to contemne God, & to cast themselues againe into the like dangerous sinnes, but will loue God the more, and take the greater care to testifie the same by their duetifull obedience to his commaundements.
Now concerning the second and third pointes that are to be considered in this question, it is most true that the Psalmist testifieth, that no man may deliver his brother, no Psal. 49. 7. not so much as from temporal death, nor make atonement vnto God for him: for it cost more to redeeme soules: in so [Page] much that the Son of God himselfe was to become man, that he might giue himselfe a ransome for many. And therfore The all insufficiency of any thing that is in man, and the all suffi [...]iency of the death of Christ to per [...]orme the worke of mans red [...]mption. the scripture displaying the insufficiency of any thing whatsoever that can be giuen by man him selfe for the satisfaction of his sinnes and for the redemption of his soule, giveth present testimony vnto the most ample sufficiency of the most pretious bloud of Christ for the full accōplishment of that worke. For what if man could giue his house full of treasure? yet wee are not redeemed vvith corruptible thinges as with silver and gould, but with the most pretious bloud of Christ, as of a lambe vndefiled and without spotte. Or what if he would offer vp in sacrifice a 1000. rammes, or a 1000. bullockes and goates? It is impossible that the Heb. 10 bloud of bullockes and goates should take away sinnes. And therfore when the Apostle had avouched by the warrant of the Prophet, that the Lord would not haue burnt offering and sacrifice, nor the bodies of slaine beastes, then he giueth testimony to the offering of the body of Christ as to the onely true expiatory sacrifice. Lastly what if one would offer vp to God the spirituall sacrifices of faith and repentance, and of all such workes as are commanded in the morallawe? Surely of these also the Apost [...]e hath testified, that it vvas impossible to the lavv in as much as it was Rom. 8. 3. weake by reason of our flesh, to worke out the worke of mās redemption, and therfore that God sent his owne sonne in the simtlitude of sinsul flesh, and fo [...] sin condemned sinne in the slesh, that the righteousnes of the law might bee fulfilled in vs, and so we made righteous before God. For our faith, repentance, iustice, temperance & the rest, are but as broken and clipped money, they are to light to weigh in the ballance with our most heavie and burdensome sins: and they are also but as one to a thousād toward the discharge [Page] of our most huge debt. Moreover in the perfourming evē of our best workes, the flesh rebelleth against the spirite, & so staineth their purity and blemisheth their glory: and our spiritual and inward man is but renued in part, so that wee can do no good worke with al our hart, soule, and strength in that degree and measure as the law requireth: now that which wanteth of that which the law requireth, is a transgression of the law, and therefore sin: and sinne defiling the worke, wherein it is, causeth our very righteousnes to bee as a stained cloath, and therefore in that respect odious to God, procuring his wrath, and making vs subiect to the curse of the lawe, and therefore not meriting everlasting glory. Thus are euen our best sacrifices but as the offering vp of the lame and maimed, and therefore of themselues cannot be, much lesse make vs, acceptable vnto God. And thus are these garmentes of our owne righteousnes both stained, & too short also to couer our nakednes: they may be likened to the curtalled garmentes of Davids servantes 2. Sam. 10. 5 which made them ashamed to come into the kings court, and to present themselues in his presence. And verily if but one of our acquaintance beeing of some good place happen to see vs, when wee haue on a sluttish aperne, or a fowle ruffe, or some base and regardlesse attire, how squeamish are we, and how do we imagine, that wee haue done our selues some great discredite? Howe much more then may we worthely blush and be ashamed to come into the presence of the most pure and glorious God, who so extreamely loatheth and abhorreth all impuritie & vncleannes, beeing covered with the slubbered and curtalled garments of our owne righteousnes? And how ought we to labour by all meanes possible to put of and to lay aside these rotten ragges in the case of our iustification, & to embrace [Page] and lay hold on Christ that we may be found in him, not having Phil. 3. 9. our owne righteousnes which is by the lawe, but that which is by faith in him? For they are the precious & costly garmēts of his righteousnes, that arelarge enough to couer our nakednes, be it never so great: they are also so cleare, pure, & holy, that they are able to endure the presence of the holy of holies, & to present vs pure & holy in his sight.
So then the workes of our faith, repentance, and righteousnes cannot present vs pure and holy before God, nor make satisfaction to his iustice for our sins, nor me [...]ite the crowne of eternall glory: but these so great blessings are procured for vs by the bloud of Christ, and are given vs most frankely and freely by his mediation. Now if a master shal giue vnto his faithful servant an estate in a liuing either by copy or lease freely without any fine or income, wil this kindnesse make him malepert and saucy, to set at naught his masters commandement, & careles to pay his rent and to performe that suite and service that is required at his handes? Neither is it credible that the faithfull servantes of God hauing an estate in the glorious inheritance of the kingdome of heaven most frankely and freely granted vnto thē in Christ without, nay, cōtrary to their owne deservings, should thereby take occasion to sinne against God, and become careles to performe their obedience to his law, being the rent, suite, and service that is double due vnto him. So neither is it likely that they well vnderstanding the guiltines of sinne to bee so great, that it could not be done away but by the bloud of Christ, and the wrath of God against sin to be so [...]etled, & his iustice so implacable, that rather thē the sins of his own elect should e [...]cape vnpunished, he punished thē with so great severity evē vpon his own deare son, should hereby be encouraged to cōmit [Page] sin, & to receiue into their boso [...]s such a venimous serpēt whose sting is so dāgerous, yea almost incurable. Wheras on the cōtrary side if sin we [...] so smal a matter that it might be done away by holy water, holy bread, pardons, masses, pligrimages, almes, praiers, fastings, & by other workes of Popish doctrines provocations to sinne. popish penāce: & if there were so rich & pretious a gift of charity infused into the heart of every faithful Christiā, as that therby he were able to make God endebted not only to himslfe but to others also: then indeede we needed not altogither to make so great a matter of cōmitting sin and offending God, seeing we could so many waies make satisfaction for the same, and make God amendes, and further also make him endetted vnto vs; as herevpō many men are bold to trespasse their neighbour, for that either already they are as much or more in their debt and danger, or for that they can else in time to come easily make thē amēdes for their former trespasse. But God can no way be pleasured by vs, neither is worshipped with mens hāds, as if therby any thing were added vnto him, and he made endetted Act. 17. 25. vnto vs for the same. For as for the workes of our faith, repentāce and loue, we are therby more & more endebted vnto him: for that he worketh them in vs by his spirit: and he is no otherwise endebted vnto vs for the same, but only for that of his owne most free and vndeserved goodnes in Christ he hath bound himselfe by promise to giue them a reward. And as for the least sin that is, bee it but a desire to The most heavy burden even of the lightest sinne, and the great deformity of the least iniquity. steale a sticke out of thy neighbours hedge, or to eate an apple of the forbidden tree, seeing in doing the same either we set God so at naught, that we vtterly forget him & his holy commandements (Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house &c. & Cursed is he that continueth not in every point of the law to doe it) wheras we ought most religiouslie to [Page] keepe a constant and continual remembrance thereof: Or if we remembring the cōmandemēt of God, & the heavy curse annexed to the transgression of the same, yet blesse our selues, and promise our selues peace, when God menaceth warre, and so giue more credit to the suggestions of Satan, then to the sacred testimonies and oracles of God, harkening to the devil rather then to God, and preferring the devil before God, seeing herein as much as in vs lieth, we robbe God of his truth and iustice, & of his soveraigne auctority over vs, by refusing him to raigne over vs, and making choice of the devil to be ruled by him, taking after a sort the scepter out of the Lordes hand and the crowne from his head, & giuing them vnto the Devill: if the Lord for this so intollerable an indignity should depriue vs vtterly of his favour and loue, and of all his gracious giftes & blessinges, and deliver vs cleane over vnto the devill to bee partakers with him of al māner of curses & plagues, what should he doe heerein, but that in al iustice & right is most due vnto vs? And how should he herein serve vs also, but even according vnto our owne choice? For the lesser the commodity or pleasure is, for the which wee are so soone perswaded to cast away God, and to set his cōmandemēts at naught, the more manifestly is our vile corruption convicted, in that we are so quickly hyred to so wicked a work [...] vpon so base and meane wages. And heereof it is that Samuel is bold to cal the trāsgression of Saul (in sparing the Gigantum more bellare cum deo best of the sheepe & oxen, at the earnest motion, as it seemeth, of the people, & that to this end, to offer sacrifice vnto God) rebellion; for that therin he did rebel against God, & ioyne himselfe to that notorious rebell Satan: & not only so, but he further likeneth it to the most odious and abominable sin of Idolatrie and witchcraft. And verely as the [Page] witch renounceth God, & giveth her selfe vnto the devil: and the Idolater forsaketh the worship and service of God, and betaketh himselfe to the service of the Deuill: euen so every sinner euen in the smallest and least sinne, as much as in himselfe lieth, casteth away God, and maketh choice of the deuil: and therefore if the Lord shoulde vtterly cast him of for the same, & deliuer him ouer to that cursed serpent to haue his part with him in his torments & plagues, he should do no other thing therin, thē that which is most iustly deserued. And verelie had not our alsufficient Savior made full satisfaction by his most precious bloode for the least as wel as for the greatest of the sinnes of the elect thē selues, & had not he procured a pardon for the same, they woulde haue beene so heauy and burdensome vnto them, that they would haue pressed them downe to the bottomlesse pit of hel: Neither would their holy life either past or to come haue beene able to haue di [...]charged them of the burden thereof. For if one, otherwise a very good subiect, and of most ciuil and vpright conversation, falling into the company of loose and lewd persons, by their counsell and perswasion do but ioine with them in one robbery, and so commit a trespasse, if it bee but against one of the Princes subiects, and but against one of the lawes of the common weale; it is not his honest life past, and the keeping of al the rest of the lawes, and the doing good to many of the princes It is a thing worthy to be condē ned iustly to be grievous to mē: what an offence thē is it to be grievous vnto God? subiects, and his duety neuer so well performed before to prince and country, nor yet his harty repentance, & his sincere promise of amendment, that can discharge him frō the same, but that law must proceede against him, and execution must be done accordingly, vnlesse a pardō be procured from the prince: how much more if one sin against the incomprehensible maiesty of the most glorious deitie [Page] by treading vnder foote the least of his commandements shal the se [...]tence of eternal condēnation proceede against him, vnlesse hee obtaine the forgiuenesse thereof by the blood of Christ? For if one man sinne against another, the 1. Sam. 2. 25 Rom. [...]. 23. Eze [...] 10. 20 iud [...]e may iudge it: but if one sin against God, who shall plead for him? The wages of sin (saith the Apostle) [...] death. That soule (saith the prophet) that sinneth, that soule shall die. Bas. [...]. Hier. ep. 14 What sin is it (saith Basill) that any da [...] cal light? I knowe not (saith Hierome) whether we may cal any sinne light or small, the which is done with the contempt of God. This then is our doctrine of iustification, that our best workes are stained and stand in need of mercy: and therefore can neither merite eternal glory, nor make satisfaction to God for the least of our sins: and that the lightest of our transgressions would haue beene too heauy for vs to beare, yea they would haue pressed vs downe to the bottomlesse pit of hel, had not our most mercifull Sauiour succoured vs herein, by removing them also graciously from vs, and by laying them vpon his owne shoulders. And if this doctrine provoke to sin, I know not what can revoke from the same.
But now let vs proceede to that other part of the slaunder wherewith all the enemies of the gospel do charge the profession thereof, euen with the great penury and want of al good workes. For not only the Rhemists do take from vs for the most part the sheepes cloathing; that is, the very outwarde shew of good workes: but also the composer of the VVard word, vpon occasion of some civil behaviour acknowledged to be in some of our Recusants, taketh vpon him with the prowd Pharisie not only to advance himselfe and his, farre aboue vs base and vile Publicanes, but also he woulde haue the worlde beleeue, that if question were betweene them and vs of good works, our chiefest captaines [Page] would straight waies relinquish the field, & not bee so bold as to strike one stroke. But this is but one of their Thrasonical brags. For I doubt not but a meane souldier fighting vnder the ensigne of the gospell of Christ may encounter herein euen their stoutest champions. For if either we respect the sounde doctrine, or the sincere practise of good workes (for good words bring forth good manners not only at their birth but also in their growth) it shalbe declared in the treatise following that the holsome doctrin of good workes is most soundly delivered by vs and not by them: and as for the practise let vs nowe briefly take a true view thereof euen in the fowre cardinal vertues, wisedome, fortitude, temperance, and iustice, and let vs in a word see whether we haue iust cause to giue ground vnto them and to yeeld backe one foote.
Concerning wisedome (which is the Lady and Mis. The professors of the gospell are no whit behind the papists, but a great way before them in the holy exercise of all vertues. to all the residue of the vertues) not onl [...] our doctrine but our practise also is, that both priest and people haue their dayly resort to the word of God the full fountaine & welspring of true wisedome, and meditate thereon day and night, that their harts being continually moistened with the sweete droppes thereof, they may be made partakers of her fruits. And is it not a point of true wisdome, for one that cannot of himselfe wisely iudge of al thinges, to make choise of a wise instructer & teacher? But the doctrine & the practise of the church of Rome is to cause the people for the most parte to reiect the daylie reading of the word of God, and therfore what wisedome can there be in thē? Ier. 8. 9. yea it hath not bin required, much lesse practised by their priestes and great Bishops to be much busied in the Lords booke [...] it hath beene thought to haue bin inough for them to haue bi [...] skilfull in their portuise and in their pontificall. [Page] It may shame (indeede) the priestes of Italy, who truelie, Aenaeas Silvius cō ment. de dict. & fact. Alphon. regis 1. 2. 17 Eras. 1. 9. ep ad Natal. Bedd. as it is wel knowen, haue no not so much as once read over the new testament: whereas among the Thaborites (that is the Gospellers) yee can hardly finde any woman which cannot aunswere both out of the olde testament and the new. And a prove [...]be went currant in Scotland not many yeares since testifieng the blindnes and brutishnes of some of their great Bishops: ye are like the Bishops of Dunkelden who knew neither new nor olde lawe. Now concerning true Christian courage and manhood, it hath beene so great in many thousands of the professors of the Gospel of Christ, & that even among such as were of the meanest trades and occupations, that they haue willingly lost both their liberties and liues to giue testimony vnto the truth of their most holy faith: and the paucity of the seedsmen of rebellion that haue bin executed for treason against their prince and country, and for the defence of the vsurped iurisdiction of the Romish Antichrist, may no way bee compared and matched with them. And as for the exercise of temperance and chastity it is well knowne to the whole world, how we reverence the divine institutiō of holy matrimony and keepe our selues within the bounds of this ordinance of the Lord: Wheras among our Romish votaries simple fornication hath beene accounted no sinne; and it hath beene thought to goe well with them, if they liued Si nō castè [...]ameé cautè charily, though not chastly. And howe chastly some of their religious persons liued among themselues, some of their fishpondes haue testified sufficiently: and concerning their secular priestes, the tōgues of such as liued with them haue witnessed, that very few wives in their parishes were left at the least vnattempted by these their ghostlie Fathers: that I may omitte the vowed trotting on pilgrimage [Page] by many, that the barren wombe might so be made fruitfull. Lastly concerning iustice, equity, conscience, and an vnspotted and vnblameable life, as it hath beene reported by Reinerius an inquisitor, and that no doubt vpon sufficient inquiry, of our brethren the poore men of Lions, that they had a great shew of godlines, & lived iustly with men, and beleeved al things well concerning God, and all the articles of the creede, saue only (saith he) that they hated & blasphemed the church of Rome: so I doubt not but that the like testimony may be given of al the sincere professors of the Gospel, and that by the mouth of the very enemy, if that he wil lay aside blind malice, as Reinerius did, and simplie and plainely declare the truth. At least suppose, his conscience wil not make vs worse then, those of his religious orders; of whō it hath bin testified long since, that they haue fallen from conscience to science, and from Petr. Rodulph. Tossian▪ histor. Seraph▪ religion. 1. [...] science to be bareences. And what conscience I pray you, and what regard to Gods commandements was in those that apprehended Thomas Sanpaulinus at Paris vpō suspition of heresie, for that he reproved one for swearing in vaine, and never left him vntil they had brought him from the tortures of the racke to end his life in fiery torments?
And yet these things are not spoken to this end, as if we meant to detract al ciuil carriage from all the members of the church of Rome: nay, that the Deuill himselfe may haue his right, we ingenuously confesse and acknowledge the outward exercise of many civill & politicke vertues in many of them, especiallie the most profitable works of piety liberality and mercy in founding Colledges, Hospitals and the like. But yet so, that if they would take from their Faulcons eies the hood of selfe loue and partiality, & look into one little corner of the glasse of that paineful labourer [Page] in the Lords vineyard Master Doctor VVillet, they might Andrew-Willet controv. gener. 19. error. 104. see that the professours of the gospel are nothing behinde them in those so goodly and glorious workes. How beit although we were not altogither matchable with thē in the outwarde worke of these vertues, for that wee are no way matchable with them in those great dignities, priviledges, offices, and honors, and in those large and ample possessions which they enioied to the ful: yet they may know that the poore widdowes mite is as much and more also with Christ, then al the large summes which were cast into the treasury by the Scribes & Pharisies: especially if they were giuen as parte of that pray which vnder pretence of long praier they got from poore widdowes. And from whence I pray you, did most of those greate Donatiues proceede, that were cast into the treasurie by our popish Pharisies? Is it not likelie that they were either part of that bootie that they gained by thesale of their Masses and pardons: or at the least some portion of the fleeces which they tooke frō the sheepe for their little and course, yea no feeding at all of the flocke of Christ? And what then was this, but to rob Peter and to pay Paule? or it may be, it was the bringing in of the price of an whore, yea perhaps of many whores into Hagg. 2. 15. Deut. 23. 18 the temple of God, and the offering vp of the vncleane in sacrifice vnto him. And here by the way I would demande also of them, whether it be not as good and as profitable a worke both to church and common-weale to bring vp our owne natural children begotten in holy matrimony at our owne cost and charges in some honest calling, according to our habilitie, and carefullie to provide for them convenient portions: as to leaue large summes to our base children, kinsfolke, servants, or any other whosoeuer, of whose good education as wee haue not the like care, so of their [Page] good conversation we cannot conceiue the like hope? But yet here, least we be mistaken, protestation is to bee made, that as we thinke not that we are borne only for our selues and for our children, so wee teach not any to employ their goods to the benefit of themselues and their children only, but also to the seruice of God, Prince, & country, and of al other also, who are our neighbours, if they may bee succoured and relieved by our meanes. Yea we constantly avouch that the more in wisedome & discretion we imploy that way, the greater treasure wee lay vp in the safest place not onlie to our owne best gaine, but also to the greatest commoditie of our children. And as for those which haue no children at al, there is no doubt but that the more is required at their hāds to be emploied to the benefit of other, if they wil shew their fidelitie to him, whose bailiffes they are in al that they possesse, and bee esteemed of him as his faithful servants. And yet here it is to be remembred, that liberality is but one duty amōg many, that are required in the commandements of God. it is but one branch among manie other also, that are to spring out of vs, if we wil bee good and fruitfull trees: it is but parte of that seruice that we must performe vnto God, if we wilbe acknowledged of him for his faithful seruants. Neither must we esteeme him to be a good christian, albeit the world like neuer so well of him, who is a swearer, drunkard, or whoremaster, if so bee he be a good almes man, and careth not who eateth of his Liberality no fitte cloake to cover sinne meate: as if this were a cloake to couer al faultes, and a sufficient amends for al sinnes: for this is but a counterfeit & a shaddow of liberality, it is not true liberality indeede. For shee is not an whore, but a chast matrone: shee vseth not to sorte her selfe with such base companions: shee sorteth her selfe only with her princely peeres, and keepeth companie [Page] with all the residue of divine and heauenly vertues. Neither doth her beauty so much consist in the great glorie of the outward work that is wrought, as in the readines and willingnes of the minde of the giuer: seeing not many rich, noble, & mighty are effectually called, but the poore base & weake of this world which are more glorious within with spiritual graces, then beautified with the shew and pompe of outward works. And yet whereas God hath denied mercy to no state or condition, those which are called being rich and noble must know, that the more that is given vnto them, the more shal be required at their hands: and that they that sowe sparingly shal reape sparingly: and seeing that God is so liberal and bountiful in all respectes towardes them, they ought to be liberal and bountiful for his sake, especially towards his sincere & faithful servants. that so their Lord & Master may say vnto them, goe too yee good and faithfull servants, ye haue bin faithfull in a little, I wil make you Lordes over much, enter yee into the ioy of the Lord. And againe Come yee blessed of my father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world: for I was hungry and yee fedde me. Wherfore to conclude, it is evident in part by those things which haue bin hitherto delivered, that our doctrine of the Gospel is no provocation to sin, and that our life is not vtterly void of the exercise of all good workes: for then wee should haue greatly provoked the Lord to haue pulled downe the hedge of this our vineyard, and to haue remoued his candlesticke out of the midst of vs. But blessed be the Lord, the wal of this our vineyard stādeth as yet, the bright candle of the sound doctrine of faith and good works burneth in the candlesticke of this our Church of England, the which is lōg since put out in the Church of Rome: and therfore howsoever they [Page] greatly boast of the workes of light, there can indee de abound among them nothing but the vnfruitfull workes of the kingdome of darknes. The which I beseech those duely to consider of, who among them belong to the number of Gods elect, that so vnto them in all holy humility and godly sincerity taking a due view of the doctrine of light, god may shew so much mercy, as to lightē the eies of their spiritual vnderstanding, and so translate them out of the kingdome of darkenes into the kingdome of light. The which thing (I beseech thee Christian Reader) to helpe forward with thy devout and daylie praiers vnto God; especially that the cādlesticke of this our Church may stand stedfast and vnremoved vnto the worldes end, that Gods glorie may more and more be manifested in all the quarters and corners of this little Iland, and many children in all succeeding ages may heere be continually begotten & borne vnto God. Amen. Amen.
The summe of two of the most principall pointes of this second part contained in this short prayer.
Conforme vs, O Lord, to thy wil: and then wil thou whatsoever thou wilt; giue vs a true tast of the sweetenes of thy loue in Christ: and then let all other thinges be either sweete or sowre vnto vs, as thou seest it to be best for vs in thine heavenly wisedome.
THE SECOND PART of the triall of truth.
THe pearle of truth is so precious, and the treasure thereof so inestimable, that God himselfe not only maketh challendge thereto to be the author thereof, but also taketh it vnto himselfe as one of his titles of highest honour. For as it is brā ded as a note of [...]nfamy in the foreheade of the Devill, that he is a lying spirit and a spirit of errour, yea that hee is a lyar and Ioh. 8. 44. the father of lies: so it is an honorable title wherewith Gods name is sanctified: God is true, and every man a lyar: and that as nothing Rom. 3. 4. Heb. 6. 18. Ioh. 14. 6. & 17. is more possible to man then to lie, so nothing is more impossible to God. Neither is it a smal dignity vnto our Saviour Christ that he is called by the name of truth and his spirit is said to be the spirit of truth: and that it is testified of him, that one of the principal causes why he came downe from the father was, that hee might beare vvitnes to the truth: and why he ascended againe vp to the Ioh. 18. 13. father, even that he might send downe his spirit vpon his A postles to lead them into all truth: and by the voice of truth to gather Ioh. 16. 13. to himselfe a church and congregation, which should be a lover, embracer, maintainer, and pillar of truth. For all such as Christ 1. Tim. 3 15 would haue to be saued, hee would haue them come thereto by the knowledge of the truth. And therfore he sendeth vnto them the 1. Tim. 2. 4. light of his word, & causeth them with all constancy to embrace the same, whereby they are enabled to know the truth, and the truth Ioh. 8. 32. doth make them free: Free from the slavery of sinne and Satan, & from all the powers of the kingdome of darknes: and the same truth doth sanctifie them, being before polluted with blind infidelity Ioh. 17. 17. and ignorance of God, and so maketh them fellowe cittizens of the Saintes, and enrolleth them into the Lords family. So then the faithful embracing & professing of the truth, being the bādes of our communion & fellowship with God, and an assured note of the Lords people: no marvaile though all nations of the earth, of what profession soever they be, be they Pagans, Turks, Iewes, or Heretikes, make so bold a claime to the possession of truth, and [Page 2] be at open defiance with al other, which wil not yeeld vnto their pretended title. And yet there is but one truth & one faith, which The greatest chalengers are not the rightest owners of truth. The testimony of God is the best evidence for truth. is the sure anchor of our hope in God, & the direct way vnto his heavenly kingdome. Neither are they seased of the possession therof, who make the stoutest claime and chalenge thereto, and seeme to be most earnest in the defence of the same, but rather such as can shew for it the best evidence.
Now the best evidēce for truth is the testimony of God, who is onely true, and cannot lie, who cannot erre & be deceiued himselfe, or in any wise deceiue others. And this is acknowledged by all: as it may appeare by the pretence made by the autors and inventors of every devotion; who haue fained either conference with some God or goddesse, or some revelation from some divine power to get the greater credit to their profession. So dealt Numa among the Romans, Licurgus amōg the Lacedemonians, and Solon among the Athenians. The truth is that God who dwelleth in a light that no man can approach vnto, whom no man hath 1. Tim 6. 16. seene nor can see, whose voice is so terrible and glorious that no man can heare it and liue, who is onely knowen vnto himselfe, and who onely knoweth what is truth & what belongeth to his owne worshippe and service, hath revealed his wil vnto his faithfull servants, and hath made them his penmen and scribes, and as it were the publike notaries of his heavenly wisdome And these publike notaries we that be Christians beleeue not to be Solon, Lygurgus, Numa, Mahomet, or the like: but the Prophets Apostles, and Evangelistes, even the penmen and scribes of the word The penmen of the bookes of the olde & new testament are the onelie sure and infallible witnesses of truth. of God contained in the bookes of the olde and newe testamēt. For as for those lawgiuers among the heathē, it is acknowledged that they were great learned and politicke men, as being trained vp in those artes and sciences, which did florish in those ages wherein they liued, wherby they were enabled to set down many witty and skilfull rules for the better managing of humane affaires. But as for the most of our Prophets & Apostles they were simple and ignorant men, brought vp not in famous places and schooles of learning, but in meane, poore, and base occupations: and therefore the divine knowledge of all heavenly wisedome, wherewithal they were endued most plentifully, must needes be [Page 3] extraordinarily derived vpon them from God himselfe the foū taine and wel-spring of all wisedome (seeing they obtained not the same by any ordinarie meanes:) and the miraculous gifte of tongues bestowed vpon them, whereby they were enabled in all languages to open to all nations the wonderfull workes of God, could not proceede but frō him: who is the author of all languages and tongues: as likewise the quicke and speedy prevailing of this heavenly doctrine, & the strong & effectual working therof in the harts of the faithful, which made them yong & old most desirous to testifie their exceeding great loue to the same with the sheading of their decrest blood, doth manifestly convince it to be the most mighty & powerfull word of the most mighty & powerful God. Now as the persons, from whom the bookes of the olde & new testament proceeded, & by whom the doctrine thereof was so louingly embraced, declare them to be divine, so doth the matter also in them contained. For where are the deformities of all iniquities and sinnes so liuely drawen forth & sette out in their coloures, to moue to a through dislike and hatred of them, and to vnfained repentance and amendement of life, as they are described in these divine bookes? And where else may we find such a gratious mediator to reconcile vs to God, so great a price given for the purchase of the kingdome of heaven, so ample and full a satisfaction for the discharge of al our sinnes, such a soveraigne salve for the curing of al our maladies, such an effectual meanes to relieve our distresled consciences, and to secure vs of the loue and favour of God, as are offered vnto vs in the holie scriptures? And wheras the penmen of these holy bookes lived in diverse ages & countries, doth not the perfect cōsent & agreement of their precepts and instructions manifestly declare by whom they were directed, even by him who is alwaies one, and the same, never differing or disagreeing from himselfe? So doth the perfect accomplishment of so many strange predictions foretolde so many ages before they came to passe, evidently cōvince, that these books proceeded frō him, vnto whō only were known al his own decrees & works before the foūdatiō of the world was Veritas docendo suadet. Tertul. cōt. Valēt. laide. Lastly the perfect purity & holines of all points of faith set down in these bookes, & that absolute equity & righteousnes of [Page 4] all the precepts of piety and godlines therein contained doeth plainely declare also, that they proceeded from the holy of holies, euen from him whose wil is the rule of all equity and righteousnes. So that Moses the first penman of this holy write mighte worthely make this challendge before al the world; What nation is so great that hath lawes so righteous, as is all this law, that I haue set Deut. 4. 8. before thee this day.
Neither yet doth the holines only of the doctrine contained Holy doctrine sincerely embraced cā not bring forth but an holy cō versation: or that which is all one: a true faith cānot be separated from true loue. 2. Cor. 13. 3 in these holy bookes declare that they proceeded from the holie of holies, but also that holines that is wrought in the harts & cō sciences of all the sincere embracers therof, albeit they were before most impure and vnholy. And therefore the Apostle Saint Paule, when among the Corinthians some called his doctrine in question whether it was of God, and his Apostleship whether it were of Christ, appealeth vnto the fruit & effect therof wrought in the harts and consciences of such as were effectually called among them, and converted vnto the faith of Christ; who being before defiled with sin, odious before God, and the children of wrath, were by his ministery regenerated, and sanctified, and so made the children of God. What (saith the Apostle) seeke yee as yet experience of Christ speaking in me, and whether my doctrin be of him or no, seeing Christ thereby was not weake but mighty in you, working most powerfully your conversion and salvation, &c. 3. he leaveth to the false Apostles letters of commendations from others, for that they had little or nothing in themselues worthy of iust and due commendation: but as for my selfe (saith he) you are mine epistle and letters commendatory, in that by my ministery yee haue received the gospell written in your harts, which is the power of God to salvation to all that beleeue. For albeit the doctrine of the crosse of Christ be a stumbling blocke to the Iewe and foolishnesse 1. Cor. 1. 24 to the Grecian, yet to them that are called, it is the power of God and the wisedome of God: yea it is mighty through God casting downe holdes, & bringing vnder every high thing, and subduing it vnto the obedience of the faith of Christ: it subverteth all the power of the kingdome of darknesse, and enableth vs to tread Satan vnder our feet. And what may the dauncing of trees at the sweet melody of the harpe of Orpheus more fitly resemble, then the [Page 5] relenting of mens hearts as hard as oake at the divine and heavē ly instructions of wisedome? And what may better bee signified by his bringing of his wife from hell with his harmony, then the drawing of men out of the slavery of sinne, death, and hel by the power and efficacy of the word of God? And verily as C [...]rce and Calypse, that is, the world plaieth the witch, and by the inchauntments and sorceries of her impure and corrupt doctrine turneth men into hogges and dogges: so on the contrary side, the holy doctrine of Christ beeing sincerely embraced vnlooseth all the inchantments of this bewitching world, and turneth hogs, dogs, beares and wolues into men, by causing them to lay aside their vncleane and brutish natures, and put on the condition of men, yea of men of God, that is, of sanctified & holy men. The which strange and wonderfull metamorphosis, and turning of men in shape and nature, but beasts in quality & conditiō, into the quality and condition of sanctified men, by the most mighty operation of the worde of Christ, was most plainely foretolde by the prophet Isay. The wolfe (saith he) shall dwell with the Lambe, and the Isa. 11. 6. Leoparde shall lie with the Kidde, and the Calfe and the Lion, and the fare beast shall feede togither, and a little childe shall lead them: and the Cow and the Beare shall feede, and their young ones shall lie togither, and the Lyon shall eate straw like the bullocke: & the sucking cholde shall play vpon the hole of the aspe, and the weined childe shall put his hande into the cockatrice hole: there shall none hurt or destroy in all the mount of mine holinesse: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lords, as the waters cover the sea. Behold then the great power of the most holy doctrine of God, which altreth such as are savage and hurtful, as the most fierce and venimous beasts, and maketh thē meeke, milde, and gentle, devoted to the maintenance' of the common society, and of the publike benefite and good of mankind. And hereof it is, that Lactantius is bold to make this challendge: Giue Lact. li 3. c. 26. divin. Institur. me (saith he) a wrathfull man, and a slaunderer, and one that is of vnbridled affections, and with a few words of God I will make him as meeke as a lambe: giue me a greedy and covetous pinchpenny, and I will make him liberall, giving out his mony by whole handfuls: giue me one that is afraide of greefe and death, and he shall presently contemne the gallows, the fire, and the bull of Phalaris also: giue me a libidinous and an adulterous [Page 6] companion, & thou shalt set him straightwaies s [...]ber, chast, and continent [...] giue me a cruell bloodthirsty person, and presently his fury shall bee turned into mercy: giue me an v [...]iust person, an vnwise and a sinner, and by and by bee shallbe made iust, prudent, and innocent: with one washing all his malice shalbe cleansed. Such is the force of the divine wisdome, that it being once admitted into the hart of man, it wil at once dispossesse f [...]lly the mother of all transgressions.
To the effecting whereof there is no neede of a fee, bookes, or watchings, they are wrought freely, easily, and speedely, so Mercede libris, lucubrationib 9. that our [...]ares be open, and our harts thirst after wisedome. Let no man stand in doubt: for wee sette not out to sale the droppes of raine or the Sunshine: the full and plentifull fountaine of God lyeth open to all, and this heavenly light doth rise to every one that hath his eies open to behould the same. And indeede the word of weake and mortall men is weake and of small force and vertue: but the doctrine of the mighty, powerfull, and immortall God is mighty in operation and sharper than any two edged sword, it Heb 4. 12. 1. Pet. 123. Psal. 19. 7. pearceth even into our inward man, and begetteth in it an immortall life. The Law of the Lord is perfect and converteth the soule: and therefore the divine vertue and power therof may be discerned by the divine effect that is wrought thereby. For as evill words breede evill manners, and corrupt doctrine a corrupt conversation, so good words bring forth good manners, and holy doctrine an holy conversation. Bevvare (saith our Saviour Christ) of false Prophets which come vnto you in sheepes cloathing, but Math. 7. 25. i [...]wardly are ravening wolues, yee shall know them by their fruites. In the which words albeit in the iudgment both of olde and new writers, by the fruites, wereby false Prophets are to be discerned, are meant their corrupt opinions and doctrines (for that opinions & sayings aswel as doings, be they good or badde, are the effects & fruits of good and badde men:) yet for that also that doctrine not delivered to others, but first conceaved by our selues, is not the fruite, but the cause of faith; and faith engendred by sound doctrine engraffeth vs into Christ, and so maketh vs good trees bringing forth good workes as good fruit: and faith proceeding from evil doctrine, bringeth forth evill workes, as evil fruit, wee will be contented at this time to vnderstand also by fruits, wherby [Page 7] false prophets are to be discerned, their evill and vngodly workes: Especially if it bee added that workes are no otherwise knowen to be good or badde, then as they agree or disagree frō the precepts and rules of good works which are delivered in the canonicall scripture. For that is the most exact canon and rule whereby wee must trie both ou [...] faith and our workes, and that faith and workes are onely to be approved, which are agreeable and consonant thereto. And vnlesse wee keepe our selues most carefully to the triall of this iudge, wee may easily bee deceived with probabilities and shewes. For according vnto the admonition of our Saviour set downe in the former rule, false prophets which inwardly are ravening wolves may bee attired in sheepes cloathing, that is, may haue an outward shewe both of a sounde faith, and also of an holy and godly life. For the Devill is a most cunning counterfeite, and the skilfullest Ape that ever was. He can alle [...]ge scripture and the holy word of God to draw vs from that pure doctrine of that holy word: and hee can turne himselfe into an angel of light, and make his ministers to appeare to bee the children of light, and furnish them with the outward shewe of the workes of light: yea he can imitate the miraculous workes and wonders of God, to perswade the world that God himselfe by h [...]s omnipotent & almighty power doth giue testimony vnto his lies. The which thing is so much the more carefully to bee considered of vs, for that wee are fallen into these latter daies wherein experience hath taught vs that to be true, which vvas foretolde by Isidore & Gregory: that is, that the true Church of See M [...]. Fox vol. 1. fol. 418. Christ should want the glorious power of working of miracles before the comming of Antichrist, that he might the more freely and without controlement persecute her as a base obiect: & that Antichrist should come himselfe not onely with straunge signes and wonders to gette the greater credit and admiration, but also with a certaine shew of holines, that both the lighenes of the reprobate might be detected, that are soone caried away with every shew, and also that the patience and stayednes of the faithfull might be made manifest, who will embrace the truth, albe [...] it be not garnished with outward shewes, and sette themselues against falshood and lies, although they be never so much beautified & [Page 8] adorned with the same
Heerein the [...] is cōmended vnto vs one speciall point of Christian wisedome: that as Christ, who was endued with the spirit of wisedome aboue measure, iudgeth not according to the sight of Isa. 11. 3. 1. Sam. 16. 7. the eies, nor reproveth according to the hearing of the eares, but iudgeth righteously: & as God himselfe looketh not on the outward Good workes in shew are not alwaies good workes in deede, but sometimes evill and what is the cause therof? not the worke it selfe, but the māner of doing of doing of it maketh it faulty. Aug. de doct. Christ l. 3. c. 12. 2. Tim. 3. 5. The shewe of good works may be greater among Hypocrites, Heretiques and the ve. ry Infidels, then amōg sound and sincere Christians. appearance, but behouldeth the heart, so doth the wise and prudent Christian also. He iudgeth of the workes of man not according vnto the glorious shewe of the outward action, but according vnto the pure sincerity of the inward intention, neither doth hee so much respect the worke done, as the manner wherby it is done. For as the Philosopher can teach vs, he is not a iust man that doth iust actions, but he that doth them after a iust māner: & as the schoolmē haue taught, God is not a rewarder of nownes, but of adverbes, that is, God rewardeth not the deeds that are barely iust, but such as are done iustly. For a iust deed performed, but not iustly, is a iust deede in shewe, but not in substace. Now iust deedes onely in shewe and not in substance may bee founde in false Prophets and seducing Heretiques: yea they shal be found in the Here [...]iques of these last times, who shall haue a shew of godlines, but shal deny the power thereof. And verelie such as [...] open offendors & notorious malefactors can hardly perswade others to like of that doctrine which themselues professe, whatsoever it be: but such as are in outward appearance of an holy life and conversation may greatly prevaile and do much mischiefe, if that they be teachers of falshoode and lies, and of erronious and he [...]icall doctrines. And this the Devill knoweth right well, and therfore oftētimes maketh his ministers to seeme to be of an heavenly and Angelical cōversation, that so he may by this meanes more easily bring in his divelish errours. And hath not our Saviour tolde vs, Luke 16 8. that the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light? Mat. 23. 15. And doth not experience it selfe teach vs, that they are not onely more painefull & industrious compassing sea and land to make one of their profession, but also more beneficial and bountifull, Exod. 32. 24 giuing away their good [...] and treasures, and robbing themselues and theirs of their most p [...]etions and costly Iewels to make a golden calfe, or some [Page 9] other the like Idoll? The Apostle Saint Paule hath testified that the Heretiques of these last times shall forbidde mariage and commaund 1. Tim. 4. 2. to abstaine from meate in hypocricy, that so they might seeme very abstemious and chast, and of a most severe and straite life. And Chrysostome hath witnessed l [...]kewise of them, that they Chrysost. in matth. hom. 49. sh [...]ll haue a greater shewe of abstinence and continency, then shall be found among the true Christians. And is it not recorded of The very Turkes, that such as are of their religious orders vse wonderfull austerity and rigour in punishing their owne bodies, that so they might seeme great mortified me? And did not Baals Priestes vse to launce themselues vvith kniues, vntill they vvere goared in their owne blood? But what doe I speake of rigorous 1. Reg. 18. 28 discipline found among Turkes, Heretiques &, Idolators? Were there not among the heathen thēselues as notable examples for the exercise of all manner of civill duties, as ever were found among any Christians? Was not Aristides most famous for iustice, Socrates for sobriety, Appius Claudius for fidelity, Fabritius for abstinence,, Scaevola for courage, Cato for severity, Cimon the Plut. in vita Cimonis. Athenian for liberality? Of whom it is recorded that he tooke away the moundes and fences from his groundes, that the stranger and poore might take what fruite they would to refresh and satisfie themselues there withall: besides he prepared a large supper ordinarily, to the which any poore man might come and receiue sustenance: and if he mette any auncient citizen in ragged and torne attire, he commaunded one or other of his follovvers to chaunge his apparell with him: and of his retinue that accompanied him, some carried large sūmes of mony, that if they mette with any honest poore man they might giue vnto him all that he needed. And yet vvhat vvere all these so glorious and goodly workes, but bare shadowes & counterfeites of vertuous actions, rather then vertuous actions indeede? Yea what were they but Splendid a peccata. The best workes of the vnfaith [...]ull a [...]e no better then sinnes. Rom. 11. 20. beautiful sinnes? And as for the parties themselues, shal we therfore esteeme them to haue beene good trees, for that they had such an outward shew of good fruite? Surely the spirit of truth doth testifie of vs, that we are all by nature brambles, breers, & wild [...]ues, vntill we be grasled into the true oliue. Nowe it is faith that doth grafte vs into the true olive, as infidelity doth breake vs of. [Page 10] Without saith then we are no better then brambles, briars, and wilde olives. And wh [...] Dee men gather grape [...] of thor [...]es, & figges Math. 7. 16. of br [...]ar [...]? Or doth the wilde oliue bring forth a kinde and natural olive? Wherfore all these before named so famous and worthy personages in the eies of flesh & bloud, for al their glorious shew of goodly fruite living without faith, without Christ, vvithout God, being Ephes. 2. 12. al [...]ans from the [...]omm [...]n weal [...]h of Israell and from the covenants of grace, must needes vndergoe that heavy but i [...]st sentence of the Lord of the vineyard: Cutte downe the vnprofitable trees: for why Luke 13 7. Math. 3 10. cumber they the grounde? And againe: Now is the a [...]e laide vnto the roote of the trees [...] therfore every tree that bringoth not forth good fruite is bow [...]n downe and cast into the fire. For if I giue al my goods to the poore, 1. Cor. 13. 3 and haue not loue, it profi [...]th me nothing: that is, if this liberall fact of mine proceede not from a sincere & harty affection to the good of my neighbour, as likevvise if this harty affection towarde my neighbour come not from a sincere loue towardes God, vvho is loued for himselfe, and in whom also I love my neighbour, yea if this my loue towardes God flow not from his loue in Christ toward [...] me, embraced and apprehended by a true and lively faith, all this my releiving of the poore cannot releiue my selfe, and all this my mercy toward the needy cannot be a meanes to convey over vnto me the Lordes mercy. For vnlesse all my goodnes be after this manner derived from God the onely fountaine of all goodnes, well it may vnto men seeme to be goodnes, yet it shall not haue his allowance from God.
But now let vs returne againe vnto our Saviours rule: Beware of false Prophots which come vnto you in sheepes cloathing, but inwardlie are ravening wolves: ye shall know them by their fruites. True teachers, which with their harts sincerely embrace that holesome doctrine which they professe with their mouthes, togither with their faith full disciples and schollers, are as trees planted in the paradise of God, and watered with the pure streames of the river of the vvater of life that floweth throughout the paradise of God, and so receiving the blessing of God doe there by bring forth fruit good in truth and substance, and not in shewe onely or outward appearance: whereas false teachers as bastard plantes setled in the wildernes of this barren and vnfruitful world, and wette with the [Page 11] venemous drops of the infected and deadly puddles of humane devices and dreames, doe thereby bring forth fruit sometimes holesome and good in shew, but never in substance. For an infected fountaine cannot yeeld forth holesome water: neither can a corrupt faith bring forth an vncorrupt life. For the mind and vnderstanding are the leaders and guides vnto the will and the affectious: and therefore if they be misledde with falshood & errour, and wander and goe astray in the bye pathes of impiety & vngodlines, howe can they direct the will and affections in the right way of piety and godlines? Verily vnto whomsoever God in his iustice hath denied the knowledge of the grounde [...]and principles of a sound faith, to them also he doth deny the gift and blessing of an holy life: seeing that selfesame holy doctrine that is the cause of an holy faith is also the cause of an holy life, as it is made manifest in the fourth motiue. As on the contrary side vnto whom God in his mercy hath given the faithful acknowledging & embracing of the grounds and principles of a sounde faith vndoubtedly to them hee doeth likewise graunt the practicall knowledge of an holy life. For true faith and sincere loue, which are the mother and nurce of all good workes, are as Hypocrates twinnes borne togither and living without separation: so that if one of them be strengthned, the other receiveth strength also, and if one of them be weakned the other is weakned: they go alwaies hand in hand and bee inseparable companions, and never breake company: giue entertainement to the one, & thou must giue entertainment to the other; s [...]ut the one of them out of thy dores, and the other will in no wise be thy guest, nor abide vvith thee the least moment of time. For albeit a bare & naked knowledge of the grounds of faith may be severed from the practise of a godly life, yet a faithfull embracing and a sincere re [...]oiceing in them can never be idle and vnfruitfull, but alwaies is accompaned with good works, which giue witnesse vnto the sincerity & Qui non fac it bonū non credit bonum. soundnes of faith, and do sufficiently declare the holinesse of the doctrine from whence [...]hey proceede. Holy doctrine embraced but in shew and in hypocrisie may be vnfruitfull, but being sin [...]ly received, it maketh good trees which cannot bee without g [...]d fruite. Now then this being evident that good workes are the infalhble notes of a good faith, it remaineth that as in the former [Page 12] part of this treatise we declared that faith to be only sounde and catholike, which was agreeable to the grounds of faith more briefly abridged in the Apostles Creede, and set downe more at large in the canonicall seripture: so now we set downe those divine rules of an holy life which are delivered in the same books, wherevnto we must frame all our works, if that wee desire to bee assured that they shall be allowed and approved of God.
The proper cause of all good workes delivered vnto vs by the Not our owne will nor the wil of any creature, but the will of God is the fountaine and foundation of all good workes. Peccatum est [...]. To doe our workes in humble obedience to the will of God, to serue and please him therein is a sure signe of a good worke, and of the true service and servant of God. Ioh. 5. 30. spirit of God in the canonical scripture, is a religious respect vnto the will of God in doing the same. For as rebellious disobedience against the will and commandement of God maketh an evill worke, so sincere obedience maketh a good. Even when the will of God is the motiue to induce vs to the performance of all our workes, when they are done in obedience vnto h [...]m as the duty and service which he requireth at our handes, yea when they are done also to this end and purpose, that therein we way serue him according vnto his owne will: then they are, without controversie, his right & acceptable service, and further declare them, that so doe the same, to be his loyall and obedient servants. For how shal we know a loyall subiect to his prince, and a true and trusty servant to his master, but by their care and labour to serue and please them in their ready obedience to their willes and commandements? even so we may soone know & discerne the loyall subiectes and the faithfull servants to the great Lord & master of vs al, if that al our works are done to serue & please him & to shew our cōformity to his wil. Vpon this ground did our Saviour Christ himselfe iust [...]fie & make good all his owne proceedings. I can doe nothing (saith hee) of my selfe, as I heare I iudge, and my iudgment is iust, because I seeke not mine owne well, but the will of the father that sent mee. So we that are Christians, if we desire to haue our workes holy and good, wee must learne by the ensample of our master Christ in none of them to seeke our owne will, and to walke in our owne waies, but alwaies to haue our [...]ies bent vpon him, who hath sett out vnto vs our limites & boundes. The which thing if we sincerely performe, we shal be as deare vnto our blessed saviour, as if we were his brother or mother: For who (saith he) is Mat. 12. 50. my brother and mother? Behould he that doth the will of my father which [Page 13] is in heāven, the same is my sister, brother and mother. And whom will he admitte vnto the kingdome of heavē? Not every one (saith he) Mat. 7. 21. that saith vnto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdome of beavē, but hee that doth the vvill of my father vvhich is in heaven. And verely if Gods will be deare to vs, we our selues shall be deare vnto him: if we bee c [...]refull to fulfill his will, he will bee carefull to fulfill our will: if we endevour to please him, he will endevour to please vs: if we be ready to performe all that is in his hart, he will be readie to performe all that is in our hart, yea he will giue vs more then we can wish or desire. The cause of our blessednes is our communion The cause of our blessednes is our cōmunion with God. True blessednesse is our conformity to Gods will. with God, and our reconciliation vnto him by the blood of Christ, whereby he is become our loving father, & hath adopted vs into the number of his children. And true blessednes it selfe, which is heere in this life begunne in the children of God, and shall be made perfect in the life to come, is nothing else but their sanctification by his holy spirit, & illuminatiō by his holy word, and their conformity to God both in their mindes and vnderstandings, and also in their affections and willes. For when Gods wisedome is our wisedome, and Gods will our will, & Gods pleasure our pleasure, pleasure, when the faith that God commendeth is our faith, and the workes that he commandeth re our workes, when we haue vnfainedly sought to conforme our selues wholy to the most exact rule of the Lords will, & to be holy as he is holy, then doe we see as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord with open face, and are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the spirit 2. Cor. 3. 18. of God. For as sinne is our greatest wretchednesse because it Sinne maketh a p [...]ople miserable. maketh vs most vnlike vnto God the holie of holies, & most like vnto the devill that uncleane and impure spirit: even so true sanctity is our greatest glory, because it maketh vs most like vnto the Lord of glory. Seeing then our workes are right which are squared out by the squier of Gods will, seeing our seruing of God according vnto his owne pleasure is his wellpleasing and acceptable service, yea seeing our conformity to the will of God is our greatest blessednes, it is no marvaile that the spirit of God, who is of his most privy and secret counsell, doth often vrge in direct termes this will of God as a most strong and effectual motiue and inducement, to perswade vs thereby vnto the carefull & diligent [Page 14] performance of all good workes. This is the wil of God (saith the Apostle) even your sanctification: that every one knowe how to possesse 1. Thes. 4. 3. his vessell in holines and honour, and not in the lustes of concupiscence as doe the Gentiles which knowe not God. As if hee had saide: your sanctification and your possessing of your vessels in holines and honour, is the thing that God willeth and commaundeth, and therfore yee ought most religiously to embrace the same to test [...]fie your obedience to his will. And againe: Reioice evermore pray continually, 1. Thes. 5. 16 in all thinges giue thankes: for this is the will of God in Christ I [...] sus towardes you. So the Apostle St. Peter exhorting them, to whō he wrote, to repentance and amendement of life, telleth thē that 1. Pet. 4. 2. it is sufficient, that before they were called to the knowledge of the will of God, they had spent the time past of their life after the lustes of the Gentiles: now (saith he) as much time as remaineth for vs to liue in the flesh, we must liue not after the lustes of men, but after the will of God.
And if we would further be instructed in what workes especially it is the will and pleasure of God to haue vs employed, they are the workes of the morall and not of the ceremoniall law, Sacrifice and offering (saith the Prophet) thou vvould [...]st not haue, bu [...] Psal. 40. 7. mine eares hast thou opened: Burnt offrings and sacrifice for sin hast thou not required, then saide I, Loe I come: In the volume of thy booke it is writen of me, that I should doe thy will ô my God, I am content to do it, yea thy law is in mine hart. The which performing of the Lords will, rather then the offring of many sacrifices, being the principal part of the service of God, as it was in some measure done by David [...] principall man among the Lords servants, and a type and figure of our Saviour Christ, so it was most perfectly performed by our Saviour himselfe the accomplishment of all types and figures, as the Apostle testifieth Heb. 10. For albeit the curse and condemnation that was laide vpon him in respect of our sinnes was most heavy and grievous vnto his flesh, & caused him to pray againe & againe, Father if it be possible, let this cuppe passe from me: yet for that he knew full well, that he therefore came into the worlde to drinke most deepely of this bitter cuppe, & that by his fathers appointment and will, therfore he did most willingly submitte himselfe thereto saying, not as I will, but as thou wilt: not my will, but thin [...] b [...] Math. 26. 39. [Page 15] fulfilled therein. And so haue all the lively members of Christ from the beginning of the world patiently endured the heavy burden of the crosse being moved thervnto vpon the same reason. Whē the Lord had revealed to Samuell his most grievous iudgments that he would execute vpon the house of Ely for the most outragious sinnes of his lewde so [...]nes, howe doth old Elie prepare himselfe to patience? It is the Lorde (saith hee) that hath thus spoken: let him doe what seemeth good in his owne eies, even what hee 1. Sam. 3. 18 himselfe willeth, and what pleaseth him best, So when vvicked Abs [...]lon had conspired against his owne father David, and had forced him to flie out of Ierusalem the chiefe seate and city of his kingdome, howe is David furnished for the patient enduring of this crosse▪ If (saith he) I shall finde favour in the sight of the Lord, he 2. Sā. 15. 26 vvill b [...]ing me againe: But if he say I haue no delight in thee, let him doe what seemeth good in his owne eies. Likewise Iob the patterne of patience when all manner of losses and crosses came vpon him on an heape, what was it that moued him so patiently to endure thē all? Naked (saith he) came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked must Iob. 1. 21. I returne thither againe: the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord. By the which onsamples wee haue to learne to frame our willes to the Lordes wil, & to conforme our aff [...]ctions to his executions, and so to square out our workes by his lawe, if we will haue our workes good, and our service approved, and our selues accepted as the Lordes faithfull servants.
All men by nature in the ordering of their liues and vvorkes would willingly serue themselues, by following their owne good intentes and meaninges, and by walking after their owne eies: & the traditions of our elders and fathers, and the custo [...]e of the multitude, and the commandemēts of great and mighty men, & of such as are seated in high dignity and authority doe mightely sway and prevaile with vs. And therfore if we will not suffer our selues to be m [...]sledde in this matter of the greatest moment of all other, it behoveth vs to harken most carefully to the counsel of the wise man: Let thine eies (saith he) behould the right, and let thine eie liddes direct the way before Thee: ponder the path of thy feete, and let Prov. 4. 25. all thy waies be ordered aright. Turne not to the right hand nor to the left, but r [...]fraine thy feete from evill: That is, in these so weighty matters [Page 16] that concerne the glory of God, and the salvation of thine owne soule, trust not other mens eies, nor follow thou other mens ensamples, but looke thou thy selfe to thine own steps: and be thou assured that thou walke in all those waies which the Lorde thy God hath commanded thee to walke in, and see that thou turne Deut. 5. 29. not either to the right hand or to the left, or walke one step out of these waies. All of vs with our great grandfather Adam, since he turned out of the right way of Gods commandements, haue wandered and gone astray in crooked pathes and daungerous waies, and doe still runne on hastely and speedily therein, vntill the Lord of his great mercy doth open our eies, and giveth vs wise and vnderstanding harts to behold and to forsake our owne errours, and to returne into the waies of his commaundementes. The path of the iust is straight, for that the Lord doth direct his steps? by taking from his eies the veile of folly and by giving him wisedome to walke warely and to forsake his own blind and perverse waies, and to walke in the waies of vnderstanding & wisedome. According vnto the most holesome counsell of the Apostle Saint Paule given to the Ephesians: Take heede (saith he) that Eph. 5. 15. yee walke circumspectly, not as vnwise, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the daies are evill. We are altogither so corrupt and evil, & so is the whole world besides, and wee are yet so puffed vp with selfeloue, and so blinded with our prowd follies, that we mistake the broad way that leadeth to death, to be the straight way that leadeth to life, and we are growne so stiffe also in our owne most foolish conceipts, that we will not willingly take any advise and counsell to the contrary, or suffer our selues to be broken of our own wils. Therefore we haue great neede to be still remembred by the Apostle to take heede that we walke circumspectly, not as vnwise, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the da [...]es are evill. And againe, bee not v [...]wise (to follow still your own foolish braines; but be ye carefull) to vnderstand vvhat the will of the Lord is. And verely Verse. 17. the Lords waies must be our waies, and his will must bee our set pricke to aime at in all our workes, if that we haue a desire to hit the marke, and obtaine the best game. And therfore that this will of God might only be respected of vs, and might most effectually worke in vs, it hath pleased the spirit of God in the holy [Page 17] scripture given by divine inspiration to haue set downe fowre principall motiues for the better effecting thereof: whereof two concerne the matter it selfe, and two the author of this will. For Gods wil is onely to direct vs in al our workes, 1 first because it is holy, iust, and perfect: 2 secondly for that it is onely acceptable vnto God: 3 thirdly because it is the wil of him, that onely hath soveraigne auctority and power to rule over our consciences and soules: 4 fourthly and lastly for that it is his wil vnto whō wee owe our selues, and al that we enioy, as having received all from him, and vnto whom our whole service is dubble due in respect of his infinite and vnspeakeable blessings, most frankely and freely, and yet most largely and bountifully bestowed vpon vs.
1 The will of God is to be respected of vs in doing good workes, for that it is holy good & perfect. Rom. 12. 1. If then we wil bee assured to haue our workes good, wee must haue our eies bent vpon the will of God, & that must most carefully be respected of vs: yea the holy, good, and perfect wil of God must be the motiue and inducemēt vnto vs for the most willing and ready performing of the same. The Apostle St. Paule hauing sette downe in the former part of his Epistle to the Romans the principles and groundes of our Christian faith, being in the latter part thereof to deliver the doctrine of good workes, beginneth that matter after this manner. I beseech you (saith he) by the mercifulnes of God, that you giue vp your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, & acceptable vnto God, which is your reasonable serving of God. And fashion not your selues like vnto this world, but be yee changed by the renewing of your minde, that ye may prooue what is the good will of God, acceptable and perfect. In which wordes we may obserue these two pointes: first, in what things the service of God consisteth, not in the sacrificeing vp of vnreasonable beasts but in offring vp of our selues: (for that is our reasonable serving of God:) secondly, who ought to be our directers and guides in performing our service due vnto God, not the customes or fashions of this world, nor the intents and divices of our owne harts, but the good will of God, acceptable, and perfect. Wherby we are to learne, that if we wil be the approoved servāts of God, and haue our service allowed of him, we must haue an intentiue eie to the Lords will, & make it the rule of all our works: yea if wee will be citizens with the saintes, and of the housholde of God, and fellow servants with the Angels themselues, then as [Page 18] they stand prest & ready alwaies before God to attend his pleasure, and to performe his will, so must wee also walke continually before God as in his eies & in his presence, presenting our selues vnto him in our dayly praiers, and still labouring by all meanes possible that his will may be done here by vs on earth, as it is in heaven Mat. 6. 10. by his holy Angels. When that kind of serving of God by the sacrificing of beasts was most in force, Samuel said vnto Saule who had transgressed the flat commandement and wil of God to offer, as he pretended, sacrifice to God: Is God so well pleased with sacrifice as when the voice of the Lord is obeied? Beholde to obey is better 1. Sam. 15. 22. then sacrifice, and to harken is better then the fat of Rammes. It is the highest degree of wisedome and goodnes, of himselfe to be able to conceiue that which is good: and the second degree is of such as knowing their own wants betake themselues to be wholy guided and ruled by those in whom dwelleth wisedome in al aboū dance. Now perfect wisedome and goodnes dwelleth only in God, his will is most holy, iust, and perfect, yea it is the most perfect rule of all holines and of all iustice. Neither doth God will and commande things so much, for that they are iust, lawful, and good: but rather those things are therefore iust, lawful, & good, for that they are willed and commanded of God. When vpō occasion of this holy and comfortable doctrine of the gospell (that the sinnes of the faithfull doe the more evidently set forth the mercy of God in Christ, in that he is of himselfe so good and so good vnto such, which Rom. 3. 5. are so and so vnworthy in themselues) obiection was made: If our vnrighteousnes setteth forth the glory of Gods goodnes, then the Lord may seeme to be vniust in punishing sinne, for that his glory is thereby the more furthered: the Apostle answereth by an exclamation or rather by a detestation saying, God forbid: else how should God iudge the world? Seeing he is not a iudge after the manner of mortal men, who being advanced to high estate do many times corruptly abuse their high authority; but it is not so with God. For his being iudge of the world is not by birth, or electiō, or suite, or purchase, but by nature. For in that he is God & creator of all, hee is iudge of all: and his most vpright and vncorrupt will is the soveraigne rule of all righteousnes: and it his is the extraordinary prerogatiue of this his most righteous will, that hee [Page 19] cannot possibly wil or cōmand any thing that is vniust. So that if he cōmand the Israelites to borrow of the Aegyptians Iewels of silver Exod. 3. 23. & Iewels of gold, & so to rob the Aegyptians, they may boldly do the same, and keepe those Iewels to their owne vses as his lawful gifts, & as the pledges of his fatherly loue. If God cōmād Levy to Exod. 32. 27 consecrate his hands in blood, if he know not father, nor mother, brother, nor friend, but execute the Lords vēgeance without respect of persons, he shall receiue a blessing for the same. So likewise if Abraham be commanded of God to kill holy & innocent Isaak Gen. 22. 16 his deare and only sonne, from whom was to proceed that holy seed in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed: if hee but intende in all humble obedience to the will and commaundement of GOD to performe the same, GOD will so [...]pproue and like of him for it, that hee will in recompence thereof even vow and sweare his everlasting blessednes. Nay if the most holie but secret counsell of God, wherin he hath chosen some to eternall life before they were borne, yea before the foundatiō of the world was laid, and refused other, be called in question and condemned also by the corrupt reason of mā, yet this is a sufficient iustification thereof vttered by the Lordes owne mouth: I Exod. 33. 19 Voluntas beneplacit [...] Mat. 11. 26. will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy, and I will haue compassion, on whom I wil haue compassion. Whervnto our Saviour also subscribeth saying; even so O father; for so was it thy good pleasure. And the same plea is made likewise by the Apostle in the same case: he will haue Rom. 9. 18. mercy on whom he will haue mercy, and whom he will he harde [...]eth.
But this secret wil of God is mainly improued by the Church Not only the secret but also the revealed will of God is blasphemously defaced by the church of Rome. voluntas signi. of Rome, yea and flatly condemned of cruelty and tyranny. Neither hath shee any better regard of the revealed will of God set downe in the sacred bookes of the canonicall scripture. For shee hath presumed to plucke downe out of the seate of highest iudgment the booke of God, in that tongue wherin it was penned by the speciall direction of Gods vn-erring spirite, & hath set vp in the place thereof a translation made without any speciall or extraordinary revelatiō, vnder the pretence of more & greater corruptions crept into the one, thē into the other. As if the Lord had not had [...]he same care to preserue the truth in the bookes penned by his owne publike registers and notaries, as in the translation of such an one, whose greatest praise cānot be but this, to be their [Page 20] faithful disciple and scholler. And as if the Lord had not had the same regard to keepe vnpoll [...]ted his owne divine and heauenly doctrine in the most pure fountaines and springs, as in the impure streames and rivers. And yet how doth shee also esteeme of the wil of God set downe by the pen of her translator? Do not some of her deare children compare it to a nose of waxe and to a shipmans hose, which may be turned and wrested every way, and sit falshood as wel as truth? And doth shee not charge it to bee shadowed with such obscu [...]ities, & ambiguities, that the truth thereby cannot be cleared without the light of an Interpreter, and the right faith cannot be found out wi [...]hout the helpe of the Pope & his councels? Now is this to honour the Lordes will, and to reverence it as holy, pure, and perfect? Were that to be esteemed an holy, pure, and perfect will and testament of an earthly father, which is involved with such obscurities and ambiguities, that the children cannot vnderstād the legacy that is therin bequeathed vnto them, nor yet the duety that is required at their handes, but that they must still fall at variance and ods among themselues, & be ready still to go to law one with another, or at the least be driven continually to seeke to the lawyers for the opening and explaning of their manifold doubts? May not such a will be said to be at the least very vnadvisedly penned, and if it were done of set purpose, very wickedly also? Now the will and testament of our heauenly father was of set purpose pēned by the spirit of god after that very manner as it is set downe in the bookes of the old and new testament: and therefore in that the Church of Rome doth charge these bookes with such obscurities and ambiguities, that the children of God cannot vnderstand that heavenly legacie that is bequeathed vnto them therein, nor yet that duty that is required at their handes, but that they must needes be at variance and fall out about [...]he [...]ne continually, vnlesse they resorte continually vnto the decision of the Pope, and to the determination of his approved coun [...]els for the dissolving of all their doubts and for the clearing of all their controversies: what else doth shee herein but most impiously charge the most holy, pure, and perfect wil and testament of our heavenly father not only to haue bin very vnadvisedly, but also to haue bin most wickedly? [Page 21] penned? But let God be true, and al men liars, as it is written: that thou mightest be iustified in thy words, & overcome whē thou art iudged. And Rom. 3. 4. let all the most glorious works of the children of pride be vtterly condemned, for that they doe them not in most humble obedience to the most holy, pure, and perfect will of God: or that which is farre more heinous and impious, for that they are not ashamed in their bookes published in the eies of all men thus to defame and slander that most holy, pure, and perfect will of the most holy, pure, and perfect God.
2 The will of God is to bee respected in doing our workes for that it is acceptable & wellpleasing to god. Coll. 3. 20. 1. Tim. 2. 3. Eph. 5. 10. Heb. 13. 16. The second reason, why we should haue such a respectiue regard to the wil of God in doing our works, is for that what is conformable to his will, cannot be but well-pleasing and acceptable to himselfe. Children (saith the Apostle) obey your parents in all thinges: for that is well-pleasing vnto the Lord. So to Timothy: I exhort therfore that first of all praiers, supplications, intercessions and giving of thāks be made for all men, for kings, and for such as be in authority, that vvee may lead a quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty: for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. So likewise to the Ephesians: Yee were once darknes, but nowe yee are light in the Lord, walke as children of the light, approving that which is wellpleasing vnto the Lord. So also the Apostle to the Hebrewes: To do good, & to distribute forget not, for with such sacrifices God is wellpleased. Now that which God willeth, that no doubt he liketh, and that which he himselfe commaundeth is assuredly wellpleasing and acceptable in his owne eies. For if it bee a pleasure to a wise man when his counsell is obeyed, and a griefe and corrasive when it is despised, & esteemed vaine, and nothing worth: so it cannot be but wellpleasing vnto him, in whom are hid al the treasures of wisdome & knowledge, when his counsels are obeied, and he cannot be but highly offē ded, when they are trodden vnder foote and lightly regarded. When blind, blockish and sottish men shall so lightly esteeme of the wisdome of God which hee hath made manifest in his owne ordināces, that they shal imagine that they themselues cā invent a better, or at the least as good a manner of serving of God as hee himselfe hath ordained in his own word, what can be more odious and abominable before God? As on the contrary side when men ascribe that perfection of wisdome to the will and commande [...]ents [Page 22] of God, as that they fully perswade themselues that in them are contained his whole and entire worship and service, & therefore do busie themselues most carefully about the fulfilling of the same, this their respect and obedience to the law of God cannot be but a most acceptable sacrifice vnto God. For as wee can no better please the prince, thē by being careful to obey the Placita principum. princes pleasure: so we cannot better please God, nor testifie our loue better vnto him, then by our carefull keeping of his commandements. If yee loue me (saith our Saviour Christ) keepe my cō mandements. Ioh 14 15. and 21. Our loue to God is best shewed in our obedience to his wi [...]l expressed in his owne commandementes. And againe: he that hath my commandements & keepeth them, [...]he same is he that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my father, and I will loue him, and shew my selfe vnto him. And againe if any man loue me, he will keepe my word, and my father will loue him, and we will come vnto him and dwell with him: he that loveth me not, keepeth not my worde. By the which so often repetition of one & the selfesame thing, so easily to be conceaved and to be born away at the first, our Sauior Christ would haue it throughly setled in our harts, that we cannot possibly do any thing that can please him better, thē when we yeeld him that service which he himselfe hath cō maunded. Now every true and faithfull servant of God woulde most willingly doe vnto God that service which is most acceptable vnto him: and therefore hee ought most readilie to addresse himselfe to the carefull performance of all duties as are prescribed in the commandements of God. Subiects & servants ought to performe their civill duties to their magistrats and masters by yeelding obedience to their lawfull commandemēts: but yet being so done, they are to be esteemed but civil duties. But if they wil haue them to be religious duties also, thē they must performe them in obedience not so much vnto men as vnto God, for that hee hath most straightly enioyned them to bee subiecte to those whom he hath placed over them. Servants (saith the Apostle) be Coll. 3. 22. obedient vnto them vvhich are your masters according to the flesh in all thinges, not with eie service, as men pleasers, but with singlenes of heart, fearing God: and whatsoever yee doe, doe it hartelie as to the Lord, & not vnto men, knowing that of the Lord yee shall receiue the inheritance: for yee serue the Lord Christ. By which words wee may learne, that servants yeelding their obedience to their bodely masters at the [Page 23] commandement of Christ, doe therein serue Christ: and therfore howsoever they are heere oftentimes very slenderly rewarded by their bodely masters, they shal be sure to bee well rewarded elsewhere by their master Christ. Verely it ought to bee a sufficient motiue vnto vs to be exercised in the commandementes of God, for that it is the holy and acceptable will of God that we should so doe: and yet behould his great and endlesse goodnes, who applieth himselfe to our frailety and weakenes, not onely by promising vnto vs all manner of blessings both spirituall and temporall thereby to allure vs also to the ready performance of that dutie, which shall be so liberally rewarded both in this life and in the The faithfull in some sort may respect both promises & threatninges, rewardes and punishmēts the better to stirre them vp to doe their duties: and all many times little ynough; but yet to doe the wil of their heavenly father and to please him, is the most principall motiue to stir them vp to the ready performance of all good workes. life to come: but also by threatning vs with all plagues & punishments, that so he might force and compel vs to that, the omission and neglect whereof shall in the end be revenged with so great severity. Wherein the Lord dealeth with vs as a wise and carefull father dealeth with his deare childe: who while hee is young and wanterh discretion, sometimes vseth the terror yea the sharpe blowe of the rodde, and sometimes a figge and an apple and the promise of a gay coate, the better thereby to nurture him and to traine him vp: but when he beginneth to be of yeeres & discretion, then he seeketh to make manifest vnto him his fatherly care and kindnes towardes him, therby to possesse him with the loue of his dutie: the which thing when it is once wel perceiued of the kinde and naturall childe, then he thinketh that he can never be careful inough by al meanes to please so careful & kind a father, he is greatly grieved with himselfe if any waie he offend him, hee is very much ashamed of his former child shnes, in that hee was re [...]dier to hee nurtured with a rodde and an apple, then with the due consideration of his fathers loue: So dealeth with vs the father of our spirites, sometimes assaying to winne vs with his promises, and sometimes to terrifie vs with his threates: but when we are come to that discretiō that we are able somewhat to discerne that dignity of our high calling in Christ, & the great honour of our heavenly and caelestial adoption, thē nothing doth prevaile so much with vs, as the due consideration and admiration of the Lords great & endlesse mercies, which he hath already made manifest vntovs. Then we begin to bee ashamed of our too▪ much [Page 24] childishnes, that we should still stand in neede either to bee as it were stil flattered or chidde, and would most willingly perswade our selues; that onely to please so loving and gracious a father ought to be a sufficient motiue of it selfe to induce vs to the careful performance of al duties.
And verely the kind and louing child of God, in doing those workes which are required at his handes, seeketh not so much to please men, or to profite himselfe, as he intendeth to serue and please God by being obedient to his wil: and he respecteth al other thinges no otherwise, then it standeth with the good likeing and wil of God, that he should respect and regard the same: Hee loueth God principally for Gods sake, & not for his own or anie others, to gaine any thing thereby to himselfe or to any other. The cause (saith an auncient father) of louing God is God, & the measure Bern. lib. de diligendo deo. of louing him is without measure: God verelie (saith he) is not loued without reward, albeit he be to be loued without respect to the reward. For he loveth God lesse then hee should, that loueth any thing besides GOD. Wherefore if in doing good workes we principally respect praise & commendation among men, and to be honoured & magnified of the multitude for the same, or if wee principally regarde either the procuring of the Lordes temporall blessings heere in this life, or the purchasing of eternal glory in the life to come, then wee serue our selues and not the Lord, and loue our selues and not the Lord. And is he not to be accounted a slaue that is forced to his duty for feare of the whippe, & an hireling that is drawen thereto in respect of his hire? Verely the sincere servant of Christ embraceth godlines for it selfe, and honoureth God for his owne sake. If thou be a slaue (saith Nazianzene) feare the whippe, and if thou bee an Nazianz. de sanct. baptism. hireling expect thine hire: but if also aboue these thou art a sonne, reverence God as thy Father: doe well for that it is an excellent thing to be obedient to thy father: and albeit there were no other thing to bee attained hereafter, yet this very thing will be a sufficient reward, to haue done that which is well pleasing to thy father. I haue applied my minde (saith David) to keepe thy commandements even to the end. Some thinke (saith Isidore Clarius) the vvord that signifieth [to the ende], to signifie, for the reward: Psal. 119. But (saith he) it is to servile a thing and not worthy such a prophet to giue dilligence to Gods commandements for the reward and for the hope [Page 25] of retribution, seeing for this one thing that we [...]e created by him wee, can never sati [...]fie this debt: yea (saith he) we are bound to serue him vvith our whole minde, though hee had decreed to cast vs dovv [...]e into hell fire, both for that we owe him, & for that our whole life is still sustained by him. What? must we not forsake father and mother & al other earthly comfortes whatsoever, if that they hinder vs from following Christ? Must we not sacrifice vp to God our deere & only child, if he commaund vs: and not onely so, but also wish our selues rather to be accursed, then God any waies should be dishonoured? Surely we ought to loue▪ God aboue all, and therefore aboue our selues: and wee ought to preferre our peace with God before our peace with the world, and the smallest measure of grace & godlines, before the greatest store of all earthly treasures. For otherwise when these things begin to be taken from vs, our zeale to Gods service will soone bee cooled, as it is sette forth vnto vs in the parable of the sower. For by the stony and thorny groundes such being represented vnto vs that haue but a temporary faith, who albeit they reioice truely and vnfainedly in the Lord, & goe on cheerefully in his service for a while, yet for that they doe not in sincerity embrace the word of God, nor loue the Lord for the Lords sake, but are moued especially vpō carnal respects to make profession of the faith of Christ: therfore they continue not stedfast in their profession, but being a little assaulted, are soone vanquished. Wheras the sound and sincere servants of Chr [...]st being represented vnto vs by the good ground, for that in al sinceritie they embrace the word of God, and loue the Lord for the Lords sake, they stil finding that in the Lord & in his word, wh [...]ch doth moue them more and more to cleave therevnto, therefore are constant in their holy profession, and can never be cleane removed from the service of God. For these persons, for that with full purpose of hart they cleaue to the Lord, and in all sincerity serue him, therefore his favou [...] doth cleaue fast vnto them, and his constant loue and goodnes doth alwaies assist them & preserve thē in his feare. Wheras on the cōtrary side, al such as in their workes pretending the Lords service, doe indeede seeke their owne and not the Lords, in the end loose all their owne and themselues also, and are most iustly deprived at the last of their pretēded shew [Page 26] of the Lords service. And so our Saviour Christ told the hypocritical Matth. 6. 1. Pharisies, who seemed to be very rich in al good workes, that because their praiers and almes deedes were done to please mē, and to wine fame and glory to themselues, and not to the Lord, therefore they were to looke for no reward at the Lords handes. As St. Paule doth testifie also to the whole nation of the Iewes, that because they did performe the workes of the whole lawe, rather to Rom 10. 3. iustifie themselues thereby, then to test [...]fie their obedience to the good will and pleasure of God, therfore both themselues and also their workes were reiected of God. Wherefore the Apostle to the Hebrewes in the conclusion of his Epistle could not wish a greater blessing vnto them then this, that the God of peace, which brought againe frō Heb. 13. 21. the de [...]d our Lord Iesus Christ the great sheepheard of the sheepe by the blood of the everlasting testament, shoulde make them perfect in all good workes to doe his will, working in them that which was pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ. wherby we may learne, that the perfection of al good workes is the respect had to the wil and pleasure of God in doing the same. Wherfore if we wil be fully assured that our workes are good and allowed of God, we must not therein serue our selues, and seeke our owne, by entending either our estimation before men, or our iustification before God: but in them wee must seeke those things which are Christes, intending, if not only yet principally at the least, to serue & please him, & to testifie our obediēce to his wil. What then may we iudge of al the most glorious works of the children of the Romish synagogue, which are The children of the church of Rome doe their works principally to serue themselues and to procure their own good, and therefore they are no part of Gods [...]r [...]ice. done principally to iustifie themselues before God, to make satisfaction for their owne sins, to merite for themselues the Kingdome of heaven, and to releiue the soules of their deare freindes being most miserably tormented in purgatory fire? The which merite of their workes is in so great an account with them, & such a principall motiue to al holy actions, that because we deny the same, & ascribe our whole iustification first and last onely to the merite of Christs death, and to the dignity of his passion: therefore they charge vs to deny good workes, or at the least greatly to diminish the care and studie of doing good workes. Yea some of thē haue not beene ashamed to avouch, that if we be not iustified by our good works, it were as good to play for naught as to worke for naught. [Page 27] As if to doe good workes, to testifie our obedience to the good will of GOD, and to serue and please him were a thing of nought. VVherefore it cannot otherwise bee, but that all their good workes, howe glorious in shewe soever they bee, should bee disallowed of God and vtterly reiected as things of nought.
3 The will of God is to be respected of vs in all our workes, for that he is our only spirituall Lord who hath authority to rule over our soules. Exod. 20. 2. Eze. 20. 19. The third reason why in the performing of all good workes we ought to haue a speciall respect to the will of God is, for that hee is our only Lord that hath authority to rule over our consciences, and vnto whose supreame and soveraigne will wee owe all humble and dutifull obedience. This is one of the reasons that is alleadged by God himselfe at the promulgation of his owne lawe to procure obedience to his commandements. I am the Lorde thy God, &c. thou shalt haue none other Gods before me. So likewise when he would haue reclaimed his people from those superstitions & Idolatries wherinto they were fallen by following the customes and orders of their forefathers, he proposeth vnto them the selfe same argument. Yee shall not walke in the ordinaunces of your fathers, nor obserue their manners, nor defile your selues with their Idols: I am the Lorde your God, walke in my statutes, and keepe my iudgementes, and doe them, and sanctifie my Sabbethes, and they shall bee a signe betweene me and you, that yee may knowe that I am the Lorde your God. The cause of their falling away from God was the falling away frō his lawes, and the embracing of the decrees and customes of their forefathers: and the meanes of their recovery is the acknowledging of the Lordes supreme and soveraigne authority over them, and their humble submission vnto his statutes and lawes. And therefore in the prophecie of Ieremie the Lorde himselfe doeth most v [...]hemently cry out vnto this backesliding generation: O yee disobedient children turne againe (saith the Lorde) for I am your Ierem. 3. 14 Lord. And verily if it seeme vnto every man iust and reasonable that the eies of servantes shoulde looke to the hands of their masters, Psal. 123. 2. and the eies of maydens to the handes of their mistrestes, then much more reason is it, that our eies shoulde waite and attende vpon the LORDE our GOD, if that vvee vvill bee accepted of him as his faithfull servauntes. The Centurions goe Mat. 8. 9. in the Gospell vvas enough to his souldiours, and his doe this [Page 28] was sufficient vnto his servantes: and shall not the orders and iniunctions of the Lord of Lords and commander of al comm [...]unders make vs prest and willing to yeeld to him al humble & ready obedience? Especially whereas he is our only Lord and lawmaker, who hath authority not only to impose lawes vpon our consciences, but also to revenge all contempt and disobedience even with everlasting perdition both of body and soule. There is Iac. 4. 12. Eph. 4. 5. one lawgiver (saith S. Iames) who is able to saue and to destroy. There is one God (saith the Apostle) and one Lord. All other Lord, here among men haue no lawfull authority but from him: for they are but his Lieuetenants and deputies, and therefore must not goe beyond their commission in making statuces and imposing lawes no not vpon their owne subiects. Concerning the safety & prosperous estate of themselues and of their earthly kingdomes, and concerning the welfare of their owne subiects that are cōmitted to their fidelity and trust, they haue sufficient authority in wisedome, equity, and iustice to make holesome lawes: but as cōcerning the worship and service of God, they haue none authoritie to make any new lawes of their owne, but to provide that the Lords lawes alone be duely put in execution. The which thing if they religiously perfourme, then they are to bee obeyed in the Lord, and that not only for feare, but also for conscience: otherwise if they goe beyond their commission, their subiects owe thē patience, but not obedience. For as they themselues wil not tolerate or indure any such presumptiō in any of their own subiects, if they take vpon them to make lawes to overrule them & their kingdomes (for that were to suffer the scepter to be wrested out of their owne hands, and the crowne to be taken from their own heads): so they themselues must not presume to make lawes for the ordering of the church of God, & for the administring of his spirituall kingdome, but religiously to provide that the Lordes lawes only be carefully observed and kept. And therefore at the day of the kings coronation the booke of the law was delivered into his hand, to put him in minde that thereby he ought to rule both himselfe and all his subiectes in all matters concerning the service of God. So likewise the ecclesiasticall officers & governours even they that are the chiefe builders of the Lords spirituall [Page 29] temple, must lay no other stones in that building, but such as are digged out of the Lordes owne quarries: That is, they must teach no other points of faith, and precepts of life, then such as they haue received frō him, who only hath authority to appoint and ordaine what we ought to beleeue, and how to liue: otherwise if they teach any thinge▪ of their owne, wee ought to giue no eare nor credite vnto them. The Scribes and Pharisies (saith our Mat. 23. 2. Saviour Christ) sit in Moses chaire: whatsoever therefore they say vnto you, that doe yee. For in sitting in Moses chaire they teach the law delivered by Moses, and so God himselfe teacheth by them, vnto whom we owe all ready obedience. But if they doe mingle therewith their owne leaven, that is, their owne doctrines and inventions, Mat. 16. 6. we must avoide and shun the same as a most daungerous & deadly poyson.
The truth is that in matters of ceremony the church governours haue authority to ordaine such thinges, as belong to edification, comelines, and order: and yet therin also they are to take heede, that they do not clogge the Lordes people with such burdens as the Lord would not haue to be laid vpon them, and also that matters of ceremony and circūstance be not so vehemently pressed and vrged, as if they were matters of substance. When king David not without the approbation of Nathan the prophet had purposed to builde a sumptuous temple for the arke of the Lords covenant, for the fitter assembling of the people, and for the more convenient performing of all such things as did belong to the service of God, (albeit also it was a matter of circumstance and not of substance, & therfore left in the hands of such as were in authority) yet for that it was new and strange, and not precisely and particularly commanded by the Lords owne mouth, beholde howe the Lorde seemeth at the first to take exception against this so relligious and godly a purpose of his owne most choice and beloued servant: In all the places (saith the Lord) wherin I walked with the childrē of Israell, spake I one word to any of the tribes of Israell, when I commanded the Iudges to feede my people Israell, or said 2. Sam. 7. 7. I, why build ye me not an house of Cedar trees? Yea when those very sacrifices, & offerings, Sabbothes, new moones, & solemne feastes, with other the like exercises belonging to the service of God, [Page 30] which were also precisely command [...]d by the Lordes owne expresse word, were performed by priest and people but not after that manner as they were ordeined by God, how doth hee reiect them al & cast them of, saying, what haue I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices? when yee come to appeare before meo, who bath required Isa 1. 11. these things at your handes? No marvaile then that the Lord doth with so great detestation reiect al those kinde of services, which the people had sucked either out of their owne b [...]ainsicke heads, or had receiued by tradition from their forefathers, saying: They haue done that which I commanded them not, neither ever entred into Ier. 7. 31. my hart. So Isay. 29. Because this people commeth neare vnto mee vvith their mouth, and honoureth me with their lippes, but haue remooued their hart farre from me, and their feare towardes mee was taught by the precepts of men: therfore behould againe I will doe a marvelous worke in this people, even am trvelous worke and a wonder: for the wisedome of the wise shall perish, and the vnderstanding of the prudent shall be hidde. Behould how dangerous a matter it is in those thinges which concerne the service of God to maime or to mingle any thing with the pure & perfect word of God, to harken but in parte to the preceptes of men, and not to resigne our selues wholy to the Lord to be guided & ruled only by his lawes? For this people being in outward shew and profession the onely people of God in performing the service of God did observe those things which God himselfe had cōmanded, yet because they did ascribe somewhat to their owne wisedome, and did thinke that they could adde something takē out of their owne braines, or delivered to them by tradition from their fathers, as matters profitable to the serv [...]ce of God, their wisdome was condemned for folly, and their honouring of God for the dishonouring of his holy name, and for the corrupting of his service. And verely is it not extreme folly and madnes to take vpon vs to be wiser thē God, & vnder any pretence whatsoever to presume against so special and peremptory a decree of the supreme iudge of the whole earth set downe in direct termes with his owne penne? That which I commaund thee, thou shalt doe that only: thou shalt not add ought therto, nor take ought therfrom. And againe. Deut. 4. 5. 6 Take beed that you doe that which the Lord your Goa hath commaunded you: yee shall not turne to the right hand nor to: he left: you shall doe that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord, & not that which is good [Page 31] in your owne eies. For who hath knowen the mind of the Lord? or who hath beene his counsellour? Verely St. Paule had many and great revelations, Rom. 11. 54 and was rapt vp into Paradise even into the third heaven, and heard such words as cannot be vttered, yet he acknowledged that it did not belong vnto him to beare rule over the faith of the people of God: Nay he denounceth a double curse against himselfe, 2. Cor. 1. 24. Gal. 1. 8. and against any Angel whōsoever, if that he presume to deliver any other Gospell or point of faith, then was receiued from God himselfe. For we are all whatsoever we be but fellow schollers in the schoole of Christ, he is our onely teacher & scholemaster, and his doctrine onely is sound and catholike. Wee are but fellow servants vnder one Lord, he onely hath authority to rule and raigne over our soules, and his commandements must beare the whole sway. In the earthly kingdome there is Iewe & Gentile, In the kingdomes of this world there is a difference betweene prince and people, master & servant: but in the kingdome of Christ all are servāts alike vnder one master. 1 Cor 2. 24. Heb 1. 14. bond and free, Lord and servant, prince & subiect: but in the spiritual kingdome of Christ all are one, of the same estate, condition, and calling: they are al alike the Lordes free-men, and they are al the servants and subiectes of Christ. For what is Paule? or what is Apollos? but Ministers by whom ye haue beleeved. And what are the most glorious Angels themselues? Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes that shall bee heires of salvation? And what honourable title haue the highest in the church of Christ taken vnto themselues to sette forth their owne dignity & honour? Iames a servant of God & of the Lord Iesus Christ. Simon Peter a servant and an Apostle of Iesus Christ. Paule a servant of God & an Apostle of Iesus Christ. And what honorable title haue the highest in the earthly kingdome, as they did belong to the spiritual kingdome of Christ, taken vnto them selues to the setting forth of their dignity and honour? Behould (saith David a great king) I am thy servant I am thy servant, and the sonne of thine handmaide. And what honourable title haue the Angels in heaven taken vnto th [...]selues to the setting forth of their dignity and honour? I am thy fellow servant (saith the Angel to St. Iohn) and one of thy brethren, which haue the testimony of Iesus: worshippe God. Yea the most blessed virgin Mary the mother of the Lord, who is called by the children of the church of Rome, their Lady, and Queene of hoaven, as if shee were a mee [...]e, mate and peere to our Lord, acknowledgeth this to be her greatest [Page 32] honour, that God had respect vnto the lowe estate of his hādmaide.
Al then in the spiritual kingdome of Christ are fellow servāts, which are not to make lawes in matters concerning the service of God, but to proclaime the lawes of their onely Lord, and to propose them vnto their fellow servants to be religiously observed by them al. The which if we could so throughly dispatch, that we should stand as it were idle for lacke of worke, then wee might harken for a new master, and goe as it were about the country to seeke more work. Or if we could performe so much of his worke, as were answerable to that allowance and wages wee receiue frō him, thē we might seeke for some other worke also for the mending of our wages, and for the bettering of our maintenance. Or if we could haue better wages, allowance and and maintenance at anothers hand, then we might cast of the Lordes livery, & betake our selues to a more profitable service. But wee can never so perfectly performe our duty to God, but that in many things we shal faile all: neither will our labour, be it never so great, be ever answerable vnto our wages: neither is it possible for any of v [...] to finde so good a master as the Lord is: and therfore it is good keeping of vs in his service and continuing in his feare, that his favour may be our countenance & credite, and his livery our protection and safety: it is good for vs in al our workes to haue his commandements before our eies, & to sette before vs his soveraigne authority, that so in all thinges we seruing him, may be acknowledged of him as his faithfull servants. But vnto the children of the church of Rome the auctority of this our onely Lord is no [...] so great that he should rule over their consciences by his own laws alone: vnlesse there be ioined therto the decrees of their church, the constitutions of their popes, the Canon of their councels, and the rules of the founders of their religious orders. Yea their popes power is so great with them, that he can dispence with the law of our only Lord, and free from obedience to his commandements. He can alter the substantial points of the Lords service & maime and mangle the institution of Christ: wheras none of his owne Concil. Trident. Scss. 7. c. 13. patches and ragges must in any case bee neglected and omitted without the dāger of their blacke curse. Yea the perfect fulfilling [Page 33] of the whole law of God is so light and easie to these men, that they shoulde stand as it were idle and vnimployed, if no greater matter were requi [...]ed at their hands: & therefore the founders of their religious orders haue found out many workes of greater holines and perfection, which were not commanded, but onely counselled by God, and left to be ordained by their special care. For that belike they were to bee more careful and zealous then God himself [...], for those things that did most principally cōcerne his owne honour.
For the better clearing of the which matter, let vs briefly examine these two points. First wh [...]ther it be likely that God would barely advi [...]e, and not peremptorely commande all such dueties as did most p [...]incipally concerne his owne honour. Secondly whether thos [...] workes, which are enioined by the founders of the religious orders of the church of Rome, be of greater dignity & perfection, then those which are required in the law of God. Now concerning the first of these pointes let vs consider, [...]hat if in any There is nothing essentiallie belonging to the service of god which is barely coūselled, and not precisely commā ded by god himselfe. army noth [...]ng bee done without speciall charge and commission from the generall, without whose appointment to attempt any thing, how needfull soever it bee, and what prosperous successe soever it hath, yet it is punishable by marshiall discipline: and if in the government of the familie of a wise master among men, who is able and at leasure to manage his own affaires, there is nothing done without the commandement of the master of the family, who only hath authority to commande in his owne house: or if any thing be done without his commandement, yet al matters of the greatest moment and importance are straitely & precisely commanded by him, and not lest to the voluntary choice and good liking of the servants themselues: how then may it be credible and to be beleeved, that the Lord of hosts the most sufficient and provident generall of the greatest army, and the wisest master of the most noble family, woulde more straitly commande the carefull performance of meane matters, then of such as are of greater moment and weight: yea that he would no [...] cō m [...]nde them at all to any of his souldiers and servants but onely giue advise and counsell therin, otherwise leaving them to their owne choice? Verily our Saviour Christ telleth the hypocriticall [Page 34] Pharisies, that were so strict in tything of minte cummin and annise Mat. 23. 23. seede, and were so loose in the greater pointes of the law, mercy, iudgement, and truth, that howsoever they ought not to neglect the due performance of the least duety that God had commaunded, yet they ought to haue employed their greatest care aboute the fulfilling of the greatest duty, for that that was more exactly required by God. Now if the Lord hath most principally required the more carefull performance of the more principall duties, that are commanded in his own law, and hath appointed a greater punishment for the neglect and contempt of the same: shall we imagine that he hath left altogether vnexacted greater duties, then are enacted in his owne lawe? Either is it credible that God himselfe by the ministery of Moses his greatest servāt would enact lawes and statutes of meaner importance, yea that he himselfe would come as it were in his owne person to proclaime thēby the voice of an Angell with thundringes and lightnings, terrors, & Exod. 20 18 feare, maiesty and glory to procure the more reverence and obedience to the same, and to leave those of the greatest moment to be ordeined by Francis, Dominike, and Layola without any such or the like solemnity? Or was it true only at the first delivery of the law, that there was no nation so great that had lawes so righteous as was Deut. 4. 8. all that law that was then delivered to the people of Israell, and written into two tables by the Lords owne finger? & must there needes now be exception taken aginst the same in the rules of al the relligious orders of the church of Rome, which commaunde workes of greater holines and dignity, and such as tende to a steppe of Mat. 23. 37. higher perfection? What hath not God commanded vs in his lawe to loue him with all our hart, soule, and strength, and our neighbour as our selues, and to vse all meanes ordained by him to the stirring vp of our selues to the performance of his loue? And was not it a flatte commandement of God, before the name of any Frier was heard of, given to all the servants of God without exception? That they should Psal. 1. 2. Coll. 3 16. 1. Thes. 5. 16 so meditate on the lawe of God day and night, that it might dwell in them most plentifully: that they should reioyce evermore, pray continuallie and in all thinges giue thankes: that they shoulde deny themselues, and mortifie al māner of corrupt affections which were any way preiudicial to the loue of God and their neighbour: that they should [Page 35] offer vp to cod in sacrifice their bodily mēbers as servāts to righteousnes, & their soules replenished with faith, loue, feare, obedience, thākefulnes & the like, devoting themselues & al that they possesse to the most honorable service of the alsufficient God.
Wherfore to come to the second question, what greater duties The works enioyned to the popish votaries are not of greater perfection then those that are commanded in the law of God to be observed of all Christians. 1. Tim. 4. 4. do the rules of our Romish Friers exact, thē these that are enacted by the law of God? What? is it a thing of greater perfection to abstaine from mariage, then from whoredome? frō meate, then from surfeiting? from riches, then from pride, covetousnes and oppression? What is it a more acceptable duty to abstaine frō Gods creatures, and from the lawfull vse of such things as are the blessings of God made & created for the vse of his servāts, thē to abstaine frō the workes of the devil, which are damnable & cursed with the autor of them? Is it a worthier worke to abstaine frō mariage, then to bring vp childrē in the informatiō of the Lord, which may be zealous maintainers of his worshippe & service, when we our selues cannot continue any longer in this world to praise the Lord? Is it a matter of greater value to abstaine from meate and riches, then with thy foode to feede the hungry, and with thy riches to releiue the needy? yea thē to build churches to the maintenāce of Gods service, to erect colledges for the encrease of learning, to found hospitalls for the reliefe of the poore, and to build schooles for the educatiō of youth? Verily the wise mā thought poverty to be a steppe rather to wretchednes thē to blessednes, and therefore praied particularly against the same saying: Giue me not Prov. 30. [...]. poverty. And our Saviour himselfe hath taught vs that it is an happier thing to giue then to receive, & to helpe others by our gifts, thē Act. 20. 35. to become begging Friers & to seeke to be releived by the helpe of others. And he shal not say at the last day. Come yee blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the Mat. 25. 34. world: for ye haue vowed virginity & voluntary poverty and the like: but I was hungry & ye fedde me. Moreover it hath bin thought by the godly that liued in the purer ages, not to be a worke of any cōmendation at al, to abstaine from the sober and lawful vse of such thinges, as God himselfe hath created for our vse, and to refuse to drinke of those pure streames of GODS loue that hee hath caused to flowe foorth vnto vs for our comfort, and [Page 36] for our good: as it may appeare by the history of Alcibiades a godly and faithfull martyr of Christ Iesus, who being reproved for liuing with bread and water in the time of his liberty, and for the refusing of the vse of other of the Lords blessings, because he did therby minister an occasion of a pernitious ensample, after that he was cast into prison for the testimony of Christ, when it might seeme that he should haue encreased, then he altered his former rigorous & straight diett: and this fact of his Eusebius tearmeth Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 3. Milar. in Psal. 64. a good instruction for scrupulous consciences. Hilary likewise reproveth in certeine heretiques of his time, the liuing with drye bread, and condemneth it of miserable superstition. And is not the Apostle also most plaine in this case, affirming precisely that this kinde of rigorous and straight abstinēce shal be o [...] of the heresye [...] 1. Tim. 4. 3. of these last times? And doth he not as evidently teach that meate and drinke doth not commend vs to God, and that the spirituall 1. Cor. 8. 8. kingdome of Christ doth not at all consist therin, and therefore that it can in no case be one of the chiefest workes of this spirituall Rom. 14. 16. kingdome? Neither is mariage it selfe so pernitious a thing, that the refraining thereof should be a most pretious worke. Nay Heb 13. 4. mariage is honourable among all men as saith the Apostle; and so pretious in the iudgment of Chrysostome, that in it one may ascend to the throne of a Bishop: yea if he vse it moderately he may bee chiefest in the kingdome of God: at the least of it selfe it is no hinderāce no not to a Bishop in the execution of that weighty and worthy worke that is required at his handes. For it was no hinderance to Spiridion, nor yet to Gregory Nissene, who was also the sonne of a Bishop: (the lawes then allowed the same) & who was not Zoz. l. 1. c. 11 Praesule patre satus, nam t [...]c id iura sinebant Mantuan. inferiour to his brother Basil the great, as Nicephorus witnesseth, albeit he liued in the estate of matrimony. The like may be saide of living solitarily in a cloyster, or in a cello or in the wildernesse; seeing it is cōtrary to the doctrine of the Apostle, who reproveth such as did forsake the society and fellowship one with another: yea seing the spirit of God hath denounced an woe against the Heb. 10, 25. Eccles. 4. 10 same: Woe be to him that is alone, or liueth in solitarines, for that he depriveth himselfe of the means of his recovery when he slippeth & falleth, in that he seperateth himselfe frō the society of the faithfull. And if woe be to him that liveth solitarily, then blessed is not he [Page 37] that liveth so, at the least he is not in the readiest way to the greatest blessednes. The Apostles no doubt of al other men were the best followers of their master Christ, and walked in the readiest way to the greatest perefectiō. Who albeit they had forsakē all to follow Christ, yet they had not forsakē their wiues, nor their houses Mat. 19. 27. nor the cōmō society of mē. Peter, if we wil beleeue their owne Legende, had by his wife a daughter called Petronilla & therfore after himselfe was called Peter. Neither could they forsake their wiues by the law of God, seing as the womā is boūd to the mā as long as he liueth, so is the man bound to the woman: & therfore it is not 1. Cor. 7. 39 vers. 11. Math. 19. 6. Paules but the Lords cōmandemēt in the same place: Let not the husbād put away his wife. For those whō God hath ioined togither, no man ought to put asuder. Neither did the Apostles put away their wiues, no not in their laborious iorneying throughout the whole world: Haue we no power to leade about a sister a wife (saith St. Paul) as well 1. Cor. 9. 5. as the residue of the Apostles the Lords brethrē & Cephas? Neither did they forsake their houses & possessiōs, or the cōmon society to liue solitarily in a cloister, or in a celle, or in the wildernes. For Christ came to Peters house, & there cured his wiues [...]other of a Math. 8. 14. Math. 9. 10. feaver: & he was feasted at Matthew [...]s house, & there vouchsafed to eate with Publicās & sinners: & after the death of Christ Iohn tooke the blessed Virgine to his owne house, & receiued & reverē ced her as his own mother. And yet al these (as I said before) had forsakē al things that were to be forsakē to follow Christ: & therfore neither wines, nor houses, nor the common society of men are to bee Ioh. 19. 27. forsaken of such as will most exactly follow Christ. Wherfore to conclude this point, neither hath God permitted to our owne voluntary choice the chiefest duties that belong to his owne service, nor left them to be enioined by the founders of the relligious orders of the Church of Rome, but hath precisely himselfe commaunded them all: Neither are those workes of supererogation performed by our Romish votaries, any way matchable with the workes of the lawe of God, much lesse to be extolled and advaunced aboue them: and therfore seeing that the children of the church of Rome wil not admitte God to be their onely Lord, & to haue authority alone to rule over their soules by his only lawes, but haue given the like power to their Pope, Church, and Friers: [Page 38] yea seeing they haue allowed the Pope power to dispēce with the law of God & nature, & haue preferred the ordinances of their church before the institution of Christ himselfe, & haue advāced the works of their votaries aboue the works of the law of God, it is to be feared that God wil cast thē downe with al their glorious works into the deep [...]pit & dungeon of hell: frō the which place of dreadful condemnatiō if we desire to be delivered withall the approved servants of God, we must not hale betweene two opinions: we must not seek to serue God & Baal: (for we cannot serue two masters) we must not, after we haue vowed our selues in our baptisme to the only service of one God, make another vow of obedience to the rules of Prier Francis. For seeing wee are his servants to whom we [...]bey, we must vow our obedience only to God, if that we wilbe accepted of him as his most faithful & loyal servants. The which thing because the children of the church of Rome list not to performe, therefore the Lord will not be their Lord, not accept of them as of his servantes, nor yet allow of any of their workes as good, and as a part of his worship and service.
4 All obedience is to be yeelded by vs to the will of god, for that we haue received all frō him, and therefore are most straitely bound to yeeld to him our whole service. Neither ought we only to be respectiue to the Lords good wil & pleasure in al our works, for that he of right ought to raigne over vs [...]s being our only spiritual Lord & king, & for that he will protect & defend vs, & impart vnto vs the commodities of his kingdome: but much rather for that he hath bestowed vpō vs already so many favors, & hath shewed vnto vs so great kindnes, & hath bound vs vnto himselfe with such a multitude of his inestimable & invaluable blessings. For giftes & benefits testifying kindnes & loue, do oftentimes much prevaile even with the natural & vnregenerate mā, yea with the very beasts thēselues that want the light of vnderstanding & reason. The ox [...] knoweth his owner, & the asse his masters crib: & as the law doth allow a groūd bird to the owner of the ground, where the swan is permitted quietly to make her nest, & without disturbance to hatch and breede vp her young: so doth meere kindnes cause the thankfull storke to performe the same without law & without constraint. But amōg all other beastes voide of reason strange and wonderfull thinges are reported of the kindnesses of dogges towardes their masters for their simple breeding, and for the sorry mainetenaunce they [Page 39] haue received at their hands. yea the setled malice of a most cā kered enimy & of a most spitefull sycophant (who of all savage and fierce beastes is thought by the Philosopher to be the worst) hath beene conquered by kindnesse and loue: and the most violent pertu [...]bations of rage and sury haue beene turned into the most tender affections of pitty and mercy. And therfore it is not without cause that the Apostle exhorteth saying: If thine enemie Rom 12. 2 [...] hunger, feede him; if he thirst, giue him drink [...]: for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire vpon his head. Be not evercome of evill, but evercome evill with good. For oftentimes the streames of kindnes & loue do quench the flames of malice and hatred, and kindle the coales of kindnesse and loue. And therefore we ought not to suffer our selues to be taken prisoners of malice, or to yeelde our selues captiues to her, to execute herrage, but couragiouslie to encounter her, and to beate backe all her assaultes, and to suffer her not to enter one foote, much lesse to surprize the castle of our harts: and not only so but also to pursue her manfully being entred into the heartes of our enemies, and by the powerfull assistaunce of kindnesse and loue to beate her out of the plaine field, and to dispossesse her of her owne castles and forte [...], vvherein shee hath beene before most strongly seated. For so did Elizeus and 2. King 6. 23. David and the residue of the Lordes worthies, who haue most couragiously fought these spirituall battles, and haue most manfully vanquished both their owne of and the Lordes enemies. When the bandes of the Aramites, that were sent out to apprehend the Prophet Elizeus and to bring him to their king, beeing brought into danger not only to be taken prisoners themselues, but also to haue had their owne liues taken from them, were not only rescued out of danger by meanes of Elizeus but also kindly & friendly entertayned: this kindnes so far prevailed with them, that albe it there was opē war between their nation & Israel, yet after their returne into their own lād they never returned to vex Israell. But who was ever a more malicious enemy to any mā, thē was wicked Saul to innocēt David▪ yet astone as he perceived that himselfe beeing shut vp by the providence of God into Davids hāds, he was spared by him & his life preserved, he was so throughly moved therewith, that hee did not only presently withdraw [...] [Page 40] his forces from his pursuite, but also most earnestly praied vnto 1. Sam. 24. 20. God, and that he would giue him a reward for the same. Yea whē before having given a speciall charge to all his housholde to kill David, lonathan had dehorted him from the same, saying: Let not the king sinne against his servant against David, for he hath not sinned against thee, but his workes toward [...]s thee haue beene very good: for he did put his life in danger and slow the Phil [...]stine, & the Lord wrought a grea [...] salvation for all Israell: thou s [...]west it, and thou reioicest: Wherefore wil [...] thou then sinne against innocent bloode, and slay David without a cause? The only mention and recitall of the which matter did so alter Saules malitious hart, that he did not only recal his former edict, but also confirmed the revocation thereof with a solemne oath saying, as the Lord loveth he shall not die. Now if kindnes receaved 1. Sam. 19. 6 from our vnderlings and from such as we haue hated, and sought their destruction, doth even vpon a suddaine alter our affections and compell vs to vow their good & to sweare their safety: how much more any pleasure beeing done vnto vs by our superiours will glad and cheere vs at the very hart, and cause vs to busie all our thoughts how we may in some measure recompence and requite the same? What a credite do we thinke it to be vnto vs, if the prince shall but take notice of vs, and call vs by our name, & shew vs but some countenance and favour? Or if a noble man or a man of state shall steede vs in a matter of some moment, howe are we ready to cast our selues after a sort downe at his feete, and to make most solemne protestation saying: your honours to cō mande: yours according to bounden duty for ever: your most obedient beadesman and servant as long as life lasteth? Now the king of kings, and state of states hath not only vouchsafed to haue takne notice of vs, & to haue provided for our vse, service, and comfort, this so glorious and bountiful world furnished with such variety of all manner of earthly blessings, but also hath prepared for vs treasures of farre greater price and value in the life to come: how ought we then to be astonished & amazed at such kindnes that proceedeth from so high and worthy a state? how ought our hearts to be euen rapt and ravished beside themselues at the least apprehension of such invaluable favours? Why even Publican [...]s and sinners loue their lovers, and shew kindnes to them [Page 41] of whō they receiue kindnes: yea the Devill himselfe will in some sort serue them, that serue him, and will be at the commandemēt of the meanest witch, that hath before boūd her selfe vnto him. And hee doeth extenuate all that service that Iob himselfe had done vnto God, for that he was so sufficiently hyred thereto, & paide so well for it, and that before hand? Doth Iob (saith he) feare Iob. 1. 9. God for nought? Haste thou not made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about al that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the works of his hands, and his substance is encreased in the land: and therefore what great thing is it that he doth so regard thee? hath he not very good cause so to do? Verily if he did not seek to serue thee after the best manner, he were the wickedst wretch that ever lived. Now if the most envious and malicious wretch of all other, who by his intollerable ingratitude and vnthankfulnes had deprived himselfe most iustly of al the Lords blessings, could yet notwithstanding reason after this māner, how much more ought the true and faithfull servants of God themselues, which do and for ever shall enioy the inestimable favour of his vnchangeable loue, set the loving kindnes of the Lord alwaies before their eies, making it a sharpe spurre to stirre them vp to walke on forwarde in the Lords truth, and even to run the way of his cōmandements? And that Psal. 16. 3. so much the rather for that the Lord himselfe hath beene so carefull to remember them thereof in sundry places of divine scripture, and that after a most vehement and patheticall manner? Ier. 2. 31. O yee generation take yee heede vnto the word of the Lord: Haue I bin vnto you a wildernes, or a land of darknes? Wherfore say my people, we are Lords we will come no more vnto thee? Surely I haue not bin as a wildernes but as a most fruitful land ministring vnto you all blessings in all aboundance: And therefore yee ought to haue beene most fertile in my feare, and most plentifull in my service.
This most ample beneficence of God towards his people is so apparant, that he appealeth therein even to themselues: O yee inhabitants of Ierusalem and men of Iudah, iudge yee I pray you, betweene Isa. 5. 3. me & my vineyard: What could I haue done any more vnto my vineyard, that I haue not done vnto it? So likewise in the Prophet Micah: O my Mich. 6. 3. people what haue I done vnto thee, or wherein haue I grieved thee, testifie against me? Sur [...] I brought thee up out of the land of Aegypt, & redeemed [Page 42] thee out of the house of servants, and I sent before thee Moses, Aron, and Myriam. O my people remember now what Balaak king of Moab had devised, and what Bal [...]am the sonne of Beor answered him frō Shittim vnto Gilgall, that yee may know the righteous [...]es of the Lord. The recital of the which so great kindnesse and loue did so inwardly touch the very hart of the Prophet, & of the residue of the faithfull to whō it was vttered, that immediatly in their person he calleth as it were al the powers of his soule to a consultation, howe al d [...]tiful thankefulnes may after the best manner be rendred vnto God for these his so large and ample mercies. Wherewithall (saith he) shall I come before the Lord, and bowe my selfe before the most high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offrings, and vvith cal [...]es of an yeare olde? will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rammes, or with te [...] thousand rivers of oile? Shall I giue my first borne for my transgression, the fi [...]ite of my body for the sinne of my soule? Hee hath shevved thee ô man what is good, and what the Lord requireth at thy hands: Surely to do iustly and to loue mercy, to humble thy selfe, & to walke with thy God. Wherby we may learne what be those sacrifice [...] that are best acceptable to God: first to do iustlie in giuing to God that which is due to God, and to man that which is due to man: Secondly to she [...]e mercy to them that are in misery: and lastly to haue Gods goodnes alwaies before our eies & our owne vnworthines, that so wee may learne to humble our selues, & to renoūce our owne worth, and to cleaue vnfeinedly vnto God: yea to deny & to die vnto our selues, that so we may devote out selues and our whole liues only to God. And verely when the Lord hath once revealed & shewed vnto vs how he hath loued vs, and given himselfe vnto vs, and hath abounded towardes vs in his gracious, blessings, and hath caused al his creatures to serue to our vse, thē shal we desire in al sincerity to loue and please him, and to resigne our selues wholy to his service. When God shal say vnto vs, ye are my people: then shal we answere, thou art our GOD. When Christ shal haue Hos. 2. 23. made manifest his tender affection to his spouse, & haue taught her to say, my beloued is mine, and hath assured me of his [...]idelity: Cant. 2. 16. then shal shee reply, I am his, and am fully resolved to keepe true touch and faith with him: His loue is mine, and shall bee alwaies before mine eles, and my service is his, and shal be continually in [Page 43] his sight. If a master among men should giue vnto his servant an annuity of 20. nobles by the yeere, or some little farme, or other living, if hee serue him not therefore at his becke, hee crieth out straight waies against his ingratitude: but if he happen to ioine against him in any cause or suite, and that with his professed and deadly enemie, how intollerable an indignity doth this seeme in his sight? Now we our selues haue receaved from our grand master and Lord not only some small parte & portion of our liueing & maintenāce, but our selues also, & whatsoever we enioy: & out lot t [...] is fallen out vnto vs in a good groūd, we haue a very goodly hevitage: Psal. 16. 6. for the Lord himselfe is our portiō, & he doth maintaine our lotte. What vnkind & vnthankful wretches are we thē, if we surrender not backe againe vnto him both our selues, & al that we enioy, to be prest & ready at his cōmandemēt? If we keepe not a continual remēbrāce of these inestimable mercies, & sette thē not alwaies before our eies, wee bee worthy to be cleane cast out of his sight, & vtterly to be put out of his remēbrāce. If so ful streames flowing frō so pure a foūtaine do not moistē the dry & barrē soile of our soules, & make vs fruitful to al good works, thē are we verely but badd groūd, [...]re to the curse, whose end is to be bur [...]d. Vndoubtedly as al the rivers flowing out of the sea, returne thither againe, & so empty thēselues after a sort into their mothers lappe: evē so the Lords innumerable blessings issuing frō the maine sea of his loue vnto the vse of his faithful & sincere servāts, are thākfully returned by them backe againe, and faithfully employed in his seruice.
The bondslaues of Satan seeme sometimes to drawe nigh vnto God, & to seeke the advaūcemēt of his honor & glory: but it is either afflictiō that forceth thē to cry, that they might be delivered Psal. 78. 34. Hos. 7. 14. Ioh. 6. 26. out of the hād of the oppressor: or they howle vpō their beds for corne & wine, and follow Christ for more bread: the gratious gifts of God already receiued do not allure them to come in sincerity to God. For they say not in their heartes, O let vs feare the Lord, which giueth vs raine [...]arely & late in due season, and reserveth Ierem. 5. 24. for vs the appointed weekes of harvest. Neither doe they say, vvhere Iob. 35. 10. is the God that made vs, that giveth vs songes in the night: vvhich teacheth vs more then the beastes of the earth, and giveth vs more [Page 44] wisedome then the fowles of the heavens? But the sincere servantes of Thankfulnes for benefits already received bringeth the faithfull to God: wheras hope of profite to come, and their owne necessities force hypocrites sometimes to flie vnto him. 2 Reg. 5. 17 Is. 38. 20. The contemplation of Gods mercies & our owne defectes & vnworthines is the proper cause of all sincere devotion▪ especially the manifestation of the endles loue of God in Christ is the peculiar cause of faith, & by faith of all other parts of piety & godlines. Christ knowing that God hath advaunced them with honour aboue al the residue of his creatures, seeke to advaunce his honour aboue al other: yea they most duly weighing with thēselues, how deeply they are endebted vnto his divine maiesty for his gracious gifts already receiued, desire rather to discharge some of the billes of their former debtes, then more & more stil to grow in arearages. Naaman the Syrian being al his life long brought vp in most grosse blindnes & Idolatry, when he was cured of his leprosy by the goodnes of the God of Israel, that is, by the goodnes of the only true God, Now (saith he) I know that there is no God but only in Israel: & therfore wil I not hēceforth offer any burnt offring or sacrifice to any other God, saue to the Lord. So whē Ezechias had obtained of God a great deliverance frō his most dangerous disease, howe doth he sing vnto the Lord, & reioice in his goodnes, & vow vnto God perpetual homage & service? The graue (saith he) cānot cōfesse thee, death cānot praise thee, but the liuing shall cōfesse thee, as I doe this day: the father to the children shall declare thy truth. The Lord was ready to saue me: therfore wil I sing my songs in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life. The like may be said of al the residue that haue vnfeinedly given themselues vnto God. For how were they drawen therevnto, but by the linkes of his loue, & by the chaine of his blessings? Devotion (saith Aquinas) is a special act of religion importing nothing else but the devoting of a mans hearte to the prompt service of the almighty God▪ the cause wherof is the contemplation & meditation of the Lords benefits, & of our owne defects. For if we would duly weigh & cōsider with our selues the Lords most bountiful largesse towards vs, which are vnworthy of the leasts of his mercies, & deserue nothing but vengeance and wrath: especially if we would religiously record that one invaluable gift of God, who so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne, that whosoever beleeved in him should not perish but haue life everlasting, it would not otherwise be but that we should be wounded and pricked at the very hearte for our former contempts, disloyalties, and rebellions against so good and gratious a GOD, and should also be made more careful for the time to come to looke better vnto our steppes, and to be more respectiue & serviceable [Page 45] vnto our God. For so wrought this heavenly phisike in Peter & Paule, & with al the residue of the servants of Christ, it purged a way the putrified humours of corrupted affections, & recovered thē to spiritual health & life. It is sufficiēt (saith St. Peter) that wee haue spēt the time past of our life after the lustes of the Gētiles, walking in 1. Pet. 4 2. Our defectes. Gods loue. Our dutie or devotiō. vvantonnes, lustes, drunkennes, and in abominable Idolatries: But nowe seeing we knowe that Christ hath suffered for sinne, we ought also to suffer in the flesh and to cease from sinne, and henceforward to liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lustes of men, but after the vvill of God. So likewise the Apostle St. Paule. Wee also our selues vvere in Tit. 3. 3. Our defectes. Gods loue. times past vnwise, disobedient, deceiued, serving d [...]verse lustes and v [...]l [...]ptuousnes, living in malitiousnes and e [...]vy, hatefull and hating o [...] another: but when the bo [...]t [...]fulnes and loue of God our Saviour toward man appeared, he not onely saved vs from the guilte of our sinnes by giving himselfe a ransome for our soules, but also hee destroyed the power Our dutie or devotiō. of sinne in vs, and so raysed vs vp to newnes of life. For albeit the wicked turne the grace of God into wantonnes: saying let vs sinne, that grace may abound: yet the saying grace of God teacheth the godly another lesson, even to deny vngodlines and worldly lustes, and to live Tit. 2. 11. iustly, soberlie, and godly in this present world, looking for the blessed hope & appearing of the mighty God, and of our S [...]viour Iesus Christ, vvho gaue himselfe for vs, that he might redeeme vs from all [...]iquiti [...], and purge vs to be a peculiar people to himselfe zealous of good workes. So likewise albeit the LORDES temporall blessinges are to the wicked as thornes choaking vp the good seedes of pietie and godlines, and as baites to snare them and to drawe their heartes from God, and as chaines to binde them fast vnto the varities of this wicked world, yet to the godlie they are as sweete sauce to make them [...]eede more eagerly vppon the foode of their soules, and as spurres to make them runne more readilie in the way of Gods commaundementes, and as ladders to lifte them vp vnto GOD, that so they may come to the fruition of his greater blessinges. For to the pure all thinges are pure: in so much that their verie sinnes make them to hate sinne the more, and the little tast of the LORDES mercies causeth them more vehemently to thirst after a full cuppe of the same mercies: yea the more they see their owne wantes and the LORDES fulnes, [Page 46] the more they are stirred vp to renoūce themselues, & to cleaue Eph. 5. 8. Our de. fectes. Gods loue. Our duty or devotiō. vnfainedly vnto the Lord. Yee were darknes: (saith the Apostle) but now yee are light in the Lord: Walke as children of the light: as if he should haue said vnto them: Remember your wretched estate when yee sate in darknes and in the shaddow of death, and forget not Gods mercy that hath translated you out of darknes into the kingdome of light, and so see that yee walke worthy of God, and of your high calling in Christ Iesus.
This due consideratiō of the Lords endlesse mercy in Christ, and their owne vnworthines hath beene the only effectual motiue from the beginning of the world to draw the faithful out of the slavery of Satan vnto God, and to confirme and establish them in his feare. The seede of the woman shall breake the serpentes head, made Adam who before hid himselfe from God, afterward with boldnes to come into his presence. In thy seede shall all the [...]ations of the earth be blessed, made Abraham, who before was bred vp in Idolatry, to forsake kindred and countrey, and to endure many annoyances in a strange land, that so he might shew his humble obedience vnto God. Yea by the eies of this faith all the holy men of God before the comming of Christ in the flesh, beholding the great goodnesse and loue of God, (as the Apostle testifieth Hebr. 11.) haue offered vp their sacrifices acceptable to God, performed all dueties, and endured all crosses for the constant confession of this their holy faith. And now since the comming of Christ in the flesh, wherby was the whole world converted frō dumbe Idols to serue the living God? Was it by the promulgation of the law of Moses, or by the preaching of the gospel of Christ? Surely the preaching and publishing of the glad tydings of the gospell, of the yeare of Iubile, of the acceptable day, wherein the Lord for his Christes sake had graunted a free, full, and generall pardon and release of all debts, trespasses, and sins to all such as would willingly accept and faithfully embrace this vnspeakeable loue, and make it the matter of their daily meditation and consolation, and the rocke and foundation of their faith and hope, was that warrelike chariot wherein the faith of Christ got the full victorie over falshoode and lies, and trod vnder foote all infidelity and Idolatry, and triumphed most gloriously [Page 47] against all the power and puissaunce of hell it selfe. By the sounde of this doctrine did the servauntes of the great shepheard and Bishoppe of our soules call home all his straying and wandring sheepe, and gathered them into the folde of Christ: by this net did the fishers of men dravve into the arke of Christs Church all such as were before ready to bee drowned in the sea of their sinnes, and to bee overwhelmed with the most terrible tempest of the Lordes wrath: by this key did the Lords potters open the doore of the kingdome of heauen to them that vvere before most worthely driven out and dispossessed of that celestiall paradise: With this ensigne did the Lordes standard bearers gather together all his companies and bandes which before had revolted & became fugitiues fighting vnder the Devils colours: by this boxe of ointmēt powred forth, did the Lordes Apothecaries reviue and quicken the spirites of all the Lords patients, who were before not only in a sound but also starke dead by the most noysome stincke of their abominable sinnes: Lastly by this seed of faith sowen in the most drie and barren wildernes of the peoples hearts by the hand of the Lordes painefull and skilfull husbandmen, vvas there raysed vppe a most plentifull and fruitefull harvest vnto the Lorde. For faith commeth by hearing the word of faith.
Neither doeth this worde of faith, revealing the vnspeakeable loue of God shining in the face of Christ, beget faith only, but by faith loue, praier, confession, patience, repentance, feare, obedience, thankefulnes, even all sounde and sincere devotion with all the partes and parcels thereof. By faith we haue accesse to God and are admitted into his Church which is therefore called the family of Faith. And Baptisme the sacrament of our Baptisme cleanseth; as it doth f [...]her make manifest vnto va and causeth vs to embrace the word of faith. initiation and the seale of faith is added to the worde of faith for the further manifestation of the cause of this our admission into so honourable an estate and calling, by setting after a sorte before our eies the loue of God, who hath given vs his sonne with his owne most precious bloode to wash and cleanse our sinnes, whereby there was before a seperatiō betweene v [...] & God. Now from whence (saith Austine) hath the water of Baptisme this vertue, that it doth touch the body & clea [...]se the soul, but by means [Page 48] of the word whervnto it is added, that it might togither with the same not only represent the washing away of our sinnes, by the blood of Christ, but also [...]atifie and cōfirme the same for the further strengthning of our fraile faith? Not (saith hee) for that the word is vttered, but for that it is beleeved: not for that there is such vertue in the letters and sillables, or in the pronunciation of the very wordes, but for that they are the powerfull instrument ordained of God so to open the Lordes good and gracious meaning towardes vs, and to assure vs of his vnchaungeable loue in Christ, that thereby we might attaine to a sure faith. For as long as we remaine in our naturall blindnes and ignorance, either we fly from God as Adam did, beeing touched with the pricke of a guilty conscience: or else we embrace an Idol in steed of the true God, being misled by the wrongful guiding of a blind cōscience, as now naturally do all the posterity of Adam. But whē the Lord hath once revealed vnto vs the glory of his endlesse goodnes in Christ, and hath made vs to behold the dignity of his death that he endured for our sins, and the worthines of his obedience that he performed for our righteousnes, thereby we are made bold to enter Heb. 10. 19. into the holy place by the newe and living way which he hath prepared for vs by his flesh, and are encouraged to draw nigh with a true hart in assurance of faith, being fully perswaded of the perfect purgation of all our sins, and of our entire and absolute righteousnes. I am (saith our Saviour Christ) the way, the truth, and the life: no man commeth to the father but by me. He then that is set in this way and walketh therein, he vndoubtedly walketh in the right way, and he cannot misse, but come directly vnto God. Hee that buildeth on this rocke buildeth on a sure foundatiō: his faith cannot faile, he cannot be vanquished: his hope is sure, he cannot be cōfounded. He may be bold to triumph with the Apostle saying: If God be on our side, who can be against vs? who spared not his owne sonne, but Rom. 8. 31. gave him for vs all, how shall he not with him giue vs all things also? Who shall lay anie thing to the charge of Gods chosen? It is God that iustifieth. Who shall condemne? It is Christ that is dead, or rather that is risen again who is also at the right hand [...] of God, and maketh request to God for vs. Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish or persecution or [...]kednes or perill, or sword? As it is written: for thy sake [Page 49] are we killed all the day long, and are as sheepe appointed for the slaughter. Neverthelesse in all these things we are more then conquerours in him that loued vs. For I am perswaded, that neither death nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor thinges to come are able to seperate vs from the loue of God vvhich is in Christ Iesus our Lord. In which words it is manifest that the apprehension of the loue of God in Christ doth breede such a strong faith and confidence in God, that the faithfull are thereby fully perswaded, that they shal be never finally forsakē of God, not vāquished & cleane overthrowen by the force and furie of all their enemies.
Now as this loue of God breedeth faith in God, so also it engendreth 1. Ioh. 4. 19. loue towards God. We loue God (saith S. Iohn) because he loved vs first, and hath revealed this his loue vnto vs, & hath made vs to apprehend it with the eies of our faith, and to be assured & Ignoti nulla cupido. Tantfi diligimus, quantum credimus. Gre. in Ez. ho. 22. perswaded of the same. For if God loue vs and we be ignorant of it, how can we loue him againe for the same? For our charity doth so depend vpō our faith, that so much we loue God, as we know and beleeue his loue and goodnesse towards vs. A strong faith a strong loue, a weake faith a weake loue. For God worketh not in vs as he doth in those creatures which are vtterly voide of al vnderstanding and reason, and so haue no sense and feeling of the Lords working in them: but in the worke of our regeneratiō first he informeth the vnderstanding with knowledge, and thereby moveth the affections and will. Now faith beeing the eie of our spirituall vnderstanding, whereby with Abraham the father of Ioh. 8. 56. the faithfull we behold the day of Christ and reioice therein, first in him apprehendeth the loue of God towards vs, & then kindleth in our harts our loue towards him. For true faith is not idle 1. Tim. 1. 5. Gal. 5. 6. and vnfruitful, but first worketh loue, and then worketh by loue: shee is the mother of loue in that shee first breedeth it: and then Aug de fide & operibus c 22. Greg. in Ezek. ho. 9. Faith is the life of loue, & not loue the soule of faith. by loue bringing foorth all good works shee is the grandmother of all good workes. And hereof it is that Austine saith, that it may rightly be said that all the commandements of God pertaine to faith, if not a dead but a living faith that worketh by loue, be vnderstoode. For as Gregory teacheth, Faith is the doore and entrance vnto good workes, & not good workes vnto faith. Neither is loue the soule of faith, that quickneth it, and giveth it life: but faith is the very life of loue, [Page 50] and maketh it liuely and industrious in her worke: And therfore the Lord vseth to sette before the eies of his faithfull servants his owne loue testified by his sundry and manifold blessings, and so causeth them to manifest their loue towards him by their readie obedience to all his commandements. And hereof it is that they are called the friendes of God. Abraham the friend of God: Mose [...] Iac. 2. 23. the friend of God. So our louing Saviour vnto his deare disciples: Hēceforth cal I you not servāts, for the servāt knoweth not what the master Ioh. 15. 15. The faithfull are accepted of God as his frendes, & therfore are put in assurance of his loue doth: but I haue called you friends, for what soever I haue heard of the father I haue made manifest vnto you. And what is true and sincere frendshippe, but a mutual and interchangeable ben evolence and good wil not lying hidde or kept secret within the closette of the hart, but breaking forth and manifesting it selfe by the effectes? And therfore in that the [...]aithfull are called the frendes of God, it is evident both that they feele the loue of God towards themselues [...]ōfinned vnto them by his gracious blessings, & that they likewise are stirred vp to loue him, & to testifie the same by their ready obedience to his will, yea this is one sure signe of the speciall loue of Christ towards his, that he doth shew himselfe not vnto Ioh. 14. 21. the world, but vnto them, and so raiseth vp in them faith and loue, and strengtheneth them in his feare. If a prince favour his subiect, and he knoweth it not, he must needes loose a great part of the benefit and comfort that he might receiue therby, if that he did perfectly vndestand so much. And verely that favour cā [...] not be great, that can be altogeather concealed and kept close. A little fire may be covered vnder ashes, & so preserved for some time, but if it be kept so long, it wil be extinguished & cleane put out: but a great fire wil not bee covered, but wil shewe it selfe by heate, smoke, flame: even so the great fire of the Lordes loue towards his elect cannot long be hidde, but it will make it selfe manifest vnto them sooner or later by the effectes therof. Earthlie parents conceale in part their loue from their children beeing in their tender yeares, least they should waxe wanton and be made the worse for the same: but when they are once come to ripenes of age and to yeares of discretion, then they commonly seeke to make it manifest vnto thē by al the meanes that possibly they cā, and they desire nothing more then that they should be through. [Page 51] ly perswaded therof: and he is a bastard & a very vnnatural child worthy to loose both his name and inheritance, which either will not be perswaded of the kind & tender affection of his parents towards him, or else is made therby more careles & negligent to do his duty: Even so our heavenly father, whose tender loue & affectiō towards his elect so far exceedeth the kindnes of al earthly parēts as God exceedeth man, testifieth his loue, kindnes, and care towards his continually either by his gifts, or by his corrections, or by both: & albeit he doth not at al times make thē feele so much, it is for this end that whē he doth so, they should be more throughly moved to mislike thēselues the more for their formet vnkindnes, & also to loue the Lord the more for his cōstant and cōtinual loue towards such as thēselues were, who before had so little regard so much as to take notice of such loue. And therfore a [...] such as either wil not be perswaded of the fatherly affectiō of God towards thēselues condēning the same of pride & presūption, or else abuse it to the hardening of their harts by hartening thēselus therby in their sinnes, declare thēselus to be bastards & not sons, being so farre of both frō the affectiō & also frō the duty of natural sonnes. Why? If but a friēd, having testified his loue towards vs [...]y some fewe favours, should vnderstand that wee stil stoode in doubt either of his sinceri [...]y, or cōstancy towards vs, & did imagm that either he did but dissēble with vs, orelfe that he were vsriable & quickly changed, would he not thinke himselfe much wrōged, seing he had so wel deserved before, & had givē vs good cause to conceaue better of him? And doth God bestowe any gift vpon any of his faithful servāts but in al sincerity & setled cōstancy, & with a stedfast purpose to do them good? And shal they stil doubt, either whether he ever loued thē at al, or else whether he wil ever cōtinue to loue thē stil? Surely they cannot do him a greaten dishonor: seing therby, as much as in thē lieth, they rob him of [...]is sincerity & endlea goodnes, & of his eter [...]al mercy & loue. Wherfore the most sincere servātes of God, as they acknowledge themselues to be most highly honoured of God, in that hee hath vouchsafed to cast vpon them so vnworthy wretches the eies of his loue, and to haue testified the same by the manifold giftes of his mercy: evē so they are most [...] desirous to magnify GOD by ascribing every good gifte vnto his most free and vndeserved [Page 52] goodnes, and by receiving them al from him as pledges of his great loue, and confirmations of his gratious favour: yea the more they feele the heate of Gods loue cherishing and comforting them with his gratious blessings, the more is the fire of their loue kindled towardes God, and the greater is the flame of their obedience and thankfulnes. That debte [...] loued most, which receiued Luk. 7. 43. the greatest frendship, having his whole debt most freely forgivē him, albeit it was never so great: And Mary loued much for that her many sinnes were remitted vnto her, albeit they had bin before never so grievous: So Peter loued Christ more thē his f [...]llowes, for that he had greater favour to be received the sooner to grace, & to be strēgthened in the faith before his fellowes, albeit he had sinned aboue his fellows. And verely Gods grace revealed Gods grace revealed is no cause of sinne, but Gods grace concealed and so contemned. 1. [...]or. 2, 8. Luk. 19. 42. doth not cause sin, but Gods grace cōcealed, & so contē ned. Gods grace revealed giveth grace & soone winneth allowance & approbatiō, & so causeth al obediēce & thankfulnes: but Gods grace vnknowen is easily cōtemned & causeth stubbornes & rebelliō, that cried out so eagerly, crucify him, crucify him, if they had knowen it, they would never haue crucified the Lord of glory: if they had knowen those things that did belōg to their peace, they would hever haue so long stood out, & haue shewed themselues such wilfull & obstinat recufāts against their God & against their owne good. If that supers [...]itious & carnal woman of Samaria had knowen the gift of God; & who it was that thē cōmuned with her Ioh. 4. 10. she would not haue stoode pelting with him for a draught of her water, but she would without delay haue asked of him the water of life.
Wherfore the most louing Lord of Abraham Izaak & Iacob, & of al the faithful of what kindred & country soever, albeit hee doth not vouch safe to shew this mercy to the world of the reprobat [...], as to shew himselfe to thē, yet hee cannot long keepe close his loue from his chosen, but doth manifest the same more and more vnto them, as h [...]e knoweth it best for them in his divine and heavenly wisedome. For if Ioseph could not long keepe in the tender bowels of his brotherly loue towards his vnkinde and vnnatural brethren, but that it brake out with streames of teares, [Page 53] and disclosed it selfe to their great astonishment: and if David could not conceale his fatherly affection towards his most vndutiful and rebellious sonne Absolom, no not at that time when he had behaved himselfe so lewdely, and had so attempted his vtter overthrow, but that it brake out in his straight charge to Ioab his general, and to the residue of the captaines of the armie: O [...]e good to the young man for my sake: the which petition whō it did not prevaile with Ioab, but that he stretched forth his owne hand to take away his life, how doth that tēder harted father take on vpon the [...]elatiō therof, O my so [...]ne Absolom, my sonne, my so [...]ne Absolom, would God I had died for thee ô Absolom my sonne, my sonne? And yet the kindne [...] of earthly brethren and parents, and that towards their most kind & louing brethren & children is but as a sparke of the great fire, & as a droppe to the huge sea of the loue of Christ our elder brother, & of God our heavēly & caelestial father. Cā he thē altogeather cōceale his loue frō vs, & keepe vs frō that ioy vnspeakable & glorious which we are to receive by the revelatiō therof? The foure leapers that came into the Sirians tents, whō God had caused to flie in al hast, & to leave their tentes ful of al treasure & store, when they had wel eaten & drunken and hidde also good store of treasure for thēselues, considering & weighing the great necessity of their prince & people by reason of the extreame famine that was among them, could reason betweene themselues and say: We [...] not well, this day is a day of good tydinges, & wee hould our peace: come therfore let vs goe tell the kings [...]ousholde. They thought 2. King 7. 9. it an offēce to cōceale from their countrey being in extreme misery the remedy that God had appointed for their delivery: And shal we thinke that whereas the Lordes owne deare and chosen children without some sence and assurance of his favour & loue testified by his manifolde and gratious blessings are ready still to be overwhelined with the horrors of despaire, the Lord will not cause the light of his countenance to shine vnto them, that so the clouds of distrust, that keepe from them the bright beames of his favour, may be dispersed, and the tempest of dispaire aswaged & allayed? In deede when they beginne to wa [...]e wāton with peace and plentie, and to neglect their duety vnto their good GOD, and being at rest heere in this world slacke their passage towards [Page 54] their passag [...] to wordes their heavenly countrey, and beeing filled with earthly delights become slow to seek after the true treasure, God seemeth for a time to withdraw his favor from them, & after a sort to hide himselfe, & to suffer them to bee beaten with many rods [...]yea he doth seeme to be grievously offended & displeased with thē himselfe, & [...]o correct & chasten them with his owne hands. And this wrathfull countenance of God of al other calamities & crosses is most grievous & burdensome vnto them; and doth aboue al other miseries vexe and torment their tender harts, & casteth thē downe to the gates of hell. Then in anguish of soule and bitternes of spirit they powre forth whole streames of complaine [...] crying out and saying: Will the Lord absent himselfe forever, and will he be no more entreated? Is his mercy cleane gone for ever, Psal. 77. 7. and is his goodnes come vtterly to an end far evermore [...] hath God forgotten to be gracious, & hath he shut vp his loving kindnes in displeasure? Thē, said I, this is my death againe. O Lord how long wilt thou be angrie Psal. 80. 4. with thy people that praieth? Thou hast fed them with the bread of teares, and hast given them plent [...]snes of teares to drinke: thou haste made vs to be a very strife vnto our neighbours, & our enemies laugh vs to scorne. Turne vs againe O God of hosts, shew vs the light of thy countenance and we shall be safe.
And yet in truth when the Lorde most sharply chasteneth his God is nearest to his servants in their asstictions, albeit he seemeth to be then farthest of: & he sheweth then most of all the effect of his loue, allthough they for the present feele it not. Psa. 119. 71. 75 ver. own deare children, he is not in wrath offended with them, but in great loue most of all then tendreth their good: his grace and favour is not absent, but then especially is present with them, albeit they for the very instāt feele not the same. For what is it that in and by their afflictions worketh in them humility, repentāce, patience, obedience, & an earnest desire to feele the Lord gracious and favourable vnto them, & aboue all things to behold the light of his countenāce? Are not al these the most evident effects of the favourable presence of God with thē, & of the most neere assistance of his grace? Doth he not herein shew thē the light of his coūtenance, & make manifest vnto them his loue to their great benefit & good? Surely David did most thākfully acknowledge so much saying: It is good for me that I haue beene in trouble, that I might learne thy statutes. And againe, I know O Lorde that thy iudgements are righteous, and that thou (not of wrath) but of very faithfulnes [Page 55] hast caused me to be troubled. And therfore Ieremy praied for the Ier. 10 24. same as for a thing beneficiall and good: Correct vs O Lord, & ye [...] in thy iudgement, not in thy fury. For God chastiseth his children in loue, albeit he punisheth the wicked in wrath. And therfore both Iob. 5. 17. Iob & David iudge not, that the godly, when they are afflicted, are in a bad, but in a right good and blessed estate. Blessed is the man (say they) whom thou chastenest O Lorde and teachest in thy lawe: that thou maiest giue him patience in time of adversitie vntill the [...]it bee digged vp for the vngodly. And therefore the Apostles did reioice in Rom. 5. 3. tribulations, knowing that tribulations bring forth patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, because the loue of God is shedde abroade in our heartes by the holy Ghost. The loue of God then apprehended by faith not only engendereth Hope. Patience. Confessiō. in vs loue towardes God, but also hope, that maketh not ashamed, and patience that maketh vs to reioice in tribulations, and to be couragious and constant in the confession of his truth, albeit all manner of crosses accompanye the same. For out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh: and therfore if vvith the hearte wee beleeue to righteousnesse, wee will bee ready vvith the mouth to confesse vnto salvation. I beleeved (saith David) Rom. 10. 10 Psal. 116. 10 2. Cor. 4. 13 and therefore haue I spoken: so vvee also (saith the Apostle) beleeue, and therefore speake. And verily if wee doe beleeue that GOD from everlasting hath acknowledged vs, and hath written our names in the booke of life, howe can it bee but that wee shoulde thankefully acknowledge him before the greate congregation, and willingly confesse him before the whole worlde? Yea how can it bee but that wee shoulde continually make our resorte to Praier. him by praier in all our necessities, and craue his gracious aide to assiste and strengthen vs in all those afflictions and crosses which vvee endure for his most holy name sake? The vnfaithfull, vvho vvill not bee persvvaded of the fatherly loue and favour of God towardes them cannot come with any cheerefulnes to make their praiers vnto God: (for howe can they call vppon him Rom▪ 10. 14 on whom they haue not beleeved?) but the faithfull, that beleeue that God is become their loving father in Christ, & that by him they haue such interest in God & in al his blessings, must needs cōe to him with great cōfidēce & hope, & powre out their whole harts [Page 56] continually before him, and present vnto him all their petitions and requests. And verily they need not to be ashamed to come into his presence, seeing they are cloathed with the most precious garments of Christ their elder brother, and haue him to bee their continuall advocate & solliciter to pleade their cause. In deed the more they behold their owne nakednes and shame, & take a true view of the rotten ragges & fained garments of their owne righteousnes, and the more deepely therewithal they meditate vpon that strange and admirable goodnesse of God, that would cast the eies of his loue vpō such loathsome wretches, they haue great cause as to be ashamed of their abominable corruption, so to be waile and lament their intollerable vnthankfulnesse. And so the prophet Ezechiel hath testified that the faithful shal. Eze. 16. 63. be confounded in themselues, and hange downe their heads, & never open their mouthes for shame, when they shal behold the loue of God towards them in Christ, which hath freely pardoned all their iniquities and sinnes, when I say they shal see on the one side how gracious God is to them, & on the otherside how grievous they themselues haue bin vnto God. An ensample wherof In the praier of Manasse affixed at the end of the bookes of the Chronicles. we haue in Manasse king of Iudah, vnto whō when the Lorde had given a little taste of his promise of mercy, and had givē him some assurance of the remission of his sinnes, and of his receiving into favour, how doth he debase and cast himselfe downe, as if he were the only offender among all the servants of God, and all other were as it were no sinners in comparison of him? And how doth he exaggerate and amplifie his own transgressions, as if they were more then the sande of the sea, and togither withall so odious and abominable, that he was not worthy to behold the heavens for the same? I haue provoked thy wrath (saith he) and haue done evill before thee; I did not thy will, neither kept I thy commaundements: I haue set vp abominations and multiplied offences: I haue sinned O Lord, I haue sinned, I acknowledge my transgressions, O Lord forgiue, O Lorde forgiue me, and destroy me not with mine iniquities. And verily vntill we haue some sight and sense, & assurance of the mercy of God in Christ pardoning our sins, the ougly sight of our owne deformities will driue vs more and more from God, and wrappe vs faster and faster in the bands of sinne, and be ready to drowne vs [Page 57] in the gulfe of despaire: as it may be seene in Caine, Iudas, & the like. But when Christ shall once looke vpon vs with the eyes of his mercy, & shall giue vs some assurance of the remission of our sinnes, as he did vnto Peter whome he mercifully forewarned not only of his fall, but also of his pardon, & of his recovery, and of his duety in regard of the same (I haue praied for thee Peter Luk. 22. 31. that thy faith faile not▪ and thou being converted strengthen thy brethre) this favourable aspect of Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse will cause vs with Peter to loue him the more, and not only to single out some solitary place, that we may bewaile our vnthankfulnes with bitter teares, but also to be more feareful and careful for the time to come, least we be overtaken againe with the like offence. For a reverent regard and feare least we offende so good a God, Feare. whom we can never endevour sufficiently to please, is caused also by the due apprehension of the Lordes mercies. There is mercy Psal. 130. 4. with thee O God (saith David) therfore shalt thou be feared. For as the naturall and kind child reverenceth his father and feareth to offend him, not so much for dread of the rod or for hope of the inheritance, as for that he hath had already manifold experience of his fathers kindnes and care for him: even so the deare children of God having had in former times very good experience of the Lords loue, do reverence & feare him from the very bottome of their harts, and are thereby made watchfull and wary not to offend. Behold (saith S. Iohn) what loue the father hath shewed vs, that 1 Ioh 3. 1. we should be called the sonnes of God: Now we are the sonnes of God, but it doth not appeare what we shall be: but this we know that when he doth appeare we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And he that hath this hope purgeth himselfe even as he is pure. In which words it is manifest that hope rising out of faith, and the expectation of future blessednes out of the apprehension of former loue, doth cause the faithfull to purge & clense their harts, least they offend their holy and pure God with their impurities. Though we sinne (say all Sap. 15. 2. the godly as it were with one voice) that is, though wee sinne through infirmity, which cannot be avoided in these daies of infirmity, yet we are thine, for we know thy power: but we sinne not, that is, presumptuously, or we giue not over our selues to sinne, knowing that we are thine: for to know thee is perfect righteousnes, and to know thy Ioh 3. 14. [Page 58] power is the roote of immortality. For as the childrē of Is [...]ael were healed of the sting of fierie serpents by looking vp to the brasen serpent: even so the faithful looking vp vnto CHRIST crucified are cured of al their spiritual maladies, and haue their sinne slaine in them, and are raised vp to newne [...] of life. Zache desiring but to see CHRIST was immediatly converted and made a Christian: Olde father Simeon beholding Christ desired presently to departe out of this life, thinking that hee had lived long inough, seeing hee had liued to see his Saviour with his bodely eies: All the faithfull that haue had some true view of our Our whole conversion to God is wrought by his loue in Christ apprehended by faith. Ioh. 17. Saviour Christ, do more & more desire to behould him still, and that not without very great cause. For the more they see him, the more they loue him, and the more they feele themselues to liue in him and by him. This is everlasting life (saith the auctor thereof) to knowe the onely true God, and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. For rightly to know & faithfully to embrace the endles & vnspeakable lo [...]e of God in Christ, who hath consecrated himselfe both in his life and death to the working of our deliverance out of the hands of sin death & damnation, doth worke in the faithfull the death of sin and life of righteousnes, and so layeth the foundation of that life heere which shal be made perfect in the world to come. Now (saith the Apostle) I liue not, but Christ liveth in me: and the life that I now liue, I liue by the faith of the sonne of Eph. 6. 15. The loue of God revealed in the Gospel is as shoes wherby we are enabled to walke on readily in the Lordes waies be they never so full of sharpe stones and pricking thornes. God, who hath loued me, & given himselfe for me. The Apostle lived not, he was dead in himselfe, but Christ by hi [...] spirit & word lived and raigned in him: and that because he beheld with the eies of faith that great & endles loue of Christ who both had lived, and died for him. And hereof it is that the Gospel of Christ, the powerful instrumēt ordained by God both to begett & strēgthen faith, is compared to shoes, & is part of that furniture wherwithal the souldiers of Christ haue neede to bee armed in their most hard & daungerous fight against al the powers of the kingdome of darknes. And verely there are so many thorns & pricks of worldly cares, and so many sharpe stones of crosses and persecutions lying so thicke in that straight and narrow way that leadeth to life, that the passage of the faithful would be greatly stayed, if not altogither stopped therin, were they not al well shodde [Page 59] with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, and had not that gladsome & ioyful tidings of their recōciliation with God made them most resolute to passe on along for al those sharpe stōes, & to endure al withal patience. Now then by these things that haue bin delivered it is evident and cleare, that not onely faith ariseth out of the true apprehension of the inestimable loue of God in Christ, but also loue, hope, patience, confession, praier, repētance, feare, & a religious care both to liue & to die vnto God, & to devote our selues wholy to his service.
And yet we must not so conceaue heereof, as if this one blessing All the Lords gratious giftes and blessings are furtherers of faith & obedience in the godly Ier. 14. 20. of our redemption wrought by CHRIST did not onely beginne but also finish our regeneration and new birth, seeing all the residue of the gratious giftes of GOD testifying and witnessing his fatherly loue are ayders also and assisters herein, being all of them fitte fewel for this heavenly fire, and do cause it to burne more fervently, & to breake out into a greater flame. Wee acknowledge, O Lord, (say the penitent Israelites) our wickednes and the wickednes of our forefathers, for we haue sinned against thee: doe not abhorre vs for thy names sake, cast not downe the throne of thy glory, remēber and breake not thy covenant with vs. Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can giue rain [...]r can the heavens give showers? It is not thou O Lord our God? Therfore we will waite vpō thee, for thou hast made al these things. In which words we may perceive that it was the due consideration of the covenant of God made vnto them in Christ whereby GOD after a sorte had bounde himselfe to bee merciful vnto them whensoever they did repent, that caused this people to returne vnto their GOD, and to acknowledge and bewaile their owne corruptions and sinnes: the which also was vvell forvvarded by the remembrance of the LORDES smaller blessinges, even by the due consideration of this, that raine and truitfull seasons came onelie from him, and all other giftes and blessinges vvhatsoever. So Hos. 14. vvhere the Prophet exhorteth the people to returne to the LORDE and say: Take avvaie all iniquitie and remoove is gratiouslie, so vvill vvee render to thee the calues of our lippes. Ashur shall not Ho. 14. 3. s [...] vs, neyther vvill vvee ride vppon horses, neither vvill [Page 60] we say any more to the workes of our hands, yee are our Gods: for in thee the fatherles findeth mercy. Now they could not truly hope for pardon fot their sins and iniquities but onely in the promise of the the Messias: it was that then that first ledde them vnto God, the which was seconded by the due consideration of this, that al aide and helpe is also found at his hands, who is the helper of the helples.
And verely we haue no right at al vnto any of the Lords blessings, as lōg as we be at warre & at emnity with God: we must be first recōciled vnto God, & made heires by Christ, before we can lay iust claime to a childes part, & to haue our portion in that inheritāce, that doth descend vnto vs frō our heavenly father. And therfore when the Lord would giue vnto Ahaz king of Iudah assurance but of this one temporal blessing, even of his bodely deliverāce frō his bodely enemies: behould (saith he) this shal be your The loue of God in Christ is the fountaine and foundatiō of all other blessings. signe that I wil bring to passe this thing for you: A virgine shall conc [...]aue & beare a sonne, & she shall call his name Immanuel. As if the Lord should haue said: I haue boūd my selfe by promise even frō the beginning of the world to giue you my son to be a pledge of my loue, & to be the conduite of my mercies: how shal I not thē with him & by him convey them vnto you? & particularly howe shal I not nowe performe this my promise made in him for your deliverance from these your bodely enemies? For the cause that moued God to make this glorious world at the first, and to store it with such variety of al manner of blessings, was his owne most free and vndeserved loue towards his elect in Christ, and therfore when they are actually bestowed vpon them, the same proceedeth from the very selfe-same spring. The which whē they The Lords gratious giftes are blessings to the faith full onely: for to the vnfaithfull they are turned into curses. are bestowed vpon the vnfaithful they are not blessings but curses, for that they make them more earthly, covetous, licentious, riotous, proud, cruel, vnthākful, & the like, and so encrease their most grievous condēnation: whereas to the faithful, who are the right heires vnto them, they are not curses but blessings; for they make them the more to reioice in the Lord, & to be more obedient & thākfull vnto him, & more beneficial & helpful vnto their neighbours, and so further their faith, repentance and loue, and encrease in them all sincere devotion. When David was remembred [Page 61] by the Prophet Nathan of his foule faulte committed with Bethshebah the wife of Vrias, and of the great dishonour that redounded to God by that his most odious and grievous crime, how that the Lord had not so deserved at his hands, who had advaunced him from the shepheards crooke to the scepter of the king, and had given into his bosome his masters wiues, and could & would haue done him more honor, if that had not bin inough: howe did even these smaller blessings worke most effectually in the hart of David, peircing & wounding his most tender soul, & causing him with many most bitter teares to bewaile his former most grievous vnthankfulnes? And howe did the remembrance of the same mercies cause him also at another time to reioyce in the Lord and to triumph, and most vehemently and earnestly to 2. Sam. 7. 18 1. Chro. 17. 16. pray vnto God for an obedient & thankful hart? What am I ô Lord (saith he) & what is my fathers house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And what is this thy people Israel that thou didst after a sorte muster togither al thy armies for their deliverāce out of Aegipt? What sawest thou in vs or in our progenitors, that thou hast thus laden vs with thy loue, and filled vs with such abundance of thy mercies? O lett our harts therfore be filled with thy loue, and let our hands stil be employed in thy service: keepe this in the purpose & thoughts of our harts for ever, and so prepare our soules to feare thee. Neither was he himselfe only thus stirred vp to imploy himselfe & al his autority & wealth to the promoting & furthering of the Lordes service, but also with the selfe same argument doth he endevour to perswade his principal subiects & servantes to be helpers to his son Solamon in the same worke. Is not (saith he) the Lord your God with you & hath given you rest on every side? For 1. Chro. 22. 18. he hath given the inhabitantes of the land into mine hand, and the lande is subdued before the Lord and his people: Now then set your harts and your soules to seeke the Lord your God, & arise & build the Lords sanctuarie. So likewise when the Lord had brought the children of Israel into the promised lande, and had placed them in the quiette and peaceable possession thereof, howe doth godly Iosuah hauing a greate care that after his death they should bee true and faithfull to their GOD, who had beene so true and faithful to them, make a large recitall of their manifolde mercies so lately receaved, [Page 62] and then proposeth this option and choice vnto them, saying: if it seeme evill in your eies to serue the Lorde, then chuse ye this day Ios. 24. 15. vvhome yee vvill serue, &c. I and mine house vvill serue the Lorde. VVhere vnto they answere as it were with one voice: God [...]orbid that vvee shoulde forsake the Lorde to serue other Gods: for the Lorde our God hath brought vs and our Fathers out of the lande of Aegypt and out of the house of bondage: and hee did those greate miracles in our sighte, and preserved vs in all the vvaie that vvee vvent, and amonge all the people through vvhome vvee came. And the LORDE did cast out before vs all the people, even the Amorites vvhich dvvelte in the lande, therefore vvill vvee also serue the Lorde, for hee is our GOD. In vvhich wordes it is evident howe these faithfull servauntes of GOD vvell vveighing vvith themselues that the Lorde vvas their good and gracious God, who had [...]atified his loue towardes them by his manifolde blessings, doe take themselues thereby to bee most straightlye bounde to his service, and therevpon doe make a most solemne promise and vow to continue his loyall and obedient people. The which promise and vowe, beeing made by them vpon so iust and sufficient cause, they as faithfully and truely kept and perfourmed. For it is re [...]orded of them not only in the same Chapter, but also Iudges the second, to their eternall glory and renowne, that they served the Lorde all the daies of Iosuah and all the daies of the elders that everlived Iud. 2. 7. Iosuah, vvhich had seene all the greate vvorkes that the LORD had As the religious remē brance of the Lordes mer [...]ies is the cause of all sincere obedience: so the wretchlesse forgetfulnes therof is the cause of al rebellious vngodlines. ver. 10. done for Israell. The cause then that kepte this people sound and vprighte in the service of GOD vvas, for that they religiouslie kept an holy remembraunce of the Lordes manifold and greate mercies.
Now on the contrary side if wee will beholde and see, vvhy the bad children of so good parentes revolted and fell away so quickely from the GOD of their fathers, and continued not in his service and feare, see vvhat followeth in the same Chapter. VVhen Iosuah was deade, and all that generation vvas gathered to their fathers, then there arose another generation after them, which neither knevve the Lorde, nor yet the vvorkes that hee had done for Israell: then they did vvickedlie and served Baalim, and forsooke the God of their Fathers, vvhich had broughte them out of the lande of Aegypt. [Page 63] So in the dayes of the Prophet Ieremie, the cause also why the badde posteritie of this backeslyding people departed likewise from the Lorde and vvalked after vanitye, and became vaine is this, for that none saide in their heartes, vvhere is the Lord that broughte vs out of the lande of Aegypt, that sedde vs through the Ier. 2. 6. vvildernesse, through a des [...]rte and vvaste lande, and through the shadd [...]vve of death, and broughte vs into a good and plentifull land, and made vs eate of the fruite thereof? So likewise Psalme 78. and the, hundred and sixt, a like revolte of the same nation and namely of the Ephraemites who descended from holy Ioseph being mē tioned, the same cause is added of their revolte: They forgate God Psal 78. & 106. 21. their Saviour vvho had done so greate thinges for them, vvonderfull thinges in the lande of Ham, and fearefull thinges by the redde sea. For as it fared vvith the children of Ioseph and the residue of the Israelites, vvhen there arose a nevve king in Aegypt which Exod. 1. 8. knevve not Ioseph, nor did remember those greate commodities vvhich all Aegypte enioyed by his meanes, then they dealte most vnkindly vvith them, and vsed them with all extremitie: even so dealte the vngracious and vnthankefull posterity of Ioseph with the GOD of Ioseph, who had advaunced him to bee a father to Pharaoh, and the greatest state in all his kingdome, vvhen th [...]y forgate the greate mercies of GOD both tovvardes him and tovvardes themselues also, then they started aside from his service, and fell away from his feare. Yea Hos. 2. 5. vvhen they ascribed their Corne and VVine and VVooll to B [...]alim, and the fruites of the earth to the hoast of heaven, and their deliveraunce from their bodyly enemies to Ashur and Aegypte, and their greate plentye to their ovvne pollicie, then they forsooke God and followed Baalim, and vvorshipped the host of heaven, and sente giftes to Ashur and Aegypte, and burnt incense to their owne yarne, highly magnifying and extolling themselues, and leaving of to magnifie God, of whom they had not only received all these thinges but thēselues also. The which thing also vvhen it vvas forgotten by the wicked, Sap. 2. Cap. When they did not beleeue that GOD was their creator, & that al māner of cōmodities which they enioied were his giftes, but imagined that they were borne at al adventure [Page 64] and left to their owne hands to shift for themselues, then like filthy swine they trod vnder foote all feare of God, & gaue themselues over to wallowe in the mire of their owne sensual and vncleane lusts. Come (said they) l [...]t vs enioie the pleasures that are present, Sap. 2. 6. let vs cheerefully vse the creatures as in youth: let vs fill our selues with costly wine and ointment, and let not the flower of our life passe from vs: let vs crowne our selues with rose buds before they be withered, and let vs leaue some token of our wantonnes in every place: for this is our portiō, and this is our lot. So daungerous a thing it is either to forget the Lords mercies, or not to beleeue him to be the only fountaine of al! good things, but to ascribe' thē either to our selues, or to chāce & fortune, or to the dispositiō of any creature: for it causeth God to withdraw his favour wholy from vs, and to giue vs cleane over to a reprobate sense, and to suffer vs vtterly to fall away from his feare.
Yea it not only maketh the Lord to be most grievously offended with such an abominable sinne, but after a sort to be vtterly astonished and amased, for that there coulde come to passe any such impiety. O yee heavens be astonished at this, be afraide and vtterly confounded saith the Lord: For my people haue committed two evilles: Ier. 2. 12. they haue forsaken mee the founetaine of living waters, to digge to themselues pits even broken pits that can hold no water. And in the very beginning of Isay: Heare O heavens, and harken O earth, for the Lorde Isa. 1. 1. hath spoken: I haue nourished and brought vp children, and they haue rebelled against me. The oxe knoweth his owner, & the asse his masters crib: but my people hath not knowne, Israell hath not vnderstoode. The oxe & the asse, albeit they be voide of al reason, yet haue so much sense as to be serviceable to them by whom they are fed: yea the very deade and senselesse earth yeeldeth forth her encrease to thē by whom it is manured and husbanded: and therefore all such are more brutish then the very oxe and asse, and more vile and base then the very dead and senselesse earth, who having received all from God will not acknowledge their gracious benefactor, & be thankfull vnto him for his great mercies. Verily they which are carelesse to tast of the Lords loue, are worthy to drinke the dregs of his displeasure: they that refuse to loue God for his goodnesse, and to reioice in him for his mercy, are worthy to shake & quake [Page 65] at his iustice, and to tremble at his fury: they that neglect to take at his hands the cuppe of salvation, are worthy to heare from his mouth the dreadfull sentence of iust condemnation: they that will not aboue all thinges esteeme of his invaluable favour and alwaies meditate vpon that vnspeakeable loue whereby they are delivered from everlasting fire, are worthy still to be remembred of their vnthankfulnes by their continuall suffering of those intollerable torments of hell fire: they which are carelesse to blesse God day and night most cheerefully for their eternal and everlasting happines, are worthy to curse themselues day & night most ruefully for their eternal and everlasting wretchednes. And verily if David purposed to destroy all that belonged to Naball, for that, when he had preserved his flockes in the wildernes, and had beene as a wall vnto his servants, this his kindnes was requited with currishnes, and his messengers sent backe vnto him with reproaches insteed of rewards: What cause thē hath God, who causeth all his creatures to attend vpon his servants, & maketh his glorious angels to be their guard & to encāpe! round about them, yea who is himselfe a brasen wall vnto them to defend them and theirs frō all their enemies, most highly to be offended with his vnthankful servants for the contempt of so many and great favours, and to be revenged of the same withall condigne punishment? what? to forget the kindnes of our bodily parents, and to be stubborne against them, was by the law of Moses adiudged to bee worthy of no lesse punishment then stoning to death: and but to enter consultation of conspiring against prince & countrey deserveth by our laws to haue the bodies of all such offenders dismembred, and to be set vp vpon the toppes of our gates as ruefull spectacles to warne all to beware of the like treacherous vnthankfulnes: (and yet our parents, prince, and country are for the most parte but the meanes of some temporal blessings to be conveied vnto vs: for it is God that is the author both of the one and the other, and the ordainer both of al meanes and of all blessings also) what an heavy iudgement then doth it deserue so far to forget the Lords mercies, as that we should be stubborne and disloyall to him, & ioine our selues in conspiracy with that archtraitour Satan?
Verely when the Lord hath bin so mindful of vs, & wee haue bin so forgetful of him, whē he hath bin so kind to vs, & we haue bin so vnkind to him, it cannot but highly incēse him against vs, and wrest out of his hands most grievous plagues, as we may perceive by that dreadful destruction that came vpon the ten tribes, & that direful desolatlō vpon the nation of the Iewes the whole remnant of Israel especially for their vnkind forgetfulnes & contempt of the Lordes so sundry and manifold mercies. The first of the which iudgments with the causes therof is sette downe vnto vs by the Prophet Amos: Thus saith the Lord for three transgressious Amo, 52. 6. of Israel & for fowre I wil not turn to it: because of their oppressiōs, adulteries, superstitions, & their wicked reioycing before their Idols, as if by their meanes they had bin so inriched & advaunced. Yet (saith the Lord) it vvas I that destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the Cedar trees, & he was strong as the oakes: Notwithstanding I destroyed his fruite from aboue, & his roote from beneath. Also I brought you up from the land of Aegypt, & ledde you fourty yeares through the wildornes to possesse the land of the Amorite: and I raised vp of your sonnes for Prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites, is it not even thus ô yee children of Israell saith the Lord? But ye gaue the Nazarites wine to drinke, & commanded the Prophets saying prophesie not: behould vnthankfulnes is the principal circumstance, that most of all aggravateth the greivousnes of sin. Amos. 3. 1. I am pressed vnder you as a carte is pressed that is full of sheaves. Behould then what it was that added such a weight vnto their sins, & made them so grievous and offensiue vnto God. and so againe in the next chapter: Heere this word that the Lord pronounceth against you ô yee children of Israel, even against the vvhole family that I brought out of Aegypt, saying: you only haue I knowen of al the families of the earth, therfore I will visite you for all your iniquities. In both which places it is manifest that the Lord himselfe testifieth against this vnthankeful nation, that seing he had so laboured to winne them with his blessings, and yet they would not giue place to his kindnes, therfore he himselfe would make place vnto his plagues, & to his most heavy but iust vengeance.
And now cōcerning that other iudgment executed vpon Ierusalem & the nation of the Iewes the whole rēnant of Israel, the which was the most strange and the most dreadfull that ever was executed vpon any people from the beginning of the world, was [Page 67] it not for this cause, that as God had at the first in kindnes exceeded towards them aboue al other nations of the whole earth, & they againe had exceeded towards him in their vnthankefulnes, therfore at the last his plagues against thē did exceed the plagues of al other nations of the whole earth? As we may gather by that woefull complainte that our Saviour tooke vp over Ierusalem saying: O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and Mat. 23. 37. stonest them, that are sente vnto thee, hovve often vvoulde I haue gathered thy children as the hen gathereth her chickens vnto her vvinges and yee vvoulde not? Therefore is your house left vnto you desolate: Howe often (saith our Saviour) haue I called you vnto mee by my manifolde blessinges corporall and spirituall? and vvith what kindnes haue I succoured you in all your necessities and wantes? and how long haue I had patience with you in wayting for your amendement? Therefore patience so often offended, and kindnes so much contemned must needes at the last be turned into furie. Sinne verely is exceeding sinfull because it is a transgression of the most holy, pure, and righteous law of God, and is a contempte of his maiestie vnto whome vvee ovve all obedience, if it were but in respect of his supreme auctority over vs: and yet heerein it doth exceede all this, and is made most sinfull even in the highest degree, for that it is committed against him, vvhose mercies haue so farre exceeded towardes vs, and haue made vs so deepelie endebted vnto him, that if we should most frankely and freely giue our selues and all that vve haue to bee prest and ready continually to doe him service, if I saie wee shoulde doe this againe and againe, yea ten thousande times more then we are any way able, yet we can no way match his vnspeakeable kindnes, or be answerable vnto his endles loue. To forget him then that hath so remembred vs, & hath given vs such cause to remember him cōtinually casteth vs downe below all māner of [...]enceles & liveles creatures, yea it maketh vs in some sort worse then the very devils thēselues. For they in sinning forgate God their Creator & sāctifier, but we adde also thervnto the forgetting of God our Saviour & redeemer. Whē we defile our selues with the pollutions of the vvorlde, vvee forgette that we vvere ever clensed from our olde sinnes and former vncleanes, [Page 68] we tredde vnder foote the sonne of God, & count the blood of the covenant 2 Pet. 1. 9. Heb. 10. 29. as a vile thing & of no price, and after a sort crucifie againe the Lord of glory. We contemne and despise this blessing of blessinges, and cleane sette at naught this mercy of mercies, or else wee would not so wretchlesly forgette the same. We forgett it, for if we did carefully embrace & remember it, it would not be without fruit. But we contemne and forget it and neglect the meanes wherby we should be put in continual remembrance of it: yea by little & little we are drawen on evē to hate & to persecute these meanes, and so draw nearer & nearer vnto that sin of sins which maketh vs vncapeable of all mercie.
From the which sin & from al other that we might be preserved, The manifold means that God hath ordaned to preserve the remēbrāce of his endlesse loue in Christ, and the residue of his manifolde mercies: as 1. the word the Lord hath given vs his holy word to bee alwaies before our eies, and so to keepe in vs a faithful remembrance of all his mercies: wherin we may record his gracious & merciful covenāt in Christ, by the which he hath givē himselfe to vs to be our God, and hath taken vs to himselfe to be his people: wherein we may reade his will and testament, in the which he hath adopted vs for his sonnes in Christ, & made vs heires to all his treasures, & hath bequeathed vnto vs besides al other gifts, that grand legacy of eternal glory: wherin we may pervse that authētical charter of al these priveledges & immunities which we presētly do, & are hereafter more fully to enioy, being already made fellow citizēs with the saints & of the houshold of God, and incorporated into the heavenly & caelestial Ierusalem: wherin we may take a true view of the large & plenary pardon of all our trespasles and debtes, & of that great graunt of the free remission of al our sins, signed after a sort with the Lords owne hand, & ratified & cōfirmed with 2. The Sacraments. Doe this in remēbrāce of me. the seale of his sacraments. For they were also ordained for the same principal end & vse: that by the outward resemblāce of the visible signes vvith the invisible grace they might togither vvith the word not only represent and sette before our eies the Lords spiritual giftes and graces, (for Sacramentes if they had no resemblance they should be no Sacramentes) but also to assure vs by the bodely receiving of the outvvard signes, of the invvard participation of the invisible giftes. The Church hath also appointed vnto vs certaine principall feastes, as the feast of the [Page 69] nativity of the LORD, and of his resurrection, and ascension, and the like, that they might likewise be a meanes vnto vs to 3. Festivall daies continue an holy remembrance of his principall mercies: And therefore on those daies there are appointed also to bee opened vnto the Lordes people such speciall parcelles of holy Scripture, as do more clearly sette forth the same. And for that these feasts come but once in the yeare, there is one special day appointed in 4 The Saboth or the Lords day. every vveeke, that vve should not onely call to minde that God made the vvorld in sixe daies and rested the seaventh, & blessed it, and consecrated it to the holie remembrance of the glorious worke of the creatiō: but much more that we which are Christiās, & haue the Iewes Saboth trāslated into the day of the Lords resurrection, should most carefully record especially on that daie, that he both died for our sinnes, and rose againe for our iustification. And therefore as vpon the Iewes Sabboth there were certaine Psalmes appointed to be redde publikely to the people for Read these Psalmes & hymnes not cursorely & for fashion, but with relligious and devout attention, & thou shalt soone finde the fruite thereof. the calling to their remēbrance of the blessings of the Lord: so in the churches of the Christiās the same haue bin cōtinued even to this day, & other holy hymmes added therto for the further manifestation of the same mercies. And for as much as this publike meeting of the whole cōgregation to record the Lords mercies is appointed by the Lord himselfe to be but one day in the weeke, therfore there is a most strait charg givē also by the Lord hīselfe, that every one of the Lordes people shoulde privatly every day haue their resort to the word of God, and meditate therin day & night, that so they might keepe a cōtinual remēbrāce of al those things, which never can be too much remembred. And least any of the more simple & ignorant should pleade either simplicity in vnderstāding or weaknes in remembring, the Lord in his great goodnes hath provided a remedy also for the same, by causing diverse short & plaine sentēces to be sett down in his holy word, which are both easie to be vnderstood, & to be remembred also, These and the like sē tences may easily be learned without booke, and ought to be remembred when we are by our selues continually. 5. The office of the Lords Ministers. Psal. 105 1. that so evē they might haue no pretēce at al to faile in so behovful & necessary a duty, As Iob 35. 10. Ier. 2. 6. & 5. 24. & 14. 20. Ho. 14. 2. And yet least any of the Lords servāts should discontinue in this the Lords worke, he hath appointed also the ministers of his word to be his faithful remēbrācers therin, & to cal cōtinually [Page 70] vnto their remembrance both the Lordes manifold mercies, and their manifold dueties, that they owe vnto him for the same. For if all the Lords people ought not only themselues to be employed diligētly about the Lords works, but also to further each one the other therein: then how much more ought they to doe it, which are appointed to be publik officers for the same purpose? How oug [...]t they especially most carefully to put in practise the exhortation of the prophet by calling continually vnto the people and saying? Praise the Lord, and call vpon his name, and declare his workes among the people: Sing vnto him, sing praises vnto him, and let your talking be of all his wondrous works. Reioice in his holy name, let the harts of them reioice that se [...]ke the Lord. Seeke the Lord and his strength, se [...]ke his face continually. Remember the ma [...]ve [...]lous works that he hath done, the wonders and the iudgments of his mouth [...]h yee seede of Abraham his servant, ye ch [...]ldren of Iacob his chosen: he is the Lord our God. [...]. The [...] [...]ssistance accord [...] to his own covenant. And yet if all men faile in their duety, the Lorde himselfe will not faile in that covenant which he h [...]th made with all his chosen: wherein hee hath promised that hee himselfe will write his lawes in their heartes, and plant them in their mindes, and that he will doe the same so sufficiently, that it shall not be a matter of absolute necessity for every one to exhort and to admonish his neighbor saying, know the Lord: for they shall all know me (saith the Lord) even Ier. 31 34. from the greatest vnto the least. So and so beneficiall it is vnto all the Lords people to know the Lord and his gracious blessings, & to keepe a continuall remembrance of the same: and therefore so and so many meanes hath the Lord appointed in his vnspeakeable wisedome and goodnesse for the stirring vp of every one of his faithful servants to the ready and careful performance of this so beneficiall and necessary a worke; So and so carefull hath the Lord been that the people devoted vnto his service should want no meanes to strengthen & further them in the holy exercise of sincere devotion. Now let vs see how the church of Rome (which boasteth so highly of her owne great devotions, land of the huge multitude of all manner of good works which so and so abounde among her children) religiously extolleth the Lords mercies & what a carefull remembraunce shee keepeth of his goodnes, seeing (as it hath beene shewed) that is the mother and the nurce [Page 71] of all sound and sincere devotion, and the fountain & welspring of all good workes.
The word of God in setting downe the great & gracious blessings of God doth declare vnto vs these three pointes. First the cause of them, even his owne goodnesse and loue: secondly the end, which is the manifestation of his goodnes and loue: thirdly the effect, which is the working therby in the harts of his chosen of al inward graces & outward dueties also both to God & to our neighbour. The grace, goodnes, loue, and mercy of God is the full fountaine frō whence all his blessings doe issue & flow. The great & blessed worke of mans redemption issueth from thence as our Saviour testifieth: So God loved the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but haue Ioh. 3. 16. life everlasting. The great & blessed worke of the creation and all the residue of his gracious blessings, many of the particulars wherof are set down by the prophet Ps. 136. come also from thence, even because his mercy endu [...]eth for ever. This mercy & loue of God is not o [...]ly most ample & large, but also most free & vndeserved. For every good gift and every perfect giving commeth downe frō Iac. 1. 17. aboue frō the father of light: & we hold all that wee enioy from this grand & vniversal l [...]ndlord, & therefore we must pay our whole rent to him, & performe only to his court our suit & service: we are endebted vnto him alone for the loane of al that we possesse, & therfore to him alone we must discharge all our debt. His loue also is most free & vndeserved; he seeketh therin not to gain any thing to himselfe, but only to do good, & to benefit other: & this doth farther set forth the greatnes of his loue, & so doth enlarge the bil of our debt. Secōdly the end why God bestoweth his blessings is that they might be vnto vs most plaine demōstrations of his loue & most certain testimonies of his goodnes. Shew me (saith St. Iams) thy faith by thy works: & I wil shew thee my faith by my works. Iac 2. 18. 1. Ioh. 3. 18. My childrē (saith St. Iohn) let vs not loue in word & in tōgue, but in work & in truth. That loue thē is in truth, that is effectual in works: and that faith is soūd & right, that sheweth it selfe in the fruits. Wherfore god who would haue his chosē know & be fully perswaded that he loveth thē in truth. sheweth it forth to them by his most gracious and manifold blessings as by the effects & fruits therof: [Page 72] and this is also a great addition vnto his loue. Thirdly the Lord maketh his loue manifested by his blessings the meanes to beget and to encrease faith, loue, repentance and the like in the hearts of his elect and chosen children: he putteth them not out to vse, nor taketh any encrease for them: (for his estate cannot be bettered, nor his blessednes encreased) the profite and encrease accrueth to vs: and therefore by them we merite nothing at the hands of God, nor make him thereby any way endebted to vs, but wee our selues are more and more still in his debt for the free lone & francke gift of all his blessings. Now then to returne againe to the first point.
The loue of God is the ful fountaine of all manner of his blessings both bodyly and ghostly, and he himselfe is not only the author, but also the disposer and bestower of them all: the blessings themselues, and the meanes are of him, and the working also of the one and the other. Temporal, meanes are in themselues nothing without the speciall power of God working in them & by them. Man liveth not by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. And life consiseth not in the great aboundance of all such thinges a [...] doe belong to the maintenance of life: The horse is counted but a vaine thing to saue a man, neither can he deliver any one by his much strength: the watchman also waketh but in vaine, vnlesse the Lord keepe the citty. So spirituall meanes also are nothing without the effectuall power of the almighty working by them: for that is the very soule and life of all. He that planteth is nothing, and hee that watereth is nothing, but God that giveth the encrease. Iohn the Baptist can baptise but with water: Austine can but speake to our bodyly eares: Christ baptiseth only with the holy Ghost: and he that hath his chaire in heaven is he only that, can teach the heart. The water in baptisme can but wash the body, and the very word of the promise of it selfe without faith is but an ineffectuall and dead letter; yea the bodily presence of Christes owne flesh profiteth nothing: it is his spirit that quickneth, & that worketh faith and bringeth life. And therefore when Rachell said vnto Iacob, giue me children or else I d [...]e: Iacob was angry with her and saide: Gen. 30. 1. Am I [...] Gods steede, who hath with holden frō thee the fruit of thy womb? [Page 73] So when Naaman the Sirian was sent by his Master to the king of Israell to be cured of his leprosie: Am I a God (saith he) to kill and 2. King 5. 7. giue life, that he hath sent vnto me to cure a man of his lo profie? So likewise in that lamentable siege and famme of Samaria, when a woman cried to the king as he passed by: Helpe my Lord O king: the 2. Kin. 6. 26. To ascribe any blessing vnto the meanc, is to place the meane [...] in the makers roome Rom. 11. 36. king answered: how can I helpe seeing the Lord doth not succour vs either with the barne or with the winepresse? If then our bodily blessings depend not vpon the meanes, but are in the hands, & at the disposition of the author alone, then much more our ghostly & spirituall: and if both bodily and ghostly, then all: and then is he to be sought vnto only for al: and then is he to be served and honored only for all. For seeing that of him and for him and by him are all things: therfore the conclusion followeth necessarily, to him be glory for ever and ever, Amen. And it is a duty belonging to vs all to fall downe before him that sitteth vpon the throne and to cast our crownes at his feete and to say: Thou art worthy O Lorde to receiue Apoc. 4. 11. glory, and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, & for thy wils sake they vvere and are created. For are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can giue raine? Or can the heavens giue Ier. 14. 20. showers: Art not thou the Lorde our God? Therefore will wee waite vpon thee: for thou hast made all these things.
The cause then that moveth the faithful to cleaue sincerely to The ascribing of all good thigs entirely to God is the cause of true piety and godlines: as on the c [...]rt [...]ary side the ascribing of Gods gifts vnto creatures is the cause of Idolatry and falling away from God. God, and to continue sted fast in his feare is, for that they beleeue that they do receiue all good things wholy and solely from him: they seeing that of him they receiue their whole wages & mainetenance, therefore do giue themselues wholy to his service. As on the contrary side the cause of Idolatry and falling away from God, and maining, mangling, and corrupting his worship & service, is the ascribing to our selues or to other, either wholy or in part the glory of many or of any of the Lords blessings. This was the cause of Idolatry among the Gentiles, of their honouring of themselues, and of their Idols, and of their vnthankfulnesse vnto the true God. For as concerning the wise, learned, and politike amōg the heathē, if they yeelded vnto God the glory of any blessings at all, it was of such only as were t [...]mporall and transi [...]orie: they were beholding vnto themselues only in their owne opinions for their temperance, fortitude, wisedome and all other vertues, [Page 74] & therfore they honoured themselues for these things and not the true and living God. Hath any one (saith Cicero) [...] any Cie. l. 3. de nat. deorū. time given thankes vnto God for that he was a good man? Noe: but for that he was rich, honoured & preserved: & therfore (saith Det vitam det opes: aequum mî animum ip se parabo. Hora. ep. 1. ad Lollium. hee) they cal Iupiter the best and the greatest, not for that he maketh men iust, sober, and wise: but for that he sendeth riches and safety. So Horace: Let Iupiter giue me life & wealth, and I vvill provide for my selfe a good minde. Yea many of the greatest states among them did ascribe also to themselues their riches and honor, & to their owne wisedome pollecy & power: as it may appeare by the insolent harts & proud proceedinges of the king of Isa. 10. 13. Dan. 4. 27. Iob. 31. 27. Ashur & Babilon, & by the like practise of many meaner men in the time of Iob. And as for the multitude they did generally ascribe al to chaunce & fortune, to destiny & to the starres, many also of the wisest & greatest amongest them being not free from this errour: in that they commonly called their wealth & honour the goods of fortune, & had their temples erected both to fortune & fate. And as for those whome they worshipped for Gods both privately & publikely, they were either the first founders or the enlargers of their families, cities & kingdomes, or the invē tors or furtherers of some beneficial science & arte: as Ceres vvas worshipped for inventing or bettering the arte of manuring the ground, Bacchus of the vine, Pan of cattle, Neptune of navigation, Mars of warre, Apollo of wisedome, Esculapius of phisicke, Iuppiter of governing of countries & kingdomes. All these and many other were worshipped by the Gentiles as Gods, for that they were thought to be the inventors or furtherers of many beneficiall artes, and the auctors or disposers of many blessinges: and so the worshippe of the true God the onely auctor & disposer of all good things was generally banished out of the great & large countries & kingdomes of the whole world, & shutte vp within the coastes & borders of one smal & meane people: and namely he was excluded out of the Pantheon of Rome, wherevnto were admitted the gods & goddesses of all other kingdomes & countries which the Romanes subdued & made their tributaries, for that he would bee worshipped alone as the one onely true God almighty & alsufficient, the only autor & doer of al good things.
Neither was the true worshippe and service of God for anie long continuance kepte pure and vnpolluted among this one nation which he had chosen vnto himselfe to be his owne proper and peculiar people. For they ascribed their wealth and abundance to Baalim, to the host of heaven, & to themselues, & so fel frō God & worshipped Baalim, and burnt incense to the Queene Isa. 48. 5. Ier. 44. 13. Hos. 2. 8. & 12. Hab. 1. 16. of heaven, and did offer sacrifice vnto their owne nettes: And they ascribed their preservation to Ashur & Aegypt, & therfore sent their gifts to those places: And they imputed their vertuous works in part to their own free will & the benesit of eternall life vnto the merit of their owne works: & therfore did they boast of their own holines not only before mē, but also before God: they Luk. 18. 11. Rom. 9. 32. trusted in thēselues & in their own righteousnes, & reiected the righteousnes of God in Christ, & so caused thēselues to be vtterly reiected of God. Wherby it came to passe that the kingdome of God was taken frō them, & was translated vnto the Gentiles, and the true worshippe and service of the onely true God vvas made common to all the nations of the whole earth.
But it did not with them neither continue pure and vncorrupte any longe time. For the Church that vvas a chast virgine vvhiles the Apostles lived, beganne shortely in many countries to play the adultresse, and to defile her lelfe with spiritual whordomes and I dolatries. The Apostle Saint Paule testified vnto the Elders of Ephesus, that he knew ful well that after his departure there should enter in among them grievous woluet not sparing the Act 20. 29. 1. Ioh. 4. 1. flock [...]. And Saint Iohn that lived longest of al the Apostles testifieth that even in his time manie false Prophets vvere gone out into the vvorlde: and that the spirite of the greate Antichrist, that was to come in the latter times, vvas alreadie vvorking and laying of the foundation of the great apostasie from GOD and his truth, and brevving the cuppe of that deadly poison vvherevvithall was to bee made drunken all the kingdomes of the vvorlde, and practising those spirituall fornications and adulteries vvherevvithall the whole earth vvas to be defiled. And vvhat vvere those spirituall fornications and adulteries but an Idolatrous worshipping of the creature in steede of the Creator, a superstitious serving of the Saintes in [Page 76] place of the Saviour, & an vnchast & vnshamefast embracing of the freindes of the bridegrome in steede of the faithful cleaving vnto the onely bridegrome himselfe? And how was this brought to passe but whiles the world was taught that CHRIST the bridegrome of the Church was not the onely mediator and patrone of his people, but the saintes also the friendes of the bridegrome? that God had after a sorte passed away from himselfe his interest and right in the bestowing of his owne gracious giftes and blessinges, and had delivered them over vnto his servantes to be in their handes and at their disposition, & had made some of them patrones over one countrie & some over an other, some over men of this calling and some over men over of that, some over this kind of cattle, and some over that, some deliverers from this disease and some from that, and some disposers of this blessing & some of that. And hereof it came to passe that so many devotions were done vnto the saintes, and so fewe vnto Christ: so many churches and relligious houses founded to the honour of the saintes, and so fewe vnto Christ: so much praying to the saintes and so little to God, the very Ave-Maryes much exceeding the Pater-Nosters, and yet great contentiō also to bestowe them too vpon the saints: such gadding on pilgrimage to offer to the image of this saint and that saint, and so little regarde of the sincere serving of God in spirit and truth, which is no waies bettered by altering of places but by changing of our corrupt and sleshly affections: such publishing of the fabulous legend of the saintes miracles, and such debarring of the people from Gods owne booke, where the glorie of Christ is most sett forth: such buying of pardons wherein the merites of the saintes vvere sette out to s [...]le, and such evacuating & annihilating of the death of CHRIST whereby our salvation vvas onely vvrought: such magnifying of the rules of their owne relligious orders, and such a meane reckoning made of the Lavves of CHRIST. These honours vvhich vvere given by the vvhore of Babilon to her louers vvere parte of those spirituall fornications and adulteries vvherevvithall shee did infecte all the nations of the earth: and the greate giftes that vvere pretended to bee given by the saintes to such as did most devoutely honour them, vvere the meanes [Page 77] to perswade them to this Idolatry: even as the Gentiles and Iewes had in former ages beene drawen a longe into the like actions vppon the like motiues and perswasions.
Wherefore if wee desire to bee delivered from such a fall, even from departing from God to followe after vanity, yea from falling from his service into open and impious I dolatry, let vs beware of this stumbling blocke which Satan casteth in our vvay to make vs fall, vvhile hee parswadeth vs to begge for that blessing at the hande of any creature, vvhich onely is in the gifte and disposition of the Creator: and let vs acknowledge that GODS most large & ample loue is the only ful fountaine of all good thinges, whatsoever be the conduite to convey them vnto vs: and that all this water, that thus or thus serveth our vse, springeth onely out of this fountaine, and not out of the conduite: and that the conduite it selfe is made by this founder, and doth convery vnto vs such & so much water as he himselfe doth dispose of to our benefite and good. Neither must we onely acknowledge that God is the onely auctor & disposer of his owne giftes, but also that he bestoweth them all vpon vs most frankely and freely even of his owne meere mercy favour & loue. He did not predestinate vs to everlasting life, nor bestowe vpon vs any other of his blessinges, for that he foresawe that we would deserue the same: For he did not foresee any thing that should proceede from our selues but a flatte conspiracy with sinne and Satan and an apostacy and a revolt from God all goodnes. Whatsoever good thing he foresaw in vs, he foreappointed both to begin the same by his ovvne grace, and to continue it and to bring it to a good issue and end, of his owne vndeserved favour and loue.
And nowe to come to the second po [...]nt: All the gratious blessings The end of all Gods blessings is the manifestation of his loue. of God are bestowed vpon the faithfull to this ende, even that by them he might make declaration & proofe of his loue, & giue them assurance of his fatherly affection towards them. And verely as none among men bestoweth any gifte vpon another, but that hee will at one time or other give him notice thereof: neither vvill hee bestow it vppon such an one as knoweth not the vse thereof, nor vnderstandeth it to bee a gifte, least it bee [Page 78] takē as a mockery, or returned backe without acceptance: much lesse doth God bestowe any of his gracious giftes vpon his servaun [...]es, but that sooner o [...] later hee giveth them no [...]ice therof, and shevveth them the vles of the same, that so they may receiue benefite thereby: sering otherwise they will doe them [...]is taken [...] an vn [...]ubted [...]ritie in [...]finite [...]aces of [...]oly scrip [...]re, that [...]ods loue [...] assuredly [...]owen to [...]is owne [...]eople, & [...]lt of thē [...]specially [...] those [...]essinges [...]hich [...]re most [...]roper and [...]eculiar [...]nto them: [...]nd there [...]pon are [...]hey so of [...]en and [...]arnestly [...]rged to [...]hew them [...]elues thāk [...]ull and duetifull to God for those his so wel known and manifest mercies. Exod. 20. 2. no good, but needs must be without al fruite. And especially he vvill not enter into covenant and league vvith any to become their gracious God in Christ, and to accept them for his peculiar people, to giue them remission of sins & e [...]ernal life, and the first fruits of the spirit as the pledge of their caelestial & heavenly inheritance, but that he will make knowen vnto them this his gracious league and covenant vvith the articles and conditions belonging to the same: for othervvise hovve can they performe the conditions? And if they knowe not that they haue such and such giftes from God, howe can they be thankefull to God for them, and employ them to their owne good? If they beleeue not that God is their God, how can they honour him as their God? If they bee not perswaded that they are beloued of God, how can they be stirred vp to loue God? If they be not assured that God hath accepted of them as of his trusty & faithful servants, what encouragement can they haue to demean [...] themselues as his trusty and faithfull servants?
Surely the spirit of God which knoweth the deepest misteries of the Lords own most privy & secret counsels, & therfore much more searcheth the harts & raines of al men, and vnderstandeth all their thoughtes, taketh it as a thing well knowen & acknowledged of all the faithsul servants of God, that God lou [...]th them, and hath manifested the same vnto them by his manifold giftes, and that he hath declared himselfe to be their God, and hath taken them to be his people, and therevpon inferreth that they should honour him a [...] their God, and walke worthy of their high and heavenly calling, & that they should loue him, & be thankfull vnto him, and bee ready continually to testifie the same by their duetifull regard vnto his service, and by their humble obedience to all his commaundementes. I am the Lord thy God (saith God himselfe vnto his true and faithfull servantes among the whole natiō of Israel) That brought you out of the land of Aegyp [...] [Page 79] & out of the house of bo [...]dage: and therevpon requireth to bee accepted of them as their onely GOD and to haue humble obedience yeelded to all his commaundementes: And so the holie posterity of these faithfull servants of God doe in most pl [...]ine wordes acknowledge los. 24. Even that God is their God, and hath done thus & thus for them, & therfore that they are bound to se [...]ue him alone, & to honour him as their only God. The same mo [...]iue God vrgeth to Abraham the father of the faithfull: I am Gen. 17. 1. thy God alsufficient: walke before me, and be thou perfect: that is, I am [...]ntred into covenant with th [...]e to be thy God, I haue and vvill supply all thy wantes, and haue & wilsticke vnto thee in all thy necessities: the [...]fore see that thou throughly sticke vnto me and cleaue perfectly vnto my service. The Apostle St. Paule writing to the saints at Ephesus, that is, to the faithfull in Christ Iesus, Eph. 3 1. beginneth with, Blessed bee God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ: and presently annexeth the cause thereof, which vvas, The blessing of them vvith all sperituall blessinges in CHRIST Iesus, their election, predestination, redēption, the revelation of the mysteries of the will of God vnto them, their hope, faith, and their sealing with the spirit of promise & these blessings he remembreth not as things doubtfull and vncertaine, but as things most manifest & well knowen vnto thē. Likwise he exhorteth the Theslalonians to keepe their vesselles in holines & honor, & not to defraud 1. Thess. 4. 2 or oppresle one another; because they knew what commandements were given vnto them in Christ, and that they were not called to vncleanes but to holinesse. So to the Co [...]nthians, havin [...] rem [...]mbred 1. Cor. 6. 11. them what they were before their calling even such as were desiled with most filthie and abhominable sinnes, then hee addeth as a thing vvell knovven and acknovvledged by them all, but yee are vvashed, but yee are senct [...]fied, but yee are iustified, in the name of our LORDE Iesus, and by the spir [...]te of our GOD: and therevpon farther vrgeth as thinges also fullie knovven and confessed, both the fruite and the benefite of this formes grace, and the duetie also that is to bee performed [...]or the same. Knovve yee not (saith hee) that your bodies are the mēbers of Christ; Shal I then Ver. 15. take the members of Christ, & make them the members of an harlette? GOD forbidde. Yea, Ver. 19. Know yee not that your bodies are the temples [Page 80] of the holy Ghost, which is in you, whom ye haue of God, and that ye are not your owne, but are bought with a price? Therefore glorifie God in your bodie & your spirit, which are Gods. So likewise to the Romanes: chiefly considering the season (saith the Apostle) and knowing that the night is passed, and the day is nigh, therefore let vs cast away the works of [...]. 13. 11. darknes, and let vs put on the armour of light: let vs walke honestly as in the day time. And againe to the faithful among the Thessalonians: Yee are all the children of the light and of the day: we are not of the night, Thes. 5. 5. neither of darknes. Therfore let vs not sleepe as other [...]o, but let vs watch, & be sober. For they that sleepe, sleepe in the night, and they that are drū ken are drunken in the night: but let vs which are of the day be sober, putting on the brestplate of faith and loue, and the hope of salvation as an helmet. For God hath not appointed vs to wrath, but to obtaine salvation in Christ Iesus: who died for vs, that whether wee wake or sleepe, wee shoulde liue togither with him. Wherefore comfort your selues togither, and edifie one another even as yee doe. And in deed what greater comfort can there come to the faithfull, then to be assured that they are not the children of the night neither of darknes, but the children of the light and of the day? And what more availeable for edification in godlines, then to knowe that they are not appoin [...]ed to wrath, but to salvation, and therefore that they ought to bee employed wholy in all such dueties as do concerne all such as are to be saved.
Neither is this argument proper to S. Paule alone, but cōmon with him to al the Prophets & Apostles, who tasted with him of the sweete blessings of the same Saviour, and were made partakers of the same comfortable spirit. Beholde (saith Moses) the heaven, [...]. 10. 14. and the heaven of heavens is the Lords, the earth also and all that is therein. Notwithstanding he hath set his delight on vs and hath loved vs, and hath chosen vs to be his people, and hath preferred vs before many other nations, that are farre greater and mightier then we: that we also might learne to make choice of him before all other, & to prefer him to bee our only God. So the Prophet David foreseeing by the spirite that God woulde gather vnto him his elect and chosen out of all nations of the whole earth cryeth out vnto them and saith: O bee ioyfull in the Lorde all yee lands, serue the [...]. 100. 1. Lord with gladnes and come before his presence with a song. Be yee sure [Page 81] that the Lord he is God, it is he that hath made vs and not we our selues, we are his people and the sheepe of his pasture, &c. Be ye sure (saith David) & build vpon this, that God is the true God & that he hath made vs, and taken vs also to be his people: and therefore he exhorteth againe and againe to reioice in the Lord, & to be thākfull vnto him for his great goodnes. So S. Peter: yee are (saith he to all the faithfull to whom he wrote) a chosen generation, a royall nation, 1. Pet. 2. 9. and an holy people, that yee shoulde shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknes into his marveilous light. Likewise Saint Iohn: Behold (saith hee) what loue the father hath shewed vs, that vvee 1 Ioh. 3. 1. should be called the sonnes of God, &c. Why? Hee that is but in a play to beare the person only of the sonne of an earthly king, and that but for the space of two or three houres, will in no wise then demeane himselfe like to a cullian. A sonne (saith Malachy) honoureth his father, and a servant his master. If I then (saith God himselfe Mala. 1. 6. vnto his people) be your father, where is my loue? and if I be your master, where is my feare? Now every meane Logitian knoweth that a Inepta est probatio obscuri per aequè obscurū, multo magis per magis obscurum. thing not knowne or but meanly apprehēded is to receiue light and confirmation not from an argument which is as obscure and doubtfull, much lesse from that which is more doubtfull and obscure. For how can that which is darke it selfe driue away darkenes? or how can that which is doubtfull it selfe remoue doubtfulnes? Wherefore in that the spirit of God doth exhort the faithful not to serue themselues but the Lorde for that [...]hey are bought with a price, and therfore are not their own but the Lords: and to walke soberly because they are the children of the day: and to do such things as accompany salvatiō for that they are ordained to salvation: and to employ themselues not to base vses but to the most honourable service of the Lord, because they are vessels of gold prepared to glory, and so forth: it followeth necessarily that it ought to bee vnto them as evident and as certaine at the least that they are not their own but are bought with a price, that they are the children of the day, that they are ordained to salvatiō, & that they are vessels of golde prepared to glory, as that they should serue not themselues but the Lord, that they should walk warily as in the day, that they should do such things as accompany salvation & that they should employ themselues not to base [Page 82] vses, but to the honourable service of God.
And verely no other argumēt of it selfe alone is able to asswage the flames of selfe loue which are so great, and to cause vs to deny our selues, our friendes, pleasures and commodities, bee they they never so sweete, and to make vs willingly to beare the disfavours of prince and people, alians and allies, and to vndergoe all manner of crosses and afflictions, bee they never so burdensome and bitter, but onely that invaluable loue of God manifested in that glorious worke of mans redemption, and in the residue of his blessings of grace. When the Apostles seemed to wordly wise men to be stark madd, for that they so willingly submitted themselues to so many and great inconveniences that they might giue testimony to the Gospell of Christ, the Apostle St. Paule setteth downe the cause that moued them ther vnto saying: The loue of Christ constraineth vs: because we thus iudge that if one bee deade [...]. Cor. 5. 14. Christes [...]oue to [...]ards his [...]aithfull [...]ervants [...]elt in their harts, not onely allureth but even compelleth thē most willingly to vndergoe all manner of burdens in his service for his glorie. for al, then we we [...]e al deade: And he died for al, that they which liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues, but vnto him that died for them and rose againe. The loue of Christ then is the most forcible argument even to compell and constraine vs to do our duties to God, be they never so contrary to our corrupt affections, yea it maketh the yoke of Christ light & easie to the spirit wh [...]ch otherwise is so burdensome vnto the flesh. And hence it is that those of the faithful which haue had greatest revelation of the grace of Christ, and strongest assurance of his loue, haue most of all died vnto themselues and liued vnto Christ, and haue aboue all other denied their owne sweete selues, and renounced their Jearest pleasures and commodities, and haue with such a burning affection embraced their sweete Saviour and redeemer, and so highly esteemed of his most precious blood, that all other sweete things haue after a sort growen out of tast with them and all other precious thinges haue become of no price. I am deade (saith St. Paule), to the lawe, and am crucified with Christ: I liue, and yet Gal. 2. 19. not I nowe, but Christ liveth in me: and in that I liue nowe in the flesh, I liue by he faith of the Sonne of God, who hath loued mee, and giuen himselfe for mee. I see well (saith Austine in an Epistle to Dardanus) that thou doest esteeme little of mee, although I make great account of thee: and it is for that thou art young and I am olde, thou vvise and I vndiscreete, [Page 83] thou rich and I poore, thou more vertuous then I am: yet I will deny that thou hast a better God th [...]n I, or a better law, or a better redeemer th [...] I: for in the matter of redemption the Lord dealt so equally among all men, that I vvill not acknovvledge any advantage in thee, or anie superiority in mee. O good Iesus (saith hee) O the redeemer of my soule, vvherevvithall shall I requite thy clemencie or satisfie thy goodnesse for not shedding better bloode for all thine electe, then thou diddest for my sinnes alone? Novve vvhat caused this man of GOD thus to humble and debase himselfe in respecte of himselfe, and thus to advaunce himselfe in respect of GOD, and to cry out that he knew not how to be sufficiently thankfull vnto his gracious redeemer, but a greater revelation of the grace of CHRIST, and a stronger assurance of his loue then ordinarily is graunted to the cōmon sort of the faithfull? The which thinges also stirred vp the like passions in Cyrill and Bernard, and east them into an holie extasie, and carried them after a sorte out of themselues, and made them to haue little regard Cyrill. in haec verb [...] sanguis [...]ius sit super noset filios nostros. of this present vvorlde and of the pompe and glorie thereof, vvhich yet are so glorious in earthly mens eies. To vvhat ende (saith Cyrill) shoulde I have vvealth and hope for the inheritance of the goodes of this vvorlds, seeing alreadie I am made heire of thy most precious bloode, and redeemed vvith thy most glorious death? Why should I not verie much esteeme of my selfe, seeing thou hast shedde as much bloode for mee alone, as thou hast done for all the vvorld? So Bernard: O good Iesus, O the loue of my soule, vvho Bern. in haec verbai desiderio desideravi &c. amongest mortall men doth so desire to make his life perpetuall, as thou didst desire to loose thine for mine? What pleasure vvilte thou take on the vvorld to come vvith thine elect, seeing heere vppon earth thon didest call that day vvherein thou didest suffer Easter that is a great and solemne feastivall daie? And againe: O good Iesus, O the redeemer of my soule, doe I not happely owe thee as much as all the vvorlde ovveth thee, seeing I have cost thee as much bloode as all the vvorlde hath done? By the which testimonies of these holie men it is evident and plaine, that an holie assurance of the great loue of CHRIST, vvho hath died for our sinnes in particular, and rose againe for our iustification, is the strongest purgation to cleanse our [Page 84] soules from deade workes, and to quicken them vp to an heavenly life, and to strengthen vs in the ready preformance of all such duties, as are most gratefull and acceptable to God. And verely all manner of good & vertuous works, seeme they never so glorious in the eies of mortall men, are most vile and base in the sight of God, vnlesse the loue of Christ be the worker of them al, and vnlesse they are performed as well deserved dueties for his sundry and manifold vndeserved mercies.
How then can there bee any true devotion at al in any of the children of the Church of Rome, if they followe the doctrine [...]f the assurance of the loue of God in Christ be the strongest band to binde vs to God, then the doubtting therof must needs lette vs loose to runne a stray & at random: out of the Lordes waies, as if we were at our owne liberty to liue as wee list. The base borne bastardes of the church of Rome condemne in the legitimate children of God the holy assurance of his fauour and loue. as Sap. 2. their former brethrren the elder sons of Satan haue done before thē Eph. 3. 18. of their mother, who teacheth them to bee still in doubt of the loue of Christ in particular towards themselues, & of their effectuall calling into the state of grace, and of the remission of their sins and eternall glory, seeing the faithfull apprehension, sence, & assurāce of Christs loue & the fruits therof, is the only effectuall worker of all true devotion? Howe can either the church of Rome be the faithful spouse of Christ, seeing shee stil standeth in doubt of the loue of her bridegrome: or her children bee the children of God our heavenly father, seeing they are, and must be still in doubt, whether he beareth a fatherly affection towards them? Surely a faithful spoufe cannot still stand in doubt of the loue of her most kind and carefull husband: neither can the naturall and kinde childe alwaies feare whether his natural & kind father beareth a louing and a fatherly affection towards him, seeing hee hath testified the same by his manifold blessinges. And therfore the church of Rome cānot be the true spouse of Christ, seeing shee knoweth not assuredly whether shee is his beloued: neither can her children be the true children of God our heavē ly father, seeing they are and must be stil vncertaine and doubtfull of his kind and fatherly loue, & of the most principal effectes thereof. Nay in that they condemne the true children of God of pride & presūption, for that they are not abashed to make a bold confession of their knowledge of God, and of their assurance of his loue, and to glory that he is their father and they his sonnes, heereby they declare themselues to belong to the congregatiō of them alignant, yea that they are the children of the devil himselfe, in that after the very selfesame manner they condemne the holy faith of the children of God, as their elder brethren haue [Page 85] done before thē in the second chapter of the booke of wisdome.
VVherfore all ye our deere brethren, which are as yet covered with the blacke and darke doctrine of the church of Rome, which came out of the bottomles pitte from the very prince of darkenes himselfe, even as many of you as belong to the number of Gods elect, defraud not your selues any longer of the comfort and fruit of Christs loue by continuing still doubtful of the same with the children of vnbeleife, but rather labour with al saints that yee may comprehend what is the bredth, depth, length, heigth, & to knovv the loue of Christ that passeth knowledge, that so yee māy be filled with all fulnes of God. Be ye not desirous to continue any longer doubtful of the remission of your sins & of your election to eternal life according vnto the doctrine of the teacher of infidelity, which yet boasteth himselfe to be the successour of St. Peter., but striue yee 2. Pet. 1. 10 rather to make your election sure by your workes, according vnto the most holy doctrine of St. Peter himselfe. And as I doubt not but that yee vnfainedly desire to bee fruitful and plentifull in all good workes, so labour yee by al meanes possible to comprehēd the loue of Christ, and to feele in your harts the cōfortable fruits thereof, which are the strongest motiues not onely to perswade but after a sort to constraine & force vnto the ready persormāce of al good workes. Be ye not so foolish still to imagine, that your workes which are the fruites of the loue of Christ, & the effectes of your election and iustification, bee the causes of the loue of Christ & of your election & iustification: Especially whereas it is God that worketh in you the wil and the deede, and that of his owne meere mercy and good wil in Christ, and thereby maketh you more endebtted vnto him by the continuance & encrease of his blessings; take yee heede of that grievous and intollerable pride, wherwith the Devill the defacer of the grace and glorie of Christ hath hitherto beguiled you, by making you thinke that God is endebtted vnto you by meanes of your good workes, and that by them you merite at his hands remission of sins & eternal glory. For verely if the kissing of our owne handes, that is, the ascribing The ascribing to our owne witte & industry of Gods temporall giftes is a deniall of God, and therefore much more the ascribin [...] of eternall life to our own merites. but of our temporal goods and possessions vnto our owne industry and witte be an iniquity to be condemned, because it is a deniall of God: then is it a greater iniquity & more to be condemned, [Page 86] and a more heinous deniall of God to robbe him of the glory of his greatest giftes by ascribing them vnto our owne merites. But herein is fulfilled the prophesie of Saint Peter 2. Pet. 2. 1. who hath plainely foretolde, that as there were then false prophets among the people, so there shoulde bee false teachers among vs, who shoulde prively bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lorde that bought them.
The truth is, that the children of the Church of Rome confesse in word their redemption wrought by Christ, but whē they thē, selues labour to purchase heaven by their ovvn merites, do they not plainely disallowe the sufficiencie of the purchase thereof made by Christ? Yea, whereas our Rhemistes are so bolde as to call the iustice of God which is residen [...] in Christ, & apprehēded by our faith, and so imputed to vs, because it was wrought for vs, a new no iustice, a phant asticall apprehension of that which is not, a fals [...] faith, and an vntrue imputation, and to affirme that there is no righteousnes, Rhem in c. 3. ep. ad Rom. whereby we are iustified before God, but that which is inherent in vs, being givē to vs of God by Christ, that therby we might merit for our selues our iustification & salvation: doe they not in flat tearmes deny Christs own inherēt righteousnes wherby we are iustified & saved, & ascribe the same to our own inherent righteousnes? If a friend should procure of a father some portion of a stocke for his son, by the which being well emploied & encreased, the son should in some spate of time purchase a good farme, were the friend, or the father, or the son to be tearmed the purchaser thereof? It is plaine and manifest that none but the son. Why then if Christs own righteousnes inherent in himselfe and imputed to vs be a new no righteousnes, & not the price of our redemption, but our owne inherent righteousnesse procured of God our heavenly Father by the death of Christ, as by the mediation of our dearest friend, then wee our selues are the purchasers of everlasting life, and so our owne Saviours and redeemers, and are no surther beholding to Christ for the same, then for that he hath procured for vs some portion of loue, repentāce, obedience, and the like, the which being well emploied and encreased by our owne free will is the only price that is given for that heavenly purchase. But far be this bl [...]sphemous doctrine [Page 87] from the heartes of all true and faithfull Christians: let it bee enough for vs to enioy the fruite of our salvation purchased by Christ, let vs giue to his owne most pure and perfect obedience this glory, that we esteeme it bee the only price that is or could bee equivalent vnto that so great and worthy a purchase. And whereas the great & endlesse loue of God our Father electing & iustifying vs freely in Christ are the steppes vvhereby God descendeth to vs to finish his worke heere begunne in vs, by bringing vs heere in this l [...]e to our sanctification, and to our glorification in the life to come: and vvhereas also the Lorde in his high and admirable vvisedome hath appointed that this his greate and endlesse loue in electing and iustififying vs freely in Christ, should bee the only effectuall meanes to worke our conversion and sanctification, and the most strong and forcible motiue to in duce vs to the ready performaunce of all such holy vvorkes as are the steppes and staires to our glorification, let vs not presume to perverte this order and course ordayned by God in his greate wisedome by setting the cart before the horse, by turning all [...]opsie turvey, by chaunging the effectes into the causes, and the causes into the effectes, by placing the highest steppes in the lowest roomes, and the lowest in the highest, by altring the first into the last, and the last into the first: and yet all this is done by vs, if vvee make our sanctification and good vvorkes the merit orious causes of the loue of God and of our election & iustification by CHRIST, vvhich are but the effectes and fruites of the same. Nay rather seeing God hath not only loved vs but also hath made manifest the same vnto vs by his manifold blessinges, by giving our selues vnto our selues, and all this glorious vvorlde to our vse and service, by giving vs his ovvne deare sonne to iustifie vs by his bloode, and to sanctifie vs by his spirite, and to leade vs by his worde in the right way to our full and finall glorification, howe oughte wee to serue him that hath thus served vs, and honour him that hath honoured vs, and loue him that hath loved vs, & to be most desirous to testifie the same by our careful & continual emploiment in all those works, which he himselfe hath ordained for vs to walk in, & that in most [Page 88] ready and humble obedience vnto his will, not onely because it is holy & iust, acceptable & welpleasing vnto himselfe, and the wil of him vnto whom we owe all obedience in respect of his supreme auctority over vs, but much more for that we are so deeply endebtted vnto him in respect of his infinite & endlesse mercies. Seing thē the wil of God must be the rule & squier of al our workes, or else they will grow much out of square, therfore it cō cerneth vs most nearely to make most diligent inquiry, by what meanes we may attaine to the assured knowledge therof, that so we may conforme our selues wholy therevnto.
The knowledge of the most certaine and vndoubted will of The sure & certaine [...]ill of God [...]s onely to [...]e learned [...]ut of the Canonical scriptures. God is now to be found only in the word of God revealed to the Prophets & Apostles by the spirit of God, & sette downe by thē in the Canonical Scriptures. For as words are given to vs of God that therby we might signify each to other the sēce & meaning of our minds: evē so hath the Lord himselfe revealed to vs by his written word what is the meaning of his wil, & hath cōmanded vs to seeke for the same onely from thence. This commandement Deut. 30. 11. (saith Moses) which I command thee this day is not hidde frō thee, neither is it farre of: It is not in heaven that thou shouldest say, who shall goe vp into heaven, and bring it vnto vs, and cause vs to heare it that we may doe it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, vvho shall goe over the sea to bring it to vs, to cause vs to heare it, that vvee may doe it? But the word is neere vnto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest doe it. By which words we are to learne, that God in his divine and heavenly wisedome hath not appointed either an Angel from heaven, or a messenger from beyond the seas to bee the instruments wherby his wil may be related vnto vs, but only his holy word & sacred cōmandemēts. In truth such is the pride, curiosity, superstition, and rebellion of sottish & sinfull man, that he setteth light by the meanes appointed by God for his best instruction, & would needes haue one raised from the deade, or an Angel from heaven, to bring him tydings of the Lordes wil, and to make relation thereof, or else hee woulde receive it by tradition from his auncestors, or by descent from his forefathers. The rich glutton beeing in hell is saide to haue made his petition to Abraham being in heaven, that he should cause one to come frō [Page 89] the deade to admonish his brethren whom he had lefte aliue behinde him, least they also should come into the same place of tor ments. Not that the damned spirits in hel are so charitably affected, that they could wish others to be delivered from those miseries which they themselues endure, wheras on the contrary side they are so envious and malitious, that they envy at the happy estate of the blessed, and would haue all entangled with them in the same curse. But the purpose of the parable is to shew the vanity of such as are aliue, who cōtent not themselues with the instructiō of the word, but needs would be taught by a messenger from the dead. Now what is Abrahams answere to this petition? They haue (saith he) Moses and the Prophets, (that is, the word of Luk 16. 29. God sett down in their writings) let them beare them. For howsoever many perswade themselues that they should verily beleeue and amend their liues, if one should arise from the deade and admonish & warne them of the great danger they are subiect vnto in respect of their sins: yet it is a contrary resolution from the spirit of God by the mouth of Abraham: If they wil not heare Moses & the Prophets, neither will they beleeve though one rose againe from the deade.
For if they will not be taught and reformed by such meanes as God in his d [...]vine wisedome hath thought to be best for their instruction & reformation, then surely al such meanes must needs be of lesse force and efficacy, which blinde & foolish man hath of himselfe imagined & conceaved. And therfore when the vaine people in the time of the Prophet Esay would needes be certified Esa. 8. 19. of the Lords will by sorcerers & coniurers, & by informatiōs from the deade: What (saith the Lord) from the living to the deade? Doe yee appeale from the censure of the eternall and everliving Lord vnto the sentence of such as are deade? To the lawe & to the testimony: for if they vvhich pretend to certifie you of the vvill of the Lord speake not out of this vvorde, it is because they haue no light in them. And verely if we meane to consult with God and to haue an answere from him concerning his will, wee must seeke for the same frō the divine Oracles of his sacred word: & if we be desirous Rom. 3. 2. Psal. 119. to be partakers of the Lords counselles, our counsellours must bee the Lords owne bookes. For they are the Lords testimonies and [Page 90] after a sort his sworne witnesses to testify vnto vs all the truth & nothing but the truth in all matters that concerne the glory of God & the salvation of our owne soules. They containe the full and whole wil and testament of our heavenly father, & the disposition of all such blessings as he bestoweth vpon his deare louing children, & the prescription of all such duties as he requireth at their hands. And yet there haue bin & still are many who had rather seeke for the manifestation of the will of God in the traditions of their auncestors, & in the examples of their forefathers, then in the very will & testament of God himselfe. Our Fathers Ioh. 4. 10. (saith the woman of Samari [...]) worshipped in this mount: but ye say tha [...] Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worshippe. The Samaritane [...] had forsaked the most certaine & infallible rule of the vvritten word, & pretended the example of their progenitors, & an olde tradition from their forefathers: Our Fathers worshippe [...] in this mount. But what replieth our blessed Saviour vnto this so plausible & glorious an allegation? yee worshippeyee wote not what: vve Vers. 22. know what we worshippe, & therfore salvatiō is from vs. So the Idolatrous Iewes: The word (say they) that thou hast spoken to vs [...]n Ier. 44. 16. the name of the Lord, we will not heare it of thee, but will doe whatsoever goeth out of our owne mouth, as to burne incense to the Queene of heavē, and to powre out our drinke-offrings to her as we haue done both we & our fathers, our kinges & our princes in the cities of Iudah & in the streetes of Ierusalem: for then bad we plenty of victuals, and vvere well, and felte none evill.
So mightely doth crooked custome, & the example of carnal progenitors, & other carnal respects prevaile with carnal & sensuall men: but the spirituall man is taught by the spirit of truth to follow no such deceaveable guids. We followed not (saith S. Peter) deceaueable fables, whē we opened vnto you the power & cōming of our 2. Pet. 1. 16. Lord Iesus Christ, but with our eies we sawe his glory: for be received of God the father honour & glory, when there came such a voice vnto him from the excellent glory; This is my well beloued sonne, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice we heard when it came from heaven being vvith him in the holy mount. We haue also a most sure word of the Prophets, vnto the which yee doe well that yee take heede, as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place. Wherby we learne that the word of God delivered [Page 91] either by revelation from himselfe, or else sett downe by the pennes of the Apostles and Prophets is a most sure & vndeceavable testimony of the Lords wil▪ wheras that which is delivered by tradition from hand to hande hath oftentimes a mixture of decea veable fables in steede of pure and sincere truth: as the Iewish Thalmud, and the popish Legende can testifie sufficiently. And therefore for the safer custodie and preservation of the truth, it Luk. 1. 4. pleased the spirite of GOD that the Gospell first preached by the mouth of the Apostles and Evangelistes should afterward be registred by their ovvne pennes, and sette dovvne vnder their ovvne handes. Ʋ Ʋee haue not (saith Irene) by any other knowen those thinges that belong to our salvation, but by those by whom Iren l. 3. c. 1 the Gospell came vnto vs: the vvhich they at the first published by mouth, and aftervvardes by the vvill of God delivered vnto vs in the holy Scriptures that is might bee the foundation and pillar of our saith,
The doctrine then delivered in the Scriptures is a most sure doctrine, and hee that buildeth his faith thereon, buildeth vpon a most strong foundation: but hee that buildeth vpon any thing else buildeth vpon the slippery sande. If anie thinge (saith Chrysostome) be spoken vvithout the Scripture, the knovvledge of the Chrys [...]in Psal. 95. bearer halteth, novve staggering, novve graunting, novve d [...]testing the speech as vaine, and novve receiving the same as probable: but vvhere the Scripture, the testimonie of GODS voice commeth forth it confirmeth the talke of the speaker and the minde of the hearer. And verely vvee may bee fully assured that to bee sound and perfect vvhich is delivered in the holy Scripture, the which vvhosoever follovveth vvalketh safely: and all other doctrines may bee suspected vvhich the Lavve and the Prophets vvith the Gospell doe not confirme. For as for our ovvne narrations and declarations they haue no credite at all vvithout the divine bookes: and therefore if vve wil be accounted the teachers of truth, wee must not [...]et abroach our ovvne inventions or any manner of doctrine received frō man, but only [...]ecite & rehearse out of the scriptures the doctrine of Christ our onely Doctor and teacher. For humane testimonies are not sufficient a [...]d allowable in divine matters, of what force and validity soever they be in [Page 92] humane affaires: to warrant divine matters they are not of sufficient auctority, albeit they be the reverēd testimonies of Apostolicall men. For they were apostolicall men on both sides in the first age of the primitiue church that contended so eagerly about the observation of Easter, and pretended both apostolicall tradition: & yet even so neere the Apostles time, on the one side at the least there was in al likely-hood but a meere pretence. Wherfore Ier. in 1. Hagg. Ierome is bolde to avouch that the sword of the spirit which is the word of God doth strike through those things which without the auctorities & testimonies of the scripture men doe finde out, & faine, as if they had them by apostolical tradition. Cyprian also thought it to be a sufficient exception against any apostolical Cyp. ep. 74. tradition, if it were not written in the bookes of the Prophets & Apostles, For the Lord (saith he) doth testifie that those things are to be done which are registred in writing, as to Iosuah the sonne of Nū. Let not the booke of the lawe depart out of thy mouth, but meditate therein day and night, that thou mayst observe & do all things that are written therin. In all well ordred countries & kingdomes there is a common beame or ballance or sealed weights & allowed measures for the preservation of iustice & equitie, which would not vndoubtedly be so well kept, if every one were permitted to follow what measure he listed. This common ballance among the Lordes people Aug. cont. Donatist. [...]2. c. 6. is the Lords owne word: & therfore when any goe about to measure their faith or their workes by their owne good intentes and meanings or by the opinions & iudgments of men, it is as it were a taking to themselues of new ballance, & that is to be esteemed no better then flatt forgery: & these their measures are to be broken, & themselues to be punished, for that they presume to refuse the Lords weights & measures, & to gette to themselues other of their owne devising. Wherfore if we desire to be rightly instructed what is the holy & perfecte wil of God, & what are the things that belong to his service, we must not now seeke for any new revelation, nor for any information to be given vs by Angels or by any from the dead, we must not follow the customes of the multitude, nor say a conspiracy to that whereto the people saith a conspiracy, neither must wee be over ruled by the examples of our forefathers, nor yet by the pretence of apostolike traditions, [Page 93] seing all these are but false ballances & vncertaine & deceaveable guides. The books of the Prophets & Apostles are the onely iust ballances, & the onely sure & infallible teachers that will not mislead vs, nor carry vs into errors. Wherefore most holesome is the counsell of the preacher: VVhen thou goest vp (saith hee) to the Eccl. 4. 17. house of God take heede to thy foote, & be more ready to heare, then to offer the sacrifice of fooles: for they know not that they doe evill. Our naturall light in divine matters is grosse darkenes, & our fleshly wisedome 1. Cor. 3. 19. is meere follie: and therfore he that will come to the house of God, & there offer vp to God as parte of his service any thing either drawen out of his owne foolish braines, or taken frō others like to himselfe, he doth offer to God the sacrifice of fooles: wheras he that is affraide to thrust vpon God his owne or other mens follies, & therfore is ready to harkē most diligētly to the word of the most wise God the full fountaine & welspring of all true wisdome, he is in the ready way to offer to God that service vvhich is most gratefull and acceptable vnto him as being most agreeable to his owne will. And no doubt but that hereof it was, that in the anciēt church of the Iewes every Saboth day, whē the Lords people went vp to the Lords house to perform that service which w [...]s acceptable vnto him, the bookes of Moses were read & expounded, Act. 15. 21. as it may appeare by the history of Nehemiah & by the common practise of Christ and his Apostles. For this cause in the primitiue church all bookes that vvere not Canonicall vvere in Concil. Laod. Ca [...]. [...]9. some Christian churches forbidden to be read in their publike assēbl [...]es: & in those churches where there was a tolleration of some books to be read that were Apocripha, that was done, not as if any point of faith could sufficiently be confirmed by their auctority, but for the edification of manners by the ensamples of the servantes of GOD therein remembred, vvhose lives vvere framed according vnto the Lavve of GOD, and according vnto the rules of the Canonicall Scriptures. For vvee ought not to follovve the holiest of the Saintes, but vvith this restriction, as they follovve CHRIST. Bee follovvers (saith Saint Paule) of mee as I am of CHRIST. So that if the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 1. himselfe in any thing, bee it never so little, decline from GOD, and turne out of the directe vvaie of his commandements, [Page 94] we must turne from him; if he leaue God, we must leaue him: only in what things he most vprightly walketh vvith God, in those thinges vve are bounde ro walke with him steppe by steppe, and to follow his holy and godly example. But the precepts of a sincere [...] faith and of an holy life delivered in the Ca [...]onicall scriptures doe in all pointes leade vs directly to GOD, and in the least iote and title thereof they are vnerring and vndeceiueable teachers, and therefore they are to bee embraced and followed vvithout any limitation or restriction at all. The lavve of the Lorde (saith David) is perfect and converteth the soule, Psal. 19 7. and needeth no supply to [...]e made there vnto: He that addeth any thing to the same setteth but a rotten patch vnto a new and whole garment.
Yea whereas such is our forget fulnes and readines to let slippe out of our heartes holy things, that still vvee haue neede to bee 2. Pet. 1. 12. remembred and to bee put in minde of the same: and vvhereas such is our sl [...]cknesse and lazinesle in walking on forvvard in the Lordes vvaies, that still vvee haue neede to haue the spurre in our sides, (the holesome and heavenly instructions of the Canonicall scriptures being the meanes appointed by God both to remember vs at all times of our duety tovvardes God, and also to stirre vs vp continually to the performaunce of the same) The faithful teaching, hea [...]ing, and embracing of the word of God is the most principall yea the only necessary duty of a faithfull christian. Luk. 10. 40. therefore the dilligent teaching, hearing, and meditating therof hath beene iudged to be the most principall, yea the only necessary duety of a faithfull Christian, and a most certaine token of our vnfained loue towarde God, and an evident marke of a true servant of Christ. O Martha Martha (saith our blessed Saviour) thou art trou [...]led about many thinges, but one thing is necessarie: Mary hath chosen the best pars, vvhich shall never bee taken from her. Now Martha was troubled about many things which were provided for the better entertainmen [...] of Christ himselfe and his disciples; but Mary was busied about the caroful entertainement and laying vp in her heart of the divine instructions of Christes heavenly doctrine: and therefore it is a farre more acceptable worke to haue care that our soules be fedde with GODS holy worde, then with our bodily sustenaunce to refresh the bodies of [Page 95] GODS dearest Saintes: yea it is after a sort the only, or at the least the most necessary duety of all other, from the which vve ought in no case to be hinder [...]d, no not for the performance of any other duety. VVhen complainte vvas made to the Apostles for some disorder that vvas committed aboute the providing Act. 6. 1. for the poore, and as it seemeth it was required at their handes, that they themselues setting aside the preaching of the vvo [...]de for a [...]ime shoulde more throughly looke into that matter, and redresse the abuse, they aunsvvere peremptorelie, that it vvas not meete that they shoulde leaue the worde and serue tables: and therefore they committing that busines [...]e of lesse importaunce to men of meaner giftes, themselues possessing the highest roomes in the Church, and being endued with the greatest gif [...]es, employed themselues in continuall pra [...]er and preaching, as being the greatest and chiefest dueties. And verily it is a more glorious vvorke to builde the spirituall temple of GOD in the heartes of the faithfull by the preaching of the vvoorde, then to [...]recte a sump [...]uous temple of timber and stones for the out vvarde exercise of the service of God: it is a farre more excellent vvorke by the seede of the nevve birth to be get many children to God and so to enlarge the kingdome of heaven, then by ou [...] vvealth vvisedome and provv [...]sse to enrich and enlarge any earthly kingdome: it is a farre more excellent vvorke to feede the soules that are ready to famish, with the bread of life, then to feede the bodies of such as vvant, with our temporall sustenaunce: It is a farre more excellent vvorke to bring those that sit in darckenesse and in the shaddowe of death to the vision of GOD by the light of the vv [...]orde, then to deliver them out of bodyly bondage and to enrich them with all earthly and temporall commodities. For our f [...]ll vision of GOD is the cause of our perfect blessedn [...]s [...]e: so that whē 1. Ioh. 3. 2. vve shall see him vvith open face, themshall vvee be perfectly blessed, and the nearer in this life vve come to behold him the nearer we come to this our perfect bleslednes: now here in this life wee behold him principally in the glasse o [...] his worde, espeo [...] ally in the mirrout of the glorious gospell of CHRIST, and 1. Cor. 3. 18 [Page 96] therefore the more often and the more reverently wee contemplate the same, and the more serious is ou [...] study and meditation therein, the nearer we come to our perfect blessednes. Wherfore it was not without cause that our Sav [...]our himselfe a little before his ascension [...]nto heauen did so straightly charge Peter a principall Ioh. 21. 15. man among his Apostles, that if hee did loue him more then the rest he should feede his sheepe more then the rest, and by his continuall holding ou [...] of the light of the word he shoulde bring the Lordes people to the vision of God as to the ch [...]efest b [...]essing of God, and to the cause of all other blessing. And hereof it is that on the Lordes day which is especially dedicated to the service of God, the Lord especially requireth both of P [...]est & people that they shoulde principally be emploied in the teaching, hearing, & meditating of the holy word of God as being not only in it selfe a principal worke, but also the cause of al good works, and of the whole worship and service of God. And therfore whē this so principal and necessary a worke began to be neglected among vs Englishmen, when the service of God according vnto the order of Gregory began to be established in our churches, & the people had their senses satisfied more with sweete soundes & goodly shewes, then their soules fed with the heavenly foode of the word, Venerable Bede, ablbeit he bare great reverence to the Bed l. 4. c. 18. de gest. Anglor. church of Rome, could not refraine himselfe, but that he must vtter his great dislike thereof in plaine tearmes: Heretofore (saith he) insteede of these things, the principall service of God consisted in the preaching of the gospell and in the hearing of the word of God.
Neither must we imagine that there was more need of the diligēt preaching & hearing of the word of God in former ages, then is now, or shal be to the end of the world: not only for that, whether we be baptised or vnbaptised, and descend either from faith full or faithlesse progenitors, we are all without any difference equally Rom. 3. 9. by nature blind and ignorant of God, and therfore stande in neede to haue the lampe of the worde alwaies burning in our hands, if we desire to be preserved from continuall stumbling & falling; but also for that the most part of all that professe themselues Christians content themselnes with an out ward professiō of the faith, albeit they feele no inward conversion, and take thē selues [Page 97] to be hoale when they are sicke even to death, and therefore haue need of the more spiritual physicke, because this their estate is most dangerous of all, and such persons of all other are most hardly to be recovered. For why did Publicanes and harlots Mat. 11. 21. An infidell is sooner converted then a coū terfeit chri stian: and a notorious sinner thē a dissembling hypocrite. Pro. 26. 12. Mat 9. 12. sooner enter into the kingdome of God then the Scribes & Pharisies? and why would Sodom haue repented before Capernaum? but for that all such as content thēs [...]lues with an outward shew of piety and godlines are furthest of indeed from true piety and godlines. Seest thou a man (saith Solomon) that is wise in his owne eies, there is more hope of a foole then of such an one. So seest thou one that is hoale in his own conceite? there is far more hope of his recovery who albeit hee were more dangerously sicke, yet hath not so strong an opinion of his own health. For it is a good step to health to know a mans owne sicknes: but he that cannot be perswaded that he is sicke, wil not be perswaded to take physick, & therefore is past all hope of recovery: he that will not bee perswaded that he is out of the way, will never be perswaded to seek for a guide, and therfore will never come into the right way. Wherfore never more neede then nowe, that the Lorde shoulde even force vpon vs as faithful guides the doctrine of his holy Apostles and Prophets; and never more need then now that our heavenly physition should even constraine vs oftentimes to receiue his spiritual physicke: and not only in respect of those that are Christians only in shew, who are otherwise past all hope of recovery, but also in respect of those that are true Christians indeede, who yet notwithstanding are so distempered and crasie, that without the continual administring of this spiritual physicke, they wil by one ghostly sicknes or other soone fall into great danger: yea vnlesse these men be stil feeding on this food, they wil soone become so weake and feeble, that they will not bee able to doe the Lordes worke: vnlesse they be stil moistened with these eaeles [...]al shewers they wil become fruitlesse and yeeld a smal ha [...]vest: vnlesse by this net they are stil drawne out of the sea of their sins, they will sinke deeper & deeper, vntil they be drowned: vnlesse this light be stil in their hands, they will stumble and fall into the pit of destruction: vnlesse this voice of the great shepheard doth stil soūd in their eares, they wil nothing but wander and go astray: vnles [...]e [Page 98] this spurre be stil in their sides, they wil sone be at a stand, & giue over their iourney: vnlesse these bellowes be stil blowing, the fire of their zeale wil soone goe out. As may appear by the examples of those renowned servants of God Zorobabell & Iosuah & the residue of that holy remnant of the people of God which returned out of the captivity of Babilon; who were soone moued to give over the building of the temple of God, and to settle themselues to their owne cōmodities & pleasures, vntill by the vvord of the Lord out of the mouth of the Prophet Haggey they vvere Hagg. 1. 3. effectually stirred vp vnto the finishing of the LORDS worke. Wherfore no marvaile that al the faithful servants of God knowing the great necessity of having continuall in their handes and harts the most holesome instructions & admonitions of the word of God, doe exhort one another zealously after this manner saying: Come lette vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lorde, to the Isa. 2. 5. Mich. 4. 1. house of the God of Iacob: and he will teach vs his lawes, and we will walke in his pathes. They wil not walke in the vvaies of the Psal. 1. 1. vngodly, nor stand in the waies of sinners, nor sitte in the seate of the scornefull, and why? their delight is in the law of the Lord. and in that law they doe exercise themselues day and night: and thereby they become like erees planted by the water side, which bring forth their fruite in due season, whose leaves never wither. And no marvaile though they prove such fruitful trees, seing they are so plentifully watered with such holesome dewes: whereas all such as refuse to drinke in continuall those holesome droppes, being planted in the dry wildernes of this barren world, become withered and deade trees good for nothing, but to bee hewen downe and cast into the fire.
Seeing then the relligious reading, hearing, and meditating of the worde of GOD is not onely in it selfe a very excellent good worke and a principall part of the service of God which is to bee performed as every day so especially vpon the Lords day, but also the meaue to begette and bring forth every good worke and to further the whole service of God, & to lead the people to the behoulding of God and to their perfect and absolute blessednes: what then may we iudge of the vvorkes of the Church of Rome, and of her manner of serving of GOD, and of her leading of [Page 99] the people to the beholding of GOD and to their perfecte and absolute blessednes, seeing shee keepeth this word of GOD fast shutte vp from the greatest part of them vnder the locke and key of a straunge tongue, and debarreth them from the continuall reading thereof, yea from the reading thereof altogeather: and not onely so, but also chargeth our Church to lay a stumbling blocke before the people, and to minister occasion vnto them of falling into heresie, for that wee not onely allowe but also exhort them to haue their continuall and dayly resort to the same, that so they might be enabled to know the truth, and to discerne it from falshood & lies, not receiving any doctrine vpon the bare credite of their teachers, but trying it by this touchstone before they receive it for currant and good.
But if hereby we sett open a doore to errour & heresie, thē did The doctrine of al teachers is to be tried before it be received. Ioh. 5. 39. Act. 17. 11. Christ and his Apostles doe the same before vs, and many also Apostolical men. For our Saviour himselfe willeth the people to search the Scriptures, and no further to give credite to his ovvne Doctrine, then they shoulde finde it approved by those vvitnesses. And the Beraeans are commended for searching the Scriptures, and for putting into those ballances the verie doctrine of the Apostle Saint Paule, that so they might see whether it would holde weight. For (as Austine teacheth) all other ballances are deceitfull: and therefore in his controversies with Aug. cont. Donat. l. 2. cap. 6. the Donatistes, he appealeth to them, and vvill haue his cause to bee vveighed onely therein. And is it not the commaundement of CHRIST himselfe given to the people, Beware of false Math. 7. 15. Prephets which come to you in sheepes cloathing, & therfore cannot easily be discerned, vntill their cloakes be taken from them, & a due viewe be taken of them by their portraitures and resemblances most liuely drawen out onely by the pensill of the Prophets and Apostles? Doth not S. Iohn also will the Christian congregation not to beleeve ever ie spirite, but to trie the spirites whether they bee of 1. Ioh. 4. 1. God or no, seeing even then in his life time many false Prophets were gone out into the world? For he is a foole that beleeveth every Prov. 14. 15 thing: and the iointes of true wisdome are these two: first to bee [...]ober in our owne opinions, and secondly not to bee to hasty in giving credit to others. Proue all things (saith the Apostle) 1. The. 5. 21 [Page 100] but approue that which is good, even that which is found to be so by sufficient triall. Yea he was not only contented to haue his owne doctrine to bee tried, but also giueth a straite charge that the same be diligentlie done: I speake (saith hee) as to them that have vnderstanding, iudge yee what I say: and his commaundemente is 1. Cor 10. 15 that all other teachers be subiect also to the same lawe. Lett the Prophets speake two or three and let the other iudge. VVherfore Origen 1. Cor. 14. 29 Orig. in Ios. hom. 2. speaking vnto the people saith vnto them: Doe yee that vvhich is vvritten, that is, that one speaking all the rest examine: So (saith he) vvhiles. I speake that vvhich I thinke, doe yee discerne vvhat is right, and vvhat is othervvise. And Saint Ambrose Ambr. cp. lib. 5. orat. in Auxen. doth exasperate his auditory against his adversarie Auxentius, for that hee refused to haue his cause heard and tryed by the censure and iudgment of the people. Auxentius (saith hee speaking to the people) knovving you not to bee ignorant of the faith hath shunned your iudgement, and hath chosen foure or five heathen men. Then in that hee hath chosen Infidels hee is vvorthie to bee condemned of Christians: because hee hath reiected: she Apostles precepte, vvhere hee saith: Dare any of you having ought against another hee iudged vnder the vniust, and not rather vnder the Saints? Yee see that vvhich hee hath offered, is against the Apostles auctority. But vvhat speake I of the Apostle vvhen the LORDE himselfe proclaimeth by the Prophet: Heare yee mee O my people, that know vvhat belonges to iudgment, in vvhose hearte my Lavve is. GOD saith, Heare yee mee O my people that knovve iudgment: Auxentius saith, yee knovve not hovve to iudge: yee see that hee contemneth GOD in you vvhich refuseth this sentence of the heavenly oracle: for the people in vvhose hearts the lavve of God is, doth iudge. Ʋ Ʋho then doth you vvrong? Hee that refuseth, or hee that referreth himselfe to your audience. Wherfore to be able to discerne the spirites and to distinguish truth from falshoode, and verity from vanity, is not a special gift proper to a few, but a generall grace common to al the Lords people. For as the natural man is able to discerne holesome foode from vnholesome vnlesse his body be infected with sicknesse, and his tast distempered with some corrupte humor: so the spirituall man is able to discerne the foode of the soule, and to distingush falshoode from truth, vnlesse his minde be [Page 101] blinded with errour, and his iudgment corrupted with some preiudicate opinion; According as our Saviour himselfe hath Ioh. 10. vers. 4. sette it dovvne as a property belonging to all his sheepe, that they doe knovve his voice from the voice of a stranger, and are able to discerne the sheepheard from the wolfe. And verely hovve othervvise could they shunne the wolfe and follovv the shepheard? Hovve could they flye falshood that leadeth to destruction, and embrace the truth to the salvation of their soules?
Yea but (saith the composer of the Ward-vvord) if the The due trial of the doctrine of our teachers by the touchstone of the scriptures is not the cause of falling into heresie but of sinding ou [...] the truth. People may iudge of the doctrine of their teachers, and if every one may make choice according to his ovvne private fancy, is not this the high and open vvay to errour and heresy? It is sufficiently declared before, that the people ought to try and to discerne by the Scriptures the doctrine of their pastors and teachers, and to approue of that only which is agreeable to that foundation of truth, but not of that which best fitteth their owne private fancies, or the fanciful opinions of any other. For we must not drawe our pastors and teachers before the consistory of our owne harts, to receive their censure & iudgmēt frō our selues, but before the tribunal seat of the word of God. For as for our selues wee must not presume to pronounce any definitiue sentence, but we must giue our essēt & consent to that sētēce which we vnderstād to be pronoūced by that iudge. And if we be desirous rightly to vnderstād what is the sētence of that iudge, we must renoūce our own iudgmēt which we haue drawen other frō the blindnes of our corrupt nature, or else frō our evil & badde education, & we must become fooles, that is, cōdemne all our 1. Cor. 3. 18. own thoughts of extreme folly, if we be desirous to be partakers of that wisdome, which is to be learned out of the word of God the foūtaine & welspring of all wisdome. We must most hūbly & devoutly resort in our praiers to the father of light, that he would cause vs to behold our own blindnes & darknes [...] & haue our continual recourse to his holy word, which is a lanterne to our feete and a light to our pathes, that so the eles of our mind being lightned we may attaine to a sound and vncorrupt iudgment, and be [...]le to dis [...]rne falshoode from truth. For if thou call for knovvledge, [Page 102] and crie for vnderstanding, and if thou seeke for her as for silver, Pro. 2. 3. and search for her as for treasures, then shalt thou vnderstande the feare of the Lord, and finde the knowledge of God. A scorner indeed seeketh Pro. 14. 6. knowledge and findeth it not; but vvisedome is easie to him that will vnderstande. The vvorde of God (saith Origen) is shut vppe against Orig. in Exod. hom. 9. Heb. 5. 11. the negligent: but it is open to them that seeke and knocke. Manie thinges (saieth the Apostle) are harde to them that are dull of hearing, and are vnexpert in the vvorde of righteousnes, and haue not their vvittes exercised through longe custome to discerne betvveene good and evill. But if vvee haue our continuall resorte vnto GOD by praier, and bee dayly exercised in reading and meditating on the vvorde of GOD, and lay it as our sure ground-worke and foundation of all trueth, vvee shall not long bee neglected, neither shal our labour bee in vaine in the Lord, but we shalbe lightned with the knowledge of all such things, as shalbe necessary to our own salvation.
Marcus Aemilius Seaurus when he was accused to haue received mony to betray the common vvealth beganne in his ovvne defence after this manner: It is, O yee Romanes, an harde course, vvhereas I haue lived in one place, to giue an accounte of my life in another, yet I vvil be bold to make vnto you this one demaunde. VARIVS SVCRONENSIS saieth that, MARCVS AEMILIVS SCAVRVS beeing corrupted vvith bribes hath purposed to betray the people of Rome, MARCVS AEMILIVS SCAVRVS denieth himselfe to be guilty of any such crime: To vvhich of vs vvill yee giue credite? The plainetise and the defendant beeing only named; the people straight-vvaies refused to take notice of any such, accusation. So may the vvorde of God contained in the Canonicall Scriptures complaine of great vvtonge offered vnto her by the Church of Rome and say: Oh yee Papistes yee haue expelled mee in your schooles and assemblies out of the seat of iudgement as I vvas delivered vnto you in my originalles, and out of the handes of the people in their vulgar and knowne languages and tongues, and haue accused mee to bee darke and obscure, and full of ambiguities, and harde to bee vnderstoode: but I say, that I am a lanterne to your feete, and a lighte shining in a darke Psal. 119. [Page 103] place, and plaine and easie to him that vvill vnderstande: And now 2. p. 1. Pro. 8. vvhich of vs, I praye you, deserue to bee credited the more? Surelye hee is most vvorthye to bee deceived, that vvill giue more credite to the slaunderous accusation of the Antichristian Church of Rome then to the most evident and plaine testimonye of the vvoorde of God for the clearing and iustifying of it selfe.
Nowe then seeing that our doctrine is plaine, that wee must renounce our selues and our ovvne fancies, and condemne all our owne imagination, of blindnesse and folly, and continually resort by our prayer to God, and by our study vnto his vvorde as vnto the onely vnerring teacher of all trueth, allowing of no one pointe of faith, that is not most evidently set dovvne in the Canonical Scriptures, therefore wee are most vniustly charged to teach the people to make choice of their faith according vnto their owne private fancies, and so to open a doore vnto heresies vvhereas in trueth the Church of Rome herselfe teaching the people in divine matters somevvhat to relye vpon the naturall light of their owne vnderstandings, and vpon the choice of their owne free vvill, as likewise vpon the censures of Popes and canons Aug. l. 2. de bapt. cap. 3. The doctrine of the word of God is catholike, albeit it be embraced but by one alone, and the doctrine, of men are private albeit they be received by never so many 1. Kin. 19 10. Ier. 15. 10. 1. Kin. 22. 8. of Councels (which may deceiue and bee deceived, wherof the latter may correct the former as experience taught Saint Augustine to iudge) and vpon traditions and vnwritten verities hath giuen them occasion to make choice of such things, as shall best fitte their owne fancies, and bee most agreeable to the humours of men, and so hath set them in the ready way to embrace errour insteed of truth, and to fall from verity into damnable heresie. That doctrine we may be sure is sound & catholike which hath his foundation in the Canonical scriptures: the which hath his authority from the first author, and not from the professours there of the which is not to be condemned for private and singular, albeit it bee embraced but by one man. For as Panormitan coulde avouch, one singular man alleadging Scripture is to bee preferred before a generall Councell: as it vvas put in practise in the Councell of Nice, vvhere the sentence of Paph [...]utius vvas preferred before the generall opinion of the vvhole assembly. Elias, Ieremias, and other of the prophets, that vvere [Page 104] raised vp by God in their several times to reforme the worshippe of God that was generally corrupted, had fewe and sometimes none at all, to assist them in the execution of their charge, but were after a fort left alone to contend and striue with the vvhole earth: and yet their prophesies and interpretations of Scriptures were not condemned by any of the faithfull for private and singular, for that (as S. Peter testifieth) they proceeded not from the 2. Pet. 1. 20. wil of man, but from the motion of the spirit of God. So in the primitiue church albeit Liberius bishop of Rome stood after a fort alone against the Arrians in the defence of the most Catholike doctrine of the divine nature of the coessential and consubstantial son of God, and interpreted the scriptures for the confirmation of that faith, yet his alonenes made not his interpretations private, but that they were most catholike and sounde. For whatsoever proceedeth from men, be they few or many, that is to be taken for private and vnfounde, and certainely in the ende it shall come to nought: whereas not one lote or tittle of the law shal Act. 5. 38. Mat. 5. 18. perish, til al things be fulfilled.
Vnder the time of the law, for that in the bookes of Moses all points of faith were not set downe with such perspicuity & plainnes, that they could be so fully & easily vnderstood then, as they may now vnder the gospel, therfore the Lord raised vp vnto thē many vnerring interpreters for the supplying of that defect. Yet hee did not giue any such ordinary and perpetuall priviledge to the successors of Aaron, that they should be alwaies maintainers of truth (albeit they made claime to such a prerogatiue, as it may appeare by their own vaunts, The law shall not perish from the priest, Ier. 18. 18. nor counsell frō the ancient:) but he raised vp Prophets extraordinarily, when and where he thought good, who were priviledged in deed from falling into heresie, and from the misinterpreting of the law of God, and by them he reformed al such abuses as were crept into his owne worship and service. But now al revelations are ceased, and the raysing vp of vnerring interpreters is come to an end, for that in the writings of the Apostles and Evangelists al points of faith necessary to salvation are set down with al perspiculty and plainenes, and for that also there is very great aboundance of the spirit given to al the faithful servāts of Christ, which [Page 105] reverently and religiously employ themselues in the zealous study of those holy bookes. The Apostle Saint Iohn writing to the 1. Ioh. 2. 27. church concerning deceivers, telleth the faithful, that the means wherby they must be armed against them, is to hold fast that doctrine which they had heard from the beginning, the which being throughly setled in their hearts by the effectuell working of the spirit of God, wherewithal they were before annointed and made christians, they needed not that any man should teach thē. Not that the continual ministery of pastours and Doctors is not stil needfull for the people of God: but the meaning is, that the doctrine first taught by the mouth of the Apostles, & afterward set downe in their Canonical writings is so plaine, evident, and ful to the servants of Christ which are endued with his spirit, that they need not now, at vnder the law, any vnerring teacher ordinary or extraordinary for the further opening of any necessary point of faith, which otherwise might be secret and lye hid. And so also the Apostle to the Hebrews teacheth out of the booke of the Prophet Ieremy. This is the testament that I will make with the Heb. 8. 10. house of Israell after these daies, saith the Lord: I will put my laws in their mindes, and in their heartes will I write them, and I will be their God, and they shall bee my people: and they shall no more teach one another saying, know the Lord: for they shall all know me from the greatest vnto the least. Not (as I said before) that the ministery of teaching by ordinarie pastours should cease amongst vs, which is still most behouefull both to renew the memory of those things which we know, seeing we are stil ready to forget, and to teach better those thinges which we know but in part, and also those things which as yet we know not at al, (for the most skilful may proceede from knowledge to knowledge): but that there shalbe now no neede of any vnerring interpreter to open any necessary point of faith which otherwise would be altogether vnknown. For al necessary things are set downe so plainly in the bookes of the Apostles and Evangelists by him that was best able to write even to the capacity of the most simple, who caused also those bookes to be penned not to obscure but to lighten the truth, that the lambe may wade in them without danger of drowning, and drinke most plentifully of those vvaters of life: yea the vvary of Gods service is now so [Page 106] plaine, that the very fooles cannot erre therein. The pointes of faith contained in these bookes neede neither to begge credite, All thinges necessary to salvatiō are sette downe so plainely in the bookes of the new testament, that all the faithfull may vnderstand the same without the helpe of an vnerring Interpreter, yea without the helpe of any Interpreter at all. nor to take light from the writings & expositiōs of men, but haue their credite in themselues, & take their light from themselues, & giue light & credit both to the persōs, & also to the bokes of al other whōsoever, that haue any credite or light in them. And the maine grounds of faith contained in them stand vpon their owne ground, & haue in themselues most manifest perspicuity, that the mind passing through many forms of opinions being once lightned therwith, may resolue & settle his ful assent & consent vpon thē without the helpe of any vnerring Interpreter, yea without the helpe of any Interpreter at all. For what containe the bookes of the new testament, but the vncovering of that which was covered in the old? Now if those things be vncovered already, what neede haue they of a further vncovering? Vnlesse we thinke that the Apostles themselues, which had the greatest measure of the spirite, and the largest portion of knowledge in the misteries of God, had either not so good skill or will to sett downe plainly in their Canonicall writings all points of faith, as their schollers and successors had in their writings which are not Canonicall. The truth is that all thinges necessarie vnto salvation are novve most plainly delivered in the bookes of the new testament: & the best Interpreters doe not by their expositions bring any new light at all vnto them, but pointe as it were with the finger to that light which is in them, that we may turne our eies vpon it, & togither with them behould the same: they bring no grounds and principles of their owne, that thereby they may lighten the doctrine of the scripture: but they hould out the grounds & principles of the scripture it selfe, that therby they may lighten all that is obscure. For albeit in the divine scriptures there are many places darke, & obscure, & hard to be vnderstoode, & such wherein the best Interpreters themselues may erre & be deceaved, yet (as S. Austine Aug. de doct. Christ. l. 2. cap. 9. saith) all things that belong to faith & good manners, that is to say, to hope and loue are openly delivered & sette downe in the same: and out of these plaine and open places all necessary doctrines are to be taken, and not out of the doubtfull and obscure. And therefore when the heretike Petilian did alleage mystical & [Page 107] obscure places for the confirmatiō of his errours, the same father taketh exception against him after this manner saying: these places Aug. cont. Petil. cap. 16. are mysticall, obscure, and figurative: but vvee require a manifest place that needeth no Interpreter at all. And such places were alleaged by the Catholike Bishoppes for the opening and confirming of all controversies and doubtes. Attende (saith Iustine Iust. Martyr in dialogo cū [...]rypho. Chrys. in ep. ad Rō. hom 19. 2. Pet 3. 16. Martyr) to these thinges vvhich I shall rehearse out of the scriptures, vvhich neede not at all to bee expounded, but onely to bee hearde. So Chrysostome: Doe these (saith he) neede any exposition? are they not cleare and manifest even to those that are very dull? And albeit in Saint Paule there are some thinges hard to bee vnderstoode, vvhich the vnlearned and vnstable pervert as they doe also the other scriptures to their destruction, yet Saint Ambrose is bold Ambr in ep 7. in principio epistolae to avouch of him that in most thinges hee doth so expound himselfe, that he vvhich doth deliver and teach his doctrine can finde nothing that hee may adde, or if hee vvill needes say something, he must rather performe the dutie of a grammarian then of a discourser or disputer.
And verely albeit the vnbeleevers and such as are ignorant of the divine and heavenly doctrine of the Canonicall Scriptures Stap doct. princ. lib. 8. cap. 22. veritas docendo suadet. Tertul. cōt. Valēt. Aug cont. ep. Funda. cap 14. The saith of the fiue members of the church of Christ is not setled vpon the auctority of the church, or the iudgment of the Interpreter but vpon the light of the divine doctrine it selfe. are at the first mooued sometimes to embrace the faith of CHRIST by the auctority of the Church, and by the dignity and vvorthines of the Bishoppes and teachers: yet when they are once perswaded and setled therein, beeing lightned by the spirit of illumination, and by the light of the doctrine it selfe, then (as Stapleton himselfe also hath taught) they doe not any longer beleeue for the voice of the church, but for the divine light it selfe: they doe not any longer builde their faith vpon the voice of the Interpreter but vpon the light it selfe of the divine doctrine, which is now sufficiently manifest vnto them, being duely vveighed and considered without the auctority of the Interpreter. When wee beleeve (saith Austine) being now made more strong in the faith, we vnderstand that vvhich we beleeve, not novve men, but God himselfe inwardly strengthning & lightning our mind. And thus do we teach the people of God, which are already setled in the faith of Christ, not to ground [Page 108] their faith vpon their owne private fancies, nor vpon the private opinions of any other man, or men, be they few or many, nor yet vpon any humane interpretations of scripture, but vpon the plaine sentence of GOD himselfe deciding and determining what is falshood, and what is truth, that is, vpon the interpretations of holy scriptures which are delivered in the scriptures thē selues, evē vpō those plaine & manifest places therof, which are in thēselues so evidēt & cleare, that they stand in neede of no interpreter at al: not yet to frame their liues according vnto the decrees of the church, & the special rules of such as are foūders of any private devotiōs, but according vnto the general laws & cō mādemēts of God hīselfe. For thē wil both our faith & life be acceptable to God, when this is throughly fixed and setled in our harts, & we can truly & sincerely say: Thus do I beleeue, & thus do I liue, because the Lord himselfe, whose servāt I am, hath cō māded me thus to beleeue & thus to live. For this is not a sufficient warrāt & security for vs to say: My conscience iudgeth this or that to be good, & therfore it is good, or my cōsciēce iudgeth this or that to be evil, & therefore it is evill & to be avoided: for then should al superstitious & Idolatrous kindes of serving of God be good, & Christiā religiō evil, because the cōsciences of all Infidels allow of the one & condemne the other, before the eies of their minds be lightned & their cōsciences reformed by the holy and heavēly rules of our Christiā professiō. And verely not our selues & our own consciences but God only is our Lord & iudge, who hath autority to enact lawes, & to set thē out vnto vs as limits & boūds, the which if we in any wise trāsgresse, we do cōmit iniquity & sin. And therfore, albeit the Apostle teacheth, that he that Rom. 14. 23. eateth of things lawful sinneth, if in cōscience he doubt whether he may do so or no, yet herein he sinneth not, for that he trāsgresseth any law of his own cōscience, seeing she hath nōe autority to make any, but for that either doubting in cōsciēce whether God doth allow of his fact or no, or else being parswaded that he doth disallow, it, yet he wil needs do the same being carried away with his own headstrōg affectiōs, or by the perswasiōs of othe mē. For heerein he doth tredde vnder foote the autority of God, & sette GOD himselfe after a sorte at naught, in that hee resolveth to [Page 109] do this or that, albeit he doubteth whether God doth allowe it, yea albeit he is perswaded that God doth disallow & cōdemne the same. Our conscience then must not be our canon & rule in matters belonging to the service of God, but God himselfe in his Canonicall scriptures. For they are the onely sure and infallible witnesses of the will of God, and our consciences cannot rightly bee assured of any thinge, that is not delivered in those bookes. And therfore seeing that in what thing soever we do, belonging to the worshippe & service of God, we must be assuredly perswaded that it pleaseth God (for whatsoever is done without Rom. 14. 23 this faith & certain persuasiō is sinne) we must not be ledde therein either by the vncertaine guesses of our owne cōsciences, or by the doubtfull coniectures of other men, but only by the warrant of the Canonicall scriptures. But the church of Rome will haue the deciding of all doubtes and controversies to be devolved frō Alabaster. the scripture to the interpreter, that is, from the text to the glosse, from God to man, from the master to the servant, from the iudge to the minister (as if the iudge himselfe could not sette downe his owne definitiue sentence, no not in writing, as plainly, fully, and sufficiently, as it can be delivered by the mouth of his messēger;) and shee commaundeth the people to sette their faith vpon the decisions of the Pope, and vpon the determinations of his counsellers, vpon the bookes Apochryphs, & vpon traditions and vnwritten verities: and to order their lives not according vnto the prescription of the law of God alone, but also according vnto her owne ordinances and the rules of the founders of her relligious orders. Wherefore shee, which most vniustly accuseth vs to misleade the people into errour and heresie, may in truth bee most iustly charged therwith, seeing the cause of heresie is not the diligent and humble resort to the word of God the very fountaine and welspring of all heavenly truth, that by this touchstone wee may trie & discerne sound and currant doctrine from vnsound & counterfeite: but either the vtter reiecting & forsaking of this holy word, or the mingling of our owne fancies and dreames therwith or the dotages and inventions of other men.
For by this meanes hath truth & faith bin banished, & heresie & Idolatry brought in even frō the beginning of the world vnto [Page 110] this day. For how [...]ell Adam and Eue into their Apostasie but by forsaking the commaundement of God delivered vnto them by the Lords own mouth? And what was the cause that al the posterity of Adam, excepting only the family of Abraham, fell by little and little into al errour and heresie, vntil they came into most grosse and damnable Idolatry, but (as the Apostle testifieth) for Act. 14. 18. that God suffered them all to walke in their owne waies? For he had given his word only to Iacob, & his statutes & ordinances to Psal. 147. 19 Israel: he had not de [...]lt so with any other nation, neither had the heathen knowledge of his lawes. And amongst this people of Israell vvhat was the cause that the tenne tribes at once fell avvay from God? They fell avvay from the house of David because of the sinnes of Solomon and by the folly of Rehoboham his sonne: but they fell from God when they vvo [...]shipped the calues that vvere set vppe by Ieroboham, vvho made Israell to sinne, contrary to the lavv and commaundement of God: they forsooke the vvorshippe of God in Ierusalem ordained and established by the Lordes ovvne vvorde, and set vppe in Dan and Bethell a new kinde of worshippe of God according vnto their owne inventions, and so they fell avvay from the living GOD. And when those tenne tribes for their Idolatries and sinnes were carried out of their owne countrey into captivity by the king of Ashur, & the Samaritanes were placed in their roomes, the cause also of their Idolatries was their following of the corrupt customs of their owne countries, and their refusall of the ordinaunces and 2. Kin. 17. 34 lawes of God. And what was the cause that the Iewes thēselues also, which had the law and the prophets to direct them in al the waies of God, did so often fall away from the service of God, and defile thēselues with abominable Idolatries, but that they either vtterly forsooke the directiō of the word of God, and follovved their owne inventions, or the corrupte customes of their forefathers; or else they mingled their owne dreames and the traditiōs of their elders togither with the worshippe of God delivered in his worde, which ought to haue bin kept pure and sincere without any mixture, & without any such hotch-potch & mingle mā gle. The cause of the Idolatries that so much aboūded in the time of the Iudges was, for that there was no king in Israel (who was to cō mand Iud. 17. 1. [Page 111] the carefull keeping of the law of God) but every man did that which was good in his owne eies. And what was the cause of those outragious dolatries in the daies of the kings, especially in the daies of Manasses and Amon his sonne, but this that the lavve of 2. Chro 34. 14. God was so neglected, that the very authētical coppy therof given by the hand of Moses himselfe was lost? And if we will know also what was the cause of those damnable Idolatries that so prevailed in the daies of the prophets, we may heare the same out of their mouthes, who were the principall actors or at the least the chiefe abetters therof: The word (say they to the prophet Ieremy) which thou h [...]st spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord we will not heare Ier 44. 16. it of thee, but we will doe whatsoever goeth out of our owne mouth, as to [...]rae incense to the Queene of heaven, and to powre out our drinke offerings vnto her, as we haue done both we and our Fathers, our kings & our Princes in the cittie of Iudah, and in the streetes of Ierusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and felt none evill. Their wilful reiecting of the word of God, and their obstinate resolution to follovve their ovvne customes and the practise of their forefathers, vvas the cause of all their abominable Idolatries.
Neither vvas the vtter reiecting of the woorde of GOD the cause of so many corruptions in the Iewish religion, but al [...]o the mingling therewith of their ovvne Inventions and of the traditions of their forefathers. For in the Lordes fielde there oughte nothing to bee sowen but the most pure seede of the worde of God: whatsoever is beside the same it is not good corne, but cockle and darnell: and they of the Lordes family are onely to be fedde with the holesome foode of that vvorde which is provided for their sustenaunce by their heavenly master, whatsoever meate they take beside it is corrupte leaven, yea deadly poison. And therefore both GOD himselfe did most sharpely reproue the hypocriticall Iewes in the time of the Prophete Isay, and our Saviour CHRIST the Scribes and Pha [...]isies in his dayes, not foc that they did vtterlie reiect the service of GOD prescribed in his own word, (for it is cleare & manifest that they did not so) but for that they did corrupt the same with the mingling of their owne leaven: & they condemne that worship for Isa. 20. 14. Mat. 1 [...]. 9. vaine, which is prescribed either wholy or in part by the precepts [Page 112] and doctrines of men. And verily as in the bodies of men either want of good & holesome food, or the receiving of corrupt and bad either wholy or but in parte, is the cause of many bodily dis [...]ases: even so either the want of the holesome food of the worde of God, or the receiving of the corrupt food of humane doctrins either wholy or in part, doth breed many sins & corruptiōs in our soules, and make them sicke even to death. Yea this hath bred al manner of errours, heresies, and Idolatries in all ages, and at all times. This was the cause of errour vnder the law and that amōg the Lords own people. They erred in their hearts (saieth the Lorde Psa. 95. 10. himselfe) because they haue not knowne my waies. And why erred the Sadducies at the time of our Saviours appearing in the flesh so grosly and that in the chiefest grounds & principles of the faith? Mark. 12. 23 Aug. in psa. 131. Cyp. de simpl. praelatorum. Chrys. hom 3. de Laza, Yee erre (saith our Saviour vnto them) not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. This is the cause of all evill (saith Austine) that the scriptures are not knowne. Hence (saith Cyprian) proceede errours, for that menreturne not to the head, nor seeke to the spring of truth, nor keepe the doctrine of our heavenly Master. The reading of the scriptures (saith Chrysostome) is a strong fortresse against sinne, and the ignoraunce of them is a great downefull, and a deepe hell: to know nothing of [...]he divine lawes is a great losse of salvation: this thing hath bred heresies and brought in a corrupt life, and hath turned al topsie turvy. For how can it otherwise be, but that health must needes decay and sicknesse grow, where either holesome foode is not received at all, or else is not received alone without the mixture of that which is corrupt? And how can it otherwise bee but that weedes must needes spring vp, where either good seed is not sowen at al, or else not without the mixture of cockle and darnell? And how can it otherwise be but that such must needs be misledde, which either will not at all follow those are vnerring guides, or else will not be guided by them alone, but by such also as may be deceived?
Wherfore in that the church of Rome doth not only keep the greatest part of the people from the liberty of reading the holie scriptures, but also doth mingle with the pure foode thereof the corrupt leaven of humane doctrines, it cannot otherwise be, but that spiritual sicknesses must grow in her apace, & ghostly health [Page 113] and strength greatly decay? And seeing that shee soweth in the harts of the people not the sincere seede of the worde of God alone, but also the darnell of mens inventions, it cānot be but that weedes must ne [...]des mount vp and overgrowe the good corne. And seeing she will haue her followers ledde by bookes Apocripha, vnwritten verities, ordinaunces of the Church, decrees of Popes, canons of Councels, rules of Friers, customes of the multitude, traditions of forefathers, and the like, and not by the books alone of the Canonicall scriptures, who are the only sure and vndeceiueable guides: it is no marvaile that shee hath beene so misledde out of the way of truth, & hath wandred in the by-pathes of heresies and Idolatries: even as the Idolatrous Iewes and Gentiles haue bin before her, for that they followed the same guides. Yea what cause of heresie observed and noted by her own children hath shee not embraced, that so shee might defile her selfe with all manner of spirituall abominations? If to make choice of religion according vnto the darke light of our owne natural reason, and the servile liberty of our own free-will, be to follow such guides as must needs lead into errour: shee hath taught her children to do the same; If to thinke basely of the common dueties generally belonging to all christians, and to make choice of singular and private devotions be the cause of heresie, shee hath perswaded her children thereto; If the overmuch admiring of men, and the addicting of our selues to our particular masters bee not only the beginning of schisme, but the cause of heresie: shee hath made her sectaries and followers not only schismatikes but also heretikes. For vvhere may we finde more admiring and magnifying of men, of their supreme power & authority, of their greate priviledges and prerogatiues, of the holinesse of their rules and orders, canons and constitutions, and of the worthines, perfectiō, and merite of their workes, then is to be found in the Church of Rome? Lastly if he be an heretike which is an other-wise teacher, or an after reacher, and he a superstitious person, that doeth any Rhom. in 1. cp. ad Tim. c. 1. thing supra statutū more then is commāded, how can the chu [...]ch of Rome be free from the note of superstition and heresie, seeing shee performeth her devotions otherwise then they were ordained to be done by the Apostles of Christ, and most rigorously exacteth [Page 114] many duties which were not commanded by them at all, and hath coyned many after-doctrines which were not heard of in their times. For was not the word & the sacraments otherwise delivered vnto the people by the Apostles of Christ, then nowe Otherwise devotions. they are by the church of Rome? Was the word either publikely reade by them vnto the people in a strange tongue, or kept from their owne private reading in a vnknowen language, & they sent to learne their devotions frō senceles, dombe and deade images? did they not penne it in a most vulgar tongue and after a most plaine & familiar manner, & that for thē learning & instructiō of Luk. 1. 4. Rom. 15. 4. the people? Neither was the Sacrament of the Lordes supper ordained by them to be ministred to the people in one kinde, nor baptisme with such a number of ceremonies, as it is by the church of Rome disguised & cast after a sort into a new forme: much lesse was the observation of any outward ceremonie & rite more rigorously exacted by them then the precise keeping of Christs institutiō, or vrged vnder the paine of a more grievous curse. Did the Apostles ordaine the solemne observing of so many festival daies After. doctrines and workes supra statutū and eves, or the building of churches in the honour of the saints, or the running on pilgrimage to offer before their images, or the sett times of fasting and abstinence, or secret cōfession of all sins in the Priests eare, or the vow of single life, & voluntary poverty? Francis Dominike and Layola were not borne in their times, not the holy rules made of any of their relligious orders: but all vvillworships were condēned by thē, which afterward were not only Coll. 2. 23. allowed, but also preferred before the workes required in the law of God. Lastly the supreme auctority and iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome was not ordained by the Apostles, neither was he appointed by them to bee a vniversall Bishoppe and to haue dominion over the whole church, and to bee the vnerring and infallible iudge, vnto whom appeale should bee made in all controversies: much lesse was he placed by them aboue all kings and Emperors, to depose them & to set them vp at his own pleasure; neither was any such auctority practised by S. Peter himselfe, or by his successors long after him, which yet had most skill and best courage to maintaine all doctrine belonging to their most Christian profession: neither did they approue the bookes Apocriphs [Page 115] for Canonicall scripture, nor their lawfull successors long after them alleaged the auctority of those bookes to confirme any doctrine or point of faith: much lesse preferred they any translation before the authenticall text of the scripture, as it is now done by the church of Rome, and iustified openly by her auctority in her last generall councell of Trent, Wherby shee hath made it manifest to the whole world, that shee is not in some pointes onely, but wholy and altogither fallen away from the word of GOD, seeing shee refuseth to receiue it for the foundation of her faith, as it was penned in the originalles by the speciall direction of GODS vnerring spirit, and admitteth it onely as it is expounded by her translator, which vvas not therein directed by any revelation, nor had any priveledge of not falling into errour. And verely if it bee a good reason against vs (as it hath beene sette forth not long since by one of her Pamphleters) that the vnlearned among vs haue no faith at all but a meere fancie because they doe builde it vppon our bare translations, being not able to examine the truth of them by the originalles: then much more may vvee avouch, that neither the vnlearned, nor yet the learned themselues among them haue anie faith at all, seeing they all must, vvill they vvill they, settle their faith vppon the vvoordes and meaning of their transslator, albeit hee differ never so much from the originall. VVherefore to conclude, seeing the Church of Rome hath embraced all manner of meanes of falling avvaie from GOD and his truth, vvee may bee boulde to affirme that shee hath revolted and played the Apostata, and so is become not onelie hereticall but also apostaticall, yea that shee hath brought in that great apostasy, that was foretolde by the Apostle.
Thus hast thou gentle Reader delivered vnto thee the maine foundation of all good workes, & the foure principall motiues so often vrged in the divine scripture to stirre vp the faithfull to the right and approued manner that is to be kept in the due performing of all holy actions. And herein thou hast on the one side sette dovvne the true fountaine of sincere devotion, and of all the parts therof, wherin consisteth the true worship & service [Page 116] of God and his spirituall and heavenly kingdome: and on the other side not only the causes of errour and heresy, but also of superstition and of all manner of Idolatry. Now it remaineth that thou carefully put in practise these holy precepts and sanctified rules, whē thou art moued to the performāce of any good worke, and that thou stirre vp the gift of God in thee by these or the like holy meditations, thus reasoning with thy selfe and saying: This good worke God himselfe in his holy word commandeth me to performe, vnto whose will I owe all obedience, for that it is holy, pure, & perfect, & gratefull and acceptable to himselfe, & also for that it is his will vnto whō I am ten thousand times boūd to yeeld al dutiful submissiō & obedience both in respect of his soveraigne auctority, that he only hath to rule over my conscience & soule, & also in regard of his infinite blessings, which he of his owne vnspeakeable goodnes in Christ hath most freely & fully bestowed vpon me. And verely our obedience performed to the vvill of God in these respectes is a sweete incense and a most acceptable sacrifice to God, wherwith we after a sort gratifie God and grieve the Devill, & are as an heaven to all holy Angels, and a very hell vnto al vncleane spirits. So like wise when we are tempted to any wicked worke, wee must thus reason with ourselues and say: this worke ought in no wise to be done by me, no not the least desire to accomplish the same ought once to haue any entrance into my hart, because it is contrary to the holy, pure, & perfect will of God, & agreeable vnto the impure will of the Devill: because it is most offensiue & grievous to God, & most gratefull & acceptable vnto the Devill: because it is a great dishonour to him, to whō all honour is double due, both in respect of his soveraigne auctority over me, and also in regard of his manifolde mercies collated vpon me: and it is a great honour vnto that most cruell and infamous tyrant the Devill, who presseth vpon me thereby to take me captive, to the vtter destruction both of my body and soule. We are debters (as saith the Apostle) yea very great debters, & as great as great may be, but not to the flesh, nor to our selues, nor Rom. 8. 12. to the devil (vnles it be that we owe to these al māner of evils & miseries whatsoever) but we are debtters to God, & that for the loue of a thousand talents, & for the gift of ten thousand more: & [Page 117] yet if we haue but a sincere desire to discharge this our debt, our most gracious creditour will not onely straitwaies forgiue it all, but also wil giue vnto vs ten thousand times more. Yea the sincere desire of being obedient to the will of God vpon the former respects, and the true care according as God hath enabled vs in some measure to discharge this our debt is a very great mercy & a very gracious favour, wherby we are more and more endebtted vnto him. And verely this is al the discharge of our debt that hee requireth at our hands, that we willingly & gladly acknowledge him of whō we haue received all, & that we so highly esteeme of his giftes, and presume of his good will, that we are stil desirous to been debtted vnto him more & more, & by al relligious hearing, reading, and meditating vpon his holy and sacred word, & by all servent and devout praier bee continually begging and craving for more, and after a sort extorting it out of his handes. For his desire is not to be benifited by vs, but that we should still more and more bee benefited by him: and hee vvould haue vs to acknowledge his loue, and to grovve into a stedfast assurance therof, that therby we might be more effectually stirred vp to reioyce in his goodnes, & to be thankful vnto him for his manifold mercies: especially he would haue vs most midfully to record that vnmatchable blessing of our redemption wrought by Christ, & his inestimable loue made manifest therin, that therby our hearts might be renewed & our affections sāctified, dying to our selues, & living to God, & employing our selues to every good worke. And hereof it is that the spirit of God especially in the bookes of the new testament doth so often make mention of Christ, and of our redemption wrought by him, and of his great loue manifested therein, as being the matter and subiect of those bookes: a [...]āst vvhereof I vvill giue vnto thee in some sentences of one of those bookes penned by Saint Iohn, as they be pointed vnto by that learned preacher of the vvord Mr. Robert Rolloc in his commentaries vpon the same booke.
No man hath soone God at any time: the onely begotten sonne of God vvho is in the bosome of the father, hee hath revealed him. Ioh, 1. 18. The Philosophers in all ages haue most painfully searched after truth in their Physikes, Ethikes, Mathematikes, and the [Page 118] rest. But the knowledge of the Father in the Sonne doth only deserue the name of truth. For to what purpose is it to comprehend in minde heaven and earth and all other thinges, if a sinner doth not knowe God in Christ the redeemer? That is, vnlesse he feele God favourable vnto him, and forgiving him all his sinnes in Christ, which only doeth pacifie the troubled conscience, hee can haue little true comfort in all his knovveledge of all other things, be it never so great, and smal courage to come vnto God, and to rest in him, and so to take hold of everlasting blessednes. Therefore our Saviour himselfe, after that he had said, no man knoweth the father but the sonne, and hee to whom the sonne hath revealed him, Math. 11. 28. immediately addeth: Come vnto mee all yee that are wearie and heavy laden, and I will refresh you. VVhereby hee signifieth, that God being revealed in Christ, there doeth follovve peace of conscience and vnspeakeable ioy in all those that doe cast their sinnes vpon him.
The nexte daie Iohn stoode, and tvvo of his disciples, and beholding Iesus vvalking hee saide: beholde that lambe of GOD. Iohn 1. Chap. verse 36. As Iohn oftentimes gaue witnesse to Christ, so it is no lesse necessarie at this time that the sacrifice and death of Christ be repeated and reiterated againe and againe. For as the Iewes were ignoraunt that Christ the lambe of God shoulde bee offered vppe in sacrifice, so vvee after a sort haue forgotten that hee hath beene sacrificed, and hath already suffered for our sinnes. For vvhat meane these sinnes which so every where abound, adulteries, murders, rapines, sacriledges, even so many sinnes of all sortes, vvhat, say I, doe they meane but that wee haue forgotten that our Saviour Christ hath suffered for vs [...] For ifit did come into our mindes that vvee vvere once boughte with so greate a price, vvoulde vvee so sell our selues, and become captiues to so manye sinnes? If vvee did remember that vvee vvere washed with the most precious bloodof CHRIST, vvoulde vvee againe so defile our selues vvith the filthy mire of this vncleane vvorlde? After that Saint Peter had commended vnto the faithfull certaine necessary vertues, 2. Peter 1. 9. Hee that hath not these (saieth hee) is bloude and seeth nothing a farre of, [Page 119] but hath forgotten that hee vvas purged from his olde sinnes. For let all bee sure of this, that who edomes, murders, and the like, to them that make profession of the faith of Christ are not therefore sinnes onely, for that they are contrary to the lawe of God, but especially for that they are after a sorte committed in a mocka [...]e of the bloode of Christ, and doe proceede from the forgetfulnesse of his death. The which if it bee so, then vve must hold this for a sure thing, that wee ought not to be grieved so much for that we haue broken the commandement of God, as for that wee haue forgotten that wee were redeemed by the bloode of Christ, and haue contemned the great price of our most glorious redemption. VVherefore that wee may be brought the sooner to repentaunce, and to acknowledge the greatnesse of our sinne vve must all our whole life be busied about this, that we may vnderstande hovve great is that price of our redemption, and that vve may so worthyly esteeme of the blood of the new testamēt as we ought to do.
It followeth in the nexte verse. And the two disciples heard him so speaking, and they follovved Iesus, Ioh. 1. 37. That testimony which Iohn the Baptist gaue of Christ, that he was the lambe of God, before two of his disciples, causeth them to come to Christ and to follow him. Whereby wee learne how effectuall is the preaching of Christ, yea how powerfull is one worde or two concerning. Christ and his crosse, to alter and change the very heartes of men. Verily there is no other speech whereby a stony hart may be made flesh, and an vnfaithfull man may be made faithfull. Speake as much as thou liste of the most famous factes of all the Kinges and Emperours that ever haue beene and of their goodly vertues and great glory, these things may delight the minds of men, but they wil not renevv them. But speake thou of the man crucified, a thing in shevv base and foolish, this vvord of the crosse, which is foolishnes to them that perish, is the wisdome & power of God to thē that are saved: Nay that we may let passe these profane persons with their deedes, teach againe & againe the very law of God, evē this law is weak by reason of the flesh. Rom. 8. 3. [Page 120] But that which the law cannot, the worde of the crosse can. Now what is the cause of this great efficacie? The Lord which is the matter and subiect of this word is a spirit, which is able to set our harts at liberty: in so much that if they be once fixed vpon him, the vaile of corruption, which before did so cleaue vnto vs, wil soone be taken away: and if we do duely looke into that glory of his, which doth shine in the gospel as in a glasse we shall be changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of God.
Before Phillip called thee I saw thee, when thou wast vnder the figge tree Ioh. 1. 48. The more any one doth search into the vnsearchable riches of Christ, and the greater revelation hee hath of the same, the more is his faith and loue also encreased, and the more vnspeakeable and glorious is his ioy. 1. p. 1. 8. Wherefore this ought to be our continuall labour day and night, by praier and by reading and meditating vpon the scriptures to seeke after the mistery of Christ, that so at the length there may be opened vnto vs the treasures of all knowledge and vnderstanding that are hid in him, and so al other things may be vnto vs as trash in comparison of that inestimable treasure. It is strange to see how the Apostle that looked most into that excellent mistery, could never satisfie himselfe in setting forth and amplifying the greatnesse thereof. God (saith he) which is rich in mercy of his great loue wherwith he loved vs. Eph. 2. 4. Hath given vnto vs so worthy a Saviour, in whom are bid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge. Coll. 2. 3. Haue care therefore (saith he) that yee may be able to comprehend what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints. Eph. 1. 18. He saw much, and beleeved much, and magnified much this great mistery.
Verily verily I say vnto you, from hence forth yee shall see the heavens open, and the Angels of God ascending and descending vpon the sonne of man. Ioh. 1. 51. The opening of the misteries of faith engendreth faith, and the revealing of Christ maketh a Christian. Speake to men of heaven, and of everlasting life, and of al mā ner of blessings both bodily and ghostly, and yet they cannot beleeue vntill they see Christ, by whom and for whom are all these things. For if we be throughly touched with the sense of sinne, and of the wrath of God most iustly provoked to punish [Page 121] vs for the same, wee must first finde him that hath satisfied the iustice of God for our sinnes, before wee can hope for eternall life. Yea if I do not beholde Christ and haue him present before the eies of my minde, it is so far of that I should see heavē and heavenly glory, that I shall feele nothing but terrours and feares, and extreame anguish and bitternes of soule. But when Christ doth once shine vnto me, then is there sure hope of eternall life. They then that desire to bee partakers of all manner of blessings, and to be assured of life everlasting, must seek Christ, and set him before their eies, and behold him true God and true man, who died for their sins, and rose againe for their iustification: and thence will issue and proceede a ful trust and confidence of obtaining al such benefites & blessings, which he hath thereby purchased for them.
That which is borne of the flesh is flesh, and that which is borne of the spirite is spirite. Ioh. 3. 6. The only presence of Christ by faith is the means wherby the spirit worketh our regeneration. Now Christs presēce is imperfectly apprehēded in this life by faith, but perfectly by sight in the life to come. And hereof it is that our regeneratiō, which is but imperfect in this life, shalbe most perfect in the life to come. This we knowe (saith S. Iohn) that when Christ doeth appeare we shall bee like him: for wee shall see him as hee is. 1. Ioh. 3. 2. Yea that presence of Christ shalbe so glorious and so effectuall in vs, that it shall transforme even our vile body, and make it like to his glorious body, Phil. 3. 21. For we must know that the presence of Christ is not like the presence of earthly princes, the which if thou beholdest a thousand times, thon shalt be made thereby never a whit the more glorious: but if thou once truely beholde the glorious presence of Christ, thou shalt straitwaies bee changed and transformed into the same.
As Moses left vp the brasen serpent in the wildernes, so must the son of man be lifted vp, that whosoever beleeveth in him shoulde not perish but haue life everlasting. Ioh. 3. 14. As they which beheld the brasen serpēt were healed of the sting of the fiery serpents, which otherwise could not bee cured: So thē beholding of Christ lifted vp vppon the crosse doth cure vs of the most deadly sting of the spirituall serpent the Devill. It may seeme strange that [Page 122] the beholding of a deade man should have such vertue & efficacy as to giue life to the behoulders: & yet so it is, for that this dead body is a quickning spirit, and the word of his crosse is the power of God to salvation to all that beleeue. And indeede you cannot duely thinke vpon this shamefull & ignominious crosse, but that yee shall be moved thereby to call to mind the most glorious and admirable loue of God, who so loved the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne, that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but haue life everlasting. Now if God loue vs, & be on our side, who can be against vs? if he hath confirmed his loue towards vs, in that he spared not his only begotten sonne, but gaue him for vs all, how may wee be most fully assured that he will with him giue vs al things also? Hereby (saith S. Iohn) haue we perceived loue, in that hee layed downe his life for vs. 1. Ioh. 3. 16. So S. Paules Herein (saith hee) Christ setteth out his love towards vs, that while we were sinners, & therefore not worthy of the least mercie, hee died for vs, and so shewed vs the greatest mercy. Rom. 3. 8.
If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith vnto thee give mee drinke, thou wouldest haue asked of him and he would haue given vnto thee the water of life. Ioh. 4. 10. In teaching the ignorāt we must labour especially to worke in them a thirst of the water of life: the sweetnes wherof if we had once tasted, al other thīgs would grow out of tast with vs, and we would after a sort thirst only after this water. This water of life then aboue al other things is to be made knowen to the people of God, & the vertue therof is continually to be sette forth, seeing it is not condemned, but where it is vnknowen. And hereof it is that Christ himselfe, his spirit, his spouse and all his faithfull members bestow so much labour in pointing, to this full fountaine of the water of life, and in commending the vertues therof. I am the living bread (saith our Saviour Christ) that Ioh. 6. 51. came downe from heaven: hee that eateth of this bread shall liue for ever. And againe: If any man thirst, let him come to me and drinke: he that beleeveth Ioh. 7. 37. in me (as saith the Scripture) out of his belly shall flowe rivers of water of life. And againe: I am the dore, if any man enter by mee, he Ioh. 10. 9. shall be saved, and goe in and out and finde pasture, And againe: I am the Vine, yee are the branches: every braunch that beareth fruite in me my Ioh. 15. 2. [Page 123] father purgoth, that it may beare more fruite. And againe: I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man commeth to the father but by me. By all which figuratiue speeches one and the selfesame thing is sette forth vnto vs: even that Christ is the doore, wherby we haue entrance to God, in the enioying of whose favour & presence consisteth life: that he is the way to the caelestiall Ierusalē where true life is to be enioyed in the greatest perfection: that he is the true propitiatory sacrifice, wherby the wrath of God is throughly pacified, all other in respect thereof beeing either meere shadowes or false counterfeites: that he is the bread, water, meat and foode of life whereby life is not onely bredde at the first, but also still maintained and preserved for ever. Likewise our Saviour testifieth of the spirit of God, that he shall testifie of him, and shall receive Ioh. 15. 26. Ioh. 16. 14. of his, & shall glorifie him, by giving testimony vnto the holines of his doctrin, & vnto the dignity of his death: & the Angel setteth downe the same as a sure note of the spirit of a true Prophet: The Apoc. 19. 10. Ioh. 5. 39. testimony of Iesus is the spirite of prophesie, that is, is a sure marke of the spirit of prophecy. Yea what is the scope and end of all the scriptures, but to give testimony vnto Christ? What is the continuall exercise of the spouse of Christ and all her legitimate children but to haue their eies fast bent vpon Christ, & their mouth continually open in his praise? The whol booke of the Canticles is principally spente in the extolling of the excellencies of the bridegrome by his louing spouse, vnder diverse semblances and similitudes. And wherein especially laboured Iohn the Baptist the friend of the Bridegrome but in preparing the peoples hartes to embrace Christ? Behoulde the Lambe of God (saith he) that taketh Ioh. 1. 29. & 26. away the sinnes of the vvorld: I baptise vvith water vnto repentance: but there is one among you, who albeit he came after mee, yet hee was before mee, whose shoe-latchet I am vnworthy to vnloose; he shall baptise vvith the holy Ghost and with fire. And againe: He must encrease but I must Ioh. 3. 30. decrease. Lastly what did all the Apostles teach? They preached Iesus, and in him and by him the resurrection of the dead, and all other benefites and blessinges whatsoever: they preached Iesus to be the Lord, and themselues the servants of all men for Iesus sake. And verely al other waters are but draffe & durte, in respect of the most pure waters of this fountaine: all other riches are but [Page] [...] of this inestimable and invaluable treasures [...] dishes are but as the scrappes of a beggars [...] of the most sweete and comfortable both tast [...] Manna [...] and bread of life: the feeding [...], to [...]ke the best of it, is but the Iuglers feast, [...] by feeding on Christ. The children of [...] Synagogue howsoever they pretend that they care [...] they haue never indeed fedde vpon him truly: [...] should haue had by him health, strength, and life to [...]; that they would never haue fedde vpon masses and [...], and vpon their owne or other mens merites for the fur [...] [...]ing of everlasting life. But if these mē wil by no means [...] [...]ded to come togeather with vs to feede onely vppon [...] bread of life at the Lords table: let them feed still at the [...] vpon that deadly poison which is sette before them [...] [...]mous serpent. But let vs feed vpon Christ: Io [...]. [...] for his flesh [...], and his blood is drinke indeede: His patience is the only price wherby our soules are fully ransomed, & his righteousnes the onely roabes whereby our nakednes is wholy covered, & wherby we are presented most perfectly, pure, righteous, & holie [...] before the tribunal seat of the Lords iustice. His death is only able to kill sinne in vs, and his resurrection is onely of force to raise vs vp to newnes of life. They that being moved by other reason seeme to abstain frō sin, & to work righteousnes, do the same but outwardly in shew, and not in truth. Only the spirit of Christ, that so greatly sanctified his death, and so mightely wrought his resurrection, being received by the due consideration, and medi [...]tion, and by the religious embracing of his death and resurrection is able to destroy sin indeede, and to raise vs vp to newnes of life▪ [...] is only of sufficient might to withstand Satan and all the powers of the kingdome of darknes, and to worke in vs faith, and loue, and all the residue of the fruits of the spirite. And if by this [...]nes [...] [...]ned to God, then are we indeed truly converted; Ioh. 12. 32. for Christ is the only loadstone that hath sufficient vertue at [...] to draw vp to himselfe our harts of yron. And if by this [...] be slaine, and the life of righteousnes be wroughte in vs, then haue we part in Christs death and fellowship in his resurrection: [Page] but if by any other meanes sinne be put to flight, it is but in shew and not in truth: it is but a retire made by Satan, that he may draw vs further and further into his snares.
Thus haue I, Gentle Reader, according vnto the direction of my skilfull guide set downe some few places of the first Chapters of the gospell of S. Iohn, wherein this foode of our soules is commended vnto vs. There be many other also observed by the same author vpon the same book, but these may suffice to teach those that are the Lordes stewardes what manner of foode they ought especially to set before the residue of the Lords family, & what they also ought principally to feede vpon, if that they desire to haue their spirituall health and strength encreased, and to be further and further enabled to do the Lords worke. Now it [...]ineth that both in our publike & private praiers we most in [...] ly beseech the Lorde both with the woman of Samaria saying Lord giue me of this water that I may not thirst: and with the Iewes: Ioh 4. 15. Ioh. 6. 34. Lord giue vs ever more this bread; Lord make this heavenly foode to taste better and better vnto vs, that we may more and more hunger after the same, and hasten our passage more readily and swiftly vnto that great and glorious banquetting house, where we shall feede therevpon even to the full. The which the Lorde for his owne mercies sake graunte vnto vs. Now vnto this our most gracious and glorious Lord and God the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost be rendred all honour and glory, praise and power, maiesty and might for ever more, Amen.
Faultes escaped in printing the first part.
Leaue out (&) in the preface f. 1. l. 3. read conversation for conversion, f. 5. v. 32 In the principal vses of the treatise put in (my) v. 31. in the treatise it selfe read members for number f. 4. l. 13. speaketh for seeketh f. 10. l. 26. right for might, f. 20. l. 36. put in (not) f. 33. l. 6. omnipotēt for omniscient, f. 35. l. 11. Iustifieth for Instilleth, f. 38. l. 14 the revelation for relation, f. 41. l. 14. sufficient for alsufficient f. 49 l. 11. speak for seeke, f. 53 l. 3. impossible for invisible, f 65. l 16. offrings for suffrings, f. 64. l. 19. also for else. f. 87. l. 11. put in (his) f 117. l. 26. speaking for seeking f. 123. l. 23. wil for wel, f. 147. l. 18. put in 666. f. 159. l. 24.
Faultes escaped in this second part.
Pag. 36. lin. 27 for then allowed read, then allowing. in the marg. for Rom. 14. 26. read 24. 27. item p. 41. in the marg. for pf. 26. 3. read. 26. 3.