Confutation of Monstrous and Horrible Heresies, Point 12
H. N.
Wee confeſſe, that they all, which become not grounded in this ſame vpright faith of Ieſu Chriſt, nor become euen ſo baptized, as is before mencioned in the firſt article, in the name of the Father, vnderunder the obedience of the louelove of the father, and his lawe, (and as is before mencioned in the fourth article) in the name of the Sonne, vnderunder the obedience of the louelove of the ſonne, and his beliefe, and as is before mencioned in this 8. article,) in the name of the holie Ghoſt, vnderunder the obedience of the louelove of the holy Ghoſte, and his renuing of the life & minde: are no true Chriſtians: and that they alſo all, that boaſt themſelues to be Chriſtians, without this ſame vpright faith, and baptiſme, are doubteles falſeq.Mat. 24. a. Luke 21. a. chriſtians. Sectio 33. Therefore ſhall nowe in this ſame day of the louelove, the worde that the Lord Ieſus hath ſpoken cōcerning the true be, liefe and baptiſme, be a iudge, alſo become fulfilled & founde verie true, and make knowen the beleeuers from the vnbeleeuers. Section. 34. For verilie who ſo beleeueth and becōmethr.Mar. 16. b. Actes. 1. a. baptized, after this maner (like as we here confeſſe or acknowledge, according to the word of Ieſu Chriſt, the vpright faith and baptiſm) he ſhall become ſaued: but who ſo beleeueth not, hee ſhall according to the worde of Ieſu Chriſt become…ar. 16. b. cōdemned 35. For that cauſe let no mā boaſt him to be a chriſtiā, that hath not in the vpright faith receiued the true tokens of the Chriſtianitie, that ist.Mar. 28. c. that beareth or carieth not the name of the Father, and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghoſt,Mark. 16.6. Actes. 1. b. 2. a. eſſentially and liuingly in him (otherwiſe he ſhall aſſuredly in this ſame day of the louelove of the righteousv.Mat. 25. d. Rom. 14 b. iudgement, before al the holie ones of God, which are comprehēded in the communialtie of the louelove bee founde falſe and lying. For the woorde that the Lorde Ieſus Chriſt hath ſpokenx.Iohn 12. d. ſhal iudge him in this ſame neweſt day.
Anſweare. H.N. proceedeth nowe to the ſentence of euerlaſting condemnation, which hee thundreth out agaynſt all howe many ſoeuer, who ſhall not nowe in this preſent day of the louelove, beleeue this doctrine which he hath here publiſhed and profeſſed. What ſentence hee himſelfe lieth vnderunder, I leaue it vntounto the Lorde, but if there be any place left vntounto prayer for him, I pray God hee may be ſo truely touched with repentaunce, as that curſe may be turned from him, which wayteth for ſo many, as by damnable doctrine, ſhall leade blinde and ſimple ſoules out of the way. In the meane time we ſtande aſſured from the mouth of the lorde,Prou. 26. …. that the curſe which is cauſeleſſe ſhall not come. The true Churche of Chriſt acknowledgeth the holy Ghoſt to be God equall with the Father, and the Sonne: becauſe the Scripture geueth libertie and freedome vntounto him, in diſtributing of graces and giftes vntounto the children of GOD. According as we reade in the former Epiſtle to the Corinthes: Al theſe thinges worketh one, and the ſelf ſame ſpirite, 1. Cor. 12.11.diſtributing to euerie man ſeuerallie as he will: & becauſe in like maner it ioyneth him with the father and the ſonne, makinge but one God of thoſe three perſons,1. Iohn. 5.7. as it is written in the firſt Epiſtle of Saint Iohn, There are three which beare recorde in heauen, the Father, the worde, and the holy Ghoſt, and theſe three are one. Wee doe aſſuredly beleeue, that the holie Ghoſt will bee our comforter vntounto the ende, as well in woorking the woorkes of ſanctification in vsus, as in making ſtrong and ſealing vp vntounto our ſpirite the aſſurance of ſaluation and euerlaſting life: bringing all that to paſſe in our weakeneſſe, which the Lorde hath promiſed in his woorde. For the which ende he is ſent from the Father and the Sonne into the world. Which effectes, are many in number, and merueilous for the great workemanſhippe thereof in ſuch frailtie, as wee are forced to feele and confeſſe to be within our ſelues. For what a wonderful worke is this in fleſh and bloud, to hauehave a wiſe and vnderſtanding heart in the will and word of his God? The Apoſtle ſetteth this ſight of God his goodneſſe towardes vsus which is offered in the Goſpel, farre aboue the reach eyther of ſenſe or reaſon, attributing it onelyonly to ye holy Ghoſt: The things which eye hath not ſeen, 1. Cor. 2.9.neither eare heard, neither came into mans heart, hath God prepared for them that louelove him, but God hath reuealed them vntounto vsus by his ſpirit, for what mā knoweth the thinges of a man ſaue the ſpirit of a mā, euen ſo the things of God knoweth no mā but the ſpirit of god. What a rare work is this in like manner, to geue vntounto men who are priuie to themſelues of manifolde offences, and great wretchednes, the confidence and boldeneſſe to call God Father, making a full reckoning of his fauour, and good wil towards them? which thing is notwithſtanding wrought in the ſeruants of God,Gala. 4. by the ſpirit of God as the Apoſtle witneſſeth: becauſe ye are ſonnes, God hath ſent forth the ſpirite of his ſonne into your hartes, which crieth Abba, Father. Of what difficultie likewiſe is that woorke, [to quicken this not dull, but dead diſpoſition within vsus,] in the wayes of the Lorde his lawes, and in the woorkes of his commaundementes? yet doeth the ſpirite of God performe it in vsus, as wee reade in the Epiſtle to the Romanes: If the ſpirite of him that raiſed vppe Ieſus from the dead dwell in you, Rom. 8.11.he that rayſed vp Chriſte from the dead, ſhall alſo quicken your mortall bodies, by his ſpirite that dwelleth in you. Moreouer that paſſeth the power of man, in our afflictions to be guided vntounto God, and to hauehave beſide the matter, the acceptable maner alſo of mourning and groning miniſtred vntounto vsus, which proceedeth from the ſpirite of God,Rom. 8.26. as it is written to the Romanes: Likewiſe the ſpirite alſo helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what to pray as we ought, but the ſpirite it ſelfe maketh requeſt for vsus, with ſighes which cannot be expreſſed, but he that ſearcheth the heartes, knoweth what is the meaning of the ſpirite, for he maketh requeſt for the faultes, according to the will of God. And howe woonderfull is the Lorde by this woorke of his ſpirite in vsus, who are yet kept from our Countrey & kingdome, and oftentimes ſo euill intreated and ſo litle regarded, that not onelie men, but the Lorde himſelfe, ſeemeth to reckon of vsus as vnwoorthie of any welfare here vppon earth to hauehave notwithſtanding within vsus, a good earneſt of our inheritance in heauē, euē the ſpirit of God,Ephe. 2.14. who hath alſo to name [Comforter] for theſe and like effectes of conſolatiō? after that ye beleued ye were ſealed with the holy ſpirite of promiſe, which is the earneſt of our inheritaunce, for the redēption of that libertie purchaſed, to the praiſe of his glory. As for H.N. his holie Ghoſt, there are no ſuche thinges to bee had from him, for concerning the earneſt and aſſurance to be made for our inheritaunce, what vſe can there be thereof, when once wee are entred vponupon the ſame: nowe by H.N. his doctrine, euerlaſting life, is in this life and in this eſtate of perfection which he profeſſeth, & therfore when poſſeſſion is taken, there is no longer place for anie pledge or earneſt of aſſurance, and therefore H.N. his holie Ghoſt, cannot bee he which the Scripture ſetteth foorth, and maketh knowen by the propertie of a pleadge or earneſt? Beſide this, when H.N. his holie Ghoſt is once come, they are paſt praier for ſinne, they hauehave not to pray againſt it beyng no ſinners: and goodneſſe they want not, beyng perfect, and therefore he is not that holie Ghoſt which the Scripture ſpeaketh off, that helpeth their infirmities, who know not what to pray as they ought, making requeſt with ſighes and grones that cannot be expreſſed.