1 He said that the first Table of the Lawe, taught vs our duetie to­wardes Christs Godhead: And the second Table our duetie towardes his manhode.

THe first parte of this asser­tion I confesse to be true, because Christ being of the selfe same maiestie and essence with the father, is God equall with him from before all begin­nings, and therfore looke what­soeuer appertaineth vnto the fa­ther [Page 8]as god, in worship & seruice, belōgeth also vnto y^e sonne as he is God: but y^e latter part is most false & absurd. First, because it is vtterly voyd of al groūd & war­rant of y^e word, a reasō strong & sufficient enough to ouerthrow, not only this assertion, but all o­thers also which haue no better foundation. And secondarily, be­cause y^t it followeth vpon it, y^t if murther, which is one cōmande­ment of y^e second table, may be cō mitted against y^e māhood of our sauiour Christ, y^t then a mā may lay violent hāds vpon his bodye alredy glorified in heauē, which howe beastly it is too thinke or speake, let the godly iudge.

But here this fellow hath a statting hole, saying that it may be performed & practised against his members, which are as him selfe. Indeede that the lawes [Page 9]of the second table, and namely this of murther, may be violated against those that are members of Christes bodye, I thinke no man euer denied: but that those members of his, shoulde in suche sort be himselfe, that they should constitute & make his humanity & manhood, was neuer yet hard of. And if this should be granted would not this folow vpon it, y^t as we rightly confesse & beleeue, that he was in deed borne of the virgine Mary, so should we bee borne likewise, which is all one with the opinion of the family of loue, though he seeme to detest it. That there is a very nigh and strait coniunctiō between Christ, as the head, & the faithful as his members, may appeare indeede by sundry places of scripture but that the faithful should be called y^e māhood of our sauiour Christ which is one of those two seue­ral [Page 10]& distinct natures, that make his holy person who is god ouer al to be blessed for euer & euer or that his manhod, should be cal­led his members is very vile, and at no hand to be suffered, because thereupon it might bee inferred, that then we were, as the familians say, godded with God.

2 He sayde, that Christ was the Samaritane that holp the woūded man mentioned in Luke. Chap. 10.

THis hath most commonly bin the practise of heretiks to allegorize vpon the scrip tures, that thereby they might feede the humors of the poore & simple people, who thorow their corruption woonderfully delife in such a deformed kinde of han­dling the woorde, and also that [Page 11]they themselues might seeme to haue some proofe out of y^e word, though very darke in deed: for the matters they propound and publishe, when they haue no plaine places or testimonies for the same. For mine owne part, I doe vtterly mislike of this allegoricall handling of scripture, not only because it hath much defa­ced the true sence and meaning of Gods holy word, as hee that hath read Origens workes, and some others, may easily discerne but also because it hath been the mother to beare and bring forth many beastly and bastardly chil­dren, as the opinions of that de­testable Familie, doe at this day to the great griefe of many good men sufficiently prooue.

But to let this passe, and to come to the particular matter in hande, touching this place of [Page 12]Luke, I say, that this fellowe hath offered great iniurie to the spirite of grace, in going aboute to make the scripture speak that which it neuer meant to vtter or speak. That it is a parable plain­ly shewing that hee, whom God amongst men stirreth vp to doe good vnto the needy, how far of or how neere soeuer he be, should be esteemed as a neighbour, eue­ry one that is acquainted with that text and with the story that goeth before it, & the conclusion that our Sauiour inferreth vp­on it, may easily iudge.

The Scriptures, especially of the new Testament, propoūd vnto vs Parables after two sorts, some are expoūded vnto vs par­ticularly, and by peecemeal as it were. Of this sort there are two mentioned, Mat. 13. of the sower, and of the good seede. Wee may [Page 13]safely allow of this kind in that place, and in other places where soeuer they are found, because, he that cānot erre, hath opened the same vnto vs. There are other some, and these are more in num­ber by many, then the former, as may appear euē in that 13. chap­ter of Mathew before alleadged, which the Lorde hath not parti­cularly expounded, and therfore in them we must stay our selues vpon the general drifte and pur­pose thereof, and goe no furher, least wee seeme to be wise aboue measure. For who knoweth not that if it had not beene to haue brideled mans curiositie, and to haue kept down the pride of his heart, it had byn al one with our sauiour Christ to haue expoūded all parables by peecemeale. And of this later sort is this parable of the Samaritane & the woun­namded [Page 14]the generall purpose wherof hath bin before noted.

Now hereupon Inferre, that besides that it bewrayeth won­derfull presumption and pride, in the parties so handeling the scriptures, there was yet neuer any that coulde so cunningly alle gorize vpon thē, but there was euer one or other absurditie at the least insuing therupon. Set­ting others aside, let vs take this which we haue presently in hande. He sayde that the Sa­maritaine was Christ, doth hee not offer great iniurie, thinke ye to that holy person, to resemble him to so vncircumcised and so vnholy a man?

He sayth that the two pence signified the two Testaments, which how absurd it is may ap­peare by this, in that the new Testament was not then writ­ten. [Page 15]Beside I woulde demaūd of this cold allegorizer, what the wine & the oyle poured into the woūd, did signifie: and whether (if the two pence signify the two Testaments,) there woulde not follow out of these words of the text, spoaken to the hoast, (take care of him, & whatsoeuer thou spendest more, when I come a­gaine I will recompence thee,) popish traditions and vnwritē verities? When he shal haue an­swered these questions as also who was the hoast, what was the Inne, what was his owne beast that hee carryed him vpon and what was the prouision he made for him, ye shall see many more absurdities insue, and hee himselfe shal then be further an­swered. And I adde further, that it is cōtrary to the custome of our sauiour Christ: for whē he [Page 16]speaketh of himselfe in parables (as hee doth many times resem­ble himselfe to sundry thinges) that then hee doeth vsually say, I am the good Shepheard, I am the true Vine, I am the Dore, I am the way, the truth and the life.

3 He said that faith was the eye, or light of the soule.

BUt I say, that if hee woulde haue spoken rightlye, hee should rather haue affirmed faith to be the hand of the soule, bicause that by it only, as it were by a hand, we doe take holde of Christ, in whom al the promises of God are yea, and Amen, and aplie him and his righteousues particularlye vnto our selues, and this is indeed the true and naturall meaning of this propo­sition [Page 17]wee are iustifyed by fayth only, So much disputed of be­tweene the papistes and vs.

Moreouer, I doe not onely mislike him for the vnaptnes of his speach, but also for the ma­nifest vntruth and falshode con­teyned therin. It is a very cer­ten rule in reason, and allowed of in all artes, that the definiti­on, and the thing defyned, must not be larger one of them than another, for if it be, the definiti­on is naught, and many absur­dities and vntruthes will insue therupon: but this definition or description that hee hath giuen of faith, is larger than faith it self (which is the thing defined) as may appeare, because there was neuer yet any in y^e worlde, but he had some light of y^e soul, & yet not faith: which thing is al so more manifested vnto vs, by hypocrites in the churche, who [Page 18]haue light and vnderstāding in the soule, & yet haue not fayth: for if they had, neither y^e one nor y^e other could becōdēned, ther­fore it foloweth, y^e this definitiō or description is false & absurde.

And for the further proofe of it, wee are to mark, that though the Image of God through the fall of our firste Parentes was fouly defaced, not only in them­selues, but in their posteritie: yet there was left in them & their seede, certain sparks as it were of light and vnderstanding, which the Apostle in the 8. to the Romanes, calleth the wisedom of the fleshe, affirming that it is enimitie to God, & y^e it is not subiect to the law of God, nei­ther of it self indeed can be. But al this light or vnderstanding whatsoeuer, serueth no further then to make men without ex­cuse or defence before God con­cerning [Page 19]the matter of their con­demnation.

Thirdly I say, that for the confirmation of this his absurde and false assertion, he hath fou­lie peruerted and wrested twoo very plaine places of holy scrip­ture. The first is Matth. 6.22, 23. The other is Hebr. 11.1. Touching the place of Matt. our Sauiour alleadgeth it, to shewe, that men do many times euen maliciously and wickedly put out the very light of naturè, that is in them, blearing their eyes and blindfolding sundrie wayes their owne vnderstan­dings, that they may not behold the thinges, which God presen­teth vnto them. Nowe who seeth not, that this place, is so farre from furthering his asser­tion, that it rather proueth the contrarie, to wit,, that many [Page 20]men maye haue light in them, (which they coulde not put out, vnles they had it) & yet. be desti­stute of the gifte of faith, which only proceedeth from God. In the other place of the Hebrews, the Apostle himself giueth a sure and sound desinition of faith, cō ­mending the same vnto vs, by the excellent effects that it hath to wit, that it doth liuely repre­sent & expresse vnto vs, thinges which yet we hope for, & setteth as it were before the eyes of our mindes, thinges that are inuisi­ble, and cannot be seen with our bodily eyes. But howe serueth this to proue, that euery light of the soule is faith? Nay rather how doth it not ouerthrowe it? For many haue had the light of the soule as hath beene already proued, yea and at this day ma­ny haue, as for exāple, y^e Iewes, [Page 21]Turkes, &c, which haue not yet for all that atteined this excellēt gift of faith. And either the Li­bertine must confes this, to wit that these haue some light of the soule, & so ouerthrow that, which hee seemed to confirme, or els af­firme men, to be as bruit beastes (because men in respect of y^e light & vnderstāding differ frō beasts) which is very bruitishe indeede. This onely I will say, for this time cōcerning this matter, that if he were not vtterly void of the knowledge & vnderstanding of Gods wil by his word, he wold neuer make such beastly conclu­sions: seeing that we knowe, by Gods word, that the light of the soule, is naturally communica­ted to al men, as we confesse and beleeue from God: and faith is a special gift of God, bestowed not vpō al men, but vpō y^e elect only.

4 He said that the tree of know­ledge of good and euill in Para­dise was a figure of Gods lawe: also that the tree of life, there, was a fi­gure of Gods Gospel, & lastly, that the flaming sword, was a figure of the threatnings and iustice of God.

IF men may be suffered in their vain speculatiōs, thus to sporte thēselues with the word of god, and to indeuoure the seducinge and deceiuing of others: al reue­rence of the Lordes trueth wilbe quickly pluckte vp out of mens mindes: and infinite thousandes caried headlong into eternal de­structiō. If this be not with the papistes, to make a nose of ware of the scriptures, & with the fa­mily of loue vtterlie to subuerte the histories therin cōteined, I know not what it is. For y^e first, y^e tree was called y^e tree of know­ledge [Page 23]of good & euil, not because it had good & euil in it of it selfe: but good, because it was (as the rest of the creatures were before sinne entred) good: and euil bee­cause of y^e effecte and consequent that followed therof. For man (eating of it being forbidden) did by that meanes pull vpon him & his posteritie, eternal death and condemnation, so that it is cal­led euil, in respect of the euil, y^e thorow disobedience came vpon man and al his race.

Cōcerning y^e tree of life, it was so called, not because it had life in it self to communicate the same to others (for verie absurd is it to tie such an excellēt guift, to so in­sensible & vnreasonable a thing) but because it was appointed by God to seale vnto man that bles­sed estate of life wherin God placed him, and continuance in the [Page 24]same so lōg as he should cōtinue in y^e obediēce of his god. And as for y^e shaking sword the Lorde ordeined it (together with the cherubins which kept the waye to the tree of life) to strike a ter­rour into Adam and Euah, be­ing fallen: y^t therby they might vnderstand, both what excellent benefites, they had depriued themselues of, and also intoo what great miseries, they had cast themselues headlong.

Nowe this being the onely true and naturall meaning of these matters, howe can that stād, which this Libertine hath put downe? If he would needs haue allegorized vpon the tree of life or the rest, it had bin lesse euill for him to haue saide, that the tree of life, should either haue signified God the author of life (because as the Apostle [Page 25]saith, in him we liue, moue, and haue our being) or else Christe himselfe, who by the working of his spirite and power of his re­surrection, raiseth vs vp to newnes of life and holy conuersatiō And though I acknowledge this to be true, yet I am not perswaded, that it can be aptly and fitly gathered out of that place of Genesis. But further to pursue, the absurditie of this al­legoricall interpretation, and plainely to lay it out to the sight of the simple, wee saye, first, that he hath bewraied y^e great pride and presumption of his owne hart, because, that wheras it be­longeth onely to the Lorde, too institute and ordain holy signes and sacramentes, and to giue the thinges so ordained force & and power, to signifie and seale the thinges signified: this man [Page 26]arrogantly hath taken vppon him this office of God, not only without any warrant from the Lorde himselfe, but also directly contrary to his will reuealed in his woord.

Secondarily he hath woon­derfully manifested, the beastlie blindnesse and ignorance of his heart: for, whereas in all signes and sacramentes, there should be euer a certaine analogie and proportion, betweene the signes and the thinges signified, there can be no such thinge founde out betweene the tree of knowledge of good and euil, and the lawe of God it self.

Besides, what blockishnes doth this argue in him, to resemble y^e tree of knowledg of good and e­uil, to the whole law of God, & the shaking sword to y^e threat­ninges of God, as though for­sooth [Page 27]the whole did not com­prehende the partes? And if this mans vaine shoulde be followed, we should not onely haue seuen sacramentes (as the Papistes imagine) but seuentie times seuen, that is infinite and innumerable. But of this mat­ter ynough if not to much.

5 He sayth, that the water in Baptisme was in no respect to bee sayde or counted a holy water, no not in respect it was applyed to a holy vse.

THis Assertion greatly bee­wraieth, first his grosse ig­norance in the woord of God For why may not the water in baptisme be esteemed and saide to be a holy water, as well as the priestes garmentes, the tē ­ple the mountaines and other [Page 28]thinges were sayde to be holy? When we say the water in bap­tisme is a holy water we meane not that it hath any holinesse in it selfe, or that it is made holie, by any magicall incantation as the Papistes dreame) but spea­king according to the vse of scripture which coūteth euery thing holy that by Gods appointment is separated from prophane and common vses, and dedicated & applyed by his institution to ho­ly vses. And therfore we feare not to affirme (whatsoeuer this babler shall say to the contrary) that the water in baptisme is a holy water, not onely because it is dedicated to a holy vse, but also because it proceedeth from a holy institutor, and is by his or­dinance, appointed to seale and set foorth vnto vs, holy thinges to witte the washing away of al [Page 29]our sinnes, in the death & blood­shedding of our Sauiour: and our rising vp to righteousnesse & wel doing, by the vertue & pow­er of his resurrection from the dead.

Secondarily, it manifesteth in what base regard and account he hath y^e Sacraments of God, which may appeare not only by this, but by sundrie other spee­ches vttered by him: as that the Iewes may receiue as much in­struction, by their ordinary and common washinges, as wee by baptisme. Besides, that there shal bee a time in this life, wherein there shal be no neede of Sacra­mentes, and such like, of which wee will speake hereafter in their seuerall places.

6 That the ordinary and com­mon washings amongst the Turkes [Page 30]and Iewes, were the same to them, that Baptisme is to vs.

THis carrieth with it, in the iudgement of al vpright mē, greate presumption of prophane­nesse, in that he dare make equall with the Sacrament of baptism not the ordinary and common washinges of Christians, but euen of Turks and Iewes, who before GOD are as Infidels, because they acknowledge him not, in the person of his sonne and withall sauoreth very strōg­ly of the Sacramentary heresie: yea it is far more absurde and vile, because the Sacramenta­ries, speaking indeede very base­lie of the Sacramentes, that is, esteeming them but as bare cere­monies & signes of holy things, did yet neuer so farre extenuate or debase the same, as to resem­ble [Page 31]them (hauing their instituti­on from God) to common & pro­phane things, vsed amōgst such, as because they are voyde of faith, are iustly condemned in & for the thinges they doe.

And note withall the subtletie and malice of Sathan, who see­yng he cannot carry mē headlōg into destruction, by ouermuch reuerēce, either in iudgment or acti­on to the Sacraments, with the Papists and Lutherans on the one side: nor yet thorowe an vn­right & an vnreuerent opinion of the sacramentes with the sacra­mentaries on y^e other side: hath at the last stirred vp this wicked instrument, by a new assaulte, to batter their faith, and to plunge them ouer heade and eares, into eternal destruction. But as I hope that they which are rightly instructed of God, by his word & [Page 32]spirit, wil looke to themselues, y^e they bee not surprised with this diuelish persuasion: so I humbly beseech the rest, that haue not as yet atteined to so greate a mea­sure & light of vnderstanding, to take heede, that they doe not be­fore they be ware, drinke in and that to their vtter ruine, this deadly poyson of their soules which carrieth with it so mani­fest a contēpt of the order of God, and by consequent contempt of his Maiestie, because no despite can be offered vnto his ordinan­ces, but the iniurie thereof, doeth in some measure redounde vnto himselfe.

And indeed to speake the truth if our baptisme haue no singuler priuiledge aboue the ordinary & cōmon washings vsed amongst Turkes & Iewes, our Sauiour Christ hath dealte vnaduisedly, [Page 33]that I may say no more, to bu­sie him selfe so much about the institution of newe sacraments in the newe state of the Church and to occupy the harts, heads, hands, and euery part and mē ­ber, both of the ministers admi­nistring the same, and of the people communicating therein. For my parte I thinke godlines and wisedome woulde teach vs to preuent (what we may) after­claps for if this man may be suf­fered so defacing the sacramēts, why may he not likewise offer disgrace vnto the worde? And if he may disgrace the woorde, why may he not in like sorte, dis­grace God the author thereof: and so not onelie a wide dore set open to al atheistrie, but also the verie foundations therof plāted and layd. But (I hope) the god­ly magistrates, wil in time haue [Page 34]an eye to these inconueniencies, that at the least, if they cannot be vtterly rooted out, yet they shal not spread their vowes and braunches further abrode.

7 He sayth that nothing can be counted holy, vnlesse it bee per­fect.

I Woulde faine learne what can be more repugnant to the holy scripture then this assertion. Do wee not reade that many, both thinges & men, are called holy in the scriptures, as Exodus. 35.21. the garmentes of the Priests are called holy. Also Exod. 19.6. the people are called a holy na­tion to God.

But I know, because I haue heard this fellow speake, that he thinketh easilie too shifte of all [Page 35]these and infinit number of such like places because they are writ ten in the old Testament. How right this answere is, let euery godly man iudge, not onely be­cause wee knowe, that certaine among the Anabaptistes here­tofore laboured, as also this fe­lowe now doth, to impayre & to disanul the authoritie of the old Testament: but also because y^e spirit it self beareth record, that whatsoeuer thinges were writ­ten before hand, were written for our learning, vpon whome the ends of the world are come, that we through patience and comfort of the scripture might haue hope. And that this truth might be indeede, the more ef­fectually ratified and confirmed vnto vs, we haue the practise & example of Christ and his Apo­stles, who for the confirmation [Page 36]of their doctrines, haue allea­ged testimonies and examples out of the old testament, which they would not haue done, if the olde Testament had been vtter­ly abrogated, as those fantasti­call spirits haue dreamed.

But admit that this copper woulde goe for currant coyne, The Lorde hath not so skanted vs, but that wee haue a cloude of witnesses, euen in the newe Testament, to ouerthrowe this falshoode. Saint Peter calleth the mount, whereuppon Christ was tansfigured, holy, Saint Iude calleth the fayth of Gods children, not only holy, but most holy. How many times doeth Saint Paule and Sainte Pe­ter, call all such as are gathe­red into the bosome or lappe of the Churche by the woorde of preaching, and the ministerie of [Page 37]y^e same (whether they are men women, or children) Saintes or holy ones. For the proofe hereof, turne to these places fo­lowing. Rom. 1.7. 1. Corin. 7.14 1. Tim. 5.10. 1 Pe. 1 16. 1. Pe. 3.5. & many other such like: and yet wee knowe that they were clo­thed with corruption and had sinne, though not raigning, yet dwelling in them, whatsoeuer this fanaticall fellow wil say to the contrary.

True, yea most true is that speech of the Apostle, we knowe in part & wee prophesy in parte, but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shalbe abolished. I suppose that this man, musing and spe­king so much of perfectiō in this life, iumpeth flatly with the fa­milie of loue, howesoeuer hee would seem much to dislike thē, [Page 38]and hath had some large confe­rence with A.C.S. who doteth and deliuereth much concerning this matter in his Dialogues vpon the Romanes.

Whatsoeuer it bee wee feare not too condemne it as a grosse and detestable error, putting flaxe to the fire of mans presum­tions and proud nature in ma­nye and being a terrible heade-long downe fall into desperation to othersome, while they see and finde in them selues, that they cannot atteine in this life to the same. But to such mens com­fort it shall bee verie good for them, not onely not once too admitte such a thought, as that they maye atteine too perfec­tion in this life (a marke in­deede whereat wee must aime, though verily we cannot hit the same) but vtterly to estraunge [Page 39]it farre from them staying them selues vpon this, that all their imperfections are couered in the fulnes of Christes perfection, and that though they cannot atteine by reason of their owne weaknes, to perfect faith, to per­fect hope, to perfect repentāce, to perfect mortificatiō &c. Yet they doe thorough gods great good­nes, atteine to the soundnes and truth; of many excellent and woorthie graces, as too haue stedfast faith, true repentance, &c.

And thus much I thought good to put downe, least either on the one side, wee might bee ouerthrowne in our wantes, or on the other side be deceiued in a false imagination of perfectiō. For heere wee sayle in a daun­gerous gulfe, and passe as it were betweene twoo greate [Page 40]rocks or cleffes, if either of which we touch, we are in perill with­out Gods riche mercie helpe, of eternall destruction, both of body and soule.

8 He saith that Christ in his hu­mane soule, descended into the place of torment, appointed for the wic­ked called hell. s [...]. pag. 118. 127.

WHat great varietie of o­pinions & mindes: there is concerning this Article, hee that is acquaynted with Lear­ned mens writinges, may easily perceiue. For mine owne parte, setting aside all partialtie & dea­ling against any, saue this perni­cious man, I will bee as briefe & short in it as possible I man.

The first thing that I haue to saye of it is this, that for as much as Saint Cyprian an aun­cient [Page 41]father of the Church plain­lie affirmeth, that neither the Romaine nor Easte Churches had this point in their confessi­ons of faith at all: and for as much as no confession of faith at all, so farre as I remember, penned in generall councels as that of Nice, of Ephesus, Chalce­don &c. toucheth it any whit, but vtterly omitteth the same: And for asmuch as the other Articles of our beliefe, may euen in plaine words be pro [...]ed, out of the wri­tings of the Apostles and Pro­phetes, and yet there is no such either word or meaning (as the Papists drawe out of it) to bee founde in the bookes of the olde and new Testament, that there­fore it seemeth vnto mee not to bee a matter of any great impor­taunce, so that it bee expounded according to the Analogie and [Page 42]proportion of faith.

And though it bee true, that this felow in this point of Christ his descent into hell, bee not so grosse as other some are, who imagine that hee went downe thither, to harrow it as it were and too fetche from thence the soules of suche of the faythfull fathers, as dyed before Chri­stes death: yet (as shall appeare by that which followeth) he is very vnsounde in the same. For to say that Christe in his h [...] ­mane Soule descended into the place of the damned, is quite and cleane contrarie too that speeche of Christe vppon the Crosse, when hee cryed say­ing. Father into thy handes I commende my Spirite, vn­derstanding by the woorde spi­rite, his soule, and by commen­ding of it into the handes of [Page 43]God his father, the returning of the same, into the hands of God y^e gaue it, of which see Eccle. 12.7.

And his beastlinesse is so much the more intellerable, by howe much he abuseth some places of scripture, for the maintenance of this his absurd assertion. He al­leadged indeed foure speciall pla­ces, wherof two were taken out of y^e old festamēt, and twoo out of the newe. The first place out of the olde is. Leu [...]. 16. Where he intreateth of the scape grate: the other is Psalme 86.13. The places out of the new testament be. Rom. 10.6.7. Eps [...]. 6.4.8.9. of which places we mind to speake particularly.

Concerning y^e place of Leuit. he would gather it by an al [...]e go [...] thu [...], y^e the frape goa [...]e being ap­poynted by the Lord to be let go into y^e wildernes would be a fi­gure [Page 44]of Christ, escaping free out of hel, resembling the Wildernesse too hell, which wildernesse he saieth (but there is no such warrant for it in the Text) was ful of wilde, rauenous & deuouring beastes: but the absurditie of this allego­rie appeareth, because not the scape Goate so much, but the Goate that was appointed to be the peoples sinne offering (if anye of them were a figure of Christ) was the figure rather. Besides, it is spoken without al grounde of y^e Text in that place, that the wildernesse was full of wilde heastes. I suppose that a man may more safely say, that it was called a wildernes, because it was by muche lesse inhabited then other, partes of the lande were, and so is the worde taken, Math. 3.1. Where it is faide, that Iohn [...]eached in the wilder­nesse [Page 45]of Iudea, which must be vn­derstood, not as some of Saint Frauncis order haue thought, as though hee had preached to the trees and beastes of the forrests, but because he preached in those places which were lesse inhabi­ted then other quarters of the lande were.

Touching the place of Psal. 86.13. I say, that it is as muche peruerted & abused as the for­mer. Which shall appeare, if we doe but a litle consider the words and circumstances. The wordes lye thus: for thy mercie is great towardes me, and thou hast de­liuered my soule from the lowest graue. Which verse I take to be a reason, why Dauid woulde praise the Lorde with his whole hearte and glorifie his name for euer, to witte, because God had woonderfully deliuered him (for [Page 46]he putteth his soule (which is a part of him for his whole man) frō very imminent & infinite dā ­gers, which hee vnderstādeth by the terme of lowest graue. And this sense is plaine, not onely be­cause Dauid made the Psalme being sore distressed, sometimes with inward afflictions, & some­times with outwarde persecuti­ons, by the extreeme outrage & furie of his enimies, in the dayes of his life vpō earth: but also be­cause, if it were not so, this absur­ditie and inconuenience woulde ensue therupon, that Dauid be­ing dead, and condemned into the place of torment, shoulde bee deliuered therefrom, and set in the place of eternall blessednes, which is not onelye quite and cleane contrary, to the scope and drift of holie Scriptures (as appeareth. [Page 47] Luke 16.26.) But vt­terlye subuerteth the iustice of GOD, and accuseth it ey­ther of inconstancie or rashnesse, as though that hee had, either vnaduisedly pronounced a sen­tence, or were not constant in his counselles, and stedfast in the performance of his purposes and wayes.

Touching y^e place of y^e Rom. 10. He hath bewrayed verie grosse and palpable ignoraunce, beyng deceiued belike with the bare shew of the wordes, descend into the deepe. For if he out of this place would proue Christes dis­cent into hell, an other might as easilie and with better reason by muche, prooue his ascention into heauen, but in truth y^e place doth not plainly prooue, neither the one nor the other. The true and naturall meaning of those [Page 48]wordes of Saint Paule, I take to be this that Paul setteth that peace of conscience, which the righteousnesse of faith bringeth with it, against all their perplex­ed and doubtfull thoughts, that seeke and hunt after the righte­ousnesse of the law. And these y­maginations or thoughtes, are two solde in them, whilest some­times they think, how they may auoyde condemnation, and o­ther times whilest they thinke, how they may obtayne eternall life and saluation. For the lawe propounding heauen no other­wise, but by an impossible condi­tion, and threatning death and destruction for the breach of the same, it must necessarily folowe, that euery one that stādeth stiffe in the righteousnesse of the law, must be inforced to crie out, who shall ascend into heauen? to wit, [Page 49]that hee may bring mee thither. Or who shall descende into the deepe? to wit, to deliuer me from the same. But the righteousnes of faith telleth vs, that Christe, hauing fulfilled all righteousnes for vs, & hauing suffered for vs, the punishment which was due vnto vs, ouercomming in his death, death it self, and him that had the power of death, that is, the Diuell, y^t he might bring vs to heauen also, that where he is as the head, we might be as the members. And if this were not the true sense (as indeede there can be no other but it) yet were not his collection out of these wordes right and sound, not on­ly because it would follow there­vppon, that Christe woulde bee brought out of heauen, but also that he is euen yet at this day in some sort, to be brought again [Page 50]from the dead: and so not onlie the trueth of his resurrectiō, flat­ly denied, but he helde vnder of death, and the sorowes thereof, which S. Peter affirmeth Act. the seconde, to bee an impossible thing.

Nowe a worde or two concer­ning the place out of the Ephesi. In the former verses, S. Paule had laboured to perswade the E­phesians, to such vnity & concord, as God alloweth of: and that he might the better performe this, he sheweth y^e God in Christ hath giuen sundrie gifts to his church and the particular members therof for y^t great & excellēt pur­pose, & this is put downe in the seuenth verse. Nowe that Christ hath giuen such graces to his Church, he proueth it, by a testi­monie, borowed out of Dauid. The woordes as they lie in the [Page 51]text are these: wherefore he sai­eth (that is the holie Ghost) by the pen & mouth of his seruaunt Dauid) when hee ascended vp on highe (that is, rose againe from death, and went vp into heauen) he laide captiuitie cap­tiue (that is, hee made such his captiues & slaues, as had before healde others in captiuity and thraldome, meaning thereby the Diuel, death, sinne, & whatsoeuer els did set it selfe against Christ & his mēbers. Al know that vnder a metaphor in this place, there is excellētly described, y^e triumph of Christ our Conqueror, S. Paule therein alluding, to the maner of earthly Conquerors, who after some victory atteined, were so­lēnely & triumphantly receyued into the places whether they came, their captiues going either before thē, or behind thē chained. [Page 52]And that he might the better ex­presse the glorious conquest of our Sauiour Christ, he saith not simplie, hee leade the captiues, but that he leade captiuitie cap­tiue, speaking accordiug to the proprietie of the Hebrue tongue, vsing the Abstracte, that is, the substantiue, for the concrete, that is the Adiectiue, signifying ther­by also, the greate multitude of enemies, that hee carried with him as captiues: and he that is but meanely seene, either in the Scriptures, or in the Hebrewe tongue, will easily acknowledge the trueth of this. It follow­eth, And gaue giftes vnto men (to wit, for the continuall helpe and comfort one of them of ano­ther, & al tending to the building vp of the bodie of Christe, which is his Churche) vers. 9. Nowe in that he ascended (to wit, into [Page 53]heauen) what is it (that is, what meaneth it.) But that hee had also descended, first into the lowest parts of the earth. These are the woordes that this Ly­bertine most presseth, that is the lowest partes of the earth. But I answeare, that hee much abu­seth these wordes: for the worde earth, is not taken here onely for this world wheron men walke, but also for the whole world comprehending heauen, earth, and whatsoeuer els: and so those wordes, the lowest partes of the earth carrie with them this seuse, that Christ descended frō the glorie of his father into the earth, which is indeede the low­est part of the whole worlde, for fire, a yre, water and al are high­er thē it. Besides, if these words (lowest parts of the earth) shuld be taken for hell, this absurditie [Page 54]would follow vpon it, that whē Dauid saith, y^t he was made in a secrete place, and fashioned be­neath in the earth (or as it is in the Hebrew text) In the lower parts of the earth, that when he [...]uld haue byn made, conceiued, and borne in hel, then the which, what can be more absurde? But as this fellowe hath byn fowlie deceaued, in alleadging of scrip­ture, for the maintenaunce of his error: so he is as much deceiued and more also in the matter it selfe. For the truth is so farre of, frō propounding any such grosse thing concerning our Sauiour, Christ y^t it teacheth vs, y^e as he did indeed suffer a natural death (which is the sundring of the bo­die & soule for a time) so he was both in bodie and soule, shut vp in woonderful distresse: in bodie, when being in agonie, his sweete [Page 55]was like droppes of blood, trick­ling downe to the ground. Luke. 22.44. And in soule, whē he said, my soule is very heauy, euen vn­to y^e death. Mat. 26.38. And when he cried out vpon the crosse, my God my God why hast thou for­saken me. Math. 27.46. And al these layde together, the Apo­stle Saint Peter calleth the sor­rowes of death. Actes. 22.24. which he suffered for vs misera­ble sinners, whilest that hee presented himselfe to the iustice and iudgement of his Father, to the ende that hee might satis­fie the same for vs: So that necessary was it, that he should in his cōscience, feele this feareful agonye and condemnation as it were, euē as though he had byn forsaken of GOD his father, and he had byn angry with him [Page 56]bearing our sinnes vppon his backe. And this I take too bee the naturall meaning of this ar­ticle. Hee descended into hell, that hee did in his very sufferinges and death, not onelie set him­selfe against all our enimies, as the world, the fleshe, the Diuell and eternall condemnation: but did, as it were, wrastle euen hād to hande with them, ouercom­ming them all for vs, that we, (by the vertue and power of his victorie) might bee more then Conquerors, And thus much I thought good to put downe, as my ful persuasion grounded and setled vpon Gods woorde, con­cerning this point: being readie to yeeld to any other, y^t can shew further out of the word of God.

9 That that place of Hel is in the Center, that is, as hee himselfe [Page 57]also interpreteth it, in the middle of the earth.

Mans curiousnesse of the one side, & his ignorance of y^e o­ther side, hath beene, is, and shal­be, the cause of a bottomlesse pit of errour, and corruption. If we had no other thing to prooue it by, yet that which hath byn held and propounded, concerning the place of hell, and the manner of tormentes in the same, were suf­ficient enough to confirme that which hath byn saide.

Concerning the paines and punishmentes of it, I minde to say nothing at this time because it concerneth not the question we haue in hand. But concer­ning the place, thus much I say that it is fautasticall curious­nesse at the least, if not an intol­lerable pride, for anye man too [Page 58]take vppon him to pointe out where that place should be, see­ing that the Lorde, hath not in any place of the olde and newe Testament declared the same.

That such a place there is, prepared of old for the diuel and his angels, and the reprobate, the scripture declareth. But where it shoulde be, or in what place, as whether in the center of the earth, or in some region of the ayre, or in some of the vtter­most partes of the world, it is not reuealed, no more then the certaine time either of the crea­tion or of the fall of the Angels. Wherefore as we doe in al god­lie sobrietie, beleeue that they were created, and beleeue that they did fall, because the worde of God doeth warrant the same vnto vs (notwithstanding that the time eyther of the one [Page 59]or of y^e other be not put down:) so it behooueth vs, with the like measure of christian modestie, to behaue our selues in this point, that seing we know such a place of torment ther is, wee shoulde beleeue that, and yet because we knowe not, where particularly it is sett, we shoulde beware of rashe and hastie pronouncing of any thing, concerning the same For as the reuealed counselle of the Lord, apperteineth to vs and our posteritie, to knowe, be­leeue, and doe the same: so wee may not enter into those secrets, that his maiestie hath kept close vnto himselfe, least we be for our presumption, vtterly cōfounded & ouer whelmed of his glory.

And me thinketh, y^e if we had not these reasons takē out of the word to bridle our curiositie, yet euen in verie christian pollicie, [Page 60]it should stande vs in hande, for the preuenting of greater after­claps, to laye a stop here, and in all such carious questions what soeuer. For if one may be fuffred in the vaine and ydle imagina­tions of his owne hearte and heade to discourse without the warrant of the word, vpon this or any other such like point, ma­king resolute and flat conclusi­ons concerning the same. Why shall it not be lawful, for others to doe the like? And so by that meanes, we shall haue a whole worlde of mens fantasies pro­pounded vnto vs, and in processe of time, (mans nature being gredie of noueltie) Gods truth and the groundes and principles of the same, if not vtterly defaced & discredited, yet wonderfully im­payred and abased. And there­fore bothe magistrates and mi­nisters, [Page 61]are in this respecte too haue a vigilant eye, in due sea­son to stop the gap to these mis­chiefes, and to keepe short such persons as this is, who dare so shamelesly propound such hiddē misteries and erroneous opini­ons.

10 That it is vtterly euil for the elect to thinke, speake, or heare of the feare of God.

THe trueth is so farrè of from admitting, either in truth or shew, any such blasphemous & beastly speech, as this is, that it doeth in flat and plaine termes, put down a plaine cōtrary asser­tion. A notable proofe hereof we haue in this earnest and graci­ous wish, of the Lord testifying thereby his mercie and greate good will towardes his people, [Page 62]saying. O that there were such a heart in them to feare me, and to keepe al my commandemēts alway, that it might goe well with them, and with their chil­dren foreuer. Which (if the feare of his maiestie had bin euill,) he woulde neuer haue done. This also appeareth, by that moste mercifull promise that hee ma­keth vnto his owne people, say­ing: I will giue them one hearte, and one way that they maye feare mee for euer (and not at any time as this Liber­tine sayeth) for the wealth of them, and of their children after them.

By whiche woordes it ap­peareth, that the right reuerēce and feare GOD, beeing sin­cerely planted in the heartes of his children, is so farre of from woorking any hurt or da­mage: [Page 63]vnto his Saintes, that it is rather a pledge and an assured testimonie of his loue and fauoure, not vntoo them onely, but euen vnto their verie issue and posteritie.

I woulde bee loth to charge this fellowe further than trueth, neither haue I hitherto gone beyonde the boundes thereof. For myne owne part, I rest perswaded, and I hope I shall haue the approbation of suche as bee singly sighted in the matters of GOD, with mee that this assertion is not one­lye repugnaunt too the trueth of the woorde (as hath beene before shewed) but that it doeth by a consquente carye with it, not one, but many moste horrible blasphemies.

First if this should be true what [Page 64]shoulde we doe with so infinite numbers of places in the scrip­tures, which doe exact and de­maunde this feare towardes God of vs, but vtterly blot thē out of the book of gods word & cast thē away? And woulde not then this follow vpon it, that if we reiect apart of the woord, we may safely reiect the whole. For why shoulde wee allowe of one part & refuse another? Or who hath giuen vs any such pope­like authoritie? And then also would not this ensue: that men might likewise (the woord be­ing cast away) denie God the author of life? A point which the Atheistes of our age doe very much vrge & presse, as by words and deedes appeareth very ma­nifestly, to such as are acquain­ted with their assertions and dealinges.

Beside, doth it not flatly ouer­throwe, not onely the iustice of GOD, which should serue as a bridle to keepe vs from euill, if he shoulde not be feared, but al­so the mercie of GOD, which should be a spurre to prouoke vs to wel doing? Notable is that place of the Prephete Dauid. Mercie is with thee that thou maist be feared. For the children of God or elected people (of whō this fellowe seemeth to speake) are so farre of from receiuing a­ny hurt or euill, by meditating, speaking, or hearing of the feare of Gods maiestie, that they reape and receiue thereby singu­ler profite. For as Gods mercie, is a singuler argument or mat­ter of spirituall ioy vnto them, in the dayes of any their heauines­ses or distresses either outward or inwarde. So the reuerent [Page 66]feare of Gods Maiestie, in the times of their greate peace and prosperity, which it pleaseth him sometimes to geue vnto them, is a notable meane to instruct them, to take heede vnto them­selues, that they bee not car­ried forwarde, eyther by the pleasures, or by the profites of this life, to the thinking, spea­king, or doyng of any thing that may bee displeasing before God, or vnansweareable to that great calling wherein hee hath placed them.

Thirdly, it taketh away one of the seales and pledges of our repentance, & so by that meanes shaketh our faith, which we had neede to labour, to prop, and stay vp, by all the lawfull and holie meanes we can, which God him selfe hath ordeined and set foorth vnto vs in his worde to vse: spe­cially [Page 67]if wee woulde but with a single eye, consider, either our owne weaknesse on the one side, or the strength, subtletie, and con­tinuall assaultes of our spiritual enimies on the other side. Saint Paule 2. Cor. 7.11. prooueth that a reuerēt feare of God, wrought in our heartes, by the sight of our former sinnes, and the appre­hension of his iustice against vs for the same, is a singuler effecte and declaration, of our vnfained repentaunce and amendment (e­uen as some good fruite is a playne proofe of a good tree) whilest that, considering our owne slipperines on the one side and Gods heauie indignation & wrath agaynst vs for sinne on the other side, wee doe with care & conscience, not only looke vnto our steppes, that wee fall [Page 68]not into the like mischiefes: but also striue to y^e vttermost of our powers, both to the purpose and performāce, of such good works, as hee himselfe hath prepared that we should walke in.

Fourthly, this assertion, set­teth open a wide gate, to all pro­phanesse and licentiousnesse. For if God be not to be feared in respect of his iudgement, euen as he is to be loued for his mer­cies, men may then liue as they list, which bridle, if it bee once layde in the neckes of outragi­ous and vnruely people (as you see all are, to prone that way) what mischiefe and sinne, will not ensue thereuppon? For my owne part, I am so farre from approouing this mans opinion, that I thinke it most meete and conuenient, for the children of God, to haue often before their [Page 69]eyes, not onely that same filiall or childish feare (which ariseth of a certaine reuerēce of Gods ma­iestie in their hearts,) hauing an vnfeigned loue of the same, as an inseparable companion an­nexed vnto it) but also that same seruile feare, or feare of seruātes, which springeth from the terror of his iudgements, & the appre­hension of his iustice.

And the reason that leadeth me thereto is this, because that as it is meete, for the strengthe­ning and vpholding of our faith, against spirituall combates and assaultes that men shoulde ga­ther vnto themselues, as muche strength out of the word, and as many heauenly comfortes, as possiblie they may, because that whē we come to the conflict, we shall haue neede of them all: so vp reason of the pronenesse and [Page 70]inclination that is in vs, to all maner of sinne before regenera­tion, & by reasō of an ouerwee­ning y^t wee haue of our selues and of our owne workes (as the pride of our owne heartes doth sufficiently prooue it vnto vs, and the palpable opinion of me­rites y^t hath crept in in popery, doeth plainly declare it) and by reason also of the great sea of se­curitie and carelesnes, wherein men are drowned, in these same last and dangerous daies of the world: it shalbe good for euery one to gather to himselfe, as ma­ny meanes as possibly he can to stay him from following the swinge of sinne, and as manie swoordes as hee may, to cutte downe the opinion of pride, and presumption that wee carrie in our selues, and as many trum­pets of terrors & threatning, to [Page 71]arrowse and wake vs out of the dead sleepe of carelesnes and se­curity. Which thinges wee can neuer performe, if wee shake of once, this same easie and profita­ble yoke of the reuerent feare of Gods maiestie.

And herein I am not alone: for the Apostle Paul writing to the Romaines (vpon whom God at that time had shewed the ri­ches of his grace, in vouchsafing to make them the vesselles of his mercie) doeth notwithstanding admonish thē, to take heed that they bee not high minded, but feare: and the reason of this his exhortation is this, for if GOD spared not the naturall braunches, take heede least hee also spare not thee admonishing them as it were to haue all eye to the feare of God, that there­by they might be conteyned and [Page 72]kepte within the compasse of a good conuersation, answerable to that greate grace of election, that God had bestowed vppon them. Which thing the Apostle should not haue needed to haue done, if the assertiō of this lewd Libertine, had had any ground of truth at all in it?

But that this fellowe, might not seem to speake without war­rant, he hath laboured to pull, and that by the eares, into the wrestling place, twoo Textes of Scripture, fowlie peruerted, for the maintenance of this, his de­testable error. The one is taken out of the Psalme. 18.44. The o­ther out of Esay. 54.4.14.

The woordes of the Psalme are these: Straungers shall shrinke away and feare in their priuie chambers. Howe these woordes shoulde proue, that the [Page 73]elect, shoulde be vtterly voyde of the feare of God, no man in his right wittes (as I suppose) can rightly coniecture or iudge, The meaning of the Prophet is this: that forasmuch, as hee was the Lordes annoynted, the Lord woulde so woorke for him and by him, that not onely his owne people, shoulde bee brought in subiection, but euen fortainers and straungers that were not vnder his iurisdiction and gouernment, should be sub­dued by his power: and that for the better accomplishment here­of, the heartes of his enemies, shoulde bee stricken and seased, with such horror and feare, that they shoulde haue little, or no power at all to resist or with­stand him. So that you see, that this place prooueth, that the feare of men shalbe in the hearts [Page 74]of the wicked, but that the god­ly should haue no feare of God, at al in them, or that it should be hurtefull for them, to thinke, speake, or heare of the same, ther is not so much as one sillable or iot tending to that end.

The wordes of the Prophet Esay are these, Feare not, for thou shalt not be ashamed, nei­ther shalt thou be confounded: And againe, in righteousnesse shalt thou be established, and be far frō oppressiō, (for thou shalt not feare it) & frō feare, for it shall not come neere thee. They that will looke with diligence into the chapter, shall finde, that the speciall purpose and drifte of the prophet, is to cōforte the church which shoulde bee collected and gathered of the Iewes & Gen­tiles, but specially of y^e gētiles, not to be afraid for any terror or [Page 75]persecution, that the enemies therof could practise or perfourm agaynst them: so that I take it to be y^e same in meaning, though vttered at another time and in other woordes, which the Apo­stle speaketh Phillip. 1.28. In no­thing feare your aduersaries, which is to them a token of per­dition, but to you of saluation, & that of God: and also the same which our sauiour himself spea­keth, when he sayth. Matt. 10.28. Feare ye not thē which kil y^e bo­die & are not able to kill y^e soule, but rather feare him which is a­ble to destroy both bodie & soule in hell, which place serueth, not onely to shewe the true sence & meaning of y^e place vntruely al­ledged: but also to teach, y^t there ought to be in y^e hearts of gods childrē, a feare of gods maiestie.

And thus you see that this [Page 76]place thus alleadged serueth lit­tle or nothing to the purpose it was alleaged for, to witte, that the elect should banish far from them, all hearing and speaking of the feare of God, and not so much, as to admit one thought of the same, if it were possible, seeing that the Prophets pur­pose is, to teach the elect, to re­mooue farre from them, onely y^e feare of men, which to weake flesh and blood, if it be not ouer­weighed with spiritual strēgth from aboue is a terrible thing, to turne men backe, from the bolde imbracing and professing of Gods holy religion.

11 That Papists, Puritans, Pro­testants, and the Familie of loue be vtterly deceaued, and in the state of condemnation, saue he alone, and those that take part with him.

THose that are acquainted, with the shamelesnes, and boldenes of heretikes and per­uerse persons, doe well ynough know, that it is no new or strāge thing, to heare from them suche resolute and peremptorie sentē ­ces, tending to the condemna­tion of others, and the iustifying of them selues and their wic­ked causes. The practise of former ages (as for example the Donatistes in Africa condemning the Churches of the people of GOD there,) and the experi­ence of latter times, as of the Anabaptistes in Germanie, and of the familie of loue amongest vs, pronounting sharp sentence of eternall iudgement, vpon suche as were not, or are not of their faction) doeth sufficiently euince and prooue this point. So that we may see, with what spirite [Page 78]this fellowe is led, to wit, with the spirit of frensey & brainsick­nes, which hath carried them, & him forward, to the iustifiyng of them selues in falshood & lies, & to the condēning of others for sinceritie & truth. Out of which kinde of corrupt & peruerse dea­ling, though the thing it selfe be euill, yet those that are wise in God, may gather some profita­ble and good instructions: as first not to beleeue all spirites but to try the same, by the touch­stone of the word, whether they be of god or no, seeing that there was yet neuer any, howe foulye soeuer they were deceiued, but that they durst yet rashlie and boldly, take vpon them, not only to condemne others holding cō ­trary cōclusions, but also to ad­uouch their falshoods as mani­fest trueths. Secōdly, it is very [Page 79]strong, to shewe and declare, the mightie effect of trueth it selfe, & to teach them that doe professe it with knowledge, zeale and cou­rage, to wade on in the same & the defence of it, seeing the wic­ked and vngodly so stiffe in the maintenance and iustifying of their corrupt causes.

But to let these thinges passe for this time, and to come to the particulers y^t this fellowe tou­cheth: that Papistes and the fa­milie of loue, are both seduced, & out of the way of truth, is as cleere, as the light at noone tide, and therfore that they continu­ing in their blasphemous opi­nions of their seuerall sectes) should be in the state of condem­nation, none y^t is enlightened with y^e spirit & truth of y^e Lord, wil euer deny or doubte of, for (as our sauiour saith) hee y^t be­leeueth not is cōdēned already, [Page 80]because hee beleeueth not in the name of the only begotten sonne of God.

Concerning Puritanes, be­cause, it is a worde of a doubtful signification, (before I declare my minde concerning these men) I will distinguish vpon it. The Nouatian Heretikes, so called of one Nouatus the beginner of that sect, who held y^t if a man did sin after Baptisme, there was no hope of repentance, were in olde time called [...], which is as much to say, as Puritans. Now if any man hold this opinion, I am so far of frō allowing him in the same, that I feare not to pronounce (if hee liue and die in it, without beeing thorowe Gods goodnes reclaimed from it) that he is in the state of exernall con­demnation, not only because hee holdeth an opinion cōtrary vnto [Page 81]the trueth of the worde of God (which saith; that if we haue no sinne, wee deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs) but also because he doeth vtterly euacu­ate, the loue and mercie of God, which in nothing doth more ef­fectually and plainely appeare, then in the free forgiuenesse of al our transgressions, and by a con­sequent also, doeth adnihillate & make of no force, the merits and obedience of Christ, who was deliuered vp to the death, euen the death of the crosse, that ther­by he might not onlie take away our sinnes, but also assuredly seale vp in our heartes, the free pardon and full forgiuenesse of all out transgressions whatsoe­uer.

But for as much as this name hath byn slaunderously by that Traytor D. Saunders the first de­uiser [Page 82]of it (as it is thought) impo­sed & laid vpon some, that haue desired the reformation and re­dresse of some thinges amisse in the Churche: and since by some other of the Papistes his fel­lowes being yet in induraunce, for their obstinacie in that their heresie, and disobedience to her Maiesties royall authoritie, v­sed against the same, for him or anie other, to giue such an abso­lute Censure vppon them, I doubt not to pronounce it, y^t hee or whosoeuer they bee y^t so shall doe, do very rashly rush into y^e of­fice of God, to whom alone it be­lōgeth to pronoūce sētence of ab­solutiō & condēnation, & for their greate presumption, shall abide horrible payne, vnlesse it please God to giue them vnfeigned re­pentance for the same.

And in case these be the men he [Page 83]meaneth by the Puritans, with what equity or right, hee can charge thē with these things, let y^e godly iudge, yea I wil report myself in this cause, to y^e iudge­ment of those, y^t I am sure mis­like both the men, & the matters y^t they propoūd, whether euer a­ny of thē were heard to affirme, either them selues, or theirs, to be voyd of sinne, or y^t if any haue fallē after baptism, there was no hope of repētance & amendmēt, or any such beastly and blasphe­mous speeche. If not then haue the Papists done euil, to cal this name frō the dead, as it were, & to giue it to sincere Christians, seeing that it cannot be prooued, that they held any such heresie, & this felow & others cōtinuing the vse of this name, without iu­stifying the cause vpon them are found false witnesse beaters.

Concerning Protestants, that is to say, suche as amongest vs doe at this day preache and pro­fesse the Gospell, I doubte not but that in good time, they will haue an eye, to such desperate fel­lowes, and cause him and others for their lying, to feele y^e waight of a iust iudgement, that dare so boldely condemne them and the trueth, which they hold & main­teyne. For this they must of ne­cessity grow to, that seeing there is but one God, one faith, one Church &c: and their owne con­science telleth them, the vn­truth of this assertion, they must eyther defende that Religion that they haue already thorowe Gods goodnesse imbraced & pub­lished (which then they shal doe, when they resiraine, the vnbri­deled speeches of suche loose and lewde fellowes more then heere­tofore [Page 85]they haue vsed, by some sharper Censures and punishe­mentes, either of imprisonment, banishment, and if need require death it selfe: or els yeelde vnto him and them in their corrupti­ons & errors, because the thing that they propounde, & the mat­ters that the Gospel deliuereth, can no more stand together (be­yng thinges directely opposite & contrary one of them to another) then darkenesse & light, or then hell and heauen, as hath byn al­readie in some measure prooued, and more particulerly shalbe de­clared herafter. And this I sup­pose may serue for a full and suf­ficient answeare, to this lewde & false accusation.

12 That no outward thing (as the workes of sanctification, vnfey­ned forgiuenesse of others, or such [Page 86]like) can bee pledges, either to our selues or others, of our election.

IT is well saide by one, that hee that hath once passed the li­mites & boundes of modestie & shamefastnes, must be indeed no­table shameles. And it is as truly said by an other, that error sel­dome or neuer cōmeth alone, but that it bringeth with it, an infinit number of absurdities & corrup­tions, as handmaides, to wayte vpō the same. How true this is, may appeare, by the lewd asserti­ons that this man hath alreadie put downe (& yet by the way I must aduertise you, y^t he fostreth an hūdreth more in his brest, as perillous as any of these here ex­pressed) and by the plain answere & confutatiō of the same, amōgst which his wicked conclusions, this y^t we haue now in hand, is not the least euil, both because it is directly against y^e truth of the [Page 87]word, & also because it fighteth against some points, that he him selfe holdeth.

I will take the latter of these two & pursue it first. This felow who would haue nothing of the threats of gods iustice propoun­ded vnto y^e people, but only haue their eares filled with the ioyfull and comfortable promises of the word, that therby they might be assured of saluation, doth take a­way frō them not only one good testimony & pledge of the same in their hearts, but many & sundry, yea and those very mighty in ef­fect For by this assertion, he will not admit, y^t either our prayers should be pledges of our faith, & so by consequent of our saluation (wheras y^e scripture, telleth vs, y^e we cānot cal vpon him in whō we beleeue not: & againe, y^t who soeuer shal ral vpon the name of [Page 88]the Lorde shalbe saued) or that our loue of the brethren shoulde be a testimonie of our regenera­tion and new birth, where as the woorde assureth vs, that by this we know, that wee are transia­ted from death vnto life, because wee loue the brethren: or that our vnfeigned forgiuenesse of o­thers, should be a seale of the for­giuenesse of our sins before God, wheras our Sauiour Christ tel­leth vs, that if wee doe forgiue men their trespasses, our heauē ­ly father wil also forgiue vs: but if wee doe not forgiue men their trespasses, no more will hee for­giue vs our trespasses. See for this purpose. Mat. 18 35.

Now to the other poynt, wher­in I said that it was directly a­gainst the trueth of the woorde, S. Peter shalbe a sufficient wit­nesse in this behalf, when he sai­eth: [Page 89]Giue diligence to make your calling & election sure by good works, for if you doe these things you shall neuer fall: for by this meanes an entrie shalbee mini­stred vnto you abundantly, into the euerlasting kingdome, of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ. The Apostle meaneth not heere, that our election and calling is vncertayne in respect of God, for we know by the truth of y^e word that he hath written our names in the booke of life: that the gifts and graces of God, are without repentaunce: that those whom hee loueth once, hee loueth for e­uer: and that there is with him no variablenesse no not so much as a shadow of turning: but be­cause wee our selues haue our faith sundrie times sore shaken, by the weakenesse of our owne corruption on the one side, & by [Page 90]Satans continuall malice and assaultes on the other side, that therefore we should what wee may (by all the graces of God, either within vs or without vs) strengthē our perswasiō against such furious combats & batte­ries.

I think not the contrary, but that this fellowe will make a shewe to speake manye greate thinges, of spiritual feeling and comfort in Christ: but yet for all that, this is my iudgement cō ­cerning him, that it seemeth vn­to me, hee knoweth not what it meaneth, because it cannot be so much as supposed, that he hath had any strong wrestlings, with Sathā & his owne corruption: which may plainly appeare, be­cause he doth willingly and wit­tingly depriue himselfe, of such bigge bulwarkes & mighty for­tresses of his faith, as this and [Page 91]such like are. And if this his dea­ling, did but taint himselfe only it were a matter of no great im­portance: but for as much as vn­der the bare pretence of a spiri­tual comfort, he indeuoureth no­thing els, but to plunge mē ouer heade & eares in the pit of despe­ration (for why may hee not as well depriue vs of all y^e proppes of our faith, as the word, the sa­cramentes, &c, as of this & such like) it behoueth euery one y^e ten­dereth his own saluation, to be­ware of this and al other his pe­stilent and pernicious opinions.

True it is that hypocrits & dis­semblers, may in outward shew (as he himselfe saieth) doe many good works, but yet that hinde­reth not, why that y^e children of of God, should not eyther do the like, or cōceiue some comfort and strength therin, seeing God hath [Page 92]assured vs by his woorde that sowe may doe. For this must remaine resolut, amongest such as loue and feare the Lord, that so long as wee doe vnfeignedly cast from vs, the opinion of me­rite on the side, and faile not ei­ther in the manner of doing the thing that God commaundeth vs, or in the ende, (though wee cannot doe it in that exquisite­nes & perfection that the Lorde demaundeth it at our handes) yet there is no cause, why wee shoulde eyther not doe the thing at al (for that were sinne against GOD in leauing vndone the thing that he requireth at our handes) neither that we should bee voyde of comforte in the ac­complishmēt of the matter, pro­uided alwaies that our reioy­cing be not in our selues, neither in the thinges as they come frō [Page 93]vs, but onely in the Lorde, and the goodnes of his grace, who hath inabled vs, pore & misera­ble wretches though we bee in some measure more or lesse, ac­cording as wee haue receiued grace and assistance from him to perfourme his will.

And this is that, that I would haue the children of God to imbrace, not onely as a coun­terpoison against the venomous infection of this lewd mans as­sertion: but as a matter of cōso­lation & cōfort to their assaulted cōsciences, in y^e daies of their af­fliction & trial. Of which matter I wil heerafter, through Gods assistance, publish a treatie, that I haue alredie begunne.

13 That we may as wel say that Christ is flesh of our flesh, & bone of our bones, as say, that wee are [Page 94]fleshe of his fleshe and bone of his bones.

THough somewhat haue byn said of this matter hertofore, in y^e first & second articles of this treatie (and therfore we shal not neede heere any large discourse, cōcerning y^e same) yet somwhat I wil say, to y^e ende that y^e vani­tie & falshood thereof may more sensibly appeare.

First therfore I affirm, that we may safely say, y^e wee are flesh of of Christes flesh, & bone of Chri­stes bones because y^e scripture it self, vseth, y^t fashion & manner of speeche Ephe. 5.30. Whereas no such grounde or warrant out of the word can be shewed, that he is fleshe of our fleshe, and bone of our bones.

Secondly, I say y^t we may, vpō very good ground of reasō, war­ranted vnto vs by the woorde [Page 95]of God, say, that we are fleshe of his flesh, & bone of his bones, be­cause that hee was before vs now liuing, of whom I suppose, this Libertine specially speaketh both in respect of his humanitie, which hee tooke of his mother, (when the fulnesse of time was come) & also in respect of his eter­nal deity, by which all thinges were made, and without which, was made nothing that was made. And this mee thinketh is playnlie proued, by these words of the Apostle. Hebr. 13.8. Iesus Christ yesterday, & to day, & the same for euer. Wherfore, euen as in the very order & course of na­ture, the father beeing before the childe, cannot be said, to be flesh of his childes fleshe, and bones of his childes bones (because that long ere the childe was, y^e father was) & the latter must [Page 96]be denominated of the former, and not the former of the latter) so cannot Christe bee aptly and rightly sayde, to be bones of our bones, & flesh of our flesh, because that we bee but as it were his children, and farre after him in respect of succession of time. And if this were not true and sound, that speech and reason of Adam mentioned in Genesis. 2.23. could not bee right, when hee sayeth. This now is bone of my bones and fleshe of my flesh, she shalbe called woman, because she was taken out of man. But in these poyntes, it is good to be wise ac­cording to sobrietie, and to goe no further than Gods woorde will allow vs. For mine owne part, whatsoeuer I haue sayd a­gainst him in this point, I haue not done it as of curiousnes, to carpe him, otherwise than the [Page 97]truth I hope will beare it: and if I haue fayled (as it must bee confessed in many thinges wee offend all) I haue not done it of malice, or purpose, but of igno­rance rather: and therefore I woulde haue no man to miscon­strue my meaning, to the main­tenance of any corruption, tou­ching either the names, nature, person or offices of our Sauiour Christ. And that which I speak particulerly of this pointe, I would haue to be vnderstood, of this whole writing and of euery part and peece thereof, and of all other thinges whatsoeuer that eyther haue passed or shall passe from mee.

14 That the worde kingdome in the second petition of the Lordes prayer, is to be vnderstood only, of the kingdome of Gods loue and [Page 98]mercie, and not of his kingdome of iustice and power.

IF his name shalbe rased vtter­ly out of the booke of life, that taketh any thing away from the word of God, and the true mea­ning of it (as he that cannot lye hath most certainly assured vs of y^e same) then this fellowe is in a most daungerous and desperate estate, y^e in the pride of his owne heart, dare bring into so narrow & straight a roome, that which y^e Lord by his eternal wisedome, hath inlarged so farre.

For seyng that the glory of eue­ry kingdome, and therfore much more of Gods kingdome (which is greater then all) consisteth of two parts, to wit, iustice & iudg­ment against the wicked, and fa­uour & mercy towards y^e good, and wee pray for the comming of [Page 99]Gods kingdome, this fellow cā ­not choose, but bee much decea­ued, that goeth about to make y^e Lord so scant, y^e of his goodnes hath giuen vs here, such a large stope and field to walke in. And that this may the more plainely appeare, I wil heere put downe but twoo pointes. First I will shew, the absurdities that ensue vpon this conclusion. Secondly, I will put downe, the true sense and meaning of this petition.

If this mans meaning might be accepted for currant coine, that ground & principle, which hither­to hath beene alwaies receiued & admitted, for an infallible trueth (to wit that Christ hath giuen vs a certayne forme, in which he hath shortly comprised al points & matters, that it is lawful for vs to aske, whether they cōcerne God or men, or respect this life, [Page 100]or the life to come) should easily and with little or no doe at all, not onely be shaken, but cast downe to the ground also. But God hath more graciously and liberally prouided for vs, and for the strengthening of our sayth, whilest that it hath pleased him to giue vnto vs, by the ministe­rie and meanes of his dearely beloued sonn, so excellēr, though indeede very short forme of prai­er: wherein hee hath not onely manifested, his woonderful and vnsearchable wisdome, compre­hending all thinges, in so fewe lines or wordes: but also testi­fied, his singuler loue, prouiding by this meanes, a most necessa­rie help for the duines and gros­nesse of our vnderstanding, and memorie, whilest it hath pleased him, in the same euen as it were in a little table, to describe and [Page 101]set out. whatsoeuer it is lawfull for vs to wish and desire at his hunds.

Besides if wee should admit this assertion, then this woulde follow vppon it, that when wee pray for good thinges, wee doe not demaunde or craue, the re­mouing from vs the contrary e­uill thinges: and then the rule of contraries shoulde bee ouer­throwne also, and we should see nothing in God but mercie and goodnes. Which how false it is may appeare by the particu­ler both testimonies and exam­ples, which doe in the woord set out his iudgementes sharpely threained, & iustly executed vpon all rebellious and disobedient people.

All that know any thing out of the woord, know this to be a most true and infallible rule, [Page 102]both in the commaundementes giuen vs by the Lorde, and in the prayer which our Sauiour hath taught vs, that as by com­manding good thinges, he hath forbidden vs the contrary euill thinges: & as by forbidding euil thinges, he hath commaunded vs the contrary good thinges: so likewise by teaching vs to pray for the obtayning of good thinges, hee hath instructed vs to praye agaynst euill thinges: & by teaching vs to pray against euil thinges he hath taught vs to desire at Gods handes, the contrary good thinges.

To make both of these playne by examples. In the fifth com­maundement, when hee requi­reth at our handes obedience, to Magistrates, ministers, pa­rentes, and all others, whom it hath pleased the Lorde, by wit, [Page 103]wealth, or any other manner of way, to prefer before vs, he hath forbidden all rebellion, disobedi­ence contempt, euil wordes, yea euil thoughts against the same persons. And in the seuenth commaundement vnder adulte­rie hee doeth not only require at our handes, to absteyne from all filthinesse, as whoredome, forni­cation, adulterie, incest, filthie speaking, vnseemely gestures, and all other thinges whatsoe­uer, which may prouoke to vn­cleannesse: but commaunded al­so al purenesse and chastitie, both of heart, word; & behauiour. And if this were not true, there were but one way of transgressing Gods lawe, to wit, the doing of such euil things as he hath for­bidden. Whereas we know by y^e truth of y^e Lord, that this is also disobediēce to God, to leaue vn­done [Page 104]the good thinges that hee commandeth.

The like may we say of prai­er. In the fourth petition vnder the name of dayly breade, the Lord doth not onely teach vs to pray for health, wealth, libertie, meate, drinke, apparell, and all other thinges whatsoeuer, that God knoweth to be meete for vs in this world, to sustaine, keepe, and defend our bodies and liues by: but we pray also against all things that may tend to the hurt of our bodies & liues, as hunger nakednes, scarsitie, pestilence, pouertie, bondage, and all suche like.

So in the sirt and last petiti­on, we doe not onely pray against faynting and falling away from God, against worldly vanities, fleshly lustes, diuelish deceiuings & such like, but also wee pray for [Page 105]christian patience and continu­ance in al troubles, for contempt of the world, for mortification of the flesh, for quickening of Gods holy spirite in vs, and also for a ioyfull and glorious victorie, a­gainst sinne, the deuil, and al try­als whasoeuer.

Now the reason both of the one and the other is this: be­cause that wee cannot so soone speake of the one, but the other presently offereth it selfe vnto our cogitation and thought: and againe we must know and con­fesse, that the feeling of the one in obedience without the liuely ap­prehension of the other by fayth, is to little or no purpose at all. For what woulde it profit me to al staine from euill, and yet not to doe good, seeing that the lord requireth both the one and the other from me? Or, what should [Page 106]it auaile mee, to haue euil remo­ued from mee by prayer, and not to haue gratious & good things by the same meanes in the name & for the sake of his sonne Iesus Christ bestowed vppon mee. Let this therfore remaine as a reso­lute conclusion, that this fellowe doeth euill, thus to alleadge and streighten, that which the Lord hath so graciously inlarged.

Moreouer vpon this there fo­loweth another absurdity (as this generatiō alwayes is very fruitefull, procreating and beget­ting infinite children like vnto it selfe) and that is this: that if Gods kingdome comprehende nothing but mercy and loue, and that there is no iustice in this place to be founde, that then his kingdom, shal not be so large as earthly kingdomes are, who are ordeined of GOD himselfe, to [Page 107]mainteine the good, & to punish the euil: & by a consequent, that there are no wicked men, vppon whō that part of his kingdome, which consisteth of iustice and iudgement, should be executed: & by another consequent that fol­loweth vpō this, this Libertine should be found cōtrary to him­selfe, who said before in the 11. ar­ticle, that al that were not of his profession, were vtterly deceiued and in the state of condemnatiō: And then another error woulde flow from hence, that as Origen dreamed, both Diuelles and all men should be saued in their re­ligion, Turke, Iewe, Papist and all, which howe false it is, hath byn in part declared before.

By this you may see, what an of spring and generation there is of heresy & corruption, & what a worlde or sea of absurdities, such [Page 108]grosse opinions bring with thē. Let euery one of vs seeing these great mischiefes and inconueni­ences, be learned and warned thereby, to withstand the begin­nings of euil, and to stick fast on­ly to that with soundnes & since­ritie of truth, that God hath re­uealed vnto vs in his woorde, casting farre from vs, the ydle inuentions, and wicked deuises of our owne heades, knowing that such imaginations, are not onely great defamings to Gods glorie, but foule corruptions, yea great condemnation to our own soule.

Now somewhat concerning the true meaning of this petiti­on, and so an end for this pointe, And though herein I might re­ferre my selfe, to that which I haue written heretofore expoū ­ding the lordes prayer, in a little [Page 109]treatise that I did write of sum­marie meditations, yet because occasion is here offered, to speak somewhat largely, and by ex­pounding of one petition, light may be giuen to another, I will with the good leaue and liking of the godly reader, in as fewe words as I can discourse som­what concerning this point.

We know by the trueth and light of Gods worde, that Gods gouernment stretcheth it selfe, farre and wide ouer all, so that there is no creature, neither in heauen nor in earth, nor in pla­ces vnder the earth, but either willingly or vnwillingly (as you would say) it must of necessitie be subiecte to this his moste soue­reigne & high power. And this we may cal y^e generall iurisdicti­on or gouernement that GOD exerciseth ouer all, from which [Page 110]no creatures, no not y^e diuels or wicked men (though he doe not rule them or guide them by his holy spirite) can bee exempted, though they gladly wishe and desire the same.

We know further by y^e truth & light of the same word, that as earthly kings & princes, haue in seueral quarters & parts of their dominions, many thousandes of their subiectes, all which make but one body: so the Lorde hath some in heauen, whō we call the church triumphant, (because in the victorie & conquest of Christ, they do alredy in soule, triumph ouer sinne & hell, and some here in earth, which we cal y^e Church millitant, who thorow the grace & strength, that God be stoweth vpō them, doe battle as against corruptiōs in others, so specially against sinne in themselues.

But as there is no earthly [Page 111]kingdom, though it comprehend all the people of the same, vnder the name & title of subiectes, but it hath notwithstanding, not on­ly many factious and seditious persons therein, but counterfeite subiectes also, vppon which the prince and magistrate, wil in the day of the manifestation of their transgression, take iust ven­geaunce, according to their se­uerall transgressions: so the Churche, heere cannot bee so purged (though it please God manie times, by exercising his iudgementes, to she we his iu­stice agaynst wicked hypocrites and rebellious persons) but that some chaffe will reinayne with the wheate: And yet when the day of wynowing shal come, then shall the good corne, bee re­ceaued into the Lords grāner, & the chaffe shalbee burned with [Page 112]vnquenchable fire. Al this ten­deth not onely to shewe what re­semblaunce there is betweene earthly princes gouernmentes, and Gods: but also to proue, that this spirituall kingdome of God consisteth chiefly in twoo pointes. One is, that he beare rule ouer a readie, willing and vnfeined hearted people, as it is sayde in Psalm. 110.3. the other is that he confound his aduersa­ries in their boldnes and pride.

So that in this petition, wee demaund these twoo thinges, Gods mercie towardes his elect and his iudgement and indig­nation vpon the wicked of what sort soeuer they be. For as we cannot desire the cleare light of truth, but that we doe withall wish the remoouing, of darknes and ignorance, so we cannot de­sire God to guide his faythfull [Page 113]people by his spirit, but wee doe on the other sede desire him to o­uer throw and confound, al those y^t do obstinately withstand his holy will, and proudly lift vp thē selues against him, at no hande suffring thēselues to be brought in obedience and subiection to his blessed gouernement, what­soeuer contrary shewe many of them will notwithstanding pre­tend.

If any man woulde thinke this to be against charitie, be­cause we are cōmanded general­ly to may for all men. I answere that this is no whirte at all a­gainst it. For we must not mea­sure tharitie by the line of our owne reason, but by that figure or rule that God who is in him selfe the God of charitie, hath sanctified and set foorth vnto vs in his woord, and there we shall [Page 114]find, that though we be commā ­ded to praye for ast men general­ly (that is for al sorts & degrees of mē, as magistrates, ministers, men, women, young, old, & that this is enioyned vs, because wee certeinly know not, who besides our selues euery one of vs in particular are elected & reprobate) that yet if it bee graunted in the bare letter, it vtterly ouerthrow­eth Gods eternall reprobation, who in his iustice hath ordained many to be vessels of his wrath, as in his grace hath appou [...]ed some to bee vessels of mercy, & is directly contrary, to such pray­ers as Christ himselfe the sunne of GOD, Saint Paule and other holy men haue made as may appeare. Iohn. 17.9. Ga­lathians 5.12. 1. Iohn. 5.16. and sundry such other places, whi­ther, [Page 115]for auoiding of tediousnes I remit the reader.

To conclude, because I feare, I haue beene ouerlong in this point, this I take to be the mea­ning of this petition, that for as much as Gods kingdome is ge­neral ouer good & bad (though the wicked indeede, cannot pro­perly be saide to be his subiects) and that hee is glorified both in the destruction of the wicked, and also in the saluation of the elect: wee praye therefore that hee woulde ouerthrowe the wic­ked generally, and namely, and particularly Hypocrites, who are not sincerely subiecte to his kingdome and gouerne­ment, though they woulde seeme so to be and that on the o­ther side, he would gouerne his chosen ones, as outwardly in [Page 116]his church, by the scepter of his owne word and discipline, so in­wardly in their consciences, by the gratious working of his ho­ly spirit, mortifying in them dai­ly more and more, the lustes and concupiscences of their owne heartes, till hee haue brought them thorow the vale of their pilgrimage, for euer to triumph with Iesus Christ, their captain and leader, and withal the faith­full, and glorious companie of heauen, continually to praise his most holy name.

Whereupon I conclude, that if the meaning of our Sauiour Christ in this petitiō, be so large as it is indeede, and I hope, hath been hitherto plainely and plentifully prooued, all that loue the Lorde Iesus Christ to their immortalitie, will abhorre [Page 117]and that from the bottome of good heartes, such presumptu­ous spirites, as in the pride of their vnderstanding, will with this exclusiue particle onely, re­straine that, that God hath gra­ciously enlarged, specially seeing the purpose of our Sauiour was not onely to set foorth God his fathers mercie, but also his iustice, who in y^e fulnes of know­ledge that was in him, (foresee­ing well inough the relaption of mans harte who if he hearde of nothing but mercie, would wax carelesse, and if he hearde of no­thing but iustice, would be cast downe aboue measure) did ther­fore most wisely temper sweete thinges and sower thinges to­gether, to the ende, that by his goodnesse the godly might bee comforted, and by his instice the wicked might be terrified, tea­ching [Page 118]vs as it were by his exā ­ple, to deale so, and not vtterly to abolish out of mens heartes the feare of God (which ariseth in some sorte, of a sensible feeling of his iustice and iudgementes) as this Libertine woulde haue vs to doe. See before Article 11. and in other places.

15 That Christ did not fully fi­nish our redemption vpō the crosse but that he suffered somewhat after­warde. se pag. 40. to 56.

THis speeche hee vttered a­mongst many other absurdi­ties, as a ground of y^t his grosse opinion, concerning Christ his discēt into hel, of which we haue spoken before, in the eyght Ar­ticle.

The vntruth of this his asser­tion appeareth, in that it is con­trary [Page 119]vnto the wordes of Christ himselfe, when he said, [It is fini­shed,] meaning therby that y^e re­demption and saluation of al the beleeuers; was now accompli­shed in that same one and only sacrifice, which then hee offered and not as this fellowe imagi­neth and expoundeth it, that the malice and enuy of y^e Iewes towards Christ, was then at an ende, when they had cruci­fied him. For besides, that this his speech, is a meere cōiecture, without any shewe eyther of woordes or circumstaunces ta­ken out of the Scriptures, it is flatly and directly contrary, to that which is expressed by S. Matthew in the seuen and twen­tie Chap. where after his death they declared their malice tow­ards him, one while in words as whilest they called him deceauer [Page 120]and an other while by deeds as whilest they went about, by set­ting their watch, to keepe him downe, frome rising agayne.

And yet in the. 28. chapter of that Gospell, their malice doeth more plainely appeare, in that they went about to conceale and deface the trueth of his rising a­gain, partly by bribing the soul­diers that wacht the sepulchre, partly by deuising a most false lie, saying y^t his disciples had sto­len him away by night: & part­ly by spreding and conueghing the sayd falshod ouer as it were by tradition, to their posteritie, the people of the Iewes.

Moreouer it is flatly and di­rectlye contrarye to the plaine woordes of the Apostle. Col. 2.14.15. saying that Christe euen vpon the crosse, did put out the hande writing of ordenaunces [Page 121]that was agaynst vs, whiche was cōtrary vnto vs, which also he tooke out of the way, and fa­stened vpon the crosse, and hath spoyled the principalities & pow­ers, and hath made a shewe of them openly, and hath trium­phed ouer thē in the same crosse meaning thereby that Christe hath set vs free by his suffrings on the crosse, not onely from all the figures and ceremonies of the lawe (which tended special­ly to these twoo endes: to witte to declare first, the great corrup­tion that was in vs, & the great condemnation, that by the same wee deserued: as for example, the cutting, away of the foreskin, and the vsuall washings, to sig­nifie the outwarde filthinesse of mans corrupt nature: the kyl­ling of beastes for sacrifice, to de­clare, that we our selues, had [Page 122]deserued death, yea euen eternall death: and secondly to represent Christ, his death & blessed obedi­ence, who was indeede figured likewise by the same) but also frō the power of Sathan, of whom wee were helde captiues at his pleasure. So that now Christ hauing yeelded that Sacrifice and obedience for vs, neyther sinne nor Sathan, nor the lawe nor condemnation are able to laye anye thing to the charge of Gods chosen, seeing God is on their side, who spared not his owne sonne, but gaue him for them all to death, euen to the death of the Crosse, that so hee might reconcile all beleeuers vn­to himselfe.

Besides, seeing that the word, [redemption] doth properly im­porte the freeyng of some one or other, from the power of an o­ther, [Page 123]that kept the same parties in captiuitie and bondage, and this was vsually perfourmed, whē the price or rate set, for their redemption & libertie was satis­fied & payd: & seeing wee know, that as we were vnder y^e thral­dōe of the Diuel & eternal cōdē ­nation by meanes of our sinnes: so we were deliuered by y^t price of our redemption, Iesus Christ the righteous, in whom it plea­sed God, to reconcile the worlde vnto himself, while he made him that knew no sinne to bee made sinne for vs, that is to say, a sa­crifice & price for sinne: & seeing y^e this Sacrifice or price was not performed & payd but by offring vp of himself once for al, vpon the Altar of y^e crosse, we cannot ther­fore be otherwise perswaded but y^t he hath fully redeemed vs, by this only & sufficient sacrifice.

Indeed we confesse, and must of necessitie confesse it, because it is the trueth of the Lorde, that sometimes this woord [redemp­tion] as also this word [death of Christ] is vsed in scripture, not only for the price of our redemp­tion, and the suffrings of our sa­uiour, but for all the fruites and effectes, that at his death, and after his death he perfourmed, or doth perfourme in the behalf of his elect: As his resurrection ascention, intercession and such like. But yet, when the woorde thus speaketh (as it vseth not these kindes of speeches with­out great reason) to wit, because Christes death, resurrection, as­cention, &c. cannot bee deuided (for to what ende should it profit vs to knowe that Christe were dead, if he rose not againe? and what should his resurrectiō pro­fit [Page 125]vs, if hee were not ascended? And in what steed could his as­cention stande vs, if hee did not thereby, fulfill the office of a con­tinuall mediator between God and his people?) so it doeth no whit at all confirme thereby ei­ther this or any other absurd as­sertion, that this or any other such phantasticall spirite shall blow abrode: But putting apart for the whole, which is a matter very vsuall in the scripture, hee doeth by the part vnderstand y^e whole, & by that y^t goeth before, meane that also which foloweth after. Which kinde of interpreta­tion or sense, this fellowe will at no hand accept or allow of. And yet this notwithstanding wee shall see that these thinges are seuerally mentioned also in the newe Testament. Let one place or to serue for many, As Rom. 4. [Page 126]25. It is saide that Christ was deliuered to death for our sins and is risen againe for our iusti­ficatiō. Also Rom. 8.34. It is said that Christ is he which is dead, yea or rather which is risen a­gaine. Who is also at the right hande of GOD, and maketh re­quest also for vs. The holy Ghost giuing vs thereby to vnderstād, both when he speaketh general­ly, & also whē he speketh particularly, that we shoulde learne to looke for, both the whole, and e­uery parte and peece of our iusti­fication and sanctification, in the person of his sonne and not in our selues at any hand: and tea­ching vs also further, that see­ing we knowe that sinne, hath not onely hindered the course of Gods mercies towardes vs, but let in vpon vs withall the floodes of his iustice, seeing we beleeue also that Chrstes righ­teousnes [Page 127]to our comfort cōsisteth of 2. parts, y^t is, the taking away of our sinnes, & the clothing of vs with his righteousnesse, & inno­cencie, to y^e ende that therby we may stand with boldnes & puri­tie in y^e presence of God, & seeing al this is brought to passe by his death & resurrection, we shoulde therfore both generally & parti­culerly looke into y^e same accor­ding to y^e warrāt of y^e worde for our instructiō & cōfort, & not con­foūd & iumble them together as this fellowe doeth for the appro­bation of erroneous and absurd opinions.

16. That the last woordes that Christ spake vpon the crosse, were these, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.

Though it bee a matter of no greate importaunce in re­specte of it selfe, toe knowe [Page 128]which were the first or whiche were the last woordes that our sauiour vttered vppon the crosse yet because, that these woordes fight against the truth of the storie as it is put downe by the E­uangelists and were alleadged by this fellow, to improoue the true exposition of these woords. It is finished, handled in the, 15. article some what in fewe words shalbe said of the same.

By comparing the Euange­listes Matthew and Iohn, who do at large set out, the historie of Christes death and suffering the one in the. 26. chapter of his gos­pell, & the other in the. 19. it ap­peareth that Christ, after that he with a loud voyce had cryed saying, Ely Ely Lamasabatany, y^t is, My God, my God, why haste thou forsakē me: and after y^e they had taken a sponge and fuled it [Page 129]with viniger, and Iesus him­selfe had receiued of it: he cryed againe with a loud voyce, as Matthew reporteth it verse. 50. not erpressing what wordes hee vsed in that cry, but yet Luke in his 23. chapt. ver. 46. saith he vt­tered these woordes, Father into thy handes I commend my spirite. and Iohn. chapter. 19. verse. 30. sayth, he sayd, It is finished. By which places it appeareth that our Sauiour Christe vttered both these speeches last vpon the crosse, and not the other which he affirmeth.

17 That all the Iewes general­ly, should be called to the know­ledge of Christ.

I Rest perswaded that this as­sertion, sauoureth, (as many of the other doe) of the ydle una­gination [Page 130]and dotage of his own hearte & braine, because no such thing can be resolutely & certain­ly cōcluded, either by the playne words of the holy scripture or by any circūstance thereof, for mine owne part, this is that, y^t I am perswaded, that all Christians may safely hold concerning this doubtful & intricate question, to wit y^t forasmuch as the scripture in many respects, make y^e Iewe and Gentil equal as appeareth. Rom. 3.9. Rom. 10.12. Rom. 11.32. and in manie other places: & we know by y^e scriptures, that y^e do­ctrine of saluation, was general­ly offered to al the Gentiles, and yet all receiued it not: naye which is more, amongst those which gaue heeretofore, and giue at this day, an outwarde consent, to the doctrine taught, many are castawaies, that ther­fore [Page 131]we may safely conclude, that though the Lords truth, should bee generally reuealed, to all the Iewes, yet al the Iewes, shuld not haue an effectuall calling, & by cōsequent, should not be whol­ly restored, to the hope and fruiti­on of eternal life.

For if y^t were true, then shoulde the Iew not in many outwarde things only, but in y^e hope & pos­session of better things, be prefer­red before the Gentiles, which I suppose no man in the world wil euer be able to iustifie.

He y^t wil goe beyond this, may be wise in his own cōceipt, & va­nish away whē he hath done, in y^e idle imaginatiō & dotage of his owne heart. Wherefore it shalbe good, to put a stay heere in time, and in this and such like points to lette goe the curiousnesse of our owne heades, wading no further therein; then the re­ueled [Page 132]wil of y^e lord, hath set out: whiche hee hath manifested to this end, that we & our posterity might knowe, beleeue and doe the same, staying our selues and our wisedomes in the obedience of that onely, and not to searche beyond it, least we be ouerwhel­med of his glorie.

18 That the word [Sacrament] is not to be found in the scripture, and therefore not to be vsed, but the woorde [Record.]

IF question were of woords on­ly, and not of matters also, wee woulde easily graunte the firste parte of this assertion, both be­cause it is true in the letter, though alleaged to a false ende: and also because the Apostle re­quireth vs, that we should not striue about woordes, which is [Page 133]to no profit, but to y^e peruerting of the hearers. But forasmuch as this speech carrieth with it some dangerous consequences, it shall bee good for vs, to looke somewhat into it.

True it is that S. Peter saith y^t if any man speake, hee shoulde speake as the woordes of God: yet this hindereth not but that we may without danger of sinn and offence, vse such woordes as we finde not in the scriptures: if so be that the woordes bee not, eyther in them selues, or in the ende wherunto they are spoken, contrary to godlines and hone­stie: specially then, when, though we haue not the woordes them selues in the Scriptures, yet we haue others of the self same sig­nification, and the matter also it selfé that those woordes import, comprised in the holie Scrip­tures.

To deale euē with this particu­ler word Sacramēt I find it, to be of double vse amōgst mē. Som­times it is vsed in the law, and thē it is put, for a pledge, of some bargaine, couenāt or hādfasting, Now why we shoulde not vse if, seeing that the Lord hath ordei­ned sacraments, to be seales and pledges of his mercy towardes vs, & of the couenauntes that in the same mercy hee hath made with vs, I can see no reason vn­lesse we would goe about (as I suppose this fellowe shooteth at this marke) to frustrate and de­priue our selues, as of termes & words, that doe very significant­ly, set out vnto vs holy things, so of the holy thinges themselues. Sometimes it is vsed in milita­rie arte, & then it is put for a so­lemne profession or othe as if [Page 135]were, that captaines & generals of armies, ordeined, to lay vpon souldiers, thereby the better to keepe them (after that they were chosen to the roomes and pla­ces of souldiers) in the faithfull obseruation and persormance of such points as they in duety did owe to the common wealth and prince whō they serued. And this kind of promise or othe, cōceaued & that in prescript words was cal led a sacramēt, because they did vse for the ratification & confir­mation of it, certayne holie thinges as they supposed.

Now, seeing y^t the Lord him­self, euen for y^e tying of our fayth more fast vnto him, hath ordey­ned sacramēts, & for y^e better cō ­firmation thereof, hath annex­ed, certaine holy things therun­to, such as the elemēts are in the sacraments, which are holy, be­cause they are appointed to holie [Page 136]ends & vses as before hath been shewed article. 5. Why shoulde not wee, vse such woordes, as may liuely and sensiblie instruct vs, in the truth of those thinges though that the scriptures vse not the same words.

For mine owne part, I see no reason, why we may not for learning sake, vse some words not in vse in the woorde, so that we do it not without some good cause, nor innouate or change anye thing, from the doctrine of the Apostles and prophets.

Moreouer, seeing wee haue woordes of the like significati­on, as signe, pledge, seale, (and as this felow him self also confes­seth) Recorde: there is no reason why wee shoulde abstaine from the vse of that woorde, which, though it differ in sounde from the rest, yet doeth it in substance [Page 137]and effect, agree very well with thē & expresseth the same things that they doe.

Besides this, if this mans rule were true, wee shoulde not vse the woord trinitie, nor many other wordes that our christian religion embraceth, because wee haue not that woorde in vse in the scripture. But leauing this man in his dotage, wee doe and may very well and safely vse it, because that though wee finde not the woord there, yet we find the matter by the woorde signi­fied there. It is much to be sea­red, lest y^t vnder this large & lose conclusion, this fellowe, woulde first in some dangerous opini­ons heretofore sette abroche by Seruetus and others: and there­fore I would wish all christians to take heede of such slye, subtile, and corrupt speeches.

To al this y^t hitherto I haue put down, I haue thought good to adde this cautiō, that as my meaning is not, to improue any, in the vse of any lawfull woord, with y^e conditions that I haue before expressed: so it is not my mind, to approue or allow any, in the vse of straunge and affected termes, vnder which heretikes of all times, haue customably shrowded themselues, & in which faculty y^e heretikes of our daies, specially, & particularly the fa­mily of loue, are very pregnant, & plentifull, as to euery one but meanely acquainted with there bookes, doth plainly appeare.

19 That there wil come a time, wherin there shalbe no neede of sa­craments in this life: his reason, be­cause there wil be such multitudes [Page 139]conuerted, that there shalbe no ley­sure to minister the sacraments vnto them.

WHat ground he should haue for this assertion, I thinke no man of sounde iudgement can well perceaue. Sure I am that the scripture, doeth in sundry places both by examples and testimonies, conclude the contrary. Take one place for al. The Apostle Saint Paule, tel­leth vs, that the Lorde ordei­ned, the sacrament of his sup­per to put vs in remembrance of him, and of the graces that wee reape and receaue by him, euen vntill his comminge a­gayne in the cloudes with pow­er and great glorie, to iudge the quicke and the dead. This fellow mindeth (as it should seeme) by [Page 140]vttering this conclusion, not on­ly to make void this plain place of Saint Paul, but to robbe vs as of the signe that shoulde put vs in minde of Christs remem­braunce, so of the remembrance of Christ himselfe, and of the graces that in him and by him are dayly bestowed vpon vs. For of necessitie, one of these twoo things must needes followe, ey­ther that this mans assertion is true, which no godly man I suppose will euer consent vnto, & Paul (his writing is vnsound which bee it farre from any to thinke, muche more for anye to speake, and vtter) or else Paules speech must be true & his false, which I am sure all of vnder­standing will easily confesse: and the reason hereof is, because that the one of them are as directly contrary to the other, as light & [Page 141]darkenes truth and falshood.

Now out of this I infer fur­ther, that if the Lordes supper it selfe, be perpetual and must con­tinue in the church of God, how fewe or howe many soeuer the members therof be: then the sa­crament of baptisme, hauing the same institutor, that the other hath, to witte Christ Iesus, and being ordeined for the same end, that is for the strengthening of our fayth in the truth of Gods promises: and for the same peo­ple, that is, for all those, that are gathered into the compasse and boosome of Gods Church must likewise bee perpetuall and in­dure vnto the end of the world in the Church howsoeuer y^e mul­titudes thereof increase.

And forasmuche as wee ac­knowledg no more sacraments in the Church of God, but these [Page 142]two, and it hath byn before pro­ued, that these two shalbe perpe­tual, it followeth ther vpon, that there shalbe no such time in this life as this man dreameth of, wherein there shalbee no vse or neede of the sacramentes. As for the reasō that he addeth, I take it to be so farre of from hauing a­ny force in it, that it is nothing, but a cunning or fine colour or myst rather cast before mens eies to darken them from beholding an Anabaptisticall conclusion, who hold, that men may atteine to suche perfection in this life (which thing also y^e family doth stiffely vrge) that they shall not stād in need of the word & sacra­ments. It is a strange assertiō, to say, that y^e multitude of suche as should be conuerted, frō dead idols to the liuing God, shoulde hinder the administration of sa­cramentes, [Page 143]which God himselfe hath ordeined for their good. Be­like this fellow suppose [...]h, either that the Lord did not foreknow the number of those, that shoulde be called into his Church, or else were not able sufficiently to pro­uide, that those, that doe apper­teine vnto him might haue their liueries and cognisaunces, wher by they might be knowen to bee his seruauntes, both of which or either of which to think, were intollerable blasphemie.

Beside we know, by the truth of Gods holy word, that what­soeuer this fellow dreameth of multitudes to be conuerted, yet the number of those, y^e shalbe out of the bosome of the church, shal­be greater, by muche, then those that shalbe gathered, into y^e out­warde societie and fellowshippe [Page 144]thereof. And yet amongst them many also shalbe cast away. So that vnlesse all the worlde, or the greatest parte there­of should be conuerted vnto God (which I am sure neither this fellow nor any for him will euer bee able to proue wee neede not feare, that either multitudes should hinder the administrati­on of sacraments, or that leisure should not bee sufficient for the same, and yet though either the one or the other could be proued, what are wee, that wee shoulde dispense vtterly to leaue of, the institution and order of GOD: nay rather, it were the duetie of euery good man, that seeing hee cannot doe all that the Lord de­maundeth, yet he should do that that the Lorde inableth him to performe, for otherwise wee might easily cast from vs the [Page 145]whole yoke of the Law of God, because we are not able i [...]deed, wholy to fulfill it though tho­rowe the goodnes and assistance of our God, we walke nowe and then in the performance of some parte and peece thereof.

20. That it is hypocrisie for one christian to reproone an other for swearing, or any such other of­fence, which he calleth but trifles.

If this fellowe had sayde, that many men in reprouing others doe fall into the sinne of hypecri­ [...]y, pride, or such like, whilest that they would seeme in re [...]ing of others to bee better than o­thers, or to loath that in others, which perhaps inwardly they foster and feede in them selues, he had spoken the truth, because it is a fault, that men may not [Page 146]only be easily ouer taken withal, but sundry times indeed sall into the same, seeking thereby their owne credite and praise. But for a man to condemne any good thing (as this fellow seemeth to doe) for the euill or corruption of the partie that intermedleth therein, it argueth follie more then palpable. First because thinges of thēselues good, how­soeuer they may bee prophaned by wicked men, cannot of them­selues and in their owne nature become euill. Secondly, because if that were true, wee might ea­sily condemne as thinges euill and vnlawfull, both the worde and sacramentes, specially if they were preached and administred vnto vs by euill ministers, or wicked men made a shewe to receiue them, whiche sauoureth [Page 147]strongly of Donat [...]y and A­nabaptistrie. But whether d [...] ­eth not this mans arrogancie and impudencie driue him [...] Marke I beseeche you howe by this speeche hee dares make GOD the Author of euill: to wit of hypocrifie. For GOD demaundeth this duetie of vs, that wee shoulde haue an eye one ouer an other for good, and that in the spirite of mildnesse and brotherly loue, wee should friendly admonishe and charita­bly repro [...]ue one another. To this ende is it saide in Leuiticus. Thou shalt not hate thy bro­ther in thy hearte, but thou shalt plainely rebuke thy neighbour, and suffer not sinne vpon him. Our Sauiour Christe also wil­leth vs to tell our brother his [Page 148]fault, and y [...] this fellow dares, say, that [...] is h [...]pocrifie so walke in the [...]edie [...]e of these h [...] cō ­inande [...], It this be not to charge God with euil, [...]et al men [...]idge, and if this bee not the o­ [...]erth [...]w of Gods law, & word I know not what is: But this fellow [...]aieth not here, but pro­ [...]eth to [...] vtter as great and grosse blasphemies calling swe­ [...]ing and other transgressions of the first and secōd table, but tri­ [...]s, Be l [...]ke this fellow is new­ly godded with God (as the fa­milians say) or else he would ne­ue [...] take vpon him thus Pope­like, to dispense with the holy commandements. If hee that breaketh one of the leaste com­mandements and teacheth men so, shalbe cast into vtter darke­nes, what shal become of this fe­lowe [Page 149]that feareth not to [...] some of the greatest, and [...]ot [...] men to do the same [...] ex [...] ­ [...]ating of sinne [...] person pract [...]ing y^e same little or no [...] at [...]otion. B [...] it differeth not much from the Stoickes opi [...]on [...] sinne equ [...]. But [...]e rest p [...] ­swad [...] by the truth of Gods woord, that not [...] one [...]aue is. more gres nous that [...]her be­fore God and man (which may [...] p [...]ainely appeare [...]: by the orde [...] that God himselfe ob [...]eth in propo [...]ding his law in the [...] tables) but also that euen one and the selfe same sinne, may [...] aggrauated and made mo [...] he [...] ­nous by the circumstances, of time, pla [...]e, person, and ma [...]ner of doing. So farre of are wee therefore from accounting the greatest sins trifles, as this fe­lowe [Page 150]doeth, that wee counce the least offence that can bee com­mitted against Gods lawe, by thought, word, or deede, to be of and in it selfe, without Gods great mercie pardoning y^e same, a meane to pull vpon vs eternal death and condemnation, which argueth that the thing it selfe committed, must of necessity bee a greater matter by much, thē a trifle, or [...]ls GOD as a very ri­gorous & vniust GOD, that for trifles and matters of no importaunce, layeth so sore is iudgement vpon the world. But for this matter I saie, let God bee iust when hee speaketh, and pure when hee iudgeth. And as for this Lioertine, and all o­ther pexnicious Heretikes what­soeuer, let them receiue that whiche is due vnto them to wit, [Page 151]shame & confusion of face before God and good men.

One thing more out of this last poynte and so an ende. I see in this instrument of Sathan, a liuely image and picture as it were of his Diuelishe corrupti­on. They that are acquainted with the suggestions of Sathā, knowe, that al his assaultes doe at all times and in all thinges, tende euer to extremitie. For example, if hee cannot drawe men to idolatrie, he will labour to bringe them to contempt of true religion: Agayne, if he can­not preuayle to make men coue­tous, he will assay by al meanes possible to drawe them to pro­digallitie and wastfulnesse, so harde a thing is it, too keepe & directe and righte course sayling in this worlde of wic­kednes, [Page 152]wherein we are tos­sed vp and downe with the tem­pestuous waues of our owne corruption and Sathans ma­lice, betweene these twoo most dangerous gulfes and huge rockes. The selfe same thing, doth this felow, ledde no doubt, by the spirit of sathan, propound and practise in this place. For seeing that hee cannot carrie a­way men, into a eurious behol­ding of other mens transgressi­ons: and therby into a forgetful nes of their owne, hee doeth lar bour by this his speece, to make them vtterly to neglect that great dutie of brotherly admo­nition and reproofe, which both God and christian charitie doth require at their hands. And fee­ing, that in the vglye sight of sinne, hee cannot terrifie mens consciences to despayre, hee ende­uoreth, [Page 153]by debasing bey onde all right and reason, sinne it selfe & the miserable effectes and fruits thereof, to make men voyde of al remorse & conscience of the same, the greatest instrument & meane y^e Sathan doth vse to indurate and harden mens heartes ther­in. Those that are taught of god haue learned by the light of his woord and woorking of his spi­rite, not onely to take heede of such dangerous and desperate extremities but also in all holy obedience to God, and dutifull loue to their brethren, rightly so to deuide the times, that they will haue a season, wherein to looke to them selues, and those thinges, that be amisse in them, labouring according to the n [...] ­sure of grace receiued, the a [...]ēd­ment thereof: and also another time wherein they will by the [Page 154]spirite of loue and gentlenesse labour what in them lieth, y^e re­formation of their brethren A­gaine, because they knowe, that mans iudgement is bleared, if not altogether defaced, thorowe sinne and transgression, manie times calling good, euill, and e­uil, good: and beside, being par­tial to themselues in their owne causes, often iustifying them­selues in those thinges, wherein they shuld condemne thēselues, they doe vse to measure out sinne by an other line, thē by the croo­ked vnderstanding of their own heartes: that is, by the trueth & touchstone of the word, which is able not only to instruct them to put a difference betweene good and euill, but euen betweene e­uil and euil, and good and good. For by the trueth of that worde they knowe, that there is diffe­rence [Page 155]and degrees both in the one and in the other. And that this is trueth, it is as cleere, as the light at noone [...]ide. There re­steth no more but this, to know and beleeue for our incourage­ment in well doyng, that as ma­ny as walke, according to this rule, shal haue peace vpon them, and mexcie, & the like shal­be powred foorth vp­pon al the Israel of God. (:)