him he affected also to be equal unto God in Majesty Gen. 3.5 Ye shall be as Gods 2. Unthankfulness for that variety and plenty of all other creatures freely given for their use 3. Foul Apostasy from God to the devil Gods enemy 4. Unbelief the ground of all the rest in despising the Promise and Commandment of God giving credit to the devil who charged God with untruth malice and envy of their good v. 4.5 And therefore this sin is not to be weighed by an apple or measured by the excess of natural appetite 2. Original sin is so called because it takes beginning from our very beginning birth and conception so that we are sinners so soon as we are or begin to be according to that confession of holy David Psal 51.7 I was shapen in wickednes and in sin hath my mother conceived me This Original or birth-sin is propagated over all mankind and that two ways according to the two parts of it sc the guilt of Adams transgression and the corruption of nature the first is propagated by imputation Rom. 5.19 By one mans disobedience many were made sinners And v. 18. By the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation And v. 15. By the offence of one many be dead For being all in Adams loins we sinned in him even as Levi being in Abrahams loins payed tythes c. Heb. 7.9 The second comes by generation whereon the first by imputation also is grounded For Adam was the common stock root of al mankind and could not derive unto us who are the branches any better sap or quality then he had himself the streams cannot be sweet if the spring be bitter or pure if that be unclean Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean truly no man This Original corruption consists 1. In a disability and aversness to all that is good 2. In a proneness to all manner of evil Rom. 7.14 et seq The parts affected with it are indeed all the parts and powers of body and soul the understanding darkned 1 Cor. 2.14 the conscience benummed Ephes 4.19 the will enthralled Rom. 7.23 affections disordered James 4.1 2. all the members of the body made Instruments of sin Rom. 3.13 14 15. 6.19 And so it is said of Adam though himself were created in the Image of God yet after his fall that he begat a son in his own likeness i. corrupt like himself the Image of God being defaced Gen. 5.3 It is clear then that there is original sin i. an haereditary guilt and corruption that comes to us from our parents by natural generation both by plain testimonies of Scripture and also by experience in Infants For although they have not sinned after the likeness of Adams transgression Rom. 5.14 i. actually yet seeing death which is the punishment of sin hath passed upon infants as well as men it is evident that they are born in sin for where there is no sin there can be no punishment due Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entered into the world and death by sin Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death Ephes 2.1 3. We are dead in sin and by nature children of wrath John 3.3 6. Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God For that which is born of the flesh is flesh If we were not corrupted with sin in the first birth there would not be such necessity of a second a man in his natural birth is nothing but flesh and that this natural corruption remains stil in the regenerate and is properly sin see Rom 7.14 et seq Gal. 5.17 CHAP. VI. Of Freewill Truth SInce this lamentable fall of our first parents and by means of the same the nature of man is so wholy corrupted and the whole race of mankind brought into that miserable bondage under sin that no man is able by any natural power in himself to beleeve in God or turn unto him to will or think much less do any thing that is good and acceptable in the sight of God Errours Adversaries to this doctrine were of old certain Philosophers out of whose schools crept the doctrine of Freewill taught first by Pelagius and now followed by the Anabaptists Arminians Socinians Papists c. who say That natural men have a power and freedom of will to choose do those things that God commands and to omit or refuse those things that he forbids for otherwise say they God gave his Law in vain in vain also are all counsels exhortations precepts promises and threatenings rewards and punishments neither can a man be justly punisht for not doing those duties that are impossible for him or he not able to perform That our Freewil was not lost in the fall but only weakened that we are but half dead and have some life and power still left in us to stir up our selves that grace is only an help to weak nature and the like Although by the fal of our first parents Antidote the Image of God was defaced and our nature corrupted yet man remains still a creature reasonable and capable of grace having the same parts and faculties that he had before and in them some reliques of Gods image in the understanding some light and knowledg of God and some notions of good and evil in the will a liberty in natural and civil actions and in all things a freedom from compulsion But there is a fourfold estate or condition of man 1. Of Creation 2. Of Corruption 3. Of Renovation 4. Of Glorification All the question is about the second what power a man in this condition hath to convert himself or to do good and it is resolved according to the Scriptures that man by nature hath no power at all to do good or turn himself to God For 2 Cor. 3.5 We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Eph. 2.1 We are by nature dead in sin as unable to turn our selves unto God as a dead man to raise himself to life Joh. 15.5 Saith our Saviour Without me ye can do nothing Joh. 6.44 No man can come unto me except the Father draw him Joh. 6.29 This is the work of God that ye beleeve c. Mat. 16.17 Flesh and blood cannot reveal Christ unto us c. Concil Arausic cap. 19. If man could not retain without the grace of God what he had received how shall he recover without the same what he hath lost Ambros lib. 1. de vocat gent. Never let a man trust his own strength now it is broken that could not support him when it was sound and fresh about him Bern. de gra lib. arb It were better we had never bâ—en then to be at the disposing of our own will It is our own will that makes us the devils slaves
not his power it is Gods grace that makes us his servants not our own will More testimonies might be brought but whom these few will not suffice thousands more will never satisfie Cui pauca non sufficiunt plura non proderunt Concil Arausic cap. 25. Object But if it be so God may seem unjust to require that of us in his Law that we are not able to perform Sol. Not at all for in our first Creation God gave us sufficient abilities which we lost by our own voluntary fault according to that Eccles 7. God made man upright but they have found out many inventions It is not unreasonable then or unjust with God to require his own of us again though we have prodigally lost or mispent it Object If man hath no power in himself to do good to what end then are exhortations admonitions precepts promises or any preaching Sol. They are not in vain but the means ordained of God to soften our hearts and bend our wills to his Will St Paul saith God worketh in us both the will and the deed and yet ceaseth not to exhort us unto both Our Saviour invites us often to come unto him and yet faith No man can come unto me except the Father draw him Ioh. 6.44 CHAP. VII Of Christ his Person Truth IN this miserable and forlorn plight the merciful God left us not to our selves hopeless and helpless but sent his Son to take our nature upon him that being perfect God and perfect man he might fully satisfie for our sins and redeem our souls from death and hell Errours The enemies of Christ are of two sorts 1. The enemies of his person 2. The enemies of his office Of the first sort were Simon Magus Cerinthus Marcion Samosatenus Arius Nestorius and such Monsters whereof some denyed his Divinity others his Humanity Some the purity of his conception others the truth of it some confounded the two Natures denying their distinction others denying their union divided the person of one making two some said he took tne body but not the soul of man others that he took an aetherial or spiritual not a true body and such like They are seconded at this day by the unbeleeving Jews Turks and all Mahometans Antitrinitarians New-Arians Anabaptists Familists Socinians particularly by Mr Paul Best and others who deny the Divinity of Christ affirming That he was but a meer man some fear not to say He was a sinful man some That he was God but not from everlasting the Son of God but not before his incarnation God by merit office or excellency of gifts not by nature and generation The Anabaptists say he brought his flesh with him from heaven and took it not of the Virgin The Familists turn the Incarnation of Christ into an Allegory holding That every one of their family is Christ and the taking in of their belief is the Incarnation Having discourse once with one of them he would not say Christ came or was come but is now come in the flesh Christ is now come in my flesh said he and now I speak Christ speaks to you So also Mr Erbury By flesh saith he is not meant the humane nut are but the coming of Christ is the manifestation of the Godhead in the flesh of Saints Antidote Against these hellish Blasphemies we oppose these heavenly Truths First That our Lord Jesus Christ is very God Isai 9.6 Vnto us a child is born c the Mighty God Rom. 9.5 of whom Christ came who is God over all blessed for ever 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifest in the flesh Rom. 1.4 Declared mightily to be the Son of God c. Secondly Christ is very man and had a true body taking flesh of the Virgin Mary therefore often called the son of man And 1 Tim. 2.5 The man Christ Jesus Isa 7.14 A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son Mat. 1.20 She was found with child by the Holy Ghost Gal. 4.4 He was made of a woman 1 John 1.1 The Word of Life which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes and our hands have handled He had a true body then his humanity was obvious enough to all the senses If Christ be not God why do you adore him It is plain Idolatry to worship Christ if he be not God Cyril Alexand Cont. Eunom The second Nicene Councel Charged Nestorius with Idolatry because he affirmed Christ was a meer man yet adored him S. Paul condemns serving the creature Rom. 1.25 and yet professeth himself Servant of Jesus Christ Rom. 1.1 Therefore Christ is no meer creature or man Ambros lib. 1. de fide ad Gratian August c. 7. Arrians then Socinians Mr. Best and the rest that deny Christ to be God and yet grant that he ought to be adored what do they differ from Turks and Pagans that worship the creature Rom. 1.22.25 Professing themselves to be wise they become fools and change the Truth of God into a lye This then is Argument enough against the Arrians Socinians c. to prove the diety of Christ because according to their own divinity he ought to be served worshipped and adored The Heathen that knew God and yet glorified him not as God Rom. 1.21 And the Arrians Socinians c. that glorifie Christ as God and yet acknowledg him not for God are a like vain in their imagination and their foolish heart is darkned CHAP. VIII Of Christ his Office Truth THe Office of Christ being God and man is to mediate between God and man and reconcile them together again God who is angry for sin and man who is guilty of sin This Office is three-fold For 1. as a Prophet he doth instruct his Church 2. As a Priest he makes satisfaction and intercession for it 3. As a King he gathers and governs it Adversaries are those that affirm 1. Errours That Christ is Mediator only in respect of his divine nature So Osiander 2. That he is Mediator in respect of his humane nature only So Stancarus And of this opinion are the Papists who most wickedly set up other Mediators also besides Christ even Saints and Angels whom they pray unto to intercede for them But the Papists are enemies to every part of his Office 1. To his Kingly Office in that they make the Pope head of the Church 2. To his Priestly Office in that they set up other Mediatours and Intercessours besides Christ and other satisfaction for sin besides that which he hath made 3. To his Prophetical Office in subjecting his holy Word to the Authority of the Church Judgment of the Pope a sinful man and equalizing traditions and humane inventions with the same Against these Errours we teach Antidote and are taught 1. That there is but one God and one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 He maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 Heb. 7.25 The Saints do not hear us or know our wants Isai 63.16
Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel doth not acknowledg us Eccles 9.5 The dead know not any thing Job 5.1 Call now if there be any that will answer and to which of the Saints wilt thou turn If Paul were a Mediatour then the rest of his fellow Apostles were so too and if there be many Mediatours then S. Paul's saying 1 Tim. 2.5 doth not hold good that there is but one Mediatour c. August lib. 2. Cont. Epist Parmen cap. 8. Christ is Mediatour according to both natures according to his humane he suffered and dyed by the power of his divine he overcame death and rose again without his humane nature he could not suffer without his Divine to give price and value to his sufferings he had not satisfied therefore it is said God purchased his Church with his own blood Acts 20.28 Both natures did work in this Office of Mediatourship each of them doing his own proper work and yet both together producing but one common effect CHAP. IX The Death of Christ. Truth THe Office of Christ as Mediatour consists of three parts whereof his Priesthood is principal and of his Priesthood that oblation he made of himself upon the Cross whereby as the only Sacrifice for sin he pacified the wrath of God and redeeming our souls from eternal death purchased for us the favouâ— of God and life everlasting Errours Adversaries to this truth are 1. Arrians and Socinians who affirm Thâ— Christ by his death did not satisfie for our sins 2. Papists who say That Christ by his death indeed satisfied for our sins and for the eternal punishment due unto us for them but for the temporal punishment we must satisfie out selves either in this life or else hereafter in purgatory 3. Arminians affirm That Christ dyed for all men as well those that perish as those that are saved for Cain and Judas as well as Abell and Peter From whence 4. Another riseth That a man whom Christ dyed for may perish The death of Christ being the consummation and total sum as it were Antidote of all his sufferings from his cradle to his grave is therefore commonly taken for the whole satisfaction that he made unto God for our sins To the Adversaries we say First That Christ by his death did satisfie for our sins Isai 53.5 8 10. His soul was made an offering for sin c. Mat. 20.28 A ransom for many 1 Cor. 5.7 A Sacrifice for us Rom. 4.25 He was delivered to death for our sins And 5.10 We were reconciled by his death 1 Pet. 2.24 He bare our sins in his own body on the tree Object But Micah 7.18 God forgives iniquity because he delights in mercy If Christ satisfie for sin how is it mercy Sol. Christs merits and Gods mercy stand and agree together very wel Christ hath satisfied and yet we are freely forgiven because God exacts nothing of us but of Christ It is free to us we payed nothing and though Christ made satisfaction yet still our sins are freely forgiven us because Christ himself for whose sake our sins are forgiven us was freely given us Secondly Christ satisfied not only for eternal but temporal punishment aso For otherwise 1. It could not stand with Christs all-sufficient Sacrifice who trod the wine-press of his Fathers wrath alone and none helped him Isai 63.3 if we must satisfie for some part our selves 2. It cannot stand with Gods mercy who forgives us freely for Christs sake 3. It cannot stand with his Justice when the fault is forgiven in exact any punishment but they confess Christ hath satisfied for the fault fully therefore in Justice there can be no punishment left for us to undergo Thirdly Christ dyed not for all but only for the elect Mat 1.21 He shall save his people John 10.15 I lay down my life for the sheep And 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world c. Fourthly A man that Christ hath dyed for can never perish John 10.15 And I give them eternal life and they shall never perish c. 1 Pet. 1.5 They are kept the Power of God unto salvation and what is able to controll that power Object But Christ is a ransom for all 1 Tim. 2.6 Dyed for every man Heb. 2.9 For the whole world 1 John 2.2 Sol. By world is meant the world of Gods Elect so it is taken John 6.33 and John 17.9 for the reprobate only By all understand all sorts and degrees of men all Countries and Nations not the whole multitude of mankind but the amplitude of grace only August Tract 45. in Joan. He spared not his own Son but delivered him for us all Rom. 8.32 For all whom for the elect as it follows v. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect â—ld Cont. Donat. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself and the son of man came not to judg the world but to save it but the world is not reconciled unto God nor saved unless by world ye understand the Church which is both reconciled and saved Id. Epist. 48. Tom. 2. The whole world lyeth in wickedness i. the tares that grow all the world over And again Christ is a propitiation for the sins of the whole world i. for the wheat that likewise grows all world over CHAP. X. Resurrection of Christ Truth CHRIST did truly rise again from death and took his body flesh and bones and all things appertaining to the perfection of mans nature wherewith he ascended into Heaven and there fitteth at Gods right hand until he return again to judgment at the end of the world Errours David George the Father of the Family affirmed That Christs body was dissolved into ashes and so rose no more as of old Apelles said It was resolved into the four Elements whereof it was at first compounded 2. The Swenkfeldians affirm That it is quite layed aside 3. The Vbiquitaries That it is every where even as his Godhead is every where 4. There be at this day who affirm That it is in the Sun an old heresie of the Manichees and Seleucians who affirmed That Christ in his ascension left his body in the Sun taking their ground for it from Psal 19.5 He set his tabernacle in the Sun as they read It is no great matter to beleeve that Christ dyed this the Jews Heathen Antidote and all wicked men beleeve but the faith of Christians is the Resurrection of Christ August in Psal 120. This one point is the very lock and key of all Christian Religion For 1 Cor. 15.14 If Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain our faith is also vain we are still in our sins But Mark 16.6 He is not here he is risen 1 Cor. 15.4 He was seen of Cephas then of the twelve then of five hundred brethren at once Acts 2.31 Neither did his flesh see corruption Mark 16.19 He was received into Heaven and sate at
There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not as is evident by the confessions and examples of holy men of God Noah Gen. 9.21 Abraham Gen. 20.2 Lot Gen. 19.33 David 2 Sam. 11. Paul Rom. 7. and Peter denyed his Master Christ Mat. 26. The Perfectists themselves have enough in themselves to convince them of their folly as pride envy malice c. being subject to sickness death c. which are the wages of sin and therefore they are not without sin Object Our Saviour exhorts us to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect Mat. 5 Sol. There is a pattern proposed unto us to imitate and follow not to match equal or overtake which cannot be As noteth the quality not equality Object 1 John 3. Whosoever is born of God sinneth not Sol. The same Apostle says If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves We sin then i. sins of infirmity and we do not sin i. we do not fall back into the service and dominion of sin finally or totally There is a perfection 1. Of degrees and stands opposed to imperfection 2. Of parts and stands opposed to hypocrisy This latter we may have i. be sincere and upright not the former i. be free from all sin defect or imperfection Many men in Scripture are called righteous just perfect not because they were without all vice but because they had many vertues Hieronym For otherwise Noah was drunk David committed Adultery c. Thirdly The righteousness whereby we are justified is inherent in Christ for us that whereby we are sanctified is inherent in our selves from Christ that is in us only by imputation this also by infusion and real Communication by that we are freed from the guilt by this from the pollution of sin that is done al at once this by degrees 2 Cor. 4.16 The inward man is renewed day by day 2 Tim. 1.6 Stir up the grace that is in thee 2 Pet. 1.6 Add to your faith vertue c. For if these things be in you c. the Righteousness then of Sanctification is subjectively in us Fourthly Our Sanctification is an evidence of our Justification Rom. 8.1 1 John 3.10 14. Gal. 5.24 2 Cor. 5.17 Lastly God doth see sin in his dearest Saints as in the example of David who also confesseth the same was punisht and prayed for pardon 2 Sam. 12.10 Psalm 51. If God did not see sin in him how did he send Nathan to reprove him for it why did he punish him for it Our Saviour teaches us to pray for pardon of sins Mat. 6.12 The Apostle 1 John 1. to confess our sins And Mat. 28. Peter wept bitterly for his sin We ought to sorrow for sin and renew our souls dayly by repentance CHAP. XV. Of the Moral Law Truth CHrist hath delivered us from the rigour and curse of the Law not from all obedience unto it but that it still remains a rule of life unto us Errours Antinomians or Adversaries to this truth because it is said We are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 And that the Law is not made for the righteous 1 Tim. 1.9 hold That the Moral Law ought to be cast quite out of the Church that we be no more troubled or our Consciences terrified with the preaching thereof but that we be gently exhorted by the preaching of the Grace of Christ That the Law and Christ are two contrary things whereof one cannot abide the other That it is of no use to a Beleever no rule for him to walk or examine his life by Antidote Christ is the end of the Law finis perficiens not interficiens August A consummating not consuming end not destroying but fulfilling the same So our Saviour himself says Mat. 5.17 19. I came not to destroy the Law or the Prophets but fulfil Whosoever therefore shall break the least of these Commandments and teach men so c. Rom. 3.31 Do we then make voyd the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing nor uncircumcision but the keeping the Commandments of God We are not under the Law but under Grace not under the Law as a Tyrant but now as a Father being freed from the curse and rigour of it not obedience unto it which we yeeld now not of compulsion or fear but love with all cheerfulness and willingness our hearts being enclined and disposed thereunto by the work of Gods Spirit 1 Joh. 5.3 This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous and so the Law unto the Regenerate becomes as it were Gospel even a Law of liberty The Use of the Law is two-fold 1. Civil to punish and restrain sin 2. Spiritual to reveal it Luther in Galat. In the first regard it is not given to the righteous because good men are a Law unto themselves Rom. 2.14 The most proper and principal Use of the Law is to reveal sin and so the Law is light not to discover grace and life this is the office of the Gospel but to discover sin and death therein as in a glass we may see our own blindness c. For our natures are so corrupt that we should not know they were corrupt but by the Law Rom. 7.7 The Law then serves to humble us and drive us unto Christ to make us know sin and so know our selves and so renounce our selves and fly unto Christ And so the Law is our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ Gal. 3. And Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that beleeves Rom. 10. because the end of the Law is perfect Righteousness which we cannot attain of our selves but by Christ who hath fulfilled the same for us And when the Law hath brought us unto Christ it goeth no farther the coactive power of it ceaseth but not the directive it is still a guide and rule of life unto us which we follow not to seek Righteousness to our selves but to testify our thankfulness unto God we endeavour to keep the Law not to justify our selves but to glorify God and edify our neighbour by our good example And therefore we are still exhorted to do the works of the Law though we shall not be justified by the same CHAP. XVI Of good works ALthough we are justified freely by the Grace of God through the redemptioâ— that is in Jesus Christ. Rom. 3. Truth yet we ought still to maintain good works 1. Out of thankfulness unto God for so great a benefit and to glorify his name 2. To assure our selves of the truth of our faith by the fruits thereof 3. To edify win and provoke others also by our good example Adversaries are 1. The Papists Errours who think good works are meritorious and so overvalue them 2 The Libertines that undervalve them and think they are repugnant and contrary unto faith that understand our liberty that
AN ANTIDOTE Against HERESY OR A Preservative for Protestants against the poyson of Papists Anabaptists Arrians Arminians c. and their pestilent Errours Shewing the Authors of those Errours their grounds and reasons the time when and occasion how they did arise with general Answers to their Arguments taken out of holy Scripture and the Ancient Fathers Written to stay the wandering and stablish the weak in these dangerous times of Apostasy By RICHARD ALLEN M. A. sometime Fellow of Penbrooke Colledge in Oxford Pro. 23.23 Buy the Truth and sell it not London Printed by John Macock and are to be sold by Nathaniel Brooks at the sign of the Angel in Cornhil TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE Lords and Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT Grace and Peace be multiplyed Right Honorable DIfferences in the Church have always caused differences in the Commonwealth and differences in the Commonwelth do commonly widen those differences in the Church Differences in Religion did cause these unhappy and unnatural Wars and these Wars have not ended but encreased them For notwithstanding the Solemn League and Covenant to extirpate all Popery Heresie Schism c. and in pursuance thereof your late pious Ordinance to stop their farther growth besides the excellent labours of many learned men yet Heresies are encreased above number like the unruly waters the more they are stopt the more they rage and swell And indeed Heresie Prophaness Barbarism and Atheism it self have always and in all places followed war as close as famine or pestilence do times of war and confusion being as fit times for the envious man to sow his tares in as times of peace sleep or security And now for composing these differences The Italians in a proverbial speech use to say that Hard to Hard never makes good stone-wall Meaning that in any difference there must be some yeelding or else there can never be any firm uniting In matters of Religion I have vâ—ntured to do something my calling thereunto engaging me with extream longings to see peace and truth settled amongst us These poor labors I humbly present unto your Honors hoping your Honors will take in good part what is intended to a good end though perhaps it may come much short of it and accept the work though small seeing the smallest stone will help to repair the greatest breach Your Honors humbly devoted RICHARD ALLEN monster that neither of the Swords yet could tame or cut off But when I heard the most horrid Blasphemies and saw the monstrous Heresies that every day new-sprang up to the high dishonor and displeasure of Almighty God the reproach of his truth saddening the hearts and dejecting the minds of his people the enemy in mean space riding in triumph and treading down all before him Setting aside all doubts and fears at last I finisht and publisht this small book partly inclined thereunto to yeeld some account of my late unpleasing leisure but chiefly for discharge of my duty and a double engagement that lay upon me 1. As a Christian being all bound as the Apostle exhorts us Jude 3. To contend earnestly for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints 2. As a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which we are bound more specially to defend and not to give place to false teachers No not for an hour that the truth of the Gospel may continue Gal. 2.5 Besides the solemn Covenant to extirpate all Heresie Schism and Prophaness and whatsoever is contrary to sound doctrine And now right worshipful I present you with it such as it is being engaged also thereunto by the many favors and kindnesses I have received of you whereof be pleased to tak this as an acknowledgment I hope it may prove some help to discover the manifold sleights and impostures of false Prophets and Deceivers that are entered into the world that privily bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them And many follow their pernicious ways but my prayers are always for you that yee may ever escape their snares Your Worships much obliged Nephew Richard Allen. A TABLE OF THE HEADS OR CHAPTERS Chap. I. OF the holy Scripture Page 1. Chap. II. Of the Blessed Trinity Page 14. Chap. III. Of the Creation Page 26. Chap. IV. Of Providence Page 29. Chap. V. Of the Fall of Man and Original Sin Page 35. Chap. VI. Of Freewil Page 40. Chap. VII Of the Person of Christ Page 44 Chap. VIII Of the Office of Christ Page 48 Chap. IX Of the Death of Christ Page 50 Chap. X. Of the Resurrection of Christ Page 54 Chap. XI Of Predestination Page 56 Chap. XII Of Vocation Page 64 Chap. XIII Of Justification Page 73 Chap. XIV Of Sanctification Page 78 Chap. XV. Of the Moral Law Page 84 Chap. XVI Of Good Works Page 87 Chap. XVII Of Death and Burial Page 90 Chap. XVIII Of the Resurrection of the flesh Page 94 Chap. XIX Of Glorification in Heaven Page 96 Chap. XX. Of Hell Page 98 Chap. XXI Of Purgatory Page 99 Chap. XXII Of Images Page 102 Chap. XXIII Of the Church Page 106 Chap. XXIV Of the Sacraments Page 115 Chap. XXV Of Baptism Page 119 Chap. XXVI Of the Lords Supper Page 126 Chap. XXVII Of Reformation Page 134 Chap. XXVIII Of Toleration Page 143 The Preface GOD never wrought miracle to convince Atheism because his ordinary works convince it For the Invisible things of him even his eternal power and Godhead are clearly seen and understood by the works of the Creation Rom. 1.20 And indeed never any people was heard of so barbarous but did acknowledg a God and though otherwise rude and voyd of all civility yet did profess and practise some Religion The very nature of man it self so far abhors direct Atheism that the Heathen made them Gods of wood and stone rather then have none at all and gave Divine Honours not to men only like themselves but even to base and vile creatures rather then be without a Religion The Devil then not able to root up this perswasion of a Deity so deeply and strongly fastened in the hearts of all men by nature from Atheism he turned to Heathenism from denying to multiplying the heavenly Deity and with a multitude of false Gods abused the world almost 4000. years But When the fulness of time was come God sent his Son a light to lighten the Gentiles who with the beams of his glorious truth so scattered this universal fog of Paganism that those lying vanities were shortly discovered mens consciences convinced of their former gross ignorance and turned from dead Idols to serve the living God And now this old Serpent is put to a new shift which the Father of lies was not long to seek of but driven from Heathenism betakes himself to Heresie for the worship of false Gods setting up false worships of the true God wherein he multiplied so exceedingly that now there are as many false worships as before were false Gods To trace this crookeâ—
of second causes wherewith they have tyed Gods hands as it were and not left him the liberty to change alter or order things at his own will and pleasure 3. Familists hold That all things are ruled and ordered by nature 4. Some place many things in our own power and freewill which they say are not subject to Providence 5. Worldlings ascribe all the good that befalls them to their own wisdom and endeavours 6. Divers imagine that Gods Providence doth not reach unto every small and trifting matter conceiving it not agreeable to his Majesty and greatness even as it is too low and base for a Prince to look into the affairs of his Kitchin Antidote That there is a Divine Providence over-seeing and over-ruling the whole world and all things therein is clear because there is a God infinite in wisdom and power which were not so if any thing came to pass by chance or fortune or could be done without him or beside his will and pleasure The whole Scriptures bear witness unto this truth and in particular Prov. 15.3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place Psal 113.6 He abaseth himself to behold things done in heaven and earth Psal 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth c. For Isai 43.13 If he work who shall hinder it 1. First God doth order and dispose all things freely according to his own good will and pleasure without the least compulsion or restraint and it pleaseth God to do many things contrary to the course of nature as when he caused the Sun to stand still at Joshua's command and go back at Hezekiah's request to shew that the order or course of nature is nothing else but a Law or Statute of his own making that he can repeal alter and change when he please and that all second causes are but several links of Divine Providence that depend one upon another and all upon God 2. Secondly Gods Providence extends to all creatures even the most base and vile Psal 104.27 All creatures wait upon him Psal 147.9 The poor Ravens as well as the stately Lions the peasant as well as the Prince Psal 82.1 God stands in the Congregation of Princes Psal 113.6 He takes the simple out of the dust and poor out of the mire Psal 146. He relieveth the oppressed and looseth the prisoner Psal 33.13 The Lord beholds all the children of men and considers all that dwell upon the earth 3. Thirdly To the most casual actions Prov. 16.33 The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposing thereof is from the Lord and what more casual then lots 4. Fourthly To the most trivial things Mat. 10.29 An hair doth not fall from our heads without his Providence and what more trivial 5. Fifthly Even wicked and sinful actions are subject to Divine Providence so that sin it self is not committed without or beside his will his most wise Providence ordering and turning it beyond the purpose or intent of the sinner to his own glory and good of his people Acts 4.28 His hand and Counsel fore-determined whatsoever was done against Christ So that God was an actor in the business as well as Judas and yet God was just and righteous Judas wicked and sinful because in all one thing which they both did there was not all one cause or end for which they did it August Epist 48. ad Vincent Object But if God have such a hand and stroke in sinful actions then he is the Authour of sin Sol. God forbid God doth not infuse any evil or malice into us but in him we live and move and such as we are such we are moved by him unless he please to alter and change our nature The earth gives sap to all trees but that some bring forth evil fruit the fault is not in the earth but in the evil quality or disposition of the trees God is an actour in â—inful actions and yet is not the Authour of sin for all that God hates sin whereof if he were the Author how then shall he be the Judg How shall he take vengeance Rom. 3.5 6. All things then that are or are done â—n the world are subject to Gods Providence both Angels and men bruit creatures and devils themselves all degrees of men high and low their persons life liberty and estates all their actions both natural and voluntary good and bad nothing so small that is hid from his sight nothing so casual but he directs it nothing so trivial but he takes notice and disposeth of it Great are the works of the Lord insomuch that after a marvellous unspeakable manner that is not done beside his wil that yet is done against his will because it should not be done if he did not suffer it neither doth he suffer it against his will but with his will neither would he being good suffer evil to be done unless being also Almighty he were able to bring good out of evil August Enchirid cap. 100. CHAP. V. Of the fall of man and of Original sin OUR first Parents Adam and Eve Truth were created in a perfect and blessed estate both holy and happy but through their own voluntary disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit contrary to Gods command they fell from the same plunging themselves and all their posterity into the contrary estate of sin and death so that by and ever since that unhappy fall the Image of God is defaced in all mankind every mothers son is conceived in sin and born a child of wrath Some endeavouring to extenuate the sin of Adam and make it less say That it was only the intemperance of the Appetite Pelagius and his followers deny Original sin affirming That Adam sinned only to his own hurt and nothing at al hurt his posterity thereby so that no man shall ever perish in hell for Adams sin That sin is derived from the first man by imitation or example only not by generation or natural discent That Infants derive no sin from their Parents and therefore need not to be baptized in their steps tread the Anabaptists The Papists do not deny Original sin but yet extreamly lessen it and make nothing almost of it and they say that concupiscence or sin remaining after Baptism is not truly sin nor so called because it is properly sin but because it cometh of and enclineth unto sin or is the matter whereof sin is more easily bred so they have decreed it quite against the Scriptures accursing all that dare say the contrary Concil Trid. Sess 5. c. 1. Antidote These are the divels subtilties by covering and hiding the disease to make it incurable but that Adams sin was no small offence being an act of horrid rebellion against God will appear if we do but open and dissect the same and see how many foul sins that one contains within it As 1. Intolerable pride and ambition for not content with the Image of God stampt upon