Christian religion: substantially, methodicalli[e,] [pla]inlie, and profitablie treatised

1. THES. chap. 5. vers. 19.20.

19 Quench not the Spirit.

20 Despise not prophecying.

BY what meanes doth God effect these things? and how ruleth he till the last day?

By the meanes of his spirit and word ioyned toge∣ther

according as the words doe make mention.

What meane you by the spirit of God to this place?

That power of God which worketh in the hearts of men, things which the naturall discourse of reason is notable to attaine vnto.

Being incomprehensible, how may wee come to some vnderstanding and sense of it?

By the things whereunto it is compared: first, to wind, to shew the maruellous power of it in opera∣tion. Secondly, to oyle, that is of a hote nature, that pierceth and suppleth. Thirdly to water, that cooleth, scoureth and cleanseth. Fourthly, to fire, that seue∣reth drosse and good mettall.

How is the operation of it?

Diuers: as softening, and hardening; enlighten∣ing, and darkning; which it worketh after a diuers maner, by the word, in the hearts of the elect and re∣probate, according to the good pleasure of God, and secret will only: and after that, according to the good pleasure of his reuealed will; and so the lawfull vse thereof, is rewarded with a gratious encrease of bles∣sing: and the abuse punished with further hardnes to condemnation.

Is by the word, prophecying, onely meant, the preaching of the word?

No, but by a figuratiue speech, all those outward meanes whereby God vseth to giue his holy spirit, as are the Sacraments and the discipline of the Church; ouer and aboue the preaching of the word which being principall of all, is heere set downe for the rest.

Before we enter into this watter, there are some dif∣ficulties to be auoided in these words, and first I

aske why the Apostle hath 〈…〉〈…〉 spirit before the preaching of the word mea•••• by prophecie: consi∣dering that by, and after preaching of the word the Lord giueth his spirit?

[ 1] Because the spirit is the chiefe of the two: the word being but the instrument whereby the spirit of God worketh. [ 2] And secondly, for that the worke of the spirit is more generall, and reacheth to some to whom the preaching of the word cannot reach. [ 3] Lastly, for that the word is neuer profitable without the spirit: but the spirit may bee profitable without the word, as after will appeare.

Another difficultie is, that it seemeth by these words, that the spirit of adoption and sanctification pro∣per to the faithfull, may be lost; whilest he exhor∣teth that we should not quench the spirit.

By no meanes: but as God doth assure the faith∣full of their continuance in him: so he doth declare by these exhortations, that the onely meanes where∣by he will nourish this holy fire in vs, is, to take heed vnto the preaching of the word.

Now to returne to this matter: I demand, Is it not lawfull to separate these meanes?

In no case for that which God hath ioyned toge∣ther, no man may separate.

Now doth it appeare more euidently that God hath 〈◊〉〈◊〉 those together?

Because hee saith by the Prophet, that this is the couenant he will make with his people; to put his spirit and word in them, and in all the posterity of the Church.

What doe you heere learne?

That no man is to content himselfe, to thinke hee

hath the spirit, and so to neglect the word; because they goe together.

Who are by this condemned?

The Anabaptists, Papists, and Libertines, which as∣cribe to the spirit that which they like, although wic∣kedly: seeing the spirit doth not ordinarily suggest a∣ny thing to vs, but that which it teacheth vs out of the word.

What other sort of men is heere condemned?

The Stancarists, who esteeme the word to be fit to catechise and initiate: or enter vs in the rudiments of religion, but too base to exercise our selues con∣tinually in it: whereas the Prophets and Apostles most excellent men, did notwithstanding exercise themselues in the Scriptures.

Are none saued without hearing of the word?

[ 1] Yes: for first children, which are within the coue∣nant,haue the spirit of God, without the ordinary meanes of the word and Sacraments. [ 2] Secondly, some also of age and places, where those meanes are not to be had. [ 3] Thirdly, some also, which liuing in place where such meanes are, yet haue no capacity to vnderstand them; as some natural fooles, madmen, or deafe home; to shew that God is not tied to meanes.

What must we heere take heed of?

That we presume not vpon this, sith that notwith∣standing this secret working of God, yet it is as vn∣possible to come to heauen, if hauing the meanes and capacitie of receiuing them, we contemne the meanes; as it is Impossible to haue a haruest, where no seed time hath gone before; or to haue children without the parents seed; seeing amongst such the

spirit of God doth onely worke faith by the preach∣ing of the word.

Notes

• Acts 2. Heb. 1. Ioh. 4. Matth. 3. Acts ••.
• Matth. 19.
• Esa. 59.21.
• Ioh. 14.26.
• Mark. 4.1.2. &c. compared with Esa. 2.1.2. &c. 2. Pet. 3.15.16.
• Rom. 8.9.14.
• Matth. 2.
• Matth. 13. 1. Pet. 1.