Doctrines among the Romanists The doctrine of Infallibility †Subditos illi Papae simpliciter obligari ad credendum adeò irrationabile blasphemiae plenum est ut etiam quacunque haeresi pestilentius inveniatur that subjects should be absolutely and simply bound to believe the Pope is so irrational and full of blasphemy that it is found more pestilent then any heresie whatsoever Wesselus Groningens de dignit potest Eccl c. 1. written about 200 years since Valdè periclitaretur vita justi si penderet ex vitâ Papae Wesselus Groningens de dignit potest Eccl c. 1. the life of a just man would be in very great hazard if it depended on the life of the Pope Summorum Pontificum plerique pestilenter erraverunt c. Most of the Popes have erred pestilently Wesselus Groningens de dign potest Eccl c. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What amulet hath the Pope to preserve him from denying God in his words who so oft doth it in works Nilus de prim p. 57. Of the Pope †de Primatu p. 57. The ill effects of it The perswasion of the Solifidian The Doctrine of Faith being a full perswasion Ostructive to good life The pretended use of good life to the justifying of our Faith vain in four respects The First The second The third The fourth The Jew's premature perswasion of his good estate The Christians The Fiduciarie's ground Christ's dying for none but the Elect. Two farther obstructions to good life Of Faiths being defined by Reliance The Error of it The danger of obstructing good life Universal Redemption the doctrine of Scripture Of the Creeds The Nicene The Apostolick Of the Church of England in the Catechism In the Cōmunion services In the Articles The ill consequences of the denying it In the reducing a vitious Christian In comforting a disconsolate Christian The Article of our Church The doctrine of irrespective decrees Takes off the force 1. of Promises 2. of Terrors 3. of Commands Of Gratitude The doctrine of God's predetermining all events Of preordering Of God's predetermining his own will Of Gods Prescience The doctrine of Predetermination noxious to Practise Revealed and secret will Sin is not nothing The distinction betwixt the act and the obliquitie †Noct Att l. 6. c. 2. li. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †de Fato l. 6. c. 2. Concerning the descent of the Spirit Gods method in his Church Teachers and learners All that comes out of the heart is not from God Jam. 5.15.17 Mat. 15.18 19. The belief of it a very noxious error Worse then the fallacie of the heathen Oracles Or idolatrous Mysteries Of Repentance Dangerousness of mistakes in it Misunderstanding Rom. 7. †Annot in Rom 7. Dangers of it Wishes of repentance Sorrow that they doe not wish Deferring Repentance to Death-bed †Of Death-bed Repentance Mistake of Sorrow for Repentance Three kindes of necessaries Morally necessary to this end What the Universal Church of Christ hath thought thus Necessary 1. Baptisme Of Infants Benefits of that The first The second The third The fourth Catechizing Confirmation The first part thereof The second The Lord's Supper In five considerations The first The second The third The fourth The fift The frequency of Receiving it The use of Liturgie The use of Liturgie Of Preaching Visitation of the Sick Spiritual Conference The power of the Keyes * Stobaeus ser 41. p. 268. †li. de Republ This the last Ecclesiastical means The necessity of Governors in the Church The Conclusion A Prayer
and the explicite unshaken belief of all that is revealed to him by God be the strict duty of every Christian and the disbelieving of any such affirmation of Gods is sin and damnable yet the foundation being that which supports the superstructure to which it relates immediately and without the intervention of any thing else 't is certain that eternal blisse is not immediatly superstructed on the most orthodox beliefs but as our Saviour saith if ye know these things happy are ye if ye doe them the doing must be first superstructed on the knowing or believing before any happinesse or blisse or heaven can be built on it and without all question the agenda the things that are to be done works of piety and justice c. are as necessarily required to found our blisse to bring us to heaven as the belief of any the most pretious Articles can be supposed to be and therefore it may be justly feared that the title of Fundamentals being ordinarily bestowed on and confined to the doctrines of faith hath occasioned that great scandal or block of offence in the Church of God at which so many myriads of solifidians have stumbled and fallen irreversibly by conceiving heaven a reward of true opinions of which vicious practises though never so habitually and indulgently continued in to the last would never be able to deprive them which as it hath been the disjoyning of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most excellent yoke of faith and good works and hath betrayed many knowing men to most unskilful and ridiculous presumptions and securities in sin so can it not well be provided against without the discovering and renouncing of this false and substituting a truer state of this question § 9. Secondly If this were the notion of Fundamentals there could be no certain way of judging what are such the excuse of invincible ignorance being in the farre greatest number of men ready to be confronted against the necessity of their believing all the severals of any such supposeable Catalogue And for that suppletorie of an implicite belief which is by the Romanist conceived to be of use and sufficient for those who are not capable of an explicite whatsoever degree of truth can be conceived to be in that it must be founded in the contradictorie to the present pretension for were it once granted that the belief of such articles were fundamental to heaven it were not imaginable that they which have not heard should ever arrive thither When that which by S. Paul's authority is become a known maxime was before demonstrable in it self and is so supposed by his argument Rom. 10.14 that faith cometh by hearing and that they cannot believe what they have not heard Many other inconveniences there are consequent to this stating of this question and particularly that of which our experience hath given us evident demonstration that by those which thus state it there hath never yet been assigned any definite number or Catalogue of Fundamentals in this sense but I shall no farther enlarge on them § 10. The other notion of Fundamentals is that whereon I shall more confidently pitch as that which will remove in stead of multiplying difficulties and accord all which either the Scriptures or the Antients have asserted on this subject thereby understanding that which was deemed necessary to be laid by the Apostles and other such Master-builders as a foundation to the peopling or replenishing or bringing in proselytes to the Church and so to the superstructing Christian obedience among men In which respect it is that as the Church of Corinth and so any other society that hath received the faith of Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God's plantation 1 Cor. 3.9 so it is also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God's building a structure erected by his artificers § 11. That this hath been esteemed the due and proper acception of this word I shall testifie by this one evidence which I acknowledge to have given me the first hint of this notion the words of the great Champion of the Catholick Faith set down in the Councel of Nice S. Athanasius in Epist ad Epictetum where speaking of the Confession of Faith established by the Canons of that Councel against the Arian and other Hereticks he hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The faith confessed by the Bishops in that Synod according to the divine Scriptures is of it self sufficient for the averting of all impiety and the establishment of all piety in Christ These words of that eminent Father of the Church might be of some farther use toward the due understanding of the articles of the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds but at the present the advantage of them will be but general that the way of measuring and defining the necessity of any articles of faith the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 necessaries to be known as Justine Martyr speaks placing under that head the Creation of the world the framing of man the immortality of the soul and judgment to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 9. is by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sufficiencie of them to enable the teacher to perswade good life to supplant those vices which Christ came to banish out of the world and to radicate those virtues which he came on purpose to implant among men which is directly that notion or Character of Fundamentals which we have now given thereby signifying those articles of the Faith on which all the parts of Christian piety and obedience and none of impiety or disobedience may be regularly superstructed or in consequence to which being once revealed and believed all rational or considering men when Christian life is proposed to them must discern themselves obliged to entertain it to forsake in every branch their unchristian courses of sin and to betake themselves to an uniform obedience to the commands of Christ From whence I suppose it is that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 building or edifying is used every where in the New Testament for improving or advancing in Christian practise and the duties of good life as laying the foundation is preaching the faith of Christ among them 1 Cor. 3.11 On which saith Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. After we shall have received the Foundation of Faith i. e. the Faith of Christ as the Foundation we build upon it every one good actions of all sorts and degrees as he there specifies making the Christian actions of life to be the superstructure to which this Foundation referres and in relation to which it is called a Foundation So Theophylact on Heb. 6.1 makes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their being instructed in the Faith of Christ to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deal only in the beginning the elements the first and most imperfect rudiments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as novices beginners they that are but now upon their entrance are wont to be conversant in whereas the
world are rightly deemed and resolved to be Fundamental § 9. Thus 't is affirmed by Photius and Evagrius and hath as much authority as their names can give it that Synesius had embraced the whole Christian Law so farre as to be advanced to the dignity of a Bishop without any clear acknowledging or believing one main part of our Foundation that of the Resurrection of the body and his own 105 t Epistle wherein he so industriously declines the Bishoprick hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The resurrection which you preach and publish I account sacred and that which cannot be uttered and I want much of consenting to the perswasions of the multitude in this matter And though the Bishops that thus advanced him were questioned saith Photius for the fact yet that is no prejudice to what we now observe from this example viz the possibility of the thing Of which also those Bishops answer is a farther testimony viz that they saw such excellent graces in him that they could not imagine that God would long deferre to crown them with the addition of this eminent branch of Christian faith the clear belief and acknowledgment of the resurrection And as that fell out according to their expectation so it is thereby evident that that branch of belief was in him supervenient to Christian practise and not all Christian practise built on that § 10. Nay supposing that he that hath not been instructed sufficiently in all and each branch of the Foundation were yet with fewer helps brought to the sincere undertaking of the whole Christian obedience as if a Catechumenus before every one of these articles were explained unto him should yet resolve upon reading the Sermon on the Mount to live a life of the greatest Christian perfection this person were not in any reason to suffer any diminution to be deemed the worse but rather the better for that as they that having not the Law doe yet by nature the things of the Law are farre from being disparaged by the Apostle nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Theophylact are lookt on as admirable persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they wanted not the Law and yet fulfilled the Law The danger being certainly very great to them that by force of all the divine articles of our Faith are not reduced to Christian purity and not to them who on a weaker foundation doe yet stand firmly rooted and grounded in the love of Christ § 11. And this is agreeable to what was premised of the nature of a foundation in a material building that though a tabernacle or moveable building may yet a Temple or stable edifice cannot be supposed to be built and stand firm without an entire foundation and consequently that this summarie of wholsome words is necessary to the Architects in order to their superstructing a Pile their planting a Church of Jewes and Gentiles though not absolutely so for the reducing of each single person CHAP. III. A particular view of Fundamentals Jesus Christ indefinitely § 1. I Now proceed to a more particular view of this Foundation which is sometimes most compendiously set down in Scripture either under the abbreviature of Jesus Christ or with the addition of his crucifixion or resurrection or other remarkable passages concerning him Or else more largely and explicitely in the Creeds or Confessions of the Vniversal Church § 2. For the more compendious it is S. Paul's affirmation 1 Cor. 3.11 that Jesus Christ is the one onely Foundation and no man can lay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any other which is the interpretation of what is elsewhere said that Jesus Christ himself is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chief corner stone or again the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 head of the corner the principal supporter on which the weight of the structure rests the foundation of the foundation § 3. In proportion to which it is that the deceivers or false teachers or Antichrists 2 Joh. 7. are expressed by this Character they that confesse not Jesus Christ coming in the flesh This one being a comprehensive article that supposes and contains all others under it § 4. For besides that the Jewes to whom the Gospel was first to be preached and to some of whom this character of Antichrist was given believed in the one Creator of the world already and so that article concerning the Deity and the Attributes thereof needed not be preached either to them or to the proselytes from the Gentiles It is farther manifest that the belief of Christ being founded on the testimonie of the Father Mat. 3.17 and the doctrine of Christ containing in it the declaration and manifestation of the knowledge of the Father so as he was never known to the world before this Son out of his bosome thus revealed him the belief of Christ must necessarily suppose and pre-require the belief of the Father and therefore it follows in S. John v. 9. that he which abides in the doctrine of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath both the Father and the Son § 5. So again the miracles which Christ did were done in his father's name and thereby gave all that testimony to his doctrines of piety and reformation which the Father 's proclaiming them from heaven would have been able to doe § 6. And that being thus supposed of all in grosse and so giving a full authoritie to all that should be revealed by Christ the several parts of the revelations afforded us by him will soon be discerned to be extremely conducible to this end of reforming men's lives such as will answer all imaginable objections and exceptions of flesh and blood against it and make it perfectly reasonable for any rational creature to undertake the service of Christ and most extremely irrational and unmanly to seek out or to continue in any other service § 7. Such are Christ's promises divine unconceivable promises a blisse to be enjoyed to all eternity and that by way of return for a weak obedience of some few years such are his threatnings most formidable menaces of endlesse woe to them that will still despise the riches of his goodness and forbearance Such is the treaty which he negotiates with us an offer and tender of a reconciliation a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an act of oblivion of all forepast sins and of a new Covenant on most moderate easie terms of syncere without unsinning obedience for the future And Lastly such are his precepts a sort of commandments which are most agreeable and gratefull to our reasonable nature and which tend beyond all other means or instruments to the improving and perfecting the most valuable part of us that which alone denominates us men and annexing incomprehensible rewards an eternal weight of glory to the bare practise of those things which are at the very present though they were not commanded and if they should not be rewarded in another life I mean abstractively from these enhaunsments of them infinitely estimable
of the Father referring to the several hypostases in the one eternal indivisible divine nature and the eternity of the Sons generation and his coeternity and consubstantiality with the Father when he came down from heaven and was incarnate c. for us men peculiarly not for Angels and for our salvation and lastly the perpetuity of his kingdome added in the close all these are assertions equivalent to those which had been before comprised in the antient more simple uncompounded article but were usefull to be thus enlarged and explicated when the Arians opposed the Apostolick tradition and by corrupting detorted the words of scripture to their sense § 6. This is elswhere more largely shewed in the note on 1 Joh. 5.7 And all that will opportunely here be added is onely this that they which according to the Apostles depositum or doctrine in every Church believed the descent and incarnation of the eternal God on purpose to rescue mankinde from all impurities to reveal the whole divine will for the regulating mens lives to attest it by his death and evidence it by his resurrection c. and at last to come to judge the world according to this determinate rule had all those branches of Christian faith which were required to qualifie mankinde to submit to Christ's reformation And 't is the wilfull opposing these more explicite articles the resisting them when they are competently proposed from the definition of the Church and not the not-believing them thus explicitly when either they are not revealed or not with that conviction against which he cannot blamelesly and without pertinacy of his will hold out that will bring danger of ruine on any § 7. That which is added of the holy Ghost the Lord and giver of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Son supposing with the Western Church that the Filióque was found in the first copies and acts of that Councel who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets is in like manner an enlargement and explication of the more brief Apostolick form and the substance thereof was comprised formerly in that uncompounded style fitter then for the belief and memory of all but was afterward prudently enlarged for the repelling and preventing the poyson of heretical invaders the Montanists and Macedonians c. § 8. And so likewise that addition of the one Baptisme prefixt to the Remission of sins was on purpose design'd against the Novatians whose pretensions were considered and condemned in the Councel of Nice The practises of the Churches in receiving those that had fallen into gross sins after baptisme had been somewhat different in some parts milder as in the Church of Rome in others more rigid The Church of Rome had given some liberty for the great offenders murtherers adulterers and such as had fallen to Idol-worship in time of persecution viz that after many years penance they might be restored to the Communion and peace of the Church without any new baptisme such as was used in admitting heathens only by imposition of hands or absolution extending the virtue of baptisme formerly received to the washing away of these sins committed after baptism in case of sincere repentance and forsaking of them This the Novatians disliked and thereupon brake off and made a schisme in the Church And the Councel of Nice taking cognizance of the matter judged against Novatus and his followers that there was place for a second repentance and not only for that first before Baptisme as appears by the Canons of that Councel And this was it that was referred to in this more enlarged passage of their Creed and the use of it thought very considerable for the reducing of lapst Christians as the Apostolical article of remission of sins indefinitely had been for the attracting heathens And this and all the former additions being thus setled by the Vniversal Church were and still are in all reason without disputing to be received and embraced by the present Church and every meek member thereof with that Reverence that is due to Apostolick truths that thankfulness which is our meet tribute to those sacred champions for their seasonable and provident propugning of our faith with such timely and necessary application to practise that the holy Ghost speaking to us now under the times of the New Testament by the Governours of the Christian Churches Christ's mediate successors in the Prophetick Pastoral Episcopal office as he had formerly spoken by the Prophets of the Old Testament sent immediately by him may finde a cheerful audience and receive all uniform submission from us § 9. And this is all that is here necessary to be said of this second Creed CHAP. X. Of the Athanasian Creed § 1. OF the Athanasian Creed as it is usually called two things will be briefly considerable 1. The doctrine of it 2. The curses and damnation denounced against those who doe not entirely maintain it without the corruptions and mixtures of the hereticks § 2. The Doctrine is well-nigh all of it the asserting the Vnity of the Divine nature and the Trinity of hypostases whether subsistences as the Greek Church called it or as the Latine personae persons in it and that in opposition to several novel propositions which had by hereticks been introduced in the Church and so as the vices of men suggest lawes occasioned such explications and enlargements And of these again much more then of the Nicene superadditions it may be reasonably affirmed that being the explications of a Father of the Church and not of a whole Vniversal Councel or of the Church representative they were neither necessary to be explicitly acknowledged before they were convincingly revealed nor simply and absolutely imposeable on any particular man any farther then he was a member of some Church which had actually received Athanasius's explication as it is apparent the Western Churches did or then it appeared concordant with the more authentick Vniversal Confessions as every doctrinal proposition of it will be found to doe § 3. As for the Censures annext 1. in the beginning that except a man keep the Catholick faith of which this is set down not as the entire form but an explication or interpretation of some parts of it whole and undefiled he shall doubtless perish everlastingly 2dly in the middle he that will be saved must thus think and it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly in the incarnation c. and 3dly in the end this is the Catholick Faith which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved I suppose they must be interpreted by their opposition to those heresies that had invaded the Church which were acts of carnality in them that broached and maintained them against the Apostolick Doctrine and contradictory to that foundation which had been resolved on as necessary to bring the world to the obedience of Christ and were therefore to be anathematized after
all that shall deprive themselves of that honourable remedy to invite the rashest or the worst of men into that state of continual temptations which hath caused the shipwrack of so many § 15. Fiftly Contentedness is most eminently one of these specialties and that both as it is opposed to ambition covetousness injustice uncontentedness each of which is a most unchristian sin and also as it is the maintaining and establishing of Propriety in the world which though it be not of any huge importance in respect of any considerable advantages that wealth and honour can help a Christian to who is or ought to be raised by Christ to a contempt and superiority over such mean empty acquisitions as these yet as the disturbances which questions of right never fail to bring along with them are very unhappy and innumerable and endless so the inestimable benefit of peace and quiet and vacation for piety and the instrumentalness of riches to works of charity even above that more perfect way of absolute despising of wealth which by giving all at once disables for many thousand future charities have rendred it very politick and necessary in every Christian Common-wealth by Laws to settle and secure Propriety which he that hath learnt with S. Paul to be content in whatsoever estate will never attempt to invade or violate § 16. Many other branches of this superstructure there are which it cannot be necessary to mention here but above all the taking up of the Cross and following Christ with it on our shoulders And the vigorous indevour to cast it off from our own shoulders to fasten it on other mens and to shake the foundations of Government in order to any such attempt is most diametrally contrary to the true Christian temper an enmitie to the cross of Christ CHAP. XII Of the Doctrines that hinder the superstructing of good life on the Christian belief first among the Romanists a Catalogue of them especially that of the Infallibility of the Church 2. Among others 1. that of the Solifidian § 1. I Come now to consider what Doctrines there are infused discernibly among Christians which are most apt to frustrate the forementioned method to obstruct or intercept the cordial superstructing of Christian life or Renovation where the Foundation is duly laid For supposing the Articles of our Christian Faith to be completely taught and undoubtedly believed and so the foundation to be purely laid according to the Apostles platform And supposing farther that the several forementioned branches of the superstructure be so farre taught and believed also as that they are not doubted to be the virtues prescribed and preached to men by Christ It is yet possible that after all this some other Doctrines may inconveniently interpose and intercept the uses and aimes to which God hath designed the Faith and at once obstruct the superstructing of all Christian life upon it § 2. Of this sort the Catalogue is or soon may be farre larger then will be fitly inserted in this place For upon this occasion we might be engaged to enter on the examinati of the Romish doctrines 1. of Penances 2. of Indulgences 3. of the Treasury of the Church made up beside the blood of Christ of the supererogating merits of some and applied to the benefit and pardon of others 4. of the Improvableness of Attrition into Contrition by the Priests ayde without the sinners change of life 5. of Purgatory 6. of Dispensableness of Oathes 7. of Arts of Equivocation 8. of Cessation of Allegiance in subjects to an heretical Prince and some others the like but especially of the Infallibility and inerrableness which is assumed and inclosed by the Romish Church without any inerrable ground to build it on and being taken for an unquestinable Principle is by the security it brings along with it apt to betray men to the foulest whether sins or errors whensoever this pretended Infallible guide shall propose them And seeing it is just with God to permit those which thinke they stand so surely to fall most dangerously and because what some witty and subtile men of this and former ages have been experimented to fall into may in the future possibly become the Romanists case and because the Assuming of Infallibility is by way of interpretation the presuming and affirming every thing to be infallibly true and good which they shall ever believe or teach de fide or pronounce to be duty and there is nothing so false or sacrilegious but it is possible they may thus teach or pronounce of it for these reasons I say it will be impossible to free this Doctrine of theirs which hath so vast and comprehensive an influence on the opinions and actions of all who have espoused it from the guilt of which now we speak that of hindring the superstructing of Christian life and the several branches thereof on the Foundation § 3. And if as the Jesuites define this Infallibility of the Church be supposed to be seated in the persons or chair or succession of Popes 't is presently obvious and clear that as Almain and Ocham have not thought it irreverent to averre that any such person is deviabilis haereticabilis Apostatabilis damnabilis liable to errour heresie Apostasie damnation it self So they that believe him an infallible guide must in consequence to their opinion if they pursue it follow him to all these dangers And when Pope Steven hath been by S. Cyprian accused of heresie Pope Liberius by S. Athanasius Pope Honorius by all Christians when the chairs of those Bishops which have not secured their persons from notorious impiety of liliving that fouler guilt then heresie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a species of Atheisme as Nilus truly saith on this occasion can with no more pretence or colour of proof secure them from defining of errors or tolerating of sins and when the writers of their lives Onufrius and Platina who have told us how much more then possible the former is relating the incests witchcrafts cruelties of Alexander the sixt the Idolatrous sacrifices of Marcellinus Coelestins applications to the devil in pursuit of the Papacy and his disclaiming his part in heaven so he might obtain that earthy dignity have given us reason to foresee the possibility also and all the ill consequences and aboads of the latter It cannot be temerarious or unreasonable to affirm that what hath been may be and in like manner that the doctrines of any antient heretick may in some new shape be imbibed by a Cardinal and being so may not forsake him when he is made Pope but beget a desire very consequent to his belief an appetite of propagating his perswasions and so that Practises may be allowed and Articles taught by the Pope most contrary to the design of this foundation and the Church that hath imposed on her sons the belief of her Infallibility draw all that understand it in this sense for I see another is now
affixt to it by some Romanists and pay this ready obedience to it into the same snare of heresie or Impiety or both § 4. For of this we have too frequent experience how hard it is to dispossesse a Romanist of any doctrine or practise of that present Church for which he hath no grounds either in Antiquity or Scripture or Rational deductions from either but the contrary to all these as long as he hath that one hold or fortresse his perswasion of the Infallibility of that Church which teacheth or prescribeth it And indeed it were as unreasonable for us to accuse or wonder at this constancy in particular superstructed errors be they never so many whilst the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this first great comprehensive falsity is maintained as to disclaim the conclusion when the premises that duly induce it are embraced And then that other errors and guilts of the highest nature neither are nor shall be entertained by those that are thus qualified for them must sure be a felicity to which this doctrine hath no way intitled them and that for which they can have no security for one hour but by renouncing that principle which equally obligeth to the belief of truths and falshoods embracing of commendable and vitious practises worshipping of Christ in Heaven and under the species of bread the son and of the mother of God when they are once received and proposed to them by that Church § 5. But in stead of any fuller view of these I shall mention some few of those which our closer and later experience hath made most familiar to us and given us reason to look on with a quickness of sense and dread but those such as being not entred into the Confessions of any national Church are not properly chargeable either on Papists or Protestants but on particular dogmatizers on both parties From whom the doctrines being infusible into all it will be more necessary to forewarn all of the danger of them § 6. Such is first the perswasion of the Solifidians that all religion consists in believing aright that the being of Orthodox as that is opposed to erroneous opinions is all that is on our part required to render our condition safe and our persons acceptable in the sight of God § 7. This is a perswasion frequently observable in those that are forward to separate from all who differ in matters of Doctrine from them who place sanctity in their opinions as generally hereticks doe and make the dissents of other men the characters of animal carnal Gospellers And the influence of this on the matter in hand the superstructing Christian life upon our Faith is most evident For if we should give that perswasion of theirs the greatest advantage and suppose the doctrines in the belief of which they place so much efficacie to be these very fundamental Doctrines which this Discourse hath defined and specified yet in case the believing of those aright be conceived the one and onely necessary to salvation it is evident that the superstructing of good life the thing to which those doctrines relate and in respect of which they are styled Fundamental is ipso facto become unnecessary § 8. For when it shall be once resolved that Orthodox opinions are able to secure men of God's favour and that being assumed as a principle the search of them being a work of the brain shall generally be discernible as Aristotle observes of the study of the Mathematicks to have nothing repugnant to passions in it and when those articles of belief are conveyed to us with such evidence that we have no temptation to doubt of the truth of them what argument is there remaining to any rational man which can move him so superfluously and unnecessarily to set upon that more laborious and ungrateful task of mortifying lusts of subduing of passions of combating and overcoming the world of offering violence to his importunate vigorous carnal appetites If he that is to be baptized might be admitted to that state of justified Christians and therein to a right of inheriting the kingdome of heaven by a profession of the Articles of his Creed and an undoubted perswasion and belief of the truth of them what an impertinent tyrannie were it to increase his burthen to refuse and delay his admission till he should undertake the whole vow of forsaking the Devil and all his works of keeping God's holy will and commandements and walking in the same all the daies of his life What use even of Prayer of the Sacraments of Charity of Faith it self in any other notion but that wherein he considers it and thinks himself assuredly possessed of it § 9. The issue is clear the Solifidian looks upon his Faith or Articles of his belief as the intire structure not as the Rudiments or Foundation as the utmost accomplishment and end and not only as the first elements of his task and so this Perswasion of his most unhappily but most regularly obstructs and intercepts the building any more upon it which if he conceived himself no farther advanced then the laying a few stones a bare Foundation he would rationally think himself engaged and obliged to prosecute to a farre greater perfection § 10. Hitherto we have considered this perswasion of the Solifidian at the best and fairest advantage and supposed the Opinions on which he so relies to be the true Christian Apostolical and Fundamental Opinions But if we should proceed farther and consider how many other opinions there are abroad in the world which being neither Fundamental nor Apostolical nor arrived so farre as to any fair probability of truth doe yet pretend to be the only sanctified necessary doctrines and such as every man that believes them is a pure Christian professor and whosoever questions or examines the truth of them is to be look'd on as a carnal Gospeller whose arguments though never so unanswerable are to be resisted as so many temptations and many of these in their own nature over and above this Pharisaical opinion of the sanctitie of them very apt to intermit our watch to slacken our diligence to give a Supersedeas to industrie it would be most evident that the Solifidian's perswasions doe most directly and immediately resist God's principal design in revealing his truths obstruct the superstructure of Christian life on this Foundation § 11. But I shall not inlarge on the mention of these any farther then they are likely to fall under some other head of this insuing discourse Mean while it is worth remembring what Epiphanius observes of the Primitive times that wickedness was the only heresie that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impious and pious living divided the whole Christian world into Erroneous and Orthodox by which we are advertised how farre we are from performing the engagements of our Christianity if we insist so passionately or so intently on the truth of our beliefs as not to proceed to as vigorous a pursuit of
him that hath that guilt upon him to reform the sins that contract that guilt he which is supposed not guilty cannot be so obliged and 't is hard to imagine what possible consideration what messenger from the dead should be able to perswade him to repent till he hath deposited that premature perswasion of his being in Christ § 9. One special ground of the Fiduciaries mis-perswasion is the Doctrine of God's giving Christ for all the Elect and for none but them all others being supposed to be left by God in a state of absolute destitution and dereliction upon no other foreseen demerit but only the guilt of Adam's sin imputed to them and not removed by Christ § 10. And upon that Doctrine imbibed 1. it is not unreasonable or difficult for him that is thus perswaded that supposes his danger to flow from no real sin or guilt of his own but only that which being committed by another is imputed to him to believe that there is nothing required of him neither repentance nor good works but only a full assurance of his own being elected and rescued in Christ i. e. a believing his own wishes an aerial magical faith to work his deliverance for him § 11. 2dly What should make it necessary for him to repent and amend who either without respect to any degree of amendment is supposed to be elected to eternal blisse or without respect to sin to be irreversibly reprobated i. e. to any person thus considered either as elect or left reprobate and non-elect in the whole masse of lapst mankinde § 12. Nay I might adde what obligation can lie on any man so much as to believe whatsoever the notion of faith be even to believe he shall be saved when 't is supposed by him to be certainly decreed that he shall be saved without foresight of or respect unto this Faith of his § 13. Upon these premises it cannot be unreasonable to conclude and useful farther to take notice in the next place that these two doctrines 1. of Christ's dying for none but the Elect 2. of God's absolute irrespective decrees of Election and Reprobation are inconvenient interpositions which are most apt to obstruct and hinder the building of good life even where the Foundation thereof is received intirely and not questioned in any part thereof Of which I shall therefore farther treat in the two next Chapters § 14. Mean while as an appendix to this Chapter it will be just to take notice that some men have thought it necessary in the definition of Faith to change the Full Assurance into a milder style of Relyance which if it be not joyned with other changes in that doctrine as in that particular of the Priority of Faith before Repentance 't is certainly 1. as erroneous 2. as liable to the charge of obstructing good life as that other doctrine of Assurance hath appeared to be § 15. For the first where there is no divine Promise on which to relie as to the unreformed sinner remaining such the whole Bible affordeth none there what is reliance but presumption reliance on a broken reed a building without a foundation Whereas on the other side if any promise were producible whereon it were safe to relie what scruple could the Christian there make against entertaining the fullest assurance for that without question will be supported abundantly by such a promise § 16. For the second 't is visible He that continues unreformed and impenitent in his course of sin and is by the preacher induced to Relie on Christ for his salvation and is farther taught that this Reliance is that Faith by which he is justified and the one thing that is required of him to his salvation what necessity can be imagined to lie on that man to reform or amend any vice or to doe any thing but relie on Christ for the pardon of it for justification and salvation 'T is superfluous to pursue this any farther which so discernibly falls under the inconveniences that have been shewed to belong to Assurance and are mention'd in the former part of this Chapter too largely to be here repeated CHAP. XIV Of Christ's dying for none but the Elect. § 1. NOW for that doctrine of Christ's dying for none but the Elect i. e. according to the opinion of those which thus teach for a small remnant of the world As it is asserted without any pretense or colour of scripture-proof nay in opposition to as plain distinct affirmations as can be produced for any Article in the Creed so is it of very ill consequence to the superstructing of good life § 2. That Christ's dying for all is the expresse doctrine of the scripture is elsewhere manifested by the phrases of the greatest latitude used in this matter 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world which is a word of the widest extent and although it be sometimes used more restrainedly yet never doth nor can in any reason be interpreted to signifie a farre smaller disproportionable part of the world Secondly All which word though it be sometimes restrained by the matter and doth not alwaies signifie every person or thing yet generally it must be extended as farre as the matter is capable of and must not be restrained without some considerable reason for doing so Thirdly Every man a form of speaking which excludes all exceptions of which some general phrases are oft capable Fourthly those that perish those that are damned those that deny Christ and purchase to themselves swift damnation which being added to the number of those which are saved by his death and acknowledged by all opposers to be so make up the whole unlimited number of all mankinde Fiftly as many as are fallen in Adam and dead through him which phrase is by all but Pelagius and his followers supposed to comprehend every son of Adam every branch of his progenie § 3. And accordingly though the Apostles Creed make no other mention of this then is contained in styling Jesus Christ our Lord i. e. the Lord by title of Redemption of us all indefinitely and particularly of every person who is appointed to make that confession of his faith i. e. every one that is admitted to baptisme yet the Nicene Creed hath inserted some words for the farther explication of that Article Who for us men and for our salvation came down which signifie all mankinde to have their interest in it § 4. Nay if it be observed in the Apostles Creed that the two first articles are corresponding and proportionable one to the other to God in the first Article Jesus Christ in the second to Father almighty in the first his only son in the second to maker of heaven and earth in the first our Lord in the second we shall have reason to inferre that as heaven and earth in the first Article signifie in the greatest latitude all and every creature in the world to have been created by that
are not yet come to this assurance that they are of that number and they that under any anguish of minde are returned to affrightments or doubtings whether they have not been hypocrites and so reprobates all this while And as these two sorts according to their doctrine comprehend a great and considerable number of the very elect of whom very few are arrived to that pitch of constant uninterrupted assurance of their election so Gratitude by being unuseful to them that are not thus assured must be acknowledged unuseful to those who have the greatest want of it and by being confined to the few which have this assurance quick and undisturbed within them is concluded to have a very narrow and slender province to work on a very small number of a very small number a remnant of a remnant being acknowledged to be unappliable and so consequently ineffectual to all others § 13. 2dly Because one other doctrine there is which constantly accompanies the doctrine of irrespective decrees which supersedes all farther dispute in this matter the doctrine of the irresistibility of grace in working whatsoever it works which if it be once acknowledged there is nothing to be affixt to Gratitude or to any thing else in me which whatsoever it works at any time works by way of perswasion not violence and cannot be said so much as to contribute to the working of that which is supposed to be irresistibly wrought by the Spirit of God § 14. 3dly If these two arguments which are only ad homines and consider the Elect only in these mens notion of the word had no kinde of force in them yet still this of Gratitude which is the one pretended reserve must needs be impertinently pretended in this matter § 15. First because the good life to which the foundation was laid by the Apostles preaching is not that of a few persons chosen out of the masse but of all that receive the Christian profession of which number there being a large proportion which according to the tenure of this doctrine must be supposed to be non-elect there will not be that matter of thanksgiving to any of them nor consequently any account upon which they can be perswaded to make those kinde returns to God which the Elect were more probably supposed to have engagement to doe § 16. And secondly it being Christ's errand and business into the world to call not the righteous or the justified but the unreformed or sinners to repentance to change them who need a change and who if they are by this doctrine supposeable to be already from all eternity elected are not yet before their calling or conversion affirmed to be actually justified or received into God's favour any more then Saul was in the time of his journey to Damascus when he breathed out threatnings and slaughters against the Church the conclusion must be that any such unreformed sinner will not be capable of being wrought on by any such consideration of gratitude and so Christ notwithstanding this only reserve shall be wholly unsuccessful in his aime toward those who were the principal designed persons to whom he came and predestined the benefits of his coming § 17. Thirdly this of Gratitude being by those that maintain this doctrine supposed to follow faith or assurance of their salvation 't is thereby acknowledged to have no force on those who have not this faith though they doe believe all the articles of their Creed and so it can be no proper expedient to remove the hindrances which the beliefe of the irrespective decrees hath been said to interpose in the matter in hand or to adapt good life to be superstructed on this whatsoever it is imaginable to be on any other Foundation CHAP. XVI Of the Predetermination of all things § 1. AND as the absolute predestination of the persons is able to evacuate all the force of these fundamentals designed by God as motives of great energie to induce good life so certainly is the opinion of God's predetermining and preordaining the means as well as the end i. e. all the acts of man's will the evil as well as the good and so all the most enormous sins that are or ever shall be committed most abundantly sufficient to doe it § 2. I say not the doctrine of God's predisposing or preordering or of his predetermining or decreeing that he will so dispose and order all things that come to passe whether good or bad for that looks on the things as done which are so disposed and consequently includes not any influence or causality in the production of thē and so God that brings light out of darkness can dispose of the worst things the foulest sins the very crucifying of Christ so as to bring health and salvation out of them § 3. But betwixt this and predetermining that which is so disposed the difference is wide as much as betwixt a bloody designers suborning his instrument to take away such a man's life and the Confessors representing the horridness of the fact and by that means bringing him to repentance And though Ordinare in Latine and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek be equivocal and capable of both these notions yet ordaining and decreeing in our English use is not thus liable to be mistaken § 4. Secondly I say not the doctrine of God's predetermining his own will but his predetermining the acts of our will or our volitions Great difference there is betwixt these two as much as betwixt my willing a lawfull thing my self and my inducing another man to doe that which is unlawful § 5. For God doth predetermine his own will as oft as he decrees to doe this or that which he might not have decreed to have done or have decreed to have done the contrary for when God's will is free to two things to make or not to make a world or such a world and the like his decreeing to make it and to make it such is the determining of his will Thus when before all time God might have created man a necessary agent to will and to doe every thing that he wills and doth after the same manner as the fire burneth i. e. so as he could not doe otherwise yet 't is evident that God chose to create him after the image of his own liberty a voluntary free agent that might deliberate and choose and either doe or not doe or doe this or the contrary to it And so in like manner God may determine his own will not to hinder but permit what he sees man inclinable to doe when he might on the other side have chosen to hinder or not to permit And thus he did when he decreed to permit the malice of the Jewes the covetousness of Judas the popularity of Pilate to joyn all together in the crucifying of Christ upon which it is said that his hand and his counsel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did predetermine this to be done i. e. Christ to be
such as we cannot but wonder when we read them as in the case of the Israelites coming out of Aegypt in the wilderness that they should not prevail upon them when yet they did not prevail And what can be more contrary to rational motives then predetermination For as if they had not that perswasive efficacie in them as to be able to move a rational man they could not be denominated rational so if they were backed with a violence if they were proposed to us in the name and power of an omnipotent immutable decree they could never be said motives or perswasives And so still God's gracious dealings with men being the aids and auxiliaries necessary to us in the pursuit of piety and the one doctrine and perswasion of God's predetermination of all events having superseded and cassated all those waies we have no bottome left on which to found the least beginning or thought of piety as long as we continue possessed with that perswasion § 17. 4thly This doctrine if it were true must necessarily take away all judgement to come all reward and punishment which are certainly apportioned to the voluntary actions and choises of men and therefore belong not to any but rational creatures and can no more be awarded to those actions which are predetermined by God then to the ascending of the flame or descending of the stone which by nature the providence of God are thus predetermined and act by decree and not by choise And when all judgment to come is once vanished all reward to engage obedience and all terror to restrain disobedience is once removed and so in effect the three last Articles of the Creed rejected also what hope is there that the remaining Articles should be sufficient to doe it § 18. To these Christian Theological considerations it will not be amisse to adde what care the Writers of Politicks have had to warn us of the noxiousness of this doctrine to all civil governments which Christian religion rightly understood is so very farre from disturbing that beyond all other Aphorisms Political beyond the sagest provisions of the Profoundest Lawgivers it is would men but live according to the rules of it incomparably qualified to perpetuate publick weal and peace § 19. But for the doctrine of those who so mistake Christian religion as to think it is only a chain of fatal decrees to deny all liberty of man's choise toward good or evil and to affix all events to God's predetermination This say they is utterly irreconcileable with the nature of civil government with the foundation thereof laid in Laws or with the punishments and rewards which are thought necessary to the continuance thereof and Campanella chooseth to instance in Republicâ praesertim liberâ in a Republick or free state § 20. For when the people which think their liberty of which they are very tender and jealous to be retrench'd or impaired by the restraint of Laws can farther answer their Rulers though but in the heart without proceeding to farther boldness that they cannot observe their Laws being led by irresistible decrees to the transgressing of them the consequence is easie to foresee the despising and contemning of Laws and hating and detesting of those who are obliged to punish them when they have offended which two are soon inflamed beyond the rate of popular discontents into actual seditions and tumults as soon as opportunity shall favour or opinion of their own strength incourage them to it § 21. That the Turkish Empire hath not yet found the noxious effects of this poyson so commonly received among them will I suppose be objected against the truth of this But 't is visible to what Antidotes this must be imputed 1. to their ignorance and unimprovableness in matters of knowledge and rational discourse being generally kept rude and without all literature which is the grindstone to sharpen the coulters to whet their natural faculties and to inable them to discourse and deduce natural consequences 2dly To the the manner observed in Governing them by force and not by obligation on conscience by violence and not by laws Which way of managerie being somewhat proportionable to the opinion of fatal decrees and agreeing with it in this that it doth really leave nothing to men's choises is withall as a contrary poyson a hot thrown after a cold very proper to abate the energie of it forcing them as fatally to abstain as they can deem themselves forced or impelled to commit any such enormitie § 22. However 't is manifest that the force they are under is a real force and that of their fate but an imaginarie conceived one the one but in their brains the other on their shoulders and it is not strange if the irony chains are experimented to have more solidity and so more efficacie in them then the contemplative § 23. Sed si Italos say the Politick writers But if this doctrine should ever get among the Italians whose wits are more acute and sure the Italians have not inclosed that excellencie from all the rest of Europe it would presently put all into confusion they would soon discern the consequences and utmost improvements of the opinion and never stick to cast all on God as the author of all and having resolved with him in Homer of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all is chargeable on the superiour cause Jupiter and Fate inferre regularly with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the blamelesness of the inferiour agent and so there being no place left for sin or law immediately believe and follow their own wishes turn Libertines throw off all yoke of men as well as God In intuition whereof I suppose it was that Plato would not permit in his Common-wealth any that should affirm God to be the author of all the evils that were committed And Proclus upon the Timaeus sets them down as a third degree of Atheists who attribute to God the impressing on men's mindes a necessity of doing whatsoever they doe § 24. 'T is true where there is any remainder of natural piety he that believes the doctrine of absolute decrees may be thereby restrained from actually making the conclusions inferring such impious horrid consequences be they never so obvious and regular of making God the author of sin and the like But we know those natural dictates are by unnatural sins effaced in many and when that one restraint is removed the conclusion will be as easily believed as the premises and where neither boldness nor skill are wanting to deduce it that Conclusion will again turn Principle and induce all vitious enormous living which Laws were designed to restrain but will no longer doe it when themselves are look'd on as impertinent invaders of liberty despised first and then hated § 25. One farther consideration hath been added to this former that this doctrine being imbibed by Governours is very apt to instill into them principles of tyrannie if it be but by imitating and transcribing from God
of bringing down that most sacred name whereby we should be saved to be the vilest instrument of all carnality and by the power of thy convincing Spirit Lord humble and subdue all that exalts it self against the obedience of Christ And when thou hast cast out so many evil spirits be pleased thy self to possesse and inrich our souls to plant and root and confirm and secure in us all those pretious fruits of piety and faith and obedience and zeal toward thee of purity and meekness and simplicity and contentedness and sobriety in our selves of justice and charity and peaceableness and bowels of mercy and compassion toward all others that having seriously and industriously as our holy vocation ingages us used all diligence to adde unto our faith virtue and to virtue patience and perseverance in all Christian practise we may adorn that profession which we have so long depraved and having had our fruit unto holiness we may obtain our end everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Contents CHAP. I. THe Notation of the word Fundamental Page 1 CHAP. II. The Division of the discourse into four parts What are Fundamental in general Page 15 CHAP. III. A particular view of Fundamentals Jesus Christ indefinitely Page 24 CHAP. IV. Jesus Christ Crucified Page 35 CHAP. V. Jesus Christ raised c. Page 38 CHAP. VI. Other Articles of Belief in Christ Page 42 CHAP. VII The Faith in Baptisme Page 56 CHAP. VIII Of the Creeds in general and first of the Apostles Creed Page 58 CHAP. IX Of the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds together and severally of the Nicene Page 82 CHAP. X. Of the Athanasian Creed Page 91 CHAP. XI Of the Superstructure and the particular branches thereof Page 94 CHAP. XII Of the Doctrines that hinder the superstructing of good life on the Christian belief first among the Romanists a Catalogue of them especially that of the Infallibility of the Church 2. Among others 1. that of the Solifidian Page 108 CHAP. XIII Of the Fiduciarie Page 120 CHAP. XIV Of Christ's dying for none but the Elect Page 130 CHAP. XV. Of the irrespective decrees of Election and Reprobation Page 145 CHAP. XVI Of the Predetermination of all things Page 156 CHAP. XVII Of the Spirits acting all things within the man Page 192 CHAP. XVIII Of the Mistakes concerning Repentance Page 202 CHAP. XIX Of the necessaries to the superstructing of good life on this Foundation Page 211 A Prayer Page 240 THE END ERRATA PAge 51. line 12. re Christ p. 60. § 4 l. 9. re Eutychen p. 77. l. 1. after omitted adde p. 90. l. 25. after practise adde p. 95. l. 17. after the adde most p. 110. marg the note subditos-with that next following it Valdi belong to p. 111. l. 7. and the word guilt p. 111. the note Summorum belongs to lin 19. and the word deviabilis p. 111. the note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 belongs to p. 112. l. 16. and the word secure p. 114. l. 19. after principle for put l. 20. after falshoods for put l. 21. after practises adde l. 23. after bread adde of l. 24. after God adde p. 128. l. 4. after not re but be reasonable p. 172. l. 19. after nature adde and p. 178. l. 10. dele was p. 189. l. 20. re 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 198. l. 17. re § 11. p. 200. l. 5. for if re of p. 204. l. 27. after being adde l. 30. after God adde p. 206. lin 9. after Repentance adde which is not repentance p. 213. l. 17. after § 6. re First p. 219. l. 3. for in re of p. 223. l. 7. for service re sacrifice p. 229. l. 26. re diffused Foundation is a relative and figurative word The relation of it to superstructure Building on the sand and on a rock The difference between them The Superstructure to which Foundation here relates Two sorts of Superstructures Heaven The Church Heaven cannot be it for two Reasons The first The second Fundamental to a Church to Piety and Christian life This notion of Fundamental confirmed by S. Athanasius Edifying Four branches of discourse proposed The General way of defining Fundamentals by what the Apostles taught every where The foundation laid 1 Cor. 3.11 1 Tim. 6.20 Jude 3. 2 Tim. 1.13 Eph. 4.5 Approved in common by the Apostles Comprehensive of all necessaries to the planting of a Church not to the conversion of every particular person Some Jews reduced to good life without this foundation Synesius a Bishop before he believed the Resurrection Jesus Christ the Foundation 1 Cor. 3.11 The Christian foundation compared with the Natural with the Judaical with the heathen and Mahomedan Christ crucified the Foundation What propriety the Crosse hath to this Christ's resurrection the Foundation an Argument of the greatest conviction A pawn of our Resurrection Corporal and Spiritual An example of new life to us The Mysterie of Godliness 1 Tim. 3.16 God made manifest by the Flesh The Arians doctrines against it De Fide p. 53. God justified by the Spirit God seen of Angels Preached among the Gentiles Believed on among men the Jewes the Gentiles Received up into glory The Father Son and holy Ghost The Apostles Creed Proved to be the Apostles †Ecclesia per universum orbem usque ad sines terrae seminata ab Apostolis à discipulis corum accepit eam fidem quae est in unuÌ„ DeuÌ„ patreÌ„ omnipotenteÌ„ c. Iren l. 1. c. 2. * Quid si neque Apostoli quidem scripturas reliquissent nobis nonne oportebat Ordinem sequi traditionis quam tradiderunt iis quibus constituebant Ecclesias Cui ordinationi assentiunt mullae gentes barbarorum quorum qui in Christum credunt sine chartâ atramento scriptum habentes in cordibus suis salutare veterem eruditionem diligenter custodientes in unum Deum credentes c. Iren l. 3. c. 4. The articles thereof fundamental to good life * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The article of God the Father Of God the Son Of God the holy Ghost Of the Holy Catholick Church Of the Communion of Saints The forgiveness of sins Misinterpreted Rightly understood The want of this to Renovation in a first a second a third respect The necessity of it The belief of the Resurrection of the Body Fundamental to Renovation The want of it very hurtful The perswasion gainfull Everlasting life The necessity of the belief of that The design of â—â—â—er Creeds Defined Of the Nicene One God Of all things visible and invisible One Lord Jesus Christ c. The H. Ghost the Lord and giver of life c. One baptisme for the Remission of sins The Doctrine of the Athanasian Creed The Censures The generall nature of the Superstruction in five particulars The specialties of it Piety in opposition to Idolatrie Piety in opposition to Formality To Hypocrisie To Sacrilege To Profaneness Obedience to Superiors Charitie e. Puritie Contentedness· Taking up the Crosse