Trinity CHAP. XI Of the Liberty Efficacy Effect and Constancy of the Grace of the Lord. 1. That God gives the Grace of his Spirit according to his good pleasure ROm. 9.15 16. I will have mercy saith the Lord on him on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on him on whom I will have compassion It is not then concludes the Apostle of him who wills nor of him who runs but of God who doeth mercy Eph. 1.5 God hath predestinated us into the adoption of his children by Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will Phil. 2.13 T is God which hath made in you both to will and to do according to his good will Matt. 11.25 26. O Father Lord of heaven and earth I render thee thanks that thou hast hid these things from the wise and understanding and hast revealed them to little children even so Father for as much as thy good pleasure hath been such 2. That those whom God hath enlighttened by his Spirit come unto him John 6.45 Whosoever hath heard of the Father and hath learnt he cometh to me Rom. 8.29 Those whom God hath before known he hath also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son c. And those whom he predestinated he hath also called and those whom he hath called he hath also justified and those whom he hath justified he hath also glorified 3. That God will give his Salvation to those who shall have-believed in his Son and lived according to his Gospel John 3.36 Who believeth in the Son hath eternal life Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Jesus Christ who walk not according to the flesh see also verse 13. and 14. Joh. 5.11 12. God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son who hath the Son of God he hath life who hath not the Son of God hath not life 4. That he preserveth and comforts them by his Spirit dureing this life John 15.18 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter to dwell with you eternally c. I will not leave you Orphans and adds Matth. 28.20 behold I am with you alwaies even to the end of the world John 17.11 Now I am no more in the world said the Lord upon the point of his passion but these are in the world and I come to thee Holy Father keep them in thy name those I say which thou hast given me to the end they may be one as we are c. And in verse 15. I do not pray that thou wouldest take them out of the world but that thou wouldest keep them from the evil and in verse 20. Now I pray not onely for them but also for those who shall believe in me by their word Rom. 8.32 God who hath not spared his own Son but gave him for us all how shall he not give us also all things with him and in verse 35.37 Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ shall it be oppression or trouble or samine or nakedness or peril or persecution or sword c. But rather in all these things we are conquerrours through him who hath loved us 1 Cor. 1.8 9. The Lord shall preserve you unto the end that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ God is faithful by whom you have been called into the company of Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted beyond what you are able so he will give you aid in temptation to the end you may be able to bear it CHAP. XII Of the last end of Men as well Faithful as Reprobate 1. That God gathers the Spirits of the Faithful into his Repose when they depart this life REvel 14.13 Blessed are the dead who die to the Lord from henceforth saith the Spirit that they rest from their labours for their works follows them 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that if our earthly habitation of this body were destroyed we have a building from God viz. a house which is not made with hands but eternal in the heavens and ver 6 7 8. Wherefore having always confidence and knowing that when we are in this body we are absent from the Lord for we walk by Faith and not by sight but we are assured and have a good will rather to be out of the body and to be with the Lord. 2. That God shall raise the Faithful at the last day and shall lead them into heaven to live and reign eternally with Christ in a Soveraign glory John 6.39 The will of my Father which hath sent me is that I should lose nothing of all that which he hath given me but that I should raise them up at the last day Rom. 8.11 If the spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he who raised Jesus Christ from the dead shall quicken also your mortal Bodies because of his Spirit dwelling in you Phil. 3.20 21. We expect from heaven a Saviour viz. the Lord Jesus Christ Who shall transform our vile bodie that it may be made conformable to his glorious body according to the efficacy by which he can even make all things subject to himselfe 1 Thes 4.14 If we believe that Jesus is dead and risen likewise those who sleep in Jesus ver 16.17 God will bring them with him Then in verse 15.16 For the Lord with the command and voice of the Arch-Angel and with the trumpet of God shall descend from Heaven and those who are dead in Christ shall rise first Then we who live and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds before the Lord in the air and so shall be always with the Lord. See the description the clearness and the history of all the Mystery of our last resurrection in the Chap. 1 Cor. 3. That life eternal is a gift and grace of God Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death and the grace of God is life eternal by Jesus Christ our Lord. 2 Tim. 1.18 The Lord give to Onesiphorus to find mercy from God in the last Day 4. That the wicked and incredulous shall perish eternally 2 Thes 1.7 8 9. The Lord Jesus shall shew himself from heaven with the Angels of his power with a flame of fire doing vengeance upon them who know not God and who obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with eternal punishments from the face of God and from the glory of his power Revel 21.8 But the fearful and Unbelieving and execrable and Murderers and Whoremongers and Poysonous and Idolaters and all Liars their part shall be in the lake burning with fire and brimstone which is the second death The End of the Second Part. FAITH Grounded upon the Holy Scriptures Where the Articles of our Faith are justified by the Scripture Negative and Exclusive of the Creeds of
even none of these new disputants the best Authors of their own party grant this It is saith the Bishop of Canaries a thing worthy of great and diligent consideration that we ought to hold for a part of the Catholick doctrine not only that which hath been expresly revealed to the Apostles but also that which is concluded by arguments and by evident consequences from two propositions one of which iâ— revealed the other certain by the light of nature a Melch Canus loâ— theolog l. 6 c. 8. Vega saith likewise that nothing hinders these propositions from being ranked amongst those of Faith b Vega 9 de justifie c 39. And Vasques makes the same judgement of it c Vasques in 1 Thâ—m q. 1. disput 12. art 8. c. 2. F. Ambrose Catharin at that time Bishop of Minory and since Arch-Bishop of Conza a most learned and a most celebrated person and one of those who appeared most at the the Council of Trent held this very opinion against Soto in a little book which he hath writ against him to prove that the faithful may be assured of being in the grace of God and produced Scotus for his Author I think also saith he speaking to Soto that what you say is false viz. that when one of the propositions is from Faith and the other from science or experience the conclusion which is drawn from thence is from science and experience and not from Faith according to that rule that the conclusion follows the weakest part Against this strange proposition which one may call truly inopiniable Scotus teacheth as you who are versed in the Scholastiques may have seen that when one takes two propositions one naturally evident and the other from faith the the conclusion which follows from it is of Faith see here the example which he brings as says he if one should say whosoever begets is really different from him whom he hath begotten which is as he holds a natural maxime and if one should add afterwards now the father hath begotten in divinity which is a proposition of faith the conclusion which follows from it viz. therefore the Father begetting in divinity is really distinguished from the Son begotten this conclusion say I is not natural but of Faith whereas if your hypothesis were true it ought to be natural since that according to you the natural propositions is the weakest now the reason of that is that in our judgment the proposition which is of Faith is the most uncertain of them and t is in this that you abuse your selves and abuse others d Ambros bath polit in expurgat ad Soto p. 250 257. 258 edit Lugd. An. 1551. See how Catharin turneth against Soto and the methodists this very maxim of logick which they produce to ground their error upon for the proposition of Faith being in our opinion there the least certain and by consequences the most weak since the conclusion follows the weakest part its evident that according to this rule it ought to be from Faith if any of the propositions from which one hath drawn it be of Faith But besides this subtil and ingenious consideration of Catharin I think for mine own part that this rule of logick that the conclusion follows the weakest part is ill alledged to the purpose by the methodists in this dispute for the Masters of Logick mean only by that that if one of the propositions be particular and the other universal or if one be negative and the other affirmative or if one be of a truth only probable and the other of a necessary the conclusion will not be universal but particular nor affirmitive but negative not necessary but probable we grant it very willingly in this sence and if it ever happens to us in disputing against our adversaries to conclude a proposition universal or affirmative from a particular or from a negative or pretend that from a truth only probable the conclusion should be necessary then we will submit our selves to the lash of their Logick But to stretch this maxim further and let it signifie that if of the two propositions which we use the one hath been revealed from God and the other taught by nature the conclusion ought to be put amongst humane maximes and not amongst the Divine Doctrines 't is a phancy so far from reason that I am assured that none of the Logicians have ever dreamed of it The End of the First part THE Positive and Affirmative ARTICLES OF OUR BELIEF Are proved by Scripture Second Part. CHAP. I. An exposition of the principal and most necessary Articles of our Faith THese thing are sufficient in my judgement to keep our sense and reason from the troublesome and unjust chains with which the new Methodists pretend tyrannically to bind them Let us come now to our design and briefly shew our Faith that we may prove every one of the Articles of which it consists by Scripture whether they be read there or evidently inferred from thence First then We believe that which heaven and earth teacheth us that there is one God eternal infinite incomprehensible soveraignly good wise powerful and just Who hath created the Universe and governs it by his Providence nothing happening in Nature or amongst Men without his Order or Permission We believe that this great God made Man in the beginning of the World according to his own image and likeness and put him into the Garden of Eden there to lead an immortal life and that Man fell from this happy condition by his own fault having disobeyed his Lord and that by this crime he and all his Off-spring remains out of the grace of God Slaves of Sin and Death We believe that God moved by compassion towards his own work hath sent his Son Jesus Christ into the World in the fulness of time who hath done and suffered all things necessary to draw men from perdition and to give them eternal Life that this Son is the same God with the Father of the same power and essence and subsisted from all eternity with him that he made himself man in time and took to himself our nature in the womb of the virgin Mary uniting it personally with his Divinity and after having preached his Grace to the people of the Jews he was at their accusation crucified by Pontius Pilate and being dead upon the Cross and then buried he rose the third day from the dead and after having conversed forty dayes with his Disciples he ascended into Heaven where the Father hath given him all authority and power We believe that he reigns there now in a Soveraign glory governing all the World according to his good pleasure and that one day he shall come to Judge it for the last time We believe that by his death he hath satisfied the justice of the Father in as much as he hath suffered the pains for the Sins of humane kind and that he hath acquired an eternal Salvation and that the
4. The Lord of David and other Beleivers living under the old Testament is the eternal whom they worshipped at it appears by all the books of the Old Scripture I am the Lord thy God thou shalt have no other before me Exod. 20.2 3. Thou art our Father and Abraham hath not known us and Israel hath not known us Lord thou art our Father and our Redeeemer Isai 63.16 Now Christ is the Lord of David as Jesus Christ himself remarks alledging these Words from Psal 109 Heb. 110. 1. The Lord hath said to my Lord sit thou at my Right Hand He is then truely the eternal 5. He whom the Isralites tempted in the Wilderness is the eternal Now Jesus Christ is he whom the Israelites tempted in the desert 1 Cor 10.9 Let us not tempt Christ as some of them have tempted him and have been destroyed by the Serpents He is then this same eternal worshipped by Israel 6. He of whom David spake in the 101 Psalm Heb. 102. vers 26 27 28. Is the eternal the God of Israel as it appears through all that Psalm and perticularly by the 25. verse where he calls him his strong God in the Hebrew text which quality he had care of not giving to any other then to the Lord eternal Now Jesus is he to whom David spake in that place as the Apostle in the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews vers 10. witnesseth in applying to him the words of the Psalmist already recited here above Chap. 4. Sect. 3. It followes then that Jesus is truely this same eternal 7. In a Word the Lord protesteth in Isaia that he would not give his glory to any other Isai 42.8 and 48.11 Now the Father eternal hath given this glory to Jesus Christ as he himself saith in St. John The Father c. hath given all judgment to the Son to the end that all might honor the Son as they honor the Father John 5.22 23. It follows then that Jesus is none other then the Lord eternal 5. That the Son of God sent for us is not the same person with the Father Now although this eternal worshipped by the Israelites and the Son sent for us be one and the same God as we have already shown and that theyave by consequence one and the same substance essence or nature nevertheless these two persons are distinct one from the other and are represented to us so in the Scripture one being called the Father and the other the Son For since he who begets is not the same person with him that is begotten nor he who sendeth the same person with him that is sent the Father and the Son are of necessity two persons since the Father hath begotten and sent the Son Psalm 2.7 where the Father speaks to Jesus Christ as the Apostle teacheth us in Acts 13.33 Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Gal. 4.1 4. God hath sent his Son John 3 16. It remains then that we say that the Father and the Son are two persons although they are one and the same divinity which is the belief of every true Christian 6. That the Son of God is made man in the fulness of time taking our flesh in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary John 1.14 The World hath been made Flesh and dwelt amongst us and we have seen its glory Rom. 8.3 Phil. 2.6 Heb. 2.17 Rom. 13 4. glory I say as of the onely issue of the Father full of Grace and Truth Gal. 4.4 When the fulness of time is come God hath sent his Son made of woman made under the Law that he might Redeem those who were under the Law 1 Tim. 3.16 Without contradiction the secret of Piety is great viz. God is manifested in the Flesh sanctified in the Spirit Luk. 1.30 31 32 33 34 35. Mat. 1.18 The Angel said unto her fear not Mary For thou hast found favour before God And behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus he shall be great and shall call himself the Son of the Soveraign and the Lord shall give him the Throne of David his Father c. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the Vertue of the Soveraign shall over shadow thee or in-shadow thee therefore that also which shall be born of thee Holy shall be called the Son of God CHAP. V. Of the Sufferings Actions Glories Merits and Doctrine of Christ the Mediator 1. That the Son of God manifested in the Flesh hath been crucified in Judea by the Sentence of Pontius Pilate ACt. 2.23 Acts 4.10 and 10 39. Jesus of Nazereth being delivered by the determinate counsel and Providence of God you have taken crucified and killed him by the Hands of wicked men You have the History of it at large in the 27. of S. Mat. in the 15. of S. Mark the 23. of S. Luke and the 19. of S. John which is known enough to every one 2. That the Son of God did rise the third day from the dead 1 Cor. 15.3 4. Before all things I have given you that which I had also received viz. that Christ is dead for our sins according to the Scriptures that he hath been buried and is risen the third Day according to the Scriptures You have the History of his Resurrection at large Acts 2.24 31. and 10.40 and 13.30 17.31 Rom. 4.25 6.4 8.33 14.9 2 Tim. 2. Mat. 28.6 Mar. 16.6 Luk. 24.5 John 26.9 3. That the Son of God is ascended into Heaven and that he reigns there in a Soveraign power The History of it is described in St. Mar. 16.19 Luk. 24.51 and more at large Act. 1.9 Eph. 1.20 21 22. 1 Cor. 15.25 27. Eph. 4.10 Phil. 2.9.10.11 Heb. 2.9 God hath raised Christ from the dead and hath made him sit at his Right Hand in Heavenly places above all Principalities and Powers Vertue and Dominion and every Name which is Named Not only in this World but in that which is to come And hath put all things under his Feet 1 Pet. 3.22 Jesus Christ is at the Right Hand of God swallowing up death to make us Heirs of life eternal being gone to Heaven to whom the Angels Powers and Dominions are subject 4. That the Son of God shall come at the Last Day to Judge the World Mat. 16.27 Mat. 24.30 Luk. 17.24.30 21.27 Acts 1.11 17.31 Rom. 2 16. 1 Cor. 4.5 2 Cor. 5.10 1 Thes 4.16 1 Pet. 4.4 5. Rev. 20.11 12 13. The Son of God shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall render to every one according to his works Acts 10.42 Jesus hath commanded us to preach to the people and to Testifie that 't is him who is ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead 2 Thes 1.6 7 8. This is a just thing with God that he renders affliction to those who
in the word of doctrine For the Scripture saith thou shalt not tie the throat of the Ox that treadeth out the corn and the work man is worthy of his hire 1 Cor. 9.13 14. Do you not know that those who do Sacrifices Gal. 6.6 eat the things which are sacrificed and they who are busied at the altar partake with the altar so likewise our Lord hath ordained that those who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel See the verses 7 8 9 10. Of the same Chapter 8. That the Faithful ought to reject the Ministers who preach any other thing then the Gospel of Jesus Christ Gal. 1.8 If we our selves or an an Angel from Heaven should preach other wise then we have preached to you let him be accursed So as we have said before now also I say again if any one preach to you any thing but that which you have received let him be accursed 1 John 4.1 Beloved believe not all spirits but try the spirit whether they are of God For many false Prophets are come into the World 2 John verse 10. If any one comes to you and brings not this Doctrine do not receive him into your house nor salute him CHAP. IX Of the holy Sacraments Baptism and the Eucharist 1. That Christians ought to be baptized in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost MAt Mark 16.16 28.19 Go and teach all men baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Examples of this are common in the books of the New Testamentperticularly in the Acts of the Apostles where we read that those who believed the Doctrine of Jesus Christ and received it were baptized Acts 2.38 41. and 8.12 13. and 9.10 and 10.47 and 16.15 2. That Baptism gives remission of sins and the Grace of the Holy Ghost Acts 2.38 Peter said to them repent and be every one baptized and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Rom. 6.3 Mar 6.16 1 Pet. 3.21 Ehh. 6.26 Know you not brethren that all of us who have been baptized in Jesus Christ have been baptized in his death for we are buried with him in death by baptisme so that as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father we also should walk in newness of life Gal. 3.27 You all who were baptized in Christ have put on Christ Col. 2.11 12. You being circumcised with a circumcision made without hands by putting off the body of Flesh viz. by the circumcision of Jesus Christ being buried with him by baptism in which also you are risen together by the Faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead 3. That the Faithful ought to eat the bread and drink the sanctified wine in commemoration of the death of the Lord. 1 Cor. 11.23 c. I have received from the Lord that which also I give you that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread and having given thanks he brake it and said take eat this here is my Body which shall be given for you Mat 26 26 27 28. Mar. 14.22 23 24. Luk. 22 17 18 19 20. do this in remembrance of me Likewise also he took the chalice after he had supped saying this chalice is the New Testament in my blood I do this every time that you drink of it in remembrance of me For every time that you shall eat this bread and drink this chalice you will shew forth the Lords death till he comes c. Let a man then try himself and so eat of this bread and drink of this chalice 4. That the bread and wine of the Eucharist are the communication of the Body and blood of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communication of the blood of Christ and the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of the Lord. CHAP. X. Of the Holy Ghost Of the necessity of his light to have Faith Of his Nature and Person 1. That the malice of man is so great that of himself he neither understands nor believes the heavenly Doctrine preached by the Apostles of Jesus Christ nor can he live in piety according to the Gospel JOhn 3.3 Verily verily I say unto thee that who is not born again cannot see the Kingdome of God John 6.44 No one can come to me except the Father who hath sent me draw him Rom 8 7. The wisdome of the flesh is an enemy to God for it is not subject to the Law of God nor in truth can it be 1 Cor. 2.14 The Animal man doth not comprehend the things which are of the Spirit God for they are to him folly and he cannot understand them in as much as they are discerned spiritually 2. That the Spirit of God which gives to men the graceof understanding believing the Gospel and of living according to the Doctrine of the Lord. 1 Cor. 2.7 8 9 10. We speak the Wisdome of God which is a mistery which is hid c. Which none of the Princes of this World hath known for if they had known if they had never crucified the Lord of glory but as it is written the things which the eye hath not seen nor the ear heard and which are not entered into the heart of man are those which God hath prepared for those which love him but God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit Matth. 11.25 At that time Jesus answered and said O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth I thank thee that thou hast hid these things from the wise and understanding and hast revealed them to little Children Matth. 11.17 Thou art blessed Simon Son of Jonas for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee viz. That Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God but my Father which is in heaven John 1.12 13. Those who believe in the name of God are not born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but are born of God Acts 16.14 The Lord opened the heart of Lydia to understand the things which Paul said Phil. 1.29 It is given to you for Christ not onely to believe in him but also to indure for him Phil. 2.13 'T is God that worketh in you to do and to will according to his good will Ezech. Jer. 31.33 and 32.39 11.19 20. And I will give them a heart and will put into them a new spirit and I will take away the heart of stone from their flesh and will give them a heart of flesh that they may walkin my commandments and keep my judgments and do them and that they be my people and that I be their God 3. That the Holy Ghost is a person distinct from the Father and the Son John 14.16 17. I will pray the Father saith our Lord Jesus Christ and he shall give you another comforter to
abstaining certain days from certain kinds of meats does oblige the Consciences of the Faithful And as to the Ministers of Religion in particular we do not believe as you do that they are obliged to abstain from Marriage which the Astle calls honorable believing that it is enough that they have the good qualities which is required in them in the first of Tim. and elsewhere Upon the Articles of the Sacraments we confess that Baptism and the Supper are sufficient for us not being able as you have ordained to receive for true and proper Sacraments of the Christian Religion your Confirmation Orders Extreme Unction Penitence nor Marriage nor do we believe as you do that the faithful are obliged before they communicate of the holy Eucharist to confess to a Priest all and every one of their sins in particular declaring to him the kinds and circumstances of them believing that it is sufficient that a man trie himself 1 Cor. 11.28 and so eat of that bread and drink of that wine of the Lord as the Apostle prescribes In a word we cannot believe that your Clerks ought to be exempted from the Jurisdiction and Subjection of Princes and States in the Country in which they live nor that Princes and States should be subject to your Pope or to any other Ecclesiastical Minister in his Temporal Concerns as the Court of Rome holds which you acknowledge as the Mother and Head of the Catholique Church These are the Principle Articles of the Faith of our Adversaries which we will not receive Let us consider now as briefly as 't is possible whether they are found in the Holy Scriptures If we will follow their Principles it will be very easie for us to finish all this Dispute in one word For since according to the Maximes of their Method we ought to hold for Doctrine of the Scriptures nothing but what we read there precisely in so many words the Consequences being faulty and discourse deceitful abusive who seeth not but by their own Confession all the Articles which we have excluded from our faith are out of the Scripture and cannot be proved by it it being clear that one cannot read there any one thing expresly formally and literally in the same terms as they believe them and expound them and upon this account I should be already at the end of my task For since that according to us the Scripture is the only Principal of faith so perfect that we do not think that it is permitted us to receive into our Religion any Article of Belief which is not taught by the Scriptures and since on the other side none of the Articles which those of Rome lay down can be read there which is according to these new Disputers the only Method to justifie a Belief by the Scripture it follows clearly that my faith is all intire and most agreeable to the Holy Scriptures which is all the designe of this Treatise since that which it believes is found there and that which it doth not believe is not found there But God forbid that we should take advantage by the wrangling of our Adversaries We shall always acknowledge for true Doctrine of the Scriptures that which can be clearly and necessarily drawn from thence all that which they charge upon Reason being false and not to the purpose as we have shewed here above Let us deal honestly then and examine whether their Beliefs which appear no where in formal and precise terms in the Scripture may notwithstanding be concluded from thence by some evident and necessary Consequences We will recite here only those which seem to them to be most strong passing by a great number of them which though used by their Authors are so weak and if I may be permitted to say it so extravagant that whoever hears them will think them the idle talk of a sleeping man rather than the discourse of one that is awake For to what purpose should I go about to spoil Paper and lose time to copy the Arguments of those who conclude the Monarchy of the Bishop of Rome from that which Jesus Christ said to St. Luke 5.4 Peter Duc in altum Go into the deep or the truth of Purgatory from that which David said Psal 129.1 Lat. 130.1 Hebr. De profundis clamavi ad te Domine Lord I have cried to thee from the deep places or that the Priests are obliged to a single life from that which St. Paul sayeth Rom. 8 8. that those who are in the flesh cannot please God or the worshipping of Images from that which is said the Lord made man after his own Image and the like Without lying if these Consequences and the works of our understandings were all of this nature these Gentlemen would have great reason to reject them We will produce as much as possible we can only those of their proofs which seem to have some colour and shadow of Reason although at the bottom any one may easily know in bearing but attention to them that they are nothing in effect CHAP. III. That the pretended Sacrifice of the Mass is not taught in the Scriptures FIrst To prove that the Eucharist is a Sacrifice truly propitiatory for the sins of men they alledge that Melchizedek the Type of Jesus Christ offered bread and wine Geu 14.18 But what appearance is there in this Consequence First the Sacred Text both in the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Original and in their own †Proferens Version signifieth that Melchisedek produced bread and brought out wine and not that he offered it and all these circumstances lead us to believe that it was for the refreshment of Abraham and his men being weary with fighting 2 Kings Hebr. 2 Sam. 17.28 and with the Journey by a humanity like to that which Berzillai the Gileadite hath since used to David and those who were with him Secondly though Moses did say that Melchisedek offered bread and wine not to refresh Abraham but in Sacrifice to God how can they prove that it was a propitiatory Sacrifice and not rather an action of thanks since under the Old Testament all the propitiatory Sacrifices had with them an effusion of blood Heb. 9.22 And in a word suppose that this pretended Oblation of Melchisedek had been a Sacrifice realy propitiatory how can they prove that it figured the Eucharist which is never called Sacrifice in the New Testament and not rather the death of Jesus Christ acknowledged for a true Sacrifice through out all the Scriptures and by all Christians where the Lord the true bread of life descended from Heaven hath been offered to the Father for the expiation of the sins of humane-kinde Secondly They produce Malachy Mal. 1.11 who prophesying the times of the New Testament saith that in every place they shall offer to the Lord an oblation pure or clean that is say they the Eucharist But first although it should be so how
which they cannot infer from it although one should grant them what they could draw from it it being clear as we said before that the body and blood of the Lord may be present in the Eucharist and the bread and wine not change their Substance But I say lastly that this which they would conclude from it cannot lawfully be inferred For if because we eat the body of the Lord and drink his blood in the Supper it follows that the substance of his body and his blood is really present there then in the same manner it will follow also that it is present in the Souls of all those who believe in him since that according to many Fathers and the most part of the Doctors of Rome to believe in Jesus Christ is to eat his flesh and drink his blood Eph. 2.17 and since according to St. Paul it is by faith that Christ dwells in our hearts it will follow that the Substance of Christ is really present in our Baptism since that those who are baptized put on Jesus Christ Gal. 3.27 Rom. 6.3 and are buried with him in his death it will follow that the Substance of his blood is really present in the Souls of all the truly faithful chosen according to the Providence of God since they are sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.2 Apoc. 7.14 and in the Souls of those who are come from tribulation since they have washed their long robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Now if one can eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus Christ in believing and have him dwelling in his heart and put him on and be buried with him and be sprinkled with his blood and be washed and made white in his blood and nevertheless not touch really the substance why may not one in the like manner eate his flesh and drink his blood in the Eucharist without his being there bodily Who seeth not that these ways of speaking signifie only vertue of the death of the Lord in them to whom he communicates himself by faith and the Spirit giving them the same effects in respect of the spiritual life which Meats Vestments Liquors and Water with which one is cleansed in respect of the temporal life gives us sustaining and preserving us making sin die in us covering the nakedness of our Souls fortifying our hearts cleansing and purging us from all spiritual filthiness let us conclude then that this famous Transubstantiation the principal piece of the Roman Religion is neither expressed nor presupposed in Scripture it being not less impossible to discover it there by the light of Reason than by that of Sense CHAP. V. That the Adoration of the Consecrated Eucharist is not taught in the Scriptures FRom whence it follows that the Adoration of the Host the Sovereign Service of their Religion cannot be proved by Scripture since it hath no other ground than Transubstantiation it being clear that they should not adore this Substance covered with the Accidents of Bread and Wine if they believe it to be a true Substance of Bread and Wine and not that of the body and blood of Christ Jesus CHAP. VI. That the Scripture doth not teach in any part of it the fire of Purgatory 1. LEt us come now to the fire of Purgatory where they will have the Souls of the faithful satisfie for the temporal punishment of their sins before they enter Heaven 'T is sad to see them sweat to finde in the Scripture something wherewith to blow up light and maintain this fire For this Opinion impassions them in such a manner that they that see it in all the places where a Pit a Lake a Prison a Goal a Fire purging refining a refining pot c. are spoken of The Lord proposing to us the form of the true Sancitification required in his Church in the 5th of St. Matthew Matth. 5.25 26. Commands us amongst other things to have a heart clean from all hatred malice anger towards our neighbours threatning them with grievous torments who shall never so little offend them protesting that nothing ought to be in more commendation than to live in concord and good friendship with them adding Agree thou with thine adversary quickly whilst thou art in the way with him for fear that thine adversary should deliver thee to the Judge and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer and thou be put into Prison verily I say unto thee that thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast paid the last farthing This Prison say they is the Purgatory But who seeth not that this is to suppose not to prove it For why should we understand Purgatory by this Prison rather than a true properly named Prison where the wicked Pay-masters and Cheaters are often put for their stubborness with much loss and scandal which they might escape in agreeing lovingly and betimes with their Adverse-party Chrysost Theophyl Euthym. upon this passage Barrad Harmon Evang. T. 2.1.7 c. 17. as our Lord Commands in this place and the Apostle in the first Epistle to the Corinthians St. Chrysostom and many others take it simply so and even this Jesuit Barradius But if one would take the passage Allegorically as an Image of the Judgments of God against them who will not use charity towards their Brethren why should not we understand by this Prison either the chastisements in which our Lord locks up sometimes men in this life for having neglected the duties of Charity towards their Neighbours or even the pains of Hell in which he will confine for ever after this life all those who have not used mercy towards their Brethren Maldon Mat. 5.25 To let in Luke 12. Annot. 86. 89. Jansen Concord Evang. c. 40. Stella in Luc. T. 2. c. 12. See also Salmeron T. 5. Tractat 37. as the Jesuit Maldonat Cardinal Tolett Bishop Jansenius expound it who confess ingeniously that this place cannot be urged for Purgatory and the Cordelier Stella confessing that which is indeed most evident that these words Thou shalt pay the last farthing simply signifie Thou shalt be punisht to the rigour they shall not pardon thee any thing so that they do not infer by any means that the Criminal of whom this dispute is ought at any time to go out of prison but they suppose only that he shall go out if he pays the last farthing of his debt and by consequence he shall never go out if he cannot pay it And as as to that which is said that he to whom we have not used Charity shall be our enemy and shall deliver us to the Judge 't is the same manner of speaking like that in the Proverbs and repeated in the Epistle to the Romans that he who doth good to his enemy Prov. 15.21 Rom. 12.20 Luke 16.9 heaps coals of fire on his head and like that in the fixth of St. Luke That those to whom we give alms