THEOLOGICALL LOGICKE OR THE THIRD PART OF THE TRYALL OF TRVTH Wherein is declared the excellency and aequity of the Christian Faith and that it is not withstood and resisted but assisted and fortified by all the forces of right reason and by all the aide that artificiall Logicke can yeeld Against the Heathenish Atheist and the Romish Catholic◠whereof the one taketh exception against the Faith 〈◊〉 Christ in generall and the other against the doctrine thereof as it is professed in the Reformed Churches as being in their opinions absurd and contrary to the euident and vndeniable grounds of reason BY IOHN TERRY Minister of the Word of God at Stocton OXFORD Printed by IOHN LICHFIELD and WILLIAM TVRNER Anno Dom. 1625. 2 THESS 3. 1. Furthermore brethren pray for vs that the word of God may haue a free current and be glorified as it is with you and that we may be deliuered from vnreasonable and wicked men for all haue not faith AVG. DE TRIN. l. 4. c. 6. Against reason no sober man that is himselfe in his right wits against Scripture no Christian man that is of a sound and orthodoxe faith against the Church no man of a peaceable spirit that is not a Schismaticke or at the least somewhat schismatically affected will reason or dispute TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD ARTHVRE LORD BISHOP OF BATH AND WELLES IOHN TERRY wisheth all increase of grace in this life and of glory in the life to come IT is truly said Right reuerend and my very good Lord that a foolish Iudge doth ouer-hastily giue sentence not rightly apprehending or duely weighing all things belonging thereunto An example whereof we haue both in Iewes and Gentiles vnto whom the Gospel preached was a stumbling-blocke and seemed to be a foolish and an absurd doctrine they being carried away so to iudge by this hasty conceit that a man who came himselfe to shame death could not bring others to life and glory Whereas if they had rightly apprehended and duely weighed and considered that sinne was a most shamefull and deadly euill which could not as Gods decree stood bee done away but either with the shame and death of the offender or of some other party that should vndertake to satisfie the iustice of God for the same they would haue perceiued that the Gospell reuealing Christ Iesus the aeternall Sonne of God assuming humane nature and ioyning it into one person with his diuine and therein performing all things necessary for our full reconciliation to God that so by his humiliation and shamefull death he might bring u◠to life and glory they would I say well haue vnderstood that the Gospell thus reuealing Christ Iesus vnto us is the 1 Cor. 1. 23. power of God and the wisdome of God And verily the Gospell is the most powerfull wisedome that euer was reuealed to man because it maketh men that by the corrupt suggestions of Satan were made mad Luc. 15. 17. Eccl. 7. 27. 2 Tim. 3. 15. put out of their right mind wise to saluation by faith in Christ yea is not the sincere embracer of the Gospell the wisestman that liueth on earth seeing he only embraceth the right meanes whereby he may be made happy and blessed And is not the sound preacher of the Gospell who turneth the hearts of the Fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdome of the iust and so maketh a people ready prepared for the Lord the disposer of the chiefest Luc. 1. 17. blessings that the Lord bestoweth vpon his dearest seruants And is not also the carefull and watchfull Bishop that is a guide set ouer the guides of the Lord's flocke and a Superintendent ouer the Lord's watchmen and is to commaund that they teach no other doctrine nor mingle wilde goards 1 Tim. 1. 3. with the wholesome food that is appointed for those that 2 Reg. 4. 39. Tit. 1. 5. are of the Lord's Family and if any such thing be done to redresse the same is not I say such a one a singular yea an honourable instrument vnder God that those so sruitfull labours of all inferiour Ministers may bee made powerfull vnto many for the saluation of their soules Now the labors of Ministers are then powerfull when the wisdome of the word of God is made manifest by them which is when the right sense thereof is explained and iustified by cleare and sound arguments and reasons For he that will vrge the bare and naked words of the Scripture without the true sense and meaning thereof is like to a souldier that will fight with a scabbard without a sword And he that will vrge a sense thereof not iustified cleared by sound and sufficient reasons is like to one that will fight with a sword without an edge For they are the solid reasons whereon the wise and holy doctrines of the diuine word of God are grounded that giue light weight thereto and are after a sort the very life thereof And hereof it is that all manner of learned Professours especially among Christians he they orthodoxe or be they haereticks offer to iustifie their seuerall opinions by sound solid arguments concluded in true syllogismes and to that end require publike disputations Now if all require the truth of their opinions to be thus tried then they may not in any case refuse and shame this manner of tryall Wherefore as Festus said vnto Paul when he had appealed Acts 25. 12. vnto Caesar Hast thou appealed vnto Caesar vnto Caesar thou shalt goe So say I vnto all learned Professours of Christianity haue yee appealed vnto reasons concluded in true syllogismes for the iustifying of your seuerall positions by reason ye shall be tryed and to the censure thereof ye ought to stand And this I haue sufficiently proued in the explication and confirmation of the third proposition of the former part of this Treatise by the approbation thereof giuen vnto me from your LOrdships owne mouth after you had duely perused the same being committed vnto your Lordships iust censure Wherefore according to the old Prouerbe Scitum est Athletam placuisse Herculi as he may bee taken for a sufficient Champion that is approued of Hercules so that Treatise may be esteemed to be furnished with sufficient munition that is approued of a wise Colonell And hereupon I am bold to craue to haue it published vnder your Lordships protection that so it may be the better accepted and that some of the Lords souldiers may bee strengthned and inabled thereby with better courage to fight the Lord's battles And thus commending your Lordship to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build further and to giue you an inheritance among them that are sanctified I rest Your Lordships in all Christian loue dutie IOHN TERRY TO THE CHRISTIAN READER I Haue already Christian Reader in the two former parts of the Tryall of Truth made it manifest that the doctrine of
one time or other they may be brought within the compasse thereof and so may be taken vp into Noah's Arke So then still it is the net of the Gospell and the hooke of the Word whereby men are taken and brought vnto God afflictions sent of God and penalties inflicted by the Magistrates are but the baites to make some bite at this hooke and poles to make them come within the compasse of this net Nay this worke of a mans vnfained conuersion to God cannot be wrought by the terrours of the Law of God For the Gal. 3. â— 2. Cor. 3. 6. spirit whereby we are begotten againe and made the children of God is not receiued by the preaching of the Law but by the hearing of faith The Law is the letter that condemneth and killeth causing a sinner to flie from God as from an angry and offended Iudge The Gospell is the ministery of righteousnesse and life reuealing the light of God's countenance shining in Hos 11. 4. Christ and opening his Fatherly affection and loue whereby he draweth his Elect vnto him The most that the Law of God can effect either by the aequity of the holy precepts thereof or by the seuerity of the threatnings denounced therein is happily for a time to stay sin vndoubtedly it hath not power enough to slay it it may stop for a while the current of sin cut down some of the boughs thereof but it cannot empty the fountaine of sin nor pluck it vp by the very rootes Much lesse can humane wisdome worke the reformation of sinfull men it may make them perhaps couer their sinnes but Humana sapientia ut plurimum efficiâ—t non abscindit vitia sed abscondit Lact. Inst l. 3. c. 26. cannot enable them to cast out their inbred corruptions The vttermost it can work as Lactantius testifieth is to driue corruption inward and to make it hide it selfe for a while but by making men outward conformitans it maketh them in truth no better then dissembling hypocrites For the reason and the wisedome of the naturall man could not finde out many particular transgressions committed against the Law of God nor sound the depth of his iudgments much lesse could it reach to the height of his mercies and the most strange and incredible expiation that the Lord appointed for sinne This Mystery required a supernaturall reuelation and could not be reuealed but by the doctrin of the Gospel Wherfore when the world by her wisedome knew not God in the wisedome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that belieue For the Gospell is the powerfull voice of our great Shepheard whereby he calleth and recalleth 1 Cor. 1. 21 Ioh. 10. 3. all his wandring sheepe and bringeth them home to his owne fold The Gospell is the banner of Christ whereby hee bringeth back his fugitiue souldiers and draweth them to his Can. 2. 4. Mar. 1. 17. owne colours The Gospell is the net which plucketh vs vp out of the Sea of our sinnes and pulleth vs into Christ's ship and waffeth vs along to the safe hauen of our euerlasting happines in the Kingdome of Heauen The Gospell is that voyce of Christ that raiseth vs vp out of the death of sinne to the life of Ioh. 6. 25. righteousnesse yea it is that aqua vitae that water of life that worketh in vs an holy life and quickneth vs to euerlasting Ioh. 4. 14 life The Gospell is that Zephyrus that life-breathing winde Cant. 4. 16. that blowing vpon Christ's Garden causeth the spices thereof to flow out The Gospell hath in it those sweet deawes and showers which dropping down vpon the dry grounds of our hearts causeth them to yeeld a plentifull haruest The doctrines Deut. 32. 2. of the Gospel are those good sciences that being grafted in our hearts make vs to become fruitfull trees meete to be planted in the Paradise of God Lastly the Gospell is that Iac. 1. 21. spirituall and heauenly enchantment that doth metamorphise and transforme vs being as beasts in qualities and conditions into the qualities conditioÌ„s of men yea of holy sanctified men For in it is drawn forth such a liuely picture of our own Isai P 1. 6. vilenes and of the excellencie of the Lord and of the strangenes of the remedy making manifest the greatnes of the malady that therein we all beholding as in a mirrour the glory of God with open face are changed into the same Image from 2 Cor. 3. 18 glory to glory as by the spirit of God Being thereby auerted from our selues conuerted to God weaned from our selues and won to God forced to leaue our selues and to cleaue to God yea to loath our selues and to loue God Wherefore let 2 Cor. 5. 14. Iew and Gentile and whatsoeuer Heretickes preach only or at least principally the Law of Moses or the Law of nature and Nations because they acknowledge not the imputed righteoousnes of Christ Iesus which is published in the Gospell but looke to be saued by their own workes But let the ministers of Christ which are the Ministers of the Gospell preach the Mar. 16. 15. Gospell to euery creature following herein not only the commandement but also the example of their heauenly Lord and Master who testifieth of himselfe on this manner saying The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath anointed mee Luc. 4 18. that I should preach the Gospell to the poore he hath sent me And verily not only blessed are the feet of them that bring Rom. 10. 15 glad tidings of those good things that God giueth to his by the preaching of the â—ospell but also blessed are the cares of Mat. 13. 16. all such as reuerently and religiously hearken thereunto seeing thereby they attaine this high priuiledge to be made the Elect Rom 3. 2 Eph. 2. 3. and chosen people of God For by nature all being borne in sinne the children of wrath and inheritours of destruction by preaching and hearing of the powerfull doctrine of the Gospell such as are of the number of the Elect and chosen people of God are borne againe as by an immortall seed are made the children of God and inheritours of the Kingdome of 1 Pet. 1. 23. Heauen CHAP. II QVAEST 2. The Word and the Sacraments doe not profite vnlesse the sense and vse of either be rightly apprehended and vnderstood THe power and efficacy of things consisteth not in the letters and wordes wherein they are expressed but in the things themselues being rightly applied to those vses where unto they are ordained by God To ascribe an operatiue and working power to bare letters or words hath bin condemned by all wise and religious persons not only in such as haue bin bewitched with diuelish forceâ—ies but also in such as haue bin blinded with grosse and palpable superstition The seuen sons of one Scaeva a Priest are branded
signe that he Mat. 13. 11. hath admitted all such into the couenant of grace in whose hearts hee hath written his holy Lawes by giuing them the right vnderstanding of them For the soule of man is as a Table Ier. 31. 31. 2 Cor. 3 3. Prov. 7. 3. Apoc. 20. 12 board or as a register or a booke of records and the firme conceiuing of a thing in the minde and the sure laying vp thereof in the memory is as the drawing or grauing in a Table board or as the writing of it in a booke of record And therefore when the diuine doctrine of the Word of God is rightly apprehended by our vnderstanding and firmely layed vp and settled in our memory it is as it were printed and grauen in our soules so doth thereby assâ—re our Consciences that wee are the beloued people of God For giue in sincerity entertainment in the best roomes of thy soule to the Word of God and thou dost Ioh. 14. 23 Eph. 3. 17. withall giue entertainment to Christ For Christ doth dwell in our hearts by Faith He is not receiued and eaten with our bodily mouthes because he is not our bodily food but with the mouthes of our soules when sweetly and profitably we lay vp in our memories that his flesh was wounded and pierced for Aug. de doct Christian l. 3. c. 10. Tertul. de resur carnis vs. So Tertullian Christ is deuoured by hearing chewed by vnderstanding and digested by beleeuing For reall things are not in our mindes by any corporall contiguity of their reall substances but by a spirituall participation of them by their Res non sunt in animis sed rerum notiones reall notions Neither doe our Sacraments auouch a mingling of persons or an vniting of substances but after a spirituall and a mysticall manner And therefore Christ's Body being not a bodily but a ghostly food is not receiued but by the powers of our soules being indued with a true Faith For the Lord doth bestow his seuerall gifts and blessings Cyp. de coena Dom. Quicquid recipitur ad modum recipientis recipitur vpon his seuerall creatures according vnto their seuerall natures and powers whereby he hath made them capable thereof causing them all to moue and to worke according to those powers and faculties where withall he hath indued them Hee nourisheth nourishable things by their nourishing powers doth minister many comforts to his creatures that haue sense and motion by causing them to apprehend the same by their sensitiue and motiue faculties So likewise doth he bestow his gifts proper to men which are reasonable creatures by making them knowne vnto them by the discourse of reason by causing them to apprehend and embrace the same by their vnderstandings and wils which are the proper faculties of reasonable creatures As for example the Lord worketh a care in many naturall men to lead a ciuill and a righteous life by causing them to apprehend and embrace those arguments and reasons which are of force to perswade to a ciuill and a righteous life As in like manner hee openeth the hearts of such as he calleth to the estate of grace by causing them carefully to attend to the diuine Acts 16. 14. doctrines of the Word of grace For the Spirit of God leadeth them not as blind men which are led by their guides in the way that they see not themselues but he openeth their eyes that they may turne from darknes to light from the power of Satan to God that they may receiue remission of sinnes inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith in Christ Insomuch that the minds of the Faithfull are first sanctified Acts 26. 18. by a true and right apprehension of the loue of God in Christ made manifest vnto them by the light of the Gospell and their wills are inflamed with a seruent desire to be partakers thereof before they be made the sincere Seruants of Christ For as Austin Aug. de peccat merit remiss l. 2. cap. 3. Aug. hom 15. de verb. Apost saith God worketh our saluation in vs not as in stones that haue no sense or as in those creatures to whom he hath not given reason will For as the same Father also teachetb elsewhere He that made thee without thee doth not make thee Iust without thee He made thee not knowing what was done vnto thee but he maketh thee iust being willing and witting to that worke which is wrought in thee There are two parts of our saluation or deliuerance from sinne whereof the one is a deliuerance from the very being and Heb. 1. 3. 1. Pet. 2. 24 Isa 63. 3 1 Cor. 1. 13. Act. 20. 28 1 Pet. 1. 19 bondage of sinne and the other from the guilt and punishment thereof Now albeit concerning our deliuerance from the guilt punishment of sinne our most mighty Sauiour hath performed that alone by himselfe euen by the shedding of his owne most precious blood yet concerning that other part which consisteth in the dâ—liuerance from the being and bondage of sinne he doth effect it by diueâ—s motiues set downe in his holy Word whereby through the effectuall operation of his holy Spirit he doth make his Elect desirous and willing to cast off the grieuous yoake of Satan to haue all their very thoughts brought vnto obedience to the commandements of God Wherefore it was not without cause that the Prophet Daniel Dan. 4. 24. exhorted Nebuchadnezzar to redeeme his sins with righteousnes and his iniquities with mercy towards the poore that so there might be an healing of his errour For as hee that is ouercome of sinne is in bondage to sinne so he that breaketh 2 Pet. 2. 19. the bonds of sinne and casteth off the yoke thereof may rightly be said to redeeme and to saue himselfe from the same Take Redime to captum quam queas minimo 1 Tim. 4. 16. heed saith the Apostle to Timothy to thy selfe and to thy doctrine and continue therein for in so doing thou shalt saue thy selfe and them that heare thee Verily as sinne is the sicknes death of the soule so righteousnesse is the health and life thereof And therefore whereas contraries are cured by contraries Contraria curaÌ„â—ur contrarys by righteousnes our soules are cured of their sinnes As it is apparent by the words of Daniel before-mentioned Redeeme thy sinnes with righteousnes and thine iniquities with mercy towards the poore loe let there be an healing of thine errour by which words we are taught that by righteousnes our souls are healed of their sinnes Wherefore all such as hearken attentiuely to the doctrine of the Gospell and are thereby brought to saith and righteousnes Luc. 1. 17. whereby they are purged from their sinnes may rightly be said to worke out their owne saluation to redeeme and saue Phil. 2. 12. their owne soules for that they are instruments
your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast And againe All haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God and are iustified freely by his Rom. 3. 24. grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus that our glorying in our owne workes should be vtterly excluded and that we should glory onely in Christ QVEST. XV. The faithfull after the end of this life are not punished in the fire of Purgatory The end that moueth a kind and a tender-hearted Father to chastise his deare child is his amendment insomuch that if hee Pro magno peccato paululum supplicij satis est Patri teri estri quanto magis Caelesti Esay 40. 2. Luke 15. 31. once perceiue that he is amended indeed then doth hee immediately cease from punishment but the deare children of God immediately vpon their deathes cease wholy from sinne and are throughly reformed therefore their heauenly Father which doth greatly reioyce euen at the first beginning of the amendment of his prodigall children here in this life doth not cause them when they are fully reformed after death to bee further grieued with the long induring of extreame torments in the fire of Purgatory For as Saint Bernard saith if all sinne be perfectly taken Bern. in Ps qui habitat Ser. 10. away which is the cause of all euill the effect that is the punishment thereof must needes cease In the Primitiue Church whē grieuous pennances were imposed vpō enormous sins by the Church Gouernours they were imposed to this end that therby the parties offending might be brought to true serious repentance Insomuch that when the offendor was found to be truely humbled for his sinne were it neuer so hainous none or very little pennance was imposed vpon him or if it were imposed it was soone released As it may appeare not onely by the Apostles readinesse to forgiue the incestuous Corinthian 2 Cor. 2. 4. vpon his serious repentance albeit his sinne was very haynous but also by the history of an incestuous woman who had bin brought with child by her owne sonne of whom it is recorded that she was so deepely displeased with her selfe for this her enormous and monstrous crime that taking in her armes the very child which was both the fruit and witnesse of her wickednesse she went openly to the Bishop as he passed along to the Church with a great traine and kneeling downe before him confessed her fact and craued for it at his hands condigne punishment The Bishop perceiuing by the outward demeanour of this paenitent person the great anguish of her heart for her great sinne inioyned her some abstinence for some forty dayes and so departed but the poore paenitent person thinking this paenance to be too too light for her so haynous and capitall a crime repaireth to the Bishop at another place and with bitter teares putteth him in minde againe of her most odious and enormous sinne and requireth at his hands a more heauy punishment but the Bishop well perceiuing her great sorrow and vnfained repentance lightneth the sentence of her former paenance and inioyneth her some abstinence for some three dayes How much more when we iudge our selues euen in this 1 Cor. 11. 31. life we shall not be iudged of the Lord but when wee cease from sinning the Lord will cease from punishing Wherefore if in this life when other may take encouragement to sinne by the impunity of others and besides the most paenitent sinner that is doth not wholly and fully cease from all sinne yet God and his Ecclesiasticall Ministers doe remit both sinne and punishment vpon the sight of the sinners vnfained repentance and amendment of life without all doubt the Lord of all mercy will much more doe the same in the life to come and not extreamely torment his owne seruants in Purgatory fire QVEST. XVI The carnall eating of Christs Body is nothing auaileable to eternall life but the spirituall When our blessed Sauiour had taught his Auditors that Arguments drawne from the effects vnlesse they did eate his flesh and drinke his bloud they could haue no life in them and the carnall Capernaits were greatly offended therewith because they thought that he had commended vnto them a bodily and a carnall eating of his flesh he answered It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing Ioh. 6. 63. not intending hereby to recall his former words My Flesh is meate indeed and my Bloud is drinke indeed but to giue them to vnderstand that it is a spirituall eating of his flesh that is auaileable to euerlasting life and not a carnall seeing that profiteth nothing And verily it is not the bodily seeing touching or eating of Christ that can doe vs any good but the spirituall seeing touching or eating of him by faith which is the eye the hand and the mouth of the soule For when a woman hauing an issue of bloud came behinde Christ and touched the hemme of his Luke 8. 49. garment and was immediately healed of her issue at that very time the people thronged him and trod vpon him and receiued no benefit thereby And why the woman touched him with the hand of her faith and was healed thereby as our Sauiour testified saying Oh womā great is thy faith be it vnto thee euen as thou wilt but the people were maimed and lacked that hand And so Saint Ambrose vnderstood our Sauiours words Christ saith he healed them that touched him by faith Amb. in Luc. l. 6. cap. 8. whereas to them that wanted faith the touching of Christ or his garments was no benefit at all Yea the blessed Virgine her selfe was more happy in conceauing the faith of Christ in her heart then in conceauing his flesh in her wombe as Austin saith And so he had learned of our blessed Sauiour himselfe Aug. de sancta Virgine cap. 3. Luke 11. 27. for when it was said vnto Christ Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the Pappes that thou hast sucked Nay rather said he Blessed is he that heareth the word of God and keepeth it For by the Word reuerently receiued we obtaine faith and by faith Christ is receiued into our hearts and taketh Apoc. 3. 20. vp his habitation there Now if by our bodily mouthes to receiue Christ into our bodies be a thing altogether vnprofitable then our most wise Sauiour commanded it not to be done at the celebration of the holy Eucharist for he commandeth nothing to be done in the Lords seruice that is vnprofitable Why then doth the Church of Rome so eagerly contend for their transubstantiating of Bread into the Body of Christ and receiuing of it into their bodies by their bodily mouthes but for that albeit this thing be vnprofitable to Gods seruants yet it is not vnprofitable to them not onely by magnifying of their power for that they are able to create their Creator but also by enlarging their reuennewes
Aug cont Maximin lib 3 c. 19. before they come to passe it was not then that GOD first knew that Abraham feared him But as the Spirit of GOD is said to pray and to groane because hee maketh vs to pray and to groane so GOD is said to know when hee maketh vs to know Now I know then is as much as if hee had saide Now I haue made thee to know or I haue made it knowne to others also that thou fearest mee The which truth may further appeare by the very name that Abraham gaue to the place where the Lord spake vnto him at that time and by the addition ioyned thereto For Abraham called the name of the place The Lord will see as it is said this day In the mount will the Lord be seene Now the Lord doth see his faithfull seruants by taking notice of their sincere minds towards him and by prouiding for them and bestowing on them all necessary blessings and the Lord is seene of them in the spirituall gifts of faith and loue and all other graces giuen vnto them for the manifestation of his fatherly loue and affection towards them For when God by the light of the Gospell doth so make manifest vnto the faithfull his fatherly loue in Christ that they esteeme it as their highest happinesse and doe in all sincerity desire to inioy it as their greatest good they cannot but know that they beleeue and loue God seeing these are the most certaine properties of them both Now as a faithfull man may know that he loueth God so he may also know that he loueth the brethren By this saith Saint Iohn we know that 1 Iohn 3. 14. we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Wherupon Saint Austin speaketh after this manner Let a Aug. in 1. Ep. Ioh. tract 3. man looke into his heart and see if he haue loue and then let him say I am borne of God Now to what end doth Saint Austin command a man to looke into his owne heart and to seeke to find loue there if in seeking he cannot find and know whether it be there or no If then the Lord hath giuen to any one the sincere loue of God and of his Christian Brethren hee may know that he is indued therewith and thereby he may know himselfe to be in Gods loue to his owne vnspeakeable comfort and ioy the which being a great griefe and corrasiue to the Diuell he therefore seeketh by all meanes to hinder the same QVEST. XLI The Cup in the Eucharist is not to be taken away from the Lay people A man may as well ordaine a Sacrament or any essentiall part thereof as he may take away the one or the other but no man nor Angell can ordaine a Sacrament or any essentiall part thereof seeing he cannot make any grant or giue any assurance of these spiritual blessings and gifts which are only in the Lords hands and at his owne disposition neither ought he then to mangle or maime any part of the euidence that God hath giuen to the faithfull for their better assurance thereof But the Cup of the New Testament is an essentiall part of the Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of Christ whereby the pardon of their sinnes is sealed vp to the faithfull therefore it ought by no meanes to be taken away from the Lay people Yea whereas the faithfull are as well partakers of the Bloud of Christ as of the Body why should they not also be as well partakers of the visible signe of the one as of the other Act. 10. 47. Can anyman saith S. Peter forbid water that these should not be baptized which haue receiued the Holy Ghost as well as we So vpon the like reason it may be said Can any man forbid the Lords people to be pertakers of the Holy signe of his bloud with the Priests seeing they are partakers of the Bloud it selfe as well as they Especially seeing all the people of God ought to be most ready and willing to shed their owne bloud in the defence of the Faith of Christ why should they then be depriued of the Sacred signe of his Bloud whereby they are to be strengthened and confirmed for the couragious performance of that so great and weighty a worke How do we saith Saint Cyprian Cypr. ad Cornel. lib. 1. cap. 2. teach and perswade the people to shed their Bloud for the confession of the name of Christ if we deny them the Bloud of Christ that is the Sacrament of his Bloud For none can take from them the participation of the Bloud it selfe QVEST. XLII Matrimony is lawfull for the Ministers of the Gospell It is as lawfull in the time of the Gospell for the Ministers thereof to vse the same remedy against sinne and to enioy the same helpes and comforts of this life as it was for the high Priest and the residue of his brethren vnder the time of the Law But Matrimony was ordained for the auoiding of fornication Gen. 2. 18. and for to be an helpe in things concerning this life vnto the Priests vnder the Law and why should it not be so vnder the Gospell The Gospell requireth in the Ministers thereof as great if not greater labour about their spirituall worke then was required of the Priests vnder the Law why should they then not haue the same helpers as they had to supply their roomes for the better dispatch of their temporall affaires that so they may haue the more leasure to be imployed about their spirituall businesses And are not the Ministers of the Gospell especially in these last and worst dayes subiect to the like temptations of sinne as others were in former ages why should these then be more debarred from the remedy then they were especially whereas the Commandement of the Apostle is giuen generally to all For the auoiding of fornication 2 Cor. 7. 2. let euery man haue his owne wife and let euery woman haue her owne husband but where the remedy against this sinne is the authorised permission thereof by man with a Si non castè tamen cautè there I must needs confesse is farre lesse need of the remedy appointed by God QVEST. XLIII The Nailes Speare and Crosse wherewith Christs pretious Body was tormented are not to be worshipped The Souldiers that vsed the Nailes Speare and Crosse to torment the most precious body of our most blessed Sauiour are not to be worshipped why then should the Nailes Speare and Crosse be worshipped which were the instruments of the routragious cruelty The Nailes and shooe of an horse that striketh therewith and killeth any meane person but casually are by the Law found guilty of the death of him that is slaine therewith how can we then otherwise iudge of the Nailes Speare and Crosse which were of a malitious purpose vsed to shed our blessed Sauiours most pretious Bloud and to take away his life from him for can that which
good No man can make satisfaction to God for any one sinne The people ought not to embrace the doctrine of their teachers without tryall The faithfull are saued by their owne faith not by the faith works of any other God did praedestinate before all worlds some to aeternall saluation in Christ Iesus and others to aeternall damnation through their owne sinnes Frō things that be vnlike No image ought to be made to represent the Diuine Maiesty All the workes of Infidels are sinnes Frō things that bee like The true seruants of God doe know themselues to be the true seruants of God God giueth saluation in Christ and not in any other Vngodly Hypocrites are no true members of the Church of Christ The testimony of God deliuered in the Canonicall Scripture and not receiued by bare tradition is the sure euidence ground of truth The doctrine of the Romish Church is a provocation to sinne and not the doctrine of the Churches that professe the Gospell Popish pennance and Purgatory are contrary to the Article of the Creed I beleeue the remission of sinnes Frō such things as be coniugates Iury is not to be esteemed an holy land The will of man is not by nature free in things concerning God All the faithfull are Saints The Bishop of Rome is not the vniuersall pastour of the whole Church The Lawes of God only bind the conscience From the etymology or interpretation of the name True Religion bindeth only to the obseruation of such things as are commanded by God Whereas superstition bindeth to the obseruation of such things as are beside and aboue the former The Laity ought to haue liberty daily to read the holy Scriptures The faithfull themselues and also their Churches ought to be dedicated only to God The faithfull know their own Faith repentance and loue and their saluation in Christ Iesus An implicite that is a blinded and a folded vp Faith is not the true Christian Faith The breaking of a Popish vow is no sinne The Monkes as they now demeane themselues are not true Monkes All the faithfull are saued by the meere mercy of God in Christ. From the definition or description of a thing The faithfull haue assurance both of the Lord 's good will and loue towards themselues and also of their own sincere faith and true loue towards God The bare testimony of the Church cannot make sufficiently knowne any doctrine of Faith A Bishop may be a ciuill Magistrate From the diuision of a thing The signe of the Crosse is not a thing absolutely euill but may lawfully bee vsed at the administration of Baptisme From the whole to the parts or frō the generll to the speciall Matrimony is lawfull for the Clergy euen after the vow of single life All Ecclesiasticall persons aswell as secular ought to be subiect to the ciuill Magistrate It doth belong to the ciuill Magistrate in his owne dominions to command all such things to be obserued of all his subiects as concerne the diuine worship and seruice of God and therein he hath the highest authority The naturall man hath no free will to that which is religiously good From the parts to the whole or from the speciall to the general The Church of Rome giueth diuine honour to Angels and Saints There are no persons appointed by God for Popish Purgatory Frō diuine humane testimonies The miracles and doctrine of the Church of Rome are fabulous and false euen by the testimonies of her own vulgar people Learned Writers the ancient Fathers Canonicall Scriptures THEOLOGICALL LOGICKE CHAP. I. QVAEST 1. 1 The Gospell is the only proper and immediate instrumentall cause of our conversion to God and of our faith and loue and of all other spirituall graces and not miracles nor the holy liues and comfortable deathes of the dearest seruants of God nor temporall blessings or corrections nor the authority of the Magistrate nor the wisdome of the Law of God and therefore much lesse the reason of the naturall man THe Gospell is the proper and immediate Acts 26. 18. Ioh. 8. 32. 1 Pet. 2. 23. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Rom. 10. 17. 1 Ioh. 4. 19. instrument whereby God doth open our eyes and turne vs from darknes to light and from the power of Satan to God and doth free vs from the bondage of sinne and doth beget vs againe and renew vs into his owne Image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of God Faith commeth by the Gospell For what can giue vs a faithfull assurance of Gods loue but such a pledge thereof as is giuen vs in the Gospell Loue is wrought by the Gospell displaying Gods loue For if we loue them that loue Matth. 5. 47 vs what singular thing doe we Doe not the Publicanes euen the same So repentance is wrought by the Gospell and a godly sorrow Mar 1. 15. for our diuelish sinnes For what can make vs truely sorrowfull for offending so good so gracious a God and carefull from the very heart to cease from sinne and to follow righteousnes if the grieuous agony and dreadfull death of our blessed Sauiour endured for our sinnes being reuealed in the 1. Pet. 4. 1. Ioh. 12. 32. Gospell cannot effect the same Verily Iohn the Baptist giuing the knowledge of saluation vnto the people for the remission of their sinnes through the tender mercy of God whereby the day spring from an high Luc. 1. 16. hath visited vs did turne many of the children of Israel vnto the Lord their God So the Apostles going out into the whole world and preaching the Gospell to euery creature did cast down holdes and imaglnations and euery high thing that was exalted against the knowledge of God and brought into captiuity 2 Cor. 10. 4. Isa 2. 2. euery thought to the obedience of Christ and so converted the whole world vnto God But as for miracles the holy liues and comfortable deathes of the dearest seruants of God the Lord 's temporall blessings and corrections the wisdome of the Law of God and the best reason of the naturall man all and euery of these may bee as good preparatiues to cause vs more readily to receiue the Physicke of our soules but the instructions of the wholesome doctrines of the Gospell of Christ are the only right Physicke and the most soueraigne confections that are able to recouer our spirituall health and life For if we liue an holy and an heauenly Ier. 46. 1. Gal. 2. 20. life we liue so by the faith of the sonne of God who hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs the which faith is wrought by the Gospell The former may be some impellent occasions to induce such as are not yet effectually called to giue an attentiue eare to the most wholesome doctrines of the Gospell of Christ and to moue such as are effectually called already to hearken more readily and reuerently then before they haue done But they are no helpes to the
was impossible Secondly he proveth it by the testimony of those that saw and handled his wounds that were made in his body both before and after his death Thirdly he proueth it by the effect of Christs sufferings and death which was a full satisfaction for sinne and an abolishing of death and therefore an introduction of a Resurrection For â—…dent that holy Scripture giuen by diuine inspiration is able by such sufficient arguments and reasons in all the mysteries of piety and godlinesse to teach truth and to convince errour 2 Tim. 3. 15. that the man of God may be made thereby wise to saluation by faith in Christ that is that the sincere and sound Christian the true seruant of God may obtaine a wise faith and so may be saued Yea that a professor of any Religion should voluntarily confesse that the points of his profession cannot be iustified by reason but must be taken for truthes without such proofes as be without exception argueth a foolish and a blinde sophister rather then a wise and a sound discourser for to require and begge that things most controversed and wholly doubted of should be allowed of by the adversary and taken Petitio principij for vndoubted truthes is no better then to vse a grosse sophisticall fallacy It is reported prophane Gallen thus to haue censured our great Prophet Moses This man saith many things but proueth nothing As the Atheists of these our last and worst times haue beene bold to auouch that our Christian Faith is voide of all wisedome and reason For so they auouch that Ratio suadet fides fallet credere quam fidere prudens mallet But the truth is that there is more sound waighty reason in the very three first Chapters of the first booke of Moses then in all Gallen's large volumnes as there is more true wisedome and reason in the doctrines of the Christian Faith set downe in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles then all the Atheists yea then all the very wisest men in the whole world are able to apprehend So that we may most truely auouch of our Christian Faith Ratio suadet fides compellet fidere quam vivere prudens vellet Sound reason doth perswade but true Faith will compell To such as hold faith fast lost life for it is well As it is euident in many thousand Martyres who by the most powerfull and prevailing reasons of the Gospell being setled in the Faith willingly endured the losse of their temporall goods and liues in defence of their holy and Christian profession Wherefore to conclude this quaestion seeing whatsoeuer things were written afore-time were written for our learning Rom. 15. 4. Deut. 29. 29. and are reuealed for vs and for our children for euer all wise hearted Christians may hence learne not onely to search out the bare and naked Doctrines of faith and godlinesse but also the reasons whereon they are grounded For they must not be still babes feeding vpon milke and standing in need to be Heb. 5. 12. taught the principles of the Catechisme but they must desire to be able to receiue meate meete for men and to digest strong foode They must not be still as Lambes wading in Ezek 47. 5. Psa 119. 129. the shallow places of the Riuer of the water of Life but they must be as Elephants endeauouring to diue into the deepest profundities thereof that so they may be rauished with the wonders of Gods Law For we may see an end of all perfection but the Lords Commandements are exceeding large For albeit we happily may so fully apprehend the learned discourses that be made by humane Authors that we may write nil ultra there is nothing in them that we haue not found out yet when we haue laboured to the vttermost of our power and that all the dayes of our liues to finde out the right sense of euery sentence of holy Scripture we may sit downe in the ende and write plus ultra that is that there is a farre deeper Ps 119. 96. profundity therein then the short Cables of our weake wits are any way able to reach to the bottome thereof Yea if it were possible that we had gained so much knowledge as the Apostle had which was rapt vp into the third heauen Phil. 3. 8. yet if we will follow him we must labour still to know Christ and the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions that thereby we may be more and more conformable vnto his death For vnto the fulnesse thereof we haue not as yet attained neither are we already perfect And therefore we must after a sort forget that which is past and endeauour our selues to that which is before follow hard towards the marke that at the last euen in the last end of our liues wee may apprehend that for whose sake we our selues were apprehended of Christ Iesus And thus haue we deliuered the means whereby Faith is begotten and confirmed now we are to proceed to the definition and description thereof CHAP. IIII. Saving Faith is Diuine wisedome or a certaine knowledge and a setled assent and adhaerence to all Diuine verities necessary to saluation and especially to the covenant of grace as to the meanes of our highest happinesse and our chiefest good FAith saith the Apostle is the full assurance of our vnderstanding Col. 2. 2. and knowledge in the mysterie of God euen the Father and of Christ which bringeth with it all spirituall riches and therefore causeth the faithfull to esteeme of it as of the meanes of their highest happinesse and chiefest good And againe Faith is such an excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus our Lord that maketh the faithfull to esteeme all other things as dung in respect thereof which giueth them such an assurance of their iustification glorification through Christ Phil. 3. 8. that the high price thereof is the marke that they aime at in all their indeauours This pretious Faith as Saint Peter calleth it hath two 2 Pet. 1. 1. singular effects issuing out of the same which are sanctification began in this life and an assurance of a full glorification in the life to come The which because they are the certaine signes and markes of a true faith therefore the Apostle in diuers places doth describe it by the same True Faith saith the Apostle is a gift proper to Gods Elect consisting in such Tit. 1. 1. a knowledge of the truth which is according to godlinesse And that we may know by what diuine truth in particular faith breedeth godlinesse the Apostle hath set it downe elsewhere saying We all behold as in a mirrour the glory of the 2 Cor. 3. 18. Lord with open face and are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord. We all saith he that are indued with the eye of faith behold in Christ the mirrour and miracle of the Lords matchlesse
not mistake herein it is manifest by the testimony of God himselfe set downe by the Prophet Ieremie in most direct words to that purpose I will Ier. 32. 40. saith the Lord make an euerlasting Couenant with them meaning his faithfull ones vnder the time of grace that I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me So then now vnder the Couenant of grace diuine grace is not so offered to the faithfull that they may either chuse or refuse it if they will but thereby they are made both willing to receiue it at the first and resolute also to perseuere therein constantly euen to the end and therefore by the Spirit of God they are called trees which shall not cease from yeelding fruit Ier. 17. 8. Whereby it is manifest that grace lightning the vnderstanding with a true faith doth sanctifie the will with all other vertues and establish it also with constancy and perseuerance Wherefore a well-grounded knowledge of the mysteries of godlinesse diuine wisdome and sauing faith doe neuer goe alone but take their traine with them and are alwaies accompanied with all other diuine and heauenly vertues And thus much concerning the necessary combination of sauing faith with all other diuine vertues Now it remaineth that we make manifest what comfortable assurance of Gods fauour and loue faith also giueth to all that truly beleeue CHAP. IIII. The diuine doctrine of the Christian faith doth giue to the sincere imbracers thereof a sauing faith and an assurance thereby of Gods fauour and loue and of eternall happinesse and blessednesse THat which all erronious professions doe promise that the Gospell of Christ doth performe euen a sure faith and a faithfull assurance of the fauour and loue of God and of eternall happinesse and blessednesse For herein is reuealed the Couenant of grace grounded vpon a strong foundation euen vpon him that is Immanuell God with vs a most powerfull Reconciler of men vnto God and a most gracious procurer of Gods fauour and loue For mans sinne being committed against the infinite maiesty of the most glorious Deity could not be done away but by an infinite satisfaction and Gods loue and euerlasting happinesse consisting therein being blessings of an inualuable worth could not haue beene purchased but by an inualuable price Now this infinite satisfaction and inualuable price could not haue beene tendred but by such an one that was true man ioyned in one person to the true God that so he might be a meet Mediatour betweene God and man And so he himselfe testifieth saying I am the way the truth Iohn 14. 6. and the life no man commeth vnto the Father but by me It is then by Christs meanes that wee beleeue in God and haue an assurance of his fauour and loue For to him God gaue after his shamefull death which he suffered for our sins a glorious resurrection as an ample testification of his full satisfaction made for them all and of his victorious conquest ouer death that so we might haue faith and hope in God Wherefore if 1 Pet. 1. 21. God hath plainly opened vnto vs the worke of our redemption and reconciliation wrought by Christ which is the foundation of the Couenant of grace wherein God offereth himselfe to be a gracious God and a louing Father to all such as imbrace it with a true faith it cannot be but if that with a true faith we apprehend this gracious Couenant we should rest thereby throughly perswaded of the Lords inestimable fauour and loue towards vs. Now that the vndoubted truth therof may euidently appeare let vs obserue these three circumstances First the time when this assurance is giuen Secondly the meanes whereby it is wrought Thirdly the witnesses that giue euidence to the certainty and infallibility thereof Now concerning the first when God by the light of the Gospel doth open our eies make vs to behold the light of his couÌ„tenance shining vnto vs in Christ Iesus and thereby doth not only informe our vnderstanding but also reforme our will and affections euen then in some measure he giueth vnto vs this comfortable assurance that he hath admitted vs among the number of his children and hath matriculated vs into the Vniuersity of his Saints and hath entred our names into his booke of life For that which our blessed Sauiour auouched of Zacheus when he willingly receiued by loue Christs person into his house and his doctrine by faith into his heart This day is saluation come to this house for as much as this man is become Luke 19. 9. the sonne of Abraham that is to be auerred of all persons whatsoeuer that readily imbrace the faith that was in Abraham seeing all such as haue their hearts purged by faith are Rom. 4 12. Gal. 3. 26. 2 Tim. 2. 21. vndoubtedly thereby made the sonnes of God and vessels of honour sanctified and meet for the Lord. Now saith Saint Iohn we are the sonnes of God euen as many as by an 1 Iohn 3. 2. effectuall calling are brought to a wise and vnderstanding faith and to an holy and vpright life So Saint Bernard At Bern. â—p 107. the rising of the Sunne of righteousnesse at our iustification that is when we are made inberently iust and righteous for so he taketh the word in this place the secret that was hidden from the beginning concerning those that are predestinate and shall be blessed beginneth to appeare out of the depth of eternity whilest a man called by the feare of God and framed to righteousnesse by loue presumeth that he is of the number of the blessed knowing that whom he hath iustified them also he hath glorified In the which very place that we may come to our second circumstance Saint Bernard aduiseth the person that is made an holy and iust man to take for the opener of this mystery of his saluation the Spirit making him righteous and iust and thereby testifying to his spirit that he is the child of God For saith he who is a iust man but he that being beloued of God loueth him againe Which commeth not to passe but by the Spirit of God reuealing by saith the eternall promise of God for his saluation to come the which reuelation that is the ground or meanes of the which reuelation is nothing else but the infusion of spirituall grace by the which the deedes of the flesh are mortified and the man that hath it is prepared to the kingdome of heauen together receiuing by one spirit that whereby he may presume that he is beloued and loueth againe So then when the Apostle auoucheth that the Spirit of God beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the children Rom. 8. 16. of God that he doth saith Saint Bernard by nothing else but by the infusion of spirituall grace whereby the deedes of the flesh are mortified and the man of God is
is commended for good ground as well as that which brought forth a great deale more And the seruant Matth. 25. 23. that gained two talents is praised by his master as well as he that gained fiue For God will not despise the day of small Zach. 4. 10. things neither will our meeke and milde Sauiour Christ break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax Matth. 12. 20. Moreouer when the Lord doth promise that he will be a gracious God to all that beleeue repent and returne vnto him loue him and feare him and walke in his waies he doth not respect the perfection of these graces nor the worth of the workes that proceed from them but these promises are all founded vpon the worthinesse of Christ who is the foundation Act. 3. 26. Gal 3. 18. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Ephes 1. 6. of the Couenant and vpon the perfection and merit of his obedience For all the promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen And all the faithfull are accepted in him as all their diuine graces and fruitfull workes are spirituall sacrifices well pleasing to God by the sweet odour of the sacrifice 1 Pet. 2. 5. Apocal. 8. 3. of Christ The small measure then of faith and of all other graces of sanctification ought not to discourage the faithfull nor yet their sins of ignorance and infirmitie seeing the sacrifices Leuit. 4 2. Numb 15. 24. vnder the Law appointed by God himselfe being shaddowes of the sacrifice of Christ do assure them that they shall be fully pardoned by the perfection merit of the sacrifice of Christ Yea if any one truly repent and be heartily sorry for his sinnes that haue beene willingly and wittingly committed yet there is a sacrifice of expiation and reconciliation appointed Leuit. 6. 1. Ezech. 18. 22. euen for all such sinnes and a promise of pardon to all such sinners For as no sinne is veniall if it continually please so no sinne is mortall if it heartily displease And albeit sinne remaine in the faithfull as long as they liue yet if godly sorrow woundeth it a godly death shall vtterly destroy it And if in any one sinne be deadly wounded and at the last vtterly destroyed how can it worke such a persons destruction Now albeit the faithfull many times fall yet they neuer vtterly fall away seeing the Lord ordereth a good mans going and Psal 37. 24. maketh his way acceptable to himselfe so that though he fall yet he shall not be cast away seeing the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand For God hath bound himselfe vnder the Couenant of grace that he will not leaue his faithfull seruants to stand or fall at their owne choice but that hee will stablish their wils by his grace that they shall neuer will and resolue to continue perpetually in sinne and vtterly to fall away from God as it is deliuered by the Prophet Ieremy Ier. 32. 40. Now whether this assurance be the forme or the effect of a true faith we need not to be too peremptory herein vndoubtedly the Apostle seemeth to set it downe as an effect of faith By Christ saith he we haue boldnesse and entrance with confidence Ephes 3. 12. by faith in him By faith then we haue boldnesse to come vnto God as to a louing and a gracious Father and haue confidence in him that he will assist and aide vs in all our necessities saith then breedeth boldnesse and confidence but it is nomore the one then the other seeing it is the mother of them both Verily there is a trust or a confidence whereby a faithfull man doth vndoubtedly beleeue and is confident that GOD is a gracious God to all that beleeue and embrace the Couenant of Grace repent loue and feare God and walke in his Lawes and Commandements be they Iew or Gentile Male or Female Bond or Free and this confidence is the very forme of faith if it be not altogether one with it But that trust and confidence whereby a faithfull man is perswaded that God is to him in particular a gracious God and a louing Father in Christ arising vpon the action of the soule reflected vpon it selfe and vpon it's owne spirituall estate and taking notice of all the Diuine graces of the Spirit wherewithall it is endued is not faith but an effect thereof euen an habit or rather an act of a sanctified conscience lightned with a true faith as our most Reuerend Diocesan now a Citizen with the Saints in Heauen hath auouched in the second part of his Defence against Dr Bishop fol. 269. and Reuerend Mr. Perkins in his Treatise of Conscience The summe of whose doctrine is comprehended in this Syllogisme If whosoeuer beleeueth repenteth loueth and feareth God and hath a sincere care to walke in all his commandements is most assuredly in Gods loue and shall vndoubtedly be saued then whosoeuer knoweth assuredly that he beleeueth repenteth loueth and feareth God and hath a sincere care to walke in all his Commandements knoweth assuredly thereby that he is in Gods loue and that vndoubtedly he shall be saued But I know saith euery sincere and faithfull Christian by the act of mine owne conscience reflected vpon my selfe that I beleeue repent loue and feare God and haue a sincere care to walke in all his Commandements Therefore I know assuredly that I am in Gods loue and shall vndoubtedly be saued Now to giue a sure and a certaine assent to the maior proposition grounded vpon the vndoubted truth of Gods promises made to all the faithfull in Christ Iesus and to be confident of the infallibilitie thereof is of the very essence substance of faith but to assume the minor proposition and thereupon to inferre the conclusion is an act of a sanctified conscience lightned with a true faith The Church of Rome commendeth doubtfulnesse of saluation as a propertie beseeming Christian humilitie and feare and condemneth the infallible assurance thereof of haereticall security and presumption And yet this Church assiâ—eth her followers that will submit themselues to be guided by her Canons that thereby they shall be brought into fauour with God and so vndoubtedly be made happy and blessed That so we may know that she is Babel the Mother of confusion for that she doth by the contrariety of her actions and positions ouer-throw her owne principall grounds A Romish Catholicke must liue in feare and suspence of the full pardon of his sinnes by faith in Christs bloud and yet if he receiue absolution from a Romish Priest or a Pardon from the Pope he must rest assured thereof A Romish Catholicke must not rest assured of his iustification and saluation by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto him by the free and vndeserued grace and mercy of God but if he be carefull to fulfill the Law of God and the rules of their religious orders hee shall rest assured that he hath not onely merited his owne iustification saluation
seeing they haue turned the Bread into the Body of Christ and are able to offer him vp in their Masse as a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of quicke and dead the which thing cannot be but much auaileable to themselues which are sure to be well payed for their paynes QVEST. XVII Concupiscence is sinne euen in the Regenerate themselues Why is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne So the Apostle By sinne death entred into the world and Lam. 3. 37. Rom. 5. 12. therefore all sickenesse and other miseries that lead thereunto Vnto the which seeing euen sanctified Infants which haue receiued the Sacrament of regeneration and are free from all actuall sinne are subiect therefore concupiscence in sanctified infants is sinne vnlesse we will lay to the charge of the most righteous Iudge of the whole world that he punisheth such persons that are without all fault Yea whereas infants giue no consent to their naturall corruptions and yet are punished for them therefore concupiscence is sinne albeit consent is not giuen to it See S. Aug. Serm. de Temp. 45. QVEST. XVIII Faith repentance and loue with all holy workes proceeding from them doe not deserue any thing at all at Gods hands but make the faithfull endebted to God for the same If Abraham saith the Apostle were iustified by workes hee Rom. 4. 2. hath wherein to reioyce but not before God For gifts and benefits doe not make the doner any whit endebted to the receiuer but they deserue at the hands of the receiuer and make him endebted vnto the doner But faith repentance and loue Phil. 1. 29. and all holy workes proceeding from them are the free gifts and blessings of God wrought in them by the operation of 1 Cor. 12. 11. the holy Ghost and therefore are called the fruits of the Gal. 5. 22. Spirit Wherefore hereby the faithfull deserue nothing at Gods hand but are made the more indebted to God So reasoneth Saint Bernard None by good workes can deserue eternall life Bern. Ser. 1. de 〈◊〉 at Gods hands seeing all the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be reuealed albeit one person could indure them all The merits of men are not such as vnto the which eternall life is by iustice due and that God should doe wrong to them if he did not reward them there with For that I may not let passe that all merits are Gods gifts and that man is thereby rather made a debter to God then God to man what are all merits being compared to so great glory And therefore Dauid cryed out Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified QVEST. XIX The workes of God reuealed in the Scriptures doe manifestly declare them to be the word of God especially the worke of regeneration wrought by the Diuine and powerfull doctrines thereof in the hearts of all such as faithfully and sincerely embrace the same and therefore they are not to be receiued as such onely vpon the testimony of the Church Knowne vnto God are all his workes from the beginning Act. 15. 18. 1 Cor. 2. 11. of the world and to none other besides himselfe and therefore he onely is able to reueale them Wherefore seeing the works of the creation redemption and Sanctification which are the most gracious and glorious workes of God are plainely reuealed in the bookes of the Holy Scriptures therefore the doctrines of the holy bookes are faithfully to be embraced as vndoubtedly proceeding from diuine reuelation And verily who could so distinctly and particularly set downe the manner of the creation of man and of all the rest of the creatures but he that hauing the fulnesse of being in himselfe could giue such a manner and measure of being to them all as should manifest his great power wisedome and goodnesse towards man for whose sake principally the world was made And who could lay open the fall of man from his estate of holinesse and happinesse wherein he was created and the manner thereof but he onely from whose obedience albeit man could depart yet he could not depart from his presence nor so much as dazle his sharpe and cleare eyes albeit he could cleane put out his owne but who could open a meanes of mans recouery from this his miserable and wretched estate whereinto he is fallen by his owne folly but he that was onely able to worke his recouery It is euident that sinne being an offence committed against the infinite Maiesty of the most glorious Deity requireth a satisfaction no lesse then infinite Now who could so much as imagine that God being so grieuously prouoked and so highly offended with man should send his owne Sonne to become man that in mans nature he might suffer death for mans deliuery from death and condemnation For doubtlesse one will scarce die for a righteous man for a good Rom. 5. 7. man it may be that one dare dye that then such a person who when he was in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God should die for such persons as were not onely neither righteous nor good but aboue measure vnrighteous and euill and that he should die such a death as proceeded from the intollerable wrath of so highly incensed a God against most execrable and cursed sinnes Who hath beleeued our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed Isay 53. 1. Surely the Gospell wherein this worke is reuealed is Diuine and supernaturall exceeding all humane and naturall apprehension and could not be reuealed but by him that could worke beyond the power of nature The which thing doth more euidently appeare hereby in that wheresoeuer it is plainely reuealed and sincerely imbraced it doth deliuer all such from the most grieuous bondage of sinne and Satan and doth most effectually bring them backe againe vnto God For as Lactantius saith Let humane wisedome stretch it selfe to the vttermost yet it can but cause men to couer their sinnes it cannot enable them to cast them out whereas the Gospell which is the Law of the Spirit of Life not onely freed Saint Paul from the Law of sinne and death but also conuerted Rom. 8. 2. the world and that in short time from infidelity to faith from sinne to righteousnesse from Satan to God albeit it was most mightily resisted not onely with all the wisedome and learning but also with all the power and authority of all the wisest and greatest men of the world and therefore it cannot be denyed but that it is the most mighty and powerfull word of the most mighty and powerfull God The heauens declare themselues to be the workes of God in that they cause the earth which is so bare and barren at Winter to be cloathed in Summer with all manner of hearbes flowers and graine and to abound with all variety of fruit and doth not the doctrine
the persons by the doctrine Yea they should be so fully grounded setled in the truth that if their teachers and instructers would disswade them from it they should not hearken vnto them nay if an Angel from heauen should preach Gal. 1. 8. vnto them another Gospell they should hold him accursed QVEST. XXVI Kneeling is the fittest gesture of the body at the reuerent receiuing of the holy Communion Kneeling is the fittest gesture of a faithfull and humble Christian when he offereth vp his prayers to God especially when he requesteth at Gods hands his greatest blessings But at the receiuing of the holy Communion euery faithfull and humble Christian ioyneth with the Minister when he prayeth saying The Body of our Lord Iesus Christ that was giuen for thee preserue thy body and soule to euerlasting life therefore he ought to doe the same most humbly kneeling vpon his knees Moreouer whereas our blessed Sauiour by the mouth of his Minister commandeth euery faithfull Communicant to take and eate his body seeing euery Commandement of the Lord ought to be turned into a Prayer when we goe about to put the Commandement in execution that the Lord by his Spirit would vouchsafe to enable vs to performe the same so that we may doe that which is acceptable in his sight we ought all of vs also turne this Commandement into a prayer to make this prayer in a most suppliant humble manner to the Lord. QVEST. XXVII Holinesse doth not consist in vowing to abstaine from riches meates and marriage but in the lawfull and holy vse of them all All the creatures and ordinances of God are good and are created and ordayned for the good of man and therfore ought holily to be vsed and not refused as they may do vs any good So reasoneth the Apostle Euery creature of God is good and nothing ought to be refused if it be receiued with thankesgiuing for 1 Tim. 4. 4. it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer Then in their due time and holy vse all kind of food riches and marriage are lawfull and good and to bind our selues from the holy vse of them is not lawful much lesse doth it possesse the superstitious Votary with some singular holinesse aboue other or aduance him to the highest degree of the greatest perfection QVEST. XXVIII The Body of Christ is at one time but in one place The diuine and humane nature of Christ with their inseperable and incommunicable properties and attributes albeit they be vnited by personall vnion remaine still in him diuers and distinct without confusion or abolition as the Church long since hath made it manifest against the damnable heresie of cursed Eutyches For if the humane nature of Christ be indued with the proprieties of the diuine as with omnipotency omniscience or with the hability to be present in all or in many places at one time then doth it become the very diuine essence it selfe seeing nothing is accidentall in God but essentiall But the humane nature of Christ cannot be changed into his diuine and therefore it cannot be omnipotent omniscient or present in all or in many places at one time Christ could not be Saint Austin saith concerning his bodily presence Aug. cont Faustum l. 20. c. 11. Cyrill in Ioh. l. 11 c. 3. Vigil cont â—utychem at one time in the Sunne and in the Moone and on the Crosse So Cyrill Christ could not be conuersant with his Apostles after that he had once ascended So Vigilius writing against Eutyches The flesh of Christ when it was on earth was not in heauen and now because it is in heauen certainely it is not on earth Yea so farre it is from being on earth that we looke for Christ after the flesh to come from heauen whom as he is God the Word we beleeue to be with vs on earth but by your opinion saith he to Eutyches either the word is comprehended in a place as well as the flesh or the flesh is euery where together with the word seeing that one nature doth not receiue any contrary or different estate Now to be contained in a place and to be present in euery place be things diuers and very dislike And therefore for so much as the word is euery where the flesh of Christ is not euery where it is cleare that one and the selfe-same Christ is of both natures that is euery where according to the nature of his Diuinity and contayned in a place according to the nature of his humanity This is the Catholike faith and confession which the Apostles deliuered the Martyres confirmed and the faithfull persist in to this day Wherefore the Church of Rome hath made an Apostacy from the Catholicke faith in that shee teacheth that the flesh of Christ is both together in heauen and on earth and not contayned in one certaine place but is in all places wheresoeuer the Eucharist is administred albeit it be administred in innumerable places at one time QVEST. XXIX Christs Body and Bloud ought not and in truth cannot be often offered vp to God by the Masse-Priests as a propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and the dead The often offering of the same sacrifice doth argue the imperfection thereof as the Apostle saith As the doing againe again of one the selfesame worke doth shew that it was vnsufficiently done at the beginning For no wise man will goe about to do the same work the second time which was sufficiently yea perfectly done at the first lest it be said vnto him Act not that which is acted already No wise stage-player will atteÌ„pt Noli actum agere to come vpoÌ„ the stage where Roscius is to act the same Enterlude that he acteth As no Historiographer of any iudgement will take vpon him to write that selfe-same History that Livy Caesar or Salust haue already written And shall then euery Masse-Priest be so presumptuous as to take vpon him to offer vp Christ as a propitiatory sacrifice for the sinnes of quicke and dead where as that one oblation of Christ made once by himselfe was so sufficient and perfect that thereby he brought in eternall redemption and made perfect for euer them Heb. 7. 25. 10. 14. that are sanctified What will they put our deare Sauiour to death againe and shed his bloud surely this they must doe if in their Masse they will offer him vp a propitiatory sacrifice for sinne seeing that cannot be performed wâ—thout a blouâ—y death For iustice cannot be satisfied for sinne vnlesse that which is due be rendred thereto But the wages and hire due to sinne is death The Rom. 6. 19. which is so euident and vndoubted a truth that the Apostle is bold to auouch that if our Sauiour himselfe should haue often offered himselfe to God as an expiatory sacrifice for sinne hee Heb. 9. 26. should haue often suffered and dyed But our blessed Sauiour dyed but once neither needeth he
is applied to a most wicked and vngodly vse be thereby sanctified and not grieously prophaned QVEST. XLIV The sinnes of the faithfull shall not after death be punished in the fire of Purgatory A true friend that howsoeuer he endanger himselfe will Arguments drawne from the greater proportion of reason to the lesse stead his deare friend that relieth vpon him in his great extremity will not faile him in a case of lesse danger Neither will our Sauiour Christ the fastest friend to his faithfull ones that possiby can be hauing by his owne death deliuered theÌ„ froÌ„ the euerlasting torments of hell fire suffer them to be tormented in the fire of Purgatory if there were any such fire Neither will God that for Christs sake doth freely pardon his faithfull the summe of 10000. talents cast them into a most horrible dungeon for the small debt of an 100. pence Vndoubtedly he that freely pardoneth them their sinnes which are the greater euils will not retaine the punishment which is the lesse And what manner of pardoning were this to forgiue the fault but not to remit the punishment Yea what manner of iustice were this to punish where there is no fault but a fault pardoned is no fault Wherefore seeing our most mercifull God in Rom. 3. 25. 1 Ioh. 1. 9. Christ doth presently in this life giue to all faithfull and penitent sinners the free remission of all their sinnes for Christs sake vndoubtedly after their deaths he will not punish them in the fire of Purgatory QVEST. XLV The Sacraments doe not conferre grace by the worke wrought vnlesse their vses be vnderstood The word of GOD is a more principall instrument of grace then the Sacraments are For otherwise our most wise and holy Sauiour while he conuersed in this world would not haue wholly omitted the administration of Baptisme and Ioh. 4. 2. Luke 4. 16. 43. 1 Cor. 1. 17. haue giuen himselfe continually to the preaching of the word and testified also that he was sent for the dispatch of that businesse Neither would he haue sent forth his Apostles not so much to Baptise as to preach the Gospell vnlesse the preaching of the word had been the principall worke best befitting his principall Ministers Neither would the Apostle Saint Peter after that he himselfe had so effectually preached to Cornelius Act. 10. 42. and his company that the Holy Ghost fell on all that heard the word haue commanded them to be baptized and that in all likelihood by some inferiour Minister in the name of the Lord but would haue baptized them himselfe And verily the Sacraments were added to the word for the further strengthening of the weake faith of the Beleeuers and not for the confirming of the authority of the word seeing from it they receiue their power and efficacy when their right vse is made knowen thereby For how commeth it to passe that the water in Baptisme toucheth the body and cleanseth the soule but by the working of the word Neither are the Sacraments so forcible instruments to bring Christ to vs as the word is The Gospell saith Saint Hierome is the Body of Christ and Hieron in Psal 147. these words of our Sauiour Except yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of Man and drinke his Bloud yee shall haue no life in you may be more rightly vnderstood of the receiuing of Christ in the Word then in the Sacraments And verily how was the whole world perswaded to imbrace Christ by the preaching of the Gospell or by the administration of the Sacraments The truth is that our most louing and gracious God by his Euangelicall couenant made with Abraham the Father of the faithfull and in him with all his spirituall seed doth giue vnto them Christ Iesus their Sauiour and in him eternall life and blessednesse and doth open and manifest the same by causing this his graunt to be set downe in the Gospell written in the bookes of the Old and New Testament as in the authenticall euidences thereof and to be sealed by the Sacraments as by his owne seales the which he hath ordained to be deliuered to his people as his owne deedes by the hands of his faithfull and painfull Ministers Now which is the chiefe instrument to ratifie vnto the faithfull this gracious graunt the deeds and euidences themselues or the seales annexed thereto that is the Word or the Sacraments Vndoubtedly the Word seeing without the graunt written the seale added to a blancke is nothing worth And yet the word it selfe doth not profite vnlesse it be mixed with faith the true sense thereof being rightly Heb. 4. 2. apprehended and a setled assent yeelded thereto and so neither can the Sacraments profit vnlesse the vse of them be rightly 1 Cor. 11. 29. apprehended and discerned by a true saith Moreouer heere also we may perceiue who in the execution of their Ecclesiasticall function come nearer to Christ and to his Apostles whether the Ministers of the Gospell in their painfull preaching or the Popish Priests in their continuall saying of Masse QVEST. XLVI No Images are to be worshipped with diuine worship If any images and representations of God are to be worshipped with diuine worship then the best and truest images of God euen such as were framed by God himselfe were so to be worshipped but men which are the best and truest images and representations of God made and framed by God Gen. 1. 26. himselfe are not to be worshipped with diuine worship much lesse any images of God made by man The Church of Rome maketh images of three faces to represent thereby the glorious Trinity but the Apostle teacheth that we which are the generation of God viz. in our soules rather then in our bodies Act. 17. 29. ought not to thinke that the Godhead is like to gold or siluer or stone grauen by the art or inuâ—ntion of Man Wherefore the Church of Rome which worshippeth such Images doth not therin so much as worship the Image of God but the inuentioÌ„ and fiction of her owne braine Now if the Images of God are not to be worshipped with Diuine worship much lesse the Images of any men Nay if holy men themselues may not be worshipped with Diuine worship much lesse may their Images and Pictures be QVEST. XLVII The word of God is not to be read vnto people in an vnknowne tongue Such as in the Primitiue Church vttered Diuine Mysteries in strange tongues which were giuen them by the miraculous working of the Holy Ghost were commanded by the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. 28. to be silent in the Church vnlesse the meaning of the words were presently expounded that so the hearers might receiue instruction and edification thereby much more now such are to be silenced in the Church which vtter Diuine mysteries in an vnknowne tongue which they haue not receiued by the miraculous gift of the Holy Ghost where there is no exposition thereof QVEST. XLVIII In all matters