whatsoever is amiable and gracious is so from him Gods Graciousnesse is that whereby he is truly amiable in himself and freely bountiful unto his creatures cherishing them tenderly without any defert of theirs Psal. 86. 15. and 111. 5. Gen. 43. 29. Pelagius taught that grace is given to men in respect of their merits Gratia Dei datur secundum merita nostra he said that Gods will had respect to merits foreseen for this Pelagius was condemned for an Heretique in three Synodes S â— Austin refuteth this error and referreth the matter to Gods will and purpose onely B. Carleton against Mountague Ch. 3. Vide Bellarm. de Gratia lib. arbitrio l. 6. c. 4 5 6. Iohn Scotus was the greatest Pelagian that lived in his time for it was he that brought in the doctrine of Meritum ex Congruo he teacheth that Faith Charity Repentance may be had ex puris naturalibus which some of the most learned Papists do confesse to be the true Doctrine of Pelagius Vide Bellarminum de Gratia libero arbitrio l. 6. c. 2. God is gracious to all Psal. 145. 8 9 10. but especially to such whom he doth respect in his well-beloved Son Jesus Christ Exod. 33. 19. Isa. 30. 19. Luke 1. 30. Gen. 6. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 10. Gods free favor is the cause of our salvation and of all the means tending thereunto Rom. 3. 24. and 5. 15 16. Ephes. 1. 5 6. and 2. 4. Rom. 9. 16. Titus 3. 5. Heb. 4. 16. Rom. 6. 23. 1 Cor. 12. 4 9. The gospel sets forth the freenesse fulnesse and the powerfulnesse of Gods grace to his Church therefore it is called The word of his grace Acts 14. 3. and 20. 32. The Gospel of the grace of God Acts 20. 24. Deus expandit gratiae immensum Coelum Luther Gods Graciousnesse is firm and unchangeable so that those which are once beloved can never be rejected or utterly cast off Psal. 77. 10. God bestoweth 1. Good things 2. Freely 3. Plentifully Psal. 111. 4. 4. In a special manner he is gracious toward the godly Love is 1. Grounded often on something which may deserve it the grace of God is that love of his which is altogether free 2. Grace is such a kinde of love as flows from a superiour to an inferior love may be in inferiors toward their superiors We should be also liberal in our services toward God in our prayers and good works We should desire and strive to obtain the grace and favor of God David often calleth on God to cause his face to shine upon him and to lift up the light of his countenance upon him The holy Patriarchs often desired to finde grace in the eyes of the Lord. It is better then life to him that hath it it is the most satisfying content in the world to have the soul firmly setled in the apprehension of Gods goodnesse to him in Christ. It will comfort and stablish the soul in the want of all outward things in the very hour of death 2. It is attainable Those that seek Gods face shall finde him Means of purchasing Gods favor 1. Take notice that your sins have worthily deprived you of his favour and presse these thoughts upon you till you feel your misery meditate on the Law to shew you your cursednesse 2. Consider of the gracious promises of the Gospel and see the grace of God in Christ. His grace was exceeding abundant saith the Apostle 3. Confesse and bewail your sins with a full purpose of amendment and cry to God for grace in Christ. 4. This stayes our hearts when we apprehend our own unworthinesse God is gracious and shews mercy to the undeserving the ill-deserving 2. We should acknowledge that all grace in us doth come from him the fountain of grace and should go boldly to the throne of grace and beg grace of him for our selves and others Heb. 4 16. Paul in all his Epistles saith Grace be unto you The Apostle Ephes. 1. 3. and so on speaks of Redemption Vocation Justification Glorification And all this saith he is to the praise of his glory and 12. 14. verses we should give God the praise of all He is the first cause and last end The Arminians will seem to say That all comes from grace and that faith is the grace of God but they say it is a power given to all and that God hath done alike for all onely some improve the power of reason and will better then others without any special discriminating grace from God then God is not the first cause that I believe it is the free working of God within me We should take heed of encouraging our selves in sin because God is gracious this is to turn Gods grace into wantonnesse We should frequent the Ordinances where God is graciously present and reâ—dy to bestow all his graces on us The word begets grace prayer increaseth it and the Sacraments seal it It refutes 1. The Papists which boast of their own merits By the grace of God I am that I am 1 Cor. 15. 10. Rom. 11. 6. By grace we are saved Ephes. 2. 8. They distinguish grace into that which is gratis data freely given as the work of miracles the gift of prophesying and that which is gratum faciens making us accepted as faith and love are graces making us accepted but the grace which maketh us accepted is freely given therefore they are not opposite members There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace and the gift of grace they differ as the cause and the effect as Lux in sole and Lumen in aere one is in God subjectivè the other in man objectivè 2. The Arminians the Patrons of mans free will and enemies of Gods free-grace who say that a man may so far improve naturals as to merit grace and that God gives effectually grace to the wicked which shall never be saved to Iudas as well as Paul How is that effectual which moving men unto faith and repentance doth never bring them to one nor other it seems these Remonstrants never learnt this Lesson Arminio praeceptore for he defines effectual grace to be that quâ— sortitur effectum which obtains the effect They say that a man without Gods grace may keep all the Commandments whereas Christ saith not as Augustine notes Iohn 15. 5. without me you can do little but Without me you can do nothing Never had the Church of God saith Dr. Featly in his Pelagius Redivivns 2. Parallel since the Apostle St. Paul a more valiant and resolute Champion of Grace then St. Augustine Pelagius would change himself into divers forms as is manifest by the History of him although sometimes he seems to restrain the whole operation of grace to external perswasions yet being pressed by Augustine and others both he and his disciples have often been compelled also to confesse the inward gifts of grace and the Holy
understand Hebrew And how came this Authenticall Copy and Prototype to be lost for it is not now extant How ever the Greek edition is Authentical because it came forth when the Apostles were living and was approved by them which the Ancients confirm Of the time when Matthew wrote Authors agree not Eusebius saith that he wrote in the third year of â—ajus Caesar others say he wrote after Claudeus He wrote his Gospel in the fifteenth year after Christs Ascention saith Nioâ—phorus the one and twentieth saith â—â—enâ—us in the eighth year saith Theophylact It consists of twenty eight Chapters in which the person of Christ and his three Offices of Prophet Priest and King are described The best Expositors of it are Hilary Musculus Paraeus Calvin Aquinas was wont to say That he desired but to live so long till he might see the golden-mouthed Father St Chrysostom his imperfect work upon Matthew finished Dr Featleys Preface to his Stricturae in Lyndo mastigem Mark He was the Disciple of Peter and wrote his Gospel from him in the fourth year of Claudius Caesar say some He wrote not in Latine as Bellarmine saith but in Greek Concerning the Archetypal Language in which the Gospels of Mark and Luke were written See Mr Selden in Eutichii orig It consists of sixteen Chapters in which Christs three-fold Office is also explained The best Expositors of it are Calvin Beza Piscator Maldonate Iansenius Luke He was for Countrey of Antioch for profession a Physician there is mention made of him Col. 4. 14. 2 Tim. 4. 11. Philem. 24. He was companion to Paul the Apostle in his travels and in prison He only makes a Preface before his Gospel that he may briefly shew the cause which induced him to write The best Expositors of it are Calvin Beza Piscator Maldonate Iansenius Iohn In Hebrew signifieth the grace of God he soareth higher then the other Evangelists to our Saviours Divinity and therefore as Nazianzen among the Fathers he is called the Divine by an Excellency because he hath so graphically and gravely described the Divinity of the Son and hath written also of things most Divine and Theological Melancthon called Calvin a Divine by an Excellency and then when Calvin being but a young man did most gravely treat of divine matters He hath the Eagle for his Ensign assigned him by the Ancients He was called Presbyter by reason of his age being the longest liver of all the Apostles He wrote the last of all when he returned from the Isle Patmos therefore there is something more in every Chapter of Iohn then any other of the Evangelists He alone describeth the admirable Sermon which our Saviour made at his last Supper and his Prayer It is generally thought and I think not untruly that the blasphemous heresies of Ebion and Cerinthus who denied that our Saviour was God or had any being before he took flesh of the holy Virgin his mother was one especial occasion of writing this Gospel Mr Wotton Serm. 2. on 1 Ioh. 1. 2. It consists of one and twenty Chapters in which the Person of Christ consisting of the Divine and humane Nature is described In his Gospel is described first Christs person in the first Chapter 2. His Office in the second Chapter to the twelfth 3. His death from the twelfth to the end The best Expositors of him are Calvin Beza Piscator Rollock Tarnovius Musculus Acts Luke in the Proem of it makes mention of the Gospel written by him that he might profess himself to be the Author of both It consists of eight and twenty Chapters Luke calleth his History The Acts of the Apostles though it be specially of their sufferings because even their passions were actions they enlarged the Kingdom of Christ by their sufferings The best Expositors of it are Brentius De Dieu Calvin Sanctius The thirteen Epistles of Paul one to the Romans two to the Corinthians one to the Galatians one to the Ephesians one to the Philippians one to the Colossians two to the Thessalonians two to Timothy one to Titus and one to Philemon the Primitive Church unanimously received into the Canon and never doubted of their being Apostolical They have their name Epistles à forma Epistolari qua conscriptae sunt A Lapide Estius Grotius and Vorstius have done well on all the Epistles Imprimis Estius ex Pontificiis saith Voetius The Epistles are for the most part written in this order they have 1. An Inscription wherein is the name of the Writer and of them to whom he writes and his wish 2. The matters of the Epistle which are sometimes meerly religious concerning certain Articles of faith or piety of life or about the use of things indifferent or else familiar things witnessing their mutual good will 3. The Conclusion in which are Exhortations Salutations Wishes or other familiar matters There are 21 Epistles fourteen written by Paul and seven more written by Peter Iohn Iames and Iude. Concerning the time and place in which the several Epistles were written it is not easie to determine I will premise something about the order of the Epistles before I speak of them particularly Some of Pauls Epistles were written before his imprisonment some in his bonds both former and later Before his imprisonment the first of all that was written were both the Epistles to the Thessalonians they were written from Corinth the 8th or 9th year of Claudius Titus was written by Paul in those two years that he stayed at Ephesus Galatians At the end of the two years that Paul was at Ephesus the Epistle to the Galatians seems to be written 1 Cor. 16. 2. by which words the Apostle seems to intimate that this Epistle to the Galatians was written before that to the Corinthians Corinthians Paul living two years at Ephesus in the 11th and 12th year of Claudius the Corinthians wrote to him 1 Cor. 7. 1. and that by Stephanus and Fortunatus which they sent to him Chap. 16 17. by whom Paul seemeth to have written back the first Epistle to the Corinthians for in that he exceedingly commends them of Corinth It was not written from Philippi as the Greek superscription hath it but from Ephesus as the Arabick interpreter hath it as is manifest Chap. 16. 8. The second Epistle to the Corinthians and the first of Timothy strive for priority Et sub judice lis est Both of them were written a little after Paul departed from Ephesus and while he departed to Macedonia but it is not manifest which was the first First Epistle to Timothy Some think that this Epistle was written by Paul in his bonds but not rightly for he makes no mention of his bonds in it It is probable that it was written from Athens as it is in the Arabick subscription when he came from Macedonia to Greece and so it was written after the first Epistle to the Corinthians Romans The Epistle
their subjection so should these Others understand it of the Ministersdwho are called Angels because they are the Messengers of God and so they compare this place with that Eccles. 5. 6. Before the Angele there is He notificative by which is signified the high Priest before whom vows were made Levit. 27. 8. Some interpret it generally of all good men for we ought to be as so many Angels The fourth is What is the meaning of those places Acts 7. 53. Gal. 3. 19. â—earned Iunius renders the words Acts 7. 53. You have received the law in the midst of the ranks of Angels viz. who f accompanied God their Sovereign Lord when himself came to deliver the Law The same answer may be made as it is by the same Learned Writer among Angels they attending God when he ordained and delivered it It seems improper that Angels in the plural number g should have been imployed in speaking of the Law For without extraordinary guidance of God many speakers at once would have bred confusion of sounds and by an extraordinary guidance one would have sufficed There is no necessity to ascribe the delivery of the Law of the Decalogue to Angels Exod. 20. there is not so much as a word of the Angels in the whole matter The earthquake thunder lightening on mount Sina were raised by the Angels saith Cameron who can easily change the state of the elementary Region The fifth What is the meaning of that story Iude v. 9. Michael striving with the devil The Apostle aggravates the sins of those who speak evil of Dignities by an argument from the greater to the lesse the Archangel durst not do so where you have the chief cause Michael which is as much as who is like God and then you have the adjunct he is the Archangel that is a chief among the Angels therefore it cannot be meant say some of Christ because Christ is expresly distinguished from him 1 Thes. 4. 6. Now what this dispute was and where the Apostle had it it is hard to say but that there was such a thing done is plain The matter of the strife was Moses dead on mount Nebo Deut. 34. 6. which is added either by Samuel Ioshua or Ezra Some make this to be the body of Christ and therefore called Moses his because he prophesied of it Very likely the dispute was that it should not be buried to occasion idolatry the Archangel rails not on him but leaves him to God Now Deut. 3. 44. where it is said the Lord buried him that is to be understood by the means of the Archangel and no man knew his burial that divine honour might not be given him and the devil might say how fit it was such a man should be solemnly buried The sixt What is meant by the voice of an Angel 1 Thes. 4. 15. where the Apostle describes the great and glorious coming of Christ to judgement from some circumstances which commend his power and Majesty the Lord himself shall come down in his own person with a shout 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that voice which marriners and souldiers use when they call one another to put to their strength so that it is no more then a great command of God that all be ready Matth. 25. like that There was a voice Behold the bridegroom comes or like that Ioh. 5. All that are in theeir graves shall hear his voice So it shall be the instrument to raise them up as it was Lazarus for this may be compared with Matth. 24. The voice and the trump of God are all one that is a great noise expressed by this Metaphor so that it should go to all in their graves The seventh Whether they have any efficacie in our conversion Though they be sent Heb. 1. for the salvation of those that beleeve yet they have no efficacious power on the heart of man for it is God only that can turn the heart and therefore it is a wicked opinion of some who give God no more efficacie in moving the heart to conversion then good Angels have which can be but by perswasion It is true in the Scriptures you may reade of their admonishing and comforting so an Angel comforteth Elias and Christ himself as he was man Ioseph was admonished in a dream but then you must know this was a sensible appearance or like it viz. in dreams But now you may reade of the devil tempting in Scripture Iudas and David without such a way the change of our hearts is to be ascribed to God The eighth Whether the Angels need Christ as a Mediator Some say no They never sinned and therefore need not a Mediator to reconcile them to God 1 Tim. 2. 5. Heb. 2. 16. A mediator is where two parties do disagree As for that place say they Ephes. 1. 22. He hath reconciled all things in heaven and earth some do mean by those things in heaven the souls of those departed the Greek word signifieth briefly to recollect the things which were more largely spoken and so a sweet consent of all things together As by sin God was angry with us so were the Angels for they hated whom God hated but by his death it is otherwise But though Angels needed not such a reconciliation as supposeth a breach of peace yet they needed such a one as consists in the continuance of that peace which they had before The Lord hath now so fully revealed himself and his excellencies unto them and his love and favour and the necessity of their being obedient that they cannot but continue to obey and serve him they were not so far inlightened and sanctified at the first creation but that then in respect of themselves there was a possibility of sinning as well as of those that did sin but now they are so confirmed by the clear sight they have of God that they cannot be willing to sin against him The Angels by Christ obtained 1. A glorious Head Men had a head at their creation Adam The Angels stood by vertue of their personall Covenant 2. From his becoming their Head they are confirmed in grace they were created perfect but mutable Iob 4. 18. 3. By Christ their nature was elevated above what it was in it self Electio sive hominum sive Angelorum extra Christum intelligi non potest Aâ—optati sunt in silios Dei propter Christum 4. They have an honourable imployment by this means they serve Christ in his humane nature The Angels which abode in the truth are called good Angels not only in respect of the righteousnesse which God bestowed upon them at their creation but also in respect of the obedience which they performed and â—â—eir confirmation in that good estate The causes why they abode still in the truâ—â— are the firm and unchangeable decree of God 1 Tim. 5. 21. his free grace Phil. 2. 13. wherewith they were holpen and their own free choice of will
confirmed by King Iames Daemonol l. 2. c. 6. B. Carletons Examinat of Sir Christ. Heyd Book c. 5. Saul was convinced of the evil of Witchcraft his zeal ran out against Witches yet after he himself went to a Witch The End of the fourth Book THE FIFTH BOOK OF MANS RECOVERY BY CHRIST Wherein are handled His Names Titles Natures Offices and twofold Estate of Humiliation and Exaltation CHAP. I. Of Mans Recovery SECONDLY Mans Restauration or Recovery from his miserable estate that he had plunged himself to by sin 1. What this Recovery is 2. The causes and parts of it Of the first It is a part of Gods special Providence whereby man is recovered out of the state of Sinne and slavery to Satan Death and Hell to an estate of Grace Life and Glory Death and sin entred by the first Adam the second Adam brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel Rom. 3. 24 25. Rom. 5. 18 19. 1 Cor. 15. 22. God still delighted to deal with a common person in the name of all the rest in both the Covenants there was a principal contracting party a common representee Adam in the Covenant of Works Christ in the Covenant of Grace either of these was to communicate his estate to his posterity Both these were common parents authors of life to their seed 1 Cor. 15. 45 49. But they differed 1. In the Dignity of their persons Adam was a holy man yet but an earthly creature Christ is the Lord from heaven See Rom. 5. 15 16 17. 2. In the Degree of the publick Office Adam was a common person but not a Surety for them Christ was a Surety Heb. 7. 22. able to give his a new heart 3. In the Manner of Representation Adam took nothing from us and conveyed nothing to us but sinne Christ took sinne from us made our transgressions to be his and his obedience is become ours 2 Cor. 5. 21. This work of mans recovery is Gods Master-piece all other designs are subordinate to this all his Attributes shine out in this God manifested great love to man at the first in making him happy in stamping his Image on him and in making himself his end but he discovered greater love in the work of redemption Iohn 3. 16. He discovered great power in creating the world of nothing but greater in mans recovery it is greater power to restore a creature when fallen then to uphold it at the first all other acts of power were but over the creature this was over his Son Iohn 10. 18. never was there such an act of grace to take the creature into personal Union with the God-head Zech. 13. 7. God discovered great wisdom in making the creatures and in his Law but that prescribed not a way how to satisfie God and sanctifie man and that so easily Heb. 2. 12. See Rom. 11. 33. He declared also his Holinesse and Justice rather then sin should go unpunished his own Son was punished 2. The Cause of it It comes wholly and onely from the free grace and favour of God Ephes. 2. 8. By grace you are saved through faith not of your selves it is the gift of God The ground of mans restitution was the bringing in of the second Covenant God vouchsafing to deal with man as a rational creature was pleased to deal with him in way of a Covenant the Covenant of Works being broken and it being impossible to enter into heaven that way Rom. 8. 3. God made a new and better Covenant called the Covenant of Grace of which Isaiah Ieremiah and Ezekiel speak This is the way of Gods bringing lost man to life and happinesse by a Mediator The first Covenant was Gods way of bringing man to life by his obedience The righteousnesse required to bring a man to life in the second Covenant is not his own righteousnesse but the righteousnesse of a Mediator 1. This Covenant of Grace was ever one and the same Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever all that obtain life obtain it the self same way The same Covenant that was revealed to Adam when he sin'd was revealed after to Abraham and Noah the Prophets and to us 2. Although for substance this Covenant be one and the same in all ages yet the external administrations of it were different in one manner before Christ exhibited in another after Then it was administred by Prophecies Promises Sacrifices Tâ—pes Shadows after Christ exhibited in the flesh it was administred only in the Ordinances of preaching and the Sacraments Their Types Shadows Sacrifices Washing Circumcision eating rosted Lambs held out the same Christ that our Sacraments hold out 3. The Administration of the Covenant of Grace since Christ was exhibited is far more glorious theirs was called the old Covenant ours the new one This lies in three things 1. It is more universal a great while the other was onely in Abrahams family and after appropriated to the Nations of the Jews and some that turned Proselytes now the utmost isles of the world see the salvation of God 2. Now the Covenant of Grace is revealed more clearly the things about Christ were then dark babes may now understand those things that their Doctors did not 3. A greater measure of Grace and Holinesse is now communicated 3. The parts of this Recovery are two saith Mr Richardson 1. The work of Mans redemption 2. The Application of it The work of Redemption is the purchasing of man from his undone condition by a Redeemer or Mediator or the Recovery of man from his estate of sinne and misery by a full price paid for him by a Redeemer 2. The Application of it is whereby it is made ours by imputation These two are joyned together Iohn 3. 16. Mark 16. 16. The one of these is the Sufficiency of mans Recovery the other the Efficiency Paul and Peter speak often of a price paid for us I shall therefore shew 1. Who this Redeemer is that hath paid this price for us 2. What the price is that he hath paid for us Our Lord Jesus Christ Immanuel the Word made flesh God and man united in one Person is the Person The price that he hath paid was the subjecting of himself in our stead to do what we should have done and suffer what we should else have undergone Mat. 18. 11. Luk 19. 10. Rom. 3. 24 25. 1 Tim. 5. 15. All the Ceremonies and Sacrifices under the Law had relation to Christ they were but the shadow and he was the body First The Nazarite must be sanctified in his mothers womb to signifie that Jesus the true Nazarite should be conceived without sinne in the womb of the Virgin Secondly His two Natures were signified by the Goat that was killed and the Scape-goat and by the two Sparrows the one killed and the other let go His Offices of King and Priest typed by the High-priests Crown Garments and Ornaments His Death by the Sacrifices and his lifting up
in the Covenant Ier. 31. Heb. 8. The holy Ghost seldom names it without some high expression Psal. 51. Ephes. 1. Remission of sins and of which This Remission is both free and full Isa. 1. 43. Ezek. 25. 18 22. Heb. 8. 12. Manasseh Salomon Paul Mary Magdalen were great sinners yet pardoned God doth of his own free grace and mercy forgive us our sins Psal. 51. 1. Rom. 3. 24. Eph. 1. 7. 1 Ioh. 2. 12. The word remitting or forgiving implies that sinne is a debt or offence as Christ cals it in his form of Prayer God is said to forgive when he takes away the guilt and frees us from condemnation Isa. 44. 22. Secondly The inward cause in God which moves him to it is his grace for God might have left all mankinde under the power of their sins as he hath done the Devils Thirdly The outward meritorious cause is the bloud of Christ. Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews largely shews that it was the bloud of Christ typified by the Sacrifices that purgeth us from our sins by Christs merits Gods grace is obtained Fourthly The instrumental cause is faith Rom. 3. 25. 5. 1. not considered as a work but as an act of the soul receiving and applying Christ to us not going out to him as love doth for then it were a work Fifthly The immediate effect of it is Sanctification and the healing of our nature Rom. 8. 1. to be cleansed or washed from sin implies both the taking away the guilt of it and giving power against our corruptions For these six thousand years God hath been multiplying pardons and yet free grace is not tired and grown weary Our sins are covered Psal. 32. 1. as a loathsom sore cast into the Sea Micah 7. 19. as Pharaoh and the Aegyptians blotted out as a debt in a book Isa. 44. 22. Psal. 55. 1. Object We have forgivenesse of sins upon a price therefore we are not freely forgiven Answ. Forgivenesse of sins and Christs Satisfaction may well consist whatsoever it cost Christ it costs us nothing 1. It was infinite grace that God should ever intend to pardon a wretched sinner Ephes. 1. 6. 2. That he should give his Son for this and that this sinner should be pardoned and not another Object God will not forgive except we repent and beleeve Acts 2. 19. 10. 42. Answ. God promiseth forgivenesse to such only as repent and beleeve but they have forgivenesse meerly from the grace of God not from the worthinesse of their beleeving or repenting Hos. 14. 4 2. These graces are freely given them To you it is given to beleeve and God hath given repentance to the Gentiles To whom it appertains to remit sins The power of remitting sins belongs only to God I even I blot out thy transgressions Isa. 43. 25. that is true in the Gospel though not well applied Who can forgive sins but God only because it is an offence against him that you may know who hath power saith Christ to forgive sins I say unto thee Walk he only by his own power can forgive it who by his own power can remove any judgement the effect of sinne Ministers are said to remit sins Iohn 21. 23. but that is because they have a special Office to apply the promises of pardon to broken hearts See Luk 24 47. Acts 13. 38. The Ministery of Reconciliation is committed to them as to the Embassadours of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20. An confessio auricularis sit necessaria ad remissionem peccatorum Whether auricular confession be necessary to the remission of sins The Church of Rome will have it necessary for every one to confesse unto a Priest all his deadly sins And such indeed are all whatsoever without the mercy of God in Christ Rom. 6. ult Gal. 3. 10. which by diligent examination he can finde out together with the severall circumstances whereby they are aggravated Nothing will suffice to procure one that is baptized remission of sins without this Confession either in re or in voto as Bellarmine doth expound it This is no small task which they impose upon the people of Christ Quid molestius quid onerosius saith Bellarmine therefore sure they had need to have good warrant for it especially being so peremptory as to Anathematize all which shall refuse to subscribe unto them No general Councel untill that of Laterane under Innocent the third about twelve hundred years after Christ decreed a necessity of auricular confession Erasmus ad Act. 19. affirmeth that it was not ordained by God nor yet practised in the ancient Church after Christ. The hinge of the Question is not concerning confession of sins in general unto a Minister but of particular sins neither whether we may but whether we ought necessarily purpose a manifestation of every known mortal sin and the grievous circumstances thereof or otherwise stand hopelesse of all remission of our sins B. Mort. Appeal l 13. c. 12. S. 1. There is no ground in Scripture for it but much against it in that the Scripture in many places sheweth it sufficient except in some cases to confesse unto God only Besides such Confession as Papists require viz. a particular enumeration of all mortal sins with their several aggravating circumstances is not possible and therfore not of divine Institution Cardinal Cajetane on Iam. 5. acknowledgeth Non agi de Sacramentali confessione That confession Matth. 3. 6. 1. Was not made of every one apart of every particular fault they had committed and secretly in St Iohns ear 2. The Greek word signifieth confession of known faults and overthroweth the recital of secret sins which ear-confession requireth 3. It is contrary to the nature of the meeting which was publick 4. To the nature of a Sacrament administred which being publick required a publick confession of mans corruption 5. This was but once and before baptism and not as the Papists have it here and before the Lords Supper Cartw. in loc The apprehension of the pardon of sin will sweeten every condition 1. Sicknesse Mat. 9. 2. 2. Reproach 2 Cor. 1. 12. 3. Imprisonment Rom. 8. 34. 4. It will comfort one in the remainders of corruption Rom. 8. 1. 5. Deadly dangers The Angel of God saith Paul stood by me this night whose I am and whom I serve 6. It will support us at the day of Judgement Act. 3. 19. Reasons 1. Because sin in the guilt of it doth imbitter every condition even death it self 1 Cor. 15. 26. then one looks upon every crosse coming from God as an avenger Ierem. 30. 14. and upon mercies as given him to fat him to destruction Secondly This makes a man look upon every affliction as coming from a Fathers hand when he can look on sinne as pardoned Heb. 12. 9. there is an ira paterna Thirdly Remission of sins gives him boldnesse at the throne of grace Ephes. 3. 12. 1 Iohn 3. 21. How to know whether
before another and ought not to do so now that God chooseth some it is of his meer grace for all deserve eternal damnation Vide Dav. Dissert Praedest p. 132 133. Obj. Predestination or Election is grounded on Gods foreknowledge Rom. 8. 28 29 1 Pet. 1. 2. Ergo say the Papists God out of the foresight of mans good works did elect him And the Arminians say that God elected them out of the foresight of mens faith and perseverance so Election and Predestination shall be grounded on the will of man Answ. The foreknowledge of God is 1. Permissive so he foresaw all mens sinnes the fall of Angels Adam 2. Operative so he foreknows all the good that is in men by working it God foresees to give men faith and then they shall beleeve perseverance and then they shall hold out There can be no difference till elective love make it When God hath decreed to give grace he foreknows that man which beleeves 2. Predestination is not onely an eternall act of Gods will but of his understanding Ephes. 1. 5. Act. 2. 23. 3. There is a twofold foreknowledge of God 1. Generall whereby he foreknew all things that ever were 2. Special a foreknowledge joyned with love and approbation as 1 Pet. 1. 21. Mat. 7. â—8 Arguments against the Papists and Lutherans That which is the effect and fruit of Election that cannot be a cause or condition for then a thing should be a cause to it self But these are effects Ephes. 1. 4. It should be according to them he hath chosen us because we were foreseen holy Acts 13. 48. A man is not ordained to eternal life because he beleeveth but he beleeveth because he is ordained to eternal life Acts 2. 27. and 13. 48. Rom. 8. 30. Secondly then we should choose God and not he us contrary to that Ioh. 15. 19. Thirdly Infants are elected who cannot beleeve or do good works This argument saith Rivet Disputat 4. de causa electionis although it be puerile by reason of the Subject yet it is virile if we respect its weight for the Adversaries cannot avoid it without running into many absurdities by denying that Infants are saved against that of Matthew 18 and by affirming that some are saved which are not elected against Rom. 11. Fourthly If man were the cause of his own election he had cause to glory in himself election should not be of grace See Master Bailyes Antidote against Arminians p. 26. to 46. All the sonnes of Adam without exception are not elected for election supposeth a rejection He that chooseth some refuseth others See Esay 41. 9. Iohn 13. 8. Whom God electeth he doth also glorifie Rom. 8. 30. but all are not glorified 2 Thess. 1. 10. 2. 13. Chosen out of the world John 15. 19. therefore he chose not all in the world but some 2. Saving faith is a true effect of Gods election peculiar to the elect and common to all the Elect which live to be of age and discretion but many are destitute of faith for ever therefore they must needs be out of Gods election 3. The Scripture saith expresly that few were chosen Matth. 20. 16 Rom. 11. 5 7. Few saved Luke 13. 23. The Elect considered apart by themselves are a numberlesse number and exceeding many in comparison of the wicked they are but few even a handful Mat. 7. 13 14. 22. 14. Luke 12. 3â— Though some of the places of Scripture may be expounded of the small number of Beleevers in the daies of our Saviour yet some are more generally spoken shewing plainly that onely few do finde the way to life At this day if the world were divided into thirty parts nineteen of them do live in Infidelity without the knowledge of the true God The Mahometans possesse other six parts of the world Amongst them which professe Christ scarce one part of those five remaining do embrace the true religion And many more do professe with the mouth then do with the heart beleeve unto salvation The Arminians say there is an election axiomatical not personal they acknowledge that there is a choise of this or that particular means to bring men to salvation God say they hath revealed but two waies to bring men to life either by obedience to the Law or by faith in Christ. But they deny that there is an election of this or that particular man God hath set down with himself from all eternity not onely how many but who shall lay hold on Christ to salvation and who not â— Pet. 1. 10. speaks of an election personal Rom. 9. 11 12. of both elections axiomatical and personal See Iohn 10. 3 2 Tim. 2. 19. Some hold that Gods election is so uncertain and changeable as that the elect may become reprobates and the reprobate elect There is say they a constant and frequent intercourse of members between Christ and Satan to day a member of Christ to morrow a member of Satan Rom. 8. 28. All things work together for their good then nothing shall work for their greatest hurt that is their damnation And ver 30. he saith Those whom he predestinated he hath called justified glorified not others but those whom he hath predestinated these he called and justified Gods election is most firm certain and unchangeable Iohn 6. 37. 10. 28. Matth. 24. 24. By the Arminian Doctrine there can be no certainty of election for they hold that absolute election onely follows final perseverance in faith and that faith may be totally lost and faile finally So much concerning Election In the Scriptures reprobate and to reprobate are referred rather to the present conditions of wicked men then Gods eternal ordination concerning them But the decree of reprobation is exprest in such tearms as these God is said not to have given them to Christ not to shew mercy on some not to have written the names of some in the Book of Life Reprobation is the purpose of God to leave the rest of men to themselves that he may glorifie his justice in their eternal destruction Est decretum aliquod quo destinavit alicui Deus damnationem Twiss The Schoolmen and others distinguish between a negative and positive or affirmative act of Reprobation The negative act is called preterition non-election or a will of not giving life The positive or affirmative act is called pre-damnation or a will of damning the reprobate person So there are two parts of election viz the decree of giving grace by which men are freed from sin by faith and repentance 2. of rewarding their faith and repentance with eternal life The word Reprobation is taken three waies saith B. Davenant out of Iunius 1. For preterition and damnation joyntly 2. For the alone decree of damnation so to be reprobated is to be appointed to eternal torments 3. As it is opposed contradictorily to election so it is taken for preterition onely or non-election Daven Dissertat de Praedestinat c.
7. The object of it are some sinful men or the greatest part of sinful men which are called vessels of wrath fitted for destruction Rom. 9. 22. that there are more damned then saved is proved Matth. 20. 16. Matth. 7. 14. The end of reprobation is the declaration of Gods justice in punishing of sin There is no cause of reprobation in the Reprobate that they rather then others are passed by of God that is wholly from the unsearchable depth of Gods good pleasure but that damnation whereto they are adjudged is for their own sins There are five dreadful consequences of reprobation or preterition 1. Such whom God passeth by he never calls or not effectually calling is according to purpose 2. He deserts leaves them to follow their own corrupt lusts 3. Hardens them Rom. 9. 4. They shall prove Apostates 1 Tim. 2. 18. 5. They are liable to that dreadful sentence Matth. 25. 41. Obj. 1 Tim. 2. 4. Who will have all men to be saved Ans. That is God would have some of all sorts of men to be saved so all men is taken verse 1. Let prayers be made for all men that is all manner of men he instanceth in one kinde viz. Kings All is likewise here to be taken not pro singulis generum but pro genâ—ribus singulorum So Austin expounded this place above a thousand yeers since All manner of men of all Nations and qualities All in this place doth not signifie universally every man in every age and condition but All opposed to the Jews onely all indefinitely and that in the times of the new Testament of which the Apostle speaketh Obj. 2 Pet. 3. 9 Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repen tance therefore there is not an election of some and reprobation of others Ans. He speaks there onely of the Elect and he would have none of them to perish He speaks that for the comfort of the godly and includes himself amongst them long-suffering to us-ward therefore he means those in the same condition with himself He shews why God staies the execution of his wrath because all his Elect are not gathered See 1 Pet. 2. 8. There is nothing doth more set out the glory excellency and sufficiency of God then his Decree O the infinite depth of the wisdome of God which hath fore-seen decreed and determined with himself the innumerable things that ever did or shall come to passe We should not search into the depths of his counsels Deut. 29. 29. but in all things professe our dependance on him and refer all to his decree Psal. 37. 5. They are justly blamed that ascribe any thing to chance fate fortune or good luck as also such as are impatient under any crosse Admiring the methods of Gods eternal Counsel and the execution of it for the salvation of our souls will be a great part of our work in heaven That is a desperate inference If I be predestinated I shall be saved * though I neglect and scoff at sanctity God hath predestinated the means as well as the end he hath decreed us to be holy as well as happy 2 Pet. 1. 3. Ephes. 1. 4. Christ laid down his life not onely to save us from the guilt of our sins but to sanctifie us Tit. 2. 14. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of sanctification 2 Thess. 2. 13. In good things the Devil strives to sever the means from the end in evil the end from the means We must not reason whether we be predestinated but use the means prove our Election by our calling we should judge of our predestination not so much descendendo by prying into Gods secret Counsel as ascendendo by searching our own hearts It was good counsel that Cardinal Poole gave to one who asked him how he might most profitably reade the Epistle to the Romans He advised him first to reade the twelfth chapter to the end and then the beginning of the Epistle to the twelfth chapter Because in the twelfth chapter the Apostle falls on matter of duty and sanctification which is the onely way to attain to the knowledge of those great mysteries handled in the beginning of Predestination Take heed of abusing this Doctrine 1. Quarrel not with Gods justice because he hath determined not to give grace to some Rom. 9. 14. That any are saved it is from Gods mercy there can be no injustice in refusing when it is the meer mercy of God to take any as if of many Traitors the King spare some and hang up the rest neither have the Elect a just cause to glory nor the reprobate to complain since undeserved grace is shewed to the one due punishment inflicted on the other It bewraies no more want of mercy in God that he takes but such then it did want of power because he made not many worlds since the exercising of one and the other is determined by his wisdome It were unjust say the Polonian Churches in their Catechisme to punish any one because he hath not done that which by no means he could do But when God punisheth the wicked and those that are refractory to his word what doth he do else but punish those which do not do that which they cannot do See more there cap. 10. of the same branne 2. This may comfort the people of God who may be certain of their election and salvation Rom. 8. 38. 39. Paul had not this by immediate revelation because he concludeth upon such arguments as are general to all the godly see 1 Ioh. 3. 14. Certainty of mans election and salvation is not such as we have of arts and sciences yet the truths of God are more to be adhered unto then any humane principle 3. Nor is it such as we have of doctrinal truths we are not so perswaded of Gods favour in particular to us as that there is a God and that there is Jesus Christ because the dogmatical truth is contained in the Scripture the other is but a practical conclusion drawn from the General 3. It is not such an assurance as expelleth all doubting and wavering Mar. 9. 24. yet doubting is a sin and we are to bewaile it but the Papists teach doubting and praise it under the name of humility and say it keeps us from presumption They say we can have but a conjectural and wavering knowledge of our salvation justly therefore did Luther terme the Romish Doctrine concerning uncertainty of salvation Non Doctrinam fidei sed diffidentiae no Doctrine of faith but distrust 4. It is not such as presumption and carnal security excluding all use of the means work out your salvation with fear those which have been most perswaded of Gods love to them have been most active for him the love of Christ constraineth us 5. It is more then probable conjectural or moral 6. It is not of our own conscience and Spirit onely but inabled by the Spirit of God
Saviour had spiritually so he would corporally or externally manifest his power over Devils This possessing was nothing but the dwelling and working of the Devil in the body one was demoniack and lunatick too because the Devil took these advantages against his body and this hath been manifested by their speaking of strange tongues on a sudden The causes of this are partly from the Devils malice and desire to hurt us and partly from our selves who are made the slaves of Satan and partly from God who doth it sometime out of anger as he bid the Devil go into Saul or out of grace that they may see how bitter sin is Vide Voet. Thes. de Energ Quest. 5. The meaning of Christs temptation by Satan and how we shall know Satans temptations Matth. 4. The Devil carried Christs body upon the pinacle of the Temple It is hard to say whether this were done in deed or vision only although it seem to be real because he bid him to throw himself down headlong but now this was much for our comfort that we see Christ himself was tempted and that to most hideous things Satan was overcome by him Damascene of old and some of our Divines say That Satan in his temptations of Adam and Christ could not have accesse to their inward man to tempt them therefore he tempted Adam by a Serpent and audible voice and Christ by a visible Landskip of the world Satans temptations say some may be known by the suddennesse violence and unnaturalnesse of them All these are to be found in the motions of sinne which arise from ones own heart original sinne will vent sinne suddenly Isa. 57. 20. Violently Ier. 8. 6. and it will break forth into unnatural lusts blasphemies against God and murders against men Mark 7. 21 22. Mr Liford saith if they seize upon us with terrour and affrightment because our own conceptions are free it is very difficult to distinguish them When thoughts often come into the minde of doing a thing contrary to the Law of God it is an argument Satan is at hand The Devil tempts somâ—â—o sinne under the shew of vertue Iob. 16. 2. Phil. 3. 6. Omnis tentatio est assimilaâ—â—â—â—oâ—i say the Schoolmen Some under the hope of pardon by stretching t 〈…〉 ds of Gods mercy lessening of sinne propounding the example of the multitud 〈…〉 eâ—ting before men what they have done and promising them repentance hereafter before they die The difference between Gods temptations and Satans they differ First In the matter the matter of Gods temptations is ever good as either by prosperity adversity or commandments by chastisements which from him are ever good but the matter of Satans temptations is evil he solicits us to sinne Secondly In the end the end of Gods temptation is to humble us and do us good but of Satans to make us dishonour God Thirdly In the effect God never misseth his end Satan is often disappointed A question is made by some Whether Satan may come to the same man with the same tentation after he is conquered Mr Capel resolves it that he may part 1. of Tentation cha 7. pag. 132 133. It is also a question An omnia peccata committantur tentante Diabolo John 8. 41 44. Every work of sin is a work of falshood and all falshood is from the Devil And likewise it is questioned Whether man might not have sinned if there had not been a Tempter To that it is answered he might for Satan fell without a tempter the angelical nature was more perfect then the humane 2. Nature is now so depraved that we cannot but sin Iam. 1. 14. Non eget daemone tentatore qui sibi factus est daemon saith Parisiensis Fourthly What is meant by delivering up to Satan 1 Cor. 5. 5 Some with Chrysostome think it was a corporeal delivering of him so that he was vexed of him by a disease or otherwise and that they say is meant by destruction of the flesh and so expound that Mark 6. They had power over the unclean spirits that is not onely to expel them but to put them in whom they pleased but this is not approved therefore others make it to be a casting out of the company of the faithful and so from all the good things that are appropriated unto that condition and therefore to the destruction of the flesh they expound to be meant of his corruption for so flesh is taken in Scripture Sixthly Whether the Devils may appear 1 Sam. 28. He which appeared was 1. Subject to the Witches power therefore it was not the true Samuel 2. If Samuel had been sent of God he would not have complained of trouble no more then Moses did Matth. 17. 3. The true Samuel would not have given countenance to so wicked a practice to the Magick Art 4. True Samuel would not have suffered himself to be worshipped as this did 5. Saul never came to be with the soul of Samuel in blisse yet he saith 'to morrow shalt thou be with me 6. God refused to answer Saul by Prophet Vision Urim or Thummim therefore he would not answer him by Samuel raised from the dead 7. True Samuel after his death could not lie nor sinne Heb. 12. 23. He said Saul caused him to ascend * and troubled him if he had been the true Samuel Saul could not have caused him to ascend if not he lyed in saying he was Samuel and that he troubled him If God had sent up Samuel the dead to instruct the living Why is this reason given of the denial of the Rich mans request to have one sent from the dead because if they would not believe Moses and the Prophets They would not believe though one rose from the dead In so doing the Lord should seem to go against his own order The souls of Saints which are at rest with the Lord are not subject to the power or inchantment of a Witch But Samuel was an holy Prophet now at rest with the Lord. Bellarmine answereth That Samuel came not by the command of the Witch but by the command of God and that rather impeached then approved Art Magick which he proveth because the Witch was troubled But the Scripture expresly teacheth that her trouble was because it was the King who having lately suppressed Witches had now in disguised apparel set her on work and so deceived her Bellarmine objecteth The Scripture still calleth him that appeared Samuel as if it were not an ordinary thing in Scripture to call things by the names of that which they represent or whose person they bear the representations of the Cherubims are called the Cherubims And things are often called in Scripture not according to the truth of the thing or Scriptures judgement thereof but according to the conceit and opinion of others The Angels which appeared to the Patriarchs are called men Gen. 18. the Idols of the Heathen are called gods Gen. 25. because
pardon Nullum peccatum est veniale dum placet sicut nullum mortale si verè displicet August Ambrosius saith All mortal sins are made venial by repentance Object Mat. 5. 22. There are two punishments lesse then hell fire Therefore all sins are not mortal Answ. That which our Saviour speaketh here of three several punishments is spoken by allusion to the proceeding in the Civil Courts in Iudaea and all that can be gathered from thence is but this That as there are differences of sins so there shall be of punishments hereafter 2. Maldonate the Jesuite ingeniously confesseth that by councel and judgement the eternal death of the soul is understood yet with this difference that a lesse degree of torment in hell is understood by the word Judgement then Councel and a lesse by Councel then by hell fire Object Mat. 5. 26. 7. 5. Luke 6. 41. 1 Cor. 3. 12. Some sins there are compared to very light things as hay stubble a mote a farthing Answ. 1. Some sins in comparison of others may be said to be light as a mote is little to a beam a farthing to a pound yet no sinne committed against God may be simply termed light or little Zech. 1. 5. being committed against an infinite God and having cost an infinite price 2. A mote if it be not taken out of the eye hindereth the sight so the least sinne hindereth grace and is sufficient to damn the soul. 3. Christ by the farthing Matth. 5. understands the last paiment of debt not sinne and the Apostle light and vain Doctrine by hay and stubble Purgatory is to cleanse men from their lesser sins but precious Doctrines or good works are there tried by fire Object James 1. 15. Sin When it is perfected brings forth death therefore not every sin not sin in every degree Answ. The Apostle there sets forth the method and order how sin comes to the height the word he useth for sin is of the feminine gender speaking of the conception and production of sin he saith Sin when it is finisht brings forth death actually the least sin merits death or the Apostle shews when death appears to us most not in its conception and production but when it is finisht Object Mat. 12. 36. He saith not we shall be condemned for every idle word but only that we shall be called to answer for it Answ. The same phrase is used concerning all kinde of sins yea those that are greatest and most grievous Object There is a mortal sin 1 Iohn 5. 16. therefore a venial sin Answ. He speaks of a mortal sinne not by nature or by merit but by event the event of which shall certainly be death and the person out of all hope of pardon Vide Bezam Of all words sin hath no diminutive not in any tongue known to us commonly only the Spaniard hath his Peccadillo a petty sin Dr Clark Sinnes considered in reference to the object are all great so Peccata sunt aequalia 2. The least sin that ever was committed had in it the whole nature of sin it is tam peccatum as truly sin as the greatest CHAP. VIII Of the Cause of Sinne. SIn properly is nothing formally subsisting or existing for then God should be the author of it but it is an ataxy or absence of goodnesse and uprightnesse in the thing that subsisteth Psal. 5. 4. 1 Iohn 2. 16. 1 Iohn 1. 5. Hab. 1. 13. Iob 34. 10. The Church of Rome slanders the Protestants and saith that they maintain God to be the cause of sin but we hold that the Devil and mans corrupt will are the cause of it Sin in man at first came from Satan Iohn 3. 8. 8. 44. Iohn 6. 17. Matth. 16. 23. the cause of sinne now man is fallen is from our selves Matth. 15. 19. God hath no hand in the acting and approving of sinne Rom. 3. 5. 9. 14. He is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity with approbation He is the wise permitter powerful disposer and eternal avenger of it God cannot sin or cause others to sin 1. Because his will is most holy and pure and the rule of perfection Isa. 6. He is holy in his Nature Actions he hath so confirmed his Angels in holinesse that they cannot sin 2. To sinne is to turn away from the chiefest and last end therefore he cannot sinne 3. God threatens sinners in his word and punisheth them therefore he allows it not 4. All deservedly hate the Manichees Marcionites and Libertines who would make that sacred and dreadful Majesty the cause of their detestable enormities therefore Bellarmine doth wickedly in imputing to Protestant Divines that which they detest with the greatest loathing That is a great Question in Divinity An Deus author peccati ex reformatorum placitis statuatur Four several kinds of power though not in yet over sinne may be ascribed to God a permissive desertive restrictive and disposing power First A permissive power else it could not be he may permit what he is not bound to hinder Secondly A desertive power it would not be if he withdrew not his grace sinne needs no efficient cause no more then darknesse Causa deficiens in moralibus efficiens Thirdly A restraining power there may be an act of restraining grace on the Devil Fourthly A disposing power whereby he disposeth and ordereth sinne to some excellent and good end his glory When God doth dispose or order the sin of any man 1. He doth not infuse this evil but use it 2. He useth it not as an evil or sin but as an instrument 3. He would not use it to such an end but that he is able to raise more good by it and to counterpoise all the evil in the action 4. God did not infuse malice into Iosephs brethren but made use of it rather to a sale then a murder he sent him before to save much people alive Gen. 45. 8. In the beginning of sin Gods will is exercised First By way of inhibition in giving a Law against it Secondly By way of permission leaying a lawlesse man to a lawlesse way In the progresse of sin God either hinders or over-rules it in the end he either punisheth or pardoneth it And all this without sin or the least blemish of sin For in the beginning of sin he sheweth his Wisdome In the progresse he sheweth his Power In the end he maketh manifest both his Justice and his Mercy Mr Wischart on the Lords Prayer Petit. 3. Those places Acts 2. 23. 2 Sam. 1. 43. besides a permission do expresse an active providence he is said to harden and deceive Gods permission is not otiosa but efficax permissio 1. God permits sin 2. Cooperates to the act as natural 3. Decreed it 4. As a just Judge he denieth grace 5. As the supream Judge he useth all these as instruments of his glory Papists and Arminians allow God no other power about sin but what is
room For the punishment of it see Iob 15 34. Fire shall devour the tabernacles of bribery meaning that God will not fail by some or other means to bring destruction upon those families that shall thus augment their estates For others 1. It doth make all that are rich bold to sin because they hope to bear it out 2. It makes rich men also bold to do wrong 3. It grieveth the heart and spirit of the innocent that is in low estate and makes him call to God to be his avenger 4. It overthroweth the throne Prov. 29. 5. It brings publick desolation It is lawfull to pacifie an angry foe with a gift so did Iacob but to hire and corrupt a Judge with a gift is unlawfull He cannot lawfully take therefore neither thou lawfully give seeing these two are mutual causes and effects and therefore can hardly be separated in their guiltinesse Cambises caused a bribing Judge to be flaid quick and laid his skin in his chair of judgement that all Judges which should give judgement afterward should sit in the same skin CHAP. XVI Of Carnal Confidence Covetousnesse Cruelty Cursing CARNAL CONFIDENCE COnfidence in generall is that affection of the soul whereby it rests it self in the expectation of any good from any thing Therefore carnal confidence is a vice whereby the heart of man rests it self in the looking for any good of any kinde from any thing but God alone He is carnally confident which promiseth himself any thing desirable as health deliverance out of trouble long life because he hath such or such outward means which he thinks are able to bring forth such safety unto him The Scripture cals it Making flesh our arm A man is said to make that his arm which he thinks himself strong and safe if he have and so he is said to make riches a strong tower in the same sense Men are prone to this sin of false confidence David trusted in his strong hill Asa in the Physicians The Israelites in Egypt for chariots and horses 1 Sam. 17. 45 46 47. Luke 12. 19. The grounds of it are 1. Ignorance of God whose strength and greatnesse together with his grace and goodnesse the minde apprehends not Psal. 9. 10. 2. Ignorance of these earthly things their weaknesse mutability and disability to help and comfort Isa. 28. 15. the Prophet brings in the leud men of his time flattering themselves and soothing up their own hearts with fair words and promising all safety to their own souls in derision and despight of all his threats If a plague come through the land it should not touch them by vanity and falshood they meant wealthy friends and outward support which the Prophet here cals by this name ironically This is a great evil 1. It is a denying of God Iob 3. 28. Trust is only due to him such a one sets up another God Ion. 2. 8. A covetous man is therefore called an idolater Ephes. 5. 5. and covetousnesse idolatry Col. 3. 5. 2. It is the ground of all our miscarriage in practice 1 Iohn 5. 3 4 5. The world is a great hinderance to our keeping the Commandments 3. It is the ground of all disquiet if you would live a happy life seek a fit object for your trust Psal. 30. 6 7. Psal. 112. 7. Expect all good things from God alone Abraham looked for a childe from God when nature failed him This confidence in God is shewed 1. By preferring his favour above all things 2. By making his name our refuge in all troubles 3. By using all good means and only good to get any good thing and that without carking and vexation 4. By comforting our selves in him when all means fail us 1 Sam. 30. 6. Signes of false confidence 1. The inordinate desire of any earthly thing What a man desires more then he should that he looks for some good by 2. Immoderate joy when he hath gotten it He that findes great joy in any thing doth therefore joy in it because he thinks he shall be better for it 3. Impatience in the absence of it Iob 13. 24 25. 4. To grow bold to do evil and carelesse of doing good in respect thereof The cure of carnal confidence 1. Consider how pernicious this vice is it withdraws the heart from the Lord Ier. 17. 5. and brings his curse on the soul and body 2. It makes one unable to use well that which he hath 3. Consider the weaknesse and uncertainty of all outward things 4. Meditate on those places Psal. 62. 10. 146. 3. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Covetousnesse Is an insatiable desire of having or an inordinate love of money Avarus quasi avidus aeris Isidor It lies in the heart but is reckoned by the Apostle among outward grosse sins because it is consummate by outward fordidnesse It is taken two wayes 1. For detaining or taking other mens goods in an unlawfull way and so it is opposed to justice Or 2. For an inordinate desire to get and hold though God call for it and it opposeth liberality The desire is inordinate 1. For the measure of it when it is vehement and strong seeing wealth is a thing of a base and contemptible nature not worthy any earnestnesse of desire 2. For the quantity of the object the summe of wealth desired if he suffer his desires to be carried after more then that which is sufficient for the providing of meat drink and cloth for himself and his in a comfortable sort affecting an overplus The proper end of riches is comfortable maintenance 3. For the end of ones desiring when it is to serve and set up himself and is not to fit himself to do God service and to profit mankinde Laban and Nabal whose names Anagramatize each other are examples of avarice It is a great and dangerous sin Isa. 57. 7. Hab. 2. 9. Col. 3. 5. 1 Sam. 8. 3. Prov. 15. 27. Ier. 22. 17. The same Prophet complains of the people in his time that From the least of them to the greatest of them they were all of them coveting covetousnesse as the words are that is given unto it did yeeld their hearts to a desire of gain which complaint also he renews ch 8. 18. and in both places alleadgeth it as a cause of great sins Ezek. 32. 31. The Lord so hates it that the godly should not company with such 1 Cor. 5. 11. In the body when the spleen swels all other parts decay and consume so when the heart swels with desire of riches all the graces of God consume and fade away When all other sins wax old this waxeth young in thee Reasons 1. From the causes of it 1. Ignorance of the goodnesse mercy power and excellency of God and of the faithfulnesse profitablenesse desirablenesse of things heavenly and spiritual He knows not God nor the worth of the graces of Gods Spirit nor the excellency of his heavenly Kingdome who is glewed unto these earthly
of him Unkindnesse Unkindnesse is a fault This is contrary to a plain precept Put on kindnesse and Be kindly affected one toward another Reasons 1. It springs from bad causes some habitual distempers of self-conceit pride malice or ill education and a kinde of testy and pettish temper or some present passion of anger grief or fear which withdraws the minde from the consideration of that which is comely and convenient 2. The fruits of it are evil It discontenteth and offendeth those to whom it is shewed We must consider of our slips in this kinde and be humbled for them 2. Let us learn to mend this fault and to be plentifully constant in the practise of the contrary duty even to be kinde affable and gentle in our whole carriage and at all times to all men so far as just occasion offers it self and not to give over our selves so farre to any passion either of grief or anger as not to exercise this vertue Unsetlednesse See Gen. 49. 4. Iames 1. 8. Such Christians as are unstable are easily seduced 2 Tim. 3. 6. 2 Pet. 2. 14. One Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria was nicknamed Euripus because of his ebbing and flowing One sort of Sectâ—ries there is which will not ingage to hold any thing but are known by beleeving nothing these passe now under the name of Seekers The usual way in these daies is to play the Scepticks and question almost every thing in Religion and hold nothing or else to place Religion in some new opinion Unstedfast Christians are rotten-hearted Psal. 78. 36 37. and will never hold out in time of danger Rivet Discus Grot. Dialy si Sect. 8. p. 262. taxeth Grotius of great inconstancy Causabone Epist. 513. to Scaliger saith thus of Lipsius Omnino magnam literae jacturam in eo fecerunt majorem tamen facturae si quam verbis docuit constantiam vita exhibuisset Such Christians should be carefull to wait on the Ordinances the Ministry Ephes. 4. 14. Pray to God to stablish them see 1 Thess. 3. ult 2 Thess. 2. ult and frequent the company of setled and stablished Christians and take heed of seducers Unthankefulnesse Unthankfulnesse to God or man is a great sin It is contrary to plain precepts Col. 3. Be ye thankefull and in respect of God he saith In all things give thanks The nine Lepers are secretly taxed by our Saviour for not returning to give thanks unto him when he had delivered them from that foul and infamous disease of the leprosie The Apostle also taxeth the Gentiles for it saying That they glorified not God as God neither were they thankfull Reasons 1. It springeth from evil causes either from the strength of pride and self-conceit in that a man thinketh himself worthy of all that which is done for him and more and conceiveth that all should serve his turn or from notable folly and unreasonablenesse that he wanteth wit to consider of his own need of benefits or at least from some sudden and vehement passion and distemper 2. The effects of it are also naught it offendeth men it causeth them to repent of their labour cost love and if it be practised toward God it offendeth him also and hindereth him from bestowing benefits Let us blame our selves and be humbled for our unthankfulnesse in defrauding God or men of their due praises and acknowledgement for mercies received unthankfulnesse to God shews great blindnesse of minde great want of humility in the consideration of our own un worthinesse and want of faith in Gods providence let us be humbled for it and crave pardon of it 2. Let us be carefull to reform it and be constant in the contrary duty Usury Usury say some is a lending for gain One describes it thus Usury is when a man makes a gain of lending and binds the party borrowing without consideration of his gains or losses to repay the principall with advantage It is hard to desine some vices as Heresie Sacriledge and also Usury It is matcht with theft Ezek. 18. 13. with adultery vers 10. and with violence vers 11. It is condemned there amongst the great transgressions of the moral Law therefore that Law Levit. 25. 36. is not Judicial as some say but Moral see Exod. 22. 25. Deut. 23. 19. Psal. 15. 5. To borrow a thing on usury is to covenant with the lender to return him not only the thing lent in the full quantity of it but something over and above only in liew and recompence of the lending of it which is unlawfull saith Mr Elton on the eighth Commandment and he proves it by Ier. 15. 10. and answers there the chief objections brought for usury of any kinde Sir Francis Bacon cals it the bastard and barren imployment of money and the bastard use of money Vel minimus fructus ex pecunia percipi non potest sine Dei offensione proximi injuria Calvin Epist. 226. see his Epist. 383. where he gives strict cautions to those that take use See B. And. Theologic determinat de Usuris B. Downames Treatise on Psalm 15. against it and Knewstub on the eighth Command Thom. Aquin. 2ª 2ae quaest 78. Artic. 1 2 3 4. and Theatre of Gods Judgm part 1. c. 42. and especially Dr. Fentons Book Rivetus in Catholico orthodoxo Tractatu quarto quaest 15. Salmasius de Usuriâ— c. 4. and Zanchy on Ephes. 4. and Mr. Perkins on 8th Cammand and Dr. Ames on Psal. 15. and de Consc. l. 5. c. 44. and Dr. Hall in his Cases of Consc. seem to allow of it in some cases Yet Dr. Hall in his Practicall cases of Conscience saith All usury which is an absolute contract for the meer loan of mony is unlawfull both by law natural and positive both divine and humane There is not a toleration of usury by that Act Eliz. 13. c. 8. but a limitation of it the Title of it is An Act against Usury and it calleth it a detestable sin CHAP. XXV Of Witchcraft VVItchcraft is a great sin 1 Chron. 10. 13 14. God would not have Witches to live therefore he would not have others to use their art and counsell Deut. 18. 10 11. he forbids all to consult with familiar Spirits and more plainly Levit. 19. 31. Reasons 1. The cause which moveth any to seek unto them is distrust in God or impatience under Gods hand or some inordinate desire of knowing or doing things which the Lord allows not to know or do things secret and strange 2. The persons sought to are in league with the devil and so are an abomination to God Deut. 18. 11. 3. The effect of seeking unto them is dangerous it works confidence in them and so in Satan whose vassals they are and withdraws the heart from God Bodin lib 4. Daemon proveth by many examples and confessions of Witches that witchcraft hath no power upon the Regenerate or upon Magistrates who execute the Laws against them which is fully
to the operation of the Spirit in a mans self so those that are for free-will Agimus nos sed acti volumus sed ipse facit ut velimus 2. Passiva able to receive man in conversion is meerly passive to grace but hath in him a principle of resistance 3. Obedieneialis as in the unreasonable creature Secondly Free-will may be considered in its operation and working about some objects then we distinguish about the objects which it may will For First They are either such as belong to our animal life as to walk eat shut or open our eyes and here we have the exercise of free-will Secondly Our outward civil conversation and obedience to the Laws required by a Magistrate here again we have free-will Thirdly They are holy actions and they again are either 1. Externally holy which concern the outward exercise of Religion as to come to Church to hear and reade and here still a man hath free-will Or 2. Internally and spiritually as to know God to beleeve in him and love him and so we must distinguish the states of men Man in the state of innocency had an excellent power and strength of free-will to serve God and love him but in the state of corruption though his liberty not only in the nature but use of it remaineth about natural civil and external religious actions yet for internal and spiritual actions he hath wholly lost his freewill Iohn 15. 5. Matth. 7. 18. Iohn 8. 36. therefore Augustine lib. 2. contra Julianum cals it Servum arbitrium And Luther called it not a free but enthralled and enslaved will to sinne and wrote a book De serv◠Arbitrio Homo libero arbitrio malè utens se perdidit ipsum August ad Laurent Thirdly Man in his estate of Renovation hath again some power and free will being first freed by the grace of God from the power of sin Iohn 8. 13. Volunt as in tantum est libera in quantum est liberata August in Joh. Tract 53. yet this freedom is not perfect but wonderfully opposed and hindered Gal. 5. 17. The free-will must be as the understanding and will are saith Chamier but that the understanding and will are both corrupted in a natural man Vide Chamierum contractum per Spanhem Tom. 3. l. 4. c. 3. 4. There are several kinds of freedom or liberty 1. From compulsion when no external principle can compell to work but there must be an inward inclination to work from such coaction not only men but beasts are free 2. From obligation or debt to another and so no creature can be free because all that we have is Gods 3. From sin when the flesh is subdued so that the Spirit can and doth prevail over it 4. From misery which the Apostle speaketh of Rom. 8. 5. From necessity when the Agent is determined from an inward principle of nature to one object as the fire to burn Immutability and liberty may stand together as God doth most freely will the creation of the world yet unchangeably the Angels and Saints in Heaven are so confirmed in good that what they will they will unchangeably but freely Every man naturally cannot but sin yet he sins freely in regard of freedom from coaction and natural necessity though not in regard of freedom from immutability and as for the other liberties from obedience sin and misery he is obedient to God and under sin and misery The will hath no freedom to spiritual things The Papists though they say that the grace of God is requisite yet as a partial cause and that we are workers with the grace of God in our conversion as appears by their similitudes of two men carrying a great burden and the man half wounded Against which opinion these arguments may be alleadged 1. The slavery and servitude of our wils to any thing that is good those who are so defiled that they are nothing but flesh they cannot possibly have any power to what is good but so are all by nature Gen. 6. 5. Iohn 3. 6. Rom. 8. 6. To will is of nature to will ill is of corrupted nature but to will well is of sanctified nature Bernard 2. Those which can do nothing but sinne have no freedom to what is good every unregenerate man doth nothing but sinne Matth. 7. 17. An evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil Without faith it is impossible to please God To the unclean all things are defiled A man by nature non potest non peccare etiam damnabiliter Pet. Lombar 3. A man cannot turn himself to God Ioh. 6. 44. 1 Cor. 12. 3. therefore nature hath no power to dispose and prepare it self for grace nor can there be merits of congruity or condignity 4. Regeneration and conversion is attributed only to God as Ezek. 36. 26. Ier. 32. 39. See Ezek. 11. 19. Ephes. 2. 10. 1. 19. a stone cannot soften it self no more can our nature See Deut. 29. 4. 5. A man hath not the least thing to glory in 1 Cor. 1 that place 1 Cor. 4. 7. moved Augustine much but if I had power of my own to do that which is good or to receive grace when it is offered then I might glory in my own strength 6. Conversion and power to do good is prayed for Turn us O Lord therefore not in our own power it were vain to pray to God to convert or change me if I will if I have this of my own what need I go and pray for it or pray for others conversion they might convert themselves Psal. 80. 3. Before Pelagius his time the Fathers spake too liberally of mans free-will Nondum nato Pelagio securius loquebantur Patres August Epist. 103. which after upon his heresie they reformed and by Scripture abundantly confuted the Pelagians and especially Augustine Ierome Prosper Fulgentius Hilarie and others The first presumptuous advancer of free-will contrary to the Doctrine anciently received in the Church is by Vincentius Lyrinensis noted to be Pelagius the heretick In the ancient Church there were two sorts of hereticks concerning the point of free-will The Manichees denied free-will the Pelagian hereticks affirmed it and both were condemned by the Catholick Church The Manichees denied free-will in sinne and in the committing of evil The Pelagians affirmed a power and ablenesse of free-will for the performance of righteousnesse and doing of good In the meaning wherein the Manichees denied free-will we affirm and teach it and in that meaning did St Augustine write his books of free-will purposely against the Manichees we deny free-will onely in that meaning wherein first the Pelagians and since the Papists have affirmed it in which meaning St Augustine notably wrote against it The summe of the Controversie is Whether the grace which first moveth and exciteth the will unto good motions doth work the consent alone or whether the will have in it self any power
Apostles in the New Testament to pray Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters CHAP. IX Whether one may be certain of his Iustification THe Scripture holds out assurance in reference 1. To Faith Heb. 10. 22. 2. Hope Heb. 6. 11. 3. Love 1 Iohn 4. 17 18. Our knowing our Justification is called the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8. 23. The witnesse of the Spirit Rom. 8. 16. The sealing of the Spirit Ephes. 1. 14. The earnest of the Spirit 2 Cor. 5. 5. One may be certain 1. Of his Justification Isa. 45. 24. 2. Of his Adoption Isa. 63. 16. 3. Of his Perseverance in Gods favour unto the end Psal. 23. 6. 4. That after this life he shall inherit eternal glory 2 Cor. 5. 10. 1 Iohn 3. 14. There is a three-fold certainty 1. Moral this consists in opinion and probability and admits of fear 2. Of evidence either external of things particular and obvious which comes by the senses or internal by the understanding and energy of principles 3. Of Faith this certainty is the greatest and exceeds the evidence of the outward senses or the knowledge and understanding of all principles because that full assurance of faith relies on the Divine Promises Faith is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 3. 12. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plena certioratio Heb. 10. 24. words that signifie a sure and certain establishment Assurance of Gods grace and favour to save a mans self in particular is wrought in the hearts of those that have it in truth in three degrees First They apprehend a possibility of it when the heart is convinced of sinne and wounded with sinne when the Law cometh in such power the sinne reviveth and a man dieth that is findeth himself dead or in a damnable estate even then the promises of the Gospel being believed and acknowledged for first true do cause the dejected Spirit to support it self with this thought The Lord can forgive can accept me be a Saviour to me There are mercies enough in him merits enough in Christ it is not impossible but that I even I also may be taken into grace So the Leper came to our Saviour saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and the blinde men being asked by Christ Believe you that I can do this for you said Yea Lord To which he replied Be it unto you according to your faith Secondly They apprehend a probability of it not alone God can save me but it may be also that he will Who can tell but God will have mercy upon us that we perish not as did the Ninevites and Hezekiah did wish that Isaiah should cry mightily if so be that the Lord of Heaven would hearken to the words of Senacherib and deliver them When Bartimeus the blinde man came crying after Christ at first he was perswaded that Christ could cure him but then when he called him and the people told him so much he cast off his cloak and came running with more life he began to be perswaded then that like enough Christ meant him some good and would restore him his sight Thirdly They apprehend a Certainty a mans soul concludeth The Lord will pardon will save is reconciled will deliver God is my Shepherd I shall not want Thus doth Assurance grow in the Saints from weak beginnings first he saith I am sure God can save and therefore I will run to him then hopes God will help and therefore I will continue seeking lastly I am sure God will save therefore I will most confidently rely upon him There is a three-fold Assurance 1. Of Evidence it is the duty of every Christian to attain this 2. Of Affiance which God doth accept of 3. Of Obsignation which God vouchsafes to some in bounty whereby God doth so firmly seal the faith of some as if he had told them that he did die in particular for them this Assurance really excludes doubtings and is given to men after long and fiery trials when they have stood in an eminent way for Christ as did the Apostles and Martyrs Some have been so swallowed up with joy that they have cried out Lord humble me one to whom God revealed his Election could neither eat drink nor sleep for three dayes space but cried out Laudetur Dominus laudetur Dominus Gods people may have an infallible and setled Assurance of their being in the state of grace and their continuance therein This may be proved 1. From Scripture There is an expresse promise to this purpose Isa. 60. 16. See 2 Cor. 13. 5. Heb. 8. 11. 1 Iohn 3. 2. to 15. 2. 3. 5. 13. 2 Ep. 14. 2. Reason 1. From the nature of this estate The state of grace is called life Translated from death to life and light life and light cannot be long hidden Again a man is brought into this condition by a great change and alteration and many times also sudden great changes chiefly being sudden will be easily perceived It is a passing from death to life a translating from the power of darknesse into the Kingdom of his dear Sonne The state of grace doth alwayes bring with it an earnest combate and conflict between two things extreamly contrary one to the other flesh and Spirit this battel cannot be fought in the heart but the man will feel it In the state of grace Christ dwelleth in the heart by faith and by his Spirit and the Word dwelleth there the inhabiting of such guests is evident a King goes not in secret with his train nor the King of glory 2. The Lord hath afforded such helps to his servants as may bring them to the knowledge of their own estate and their certain continuance therein The word of God layes down the general Proposition All that turn shall live all that believe shall be saved the Sacraments bring the general promises home to each particular soul being a particular Word as much as if God should come and sayto the child If thou be not careles to seek Regeneration and to come to me for it I will surely regenerate and wash thee The Lords Supper is an actual word too as if God had said If thou hast confessed thy sins with sorrow and dost labour to be perswaded of my will to pardon them in Christ Be they pardoned be they healed The Spirit of God worketh with the Word and Sacraments to make both effectual and to stablish strengthen and settle the soul that it shall not be moved It sealeth them up to the day of Redemption that is not only marks them for Gods own but as an earnest of their inheritance assures them that by the power of the Spirit they shall continue so Thirdly God requireth of them such duties as it were in vain or impossible to do if they might not be assured of their estate and the perpetuity thereof 2 Cor. 13. 5. 2 Pet. 1. 10. To what purpose were
opinion of tying grace to the Sacraments overthroweth 1. The highest and most proper cause of our salvation which is Gods free election to which only grace is tied 2. The only meritorious cause of our Regeneration which is the bloud of Christ properly purging us from all sin 3. The most powerfull next and applying efficient which is the holy Ghost Titus 3. 5. The Papists thrust the souls of such babes as die without Baptism into a Limbus puerorum a place very near hell and their bodies out of Christian burial as they call it into an unhallowed place The Thief on the Crosse wanted the outward Baptism yet was saved Luke 23. 43. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved See M. Perk. Cas. of Consc. l. 2. p. 108. to 115. Baptism is necessary not only as a thing commanded but as an ordinary means of Salvation yet that necessity is not so absolute that the denial of Baptism even to Infants should be a certain argument of perdition The Persons who must baptize The Papists say Those that are not ordained and women in case of necessity may baptize No woman is a fit Minister of Baptism For 1. The Minister in his ministerial actions sustaineth the person of Christ which a woman cannot do 2. Those which are called to baptize are called also to preach for the Sacrament without the Word is a dumb Ceremony and as a Seal to a blank and Paul who would not permit a woman to teach ministerially would much lesse suffer her to baptize If any man should set the Kings broad Seal to any instrument but the Lord Keeper his fact were high treason And is there lesse danger in counterfeiting the great Seals of Gods Covenant Aquinas parte tertia Quest. 67. Artic. 3. saith Laiâ—us potest baptizare and Art 4. mulier potest baptizare That place Matth. 28. is as strong against womens baptizing as it is against their preaching For the Ministery of the Word and Sacrament cannot be pulled asunder which the Lord hath joyned together from time to time The Priests and Levites which were appointed to teach the people were also appointed to sacrifice and minister other Sacraments in the Church Cartwright denieth Women and Laicks power Whitgift and Hooker plead for it but K. Iames would have it appropriated to the Minister The ordinary Minister of Baptism is a person consecrated Baptism being the solemn Rite of initiating Disciples and making the first publick profession of the institution it is in reason and analogy of the Mystery to be ministred by those who were appointed to collect the Church and make Disciples D. Taylors Divine Instit of the offices Ministerial Sect. 4. Zippora circumcised her sonne before her husband Moses which was a Prophet of the Lord and to whom the office of Circumcision did appertain 2. She did it in choler If the essentials of Baptism be observed viz. washing In the Name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost it is Baptism The Baptism of Hereticks is Baptism and therefore it is imputed to Cyprian for an errour that he affirmed Baptizatos ab Haereticis esse rebaptizandos and the Donatists are esteemed Hereticks for that reason No man may baptize himself Smith was a Se-baptist he baptized himself which neither Iohn Baptist nor any did before him How Christs Baptism and Iohns differ There was the same Doctrine the same Rite the same Oblation of Grace in the Baptisme of Iohn and Christ Therefore it was the same Baptism for Substance and of the same efficacy Vide Scultet Exercit. Evangel lib. 1. cap. 35. The Persons who are to be baptized Infidels converted to the faith and the Infants of one or both Christian Parents Some deny Baptism they acknowledge not the baptizing of Infants or others but onely the inward Baptisme of the Spirit See Matthew 28. 19 20 Mark 16. 26. The Scriptures teach that this Sacrament is necessary for Infants Iohn 3. The Scriptures shew that Infants are in Covenant Ezek. 6. 20. that is at the birth his by vertue of the Covenant and were in times past sealed with the seal of the Covenant They witnesse that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to Infants Matth. 19. By Baptism Christians are admitted into the Society of this Kingdom Antipoedobaptists acknowledge from Matth. 9. 14. Rom. 9. 11. that Infants are saved See Psal. 103. 17. Christ commands all Nations to be baptized Infants are part of a Nation Mat. 28. 11. I think the Apostle doth plainly hold Col. 2. that Baptism hath succeeded in the room of Circumcision which is also the common and received opinion of Divines Gillesp. Miscel. c. 18. Infants of Christian Parents ought to be baptized because the children of the Jews in Covenant were circumcised for let the particular differences between Circumcision and Baptism be never so many yet in this they agree that they are both Sacraments of initiation and so belong to them that be in Covenant the faithful and their seed M. Ball. Vide Rivet in Gen. 17. That which confirms me in the belief that the Apostles did baptize Infants where they baptized housholds where fathers and children were together is because of the continued practice of it in the Church of God ever since of which we have as good evidence as of any controverted point in Ecclesiastical History Supposing Infant-baptism a nullity I cannot understand how any in the world should this day be lawfully baptized unlesse it can be made good that a person unbaptized himself may be a lawful Minister of Baptism to others for certainly untill the Anabaptists arose in Germany all the baptized world were baptized while they were Infants and consequently the first Anabaptist was baptized by an unbaptized person and so in conclusion we must all turn Seekers and be content without Baptism till Christ give some extraordinary commission from Heaven unto some men to be Apostles in this businesse M. Martials Def. of Infant-bap p. 245. A man by embracing one errour undertakes for all of the same cognation and line as for example He that is entangled with the errour of those who deny the lawfulnesse of Infant-baptism stands obliged through his engagement to this one errour to maintain many erroneous and Anti-Evangelical opinions Where ever God takes parents into Covenant he takes their children also See Deut. 27. 14 15. 2. Infants are as capable of the benefits of Baptism as men there is no benefit of Baptism but the party that receiveth it is passive we are said to be baptized into Christ to be made one with him the union begins on his part so to receive remission of sin 3. Infants while they are so may be truly members of a visible Church Luke 18. 16. One hath better ground to go by to administer Baptism to a childe of believing Parents then to men of years a mans profession may be unsound and hypocritical for the other I have Gods promise I will be
minde without any sensible representation 2. The parts or kindes of worship that they be by him appointed which are 1. Ordinary such as are to be done constantly and in a setled course which are three-fold 1. Publick 2. Private 3. Indifferent 1. Publick 1. Preaching of the Word 2. The administration of the Sacraments Baptism and the Lords Supper 2. Private 1. Conference 2. Meditation 3. Indifferent 1. Prayer 2. Reading the Scriptures or other good 〈…〉 3. Catechizing 4. Singing of Psalms 2. Extraordinary such services as are tâ— be â—â—ne now and then upon special occasions 1. Fasting 2. Feaâ—â—ing 3. Vows 2. The Manner of the performance of Divine Service is three-fold 1. A due preparation before 2. A right carriage in them doing them 1. Truly and sincerely upon the right Motives Causes Gods Commandment and Will and our own Duty and need and for the right ends viz. the pleasing of God and procuring of Grace and increase of vertue in our souls 2. Reverently with a special apprehension of Gods presence and greatnesse 3. Faithfully with a believing of Gods truth therein and promising to our selves the blessing he hath promised 4. Devoutly that is with a diligent attention of the minde to the words and matter and whole work in hand 3. A right making Use thereof after The third Commandment enjoyns the common worship of God that is the right carriage of our selves to his honour in all our common affairs so far forth as we have any thing to do with him therein The general duty of it is to live holily To sanctifie God 1. Inwardly by seeing him in his works 1. Of chastisement to be patient penitent 2. Of Mercy to be thankful and obedient 2. Outwardly 1. In word by the lawful use of an Oath by a reverent mention of Gods Titles and Attributes upon any occasion by good conference and making confession of his truth 2. In our Deeds and Actions 1. In General to aim at his glory in all our works and live to him and not to our selves 2. More Particularly in two things 1. In suffering Persecution cheerfully for Righteousnesse sake 2. By a sanctified use of Gods creatures of any thing whatsoever we do whereto four things are required 1. Knowledge out of the word of God concerning the lawfulness of our doing such things 2. Craving Gods blessing in the use of Meat Drink Marriage 3. Returning Thanks to God for his goodnesse 4. Moderation in the use of them The fourth Commandment appoints the consecrating of a special time viz. every seventh day after six of labour to holy and religious exercises The full Summe of it is After thou hast bestowed six dayes in ordinary and common businesses thou shalt bestow the seventh day in exercises of piety and religion The things commanded in this precept are two 1. Preparation to the Sabbath in the word Remember which is done two wayes 1. All the week long by diligence fore-sight moderation in the labours of our calling 2. On the sixth day towards the end of it by a seasonable breaking off our labours and making all things ready for the Sabbath 2. Celebration of the Sabbath not only observing and keeping it our selves but preserving it and looking that our Inferiours and others under us at the least outwardly keep it We must 1. Rest from thoughts words and deeds that concern worldly things but only for necessity and mercy 2. Sanctifie it by bestowing it in the exercises of Religion which for the manner are to be done cheerfully consecrating the Sabbath unto the Lord as a delight The fifth Commandment enjoyns the performance of all such duties as appertain to men in regard of their place that we shew due respect to our Superiours Equals and Inferiours Our Duty to our Governours is to honour and reverence their persons willingly to obey all their lawful commandments to bear their reproofs and chastisements submissively patiently and fruitfully The particular Duty of Children to their Parents besides these common duties is 1. To love them very much to maintain them if need be in sicknesse and age and to be guided by them in marriage The particular Duty of Servants is to be trusty and painfull in the busisinesse committed to them by their Governours as well in their absence as presence The particular Duty of Subjects to their Kings and inferiour Magistrates is to defend their persons against all violence offered to them by any according to their places and to render them willingly all due services and paiments The Duty of People to their Teachers and spiritual Pastors is to submit to their Ministery and to reward them with plentiful maintenance The Duty of the younger to their betters in age is to behave themselves toward them reverently and to take their good advice Our Duty towards our betters in gifts is to take notice of their gifts and to respect them accordingly The common duty of all Governours towards those that are under them is to rule them wisely mildly and equally taking care by their authority to plant true Religion among them The particular Duty of Parents toward their children is to give them fit instruction and correction to help them to some honest Calling to dispose of them fitly in marriage and to lay up for them according to their meanes The particular Duty of Masters toward their servants is to use them justly and mildly for work diet reward and chastisement The Duties of man and wife each towards other are these Both must love each other above all other persons he must cherish her as his own body and she must be an helper to him and yeeld to him as her Head The particular Duty of Kings and other Magistrates is to make fit Lawes and to see them duly executed for the maintaining of peace honesty and godlinesse The Duty of Ministers toward their people is to guide them in the right way by life and doctrine to oversee their carriage and to administer the Sacraments duly to them The Duty of the ancienter toward their younger is to further them in goodnesse by grave carriage and good counsel Their Duty that have better gifts then others is to use the same readily and humbly for the help of such as want them The Duty of Equals is 1. To think better of their Equals then themselves and to esteem of them above themselves 2. In giving honour to go one before another 3. To be glad and well-satisfied at the raising and advancement of their equals to places above themselves The sixth Commandment enjoyns all due care of our own and neighbours safety Temporal and Spiritual For our own temporal safety we must shun all distempered passions and needlesse perils using food rest and other means of health and strength cheerfully and moderately For our spiritual safety we must carefully â—lee all sins and the occasions of them and use all means of getting grace and salvation For our neighbours natural safety we must keep wrath malice and hatred out
3 4. * Elegit qui è multis aliquos legit The very word Election signifieth a separating and culling out of some from the rest Iohn 15. 19. 2 Thess. 3. 2. Matth. 8. 11 Rom. 5. 19. Rev. 7. 9. 13. 3. Heb. 2. 10. Multitude is not then a good mark of the Church Brâ—rewoods Enquiries touching the diversitie of Languages and Religions Reprobatio est praedestinatio quorundam ad â—ternam mortem propter peccata infligendam ad declarandam justitiâ—m divinam Wendelinus Reprobavit Deus propter voluntatem damnavit propter peccatum Rom. 9. 22. Electio compleâ—a neminem spectat nisi morientem * Qui quosviâ— homines vult servari God doth noâ— will that simply every man should be saved but all given to Christ whom God doth call externally them he doth seriously invite to come unto him that they may be saved and doth approve of their conversion but doth not effectually move every particular man to beleeve The Greek word here used answereth to Chaphets the Hebrew word used by Samuel 1 Sam. 15. 20. David Psal. 51. 21. Iâ—rem 9. 24. Ezek. 33. 11. and signifies not onely to will but also to agree to a thing and to be pleased Consectaries of Gods decree Psal. 115. 3. 135. 6. Jam. 1. 14. Consectaries of Predestination Eph. 1. 4. Praedestinatorum haeresis inquit Sigebertus ad annum Christi 415. hoc tempore coepit sâ—rpere qui ideo Praedestinati vocantur quia de Praedestinatione divina gratia dispuâ—â—ntes asserebant quod nec piè viventibus profit bonorum operum labor si à Deo ad mortem Praedestinati fuerint nec impiis obsit quod improbè vivant si à Deo Praedestinati fuerint ad vitam Quae assertio bonos à bonis avocabat malos ad mala provocabat Camero Collat. cum Tileno Consectaries of Gods electiâ—n and reprobation Austin and some others which have written largely of election write sparingly of reprobation because there appears more seeming offensive harshnesse in the Doctrine of reprobation then in that of election the first being known gives light to the other This Doctrine of absolute election is very comfortable and useful Eph. 1. 5 6 11 The Apostle there inculcates it three times in one Chapter Rom. 8. 33. It is absolute as it opposeth cause or condition in us not as it opposeth means Licet electio non sit conditionata tamen per electionem constituit Deus ut salus non Contingeret adultis nisi sub conditione fidei Twissus contra Corvin It is the duty of Christians to make their Election sure by their calling 2 Peter 1. 10. Make it your main study there is the adverb of correction rather you would rather look after other matters but study this most 1 The Apostles exhortation shews it is a thing possible 2. It is necessary of great concernment use all diligence 3 It is profitable Such shall never fall utterly an entrance shall be ministred unto them abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. 2 Gods external works Psal. 33. 6. Heb. 10. 13. * Creatio est actio Dei externa qua in principio temporis sex dierum spatio mundum produxit solo voluntatis suae imperio ad nominis sui gloriam Wendelinus Creation is a work of God wherein in the beginning of time He did by the word of his mouth make all things of nothing exceeding good in six dayes for his glory Gen. 1. 1. And the beginning of the Apostles Creed The Father is said to work all things by his word and spirit not as by an instrument but as by a principal efficient of the same substance and equal with himself Vide Ludov. viv de veritate Fidei Christianae l 1. c. 9. Plus apud me valent illa quitique verba In principio creavit Deus coelum terram quà m omnia Aristotelis Coeterorumque Philosophorum argumenta quibus docent mundum carere initio Eras. Epist. Pellicano l. 19. Rom. 1. 20. Ephes 1. 4. Psal. 33. 9. a Fareus alij Acts 17. 24. Col. 1. 16. b Dubitare non potest primum fidei articulum quo credimus in Deum creatorem coeli terâ—e extructum esse ex hoc Mosis aphorismo Pareus Prov. 8. 23. John 17. 24. Ephes. 1. 4. 1 Pet. â— 20. Vide Gatakeri Adversaria miscell l. 2. c. 2. c Quamvis naturall lumine demonstrari posset mundum à Deo fuisse conditum tamen rectè Augustinus de Civit. Dei l. â—1 c. 4. Quod Deus mundum fecerit nulli tutius credimus quam ipsi Deo Si mundus sit opus Dei necesse est ut Creator ejus fit aeternus Rom. 1. 26. alioquin fuisset ipse factus consequenter pars mundi Nam per mundam intelligimus compagem five aggregationem rerum Creatarum T will contra Corvinum cap. 6. sect 2. Master Pemble in his Treatise of the providence of God Vide Ludov. Viv. de veritate Fidei Christianae l. 1. c. 10. August de civitate Dei l. 15. c. 9. Plin. l. 7. c. 16. Aul. Gell. l. 3. c. 15. Iuven Sat. â—3 See the several reasons urged by the Philosophers and their followers to prove the eternity of the world answered by Raymundus in his Pugio Fidei adversus Iudaeos parte primae c. 7 8 9 10 11. See also ibid. c. 12 13 14. Lactantius That the World is so compounded our senses tell us seeing some things are heavie some light some hot some cold and one of these is apt to destroy another as is the nature of Contraries What is eternal is without beginning mutation succession or end so onely God See Doctor Hackwels Apologie of Gods providence p. 39. 46. De qua re inter duos Rabbinos est Controversia R Eliezer R. Josue altero mundum in Martio altero in Septembri contendente conditum esse Quod quia nobis Scriptura non exprimit tanquam curiosum relinquamus Mercet If the question were asked indefinitely Whether the world began in the Spring the Summer the Winter or the Autumn the answer must be That it began in all For so soon as the Sun set forth in its motion the seasons immediately grew necessary to several positions of the Sphere so divided among the parts of the earth that all had every one of these and each one or other at the same time Gregorie de Eris Epochis c. 5. Iulius Scaliger saith Mundum primo vere uatum sapientes autumant credere par est So the most part maintain and for the best reasons And if it were not otherwise evident Nature it self is very convincing whole Revolutions begin and end in the Vernal Aequinox Id. ib. Mundi adeoque Anni primi initium circa vernum aequinoctium fuisse non dubito Unde Astronomi omnes coelestium motum initia à primo Arietis puncto sumpserunt Haec opinio firmata est omnium Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum consensu
one flows from faith and love to God the other not the one looks to spiritual miseries the other only to temporal the one is ready to shew it self to enemies the other not the one aimeth at God and intendeth to please him the other at credit or at best at pleasing it self The alms which she gave in three quarters of a year in distribution is summed to the number of fourteen or fifteen thousand pounds Foxes Book of Mart. vol. 2. p. 332. See 2 Cor. 8. 2 3. M. Fenner of the Affect M. Stock in his Funeral Sermon of him M. Hughes in his Preface to the embalming of dead Saints Iohn the Patriarch of Constantinople was called the Almner Eleemosynarius because he had a great revenew but laid it out all on the poor and at years end would say I have nothing left me but my Lord Iesus Christ. Mat. 5. 7. Isa. 58. 9. Prov. 21. 13. Alms in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy or compassion because it is a gift given to the poor out of commiseration or pity whence the French Aulmosâ—e Est opus quo datur aliquid in digenti ex misericordia Bellarm. lib. 3. de bon oper de Eleemos cap. 1. In the Hebrew and Syriack it is called Righteousnesse or Iustice as if it were by right due to the poor Prov. 11. 18. Alms and relief of poor people being a work of charity is accounted in Law divine service for what herein is done to the poor for Gods sake is done to God himself Sr Ed. Cook on Lit. Vide Aquin. 2a 2ae q. 32. Art 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Mr Lapthorn hath written a good Treatise of spiritual alms and Mr Whately of corporal called The poor Mans Advocate set forth by me in his life time Eleemosynae spirituales praeeminent triplici ratione Primò quidem quia id quod exhibetur nobilius est scilicet donum spirituale quod praeeminet corporali Secundò Ratione ejus cui subvenitur quia Spiritus nobilior est corpore Tertiò Quantum ad ipsos actus quibus subvenitur proximo quia spiritâ—â— les actus sunt nobiliores corporalibus qui sunt quodammodo serviles Aquin. 2a 2ae q. 32. Art 3. 2a 2ae Quaest. 32. Art 8. Qui proprietatem dominium non habent ut uxores quae sunt in potestate virorum filii qui sunt in potestate parentum servi qui sunt in potestate Domiâ—â—um non debent nec possunt Eleemosynas facere nisi vel in extrema pauperum necessitate vel ex consensu tacito vel expresso sâ—periorum Bellarm. lib. 3. de bonis operibus c. 12. We should labour to be rich in grace seeing other riches are so vain See Eccles. 5. 10. to the end 1. These are the true riches Luk. 16. 9. other riches are deceiving 2. These are our own riches Luk. 16. â—2 3. Unsearchable riches Ephes. 3. 18. 4. Spiritual riches Matth. 6. 25. 5. Heavenly riches Matth. 6. 29. 1 Cor. 15. 44. 6. Eternal Luk. 16. 9. We should strive to be rich 1. In knowledge 1 Cor. 1. 5. 2. In faith Jam. 2. 5. but especially in mercy otherwise we cannot make it appear either to our selves or others that we are rich in faith Jam. 2. 18. Proinde verum Sacrificium est omne opus quod agitur ut sancta societate inhaereamus Deo relatum scilicet ad illum finem boni quo veraciter beati esse possimus Undo ipsa misericordia qua bomini subvenitur si propter Deum non fit non est Sacrificium Etsi enim ab homine sit vel offertur tamen Sacrificium res divina est ita ut hoc quoque vocabulo id Latini veteres appellaverint Aug. le civ Dei l. 1. c 6. Hic divitiarum maximus ac verissimus fructus est non uti opibus ad propriam unius voluptatem sed admultorum salutem non ad praesentem suum fructum sed ad justitiam quae sola non interit Tenendum est igitur omnino ut ab officio misericordiae spes recipiendi absit omnino Hujus enim operis officii merces à Deo est expetenda solo nam si ab homine expectes jam non humanitas erit illa sed beneficiâ— foeneratio nec potest videri benè meruisse qui quod fecit non alteri sed sibi praestat tamen res eo redit ut quod alteri quisque praestiterit nihil ab eo commodi sperans verè sibi praestet quia mercedem capiet à Deo Lactant. de vero cultu lib. 6. Vide plura ibid. To good men we must do good because they do deserve it to strangers because they may deserve it and do stand in need of it to all men because God deserves it at our hands for them to our friends because we owe it them and to our enemies to heap coals of fire upon their heads The coals of charity to thaw and soften their hardnesse if it may be and at which we must aim or else the coals of anger from God for their unplacablenesse towards us Robinsons Essayes cap. 5. See D. Gougeâ— Whole Armour pag. 80. and so forward Doctor Taylors Parable of the Sower pag. 404. M. Manton on Jam. 5. 7. It is a holy disposition whereby the heart looking at Gods will in the disposing of all things doth sustain any adversity for the Lords sake Job 1. 21. Virtus aut cerni non potest nisi habeat vitia contraria aut non est perfecta nisi exerceatur adversis Hanc enim Deus bonorum ac malorum voluit esse distantiam ut qualitatem boni ex malo sciâ—mus item mali ex bono nec alterius ratio intelligi sublato altero potest Deus ergo non exclusit malum ut ratio virtutis constare posset Quomodo enim patientia vim suam nomenque retineret si nihil esset quod pati cogeremur Quomodo laudem mercretur devota Deo suo fides nisi esset aliquis qui à Deo vellet avertere Lactantius lib. 5. de Iustitia We suffer with Christ 1. When the cause is Christs for which we suffer 2. When the graces are Christs by which we suffer We have cause of patience 1. If we look upon our selves as creatures 2. As sinners Lam. 3. 29 39. Non tam miseri qaam mali 3. As Christians Col. 1. 24. Defendenda religio est nam occidendo sed moriendo non saevitia sed patientia non scelere sed fide Lactantius lib. 5. de Iustitia Act. 5. 41. Hab. 3. 18. Cum videat vulgus dilacerari homines variis tormentorum generibus inter satigatos carmsices invictam tenere patientiam existimant id quod res est nec confensum tam maltorum nec perseverantiam morientium vanam esse nec ipsam patientiam sine Deo cruciatus tantos posse superare latrones robusti corporis viri ejusmodi lacerationes
perferre nequeant Exclamant gemitus edunt vincuntur enim dolore quia deest illis inspirata patientia Lactant. de Iustitia l. 5. Vide plura ibid. Pax itaque corporis est ordinata temperatura partium Pax animae irrationalis ordinata requies appetitionum Pax animae rationalis ordinata cognitionis actionisque consensio Pax corporis animae ordinata vita salus animantis Pax hominis mortalis est Dei immortalis ordinata in fide sub aeterna lege obedientia Pax hominum ordinata concordia Pax domus ordinata imperandi atque obediendi concordia cohabitantium Pax civitatis ordinata imperandi atque obediendi concordia civium Pax coelestis civitatis ordinatissima concordissima societas â—ruendi Deo invicem in Deo Pax omnium rerum tranquillitas ordinis August de civit Dei lib. 19. cap. 13. Vide Thes. Theol. Salmur part 1. De perseverantia fidei The sure mercies of David Isa. 55. 7. * Quae promissiâ— non potest esse conditio nata ut quidam excipiunt quia condâ—tio esset nugatoria quasi diceret Dabo ut non recedatis si non recedatis ut perseveretis si perseveretis Rivet Disp. 11. de persev sanct Vide Croc. in Aug. confes Quaest. 4. c. 67. 2 Cor. 5. 14. Phil. 3. 7. We must deny our own natural wisdome in the things of God Prov. 3. 5. Christianity is a school sect of men that deny themselvs on religious reason See Luk. 24. 27 28 29. We should not only look to the setling of our particular assurance but also cast up our reckoning what religion may cost us Matth. 19. 21. Psal. 45. 10. Rom. 8. 3. 29. 15. 2 Cor. 8. 9. He denied himself for us in the joyes of heaven and in the glory of his Father See M. Hilders on Ps. 51. Lect. 74. M. Ball of the Cov. ch 11. D. Gouge on Ephes. 6. 14. One is said to please one when the chief cause which swayes him to a thing is the consideration of his will made known unto him that he would have it so It respects three several things 1. In reference to the act of any grace it implies truth opposite to hypocrisie prayer which proceeds not out of feigned lips truth in the inward parts Heb. 10. 22. Repentance Faith Love must be unfeigned 2. In reference to the object it takes it entirely thorowly without reservation loves God all in God his holinesse as well as his mercy hates all sinne and all in sinne Psal. 119. 6. 12. 7. 12. 8. 3. In respect of the motive or end singlenesse onenesse of heart Isa. 44. 20. Jam. 4. The comfort of all the Scriptures right to all the creatures benefit of all the Ordinances belongeth to the upright M. Harris The same boldnesse that innocency gives us before men sincerity will give us at the judgement of God * He is the same at all times when goodnesse is persecuted he is good when evil is in credit he is against it in all companies places he is the same in secret and publick because God is alwayes present and the same and so apprehended by the true hearted Revel 21. 3. See Mr Bridges Sermon entituled A vindication of Ordinances on Deut. 18. 15. D Hill on Eph. 4. 15. p. 18 19. M. Manton on Jam. 1. 19. pag. 153 154. M. Symonds Christian plea at the end of sight faith The Familists talk of living in God and upon God immediately they call Ordinances by way of scorn forms they are so if they be rested in but otherwise they are means of serving pleasing and obeying God M. Laurence his vindication of the Scriptures and Christian Ordinances See his Plea for the use of Gospel-ordinances In my first Book I have spoken of reading and meditating in the Word See Isa. 55. 20. Prov. 22. 17. Nehem. 8 3. We must hear the Word with faith Heb. 4. 2. that brings every truth to the soul with divine authority 1 Thes. 2. 13. Heb. 12. 25. and causeth the soul thence to receive it with assurance 1 Thess. 1. 5. and to submit to it See Job 5. ult Luk. 24. 15 30 Obedient hearing is made a sign of grace John 10. â—â— See Joh. 8. 27. A Song or Psalm is a composition of words in strict numbers fit to be uttered in a tunable voice or with an instrument David made many of these The word Psalme is usually limited to signifie a holy Song Fuisse in usua apud Christianos ab ipso exordio nascentis Eâ—clefiae ut in conventibus Ecclesiasticis Psalmodia primum locum haberet cognosci potest ex loco illo Apostoli 1 Cor. 14. 26. Item ex Tertulliano in libro de velandis virginibus extremo Bellarm. de bonis operibus lib. 1. cap. 14. That singing of Psalmes is a duty of the Gospel see Mr Cotton of Singing of Psalmes cap. 4. and M. Manton on Jam. 5. 13. and M. Fords Singing of Psalms a Christian Duty All the while the burnt-offering was in offering they bestowed themselves in singing and gladnesse as we sing a Psalm in the celebration of our Sacrament warrantably by this Mr Hildersam Heron. Singing of Hymns is by some counted an Ordinance that is any person of the Congregation exercising their own gifts should bring an Hymne and sing it in the Congregation all the rest being silent and giving audience M. Edw. See Dr Willet on Exod. 15. pag. 192. See 1 Chron. 15. 27 28. 17. 4 5. Baptisteria multae Ecclesiae retinent quaedam tollunt Organis pâ—eumaticis quaedam utuntur aliae non utuntur Nullae quod sciam ut Antichristianas Ceremonias damnant Crocius in August Confes. Quaest. 2. cap. 29. Hinc fracta illa Musica quae intelligentiam excludit abesse debet à sacris exercitiis pictatis saltem quae cum aliis habemus Ames Medul Theol. l. 2. c. 9. Hujusmodi Musica instrumenta magis animum movent ad delectationem quam per ea formetur interius bona dispositio In veteri autem Testamento usus erat talium instrumentorum tum quia populus erat magis durus carnalis Unde erat per hujusmodi instrumenta provocandus sicut per promissiones terrenas tum etiam quia hujusmodi instrumenta corporalia aliquid figurabant Aquin. 2a 2ae q 91. Art 2. ad 4 tum Musicae Organicae aec instrumentalis usus ita est permissus ac privatim inter Christianos indifferens ut multo satius sit publicè â—â— eo abstinere quam eam introducere aut continuare quia majus subest periculum quam aedificatio Rivet in Cathol Orthodox Talis debet esse Cantus qui intelligentiam verborum non impediat sed potius juvet Proinde quo modo probari potest illa fracta clamosa fragesa Musica in Templis qua ita canitur ut nihil penitus intelligas aut percipias praetâ—r harmoniam Musicam Zanchius in Ephes. 5. 19. Minimè omnium