a Candlestick doth a Candle Revel 2. 1. 4. To interpret the Scripture by the Scripture Since many things in Scripture are doubtfull and hard to be understood without an Interpreter Acts 8. 31. it doth belong to the Church to expound the same to interpret and give the sense Nehem. 8. 8 9. Luke 24. 27. provided that this exposition be by the Scriptures Some of the Papists say That the Church may condere articulos fidei facere Canonicum quo ad nos and though they talk of Councels and Fathers yet all is as the Pope concludes The testimony and tradition of the Church especially the Primitive Church is necessary to know that the Gospel of Matthew is divine Scripture by an historical and acquired faith to know this by a divine and infused faith besides the Authority of the Church the matter character and contents of every Book and comparing of it with other Scriptures do serve as an inward cause to produce the said infused faith Object We are sent to the Church to determine all Controversies 1 Cor. 11. 16. Sol. Controversies are either Dogmaticall concerning Faith or Rituall concerning true Order The Proposition is about these not the first Secondly From this fundamental truth that the Scripture is immediately from God the Basis indeed of all Religion 1 Cor. 15. the wickednesse of the Church of Rome is farther to be condemned which will not suffer the Scriptures to be read in their Churches but in an unknown tongue nor in private by the common people without special leave and certain cautions from their superiours Of old they would not suffer them to be read at all of late they are forced to give licences to some and they teach them that they should not make the Scripture judge of the Doctrine and Practice of the Church but the Doctrine and Practice of the Church must be the Interpreter and Judge of the meaning of the Scripture that is they must take the Scripture to mean none otherwise whatsoever it seem to say then what is agreeâ—ble to that which the Pope doth teach and practise There cannot be a surer sign of a bad cause then that it fears to be tried by the writings which it self cannot deny to be written by God for correction for reproof for instruction in righteousnesse Some Papists are more modest herein as Bellarmine lib. 2. de verb. Dei c. 15. Catholica Ecclesia statuit ne passim omnibus concedatur Scripturae lectio some more rigid as Huntly and Hosius The Papists object the obscurity of Scriptures as an argument to hinder Lay-men from reading them and account it a matter of profanation to allow men women and children and all promiscuously the use of the Vulgar Translation and think they will rather be hurt then benefited by them taking occasion of erring from them Hosius urgeth that Give not holy things to dogs Cast not pearls before Swine to prove the people must be barred from reading of the Scriptures It is Pope Innocents Glosse a Beast might not touch the Mount a Lay-man may not meddle with Scripture Lindan saith Nihil noxae inferretur in Ecclesiam salvo traditionis fundamento if there were no Bible and another Scriptura citius faciet Haereticum Lutheranum quam Catholicum Because we will have all proved by Scripture and make that the compleat Rule for what we believe or do in all Theological matters they call us Scripturarios Scripture-men and Atramentrarios Theologos and so to carry or read a Bible is matter of scoff we may stile them in Tertullians phrase Scripturarum Lucifugae and Traditionaries St Gregory who is blessed in their Church exhorteth a Lay-man to the serious study of the Scriptures that thereby he might learn the will of God alledging that the Scripture is the Epistle of God unto his creature Quid est autem Scriptura sacra nisi Epistola omnipotentis Dei ad Creaturam Greg. lib. 4 epist. 40. ad Theodorum mediâ—um Proving further That obscurity of Scripture is so frothy an argument for perswading any devout Christian not to reade it that it should rather incite them to greater Diligence therein and therefore he elegantly compâ—res the Scripture to a River wherein saith he there are as well shallow Fords for Lambs to wade in as depths and gulphs wherein the Elephant may swim Chrysostom held it a thing necessary for all men daily to read the Scriptures Audito quaeso saeculares comparate vobis Biblia animae pharmaca St Ierom did exhort divers women thereto and commended them for exercising themselves therein he writes to Laeta and Gaudentia and shews them how they should bring up their daughters Scripturas sacras tenebat memoriter Hieron de Paula in Epitaphio He commends the Husbandmen about Bethlem for being so perfect in the Scripture That they had the Psalms of David by heart and sang them as they followed the Plow Arator stivam tenens cantat Davidicum melos Epist. ad Demetriad The Apostle would not have commended this in Timothy 2 Tim. 3. 15. That from his childehood he knew the holy Scriptures nor noted it to the praise of his Grandmother and Mother that they had trained him up so if he had not known that the holy Scriptures are so plain that even a childe may be able to understand them What may we judge of the other easier books when the holy Ghost would have the Revelation the obscurest book of all the Scripture to be read Revel 1 3 The people took occasion of erring and blaspheming from the humiliation of Christ many abuse Preaching and the Sacraments 2. By this reason the Latine Bibles should not be suffered to be read publickly because many understanding Latine from the reading of them may take occasion of erring There is a greater reason to be had of Gods elect which are edified by reading of the Scripture then of those who wrest them Peter by this reason stirred up the faithfull to reade the Scriptures with greater devotion 2 Pet. 3. 14 15 16 17. 3. This is common both to the Ecclesiastical Persons and Laity to take occasion of erring and blaspheming from the Scripture If we peruse the Histories of times past we shall finde that learned and Ecclesiastical men did oftner fall into Heresies and Blasphemies from misunderstanding and wresting the Scriptures then any of the common sort of people who were often also by the learned drawn into Heresie The Papists are not afraid the people should be corrupted by reading their legends and lying fables by their Images which doe naturally teach Idolatry The Papists further object That the Hebrews did not permit young men to read part of Genesis Canticles Ezekiel We must know that the reading of those Scriptures non ablatam hominibus sed dilatam fuisse was not taken away from them but delayed only They permitted all men before thirty to read all other Chapters of holy Scripture and after thirty these
Babylon the great Whore with all the Kingdoms of Antichrist The subject of it is two-fold 1. The present state of the Church 2. The future state of it The things which are and the things which shall be hereafter Revel 1. 19. The three first Chapters of this Book contain seven several Epistles to the seven several Churches of Asia the other following Chapters are a Prophetical History of the Church of God from Christs Ascension to his second coming The holy Ghost foreseeing what labour Satan and his instruments would take to weaken and impair the credit and authority of this above all other Books wherein he prevailed so far as some true Churches called the truth and authority of it into question hath backed it with a number of confirmations more then are in any other Book of Scripture First The Author of it is set in the fore-front or face of it The Revelation of Iesus Christ Chap. 1. vers 1. who professeth himself to be the first and the last vers 11. so in the several Epistles to the Churches in several styles he challengeth them to be his Thus saith he 1. That holdeth the seven starres in his right hand 2. He which is first and last which was dead and is alive 3. Which hath the sharp two edged Sword 4. Which hath eyes like a flame of fire and his feet like brass 5. Which hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars 6. He who is holy and true who hath the key of David 7. He who is Amen the faithful and true witness the beginning of the creatures of God Secondly The Instrument or Pen-man his servant Iohn the Evangelist the Apostle the Divine who for the farther and more full authority of it repeateth his name at least thrice saying I Iohn Chap. 1. 9. and 21. 1 2. and 22. 8. wheâ—â—â—â— in the Gospel he never maketh mention of his name there he writes the History of Christ here he writes of himself and the Revelations declared to him Thirdly In the last Chapter are five testimonies heaped together vers 5 6 7 8. 1. Of the Angels 2. Of God himself the Lord of the holy Prophets 3. Of Jesus Christ Behold I come shortly 4. Of Iohn I Iohn heard and saw all these things 5. The Protestation of Jesus Christ v. 18. Fourthly The matter of the Book doth convince the Authority thereof seeing everywhere the Divinity of a Prophetical Spirit doth appear the words and sentences of other Prophets are there set down part of the Prophecies there delivered are in the sight of the world accomplished by which the truth and authority of the whole is undoubtedly proved there are extant many excellent Testimonies of Christ and his Divinity and our redemption by Christ. Fifthly The most ancient Fathers Greek and Latine ascribe this Book to Iohn the Apostle Theophylact Origen Chrysostome Tertullian Hilary Austin Ambrose Irenâ—us To deny then the truth of this Book is contrasolem obloqui to gainsay the shining of the Sun it self The Chiliasts abuse many testimonies out of this Book but those places have been cleared long ago by the learned as bearing another sense See Dr Raynolds Conf. with Hart c. 8. p. 406. Calvin being demanded his opinion what he thought of the Revelation answered ingeniously saith one He knew not at all what so obscure a writer meant Se penitus ignorare quid velit tam obscurus scriptor Cajetane at the end of his Exposition of Iude confesseth that he understandâ— not the literal sense of the Revelation and therefore Exponat saith he cui Deus concesserit It consists of two and twenty Chapters the best Expositors of it are Ribera Brightman Paraeus Cartwright Fulk Dent Forbes Mede Simonds Foord 1. The Scriptures written by Moses and the Prophets sufficiently prove that Christ is the Messiah that was to come The Old Testament may convince the Jews which deny the New Testament of this truth Iohn 5. 39. They that is those parts of Scripture written by Moses and the Prophets there were no other Scriptures then written The 53 of Isaiah is a large History of his sufferings We have also another Book or Testament more clearly witnessing of Christ The Gospel is the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes. 3. 8. So much may suffice to have spoken concerning the Divine Canon the Ecclesiastical and false Canon follow CHAP. V. Of the Books called Apocrypha SOme Hereticks utterly abolisht the Divine Canon as the Swingfeldians and Libertines who contemned all Scriptures the Manichees and Marcionites refused all the Books of the Old Testament as the Jews do those of the New as if they had proceeded from the Devil Some diminish this Canon as the Sadduces who as Whitaker and others hold rejected all the other Prophets but Moses some inlarge it as the Papists who hold that divers other Books called by us Apocrypha i hidden do belong to the Old Testament and are of the same authority with the other before named and they adde also their traditions and unwritten Word equalling it with the Scripture both these are accursed Rev. 22. 18. But against the first we thus argue Whatsoever Scripture 1. Is divinely inspired 2. Christ commandeth to search 3. To which Christ and his Apostles appeal and confirm their Doctrine by it that is Canonical and of equal Authority with the New Testament But the holy Scripture of the Old Testament is divinely inspired 2 Tim. 3. 16. where he speaks even of the Books of the Old Testament as is gathered both from the universal all writing viz. holy in the 15 verse and from the circumstance of time because in the time of Timothies infancy little or nothing of the New Testament was published 2. Christ speaks not to the Scribes and Pharisees but to the people in general to search it Iohn 5. 39. this famous elogium being added That it gives testimony of him and that we may finde eternal life in it 3. Christ and his Apostles appeal to it and confirm their Doctrine by it Luke 24. 27. Rom. 3. 21. Acts 10. 43. and 17. 11. and 20. 43. and 26. 20. the New Testament gives testimony of the Old and Peter 2 Pet. 1. 19. of Pauls Epistles The Ecclesiastical Canon which is also called the second Canon followeth to which these Books belong Tobit Iudith first and second of the Maccabees Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Baruch Additions to Daniel and Esther for these neither contain truth perfectly in themselves nor are sanctified by God in the Church that they may be a Canon of faith and although abusively from custom they were called Canonical yet properly in the Church they are distinguished from the Canonical by the name of Apocryphal The false Canon is that which after the authority of the Apocrypha increased was constituted by humane opinion for the Papists as well as we reject for Apocryphal the third and fourth Book of Ezra the prayer of Manasses the third
the person if it be publick in regard of the means is not forbidden for it is lawful for one man with Scripture Toti resistere mundo saith the Glosse of the Canon-Law the meaning of this place is That the Prophets were no Interpreters or Messengers of their own mindes but Gods The Catholicks hold saith Chamier meaning still by that Title the Protestants that the Scripture is to be interpreted by private labour and industry viz. of Augustine Ierom Chrysostom but not in a private sense that is in a sense arising from the brain of the Interpreter It is true saith Cartwright against the Rhemists that the Scriptures cannot be expounded of every private spirit nor which is more of any private spirit nor yet of all private spirits together but only of those which are inspired of God viz. the Prophets and Apostles which are here opposed unto private Interpretation And therefore it is evident That the Exposition of the Scripture ought not to be fetched from Ecclesiastical either Fathers or Councels which speak not by Inspiration but from the Scriptures themselves what he meaneth he declareth in the next verse where he sheweth the reason of his saying namely that it must be interpreted as it was written and by as high Authority Seeing therefore it was first spoken by holy men which spake as they were led by the holy Spirit and were inspired of God it followeth that it must be interpreted by the same Authority The Interpretation therefore that is brought out of the Apostles and Prophets is not private although it be avowed by one man only On the other side that Interpretation which is not brought from thence although it have the allowance of whole general Councels is but private This is a principal meaning of our Saviour Christ when he willeth that we should call no man Father or Master in the earth that is in matter of Doctrine we should depend upon the Authority of no man nor of all men in the earth but only upon Christ and upon God Our reasons by which we prove that the chiefest Judgment and Authority of interpreting Scriptures is to be given not to the Church but to the Scriptures themselves and the holy Ghost 1. That which only hath power to beget faith that only hath the chiefest Authority of interpreting Scripture and of determining all Controversies concerning Faith and Religion but the Scriptures onely and the Holy Ghost have this force Rom. 10. 17. The Holy Ghost onely can infuse saving Faith into our hearts which is called by the Schoolmen Infusa Fides The Faith which we have from the Church is acquired and sufficeth not to a certain perswasion 2. The Scriptures cannot be interpreted but by the same Spirit wherewith they were written that Spirit is found no where but in the Scripture whosoever have promises from God to understand the Scripture may interprett it but so have all the faithfull 3. Christ himself makes the Scripture a Judge Iohn 12. 48. and still appealed to it 4. Although the Fathers were men indued of God with excellent gifts and brought no small light to understanding of the Scriptures yet learned men in our dayes may give a right sense of sundry places thereof which the Fathers saw not yea against the which perhaps they consent Hath any man living read all the Fathers Nay have all the men living read them Nay Can they shew them Can they get them I had almost said Can they name them In the Exposition of those words Tu es Petrus super hanc petram almost every one of the Fathers at least the most part of them and the best expound it of Peters faith yet the Papists understand it non de fide sed de persona Petri. Here they disagree themselves from the Fathers Iohn 10. 16. by the title of one Shepheard Augustine Chrysostome Ierome Cyril Theodoret Theophylact Euthimius Rupertus Cyprian and other Fathers agree that Christ is theredesigned but Stapleton saith the Pope is there meant In the Division of the Law they go clean contrary to the greatest part of the Fathers for they divide the Commandments as we do but the Papists make the two first one and the tenth two 2. They have no father to countenance them in this but Augnstine Revet de Authoritate Patrum c. 5 6 7. There were no writings of the Fathers for a time many of them wrote 400 years after Christ but some 500 and 600 years after Christ what rule had they before that time of interpreting Scriptures The Fathers were given too much to allegorizing Cajetane therefore in the Preface of his Commentaries upon the Books of Moses saith That the exposition of the Scripture is not tied by God to the sense of the Fathers therefore he admonisheth his Readers not to take it ill if he sometime dissent from the stream of the Fathers 4. The Doctrine of the Church must be examined by the Scriptures Acts 17. 11. If Pauls doctrine much more may the decrees of the Pope Church Councels be examined by the Scriptures 5. The interpretation of the Scripture is a gift freely given by God for the edification of the Church Rom. 12. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 10. therefore it is not tied to a certain kinde of men but common to the faithful 6. The faithful are commanded diligently to try and examine every doctrine 1 Thess. 5. 21. 1 Iohn 4. 1. which cannot be altogether done without interpretation What means must be used in the interpretation of Scripture The end of the Scripture we heard was to direct the Church to all saving truth The means to be used for the attaining of that end by the Minister is diligent study and humble Prayer by the People attentive reading hearing prayer and meditating First the Teachers must pray earnestly to God for his spirit to inlighen them Mat. 7. 7 8 9. Rom. 15. The Scriptures are understood by that spirit that dictated them Secondly The Pastors and Teachers of the Church must diligently and painfully study the Scriptures giving themselves to read compare place with place Iohn 5. 39. Search the Scriptures it is a metaphor taken from such as search for Gold and Silver Oar in the earth who will search and sift and break every clod to finde out the gold Solomon useth the same metaphor Prov. 2. 4. and to this diligence in searching doth the Apostle exhort Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 13. This diligence of often exprest in Scripture in the Old Testament by the phrase of meditating in the word Iosh. 1. 8. Psal. 1. 2. Thirdly they must labour for a competent knowledge in the original tongues the Hebrew and Greek in which the Scripture was written that so they may consult with the Hebrew Text in the Old and the Greek in the New Testament and see with their own not anothers eyes as Gen. 3. 15. The Papists read it corruptly She shall break here the original soon determines the
against Arius who denied the Deity of Christ. The first Constantinopolitan Councel called by the Emperour Theodosius the elder against Macedonius who denied the Deity of the holy Ghost The first Ephesine Councel called by the Emperor Theodosius the younger against Nestorius who held that there were two Persons in Christ. Fourthly The Chalcedonian called by the Emperour Martian against Eutyches who held that the one Nature in Christ consisted of the Divine and Humane These Councels were celebrated within five hundred years after Christs birth Councels there have been called Ancient because lesse Modern and General because lesse Particular for the first was not till more then three hundred years after Christ nor to the largest appears it that ever any were summoned beyond the bounds of the ancient Roman Empire though Christianity were much far extended Rainold part 2. Plenariis Conciliis quorum est in Ecclesia saluberrima Authoritas Augustin epist. 118. cap. 3. That a Synod be general and lawful three things are necessarily and essentially required 1. The first which concerns the generality of it is That the Calling and Summons to the Councel be general and Oecumenical Quod omnes tangit ab omnibus approbari debet The lawfulnesse of Synods consists partly in their orderly assembling by lawful authority and partly in their orderly Government and proceedings when they are assembled Crakanth Vigil Dormit c. 19. The nature of Synods is all one when they be Provincial National or oecumenical and they only differ as greater or lesser Their power is not meerly consultatory and swasive but authoritative and to be submitted unto by those for whom their delegation is so farre as their acts are according to the Word of God In Synodo est authoritatis apex totius Ecclesiae unitas ordinis firmamentum Leyd profess de concil A few private men yea one man or woman may counsel advise or perswade M. Hudsons Vindicat. c. 7. It is a Question between us and the Papists Cujus sit congregare Concilia Who hath the power of calling a Councel The Papists generally say the Pope Vide Bellarm. de Concil lib. 1. cap. 12 13. We the Emperour and other Christian Princes The four first general Councels were called by four Emperours as was before mentioned The Pope of Rome out of his own Province hath no right nor authority of calling a Councel The true cause saith Doctor Ames why general Councels were called by the authority of the Emperour was because the Emperour alone not the Pope had universal power It is a Question between us and the Papists Quinam sunt ad concilium convocandi Who are to be called to a Councel The Papists hold only the Clergy may be of the Councel and of the Clergy only Bishops as Judges Men that are famous for wisdom holinesse of life and experience of things men that are inflamed with a zeal to God and to the salvation of men with the love of the truth and peace From Acts 15. 6. 23. it is manifest that not only the Apostles but also the Elders and the people likewise and the whole Church were present and had their voices in this Councel See Acts 16. 4. That famous Paphnutius was a Lay-man A general Councel represents the Universal therefore there ought to be present there some of all kinds and orders of men An Concilia possint errare Whether general Councels may erre Every Assembly which consists of members subject to errour may be seduced But General Councels are Assemblies consisting of members subject to errour for all men are so Rom. 3. 4. Secondly If the determination of General Councels were infallible all Christians were necessarily bound to stand unto them and to submit to their authority Thirdly If General Councels may contradict the one the other they may certainly erre The General Councel held at Laterane under Leo the tenth contradicteth the Councel of Constance in the point of the Councels superiority above the Pope Fourthly That which hath befallen some General Councels may befall any other unlesse they can alledge some special priviledges to the contrary See 1 Kin. 22. 12. Mat. 26. 65. Ioh. 11. 52. Mark 14. 64. Bellarmine saith they cannot erre if confirmed by the Pope De concil lib. 2. cap. 2 3 4 5. That General Councels though gathered and confirmed by the Pope may erre not only in fact as the Papists confesse but also in faith and manners Vide Whitaker controv 3. de Concil Quaest. 6. In eo Pontificii se praebent ridendos nam Papae confirmatio sequitur Concilii decreta non praecedit Cameron The Rhemists bring Iohn 16. 13. Luk. 1. 3. Some urge Matth. 18. 20. for this purpose None amongst them is like to Luke nay all of them gathered together are not like him he was an extraordinary instrument of the holy Ghost Iohn 16. 13. speaks not of the Church but of the Apostles but if it be applicable to the Church yet it belongs only to the Spouse of Christ not that she doth not sometimes erre also even in Doctrine but not deadly she shall not erre in things which are necessary to salvation See Cameron Miroth in loâ— If from this promise an infallibility of judging might be gathered it would agree not only to Bishops gathered together but severed neither only to the Pope of Rome as the Jesuites would have it but also to the Successours of the rest of the Apostles saith B. Davenant That place Mat. 18. 20. means any particular Assembly of the Saints Vide Calv. in loc Act. 15. 22. is also brought This Councel consisted of Apostles which had an extraordinary assistance and illumination of Gods Spirit there is not the like authority of other Councels Panormitan the great Popish Canonist and Lawyer saith Plus credendum est simplici Laico Scripturam proferenti quam toti simul Concilio There is another great controversie not so much as Whitaker hath well observed between us and the Papists as between the Papists themselves An Concilia sint supra Papam Whether Councels be above the Pope Many amongst them and those of great note prefer a General Councel before the Pope but others a Pope before the Councel If Peter himself saith Whitaker in the place before-quoted be sent to the Church as to a certain superiour judgement and tribunal and be commanded to bring the faults and offences of others to it then it follows that the Church is greater and superiour to Peter or any other in authority The Assumption saith he relies in expresse words of Scripture The consequence of the major is evident from the confession of the Adversaries For they say That a Church is represented in a Councel Secondly The Universal Church is called the mother of all the faithful and Christians Gal. 4. 26. The Pope is the Churches son if he be faithful But the son is not above his mother only God and his word is above the Church of God
Arch-bishops four thousand Bishops and five thousand Saints approved by the Church yet if they be compared to the Jesuites or to the weak and unperfect types of them the Franciscans it is no great matter that they have done Dr. Donnes Ignatius his Conclave A rich Merchant in Paris in meriment told the Friers of Saint Francis that they wore a Rope about their bodies but Saint Francis should once have been hanged but was redeemed by the Pope on this condition that all his life after he should wear a Rope but they in earnest got judgement against him that he should be hanged for it Doctor Taylors Romish Fornace The Monks and Friers are no where mentioned in Scripture unlesse Apoc. 9. 3. Locusts issued out of the bottomlesse pit they by their smoaky Tradiditions obscure the light of the Gospel To prove their Cardinals a Divine Ordinance they urge that place 1 Kings 2. Domini erunt Cardines terrae See Polyd. Virg. de Invent. rerum lib. 4. cap. 9. pag. 270. They consist for most part of personages nobly descended they are admitted to kisse the Popes mouth they onely elect the Pope and from them onely the Pope elected must be selected Saint Peter had no Cardinals about him A certain Friar wittily preached to the people at Lions in France when he said That the Hogonots so the Protestants are called in France did agree with the Church of Rome in all the Articles of Faith but that there was one wicked word Solùm Onely at the noise of which the warre was kindled for they Onely beleeved what the Rule of Faith hath from the holy Scriptures but the Romane Church required something more to be beleeved then what is contained in the Rule of Faith or holy Scriptures because the Authority of of the Church will have it so Junius de Eccles. cap. 17. de Eccles. Roman Corollaries from the Church and Antichrist First From the Church Christs great interest here below is the Church it is his Hephzibah his delight is in her it is as Shew-bread continually before him the people of God are his Segullah his peculiar treasure his jewels Mal. 3. 17. all the rest of the world being but as lumber in comparison for them the world stands The Church is the fulnesse of Christ Ephes. 1. 22. The great blessings are out of Sion The interest of Christ extends to all Churches where a people love the Lord Jesus in sincerity The Donatists would include the Church in their parts of Africk the Papists say they only are the Church Christs interest is not limited to any forms 2 Cor. 11. 28. None are true members of the invisible Church of Christ but only those which have the Spirit of Jesus Christ in them really holy and united to Christ the Head There is a great controversie about qualification of Church-members therefore Apollonius and Spanhemius have begun their Dispute with this Question Some say The members of every particular Church are obliged at their first admission to shew to the whole Congregation convincing signs of their Regeneration and true Grace Some urge that the Scripture in the description of a godly man rests not in the negative Rom. 8. 1. and that a bare profession is not enough or to say I know no evil by him or that he is not scandalous they urge 1 Thes. 1. 1. and 2 Thes. 1. 1. they say the Church is not only termed holy from the better part but the particular members are commended for holinesse 2 Thes. 1. 3. Phil. 1. 7. We are strict say they in taking a wife or servant enquire after them and are not satisfied that we hear no ill so a judgement of severity is to be used in admitting Church-members and because we may be deceived therein the more care is to be used Others say If they be willing to give up their names to Christ it is enough because the Church is a School there they are admitted Non quia docti but ut sint docti not because they are learned but because they are willing to learn Would you have Church-members real Saints crosse to the Texts the Floor and Drag-net or such as by the exactest scrutiny that can be made we may judge to be Saints really I desire your Texts for this D. Ames saith Falsum est internas virtutes à nobis requiri ut aliquis sit in Ecclesia quoad visibilem ejus statum Bellarm. Enerv. Tom. 2. l. 2. c. 1. Sect. 5. The Apostles at the first gathering of the Church of the New Testament never required any more then the profession of the faith of Christ in fundamentals and that they were willing for the time to come to walk in Gospel-rules Iohn Baptist received Publicans and sinners souldiers Scribes Pharisees when they confessed their sins and desired to be admitted into the faith of him whom Iohn preached See Act. 2. 41 47. Vide Calvin ad Mat. 3. Many a one that may have real grace yet out of bashfulnesse and because he hath but weak parts may not be able to evidence it to others and others who have greater gifts may carry it away when they are not inwardly wrought upon I suppose therefore those are to be received into Church communion which prosesse the faith of Christ and subject to the rules of the Gospel if they be freed from damnable errors and scandalous conversation Some conceive the gathering of Churches out of Churches to be unwarrantable and think it is confusion 1 Cor. 14. 33. Where is there say they any warrant from Moses and the Prophets or from Christ and his Apostles for any such thing though yet in their times many Church-members were as ignorant and prophane as now To be a member of the Church of Christ is a great priviledge the Communion of Saints is the only good fellowship The Communion of the Saints consists in three things First In the Communion of their Graces what Graces they have they have not only for their Salvation but in trust for the good of the body the members of the body should be helpful to one another Secondly In the use of Gods Ordinances this was the beauty of the primitive times Act. 2. 42. there was no such separation then Thirdly In the performance of all mutual Offices of love Serve one another in love Our Union with Christ is the ground of this Communion As all men are one in the first Adam so all the Saints are one in the second Adam This Union is wrought on Gods part outwardly by the Word and inwardly by the Spirit on mans part Outwardly by our profession Inwardly by faith Rom. 11. 20. By Communion of Saints is meant their common partaking in Christ their Head and all his Benefits and their mutuall interest one into another There is no such good fellowship in the world as in the Church of Christ. Secondly From Antichrist That the Popish Doctrine tends to the extream dishonour of Gods Word
freely to consent and resist every such motion The Romanists plead for the power of mans will but Protestants for the efficacy of Gods grace If the Question be moved Whether free-will may resist grace It is apparent naturally in the unregenerate it may resist according to that Acts 7. 51. But if the Question be moved of them that are called according to Gods purpose Whether they resist the grace of their calling then removing the humour of contention the truth will easily appear The Question is Whether nature in this case doth resist the omnipotent power of God Deo volenti salvum facere nullum resistit hominis arbitrium There is a twofold resistance of the will say the Schoolmen 1. Connata born with it there is possibility to sinne in the best creatures as creatures 2. Actualis The Spirit of God by an Almighty Power overcomes this Psal. 110. 3. The Arminians have revived the old Pelagian heresie they say they magnifie Gods free grace and it was free grace for God to give Christ to be a Saviour and to send the Gospel to a place but then ask them about Gratia discriminans why Simon Peter receives the Gospel rather then Simon Magus they say God determines no mans will but because Peter receives it and the other rejects it it ariseth wholly from his determining himself then Christ should do no more in his own and Fathers intention for a sav'd then a damned person No man hath power to receive Christ when he is offered unlesse it be given him from above Object Why then doth the Lord exhort us to receive him or complain of us and threaten damnation if we receive him not Answ. The Lord useth these reproofs and exhortations as a means to work upon them whom he purposeth to save 2. To shew that some work is to be done on our part though not by our own strength it must be done à nobis though not ex nobis So the Papists argue from Gods commands God would not command us to do good works if we had not power to do them When our Saviour saith Make the tree good and then the fruit will be good He doth not imply that it is in our power to do so but only sheweth what our duty and obligation is See Rom. 7. 15. Gal. 5. 17. God gave the Law for these ends 1. To shew man his duty the obligation that lies on him I may put my debter in minde of his debt though he be turned bankrupt 2. To shew him his disability 3. To shew him the misery he should be in if God would urge this debt on him to discharge it himself 4. To shew the riches of his grace in providing a means to satisfie his justice and also the exceeding love of Christ in fulfilling the Law for him Object The Arminians say How can the will be free when it is determined How can omnipotent grace and free-will stand together and some talk of a Libertas contrarietatis when one can will good or evil This is a great controversie as between the Jesuites and Dominicans so between us and the Arminians Answ. The freedom of the will doth not consist in this that it is free and indifferent to choose either good or evil For so God and the good Angels should not be free seeing they cannot will any thing but that which is good There is no true liberty but unto that which is good because it is a perfection to be able to sinne is an imperfection 2 Cor. 3. 11. Ubi non est Spiritus Domini non est libertas arbitrii August A power to stand or fall was not a part of Adams liberty his power to fall came from his mutability not liberty It is a Question An faciâ—nti totum quod in se est ex naturae viribus dentur insallibiliter auxilia ad salutem supernaturalia Whether God will give supernatural grace to him that useth well his natural abilities Let any man use the power that God gives him and he shall have more There is not such an infallibilis nâ—xus that God hath bound himself in the use of our natural abilities to adde supernatural graces Mr Fâ—nnâ—r on Ezâ—k 18. 31 32. A man in his natural condition can doe nothing but what is offensive to God No man ever yet by the right use of naturals obtained Evangelical grace that is a vain power which is never reduced into act It is a Question An naturae viribus possit aliqua vera tentatio superari Whether a man by strength of nature be able to conquer corruption or resist temptation Before Conversion we cannot resist sinne as sinne but exchange one sinne with another We cannot discern good from evil sinne is connatural to us Ier. 8. 6. No more are we able to resist temptation without grace All temptations are to draw us to the enjoyment of some temporal good or to the declining some temporal evil by leaving God Till a man be perswaded that God promiseth a greater good and threatneth a greater evil then the world can do he cannot resist such temptations we are saved by faith and stand by faith We had need all to pray Lord lead us not into temptation and keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins See Ephes. 6. 10. Some speak of reconciling Free-will with Gods Decree Grace and sin Others of the Concord of it and Gods Prescience and Providence Tully thought Prescience and Free-will could not stand together and therefore that he might assert the freedome of mans will he denied the Prescience of future things Atque ita dum vult facere liberos facit sacrilegos CHAP. IV. Of Saving Faith FAith in the New Testament is taken 1. For the Doctrine of faith Iude vers 3. Such are sound in the faith that are Orthodox This is the Catholick faith 2. For the habit or grace of faith whereby we receive Christ and accept him for our Saviour so it is often used in the Scripture Faith in its general nature is any assent unto some truth upon the authority of him that speaks it and the general nature of divine faith is to assent to the truth because God sayes it Our assent and perswasion of the truth in matters of Religion may be either humaâ—e meerly because of custome education and the authority of the Church or divine being enclined and moved thereunto because of divine authority Many Protestants have no more then a humane faith It is the Religion of their Fathers and of the place where they live In the grace of Faith there are three things 1. An act of the understanding an assent to the truths of Christ that he is such a one in respect of his Natures Offices Works as the Scripture reveales him 2. An act of the will consenting that Christ should do for me what the Lord sent him to do for poor sinners 3. A siducial assiance and dependance on him The Soc man by faith
God 2. Epicurism scoffing at Divinity 3. Heresie depraving and corrupting Divinity VI. The Excellency of Divine Knowledge or the study of Divinity appeareth in these particulars 1. In the subject Matter of it which is Divine either in its own Nature as God and Christ Psal. 70. 7. Ioh. 5. 46. or in relation to him as the Scripture Sacraments It is called The wisdom of God Prov. 2. 10. 3. 13. 1 Cor. 2. 6 7. and That wisdom which is from above Jam. 3. 17. If to know the nature of an Herb or the Sun and Stars be excellent how much more to know the Nature of God Aristotle held it a great matter to know but a little concerning the first mover and Intelligences Paul desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. that is he professed no other knowledge Si Christum discis satis est si caetera nescis Si Christum nescis nihil est si cetera discis In this Mystery of Christ God is revealed in the highest and most glorious way 2 Cor. 4. 6. there is more wisdom holinesse power justice discovered in the Mystery of the Gospel then was known before to men and Angels Christ is the summe of all divine revealed truths Luk. 24. 27. Acts 10. 43. Here is the onely knowledge which is necessary to make the man of God perfect Col. 2. 3. The Metaphysicks handle not things properly divinely revealed but that which the Philosophers by the light of nature judged to be Divine 2. In the End The principal and main end of Divinity is the glory of God that is the Celebration or setting forth of Gods infinite Excellency the secondary end is mans blessednesse Iohn 17. 3. 3. In the Certainty of it Gods Word is said to be sure and like Gold seven times refined there is no drosse of falshood in it The Academicks thought every thing so uncertain that they doubted of all things 4. In the Cause of it These truths are such as cannot be known but by Gods revealing them to us All Scripture was given by Divine Inspiration Flesh and bloud hath nor revealed this unto thee a humane light is enough to know other things 5. In the Holinesse of it Psal. 19. 5. By them thy servant is fore-warned 1 Tim. 3. 15. The word of God is able to make us wise to Salvation and to furnish to every good work Christ makes this a cause of the errour and wickednesse in mans life that they do not read and understand the Scriptures 6. In the Delight and Sweetnesse of it Iob 23. 12. preferred the Word of God before his food David before thousands of Gold and Silver before the honey and the honey-comb Psal. 19. 10. 119. 103. and when he ceaseth to compare he beginneth to admire Wanderfull are thy Testimonies Archimedes took great delight in the Mathematicks Augustine refused to take delight in Tullies Hortensius because the name of Jesus Christ was not there Nomen Iesu non erat ibi He saiâ—â— in his Confessions Sacrae Scripturae tuae sunt sanctae deliciae meae 7. In the Excellency of the Students of it 1. The Saints of God in the Old Testament the Patriarks and Prophets 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. 2. The Saints of God in the New Testament Matth. 11. 25. Col. 1. 27. 3. It is the study of the Angels and Saints of God sn heaven 1 Pet. 1. 12. Ephes. 3. 10. 1. The natural knowledge and enquiry of the Angels could never have discovered to them the Mystery of Christ in the Gospel 2. They know it by the Church that is saith Oecumenius by the several dispensations of God to his people under the Gospel 8. In that the Devil and Hereticks oppose it The Papists would not have the Bible translated nor Divine Service performed in the vulgar tongue CHAP. II. Of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures TWo things are to be considered in Divinity First The Rule of it the Scripture or Word of God Secondly The Matter of Parts of it concerning God and man Principium essendi in Divinity is God the first Essence Principium cognoscendi the Scripture by which we know God and all things concerning him I shall handle both these principles but begin with the Scripture as many Systematical Writers do IT is necessary that the true Religion have a rule whereby it may be squared else there could be no certainty in it but there would be as many Religions as men It appears by the light of nature the Heathen had known rules for their Rites Ceremonies and Services the Turks have their Alcoran the Iews their Talmud the Papists their Decretals every Art hath its Rule neither can any thing be a Duty which hath not a Rule There are three general Characters whereby we may know any Word to be the Word of God and a Religion to be the true Religion 1. That which doth most set forth the glory of God 2. That which doth direct us to a rule which is a perfect rule of holinesse toward God and righteousnesse toward man 3. That which shews a way sutable to Gods glory and mens necessity to reconcile us to God The word of God sets forth Gods glory in all the perfections and is a compleat rule of holinesse to God and righteousnesse to men All the wisdom of the world cannot shew what is more sutable to the glory of God and the nature of man to reconcile God and men then for him that is God and man to do it God revealed himself divers wayes to the Fathers Heb. 1. 1. The manner of revealing Gods will is three-fold according to our three instruments of conceiving viz. Understanding Phantasie and Senses to the understanding God revealed his Will by engraving it in the heart with his own finger Ier. 31. 33. by Divine inspiration 2 Pet. 1. 21. 2 Chron. 15. 1. Heb. 8. 11. Iohn 14. 26. and by intellectual Visions Numb 11. 5. to the phantasie God revealed his Will by imaginary Visions to Prophets awake and by dreams to Prophets asleep Gen. 40. 8. 41. 8 9. Acts 16. 10. 10. 3. Numb 14. 4. to the Senses God revealed his Will and that either by Vision to the Eye or lively Voice to the Ear Gen. 3. 9. 4. 6. 15. 4 5. Exod. 20. 1 2. 3. 1 2 3. 33. 17. And lastly by writing This Revelation was sometimes immediate by God himself after an unspeakable manner or by means viz. Angels Urim and Thummim Prophets Christ himself and his Apostles The written Word for the Matter contained in it is called The word of God Rom. 9 6 for the manner of Record The Scripture John 10. 35. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 6. or Scriptures Matth. 22. 29. John 5. 39. Rom. 15. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 16. By an Antonomasie or an excellency of phrase as the most worthy writings that ever saw the light sometimes with an
Epithete The holy Scriptures Rom. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 15. The Scriptures of the Prophets Rom. 16. 26. Some think that Enoch the seventh from Adam wrote but Iude 14. speaketh only of his prophesying which might rather be by word of mouth then writing because our Saviour citing Scripture ever gives the first place to Moses and undertaking by the Scriptures to prove himself to be the Messiah that he ought to suffeâ— began at Moses Luke 24. 27. No doubt if there had been any more ancient then Moses our Saviour would have alledged it because all the Scripture that was before him was to give testimony of him The Author of the Scriptures was God himself they came from him in a special and peculiar manner commonly called inspiration which is an act of Gods Spirit immediately imprinting or infusing those notions into their brains and those phrases and words by which the notions were uttered 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by Divine inspiration or by inspiration of God Prophecy came not of old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved or carried by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. They did not write these things of their own heads but the Spirit of God did move and work them to it and in it 2 Sam. 23. 2. The spirit of the Lord spake by me that is did immediately guide me and tell me what matter to utter and in what words Stephen saith they resisted the Holy Ghost when they did disobey the Scriptures The Holy Ghost by the mouth of David and the mouth of Isaiah spake Acts 1. 16. 4. 25. 28. 25. The Inscriptions of many Prophetical Books and Epistles Apostolical run thus The word of the Lord which come to Hosea Amos Ioel Paul Peter Iames a servant of God and an Apostle of Christ. The Proeme that is set before divers Prophecies is this Thus saith the Lord and the Prophets inculcate that speech The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it because they would take off the thoughts of the people from their own persons and lift them up to consideration of God the chief Author It is all one to say The Scripture saith Rom. 4. 3. 10. 11. 11. 2. Gal. 4. 30. 1 Tim. 5. 10. and God saith Rom. 9. 25. Heb. 4. 3. 8. 5. 13. 5. and the word Scripture is put for God speaking in the Scripture The Scripture saith to Pharaâ—h Rom. 9. 7. and The Scripture hath shut up all men under sin Galat. 3. 22. for which in another place God hath shut up Rom. 11. 32. All other disciplines were from God and every truth whosoever speaks it is from the Holy Ghost but the Scripture in a singular manner is attributed to the Holy Ghost he immediately dictated it to the Holy men of God The efficient principall cause then of the Scripture was God the ten Commandments of which most of the rest is an exposition were written after a secret and unutterable manner by God himself therefore they are called the writings of God Exod. 32. 16. Secondly all the rest which was written though men were the instruments was done by his appointment and assistance Exod. 17. 14. â—sai 8. 1. Ier. 30 2. The Scripture is often attributed to the Holy Ghost as the Author and no mention is made of the Pen-men Heb. 10. 15. The Prophets and Apostles were the Pen-men of the Scripture whose Calling Sending and Inspiration was certainly Divine for whatsoever they taught the Church of God or left in writing they learned not before in the Schools 1 Cor. 2. 13. The Divine Authority of the Word may be defined a certain dignity and excellency of the Scripture above all other sayings or writings whatsoever whereby it is perfectly true in word and sense it deserves credit in all sayings narrations of things past present and to come threatnings and promises and as superiour doth binde to obedience if it either forbid or command any thing 1 Tim. 1. 15. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Iohn 5. 39. Heb. 6. 18. Rom. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 10. 5 6. 13. 3. 12. 12. Gal. 1. 1 12 13. though the things in mans judgement seem unlike or incredible or the Commandments hard and foolish to the carnal minde Hereticks have laboured to prove their corrupt and damnable opinions out of the Scripture and have received some books if not all as Divine The Turks at this day so esteem the five books of Moses as they will kisse such patches of Paper as they finde having any part thereof written in the same Aristaeus an Heathen when he had determined to have disputed against Scripture confesseth that he was forbidden by God in a dream Plato is termed Moses Atticus Moses speaking Greek The holy Scripture in it self is Divine and Authentical though no man in the world should so acknowledge it as the Sun in it self were light though all the men in the world were blinde and could not or would not see it but in respect of us it is Divine and Authentical when it is acknowledged and esteemed so to be The Scripture is the word of God written by holy men as they were inspired by the holy Ghost divinely containing all Divine Truth necessary to salvation for the edification and instruction of Gods Church thereunto and for the glory of God The holy Scriptures are that Divine Instrument and means by which we are taught to believe what we ought touching God and our selves and all creatures and how to please God in all things unto eternal life Robins Essayes 8th Observ. Divines have given almost fourty several Arguments to prove the Scriptures to be the word of God That the Scriptures were from God may appear by several Reasons 1. Intrinsecal taken out of the Scriptures themselves 2. Extrinsecal acts of God and works of providence about them 1. Intrinsecal 1. From the excellency of their matter which is heavenly the divine and supernatural matter contained in it It telleth us of such things as do far exceed the reach of mans reason and which it was impossible for any man to counterfeit and feign and which being told are so correspondent to reason that no man can see just cause to call them into question as the Doctrine of Creation of all things in six dayes the Doctrine of the fall of our first Parents the Story of the Delivering Israel out of Aegypt of the Delivering of the Law and ten Commandments the Doctrine of the incarnation of Christ Jesus of the Resurrection of the dead of the last Judgement of the life to come and of the Immortality of the soul for though this last was taught also by Philosophers yet it is so doubtfully and unperfectly handled by them in comparison of the delivering thereof in Scripture that it is apparent it was another Spirit which guided the teachers of it here then they were guided withall What Angel
Argument then the testimony of the Church which say they doth infallibly propound unto us what is to be believed what is not to be believed and Hermanus saith That the Scripture is no more worth then Aesops Fables without the testimony of the Church As in other Sciences there are alwaies some principles per se nota indemonstrabilia whence other things are proved so in Divinity all conclusions in point of belief and practice are proved by the Scripture The Scriptures prove themselves by their own natural light manifesting their divine original whence they are and their right meaning how they must be understood They are like light primum visibile which maketh all other things manifest and it self too by its own proper qualities 1. The Church rather depends on the Scripture which is an object not principle of Divinity the Church ought to be subject to Christ Ephes. 5. 24. the Scripture is the word of Christ Col. 3. 16. 2. All the words of the Scripture are words of truth Dan. 10. 21. some words of the Church are words of error Isa. 1. 21 24. 3. 8 9. 5. 13. But the authority of him that speaks alwaies truth is greater then of him who sometimes lies Ergo The Authority of the Scripture is greater then that of the Church Goodnesse it self cannot deceive wisdom it self cannot be deceived God is both Tit. 1. 2. The voice of the Scripture is the voice of God 2 Tim. 3. 16. but the voice of the Church is the voice of men Act. 14. 14. 15. 17. 17. 30. 3. Faith and a firm consolation in temptations ought to relie on a sure that is a divine foundation for every humane testimony is uncertain 4. In vain shall we dispute against the wicked concerning Religion and Divine truth if we shall say it comes from God because we affirm so 5. This is proved by Scriptures Iohn 5. 34 35. Christ in his Humiliation did not receive the testimony of Iohn much lesse will he receive the testimony of others now he is glorified Ioh. 5. 34 35 36. 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. 1 Ioh. 5. 9. 6. The Authority proving is greater more certain and more known then the conclusion proved by the same Authoritas probans is greater then probata The Papists to prove the Authority of the Church flie to the Scriptures For I demand Whence do we understand that the Church erres not in delivering the Canon of the Scripture they answer It is governed by the Holy Ghost and therefore cannot erre in it's decrees But how appears it that it is so governed alwaies They answer God hath promised it and then they alledge those places to prove it Obj. 1. The Church is ancienter then the Scripture because it was before Moses Ergo It hath greater Authority Ans. 1. The Prophets and Iohn Baptist were ancienter then Christ yet not of greater Authority 2. Consider the Word 1. Quoad formale externum as written and cloathed with words so the Church was before the Scripture 2. Quoad formale internum the matter and sense or meaning so the Scripture was more ancient than the Church because the Church is gathered and governed by it 1 Pet. 1 23. Ioh. 17. 20. Iam. 1 18. Semen semper sobole illa cujus est sâ—men antiquius esse necâ—sse est In the thing it self the being and substance of the Word was before the Church although in this circumstance and manner of being it was after Obj. 2. Non crederem Evangelio nisi me commoveret Ecclesiae Catholicae Authoritas saith Augustine Ans. These words saith Whitaker are so well known to the Papists that one can hardly exchange three words with them but they will produce them It is true indeed that we may at the first be much moved to receive and hearken to the Scriptures because the Church gives testimony of them as the woman of Samaria by her speeches of Christ was a means of moving the Samaritans to believe but when the men of Samaria had heard Christ himself speak They believed in him more for his own words then the womans Iohn 4. 39 41. In which sense those words of Augustine so frequently quoted by the Papists are to be interpreted Augustine spake this of himself being a Manichee when he was a Manichee he was first moved by the Authority of the Church to believe the Gospel His meaning is that he had uever believed the Gospel if the Authority of the Church had not been an introduction unto him not that his faith rested upon it as a final stay but that it caused him so farre to respect the Word of the Gospel to listen unto it and with a kinde of acquisite and humane faith to believe it that he was thereby fitted to a better illumination by force whereof he might more certainly believe it to be of God But that the testimony of one Father in one place in a matter of such consequence should be of that force it is strange We deny not the Ministery of the Church as an external means to move us to imbrace the Word of God but we deny the Authority of the Church to be the principal means When we call the Scriptures Canonical we call them not so passively because they are received into the Canon by men and accepted of but actively because they prescribe a Canon and Rule to us The Office of the Church in respect of the Scripture stands in four things 1. To distinguish Canonical Scripture from that which is not Canonical although the determination of the Church be not the only or chiefest cause why the Apocrypha are rejected 2. To be a faithful keeper of those Books which are inspired by God like a notary which keepeth publick writings 3. To publish declare and teach the truth as a Crier with a loud voice ought to pronounce the Kings Edicts but to pretermit adde or alter nothing Matth. 28. 19 20. Acts 8. 35. 1 Tim. 3. 15. This Church here is not that Church which the Papists make to be the Judge of controversies neither the Church representative which is a general Councel nor the Church virtual which they imagine to be the Pope but the Church Essential the Congregation of all faithfull believers The house of God as he calleth it The Apostle here speaks of a pillar not more Architectonico understanding by it some essential piece of the building but more forensi such a post or pillar on which Tables and Proclamations use to hang. In old time the Gentiles used to write their Laws in Tables and so hang them upon pillars of stone that the people might read them as Proclamations are nailed to Posts in Market Towns The Apostle describing the Church likeneth it to one of these Pillars whose use was to shew what hung thereon It is a Pillar not because it holds up but holds forth the truth as
Testimonies of the Coming Incarnation Miracles Preaching Life Passion Death and Resurrection of Christ that he seems rather to write a History of things past then to prophesie of things to come and one cals him the fifth Evangelist Hence saith Senensis our Lord Jesus Christ made choice of this among all the Prophets first of all to read publickly and expound in the Synagogue of his own Countrey and in the New Testament he is oftner cited then all the rest of the Prophets He began to prophesie in the year 3160 seven hundred years before Christ was born Uzziah the King of Iudah yet reigning and came to the last times of Hezekiah Isa. 1. 1. and 39. 3. therefore he was almost contemporary with Hosea Amos and Micah and finished the course of his life under four Kings of Iudah viz. Uzziah Iothan Achaz and Hezekiah The Hebrews say he was of the Blood-Royal and that he was sawed to death with a wooden saw by Manasseh an idolatrous King after he taught sixty years His Prophecy consists of sixty six Chapters The best Expositors of it are Calvin Scultetus Forerius Mollerus Ieremiah This Book was alwayes esteemed as Canonical and written by Ieremiah He prophesied under Iosiah Iehoahaz Ioachim and Zedekiah His Prophecy consists of fifty two Chapters He prophesied partly in the Land of Iudea and partly in the Land of Egypt In the Land of Iudea he prophesied 41 years and afterward four years in Egypt See Iackson on Ier. 7. 16. p. 4 5. The best Expositors of it are Bullinger Polanus Lamentations It is called in Hebrew Echa i. Quomodo because it begins with this word The LXX translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Lamentationes vel fletus for the Subject or Matter of it It contains sad and mourning complaints of the state of the Commonwealth of Israel into which it fell after the death of Iosiah It consists of five Chapters Nazianzen the Great never read this Book but he wept abundantly Ieremiah is thought to be the Author of it This was the last Prophet that the Lord sent to Iudah before the Captivity He was the fittest man to write a Book of Lamentations he had seen the City besieged stormed and sired the Temple destroyed great out-rage and cruelty committed The best Expositors of it are Peter Martyr and Udal Ezekiel Signifieth The strength of God or One strengthned by God He prophesied at the same time with Ieremiah Ezekiel in the City of Babylon Ieremiah at Ierusalem It consists of eight and fourty Chapters The best Expositors of it are Iunius Polanus and Villalpandus This Prophecy is full of Majesty obscurity and difficulty Calvin spent his last breath on this Prophet Daniel He wrote his Prophecy after the Captivity Chap. 1. 21. and 10. 1. while the visions are general and not dangerous to the Jews Daniel writeth in the Syriack tongue general over the East from Chap. 2. v. 4. to the eighth Chapter All the Chapters in Daniel from Chap. 2. 4. to the beginning of the eight are written in the Chaldee tongue and from the beginning of that Chapter to the end of the Book he writeth in Hebrew for the affairs that fell under the Chaldean Monarchy he registred in the Chaldee Tongue when the Kingdom was destroyed he wrote in his own native tongue the Hebrew Mr Lightfoot But when the oppressors are named the Medes and the Jews plainly described to be the people whom God defendeth then in the eighth Chapter and all after he writeth in Hebrew and hath a Commandment to keep close to the plain exposition in Chap. 1 2. 4. Some reckon Daniel among the Prophets but the Jews place it among the Hagiographa It consists of twelve Chapters the six first of which contain matters Historical the six last Prophetical The best Expositors of it are Polanus Iunius Willet Broughton Huit The Latines give the first place to the greater Prophets the Greeks to the lesser because there are many among them very Ancient Grotius The twelve lesser Prophets are so called because their Writings are briefer then the four first greater the Hebrews have them all in one Book the later Prophets spake more plainly precisely and distinctly touching the coming of the Messiah then the former Daneus Gualter Ribera Tarnovius and Drusius have done best on all the small Prophets Mercer and Livelie have done well on the five first of them Hosea Is the first among them whose Prophecy although it consist of more Chapters then Daniel yet the other is more prolix Hosheang noteth Salvator Saviour he is therefore so called because he published Salvation to the house of Iudah and spake of the Saviour of the world and was a Type of Christ our Saviour He prophesied before the Babylonish Captivity in the time of King Ieroboam under four Kings of Iudah Uzziah Iotham Achaz and Hezekiah and was contemporary as some say with Ionah 2 Kin. 14. 26. Isaiah Isa. 1. 1. Amos 1. 1. and Mic. 1. 1. all which prophesied destruction to the Kingdome of Israel It consists of fourteen Chapters The best Expositors of it are Zanchius Tremelius Paraeus Rivet and Livelie Diu vixit Osee Prophetam egit ut volunt Hebraei per annos 90 ita multos habuit Prophetas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut Isaiam Ioelem Amosum Abdiam Ionam Michâ—am ut notat Hieronymus Ioel He prophesied in the time of Hezekiah it consists of three Chapters which contain partly exhortation to repentance and partly comfort to the penitent Danaeus Paraeus Drusius and Livelie are the best Expositors of it Amos Of a Shepherd he was made a Prophet Chap. 1. 1. and 7. 14. He was contemporary to Isaiah and Hosea He prophesied to the Kingdom of Israel or the ten Tribes Chap. 1. 1. and 3. 1. and 4. 1. and 5. 1. He utters a few things concerning the Kingdom of Iudah chap. 2 4. and 6. 1. It consists of nine Chapters Danaeus Paraeus Livelie and Drusius are the best Interpreters of it Dr Bensiâ—ld hath done well on two Chapters Obadiah He was almost contemporary to Ieremiah It is but one Chapter D. Rainoldâ— hath well expounded this Prophecy The destruction of the enemies of the Church is handled in the sixteen first verses the Salvation thereof by the Ministery of Pastors in the five last Ionah He prophesied in the time of Ieroboam 2 King 14. 25. Ierom proves by the authority of the Hebrews that he was contemporary with Hosea and Amos. It consists of four Chapters Abbot and King have both commented well in English on this Prophecy Micah Humiliatus sic dictus Propheta ab insigni miranda humilitate He prophesied in the times of Iotham Ahaz and Hezekiah Kings of Iudah as appears by the inscription Chap. 1. 1. and was almost contemporary with Isaiah with whom he agreeth in many things He exceeds all the Prophets in this one thing that he determines the place
Apostles wrote in Greek which wrote peculiarly to the Jews as Iâ—mes and Peter Matthaeum Hebraiâ—è scripsisse convenit inter antiquos Citat Irenâ—um Origenem Athanasium Epiphanium Chrysostomum Hieronymum Vossius de genere Christi dissertat Scripsit Hebraea lingua quia praecipuè Iudaeorum quos viva voce hactâ—nus docuisset haberet rationem Id. ibid. Vide Grotium in libros Evangel It was needfull that the Gospel should be written by many First for the certainty Secondly for the perfection of it Amongst all the Evangelists there is a general Agreement and a sp 〈…〉 rence they all agree in the main scope and subject Christ they dâ—â—â—â—r in 〈…〉 al Argument and Order All describe the life of Christ some more largely some more briefly some more loftily some more plainly yet because all were inspired by the same spirrit they all have equal Authority The difference of Evangelists in some smaller matters proveth their consent in the greater to be the voice of Truth for had they conspired all together to have deceived the world they would in all things have more fully agreed The Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace is more plainly expounded the will of God and way to Salvation more plentifully set down in the New Testament then ever it was in the dayes of Moses or the Prophets and in these books of the New Testament all things are so established as to continue to the end so that we must not look for any new Revelation All these Books we receive as Canonical because they are Divine for matter and form divinely inspired by God sanctified and given to the Church for their direction written by the Apostles or Apostolical men sweetly conâ—enting with other parts of holy Scripture and with themselves received alwayes by the greatest part of the Church of God They were written after the death of Christ by the direction of the holy Ghost the Apostles by lively voice first preached because it was needful that the Doctrine of the Gospel should by their preaching as also by signs and wonders be confirmed against the contradictions and cavils of the Jews and Gentiles and be allowed by the assent of believers generally before it was committed to writing that we might be assured of the certainty of those things which were written These Books are acknowledged Canonical both by us and the Papists so that touching this matter there is no controversie between us and them Among the confest writings of the Scriptures attested by all and not contradicted by any The four Gospels are first to be placed and then the Story of the Acts of the Apostles See Euseb. Eccles. Hist. lib. 3. cap. 3 4. and lib. 5. cap. 8. and lib. 6. cap. 18. The Epistles doubted of by some for a while were first the Epistle to the Hebrews the Epistle of Iames the second Epistle of Peter the second and third Epistles of Iohn the Epistle of Iude and the Revelation of which I shall treat more when I come to handle the Books of the New Testament particularly The Story of the woman taken in Adultery hath met with very much opposition See Gregories Preface to his Notes upon some passages of Scripture Crojus defends the truth of it Observat. in Nov. Testam c. 17. Vide Seldeni uxorem Ebraicam cap. 11. The Inscriptions and Titles prefixed before the Epistles are no part of holy Scripture written by the Apostles but added to the Epistles by some others The Subscriptions and Postscripts also of divers Books are false counterfeit and erroneous not written by the Apostles but added afterward by the Scribes which copied out the Epistles The Subscriptions of the later Epistle to Timothy and also to Titus are supposititious they are neither found in the Syriack nor in all Greek Copies nor yet in the vulgar Latine translation these additions were made some hundred years after the Apostles The Canonical Books of the New Testament are either Historical Doctrinal or Prophetical 1. Historical containing matters of fact the History of 1. Christ exhibited in the four Evangelists or Gospels as they are stiled by God himself Mark 1. 1. Matthew Mark Luke and Iohn called Gospels because they contain a message of joy and gladnesse They all treat of one subject Christ Jesus incarnate are most true Historians Luk. 1. 2. Ioh. 21. 24. 2. His Apostles in the Acts written by Luke thirty years after Christs Ascention so termed of the principal subject of the History though the acts of others not Apostles are there recorded 2. Dogmatical or Doctrinal such as were written by the Apostles for the instruction of the Church of God in faith and manners commonly called Epistles and that by warrant of the Scriptures 1 Thes. 5. 27. 2 Pet. 3. 1 16. because they were sent to them who had already received and professed the Gospel of Christ. The Apostles being oft times unable to instruct by their personal Presence supplied that by writing Epistles These are one and twenty written 1. By Paul 1. To whole Churches 1. Gentiles To the Romans To the Câ—ninthians To the Galatians To the Ephesians To the Philippians To the Colossians To the Thessalonians 2. Jews To the Hebrews 2. To particular Persons 1. Timothy 2. Titus 3. Philemon 2. Iames one 3. Peter two 4. Iohn three 5. Iude one 3. Prophetical wherein under certain resemblances the state of the Church of Christ till the end of the world from the time of Iohn the Evangelist is most truly and wonderfully described and receiveth its name Apocalyps of the Argument Beza Piscator Calvin Erasmus Grotius have done well on all the New Testament Of the Papists Iansenius hath done well on the Harmony of the Lutherans Chemnitius and Gerhard of the Protestants Calvin Maldonate and De Dieu Cameron Scultetus and Grotius have done well likewise on the Evangelists Matthew and Iohn were Apostles of the twelve Mark and Luke Evangelists Apostle is a name of Office or Dignity It notes one sent from another with command in special certain famous Embassadours of Christ. The Evangelists were Comites vicarii Apostolorum they accompanied the Apostles in preaching the Gospel and had curam vicariam omnium Ecclesiarum as the Apostles had curam principalem The Title Evangelist is taken 1. For such as wrote the Gospel 2. For such as taught the Gospel and these were of two sorts either such as had ordinary places and gifts or such whose places and gifts were extraordinary such Evangelists were Timothy and Titus Smectymn Answ. to an Humble Remonstrance Sect. 13. Matthew There was never any in the Church which doubted of its Authority Some say he wrote in Hebrew but that is uncertain as hath been already declared He interprets the Hebrew name Emanuel Chap. 1. 23. and those words Câ— 27. 46. therefore it is likely he wrote not in Hebrew for why should one that writeth in Hebrew interpret Hebrew words to such as
for leaving out that Title in our English Bibles for it is well known that that Title is not given by the holy Ghost but by the Scholiast who took it from Eusebius General is a meer English term and of no doubtfull signification Catholick is both Greek and by their saying of double and therefore doubtfull signification The Syriack Interpreter hath this Inscription of these Epistles as Tremellius sheweth Tres Epistolae trium Apostolorum ante quorum oculos Dominus noster se transformavit id est Iacobi Petri Ioannis For the Syrians doe not esteem the second of Peter nor the second and third of Iohn nor the Epistle of Iude Canonical The Apostles Iames Peter Iohn and Iude have publisht seven Epistles as mystical as succinct both short and long short in words long in sense and meaning Iames For the difference which seems to be between Iam. 2. 21 22. and Rom. 4. 2. and 3. 28. most likely this Book was doubted of in ancient times as Eusebius and Ierom witnesse But yet then also publickly allowed in many Churches and ever since received in all out of which for the same cause Luther and other of his followers since him would again reject it Erasmus assents to Luther and Musculus agrees with them both in his Comment upon the fourth of the Romans both they of the Romish and we of the Reformed Church with one consent admit this Epistle for Canonical Vide Polani Syntagma I light upon an old Dutch Testament of Luthers Translation saith Whiâ—akâ—r against Raynolds with his Preface wherein he writeth that Iames his Epistle is not so worthy as are the Epistles of St Peter and Paul but in respect of them a strawen Epistle his censure I mislike and himself I think afterwards seeing these words in a later Edition are left out It is no where found in Luthers Works that he called the Epistle of Iames Inanem stramineam Edmund Campian was convicted of falshood about that in England where when he had objected that he could finde no such thing at any time in the Books he produced Some in the Preface of the German Edition say that Luther wrote that it cannot contend in dignity with the Epistles of Paul and Peter but is strawy if it be compared with them Which judgement of Luther we approve not of and it is hence manifest that it was disliked by him because these words are found in no other Edition from the year 1526. Luthers disciples now hold that it is Canonical and Apostolical and they answer the Arguments of those that are opposite thereto as we may see in the Exposition of that Article concerning the Scripture by that most learned and diligent man Iohn Gerard. Gravitatem ac zelum Apostolicum per omnia prae se fâ—rt saith Walther We may reply against the Papists who often object this opinion of Luthers that Cajetan their Cardinal denieth the Epistle to the Hebrews to be Canonical yea which is farre worse he affirmeth that the Author thereof hath erred not only in words but in the sense and meaning of the Scriptures Nay Cajâ—tan saith Whitaker rejected Iames second of Peter and second and third of Iohn and Iude. It consists of five Chapters Paraeus Laurentius Brochmand and Mr Manton have done best on it First of Peter This Epistle is called in the Title Catholical because it is not written to any one person as that of Paul to Timothy Titus and Philemon noâ— to any one particular Church as those of Paul to the Romans Corinths but to the converted of the Jews dispersed here and there as appears by the inscription It consists of five Chapters Gerhard Laurentius Gomarus and Dr Ames have expounded both these Epistles Bifield hath interpreted part of the first Epistle Second of Peter Some in the Primitive Church doubted of its authority and the Syriack hath it not but the Church generally allowed it and many reasons may perswade that it is Apostolical and was written by Peter 1. Because the Author of it expresly calleth himself Simon Peter the Apostle of Jesus Christ. He wrote it in his old-age to confirm them in the Doctrine which before he had taught them 2. It s inscription is to the same Jews that the former viz. dispersed by the Roman Empire and converted to Christ whose Apostle Peter was 3. It shews an Apostolical spirit 4. It s style and composition is agreeable to the former Epistle 5. The Author of this Epistle witnesseth that he was a spectator of the Transfiguration in the Mount Chap. 1. vers 16. now Peter together with Iames and Iohn were present with Christ. 6. He makes mention of the Former Epistle Chap. 3. v. 1. 7. He cals Paul his dear Brother Chap. 3. v. 15. It consists of three Chapters First of Iohn consists of five Chapters Second and third of Iohn They were also in times past doubted of by some as Erasmus Cajetan but there are good reasons to prove them Canonical 1. Their Author cals himself an Elder so doth Peter 1 Pet. 5. 1. by which name an Ecclesiastical Office is often signified but here age rather now it is manifest that Iohn came to a greater age then the rest of the Apostles 2. The salutation is plainly Apostolical Grace mercy and peace 3. In sentences and words they agree with the first Epistle 4. The Fathers alledge them for Iohns and reckon them among the Canonical Books Each of these Epistles is but a Chapter Iude This Epistle also in times past was questioned by some but that it is Apostolical first the inscription shews the Author expresly cals him a servant of Christ and brother of Iames. 2. The matter it agreeth both for words and sentences with the second of Peter of which it contains as it were a brief summe and recapitulation That the writer of the Epistle doth not call himself an Apostle is of no moment to infringe the authority thereof for the judgement of the writer is free in that case that Title was specially used by Paul and Peter Iames and Iohn quit the same Title yea Paul in his Epistles to the Philippians Thessalonians and Philemon doth not call himself an Apostle and yet those Epistles were never doubted of It is but one Chapter Willet and Mr Perkins have done well on it Revelation It is called according to the Greek Apocalyps and according to the Latine Revelation that is a discovery or manifestation of things which before were hidden and secret for the common good of the Church Eusebius l. 3. c. 17. saith Domitian cast Iohn the Evangelist into a fornace of scalding Oyl but when he saw he came forth unhurt he banished him into the Isle Pathmos where he writ this Revelation This Book describeth the state of the Church from the time of Iohn the last of the Apostles untill Christs coming again and especially the proceedings pride and fall of
and fourth of Maccabees as Thomas Aquinas Sixtus Senenfis Bellarmine and so the Councel of Trent confesse when they omit these and reckon up the whole Canon The state therefore of the controversie betwixt us and the Papists is Whether those seven whole Books with the Appendices be Sacred Divine Canonical We do not deny but many of these especially Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus are very good and profitable and to be preferred before all humane Tractates but that they are properly and by an excellency Canonical and of infallible truth out of which firm arguments may be drawn that we deny Those Books which the Jews of old and the Reformed Churches now reckon for truly Canonical in the Old Testament are received all even by our Adversaries for Canonical without any exception 2. For the Canonical Books of the New Testament there is no controversie between us and so far we agree but in the Old Testament whole Books are reckoned by them for Canonical which we hold Apocryphal The reason why these Books at first were added to holy Writ was this the Jews in their later times before and at the coming of Christ were of two sorts some properly and for distinction sake named Hebrews inhabiting Ierusalem and the holy Land others were Hellenists that is the Jews of the dispersion mingled with the Grecians These had written sundry Books in Greek which they made use of together with other parts of the Old Testament which they had in Greek of the Translation of the LXX when they now understood not the Hebrew but the Hebrews receive only the two and twenty Books before-mentioned Hence it came that the Jews delivered a double Canon of Scripture to the Christian Church the one Pure unquestioned and Divine which is the Hebrew Canon the other in Greek adulterate corrupted by the addition of certain Books written in those times when God raised up no more Prophets among his people Drus. praeterit l. 5. Annotat. ad Act. Apost c. 6. Jun. Animad in Bell. cont 1. lib. 1. c. 4. l. 2. c. 15. Sect. 21. Tertul in Apol c. 19. They are called Apocryphal i. secret and hidden not because the names of the writers are unknown by that reason Iudges and Ruth should be Apocryphal but because they were not wont to be read openly in the Church of God as the Canonical Books but secretly and in private by private persons or because their Authority was obscure and doubtful with the Ancient These Books our Church rejecteth as not written by Divine Inspiration for these reasons All the Canonical Books of the Old Testament were written by the Prophets but none of these Books were written by any of the Prophets for 1. The last of the Prophets of the Jews was Malachi Mal. 4. 4 5. between whom and Iohn Baptist came no Prophet Mark begins with the same words almost with which Malachi ended a good argument to prove that the New Testament is next to the Old But these Books were written by such who lived most of them after Malachi 2. All the Prophets wrote in Hebrew the language which the Jews understood but the Fathers affirm and Papists acknowledge that most of these Books were written in Greek Ergo being not written by the Prophets they are not Canonical 2. All the Books of the Old Testament were committed to the Jews and safely kept by them Rom. 3. 2. our Saviour Christ which reproved the Jews for corrupting the sense of the Scripture did yet never reprove them for rejecting those Books which were divinely inspired which sacriledge he would not have concealed yea our Saviour sendeth us unto the Scriptures as they received them Ioh. 5. 39. Ezra after the Captivity is reported to have gathered all the Books of holy Scripture and safely to lay them up If the Jews should have rejected or not received any Books being Canonical they had grievously erred which the Papists themselves will not affirm Yea there should have been some Canonical Books which no Church received for besides the Church of the Jews at that time there was none in the world The Canonical Books of the Old Testament were divided into Moses the Prophets and Psalms with which agreeth the old distribution of the Hebrews into the Law Prophets and Hagiographa 3. There are two wayes to know a Book to be Canonical one by the testimony of some Prophet or Apostle the other by the certain Testimony of them which did live when the Book was published who did witnesse that the Book was written by some Prophet or Apostle But these Books are known to be Canonical neither of these wayes they were rejected by the Jews who lived in the times when they were written our Saviour Christ nor his Apostles never commend these Books unto us as endited by the Spirit They are cited by Christ and his Apostles for the confirmation of their Doctrine All the Canonical Books in general Iohn 5. 39. and 10. 35. Rom. 16. 26 Luke 16. 29 31. and Chap. 24. 25 27 44. The most of all in special Genesis Matth. 19 4 5 6. Exodus Mat. 5. 21 27 33 38. Leviticus Gal. 3. 12. Numbers John 3. 14. Deuteronomy Acts 3. 22. Ioshua Heb. 11. 30 31. Iudges Heb. 11. 32. Ruth Mat. 1. 3. First of Samuel Matth. 12. 3. Second of Samuel Heb. 1. 5. First of Kings Mat. 12. 42. Second of Kings Luk. 4. 27. First of Chronicles Mat. 1. 3 7 10 13. Second of Chronicles Acts 7. 48. Ezra Matth. 1. 12 13. Iob 1 Cor. 3. 19. Psalms Act. 4. 25. Proverbs Heb. 12. 5 6 7. Isaiah Matth. 1. 23. Ieremiah Heb. 10. 16 17. Ezekiel Mat. 25. 35. Daniel Matth. 24. 25. All the lesser Prophets Acts 7. 42. and 15. 15 16. Hosea Mat. 12. 7. Ioel Act. 2. 12. Amos Act. 15. 16. Ionah Mat. 12. 40 41. Micah Mat. 10. 35. Nahum Rom. 10. 15. Habakkuk Rom. 1. 17. Haggai Heb. 12. 26. Zachary Matth. 21. 5. Malachi Luke 1. 16 17. These Books were not cited by Christ and his Apostles for confirmation of their Doctrine Object If they be not Canonical therefore because they are not cited then Nahum and Zephany are not Canonical Aratus Menander and Epimenides prophane Poets are Canonical because they are cited Acts 17. 28. 1 Cor. 15. 33. Titus 1. 12. Answ. They are not therefore not Canonical only because they are not cited but especially because they have not the characters of Divine Scripture 2. Nahum and Zephany are implicitely quoted when the Books of the Prophets are mentioned Acts 7. 41. and 15. 15 16. The Poets are not cited as Canonical but the Apostle applied himself to his hearers who did much esteem their authority Some have well concluded from Act. 10. 43. that the Apocrypha are not to be received as Canonical Scripture because they testifie not of Christ. 4. Those Books which contain manifest untruths contrary to the Word of God and the Books of holy
Scripture were not inspired of God for as God is true so is his Word Ioh. 17. 17. sweetly agreeing with it self and every part with other these Books commend false things as true and approve things evil as right Iudith Chap. 9. v. 2. commends killing the Sichemites against Gen. 49. 6 7. 2 Maccab. 14 42. Razis is commended for killing himself the fact is not only related but commended also in these words nobly manfully and this commendation doth plainly shew that the Author thereof was not inspired of God When the Dâ—natists out of this Book urged that it was lawful for them to kill themselves as Razis did Augustine then was forced to acknowledge That the Authority of this Book was uncertain and questionable and proves it by the judgement of the Jewish Church Christ and the Christians Manifest Fables are told in some of them for true Histories as that of Toby Iudith Bel and the Dragon If any desire a particular confutation of the several Books of the Apocrypha I commend to his reading that learned Treatise of Dr Raynolds de libris Apocryphis who hath so exactly handled this subject that to write of it after him were to write Iliads after Homer or to draw a line after Apelles 5. The most ancient Fathers and Councels which lived the best and first five hundred years after Christ rejected the same Books which we doe Ierome on Matth. 23. saith concerning a Testimony cited out of the Apocrypha Hoc quoniam ex Scriptura nihil habet authoritatis eadem facilitate rejicitur qua profertur Because this hath no authority out of Scripture it may as easily be rejected as it is offered All that the Papists object for these Books in the general is That the third Councel at Carthage the Florentire Councel and that of Trent do approve the said Books to be Canonical as also Augustine and Innocentius To which it may be answered 1. That the Councel of Carthage was but a Provincial Councel and therefore it cannot binde the whole world Moreover in that Councel there are divers things which the Papists will not endure as in the 26 Canon there is a Decree that no Bishop shall be called chief or universal Bishop no not the Bishop of Rome how should the Papists binde us with the authority of that Councel with which they will not binde themselves 2. The Latine Fathers judged these Books fit to be read for example of life and instruction of manners but not for confirmation of faith or establishing any Doctrine 3. These Books are not Proto-canonical truly and properly Canonical inspired by God containing the immediate and unchangeable truth of God sanctified by him and given to the Church to be a perfect rule of sound doctrine and good life but Deutero-canonical or rather Ecclesiastical as they are styled In this sense Augustine and Innocentius are to be taken when they reckon these Books among the Canonicall 4. No Councel hath Authority to define what Books are Canonicall what not seeing Books truely Divine receive Authority from God himself and are to be esteemed of undoubted truth although all the world should bark against them These two Councels are of too late standing to oppose against the other ancient Councels which reject these Books The Councel of Trent was gathered and kept against all Civil and Ecclesiastical Right neither was there any forme of justice observed in it 1. It was not kept in a lawfull place for whereas it was intended against the Protestants and the Germans were the parties accused it ought to have been kept in Germany according to the request exhibited by the Body of the States of Germany assembled at Noremberg this equity was not observed the parties accused being called into Italy 2. In that Councel matters were concluded and the sentence passed the adversary not being heard speak nor so much as present for the Protestants might not be admitted to hearing neither could they obtain to propound their opinion in the Councel much lesse to avouch it by lawfull reasoning Sleidan fol. 29. and yet were condemned against Divine and Humane Law for they both forbid the condemning of any before he have lawfull liberty granted him to plead for himself 3. In that Councel the Accuser and Judge were the same for the Pope did accuse the Protestants of Heresie he did convocate the Councel he by his Delegates was President and Moderator in it and so together was Accuser Judge and Witnesse whereas the Reformation of the Pope was the thing in question Lastly All Councels ought to be free but in this Protestants might not propound their cause nor defend it neither might any thing be proposed but according to the minde of the Legates or otherwise then they approved no man had any voice in the Councel but such as were sworn to the Pope nothing was there determined which was not first concluded of at Rome by the Pope in the Colledge of Cardinals and sent from Rome to Trent whereupon this Proverb arose Spiritum Sanctum Roma per peram mitti Tridentum The holy Ghost came to Trent packt up in a Cloke-bag We hope therefore since the Apocrypha are justly rejected out of the Canon that hereafter they will neither have the honour to be bound with our Bibles nor read in our Churches The Apocrypha was never received by the Church of the Israelites before Christ his coming nor of the Apostolick and Primitive Church for more then three hundred years after as both Eusebius out of Origen and the Councel of Laodicea Can. 59. confirmed afterward by the sixth general Councel of Constantinople sheweth for the Greek Church and St Ierom for the Latine CHAP. VI. Of the Authentical Edition of the Scripture NOw we must enquire which is the Authentical Edition of holy Scriptures it being necessary that this heavenly truth committed to writing should be delivered in some form of words and in some language which may be understood Lawyers from whom the use of the word Authentick seemeth borrowed do call those instruments and writings Authentick which have a certain and just authority in themselves A Book or writing is Authentick either by Divine or humane institution those are by Divine Appointment and Institution authentical which have from God sufficient and absolute Authority to command and approve themselves worthy credit and faith in as much as God himself doth approve them by humane Institution such writings are held authentical which by the opinion and sentence of learned men in their several professions may be esteemed worthy credit and belief for themselves and for the truth in them There is a great diversity of Editions of holy Scripture all cannot be simply and perpetually Authentical in of and for themselves without reference unto another no more then many draughts of the same Lease or Deed or copy of one pardon can be Some amongst many are authentick whence the others are transcribed yea
must not understand the Apostle as if he commanded us to be Temporizers or to apply our selves to the corrupt customs and manners of the times but to keep time in all our actions and do them in the fittest season as Col. 4. 5. Ephes. 5. 16. Object Erasmus the best Translator of all the later by the judgement of Beza saith That the Greek sometimes hath superfluities corruptly added to the Text of holy Scripture as Matth. 6. the Doxology For thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory for ever and ever He calleth these words trifles rashly added to the Lords Prayer and reprehends Valla for blaming the old vulgar Latine because it hath them not Tertullian Cyprian Ambrose Ierom and Augustine do expound the Lords Prayer and yet make no mention of these words Beza confesseth it to be Magnifiâ—um illam quidem longè sanctissimam a most high and holy form of expression sed irrepsisse in contextum quae in vetustissimus aliquot codicibus Graecis desit it is not to be found in that vetustissimus codex by Beza to the University Library of Cambridge that Copy perhaps was corrupted by the Hereticks It is not presently trifles whatsoever Erasmus or any other man shall reject out of the Greek Copy under that name and yet they do Erasmus wrong to say that he called that part of the Lords Prayer trifles absolutely for he stiles it so conditionally if it be not part of the Ancient Text. 2. If Erasmus had understood that that passage had been taken out of the Book of Chronicles written by the pen of the holy Ghost he would no doubt have taken heed how he had called this conclusion of the Lords Prayer Trifles for it appeareth manifestly that this sentence was borrowed from David 1 Chron. 29. 11. with some abridgment of the Prophets words 3. That cannot be superfluous without the which we should not have had a perfect form of Prayer for since Prayer standeth as well in praising of God and thanksgiving as in petitions and requests to be made unto him it is evident that if this conclusion had been wanting there had wanted a form of that Prayer which standeth in praise and thanksgiving 4. If to give a substantial reason of that which goeth before be superfluous then this conclusion may be so 5. For confirmation of this reading we may alledge besides the consent of the Greek Copies the Syrian interpretation which is very Ancient Chrysostom Theophylact and Euthymius expound it The Lords Prayer in Luke is perfect in respect of the Petitions yet nothing hindereth but that in Matthew might be added the confirmation and conclusion Matthew hath many other things in his Gospel which Luke hath not Salmeron reproves Cajetan for calling this Multiloquium since there is a notable confession of four Properties of God his Kingdom Power Glory and Eternity I should now shew That neither the Translation of the Seventy nor of the Vulgar Latine are Authentical but there are two Questions of great moment first to be discussed The first is Whether any Books of the Scripture be lost The second Whether the Scripture of the Old Testament was punctata from the beginning To the first Question That we may give a right answer we must distinguish of the Books of Scripture some were Historical Ethical or Physical others Dogmatical The former might perish and fall away but not the later Therefore that common Objection of divers Books mentioned in the Old Testament whereof we finde none so entituled in the Canon thereof is easily answered Either they were Civil and Commonwealth Stories whether the Reader is referred if it like him to reade the Stories more at large which the Prophets touched shortly or else they are contained in the Books of the Kings which are manifesâ—ly proved to be written by divers Prophets in their several ages wherein they prophesied Salomons Books which he wrote of general Philosophy fell away but all the other Books of the Scripture do still remain First They are all of God all whose works remain for ever therefore the holy Scriptures being not only his handy-work but as it were the chief and Master-work of all other must have a continual endurance Secondly They all are written generally for our instruction and more particularly for Admonition and Warning for Comfort and Consolation unlesse we will say that God may be deceived in his Purpose and End wherefore he ordained them it must needs be that it must continue whatsoever hath been written in that respect Thirdly If the Lord have kept unto us the whole Book of Leviticus and in it the Ceremonies which are abolished and whereof there is now no practice because they have a necessary and profitable use in the Church of God * how much more is it to be esteemed that his providence hath watched over other Books of the Scripture which more properly belong unto our times Fourthly Let us hear the Scripture it self witnessing of its own Authority and Durableness to all Ages Moses thus writeth of it The secret and hidden things remain to the Lord our God but the things that are revealed to us and our children for ever David also professeth That he knew long before that the Lord had founded his testimonies for evermore But our Saviour Christs testimony is of all other most evident That Heaven and Earth shall passe but that his word cannot passe And yet more vehemently That not one jot or small letter of his Law can passe untill all be fulfilled Rom. 15. 4. therefore none of those which were written for that end are lost Origen in Praefat. in Cant. Canticorum Augustin lib. 18. de Civitate Dei cap. 38. thought it could not neither stand with the Divine Providence nor with the honour of the Church that any Canonical Books and given for such to the Church should be lost Of this opinion are many worthy modern Divines Iunius Chamierus tom 1. lib. 9. cap. 5. Polanus Wendelinus Waltherus Spanhemius Cartwright Gerardus in exegesi loci primi de Scripturasacra cap. 6. Joh. Camero Tomo 3. in Praelectionibus de verbo Dei cap. 15. Rivetus in Isagoge ad S. Script cap. 6. in summa Controversiarum Tom. 1. Tract 1. Quaest. 1. Altingius But Chrysostom and Whitaker also Bellarmine l. 4. de verbo Dei cap. 4. Gretzerus and Becanus hold that some Canonical Books are lost I rather subscribe to the judgement of the former Reverend Divines who held the contrary The second Question is Whether the Scripture of the Old Testament was punctata from the beginning or Whether the Hebrew Text had Vowels or Points from the beginning as now it hath Controversiam de punctorum antiquitate vel novitate inter viros eruditos disceptatam non attingo Sententia utraque suos habet assertores magni quidem nominis Cevalerius Buxtorfius Marinus Iunius and other very godly and learned men
he followeth it for the most part and preferreth it before all the rest Maxima ex parte amplector caeteris omnibus antepono He speaks of the New Testament onely and of that Latine Translation of the New Testament in comparison of all other Latine Translations which were before him as Erasmus Castalion and such like These places may serve to shew that the vulgar Latine is corrupt no Book being entire or free from error Isidore Clarius Brixianus praefat in Biblia a great learned man of their own affirmeth That it hath 8000 places in which the sense of the Holy Ghost is changed Since the Councel of Trent two Popes have set forth this vulgar Edition diversly which of these shall be received as authentical How often do the Papists leave the vulgar in all their controversies when it is for their advantage so to do it is a matter ordinary with them and needless to be proved There is no Edition Ancienter then the Hebrew if the Latine hath been used a 1000 years in the Church the Hebrew hath been used almost 3000 years the Chaldee Arabick Syriack and Greek Editions also have been used above a 1000 years and so should be authentique by the Papists Argument Having spoken of the authority of the Scriptures the Canonical Books and the authentical Editions I now go on to treat of the end of the Scripture its adjuncts or properties fitted to that end and Interpretation of Scripture The end of the Scripture comes next to be considered of this I have spoken somewhat afore but shall now inlarge my self The end of the Scripture is considered 1. In respect of God 2. In respect of us In respect of God the end of the Scripture is a glorifying of him Iohn 7. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 6. by it we may learn to know love and fear him and so be blessed The glory of God is the chief end of all things Prov. 16. 4. In respect of us The end of the Scripture is 1. Intermediate Temporal Edification which is fitly referred to five principal uses The two first respect the minde the other three the heart will and affections It is profitable for Doctrine it serves to direct to all saving truth nothing is to be received as a truth necessary to salvation but what is proved out of Scripture Where that hath not a tongue to speak I must not have an ear to hear Hoc quia de scripturis non habet autoritatem eadem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur Hieron 2. Reproof or Confutation to refute all errors and heterodox opinions in Divinity By this sword of the Spirit Christ vanquished Satan Mat. 4. 4. 7. 10. by the Scripture he opposed the Jews Iohn 5. 45. 46. 47. 10. 34. by this he refuted the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 9. 13. and 22. 1. Luke 10. 25 26. 27. Matth. 19. 34. and 21. 12 13. the Sadduces Matth. 22. 29. Thus Apollus convinced the Jews who denied Jesus to be the Christ Acts 18. 28. Thus the Apostles convinced those which urged Circumcision and the observation of the Jewish Law Acts 15. 15. Hâ—reticks are to be stoned with Scripture-Arguments Lapidandi sunt Heretici sacrarum literarum argumentis Athanasius By this Austin refuted the Pelagians Irenaeus the Ualentinians Tertullian the Mareionites Athanasius the Arrians 3. Correction of iniquity setting straight that which is amiss in manners and life 4. Instruction to righteousness Instruunt Patriarchae etiam errantes Basil saith The Psalms are a common Store house and Treasury of good Instruction The Title of the 32 and some other Psalms is Maschil that is A Psalm of Instruction 5. Comfort in all troubles Psal. 19. 8. and 119. 50. and 92. the Greek word for Gospel signifieth glad-tidings The Promises are the Christians best Cordials as Gods Promises are the rule of what we must pray for in faith so they are the ground of what we must expect in comfort All things which belong to the Gospel are comfortable 1. God the Author of the Gospel and revealed in it is the God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1. 3. 2. Jesus Christ the Subject of the Gospel is called Consolation in the abstract Luke 2. 25. 3. The Holy Ghost which breathes in the Gospel is called The Comforter Iohn Chap. 15. 16. 4. The Ministers or Ambassadors of the Gospel are the Messengers of peace and comfort 2. Ultimate and chiefest our Salvation and Life eternal Iohn 5. 39. and 20. 31. 2 Tim. 3. 15. It will shew us the right way of escaping hell and attaining Heaven It will shew us what to believe and practise for our present and eternal happinesse This was Gods aim in causing the Scripture to be written and we shall finde it fully available and effectual for the ends for which it was ordained by God CHAP. VIII Of the Properties of the Scripture THe properties which the Scripture must have for the former end are these It is 1. Of Divine Authority 2. True and Certain 3. The rule of Faith and Manners 4. Necessâ—ry 5. Pure and Holy 6. Sufficient and Perfect 7. Perspicuous and Plain 1. It s of Divine Authority we must believe it for its own sake It is Divine 1. In its Efficient cause and Original which is God the Father dictating in his Son declaring and publishing by his holy Spirit confirming and sealing it in the hearts of the faithful He wrote the Decalogue immediately with his own finger and commanded the whole Systeme and all the parts of Scripture to be written by his servants the Prophets and Apostles as the publique Actuaries and Pen-men thereof therefore the authority of the Scripture is as great as that of the Holy Ghost who did dictate both the matter and words Those speeches are frequent The Lord said and The mouth of the Lord hath spoken 2. In the subject matter which is truth according to godliness certain powerful of venerable antiquity joyned with a sensible demonstration of the Spirit and Divine presence and with many other things attesting its Divine Authority Whence it follows that the Authority of the Holy Scriptures is 1. Infallible which expresseth the minde and will of God to whom truth is essential and necessary 2. Supreme and Independent into which at last all faith is resolved from which it is not lawful to appeal By which singular authority the Scripture is distinguished both from all prophane and Sacred writings and Paul honors it with this Elogie A faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1. 15. A more sure word 2 Pet. 1. 19. the Comparative for the Superlative in which there is no doubting and uncertainty but all things firm As God is Iehovah of himself so is his word Authoritative of it self and is true and to be obeyed whether thou think it Scripture or no. There is no higher authority for thee to appeal to it is above opinions of men conscience and therefore it must
infallible ground there is none such of supernatural truth but the Scripture Because our Adversaries do contend for Traditions not written hotly and zealously against the total perfection of the Scripture that they might thrust upon us many points by their own confession not contained in Scripture and usurp to themselves irrefragable authority in the Church it shall not be amisse largely to consider of this matter And first to enquire of the signification of the words Greek and Latine which are translated Tradition and then to come to the matter which is controverted between us and the Papists The Greek word signifying Tradition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the New Testament is used onely in these places Matth. 15. 2 3 6. Mark 7. 3 5 8 9 13. 1 Cor. 11. 2. Gal. 1. 14. Colos 2. 8. 2 Thess. 2. 15. and 3. 6. and in the vulgar Latine is rendred Traditio Mat. 15. 2 3 6. Mark 7. 3 5 8 9 13. Gal. 1. 14. Col. 2. 6. 2 Thess. 2. 15. and 3. 6. and Praecepta 1 Cor. 11. 2. Whereto the Rhemists translation which seemeth to be but a bare translation of the Vulgar Latin doth wholly agree using the word Tradition every where excepting 1 Cor. 11. 2. where they use the word Pâ—ecepts but set in the margent the word Tradition Arias Montanus in his interlineal Translation doth render it Traditio Beza doth commonly express it by the word traditio In the English Geneva Bible we translate it by the word Instruction Tradition calling mens precepts Traditions the Apostles Doctrine Ordinances or Instructions not that we feared the word Tradition but because we would not have the simple deceived as though the unwritten verities of the Papists were thereby commended or as though we had some honourable conceit of them and what we did herein the signification of the word doth give us free liberty to do in our last English Translation we use the word Tradition as often as the Vulgar Latine or the Rhemists have done not that we were driven by fear or shame to alter what was done before but because we would cut off all occasion of carping at our Translation though never so unjust First We contend not about the name Tradition the word may lawfully be used if the sense affixed thereto be lawful 2. All Traditions unwritten are not simply condemned by us 3. The Apostles delivered by lively voice many observations dispensable and alterable according to the circumstances of time and persons appertaining to order and comelinesse only we say That they were not of the substance of Religion that they were not general concerning all Churches 4. We receive the number and names of the Authors of Books Divine and Canonical as delivered by tradition but the Divine Truth of those Books is in it self clear and evident unto us not depending on the Churches Authority The Books of Scripture have not their Authority quoad nos from the approbation of the Church but win credit of themselves and yield sufficient satisfaction to all men of their Divine Truth whence we judge the Church that receiveth them to be led by the Spirit of God yet the Number Authors and Integrity of the parts of those Books we receive as delivered by Tradition 5. The continued practice of such things as are neither expresly contained in Scripture nor the example of such practice expresly there delivered though the Grounds Reasons and cause of the necessity of such practice be there contained and the benefit and good that followeth of it we receive upon Tradition though the thing it self we receive not for Tradition Of this sort is the Baptism of Infants which may be named a Tradition because it is not expresly delivered in Scripture that the Apostles did baptize â—nfants nor any expresse precept there found that they should so do yet is not this so received by bare and naked Tradition but that we finde the Scripture to deliver unto us the ground of it Bellarmine and Maldonat both do confesse That the Baptism of Infants may be proved by the Scripture and therefore Maldonat concludes Nobis verò traditio non est Bellarmine as Whitaker shews contradicts himself for first he saith That the Baptism of Infants is an unwritten Tradition and after That the Catholicks can prove Baptism of Infants from the Scriptures To this head we may referre the observation of the Lords-day the precept whereof is not found in Scripture though the practice be And if for that cause any shall name it a Tradition we will not contend about the word if he grant withall that the example Apostolical hath the force of a Law as implying a common equity concerning us no lesse then it did them If any man shall call the summary comprehension of the chief heads of Christian Doctrine contained in the Creed commonly called The Apostles Creed a Tradition we will not contend about it For although every part thereof be contained in Scripture yet the orderly connexion and distinct explication of those principal Articles gathered into an Epitome wherein are implied and whence are inferred all Conclusions Theological is an Act humane not divine and in that sense may be called a Tradition But let it be noted withall that we admit it not to have that credit as now it hath to be the Rule of Faith for this is the priviledge of holy Scripture The Creed it self was gathered out of Scripture and is to be expounded by the Scripture therefore it is not given to be a perfect Canon of faith and manners By Tradition is noted 1. Whatsoever is delivered by men divinely inspired and immediately called whether it be by lively voice or by writing 2. In special it notes the word of God committed to writing 1 Cor. 15. 3. 3. It signifies Rites expresly contained in writing Act. 6. 14. 4. It betokens that which is not committed to writing but only delivered by lively voice of the Apostles 5. It signifieth that which is invented and delivered by men not immediately called In Scripture Tradition is taken 1. In good part for any Rite or Doctrine of God delivered to his Church either by word or writing whether it concern faith and good works or the external Government of the Church 2 Thess. 2. 15. 1 Cor. 11. 15. and 23. 2. In ill part it noteth the vain idle and unwarrantable inventions of men whether Doctrine or Rites Mat. 15. 3. Mar. 7. 8 9. When the Fathers speak reverently of Traditions by the word Tradition either they understand the holy Scripture which also is a Tradition it is a Doctrine left unto us Or by Traditions they understand observations touching Ecclesiastical policy Du Moulin Reasons confirming the sufficiency of Scripture against Popish Traditions 1. The whole Church is founded upon the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles which were not true if any Doctrine was necessary to Salvation not revealed by the Prophets and Apostles 2.
place part whereof consisteth in the Story part in the Allegory So that the whole sense is contained in them both So for the second example of the Tropological There is not a two-fold sense of that place but one general sense that as the mouth of the Ox was not to be muzled so the Minister of the Gospel must be provided for Likewise of the Anagogical kinde It is not one sense to understand the rest of Canaan another the Kingdom of God But there is one whole sense that as they for their Idolatry were deprived of the Land of promise so we should take heed least by our disobedience we lose the hope of the Kingdom of heaven So we conclude that those are not divers senses but one sense diversly applied The literal sense is the only sense of the place because out of that sense only may an argument strongly be framed wherefore seeing Allegories and Tropes do not conclude they are not the senses of the place and Allegories devised beside the sense prove not though they may illustrate It is manifest that is always the sense of the holy Ghost which is drawn from the very words But we are not so certain concerning any mystical sense unlesse when the holy Ghost himself teacheth us as for example it is written Hos. 11. 1. Out of Egypt have I called my Sonne and Exod. 12. 46. Ye shall not break a bone of him It is evident that the first place is understood of the people of Israel the later of the Paschal Lamb. Who durst have applied those things to Christ unlesse the holy Ghost had first done it and declared his minde and meaning to us viz. That Son in the first place doth not only signifie the people of Israel but Christ also and by bone in the later place not only the bone of that Lamb but of Christ also is understood Secondly To whom the chief Authority to expound Scripture is committed It was decreed in the Councel of Trent That Scripture should be expounded as the Church expoundeth it and according to the common and unanimous consent of the Fathers If the Fathers agree not the matter is referred to a generall Councel If there it be not determined we must have recourse to the Pope and his Cardinals We say also that the Church is the Interpreter of Scripture and that this gift of interpreting resides only in the Church but we deny that it belongs to certain men or is tied to a certain place or succession of men The Ministry of judgement the Lord hath given to his Church 1 Cor. 2 15. and 10. 15. 1 Ioh. 4. 1. Act. 15. 16. 2 Cor. 14. 29 31 32. but the Soveraignty of judgement he hath reserved to himself The holy Scripture knows not the ancient Fathers acknowledge not as long as we have the Scripture there needs not any such standing Judge in the Church These three things Mr Down proves in his not consent of Fathers but Scripture the ground of faith p. 261. to 266. The holy Ghost is the Judge and the Scripture is the sentence or definitive Decree We acknowledge no publick Judge except the Scripture and the holy Ghost teaching us in the Scripture He that made the Law should interpret the same 1 Cor. 1. 12. 1 Ioh. 2. 27. Arguments brought by the Papists for their opinion Object 1. They object that place Exod. 18. 13 26. Answ. Moses was a Prophet indued with singular wisdom adorned by God with extraordinary gifts sent immediately by him and commended by Divine Testimonies to the people the Pope is not so He had chiefest Authority from God over all the Israelites but the Pope hath not so over all Christians Moses his Authority was extraordinary no man succeeded in his place Ioshua was a Captain only or Judge in Civil things Aaron only a Priest to administer in things sacred but Moses exercised both functions Object 2. They urge that place Deut. 17. 9. Answ. Here the Civil Magistrate and the Judge are joyned together as vers 12. If it will follow hence that the Pope must be Supreme Judge in all Ecclesiastical matters the Emperor ought to be as well in Civil 2. The Pope doth not hold the same place among Christians that the high-Priest did among the Jews For he was the chiefest having all the rest of the Priests subject to him but the Pope is one amongst all having collegues many Bishops as at first or a few Patriarchs as after Object 3. Eccl. 12. 11. If the chief Pastor in the Old Testament had such authority much more the chief Priest in the New Answ. This one Pastor signifieth neither the High-Priest in the old Law nor the Pope in the new but Jesus Christ the high Shepherd for our souls Object Matth. 6. 19. Christ saith to Peter To thee will I give the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven Therefore the Pope hath Authority to expound Scripture Answ. First By the Keyes here is meant Commission to preach the Gospel not Authority of interpreting the Scriptures When the Gospel is preached the Kingdome of Heaven is opened to the Beleevers and shut to the unbeleevers Secondly That Authority of the Keys was not committed to Peter only but to the other Apostles also Mat. 28. 18 19. There is a two-fold Judgement 1. Of Discretion 1 Cor. 10. 15. 2. Of Authority as the Parliament judgeth capital crimes If the Papists understand the word Iudge to signifie Discerning as when we judge of meats by the taste every faithful person ought to pray unto God for grace to judge to discern and to know the true sense of the Scripture But if by judging they understand to pronounce Decrees definitive and infallible Judgements touching the sense of the Scriptures thereby to binde other mens consciences there is no man in the world that hath that power See Moulins Buckler of Faith We have a more compendious way to come to the understanding of the Scripture It were too long when we doubt of any place to stay till we have the general consent of the Pastors of the Church or to expect a general Councel or to go up to Rome But the word of God is amongst us the Scriptures themselves and the Spirit of God opening our hearts do teach us how to understand them And yet we say not as the Papists falsâ—y charge us that we allow every private mans Interpretation of Scripture refusing the judgement of the Pastors of the Church Panoruitan saith The opinion of one godly man ought to be preferred before the Popes if it be grounded upon beâ—ter authority of the Old and New Testament 2 Pet. 1. 20. No prophecy of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation Stapleton saith Iuterpretation is private either Ratione personae when the man is prviate or Ratione medii when it is not taken out of the Context and Circumstances or Ratione finis when it is for a false end Now private Interpretation in regard of
cleaving fâ—rmly unto God The ninth and last question concerning Angels is How can they be happy in enjoying Gods face and yet be on the earth Matth. 18. 10. By heaven there is not meant the place but their heavenly estate and condition Now though they go up and down doing service yet this hinders not their happinesse for they do not this with distraction and these things are appointed as means for the end viz. enjoying of God and as the soul is not hindred in its happiness by desiring the body again so it is here 1. We should imitate the Angels 2. It shews us how much we are beholding to Christ no Angels could love us if it were not for him How much are we to love God who hath provided helps for man especially Christ who took our nature upon him not that of Angels Gods Angels are our Angels to defend and keep us God hath committed the care of us to these ministring Spirits 3. It shews the wofull condition of the impenitent when Christ shall come with all these Angels when those great shouts shall be Come thou swearer drunkard how terrible will this be The more potent God is in Himself and in his Ministers the more wretched are they and the surer is their destruction 4. This confutes the Papists in three errours 1. In that they hold nine orders of Angels They are distinguished ratione objectorum officiorum in respect of the object and message they go about 2. They would have them worshipped but the Angel forbad Iohn 3. They say every one hath his good Angel to keep him so Bucan thinks in his Common places 2. The Saducees who said there was neither Angel nor Spirit Acts 24. 8. but held good Angels only to be good thoughts and evil angels to be evil lusts and affections Their names offices actions apparitions shew plainly that they are not bare qualities but true substances It serves for instruction 1. To see the blindness and erroneousness of mankinde in that a great number of men of learning and wit and parts good enough and that such as lived in the Church and acknowledged the five books of Moses to be divine should yet make a shift to wink so hard as to maintain that there were no Angels What falsehood may not the devil make a man entertain and defend and yet seem not to deny the Authority of Scripture if a man confessing Moses writings to be true will yet deny that there be either Spirits or Angels which are things so plainly revealed by Moses that a man would account it impossible to receive his writings and not confess them But if God leave man to the devil and his own wit he will make him the verier fool because of his wit and he will erre so much the more palpably by how much he seems better armed against errour even as a mans own weapon beaten to his head by a farre stronger arm will make a deep wound in him See we our aptness to run into and maintain false opinions and let us not trust in our own wits but suspect our selves and seek to God for direction Secondly Let us learn humility from this and by comparing our selves with these excellent Spirits learn to know how mean we be that we may be also mean in our own esteem So long as a man compares himself with those things and persons which are baser then himself he is prone to lift up himself in his own conceit and to think highly of himself but when he doth weigh himself in the balance with his betters he begins to know his own lightness The Lord hath set us men in the midst as it were betwixt the bruit beasts and the celestial Spirirs we do so far exceed them as the Angels exceed us as for bodily gifts the beasts in many things go beyond us some are more strong swift have more excellent sight and smell then we but in few things do we equal the Angels They are swifter and stronger then we and their excellent reason goes beyond ours in a manner as the understanding which is in us excelleth the fancy of the beasts they know a thousand things more then we do or can know One Angel can do more then all men can speak more languages repeat more histories in a word can perform all acts of invention and judgement and memory farre beyond us Thirdly Since God hath made Angels to serve and attend him should not we that are far inferiour to them be content also to serve him yea exceeding glad and thankful that he will vouchsafe to admit us into his service Doth he need our service that is served with such Ministers and Messengers Let us frame our selves to obedience and do Gods will on earth with all readiness and cheerfulness seeing there is so great store of more worthy persons in heaven that do it An Angel will not esteem any work too difficult or base why should we Fourthly The Angels which wait about the throne of God are glorious and therefore the Lord himself must needs excell in glory Isa. 6. 1 2. Ezek. 1. 28. Of the Devils or evil Angels The Angels which persisted in the truth are called good Angels Luke 9. 26. but those which revolted and kept not the law were called evil Angels or evil spirits angels of darknesse Luke 8. 20. 19. 42. and Angels absolutely 1 Cor. 6. because they were so created of the Lord. In respect of their nature they are called spirits 1 King 22. 21. Matth. 18. 16. Luke 10. 20. In respect of their fall they are called evil spirits 1 Sam. 18. 10. Luke 8. 2. unclean spirits Matth. 10. 1. Zach. 13. 2. not so much because of their instigation to lust as because their natures are defiled with sin Lying spirits 1 King 22. 22. Iohn 8. 44. Devils Levit. 17. 7. 1 Cor. 10. 20. The Hebrew names for the devil are 1. Satan an adversary 2 Sam. 19. 32. of Satan to oppose and resist 2 Pet. 2. 14. Belial 2 Cor. 6. though some reade it Beliar unprofitable He is likewise called Beelzebub or Beelzebul which word comes of Bagnal Dominus a Lord or Master and Zebub a fly the Idol of the Achronites because they thought these best of those pestiferous creatures or else because the devils were apprehended as flying up and down in the air but if it be read Zâ—bul then it signifieth by way of contempt a Dunghill god Levit. 17. 7. The devils are called Shegnirim the hairy ones because they appeared to their worshippers like hairy goats and in the mountains The devil is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to accuse because he accuseth men to God and God to men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scio because they know much by creation and by experience The devil is called an enemy or the envious man Matth. 13. 139. The tempter Matth. 4.
and so are many able Protestant Divines Rivet in Gen. 28. Exercit. 125. and in his Iesuita vapulans Capel in Thes. Theol. Salmur Mr Cartw. against the Rhemists on Heb. 7. 4. and in his necessity of Discipline Mr Dod. Bishop Carleton Dr Prideaux Dr Sclater and Mr. Whateley were for the affirmative The Question saith Mr. Mede on Act. 5. 3 4 5. should not be Whether Tithes are due to the Ministers of the Gospel meaning as a duty of the people unto them but rather Whether they be not due unto God for so is the style of the Scripture All the tithes are mine these I give to Levi and not you There are many other uses for the imploiment of Bona Sacra if they be more then is competent for them and theirs Of Preaching It is in a setled state of things the publick interpretation and application of Scripture by a Minister assigned to the Office to a Congregation assembled for that purpose Or it may be defined A sound explicating of Gods Word with application of it in the way of Power and Office by him who is thereunto called 1. An Explication of Gods Word Nehem. 8. 8. The Levites when they read the Law of God or gave the distinct sense and meaning of the words So must the Minister he is commanded to divide the Word aright See Luke 24. 27 32. 2. Sound or right Explication for there is a depraving of the Scripture 3. With Application Reprove Rebuke Exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine See 1 Cor. 14. 3. 2 Tim. 4. 2. 4. By Office and Power in him that is called So the general duty which lies on every Christian may be distinguished from the peculiar Office â—â— a Minister private Christians are to teach and admonish one another there is an Exhortation Charitative and Potestative which belongs to him that is called One saith It is an Ordinance of Christ whereby persons have received Gifts from Heaven and are separated to that Office to make known the will of God for the perfecting of the Saints The efficient cause is 1. Supream and principal Jesus Christ. 2. Instrumental persons which have received Gifts from heaven are called and set a part to the Ministery Secondly The material cause of it the Doctrine of Salvation Thirdly The formal making it known and applying it Fourthly The final for the perfecting of the Saints By the Word preached 1. Light shines in unto men Psal. 19. 7. to the end 2. It helps the Saints to mortifie their corruption Psal. 119. 9. 3. By it we conquer the devil Ephes. 6. 4. We overcome the World Iohn 5. It inableth us to perform the duties of our relations Col. 3. 16. to bear all crosses Rom. 5. 4. 6. Fils us with consolation and keep us from being Apostates The word is interpreted aright by declaring 1. The order 2. The Summe or Scope 3. The Sense of the words which is done by framing a Rhetorical and Logical Analysis of the Text. Preaching consists of these Ingredients 1. Right Understanding 2. True dividing 3. Faithful interpreting 4. Zealous uttering 5. Powerfull applying It is not I suppose simply necessary one should take a set Text. Christ when he executed the Office of a Minister here on earth and taught the people sometimes interpreted a place which he took out of the Scripture as Luâ— 4. 17. out of Isaiah sometime without any set Text he spoke those things which were most apt for the edifying of the Church For the most part Christ preached sitting as Matth. 5. 1. Matth. 26. 55. Luk. 4. 16. Iohn 8. 2. so did others who came to great place and dignity in the Church ordinarily preach sitting too and therefore their Churches were called Cathedral because they preached sitting in chairs The Apostles were wont more often to stand as is manifest from Act. 13. and other places Christ sate to shew his great and eminent authority The Apostles stood to shew their respect to Gods people Raynold de lib. Apoc. Whether private persons not in office may preach If they have a Calling either it is Ordinary or Extraordinary if ordinary then they are not only gifted but tried and separated to it That men though gifted without being called to the Ministery and by Ordination set apart for it should take upon them the Office or ordinary exercise of preaching seems repugnant to those Scriptures Rom. 10. 15. Heb. 5. 4. 1 Tim. 5. 22. Christ therefore frequently urgeth this That he was sent from his Father Punishments have been inflicted on those that have medled beyond their Call as Uzziah Three places are alledged for Lay-mens preaching Rom. 12. 6. 1 Cor. 14. 31. Act. 8. 14. for their venting their experiences as they call it For the first place he means those that are by Office Prophets and Ministers or Deacons they must preach not those that have abilities only for then it will follow those that have ability may baptize and rule too The word Gift is used in Scripture for the Office it self or gifted calling Ephes. 4. 8 11. Two things are required to a calling Gifts and Authority Iohn 20. 21 22. For 1 Cor. 14. some think Paul speaks in that place not of ordinary preaching but of prophesying by the Spirit that is by Revelation Mr Cotton tels us these were not ordinary private men but such as had extraordinary Gifts the Gift of Tongues and the like liberty of preaching is not allowed them that want the like Gifts See 1 Cor. 12. 28 29 30. That place Act. 8. may receive answer from my Annotations on Acts. 11. 20. a like place Some learned Divines though they hold none may enter into the Ministery without a peculiar Call yet do say that a private man sufficiently gifted if he have the approbation of the Church may teach publickly they build it on that place 1 Cor. 14. where when the beleevers did meet together they are allowed to prophesie Mr Lyford in his Apology for our publick Ministery and Infant-Baptism Conclus 2. pag. 27 28. proves by three Reasons that the prophesying 1 Cor. 14. was extraordinary and not a standing ordinary Gift in the Church and others are of his judgement as Mr. Norton in his answer to Apolloâ—ius Chap. 11. and vers 30. of this Chapter proves as much The Scriptures lay down these Rules First No man must preach except he be sent take any office upon him unlesse he be approved a Gospel-order is to be preserved the Deacon the meanest order is to be approved A man is not to call himself nor to be a Judge of his own sufficiency Secondly People are admonished to take heed what they hear Mark 4. 24. and whom they hear 2 John 10 11. Thirdly Some will undertake to be teachers though they be never so ignorant of the things they teach 1 Tim. 1. 7. Fourthly Under this pretence false Prophets go forth into the world to corrupt the truths of God and poison the
2. 5. God doth work most mightily with such preaching Ioh. 4. 18 19. Act. 2. 36 37. Reasons 1. Every man through the self-love and hypocrisie that is in his heart is apt to put from himself to others general Doctrines and Reproofs Matth. 21. 41. see 45 46. verses 2. Till mens sins be effectually discovered to them they can never attain to any saving grace Iohn 16. 8. Tit. 1. 13. 3. Practice is the end of knowledge and nothing is perfect till it attain its end If you know these things happy are you if you do them Truths are never fully and exactly known but in the experience and practice of them hence that expression Tast and see CHAP. III. Of Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction and Government THat there is an Ecclesiastical Government distinct from the Civil it is apparent seeing the Church and the State are distinct their Governments must be also distinct Yea the Church may be not only distinct but separate from the State neither the supream nor subordinate powers being incorporate in the Church but meer aliens from it and perhaps enemies to it God hath established two distinct powers on earth the one of the Keys committed to the Church the other of the Sword committed to the Civil Magistrate That of the Keys is ordained to work on the inward man having immediate relation to the remitting or retaining of sins That of the Sword is appointed to work upon the outward man yeelding protection to the obedient and inflicting external punishment upon the rebellious and disobedient Some call it the power of the Keys others Ecclesiastical Discipline others Church-government That there is a Church-power appeareth plainly by Christs giving them the Keys Matth. 16. 18 19. Iohn 20. 23. and also in the titles of Shepherds Governours Rulers and Guides Heb. 13. 7 17. 1 Cor. 12. 28. God hath set in the Church the other things there reckoned are all peculiar to the Church There is a two-fold Ministerial power 1. Potestas ordinis which consists meerly in preaching the Word and administring the Sacraments 2. Iurisdictionis whereby they govern in the Church by binding the Impenitent and losing the Penitent The Object of this spiritual power are religious things in a religious consideration but it is not an absolute supream power The Ministerial power manifests it self 1. In doctrinal decisions of matters of faith 2. In making wholsom ecclesiastical Laws 3. In executing Church-censures But though they have power of declaring Gods will concerning matters of faith and worship to the people yet they cannot make any new Article of faith nor propound any thing as necessary to be beleeved to salvation It is a great Question Penes quos sit potestas Ecclesiastica Who are the subject of this Ecclesiastical power The Community of the faithfull much lesse two or three separated from the world and gathered together into the name of Christ by a Covenant are not the proper and immediate subject of power ecclesiastical Matth. 28. 19 20. Iohn 20. 21 22. 21. 15 16. were spoken to special persons not the whole community The Apostle Act. 20. 28 speaks unto the Presbyters of Ephesus and saith That they were appointed Overseers by the holy Ghost that they might govern the Church of God M. Rutherford saith The Keys were given for the Church but not to the Church Mr. Norton urgeth Act. 14. 23. to prove the power to be in the fraternity it is said there That Presbyters were ordained by Paul and Barnabas in every Church They were ordained in the Churches but not by them He urgeth also Act. 6. that proves nothing but that the election of Officers doth some way belong to the people but that their Authority depends on the people cannot be thence collected Mr. Norton Chap. 5. of that Book saith Quod exercetur nomine Christi recipitur immediatè à Christo. At officium Rectorum exercetur nomine Christi 2 Cor. 5. 20. Here he not only grants but also proves Rectores Ecclesiae esse immediatum subjectum potestatis against which he asserted and argued in his fourth Chapter And after in the same fifth Chapter he saith Multitudo non committit potestatem Ecclesiae Rectoribus tantum designat personas therefore it is not the first and immediate subject of ecclesiastical power which he endeavoured to prove Chap. 4. Excommunication is the greatest and last censure of the Church Iudicium maximum tremendum See Mat. 16. 18. Mat. 17. 18. 1 Cor. 5. This Ordinance is usefull 1. To the whole Church hereby the honour and beauty of the Church of Christ is preserved from the defilement and scandal which such an offence would bring upon it otherwise the evil example would infect 1 Cor. 5. 4. this was typified by the Leper whom God would have shut up in his Tent least the rest of the Congregation should be infected 2. Gods people are hereby made more watchful 3. It is useful to the offender himself for the saving of his soul is the end of it 1 Cor. 5. 3. and that he may not commit the like fault again 1 Tim. 1. 20. The power of Excommunication Formaliter executivè is proper to the company or assembly of Governours and Rulers in the Church derived from Christ to be exercised as Christ shall go before them but with notice to and due regard had of the whole society The Parts of Excommunication are First Admonition 1 Thess. 5. 14. 1. This must be for a sin reprovable 2. For scandalous matters not infirmities which are mourned for 3. Managed with wisdom zeal and love Gal. 6. 1. Secondly Excommunication which is to be executed on men for corrupt opinions Titus 3. 9 10. Revelat. 2. 15. 2. Sinful practices 2 Thess. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 5. 11. It is a Question An Episcopus prasit Presbytero jure divino A Bishop is a man chosen out among the Ministers to have chief Authority in the ordaining of Ministers in a certain Circuit and overseeing them with their flocks The Christian world saw no other Government for fourteen hundred years after Christ. Some urge this for the lawfulness of their Office by Gods Word By proportion of the chief Priests under the Law and of the Apostles under the Gospel The high Priest was set over the other Priests and over the Levites Numb 3. 4. Chapter The twelve Apostles were more eminent then the seventy Disciples and not only exceeded in excellency of Gifts but in amplitude of Authority and power Now say they it is the constant Doctrine of all the Fathers that the Bishops succeeded the Apostles in the ordinary Government of the Church as also the Presbyters succeeded the Seventy Disciples Episc. Dav. Determinat 42. See B. Barlow Antiq and Superiority of Bishops Ierom saith The order of Bishops came in by meer custome of the Church to avoid Schisms which arose for want of Heads but how can that be when it was
practised at Alexandria by Mark the Evangelist Christs meaning is not Luk. 22. 25 26. to make an equality among Ministers but to set a difference between Kings and the Ministers of the Word that none should invade the right of Princes under the pretence of their Ministery Doctor Hampton on that place See more there We confesse saith Bishop Davenant Determinat 42. that according to Christs appointment all the Apostles were equal in degree and power but we deny that that parity among the Ministers of the Gospel is here or any where established which they maintain who oppose the Episcopal Dignity For notwithstanding this command of Christ the twelve Apostles were superiour in Dignity and greater in Power then the twelve Disciples and the chief Pastours were appointed by the Apostles in the Church of Ephesus and Crete which had power of jurisdiction over the Presbyters of those Churches The Apostles had no superiority over the Disciples either of Ordination or Jurisdiction 2. The Question is concerning Officers of the same kinde and the instance is of Officers of different kinds amongst whom there may be superiority and inferiority as there is amongst us between Presbyters and Deacons The Apostles were superiour to Evangelists and Pastors but one Apostle had not superiority over another or one Evangelist over another Smectymn Answer to an Humble Remonstrance Sect. 13. Adde to this Armachanus Bishop Iewel Dr Whitaker and Saravia with others make Bishops and Presbyters the same order though different degrees Learned Divines both Protestants and Papists hold That Bishops and Presbyters differ rather in execution of some acts of their order appropriated to Bishops only then in their essential order A Bishop hath an eminency of degree in the same order but his ecclesiastical order is the same with the Presbyters or Priests D. Featley in a conference with Everard a Popish Priest There is saith Beza Episcopus Divinus Humanus Diabolicus by the divine Bishop he means the Bishop as he is taken in Scripture which is one and the same with a Presbyter By the humane Bishop he means the Bishop chosen by the Presbyters to be President over them and to rule with them by fixed Laws and Canons By the Diabolical Bishop he means a Bishop with sole power of Ordination and Jurisdiction lording it over Gods Heritage and governing by his own will and authority Smectymn Answ. to Humble Remonst Quer. about Episc. See M. Bains Dioc. Trial and Cartw. against Whitg M. Gillesp. Aarons Rod Blossom l. 2. cap. 11. and 3. and Gers. Buâ— and Mr Seld. Eâ—tych The Pope would be oecumenical Bishop and pleads that Monarchy is the best Government But Chamier Tom. 2. de Romano Pontifice lib. 9. cap. 8. though he acknowledge that Monarchy simply excels all other kinds of Government because all things created are governed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. by God alone and so that they cannot be more wisely powerfully and profitably administered yet saith he this makes nothing for the Popes cause for in that saith he we do not consider Monarchy simply but described with its certain circumstances viz. of the Persons which rule or are ruled and the Government it self so that is to be judged the best kinde of Government which is most profitable to those who are governed There can be conceived but three forms of Government Episcopal most conformable to Monarchy Presbyterial to Aristocracy and Independent as they term it to Democracy Presbyterial is no elder then the Reformation in Geneva and Independent then New-England Episcopacy was either planted by the Apostles or their immediate Successors in the first and best ages of the Church D. Featleys Sac. nem It is a Question An Ecclesiae regimen sit Monarchicum aut Aristocraticum Whether the Government of the Church be Monarchical or Aristrocratical The Government of the Church in respect of its Head Christ is a Monarchy in respect of the Pastours that govern in common and with like authority amongst themselves it is an Aristocracy or the rule of the best men in respect that the people are not secluded but have their intrest in Church-matters it is a Democracy or popular estate Cartw. Reply in Defence of the Admonit p. 35. He saith the same on Ephes. 4. 5. Whitaker hath the like cont 4. de Rom. Pontif. q. 1. c. 1. Of Councels or Synods The name of Synod doth in in his primary and large acception agree to every Assembly so doth the name of Councel to every Assembly of consultation The former being derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is all one with coetus and imports the Assembly of any multitude which meeteth and cometh together The later being derived of Cilia whence also Supercilium imports the common or joynt intending or bending their eyes both of body and minde to the investigation of truth in that matter which is proposed in the Assembly But both these words being now drawn from those their large and primitive significations are by ecclesiastical Writers and use of speech restrained and appropriated to those Assemblies of ecclesiastical persons wherein they come together to consult of such matters as concern either the Faith or Discipline of the Church Dr Crakanth Vigilius Dormitans cap. 19. Coetus qui Ecclesia nomine ad decidendas controversias convocatur Synodus seu Concilium appellatur Wendelinus A Synod is an ecclesiastical meeting consisting of fit persons called by the Churches and sent as their Messengers to discover and determine of doubtfull cases either in Doctrine or Practice according to the truth Hookers Survey of Church-Discipline part 4. c. 3. If Councels had been simply necessary Christ or his Apostles at least would somewhere have commanded them to be celebrated which yet we reade no where done by them Besides the Church and Faith remained safe for three hundred years without a general Councel from the time of the Apostles even to the Synod of Nice For this is the difference between a Church and Commonwealth that a Commonwealth stands in need of humane Councel and cannot stand without it but the Church is governed and preserved by God and though a Councel conduce to its externall State yet the life and satiety of the Church doth not consist in it A Councel which represents the Universal Church as it is compounded of particular Churches is called Universal or Oecumenical The Councel which represents a particular Church as it consists in one Assembly is called a Presbytery or Ecclesiastical Senate When it represents a particular Church as it is constituted out of the consociation of many Assemblies it is called either a National Councel if Embassadours come from all Provinces into which the Nation is dispersed to that Ecclesiastical meeting or a Provincial Councel if the Churches send onely from one Province Deputies to the same Assembly The most famous lawful and Oecumenical Councels were those four The first Nicene Councel called by the Emperour Constantine the Great
Pius Secundus when as before he preferred General Councels before the Pope now being Pope he did decree That no man should appeal from the high Bishop of Rome to any General Councel The Councel of Constance in which were Bishops Arch-bishops Cardinals did hold it necessary for the Pope to submit himself unto a Councel B. Mort. Appeal l. 4. c. 2. Sect. 8. The Councel also of Basil condemneth the advancing of a Pope above the Authority of a Councel for a pernicious heresie Veritas est Catholicae â—idei sacrum generale Concilium supra Papam alium quemvis potestatem habere Concil Basil. Conclus 1. Whether a combination of many Churches under the Government of Classes and Synods be to be approved of Or whether every Church hath an independent power So Spanheme in his Epistle to Buchanan propounds the Question so and saith That as there were particular Synagogues in all Cities so they did appeal to a higher Tribunal erected at Ierusalem Deut. 17. 8. 2 Chron. 19. 8 11. Psal. 1 22. 4 5. and that hereby the power and authority of particular Churches is not destroyed but other preserved and strengthned since every particular Church appears in a Synodical Assembly and there hath his suffrage neither doth the power of particular Churches more cease herein saith he then the power of Cities when there is a Parliament called and each City sending its delegates to it and from it proceed obligatory and decisive decrees Spanheme concludes Miror viris piis non displicere vel solum independentis Ecclesiae nomen quod à modestia Christiana mihi per quam alienum videtur A ground and patern of a Synod is laid down Act. 15. 16. which is acknowledged to be a Synod and warrant for it by M. Cotton of the Keys chap. 6. and is called an Occumenical Councel by Chamier in Postrat Tom. 2. lib. 10. cap. 8. Sect. 2 And Whitak controvers Quaest. 6. and generally by our Protestant Divines and is abundantly proved by the London Ministers in their Ius Divinum part 2. cap. 14. 15. We have one instance of excommunicating in the Church of Corinth and one here of a Synod why should not this be as sufficient as the other Yet some take away all Jurisdiction and judicial power from Synods Quod non est Ecclesia non potest exercere Iurisdictionem Ecclesiasticam saith Norton Respons ad Apol. c. 10. But that may be thus answered That which is not a Church may exercise ecclesiastical jurisdiction not formally but eminently as the Parliament contains in it eminently the jurisdiction of every inferiour Court. Besides that Proposition may be denied if by the Church the whole multitude of the faithful be understood for ecclesiastical jurisdiction is not in the whole multitude but in the Presbytery A non-communion he allows but what if another Church shall nothing regard that punishment of non-communion or non-communion that also However that punishment is no greater then what may be inflicted by any private person For every one may and also if there be just cause ought to deny his Communion to another 2 Thes. 3. 9 14. Of ANTICHRIST Antichrist may signifie either in stead of Christ or contrary to Christ. That the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek signifieth both contrariâ—tatem vicem is sufficiently proved by many of our learned Writers so that Antichrist from the force of the word is such an one who in the place and name of Christ doth oppose Christ. It means any one that is an enemy to Christ either open and professed as the Jews Turks Infidels in which sense the word is not used in the Scripture or else covert professing themselves Christians and under the name and profession of Christ oppugning Christ and his truth B. Down of Antich l. 1. c. 1. He is called The man of sin That wicked man Merum scelus saith Beza from the force of the Hebrew phrase The son of perdition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lawlesse one one that will not be subject to the Law of God but doth what he list Dan. 11. 36. Iohn cals him the Whore for his most wicked life but especially for his false religion He makes himself equal with Christ. Stapleton cals Gregory the 13th Supremum interris numen He is especially described in three places viz. in 2 Thes. 2. in Revel 13. from vers 11. to the end and in Revel 17. He usurps Christs Offices 1. Prophetical dispensing with the Law of God they make the Pope an infallible teacher 2. Kingly he is the Head of the Church and can make Laws to binde the conscience 3. Priestly they take away Christs priestly Office by their merits satisfactions and especially that abominable Masse The constant opinion of the learned is this That of the revealing or manifest appearing of Antichrist there were two principal degrees The first about the year 607 when Boniface the third obtained the Supremacy over the Universal Church The second after the year 1000 when he claimed and usurped both swords that is a Soveraign and Universal Authority not only Ecclesiastical over the Clergy but also Temporal over Kings and Emperours Down of Antichrist lib. 2. cap. 3. It is a Question between us and the Papists An Petrus primatum Romae exercuerit Whether Peter exercised a primacy at Rome There is a primacy 1. Of order and degree 2. Of authority and jurisdiction the first with St Hierom. Protestants will easily ascribe unto St Peter but not the other B. Mort. Appeal l. 2. c. 17. Sect. 2. Those words Matth. 16. 18. Luke 22. 23. Iohn 21. 15. were not meant or intended to Peter alone but to the rest of the Disciples with him For the first place the Rock and Keys signifie the same thing but the Keys and all the power thereof was given to all alike to all the Apostles viz. remitting and retaining Mat. 18. 18. Iohn 20. 21. is given to them all what Matth. 18. was promised Cyprian Ierom Theophylact Anselm Augustine Cyril Hilary expound the Rock either of Christ himself or the faith and confession which Peter held That Luke 22. 23. was spoken to Peter in regard of the sinne whereunto he fell shortly after yet it containeth nothing which our Saviour meant not to the rest he prayed for them all that their faith should not fail John 17. 11 15 17 20. and their very Office of Apostleship bound them to strengthen their Brethren Matth. 28. 19. The third Text Iohn 21. 15. belongeth likewise to all the Apostles to feed is to preach the Gospel see Ephes. 4. 11. Sheep and Lambs are the people and not the Apostles properly Dr White Matth. 10. 2. If Peter were the first then he had the primacy For although the reason be not so plain in English because we have not so fit a word derived from our English First as primatus primacy from primus in Latine but he that is first hath
the firstship if I may so speak that is to say the primacy This is such a primacy as a fore-man of the Quest is wont to have in Jâ—ries not a primacy of power as over inferiours but a primacy of order as amongst equals Dr Rainol against Hart c. 5. p. 174 175. The Pope succeeds Peter as night doth the day a tempest a calm sickness health He succeedeth Peter only in denial of Christ. M. Perk. on Iude. The Painter pictured Peter with a red face as blushing at his Successours vices An Pontifex Romanus sit Antichristus Whether the Pope of Rome be Antichrist Papa or Papas among the Greeks signifieth a Father and is the appellative that little children beginning to speak are wont to give to their Parents and in like sort among the Latines noteth a Father or Grand-father hence the Christians in ancient times did use to call their spiritual Fathers and Bishops Papes or Popes So that the name of Pape or Pope was common to all Bishops Ierome writing to Angustin calleth him Pope and writeth to the most honourable Pope who yet was Bishop of little Hippo only therefore that name of Pope doth no way prove every one that is so called to be Universal Bishop D. Field of the Church l. 5. c. 41. Vide Cham. de Oecum Pontif. l. 5. c. 2. The Pope hath appropriated to himself the very name of Papa that is Pope which formerly saith their Jesuite Azorius was common unto other Bishops B. Morton Protest Appeal l. 4. c. 19. Sect. 1. We stand not upon this word Pope it is but Father it was given to Pastours to those that were worthy Pastours ascribed to Fathers in Epistles and superscriptions as to Augustine a poor Bishop and to Paulinus a poor Deacon A name of reverence now grown odious D. Fentons Treatise against reconciliat to the Church of Rome Every Pope at his entrance doth change his name which custom began An. Dom. 687. when he whose Christian name was Os porci forsook it to be called Sergius B. Mort. ubi supra I will not conclude it as an Article of Faith that the Pope is Antichrist I am not of his minde that said It was as clear that the Pope was Antichrist as that Christ was the Messiah Learned Chamier saith Quicunque homo omnes capit notas Antichristi quas Scriptura delineavit is est Antichristus At Episcopus Oecumenicus capit eas omnes notas He to whom all the notes given by the Scripture of Antichrist jointly agree he is Antichrist But to the Pope all the notes given of Antichrist joyntly agree Others go this way also they say It is not enough to prove that Christ was the Messiah because he was born at Bethlehem but because what ever was spoken of the Messiah agrees to him so likewise it is not enough to prove the Pope to be Antichrist because one of the notes given about Antichrist belongs to him but because all But I suppose that those two main circumstances of the time and place of Antichrist agreeing to the Pope it is a weighty argument to prove that the Pope is Antichrist 1. The place the seat of Antichrist is described Revel 17. ult which is Rome and the time when he that letteth was taken away which was the Emperor In these two things the ancient Fathers agree Antichrist as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God 2 Thess. 2. 4 that is he shall rule and tyrannize over the Church of God making himself Head of the Church Nero was cruel against believers but he â—ate not in the Church To sit here is to take and exercise judiciary authority in the Church of God Vide Grotium in Luc. 20. See Mat. 19. 28. The Popes authority is called Sancta sedes The Apostasie of Antichrist is described 2 Thess. 2. 3. there shall be an ecclesiastical falling away from the true worship of God to idolatry 1 Tim. 4. 1. This Apostasie doth imply their former imbracing of the truth their faith was formerly known to all the world as now their heresie and idolatry is therefore in this respect no Heathen Emperour nor the Turk can be Antichrist He shall not only apostatize but shall seduce many and make them drunk with that deadly poison See M. Medes Apostasie of the later times The Miracles of Antichrist are set forth 2 Thes. 2. 9 11. their end is to confirm a false Doctrine In Transubstantiation there is miracle upon miracle The Priest if he please can turn all the wine in the Town into Christs bloud How often have the people seen bloud in the bread The Vices of Antichrist might also be urged 1. His pride he shall exalt himself above all that is called God that is Prinâ—es so the Pope He takes the titles of Universal Bishop Head of the Church and Vicar of Christ. Bellarmine is not ashamed to apply that in Isaiah to the Pope Behold I lay in Sion a foundation stone Isa. 28. 16. 2. His cruelty the Whore is said to be drunk with the bloud of the Saints So the Pope And Rev. 13. it was given him to kill whoever would not adore the image of the Beast 3. Covetousnesse he shall with feigned words make merchandize of many So the Pope Adde to this the opinion of the Reformed Churches generally of B. Iewel of Whitaker Downam Perkins Fox Abbot Brightman Rainolds Powel and Dr Sclater on 2 Thes. with divers others For the judgement of the Fathers herein it is not much to be valued because they lived before the times of Antichrist and did not dream of such an Antichrist as afterwards rose up It is a Question between us and the Papists An Antichristus sit singularis homo Whether Antichrist be one person Bellarmine saith he is The Pope is one person not in number and nature as one certain and singular man one at once by Law and Institution though successively so many as have enjoyed the Papacy The Papists when they say that the Pope hath been the Head of the Church and Vicar of Christ this 1500 years do not mean any one Pope but the whole rabble of them since the year 607. So Antichrist is one person not at once ordinarily but continued in a Succession of many When we say the Pope the Emperour the King the Priest the Minister the Eye the Hand we mean not one particular but the whole kinde It cannot be an individual man in that it is said 2 Thes. 2. the mystery of Antichrist did then begin to work and yet it should hold till the very coming of Christ where is the man that lived so long It is a Question An Papa sit Christi Vicarius Whether the Pope be Christs Vicar Innocent the third said I am the Bridegroom because I have a Noble a Rich a Gracious Spouse viz. the Church of Rome which is the Mother of all believers It is a Question An
walk by faith we die by faith we are saved Faith is an infused not an acquired habit Grevinchovius saith That habitual faith is begot in us by frequent acts of faith proceeding from the special grace of God as by often acts of justice and liberality the acts of justice and liberality are produced in us This opinion of his is not only contrary to the Doctrine of the Schoolmen and Modern Divines both Papists and Protestants which with unanimous consent call Theological Vertues infused habits but also is subject to divers inconveniencies that place Heb. 11. 6 must needs be understood of the habit of faith for if it be to be understood of the act of faith it will follow that the regenerate when they sleep and do not actually beleeve do displease God and are not in a state of Grace That faith is the gift of God the Apostle teacheth Ephes. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. 2. 13. See Iohn 6. 44. To come to Christ is to beleeve in Christ witnesse Christ himself ver 35. Whether actual or habitual faith be in Infants Some call it efficacious faith some a principle others an inclination Some dislike the word habit that is more proper to faith grown and ripe the word seed or principle is better 1 Iohn 4. 9. Some think the Question about Infants beleeving is unnecessary and curious and that they must be left to the free-grace of God Mark 16. 16. Such places do not onely concern grown persons The Lord promiseth grace to Infants Isa. 44. 3. and glory Matth. 19. 14. 18. 6. compared with Mark 9. 36. See 1 Cor. 7. 14. Pelagians say Infants are saved by Gods fore-sight of those good works which they should have done if they had lived Augustine refutes this opinion 2 Cor. 5. 10. every one is to be saved according to what he hath done The Lutherans would have them saved by an actual faith though it be unexpressible Beza saith The faith of the parents is imputed to them by vertue of the Covenant of grace Mr. Down hath a Treatise of the faith of Infants and how they are justified and saved and goes much that way but denies that they have habituall or actuall Faith Whether Faith be in the Saints when they are translated into Heaven and see God face to face Some say there is a kinde of faith in the blessed Saints since they both beleeve things past all things which Christ hath done for our sake and things to come viz. the second coming of Christ the resurrection of the flesh the last judgment and the perfection of the Church and this knowledge of things past and to come depends upon the authority of God The office and imployment of faith shall cease though the nature of it doe not It is a great Question An sides justisicans in decalogo praecipiatur Whether justifying faith be commanded in the Decalogue Adam had a power to beleeve what God propounded as an object of faith the righteousnesse of Christ was not propounded to him it is commanded there therefore not directè because not revealed to Adam but redisctivé It stood not with Adams Covenant he was to be righteous himself not to look for the righteousnesse of another Adam in the state of innocency had a power of many things which in that state could not be reduced to act he had the affection of sorrow but could not mourn for want of an object so the Angels had a power to beleeve in Christ for their confirmation though Christ was not made known till the second Covenant There was a power then given not only to obey God in the duties of the first Covenant but to submit to God for the change of the Covenant when the will of the Lord should be not to submit to the change of the Covenant in man fallen is a sin Gal. 4. 21. therefore Adam had a power to submit to it Whether Faith or Repentance precede To repent is prefixed before beleeve Mark 1. 15. In the order of things repentance must needs be first in respect of the act of contrition acknowledgemement and grief for sinne the Law precedes the Gospel and one is not to be raised before he knows himself to be cast down And although saving Repentance considered compleatly according to all its acts be not without faith yet it precedes it according to some act Christians should indeavour to live the life of Faith First The necessity of it It is a Question An sine speciali Revelatione possumus credere mysteria fidei Whether without a special Revelation we can beleeve the mysteries of faith The Arminians cry down faith and call it Scripturarum tyrannidem Theologorum ludibrium and cry down all infused habits would have none but acquired There is a necessity of faith in respect of divers truths of Scripture that are to be beleeved 1. The resurrection of the body none of the Heathens beleeved this See Act. 23. 8. Matth. 22. 23 29. Some that profest the Christian Religion perverted this Doctrine of the Resurrection 2 Tim. 2. 18. the Disciples themselves were long in beleeving it Luk. 24. 11. Ioh. 20. 25. 2. The depravednesse of the soul and the enmity of natural reason to the things of God The Philosophers saw clearly the common principles of justice and injustice but not the corruption of nature Rom. 7. 7. The Wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God 3. The necessity of renovation of the soul and body the great Doctrine of Regeneration Iohn 3. 3. When our Saviour had brought Arguments to prove this Doctrine and answered Objections against it how blinde still is Nicodemus v. 9. of that Chapter 4. The necessity of a Mediator and that Christ is this Mediator 1 Tim. 3. 16. The Devils and damned beleeve these truths with a common faith But we need faith to beleeve these truths savingly 2. We need faith also to bring us unto God Rom. 5. 3. we cannot come to God but by Christ nor to Christ but by faith 3. To conform us to Gods Image Acts 15. 9. 4. Without the life of faith we cannot abide with God Matth. 11. 6. Heb. 3. 12. 13. 5. We cannot take fulnesse of delight and complacency in God but by faith Heb. 11. 6. we cannot please God nor he us till we beleeve The life of a Christian is to please God and to be well pleased with him Secondly What it is to live by faith 1. It is to beleive the goodnesse of all that which God commands as well as that which he promiseth and the real evil of all that evil he forbids as well as threatens The precepts of God are good and for our good as well as his promises Deut. 10. 12. Psal. 73. ult The Devils tremble at Gods threatnings but they beleeve not the evil of sin which he forbids for then they would not rebell against God 2. To look after those things principally that are future rather then the
with the Pharisees and Peter Sins grosse for matter presumptuous for manner and mischievous in effect not common imperfections weaknesses 2. Insolencies against the Church and Commonweal 3. For wrongs offered to us in a publick place a place of Authority as Moses Thirdly The object about which it is conversant only sinne the persons with whom we may be angry are Our Inferiours or near Equals not our eminent Superiours though they do us some wrong Eccles 8. 3. It is an affection of punishing and we may punish no others least of all must we be angry with God Prov. 19. 3. Fourthly For the quicknesse of it we must be slow to anger Eccles. 7. 9. Pro. 14. 17 29. Mat. 5. 22. not without a cause or unadvisedly Fifthly The measure of it 1. It must be alwayes temperat so much as to quicken spirits not darken reason 2. It must not exceed the proportion of the evil when God is much dishonoured it must be more as in Moses Sixthly For continuance It never must be long The Sunne must not go down upon our wrath it must not be a bed-fellow There must not be more anger then is requisite for the true and proper end of anger The corrupt end of corrupt anger is revenge But the true and proper end for which God did plant it in the heart was twofold 1. That it might serve as a means to inable the body and minde more to procure its just defence against any evil or hurt that should be offered it especially against any sinful temptation Christ was angry with the Devil when he tempted him to worship him Iacob with Rachel Gen. 30. 2. 2. To stir us up when need is to use earnestnesse for the reforming of sinne in others which have committed it so Christ was angry against them that did buy and sell in the Temple and often against the hypocritical Pharisees which made him so sharp with them oftentimes Marks of sanctified anger 1. What is the thing which stirres this passion Is it because God is dishonoured Moses his spirit was never stirred above twice in his own cause but he was impatient when the Israelites worshipped the golden Calf The zeal of Gods house consumed Christ. 2. Such a one is most of all angry with himself because he knows no man commits more injuries against that which is dear to himself Gods glory his own peace against his own wanderings failings 3. He observes that rule Be angry and sin not because it is against sin 4. Holy anger will provoke him to his duty Nehemiah was troubled when the Sabbath was prophaned 5. It doth not exceed for measure Means 1. To provoke this affection against sin 2. To bridle our inordinate passion about things for which we should not be angry Of the first Consider first how amiable a thing it is for a man to be impatient for God a great part of our holy zeal which is the edge of the soul is anger against sinne It is intensus gradus purae affectionis zeal is a composition of love and anger Secondly God himself is extreamly angry with sinne and the workers of iniquity He is jealous wrathfull he drowned all the world burned five Cities made his Sonne drink of the cup of his wrath was never angry for any thing but sinne Thirdly Rightly understand the nature of sinne what ever may call out anger meets only in sinne it is an injury against God a contempt an ingratitude against him who is the holiest wisest excellentest in heaven and earth who are they that do this base creatures worms potsherds that receive every thing which is good from him Secondly How to bridle our inordinate passions 1. Take heed of pride and overweening thy self Pro. 11. 2. 21. 24. David was much provoked at Nabal but suffered Shimei to rail at him there is nothing to be esteemed but the glory of God his favour communion with him 2. Avoid suspition love which is opposite to anger is said not to be suspicious 3. Abstain from all occasions of anger take heed of tale-bearers resist it in the beginning 4. Consider the excellency of meeknesse and long-suffering rightly understand the hand from which every injury comes real or supposed Shimei cannot curse David but God bids him he orders it 5. Look to thy own thoughts passe the thing over doe not think of it Matth. 15. 19. 6. Consider the glorious examples of Moses David Christ himself 7. Often disgrace this vice unto your selves call to minde how earnestly God hath condemned it how he hath vilified it and those that give themselves unto it Anger rests in the bosom of fools the holy Ghost bids us put away anger and wrath bitternesse crying and evil speaking he bids us Walk not with an angry man nor have fellowship with a furious man he saith An angry man aboundeth in transgression it is opposite to Love the best of vertues a very drunkennesse and disgrace thy self to thy self Reverence It is an affection by which the soul is stirred to entertain the good which appeareth to be of some worth or excellency according to its worth It must be exercised upon fit objects things and persons reverend The holy things of God his Sanctuary Sabbath Word Sacraments and other Ordinances in which men draw near unto him Levit. 26. 2. The Image of God consisting in righteousnesse and holinesse Salomon saith that wisdom shall give a comely ornament The Persons to be honoured are 1. The godly and vertuous whom we must respect for the image sake of God that is in them 2. Governours and rulers of all sorts Commandment 5th 3. The Ministers of the Gospel 4. Aged persons having a stamp of Gods eternity Reverence is properly exercised upon a person esteemed excellent and eminent in grace and vertue especially if it be also joyned with Soveraign Authority If Authority be separated from Vertue yet in well considering men it will beget Reverence for the place will be loved though not the party If Vertue be separated from Authority that will beget a great measure of Reverence in a well-judging soul. Secondly For the measure we must honour and reverence things and persons more or lesse as they are more or lesse reverend every person and thing according to its degree We must not reverence 1. Idols and false gods I mean the image of any God-head set up to worship or any conceited imaginary God To kisse the Calves a sign of Reverence was a sinne 2. Vile and base men of sinful and wicked carriage in regard of wealth wit beauty and other paintings Masters Parents Kings must be reverenced for their Authority but not for other vain things Zeal Zeal is by some defined the heat and intention of all the affections as varnish is no one colour but that which gives glosse and lustre to all Act. 26. 7. It is a holy warmth wrought by the Spirit of God whereby all the affections are drawn out unto the utmost for the
eat the Bread and drink the wine which signifies the particular applying of Jesus Christ with all the benefits of his mediation to ones own soul. Whether Christ be corporally present with the symboles in the Eucharist Corpore de Christi lis est de sanguine lis est Lis est de modo non habitura modum Christ is ascended into heaven and he is contained there Acts 3. 21. till he come to Judgement therefore he is not there under the shape of bread and wine See Matth. 26. 11. Iohn 16. 7. Acts 3. 21. 2. All the circumstances about the first Institution of the Sacrament do declare that Christ was not bodily there especially Christ eating and drinking of it himself which Cloppenburg Peter du Moulin and D. Featley hold urging Matth. 26. 29. Mark 14. 25. for that purpose Those words say they necessarily imply that before he uttered them he had drunk of the Cup which he gave to them Aquinas also holds this and the Fathers likewise saith Peter du Moulin The nature of the action saith Peter du Moulin in the place last quoted required that Christ should communicate to shew the Communion he had with us as also he did partake of our Baptism Matth. 3. 16. from whence cometh the custome of the Church that the Pastor first communicates and the people afterwards When the publick Authority of this Land were for the Papists subscription was not urged upon such violent and bloudy terms unto any Articles of their Religion as unto that of the real presence D. Iack. Epist. to the Read For the same Christ was not visibly at the Table and spake and yet invisibly under the bread and wine he did not eat and drink himself The end of the Sacrament is a remembrance of Christs death Do this in remembrance of me and You shew forth his death till he come Now how can there be any remembring of him when he is present His corporal presence and eating is made unprofitable Iohn 6. though Christ said his flesh was meat indeed yet he did not mean that it should be eaten and and drunk corporally the flesh profiteth nothing but his words are Spirit and Life Our Union and Conjunction with Christ is inward and spiritual which consists in Faith and Love it is true we are united to his body but not after a bodily manner It is against reason and sense We believe Christ to be present spiritually in the hearts of the Communicants sacramentally in the Elements but not corporally Real is 1. Opposed to that which is imaginary and importeth as much as truely 2. To that which is meerly figurative and barely representative and importeth as much as effectually 3. To that which is spiritual and importeth as much as corporally or materially The presence of Christ in the Sacrament is reall in the two former acceptions of real but not in the last for he is truly there present and effectually though not carnally or locally Doctor Featleys Transubstantiation Exploded Really and corporally are not all one that which is spiritually present is really present unlesse we will say that a Spirit is nothing The bloud of Christ is really present in Baptism to the washing away of sinne Christ is really present to the faith of every true believer even out of the Sacrament Downs Defence against the Reply of M. N. We deny that Christ is so present in the Sacrament under the forms of bread and wine as that whosoever receive the Sacrament do truely receive Christ himself The Papists say Christs natural body is present we that the merit and vertue of his body broken upon the Cross and of his bloud shed upon the Cross is present to the believing soul in the Sacrament The body of the Sun is in heaven in its sphere locally and circumscriptively but the beams are on the earth And when the Sun beams shine into our house we say here 's the Sun though it be the beams not the body of the Sun So the Scripture saith of the Sacrament This is my body Christ ascended up into Heaven as for that exception he is visibly in heaven but invisibly here it answereth not those testimonies which prove he is so there that he is not here Mat. 28. 6. q. d. he could not be in both places at once an angelical argument Aquinas saith It is not possible by any miracle that the body of Christ should be locally in many places at once because it includeth a contradiction by making it not one for one is that which is not divided from it self It is impossible say the Papists according to the course of nature but not absolutely impossible by divine miracle it may be Consubstantiation overthroweth the grounds 1. Of reason the body of one and the same man cannot be present in many places all together but must needs remain in some definite and certain place 2. Religion because Christ was taken up into heaven there to abide till the end of the world It was above a hundred years before Transubstantiation They did adore Christ as co-existent with the bread which perhaps gave occasion to Averroes to say That Christians did adore their God and then eat him Averroes his resolution was Quandoquidem Christiani adorant quod comedunt sit anima mea cum Philosophis The quarrel between Luther and Zuinglius was about Christs presence in the Sacrament which Luther held to be by way of Consubstantiation which how it could be unlesse the body of Christ were every where Zuinglius and others could not conceive Luther being pressed therewith he and his followers not being able to avoid it maintained that also But how By reason of the hypostatical Union and Conjunction thereof with the word For the word being every where and the humane nature being no where severed from it How can it be say they but every where The humanity of Christ according to its Essence or natural Being is contained in one place but according to its subsistence or personal being may rightly be said to be every where Zanch. Misc. Iud. de Dissid Coen Dom. and D. Field lib. 3. c 35. of the Church The Papists constant Doctrine is That in worshipping the Sacrament they should give unto it Latriae cultum qui vero Deo debetur as the Councell of Trent hath determined that kinde of service which is due to the true God determining their worship in that very thing which the Priest doth hold betwixt his hands This is artolatry an idolatrous worship of the bread because they adoâ—e the host even as the very person of the Sonne of God It is true they conceive it not bread but the body of Christ yet that doth not free them from bread-worship for then if the Heathen did take his stone to be a God it did free him from idolatry Hence saith a Jesuite If the bread be not turned into the body of Christ we are the greatest
some Humane Divine those which were established by God Humane those which were established by men Secondly By reason of the matter Divine Laws are divided into Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Deut. 4. 13 14. Mr Hudson in his Divine Right of Government l. 1. c. 2. if he were the Author thereof saith the Ceremonial and Judicial Laws of Moses are but Commentaries on that part of the first and second Table of the ten Commandments which relates to outward actions setting down more ample and particular rules of instruction whereby to order and regulate the outward actions of publick Societies in matters concerning worship and policy according as the Moral Law had done in brief and general terms for regulating the external actions of every private man in particular in relation to the same end The Law of God is that rule of life which he hath enjoyned to man his reasonable creature for the ordering of his actions to his own and the common good and the glory of the maker of all It is called the Moral Law because it setteth down all duties for manners of mankinde The ten Commandments are a perfect platform of obedience summarily delivering in ten words the whole substance of all that duty to which the sons of men stand bound in conscience before God if they be out of Christ to do it without fail or else to be damned if in Christ to strive with all their main to perform it perfectly The Law is the whole will of God and the whole duty of man It was written by God upon Tables of stone to shew the perpetuity and stability of it hereby also was signified the hardnesse of the Jews heart which could not easily receive that impression of the Law It was after delivered to Moses to be kept in the Ark of testimony as a figure of Christs accomplishing them for us The summe of the Moral Law is extant in the Decalogue as the tenth humber is most perfect and capacious so also the moral Law comprehended in ten words by the most wise God is most perfect Some say they were so many according to the number of our fingers the most familiar instrument of numbring Peter Martyr well resembled the Decalogue to the ten Predicaments because as there is nothing hath a being in nature but what may be reduced to one of those ten so neither is there any Christian Duty but what is comprehended in one of these There is a twofold division of the Decalogue laid down in Scripture First Into two Tables Secondly Into ten words or precepts Deut. 4. 13. Matth. 22. 37. First The Decalogue is divided into two Tables Exod. 32. 12. 34. 1 4. Deut. 5. 22. 10. 14. Eph. 6. 1 2. The first Table declareth our duty to God immediately the second declareth our duty to our neighbour for Gods sake The first Table prescribes offices of piety toward God the second offices of charity toward our neighbour Christ himself teacheth this Matth. 22. 37 38 39 40. Holinesse and righteousnesse are often joyned together Luke 1. 73 74. Eph. 4. 24. In the former Table are the four first Commandments in the later the six last It is confessed by all that there are ten Commandments and they divided into Tables But it is a Question between us and the Papists How many Precepts are to be assigned to each Table We assign four Precepts to the first Table six to the second they three to the first Table and seven to the second Vide Aquin. 1â— 2â— Quaest. 100. Art 4. See B. And. large exposit of the Command The Lutherans follow them they joyn together the Precept of not having other gods with that of not making graven Images they divide the last Commandment into two so that one forbids the lusting after another mans wife the other lusting after other things Of this opinion was Austin whom many others followed but especially the Papists almost all and those which some call Lutherans Vide Maresii Colleg. Theol. Both thought that conjunction to be fit that they might excuse their sacriledge by which they are wont to raze out of their books that Commandment of not making nor worshipping religious Images that so also the number of the ten Precepts may be manifest even that Appendix as they call it being also taken away Others would have four Commandments in the first Table six in the second therefore they say those two Commandments are different that of not having other gods and this of not making graven Images and that the forbidding of the lusting after both wife and house is but one Commandment which opinion our Churches commonly imbrace and confirm by reasons drawn out of Scripture and by the authority of many of the Ancients The first Reason is taken out of the collation of those places of Exod. 20. 17. Deut. 5. 21. where the Commandment of not lusting is repeated for when it is so uttered in the first place Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house thou shâ—lt not covet thy neighbours wife nor his man-servant In the second the words are so inverted that the wife is put in the first place to whom the house field servant are added by which translation of the words about coveting anothers wife and house they rightly inferre the precepts were not distinct The second reason is derived from that that these things are different who is to be worshipped and how he is to be worshippâ—d therefore there is a double precept one concerning theâ—rue object of worship the other concerning the manner and reason how he ought or ought not to be worshipped therefore distinct kindes of Idolatry are forbidden one more grosse by which we erre in the object when the true God either is not worshipped or not alone worshipped the other when he is not worshipped in Spirit and truth or in that manner which he hath prescribed in his Law which make distinct prohibitions St Ierom and generally all the Ancients as well Jews as Christians before Augustine were of that opinion Vide Musc. los. commun in prael 1. Zanch. Decalog l. 1. c. 11. Thes. 4. Those which think otherwise here urge the word which is repeated Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife whence they infer that they are two distinct Precepts But the Law concerning concupiscence is one which forbids thoughts and desires contrary to sound contentment for the object of this Commandment is one and the clause is general in these words Nor any thing that is his If for the variety of things falling under desire we shall make divers precepts two will not suffice The Apostle Rom. 7. 7. citing the last Commandment cals it the Commandment not Commandments Augustine Quaest 71. in Exod. fancied a mystery that the number of three Commandments touching Godmight betoken the Trinity There is a great Question about the Moral Law which was first written in mans heart in the
do not admonish complain of or withdraw themselves from scandalous offenders In a word when many of these things are either in whole or in part omitted that are appointed then is this Commandment broken So that according to the number of duties commanded so must the breaches of this Commandment be numbred in case any of them be wholly or in part neglected Now I come to shew the sins of Commission that is the doing of things contrary to the duties commanded even things that are forbidden Sins of Commission are here of two sorts 1. Direct 2. Indirect The former being simply and of themselves sins the other sins by a consequent and in some respect annexed to them Direct breaches of this Commandment are in regard of performing these Ordinances and in regard of preserving and continuing them For performance here are two things forbidden The tendering of a false worship or abasing of the true False worship is a worship not enjoyned by God for the measure of Gods worship is the manifestation of his will wherefore what agrees not with that as being inconformable to the right rule of worship is worship alone in shew and appearance that is feigned and counterfeit like bad coyn not true and right Now worship is false in regard of the Object and Parts of it For the Object it is false First When the true God himself is intended to be worshipped but under some visible or sensible representation when I say God set forth by any Picture or Image is worshipped or when any such Image is used as a means to derive and convey honour unto him by This was the sinne of the Israelites in the wildernesse for they purposed in their intention to serve that God which brought them out of Aegypt but for the better helping of them in this worship and to stir up their devotion they would set up the image of an Ox a most beneficial creature whose labour did yield them through Gods blessing the best means of maintenance and living somewhat to represent God unto them and to bring his benefits unto their mindes So Aaron professeth when he saith To morrow shall be an holy day to the Lord. This was likewise the sinne of Micah the Ephraimite he made a Teraphim and had an house of Images Teraphim was the Image of a man â—e made this to worship God in and by for he saith Now I know Iehovah will blesse me it must needs be that he purposed to worship that God of whom he did expect a blessing for his worship and his mother had vowed the silver to Iehovah to make a graven and molten Image wherefore this Image vowed to Iehovah must needs be intended to serve Iehovah by This was the sinne of Ieroboam who said of the Calves These are thy gods that did bring thee out of the Land as if he had proclaimed that he intended to do service to the God of their Fathers but he thought it convenient to have him represented to them by these figures and under these Images to have service tendred unto him And therefore David chargeth the Israelites to have changed their glory meaning God who was indeed their glory into a similitude of a Calf that is to have set up an image of a Calf to represent him by and Paul saith the same of the wiser Heathen that they did worship God but not as God but changed the glory of that incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible man that is they went about to set out and represent to themselves the glorious maker of all things by sueh base and inglorious pictures as if there could be any proportion betwixt God and a dead Image the workmanship of mans hands which is indeed a great embasing of their apprehension of his Majesty causing them at last to think as meanly of God as of a thing that could be so set forth yea this is the sinne the Prophet so findes fault with in Gods Name saying What similitude will you set up to me and whereunto will you liken me And this is the sinne of the Popish Church which they continually commit and maintain and by which they have so corrupted themselves that they even cease to be the true Church of God and are turned into a company of spiritual adulterers for that Church with the wine of her fornications hath made almost all Nations drunken to whom hath she not conveyed the infection of this foul Idolatry God must be worshipped under the picture of an aged man the holy Ghost under the similitude of a Dove the Sonne of God under the similitude of a man hanging on the Crosse all foul Idolatries for seeing that Christ is God as well as man he is no more to have an Image set up to him then the Father or holy Ghost seeing the Divinity is not representable and the humanity without the Deity is not Christ so that it is nothing but a strong fancy makes men take any picture for Christs picture for seeing his natural physiognomy is wholly concealed in Scripture and no approved story hath acquainted us with it and seeing his Deity is wholly irrepresentible why should any picture drawn by man be called a picture of Christ rather then of the thief that hanged by him It must needs be a very dead devotion that a dead picture can provoke This is the first falshood of worship for the Object when the true God is intended as the Object but under some picture or representation for God represented by an Image is now become an Idol seeing the true God hath disavowed all such representing This is the first kinde of Idolatry Another is When a creature hath these kindes of worship performed to him or any like them which God hath appointed to himself and so becomes the object of worship so Paul to the Galatians defines Idolatry to be a serving of the creature or of those things which by nature are not Gods He useth the word serving which utterly overturns that fond distinction of worship and service mentioned by Papists to shift off the blame of this sinne to serve that which by nature is not God is flat Idolatry Now there are divers creatures which have been and are worshipped with the worship due to God or something like it and coined in imitation of it First Angels which thing began in the time of the Apostles and is by Paul writing to the Colossians condemned as a base will-worship Secondly Saints departed which grew into the Church long after by degrees and was rife since four hundred years after Christ amongst many though not allowed by the authority of the Church-Governours as after it was by building Churches dedicating Altars and dayes and offering Incense and the like to these all which are still in use and practice among the Popish Churches yea are by them maintained as very devout and profitable exercises for what more common then Invocation of Saints with
neither are indeed profitable for the soul this is a false Ministry Such is the Ministry of the Church of Rome where men are appointed to say and sing the Word Psalms and Prayers in an unknown tongue a service unhallowed not ordained of God so when men are appointed and assigned to offer a propitiatory Sacrifice for quick and dead that is as they call it to celebrate Masse for Christ never appointed a sacrificing Ministry in the New Testament nor any other Sacrifice but the Sacrifice of prayers thanksgivings alms and of our selves And this is the first abuse of Church-Discipline The second is When those that are not Ministers are allowed to intermeddle in ministerial functions and actions proper to the Ministers that is to men set apart by a known and publick order to give attendance unto some Ecclesiastical function As for example amongst us once women were admitted to baptize and so if any do take upon him to preach or administer the Sacrament that is not admitted to the order of the Ministery This is a great abuse of Church-Discipline and to joyn with such knowing them to be such is a sinne A third fault in the Church-Discipline for the Ministery is when wicked erroneous scandalous men are let in and suffered to abide in yea or any without due care of trying them for Timothy was to lay hands upon none rashly A fourth fault is when good and able men are either kept out or thrust out for things of no moment And these be the abuses of Church-Discipline in regard of the Ministry The abuses of it in regard of the people follow as First In the Governours publickly when either Excommunication is abused or when too much rigour is used toward the penitent Now Excommunication is abused three wayes 1. When it is put into the hands of too few especially such as have nothing to do with it which was the fault amongst us formerly for the Chancellour or Official or his Deputy as the Deputy of the Bishop took all the matter upon him some Ministers names though not the Pastour to the offender being set to alone as a cipher for fashion sake This being a chief part of governing the Church belongs to the Pastours of the Church Paul did not himself excommunicate but appointed that the Corinthians should excommunicate the incestuous person Indeed he did deliver Hymeneus and Alexander to Satan as it seemeth himself but this was because they themselves were Pastours and so would not excommunicate themselves or taking upon them to be teachers of the Church at large were not to be medled with by any particular Governours of any particular Church But if the Apostles did alone do this in regard of their supereminent Authority it follows not that others may do it now for in this unlimited and supereminent power the Apostles were not to finde any Successours because they had no Successours in the eminency of Gifts without which such Authority must needs prove mischievous in any one mans hands Secondly Excommunication is abused when it is pronounced against men for small and trivial offences to pronounce a man a child of the devil and out of the state of grace because he will not pay a small summe of money for a fee or because he forgets to appear at the Court-day or for such toyes but most of all it is abused when it is pronounced against men for well-doing as it was against the blinde man and as Diotrephes abused it against those that would receive Iohn the Apostle and his Epistles as often heretofore amongst us it was abused against those that refused rashly and unadvisedly to swear when they were willed so to do and against those that went to hear the Word preached abroad when they had it not at home and the like The last abuse of Excommunication is when it is done privately before one or two before the Judge and his man or his mans Deputy so the most solemn Censure of the Church is denounced against a man no man knowing of it So much for the abuse of Church-Discipline in regard of Excommunication now it is also abused in regard of too much rigour to the offendor when upon his repentance he is denied to be received in again to the Church which was the fault of some few men in austerer times or when too much bodily exercise of humillation was cast upon them as a penance to last seven yeers and the like this was to turn sound repentance into an outward form for so soon as ever the penitent did shew sound humiliation and sound purpose of amendment after some convenient time of his trial lest he should be swallowed up of grief he should be taken into the Church again as a member of it Now the private Discipline pertaining to every man is abused 1. By contemning and setting light by the Censures and Admonitions of the Church which if they be rightly passed they are terrible and should not be despised 2. A free conversing with offendors and sinners that are scandalous and having familiarity with them Indeed the natural bonds betwixt Father and Mother Master and Servant Prince and Subject cannot be dissolved by any wickedness no nor by Excommunication but the bonds of familiarity are so far as may be without neglect of duty in regard of these places A Father must keep his child though excommunicated and not suffer him to perish a childe his father and so in the rest but familiarity loving and kinde society even in such cases is to be denied and where these bonds are not so much as may be all society but to converse with them be merry with them play eat and drink with them that are notorious offendors chiefly excommunicate is a great offence against God and endangering of ones self to infection by them Lastly Obstinacy against Church-Discipline and publick or private admonition viz. a refusing to confess ones fault and to shew publick repentance for publick sins private for private is a great disorder which was the offence of the incestuous person at the first for he stood in his sin and cared for no reproof And Paul blames those of the Corinthians that being admonished by his betters had not repented of their fornication drunkenness he must needs mean of publick repentance for their known offences in this kinde because if they had been private he could not have told of them and whether they had in private repented or no how could he tell but yet it is sure there is no true private repentance when men are not willing to shew it publickly in such case On the other side he greatly praiseth them because they had received Titus sent by him for this purpose with much fear and trembling and so consequently with all obedience had submitted themselves to his admonition to do any thing he required for the giving of the Church satisfaction in regard of their offences 2 Cor. 7. 15. These be the sins condemned in this second
be added to the natural or else little good will be done and these are two 1. Let them pray often to God to link their hearts together 2. Let them be frequent in performing all holy exercises one with another and specially in praying one with and for another Spiritual exercises breed spiritual affection and nothing is more binding then Religion Religious duties do both expresse and increase the image of God and that is amiable So much for love Now follow trustinesse and helpfulnesse both which we will put together as Solomon doth saying of a good wife Prov. 31. 11 12. That the heart of her husband doth trust in her And again She will do him good and not evil all the daies of his life God did make man and woman for the good each of other her to be his helper and him to be her guide This trusty helpfulnesse must be to each others bodies souls names and states Bodies in the careful avoiding of all things whereby they may bring sicknesses or diseases each on other and the willing and ready providing of all things that may continue health and recover it as attendance physick and the like Souls in shunning all such carriages as may provoke each others passions or other infirmities and using all good means of loving advice and admonition to help each other out of the same Namely in concealing each others infirmities and keeping each others secrets States in joyning together in diligent labour wise fore-cast and vertuous thriftinesse Thus for themselves Now in regard of their families they must joyn together in the planting of Religion amongst them by instructing and teaching them and by reading and praying with them the man as chief the wife as his deputy in his absence also they must oversee the waies of their family by looking what is done by them and seeking to redresse by admonishing and correcting what is amisse In regard of children they are 1. To bear moderate affections toward them Rachel and Hannah immoderately desired them others mutter because they have so many 2. To train them up in the fear of God Solomon who was the tender beloved the darling of his parents makes this the instance of their love in that they taught him wisdome and acquainted him with the Laws of God It was said of Herod that it was better to be his hog then his son 3. To reprove and chasten them for their iniquities Ely a good man came to a fearful end for neglecting this So much for their joint duties Now the several duties of each come to be handled and first we begin with the wife and then proceed to the husband The wife ows in one word subjection and this twofold to the husbands Person and to his Authority To his person 1. By acknowledging her self to be his inferiour God saith to Eve Her desire shall be subject to her husband and he shall rule over her The female sex is inferiour to the male and every woman as a woman is lower and meaner then a man as the Apostle proves because the woman was after the man and for the man and she was first in the transgression therefore she may not use Ecclesiastical Authority not speak in the Church as a Minister But to her husband not as a woman onely but as a wife she is inferiour and bound in conscience to be subject to his power and jurisdiction for this is a word of eternal and constant truth He shall rule over thee which she that will not yeeld to is an enemy to God and nature and cannot be a good wife 2. She is to reverence her husbands person both inwardly in heart and outwardly Inwardly Ephes. 5. ult she must fear him not with a flavish but awful fear that is she must have her soul so disposed to him as to be afraid to offend or displease him She must shew outward reverence also in her gesture behaviour and speech This is subjection to the husbands person Now to his Authority She owes 1. Cheerful obedience to all his lawful commands as the Church obeys Christ. 2. A quiet and fruitful receiving of his reprehensions as the Church also is patient toward Christ. Thus we have heard the wives duty The husbands duties are 1 Wisely to maintain his authority not so much by force as by vertuous behaviour avoiding especially bitternesse and unthriftinesse 2. He must wisely manage his authority The end of using his authority must be the good benefit and comfort of his wife and family for all government is by God ordained for the good of the whole not the pleasure of the Governour The husband must use his authority to edification and hearken to her when she speaks the Word of God as Abraham to Sarah Isa. 11. 6. 2. The things in which he is to use his authority he is to command what is to be done and forbid what is not to be done and reprehend where she offends 3. The manner of using his authority is with three vertues Wisdome Mildnesse Justice 1. Wisdome in commanding nothing but what is useful and weighty and grounded upon good and due reason 2. In his reproofs he must choose fit time when he and she are calm and fit place when none is present 2. Mildnesse or gentlenesse rather perswade then command if he chide her let it be with compassion and without bitternesse 3. Justice in willing allowing of maintenance to her according to his place and means in cherishing what is good and seeking to reform what is evil He must walk in all wisdome and knowledge 1 Pet. 3. 7. he should be an example of judgement gravity holinesse and wisely passe by many imperfections because they are fellow-heires of grace if there be not this wise carriage their prayers will be hindered contentions hinder such duties Thus much for private persons viz. Parents and Children Masters and Servants Husband and Wife Now follow the duties belonging to publick persons which are either in Church or Common-wealth In Church as Minister People In Common-wealth as Magistrate Subject Of Ministers and People The duty of the people 1. They ought to reverence their Ministers for the place in which God hath set them Isa. 52. 7. Rom. 20. 15. 2. They ought exceedingly to love them Gal. 4. 14 15. 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. 3. They must obey their Doctrine taught truly out of the word of God Heb 13. 17. 4. They must yeeld sufficient maintenance unto them 1 Cor. 9. 11. Rom. 15. 27. Gal. 6. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 17 18. The Anabaptists deny that Ministers may receive a stipend so doth Weigelius he cals them Stipendiarios praecones Vide Crocij Ante-Weigel part 2. cap. quaest 2. 5. They must defend them against the wrongs of bad men Rom. 16. 4. The duty of Ministers to their people Their duty is laid forth 1. By Titles as Watchmen Ezek. 3. 1. Labourers Matth. 9. 37. Light and Salt Matth. 5. 13 14. Shepherds
Joh. 21. 15. Good Scribes Matth. 13. Stewards 1 Cor. 4. 1. Nurses 1 Thess. 2. 7. 2. In Commandments Act. 20. 28. 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. 1. He is to be a good example and pattern unto his people in love faith patience and in every good work 1 Tim. 4. 12. 1 Pet. 5. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walk aright Gal. 2. 14. 2. He is to feed the flock diligently and faithfully to divide the Word of truth aright 2 Tim. 2. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 talk aright Matth. 28. 19. Woe to me if I preach not the Gospel Popish Writers call our Ministers in disdain Praedicantici 3. To dispense the Sacraments Go teach and baptize 4. To go before them and take heed to the flock One saith A good Minister should have five properties 1. Be sound in the faith 2. Of an unblameable conversation 1 Tim. 3. 2. Acts 20. 28. 3. Of competent abilities 4. Diligent and painful Verbi Minister es hoc age was Mr. Perkins's Motto 5. Not usurp the Office but be called in an orderly way Ioh. 3. 27. Rom. 10. 14. Ier. 14. 14. Heb. 5. 4. Papists say our Ministry is a nullity the Separatists say it is of the Devil and Antichrist There is first the inward calling of a Minister a work of Gods Spirit inwardly inclining a man to imbrace this Function for the right ends Gods glory and mans salvation Not sufficient inward gifts of minde of knowledge learning and vertue is the inward calling to the Ministry because all these things may befall such a one as ought not to undertake the Ministry at all as a King but should sin grievously against God if he undertake that Function yea all these may befall a woman who may not be a Minister I permit not a woman to exercise authority or to speak in the Church 2. Outward to be appointed to this Office by such who are intrusted with this care Paul left Titus in Crete to ordain Elders that is Ministers The nature of this Call consists in two main things Election and Ordination Thus much for those Superiours which have authority in the Church and their inferiours The superiours and inferiours in Common-wealth follow and those are Magistrates and Subjects The chief duties of the Subject are honour and submission Command 5. Rom. 13. 1. In heart to reverence and outwardly to obey the Magistrate This honour and reverence includes within it a triple act 1. Of the minde in a due estimation and valuing of their place and dignity 2. Of the will in an humble inclination thereof unto them because of their excellency 3. Of the body in outward behaviour and carriage towards them Good Subjects must willingly obey the Supreme and lawful Magistrate Reas. 1. From the Authority put upon him by God he hath intrusted them with a portion of his own Authority and made him Commander in his own stead in obeying him we obey God if he abuse not his authority against him and contrary to his will and the trust reposed in him 2. From the end of Government the common good and the preservation of the welfare and society of the good But 1. This obedience must not be absolute and illimited God onely hath an authority over us it is better to obey God then man 2. So far must obedience be yeelded to their commands as they do not evidently tend to the overthrow and ruine of the common society Subjects are willingly to pay Tribute to a Prince or State David had Tribute Rom. 13. 6 7. Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's Reasons 1. The state of Princes needs such support and supply 2. The fruit profit and benefit of his labours redoundeth to his Subjects 2. The duty of Magistrates 1. That there should be Magistrates 2. What is their duty It is the will of God that some men should rule over others 2 Sam. 23. 3 4. Civil Magistracy is a Divine Institution Dan. 4. lat end Prov. 8. 16. Rom. 13. 1 2. Reasons 1. God hath given some more eminent Titles then others they are called The foundations of the Earth Psal. 82. 5. the pillars and shields of the Earth Pastors Shepherds Saviours the Stay of our Tribes Cyrus my Shepherd Fathers Iob saith I was a Father to the poor 2. Gods appointment By me Kings reign God led Israel by Moses ruled them by Judges and Kings 3. He hath given them authority The judgement is not yours but Gods 4. He gives them ability to rule In the Heavens there are two great lights and they not equal in the Earth there is the Lion among Beasts in the Sea the Leviathan among fishes in the air the Eagle among the Fowls God hath not equalled men in their naturals stature senses in their intellectuals nor graces Government was necessary 1. In innocency God appointed order among Angels 2. In the corrupt estate Societies need it for restraining evil Hab. 1. 14 15. supporting good else shame and fear the curbs of sin will be taken away Man is a sociable creature 3. In the state of grace Tit. 3. 1. Object The Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 2. 13. cals Magistracy a humane Ordinance or Creature Sol. It is Ordinatio Divina secundum substantiam humana secundum modum sinem It is Divine in regard of the chief Authour but humane subjectively or objectively because it is about the society of men and finally because it was instituted for the good of men Magistracy in general is appointed by God but the particular form whether Monarchy Aristocracy or Democracy is a humane Institution Crocius in his Antiweigelius part 2. c. 9. quaest 1. proves that Verè fidelis Magistratum potest gerere and answers the Arguments against Magistrates Evil Magistrates are a scourge to a people A certain holy man they say expostulated on a time with God why he had permitted Phocas being so cruel a man to be Emperour To whom a voice answered That if a worse man could have been found he should have been set over them the wickednesse of the world requiring it 2. The duties of the Magistrate Zanchius saith there are three Offices of a Magistrate 1. To ordain both those things which belong to Religion and the Worship of God and to publick peace honesty and justice 2. To judge impartially or as the Prophets speak to do justice and judgement Magistrates of all men should be just 2 Sam. 23. 3. in regard of their eminent place justice will secure them 3. To punish evil doers with the Sword Rom. 13. 4. Casaubon in his Commentaries upon Polybius reports of one Hiero King of Syracuse that he obtained that large Empire not by right of succession although in times past obtained by his Ancestors nor by violence but from the admiration of his vertue and that he administred that Kingdome after he had got it alwaies with clemency dexterity and faith and lived about 90. yeers integris omnibus
Christ who wore a Crown of Thorns for me e In the Primitive times they were wont to call Martyrdom by the name of Corona Martyrii the Crown of Martyrdom and Stephen the Protomartyr had his name in Greek from a Crown Erant torti torquentibus fortiores Cyprian Reformati ligneas sanctorum Papistae vivas Dei comburunt Imagines Qui primi relictis patriis ritibus ac lege qui abjectis repudiatis rebus omnibus quae solent esse hominibus in vita gratissima charissima Christum sunt sequuti qui ilii noâ—a atque admirabilia dicenti fidem tribuerunt gravia dura praecipienti obedierunt denique cervices suas obtulerunt pro illius Doctrina Gloria aliquid certè in co majus excellentius animadverterunt humana sapientia potentia Lod. Viv de verit Fid. Christ l. 2. c. 14. f Non paena sed causa facit Martyrem g Lib. 2. c. 25. Meminerunt Mosis Diodorus Siculus Strabo Plinius Tacitus quoque post eos Dionysius Longinus de Sermonis sub limitate Iamnis autem Mambris qui in Aegypto Mosi restiterunt praeter Talmundicos Plinius Apulcius Grotius de verit relig Christ. * Bish. Andrews in his large exposition on the ten Commandments h Credite me vobis folium recitare Sybille i Vid. Spanhem Dub. par 2. Dub. 34. Sect. 6 7. k Exercit. 1. ad Annal. Bar. * Isa. 8. 20. Psal. 19. The Authors often testifie that they speak not of themselves or by any humane instinct but from Gods command and the Spirit inspiring l Christ commends Moses the Prophets and Psalms by which names are meant all the Books belonging to the Canon of the Hebrews m The holy Ghost inwardly witnesseth in the hearts of the faithfull that the Scriptures are the Word of God 1 Joh. 2. 20 27. 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 12. 12. 3. Joh. 16. 23. 14. 26. Isa. 51. 16. Isa. 59. 21. Rom. 8. 16. The inspiration of the Spirit is considered as an efficient cause which disposeth our faculties to believe the truth and not as an argument of the truth The Pelagians say The faculties of the soul are well enough disposed to understand and believe the things of God without the inward inspiration and illumination of the Spirit Scripturam tanquam mortuam literam intuentur meros spiritus inflatis buccis crepant interim tamen neque verbum neque Spiritum retinentes Hic autem audis Paulum Scripturae testimoniis ut firmissimis potissimum nitâ— c. Luth. in 1 Cor. 15. 3 4. Quocirca noli esse immodicus jactator Spiritus si non apertum externum verbum habueris neque enim bonus eâ—â— quâ—m jactâ—s Spiritus sed ipsissimus Diabolus Id. ibid. Omnes homines quantumvis illustrati Spiritu sancto tamen manent discipâ—li â—erbâ— Luth. Tom. 4. The work of the Spirit now is not to perfect Scripture or to adde any thing to its discovery or to be â—â— stâ—aâ— of a Scripture where it is wanting much lesse where the Scripture is But to remove the darknesse from our understanding that we may see clearly what the Scripture speaks clearly Before the Scripture was perfected the Spirit did enlighten the Prophets and Pen-men of Scripture both wayes But now I know no teaching of the Spirit save only by its illuminating â—â— sanctifying works teaching men no new lesson nor the old without book but to read with understanding what Scripture Nature Creatures and Providences teach Mr Baxters Saints everlasting Rest Part 1. Sect. 51. n 1 John 3. 8. 1 John 2. 20. * Fides Christiana non acquiritur sed infunditur n Leviculum est quod objiciunt qui contra sentiunt Si omnis Scriptura Divinitus sit inspirata sequuturum inde etiam Graecorum Gentilium Scripturas esse divinitus inspiratas nam ut benè respondet Theophylactus oportebat eos novisse quod Paulus ante dixerat Sacras literas nosti Rivet Isag. ad Script Sac. o Aliud sanè Propâ—â—tas hoc vel illud scripsisse aliud verò scripsisse ut Prophetas Spanhem Vide Lod. Viv. de verit Fid. Christ. l. 5. c. 1. p Nothing crosseth humane wisdom more then the Scripture Authoritas sine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scripturâ— Illud authenticum dicitur quod sibi sufficit quod se commendat sustinet probat ex se sidem ac authoritatem habet Whitaker q Every principle is known by it self The Scripture is the primum credendum the first thing to be believed we must believe it for it self and all other things for their conformity with it r Eccius reckons this among heretical Assertions Major est Scripturae quam Ecclesiae Authoritas s Nisi Deus hominibus placuerit non erit Deus said Tertullian in Apol. If God please not man he shall not be God as truly and certainly as God is God so truly is the Scripture the Scripture Spiritus sanctus Spiritus veritatis loquitur semper in Scriptura in Ecclesia verò quandoque Spiritus humanus spiritus erroris Rainoldus Thesi. 3. l. 11. t See Chamiâ—rs sixth Book de Canone divers Chapters and Mr Pembles Vindiciae Gratiae pag. 207. to 222. u Superfluus mihi labor videtur eorum qui adco sollicite illud quoad nos inquisiverunt quia nâ— cogitari quidem potest ulla corum librorum authoritas nisi quoad nos Cham. x Matth. 28. 20 18. 20. John 15. 26. 16. 13. y Scriptura est vel ipsa scriptio literarum per lineas certas pictura vel ipsa doctrina per eas Scripturas significata in iis literis contenta Scriptione fatemur Ecclesiam esse antiquiorem sed negamus esse antiquiorem ea doctrina quae significatur ea scriptione Chamier Tom. 1. l. 1 c. 22. z Fuit Scriptura ante Moysen materialiter non formaliter Quibus lect is verbis adeo exultant quasi reperissent id quod puâ—â—i in faba se reperisse clamitant tamque considenter ac â—i ad plenum victoriae fructum sola triumphi gloria deesset Chamierus a So Musculus Calvin Peter Martyr and Whitaker expound those words observe the composition of the word it signifieth to move with other things b Gerson saith he taketh the Church for the Primitive Church and that Assembly which saw and heard Christ. c Ecclesiâ— non habet magisteriâ—â—m supra Scripturas sed Ministerium circa Scripturas There are two causes why the Apocrypha are cast out of the Canon 1. External the Authority of the Church decreeing and the quality of the Authours 2. Internal the style the fabulous and wicked things Chamier d Ecclesiae id est Romano Pontifici vel soli vel cum Concilio magisterium tribuunt summum adeo ut solennis sit apud eos formula indicet magister sidei Amesius e Dr Chalonero Credo Ecclesiam Catholicam Ecclesia dicitur Fundamentum metaphoricè impropriè fundamentum
Halls Apol against them p. 579. M. Lyfords Apol. for our publick Min. and Infant Bapt. Concl. 2. Woe to those Pastours qui non pascunt sed depascunt gregem Ezek. 34. 2 * 1 Sam. 12. 23. * Augustine and Chrysostom preached every day in the week and year at least once or twice without fail Ye heard yesterday ye shall hear to morrow is common in their Tractates and Homilies M. Balls trial of Separat pag. 81. The Papists by way of scoff called the Evangelical Ministers Praedicantici Whereas Paul judged preaching his chief Office and would not baptize least it should be an impediment Bellarmine and the Councel of Trent style preaching Praecipuum Episcopi Officium 1 Tim. 3. 1. Exponere voluit quid sit Episcopatus quia nomen est operis non honoris Aug. de civit Dei l. 19. c. 19. The Jewish Ministers were not separated by Christ himself nor by others at his command Matth. 21. 45 46. Mat. 23. 1 2 3. Luk. 17. 19 11. 52. The Pastour which hath care of souls and is non-resident Non est dispensator sed dissipator non speculator sed spiculator The most learned Divines in the Councel of Trent did generally protest against it as appears by their several Tractates See Ezek 44. 8. He whom thou substitutest is either more deserving then thy self and then it is fit he should have more means or else he is equal then it is fit he should have as much or he is inferiour and then he is not fit to represent thy person See Doctor Chaloâ—ers Sermon on Matth. 20. 6. entituled The Ministers Charge and Mission Tit. 2. 7. 1 Pet. 5 3. As the measures of the Sanctuary were double so their sins were double Greenham It is Onus Angelorum humeris formidandum Chrysost. 2 Cor. 2. 10. Melch. Adam Exod. 28. 39. Omnes disputando pauci bene vivendo vincere adversarios studemus Casaub. Epist. 123. Heinsio D. Hill on Ephes 4. 15. M. Burrh on Hos. 6. 5. Constantine when he entered into the Synod of Nice bowed himself very low unto the Bishops there assembled and sate not down until they desired him Iosephus Antiq. Iud. l. 1. c. 8. records that Alexander the Great coming with his Army against Ierusalem the high-Priest did meet him arayed with his sacred and magnificent attire Alexander dismounted himself and in the high-Priest worshipped God who as he said had in a dream appeared unto him in that habit Vide Mont. Appar 6. p. 224. The Ministery of the Gospel is much more excellent glorious then that of the Law 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9. Phil. 2. 29. 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Heb. 4. 13 17 See Act. 10. 25. Gal. 4. 15. Stupor mundi â—lerus BritaÌ„nicus See B. Down on 1 Tim. 3. 1 2. p. 73. almost to the end The devil laboured to suppresse the Gospel Mendaciis inopia Luther Roberts Epist. to the revenue of the Gospel See more there Some say they will preach and take no tithes 2 Cor. 11. 12 Vid. Aquin. 2a 2ae quaest 87. Art 1. 3. See M. Hildershams two last Lectures on Psal. 51. It is a giving of the sense of the Scripture and a more large opening of points of Doctrine to men joyned with Reproofs Exhortations Comforts and a right applying it to the hearers Praedicatio verbi est medium gratiae divinitùs institutum quo res regni Dei publicè explicantur applicantur populo ad salutem adificationem Boules de Pastore Vide plura ibid. Rainold de lib. Apoc. Tom. 10. praelect 2. Doctor Donne on Matth. 5. Apage vesanam illam prophetandi libertaâ—eÌ„ imò licentiam blasphemandi ut liceat malè seriato cuique tyroni prodigiofissima cerebri sui phantasmata in apricum producere populo commendare praelo Concio D. Hal. ad Synod Nation Dordrecht Neither do the Independents only but the Socinians and Arminians also cry up Libertas prophetandi Mr Gillesp. Miscel. cap. 10. For a publick formal Ministerial teaching two things are required in the Teachers 1. Gifts from God 2. Authority from the Church he that wants either is no true Pastour For the second such as want Authority from the Church are 1. None of Christs Officers Ephes. 4. 11. 2. They are expresly forbidden it Ier. 23. 21. 3. The blessing on the Word is promised only to sent Teachers Rom. 10. 15. Mr Owens Duty of Pastors and people distinguished pag. 46 47. Inprimis displicet mihi illa quam tuentur libertas prophetandi certissima pernicies religiouis nisi certis sinibus acriter coerceatur Casaub. Epist. 320. Joanni Lydio That sending Rom. 10. 15. must needs import an authoritative Mission according to the clear etymology of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which manifestly alludes to the name of an Apostle a name given by Christ himself to them who were first by his command to preach the Gospel Luke 6. 13. It signifies one that is sent as the Embassadours of Princes use to be sent with their Masters Mandates Church-member set in joynt by Filodexter Transylvanus See Deodat in loc Mr. Cottons Keys of the Kingd In Ecclesia primitiva juit exercitium quoddam propheticum à concionibus distinctum 1 Cor. 14. 31 32. Ad hoc exercitium habondum admit tebantur non tantum ministri sâ—d et ex fratribus prim arii vel maximè approbati pro donis illis quae habuerunt sibi collata Ames l. 4. de consc c. 26. See Mr. Wards Coal from the Alâ—ar Most of the writings of Cypriâ— Athanasius Bafil Nazianzen Chrysostom Ambrose Cyril Augustine Leo Gregory were nothing else but Sermons preacht unto the people 1 Cor. 15. ult In the consecration of Bishops a Bible is put into their hands and these words used Accipe Evangelium vade praedica populo tibi commisso The Ministers words must be like goads to prick men to the heart and when they are soundest asleep they must be like Cocks that cry loudest in the deadest time of the night King Iames said well of a Reverend Prelate of this Land Me thinks this man preacheth of Death as if Death were at my back Master Fenner â—n 1 John 2. 6. * Et hac uimirum expedita concionandi methodus Iesuitica quam mihi etiam Spirae Wormatiae Moguntiae aliquando observasse visus sum alta voce sed frivolis rationibus cont ra haereticos clamitare moralia in quibus Christum Iesum fidem justificantem omnium bonorum operum fontem semper desideres identidem suis inculcare quae ipsa tamen melius forsan ex Seneca Plutarcho quam ex concionibus illorum didiceris Scultet de curriculo vita pag. 18. Verba volvere celeritate dicendi apud imperitum vulgus admirationem sui facere indoctorum hominum est Hieron Epist. ad Neporian Ab allegationibus authoritate Patrum veterumque Ecclesiae doctorum abstinebit Pastor Ecclesiasticus Zepperi lib. 2.
thing the Lord hath condemned Exod. 20. 23. With me that is beside me God c. that is golden and silver Images or pictures of God Quod si quaeras cur illud facietis repetatur dicam voluisse Deum inculcare maximè ut sibi ab eo delicto caverent ad quod maximè proni erant Voss. in Maim de Idol c. 3. Pontificii totum secundum praeceptum de imaginibus non colendis omittunt in recitatione Decalogi ut patet tum ex officio B. Mariae autoritate Pii 5. reformato tum ex Catechismo Ledesmae quasi dâ— ea re nullum omnino praeceptum dedisset Deus Rivet Tract de Patrum Autoritate c. 5. Vide Pontificiorum crassa prodigiosa dogmata contra singula Decalogi praecepta Mort. Apol. Cath l. 2. c. 13 14 15. Idolatry is a Greek word compounded of an Idol which signifieth any similitude image likenesse form shape or representation exhibited either to the body or minde and Latry which signifieth service Ainsw Arrow against Idol c. 1. The first Commandment bindeth us to have Iehovah the living and true God for our God and none other and forbiddeth generally these four things 1. The having of strange gods and not the true as had the Heathens Act. 14. 11 12 15. 2. The having of strange gods with the true as had the Samaritans 2 King 17. 32. 3. The having of no God at all as foolish Atheists Psal. 14. 1. 4. The not having of the true God aright but in hypocrisie only Isa. 29. 13. Tit. 1. 16. The second Commandment bindeth to the true worship of the true God which is only as himself commandeth and by the means rites and services that he ordaineth John 4. 20. to 24. Deut. 12. 32. 4. 1 2 5 6. Ainsw ibid. See more there and Chap. 2. how fast the sinne of Idolatry cleaveth to all and Chap. 5. of the Idolatry of these times farre exceeding Ieroâ—oams and Chap. 6. a dehortation from this sinne Isa. 40. 18. 25. vers Gal. 4. 8. Idolatry saith Tertullian is principale crimen summus hujus saeculi reatus It is called abomination Deut. 27. 15. 1 Pet. 4. 3. Aquin. 2a 2ae Quaest. 94 Art 3. shews That Idolatry is gravissimum peccatum St Hierom affirmeth that when Jesus being a childe was carried into Egypt for fear of Herod all the Idols of Egypt fell down and all their miracles became mute which the Prophet Isaiah foresaw Chap. 19. 1. The general silence of the Devil in his Oracles throughout the world presently upon Christs incarnation is a thing known and confessed by all men He performed the part of a good Bishop that finding a vail spread in the entrance of a Church door wherein the Image of Christ or of some other Saint was pictured rent it in pieces with these words That it was against the authority of the sacred Scriptures to have any Image of Christ set up in the Church The Theatre of Gods judgements ch 25. Idols in Churches are a scandal to â—ews Turks Idolatry either makes that to be God which is not or God to be that which he is not Robins Ess. observ 11. Rabbi Moses Ben Nachman whom they call Ramban or Gerundensis saith Non est tibi Israel ultio in qua non sit uncia de iniquitate vituli There is no vengeance taken on thee Israel wherein there is not an ounce of the iniquity of the Calf God neither will nor can nor ought to be exprest by any Image He will not Exod. 20. 4. neither can he be represented by any Image Deut. 4. 15. Isa. 40. 12. Neither ought any Image to be made of him His Majesty and glory cannot be represented by any visible form Rom. 1. 22 23. Quin audeam dicere eos qui olim cum cultu Dei idololatriam miscebant ut disertè extat in posterioris Regum capite 17. 29 30 31 32. eos inquam hodie adeo ab omni Idololatria abhorrere ut in hac parte Iudaeos ipsos superare videantur Scaliger de Samaritis l. 7. De emendat Temp. Col. 2. 18. See Ainsw Arrow against Idol ch 5. p. 27 30 31. Deut. 4. * Col. 2. 18. Voluntary religion Superstitio à superstando non quasi Deus verus vero cultu nimium coli possit sed quia ad materiem cultus accedat quod eum corrumpat Voss. de Orig. Progres Idol l. 1. c. 3. Superstitio est cultus indebitus praeter verbum Dei Zanâ—h Superstitiosi vocantur non qui filios suos superstites optant omnes enim optamus sed aut ii qui superstitem memoriam desunctorum colant aut qui parentibus suis superstites colebant imagines corum domi tanquam Deos penates Lactant. Div. Instit. l. 4. de vera sapientia Vide plura ibid. See how great a sinne superstition is in Mr Cawdreys Preface to his Superstitio superstes and in the book it self The Pharisees in Christs dayes were great pretenders to holinesse but they corrupted the worship of God Corruption in worship provokes God 1. To depart from a people Ezek. 8. 3. 2. To destroy them 2 Chron. 7. 20. The divine worship of the Heathens and Papists in the Temples is of so near affinity that Ludovicus Vives confesseth there cannot any difference be shewen unlesse the Papists have changed the names and titles The Popish Purgatory agreeth with the Heathen Purgatory mentioned in Plato and Virgil. The papistical manner of consecrating Churches and Church-yards fully imitateth the Ceremonies of the Pagans when they consecrated their Temples and Temple-courts or yards described by Alexander ab Alexandro Their sprinkling of holy water is mentioned in the sixth Satyre of Iuvenal and Sozomen calleth it a Heathenish Ceremony The whole â—warm of Friers or Monks first began among the Heathen as at large appeareth by learned Hospinian * Papists give a stone or wooden crosse the right hand as they go or ride by some also put off their hats the Crosse is not medium cultus The Papists invocate this sign Per crueis signum fugiat hinc omne malignum per idem signum salvetur quodque benignum Bellarm. do imag c. 19. 20. calleth it Signum sacrum venerabile signum crucis adoramus Vide Aquin. part 3. Quaest. 25. Art 4. See Parker of the Crosse chap. 1. Sect. 10. and elswhere They account it among the most precious reliques and not only the whole but every piece thereof they adore it salute it pray unto it and trust therein for salvation crying O Crux ave spes unica hoc passionis tempore auge ptÌ„is justitiam reisque dona veniam Hail O Crosse our only hope in this time of passion increase thou to the godly righteousnesse and unto sinners give pardon Yea the very sign of this Idol made in the air upon the fore-head or over any other thing is sacred and venerable hath force to drive away Deviis and do many like feats Ainsw
agnoscebant Imperatorem coeli Grotius de jure Belli ac pacis l. 1. c. 2. ex Ambrosio Omni lege divinà naturali nationali licitè semper Reges Principes suis subditis tributa imposuerunt licitè quoque exegerunt cùm ad patriae reipublicae defensionem tum ad ipsorum familiae honestam procurationem Montac orig Eccles parte priore It is a Divine Institution that there should be regimen politicum a rule and government among men All civil subjection of man to man came in by sin God subjected other creatures to man but not one man to another there should have been a natural subjection of the Son to the Father but not civil nomen istud culpa meruit non natura Aug. cited before in servants It is an Ordinance under Christ as Mediator yet though civil Government came in by sin it is Gods Ordinance Omnis potestas est à summa potestate See Bisâ—â—ld in lot Government often fals into the hands of evil men Dan. 4. 17. Ps. 12. 8. Job 34. 30. Zanchius de Magistratu It is observable in all the Kings of Israel and Iudah in the Kings and Chronicles that their stories begin with this observation as with a thing first worthy to be chronicled how they dealt in matters of Religion such a King did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and such a King did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the waies of Ieroboam the son of Nebat that made Israel to sin See 2 Chr. 30. 22. It was an ancient ceremony in the Church of Israel that at the Kings Coronation the Book of God should be given into his hand 2 Kin. 11 12. Deut. 17 18. to shew that God committed the care of Religion principally to the King that by the uttermost of his power and authority it might be established in his Dominions The Nicene Counsel was called to convince the Arrians the Synode of Dort to convince the Arminians They should 1. Provide just Laws not rule by their will 2. Observe them themselves and see they be observed by others 3. Rule by love and seek the welfare of the people Psal. 78. 71. Esth. 10. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 2. Esth. 10. ult Sub Alexandro militabant plurimi Sub Augusto nemo non cudebat carmen Neronis tempore multi por urbem cantores histriâ—nes phonasci multi Magi. Adrianus omnes faciebat observatores veterum Scriptorum Lud. Viv. de causâ—â—orrupt art l. 1. Prima Magistratus cura debet esso religionem veram promovere impietatem prohibere Isa. 49. 23. Isa. 2. 11. Exempla hujus curae laudantur in Davide Solomone Josaphat Hezekia Josia c. Ames de consc l. 5. c. 25. Vide Ames de consc l. 4. c. 3. quaest 3. Dr. Hill on Jer. 6. 16. See 2 Chron. 34. 33. Gerh. loc commun Crocii Anti-Weigel art 2. l. 9. c. 7. Crocius in his Anti-weigel p. 552. hath this question An Magistraetui Christiano liceat haereticos coercere and holds the affirmative in some cases part 2. cap. 9. quaest 8. sect 1. and answers the contrary Argum. sect 2. Object The Kings of Iudah had the Prophets of God with them who had an infallible Spirit Ans. The Kings of Iudah had infallible Prophets among them but they did not believe them We have as infallible a rule as they had Gal. 6. 16. That principle of infallibility of some external visible Judge brought Popery into the world and brings in Scepticism and practical Atheism a M. Doâ— b Murder is the unjust taking away of the life of a man It is unjust when it is without due ground and warrant from God Ford of the Covenant between God and man Violentia omnis injuria ac omnino quaevis noxa qua proximi corpus laedatur interdicitur Calv. Instit. l. 2. c. 8. Homicidium est injusta hominis occisio Illa autem occiâ—io atque etiam laesio est injusta quae vel non fit auctoritate justa id est publica vel publicae aequipollente vel non ex justa causa vel non ordine justo vel ex intentione non justa Ames Medul Theol. l. 2. c. 18. Non actus omnis sed illicitus hic significatur qui solet esse significatus vocis Hebraeae Ratsach Grotius M. Whateley of the Com. See Elton on this Comman p. 208 209. Elton Gen. 4. 5. Gen. 27. 41. 37. 4 5 8 20. Quia in quinto Praecepto Deus praemiiloco inferioribus promittit longaevaÌ„ vitam tanquam praeclarum suum donum inter omnia quae nobis divino munere veniunt vita sit charissima ideo nunc sapienâ—issimo ordine divino subjicitur sextum praeceptum de conservanda vita tum proximi tum nostra Matrimonium totius civilis societatis fundamentum est Buxtorf de Decal Vide Grot. in explicat Decal Gerh. loc com Tom. 3. Fabricius Voluntas divina est naturae primalex Gerson Numb 35. 31 33 * Non desunt teste R. S. qui putant terram quocunque locorum venerit Cain sub â—o tremuisse quo conspecto homines dixere fugite is est crudâ—lis ille homicida qui sratrem suum occidit P. Fag in Gen. 4. 16. Neque enim frustra in sanctis Canonicisque libris nusquam nobis divinitus praeceptum permissumve reperiri potest ut vel ipsius adâ—piscendae immortalitis vel ullius carendi cavendive mali causa nobismetipsis necem inseramus August de civitate Dei lib. 1. cap. 20. Vide plura ibid. c. 19 21 22 23. Occideâ—e semâ—tipsum ex intentione directa est inter gravissima homicidii peccata Quia sic faciens 1. Graviter peccat adversus authoritatem Dei qui solus est Dominus vitae 2. Adversus bonitatem Dei cujus tantum beneficium contemnit 3. Adversus providentiam Dei cujus ordinem turbare conatur 4. Adversus charitatem qua non minus tenetur se quam proximum in vita conservare 5. Adversus justitiam quae non patitur quenquam rempublicam alias societates humanas quarum pars est quisque membro aliquo ex arbitrio privato spoliare 6. Adversus communem naturae inclinationem atque adeo legem naturae Ames l. 5. de consc c. 31. Vide Aquin. 2a 2ae Qu. 64. Art 5. Lactant. Divin Instit. lib. 3. de falsa Sapientia p. 193. * Saul is the first man whom the Scripture sets forth to us for an example of this worse then beastly rage and unnaturalnesse He by his example drew his Armour-bearer to it these two with Achitophel and Iudas are all which the Scripture mentions to have murdered themselves these were all evil men except the Armour-bearer in whom was little good as is likely Self-murder in some cases was held commendable and honourable by the Romans See D. Hackw Apol. of Gods provid in the govern of the world l. 4. c. 3. Sect. 11. Nec Samson aliter