diuinity in questions answers which order of instruction is ancient in the Church as may appeare by the practise of Augustine Iunilius many worthy writers since before them The matter of this booke is very profitable being the sūme substance or a body of Theology For what point of piety may not be learned out of this booke do you desire to know the Doctrine of one God the trinity of persons Christ crucified the holy Ghost and the Scriptures of God Here you haue that doctrine set downe would you be acquainted with the creation of the world the natures either of Angels or mankind or mariage or diuorce Behold in this booke you may see them all Is it the gouernment of the world the doctrine of sin the power of freewil the law the gospel the agreement or disagreement of the old and new Testament which you are willing to learne here is a teacher fit to instruct you Here you haue a Synopsis of Faith repentance iustification sanctification of a Christians works christian liberty of prayer predestination of the Resurrection last iudgement of eternall life eternal death Here you may read of the true Church of the nature of Vowes of the Sacrametns of the old new Testament and the office both of Magistrates subiectes And concerning these questions whatsoeuer is material in Luther Melancton Caluin Peter Martyr Zanchius Hipperius Hemingius Vrsinus and the rest it is here set before you in one viewe How necessary it is for young men especially young noble men to read such bookes the seasoning of their tender years with piety the future good which may come by this to posterity doth easily proue If young Alexander will bee studious of philosophy why shal not young Theodosius be studious in diuinity if he said to his master mallem singulari disciplina quam potentia praestare why should not you say mallemus Christiana disciplina quam potentia praestare But as Alexander was offended with his tutor Aristotle in making cōmon those acroamatical books in which he alone desired to excell so many I feare me will be offended with mee in making this booke familiar to all which many would haue to be reserued for Diuines If any be scandalized at this labour of mine it is an offence taken not giuen I desire with Moses that all people might prophecie and since the Iesuites by their late inuented Catechismes haue made thousandes skilfull in errours why should not we who are Christians labour by institutions to make ten thousands skilfull in the trueth We commend them who bring vs either commodities or drugs or delites or fashions or fruites or trees from forraine countries and shall we discommend them who to the building of our Church do bring from other countries euen the gold of Ophir Now right Honorable hauing finished this booke I am bold to present it to your most Honorable patronage and as that most Reuerend father the late Archbishoppe of Canterburie commended to vs students of our Vniuersitie Caluins Institutions so do I commend vnto you Bucanus Institutions You haue both of you bin two worthy members of our two Vniuersities and the one The Lord of Cranborne is now in and of that famous Colledge of Saint Iohn the Euangelist where I haue bin fellow now neere eighteene yeares If it please your Honors to pardon my boldnesse to peruse diligently mine Epistle and to be as willing to read this excellent booke as Alphonsus did Tully Erasmus did Terence Bishop Iewell did Horace the Lady Iane did Plato and Antoninus the Emperour did read all good bookes I haue all that I desire or expect The God of Heauen so blesse you that whether you trauaile abroad or stay in this Kingdome you may so by your Christian Tutors bee seasoned with pietie in your youth that learning with those young children to sing an Hosanna a Math. 21 9. to Christ in your life you may after this life ended with the blessed Saints sing Halleluiah b Reuel 19.10 to him in the Highest Heauens London Saint Martins in the fieldes March 3. 1606. Your Honours to commaund Robert Hill To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader as the writings of God doe testifie that Antichrist shall be consumed by a breath so the writings of men do also testifie that the same Antichrist shall be weakned by rags The breath which shall consume him is the preaching of the Gospell the rags which shall weaken him are printed papers If he be burned by the one blesse God for good preachers if decaied by the other thanke painfull writers That these two are the meanes which must ruinate Antichrist we may see by the practise of our Antichristian aduersaries For though they haue many who declame against vs yet will they suffer none to preach Iesus Christ and though they haue many to write against vs Read the inhibition of preaching and Printing by Queene Mary in the booke of martyrs yet few will they suffer to read their owne controuersies That they want Christ preached behold their miserie that we haue him preached see our felicitie that their people dare not reade bookes marke the tyrannie of the pope that we haue libertie to read so manie worthie bookes note the goodnes of God and care of our gouernors To this end authoritie permits manie excellent bookes daily to be published and though much reading be a wearinesse to the flesh and manie bookes bring confusion to students yet as the stomacke must be preserued by varietie of meates so the minde must bee cherished with varietie of writers That thou mayest be moued to read old diuinitie in a new fashion I haue published in English this excellent discourse which because it is the quintessence of the best writers of our age I doubt not but it wil be welcom vnto thee If thou lookest for order few bookes more methodicall if for matter few more Iudiciall if for breuitie few more compendious if for plainnes few more perspicuous if for vse few more pretious And if either emulation amongst Stationers hinder not the sale as it doth the sale of many excellent bookes or the delite of vaine bookes do not hinder thee from reading it as it doth many from the best things I doubt not but thou shalt haue cause to say of this worthie man as Salomon saith of a worthie woman many Doctors haue done learnedly but thou surmountest them all Buy this truth but sell it not read this booke but forget it not Thou shall buy much for little cost and read much to thy great gaine Thus I commend thee to the grace of God and my selfe to the grace of thy prayers Thine and the Churches in the Lord. Robert Hill A Table of all the Common Places and their seuerall heads handled in this excellent Booke in which are answered one thousand fiue hundred and seauenty Questions The 1. Place OF God and page 1. The blessed Trinitie page 7.
Act. 15.3.4 and in the Ecclesiasticall assemblie made by the people where in all one among another doe meete religiously to performe the seruice of God a or in the Pastors and Ecclesiasticall assemblie which consisteth of the principall and sit members of the Church and is gathered togither in the name of the whole Church whereof it hath charge to consult of Church matters in which sense Christ saith say vnto the Church Math. 18.18 c. But is there any visible Church seeing we say in the Creed I beleeue the Church and faith is of things which are not seene Heb. 11.2 2. Cor. 5.7 and Augustine saith it is an action of faith to beleeue what thou seest not for if thou seest it is not faith That which is said in the Creede is not meant of any one Church this or that but of the Catholicke Church that is of the whole bodie of the Church at what time soeuer it hath beene on the earth which for that it consisteth of the godly Elect which haue beene heeretofore from the beginning of the world which are at this present and which shall be heereafter vntill the worlds end being gathered together at once whom no man in this life can euer behold with his eies surely there is a Church beleeued and not seene because it is not of the fashion that it may be here wholy seene but onely in part 1 Because the glorie of the Catholike Church is inward Psal 45.13 The Kings daughter is all glorious within 2 Because it commeth not with obseruation b Luk 17 20 3 Because it worshippeth God in spirit and truth c Ioh. 4 23 4 Because the sense cannot iudge surely who they be that belong to the Catholicke Church 5 Because the principallest and greatest part thereof is in Heauen 6 Because it is a spirituall house d 1. Pet. 2 5 But the Church taken Synecdochically that is The particuler Churches are visible 1 Because the men whereof they consist are visible 2 Because the outward forme of them is visible and concerning the particuler Church or the Pastors thereof it is said Math. 5. Vers 14. A Citie that is set on a hill cannot be hid but it ought to be well knowne and excellent for pietie and life least it be an offence but at length after the resurrection all the whole Church shall be seene in heauen where she shall be knit together with her head Reuel 14.4 Is there or hath there beene alwaies a glorious visible state of Gods Church on Earth among all men and all the world ouer No surely for that being sometime oppressed by tyrannie as in the time of the tenne persecutions and after that vnder Antichrist it was hid in heresies errours as a sparke vnder the ashes as in the time of Arrius when as Ierome saith the whole world mourned exceedingly and wondered that it selfe was turned Arrian and it may often come to passe through the iust iudgement of God that there be none assemblie of men apparant which worship God publikely and visibly according to his word onely a Psal 74.3 Isa 49.21 as happened in the time of Elias the Prophet 1 King 19.10 when he said I onely am left that is not onely not a Prophet more but euen not one that worshippeth God and God answered I haue reserved vnto mee seuen thousand men that haue not bowed their knees to Baall And Reuel 12.6 when the Church of God is said to haue fled into the wildernes that is to haue lurked or laine hid from the sight of men by reason of the furies of Antichrist Therefore the state of the Church is at sometime more visible at sometime lesse neither is it visible vnto all nor alwaies after one fashion The inuisible Church doth eyther openly professe the faith or not professe it at all If she professe it then is she not the inuisible Church if she do not then is she not the true Church because she confesseth not the faith It is not requisite â—hat we should alwaies euerie where confesse our faith for that were to betray our selues vnto our enemies but when the cause occasion time and Gods glorie doe require Neyther did Elias make any such argument when God answered him I haue reserued vnto me seuen thousand men which haue not bowed their knees to Baall though they were vnknowne to him But where and how was the Church so many ages past in Popery seeing Popery is not the Church In that manner it was as Iohn foretold it should be Reuel 12.6 namely in the wildernes and in that manner as the Church of Israell was after the falling away of Ieroboam especially in the daies of Achab in the Apostaticall and false Church which worshipped Calues in Dan and Bethel whereunto the popish Church is altogether like As then Elias Elizaeus and seuen thousand men which bent not their knees to Baall were and lay hid in the wildernes so also euen many in the time of Poperie bent not their knees to Antichrist which verie argument Paule applieth to the Church of the Iewes in his time Rom. 11.3 May the Catholicke Church fall away By no meanes because there shall be no end of Christs kingdome a Luke 1.33 because the Catholicke Church is builded on a rocke And the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it Math. 16.18 But some particuler Church may fall away and fall away in such sort that where there was a true Church there may appeare no true Church at all but a false and Sathan may preuaile against it as many examples teach to wit the Churches of the Ephesians Galathians and the like which haue ceased vtterly to bee nay particuler Churches may be brought to that smallnes that there may not bee any particuler Christian visible Church on the Earth publikely knowne And there is euer some number on Earth which worship Christ with an honest affection but this number is not euer visible ful of people glorious established in some visible place seat or succession but scattered heere and there obscure and vnknowne to men as Isaiah saith 1.9 and 10.20.21 The Lord hath reserued to himselfe a seed and remnant When began the Church to fall from the truth It is one thing for the Church to haue failed in some points and an other to haue falne away so as it should be vtterly abolished while the Apostles liued heretickes began to sow darnell in the Lords field to worke the mysterie of iniquitie and many Antichrists began to hee 2. Thess 2.7 1. Iohn 2 18. 2 The holy Bishops after the Apostles times through lacke of heede taking mingled many falshoods with the truth and left their errours to posteritie neyther did all faile at once and at one time This plague began by little and little to creepe farre and wide vntill at length it spread the whole world ouer But in the meane while the Church fell not vtterly away because God reserued to himselfe a
f Heb. 2.16 and did personally and inseparably for euer vnite a true humane bodie g Heb. 2.14 indued with a reasonable h Mat. 26.38 27.50 soule And so being true God became true man like to vs in all things i Heb. 2.17 4.15 sin onely excepted What things are we especially to consider in the person of Christ Foure 1. That Christ is God 2. That the same Christ is man 3. That he is God and man in one person 4. The phrases and the vsuall speeches which are affirmed of Christ in the Scriptures By how many and by what kind of testimonies do you proue that Christ is God By three 1. By apparant and manifest sentences of scripture wherein the Diuinitie of Christ is auerred 2. By his workes which were altogether diuine 3. By the worship and honour which was yeelded vnto Christ both of the Saints that beleeued and of the Angels Shew some pregnant testimonies whereby you can proue that Christ is God Esa 9.6 This is the name whereby they shall call him speaking of the Messias to wit the mightie God the Father of eternitie Ier. 23.6 The name whereby the braunch of Dauid shall be called shall be the Iehouah our righteousnesse Iud. 6.11 c. That Angel which appeared to the holy Patriarches cals himselfe Iehouah In the new Testament Mat. 16.16 Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Iohn 20.28 My Lord and my God Rom. 9.5 Christ being God was of the Fathers according to the flesh who is God for euer 1. Iohn 5.20 And we are in his Son Iesus Christ who is very God and life eternall 1. Tim. 3.16 God is manifest in the flesh In which places Christ is absolutely called God and the name Iehouah so giuen to him not by a trope or symbolically by reason of the presence of God as Exod. 17.15 it is giuen to the altar Psal 24.8 it is giuen to the arke Ier. 33.16 it is giuen to Ierusalem Which be the testimonies of the second sort The workes which none can doe but God alone which are ascribed to him to wit to create and preserue a Ioh. 1.3 5.17 Col. 1.16 Heb. 1.2.3 to redeeme b 1. Cor. 1.30 1. Thess 1.10 to blot out iniquities c Mat. 9.6 to search the heart d Matth. 9.4 Mar. 2.8 14 13. to heare our prayers e Iohn 14.14 to quicken f Iohn 5.27 to iudge g Iohn 5.22 moreouer the miracles which he wrought by his owne power according to that prophesie Esa 53.5.6 vnto which also euen Christ himselfe sendeth vs h Iohn 10.25 Mat. 11.4.5 and for the working whereof he gaue power to his Apostles i Math. 10.8 moreouer those attributes which do agree onely to the nature of God and ascribed vnto him as eternall k Mic. 5.2 Ioh. 1.1 17.5 almightie l Iohn 3.31 Phil. 3.21 infinite m Mat. 18.20 28.20 King of Kings n Reu. 19.26 Sauiour o Math. 1.21 Act. 4.12 and the rest testifie him to be God by nature Which is the third kind of testimonies The worship and honor which is performed vnto Christ namely inuocation adoration faith hope Psal 72.11 All the kings of the earth shall worship him and all people shall serue him Esa 11.10 and Rom. 15.12 All nations shall call vpon him and trust in him Psalm 2.12 Blessed are they that put their trust in him Euery knee shall bow vnto him p Rom. 14.11 Phil. 2.10 And Iohn 14.1 Ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me Act. 7.39 Lord Iesu receiue my spirit All which do proue that hee is true God Why is it necessary that Christ the Redeemer should be God For two causes especially whereof the former is the greatnesse of the euill wherewithall mankind was ouerwhelmed which could be taken away by no creature The latter is the greatnesse of the good which could be restored by none to man againe but by God who alone is truly good q Mat. 19.17 What is the greatnesse of the euill It standeth in foure things which be these The greatnesse of mans sin The infinit vnsupportable weight of Gods anger The power of death The tyrannie of the diuell which to take away to abolish to appease to ouercome none was able but God alone What is the greatnesse of the good which could be restored by no creature The restoring againe of the image of God r Col. 3.10 therefore Christ 1. Cor. 1.31 is made to vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption not onely by reuealing and teaching of them but by performing and restoring of them ſ Luk. 1.77 2. Cor. 5.21 Mat. 20.28 Rom. 3.24 Gal. 3.13 4 5. Tit. 2.14 1. Pet. 1.18 Heb. 5.9 Why is he called the Word Basil saith because he proceeded from the mind and is the image of the Father wholy in himselfe manifesting the Father and hauing his being of himselfe euen as our speech is the patterne of all that we thinke but he as Ignatius saith is the Word of the Father not because he floweth from him but that he is the essentiall Word of the Father Or else as Irenaeus speaketh because he is the Fathers interpreter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is called his speech as it were speaking speaking with the Fathers Or else because it is he of whom speech is made that is of whom the Lord hath spoken or whom the Lord hath promised or else because it is he who spake the word and all things were made According to which nature is he called the image of God Col. 1.15 Not according to his humane nature alone as man is said to be made after the image of God but especially according to his diuine nature but manifested in the flesh or so farre forth as God hath truly manifested himselfe in Christ a 2. Tim. 3.16 whereupon he is called the brightnesse of the glorie of the Father Hebr. 1.3 and the character or ingrauen forme of his person because he is not some vanishing representation but ingrauen and durable Proue that Christ is very man Gen. 3.15 The seede of the woman is promised which shall breake the Serpents head Gen. 22.18 God promised Abraham that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed 2. Sam. 7.12 it is promised to Dauid that his sonne must sit vpon his throne and raigne for euer Esa 7.14 Behold a virgin shall conceiue and bring forth a sonne Besides all these the historie of the Gospell doth plainly proue that Christ was conceiued b Luke 1.31 borne c Luke 2.7 circumcised d Verse 21. had a true body and soule e Luke 22.20 Heb. 2.4 Mat. 26.38 was hungrie f Mat. 4.2 thirstie g Iohn 19.29 shed his blood h Iohn 19.34 that he died i Mat. 27.50 and that he had all the properties and affections of mans nature yet without sinne k
the Lord doth manifest his power by him h Exo. 18.17 2. Againe he is called water Iohn 3.5 Vnlesse a man be borne a new of water and the spirit he shall not enter into the kingdome of God And 7.18 He that beleeueth in me as saith the Scripture riuers of water of eternall life shall flow out of his belly Now this he spake of the spirit because it cooleth vs it quencheth our spirituall thirst i Ioh. 4.14 it watereth vs being emptie of all the iuice of life and maketh vs fruitfull it washeth away all the filthinesse of our hearts and like water is poured into the beleeuers as it is said I will poure out of my Spirit Ioel 2.28 and Esa 44.3 3. He is called fire as Math. 3.11 He that shall come after me he shall baptise you with the holy Ghost and with fire From the effect because he purgeth out all the drosse inflameth vs to the feare of God to loue and kindnesse both of God and our neighbour and hath other effects like vnto fire 4. He is called Seed 1. Iohn 3.9 He which is borne of God hath his seed in himselfe because by his power as it were by seed the faithfull are renewed and are made new men that being dead to sinne they may liue to God 5. He is called the annointing b 1. Ioh. 2.27 Psal 45.8 and the Oile of gladnesse the speech being borrowed from the custome of annointing which was vsed in time of the law to signifie the fragrant smell and spirituall sweetnesse of the gifts of the spirit What doth the holy Ghost dwell in the hearts of the beleeuers onely by his gifts or also by his Essence Yea euen by his Essence yet not extensiuely or as it were a part of the essence of things as the Manichees and others dreamed but intensiuely so farre forth as he is euery where present as he is God and in the efficacie of his presence Rom. 8.11 The Spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwelleth in you And Ioh. 14.23 Christ saith We shall come vnto him and make our abode with him For we may not thinke that he bestowes his gifts so vpon vs that he himselfe should be in another place but he is present with his gifts both to the whole Church and euery particular elect gouerning and quickning them both within and without 1. Câ—â—int 6.19 Your body is the temple of the holy Ghost which is in you And â— Cor. 13.13 The communion of the holy Ghost be with you all What doctrines are contrary to this 1. The heresie of the Pneumatomachoi who denie the holy Ghost who do of set purpose oppose themselues and impugne the holy Ghost of which stamp was Samosatenus who called the holy Ghost the power of God hauing no person and the simple action of God in the hearts of men 2. Macedonius who affirmed the holy Ghost to be not a Lord but a seruant and a Minister and that he was not the Creator but a creature and by the name of Spirit was onely signified those new motions which God stirreth vp in the regenerate abusing that place Psal 51.12 Create a new heart in me O God and renue a right spirit in my bowels Where the name of Spirit is vsed for the created gifts of the Spirit 3. Seruetus who imagined that the holy Ghost was nothing else but the power of God infused into euery creature whereby they moue and liue which Philosophers call Nature 4. The errour of the latter Grecians who denied that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Sonne 5. The blasphemie of Campanus and certaine other Anabaptists who cried out that the holy Ghost tooke his beginning as soone as Christ was glorified abusing that testimonie Iohn 7.39 As yet the holy Ghost was not giuen because Iesus was not yet glorified Where it is manifest that the Euangelist speaketh not of the person but of those admirable gifts which were powred out vpon the Apostles in the day of Pentecost as also in that saying of the Disciples of Iohn Act. 19.2 Yea we haue not so much as heard whether there be any holy Ghost or not 6. The errour of those who denied him to be adored with one and the same faith and inuocation with the Father and the Sonne The fourth common Place of the holy Scripture What is the holy Scripture called THe Scripture putting one name for another is vsed for the writings of the Prophets and Apostles which the companie of the faithfull doth religiously vse for the instruction in godlinesse And it is called holy because being deliuered of God it containeth holy things necessary vnto eternall life And in the same sense it is called the written word of God and the vnappealable Iudge of all controuersies in religion a Esa 8.20 Luk. 16.29.31 Who is the Author of it God himselfe who did commit his will vnto writing by men called immediatly of himselfe and inspired by the holy Ghost as * As his penmen and publike notaries his seruants at hand 2. Pet. 1.21 For the Prophesie was not at any time brought by the will of man but the holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Hereupon all the Prophets do with one accord repeate this The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Esa 58.14 These things saith the Lord Ezec. 12.25.28 2. Tim. 3.16 The whole scripture was giuen of God by inspiration 1. Cor. 2.13 Which things we speake not in the words which mans wisedome teacheth but which the holy Ghost teacheth Wherupon depend the adiuncts of the Scripture as the authority the excellency the truth and fulfilling of them which is as necessary as it must needs be that God is true Whence also it comes to passe that the Scripture alone is to be beleeued for it selfe of it selfe is worthy to be beleeued neither is it subiect to the censure addition diminution or alteration of Angels or men a Deut. 12.32 Reu. 22.18 It alone is without all error b Mar. 16.24 and we are bound to beleeue it alone vpon the bare affirmation thereof by it alone all opinions which all men shall reade c Deu. 17.9.10 Esa 8.20 Mal 2.7 Act. 17.2 are to be confirmed and to be decided d Iosu 1.8 Iob. 5.39 Act. 17.11 This alone is perfect and containeth all things necessary vnto life eternall e Psal 19.8 Luke 16.29 Ioh. 15.15 Act. 20.20.27 2. Tim. 3.16 17 Lastly it is firme and constant f 2. Pet. 1.19 How manifold is it Two-fold for it is deuided into the old and new Testament or into the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles which is contained in the Canonicall bookes Which bookes be called Canonicall All those which being indited by the holy Ghost were either written or allowed by the Prophets and Apostles that these alone might be the rule and direction of faith and good workes by which all other doctrines are to be weighed
dying What then should haue become of man in the conclusion if he had not sinned should he haue euer liued vpon earth No but he should in the end haue remoued into heauen indeed without death which is the dissolution of the soule from the body but yet not without some change such as the Apostle speaketh of 1. Cor. 15.51 shall be in the bodies of the elect who shall be then liuing in the comming of the Lord they shall remoue hence into heauen What things be contrary to this doctrine The errour of the Pelagians who affirmed that man should haue died although he had neuer sinned against those speeches Gen. 2.17 and 3.3 Rom. 5.12 and 1. Cor. 15.21 The twelfth common Place of Mariage What thinke you of Mariage is it a diuine humane or politike constitution IT is diuine 1. because it was instituted by God in Paradise a Gen. 1.27 2.15 betwixt Adam and Eue in their innocencie they then bearing the true image of God 2. Because it was a type of that truly diuine and spirituall mariage which was to be betwixt Christ and his Church b Ephes 5.23 3. Because it was ordained for the propagation of the Church and for the further helping forwards the saluation of man It is also humane or politike or as I may say of humane constitution 1. because it was instituted for the propagation of mankind and ciuill societie vpon earth for in heauen they marry not but are like the Angels of God Mat. 22.30 2. Because for the most part it dependeth vpon the honest constitutions made by man for that purpose How proue you that mariage was instituted by God Gen. 2.18 God said that is in his most wise counsel decreed and ordained it is not good for man to be alone let vs make an helper or companion of his life like vnto him and when he could finde none for Adam before him God brought vpon him a dead sleepe and whilest he was asleepe and so being brought as it were into an extasie voide of griefe and was naturally ignorant what was done took one of his ribs and thereof made woman whom he brought vnto Adam who being led by the spirit of God did prophesie saying This is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh she shall be called Ischa that is Vira Mannesse because she was taken out of man being as it were alter-ipse a second self For this cause shall man leaue his father and mother and cleaue vnto his wife and they shall be one flesh And after the deluge God confirmed mariage and blessed it saying Increase and multiply b Gen 9.1 At length the Sonne of God himselfe restored it being somewhat decaid c Math. 19.4.5.6 honoring the same both with his presence and miraculous gift d Ioh. 2.11 c. To conclude God not onely instituted mariage but also stirreth vp mutuall loue betweene the bride and the bridegroome and furdereth mariage e Genes 24.14 50 51. Whence it followeth first that mariages are not by chance or depending on mans arbiterment onely but are fatall and gouerned by Gods prouidence Secondly that mariage is a good and a holy thing Thirdly that it is to be vndertaken in the feare of God and inuocation for his direction But are not Moses and Paul contrary one to another where it is said Gen. 2.18 It is not good for man to be alone and 1. Cor. 7.1 g Gen. 2.18 It is good for man not to touch a woman h 1. Cor. 7.1 No for that Paul speaketh first of good which is profitable and not of honestie and he doth not oppose good vnto vice or sinne but vnto inconuenient Secondly because that in Genesis is vnderstood of the species or greatest part of mankind which wold decay if it were not continued and increased by mariage neither can a man liue chastly without mariage but Paul speaketh of certaine indiuidua or persons hauing the gift so as they can liue chastly without mariage for of others he saith It is better to marrie then to burne i 1. Cor. 7.9 But tell me whether Paul speaking of a virgin 1. Cor. 7.38 k 1. Cor. 7.38 and saying He that bestoweth her not in mariage doth better do meane that virginitie deserueth more the fauour of God then mariage He speaketh onely of some outward commodities of the single life for the present necessitie that is imminent persecutions l verse 26. and for that the vnmaried is more expedite and fit to teach to serue the Church to vndergo the dangers of his profession and the duties of piety with a better and freer mind m verse 32.34 and insinuateth more difficulty to be in mariage then in the single life as he speaketh concerning the maried Such shall haue trouble in the flesh n verse 28 and more distraction of thoughts and care for the things of this world o vers 33.34 and therfore that the single life is more profitable vnto him that hath the gift of continencie and lesse subiect to distractions and troubles and in this respect more blessed then mariage p verse 40. Notwithstanding the godly maried may also care for those things which belong vnto the Lord as Abraham Isaac Iacob Zacharias Iohn Baptists father and the like What is contrary to this doctrine concerning the efficient cause of Matrimonie The heresie of Montanus the Tatians Saturnians Manichees Marcionites Priscillianists Encratites who condemned mariage as the doctrine and worke of the diuell Pope Syricius differed not much from this heresie who called matrimonie vncleannesse of the flesh in which no man might please God Vnto all whom that saying of S. Paul is to be opposed 1. Tim. 4. 1. Tim. 4.1.2.3.4 Of the matter of Mariage Of how many and of what manner of persons ought Mariage to consist Of two onely one man and one woman for so saith the Lord Two shal be one flesh a Gen. 1.27 2.24 Mat. 19.5 and so many suffice for procreation of offspring But whenas the maried couples giue themselues mutually one to another they are both the second causes efficient and they also the matter of mariage What is contrary to this Polygamie not of hauing many wiues successiuely when one succeedeth another but of enioying more then one at one and the same time Gen. 4.19 which corruptiō of lawful mariage begun in Lamech of Cains race and was afterwards permitted vnto the Fathers not for wantonnesse but for increase of an holy seed both for that politick customes were at that time as also that God might thereby manifest his promise of an innumerable seede to spring of a few But Christ condemned it afterwards Mat. 19.8 5.32 saying It was not so from the beginning and declaring that who so putteth away his wife and taketh another committeth adulterie For that God being about to giue Adam a wife tooke not two or more but one ribbe out of
guiltie of Gods anger and eternall death vntil pardon be granted and except the benefit of Christ help a Ioh. 1.29 and besides these it comprehendeth those workes which the corruption of our nature bringeth forth in vs which the Scripture calleth The workes of the flesh b Gal. 5.19 By what names is this sinne called in the Scriptures The sinne that dwelleth in a man because it remaineth continually in the flesh vntill death but in them who are not regenerate it raigneth in the regenerate it only dwelleth and not raigneth c Rom. 7.17.20 Malum adiacens The sinne which easilie cleaueth to vs and compasseth vs round about occupying all our strength e Heb 12.1 The sense and vnderstanding of the flesh f Rom. 8.6 Also it is absolutely and simply called Sinne g Rom 7 8. Because it is the source and fountaine of all sinnes The bodie of sinne h Rom. 6.6 because in it are gathered together all sins which breake forth when occasion is giuen The Lawe of the â—â—mbers i. because all the members of soule and bodie i Rom. 13.4 that is all the parts powers of man obey it as a Law Flesh k Gen. 6 3. concupiscence c. to which is opposed the Spirit which signifyeth the grace of regeneration l Gal. 16.17 The heart of man m Gen 8 21 Also old Adam n Rom 6 6. How doth Originall sinne differ from actuall sinne As the tree differeth from the fruite or the roote from the branches Originall sinne is like a tree and a roote out of which euill fruites and boughes do spring namely actuall sins not only outward but also inward Out of the heart proceede euill thoughts saith Christ Mat. 15.19 Gal. 5.19 In that place are recited the workes and fruites of the flesh that is of originall sinne Moreouer in actuall sinne the matter of the sinne remaineth not for when a man hath either committed adulterie or spoken blaspheamie those actions straight cease to be when the thing is done notwithstanding the offence to God and the guilt remaine still But in originall sin the matter therof passeth not away for wee finde in experience that the corruption of nature sticketh by vs seeing still we run into sinne and are vntoward to heauenly things both in body and soule What is the end or wage of Originall sin Eternall damnation together with all the mischiefes incident to this life a Gen 2 17 3 19 What is the effect thereof It deceiueth it worketh all concupiscence it killeth b Rom. 5 12 17 What vse is there of this Doctrine concerning Originall sinne A threefold vse 1. That wee may acknowledge our vncleannesse and that laying away all arrogancie wee may betake our selues and flie to Christ our Sauiour 2. That in what manner we vnderstand that the vnrighteousnesse of Adam is imputed to vs in the same maner we may beeleeue that wee by the righteousnesse of Christ are accounted truly and perfectly iust before GOD as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 5.15 3. That because our birth and generation was and is full of vice wee may know we haue neede of a regeneration according to that Ioh. 3.5 Except a man be borne againe he cannot enter into the kingdome of Heauen How is this Doctrine opposed By sundry errors 1. Of the Pelagians who denie that Originall sinne is deriued by propagation to posteritie but say it is conueyed only by imitation and example They also affirme that death is the condition of mans nature although Adam had not fallen Also that Adams sinne hurt no man but himselfe onely Also they say that infants when they are borne doe not bring with them a prauitie of nature resisting the law of God contrarie to Pauls assertion Rom. 5 12. 2. By the Monkes who denie that Originall sinne is a sin worthy of death but either a guiltinesse onely of another mans faults or onely a fewell and matter to feede sinne contrarie to Pauls speach Ephes 2.3 where he saith VVe are the children of wrath Also they determine that it is onely in the bodie in the senses and inferiour faculties but not in the minde and will Also that by Baptisme not only the guilte but the euill and prauitie of concupiscence is taken away that concupiscence is not a sinne but a natuall appetite or desire that it is onely in the sensual appetite giuen vnto man that by striuing with it he may more more be sharpened to follow vertue and may binde God to himselfe by his greater desert Also they say that infants damned for Original sin only haue not poena sensus no punishment of feeling in their bodies but only poena damni or punishment by losse of the sight and enioying of God although it be credible that those are more gently to bee punished in whom originall sinne hath not yet broke forth into workes Also that Marie the mother of our Lord was conceiued borne without originall sin which iudgment also they hold of Iohn Baptist therefore that Christ died not for Marie and Iohn Baptist because he died for originall sinne onely which they wanted yet Mary reioyced in God her Sauiour and Iohn confesseth that he is not worthie to beare the shoes of Christ 3 Of those who say the corruption onely of nature is imputed to vs not the guilt also of Adam and contrarily of those who say the guilt and not the corruption is to be vnderstood by the name of originall sinne 4 Of those Papists who hold that onely actuall sinnes are forbidden by the law and that therefore a man may satisfie the Lawe 5 Of the adherents of Flauius Illiricus who teach that it is not an accident but the verie nature of man and the substance thereof corrupted contrarie to that saying of Paule Rom. 7.21 Sinne is present with me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and contrarie to those testimonies which teach that God is author of mans nature euen since his fall and also against those places whereby wee learne that Christ tooke our humane nature and substance and redeemed man but not sinne 6 Of the Philosophers who call that only sinne which resisteth reason whereas reason it selfe can doe nothing but erre vntill it be enlightened by the light of God 7 Of the Libertines who define and restraine sin to be only that wherein a man thinketh himselfe to sinne 8 The blasphemie of the Manichees who say that sinnes proceed of God ⧠The sixteenth Place of Actuall sinne VVhat is actuall sinne IT is a fruit of Originall sinne when the lawe of God is actually violated to wit euery action affection speech or omission disaagreeing with Gods will whereby a man becomes guiltie anew and is guiltie of Gods anger and eternall death Of which Iames speaketh 1.15 Concupiscence after it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne and sinne finished bringeth forth death whereby Concupiscence he vnderstandeth the roote that is Originall sinne by sinne finished
gazing into heauen this Iesus vvhich is taken vp from yov into heauen shall so come as ye haue seene him goe into heauen And Paule beareth record of it Ephe. 4.8 VVherfore the scripture saith Psa 69.19 When he ascēded vp on high he led coptiuitie captiue and gaue gifts vnto men Novv in that he ascended vvhat is it but that he had also descended first into the lowest parts of the earth He that descended is euen the same that ascended farre aboue all heauen's that he might fill all things See 1. Tim. 3.16 Heb. 4.14 9.24 What must be vnderstood by ascension Not a changing of one condition or estate into another or a vanishing out of sight but properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a motion from one place to another and that from the lower to the higher For they are said to ascend who remoue from a lower place to a higher 2. King 2.12 And Elias ascended by a whirlewind into heauen And Psal 139.8 If I ascend into heauen thou art there But figuratiuely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or attributing that to God which belongeth to man it is spoken of God Gen. 17.22 God went from the sight of Abraham And Psal 47.16 God is gone vp with triumph euen the Lord with the sound of the trumpet But also Iohn 3.13 in the first part of the verse to ascend into heauen signifieth allegorically to be endued with the light of spirituall vnderstanding Is the word Ascension vsed properly or figuratiuely in this place Properly without question as it may manifestly be proued out of diuers formes of speeches which the Euangelists haue vsed for better declaration sake for Mar. 16.19 saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he was taken vp and on high into heauen Luk. 24.51 saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was remoued from them or went away from them But it is plaine how by the word of going away is signified a remouing into another place And the same Euangelist giueth to vnderstand whither he went away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was caried vp into heauen He was caried saith he which againe certainly noteth a motion from place to place Act. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was lifted vp and Nubes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cloud tooke him vp out of their sights Not because of himselfe he became inuisible but because he went higher and further off then his Disciples sight could reach Moreouer the Apostles do follow him with their eyes and sight as farre as they can whilest he did not vanish away out of their sight but stil went vp on his way For while he was going 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth remouing from place to place they stood stedfastly with their eyes vp to heauen Which had beene a foolish part of thē if they had not seene him caried on high To conclude the Angels helping the defect of the Apostles sight do testifie that Christ was taken vp by them into heauen and that he should so come as they had seene him going into heauen Hereupon the Greeke Fathers do call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assumption or taking vp of Christ in the flesh and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his ascension or going vp By the examination of these things which haue beene said it followeth that the ascension of Christ is not an act vndivisible or momentanie but devisible and distinguished by parts of his motion and going forward and by times and places by which he was caried vp from a lower place to a higher namely from earth vnto heauen Seeing in that saying of Paule Ephes 4.10 he that descended is also the same that ascended the word of descending doth figuratiuely signifie the humiliation of Christ why is not also the word of ascending taken figuratiuely for the same Christs exaltation glorification Because when Christ descended from heauen he descended without changing his place at what time he was God onely and not man but by that his descension was made man but when he ascended into heauen he ascended with changing of place when he was God and man Who ascended Christ who is both God and man the same who was borne man of the virgin Marie who suffered and died who rose againe and after his resurrection stayed fortie daies with his Disciples vpon the earth He I say and no other descended He that descended is euen the same that ascended Ephes 4.9 Therefore the whole Christ did really ascend because the same Christ was true God and true man but in respect of his humanitie he in his bodie ascended properly and locally from earth into heauen euen as before he had ascended truly and by a locall motion out of the graue into the land of the liuing Therfore in respect hereof it is said by Marke being taken or receiued vp and of Luke in the Acts being lifted vp For these things do not agree to the Diuinitie or Godhead of which it is said Ierem. 23.24 I fill heauen and earth but by a communication of properties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is said of the whole person of Christ which is onely proper to one part of his nature And as Theodoretus saith Those things which are proper to the nature are communicated to the whole person Who is the efficient cause or author of Christs ascension Christ himself who by the Almighty power of his Godhead did carie vp his humane nature bring it into heauen but because the diuine power of the Father and Sonne is all one this remouing into heauen as also the raysing of him vp againe is ascribed also to the power of the Father Act. 2.33 By the right hand that is by the power and vertue of God he hath beene exalted and hath receiued of his father the promise of the holy Ghost and cap. 5.30 The God of our fathers hath raised vp Iesus vvhom ye slevv and hanged on a tree Him I say hath God lift vp vvith his right hand to be a Prince and a Sauiour But his humane nature hauing gotten agility and nimblenes of body by the resurrection mouing it selfe by the appointment and commaund of the Godheed went vpon high and ascended truely and properly and therefore it may be called a ministring or seruing cause of the ascension From vvhence is the reason and certaintie of the ascension to be taken From the adiuncts or circumstances namely of time the place from vvhence the manner of his ascension the place vnto vvhich and the vvitnesses VVhat time did he ascend On the fortieth day after his resurrection after that he had spoken to his Disciples concerning the kingdome of God that is after he had enstructed them more fully of the things pertaining to saluation and had confirmed and assured them concerning his resurrection and the truth of his bodie so as they could no longer doubt of it From vvhat place did he ascend Luke in the Gospell cap. 24.50 saith that the Disciples were led forth by Christ vnto
he is here lo he is there And Paule bids that we shew forth the Lords death till he come 1. Cor. 11.26 What therefore is that which Paule saith Ephes 4.10 that Christ ascended aboue all heauens that he might fulfill all things The meaning is that he might poure out vpon the Church which consisteth both of Iewes and Gentiles his gifts and benefits by the holy Ghost a Ioh. 14.16 For so is the word of fulfilling taken b Isa 33· 5. Ierm 31 25 And this particle answereth to that which he said before out of Psalm 68.19 Hee ascended vp on high and gaue gifts to men the similitude being taken from Princes who after victorie obtained doe shew their liberalitie to all their people 1. Serm. de aduentu eyther by solemne feastes or largesses and gifts Or vnderstand it so as Bernard hath obserued that he might fulfill all things namely which were foretold and which were required to our saluation What witnesses were there of his ascension The Angels for it was fit that he who in his conception natiuite temptation death and resurrection had vsed the ministerie testimonie of Angels should now also vse the same for witnesses when he was to performe the greatest worke pertaining to his diuine maiestie 1 That he might mitigate their griefe which his Disciples tooke at their separation from their meekest Lord and Master by the promise of his future comming 2 That when the sight of the Apostles fayled they might shew the way into heauen as Chrysostome saith homilia de ascension◠Domini 3 That they might teach that though he was absent in bodie yet he would defend his seruants by his spirit and protect them by the ministerie of Angels Besides this witnesse of the Angels the Disciples also were witnesses Who were the foretellers of this ascension Dauid a thousand yeares before it fell out saw this triumph in the Spirit and sang a song of victorie to Christ triumphing a Psal 68.5 Enoch the sonne of Iared the seuenth man from Adam a man verie godly and a Prophet was taken vp into heauen and did figure this ascension b Gen 5.24 Heb. 11.5 being suddenly made of mortall immortall and translated into eternall blessednesse c 1. Cor. 15 52. 1. Thes 4 17 But chiefely Elias being caried vp into heauen by a whirle wind on a fierie Chariot and horses that is which shined with light like fire d 2. King 2.11 was a notable testimonie and example not onely of the Lords ascension but also of eternall life For that which the Lord saith Iohn 3.13 No man ascendeth vp into heauen but he that hath descended from heauen the sonne of man which is in heauen is to be vndestood of the proper vertue of his ascension and his aduancement aboue all creatures But how doth the ascension of Elias differ from Christs ascension As a shadow differeth from a bodie or a picture from a quicke man For 1 Elias was translated into heauen without the panges of death that God by this publicke testimonie might auow and ratifie his doctrine and by this meanes might reclaime the Israelites from Idolatrie to sincere religion and pietie But Christ before he ascended suffered and died but he reuiued and manifested the glorie of his resurrection by ascending and confirmed also whatsoeuer was said or done by him 2 Elias ascended by the ministerie of Angels in a fiery chariot In homil ascensionis because as Gregorie saith Pure man needs the helpe of other things neither could he ascend into heauen by himselfe whom the impuritie of his flesh did oppresse and keepe downe Bvt Christ was caried vp into heauen not in a chariot but by his owne power without the ministerie of Angels because he who had made all things was by his owne power caried aboue all things 3 Elias left vnto Eliseus his cloke the gifts of the spirit doubled vpon him but Christ compassed his Disciples with his cloke that is he put vpon them power from aboue filling them with the gifts of the holy Ghost and gaue vnto them power to worke miracles double to his greater then his own a Ioh. 14.12 not in nature but in number and efficacie or with greater effect I say with greater power not of the Disciples but of their maister who wrought in them but especially the conuersion of the Gentiles vnto Christ by the preaching of the Gospell 4 Elias was made a Citizen of heauen but vnto a Christ alone is giuen a name aboue all names and he is become so much more excellent then Angels by how much he hath obtained a more excellent name then they haue Ephes 1.21 Phil. 2.9 Heb. 1.4 What is the end of this Triumph 1 That he might seale vnto vs the worke of our redemption being now complete and perfected and might testifie that eternall righteousnesse was brought vnto vs. For which cause Augustine calleth it the confirmation of the Catholike faith To the same effect is that Ephes 4.10 He ascended that he might fulfill all things namely all the oracles and prophecies which were extant of him such as was the foretelling of his ascension and which it behoued to be fulfilled to accōplish the work of our redemption 2 That he might giue a cleare testimonie of his Godhead by which mans nature was caried on high 3 That hauing ouercome death he might obtaine that glorie in his humanitie which before the foundations of the world were laid was prepared for him a Ioh. 17.5 For then Christs glory was made most apparant when as the new guest who was both God and man was entertained in heauen which then the Angels had not seene from beginning of the world To the same purpose is that which is said Psal 24.7 Ye Princes open your gates that the king of glorie may enter in 4 That he might prouide for vs a mansion and abode in the heauens and might put vs in certaine hope that our soules being separated from our bodies should go vnto him and that we also may ascend into heauen in bodie also at the last day for where the head is there also must the members be Iohn 14.3 What are the effects and fruits of the Lords ascension 1 Captiuitie was led captiue Christ triumphed ouer Sathan death sinne and hell of which it is said Coloss 2.15 And he hath spoiled principalities and powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in the same crosse 2 The sending of the Comforter that is the holy Ghost and that visibly namely on the fiftieth day after his resurrection Act. 2.1 c. Which the Apostles should not haue receiued vnlesse Christ in his bodie had departed from them Iohn 16.7 Then a visible powring out of diuers giftes of the same spirit vpon the Church Epist ad Dardanum And to this effect is that saying Ephes 4.10 He ascended that he might fulfill all things not in his
planted deepe enough in processe of time doth wither away so Symon Magus is said to haue beleeued after this maner Act 8.13 and the Apostates which had in some sort tasted of the sweetnesse of the Doctrine of the Gospell but had not swallowed it downe nor disgested it as being destitute of the liuely heate of the holy Ghost Heb. 6.4.5.6 which faith proceedeth indeede from the inward working of the holy Ghost but not from the spirit of adoption And this is called a temporarie faith 6. It signifieth sometimes a certaine perswasion of some miraculous effect to come the same perswasion being conceiued by Reuelation or some speciall promise or by the motion of the holy Ghost the obiect of which faith and perswasion is the power of God a Mat. 7.22 17 19.20 able to worke miracles 1. Cor. 12.9 To one is giuen faith by the same spirit And 1. Cor. 13.2 If I had all faith that is to say If I had a kinde of perfection of this faith of working miracles so that I could remooue mountaines c. It signifieth also the confidence of obteyning some particuler obiect As Act. 14.9 A certaine man at Lystra beeing impotent in his feete had faith to be healed of saint Paul Which faith they call the faith of miracles particuler faith the one actiue the other passiue And to this faith of miracles is opposed also a doubting which was foūd in great measure euen in Moses himselfe b Num. 20.12 and in Aaron in the Disciples a Mat. 7.22 17 19.20 and in Peter b Num. 20.12 7. It signifieth sauing faith which is common to all the true members of Christ of which in this place we are purposed to speake Is the name of faith spoken absolutely or by relation By relation especially in Paul because there is therein a respect to the obiect neither can faith be defined but by making mentition of the correlatiue .i. of mercie promised for Christs sake What is the obiect of Faith The obiect of faith leuell is they call it that is to say beyond which faith doth not extend it selfe is euery word of GOD in generall set downe in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles Hence it is that that is called generall faith whereby wee are perswaded that those things which are reuealed vnto vs in the word of God are true not by reason but because we are assured inwardly in our hearts by the holy Ghost that they are deliuered and set out by God who is true and almightie By this faith we vnderstand that the world was made by the word of God Heb. 11.3 of nothing Contrarie to the Axiome of all the Philosophers that of nothing nothing is made whereas otherwise by the very testimonie of nature it might bee acknowledged that the world was made this faith Iustifying faith doth necessarily presuppose and yet of it selfe it doth not iustifie Of this faith the Lord speaketh Esa 55.3 Heare mee .i. Beleeue mee and your soule shall liue And Iohn 20.31 These things are vvritten that yee should beleeue And the word of God is not only the obiect whereat alone faith must aime but it is also the Basis and foundation whereby it is vnderpropped sustained from whence if it doe neuer so little decline it by and by fals to the ground And therefore Paul saith Rom. 10.14 Faith is by hearnig hearing by the vvord of God frō whence we gather that nothing is to be accoumpted for the Doctrine of Faith religion which is not deriued out of the word of God But the principall chiefe immediate and proper obiect of faith by the apprehension whereof it doth iustifie is Christ crucified with al his benefits so farre forth as is offered vnto vs in the word and Sacraments and in him God the father 1. Pet. 1.21 By Christ his meanes you doe beleeue in God which raised him from the dead gaue him glorie that your faith and hope might bee in God or the promise proper vnto the gospell for the free mercie of God forgiuing sinnes for his sonnes sake and accepting and receiuing beleeuers vnto life eternal He that beleeueth in me hath life eternall Ioh. 6.47 The Law is not of faith Gal. 3.12 And this faith is properly and specially called Sauing and iustifying faith And by this obiect Christian faith is discerned distinguished from all sectes which indeede doe professe themselues to beleeue in God but not in Christ How many integrall parts are there that doe make faith Three 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illumination or knowledge in the minde of Christ crucified his benefits not such knowledge as commeth by the beholding of him with bodily eyes but by the a 1. Tim. ◠4 offering of him vnto vs in the word and Sacraments which knowledge may be common also to others besides those that are iustified Heb. 10.26 If vve sinne vvillingly that is to say of set purpose generally flying from Christ after vvee haue receiued the knovvledge of the trueth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes 2. A consent and iudgement likewise in the minde allowing that as true yea as the verie trueth of God which is taught in the word concerning Christ and his benefits Of which consent and iudgement Paul speaketh Rom. 7.16 I consent vnto the law that it is good And. 1. Cor. 2.15 Hee that is spirituall discerneth all things But yet this generall iudgement is not enough vnlesse there bee also a speciall iudgement whereby the beleeuer doth apply vnto himselfe those good wholsome things which are offered in the word that is to say the generall promise of life eternall purchased vnto all beleeuers by the bloud of Christ this he must applie to belong vnto himselfe And of this iudgement ariseth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is assurance of faith which is spoken of Hebrewes 10.22 3. The apprehension of the heart in the will and affection whereby it commeth to passe that with our heart and will as with a hand wee doe apprehend and with both our armes wee doe embrace that which our minde hath iudged and discerned not onely to bee true but also good holie and to saluation and withall to belong peculierly vnto our selues Rom. 10.10 VVith the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse VVhat is faith It is a knowledge consent and longing for grace promised in the word of God and so also a stedfast confidence apprehension of the obtaining of saluation for Christs sake or faith is a firme certaine knowledge of the goodwill of God towards vs which being grounded vpon the free promise of God in Christ is reuealed vnto our mindes sealed in our hearts by the holy Ghost or faith is the desire apprehension of the heart arising out of the knowledge and approbation of the minde and from a speciall iudgement and discerning whereby we do apply euery one particulerly to himselfe Christ crucified with his benefits offered vnto vs
vs. And Pro. 24.16 The righteous man falleth seuen times a day And it is 〈◊〉 with contrition or with an inward true sorow of mind confession of sins before God either priuately euery man by himselfe such as was the Publicane a Luke 18.14 or publickly and ioyntly in the Church the minister going before b Leuit 6.21 Now seing God alone is offended and it belongeth to God onely to forgiue sinnes therefore their confession ought to be directed onely to God not as ignorant thereof but as the searcher of the hearts and raines Psalm 32.5 I acknovvledged my sinne vnto thee saith Dauid and did not hide mine iniquitie I said I vvill confesse against my selfe my vvickednesse to the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquitie of my heart And 1. Iohn 1.9 If vve acknovvledge our sinnes the Lord is faithfull to forgiue vs our sinnes And therfore Chrysostome Homil. 2. vpon Psalm 50. saith I doe not say that thou shouldest confesse thy sinnes to thy fellow seruant who may vpbraid thee but to God that may heale thee And whereas Iames. 5.6 willeth that wee should confesse our sinnes not to the Priests but one to another it must bee vnderstoode both of the priuate disclosing of our infirmities for mutuall aduise and to receiue comfort as also of reconciliation and by pardoning of offences to pacifie our neighbour which Christ commendeth vnto vs Mat. 5.23.24 If thou bring thy gift to the Altar there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thy gift before the Altar and goe thy vvay first be reconciled vnto thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Where he applyeth his speach to the estate of his owne times hee doth not teach vs that wee must now haue altars or that we must vse such kinde of offerings but charitie must so be made vp againe which by our fault hath broke asunder namely by the acknowledging our fault and crauing pardon for it Yet this hindereth not but any priuate man may aduise with his Pastor and may open vnto him the secret griefe of his minde and may expect from him the comfort of the Gospell Moreouer the sheepe may set themselues before the sheepeheard as often as they will partake of the holy Supper that so they may receiue comfort or instruction or admonition priuately applyed vnto thēselues so that tyrannie and superstition a Mat. 3.6 bee not vsed therein For it is the office of the Pastor publikely and priuately to teach b Act. 20.20 and comfort the people of God with the doctrine of the Gospel hereof we haue the example of Dauid when he dealt with Nathan 2. Sam 12.13 Are vve to reckon vp all our sinnes No indeede neither can it bee done For Dauid crieth out Ps 19.12 VVho can vnderstand his faults Cleanse mee from my secret sinnes And Psalm 38.5 My iniquities haue gone ouer my heade And the Publican Luk. 18.13 was content to say Lord be mercifull to mee a sinner Eze. 18.21 As often as a sinner shall repent him of his sinnes I vvill remember his iniquities no more saith the Lord. VVhich is speciall or extraordinarie repentance That which draweth from vs a publike confession of our sins and an intreating of the grace of God Of hovv manie sorts is it It is also of two sorts priuate of one alone or of some fewe and common or of some whole Church VVhat is meant by common extraordinarie repentance When a whole assembly or Church perceiuing the plagues of God present or imminent by reason of the publick offences of the greater part appointing a solemne profession of Repentance the same being commaunded by the magistrates or gouernours of the Church with weeping mourning and fasting doth pray against the wrath of god c Ioel 2.12 wherunto in old time the Church of the Iewes did adde the renting of their clothes ashes sackcloth as tokens of their guiltines d Ier. 6.26 Such was the repentance of the Niniuites e Ionas 3 5. and of Nehemiah set downe Nehem. 1.4 and of the Israelites f Ester 4 3 What is priuate extraordinary repentance It was a part of the Ecclesiasticall discipline which was in vse when any man after hee was receiued into the societie of the citizens of the Church had grosly fallen and had giuen ouer himselfe to sinne with vnbrideled licentiousnesse or after a kinde of falling away had cast off the yoke of god so by his ill behauiour had offended the Church so that the Ecclesiastical consistory was compelled to exclude him out of the Ecclesiasticall assembly a Mat. 18.15.16.17 for then there were required of him publick tokens of his repentance as namely extraordinary sorrow mourning confession desiring of pardon whereby he was to satisfie the Church and by which the Church might gather that he that had offended did intend a true serious repentance and so he was againe receiued After this maner was that Corinthian receiued into the fellowshippe of the Saints when hee had shewed himselfe obedient vnto correction b 2. Cor. 2 6 VVhat were the parts of this Repentance Three Contrition Confession and Satisfaction What was contrition In the auntient Church when it was in most puritie it was not a kinde of satisfaction for sinne before God for so that should haue beene transferred vnto men which is proper vnto Christ alone but it was a continual and manifest sorrow of one excluded from the Ecclesiastical assembly for his offence which sorrow was manifested by the teares of the repentant sinner desiring to come into fauour againe with the Church an example whereof we haue in the same incestuous Corinthian c 2. Cor 2.7 VVhat was confession Not an auricular reckoning vp of secret sinnes in the eare of the Priest but onely of that fault or offence of which hee that was excluded was reproued in old time an acknowledgement and detestation of some sinne before the Church or before all the brethren afterwardes before the Ecclesiasticall Senate and at length especially in the Romane Church by reason of the Nouatians before the Priest that was chosen for the purpose to heare the confession of the repentant sinners in the behalfe of the whole Church that so they might be the lesse ashamed But this was taken away againe by Nectarius bishoppe of the Church of Constātinople in the time of Theodosius the great by reason of a Deacon who vnder colour thereof had defloured a matron Socrates Ecclesiasticall Historie l. 5. Cha. 19. whose sētence his successor Chrysostome did approue and follow What was Satisfaction Not the vndergoing of punishment or the compensation of sins to deserue pardon for them at Gods hands for with God there is free remission of sins for Christs sake a Isa. 43.25 act 10.43 not only as touching the fault but likewise also as concerning the punishment Ier. 31.34 The Lord will remember your iniquities no more Also He wil
seruants of God and 8.2 Christ hath set mee free from the law of sinne and death The other whereby wee shall bee wholy redeemed into full and perfect libertie a Epb 1 14. And this is called the redemption of liberty that is freedome of libertie or of deliuerance And Rom. 8.21 The glorious libertie of the sonnes of God b Luk. 21.28 And the redemption of our bodies Rom. 8.23 Wee may tearme that onely begun this perfect For though wee be made free by the first kinde of liberty yet in some part we are held in some slauerie by the power of sinne so as wee cannot doe that we would c Gal. 5.17 And the seruitude of corruption yea euen death it selfe doth hold vs fettered in her chaines vntill that day of redemption d Eph. 4.30 when Christ shall by his power set vs free being redeemed by himselfe For wee are onely saued by hope Rom. 8.24 and 1. Iohn 3.2 Now are we the sonnes of God free indeed e Mat 5.17.25 but it hath not yet appeared what we shall be but wee knowe that when he shall appeare wee shall bee like vnto him euen as he is Like vnto this shall that our deliuerance be or the restauration of the creature not of the Angels or of euery particuler man but of the frame of the heauens and of the elements whereby it shal be deliuered from the bondage of corruption whereunto now it is subiect into the libertie of the glorie of the sonnes of god that is into that happy estate of incorruption which shal be made manifest when the sonnes of God shal be exalted into glorie For there shal be new heauens and a new earth 2. Pet. 3.13 f 2 pet 3.21 Ro. 8 19.20 21 now in this place we doe especially speake of the first kinde of libertie What is christian libertie It is a spirituall liberty whereby we that truely beleeue are freed and sett at libertie by the bloud of Christ from the slauery of sinne and the tiranny of the deuill 2 From the accusation burthen and curse of the lawe the weight of Gods anger Damnation and eternall death 3 And being indued with the spirit of adoption of libertie illumination we are deliuered from the vaile of the heart that is from the miserable blindenes of error and the bondage of darknesse which was brought vpon vs by Adams sinne lastly from the yoke of the ceremonies of the law of meates drink daies of apparrell of the bodie and from such necessary obseruing of dâ—fference in thinges indifferent and so from all humane traditions to the end that wee might willingly and cheerefully as well in soule as in body serue God in righteousnesse and holinesse all the daies of our life Rom. 4.12.13.14 a 1. Cor. 9.27 Gal 3.45 Tit. 2.11 12 VVhat is the cause of this libertie The chiefe efficient cause is god the meritorious is Christ alone the deliuerer as Ioh. 8.36 It is expressly said If the sonne make you free you shal be free indeed And. Gal. 5.1 stand fast in that libertie whereby christ hath made you free For he hath purchased this libertie for vs with his owne pretious bloud b Col. 1.14 1. Pet. 1.18 The cooperator is the holy Ghost 2. Cor. 3.17 where the spirit of the Lorde is there is libertie who is also both the earnest and witnesser of the same There be two instrumentall causes namely the trueth or the gospell wherein this libertie is propounded Ier. 34.15 Behold I preach libertie Iohn 8.32 yee shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free And faith whereby it is imbraced Rom. 5.2 By faith are we brought into this grace wherein we stand the subiect is euery one that beleeueth whether Grecian or Iew whether male or female whether bond or free 1. Cor. 7.22 c Gal. 3.28 The manner or forme of this spirituall liberty is not perceiued by the sence of man but it is wrought secretly whilest that the soules of the faithfull are besprinkled and washed in the bloude of the sonne of God and are reformed by the holy ghost and their consciences purified by faith from dead workes to serue the liuing god Heb. 9.14 By which meanes it commeth to passe that this liberty wheresoeuer it is hath these accidents or properties righteousnesse peace a good conscience and ioy in the holy ghost a Rom. 14.17 1. Ti. 3.3 And therefore Ioseph inioyeth this liberty although a slaue and bound in prison b Gen. 39 20.21 Daniell sitting amongst the lions c Dan. 6.17 23. Lazarus full of botches and boiles d Luk. 16.20 22. In what thinges doth it consist or how manie partes hath it or how manie degrees be there of this libertie Foure 1. The first is a deliuerance from sinne and death which is wrought by the remission of sinne that it be not imputed by the mortifieng of the flesh least it preuaile and by freeing vs from the second death according to the saying of Paule Rom. 8 1.2 there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ For the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus that is the spirit of Christ or the grace of regeneration hath freed me from the lawe the authority and force of sinne and death and therefore this is called the libertie of righteousnesse d Col 1 14 Heb. 9.15 and of life and the remission of sinnes e Eph. 1.7 and transgressionsg. the lawe of the spirit of life that is Christs holinesse inherent in Christe which is in Christ Iesus himselfe hath freed me from the lawe of sinne and of death How are we said to be freed from sinne seing it doth alwaies dwell in vs and. Iohn 1.8 If ye say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs We must distinguish betweene sinne raigning and sinn subdued Rom. 6 6. c. so also betweene the matter and the forme of sinne For we are freed from the raigning and dominion of sinne which dwelleth in vs also from the forme or the guilt of sinne whereupon is that 1. Iohn 3.6 we reade whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not that is greedily with desire to obey it slavishly and without all resisting of it a that is to say he that is truly partaker of Christ doth not giue himselfe ouer to sinne Againe verse the. 9. euery one that is borne of god sinneth not that is he doth not sinne with full purpose And we do not deny that sinne is in the faithfull or dwelleth in them but that it raigneth not b Rom. 6 12 And touching the guilte Psal 32.1 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered blessed is the man vnto whome the Lord imputeth no sinne But of sinne subdued and the matter of it Eccle. 7.20 it is written there is no man iust vpon earth which doth good and sinneth not VVhat is the vse ef this part
neither the Apostles making intercession for the Cananite a Mat. 15 24. Nor Marie his mother for the new maried couple but roughly put her back from him b Ioh. 2.4 For seeing he himself is sufficiently careful of our safety he needeth not intermessengers Are there not also in the mean time left to the saints in this life their intercessors wherby among themselues they do commend one anothers safetie vnto God Yes doublesse c 1 Tim. 2.1 proceeding from charity but which do depend vpon that only intercession of Christ and are made in his name and are directed to it Whereupon rightly Augustine If thou seeke for a priest he is aboue the heauens where he maketh request for thee who died for thee vpon earth Doth the intercession of Saints departed follow vpon that because men which liue vpon earth are commaunded to pray likewise one for another Iam. 5.16 In no wise because they which liue heere do this for the maintaining of charity according to the Lords precept neither are they destitute of a promise which reasons are far from the dead whom the Lord hath remoued from our company and conuersation Eccle. 9.5.6 The dead know vs not and therefore he would haue them to be estranged from the knowledge of our affaires for that which some say concerning the looking glasse of the Trinitie wherein they may from aloft espie the conditions of men it is a feigned fable What is the subiect of prayer wherein it is Not the mouth not the tongue not the lips not the throat it selfe d Esay 29 13 Math. 15.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the soule it selfe or minde of the faithfull for prayer is the talke of the soule and properly of the inward affection of the heart which is powred out vnto God the searcher of hearts e Math 6 6 Ioh. 4.24 God is a Spirit therefore he is to be worshipped and adored in Spirit And I will pray with the Spirit and with the vnderstanding saith Paule 2. Cor. 14.15 What is the matter of prayer that is what things are to be asked of God Not all things whatsoeuer but things promised and commanded of God and which can conueniently be giuen of God and according to his will declared to vs in his word Therefore wee must not aske vnprofitable foolish hurtfull vniust things but those things which are lawfull a Luk 1 6.13 12 13 Math 20.24.22 And this is the assurance that we haue toward him that he heareth vs if we aske any thing according to his will 1. Iohn 5.14 Neyther let vs desire one thing which he may not grant For true prayer ought to rest vpon the promises of God b Exod. 32 23 Deut. 9.17 1 But the things that are to be prayed for are threefold 1 Before all things those which concerne the glorie of God and which make for the aduancing of it c Math 5 33 2 Those which belong to the saluation of our soules as are the gifts of the Spirit faith remission of sinnes patience in aduersity perseuerance in pietie c. 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is those things which serue for the vse of this life Contrariwise three sorts of things are to be praied against 1. whatsoeuer hindreth the glorie of God 2. whatsoeuer is contrarie to our saluation 3. Whatsoeuer in this life is hurtfull vnto vs. The matter of all things to be asked and to be praied against Christ hath brieflie gathered into the number of sixe things generallie But how are these things to be asked or praied against The good thinges of the first and second sort that is which concerne the glorie of god and which make for our saluation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are to be praied for absolutely simplie and without condition because simplie absolutely and without condition they are promised to vs in the worde Ioel. 2.32 And. Rom. 10.13 whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lorde shal be saued and because we cannot but vse them well But the good thinges of the third kinde which we may vse both well and ill we must pray for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the euill thinges which may be a helpe for vs vnto that which is good we must pray against with condition that Gods glorie be not lessned or our saluation hindred So peace health riches succession of children and other things which belong to this life are to be asked of the Lorde Sicknesse and pouettie are to be praied against because they are promised vnto vs with a condition if according to the iudgment of our best Father they be deemed profitable for vs. For as Augustine saith Quod vtile est aegroto magis nouit medicus quam aegrotus 1 that which is profitable for the sick the Phisicion rather knoweth then the sick Moreouer the manner is not to be prescribed vnto God but to be left to his will for he knoweth best at what time after what manner to doe any thing how he oughto set forth his glorie and to helpe vs which thing is confirmed by innumerable examples of godlie men praying But doth not a prayer made with these conditions if it maketh to the glorie of God if it be wholesome for vs disagree with the words of Iames Chap. 1.6 who biddeth vs to aske without wauering Noe for it is one thing to aske with wauering which Iames forbiddeth because it is contrarie to faith and another thing with a condition For a faithfull man doubteth not but that god heareth his praiers when as he hath a certaine promise of God a Ioh 16 23 because if he giueth not that which is asked truely he bestoweth that which is better whereupon Bernard vnum e duobus sperare indubitanter possumus quoniam aut dabit quod petimus aut quod nobis nouerit esse vtilius that is to say one of the two we may vndoubtedly hope for because he will either giue that which we aske or that which he knoweth to be more profitable for vs. And this thing the name of Father most good most wise omnipotent doth declare Because the Lord speaketh generallie Iohn 16.23 whatsoeuer ye shall ask the father in my name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will giue it you whether therefore are all things to be asked and expected of God Noe but the generall particle whatsoeuer in this speech is to be restrained to a certaine kinde that is to say whatsoeuer is profitable for you b Math. 9 38 Coll. 4 3 Rom. 15 30 2 Thess 3.1 not in your but in the iudgment of my Father After which manner 1 Iohn 5 14. this kinde is restrayned if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. For whome ought we to pray Not onely for our selues but for all men 1. For magistrates and subiects 1. Tim. 2.1 I exhort that first of all supplications be made for all men For kinges and for all that are in aucthority 2.
that Math. 21.22 whatsoeuer ye shall aske if ye beleeue ye shall receiue it For it is wondrous how god is prouoked by our distrust if we craue of him pardon which wee doe not looke for And indeed faith doth stay 1. vpon the promise or power and truth of the promiser 2 vpon the fatherly affection of God in Christs merite which is infinite 6 Vnderstanding for praier without vnderstanding of the things and words no lesse then without affection is hipocriticall and without fruite a 1 Cor. 14 15.16 7 Vnanimitie and brotherly agreement and pardoning of offences that is remission of anger and of hatred of reuenge laying aside affection and forgetting of iniuries b. 1. Tim. 2 8 c Esay 43 25 for remission of anger and of the fault belongeth to God alone and mutuall reconciliation as Acts. 1.14 The apostles continued in praier 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is with one accord So Math. 5 23.24 the partie disagreeing the speech being fitted to the manner of that time is commaunded to goe from the altar and first to be reconciled to his brother before he offereth sacrifice to god vnanimes 8 Perseuerance if we be not wearied with praying if we giue not place to afflictions or euils as they doe which are quite out of heart d Luk 11 9 Luk. 18 2 21 36 Rom 12.12 Eph 6 18 1 Thesse 3 10 5.17 Act 6 4 Act 10 2 Habacuck 2 3. Though the lorde tarie waite for him for comming he will come and shall not stay Yet the former conditions are not so required with extreame rigour but that god here doth tolerate manie infirmities in those that be his and so that the godlie do lament and chastice themselues and by and by come to themselues striue and endeuour whither they doe not eftsoons reach doth forgiue them as is shewed by the examples of Dauid Psalm 39.13 Stay thine anger from me till before I goe hence and be not Psalm 80.5 How long wilt thou be angrie at the praier of thy seruant and of Ieremie lament 3.8 when I cry and shoute he shutteth out my prayer Which are the outward circumstances or Accidents of praier Fiue Time place Gesture speech fasting When must we pray Ephes 6.18 praying alwaies 1. Thess 3.10 night and day praying exceedingly Psal 119.62 For so great is our needinesse wee sinne so often we are pressed with so many perplexities so many temptations do insult ouer vs so great is the heape of Gods benefits vpon vs that there is cause inough for all men why they should continually grone and sigh vnto God craue his helpe and prosecute him with thanksgiuing and praises Notwithstanding the auntients had set howres of praying as the morning noone and euening not for superstition but for order sake But in the new testament their is no certaine prescript time but it dependeth vpon the qualitie of affections and causes of praying howbeit to vphold our weaknes and to stirre vp our dulnesse it is profitable that euery one of vs should appoint to himselfe houres of praying as it were ordinarie namely when we rise in the morning when we goe about worke when wee sit downe to meate when we are fed with gods blessings when we betake our selues to rest so that this obseruing of howres want superstition But especiallie we ought to pray and giue thankes as often as either sorrowfull or ioyfull thinges are offered to vs or to our brethren b Exod. 15 1 Iudg. 5 1 Psal 50.15 Ier. 6 14 But to haue publique praiers it is meete that a certaine time in euery church be appointed so that there may be prouision for the profit of all and all things may be done decently and in order 1. Cor. 14.40 VVhere must we pray God in times past to one nation had appointed one place namely the Tabernacle c Exod 25 8 40.2 in other places often afterwarde the Temple of Solomon d 1. Kings 6.4 because they were the figure and type of the onely mediator and appeaser of god Christ the true temple by whome alone god will here vs. But Christ the truth of the temple Dan. 6 10 Luk. 18.10 Acts. 8.27 by his comming tooke away the cerimonie of a holy place Therefore it is lawful for vs to pray in any place and yet arightly and orderly so that it be godly and religiously obserued Psal 103.22 praise the lord all ye his workes in all places of his dominion Iohn 4.21.23 not in this mountaine nor at Ierusalem but the true vvorshippers shall vvorship the Father in spirit and in truth 1. Tim. 2.8 The apostle will haue men to pray euerie where as need shall require whether in the temple or out of the temple lifting vp pure handes vnto god For not the qualitie of the place but rather the piety of the partie that prayeth doth sanctifie the prayer Esai 56.7 yet notwithstanding Christ allowed a publique place appointed for common prayers and holie assemblies when he saith Math. 18.20 vvhere tvvo or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them And in this respect he called the temple the house of praier Math. 21.13 And the Auncients from their lawfull use called them Oratories onely we must take heed least we account the temples to be the proper dwellings of God from whence he doth the neerer giue eare vnto vs or attribute vnto them I know not what secret sanctitie which may make the prayer more holy before god For this doth Esay reproue chap. 66.1 and god Acts. 6.48 But seeing we are the temples of God if we will call vpon God in his holy temple we must pray within our selues What is it therefore that the Lord saith Math. 6.6 But when thou prayest enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy dore pray vnto thy father which is in secret He doth not simplie condemne publique prayers made in the assemblie of the Church but by an Hebrew catalepsis respectiuely comparatiuely by entring into the chamber the corrupt affection of hypocrites that is to say that vaine glorie which they dyd seeke in prayers whiles that goeing forth into a publike place they did pray in crosse waies in corners of streets in double paths and in places where three or fower waies meete where men are wont to come together rather seeking the great assemblies of men which might see them praying then a departing into some solitarie place And by that manner of speaking he teacheth that hypocrisie that ambition that vaine glorie that wandering of the minde of it selfe too slippery is to be excluded from all praier And that a solitarie place is to be sought which may so farre helpe vs that being farre from all kindes of cares tumults of men we may descend and throughly enter into our heart VVhat ought to be the gesture of him that praieth A diuerse gesture is not prescribed but yet is
Christ himselfe or Metonymically and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some sort namely that which belongeth to the publishing open declaring and testimonie of Doctrine or because the Propheticall and Apostolicall Doctrine onely whereunto the Prophets and Apostles giue testimonie or both the Olde and New Testament as saith Ambrose is the foundation of the Church Heereupon Gods Citie is said to haue had not one but twelue foundations wherein were written the Names of the Lambes twelue Apostles Reuel 21.14 Heereupon Iames Peter and Iohn seeme to bee Pillers of the Church Galat. 2.9 namely Metaphorically and after a sort because they sustayned the Church and Religion but Iesus himselfe being the corner stone who alone sustâ—ineth the whole building Ephes 2.21.23 A foundation of strength and power in respect whereof the Church is said to be built on Christ God and man which belongeth to the Author foundation and merit of saluation the fountaine and efficacie of doctrine and the Church is founded vpon Christ when he alone is accounted for Wisedome Iustice Sanctification Redemption Life and Eternall glorie of the faithfull For this cause 1. Cor. 3.11 Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ And Isay 28.16 Christ is called the foundation stone Which is so proper vnto Christ that it communicateth in no participation with any other But in Christs words Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church the Euanglist who interpreteth them saith not Thou art Petra a Rocke but thou art Petrus Peter neither doth he say vpon thee Peter but vpon this Rocke distinguishing manifestly Peter who is a part of the building from the Rocke whereon the building chiefely doth stay by changing of name person and by different termes Wherefore the Church is built vpon Christ the Rocke not on Peter the Apostle who eftsoone and often erred for the Rocke was Christ 1. Cor. 10.4 which Peter confessed in the name of all the apostles a Mat. 16.16.18 And he gaue the keyes not of fulnesse of power but of knowledge which in verse 19. he promised to al vnder the name of Peter who answered for all to all the Apostles equaltie and without difference b Mat. 18.18 Iohn 20.21 and in the person of them vnto all the ministers of the Church That speech also Feed my sheepe being thrice inioyned vno Peter for his three denials together Iohn 21. vers 17. ordaineth him a Pastor indeed ouer the flocke but not an vniuersall Pastor for it was also said vnto others Teach ye all nations Math. 28. vers 19. and it was spoken alike to all As the Father hath sent me euen so send I you Iohn 20.21 Finally neither was Noe who in the Arke was the head of his sonnes a type of the Bishop of Rome but of Christ c Gen. 7.13 1. Pet. 3.20 like as Baptisme is an Antitype of that deliuerance which befell vnto the Church in the Deluge What are the true and inward properties of the Church 1 Consent of the Doctrine of the Gospell 2 The inhabiting of God by the holy Spirit whereupon 2. Corinth 6.16 the Church is called the Temple of God and they vvho are led by Gods Spirit are called the sonnes of God Rom. 8.14 3 A right Faith Hope and Charitie True Religion according to Gods word Repentance Confession and a true calling vpon the true God all which doe as it were fourme a true Church The Apostles Creed is a token thereof although when the outward and vsuall Ministerie of the word is often for a season interrupted the Church is extraordinarily nourished by God as it were in the wildernes the same God raising vp teachers knowne vnto his small flocke after such a sort as himselfe according to his vnsearchable wisedome knoweth requisite and necessarie a Reue. 12.6 For as there may be a Church and yet lie hid so may there be teachers in a Church albeit not apparent to all What are the manifest tokens of a visible Church whereunto we may safely ioyâ—â— our selues They are two The first and châ—efe note is the pure preaching and professing of Gods word comprehended in the writings of the Prophets Apostles because wheresoeuer the word is truly preached it is not without profit at all b Isai 55.11 Rom. 1.16 2 A lawfull administring of the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper according to Christs institution with pure preaching conioyned thereunto as a part thereof if there shall be no iust impediment to the contrarie c Iosu 5.5 Iohn 10.4 5 27. 8.47 Act. 2.42 1 Cor 11.20 23 Mat. 28.19 20 Mark 16.15 Luk. 16.29 Rom 10.14 which notes doe neuerthelesse admit a more and a lesse and doe presuppose a lawfull calling of Pastors d Rom 10.15 Ephe. 4 11. And although holy discipline is also requisite in Gods Church yet if the Church gouernours faile of their dutie it must not presently be denied to be a Church as long as those two fundamentall and essentiall notes of a visible Church are remayning e Mat. 18.17 1 Cor. 5 5 Neyther is it material if other sects chalenge to themselues these notes but we must search diligently whether they doe so truly or falsly Also the preaching of the word is a cause of the Church and therefore by nature is more excellent and more famous then the Church it selfe Whether are 1. Antiquitie 2. Multitude of followers of some one doctrine 3. Succession in some one companie of Bishops chiefly of Rome 4. Miracles 5. Continuance 6. Vnitie and concord 7. Efficacie of doctrine 8. Holines of life in the Authors and Fathers of the religion 9. The gift of prophesy 10. Temporall felicitie 11. The title of Church Apostolicall or that it is one holy Catholicke Apostolicke Church these the notes of a true Church No 1 Because the names without the substance are not of force 2 From names proceed not a true and Apodeicticall but a false demonstration of the matter 3 These Notes are common vnto Turkes and Heretikes also for they may vsurpe these titles by which they may confirme that their rowts are and haue beene the true Churches of God which is absurd 4 Neither haue all those notes begun with the Church 5 Neyther are they perpetuall and proper euerie way nor Essentiall which are alwaies naturally in the thing it selfe being vnchangeable and the causes of that thing whereof they are notes but the most part seperable accidents and these notes themselues ought to bee examined according to the word of God Moreouer 1 The Church which now is ancient in time past was new And Ezech. 20.18.19 VValke ye not in the ordinances of your fathers I am the Lord vvalke in my Statutes And Tertull. Lib. de praescriptionibus Euerie first thing truest And Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is to mee the old Church whom not to obey is manifest destruction and Cyprian custome vvithout truth is the
God vnites them to Christ and nourisheth them by the preaching of the word and by examples of true good workes a 1. Cor. 4.15 whereupon is that saying that No man can haue God for his father who hath not the church for his mother 2 The house of Christ or of the liuing God b Psal 23.6 1 Tim. 3.15 and a familie c Math. 24.45 because God dwelleth in the middest of them whome he hath receiued for sonnes through the grace of adoption of which house of liuely stones are both Pastours flocks also d 1. Pet. â—2 5 and he hath not onely vessels of Gold but euen of wood and stone also some for honour and some for dishonour 2. Tim 2.20 Whereof the most excellent most gracious most prouident most Mightie and most wise God is maister The first begotten sonne of God and Lord of his fathers house is Christ e Iohn 8 3 to whome is giuen all power And they of the houshold are all the Elect and also the children and sonnes of GOD who ought worthily and holilie to be busied in this house the Gouernours or stewards are the ministers or preachers of the Gospell f Math. 24.45 the commons or food of that familie is the very word of God out of this house the bondslaues of sinne and vnthriftinesse are at length to be cast forth g Iohn 8 35 3 The city of God h psal 46 1. Isa. 1 21 Ephes. 2.19 the faithfull city that is the i holie citie comming downe from heauen k Reue. 21.2 10. which is the society of the faithfull who depend on the excellent gouernance of God as of the onely lawgiuer and are gouerned by his word and lawes and do enioy the very priuiledges and benefits of Christ m ps 85 â—1 The wall defender whereof is God the tower and Bulwark is the calling vpon the Lord. l prou 18 10 the Armes is goodnes faith iustice and peace in the gate and foundation is Iesus And they are the citizens which are called Gods houshold seruants n Ephes 2 19 4 The inheritance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or lot of the Lord not in respect of the Pastours onely but of the sheepe also o Psal 2 8 1 Pet 53 because it is giuen vnto Christ as his owne substance that is a most acceptable and most precious treasure 5 The misticall body of Christ the head and soule whereof is Christ p Rom. 12 5 because it is quickened cherished and conserued by the spirit of Christ and is perfected by his fullnes and is coupled with Christ the head by the same spirit as by a most close and strong chaine and the members thereof doe by vertue of the same spirit grow together It is also called the fulnes of Christ a ephes 27 because although Christ worketh all in all much lesse doth he neede the supplie of anie one yet such is his loue toward the church that hee estemeth himselfe as it were lame and maimed in his members vnlesse he haue a church adioyned vnto himselfe like vnto his body members Hence it commeth that sometime Christ is briefly taken for the whole church ioyned to her head b 1. Cor. 12 12 13 Gal 3 16 so that the whole church is nothing else but the body of Christ only because it is described an whole mysticall body from the head Hence is it much more expresslie said In Christ c Rom. 6 2. 8.1 Ephes 3.6 then with Christ And hereupon Paul saith that he liueth in Christ and Christ in him Gal. 2.20 Hereupon was that speech of Christ Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9.4 that which is written Col. 1 4 Lastly from hence proceedeth all comfort 6 The hill of the Lord or the hill of Holinesse d psa 2.6 3.5 15.1 24.3 1 because it alwaies maketh toward those things which are aboue and despiseth those that are beneath 2 because there is no comming thereunto but by ascending out of the dregs of this life in the cheerefullnesse of the spirit 3 And for that the Doctrine thereof nether can nor ought to be hidd e Math. 5.14 7 It is called the Piller and Foundation of trueth 1 Tim 3 15 Not that trueth doth simply depend thereon for it dependeth on the word but because being vnderpropped by Christ and borne vp by truth it selfe it giueth a testimonie vnto the truth and doth susteine spread and defend truth by it office and seruice and laboureth diligently that truth might haue a beeing among men or els Chrysostome on this place altereth the proposition well and saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth is the Piller and foundation of the church 8 The church is called a vineyard f Psal 80.9 Esa 5.2 Math 21.23 Iohn 15.1 because the lord hath planted it and doth carefully trimme and deck it with his word with the giftes of his spirit doth account it precious doth bestow exceeding great care and daily thought thereon and doth conserue it wonderfully by his succour and comfort And because they that are receiued thereinto ought to bring forth the fruite of faith and charity most acceptable to God wherewith his heart may be cheared 9 The tabernacle of God g psal 15.1 bicause it hath the Lord dwelling therein and it hath not a safe or firme abiding in this life but is now then compelled to change her abiding vntill it be receiued into her true contrey So likewise is it called the temple of God h 1. Cor. 3 19. because his holy spirit dwelleth in the hearts of the faithfull The Priests wherein are all christians 1. Pet. 2.5 The propitiatorie Sacrifice for sinne is the onely sacrifice of Christ once offered for sinnes the sacrifice of thanksgiuing is 1 the preaching of the Gospell whereby the preachers doe as it were with a sword kill the beastly affections of men a Rom 15 16. Phil. 7.17 2 the offering vp of a mans owne selfe or the mortification of the flesh b Rom 12 2 calling vpon God as its Incense c Psal 141.2 faith and good workes the giuing of thankes d Psal 50 14. Ose 14.3 or the calues of our lippes and mercie the sacrifice of praier e Ose 6.6 2. Cor 9.12 Phil. 4.18 10 The louer sister and spouse of Christ f Cantic 4 5.7.8 Ephes 5.23 and the Queene and daughter of the King g Ps 45.10 because it is ioyned vnto Christ by a spirituall and firme wedlock and league and by a most sure bond of the spirit and by most chaste loue and is exalted to the participation of his loue honour and of all his goodnes being beautifull and without spott throughout because here it is spotlesse through grace in the world to come it shall be spotlesse through glorie heere vnperfectly there most perfectly Therefore is it also called a pure or chast virgine
himselfe that is without mannes ministerie but by the Apostles delected as associates to performe their office in watering their plantings building vpon their foundations perfecting their worke and were in preaching the gospell sometimes in one sometimes in another place as it were subsidiarie and certaine secundarie apostles not in one onely but in many churches and who should haue power and authority to set pastors and orders in particular churches to which they were sent and that till such time as they were recalled by the Apostles a Tit. 1.4 such were Timothy b Act. 16.3 Luke Mark Tichicus c 2. Tim. 4.11 12 Titus d 2. Cor. 8 23. Philip e Act. 21.8 and others whether they were called out of those 70 disciples whome Christ apointed besides the 12. f Luk. 20 12 or from among others 2 In a more strict signification those foure penmen of the holy Ghost whose labour the Lord vsed to publish the Euangelicall historie of Christ and to describe the beginnings of the christian church are called Euangelists of these two Marke Luke were companions of the apostles and Euangelists The other two Mathew and Iohn were Apostles and Euangelists May not other pastors and doctors of the church be called Apostles Prophets and Euangelists No but abusiuely for concerning the appellation of an Apostle Andronicus and Innias are said to be famous among the Apostles that is of note with those ancient Apostles but yet they are not called Apostles g Rō 16 17 besides the name of an Apostle is giuen to Titus his two companions h 2 Cor. 8.23 yet not simply but with addition as they were sent by certaine Churches to collect almes And Epaphroditus is not simplie called an Apostle of Christ but of the Philippians sent by them to relieue Paule i Phil. ◠25 thus that great name was so peculiar simply to those chosen Apostles that Paule saith not without aduise All are not Apostles 2. Cor. 12.29 As for Euangelists to preach is proper indeed to all k 1 Cor. 12. but the appellation of the Euangelists belongeth to none but them whom the Apostles ioyned vnto them as occasion serued in watering those Churches which they had planted and whom they appointed not ouer one Church but ouer Prouinces and that onely for a time But the name of a Prophet is sometime generally giuen to all the interpreters of Gods word as Rom. 12.6 1. Corinth 14.29 sometime it doth distinguish them peculiarly from Doctors as when difference is made betwixt doctrine and Reuelation 1. Corinth 14.16 and also when Doctors are distinguished from Pastors by Doctrine and Exhortation as Rom. 12.7.8 Who are are called Pastors Surely they who may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. Rom. 12.8 exhorters that is who being lawfully called doe preach Gods word and in preaching doe not simplie explaine it but by teaching admonishing reproouing correcting informing exhorting and comforting doe publikely o 1. Pet 5 2 and priuately apply it to the vse of the Church m Act. 14 13 1. Cor 11 18 1. Tim. 3.16 Tit 1 5.9 and besides doe labour in the administration of the Sacraments conceiuing publicke prayers and are watchfull to take away offences and to gouerne the Church n Rom. 12.7 These by a generall name are called Elders and Deacons p 1 Cor 13 5 Col 1 7 such as are ouer vs. q 1 Thes 5 And Hebr. 13. Guides to conclude the chiefest of them were called Episcopi Bishoppes of a Greeke word which signifies to looke into that nothing be wanting to the people of their Diocesse because it is the dutie of Pastors as it were spies to looke narrowly into the doctrine and manners of the flocke committed vnto them What were Doctors Who onely applied themselues to the faithfull and plaine interpretation of the scriptures and to rule ecclesiasticall scooles to the ende that sincere doctrine might be keept in the Church or they who onely explained the word of God to deliuer true doctrine and confute false Such were Catechizers as Origen in the Church of Alexandria and Clemens and the like Are not Doctors and pastors all one as Augustine thought No because Paule giues them diuers names Ephes 4.11 And Rom. 12.7 he distinguisheth teachers from Exhorters and speech from knowledge it selfe of holy things or he thus distinguisheth Pastors from doctors What degres were substituted vnto these Rather for exercise then for office sake 1. Porters who kept the gates of the Church that they might let in penitentiaries and keepe out wicked men from the Church and such as were excommunicated from the Sacraments 2 Acoluthoi followers attendants and as it were pages of Bishops being witnesses and imitators of all their speaches and withall most readie seruants vnto them 3 Lectores or Readers Ministers of Pastors and Doctors reading so the Scriptures out of some high place that within one yeare all the books of the Bible for the more familier knowledge of the Scripture might be read ouer 4 We read also in very ancient writers of Exorcists who vsing the name of God and hauing the gift of miracles by calling vpon Christ and imposition of hands cast out diuels Act. 19.23 But this office is ceased with the gift of miracles In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 In the Scriptures they are called the Cleargie who are the congregation of the faithfull and flockes of sheepe or the members of the Church a 1 Cor 14.39 because they are the portion and inheritance of the Lord 1. Pet. 5.3 but afterward the antient fathers did translate the name of Cleargie to the Colledge of Ecclesiasticall ministers so as all students were called Cleargie men who are maintained of their parents or the Churches cost to become ministers How do Pastors and doctors differ from Apostles Prophets and Euangelists Nothing at all in respect of the Essentiall parts of the Ministerie which are the sincere preaching of the word the administration of the Sacraments and correction of manners but in respect of thinges peculier to the calling of Apostles they differ much for 1. Cor. 12. the Apostle Paule hauing deuided the ministerie of the word into the word of wisdome and the word of knowledge to Apostles Prophets and Euangelists he doth attribute wisedom to wit that more excellent and without al controuersie greater knowledge of the mysteries of God Act. 11.27.6 21.10 that hath with it the greatest authority and is giuen by the peculier inspiration of the holy Ghost namely by Reuelation and as a for knowledge which is the vnderstanding of the Gospell that is gotten by hearing and reading of the holy Scriptures that is to say by studying and learning that he referres to ordinarie Pastors and Doctors But the personall gifts of the Apostles that is c 1. Cor. 12.9 10. Act 5.5.10 8.20 13.10.11 2. Cor. 10.6 such as were giuen properly to the Apostles alone as 1
He that shewes mercie let him doe it with cheerefulnesse The vse of which office if for the weaknesse of that sex and other discommodities and inconueniences it may not well be restored yet it may be supplied by the bountie and godly care of holy women towards the poore whether they be Noble or of meaner estate Doe you denie that the Pastors had any care of the poore imposed vpon them In no wise For this care is twofold The former consisted in the charge of gathering distributing the holy beneuoleÌ„ce which is proper to deacons 2 The other was only both in exhorting of the Churches to shew themselues bountifull to the poore and also in the ouerlooking of the Deacons which things did onely pertaine to the Pastors m 1 Cor. 16.2 2 Cor. 9.1 23 VVho is the Author of the Ministerie The principall cause is God himselfe who first immediately preached vnto our first parents in Paradise giuing the promise of the blessed seed n Gen. 3.15 which promise it was his pleasure should bee propagated successiuely by the Patriarches o Gen. 18.18 19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Afterward he instituted Priests among the people of Israell choosing the Tribe of Leui for that office yea further it is God which both cals himselfe the Lord of the haruest and also thrusteth forth labourers into his haruest a Mat. 9.38 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 1. Cor. 12.28 God hath ordained some in the Church as first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers 2 The helping cause is Christ as being the Sonne and Lord of his Fathers house by full right who also called Apostles and set them ouer the Ecclasiasticall ministerie Iohn 20.21 As the Father hath sent mee so send I you also And Marke 16.15 Goe saith hee into all the world preach the Gospell to euerie creature and baptise them And Ephe. 4.11 And he Christ gaue some to bee Apostles others to be Prophets c. Gaue I say not onely in in that he chose them Athanasius but also in that he made them to be such as they ought to be 3 The holy Ghost in respect of his necessarie gifts for the happie execution of the Ministerie 1. Cor. 12.11 All these thinges worketh ond anh the same Spirit distributing vnto euerie one as he pleaseth For all thinges ate common to the holy and blessed Trinitie And is not the ministerie of teaching taken away in the church of the new testament by the saying of Ieremie chap. 31.34 A man shall not any more teach his neighbour Ioh 6 45 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but all shal be taught of God No. 1. because Oratione Ecliptica by this defectiue speech as is that also Gen. 32.28 Not Iacob shall thy name be called but Israell is signified that the Elect shall not only be taught outwardly by the ministery of the word spoken but also inwardly of God by the holy ghost as it is said 1. Iohn 2.27 Ye haue noe need that any should teach you but the annointing that is the holy spirit doth teach you all things Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed Comparate to wit by Pastors and Doctors 2 Because the prophet speaks not simply but by way of comparison For in the old Testament by Moses and the prophets were most things propounded obscurely and vnder shadows and Types and â—ccording to the letter onely so that it was needfull to demaund what those Ceremonies meant and when Christ shall come But in the new testament Christ being already exhibited is plainely preached and the vaile of the temple being rent the way into the holiest of all being opened all these tipycall things are made manifest Heb. 9.8 And they that haue the spirit of Christ do know all things insomuch that now a childe of ten yeares old to whome it is giuen to here and learne doth more clearely vnderstand those things then many priests did in times past because the earth is full of the knowledge of the lord Isa 11 9 What is the forme of the ministerie A lawfull calling and also a faithfull execution of the function What doth calling signifie Not actiuely the very action of calling but passiuely that kinde of life and function as well priuate as publick vnto which any one is appointed of God because in the Hebrew phrase he is said to call those whome he makes to be and in like sorte they are said to be called of the Lord Adipsam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who doe begin to bee whether that be referred to the verie substance and subsistance c Rom. 4 11 or to the manifestation of the thing alreadie being d luke 1.32.35 or to the publike and reall nomination which agrees with the thing it selfe e Mat. 5.9 1. Iohn 3.1 or to the qualitie and attributes or conditions of life f 1. Cor. 7 20.21.22 or vnto the gracious adoption or vnto the publike declaration of the eternall counsell of God whereby when when we are ordained to a certaine office and as it were a scope or marke in this world wee are put inro the possession therof This borrowed speech comes I from hence that when any one begins to be then he receiues his name and when he puts on a new qualitie then also he takes a new surname Secondly from Princes who call such vnto them whose seruice they purpose to vse vnto whom it is inough onely to haue commaunded How manifold is Vocation or Calling Twofold The one Generall which is done commonly by the outward preaching of the word And this is eyther Effectuall of which Rom. 8.30 or ineffectuall by mens fault which will not heare the word of God of which Mat. 22.24 The other Speciall which respects a peculiar function and it is eyther Ecclesiasticall or politicall or Domesticall Is the Calling to the Ministerie necessarie Yes verily 1 For the glorie of God the honour of the Ministerie the securitie and comfort of the consciences of the Ministers and also to the end that the people may know that they haue lawfull Ministers and that they may obey their Minister 2 Because none must thrust in or choose himselfe to the Ecclesiasticall ministerie but ought to be called of another that hath power to call him For none must vsurpe vnto himselfe that honour but hee that is called of God as Aaron was Hebr. 5.5 And he that hath either no calling at all in the Church or no lawfull calling cannot execute any Ecclesiasticall office in the Church lawfully with a good conscience Therefore saith Paule Rom. 10 14. How shall they preach vnlesse they be sent And the Lord himselfe standes against such as were not sent of himselfe Ierem. 23.21 They did runne and I had not sent them And for this end Paul that he might approue his Apostleship doth so oft in his Epistles alleage his calling And whereas it is said 1. Cor. 16.15 That the family of Stephana and Fortunatus ordained them selues for
it vseth these meanes helps and instruments to worke our saluation In which sense the Church is said to be sanctified and washed in the lauer of water thorough the word Ephe. 5.16 Tit. 3.5 Baptisme is called the Lauer of Regeneration Renonation And Act. 22.16 Be baptized washed from thy sins in calling vpon his name Hereupon Augustine hath this saying whence commeth this vertue to the water that it should touch the bodie in Ioh. Trac 80 and wash the heart but that the word causeth it not because it is spoken but because it is beleeued And that the grace of God ought not to bee tyed to the outward signes Peter teacheth speaking thus of Baptisme 1 Pet. 3.21 It saueth vs not that Baptisme whereby the filthinesse of the flesh is cast away but whereby it comes to passe that a good conscience maketh request to God by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ Cornelius receiued grace before Baptisme a Act. 10.5 For God vseth meanes and instruments to worke our saluation but yet so as hee worketh by his owne proper and inward vertue most freely when how and in whome hee will and doth not yeelde vp his power and vertue to the outward signes As also in that seuen times washing of Naaman the Syrian in Iordan was not placed the purging of him from his Leprosie which then the power of GOD alone wrought in him b 2. King 9 â—4 Hence it comes to passe that some receiue grace without the Sacrament as Abraham was iustified before Circumcision and the Theefe on the Crosse without Baptisme and the Lords Supper Some receiue the Sacraments and not grace because they want faith as Iudas of whom Augustine saith Hee receiued the bread of the Lord but not that bread which was the Lord. Others receiue both together as it were by a certaine coniunction of the thing with the signes as the faithfull who take the Supper worthily Whether doe the Sacraments imprint any stampe or anie spirituall worke in soule and that such as cannot be blotted out Not of themselues or their owne power nor yet by anie supernaturall verture inherent in them not by a reall and essentiall imprinting of some signe as the printing of a picture or signe is made in wax or money For the Scripture alloweth none such But yet God doth as it were marke out and seale vp his Sacramentally spiritually by them as instruments giuing the pledge of his spirit and the light of faith whereby they are made conformable to Christ and discerned from infidels and are marked out vnto the profession of Christ And this note in the purpose of God is such as cannot bee blotted out 2. Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God is sure hauing this seale The Lord knoweth who are his And 2. Cor. 1.21 He which hath annointed vs is God and who hath sealed vs and giuen vs the pledge of his spirit And Ephe 1.13 In whom also yee beleeuing yee were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of the Inheritance And Chap. 4.30 Doe not yee greeue the holie spirit of God by whom yee are sealed And Ezech. 9.4 The markes of the letter Tau is saide to be made in the forehead of those men which sigh and mourne And Reuel 7.3 The seruants of God are marked in their foreheads as on the contrarie the children of perdition are saide to bee marked with the marke of the beast Reuel 13.16.17 To whome doth it belong to administer the Sacraments To them only to whom it is permitted to exercise the office of Preaching the Gospell According to that saying Goe yee forth teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father son and Holy Ghost Math. 28.28 and 1. Cor. 4.1 For the Sacraments bee the appurtenances of the Ministerie of the word of God and the seales of Gods promises which cannot lawfully be set too without the vnfolding of this word of God For neiher can their be an accessorie vnlesse their be a principall And it belongeth to the same man as the Chancelor vsing the Kings authoritie to write the tables of the Testament faithfully and to seale them with his seale Whence doe the Sacraments receiue their power and excellency From the institution of God so that that forme be obserued which he hath prescribed that by a publick person either rightly called or at the least by a common error vsing the publicke function and not of the manners merit and excellencie of the person working administring Phil. 1. But whether doe the Ministers to whom is committed the lawfull administration of the Sacraments and are called Gods fellow-morkers deliuer also with their hands the matter of the Sacrament No but they do outwardly giue the earthly signes and doe onely performe the outward dueties and God doth inwardly conferre the heauenly gifts represented by them giues increase because God alone doth Circumcise the heart a Deut. 30 And therefore this Circumcision is said to be made without hands b Col 2 11 And Iohn the Baptist confessed that hee indeede baptised them with water but the Lord Iesus did baptise them with the Holy Ghost and with fire Math. 3.11 And onely the heauenly father giueth that bread which is indeede heauenly Iohn 6.32 Otherwise sometimes that is ascribed to the Ministers of the word which belongeth to God alone For that is the nature of words which belong to one thing that that is attributed to the instrument which belongeth to the principall efficient cause Where and when ought the Sacraments to be admininistred In the assembly of the Church and vsually no where else to wit when the whole Church is gathered together or a great part thereof not out of the assembly of the Church Which ought to be the forme and manner of administration That those signes should bee vsed without change which Christ himselfe hath prescribed And that the words of the institution then also of the Lords promise be recited and explaned not in a strange but in a knowne speach before the Sacrament bee administred and deluered a Act 19.3 4.5 1 Cor. 11 23 For the Apostle doth expresly forbid 1. Cor. 14.19 to vse a strange language in the Church And such ceremonies ought to bee vsed which are not humane and receiued but appointed and commaunded by the authority of the son of God as also praiers and thanksgiuings After the example of Christ who commaunded the Church to doe this Doe ye this And Act. 22.16 Be thou baptised and be thou washed from thy sinnes in calling vpon the name of Iesus Now the comelines and dignitie of the Sacrament is to bee esteemed by the word of God Also the multitude and pompe of humane rites doth occupie the senses and the mindes and doth ouerturne the Ceremonies appointed by God To whom are the Sacraments to bee administred The Sacraments indeed are common to the godly and vngodly and also other outward things in the Church
in the baptisme of Iohn the holy Ghost came down vpon Christ in the likenes of a Doue but that he might put a differeÌ„ce betwteen his own person the office of all Ministers the person office spirituall efficacy vertue and strength of Christ himself for Iohn the Apostles and the rest of the Ministers themselues did not worke the forgiuenes of sinnes the holy Ghost righteousnes and life euerlasting but Christ onely forgiueth the sinnes of the beleeuers and giueth the holy Ghost by the order appointed by himselfe 2 He spake of Baptisme and the gift of the holy Ghost which began on the day of Pentecost in the likenes of fire a Ac. 2.1 c 3 Iohn Baptist meaneth none other thing but euen the same which Paul speketh of his Ministery I haue planted Apollo hath watered but God giueth the increase neyther is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giueth the increase 1. Cor. 3.6.7 VVhether was it necessary to them who were baptised with Iohns baptisme that they should afterward receiue the baptisme of Christ which was administred by his Disciples Augustine thought so because hee held that the baptisme of Iohn was not the same that Christs baptisme was but Ambrose is against him and that iustly For Act. 18.25 Apollos only knew the baptisme of Iohn he is taken to the Apostles and more diligently instructed in the way of the Lord but we read not that he was baptised againe with water Neither do we read that those first Apostles baptised by Iohn were afterward baptised againe And we ought to determine nothing without the word of God Moreouer if that opinion were true we should not haue our baptisme common with Christ wheras notwithstanding himself hallowed aswel the circumcision of the fathers by the circumcision of his owne flesh as our baptisme by being himselfe baptised If the Baptisme of Iohn of the Apostles and of the ensuing ministers be all one why doth Paul Act. 19.3.4.5 baptise the 12. Disciples which before had beene baptised by Iohn who being demanded whether they had receiued the holy Ghost after they had beleeued answered that they neuer heard If there were a holy Ghost and being again asked Into what they were baptised then they said In the baptisme of Iohn 1 There are some that say that those 12. were entred initiated into the baptisme that is the doctrine and Ministerie of Iohn But were not partakers of his baptisme that is of the washing of water and so baptised but afterward once onely to haue beene baptised in the name of Iesus 2 Others thinke that they were baptised with the baptisme of Iohn and not afterward dipped in water by Paule but baptised in the name of Iesus that is adorned with the wonderfull gifts of the spirit when Paule had laid his hands vpon them 3 Ambrose is of opinion that by a counterfait baptisme vnder the name of the baptisme of Iohn they were rather defiled than washed or at lest wise not rightly duly baptised In 3. ad Gal. seeing by their own confessioÌ„ they knew not the holy ghost to be a distinct person froÌ„ the father the son without which there can be no right faith in christ But being first wel instructed by Paul they wer afterward baptised in the name of christ with the true form of baptisme but this is not to be baptised againe or make a repetition of baptisme 4 Augustine holdeth that those 12. were baptised 1. with the baptisme of Iohn yet afterward also baptised by Paul for he doth hold the baptisme of Iohn one of Christ another yet he defendeth that his opinion from Rebaptisation for that the iterating of one and the same baptisme is Anabaptisme 5 Others iudge that those baptismes were to be vsed for the diuers maner of the significatioÌ„ that is for the seueral articles namely of Christ to come and of Christ already come yet it was not rebaptising but the error being amended a confirmation of the former 6 But we must looke into the Text for first it saith not that Paule baptised them who had been baptised by Iohn as the Anabaptists do vrge but the words of Paul there are rightly to be distinguished from the words of the Euangelist setting downe that history for these are the words of Paul vers 4.5 Iohn indeed baptised with the baptisme of repentance saying vnto the people that they should beleeue in him which should come after him that is in Christ Iesus and wheÌ„ they heard to wit Iohn they were baptised in the name of the Lord Iesus Thus farre Paul where he saith those which heard that is those which heard the ministery of Iohn were baptised in the name of our Lord Iesus namely by Iohn and afterward vers 6. the Euangelist in his owne words addeth this When Paul had laid hands vpon them the holy Ghost came vpon them Againe wheras those 12. deny that they euer heard if there were an holy ghost it is to be vnderstood not of the existence and hypostasis of the holy ghost for then they had not bin disciples that is Christians for Iohn had plainly preached of the holy Ghost saying that Christ should baptise with the holy Ghost but by a Metonymie of the visible maner of powring forth the giftes of the holy ghost which in the begining of the growth of the Church florished very much As Iohn 7.39 it is said The holy ghost was not yet because Christ was not as yet glorified And therfore those 12. may be said to haue been baptised in the name of Iesus that is to haue receiued not the ceremonie of baptisme but those visible graces of the holy Ghost by the laying on of Pauls hands which are also by a translation signifyed by the name of baptisme Act. 1.5 11.16 and Act. 8 12.14.15 16.17 The Samaritans when they had beleeued Philip teaching of Christ are set downe in scripture to be baptised of him Afterwards when Peter and Iohn came into Samaria they prayed for them that they might receiue the holy Ghost for as yet saith the Euangelist it had not fallen vpon any of them but they had been only baptised in the name of Iesus receiuing forgiuenes of their sinnes But when the Apostles laid their hands vpon them they receiued the holy Ghost namely in a visible manner not the gift of regeneration which is offred to all in baptisme but those excellent peculiar gifts as the gift of tongues the gift of working miracles and the like Is there any allowance of womans baptising in the Church In Panar No doubtlesse For you shal not find in all the story of baptisme one title therof but that vse was brought in by the heretick Marcion as Epiphanius witnesseth Againe wheras it is the same mens dutie to preach the Gospell who are to baptise a Mat. 28.19 Diuers diuiâ—nes are of an other iudgment Tryal things kepe that which is
forgiuenesse of sinnes and of eternall life b Mat. 21.32 Gen. 7.7 Exod. 20.6 the which beeing now apprehended of the Parents by faith doth not onely comprehend a spirituall and allegoricall issue but also the children which they shall beget to a thousand generationsb. The which surely doth no lesse appertaine to Christians then in times past to the people of the Iewes And Act. 2 38 Peter saide Let euery one of you be baptized for to you and your children is the promise made And Christ commandeth little children to be brought vnto him that hee might touch them not such as were of riper yeares and able to goe but tender ones children which did yet suck which many brought vnto him and did not lead them And it is said that hee tooke them in his armes and embraced them c Luk. 18.15 and commended them vnto his father by his prayer and blessing and sanctified them by the laying on of his hands which cannot bee taken otherwise but that he receiued them into fauour d Mark 18 16 And last of all most clearely hee speaketh of Infants inuiting them to his fellowship and society Math. 19 13. Suffer little children to come vnto mee and forbid them not because to such that is aswell Infants in age as those which are like them appertaineth the kingdome of heauen whom Peter calleth 1. Pet. 2.2 spirituall children such as by the word of God are regenerated to immortall life like as Math. 18.4 Whosoeuer shall humble himselfe as this child hee is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen And in the 14. verse It is not the pleasure of your heauenly father that one of these little ones should perish For it is manifest that Christ approueth and receiueth little children otherwise he would not allow those which were like them And the Euangelist signifieth that the kingdome of GOD appertained to those children which were slaine by Herod reciting the place Ier. 31.15 of the holy Martyres the children of Rachel or of their posteritie Mat. 2.16.17 Now vnto whom appertaineth the promise of the Communion with Christ and of eternall life which is signified in the word of Baptisme To the same appertaineth also the signe according to the diuine determination proper to euery Sacrament And there can bee no other meanes to bring them vnto Christ but that they by baptisme bee ingrafted into the Church which is the bodie of Christ seeing they are not yet capable of Doctrine 3 Because although hearing is an ordinarie beginning of faith a Ro◠10.17 yet because it is impossible that any should please God without faith Hebr. 11.6 Infants must needes haue in the place of faith the seed or budding of faith or the renewing of the spirit although they are not yet endued with the knowedge of good or euill for b Deut. 1.39 God holdeth them not for vncleane but adopteth them for his children and sanctifyeth them from the wombe as it is said 1. Cor. 7.14 Your children are holy that is to say by an hidden operation and enlightening of the spirit which maketh in them new motions and new inclinations to Godward according to their capacitie as farre as we can gesse without the word which is the onely seed of regeneration to them which are able to be taught 1. Pet. 1.23 c Rom. 8.16 for the Lord gaue a taste in Iohn Baptist whom he sanctified in his mothers wombe what he is able to doe in the rest d Luk. 1.15 41 And yet must the secret workes and iudgements of God be left vnto himselfe because the Church iudgeth not of hidden things e 1 Peter 23 Neyther are the prayers of the Church for the Infantes of the beleeuers which are baptised in vaine ouer whom the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost is called vpon but they obtaine that which they aske Mat. 18.19 If not in each singular person yet in the species or kinde of each Whereupon it followeth that they are receiued into fauour and are endued with the holy Ghost and therefore are to bee baptized f Act. 10.47 4. Because though Infants haue not sinned actually as Adam did Rom. 5.14 yet they haue sinned Originally in Adam as included in his loynes vers 12. and are dead in him g 1 Cor. 15.22 Secondly being conceiued in sinne h Psal 51.7 contrarie to the Pelagians opinion they are by nature the children of wrath i Ioh. 3.6 and doe daily die no lesse then men of riper yeares k Eph. 2.3 wherefore that they may please God and may bee admitted into his kingdome where no polluted thing entereth 1. Cor. 15.30 they haue neede of the sparke of some regeneration the abundance whereof they may afterward enioy which is sealed vnto them by Baptisme l Apo◠21.27 And therfore it is not to be denyed them for except a man bee borne againe of water and the spirit hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen Iohn 3.3.5 5. Because the commandement concerning baptisme is vniuersall and comprehendeth the whole Church whereof Infants are members a great part for Paule includeth the whole Church where he saith that it is clensed by the washing of water in the word Ephes 5.26 and Math. 28.19 Preach the Gospell to euery creature and baptise them It is not therefore particularly to be applied to those of discretion onely but also to the children of the faithfull 6 Because though by reason of their yeares they vnderstand not Gods word nor can beleeue in action and professe their faith and repentance whereof Baptisme is a Sacrament as circumcision was in times past and enter into mutuall obligation betwixt God and them which belongeth onely to them of discretion notwithstanding it is vnto thē in steed of a Act. 2.41 8.12.37 professing of faith for that they are borne within the Church of the people of God and are not onely within the couenant but also are presented by them which beleeue and doe promise and make answere for them And therefore Saint Augustine saith the Sacrament of faith maketh children faithfull though they haue not yet that faith which consisteth in the will of beleeuers to make them faithfull Euen as they doe not know that they haue the holy Ghost though it be in them or a minde and life though it cannot be denied that they haue both And to conclude it sufficeth that they are baptised and bound vnto a repentance and faith to come Euen as the infants of the Israelites were circumcised into a faith and repentance that was to follow although they neyther vnderstood the word of God nor the mysterie of circumcision and Christ blessed little children and prayed for them though they vndestood not what he did for them 7 Because that which the institution of Baptisme commaundeth that they which are to be baptised should first be taught b Mat. 2.19 as Iohn is said to haue preached the baptisme of
repentance c Marc. 1.4 whilest he taught these whom hee was about to baptise out of which places the Anabaptists impugne childrens baptisme it is not precisely to be tyed to the order of words but to be distinctly applied to those which may be taught or their children which are strangers from the couenant who must be first instructed before they be baptised but it is to be applied otherwise to children that are within the couenant who though they cannot heare the Gospell yet can and ought to be baptised for that they are both borne in and belong vnto the Church before they can be taught and then it is time enough to teach them when they are capable of learning howbeit in the Church of God the word is not there separated from childrens baptisme Likewise also this He that beleeueth is baptised shall be saued but he that beleeueth not although hee be baptised shall be condemned belongeth not to the children of the faithfull but to those whiche may heare the Gospell As likewise that of the Apostle 2. Thess 3 10. He that laboureth not let him not eate which being spoken vnto men of yeares ought not to bee inferred vpon all indifferently Nor followeth it simply that because all beleeuers are to be baptised therfore all that are baptised ought to beleeue or because a vniuersall affimatiue is not simply conuerted neyther are these termes conuertible to be baptised and beleeuing but to bee baptised and to be acknowledged for the members of the Church 8 For that Paule 1. Cor. 10.2 witnesseth that all the Israelites which passed through the red sea were baptised among whom seeing no doubt there were many children among so many thousands no doubt they likewise receiued the type and figure of our baptisme It is therefore false which our aduersaries obiect that no place of Scripture testifieth the baptism of Infants Likewise though we read not that the Apostles baptised any Infants by name yet they baptised whole families whereof children are not the smallest portion a Act. 16.15 18 8. 1 Cor. 1.6 neither need we to vse figures when the words are plaine Neyther can there from these speeches be collected any reason of such a Synecdoche by which wee must vnderstand portions of yeares onely and exclude children 9 Because ancient writers testifie that the custome of baptising children hath continued from the verie Apostles times till now Origen faith In 6. ad ad Rom. de Peccatorum meritis et remis l. 3 c. 6. et Contra Donat l. 4. c. 13 The Church receiued a tradition from the Apostles to giue baptisme euen to Infantes And Augustine saith of the baptisme of children That which the Vniuersall Church holdeth and vvas neuer decreed by Councils but alwaies hath beene helde it may be verse vvell beleeued that it was deliuered no otherwise but by Apostolicke authoritie Therefore it is false which the Papistes saie That Baptisme of children proceeded not so much from any apparant commaundement of the scripture or from example as from the decree of the Church Then because to whomsoeuer the promise appertaineth to them also belongeth the signe as therefore Baptisme is bestowed vpon Infants is likewise the Supper of the Lord to be administred vnto them Certaine of the fathers haue thought so as Cyprian serm 5. de lapsis and Augustin lib. de Eccle. dogmat c. 52. being mooued by these words Iohn 6.53 Except ye shall eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shall haue no life in you But we denie the consequent For this place speaketh not of a sacramentall eating but of a spiritual eating or of faith by which the faithfull are quickened which are annexed vnto Christ who offered his bodie and shed his bloud for vs. And by this meanes the flesh of Christ is made vnto vs meat indeed and his bloud drink indeed Secondly that To whomsoeuer the promise appertaineth to them also belongeth the signe is true but according to the diuine determination appropriated to euerie sacrament to wit so that the Sacrament of Ingrafting be bestowed aswell vpon Infants as those of yeares but vpon male children onely that not before the eight day in the old Testament but in the new both to the male and female without any prefixed time But the Sacrament of nourishment to them of yeares onely and that for a certaine peculiar end and the diuersitie of the circumstance of the action So the Eucharist hath his proper end that the death of the Lord should bee declared in the publicke congregation in the vsing thereof It is also commaunded that euery one which commeth to the Lords Supper should examine himselfe yea and peculiar actions belong to the externall rite to wit to eate and to drinke which are not fit for little children So vnder the old Testament circumcision was appointed for infants but the Passouer to them onely which by reason of their age were able to aske of the signification thereof a Exod. 12 62 Heereupon came those vulgar verses Ebrius infamis erroneus atque furentes Cum pueris Domini non debent sumere corpus To drunkards and thinfamous sort to men misled and mad To children Christs body to giue it were an action bad Why would Christ be baptised at the age of thirtie yeares Luke 3.23 seeing he needed neither remission of sinnes nor regeneration Christ himselfe answereth it at what time Iohn refused to baptise him Mat. 3.15 Let it be so now for so it behooueth vs to fulfill all righteousnesse Which is to be vnderstood distributiuely to wit thou in thy office and I in mine But whereas he would at that time be subiect to that Ministerie he did it for diuers causes First to shew that he did approoue of the doctrine baptisme and ministerie of Iohn and commend vnto vs the vse of the Sacraments by his owne example Secondly that he might sanctifie in his owne bodie our baptisme hauing the same common with vs as a most firme bond of vnion and fellowship which he vouchsafed to enter with vs at a time most fit namely whē he would giue a beginning to his own preaching to the new Testament And also to testifie that the same things are inuisibly in our baptisme which were visibly in his whē the heauens were opened the spirit of God came downe Thirdly to signifye that he was therfore sent to be baptised namely to be drenched in death and to wash away our sinnes with his bloud Luke 12.50 I must be baptised with another baptisme and how am I grieued till it be perfected Fourthly that the truth might answere the type or figure for as when the high Priest was consecrated first his whole bodie was washed with water then he was set before the people clothed with the priestly garments and then the trumpets sounded whilest oyle was powred vpon his head b Exod. 29 4.5.6 Num. 10.3 which was also done at the kings Installing
vnderstand the solemne profession of the Christian faith or finally the giuing of thankes and bestowing of almes What is it to Take Amongst the Euangelists it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is properly vndrestoode of the hand from whence also euery thing whereby a thing is taken as the handle of a cuppe the eare of a pot the hilt of a weapon is called of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Neither is it like to be true neither can it be gathered out of the historie of the institution of the Lords Supper nor by the maner of the sitting of Christ and of his Apostles at meat that Christ in the first Supper put bread into euery Apostles mouth For Io. 13 23. Iohn is said in the last Supper to haue leaned of Iesus bosome namely according to the manner of feasts of that time wherein in taking of meate they being stretched forth did leane vpon the ground or in an high chamber trimmed with beds as wee may reade Luk. 22.12 so that they did make as it were a certaine circle and the next did as it were leane vpon the former their heades alwaies within and their feete stretched out without 3. Moreouer the manner of taking both of me ate and drinke with the mouth not with the hand agreeth not to those of age and to the great ones that is to those which haue their wits exercised to discerne both good and euill a Heb. 5.14 such as it behoueth all them to bee as much as may be which are commaunded to examine themselues before they come to the Lords table but to Infants yet crying and which cannot discerne betweene their right hand and their left b Ionah 4.11 4. Furthermore that the word of Taking is to be vnderstood of the taking by the hand it is euident because otherwise there should bee a manifest Tautologie in the words of Christ when the taking of the mouth is necessarily vnderstoode out of the wordes by themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Eate and Drinke 5. The practise also and vse of the ancient Church doth shewe the same whose example is extant in the worâ—s of Ambrose to Theodosius the great Emperour How wilt thou stretch out the hands from which innocent bloude doth yet drop How wilt thou take the holy body of the Lord with such hands Theodoreâ— hist Ecâ—lesiasticall bâ— 5 Chap. 8 with what rashnesse wilt thou take in thy mouth the cup of the pretious bloud since that by the furie of thy words so much bloud is vniustly shed Therefore it is a superstitious thing to forbid the communicants to take Eucharisticall bread or cup for the inner mouth is no more holie then the lips and hands Wherefore they which put in whole little morsels into the mouth not into the hands of the receiuers I caÌ„not tel with what reason they can deny that they are papisticall and do cherish the spawne of superstition amongst their people What is declared by this receiuing of bread and wine into the hands As true a spiritual sealing within vs by the instrument of faith both of Christ himselfe and also of his benefits necessarie to our saluation as there is a true and certaine receiuing of these signes into the hands of the takers What doth the bodilie eating and drinking of this bread and this wine and moreouer the conueying of it into our body signifie That Iesus Christ receiued by the instrument of faith by a Diuine vertue through the Couenant of a new league is so farre made ours that hee doth passe as it were into vs by an incomprehensible mysterie to seale vp spirituall life in vs and wee in like manner passe into him yet with this difference that in naturall eating and nourishment those things which we eate and drinke by the strength of naturall heate are changed into our substance that there may be a renewing of that which began to be consumed but in spiritual nourishing the bodie and bloud of Christ doe so nourish and renewe vs and make vs one bodie with Christ that they doe change vs but are not changed in vs because wee had neede and must bee conformed to Christ and made like to his Image Rom. 8.29 Phil. 3.10 Is the giuing of the signes and eating them with the mouth and the giuing and eating of the things signified one and the same in number and kinde No in no wise 1 For as there are two persons administring the Lords supper on of the pastor performing that which is done outwardly and without an other of Christ effecting by his holy spirit that which is done inwardly 2 And as the whole action of the Lords supper doth consist of two things one earthly corporall and to be perceiued by the senses themselues Another heauenly spiritual and to be vnderstood by a faithfull minde 3 And as there are two parts of a man whereof one is the body the other the soule so there are two diuerse giuings one to the body which is done by the minister and another to the minde performed by Christ And so many eatings that is to say one outward corporall orall naturall and sensible namely of sensible signes which also is called Sacramental which is done by the instrumeÌ„t of the mouth the other inwarde supernaturall of the things signified and to be perceiued with the eyes of faith which is called spirituall That first was instituted by Christ that it might be an expresse image of this spirituall eating and drinking This twofold eating Augustine acknowledged He which eateth within not without he which eateth in heart not which presseth with his tooth Tractat. 36. vppon Iohn b. 4. dist 1.9 And Lombard As there are two things of the sacrament so there are two waies of eating one sacramentall whereby the good and bad doe eat the other spirituall whereby onely the good doe eat For looke what those earthly gifts are to mans body the instruments thereof that are heauenly giftes to the soule the most excellent instrument thereof which is faith But earthly signes are laid hold vpon with the body and the instruments thereof that is to say sensibly and corporally therfore the celestial good things are receiued onely with the soule and with the instrumeÌ„t thereof that is to say by faith spirituallie and intellectuallie a Ioh. 6.35 froÌ„ whence also that may be gathered that the word manducandi that is of eating is taken concerning the partaking of the signes properly but concerning the participation of the bodie of Christ in a borrowed sence Seeing that the flesh of Christ is corporall is not the eating of it in the Supper also corporall Truely the flesh of Christ is corporall in respect that it is a bodie but it is not corporall by speaking properly in respect that it is meat for as much as our bodie is nourished neither with his flesh nor bloud as if it were foode for this corporall
the grounds of Doctrines or of the Articles of faith and of the commandements of God alwaies to be taken without figures altogether as the words doe sound No seeing that there is no lesse certaintie in a figuratiue speech which may bee applyed to the nature of the thing concerning which it is spoken then in a proper Like as the first promise of the Gospell was published by God in a figuratiue speach The seede of the woman shall breake the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 which Iohn declareth in a proper speach 1. Epistle chap. 3. verse 8. The sonne of God appeared that hee might dissolue the works of the Diuell And the first chapter of Iohn is the ground of Doctrine concerning the person of Christ and yet in it are figuratiue speeches Verse 4. 5. That light was the light of men And that light shineth in the darkensse and the darkenesse comprehended it not But is it not absurd that Christ spake tropically and therefore enigmatically that is obscurely or doubtfully in the institution of his supper with the Disciples which were rude and simple In no wise for the thing it selfe sheweth that that Metonymicall speech was not enigmaticall doubtfull or darke to the Disciples for vnlesse it had come into their minde that bread was called of the Lord his bodie because it was a signe thereof doubtlesse they had beene troubled at so prodigious a thing as followeth vpon the proper and literall sense of the words And that so much the more because almost at the same time they could not vnderstand farre more easie things a Iohn 14.8 16.17 a seeing therefore they are not trobled with these words it is plain that they vnderstood those things Metonymically after the mnaner of the Scripture Especially as a little before they had eaten the Lambe which in the same sense is called Pascha that is the Passeouer Exod. 12.27 Which is the other part of words of Christ concerning the bread Which is giuen for you In Luke 22.19 or VVhich is broken for you in Paule 1. Cor. 11.24 For in Mathew and Marke this part is wanting the subiect of which member is not bread but bodie expressed in the Pronoune Relatiue which And the Attribute VVhich is giuen or deliuered for you namely vnto death or is broken that is Esay being interpreter Chap. 53.10 He is broken with sorrowes or is crucified and killed VVhat is signified in this proposition 1 The mysticall bodie of Christ is not signified for the mysticall bodie of Christ which is the Church is not giuen or deliuered or broken for vs but the true bodie 2 It is signified that Christ gaue not a glorified and spirituall bodie and therefore that the flesh of Christ is not simple meate in respect that it is glorified but that it is liuing meat vnto vs in respect that it was in time past crucified Iohn 6.51 3 It is gathered by a proper and regular predication that the bread is not called the body of Christ but figuratiuely because it is vniuersally true of a proper and regular signification Whatsoeuer is the predicate of the predicate is also the predicate of the subiect But that which is said heere of the bodie of Christ cannot be spoken properly and regularly of bread For bread is said to be giuen to vs properly not giuen for vs Neyther is wine said properly to be shed for vs by powred in to vs. Againe that which is giuen is but an Enallage of the present time for the future spoken for that which shall be shortly giuen vpon the crosse but not in the Eucharist Because Christ therein offered not or gaue his bodie for a sacrifice but vpon the crosse For it is an vsuall Enallage of scripture to speake concerning a thing now instant to be forthwith as it were of a thing present And so to vse the present tense for the future So Mat. 26.24 Wo be to that man by whom the sonne of man is betrayed And Iohn 10.15 I lay downe my life for my sheepe And the common translation hath VVhich shall be giuen for you VVhich is broken cannot be affirmed of the signe which the Lord had broken alreadie neyther can it be spoken of the bodie of Christ vnlesse it be Metonymically seeing that it was said of the bodie of Christ Exod. 12.46 and Iohn 19.36 yea shall not breake a bone thereof 4 And also the loue of Christ towards vs is commended because when he owed nothing to Death because he was without sinne for he was holy and vndefiled a Heb 17.26 he would vndergo it for vs. 5 Last of all the fruit of his death because he is said to be deliuered vnto death not onely for the Apostles but for many What are the words of the Lord concerning the cup They also consist of two branches the former is in Mathew and Marke This is my bloud of the new Testament Or as Luke and Paule hath it This cup is the new Testament in my bloud The subiect of which speech is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This of the neuter gender but not hic this in the masculine gender as hath the old interpretation which pronounce hoc this is referred to the wine not to the bloud for so it should bee an Identicall proposition which is manifestly plaine out of Luke 22.20 who addeth vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is this the Noune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is cup or wine as as if he had said This which I hold in my hands and giue to you And the predicate is bloud or the new testament in my bloud The couple the verbe substantiue est is which in Luke is wanting In which proposition surely it cannot be said without a Metonymie that the word cup is taken for wine which is contained in the cup and that this cup is that New testament In the one is the continent put for the thing contained in the other of the thing signified is for the signe For properly according to the word the cup it selfe or wine is not the new Testament it selfe but a pledge and seale of the new Testament or rather that wherewith the Testament is established that is to say of the bloud of Christ like as Circumcision was called the old Couenant By all which it appeareth that the words of the Lords supper are ful of figures but yet most vsual easie to be vndestood Whether may this proposition of Christ This is my bloud be so compared with that of Moses saying Exod. 24.8 concerning the bloud of calues this is the bloud of the couenant that both here there bloud being in deed in it owne essence as that being holden in the hands of Moses and this in the hands of Christ be demonstrated properly and not figuratiuely In no wise For Moses truly sprinkled the people with the bloud of the offering taken out of a basen that bloud was a sacramental signe therfore that enuntiatiō of Moses
instituted that they may be hiding places of things signified but that they may bee effectual signes seales and memorials as the Scripture speaketh Aliud existentia aliud significantia saith Augustine that is being one thing and signifying another thing But meerely significatiue or relatiue that is wholy placed in this that according to Gods ordinance declared in the Sacramentall word these things in a mutuall respect reciprocall relation betweene themselues are one certaine thing for as Beda saith vppon Lu 22 Panis ad corpus Christi mysticè vinum ad sanguinem refertur that is Tho bread is referred to the body of Christ mystically the wine to the bloud and are offered to be considered and also to bee taken spiritually by faith the signes of them which doe lawfully administer the Supper but the things are giuen of the Father and Christ the son the holy Ghost working together with them Seing that Aristotle booke 5. chap. 6. of the Metaphysicks doth teach that there are fower kinds of them which are one In number figure generall Analogie which of these waies is the bread the bodie of Christ Neither in number nor figure nor generall kinde but in analogie or proportion and similitude for they are said to be one in proportion whatsoeuer are compared together betweene themselues as one thing to another according to proportion he saith What things soeuer are as one thing to another are said one in respect Therfore the bread and body of Christ or the bread of life are one thing in proportion because both of them doe giue sustenance that is nourishment and increase to a man but that to the bodie but this to the faithfull soule So the wine of the Lord and the bloud of the Lord are one in proportion because they quench thirst and doe refresh but that the bodie this the faithfull soule Whether can that supernaturall coniunction whereby the Deitie of Christ is personally conioyned with the humanity or that miraculous whereby God hauing taken some visible shapes disclosed himselfe to some men as when God is said to haue appeared to Moses in a flame of fire in a bush a Exod. 3 2 or when the holy Ghost descended vpon Christ in the shape of a Doue Mat. 3.16 or when it was giuen to the Disciples by the breathing of Christ and with firie tongues Iohn 20.22 Act. 2.3 take place here No because the the personall vnion and the Sacramentall vnion doe differ in the whole kinde and because the condition of that bread should be better then of all the faithfull men to whom the bodie of Christ is vnited not personally but only mystically Moreouer the body of Christ is one thing which cannot bee in many places God or the holy Spirit another thing which is euery where And besides we may not argue from that which is done against order by miracle to that which is ordinary in the Church of God of which sort is the Supper of the Lord according to his owne precept Doe this Finally neither that Doue which Iohn Baptist saw descending from heauen vpon Christ nor that breath wherewith he breathed vpon his Disciples nor the fierie tongues which sate vpon each of the Disciples were God or the holy Ghost essentially or had the holy Spirit in them but were signes of that spirit both in Christ and also in the Disciples Is it true in all things that those things which are ioyned by Gods ordinance in a peculiar manner are affirmed one of another as This man is God the Doue is the Holy Ghost No otherwise we might say truely in a man The soule is the bodie and in Christ The Humanitie is the Diuinitie and in a fired sword the sword is the fire or the fire is the sword which yet no man doth grant But it is true chiefly in the propositions concerning the person of Christ when as for the same substantial word they put in concrete words as wel this man as this God But the personall vnion is not placed in the Sacrament wherefore it cannot bee that that should be alike true This man is God that This bread is the body of Christ Moreouer in symbolicall and Sacramentall speaches as we read that the holy Ghost was seene of Iohn descending like a Doue because the Doue was the signe of the Holy Ghost and so we grant that the bread is the bodie of Christ But concerning a vessell of wine we say truely but yet figuratiuely This is wine seing that there are two substances their ioyned and as it were the thing contained in the thing containing as also of an Angell appearing in mans shape it might bee saide This is an Angell but as a thing in a place which that it cannot be said of the body of Christ in the bread hath beene alreadie proued at large Why therefore are the Sacramentall signes called Exhibitiue Because the Lord doth so truely exhibit and giue himselfe being the bread celestiall â—ucer comment vpon the Ephes and that of eternall life to those which are his like as he gaue truly to his Disciples the holy Ghost by the signe of the breath of his mouth or as by the touching of the hand hee gaue vnto many health of bodie and minde as sight by clay made of spittell as by circumcision of the flesh the circumcision of the heart and as by baptisme Regeneration For they which with a true faith doe communicate with the signes corporally doe receiue true confirmation and increase of the communion of the bodie and bloud of the Lord spiritually But Irenaeus saith that the Eucharist doth consist of two things of an Earthly and a Heauenly Rightly yet we must not thinke that it is compounded or whole altogether substantiall or some subsisting thing made of whole parts as a man of bodie and of soule and the bodie of an head and a trunke but it is a holy action or a diuine ordinance wherein at one time but not in one place diuers things are distinctly propounded and deliuered no otherwise then as a pledge being deliuered or the earnest of any thing the thing it selfe was wont to be deliuered also together To what purpose commaunded the Lord to make his Supper Not for an vnbloudy oblation of his body to God the Father for the sinnes of the quick and dead or for a Scenical representation of the death of Christ but for a commemoration of his death for he saith Doe this in remembrance of me that is to say to bee celebrated in the assembly of the faithfull to that end a Luke 22 19. to which purpose also serueth the words of Paule verse 26. declaring what that is In remembrance of me For as often as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shew the Lords death vntill he come Verse 25. That is 1 Cor. 11.24 call to minde and speake of the whole obedience of Christ and all his benefits with a thankfull mind
vpon the Sacrament doth cease For the Sacraments are religious and continuall actions to which signes are added not that the minde should stay it selfe in them but that they might moue them to whom they are giuen to thinke vpon and doe another thing 2 Is is manifest also out of the word of God that it was plainely forbidden of the Lord that any of the Paschall Lamble being the expresse type of our Eucharist and of Manna should be kept till the next day vndoubtedly that the least entrance to superstition might be shut vp 3 And this worshipping of bread Dan. chap. 11.38 Doth attribute to Antichrist when he saith He shall honour the God Mauzzim as if he should say Missarie that is to say crustie or breaden In Gold and siluer and precious things 4 Neyther said Christ lift vp offer lay vp carie about worship but take eate drinke in remembrance of me What is the second end That the Lord may visibly represent his inuisible giftes neere to all the senses to the sight to the hearing to the taste to the feeling that the whole man being mooued in bodie and soule may celebrate this most pleasant and holy thing with greater ioy Which is the third end That it may be an effectuall token symbole pledge testification and confirmation of our communion coniunction and incorporation with Christ the head and by him as it were by a Mediator with the Father and the holy Ghost a 1 Ioh. 1.3 Of which end the Apostle saith the cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ and the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ 1. Cor. 10.16 that is to say Metonymically like as the Gospell is called the power of God to saluation Rom. 1.16 That is an effectuall instrument of God which ende the promise of the Lord doth also note Iohn 6.56 Hee that eateth my flesh dwelleth in mee and I in him Of how many sorts is the coniunction of our nature with Christ 1 Threefold the first is of natures that is of our nature by Incarnation but yet in the particular and truly of the seede alone of Abraham and a ioyning together of the diuine nature in the person of the sonne into one person b Ioh. 1.14 Heb. 2.14 16 which is called Hypostaticall and according to this we say that the sonne of God is of our flesh and of our bones because hee tooke flesh of our kinde 2 There is a ioyning together of our persons but yet being absent and on pilgrimage from the Lord and of the person of Christ God and man yea of both natures both of the Diuine and of the humane nature of Christ into one mysticall bodie which in regard of the extreams See Zanch. his Spiritual mariage betwixt Christ his church his comment vpon Eph. 5. de communione cum Christo is called Substantiall Essential but in regard of the bond or manner whereby the extreames are vnited meerely spirituall and mysticall that is to say secret Whereupon dependeth the participation of the operation and of the graces of Christ that is of remission of sinnes of regeneration and of life eternall Concerning which 1. Cor. 1.9 God is faithfull by whom ye are called vnto the fellowship of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. And according to this wee are said to be of his flesh and of his bones not in respect that we are men but in regard that wee are Christians and ingrafted into Christ and by this Christ is the Spouse of one Church that is of all the Elect a Eph. 5.30 3 And there is a coniunction of our persons but present with the Lord and of the person of Christ into one glorious bodie and that is called glorious Of which coniunctions the third dependeth vpon the second and the second vpon the first What doth the word Felowship signifie in the saying of Paule b 1 Cor 1.9 that is which coniunction of those three doth it signifie Not the concord or coniunction of consent and will onely but the habitation and dwelling c 2 Cor. 6 6. and consociation or participation of our persons with Christs person Although 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is participation doth seeme to be referred properly to the signes and to the seuerall persons eating the same bread but yet broken and distributed seuerally by parts as the same Apostle noteth 1. Cor. 10 17. as Chrysostome interprets it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Because we all are partakers of one bread But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Felowship is to be referred to whole Christ to be applied to themselues by faith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is participation may be an exception of the part but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is fellowship a fruition and possession of the whole And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is participation may be said of the signes taken by parts but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is felowship of the thing signified that is to say whole Christ Verily how straight this is it is euident Ex nomine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by the name of vnitie or coniunction which Christ vnfolding saith I desire of thee O father that they which thou hast giuen me may be one as thou O Father art in mee and I in thee euen that they also may be one in vs. Iohn 17.21 Else where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifye both fellowship in prayers and in breaking of bread and also almes or contribution or collation or abilitie d act 2 42 Rom. 15.26 2 Cor 8 4 Heb. 13.16 and also consent in doctrine Gal. 2.9 What is it to communicate with Christ It is not onely to professe Christ or onely to communicate with his incarnation whereby he was made a certaine one thing in speciall with all mankind although this incarnation be the foundation of this Vnion whereof wee intreat neyther onely in affection in loue in consent and concord to bee vnited to Christ nor to communicate only with the merits of Christ But it is to haue Christ dwelling and liuing in vs and vs to dwell and liue in Christ a Ioh. 6.55 and that in verie deed as Chrysostome speaketh and naturally as Cyrill saith that is in the verie communication also of the humane nature of Christ to be vnited and ioyned with Christ to cleaue to him and Christ to bee made ours and wee in like manner to bee made Christs and moreouer to bee nourished with Christ or to be ioyned to him to be ingrafted into him so that more more growing vp into his mystical bodie in one spirit we be members of his bodie b 1 Cor. 6.15 of his flesh and of his bones And that we may all meete together in the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the
fulnesse of Christ Ephes 5.30 and 4.13 Of which place Zanchius in his comment vpon it discourseth most learnedly What therefore is that which is conioyned vnto vs Christ according to himselfe and according to his effect and grace that is Christ himselfe whole but yet spiritually and to bee considered in minde together with all his merits How is this vnion made whether by a reall actuall and corporall inuisible falling downe of Christs flesh into vs and by a naturall touching with ours or by a connexion contiguitie locall indistance orall perception or by an essentiall commixtion of the flesh of Christ and ours or by an ingresse of his bodie and soule or by a corporall coniunction By none of these For the veritie of the flesh of Christ and his ascension into heauen doe not suffer this Besides also out of so many substances of diuers bodies there should grow a most monstrous bodie but by a copulation or connexion altogether spirituall and supernaturall yet reall and true altogether after a diuine and heauenly manner For if the things which are vnited be respected it is an Essentiall vnion If the truth of the vnion it is reall But if the manner whereby this vnion is made it is spirituall That there is such an vnion it is truly manifest vnto vs out of the both simple sacramentall word of God but for the forme which may containe the exact definition thereof the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very being of it how it is which some doe importunately require of vs the Apostle by the best right calleth a great mysterie Ephes 5.32 They shall be two in one flesh The reason whereof is such that we cannot in our mindes comprehend it For it is spoken Contradictorily that any thing is accuratelie declared eyther that the forme therof or formal cause is accuratly knowne and is secret For now wee see through a glasse darkely but then shall wee see face to face Now I know in part but then shall I know euen as I am knowne And wee walke by faith not by sight 1. Cor. 13.9.12 and 2. Cor. 5.7 And it is enough in this mysterie to know the efficient cause with the finall and adiuuant causes For also in actions wee then know chiefely when wee see the beginning of the motion saith the chiefe of the Phylosophers booke third that is when wee haue knowen the efficient cause Which is the proper cause or the meanes and the Energeticall that is efficient cause of this our communion with Christ The operation efficacie and working of the holy Ghost doth cause that a man receiueth Christ together with his merits For as the sinewes comming from the braine are scattered into the integrall parts of the liuing bodie and doe ioyne the middle low panch armes hands feet both to the head also to the members by a conueniēt situation function of euery part remaining safe So one the same spirit of Christ comprehending vs a Phi. 3.12 doth so make vs partakers of him that cleauing fast both to Christ the head to his members more straightly and more strongly then the members of the naturall bodie to the bodie wee may neuer be separated from him and from them as Paule teacheth 1. Cor. 12.12 As the bodie is one and hath many members and all the member of the bodie which is one though they be many yet are but one bodie euen so is Christ For so collectiuely by a word taken from the head he calleth both Christ who is the head and the mysticall bodie of that head which is the Church Whereby it commeth to passe from that great bounty of our Sauiour that Christ also himselfe becommeth so neerely ours and we likewise his that before the fathers iudgement seat Christ and the Church not by a hypostaticall ioyning of substances but by a mysticall belonging to this communion are as it were one and the same subsistence and wee are taken to be one Christ most effectually For by one spirit wee all are baptized into one bodie saith the same Apostle that is that we should be gathered into one bodie of Christ and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit that is with one liuely draught of the Lords bloud b 3.19 Wee are made partakers of his one spirit 1. Corinth 12.13 And Irenaeus saith like as of drie wheat one lumpe cannot bee made without moysture nor one bread So neyther we being many could not haue beene made one in Christ Iesus without the water which is from heauē Therefore Paule 1. Cor. 6.17 He that is ioyned to the Lord is one Spirit with him whereupon also it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The communion of the holy Ghost a 2 Cor. 13 13 And 1. Iohn 3.24 Heereby we know that Christ abideth in vs euen by the spirit which he hath giuen vs. And Rom. 8.9 If any man hath not the spirit of Christ the same is not his Therefore like as by one and the same soule all the members of the bodie are vnited with the head and are quickened so all the faithfull although they be in earth and their head in heauen yet in verie deed by one and the same spirit issuing from the head and by euerie ioynt of the mysticall bodie yeelding nourishment are vnited with him and being knit together doe abide liue and receiue increase according to the measure of euerie part Ephes 4.16 Gal. 3.5 By what meanes doe wee in like manner communicate with the flesh of Christ Not by nature as wee communicate with the flesh of Adam nor yet by a naturall and corporall instrument but by one supernaturall and spirituall that is by faith alone created in vs by that selfe same spirit whereby Christ doth comprehend vs a Phil. 3.12 by which we doe receiue lay hold vpon and as it were by an instrumentall cause possesse Christ himselfe Concerning which manner Ephes 3.17 the Apostle saith That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Therfore wee are vnited to Christ by faith Therefore this vnion is made by the Spirit in respect of Christ and by faith in respect of vs. Neyther is their any other manner of vnion with Christ deliuered in the scriptures They erre therefore which say that faith is the formall cause of our vnion with Christ or of our iustification seeing that it is as it were a spirituall hand which receiueth Christ and his merits applied vnto it selfe by the holy Ghost Which are the outward instruments of this communion The Gospell and the Sacraments whereupon it is called the communion or fellowship of the Gospell b Phil. 1.5 because by the preaching of the Gospell and vse of the sacraments wee haue fellowship with Christ and his Church 1. Iohn 1.3 Is this sacramentall coniunction of vs with Christ necessarie It is being as it were the cause of all things which we haue in Chist and no other besides this for as the
comprehendeth the office of the Magistrate For God will iudge and punish them either immediately without the ministerie of man or mediately by the Magistrate Doth Paule condemne the order of Iudgements and all manner of contending at the Lawe where hee saith 1. Cor. 6.7 There is vtterly a fault amongst you because you goe to Lawe one with another No neither doth he simply deny the lawfulnesse of going to law before a magistrate but onely rebuketh in Christians that goe to lawe with another that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is lesse then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth weaknesse or defect and impatiency of minde 1. That they laboured with lust sorrowe hatred and couetousnesse euen for vnprofitable matters and for trifling businesses and would contend in lawe for the most slender iniuries that might be and would deale therin with an obstinate purpose of reuenge and with all the sleights and deuises that could bee 2. In regard of the scandall and offence because they did striue and goe to lawe vnder the heathen and vnbeleeuing Iudges which brought a reproach vpon the whole Church as if Christians should at this day bring their actions before Turkish gouernours 3. Because they did willingly offer iniurie and damage one vnto another euen those that were brethren and partakers in the same Christian Religion 4. Lastly that they neglected to compound their differences by the arbiterment of the faithfull in the Church But that a man may euen before wicked Iudges defend his owne innocencie against the iniuries of wicked men euen himselfe giuing the first onset the Apostle Paule sheweth not onely in words but in deed in practise when he appealed to the lawes of the Romaines when hee was beaten with rods and so also he required helpe of the Romane tribune against the Iewes that lay in wait to kil him again from the vniust Iudge he appealed to the tribunall seate of Caesar a Act. 16 37 23.27 25.10.11 By all with it appeareth that to goe to lawe of it selfe is not euill but the abuse is that that maketh it vicious What doth Christ meane then Math. 5.39 when hee forbiddeth them to resist euill and commaundeth them that to him that will take away their coate they should giue the cloake also and to turne the right cheek to him that shall strike them on the left It is not an aduise and counsell giuen to them that are come to perfection as some expound it but a manifest and expresse commaundement wherein he doth not absolutely enioyne them to turne the other cheeke to him that smites them for Christ himselfe did not so to him that smote him but rather reprehendeth his malapertnes Iohn 18.22 And so Paule Act. 23.2 God will smite thee thou painted wall But the meaning of Christ is that he would haue the mindes of his Disciples to bee so farre from the desire of reuenging of iniuries that they should rather endure the iniurie to be doubled vpon them then they should reuenge the same and that they should rather be willing to suffer wrong then to offer any or requite it being offered to them But it is one thing to defend themselues and their goods which is lawfull for Gods children to doe and it is another thing to hurt another man which the godly may not doe Neyther yet is this patience which Christ prescribeth Luke 21 19. or equitie and moderation of the minde any hinderance but that keeping still sound friendship toward our aduersaries wee may without bitternes of hatred or desire to hurt them vse the remedie granted vnto vs by God that is to say the helpe of the magistrate for the preseruation of our goods and substance and let the causes contend and striue so as still the hearts may be free from contention for according to the old saying Dissidere bonos etiam de rebus iisdem Incolumi licuit semper amicitia The selfesame things may make good men to varie And yet still friendship stand and not miscarie Or they may in a care of the publicke good and in pure and true zeale bring before the magistrate a guiltie stubborne and pestilent fellow and require to haue him punished so as it bee done with an vpright conscience and a minde free from all guile and corrupt affection ayming at the amendement or at leest the bridling and restrayning of the offender the quietnesse of others the preseruation of iustice and Gods glorie What say you to that of Salomon Prou. 10.12 Loue couereth all trespasses Doth that speach commaund the Magistrate to spare those that offend or doth it commaund priuate men that they shall not bring their complaints before the magistrate against those that doe them iniurie No But it teacheth that priuate offences such as vsually fall out among men must be fauourably intepreted forgiuen and forgotten according to that forgiue and ye shall be forgiuen and as Paule saith Loue suffereth all things namely those which are not enormious but may be tolerated and mitigated without breach of discipline or godlinesse 1. Cor. 13.7 In what sort are iudgements to be ordered This point the scripture teacheth Deut. 1.16 First Heare the controuersies betweene your brethren Secondly Iudge rightly betweene euery man and his brother and the stranger that is with him Thirdly Ye shall haue no respect of person in iudgement but shall heare the small aswell as the great ye shall not feare the face of man for the iudgment is Gods And fourthly chap 17.4 If any thing be told thee and thou hast heard it thou shalt inquire of it diligently whether the thing be true and certaine So Leuit. 19.15 Yee shall not doe vniustly in iudgement thou shalt not fauour the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mightie but thou shalt iudge thy neighbour iustly Pro. 17.15 Hee that iustifieth that is acquiteth the wicked and he that condemneth the iust euen they both are abhomination to the Lord. And Pro. 24.24 He that saith to the wicked thou art righteous him shall the people curse and the nations shall abhorre him And Iohn 7.24 Iudge not saith Christ according to the appearance but iudge righteous iudgement as if he should say weigh and consider the fact by it selfe simply without any respect at all to the person And 2. Chron. 19 5. Iosaphat said vnto the Iudges Take heede what you doe for you execute not the iudgements of man but of God That is you doe not in iudgement supply the roome of any man so much as of God himselfe and he will be with you in the cause and iudgement Wherefore now let the feare of the Lord be vpon you take heed and doe it for there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God neither respect of persons nor receiuing of reward And the law of the Athenians was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Both must be heard and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Giue not thy iudgement any way Till thou hast heard what