the Church to be a glorious appearing company which may by the very senses bee pointed out and acknowledged by the externall pompe of ceremonies as Bellarmine affirmeth The Church is as visible as the common wealth of Venice Contrary whereunto our Sauiour speaketh Luk. 17.20 The kingdome of God commeth not with obseruation where it is apparent enough out of the text hee speaketh of the Church in this world namely that it shall bee no such glorious company as should be knowne by externall ceremonies and obseruations or by solemnities apparrelling of Senatours of Counsellors and other such like What are to bee considered about the Church The Head the Members and the Proprieties Who is the Head of the Church Christ alone is the Head of the Church aswell of the Millitant as of the Triumphant which is confirmed first by a apparāt testimonies of holy writ Eph. 1.22 God hath put all things vnder the feete of Christ and hath appointed him ouer all to bee the Head to the Church which is his body And Eph. 4.15 Christ is the Head by whom the whole body is coupled and knit together Col. 1.18 Christ is the head of his body the church A like place there is Col. 2.19 It is proued secondly by reason because euery head ought to infuse vigor and liuely vertue into all the mēbers as our head for instance infuseth vitall spirits into euerie part of our bodie for sence and motion but Christ alone can infuse that liuely vigour into the members Ergo. True say the Papists Christ is the head of the Church but he is the inuisible Head therefore there is neede of another visible Head who must be Christs Vicar on earth and Peter the Apostles successor to wit the Pope of Rome Whereunto we answer that in this strange doctrine of the Papists there are contained many puddles of errour The first errour is that Christ hath need of a Vicar or Deputie in earth whereunto wee oppose these arguments First there is no Vicar but implyeth the weaknesse of the principall Regent or Gouernor for therefore Kings haue their Deputies because they be but weake men not able to looke vnto all their subiects by themselues but Christ is an omnipotent King Secondly He needeth a Deputie who cannot vpon all occasions be euery where present with his subiects but Christ is alwaies euerie where present with his members as hee promiseth Matthew 28. Wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them that is immediately am I present with them as the Hebrew phrase teacheth The second error is that they thinke it a righteous thing for some one man and hee a Bishop or Minister of the Church to attribute vnto himselfe this power to bee the vniuersall Head and Governour of the whole Church whereunto wee oppose these arguments First because Christ doth plainely forbid primacie in the Church Matth. 20. Luk. 22. Secondly because the Apostles themselues diuided the Office of the Apostleship among themselues for that they saw that one man could not be ouer all Churches as the Scripture witnesseth Gal. 2.7 8 9. where Paul saith When they saw that the Gospell of Vncircumcision was committed vnto me as the Gospell of Circumcision vnto Peter and when Iames and Cephas and Iohn which were counted Pillars knew of the grace giuen vnto me they gaue vnto me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship that we should doe the Office of the Apostles among the Gentiles and they execute the same Office among the Iews 3. Moses who was a far greater mā thē Pope could not beare the burden of iudging the people of Israel alone but was constrained to part it as it is Exod. 18. much lesse therefore can the Pope gouerne the whole Church The third errour is that they faine Peter to haue bin head of the church whereas notwithstanding 1. Christ flatly forbiddeth Peter and his other Apostles to seek after this headship and 2. Paul to the Gal. 2.7 in plaine termes saith that Iames and Peter and Iohn were counted or thought to be pillars that is by an erroneous conceit they were taken to be such by thē who might by the abuse of that title deceiue the Galath They obiect that place Mat 16. Thou art Peter and vpon this Rock super hanc Petrā will I build my Church Whereunto we answer that he saith not and vpon thee Peter will I build my Church but we say this is the intention and scope of Christs speech namely to commend the confession of Peter which hee setteth out by a Paranomasie or allusion vnto the name of Peter as if he said I rightly set vpon thee the name of Peter see the first Chapter of Iohn where Christ gaue Peter his name because thou in the name of the other Apostles hast made such a confession and vttered such a doctrine as vpon which as it were on a Rocke my Church shall bee builded First then Christ commendeth Peter and in the person of Peter all the Apostles for that they belieued Christ to be the Son of God Secondly he sheweth the profit and fruit of that confession to wit for that this doctrine and confession was to be the foundation whereupon Christs Church should bee built so that it should neuer bee ouerturned by Satan Otherwise that Peter neuer vnderstood these wordes of himself as if he were that stone vpon which the Ch. is reared he himself professeth openly 1. Pet. 2.4 where he saith that Christ is that very stone vpon the which the Church was to be built The fourth errour is that they take for certaintie that Peter was Bishop of Rome and so consequently that he was at Rome which notwithstanding is vncertaine neither can it be firmely proued that Peter was euer at Rome but the contrary for that place which before wee cited Gal. 2. is very remarkeable namely in that Paul did so deuide the Apostleship and part it with Peter they shaking hands of the motion that Paul should goe to the Gentiles to conuert them and Peter should labour in the conuersion of the Iewes This promise the right hand being giuen vpon it Peter should haue broke if he had gone to Rome to conuert the Gentiles neither doe we reade that two Apostles went into the same Citie especially it being so farre off to preach the Gospell Wherefore sithence by the confession of all it is apparent that Paul preached the Gospell at Rome what neede was there that Peter should come thither especially at the very same time as the Papists say that they were both at Rome in Nero his time II. Out of the last Chapter of the second to Timoth. v. 16. In my first defence saith Paul when I appeared before Nero there was none that stood to me but all forsooke me I pray God it bee not laid to their charge But if Peter had then beene Bishop of Rome as the Papists will haue
vnto vs where the Church is other are proprieties How many demonstratiue proprieties of the Church be there or how many be the true markes of the Church There be onely two first the puritie of doctrine and sacraments Secondly obedience and sanctity of conuersatioÌ„ answerable to the word of God which is proued out of the tenth of Iohn My sheep heare my voyce Mat 28. Go and teach ye all nations baptising theÌ„ Ioh. 5.4 Ye are my friends c. Ioh. 13.32 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples c. The Papists say these are not the notes of the true Church for say they all hereticâ—s can challenge to themselues thus much that they haue the pure word of God and the lawfull vse of the Sacraments Therefore I answer that that which is but by an accedent doth not take away that which is per se. Now it is but by accedent that the heretiques take this vsurpation on themselues for what is there more excelleÌ„t in the Church then the pure Word of God and the lawfull vse of the Sacraments But in setting downe the markes of the Church they doe not agree among themselues See the 396 page of my Syst. of Diuinitie Yet generally they say that these are those marks 1. Antiquitie Whereto I answere that if they brag of antiquity simply the Diuell also is a most ancient Serpent neither is he in that regard any whit the better therefore wee ought to seeke after antiquitie of true doctrine which wee say and affirme to bee in our Church in that namely her Note and Marke is the pure Word of God then which nothing is more ancieÌ„t But your Church do they obiect began but with Luther some 80 yeeres agoe therefore it is not the true Church I answer that it is an vntruth that our Church did but begin then For our Church begun presently in Paradice and was also in the time of the Prophets The second marke they make a continuall succession or a perpetuitie of doctrine in the Church and so condemning our Church as in which there hath been no such continuall succession they insult ouer vs saying Where were your Churches before Luther those 600 yeares wherein you say the world was obscured by the darkenesse of Poperie Whereto we answer that the Church is somtime more clearely manifest sometime it is more obscurely apparant if therefore by succession they vnderstand the state of the Church alwaies alike flourishing then wee say that it is false that such a succession is a propriety and mark of the true Church for the visible state of the Church consisteth in religious worship and in doctrine wherein the Church is not alwaies like vnto it self hauing her obscurings and as it were eclipses such as the Sunne and Moone haue and sometimes it is wrapped about with errours so that it cannot shew its head by any visible estate or ministerie whereunto the Scripture beares manifest testimony 2. Chro. chap. 28. where it is plaine that the estate of the Church was altogether obscured insomuch that Elias thought with himselfe that he alone was left aliue of all the members of the Church being priuie to none beside himselfe that worshipped God purely yet euen then the Lord said vnto him I haue reserued vnto my selfe seuen thousand which haue not bowed their knees before Baal So in the time of Christ his liuing vpon the earth the state of the Church was a most corrupt state so that beside Christ and his Apostles there were very few members of the true Church yea and before Christs birth a little Marie Ioseph Zacharie and Elizabeth and a few more which lay so secret that there was no shew of them to any man made vp the true Church Such like vnto these was that estate of the Church those 600 yeares vnder the Papacie of which time there was expresse prediction before Reuel 12. that the time to wit should come that the Church should be obscure as it were hid in the wildernesse But therefore can any conclude that there was no Church No surely no more then it doth follow This man is hid therefore hee is not a man There were in that most thicke darkenesse of Poperie and vnder the Kingdome of that Antichrist of Rome true members of the Church although by reason of that cruell tyrannie of the Pope they lay hid neither was there so few of them as the Papists faine which at that very time vnder Poperie had the pure doctrine and the Sacraments but there were verie many of them euen whole Countries that were not defiled by the corrupt Doctrine of the Papists as the Albingenses and the Valdenses and they of Picardie who propagated the holy Truth in Bohemia and Polonia in spite of all the Popes resistance As also a hundred yeares before Luther there were the Hussites Brethren of Bohemia who maintained the true Doctrine of the Gospell as those times would giue them leaue Yea and further in all and euerie of those yeares there were by Gods working continually raised vp Witnesses and Teachers who openly and before all shewed their detestation of the Pope and Popish errours which Witnesses of the Truth euen in the time of Papacie they are all gathered together in a Booke most worthie the perusing which we ought alwaies to oppose to the Papists which hath for its Title Catalogus testium veritatis that is A Catologue of the Witnesses of the Truth The third Note the Papists do make vniuersality because forsooth the Church dispersed ouer all the world ought to bee Catholike I answer That the Papists here do contradict themselues when they say the Church of God must be Catholike and yet the Romish Church must be that Church of God which is all one as if I should say the Church must be the vniuersall Dantiscan Church or the vniuersal Cracouian Church or a particular vniuersall Church for to bee the Romish Church and to be a particular one is all one Againe we answer that we doe not denie that the Church ought to be Catholike in that sence wherein the word is vsed in the Creed as afterward it shal be made plaine And we say that our Church hath alwaies been and now also is Catholike because that after the Apostles had gathered the Church out of all Nations there did alwaies from time to time remaine some reliques of the true Church in all Nations although those reliques were hid and obscured as that book Catalogus testium veritatis which wee haue a little before cited doth testifie that in the very time of Popery there was alwaies in Greece Italie Spaine Germany Bohemia Polonia some found that opposed and resisted the Pope But whereas the Iesuites obiect vnto vs that in America and in the East Indies there are no Protestant Preachers of the Gospell as yet but all Papists and especially Iesuites labouring the conuersion of the
it what a disgracefull thing had it been and vnworthy a Bishop to forsake his brother and his owne companion Bellarm. saith that Peter was at that time gone abroad to visit the Churches But we answer that it was not meete that he should go away then when hee should haue assisted his brother but should rather haue put off the visitation vnto some other time which hee would haue done doubtlesse if he had been at Rome Againe I say that Bellarm coines that answer of his because he neither backs it with any place of Scripture nor of any Historian but speaketh it out of his owne braine III. This may be concluded by the circumstance of time for they say that Peter was 25 yeares at Rome and 7 yeares at Antiocheia which he make 32 yeares and yet they say that Peter was crucified at Rome vnder Nero and that hee came to Rome the 2 of Claudius the Emperour Now Claudius raigned but 13 yeares and Nero 13 so that both their Regiments lasted but 26 yeares how then could Peter come the 2 of Claudius and continue 27 yeares Bishop of Rome and yet be crucified vnder Nero. IV. We say that Eusebius and Hierome who are of that opinion do not agree with themselues yea and Hierome especially manifestly contradicts himself For when as hee in one place had said that Peter was crucified vnder Nero afterward expounding those words of Christ Matt. 23. Luke 11 Behold I send vnto you Prophets c. Flatly affirmes that Peter was crucified by the Iewes at Ierusalem When the Ancients therefore are opposite vnto themselues hereby it may appeare that they knew not certainely in this point and consequently how much we are to detest the impudency of the Popes which set downe for certainty that Peter was Bishop of Rome The fifth errour is that they inferre the Pope of Rome to be Peters successour for first there is no sure ground to euince that Peter was euer at Rome how then could the Pope of Rome succeede Peter Secondly if wee grant this to the Papists out of pitty that Peter was at Rome yet it doth not follow that the Pope of Rome was Peters successour for the Turke also hath his seate at Constantinople notwithstanding it doth not follow that the Turke is the lawfull Emperour of the East or of Greece the Emperours before hauing their lawfull residency and abode at Constantinople for the place makes not the succession lawfull but two things there bee which make lawfull succession first the power giuen of God secondly the imitation of the Predecessors in life and manners As Cyprian saith in a certaine place and after him Ambrose and Hierome True succession is succession in doctrine and hee cannot bee said lawfully to hold the Chaire of Peter who holdeth not the doctrine of Peter But neither of these the Pope of Rome hath first whence will hee proue that God hath giuen him that power to sit at Rome as the Monarch of the Church surely he cannot bring so much as one letter out of the Scripture of God to proue this nay Christ enioyned the contrary to his Disciples to wit that one of them should not desire to bee aboue another 2. The true succession which is in doctrine the Pope of Rome hath not for if the Decrees of the Pope and the Epistles of Peter be compared together there will appeare as great difference betwixt them as betwixt light and darknes yea we are about to proue by and by that the Pope of Rome is the Ringleader of idolaters so farre is he off from being Peters successor in doctrine Which bee the Members of the Church They be all the faithfull which do belieue in Christ vnto eternall life for they all are vnited to Christ euen as the members of our body vnto their head They are vnited I say by the holy Spirit who produceth such like motions in them as are in the humane nature of Christ assumed that is he maketh that the faithful become partakers of the Sacerdotall Propheticall and Regall power which is in Christ. About which matter Peter epist. 2. c. 2. v. 9. speaketh most sweetly You are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a holy Nation a people whom God hath chosen as peculiar to himselfe that the virtues of him might be manifest who hath called you out of darknes into his admirable light See concerning this most comfortable doctrine to wit the vnion of the members with Christ the Head in the Syst. of Diuinitie pag. 376. What sorts be the members of Christ They be of two sorts the Ministers of the Word and the hearers Here the Papists challenge vs that wee haue no lawfull Ministers in the Church and by consequence that there be no lawfull sheepe because say they where there are no lawfull and true Pastors and Shepheards there can be there no lawful or true sheepe But wee deny the Antecedent where they say that in our Churches there bee no lawfull Pastors because he is a right Pastor who rightly and lawfully executes his charge which is don by the pure preaching of the word the administration of the Sacraments But say they from whom had your Luther and Caluin their callings We answere That we depend not on Caluin and Luther but of the Prophets themselues and the Apostles As for Luther and Caluin they were neither Prophets nor Apostles but if they would know what kind of calling Caluins and Luther his was we answere It was ordinarie for Luther by the publike authoritie of the Vniuersitie at Witenberg was created Doctor of Diuinity and so was hee called to teach by an ordinary vocation Yea but the Vniuersity at Witenberg it was Papisticall Answere True it was so at that time yet it called Luther to the sincere preaching of the Gospell For the Papists themselues say not that when Luther was called by them to teach that he was called to teach heresies but to teach the Truth Therefore when afterwards he taught the truth he taught it being ordinarily called thereunto although he taught it not according to the Popes mind and his Bishops Yea but hee taught errouâ—s of Papistrie before I answer that that fault of Luther made not his vocation voyd the same we say of Zwinglius Caluin and others which were created by Bishops where notwithstanding it must bee considered that vnto that ordinarie calling there was somewhat extraordinary adioined to wit in that God set forth and adorned those first Ministers of the dostrine of the Gospel with a singular vertue to discouer the terrible abominations of Poperie for the rest of our Ministers which haue and yet doe teach in the Reformed Church they were called ordinarily by them who haue authoritie and as yet to this day are so called Now I much desire to heare of the proprieties of the Church first tel me what kinds be the proprieties of the Church of They bee of two kinds some of them doe notifie and point out
people I answere them first that the Pharisies also did run about both by sea and land to draw men vnto their faith and yet for all that their religion was not true Secondly I say that the Papists haue slaine moe in the Indies then they haue conuerted as you may see by a place which I haue cited in my politiques l. 1. c. 4. that in a very short time a hundred fortie thousand men were murdered by them Thirdly I am sure the Diuell also goes a compassing the whole world and seduceth many yet is hee for that neuer a whit the better Fourthly I auerre that our Ministers also haue taught the true Gospell in America inasmuch as Calum sent thither two Ministers of the Church from Geneua the one whereof was Ioannes Lerius who committed that storie to writing And at this day there are Orthodoxe Ministers in the East Indies which do publikely preach the true Doctrine of the Gospell carried ouer thither by the Merchants of the Low-Countries And doubtlesse toward the end of this world the true Religion shall be in America as God now is preparing the way for it by the English and Low-Countrie Merchants that that of Christ may bee fulfilled Matth. 23. The Gospell shall bee preached throughout the whole World that it may bee a witnesse to all Nations For GOD in all his workes is wont to effect a thing successiuely and therefore first hee sends vnto those nations some light of his essence and his truth by the Papists and afterward will make these things shine more clearely vnvnto them by the true and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel The fourth note the Papists say is vnitie and good agreement I answere Consent and vnitie is but so farre a marke of the Church as the consent is in truth and goodnesse and not in euill and falsehood for such an agreement in euill and falsity is among the very Deuils and what greater agreement consent then among robbers so also among the Turkes there is very great consent so that Mahometisme is farre and neare by them propagated yet doth it not hence follow that Mahometisme is the true Church Secondly I answer that in our Church there is great consent in the truth for howsoeuer after Luthers time there arose many Churches the Diuel being alwaies busie to cast his plots against the true Church and to stirre vp in it diuers hearts yet the Orthodoxe Professours are at good agreement about the Articles of Faith as that excellent Booke called the Harmony of Confessions doth testifie wherein it is manifestly prooued that there is exceeding great consent betwixt the Churches of France England Scotland Bohemia and those which are in Germany neere vnto Rhene and in other Prouinces for that disagreement which is betwixt the Lutherans and the Orthodoxe Professours doth not straightway quite dissolue the vnitie which is betwixt the true church Thirdly I deny that there is so great agreement in the Romish Church as they boast of for it can bee easily showne that the popish Writers agree not in any one Article among themselues as it doth appeare out of Bellarmine who ordinarily disputed against other Papists and alleageth their oppositions and contradictions to themselues this may further appeare by Ioh. Pappius and Matthias Iohn his booke of the Sects and Dissentions and contradictions among Popish Doctours printed at Basil 1565 whereunto the Papists haue not as yet answered Andr. Chrastouius likewise hath written a book he cals Bellum Iesuiticum The good agreement the Iesuits haue among themselues who neither is as yet cōfuted That same booke of Chrastouius was printed at Basil in quarto 1593 it contains 205 Iesuiticall contradictions Which is that bare or secondary proprietie of the Church To the Church of the new Testament this propriety doth also agree that it is Catholick that first in respect of places not because it possesseth many kingdoms but because it is scattred ouer the whole world not tied to any certain place to any determinate country or city Secondly in respect of men because it doth consist of men of all sorts gathered out of the conditiō of all men of al nations Act. 10. Thirdly in respect of times because it shall continue all times euen vnto the end of the world as it is said Mat. 28. I will be with you euen vntill the end of the world Fourthly in respect of vnitie because the Catholike Church is at all times but one to wit in vnity of doctrin consent in that doctrine And thus much wee haue spoken of the proprieties of the Church Now if we shall examine and trie the Popish Church by these proprieties it will appeare to be no pure Church but be very corrupt euen as a rotten apple is an apple corrupted and no otherwise then a man that is infected with the plague is a man but no sound man And that the Popish Church is not the pure Church I will prooue it by two manifest reasons the first an idolatrous Church is not the true pure Church but such a one is the Popish Church Ergo The proposition is euident because God doth abhorre nothing more then idolatrie therefore hee saith Flie from idols and No Idolater shall bee saued The assumption I confirme thus That Church which giues that honor which Dauid giues vnto God the Creator in the very same words vnto the creature to wit the Virgin Marie that same Church is idolatrous But the Church of Rome doth so goe now that the Church of Rome doth attribute that honour which is due vnto God vnto the Virgin Marie I proue it by a most euident testimonie out of that same Psalter of Marie the Virgin which was compiled by Bonauentura who liued 250 yeres agoe and canonized of the Pope of Rome so that hee is accounted among the Saints and the title of a Seraphicall Doctour which is more then Angelicall giuen vnto him This same Psalter was by the permission of the higher powers printed in Latin at Brixia and Bononia in Italy eight yeares since being before printed at Ingolstadium in the Dutch tongue some 20 yeares agoe in the Preface wherevnto it is expressely said that it was compiled the holy Ghost inditing and dictating it And further that very Psalter is in speciall vse in the Romish Church but especially is it currant among the Monkes of Saint Bennets Order which are called Cistercians Now in this Psalter all those things which Dauid attributes to the high and most mighty God are by them put vpon the Virgin Marie as Psal. 51. Haue mercy vpon me O Lady and cleanse me from all mine offences But that of all other is most blasphemous which they apply vnto her out of the Psa. 109. according to that distinctiō The Lord said vnto my Lady sit thou mother mine at my right hand where Mary is made the mother of God the Father as though the Father had bin incarnat made man
scripture should be profitable But the Scripture is sufficient to those things Ergo. Thirdly that which maketh a man perfect and furnished to euery good worke that same must needs be perfect but the Scripture doth so Ergo. The Maior is therefore true because there is no effect which is more perfect then its cause or because a perfect effect presupposeth the cause to be perfect and nothing can giue that to another which it hath not it selfe if the Scripture therefore make men perfect then it must also be perfect VVhat is the third proprietie of the holy Scripture That in the Articles of faith which are necessary to saluatiō it be plaine easie and perspicuous easie I say and perspicuous first in respect of them to whom it ought to bee a light for their saluation according vnto that 2. Cor. 4.3 If our Gospell be hid it is hid to thē which perish whence it necessarily followes that the Gospell is not hid but cleare and open to those which do not perish as Peter saith 2. Pet. 1.19 You doe well in that you attend to the word of the Prophets as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place Psal. 19.15 The word of God is cleare Psal. 119. The word of God is a light to our feete and steppes Secondly the Scripture is easie as it is an instrument which it hath deriued to it from the principal guide the holy Spirit who is that true teacher and interpreter of the Scripture Ioh 14.26 The aduocate which is the holy Ghost he shall teach you althings 1. Ioh. 2 27. That anointing that is the holy spirit teacheth vs of all things Also Ioh. 16.13 VVhen that Spirit of truth shall come he shall leade you in all truth Lastly it is easie if that in the handling of it wee vse conuenient meanes and expound one place by another according to the rules of good and lawfull exposition which you may reade in the 201 page of my Systeme of Diuinitie If then any shall demand who hath the authoritie to interpret the Scripture if the Pope of Rome bee hee I answere that euery one is the best interpreter of his owne words whereas therefore the Scripture is the Word of God of the holy Ghost and not of the Pope of Rome therefore the holy Spirit hath the authoritie to interpret as that true aduocate and teacher of verity But why then doth the Bishop of Rome chalenge to himselfe this authority to interpret the Scriptures I answer because hee knowes well enough how bad his cause is and therefore dares not submit his Tenents to the Word of God or the Scripture if it be rightly vnderstood and therfore will he wrest and stretch the Scriptures at his owne pleasure Touching which point I would haue you note the words of a certaine Apostate from the faith Caspar Schoppius Papist who is now at Rome with the Pope he in that Epistle he wrote touching his defection from vs vnto the Papists about sixe yeares agoe set out at Ingolstadium in the 24 page saith thus The summe of all controuersies betwixt the Catholikes the Lutherans consists in these two things That besides the holy Scripture the Traditions of the Apostles of the Church are necessary to be belieued And that the holy Scriptures themselues neither can nor ought to be interpreted of any with authoritie saue of the Catholike Romane Church In which two Doctrines if one be once perswaded and setled he will easily yeeld and adioine himselfe to the Church of Rome in the rest of the chiefe points of faith For if I were to dispute with the Heretikes about any article of faith it must needes be that there be somewhat set downe in the Bible touching my opinion or that there be nothing at all to be found for it If there be nothing in the Bible for me presently then I say that it was wont so to be obserued by tradition from the Apostles in the Church of Rome But if there be somewhat contained in the Bible touching mine opinion and the Heretike will interprete it another way then might serue my turne then presently I oppose to him the Church of Rome that it hath so interpreted it so that euery Dispute ought to be reduced to these two heads Thus farre he And truly this is it that the Pope of Rome labours for that he may wrest the Scripture as seemeth him good and then it is as if any offering to fight with another and the weapon should be a sword he would fight vpon this condition that he may be suffered to weild his aduersaries sword as he will And so it is likewise as if any would haue a suit in Law tryed before the Iudge according to the lawes but vpon this conditiō that it may be lawfull for him to interpret the law on his owne side iust so the Pope doth for he saith I will dispute with you out of the Scripture but so that it may be lawfull for me to interpret the Scripture on mine owne behalfe I would haue this also noted that if the Papists demand who is the Iudge in the controuersies of faith Wee answer that the chiefe and highest Iudge of controuersies of faith is he who is the Author both of faith and of the Scripture to wit the holy Ghost According to that of Ioh. 16. When the comforter shall come he shal reprooue he will iudge the world of sin And then only the Scripture to be the Law and Sentence of this iudge according whereunto iudgement must be giuen concerning controuersies of faith as it doth most manifestly appeare by Iohn 5.45 There is one who accuseth you euen Moses i. e. the writings of Moses which giue iudgement against you and yet more manifestly Iohn 18. vers 48. He that reiecteth and receiueth not my words hath one that iudgeth him This word c. It is not true therefore which the Pope of Rome saith that he is the chiefe Iudge and decider of controuersies for he is not fit to be a iudge who is accused and found guiltie of deprauing and falsifying the word of God I haue heard you sufficiently about the former sort of knowledge of Christian Religion or touching the principles of Diuinitie to wit God and Gods word Now I desire to be instructed in the second kinde of knowledge arising from the former that is touching the parts of this heauenly Doctrine which doth spring from the Doctrine which is of God and of the holy Scriptures You tell me right and I perceiue you well vnderstand the method and progresse which ought to be obserued in vnderstanding the doctrine of Religion and therefore now will I instruct you touching the parts of Diuinitie or Christian Religion How many parts hath this secondarie or deriued knowledge Two whereof the former is of the end it selfe the latter is of the meanes that leade vs to that end What is the end of Diuinitie Saluation or life euerlasting How many
that I may not say further that to be set on the right hand of God is to haue a like power and equall glory with God himselfe Againe that the Romish Church is an idolatrous assembly I proue it out of the Romish Masse booke where in the Seruice appointed for Good Friday it is said that the Priest so soone as hee hath put off his shooes and then approcheth to adore the Crosse shall kneele three times before he kisse the Crosse and then afterward the Ministers of the Altar they must also kneele and three times adore the Crosse. II. Arg. That Church which approueth manifest crimes is not the pure Church but the Church of Rome is such Ergo. The Proposition is herein manifest for that the Papists themselues do yeeld sanctity and holinesse of manners to be a note of the Church The assumption I confirme for that the Pope doth dispence for Incest Sodomy and other most grieuous crimes See the Taxes Fines or Nundinations of the Court of Rome described at large in Musculus his Common Places 2. It is confirmed out of Costers Enchiridion where you shall find it written that a Priest committing fornication or keeping a concubine in his house does not so grieuously sinne as he that doth marrie This doth Gretzer allow of in his History of the Iesuiticall order pag 115. Most truly wrote our Coster that a Priest should not so grieuously offend if hee should commit Fornication then if hee should marrie And hee addeth Yea it is truly spoken that a Priest doth lesse sin in committing Adulterie then in marrying a Wife Bellar. 2. lib. de Monach. cap. 30. It cannot be truly said of a Nun that hath vowed continence that it is better to bee married then to burne for both in her is euill to bee married and to burne yea worse it is to bee married then to burne whatsoeuer our aduersaries say to the contrarie that it is written 1. Cor. 7. It is better to marry then to burne Here that is worthy marking which Sleidan sets downe in his first booke that a certaine Italian Bishop Casa by name hath written a whole booke in the praise of filthy Sodomy where we may note for a conclusion that although al those things be granted to the Papists which they most gloriously dispute about the Church yet they can gaine nothing hereby because they ought to make it plaine first vnto vs that the Popedome is the true Church which in that they haue not as yet prooued nor shall euer bee able to prooue it they do but delude themselues with a vaine title of the Church And whereas they say that it is absurd before the point of the Church bee discussed to take in hand to dispute of any of the Articles of faith that also can little auaile them because wee doe dispute and iudge of doctrine and faith by the word of God and it may so bee disputed although that point of the Church be not before handled for the Word of God is before the Church and aboue the Church neither hath the Church any authoritie to wrest the Scripture as we haue formerly proued in the common place of Scripture But here I would haue noted the exceeding fraud of the Popish Writers that when they haue made a great stirre about the Church and stood long vpon it at length they conclude the Church to be a Councell consisting of the Pope the Cardinals and Bishops and so exclude all other which are neither Cardinals nor Bishops from the Church at least remouing them so farre that they shall not make vp the Church properly so called and principally that hereby they might the more establish the insolent pride of their Spiritualtie against the manifest Word of God You haue made plaine the Doctrine of Redemption vnto mee now it followes that you instruct me in the matter of Iustification of man before God wherfore shew me I pray you what is Iustification It is the absoluing of sinfull man from his sinnes or it is a forgiuing of sinnes by the meere grace and fauour of God for the merits of Christ imputed and applied vnto vs by faith What are to bee considered about Iustification Foure things 1. the principall cause 2. the instrumentall cause 3. the effect and fruite and lastly the necessary adiunct What is the principall cause of Iustification before God The principal cause is either primarie or secondary the prime cause is the grace and mercy of God the other cause is the merit of Christ or the death and passion of Christ made ours imputed vnto vs or appropriated vnto vs so truely that the Passion of Christ should besteede vs as much as if we our selues had hanged on the Crosse and had died for our owne sinnes Hereof wee haue manifest testimonies of the Scripture Rom. 5. vers 8. As by one man many were made sinners c. Rom. 4. vers 5 6. Blessed is that man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without the workes of the Law 2. Cor. 5. vers 8. He made him which knew not sin to be sinne for vs that we might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him Gal. 3.15 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the Law whilest hee was made a curse for vs. Philip. 3. vers 8. That I may bee found not hauing my owne righteousnesse but that which is by the faith of Christ. Now there is no opposition in this wee say that a sinner is iustified by the meere grace of God and yet by the merit of Christ because it was brought about by the meere mercie and grace of God that Christ performed that meritorious worke for vs for Christ was in no wise bound vnto vs to die for vs but hee out of his meere grace and mercy did vndergoe death for vs. What is the instrumentall cause of Iustification Onely faith in Christ insomuch as by faith euen as by a hand and instrument we lay hold on and apply vnto vs the merit and satisfaction which Christ hath performed for vs. What is faith Faith is not onely a bare knowledge of the Historie of Christ but it is also a sure confidence of the heart whereby we set downe in our selues for certainty and be perswaded that our sinnes are forgiuen vs of God for the death and passion of Christ. Note here two maine errors of Poperie whereof the first is that faith is onely a certaine Historicall knowledge and no true and sure confidence of the heart whereunto the Scripture it selfe directly speaketh Rom. 8.20 where faith is called a sure trust and perswasion See my Gymnasium logicum wherein you haue this in that Theame Fides somewhat opened The second errour is that we come by the remission of sinnes not by faith alone but also by the merit of good workes contrary vnto those sayings in the Scripture Ephes 2.8 By the grace of God you are saued through faith and not of your selues Rom. 4. Abraham belieued and
that was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse Againe Vnto him not that worketh but that belieueth in him which iustifieth the wicked his faith is counted for righteousnesse Luk. 8 Mark 6. saith Christ onely belieue which is all one as if he had said By faith alone thou shalt obtaine euerlasting life So then although these words bee not manifestly extant By faith alone we are iustified yet the sense is manifestly put downe and other words therevnto equiualent are contained in the Scripture for whereas the Apostle saith Rom. 3.28 We conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law Certainely it is all one as if he said Wee conclude that a man is iustified only by faith for a man must needs be iustified either by faith or by workes a third way none can be able to shew Paul plainely saith to the Galath We know that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ. Not By those righteous deeds which wee haue done but by his owne mercy he hath saued vs through the Lauer of regeneration and renewing of the holy Spirit Therfore it remaineth that we say that faith alone doth iustifie a man And that no man is iustified by workes and so consequently that our works doe not merit for vs forgiuenesse of sinnes I prooue it by euident testimonies of holy Writ I. Tit. 3.5 Eph. 2.8 By grace are ye saued through faith that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any should boast Secondly Philip. 3.9 Rom. 3.24 II. We are iustified before we do any works as S. Paul expressely witnesseth of Abraham that before hee had done any good work he was iustified before God Rom. 4.2 where he saith If Abraham had been iustified by workes he had wherein to boast but not with God To him that worketh the wages is not giuen vpon fauour but debt but he that worketh not but belieueth only in him who iustifieth the wicked his faith is imputed vnto him for righteousnes III. Arg. is taken from the proprietie of our works Our works are debts therfore by them can we deserue nothing Antec is confirmed by Luk. 17. When you haue done all that you can do c. 2. Good works are not ours but Gods now by that which is anothers and not our owne wee can merit nothing Antecedent is proued Phil 2.13 God it is who worketh good in you and perfects it Eph. 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which hee hath prepared that we should walke in them Thirdly our good workes are not perfect therefore wee can merit nothing by them for three things there bee required of him that will merit first that hee hath that by which he will merit of his owne secondly that it be no debt thirdly that that bee perfect which three conditions our good workes haue not as it is said Esay 6. All our righteousnesse is like vnto a menstruous cloath And Philip. 3.8 Paul calleth his workes dung I vnderstand what iustifying faith is now tell mee the cause thereof whereby it is begotten in vs The principall cause whereby sauing faith is ingendred is the holy Spirit the instrumentall cause or meanes is either ordinarie or extraordinarie What is the ordinarie meaner whereby the holy Spirit worketh faith in vs It is twofold namely the Word of God and the Sacraments The Word of God you haue already touched now tell mee what is a Sacrament It is a holy signe instituted of God whereby God maketh the belieuers sure of his fauour the forgiuenesse of their sinnes and other benefits likewise by Christ his passion and death to be bestowed vpon them Of what sorts are the Sacraments Of two sorts Sacraments of the old and new Testament How many Sacraments were there in the old Testament Two to wit Circumcision and the Paschall Lambe How many Sacraments be there in the new Testament Two onely Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord What is Baptisme It is a Sacrament of the new Testament whereby sprinkling of the water in the name of Father Sonne and holy Ghost being made we are initiated grafted into the church and whereby there is sealed vnto the faithfull forgiuenesse of sinnes by the bloud of Christ and regeneration vnto life eternall See more in my Syst. of Diuin pag. 451. and in the Comment on Vrsins Catechisme pag. 429. according to the last Edition What is the Lords Supper This wee shall handle afterward in the opening of our particular knowledge wherewith wee must furnish our selues in regard that the knowledge hereof comes nearest vnto our lawfull and seemely preparing of our selues to the Lords Supper Here onely would be noted that eâ—rour of the Papists who haue made seuen Sacraments of the new Testament to wit Baptisme Confirmation Pennance the Eucharist Extreeme Vnction Orders and Matrimony But that number of Sacraments is neither vpholden by any testimonie of holy Writ neither is it propped by the authoritie of any of the ancient Fathers but it is a new deuise hatched not aboue 200 yeares agoe in the time of Lombard the Master of the Sentences Besides euery Sacrament should haue a signe and thing signified but Pennance Orders Matrimony haue no signes at all Further yet euery Sacrament hath annexed promise of grace and appertaines to all belieuers in the Church and to conclude it is more then manifest that all Sacraments ought to be instituted by Christ euery of which markes of a Sacrament cannot bee auerred and truly attributed vnto those fiue Sacraments the Papists faine no to none saue Baptisme and the Lords Supper What is the extraordinarie meanes of Faith Miracles which are extraordinarie signes wherby God after a wonderfull manner wrought and confirmed faith in the time of the Primitiue Church And here must be obserued a double error of the Papists First in that they are of opinion that now there is neede of miracles whereas this is onely the vse of Miracles namely to confirme doctrine at the beginning and first setting a broach of it and therefore must cease after the doctrine bee sufficiently confirmed Second errour is in that they thinke that miracles is a marke of the true Church when as euen very Hypocrites oftentimes haue done miracles yea and can doe them Marke 13. v. 22. Luke 21. where it is plainly told vs that toward the ende of the World there shall arise false Prophets which shall worke miracles But 2. Thess. 2. v. 9. is a notable place against the Papists that doe so brag of their miracles The comming of Antichrist is in the power of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders whence it may appeare that before the end of the World to doe many miracles is a marke of Antichrist and the Apostle cals those miracles lying wonders time and long experience testifieth so much for in
or but coldly performed together with a due and diligent consideration of those punishments both corporall and eternall which we might for those our sinnes feare would iustly fall vpon vs. Secondly In a serious griefe and repenting sorrow for those our sinnes It were me thinkes very meet to make such an examination of our selues on the third day as it were for examples sake on Friday before the celebration of the Lords Supper and on that day to bee read both the first part of sacred Theologie and also the 20. Chapt. of Exod. the 28. of Deut. and thereunto to be added that prayer of Dauid out of the 51. and 38. Psalmes Which is the second examination The second is concerning our faith namely whereby wee recouer our selues out of our former sorrowfull meditation fixing our faith and beliefe on Christ thinking on his person his office and especially his passion and death and applying that his passion and death to our selues euery one of vs assuring our selues that for that his passion all our sinnes are forgiuen Where it will also be expedient to read ouer the whole doctrine of the remedies against our miseries euen vnto the doctrine of Iustification and thereunto to adioyne the 26. and 27. chapters of Matthew the 17 18 19. of Iohn the 53 of Esay and likewise the 8. of the Epistle vnto the Romanes Which is the third examination The third must be occupied about our sanctification or new life which consideration is absolued by a double resolution and steady purpose of hart the first of doing those good workes hereafter which are to bee performed either towards GOD or towards our Neighbour The second of daily calling on God by prayer where it shal not be impertinent to recall the whole doctrine of sanctification and to reade the fith and sixth Chapters of Matthew the 12 and the following Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans the 12 of the Epistle to the Hebrews the latter Chapters of the Epistle to the Galath the Epistle to the Col. to the Eph. both the Epist. of Iohn and of Iames. And this may be done vpon the sabbath day Thus farre I haue heard of that deuotion which ought to goe before the vse of the Lords Supper now tell me also somwhat of that deuotion which I ought to vse at the receiuing of the holy Communion That deuotion is either externall namely that we doe soberly and reuerently approach vnto this holy action in regard of our outward gesture or internall and principall which consists in these foure points First that thou render vnto Christ most deuout and hearty thanks for that his passion and death which for thy sake hee suffered and sustained Secondly that thou taking the sacred bread doe make sure thy faith and appropriate vnto thy selfe the merit of Christs passion and so of the breaking of his body vpon the Crosse cherishing and strengthening thy conscience with that assurance and then taking the wine that thou bethinke with thy selfe how that the blood of Christ was shed for thy sinnes and so withal reuiuing and filling with ioy thy drooping conscience Thirdly this deuotion must bee also in consideration of thine owne selfe that thou do hereafter dedicate consecrate thy self wholly both in soule and in body and all thy works vnto God Fouâ—thlie that thou doe also remember the Church in whose sight thou vsest the Lords Supper firmelie resoluing with thy selfe to abide alwaies in that Church and to do the works of charity vnto the brethren For the better effecting of these 4 points of this internall deuotion euerie one may vse some pithy forme of prayers about the verie act of receiuing And so haue wee finished the doctrine of true preparation vnto the Lords Supper and together with it haue laid downe the summe and epitome of all Diuinity Now what remaineth but that wee earnestly entreate of God that sithence his Word is a Lanthorne vnto our feet and a light to our paths that he would illuminate and open our harts that wee may vnderstand the vndoubted truth of his holy word and be piously transformed vnto those things which wee vnderstand so that wee may not in any thing displease his heauenly Maiesty and that for Christ Iesus sake our Lord. Amen FINIS A BRIEFE Direction how to examine our selues before we go to the Lords Table how to behaue our selues there and hovv to try our selues aftervvards By T. V. Printed by Aug. Math. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND Religious Lady the Countesse of Deuonshire health and peace in Christ Iesus Right Honorable ALL that is mine own in this little booke namely these short directions how to examine our selues before wee goe to the Lords Table how to behaue our selues there and how to try our selues afterward gathered for their sakes which loue the most concise method and way of Preparation I make bold to consecrate vnto your name and that in a double respect First in regard of your Honours great goodwill and bounty to my Vncle my Lords and your Ladiships seruant of whom setting aside the affectioÌ„ of a Kinsman I dare say thus much without flattery that he is one that truly feares God and is faithfull in all his busines Secondly in regard of your Honours great affection to the Gospell and exceeding good respect towards the Ministerie thereof which doth make your name renowned ouer the whole Land now and will make your memory blessed hereafter The Lord keepe you and all yours and remember you in mercie according to all the good you haue done to the house of God and the Officers thereof I betake your Honour to Gods holy protection and humbly take my leaue Your Honours to be commanded in the Lord Iesus T. V. A briefe direction how to examine our selues before we goe to the Lords Table how to behaue our selues there and how to trie our selues afterwards BEfore wee must dare to come to the holy Communion we must diligently and carefully sift and examine our selues First the subiect of our examination is our selues and not others as the Apostle saith Let euery man examine himselfe and so let him eate c. 1. Cor. 11.28 Secondly the matter wherein our examination must chiefly consist presupposing our generall and particular knowledge is of three sorts The first is as touching our repentance the second concerneth our Faith The third is about our Charitie Touching our Repentance thus We cannot choose but know our consciences witnessing vnto vs how grieuously wee doe daily offend against Gods holy statutes both in thought word and deed wherefore wee seeing our hideous sinnes and misdeeds for which if God in his iustice would deale with vs wee might expect nothing but destruction and damnation Let vs enter into the closets of our owne hearts and see whether we find our selues inwardly sorry for all our misdoings Secondly confessing all our sinnes vnto the Lord and thirdly growing to an inward hatred and loathing of sin both in our selues and others