took such rooting that the power craft and malice of men and Devils cannot root it out It s evidenced by the purity and spirituality of its Doctrine By the sublimity of the Mysteries revealed in it wherein the highest wisedom of God shines forth By the greatnesse and excellency of the rewards punishments By the holy Spirit appearing in the serious professors of it such a Spirit of holinesse as is no where else to be found in the world And by the design it hath to glorifie God and to humble Man c. By these and the like evidences the weakest may easily be convinced That the Christian Religion is the only true Religion of all others in the World and so be directed to make choice thereof CHAP. V. Further Directions how to chuse the right and safe way amongst such diversities of Sects and opinions as be amongst Christians A discovery of the fundamental Doctrines of Faith and practical duties of Godliness generally imbraced by al Christians in al times and places with advice in reference unto them HAving inquired into the several Religions this day professed in the world and found upon good evidence the Christian Religion to be the only true Religion men may venture their Salvation upon Wee meet next with no small difficulty whereby weak and ignorant persons are perplexed occasioned by the diversity of Sects and opinions which are found amongst Christians viz. Quest To know after they once be resolved to be Christians how to chuse the right and safe way amongst such various Sects and different perswasions of those called Christians unless a man might be saved in any of these Sects and wayes What directions are there for the safe conduct of such as are at a losse herein Answer Because this is a grand case wherein very many in these sad times of Division greatly need Direction I shall guide them to a safe way wherein they may securely walk and venture their Souls without fear of miscarrying And it is this Let them labour to understand clearly and to imbrace heartily those Fundamental Catholick verities of the Christian Religion which are more clearly laid down in the holy Scriptures and have been owned by the Churches of Christ generally in all ages places ever since the Apostles times to our dayes and transmitted to us in their Creeds and Confessions of Faith and are now owned by all worthy the name of the Christians without dispute through all the Christian World let them so believe them that they influence their Hearts and Lives throughly And also all those Confessed duties of godliness that all Christians are agreed in and walk up to the practice of them and their Souls shall certainly be secured Know that notwithstanding these diversities of Sects and varieties of opinions which are found amongst Christians from which they are not privileged as neither are those other three Religions Heathenisme Mahometanism and Judaism as before was shewed nor shall be fully whilst we be imperfect and know but in part and are in part carnall as well as Spiritual whilst the envious one shall fow Tares in the field of the Church and it shall be the pleasure of God to suffer these things to be that they which are approved may be made manifest Yet know That there are some fundamentall and Catholick verities of the Christian Religion which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 points generally believed of all having antiquity universality and consent concurring with them which the Scriptures call the foundation 1 Cor. 3.10 11. The principles of the Doctrine of Christ Heb. 6.1 The form of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 Rom. 6.17 The proportion or Analogy of Faith Rom. 〈◊〉 6. Which have been conveyed down from the Apostles even to us in this last age of the World nor could the gates of Hel ever prevail so far as to extirpate them And these are such Confessed duties of godlinesse as none that have pretended to be Christians have dared openly and directly to gainsay Now these are the points that have greatest influence on our hearts and lives to sanctifie and change them and to promote the life and power of godlinesse and rarely those questions and matters of dispute that are so hotly contested about and these avail to the saving our Souls upon our hearty imbracing and receiving these or our renouncing of them either in heart or life depends our Salvation or Damnation We had need therefore to set our hearts on these things that we cordially believe these Doctrines and practise those Duties and so doing we shall secure our eternal Salvation Now for further improvement of this advice we shal more particularly inquire into these great and necessary Doctrines of faith and duties of godliness and lay down some brief account of them in order to our belief and practice and so consequently to Salvation 1. For the Fundamental Doctrines of the Christian Religion Not that I undertake to give an exact account hereof for to determine this saith a learned man is the master-piece of all the Divines in Christendom but only do declare those truths which being more clearly laid down in Scripture have been generally imbraced by all Churches worthy the Name of Christians setting aside controverted points wherein so much truth is contained as being joyned with holy obedience may be sufficient to bring a man to everlasting Salvation This being premised they may be reduced to these four Articles 1 Concerning God That there is one God of an infinite perfect and spirituall nature Subsisting in three most glorious persons the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost who is the maker preserver Governor of all things and intends his own glory in all his Works That the greatest concernment of reasonable creatures is to know acknowledge this God to fear love adore and glorify him and their chief felicity stands in his love and favour in fullest conformity to his Image and nearest communion with him and in no earthly good separate from him This is one Article of Religion necessary unto Salvation to be known and believed and not controverted amongst Christians Believe this throughly and let it influence your hearts and lives so as you study to know this God and to get acquaintance with him to fear love and serve him to own him for your Soveraign Lord chief good 2 Concerning man That God made man at the first in a very holy happy estate from which he soon fel through Satans Temptation and all mankinde became plunged into sin and misery That we are all hainous offenders against the God of Heaven under his dreadful wrath and the curse of the Law barred out of Heaven and happiness and lyable to eternal torments if not speedily reconciled to God and pardoned and by renewing grace sanctified and converted which neither we nor any meere creature is able to do for us This is another Fundamentall Article of Faith so clearly laid down in Scripture as it 's beyond all controversie
be branched into these two 1. The Way profession which is publickly owned by Authority and hath the Law of the Land for its Sanction 2. Those Perswasions or Wayes that are taken up by private persons conâ—â—ary to the Law of the Nation For these latter beginning there first They are as exceeding many so of a very different nature some retaining the Fundamental Principles and Duties of Christianity necessary unto Salvation and differing only in lesser matters controverted in the Church of Christ others that overthrow the very Foundation it self Those that overthrow the Foundations of Christianity and differ about points necessary unto Salvation are too many In which rank we shall place the Papists first of all because most considerable and above all others most formidable It s true indeed There hath been in the Popish Church all a long to this day continued such a System of saving Truths which God hath of his great mercy preserved in the greatest Anti Christian Apostacy as being truly believed and obeyed other Soul-destroying errours in the mean time either not known or not cordially imbraced might be effectuall to the Salvation of many that lived and dyed within that Church But yet Popery it self understanding thereby that Religion which consists of so many new Articles of Faith utterly unknown to the old Church of Rome in its purity but now ratifyed in the Council of Trent and required to be recieved of all men upoâ— pain of Anathema which plainly overthrow many of the great Articles of the Catholick Faith as also of such grosse Idolatries and Superstitious Fopperies c. This I say is such a Religion that none that love their Salvation should close with This Babylon we shold have no communion with lest we communicate in her Plagues As saith the voice from Heaven Revel 18 4. Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues The grounds of our withdrawing from that Religion are 1. Their many dangerous errors in matters of Faith overthrowing directly the very Foundations of Christiantie To instance in some Their Doctrine of Transubstantiation over-throweth the truth of Christs humane Nature Their proper Sacrifice his only Sacrifice for sin offered once for all Their Doctrine of merits plainly destroyeth the merins of Jesus Christ The multitude of Mediators amongst them deny That only Mediator betwixt God and man the man Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 2.5 Their Sacrificing Priests overthrow Christs Priestly office Their vilifying the Scriptures and setting up their unwritten Traditions to be received with equall reverance with them c. Overthrows Christs Propheticall Offices The Kingly Office of Christ is overthrown by the Popes usurpations dispensing with the Laws of God and setting up other Laws of his own devising and Lording it over the Consciences of Men. The great Article of Remission of sins and free Justification through the grace of God in Jesus Christ is overthrown by their Pardons Indulgences and Doctrine of merit and humane Satisfactions 2. Their abominable Idolatries in point of Worship as Angel-worship Saint-worship Relique-worship Image-worship c. 3. Their prophane Sacriledge robbing the people of the bread of life the holy Scriptures the Cup in the Lords Supper Nay almost of the whole Worship of God causing it to be performed in a Language the Vulgar understand not 4. Their cruelty and blood shed wherein Rome Papal exceeds Rome Ethuicall 5. Their Spiritual Tyranny in exacting blind obedience in matters of Faith as the Philistims pulled out the eyes of Sampson and led him whither they would In burdening Christians with innumerable Ceremonies and Superstitions destroying the substance of Religion 6. Their proud usurpations over Kings and Princes 7. The Notorious Schism they are guilty of worse then that of the Novations and Donatists of old whereby they not only cast off the Reformed Churches but the Muscovites and Grecians in Europe The Aegyptian and Aethiopian Churches in Affrick all these great companies of Christians scatter'd all over Asia even from Constantinople to the East Indies Because they are not the Popes subjects they wil not account them Christs for they declare determine and pronounce it s of absolute necessity unto Salvation for every humane Creature to be subject to the Pope of Rome 8. Add hereunto their unsufferable wickednesse overspreading that Church and their allowance thereof by giving Licences to uncleanness Sodomy prostituting pardons for mony dispensations with Gods Laws c. In all which the Romish Church is incorrigible pretending unerring Infallibilitie and the Pope himself wil be supreme Judge alone in all these Cases For these and the like grounds which cannot all be here enumerated Its necessary for all good Christians to beware of Popery and have no Peace with Rome till she return to her antient Primitive puritie Others there are also that err in Fundamental points and necessary unto salvation as Anti-trinitarians Anti-Scripturists Arians Socinians c. The last of which Sects is esteemed by the learned the very Sink into which all Heresies of former and latter times have emptied themselves and directly leades men to Mahometanism Judaism or Atheism These deny the Doctrine of the Trinity a fundamental Point and necessary to Salvation and the Deity of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Ghost Reject the Satisfaction of Christ and maintain Justification by works Refuse such Articles of the Faith as they cannot comprehend with their Reason c. These Sects as almost all Churches former and latter and Divines in their Syncretisms have banished out of the Lines of Christian Communication so it becomes all persons to avoid them as pests and enemies of Christianity and to have no followship with them I shal instance only in one Sect more of such as err in Fundamental points who in respect of their want of learning and outward accomplishments are contemptible yet in respect of their number and their singular obstinancy in their way whereby they amuse the Vulgar are not to be passed by viz. The Quakers although Quakerism cannot properly be called a Séct of Christians but rather it 's a totall Apostacy from Christianity for excepting it be they have the name of Christ in their Mouths they scarce retain any Article of the Christian Faith The light in all men they extoll as the only sufficient rule to walk by to the apparent slighting of the Scriptures and Preaching so that if the Question be asked what advantage hath the Christian above the naked Indian We cannot answer as the Apostle Rom. 3.2 Much every way chiefly because unto them is committed the Oracles of God The Doctrine of the Trinity they openly deny The Person of Jesus Christ as to his humane Nature with all his Offices assigned to him by his Father they utterly reject though this is an Arcanum that is kept hid from their Novices They call not upon God in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ They trust not in his death
in their patrimony saith Bucer then in their opinion Besides they may undergo the heavy charge of Apostacy Ep. to Jo a Lasco and deserting the Truth and changing their Religion c. and this deterrs many from wayes of truth and Sobriety But it would be considered it 's no discharge for the wisest holyest and most learned Men to retract in some controversal opinions or practices Augustine who was esteemed the most learned of the Fathers Writes several Books of Retractations and Jerome to Ruffinus saith never blush Man to change thy opinion for neither you nor I nor any Person living are of so great Authority as to be ashamed to confess that they have Erred And as for the charge of Apostacy and changing your Religion in such a case as this is it 's a great mistake to affirm this for if you search the Scriptures Apostacy is a falling away from the main Fundamental confessed Doctrines of the Gospel and duties of godlyness into manifest heresie or wickednesse not the changing a mans judgment or practice in some points disputable amongst the godly and Orthodox saith Mr. Baxter in his Catholick Vnity Be it known to all the Papists in the World that our Religion is not changed at all our Worship is the same whether within Book or without our Prayers are the same for matter with those in the Common Prayer Book and if I shold one day use the Common Prayer Book and another day forbear it I should not change the Worship of God to pray is part of his Worship but whether it be in a Book or out of it is no part at all but a mode or circumstance which may be altered as occasion serveth Elsewhere the same learned and pious person sheweth what yielding in things lawful the Scripture recommendeth to us from the example of St. Paul Five Disp p. 488. when he circumcised Timothy Act 16.3 And when he took the men and purified himself with them in the Temple to signifie the accomplishment of the dayes of Purification c. Act. 21.26 27. So also from what he saith 1 Cor. 9.19 20. I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some and this I do for the Gospels sake XI I add but one Rule of Caution more against a very common but dangerous mistake which is an occasion to many of running in to Error and Heresie as well as into Schism and Separation viz. Take heed of setting up your own apprehensions and conceits of the sense of Scriptures about controverted points as infallible Oracles that you trust so confidently to that you will indanger the Churches peace and your own safety for the maintaining of them where you have not all those necessary helps and means that are requisite to the finding out the minde of God therein Some that have their minds fore-stalled with an opinion or perswasion getting a Bible into their hands presently conceive what ever they meet withall to make for their opinion and begin to be more confident then an hundred wiser and more discerning persons dare to be who know their own darkness and ignorance and the mysteriousness of the things controverted though they have far greater evidence of Scripture and reason for them This carries men into such wilde fancies strange delusions sometimes as bring them under the just censure of Fanaticism a name which is too unjustly applyed to others more sober and pious Christians Though the Fundamental and necessary Doctrines and duties of Christianity are so plainly laid down in Scripture that the weakest Christians may understand them and therefore have much profit by holy and humble Meditation in the Word of God day and night yet Points controverted are oftentimes hidden from ordinary understandings that know not the Languages and proper Idioms of Scripture and customs of the Church and other advantages of learning that its ordinarily impossible they should find out the minde of God therein It 's a vain delusion to think that the Spirit that some pretend to more confidently then they have cause should discover all deep mysteries and obscure points of controversie to those that have but ordinary understandings and are wholly destitute of outward necessary means and hopes for the gaining knowledge thereby the Spirit of God teaches not by such immediate Enthusiasmes but by irradiating the minde and elevating the reason that is exercised in searching the Truth in all Gods appointed means and doth also help the weak to understand savourily all those plain and necessary Truths that tend to godlinesse and to conform their hearts and lives to the love and obedience of them It were more becoming weak Christians in matters disputable to consult with the Writings of able and learned Expositors that have al those advantages which themselves want and not to presume too much on their own understandings in such things which would be accounted unsufferable presumption in other Arts and Sciences and cannot be less in Divinity wherein the greatest mysteries are contained Other Rules of Caution might here be laid down which to avoid prolixity I forbear to enumerate recommending the serious consideration of these things to the sober and humble Christian as greatly conducing to keep him from the by-paths of unjust separation and here conclude with my hearty Prayer to God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that he would grant to the Professors of Christianity in all Nations both Rulers and People to minde more and to be more zealous for the great and Fundamental points of Faith and Worship necessary to Salvation and to contend less about things not in their own nature necessary that high impositions might not occasion violent oppositions nor these again produce further impositions But we may love one another unfainedly for the great things we are united in bear with one another mâ—re in things wherein difference is tolerable and all may seek the unity peace and welfare of the Church and the good of one another c. Then should Religion flourish the Gospel be advanced the fame of God be honoured the Souls of men edified and all may walk in the fear of God and comfort of the Holy Ghost unto which let every good Christian say Amen FINIS
up and professe in the World that he intends to live and die in to venture his eternal Salvation upon CHAP. II. Shewing wherein this wise Chusing our Religion stands what acts concur thereunto HAving laid down the proposition which is the ground of our Discourse in the former chapter we come now to inquire concerning the nature of that choice wherein it stands and what things necessarly must concurre to make a wise choice of that Religion we intend to profess in the World Election or chusing in a generall sense is an act of the will proceeding from the previous knowledge and judgement of the understanding whereby amongst diverse wayes or means propounded for the attainment of some End it doth resolve upon some one above the rest that it will ad here unto and make use of for that purpose In particular Chusing ones Religion is also an act of the will arising from the previous knowledge and judgement of the understanding discerning the nature of the thing whereby amongst the many different Religions or wayes of serving and pleasing God and of attaining unto happinesse with him that are found in the World a man doth pitch and resolve upon one above all the rest and with rejection of all others with full purpose to adhere unto it to live and die in it and even venture a mans salvation and happiness on it Here are 3 Acts wherein this right chusing ones Religion doth stand to be explained in order 1. An act of the understanding judging and discerning the nature of the thing that the will chuseth and its excellencie above al things that come in competition with it for to a right choice of the will the understanding and judgement must proceed it must know the nature of it and discern it good or else it s but a blind choice not becoming a reasonable creature and a man may else imbrace evil as well as good The will when is acts regularly follows the Dictate of the understanding this tells what is good and then what chuses as the Palat judgeth of what it tasts and then the stomach or appetite craves it so must the understanding go before her discern the nature verity and goodnesse of that Religion as also the falsnesse vanity and dangerousnesse of other Religions before the will can make a right choice of it Man being a religious creature by the common instinct of his naturall conscience is moved strongly to worship and serve a Deity as we see in all Nations of the Earth much more when he is further stirred up by a divine instinct Now we should consider as men as the prophets phrase is and not exert actions of highest importance without understanding and reason worshiping we know not what as Christ taxes the Samaritans John 4. but give God a reasonable service knowing what God we serve and what Religion we take up and not taking up the next at hand at adventure as most men do that Religion professed where they live commended to them by Education example c. but understanding what we do therein And therefore men that act according to reason will look into the Religions in the World and judge which is best among them or rather into the Word and Oracles of God himself for they best discover what God is and how he will be worshipped Therefore if there be any such thing as Divine Oracles in the world wherein God hath revealed his will concerning matters of Faith and worship we should have special recourse unto them Now that the holy Scriptures commonly called the Bible are such that is the Oracles of the God of Heaven wherein he directs us in the knowledge and worship of himself and in the way of Religion This may appear even to those that have not yet taken upon them any profession of Religion by such Infallible demonstrations as reason cannot contradict viz. From these characters imprinted on them which shew them to be of God from the miracles wrought to confirm them from that spirit of holinesse seen in such as seriously believe them from the accomplishment of a great part of those things revealed therein even such things as were utterly invisible and improbable to created understandings c. And therefore there should be an exact consideration in the judgement and understanding of a man of that Religion revealed in the Scriptures He should 1. Take a particular view of the principal Doctrines the great mysteries of faith and duties of godliness taught therein not taking all in the lump together but having a distinct knowledge of them He whose Religion is in the gross only and hath no distinct apprehensions of the particular doctrines of faith and duties of godlinesse which that Religion teaches he hath no Religion at all for how can these Doctrines influence his heart and life to make him fear and love God truly and lead him to the power and practice of godlinesse if not distinctly known and discerned by him Then 2. Hee must discern the verity and certainty of these Doctrines that he may venture his soul upon them knowing him in whom he hath believed for which and it 's exceeding necessary to be conversant in those Treatises which prove the verity of the Christian Religion and of the Scriptures wherein it is set down of which many be extant in our own Language Without this a man shal never hold fast his Religion especially in trying times 3. He should know the excellency thereof that its such a Religion as tends most to the magnifying of God and giving glory unto him to the advancement of man to true happiness in the love and favor of his God and nearest communion with him and fullest conformity unto him He should often look upon the sublimity of the mysteries the purity of the precepts excellency of the rewards and dreadfulness of the punishments And thus the understanding preceeding in discerning and judging the Religion which is to be chosen is one Act in this Election 2. Act After the understanding doth thus present the true Religion before us in the certainty glory and excellency of it Then the next Act is for the Will to elect chuse and imbrace it solemnly to espouse this Religion and say It shal be mine It 's that I am resolved to professe and to venture my eternal salvation upon what ever inconveniences I may meet with in the profession thereof what ever disgraces reproaches losses Persecutions c. yet this Religion I will be of and this God I will serve We must sit down and consider what it will cost us to be Christians and then espouse the Christian Religion and take it for better for worse embrace the crosse it threatens as well as the Crown it promises For so our Lord warned his Disciples telling them He that will come after me and will be my Disciple must deny himself in his dearest lusts sins nay in his estate and life sometime and take up his Cross of