the Christian Reader a Synopsis or full view at once of our religion in the vvhole contexture thereof for his better resolution Which lest I should obscure or confound by incident discourses I haue beene forced to passe it may be too cursorily thorough most particulars which would require so many and far larger tracts then this little model of the vvhole And because I seeke not herein to perswade or convince Infidels which seemes to bee the scope of h Iustin Martyr Tertul. in their Apologies Arnob. Aug. de Civit. Dei Morn Viues Raimundus de Sabunde others who haue written of this argument but to resolue and confirme our selues in the present truth with whom it were a folly not to dispute ex praecognitis concessis I haue laide the foundation of this little Fabricke in the receiued principles of Religion And lastly that I may not build heterogeneous stuffe thereon i Cor. 3.12 wood hay stubble but rather gold siluer pretious stones I haue vsed so much as might be the very wordes and phrases of Scripture not onely for proofe but for expression which being the Word of GOD can best speake his owne meaning howsoeuer to some it may make the stile seeme not so aequable and pleasing The Word of God is it not k 1 Pet. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rationall milke of our reasonable soules whereby they are nourished to eternall life And our faith hath such force of reason thereby that it is l Heb. 11.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cleare euidence and most evicting argument of things not seene most sublime abstruse And it is able to convince and perswade m 1 Cor. 14.23 c. vnbeleeuers neuer so vnlearned and n 2 Cor 10.5 to cast downe all contrary reasonings of the most subtile adversaries that exalt themselues against the knowledge of God bringing into captivity euery thought to the obedience of Christ. The o Rom. 12.1 service of God thereby prescribed vnto vs is it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reasonable seruice to all that are not p 2 Thes 3.2 vnreasonable and wicked men To whom howsoeuer they take it wee must and can giue q 1 Pet. 3.15 a reason of the hope that is in vs. The Lineaments whereof I haue indeavoured to draw and shadow out in a new but I hope not vnnaturall method which beeing done seemes to mee rather a bare skeleton then any compleat systeme of that solide body which I tooke in hand Yet it sufficeth mee if as in r Ezek. 37.7.8.9 Ezekiels vision in the valley of dead bones the bones become together bone to its bone For the sinewes and the flesh shall come vpon them and the skinne shall couer them about when the breath of GOD shall come from the foure vvindes and blovv vpon them and they shall liue Howsoeuer I am willing to bee deliuered of this meditation as it is after a longer and more painefull travell by fitts then such an imperfect embrio and vnshapen birth may seeme worthy of And by his helpe ſ Iohn 15.5 vvithout vvhom vve can doe nothing I may heereafter polish perfect what I haue now conceiued not altogether I hope without his Spirit When I shall haue better discerned thereof at a distance and may happely haue gained some farther or clearer discouery by information or obtrectation of others For although I haue no reason to expect an adversary herein hauing not willingly irritated or provoked any yet because trueth many times findes foes where it makes none if any shall trouble themselues to quarrell this little peece what shall be justly found amisse I shall most willingly amend easily neglecting what shall bee petulantly carped and submitting my selfe in all things to my blessed Mother this faithfull Church of CHRIST IESVS †Tertul. Difficilium facilis est venia The Contents BOOKE I. CHAP. I. The bond of Nature The glory of God The author of our good The true zelotes of his glory To glorifie the Creator is the glory of the creature How wee should glorifie God prescribed by the Law of Nature Naturall reason of the Law The covenant of Nature The Law euer in force The case CHAP. II. The Covenant of Grace The Articles and Authors of Grace The Sonne of God the Mediator The Sonne of man The offices of Christ The grace of our Lord Iesus The spirit of Grace Preventing Grace The state of Grace The praise of the glory of Gods Grace CHAP. III. The Testaments The Will of God The Word The Scripture That the Scripture is the Word of God The intent of it The consent in it The olde legall Testament The new Evangelicall Testament The event of prophesies The power of the Gospell The Church The administrators and ouerseers Scripture the absolute Canon of faith and life BOOKE II. CHAP. I. The Stipulation of Faith by the Sacraments The answere of a good conscience toward God The Creed The Sacraments Baptisme Poedobaptisme Anabaptisme Confirmation and penance Communion No transubstantiation Participation by faith Cōmunion in loue The Law conditioned The Covenant indissoluble CHAP. II. Faith working by loue according to the Law The Law established by faith Gods Law our prayer Faith in the Trinity denyes not the vnity of God Christ the onely Image of God to be worshipped by faith in his Name By Prophanenes Hypocrisie Blasphemy the Name of God vnhallowed The Christian Sabbath of the holy Catholike Church The Sabbath not abrogated by Christ. Nor by his Apostles The Iewes typicall vse thereof abolished The Christian Sabbath day within the compasse of the Commandement The Lords day designed by himselfe for our Sabbath It hath euer beene obserued as the Sabbath by the Church It respects the Kingdome of God The Perfect will of God to bee done on earth The heauenly conversation CHAP. III. The Refuge of Hope We are saued by Hope The Law perfect we imperfect Good workes not vvell done Grace and merite incompetible The Christian hope Our daily bread Forgiuenesse of sinnes No immunity to sinne Temptations Preservation Resurrection Life everlasting and glorious BOOKE I. CHAP. I. The bond of Nature The glory of God The authour of our good The true zelotes of his glory To glorifie the Creator is the glory of the creature How we should glorifie God prescribed by the law of Nature Naturall reason of the Law The covenant of nature The fall The Law ever in force The case What is chiefely to be desired THat God may bee glorified in our salvation The glory of God Wherein trusting him for our parts we are principally to intend his glory For vnlesse we wil mocke God and deceiue our own soules we must desire as we pray first that the name of God may bee hallowed by the advancement of his Kingdome in the vniuersall subjection of all to his holy will then that wee may bee saued through his grace by pardon of our sinnes protection in temptations and
vita lib. 4. cap. 24. magistrate can not giue what himselfe hath not the power of orders to administer the Word and Sacraments But where it pleaseth n Isai 49.28 God to raise vp Kings and Queenes to be nursing Fathers and nursing mothers to his Church they may and will giue leaue to such as are ordained to exercise their ministry in their dominions assisting them and providing for their maintenance o 1 Cor. 9.14 worthy the Gospell of Christ Iesus And they can p Quandò Imperatores veritatem tenent pro ipsa veritate contra errorem jubent qued quisque contempserit ipse sibi judicium acquirit August ep 166 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist pol. l. 3. c. 11. command their people to heare them to q 2 Chron. 34.32 enter covenant with God by their ministery and to keepe the same at least in the outvvard act and they will not be negligent by all meanes to prouide for the peace of the Church r Rex nolentibus praeest episcopus volentibus ille terrore subijcit hic servituti donatur ille corpora custodit ad morrem hic animas servat ad vitam Hieron ad Heliodor in Epitaph Nepotian The Ministers of the Law haue power ouer mens goods the Ministers of the Gospell haue power to dispense the good things of God They can banish cast out of their coūtryes dominions These can excōmunicate out of the Church of Christ Iesus ſ Mat. 10.28 Iohn 19.10.11 They can kill the body hauing povver giuen them from aboue t 1 Cor. 5.5 These can deliuer ouer vnto Satan the lewde and vngodly such as loue not the Lord Iesus Yet both Civill and Ecclefiasticall Ministers and ouerseers are to doe Scripture the absolute canon of Faith and Life u In his quae apertè in Scriptura posita sunt inveninntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque vivendi August de doct Christ lib. 2. cap. 9. Adoro Scripturae plenitudinem Tertul. adversus Hermogen all according to the expresse will of GOD concerning vs in Christ Iesus Whose word in Scripture is the absolute x Sacra Scriptura regula credendi certissima tutissima Bellarm. lib. 1. de verbo Dei cap. 2 § 13. rule and cannon both of faith and life * 2 Tim. 3.16 17. The Apostle saith that all Scripture which then was only the olde Testament being giuen by inspiration of God was x Divinus sermo habet in publico vndè parvulos nutriat servat in secreto vndè mentes sublimium in admiratione suspendat Quasi quidam quippe fluvius planus altus in quo agnus ambulet elephas natet Greg. in praefat in lib. Moral ad Leand c. 4. profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God might be perfect throughly furnished to all good workes By it y Iohn 5.39 Christ himselfe was content to bee tryed and the z Act. 17.11 1 Cor. 15.3.4 1 Tim. 6.3 Apostles by the same and by the Gospell of Christ which they preached Nay the Law it selfe before they had the Prophets was the perfect will of God in respect of parts a Ps 19.7.8 The Law of the Lord saith the holy King is perfect converting the soule the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple And therefore the Prophets themselues were to be tryed thereby b Is 8.20 To the Law and to the testimony if they speake not according to this truth it is because there is no light in them Insomuch that if their doctrine were not agreeable therevnto c Deut. 13.1.2.3 though they confirmed it with a signe and with a miracle that came to passe yet the people had warning not to harken to such for it was but to trye them and to proue them whether they loued the Lord their GOD with all their heart and with all their soule And since it pleased GOD once to expresse his Will by writing d Spiritus Sanctus ita Scripturas sacras modificavit vt locis apertioribus fami occurreret obscurioribus autem fastidia detergeret Nihil enim feré de illis obscuritatibus eruitur quod non asibi planissimè dictum reperiatur Aug. l. 2. de Chr. doct c. 6. the Holy Ghost hath so ordered the matter that almost euery seuerall booke in Scripture is a perfect modell of GOD his Will in respect of parts howsoeuer it pleased God by degrees to reveale his grace euer more and more vntill all was consummate in Christ Iesus as now wee haue it in the New Testament e Gal. 3.15 If it bee but a mans Testament yet if it bee confirmed no man disanulleth it nor addeth thereunto And shall any now f Rom. 12.3 thinking of himselfe more highly then hee ought or g Aeternam igitur legem mundis animis fas est cognoscere judicare non fas est Aug. de vera religione c. 31. presuming to know more then is meete dare to vsurpe authority aboue the Testament of Christ in the Scripture to prescribe against it or to dictate any thing h Lacte gypsum malè miscetur Irenaeus l. 3. adversus haeres c. 19. Quod de Scripturis authoritatem non habet eâdem facilitate contemnitur quâ probatur Hieron in Mat. 23. besides it as the absolute will of GOD to binde the conscience with necessity to i 1 Pet. 5.3 domineere ouer GODS heritage to smite his fellow-seruants and to vsurpe dominion ouer the faith k Deut. 17.18.19.20 The King sitting vpon his throne was bound to haue a copy of the Law of GOD with him and to reade therein all the dayes of his life that hee might learne to feare the Lord his God to keepe all the words of his Law and his Statutes to doe them that his heart might not bee lifted vp aboue his brethren and that hee might not turne aside from the commandement to the right hand or to the left And for the Ministers of the Gospell l 1 Tim. 6.3.4.5 if any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words euen the wordes of our Lord IESVS CHRIST and the doctrine which is according to godlinesse he is proud knowing nothing and is destitute of the trueth supposing that gaine is godlinesse from such vvithdravv thy selfe m Gal. 1.8.9 Nay if any preach any other Gospell though an Angell from Heauen let him bee accursed n Revel 22.18.19 I testifie to euery man saith S. Iohn for conclusion of all his testimony is true that if any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are vvritten in this booke Canon amussis neque additionem patitur neque ablationem Theophilact in 3. c. ad Philipp and if any man shall take avvay from the vvords of the booke of this Prophesie God shall take avvay his part out of the Booke
as it is written He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. Which we doe if we beleiue doe as we professe if denying our selues al other means we ascribe the ſ Totum Deo deturqui vosuntatem hominis bonam praeparat adjuvan dam adjuvat praeparatam August Enchir. ad Laurent c. 37. whole worke of our saluation to God alone indeauouring so to liue as may t Tit. 2.10 adorne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things and not cause u 1 Tim. 6.1 his Name doctrine any way to be blaspheamed First acknowledging our own naturall vnworthines vntowardlines * 2 Cor. 3.5 who are not able of our selues to think any thing as of our selues wee giue God the praise of his x Hominis bonum propositū adjuvat quidem subsequens gratia sed nec ipsū esset nisi praecederet gratia Aug. l. 2. contra duas Pel. ep c. 9 preventing grace y Phil. 2.13 who worketh in vs both to will and to doe of his good pleasure And then of his z Sine illo vel operante vt velimus vel cooperante cum volumus ad bona pietatis opera nihil valemus Idem de grat lib. arb c. 27. assisting grace if we be willing obey a 2 Cor. 6.1 and receiue not his grace in vaine b Mat. 3.8 but bring forth fruites meete for repentance For by well-doing wee shall shew forth the praises of him c 1 Pet. 2.9 that hath called vs out of darknes into his marvailous light d V. 12. shall thereby occasion others also to glorifie God in the day of their visitation e Iohn 15.8 Hereby God is glorified that ye beare much fruit Againe acknowledging our vnanswerablenesse yet to the grace receiued by reason of our continuall infirmities we giue him the f Majoris prętij beneficium est quod praestatur indignis Salvian l. 4. de gub Dei praise of the al-sufficiency of his grace to saue vs notwithstanding our manifold deficience therefrom whilest g 2 Cor. 12.9 his strength is made perfect in our weaknes Therefore wee glory in our infirmities that the power of Christ may rest vpon vs. And withal confessing our continuall sinnes we giue him the praise of his righteousnes h 1 Iohn 1.9 who is iust to forgiue vs our sinnes though many times hee suffer not malefactors to goe vnpunished i Iosh 7.19 As Ioshuah willed Achan to make confession of the fact to giue glory to GOD. And as Dauid himselfe did saying k Ps 51.4 against thee haue I sinned done this euill in thy sight that thou maist be iustified when thou speakest cleare when thou iudgest Lastly beleeuing the resurrection of the body we giue God the praise of the l Eph. 1.19 exceeding greatnes of his power to vs-ward who beleue m Phil. 3.21 according to the mighty working of his power whereby he is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe As n Ro. 5.17.18.20 Abraham beleiuing God who quickneth the dead against hope beleeued in hope staggered not at the promise through vnbeleefe but being strong in faith gaue glory to God And if we giue him the praise of the glory of his grace o Ps 84 11. hee will giue vs both grace glory no good thing shall he with-holde from them that liue a godly life p Ier. 9. v. 23. Wherefore let not the q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil hom in Psal 33. wise man glory in his wisedome neither let the mighty man glory in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches But let him that glorieth glory in this V. 24. that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise louing kindnes judgment righteousnesse in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. CHAP. III. The Testaments The will of God The word The Scripture That the Scripture is the word of God The intent of it The cōsent in it The old legall Testament The new Evangelical Testament The event of prophesies The power of the Gospel The Church The administrators and ouer seers Scripture the absolute Canon of faith and life VVhat assurance is there of the Covenant of Grace WE haue GOD his Word for it in the Scripture and that in two Testaments both written from his owne mouth and by the direction of his Spirit The covenant of grace being not a bargaine made with God by our owne selues The Will but procured for vs by the intercessiō of a Mediator that through his death he therefore disposeth the estate of life so purchased to the a 1 Pet. 3.7 heires of grace by Will and Testament b Luke 22.29 I bequeath saith he a Kingdome vnto you as my Father hath bequeathed vnto me A Testamēt is a covenāt by wil c Heb. 9.16.17 made good by the death of the Testator who alone prescribes the conditions on both sides because he inables the Executour who prouing the Will stipulates giues his faith by acceptilation For he that accepts the offer vndertakes bindes himself to performe the conditiō So is the estate of grace conveyed by d Berirh Foedus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Testamentum vid. Iun. paral l. 3. in c. 9. ad Heb. ver 15. c. covenant testat or by testament covenanted in which respect the tearmes are promiscuously vsed And the authentike bookes of Scripture being the publike instruments of God his will in writing are called testamēts because they contein the e Quae Deus occulta esse voluit non sunt scrutanda quae autem manifesta fecit non sunt neganda ne in illis illicitè curiosi in istis damnabiliter inveniamur ingrati Ambros l. 1. de vocat Gent. c. 7. perfect will of God concerning vs in Christ Iesus the Gospell declaring what hee will doe for vs the Law what seruice he wil haue vs doe vnto him Whatsoeuer els is mentioned in Scripture whether God's promises or threats of things tēporal or eternall or his works of creatiō or providence his blessings or iudgments or whether the words or deeds of men or angels good or bad all serue one way or other to confirme or illustrat the will of God cōcerning vs in some point of the Law or in some article of our Creed Which two parts of the couenant as it were the condition the obligation haue bin euer the same in substāce though not always in like māner dispensed especially the Gospell by reason of some weighty circūstances The Law was neuer giuen or made positiue without the Gospel neither is the Gospel now without the Law although the old testament be vsually called the Law the new the Gospel because the Law is predominant in the one and the Gospell in the other and the forme of the covenant is in the one logall in