Manichâ—es and Marcion some haue reiected the Booke of Psalmes as the Nicholaitans and Anabaptists some the booke of Iob as some Rabbins and some Daniel as Porphyrius some haue reiected the Gospel of Luke as Cerdon some all but Marke as Cerinthus some the Gospel of Iohn as the Alogâ— some all Pauls works as the Ebionites c. Concerning the second some haue made the Apocryphall Books of equall authoritie with the fore recited Scriptures as the Papists and others haue more boldly long since obtruded for Canonical the fatherlesse brood of other books vnto these as the third and fourth of Eldras and Appendix of Iob a Preface to the Lamentation the third and fourth of the Macchabees a Booke called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Booke of Enoch the Gospel of Thomas and of Matthias the acts of Peter And in the yeare 1120 a certaine new Gospell called Euangelium aeternum the eternall Gospell was found out being full of blasphemies but all these and the like are damnable presumptions plainly forbidden by the Lord saying Deut 4.2 Ye shal not put ought vnto the word that I command you neither shall ye take ought there-from and grieuously threatned Reu. 22.18 19. If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this Booke and if any man shall diminish any thing God shall take away his part out of the Booke of life Now that the Books first aboue named are all Canonicall Scriptures and part of the word of God Epist Tom. 3. hath been acknowledged in all ages by the Christian Church Ierome writing to Paulinus of the study of the holy Scriptures doth both reckon vp all these bookes in particular and adioyneth to euery one of them a seuerall pithy commendation And vnto Leta he prescribeth an order of reading them with most safetie and profit As for the other Bookes Epist Tom. 1. which our Church adioyneth to the volume of the inspired Scriptures they are both entertained and in part publikely read in our Churches not as authentike Principles whereon to ground any doctrine but as wholesome precepts of moralitie and declarations of the estate of the Church in those times very profitable for deuotion and heauenly meditation Quest. 146. What speciall proofe is there making manifest that those Bookes of Scripture are the word of God Answ The antiquity of those books some of them being before all other bookes sundry times oppugned and sought to be burnt vp by persecutors and yet wonderfully preserued and by miracles from heauen confirmed is a manifest proofe that they came from heauen and are not of mans inuention That the â—oly Scriptures are Gods word Explan Amongst all arguments there is none of that force in the conscience of man that this is of being taken from the diuinitie of the holy Scriptures For let it appeare that they are of God and what heart dares doe any other but yeeld vnto them Now that they are of God may bee plainely prooued by sundry reasons First by their Antiquitie for the first and most ancient writings in the world concerning Religion must needs be Gods but these are the first and most ancient therefore must needs be Gods 1. That the most ancient are Gods Scriptures is plaine because otherwise either some other Instructor must haue beene before God or else God the Ruler of the whole world must haue beene without any thing recorded whereby the world ought to be ruled till that man had inuented something to gouerne man by both which are most absurd That the holy Scriptures are most ancient appeareth by the most ancient humane writers Orpheus the first of all writeth of the two Tables deliuered to Moses Whence he saith that he learned what he knew of God Linus wrote of the Tower of Babylon described by Moses c. making plaine heereby that the Bookes of Moses were long before any of their writings and so the most ancient in the world Hence it is that Tacianus affirmeth that it appeareth out of Berosus a Caldee Writer Tatiani Oratio aduersus gentes Moses fuit Baccho antiquior plurimis diis gentium Clem. Alexandr out of the writings of the Phoenicians and Annales of the Egyptians that Moses wrote long before Orpheus Linus Amphyon Homer or the most ancient Ethnickes Now the Bookes of Moses are in effect the whole Scriptures all that followeth tending onely to the further explanation heereof Wherefore the Scriptures are most auncient and consequently the vndoubted word of God 2. This is further prooued by the preseruation of the Scriptures in all ages other ancient Bookes being perished either in part or in whole but the holy Scriptures though more oppugned then any by persecutors who haue sought to blot out the memory of them yet are wholly preserued without diminution or corruption of any part of them Had they beene of man certainly it would haue happened vnto them as vnto many other humane writings which are most ancient which if they haue not perished yet they haue been falsified yea one complaineth that hee himselfe yet liuing to see it Fratribus rogantibus vt scriberem Epistolas scripsi has Apostoli Diaboli Zizanijs alia eximentes alia adâ—icientes Dionysius Areoâ— pag. repleuerunt The Brethren requesting I wrote Epistles these the Apostles of the Deuill haue filled with tares adding some things and taking away othersome Now the holy Scriptures haue been singularly preserued heerein in the hands of the Iewes who haue misliked some things and forbidden them to be read as Daniel because he speaketh so plainly of the Messiah in the hands of the heathen as when at the request of Ptolomee they were translated by the Septuagint and in the hands of Heretikes who haue corrupted Fathers and Councels yet neuer durst but haue beene restrained from heauen from corrupting the Scriptures 3. This is further proued by the miracles which haue been wrought to confirme the Scriptures to be of God the Author of all true miracles of this sort are the miracles wought by Moses by the Prophets by Christ and by his Disciples For all these miracles doe plainly testifie of them that they were sent of God and if they were of God then the word by them set forth is the word of God 4. The same is proued by the prophesies contained in the Scriptures some being of things to come to passe many hundreds of yeares after as that the seed of the woman should breake the serpents head that Abrahams posterity should be numberlesse that they should be strangers 400. yeares that Josiah should burne the bones of Baals Priests where Ieroboam did sacrifice that the people of Israel should be in captiuity 70. yeares that Cyrus expressely forenamed should giue them leaue to returne and diuersly honour them c. From hence we may reason thus Those Scriptures which in their reuelations exceed all the vnderstanding of all creatures are vndoubtedly his who is aboue
of so great dignity to be so ioyned vnto him that I should be made coheire with him of the heauenly Kingdome How can I doe lesse then put away all basenesse of mind whereby I cleaue to the world and the flesh and bee like minded to my deare Sauiour to whom I am ioyned in fellowship though most vnworthy being holy as he is holy It is also to bee considered how our soules are fed heere euen as the Israelites with Manna from heauen in the wildernesse where they must otherwise haue perished and as Dauid flying from Saul by Abimelech with the hazard of his owne life so God spared not his sonne but gaue him as bread from heauen vnto vs without which wee must needs haue perished for euer and in our greatest need that wee might haue strength to flie away from the danger of Satan inraged against vs he spared not though with the hazard of his life to giue vs the true Shew-bread Oh how should my heart be affected towards thee O Lord therefore and resolued to abide alwaies with thee vowing with Dauid to Abiathar Hee that seeketh my life shall seeke thy life also those that are thy enemies shall be mine and as if they hated me Thirdly let the Communicant consider of the neere vnion that the Lord hath made by Christ betwixt all his Saints into the which hee is also receiued that faithfully partaketh of the Lords Supper which should effectually suppresse all exorbitant affections and worke an holy loue in him as towards members of the same body Quest 142. What is to be done after the receiuing Answ We must meditate of the Couenant of new obedience with the Lord renewed by this Sacrament that we may be more carefull to performe this obedience and to flee sinne and vice all the dayes of our life Explan The receiuing of the Lords Supper is not a transient holy duty as it is by most men vsed who put some holinesse vpon them for the time afterwards returning as the dogge to the vomit and as the swine to the wallowing in the mire but it is a sealing of couenants betwixt God and his people and the grace of God for the pardon of all our sinnes and our dutifulnesse to God in forsaking all our old sinnes and liuing according to his holy lawes For as God doth hereby giue himselfe vnto vs to become our God and gracious Father so we giue our selues vnto God to become his people and obedient children There be these two parties in all couenants otherwise they cannot stand something assured and giuen and something taken and receiued therefore So betwixt Princes and Subiects the Prince giueth and assureth his care in ruling and prouiding well for the good of the Subiect hee receiueth tribute custome and obedience so betwixt masters and seruants betwixt sellers and buyers lenders and borrowers In like manner in this Couenant God for his part assureth and giueth himselfe to be our gracious God forgiuing all our trespasses and on our part he must receiue tribute subiection and obedience otherwise the bond is forfeit and if it hath bin so once twise or often and the forfeit hath not yet been taken take heed of the next time for if thou still remaine vnreformed not better keeping couenants hauing renewed them so many times there is no hope for thee to bee dealt withall but as with a desperate person that thou shouldst suddenly be deliuered to some infernall spirit the Taylor and so be imprisoned in Hell whence thou canst neuer come out againe If thou hast therefore neglected to pay God the duties of praise and prayer of obedience and performance of holy duties both publike and priuate now bee negligent no longer but be rather officious redeeming the time with double diligence if thou hast loued and liued in sinne and disobedience keepe couenants by feare of offending any more hereafter and if thou hast no way answered that loue which the Lord tieth thee vnto towards thy neighbour for his owne sake but hast hated such as haue shewed any enmity against thee for offences hast been vnaduisedly prouoked and through an immoderate loue of thy selfe and of the world hast denied food vnto the hungry and hast sought to beguile thy neighbour learne of Christ to be meeke and gentle in holinesse follow Paul as he followeth Christ and for bounty imitate Zacheus conuerted giuing liberally to the poore and satisfying where thou hast done wrong to any man for thus and thus onely mayst thou haue comfort of the Lords Supper and shalt in his good time sit downe in the Kingdome of Heauen and be feasted with Abraham Isaak and Iacob for euer and euer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Appendix to the Catechisme FOrasmuch as the holy Scriptures are the ground and foundation of all diuine Teaching and it auayleth not a little for setting men in the Trueth to vnderstand rightly both which bee the Bookes of holy Scripture and how wee may bee assured that they are the Word of God and by whom and how this Word is to be preached and heard for our further building vp in grace I haue thought it expedient here to annexe these short Questions and Answeres following Quest 143. What is the Word of God Answ Whatsoeuer is contained in the books of the old and new Testament and not any other bookes or writings whatsoeuer Quest 144. How many and which are these Bookes The Books of Canonicall Scripture Answ The Bookes of the Olde Testament are twentie and seauen Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numbers Deuteronomie Iosua Iudges Ruth the first and second of Samuel the first and second of the Kings the first and second of the Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Ester Iob Psalmes Prouerbs Ecclesiastes Song of Songs Esay Ieremiah with his Lamentation Ezechiel Daniel and the Booke of the twelue small Prophets The Bookes of the New Testament are twentie and sixe Matthew Marke Luke and Iohn the Actes of the Apostles the Epistle of Paul to the Romanes the first and second to the Corinthians to the Galathians Ephesians Philippians Collossians the first and second to the Thessalonians the first and second to Timothie to Titus to the Hebrewes the Epistle of Iames the first and second of Peter the first second and third of Iohn the Epistle of Iude and the Reuelation of Iohn Quest 145. Are not the other Books called Apocryphall part of the Word of God also as Esdras Tobit Iudeth c. Answ They are not bookes properly called Canonicall but are annexed to the word as being full of good instructions and histories declaring Gods wonderfull prouidence ouer his people Israel Explan Diuers haue beene and are the errours of men about Gods Word some denying diuers parts of the Old and New Testament to bee his Word and some Canonizing other writings also Concerning the first some detestable Heretiques haue receiued none for the word of God but the fine Bookes of Moses as the Sadduces some none but the New Testament as the
other villanies that they might not escape vnpunished Thirdly in the booke of Prophesies in which are things certainly and particularly foretold long before they come to passe farre passing the reach of any creature And these two the Prophet Esay produceth as maine arguments against heathen Gods for that they are both wanting in them and are onely to bee found in the great God of all Esay 41.23 Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are Gods doe good or doe euill that we may declare it Fourthly in the booke of Gods creatures wonderfully made and set in order and euer since their creation preserued when as the nature of the earth is to be heauy and there is no solid thing to vphold it for it is founded vpon the waters being sustained in the place onely by the hand of God the nature of the water is to ouerflow all the earth and the nature of the visible heauens to bee confounded with the waters 2. Pet. 3.5 from which they were raised Fiftly the consent of all Nations among which there is none so barbarous and brutish but acknowledgeth a diuine power gouerning the world beneficiall to mankinde and auenging sinne Nay the very nature of man doth so farre abhor direct Atheisme that rather then haue no God hee will make him a God of stone or wood Lastly in the booke of holy Scriptures being maintained without any fleshly arme against the rage of all tyrants especially since the incarnation of the Lord Iesus where euery page giueth some testimony of the god-head Quest 6. How many Gods be there Answ But one onely true God the rest are but Idols set vp by men Explan Strangely did men dote of old that followed a number of Gods our light is such thankes bee to God that in the darkest corner of this land men doe know that there is but one God And this is most cleare by the light of reason thus God is infinite but there cannot bee two infinites for then there should bee somewhat beyond the infinite and vncomprized in it whicâ— is a contradiction to it selfe Therefore there can bee but one God The like reduction vnto impossibility of plurality may bee made out of the attributes of omnipotency independencie supreme goodnesse and the like which are capable onely of vnity But heerein I rather referre to the sound Principles of true Philosophy vrged by some of the Platonicks and Schoolemen or rather to the tractates of the Fathers who haue spent much time heereabout in their writings and soundly proued the vanity of all other Gods Quest 7. What is God Answ Hee is a spirituall essence most simple infinitely present holy wise iust and mighty the Creator preseruer and onely gouernour of the whole world Explan Here I call God Essence Exod. 3.14 Joh. 4.20 because he alone hath being himselfe and can say I am other things are all of him spirituall because hee hath no body nor members of a body as we haue most simple that is most pure without mixture of any corporall thing Psal 139. Esay 6.3 infinitely present that is filling all places with his presence for he is euery where infinitely holy for the holiest Angels are not to be compared vnto him infinitely wise for he knowes all things Prou. 3.19 past present and to come and all secrets of all hearts hee knowes how to turne all things to the best for his owne glory and the good of his people infinitely iust Exod 34.7 Gen. 17.1 hee cannot bee corrupted he will not suffer sinners to escape vnpunished but will plague them to the third and fourth generation and infinitely mighty all power is of him the mightiest in the world are limited and goe no further then they are permitted hee alone can do whatsoeuer it pleaseth himselfe Gen. 1. the Creator of the whole world for hee made all of nothing both heauen and earth and the great waters with all creatures Psal 65. the preseruer it is hee that preserues and vpholds all things euer since they were made by him the earth is established that it moueth not the waters are maintained for nauigation and the Heauens with the Sunne Moone and Stars sustained aboue Act 17. for the comfort of this nether world by him the fruits of the earth are brought forth for the nourishment of man and beast and by him wee feede and liue and one generation is prouided to succeed another Lastly the gouernour for hee rules in all things by his prouidence both small and great Math. 10.29 a Sparrow falls not to the ground without him nor one hayre of our head Quest 8. Into how many persons is the God-head distinguished Answ Into three the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Explan It is not sufficient for the true knowledge of God to be seene into the nature of the Godhead which hath been already in some measure handled but wee must also know God as he is distinguished into three persons of which euery one is very God Therefore in this confession is distinct mention made of them all if wee vnderstand it thus I beleeue in God the Father c. that is I beleeue in God who is the Father and in God who is Iesus Christ his only Sonne and in God who is the holy Ghost Proofe Moreouer the holy Scriptures doe giue large testimony heereof First that God is the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Math. 3.16 The holy Ghost descended vpon him like a Doue and a voyce came downe from heauen saying this is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased Heere is the Father speaking from heauen the Sonne baptized vpon earth and the holy Ghost descending from heauen to earth againe it is commanded to the disciples Math. 28.19 Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and plainely 1 Joh. 5.7 There bee three that beare witnesse in heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit Secondly that euery one is very God not onely the title ascribed vnto them but their very works do declare For what is the Creator of the world is it not God but such is the Father Gen. 1. In the beginning God created the heauens and the earth c. Such also is the Sonne Joh. 1.10 By him were all things made and without him was made nothing that was made and such is the holy Ghost Psal 33.6 By the word of the Lord were the heauens made and all the host of them by the breath or Spirit of his mouth Againe is the gouernour and preseruer of all things any other then God But as the Father is such without whom a little Sparrow falls not to the ground Mat. 10.29 Heb. 1.3 Psal 104.30 so is the Sonne for the word sustaineth all things and so is the holy Ghost Which is sent forth and reneweth the face of the earth Quest 9. If in the Godhead
all creatures that is Gods but such are the holy Scriptures as appeareth by these the like Prophesies Ergo c. for no created vnderstanding can of it selfe reach to things to come to say certainly thus it shal be some may coniecture or being appointed as instruments of execution may declare what themselues shall performe as the Deuill did to Saul but God onely hath made it so proper to himselfe to foretell independently absolutely and infallibly what shall come afterwards as that it may well be said Let them tell what shall come let them doe good or euill and say that they be Gods 5. The same is further proued by the Argument handled in the Scriptures which is altogether graue holy tending to the setting forth of all vertue and against all vice wheras as Iustine Martyr hath obserued the writers of the Heathen gods and religion Iustin Martyr were either ridiculous Poets which deriue the beginning of all from the waters handle the quarrels and filthy loues of the gods or Phylosophers more ridiculous for that the very chiefe of them were vncertaine of the beginning of things Now such as the writing is such must needs be the Author from whom it first commeth true it is that he which is vnholy may write things holy good but then they come not from him but first from some other fountaine therefore the most holy who is God must needs be the Author of the holy Scriptures 6. This is proued by the testimony of Heathen men themselues The Law of Moses against Images Numa Pompilius the chiefe religious Emperour amongst the heathen Romans approued of Numenius a Pythagorean Phylosopher saith of Plato that hee was none other but Moses speaking in the Atticke tongue Euseb de prepar Euang. The Oracle of Apollo confessed that the Christians onely had the truth and acknowledged the true God saith Eusebius Tribellius Pollio writing of Moses saith that hee was the only man familiar with God Cornelius Tacitus confesseth the truth of that History in Exodus telling how Pharaoh after many plagues let the children of Israel goe though hee thrust in some absurd fabulous lyes concerning the Iewes Procopius testifieth of Ioshua that for feare of him the Phoenicians left their country Linus and Homer write of the Creation of the world in sixe dayes Ouid of the generall deluge as also of the Gyants rearing of mountaines vp to heauen which is an allusion to the Tower of Babell Abidenus Sybilla and Hestiaeus of the long liues of the Ancients Epolemus of Abraham and how he fought for Lot Plato confesseth that he learned the most excellent precepts of wisdom of the barbarous meaning Moses and the Prophets Now whence commeth this consent of men of contrary minds to the truth of the Scriptures Verily from Gods prouidence that no man might deny that which by the light of nature is acknowledged of naturall man viz the truth and Diuinitie of the Scriptures 7. The same is proued by the single drift of the Scriptures which is only to giue all glory to God nothing to man seeing that the faults of the best are ingenuously and without flattery set downe neither is any mans fauour affected or sought for in any of these books which cannot be said of any humane writings 8. The same is proued by the consent of all the books of holy Scripture though written by diuers men at sundry times Neuer was the like to be found touching mens writings but euen the same Author hath been oftentimes noted to differ from himselfe Wherefore the Writers of the holy Scriptures were vndoubtedly guided by one spirit of truth and what they wrote came from this spirit which is God If any differences seeme to be in these holy writings this is through the weaknesse of our conceit and misvnderstanding and not indeed Quest 147. Hauing this Word of God written is it not sufficient for our saluation without any other helpe euen as to haue a Booke of Statutes sufficeth to be kept from the danger of the Law to those that will Answ It is not sufficient but it must also bee set forth by preaching that the hard places may bee rightly vnderstood wee may bee kept from errours and haue our dull hearts stirred vp to imbrace the holy precepts hereof Explan Many there be who acknowledge the Scriptures to be Gods word but doe not so much regard the preaching of this word prosuming vpon their owne ability to make a good vse of it in priuat by reading for their edification and saluation And some colour of reason there is also for this seeing that the word serueth to acquaint vs with the wil and law of God as a statute booke with the Lawes of the land and knowing these Lawes if we will not obey all preaching cannot bring vs to obedience or doe vs more good But this is a deceitfull colour First because a Statute book is not like vnto Gods booke that being humane and the penalty sensible this diuine and spirituall and not vnderstood by a naturall man so that a man may read much here but remain still as destitute of vnderstanding Actes 8. as the Eunuch who asked How can I vnderstand without an Interpreter Secondly because preaching is the meane by which God hath wrought in all ages and will principally and most powerfully worke by this ordinarily for our saluation 1. Cor. 1.18 1 Pet. 2 2. Thirdly because no man can receiue the word to his comfort vnlesse he reuerence and esteeme of the preaching therof seeing that the word it selfe doth so highly commend and vrge to attend to preaching Fourthly because the Lord who onely can giue light by his word doth direct such as be in darknes to the Preachers of his word Saul to Ananias Cornelius to Peter the Eunuch to Philip c. refusing otherwise to giue them any light Lastly because men are naturally dull and backward to that which is good when they know it so that reading only they are still frozen in their sins it is necessary that by the exhortation of preaching they should bee stirred vp and by the zeale and heat of others bee warmed and become agile and chearefull to doe accordingly In all things wee say for comfort Two are better then one and why should it not be so in this also A man reading alone is forgetfull and letteth it flip soone out of his mind which he readeth a faithfull Minister of Gods word preacheth vnto him and bringeth continually to his remembrance hee is like a sticke lying by a firebrand ready to goe out the Minister stirres vp the fire and layes the stickes together he hath bread by him but is feeble because he cannot breake it in pieces to eate some of it the Minister breakes it vnto him for his comfort I conclude therefore that it is necessary to exercise the hearing of this Word preached besides the priuate reading thereof and hee that hauing the meanes contemneth them wandreth