3.15 or addeth thereto No man disannulleth or addeth that is No man ought to disannul or adde under peril of hainous impiety and shameful punishment And let not any think St. John seals up onely the Book of Revelations but that guided by the Spirit of Truth he seals up the whole Books of the New Testament with that dreadful Commination against all Violators of the sacred Scriptures And this whether it be in the Letter or the Sense of Christs holy Word for that of Tertullian is most firmly true Tert. de Praescript c. 17. Tantum veritati obstrepit adulter sensus quantum corruptor stilus To impose an adulterate sense is as much injury to the Word of Truth as to violate the proper phrase And therefore Valentinus and so the Heresies of our times do as much damage to the Scriptures verity in misinterpreting the Sense though they spare the Letter as Marcion did by mangling the sentences and chopping off the words Hear then and tremble O ye seduced Souls who through some carnal prejudice and temporal interest involve your selves in this so horrid sin of Scripture-Sacriledge for that perverting the sense or corrupting the Letter of Christs holy Word of Truth 2 Pet. 3.16 ye do it to your own destruction 2. Observe Beloved these two sure Rules of Instruction and Exhortation 1. Keep close to the Doctrine of the Scriptures 2. Hold fast to the Judgment of the Church Keep close to the doctrine of the Scriptures that will keep you from the seductions of the Romanist Hold fast to the Judgment of the Church that will preserve you from the Errors of the Separatist For so hath God been pleased to make the Militant State of our Mother the Church of England to be betwixt the eager opposition of two enraged Enemies the Church of Rome and the Brethren of the Separation against whom she thus makes good the combate from the Authority of the sacred Scriptures and the Judgment of the Primitive Church Urging the Authority of the Scriptures the Romanist flies at the point of that weapon and would soon be beat out of the field were it not some return he makes by pretending the Church Again Urging the Judgment of the Church the Separatist staggers at that blow and would soon fall to the ground were it not some hold he catcheth by wresting the Scriptures To close then That ye may continue firm and sound in the Faith be careful that in the Epidemical distempers of the times ye change not the dyet of your Souls least what you think to make your food prove your poyson Feed on your Mothers Milk keep to that sum of our Churches Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government which is contained in the Publick Liturgy in the Thirty nine Articles the Books of Homilies and Ordination all consenting with the Word of God and Truth of Christ Withal see that to the confession of a true Faith Aquin. ye joyn the confession of an holy life Confitetur qui nulla parte diffitetur He confesses truly who confesseth thorowly Confess we with the mouth and with the hand in our words and in our works This is the best Harmony of Confessions And thus Matth. 10.32 Confess we Christ before men and he will confess us before his Father which is in Heaven Own we him in this Truâ—h and he will own us in his Glory hear we his Word and do we his Will so shall we receive his Reward and this in an eternal Rest unto our Souls Thus have we done with the Explication and the Application of what concerns the Mission and Commission together with the several Instructions given by our Saviour to his Apostles in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye Disciple all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you Halleluiah THE FIRST SERMON UPON Coloss 1. v. 18 19. And he is the Head of the Body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the preheminence for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell OUR Lord Jesus Christ being ascended into the highest Heavens Introduct and there sate down on the right hand of God Rom 8.34 Heb. 7.25 he ever lives to make intercession for us From which exaltation and intercession the Apostle draws his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ being able to save unto the utmost all that come unto God by him Able to save unto the utmost for that in his intercession is applied unto the Church for her salvation the utmost efficacie of the richest price the fullest power and the highest favour that humanity can receive from God or Divinity communicate to man For it is worth our observing That our blessed Lord to make our salvation sure he saves us by all means possible for salvation to be secur'd He saves us by ransom by rescue and by request by way of price by way of power and by way of favour Christs Resurrection that gives testimony to the sufficiencie of price laid down in his Passion his Ascension that gives testimony to the sufficiencie of power which he exercised in his Resurrection his sitting at Gods right hand that gives testimony to the sufficiencie of favour whereby he is exalted in his Ascension and lastly the Intercession of Christ that is applicatory of all these for the full and final redemption of his chosen In his Intercession he pleads the merit of his Passion as the full paiment he pleads the efficacie of his Resurrection as his clear acquittance he pleads the benefit of his Ascension as giving actual possession Eph. 1.6 Mat. 17.5 Heb. 1.2 and pleads the vertue of his Session at the right hand of the Father as thereby declared to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beloved Son of God and lawful Heir of Heaven Yea our holy Jesus and blessed Mediator being sate down at the right hand of God he is not only by a gracious decree appointed by an holy unction consecrated but also by a glorious investiture from the Father he is established in the spiritual oeconomy Act. 2.36 Rom. 14.9 Mat. 28.18 and actual administration of that soveraign authority whereby he is constituted and declared to be Lord and Christ Judge of quick and dead King of heaven and earth and as S. Paul here gives us the description Head of the body the Church the beginning the first-born from the dead c. Connexion Before we give you the Division of the words we must give you their Dependance to which we are directed by the Copulative and And he is the Head of the body the Church which Copulative does join what we must not separate the Context and the Text. If then we do but look three Verses back we find how the Apostle having set forth the benefits of Redemption he presently subjoins a description of the
joy the secret whisper of your secret thoughts returning the Church St. Peters answer of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To whom shall we go Thou hast the words of eternal life O this this is your day of trial as well as of trouble be not then too much offended that there are Heresies amongst us What St. Paul spake to the Church of Corinth it was spoken also to the Church of England 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you Division Observe in the words two general parts A Premonition and a Premunition a Fore-warning and a Fore-arming The Premonition and Fore-warning in the former words There must be also Heresies among you The Premunition and Fore-arming in the latter words That they which are approved may be made manifest among you In the first general part the Premunition observe four particulars the evil foretold in its quality of nature its quantity of guilt its certainty of event and its propinquity of danger First Its quality of nature Heresies Secondly Its quantity of guilt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also or even Heresies Thirdly The certainty of event 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there must be also Heresies Fourthly The propinquity of danger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among you There must be also Heresies among you In the second general part the Premunition observe two particulars a Fore-arming them with Constancy and with Comfort Constancy in the Faith and comfort in their Tryal First Constancy in the Faith That they be approved Secondly Comfort in their Tryal knowing this to be the end of God's permitting Heresies in the Church That they who are approved may be made manifest Thus There must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you Method Explication and Application THe first general part the Premonition Explic. and therein of the first particular The evil foretold in its quality of nature Heresies There must be also Heresies We will consider the name and then the nature 1. The name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is derived say the best Etymologists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from chusing as being that opinion or sect which a man chuseth to himself At first a word of an indifferent signification till by use in St. Paul's Epistles and Ecclesiastical Writers it became appropriated to signifie that sect or opinion which is opposite to the Truth of Christ and the Faith of his Church From the name then pass we to the nature and joyning the materiale and the formale of Heresie together I conceive we may thus define it to be a Pertinacious error of judgment in the Fundamental Doctrines of Faith Upon which definition we will give you our several Observations As first observe not every Error of Judgment in Doctrines of Observ 1 Faith is Heresie for there are some Doctrines of greater obscurity and some of less moment in which we have the Apostles indulgence Every man to abound in his own sense with this proviso That we violate not the Analogy of Faith Rom. 12.6 and use our liberty without breach of Charity for as there was no noise of Axes or Hammers in the building of the Temple so nor should there be any jars from the difference of Judgment and Opinions in the Edifying of the Church True it is no Instrument was ever so perfectly in tune but the next Artists hand would mend something and so no judgment was ever so perspicaciously knowing but that some fancy or opinion could finde matter of dissent Look we back upon the Primitive times themselves and how do we finde Chrysostome and Epiphanius Basil and Damasus Jerome and Austine Victor and Irenaeus and others though learned and holy men Famous in their Generations yet in matters of some consequence though of less moment differing in their opinions and so necessarily some of them erroneous yet did not their dissention of judgments in which they were excellent Paterns of Humâ—lity and Charity yet dâ—d not I say their dissention of judgments break forth into disunion of hearts but in all things thâ—y held fast the bond of love as Disciples of Christ and sons of the Church Observ 2 Secondly observe The Error of Heresie must be in the Fundamentals of Faith eâ—ther evertendo or concutiendo in direct terms or by necessary consequence either manifestly overthrowing or dangerously shaking the very basis and foundation of our Christian Religion But here is the great quaere What Doctrines of Faith are fundamental in which to erre with pertinacy is Heretical Here not to determine the cause but to give you my judgment For I finde the ablest judgments declining the cause as too weak to determine it 1 Cor. 3.11 To give you I say my judgment observe St. Paul Other foundation saith the Apostle can no man lay then that is laid which is Jesus Christ But how then is Jesus Christ objectivè the foundation of our Faith Why in his one Person his divers Natures his different Estates his several Offices and his inestimable Benefits According to all which me thinks our Church gives us the best Commentary upon the Apostles Text in that Analogy of Faith set forth in the Apostles Creed the Decalogue the Lords Prayer and the Doctrine of the Sacraments of the Sacraments as to their Essentials Observ 3 Thirdly observe Heresie is an Error Dogmatical not Practical of judgment in Doctrines of Faith not of manners in actions of life For that Murder Adultery Theft and the like though they be sins of an hainous nature yet are they not of an Heretical guilt to act those sins forbidden by Gods Word is Prophaneness but to deny those acts to be sins and Gods Word to have forbidden them that is Heresie So then dogmatically to deny any Article of our Creed any Command of the Decalogue any Petition of the Lords Prayer any Essential part of the Sacraments is Heretical Observ 4 Fourthly observe It is not the Error of Judgment but the pertinacy of will which does formally constitute the Heretick For so St. Augustine was wont to say Errare possum Haereticus esse nolo I may erre but I will not be an Heretick not be pertinacious in Error wilfully opposing the light and evidence of Divine Truth And it is Bellarmin's Apology which he makes for Durand Bellarm de Euchar. l. 3. c. 13. That though his opinion in some things was Heretical yet was he not himself an Heretick And why Quia paratus fuit Ecclesiae Judicio acquiescere Because he was ready to acquiesce in the Churches judgment Indeed Humility and Charity preserves from Heresie as being formally pertinacious though not as materially erroneous We see it in St. Cyprian in the case of Rebaptization to whom the Church of Christ hath given a general approbation of his Person and Gifts yet an Universal condemnation of his Opinion and Error And it is Vincentius his observation
approved may be made manifest among you THE INTRODUCTION The Introduction WHen I see the greatest Lights of Learning have their Mists of Error I cannot think Ignorance shall go free Enter we the Schools and there we have Aquinas Doctor Angelicus Bonaventure Doctor Seraphicus Scotus Doctor Subtilis and Alexander Hales Doctor Irrefragabilis but enter we the Congregation and there instead of Angelical Aquine Seraphical Bonaventure Subtile Scotus and Irrefragable Hales Instead of these we meet with what I blush to tell you the Illuminated Cobler the Sublime Coachman the Profound Skinner the Inspired Waterman and the like And now finding so much Error in the Prophets Schools shall we seek for truth in the Separate Congregations No sure their many new lights what are they but so many antiently exploded Heresies Those very Errors which lay urned and buried with their Founders are raked up by the hand of a proud ignorance and their dust thrown in the eyes of the vulgar to a blinding them with folly that they cannot see the truth Whilest then we view the learned Schools or the illuminated Congregations with those in Melancthons time Quos fugiamus habemus sed quos sequamur non intelligimus We have whom we may flie but understand not whom we may follow Seeing therefore with the travailing woman the Churches embleme seeing with her we are driven into the Wilderness Revel 12.1 2 6. what shall be our guide that we loose not our way where shall we finde our Cynosure our Polestar to direct us in our passage that we miss not of life and salvation by Jesus Christ Why see see I point you to our Book of Articles that Summary of Faith that Star of Truth borrowing its Sacred Light from the Sun of Righteousness in the Gospel of our Jesus This this Commentary of our Creed it hath had the Gospel Testimony that of Martyrdom and being published to the view of the whole world it hath been approved by the judgment of Reformed Churches and justified here at home by the ablest Pens against all the arguments of Popish and Heretical opposers Now then Beloved seeing these are your days of great tryal hold fast to this form of sound Doctrine keep close to this Pillar of saving truth what St. Paul foretold is now come to pass and this Scripture is this day fulfilled in your ears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you 2. The quantity of guilt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even or also Heresies Explic. Whereby the Apostle doth denote unto us the more hainous guilt of Heresie being above that of Schism for so relating to the former verse whereas the Apostle had heard that there were Schisms among them he receives the report with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I partly believe it Vers 18. And as a Reason of this his facility and easiness of belief he addes this Premonition For there must be also Heresies among you As if he had said That I am so easily perswaded there are Schisms is from hence That I certainly know there shall be Heresies among you even Heresies which are of a more hainous guilt to the Soul and a more destructive danger to the Church And thus this Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in Gal. 5.12 it is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by way of an Auxesis intimating the aggravation of Heresie from its comparison with Schism Now how horrid a sin Schism is may appear from the judgment of St. Cyprian founded upon the Testimony of St. Paul Cypr. de Uniâ—aâ— Eccles nâ—m 12. Macula ista nec sauguine abluitur gravis haec culpa nec passione purgatur It is a stain upon the Soul not washt of with our blood a guilt upon the Conscience not expiated by Martyrdom And this Cyprians Assertion is founded upon St. Pauls Doctrine in 1 Cor. 13.3 Though I give my body to be burned and have not charity it profiteth me nothing Schism as violating the Bond of Charity destroyes the Churches Unity but Heresie beside the breach of the Churches Unity as violating the Foundation of Faith destroyes the Churches Being the very Essential Form of the Church consists in Union the Bond of which Union is Faith which Faith Heresie destroyes both in the Object and in the Act both as to Doctrine and as to Grace Matth. 18.17 Observe our Saviour He that will not hear the Church let him be to thee Velut Ethnicus as an Heathen that is Let him be excommunicate and cast out of the Church This for the Schismatick but hear Tertullian Tertul. de Pulic c. 19. Apud nos Ethnico par super Ethnicum haereticus habetur With us the Heretick is accounted not onely as but even worse then the Heathen And if we ask Epiphanius the reason his answer is ready Epiphan in Anchorat n. 9. and resolute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A perverse faith is worse then Infideiity and so the Heretick is worse then the Heathen Both indeed have their Infidelity onely with this difference the Heathens infidelity is Negative and the Hereticks is Positive Now as sins of Commission exceed in guilt sins of Omission so the Hereticks infidelity which is Positive exceeds in guilt the Infidelity of the Heathen which is Negative Besides open enmity is not so hateful as secret treachery nor a profest adversary so odious as a perjur'd friend If we consult the writings of the sacred Scriptures and of the antient Fathers we finde an holy zeal pursuing Heresie with the blackest characters of guilt and heaviest sentence of doom ask St. Peter and he will tell us 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Heresies they are pernicious destructive damnable Tit. 1.11 Ezek. 22.25 they subvert whole houses they devour souls they seize the heart and life of Religion corrupting the minde and stupifying the Conscience 1 Tim. 4.2 2 Tim. 3.8 Revel 8.11 to a making blinde hardened seard reprobate This the wormwood which makes bitter the waters of the Sanctuary this the leaven that sowres the whole lump Matth. 16.11 the whole Doctrine of the Gospel Matth. 13.38 this the tares which choak the good Wheat in Christs field this the canker that so deeply eats 2 Tim 2.17 the gangreen that so dangerously spreds in the Body of the Church Rev. 9.1 this the smoak of the furnace and of the infernal pit that darkens the Sun and infects the Air that clouds the Truth and corrupts the Word of Grace These the black characters of Heresie in the writings of the sacred Scriptures and the like we finde in the writings of the antient Fathers Cyril in Joan. l. 1. c. 4. Cyril he calls Hereticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Devils journeymen in the works of destruction Nazian Orat. 42. and gins of death Nazianzen he calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satans
condition the godly make it their duty of obedience that their children be given up unto God and tutour'd to fear him Thus apparent it is that our infant-children have an interest in the covenant of grace for that the tenor of the covenant in promise and condition so takes in the children with the parents that the parents cannot covenant either excluding or not including their children This then remains as a firm ground and sure reason of infants being parties in the communion of the Church that they are parties in the covenant of grace And thus we have done with the second particular of the Text the Apostles Commission Disciple all nations Where we have shewed you what it is to disciple and who they are that are to be discipled What it is to disciple even to receive into Church communion and Who they are that are to be discipled and receiv'd into the communion of the Church evâ—n all Nations as many as believe and the believing parents bringing in with them their infant-children We proceed to Application Applic. 1. Do we here sharply reprove and seriously admonish those who deny Infants Church communion whereby as much as in them lies they do separate them from Christ and as it were pluck them out of his arms offering them greater injury then to dash them against the stones Know ye not vain men that either Infants are Christs disciples and servants or the Devils pupils and slaves That they are Christs disciples and servants you loudly deny That they are the Devils pupils and slaves you are loth to declare Can you then tell us a medium 2 Cor. 6.14 15. No sure for what communion hath light and darkness Christ and Belial Certainly to deny Infants Church-communion is to deprive us of all sound hope of their salvation For where can we find a sacred promise and therefore how can we have any found hope of any being saved that are not of the Church the Church the treasury of Christs promises and blessings to which God is said to adde such as shall be saved Act. 2 47. not saved without the Church but in being added to the Church so that without her communion we know no salvation On how do the Anabaptists in cutting off Infants from the Church how do they like those which in their heat cut off a tribe from Israel Judg. 20 21. And though with Benjamin this be the youngest tribe yet it is not the least the Infant age making up a chief part of the body of Christ For this Oh that our Brethren would with Israel sit down and weep yet at length repenting of their indiscreet and blind if not malicious and proud zeal drenching themselves with a baptism of tears for denying the Church the baptism of Infants 2. Comfort we those parents whose children God shall please to pass ab utero ad uterum from the womb to the grave yea that shall make their grave in the womb the place of conception the place of dissolution Here O ye afflicted parents mourning over the untimely deaths of your tender babes know ye that our Lord Jesus Christ owns your Infants as parties in the Covenant of grace and thereby partakers of his fulness in a communion with his Church And though they have not the seal they have the promise yea though not the outward sign as to the visible ministration yet the inward grace as to the invisible dispensation Though they have not actual baptism yet they have intentional in voto parentum Ecclesiae Eph. 1.22 23. in that desire and devotion of their parents and the Church which is accepted of God to account them as Disciples of Christ who took upon him the several states of humane being was conceived and lay in the womb was born and nurs'd up an Infant did grow up to youth and manhood Mat. 18.3 And thus did he take upon himself every age that he might sanctifie every age unto himself Even he when an Infant was Head of the Church that Infants might be members of that Church whereof He is Head 3. See we to our duty as Disciples of Christ and this by imitating our pattern even little children without which our Saviour is express we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven Except ye be converted and become as little children How is this why by self-denial in being harmless without malice innocent without guile humble without haughtiness contented without murmurings Yea in this imitate we our pattern as children submitting our understanding and judgment unto God Ps 131.3 in the mysteries of his grace and the truth of his promises Submit we our wills and affections unto him in the precepts of his Word and the dispensations of his Providence Yea further as Infants and tender Babes ordered by the Nurses hand in the day and by the same hand got to bed at night do neither question nor quarrel at the time or place or manner of their disposal but quietly fall asleep in the Nurses lap Ps 131 3. Thus O that we could with David we an our affections from the world that we might become as Children resigning up our selves to our heavenly Father submitting with all contentedness of humility and faith to the order of his wisdom and providence whether for day or for night for life or for death And when we go to bed and hasten to the grave O that we could fall asleep in Christs lap depart this life in his arms in his love as being of the number of his Disciples by vertue of his Commission here given his Apostles Go ye Disciple all Nations c. THE THIRD SERMON UPON Matth. 28. V. 19. and part of the 20. Go ye Disciple all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. THough they are not the dictates of men Introduction nor the definitions of Councils no nor the Revelations of Angels but the Word of God and of Christ into which we make the ultimate resolution of our Faith yet sure I am in Controversies of Religion we have most reason next Christ to trust his Spouse his Church Universal and next her or rather with her our Mother this Church National Whose judgment and practise is most Orthodox and Religious in that great question and dispute of our present times the doctrine and duty of Infants Baptism And to justifie the judgment and practise of our Church into whose communion we have been baptised when Infants I shall keep me to the matter and method I have begun in giving you the evidence of divine Reason the authority of sacred Scripture and the consent of the Universal Church Remembring that sure rule of St. Austines Aug. de Trin. l 4 c. 6. Contra rationem nemo sobrius contra Scripturam nemo Christianus contra Ecclesiam nemo pacificus senserit No man that is a sober man will oppose reasons evidence no man that is a
is of Apostolical institution is not only the general opinion of the Antients but also of modern Divines even Calvin Beza Piscator Chemnitius and others all which subscribe to S. Hierom who calls Confirmation Apostolicam observationem an Apostolical observation And though Calvin disallows this of S. Hierom in his Institutions yet he consents to it in his Commentaries Calv Com in Heb. 6.2 saying upon Heb. 6.2 Hic unus locus testatur hujus Ceremoniae originem affluxisse ab Apostolis This one place doth abundantly testifie the original of this Ceremony to have flowed from the Apostles Read we here the Apostles Catechism a Summary of the First Principles of the Doctrine of Christ and see how he numbers them by pairs Repentance and Faith Baptism and Laying on of hands the Resurrection of the Dead and eternal Judgment So that we easily discern what Laying on of hands the Apostle means even that which succeeds Baptism that of Confirmation In Baptism regeneramur ad vitam we are regenerated to life by Imposition of hands confirmamur ad pugnam we are fortified to battel even to combat against the Flesh the World and the Devil having given up our names unto Christ Act. 8.17 19.6 and listed our selves under his banner Observe that by this Imposition of hands was given the Holy Ghost does rather magnifie then nullifie this ordinance the miraculous gifts being signs and testimonies of the saving graces of the Spirit Besides all that were baptized were confirm'd but certainly all that were confirm'd did not work miracles This then of Confirmation which was of so high account and common practice with the Apostles I see not why it should be otherwise amongst us Sure I am Tert. de praescr cap. 36. we can say of our Mother the Church of England what Tertullian does of the Asian African and Roman Church Aqua signat Spiritu sancto vestit Eucharistia pascit Martyrio exhortatur she signs us to Christ in Baptism invests us with the Spirit in Confirmation feeds us with the Manna of the Eucharist and animates us to the crown of Martyrdom adversus hanc institutionem neminem recipit against this form of institution she receives none to be her children Before we close I will here declare unto you that great obligation that lies upon us by vertue of that promise and vow we made unto Christ in Baptism and after took upon our selves in our Confirmation and withall I will discover to you that great guilt we bring upon our souls in the breach of that obligation Know then in entring covenant and giving up our selvs by vow unto Christ in our baptism we are become bound unto him in a direct oath of Supremacy and Allegiance Eph. 1.21 22. Mat. 28.28 for ever to acknowledge Christ submit unto him and serve him as our great Adonai our supreme Lord the Head of his Church and King of heaven and earth renouncing yea resisting all Foreign jursdiction of Satan and of hell yea all rebellious usurpations of sin and of the flesh And therefore if reflecting upon our own bosoms we find Satan hath invaded the soul and sin usurp'd the throne of the heart it will be no plea to excuse our rebellion and revolt that renouncing our oaths of Supremacie and Allegiance unto Christ we have submitted to the sway of present Powers even our corrupt lusts and Satans suggestions No our guilt is no less thâ—n that of Perjury and Apostacy accompanied too with the vilest Sacriledge which seldom go asunder For by entring covenant which we all do in Baptism more fully ratified in Confirmation with Christ as the Lord of life and Prince of peace we consecrate our whole selves unto him in his sacred worship and service And therefore after this to fulfill our own lusts and do the works of Satan what is it but to profane what was consecrate unto the Lord yea to alienate and invade what was dedicated and devoted unto Christ To close observe Baptism doth imprint an indelible character upon the baptized as Soldiers listed in Christs Army Subjects sworne to his Crown from whence it is that those wicked ones are then call'd the Children of the kingdom Mat. 18.22 when cast out into utter darkness And therefore to the Apostate Baptism is not to be renewed because this character cannot be lost Fide perdita Sacramentum fidei non amittit having lost the Faith he loseth not the Sacrament of Faith Manet ad noxam criminis non ad vinculum foederis it remains not as to any benefit of the covenant but the aggravation of his guilt Ad cumulum supplicii non ad meritum praemii it remains not as to hope of mercy and reward but as to the heap of wrath and punishment so S. Augustine Wherefore the Bond of Baptism Aug. de nupt coucup l. 1. c. 10. we have aptly illustrated by the Oath of Allegiance whereby a Nation and People become sworne Subjects to their Prince their bond and tye remains however they by their rebellion and revolt do quit their service and break off their allegiance to their Soveraign their bond and obligation that doth remain and shall to their greater guilt and curse and condemnation Thus have we given you as the Institution so the Administration of Baptism and this Administration both in what is necessary as to the Essence of the Sacrament and in what is more especially requisite as to the Solemnity of the Church In all which particulars we have kept to our Saviours Commission and Instruction which he gave his Apostles saying Go ye disciple all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. 1. Receive ye Beloved this seasonable Admonition Applicat 1 Cor. 11.2 That every faithful Soul here present is as a pure Virgin espoused unto Christ And therefore if false Prophets shall endeavour to seduce this Soul and attempt to ravish this Virgin by adulterate opinions she must cry out to the Ministers of Christs Gospel who will be ready to succour and relieve her But if she be silent and betray her chastity to the lust of the Ravisher expose her faith to the deceitfulness of the seducer she incurs the guilt of spiritual fornication and without sincere repentance she shall die and perish in her sin And as for the present Heresie which so horribly infests the Church that of Anabaptism let me give it you in charge as you will answer it at the last day Heb. 13.17 when I must give up an account of my Ministry let me give it you in charge that if any of you here present shall be sollicitated to desert the Church and separate your selves by Anabaptism that inlet to all Blasphemies and Heresies that then you call in to your aid some faithful Pastor of the Church and I here present my self for your assistance Rom. 14.15 and therefore let not any plausible pleas or fair
discendum quod de Deo intelligendum as Hilary speaks we must learn from God what we may understand of God even as we discover the Body of the Sun by the light of its own beams yea God it is who prepares the eye of the practical judgment and proportions the palate of the rectified will to discern the evidence and rellish the sweetness of supernatural Truths and he does it in this order The Church by a Ministerial Manuduction and Ecclesiastical dispensation to those matriculated by Baptism born in her Lap and bred in her Bosom tutored to a reverend esteem of her Maternal Authority to them she transmits this indubitate principle of Christian Verity That the sacred Scriptures are the Word of God But to them who are without the Infidel and Heathen the Church hath her arma praelusoria her preparatory Arguments of Right Reason to fit the minde for a candid reception and diligent examination of the Scriptures And upon this the Spirit of Truth comes in with Conviction to the Conscience perswading the Soul to this assent of Faith that they are the Word of God Wherefore besides the Ministry and Manuduction of the Church there must be an illuminating power of the Spirit yea a power rectifying and raising the minde to a capacity of supernatural light otherwise the Mysteries of Grace to the Natural man will be as the varieties of colours to the blinde the colours are not discerned till the faculty be restored nor are those Mysteries understood till the minde be healed And when thus by the Spirit of God the minde is fitted to the Word and the Word revealed unto the minde then does the Soul discern an excellency in the sacred Scriptures above what is in Humane Writings with as sure a distinction though not so clear an evidence as the eye does discern a beam of the Sun from the blaze of a Candle Quest 3 Thirdly In doubtful cases how may we best interpret the sacred Scriptures Answ I answer That Interpretation of Scripture is best which holds conformity to the Analogy of Faith and consent with the judgment of the Church two sure rules of Scripture interpretation approved and observed by the ablest Expositors of Gods Word 1. Which holds conformity to the Analogy of Faith Rom 12 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which Analogy of Faith is none other thing then that summary and fit proportion which is in the general principles of Christianity and cheif mysteries of Grace plainly set down in the sacred Scriptures A sum whereof we have in our publick Confessions of Faith the Decalogue the Lords Prayer and the Doctrine of the Sacraments seeing then it is the Scripture phrase to be built up in our holy Faith As that stone Jud. 20. which holds not proportion with the rest of the building is either fitted or rejected by the Architect so that interpretation of Scripture which holds not Analogy with the received Doctrines of Faith it must be either amended or cast away by the Religious And in doing this the Faithful of Christs Church they shall according to St. Pauls precept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3 16. walk orderly by one and the same rule and so preserve the unity and peace of the Church in being of one and the same minde 2. Consent with the Judgment of the Church For that no Scripture is of private interpretation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.20 to be interpreted by a mans own wit fancy or reason but by the enlightning power of the Spirit of Truth for as the Scriptures came not by the proper will Vers 21. so nor are they to be interpreted by the private judgment of men but the same Spirit who is the Author must also be the Interpreter And where may we with more confidence rest assured that this holy Spirit is then where Christ did expresly promise he should ever be with his Church Matth. 28.20 John 16.13 And especially with the Pastors of his Church to whom our Lord gives the promise that His Spirit should lead them into all truth But here it may be demanded what I call the Judgment of the Church I answer The antient perpetual and universal consent of holy Doctrine received at all times in all places and of all the faithful But especially do we fix upon that judgment of the Church in the antient perpetual and universal consent of holy Doctrine collected out of the most consonant Writings of the Primitive Fathers and the sacred Decrees of the first Councils For that without controversie even by confession of all parties in that time were the most Eminent Saints for holiness of life excellency of learning purity of doctrine and constancy of martyrdom And he that will think to go to Heaven in any other path then what these blessed Saints have trod before him I say to him as Constantine to Acesius Erige scalam ascende solus Raise thy self O man a Ladder and climb up alone Now this antient perpetual and universal consent of holy Doctrine collected out of the most consonant Writings of the Primitive Fathers and the sacred Decrees of the first Councils This is that we may call in the language of St. Ambrose Liber Sacerdotalis Ambr. de fid ad Grat. l. 3. c. 7. That Sacerdotal Book signatus a confessoribus multorum Martyrio consecratus signed by the confessions of the most eminent Saints and consecrated by the blood of the holiest Martyrs As then the Authority of the sacred Scriptures gives us the sure rule of Faith so the judgment of the Universal Church gives us the right line of interpretation according to which two it is well worthy our observation the Church of England did exactly draw the platform of her Reformation And this is evident in her Doctrine and Practice 1 In her Doctrine Art 20. amongst many other instances see it in her Book of Articles expresly acknowledging the Church to be the witness and keeper of the sacred Oracles and in her Book of Canons as expresly denying any doctrine necessary to be religiously held and believed which the Catholick Fathers and old Bishops of the Primitive Church have not collected out of the Scriptures And 2 that her practice is suitable to her Doctrine appears by her owning the four General Councils the Apostles Nicen and Athanasian Creeds And in all her disputes against the now silent adversary otherwise too busily employed the Jesuite justifying her reformed estate as conformed to the Primitive Church within the first five Centuries of years And here give me leave to observe unto you how the Presbytery laid the way to their own and our Churches ruine even by setting up private interpretation of Scripture in opposition to the received judgment of the Universal Church For do not the Brownists the Anabaptists under the name and notion of Independents presently beat them with their own weapon The Presbyterian abolisheth the Publick Liturgy and takes away Regular Ordination
Authores ejusdem opinionis Cathelici consectatoâ—es vero haeretici judicantur â—hsolvuntur Magistri condemnantur discipali Vincent Lyrin Adv. Haeres l. 11. Correcturus erat sententiam suam tanto excel lenitor quanto humilior Aug de Bapt. l. 2. c. 4. That oftentimes the Authors of the same opinion are judged Catholick but their followers Heretical the Masters absolved the Disciples condemned and he gives the instance in St. Cyprian and the Donatists In him Humility and Charity made his Error pardonable in them Pride and Pertinacy made it inexcusable Had the good Father heard the Question as it was afterwards fully discust and cleared St. Augustine undertakes to be his compurgator That he would have corrected his judgment and rectified his opinion being by so much the more excellent by how much he was the more humble To this instance of St. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage adde we an other of St. Hilary Bishop of Poictiers Who is it that does not read his name in the Album or Church Roll of Holy and Orthodox Fathers Yet how doth he again and again write plain Heresie as to the Error of Judgment concerning the indolency of Christs Humane nature He affirms Hilar. in l. 10. de Trin. That Christ had Corpus quidem ad paciendum sed non naturam ad dolendum a Body indeed to suffer but not a nature to grieve And again his stripes and buffettings Afferre quidem ei impetum passionis non tamen dolorem passionis inferre Sic in Psal 53. in Psal 138. his thorns and nails they did bring upon him the force of violence but not the anguish of pain in his Passion Though in this his opinion he was Heretical yet not being admonished not being convinced and so not guilty of being obstinate or pertinacious he is no Heretick whereas on the contrary in a far less Error even this That Christ was wounded in his side with the Spear whilest alive upon the Cross For this Peter the Minorite who at first affirmed it in a predicant zeal to move the Auditors tears but after maintained it in a pertinacious obstinacy to a disturbing the Churches peace Guido Carme lit l. de Haeres Anno 1311. For this I say he was justly censured and condemned by the Council of Vienna for an Heretick To close then St. Augustine is positive and plain Aug. ep 162. ad init That they who defend their opinion though false with no pertinacious animosity but seek the truth in a wary tenderness and cautelous solicitude Corrigi parati cum invenerint being ready to amend their Error when they finde the truth As for such Nequaquam sunt inter Haereticos deputandi They are by no means to be reckoned in the number of Hereticks But now then in the close Seeing Pertinacy formally constitutes the Heretick when is a man said to be pertinacious I answer When being admonished by the Church and convinced by the Word he will yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hold fast his Tenet Aristot Ethic. l. 1. c. 3. keep still to his opinion and rather disturb the Churches peace then acknowledge his own error such a person is in the judgment of St. Paul to be rejected Tit. 3.10 11. that is Excommunicated and cast out of the Church as a man subverted and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned of himself as sinning against the Light and Evidence of his own Conscience Thus we have laid open unto you the several particulars of Heresies definition as a pertinacious Error of Judgment in the Fundamental Doctrines of Faith And in this you have the Explication of the first particular The evil foretold as to its quality of nature Heresies There must be also Heresies Quest Here let us enquire what are the means Satan makes use of to draw men to Heresie Answ Answ 1. Pride and pertinacy of spirit 2. Impurity and prophaness of life 3. Envy at some and admiration of others 4. A familiarity with Hereticks and indifferency in Religion 5. An itching curiosity and affectation of Novelties Lastly Covetous desires and ambitious designs 1. Pride and pertinacy of spirit Pride Lucifers sin and fall and the Schollers are of the same temper with their Master all Hereticks of the same resolution with Satan Isa 14.13 ascendam in altum They will up on high they will be above above the Church above the Fathers above Councels above all Antiquity yea and above all Authority Bern. ep 190. As St. Bernard of Abailardus so experience tells us of all Hereticks they are at their Omnes sic ego autem non sic Though the Antients and the Orthodox think and say thus I think and say otherwise they of that minde but I not of their minde This the right genius and proper strain of Heresies Such a Scelerata praesumptio Vincent Lirin c. 42. such a daring and high-towering presumption Lirinensis tells us was in Nestorius who boasted himself the first and onely man who understood Scripture such a pride is common to all Hereticks especially those of the Anabaptists race all Gnosticks for their pretensions of knowledge in Divine Mysteries 1 Tim. 6.3 4 But as St. Paul gives us the resolution If any man consent not to the Doctrine which is according unto Godliness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is puft up with an airy conceit of knowing much yet is empty and vain knowing nothing It is the Hereticks aim to be all Masters in Israel Gamaliels all Preachers all every one a Simon Magus a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some great one And this Pride it is that begets Pertinacy Pertinacy that bar upon the Window of the Soul to keep out the light of truth Sicut constantia non sinit hominem depravari sic pertinacia non sinit corrigi Aug. ep 110. Quando animositatem illam viceris qua teneris veritatem tenere poteris qua vinceris Aug. l. 6. c. ult As Constancy in the truth will not suffer a man to be depraved with Error so Pertinacy in error will not suffer a man to be corrected by the truth And therefore St. Austin writing against Julian the Pelagian he thus bespeaks him When thou hast overcome come that pertinacy with which thou art held then thou shalt hold that truth with which thou art overcome Oh how loath are men who have profest errors to come to their retractations Though in this of retracting error they have learned St. Augustine for their pattern They shame to recant errors yet shame not to oppose the truth Oh the Pertinacy of a proud spirit 2. Impurity and prophaneness of life It is the excellent observation of Gregory in his Morals Vt per hoc quoâ— quidam nequitèr vivunt illud peâ—â—ant quod salubriter credunt Greg. Moral l. 25. c. 10. 1 Tim. 1 19. Rom. 1.28 Aug. de Nâ—t grat c. 67. that it oftentimes comes to pass by a dispensation of just Judgment That some men by
their corrupt lives which they lead do lose that sound truth which they profess and so putting away a good Conscience make shipwrack concerning the Faith Dissolute men are very often given up to a reprobate minde And thus it becomes an equal dispensation of Gods Justice that Qui sciens recte non facit amittit scire quod rectum sit He that does not right when he knows it looseth the knowledge of what is right to do it Wherefore how often is it that we have seen debaucht and dissolute persons taken off from their open prophaneness and have become great Saints among Hereticks in their way of formal holiness And this hath been interpreted their Conversion and pleaded as a testimony of their Heresie being the way of truth Because forsooth it took them from their ways of prophaneness But all this while wretched men they consider not that when Satan hath engaged any in Heresie vail'd with a formal holiness he hath him more sure in his Net then when he was openly prophane in life being withal Orthodox in the Faith yea it is very usual Rom 1.21 That those who know God in the way of truth yet glorifie him not as God 2 Thes 2.12 in the way of Righteousness 2 Tim. 3.8 God justly gives them up to a blindness of minde to belâ—eve a lie and so for their being reprobate in their life they become reprobate concerning the Faith Know then O man to be taken off from open prophaneness and engaged in Heresies with a seeming holiness this is not thy thorow Conversion but thy further Reprobation I say it again Beloved and remember I have told it you To be taken off from open Prophaneness and ingaged in Heresies with a seeming holiness this is not a thorow Conversion but a further Reprobation And now assuredly whosoever thou art that through impurity and prophaneness art become reprobate in thy life thou art in the high-way to be drawn to Heresie and so become reprobate concerning the Faith and then the Devil hath thee sure unless some miracle of mercy doth deliver thee unless the Shepherd of Israel rescue thee out of the paw of the Lion by the power of his grace 3. Envy at some and admiration of others Above all the sinful affections Envy and Malice do most blinde the judgment of the minde and cloud the light of Truth from hence is that spirit of contradiction so common with Hereticks Tertul. Adv. Valent. c. 4. Valentinus aims at a Bishoprick and missing of his aim he is so full of envy and malice that he becomes head of an Heresie because he could not be chief in the Church Thus Arrius in envy and malice to Alexander Theodor. l. 4. Haeret. fab init Aug. de Haeres c. 69. Bishop of Alexandria and Donatus in envy and malice to Cecilian Bishop of Carthage they broach their Heresies and become ringleaders of their Sects to the great dishonor of Christs sacred Truth and the general disturbance of the Churches Peace And now what Envy and Malice does in some by an antipathy of hate the like does the esteem and admiration of others by a sympathy of love Vert. de Praescript c 3. when men do Ex personis probaré fidem non ex fide personas approve of the Faith from mens persons not of mens persons from the Faith Thus Nestorius out of a reverent and too affectionate esteem he had of his friend Anastasius Socraâ— l 7 c. 32 from him he sucked his error and heightens it to an Heresie denying the Blessed Virgin the Mother of Christ to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mother of God And thus Cyprian having Tertullian in so great admiration as to a Da Magistrum calling to his Amanuensis he used to say of Tertullians Works Vid. Tert. de Bapt c 15. de pudicit c. 19. Matth. 23.10 Give me my Master From him Cyprian received the first principles of his error of Rebaptization in his asserting the nullity of Hereticks Baptism Our Saviour will have us to acknowledge no Master but Christ none to an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipse dixit none whose will we may make our Law Col. 2.3 his word our Rule none thus our Master but Christ In whom are hid the treasures of wisdom and knowledge He he is our Sacred Oracle to whom we are directed by a voice from Heaven with an audite eum hear ye him Matth 17.5 Joh. 1 14. him who is full of grace and truth who can neither deceive with error nor seduce unto sin but will so instruct our mindes and sanctifie our hearts as to order our lives and save our souls 4. A familiarity with Hereticks and a careless indifferency in mens selves The plague is not more catching pitch is not more defiling then Heresie which still is active and busie in gaining Proselytes and making Disciples unto Satan Wherefore from men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth 1 Tim. 6 5. St. Pauls gives Timothy the admonition of an abscede From such turn away withdraw thy self shun the congregations of Heresie as thou wouldst do an house infected with the plague that being more dangerous to the Soul then this to the body corrupt doctrine is more destructive to the spiritual health then corrupt air is to the corporal Who is there of you that have friends perverted by Heresies Are they not still urging you to read their Books to hear their Preachers and embrace their opinions Matth. 7.15 If so remember our Saviours admonition Beware of false Prophets lend them not too much your ear not at all your bosome yield them not too much your company by no means your intimate familiarity give them civil converse and communication but be not perswaded to their Churches fellowship and communion Whilest Hereticks are zealous to pervert and men are careless to preserve their Souls no wonder if so many be seduced to their destruction Isid l. 3. ep 191. Such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Isidore calls it such a laziness and sloth of spirit is upon many that they care not to trouble themselves with examining what is truth but as men indifferent in matters of Religion every easie perswasion of a friend is sufficient conviction of judgment to sway their Conscience and conform their practice to what is most Heretical and irreligious But Beloved as for you of whom I hope better things let me admonish you not to part with that precious treasure your souls and that more precious then your souls the Truth and Faith of our Lord Jesus Part not with them at least not upon such easie terms but upon any solicitations to Popery to Schism to Heresie call to your assistance and advice some able and faithful Confessor some reverend Father or learned Minister of the Church and if the person that solicites your seduction will abide the contest of a pious and prudent communication then you will have the opportunity