4. 7. of God You will further perceive that the scope of the Gospel was 1. To break down the Partition wall between Jew and Gentile 2. To scour up the Old Law and fill up its vacuities which the Scripture calls Self-denial Repentance Righteousness Charity Obedience mainly insisted on in the Sermon on the Mount And 3. To declare the remission of sins to penitents i. e. such as reform themselves according to the Law aforesaid which supports our hope in place of the Ceremonial expiatory Sacrifices The first of these was last insisted upon as well became the prudence of our Lord and was the occasion of that Councel Acts 15. at Jerusalem and of several discourses and of some Writings of St. Paul But the second and third were the first and common argument of the Baptist our Lord and his Apostles by commission from him Repentance having reference to the Moral Law and Remission of sins superseding the Mosaick expiations This being the main substance of that form of Prayer by which he assists us in our duty and summing up his design in coming into the World to his Disciples after his Resurrection tells them all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning Luke 24. 44. me That it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day that by all those signs accomplished in him and by him he might give sufficient assurance that he was the Son of God and the Saviour of the World and that Repentance and Remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations St. Paul tells us indeed Faith 1 Cor. 13. 13. Hope and Charity remain but how as the Rock which followed Israel in its 4. 14. 13. effects so their works follow the dead These Vertues shall have their reward which the Lord the righteus Judge shall give at that day These are main Theological Vertues Faith is as the Eye of Reason to direct and Hope as the Food or the spirits to chear us in this spiritual life but the Way we are to walk and the main work we have to do is Charity and that answers to Repentance If we consider Christianity as a Plant Faith resembles the root Hope the stalk but the fruit which is principally designed is Charity A right faith is an excellent foundation and if it be operative it is all in all It guides and so raiseth our Hope and Charity for a firm Hope is an exalted degree of Faith in things of the same nature and a degree towards Charity And this is the reason why the Scripture supposing man as he ought to be to be consentaneous to himself doth impute that sometimes to Faith sometimes to Hope which is more peculiarly and ultimately proper to Charity or at least to one of these Vertues that which is but adequate to all But now if we compare these Vertues one with another and so set them at difference which men do too often and the Scripture for our information sometimes doth you will find Charity the more final and publick Good The two former viz. Faith and Hope being but means to this end They determine in our selves but this is extended beyond us even as far as to God to do him honour and to do our Neighbour good the greatest of these is Charity saith the Apostle not only for duration but for worth and dignity too fruition determines Hope and Faith is that which bears up and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 G. Nyssen p. 646. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supports under the uncertainty of things hoped But when they are obtained Charity remains not having any thing to succeed it Faith is so recommended and injoyned for the light it yields and for the fruit it bears for there is no walking without light nor no fruit without a root Wherefore our Obedience So long as the Church looked upon her Faith as the foundation of her Obedience she made good the Title Christ gives her Cant. 6. of his love his dove his undefiled Causes of decay of Christian Piety p. 247. is built upon our Creed and the dis-believing of some Articles like the failing of a foundation may bring down all the superstructure with it Such is the denyal of the Resurrection of the dead or all future rewards or the Allegorizing away the history of the Gospel or the making of it like an Aesopick Fable with a canting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an unintelligible Moral hidden under it For although St. Paul supposes it in that enumeration the meanest Vertue yet of very great use as the foundation of an house usually is the builder chiefly intending its strength for the whole Fabrick is raised upon it If we divide the Gospel into Laws and Miracles which are the most substantial parts of it you will find much of the history spent in proving the Divinity of Christ that he was the promised Messiah of the World the Prophecies of the Old Testament being fulfilled and the Types of the Mosaick Law having their complement and period in him and so warranting his Commission but all the signs accomplished in him and all the wonders wrought by him even his being raised from the dead by which the Gospel which was in a manner dead and buried with him reviv'd though evidence of his Authority and principal motives to believe on him yet are necessary to be known by us only in order to his Doctrine as they render his Precepts and his Promises the more remarkable as it is usual to satisfie our selves of the validity of a Commission before we yield obedience to it or take orders from it It is not God's work upon us by these signs and miracles so much as his works within us or by us which we shall be Nihil mihi oblicitur nisi quod dicor plusculum laudare bona opera saith Melancthon to Joachimus Camerarius Epist 193. pag. 742. Edit Lond. Hence the Christian Religion is called the profession of our hope Heb. 10. 23. 1 Pet. 3. 15. judged by which because his doctrin regulates and we cooperate in are therefore called our works Now the Doctrines of Christianity which concern us more nearly are of two sorts such as sustein our Hope or direct our Charity 1. Such as sustein our Hope of them we make daily profession in the Capitular called the Apostles Creed which particulars are not Articles of simple Belief so much as Objects to erect our Hope 2. Such as direct our Charity or obedience comprised in that Digest of the Law of Nature called the Ten Commandements together with some excellencies and perfections of Morality superadded by our Lord. So that you perceive Faith and Hope Fides multa promissa habet quia via est ad dilectionem Grot. how much soever is said in advancing them serve only in their places in order to our main work which is Charity or Obedience In
Apostles 2. That the Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles is not a Speculative but a Practical Doctrine 3. And which will follow from both The raising of Opinions beside the Doctrine of our Lord and his Apostles and which have no good influence upon the lives of men is the effect of Pride Ignorance Corruption and destitution of Truth and the cause of Envy Strife Reproachings Suspicions and perverse Disputings Of these succinctly The only Rule of a Christian's faith and life is the Doctrine of Tertul. de Praescript C. 6. Nobis verò nihil ex nostro arbitrio inducere licet sed nec eligere quod aliquis de arbitrio suo induxerit Apostolos Domini habemus Auctores qui nec ipsi quicquam ex suo arbitrio quod inducerent elegerunt sed acceptam à Christo discipliuam fideliter Nationibus assignaverunt 1 Pet. 4. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles St. Peter would have him that speaks as the Oracles of God i. e. without Addition Subtraction or Alteration For the Apostles were Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God Now 't is required of Stewards that they be found faithfull 1 Cor. 4. 1. St. Paul was not wont to withhold any thing profitable from them but Acts 20. 20 27. to declare the whole Counsel of God And Moses speaking of our Saviour truly said unto the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me him shall Acts 3. 22. ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say to you and the voice from the cloud telling us he was the beloved Son of God commands us to hear him Luke 9. 35. Why else are we bid to search the Scriptures are said to have Moses and the Prophets Why did St. Paul think it a just and full defence of himself to say After the way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things which are written Acts 24. 14. in the Law and the Prophets But here I expect the objections of the old Gnosticks decliners of the Scripture Lucifugae Scripturarum Tertul de c. 47. In accusationem ipsarum Scripturarum convertuntur as Tertullian calls them when they are reproved out of the Scriptures they accuse the Scriptures themselves either they want sufficient Authority or are hard to be understood or imperfect without Tradition not written but oral because St. Paul said We speak wisdom among them that are perfect So Clemens Iren. 3. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 757. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Alexandria tells us of some who did patch together false and feigned doctrines that with very good reason they might refuse the Scriptures But when God's Church had exploded those conceits the Romanist rises up against the Word Scriptures saith he be not necessary nor written by divine command are imperfect obscure that we have no original Books and such as we have be corrupted and some others quos dicere nolo imagin that they can speak better than the Wisdom and Spirit of God and notwithstanding St. Paul hath told us the Scripture is useful for reproof yet these men are pleased 1. Tim. 3. 16. to take up what Timothy was to avoid the introduction of Profanas vocum novitates So Ambr and the vulgar Latin Chrysostom as Theophylact intimates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though there is as little difference in the sence as the sound All new terms i. e. postnate to the sealing of the Canon in matters of faith being vain and empty as to the establishing any one Article in it New and Extra-scriptural words for the more effectual reproving of Hereticks forsooth as if he could be an Heretick who did receive the whole Scripture as his only Rule of Christian faith and life But if that be the Rule which is the language of the whole Reformation it must be so complete that it needs no addition as Chilling worth 54. well as so evident that it needs no interpretation for both these we are assured are properties requisite to a perfect Rule 'T is a strange piece of arrogance to think we can speak of God or the things of God better than he himself hath spoken Cannot he that fram'd Num Deus mentis vocis linguae Artifex disertè loqui non potest the mind the voice the tongue speak apposity Yes sure divine Providence took care that those things which were divine should be clear that all might understand Carere fuco voluit ea Lactan. de vero cultu p. 623. what things he spake to them all And Chrysostom having very much urged the reading of the holy Scriptures at length meets that objection What if we do not understand the things we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homil 3. de Laz. there He answers 'T is not possible you should be equally ignorant of all things therein For the grace of the Spirit hath so disposed matters therein that Publicans and Fishers and Tent-makers and Shepherds and Rusticks and Ideots and Illiterate did compose the books So that the most Idiotick soul cannot excuse himself on this account things being plain enough to be seen that mechanick Servants and Women and the worst educated may receive great benefit by them These things were not composed for vain glory Tom. 5. p. 244. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but for the salvation of such as should hear them Gentile Philosophers indeed and Rhetoricians and Writers not consulting the publick good but their own reputation delivered the most useful notions in their usual obscurity But Prophets and Apostles take the very contrary course their clear and manifest notions they explicated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all men as became the common teachers of the whole World So that every man of himself may by reading only understand the things that are said in these books And afterwards on occasion of the Eunuch's reading the Prophet he vehemently recommends a diligent reading of the holy Books He tells us how the reading of them defends us against sins the ignorance of them is a dangerous Precipice and deep Abyss A great hazard it is of our Salvation to be ignorant of the Scriptures This is it that introduces Heresies into our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyp. de lapsu Ecclesiae non jungitur qui ab Evangelio separatur Aufer haereticis quae cum ethnicis sapiunt ut de Scripturis solis quaestiones suas sistant stare non poterunt Tertul. Faith Immoralities into our lives and causes great confusion in matters of Religion 'T is the neglect or contempt of Scripture is cause of heresie So that we say as Austin All things De doct Chr. l. 2. c. 9. In its quae apertè in Scriptura posita sunt inveniri illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque vivendi Epist 3. ad Vo. Iren.
a word Repentance or newness of life is the life of Charity and the Basis or the Ground-work of that is the abrenunciation or denial of our selves Now to a perfect Self-denial because it is so thwart and contradictious to flesh and blood a very high Faith and Hope are requisite But for the measure or extent of Faith or Hope either in number of the Articles or their intensness or degree in such Articles as we believe we conceive we have no absolute Precept at all written no more than for other things which Jesus did which are Et multae gentes barbarorum sine charta atramento fidem sine literis crediderunt Irenaeus 3. 4. not written so that they be but sufficient to produce sincere obedience to the Precept of Christ Now if we would improve this Notion let us diligently consider what connexion that Article of Faith hath with our Christian practice which is propounded to us if it do neither support our Hope nor direct our Obedience Whether it be true or false be sure it will never make amends for the loss of peace in our Church So that you have here an Authentick Standard by which you may take the worth of Opinions If they intirely agree with the Doctrine of our Lord and are ministerial and subservient to the advancement of Vertue and Piety in the lives of men we may well hope they are part of the Faith which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at once delivered and is worthy to be contended for But if opinions disserve the great ends of the Gospel if they render it unintelligible consequently incredible if they be too srequent occasions of our remissness and slackness in running the Race of our Christian profession of our deferring Repentance and conversion to God of our frequent relapses into sin and Security in it if they put men in hope of Eternal happiness by any other means save only the narrow way of sincere and universal Obedience grounded upon a true and lively Faith I fear their fautors and promoters especially if they be contentious for them are too too lively characterized by pride ignorance corruption and destitution of the Truth and I could wish that nothing had happened within our observation to give us cause to suspect the malignant influences of some mens Principles into their lives and practises otherwise I do not understand how such gross Immoralities should be found in consort with such high Professions But what else must we expect from them that depretiate Morality and contradistinguish Religion to it though St. James hath told us Pure Religion and undefiled before God James 1. 27. Octav. in Min. Fel. apud nos religiosior ille qui justior is to visit the fatherless and the widow and to keep thy self unspotted from the world But I expect these zealous contenders should resent my elevation and extenuation of Errors forsooth to whom I 'le only say That when the learned and pious Abram Scultetus had not without a becoming resentment reflected upon the Chairs and Pulpits of Vniversities and Churches from whence Satyrs and poinant invectives were wont to be slung and often against imaginary enemies he adds If you shew your self but a little more In Tit. c. 3. Quod si paul◠benignius de Controversiis evangelicorum sentias c. charitable to dissenters and labour to reduce Churches divided in some few Articles to an amicable concord without an Imperious and Magisterial decision of the Controversies you shall instantly in all places be proclaimed an Atheist it seems the good man had found it by experience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illico proclamabere expertus hoc scribo that you shame not forsooth to joyn truth and falshood Christ and Belial nor are we any whit mollified saith he in so long a tract of time nor do we lay aside that considerate Zeal and impotency of mind notwithstanding the inundation of publick calamities which overwhelms us but like the Cockles in Aesop rejoyce and sing while our houses are on fire So we exult in our Pride and Folly and think by renewing our holy Wars to procure new Garlands and Triumphs over our Brethren whom we have blackned and deformed with our uncharitable Pens But what shall we say to that admirable Epistle of Constantine to Alexander and Arrius most likely not without the advice and privity of Hosius then Bishop of Corduba whom the Emperour loved and trusted much and employed in the delivery of the Letters Thus summ'd up by an excellent Prelate of our own First he calls it a certain vain piece of a Question ill begun and more unadvisedly published a question which no Law nor Ecclesiastical Canon defineth a fruitless contention the product of idle brains a matter so nice so obscure so intricate that it was neither to be explicated by the Clergy nor understood by the people A dispute of words a Doctrine inexplicable but most dangerous when taught least it introduced discord or blasphemy And therefore the Objector was rash and the Answerer unadvised For it concerned not the substance of Faith or the Worship of God or any chief Commandement of Scripture and therefore why should it be the matter of discord For though the matter be grave yet because neither necessary nor explicable the contention is trifling and toyish and therefore as the Philosophers of the same Sect though differing in the explication of an opinion yet more love for the unity of the Profession than disagree for the difference of opinion So should Christians believe in the same God retaining the same Faith having the same Hopes opposed by the same Enemies not fall at variance upon such disputes considering our understandings are not all alike and therefore neither can our opinions in such mysterious Articles So that the matter being of no great importance but vain and a toy in respect of the excellent blessings of Peace and Charity it were good that Alexander and Arrius should leave contending keep their opinions to themselves ask each other forgiveness and give mutual Toleration So that excellent Emperour But I 'le end all with one word to those Narrow men who think a System of dry and useless opinions serviceable enough if they be but the Shibboleth of a Faction that St. Paul had not so learned Christ for he tells us that the end of the Commandment i. e. the Gospel is Charity out of a pure heart of a good Conscience and of Faith unfeigned Now to the King Eternal c. THE END