many moe seuerall braunches thereof But my second cause is more speciall and of greater wayght namely that God made choise of Abraham in calling of him to bee the father of all belieuers and that the same faith which hee receyued of God should bee the religion of all nations wherein and whereby they should bee saued to the end of the world Which thing Saint Paule teacheth when hee saith b Gal. 3.8 The scripture foreseeing that God woulde iustifie the gentilles through faith preached before the Gospell vnto Abraham saying In thee shall all the gentils bee blessed Where we learne that the gospell which teacheth this religion that men should bee iustified by faith was preached to Abraham and namely for the vse of the gentilles that they should bee made of the same religion with Abraham and with him by faith onely bee iustified as hee saith in the next verse Vers 9. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham This did GOD signifie vnto Abraham when hee chaunged his name saying a Gen. 17.45 Behold I make my couenant with thee and thou shalt bee a father of many nations neither shall thy name any more be called Abraham but thy name shall bee Abraham for a father of many nations haue I made thee Hereof the Apostle teacheth that Abrahams seede is twofold b Rom. 4.16 not onely of the law which is meant of the Iewes but also that which is of the faith of Abraham that is the gentilles who not hauing the lawe are yet his seed through faith and therfore he addeth He is father of vs all that is both of Iew gentil which belieue alleadging this place for proofe saying as it is written I haue made thee a father of manie nations c. Whereby it is pregnantly proued that Abraham is made in regard of faith and religion a father both to Iewes and Gentils The Iewes are first admitted to be his children to walke in his religion and steppes of faith after we succeed in their roome to walk in the same steps of faith religion of Abraham they as the Apostle els where c cap. 11.17.18 saith being naturall braunches for vnbeliefe were cut off But we though braunches of the wild Oliue are grafted in by faith Now because it is here manifest that Abraham receiued the couenant for vs and the whole religion of God as well for vs as for the Iewes and that God wold not haue the Iews to haue one religiō the gentils an other the one to be saued by one faith the other by another but both to be of that faith and religion which was taught and found in Abraham and that Christ comming of his seed should bee sauiour both of Iewes and gentils d Luc. 2.32 A light to be reuealed to the gentils the glorie of Israel religion then being one the same one being the same only which was taught Abraham I thought it best to choose him and his storie because that neither the law nor the gospel could or ought to differ in religion and faith from that of Abraham that if our religion in Englande agree with that of Abraham then it might bee knowen to be the true auncient and catholike religion and faith no new broached religion or doctrine such as that is of the Church of Rome as in the processe of this booke shall be seene But for thy better help good Christian reader I will follow this order I will shew the seuerall points of religion which are most materiall one after an other as they are in nature first second and then in euerie part or article Abrahams faith first And secondly except some special reason draw me to alter this order I wil shew how our religion agreeth with his faith and lastly how Moyses the prophets and the new testament confirme the same And thus they follow The first Article of faith and religion concerning God 1. There is one true euerliuing Almightie God and three persons God the father God the Son God the holy Ghost which are not three Gods but one God THis Article hath two partes first of the vnitie of the Godhead and secondly the trinitie of persons The first God taught Abraham when in his calling he brought him to forsake the a Ioshuah 24.2 strange and many Gods of his fathers to embrace one and the onely true God shewing this perfect marke that he could set downe order what should become of b Gen. 12.3 cap. 15.13 cap. 17.1 cap. 18.14 all the families of the earth and particularly of his posteritie that hee was God all sufficient and that nothing was harde to him Therefore Abraham hauing learned this professeth it to be his faith and religion calling the Lord c cap. 14.22 The most high God possessor of heauen and earth and hee gaue him this d Rom. 4.18.19 glorie of God that although himselfe were an hundred yeare old Sarah his wiues wombe now dead yet did he beleeue Gods word concerning his seed being assured that he which had promised was also able to do it The second God taught Abraham when hee e Gal. 3.8 preached the gospell vnto him in these wordes f Gen. 28.18 In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed For by the seed being vnderstood Christ namely the son of God to be made man of the seede of Abraham God speaking in these words to Abraham concerning his son Abrahā must needs vnderstand the first person of the father in him that speaketh and the second person of the Sonne in him that is spoken of And of this second person in the knowledge and faith of Abraham speaketh Christ saying g Ioh. 8.56.58 Abraham reioyced to see my day and hee saw it and was glad And againe before Abraham was I am And as concerning the holy Ghost the third person Abraham vnderstood that in all the wordes because they are as the Apostle teacheth h Gal. 3.14 the promise of the spirit which thing you shall perceiue if you looke vpon Abrahams seed for it came not by the naturall vertue and power of man but by the holy Ghost as first Isaacke was borne when Abraham and Sarah were past age of the naturall begetting and conceiuing of a child by the vertue of the promise of God which being performed by the power of the holy ghost he is said sometime i Rom. 9.7.8 Gal. 4.23.29 to be borne by promise and sometime to be borne after the spirit Secondly Christ the seed of Abraham by whom all are made blessed is also borne a man without the seed begetting of any man onely of a virgin and conceiued by the holy Ghost as the k Luk. 1.34.35 Angell in Luke declareth Lastly all the faithfull which are the spirituall seed and children of Abraham and made blessed by this promise of Christ are no otherwise made partakers of this blessing
call his name wonderfull counseller the mightie God c. m cap 53.10 he shall make his soule an offering for sinne a Zach. 6.12.13 Behold the man whose name is the branch and he shall grow vp out of his place and hee shall build the temple of the Lord euen he shall build the temple of the Lord and he shall beare the glorie and shall sit and rule vpon his throne and he shal be a priest vpon his throne and the counsell of peace shall be betweene them both And many other places where his godhead manhood mediatorship priesthood kingly office are expresly described But yet most abundantly and most euidently in the gospel where of his person it is said b Rom. 1.3.4 He was made of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh and declared mightely to be the sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead c Rom. 9.5 Of the Israelites concerning the fleshe Christ came who is God ouer all blessed for euer Touching both person and office When the fulnes of time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made vnder the law that he might redeeme them which were vnder the law that we might receiue the adoption of sons d 1. Pet. 3.18 Christ hath once suffered for sins the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God and was put to death concerning the flesh but was quickned in the spirit His kingly office thou hast where it is said e Eph. 1.20.21 God set him at his right hand in heauenly places far aboue all principalitie power and might and domination and euerie name that is named not in this worlde only but also in that is to come and hath made all things subiect vnder his feete and hath appointed him ouer all things to be head to his church and his priestly office in these words f Heb. 7.24 This man because hee endureth for euer hath an euerlasting priesthood Wherefore hee is able perfectly to saue them which come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them O blessed harmony and sweet consent in so ioyfull a description of our louing God and sauiour Happie art thou O England who hast fellowship with Abraham Moses the prophets Apostles in so heauenly holy g 1. Tim. 3.16 great misterie of godlinesse Which God doth not reueile to all people but only to his h Colos 1.26 Saints All thanks therefore bee giuen vnto the most glorious name of our good God for his most excellent gift and rich grace Amen The sixt Article of the applying of Christ Faith onely iustifieth and who so euer beleeueth in Christ shal be saued THe meaning of this Article is that there is not in man either before or after hee beleeue any inherent righteousnesse or goodnes of mind neither any kind of workes done by him which can either deserue any thing at Gods handes or in any part satisfie his wrath wherby we should be accounted righteous in his sight but that Christ alone hath paid our ransome for our sinnes and wee are saued by the meere and free grace of God thorow his bloud and wee are then onely accounted iust and iustified before God made inheritors of saluatiō when by a true vnfained faith beliefe in Christ bloud wee acknowledge embrace and receaue this grace and fauour of God and this faith onely in this sort apprehending Christ maketh vs righteous and iustified before God And thus surely it befell vnto Abraham our father For first he was taught it Secondly hee found and felt it Thirdly God wrote it for euer with great and golden letters in the image of his house that all posteritie might reade it and learne it to their euerlasting comfort That he was taught it is apparant in that God finding him void of all goodnesse and righteousnesse as is before declared gaue him the promise that a Gen. 12.3 in him all the families of the earth should bee blessed This the Apostle interpreteth to bee meant that the nations should bee iustified by faith in Christ and not by works saying b Gal. 3.8 The scripture foreseeing that God wold iustifie the Gentils through faith preached before the gospell vnto Abraham saying In thee shall all the gentils bee blessed Where thou mayest obserue two thinges First that this vttering of this promise to Abraham was the preaching of the gospell Secondly that the summe of the gospell is Iustification is by faith onely And that all nations should haue no other but the same order of iustification which God taught Abraham namely by faith onely In the second place Abraham found and felt this when he c Gen. 15.2 mourned to God because he had no child and God shewed him the starres and said looke now vp into heauen and tell the starres if thou be able to number them and hee said vnto him So shall thy seede bee And Abraham beleeued the Lord and hee counted that to him for righteousnesse Which the Apostle doth interprete to be vnderstood that faith without workes doth iustifie not onely in the person of Abraham but also that it pertayneth to all other in the like and verie same manner to be iustified and in none other First of Abraham he saith a Rom. 4.1 What shall we say that Abraham our father hath found concerning the fleshe for if Abraham were iustified by workes hee hath wherein to reioyce but not with God For what saith the scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnes In which wordes it is plaine that Abraham was iustified by faith onely and if hee had beene by workes hee had had no reioycing with God And as touching all other that it is the onely and perpetuall rule of iustification hee saith b Verse 23. Now it is not written for him onely that it was imputed to him for righteousnesse but also for vs to whom it shall be imputed for righteousnesse which beleeue in him which raysed vp Iesus our Lorde from the dead Thirdly the great and golden letters wherewith this doctrine is written in Abrahams house be Sarah his wife and her sonne Isaack and Hagar his bond seruant and her sonne Ismael in whom God hath set forth as in a wide open book the two couenants the couenant of works and the couenant of mercie the one of the law and the other of the gospell For Sarah representeth the couenant of mercie and the estate of the Church vnder the gospell and her sonne the true and faithfull beleeuers in Iesus Christ Read Gen. 16. 21. Hagar representeth the couenaunt of workes and the state of the Church vnder the lawe and her sonne Ismael such as seeke righteousnesse by their workes Now as Sarah being the free woman her sonne Isaack was the heire vnto Abraham and remayned in his house for euer so the couenaunt of mercie and the
present death and God caused this brasen serpent to be set vp that by onely looking thereon they should be healed so did it signifie that by onely faith in Iesus Christ the sting of sin being done away wee should bee iustified and saued As our sweet Sauiour himselfe doth testifie saying b Ioh. 3.14.15 As Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man bee lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life Now the prophets draw neere and are readie to protest vnto vs and to shew their witnesse First to teach vs that wee cannot bee iustified nor satisfie by workes Thus they crie out c Psal 150.3 If thou Lord straitly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand c. d Psal 143.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth bee iustified And that faith onely iustifieth God himselfe saith e Esai 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many for hee shall beare their iniquities And againe f Aback 2.4 Behold hee that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not vpright in him but the iust shall liue by faith Who can speake more plainely Therefore the Apostle by this place excludeth workes saying g Gal. 3.11 That no man is iustified by the law in the sight of God it is manifest for the iust shall liue by faith And againe he alleadgeth it to teach that by faith wee are iustified saying that by the gospell h Rom. 1.17 The righteousnesse of God is reueiled from faith to faith as it is written the iust shall liue by faith Heare wee also what the gospell saith i Ioh. 20.31 These thinges are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his name Which is opened in another place excluding workes of merite or satisfaction k Rom. 3.23 There is no difference for all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set foorth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood And that it may appeare that workes are altogether shut out and faith the onely instrument of iustification he saith a little after vpon diuers arguments a ver 28. We conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law and in an other place b Eph. 2.8.9 By grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should bost himselfe vnto al which the church of England subscribeth and calleth the Lorde c Hier. 26.6 our righteousnes and saith d Artic. 11. of the iustification of man we are accompted righteous before God onely for the merit of our Lord and Sauiour Christ by faith and not for our owne workes or deseruings Wherefore that we are iustified by faith onely it is a most wholsom doctrin c. Thus we see the honor of faith onely that is to iustifie and saue through the apprehending of Iesus Christ So learned Abraham Moses the Prophets and Apostles being taught of God and so beleeueth and professeth the Church and Realme of England The Lord increase it more and more in vs and among vs in all heauenly wisedom and spirituall vnderstanding according to the blessed Gospell of our louing Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ The seuenth article of the estate of the regenerate in regard of his sanctification or inherent righteousnes 7. In this life the regenerate in Christ offend in many thinges through sinfull concupiscence and the best workes of the iust man were it not for his faith could not abide the seueritie of God IN this article are two things imperfection in the good workes of the regenerate and many escapes into euill and in both the cause is this that there is in the regenerate concupiscence remaining after Baptisme which is sin and rebelling against the spirit it bringeth forth sin and staineth our well doing Yet being vnder grace through faith it should not haue dominion ouer vs to destroy vs because as in the former article we are iust and saued by faith in Christ onely so that the gift of regeneration newnes of life is but as it were a thing begun in this life as the knowledge of a childe is vnperfect But when corruption and mortalitie shal be done away in the resurrection of the iust we shal be deliuered into the glorious libertie of the sons of God and then shall we be perfect resting in the place e 2. Pet. 3.13 Wherein dwelleth righteousnes This imperfection you shal see in Abraham if you consider how through weakenesse he f Gen. 12. 20. 16. 11. twise hazarded his wiues honestie to saue his owne life that his wife deuised and he consented to take his bond seruant lastly that he greeued to put away the bond seruant and her son although God accepting for their faiths sake the good workes of his seruants doth couer their sins and therefore doth not bewray or expresse Abrahams wants in the good things for which he is commended as namely and especially in offering vp of his son Isaack yet for so much as the holy ghost declareth that the excellencie and a Heb. 11.6.17 goodnes of them stoode in this that they were done by faith and so by faith pleased God it argueth that God couereth their corruption in his free couenant of grace to encourage all other his children that although her workes cannot bee but vnferfect yet they would walke in faith and truth as did their father Abraham A witnes hereof was his alter wherein he offering praier and sacrifices to be accepted in Christ did by this maner of dooing acknowledge his wants euen in the best of his dooinges otherwise hee needed not to approach vnto God vnder the shadowe of a mediator But that which is not so plainly set downe in Abrahā is more apparantly reueiled in his seed by Moses Moses Aaron and Miriam who seemed to be the most sanctified of sixe hundred thousand are yet found guiltie by their workes of Gods displeasure b Exod. 32. Aaron maketh the golden calfe c Num. 12. Miriam for murmuring against Moses is made a leaper for certaine daies and d Cap. 20.10.11.12 Moses for his vnaduised words that he sanctified not God at the waters of Meribah hath this marke of imperfection set vpon him that hee must not passe ouer Iordan into that good lande which was promised to their fathers and for which hee brought Israel out of Aegypt There haue you e Leuit. 12. 13. 14. 15 a punishment for him that smiteth his neighbour vnawares or against his will and 4. and 5. there haue you a sacrifice for the magistrate neer whose city any man is found
it were one sheepfold wherof Christ alone is sheapheard And therefore the Church of the fathers before the law the Church of the Iewes vnder the law and of the gentiles vnder the gospell are not three Churches but one in one felowship with God by one Sauiour Iesus Christ as it is written a Ephes 1 1â— That in the dispensation of the fulnes of times he might gather in one all things both which are in heauen and which are in earth euen in Christ Then must it needs follow that distance and difference of time place nation or language doth not disanul this vnitie so long as it may be said a Act. 15.9 God put no difference between them and vs after that by faith he had purified their hearts By vniuersalitie we vnderstand that the Church is not tied vnto any one place person nation or language citie or countrie but as Saint Peter saith b Act. 10.31 In euerie nation hee that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him How be it in the dispensation of times there is some difference for it pleased God for the wickednesse of the nations for a time to place his holy oracles couenantes in that one nation of the Iewes vntill these last daies when Christ came and tooke away the partition wall and opened the kingdome of heauen for all people to enter in and to bee made one church with the Iewes Yet although the sinnes of the gentils did shut them out for a season God so disposed it that the time of the fathers and Moses the prophets do witnesse that now in the end of the worlde they should bee admitted into the same fellowship and no nation barred from being of the Church of God The last point in the nature of the church is the chiefest without which they cannot be the church for it is Christ c 1. Pet. 3.18 that bringeth vs to God And as S. Paul saith d Ephe. 2.18 we both that is Iews gentils haue an entrance to the father by one spirit Therefore this is the true proper and onely being nature of the church That e Gal. 3.26 we are all the sonnes of God by faith in Iesus Christ haue f 1. Ioh. 1.3 fellowship one with an other in the fellowship which we haue with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ Now this faith and fellowship doth appeare to the world by our profession that is commonly seene and discerned in all constituted churches by these two marks Gods word and sacraments And this thou mayest directly learne in the story of Abraham first for the nature of the church where God preached the gospell to him there he describeth what it should be First the vniuersalitie when he saith all nations or families of the earth secondly the vnitie wheÌ„ he propoundeth theÌ„ vnited in one seed in one the same happines And lastly seeing that this seed is Christ and this happines is the blessed estate wee haue in the fellowship with God in whose presence as the g Psal 16. â—â— psalme saith is the fulnes of ioy It must needs follow that God herein taught Abraham that this should be the nature of his church To bee in his fauour by fath in Iesus Christ This verie thing in all these three respectes was further shewed him h Gen. 17. in the change of his name addition of circumcision as is plainely expounded by S. Paul in the fourth to the Romanes Then as touching the marks Abraham professed the true and liuing God faith in Iesus Christ which is testified i Gen. 18. 12. 15. by teaching his familie the way of the Lord that is the word of God sacraments by his altar circumcision sacrifices so was Abrahams house knowen to be the visible church of God as it is written k Gen. 20.22 1 Cor. 14.25 God is with thee in all that thou doest And verily such is the church of England which hauing bin taught of God as Abraham was doth also beleeue concerning the Church of God in the verie same maner For we say that l Apolog. part We beleeue that there is one Church of God and that the same is not shut vp as in times past among the Iewes into some one corner or kingdome but that it is catholike and vniuersall dispersed through out the whole world So that there is now no nation which may truely complaine that they be shut out and may not bee one of the church people of God and that this Church is the kingdome the bodie and the spouse of Christ and that Christ alone is the prince of this kingdome and that Christ alone is the head of this bodie and that Christ alone is the bridegroome of this spouse And againe a Artic. 19. of the church The visible church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure worde of God is preached and the sacraments bee duely ministred according to Christes ordinance c. Which our beliefe if you marke it nothing differeth from that of Abrahams time and is further confirmed by Moses Moses tought Israel this vnitie and fellowship of faith in one Church when hee gaue them b 1. Cor. 10.1.2 all one spirituall Manna and made them all drinke of the spirituall rocke which followed them which rocke was Christ and he taught them that there should be an vniuersalitie namely that the gentils should bee of the church as well as they together with them where he saith c Deut. 32.43 Sing ye gentils with his people Which the d Rom. 15.10 Apostle doth interprete to meane the calling ingrafting of all nations into the same fellowship of the Church The markes are cleare in his time For they had the preaching of e Deut. 4. vers 6. Gods word and nothing els and the administration of such sacraments as God did ordaine for that time as the f Exod. 12. passeouer and other sacrifices therefore Moses taught constituted no other church then is before described But the Prophets open this matter more fully in many places but I wil onely recite that where God saith concerning Christ g Esai 49.6 It is a small thing that thou shouldest be my seruant to raise vp the tribes of Iacob to restore the desolations of Israel I wil also giue thee for a light that thou mayest be my saluation vnto the ende of the world Where is plaine to be seene the vniuersalitie of the Church in that all nations are restored in and by Christ as well as the Iewes the vnitie and felowship with God is plaine in that one Christ saueth Iewes and gentils Wherefore in anohter place it is said h Zachar. 13.1 In that day there shal be a fountaine opened to the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Hierusalem for sinne and for vncleanesse i Cap. 14.8
gospell pag. 7. 6. Heere is opened that faith and loue are substantiall and perpetuall but by Gods disposition ceremonies and manner of gouernment are changeable pag. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 7. Although ceremonies and maner of gouernment are not of the vnchangeable substance of religion yet are they to bee reuerently vsed and not violated during the time of Gods assignment and prescription pag. 14. 15. 16. CAP. 2. 1. How God hath gouerned his Church in one religion before and after the fall pag. 17. 18. 2. And since the promise giuen to Adam of Christ in three sorts the fathers before the law the Iewes vnder the law and the Gentils vnder the gospell pag. 19. 20. 21. 3. In all these three times was there a difference in the outward face of gouernment but not in substance of religion pag. 22. 4. And this by Gods iudgements and manifestation of his spirit hath beene alwaies maintained and preserued pag. 23. 24. 25. 5. And it will be a witnesse of our religion now professed in England against all Atheists papistes and other wicked men pag. 26. CAP. 3. Here is more largely shewed the vnitie of faith in all ages and that the religion openly professed at this present in England is the same ancient and onely catholicke faith of Abraham Moses and the Prophets and which Christ his Apostles preached taught Where first is declared that Abraham receiued it of God both for the Iewes and also for all other nations pag. 27. 28. 29. 30. 2. The particulars are compared in 15. seuerall Articles of the most waightie pointes of doctrine pag. 31. c. vnto pag. 132. CAP. 4. Wherein is declared 1. That antiquity vniuersalitie and visible succession is no perfect marke of the church much lesse of the popish sinagogue which is but of yesterday pag. 133. c. 2. The measure order of the visible succession of the Church from Christes time forward is shewed by the scriptures pa. 137. c. 3. The papists do proue themselues to be no Church when they ground themselues on this false principle The Church cannot erre pag. 40. 141. 4. How the true religion hath shewed it selfe by many witnesses from the Apostles times euen vnto our daies pag. 143. c. The second part of the newnesse of poperie CAP. 1. HOw the Romish superstition disagreeth with the true ancient catholike religion faith of Gods elect Where is declared 1. How many waies in this sort disagreement is to be found pag. 149. 2. And that in all the former fifteene Articles they disagree very greatly pag. 152. 153. c. CAP. 2. Of the disagreement that popish superstition now taught in Rome hath with the religion S. Paul taught the Romans with the doctrine S. Peter taught the Iewes pag. 181. 182. c. CAP. 3. Of the agreement of popish doctrine with all kind of heresie where it is compared how the popish heresie resembleth the ancient heresies of the primatiue ages of Christes Church pag. 193. 194. c. CAP. 4. Of the originall of poperie wherein is declared 1. That by the precedent Chapters it may appeare to be of a late birth pag. 205. 206. 2. That neither the difference of calculation in stories nor forging of writings nor mangling of good authors do hinder the knowledge of their birth pag. 207. 208. 3. Their owne tongues and traditions proue poperie new pag. 209. 210. c. 4 Many particulars are rehearsed out of popish authors and the former counsels pag. 214. 215. c. 5. Fiue fundamentall pointes more largely examined by antiquitie pag. 235. 236. c. 6. The latter ouergrowing and lopping and daily new sprowting of poperie pag. 275. 276. c. 7. That poperie is not yet a perfect bodie of his full shape proportion and members pag. 283. CAP. 5. Heere is shewed that all men ought to flie poperie 1. Because of the exceeding danger it bringeth to themselues to their seed countrie pag. 289. 2. It is of all heresies and apostasies the most pernitious pag. 293. 3. It is not tollerable or to be winked at in any Christian common wealthes pag. 312. 4. We of England haue great cause to praise God that we haue nothing to do with pag. 315. CHAP. 1. Wherein is shewed first that we come to know the true religion by the true knowledge of God 2. That there is one God and that he is the onely law-giuer 3. Therefore there is but one Catholike and vnchangeable religion whereof God is author and maintainer 4. For this cause Christ and his Apostles teach the same religion which is in the olde Testament and the gentils are adopted to be Children vnto Abraham 5. Here is taken away the obiection which might arise by the difference which seemeth to be in the three times before the law vnder the law and after the law that is vnder the Gospell that although there was a difference in ceremonies and maner of gouernment yet the religion al one in faith and loue 6. Here is opened how faith and loue are substancial and perpetual and ceremonies and maner of gouernment changeable 7. And that although ceremonies and maner of gouernment are not of the vnchangeable substance of religion yet are they to be reuerently vsed and not violated during the time of Gods assignment and prescription as necessary dueties in the worship seruice and obedience which wee owe vnto God TO know the true ancient catholike annd vnchangeable religion that is the vndeceiuable way of saluation and perfect rule of vpright liuing we must get the knowledge of the true liuing God For in the * Eph. 4.17 Tit. 3.3 2. Pet. 1.3 ignorance of God is the estate of the wicked the cause of damnation and whosoeuer knoweth God aright he hath by the diuine gift of Christ all things pertaining to life and godlines Therefore our blessed Sauiour speaking to his father the almightie and glorious God constantly affirmeth a Ioh. 17. ver 3 This is eternal life to know thee to be the onely verie God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. So the Prophets foretell that the happie estate of the word should be then when b Esai 11.9 The earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord c Hier 31.31.32 the people know God from the least to the greatest Such was the glad tidings of the Gospel which maketh bewtiful the feet of him which declareth and hublisheth peace saying vnto Syon that is to the church Thy a Esai 52.6 God reigneth and the same vnto all nations is proclaimed by the name of the great b 1. Tim. 3.16 misterie of godlines God manifested in the flesh And the effect of the gospell preached agreeth thereunto for those nations c Gal. 4.8 1. Thes 1.9 who being led by the impotent and beggerly rudiments of the world knew not God and did seruice vnto them which by nature were no Gods by the hearing of the gospel preached did
differing religion and faith concerning God from all people vnder heauen whatsoeuer b Rom. 1.1.2.3.4 The third sort in regard of the persons are the gentils that is all nations and languages after the comming of Christ and in regard of the things they had the gospel which Iesus Christ the sonne of GOD being made man of the virgin Marie did preach ordaine and commit to writing to be preserued for the euerlasting benefit of the church which being preached by the Apostles of Christ as well to the Iewes as to the Gentils at his commaundement and by his commission the Iewes for their vnbelefe fel away and being left to the hardnes of their hart were reiected and ceased to be the visible church of God remaine scattered ouer the face of the whole earth vntill this day and the gentils hearing and receiuing the gospell and submitting them selues by faith vnto the doctrin of Christ became Gods people againe and his visible church and so the true religion hath remained among the gentils in one place or other vntil this day and of this number are we of the church of Englande one happie part The Lord our God and merciful father in Iesus Christ be praised therefore 3. Now in all these times notwithstanding that the outward face of the church by the ceremonies and maner of gouernment did verie much differ yet in all these was but one substance of religion consisting in the knowledg of one true and liuing God and in the worship of his diuine maiestie by faith in the holy promise of Iesus Christ which promise was made vnto Adam Abraham and Dauid declared by the prophets preached to the gentils in the gospel For so Adam a Gen. 4.1.2.3 trained vp his sons by sacrifice to worship God arguing their expectation of the Messias or seed of the woman to come And therfore b Heb. 11.2.3.4 Abel Enoch Noe Abraham are wel reported of for their faith and to haue pleased God Vnto c 1. Pe. 3.10.11 Noe the ark vnto Abraham circumcision being types and figures of Christ were helpes in this faith religion so in the law all the priestes their sacrifices and seruice yea al the law d Rom. 10.4 Gal. 3.22 ponited out Christ as thend therof and concluded all vnder sin that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ might be giuen to them that beleeue And the prophets which best vnderstood the law shew the maine substance of their religion to be in faith when they say e Esai 26.16 He that beleeueth in him meaning Christ shal not make hast f Aaback 2.4 The iust shal liue by faith g Psal 34.8 Tast and see how gracious the Lord is blessed is the mā that trusteth in him Which thing witnesseth the Apostle saying h Rom. 15.4 Whatsoeuer things are written afore time are written for our learning that we thorow patience and comfort of the scripture might haue hope and that the i 2. Tim. 3.15 scriptures speaking of the law and prophets are able to make one wise vnto saluation thorow faith in Iesus Christ And lastly touching the gospell it is most cleare that by k Gal. 3.26 Act. 24.14 beleefe in Christ wee are made Gods people in this beleef we worship and serue God as in one true pure religion Therefore they which are taught l Math 28.19 Act. 2.38 cap. 16.31 Iacob 1.6 Heb. 11.6 are baptized when they beleeue and so receaued into the church such are said to be saued such are said to pray aright and generally such are said to please God 4. Now to conclude this place we may obserue the wonderful administration of God in vpholding of this one true religion faith of Christ in all ages of the world and that in two things First in his iudgments and secondly in the diuers manifestation of his spirit as concerning the first the ould world falling into a most horrible apostasie m Gen. 6. by prophane and vnequal yoking of the children of God with the children of men God stirred vp Noe the preacher of righteousnes in his family preserued the true faith when all the whole world was fallen away therefore drowned by waters Then after the floud som 400. yeres when idolatry had ouercrept the world in the posterity of Noe namely after the confounding of the languages and that they were become many nations God a Gen. 12. Ioshuah 24.2 called Abraham and taught him the faith and pure religion of Christ when hee gaue him the promise That in his seede all the families of the earth should be blessed and in his posteritie namly of his son b Gen. 17.19 Act. 14.16 Isaak when all the nations of the world were left to their own waies the same was preserued and althogh the Israelits c Ps 78. 106 many times departed from the true God to follow the maners fashions of the gentils yet he reduced thē home again by his plagues punishments somtimes by his d 1. Kin. 18 3◠Esai 6.13 prophets and somtimes destroying the multitude reserued a smal remnant as a seed plot among whom he preserued the true faith and religion And last of all when they had many times prouoked God by their vnbeleefe and rebellion he cast them vtterly off and ingrafted the gentils although among these there hath bin great * The first 300. yeres after Christ persecution a most horrible apostasy both by ₠Mahomet and the Pope east and west yet hath he alwaies had his witnesses who keeping the faith haue professed the true religion of Christ and nowe according to his e word the same is renewed and taketh hold againe in the open eyes of all the world amonge the elect of God his chosen people whō he calleth by his gospel A thing verily fore prophesied by f Gen. 9.27 Gen. 12.3 Deut. 32.21 Esai 49.6 Rom. 15.18 Noe taught and promised to Abraham threatned by Moses plainely foretold by the prophets and fully accomplished by Christ and of these things we haue now had 1602. yeres triall experience the Lords most holy name be praised But as touching the manifestation of the spirit marke with me that the same promise which to Adam was generall g Gen. 3. cap. 12. cap. 49.10 Esai 9.6.7 Matth. 1. in the seede of the woman was more speciall to Abraham to be in his seede and in his posteritie more certaine in Iuda and yet in Iuda more particuler in the house and linage of Dauid and yet more plainly and neerly by the prophets that he should be borne of h Esai 7.14 a virgin yea hee is also so thoroughly described in the prophets that there is scarse any action of Christ or accident befalling him which Matthew the euangelist in his historie doth not confirme by some prophet or other Yet is Iohn Baptist more cleere then they all
many ought to be vnder the gospell and how these two differ in their special and particuler vse The confession of the church of England is altogether so and of the same consent For as touching the nature of a Sacrament we say the same in substance of truth a Sacraments ordained of Christ are not onely badges and tokens of Christian mens profession but rather they be certaine sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good will towards vs by the which he doth worke inuisibly in vs and doth not onely quicken but also strengthen and confirme our faith in him and againe b Articl 25. of the sacramēts b Apolog. part 2.10 diuis 1. Wee allow the Sacraments of the Church that is to say certaine holie signes and ceremonies which Christ would we should vse that by them hee might set before our eies the misteries of our saluation and might more strongly confirme the faith which wee haue in his blood and might seale his grace in our hartes and in the same places there are no more but two sacraments acknowledged which properly ought to be called by that name and as touching the speciall difference First we say of Baptisme a Articl 27. that It is a signe and a seale of our new birth whereby as by an instrument they that receaue Baptisme are grafted into the church the promises of forgiuenes of sinnes and our adoption to be the sonnes of God by the holie ghost are visibly signed and sealed c. and of the Lords supper we say b Articl 28. The supper of the Lord is not only a signe of the loue that Christians ought to haue among themselues but rather it is a Sacrament of our redemption Insomuch that to such as rightly woorthely and with faith receaue the same the bread which wee breake is a communion of the bodie of Christ and likewise the cup of blessing is a communion of the blood of Christ If all these things be compared together with the Scriptures you shall see that they doo verie fitly agree so that in the doctrine of the Sacraments we are of the auncient faith of Gods elect and of the holie vniuersall church The thirtenth article of the order of religious exercises and seruice of God 13. All religious exercises as prayer and Sacramentes c. ought to be done in the toonge or language which the people best vnderstande and as is most to edification HOw the pride presumption of man brought this great plague of many languages into the worlde and thereby great seperation of people and nations and diuersities of religion as c Gen. 11. Moses doth declare the originall so the story and experience of all times doo witnes And as it caused great toile and contention among men so it came to passe in tract of time that the true religion was found but in one people and language and that of Abraham and his seede the children of Israel Howbeit when the fulnes of time was come that the most glorious sonne of God our blessed Sauiour sanctified all nations vnto God by his death then were all languages made d Phil. 2.11 Esai 45.23 holie vnto the Lord that Euerie toonge should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glorie of God the father Therefore what people so euer it pleaseth God to call to be of his church and teacheth them his holie religion the language of that very people is made holie to the Lord to talke of his woord to confesse his name to pray to his goodnes to celebrate his heauenly worship This appeareth by the storie of Abraham being an a Gen. 14.13 11.16 Hebrew comming of Heber that God reuealed his worde vnto him and his seede in the Hebrew tongue In that tongue which was to them naturall and knowne he and they vsed all their prayers and holy exercises and in that tongue did Moses the prophets write all the oracles of God Saue onely when Iudah was in captiuitie Daniell wrote some Chapters which concerned the Chaldeans all nations in that language of Calde which they best vnderstoode and fittest at that time for all nations the Emperor of the world being of that language and by mixture with other people the Hebrew writings of the prophetes do somewhat sauour of the language of the people among whom they dwelt Therfore it doth appeare that God was carefull as a matter best for the Churches edification to haue his will reuealed vnto his people in that tong they best vnderstood So when all the world in all nations was called by the gospel to know and worship the true and liuing God then were the scriptures written in Greeke namely so much as then was written by the Apostles and Euangelistes which language was at that time the most b Act. 21 37. common language of the worlde in so much as all c Gal. 3.28 nations are called Grecians in opposition to the Iewes and their language Also God d Act. 2. endued his Apostles with the gift of diuers tongues that euen in that gift it might bee made manifest that all languages are sanctified in Christ and that hee thought it need that euery country people should worship him in their owne language And therefore the Prophet Daniel prophesying of these daies directly saith e Dan. 7.14 All people nations and languages shall serue him Hereupon Saint Paul least the vse of gift of many languages should be abused spendeth one f Cor. 14. whole chapter about this matter and therein teacheth that it was most to edification that the prayers and exercises of Gods worship should bee in a language knowen to the vulgar and meaner sort of people a thing so familiarly knowen that I need not repeate it Therefore without any amplification in this point I may conclude that seeing the Church of England both by practise as is seene in our dayly seruice of God by the booke of common prayer and also by our confession in the Apologie g Apolog. cap. 18. diuis 1. Artic. 24. of the common prayers and Articles of our religion published for that purpose doth allow no other but the vsuall language best knowen to the people as best to edification it followeth that herein wee agree with the auncient and catholike riligion and order of Almightie God and of his seruants Moses the prophets and Apostles The 14. Article of libertie in religion whether it take away any naturall comfort or duetie among men 14 The true and catholike religion forbiddeth no man or woman of what caling soeuer to marrie so it bee in the Lord and commaundeth all sortes of men and that of all callings as well ecclesiasticall as ciuill to be subiect to the ciuill magistrate and higher power and to obey him in the Lord. IN this Article are two specials as mariage and the dutie to the magistrate which two may be as an instance for all of like sort for
the world doth sufficiently couer and defende their filthie follie Whereas they foolishlie know not and consider not or at the least thorough maliciousnes and hardnes of hart wil not know that an ill thing the more vniuersall the longer the larger the stronger the more in custome vse authoritie and open familiaritie of men the more dangerous infectious incurable and deadly it is And this gentilisme and poperie are so much the more stronge in dilusion for the damnation of soules by howe much they being void of godlines and truth are and haue been ancient vniuersal visible c. And therefore it hah cost the more sweat and bloud vnto the faithfull seruants of Christ to cure the infected people and to bring them againe into the bosom of Abraham and arcke of Noe the folde and church of Christ We may then boldlie say that such ministers are to be obeied who as an a Ian. lib. 4. cap. 43. auncient father saith together with the succession of their Bishopricks according to the good will of God the father haue receaued the certaine gift of the truth which while the church of Rome that now is hath not done because they doo not beleeue in those things which are they are fallen into those things which are not hauing forsaken the pure and chast nature and beutifull ornaments of the true spouse of Christ which is the sincere doctrine of holie scripture they are faine to array themselues in the counterfait and comon whorish apparel of al the filthy idolaters of the world the vaine pretence of antiquitie vniuersalitie c. But yet this suit of apparel will not serue them no more then that can fit a childe borne yesterday which is large and wide for a man of a great and full stature For how doo these termes agree to that apostalical sea of Rome which is one of the last lowest borne children of superstition begotten of the diuell in this last furie of his old age euen now he knoweth his time is verie short For as it shall appeare in the latter part of this booke through Gods gracious assistance the synagogue of Rome wil want at the least 4500. yeres of that antiquitie vniuersality and visible succession which I haue here already shewed to appertaine to the true auncient catholike religion of Gods most holie vndoubted church founded in Adams promise seperated in Abrahams posterity published offered to all the world by Christs most blessed Apostles For an introduction into which matter I will in this Chapter through my Lord Christes fauour and grace shew vnto thee good Christian reader how this religion of ours now professed and openly maintayned in Englande which is manifestly proued alreadie in the Chapter going before to be the ancient true faith from the beginning of the world and namely and especially from our father Abraham now in these latter daies hath descended and continued by succession visible in the worlde from the Apostles time vnto ours For although wee bragge not of antiquitie and vniuersalitie yet wee doe humblie thanke our louing God and mercifull father in Iesus Christ that vnto vs the pure doctrine and true Christian religion is come and is fruitfull as euer it hath bin in any part of the world and we are made the children of Abraham through faith in Iesus Christ 2 And that you may vnderstand this the better you are to know the measure hereof by the holy scriptures of God which as a line being gone ouer all the worlde doth shew the tract and footesteppes of religion among the gentilles vnto the ende of the worlde In the 24. of Mathew the 17. and 21. of Luke and in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn is fore described the treading vnder feete of Hierusalem and the Iewes vntill the times of the gentils bee fulfilled and that in these times should arise false prophets and false Christes and deceiue many yea great chaunges and alteration in religion should be in all the Christian world The kings and princes of the earth should obey the will of the least and this obedience should be so vniuersall that no man should be permitted to buy or sell without his marke in their foreheades the prophetes and witnesses of Christ should bee slaine and there should bee the patience and triall of the Saintes Smoke comming out of the bottomlesse pitte couereth the aire and hideth the Sun Moone and stars What doth this shew but that the world should bee found a continuall enemie to the true religion and that the faith of Christ should not alway be vniuersally professed and maintained but that the Christian Churches should fall into errors and that the true religious and faithfull people of God should passe through the furnace of the fierie triall and bee as it were heere and there certayne scattered stones of a building that is witnesses standing vp for the truth testifying that there is a pure religion ordained and accepted of God And not that the Church shoulde bee alway a beautifull pauilion and goodly temple wherein the King dwelleth seene and admired and honoured of all men According to that of Christ a Math. 24.13 Because iniquitie shall abound the loue of many shall waxe colde And this coldnesse shall bee so great and so vniuersall that the true professors of Gods true religion b Vers 9. shall be hated of all men and men c Ioh. 16.1.2 shal thinke they do God seruice when they kill any of them And the ground of this Saint Paul sheweth saying d 2. Tim. 4.3 The time will come when they will not suffer wholesome doctrine c. And yet it seemeth to be more fully opened where hee foretelleth that there must bee an e 2. Thess 2.3 Apostasie or falling from the faith before the world could haue an ende and the man of sinne disclosed 4 which is an aduersarie and exalteth himselfe against that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth sitte as God in the temple of God And a little after 7 For the misterie of iniquitie doth alreadie worke c. Wherein hee teacheth plainely foure thinges First that there should be a generall decay of religion in the Church Secondly that it should be by such an aduersarie of Christ as should raigne in the Church Thirdly that he should bee reuealed in his time And fourthly that this was an hidde and secret thing which did beginne to worke secretely euen in the Apostles time By which wee may perceiue the succession and vniuersalitie of the Church in the visible shew and flourishing of the true religion is not to bee found nor looked for in all the times of the gospell after the Apostles daies but that by little and little it should bee darkened corrupted and hidden For howe can that bee saide to bee the true visible Church of Christ where his aduersarie dwelleth and beareth all the rule aduauncing himselfe as God And whereas touching the true faith the people are
he doth shew that all Israel in Abraham and Sarah their father and mother had vtterly perished with the rest of the world thorow this originall corruption had not God called them endewed them with faith and giuen them the couenant And as a childe new borne whose nauell is vncut and walloweth in his bloud and cast out in contempt hath no cleannesse in him nor power to prepare himselfe vnto cleannesse must needes haue all from the hand of them that take pittie on him So was Abraham void of all good knowledge and wil vnto godlinesse vntil God purified his heart by faith And as this was found in Abraham so he learned and beleeued the same obseruing the like in others whom God had not called as he had him for when a Gen. 12.10 cap. by famine hee was faine to go into Aegypt and afterward into Gerar his wife Sarah being a faire woman hee feared to acknowledge her to be his wife because he knew that the people being without grace and faith could not but encline to lust after her as the sequell did plainely declare and hee sheweth a reason b vers 11. Surely the feare of God is not in this place and they will slay mee for my wiues sake Where by the want of the feare of God putting the effect for the cause he vnderstandeth that they were voide of the grace of God of and in themselues so corrupt with this naturall deprauation that hee could not looke for any good but euill to come from them euen as Christ saith c Mat. 12.33 Either make the tree good and his fruit good or els make the tree euill and his fruit euill d Apolog. of England cap. 19. diuis 1 And this is also the faith of the Church of England for wee say That euerie person is borne in sin that no bodie is able truely to say his heart is cleane c. e Articles of religion Artic. 9. 10. Of free will originall sinne The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he can not turne and prepare himselfe by his owne naturall strength and good workes to faith and calling vpon God wherefore we haue no power to do good workes pleasant and acceptable to God without the grace of God by Christ preuenting vs that wee may haue a good will and working in vs when wee haue that good will and f Artic. 13. of workes before iustification works before the grace of Christ haue the nature of sinne Which is altogether agreeing in sence and meaning with that which is before shewed of the fathers time and of Abraham therefore let vs now heare Moses and the prophetes Moses saith g Deut. 9.5.6 O Israel thou enterest not to inherit their land for thy righteousnesse or for thy vpright heart for thou art a stiffe necked people And againe h Cap. 29.2.3.4 Ye haue seene all that the Lord did before your eyes in the lande of Egipt vnto Pharaoh c. Yet the Lord hath not giuen your an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vntill this day Where it appeareth plainly that Moses taught them that without Gods gift they could not vnderstand nor obey but were rebelles against God and stiffe necked And the prophetes declare the verie same i Psal 51.5 Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceyued mee k Prouerb 20.9 Who can say I haue made my heart cleane I am cleane from sinne By which is manifest that this originall corruption descending from Adam maketh the heart so corrupt that it can not prepare it selfe to any cleannes of righteousnes but of it selfe runneth headlong to all euill Therefore because that in this respect the heart in the faithfull is made as it were new the Lord saith by the Prophet a Ezech. 36.26 A new heart will I giue you a new spirit will I put within you Yet is the new testament more euident for it saith b Ioh. 3.3 Except a man be borne again he can not see the kingdome of God c Eph. 2.1.2 ye were in times past that is before our calling and regeneration dead in sinnes and trespasses c. walking in the lust of the flesh and fulfilling the will of the flesh of the minde d Tit. 3.3 and were by nature the children of wrath we were vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lustes and diuers pleasures liuing in maliciousnesse and enuie hatefull and hating one another Then which what can be more said the minde the will the affections wordes and deedes bee all ill euen as a deade man that hath no mouing but must be new borne before he can haue any sight is not such an one vniuersally corrupt voide of knowledge and free will vnto any godlinesse and vnable to doe workes pleasing vnto God yea and therefore the Apostle is bolde to say that it is e Philip. 2.13 God which worketh in vs the will and the deed of his good pleasure Then you see that the fathers Moses the prophets Christ his Apostles doe all agree in the same doctrine of the estate of man after his fall before his calling in Christ and that it is the same which we professe in England The fourth article entereth into the consideration how we are deliuered from this corrupt and damnable estate 4 There is one onely way of righteousnesse saluation which is by faith in Iesus Christ THis is verie apparant in the storie of Abraham when God saith that all the families of the earth should be blessed in his seed Where by blessed is vnderstood the deliuerance from the corruption and damnation which came by Adam This seede is Christ when hee saith all families or that sheweth that whosoeuer in the world shall bee saued must bee saued by Christ And there is no other seede or faith by which one man can be saued therfore he receiued the couenant as is before declared for Iewes and gentils that men might not looke for righteousnes or saluation in any other thing but only in by faith in Iesus Christ And so saith Moses as the blessed Apostle interpreteth it f Rom. 10.6 Deut. 30.11.12 The righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heauen that is to bring Christ from aboue or who shall descend into the deepe that is to bring Christ againe from the dead but what saith it The word is neere euē in thy mouth in thine heart this is the word of faith which we preach For if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt belieue in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saued Where thou seest by Moses docttrine that we must not seek righteousnes or saluation any where els but in the faith of Christ which the prophets expresse thus a Esai 28.16 Thus saith the Lord God Behold I
will lay in Sion a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation He that beleeueth shall not make hast b Malack 4.2 Vnto you that feare my name shall the sonne of righteousnesse arise and health shall bee vnder his winges c. The gospell more plainely sheweth that where Christ is not knowen c Math. 4.16 the people sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death and that hee d Luc. 1.78.79 is the day spring from on high giuing light to them that sitte in darkenesse and in the shadow of death e 2. Tim. 1.10 And that hee bringeth life and immortalitie to light by the gospell And that God is so farre from allowing that any man should bee able in any other meane to attaine vnto righteousnes or saluation thus he speaketh expressely that there is no f Act. 4.11 Saluation in any other for among men is giuen no name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued Now what confesseth the Church of England in this regarde Namely that g Artic. 18. they are to bee had accursed abhorred that presume to say that euery man shall be saued by law or sect that he professeth c. For holy Scripture doth set out vnto vs onely the name of Iesus Christ whereby men must be saued So that heere you see the faith of Abraham Moses the prophets Apostles determine one way of mans restoring vnto righteousnes and saluation and the verie same is the faith of the church of England The fift article of Iesus Christ the onely author ef our saluation What we ought to know and beleeue of him 5. Iesus Christ in regarde of his person is perfect God and perfect man in one person and in regarde of his office mediator betweene God and man of the couenant of mercie IN this article we embrace two things First what Christ is in himselfe where wee vnderstand not that God alone or man alone is Christ but God and man is one Christ By God we vnderstand the onely and euerlasting begotten son of God the second person in the trinitie by man we vnderstande that hee came of the seed of Abraham and Dauid and a very naturall man borne of the virgin Marie hauing bodie and soule and all faculties and qualities of mind and bodie as we haue onely sin excepted and that the two natures in Christ are not confounded nor seperated but vnited distinct as the body soul of a man hauing their seueral natures properties make but one thing which is a mā So the godhead of Christ assuming the manhood chāgeth not it selfe nor the nature of man assumed but God man vnited in one person make one Iesus Christ and Sauior who by his incarnation and obedience suffering death resurrection assention sitting at the right hand of God and lastly by his iudgement hath and will saue all the elect of God declare make manifest the iust condemnation of the wicked reprobate And these are the works of his office of mediatorship which office of mediator we thus vnderstand that where all mankind being dead in sin there whole nature corrupted vnder the wrath of God and damnation of bodie and soule had in himselfe as is before declared nothing sound being vnable to doe any thing that could please God for his restoring vnto righteousnes and saluation Christ by the will of his father and of his free loue came into the world and became a man that where man had sinned by man might come deliuerance from sinne But because we men were wicked void of strēgth he was also God that he might be able perfectly to saue vs And so being God and man he was a fit mediator to make peace that where by sinnes we were enemies to God he being righteous suffering for vs payd the ransome for our sins and as God being the son of God was apt to reconcile vs vnto his father being beloued of his father his doing and suffering set vs free from the curse of the law the wrath of God and brought vs so far into Gods fauor that by him we are made righteous adopted children to his father and heires vnder hope of his euerlasting kingdom in al things in and through faith in him our harts being purified God is wel pleased with vs. In which office he is a priest and a king In his priestly office first as a prophet he bringeth vnto vs the oracles and word of God and secondly performing perfect obedience he offereth himselfe an immaculate lambe a pure and vndefiled sacrifice for our sins and continually maketh intercession for vs As he is King he hath all power in his hands he is Lord and head of his church and ruleth it by his word and spirit and sitteth and raigneth at the right hand of the glorie of God til all his enemies which are the enemies of his church be destroied and al things being restored hee will deliuer vp his kingdome into the hands of his father that God may be all in all This person and office of Christ being thus briefely but faithfully described See we now whether it be not that ancient faith which was taught Abraham First for the godhead of Christ a Gen. 18. he appeared vnto Abraham in the plaine of Mamre where one of the three angels is called Iehouah which is proper vnto God onely And againe b Cap. 22. when he offered vp his son Isaack an angel called to him from heauen saying Now I know thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onley sonne this must needs bee vnderstood of the son of God for the father is no where entituled by the name of an angel but the son is c Esai 63.9 els where called The angel of Gods presence and by special name d Dan. 10.21 Michael our prince which is by interpretation who like God which fitly declareth his godhead for so is it said in the Psalmes e Psal 89.8 O Lord God of hosts who is like vnto thee a mighty God and thy truth is about thee Secondly the manhood of Christ to bee assumed by Christ in the fulnes of times was taught Abraham when God preached the Gospel to him saying In thy seed which argueth the incarnation of the sonne of God that he should be made man of the seed of Abraham as it is expounded by the holie ghost saying f Heb. 2.16.17 He in no sort tooke the angels but he tooke the seede of Abraham Wherefore in all thinges it became him to be like his brethren c. that is to say seeing he came to saue man whom he would make his brethren by adoption it became him to take the seed of Abraham that he might be a verie true and naturall man his office is directly taught in that All the families of the earth by him should bee made blessed that is deliuered out of that cursed estate of original
iudgement at which time he will raise vp all the bodies of men which are departed this life which our Creede calleth the dead and all they which shall bee aliue at his comming which in our Creed are called the quicke shall be changed and the Deuill and all wicked men being cast out of the presence of God all faithfull beleeuers shall be deliuered from all thinges hurtfull from the deuill death and wickednesse from the curse sorrowe and teares and from corruption and mortalitie into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God into the fulnesse of ioy in the presence of God for euer This hope had Abraham when a Gen. 12. 22 25. he dwelt in Canaan as a stranger and going from place to place liued in tentes when he offered vp his sonne Isaacke and when he dyed as is plainely expounded where it is saide a Heb. 11.9 By faith he abode in the lande of promise as in a straunge countrie as one that dwelt in tentes with Isacke and Iacob heyres with him of the same promise For he looked for a citie whose maker and builder is God And againe b Vers 13. All these died in faith c. And againe c Vers 19. he considered that God was able to raise him vp from the dead And God taught Abraham the last iudgement in two respectes when he shewed him the ouerthrow of Sodome and preserued Lot aliue For by it hee shadowed out vnto him how hee deliuereth the righteous out of tentation and how hee keepeth the wicked till the last iudgement to bee punished In which sence this storie is expounded and applyed by Saint Peter in these wordes d 2. Pet. 2.6.7 God turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them and ouerthrew them and made them an ensample vnto them which after should liue vngodly and deliuered iust Lot c. and a little after applying it to this purpose e Vers 9. The Lord knoweth to deliuer the godly out of tentation and to reserue the vniust to the day of iudgement to bee punished Secondly in that the Sodomites were suddenly consumed when they deemed no such thing fire and brimstone fell vpon them And Lots wife looking backe was suddenly turned into a pillar of salt So it teacheth that this last comming of Christ shall be sudden as our Sauiour teacheth where he saith f Luk. 17.28 As it was in the daies of Lot they eate they dranke c. 30. After these ensamples shall it bee in the day when the sonne of man shall be reuealed 32. And again Remember Lots wife c. And in the promise of the blessing in his seed God teacheth Abram al this for what is the perfection of this blessednes but that after the resurrectiō there shal be no more cursse but we shall happily enioy his ioifull presence for euermore And such is the faith of Englande for wee beleeue that c Articl 4. of Christ resurrection Christ with his body ascended into heauen and there sitteth vntill he returne to iudge all men at the last day and againe d Apolog. part cap. 21 diuis 1. We beleeue that this our selfe same flesh wherein we liue although it die and come to dust yet at the last shal returne again to life by the means of Christ spirit which dwelleth in vs then verely whatsoeuer we suffer herein the meane while for his sake Christ wil wipe away all teares and heauines from our eies and that we through him shal enioy euerlasting life and shall for euer be with him in glorie Moses learneth teacheth the resurrection of the faithful vnto life when God appeared vnto him in the bush and said e Exod. 3.6 I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaack the God of Iacob which our sauior f Math. 22.31.32 Christ doth so expoūd because God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing and confuteth the Saduces who denied the resurrection And in the story of Balaam he doth not obscurely shew the resurrectiō of the dead the last iudgmēt wher he maketh Balaā to speak of christ calling him g Num. 24.17 Astem of Iacob a scepter that shal rise of Israel he saith I shal see him but not now affirming that he shal smite the coasts of Moab destroy al the sons of Sheth that is to say Balaam thoght tō see christ in the resurrectiō that christ shold subdu al the aduersaries of his church raign til al his enimies were made his footstool deliuer vp his kingdome after the resurrection vnto his father that God may be all in all as is in plaine termes in the b cap. 15.24.25 first Epistle to the Corinthians Also these words of God vnto Moses c Exod. 33.19 I will shew mercie to whom I will shew mercie c. are applied by the Apostle to declare the holie predestination of God d Rom. 9.15.16.22.23 of some men vnto saluation and some to damnation which is not accomplished but by the resurrection and last iudgement againe that which is in Moses e Deut. 32.35.36 song vengeance and recompence is mine and againe The Lord will iudge his people is likewise f Rom. 12.19 applied to this purpose that the children of God should not reuenge but commit their cause to God against the day of the resurrection and iudgement which is g 2. The. 1.6.7 the time of rest to Gods children trouble to the wicked and h Heb. 10.26.28.30 to declare the fearfull day of iudgement and the violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries But the prophets are much more plaine in their teaching of this article when they i Esai 9.7 Psal 110.1 1. Cor. 15. Esai 45.23 Rom. 14.11 say Christ kingdome shall haue none end Sit thou on my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy footstoole Euerie knee shall bow to me but especially where it is said k Dan. 12.2 They that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetual contempt Yet much more plentifully is this doctrine taught in the new Testament namly in the thirtenth fiue and twentie of Mathew Ioh. 5. and 6. Act. 10. 17. Rom. 2. 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thes 4. 2. Thess 1. c. All which places in plaine woords teach thus much That Christ shall come with his holie Angels and sit on his thorn of glorie all the dead shall rise first and they which then be aliue shall be changed and so of these two sorts all nations shall stand before him and receaue sentence according to their workes some to eternall life for their faith approoued by their works some to eternal paine for their vnbeleefe shewed by their euill deeds So that in this point of doctrin the glorie of the churches of England in the sweet harmonie with Abraham and Moses
time and with the preaching of Christ and his Prophets and Apostles is most comfortablie sealed vp and confirmed the Lords name be praised therefore The Lords name I say be praised who hath bin so mercifull and gratious vnto this little Ileland that passing ouer many greater richer and mightier nations hath set such an especial loue vpon vs as he hath vouchsafed to preferre and exalt our nation aboue many other to be of his holie and catholike church of the blessed communion of his saints and a true member of his visible people vpon whom his name is called That we may truely iustly and boldly say that the religion which we follow and the faith and doctrine which wee confesse is the faith of Gods elect the knowledge of the truth according to godlines vnder the hope of eternall life the verie true and onely way of saluation which God and not man teacheth Which he hath taught al the fathers before the law was giuen or any part of Gods woord written during the space of 2517. yeeres In the ende of that time Abraham our father euen the father of all beleeuers 430. yeeres before Moses when the world began to be corrupted receaued and professed for al nations which should be after him Which Moses and the Prophets proclaimed and maintained some 1445. yeeres vntill the blessed time of Christes holie incarnation And which the same Iesus Christ the glorious son of God euen the Lord of life preached in his owne person and his holie Apostles which heard him and saw al his great works did witnes and publish to all the gentils and was confirmed by gods holie testimonie from heauen with great signes and wonders and gifts of the holie ghost And which the same euerlasting God euen the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ commanded to be taught vnto all people out of the holie Scriptures of Moses the Prophets and Psalmes and hath opened and made manifest by the holie inspired writings of the Euangelistes and Apostles and left and commended vnto his Church for the saluation of his elect vnto the worlds end By which al gods people ar to be known by which God will be glorified in his saints and out of which no man hath been shall be or can be saued I say therefore againe the Lords name be praised for euer Amen CHAP. IIII. Where is declared First that antiquitie vniuersalitie and visible succession is no perfect marke of the church much lesse of the popish Synagogue which is but of yesterday 2. The measure order of the visible succession of the Church from Christs time forward is shewed by the Scripture 3. Therefore the papists do prooue themselues to be no church when they ground themselues on this false principle the church cannot erre 4. How the true religion hath shewed it selfe by manie witnesses from the Apostles time euen vnto our dayes THE Synagogue of Rome claimeth antiquitie vniuersality and succession visible from the time of Christs Apostles to be vndoubted markes of the church of God and so of the pure religion addinge thereunto as it were the sinewes and ioints to make them all holde together the faithfull and constant grace of the church visible vnder the ghospell namly this false principle that It cannot erre And therfore when they are convicted to haue fallen from the true christian religion and find themselues openly bewraied being tried by the perfect touchstone of Gods holie written woord to be lately vpstart and of a new deuised religion doctrine and faith brought forth into the world by the fanatical and superstitious humor of heretical prauitie and humaine follie and begotten by the cunning insinuations and coulorable suggestions of him which vseth all spirituall craftines and profoundnes of wisedom to bruse the heele of the womans seede and to darken the glorious light of the heauenlie faith of Gods chosen least happely they should not be found the very true Antechrist after the maner of him that trāsformeth him selfe into an angel of light they would beare downe the world with the vaine titles and goodly shew of antiquitie vniuersalitie visible succession of the vnerring and vnchangeable persistance of the visible church in the truth and leaue out altogether that which is indeede the very nature and foundation of the church the true religion faith and doctrine of Apostles and Prophets of God But alas these are but the figge leaues of Adam which cannot couer their shame for as all men knowe that the serpent cannot proue himselfe a man by his auncient continuance and remaining in the world vnlesse hee had those essential properties of bodie and soule whereof euery man doth naturally consist So for so much as all these things antiquitie vniuersalitie c. are such as heretikes Ethnikes did and could claime from Caine and Cham or Iaphet as wel as Christians from Seth and Shem and that the true nature of the church cōsisteth in the fellowship of the true religion doctrine and faith the sygnogoge of Rome vnlesse it hold the true faith and religion cannot for these things be the true visible church of God For no antiquitie vniuersalitie or succession can make the whore of Babel to be the true and chast spouse of Christ And who knoweth not that Caine was before Sheth and that their two posterities were the two churches one which is of Caine called the children of men because their religion came of a runnagate man the other was called the childrē of God because their religion was giuen and taught them of God Likewise in the Apostasie of the time of Abraham the nations were almost setled vpon the dregges of their filthie idolatry when Abraham was now but newly called Ismael and Esaue which fell out of the church and house of Abraham became goodly states and monarkes before Iacob was established and the people of Israell were gathered into a knowen and visible floorishing forme of a church which was 430. yeeres after the calling of Abraham Lastlie the gentils continued in that apostasie and idolatrie ouerspreading all the world from the time of Abraham vntil Christ eighteene hundred yeeres when the Church was but in a little corner of the world the land of Canaan and of that a great space in the territories of Iuda and Hierusalem onely Because Caine Ismael and Esaie calling antiquitie and visible succession before Sheth and Isaack and Iacob is their religion the true religion or were they the true church or shall the Gentils iustifie thē selues to be the true worshippers of God or to haue the true God because they can brag ouer the Iewes christiās with al these termes of antiquity vniuersality succession visible c. therfore he that readeth the stories shall find how they scoffe at the Iewes christians euen as the papist do at vs because that although they haue no truth on their side yet they thinke these painted paper walles and leaden weapons of long continuance and open appearance and flowrishing in