the truth And Possevine saith Å¿ Bibl. select lib. 12. cap. 23. Some things in the Fathers wherein they dissented from the Church are judged and rejected Secondly they reject the Fathers one by one ordinarily when they crosse Romes Doctrine Many examples the Reader may see heereof in our fore-named Authour White pag. 330. § 13. Thirdly the Papists basely slight the Fathers although many of them agree in one and the same thing as for example in the question touching the cause of predestination one t Sixt Senens bib lib. 6. annot 241. saith that Chrysostome Origen Ambrose Hierome Augustine Theodoret Sedulius Theophilact Oecumenius and Theodulus held the prescience of merits the which opinion was condemned in Pelagius And thus he rejects ten Worthies at once Another u Mich. Medin â—rig sacr hom li. 1. cap. 5. sayth that Hierome Augustine Ambrose Sedulius Primasius Chrysostome Theodoret Oecumenius and Theophilact which are the chiefest of the Fathers in the question concerning the difference betweene a Priest and a Bishop held the same opinion which Aerius the Waldenses and Wickliffe did whom he counteth for Heretickes and chargeth the Fathers with the same heresie In the matter touching the baptisme of Constantine the great they v Baron an 324. n. 43. 50. et inde reject Eusebius Ambrose Hierome Theodoret Socrates Sozomen and the whole Councell of Ariminum saying they deserve no credit because not they that is the Fathers have written the truth but themselves that is the Papists have truly related that hee was baptized by Eusebius the Bishop of Nicomedia And thus wee see how the Papists esteeme of the Fathers or their writings when they sute not with their owne Tenets Fourthly the Workes and Writings of the Answ 4 Fathers are purged I should say rather polluted by the Papists and adulterated and corrupted and gelded and changed and therefore wee are not now by any meanes to build our faith upon them I intreat the studious Reader here to peruse Perkinsi Problema pag. 2. c. ad 44. And Censura quorundam Scriptorum Auctore Roberto Coco where he shall finde this answer abundantly confirmed Answ 5 Fifthly the Fathers in many things dissented among themselves and therefore wee cannot build our faith upon them because the foundation of faith ought to bee firme and infallible truth being but one Theophilus calleth Ephiphanius Haerefiarcham the grand Captaine and Father of Heretiques Gennadius saith that Saint Augustine was not farre off from being an Heretique Saint Hierome writing to St. Augustine sayth thus In Epistola tua quaedam haeretica esse judicavi I conceive that there are some hereticall opinions in your Epistle Saint Augustine wisheth Saint Hierome to acknowledge his errour and recant w Jewel Defense of the Apolo f. 37. 8. Sixtly the Fathers have erred in many things and therefore are not firme pillars to build our faith upon This a learned Papist doth acknowledge x â—anus loc Thâ—ol l. 7 c. 3. conclus 2. in these words The Canonicall Authors Answ 6 as being directed from above doe alwaies hold a perpetuall and stable constancie in their writings but the Fathers being inferiour unto them faiâ—e sometimes now and then contrary to the course of nature bringing forth a monster And another of them saith y Anselm Comment in 2. Cor. that in their bookes which the Church readeth many times are found things corrupt and hereticall Thus Hillary denied that Christ in his sufferings had any sorrow Refert Bellarm. de Char. l. 4. c. 8. Clemens Alexandrinus saith that Christ did not eate and drinke of any necessity but onely to shew that he had a true body and that hee and his Apostles after their death preached to the damned in hell and converted many z Strom l 6 and l. 3. Cyprian held rebaptization and Athenagoras condemned marriage Seventhly we Protestants doe not deny the Answ 7 Fathers but receive them with all reverence studying their writings and accounting their bookes as most excellent monuments of antiquitie but wee dare not make them rules of faith in themselves by which doctrines of truth are established but allow the Scriptures onely to be judge whereby wee trie both the Fathers and our selves Faith comes from the word of God not from the writing of men Rom. 10.14 and therefore the word not the Fathers must be the rule of our faith and by the proportion and Analogie of faith and truth therein contained all opinions are to be proved And therefore I thus conclude this question first that the Fathers may erre Secondly that many of them may erre together Thirdly that the learned of this present age in many things have more understanding then the Fathers had we being as Dominicus Bannes a Doctor of the Church of Rome said pag. 58. 59 like châ—ldren standing on the shoulders of Gyants who being lifted up by the tallenesse of the Giants see further then they themselves Fourthly and lastly that therefore with reverence they may in some things be refused § 2. sbalt not kill Sect. 2 How many degrees are there of murther Quest 1 in the text Five namely Answ first Whosoever is angry with his brother by Anger here is meant all the interiour motions in the minde will and heart which are repugnant to brotherly love The second degree is to call our brother Raca that is to use some signes and gestures of an angry and malevolent minde either by the countenance or by some disdainfull words of reproach which breake forth or by some gesture of the body The third degree is to call our brother Foole that is when the mind and affections being throughly moved we breake forth into manifold opprobrious and evill speakings The fourth is when by some deede which externally we performe we harme the body or impaire the health of our brother The fifth and last is Homicide it selfe But of all these more particularly by and by Much might be spoken first of the Antiquity of this law it being given presently after the flood Whosâ— sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed a Gen. 9.6 Secondly of the Antiquitie of the breach of this Law it being violated not many yeares after the creation b Gen. 4.11 when Cain killed Abell Thirdly of the generality of this Commandement Every one that takes the sword shall perish with the sword c Matth. 26.52 But I here forbeare referring these to another place Quest 2 What was our Saviours scope in the quoting of this Law Thou shalt not kill To teach them that they did not truely and rigthly understand it Answ expounding it onely according to the letter Quest 3 Why must not the Law be restrained onely to his literall sense Answ 1 First because the words are concise but the sense is prolixe the formes are short for the helpe of memory but the matters therein contained are long and many and that both in the Decalogue and in the Lords prayer and
practise 2. Because by the doctrine and discipline of our Church and Land those who will not obey but will bee wicked are punished Secondly concerning the Papists wee say that great is the securitie impietie and prophanesse in the Papacie and Church of Rome and that it proceeds from and is occasioned by the doctrine and tenents of the Church we prove it thus First they occasion impuritie while they command all their Priests to remaine unmarried when scarce either one or other of them hath the gift of continencie And so necessarily followes fornications adulterie Sodomy and all manner of uncleannesse among their Friars Monkes Nunnes Priests and Jesuits Secondly they teach perfidiousnesse and truce-breaking that neither word promise or oath is to bee kept with those who are not Papists as they are Guicciardinus De jure belli lib. 3. ca. 19. pag. 662. 3. They teach tyranny when they arme Kings against the faithfull provoking theÌ„ to kill those who never were convicted either of heresy or blasphemy Mr. Fox in his Monuments and those histories which write of the Spanish Inquisition give abundant examples hereof 4. They teach Idolatrie while directly they command prayers to bee made to the Virgin Mary and to the rest of the Saints and with tooth and naile maintaine such Idolatry to be lawfull Greg. de Valent. de Idol lib. 2. cap. 7. 5. They teach rebellion and treason while they suggest unto their hearers the odiousnesse of a lawfull Magistracie and as it were arme them with fire and sword to burne up murther or depose lawfull Christian Kings as they have done more then once in France and attempted often in England And therefore by these fruits of their Doctrine they are easily to be discerned How many sorts and kinds of fruit are there First fruits are either good whereof by and by or evill Question 3 Secondly evill fruits seeme here exprâ—sly to bee Answer 1 threefold namely Answer 2 1. Thornes these are of evill juyce and signifie Hereticks 2. Thistles these are vaine light and chaffie signifying those who swell and are puffed up with vaine glory 3. Corrupt trees whom a putrified heart hath corrupted both in Teaching and Living But the words are not to bee wrested Thirdly there is indeed a fruit namely Answer 3 1. Dogmatum of Opinions which is either 1. Against God and that either First against the persons and Trinity as the Arrians and Vorstius held divers things Secondly or against salvation by grace in Christ Or Thirdly against the glory of God and that either by the invocation or adoration of the creatures Or 2. Against his word and the dignitie thereof as the Papists who hold it imperfect and insufficient unto salvation without humane or Ecclesiasticall traditions 3. Or against the zealous profession of religion as many doe who holds all those nice and foolish people who are carefull to fulfill all righteousnesse and make conscience of committing the least sinne 2. Vitae of life as those Preachers whose lives and conversations are scandalous § 2. Doe 〈◊〉 gather grapes of thornes Section 2 Whether are these words to bee understood of Question 1 false Prophets onely or of all wicked men Answer 1 First it seemes generall because Saint Luke addes them to the prohibition of hypocriticall judgement Luke 6.42.43 Secondly Calvin thinks them to belong to false Answer 2 Prophets onely and that Saint Luke doth there conjoine things which are disjoyned and separated in time Thirdly I conceive the words speake of both Answer 3 And therefore I thinke 1. Christs scope is to admonish us of false prophets And 2. His admonition is urged from a generall rule And 3. That he concludes generally verse 20. Although I believe as I said even now that these words may be taken both generally and particularly yet in this verse I will onely handle them as spoken to false teachers What Prophets doth our Saviour here speake of Question 2 First a Prophet properly signifies one who foretelleth Answer 1 things to come according to the revelation made by him from God unto the people But Prophet doth not thus signifie in this place Secondly a Prophet sometimes signifies one who Answer 2 did expound the predictions and prophesies of the Prophets Thus Hulda was called a prophetesse Thirdly a prophet sometimes signifies him who Answer 3 from the bookes of the Prophets doth exhort the people unto repentance conversion and laying hold upon Christ Luke 24.27 Fourthly and lastly a prophet signifies one who teacheth Christ the end of the Prophets in the Ministerie Answer 4 of the Gospell And thus Saint Paul saith Hee that professeth speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort 1 Corinth 14.3 And thus the word is taken in this place Question 3 How many kindes of prophets are there Answer There are two namely Good and Evill First there are good prophets whereof two things are predicated namely 1. That he fructifies in good fruit And 2. That hee cannot fructifie in evill fruit Wherby is taught by our Saviour to wit That he is not to bee esteemed a good Minister who doth not show and shine forth in good works for it is required of a Minister that hee should be faithfull c. (t) 1 Cor. 4.2 reade 1 Corinth 9.15 and 2 Tim. 4.2 And therefore they must bee extraordinary carefull of two things to wit 1. Of their doctrine that they teach truely prudently fitly holily and diligently And 2. Of their lives wherein two things are to be regarded namely First negatively they must not so live that they disgrace either the profession of religion or that high calling whereunto they are called Rom. 2.24 Secondly affirmatively they must so shine in good works that God may bee glorified in them and by them Matth. 5.16 Secondly there are evill prophets In whom two things are pointed out to wit 1. That they are thornes and thistles and corrupt trees Question 4 Why are False-prophets compared to these things Answer 1 First because as thornes and thistles pricke hurt and wound the body so doe they the soule Answer 2 Secondly because as these things are contemned and despised so false prophets ought to bee being no better then unsavourie salt which is good for nothing Answer 3 Thirdly because as thornes and rotten trees are appointed for the fire so these are neere unto a curse and their end is to bee burnt Hebr. 6.8 as followes by and by verse 19. 2. That false prophets cannot bring forth good fruits Question 5 Cannot evill teachers teach hypocritically and Answer 1 so outwardly well First sometimes they speake from the heart and freely and then they speake as they are that is evilly as they are evill If 1. They bee hereticall or schismaticall Or 2. If they bee impure and given unto the world Or 3. If they bee ignorant of Christ Or 4. If they bee barren fields voide of all grace And speake as they thinke then without doubt they must needs speake coldly and
from any Nationall Church A man may goe from Britannia to Virginia and yet not depart from the Church of Christ because that is Catholike and Vniversall Coelum non animum mutat Answ 2 Secondly a man may depart from the obedience of the Church of Rome or of Constantinople and yet not depart from the Church of Christ Answ 3 Thirdly he onely departs from the Church of God who forsakes the truth of the doctrine of the Church and leaves this good Seed which is sowen therein For these God infatuates 2 Thess 2.11 And thus the Church of Rome hath fallen from the pure Church of Christ forsaking the wholesome truth sound doctrine of the sacred Scriptures taking heed unto fables The Husbandman sowes wheat in the field that is not in the corners or in some parts onely thereof but in all the parts of the field To teach us Observ 2 That the Gospel is to be communicated and imparted unto all and not to bee hid under a Bushel Col. 3.16 But of this wee have to speake elsewher and therefore here I omit it § 3. While men slept Wee see here in generall that Tares are sowne presently after the word and good Seed To Sect. 3 teach us That the Gospel being once preached in any Observ 1 Citie or Land corruptions and errours will also by and by creepe in Our Saviour by his Parable of the divers Seeds in this Chapter first Wheat in the day and then Tares in the night doth teach us that truth may challenge prioritie of errour yeelding principality unto truth saith Tertullian and posterioritie unto lying And so it must needs be because as there must be first iron before there can be rust which cankereth the iron so must there be a Virgin-truth before errour which is nothing else but an adulteration thereof So that Primum and Verum that is primarie antiquitie and truth are both inseparable twins begot and bred in the same instant yet as the first seduction of mankind did shortly follow the integritie of his first creation so sometimes the difference betweene errour and truth in respect of time hath been no more then as wheat in the day and tares in the same night BP Mort. Appeal pag. 511. lib. 4. Cap. 16. § 4. Now more particularly wee see that Tares Quest 1 were sowne while men slept How many wayes are men said to sleepe Answ To this Vincentius serm hyem dominica 4. post octa Epipha pag. 289. fine 291. media c. answer That men are said to sleepe three manner of wayes to wit First Per ignorantium intellectualem when men are so stupid and dull that they cannot understand and take up what is spoken wee say that they are asleepe Secondly Per negligentiam spiritualem when men are negligâ—nt remisse carelesse or luke-warme in that which they doe wee say they are asleepe that is when they goe about spirituall duties and the exercises of Religion heedlesly minding some other thing more then that they are about Thirdly Per abundantiam criminalem when men sleepe in their sinnes and are so over-whelmed with the deluge of their iniquities that they are no more sensible of their danger or dangerous condition then a man asleepe upon the Mast of a ship is Now sleepe in this place doth signifie that they did not perceive when the Tares first began or they were not aware of the first sowing of them Whence wee learne That heresies creepe secretly obscurely and Observ 2 unseene into the Church and are not perceived till afterwards errours are like rust not perceived at the beginning or like some secret maladie which often appeares not till it bee incurable And not like Ionas his gourd who growes up suddenly and at once to his height but by degrees and a change scarce sensible Quest 2 Who are here to be blamed Answ The Church of Rome who commands us to shew when their heresies begun what yeare what moneth what day or by what particular person This is their common brag and over worne clamour as wee may see in Campian rat red Academicis and after him the rule of faith Kellison and divers more To whom wee answer First that wee know not precisely the time of the first feeding of some errours onely this wee know that the husbandmen not regarding the Seed because it seemed little and of no danger neglected it as men asleepe neither could it bee discerned untill it did appeare in a blade Secondly the Apostle likewise hath resembled corrupt and erroneous speeches unto a creeping Canker 2 Tim. 2.17 which is a disease in mans body gathering upon a man by little and little from joynt to joynt untill it have corrupted the vitall parts B P Mort. App. pag. 509. Thirdly there is a foure-fold Sleepe namely I. Conniventiae of connivence when men winke at things lest they should disturbe the peace of the Church Sic Ecclesia tenet Origenem pium licet Scripta venenata Hier Thus the Church held Origen to be a good man although many of his writings were stained with grosse errours and Tertullian and Cyprian to be holy although they were Montanists and Iustine and Irenaeus to be worthy to be placed in the Bead-roule of Saints although they were Chiliastes and Augustine hath the addition of Saint although hee seemed to grant a Purgatory Thus for the peace of the Church winking at the faults of such famous Fathers II. Negligentiae of negligence and thus through the remissenesse of Governours errours have often crept into the Church III. Ignorantiae of ignorance when the Priests lips doe not preserve knowledge Malach. 2.7 IV. Avaritiae superbiae of pride and avarice when men are so transported with these that they will neither see nor heare any thing which is opposite unto these And thus errours have crept into the Church sometimes through the affection of the people to the broachers of the errours sometimes through the negligence sometimes through the ignorance sometimes through the pride and Avarice of the Prelates and Doctors of the Church Fourthly I could name the beginning of some Popish heresies and so stop the mouthes of those loud Cryers And I will but onely name one or two namely I. The primacy of the Pope was not confirmed concluded or proclaimed to the world before Phocas and Bonifaces time II. The worshipping of Images was condemned in the Nicene Councell III. The Cup in the Lords Supper was never taken away from the people till the Councell of Constance But because this is amply handled by Bishop Iewel I passe it by Quest 3 What is here required of us Answ 1 First Ministers must be extraordinary carefull that errours do not grow spread and disperse themselves Sathan can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light and therefore they must watch diâ—igently over their flockes and be carefull for them Galath 4.19 And because the word is the good Seed they must therefore preach in season and out of season 2 Tim.
should betoken Saint Peter to be the foundation-stone yet so likewise were the other Apostles called the stones of the Church Card. Cusan de Concord eccles lib. 2 Cap. 13. Fifthly although Peter were both the foundation Answ 5 and head of the Church yet the Pope is not For although they say that Peter was Bishop of Rome yet it cannot be proved by Scripture but rather the contrary For if he had been at Rome when Paul was there amongst many others hee would not have forgotten to mention him having divers occasions thereof especially he would not have wrapped him in the common charge that all had forsaken him 2 Timoth. 4.16 yea again Peters proper charge being amongst the Jewes who were never frequent or many at Rome Galath 2.7 after the few that were there were banished from thence Acts 18.2 what likelyhood was there that he would most reside there where they had least to doe except they will say that Peter loved his ease and pleasure as the Popes of Rome doe And therefore they might have had more colour to have made S. Paul Bishop of Rome who was there and writ an Epistle thither and was the Apostle of the Gentiles then St. Peter seeing he never writ any Epistles to Rome never set foot in Rome that they can prove nor ever was properly the Apostle of the Gentiles but of the Iews which the Romans were not Again if it should be granted that Peter was at Rome yet there is no colourable probation that he was Bishop there the Bishoprick being a place far inferiour to the Apostleship whereunto he is called 1 Corinth 12.28 Ephes 4.11 yea though Peter were the Bishop of Rome yet it will not follow that the Bishop of Rome is his successour For I. It should have been but a personall right belonging unto him onely For the driving of this wedge more home and close unto them let us observe how Bellarmine lib. 3. de pont rom Cap. 2. § Secundus locus goeth about to prove That Antichrist is but one singular man from the Greeke article as where Antichrist 2. Thes 2. is called The man of sin and the childe of perdition signifying saith he one certain and individuall person and then as though this observation derived from the Greek article were a point of learning and of singular moment hee in a manner insulteth against Protestants for their ignorance herein Et sane mirum est nullum Adversariorum qui tamen jactant linguarum peritiam hoc animadvertisse never considering that by what Argument they would free their Popes in their personall succession from the Title of Antichrist by the same they mainly overthrow that wkich they think to be the very bulwark of all Popery even this succession from St. Peter as thus In this verse our Saviour saith Thou art Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Vpon this the rocke will I build my Church And thus by their own Argument if Peter were Bishop of Rome and was meant by the Rock yet it is not to be extended further then his own person If the Reader would see into how great a strait the Papists are brought by this Argument let him reade our venerable and Reverend Prelate Bishop Mortons Appeal lib. 2. Cap 5. § 4. pag. 146 147. II. If Peter were the Bishop and it belonged to his successours to be so then Antioch where he is said to have sate before he is supposed to have sitten at Rome might challenge it as well and as warantably as they Neither can his death which they suppose to have been at Rome give that priviledge to Rome above Antioch or any other place more then the death of Christ priviledged Ierusalem which by the just judgment of God for the same cause was made an heap of stones III. If Peter were the Bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church and that this did belong to his successours at Rome yet it belongeth to his successours in Doctrine and not to his successors in place only considering that if the Church were builded upon Peter it was in respect of the Doctrine he taught and not of his person Now there have been some Popes Hereticks some Magicians and some in their words no better then Atheists as is proved by our Bishop Iewell and Bishop Morton in many places of his Appeal and therefore these were no successors to St. Peter in his doctrine and consequently not his successours at all Answ 6 Sixthly and Lastly we answer that Christ doth not in this place by Rock understand Peter but himself which Peter confessed Now because this is the very life marrow and sinewes of this objection we will proue it plainly and that I. By some of our Holy Martyres as for example First Iohn Husse saith That Christ in saying upon this Rock c. did not purpose to build the Church upon Peter but upon himself who is the true rock for as much as Iesus Christ is the only head and foundation of every Church and not Peter Fox pag. 610. resp ad artic 9. Secondly Sir Iohn Bortwike Knight condemned for the truth in Scotland anno 1540. thus declareth his mind As Abraham tooke his name of the multitude which should come of his seed so Peter was named of the Rocke but Abraham was not the multitude it selfe no more was Peter the Rocke for the Church should bee staied upon a weake foundation if Peter were the ground thereof who being amazed and overcome with the words of a little wench did so constantly deny Christ Fox 1260. II. By some of the Fathers who have expounded this place not of Peters person but of his faith built upon the true Rocke Iesus Christ Fides est Ecclesiae fundamentum Ambrose de incarnat Cap. 5. Petra est quisquis c. Every Disciple of Christ that drinketh of the spirituall Rocke is a Peter and a Rocke Origen Tract 1. in Matth. So Augustine by the Rocke here understands Christ s Super hanc Petram c. Vpon this Rocke Peter which thou confessest and upon this Rocke which thou acknowledgest when thou said Thou art Christ the Sonne of the immortall God upon this Rocke will I build my congregation that is upon my selfe the Sonne of the ever living God upon me will I build it and not upon thee Againe Aug. s Iohn 21. saith the Church cannot fall because it is founded upon the Rocke of the which Rocke or Petra Peter hath his name III. This may bee confirmed by this reason because Nomen Denominatum the name and the thing denominated cannot both bee spoken of one and the same thing For a stone and stony is not both one faith and a faithfull man are divers things as are also Grammar and a Grammarian Petra is the name from whence Petrus is derived or denominated and therefore the Papists grosly expound this place even as though a man should thus say Aristotle is a Logician and Logicke is the instrument of sciences therefore
taught were true as I. That there was a God and that he was one And II. That the Messiah should come and by his comming bring much benefit to mankind And III. That the Law of Moses and the Common-wealth of the Jewes was of and from God And IV. That the seed of Abraham was the Church of God And V. That the soules did not dye with the bodies but remained immortall And VI. That there should be a Resurrection when all men should receive according to their workes and divers the like truths Answ 2 Secondly in many things yea in many principall heads of Religion they erred horribly For I. They beleeved that there was but one true God and one onely Person and hence they said that CHRIST blasphemed when he affirmed himselfe to be the true Sonne of God and true God Iohn 8. And II. They thought that the Messiah should onely have a humane nature and taught that he should restore the temporall Kingdome of the Jewes and from the Schoole of the Pharisees it came that the Mother of the Sonnes of Zebedee said unto Christ Lord let one of my Sonnes sit on thy right hand and the other on thy left in thy Kingdome And hence also it was that after Christs Resurrection his Disciples asked him Master wilt thou now restore the Kingdome to Israell III. They taught that the observation of the Law consisted onely in outward workes and not in inward and that the Law did not injoyne absolute obedience And IV. They attributed many things though not all to Stoicall fate and taught that there was free-will in man it being for the most part in his power either to doe or to leave undone that which was good but yet in some things God and Fate helped And hence they affirmed that it was in the power of man to fulfill the Law of God yea hence they were puffed up with pride and boasting and confidence in their owne merits and righteousnesse as perfect obeyers of the whole Law and despised the grace and righteousnesse of GOD. And V. They so strictly abstained themselves from all workes on the Sabbath day and taught others so to doe that the healing of the sicke upon that day although it were done with a word and the plucking of eares of corne although for hunger were esteemed haynous offences by them Jf the Reader would see more of their errours J referre him to Hospinian de origine Monach. Page 4.6 The Papists produce this place to prove the authority of the Church in judging of matters of faith Object or that the chiefe authority to expound Scripture is committed to the Church that is the Prelates Bellarmine de verbo Dei Lib. 3. Cap. 5. Testimon 3. argues thus Our Saviour here saith The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses chaire all things that they bid you observe that observe and doe Therefore we must stand to the Judgement and interpretation of the Prelates of the Church Christ saith he in this Chapter doth principally taxe and reprove the sinnes and vices of the Pharisees and because those who are infirme and weake may thinke or collect from hence that the Prelates are not to be beleeved or obeyed because their lives are vicious and corrupt therefore our Saviour doth first teach that notwithstanding the evill life of the Pharisees their doctrine is to be beleeved and obeyed in all things Bartholomeus Latomus in defens advers Bucer argues thus In these words of our Saviours saith he the authority of the Ministers of the Church is laid downe which authority of theirs is absolute and therefore the authority of the Ministers is necessary to be obeyed Stapleton the Rhemists and others argue thus Christ saith The Pharisees sit in Moses chaire and all things that they shall say do Where by the Chaire of Moses is signified the infallibity of the Priesthood under the Law and was a type of the truth of Religion in the Apostolike Sea of Rome Vide Staplet apud Whitak de author Script Lib. 3. page 4 4 and Bp. Mort. Lib. 3. Cap. 15. § 5. Answ 1 First we grant that these words must be understood of the Ministers of the Gospell that succeed the Apostles as well as of the Pharisees that sate in Moses Chaire Answ 2 Secondly by Moses chaire is meant neither outward succession nor judiciall authority but the profession of Moses Law Or To sit in the chaire of Moses is not to succeed in the place of Moses but to teach according to the Law of Moses the Pharisees then teaching Doctrines not agreeable to that Law did therein not sit in Moses Chaire And therefore from this place is neither proved an infallibility of judgement in the Prelates of the Church to interpret Scripture nor a necessity of obedience Answ 3 Thirdly our Saviour doth not simply command the people to obey the Pharisees in all points of their doctrine or teach them that their locall succession did priviledge them from errour but onely that they should not for their evill life be offended at that which they might at any time teach well because though their life were wicked yet that which they taught out of Moses chaire that is to say according to Moses Law must be followed And thus that which Bellarmine affirmes That the Doctrine of the Prelates must be obeyed and beleeved is to be restrained and limited that is it must not be understood absolutely and simply but as they sit in Moses chaire that is teach that which Moses taught For otherwise it is Captio ab Homâ—nymia because this word Chaire may be taken two manner of wayes namely either I. For the Doctrine they taught Or II. For their office or persons Now it is evident and cleare that CHRIST here commands that the Prelates of the Church should be heard but in those things onely in which they teach nothing contrary to the revealed will of God and therefore obedience is due unto those who have the over-sight of our soules and is to be performed with this exception if they injoyne and teach nothing contrary to God And therefore we should alwayes seriously consider whether the thing commanded and taught by them be contrary or according to the Commandement of God and to know this is required the judgement of discerning If we should demand of any of the Papists above mentioned Whether they thinke the people of the Jewes were bound to beleeve the Scribes and Pharisees when they affirmed and taught That CHRIST was an impostor and deceiver J know none of them would have held the affirmative but would have blushed to say it and therefore let them remember themselves and allow of some fitting limitation in the interpretation of these words Whatsoever they shall say unto you observe and doe If the opponents and objecters will not grant us without proofe that these words are to be restrained and limited we can easily evince it by these ensuing reasons namely First because both their owne and other Expositors have
compulsion or constraint Unlawfull to wit the requiring the confession Of all sins and circumstances which we have committed And that once a yeare at the least Yea enjoyned upon necessity to salvation Exaction may bee understood two waies First of constraint as of necessity Secondly of perswasion onely as profitable Now this question 1. is not of confession to God nor 2. Publickly to the congregation 3. to one another but 4. to the Pastor onely and 5. not that which is enforced of necessity unto a particular enumeration of all acts and circumstances but that onely which is done by the Confitent willingly and freely and by the Pastor at the most but perswaded as profitable not injoyned as simply necessary And therefore I say as that auricular universall generall peremptory Confession is justly condemned and exploded by our Church as shall be shewed else where so of the other there may bee godly use as shall be proved in another place Thirdly consider that Protestants may bee taken two manner of waies First for private Ministers in the practise of their preaching here I confesse ingenuously and am verily perswaded that the holy and sober use of confessing upon divers weighty occasions might by Gods blessing be the instrument of much good among his people as shall God willing else where bee proved this caution or admonition observed that a thing which may be either perniciously or profitably used as confession of sinnes to the Pastor may should neither be too farre pressed or too wholy neglected according the saying of Charles the Emperour Confessio neque nimis laxanda neque nimis astringenda Secondly by Protestants may be meant the doctrine of our Church and in this sense Protestants are not too remisse in the doctrine of confession of sins for our ever precious Iewell saith private confession abuses set apart wee condemne not Bishop Morton a present principall pillar of our Church allowes it also so it be free and not exacted a Appeal 2 4 Sect. 5. and Chemnitius b Part. 2. 5. saith plainely Ea qua conscientiam gravant exponere consulit ecclesia nostra instructionis consolationis gratiâ that is our Church doth advise men to acknowledge those sinnes that trouble and oppresse their consciences if they desire either counsell or consolation b See also Bishop Usher in his answer to the Irish Iesuit Pag. 81. yea we may make our adversaries our judges in this particular for Bellarmine himselfe c De paenit 3.1 confesseth that our men naming Chemnitius Melancthon and Calvin allow of confession Lastly our Communion booke in the end of the second exhortation unto the Lords Supper saith if there bee any that through the sight of their sins cannot quiet their owne conscience but require further comfort or counsell then let him come to mee or some other Minister of Gods word and open his griefe c. And in the visitation of the sick the Rubrique saith the sicke person shall make a speciall confession if he feele his conscience troubled with any weighty matter For conclusion of this question as our Church allowes of private confession of sins unto Ministers so it behooveth to have good consideration as well of the persons and of the manner of doing as of the fitnesse of the particulars to be revealed Vers 7 VERRS 7. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Saduces come to his Baptisme he said unto them O Generation of Vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come Sect. 1 § 1. The Pharisees and Sadduces these were both most wicked sects 1 the Saduces were prophane denying the immortality of the soule 2. the Pharisees were hypocrites making a shew of that which was not in them and yet both these come to Iohns Preaching from whence it Quest 1 may be demanded Why doth the preaching of the word awaken all and draw of all sorts unto it like a draw net that brings to shore both good and bad a Matt. 13.47 Answ 1 I answer first this comes from the nature of the Gospel preached which is first a Trumpet b Esa 58.1 and 1 Cor. 14.8 and therefore awakens all 2 it is a sword and therefore it wounds all c Heb. 4.12 3 It is like the Angel in Bethesda and therefore moves troubles perswades all the word makes wicked men often sigh and tremble in the hearing of it d Ioh. 5.4 and hence it workes some effect or other for the most part Answ 2 upon all Secondly this comes from the instability of our nature and moveablenesse of our dispositition est natura hominum novitatis avida we are naturally like the sand in the water mooved and stirred with every wave like reedes shaken with the wind noveltie often makes us runne unto the word as the Sadduces and Pharisees here we being naturally like the Athenians that desire to heare new things having itching eares Obiect But against this it bee objected The word though preached profits none but the faithfull because except it be mixt with faith it availes not e Heb. 4.2 Answ I answer certainely the word preached profits not all but yet it moves all the seed works something in the stony and thorny ground as well as in the good ground although not so much nor so profitably the water being moved and troubled the clay and sand arises although presently that which is heavie sinkes downe againe to the bottome Thus many come unto Christ f Luk. 5.1 and 12.1 but for a diverse end first some for novelties sake that they may see him because they heare rare things of him Secondly some that they may see his miracles and heare him preach Thirdly some that they may be fed by him Fourthly some that they may be cured by him Fiftly but very few that they might heare his word to keepe and observe it And thus many come unto the word for divers ends and are sometimes awakened by it although the most part fall to the sleepe of sinne againe Why is the comming of the prophane Sadduces Quest 2 and the hypocriticall Pharisees unto Iohn here mentioned To teach us that there is no order or calling so desperately wicked Answ Observ but the Gospel calles and gathers some of them unto it the truth of this answer appeares by an Induction of divers examples viz. First from the Pharisees the Gospel calleth Nicodemus g Ioh. 3.1 and Gamaleel h Act. 5.34 Secondly from the Senators and great and rich men it calls Ioseph of Arimathea i Matth. 27.57 and Sergius the Proconsul Acts 13. Thirdly from the souldiers it calles the Centurion k Matth. 8.5.8.13 and Cornelius Acts 10. Fourthly it calles the Keeper of the prison Acts 16. Fiftly from the harlots it calles Mary Magdalen and divers others Sixtly from the theeves it calles one Seventhly from the Idolatrous and superstitious Athenians it calles Dionisius and Damaris and some others l Acts 17.34
should more humble us then our faire plumes pride us the conscience of our sins should trouble us and deject us not so much for feare of the anger of God as through griefe of the offence committed against him Answ 5 Fiftly we are Christians and therefore out duty is to esteeme all as brethren in Christ and in that regard equall as sonnes of one Father and not to exalt our selves above any Answ 6 Sixtly because pride is from the Divell this being his sinne which threw him from heaven into hell and therefore when men strive for priority precedency and the like they do imitate the Divell not Christ Quest 2 It may yet again be demanded Is all humility good or acceptable and approved by Christ Answ I answer there is a two fold humility first Civill secondly Spirituall First there is a Civil humility and this is threefold First Vulpina a Fox-like humility when men seeme humble that they may the better draw others into their net this was in Absolon towards the people that so he might steale away their hearts this was likewise in Ioab towards Amasa but is odious unto God in whom-soever it is Secondly Asinina there is an Asse-like humilitie atising from stoliditie pusillanimitie or cowardlinesse because a man is faint-hearted therefore he cannot raise up himselfe as others doe for the most part we see that He that wants a heart is dejected He that abounds in heart is proud Now this humilitie is not praise-worthy neither nor pleasing unto God that arises onely from the faintnesse of the heart the want or defect of the spirits or the cowardlinesse of the disposition Thirdly Columbina there is a Dove-like humilitie which is in him who neither is ignorant of himselfe nor of his place nor of his parts nor of his right neither seekes them that is although hee bee endued with many rare parts farre above many others and â—n eminent place yet vaunteth not himselfe is not puffed up doth not behave himselfe unseemly seeketh not his owne is not easily provoked p 1 Cor. 13.4.5 This humilitie is pleasing unto God when found in the way of religion but although a rare morall vertue yet not acceptable if not accompanied with saving grace Secondly there is a Spirituall humilitie and this is best of all viz. when a man comparing himselfe with God or with Christ doth abhorre himselfe as vile considering that hee is but earth as Iob layes his finger upon his mouth and dares not speake unto the Lord because hee is but dust and ashes q Iob. 39.37 But here observe two things First men doe easily confesse that they are inferiour to God and Christ in generall but yet in the meane time cease not to rejoyce in themselues as the proud Pharisee that justified himselfe unto God r Luke 18.11 Secondly observe that true spirituall humilitie consists in this in ascribing all good things wholly unto God a Ier 9.23.24 Iob. 42.2 that although formerly wee have thought our selves more worthy than others more holy than others much better than others yet now wee see the hollownesse vacuitie and vanitie of our owne hearts how that in us that is in our flesh dwells no manner of thing that is good b Rom. 7.18 wee not being able of our selves to thinke a good thought c 2 Cor. 3.5 yea whatsoever grace is bestowed upon us comes from the meere favour and good will of God according to that of the Apostle Christ is made unto us Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption that he which glorieth might glorie in the Lord d 1 Cor. 1.30.31 § 3. He shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and Sect. 3 with fire That which Saint Iohn meanes figuratively the Abysseni take literally when they baptize their children they power water upon them and marke them with an hot Iron as we doe our lambes The Papists object this verse for the proofe of Purgatorie because this baptisme of fire Obiect whereof mention is made in this verse is Purgatorie fire I answer first the consequence is false viz. Answ 1 mention is made of the Baptisme of fire therefore there is a purgatorie fire for this is a ridiculous conclusion Answ 2 Secondly Saint Matthew hath nothing at all which can be justly applyed unto Purgatorie fire Answ 3 Thirdly we retort upon the Monkes the Argument thus If the Baptisme of Fire be Purgatorie fire as the Monkes say and Christ onely baptized with the baptisme of fire as the Scripture here sayth then it will follow that we are purged onely by Christ and that Christ onely is our Purgatorie yea Christ I say who hath vouchsafed in these last dayes to take the Fan of his Word in his hand that he might purge the floore of his church will divide the pure doctrine of his truth from the corrupt errours of men and will burne the chaffe of Purgatory Pardons and the like corruptions of the church of Rome with unquenchable fire h Sadeel f. 262. Vers 12 VERS 12 Which hath his Fan in his hand and will make cleane his floore and gather his Wheat into his garner but will burne up the chaffe with unquenchable fire Sect. 1 § 1. This verse is like unto a Cornu copia unto the Papists serving them at many assayes as we may perceive by the many severall erroneous tenents which they build upon it Obiect 1 First they object this place for the proofe of Purgatorie thus by the Floore is meant Purgatorie and by the Garner Paradise therefore it is plaine that there is a Purgatorie I answer Saint Iohn preacheth of repentance and the purging away of sinne in this life Answ as the Ancients doe interpret the Floore of the church in this life wherein there is both chaffe and wheate i Chemnitius but of the true signification and exposition of this verse by and by Obiect 2 Secondly the Papists object this place to prove that wicked men are true members of the church of Christ the church here is compared to a Barne Floore where there is both chaffe and corne therefore wicked men are members of Christs church Wee answere here first to the thing then to the place objected First we answer to the matter or substance Answ 1 of the objection whether and how wicked men are members of the church by this distinction wee distinguish betweene the true church of Christ but internall and invisible which consists onely of the elect and true believers and the true church of Christ but externall and visible which hath many reprobates admixed with it Now the internall and invisible church is the church of Christ in regard of the true faith which the citizens are endued withall and the externall and visible church is the true church of Christ in regard of the profession of true religion maintained therein Answ 2 Secondly wee answer to the place objected thus By the church which is here compared to a Barne Floore is understood the
for the Direction of our life and that in these foure regards First it shewes us our errours All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light and whatsoever doth make manifest is light e Ephes 5.13 This light is regula sui obliqui the rule of truth and falshood in the night wee erre and misse our way but the day light shewes us our errours and therefore wicked men hate the light they therefore that know not themselves to bee sinners and sinfull creatures are not enlightned with this light for it shewes our sinnes and errours unto us Secondly this light doth enlighten the aire or dispose the meanes of knowledge both externall and internall that is thereby wee are inabled to reape benefite by the meanes to obey those things which we know God by Christ giving unto us both the will and the deed f Phil. 2.13 And therefore those that receive no benefite at all by the Ministerie of the Word neither obey God are not Christs Thirdly this light expelles darknesse as a candle doth presently enlighten the most darke room therefore those that yet remaine in the shadow of death partake not Christ those that bring forth no other fruit than the workes of darknesse and sinne doe not as yet enjoy this light Fourthly this light directs our steppes in the wayes of God unto that which is good he is our Way Light and Life g Ioh. 1.4 Ambulare vis Ego via Falli non vis Ego veritas Mâ—ri non vis Ego vita h Aug. s Ioh. 14.6 Wouldst thou walk I am saith Christ the way Wouldst thou not be deceived in thy walking I am the truth Wouldst thou not dye I am the life Thus Christ is our chiefest light without which we erre and by whom we may know how to moderate and direct our lives according to the will of God And therefore those that desire to obey God aright let them heare Christ let them come unto the light and let them learne the word other teachers may lead us aside but the word is a certaine guide and they doe well that attend thereunto i 2 Pet. 1.20 Thirdly this light and bright Sunne cleares the heavens and comforts the conscience the Sunne comforts all creatures in a manner and Christ is comfortable unto all his children the message of the rising of this bright morning Starre was newes of great joy k Luke 2.10 When Christ comes unto Zacheus he rejoyceth l Luke 19.6 when this light shined in Samaria there was great joy in that Citie m Acts 8.8 when the Eunuch was made partaker of Christ hee goes home rejoycing n Acts 8.39 When the Keeper of the prison was converted unto Christ he rejoyced exceedingly o Acts 16.34 Doe all rejoyce that are made partakers of Quest 5 Christ They doe Answ except onely those that are as yet infirme and weake that is First those that are not as yet sure of it Children have life long before they are apprehensive of it and the babes of Christ are made partakers of him before they certainly know it Secondly those that have weake eyes doe not rejoyce in the light of the Sunne so those whose affections are yet captivated with the love of sinne Iohn 3.19 or the love of the world 1. Iohn 2.15 doe not rejoyce in this light And therefore those who thinke they enjoy Christ and yet doe not rejoyce in the fruition of him must know that the reason is because either they love some sinne or the world too much Fourthly this light is profitable for us unto eternall life this is the end of all The Sunne renewes the earth after winter is past so after the winter of this life this light will renue our dayes by making us partakers of life everlasting And therefore whosoever are destitute of light are destitute of life whosoever are without Christ are without salvation Who are without Christ Quest 6 First Heathens and Infidels who are Answ 1 extra Ecclesiam both out of the visible and invisible Church Secondly Heretikes who hold tenets that Answ 2 overthrow fundamentall truths Thirdly ignorant persons who neither Answ 3 know the doctrine of faith repentance or obedience Fourthly prophane and wicked persons who Answ 4 either obey not at all or not with a true and sincere heart who either know their masters will and doe it not or may know their masters will but will not The reader perhaps will thinke it necessary that I should have shewne the meanes how this light may bee obtained which I had indeed set downe but that it followes more naturally in another place and therefore now I omit it in this VERS 17. Vers 17 From that time Iesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand § 1. From that time That is after that Iohn was cast into prison Hence two questions are made Sect. 1 Quest 1 First why did not Christ begin sooner than thus to preach Answ 1 First some a Aretius say because God would have it so and we are not to enquire after any other reason Answ 2 Secondly some b Hierom. sup answer this Christ did in regard of his doctrine because the Gospell was to bee preached and published after the Law Now Iohn preached the Law and therefore Christ preacheth not so long as Iohn continues preaching but when hee is cast into prison and debarred from preaching then Christ beginnes But I rather think that Iohn preached the Gospell though not perfectly than the Law because our Saviour sayth of him that hee was the least in the kingdome of heaven c Matth. 11 11. that is in the Church of Christ in the New Testament and therefore if hee belonged to the Church of the Gospell it is most likely that hee preached the Gospell although not so clearly as now it is taught because Christ had not as then finished the worke of our redemption Answ 3 Thirdly this was done in respect of Iohn Baptist lest otherwise hee should have been thought rather Christs companion than his fore-runner if they had preached both together d Chrysos sup yea hence it was that John while hee had libertie onely preached and baptized but wrought no miracles e Ioh. 10.48 because hee would not bee thought to bee equall unto Christ but onely one that made way for him Answ 4 Fourthly this was done in respect of Christ lest that his preaching should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any witnesse f Chrysos sup as the Jews falsly sayd to him Thou bearest witnesse of thy selfe therefore thy testimony is nothing g Ioh. 8.13 that is thy testimony is of small worth if it bee confirmed onely by thy owne mouth But this calumniation Christ proves false Yee sent sayth hee unto Iohn and he bare witnesse of mee h Ioh. 5.33 yea Iohn plainly averres this Yee your selves beare me witnesse
must needs bee visible Touching the visibilitie of the Church I lay downe this proposition There shall be alwayes a Church truly visible so long as this mortall world shall last Here that I may be the better understood let me adde these explanations to wit First the most visible Church shall not alwayes bee truest for the weeds of errour and chaffe of hypocrisie and superstition shall sometimes over-grow the come of true religion d Aug. brev coll col 3. as Arianisme did the truth in Hilary his dayes e Hyl. cont Auxen teste M. Cano Yea this is confessed Major pars vincit aliquando meliorem the greater part oftentimes overcomes the better Bellarm. de Concil 3.9 Secondly errours over-growing the truth peradventure the Church shall at some time bee visible onely ad intra not ad extra that is knowne among themselves though not observed of the world I say peradventure because many of our worthy Divines hold that it shall be visible alwayes not onely in some scattered persons but in an orderly Ministery and use of the Sacraments f D. Field de Eccles 1.10 Thirdly this Church shall not alwayes be resplendent and glorious in the worlds eye as the Papists sometime perswade the ignorant but after Saint Augustines comparison like the Moone ever being but sometimes in the wane scarce seene shining at all Obscurari potest multitudine scandalorum saith Bellarmine g Bell. de eccles milit 3.16 in answer to Hylary out of Saint Augustine epistol 48. Fourthly this visible Church hath no warrant of not erring in the usuall sense to wit in part this being the greatest imposture that the Papists gull the world withall as shall be shewed in another place Sect. 5 § 5. A City set upon a hill Here wee have two things to consider of first what this Citie is Secondly what this Mountaine is Quest 1 First what this City is which is set upon a Mountaine Answ 1 First some say the Apostles are this Citie but this cannot be except onely by a Metonymie as we take mundus pro mundanis the world for worldlings And therefore our Saviour doth not say Yee are the City set on an hill Secondly others say the Church is this City Answ 2 because it is as a City deare and consecrated unto God yea elsewhere called the City of God Psal 46.4 the joy of the whole earth the Citie of the great King Psal 48 2. and of righteousnesse Esa 1.26 yea it is termed Mount Sion the City of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem the Church of the first borne h Heb. 12.22 How deare and pretious this Citie is in Gods sight may appeare by these things observed by some in the metaphore I. The City is the Church thus David Glorious things are spoken of thee oh Citie of God i Psa 87.3 II. The Mountaine whereupon the City stands is Christ according to that of the Prophet David The stone became a great Mountaine and filled the whole earth k Da. 2.35 III. The Citizens of this Citie are the Saints thus saith Saint Paul Yee are fellow-citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God l Eph. 2.19 IV. The Towers of this City were the Prophets who were most eminent in the Church V. The Gates of this Citie were the Apostles by whose Ministery men were brought into the Church VI. The Walls of this City are the Ministers of the Word and the Apostles successours who are as rampers to defend the Church against the assaults of sin superstition and errour m Chrys inperf op s Thirdly the true City is not in this life for Answ 3 here we have no continuing City but we seeke one to come Hebr. 13.14 to wit that new Jerusalem which is above Revel 21.2 10. Quest 2 If the City expected and longed for by the faithfull be not in this life then how is the Church called a City both in this verse and in other places as was shewed before Answ The Militant Church of Christ may be called a City partly Analogicè because it something resembles the heavenly Hierusalem and triumphant Church partly Synechdochicè because it is a part of that Citie which is above What is to be expected or may be looked for Quest. 3 in this Citie Foure things to wit first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Order Answ God the King of this City not being the author of confusion but of peace 1 Cor. 14.33 and therefore all things are to be done decently and in order vers 40. avoiding contention because it becomes not the Church of Christ n 1 Cor. 11.16 And therefore those who will not be subject to the godly decent and lawfull injunctions and orders of the Church are no true members thereof or at least are to be esteemed as stubborne children whether they be 1. Fanatici the Anabaptists who understand all truths as they list themselves measuring all Doctrines by their owne revelations Or 2. Furiosi the Brownists who will tolerate no rites or customes at all although all who know any thing agree that in all Churches there have beene some Or 3. Pertinaces those that are headstrong perverse obstinate and rebellious whose will is a Law and will make any thing lawfull that they please not subjecting themselves to any government or command though never so lawfull Of all these we may say with the Apostle If any seeme to be thus contentious we have no such custome wee nor the Church of God o 1 Cor. 11.16 Secondly the second thing to be expected in this City is Unitie there is but one governement one King one head and one body and therefore we expect unitie in this City reade Ephes 4.5.16 and Rom. 12.5 and 1 Corinth 10.17 it being necessary that the Citizens should be of one minde and of one judgement having but one rule to walke by and one way which all must walke in who hope to be saved p Phil. 3.16 There is one light whereby we are enlightned one truth whereby we are directed one law of obedience unto all one faith in Christ unto salvation one profession of faith and obedience and whatsoever differs from this is an error We may differ in outward and adiaphorall things and yet be of the same religion and body of Christ as we may see Protestant Churches that although they vary in circumstances yet they hold one and the same substance and fundamentall truths entire Thirdly as we may expect in this City unitie betweene the subjects and Soveraigne the body and the head so wee may also betweene the fellow-members of this body because I. they are concives fellow-Citizens q Ephes 2.19 II. They are brethen Psal 133.1 III. because they are members of one mysticall body Romanes 12.5 and 1 Corinth 10.17 Ephes 4.16 and 5.27 Fourthly in this City there is splendour villages are more vile but Cities are more splendidious and sumptuous this splendour and glory which is in that
secure they are more hardly assaulted and with great difficulty sacked so God is in the midst of his Church b Psal 46.5 and will establish it for ever c Psal 48.8 And therefore the children of God and the inhabitants of this City need not feare because the Lord is their watch-man who is able to preserve them and so carefull of them that hee neither slumbers nor sleepes Sect. 7 § 7. Cannot be hid Why are these words added Quest 1 Answ That the Apostles might be the more carefull to give all diligence in their ministry from the successe because their lives could not be so spent in obscurity but that either praise would redound unto them for their diligence or infamy for their negligence Quest 2 What is the meaning of these words It cannot be hid Answ 1 First some understand it of the visibilitie of Glory and Chrysostome thinkes this spoken prophetically that although now the Gospell of the Kingdome bee but newly published yet in time the Church shall flourish Answ 2 Secondly some understand it of the visibility of the word that the word shall bee revealed to all or preached through the world Ephes 3.5 Colos 1.26 Answ 3 Thirdly some understand it of the visibility of workes in Ministers that they must use their utmost endevour to bee unblamable in their lives and indefatigable in their callings because all men see them all eyes are upon them Vers 15 VERS 15. Neither doe men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlesticke and it giveth light to all that are in the house Sect. 1 § 1. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel c. Argum. The Papists hold that the Scriptures are not to be translated into the vulgar tongue whereby the vulgar sort may read them against which Tenet wee produce this place arguing thus The Scripture being like a lighted candle is therefore given unto men that it may shine unto all that is be expounded and explaned to their understandings and capacities And therefore that it may give light unto all and be seene by all it is necessary that it should be translated into that language which is understood by them d Scharp curs theolog f. 37. arg 9. Sect. 2 § 2. It giveth light to all that are in the house Quest 1 What is meant here by House Answ In this place House is to bee taken for the Church Militant which is therefore called a House because it is a segregation or separation or separating of a company of people from the rest unto the profession of religion Teaching us Observ that the Church of God is a society or assembly of the houshould of faith separated unto the service of God The house is the Church 1 Tim. 3.15 the Citizens are the houshold of God Ephes 2.19 and of faith Gal. 6.10 How are the faithfull separated from the Quest 2 world First by profession of the true God they are Answ 1 separated from the Gentiles who serve Idols Secondly by the profession of Christ they are Answ 2 separated from Turkes and Jewes who deny him Thirdly by the profession of the pure word Answ 3 of God they are separated from heretikes who hate the word as the thiefe hates a candle or hee that doth evill light VERS 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes Vers 16 and glorifie your Father which is in heaven § 1. Let your light so shine before men Sect. 1 What is the sense and meaning of the whole Quest 1 verse First the true genuine and naturall interpretation Answ 1 in generall is this Let your light shine not onely before God but also before men not onely in doctrine but also in the workes of your ministery yea in your whole life that men not onely may heare but likewise may see your good workes not to the intent that they may celebrate your praise but that they may glorifie your Father which is in heaven Secondly more particularly the sense and Answ 2 meaning of this verse is thus to be taken up viz. First the Ministers of the Church of Christ ought to shine before men not onely by sound and saving doctrine but also by a sincere and sanctified life Secondly those Ministers doe neither rightly nor sufficiently shine unto edification who doe onely teach and preach well but their life is not answerable to their doctrine Thirdly the preachers of the word must not onely in that which they doe satisfie their own conscience betwixt God and them but as Saint Paul saith they must provide for things honest not onely in the sight of the Lord but in the sight of men ſ 2 Cor. 8.21 they must circumspectly avoid all scandalous actions or which may be interpreted to be such Fourthly the Ministers of the word both in their preaching and in all the actions of their lives must seeke the glory of their heavenly Father and not their owne fame honour gaine esteeme or the like Fiftly our Saviour doth here seeme to imply that if in the preachers of the Gospell sound doctrine be stained with a corrupt life God is not then glorified but rather dishonoured and scandalized by them t Rom 2.24 How may this verse be divided Quest 2 Herein two parts may be observed viz. First the Commandement wherein are two things Quid what is commanded let your light shine Quibus to whom before men Secondly the reason of the precept taken from the end which is twofold First that men may see your good workes Secondly that God may be glorified wherein there are First the maine end which is aimedat in our workes and that is Gods glory Secondly the name given unto God your Father Thirdly the place of his abod or of the greatest manifestation of his glory and that is in heaven I have propounded this question and divided this verse because I shall treat a little more amply upon it than upon the former Sect. 2 § 2. Let your light shine What is meant by Quest 1 this Shining light which is here commanded to be held forth Answ 1 First some expound it of preaching onely thus Let the light of the word shine that the workes or fruits of your labour may appeare for thus sometimes the fruits of the Gospell are called workes Are not you sayth Saint Paul to the Corinthians my worke in the Lord u 1 Cor. 9.1 And hence he exhorts the Thessalonians to esteeme highly their Ministers for their workes sake v 1. Thes 5.3 yea preaching is called the worke of an Evangelist 2. Tim. 4.5 And hee who desires to bee fitted for and admitted into this calling is sayd to desire a good worke w 1 Tim. 3.1 Teaching us that it is not enough Observ 1 for a Minister to have knowledge but he ought so to preach as to make it his worke that so by the blessing of God upon his labours he may
one of these Cōmandements he doth by and by adde Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees yee cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven signifying hereby that this righteousnesse of the law did farre exceede and excell that righteousnesse which the Pharises did exercise and commend as most perfect Secondly the reason why the Cardinall perswades Answ 2 himselfe that this is an Evangelicall promise is because it comprehends the Kingdome of heaven But this is nothing for by the kingdome of heaven is meant life eternall as all grant And life eternall was propounded and promised to legall righteousnesse as the Papists themselves confesse Wherefore what should hinder why wee may not say that the kingdome of heaven is propounded and promised to legall righteousnesse I confesse that this kingdome is in some sort proper to the Gospel namely in a double regard First because the plaine and direct name is in the Gospel not in the law this phrase The kingdome of heaven being frequent in the New Testament but not found in the Old Secondly because this kingdome of heaven is obtained by the Gospel not by the law Now if these two regards should make the kingdome of heaven not to belong unto the law the same would make life eternall not to belong unto the law which is absurd Thirdly although wee should grant that this Answ 3 is an Evangelicall promise not a legall yet the argument is idle because it doth not prove the antecedent condition of workes which is the thing in question but the consequent that is that good workes doe not goe before as meritorious causes of justification and salvation but followe after as fruits of sanctification Fourthly the last words of the Jesuites objection Answ 4 are as false as the rest for this consequent righteousnesse is not placed in a perfect observation of the Commandements of God for this would destroy the remission of sinnes If wee could perfectly fulfill the law then wee needed no pardon but this is grossely absurd and false as shall else-where be shewed y Chamier tom fol. 521. de neces oper lib. 15. cap. 5. Sect. 3. 4. 5. 6. § 2. Your except your righteousnesse c. Why doth our Saviour adde this word Your Because righteousnesse is not acceptable before God except it be Ours we cannot bee helped by another mans righteousnesse but every Sect. 2 one must be saved by his owne faith Rom. 10. How then are wee saved by the merits of Quest 1 Christ Answ Because they are Ours as appeares thus Answ first Quest 2 they were done for us Christ fulfilled the law and performed whatsoever his father required of him and that for us Secondly faith applies Christs active and passive obedience to us yea Christ himselfe unto us and with him all things z Rom. 8 3◠Thirdly faith purgeth and sanctifieth or leadeth unto puritie and sanctitie thus saith the Apostle God put no difference betwixt us and them purging and purifying our hearts by faith a Acts 15.9 and Saint Iohn saith hee that hopes to be saved by Christ will purge himselfe even as hee is pure b 1 Iohn 3.3 And thus the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed unto us and applied unto us and so made Ours Quest 3 What may wee thinke of Supererogatory merits and Church treasure doth not that availe others and please God yea satisfie his justice in the behalfe of others Answ This is false and ridiculous For first a man cannot save his owne soule by his owne workes much lesse then save his brother by his overplus Secondly no man can doe more then hee ought to doe for himselfe and therefore none can have any overplus of workes wherby others may be bettered Thirdly the Scripture plainely affirmes that to redeeme a brother from death or to save a soule is too great a worke for man and must be left wholy unto the Lord who onely can doe it and therefore although a man could satisfie for himselfe yet hee could not for another by his merite Quest 4 The Papists here demand why our brothers merits may not as well be applied unto us as the merits of Christ are Answ 1 First this is little better then blasphemy thus to compare God and man together for God owes nothing unto man and therefore may give communicate unto him what he pleases but every mans owes all he can doe and more unto God and therefore hath no good workes or merits to impart unto his brother Answ 2 Secondly Faith apprehends the merits of Christ and makes it ours but what faith can we have in our brothers workes or merits faith is built upon the promises but where have wee any promise that by other mens workes of supererogation we shall be saved A Papist with his mony may buy of the Priests some of this Church treasure but he can never by faith enformed and founded upon the word of God be assured that it will availe him at all Answ 3 Thirdly Christ was given unto us for a Mediator now how injurious is it to the office of Christ to make our brother our Mediatour unto God that he would accept the overplus of their merits for us Sect. 3 § 3. Righteousnesse except your righteousnesse This place is alleadged by one of the present pillers of our Church against Popish equivocation Argum. That doctrine which is lesse honest then the doctrine of Pagans is intollerable among Christians But Jesuiticall equivocating is lesse honest then the doctrine of Infidels and Pagans Therefore ought to bee esteemed abhominable among Christians The Major proposition is taught by our Saviour in this verse Except your righteousnesse doe exceede c. shewing where there is more knowledge of Christ there the profession must be more honest And Saint Paul saith expressly There is such fornication among you as is not among the heathen c 1 Cor. 5.1 Concluding that it is blasphemy against God for a Christian to bee more vile in life then a Pagan The Minor is proved from the Jesuit Eman. Sà Ies Aphor. Tit. Iuramentum who telleth us that some of the Papists hold that a prisoner unjustly detained in prison if upon his oath he be licenced to goe forth is bound according to his oath to returne againe except hee bee absolved from his oath by a Bishop This is an oath without equivocation but our Equivocators thinke their equivocation in making an oath better and of more power then any Bishop to free them from perjurie in an oath esteeming it as good as no oath wherein they use their Reservation when as yet the very infidels in respect of their naturall knowledge of God kept better fidelity among men If any desire an example or further proofe of this I referre him to Bishop Mortons confutation of Equivocation Chap. 17. part 3. fol. 89. Sect. 4 § 4. Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse c. Quest 1 What doth our Saviour condemne in the Pharisees
Teaching us that errours in religion often proceede from the Priests and Pastors of the Church Observ Hence the Lord complaines that the prophets Prophesie lies and the Priests take bribes Ierim 5.31 yea both Priest and Prophet have erred through wine Isay 28.7 and by coveteousnesse Ier. 6.13 and 8.10 Why are the shepheards so often the causes Quest 2 of the sheepes going astray First because they are enemies often unto reformation Answ 1 although the Church stand in neede thereof Here are two things to be distinguished or particularly observed namely First that the Church stands in neede of Reformation which appeares thus I. The whole truth is not revealed unto the Church at once but by little and little for there is nothing altogether perfect II. There daily arise new blemishes and staines in the Church by the corrupt lives of some therein III. Reformation is like Sysiphus stone alwaies relapsing and falling backe either unto the former errours or unto worse And therefore every particular nationall Church ever and anone stands in neede of Reformation Secondly the leaders and Rectors of the Church are often the greatest enemies unto this reformation hee that desires to see a true and cleare illustration of this let him reade the Historie of the Councell of Trent where hee shall see amply proved that the reformation which was so carefully instantly and necessarily desired by many and for a long time was still opposed withstood by the Court of Rome the Clergie Thus the Pharisees were enemies unto Justification by faith in Christ because it was contrary to their estimation and credit Answ 2 Secondly private spirits by some evill spirit have beene still conjured up in the Church amongst the Doctours Teachers who either by private jarres displeasures dissensions ambition coveteousnesse and pride have disturbed the peace of the Church We have many examples hereof in all ages I. Wee reade how the sonnes of Eli troubled vexed and disquieted the Church o 1 Sam. 2.12 II. How the Priests in Ieremias time seduced the people and opposed the Prophets p Ierem. 1. â—8 and 20.1 and 28.1 and 26.11 III. How the Pharisees opposed Christ Iohn 7.47 c. and withstood his Apostles Acts 4.1 and 5.17 and 7.51 IV. How great a combustion did Arrius kindle in the Church because he obtained not a Bishopricke such a fire as made the whole world weepe before it could be quenched V. What shall we say of the ringleaders of the Brownists and Separatists who have withdrawne many subjects from their true Christian obedience not suffering them to pray heare or communicate with us VI. God no sooner sowes Wheate but the devill sowes tares The Lord had no sooner raised up Luther and Zwinglius but the devill conjured up Zwenkfelduâ— Servetus Osiander David-Georgius and divers others VII If wee looke upon the Papists wee shall behold a Mappe of misery in this kinde For first their Priests seduce the people unto Idolatry making them say to a stocke thou art my father and to a stone thou hast brought me forth q Ier. 2.27 Secondly they will not bee reformed in what is amisse holding this opinion that nothing must be changed or altered in their Church or Religion lest they should seeme formerly to have erred grounding this their infallibilitie upon that of the Prophet The law shall not depart from the Priest Ier. 18.18 and that speech of our Saviour unto Peter The gates of hell shall never prevaile against my Church but how falsely they ground this opinion upon these places we shall see God willing in their proper places Thirdly such enemies are the Papists unto Reformation that they persecute those who are reformed In Jerusalem the blood of the just was shed by the Priests and Prophets r Lament 4.13 and so also in the Popes jurisdiction how great was their rage against Luther Zwinglius and all those who were by their Ministry reformed both in opinion and practise Fourthly their principall care is to seduce people and to leade them into errors As Christ said of the Pharisees so wee may say justly of the Popish Clergie They compasse heaven and earth to pervert and divert a soule from the waies of truth such zealots and zealous factors are they for the devill what nation is there where true religion is professed but some of their Jesuites and Sâ—minaries or Secular Priests are sent thither privately to seduce and corrupt simple soules bringing them from light unto darkenesse How our land hath long groaned under these soule-devouring locusts is well knowne who creepe into mens houses polluting and defiling both the bodies and soules of poore credulous and ignorant women The Prophet Hosea threatnes the Priests that God will power vengeance upon them Hose 5.1 Because they were a snare on Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor And therefore let the seducing Priests of the Romish Church consider how by this their wickednesse they provoke God unto anger who will require the blood of all those whom they have corrupted at their hands If errours and heresies begin so often at the Quest 3 Priests and Pastors of the Church then how may or can the people be preserved from erring and being mis-lead They must not be tossed to and fro with every Answ 1 blast of doctrine Ephes 4.14 like the waves of the sea Iam. 1.6 but walke wisely and circumspectly according to these ensuing rules First labour for a sure foundation that is Rule 1 first hearken unto the pure unspotted and infallible word and truth of God that thereby yee may grow up 1 Pet. 2..2 in grace strength and knowledge that thereby you may be made perfect 2 Tim. 3.16 that being the true light by which we must walke 2 Pet. 1.20 Secondly adde nothing unto the word of God neither 1. the chaffe of superstition with the Papists Å¿ Ierem. 23.28 for what hath the chaffe to doe with the corne neither 2. new opinions as the Sectaries who daily beget and breed new Minervaes in their owne braine but remember God and Dagon will not dwell together and therefore adde nothing unto the true and pure word of God Secondly take heede of all seducings that is Rule 2 First love not to heare Invectives novelties and strange doctrines for although this be pleasing to our corrupt nature and delightfull to itching eares yet it is not profitable for the edifying of our soules wherefore Saint Paul exhorts holy Timothy to bee instant in Preaching the pure word of God for the time will come when men will not endure sound doctrine but having itching eares will turne away their eares from the truth unto fables Å¿ 2 Tim. 4.2.3 Secondly never embrace wrested constrained and forced interpretations of the word which will not agree with the proportion of faith or good manners or the scope of the place Thirdly let us love and labour for the peace Rule 3 of Syon that is first let us esteeme the Church to
and 2. Pet. 2.1 and 3.3 Iude 4.18 verses From whence comes it that the Church is never Quest 1 free from false Prophets First from the malice of Sathan who is Gods Answer 1 Ape and therefore will have his Chappell where God hath his Church Revel 2.9 And will sow tares where God sowes corne Secondly this comes from the justice of God Answer 2 who gives them over to believe lyes who will not believe the trueth 2 Thessal 2.11 and 1 King 22. They would not believe the Lords Prophet and therefore a lying spirit in the mouth of their false prophets deceives them Thirdly from the wisdome of God who permits Answer 3 errours and false teachers that the good may be discerned 1 Cor. 11.19 How many sorts of false prophets are there Quest 2 First Hereticks who labour to seduce men from Answer 1 the faith teaching opinions which overthrow some fundamentall trueth 1. Timeth 4.1 and 2. Peter 2.1 Secondly ignorant persons who desire to be Answer 2 teachers and yet neither understand what they say nor whereof they affirme 1 Timoth. 1.7 And so both deceive others and are also deceived themselves 2 Timoth. 3.13 Thirdly proud as Diotrephes who loved the Answer 3 preheminence 2 John Fourthly contentious Some saith Saint Paul Answer 4 preach Christ out of envy and contention Philip. 1.15.16 Fiftly covetous who goe about to deceive for Answer 5 their owne base ends Rom. 16.17.18 Sixtly hypocriticall as follows afterwards Answer 6 § 3. In sheepes clothing Section 3 What is meant by these words Question First Christ in these words alludeth to the practise Answer 1 of false Prophets in former times who counterfeited the true Prophets in their attire for the ancient Prophets were usually clothed in rough and course attire hence Elias in regard of his attire is called an hairy man 2 King 1.8 and John Baptist Math. 3.4 And the false Prophets did counterfeit the true in their attire for this end that they might more easily deceive the people as Zachar. 13.4 the Lord saith of them they shall weare a rough garment to deceive for when they wore such course attire made either of sheepes skinnes or sheepes wooll wherewith the true Prophets were usually clothed they sought hereby to perswade the people that they had the hearts of the true Prophets when as indeed they were full fraught with damnable errours Now Christs meaning in this allusion is to shew that false Prophets have plausible pretences for their damnable doctrine and therefore are the more dangerous Perkins S. Second the true meaning of these words is this Answer 2 they shall have a shew of that sanctity authourity and divinity which the true Pastors of the Church have particularly 1. They shall saine Revelations as Mahomet David Georgius the Anabaptists and Basileans did 2. They shall cite Scripture for their opinions but corrupt it as the devill did Math. 4. 3. They shall boast of miracles as the Egyptians did in time past and the Jesuites at this day (r) Reade Deut. 13.1.2 2. Thes 2.9 4. They shall have an outward shew of holinesse and sanctity as Socinus had in Polinia and the Jesuites where they come This kind of garment Paul cals hypocrisie 1 Timoth 4.2 (Å¿) 2 Tim. 3.5 5. They shall bragge of succession as the Papists doe And thus come clothed in sheepes skins § 4. But inwardly are ravening wolves Sect. 4 Christ in those words showes that there are many Ministers devoure teare and destroy but feede not (t) Acts 20.28.29 Why are they called Wolves First for their covetousnesse because they are Question 1 alwayes greedie and never satisfied Rom. 16.17 Answer 1 Secondly for their crueltie because they labour Answer 2 to seduce and pervert and draw people from Christ unto Sathan from life unto death Acts 20.29 How may they be known Question 2 First by their pride they exalt themselves but Answer 1 the Apostles did not so Secondly by their covetousnesse they seeke Answer 2 themselves but the Apostles did not so Thirdly by their carnalitie they are so much Answer 3 given to the world and their pleasure that they â—indeâ— men rather thou further them from the profession of the Gospell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evill life in a leader hindereth the march Fourthly by their entrance Ierem. 23. coming Answer 4 when they were not sent Rom. 10. and 2. Timoth. 3.6 Fiftly by their doctrine if it bee either erroneous Answer 5 or factious Sixtly by their endeavour or end if they labour Answer 6 to draw disciples after them Acts 20.30 verse 16. Verse 16 yee shall know them by their fruits Doe men gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles § 1. Yeâ— shall know them by their fruits Sect. 1 What is the meaning of these words Question 1 Christ meaneth not so much the fruit of their lives for that in outward appearance Answer and in the judgement of man may bee as good as the true Prophets they coming as the other doe in sheepes clothing as of their doctrine for that wee must specially marke trying it by the word and not be carried away with the pompous ostentation of their works What are the fruits of true doctrine Question 2 The fruits are many Answer but having to speake of this elsewhere by Gods assistance hereafter I now instance but upon one maine fruit which is acknowledged by all sides and on all hands without controversie and that is pietie of life And therefore upon what trâ—e of doctrine wee finde this fruit of holinesse and sanctity grow we must judge it a good tree The Papists here object Objection Many trâ—es of thereformed Churches bring forth evill fruites Many Protestants live wicked lives Answer 1 First we know it we acknowledge it and from our hearts deplore and bewaile it Answer 2 Secondly if it be thus with the Protestants what is it with the Papists They will not wash their hands I am sure from this none of their writers ever affirming that all Papists are Saints Answer 3 Thirdly the question is not concerning the life but concerning the doctrine whether that impiety of life which is in some of our Church flowes from the doctrine of our Church as from a fountaine or from the corruption of their owne nature Let us now examine this both in us and them First we affirme that the impuritie of life which is in some Protestants proceeds not from the doctrine of our Church and wee confirme it thus 1. Because wee daily inculcate into the eares of our people those Apostolicall precepts and assertions Those who are in Christ Iesus have crucified the flesh with the affections and Lusts Galath 5. And those who hope to bee saved by Christ must purge themselves 1 Iohn 3. And that they must put off the old man and put on the new Roman 13.12.13 Yea follow after holinesse because without this none can bee saved This our Church teaches and this many although not all in our Church
the Law were condemned in this verse Therfore all unwritten Traditions must now be abolished To this Bellarmine answers two things namely Answ 1 First Christ condemneth not the ancient Traditions of Moses but those which were newly and lately invented Answ 2 Secondly Christ taxeth and findeth fault onely with wicked and impious Traditions To his first answer we answer two things viz. Replie 1 First the Scripture maketh no mention of any such Traditions of Moses Christ biddeth them search the Scriptures and not run unto Traditions Secondly these which our Saviour here speaks Replie 2 of seemed to be ancient Traditions bearing the name of Elders Traditions and they were in great authority among the Iewes most like because of some long continuance To his second Answer we answer likewise two things to wit First their Traditions were not openly and Replie 3 plainly evill and pernicious but had some shew of holinesse as the washing of pots and Tables and beds yea the Traditions of the Papists come nearer to open impietie and blasphemie then the Jewish Traditions did Secondly Christ in opposing the Scripture against Replie 4 Traditions therein condemneth all Traditions not written which were urged as necessary besides the Scripture What may wee safely hold concerning the Quest 1 Traditions of the Church First that besides the written word of God Answ 1 there are profitable and necessary constitutions and Eâ—clesiasticall Traditions to wit of those things which respect the outward decencie and comelinesse of the Church and service of God Secondly the efficient cause of all true Traditions Answ 2 is the Holy Spirit which directs the Bishops and Ministers assembled together in Councell or Convocation for the determining of such orders and Constitutions according to the word of God and doth also direct the Churches in the approving and receiving of such Traditions Thirdly no Tradition of the Church can constitute Answ 3 or ratifie a Doctrine contrary to the written word of God neither any rite or ceremony for both Constitutions and Doctrines ought to be agreeable at least not contrary to the written word And as all Civill Lawes ought to have their beginning from the Law of nature so all Ecclesiasticall Traditions from the word of God Rom. 14.23 and 1. Corinth 14.26 40. Fourthly although Ecclesiasticall Traditions Answ 4 may be derived from the word yet they are not of equall authority with the word How may the true Traditions of the Church Quest 2 be known or discerned from humane and superstitious Ordinances By these foure notes and marks to wit Answ First true Traditions are founded upon the word and consentaneous unto the word and deduced derived and taken from the word Secondly true Traditions are profitable for the conserving and promoting both of piety and externall and internall worship Thirdly true Traditions make for the order decorum and edification of the Church And Fourthly are not greevous and intollerable as the Traditions of the Pharisees were and the Papists are Matth. 23.4 VERS 4 5 6. For God commanded saying Honour thy Father and Mother Verse 4.5 6. and he that curseth Father or Mother let him die the death But ye say whosoever shall say to his Father or his Mother It is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me And honour not his Father or his Mother he shall be free Thus have yee made the Commandement of God of none effect by your Tradition Sect. 1 § 1. Honour thy Father and thy Mother Quest 1 Whether is the Father or Mother more to be honoured and loved Answ 1 First Children can never honour and love parents that is either Father or Mother enough because we are imperfect in our Obedience to every precept Answ 2 Secondly I conceive that a vertous Father is more to be honoured and loved then a vitious Mother and contrarily a vertuous Mother more then a vitious Father because there is Tantundem aliquid amplius a naturall Relation to both but a spirituall Relation onely to the vertuous and godly We are commanded principally to love our heavenly Father best and caeteris paribus to love those best next him that are neerest unto him in love and most like unto him in purity Answ 3 Thirdly if we speake properly positively and without any Relation to any thing understanding the Question thus Whether the Father In quantum est pater as hee is the Father or the Mother as she is the Mother be more to be honoured and loved then with the Schoolemen I answer that the Father is more to be loved and honoured then the Mother And the reason hereof is this because when we love our Father and Mother Qua tales as they are our Father and Mother then wee love them as certaine principles of our naturall beginning and being Now the Father hath the more excellent cause of beginning then the Mother because the Father is Principium per medum Agentis Mater autem magis per modum Patientis materiae And thus if wee looke upon Father and Mother Secundum rationem generationis then we must confesse that the Father is the more Noble cause of the Child then the Mother is If the learned Reader would see this prosecuted let him read Thomas 2.2 q. 26. Art 10. And Arist etheâ— lib. 8. And Anton. part 4. tit 6. Cap. 4. § 8. And Aurtum opus pag. 60 b. Answ 4 Fourthly if we speake of that love and honour which is due unto parents according to their love towards Children then we answer that the Mother is more to be beloved then the Father and that for these reasons viz. I. The Philosopher saith because the Mother is more certaine that the Child is hers then the Father is that is his he beleeves it is his Child but she is sure that it is hers II. Because hence the Mother loves the Child better then the Father doth Arist lib 9. ethic III. Because the Mother hath the greater part in the body of the Child it having the body and matter from her and but only the quickning vertue from the Father h Arist de gen animal lib. 1. IV. Because the Mother is more afflicted for the death of the childe than the Father is and doth more lament the adversity thereof than his Father doth Solomon saith Prov. 10. A wise Son rejoyceth his Father but a foolish Son is a heavinesse to his Mother From whence some say that Fathers in regard of their naturall constitution of body which naturally is hot and dry do more rejoyce when their children are promoted unto honour than the Mothers do but Mothers in regard of their naturall constitution which naturally is cold and moist do more mourn and lament for the losses and crosses of their children than the Father doth But I will neither trouble my self to prove this nor perswade my Reader to beleeve it but leave it to the Philosophers and Schoolmen to be decided and discussed V. Because the mothers part is more laborious
By Corban thou shalt receive no profit by me This exposition is as agreeable to the scope of the place as it is to their form of swearing and plainly sheweth how the Pharisees by their Traditions transgressed the Commandment of God For God commanded saying Honour thy father and thy mother But the Scribes and Pharisees said Whosoever shall say to father or mother seeking relief By Corban thou shalt receive no profit from me he was discharged Vide Drusium de tribus sect lib. 2. cap. 17. Cui bono To what end did the Scribes and Quest 2 Pharisees teach this unjust and wicked Doctrine For the understanding hereof we must know Answ that the Priests Scribes and Pharisees being given to covetousnesse that their oblations might be the greater and better they covered over their impiety with a curtain and vail of Religion saying That it was better to offer unto God those things which were to be given to parents than to confer them upon their parents and they gave this double reason for it viz. First because God is the chief and principall Father according to that of Esaias O Lord thou art our Father But we must here remember that this is to be understood when parents do enjoyn that which is contrary to God that is if our earthly Father bid us do any thing which our heavenly Father forbids us to do then we must obey the Lord because he is our chief and principall Father but in those things which God commands we must say or think we hear the Lord say That Obedience is better than Sacrifice And therefore when the Lord commands us to releeve our parents we must do so because therein we obey our God and not say O but it is a better deed to spend that which I should expend upon my Father in sacrifice and oblations unto God for in so doing we disobey him yea we honour and please the Lord better in honouring and releeving our indigent and aged parents than in offering up any outward sacrifices Secondly the Priests confirmed this their Tenet by this reason because it would more profit and benefit their parents to offer that unto God which they should give unto them than if they should really receive it The Pharisees held that if children should say to their poor parents The gift which I have promised and will offer up unto God will benefit you more than if I should give it unto you that then they were not bound to feed them or supply their necessities l Carthus s p. 130. b. medio But we must not neglect an ordinary duty in hope of a miraculous or extraordinary successe we must not offer that up that in sacrifice which should feed our parents in expectation that they shall be fed from heaven or miraculously be sustained without meat for they stand in need of relief but not the Lord of oblations And therefore those things which ought to be administred to the necessity of poor parents should not be offered up unto God who in this case would say I require not your Sacrifices that is I never commanded that a man should take necessary food and provision from his parents to give it unto me Concerning the adorning and beautifying of Churches a question betwixt us and the Papists we affirm That the Churches of Christians and places of Prayer ought decently to be kept yea and with convenient cost and seemly beauty to be built and repaired and Church vessels with other necessary furniture to be of the best not of the worst but yet it followeth not that such immoderate and excessive cost should be bestowed upon Idols to garnish and beautifie Idolatry and poor people in the mean time to want And this we prove by this Argument from this place Argum. Our Saviour Christ here reproveth the Scribes and Pharisees because they drew the people to be good unto the Altar and to bestow largely upon them and so leave their parents helplesse And he often doth inculcate that golden saying I will have mercie and not sacrifice it being better to succour the living Temples of God which are the bodies of his poor children than to bestow superfluous cost upon dead Temples of stone Willet Symps s 485. Sect. 3 § 3. Thus have ye made the Commandment of God of none effect by your Traditions Quest 1 What did our Saviour here tax in the Scribes and Pharisees Answ Two things namely I. That they honoured and observed their Traditions more than the Commandements of God And II. That many of their Traditions were directly contrary to the Commandements of God Quest 2 Who are in both these particulars like unto the Pharisees Answ The Church of Rome For First the Commandements of that Church are much more honoured and observed than the Commandments of God for it is there taught that the Romane Church authoriseth the Holy Scriptures that is to say that the ordinances of men authorise the Commandements of God Secondly in the Romane Church they teach things absolutely contrary to the word of God For I. God saith Exod 20. Thou shalt not make the likenesse of things which are in the heavens or in the earth thou shalt not bow downe before them c. But in the Church of Rome they paint the Trinity and kneele before the Images of Saints II. God saith by his Apostle 1 Tim. 3 2.4 That a Bishop should be a husband of one wife only and that his children should be subject to him in all reverence But the Romane Church willeth that a Bishop have neither wife nor children III. God saith by his Apostle 1 Cor. 14. That it is better to speake five words in the Church in a tongue understood of the people then ten thousand in an unknowne tongue But the Papists are commanded to serve God in an unknowne tongue and to pray in latine VERS 9. But in vaine doe they worship mee Verse 9 teaching for doctrines the commandements of men Wee produce this place against the Monasticall life now used in Popery and hence prove it to be but a humane invention There is neither Precept nor President either in Old or New Testament of the Monasticall life of the recent Monkes But it is only proper unto the Lord to institute and ordaine all religions and religious kind of lives by his word Therefore that religion or religious kind of life which hath neither Precept nor President in the word is but hypocriticall and humane In vaine saith our Saviour doe they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandements of men Whence I frame this plaine and direct Argument Those who worship God by a kind of life religion and worship which was never commanded by God worship him in vaine that is worship him not at all or worship him hypocritically But the Monkes worship God by a kind of life and religious worship which was never commanded by God Therefore therein they worship him in vaine and not at all truely but altogether hypocritically
who were offended with him verse 12. And saith of them in this verse That they be blind leaders of the blind And if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch In foveam peccati inferni Into the ditch of sinne and Hell saith Hugo Cardinalis on the place Cum Pastor per abrupta graditur necesse est ut grex in praecipitium ducatur When the Sâ—epherd goes by craggie clifts the flocke must needs fall Headlong and break their necks saith Gregory Duces praeceptores foveá infernus The guids are the Teachers and the ditch is hell saith Faber Stapulensis on this place Observ Secondly our Saviour in this place doth plainly point out this proposition unto us namely That it is a miserable thing for men to have blind guids unto Christ Reade for the proof hereof these places Romans 1.28 Corinth 12.2 Ephes 4.14 and 2 Thessal 2.11 and 2 Timoth. 3.13 Quest 1 Why are they miserable who have blind guides Answ 1 First because we cannot walk without a guid How can I said the Eunuch understand without a Teacher Acts 8. Answ 2 Secondly because if we be led by a blind guid we are then misled and seduced and consequently miserable and wretched 2 Peter 2.2 And hence the Lord threatens to make drunke their guids if they will not obey Ierem. 51.57 and to send them seeing Seers if they will but repent and obey Ierem. 3.13.14 Quest 2 Who are miserable by reason of their guids Answ 1 First he is miserable who is led by his owne naturall affections and perturbations and not by reason or Religion that is is transported by hatred selfe-love pride vaine glory and opinion of wisedome and knowledge drunkennesse gluttony and the like Answ 2 Secondly he is miserable who is ignorant of the grounds of Religion and is not enlightned from above but led by nature reason judgment opinion and the like blind guids Answ 3 Thirdly that common wealth is miserable who either I. Is without a head or guid or King Or II. Which hath blind and ignorant Magistrates and Governours Answ 4 Fourthly that Church is miserable which either I. Hath blind guids and ignorant Teachers Or which hath wicked Teachers that is without the light of a pure life though not without the light of sound Doctrine and knowledge Here observe three things viz. First that ordinarily a Teacher who is sound in judgment and profound in knowlege doth more harme by a wicked example then good by all his preaching because we live now more by examples then precepts And therefore in regard of this scandall and stumbling stone which wicked Teachers put before the face and feet of their flockes I say they are miserable who have such wicked guids although they be sound and seeing Pastours in regard of their knowledge Secondly I conceive those people are equally and alike miserable who have no guid at all and those who have blind ignorant Teachers that are not able to lead the flocke of Christ in the waies of God their own lips not preserving knowledge Malach. 2.7 Thirdly it is better for a people to have a Pastour who is endued with the light of knowledge though not with the light of a pure and immaculate life then one who is ignorant and unable to teach although his life be not so scandalous as the life of the other VERS 17. Do not yee yet understand Verse 17 that whatsoever entreth into the mouth goeth into the belly and â— cast into the Draught The Scriptures every where refâ—ll the errour Argu. 1 and false opinion of those who thinke men to be made more holy by an abstinence from some sorts of meats and more unholy by an indifferent use of some certain meats yea our Saviour himself taxeth the Pharisees verse 11. for this errour and verse 12. admonisheth his Apostles lest they also should fall into the same Not that saith he which goeth into the mouth defileth the man but that which commeth out of the mouth defileth the man Now the Pharisees being offended with this speech our Saviour confirmes it by the very condition and corruptible nature of all meat in this verse Doe not ye saith he yet understand that whatsoever entreth into the mouth goeth into the belly and is cast out into the draught As if he would say it is a foolish thing to seek holinesse or righteousnesse in such Terrene corruptible and frail things as are meat and drink or to think a man to be contaminated and defiled by the moderate use of any sort of meat or drink For all these things are neither good nor evill in themselues but are made evill by the mind or abuse of him that misuseth or useth them not aright We produce this place as against the Popish Argu. 2 distinction of meats in the former words so also against their Transubstantiation and corporall presence and we argue thus If the body of Christ were carnally eaten then it should goe into the belly and from theâ—â—e into the Draught but this is absurd therefore also the other If the Reader desire to see how this Argument is canvased to and fro and how it is answered by Bellarmine and his answers answered let him Reade Chamier tom 4. de euchar lib. 11. Cap. 16. fol. 686. 687. I onely adde a word or two First Bellarmine hereto answers that Christ Answ 1 speaketh only of such meat as is received to nourish the body First to this we answer that the truth of this Replie 1 speech of our Saviours doth not depend upon the intention of him that receives meat but upon the very nature of the thing that is whether men eat for pleasure or wantonnesse or a greedy satisfying of their appetites or for the nourishing of their bodies it matters not for what end soever a man hath in eating yet this is true that what is eaten or which entreth into the mouth that goeth into the belly and is cast out into the Draught Secondly we answer that Bellarmine himselfe Replie 2 in his answer doth grant that all those things which nourish the body goe into the belly and are cast out into the draught Now we assume but that which is received with the corporall mouth in the Eucharist doth nourish the body And therfore by his own confession that which wee eate with the mouth of the body goeth into the belly and is cast out into the draught Our Assumption is proved by that Analogy which this Sacrament hath with our Spirituall nourishment yea from the Schoolmen themselves who maintaine that those things which they call Species Sacramentâ—las which remaine in the Sacrament after Consecration Reficere nutrire virtutem vini tanta quantitate posse sumi ut hominem naturaliter inebriaret Alex. Al. â— 4. q. 10. m 7. a. 2. Bonavent alij in 4. d. 12. Answ 2 Secondly Bellarmine answers that after the Resurrection Christ did verily eat and yet that was not cast into the Draught which he
the Rock upon which the Church is founded is neither Peter nor his successors but Christ as was abundantly shewed but even now Secondly yea if wee should admit that Peter Answ 2 was called a Rocke then wee must understand it of his Confession not of his Person as Hilary de Trinit 6. seemes to understand it Thirdly yea if the Church were built upon Answ 3 Peters Person which wee must not grant yet it would not follow that it is now built upon the Pope because neither had Peter any successour in his Apostolical office neither if he had could his personall priviledges be derived to his successours For in the same sense that Peter is called the foundation of the Church are the other Apostles called foundations also but their personall priviledges were not devolved to the Bishops their successours and therefore neither Peters Answ 4 Fourthly and Lastly the Rock and foundation of the Church ought to be perpetually firm stable and immovable but this the Popes are not For First if we consider their persons then without doubt we may safely say that the gates of Hell have prevailed against them many of them having been Magicians Atheists yea Devils incarnate and monsters in nature Secondly if we look upon and consider the publike profession of the Orthodoxe faith then it is certain that many of them have erred and fallen from the true faith many of them being Hereticks as might be instanced in Liberius Vigilius Honorius and divers others Object 3 But Bellarmine here yet further presseth these words thus de verbo Dei lib. 3. Cap. 5 Peter here is literally called the Rock the foundation of the Church and the chief Rector of his Church and so consequently are al his successours from hence a double Argument is framed by him Argu ∣ ment 1 First if Peter be a Rock then he shall not bee broken he shall not be carried about with every wind of Doctrine that is he shall not erre in faith at lest Quatenus petra that is as he is the chief Bishop First these words upon this Rock will I build my Answ 1 Church are not literally spoken of Peter as is abundantly proved before Answ 2 Secondly although these words were understood of Peter yet we deny that they belong also unto the Pope his successour as they terme him as is also shewed before Answ 3 Thirdly the Argument alleaged is no Argument that is doth not agree with any Mood in any Figure but is only a confused reasoning If Peter be a Rock then he shall not be broken that is not erre in faith that is as he is the chief Bishop Thus he goes about not only to distinguish his person but also to separate him from his office which is ridiculous because an office is no other thing but a quality happening or acceding unto a person and the office cannot but be affected either by the vertues or vices of the person as if a man be learned and a Bishop then he is a learned Bishop if unlearned then he is an ignorant Bishop So although Marriage respect properly the person yet if he who is married be a Bishop we say he is a married Bishop and therefore it is a foolish thing to distinguish the person from his office seeing the office is a quality and an accident which cannot subsist without the person which is the substance Thus also if a man be an Heretike and a Bishop we truly averre him to be an Hereticall Bishop and that man cannot be a Catholike Bishop which is not a Catholike man A Sword is nothing of it selfe but only Iron so framed and fashioned and yet all the faults that be in that iron so formed are called the faults of the Sword it self So when a Bishop is nothing at all by himself but only a man chosen unto that place and calling without doubt the faults of the man will be also the faults of the Bishop We conclude therefore if in this place there be not promised an infallibily of person then neither an infallibility of office That is if Peter and Alexander the 6. and Gregory 7. be not exempted from erring as they are men then neither as they are Bishops and Popes now Bellarmine himself dare not affirm the first viz. that Peter or the Popes cannot erre as they are men therfore the latter cannot bee denied namely that they may erre as they are Bishops chief Bishops and Popes Seâ—ondly his next Argument drawn from his Argu ∣ ment 2 former exposition is thsi if the Edifice be such that it cannot fall then certainly his foundation cannot fail but the former is true therefore also the latter We distinguish here of a Foundation Answ There is a foundation properly so called a Ministeriall foundation now concerning the first foundation we admit the consequence and confesse with Bellarmine that the Foundation cannot fail but the house must fal but the house may fall yet the foundation continue But nâ—ither Peter nor anâ— successor of Peters is the Church properly so called as St. Paul witnesseth 1 Cor 3.11 Now concerning the Ministeriall Foundation we deny the Consequence because as that Romane Pantheon or Temple doth not therefore fall because he is dead by whom it is built so it hindreth not but the Church may continue in the right faith although hee should apostatize that planted that faith in the Church as we see plainly in Peter when he staggered in withdrawing himself from the Gentiles by reason of the Jewes Galath 2. the Church did not therfore stagger he being not the proper foundation thereof Cham. tom 1. pag. 57. § 3. Ego I will build Sect. 3 The Papists affirm Object that the Primacie of the Roman Church over all Churches hath its beginning and originall from no other but Christ and they would prove it from these places of Scripture which therefore I conjoyn because the Answers unto them were conjoyned in one Epistle First Christ said Thou art Peter and upon this Rock Ego I will build my Church in this verse Secondly Christ said Ego I have prayed for thee Peter that thy faith should not fail Luk. 22.32 Thirdly Christ said to Peter Feed my sheep Iohn 21.16 Therefore Peter and Peters successors the Popes have their primacie from Christ Bellarm. de Pontif. rom lib. 2. Cap 17. To these places Tunstall and Stockesly two Popish Bishops yet in this point holding the truth did pithily make answer in their Epistle sent to Cardinall Poole First to the first they affirm out of the ancient Answ 1 expositors that by Rock was meant the faith which was then first confessed by the mouth of Peter and not Peters person and consequently not the Popes And they confirmed this further from St. Paul who saith that only Christ is the foundation of the Church and neither Peter nor any creature besides 1 Cor. 3. Answ 2 Secondly to the second they answer That Christ speaketh onely of the fall of Peter
which he knew in his godly prescience giving an inckling unto him that after his fall he should bee converted and strengthen his brethren Now if this were meant of Peters successors also then they must first fail in faith and after confirm their brethren Answ 3 Thirdly to the third they affirm That the whole flock of Christ was not committed to Peter to feed for he himself testifieth the contrary exhorting all Pastors to feed the flock of Christ which was given them in charge by Christ And he encourageth them herunto by this Because if you do so then when the chief Shepheard shall appear ye shall receive an incorruptible Crown of glory 1 Peter 5. where he calleth not himself the chief Shepherd but only Christ It is evident therefore say they that your three Scriptures meant nothing lesse then such a Primacie over all Fox f. 1067. Sect. 4 § 4. Aedificabo I will build Object 1 The Papists object this place to prove that Peter was Head of the Church and Prince of the Apostles and consequently that the Romish Bishops are so also And Bellarm. lib. 1. de Pontif. Cap. 11. argues thus The Text saith aedificabo I will build my Church but if Christ be here taken for the Rock his Church was built already for many beleeved in him But Peter was not made the Head of the Church till afterwards a ter his Resurrection therefore he saith in the Future Tense aedificabo I will build Answ 1 First it is grosly false to say that the Church of Christ was not builded till after the Resurrection for seeing that many beleeved before in Christ and made a Church either they must grant that the Church was without a foundation or else that the Foundation was changed from CHRIST to Peter both which are absurde Answ 2 Secondly it is taken therefore for the enlarging and increasing of the Church of God for it followeth not because Christ saith I will build and his Church was begun to be built already that therefore another kind of building must be excogitated no more then because Christ gave his Spirit to his Apostles Mat. 10.1 Iohn 20.22 and yet biddeth them to stay at Ierusalem till they should receive the Holy Ghost Acts 1.7 that therefore they should look for another Holy Ghost as though they had not received the Holy Ghost before But as the sending of the Holy Ghost is meant for the increase and more plentifull measure thereof so is the building of the Church here taken for the increase of the building v Willet Synops f. 152. Answ 3 Thirdly we yet answer with Augustine Super hanc Petram quam confessus es aedificabo Ecclesiam Tract ult in Iohan. Vpon this Rock which thou hast confessed will I build my Church So that in this place is meant not Peter to be the Rock but either Christ whom he confessed or his faith whereby he confessed him which is all one in effect For it matters not much whether we say the Church is builded upon Christ or faith is the foundation of the Church faith being an apprehension of Christ But of the person of Peter it can no more be understood then of the rest of the Apostles who in regard of their Holy Apostolike Doctrine upon which the Church is built are called the foundation of the Church Ephes 2.20 But the Papists Object again and against this Object 2 which hath been said That the Church is built upon Peter and upon Peters faith but faith they say hath here a double consideration for it may be either absolutely considered or with relation to Peters person But faith generally and absolutely respected is not the foundation of the Church but as it was in Peter Bellar. de Pontif. lib. 1 Cap. 11. First Peters faith which was in Peter and confessed Answ 1 by him is a portion of the generall saving faith of the Church which it the foundation of the same Church and this we grant But Peters personall faith cannot be this foundation for then when Peter died his faith being a particular accident to his person going away with him the Church should have wanted a foundation Secondly in Peter these two things are respected Answ 2 his person and faith whatsoever was in Peter besides faith was flesh and blood but that could not be the foundation therefore Peters faith only was the foundation and his person had therein no part at all Thirdly their own Decrees say Quod Petrus Answ 3 quando claves accepit Ecclesiam sanctam significavit Decr. part 2. caus 24. qu 1 Cap. 6 Peter when hee had received the Keyes signified the whole Church now if in Peter the whole Church be considered then Peters particular person is not included and so consequently by their own rule their own distinction is overthrown § 5. My Church Sect. 5 Many Questions will hence arise which I doe but only name having amply to treat of them in another place Whether shall the true Church of Christ be alwaies Quest 1 glorious and pompous upon the earth No Answ for it hath often been subject to the rage and tyranny of Persecutors Whether shall the Church be alwaies visible in Quest 2 one and the same place No Answ and that First because many rare famous and sometimes flourishing Churches have failed as all the Orientall Churches have done which are named Revel 2. and 3. And Secondly because the Covenant which is made between God and al particular Nationall Churches is conditionall and therefore God will be their God no longer then they walk as becomes his people Whether shall the Visible Church of Christ be Quest 3 alwaies free from all errours in the Prelates Or whether shall the Prelates and Rulers of the Visible Church be alwaies free from erour Answ No for Humanum est errare as might be proved by some Prelates of all ages in all places that is in all Churches there have been some of the Prelates and Rulers who have been subject unto and tainted with some errours Quest 4 Whether shal the Church of Christ be alwayes Visible Ad intra And that not only I. In regard of some which shall professe the truth somewhere but also II. In regard of some Ministers which shall preach and administer the Sacraments Answ 1 First the Papists do not deny this and therefore our probation may be the lesse Answ 2 Secondly our famous Doctor Field confesseth that somewhere or other in all times there shall be some Pastors who shall openly and publikely faithfully preach the word of God and rightly administer the Holy Sacraments Answ 3 Thirdly it is undeniable but that somewhere in all ages there shall be some who shall professe and maintain the truth of God Quest 5 Whether are they alwaies the Church which seem to be so that is which have the Rule and government of the Church Or whether are the Prelates the Church of Christ Answ Not alwayes for Zachary Anna Simeon and Mary were the true
from the testimonie and mouth of God the Father that Christ was God as well as man yea no other then the Son of the living God verse 5. Object The Rhemists object this place for the proofe of Transubstantiation Christ say they transfigured his body marvellously in the Mount as wee reade Matth. 17.2 Therefore he is able to exhibite his body under the formes of bread and wine Answ 1 First the Argument followeth not Christ could give a glorious forme to his passible body therefore hee can take away the essentiall properties of his naturall body and yet keepe a true body still Or thus Christ could glorifie his body not yet glorified Therefore he can or will dishonour his glorious impassible body by inclosing it under the formes of bread and wine which may bee devoured of dogs and mice which is honoured and worshipped of the Angels and Saints in heaven Answ 2 Secondly the question is not so much of Christs power as of his will and therefore the Argument followes not Christ is able to doe it therefore he will Verse 3 VERS 3. And behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him Object Many Papists yea some Popish Writers hold That soules after they are departed may returne on earth againe and appeare unto men And for the proofe of this produce this place Moses and Elias appeare unto Christ and his Apostles and talke with them Therefore soules after they are departed may returne on earth againe and appeare unto men Argu. 1 First wee grant that God is able to send soules againe into the earth but that it is his will so to doe or that it is necessary so to doe especially in the dayes and places of Christianity is neither proved by Papists nor approved by us Argu. 2 Secondly Moses and Elias appeared not to all the Apostles but onely to three neither that wee reade of did they speake to those three or perswade them to doe any thing for their honour as to build Churches in their name or teach any new Doctrine unto them which is the common practise of the Popish spirits that appeare Thirdly Moses Answ and Elias were not sent to the Apostles as popish spirits are sent to men but unto Christ himselfe onely Object Against this it is objected If it be thus then it was needlesse for the three Apostles to have beene there Christ might have gone up to Mount Tabor alone but Christ doth nothing in vaine there was some use therefore certainly of their presence It was very necessary Answ that they who should be Christs witnesses should rightly understand that both the Law and the Prophets doe beare record unto Christ that hee should die for the world and come againe in the end to raise up the bodies of the faithfull and lead them with him into heaven And for this cause God would have these two excellent Prophets seene of the Apostles Why doe these two above all the rest appeare unto Christ Quest First that by Moses who was truely dead and Answ 1 by Elias who was not dead it might be shewed that Christ is Lord and Judge both of the dead and living Secondly Moses and Elias appeare unto Christ Answ 2 for that speciall conformity which was betwixt them for Moses was the giver of the old Law and Christ of the new and Elias was a Type of Iohn Baptist the fore-runner of Christ Thirdly these two appeare for the signifying Answ 3 of the nature and perfection of Christ for as Moses was of a meeke and gentle spirit and Elias of a fiery when God was dishonoured so Christ is meeke and gentle and infinite in mercy to all penitent and beleeving sinners and soules but infinite in justice and fiery indignation against all those who are impenitent and disobedient Fourthly for the eminencie of the dignity Answ 4 and sanctity and miracles of Moses and Elias Fifthly these two appeare to shew that Answ 5 Christ came not to destroy the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill the Law and verifie the Prophets VERS 4. Then answered Peter and said unto Iesus Vers 4 Lord it is good for us to be here if thou wilt let us make here three Tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias § 1. Lord it is good for us to be here Sect. 1 St. Bernard applies this briefly to Religion or the true spiritual Spouse and Church of Christ It is good to be here that is in Religion and the true Church it is good yea very good to be a member of this little house and to be truly religious and that in many regards viz. First because those who live in the Church and are of the Church live more pure and holy lives then those do which are without Secondly because those who are of the Church and are truly religious sin much seldomer then doe they who are either without the pale of the Church or are irreligious in their lives for these sell themselves to worke wickednesse and that frequently but those onely sometimes through infirmity and frailty Now there are three reasons why the religious sinne seldomer then the other namely I. Because hee carefully avoids all evill occasions or occasions of evill but those who are not of the Church run into them II. Because hee carefully avoids all evill customes and labours to resist them but the other makes custome a law and is led thereby III. Because he carefully shuns the company society and conversation of wicked men but the other rusheth thereinto Thirdly it is good for a man to bee religious and a member of Christs Church because such rise from sinne more quickly they sometimes fall as was said before but they lye not long but speedily renew themselves by repentance but those who are not of Christs fold and flock lye and continue in sinne yea wallow in the puddle of iniquity not hastning at all to come out of the jaws of Sathan Fourthly it is good for a man to be in and of Christs Church because then hee wil walke more warily and circumspectly Religion is a Schoole of wisedome wherein he learnes the wisedome of God and how to direct his steps in the wayes of God Ephes 5.15 Now this wisedome whereby wee may be enabled to walk warily is acquired by these meanes and wayes namely I. It comes from God and is procured by faithfull and fervent prayer Iames 1.5 If any man lack wisedome let him aske it of God c. II. It is learnt by the reading hearing meditating and studying of the holy Scriptures Psal 119 9.105 And III. By the godly exhortation admonition advice and counsell of good men And IV. By experience which is the Mistris of things Paul would have us not to be ignorant of Sathans devices but learne his craft and policie and marke what occasions of evill he doth offer unto us what impediments hee casts in the way to hinder us from that which is good and how he watcheth his
Religion belongeth onely unto the Church that is to the chief Pastors and Bishops only of the Church He argues thus If all controversies be to be decided by the Church and referred unto the Church then it will follow that the Church is the Iudge of all controversies But the Antecedent is true that all controversies are to be decided by the Church and are referred unto the Church Therefore also the Consequent That the Church is the Iudge of all controversies Now he proves the Antecedent from these words Tell the Church and if hee will not hear the Church c. Therefore the Bishops and chief Pastors must expound the doubts in Scripture Bellarm. lib. 3. de Script Cap. 3 arguâ—s thus Our Saviour speaks here of private injuries but the place is to be understood also of publike injuries such as Schisme and Heresie are Now by this word Church is not meant the whole body of the faithfull but only the Pastors and Bishops and theâ—efore Heretikes and Schismaticks are not to be referred or turned over to the Congregation of the faithfull to judge and censure but to the Prelates of the Church because as a man hears and speaks by his head so the Church doth by her Prelates and consequently from the judgement of the Pastors there is no appeale their sentence and determination being the last and utmost judgement Answ 1 First Hunnius in eodem Colloquio Ratisbonensi did rightly distinguish this word Iudge for there is a double Iudge namely I. A Iudge who hath absolute authority of judging now if the Argument understand Iudge in this sense wee deny the Consequent for although it be certain that all controversies which arise amongst Christians may bee referred unto the Church that they may have her judgement yet it is most false that the Church is a Iudge which is absolute from all Law and may pronounce after her own will and so in effect be the chief and principall Iudge that is the very Rule of Religion and controversies II. There is a Iudge whose power is limited and restrained unto the Law and if the Argument speak of this Judge wee have nothing to say against it for wee deny not but that some yea all controversies may bee referred unto the Church to be examined and judged Answ 2 Secondly wee deny that the last and utmost judgement of controversies belong unto the Church her judgement being only Ministeriall Thirdly we must give care to the Church but Answ 3 with a double condition namely I. Wee must be sure that it be the Church of God as our Saviour himselfe expoundeth it ver 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name c. So that every Congregation is not the Church but that which is assembled in the name and authority of Christ And therefore it is necessary that we know that Church which wee hear to be the Church of Christ and that by the Scriptures for otherwise wee cannot know the true Church but by the word except it be the true Church we ought not to hear it at all II. Wee must not hear the Church although it be a true Church contrary to the Scriptures but only so long as shee teacheth the doctrine of Christ for otherwise an Angel from heaven is not to be heard Gal. 1.8 If the Pastors Prelates and Presidents of the Church shal prescribe those things which are approved or prescribed by Christ wee must hear them otherwise not for there have been many Bishops and Councels which have refuted â—iver Heretiks and yet have erred themselvs in many other things Wherefore the Church is not simply to bee heard in whatsoever she saith or teacheth or to be beleeved and obeyed in all her decrees opinions tenents and commands but only then when shee speaketh and teacheth the truth of Christ For we are not to beleeve or credit the Church but for Christ and his words sake I find this answer given by Dr. Willet Synops 46. initio Whitak de sacra Script pag 31.7 Fourthly if the judgement of the Pastors and Answ 4 Bishops in a Councell bee the last and utmost judgement then not the Popes judgement only which the most of the Iesuits labour for Fifthly our Saviour speaks not here of the Answ 5 chief Iudge of all controversies or of the chiefe Interpreter of Scripture but only of brotherly correction and admonition which wâ—o contemnes are referred to the Church and if they will not heare the Church thâ—y are to be excommunicated For the interpretation of Sâ—ripture dependeth not upon the will and fantasie of the Pope Cardinals or Popish Councâ—ls but must be tried by the Scripturâ—s themselvs Now the reason why wee deny that the Evangelist speaks here of the supream Iudge or Rule of controversiâ—s is because that which is meant and understood in this place to bee told to the Church doth belong unto all Churches viz. of Constantinople Ierusalem Smyrna Rome and the rest not unto all together but every one severally Now the Papists themselvs do not contend that every particular Church is the rule of all controversies Now that the place is to be understood of brotherly admonition and reproof appears thus namely I. Because the speech is of private offences between brethren as is plain from verse 15. If thy brother shall sinne against thee But private offences injuries and jars are not to be referred either to a Nationall or Generall Councell but unto the Ecclesiasticall society or jurisdiction of every place by whom the reasons on both sides may be weighed and known and judgement accordingly pronounced II. Because this is the first degree of publike or Ecclesiasticall judgment for the former degrees here named by our Saviour verse 15 16. are private to wit when the wronged Brother doth privatly alone admonish him that did the wrong or before some few Witnesses But it was scarsly ever heard of or at least done that either private offences or even publike and those which belong unto the Church should presently at the very first be referred unto the Church universall scattered through the whole world III. Because our Saviour speaks here of Excommunication as some are of opinion let him be as a Heathen c. But Excommunication and every kinde of Ecclesiasticall censure doth belong also to every particular Church Concil Nicen can 5. And therefore in this place by Church are to be undeâ—stood the Jurisdictions of particular Churches and not such a Judge as is absolute free and exâ—mpt from all Law having his own will onely for a rule I conclude this Objection with a double Argument If every Church which who so hears not be Argu. 2 to be accounted for a Heathen man or publican be the absolute Judge of all Controversies then it will follow that every particular Church is the absolute Judge of all Controversies but the consequent is absurâ—ly false therefore also the antecedent Cham. t. 1. p. 26. Argu. 3 An obstinate sinner must be referred to
limited the words As I. Stella in hunc locum saith They sit in Moses Chaire Cum bona docebant c. when they taught good things such as Moses prescribed II. Iansenius Concord in Matth. 23.2 Cap. 120. saith Non est illis obediendum c. They must not be obeyed when they teach any thing contrary to that Chaire III. Emanuel Sa in hunc locum saith Non tenemur hoc loco c. This place bindeth us not to obey them if they teach that which is evill for that is to teach against the Chaire IV. Maldonate in locum saith de doctrina legis et Mosis loquitur He speaketh onely of the Doctrine of the Law and of Moses V. Carthusian in hunc locum saith Hoc non est absolutè et universalitèr intelligendum c. When our Saviour saith Doe whatsoever they bid you we must not understand it universally and absolutely but of their lessons and doctrines which are not contrary to the Law of Moses VI. Erasmus s Matth. 23.3 saith Cathedrâ Mosis c. Christ did not understand by Moses chaire the doctrine of the Priests but the Law of Moses neither were they to be obeyed further then they taught according to that Law VII Ferus Lib. 3. in Matth. 23. saith Praeceptum Christi quaecunque dixerius vobis servate et facite ctc. That CHRISTS Commandement Observe and doe whatsoever they bid you bound them not to observe all the Decrees of the Pharisees but so farre forth as they agreed with the Law c. VIII Let the Reader if he desires more Expositors read Gloss in Matth. 23.2 and Nicol. Gorr ibid. and Ariat Montan. elucid ibid. Aquinas 2. 2. qu. 104. Artic. 5. et August Tract 46. in Iohan. Where he shall heare them with one mouth and mind say Sedere super cathedram Mosis c. To sit in Moses chaire is to teach according to the Doctrine and rule of Moses Law and to command things agreeable thereunto that is to say true doctrine and the same that Moses taught wherein onely they might be followed and no further Secondly because if the Pharisees be not to be heard beleeved and obeyed in all things but in some onely then of necessity we must have another rule whereby we may be directed in our hearing for else how can we tell wherein we must follow our teachers and wherein we must not And therefore there must be a Judge in Religion and the matters of faith above the interpretation of the Prelates of the Church Thirdly the Pharisees taught many errors and blasphemies and that I. Both against the Law of Moses Matth. 5.20 and 15.3 and 25.13 And also II. Against the divinity of Christ Marke 14.64 Iohn 7.48 and 8.13 and 9.22 24. and 19.7 15. And in this regard our Saviour bad his Disciples Matth. 16.6 12. to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees which was their Doctrine Wherein he had gaine-said himselfe if by Moses chaire he had meant any thing but the prescript of the Law or by those words had commanded us in all points to doe according to the Prelates doctrine for then the Jewes must not have honoured Parents nor loved their Enemies nor beleeved in Christ because the Pharisees taught against these things I enlarge not this here because both in the fore-going question something hath beene said and in the following answer of this objection something shall be said of the errours of the Pharisees Fourthly Moses himselfe did preadmonish us not alwayes to heare all who sate in his chaire Deuter. 18 19 30 21. And therefore the Prelates are not to be obeyed in all things which they teach Answ 4 Fourthly we answer to Latomus his Argument CHRIST saith Whatsoever they bid you doe that observe and doe therefore the authority of Ministers is necessarily to be obeyed in all that they teach We deny the consequent and that for these reasons viz. I. Because when the authority of the Ministers is named in the conclusion either it is to be understood First of all Ministers together in generall now if he thus understand it he declines wholly from the true sense of the place for when CHRIST named the Scribes and Pharisees he understood not every one as appeares by that which followes They love the uppermost roomes at Feasts verse 6. And they say and doe not verse 3. And doe not after their workes verse 3. All which cannot be understood but of particular persons and almost all the Fathers have applied this Doe not after their workes unto particular Pastors as if our Savior would say according to the Aphorisme Vivimus legibus non exemplis People must frame and direct their lives according to the Pastors Doctrine out of the word and not according to their lives and conversations Or Secondly by the authority of Ministers is to be understood every particular Minister whatsoever now if he thus understand it then I. He doth not touch the question which is concerning the authority of the Church in judging of matters of Faith for the Church is not in every particular Minister And II. The Papists themselves will not say That every one that sits in Cathedra or to whom is given Ecclesiasticall authority is an absolute Judge of all controversies II. Because if the authority of the Ministers of the Church be absolute and that it is necessary to obey them in all they teach then it is necessary that such authority should have beene given unto the Scribes and Pharisees and such an infallibility in them For if the Papists will goe about from hence to prove the absolute authority of the Church in judging of all matters of faith and doctrine then they must needs grant such a power and authority to have beene in the Scribes and Pharisees and therefore seeing theirs was not absolute and supreme no more is the Ministers now That the authority of the Scribes and Pharisees was not absolute appeares both by the severall expositions of the Interpreters of this text mentioned in the former answer and also by this Medium If their authority had beene absolute and that it was necessary to have obeyed them in all things then we should never have departed from them but this is false for Matth. 16.6 CHRIST saith Take heed of the leaven of the Pharisees which the Evangelist expounds to be meant of their Doctrine Whence we see plainly that somethings were to be avoided which they maintained and taught therefore these words of CHRISTS The Chaire of Moses doe not signifie absolute authority III. Because if the authority of the Scribes and Pharisees had beene such as that it was necessary to obey them in all things then they should have beene the rule of truth but this is false for the rule is alwayes like it selfe and never declines a Rectitudine from truth and rectitude but the Pharisees were not alwayes like themselves that is as those that sit in Moses Chaire and very often did depart from the
weeke or moneth or yeare and see what we have done which we should not have committed and what we have not done which we should not have omitted Seventhly the Rule is we must walke wisely as well as warily the Caution is we must not walke foolishly and imprudently Ephes 5.15 We must observe and marke I. What sinnes doe most annoy us and assaile us and oppose these manfully even unto blood Hebr. 12.1 4. And II. What the occasions of sinne are which most usually prevaile against us and deceive us And III. By what wayes and meanes we may the easiliest and best resist both sinne and the occasions thereof Now here is need both of invention and wisedome and labour how we may most easily and safely and happily both hinder the course of sinne and further the course of piety and holinesse J conclude with the Apostle He that walkes according to these Rules peace shall bee upon him and God will approve of him Galath 6.16 § 2. Yee shut up the Kingdome of Heaven against Sect. 2 men c. We in opposition to the Church of Rome affirme that the Militant and Visible Church may erre and we confirme it from this place and by other midstes thus First Argum. the Militant and Visible Church consists of meere men who are subject to errour and ignorance and whose knowledge in divine things is alwayes imperfect in this life Hence the Psalmist saith All men are Lyars that is subject to this vanity that they may fall and erre and deceive and be deceived according to that trite saying Humanum est errare Man may erre and is subject and prone unto errour Secondly the Militant Church often in this life sinnes yea may sinne alwayes for no member of the Church Militant is absolutely freed and exempted from sinne Now if it may sinne then in like manner yea much more it may erre For sinne which is the vice of the will is worse then simply to erre or be deceived in the mind and understanding Thirdly betwixt the Church Militant and Triumphant this is the difference that the Triumphant Church in Heaven is freed both from sinne and errour and therefore the Church Militant labours and travels with both .. Fourthly we are commanded to examine the words and workes doctrines and deeds of all by the Rule of the word of God Hence our Saviour in this Chapter bids his Apostles and the multitude to heare the Scribes and Pharisees but yet withall they must examine whether they taught according to the Law of Moses and in these verses and those which follow he shewes direct and palpable errours in them although they were indeed the Governours and in esteeme the principall members of the Judaicall Church Read Matth. 5. and 16.6 and 1. Thessal 5.20 and 1. Iohn 4.1 and Philip. 3.3 From these places we may directly conclude That the Rulers and Governours of the Church may erre and the people may erre and consequently the Church may erre because that consists onely of Pastors and people Fifthly Augustine Contra Epist Pelag. lib. 4. Cap. 7. saith Quomodo Ecclesia in isto tempore perfecta sine ruga et macula cujus membra non mendaciter confitentur se habere peccata How can the Church in this world be perfect and without spot or wrinkle seeing the members thereof doe most truly confesse that they are stained and contaminated with sinne VERS 16 17 18 19. Vers 16 17 18 19. Woe unto you ye blind guides which say Whosoever shall sweare by the Temple it is nothing But whosoever shall sweare by the gold of the Temple he is a debter Ye fooles and blind Whether is greater the Gold or the Temple that sanctifieth the Gold And whosoever shall sweare by the Altar it is nothing but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it he is guilty Yee fooles and blind whether is greater the gift or the Altar that sanctifieth the gift Sect. 5 § 1. Whosoever shall sweare by the Temple it is nothing The Jewes had certaine formes of foolishnesse and also pretences for their Swearing teaching that if men sware by the Temple or Altar it was no sinne And thus amongst us many have these or the like pretences for their wicked oathes viz. First some say they sweare the truth and nothing else but every truth must not be sworne the Lord forbidding all swearing in ordinary communication Secondly other ignorant people say they sweare by nothing but good things but this doth not extenuate but aggravate the offence in the abuse thereof Thirdly others say they cannot be beleeved upon their bare words and therefore they are enforced to sweare but Gods Commandements must not be broken to winne credit in the world or to our owne speeches Fourthly others as souldiers and young gallants use to sweare to testifie their courage and gentry but let them marke the third Commandement where the Lord who performes all he speakes hath said That hee will not hold him guiltlesse who taketh his name in vaine Sect. 2 § 2. Yee fooles and blind We may note here how CHRIST openly opposeth himselfe against all errour and false-hood although it be in the Rulers and Governours of the Church or in the whole Church to teach us Obser That we must stand for the maintenance of the truth although in so doing we bring our selves into danger and for so doing must undergoe great opposition That is First we must not betray the truth but stand for it although like Elias we be alone and forsaken of all 1 Kings 19.10 14. Secondly we must not forbeare to publish and professe the truth although the Governours of the Church should command us Acts 4.19 and 5.29 Thirdly we must not flinch from the truth nor feare to professe and maintaine it although the King himselfe with fire and fagot should enjoyne it Daniel 3.18 And the reason of all this is double to wit I. Because they who feare men feare not God Iohn 12.43 Galath 1.10 And II. Because those who deny Christ shall be denied by him Quest 1 Who are here to be damned Answ 1 First in generall all they are worthy of blame who are fearefull and cowardly in Gods and the Gospels and Religious cause for in these wee should be bold and let our fortitude be knowne unto all Answ 2 Secondly in particular two sorts of men here merit reproofe namely I. Those who dare not reprove the sinnes of those great men who are under their charge II. Those also deserve reproofe who dare not professe CHRIST and the truth in the times and places of danger and persecution because wee should preferre God and the truth before our owne lives How must our profession and boldnesse in Quest 2 maintaning the truth be regulated First let that be certaine and true which wee Answ 1 professe for too much confidence and boldnesse in doubtfull things is not good Secondly let that be fit and necessary to be Answ 2 spoken which we speake for it
part after another as the words were spoken one after another But this is also contrary to the opinion of the Papists for they would have it done altogether Ninthly we may not credit this Tenet of Transsubstantiation Answ 9 because the holy Scriptures call the element bread still after the consecration 1 Cor. 10.17 and 11.26 27 28. Tenthly the judgement of the ancient Church Answ 10 doth oppose this Novelty of Transsubstantiation If the Reader would see how the Ancients expounded this phrase and how it appeares they held not this doctrine Let him reade Perkins reformed Catholike of the reall presence Pag. 196 197 198 And thus we have seene the reasons why we must not beleeve this fancie of Transsubstanâ—iation Doe any absurdities follow this doctrine Quest 22 This Tenet of Transsubstantiation doth bring along with it foure absurdities Answ namely First if the bread and wine should be turned into the body and blood of JESUS CHRIST there should be no signe in the supper and so there should be no Sacrament which cannot be without a visible signe Secondly if the bread and wine should be turned into the body and blood of Christ then the blood must needs be separated from the body which is absurd and impossible Thirdly if this doctrine of Transsubstantiation were true then it would follow that Christ should have a body infinite and by consequent he should not be true man nor truely ascended into heaven which would overthrow the principall Articles of our faith Fourthly if this opinion be true then it will follow that infidels and hypocrites comming to the Lords supper should truely participate the body and blood of Christ and so it must needs follow that God and the devill should be lodged together Many are the absurdities which follow Transsubstantiation which our adversaries wâ—pe easily off with telling us that they are not incongruities but Miracles For the proofe hereof observe That Iohan. de Combis comp Theolog. lib. 6. Cap. 14. makes nine wonders in this Sacrament viz. First that Christs body is in the Eucharist in as large a quantity as he was upon the crosse and is now in heaven and yet exceeds not the quantity of the bread Secondly that in this sacrament there be accidents without a subject Thirdly that the bread is turned into the body of Christ and yet is not the matter of the body nor resolved to nothing Fourthly that the body increaseth not by consecration of many hosts neither is diminished by often receiving Fifthly that the body of Christ is under many consecrated hosts Sixthly that when the host is divided the body of Christ is not divided but under every part thereof is whole Christ Seventhly that when the Priest holds the host in his hand the body of Christ is not felt by him nor seene but onely the formes of the bread and wine Eighthly that when the formes of bread and wine cease the body and blood of Christ ceaseth also to be there Ninthly that the accidents of bread and wine have the same effects with the bread and wine it selfe which are to nourish and to fill Antoninus part 3. Tit. 13. Cap. 6. § 16 reckons up twelve Miracles and strange ones that are in this Sacrament and he hath them from Iohan. de sancto Geminiano in sâ—rmone quodam I conclude this question thus That on this manner it shall be easie for any man to defend the most absurd opinion that is or can be if he may have liberty to answer the arguments alleadged to the contrary by wonders and miracles Object 6 But they object here that God is Almighty and therefore nothing is unpossible unto him he can doe all these things which are above rehearsed and change bread and wine into the body and blood of CHRIST Answ 1 First true it is that God is Almightie but in this and like matters we must not dispute what God can doe but what he will Answ 2 Secondly because God is Omnipotent therefore there be some things which he cannot or rather will not doe as for him to deny himselfe to lye and to make the parts of a contradiction to be both true at the same time Thirdly if God should make the very body of Answ 3 CHRIST to be in many places at once he should make it to be no body while it remaines a body and to be circumscribed in some one place and not circumscribed because it is in many places at the same time yea he should make the very body of Christ to be visible in heaven and invisible in the Sacrament And thus should he make contradictions to be true which to doe is against his nature and argues rather impotencie then power vide August de symb ad Catech. lib. 1. Cap. 1. Object 7 They object againe CHRIST hath a glorified body and therefore he may be visible in heaven and invisible in many places at once upon earth Answ 1 First this argument is vaine because CHRIST had no such body when he instituted the Supper and said these words This is my bodie Answ 2 Secondly Christs glorification doth not any way diminish the nature of a true body And therefore it is said Acts. 3.21 That the heavens should containe him untill the day of judgement when he shall visibly descend as he was seene to ascend Quest 23 Is the Eucharist of necessity to be received of all men of discretion Answ Yea it is the Sacrament of Christs flesh whereby all men must be saved Reade verse 27. of this Chapter and Iohn 6.53 and 1 Cor. 10.17 As Baptisme is sometimes compared or resembled unto a begetting so the Lords Supper is to food and therefore as food is necessary for the body so is this Sacrament of the Lords body necessary for the soule Wherefore three sorts of people are much to blame namely First those who care not at all for comming to the Lords Supper Secondly those who will never come but at Easter Thirdly those wâ—o omit and forbeare comming either I. Because they are so taken up with worldly imployments that they have no leisure to fit and prepare themselves Or II. Because they are at Law with some or have beene injured by some whom they will not forgive but rather forbeare comming to the Lords Table How oft must we receive this Sacrament Quest 24 With an ordinary continuance Answ as oft as we can conveniently Act. 2.42 and 20.7 and 1 Cor. 11.25 This Sacrament must not be once celebrated as Baptisme is but often First because we are once borne but often fed and nourished SecoÌ„dly because as often as we worthily celebrate this Supper so often we honour our Christ And hence it was that the Ancients did celebrate this Sacrament every Lords day What is inwardly signified by these Elements Quest 25 of bread and wine Our communicating in the body and blood of Christ by faith Answ For First bread signifies the body of CHRIST Iohn 6.35 55. And in this verse he tooke the bread and
declared to be the Sonne of God being glorified of his Father with that glory which he had before with him as Iohn 17.2 Answ 3 Thirdly but admit that Christ in these words All power is given unto me speaketh of his humanity what then must it needs follow that his humanity is omnipotent nothing lesse but that it hath as much power given to it as possibly can be given to or received of any creature for the humanity of Christ is the most potent of all creatures but not an omnipotent creature and for this cause our Saviour saith here Omnis that is in omnia potestas all power or a power over all not summa potestas a supreame or omnipotent power Fourthly the humanity of Christ is omnipotent not in it selfe but in the Word as the Word suffered not in it selfe but in the flesh Answ 4 The Papists say as Virgill saith of Caesar Argum. Divisum imperium cum Jove Caesar habet that Christ hath divided his Kingdome and power with the Virgin Mary Now against this we produce hence this short Argument Our blessed Saviour saith here All power is given to me in heaven and earth The power then and Kingdome is not divided with Mary but resteth wholly in Christ Some Romanists enlarge the jurisdiction of the Object 3 Pope so farre as is the wide world objecting this place to prove the Popes authority over the Heathens Christ saith Vnto me is given all power in heaven and earth therefore saith Careus lib. 2. de potestate Rom. pontif Cap. 9. the Pope hath authority over Infidels First all power was given to Christ therefore Answ 1 the Pope hath authority over the Gentiles is a grosse and absurd consequence Secondly all power was given to Christ therefore Answ 2 to the Pope also is a blasphemous and Antichristian consequence Thirdly Bellarmine answers hereunto Bell. Answ 3 lib. 5. de Rom. pontif Cap. 5. that this power belonging unto Christ is so great as that it is not communicable to any mortall man Fourthly Barclaius de potest Papae Cap. 3. such Answ 4 saith there is no Scripture which defendeth any universall jurisdiction of the Pope as this is Yea Fifthly Bellarmine saith lib. 5. de Rom. pontif Answ Cap. 2. initio there is Scripture to confute it for 1 Cor. 5. Chap. the Apostles saith What have wee to doe with them who are without meaning Infidels who saith he are not subject unto the judgement of the Pope nor unto the authority of the Church untill they be baptized VERS 19.20 Vers 19.20 Goe ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and loe I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Amen § 1. Goe yee therefore Sect. 1 Jn these two verses the chiefe parts of the Apostles function are thus to be discerned As First their legacy which is immediately given them of God unto all nations and not restrained within any limits And Secondly the publication of that doctrine which they received of the Lord. And Thirdly the administration of those Sacraments which were instituted by God And Fourthly the protestation of that especiall aid which although generally it concerne the whole Church yet particularly it respecteth the Apostles themselves Dr. Saravia of Ministers pag. 11. § 2. And teach Sect. 2 Dr. Carier in his last letter which is answered by our Dr. Hakewell Object and which was written onely to derogate all he could from the Scripture and to cast the authority thereof upon the Church that is as he else where expresseth himselfe the Clergie of the Church of Rome doth lay downe this proposition That our Saviour commanded not his Apostles to write his Religion but to teach it as in this verse Ite praedicate Goe and teach Answ 1 First by this Argument he would inferre that the Apostles sinned in going beyond their commission For if he bid them to teach onely by word of mouth and they both teach by word and writing then they transgresse the Commandement of their Master and consequently sinne Now if Bellarmine and Canus were alive they would blush at the impudency of their Carier for this unheard of assertion Answ 2 Secondly Christ saith Goe and teach therefore they must not write followes not for a man may teach as well by his pen as by his tongue by writing as speaking Yea doctrine delivered by writing as it is conveyed more purely and certainly without mixture arising from humane frailty and corruption so it spreads farther and lasts longer and if it degenerate is more easily reformed That is worthy to be marked which St. Luke hath in the Preface of his Gospell to that noble Theophilus viz. that although he confesseth that he had beene instructed in the Doctrine of Religion yet he thought it meete to write unto him from point to point that hee might have the certainty of those things So that though he had indifferent good knowledge before yet writing the story was the meanes to beget certainty according to that of the Prophet David This shall be written for the generation to come Answ 3 Thirdly this impudent bold assertion will appeare to be such both I. By the Lords owne practise who wrote the Decalogue once and againe in Tables of Stone And II. By the Lords owne Precept he in expresse termes commanding his Servants the Prophets to doe the same Read Exod. 17.14 Esa 8.1 Ierem. 30.2 Ezech. 37.16 Habak 2.2 And III. By the necessity of writing for before the Law was written what universall Apostasies there were from the true worship of God the Floud is a sufficient testimony of and after the Law was lost though the Priest-hood continued what generall swarvings there were both of Prince and people as well in manners as religion appeares 2 Chron. 34. What forbids us then to thinke that our Saviour in commanding his Apostles to teach all Nations should not by vertue of that command as well give them in charge to publish their Doctrine by writing as to deliver it by word of mouth Read besides Revel 1.11.19 and Chap. 2. and 3. and there we shall see that Christ commands Iohn to write what he saw Sect. 3 § 3. All Nations Object 1 Some Papists object this place for the infallibility of their Church CHRIST saith Goe teach all Nations Therefore the Church is free from errour and the Doctrine thereof is in all things infallible Answ 1 First these words were spoken to the Apostles onely and not to that which the Jesuits call the Catholike Church Now we grant that their teaching was infallible and all men were bound to heare it for they taught that which afterwards they writ in the Scripture yet they so taught and with such commission that the people are commended which examined their teaching by the Scriptures Acts 17.11 Secondly we grant that the Pastors of
the Answ 2 Church in all ages have commission to teach likewise but that proveth not all their teaching to be infallible alwayes because naturall corruption hanging on them they may faile in that which is committed to them Mr. White Page 74. § 4. Baptizing them Sect. 4 The Anabaptists who are therefore called Catabaptists Object 1 objects this place against the practise of our Church in Baptizing of Infants Christ say they commands his Apostles and consequently all Ministers first to teach men and afterwards to baptize them but Infants cannot be taught and therfore ought not to be baptized Others of them argue from hence thus These two are conjoyned by our Saviour to teach and baptize and to beleeve and baptize as if he would say the Apostles must first teach and then baptize and people must first beleeve and afterwards be baptized And therefore Infants being capable neither of teaching nor beleeving are not to be baptized First the Proposition is false That Christs commands Answ 1 his Apostles first to teach and afterwards to baptize for these words first and afterwards are not in the Text. Secondly our Saviour in this place prescribes an Answ 2 order to be observed in the conversion of the Gentiles and doth prepone or put preaching before Baptisme because those who beleeved amongst the Gentiles were Adulti men of yeares and not Infants who were first instructed and afterwards baptized as under the Law the Proselites who were of age were first instructed and afterwards circumcised But the Infants of the Iewes were circumcised before they were instructed as we shall see by and by Thirdly although Preaching in this place be Answ 3 put first yet it followeth not hence that therefore it ought alwayes to proceed and goe before Baptisme for Marke 1.4 Baptisme is put before preaching Indeed J know that Iohn Baptist first preached and then baptized Fourthly if the order of words be to be urged Answ 4 then it will follow that all Nations are first to be taught and afterwards to be baptized that is that all Nations must first be taught the Gospell before that any of them be baptized which is so grosse and absurd that no Anabaptist will affirme it Fifthly the word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach Answ 5 is generall signifying every way and meanes whereby we are made the Disciples of Christ and received into the Covenant of God now this is as well by the Sacraments as by the word Sixthly it is most certainly true that our blessed Answ 6 Saviour doth conjoyne his word and baptisme together because Baptisme is not a common or dumbe and silent washing but it is the Laver of water in the word Ephes 5.26 and a sealing of the promises of the Gospell and therefore can nor ought to be without the word as Augustine saith Tolle verbum ex baptismo et quid erit aqua nisi aqua Take the word viz. of Institution from Baptisme and then the water is but bare water and the washing therewith but a vulgar lotion Answ 7 Seventhly Baptisme is a signing or sealing of the Doctrine of the Gospell now it followes not that therefore it is to be denied to Infants for this is a part of the Doctrine of the Gospell that Infants belong unto the promise of the New Testament Acts 2.39 and unto the Church of Christ Isa 49.20 21. and unto the Kingdome of God Matth. 19.14 And therefore this part of the doctrine of the Gospell is to be sealed by baptisme unto Infants Object 2 But the Anabaptists yet instance and urge That Baptisme ought not onely to be the laver of water in the word but also those who are baptized ought first to be instructed Answ This was also required in the institution of Circumcision from whence this objection may most plainly be explicated and resolved For God first teacheth Abraham and afterwards he is circumcised Genes 17.11.23 and doubtlesse Abraham himselfe did teach Ismael and his houshold before he circumcised them as appeares by the Lords testimony of him Genes 18.19 yea both these were commanded in the Old Testament viz. to teach their children Deut. 4.6.12 and to circumcise them Genes 17.11.23 and In adultis in those of yeares of understanding teaching went before circumcision Genes 17. but Infants little ones or babes are commanded to be circumcised on the 8. day Genes 17.12 and to be taught when they can aske and demand What is meant by these testimonies Deut. 6.20.21 And thus circumcision in Infants was before instruction and this followed afterwards when they were capable thereof From hence we answer to the Objection that those of yeares of discretion are first to be taught and then to be baptized but the Infants of Christians first to be baptized and afterwards to be taught Argu. 1 Jt is discussed betwixt us and the Papists whether women or Lay-men ought to baptize And we say that neither Lay-men of what calling soever nor yet Mid-wives or any other women ought to baptize Infants This we confirme from this place The commission and charge to baptize was given onely by our Saviour Christ to his Apostles and all lawfull Ministers their successours in this verse Therefore Lay-men and women in baptizing goe beyond the commission of CHRIST Answ Bellarmine answereth hereunto That when Christ gave this Commission there were many present besides the Apostles Reply We deny not but that many beside might be present but he spake onely to his eleven Disciples who are immediately named before verse 17. Unlesse the Cardinall will say that he made all the rest viz. those 500. whom St. Paul speaketh of 1 Cor. 15. Apostles also for he sendeth them to whom he directs his speech into all the world Marke 16.14 Argu. 2 Jt is disputed betwixt us and the Church of Rome concerning the number of the Sacraments we affirming that there are but onely two and confirming it from hence Christ onely commanded these two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper to be used for ever in his Church instituting and commanding Baptisme in this place and the Lords Supper Chap. 26. Jndeed Christ used many other Ceremonies himselfe as lifting up of hands the tempering of clay and spittle And his Apostles used imposition of hands and anointing with Oyle But Christ hath not laid his Commandement upon these Ceremonies injoyning us perpetually to use them as he hath charged us with these two Baptisme and the Eucharist Jt being questioned between us and the Church Argu. 3 of Rome whether the Sacraments be of equall dignity and excellency CoÌ„cil Tâ—iâ— sess 7. Can 3. Bel. de sacram Lib. 2. cap. 2â— they pronounce an Anathema against him who denieth That Baptisme excelleth all the five Sacraments the Eucharist Baptisme We willingly acknowledge that Baptisme excelleth their fiue forged and fained Sacraments viz. Confirmation Penance Matrimony Orders and Extreame Unction But that the Lords Supper should be preferred before Baptisme as the more worthy and excellent Sacrament we
promised his gracious presence For we must know that the name Catholique is diversâ—ly taken namely I. Sometimes for the whole Kingdome of Christ or for those who shall be saved and are ordained unto eternall life Acts 2.47 and 13.48 and Hebr. 12.22 Now the Church thus taken is partly militant on earth and partly triumphant in heaven and of this we say not Video Ecclesiam Catholicam I see the Catholike Church but Credo ecclesiam Catholicam I beleeve the Catholike Church because according to St. Augustine Fides non est vides II. Sometimes the Catholike Church is taken for the whole number of the faithfull that professe Christ in any one age upon earth being one flocke under one great Bishop Christ the chiefe shepheard 1 Peter 2.25 and 5.4 although gouerned upon earth by divers subordinate Pastours under him And of these also may the said Article of our Creed be understood III. All particular Nations or societies of people joyned together in the faith under one spirituall government may as similare parts use have the name of the whole and be called Catholike Churches Notwithstanding it is more proper to call such an one A Catholike Church indefinitely then Completively The Catholike Church Fifthly an Hereticall sect may like the devill Answ 5 2 Cor. 11. shewing as an Angell of light call themselves Catholikes though they be nothing lesse Revel 2.9 but even the Synagogue of Sathan Therfore the name Catholique in the Question propounded must be understood in the second sense mentioned in the former Answer viz. for all Christians upon earth and not for any particular society Jf any particular company call themselves by that name they are never the more truly Catholike for being so called then those Heretiques were truly pure spirituall and Apostolike that were called and knowne to the world by those names Cathari Pneumatici and Apostolici Some Papists have objected this place to prove Object 1 the infallibility of the doctrine of their Church arguing thus to wit That unto which CHRIST hath promised his presence for ever to the worlds end is free from errour and the doctrine thereof in all things is infallible But such is the Church to which Christ hath promised his presence Therefore the Church is free from errour and the doctrine thereof is in all things infallible First the meaning of this place is That howsoever Answ 1 Christs bodily presence ceased yet his providence should never faile to preserve and comfort them in all their troubles and help them in all their actions and by degrees so enlighten them also that they should not perish in their ignorance but be led forward to more perfection and thus Lansenius Concord Evang. Cap. 149. expounds the place Yea this must needs be granted to be all that is here meant and that I. Because Christ is not absent from his people every time they fall into an errour but remaineth with them still for all that either forgiving it or reforming it And II. Because notwithstanding this promise yet afterwards Peter one to whom the promise was made erred against the truth of the Gospell Galath 2.11 and was therefore by St. Paul rebuked and resisted to his face which thing could not have fallen out if this Promise had exempted the Church from all errour And III. If this promise priviledge the whole Church from errour because it is made to it then consequently it priviledgeth the particular Churches Pastâ—â—s and beleevers therein because it is made to them likewise but experience sheweth that these latter may erre and therefore the meaning must be as aforesaid IV. It is granted even by the Papists themselves that the Pope may erre See Mr. White the way to the true Church Page 194 416. which could not be if these words of our Saviours meant the Church of Rome and that infallible judgement which the Jesuit speaketh of who propounds this Objection And thus we deny not but constantly beleeve that Christ alwayes was is and shall be with his Church to the end of the World To conclude this worke Seeing God hath here promised to be present by his grace and gracious providence and protection with his Church and children unto the end of the world and hath hitherto for many yeares given us cause to say That there is no Nation or Church in the world unto whom he hath beene more gracious then unto ours given us such pious and prudent Princes as have ruled us in peace and led us in the paths of Religion couragiously supporting and constantly professing and maintaining the truth of Christ notwithstanding all the power policy and subtlety of Antichrist and all her instruments and adhaerents Let us therefore both fervently pray for the continuance of these unspeakable mercies and also heartily praise this great gracious and good God for the long continuance of them hitherto unto us and let us alwayes laud his Name and sing praises unto his Majesty saying Holy holy holy Lord GOD of Hosts Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory Glory be to thee oh Lord most High AMEN FINIS The Epilogue COurteous and kind Reader J have here sent thee the first Evangelist to peruse and J have the Second perfectly finished but much more succinctly and compendiously handled then this because the larger J am upon this the lesse I have to treat upon in the rest this Worke not being like a Snow ball rolled up and downe which growes greater and greater but like one lying in the Sunne which growes lesse and lesse Now although as I said the next Evangelist bee perfected yet untill I heare how St. Matthew is received and welcommed by thee I will not send St. Marke unto thee For as PHYDIAS said concerning his first Portraiture If it be liked I will draw more besides this if loathed 〈◊〉 one but this so say I concerning this my first Brat who must either credit or discredit his Father If thou thinke it not worth receiving or reading but reject it loathingly then I have done but if thou accept and entertaine it lovingly then I have but begun Thy pleasure and liking will be my Paines and thy dislike my Ease and therefore I will neither commend nor discommend what J have writ but commend thee unto the Lords gracious Protection and this Booke to thy acceptation Resting To bee employed to thy good if thou please R. W. A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL MATTERS CONTAINED IN THIS MISCELLANIE For the understanding whereof let the Reader take notice that this BOOKE is divided into two Parts or Tomes The first beginning CHAPTER I. and containes 528 Pages The second beginning CHAP. X. and containes 395 Pages Now Pt. 1. f. 1. or 8 c. signifies Part first and Folio first or 8 c. And Pt. 2. f. 1. 10 c. signifies Part 2. folio 1. 10 c Besides let the Reader note that a signifies the first Colume and b the Second A. ABility All Power and ability in Man unto good comes