Scripture lest those things should be thrust upon us under his name which are not his Further 6 The Church doth not erre Matth 18.19 they make their boast that the Church cannot erre and that therefore the decrees of the Church are of equall authority with the holy Scripture because the Church is ruled by the same spirit by which the Scripture is inspired even as it is promised If two of you shall agree in earth upon any thing whatsoever they shall desire it shall be given them of my Father which is in heaven For where two or three are gathered in my name there am I in the midst of them And I am with you alway unto the end of the world Matthew 28.20 1 John 2.20 27. So Yee have an ointment from him that is holy and ye know all things Likewise The annointing which ye received of him dwelleth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things and it is true and is not lying and as it taught you yee shall abide in him But first of all wee know 1 Answer The true Church Matth. 13. Marke 4. Luke 8. that it is the true Church onely which erreth not and is ruled by the holy Spirit which is gathered in the name of Christ that is which heareth and followeth the voice of the Sonne of God And therefore these things doe nothing appertaine to a wicked multitude which openly maintaineth doctrine contrary to the Gospel though it never so much vaunt of the Churches name yea and beareth sway and rule in the Church according to that which is said To him that hath shall be given but from him that hath not even that which hee seemeth to have shall be taken away So did the Pharisees and Sadducees among the Israelites erre not knowing the Scriptures neither were they the true Church though they seised upon the name and place of it 2. The true Church indeed erreth not universally For alwaies the light of the truth 2 Answer Universally especially concerning the foundation of doctrine is preserved in some mens mindes whereupon the Church is called the pillar and ground of truth But yet neverthelesse some of the godly oftentimes fall into errours through ignorance and infirmity yet so that they hold the foundation neither do they defend their erroneous opinions contrary to their conscience and at length they forsake them even as it is said 1 Corinth 3. If any man build upon this foundation gold silver c. And If ye be otherwise minded Ephes 4. God shal reveal even the same unto you Last of all There is given unto every man grace 1 Corinth 12. according to the measure of the gift of Christ And The Spirit distributeth to every man severally as hee will Philip. 3.15 The Apostles before they had received the holy Ghost at Whitsontide were the lively members of the Church yet erred they concerning the kingdome and office of the Messias There were of the Chiliasts opinion great men in the Church as Papyas Irenaeus Apollinarius Tertullian Victorinus Lactantius Methodius Martyr And therefore although the Church erre not universally yet oftentimes some of her members erre when as they swerve from the word which God suffereth not seldome to happen unto them for to keep us being warned of our weaknesse and blindnesse in modesty and his true feare and in daily invocating of him and withall to teach us that the truth of doctrine is not to be measured by the title of the Church but by the word delivered of him by the hands of the Prophets and Apostles as it is said Thy word O Lord Psamle 129. is a lanterne unto my feet and a light unto my paths Likewise 1 Tim. 6.20 Keep that which is committed unto thee and avoid profane and vain babblings This ground being once laid that so farre forth the Church erreth not 7 Object The Church ought to obey Bishops by the commandement of God Acts 20.28 Marthew 18.7 Luke 10.16 Heb. 13.17 as it doth not swerve from the written word of God it is easie to answer to that which they make shew of to the contrary That the Church is ruled by Bishops and therefore must obey them as it is said Take heed unto all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you over-seers to governe the Church of God And If hee refuse to heare the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican Hee that heareth you heareth mee and hee that despiseth you despiseth me And Obey those who bear rule over you For both they must rule and the Church must obey them according unto the prescript of Gods word as it is said If any man preach any other doctrine let him be accursed Galatians 1.9 Answer Necessarily in those things which belong to the Ministry freely in traditions Mat. 23.2 Whatsoever therefore the Ministers propound of the word of God unto the Church we must of necessity obey it that which the Lord teacheth when hee saith The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses chaire All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and doe For they sit in Moses chaire who teach Moses doctrine in the Church If also they ordaine any things indifferent and of a middle sort which are profitable these also are observed for maintaining of order and avoiding of offence But if they require us to beleeve or observe things repugnant to the word of God or things that are in their owne nature indifferent with putting an opinion of necessity in them and of worshipping of God they sit no longer in Moses chaire but in the chaire of scorners and of them it is said John 10. â— 1 Tim. 4.1 The sheepe heard them not Likewise In the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall give heed unto the spirits of errour And that the decrees of the Bishops also are not to be received among the precepts and decrees of the Church is confirmed by the example of the civill Magistrate whose just and good lawes binde the consciences of the subjects For the dissimilitude of the examples consisteth in that 1 Instance The Magistrate doth bind the conscience therefore Bishops that God himselfe by expresse word hath decreed a necessity of obedience to the Lawes and Commandements of the civill Magistrate which are not repugnant unto his Law but hath given a libertie of conscience in traditions of the Church so that hee pronounceth himselfe to be angry with him who obeyeth not civill Magistrates as long as they command nothing repugnant to his Lawes but not with them which without offence do contrary to the constitutions of Bishops For of the Magistrate is is said Rom. 13.5 Wee must obey him for conscience sake But of things indifferent in the Church Col. 2.26 Let no man condemne you in me at or drink or in respect of a holy
a fallacy of the Accident A declaration of the like example that himselfe was onely left alive of the true worshippers of God If therefore either Austine or whosoever else being not as yet converted unto Religion not as yet having experience of the certainty of it in his heart was moved rather by humane than divine testimonies to embrace it it cannot thereof be gathered that the certainty of the holy Scripture dependeth on no other testimonies or that by no other we are assured of it because that some are moved especially by humane voyces to reverence it cometh not thereof to passe for that the Scripture is not maintained by any other authority but it chanceth through the fault and weaknesse of them who sticking upon humane records doe not feele as yet or understand divine An Image and example of these degrees of faith is the story of the Samaritane woman For many of the Samaritans are said to have beleeved in Christ 1 The Samaritans because of the speech of the woman who testified that hee had told her whatsoever she had done But after that they had Christ with them for two daies many more beleeved because of his owne speech and they said unto the woman Now wee beleeve not because of thy saying for wee have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world All men come not by the same occasions nor have not the same beginnings unto faith 2 The Emulation of the Jewes Rom. 11. Paul saith that salvation was come unto the Gentiles and that hee did magnifie his ministry that the Jewes might be provoked to follow the Gentiles In the first of Peter 3 The honesty of wives Chap. 3. wives are willed to be subject unto their husbands that even they which obey not the word may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives while they behold their pure conversation which is with feare Even then as the Samritans were moved first by the speech of the woman to beleeve in Christ but after they had seen Christ and heard him they were so confirmed that they said they would now beleeve though the woman held her peace so also may it be that they which are not as yet converted or but weaklings may be moved especially by the Churches testimony as which runneth more into their eies to give credence unto the Scripture who yet neverthelesse after they are once illuminated with a more plentifull light of faith do finde by experience that they are confirmed by a farre superiour and more certaine testimonie that the Scripture is the word of God and do know by the force and evidence of it that they must keep their faith were all the Angels and men perswaders to the contrary as it is said by the Apostle Though we or an Angel from heaven preach unto you otherwise then that which wee have preached unto you 〈…〉 let him be accursed By these things therefore it may be understood that the voice and consent of the catholike Church may and ought The conclusion of the first part amongst other testimonies to serve for our confirmation and yet the authority of the holy Scripture not to hang upon it but that out of the Scripture it selfe rather wee must learne by what arguments we may be brought to know that it was delivered from God because that God himselfe doth witnesse it and also such is the force and quality of that heavenly doctrine that although all men should gainsay it yet it should not be any otherwise more manifestly and certainly knowne to be the voice of God than by it self But left any man may thinke that by any arguments which even reason by a naturall light judgeth to be sound The second part Arguments shewing the certainty of the Scripture without the singular grace of the spirit this may be wrought in the mindes of the wicked as either to obey the truth or to leave off to reproach it first hee must remember that the arguments or testimonies are of two sorts which shew the certainty of Christian Religion and maintaine the authority of the Scripture For there is but one onely testimony which is appropriated unto them alone who are regenerated by the spirit of Christ and unto them alone is it knowne the force of which testimony is so great that it doth not onely abundantly testifie and seale in our mindes the truth of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles but it also inclineth and moveth our hearts to the embracing and following of it Other testimonies whatsoever may be brought they are understood indeed both of the godly and the wicked and doe compell their consciences to confesse that this Religion rather then others is pleasing unto God and that it came from him but unlesse that one other come also which is known of the godly alone these testimonies will never bring to passe that men shall imbrace the truth although it be knowne unto them The arguments therefore which shew the truth and certainty of the Scripture or church-Church-doctrine are these The purity of doctrine The purity and perfectnesse of the Law therein contained For impossible it is that that Religion should be true and derived from God which maketh Idols or approveth open out-rages flat against the expresse Law of God and sound judgement of reason Now all religions that only excepted which is delivered in Scripture and received of the Church are manifestly convicted of this crime For as before hath been sufficiently declared they either abrogate and cancell the first Table of Gods Law touching the true God and his worship or they shamefully defile and disgrace it with their feigned untruths and of the second Table they reserve onely a part touching outward decent demeanour and civill duties Only the Church according to the prescript of Scripture retaineth both Tables of the Law whole and sound Wherefore the doctrine of the Church alone is true and divine The Gospel shewing our deliverance The gospel which sheweth us the onely way to escape and find deliverance from out the power of sin and death For questionlesse that doctrine and religion is true and divine which directeth us unto the meanes of avoiding sin and death without violating Gods justice and which yeeldeth effectuall and lively consolation to mens consciences concerning life everlasting But it is the doctrine of the Church alone set downe in the Gospel which openeth and proclaimeth unto us this freedome from misery and sealeth unto mens consciences these solid comforts Therefore that doctrine alone is true and divine Antiquity The antiquity of this doctrine which is found to be most ancient For the doctrine of the Church alone delivered in Scripture deriveth her originall from God and is able to prove her continuall descent from the beginning of the world The conference of the histories of the whole world with divine history sheweth that all other religions rose long
perswade not move the mind to assent without the inward testimony of the holy Ghost But the Spirit of God when he once breedeth this most assured perswasion in our minds that the doctrine which is contained in the holy Bible is of a truth the will of God and worketh that comfort and change of our minds and hearts which is promised and taught in this book by our experience and feeling it is so confirmed that while this remaineth within us though all Angels and men should say contrary yet we would beleeve this to be the voice of God but if that remaine not or be not in us though all should say it yet we would not beleeve it Neither doth not the Spirit therefore establish the authority of the Scripture Object The Scripture beareth witnesse of the Spirit therefore the Spirit not of it Answer because we are to examine what the Spirit speaketh within us by the rule of the Scripture for before that this is done of us the Spirit himselfe declareth unto us that the Scripture is the word of God and inspired by him and that he will teach us nothing in our hearts which is not agreeable unto that testimony before set down of him in the Scripture And if this be not first most certainly perswaded us of the Spirit himselfe we will never re-call our opinions of God and his worship to the Scripture as the only rule to try them by Now then after it is declared unto us by divine inspiration that the Scripture is a sufficient witnesse of that divine revelation in our hearts then at length do we find our selves to be confirmed by the mutuall testimony of the same Spirit in the Scripture and in our hearts and we beleeve the Scripture affirming of it self 2 Tim. 3. 2 Pet. 1. That it was delivered by divine inspiration to the holy men of God 6 For what cause no doctrine besides the holy Scripture is to be received in the Church The Scripture is of God therefore the rule of faith Whereas it appeareth unto us that it is the word of God which the Prophets and Apostles have left in writing there is no man which doth not see that the Scripture must be the rule square by which all things which are taught done in the Church must be tried Now all things of which there useth to rise questions in the Christian Church do appertain either unto doctrine or unto discipline and ceremonies That the word of God ought to be the rule unto both sorts it is out of doubt But in this place we speak of the doctrine of the Church which consisteth in the sentences and decrees which we are bound by the commandement of god to beleeve or obey and therefore they cannot be changed by the authority of any creature and they are become obnoxious unto the wrath of God whosoever submit not themselves in faith and obedience unto them To these decrees and precepts the Papists adde many sentences which not only are no where delivered in Scripture but are repugnant unto it and they contend That the Church or the Bishops have authority of decreeing yea contrary and besides the Scripture what the Church must beleeve or doe and that mens consciences are bound by those decrees no lesse then by the words of the holy Scripture to beleeve or obey Contrariwise we beleeve and confesse That no doctrine is to be proposed unto the Church not only if it be repugnant unto the holy Scripture but if it be not contained in it And whatsoever either is not by the expresse testimony of the holy Scripture delivered or doth not consequently follow out of the words of the Scripture rightly understood that we hold may be without hurt of conscience beleeved or not beleeved changed abrogated and omitted The difference of the Scripture and of other mens opinions For we must ever hold a necessary difference between the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles and the writings and doctrine of others in the Church The Scripture only is of it selfe to be beleeved the rule of faith That the Scripture onely neither hath nor can have any errour in any matter other teachers both may erre and oftentimes also doe erre when they depart from the written word of God Againe that the Scriptures are beleeved on their own word because we know that God speaketh with us in them others have credit not because themselves say so but because the Scripture witnesseth so neither a whit more then they can prove by the Scripture Wherefore we do not reject others doctrine and labours in the Church but only setting them in their owne place we submit them unto the rule of Gods word This doctrine first is delivered of God himselfe and that not in one place only of the Scripture as You shall not adde unto the word which I spake unto you neither shall you take away from it And I protest unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecie of this booke Dent. 4. Revel 22. if any man shall adde unto thâ—se things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any man shall diminish of the words c. Neither only by these words is forbidden that no false things and openly repugnant to the written word be added to the doctrine of the Church but also that no uncertaine things or things not appertaining unto it be mingled therewith For it is not in the power of any creature to pronounce what we are to thinke of God and his will but this is onely to be learned out of that which is disclosed in his word And therefore the men of Beraea are commended Who searched the Scriptures daily Acts 17. whether these things were so 2 Faith is grounded only on the Word Secondly faith which is spoken of in the Church is a part of divine worship that is the sure assent by which we embrace every word of God delivered unto us because it is impossible for us to be deceived by it if we understand it aright Further also that it may breed in us a true worshipping of God and comfort of our soules it must stand sure and immoveable against temptations But there is no certain doctrine concerning God and Religion besides that which is knowne to be revealed in his word We may not therefore give the honour which is due unto God unto men neither may we go from certaine things to uncertaine but cleave only to the word of God in the doctrine concerning Religion and therefore humane decrees must not be accounted amongst those which we are to imbrace by faith Faith cometh by hearing hearing by the word of God c. 3 Things necessary to be beleeved or done are part of divine worship But things not prescribed are no part of divine worship Therefore they are not necessary Thirdly for so much as the worship of God is a worke commanded of God performed
by faith to this end principally that God may be honoured it is manifest that to beleeve and doe those things which cannot be denied or omitted without offending of God is the worship of God and contrariwise that God cannot be worshipped but by the prescript of his will both the consciences of all men and God himselfe in his holy word doth testifie as In vain doe they worship me who teach the doctrines and commandements of men It is as wicked therefore to number those things which are not expressed in the word of God Isa 29. Matth. 15. amongst those which are necessary to be beleeved and done in matters of Religion as it is unlawfull for any creature to thrust upon God that worship which himselfe never required 4. The Scripture is sufficient Fourthly there cannot be any thing added of men unto this doctrine without great injury and contumely done unto the holy Scripture For if other things besides these that are written are necessary to the perfection of true Religion then doth not the Scripture shew the perfect manner of worshipping God and of attaining to salvation which fighteth with the plain words of Scripture which affirme that God hath opened unto us in his Word as much as he would have us know in this life concerning his will towards us John 15. as Christ saith All things which I have heard of my Father I have made knowne unto you And Paul I have kept nothing backe but have shewed you all the counsell of God Acts 20. And Knowing that thou hast knowne the holy Scriptures from a child 2 Tim. 3. which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through the faith which is in Christ Jesus For the whole Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improve to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse 5. Other Doctors may erre the Prophets and Apostles cannot therefore they are tied to these Fifthly we are to consider the degrees of them who teach in the Church For therefore is the authority of the Prophets and Apostles far higher then of other Ministers of the Church because God called them immediatly to declare his will unto other men and adorned them with testimonies of miracles and other things by which he witnessed that he did so lighten and guide their minds with his Spirit that hee suffered them to erre in no one point of doctrine our Ministers are called by men and may erre and doe erre when they depart from the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Wherefore the Apostle Paul saith Ephes 2. 1 Cor. 3. That the Church is builded upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles And That hee had laid the foundation and other then that could no man lay others build upon it gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble Now it is manifest that they who may erre ought to be tied unto their doctrine who are warranted by the testimonies of God that they cannot erre Wherefore all other teachers in the Church must not bring any new point of doctrine but onely propound and expound those things unto the Church which are delivered by the Prophets and Apostles The consent of Fathers in this point For these causes therefore doth the whole ancient Church with great consent submit it selfe unto the rule of the sacred Scriptures whose authority yet ought of right to be greater then these mens who both in words and deeds fight against this opinion Basil serm de confess fidei Basil saith That it is a falling from the faith and a fault of pride either not to admit those things which are written in the holy Scriptures or to adde any thing unto them Agust Epist 3. And Augustine For neither ought wee to account of every ones discourses though they be catholike and worthy men as of the Canonicall Scriptures that it may not be lawfull for us without impairing the reverence which we owe to those men to dislike and refuse any thing in their writings if peradventure wee shall find that they have thought otherwise then the Scripture hath as it is by Gods assistance understood either of others Epist 112. or of our selves And If ought be confirmed by the plain authority of the divine Scriptures of those which are called in the Church Canonicall wee must without any doubting beleeve it as for other testimonies by which any thing is moved to be beleeved thou mayest chuse whether thou wilt beleeve them or no. But against these testimonies of the Scriptures and the ancient Church the adversaries of the truth contend that besides the doctrine which is comprised in the holy Bible other decrees also made by the authority of the Church are no lesse unchangeable and necessary to salvation then the Oracles Propheticall and Apostolike And that they may not without some shew and pretence take upon them this authority of decreeing what they list Objections of the Papists 1 Object The Scripture doth not remaine perfect Numb 21. Joshua 10. 1 Kin. 14.19 Jude 9. 14. 1 Cor. 5. Ephes 3. John 21.25 besides and contrary unto the Scripture they alledge places of Scripture in which some writings of the Prophets and Apostles are mentioned which are not come to our hands as The booke of the wars of the Lord The book of the just The booke of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah The prophecie of Enoch and the story of the body of Moses And lastly the Apostle Paul maketh mention of his Epistles which now the Church hath not Hence therefore these men will conclude That the doctrine of the sacred Scripture is maimed and that therefore the defect hereof must be supplied by the Church But first of all concerning the holy Scripture we are to know that so much thereof hath been preserved of God for us as was necessary and profitable for the doctrine and consolation of the Church Furthermore concerning points of Religion though some holy books are wanting as those Epistles of Paul yet it is manifest that all necessary doctrine is contained in those which are extant They alledge That many things were delivered by word of mouth 2 Object Some things delivered by word of mouth Answer both before there were any Scriptures and afterward also by Christ and the Apostles as John 16.12 1 Corinth 11.34 2 Thessal 2.15 and elsewhere But those things which they delivered by word of mouth are the selfe same which they put in writing except some matters of ceremonies as Act. 15.20 1 Cor. 11.34 which maketh not for the adversaries whose traditions most of them repugne the Scriptures They alledge farther the practice and examples of the Apostles 3 Object That the Apostles have decreed against and besides the Scripture Titus 1. 1 Timothy 1 Cor. 11. 1 Cor. 14. 1 Cor. 7. 1 Cor. 6. Answer as if they did make any ordinances or lawes either besides or against the Scripture as when Paul ordaineth many
with wisedome of words lest the crosse of Christ should be made of none effect The ground therefore and summe of doctrine is not obscure except it be unto the reprobates who contemne the truth or stubbornly reject it as the Apostle saith If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that aâ—e lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded their mindes that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should not shine unto them All the day long have I stretched forth my hands to a disobedient and gain-saying people The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit hee hath left off to understand and to doe good I give thee thankes O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise men and men of understanding and hast opened them unto babes Now if they reply againe 2 Instance Divine matters are obscure unto all men 1 Cor. 2.14 Answ Not of themselves but through our naturall blindnesse which in the regenerate is cleared by Gods spirit Luke 8.10 2 Cor. 3.15 that divine matters are hard and obscure to all men as it is said The naturall man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned they should have called to mind 1. That this ignorance and hardnesse riseth not of the obscurity of the Scripture but of the blindnesse of mans minde 2. That the obscurity sith in very deed it is not in the Scripture but seemeth to be the fault of our nature doth not alwaies remain in those who are regenerate but is removed from them by the illumination of the holy Spirit according to those sayings It is given unto you to know the secrets of the kingdome of God but to others in parables that when they see they should not see and when they heare they should not understand Vntill this day when Moses is read the vaile is laid over their hearts Neverthelesse when their hearts shall be turned unto the Lord the vaile shall be taken away From this very place may wee easily refute that which they object That wee our selves 3 Instance The Scripture a long time not knowne Answer in that we say the Scripture hath not been understood for these many ages in the Popish Church doe confesse the obscurity of it For the ignorance which hath bin from the beginning of the world and shall be to the end in the adversaries of the truth is not to be imputed to the obscurity of the Scriptures but their owne perversenesse who have not a desire to know and imbrace the truth as Paul saith Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved 2 Thes 2.10 11. therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they shall beleeve lies Whereas therefore it appeareth that the ground and summe of doctrine is not obscure 4 Instance Many places obscure Answer yet wee confesse that some places of Scripture are more dark and difficult than others But 1. They are such that although they were not understood yet the ground may both stand and be understood 2. The interpretation of these places dependeth not on the authority of men but the exposition of them is to be sought by conference of other places of Scripture more clear 3. If we cannot finde it yet lest we should affirme any uncertaine thing concerning divine matters our conscience not satisfying us in it we must suspend our judgment untill God shall open unto us some certaine meaning and in the mean season we are to hold those with thankfull mindes in which God hath left no place of doubting for us But when we answer thus unto our adversaries they rise againe upon us out of those things which we grant them For because we confesse that some places of Scripture are harder to be understood then others 5 Instance because of the dulnesse and slownesse of mans minde in learning divine matters Of the necessity of interpretation Acts 8.13 neither those things which are most cleare are understood of the people as the Eunuch of Queen Candaces doth complain and that the Ministry it selfe was therefore ordained of God in the Church for that it seemed good unto the holy Ghost to add for our instruction an exposition of the Scripture which is done by the voice of the Church To be short because our selves in writing and teaching doe expound the Scripture and do exhort all men to the reading and hearing the exposition thereof out of these they conclude that besides the reading of the Scripture the interpretation of the Church is necessary and that therefore what the Church doth pronounce of the meaning of the Scripture that is without controversie to be received Answ 1. It is necessary as a helpe and instrument not as if it were impossible to know the truth without it But wee confesse 1. That the interpretation of Scripture is necessary in the Church not for that without this to come to the knowledge of heavenly doctrine is simply impossible whereas both God is able when it pleaseth him to instruct his even without the Scripture it self much more then without the exposition of his Ministers and the godly learn many things out of Scripture without interpreters and of the contrary side except the eies of our minds be opened by the grace of his holy Spirit heavenly doctrine seemeth alwaies alike obscure unto us whether it be expounded by the word of the Scripture or of the Church but for that it pleased God to appoint this ordinary way of instructing us and himself hath commanded the maintainance and use of his Ministry in the Church that it should be an instrument which the holy Ghost might most freely use for our salvation 2. Although interpretation of Scripture be necessary Answ 2. Though interpreting be necessary yet so that it must not be a depraving of Scripture yet this is so farre from granting any license to the Ministers to bring new ordinances into the Church that nothing doth more tie them to this doctrine alone comprehended in the Scripture then this very function of expounding the Scripture For to interpret another mans words is not to faigne at our pleasure a meaning either divers from them or repugnant unto them but to render the same meaning and sentence either in moe words or in more plaine words or at least in such as may be more fit for their capacity whom we teach and withall when there is need to shew that this is the minde of the author which we affirme to be Now such an interpretation of Scripture is made by this meanes 3 Points to be observed in interpreting Scripture 1. That the phrase be considered and the proper sense of the words found out 2. That the order and coherence of the parts of the doctrine contained in the text of the Scripture be declared
Cor. 3.6 not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter doth kill the Spirit doth quicken some men doe thence gather That we are to heare not what the written word of God soundeth but what the Spirit speaketh by the Church in our hearts Yea there hath growne an opinion heretofore That the Grammaticall and Literall meaning of the Scripture is pernicious except all be transformed into allegories But a manifold Paralogisme in this argument doth easily appeare Two significations of the word Letter if it be considered what the Letter and the Spirit signifieth in Paul for that all the doctrine and knowledge touching God as also the outward observation of the Law in those that are not regenerate is called the Letter by the Apostle and the Spirit signifieth 1. The holy Ghost himselfe Three significations of the word Spirit 2. The true doctrine concerning God when the holy Ghost is of force and efficacy by it 3. Faith and conversion and motions pleasing God being kindled of the holy Ghost through the Word as it appeares by the words going before For for that which here he saith The proofes of both significations Vers 2 3. That he was made of God a Minister not of the Letter but of the Spirit he said before That the Epistle of Christ was ministred by him and written not with inke but with the Spirit of the living God in tables of the heart that is that his preaching was not in vaine but of force and efficacy in the hearts of men the holy Ghost working by it And in like manner he calleth the ceremony without conversion Circumcision in the Letter Rom. 2.27 29. but conversion it selfe Circumcision of the heart in the Spirit Walk in newnesse of Spirit Rom. 7.9 and not in the oldnesse of the Letter that is in true holinesse such as is begun by the Spirit in the regenerate not in the sin and hypocrisie of them who know verily the will of God and make practice also of outward discipline and behaviour but remaine without faith and conversion Wherefore first as the doctrine by the fault of men and not of it selfe 1 Answ The Letter killeth not of it selfe but by an accident remaineth only the Letter so also not of it own nature but because of the corruption of men it killeth that is it terrifieth mens minds with the judgement of God and doth stirre up a murmuring and hatred against God as we are plainly taught by the Apostle Rom. 7.12 13 14. The Law is holy and the Commandement is holy and just and good Was that then which is good made death unto mee God forbid But sin that it might appeare sin wrought death in mee by that which is good that sin might be out of measure sinfull by the commandement For we know that the Law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sin But the proper effect of the Scripture is to quicken men that is to lighten them with the true knowledge of God and to move them to the love of God 2 Cor. 2.15 As it is said We are unto God the sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them which perish c. Answ It killeth as it is without the Spirit Albeit the Letter that is the doctrine without that spirituall motion killeth yet the operation of the holy Ghost accompanying it when now it is not the Letter but the Spirit and power of God to salvation unto every one that beleeveth it doth not kill but quicken as it is said Thy word quickneth me Wherefore Psal 119. that the Letter kill us not we must not cast away the Scripture but the stubbornnesse of our hearts and desire of God that he would let his doctrine be in us and others not the Letter but the Spirit that is that he would forcibly move our hearts by it and turne them to him Answ The Spirit quickneth agreeing with the Word That it is added that the Spirit quickneth that calleth us not away from the Scripture to other opinions or revelations For that Spirit quickneth which dissenteth not from the Scripture but teacheth and mindeth the same which he hath uttered in the Scripture But that Spirit which leadeth men away from the Scripture it quickneth not but may be said much more truly to kill then the Letter that is not by an accident or externall cause but of it owne nature For the spirit of Antichrist is a lyar and a murtherer and therefore be it accursed unto us Answ The Apostles mis-construed by them They who by the Letter understand either the characters of letters or the proper and literall sense whether it be of the whole Scripture or of those speeches which are allegorically and figuratively spoken and by the Spirit the interpretation of these speeches it is manifest that they swerve far from the mind of Paul both by those things which have been spoken concerning the meaning of Paul and also because not only every sentence of Scripture whether it be proper of figurative but also every interpretation of it is and remaineth the killing Letter except the quickning force of the holy Ghost come unto it Wherefore sith that neither for interpretation nor revelation nor authority nor any other pretence it is lawfull leaving the Scripture of the Prophets and Apostles to depart to whatsoever decrees of Religion which are not confirmed by the testimony of the Scripture let us hear it as an Oracle sounding from heaven bringing to the reading thereof not minds fore-stalled neither with opinions conceived either of our owne braines or else-where neither with affections neither with prejudices but the love of God and a desire of knowing the truth So shall it come to passe that both wee shall know the true meaning of the Scripture and by it godlinesse and sure and sound comfort shall be kindled in us and great increase 7. How manifold the course is of teaching and learning the doctrine of the Church THere is a threefold order or there are three parts of the study of Divinity The first is a Catecheticall institution 1 Catechising or a summary and briefe explication of Christian doctrine and the chiefe generall points thereof which is called Catechisme This part is necessary for all men because both the learned and unlearned ought to know the foundation of Religion 2 Handling of Common places The second is an handling of Common places or Common places which containe a larger explication of every point and of hard questions together with their definitions divisions reasons and arguments Poure especiall uses of Schoole Divinity This part properly appertaineth unto the Schooles of Divinity and is necessary The understanding of principall points of divinity That they who are trained up in Schooles and may one day be called to teach in the Church may more easily and fully understand the whole body of Divinity For as in other Arts and
whereby wee are out of Gods word informed and instructed unto faith or assent and beleefe as when wee use to say The Christian faith the Apostolike faith Oftentimes it is used for the fulfilling of ancient promises or the things themselves which are beleeved as Before faith came we were kept under the law and shut up unto the faith which should afterward be revealed Gal. 3.23 How faith differeth from all other kindes of knowledge Furthermore albeit there be also other certain notices whereunto we firmly give assent as understanding or apprehension of principles science sapience art prudence for the assent coming unto the notice doth confirme and perfect it so that what knowledge of a thing it had without assent it is imperfect and unprofitable yet none of those are that faith especially the Theologicall such as a little before is described for to those notices or apprehensions we do assent either because they are naturally engraffed in our minds or for that they bring demonstrance or some other true and certain proofs But the Theologicall assent or faith is not neither ariseth it out of the instinct of nature neither out of sense or experience neither out of demonstrations or reasons borrowed from Philosophy but cometh and dependeth of a peculiar and supernaturall revelation or divine testimony That therefore which is added in the former description for the asseveration of God himselfe distinguisheth Theologicall faith from all other knowledges even the most certain And this generall definition of Theologicall faith is necessary that wee may not think that out of Philosophy or such principles as are naturally known to all are to be drawn reasons or arguments sound and sufficient to confirme the articles of our faith but may know that the word of God and those good and necessary consequences and arguments which are framed out of it are a supernaturall light and more certain then all though most exact and exquisite demonstrances either Naturall or Mathematicall of Philosophers 2. How many kinds of faith there are in Scripture FOur sorts of faith are found rehearsed in Scripture 1. Historicall 2. Temporary 3. Working miracles 4. Justifying or saving faith The difference of these kinds one from the other appeareth out of their definitions Historicall faith is to know and think all those things to be true which are manifested from above What historicall faith is either by voice or by visions or by oracles or by any other manner of revelation and are taught in the books of the Prophets and Apostles and thus to be perswaded of them for the asseveration and testimony of God himselfe It is called historicall because it is a bare knowledge of such things as God is said to have done to do or that he will do hereafter of this faith these testimonies of holy Scripture make mention 1 Cor. 13.2 If I have all faith so that I could remove mountains c. Which saying notwithstanding may be construed of all the sorts of faith James 2.19 justifying faith only excepted The divels beleeve and tremble for the divell knoweth exactly both what things are written in the word and also what are not written because hee is a spirit witty quick and learned hee is present and seeth whatsoever things are done in the Church and also through long experience hath known the doctrine of the Church to be true Acts 8.13 Simon Magus beleeved to wit that the doctrine was true which the Apostle Peter propounded but he had not a justifying faith Temporary faith is to assent unto the doctrine of the Church together with profession and joy therein What temporall faith is though not true and unfained that is to say not springing from a lively sense of the grace of God towards them but of some other cause whatsoever therefore it endureth but for a time and in the instant of affliction vanisheth Or It is to assent unto the heavenly doctrine which is delivered by the Prophets and Apostles to professe it to glory therein and to rejoyce in the knowledge thereof for a time not for the application of the promise to themselves to wit not for any feeling in their hearts of Gods grace towards them but for other causes and therefore without any true conversion and finall perseverance in the profession of this doctrine This definition is drawn from the parable and words of Christ He that receiveth seed in the stony ground is he which heareth the word and incontinently with joy receiveth it yet hath hee not root in himselfe and dureth but a season Mat. 13.20 21. for as soon as tribulation or persecution cometh c. The causes of this kind of joy are in a manner infinite and diverse in divers persons yet all of them temporary at whose fading such faith also as is grounded on them flitteth and vanisheth Hypocrites rejoyce at the hearing of the Gospel Temporary faith is led in a string with the commodities of the world and with them doth live and die either because it is a new doctrine in their ears or because it seemeth to sooth and flatter their affections whilest it disburdeneth them of mens traditions as doth the doctrine of Christian liberty of justification c. or because they haunt a licentious custome of sinning or hunt after profits and commodities whether publike or private as riches honour glory c. which then appeareth when the crosse overtaketh them For then because they have no root they are parched and wasted with the heat thereof Thus hypocrites rejoyce they rejoyce not as true beleevers I mean on a sense and feeling of Gods grace working in them and on an application unto themselves of the blessings offered in the word which one thing only in the faithfull is the cause that they are rapt with exceeding true and perfect joy and the removing of this cause sufficeth to make faith temporary The difference of temporall and historicall faith This time serving faith differeth from historicall only in that joy which accompanieth it and not the other for the historicall faith hath a bare and naked knowledge only but temporary faith besides this knowledge rejoyceth therein for time-serving men receive the word with joy whereas divels beleeve historically and yet are hereon touched with no joy but rather tremble they I say joy not in that knowledge they have but wish it were quite extinguished Nay farther they professe not themselves to be followers of that doctrine though they know it to be true but horribly persecute and maliciously oppugne the same Notwithstanding in men historicall faith is sometimes coupled with profession and sometimes also severed from it for oftentimes men professe for I know not what causes that religion and truth which in heart they hate many also which are resolved and know assuredly the verity of Christian doctrine notwithstanding oppose themselves and set their faces against it and these are they which sin against the holy Ghost Object Yea but the
instituted of God or is altered or changed in them or when some are excluded from the Sacraments which should be admitted or are admitted which should by Gods ordinance be driven from them or when the people is not instructed concerning the right and lawfull use of them 3. Diligently to learne the doctrine of the Church that is daily to frequent the publike assemblies of the Church III. Vertue and there attentively to give eare unto the heavenly doctrine plainly opened and delivered and diligently to meditate after thereon and examine it but especially to spend those daies which are deputed unto the ministery and service of God in reading meditation and in discoursing of divine matters These things are made manifest by the nature and necessary dependency of correlatives For if God will have some to be diligent teachers on the Sabbath he will also have some to be diligent hearers and learners of this doctrine on the Sabbath And the study of learning is not without private meditation Therefore have the men of Beroea their commendation Acts 17.11 thus They received the word with all readinesse and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so But unto them especially is the study of knowing the doctrine of God enjoyned who either serve or hereafter are to serve and minister unto the Church Give attendance to reading to exhortation and to doctrine 1 Tim. 4.13 1 Tim. 3.6 2 Tim. 2.24 25. The contrary vices And Paul will have the Minister of the Church to be fit and able to instruct and to refute the adversaries Unto the study of learning the doctrine is repugnant 1. A contempt and neglect of the doctrine that is either not to afford our presence in sacred assemblies when there is no just cause to hinder us and to busie our selves in such works on the Sabbath day as might have been deferred or not to give eare and attendance to Sermons and the preaching of Gods Word or not to meditate consider and examine the doctrine of the Church 2. A neglect of learning the doctrine in Ministers or in them who of God are called to the study of learning and either are one day to serve for the propagation of the doctrine or have greater occasion and ability of learning it than others have To whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required Luke 12.48 c. 3. Curiosity which is a desire and study of knowing or hearing those things which God hath not revealed unnecessary strange and vain Prov. 25.27 Sirac 3.22 23. To search their own glory is not glory Seek not out the things that are too hard for thee neither search the things rashly which are too mighty for thee But what God hath commanded thee thinke upon that with reverence Hereof S. Paul speaketh 1 Tim. 4.7.2 Tim. 2.23 2 Tim. 4.3 Tit. 3.9 4. To use the Sacraments according to Gods institution The first day of the week the Disciples being come together to break bread IV. Vertue Acts 20.7 Paul preached unto them c. So God commanded the Passeover to be celebrated in a solemne assembly of the people and unto other holy daies and Sabbaths he assigned certaine sacrifices And in like manner God will that as his doctrine should be heard so also the right and lawfull use of his Sacraments should be seen and be held in the publike meetings and assemblies of the Church because God will have both these to be marks whereby his Church may be known and discerned from other sects and peoples Againe as the Word so also the Sacraments are an instrument or exercise to stirre and maintaine in us faith and godlinesse They are also a publike profession of our faith and thankfulness towards God and a part of Gods publike worship in the Church Therefore the use of them is most agreeable and fit for the Sabbath day Unto the right use of the Sacraments is contrary The contrary vices 1. The omitting and contempt thereof 2. The profaning of them when they are not received as God hath commanded neither by them for whom they were ordained 3. A superstitious using of them when as salvation and the grace of God is tyed to the observation of the rites and ceremonies or when they are used to such ends as God hath not appointed The uncircumcised man-child shall be cut off from his people Gen. 17.14 Esay 66.3 He that killeth a bullock is as if he slew a man He that sacrificeth a sheep as if hee cut of a dogs necke c. 5. Publike invocation on God V. Vertue whereby we joyn our confession thanksgiving prayers and desires with the Church For God will be invocated not onely privately by every one but also publiquely by the whole Church for Gods glory and our comfort that so we may the lesse doubt that God will heare us seeing he hath promised to heare not only us but also others and the whole Church praying for us together with us For therefore God hath annexed a speciall promise unto publique prayers If two of you shall agree on earth upon any thing whatsoever they shall desire Mat. 18.19 20. it shall be given them of my Father which is in heaven For where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the middest of them And giving of thanks and praise unto God is promised to God as a speciall worship Psal 22.22 In the middest of the Congregation will I praise thee And the same is commanded 1 Cor. 14.16 When thou blessest with the spirit how shall he that occupieth the roome of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thankes seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest I exhort that first of all supplications prayers 1 Tim. 2.1 intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men Now whereas Christ else-where commandeth that when a man prayeth he enter into his chamber Mat. 9.9 and when he hath shut his doore pray unto his Father which is in secret he by these words doth not condemne and forbid publique prayers but hypocrisie and ostentation and feigned godlinesse which the words testifie which goe before When thou prayest be not as the Hypocrites Now hypocrisie is a feigning and ostentation or shew of godlinesse We are here further to observe that in this Commandement is prescribed the publique invocation of the Church but that which was in the former third Commandement prescribed is the private invocation which concerneth every particular man Unto publique prayers is opposed 1. A neglect of the prayers of the Church The contrary vices 2. An hypocriticall presence at them without any attention and inward devotion 3. Such a reading or praying as serveth not for any edifying of the Church Thou verily givest thankes well but the other is not edified 7. Charity and bountifulnesse towards the poore that is to bestow almes VI. Vertue and performe the duties of love and charity towards the needy thereby
in God beleeve also in me for be you confident For there he comforts the Apostles Lord who is he that I may beleeve in him for that I may confide in him Saving faith with us is joyned with confidence of the promise of the Gospel or of the promised mercie of God concerning remission of sins through the bloud of Christ Rom 3.28 As when we are said to be justified by faith there faith signifieth confidence and to be justified by faith is in the confidence of Christs merits to be absolved from sin which sense the Apostle delivers when he saith Whom God set forth as an atonement by faith in his bloud to declare his justice by the remission of sins past Where faith in his bloud can signifie nothing else but confidence in Christs bloud But with them faith is assent onely and to beleeve is to give an assent this appeares because in the Article the words John 3.36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are rendred by them thus But who assenteth not to the Son for who beleeveth not the Son then their slippery disputes concerning faith teach the same In which for the most part they require not confidence in faith and they will have faith to justifie or to be imputed for justice not because it applies to it selfe Christs merits but because the very act of faith is reputed a fulfilling of the Law which was the opinion of Alberius Triuncurianus a pitifull man Therefore seeing this Article doth deprave the true doctrine of Predestination with so many equivocations and conceales the false it cannot be simply allowed Whether this Article be sufficient or may be tolerated setting Predestination aside But you 'l say What need we dispute so much about Predestination Is it not sufficient to salvation to hold the summe of the Gospel delivered in this Article Who beleeveth in the Son of God hath life eternall Who beleeveth not the wrath of God remaines on him And may not this Article hitherto be tolerated I know some judge so yea some men otherwise learned and pious have written that we ought not to dispute of Predestination now under the Gospel but onely preach upon the universall promises of grace But these good men observe not that by writing thus they contradict the holy Ghost who in the Gospel hath delivered the doctrine of Predestination as above cothurn 2. in the alledged places may be seen These unwise men seem under this pretext either to overthrow the foundations of our faith and comfort or else not to take notice that they are overthrowne by others therefore that religious speech whether of Ambrose or Prosper Lib. 1. de vocat Gent. c. 7. is to be held concerning Predestination These things are not to be searched into what God will have concealed and what are manifest are not to be denied lest in them we be found unlawfully curious and in these damnably ingratefull As it is then unlawfull curiositie to search into the mysteries of Predestination not revealed in the Gospel so it is damnable ingratitude to deny or suppresse what God hath revealed concerning Predestination in the Gospel But to the Quere thus we answer For Sufficiencie you may as well aske in the Church If the doctrine of the Catechisme be sufficient to salvation concerning mans miserie and deliverance by Christ and concerning gratitude Why then should we reade the Bible or higher points of divinitie In Logick is it not sufficient to hold that there are so many Figures of Syllogisms and so many Moods then what need is there of Aristotles Organum in the Schooles In the Politicks is not the popular knowledge of right and equitie sufficient to guide a State what need is there then of such a number of lawes and so great toile as the studie of the law requires In the Mathematicks is it not sufficient to know that a triangle hath three angles equall to two c. that the diameter to the circumference is in a subtriple proportion c what need is there then of Euclyd's hard and intricate demonstrations To these any man may answer with facilitie that to some the first rudiments of these sciences or the knowledge of the quid sit is sufficient but not to all To the Catechumeni or Novices in the Church the catecheticall Rudiments of salvation may suffice as milk is sufficient nutriment for infants but to those that are adult in faith who require more solid meat this is not sufficient Not to School-Doctors not to the Pastors of the Church whose office and conscience require of necessitie a fuller measure of Theologicall knowledge To young Logicians the knowledge of so many Moods Figures is enough for their syllogizing but Philosophers must have the science propter quid delivered in Aristotle's Organum to wit whence and why there are so many and why there can be no more To an inferiour or pedant Judge the elements of law and justice are sufficient but to a Doctor of the law to an Advocate or Chancellour the fountaines of the law must necessarily be knowne For a Mechanick the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a triangle and circle is sufficient to work by but a Mathematick Doctor who is studious of demonstrations requires the science of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After the same manner we may say that this Article putting now aside all equivocations is sufficient for salvation to the Catechumeni and private vulgar men which are not capable of sublimer mysteries and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is enough what they must be and what meanes they must use to attain salvation to wit that they must beleeve in Christ that they must persevere in faith and obedience of faith to the end by the ministerie of the Word and Sacraments and by grace co-operating with these But to those that are more adult in faith especially to the Doctors of Schooles Churches whoso will say that there is nothing besides this needfull his judgement will be accounted very weak and jejune yea rather it is necessarie that they should search the Scriptures and more exactly know the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the foresaid doctrine that is the fountaine and prime cause revealed in the Scriptures whence these qualities and meanes of salvation with grace and salvation it selfe may originally descend on us from whence also may proceed that difference which wee see of people and particular persons which are to be saved from the multitude of those that perish lest perhaps which by ignorance or by forsaking the fountain must need◠come to passe we digge to our selves broken cisternes Jerem. 2.13 which will hold no water that is lest we ascribe vocation faith perseverance and our salvation either to the wit strength or merit of men or else to grace which is indifferent and to our owne free-will in part or in whole not without dishonour to God and destruction to our selves Now this fountaine this prime and supreme cause is Gods eternall predestination that
evils And these though hell repines doth he work and witnes by the miserable cryes of men As it is said 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling down of the strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ And having in a readinesse to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled As therefore the basenes of the vessell detracts nothing from the worth of the wares it containeth so our meane and infant expression of the doctrine may not so far be slighted as than it should derogate one whit from the weight of those motives which invite you to an ardent study of Divinity But whiles I meditate with my self that I am to take a view of some of those motives in this rehearfall Preface I am sensibly so overwhelmed with an infinite masse of matter of main importance that scarcely can I resolve whence to make an entrance But seeing that some of them must come into consideration The necessity of Catechismal instruction is pressed from these motives 1. Gods command we will put that foremost which ought to rule all our actions and indeavours namely the serious will of God expressed in apparent commands For now we which are citizens of the Church have conference together and know for certain that the books of the Prophets and Apostles are most infallible declarations of the mind and will of God And in them here and there are certain precepts delivered and rehearsed which injoyn men a diligent search and knowledg of the doctrine contained in those books Such is the precept of the Decalogue touching the Sabbath Such is that speech of our Saviour Luke 10.41 One thing is necessary The knowledge of this wisdom saith he is eternall life This David commendeth as frequently in other places so in the first Psalme which he writeth as an Epitomie of it for that it is a companion of true blessednes But these have not satisfied our man-loving heavenly Father that is solicitous of our salvation He addeth further peculiar precepts touching that summe of doctrine that is to be published to all especially the youth namely the doctrine of Catechismall instruction Deut. 4.9 Teach them thy sons Deut. 6.6 7. These words shall be in thine heart Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children c. And thou shalt binde them for a signe upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes Here doe we heare Parents and those to whom the charge of Parents is committed commanded that they care to teach or see taught the youth the youth commanded that they learne and both are commanded that they daily inculcate rehearse and meditate on this doctrine This doctrine would the Lord have both to be delivered unto children and also to be in our view continually And its apparent that brevity and plainnes are required which what else they but a Catechisme or summe of doctrine neither prolixe nor obscure So Saint Paul 2. Tim. 1.13 Hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of mee in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus In this precept of using and holding his Catechisme we heare the definition of ours The forme of sound words of Câ—â—echismâ—l instructâ—oâ— described 1 More largely The Apostle meaning a draught or plat-forme of sound positions concerning each point of doctrine methodically and briefly comprised as if it were painted before the eye together with a kinde and maner of teaching and expression as is both proper plain and agreeable with the stile of the Prophets and Apostles Therefore doth he name sound words delivered by him concerning faith and love in Christ i.e. in the knowledge of Christ as in sundry places he reduceth all piety to faith and love A Catechisme then is a summe of doctrine delivered by the Prophets and Apostles concerning faith and love in Christ 2 More briefly two wayes Or is a summe of doctrine of Christianity briefly methodically and plainly couched together For it is not for us to invent opinions but of necessity we must referre our selves as it is Esay 8.20 to the Law and the Testimony And there must be added an exposition which may be both a manifestation of the parts and method and an interpretation of words and phrases This reason if there were no more is of efficacy to them that are not of prophane minds to excite them to the study of this sacred doctrine For to such the command of God is a cause of all causes though nothing more be added But when as God is so indulgent to our weaknes as to declare unto us the causes of this command needs must we weigh them wtih reverence Now God avoucheth that therefore must we learn this doctrine because by the knowledge thereof 2. Motive our salvation and not any other way will he convert and save all that by age are of understanding and are to be made heires of eternall life Marvelous confidently is that spoken of Saint Paul Rom. 1.16 The Gospel is the power of God to salvation c. And 1 Cor. 1.18 The preaching of the Crosse is to them that perish foolishnesse but unto us which are saved it is the power of God And Ver. 21. It pleased God by the fool shnesse of preaching to save them that beleeve But this opinion howsoever it be delivered and confirmed by divers and weighty testimonies of the holy Spirit is oppugned by the utmost endeavours of Sathan Against the Zwenckfâ—â—dians touching the point of the â—fficacy of the Spirit by the ministiy of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the Father of lyes seeing how the Paradox of the foolishnesse of preaching the Crosse of Christ doth not a little pierce the minds of men snatcheth an occasion of suborning fanaticall minded men who cry out that the worke of the ministry is nothing lesse than the means of converting men but that God communicates himself to us immediately and that wee Ministers make our voice an Idoll They babble forth many wonderfull words carrying with them indeed a shew of special illumination but heare and consider I pray upon what foundation they relye and how they oppose their wisedome to the divine The omnipotent God say they doth not at all need that voice ministry reading meditation to convert men Therefore he useth not this instrument neither is a necessity of labour in learning it to be imposed upon those that are to be saved Now say I to you young men Is there any one among you so weak and childish in judgment that doth not perceive such a one to be hissed at that would so argue God can by his omnipotency easily bring to passe that one without bookes teachers study should become skilfull in all learning and doctrine as the Apostles and others of the Primitive Church spake with tongues
which they never learned He can make the earth fruitfull and bring forth fruit without the help of husbandmen He can sustain the nature of man without food as Moses and Christ forty dayes Therefore it s not a necessary labour that is undertaken or any cause of the thing we hope and expect whiles Schollars ply their bookes and studies Teachers goe to their schooles Husbandmen to their ploughes entring their shares harrowes and engines into the ground and each man spends his life time to maintaine life You see upon what rockes of blinde madnesse the Divell doth split unhappy men which having neither learned the grounds of Piety or the more excellent Arts nor list to take the paines of learning them are forward notwithstanding to seeme what they least of all be and dare exalt themselves against the knowledge of God and bring the eternall wisdome under their censure And they have as little wit as modesty when as for their opinion they alledge the example of them that were converted by miracle as Paul or those indued with extraordinary gifts as the Apostles at the Pentecost or the multitude of them that heard the Gospel and did not beleeve or the Scriptures which speake of the office of the holy Ghost We know and acknowledge that by the blessing of God God can without the labour of teaching or learning convert those that he will And this to be the end of miracles The end of miracles that it may appeare that the order whereby God is effectuall in nature is made and freely preserved by him We so certainly know that conversion is the gift of God alone as that by how much it is a greater and more wonderfull worke to restore lost man to salvation than to make him not having any being by so much the more were it impudency and madnes Conversion greater than Creation to attribute this conversion more than that creation to the efficacy of mans voice But withall we know this too for a certain that it pleaseth God by the foolishnes of preaching to save them that beleeve Why it pleaseth God so to do there is no necessity he should give us an account yet he lets us understand some reasons of that his counsell but he propounds not the same reasons to the godly and godlesse To the godlesse he gives this reason Reasons why God converts by mans ministry 1. In regard of godlesse 2. In regard of godly Because by this meanes hee would before the whole Church and their consciences also being witnesse more manifest his justice in condemning the malice of those that oppugne the word revealed But other kinde of reasons take place in our consideration namely such as make for our instruction and consolation viz. Whereas the voice of the ministry and all our thoughts of God are darksome through which we now see God and his will the Lord admonisheth us of the greatnesse of our fall whereby it cometh to passe that wee no longer now injoy the very sight of God but he speaketh to us at a distance and as by an Interpreter and so exciting us that we aspire to that celestiall Schoole in which we shall immediately see God who shall be all in all Besides the Lord would not have the searching meditation and profession of the doctrine concerning him and his will even in this life to lye secret onely in the mindes of men but would have it audibly to sound and to be set forth in the assemblies And therefore tyed us with all possible necessity unto this doctrine promising thereby to recover us againe to salvation And so when God would make men to be co-workers with him in the most excellent divine work giving us to his only begotten Sonne for that purpose how could he have more manifested his great esteem of our miserable nature We averre therefore that the reading hearing knowing of this doctrine is a necessary meanes of our conversion Necessary not in regard of God but in regard of us not as if God could not any other way convert as a Carpenter cannot build an house without his tooles but because God will not convert any other wav It is true it is true indeed that true faith is nones but Gods gift and worke alone but such a gift and worke as the holy Spirit workes in us by hearing of the Word 1. Cor. 3.6 Paul planteth Apollo watereth but God giveth the increase To the same effect also Paul calleth the Gospel by him preached the power of God to salvation Rom 1.16 Ephes 4.11 the Apostle saith He hath given some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministry and the edification of the body of Christ Can a more glorious speech be uttered touching the office of teaching Let us not therefore take upon us to be wiser than God neither let us so much regard the pride contumacy and mischiefe of those that contemne the voice of the Gospel as thereby the lesse to love and respect the fruit and efficacy of the divine ordination in the meanes of mercy Nor let the sluggishnesse and obstinacy of some Schoolemen prove impediments of all good proceedings and goodnes who perswade others that instruction study and doctrines to get or increase vertue are unnecessary things but rather with obedient thankfull mindes let us injoy that sweetest consolation whereby we are assured that neither our endeavours are unpleasing to God nor undertaken in vaine according to that Eccles 11.1 Cast thy bread upon the waters for after many daies thou shalt finde it And 1 Cor. 15.58 Your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Matthew 18.20 Where two or three are gathered together in my Name I am in the midst of them Unlesse these promises were known to be certain amidst so great outrages of Sathan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and miseries of mankinde of which its too truly spoken The most are naught the best teacher or the greatest lover of the common good should be in the unhappiest condition hardly sitting fast in his own place For mine owne part I feele my selfe to be so affected that mee thinkes my sorrow permits me not to stand in this Pulpit but shuts up my speech within my bowels and jawes but that I know for certain that in this our assembly there are whose hearts entertaine the tâ—e and saving doctrine are inflamed with the holy Spirit in a due manner knowing calling upon God being lively temples of him shall hereafter praise him in the celestial Quire We speak not this to that end as if we did expect equal knowledge understanding or the same gifts of the holy Spirit in all men For the Apostle commands us Rom. 12.3 To think soberly of our selves according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith But all them that will be saved must of necessity hold the same foundation that is that
teaching 1 Cor. 3.2 thus he saith I have fed you with milk and not with meat for hitherto ye were not able to beare it nor yet now are ye able 5. Motive that alwaies in the Church there hath bin such a summe of doctrine for ye are yet carnall From the first beginning of the Church there hath bin extant in it some such ground of doctrine well known publikely and for it's briefnesse and plainnesse easie to be understood reserved for posterity As together with the increase of mankind God himself proceeded on with his own mouth to deliver more summary doctrines either of the law as he began in these words If thou doest well Gen. 4.7 shalt thou not be accepted Or of the Gospel as at first in these words The seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 Likewise after both the promise and the Decalogue was repeated to Abraham At last the Creeds and such summary doctrines as were dispersed here and there in the writings of the Apostles were fitted into a meet form of Confession to be divine informations for all degrees of age And indeed this our accustomed manner of instructing which we call Catechisme hath bin anciently used both in the Jewish and in the Apostolicall Church as doth appeare by the Apostle Paul Rom. 2.18 where he calleth the Jewes those that from their tender yeares had bin instructed or catechised out of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And Gal. 6.6 Let him that is taught in the word or catechised in the word communicate to him that instructeth or catechiseth in all good things So Luke 1.4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast bin instructed or câ—â—â—â—hised Because these testimonies are to be preferred before all other I dâ—edâ—u recite the example of the Church that was in the ensuing times next after the Apostles being a thing publikly known by histories I rather adde this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That if the now present Church surviving hath till now kept this forme of instruction brought into the world with so long continuance 6. Motive the dangers and heresies of the last times not by mans device but by the divine providence then in this doting old age of the world wherin the Church doth daily more and more languish thicker darknes day by day over-cloudeth it we had need for to sharpen all our diligence of preserving and propagating this doctrine rather than any whit to grow remisse For this is the age of which our Saviour speaketh Mat. 24.23 Then if any man shall say unto you Lo here is Christ or there beleeve it not for there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders insomuch as if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. And largely doth Saint Paul speak of this matter 1 Tim. 4. and 2 Tim. 3. These predictions of the calamities of these last times were written not only for our consolation and confirmation but also for exhortation of us to arme our selves to watch against and prevent errours for so our Saviour begins that his prophecie Take heed that no man deceive you We thinke it necessary therefore that not only they that come into the place of teaching Mat. 24.3 but also all that love their owne salvation should have fixed in their hearts the sound positions concerning every part of christian religion and on the other side to the utmost that every man is able to be well fenced against the contrary errors and that all they to whom the office of instructing and governing is committed should with great care teach or cause to be taught those that are committed to their charge unless they as curats negligent unfaithfull in their duty had rather answer for their perdition And indeed the desire of your parents in this respect is to be commended that they will have the summe of godlines to be propounded to and inculcated into you not only at home and in the Church but also in the schools For they well perceived what great ignorance ensued and how great an hint opportunity was given to the Divel of detaining men in that ignorance when once the primitive custome of the Church of hearing and teaching the Catechists was lost and in the room thereof succeeded that silly and foolish dumb shew of Popish confirmation And they now see that the same things or worse than these are now to be feared unlesse God out of his singular mercy looke upon us than the which danger as scarce any thing can bring greater heavines to all godly persons so contrariwise it 's not easie to finde out any thing that may be more desirable and pleasant unto all pious Parents than if they can certainly promise themselves that their children and nephewes shall a while live after them in the same light of divine truth which now is lighted up amongst us Wherefore if we are not without naturall affection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.31 and cruell against those which love us more than themselves let us endeavour to our power that by our negligence we do not destroy their hope nor crosse their prayers But that together with them we may shew our selves thankfull unto God who collecting to himself a perpetual Church out of the dregs of this world hath by the bringing back againe of the sunne of heavenly doctrine so dispelled the dirs ass of the kingdom of Antichrist that any man that will not wilfully in â—his eyes and eares and oppose the known truth may behold and diserne them stripped naked of those divel-deceits which were those faire outsides of which they vauntingly bragged 7 Motive the benefit if we do the punishment if we doe not study this doctrine If we doe these things the Sonne of God will conserve and augment those gifts that he hath bestowed upon us according to his promise To him that hath i. to him that desireth to goe on forward shall be given If we doe contrariwise then will follow upon us that which is threatned in the contrary sentence following from him that hath not shall be taken that which he hath Mat. 25.29 And indeed how the Lord will not endure the contempt of the Gospel revealed both the divine word of God and the continuall history of the world doth proclaim Isa 5.24 Because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts despised the word of the holy One of Israel therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people and he hath stretched forth his hand against them and hath smitten them And Amos 5.11 He threatens Behold the daies come saith the Lord God that I will send a famine in the Land not a famine of bread not a thirst for water but of hearing the word of God And they shall wander from sea to sea and from the North even to the East they shall runne
to other men if indeed we neglect it we both make our Religion to be suspected shall undergo greater punishment for our negligence ignorance Neither would the Lord have the care keeping of the doctrine of Religion committed to us Scholars chiefly only for our own cause but others For the Learned themselves understanding the termes and method of the doctrine of Religion it is expected they should instruct and interpret unto others Seeing therefore Religion is to be taught in the Schooles as unto children to the end that it may be rightly taught Catechisme is necessary Neither indeed can this age learne unlesse brevity be used Nor can the parts of a discipline be dextrously and with due proportion of agreement between them be handled either by teachers or learners unlesse they first conceive in their mindes some short summ of the same For both these respects is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we read such oft repetitions in the holy Scriptures of brief summes of things As Repent and beleeve the Gospel He that shall beleeve and be baptized shall be saved War you a good warfare keeping faith and a good conscience And seeing that it is said Colos 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome Explications must be added aggreeable to the speeches of the Prophets and the Apostles Neither is a Catechisme any thing else but a briefe explication of such speeches But because the little book called Melanchthons Examen is of that nature which I propound to you and the Authour hath comprised with great fidelity dexterity the heads of Christian Religion under an apt and perspicuous stile of words as also it is of no small consequence that a like form of Catechisme should be extant in sundry Churches stir up your selves to learn and conceive that these wretched papers of ours are swadling-bands wherein Christ will be found swadled up You see many are the things which doe commend these Swathels unto you and seriously exhort you to the imbracing of them by which I humbly beseech you to delight in them as the commandement of God your own salvation the duty we owe to posterity the example of the more reformed Church your condition of life your present age your desires and hope imminent dangers and the rewards and punishments to be expected from God But however our admonitions may be necessary yet of none effect we well know without the suggestions of the holy Spirit Therefore turning our selves unto God let us give thanks to him that his will was we should be born in this light of the Gospel and pray that wee may be taught and governed of him CERTAIN PREAMBLES on that Catechisme of Christian Religion which is delivered and taught in the Churches and Schooles throughout the Dominions of the County Palatine THe Preambles or preparatory Prefaces to this Catechisme are partly Generall concerning the whole Doctrine of the Church and partly Speciall concerning Catechisme alone The Generall Prefaces touching the Doctrine of the Church are seven 1 What and what manner of doctrine the doctrine of the Church is 2 What are the parts thereof and what the differences of each part 3 Wherein it differeth from the doctrine of other Sects and from Philosophie also and why these differences are to be retained 4 Whence it may appeare that it alone came from God 5 By what testimonies the certainty thereof is confirmed 6 For what cause no other doctrine besides is to be received in the Church 7 How manifold is the course of teaching and learning this doctrine 1 What and what manner of doctrine the doctrine of the Church is THE doctrine of the Church is the entire and uncorrupt doctrine of the Law and Gospel touching the true God The definition of the doctrine of the Church and his will workes and worship which doctrine is revealed by God himselfe comprised in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and confirmed by sundry miracles and divine testimonies by which the Holy-Ghost worketh powerfully in the hearts of Gods chosen and collecteth unto himselfe out of mankinde an everlasting Church in which he may be glorified both in this life and in the life to come This doctrine is the chiefe and speciall note of the true Church which God will have eminent in the world and severed from the rest of mankinde according unto these sayings of Scripture Fly Idols Come out from amongst them and separate your selves If there come any unto you and bring not THIS DOCTRINE 1 John 5.21 2 Cor. 6.17 2 John 10. Esay 52.11 Rev. 18.4 bid him not God speed Be yee holy touch no uncleane thing yee that beare the vessels of the Lord. Goe out of her my people that yee receive not of her plagues Now God will have this separation made 1. His glory For his owne glory For as hee will not have himselfe coupled with Idols and Divels So hee will have his truth severed from falshood and lyes 2. Reasons why God will have his Church distinguished from other Sects and his houshold separated from the enemies of the Church that is from the children of Sathan It were contumelious so to thinke of God as that he will have such children as persecute him 2 Cor 6.15 It were blasphemy to make God the author of impious doctrine and patron of the blasphemous For What concord hath Christ with Belial 2. The salvation of his Elect. The consolation and salvation of his Elect. For it is necessary that the Church be visibly beheld in this world that the Elect dispersed throughout all mankind may know to what society they are to joine themselves and being gathered unto the Church may lay hold on this sound comfort That they are of that company which is acceptable and pleasing unto God and hath the promises of everlasting life For God will that all which are to be saved be gathered unto the Church in this life because without the Church there is no salvation 3. Notes whereby the Church is distinguished from other Sects How the Church is knowne and what are her badges and markes whereby shee is distinguished from other Sects is at large discoursed of in the tract of the Church The notes are three 1. Purity of doctrine 2. The right use of the Sacraments 3. Obedience towards God in every point of doctrine whether of faith or of manners Object Yea but oftentimes great vices abound in the Church also Answ I confesse indeed many times great vices over-grow the whole body of the Church but they are not patronised or maintained as falleth out in other Sects nay the true Church is the first her selfe that reprehendeth and condemneth them before any other In the Church faults are committed but with present reproofe and speedy reformation As long as this remaineth so long remaineth the Church 2 What are the parts of the doctrine of the Church and what the differences of each part
That the Law and Gospel are the two onely parts of Christian doctrine proved by 4. reasons THE parts of the doctrine of the Church are two the Law and the Gospel in both which the summe of the whole Scriptures is contained The Law is tearmed the Decalogue and the Gospel is the doctrine touching Christ our Mediatour and the free remission of sinnes through faith This division of Church doctrine is clearly demonstrated to be sufficient by these evident arguments 1. All doctrine comprised in sacred writ concerneth either the nature of God or his will or his workes or sinne which is the proper worke of men and divels But of all these we are taught either in the Law or in the Gospel or in both Wherefore the Law and the Gospel are the chiefe generall heads which comprehend all the doctrine of the Scripture 2. Christ himselfe maketh this division of that doctrine which he commandeth to be preached in his name saying So it is written and so it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day and that in his name should be preached repentance and remission of sins Now the whole summe of all this is delivered in the Law and the Gospel 3. The writings of the Prophets and Apostles doe containe in them the old and new Testament or covenants between God and man Therefore it must needs be that in them is declared what God promiseth and what hee doth unto us to wit his favour remission of sinnes his holy Spirit righteousnesse and life everlasting as also what he requireth of us that is to say Faith and Obedience And these are the things which are taught in the Law and Gospel 4. Christ is the foundation and ground of the whole Scripture and the doctrine of the Law and Gospel is necessary to conduct us to the knowledge of Christ and of his benefits For the Law is our Schoolmaster unto Christ Gal. 3.24 constraining us to flee unto him and shewing us what that justice is which Christ hath recovered and restored unto us The Gospel of purpose amply treateth of the person of Christ his office and benefits Therefore all Scripture and heavenly doctrine is comprehended in the Law and the Gospel 3. Differences of the Law Gospel The maine differences of these two parts of Christian doctrine consist in three things In the matter it selfe In the subject or matter and kind of doctrine which they diliver because the Law is a doctrine prescribing unto men what is to be done and prohibiting whatsoever ought to be left undone whereas the Gospel is a preaching of free remission of sinnes by and through Christ In the manner of revealing In the manner of their revealing because the Law is knowne by nature the Gospel is revealed from above In their promises In their promises because the Law promiseth life with condition of perfect obedience the Gospel promiseth the same life on condition of our stedfast faith in Christ and the inchoation or beginning of new obedience unto God But hereof more shall be spoken hereafter in his due place 3 Wherein the doctrine of the Church differeth from the doctrine of other Sects and from Philosophy also and why these differences are to be retained THE differences betweene the doctrine of Gods Church and other Religions 4 Differences betweene Church-doctrine and other Religions are foure In their Authors GOD is the author of the doctrine of the Church from whom it was delivered by the ministry of the Prophets and Apostles other Sects are sprung from men and have been invented by men through the suggestion of Sathan In their testimonies of confirmation The doctrine of the Church alone hath divine testimonies firme and infallible such as quiet consciences and convince all other Sects of errour In teaching and not teaching aright the whole Law In the Church the entire and uncorrupt Law of GOD is perfectly retained and kept as for other Sects and Religions they maime and corrupt the Law of GOD. For they utterly reject the doctrine of the first Table concerning the true knowledge and worship of GOD either framing unto themselves another God besides that GOD who by his word and workes hath revealed himselfe unto his Church or seeking to know God but not by and in his Son or worshipping GOD otherwise than hee hath commanded in his word They are also altogether ignorant of the inward and spirituall obedience of the second Table That little good and truth which they have is a part of the commandements of the second Table concerning externall discipline and civill duties towards men In preaching not preaching aright the whole Gospel The Gospel of Christ is wholly taught and rightly understood in the Church onely other Sects are either cleane ignorant of it and despise it as the Ethnickes Philosophers Jewes and Turkes or they doe patch some little part of it out of the doctrine of the Apostles unto their owne errours of which part yet they neither know not perceive the use as the Arrians Papists Anabaptists and all other Heretickes of whom some maintaine errours concerning the person others concerning the office of our Mediatour These maine discords doe prove that the doctrine of the Church alone is zealously to be followed and kept and the Religion and doctrine of other Sects repugnant to the truth warily to be prevented and avoided according as it is said in Scripture BEWARE of false Prophets and FLY Idols The case holdeth not alike in Philosophy For true Philosophy howsoever it vary much from the doctrine of the Church yet it impugneth it not it is no lye as are the false doctrines of other Sects but it is absolute truth and as it were a certaine bright-shining ray of Gods divine wisdome fixed in mans understanding at the creation For it is a doctrine treating of God and his creatures The nature of Philosophy with the lawfull and fruitfull use thereof and other things good and profitable unto mankind compiled by wise and grave men through the light of Nature and grounded on principles in their own nature plaine and evident Whence it followeth that it is a thing not only lawfull but profitable also for Christans to imploy their labour and travell in the studies of Philosophy whereas contrariwise we may not busie our wits in the doctrine of other Sects but detest them all as untruths and lies coined by the Divel Notwithstanding between Philosophy the doctrine of the Church there is great difference especially consisting in these points 3 Differences between Philosophy and Church-doctrine In their grinciples They disagree in their principles For Philosophy in her principles is meerly naturall founded and built on things naturally knowne unto every man but the doctrine of the Church although it contain many things depending on nature yet the chiefest part thereof I meane the Gospel so far surpasseth the reach and capacity of nature
3. That the doctrine be applied to the use of the Church which it hath in confirming true opinions or refuting errours in knowing of God and our selves in exhorting in comforting and in directing of our life 2 Tim. 2.15 Titus 1.9 as Paul commandeth Study to divide the word of truth aright And A Bishop must hold fast the faithfull word according to doctrine that he also may be able to exhort with wholesome doctrine and improve them that say against it And wisely did Epiphanius advise Lib. 2. cont haeres Not all words of Scripture have need to be allegorized or construed according to a strange sense but they must be understood as they are and further they require meditation and sense for the understanding of the drift and purpose of every argument That is All places of Scripture are not to be transformed into allegories but we must seek out the proper sense of the words by meditation and sense that is using the rules of Art and having a regard of the propriety of tongues and our own experience by which we know the nature of those things which are signified by words commonly used in the Church 6 Instance Concerning the deciding of a controversie about the text and meaning thereof But here is cast in another difficulty for that in controversies concerning the text and the meaning thereof such a Judge is required whose authority and testimony may suffice for determining the meaning of the text For when both parties say they who strive about the meaning pleadeth each of them that his interpretation is true except judgement be given of such a Judge from whom it may not be lawfull to make any appeale the contention will never be decided and wee shall still remaine doubtfull of the sense of the Scripture Furthermore this judgment must needs belong to the Church for in the Church alone wee are to seek for an examining and determining of controversies concerning Religion What the Church therefore doth pronounce in these matters wee must of necessity rest upon that as the assured meaning of the Scripture And hereof they say it is manifest that the decrees of the Church are of no lesse authority then the expresse sentence of Scripture But we as we willingly grant that the eontroversies of the Church must be at length determined Answ Not the Church but holy Ghost is Judge of the Word and that according to the sentence of that Judge of whom wee may be certainly assured that wee cannot be deceived so we acknowledge this Judge to be not the Church but the holy Ghost himselfe speaking unto us in the Scripture and declaring his owne words For he is the supream Judge whose judgment the Church onely demandeth declareth and signifieth he cannot be deceived whereas all men are subject to the danger of errour in a word hee being the author of the Scripture is the best and surest interpreter of his own words And therefore the Scripture it self in all doubts recalleth us and bindeth us unto it self 2 Pet. 1.19 John 5.39 Isa 8.20 We have a most sure word of the Prophets to which ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place Search the Scriptures To the Law and to the Testimony If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them The Church doth not alwaies speak the words of the holy Ghost For although the holy Ghost speaketh also by the Church yet because shee doth not alwaies speake the words of the holy Ghost she cannot be the supreame and chiefe Judge of controversies in Religion For this Judge must be such a one whose sentence may by no meanes be called in question But we have none such besides the word of God registred in the Scriptures Neither do we at all take away the deciding of controversies Deciding of controversies is not taken away when wee make Scripture Judge of meaning of the Scripture For although contentious persons alwaies seek sophismes by which they may delude and shift off the testimonies of Scripture yet do they this against their conscience and the lovers of the truth require no other interpreter of the Scripture but the Scripture and do acknowledge and confesse themselves to be plentifully satisfied by it 6 Waies how to decide doubtfull places For whereas unto men also it is granted to be themselves the best interpreters of their owne words how much more ought this honour to be yeelded unto the holy Scripture wherefore if controversies be moved concerning the meaning of some place in the Scripture we ought much more to do that here which we would doe in other writings The analogy of faith To consider and respect the analogy of faith that is to receive no exposition which is against the ground of doctrine that is against any article of Faith or commandement of the Decalogue or against any plaine testimony of Scripture Even as Paul admonisheth forbidding to build wood hay 1 Cor. 3.12 stubble upon the foundation Examining of Antecedents and Consequents To weigh the things that go before and follow after that place which is in question that so not onely nothing contrary to these may be feigned on it but also that they may be set for the meaning of it which these require For these either not being observed or being dissembled the meaning of the Scripture is not seldome depraved So those words of the Psalme Psal 91.11 Hee shall give his Angels charge over thee that they shall beare thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone the Divell tempting Christ interpreteth them as if they served to maintaine over-rash and curious attempts when yet that which is added In all thy waies doth shew that they are to be understood of men doing those things that are proper unto their calling Resorting to places which teach the same more clearly To search every where in the Scripture whether there be extant any place where it stands for confessed or is manifest or may be shewed that the same doctrine in other words is delivered touching the same matter which is contained in that place which is in controversie For if the meaning of the clearer and undoubted place be manifested unto us we shall also be assured of the place which is doubted of because in both places the same is taught As when it is said Rom. 3.28 We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law that in this place to be justified by faith is not to please God for the worthinesse of faith but for the merit of Christ apprehended by faith and that the workes of the Law signifie not the ceremonies onely but the whole obedience of the Law chiefly the morall other places do teach us which in moe and clearer words delivered the same doctrine concerning the justification of man before God as in the
worshipping of God and thankfulnesse towards him is placed under the third part 4. The reasons why Catechising is necessary in the Church THe diligent exercise of Catechising is necessary in the Church Deut. 4.9 11.19 1. Because of the commandement of God Ye shall teach them your children 2. Because of the glory of God which requireth that God be not onely knowne aright and magnified by those of riper yeares but of children also Thirdly For our owne comfort and salvation for without the true knowledge of God and his Son Christ Jesus that is to say without Faith and Repentance no man of sufficient yeares and able to receive instruction can be saved or have any stable or sure confidence that he pleaseth God John 17.3 Heb. 11.6 For This is life eternall that they know thee to be the onely very God And Without Faith it is impossible to please God Now no man beleeveth on him whom he knoweth not or of whom he never heard How shall they beleeve on him of whom they never heard Rom. 10.17 Faith is by hearing and hearing by the Word of God As many then as will be saved must needs hold the foundation which is the doctrine touching Christ Wherefore all must be instructed and such a summe of doctrine must be delivered in the Church of which the ruder and younger sort also may be capable Fourthly For the maintaining of a Church and Common weale in this life For to the establishing of Church and Common-weale there is need of Religion and the worship of God Christian discipline studies and exercises of godlinesse honesty justice and truth amongst men All which in vaine we seek for amidst the barbarous Nations where there is no practice of piety or vertue at all Now therefore it behoveth that we be instructed herein from our child-hood because the heart of man is evill and perverse from his youth Gen. 1.21 Nay such is the corruption of nature that unlesse there be sudden redresse we then too late take physick when our evill and griefe through long delay hath gathered strength and is become past cure Wherefore except we be instructed aright in the will of God out of his Word in our child-hood and exercised unto godlinesse hardly or never doe wee suffer our selves to be withdrawne from those errours which are in-bred in us and which we drunk in like water in our child-hood scarcely can we endure to be revoked and weaned from those vices in which we have been trained up Wherefore we must betimes meet with and bridle mans depraved nature lest Church and Common-weale go to wracke Fifthly Because the rule of examining opinions and discussing the truth of them must be generally knowne unto all lest they erre and be seduced according to the commandement Beware of false prophets Prove all things Try the spirits whether they be of God Now the rule of this tryall is no other then those chiefe grounds of Catechisme The Decalogue and the Apostles Creed Sixthly Because they who have throughly learned Catechisme better understand Sermons in that they are able easily to reduce whatsoever they heare out of Gods Word to their severall heads of Catechisme which they have learned whereas otherwise Sermons for the most part are heard with little fruit and benefit Seventhly Because Catechisme best fitteth the unskilfull and weak judgement of learners For a copious and vagrant forme of instruction is hard for youth and beginners and very unprofitable therefore the doctrine delivered unto them must be briefe and plaine packstaffe such as is Catechisme Eighthly Because it is necessary that the rude and younger sort be severed from Schismatickes and from the profane Heathen which distinction is no way made but by the knowledge of Catechisme Ninthly Catechisme doctrine is most needfull for Scholars because they ought to be more expert in Christian doctrine then others both in regard of their calling that one day they may instruct others as also in respect of their many occasions which daily occurre of learning this doctrine which after the example of Timothy they may not neglect To these may be added many impulsive causes especially with the people to win them drawne either from the end of our Creation or from the cause of Gods prolonging and preserving our lives untill the time of youth c. Also from the dignity andexcellency of the object of Catechisme doctrine which is the highest and perfectest good even God himselfe and from the effect of Catechisme which is the knowledge of this great good and a community therewith a thing more precious then all the treasures of the world This is that costly Jewell digged and hidden in the field of the Church Mat. 13.44 whereof Christ speaketh and for whose sake in ancient times Christians with their little children suffered martyrdome with cheerfulnesse Let us view with our eyes the example of Origen in Eusebius his sixth book of Ecclesiasticall History Euseb hist Eccles lib. 6. cap. 3. Theod. hist lib. 4. cap. 16. and third chapter Let us read to this purpose Theodoret his fourth booke of History and sixteenth chapter But contrariwise what is it that we will gladly suffer for Christs glory if we be ignorant of this doctrine and how shall we not be ignorant if we learn it not in our child-hood Wherefore the ignorance of Catechisme is not the last and least cause why many now-adaies are carried hither and thither with every winde of doctrine and why many fall from Christ unto Antichrist 5 What is the end of Catechisme and Christian doctrine THE scope of Catechisme-doctrine is our comfort and salvation Salvation consisteth in the fruition and participation of the highest Good The comfort thereof is a certaine hope and expectation of this Good in the life to come together with a fruition in part begun in this life The chiefest Good is that which if we have we are blessed if we want we become most unhappy and miserable Further what and what manner this onely comfort is it is resolved in the first question of this Catechisme whereunto these Prefaces now ended we will proceed A CATECHISME OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION On the first Sabbath Quest 1. What is thy only comfort in life and death Answ That both in soule and body whether I live or dye a Rom. 14.8 I am not mine owne b 1 Cor. 6.19 but belong wholly unto my most faithfull Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ c 1 Cor. 3.23 Tit. 2.14 who by his precious bloud most fully satisfying for all my sins d 1 Pet. 1.18 1 John 1.7 2.2 hath delivered me from all the power of the Divell e Heb. 2.14 1 John 3.8 and to preserve mee f John 6.39 John 10.28 2 Thes 3.3 1 Pet. 1.5 that without the will of my heavenly Father not so much as an haire may fall from my head g Mat. 10.30 Luk. 21.18 yea all things must serve for my safety h Rom.
grievously Answ The eating of the Apple was no small sinne but manifold and outrageous in which was conceived Pride Vnthankefulnesse Apostasie c. as hath been already proved Therefore God justly inflicted a great punishment on mankind for the same Repli Yet at the least hee should have spared mans posterity because himselfe hath said Ezek. 18.20 The sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father Answ True if so the sonne be not partaker of his fathers wickednesse But here all are partakers of Adams iniquity 2. What were the causes of the first sin The causes of sin are the Divels instigation mans will freely yeelding unto it THe first sinne of man sprang not from God but from the instigation of the Divell and from the free-will of man For the Divell provoked man to fall away from God and man yeelding to the inticing allurements of the Divell freely revolted from God and wilfully forsook him Now although God left man destitute in his temptation yet he is not the cause of his fall or sinne or destruction of man For in that dereliction or forsaking of man God neither intended nor effected any of these but he proved and tried man to shew how impotent and unable the creature is to doe or retaine ought that is good God not preserving and directing him by his Spirit and together with his triall of man hee in his just judgement suffered the sinne of man to concurre but he was no cause or efficient of it Fleshly wisdome thus reasoneth against this doctrine Object Whosoever with-draweth grace in the time of temptation without which the fall cannot be avoided hee is the cause of the fall but God with-held from man his grace in the time of temptation without which hee could not but fall Therefore God was the cause of the fall Answ The Major is true onely of him who with-holdeth grace when hee is obliged and bound not to with-hold it and him who with-draweth it from such a one as desireth it not from such a one as wilfully rejecteth it and of him who of despight and malice with-draweth it But it is not true of him who is neither bound to preserve and maintaine the grace which hee sometime gave and who with-holdeth it not from such a one as desireth to have it continued but from him who is willing hee should so doe and voluntarily refuseth it and who denieth it not therefore because hee envieth the offendors righteousnesse and life eternall or is delighted with the sinne but onely to this purpose to try him to whom hee hath imparted grace For hee who forsaketh any man on this manner is not the cause of sinne howsoever in him who is thus forsaken sinne necessarily followeth this dereliction and with-drawing of grace Now God in the temptation of man with-held his grace from him not after the former but the latter manner here expressed Wherefore God is not the cause of mans sinne and destruction for with-drawing but man for wilfull rejecting of grace Repl. Whosoever will that such a one be tempted whom he certainly knoweth that he will fall if he be tempted he willeth his sinne which falleth but God would that man should be tempted of the Divell whom he certainly knew that hee would fall for otherwise and against the will of God man could not have been tempted Therefore God is the cause of mans fall Answ This Major is denied as false if it be simply and precisely taken For he is not the cause of sin who will that he who is apt to fall be tempted onely for cause of triall and to make manifest the creatures infirmity Now God in this sense and with this intent suffered man to be tempted that is to be proved But the Divel tempting man to the end that he might sinne and be separate and distracted from God and man willingly obeying the Tempter against the commandement of God they both are the true causes of sinne But of the causes of sinne more shall be spoken hereafter 3 What the effects of the first sinne are THE effects of mans first sinne are Guilt of death Guiltinesse of death and a privation and destruction of Gods Image in our first Parents Originall sinne Originall sinne in us their posterity that is to say the guilt of eternall death and the corruption and aversenesse of our whole nature from God Actuall sinne All actuall sinnes which are sprung of originall for that which is the cause of the cause is also the cause of the effect But the first sinne in man is the cause of his originall sinne and this of his actuall sinne Punishments inflicted for sin All the evils of punishment which are inflicted for sinnes Therefore the first sinne of man is the cause of all other his sins and punishments Now whether it stand with Gods justice to punish the posterity for the sinne of the parents it shall hereafter in the common place of Originall sinne be fully resolved 4 Why God permitted the first sin of man GOD could have kept man from falling if hee would The causes of Gods permission of the first sin but hee permitted him to fall that is hee gave him not the grace of resistance against the temptation of the Divell and that for two causes To shew mans weaknesse and infirmity That it might stand for an example of the weakenesse and infirmity of the creature were it not supported and preserved in originall righteousnesse by the Creator To shew his mercy justice and power That by this occasion God might shew his goodnesse mercy and grace in saving the Elect by Christ and that hee might shew his justice and power in punishing the wicked and reprobate for their sinnes according to these sayings of Scripture God hath shut up all in unbeliefe Rom. 11.32 Rom. 9.22 23. that he might have mercy on all and every mouth might be stopped And God to shew his wrath and make his power knowne suffered with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction and that hee might declare the riches of his glory upon the vessels of mercy which hee hath prepared unto glory This doctrine concerning the Creation and fall of man is necessary for the Church for many causes and uses which it hath 1. Wee must know that man was created of God without sinne The necessity and use of this doctrine of mans creation lest God be imagined the authour or cause of sinne 2. Whereas mans body was fashioned of clay let us thinke of our frailty that wee be not lifted up with pride 3. Seeing that the workmanship of God is so admirable in the framing of mans body and seeing it was created for the ministery of Gods worship and for God to dwell in and for everlasting life let us neither abuse it to dishonesty neither willingly destroy it neither make it a stie of Divels but keeping it chaste and clean endeavour that it be a temple and
When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin Jam. 1.15 and sin when it is finiâ—â—ed bringeth forth death Here say they James saith that there is one sin finished when as the will upon deliberation consenteth to evill lust another not finished when a man sinneth without deliberation and to sin finished he ascribeth that it bringeth forth death We answer that the consequence of this is not oâ— force because that a property which belongeth to divers kinds when it is ascribed to one kind it followeth not thereof that it is to be removed from the other Actuall sin is an effect of Originall sin and a cause of death which though purchased by Originall yet is aggravated by Actuall For S. James distinguisheth the kinds or degrees of sins Originall and Actuall and saith that death followeth after Actuall not as if death did not follow after Originall but because that actuall is a middle between Originall sin and death as a cause of this and an effect of that and doth aggravate death or punishment which already was purchased by Originall sin Neither doth he chiefly speak of the degrees of punishments but of the cause and originall of them to be sought in the corruption of our owne nature Object 8. It is said Jam. 3.2 In many things we sin all Hence our adversaries will prove That the sins of the just are Veniall because they fall either into few sins or into no mortall sins To this as also to most of that which hath gone before we answer that the sins of the just who by faith retain or receive righteousnesse are Veniall not of their owne nature but by grace Gods justice is not at variance with his mercy though it judge the least sin worthy of eternall death Object 9. God is not cruell but mercifull nâ—â—â—her light in his love but constant Wherefore he doth not for every light sin judge a man worthy of eternall punishments Answ But they imagine that the judgement of God concerning sinne is at variance with his mercy which two are not at variance but do very well agree For God is in such wise mercifull as he is also just Now the justice of God requireth that hee judge all even the least offence and contempt of his majesty worthy of eternall damnation This judgement against every sin the mercy and constancy of Gods love doth not take away but for the shewing and declaring thereof it is sufficient that hee rejoyceth not at the destruction of them that perish and that for testimony thereof he inviteth all to repentance and forgiveth them who repent their sins which by themselves were worthy of everlasting death that is hee punisheth them and causeth satisfaction for them not in the sinners but in his owne Son sent to take flesh by punishment answering and satisfying his justice Object 10. It is said Mat. 5.19 Whosoever shall break one of these least commandements and teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heaven This they interpret after this sort That he who both by sin and teaching doth against the Law is fallen from the Kingdome of God and not he who in teaching subscribeth to the Law although sometimes he doth a little contrary to that he teacheth But the opposition or contrariety which Christ addeth But whosoever shall observe and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdome of God doth shew that Christ in the former part of the speech doth understand those who breake that is violate the Law which they teach so that the meaning is Although one teach well and yet violate one of these commandements which the Pharisees terme the least that is of the commandements of the Decalogue hee shall find these commandements so not to be the least but the greatest as himselfe thereby shall become the least that is in no place in the Kingdome of God Albeit it be granted unto them that in the words of Christ to teach so is the same that to teach contrary to the Law yet can it not at all be gathered thence that they alone shall be the least in the Kingdome of God who by teaching and sinning break the Law and not they also who by sinning only and not teaching Christ calleth them the least not as in his owne judgement but as in the judgement of the Pharisees and so he imitateth them in thus speaking transgresse it The first reason is in the very words of Christ because he calleth those commandements the least by a figure of speech called Imitation which are the greatest and the breach whereof whether it be committed in deed or in doctrine or in both God judgeth worthy the shutting out of his Kingdome even by our adversaries confession that is the whole Decalogue which the Pharisees did set behind their traditions The second reason is in the words which Christ addeth For I say unto you Except your righteousnes exceed the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall not enter into the Kingdome of heaven In these words Christ sheweth that a far other righteousnesse is required by the Law of God then the Pharisees thought of and that those sins also are so great that they shut men out of the Kingdome of heaven which the Pharisees accounted either for light or no sins as to be angry with thy brother unadvisedly to say unto him Racha or foole to be troubled with an evill affection or desire of revenge for even these things also he saith are to be avoided if we will avoid hell fire and be the children of our heavenly Father Therefore he saith Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her Mat. 5.28 hath committed adultery with her already in his heart And Whosoever hateth his brother is a man-slayer and yee know that no man-slayer hath eternall life abiding in him 1 John 3.15 And therefore not they only which commit the greater sins but they also who commit the lesser cannot escape everlasting death but by the satisfaction of Christ imputed to them But as our adversaries accuse this sentence of too much rigour Sin made veniall unto the repentant by grace for the intercession and satisfaction of Christ That all sinnes are by themselves of their owne nature Mortall that is deserve eternall death so also the other sentence That sins are made Veniall to those that repent which of their owne nature are Mortall they reprehend as too gentle and repugnant to Gods justice because to call that Veniall which is Mortall is contrary to truth and justice But the answer is ready That God if we respect the nature of sin adjudgeth all sin worthy of everlasting death and giveth pardon to none but of free grace for the intercession and satisfaction of his Son our Mediatour The third division of sin THere is sin against the conscience and sin not against the conscience Sin against the conscience Sin against the conscience is when a man knowing
of this reason is to be denied which doth not hold from the position or putting of the second cause to the removing of the first cause For as it followeth not The Sun causeth day therefore God doth not so neither doth this follow The unregenerate perform outward discipline therefore they do it God not causing it in them nor ruling and directing them Object 8. They alledge testimonies also Which confirme that men doe evill or good with free will As The children of Israel offered free gifts unto the Lord. I have set before thee life and death Exo. 25.2 35.3 Deut. 30.19 How the Scriptures admit liberty of will good and evill blessings and cursings Therefore chuse life that both thou and thy seed may live But in these and all the like places only that liberty of mans will is affirmed which hath been spoken of before that is that the Will obeyeth or withstandeth the precedent judgement of the understanding with free and voluntary motion without any constraint but the government of God is not at all removed from voluntary actions For it was shewed before that this liberty of Will doth not stand against that necessity which by the providence of God doth accompany it Object 9. They bring forth testimonies also in which necessity is removed and taken away from voluntary actions Levit. 22.19 Acts 5.4 Of these ye shall offer willingly Whiles it remained appertained it not to thee 1 Cor. 7.37 And after it was sold was it not in thine owne power Hee that standeth firme in his heart that he hath no necessity but hath power over his owne will c. As every man wisheth in his heart 2 Cor. 9.7 1 Pet. 5.2 What necessity the Scripture removeth from voluntary actions so let him give Feed the flocke of God caring for it not by constraint but willingly But these sayings speak of obligation or binding which sometimes is signified by the name of necessity as the freeing from any bond by the name of liberty as Levit. 22. Act. 5. partly of coaction or constraint as 2 Cor. 9. and 1 Pet. 5. or also of need as 1 Cor. 7. which yet may be referred to obligation or bond by which the Parents are bound to have regard of the infirmity of their children So also the power of Will in the same place signifieth the right or power of determining any thing no obligation or bond hindering it But the removing of any obligation or coaction doth not at all take away the unchangeablenesse of voluntary actions which unchangeablenesse hangeth on the decree of God For as wel his will who is not bound neither by any need or want constrained is guided and moved by the purpose and counsell of Gods providence as his whom either bond or need constraineth to resolve of any purpose Wherefore the Scripture denieth not that the will is moved and ruled by God when it is not driven by bond or want or feare to do any thing for there are besides these many other reasons and causes by which God can move it either to will or not to will How in Scripture God is said not to will that which yet he will Jer. 7.13 14. Mat. 23.37 Object 10. They bring places of Scripture which testifie that men will or doe somewhat God bidding and willing otherwise Because I have called you and ye have not answered I will doe unto this house as I have done to Silo. Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thy children even as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not If then they did that which God would not their actions did depend only on their owne will and not of Gods Answ It is a fallacy concluding that which is in some sort so to be in all respects and simply so For God will not the actions of sinners as they are sins but hee will them as they are punishments of sins and the execution of his just judgement Wherefore this consequence holdeth not God will not the actions of the wicked as they are sinnes Therefore simply he will not have them to be done but they depend only on the will of the wicked For if God simply would them not they could by no meanes be done And except there were somewhat in them which did agree with his justice and nature he would not by reason of his goodnesse infinite and passing measure suffer them to be done If they reply That God would things contrary to these which men doe as it is said How often would I have gathered thee and therefore it is done onely by the will of men whatsoever men doe the same answer serveth that God would the obedience of all his reasonable creatures towards his Law as concerning his commanding and approving it For he requireth it of all and bindeth all to it and approveth it in all as being agreeable to his nature and purity but neither will he alwaies it nor in all as concerning his working and grace whereby they who are directed and guided doe that which God approveth and requireth The Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see Deut. 29.4 and eares to heare unto this day 2. Whether there be any liberty in us and what it is THat there is liberty of will in men it is proved 1. Because man was made to the Image of God and free-will is part of the Image of God 2. By places of Scripture Let us make man in our Image according to our likenesse Gen. 1.26 Syrac God made man from the beginning and left man in the hand of his counsell 3. By the definition of that liberty which agreeth to man for man worketh upon deliberation that is freely knowing desiring and refusing this or that object And because the definition agreeth unto man therefore also doth the thing which is defined agree to him The doctrine of Originall sin not overthrowne by that liberty which we hold to be in man Object 1. If there be in man liberty of will the doctrine of Originall sin is overthrowne for these are contrary Not to be able to obey God and To have liberty of will Ans They are not contrary because we have liberty to will and do good only in part to wit as we are regenerated by the holy Spirit but not in whole and full neither in that degree in which before the fall we had it and shall have it in the life to come Again although the unregenerate are only able to will those things which are evill yet they will them upon deliberation without constraint even by their owne proper and inward motion and therefore freely Ability to chuse as well good as bad is not necessarily joyned with free-will Object 2. He that hath not ability to chuse as well good as bad hath not free-will and arbitrement but man hath not ability to chuse as well good as evill Therefore hee hath not free-will Ans
3.15 That we may learn to hate sin the Divell and the world If ye were of the world the world would love you We wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers Love not the world neither the things that are in the world Exercise of godlinesse Our exercise or triall that we may go forward and increase in faith hope patience obedience and prayer or that we may have occasion of exercising and trying our selves and that both unto our selves and others our hope faith and patience may be made known For it is an easie matter to glory of our faith in prosperity but in adversity the glory or grace of vertue is conspicuous and eminent He that hath not been tempted what knoweth he Experience bringeth hope Syrac 34.10 Rom. 5.4 Particular defects in the godly Particular defects and failings in the Saints Manasses had his faults Josaphat his and others have other defects therefore Gods chastisements are also divers wherein he sheweth that he is angry also with the sins of the godly and will more severely revenge them unlesse they repent The servant which knew his masters will and did it not Luke 12.47 shall be beaten with many stripes Gods glory in their deliverance The revealing and setting forth of Gods glory in the deliverance of the Church and the godly for God often times bringeth his into extreme dangers that their delivery may be the more glorious as appeareth in the slavery of the Israelites in Egypt and their captivity in Babylon c. that he may I say gloriously deliver them and shew that he hath found a way of delivery where no creature could hope or look for it The Lord bringeth down to hell 1 Sam. 2.6 and raiseth up againe A conformity between them and Christ 2 Tim. 2.12 Rom. 8.29 Matth. 10.24 The conformity of the members with their head Christ in affliction and glory If we suffer with him we shall also reigne with him Those which he knew before he also did predestinate to be made like to the image of his Son The servant is not greater then his Lord neither the disciple above his Master Confirmation and testimony of the truth by their martyrdome Joh. 21.18 The confirmation and testimony of their doctrine in their martyrdoms For when faithfull and godly men suffer any evils and death it selfe for the confession and maintenance of their doctrine they give ample testimony to the world that they are so verily perswaded of the truth of this doctrine that by no means they can forgoe it and moreover that this doctrine yeeldeth and ministreth true and solid comfort in death it selfe and therefore of necessity is the very truth Peter is foretold by what death hee should glorifie God A confirmation of the life to come 2 Thess 1.5 The afflictions of the godly are a confirmation and testimony of the judgement and life to come For the justice and truth of God requireth that at length it goe well with the good and ill with the bad But this cometh not to passe in this life Therefore there is remaining yet another life which is a token of the righteous judgement of God Out of these causes we are to answer the argument which the world useth against the providence of God Object The Church is oppugned throughout the whole world and trodden under foot of all men Therefore it is not the true Church nor protected by God Ans Nay rather because it is persecuted by the wicked ones of this world it is apparantly the true Church For if it were of the world the world would love her owne Joh. 15.19 But the causes of the afflictions of the Church are manifest and evident and the event and end of things shall one day convict the world 3. Comforts to be opposed against afflictions Comforts in affliction OF comforts in afflictions some are proper unto the Church some are common to it with Philosophy Proper are the first and the two last of those which shall be recited the rest are common and that but in outward shew only and in name but not being farther entred into and discoursed of Remission of sins and reconciliation unto God Remission of sins This is the ground and foundation of the rest because without this the rest minister no comfort unto us whilest we doubt of our reconcilement to God for otherwise we alwaies doubt whether the promise of grace belong unto us But if this be once surely grounded the rest are soon built upon it for if God be our Father he will then no way endamage us but be our guardian in whatsoever distresse Rom. 8.31 If God be with us who can be against us The reason is because Take away the cause and you take away the effect take away sin and the punishment of sin is also taken away The necessity of obeying God and the love which we owe him The will and providence of God or the necessity of obeying God in prosperity and adversity because either of these is according to his will and good pleasure The reason of this consequence of obedience is not only because we are unable to resist God but especially we must therefore obey him 1. Because he is our Father 2. Because he hath so deserved of us that for his sake we ought to suffer far greater evils 3. Because the miseries he sendeth us are his fatherly chastisements This comfort calmeth our storming stomacks because it intimateth that it is our Fathers pleasure we should so suffer Job 13.15 Job 1 21. Psal 39.10 Loe though hee slay mee yet will I trust in him As it pleased the Lord so it is come to passe blessed be the name of the Lord. I became dumb and opened not my mouth for it was thy doing The Philosophers say that it is patiently to be suffered which cannot be altered and avoyded They establish a fatall necessity and therefore foolishnesse it were to kick against the pricks but in the heat of calamities they submit not themselves to God nor acknowledge his indignation and wrath nor suffer adversity to that end as thereby to obey him but because they cannot shake them off nor wrest themselves out of them at pleasure This is a miserable cold comfort The worthiness of vertue The worthinesse of vertue that is of obedience towards God which is true vertue for which a man is not to cast away his courage in bearing the crosse Temporall goods are great blessings of God but farre greater benefits are obedience faith hope c. Wherefore let us not preferre lesse things before greater neither let us take away the things of greater value to redeem the losse of things of â—esse worth Mat. 10.37 16.25 Hee that hateth not his father and mother for my sake is not worthy of me He that seeketh to save his soule shall lose it This dignity of vertue do the Philosophers most
worship and Mosaicall policie or government to be observed in that region and nation untill the coming of the Messias and lastly for the Messias to be born out of that people But the new Testament hath no such speciall promises of corporall benefits but only generall as that God will preserve his Church unto the end and give it some abiding and resting place In the circumstance of the promise of grace In the circumstance of the promise of grace for in the old Covenant the beleevers were reconciled unto God and saved for the Messias sake which should be exhibited and for his sacrifice to come in the new Covenant we are saved for the Messias being come and exhibited and for his sacrifice already offered In the signes of the promise of grace In the rights or signes added to the promise of grace In the old Covenant the Sacraments were divers and painfull as the Circumcision the Passeover the Sacrifices and Oblations But the Sacraments in the new are few and plain even Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. In cleernesse and evidence In cleernesse and evidence The old had types and shadows of good things to come all things were figurative as their Priests and Sacrifices and therefore the more obscure and dark In the new is an accomplishment of these types and so all things are more cleer as well in the Sacraments as the doctrine thereof In gifts In gifts In the old the effusion and powring out of the gifts of the holy Ghost was more narrow and sparing in the new it is more large and plentifull Jer. 31.31 1 Cor. 3.9 Joel 2.28 I will make a new covenant If the ministration of condemnation was glorious much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceed in glory I will powre out my spirit upon all flesh c. In continuance Jer. 32.40 In continuance The old was but for a time during untill the coming of the Messias the new is for ever I will make an everlasting Covenant with them In their manner of binding In their bond or manner of binding The old Covenant bound them to the obedience of the whole Mosaicall law morall ceremoniall and civil the new bindeth us only to the morall or spirituall law and to the use of the Sacraments In extent In extent In the old Covenant the Church was inclosed and limited within the Jewish nation whereunto it became all others that would be saved to repair In the new the Church is spread over all nations and there is an entrance into it open to all beleevers of whatsoever nation estate or language Why the old Covenant is taken for the Law and the new for the Gospel Here is to be observed that the old Testament or Covenant is in Scripture oftentimes taken by a figure of speech called Synecdoche which we use when we take the whole for a part or a part for the whole for the law in respect of that part which is especially handled there for in the old Testament the law was more urged and there were many parts thereof the Gospel was then more obscure Contrariwise the new Testament or Covenant is for the most part taken for the Gospel because in the new Testament a great part of Moses law is abrogated and the manifestation and knowledge of the Gospel is to us more cleer and ample Quest 19. Whence knowest thou this Ans Out of the Gospel which God first made known in Paradise a Gen. 3.15 and afterwards did spread it abroad by the Patriarks b Gen. 22.18 12.3 49.10 and Prophets c Isa 5.3 42.1 2 3 4. 43.25 45.5 6 22 23. Jer. 23.56 31.32 33 33.39 40 41. Mic. 7.18 19 20. Acts 10.34 3.22 23 24. Rom. 1.2 Heb. 1.1 shadowed it by sacrifices and other ceremonies of the law d Heb. 10.7 Col. 2.17 John 5.46 and lastly accomplished it by his only begotten Son e Rom. 10.4 Gal. 4.4 3.24 Col. 2.17 The Explication The order correspondence of this question in the second part of the Catechism which the third question in the first part thereof THis nineteenth Question of the Catechisme which is concerning the Gospel is like to the third For as there it is demanded Whence knowest thou thy misery and answer is made Out of the Law So here the Question is Whence knowest thou thy delivery the answer hereof is Out of the Gospel Seeing then it hath been already spoken of the Mediatour we are necessarily also to speak of the doctrine in which the Mediatour is declared described and offered unto us that doctrine is the Gospel Afterwards we are also to speak of the mean whereby wee are made partakers of the Mediatour and his benefits that mean is faith First therefore the common place concerning the Gospel cometh to be handled which is fitly annexed to the former doctrine concerning the Mediatour and Covenant between God and men 1. Because Christ the Mediatour is the subject or matter of the Gospel which teacheth who and what manner of Mediatour this is 2. Because he is the author and publisher of the same for it is part of the Mediatours office to publish the Gospel as it is said The only begotten John 1.8 which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him 3. Because the Gospel is a part of the Covenant and the new Covenant is often taken for the Gospel The principall Questions are 1. What the Gospel is 2. Whether it be any new doctrine 3. How it differeth from the Law 4. What are the proper effects of the Gospel 5. Whence the truth and certainty of the Gospel may appear 1. What the Gospel is Three significations of the word Gospel THe Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for which wee use Gospel signifieth 1. A joyfull message or news 2. The sacrifice which is offered to God for this joyfull news 3. The reward which is given to him who bringeth glad tidings Here it is taken for the doctrine or joyfull newes of Christ exhibited in th flesh Luke 2.10 as Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy because to you this day Christ is born There is a difference also to be observed between the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the promise of the Mediatour to be exhibited hereafter How the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes differ in Scripture the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tidings of the Messias already exhibited Neverthelesse this difference of these words is not perpetuall and it consisteth rather in the letter and words themselves then in the thing signified by the words for both of them declare the same benefits of the Messias but the difference is only in the circumstance of time and in the manner of his manifestation and exhibiting as
appeareth out of these sayings Abraham saw my day John 8.56 John 14.6 John 10.7 Ephes 1.22 â—ebr 13 8. What the Gospel 〈◊〉 and was glad No man cometh to the Father but by mee I am the doore c. God hath appointed him over all things to be the head to the Church Jesus Christ yesterday to day c. Now The Gospel is the doctrine revealed in Paradise from heaven by the Son of God the Mediatour presently after the fall of mankinde into sin and death wherein freedome from sin death and from the curse and wrath of God that is remission of sinnes salvation and life everlasting by and for the same his Sons sake our Mediatour is of the free grace of God promised and preached to all that beleeve in the Sonne of God and imbrace repentance by which doctrine the holy Ghost doth forcibly worke in the hearts of the faithfull kindling in them faith repentance and the beginning of everlasting life Or out of the 18 19 and 20 Questions of the Catechisme such a definition of the Gospel is framed The Gospel is a doctrine which God first made known in Paradise and afterwards spread it abroad by the Patriarks and Prophets shadowed it by sacrifices and other ceremonies of the law and lastly accomplished it by his onely begotten Son teaching that the Son of God even our Lord Jesus Christ is made of God unto us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption that is to say a perfect Mediatour satisfying for the sin of mankinde and restoring righteousnesse and life everlasting to all them who by a true faith are engraffed into him and doe imbrace his benefits This definition all the summes which are in Scripture delivered of the Gospel John 6.70 doe confirme as This is the will of him that sent me that every man that seeth the Son and beleeveth in him should have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day â—â—ke 24 47. John 1.17 Through his Name was repentance and remission of sins to be preached to all nations The law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ By these and the like testimonies of Scripture it is manifest that both the Law and the Gospel preacheth repentance and that the instrument whereby God doth work in us repentance or true conversion is properly the Gospel But this order in proceeding must be observed First the Law is to be proposed that thence we may know our misery What order is to be observed in teaching the Law and Gospel Then that we may not despair after our misery is known unto us the Gospel is to be taught which both giveth us a certain hope of returning into Gods promised favour by Christ our Mediatour and sheweth unto us the manner how we are to repent Thirdly that after we attain unto our delivery we wex not carelesse and wanton the Law is to be taught again that it may be the levell square and rule of our life and actions 2. Whether the Gospel hath been alwayes known in the Church or whether it be any new doctrine The perpetuall continuance of the Gospel proved The Gospel sometimes signifieth the doctrine of the promise of grace and of remission of sins freely to be given for the sacrifice of the Messias as yet not manifested in the flesh and sometimes the doctrine of the Messias already exhibited In the latter sense and signification the Gospel hath not been of perpetuall continuance but began with the new Testament In the former meaning it hath alwayes been extant in the Church for presently after mans fall it was manifested in Paradise to our first parents and afterwards spread abroad and expounded by the Patriarks and Prophets and finally at length consummated and absolved by Christ both in the fulfilling or full performance as also in a more cleer declaration of those things which had before time been promised in the old Testament This is confirmed By testimonies of Peter Paul and Christ himselfe Acts 10 43. 1 Pet. 1.10 Rom. 1.2 John 5.46 By the records of the Apostles as of Peter To whom also give all the Prophets witnesse that through his name all that beleâ—ve in him shall receive remission of sins Of the which salvation the Prophets enquired and searched Likewise of Paul which Gospel he had promised afore by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures Of Christ himself also saying Had yee beleeved Moses ye would have beleeved me for he wrote of me By all the prophecies of the Messias The same is manifested by all the promises and prophecies which speak of the Messias This is therefore diligently to be marked because God will have us know that there was and is from the beginning of the world unto the end one onely doctrine and way of salvation which is by Christ Jesus Christ yesterday and to day the same also is for ever Heb. 13.8 Joh. 14 6. 5.46 I am the Way the Truth and the Life no man cometh to the Father but by me Moses wrote of me How say you wrote Moses of Christ 1. Because hee recounteth the promises concerning the Messias Why Moses is said to write of Christ Gen. 12.3 Deut. 10.15 Num. 24.17 Gen 49.10 In thy seed shall all nations be blessed God shall raise up a Prophet c. A Star shall rise out of Jacob. The Scepter shall not depart from Judah untill Shiloh come 2. Because hee restraineth these promises concerning the Messias unto a certain family of which the Messias was to be born and to which afterwards the promise of the Messias was more and more renewed and revealed 3. The whole Leviticall priesthood and the whole ceremoniall worship as the sacrifices the oblations the altar the temple and other things which Moses described had a respect and were referred unto Christ yea the kingdome also and the kings were a type of Christ and of his kingdome Wherefore Moses wrote very many things of Christ Object 1. But Paul saith that The Gospel was promised by the Prophets Rom. 1.2 And Peter that The Prophets prophesied of the grace which should come unto us 2 Pet. 1.10 Wherefore the Gospel hath not been alwayes Answ Wee accept of the whole reason as true of the Gospel understood and taken in the second signification above rehearsed that is of the doctrine of the promise of grace fulfilled by Christ exhibited in the flesh and of the evidence of this doctrine for in former ancient times the Gospel indeed was not but was promised onely by the Prophets to wit How the Gospel is said to have been promised unto the Fathers 1. As concerning the fulfilling of those things which in the old Testament were fore-told of the Messias 2. In respect of the more manifest knowledge of the promise of grace 3. In respect of a more large powring out of the gifts of the holy Ghost that is the Gospel then was not the doctrine of
divell hath often professed Christ therefore he doth not oppugne this doctrine The divel professed Christ that for his testimonies sake he might be lesse beleeved Mark 1.25 Acts 16.18 Ans He did this not for any desire of promoting and advancing Christs doctrine but for the hatred he bare unto it that by his testimony he might cause it to be suspected and might mingle therewith his own errours and lies therefore Christ doth command him silence as Paul also doth in the Acts. The faith of miracles is an especiall gift of effecting some extraordinary worke or foretelling some certain event by divine revelation Or What the faith of working miracles is It is a certain perswasion springing from an especiall revelation and peculiar promise of God touching some miraculous effect which he would have done and foretelleth that it shall come to passe For this kinde of faith cannot be drawne simply out of the generall word of God unlesse some singular promise or revelation of God be annexed therewith Of this faith the Apostle saith If I have all faith so that I could remove mountains 1 Cor. 13.2 for although this speech be understood of all the kindes of faith excepting justifying faith yet it is especially referred to the faith of miracles That this faith is diverse from the other kindes is proved by these reasons 1. By that saying of Christ How it differeth from the rest Matt. 17.20 If ye have faith as much as is a graine of mustard seed yee shall say unto this mountain Remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove But many holy men who had a stable faith and both knew the word of God and rejoyced therein and applyed it unto themselves as Abraham David c. yet did not remove mountains Therefore this is a diverse kind of faith from that justifying faith which they had 2. Many Exorcists and the sons of Sceva in the Acts endeavoured to cast out divels Acts 19 1◠whereas they had not the gift of it to wit speciall revelation from above and therefore it fell out ill with them the spirit of the possessed man invading disarming and wounding them Acts 8.13 3. Simon Magus is said to have beleeved and yet could hee not work miracles and therefore he would have bought and gotten this power with mony 4. The divell knoweth the story of the Scripture neither yet doth he work miracles because none besides the Creator is able to change the nature of things 5. Judas taught and wrought miracles as did the other Apostles therefore he had an historicall faith yea and perhaps a temporall faith and the faith of miracles yet had he not a justifying faith for hee is called of Christ a divell 6. Many shall say unto Christ John 6.70 Matth. 7.22 23. Lord Lord have not wee by thy name cast out divels but Christ will answer them I never knew you Wherefore the gift of working miracles is given to hypocrites also 7. The other kinds of faith extend to all things that are written in the word and therein proposed to be beleeved but this of miracles is appropriated and restrained to some certain works or extraordinary effects to come therefore it is a distinct kind of faith and different from the rest Justifying or saving faith is properly that which is defined in the Answer to the 21. Question of the Catechism What justifying faith is in which definition the generall or common nature is a knowledge and stedfast assent for of an unknown doctrine there is no faith and it behoveth every man to know the doctrine before he beleeve it 1. The materiall cause thereof whence the Papists implicite faith is refuted 2. The formall The difference or speciall nature is the confidence and applying which every particular man maketh to himselfe of free remission of sins by and through Christ The property and peculiar affection thereof is to rest and rejoyce in God for this so great good 3. The efficient The efficient cause is the holy Ghost The instrumentall cause is the Gospel 4. The instrumentall under which the use also of the Sacraments is comprehended The difference thereof from the rest The subject where it is seated is the will and heart of man Justifying or saving faith differeth from the other kinds of faith in that this onely is the certain confidence whereby we apply Christs merit unto our selves 1. In nature It is a confidence unmoveable and we apply it unto our selves when every one of us do certainly resolve that the righteousnesse or merit of Christ is also given and imputed to us that we may be esteemed just and righteous of God and also may be regenerated and glorified Confidence or trust is a motion of the heart or will following and pursuing some good thing and rejoycing and resting thereon for the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie beleefe and to beleeve come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to be strongly perswaded Whence the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to credit and beleeve even with profane authors is used in this sense to wax confident and to rest on any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 145. as wee read in Phocilides Credit not the Commons for the multitude is deceitfull And in Demosthenes Thou art confident on thy selfe or buildest too much on thine owne person Confidence is a motion of the heart because it is a following and pursuing of a good thing and a desire of retaining that good which a man already doth enjoy It is a rejoycing because it is glad of the present grace of God towards every of us of full deliverance from the guilt of sin and from sin it selfe in part and because by that which every one enjoyeth in present hee conceiveth hope of everlasting blessings to come as of everlasting life and full delivery from all evill both of crime and pain and therefore is free from the fear of future evill Matth. 25.29 1 Cor. 1.22 5.5 Ephes 1.13 To him that hath shall be given The holy Spirit given unto us is the earnest and pledge of our full redemption Again Justifying faith differeth from the rest in this also that this justifying faith is concerning all spirituall gifts and whatsoever belong to our salvation 2. In object It only concerneth spirituall things and is properly and simply or absolutely called faith in the Scripture and is proper also and peculiar to the elect and chosen The faith of miracles is a certain gift whereby we are not bettered which we may want without any hindrance to our salvation neither is it given to all the faithfull nor at all times Historicall faith is a part of the justifying and befalleth all the godly and hypocrites but is not sufficient alone to salvation because it applyeth not to it selfe those benefits which are made known unto it out of the word Temporary faith
hee be worthy of love or hatred Therefore wee cannot be assured of the election of God neither resolve any thing of Gods present favour and so by consequent neither of that which is to come Answer to the Antecedent 1. Man knoweth not true as concerning second causes or by events of things be they good or evill for externall and outward fortune is no certain token whereby to judge of Gods favour 2. Again man knoweth not of himselfe but hee knoweth it God revealing it and certifying us abundantly of his love towards us by his word and Spirit Repl. 5. Who hath known the minde of the Lord Answ Rom. 11.34 No man hath known it before God hath revealed it neither after hee hath revealed it doth any man perfectly know it but so much we know as may suffice to our salvation We all behold as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord with open face 2 Cor. 3.18 Rom. 8.16 and are changed into the same image from glory to glory It is the Spirit which revealeth and witnesseth unto us 1 Cor. 1.22 that wee are the sons of God Object 2. But if the righteous turn away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquity Ezek. 18.24 he shall die in his sins Therefore beleevers also may defect from godlinesse and fall from everlasting salvation Ans 1. That which is spoken but conditionally is no positive assertion Ans 2. He in that place is called just not only who is truly just but also who seemeth just in the eyes of men of which kind oftentimes time-serving hypocrites are which beleeve for a while and afterwards fall away for a true just man is like a tree planted by the waters side whose leafe shall not wither Psal 1.3 4. And the sons and heires only are endued with true conversion and godlinesse Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God And if sons then also heirs Gal. 4.7 1 Cor. 2.12 16. Wee have received the Spirit of God that we might know the things which are given unto us of God We have the mind of Christ When the Spirit of God which worketh in the sons and heirs of the kingdome their conversion and sanctification is called 2 Cor. 1.22 5.5 Ephes 1.14 The earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the possession purchased Object 3. Paul exhorteth the Corinthians 2 Cor. 6.1 Matt. 26.41 that they receive not the grace of God in vain so Christ likewise biddeth us Watch and pray Ans Thereby carnall security is forbidden and certainty of salvation as also faith tranquillity watchfulnesse and praier is commanded for these are the necessary and proper effects of our election and an infallible argument of salvation For all beleevers are elected and Paul teacheth Ephes 1. That by faith we are made partakers of Gods adoption Object 4. Saul failed and fell away finally Saul was one of the godly Therefore the godly also fall away Ans We deny the Minor that Saul was one of the godly for he was an hypocrite Repl. But he had the gifts of the holy Ghost Ans He had such gifts of the holy Ghost as are common to the godly with the reprobate he had not the gifts of regeneration and adoption and therefore neither had hee the holy Ghost sanctifying him which is proper unto the elect Object 5. The doctrine of the certainty of our salvation breedeth security Ans It breedeth indeed a spirituall security by it self in the elect alone and a carnall by accident and that only in the wicked and reprobate but not at all in the godly Quest 22. What are those things which are necessary for a Christian man to beleeve Ans All things which are promised us in the Gospel a John 20.31 Matth. 28.20 Mark 1.15 the summe whereof is briefly comprised in the Creed of the Apostles or in the Articles of the catholick and undoubted faith of all Christians The Explication AFter wee have treated of Faith it directly followeth now that wee speak of the Object of faith that is the summe of those things which are to be beleeved Faith therefore in generall apprehendeth the whole word of God and is strongly perswaded of the truth thereof as appeareth out of the definition thereof But justifying faith properly eyeth the promises of the Gospel or the preaching of grace through Christ Wherefore the Gospel is properly the object of justifying faith and it is properly termed The doctrine of things to be beleeved as contrariwise the law properly is The doctrine of things to be done Mens traditions therefore the Popes ordinances and decrees of Councels are sequestred and excluded from being the object of faith for faith can relie on nothing but the word of God as on an immoveable foundation Now the decrees of men are variable and uncertain sith every man is a lyar only God is true and his word truth Rom. 3 4. Wherefore Christians as they may not frame unto themselves any object of faith so neither may they receive any formed and delivered by others but must beleeve the Gospel only Mark 1.15 as the Scripture teacheth Repent and beleeve the Gospel 1 Cor. 2.5 That your faith should not be in the wisdome of men but in the power of God Now the summe of the Gospel or of things to be beleeved is the Apostles Creed whereof it followeth that wee treat Quest 23. Which is the Creed Answ 1. I beleeve in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth 2. And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord 3. Which was conceived by the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary 4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into hell 5. The third day he rose again from the dead 6. He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty 7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead 8. I beleeve in the holy Ghost 9. I beleeve the holy catholick Church the communion of Saints 10. The forgivenesse of sins 11. The resurrection of the body 12. And the life everlasting Amen The Explication THis word Symbole is derived from a Greek word which signifieth either a common collation of divers men to the making of a banquet or a signe token and mark whereby a man is discerned from other Such as is the military signe whereby fellowes are decyphered from enemies The Symbole so termed in the Church is a briefe and summary forme of Christian doctrine or a briefe summe or confession of the points of Christian religion or Evangelicall doctrine Now it is called by the name of Symbole because it is as a token or profession whereby the Church with her members is discerned from all her enemies and from all other Sects Some say that this briefe summe of Evangelicall doctrine was called a Symbole for that this doctrine was collated as it were and
imparted by the Apostles and every one of them did bestow some part thereof but that cannot be proved This reason may be rendred thereof more probable that it was called a Symbole for that the Articles of faith are the square and rule whereunto the faith and doctrine of all orthodox or right beleeving Christians ought to agree and be conferred The Symbole is called Apostolick Two reasons why the Creed is called Apostolick Because it containeth the summe of the Apostolick doctrine which the Catechumenes were enforced to hold and professe Because the Apostles delivered that summe of doctrine to their Schollers and Disciples which the Church afterwards held as received from them This selfe same Symbole is called also Catholick because there is but one faith of all Christians Why it is called Catholick An answer to a question moved touching other Creeds Here some demand a reason Why after the Apostles Creed other Creeds as the Creed of the Councell of Nice Ephesus and Chalcedon with Athanasius his Creed were compiled and received in the Church Answ These Creeds properly are not others that is quite different in substance from the Apostolick Symbole but are onely a repetition and more ample declaration of this in all which certain words are added as an explication thereof by reason of Hereticks by whom because of the shortnesse thereof this was depraved there is no change either of the matter or of the doctrine but only of the form of declaring it as easily appeareth by comparing them together Other important and weighty causes there were which might compell the Bishops and Doctors of ancient Churches to compose and draw out these briefe compendious formes of confession especially the Church then increasing Four causes why other Creeds were made and received in the Church and heresies growing with and in the Church For instance in few That all both young and old might with more ease bear in minde the main and entire foundation of Christianity comprised in briefe That all might alwayes have in their sight and view the confession of their faith and consolation reaped thence knowing what that doctrine is for which persecution is to be sustained So God in times past made a short summary abstract of his law and promises that all might have it as a rule of life and ground of consolation obvious to their eyes That the faithfull might have a peculiar badge and cognisan whereby to be distinguished both then and in all future ages from infidels and hereticks which with wily glosing sophismes corrupt the writings of the Prophets and Apostles for which very cause also these Confessions were intituled Symboles 4. That there might be some perpetuall rule extant in publike plain briefe and easie to be known whereby to examine all manner of doctrine and interpretation of Scripture to approve and ratifie whatsoever accordeth therewith and refuse and disanull the contrary The Apostolick Creed preferred above other Creeds because 1. The phrase of it is most proper 2. The time most ancient 3. The copy most authenticall Notwithstanding the Apostles Creed far surpasseth the rest in authority 1. Because for the most part it literally consisteth of the proper words and phrases of Scripture 2. Because it is of greater antiquity then other Creeds and was delivered first unto the Church by the Apostles themselves or by their disciples and schollers and since them successively from hand to hand transferred unto us their posterity 3. Because it is the fountaine and originall draught even an authenticall rule of direction to other Creeds which for illustration of this to prevent the fraudulent sleights and forged corruption of hereticks have in universall and generall Synods or Councels been published and authorised by the whole joint-consent of the Church The certainty of this Creed dependeth not on the authority and arbitrement of men or definitive sentence of Councels but on the perpetuall concordance of holy Scripture with them and of the whole Church since the Apostles time retaining and holding fast the Apostles doctrine and testifying to all posterity that they received this doctrine at the Apostles mouthes and the mouthes of their hearers which consent is obvious to any man that daigneth to view it with both eyes and weigh it considerately For certain it is that no Congregation of Angels nor conventicle of men hath any power of instituting new lawes touching the worship of God or new Articles of faith binding the conscience for this is a work proper unto God Neither may we beleeve God for the testimony of the Church but the Church for the testimony of God This doctrine touching the causes and authority of divers Creeds is borrowed out of Ursinus Admonit Neustad de Concordia Burgens written Anno Dom. 1581. where young Divines may if they list reade a large discourse touching the truth and authority of Ecclesiasticall Writers learnedly discussed from 117. page unto the 142. page of the said Tract a briefe Type and Table whereof I have here decyphered THE TABLE The writings touching the doctrine of the Church are 1. Divine that is inspired immediately by God into the hearts of the Prophets and Apostles such as are the Canonicall books of the old and new Testament These alone are simply in their sentences and words full of divine inâ—piration and worthy credit and therefore are the sole rule of tryall unto all others 2. Ecclesiasticall that is written by the Doctors of the Church these are 1. Publick to wit written in the common name of the whole Church which again are subdivided into writings 1. Catholick I meane Creeds and Confessions written in the name and with the full consent of the whole orthodox right beleeving Church received and allowed by the authority thereof such as are The Apostles Creed The Creeds of the Councels of Nice ConstaÌ„tinople Chalcedon Athanasius his Creed 2. Particular namely the Confessions of certain Churches and Councels as divers Catechismes and the Augustanâ— Confession 2. Private that is written in the name and by the advice of some one private man or more as Common places Commentaries and such like ON THE 8. SABBATH Quest 24. Into how many parts is the Creed divided Answ Into three parts The first is of God the eternall Father and our Creation The second of God the Son and our Redemption The third of God the holy Ghost and our Sanctification The Explication THe principall parts of the Apostolick Creed are three 1. Of God the Father and our Creation 2. Of God the Son and our Redemption 3. Of God the holy Ghost and our Sanctification that is of the works of our Creation Redemption and Sanctification Ob. 1. Unto the Father is ascribed the Creation of heaven and earth unto the Son the Redemption of mankind unto the holy Ghost Sanctification Therefore the Son and the holy Ghost did not create heaven and earth How our Creation Redemption Sanctification are each appropriated to some one person of the
like unto our affections but are used to signifie these two things of God Two things means by the Scriptures attributing humane passions to God 1. That it is not a fained or dissembled but an earnest eternall unchangeable nature all will in God a shadow and image whereof hee would have the affections and motions created in men to be yet is it without all trouble or hindrance or diminishing of his blessednesse and joy 2. That he doth those things which men are wont to go being stirred up by those affections which are attributed to God not that he as men being moved by a present or suddain affection of the minde doth now first take counsell but doth now at the length execute and doe things which he decreed and appointed from all eternity Object 2. The promises and threatnings of God of tentimes are not fulfilled Answ The promises of God are alwayes to be understood with an exception of the crosse of the godly Gods promises threathings conditionall with an exception and of the punishments and chastisements of such as depart from God and sin or with a condition of perseverance in faith and godlinesse and also contrarily his threatnings with an exception of conversion and prayer or with a condition of perseverance in sin And these conditions are sometimes expressed as Jer. 18 and 28. where plainly is set down this rule of understanding Gods promises and threatnings as That God will punish them who depart from him unto whom hee had promised blessings and will spare those who repent to whom hee had threatned punishment And sometimes they are closely understood especially in the threatnings and comminations thereby even to wrest repentance and more timely and earnest prayers from us by which as means interposed and coming between hee hath decreed to save and deliver us Repl. But these conditions are uncertain and changeable Therefore the will of God is also changeable Answ In respect of the nature will and judgement of man they are changeable but in respect of the counsell and providence of God unchangeable and most certain for God hath decreed from everlasting the means and ends of things as also he hath decreed in whom he will and in whom he will not work conversion Ob. 3. He changeth many his precepts and observances and works as the Mosaicall laws and government Ans He changeth them indeed but so as he would also from everlasting that change neither are all things appointed of God for perpetuity but he decreed from everlasting some things to last only for a time Wherefore be it to us out of all controversie that God is unchangeable For Gods unchangeablenesse one of his speciall differences wherby he is distinguished from all creatures Matt. 24.35 This is amongst those especiall differences whereby the Creatour will be discerned from all creatures That he only can by no means be changed whereas all other things both are diversly changed and may at the only pleasure of God be changed infinitely howsoever for a while so long as it is his pleasure they are and seem arm and immutable according as it is said Heaven and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe It is an assurance unto us that all things are governed by his providence Hence we may understand and are assured That all things in the world are governed by the everlasting providence of God For seeing no mutation happeneth to God it must needs be that an his counsels were purposed from everlasting And seeing God both foreseeth all things unchangeably and his counsels concerning the event and end of things are certain and unchangeable it must needs be also that the second causes and means or antecedents without which those events were not to follow must be certain and unchangeable And because in things created especially in humane affaires there is a great uncertainty and mutability neither is there any cause of unchangeablenesse but the will of God God could not have appointed any thing certain or unchangeable concerning the event and end except he had also made all the means by which the end is attained unto and which as concerning their own nature are most certaine and unchangeable by his everlasting counsell and decree certain and unchangeable Isa 14.27 Wherefore it is said The Lord of hosts hath determined it and who shall disanull it It is a mean to Keep 〈◊〉 in our duty The whole use and force and declaration of the promises threatnings and examples of Gods goodnesse power justice mercy and wrath both old and new to teach us and to erect us with comfort or by fear to hold and keep us in our duty and the fear of God dependeth on Gods unchangeable nature for all those doe then affect us when wee think that the same nature and will of God which was in times past is now also and will be such to us repenting or persisting in our sinnes as wee see it was in times past and now is towards others And then do wee truly relie upon the promises of God when wee know that his counsell shall never be changed It teacheth us to submit our will to Gods will This doctrine inclineth mens mindes to obedience and subjection which is necessary in asking things at Gods hands that we desire not God to doe those things for us or others which he hath before-time assuredly told us that he will not do and further that we submit and leave with reverence those things to his pleasure whereof he would not as yet have known unto us what he hath decreed It is the ground of the comfort of the godly in this life The unchangeablenesse of Gods will is the ground and foundation of the hope and comfort of the godly in this life for it is most absurd to conceive of God that now he loveth and now he hateth us now hee will assuredly give unto us everlasting life and a little after again he will not And therefore when once true faith and conversion unto God is begun in our hearts and the Spirit of God hath begun to witnesse to our spirit that we are the sons of God and heirs of everlasting life God will have us certainly to resolve that as hee had this his will towards us from everlasting so to everlasting hee will not change it but will assuredly bring us at his pleasure out of this wicked and miserable life through all tentations and dangers whatsoever to eternall and everlasting life according to that article of our faith I beleeve life everlasting Three things signifie◠by Gods omnipotencie Omnipotent When as Omnipotency is attributed to God thereby is understood 1. That whatsoever he will or whatsoever not impairing his nature and majesty he is able to will he is also able to perform 2. That he is able to perform all those things without any difficulty and labour even with his onely beck and will 3. That all the force and power of
him by contemning these to our own perill and danger 2. That we may obtain those blessings decreed for us according to his promise and that to our salvation 3. That we may retain a good conscience in using the means although the expected events do not alwaies follow either in our selves or others The sixth Sophisme of the merit of good and evill WHatsoever is necessary doth not merit rewards or punishments But all morall good and evill is done necessarily Therefore neither the good meriteth reward nor the evill punishment Answ This argument is handled by Aristotle in his Ethicks Lib. 3. cap 5. No good work of the creature meriteth reward But the answer thereto is easie First The Major is either particular and so there is no consequence or sequel or being generally taken is false and that even in morall or civill consideration to wit in respect of those things which are necessary by supposition and yet are done freely as the actions of men Secondly Wee grant the reason in respect of the judgement of God concerning good works For the creature cannot merit any thing no not by his best works of God Rom. 4.1 because both they are due and are the effects of God in us And therefore the more good things God worketh in us so much the more hee bindeth and indebteth us to him Wherefore in the godly God crowneth and rewardeth of his free bountifulnesse not their merits but his owne gifts But as touching evill works we deny the reason For they merit punishment and that most justly Evill works merit punishment justly for although men forsaken of God cannot but sin yet the necessity of finning both was purchased by their own fault as who freely and willingly departed from God and remaineth in them joyned and accompanied with great desire and delight Wherefore to this that they should merit punishment their own will sufficeth whereas especially the punishment was before denounced This solution or answer Aristotle himself giveth us Ibid. when as he sheweth That men are deservedly reprehended and punished for vices either of mind or body though they cannot avoid them or leave them because themselves are the cause of their own vices and have purchased them unto themselves of their own accord and voluntarily Last of all Certain places of Scripture wrested against Gods providence John 8.44 James 1.13 Syrac 15.20 they wrest also certain places of Scripture by false interpretations against Gods universall providence As When the divell speaketh a lie then he speaketh of his own God tempteth no man He hath commanded no man to do ungodly as also other the like places which deny God to be the author of sin But those places attribute unto the wicked and remove from God the sinnes as lies and temptations to sâ—n but the actions themselves of the wicked as they are not sins but operations and motions serving for the exercising and manifesting of Gods goodnesse or justice the whole Scripture sheweth to be done by the will of God and also as they are sins by his just permission as Of Sathan deceiving the Prophets of Achab Of the false Prophets by whom God tryeth and openeth the hypocrisie or constancie of men in true religion Acts 5.3 2 Cor. 4.4 Sathan filled the heart of Ananias The god of this world hath blinded the hearts of unbeleevers In these and the like sayings also is discerned the work of the Divell unjustly blinding men to destroy them and of God justly blinding them by the Divell Acts 5.38 Isa 31. to punish them If this counsell be of men it will come to nought Woe be to the rebellious children that take counsell but not of mee The counsels of men are said to be not of God but of themselves in respect of the ends which men letting passe the will of God revealed unto them respect not and attain not unto but not in respect of the ends which God doth respect and attaineth unto as well by the wicked not knowing or contemning his will as by the godly or which is in effect the same the counsels of men are said to be of them not of God as they are sins that is as they swerve from the known will of God but not as they are the execution of Gods either secret or known will 2 Cor. 9.9 God doth not take care for oxen Not principally or not in such sort as for men For he giveth also to beasts their meat Those words then Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corn were therefore spoken especially that God might thereby shew what hee would have by men unto men to be performed So the wicked are often said to be cast out of the sight of God not that the providence of God is not extended to them but that he doth not tender them with his mercy and bounty as he doth the godly For the godly also complain That they are neglected of God when they are afflicted not that God is not present with them in affliction but that humane sense and judgment suggesteth this unto us Levit. 20 5. And God is said to set his face against the wicked to cut them off Quest 28. What doth this knowledge of the Creation and Providence of God profit us Answ That in adversity we may be patient a Rom. 5.3 James 1.3 Job 1.21 22. Psal 39.10 and thankfull in prosperity b Dâ—â—â— 8 1â— 1 Thess 5.18 and have hereafter our chiefest hope reposed in God our most faithfull Father c Psal 55 2â— Rom. 5.4 being sure that there is nothing which may withdraw us from his love d Rom. 8.38 â—9 forasmuch as all creatures are so in his power that without his will they are not able not only to do any thing but not so much as once to move e Job 1.12 2.6 Prov. 21.1 Acts 17.25 The Explication The causes why this doctrine is to be known THis doctrine of Gods providence is necessary to be known The glory of God For the glory of God for he will have us to ascribe to him most great liberty goodnesse wisdome power and justice and this he will have us to acknowledge and professe against the dreams and dotings of Epicures Manichees and Stoicks But if the providence of God in moving and guiding all things even the least both good and bad be denied these also his properties are denied and if these be denied God is not worshipped and magnified of us but denied Our own comfort salvation 1. Patience in adversity For our own comfort and salvation that by this means there may be stirred up in us first Patience in adversity because all things come to passe by the most wise just and available counsell and will of our heavenly Father and whatsoever either good or bad God sendeth us in them we consider the fatherly will of God towards us Whatsoever cometh unto us by the counsell
prophet from the beginning of the Church 〈◊〉 all câ—â—â—â—ty The great and chiefe Prophet which is Christ is a person immediately ordained of God even from the beginning and cradle of the Church in Paradise to all eternity sent of the Father to declare the will of God towards mankinde to institute and appoint a ministery to teach by the Word and Sacraments the holy Ghost working together with him and lastly in the flâ—â—h to preach the Gospel and to make knowne in his flesh by his doctrine and workes that he is the Some consubstantiall and of the same substance with the Father and authâ—â—â— of the Evangelike doctrine giving by it the holy Ghost and kindling faith in the hearts of men sending Apostles and gathering unto himselfe a Church â—â—t of mankâ—â—de of which he may be heard invocated and worshipped Wherefore the Proâ—â—â— call function of Christ is There paâ—â—â—â—â— Câ—â—st 〈…〉 1. To open and declare unto Angels and men God and his 〈◊〉 which could not be knowne but by the Son and by speciall revelarâ—◠〈◊〉 The â—â—m which is in the bosome of the Father hee hath declared him The things thâ— have heard of the Father Mâ—â—◠〈◊〉 5 〈◊〉 1â— 6 10. those speake I to the world Likewise to refine and puâ—â—â—â— the Law and worship of God from corruptions 2. To institute or ordaine and to maintain the ministry of the Gospel to raise up and to send Prophets Apostles and other ministers of the Church to bestow on them the gift of prophâ—cie and to furnish them with gifts necessary to their ministery He that is 〈…〉 11. Christ hath given some Apostles some Prophets and some Doctors c. Therefore said the â—â—sâ—ome of God I will send them Prophets and Apostles c. I will give you a mouch â—â—a wisedome where against all your adversâ—ries shall not be able to speake nor resist So the spirit of Christ is said to have spoken by the Prophets 3. To be through his ministery effectuall in the hearts of the heaters that is to teach us within our hearts by his spirit to lighten our mindes to move our hearts to beleeve and obey the Gospel Hee shall baptise you with the holy Ghost and with fire Then opened hee their understanding Mat. 3 11. 〈◊〉 24 4â— 2 pheâ— 5 â—0 â—â—â—ke 10.9 〈◊〉 â—â— 14 2â— 5 that they might understand the Scriptures Christ gave himselfe for the Church that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word They went forth and preached every where and the Lord wrought with them and confirmed the word with signes that followed The Lord opened the heart of Lydia that thee attended unto the things which Paul spake The Lord gave testimony unto the word of his grace Briefly the parts of Christs propheticall office are these three 1. To reveale his Fathers will 2. To ordaine a Ministery 3. To teach the hearts of men or to be effectuall by his ministery And these three things Christ doth and did performe even from the beginning of the Church and will performe to the end of the world and that by his owne authority power and efficacy and therefore Christ is called the Word Why Christ is called 〈…〉 not onely in respect of the Father of whom in cogitation beholding himselfe and considering the image of himselfe not vanishing but subâ—sting consubstantiall co-equall co-eternall to the Father himselfe hee was begotten but also in respect of us because hee is that person which spake to the Fathers and brought forth the living and quickning word or Gospel out of the bosome of the Father Seven differences between Christ other Prophets By these things which have been now spoken is also understood what difference there is between Christ and other Prophets both of the Old and New Testament and why he is the chief Prophet and Doctor The difference and eminence consisteth in his nature and office Christ 〈…〉 Christ is the very Son of God and God and Lord of all and doth immediatly utter the word of the Father and is the Embassadour and Mediatour sent of the Father Other Prophets are only men and his servants called and sent by him Christ authour of the doctrine they preachers only of it John 1.16 Christ is authour and revealer of the doctrine and therefore the prince of all Prophets Others are signifiers of that which they have received from Christ For whatsoever knowledge and propheticall spirit is in them all that they have from Christ revealing and giving it to them Therefore is the spirit of Christ said to have spoken in the Prophets neither hath hee opened onely to the Prophets the doctrine which he teacheth but also to all the godly John 1.18 Of his fulnesse have we all received that is all the Elect even from the beginning of the world unto the end No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Christs gifts infinite theirs finite His propheticall wisdome is infinite and perfect and therefore in all gifts he excelleth others even according to his humanity Christ giveth gifts and receiveth not they receive and give not John 10.14 This Prophet Christ appointeth the ministery sendeth and ordaineth Prophets and Apostles he giveth the holy Ghost and gifts necessary for the Prophets Apostles and all Ministers of the word to the performing of their duty He shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you He shall lead you into all truth Christ principally moveth mens hearts they instrumentally Christ himself is not only the authour of the doctrine and erecter and maintainer of the external ministery but also by his own and other Prophets voice and outward ministery hee preacheth effectually to men inwardly through the vertue and working of the holy Ghost Others are only the instruments of Christ and that arbitrary and at his disposition and direction Christs doctrine full and cleere theirs dark defective The doctrine of Christ which being made man he uttered by his own and by his Apostles mouthes is much more cleere and full than the doctrine of Moses and the Prophets of the Old Testament Christ is authorised by himselfe they by Christ Christ therefore hath authority of himself others from him if Christ speake we must beleeve him of him selfe others because Christ speaketh in them These things are expresly proved by these places of holy Writ At sundry times and in divers manners God spake in the old time so our Fathers by the Prophets in these last dayes he hath spoken unto us by his Son Heb 1.1 3.3 John 10.14 Mat. 17.3 Luke 10.16 This man is counted worthy of more glory than Moses inasmuch as hee that buildeth the house hath more honour than the house The spirit of truth which I will send you shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you This
Ghost 2. They do not make continuall intercession neither do they alwaies obtaine what they aske 3. These apply their benefits unto no man 4. They offer not themselves a sacrifice for the sins of others For all these things can be and are performed by Christ alone 4. What is Christs kingdome A King in generall A King is a person ordained by God to governe in a people and beare rule alone according to honest lawes and to have power to reward the good and punish the bad and to defend his subjects against their enemies having no superiour Governour above him The King of Kings Christ is a person immediately ordained of God to gather and rule by his word and Spirit his Church purchased by his bloud and to defend her Christ a King of Kings being subject unto him and serving him against all her enemies both corporall and spirituall and to reward her with eternall rewards but to cast her enemies into everlasting paines and torments His name is called the word of God Rev. 19.12 16. Christs kingdom And hee hath upon his garment and upon his thigh a name written The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Wherefore Christs royall office is 1. To rule by his word and Spirit his Church gathered out of all Nations from the beginning of the world For that it may goe well with us under this King it is not enough if he outwardly teach us what he would have us his subjects to performe unlesse also by his Spirit he move our hearts and cause us to be obedient to his commandement 2. To defend and preserve this his Church in this life against all both inward and outward domesticall and forraine foes which also hee doth performe while not only by his powerfull hand he is ever present with us but furnisheth us also with those weapons wherewith our selves also may constantly and happily â—nter the combat against our most mighty foes and utterly vanquish and discomfit them This sacred harnesse and warlike furniture is described Eph. 6.13 3. To make his Church partaker of the blessings of his kingdome and to adorne her raised up from the dead with everlasting glory and blisse 4. To overcome and rule his enemies by his might and power and at length to thrust them down being fully overcome and conquered into eternall torments We are in this place to observe the difference of the Propheticall Priestly and Royall office both of them who were in the old testament and of Christ and of our selves In the old restament they were types or typicall Prophets Priests and Kings Christ is indeed the true Prophet King and Priest which they prefigured wee are Prophets Kings and Priests by participation as having Christs dignities communicated unto us Now then let us see what is our Propheticall Priestly and Royall office Quest 32. But why art thou called a Christian Ans Because through faith I am a member of Jesus Christ a Acts 11.26 and partaker his annointing b 1 Cor. 6.5 that both I may confesse his name c Act. 2.17 1 John 2.27 and present my self unto him a lively sacrifice of thankfulnesse d Mat. 10.32 Rom. 10.10 and also may in this life fight against sin and Sathan with a free and good conscience e Rom. 12.10 2 Pet. 2.5 9. Rev. 1.6 and 4 8 10. Rom. 6.12 13. Gal. 5.16 17. Ephes 6.11 1 Tim. 1.18 19. 1 Pet. 2.11 and afterward enjoy an everlasting kingdom with Christ over all creatures f Mat. 25.34 2 Tim. 2.12 The Explication IN this thirty second Question we are instructed concerning the inunction or annointing of the faithfull namely Of the communion of the faithfull or Christians with Christ whence they are called Christians or Annointed and what is the duty of Christians and what their comfort whereof this name doth advertise them Here then is discoursed the common place concerning the communion of Christ the head of the faithfull his members and of the functions of these his members Hereof foure things come to be considered 1. What is the annointing of Christians or whence Beleevers have the name of Christians or Annointed 2. What is the Propheticall function of Christians 3. What their Priesthood 4. What their Kingdome 1. What is the Annointing of Christians LUke testifieth Acts 11.26 Who is called a Christian that the name of Christians first began to be used in Antioch in the Apostles time when as before time they had bin termed by the names of Brethren and Disciples The name Christian is derived from Christ and in generall he is called a Christian who is a disciple of Christ and followeth his doctrine of life and who being inserted into Christ hath communion and fellowship with him There are two sorts of Christians some seeming or counterfeit and outward but not true that is hypocrites others seeming and true For not every seeming Christian that is who is in outward corversation a Christian is an hypocrite seeing it is required of us Mat. 5.16 Jame 2.18 Mac. 7.23 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Shew me thy faith by thy workes but every hypocrite is a seeming Christian to whom it shall one day be said I never knew you Seeming and false-hearted Christians They are called seeming but not true Christians who being baptised professe in word and life or ouâ—ward conversation the doctrine and faith of Christ and are in the company of nose which are called but are not partakers of Christs benefits being destitute of true faith and conversion Therefore they are not the true and lively members of the Church Mat. 20.16 7.22 Seeming and true-hearted Christians Many are called but few chosen Not every one that saith unto mee Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heaven They are both seeming and true Christians who being received by baptisme into the Church acknowledge and professe Christs doctrine and being engrafted into Christ by a true faith are made partakers of all his benefits and being regenerated by the holy Ghost leade a life worthy of true Christians Furthermore of Hypocrites we are not her to speake but of those who are both without and within that is are truly Christians and annointed of Christ by the holy Ghost The question then is Why we are called Christians The causes hereof are two 1. Because by faith wee are made the members of Christ 2. Because by it we are made partakers of his annointing that is wee are called Christians for the communication made unto us of Christs person What it is to be Christs members office and dignity To be the members of Christ is nothing else than to be conjoyned and united to Christ by the same spirit dwelling both in him and us and by this spirit to be enriched with such righteousnesse and life as is in Christ to be conformed unto Christ and seeing
Why God would have us certaine of the last judgement 11. Why he would not have us certain of the time 12. Why God deferreth that judgement 13. Whether it is to be wished for 1. Whether there shall be any judgement THis Question is necessary For the Scripture also hath fore-told that there shall come in the later times mockers who shall account this Article for a fable Where is the promise of his coming For since the Fathers dyed 2 Pet. 3.4 all things continue alike from the beginning of the Creation The last judgement cannot indeed be demonstrated out of Philosophy but neither is there any thing in Philosophy against it But the whole certainty thereof is grounded on divine Prophecies The certainty of the last judgement is not to be sought in Philosophy but in Divinity or on the Doctrine of the Church For although the Philosopher perhaps would say somewhat as seeing a little through a mist as That it should goe well with the good and ill with the evill and That it is not likely that man was born to this misery yet by reason that man hath lost the knowledge of the righteousnesse goodnesse and truth of God wee cannot know out of Philosophy that any judgement shall be much lesse with what circumstances it shall be The arguments which Philosophy yieldeth are forcible indeed in themselves but are not made knowne but in Divinity and therefore the arguments themselves are only made forcible and of strength in Divinity Wherefore wee will draw reasons and proofes out of Divinity or the Doctrine of the Gospel by which it may appeare that there is a last judgement Six proofes of the last judgement The first proofe is drawne from expresse and plaine testimonies of sacred Scriptures As out of the Prophecy of Daniel As I beheld in visions by night behold Dan. 7.13 one like the Sonne of Man came in the clouds of heaven and approached unto the Ancient of dayes and they brought him before him And hee gave him dominion and honour and a kingdome that all people nations and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall never be taken away and his kingdome shall never be destroyed And againe a little before The Ancient of dayes did sit whose garment was white as snow and the haire of his head like the pure wooll Vers 9 10. his throne was like the fiery flame and his wheeles as burning fire A fiery flame issued and came forth before him thousands ministred unto him and ten thousands stood before him the judgement was set and the books opened The beast was slaine and his body destroyed and given to the burning fire Likewise out of the prophecy of Enoch alledged by the Apostle Jude Jude 14 15. Behold the Lord cometh with thousands of his Saints to give judgement against all men Moreover out of the sermons of Christ especially in Mat. 24.25 Likewise out of the sermons of the Apostles Acts 19 31. 1 Thess 4.16 He hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousnes by that man whom he hath appointed whereof he hath given assurance to all men in that hee hath raised him from the dead The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout and with the voice of the Arch angel and with the trumpet of God It is appointed unto men that they shall once die Heb. 9.27 and after that cometh the judgement And I saw a great white throne Rev. 20.11 12. and one sate on it c. And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the books according to their workes Neither is the certainty of the last Judgement apparent only by these and the like plaine testimonies of Scripture but is deduced also out of other places by good consequence and hence are made those forcible arguments which the Philosophers saw but by a glimpse The second proof is drawn from the end whereunto mankinde was created God necessarily obtaineth his end but to this end did he create mankinde that man should be the image of God and the everlasting temple of God wherein he should be worshipped to whom he would communicate himselfe perfect wisedome righteousnesse and goodnesse and would impart his blessednesse which whereas it is now performed unto us and seeing it cannot be that God should create so most excellent a creature to perpetuall misery wee necessarily inferre that there shall be a change For God will obtaine his end and will not suffer the temple of the holy Ghost to be utterly consumed of rottennesse This blessednesse is a part of Gods image according to which man was made but this the Divel hath destroyed therefore God shall restore it who is mightier than the Divel And although the end for which man was created is hindered divers waies in this life yet God will at some time obtain it Wherefore it is not only as the Philosphers reason likely and probable that man was not made for these miseries but it is also most certain that the most excellent of all creatures was made to a better end Wherefore there must needs be at length a change By this argument is confirmed the happinesse of our bodies according to that of Saint Paul Know you not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 which is in you The third proof is taken from the justice goodnesse and truth of God which requireth that it may goe full well with the good and with the evill full ill Philosophy knoweth not that God is so just good and true that hee will have the righteous to enjoy full and perfect blessednesse But this cometh not to passe in this life nay rather it goeth well with the wicked and evill in this life Therefore there must remaine another life wherein this shall be The holy Scripture useth this argument as in S. Paul 2 Thess 1.4 6. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasure and likewise Lazarus paines Luke 16.25 now therefore is he comforted and thou art tormented The fourth is taken from Gods decree whereby he ordained and purposed with himselfe from everlasting to raise the dead Wherefore God being unchangeable will not cancell and revoke this his decree A register and copy thereof we reade in Ezekiel and presidents or examples we have Enoch Chap. 3. â— Elias and Christ The fifth is taken from Gods omnipotency whereby he is able to effectuate and accomplish things contrary to reason This argument Christ useth against the Pharisees Mat. 22.29 Ye erre not knowing the Scripture nor the power of God The sixth is taken from the glory of God sith God created man
16.11 Therefore hee shall not then be judged Ans The Divell is already judged but that only 1. By the decree of God 2. In the word of God 3. In his owne conscience 4. As touching the beginning of his condemnation But then he shall be so judged having the sentence proclaimed publikely on him that he shall not be able to attempt any thing more against God and the Church 7. What shall be the processe of the last Judgment and the sentence and execution of it 1. BY the vertue and divine power of Christ and by his humane voice the dead shall be raised John 5.28 1 Cor. 15.53 For All that are in the graves shall heare his voice and they shall come forth The living shall be changed and their mortall bodies shall be made immortall and they shall be gathered from the foure coasts of the world 2. By the ministery of the Angels all shall be presented before Christs throne For by the Angels as by those reapers Christ shall gather the godly and the wicked from the foure coasts of the world and they shall appeare before him This shall he doe by the Angels not of necessity but with authority not as if he had need of the Angels ministery but thereby to shew himself to be Lord of the Angels and of all creatures and this shall be for the majesty and glory of our Judge 3. The world heaven and earth shall be dissolved by fire there shall be a change of this present state and a purifying of the creatures but not a consuming or utter abolishing of them all 4. There shall be a separation of the godly from the ungodly and sentence shall be given of both Sentence shall be given which also we did touch before in the second question on the wicked principally according to the Law yet so as it shall be with the approbation of the Gospel Sentence shall be given on the godly principally according to the Gospel yet so that the Law shall allow and like of it The Elect shall heare the sentence out of the Gospel according to the merit of Christ apprehended of them by faith the testimonies of which faith shall be good works Come yee blessed possesse ye the kingdom Mat. 25.34 35. But the wicked shall heare the terrible and dreadfull voice Goe ye cursed into everlasting fire 5. There shall be a casting of the wicked into everlasting paines and an advancing of the godly to everlasting happinesse and glory For then shall Christ perfectly glorifie us and shall take us unto himselfe I will come againe John 14.3 1 Thes 4.17 and receive you unto my selfe Wee shall be caught up with them also in the clouds to meete the Lord in the aire and so shall wee ever be with the Lord. The wicked shall be cast apart from the godly with the Divels and shall be adjudged to eternall paines Object Hee that beleeveth not is condemned already Therefore the wicked are even now already condemned and shall not then first be condemned Ans As we said the Divels were already judged so also are the wicked already judged and condemned namely 1. In the decree of God 2. In his word inasmuch as this decree of God is revealed in his word 3. In their owne conscience 4. As concerning the beginning of their judgement But then the wicked together with the Divels shall be judged by proclaiming and publishing of that Judgement For then shall be 1. A manifestation of Gods judgement that they perish justly who perish 2. The wicked shall further also suffer punishments and torments of body which now is buried 3. The wicked and the Divels punishments shall be aggravated and they shall be so sharpely lookt unto and kept under that they shall not be able any more to hurt the godly or to despite God and his Church A great gulfe placed between us and them shall shut up all passage from them so that they shall cease to harme us 8. For what causes this judgement shall be THe chiefe and principall cause is the decree of God For therefore shall the last judgment be because God hath said and decreed that it shall be Wherefore it must needs be so 1. That so God may have his end 2. That he may shew and declare perfectly and wholly his goodnesse and love towards us that he may be worshipped in his temple which is in his chosen that the Son of God may have his kingdome and his citizens glorious and such as beseem him 2. A lesse principall and subordinate cause is both The salvation of the Elect who are here vexed and the damnation of the wicked who here doe flourish for therefore also shall the last judgement be that it may go well with the good and ill with the bad And of this shall the godly take matter to magnifie and praise God 3. The last judgement shall be because of Gods justice Here is not a full and perfect execution of Gods justice for the wicked must be in perfect and full evill state both in body and soul In a word the causes of the last judgement are That God may utterly cast away the wicked deliver and free his Church dwell in us and be all in all things 9. When the judgement shall be 1. THis judgement shall be in the end of the world in the end of dayes For there are three parts of the during and continuance of the world 1. Before the Law 2. Under the Law 3. Under Christ That part of the during of the world which is under Christ is called the end of the world the end of dayes the last time namely the continuance of time from Christs first coming untill his second Wherefore there shall not be so long space between Christs first coming and his second as was from the beginning of the world unto his first coming for we are fallen into the last dayes and daily see the signes which were fore-told concerning the judgement Babes it is the last time and as yee have heard that Antichrist shall come 1 John 2.18 even now are there many Antichrists whereby wee know that this is the last time But the yeer the moneth the day of this judgement is not known of Christ himselfe 1. As touching his humane nature 2. As touching his office and Mediatorship inasmuch as that requireth not that he should declare unto us the time of judgement Mark 13.32 Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in heaven neither the Son himself save the Father 10. Wherefore God would have us certain of the last judgement THe time of the judgement to come is unknown to us but as it is most certaine that that judgement shall come so God also would have us know the same 1. In respect of his glory that wee might be able to refute Epicures who account this heavenly Doctrine of the divine judgement to come for a fable and from the confusion which now is
6.17 to comfort me d Joh. 15.26 Acts 9.31 and to abide with me forever e John 14.16 1 Pet. 4.14 The Explication IN this last part of the Apostolick confession are contained six Articles whereof the first speaketh of the person of the holy Ghost the next of the Church which is gathered confirmed and preserved by the holy Ghost the foure Articles following are of the benefits bestowed by the holy Ghost on the Church and of the communion of Saints 2. of remission of sins 3. of the resurrection of the flesh 4. of everlasting life Touching the holy Ghost three things are especially to be considered his person his office his gifts and works But for more full and ample explication hereof these Questions following are each in their order to be examined 1. What the name * It is here to be noted that this Question serveth more properly for the Latine which useth this name Spiritus onely when as we in English use as much or more rather the word Ghost then Spirit when wee speak of the third person Spirit signifieth 2. Who and what the holy Ghost or Spirit is 3. What is the holy Ghosts office 4. What and of how many sorts his gifts are 5. Of whom the holy Ghost is given and wherefore 6. To whom and how far forth he is given 7. When and how hee is given and received 8. How he is retained and kept 9. Whether he may be lost and how 10. Wherefore hee is necessary 11. How wee may know that hee dwelleth is us 1. What the name Spirit signifieth THe name spirit is sometimes taken for the cause sometimes for the effect When it is taken for the cause it signifieth a nature incorporeall and living of a spirituall essence wielding moving and stirring something and this nature is either create or uncreate Uncreate and so God essentially and personally is a Spirit that is incorporeall without any bodily dimension or quantity invisible God is a Spirit Create and so the Angles whether good or bad are in this sense spirits John 4.24 Which maketh his Angels spirits And after the same manner the soules of men are called spirits Gen. 2.7 He breathed in his face breath of life that is hee sent a spirit or soule into him Psal 104.4 29. When thou takest away their breath they die When the word spirit is taken for an effect it signifieth 1. The aire moved 2. The moving it selfe and motion of the aire 3. The wind and moving vapours 4. Spirituall affections or motions good or bad So it is said The spirit of fear And contrary The spirit of princes that is courage likewise the spirit of fornication 5. New spirit signifieth the gifts of the holy Spirit as 1 Thes 5.19 Quench not the spirit In this doctrine which wee have in hand Spirit signifieth the cause stirring and moving namely the third person of the God head which is forcible in the minds and wils of men And this third person of the God-head is called a Spirit Why a Spirit 1. Because he is a spirituall essence or substance incorporeall and invisible 2. Because hee is inspired of the Father and the Son that is because hee is the person by which the Father and the Son immediately work their motions in the hearts of the elect or because hee is the immediate stirrer and mover of divine works The Father and the Son move but by this Spirit 3. Because himselfe inspireth and immediately worketh motions in the hearts of the elect whence hee is called Luke 1.35 The power of the most High 4. Because hee is God equall and the same with the Father and the Son and God is a Spirit This third person of the God-head is called holy Why holy 1. Because he in himselfe by himself and of his own nature is holy 2. Because he is hallower or sanctifier that is he immediately halloweth or sanctifieth and maketh holy others The Father and the Son sanctifie by him and therefore immediately 2. Who and what the holy Ghost is THe holy Ghost is the third person of the true and only God-head proceeding from the Father and the Son and co eternall co-equall and consubstantiall with the Father and the Son and is sent from both into the hearts of the elect to sanctifie them unto eternall life Here are wee to say the same things of the God-head of the holy Ghost which have been spoken before of the God-head of the Son for this definition is also to be proved and confirmed by the same four parts Four conclusions concerning the God-head of the holy Ghost 1. That the holy Ghost is a person 2. That he is the third person or that he is other and distinct from the Father and the Son 3. That he is true God with the Father and the Son or that he is equall to the Father and the Son 4. That he is of the same God head with the Father and the Son or that he is consubstantiall unto both All these that testimony of the Apostle jointly proveth No man knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.11 12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that wee might know the things which are given unto us of God Also that other else where All these things worketh even the selfe-same Spirit 1 Cor. 12.11 distributing to every man severally as he will But we will proceed to treat of each of these in their order I. First therefore The holy Ghost is a person proved by sive reasons That the holy Ghost is a person is proved By his apparitions Luke 3.12 Acts 2.3 By his apparitions because hee hath appeared visibly The holy Ghost came downe in a bodily shape like a Dove And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like fire and it that is the fire or the holy Ghost sate upon each of them Seeing then the holy Ghost descended in bodily shape upon Christ and sate upon the Apostles it followeth that he is subsisting for no quality or created motion of minds or hearts is able to doe in like manner For an accident doth not only not take upon it any shape but standeth in need of something else in which it selfe should consist and be Neither is the aire the place or subject of holinesse goldinesse love of God and other spirituall motions but the minds of men By his title God 1 Cor. 3.16 Acts 5.3 4. See also Isa 40.7 13. Hee is proved to be a person because hee is called God Know yee not that yee are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Why hath Satan filled thine heart that thou shouldest lie unto the holy Ghost Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God Howsoever then the adversaries of this doctrine grant the holy Ghost to be God yet this cannot be but hee must be a subsistent or
changeth We here also are to hold against the Anabaptists that Infants which are borne in the Church are also of the Church OF PREDESTINATION THis common place of Predestination or election and reprobation ariseth out of the former place of the Church and is joyned with it The special questions are 1. Whether there be Predestination 2. What it is 3. What is the cause thereof 4. What are the effects thereof 5. Whether it be unchangeable 6. How farre it is knowne unto us 7. Whether the Elect be alwayes members of the Church and the Reprobate never 8. Whether the Elect fall from the Church and the Reprobate remaine ever in the Church 9. What use there is of this doctrine 1. Whether there be Predestination WHen the Question is Whether there be Predestination then this is the Question Whether there be any such counsell of God which hath severed some to be saved and others to be reprobate Some say that Election when as mention thereof is made in Scripture is taken for some excellency for which a man is worthy to be elected or chosen As we may say A choice and gallant horse So also they interpret Reprobation but falsly for it is the eternall counsell and purpose of God That there is Predestination Predestination proved by testimony of Scripture Mat. 20.16 John 15.16 John 10.16 Ephel â— 4 5. Acts 18.10 Acts 13.64 Rom. 2.30 Reprobation proved by Scripture that is election and reprobation in God these testimonies of Scripture doe confirme Many are called but few are chosen Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you Other sheep have I also which are not of this fold He chose us in him before the foundation of the world He predestinated us to be adopted through Jesus Christ unto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will I have much people in this City As many as were ordained unto eternall life beleeved Whom he predestinate them also he called Of Reprobation these places in speciall make mention God doth shew his justice on the vessels of wrath It is given unto you to know the secrets of the kingdome of heaven Rom. 9.22 Mat. 13.11 Jude 4. Mat. 11.25 John 10.26 Prov. 16.4 but to them it is not given Who were before of old ordained to this condemnation Thou hast hid these things from the wise Yee are not of my sheep He hath made all things for his owne sake even the wicked for the day of evill Object 1. But the promise of grace is universall Answ It is universall in respect of the faithfull that is it belongeth to all those who beleeve But it is particular in respect of all men Our adversaries say that those which are converted may fall away Which is to weaken and diminish the generall promise Repl. But it is said 2 Tim. 2.4 Mat. 10.16 Mat. 13.15 Places of Scripture reconciled concerning Gods will to save and not to save men Prov. 1.26 That God willeth that all men be saved Answ But contrary Many are called but few chosen This peoples heart it waxed fat saith the Lord lest they should returne that I might heale them And here it is said that God willeth that some be not saved therefore these testimonies are contrary one to another God forbid God willeth that all be saved as he is delighted with the salvation of all Albeit else-where it is said That he rejoyceth at the destruction of the wicked yet he rejoyceth not thereat as it is a vexation or destruction of his creature but as it is an execution of his justice 2. He willeth that all be saved in as much as he inviteth all to repentance But he will not have all saved in respect of the force and efficacy of calling He doth good to all if so be they might have groaped after him and found him The elect obtaine it Acts 17.27 Rom. 11.7 the rest are hardened He saith verily unto all Honesty of life pleaseth me ye owe it unto me But he saith not to all I will work it in you but to the elect only because from everlasting it hath so pleased him Object 2. He that giveth unequally to those that are equall is an accepter of persons Answ It is true 1. If he giveth to those which are equall unequally for any outward causes or respects that is for such causes as are not that condition in respect of which equall rewards or punishments were to be given or not to be given that is when the cause which is common to both is neglected and other things regarded which are not the cause as riches honours and the like But here God respecteth not these personages but requireth faith for the receiving of this benefit and conversion and giveth eternall life to them which have these and denieth it to them which have them not 2. He that giveth unto those which are equall unequally being bound to any were an accepter of persons But God giveth most freely of his meere mercy and grace He is bound to no man because we were his enemies therefore he might most justly have excluded all And if unjustice should any way fall into God which God forbid that we should think he should be unjust and an accepter of persons in that he giveth any thing at all Whereas then he hath mercy on some and not on others he is no accepter of persons as if thou being moved with pity and compassion shouldest give a farthing to one beggar and a penny to another thou art not therefore an accepter of persons Why then O man accusest thou God that he hath mercy on whom he will and hath not mercy on whom he will not have mercy seeing he is bound unto none Mat. 20.15 Rom. 11.35 Is it not lawfull for me saith Christ to doe as I will with mine owne Is thine eye evill because I am good Who hath given first unto the Lord To know this is behovefull for the glory of God Object 3. It is meet and just that he who hath taken a sufficient ransome for all sinnes should receive all men into favour God hath received a sufficient ransome in his Sonne for the sinnes of the whole world Therefore he should receive all men into favour Christs ransome though sufficient for all yet not applyed to all doth not save all John 17.9 Ans It must not onely be a sufficient ransome for all but must be also applied unto all receiving it by faith but it is not applied unto all because it is said I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me Repl. 1. A sufficient ransome ought to be applyed unto all That a sufficient ransome ought to be applied unto all is proved because this is a property of infinite mercy to doe good unto all Ans We deny that infinite mercy consisteth herein It consisteth not in the number of those that are saved but in the manner how they are saved Moreover he will not give
unto him and discerned and severed from the rest of this world they impair and make faint in parents and children the study of thankefulnesse and keeping their bond they impudently contradict the Apostles affirming that they cannot be forbidden water who are endowed with the holy Ghost they saucily restrain and keep back the infants from Christ who biddeth them to be brought unto him lastly they profanely detract from Christs generall precept of baptising all All which absurdities manifestly prove that the impugnation of infants baptisme whereon they are consequent is no light errour but an impious profane heresie contrary to Gods word and the comfort of the Church Wherefore this and the like follies of the Anabaptists sect is with the more circumspection and warinesse to be avoided which doubtlesse have been inspired by the divell and is an execrable monster composed and made of divers heresies and blasphemies Objections of Anabaptists against the baptising infants Object 1. No opinion is to be received whereof wee have neither expresse commandement nor apparent example in the Scripture But there is no commandement or example extant in Scripture of baptising infants Wherefore the baptisme of infants is not to be permitted in the Church Answ The Minor is an open falshood For we reade a generall commandement to this purpose Baptise all nations To these all the infants of the Church appertain There are famous examples of whole families baptised by the Apostles without excluding the infants belonging to those families Lydia a seller of purple and her whole houshold was baptised Acts 16.15 33. 1 Cor. 1.16 The jaylour of Philippi was baptised with all that belonged unto him straightway I baptised all the house of Stephanas Rep. 1. Christ doth not expresly command that infants should be baptised Ans Neither doth he expresly command that any of ripe yeers men women citizens countrey-men fullers threshers and other base artisans such as for the most part Anabaptists are hee commandeth that all be baptised of what age sex condition on state soever which pertain to the covenant and the Church and in generall prescripts and lawes the rehearsall of each particular is not required because lawes passe on the whole kind and will that the like censure take place in particulars of any generall which is of force in the generall it self The Anabaptists themselves forbid not women to come to the Supper yet have they no expresse commandement or example in Scripture for this fact Touching baptisme we have a generall precept Teach all nations saith Christ and baptise them His commandement is that all be baptised who are disciples but infants are disciples because they are born in Christs school and are taught in their kind Peter also enjoineth the same saying The promise is made to you and to your children Acts 2.38 39. Acts 10.47 therefore be baptised every one of you Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptised which have received the holy Ghost as well as wee And Paul prescribeth the same baptisme teaching us that we are circumcised in Christ and buried with him through baptisme Col. 2.11 12. Our baptisme therefore was appointed in place of circumcision which deputation or appointment standeth for a precept Repl. 2. They who are to be baptised must first be taught Teach all nations baptising them c. Infants cannot be taught Therefore they cannot be baptised Ans The Major is true of men of ripe yeers and full growth capable of instruction of which the first gathering of the Church was these Christ commandeth first to be taught then to be baptised so to be distinguished from others It is false of infants either born in the Church or entring into the Church with their faithfull parents in their conversion because Christ speaketh not of infants but of men of competent age to be taught that they ought not to be received into the Church except they be first taught the principles of faith and christianity But infants are comprehended under the form of the covenant I will be thy God and the God of thy seed even before they are capable of instruction therefore they ought to be baptised ere they can be taught Repl. 3. In the examples of baptising whole housholds a figure Synecdoche is implied taking the whole housholds for part of the housholds and it is meant that they onely were baptised who beleeved and confessed their faith Wherefore baptising of infants is not cleerly proved out of those examples Ans The Antecedent is false seeing the Apostles history maketh no such exclusion and wee need not run to a figure when there is no reason why the proper sense should not be retained Rep. 4. Yes there is a two fold reason of this Synecdoche One that the Apostles did not infringe Christs commandement and appointment Another that the circumstances of those examples exclude infants For it is there said Acts 16.31 They preached the word of the Lord to all that were in his house when yet by your grant they preached not to infants Again the whole house rejoiced The whole house of Stephanas ministred unto the Saints 1 Cor. 16.15 Wherefore infants are excluded Ans To the first exception we answer denying that infants baptism is repugnant to Christs institution who will that all who pertain to him and to his Church have the cognisance of baptisme as hath beeâ— sufficiently proved It is untrue therefore that they say the Apostles abstained from the baptisme of infants by Christs institution To the second exception we answer denying that out of the circumstances alledged there followeth a Synecdoche in the phrases of baptisme For the infants might be baptised with their parents though themselves heard not the word nor ministred to the Apostles but their parents onely and other aged in the house seeing infancy might exclude them from hearing the word and ministring but not sequester them from baptisme no more then from salvation it selfe Therefore it is said to Cornelius Acts 11.14 He shall speak words unto thee whereby both thou and all thine house shall be saved Wherefore setting aside such frivolous cavils we must hold fast this doctrine That baptism of infants was commanded by Christ and alwayes practised by the Apostles and the whole Church Augustine saith Lib. 4 cap. 23. coâ—t Donaâ— The whole Church holdeth by tradition the baptism of infants Where he also concludeth What the whole Church holdeth being no decree of any Councell but perpetually observed that wee justly beleeve to have been delivered and confirmed by Apostolick authority Object 2. Mark 16.16 They who beleeve not are not to be baptised for it is said Hee that shall beleeve and shall be baptised But infants doe not beleeve Therefore they are not to be baptised For unto the use of baptisme faith is necessarily required for whosoever shall not beleeve shall be condemned But unto those that are condemned the signe of grace must not be given Answ 1. The
life after Gods will and exercising all good works It comprehendeth three things which are contrary unto mortification Three parts of this quickning 1. The knowledge of Gods mercy and the applying thereof in Christ. 2. A joyfulnesse thence arising which is for that God is pleased through Christ and for that new obedience is begun and shall be perfected 3. An ardent or earnest endeavour and purpose to sin no more arising from thankefulnesse and because we rejoice that wee have God appeased and pacified towards us a desire also of righteousnes and of retaining Gods love and favour The ardent desire of not sinning and also of righteousnesse and of retaining Gods love and favour is new obedience it self according to those sayings Being justified by faith Rom. 5.1 14.15 wee have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The Kingdome of God is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Esay 57.15 I dwell with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to give life to them that are of a contrite heart Rom. 6.11 Gal. 2.20 Likewise thinke yee also that yee are dead to sin but are alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Thus I live yet not I now but Christ liveth in me and in that that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith in the Son of God who hath loved me and given himselfe for mee Why this latter part of Conversion is called quickning The latter part of Conversion is called Quickning 1. Because as a living man doth the actions of one that liveth so quickning is a kindling of a new light in the understanding and a be getting of new qualities and motions in the will and heart of man whence issueth a new life and new operations 2. Because of that joy which the converted have in God through Christ which is a most pleasant thing The cause through Christ is added because we cannot rejoyce in God except he be appeased and pacified with us but he is not at peace with us but through Christ therefore we cannot joy in God but through Christ Either part of Conversion springeth from faith The reason is because no man can hate sin and draw nigh unto God except he love God and no man loveth God except he be endowed with faith Whereas then in neither part there is expresse mention made of faith the cause hereof is not in that faith is excluded from Conversion but because it is presupposed in the whole doctrine of Conversion and Thankfulnesse as a cause is presupposed where his effect is defined Object Faith bringeth forth joy Therefore not grief and mortification Ans It were no absurdity to averre that the same cause produceth diverse effects in a diverse kinde of causing and in diverse respects So then faith causeth griefe not of it selfe but by some occasion of accident which is sin whereby we offend God so bountifull a Father It effecteth joy by its owne intent because it assureth us of Gods fatherly will towards us through Christ Repl. The preaching of the law goeth before faith seeing that the preaching of repentance hath his beginning from the law But the preaching of the law worketh griefe and wrath Therefore there is some griefe before saith Answ I grant there is some griefe before faith but no such as may be part of Conversion For the griefe of the wicked which is before and without faith is rather an averting from God than a converting unto him See Cal. Instituâ— lib. 3. cap. 3. Paragraph 2. which being quite contrary neither partly nor wholly agree But contrition and grief in the Elect is a certain preparation to repentance and conversion as hath been already said 4. What are the causes of Conversion THe principall efficient cause of our conversion is God himselfe even the holy Ghost The holy Ghost the principall efficient Jerem. 31.18 Lament 5.21 Acts 5.31 Hence is it that the Saints beg of God to convert them and repentance is in divers places of Scripture called the gift of God Convert thou me and I shall be converted for thou art the Lord my God Turne thou us unto thee O Lord and wee shall be turned Him hath God lift up with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins Whence is collected a notable argument for proof of Christs Divinity seeing it is the property of God only to give repentance and remission of sins Acts 11.18 2 Tim. 2.25 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life If God at any time will give them repentance that they may know the truth and that they may come to amendment out of the snare of the Divell The instrumentall causes or means are The instrumentall causes The Law The Law The Gospell Rom. 3.20 The Gospell Faith After the doctrine of the Gospell hath been preached again the doctrine of the Law For the preaching of the Law goeth before preparing us to the preaching of the Gospell because Without the law there is no knowledge of sinne and therefore no griefe or sorrow for sinne Afterwards followeth the preaching of the Gospel raising up contrite hearts with a confidence of Gods mercy through Christ For without this preaching there is no faith and without faith there is no love of God and consequently no conversion unto God After the preaching of the Gospel againe followeth in the Church the preaching of the Law that it may be the squire of our thankfulnesse and course of life The Law then goeth before conversion and followeth after the same It goeth before it to stir up a knowledge of sin and griefe for the same It followeth that unto the converted it may be a rule of their life Hereof it is that the Prophets do first accuse sin threaten punishments and exhort to repentance and then afterwards comfort and promise and lastly exhort againe and lay down unto them the duties of piety and godlinesse Such was John Baptists preaching So then the preaching of repentance comprehendeth the law and the Gospel though in effecting conversion the offices of both be distinct The next instrumentall and internall cause of conversion is faith because without faith there is no love of God and except we know what the will of God towards us is as namely that hee will remit unto us our sins by and for Christ conversion will never be begun in us neither in respect of the first part thereof Acts 15. â— which is Mortification neither in respect of the second part which is Quickning for by faith are the hearts of men purified Without faith there is no true joy in God neither can wee without faith love God and Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 All good workes flow from faith as from their fountain Wee being justified by faith have peace with God
the righteousnesse of faith instructeth us how we are not righteous of our selves neither are made righteous but by some perfect satisfaction which the Law requireth as also because by faith a restauration or renewing of obedience unto the Law is accomplished in us The briefe summe then of the whole doctrine touching the abrogation of the Law is this The Ceremoniall and Civill Law of Moses are quite cancelled by Christs coming as touching both their bond and obedience but the Morall Law as touching obedience to be performed thereunto is not abrogated but only as concerning the curse justifying and constraint thereof The Objections of Antinomists Libertines and such like who averre that the Morall Law appertaineth nothing at all unto Christians and is not to be taught in the Church of Christ you may finde them resolved at the 115. Question of this Catechisme where the use of the Law is handled 4. In what the Morall Law differeth from the Gospel THe declaration of this Question is many waies necessary as by the difference of the Law and Gospel may appeare The doubt ariseth especially from the definition of the Law where it is said that the Law promiseth rewards to such as performe perfect obedience and it promiseth them freely because no obedience can be meritorious in the sight of God In like maner also the Gospel promiseth everlasting life freely so that the Law and Gospel seeme not to differ How beit there is a great diversity in them The Law differeth from the Gospel In the manifestation In the manner of their manifestation The Law is known by nature the Gospel was after mans fall manifested from above In doctrine In their matter or doctrine The Law propoundeth Gods meere justice the Gospel propoundeth it joyntly with mercy Again the Law teacheth what we ought to be that we may be saved and what to performe the Gospel teacheth how we may be such as the Law requireth namely in Christ In promises In their promises The Law promiseth eternall life and all good things with a condition of our own proper and perfect righteousnesse and obedience remaining in us the Gospel promiseth the same with a condition of faith and beliefe in Christ whereby wee imbrace anothers obedience performed for us to wit the obedience of Christ Now with this condition of faith is joyned by an indissoluble knot and bond the condition of new obedience In effects Rom. 4.15 2 Cor. 3.7 In effects The Law causeth wrath and is the ministration of death The Gospel is the ministration of life and of the spirit Quest 93. How are the Commandements divided Answ Into two Tables a Deut. 4.13 Exod. 34.28 Deut. 10.3 14. whereof the former delivereth in foure commandements how we ought to behave our selves towards God the latter delivereth in six commandements what duties we owe unto our neighbour b Maâ—th 22.37 38 39. The Explication Three causes why the division of the Decalogue is to be observed THe question concerning the division of the Decalogue is necessary and profitable and therefore to be observed 1. Because God himself hath expressed and set down a certain number of the Tables and Commandements of the Decalogue 2. Because Christ divideth the summe of the whole Law into two Commandements or into two kindes of commandements 3. Because the right division of the Decalogue maketh to the understanding of the commandements themselves For it advertiseth us of the degrees of obedience and sheweth that the worship of the first Table is the chief and principall Now the Decalogue is divided after a three-fold manner The first division of the Decalogue into two Tables 1. The Decalogue is divided by Moses and Christ into two Tables the former whereof compriseth our duties towards God immediately the latter our duties towards God mediately Or the former teacheth us how we are to demeane and behave our selves towards God the latter what duties wee owe to our neighbour This division is grounded on the expresse Word of God Deut. 10.1 â— Hew thee two Tables of stone It is also grounded on this that Christ and Paul referre the whole Law to the love of God and our neighbour Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule Exod. 32.15 Deut. 4.13 Mat. 22.37 38 39. Two canses of this division and with all thy minde this is the first and great commandement and the second is like to this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe This division hath these uses Two canses of this division 1. That wee may better conceive the sense and scope of the whole Law and understand what is the perfection of obedience 2. That we observe the common rule namely that the commandements of the second Table yeeld to the commandements of the first in the same kinde of worship That is that the love and glory of God is to be preferred before the love and safety of all creatures Acts 5.29 according to that saying Wee ought rather to obey God than men The second division of the Decalogue into ten commandements 2. The Decalogue is divided into tenne Commandements whereof foure are ascribed unto the first and the six other unto the second Table Now God numbred out these ten commandements or lawes not that he was delighted with this number more than any other but because the titles and arguments of the things themselves to wit the duties were so many in number For in these ten laws all that we owe unto God and our neighbour is so comprehended that nothing is omitted and nothing is superfluous So that the foure commandements of the first Table containe all duties which wee owe unto God immediately and the six commandements of the second Table have in them whatsoever pertaineth to the leading of this life in felicity and happinesse Howbeit there is much dissention about the number of the Commandements For some reckon three some five and some foure Commandements in the first Table and that that division which so ascribeth foure Commandements to the first Table that the first proceedeth of not admitting other gods the second of not making any graven Images the third of not taking the name of God in vaine the fourth of hallowing the Sabbath and referreth the other sixe unto the second Table that this division I say is the truest these reasons declare 1. Those are distinct Commandements The proofe of this second division by foure arguments which are distinguished in the matter which they deliver or whose matter and meaning is distinct and diverse for doubtlesse God when he divided the Decalogue into ten Commandements would that each Commandement should differ â—rom the rest in matter or meaning so that those Commandements which differ in sense are diverse and they which differ not in sense or meaning are not diverse Commandements but one Commandement But the Commandement of not having strange gods and the Commandement of not making
the obedience of the first Table is morall spirituall and principall so also is the obedience of the second and as the ceremonies stoop to the duties of the first Table so also they ought unto the duties of the second What dissimilitude and difference Notwithstanding there is a great difference between the Commandements of the first and second Table 1. In their objects For the object of the first Table is God of the second our Neighbour So that look how much God is greater then our neighbour so much the obedience of the first Table surpasseth the obedience of the second and how much inferiour our neighbour is unto God so much inferiour is the obedience of the second Table to the obedience of the first 2. In respect of their processe and order For the obedience of the first Table is most principall the obedience of the second lesse principall and depending and attending on the more principall For therefore must we love our neighbour because we love God and our love of God is the cause of the love of our neighbour the love of our neighbour ariseth from the love of God and not contrariwise the love of God from the love of our neighbour So saith Christ If any man hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he cannot be my Disciple And in regard of this twofold maine dissimilitude of the two Tables the Commandements of the second give place to them of the first Table Repl. The duties of our love towards our neighbour commanded in the second Table Hos 6.6 Mat. 9.13 2.7 yeeld not to the ceremonies commanded in the first according to that saying of Scripture I will have mercy and not sacrifice But the duties of love towards our neighbour are the obedience of the second Table Therefore obedience unto the second Table is no whit inferiour to the obedience of the first Ans There is more inferred in the conclusion then the premisses inforce This is that only which followeth Therefore the duties of the second Table yeeld not to the ceremonies of the first which conclusion is true and overthrowes not this generall rule For this rule is to be understood of Morall matters and not of Ceremoniall duties If therefore the necessity and the safety of our neighbour require the omitting of a ceremony the ceremony is rather to be omitted then the safety of our neighbour to be neglected And so is that text of Scripture to be construed I will have mercy and not sacrifice Certaine Conclusions of the Decalogue 1. THe first Table commandeth the duties towards God The second commandeth the duties towards man But yet so notwithstanding as that the first immediatly this is mediatly referred to God 2. The first Commandement when as it commandeth us to hold and repute the onely true God and God that is manifested in the Church for our God comprehendeth chiefly the inward worship of God which consisteth in the minde will and heart 3. The chiefe parts or points of this worship are the true knowledge of God faith hope love of God feare of God humility and lowlinesse in the sight of God and patience 4. God may be knowne of reasonable creatures so farre forth as he will manifest himselfe unto every one 5. The knowledge of God is either simply and absolutely perfect whereby God only knoweth himself that is the eternall Father Son and holy Ghost know themselves in severall and each other mutually and understand wholly and most perfectly their owne infinite essence and the manner of each persons existing and being For unto the perfect knowledge of an infinite thing none but an infinite understanding can attaine Or there is a knowledge of God belonging unto reasonable creatures whereby Angels and Men know indeed the whole and entire nature and majesty of God as being most simple but they know it not wholly that is they so far only understand it as he revealeth it unto them 6. The knowledge of God which is in creatures if it be compared with that whereby God understandeth and knoweth himselfe is to be accounted imperfect But if the degrees thereof in it selfe be considered it is also either perfect or imperfect yet not simply but in comparison that is in respect of the inferiour and superiour degree The perfect knowledge of God in creatures is that whereby Angels and Men in the celestiall life know God by a most cleere and bright beholding of the mind so much as sufficeth for the conformity of the reasonable creatures with God The imperfect is that whereby men in this life know God not so much as they could at first by the benefit of their creation and therefore were notwithstanding bound unto it still by Gods commandement 7. The imperfect knowledge of God which men have in this life is of two sorts one Christian or Theologicall the other Philosophicall That is received from the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles This from the principles and generall rules naturally knowne unto men and from the beholding of the works of God in the nature of things 8. The Christian knowledge of God is also of two sorts the one spirituall or true lively effectuall saving theother literall The spirituall is that knowledge of God and his will which is kindled by the holy Ghost in our minds according to the word and by the word working in the will and heart an inclination and desire more and more to know and doe those things which God commandeth so to be done The literall is that knowledge of God which either hath beene in men from the creation or is wrought in their minds of the holy Ghost by the word which hath not accompanying it an endeavour and desire of framing and conforming themselves unto the Commandements 9. Both spirituall and literall knowledge are also immediate or mediate Immediate which is wrought by the instinct of the holy Ghost without ordinary meanes Mediate which is wrought of the holy Ghost by the voice of the heavenly doctrine heard read and meditated 10. The ordinary meanes to know God and which is prescribed unto us by God himselfe is by the study and meditation of heavenly doctrine Wherefore we must strive this way unto the knowledge of God neither require or looke for from God any extraordinary and immediate illumination except he of himselfe offer it and confirme it also unto us by certaine and evident testimonies 11. Now albeit so much as God would have knowne of himselfe unto us in this life he hath sufficiently declared in his word yet notwithstanding those naturall testimonies of God are not superfluous because they convince and reprove the impiety of the Reprobate and confirme the godlinesse of the Elect and Chosen and therefore are by God himselfe often commanded in Scripture and are of us to be considered 12. But concerning them this we must hold that they are true indeed agreeing with Gods word but not
which also covetous men doe and so under the name of this vice is covetousnesse also comprehended Idolatry Two kinds of Idolatry Idolatry which is most of all repugnant unto the true knowledge of God and to faith Now there are two kinds of Idolatry 1. when in profession another is worshipped then that one true God or when that is worshipped for God which is no God This kind of Idolatry is more grosse and palpable and doth properly belong unto the first Commandement 2. When in profession or professedly we worship not another god but we erre in the manner of worship that is when albeit the true God is worshipped yet neverthelesse he is worshipped after another manner then God himselfe hath in the second Commandement and also commonly in his word prescribed either by internall worship or by externall worship or externall rites or ceremonies This other kinde of Idolatry is more flie and wilie and is condemned and forbidden in the second Commandement For they who worship God in Images though they deny that they worship any other besides the true God yet notwithstanding are Idolaters For they imagine God to be such a god as will be worshipped in Images and so change the will of God and by changing Gods will change even God himselfe Contempt of God The contempt of God which is to know those things of God which are true but not to be moved thereby to love him or to acknowledge indeed one true God revealed in the Church but not to be moved thereby to worship him to trust in him to feare him and to love him For the knowledge of the true God doth not suffice alone but there must also accompany it an inward motion of the mind to imbrace and follow the same else should the Devils also and the Gentiles have the true knowledge of God which the Apostle denyeth saying They are inexcusable Rom. 1.20 21. because when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankfull c. II Vertue Faith Faith is a sure and certaine perswasion whereby we assent unto every word of God delivered unto us and whereby we are resolved that the promise of the free mercy of God for Christs sake doth belong unto us and further also it is a confidence receiving this benefit of God and resting thereon being kindled of the holy Ghost by the word in our minds will and hearts and working in them a rejoycing in God invocation and praying unto God and obedience according to all his commandements Put your trust in the Lord your God 2 Chron. 20.10 and you shall be assured Foure vices contrary in the defect to faith Unto faith are repugnant of one side which offendeth in the defect of faith Unbeliefe Vn beliefe which assenteth not to such doctrine as is heard and known concerning God Doubtfulnesse Doubtfulnesse which neither assenteth stedfastly to the doctrine of God neither doth altogether gaine-say it but being floating and wavering hath a weake inclination now to one part and now to another Distrust Distrust which applieth not unto it selfe the knowledge which it hath of God and his promises and doth through feare of Gods forsaking us surcease the doing of that it should doe and seeke protection and safeguard without God or of some other besides God He that beleeveth not God 1 John 5.10 hath made him a lyar because he beleeveth not the testimony or record that God witnessed of his Son Temporary faith A dissembling or hypocriticall faith temporary faith or a revolting from faith which is to yeeld an assent to the knowledge thereof and to imbrace it for a season but without any applying or full perswasion of the promise of Gods grace and without regeneration and therefore to be overcome through temptations or other causes and so to cast away againe that assent and profession of godlinesse Mat. 13.20 He that received seed in the stony ground is he which heareth the word and incontinently with joy receiveth it yet hath he no roote in himselfe and dureth but a season for as soone as tribulation or persecution commeth because of the word by and by he is offended Acts 8.13 Heb. â— 4 Simon also beleeved and was baptised It is impossible that they which were once lightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift c. Two vices contrary in the excesse to faith Now amongst those which are repugnant unto faith of the other side which offendeth in the excesse are Tempting of God Deut. â— 19 Maâ— 4.7 Exod. 17.2 1 Cor. 10.9 Tempting of God which is through an unbeliefe or distrust or contempt of God and a trust or love of our owne wisdome justice or power and glory to depart from Gods word or order and so to make tryall of Gods truth or power and stubbornely and proudly to provoke God unto anger Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Moses said unto them why contend yee with me Wherefore do yee then tempt the Lord Doe we provoke the Lord unto anger Carnall security Carnall security which is to live without thinking of God and his will or of our owne infirmity and dangers and without acknowledging or bewailing of our sins and without the feare of God and yet to promise to our selves an indemnity from the anger of God and from punishment without faith and repentance This is often and most grievously accused in the Scripture Christ speaketh of that security and carelesnesse which shall be at his second comming As the dayes of Noe were Mat 24.38 39. so likewise shall the comming of the Son of man be For as in the dayes before the flood they did eate and drink marry and give in marriage c. III Vertue Hope Hope is a sure and certaine expectation of everlasting life freely to be given for Christs sake and of mitigation or asswagement of present evils and of a deliverance from the same evils of this life and lastly an expecting and looking for all blessings necessary unto salvation according to the counsell and will of God Hereof is said Trust perfectly on the grace that is brought unto you 1 Pet. 1.13 Rom. 5.5 by the revelation of Jesus Christ Hope maketh not ashamed Now hope springeth from faith because he that is certaine of the present will of God towards him hath also certaine and assured promises of the time to come For God is not changed Rom. 11.21 and the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Moreover faith and hope differ in these considerations Faith imbraceth the present benefits of God and his will towards us Hope imbraceth the effects and fruits which are to come of this present and perpetuall will of God according as it is said Heb. 11.11 Rom 8.24 Faith maketh those things to be which are hoped for and sheweth those things c. Hope that is seene is not hope for how can c. Two
the worship to be thus done unto him Wil-worship is false worship And To worship God truly is so to worship him as himselfe hath manifested in his word that he will be worshipped Contrariwise in this second Commandement is forbidden all will-worship that is all false worship namely not onely that creatures or Images be not reputed or worshipped for God but also that we resemble not him the very true God by any Image or shape neither worship him by Images and at Images or with any other kinde of worship which himselfe hath not commanded For when he condemneth the chiefe or grossest and most evident kind of false worships namely the worshipping of God at or by Images it is manifest that he forbiddeth also the other kinds of false worships seeing this is the head and fountaine of all the rest For he forbiddeth the most grosse kind of Idolatry not thereby to exclude others and acquit them from this inhibition but because this is the fountaine of all the rest Wherefore all worships whatsoever are instituted by men not by God and in which the same cause of prohibiting or forbidding appeareth are forbidden by the forbidding of this the grossest kind of the rest Therefore whatsoever things hinder Gods true worship they are all contrary to this Commandement Twofold Idolatry 1. Idolatry which is a false or superstitious worship of God Idolatry as we have heretofore shewed is of two sorts 1. When a false god is worshipped that is when in place of the true God or besides him honour or worship is given to some either imaginary or existent thing which is agreeing unto the true God onely This kinde of Idolatry is especially forbidden in the first Commandement and further also in some part in the third Commandement 2. When men erre in the kinde of worship that is when worship or honour is imagined to be done to the true God by some such worke which himselfe hath not commanded This kind is properly condemned in this second Commandement and is called will-worship Who are superstitious Esay 29.13 Mat. 15.9 Col. 2.8.16.22 23. or superstition adding mens inventions to Gods Commandements They are said to be superstitious whosoever adde humane inventions to the Commandements of God This superstition or wil-worship is condemned every where in Scripture In vaine they worship me teaching for doctrine mens precepts Beware lest there be any man that spoile you through Philosophy and vaine deceit through the traditions of men according to the rudiments of the world and not after Christ Let no man condemne you in meat and drink c. Which all perish with the using and are after the commandements and doctrines of men Which things have indeed a shew of wisdome in voluntary religion and humblenesse of minde and in not sparing the body neither have they it in any estimation to satisfie the flesh Hence we answer this objection Object Idolatry is forbidden in the first Commandement and in this second also therefore they both make but one Answ One kind of Idolatry is forbidden in the first Commandement to wit when another god is worshipped another in the second namely when the true God is worshipped otherwise then he ought Repl. Yea but still in both there is Idolatry committed and a strange god worshipped Ans There is indeed an Idol in both alwaies but not alwaies in the intent and profession of men Therefore whosoever offend against the second Commandement offend against the first because they who worship God otherwise then he will be worshipped imagine God to be another or otherwise affected and qualified then he is Therefore they worship not God but the invention of their owne braine which they perswade themselves to be so affected Hypocrisie Hypocrisie which is a pretending or feigning true godlinesse and worship of God doing the externall works commanded by God whether Morall or Ceremoniall without true faith and conversion This vice is depainted and described in these words by the Prophet Esaias This people come neere unto me with their mouth Esay 29.13 14. and honour me with their lips but have removed their hearts farre from me and their feare towards me was taught by the precepts of men Therefore behold I will againe doe a marvellous worke in this people Profanenesse Profanenesse which is a voluntary letting goe or contempt of all religion and of the whole worship of God both internall and externall or else of some part of divine worship This profanenesse is repugnant not onely to this Commandement but also to the whole worship of God in the first and second Table For defence of superstition some alledge Object 1. That such places and sayings as are brought against will-worship speake onely of Mosaicall and Jewish ceremonies and of the wicked and ungodly commandements of men but not of such precepts of men as are authorised by the Church Bishops and such as command nothing contrary to Gods word Answ That this is false which is replyed some demonstrances which are added unto certaine places declare which also reject those humane Laws and ordinances that command any thing in regard of divine worship which is not commanded by God although the same be a thing in his owne kinde not wicked nor forbidden of God So Christ rejecteth the Jews tradition of washing of hands Mat. 15.11 because they had an opinion of worshipping God thereby whereof he saith That which goeth into the mouth defileth not the man but that which cometh out of the mouth that defileth the man Hither also may that be referred which Christ speaketh Mat. 23.25 Woe be to you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye make cleane the outer side of the Cup and of the Platter but within they are full of bribery and excesse Now that these and the like things are lawfull setting aside an opinion of superstition in them the Apostle in sundry places doth shew He that observeth the day observeth it to the Lord Rom. 14.16 and he that observeth not the day observeth it not to the Lord. He that eateth eateth to the Lord for he giveth God thanks and he that eateth not eateth not to the Lord and giveth God thanks Againe Whatsoever is sold in the shambles eate ye and aske no question for conscience sake 1 Cor. 10.25 For the earth is the Lords and all that therein is Wherefore they are not simply so condemned but only so farre as they are prescribed for divine worship that is if they be so prescribed as that by the performance of them God is honoured and dishonoured by the omission of them In the same respect is single life also condemned especially seeing the same is not a thing indifferent but to those onely who have the gift of continency according as it is said of Christ He that is able to receive this Mat. 19.12 let him receive it For all men as in the same place Christ saith cannot receive this thing save
Ghost whereof none repent and therefore it is not forgiven neither in this life nor in the life to come The other deniall is speciall and particular 2. Speciall which is the deniall of weaklings and is committed either through errour not voluntarily neither purposed or through feare of affliction when as not withstanding there remaineth still in the heart an inclination and griefe detesting that weaknesse and deniall and some purpose also to struggle out of it and to obey God by applying unto himselfe the promise of grace and by giving himselfe unto repentance Into this deniall may the Elect and Regenerate fall but they get out of it againe and returne unto the confession of the truth in this life as it is shewed and exemplified in Peter Matth. 26. thrice denying his Master through infirmity but at length repenting Dissembling of the truth Dissimulation or dissembling and hiding of the truth when as Gods glory and our neighbours safety requireth a confession of the truth which then requireth it when false opinions concerning God and his will or word or concerning the Church seeme to be confirmed and strengthened by our silence in the minds of men or when those things remaine secret and hidden which God will have knowne and manifest for the maintenance of his glory against the reproaches of the wicked for the convincing of the obstinate and for the instructing of those which are desirous to learn or lastly when our silence maketh us suspected to be approvers and abetters of the wicked So did the parents of the blind man dissemble and those chiefe Rulers also who would not confesse Christ for feare of the Jewes John 9.22 12.42 43. lest they should be cast out of the Synagogue Untimoly confession An unseasonable and untimely confession that is whereby without any advancing of Gods glory and without the furtherance of any ones safety and without any necessity of discharging his calling or duty there is stirred up either a derision and evill entertainment of the truth or the fiercenesse and cruelty of the enemies against the godly Such a confession whereas it doth rather darken then set forth the glory of God and rather hindereth then furthereth the safety of the Church swerveth plainly from the scope and end of true and lawfull confession and therefore is not a right using but an abusing of Gods Name Therefore Christ for biddeth it Give not that which is holy to dogges And Paul Matth. 7.6 Titus 3.10 Object 1 Pet. 3.15 Reject him that is an heretick after once or twice admonition c. Neither doth that crosse this which is said Be ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meeknesse and reverence For Peter willeth us to be alwayes in a readinesse or furnished to make answer concerning the summe and grounds of Christian doctrine and to repulse all slanders and cavils whereby the doctrine of the Gospel is traduced and defamed by the adversaries thereof yet so as that it is not necessary to utter and expound to every one but unto all those which require a reason and an account of our faith thereby either to learne it or know it or to judge of it But whom we see once to scoffe at the true doctrine which hath been expounded and confirmed unto them sufficiently if they againe require a reason and account of our faith we are not to make further answer For so Christ himselfe after he had sufficiently confessed and confirmed his doctrine by testimonies answereth nothing unto the High-Priest and Pilate touching the false witnesses And himselfe rendereth a reason of his silence If I shall tell you you will not beleeve me Matth. 26.63 and 27.14 Another reason is given by Esaiah He was oppressed and was afflicted and did not open his mouth that is because Christ knew he was to suffer according to his Fathers will after his cause was sufficiently defended he is not carefull of delivering his person from injuries contumelies and punishments for he knew that this obedience did tend to his fathers glory But contrariwise when the High-Priest adjureth him he confesseth himselfe to be Christ because then his silence would have given suspicion of contempt of the Name of God whereby he was adjured Object We doe not perceive who are swine and dogges wherefore we are to render a reason of our faith to all without putting any difference Answ Christ doth not call all wicked men swine or dogs but those only who contemne and make a mock of the doctrine confirmed which they have heard and which hath been expounded unto them 2. Christ willeth us not to judge of dogs and swine by the secrets of their hearts but by their present words and deeds If againe it be replyed In matters of difficulty and such as are hard to be judged except there be delivered some certaine and exact rule to judge and deale mens consciences are left wavering and in doubt But if also we are to judge of the outward shew of swine and dogs it is hard to pronounce who are to accounted for swine and dogs Therefore mens consciences are left in doubt unto whom and when confession must be made The Minor is false for Christ will have none to be counted for dogs and swine but such as shew manifest stubbornnesse and obstinacy in their words and deeds of whom it is no hard thing to judge out of the word of God And further the holy Ghost is promised unto all that aske him by whom their judgements and actions may be directed that they erre not And lastly seeing in this life we attaine not unto the perfection of Gods law neither in other things neither in this point they who joyne the desire of Gods direction with an earnest care of Gods glory and love of their neighbour may and ought to be certaine and assured either that their counsels are so ruled by the holy Ghost that they erre not or if they erre that yet their error is pardoned and forgiven them And this certainly sufficeth for the retaining of a good conscience If lastly it be objected that Tyrants and many Magistrates which persecute the Church are swine and dogges and therefore we according to Christs commandement are not to make answer unto them if they demand our Religion We answer that this reason is a fallacy of the accident For if the Magistrate demand our Religion or any other by their commission and in their name we are necessarily to make answer of our confession unto them both in respect of their office whereunto we owe obedience and also in respect of Gods glory according as it is said of Christ Marke 8 3â— Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words among this adulterous and sinfull generation Matth. 10. Luke 12. of him shall the Sonne of man be ashamed also when he cometh in the glory of his Father with
estimation of others h 1 Pet. 4.8 The Explication THe drift or end of this Commandement is the ordinance and maintenance of the truth among men Neither is in this Commandement onely bearing false witnesse forbidden but all things which are of neere affinity therewith the generall whereof is lying Thou shalt not beare false witnesse of thy neighbour or against thy neighbour In this negative Commandement is comprehended an affirmative which is Beare therefore true witnesse of or for thy neighbour that is be true and desirous of learning and knowing the truth Wherefore the originall and generall head of those vertues which are here commanded is truth or truenesse in our speech opinion judgement covenants and in our doctrine For the name of Truth here is taken for the agreement or correspondence of our knowledge or speech with the thing whereof our speech is True wee terme the speech it selfe agreeing with the thing Contrariwise the generall head of such vices as are here condemned is false-hood in any of the fore-alledged premisses The vertues of this ninth Commandement together with their vices THe chiefe and principall vertue which is here commanded is Truth 1. Truth or truenesse is a vertue 1. Vertue Truth whereby wee love true opinions or speeches and seek after them and receive them and gladly professe and defend them according as both our dutie and persons places times and other circumstances require unto the glorie of God and the safety of our neighbour This end maketh that the divell cannot be said to be true although hee sometimes speake that which is true For he is true who speaketh and loveth the truth and doth affection it for the glory of God and the safety of his neighbour Of this vertue Aristotle briefly but learnedly disputeth in his Moralls and referreth truth in bargaines to justice Hee calleth him properly a true man who when it steedeth him nought at all yet is true in his speech and whole life and is habitually such an one Truth may also be defined on this wise What truth is Truth is a firme election in the Will whereby we constantly imbrace true sentences and opinions speake that which is true keep covenants and promises and avoid all deceitfull dissemblings both in speech and outward gesture True confâ—ssion is commanded both in this and in the third Commandement How confession of truth here differeth from that which is required in the third Commandement as oftentimes the same vertue is required to the obedience of diverse commandements But in the third Commandement true confession is required as it is the honour and worship of God immediately respecting God and here it is commanded as there is a will in us not to deceive our neighbour but to wish his safety and wel-fare Under the name of truth wee comprise liberty of speech which is a vertue whereby as much as the time place and necessity requireth wee professe the truth freely and boldly and are not with-drawne through the feare of dangers Unto Truth The contrary vices in the defect are repugnant Lying Lying unto which appertaine all guiles dissembling lies of courtesie slanders back-bitings evill speakings which kindes of lying are repugnant also unto fairenesse of manners and conditions Likewise Negligence in understanding the truth of things and searching true opinions and wilfull Ignorance which is a lâ—ing in the minde Vanity A Vaine man A Lyer Lying To lye Mentiri est adversus mentem ire Vanity or Levity which is a readinesse to lying Hee is vaine who lyeth much often and easily and that without any shame A Lyer is he who hath a desire to lye Lying is to speake otherwise or to signifie otherwise by outward gestures than thou thinkest and than the thing it selfe is For to lye is as much as to goe against thine owne knowledge All lying which doth expresly and plainely dissemble the truth is here condemned neither are officious lyes or lyes of courtesie excused Lyes of courtesie because evill is not to be done that good may come of it And well saith Lactantius In Epit. Wee must never lye because a lye either alwaies hurteth or deceiveth some man But a truth which is uttered by a figure is no lie Truâ—h uttered in a figure whether hee understand it or no with whom wee deale This is to be observed that wee be not rigorous in examining the actions of the Saints and also that wee excuse not those things which have no need to be excused Exod. 1.15 20 21. Officious lyes are commonly defended by the example of the Egyptian Mid-wives which lyed unto the King and were blessed of God But God blessed them not therefore because they lyed but because they feared God and slew not the Infants of the Israelites Object That which profiteth another and hurteth no man See August lib. de mend ad Consen is not sinne and therefore may be done A dutifull lye is of such qualitie Therefore it is no sin but may be made Answ The Minor is false because that which God forbiddeth alwaies harmeth and if it profit at all this is but by accident through the goodnesse of God Unto Truth in the excesse is repugnant The contrary vices 1. Untimely professing of the truth which is to cast pearles to swine and to give that which is holy unto dogs as Christ saith who by these words doth wholly forbid unnecessary and untimely professing of the truth For as the verse hath it in the Poet Hee that warneth out of time doth harme 2. Curiosity which is to search after things unnecessary or unpossible These things may suffice for this chiefe and principall vertue of the ninth Commandement The vertues which follow wait upon truth and they all are as it were of truths retinue II Vertue Fairnesse of mind Fairnesse of mind is a vertue which taketh well things well or doubtfully spoken or done and interpreteth them in the better part to wit as farre as there are any reasonable causes to induce thereto and doth not easily conceive suspicions neither sticketh upon suspicions though they be such as are just and have reasonable causes hee doth not ground thereon neither directeth his actions accordingly neither decreeth or determineth ought by them Or Fairnesse of minde is a neighbour-vertue unto truth allowing of others wils upon probable reason and hating all evil-mindednesse and drawing also some things that are doubtfull to the better part and hoping indeed that which is good but yet as touching mutable things thinking that the wils of men may change and that a man may erre concerning anothers will seeing the infoldings and secret places of mans minde are not beheld The extremes of this vertue in the defect are Slandering and Suspiciousnesse The contrary vices Slandering is not onely falsely to criminate and attach the innocent but also to interpret things indifferently spoken in the worser part What slandering is or also to enterlace and
the law condemned us and the Spirit of regeneration bending and inclining our hearts not to an hatred of the law wherewith they first did burn but to the study and desire of obedience and righteousnesse Therefore he addeth Rom. 7.4 That â—ee should be unto another who is raised up from the dead that yee should bring forth fruit unto God Againe Wee are delivered from the law being dead unto it Rom. 7.6 wherein wee were holden that wee should serve in newnesse of spirit and not in the oldnesse of the letter In the other place this is the Apostles meaning I through the law to wit which accuseth us of sin and terrifieth the consciences of men am dead to the law that is cease to seek for righteousnesse in the law and begin to seek for it in Christ For this is it which he addeth I am crucified with Christ namely by the participation of Christs merit and the mortification of sin that I might live to God according to the will of God expressed in the law For hee liveth to God who obeyeth God and honoureth him through his obedience But this the doctrine of the law doth not work in nature now corrupted except we passe from the law to Christ by faith that he may live in us and we in him that is that he may be effectuall in us through the working of his holy Spirit 1. By suggesting and speaking comfort in our hearts of the remission of our sins then by making us like unto himselfe by regeneration that the law may no longer condemne us and cause wrath but we may delight in the law of God concerning the inner man Rom. 7. So then we are delivered from the law and die to the law so Christ liveth in us that we begin to delight in the law and to order our life according to the prescript thereof For Christ doth not restore any other righteousnesse or any other image of God in us by his Spirit than which was created in our nature darkned and eclipsed by sin and described in the law neither is there another spirit authour of Gods law and worker of our conformity with God in our nature uncorrupted and restored Object 11. I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel not according to the covenant that I made with their Fathers Jerem. 31.31 Here they say That God promiseth not to renew ehe old covenant which is the law but to make a new which is the Gospel Wherefore not the law but the Gospel only is to be taught in the Church of Christ But it is manifest that the new covenant is not diverse from the old as touching the substantiall but only as touching the accidentall parts or conditions and circumstances thereof For although the old shadowes and dark types are taken away and a most cleere doctrine of the prophecies and figures fulfilled by Christ hath succeeded and the grace of the holy Ghost is shed more plentifully on men in the New Testament than in the Old yet notwithstanding there was one and the same manner and way both of obtaining salvation and of Gods spirituall worship in times past that now is Unto this beare witnesse the words themselves of the Prophet Jeremy Jerem. 31.33 I will write in their hearts my law hee saith not another law but the same which in times past I gave them Jerem. 31.34 I will be their God and they shall be my people I will forgive their iniquity and will remember their sins no more For these conditions of the covenant are found as well in the Old as in the New The difference only is that these are not the proper benefits of the law but of the Gospel which two parts of the Old and New Testament the Prophet here opposeth one to the other calling the law the old covenant and the Gospel the new covenant as being the principall part of the covenant and therefore he ascribeth these blessings to the new covenant because thereon dependeth whatsoever grace of Christ befell unto the old Church and therein are those blessings more fully manifested and exhibited by Christ which were also promised and granted in the old for Christ If then God will write the law which was first written in tables of stone in the hearts of men in his new covenant he doth not abolish but establish the law by the preaching of the Gospel whereby the hearts of men are regenerated that they may begin to obey the law and therefore he delivering here a difference between the law and the Gospel doth so substitute the new covenant to the old as that he saith that that part of the covenant which is the Morall law must be retained and written in our hearts Now if they urge these words which the Prophet addeth They shall teach no more every man his neighbour for they shall all know me That hereby they may conclude Jerem. 31.34 That men are not in the New testament to be willed to know God for that they shall of themselves know and obey him they erre too grosly going about to remove the instrumentall cause by reason that the effect in the N. Testament is greater and more plentifull for that men may know God and of their own accord obey him the holy Ghost worketh by the doctrine of the law and the Gospel Neither doth it follow that they are not bound neither are to be urged by incitements of exhortation because they doe their duty of themselves For binding and exhorting is a far other thing than constraining Wherefore in two respects hath the law place in instructing the regenerate namely that they may learne of the law the will of God and may also by the law be more and more incited willingly to obey God Object 12. The law is not necessary unto salvation Therefore it is not to be taught in the Church Ans This reason is a fallacy reasoning that not to be simply so which is not in some respect so For albeit the law is not necessary to this that wee should through our obedience to it be saved yet it is necessary unto other things as hath been taught already in the doctrine concerning the use of the law Object 13. In Christ are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Againe Col. 2.3.10 John 1.16 Yee are complete in him Of his fulnesse have all wee received Therefore wee must not goe back from Christ to Moses and there is no need of the law in the Church of Christ. Answ This reason deceiveth by inferring a false consequent because it proceedeth from the putting of the whole to the deniall of a part The whole wisedome and knowledge that is the doctrine of Christ delivered by him unto us is sufficient and necessary for the Church but a part of that doctrine is the Morall law also because Christ commandeth not Faith onely but Repentance also and amendment of life to be preached in his Name and hee himselfe delivered
spirit 5. That the minde of him that worshippeth be lifted up to heavenly things 6. That heavenly things be desired 7. That the errour of Ethnickes might be met withall who thinke that they may adore and worship God in creatures 8. To admonish us that wee are not to direct our prayers unto a certaine place as in the Old Testament ON THE 47. SABBATH Quest 122. What is the first petition Answ Hallowed be thy Name that is Grant us first to know thee aright a John 17.3 Jer. 9.23 24. and 31.33 34. Mat. 16.17 James 1.5 Psal 119. sect 14. vers 1. and to worship praise and magnifie thy almightinesse goodnesse justice mercy and truth shining in all thy works b Psal 119. sect 18. vers 1. Luke 1. ver 46 47 68 69. Psalm 145.8 9 17. Exod. 34 6 7. Romanes 11.33 And further also to direct our whole life thoughts wordes and workes to this end that thy most holy Name be not reproached for us but rather be renowned with honour and praises c Psalm 71.8 and 115.1 The Explication Why this Petition is first in order NOw followeth the second part of the Prayer containing six Petitions Amongst them this petition of hallowing Gods Name is set in the first place because it is the end and scope of all the other Petitions For the end of all our affairs actions and prayers must be Gods glory Now the end is the first thing which is intended and the last thing which is performed and executed 1. Therefore the end of the other Petitions is to be desired if we will desire the rest aright according to that Commandement Seek yee first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be ministred unto you We are here to consider 1. What is called the Name of God 2. What is holy and what To hallow or sanctifie The Name of God signifieth What the Name of God signifieth Psalm 5.11 and 7.17 and 116 1â— 1 Kings 5.5 Exodus 15.4 and chap. 34. vers 14. 1 Sam. 17.45 Mat. 28.19 Acts 21. vers 13. and 2. vers 38. 1. God himself They that lovethy Name shall be joyfull in thee I will praise the Name of the Lord. I will call upon the Name of the Lord. Hee shall build an house unto my Name 2. The properties and works of God His Name is Jehovah The Lord whose Name is Jealous 3. Gods Commandement and charge his divine will and authority I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of hosts Baptise them in the Name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost 4. The worship trust celebration and confession of God I am ready to die for the Name of the Lord Jesus Be baptised every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ in which place as also Mat. 28. the Name of God signifieth both his authority and the confession of him Here it is used in the first and second signification to wit it is taken for God himself and for the divine properties and works in which Gods Majesty shineth What Holy signifieth Holy signifieth 1. God himself most holy and most pure or essentiall uncreate holinesse which is God himselfe For all vertues and properties in God are his essentiall holinesse Esay 6.33 So the Angels call God Holy holy holy Lord God of hosts 2. That holinesse which is in creatures that is their conformity with God which is begun in the godly and is perfect in the Angels 3. The ordaining and appointing of things to holy uses In this sense that is called holy which is destined to some holy use as the Temple of Jerusalem Hallowing signifieth 1. To acknowledge that for holy which is holy How we are said â—o sanctifie God the Altar the Vessels and the Priests The word Hallowing is taken in these three senses First to hallow or sanctifie is to acknowledge reverence and magnifie that as holy which indeed in it selfe is holy In this sense wee are said to hallow and sanctifie God who is holinesse it selfe 1. When wee acknowledge God to be holy or when wee acknowledge God to be such as hee hath declared himselfe in his Word and workes that is when wee know and think the same of Gods essence of his will and works of his omnipotency goodnesse wisedome and other his properties which God in his Word hath commanded and revealed that wee should know and think of them 2. When wee not only know God to be holy but also confesse and magnifie him and that in words and profession and in deeds and integrity of life 3. When wee referre the true doctrine knowledge and profession of Gods holinesse and likewise of our prayers and actions and even our whole life unto that end whereunto we ought and whither God hath commanded it to be referred namely to the glory and worship of God himselfe 2. To make that holy which in it selfe is not holy Secondly to hallow or sanctifie is to separate that from pollution and make it holy which in it selfe is not holy but polluted So the Word did sanctifie that masse or lumpe of flesh which he tooke even that nature which in us is polluted John 17.17 19. Ephes 5.26 2 Cor. 7.1 2 Tim. 2.21 1 John 3.3 1 Pet. 1.10 preserving it in himself from all contagion of sin and adorning it with perfect sanctity So God and Christ do sanctifie the Church namely by remitting us our sins and sanctifying us by the holy Ghost and by the continuing of both unto us So we are commanded to sanctifie our selves that is to keep our selves from all uncleannesse of the flesh Be ye holy for I am holy 3. To appoint a thing in it selfe either holy or indifferent to an holy use Thirdly To sanctifie is to ordaine and appoint that to an holy use or end which it selfe is either holy or indifferent So the Father sanctified the Sonne that is ordained him to the office of the Mediatourship and sent him into the world Thus God sanctified the Sabbath day the Temple the Sacrifices the Priests and thus Christ sanctified himselfe for the Elect that is he offered up himselfe to his Father an holy sacrifice for us Thus is the meat we receive sanctified by the word of God and prayer How we pray that Gods name be hallowed Of these three significations of Hallowing the first and second pertaine to our present purpose For our petition to God is that his name be hallowed not only of us but in us also that is we desire 1. That God would enlighten us with the knowledge of his holinesse and most holy name or as the Catechisme expoundeth it that we may know him aright and worship praise and magnifie his almightinesse wisdome goodnesse justice mercy and truth shining in all his works 2. That he would also sanctifie his name in us and more and more sanctifie and regenerate us so that in our whole life we may avert and
Divinitie An. Dom. 1593. June 12. at 7. of the clock TO The noble and reverend President and Assistants of the holy Assembly his honoured Colleagues DAVID PARIE wisheth health THat saying of Solomon is both true and godly The heart of man disposeth its owne way but the Lord directeth his paths Of which by mine own example I have experience for although hitherto I have neither wanted faire occasions many times nor my friends exhortations nor other things which now draw me from mine opinion yet I entertained that firm resolution still never to doe that which now I undertake to doe From which not onely did the conscience of mine owne infirmity with-hold mee but also the unhappy condition of Divinity at this day For they who professe themselves Divines are either most bitter enemies to Divinity and cruell persecutours of the truth so that among these the nimbler one is in railing the greater Divine they account him Or if they will be truly that which they are reported to be they presently feele those mens madnesse and find their teeth are fastned in them to the great griefe and scandall of the Church to which end it seemes they were made and so I conceived But behold the Lord directing these things another way for what before deterred mee now hindereth mee not what before could not induce mee doth now strongly carry me forward The knowledge of mine infirmity indeed remaines but then I consider that there are differences of gifts and that every man prophesieth according to the measure of grace and faith given to him from God Divinity hath got a bad name as if it were a deceitfull and slanderous doctrine but this is given to it by bad men for that holy doctrine is often abused by Satans artifice and wicked mens malice Besides I know that our Lord hath been and is yet at this day the signe of contradiction By Gods appointment and the Magistrates I have now some yeares born that office in this famous Colledge which by its owne right and the examples of predecessours hath made me at last alter my resolution Before mee this place hath been honoured to the Churches good and to their owne praise by Olevianus Ursinus Sohnius Kimedoncius whom I name because I honour them for they were eminent men and some of them were my teachers or masters and some my reverend colleagues What shall I be the first that must impaire the dignity of so noble a function Shall I overthrow so commendable and so excellent an order in our Schoole Shall I leave to successours a precedent so dishonourable and injurious to our College Besides that now the Act is at hand wherein seventeen very learned men in Physick and in the Lawes are to receive their ensignes of honour the many exhortations of my friends and your most grave and serious reasons honoured Colleagues by which not onely have you approved my resolution but also have so strongly confirmed mee in it and perswaded mee that I am drawne to this taske by divine instinct I beseech our most mercifull God so to direct my pathes in his waies that they may never goe astray and that hee would be pleased to make these my endeavours profitable and wholesome to this Schoole first and then to the whole Church of God I am resolved to set downe out of Gods word not a full but a briefe repetition of our Churches doctrine concerning certaine heads which are at this day chiefly controverted that I might afford to young Students sufficient matter of disputation and that likewise the summe of our orthodox doctrine might be as it were in a briefe Epitome obvious to the enemies and calumniators of our Churches These my endeavours I consecrate to you honoured Sirs both because you are the most vigilant preservers of sound doctrine in these Churches and because you are most courteous favourers of my studies The Lord Jesus keep you in safety for his Churches good Amen At Heidelberge in the Colledge of Wisdome June 1. Anno Domini 1593. D. David Parie to the READER out of the Dutch Edition AT the entreatie of many holy men I have translated this Epitome of the orthodox reformed Christian Religion out of the Latine into our vulgar tongue not without some addition and a more full explication having added some Testimonies of Scriptures Creeds generall Councels and Fathers Therefore in this Epitome the Christian Reader may briefly understand which is the doctrine of the Schooles and Churches in the Archipalatinate and indeed of all the reformed Churches through France England Scotland the Netherlands Switzerland Moravia Bohemia Poland Hungarie and else-where Besides hee shall know whether or no this doctrine be Calvinian and hereticall as some injuriously stile it or not Apostolicall rather and Christian having its foundation in Gods word But such mad clamours will not I hope move those in whom is the zeale of pietie and are carefull of their soules health but will rather after the example of those noble Jewes of Thessalonica Act. 17.11 in the fear of God weigh this doctrine that from hence they may learne which is the true Christian Religion they will also examine the Testimonies of holy writ by which the doctrine of the orthodox reformed Religion is confirmed which we maintaine and which before a generall Councell lawfully assembled yea before the Tribunall of Jesus Christ that supreme and most just Judge we will not be ashamed to defend This was the practice of the people of Beroe observing what doctrine Saint Paul taught them and carefully searching if it was consonant to Gods word by which meanes it came to passe that many of them both men and women beleeved in Jesus Christ They are of another mind who at this day call every doctrine Calvinisme which is not consonant to their opinion by which intemperate speech they may easily refute Paul and Christ himselfe and I must not expect that any other name will be given to mine Aphorismes then this But surely if this be Calvinisme the whole Book of God yea the whole doctrine of the primitive Church must be called Calvinian for there are irrefragable testimonies which cannot be contradicted yea besides the learneder sort of Papists and Jesuits who follow the Schoole-mens doctrine must be called likewise Calvinists For even in the midst of Popery God for his Elects sake did preserve by the Schoole-men from corruption the doctrine Of Christs Person Death and Merit Of his Ascension into heaven Of his sitting at the right hand of God and Of Predestination most plainely as these points are explained by us in these Aphorismes But the other Articles to wit Of faith Of the Ministery of the Church Of the Sacraments were corrupted betimes in Popery But it is to be lamented that they who having laid aside the name of Christ and of Christians desire to be called by mens names have so farre departed from the consent of the Primitive Church in the handling of these Articles of faith and do
of the world 1 John 2.2 Christ is the propitiation for our sins not for ours alone but also for the sins of the whole world III. But this we know that this is the immoveable and Catholick doctrine of the Gospel John 3.18.38 He that beleeves in the Son of God hath life eternall he that beleeveth not in the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God remaineth on him IV. Although then this most divine Panace or Catholicke remedie is proposed to all in the a Gospell yet we beleeve that no efficacy of it can be transfused except there be an applying of this by faith in the Son of b God even as there can be no efficacy in Physick or medicaments except the sick patient hearken to the Physician and apply his c medicines which metaphor the Holy Ghost useth in this case Testimonies of Scripture and of Divines a Mat. 11.28 Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will cause you to rest Mark 16.15 Preach the Gospell to all Creatures b John 3.36 He that beleeves in the Son hath life eternall but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God remaineth on him John 8.24 Except you beleeve that I am he you shall die in your sins Esay 7.9 If you beleeve not my words it is because you are not stable Mark 16.16 He that beleeveth and is baptised shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be condemned c Chemnitius Harmon Evangel l. 2. pag. 83. As drugs will not benefit the sick man that makes no use of them so the vertue of Christs passion is sufficient to take away the sins of all the world but is onely effectuall to them who receive this Lamb. d Esay 53.5 With his stripes ue are healed 1 Pet. 2.24 With whose stripes you are healed V. It is then out of doubt that all they and onely they are partakers of the efficacy of Christs death that is of redemption reconciliation with God remission of sins righteousnesse and eternall life so many as receive by faith these benefits in the a Gospel but such as passe over this life without faith remaine for ever excluded from this power and benefits of his b death Testimonies of Scripture a John 1.12 To all that received him he gave this power to become the sons of God to wit to such as beleeve in him John 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you whosoever heareth my words and beleeveth in him that sent me hath life eternall John 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that all who behold the Son and beleeve in him should have eternall life Acts 10.43 To him bare all the Prophets witnesse that every one who beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins by his Name Heb. 5.9 Being consecrated he is made author of eternall salvation to all that hearken to him b John 3.18 He that beleeveth not in him is condemned already because he beleeveth not in the Name of the onely begotten Son of God Ibid. ver 36. Who obeyeth not the Son he shall not see life but the wrath of God remaineth upon him 1 Cor. 6.9 Doe you not know that the unjust shall not have the inheritance of God Revel 22.15 Without shall be dogs and whoremongers Gal. 4.30 Cast out the hand-maid and her Son for the son of the hand-maid shall not inherit with the son of the free-woman VI. We know that the Evangelicall promises are universall and appertaine to all but not to the incredulous and unconverted Turks Jews Heathens Epicures so long as they remaine such but to all beleevers for to all promises there is the condition of faith in Christ annexed either implicitely or explicitely that which the plain text of Scripture a sheweth Testimonies of Scripture a John 3.16 That whosoever beleeveth in him might not perish but have life eternall Rom. 3.22 The righteousnesse of God by faith in Jesus Christ towards all and on all that beleeve Acts 10.43 To him bare all the Prophets witnesse that whosoever beleeveth on him shall receive remission of sins through his Name Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath shut up all under sin that the promise of faith in Christ Jesus might be given to all beleevers VII When the Scripture then saith that Christ died a for all that he gave himselfe a ransome b for all that he died c for all that he is a propitiation for the sins of the whole d world this is necessarily understood either of the greatnesse of the price or of the sufficiency of his merit for all men or of the effectual redemption of all Jews and Gentiles that embrace by faith the benefits of his death For in these saith Ambrose a certaine e kinde of universality is conceived And this is no more repugnant to the doctrine of the Gospell then if some should say that Christ by his death did indifferently redeeme and reconcile to God faithfull Christians and faithlesse Turks Heathens Epicures Hypocrites c. although they receive not the merit of Christ by faith which opinion is both impious and repugnant to Gods word Testimonies of Scripture and of Ancient Doctors a 2 Cor. 5.15 Christ died for all that they who live may not hereafter live to themselves but unto him who died and was raised againe for them b 1 Tim. 2.6 Christ gave himselfe as the price of redemption for all men c Heb. 2.9 That he by the grace of God should taste death for all men d 1 John 2.2 He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but for the sins of all the world e Ambrose de vocatione Gentium l. 1. c. 3. Gods people have their owne fulnesse and although a great part of men either reject or resist the grace of their Saviour yet in those that are elected and fore-seene and severed from the generality of all men a certaine kind of universality is conceived that out of the whole world the whole world may seeme to be deliyered and out of all men all men may seeme to be assumed VIII Hence is that received and fit distinction that Christ died for all men in respect of the sufficiency of his merit or the greatnesse of the price but in respect of the efficacy and fruit of his death he died for all and onely for the beleevers seeing not all but only the faithfull receive him but the rest reject him through infidelity Testimonies of Schoole-men and Fathers Innocent 3. l. 2. de myster Missae c. 4. An. Christi 1200. His bloud was poured out only for the predestinate in respect of efficacy but it was poured out for all men in respect of sufficiency For the effusion of the bloud of that just One for the unjust was so rich a price that if the whole world would beleeve in the Redeemer the chaines of Satan should not be able to with-holy any for as the Apostle saith Where sin hath abounded grace hath much more abounded Thom. Aquinas
the Church in the New Testament we beleeve and teach that it is the office of publick teaching and governing the Church by the voice of the Prophets and Apostles instituted by Christ for finishing the salvation of the a elect Testimonies of Scripture a Matth. 28.19 Goe and teach all nations baptising them in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost Mark 16.16 Preach the Gospel to all creatures he that beleeveth and is baptised shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be condemned Ephes 2.20 You are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ephes 4.11 He gave some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists and some to be pastors and doctors II. And that it is an effectuall meanes by which the holy Ghost stirs up confirmes and a operates faith and conversion in the hearts of the elect Testimonies of Scripture a Rom. 1.16 The Gospel is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth Rom. 1.17 Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God Acts 10.44 While Peter yet spake these words the holy Ghost fell upon all them that heard this speech Acts 16.14 A certaine woman named Lydia who sold purple in the city of the Thyatirians fearing God did heare us whose heart the Lord opened that she should heare what was said by Paul 2 Tim. 3.16 17. The whole Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect and perfectly furnished for every good worke III. Yet that internall power and efficacie by which we are sanctified is not the Ministers nor is it tied to or shut up with in their words actions but it is the holy a Ghosts The externall ministry is b mans which the Spirit of God makes use of for moving the minds and hearts of the elect when and how he c pleaseth Not as if he could not doe otherwise but because it pleased his divine wisdome by the foolish preaching of the Crosse to save such as d beleeve Testimonies of Scripture a Esay 43.25 I I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions John 3.8 The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but thou knowest not whence it cometh or wither it goeth so it is with every one that is born of the spirit 1 Cor. 12.11 All these things are done by one and the same spirit distributing to every one apart as he pleaseth b Matth. 3.11 I indeed baptise you with water to repentance but he who cometh after me is stronger then I he will baptise you with fire and with the holy Ghost John 1.23 33. I am the voice of him that crieth in the desart But he that sent mee to baptise with water he it is who baptiseth with the holy Ghost c 1 Cor. 3.5 6. Who then is Paul who is Apollo but ministers by whom you have beleeved and as God hath given to every man I plant Apollo waters but God giveth the increase Therefore neither is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God who giveth the increase d John 3.8 The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but thou knowest not whence it cometh nor whither it goeth so is every one that is borne of the spirit 1 Cor. 12.11 But all these things are done by one and the same spirit distributing to every one apart as he pleaseth 1 Cor. 1.21 But after that in the wisdome of God the world by that wisdome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save beleevers IV. But these Tenents are partly impious and partly too hyperbolicall 1. That God immediately doth infuse faith and conversion 2. That the ministerie is a dead letter but the exercise only of the outward man 3. That the faith which we have by hearing of the word is not justifying but historicall onely 4. That saving power is in the voice and under the voice of the ministerie and that Christs part is internall but ministers partly externall partly internall ARTICLE VIII Of the Sacraments in generall I. WE judge the generall doctrine of the Sacraments to be both profitable and needfull for without this we cannot know why Baptisme and the Lords Supper are Sacraments besides it gives a great light to the particular doctrine of each Sacrament by which we may avoid divers errours lest by giving them too little we esteeme them but bare Ceremonies and by giving them too much we transforme them into Idols which will necessarily be if we do not carefully observe what Sacraments are and why instituted by God and what is their use and end for Ecclesiasticall stories tell us that the Pope could not establish Transubstantiation untill he had overthrowne the nature efficacy and use of Sacraments II. Sacraments are signes of the Covenant or of the promise of a grace instituted by God for the confirmation of our b faith Testimonies of Scripture a Gen. 17.11 And you shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skin and it shall be a signe of the Covenant betweene me and you b Rom. 4.11 And he received the signe of Circumcision the seale of righteousnesse by faith in his fore-skin Sacraments are not onely notes of profession betweene men as some imagine but they are rather signes and testimonies of Gods will towards us by which God moveth the heart to beleeve as it is in the Apology of the Augustan Confession Tit. De usu Sacramenti III. Sacraments consist of the Element and a Word or of externall signes and the promises of spirituall grace which grace in the Word and in all Sacraments is one to wit Christ with all his b benefits for there is one Christ yesterday to day and for c ever and there is one communion of Saints from the beginning of the world to the d end which is that spirituall union that is betweene Christ and the Saints and of the Saints among themselves to the same love by the holy Spirit in Christ as the Head and in us as his members in whom he dwels although this one communion according to the diversity of signes is diversly called and represented in diverse Sacraments Testimonies of Scripture and of others a Apologia August Confes Tit. De usu Sacramenti c. Sacraments are signes of Gods will towards us and not only signes of men among themselves And they define Sacraments rightly in the New Testament to be signes of grace And because two things are in Sacraments the Signe and the Word the Word in the New Testament is the promise of the remission of sins b Ibidem The same is the effect of the Word and Sacrament as it is excellently said by Austine The Sacrament is the visible Word because the ceremony is received by the eye and is as it were the picture of the Word signifying the same thing that the Word doth wherefore the effect of both is the same c Heb.
which we are bound to God or by which God doth binde man to himself 102. By Cicero likewise Religion is that by which we are carefull by reverend Ceremonies to adore that supreme Nature which we call God 103. Religion differs from superstition saith Lactantius because Religion is a true worship superstition is a false one 104. Religion then given to creatures or to any thing besides God is false which the Scripture calls Superstition and Idolatry 105. For Idolatry is a fictitious or superstitious worship of God 106. Of which there are two principall kindes one is when a fictitious deitie is worshipped that is when instead of the true God or besides him religious worship due to God alone is exhibited either outwardly or inwardly to any thing that is existent or but fained 107. This is forbid in the first Commandement Exod. 20.3 Thou shalt have no other Gods but me 108. Such was the Gentiles Idolatry in their Religious worship of feigned gods inwardly by trusting in them outwardly by Ceremonies and erecting of Statues to them 109. Such Idolatry is covetousnesse with the Apostle when with inward confidence we worship money instead of God 110. The other Idolatry is errour in the kinde of worship when a worship is devised to be exhibited to God which either he hath not commanded or hath prohibited that is when we devise Statues and Ceremonies for him 111. This is forbid in the second Commandement Thou shalt make to thy selfe no graven Image c. Exod. 20.4 5. Deut. 12.30 31. 112. Which is expounded in Deuteronomy Do not seeke after the gods of the Gentiles saying As these Gentiles have worshipped their gods so will I. Thou shalt not do so to the Lord thy God for every thing that is abhomination to the Lord they did unto their gods which I hate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 113. For what is properly will-worship in respect of the manner becomes Idolatry in respect of the object 114. For to worship God with a strange worship is to give him another will then he hath therefore it is to feigne another God or to worship an Idoll instead of God 115. Such Idolatry it is when God is painted and is fained to be worshipped in that picture 116. Such also is the worshipping of God by Statues and Images of creatures celestiall or terrestriall put up for the honour of God or of his Saints whether that worship be devised to be terminated or bounded within the Statues or Saints or to be emanent and transient to God 117. Against both these God speaketh Deuteronomy 4.15 16. thus Take heed to your selves for you saw no similitude in the day that the Lord spake to you in Mount Horeb lest you defile your soules and make to your selves any graven Image the similitude of any figure the Image of male or female c. 118. In the New Testament especially when God will be worshipped in spirit and truth wee are strictly commanded to flie from Idolatry and every kinde of superstition Beware of Idols Flee from Idolatry and every kinde of superstition 1 John 5.21 1 Cor. 10.7 Colos 2.8 Let no man seduce you with will-worship 119. All Idolaters are directly excluded from the kingdome of God Be not deceived neither whoremongers nor Idolaters shall inherit the kingdome of God Without are whoremongers Idolaters and witches 120. But Popery for now a thousand yeares is altogether made up of filthy superstitions and by impure Idolatry is every day more and more profaned 121. Who is able to reckon up the infinite vaine and impious superstitions to which daily men give themselves in Popery with great devotion to pacifie Gods anger to merit pardon for sins to redeeme sinnes and the paines of hell and purgatory devised to in rich the Priests Such are Prayers and watchings for the dead their yeerely septimes and trentals the treasure and suffrages of the Church for Purgatory pilgrimages to the Images of Saints to holy places to the bones and reliques of Saints their fraternities religious dedications of Churches and Altars their exorcismes consecrations of Images and graves the baptising of Bells using of God-fathers to that purpose the choise of meats their quarterly and Lent fasts their religious and consecrated cloathes canonicall houres devoute processions perambulations bacchanals consecrations of Priests anointing of the sâ—ck exorcising of Chrismes and Fonts clipping and shaving their hooded coats surplesses and quirerobes candlesticks consecrated waxe tapers lampes glasse viols torches tippets banners censers drums wafer coffers little bels holy waters with their exorcisings hallowed salt hallowed wafers exorcised herbs to chase away devils ringing of bels against thunder little Images of Saints wrapped up in clouts the Letanies of Saints confessions satisfactions rosaries consecrated palme branches Asses crowned with palmes kisses and adorations of the Crosse the Crosse laid up in the grave their Mattins at the Sepulchre their solemne tumults their wooden busling noise in the night the ridiculous ascending of an Idol instead of Christ upon the cieling of the Church their flinging downe of fire and water their carrying about of the consecrated host the innumerable Saints holy-dayes to be kept under paine of mortall sin indulgences washings of feet and of Altars the waxen Images of the Crosse their Agni Dei and innumerable such like toyes full of superstition Magick and Idolatry 122. Which the ambitious Bishops chiefly the Popes to please the people have borrowed from Gentilisme and that they might seeme to have the more divinity have transferred them from Judaisme to the Christian Religion all which our Saviour Mat. 15.9 Esay 29.13 14. in one word hath overthrowne saying In vaine do they worship me teaching for doctrines mens traditions 123. So much the more horrible is the Romish Idolatry in that it placeth in Temples Images and fictitious Statues to the most holy Trinity the most incomprehensible and invisible God which Images they worship with wax candles Incense geniculations groanings and vowes as religiously as they do God himselfe 124. That they hang up and againe crucifie Christ our Saviour now gloriously reigning in heaven and set up his Image of wood or stone in all their Churches and corners of their streets and high wayes to be worshipped devoutly by the faithfull under paine of death to the great scandall and mockery of Infidels 125. That they worship as devoutly the wood of the Crosse as Christ himselfe 126. That they account as sacred and venerable the signe of the Crosse in the forehead or in the aire or upon any thing as it is expressed by the finger against the power of the Devill and good for hallowing of themselves 127. That under the species of the Host they really offer sacrifice destroy that is kill and crucifie Christ being alive and glorious every day in the Host more wickedly then the souldiers did when they crucified him in his humility 128. That it exhibits the Host of bread being elevated in the Masse to be
antiquitie will overthrow what he binds In the meane while he is warned if he cherisheth no monster that he speak with an upright mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without prodigious phrases For a wise mans words are upright The Epistle of D. David Parie to the illustrious and noble Count Lord Ludovick Witgenstenius c. CONCERNING Christs active and passive justice Illustrious and noble Count IN that I answer your demand later then is fitting I humbly intreat that you will not impute this to any fault or neglect in mee For I acknowledge that you have deserved so well of the Church in generall as of my selfe in particular that your beck shall command both willing and deserved service from mee A concatenation of businesse hath hitherto withheld and pulled mee back now and then from that which I had heretofore begun to write but that I may speak plainly and ingenuously I desire not to interpose my judgement in matters of controversie because I am conscious of mine owne weaknesse that way as likewise in regard of that affection I have to peace which I have alwaies loved I am averse from medling with strange controversies and especially with this of Justice which makes me feare I know not how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it will prove both beneficiall and hurt full to our Churches We know that the reformation of doctrine in our times began from this head I wish it may not end in this The Scripture phrase is plain and simple That we are justified by the bloud and death of Christ and that our justification consisteth in remission of sins Now the dispute is Whether we are justified by the death of Christ whether by it alone whether it be temporarie whether the matter by imputation of which we are justified be one or multiplied simple or made up of parts two or three Whether the imputation be one or double or triple Whether remission of sins be whole or halfe of our justification and I know not what else In which my judgement is that there is more dangerous subtletie then solid veritie and that many worke more with their wit then with their faith And these digladiations are not onely in our neighbour countries exercised but are also every-where spread abroad and diversly agitated according to the acutenesse of mens wits In another corner not far from you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is risen another strife more dangerous concerning Gods vindicative justice whether it is naturally or voluntarily in God That as God will raine or not raine to morrow his nature requiting none of these so whether he will punish or not punish the sins of Divels and wicked men his nature requiring neither of these which some seasoned with Socinian subtleties have begun lately to move By which craft Satan doubtlesse goeth about to undermine the necessitie of satisfaction and withall Christs satisfaction for us and consequently our whole faith and utterly to destroy these For it is not unknowne that Socinian nicities aime at this Good God! what meanes this itching humour of arguing and this lust of innovating and pulling up of every thing Whatsoever yesternight they dreamed of to day they utter it in their Pulpits as if they were Oracles and with great eagernesse defend to morrow they are of another opinion and they change their opinions as often as they doe their clothes as though there were not already too many strifes and monstrous opinions in the Church I feare lest these sparkes shortly burst out into a flame which will by degrees set our Churches in a combustion if we be not the more watchfull Therefore Noble Count your singular care and studie deserve high commendation in that out of your grave wisdome and excellent pietie you doe not slightly passe over these increasing evils but you perceive that you are concerned when your neighbours house is on fire and therefore you endeavour to find out fit remedies for these fresh wounds As for my selfe although I confesse that I am not willing to meddle with this controversie but by all meanes desire it may be buried both because I judge it unworthy of our Churches and Evangelicall Schooles especially in this cleere light of Scripture and Reformation as also because I perceive our Adversaries take occasion to oppresse the truth by our wranglings then lastly because whatsoever I say will presently be thought a casting of oile into the fire as the Proverb is by reason of the heat of some who are so violent in maintaining this cause that they can scarce abide their brethren if they be of another opinion Notwithstanding seeing what in this case is demanded from mee is not dissonant to mine office and profession I shall think it no burthen freely to deliver mine opinion of this question and that I may answer in order to all your Lordships interrogatories I will first of all briefly touch the chiefe opinions and reasons of moment in this controversie to wit 1. Whether Christs passive justice alone or his active also be imputed to us for righteousnesse 2. I will in few words unfold what I think of other mens opinions and of the best way to procure concord in this case 3. Whether it be fit to handle this Argument positively and refutatively in popular Sermons 4. I will briefly give mine opinion if it be needfull to leave out or to put out any passages in the Palatinate Catechisme and Directorie As for the first head That the state of the controversie may be better understood we must know in what these Disputers agree or disagree They all agree 1. That to justifie in that sense it is used in the Courts of Justice signifieth to absolve from guilt and to repute one just 2. That wee sinners are justified before God not legally but evangelically that is not by workes but by faith not by our owne but by anothers justice 3. That this justice of another is not infused but imputed by God to the faithfull and that freely 4. That the application of imputed justice is done by faith onely and that to be justified by faith is the same that is to be justified by the justice of another imputed and by faith applied 5. That this externall justice is the merit of Christ alone and his satisfaction for us or Christs righteousnesse imputed to us But they disagree in the explication of this merit or of Christs justice First as the justice of God in Scripture equivocally signifieth sometimes that by which God himselfe is just sometimes that by which he justifieth us So the justice of Christ equivocally is called that by which Christ God and man is just as also that which hee hath merited for us and which by faith hee bestoweth on us the neglect of this equivocation is the cause of all the controversie Againe when in Christ as God and man there is a foure-fold justice affirmed by some 1. His divine or essentiall 2. His humane or formall or originall 3.
His active filling of the Law 4. His passive obedience the question is Whether all these justices or some or the last onely be that thing by the imputation of which we are justified Some call this the matter others the forme of our justice I to be better understood will call it the matter This question hath drawne with it another concerning the forme of our justification whether remission of sins be the whole or onely the halfe of our justification And so far as I can remember this controversie began first to be in agitation amongst some Divines of Marchia about the yeare 64. then in the yeare 70. by the mediation of the University of Witteberg it was in some sort laid asleep or rather suppressed heretofore it was unknowne to the Reformed Churches neither is there any mention or dispute of it for ought I know in the writings of Luther Melancthon Zuinglius Calvin Martyr Musculus Hyperius or of the other Divines of this Age. But the simple doctrine of Scripture was received by consent of all to wit that we are justified by the death of Christ whereas by it we have remission of sins Now there are in a manner foure opinions which whilst I am writing I thinke of Lombard who rehearseth also foure opinions of his side Lib. 3. d. 19. concerning Justification he himselfe being ignorant what to thinke The first sort are they who will have all these foure justices of Christ at once to be imputed to us to them the matter of justification is the foure-fold righteousnesse of Christ the forme the quadripartite imputation yet this they reduce sometimes to two parts to wit the remission of sins by the death of Christ and the imputation of Christs righteousnesse divine humane active c. and the proper reason of these is that whole of Christ God and man is our Saviour King and Priest c. and that the dignity of Christs merit especially from the dignity of the person that is of the divinity hath its dependence Others will have the three latter justices of Christ to be the matter and the three-fold imputation of them to be the forme of justification And they teach that first is imputed to us the passive obedience to this end that we may not be unjust that is for remission of sins Secondly the active obedience for this end that we may be just that is to righteousnesse Thirdly the formall or as they call it the habituall sanctity for this end that we may be accounted holy that is to perfect holinesse The third sort make the two latter justices onely of Christ the matter of justification and the two-fold imputation of them the forme of justification All these three agree in this that they distinguish remission of sins and justification as the part and the whole sometime also as the integrall parts of the whole and the former they attribute to the death of Christ the latter to his active obedience they all likewise use the same arguments and words of Scripture of which I will briefly set downe the chiefest 1. As by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many are made righteous Rom. 5. But Adams disobedience was active therefore we are justified by Christs active obedience 2. He was made obedient even to the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. Here is a two-fold obedience of Christ the one before death the other in death therefore both are imputed 3. God sent forth his Son made of a woman and made under the Law that he might redeeme those that were under the Law Gal. 4. Therefore the active fulfilling of the Law by Christ is imputed to us 4. He was made of God to us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification c. 1 Cor. 1. Therefore his justice and sanctity are imputed to us 5. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus freed me from the law of sin and of death Rom. 8.2 Therefore the life of Christ or his active obedience is imputed to us 6. Whole Christ is our justice with which he justifieth us therefore whole Christ is imputed 7. Active justice cannot be excluded from Christs merit and from justification ergo it is imputed 8. The Law obligeth both to obedience and to punishment therefore it behooved Christ both to fulfill the obedience of the Law for us and also to suffer punishment 9. To whom the Law doth promise life such must we be by the grace of Christ that we may obtaine life the Law promiseth life not to them who transgresse not the Law but to them who fulfill it all but by the imputation of his passive obedience we are accounted indeed not unjust not sinners or not transgressors of the Law but we are not as yet accounted just or fulfillers of the Law for what is more vaine then to call him just who hath not fulfilled the Law Therefore not onely must his passive obedience be imputed to us for this that we may not be unjust or not transgressours of the Law but also his active for this that we may be just or fulfillers of the Law for he that in Christ is accounted for no sinner shall escape death but by what right shall he also sue for life unlesse he fulfill the whole righteousnesse of the Law in the same Christ 10. The sacrifice and death of Christ comfort us against the guilt and death eternall but his holinesse against our inherent impurity or the remainders of sin therefore the imputation of both is necessary for our consolation 11. Lastly the Catechisme of the Palatinate teacheth qq 60. and 61. that the perfect satisfaction justice and sanctity of Christ are imputed and given to us to be our justice and q. 36. that our Mediatour by his innocency and perfect sanctity covers our sins in which we were conceived lest they should appeare in the sight of God The same is found every-where in the Palatinate Directory I have faithfully set downe the arguments by which the former sort maintaine their opinions the fourth sort remaine who make Christs passive obedience onely our righteousnesse and define justification by remission of sins onely these make use chiefly of two arguments taken our of Scripture the one from the matter the other from the forme of justification The first is this The Scripture sheweth the whole matter of our righteousnesse to consist in the passion Crosse bloud and death of Christ therefore this onely is it for which we are justified They prove the Antecedent by testimonies of Scripture a Rom. 3.24 We are justified freely by redemption made in Christ Jesus whom God hath set as a propitiation by faith in his bloud b Rom. 5.9 We are justified by his bloud being reconciled by the death of his Son c 2 Cor. 5.21 Him who knew no sin be hath made sin that is a sacrifice for sin that we might become the righteousnesse of God in him d Gal. 3.13 He being
never knowne to him whom finally as accutsed workers of iniquity he will cast into hell fire But you will say Christ died for all therefore rose againe for all The Answer is double One is As often as the Gospell extends the fruits of the works and benefits of Christ to all this is to be understood of all those that beleeve in Christ for this is the perpetuall and constant voice of the Gospell He that beleeveth shall be saved he shall not come into judgement who beleeveth not is already condemned and the wrath of God remaineth upon him Therefore the Gospell debarres from the benefits of Christ all Infidels not onely by a plaine exclusion but also by that condition of faith and repentance under which either expresly or tacitly God promiseth to men the benefits of Christ and which is never to be found in those that persevere in sin So then Christ is said to die for all to wit all that do or shall beleeve in him for whom alone he prayed and in whom alone he findes the faith of his death but as for Infidels and Reprobates for whom Christ prayed not whom he never acknowledged for his owne upon whom the wrath of God abideth for ever John 17.9 Mat. 7.23 John 3.36 Mat. 7.6 to extend I say on these the benefits of Christ what is it else but agâ—â—nst his owne command To give that which is holy unto dogs and to cast pearles before swine These we could solidly defend by authority of Scripture and orthodox Fathers and they mainely concerne Christian consolation There is an other Answer usuall in the Schooles by which we may gratifie the contentious that Christ absolutely died for all if you consider the amplitude and sufficiency of his price and merit for it is out of controversie that the death of the Son of God is of that value that it sufficeth to expiate the sins not onely of one but of millions of worlds if so be they had faith to apply this Physick to their sins But the Question is properly of the efficacy and participation it selfe of these fruits when we demand if Christ died for all Because to die for another is properly to die in the stead and place of another so that he is freed from death and saved alive as when David weeping cryed out I wish I had died for thee O Absalom that is I wish I had died in thy stead that thou mightest have lived But we utterly deny that this participation of Christs merits is common to all unbeleevers as well as to those that beleeve or that this is promised or exhibited in the Gospell for in this regard we conclude that Christ did not die properly for all even for unbeleevers and reprobates But here some unluckie patrons of Infidels taking it ill that we do not divide the pearles equally amongst sheepe and swine cry out that we deny the bloud of Christ and that we produce a Saracenicall Mahumeticall and more then an Heathenish blasphemy which utterly overthroweth Christian Religion But Sirs it is not our purpose to encounter or contend with such rayling pratlers But first we protest against such bitter calumnies making our appeale to the unanimous consent of the orthodoxall Church and the perpetuall voice of the Gospell that we deny not but honour the bloud of Christ when we say it is poured out not for those that slight it and tread Christ under their feet but for those who by faith are justified through it as the Apostle saith Whom God hath given to be an atonement by faith in his bloud Heb. 10.29 Rom. 3.25 Rev. 1.5 1 John 1.7 to declare his righteousnesse by the remission of sins that went before for this is not the voice of Infidels Who hath washed us in his bloud from our sinnes and that The bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin Out of Gods word we know and beleeve that this is no Saracenicall Mahumeticall and more then Heathenish blasphemy as this calumny doth impudently blaspheme but that it is the genuine true and saving doctrine of the Gospell of Jesus Christ and this we are ready at all times â—o demonstrate before the whole Church Besides we hold it worth the while and necessary with as much brevity as may be to pull off from these Wolves the Sheeps-skins with which they are clothed and to paint out in its owne colours this their prodigious doctrine which cunningly lurks under the calumny 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which under this they goe about to bring into the Church They contend That Christ dyed for all Who denieth this for this is the Scripture phrase They adde That he dyed for all and singular Neither doe wee simply deny this to wit in that sense which we shewed a little before although we do not find the Scripture speak so They go on That he dyed for all and singular alike for the elect and reprobate for Cain and David for Judas and Peter for the damned as well as for those that are saved without any respect of faith or infidelity This is hard They proceed finally That he dyed for all and singular not onely in respect of sufficiencie but also in regard of the efficacie of the price But what is this to wit That Christ by his death hath truly delivered from death purged from sin sanctified and reconciled to God all absolutely even those who are not saved but have been damned ever since Cain and are damned and furthermore are to be damned all those they say he hath received into his favour This is that impious monster by which they conclude another no lesle impious and false to wit That wicked men whosoever have perished doe or shall perish that they have perished doe and shall perish not for their sins for they were expiated by the bloud of Christ but onely for their incredulity They who have read their Books and Disputations will confesse that this is no fiction of ours But how monstrous are these to Christian eares These brave patrons of wicked men teach that all wicked and impure dogs before and after the death of Christ are received into the bosome and favour of God But we say first That this is a false and impious doctrine because it plainly opposeth Scripture which continually cries out that wicked men so long as they remaine without faith and repentance are not in the favour of God but that they remaine the sons of wrath and of eternall malediction That they are not delivered from sin and death but are held captives by the snares of the Divell and are strongly deluded yea that they are already condemned and are under the wrath of God Againe we affirme that this is a most absurd monster which overthrowes many principles of Christian faith and it selfe also For now let us set downe and examine their Position All men without exception faithfull and unfaithfull before and since the death of Christ are truely and undoubtedly by the bloud
for all beleevers I beleeve Ergo he dyed and prayed for mee But they are too cold comforters who teach afflicted consciences thus to reason Christ dyed for all men I am a man Ergo he dyed for mee Why may not a Turk a dog or a hog wallowing in the mire conclude so O brave comforters and Preachers of Gods word for the maineâ—inew of Christian comfort is not to be a man but to be ingraffed into Christ Againe they object out of the Apostle That all are made alive in Christ 1 Cor. 15.22 as all dyed in Adam But if they will absolutely say that all are made alive in Christ Scripture and experience will refell them This is it then the Apostle saith that Christ gives life to all his owne as Adam brought death upon all his owne And he indeed by grace which is more but this by naturall propagation which is easier This sense of the Apostle is proved by the subsequent words for when he had said that all were made alive in Christ hee presently subjoynes Every one in his owne order Christ as the first-fruits afterward they that are Christs that is beleevers who are given to him by the Father and for whom he earnestly prayed to the Father Neither is Austins interpretation different from this De civit Dei l. 13. c. 33. therefore it is said that all are alive in Christ not as if all that die in Adam were members of Christ but because as no man except in his naturall bodie dyeth in Adam so no man in the spirituall bodie is quickned but in Christ Neither have they cause to object that by these meanes Adam is made stronger then Christ if he destroy more by death then Christ preserveth by his death and life They know not what they bark against Be it so that all who are lost in Adam are saved by Christ But this way grace shall not abound but will be onely equall to sin The power of both is not to be measured by the number of those who die or live but by the manner by which perdition and vivification are obtained or else by the greatnesle of the benefits received or lost It s an easie matter to wound but hard to cure according to the Proverb You shall sooner and with more ease destroy 600 men then save one You shall sooner tumble downe many men from off the bridge into the water then you can preserve one from drowning So it was more easie to undoe all mankind then to restore one man from destruction That Satan could doe Adam could doe but this none can effect except Christ Beasts or afflictions can hurt offend and kill men but it is in no mans power save onely in his who is the Creatour of all things â—o restore salvation and life eternall Therefore Christs death had been stronger then Adams though he had restored but one man to life Besides it is certaine and out of question that the good things we have by Christ doe as far excell those things which we lost by Adam as heaven and eternitie exceed terrene and transient blessings For Adam was earthly saith the Apostle Christ heavenly he was naturall this spirituall he ejected us out of an earthly Paradise this hath introduced us into an heavenly Mansion and hath crowned us with eternitie of happinesse Thus I suppose we have sufficiently demonstrated and defended that the fruit of Christs death and resurrection doth appertaine to all and onely to them who repent and by faith adhere to Christ A briefe Introduction to the Controversie of the Eucharist explaining the chiefe Questions that are controverted or not controverted among the Protestants By D. DAVID PARIE Foure generall Remembrances 1. LEt the younger sort remember to discriminate between the questions that concerne the ceremonies and rites of the Supper and questions of doctrine which is the Evangelicall promise annexed to the ceremonie 2. Let them learne also to put difference between questions controverted and not controverted whether of doctrine or of ceremony 3. Let them know that the controversies about the ceremony are of lesse consequence and may for the most part yea should with moderation be decided or agreed upon according to the circumstances of time place and people but alwaies to edification 4. Let them know that there are three chiefe questions of the doctrine of the Supper not controverted and so many controverted to which all others may be easily reduced Of both I will briefly give some hints to young Divines Three uncontroverted Questions concerning the doctrine of the Supper 1. What the Supper of the Lord is All Protestants agree in this that the Lords Supper is a Sacrament of the New Testament instituted by Christ in which bread and wine being taken the true bodie and bloud of Christ is also received so that there is sealed to the faithfull the communion of Christ and of his benefits 2. What be the ends and uses of the Supper instituted by Christ All Protestants consent in this that this receiving confirmes the faith of the promises of grace both because this is the common use of Sacraments as also because Christ said of this Sacrament 1 Cor. 11.26 Doe this in remembrance of mee And This cup is the new covenant in my bloud Therefore they consent in this that the holy Supper is the commemoration of our Lords death untill he come according to the Apostles admonition 3. What is exhibited and received in the Lords Supper In this also the Protestants agree that bread and wine is received by the mouth and bodie the bodie and bloud of our Lord with all his benefits are taken by a faithfull heart I say the Protestant Divines agree in these but as for contentious pratlers they neither agree in these nor in any thing else whose brawlings should not measure mens judgements concerning the consent or controversies of the Protestant Churches The three controverted Questions be these Quest 1. What the union of the signe and thing signified is in the Lords Supper Whether transubstantiation or consubstantiation or else a mysticall relation To these the answer shall be in three Propositions two whereof shall be negative and one affirmative Proposition 1. The signe and the thing are not united by transubstantiation that is by such a mutation which turnes the substance of the signes into the substance of the things the bare accidents remaining Reason 1. From Christs words This is my body He said not Be this or Let this be made my bodie Reas 2. Bread in the Scripture is called bread in the action before and after the action Reas 3. The orthodox Fathers retaine bread in the Supper and when they speak hyperbolically of changing of the bread they will be understood sacramentally as Theodoret Dial. 1. Christ would have those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causa est sacramentis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who receive the Sacraments not to be intent upon the nature of the things which are seen but