of Christ by the Euangelists and Apostles as by his Pen-men or Notaries How is the Scripture diuided in respect of that authority it hath in prouing So it is diuided into the bookes which are Canonicall and those which are not Canonicall but Apocryphall Which doe you call the Canonicall Books Syst Theol. pag. 169. item p. 173. Hi constituūt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Those which are of vndoubted authority in prouing the Articles of Faith or which are the Square and Rule of our faith for Canonicall is deriued from Canon which signifieth as much as a Rule or Square Of what sort are the Canonicall books Of two sortes either of the Old or of the New Testament Which Books of the Old Testament are Canonicall The Canonicall Scripture of the old Testament is diuided into foure rancks Syst The. pag. 182. the first containeth the fiue Bookes of Moses the second those Bookes which are called Historicall as these Joshua Iudges Ruth the two Bookes of Samuel the two Bookes of Kings the two Bookes of the Chronicles the Bookes of Esdras Nehemiah Ester The third Bookes which are written in verse which are called Poeticall as these Job the Psalmes of Dauid the Prouerbs of Salomon Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs the fourth comprehendeth the Prophets which are either greater Prophets in number foure or lesser to wit twelue Which Bookes of the New Testament are Canonicall The Canonicall Scripture of the New Testament is diuided into the History of the Euangelists the Acts of the Apostles the Apostles Epistles and the Prophecy or Reuelation of John Which are called Apocriphall or not Canonicall Syst Theol. pag. 190. Which are not of infallible truth and authority in prouing the Articles of faith and consequently which are not the Rule and Square of our beliefe but containe precepts of life and historicall instructions Which are those Apocryphall Bookes Among the Bookes of the Old Testament as wee haue before said there are some found not to bee Canonicall such as the Booke of Tobias Iudith Wisedome which falsly is ascribed to Salomon Ecclesiasticus or Syracides the third and fourth bookes of Esdras all the Bookes of the Maccabees Baruch with Ieremy his Epistle the Prayer of Manasses the fragments of Ester the additions to Daniel as is the Song of the three Children the Historie of Susanna the Historie of Bell and the Dragon None of all these Bookes are to be found in the Hebrew tongue in which Language onely God would haue the Bookes of the Old Testament to bee written neither were they written by the Prophets or any person immediately called of God Neither doth Christ the Euangelists or the Apostles cite them at any time and to conclude there bee many vntruths in them Wherefore when the Papists vrge any thinge out of these Bookes against vs wee must answer that those Bookes containe not the infallible Word of God and consequently that they haue no firme force or validity in prouing How is the Scripture diuided in respect of the matter it handleth Into the Law and the Gospell for that part of Gods Word is called the Law wherein wee are taught what we ought to doe but the Gospell is that part of Gods Word wherein we are taught what we ought to beleeue and consequently wherein wee haue the remission of our sins promised vs by faith in Christ I haue heard sufficiently touching the diuision of the Word of God J pray you also instruct mee in the proprieties of it That will I willingly doe so I first admonish you that hereafter wee shall alwaies take the holy Scripture for the Canonicall Bookes onely and not at all for the Apocryphall VVhat is the first proprietie of the holy Scripture The first propriety is that it deriues all its authority from God alone Syst Theol. pag. 171. not from the assembly of godly men which is called the Church How proue you this I proue it by these reasons first the testimony of God hath not any authority from men The Scripture is the testimony of God alone Ergo. It hath none authority from men yea the most holy men that bee and consequently not from the Church which is nothing else but a company of godly and sanctified men The force and pith of the argument you shall finde 1 Ioh. 5.9 If wee receiue the witnes of men the testymonie of God certainely is greater Secondly that must needs be before the Scripture in naturall order of which the authority of the Scripture dependeth But the Church is not before the Word of God Ergo. The Maior proposition is euident because that which dependeth of another must needs come after that on which it dependeth The Minor is thus prooued That which is gathered gouerned regenerated by the Word or by the Scripture that is in order after the Scripture But the Church Ergo. The Maior is plaine the Minor is prooued by 1 Pet. 1.23 Wee are regenerated and borne anew by the word of God Iames 1.18 He hath begotten vs by the word of truth Ioh. 17.20 Which by their word shall beleeue in me Thirdly the foundation of any building depends not on the roofe or vpper roomes which are built vpon the foundation but contrarily those same vpper roomes and the roofe depend vpon the foundation but the Word of God is the foundation Ergo. The Maior is plaine in it selfe The Minor is confirmed by that Ephes 2.20 You are built vpon the foundation of the Profits and Apostles Obict The Papists obiect to vs that place 1 Tim. 3.15 Where the Church is said to be the pillar and ground of truth Whereto we answer Answ that this argument is sophisticall or a fallacie commonly called a Dicto secundum quid a dictum simpliciter For the Church is not called the piller and ground of truth in regard of it selfe but in regard of Christ the head who is that corner stone And further it is so called in regard it is the keeper of the Scripture Syst Theol pag. 181. forsomuch as God hath made the Church onely to haue to doe with the treasurie of his Word and in the Church as on the piller and doore of his house or pallace he hangeth those holy Tables which euery man must go thither to read No otherwise then the Magistrate hangeth vp on pillars and gates of his Court Tables containing in them his Lawes and Decrees to the end that his Subiects may there reade them as in a publike place Lastly the Church is called the Pillar of Truth in this respect because that God vseth the testimony of the Church as his instrument and meanes for the proposing teaching and expounding of the holy Scriptures vnto men for the Ministers of the Church are the conseruers of truth and the interpreters of the Scriptures yet not so as if the authority of the Scripture did depend on them but because God vseth them as his seruants and Ministers to propound and to beate into the memories of
their oppositiōs cōtradictions to thēselues this may further appeare by Joh. Pappius and Matthias Illyricus his Book of the Sects Dissentions cōtradictiōs among Popish Doctours printed at Basil 1565 whereunto the Papists haue not as yet answerd Andr. Chrastouius likewise hath written a Booke hee cals Bellum Iesuiticum The good agreement the Iesuites haue among themselues who neither is as yet confuted In the Bodleian Library at Oxford That same Book of Chrastouius was printed at Basil in quarto 1593 and it containes 205 Iesuiticall contradictions Which is that bare or secondary propriety of the Church To the Church of the New Testament Syst Theol. pag. 404. this propriety doth also agree that it is Catholicke and that first in respect of places not because it possesseth many Kingdomes but because it is scattered ouer the whole world and not tyed to any one certain place to any determinate countrey or city Secondly in respect of men because it doth consist of men of all sorts gathered out of the condition of al men of all Nations Act. 10.35 Thirdly in respect of times because it shall continue all times euen vnto the end of the world as it is said Matt 28. I will be with you euen vnto the end of the world Fourthly in respect of vnitie because the Catholicke Church is at all times but one to wit in the vnity of doctrine and consent in that doctrine And thus much we haue spoken of the proprieties of the Church Now if we shall examine and try the Popish Church by these proprieties it will appeare to bee no pure Church but to be very corrupt euen as a rotten apple is an apple corrupted and no otherwise then a man that is infected with the plague is a man but no sound man And that the Popish Church is not the pure Church I will prooue it by two manifest reasons the first An idolatrous Church is not the true and pure Church but such a one is the Popish Church Ergo. The proposition is euident because God doth abhorre nothing more then Idolatrie therefore hee saith Flie from Idols and No Idolater shall be saued The assumption I confirme thus That Church which giues that honor which Dauid giues vnto God the Creator in the very same words vnto the creature to wit the Virgin Mary that same Church is idolatrous But the Church of Rome doth so goe now that the Church of Rome doth attribute that honour which is due vnto God vnto the Virgin Mary I proue it by a most euident testimony out of that same Psalter of Marie the Virgin which was compiled by Bonauentura who liued 250 yeares agoe and canonized of the Pope of Rome so that hee is accounted among the Saints and the title of a Seraphicall Doctour which is more then Angelicall giuen vnto him This same Psalter was by the permisson of the higher powers printed in Latin at Brixia and Bononia in Italy eight yeares since being before printed at Ingolstadium in the Dutch tongue some 20 yeares agoe in the Preface whereunto it is expresly said that it was compiled the holy Ghost inditing and dictating it And further that very Psalter is in speciall vse in the Romish Church but especially it is currant among the Monkes of Saint Bennets Order which are called Cistercians Now in this Psalter all those things which Dauid attributes to the high most mightie God Ye haue this Psalter in Bonauētures works printed in seauen Tomes at Rome 1588 vol. 6. pag. 502 in Latin in English yee haue diuers passages of it and amongst the rest these in Foxes Martyrology printed 1583. fol 1600. Missale Roman edit Salmanticae A D. 1588. feria 6. in parasceue p. 223. are by them put vpon the Virgin Marie as Psal 51. Haue mercy vpon me O Lady and cleanse me from all mine offences But that of all other is most blasphemous which they apply vnto her out of the Psal 109. according to that distinction The Lord said to my Lady sit thou mother mine at my right hand where Mary is made the mother of God the Father as though the Father had beene incarnate and made man that I may not say further that to be set on the right hand of God is to haue a like power and equall glory with God himselfe Againe that the Romish Church is an Idolatrous assembly I prooue it out of the Romish Masse booke where in the Seruice appointed for Good-Friday it is said that the Priest so soone as he hath put off his shoos then approacheth to adore the Crosse shall kneele 3 times before hee kisse the Crosse and then afterward the Ministers of the Altar they must also kneele and three times adore the Crosse II. Arg. That Church which approueth manifest crimes is not the pure Church but the Church of Rome is such Ergo. The Proposition is herein manifest for that the Papists themselues doe yeeld sanctity and holinesse of manners to be a note of the Church The assumption I cōfirme 1. for that the Pope doth dispence for Incest Sodomy and other most grieuous crimes See the Taxes Fines or Nundinations of the Court of Rome described at large in Musculus his Common Places 2. It is confirmed out of Costers Enchiridion Coster Enchirid c. 5. propos 9. where you shall finde it written that a Priest committing fornication or keeping a concubine in his house does not so grieuously sinne as he that doth marrie This doth Gretzer allow of in his History of the Iesuiticall order pag. 115. Most truly wrote our Coster Gretzer Ingolstad A.D. 1594. that a Priest should not so grieuously offned if hee should commit Fornication as if hee should marry And he addeth Yea it is truly spoken that a Priest doth lesse sinne in committing Adultery then in marrying a Wife Bellar. 2. lib. de Monach. cap. 30. Jt cannot truly be said of a Nun that hath vowed continencie that it is better to bee married then to burne for both in her is euill to be married and to burne yea worse it is to bee married then to burne whatsoeuer our aduersaries say to the contrary that it is written 1 Cor. 7. It is better to marrie then to burne Here that is worthy marking which Sleidan sets downe in his first booke that a certaine Italian Bishop Casa by name hath written a whole Booke in the praise of filthy Sodomy Where wee may note for a conclusion that although all those things be granted to the Papists which they most gloriously dispute about the Church yet they can gaine nothing hereby because they ought to make it plaine first vnto vs that the Popedome is the true Church which in that they haue not as yet prooued nor shall euer be able to proue it they doe but delude themselues with a vaine title of the Church And whereas they say that it is absurd before the point of the Church bee discussed to take in hand to dispute of
Lerinens Mâ—â—â— Dâ—â—â— tam non habit hoe illud quam non haec illa Bern. or these diuerse manners of Gods being doe not multiply the Diuine Essence no more then the diuers degrees of heate or light doe multiply the light or heatâ— so that I speake right when I say there are moe persons in the diuine Essence but it cannot be vttered without blaspheâ—y to say there are in God more Natures or more Gods then one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 NazianzeÌ„ Qui nescis TrinitateÌ„ ito ad Iordanem Mat. 3. Aug. Syst Th p 46 vide etiaÌ„ p. 35. seqq Dicamus tres sed non ad praiudiciaÌ„ vnitatâ— dicamus vnâ—â— sed non ad confussionem Trinitatis Ber. v. Syst Theol p. 49. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Na. Quomodò pluralitas in vnitate sit aut ipsa vnitas in pluralitate scrutari hoc temeritas est credere pietas est nosse vita vita aeterna est Bern. How many persons are there Three the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost which is proued by manifest Testimonies of holy Writ Matth. 28 19. Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the namâ— sc by the Authority and appointment of the Father thâ— Sonne and the Holy Ghost Iob. 15.26 When that Comforte shall come whom I will send tâ— you from the Father euen tâ— Spirit of Truth who proceedeth from the Father he well testifie of me where they are all three plainely named the Father from whom the holy Spirit is sent the Sonne who sendeth and the Holy Ghost who is sent 1. Ioh. 5 7. There bee three which beare record in Heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one in Essence or Nature How proue you that these three persons bee that one God First I must haue it granted that these three persons are distinct because hee that sendeth is distinguished from him that is sent and hee from whom is distinguished from him that is sent Now Iâ—â—c 15. plainely saith that Christ is hee that sendeth the Holy Ghost him that is sent and the Father from whom the Sonne sendeth the holy Ghost Whence I doe necessarily inferre that these three manners of being in God are distinct which being graunted I shall easily prooue this three-fold manner of being or these three Persons in the diuine Essence to be that true God For first as touching the Father the very aduersaries themselues yeeld Christus est Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coÌ„tra AriuÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra Apolinar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra Nestor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra Eutych Syst Theol. pag. 52. seqq that he is truely God And touching the Sonne wee haue manifest testimonies of the Scripture Rom. 9.5 Of whom namely the Israelites are the fathers of whom Christ came as concerning the flesh who is God aboue all blessed for euer If aboue all therefore about those who by reason of their excellent gifts are called Gods That the holy spirit is God these Sentences of Scripture plainely proue Acts 5.3 Peter saith to Ananias Why hath Satan filled thy heart that thou shouldest lye against the holy Ghost And presently he addeth vers 4. Thou hast not lyed vnto men but vnto God Therefore the holy Ghost is God Another place is 1 Cor. 2.10 The Spirit searcheth all things euen the profound things of God And the verse following For who knoweth the things c. Whence wee may thus reâ—son whosoeuer knoweth the secrets the profound secrets of God or which is all one whosoeuer is omniscient is God but the Holy Ghost is Omniscient Ergo The Maior is euident the Minor is exprâ—sly in the Text. Secondly whatsoeuer is in God is God but the Holy Ghost is in God Ergo. The Proposition is of certaine truth for that God who is a most simple Essence void of all difference and composition cannot consist of any thing which is not God The assumption is in the Text v. 11. where it is said As the reasonable soul is in man that is of the essence of man so the holy Spirit is in God Hitherto may tha testimony 1 Cor. 3.16 be referred â— August Enchirid. cap. â—6 Know yee not that yee are the Temple of God and that the holy spirit dwelleth in you where the latter words doe expound the former for it is all one as if the Apostle had said Know yee not that yee are the Temple of God seeing that the Holy Ghost dwelleth in you who is God But if the Aduersaries say that the spirit is nothing else saue the effects and gifts of God they are most manifestly confuted and confounded by the words of the Scripture 1 Cor. 12.4.5.6 There are diuersities of gifts but the same spirit there are diuersities of ministrations but the same Lord c. And verse 11. All these gifts worketh that one and selfe same spirit distributing c. Whence ariseth this argument He that distributeth a gift is not himselfe that gift that is distributed but the Holy Ghost is the distributer of all those gifts Ergo. The Proposition is cleare enough The Assumption is plaine in the Text where it is said that the spirit worketh and distributeth al those gifts Another argument out of the same text may bee this Hee that is endued with a will hee cannot be a bare vertue or accident but is a substance subsisting by it selfe but the Holy Ghost c. Ergo. The Maior is cleare for whosoeuer willeth he vnderstandeth and whosoeuer willeth and vnderstandeth hee must bee a substance by it selfe subsisting The Minor is clearely set downe in the text where it is said The Spirit distributeth to euery one as he will Fuit principium essendi DEVS sequiter cognoscendi principium VERBVM DEI non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbum Christi Syst Th p. 167. Qui ScripturaÌ„ ignorat ChristuÌ„ ignorat Hieronym de Scriptura Zanch. Confess pag. 482. item in illud Pauli 2 Tim. 3.14 tom 8. p. 319 seqq I haue heard the doctrine concerning God tell mee now besides what the holy Scripture is It is that testimony and witnesse which God hath giuen to Mankind as touching his owne nature and will and as touching those thinges which appertaine to the saluation of man How is the holy Scripture diuided Three manner of waies first by reason of the Time wherein it was reuealed secondly by reason of that Authority it hath in proouing thirdly by reason of the Matter which it handleth How is the Scripture diuided in respect of the time wherin it was reuealed Into the Old and New Testament The Old Testament therefore is that part of the Scripture which God reuealed to the first of Man-kind people of the Iewes which liued vntill the Ministery of Christ which hee reuealed I say by the Prophets as by his Scribes and Notaries But the New Testament is called that part of the Scripture which God hath reuealed to Man-kind after the birth
men his holy Scripture euen as a Prince vseth a Cryer for the promulgation of his lawes vnto his Subiects And here take this similitude with you a man goeth to the Vniuersitie as vnto the very shop and store-house of Learning yet hereupon it followeth not that the truth of that learning we are taught there in the Vniuersitie doth depend on the authority of the Vniuersity Besides this must aâ—so be obserued that whatsoeuer the Papists say tovching the authority of her Church aboue the Scripture doth nothing at all profit them but that they manifestly beg the point in question whilest they thus argue The Church hath authority aboue the Scriptures The Pope of Rome is the Church Ergo. For suppose wee grant them their Maior which notwithstanding is false as wee haue manifestly proued yet they are neuer able to prooue their Minor as shall bee showne anone more distinctly VVhat is the second propriety of the word of God or the holy Scripture Syst Theol. pag. 176. That it bee intire perfect and sufficient to saluation which is prooued by that Ioâ— 20.30 Many other signâ— did Jesus which are not writteâ— in this Booke but these thinges are written that you may beleeue that Jesus is the Christ that Son of God that you beleeuing might haue life by his name Out of which place â— thus reason That which is sâ— written that by it wee may beleeue in Christ Iesus and sâ— obtaine eternall life that 〈◊〉 say is sufficient to life eternall But the Scripture is so written Ergo. Againe thence I thus argue The holy Scripture was written to this end that wee might beleeue in the Sonne of God and get eternall life Ergo. Whatsoeuer Word is not written profiteth or auaileth vs nothing to faith to eternall life which must diligently bee noted against the errour of the Papists which say there are two words of God Quod non legi vsurpare non debeo Amb. Non sum alioruÌ„ sermonum discipulus nisi coelestium Origen the one written the other vnwritten vpon which pretence they will needs obtrude vnto vs Traditions which they call Apostolicall the Decrees of the Popes and the custome of the Church Of which the Councell of Trent in the fourth Session thus speaketh Whosoeuer doth not with like affection of mind reuerence the Traditions of the Church as hee doth the holy Scriptures let him bee accursed But against those Traditions first note the sufficiency of the Scriptures Secondly this argument The Traditions of the Chuâ—ch either agree with the holy writ or they dissent from it If they be coâ—sonant to it then they say the selfe same thing thâ— Scripture saith and so theâ— are Scripture for that oughâ— not in all reason to be done bâ— mâ—â— which may bee performed by fewer Or they dissenâ— from the Scripture as all thâ— Traditions of the Popes as namely that Tradition wherby the Cup in the Lords Supper is prohibited to be administred vnto the lay people and such like And if they disagree with the Scripture they cannot fill vp the Scripture for that which is repugnant to any thing doth not fill vp but rather quite ouerthrow it Another testimony of the perfection of the holy Scripture is most manifest in the 2 Tim. 3.16 The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach to reprooue to correct to instruct that the man of God may be perfect and perfectly instructed to euery good worke From whence wee may frame these arguments First the Scripture is a totum an intire thing Ergo it is perfect for a totum is that which wanteth no necessary parts Secondly that which sufficeth vs for doctrine Adoro plenitudinem ScripturaruÌ„ Tertul. for reproofe for correction and instruction that is full compleate for there is none that can shew any thing besides whereunto the Scripture should bee profitable But the Scripture is sufficient to those things Ergo. Thirdly that which maketh a man perfect and furnished to euery good worke that same must needs be perfect but thâ— Scripture doth so Ergo. The Maior is therefore true because there is no effect which is more perfect then its cause or because a perfect effect presupposeth the cause to be perfect and nothing can giue that to another which it hath not it selfe if the Scripture therefore make men perfect then it must also be perfect VVhat is the third propriety of the holy Scripture That in the Articles of faith Syst Theol. pag. 199. which are necessary to saluation it bee plaine easie and perspicuous easie I say and perspicuous first in respect of them to whom 〈◊〉 ought to bee a light for theâ— saluatioÌ„ according vnto thâ— 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them which perish whence it necessarily followes that the Gospell is not hid but cleare and open to those which doe not perish as Peter saith 2 Pet. 1.19 You doe well in that you attend to the word of the Prophets as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place Psal 19.7.8 The word of God is cleare Psal 119.105 The word of God is a light to our feete and steppes Secondly the Scripture is easie as it is an instrument which it hath deriued to it from the principall guide the holy Spirit who is that true teacher and interpreter of the Scripture Ioh. 14.26 The Aduocate which is the holy Ghost he shall teach you all things 1 Ioh. 2.27 That annointing that is the holy spirit teacheth vs of all things Also Ioh. 16.13 When that spirit of truth shall come he shall leade you in all truth Lastly it is easie if that in the handling of it wee vse conuenient meanes and expound one place by another according to the rules of good and lawfull exposition which you may reade in the 201. page of my Systeme of Diuinitie If then any shall demand Syst Theol. pag. 201. who hath the authority to interpret the Scripture if the Pope of Rome be he I answer that euery one is the best interpreter of his owne words whereas therefore the Scripture is the Word of God and of the holy Ghost and not of the Pope of Rome therefore the holy Spirit hath the authority to interpret as that true aduocate and teacher of verity But why then doth the Bishop of Rome chalenge to himselfe this authority to interpret the Scriptures I answer because he knowes well enough how bad his cause is and therefore dares not submit his Tenents to the Word of God or the Scripture if it be rightly vnderstood and therefore will he wrest and stretch the scriptures at his owne pleasure Touching which poynt I would haue you note the words of a certaine Apostate from the faith Casper Schoppius Papist who is now at Rome with the Pope hee in that Epistle he wrot touching his defection from vs vnto the Papists about sixe yeares agoe set out at Ingolstadium in the 24 page saith thus The
esse mala in quae incidimus Vrsin Syst Theol pag. 218. That happy and blessed estate wherein man was inuested by God before his fall on the Image of God which waâ— in man What is the image of God in man or rather what was it It was nothing else but that absolute and perfect estate before the fall consisting in the perfection of the vnderstanding and the will of man De imagine Dei Zanch. tom 3. pag. 678. and further in the maiestie of man whereby he farre excelled all other of the creatures or that I may speake yet more plainely the Image of God in man was either prime and principall or secondary and depending of the former The prime Image was both in his minde and in his body Syst Theol. pag. 224. In his body there was perfect health and safety In his mind there was vnderstanding without errour will without staine of sin De libro arbitrio Zanch. Loc. Com. 3. item tom 4 p. 87. That other Image which pepended or arose from this was that maiestie and alacritie was in man springing from the perfection of his body and soule touching which the Scripture speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 1. v. 26. Let vs make man according to our Image and according to our likenesse Ephes v. 4.24 Paul calls true righteousnesse and holinesse the Image of God NazianzeÌ„ Hitherto must be referred the whole doctrine touching the state of Man before the fall and touching his liuing in Paradise anent which you may read Gen. 1. ver 27.28.29 and all the second Chapter of that Booke What is the cause of mans miserie Syst Theol. pag. 233. The fall of our first Parents or the defection of Adam and Eue from God in their first estate of innocency which was by eating of the forbidden fruite What haue we to do with the fall of Adam and Eue seeing then wee had no being at all Adam and Eue did represent all mankind and therefore they had giuen them felicity and the Image of God for all mankind wherefore in regard they by their offence lost that which they had receiued for all mankinde they lost it not in themselues alone but in all their posterity Euen as if a King should giue any one some Priuiledges for himselfe and his posteritie and he that had these Priuiledges granted should be attainted of Teason against the King then surely he himselfe should loose all those priuiledges which hee had gotten of the King and his posterity should get no benefit of them neither And was this so great a matter to bite an Apple and to eate of it The eating of the Apple was a most grieuous offence not in regard of the Apple it selfe the losse thereof was but small for there were Apples good store in Paradise but because that eating flowed and issued as it were from the fountaine of most horrible sinnes V. Aug. Enchirid ad LaureÌ„t ca. 45. 46. to wit from pride maâ— thereby affecting the seate and Maiestie of God Qui manducauerunt vt essent quasi Dii perdiderunt quod erant facti homines immortales Augustin and so became guilty of high treason against Gods Maiestie as God mockingly casts man iâ— the teeth Gen. 3.22 Behold Adam is made like vnto one of vs that is hee is made as it were one of the persons in thâ— Sacred Trinity Another siâ—â— is vnbeleefe in that our first Parents did not beleeue Gods words to bee true when hee said in what day soeuer ye shalâ— eate of it yee shall die the death But contrarywise in that they readily beleeued the Diuell who spake vnto them by the Serpent as by his instrument and told them that they should not dye at all and so they gaue more credit to him then vnto God The third sin is contemptuousnesse and disobedience for wee ought to obey God in all his commands euen in those which wee thinke are but of little reckoning The fourth sinne is vnthankefulnesse for man was created after the likenesse and Image of God and therefore it was his duty to obey Gods Commandements in token of his thankfulnesse for the benefit The fift and most grieuous sinne was that apparant reuolt and falling from God to the diuell namely when man went about to attaine to bee like vnto God by the Counsell and helpe of the diuell and so conspired as it were with the diuell against God I haue also heard of the cause of misery or of the diseases of the soule tell mee now further what bee the parts of our misery They bee two Sinne and the punishment for sinne for in these two things our misery consisteth First that we are sinners And secondly that we for sinnes are lyable to temporall and eternall punishments What is sinn * Syst The pag. 247. Geminum peccati formale pugnantia cum lege ordinatio ad poenaÌ„ vrsin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Ioh. 3.4 Est dictum factum concupitum contra legem Dei Augustin De peccato Zanch in c. 3. Genes tom 4. pag. 1. seqq item tom 6. pag. 78. S. Th. p. 251. Nihil peccato originali ad praedicandum notius nihil ad intâ—lligendum secretius August Peccatum originis est carentia iustitia originalis debitae inesse August PeccatioÌ„ originis est quod trahimus à natiuitate per ignorantiaÌ„ in mente per concupiscentiaÌ„ in carne Hugo S. Th. p. 268. CommitteÌ„do qua vetantur vel omittendo quae mandantur nam boni viri est non tantum recte agere sedetiam rectè ociari It is a stepping aside from that rule of perfection and righteousnes which God requireth at our hands Or it is whatsoeuer is repugnant to the Law of God What sorts of sinne be there Two Originall Actuall VVhat is Originall sinne It is that staine had corruption of humane nature of the vnderstanding will of man whereby a man euen from his very birth is carried and haled along to sinfull actions of this sin speaketh the Scripture Gen. 6.5 The imaginations and thoughts of mans heart are only euill continually Psal 51.5 In iniquitie was J formed and conceiued and in sinne hath my mother brought mee forth that is My sinne was conceined and borne with me Rom. 5.12 By one man sinne entered into the world and death by sin Also By the disobedience of one man many were made sinners What is Actuall sinne It is that obliquitie or prauity by which the actions doings of a man are carried in a course contrary to the Law of God or else when a man offends against the will of God not only in inclination and pronenesse but indeed it selfe I haue heard of the former part of mans misery namely of sinne what is the other part of humane misery The punishment of sinne How many kinds of punishments for sinne be there Two Temporary and Eternall Temporary punishment whâ— is it Syst Theol. pag. 225. It is that
not our priuate troubles and afflictions For these bee the conditions of an Aduocate or Mediatour first that our Mediatour bee nominated and commended vnto vs vpon good and sufficient warrant of Gods Word Secondly that that same intercessour be perfectly righteous and holy Thirdly that hee also know the groanings and afflictions of him for whom hee meanes to mediate none of all which agreeth vnto the Saints For the Saints are neither appointed vnto vs by God to be our intercessours neither haue we any command in holy Scripture that we are to make the Saints Mediatours for vs or to call on them Nay rather quite contrary precepts hereunto which wee haue before cited Againe wee finde not through the whole volume of of Gods booke any one example of any Saint that hath prayed vnto a Saint and entreated him to play the Mediatour for him Neither does the second condition agree to them for that they are not altogether pure before God that they may mediate for others but they themselues rather haue need of a Mediatour as it is said Iob 15.15 Yea in his Saints bee found vncleannesse Thirdly the Saints are ignorāt of our afflictiōs affections how can they therfore interceed for vs if they wot not what we aske for God alone challengeth this priuiledge to himselfe to be the searcher of the heart and the discouerer of the thoughts and groanings of men Yea but say the Papists the Saints as the friends of God haue all our groanings and prayers disclosed vnto them in the glasse of the Trinitie Note Si quando homines exorare oportet ianitorib prius occurrere oportet c. In Deo nihil tale ad quem confugies ad Abrahamum non te audiet Ille solus precandus exorandus qui scriptam in te damnationem delere potest incendium restinguere Chrysostom Whereto I answer first that if the Saints come to the knowledge of our groanings by God what need is there that first wee should call on the Saints and to what end is it to haue any such Mediators with God sithence he to whom they mediate knoweth better what is wanting to vs then the Mediators themselues For it should seeme to bee a preposterous course to vse any intercessour vnto a King if the King knew the party for whome the Mediatour would interceede Solent tamen pudorē passi miser◠vti excusatione per istos posse iri ad Deū sicut per comites peruenitur ad regē age nunquid tam demōs c. Vide Amb. in 1 ca. epist ad Rom. better then the Mediatour himselfe And how absurde should it be if the intercessour should say Tell me I pray you O my King what this felloW askes for whom I am to mediate Secondly I say that the Scripture hath broken that prospectiue glasse all to shiuers Esay 63.15.16 Heare from heauen thy holy dwelling place for thou art our Father Abraham heareth vs not and Israel is ignorant of vs but thou art our Father thy name is from euerlasting Where it is plainely affirmed that Abraham and Israel which long agoe were dead and whose soules rested with God in the Heauens did not in any glasse behold and know the groanings and afflictions of the Church militant on earth And indeed that the Saints departed are not priuie to our affaires done vpon the earth nor know any thing in specialtie what happeneth among the liuing that place in the second of Kings Cha 22.20 witnesseth where God saith vnto Iosiah a most religious holy King I will gather thee vnto thy Fathers that thine eyes may not see all the euills which I will bring vpon this place Esay 57.1 The iust and the righteous are taken away from the sight of the euill that in his yeares hee may not behold the calamities which are to be sent vpon the Land for wretched impiety Ec. 9 4 the dead know nothing any more to wit of those things which are done vpon the earth Hence therefore is it rightly inferred that the Saints cannot bee Mediators And indeed wee haue no neede of them to be our intercessours first because God knoweth our afflictions better then they yea better then the Angels secondly because God is more merciful then any Saint and more desirous that wee should liue then any Saint can be Ideo ad regem per tribunos aut comites itur quia homo vtique est rex nescit quib debeat rempub credere Ad Deum autem quē vtique nihil latet c. Vid Am. vbi supra in 1. cap ad Rom. Now that we doe vse the intercession of some Noble man or great man vnto Kings which is their most plausible argument it is for the great defect and weakenesse that is in man for that Princes are not acquainted with all mens grieuances secondly because Princes are more affected vnto one man then vnto another but no such respect of persons is there with God as it is said Acts 10.34 the Papists bring vs in a distinction betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruice and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adoration and say that the one to wit Seruice is due to Saints the other that is Adoration is due to God Against which distinction Calu. Instit l. 1. cap. 12. §. 2. you may reade a most cleare disputation in the exposition of Vrsins Catechisme pag. 739. where it is proued by holy Scripture that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both the one and the other agrees vnto God and neither of them both vnto Saints Only this one thing I will not let passe that the Papists themselues breake downe the pale of their owne distinction which I proue by this reason All those thinges which Dauid in the Psalmes giues vnto God hee giues them all by the way of adoration but all those very things which Dauid giues vnto God are attributed vnto the Virgin Mary in Bonauentures Psalter Ergo. The other errour of the Papists is about the worshipping of Images and so also of that worship which they make vnto the Reliques of the Saints And first of all the Papists hold that those prayers which are made in or at certaine set Chappels and Churches and before the Images of the Saints are of greater efficacie and greater worth then those which are in other places powred forth before God quite against the holy Word of God Ioh. 4.21.23 The time shall come when the true worshippers shall neither be at Jerusalem nor in this mountaine but in spirit and truth worship the Father Matt. 6.6 Christ bids vs go into our chāber and there the doores being shut to powre out our prayers 1. Tim. 2.8 The Apostle willeth men to pray in euery place lifting vp pure hands Now against reliques and Images let that place bee well obserued Esay 42.8 My glory wil I not giue vnto another nor mine honor vnto the grauen Images Calv. Insti l. 1. c. 11. §. 9 But we
twenty one yeers in preaching vpon the first Chapter of Esay neither did he come to the end of it in all that space but left in an vnperfect work twenty foure large volumes behinde him of that he had expounded Take heed of such prolixity and remember the old saying Varietas delectat VI. Solution of doubts if any occurre auoyd tedious disputes That a Minister may moue doubts in his Sermon if he be able to solue them Saint Austin doth warrant Lib. 4. de doct Christ c. 20. But for one to draw in by the necke shoulders a disputable question and vpon the smallest occasion that may bee to fall into a large field of controuersies by handling the points pro and con as there is mention made of Will in the Lords Prayer therefore for a man to fall vpon the doctrine of Free-will and dispute the question thereupon this is not warrantable Long disputes are fitter for the Schooles then for the Pulpit VII Application 1. By way of Confutation if it be a matter of controuersie 2. By way of Reprehension if you preach against any sinne or if you commend a vertue you may reprehend the contrary vice 3. By way of Exhortation to the good Dehortation from euill 4. By way of Direction vrging and shewing he motiues and meanes how to attaine the good how to eschew the euill 5. By way of Consolation if it will conueniently arise Auoid all indecorums An indecorū is when circumstances are not rightly obserued in the application Verbi causa If any man should preach of the life or death of S Iohn Baptist on S. Iohn the Euangelists day in Christmas apply it to that Festiuall though it be bonum good at all times to be remembred of the sobriety and austerity of that holy man of God yet it is not benè id est appositò dictum well done and therefore an indecorum because it is verbum non in tempore suo a word not in his fit season Keckerman in his Ecclesiasticall Rhetorique I will not cite the Chapter and Page because I would haue you read the whole Treatise tells a tale of a Fryer that following his Postill and sticking too close to the very wordes that hee found written had almost brought the whole town where hee liued about his eares And it was thus The Postiller had very bitterly inueighed as it seemes against the sinnes that raigned in the Towne where he preached during the time of a common plague and had told them that because they cōtinued in those sins God had sent the plague among them The Homiliary Frier finding this in his Postill and taking little thought saue only to get it by heart pronounce it boldly enough deliuered the very same words in his owne congregation inueighing against the sinnes that raigned in the Towne and told them that for those sinnes God had sent this grieuous plague among them At these words all the Auditors were greatly astonied and came vpon him presently after Sermon to inquire in what house or what part of the town the pestilence was that he spake of in his Sermon for they knew of none The silly Ignoramus could not resolue them but answered thus Howsoeuer it be whether the plague be in the towne or not I am sure I found it so as I said in my Postill For the opening of these short rules and more full vnderstanding of the whole matter let not a young Diuine trouble himselfe with multitude of bookes Among many Worthies who haue written of this subiect I haue found these three very vsefull and profitable Keckerm de Rhetoric Ecclesiast Augustin de doct Christian and M. Bernards Faithfull Shepheard And Mr. Weemse his Booke of Lathoquar in Scotland written of late as it seems of purpose to helpe young Diuines in this way and Method of teaching intituled The Christian Synagogue In setting downe these few notes and rules I would not be thought to take vpon mee to prescribe vnto Academicall Preachers nolo sus Mineruam but to Rurall neither to instruct the graue and learned well experienced among them Veteranos Iesu Christi Milites but new beginners Neither do I tye them to this onely Method It may bee euery Text will not admit of it and it may bee euery mans gift doth not lye for it But my desire was to help my selfe by these Collections and those that are weake and I pray my brethren to giue a candid interpretation of my good affection being most ready to entertaine any other more profitable way of teaching that they shall suggest Si quid nouisti rectius istis Candidus imperti si non his vtere mecum FINIS THE GOSPELL OF St. THOMAS MY LORD and MY GOD. An Ode thereupon gathered out of the Psalmes of Dauid Jt will goe to the tune of the C. Psalme MY LORD MY GOD strength of my head Sraffe of my ioy Spring of mercy Guide with thy grace blesse with thy loue Thy Seruant in necessity Thou art my Lord this is my Song And I will render thankes to thee Thou art my God and I will praise Thy mercies euer towars mee Thy Seruant loe thy Seruant I My selfe confesse and euer will Take thee to be MY LORD AND GOD And rest vpon thy goodnes still Thou art my Lord this is my Song And I will render c. In calling thee MY LORD I know Thy hand of power doth gouerne mee In calling thee MY GOD I know Thine eye doth all my doings see Thou art my Lord this is my Song And I will c. MY LORD because my fortitude To saue me from the fiends of Hell MY GOD because my righteousnesse To make mee with thy Saints to dwell Thou art my Lord this c. MY LORD MY GOD my Sunne my Shield My hope my health my life my stay Loose me from out these mortall bands To liue O Christ with thee for aye Thou art my Lord this is c. FINIS The Contents of this Booke I. A Monitory Preface to Catholikes II. A Manuduction to Theologie III. Briefe directions for Communicants IV. The Sum of Diuinity V. The Controuersie touching Free-will VI. A plaine and profitable Method of Preaching VII The Gospel of Saint Thomas THE PARTICVLARS of the foregoing Treatises IN the I. generall namely The Monitory Preface is showen that both the Doctrine of Popery is a doctrine of darknesse and that the Doings of the Papists are workes of darknesse And therefore that it concerneth much the seduced Catholikes to looke vnto their dangerous estate to come out of the snares of darknesse wherein they haue bin held now a long time In the II. namely The Manuduction to Theologie you haue these particular places of Diuinitie 1. Of Religion page 1. 2. Of God p. 5. 3. Of the Scripture p. 14. 4. Of Saluation p. 38. 5. Of the Image of God p. 42. 6. Of the fall of man p. 44. 7. Of Sinne. p. 48. 8. Of the Punishment of sin p. 50. 9. Of