theÌ„ which said they were Apostles finding theÌ„ liars So likewise our Saviour Christ the wisdome of God in whome were hid al the treasures of knowledge willeth his auditors to search the scriptures Ioh. 5. 39. so to try by theÌ„ whether he taught any other doctrine theÌ„ was coÌ„tained in these sacred bookes for in them saith he ye thinke to haue life they are my deponeÌ„ts witnesses Neither doth he desire any better lurers to giue evideÌ„ce coÌ„cerning the truth of his doctrine And S. Hierome foretelleth of the faithfull of these last daies that they shall not suffer In Nah. c. 3. theÌ„selues any longer to be kept in ignorance by their blind guides but shal ascend vp to the mouÌ„taines of the Apostles Prophets that by the cleere light of their infallible doctrine they may be directed in the right way to their eternall salvation Wherefore as many of vs as desire to be saued by coÌ„ming 1. Tim. 2. 4. to the knowledge of the truth let vs follow the commandemeÌ„t of Christ and his Apostles the example of the noble BereaÌ„s of the faithful of these last time let vs asceÌ„d vp to the mountaine of the Apostles Prophets take them to be our guids in all our ghostly spirituall affaires let vs by their Canonicall writings especially by the fouÌ„datioÌ„s of faith in theÌ„ coÌ„tained as by a most certaine sure rule try the doctrine of al meÌ„ angels of al particular Churches whatsoever be they FreÌ„ch Duch Spanish or Italian I hat law that will not be tried is worthely suspected that doctrine which flieth the light is the doctrine of darknes For truth seeketh not corners it would not be covered vnder a bushel but set on a caÌ„dlestick she would not haue her face masked lest she should passe vnknown she would appeare with opeÌ„ couÌ„tenaÌ„ce that so she might be iustified of all her childreÌ„ For thy furtheraÌ„ce herein good ChristiaÌ„â—eader in this short treatise the which if it giue but occasioÌ„ to some other to haÌ„dle the same matter in maÌ„ner more suffiâ—ient I neede not accouÌ„t my labour to be lost I haue laide purple to purple that it might the better be discerned as also the cloth of the coÌ„trary colour that is I haue ioined to the Articles of our Christian Creede the points of our Christian faith agreeable therevnto as also such erronious and heretical positions which are repugnaÌ„t contrary to the same The which thing being so behouefull and necessary it had bin convenient that some one of great giftes had been emploied therin neither could his learning eloquence haue beene more advanced then in being handmaides in so profitable a service But now it pleaseth the Lorde to send this present vnto thee by the hands of a simple servitour and in a rude and vnpolished speech as in an earthen platter or wodden dish that so the meate may rellish for the meates sake it selfe not for the fairenes or goodlines of the dish But first thou must purge and free thy taste froÌ„ the corrupt humors of partiality and of al obstinate wilful resolutioÌ„s neither must thou presume to appointe of thy selfe what shal be sweet what sowre but suffer the Lord himselfe only to be thy taster therein and so thou maiest also in thy course both taste and see how gracious the Lord is and at the length attaine to the blessednes of al such as place their whole hope and confidence in him The Lord for his mercies sake disperse more more the grosse misles of al spirituall blindnes and darknes and open thine heart as hee did the heart of Lidia giue thee vnderstanding in all things Act. 16. 14. graunting vnto thee the spirit of truth to leade thee into al truth for his owne glory and thine vnspeakeable comfort and ioy Thine in the Lord JOHN TERRY The principall vses of this Treatise FIrst here the Reader may behold the pointes of faith with the errours repugnant therevnto referred to the Articles of our Christian faith and to the residue of the maine grounds and principles of our Catholike profession Secondly in this collation he may perceiue both the particular pointes of faith to be a light for the better vnderstanding of these grounds of faith also the groundes of faith to giue greater strength for the confirmation of the particular pointes of faith and for the confutation of the erroures that are contrary thereto Thirdly whereas the people for the most part cannot read the holy scriptures nor so well vnderstand and keepe in memorie the sentences takeÌ„ out of the Apostles Prophets as they can these grouÌ„ds of our ChristiaÌ„ professioÌ„ by reason of the more familiar vse of the same therefore the particular pointes of faith being made open and knowen vnto them the more easily by this collatioÌ„ they may the sooner hereby be brought to the knowledge of the truth and also confirmed and established in the same Fourthly wheras the most venemous Doctrine of Antichrist is the more A preservatiue for the simple against the polloned doctrine of the Romish Antichrist being offered vnto them in a cup of gold that is vnder the name the of Catholike faith readâ—ly received for that it is delivered in a cuppe of gold that is vnder the name of the Catholike faith even the simple vnlearned may receiue by this collation a most soveraigne preseruatiue against the same For it is an vndoubted trueth agreed vpon of both sides that these grouÌ„des of faith are Catholike and Apostolike therefore that all such doctrines as are not agreable thereto but are contrary to the same are neither Catholike nor yet Apostolike How then may even a simple man say to such as would seduce him to the Popish religion vnder the preteÌ„ce of recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ to the Catholike faith caÌ„ that doctrine be Catholike which teacheth it to be sufficient to beleeue in grosse as the Church beleeueth wheras the scope end of my Catholike Creede is that I not only know vnderstaÌ„d but also be able to make a distinct coÌ„fession of the very hardest pointes of the Christian faith SecoÌ„dly he may say how can that doctrine be Catholike which teacheth me to doubt of particular faith whereas the Catholike Creede teacheth every faithfull Christian constantly to professe without wavering I BELEEVE Thirdly be may aaâ—e how can your Romish doctrine be Catholike which teacheth me to beleeue in the Church in the Saintes wheras my catholike Creede teacheth me to beleeue the Church and not in the Church but only in God Lastly to omitte the rest whereas my Catholike Creede teacheth me that Christ only suffred died for my sinnes that he is my only Redeemer Saviour how can your Romish doctrine be Catholike which teacheth that the Saintes also suffered and died for me and that their sufferings being applied vnto me by the Popes Pardons are both SATISFACTORY for
my sins and also MERITORIOVS of eternall glory wherefore pretende no longer your Romish doctrine to bee the Catholike faith seeing that it is directly contrary to the maine grounds and Articles of the Catholike faith Lastly by this treatise it may be perceived how the Bishop of Rome and his aaherentes haue brought in that great Apostasie from the faith foretold by the Apostle and haue also fulfilled all the other prophecies which dâ— concerne the great Antichrist and therefore that hee is most truly and iustly charged by the professors of the Gospell to be that very grerâ— Antichrist THE TRIALL OF TRVTH CHAP. 1. 1 That all fundamentall pointes of faith are contained within the articles of the creede by the iudgement of diverse catholicke men that lived in former ages and that all such are to be taken for false prophets which teach any other faith then is contained in these groundes of faith 2 That the people ought to examine the doctrine of their pastors teachers by the rule levell of the canonical scriptures and the grounds of faith therein contained 3 That all pointes of faith necessary to salvation are plaine and easie to every faithful and humble christian who is sufficiently exercised in the word of God 4 That the people ought to vnderstand the severall pointes of their faith and not beleeue in grosse and blindefully as the church beleeveth THIS word SymboluÌ„ signifying a summe The Symbole or creede of the Apostles an heape coÌ„gested togither or a signe or badge to discerne one from another teacheth vs that in these articles of our faith is contained the whole summe of such things as are to be beleeued of every true faithfull christian whereby both the teacher of the true faith may bee discerned from the false and a right beleever from a wrong The creede as testifieth an ancient writer is a perfect August ser 115. de tempore collection and summe plaine shorte full that the playnnes might helpe the weakenes of the hearers the shortnes their memory the fullnes their instruction Vnto whom consenteth Cassianus the creed saith Lib. 6. de Inâ— car domini he is called a collection or summe because whatsoever is plentifully dispersed throughout the body of the divine scripture is heere all collected knitte vp togeather in a perfect brevity the Lord herein as a most louing father providing both for the slowenes and also for the dulnes of some of his children that the simple and weake minde shoulde not be troubled to vnderstand that which also it might easily keepe in memory Russious saith that In exposit Symboli this creede is called a signe or badge because in the apostles as it may appeare by the Actes of the Apostles many of the circumcised Iewes did fayne themselues to be the apostles of Christ and either for their bellies sake or for gaine went forth to preach setting out the gospell of Christ not with that sincerity and integrity as it was delivered by the apostles Therefore saith he the Apostles made this creede to be a marke whereby it might be knowen vvho did preach Christ truly according vnto the rules of the apostles Now by these interpretations of the name Symbole made by these auncient and learned fathers we may obserue these fowre thinges 1 First that seeing in their iudgementes this creede containeth a perfect summe of our christian faith therfore the doctrines of the church of Rome concerning pilgrimages pardons purgatory the papall supremacy and the like being neither expresly set downe therein nor necessarily to be drawen out of the same are no fundameÌ„tall pointes of our christian religion Nay may they not admit this as a sufficient exception against them all they are none of my creede therefore I neede not beleeue them Nay further doth noâ— this vehemently vrge and presse our Romanistes with the badge and marke of false prophets in that they teach other fundamentall pointes of faith then are delivered in this summe of faith 2 Secondly we learne that seeing the people that were coÌ„verted to the faith of Christ in the primitiue church were by this rule to examine to discerne the doctrine of the true teachers from the false that even so the faithfull people are novve also by the same rule to examine to discerne the doctrine of their pastors teachers and not in a sottish and brutish simplicity to pinne their faith vpon their sleeues and without all examination and triall blindfully to followe whithersoever they leade them and to beleeue as they beleeue Nay they are to be thankefull to their most gracious God who hath provided for theÌ„ so good a meanes whereby they themselues albeit weake and simple yet may discerne truth from falsehoode and rest on their owne most assured knowledge embracing the substance of christian religion not for company but for conscience yea the devill raging and the limbes of Antichrist threatning and our great and manifold sinnes deserving that God should take againe from vs the vse of his worde how ought especially the simple so to lay vp in their heartes the true sence and meaning of these articles of our creede that it may never be takeÌ„ from them but that even thereby they may be enabled against all their adversaries to iustifie their sound christian faith be made ready to confirme and seale it with their bloud 3 Thirdly we learne that seeing the articles of our christian faith were set downe with that shortnes and plainnes that all the faithfull be they never so simple might vnderstand them and keepe them also in memory all pointes of faith necessary to salvation or at the least the hardest pointes being in them contained therefore all thinges necessary to salvation are plaine and easie even to the simplest amongst the Lordes people if so be Prov 8. 9. 9. 4. Hebr. 5. 14. they be desirous in all holy humility to vnderstand the truth are sufficiently exercised in the word of truth 4 Fourthly we learne that seeing these articles were set downe plainely for the capacity of the simple therefore they ought nor to be debarred from the right vnderstanding of them detained in the darkenes of ignorance as it shall be further declared in the nexte chapter Now on the contrary side the church of Rome teacheth that all pointes of faith necessary to salvation are not set downe no not in the large volumes of the canonicall scriptures much lesse within the straiter boundes of this shorte summe of faith that the people should not presume to examine discerne the doctrine of their pastors teachers that the doctrine of faith is full of hardenes and difficulty aboue the capacity of the Lords people and therefore that they must content themseâ—ues to be without this knowledge perswading themselues that ignorance is the mother of devotion as may well be of their blinde superstitious devotion CHAP. 2. That it is not enough for the lay
and mercies vpon them Iudge me O Lord saith David according vnto my righteousnes and according vnto the innocencye that is in mee and againe Iudge mee O Lorde for I haue vvalked innocently c. and verse the eight of the same Psalme O Lorde I haue loued the habitation of thy house and the place vvhere thine honour dwelleth O shut not vp my soule with sinners nor my life with the blood-thirsty in whose hands is wickednes their right hand is ful of gifts and coÌ„cerning the assuraÌ„ce that he had of his own faith the spring fouÌ„taine of al good works he likwise testifieth saying Haue mercy vpoÌ„ me O God haue mercy vpoÌ„ me for my soule trusteth in thee vnder the shaddowe of thy winges shal be my refuge vntill this tirannie bee over Isa 38. 3. past So Ezechias Remember now O Lorde how I haue waâ—ked before thee with an vpright hearte and haue done that which is acceptable in thy sight Remember me saith Nehemiah O my God in goâ—dnes according Neâ— 5. 9. 13 22. to all that I haue done for this people And againe Remember me O God concerning this and pardon mee according vnto thy great mercie Pray for vs saith the Apostle for we are assured that wee haue a good Heb. 13. 18. conscience desiring to liue honestly in all things And in truth how could the actions of the faithful haue beene pure and good except they had beene done in faith and in obedience to God and vpon an assured knowledge that they were wel pleasing vnto him How otherwise could they haue beene so bold and that in lue of that service which then they performed vnto him to haue required at the Lords hands that reward which he hath promised to his faithful servaÌ„ts Or if they theÌ„selues were not fully perswaded of their most comfortable faith godly life of the sincerity of an vpright conscience how came it to passe that the light therof was so great that their most deadly malicious enimies were forced to giue testimony thereto with these or the like words These be they which speake as they liue and liue as they speake this is assuredly an holie profession which bringeth forth so holie a conversation this is a ioyfull and comfortable faith which yeeldeth such ioy and comfort amidst so great and grievous torments and in the very terrors of death it selfe O truely great is the God of these christians Their light did so shine before meÌ„ that they did see their goods works and glorifie their father which was in heaven and therefore they did much more assuredly see them themselues Wherfore to conclude this first question A true a faithful christian man is not ignorant of the estate of his own soul nor standeth in feare of al his actions he â—s not in doubt of the purity of his cogitations nor yet vncertaine of his obtained grace he cleerely beholdeth the light of his owne holy life and conversation and both by the markes fruits of his christian faith groweth into a stedfast assurance thereof being thereby enabled to make an vndoubted profession of the same according vnto the direction of this our christian creede I beleeue Novv the first question being thus determined the second follovveth whether a faithfull christian knowing assuredlie that hee hath obtained a true saving and iustifying faith may know also assuredlie that â—e is in the favour of God hath remission of sinnes and a iust title to the inheritance of the kingdome of heaven Andradius the maintainer of the Trâ—dentine faith seemeth to yeeld thus much that if we could assuredly knovv that we had faith repentance loue we might also assuredly knovv that vve vvere in the favour of God had al our sins remitted vnto vs. But of the former he greatly doubteth nay he boldly avoucheth with * Duraeus li. 8. de paradoxiâ— other of his fellovvs that we cannot attaine to any stedfast and certaine assurance of the same Now theÌ„ seeing that the meÌ„bers of the church of Rome know not assuredly whether they beleeue or no or belong to the nuÌ„ber of the faithful servaÌ„ts of Christ it is no mervaile that they know not that they are in the favor of God neither acknovvledge the great mercy of Christ tovvardes themselues in remitting vnto them their iniquities and sinnes Whereas no doubt the faithfull servauntes and children of GOD feeling his lavv written in their Heb. 8. 10. 1 Ioh. 5. 20. heartes and knovving that he hath giuen them a minde to knovv him aright and to perfourme in some measure the vvell deserved duety of obedient servauntes and loving children and that according vnto his ovvne prescription in his most sure and vndoubted vvord do knovv also assuredly thereby that they themselues are vnder the covenant of mercy and in the estate of grace that God is become their loving father in Christ hath cast al their sinnes into the bottome of the sea This question then concerneth not the vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuers whether such may knovv whether they are in Gods favor for doubtlesse they may perswade themselues the cleane contrary but the faithful beleeuers only vnto whoÌ„ for the better streÌ„gthning of their stedfast assurance diverse helpes are ministred by the Lord in his word For as in the coÌ„veiancâ— of earthly lands possessions vvhen any thing is to passe from man to man the graunt is set dovvne in vvriting and signed and sealed vvith the hand and seale of the party that maketh the graunte and subscribed vvith the handes or markes of the vvitnesses present for the same purpose that so the party to vvhome the graunte is made may haue good security for those landes vvhich are after this manner passed over vnto him and as in those evidences the cause of the graunte is sometime signified for the better confirmation of the conveiance even so our most gracious and mercifull GOD purposing of his infinite and endlesse mercy in Christ to giue assuraunce to the faithfull of remission of sinnes and euerlasting life hath caused not only the graunt thereof to be set dovvne in the holy scriptures vnder the handes of diverse as it vvere publike Notaries but also the cause of the saide graunt as So GOD loved the vvorlde not so and so had vve deserued and such or such a summe had vvee giuen but So Ioh. 3. 16. God loved the vvorlde that hee gaue his only begotten sonne vvho is the onely purchaser and price of the purchase also that vvhosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perish but haue life everlasting And that vve might bee most throughly persvvaded of the vnchaungeable vvil of the LORDE concerning this his grant he commaunded it to be proclaimed not in Iurie alone nor any one corner of the world nor to one people onely but gaue in charge to his embassadors to publish the same throughout the vvhole vvorld and to entreate thereof vvith every creature Goe yee saith our Saviour
was onely able to giue a sufficient price for that heavenly purchase as al the faithfull from the begining of the worlde haue vndoubtedly beleeved Apoc. 19. 10 so that it is a sure token of the spirit of a true prophet to giue testimony therevnto Wee haue saith Austine Iesus Christ our Aug. in Epi. Ioh. tract 1. advocate and he is the propitiation for our sinnes he that holdeth this holdeth no heresie he that holdeth this maketh no schisme And if the very Apostle Saint Iohn had saide saith the same Father If any man sinne Aug cont Epistâ—l Paâ—… l 2. Cap. â— yee haue me for your advocate and I obtaine pardon for your siâ—…es What faithfull person woulde haue endured him VVho woulde haue taken him for an Apostle of Christ and not for a very Antichrist And yet the church of Rome the lesse catholike and the more haereticall schismaticall and Antichristian is she teacheth vs not to rest vpon the mediation and merite of Christs passion as the onely propitiation and satisfaction for sinne and the onely meritorious cause of our saluation but also to trustâ—n our owne merites in the workes of supererogation performed by the saintes and in their praiers and intercessions Opposit 15. The sincere professors of the catholike faith acknowledge Christ to be nowe onely in heaven according to the flesh whither he is ascended and from whence they looke for him to come to iudgement wheras seduced and seducing heretikes * See fol. vvill needes haue him to be here also now in earth albeit he be seated aboue the highest heavens THe flesh of CHRIST when it was on earth surely it was not in heaven and nowe because it is in heaven certainly Vigil contr Eut l. 4 Cap. 4. it is not in the earth Yea so farre is it from being in earth that vvee looke for Christ after the flesh to come from heaven whome as he is GOD the Word vve beleeue to be vvith vs on earth Then by your opinion either the word is comprised in a place as vvell as the flesh or else the flesh is every where togeather with the vvord seeing one nature doth not receiue in it selfe any different or contrary estate Now to be contained in a place and to be present every where be thinges diverse and very dislike and for so much as the Word is every where and the flesh of CHRIST is not everie where it is cleare that one and the same CHRIST is of both natures that is every where according vnto the nature of his Deity and contained in a place according vnto the nature of the humanity This is the catholike faith confession which the Apostles delivered the martyrs coÌ„firmed and the faithfull persist in to this day And therefore whereas the church of Rome teacheth that the flesh of Christ is in heaven and in earth togeather at one time confoundeth the distinction of the properties of the tvvo natures of CHRIST by teaching him according to the property of his humane nature so to be contained in a place that he is also in ten thousand thousand places at one time What doth she thereby but condemne the catholike faith and confession delivered by the Apostles confirmed by the martires and continued among the faithfull vnto the time of Vigilius Opposit 16. The catholike faith by the warrant of the word of God acknowledgeth but two places after this life and the contrarie opinion proceedeth from See Aug. â—uch ad Lâ—… Cap. 6. 7. a blinde albeit it seemeth a kind affection LAstly to omitte other thinges which might be alleaged to this purposâ— for there are so many oppositions betweene the doctrine of Christ and Antichrist as there are maine groundes of our christian profession as it may appeare throughout al the partes and parcels of this treatise the catholike faith teacheth that there are but two places after this life So Austine Aug. Hâ—…pog Lib. 5. The first place the catholike faith builded vpoÌ„ â—iuin autority beleueth to be the kingdome of heaven the second to bee hell where every apostata and infidell is tormented And as for any third place we are vtterly ignorant thereof neither doe we finde any such in the scriptures And what shall the church of Rome be still esteemed to be catholike which will not allow of this pointe of the faith neither which yet S. Austinâ— allowed to be catholike Div. 2. That the church of Christ is not alwaies visible OVr creede teacheth vs to say I beleeue and not I see the I beleeue the holy catholike church catholike church that is hovvsoever the members of the true church are not alvvaies visible nor their companies conspicuous yet I beleeue that GOD hath his church and congregâ—tion in some place or other which rightly and sincerely worshipeth him in spirit truth And therfore this church as it is sometimes likened to the Moone in her full brightnes so it is sometimes compared to the same greatly obscured and after a sort loosing her vvhole light And as it is sometimes resembled to a city built vpon a hill vvhich is admirable for her exceeding beautie and glorie so it is sometimes also compared to a cottage in a vineyarde and to a lodge in a garden of cucumbers and to a besieged câ—…ty defaced and wasted with extreame misery and to a countrey overâ—… and after a sorte dispeopled by the sworde of the enemy As it came to passe not onely amonge the Israelites in the time of Elias but also in the kingdome of Iudah in the time of Isayas who complaineth that al maÌ„ner of corruptions in al estates of meÌ„ were so grievous had made so great havocke that had not the Lord reserved vnto himselfe a small reâ—nant they had beene made as Soâ—oma and like vnto Gomortha And 〈…〉 29. how stoode the case with the church in the beginning of the Apostles times vvas it not such that it gaue iust occasion to Saint Paul to renevv againe the same complainte Yea this remnaunt vvas so smal at our Saviours death that it hath beene deemed by some that the church was only then in the blessed Virgin and in Davids and Ieremies time this company also was so inconspicuous that one of them crieth out 〈…〉 1. Helpe Lord for there is not one godly man left and the other is willed by the Lorde himselfe to runne to and fro through the streetes of Ierusalem and to inquire if there were one that executed iudgement and embraced truth and hee would spare all for ones sake Div. 3. That hypocrites and vngodly persons are not the true members of the holy catholicke church of Christ which is the congregation of the predestinate THe true church is holy and so are al the true members therof for that they are vnited and ioyned togither by the bands of one holy and pure spirit 〈…〉 1. For if the vngodly were members of this church shee were to be called vnholy
that beleeue is the onely meanes not onely to erect but also to establish this kingdome of grace And therefore Saint Paul taking his fare-well of the pastors of Ephesus saith Now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to builde further and to giue you an inheritance amonge them that are sanctified The which word of grace when it was committed to the Apostles they were saide to haue receaued the keies of the kingdome of heaven the which also when it was reiected of the Iewes they reiected together with it the kingdome of heaven The which Worde of grace seing that it is kept by the church of Rome vnder the locke and keie of a strange tongue from the common sort of christians what is it but a ready way to exclude them also out of the kingdome of God 3. In the thirde petition all the faithfull are taught to desire that Gods will may be done of them all after that manner in earth as it is done in heaven of the holy angels all of them according vnto their measure of grace tending and striuing to this perfection The which contending to the estate of perfectioÌ„ the church of Rome reserueth onely for her holy Votaries and for such as be of her Relâ—gious orders who that they may obtaine a greater opinion of holines then any other are saide to be onely in the way to this Angelicall perfection all other estates and degrees of men belike being out of that vvay 4 Now concerning the fourth and fifte petitions if we haue our very breade by free gift from Godâ— giue vs this day our daily bread and not by the merite of our owne vvorkes how then can we deserue remission of sinnes and eternall glory 5 yea if by our dayly sinnes vvee adde continually to the summe of our debts must continually sue for the forgiuenesse of all our dayly and smaller offences how can we then make satisfaction for our grosser sins and merite also more of our creditors goods 6 Lastly in the sixth petition the faithfull acknowledging their great frailty and weakenes to withstand the temptations of sinne and Satan are taught to flie continually to the Lords protection to fence themselues vnder the shield of his power that he may either keepe them from the force of the combate or els deliver them by giving them strength to overcome But the church of Rome feareth no such frailty in her religious Votaries and therfore â— Cor. 7. 2. leaueth them in the hands of their owne lustes by taking from theÌ„ the meanes ordained by God for the avoiding of the same thereby causing them to tempt God by refusing the holesome water ordained by him for the cooling of these their fiery flames CHAP. 12. That the graunt of eternall life is given to the faithfull onely in Christ and not partly through him and partly through their owne workes THe holy and sacred word of God doeth lay open The new Testament â—r Gospell â—…at is the â—oyfull tyâ—ings of â—…lvation 〈◊〉 Christ â—esus Gen. 3. 24. vnto vs two covenauntes of life made betweene God man the oue legall the other Evangelicall The first whereof was made with man presently after his creation and had for the further confirmation thereof the fruite of the tree of life for an holy sacrament and a sacred assurance of the same from the most comfortable vse wherof he was vtterly excluded after the breach of that covenant The articles of this covenant were at the first written in the hart of man and after set downe in the law of God which declareth that it depended vpon our owne deedes And therefore vvhen the Pharisie vvhich looked to bee saued by the vvorks of the lavv demaunded of our blessed Saviour what hee should doe to be saued it was aunswered him that seeing by the works of the law he looked to be saued he should perfectly fulfil the commaundementes of the lavv doe this and thou shalt lâ—… But Luk. 10. 28. vvhen man by his fall had broken this covenaunt and so had stepped out of this vvay that leadeth to life and had gotten into the most daungerous vvaies of sinne and death the LORDE vvho is rich in mercy and of endlesse goodnesse suffered him not long to wander therein but soone reclaimed him and made with him a second covenaunt of life in the seede of the woman that shoulde Act. 3. 25. bruise the serpentes head and in whom all the families of the earth shoulde be blessed And hee appointed vnto him certaine sacrifices at the first for the further strengthening and confirming of his faith as aftervvard he gaue to Abraham the father of the faithfull the signe of Rom 4 11. circumcision as a seale of the righteousnesse before obtained by faith The articles of this covenant are more at large set dovvne in the Apostles Creede but most briefly comprised in the Apostles answere to the â—aylors demande what shall I do to be saved beleeue thou Act. 16. 31. say they in the Lorde Iesus and thou shalt bee saved and thy housholde The opposition of these covenants is set dovvne by the Apostle Moses saith he writeth of the righteousnes of the lawe that hee vvhich doth the same shall liue therein but the righteousnes which is of faith speaketh Rom. 10. 5. on this wise Say not thou in thine â—eart who shall ascende into heaueÌ„ that is to fetch Christ from aboue either vvho shall descende into the deepe that is to fetch vppe Christ againe from the deade For if thou acknovvledge vvith thy mouth that Iesus is the Lorde and beleeue in thine hearte that God raised vppe him from the dead thou shalt be saved For vvith the heart man beleeveth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth confession is made vnto salvation For the scripture saith vvhâ—soever beleeveth in him shall not be confounded So theÌ„ the first covenaÌ„t was fouÌ„ded on our owne obedience the secoÌ„d on the obedience of Christ the first dependeth on works the second on faith not on workes And therfore it is certaine that our deliuery froÌ„ death our recovery to life by the secoÌ„d covenaÌ„tis only by Christ appreheÌ„ded by faith vnles we wil add some third covenaÌ„t of life partly in Christ and partly in our selues partly by faith partly by workes so overthrowe that covenant of life vvhich vvas made vnto vs onely in CHRIST Iesus For as the making of the second Heb. 8. 7. covenant vvas a disanulling of the first so an establishing of a third must needes be a disanulling of the second VVherefore let all true Christians vvay vvell vvith themselues this blasphemous doctrine of the church of Rome vvho hath coyned another nevve gospell vvhich bringeth to vs the ioyfull tidinges of remission of sinnes and eternall life partly through Christ and partly through our selues and so hath disanulled that covenant of mercy which was made vnto vs only in Christ Iesus Neither
as beleue hath bin more careful for the naturalmaÌ„ by leaving those principles which stande vpon their owne ground that so he may attaine to the knowledge of all such Arts sciences which are profitable for the maintenaÌ„ce of this teÌ„poral life that he hath not left the like principles and grouÌ„ds for the regenerate maÌ„ wherby he may attaine to the knowledge of al such things as do coÌ„cerne eternal life And if Aristotle bee iudge in Philosophy Galene in Physicke Iustinian in the law albeit many of their rules precepts he diversly expounded by their Interpreters even so albeit there be diverse expositions of holy scripture yet God forbide but the holy scripture of God the most cleare pure fountaine of truth should be the iudge of faith that especially by the maine grounds of faith therein coÌ„tained The which are therefore named by the auncieÌ„t Fathers the key A bâ— serm 38. Aug. de doct Christ l. 3. cap 2. 3. De Temp. Serm 119. So r. hist Eccles lib. 5. Cap. 10. and rule of faith for that the perspicuity plainnes of theÌ„ doth open as it were a doore into all the mysteries of faith And hereof it was that not only Theodosius the Emperor vsed theÌ„ as a meanes to end all coÌ„troversies in his time but S. Austin also being to expouÌ„d the first booke of Moses called Gen. setteth theÌ„ down in the forefroÌ„t of his worke as a rule whereby he meaneth to frame al his interpretatioÌ„s that if they misse in the meaning of any particular place yet they may not erre in the substaÌ„ce of faith because he avoucheth nothing but that which is agreable to the grouÌ„ds of faith So likwise TertulliaÌ„ Iraene that liued near the Apostles See Kemnis Exa Trid. Conc. de traditionibus time wheÌ„ certaine heretikes charged the scriptures as the meÌ„bers of the Church of Rome doe now that they were in sufficieÌ„t dark ambiguous that the truth could not be fouÌ„d out by them without traditions they ioined issue with theÌ„ referred themselues to the iudgmeÌ„t of that doctrine which the Apostles delivered by tradition to the Churches the suÌ„me whereof they relate altogeather as it were eveÌ„ as it is set down in the Apostles Creed being the very pith substaÌ„ce of that faith which was delivered first by mouth by the Apostles theÌ„selues afterward set downe in their writings that it might be the pillar fouÌ„datioÌ„ of faith al interpretatioÌ„s of scripture they require to be agreable to this entire perfect body of truth as they had learned of the Apostle S. Paul that al prophecie should bee Rom. 12. 6. sutable proportionable to the faith Vnto the which Testimonies of these learned Fathers I adde the iudgment of Beza KeÌ„nitius quoted before that al indiffereÌ„t persoÌ„s may perceiue that we walke in the saÌ„e waies that these learned Fathers haue trod out vnto vs vsed the same meanes to attaine to the right interpretatioÌ„ of holy scripture and to a sound catholike iudgment in matters of faith No huÌ„ble Serm. in c 3. Cant. christiaÌ„ saith Beza if he desire to be taught caÌ„ be deceiued in the interpretatioÌ„ of holy scripture if he diligeÌ„tly coÌ„fer place with place according vnto the exaÌ„ple of our S. Christ the Math. 4. 7. practise of the auncieÌ„t CouÌ„cels if with all he referre the whole vnto the correspoÌ„deÌ„cy of the articles of our faith which we call our Creede being the suÌ„mary abridgmeÌ„t of every fuÌ„dameÌ„tall point of our Christian religioÌ„ Most notable also to Serm 4 de Incarnat Dumini this purpose is that of Leo If any saith he shal preach vnto you any other thing besides that which ye haue learned let him be accursed preferre not wicked fables before evideÌ„t truth whatsoever it shall happeÌ„ that ye read or heare coÌ„trary to the rule of the Catholike Apostolike Creede accouÌ„t it altogeather daÌ„nable divelish By which testimony of this learned Father we may gather that the doctrine of faith sette down in the Creede is that evideÌ„t truth which was delivered by the Apostles whatsoever is contrary to the same is a wicked fable to be accursed as being no better then flat daÌ„nable divelish Wherefore good ChristiaÌ„ reader if thou wouldst not willingly hold that faith which is fabulous accursed daÌ„nable diuelish examine thy faith according to those grouÌ„ds which are both easie short perfect least thou shouldst plead ignoraÌ„ce in thy selfe or leÌ„gth tediousnes in the worke it selfe Be not ouer credulous in this matter of so greate moment nor so simple as to receaue any pointes of faith which are not agreeable to this rule of faith No although that they be taâ—ght by that Church which maketh her boast that she caÌ„not erre and that the faith of her cheife governor caÌ„ never faile Nay rather if thou wilt be a sound scholer in the schoole of Christ learne to yeelde that reverence honour only to the bookes of Aug ep 91. ad â—litron the diuine scripture that thou firmely beleue that none of the Autors of theÌ„ erred any whit in the penning of the same giue this prerogatiue only to the worde of God that it hath his sufficieÌ„t warraÌ„t credite in itselfe because it is inspired of God proceedeth froÌ„ him which caÌ„not erre deceiue or be deceiued as for the writtings of all other albeit they excel in wisdom holines receiue theÌ„ not because they haue thus iudged but for that they are coÌ„firmed by the autority of the Canonicall scripture or by some reasoÌ„ agreable vnto Hom. 13. in 2. ep ad Cor trueth And verily it is an absurd thing as Chrysost saith in a mony matter not to trust an other but to tell that eveÌ„ after a mans own father in matters of farre greater momeÌ„t which coÌ„cerne Gods glory the salvatioÌ„ of our owne soules in a simple sottish credulity to follow the iudgmeÌ„ts of other men whereas also we haue a most exact ballaÌ„ce rule even the ceÌ„sure determinatioÌ„ of the divine lawes Yea whereas we are precisely coÌ„maÌ„ded to proue all to approue the best â— Th. 5. 21. 1. Ioh 4. 1. 1. Cor. 14. 32. not to beleeue every spirit but to try the spirits whether they bee of God or no for that the spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets therefor by trial to be fouÌ„d true before they be beleeued Neither is it any disgrace to the iudgmeÌ„t of man to be subiect to the ceÌ„sure of Gods spirite already set downe in the canonical scriptures for eveÌ„ the spirit of God speaking in S. Paul was coÌ„teÌ„t to be tried by the sacred scriptures that is in truth by himselfe the BereaÌ„s at coÌ„meÌ„ded Act 17. 11. Apoc. 2. 2. for doing the same as the Angeâ—l of the church of â—phesus is also coÌ„mended for examining
people to beleeue in grosse and blindefully as the church beleeueth but that they ought to vnderstand the seuerall pointes of their faith IN the Lords praier we are taught to call 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 alâ—…tie â—…er of heaven earth c. God not my father but our father to teach vs in charity to presume such to bee Gods children which cal vpon one common father togither vvith vs in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ our sole and onely mediatour But in our creede we are taught to saye not vvee beleeue but I beleeue to teach vs that it is not the faith of any other but everie one 's owne particular faith vvhich ioyneth him vnto the house-holde of faith and causeth him to be admitted amonge the members of the faithfull For as by beleeving that such a one or such a one taketh a verie good course to make cloth or to manure the grounde maketh not an other man a good cloth maker or husband-man vnlesse hee knovve the like courses himselfe and bee able also to practise the same even so it maketh not a faithfull christian to beleeue as such or such a faithfull man beleeueth except hee himselfe holde a right faith For an others faith can make mee no more faithfull then an other mans charitie can make me charitable or an other mans patience can make me patient The iust shall liue by his owne faith and Hab 2. 4. not by the faith of any other And so we are taught by the general coÌ„fession of all the articles of our christian faith which is to be made of every faithfull christian that the true christian catholike faith is not to beleeue in grosse and blindfully as the church beleeveth but distinctly and particularly both concerning God that he is one in substance and essence distinguished into three persons the father the sonne and the holy ghost and also concerning his workes that he made vs and not we our selues that he redeemed vs and not we our selues and that he sanctified vs and not we our selues Where vnto agreeth the creede of Athaâ—asius Wherin it is most pereÌ„ptorely avouched that not not only the learned but the vnlearned also even whosoever will be saued not as in the last place but before all thinges neither as a matter only convenient but as a thing most necessary must holde the catholike faith and that he must beleeue and confesse the mistery of the vnity in trinity and of the trinity in vnity with that other great missery of godlines also God manifested in the flesh For as with the hart man Rom 10 10 beleeveth vnto righteousnes so with the mouth he confesseth to salvation So that the true faith both instructeth the harte with knowledge and directeth also the tongue in the confession of the same For as Ierome faith of the scripture that it consisteth not in the reading but Advers Lucif in the vnderstanding so we may say that the catholike faith consisteth not in the wordes wherein it is expresse but in the catholyke sence and meaning and therefore not the bare reciting of the wordes of the creede but the right vnderstanding of the of the sence and meaning thereof maketh a sonnde and a catholike christian This is everlasting life saith our Saviour Christ to Ioh. 17. 3. knowe the true God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ The which knowledge vvhen the Apostles were to preach to other they are saide to haue receaued the keyes of the kingdome of heaven and the same knowledge when they vvere endued withall themselues it vvas a token and signe vnto them that they vvere then receiued among the number of the faithfull Vnto you saith our Saviour Christ vnto his disciples it is giuen Mark 4. 11. to knowe the misteries of the kingdome of heaven but vnto them vvhich are without all thinges are done in parables that seeing they may see and not discerne and hearing they may heare and not vnderstand least at any time they shoulde bee converted and their sinnes shoulde bee forgiuen them A manifest distinction betweene the children of light and the children of darknes vnto the one is giuen the key of knowledge which openeth the dore into the kingdome of Luke 11. 52. heauen the other are left in their blindnes and darkenesse to fall thereby into the pit of eternall destruction For the father of light bringeth his children of light by the light of his word to the kingdome of light and the prince of darkenes bringeth his children of darkenes through the darkenes of ignorance to his kingdome of darkenes Wherefore well may it agree to the Idolatrous Athenians to haue an altar dedicated to an vnknowne God and Act. 17. 23. to professe a blinde kinde of service of God And well may it beseeme the schismaticall Samaritans to worshippe as their fathers worshipped Ioh. 4. 20. and to beleeue as their progenitors beleeued and in truth to beleeue and worshippe they woâ—e not what Surely the faithfull servants of the true God know what they worshippe having for the warrant thereof the infallible word of the everliving Lord and therefore salvation is from them For the true christian saving faith is a wise intelligent and an vnderstanding perswasion it is not a blind blockish and a brutish fancy a blind faith is no faith and a blinde confession is no confession Be not saith the prophet David like the horse and mule in whom there is no vnderstanding Psal 32. 9 1. Cor. 14. 20. Beloved saith the Apostle be not children in vnderstanding but in malice be yee children in vnderstanding bee yee of perfect age And againe be not vnwise but vnderstande what the will of the Lord is If thou Eph. 5. 15. 1. Cor. 14. 16. praiest saith the same Apostle in an vnknowne tongue how can the vnlearned say Amen and ratifie it with his consent euen so if any professing themselues members of the visible church know not the particular points of the christian faith held and taught in the same church how can they faithfully beleeue the same or how caÌ„ they rightly consent thervnto Surely as the seed that falleth on the high way is devoured vp of the fowles of the aire can never giue hope of Math. 13 4. any good harvest so the word of God the seede of faith not vnderstoode can never make vs fruitfull vnto the Lord. Wherefore it was a most godly wish of Moses the man of God O that all the Num. 11. 29 Lordes people could prophecy and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them And good cause had the childreÌ„ of the captivitie after their returne to their owne couÌ„trey greatly to reioyce before the Lord not onely for that the law of God was distinctly read soundly and sincerely expounded vnto them but especially for that the Lord had opened their eies and had caused them to vnderstaÌ„d the same For all such as the Lord will haue to
locus virum honestat Quâ— malâ—s est vbique malâ—… est yet say they whensoever they sate in iudgment vpon the decision of any doubt and vpon the determination of any question they were so directed and guided therein that they did never pronounce any definitiue sentence against the truth As if the very place did sanctifie the person and suddainly change his former resolution or else did force him to pronounce sentence against his owne setled conscience iudgment But what an assurance the Bishop and church of Rome haue that their faith cannot faile it may appeare by this that the truth Verum vero consonat alwaies being like to it selfe and one truth evermore agreeing with another diverse of the very maine groundes of their faith are directly contrary each to other As first the church cannot erre and yet the faithfull themselues by vvhom the trueth is preserved in the church when it is preserved vnlesse vve imagine that it may be better preserved by such as are but meere dissembling hypocrites may altogither and that finally fall from God and so by consequent from the trueth 2 Secondly the faithfull being in danger to fall away wholy from God yet are still in possibility to be renewed by repentance for that repentaÌ„ce is only denied to such as sinne against the holy Ghost and yet they are not to be rebaptized whereas if they did vvholy fall away at their reconciliation and regeneration they should be admitted againe to the sacrament of regeneration Or thus The faithful that are borne againe of the incorruptible seede of the vvord and are made the sonnes of God by faith in Christ may wholy fall away from this grace but yet so that they may be renewed againe by repentaunce and recover againe a true faith and so be borne the second time the sonnes of God And yet as they themselues also teach as we can be but once borne the sonnes of Adam so we can be but once regenerate and borne the sonnes of God 3 Thirdly the children of the faithful in baptisme are devoted to the service of God only as being only baptised in his name and yet they may as they teach bee devoted also to the service of the saintes 4 Fourthly al the infants of the faithful haue their sinnes in baptisme fully washed and clensed are made members of the holy catholicke church and so are effectually called to the estate of grace And yet I hope they vvil also teach that these be 〈◊〉 20. 1. not all called at the first houre 5 Fiftly they call their sacrifice of the Masse an vnbloody sacrifice and yet they teach that Christs blood is there really present And if they â—ay that it is called an vnbloody sacrifice for that the bloode is there present after an vnbloody manner they might then as vvel call it an vnbodily sacrifice also for that as they teach the body of Christ is there also but not after a bodily manner whereas in trueth a true body and true blood haue alwaies the manner and condition of a true body and of true blood 6 Sixtly they teach that by the wordes of consecration transubstantiation is made and yet the nature of the bread is abolished and gone before the first worde thereof THIS is vttered by the Priest For in the words of consecration whatsoeuer this word THIS doth signifie in any case it must not signifie true and reall bread 7 Seventhly Matrimony as they teach is an holy sacrament and conferreth grace and yet it is with them a prophanation of holy orders as if one grace did disgrace another and as if one holy thing were a prophanation to another and that single life which vndoubtedly giveth no grace is an holier estate then the estate of Matrimony whereas it may be well knowne of euery young scholer that single life is no vertue but continencie and chastity either in single life or else in matrimony 8 Eightly they teach that grace sometime worketh alone in vs which Gratia operans â—ooperans needs must be if it be at all in our conversion and yet they teach that our free will worketh together also with Gods grace even in our verie first conversion 9 Ninthly they vaunt most confidently themselues to be the only catholikes their faith to be vndoubtedly the sound faith and they determine most peremptonly that the true catholike iustifying faith consisteth only in beleeving the truth of the articles of our christian creede and yet they teach that neither they are nor yet ought to bee assured that they haue obtained a true faith 10 Tenthly they teach that we ought most assuredly to beleue the truth of Gods generall promises as whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall neuer be confouâ—ded yet they say that it is presumption for this or that particular man which beleeueth to perswade himselfe assuredly that he shall never be confounded 11 EleveÌ„thly in their pardons shriftes exhortations to religious actioÌ„s they take vpon them to forgiue to particular persons their sinnes and yet they also to whome particularly they forgiue must sâ—il doubt whether their sinnes be forgiven For al their catholikes must still stand in doubt thereof vnlesse it be otherwise opened vnto them by revelation 12 Twelfthly they teach that they can fulfil the law more also the which thing caÌ„not be performed without grace yea without great grace yet they thus assuredly knowing that they fulfill the law caÌ„not yet for all that assuredly knowe that they themselues are in the estate of Rom. 14 23 grace wheras not only the Apostle but a very heatheÌ„ maÌ„ caÌ„teach theÌ„ that vnto every good actioÌ„ therfore much more to so many as whereby the whole lawe is fulfilled and more also it is a necessary circumstance that is required that it be done vpon an * â—er coÌ„â—…nstaÌ„ assured knowledge 13. Thirtenethly they teach that the fulfilling of the law is an ordinary dutie that is to be performed of the common and vulgar sorte of people and therefore that their relligious men must striue to ascende to a faâ—re higher degree of greater perfection and yet they teach also that the common people cannot attaine vnto the vnderstanding of the sacred scriptures vvhich containe for a good part but an exposition of the lavve and yet as I take it it is a farre harder matter to doe then to vnderstand that vvhich is right 14. Fourtenethly they teach that all pointes of faith necessary to salvation are not contained in â—he holy scripture and yet they alleadge scripture for all pointes vvhich are necessary to salvation And therfore all such pointes may be proved out of the scriptures or else they greatly abuse the scriptures even by the testimonie of their owne consciences in alleaging them against their meâ—ning only for shewe and not for truth 15. Fiftenethly some of them teach that Election which is the precedent cause of the first iustification dependeth vpon foreseene workes and yet that the first
thy nâ—…e giue the praise for thy loving mercy for thy truthes saâ—e Oh saith Aust God doth prevent thee in all thinges prevent thou also his wrath How Confesse that all good thou receivest of him and all evil Serm. 10. de ver Apost from thy selfe But the Church of â—ome regardeth not this holesome counsel of this learned Father shee will not haue her children to disgrace themselues so much as to confesse themselues voide of al goodnes and replenished with all evill neither will shee haue the free mercy of God in Christ so farre foâ—th mâ—gnâ—fied and extolled as iâ— all the due deserved glory of al celestial graces were to be ascribed thervnto and therefore God in his iust wrath hath given her over to her owne blindnes that making her boast that her faith No manerreth more then hee that thinketh he never erreth cannot faile yet shee teacheth divers and manifold errours contrary to all the grounds of the Catholike faith For many grievous and damnable are the heresies wherewithall the Bishop and Church of â—ome are most truely and iustly charged by vs which professe the Gospell of â—esus Christ for the removing wherof the words indeed of the scripâ—ure are alleadged by them but the question being of the right sence thereof albeit the children of that Church pretende for the iustifying of their interpretations the consent of fathers Stap. doct princ li. 7. ca. â—…â—… 8 10. â— l. 10. cap. 11. the common testimony of the faithfull the decrees of councels yet at the last only or at the least principally they rest vpon the definitiue sentence and censure of the Pope So that the question being whether the Pope bee Antichrist the ful and finall decision thereof must in the ende as they teach be devolved to the Pope himseâ—fe and hee must be the Iudge in his owne cause Now what is this but aske my fellow nay aske my selfe whether I am a thiefe Whereby they make manifest vnto the whole world the great weaknes and wretchedneâ— of their owne cause which cannot otherwise be iustified approved vnlesse the guilty parties theÌ„selues be suffered to pronounce the definitiue sentence Whereas our Saviour Christ testifieth of himselfe saying If I shoulde beare witnesse of my selfe my witnesse were not Ioh 5. 31. Ioh. 8. 54. true And againe If I should honour my selfe my honour is nothing worth If then our Saviour himselfe would not be beleeved vpon his owne bare word bâ—t had his doctrine confirmed by his Fathers voice from heaven by the testimonies of the Prophets and by his owne miracles what pride possesseth the Popes heart that he will not submit himselfe as Christ did and be tried as he was tried Now herein the Antichristian presumption of the Bishop of Rome in exalting himselfe aboue our Saviour Christ beeing manifestly detected with the great nakednes and wretchednes of his cause his friendes to shadow darken â—he same haue raised Camp rat 2 Poss Bibl. select no. 7. cap. 18. vp a mist of a most notorious slander against vs as if we were those parties that would be tried by none but by our selues and would allow in no manner of controversie the iudgement of any Interpreteâ— but Luthers Melancthons Caluins Bezaes or the like The which thing if it were true we see no reason why we may not iustifie the same far better then they can their depending vpon the Popes chaire For these meÌ„ were painefully exercised in praierâ— reading and meditation and were furnished with the knowledge of Artes and tongues which are great helpes to the attaining vnto the right interpretation of holy scriptures Whereas it is averred by men of their ovvne profession as a thing notorious that many of their Popes haue not vnderstood the Alphonsus li. 1. c. 4. groundes and principles of the very Grammer it selfe and of those that haue beene learned the greater sort haue beene expert in pointes of policie rather then in sound and profound Divinity Now right interpretation of holy scriptures being obtained from God not extraordinarily by revelation in these daies but ordinarily by meanes let all indifferent persons iudge vvhether the vnlearned or politike Popes or the other so wel studied learned men were like to be the better Interpreters of holy scriptures But indeede we stand not vpon this exception but constantly avouch that this their accusation is a most impudent and shameles slaunder raised vp in al likelyhoode even against their ovvne consciences as it may appeare by the appeale of that reverend Father John Juell in diverse controversies betweene theÌ„ and vs made vnto all approved antiquity cited censured euen by themselues For vve like of the testimonies of Fathers Camp Rat 5. Church and Councels and haue iust cause in many pointes to allovv of their decisions but we tie not the truth necessarily vnto them but vnto the spirit of truth who being the Autor is also the best interpreter of holy Scripture having therefore plainely set downe in them all necessarie points of faith that the plaine easie places therof might be as lightes to the darke and obscure for the better opening and explaning of the same Yea as in al Artes Sciences there are some principles and grounds vndeniable and vnavoideable having open manifest truth in themselues evident to the light of nature shining in vs and winning credit to theÌ„selues by their own perspicuous verity by the which the certainety of al other precepts of lesse perspicuity authority is to be tried eveÌ„ so in Theology also there are certaine principles grouÌ„ds having open confessed vndeniable truth in themselues such as are the Articles of the Apostles creede vnto which the interpretations of darker places are to be referred by which the doubts coÌ„troversies in matters of faith are to be decided For these are even as great torch-lightes lightning both themselues others also And as any having but meane skil in that craft if he set but the level to the worke shal soone see whether it be right or if he rub the mettal vpon the touch-stone he shal quickly perceiue what it is even so to any that is but meanly experienced in the doctrine of Christ if he compare his faith to these grounds of faith he may soone perceiue whether he hold a souÌ„d faith For as in Law Physicke in al other libeâ—al Arts Sciences the painfull studeÌ„t may attaine to a sufficient knowledge of the same by the helpe especially of their maine groundes and principles albeit there bee no vnerring Interpreter able to decide al doubts and controversies therein even so in Theology albeit there be none vnerring Interpreter amoÌ„g meÌ„ yet the studious devout Christian may attaine to a sufficient knowledge of al such points of faith as are necessary to salvatioÌ„ by the helpe of the maine grounds principles of faith Or may we suppose that the God of all but especially of such
be saued he will haue theÌ„ come Neh. 8. 12. 2. Tim. 2. 4. thereto by the knowledge of the truth And therefore this is also sette downe as a marke of all such as the Lord wil receaue into the covenant of mercy by Christ Beholde this is the covenante that I vvill Ier. 3â— 34. â—…b S. 11. make with the house of Israell after these daies saith the Lord I vvill set my lawes in their mindes and in their harts will I write them and I vvill be their God and they shall bee my people they shall not teach each one his neighbour saying know the Lord for they shall know me even from the least vnto the greatest of them The which promise how it was accoÌ„plished by the preaching of the gospel in the primitiue church Theodoret may witnesse one for all We doe manifestly shew you saith Theod. de â—…rat grâ—c affect â— 5. he the great power of the doctrine of the Apostles and prophets for the whole face of the earth vnder the sunne is full of such wordes and the Hebrew bookes bee not onely translated into the Greeke but also into thâ— Romane Aegyptian Parthian Indian Arabian Sâ—yâ—hian Slavon and in a worde into all tongues which the nations vse to this day You may everie-where see our doctrine vnderstoode not onely of such as bee teachers in the church and instructers of the people but also of tailers weavers smithes all artificers yea also of women and not onely of them which bee learned but of victuallers pudding makers handmaides and servantes Neither those men onely that dwell in citties but husbandmen also vnderstande the same one may finde ditchers and heard-men and planters of vineyardes disputing of the trinity and of the creation of all things and having better knowledge of the nature of man then Plato and Aristotle had Now if in the primitiue church this were an evident testimony of the great power of the glorious gospell of Christ that it was able to settle the knowledge of the greatest mysteries of christian religion in the hearts of such as were but of the meanest basest callings and if it were a commendation then for such as were the meanest and simplest among the professors of the gospell of Christ that they were able to discourse dispute even of the deepest points of their christian faith how is the case altered now in these our dates as if the same word had lost his former power and were not able through the antoâ—s blessing to bring to passe the same effect or as if that which was then so commendable in the professours of christian relâ—gioâ— were now to be condemned for curiosity pride and presumption aâ— our Rhemistes would beare the world in hand in their preface to their translaâ—ion of thâ— new Testament CHAP. 3. division 1. 2. 1 Whether every faithfull christian may assuredlie knowe whether hee beleeueth aright and hath a true iustifying faith or no 2 Whether every faithfull christian knowing that he is in the faith may know also assuredlie whether he himselfe hath remission of sinnes and eternall life by faith in Christ THese questions because they lay opeÌ„ vnto vs the I beleeue maâ—ke wherevnto all true christians doe aime euen our association with Christ and the fruites thereof being the most sure and strong foundation of all christian comfort and consolation I wil therefore by Gods most gracious assistance handle them somewhat more at large and vse the more words in the opening of the same And first concerning the first No maÌ„ ought to make professioÌ„ of that before God and his congregatioÌ„ which he knoweth not assuredly whether it be so or no for that were but meere dissimulation and hypocrisie and as it were a deluding and mocking of God but every true christian ought to make profession of his faith euen before God and his congregation after this particular manner I beleeue and therefore he ought assuredly to know that he doth beleeue And so saith S. Austine the Epist 112. faithfull man doth see his owne faith whereby hee doeth answere without doubting I beleeue Secondly it were bootlesse for a christian man to examine himselfe whether he hath a true iustifying faith or no vnlesse vpon due examination and triall he might be able sufficiently to discerne the same but the faithfull christians are commaunded to examine themselues Proue your selues saith the Apostle Noses teipsum 2. Cor. â—3 5. vvhether yee are in the faith or no examine your selues know yee not your owne selues that Iesus Christ dwelleth in you vnlesse yee be reprobates The Apostle in this place speaketh of that faith whereby Christ dwelleth in the harts of the faithful which can be no other then the true iustifying faith or if he did speake of the doctrine of faith yet his reason were as forceable as otherwise For if it be needful for vs to examine our selues whether we hold a right opinioÌ„ iudgmeÌ„t in the doctrine of faith theÌ„ much more it lyeth vpoÌ„ vs to proue our selues whether we faithfully reioyce in the same doctrine place our cheifest coÌ„fort happines therein 1 Pet. 1. â— which is an evideÌ„t marke of a true iustifying faith otherwise our right opinioÌ„ in maters of faith wil be to vs as it is to the devils theÌ„selues only to our greater coÌ„demnation Furthermore as one may vnderstaÌ„d by the true nots of iustice patieÌ„ce such like whether he be a iust a patieÌ„t man even so by the notes markes of faith he may assuredly know whether he hath a souÌ„d faith The which notes markes of a right faith of a true faithfull christiaÌ„ Rom. 15. 4. should not haue ben set downe in the Lords booke wherein whatsoever thinges are written they are writteÌ„ for our learning but that the faithfull by examining theÌ„selus therby mightht assuredly perceaue vnderstaÌ„d that they held a right faith The markes are these 1. First the harty vnfained loue of the word of God For a faithful maÌ„ knowing the great benefit that coÌ„eth to himselfe by his true faith not only maketh great accouÌ„t therof but also entirely loueth and embraceth the meaÌ„es wherby it was begotteÌ„ at the first wherby it is dayly streÌ„gthened encreased Now faith cometh by hearing hearing by the word of god The word therfore is deerer vnto the faithful Ro. 10. 17. theÌ„ gold yea theÌ„ much fine gold sweeter also theÌ„ the hony the hony coÌ„be Psalm 19. A. 10. 1. 2. al the day loÌ„g doth he study in it meditate theron day night therby he doth becoÌ„e as a tree plaÌ„ted by the water side which bringeth foth his fruit in due seasoÌ„ whose leafe doth never wither In deede originally we are defiled with sin are by nature the children of wrath vntill Ephes 2 3. Iames 1. 18. the Lord of his owne good will begette vs againe by the word of truth
he hath ratified the same with holy sacraments as with his own seale annexed therevnto And verely if circumcision much more Rom 4. 11. baptisme and the Lords supper may worthily be called seales of the righteousnes that cometh by faith The cuppe saith our Saviour Christ Luk. 22. 20 is the new testament in my blood that is to say a seale and an assuraÌ„ce of the graunt of the remission of sinnes and eternall life giuen vnto you through my bloud which is the summe of the new testament And to what end tendeth both these sacraments of the new testament but to assure all the faithfull that they hauing put on Christ haue their sinnes washed away through his blood and that their soules are fedd with very Christ the heaveÌ„ly Mannah Galat. 3. 2â— bread of life whereby they are sustained to everlasting life The cuppe of blessing saith the Apostle which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the communion 1. Corinth 10. 16. of the body of Christ that is to say there all participatioÌ„ of these outward elementes and visible signes are they not most certaine pledges and assurances to all the faithfull of their spirituall vnion and communion with Christ and all his blessings And was not this the iudgment of those godly learned fathers of the councell of Nice in that they will that this holy sacrament of the Lords supper should be sent vnto penitent persons lying in their death beddes which stood as yet excommunicate for apostasie or for some other notorious crime that by the participation of that celestiall food they might be assured of their coÌ„munion with Christ and his church and of the remission of their sinnes and eternall life and so enabled to passe over in peace the end of their laborious and painefull life The which most comfortable doctrine is most coÌ„veniently set downe in our English liturgy at the celebration of these holy misteries in these wordes The body of our Lord that vvas giuen for THEE preserve thy body and soule to everlasting life The blood of our Lord that was shedd for THEE c. For hereby everie faithfull christian that reverently receiveth this holy sacrament may assure himselfe that the spirituall life that is nowe begunne in him and shall be made perfite in the worlde to come 〈◊〉 wrought by the speciall loue of Christ now dwelling in him by a true faith so that he may boldly say with the Apostle both â—n his life In that I nowe liue I liue by the faith of the son of God who loued Gal. 2. 20. Me and gaue himselfe for Me and also at his death I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith hence forth 2. Tim. 4. 7. there is laide vp for me a crowne of righteousnes c. And from whence also proceedeth that ioy in the holy ghost and that peace of God that Ro. 14. 17. 5. 1. passeth all vnderstanding which is felt in the heartes of the faithfull servantes of Christ in their greatest crosses and most greevous afflictions but of a faithfull perswasion of the remission of their sinnes and reconciliation which God procured for them by the death of Christ Otherwise also how could they serue the Lord Luc. 1. 74. Eph 3. Heb 10 22. Iaco. 1. 6. without feare and come vnto him in their praiers with boldnes yea in assurance of faith without wavering without doubting Yea how could they come vnto him not as vnto an offended and an angry iudge but as to a louing and a mercifull father saying O our Father which art in heaven And from whence else proceeded their solemne protestations that they did assuredly knowe that they were in the estate of grace and in the favour of God and that God was their God in particular and after so stable and stedfast a manner that nothing was able to sever them from his loue We knowe that we are of God I know that my redeemer liueth My spirite 1. Ioh. 5. 19. Iob. 19. 25. Luc 1. 77. Psal 18 1. 116 16. reioyceth in God my Saviour The Lord is my strength my castle my deliverer my God and on the other side Behold Lord I am thy servant I am thy servant and the sonne of thine handmaide Yea so great a stay and comfort had the prophet David in this assurance of his owne â—aith that he protesteth his adversities being so many and so Psal 27. 13. grievous as they were he should vtterly haue fainted but that he did beleeue verily to see the goodnes of the Lord in the land of the liâ—ing The which most comfortable assurance of faith was such a stay also to the blessed Apostle S. Paul that howsoever an whole army of Rom 8. 37. tribulations did presse sore vpon him yet he protesteth that hee was a conqueror yea more then a conqueror through him that loued Rom 8 37. him being most assuredly also perswaded for the time to come that neither death nor life nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come should be able to seperate him from the loue of God which was in Christ Iesus our Lord. Neither vvas this comfortable assuraunce of faith a speciall and an extraordinarie prerogatiue granted only to some principall persons among the faithfull but a gifte in some measure common to the whole church For all the children of the church being the children of God are led by the spirite Rom 8. 14. 2. Cor. 2. 12â— of God whereby they know such thinges as are giuen vnto them of God And they are all indifferently commanded in the Lordes praier to call God their father the which name they cannot sincerely vse vnlesse they be perswaded in some measure of faith that he beareth a louing and a fatherly affection towardes them having receaved them into favour for his Christes sake and giuen them a place among the number of his children And vvhy 1 â—oh 5. 13. else saith S. Iohn writing to the whole church in generall these thinges I vvrite vnto you that beleeue in the name of the sonne of God that yee may knowe that yee haue eternall life and that yee may beleeue in the name of the sonne of God So S. Paule writting to the church of the Corinthians in generall Proue your selues knovve yee not your owne selues how that IESVS CHRIST dwelleth in you vnlesse yee bee reprobates and in his former epistle Kâ—ovve yee not that your 1. Cor. 6. 15 19. bodyes are the members of Christ Knowe ye not that ye are the temples of the holy Ghost which is in you whom ye haue of GOD that yee are not your ovvne By the vvhich testimonies of Christ his Apostles it is evident that not a fewe onely but also every mâ—mber of the vniversall church in their times and according vnto the measure of
their faith may assuredly know that they are Christs that they are the true members of his mysticall body the temples of his hâ—ly spirit and that God is become their gratious father hath made them inheritours of his heauenly kingdome Now the faithfull being the adopted sonnes of God in Christ hauing God to be their merciful father haue no iust cause to doubt of their continuance in the favour of God in the estate of grace and salvation in Christ Iesus For the fountaine of this grace in them is as a fountaine of liuing water the streames wherof Ioh. 4. 10. 14. Psal 1 3. Ieâ— â—7 8. 1. Pet. 1. 23. never wax dâ—ie and they become as good trees planted by the water side whose leaues never wither who never cease from yeelding fruite they are borne againe not of mortall seeae but of the immortall seede of the word of God which liueth and lasteth for ever and they are Ioh. 6 35. fedde also with the incorruptible food of the bread of life the vertue whereof is never consumed he that eaâ—eth therof doth never hunger and he that drinketh there of doth never thirst Many great enimies indeede they haue but he that is in them is greater 1. Ioh. 4. 4. then he that is in the worlde and therefore they can never be fully vanquished Our Saviour himselfe doth continually appeare to make intercession for them before the throne of his heauenly father Heb. 7. 25. whose petitions the father will never deny Yea he himselfe is alway present with them even to the end of the world walking in the middest Matâ— 28. 20. Ap 1. 20. of them and holding them in his right hand neither is there any able to take them out of his hand Yea where this sunne of righteousnes beginneth to shine there the light thereof is never vtâ—eâ—ly darkened Esa 60 20. for this sunne never goeth dovvne To the first man saith Austin Aug. de bono qerseuâ—c 12 was giueÌ„ an ability to persevere only if he himselfe would haue vsed the same But to the elect now is giuen perseverance it selfe Christ hath appointed them that they goe and bring forth fruite and that their fruite abide therefore who dareth be so bold as to say peâ—adventure it shall not abide The Lord hath setled his fatherly Rom. 11. 29 Ioh 13. 1. Math. 16. 18 1. Ioh. 2 19 loue and affection vppon them he vvill not repent of it nor revoke it but continue it even to the end he hath built them vppon a most sure rocke hell gates shall never prevaile against them hee hath incorporated them into the heavenly Ierusalem the city of GOD they shall alvvay continue members of that society VVho then dareth bee so bolde as to say peradventure GOD vvill not loue his faithfull servantes to the end peradventure hell gates shall prevaile against them peradventure hovvsoever they are novve for the present yet they shall not continue in that celestiall society Verely â—f the faithfull vvere lefte in their ovvne handes to stande by the right and power of their owne strength there might be great doubt of their constancy and perseuerance But they are committed to a more faithfull keeper their life is hid with Christ in God and they are Col. 3 3. 1. Pet. 1. 5. preserued by his power vnto eternall salvation Or if the continuance of the Lords favour and loue did depende vpon the merites and desertes of the faithfull and not vpon the Lords owne most constant and vnchangeable goodnes there might be iust cause of feare lest the LORD vvould vvithdravve his mercy from them But he that knowing the greate frailty and weakenes yea the foule falles and faultes of his elect and chosen children before the foundation of the earth was laide therfore before he had made any promise of good things vnto theÌ„ did yet in his vnspeakable mercy goodnes steppe as it were over them all and bouÌ„d himselfe being before most free by his gratious promises made vnto them no doubt but the same vnspeakable mercy goodnes vvill cause him being novve bounde and so a debtour in respect of his truth and righteousnes also to steppe over all those stumbling blockes vvhen they are cast in his waie for the stedfast and stable performance of all such thinges as vvere in greate grace and mercy before promised For as the Apostle teacheth the promises made vnto the faithfull are founded vppon grace that so they might bee sure they are not founded Rom. 4 16. vppon the â—ottering stay of mans frailty but vpon the immoveable and vnchaungeable rocke of the LORDES ovvne loue and therefore they are vnmoveable and vnchaungeable Neither is this doctrine as it is vniustly chardged by the enimyes of faith the mother of pride or of carnall securitie and dissolutenes of life but the most sounde doctrine of the christian faith and the most direct way to sincere piety godlines For is not this a necessary dueâ—y of everie true and faithfull christian which is engraffed and incorporated into CHRIST to beleeue confesse that by the vertue of his death he hath full recoÌ„ciliation with God remission of sinnes and an inheritance in the kingdome of glory yeelding most hearty thankes vnto GOD for this his most gratious callinge vnto the estate of salvation in CHRIST â—esus and magnifying â—is vnspeakable goodnes for the same continually Nay not to acknowledge this willingly were plaine infidelity and gladly not to make profession thâ—… of were great vnthankefulnes so far is it of that this doctrine can be iustly charged to be the nurce of pride or the mother of haughty and diveâ—ish presumption being in deede the true nurcâ— of all sounde comfort and â—oy and the naturall mother of all holy and faithfull presumption Presume saith Saint Austine Aug. sâ—rm 28. de vâ— b. â—omini not of thine ovvne doing but of the grace of CHRIST for by grace yee are saved as saith the Apostle this is then not pride but faith to make open profession of that vvhich thou haste reâ—eaved iâ— not presumption but â—evotion I vviâ—… not glorie saith Ambrose Amâ— dâ— lacâ—bâ— viâ—a bâ—ata cap. 6. that I am iust but that I am redeemed for that vvill I glorie neither vvill I glory for that I am voide of sinne but for that my sinneâ— are remitted to my selfe I vvill not glorie for that I haue profited anâ—e or for that aâ—…e hath profited mâ—e but for that CHRIST is an advocate vvith the father for MEE and that his bloode vvâ—… shâ—dde for MEE VVherefore Bernarde speaking to the faithfull If thou saith hee beleevest that thy sinnes cannot bee done avvaâ—e Bâ—rn sâ—r 1. de annuâ—iat but by hiâ—… against vvhome alone thou halâ— offended and vvho himselfe cannot offende thou doest vvell but thou must proceede further and beleeue also that thy sinnes are forgiuen even to thy selfe For to doubte of the most singular
also by nature so wilfully wedded to our corrupt wil for liberty without grace is not liberty but coÌ„â—…macie that we wil none of the knowledge of the Lords waies but as the deafe adder we stop our eares at the voice of the charmer charme he neuer so wisely And so great is the obstinacy of the wicked that they will do wickedly wil not vnderstand vntil the spirit of God of vnwilling maketh willing of obstinate obedient of rebellious pliable and tractable The Philosophers make reason a queene teach that if we would follow her we should not erre and in truth the Lord made her a queene at the first but by yeelding vnto the suggestion of the subtile serpent by casting of the Lords commandement of a queene shee became a captiue of a free woman shee was made a slaue The meanes to be recouered out of the which misery is not to haue an high conceite of our reason and wisdome and to place them in the throne to rule to gouerne but to place that word which is inspired of God in the seate of gouernment and to giue vp all rule and authority thereto and to make our reason and vnderstanding with all the faculties and powers of our mindes handmaides and seruantes to this honorable Lady who so wil make vs againe kings priestes vnto God and place vs as Lords ouer al our corrupt affections tread Satan himselfe vnder our feet For he that made man at the first is only able to new make him againe being now marred by his owne madnes I knowe saith the wise man that God made man Eccl. 7. 31. righteous but they haue sought many inventions yea God made man according to his owne image in all holines wisedome and righteousnes and lighted such a lampe of diuine reason and vnderstanding in his minde that he was not only enabled thereby to rule himselfe and his owne affections but also to order in great vvisedome the whole host army of all the creatures But he being not contented with this so great measure of light would further become as God knowing good and euill and therefore thinking that his light did burne too dimme he vvould needs deliuer it to the Deuil himselfe to be topped vvho topped it cleane out leauing nothing but the smoaking snuffe thereof and so made him vvho was before a childe of light a limbe member of the kingdome of darknes And novv the case of al the children of Adam is such so ful of blindnes and ignorance of God that if any of Sap 13. 1. 1. Cor. 8. 2. them thinketh that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing as hee ought to know and if any of them seeme to be wise they must become fooles that they may be wise that is they must acknowledge bevvaile their 1 Cor 3. 18 owne folly and blindnes and seeke againe to the father of light that he would by his spirit of illumination lighten the eies of their spiritual vnderstanding they must haue continual accesse to that glorious word vvhich is a lanterne to their feete and a lighte to their Ps 119. 105 Isa 6. 20. pathes and kindle their candle againe thereat to the lavv and to the testimony they must continually resort if they speake not according to this word it is for that there is no light in them Their hart is altogither out of frame vntil it be fashioned againe and as it vvere new wrought by the spirit of God their siluer is nothing but grosâ—e drosâ—e vntil it be purged by this fire their coine is no better then cleane counterfeit vntill it receaue this stampe they are grovvne out of the Lords marke he cannot acknowledge theÌ„ for his ovvne vntill they be marked againe by the spirit of the living God who is therefore called his seale wherewith his saintes are Eph 4. â—0 Apoc. 7. 3 signed against the day of redemption for that it doth imprint in them the image of God And certainely in this article of our creede the spirit of God the third person in the glorious Trinity is called holy not so much for that holines doth infinitely rest in himselfe as it doth also in the Father the soÌ„ne but rather for that he is the aâ—…or of all holines in the children of God the meanes wherby they are borne againe the Father the soÌ„ne working the same by the holy spirit For the vvhole sanctification of our minde wil and affections and of our whole body soule is wrought entirely 1. Cor. 12. 11. altogither by the operation of this holy spirit vvho before regeneration vvorketh in vs alone and of vnvvilling maketh willing subduing our affections to the obedience of his wil vvho before stood out as traitors and rebels and after regeneration worketh Grâ—tia operaâ—… cooperaâ—… 2 Cor. 3 17 Ioh 8. 34. Râ—m 6. 16. 〈…〉 5. togither with vs giving strength to our wil that it may therby vvorke also So that if the question be of free-vvill in the regenerate we graunt that their vvil is free for that it is made free by the spirit of liberty but in the vnregenerate vve truely teach that their vvil is a bondslaue to sinne Satan withstanding the vvorke of Gods spirit vntil their conversion be vvrought thereby For it is this Lorde that doth prevent vs of vnvvilling making vs willing and then assisteth vs vvhen vve are vvilling least vve vvil in vaine Novv contrary to this most evident truth the church of Rome curseth al those who affirme free-vvil to be altogither lost or that it doth not concurre vvith Godâ— grace in our conversion CHAP. 6. Div. 1. That the true church the spouse of Christ hath a stedfast assurance of the â—…ue of her bride-groome towards her making it the foundation of her most comfortable faith being also thereby induced to harken to his vndoubted and knowne will and to esteeme highly of of his holy word and in no case to disgrace or disanull the same THE description of the true catholike and I beleâ—ue tâ—… holy catholike chuâ—ch apostolike faith set down in these articles of our christian creede doth evidently declare that they are only to be accounted faithfull that holde this faith and the company of the faithfull being the true church that they are also to bee esteemed the true Church Novve this true catholike and apostolike faith as hath beene before declared is that we beleeue in God the Father the Creator the Sonne the Redeemer the holy Ghost the Sactifier that we beleeue also that by this faith we being engrâ—…ed in to Christ so recoÌ„ciled vnto God 〈◊〉 incorporated into the heauenly Ierusalem made members of the holy catholike church a communion of sainâ—s and so obtaine remission of sins shal attaine to the resurrection of the body and â—o liâ—e euerlasting as the very order coherence of these articles doth also insinuate The Deuils
is a manifest falling away from the faith and a note of pride either to reiect any of those thinges vvhich are vvritten in the Lordes bookes or to bring in any thinges vvhich are not vvritten but are either receaued by tradition from other or else are sucked out of our own braines yea that is the vilest as Austine saith and the basest kinde of Aug. de veâ— rarel ca. 38. Idolatrie when men vvorshippe GOD after their ovvne fancies obseruing that for a religion vvhich their deceiuing and svvelling mindes imagine Nay it is no lesse an offence to frame God after our ovvne Hil. in Ps 1. fancy then to deny him And therefore it is not vvithout cause that Saint Austine is so bolde to say that if any one concerning any Aug. coÌ„t lit Petil. l. 3â— 6. thing whatsoever which doth belonge to our faith and our life albeit hee bee an Angell from heaven shall â—each you any thing besides that vvhich yee haue learned out of the scriptures of the lavve and Gospell let him bee accursed VVherefore the church of Rome in that shee restraineth the people from the reading of the scriptures disgracing those holy and heavenly bookes and reproaching such as are studious of the same denying also the sufficiency of the doctrine therein contained and adding thereto her vnvvritten verities and her vvil-vvorshippes of her owne devising is most iustly charged to haue fallen from the faith and to haue sorted her selfe both vvith olde â—nd nevve haeretikes to haue spotted her selfe with the vilest and bâ—…st kind of idolatrie and with the deniall of the trewe GOD and therfore to be held for a cursed company and for the Congregation of the malignant Opposit 2. Dumbe and dead images are blinde and wrong guides which turne vs out of the way of truth and verity but the writings of the Apostles and prophets are sure guides and vn erring teachers appointed by God to bee our instructers and to set before our eies and after a sorte to painte out vnto vs in most liuely coloures all those thinges vvhich concerne the true worshippe of God and the salvation of our ovvne soules IMages are teachers of lies especially such as are made to represent Hab 2. 18. Ier. 10 8. Aug. de â—iv Dei l 4. c. 31 Idem de coÌ„sens Evâ—ng lib. 1. ca. 10. Lact instit lib. 2. ca. 19. the sacred Trinitie which cannot be represented for that it is invisible and incomprensible And therefore al such images doe both diminish the feare of the divine maiesty and also teach errours concerning the same VVherefore they haue deserved to erre vvho haue sought CHRIST not in the sacred hookes but on painted vvalles and may vvorthily bee iudged to haue no religion at all or at the least no sounde and sincere religion For al sound and sincere religion is to bee learned not of dumbe and mute images but out of the canonicall and sacred scriptures vvhich Rom. 15. 4. wer not only writen by the appointment of god that they might be our instructers and teachers but also were so penned by the direction of his Spirite that they are very profitable and availeable thereunto yea they are so profitable to this purpose that they are able to fence vs against all corruptions both in doctrine and 2. Tim 3 15 16. manners and to make vs vvise vnto salvation through faith in Christ For in them are most liuely drawen out the true images of a sounde faith and of an holy and a godly life vnto the which if we vvill compare the counterfeites of the same dravvne out by men we shall easily be able to giue a true iudgement therof O foolish Galathians saith the Apostle vvho hath bewitched Gal. 3. 1. you that yee shoulde not obey the trueth to vvhome Iesus Christ vvas before your eies painted and even crucified among you And in deede Christ is best painted out before the eies of the people by the doctrine of his painefull pastours and teachers and not by the pensile of the artificiall painters Such a faithful teacher vvas Iohn Hus of vvhom it is recorded that hauing painefully taught in his church called Bethlehem the gospell of Christ dreamed a little before his death that he had drawne out there divers goodly images the vvhich being defaced by the limbes of Antichrist hee further dreamed that hee sawe the same more liuely drawne out againe by better painters vvhereby vvas fore-signified the preaching of the learned and godly preachers of these last times And verily where the dignity and povver of Christs death is sufficiently set out by painefull preaching there is no neede of painting it in pictures and images made and framed by artificiall painters It vvas the Devils vvorke to cause that kinde of teaching to cease which was made the meanes ordained by God both to convert the infidels and also to confirme the faithfull in the truth of the gospell to bring them out of the kingdome of darkenes into the kingdome of light that he might bring in his kingdome of darkenesse by the corrupt teaching of blinde and dumbe Images VVherefore seeing that the church of Rome alloweth still of these her lay mens bookes vvhich the prophets call teachers of lyes and vvill not haue all trueth to bee learned onely out of the booke of bookes the booke of truth no mervaile that shee hath so shamefully embraced lies and so fowly fallen away from the truth Opposit 3. The doctrine taughte and penned by the prophets and Apostles hath no neede of any nevve miracles seeing it is sufficiently confirmed alreadye by olde but the Turkes Alcharon and the Popes Decretals haue neede to bee confirmed with new miracles for they containe new doctrine OVr faith is neuer so honourable nor GOD so well pleased with vs as when we seeke no signes for the confirmation therof when the word of God hath such a perswasioÌ„ in our hearts we haue so deepely tasted of the sweetnes therof that vve are ready to say to al miracles Get you hence Blessed vvere they vvhen miracles vvere in vse that by miracles vvere brought to embrace the true faith but more blessed are they that embrace faith for it selfe and not for that it is testified by miracles Blessed no doubt vvas Thomas for that hee sawe and beleeved â—…h 20. 29. â— Cor. 1. 22 â— Cor. 14. â—… but blessed are they rather vvhich see not and yet beleeue The vnbeleeuing Iewes sought for a signe and had also in admiration strange tongues vvhich vvere appointed for vnbeleevers to conuert them to the faith they that are already converted haue no neede of the same VVhen they vvere offered of God he shevved his compassion on mans infirmity now he hath taken them avvay he shevveth greater mercy in that he strongtheneth our faith vvithout them And verily if the vvorde it selfe being now acknovvledged to be the vvorde of God bee not able to vvinne credite to the doctrine therein contained neither vvill vvee
through the whole worlde neither are the large kingdomes of * â—…er non â—…frica â—…undus Affrica the Lordes onely field wherein the pure seede of his word is sowen much lesse the smal territories of the city of * Jllud esseâ— includere orbâ—m in vrbe Rome but the vniversal globe of the whole earth And yet wheÌ„ of al the families kinreds of the earth the Lorde had called out and chosen onely the posteritie of Abraham and when the church of Christ vvas annexed to that one people alone the service of God was not theÌ„ so tied to theÌ„ which had the roomes of the cheife professors therof but that the lawe did sometimes perish from the priest and counsell from the auncient and the Sunne went downe vpon their prophets in Ier. 7. 4. 18. 18. Mich. 3. 6. so much that night was vnto them for a vision and darkenes for a divination As for example in our Saviours time those that shoulde haue beene the principall pillars of the church vvere the cheife subverters thereof and they which had the roomes of the master builders reiected the cheife corner stone and sought the Mat. 21. 42. vtter ruine and dovvne fall of the LORDES house And as it thus happened to the Sinagogue of the Ievves even so also it befell the church of CHRIST when Arrianisme overflowed the outvvarde face thereof in so much that Liberius himselfe Hier de eccles scriptoribus in Fortunatiano being then Bishoppe of Rome yeelded thereto and confirmed it vvith his subscription At what time nothing vvas esteemed a matter of greater pietie and more befitting the servaunt of CHRIST then to follow vnity and not to be divided from the communion of the world when the christian vvorlde Hier. adversus Lucifeâ—ianos sighed and vvondred that of a Christian it vvas become an Arriaâ— VVherefore no mervaile that diverse particular churches planted by the Apostles themselues haue not beene so firmly seased of the truth but that they haue beene longe agoe cast out of the possession thereof no marvaile though they hauing reiected the faith of CHRIST haue themselues also beene reiected from beeing the people and Church of Christ Now that which happeneth to many may also happen to any yea to Rome it selfe and the church thereof seing they haue no Cypr. ad Pomp. cont epist Sâ—eph Hier. ad Princip Marcel ep Tim. 1. greater charter or priveledge of not erring then any other partilar church Certainly Cyprian knevve none for he avoucheth of the Bishope of Rome that he maintaineth heresie against the church Hierome knevve none for hee saith that the fountaine of the Romane faith vvas defiled vvith mudde and that the faith commended by the Apostle was violated in most things albeit our Romanists greatly boast that no good autor hath ever testified of the failing of faith in the church of Rome Nay the Apostle himselfe knewe none for writing to the church of Rome by name he telleth her plainely that she should not be proude of her staÌ„ding nor insult against the church of the Iewes for her fall for of 〈◊〉 11. 21 God saith he spared not the naturall branches take thou heede also that he spare not thee For if they which were Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles being borne vnder covenant of mercy and descending from most holy progenitors had no such perpetuity in the favour of God nor assurance for the continuance of the true worshippe and service of God amongst them but that they might vtterly fall from both then surely such as descended from impious and idolatrous parentes and were straungers and alians from the covenantes of grace being of the Lordes endles goodnes receiued into favour can haue no such assurance of the Lordes mercie but that in successe of time the posterity may fall away from that grace whereof their progenitors were made partakers And if the true worship service of God was not vnseperably tied vnto Siloh Sion or Ierusalem whâ— presumption is it in the church of Rome to make such boast thâ— her faith caÌ„not faile as if the truth were necessarily annexed to that city and the spirite of God as it were entailed to Peters châ—ire or as if God were in bonds still to keepe that See vpright whatsoever else became of all other christian churches Verely of them it may be verefied that which Terasius Archbishop of Constantinople testified of their like that the heresie of Macedonius was more tollerable then theirs in that he avoucheth the spirit of God to be servaÌ„t to the father and the sonne wheras they after a â—ort make him their servant to convey over continually the certaintie of faith from the predecessor to the successor VVhat may a man in his death bed dispose of the inward qualities of his soule as he may of his temporall goodes and possessions May any one make over by deede of gifte vnto an other his faithfull hart and sincere minde or bequeath by will and testament his piety and godlines These thinges are personall and appropriated to the person on whome they are bestowed they pasâ—e not from hand to hand they remoue not from subiect to subiect these giftes are not parted by death but accompany vs continually when all other things bid vs adue when all all other things faile they faile not when all other things are lefte behinde they cannot be lefte there is no conveyance to be made from one to an other of these goods For Non naâ—ciâ—ur Christiani seâ— fimus vertue is no inheritance it descendeth not from the father to the child the child taketh his bodely substance from his parentes at his first birth but as for the substance of vertue if he receaue it he receiveth it by a second birth Now if these giftes come not by descent from the father to the sonne that succeedeth him an nature in substance in the very covenat of grace also much lesse doe they come by descent vnto him that succeedeth onely in place and office It is true indeede that Elias promised Elizaeus thâ—t was to succeede him in his propheticall office that if he saw him when he waâ— tâ—ken out of his sight he should haue his spirite doubled vpon him But Elias knewe that God hauing appointed Elizâ—…s to succeede him in his propheticall office woulde haue him endued with such a measure of his spirite that so he might be meete â—or the execution of the same moreover his promise was made to the person of Elizaeus alone and not to any of his successors But the church of Rome will haue the stability of Peters faith to be conveyed over to all his successors and that to the worlds end yea shee will haue it annexed to Peters chaiâ—e to his very consistory and iudgement seate For when it is proved that many of the Popes in person were Apostataes from the faith Lyra in Math c. 16. Conc. Basil Op. â—inod Non
iustification it selfe is free and dependeth not at all on workes 16. Sixtenethly they teach that the Saintes are not Mediators of Redemption and yet that the vvorkes of supererogation done by the saintes are both satisfactory for the sinnes of other and also meritorious of eternall glory which are the proper workes of the Mediatour of Redemption 17. Seventenethly they say that it is blasphemous against the dignity of Christes blood which hee shed for our sinnes to avouch that hee suffeâ—ed also in soule for the vvhole raunsoming of our soules and for the full satisfying of the most absolute and perfect iustice of GOD as if one of CHRISTES sufferinges did derogate from the other But it is no blasphemye against the dignity of CHRISTES sufferinges vvith them to teach that our ovvne soules must either suffer for our sinnes the most extreme paines of purgatory or endure here the sharpe rigour of their popish penance or else procure trentals of Masses togeather with the sufferings of the saintes to be bestowed vpon vs by the Popes indulgences and pardons 18. Eightenethly they teach that imputatiue righteousnes is a vaine and a frivolous fancy and yet the imputation of the surplussage of the merites of the saintes is not vaine but a greate gaine vnto them yea it is a verie sound and profitable doctrine if not to the cooling of mens soules yet to the warming of the Popes kitchine 19. Ninetenethly the fire of purgatory is sometimes so greavous with our Romanistes belike when they vvould haue their Masses and pardons well paide for to deliver poore soules out of the same that our fire is but a painted fire vnto it and that the tormentes thereof differ nothing from hellish tormentes but onely in continuance and yet sometimes with them againe it is as it were a place Rhem. in Apoc c. 14. of rest 20. Lastly our Rhemistes teach that sinne be the pleasure thereof Rhem. in c 8. ep ad Rom. never so shorte deserueth damnation because it is an aversion from God and proceedeth from the Devill the which thing is true in every sinne and therefore every sinne damnable mortall And yet these men themselues maintaine their olde distincttion of sinnes veniall and of sinnes mortall VVherefore seing that the doctrine of the church of Rome Rhem. in Mat. cap. 5. containeth such contradiction and contradictions cannot be both true it is evident that the spirite of truth is not so annexed to Peters chaire but that the church of Rome may erre as well as other churches planted by the same Apostles yea hereby came in that greate apostasie and falling away from the faith foretold by the Apostle when the greater number of those that professed themselues Christians especially in these westerne partes of the vvorlde did so highlie conceaue of the Bishoppe of Rome as that they tooke him to bee that invincible rocke vpon the vvhich the church vvas builte and against the vvhich hell gates should never prevaile VVhereas he being to vveake to stay himselfe vpright and to withstand so mightie and povverfull enimies vvas lesse able to holde vp the huge building of the vniversall church and to guarde and defende it from so daungerous foes But failing himselfe and falling vnder his owne burden he was the occasion of ruine to all such as did â—…g ep lib. â—…ist 32. stay themselues and rest vpon him And so had Gregory a Bishoppe of Rome signified before to Mauritius the Emperour at what time he endevoured to make the patriarke of Constantinople vniversall Bishoppe and head of the whole church that if there were but one head onely the ruine of that head would be the ruine of the church and that if any should arrogate to himselfe that name in the church the vniversall church must needes come to ruine vvhen hee vvhich is named Vniversall did fall Div. 7 That by our spirituall vnion vvith CHRIST hee and his righteousnes is made ours and so surely imputed vnto vs that wee become thereby righteous before GOD and not by the righteousnes of any of the saintes GReat is the prerogatiue and dignity of all such as are admitted vnto the society of Christes church and are receiued 〈◊〉 comâ—…ion of â—…tes 〈◊〉 1. 3. 〈◊〉 3. 28. 〈◊〉 5. 30. 〈◊〉 2. 16. â—…or 1. 30 into the fellowship of his faithfull Congregation For the church hath fellowship with God and is espoused to Christ made one with him eveÌ„ flesh of his flesh bone of his bone in so much that she iustly layeth claime vnto him saying my beloued is mine I am his as being spiritually maried vnto him and hauing interest in him and all his blessinges By which vnion and communion it came to passe that Christ being one with his church became a debtor in her place paied that which he never tooke being innocent in himselfe was made guilty for her and being most pure in himselfe was made sinne for her and bare her iniquities on his â—or 5 2◠〈◊〉 2 22 〈◊〉 3. 18 〈◊〉 3. 9. owne body vpon the tree that shee likewise being poore of her selfe might in him be made rich and being naked of her selfe might be cloathed with his innocency and being destitute in her selfe of perfect righteousnes might be made the righteousnes of God in him and so become perfectly righteous For as CHRIST by imputation was made sinne for vs and suffered death not for his owne but for our iniquityes even so by imputation are we made righteous in him and so become partakers of eternall glory Novve the faithfull are not after such a manner linked togeather they are not espoused each to other as Christ and his church the Apostle Saint Peter coulde not vnite the church so nearely to himselfe by his spirite that his death and sufferinges might be accepted as done for her redemption And yet see the blindenes of the shameles vvhore of Babylon It is a strange paradoxe vvith her that vvee shoulde be made righteous by the righteousnes of CHRIST imputed vnto vs by the mercie of GOD and applied vnto vs by a true faith but it standeth vvith good reason that vve may bee made righteous by the righteousnes of the saintes imputed vnto vs by the Popes savour and applied vnto vs by his Indulgences and Pardons Div. 8. That GOD onely hath autoritie to forgiue sinne as it is sinne and a transgression of his ovvne lavve THE hurt that cometh to a private man by sinne a private man may release aâ— the prince may pardon that damage The forgiuenesse of sinnes that cometh thereby to the common weale But sinne as it is properly sinne and a breach of the law of God and so a great dishonour to him and a most greavous iniury vnto his dâ—…ine Maiesty so it is only an offence against god against thee only haue â—sinned therfore may only be forâ—…en by him as he himselfe also Psal 51. 4. testifieth It is I it is I that doth 〈…〉
respect of the other they ought not to be lifted vp to glorie in themselues and in their ovvne righteousnes Let vs end with Bernard My merite is the LORDES mercye And so O LORD graunte vnto vs appealling vpon this tiâ—…e to the Bern. in caÌ„ Serm. 61. throne of grace to enioy the benefite of grace and mercy and let the members of the church of Rome if they list plead the merite of their ovvne vvorkes and trie the title of their ovvne deseruinges at the barre of iustice and soe proue vvhether they shall stande in iudgemente or fall And so to conclude this treatise concerning the articles of our Christian creede seeing that the members of the church of Rome teach so many contradictions against these groundes of â—…aâ—…re â—…ely â—…ikes â—…thâ—…e â—…tho â—…d aâ—…ike of the catholike faith let all the vvorlde iudge what iust cause they haue to boast that they themselues only are the true catholikes and inheritors as it vvere of the apostolike faith and that their Popes faith cannot faile not bee over-come by the gates of hell The vvhich thinge if it vvere so vvhat neede were there vvith so greate travaile and studie to seeke for the decision of all doubtes and the determination of all controversies in matters of faith from GOD himselfe opening the same in the sacred bookes of the canonicall scriptures what neede vvere there so greatly to seeke after the knovvledge of the artes and tongues as beeing the keyes that open the dores into the secrete chambers of these holy mysteries Yea what neede vvere there to craue the helpe of all the godâ—…â—earned of all ages and their directions set dovvne in their private vvittinges or else at their publike meetinges and assemblies in their provinciall or generall councels Certainely this vvere then to goe the nearest vvaâ—e about and as vvhen one knovveth aslu edly vvhere the game is lodged not to goe directly to the same place but to traise it out by a trouble-some tracke For if the Popes faith cannot faile if hee cannot pronounce sentence against the truth the nearest vvay to holde a right faith and to side vvith the truth is in all matters of faith to looke to his determinations and to rest our selues vpon his oracles And therefore also needles are the greate â—…ue â—…pe â—…s inâ—…e cen â—…ay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for â—…ole â—…e of â—…stes abours and travailes of many of the children of the church of Rome about the opening and iustifying of diverse points of their superstition and idolatry VVhereas if they could vvith all their endevoures proue sufficientlye the integritye and infallibiliâ—ye of their Popes faith they had vvonne the fielde and gotten the full conquest they needed not to strike one stroke more for the further clearing of any other pointe of their doctrine Neither shoulde they onely by this meanes provide verie vvell for their owne securitie in matters of faith but also greatly strengthen themselues in their temporalities and mightely establish their earthly kingdome as they may easily gather by that greate succesle they had therein vvhen this maine pointe of theirs vvas generally helde by the most part in former times for sound and catholike For then whosoever woulde be taken for a member of the catholike church were he king or Keazer or whatsoever This newe ar icle of faith concerning the Popes autority necessary subiection to be giuen thereto is sâ—b nefici all t the church of Rome that her fiends would condemne her of great fâ—ly iâ— that shee would leaue it fer al the articles of the Apostles creede he were he was vpon the necessity of his salvation to bee builte vpon that Romish rocke and to settle his safety vpon his triple crowne who was the greate commander in earth purgatory and heaven he was wholy to be ruled by him vvho had both svvordes temporall and spirituall and to commit all into his handes And albeit by this meanes CHRIST himselfe vvas almost forgotten for vvhat neede vvas there to seeke to him vvhen his Viceroy coulde doe all yet this his Vicar generall vvith all his vnder officers vvere veriâ— vvell remembred And albeit fevve sought for entrance into heaven at the right doore yet manye came farre and neare and brought all kinde of keies of gold and silver landes and luelyhodes to open that doore whereof Peter and his successors vvere thought to bee the onely or at the least the cheife porters For they verâ—ly thought that if their pasport had beene signed by the Pope and subscribed with SEENE AND ALLOWED CHRIST would in no case haue disalovved thereof but that they had beene thereby most safe and sure and out of all manner of perill and danger Hereby grewe that high and royall state to the kingdome of Antichrist hereby vvere gathered into his store-houses the riches and treasures of Kinges and Princes and Saint Peters patrimonie vvas in most ample manner encreased nothing beeing thought to much that vvas bestovved vpon his holines albeit it vvere with the robbing spoiling and vtter vndoing of the party himselfe and of all his posteritie In so much that although the spirituall kingdome of CHRIST was not hereby erected in al holines wisedome and righteousnes yet an earthly kingdome was obtained for themselues in worldly wealth pompe and glory But now behold the hand of the Lord what is become of this great Babylon which was a terrour to all the kings of the earth her walles already are wel battered and downe shee must to the very ground yea to the bottomles pit of hel when the sounde faith of al sincere Christians contained in these articles of our Christian creede as an immoueable rocke in deed shall remaine vnshaken and shal giue testimony of their engraffing into him by whose grace they continuested fast and immoueable and by whose power they are preserued vnto that eternal and everlasting kingdome which he himselfe hath purchased for them with his owne blood Now to this our almighty and all sufficient king and Saviour be all honour and glory praise and thankes both now and euer Amen CHAP. 7. Div. 1. That the right sence of the word of God is alwaies agreeable to his most holy law being the most exact rule of all true piety and godlinesse AS the true sence interpretation of Gods 〈◊〉 holiâ—… of the of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God â—…eanes â—…scerne â—…ight â—…e of diâ—… scripâ—… from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wrong most holy worde and the pointes of faith drawne out of the same are alwaies agreeable to the articles of the creede which are the maine groundes of our christian faith and no way thwarte and contradict the same for that God himselfe the author thereof it true and alwaies true and evermore like vnto himselfe so they are holy pure iust and righteous altogither even as God himselfe and his sacred law is holy and righteous altogither And therefore it is an over-ruled case that when the litterall sence of any
before him and did him homage but the greater and vviser beastes discerning him by his voice set him at naught and laughed him to scorne The Bishoppe of Rome knowing what honour is due vnto Christ and his church hath put on as it were the Lyons skinne by pretending himselfe to be Christs Vicar and his church to be the church of Christ Now many men iudging only by the outward appearaÌ„ce haue so taken him to be haue honoured him accordingly but other who haue more throughly looked into the truth haue by the sound of his voice doctrine found him not to be the vicar nor yet the frend of Christ but eveÌ„ his grand enimie the very great Antichrist For they will not suffer themselues to be deluded with coloures and shewes seing they will vnderstaÌ„d that by the caution giueÌ„ by their master Christ that the heretickes of these last times shall come in sheepes cloathing when inwardly they be ravening wolues and that Antichrist the head of Math. 7. 15. Greg. in â—ob l. 25. cap. 20 Hil. conâ— Auxentium Chrysâ—in Math. Hâ—m 49. all hypocrites by the iudgmeÌ„t of Gregory shall faine piety to draw to iniquity that vnder the cloake of the gospell as Hilary saith he shall bee contrary to Christ in so much that Christ shall be denied wheÌ„ he is thought to be preached They know by the admonition of Chrysostome that they must come to the divine scriptures only that so they may rightly discerne the doctrine of Antichrist seeing that if respect be had to names titles and profession he and his adherentes shall professe themselues good Christians yea they shall pretende greater chastitie and mortification of the flesh then shall bee founde amongst the true Christians And so Saâ—…t Paule by the spirite of prophecie had most evidently foretolde that the heretikes of these latter times that is Antichrist 1. Tim 4. 2. and his adherentes should speake lyes through hypocrisie forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meates that so by their hypocriticall shevve of continency and abstinence they might procure the greater credite both to themselues and to their doctrine VVherefore â—t is but a cunning and crafty collusion of Satan to perswade the worlde that Antichrist his Leife-tenant generall should be an open enimie of CHRIST and his church and make open vvarre against all professed Christians that vvhiles they prepared themselues against such an open Antichrist they might suffer themselues vnavvares to be overtaken by the subtlety and fraude of the true but privy Antichrist And so certainly it came to passe For as he caused the Iewes vvho professed themselues to be the Lordes onely heritage to refuse their true Messias and Christ vvhiles he persvvaded them to looke for such an one as should come vvith outward pompe earthly glorie and establish his kingdome by an high arme of flesh so he hath prevailed with those that accounted themselues onely to be the meÌ„bers of the true church in these latter daieâ— and hath made them yeeld to the spirituall bondage of Antichrist whiles he warned them to beware of such an Antichrist as should proclaime open vvarre and be at vtter defiaÌ„ce vvith all professed Christians But what saide our Sauiour to Math. 16. 3. the deceaued â—evves ye hypocrites yee can discerne the face of the skie and can yee not discerne the signes of the times They that thus expected a vvorldly Messias should haue diligeÌ„tly looked into the bookes of the Prophetes and so duely examined the signes of the true Messias that finding them throughly perfourmed in CHRIST as the drifts and discourses of the Evangelistes doe testifie and our Saviour himselfe vvitnesseth in these vvordes all thinges are finished should thereby haue beene induced to haue receiued him for the true Messias After the like maÌ„ner Ioh. 19. 30. all that profesâ—e themselues to be true Christians and would not be deluded by the subtleâ—ies of Satan shoud be carefull to discerne the signes of these times and to obserue the right notes and markes of the true Antichrist that so they might be able both to descry and also to avoide his most dangerous snares VVhen the Pharisies that looked that their Messias should be a temporall Monarch demanded of our Saviour Luc. 17. 20. CHRIST when the kingdome of GOD the kingdome of the Messias shoulde come he aunsvvered The kingdome of God commeth not vvith observation Neither shall men say Loe here Loe there for the kingdome of GOD is vvithin you VVhereby he signifieth that the kingdome of the Messias should not be vvith outvvard pompe and earthly glory but that by the preaching of the gospell he should lay the foundation of a true faith and a godly life in the heartes of all his people and so establish vvithin them his spirituall kingdome consisting in righteousnes peace and â—oy in the holy Ghost After the like manner may vve be bold to avouch Rom. 14. 1â— that the kingdome of Antichrist cometh neither vvith observation for that he shall not be an outvvard and professed enimie to Christianity but shall vvith greate subtlety vndermine the foundations of a true faith and godly life and so erect his spirituall Antichristian kingdome And hereof it is that Chrysostome calleth Chrys in Math. Hom. 49. not bandes and companies of armed souldiers but heresies the armies of Antichrist certaine it is that al heretikes that did arise from the Apostles times and did oppugne any pointe of faith 2. Th. 2. 7. are saide to prepare away to the kingdome of Antichrist for this Mystery of â—niquitie did vvorke even in the Apostles time And is called a Mystery for that it did vvorke secretly their poysoned doctrine being outvvardly shadovved vvith the profession of the true â—aith And verelie hovve came Arrianisme it selfe to overflovve the outvvarde face of the whole Hieron adverâ— Luciferianos Leo. Epist 81 visible church Infidelitie saith Ierome vvas planted vnder the name of faith So in the time of Leo hovve vvere heresies sette abroach you thinke saith hee speaking to the autors of them that yee deale for faith vvhereas yee contende against faith â—ee are armed vvith the name of the Church and yet yee fighte against the Church But especiallie in these last times since Antichrist beganne more and more to be disclosed the olde Serpent hath searched out the verie depth and profundity of all his craftie devices and hath bestovved all his art cunning and skill to beautifie his corrupte doctrine vvith many faire glozes and to painte it vvith many glorious colours An example vvhereof vvee haue in that proude champion of this greate Antichrist vvho marched forth not many yeares since like Goliaâ—… the Gittite 1. Sam. 17. vvho had an helmet of brasse vpon his head and a brigandine vveighing 5000 shekels of brasâ—e vpon his legges and a shâ—…lde of brasse vpon his shoulders the sâ—…fte of vvhose speare vvas like a vveavers beame vvho defiled the host of the
worthely make this challendge before al the world What nation is so great that hath lawes so righteous as is all this law that I haue set Deut. 4. 8. before thee this day Neither yet doth the holines only of the doctrine contained Holy doctrine sincerely embraced caÌ„not bring forth but an holy coÌ„versation or that which is all one a true faith caÌ„not be separated from true loue 2. Cor. 13. 3 in these holy bookes declare that they proceeded from the holie of holies but also that holines that is wrought in the harts coÌ„sciences of all the sincere embracers therof albeit they were before most impure and vnholy And therefore the Apostle Saint Paule when among the Corinthians some called his doctrine in question whether it was of God and his Apostleship whether it were of Christ appealeth vnto the fruit effect therof wrought in the harts and consciences of such as were effectually called among them and converted vnto the faith of Christ who being before defiled with sin odious before God and the children of wrath were by his ministery regenerated and sanctified and so made the children of God What saith the Apostle seeke yee as yet experience of Christ speaking in me and whether my doctrin be of him or no seeing Christ thereby was not weake but mighty in you working most powerfully your conversion and salvation c. 3. he leaveth to the false Apostles letters of commendations from others for that they had little or nothing in themselues worthy of iust and due commendation but as for my selfe saith he you are mine epistle and letters commendatory in that by my ministery yee haue received the gospell written in your harts which is the power of God to salvation to all that beleeue For albeit the doctrine of the crosse of Christ be a stumbling blocke to the Iewe and foolishnesse 1. Cor. 1. 24 to the Grecian yet to them that are called it is the power of God and the wisedome of God yea it is mighty through God casting downe holdes bringing vnder every high thing and subduing it vnto the obedience of the faith of Christ it subverteth all the power of the kingdome of darknesse and enableth vs to tread Satan vnder our feet And what may the dauncing of trees at the sweet melody of the harpe of Orpheus more fitly resemble then the relenting of mens hearts as hard as oake at the divine and heaveÌ„ly instructions of wisedome And what may better bee signified by his bringing of his wife from hell with his harmony then the drawing of men out of the slavery of sinne death and hel by the power and efficacy of the word of God And verily as Câ—rce and Calypse that is the world plaieth the witch and by the inchauntments and sorceries of her impure and corrupt doctrine turneth men into hogges and dogges so on the contrary side the holy doctrine of Christ beeing sincerely embraced vnlooseth all the inchantments of this bewitching world and turneth hogs dogs beares and wolues into men by causing them to lay aside their vncleane and brutish natures and put on the condition of men yea of men of God that is of sanctified holy men The which strange and wonderfull metamorphosis and turning of men in shape and nature but beasts in quality conditioÌ„ into the quality and condition of sanctified men by the most mighty operation of the worde of Christ was most plainely foretolde by the prophet Isay The wolfe saith he shall dwell with the Lambe and the Isa 11. 6. Leoparde shall lie with the Kidde and the Calfe and the Lion and the fare beast shall feede togither and a little childe shall lead them and the Cow and the Beare shall feede and their young ones shall lie togither and the Lyon shall eate straw like the bullocke the sucking cholde shall play vpon the hole of the aspe and the weined childe shall put his hande into the cockatrice hole there shall none hurt or destroy in all the mount of mine holinesse for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lords as the waters cover the sea Behold then the great power of the most holy doctrine of God which altreth such as are savage and hurtful as the most fierce and venimous beasts and maketh theÌ„ meeke milde and gentle devoted to the maintenance ' of the common society and of the publike benefite and good of mankind And hereof it is that Lactantius is bold to make this challendge Giue Lact. li 3. c. 26. divin Institur me saith he a wrathfull man and a slaunderer and one that is of vnbridled affections and with a few words of God I will make him as meeke as a lambe giue me a greedy and covetous pinchpenny and I will make him liberall giving out his mony by whole handfuls giue me one that is afraide of greefe and death and he shall presently contemne the gallows the fire and the bull of Phalaris also giue me a libidinous and an adulterous companion thou shalt set him straightwaies sâ—ber chast and continentâ— giue me a cruell bloodthirsty person and presently his fury shall bee turned into mercy giue me an vâ—iust person an vnwise and a sinner and by and by bee shall be made iust prudent and innocent with one washing all his malice shal be cleansed Such is the force of the divine wisdome that it being once admitted into the hart of man it wil at once dispossesse fâ—lly the mother of all transgressions To the effecting whereof there is no neede of a fee bookes or watchings they are wrought freely easily and speedely so Mercede libris lucubrationib 9. that our â—ares be open and our harts thirst after wisedome Let no man stand in doubt for wee sette not out to sale the droppes of raine or the Sunshine the full and plentifull fountaine of God lyeth open to all and this heavenly light doth rise to every one that hath his eies open to behould the same And indeede the word of weake and mortall men is weake and of small force and vertue but the doctrine of the mighty powerfull and immortall God is mighty in operation and sharper than any two edged sword it Heb 4. 12. 1. Pet. 123. Psal 19. 7. pearceth even into our inward man and begetteth in it an immortall life The Law of the Lord is perfect and converteth the soule and therefore the divine vertue and power therof may be discerned by the divine effect that is wrought thereby For as evill words breede evill manners and corrupt doctrine a corrupt conversation so good words bring forth good manners and holy doctrine an holy conversation Bevvare saith our Saviour Christ of false Prophets which come vnto you in sheepes cloathing but Math. 7. 25. iâ—wardly are ravening wolues yee shall know them by their fruites In the which words albeit in the iudgment both of olde and new writers by the fruites wereby false Prophets are
Appius Claudius for fidelity Fabritius for abstinence Scaevola for courage Cato for severity Cimon the Plut. in vita Cimonis Athenian for liberality Of whom it is recorded that he tooke away the moundes and fences from his groundes that the stranger and poore might take what fruite they would to refresh and satisfie themselues there withall besides he prepared a large supper ordinarily to the which any poore man might come and receiue sustenance and if he mette any auncient citizen in ragged and torne attire he commaunded one or other of his follovvers to chaunge his apparell with him and of his retinue that accompanied him some carried large suÌ„mes of mony that if they mette with any honest poore man they might giue vnto him all that he needed And yet vvhat vvere all these so glorious and goodly workes but bare shadowes counterfeites of vertuous actions rather then vertuous actions indeede Yea what were they but Splendid a peccata The best workes of the vnfaithâ—ull aâ—e no better then sinnes Rom. 11. 20. beautiful sinnes And as for the parties themselues shal we therfore esteeme them to haue beene good trees for that they had such an outward shew of good fruite Surely the spirit of truth doth testifie of vs that we are all by nature brambles breers wild â—…ues vntill we be grasled into the true oliue Nowe it is faith that doth grafte vs into the true olive as infidelity doth breake vs of Without saith then we are no better then brambles briars and wilde olives And whâ—… Dee men gather grapeâ— of thorâ—es figges Math. 7. 16. of brâ—arâ— Or doth the wilde oliue bring forth a kinde and natural olive Wherfore all these before named so famous and worthy personages in the eies of flesh bloud for al their glorious shew of goodly fruite living without faith without Christ vvithout God being Ephes 2. 12. alâ—ans from the â—ommâ—n wealâ—h of Israell and from the covenants of grace must needes vndergoe that heavy but iâ—st sentence of the Lord of the vineyard Cutte downe the vnprofitable trees for why Luke 13 7. Math. 3 10. cumber they the grounde And againe Now is the aâ—e laide vnto the roote of the treesâ— therfore every tree that bringoth not forth good fruite is bowâ—n downe and cast into the fire For if I giue al my goods to the poore 1. Cor. 13. 3 and haue not loue it profiâ—…th me nothing that is if this liberall fact of mine proceede not from a sincere harty affection to the good of my neighbour as likevvise if this harty affection towarde my neighbour come not from a sincere loue towardes God vvho is loued for himselfe and in whom also I love my neighbour yea if this my loue towardes God flow not from his loue in Christ towardâ— me embraced and apprehended by a true and lively faith all this my releiving of the poore cannot releiue my selfe and all this my mercy toward the needy cannot be a meanes to convey over vnto me the Lordes mercy For vnlesse all my goodnes be after this manner derived from God the onely fountaine of all goodnes well it may vnto men seeme to be goodnes yet it shall not haue his allowance from God But now let vs returne againe vnto our Saviours rule Beware of false Prophots which come vnto you in sheepes cloathing but inwardlie are ravening wolves ye shall know them by their fruites True teachers which with their harts sincerely embrace that holesome doctrine which they professe with their mouthes togither with their faith full disciples and schollers are as trees planted in the paradise of God and watered with the pure streames of the river of the vvater of life that floweth throughout the paradise of God and so receiving the blessing of God doe there by bring forth fruit good in truth and substance and not in shewe onely or outward appearance whereas false teachers as bastard plantes setled in the wildernes of this barren and vnfruitful world and wette with the venemous drops of the infected and deadly puddles of humane devices and dreames doe thereby bring forth fruit sometimes holesome and good in shew but never in substance For an infected fountaine cannot yeeld forth holesome water neither can a corrupt faith bring forth an vncorrupt life For the mind and vnderstanding are the leaders and guides vnto the will and the affectious and therefore if they be misledde with falshood errour and wander and goe astray in the bye pathes of impiety vngodlines howe can they direct the will and affections in the right way of piety and godlines Verily vnto whomsoever God in his iustice hath denied the knowledge of the groundeâ—and principles of a sound faith to them also he doth deny the gift and blessing of an holy life seeing that selfesame holy doctrine that is the cause of an holy faith is also the cause of an holy life as it is made manifest in the fourth motiue As on the contrary side vnto whom God in his mercy hath given the faithful acknowledging embracing of the grounds and principles of a sounde faith vndoubtedly to them hee doeth likewise graunt the practicall knowledge of an holy life For true faith and sincere loue which are the mother and nurce of all good workes are as Hypocrates twinnes borne togither and living without separation so that if one of them be strengthned the other receiveth strength also and if one of them be weakned the other is weakned they go alwaies hand in hand and bee inseparable companions and never breake company giue entertainement to the one thou must giue entertainment to the other sâ—ut the one of them out of thy dores and the other will in no wise be thy guest nor abide vvith thee the least moment of time For albeit a bare naked knowledge of the grounds of faith may be severed from the practise of a godly life yet a faithfull embracing and a sincere reâ—oiceing in them can never be idle and vnfruitfull but alwaies is accompaned with good works which giue witnesse vnto the sincerity Qui non fac it bonuÌ„ non credit bonum soundnes of faith and do sufficiently declare the holinesse of the doctrine from whence â—hey proceede Holy doctrine embraced but in shew and in hypocrisie may be vnfruitfull but being sinâ—…ly received it maketh good trees which cannot bee without gâ—…d fruite Now then this being evident that good workes are the infalhble notes of a good faith it remaineth that as in the former part of this treatise we declared that faith to be only sounde and catholike which was agreeable to the grounds of faith more briefly abridged in the Apostles Creede and set downe more at large in the canonicall seripture so now we set downe those divine rules of an holy life which are delivered in the same books wherevnto we must frame all our works if that wee desire to bee assured that they shall
bountifully bestowed vpon vs. 1 The will of God is to be respected of vs in doing good workes for that it is holy good perfect Rom. 12. 1. If then we wil bee assured to haue our workes good wee must haue our eies bent vpon the will of God that must most carefully be respected of vs yea the holy good and perfect wil of God must be the motiue and inducemeÌ„t vnto vs for the most willing and ready performing of the same The Apostle St. Paule hauing sette downe in the former part of his Epistle to the Romans the principles and groundes of our Christian faith being in the latter part thereof to deliver the doctrine of good workes beginneth that matter after this manner I beseech you saith he by the mercifulnes of God that you giue vp your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable serving of God And fashion not your selues like vnto this world but be yee changed by the renewing of your minde that ye may prooue what is the good will of God acceptable and perfect In which wordes we may obserue these two pointes first in what things the service of God consisteth not in the sacrificeing vp of vnreasonable beasts but in offring vp of our selues for that is our reasonable serving of God secondly who ought to be our directers and guides in performing our service due vnto God not the customes or fashions of this world nor the intents and divices of our owne harts but the good will of God acceptable and perfect Wherby we are to learne that if we wil be the approoved servaÌ„ts of God and haue our service allowed of him we must haue an intentiue eie to the Lords will make it the rule of all our works yea if wee will be citizens with the saintes and of the housholde of God and fellow servants with the Angels themselues then as they stand prest ready alwaies before God to attend his pleasure and to performe his will so must wee also walke continually before God as in his eies in his presence presenting our selues vnto him in our dayly praiers and still labouring by all meanes possible that his will may be done here by vs on earth as it is in heaven Mat. 6. 10. by his holy Angels When that kind of serving of God by the sacrificing of beasts was most in force Samuel said vnto Saule who had transgressed the flat commandement and wil of God to offer as he pretended sacrifice to God Is God so well pleased with sacrifice as when the voice of the Lord is obeied Beholde to obey is better 1. Sam. 15. 22. then sacrifice and to harken is better then the fat of Rammes It is the highest degree of wisedome and goodnes of himselfe to be able to conceiue that which is good and the second degree is of such as knowing their own wants betake themselues to be wholy guided and ruled by those in whom dwelleth wisedome in al abouÌ„dance Now perfect wisedome and goodnes dwelleth only in God his will is most holy iust and perfect yea it is the most perfect rule of all holines and of all iustice Neither doth God will and commande things so much for that they are iust lawful and good but rather those things are therefore iust lawful good for that they are willed and commanded of God When vpoÌ„ occasion of this holy and comfortable doctrine of the gospell that the sinnes of the faithfull doe the more evidently set forth the mercy of God in Christ in that he is of himselfe so good and so good vnto such which Rom. 3. 5. are so and so vnworthy in themselues obiection was made If our vnrighteousnes setteth forth the glory of Gods goodnes then the Lord may seeme to be vniust in punishing sinne for that his glory is thereby the more furthered the Apostle answereth by an exclamation or rather by a detestation saying God forbid else how should God iudge the world Seeing he is not a iudge after the manner of mortal men who being advanced to high estate do many times corruptly abuse their high authority but it is not so with God For his being iudge of the world is not by birth or electioÌ„ or suite or purchase but by nature For in that he is God creator of all hee is iudge of all and his most vpright and vncorrupt will is the soveraigne rule of all righteousnes and it his is the extraordinary prerogatiue of this his most righteous will that hee cannot possibly wil or coÌ„mand any thing that is vniust So that if he coÌ„mand the Israelites to borrow of the Aegyptians Iewels of silver Exod. 3. 23. Iewels of gold so to rob the Aegyptians they may boldly do the same and keepe those Iewels to their owne vses as his lawful gifts as the pledges of his fatherly loue If God coÌ„maÌ„d Levy to Exod. 32. 27 consecrate his hands in blood if he know not father nor mother brother nor friend but execute the Lords veÌ„geance without respect of persons he shall receiue a blessing for the same So likewise if Abraham be commanded of God to kill holy innocent Isaak Gen. 22. 16 his deare and only sonne from whom was to proceed that holy seed in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed if hee but intende in all humble obedience to the will and commaundement of GOD to performe the same GOD will so â—pproue and like of him for it that hee will in recompence thereof even vow and sweare his everlasting blessednes Nay if the most holie but secret counsell of God wherin he hath chosen some to eternall life before they were borne yea before the foundatioÌ„ of the world was laid and refused other be called in question and condemned also by the corrupt reason of maÌ„ yet this is a sufficient iustification thereof vttered by the Lordes owne mouth I Exod. 33. 19 Voluntas beneplacitâ— Mat. 11. 26. will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy and I will haue compassion on whom I wil haue compassion Whervnto our Saviour also subscribeth saying even so O father for so was it thy good pleasure And the same plea is made likewise by the Apostle in the same case he will haue Rom. 9. 18. mercy on whom he will haue mercy and whom he will he hardeâ—eth But this secret wil of God is mainly improued by the Church Not only the secret but also the revealed will of God is blasphemously defaced by the church of Rome voluntas signi of Rome yea and flatly condemned of cruelty and tyranny Neither hath shee any better regard of the revealed will of God set downe in the sacred bookes of the canonicall scripture For shee hath presumed to plucke downe out of the seate of highest iudgment the booke of God in that tongue wherin it was penned by the speciall direction of Gods vn-erring spirite hath
wretched estate when yee sate in darknes and in the shaddow of death and forget not Gods mercy that hath translated you out of darknes into the kingdome of light and so see that yee walke worthy of God and of your high calling in Christ Iesus This due consideratioÌ„ of the Lords endlesse mercy in Christ and their owne vnworthines hath beene the only effectual motiue from the beginning of the world to draw the faithful out of the slavery of Satan vnto God and to confirme and establish them in his feare The seede of the woman shall breake the serpentes head made Adam who before hid himselfe from God afterward with boldnes to come into his presence In thy seede shall all the â—ations of the earth be blessed made Abraham who before was bred vp in Idolatry to forsake kindred and countrey and to endure many annoyances in a strange land that so he might shew his humble obedience vnto God Yea by the eies of this faith all the holy men of God before the comming of Christ in the flesh beholding the great goodnesse and loue of God as the Apostle testifieth Hebr. 11. haue offered vp their sacrifices acceptable to God performed all dueties and endured all crosses for the constant confession of this their holy faith And now since the comming of Christ in the flesh wherby was the whole world converted froÌ„ dumbe Idols to serue the living God Was it by the promulgation of the law of Moses or by the preaching of the gospel of Christ Surely the preaching and publishing of the glad tydings of the gospell of the yeare of Iubile of the acceptable day wherein the Lord for his Christes sake had graunted a free full and generall pardon and release of all debts trespasses and sins to all such as would willingly accept and faithfully embrace this vnspeakeable loue and make it the matter of their daily meditation and consolation and the rocke and foundation of their faith and hope was that warrelike chariot wherein the faith of Christ got the full victorie over falshoode and lies and trod vnder foote all infidelity and Idolatry and triumphed most gloriously against all the power and puissaunce of hell it selfe By the sounde of this doctrine did the servauntes of the great shepheard and Bishoppe of our soules call home all his straying and wandring sheepe and gathered them into the folde of Christ by this net did the fishers of men dravve into the arke of Christs Church all such as were before ready to bee drowned in the sea of their sinnes and to bee overwhelmed with the most terrible tempest of the Lordes wrath by this key did the Lords potters open the doore of the kingdome of heauen to them that vvere before most worthely driven out and dispossessed of that celestiall paradise With this ensigne did the Lordes standard bearers gather together all his companies and bandes which before had revolted became fugitiues fighting vnder the Devils colours by this boxe of ointmeÌ„t powred forth did the Lordes Apothecaries reviue and quicken the spirites of all the Lords patients who were before not only in a sound but also starke dead by the most noysome stincke of their abominable sinnes Lastly by this seed of faith sowen in the most drie and barren wildernes of the peoples hearts by the hand of the Lordes painefull and skilfull husbandmen vvas there raysed vppe a most plentifull and fruitefull harvest vnto the Lorde For faith commeth by hearing the word of faith Neither doeth this worde of faith revealing the vnspeakeable loue of God shining in the face of Christ beget faith only but by faith loue praier confession patience repentance feare obedience thankefulnes even all sounde and sincere devotion with all the partes and parcels thereof By faith we haue accesse to God and are admitted into his Church which is therefore called the family of Faith And Baptisme the sacrament of our Baptisme cleanseth as it doth fâ—…her make manifest vnto va and causeth vs to embrace the word of faith initiation and the seale of faith is added to the worde of faith for the further manifestation of the cause of this our admission into so honourable an estate and calling by setting after a sorte before our eies the loue of God who hath given vs his sonne with his owne most precious bloode to wash and cleanse our sinnes whereby there was before a seperatioÌ„ betweene vâ— God Now from whence saith Austine hath the water of Baptisme this vertue that it doth touch the body cleaâ—se the soul but by means of the word whervnto it is added that it might togither with the same not only represent the washing away of our sinnes by the blood of Christ but also â—atifie and coÌ„firme the same for the further strengthning of our fraile faith Not saith hee for that the word is vttered but for that it is beleeved not for that there is such vertue in the letters and sillables or in the pronunciation of the very wordes but for that they are the powerfull instrument ordained of God so to open the Lordes good and gracious meaning towardes vs and to assure vs of his vnchaungeable loue in Christ that thereby we might attaine to a sure faith For as long as we remaine in our naturall blindnes and ignorance either we fly from God as Adam did beeing touched with the pricke of a guilty conscience or else we embrace an Idol in steed of the true God being misled by the wrongful guiding of a blind coÌ„science as now naturally do all the posterity of Adam But wheÌ„ the Lord hath once revealed vnto vs the glory of his endlesse goodnes in Christ and hath made vs to behold the dignity of his death that he endured for our sins and the worthines of his obedience that he performed for our righteousnes thereby we are made bold to enter Heb. 10. 19. into the holy place by the newe and living way which he hath prepared for vs by his flesh and are encouraged to draw nigh with a true hart in assurance of faith being fully perswaded of the perfect purgation of all our sins and of our entire and absolute righteousnes I am saith our Saviour Christ the way the truth and the life no man commeth to the father but by me He then that is set in this way and walketh therein he vndoubtedly walketh in the right way and he cannot misse but come directly vnto God Hee that buildeth on this rocke buildeth on a sure foundatioÌ„ his faith cannot faile he cannot be vanquished his hope is sure he cannot be coÌ„founded He may be bold to triumph with the Apostle saying If God be on our side who can be against vs who spared not his owne sonne but Rom. 8. 31. gave him for vs all how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Who shall lay anie thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth Who shall condemne It is Christ that is dead
this wrathfull countenance of God of al other calamities crosses is most grievous burdensome vnto them and doth aboue al other miseries vexe and torment their tender harts casteth theÌ„ downe to the gates of hell Then in anguish of soule and bitternes of spirit they powre forth whole streames of complaineâ— crying out and saying Will the Lord absent himselfe forever and will he be no more entreated Is his mercy cleane gone for ever Psal 77. 7. and is his goodnes come vtterly to an end far evermore â— hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he shut vp his loving kindnes in displeasure TheÌ„ said I this is my death againe O Lord how long wilt thou be angrie Psal 80. 4. with thy people that praieth Thou hast fed them with the bread of teares and hast given them plentâ—…snes of teares to drinke thou haste made vs to be a very strife vnto our neighbours our enemies laugh vs to scorne Turne vs againe O God of hosts shew vs the light of thy countenance and we shall be safe And yet in truth when the Lorde most sharply chasteneth his God is nearest to his servants in their asstictions albeit he seemeth to be then farthest of he sheweth then most of all the effect of his loue allthough they for the present feele it not Psa 119. 71. 75 ver own deare children he is not in wrath offended with them but in great loue most of all then tendreth their good his grace and favour is not absent but then especially is present with them albeit they for the very instaÌ„t feele not the same For what is it that in and by their afflictions worketh in them humility repentaÌ„ce patience obedience an earnest desire to feele the Lord gracious and favourable vnto them aboue all things to behold the light of his countenaÌ„ce Are not al these the most evident effects of the favourable presence of God with theÌ„ of the most neere assistance of his grace Doth he not herein shew theÌ„ the light of his couÌ„tenance make manifest vnto them his loue to their great benefit good Surely David did most thaÌ„kfully acknowledge so much saying It is good for me that I haue beene in trouble that I might learne thy statutes And againe I know O Lorde that thy iudgements are righteous and that thou not of wrath but of very faithfulnes hast caused me to be troubled And therfore Ieremy praied for the Ier. 10 24. same as for a thing beneficiall and good Correct vs O Lord yeâ— in thy iudgement not in thy fury For God chastiseth his children in loue albeit he punisheth the wicked in wrath And therfore both Iob. 5. 17. Iob David iudge not that the godly when they are afflicted are in a bad but in a right good and blessed estate Blessed is the man say they whom thou chastenest O Lorde and teachest in thy lawe that thou maiest giue him patience in time of adversitie vntill the â—it bee digged vp for the vngodly And therefore the Apostles did reioice in Rom. 5. 3. tribulations knowing that tribulations bring forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shedde abroade in our heartes by the holy Ghost The loue of God then apprehended by faith not only engendereth Hope Patience ConfessioÌ„ in vs loue towardes God but also hope that maketh not ashamed and patience that maketh vs to reioice in tribulations and to be couragious and constant in the confession of his truth albeit all manner of crosses accompanye the same For out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and therfore if vvith the hearte wee beleeue to righteousnesse wee will bee ready vvith the mouth to confesse vnto salvation I beleeved saith David Rom. 10. 10 Psal 116. 10 2. Cor. 4. 13 and therefore haue I spoken so vvee also saith the Apostle beleeue and therefore speake And verily if wee doe beleeue that GOD from everlasting hath acknowledged vs and hath written our names in the booke of life howe can it bee but that wee shoulde thankefully acknowledge him before the greate congregation and willingly confesse him before the whole worlde Yea how can it bee but that wee shoulde continually make our resorte to Praier him by praier in all our necessities and craue his gracious aide to assiste and strengthen vs in all those afflictions and crosses which vvee endure for his most holy name sake The vnfaithfull vvho vvill not bee persvvaded of the fatherly loue and favour of God towardes them cannot come with any cheerefulnes to make their praiers vnto God for howe can they call vppon him Rom 10. 14 on whom they haue not beleeved but the faithfull that beleeue that God is become their loving father in Christ that by him they haue such interest in God in al his blessings must needs coÌ„e to him with great coÌ„fideÌ„ce hope powre out their whole harts continually before him and present vnto him all their petitions and requests And verily they need not to be ashamed to come into his presence seeing they are cloathed with the most precious garments of Christ their elder brother and haue him to bee their continuall advocate solliciter to pleade their cause In deed the more they behold their owne nakednes and shame take a true view of the rotten ragges fained garments of their owne righteousnes and the more deepely therewithal they meditate vpon that strange and admirable goodnesse of God that would cast the eies of his loue vpoÌ„ such loathsome wretches they haue great cause as to be ashamed of their abominable corruption so to be waile and lament their intollerable vnthankfulnesse And so the prophet Ezechiel hath testified that the faithful shal Eze. 16. 63. be confounded in themselues and hange downe their heads never open their mouthes for shame when they shal behold the loue of God towards them in Christ which hath freely pardoned all their iniquities and sinnes when I say they shal see on the one side how gracious God is to them on the otherside how grievous they themselues haue bin vnto God An ensample wherof In the praier of Manasse affixed at the end of the bookes of the Chronicles we haue in Manasse king of Iudah vnto whoÌ„ when the Lorde had given a little taste of his promise of mercy and had giveÌ„ him some assurance of the remission of his sinnes and of his receiving into favour how doth he debase and cast himselfe downe as if he were the only offender among all the servants of God and all other were as it were no sinners in comparison of him And how doth he exaggerate and amplifie his own transgressions as if they were more then the sande of the sea and togither withall so odious and abominable that he was not worthy to behold the heavens for the same
I haue provoked thy wrath saith he and haue done evill before thee I did not thy will neither kept I thy commaundements I haue set vp abominations and multiplied offences I haue sinned O Lord I haue sinned I acknowledge my transgressions O Lord forgiue O Lorde forgiue me and destroy me not with mine iniquities And verily vntill we haue some sight and sense assurance of the mercy of God in Christ pardoning our sins the ougly sight of our owne deformities will driue vs more and more from God and wrappe vs faster and faster in the bands of sinne and be ready to drowne vs in the gulfe of despaire as it may be seene in Caine Iudas the like But when Christ shall once looke vpon vs with the eyes of his mercy shall giue vs some assurance of the remission of our sinnes as he did vnto Peter whome he mercifully forewarned not only of his fall but also of his pardon of his recovery and of his duety in regard of the same I haue praied for thee Peter Luk. 22. 31. that thy faith faile not and thou being converted strengthen thy brethre this favourable aspect of Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse will cause vs with Peter to loue him the more and not only to single out some solitary place that we may bewaile our vnthankfulnes with bitter teares but also to be more feareful and careful for the time to come least we be overtaken againe with the like offence For a reverent regard and feare least we offende so good a God Feare whom we can never endevour sufficiently to please is caused also by the due apprehension of the Lordes mercies There is mercy Psal 130. 4. with thee O God saith David therfore shalt thou be feared For as the naturall and kind child reverenceth his father and feareth to offend him not so much for dread of the rod or for hope of the inheritance as for that he hath had already manifold experience of his fathers kindnes and care for him even so the deare children of God having had in former times very good experience of the Lords loue do reverence feare him from the very bottome of their harts and are thereby made watchfull and wary not to offend Behold saith S. Iohn what loue the father hath shewed vs that 1 Ioh 3. 1. we should be called the sonnes of God Now we are the sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what we shall be but this we know that when he doth appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And he that hath this hope purgeth himselfe even as he is pure In which words it is manifest that hope rising out of faith and the expectation of future blessednes out of the apprehension of former loue doth cause the faithfull to purge clense their harts least they offend their holy and pure God with their impurities Though we sinne say all Sap. 15. 2. the godly as it were with one voice that is though wee sinne through infirmity which cannot be avoided in these daies of infirmity yet we are thine for we know thy power but we sinne not that is presumptuously or we giue not over our selues to sinne knowing that we are thine for to know thee is perfect righteousnes and to know thy Ioh 3. 14. power is the roote of immortality For as the childreÌ„ of Isâ—ael were healed of the sting of fierie serpents by looking vp to the brasen serpent even so the faithful looking vp vnto CHRIST crucified are cured of al their spiritual maladies and haue their sinne slaine in them and are raised vp to newneâ— of life Zache desiring but to see CHRIST was immediatly converted and made a Christian Olde father Simeon beholding Christ desired presently to departe out of this life thinking that hee had lived long inough seeing hee had liued to see his Saviour with his bodely eies All the faithfull that haue had some true view of our Our whole conversion to God is wrought by his loue in Christ apprehended by faith Ioh. 17. Saviour Christ do more more desire to behould him still and that not without very great cause For the more they see him the more they loue him and the more they feele themselues to liue in him and by him This is everlasting life saith the auctor thereof to knowe the onely true God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ For rightly to know faithfully to embrace the endles vnspeakable loâ—e of God in Christ who hath consecrated himselfe both in his life and death to the working of our deliverance out of the hands of sin death damnation doth worke in the faithfull the death of sin and life of righteousnes and so layeth the foundation of that life heere which shal be made perfect in the world to come Now saith the Apostle I liue not but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now liue I liue by the faith of the sonne of Eph. 6. 15. The loue of God revealed in the Gospel is as shoes wherby we are enabled to walke on readily in the Lordes waies be they never so full of sharpe stones and pricking thornes God who hath loued me given himselfe for me The Apostle lived not he was dead in himselfe but Christ by hiâ— spirit word lived and raigned in him and that because he beheld with the eies of faith that great endles loue of Christ who both had lived and died for him And hereof it is that the Gospel of Christ the powerful instrumeÌ„t ordained by God both to begett streÌ„gthen faith is compared to shoes is part of that furniture wherwithal the souldiers of Christ haue neede to bee armed in their most hard daungerous fight against al the powers of the kingdome of darknes And verely there are so many thorns pricks of worldly cares and so many sharpe stones of crosses and persecutions lying so thicke in that straight and narrow way that leadeth to life that the passage of the faithful would be greatly stayed if not altogither stopped therin were they not al well shodde with the preparation of the Gospel of peace and had not that gladsome ioyful tidings of their recoÌ„ciliation with God made them most resolute to passe on along for al those sharpe stoÌ„es to endure al withal patience Now then by these things that haue bin delivered it is evident and cleare that not onely faith ariseth out of the true apprehension of the inestimable loue of God in Christ but also loue hope patience confession praier repeÌ„tance feare a religious care both to liue to die vnto God to devote our selues wholy to his service And yet we must not so conceaue heereof as if this one blessing All the Lords gratious giftes and blessings are furtherers of faith obedience in the godly Ier. 14. 20. of our redemption wrought by CHRIST did not onely
the knowledge of all such things as shal be necessary to our own salvation Marcus Aemilius Seaurus when he was accused to haue received mony to betray the common vvealth beganne in his ovvne defence after this manner It is O yee Romanes an harde course vvhereas I haue lived in one place to giue an accounte of my life in another yet I vvil be bold to make vnto you this one demaunde VARIVS SVCRONENSIS saieth that MARCVS AEMILIVS SCAVRVS beeing corrupted vvith bribes hath purposed to betray the people of Rome MARCVS AEMILIVS SCAVRVS denieth himselfe to be guilty of any such crime To vvhich of vs vvill yee giue credite The plainetise and the defendant beeing only named the people straight-vvaies refused to take notice of any such accusation So may the vvorde of God contained in the Canonicall Scriptures complaine of great vvtonge offered vnto her by the Church of Rome and say Oh yee Papistes yee haue expelled mee in your schooles and assemblies out of the seat of iudgement as I vvas delivered vnto you in my originalles and out of the handes of the people in their vulgar and knowne languages and tongues and haue accused mee to bee darke and obscure and full of ambiguities and harde to bee vnderstoode but I say that I am a lanterne to your feete and a lighte shining in a darke Psal 119. place and plaine and easie to him that vvill vnderstande And now 2. p. 1. Pro. 8. vvhich of vs I praye you deserue to bee credited the more Surelye hee is most vvorthye to bee deceived that vvill giue more credite to the slaunderous accusation of the Antichristian Church of Rome then to the most evident and plaine testimonye of the vvoorde of God for the clearing and iustifying of it selfe Nowe then seeing that our doctrine is plaine that wee must renounce our selues and our ovvne fancies and condemne all our owne imagination of blindnesse and folly and continually resort by our prayer to God and by our study vnto his vvorde as vnto the onely vnerring teacher of all trueth allowing of no one pointe of faith that is not most evidently set dovvne in the Canonical Scriptures therefore wee are most vniustly charged to teach the people to make choice of their faith according vnto their owne private fancies and so to open a doore vnto heresies vvhereas in trueth the Church of Rome herselfe teaching the people in divine matters somevvhat to relye vpon the naturall light of their owne vnderstandings and vpon the choice of their owne free vvill as likewise vpon the censures of Popes and canons Aug. l. 2. de bapt cap. 3. The doctrine of the word of God is catholike albeit it be embraced but by one alone and the doctrine of men are private albeit they be received by never so many 1. Kin. 19 10. Ier. 15. 10. 1. Kin. 22. 8. of Councels which may deceiue and bee deceived wherof the latter may correct the former as experience taught Saint Augustine to iudge and vpon traditions and vnwritten verities hath giuen them occasion to make choice of such things as shall best fitte their owne fancies and bee most agreeable to the humours of men and so hath set them in the ready way to embrace errour insteed of truth and to fall from verity into damnable heresie That doctrine we may be sure is sound catholike which hath his foundation in the Canonical scriptures the which hath his authority from the first author and not from the professours there of the which is not to be condemned for private and singular albeit it bee embraced but by one man For as Panormitan coulde avouch one singular man alleadging Scripture is to bee preferred before a generall Councell as it vvas put in practise in the Councell of Nice vvhere the sentence of Paphâ—utius vvas preferred before the generall opinion of the vvhole assembly Elias Ieremias and other of the prophets that vvere raised vp by God in their several times to reforme the worshippe of God that was generally corrupted had fewe and sometimes none at all to assist them in the execution of their charge but were after a fort left alone to contend and striue with the vvhole earth and yet their prophesies and interpretations of Scriptures were not condemned by any of the faithfull for private and singular for that as S. Peter testifieth they proceeded not from the 2. Pet. 1. 20. wil of man but from the motion of the spirit of God So in the primitiue church albeit Liberius bishop of Rome stood after a fort alone against the Arrians in the defence of the most Catholike doctrine of the divine nature of the coessential and consubstantial son of God and interpreted the scriptures for the confirmation of that faith yet his alonenes made not his interpretations private but that they were most catholike and sounde For whatsoever proceedeth from men be they few or many that is to be taken for private and vnfounde and certainely in the ende it shall come to nought whereas not one lote or tittle of the law shal Act. 5. 38. Mat. 5. 18. perish til al things be fulfilled Vnder the time of the law for that in the bookes of Moses all points of faith were not set downe with such perspicuity plainnes that they could be so fully easily vnderstood then as they may now vnder the gospel therfore the Lord raised vp vnto theÌ„ many vnerring interpreters for the supplying of that defect Yet hee did not giue any such ordinary and perpetuall priviledge to the successors of Aaron that they should be alwaies maintainers of truth albeit they made claime to such a prerogatiue as it may appeare by their own vaunts The law shall not perish from the priest Ier. 18. 18. nor counsell froÌ„ the ancient but he raised vp Prophets extraordinarily when and where he thought good who were priviledged in deed from falling into heresie and from the misinterpreting of the law of God and by them he reformed al such abuses as were crept into his owne worship and service But now al revelations are ceased and the raysing vp of vnerring interpreters is come to an end for that in the writings of the Apostles and Evangelists al points of faith necessary to salvation are set down with al perspiculty and plainenes and for that also there is very great aboundance of the spirit given to al the faithful servaÌ„ts of Christ which reverently and religiously employ themselues in the zealous study of those holy bookes The Apostle Saint Iohn writing to the 1. Ioh. 2. 27. church concerning deceivers telleth the faithful that the means wherby they must be armed against them is to hold fast that doctrine which they had heard from the beginning the which being throughly setled in their hearts by the effectuell working of the spirit of God wherewithal they were before annointed and made christians they needed not that any man should teach theÌ„ Not that the continual
ministery of pastours and Doctors is not stil needfull for the people of God but the meaning is that the doctrine first taught by the mouth of the Apostles afterward set downe in their Canonical writings is so plaine evident and ful to the servants of Christ which are endued with his spirit that they need not now at vnder the law any vnerring teacher ordinary or extraordinary for the further opening of any necessary point of faith which otherwise might be secret and lye hid And so also the Apostle to the Hebrews teacheth out of the booke of the Prophet Ieremy This is the testament that I will make with the Heb. 8. 10. house of Israell after these daies saith the Lord I will put my laws in their mindes and in their heartes will I write them and I will be their God and they shall bee my people and they shall no more teach one another saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the greatest vnto the least Not as I said before that the ministery of teaching by ordinarie pastours should cease amongst vs which is still most behouefull both to renew the memory of those things which we know seeing we are stil ready to forget and to teach better those thinges which we know but in part and also those things which as yet we know not at al for the most skilful may proceede from knowledge to knowledge but that there shal be now no neede of any vnerring interpreter to open any necessary point of faith which otherwise would be altogether vnknown For al necessary things are set downe so plainly in the bookes of the Apostles and Evangelists by him that was best able to write even to the capacity of the most simple who caused also those bookes to be penned not to obscure but to lighten the truth that the lambe may wade in them without danger of drowning and drinke most plentifully of those vvaters of life yea the vvary of Gods service is now so plaine that the very fooles cannot erre therein The pointes of faith contained in these bookes neede neither to begge credite All thinges necessary to salvatioÌ„ are sette downe so plainely in the bookes of the new testament that all the faithfull may vnderstand the same without the helpe of an vnerring Interpreter yea without the helpe of any Interpreter at all nor to take light from the writings expositioÌ„s of men but haue their credite in themselues take their light from themselues giue light credit both to the persoÌ„s also to the bokes of al other whoÌ„soever that haue any credite or light in them And the maine grounds of faith contained in them stand vpon their owne ground haue in themselues most manifest perspicuity that the mind passing through many forms of opinions being once lightned therwith may resolue settle his ful assent consent vpon theÌ„ without the helpe of any vnerring Interpreter yea without the helpe of any Interpreter at all For what containe the bookes of the new testament but the vncovering of that which was covered in the old Now if those things be vncovered already what neede haue they of a further vncovering Vnlesse we thinke that the Apostles themselues which had the greatest measure of the spirite and the largest portion of knowledge in the misteries of God had either not so good skill or will to sett downe plainly in their Canonicall writings all points of faith as their schollers and successors had in their writings which are not Canonicall The truth is that all thinges necessarie vnto salvation are novve most plainly delivered in the bookes of the new testament the best Interpreters doe not by their expositions bring any new light at all vnto them but pointe as it were with the finger to that light which is in them that we may turne our eies vpon it togither with them behould the same they bring no grounds and principles of their owne that thereby they may lighten the doctrine of the scripture but they hould out the grounds principles of the scripture it selfe that therby they may lighten all that is obscure For albeit in the divine scriptures there are many places darke obscure hard to be vnderstoode such wherein the best Interpreters themselues may erre be deceaved yet as S. Austine Aug. de doct Christ l. 2. cap. 9. saith all things that belong to faith good manners that is to say to hope and loue are openly delivered sette downe in the same and out of these plaine and open places all necessary doctrines are to be taken and not out of the doubtfull and obscure And therefore when the heretike Petilian did alleage mystical obscure places for the confirmatioÌ„ of his errours the same father taketh exception against him after this manner saying these places Aug. cont Petil. cap. 16. are mysticall obscure and figurative but vvee require a manifest place that needeth no Interpreter at all And such places were alleaged by the Catholike Bishoppes for the opening and confirming of all controversies and doubtes Attende saith Iustine Iust Martyr in dialogo cuÌ„â—rypho Chrys in ep ad RoÌ„ hom 19. 2. Pet 3. 16. Martyr to these thinges vvhich I shall rehearse out of the scriptures vvhich neede not at all to bee expounded but onely to bee hearde So Chrysostome Doe these saith he neede any exposition are they not cleare and manifest even to those that are very dull And albeit in Saint Paule there are some thinges hard to bee vnderstoode vvhich the vnlearned and vnstable pervert as they doe also the other scriptures to their destruction yet Saint Ambrose is bold Ambr in ep 7. in principio epistolae to avouch of him that in most thinges hee doth so expound himselfe that he vvhich doth deliver and teach his doctrine can finde nothing that hee may adde or if hee vvill needes say something he must rather performe the dutie of a grammarian then of a discourser or disputer And verely albeit the vnbeleevers and such as are ignorant of the divine and heavenly doctrine of the Canonicall Scriptures Stap doct princ lib. 8. cap. 22. veritas docendo suadet Tertul. coÌ„t ValeÌ„t Aug cont ep Funda cap 14. The saith of the fiue members of the church of Christ is not setled vpon the auctority of the church or the iudgment of the Interpreter but vpon the light of the divine doctrine it selfe are at the first mooued sometimes to embrace the faith of CHRIST by the auctority of the Church and by the dignity and vvorthines of the Bishoppes and teachers yet when they are once perswaded and setled therein beeing lightned by the spirit of illumination and by the light of the doctrine it selfe then as Stapleton himselfe also hath taught they doe not any longer beleeue for the voice of the church but for the divine light it selfe they doe not any longer builde their faith vpon the voice of