the Roman Church Part III. CHAP. I. The Antiquity Vniversality and Clearness of our Religion and from whence comes our difference with Rome THus have we shewn our faith by the Scriptures The Passages are clear and for the most part express and formal which Rome and Geneva equally acknowledge in their Version which the East and West North and South read in common since the first times of Christianity to this minute without their being able to reproach us that we have violated the Original abused the Pricks of the Hebrew or the Accents of the Greek The Consequences are of so evident necessity that Children are capable of understanding them So easie is it to prove that the Beliefs which we have just now demonstrated by Scripture are common to all Christians The Antients have explained cleared them in their Symbols and Councils The Moderns have retained them notwithstanding all the Changes which has happened in Religion All the Climates of the Christian world have received them with an universal consent Rome it self doth not contest with us about them she makes a Profession to believe them also There is but Sabellius Paul de Samosate Arius Fotinus Manicheusi Pelagius Nestorius and Eutyches every one of whom debate something of them with us all Heretiques being crushed by the Thunderbolts of the Catholick Church many hundred years since They alone demand proofs of us the others believe all with us From whence it appears by the way how false the Calumny of those is who accuse our Religion of novelty or particularity For what is there either more Antient or Universal among Christians than those Creeds of which it consists Who can deny that the Catholique Church hath had them in all Ages That Rome it self hath them not now Whether Antiquity hath had any Opinion which I have not it is another Question and upon which it falls out to consider First Whether this be a thing which hath been revealed by Jesus Christ and preached by his Apostles And Secondly ipresupposing it to be a truth that it is so necessary that one cannot without believing it have part in the Grace and Glory of God But as to my Religion that is to say this faith which I have proved by the Scriptures it is clear that all the true Christians both Antient and Modern are agreed in it who by confequence are all of my Religion although perhaps I am not of their Opinion in all other things They hold all my Beliefs only I confess 't is better that I hold not all their Opinions see the terms upon which we are with those of Rome For they profess to believe the Articles which we have explained All the difference springs from the Articles which they lay down to the confession of which they would oblige us and which we cannot receive This is all our Controversie From whence every one may see the injustice of the new Methodists who press us to prove by formal passages the points of our faith controversed between them and us Whereas the Points of my faith Gentlemen are not controversed but those of yours as for Example the Question is not whether we ought to worship God and Jesus Christ which is a Point of my faith but whether we ought to worship the Host which is an Article of yours The Question is not whether Jesus Christ is our Mediator or whether the Oblation of his death is a Sacrifice which are Articles of my belief but whether the Saints departed are our Mediators and whether the pretended Oblation of your Altars is a true a properly called Sacrifice which are the Points of your Faith We do not dispute whether we ought to call upon God or hope for Paradice and fear Hell which is my belief but whether we ought to Invogue the Saints and apprehend the fire of Purgatory which is your Doctrine 'T is you then ought to prove your saith not I mine Since to dispute well and lawfully one ought to prove not things which the parties are agreed on which would be a superflous labour but those about which they differ Nevertheless to content your humour we have proved our faith by the Scripture Let us see now if you can as easily finde yours there and that which you add to ours upon which indeed is all your contest CHAP. II. An Exposition of the Principal Beliefs of the Roman Church which we reject from our Faith FOr we confess voluntarily that we cannot believe neither that which you teach that Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world besides his being once offered upon the Cross is still every day immolated and truly and properly sacrificed upon your Altars under the Signes of Bread and Wine for the expiation of the sins of men nor that which you presuppose to this purpose that the body of Jesus Christ although it be in Heaven in Sovereign Glory is notwithstanding here below really and substantially under the Species of Bread and Wine which you consecrate intirely under every part of the Species of the Bread and the Wine loosing their first substance and being changed into that of his Body and Blood nor that which you conclude that all the faithful of the Lord are obliged without scrupling to render to your Sacrament the adoration * Cult de Latria worship and service due to the true God We reject also from our faith this which you assert in yours that the Souls of some of the faithful after having been washed in the Blood of Christ which cleanseth from all sin ought yet to be purged by I know not what subterranean flames in a place which you name Purgatory Nor can we perswade our selves to believe what you so firmly maintain that sinful men obtain the pardon of their Crimes not by faith alone as we all believe but also by the merits of their own works such as most of you say as they even merit Divine Grace and life eternal Neither can we receive that which you teach that besides this great God whom we adore we ought also to serve the Saints departed and besides the love and honour which we bare them as persons who have lived in the fear of God and who now rejoyce in his Glory we ought moreover to invoke them pray to them and have recourse to their aide and render as well to their Images as to those of Christ a certain Religious Veneration in kissing and saluting them uncovering our heads and prostrating our bodies before them Less yet do we think our selves obliged as you do to acknowledge the Bishop of Rome for the Head and Spouse of the Universal Church besides Jesus Christ our Lord or to attribute to him a Sovereign and Independant Authority over all other Pastors and Bishops and even over Councils and an infallible Light in the Faith never erring in the decision of things which concerns it and therefore we do not believe that the Laws which he hath made of celebrating certain Feasts and of
which they cannot infer from it although one should grant them what they could draw from it it being clear as we said before that the body and blood of the Lord may be present in the Eucharist and the bread and wine not change their Substance But I say lastly that this which they would conclude from it cannot lawfully be inferred For if because we eat the body of the Lord and drink his blood in the Supper it follows that the substance of his body and his blood is really present there then in the same manner it will follow also that it is present in the Souls of all those who believe in him since that according to many Fathers and the most part of the Doctors of Rome to believe in Jesus Christ is to eat his flesh and drink his blood Eph. 2.17 and since according to St. Paul it is by faith that Christ dwells in our hearts it will follow that the Substance of Christ is really present in our Baptism since that those who are baptized put on Jesus Christ Gal. 3.27 Rom. 6.3 and are buried with him in his death it will follow that the Substance of his blood is really present in the Souls of all the truly faithful chosen according to the Providence of God since they are sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.2 Apoc. 7.14 and in the Souls of those who are come from tribulation since they have washed their long robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Now if one can eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus Christ in believing and have him dwelling in his heart and put him on and be buried with him and be sprinkled with his blood and be washed and made white in his blood and nevertheless not touch really the substance why may not one in the like manner eate his flesh and drink his blood in the Eucharist without his being there bodily Who seeth not that these ways of speaking signifie only vertue of the death of the Lord in them to whom he communicates himself by faith and the Spirit giving them the same effects in respect of the spiritual life which Meats Vestments Liquors and Water with which one is cleansed in respect of the temporal life gives us sustaining and preserving us making sin die in us covering the nakedness of our Souls fortifying our hearts cleansing and purging us from all spiritual filthiness let us conclude then that this famous Transubstantiation the principal piece of the Roman Religion is neither expressed nor presupposed in Scripture it being not less impossible to discover it there by the light of Reason than by that of Sense CHAP. V. That the Adoration of the Consecrated Eucharist is not taught in the Scriptures FRom whence it follows that the Adoration of the Host the Sovereign Service of their Religion cannot be proved by Scripture since it hath no other ground than Transubstantiation it being clear that they should not adore this Substance covered with the Accidents of Bread and Wine if they believe it to be a true Substance of Bread and Wine and not that of the body and blood of Christ Jesus CHAP. VI. That the Scripture doth not teach in any part of it the fire of Purgatory 1. LEt us come now to the fire of Purgatory where they will have the Souls of the faithful satisfie for the temporal punishment of their sins before they enter Heaven 'T is sad to see them sweat to finde in the Scripture something wherewith to blow up light and maintain this fire For this Opinion impassions them in such a manner that they that see it in all the places where a Pit a Lake a Prison a Goal a Fire purging refining a refining pot c. are spoken of The Lord proposing to us the form of the true Sancitification required in his Church in the 5th of St. Matthew Matth. 5.25 26. Commands us amongst other things to have a heart clean from all hatred malice anger towards our neighbours threatning them with grievous torments who shall never so little offend them protesting that nothing ought to be in more commendation than to live in concord and good friendship with them adding Agree thou with thine adversary quickly whilst thou art in the way with him for fear that thine adversary should deliver thee to the Judge and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer and thou be put into Prison verily I say unto thee that thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast paid the last farthing This Prison say they is the Purgatory But who seeth not that this is to suppose not to prove it For why should we understand Purgatory by this Prison rather than a true properly named Prison where the wicked Pay-masters and Cheaters are often put for their stubborness with much loss and scandal which they might escape in agreeing lovingly and betimes with their Adverse-party Chrysost Theophyl Euthym. upon this passage Barrad Harmon Evang. T. 2.1.7 c. 17. as our Lord Commands in this place and the Apostle in the first Epistle to the Corinthians St. Chrysostom and many others take it simply so and even this Jesuit Barradius But if one would take the passage Allegorically as an Image of the Judgments of God against them who will not use charity towards their Brethren why should not we understand by this Prison either the chastisements in which our Lord locks up sometimes men in this life for having neglected the duties of Charity towards their Neighbours or even the pains of Hell in which he will confine for ever after this life all those who have not used mercy towards their Brethren Maldon Mat. 5.25 To let in Luke 12. Annot. 86. 89. Jansen Concord Evang. c. 40. Stella in Luc. T. 2. c. 12. See also Salmeron T. 5. Tractat 37. as the Jesuit Maldonat Cardinal Tolett Bishop Jansenius expound it who confess ingeniously that this place cannot be urged for Purgatory and the Cordelier Stella confessing that which is indeed most evident that these words Thou shalt pay the last farthing simply signifie Thou shalt be punisht to the rigour they shall not pardon thee any thing so that they do not infer by any means that the Criminal of whom this dispute is ought at any time to go out of prison but they suppose only that he shall go out if he pays the last farthing of his debt and by consequence he shall never go out if he cannot pay it And as as to that which is said that he to whom we have not used Charity shall be our enemy and shall deliver us to the Judge 't is the same manner of speaking like that in the Proverbs and repeated in the Epistle to the Romans that he who doth good to his enemy Prov. 15.21 Rom. 12.20 Luke 16.9 heaps coals of fire on his head and like that in the fixth of St. Luke That those to whom we give alms
Pâ—â—asch 2. p. 96 A. B and 98. B. and 102. D. and Paschal 3 p. 109 c. 110 B. Bibl. PP T. 3. and for the Hereticks in General Chrysost Hom. 87. in Mat. 7 9. D. and Hom. 59. lat 58. in John p. 298. A. Hierom. com 2. in Mich. p. 378. F. and comm in Agg. p. 506. F. Gregro Mvg. Moral in Job l. 18 c. 14. but nevertheless so let it be since they will have it so Shall their fond imagination wrong truth and that under the pretence of thinking to see that in the Scripture which is not there I cannot assure my self of having found there all that which is there divers men have all reasoned in Mathematicks and drawn from the principles of that Sience some conclusions which are not really there But shall it be denied me under the pretence of this to hold this consequence for good and assuredly veritable that the whole is greater then the part that a triangle is bigger then the basis and the Body of a man bigger then his finger but where is the man how stupid soever he be who notwithstanding the paralogisms of Brison and all the other doth not presently see that this arguing is most true and necessary so there are Authors found in natural Philosophy Astrology and Phisick who have discoursed ill phancying to find something in the principles of these Siences which is not there Would not this be not ony injustice but Sottishness or madness to endeavour to peswade us under this pretence that we cannot receive any of the consequences drawn from these principles as certain and necessary nor assure our selves that if a horse sees hears and runs he is then an animal or if a stone hath nothing of sence then it is no animal now we are exactly upon these terms in respect to the Scripture Many have a mind to draw from it by discourse things which it speaks nothing of Gen. 1.16 and the Roman doctors more then all the others who in the two Luminaries which it placeth in the heavens have pretended to find out the power of their Pope to be above the Emperour and his spiritual monarchies in the Faith and qualifications which it attributes to S. Peter and his power to interdict States to depose Princes among animals Act. 10.13 which it represents to us to have been signified to the Apostle in a vision 'T is by the same Logick that they conclude their purgatory from the parable which saith thou shalt not go out till thou hast Mat. 5.2 paid the last farthing and their Sacrifice from the words of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.24 Matt. 26.26 do this and their transubstantiation from the other this is my Body But if their consequences are false and even absurd doth it follow that I cannot assure my self that the Scripture teacheth us that Jesus Christ hath a Body and a soul since it saith that he is a man that it teacheth that he is the God of Israel since it saith he founded the earth in the beginning and that the heavens are the works of his hands and that he was tempted by Israel in the wilderness certainly neither sense nor reason ever offended without some reasons These are saculties naturally right and every one capable of their functions but sometimes they meet with perticular causes which hinders them from acting so For as to sense who knows not that its errors comes either from the indisposition of the Organs from the Scituation of the object or from the quality of the medium which is between them as for example 't is the bilis with which the tongue of a sick man is moistned which makes it taste all meats bitter and to those who have Jaundies 't is also the spreading of that humour which dieth all objects yellow but t is the too great distance from the sun which makes it appear to us much less then it is and which blunts the Angles of a Tower which we see a far off figuring it to us round when it is really square and which makes the two sides of the end of a long Gallery seem to be very neer each other in fine 't is the diversity of the medium through which we see which makes an oare appear to us in the water as if it were bent and crooked when it is really streight except in these and the like cases the eye alwaies to doth its duty faithfully and the other senses likewise do theirs so that it being most easie to know for a truth whether the functions of our senses are so well disposed or not 't is an insupportable error to conclude that we are not able to assure our selves of any one of their reports under pretence that it happens to deceive them when they fail of any one of the conditions necessary to perform their function well Now 't is the same in reason If she concludes wrong 't is certainly because she takes that for a true thing which is not so or that for clear and certain which is obscure and doubtful As when our adversaries conclude from that which the Lord said to St. Peter thou art Peter that their Pope is by right the Monarch of the Christian Church they conclude falsly because they take that for an evident truth in Scripture which doth not so much as appear there viz first that our Lord in these words promiseth the Monarchy of his Church to St. Peter and Secondly that their Pope is the successor of St. Peter in this quality But if these two things which they take for truth were truth then that which they conclude from them must necessarily be so too and he to must be out of his senses who denies the consequences of them And this necessary connexion of propositions with their conclusions is a work not of the mind and reasoning of man but of the will of God as S. Austin expresly remarkes The truth of consequences says he and connexions which propositions have one with another hath not been instituted but considered and remarked by men to be able either to learn or teach it for it is perpetual and divinely established in the reason of the things themselves for as he who counts the degrees of time doth not make them himself and he who shewes the scituation of places the nature of animals of plants or of Stones doth not shew the things instituted by men and he who shews us the stars and their motions shews us nothing made and established by any man in like manner he who saith when the consequence is false 't is not possible but the thing from whence it follows should be false also speaks most truly and doth not make the thing to be so but only demonstrates that it is so †Aug. T. 3. l. 2. de doctr clic c. 32. From whence it comes that he observes elsewhere that no man in disputeing is reduced to a false conclusion unless he has first granted something false from whence this conclusion
in the word of doctrine For the Scripture saith thou shalt not tie the throat of the Ox that treadeth out the corn and the work man is worthy of his hire 1 Cor. 9.13 14. Do you not know that those who do Sacrifices Gal. 6.6 eat the things which are sacrificed and they who are busied at the altar partake with the altar so likewise our Lord hath ordained that those who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel See the verses 7 8 9 10. Of the same Chapter 8. That the Faithful ought to reject the Ministers who preach any other thing then the Gospel of Jesus Christ Gal. 1.8 If we our selves or an an Angel from Heaven should preach other wise then we have preached to you let him be accursed So as we have said before now also I say again if any one preach to you any thing but that which you have received let him be accursed 1 John 4.1 Beloved believe not all spirits but try the spirit whether they are of God For many false Prophets are come into the World 2 John verse 10. If any one comes to you and brings not this Doctrine do not receive him into your house nor salute him CHAP. IX Of the holy Sacraments Baptism and the Eucharist 1. That Christians ought to be baptized in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost MAt Mark 16.16 28.19 Go and teach all men baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Examples of this are common in the books of the New Testamentperticularly in the Acts of the Apostles where we read that those who believed the Doctrine of Jesus Christ and received it were baptized Acts 2.38 41. and 8.12 13. and 9.10 and 10.47 and 16.15 2. That Baptism gives remission of sins and the Grace of the Holy Ghost Acts 2.38 Peter said to them repent and be every one baptized and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Rom. 6.3 Mar 6.16 1 Pet. 3.21 Ehh. 6.26 Know you not brethren that all of us who have been baptized in Jesus Christ have been baptized in his death for we are buried with him in death by baptisme so that as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father we also should walk in newness of life Gal. 3.27 You all who were baptized in Christ have put on Christ Col. 2.11 12. You being circumcised with a circumcision made without hands by putting off the body of Flesh viz. by the circumcision of Jesus Christ being buried with him by baptism in which also you are risen together by the Faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead 3. That the Faithful ought to eat the bread and drink the sanctified wine in commemoration of the death of the Lord. 1 Cor. 11.23 c. I have received from the Lord that which also I give you that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread and having given thanks he brake it and said take eat this here is my Body which shall be given for you Mat 26 26 27 28. Mar. 14.22 23 24. Luk. 22 17 18 19 20. do this in remembrance of me Likewise also he took the chalice after he had supped saying this chalice is the New Testament in my blood I do this every time that you drink of it in remembrance of me For every time that you shall eat this bread and drink this chalice you will shew forth the Lords death till he comes c. Let a man then try himself and so eat of this bread and drink of this chalice 4. That the bread and wine of the Eucharist are the communication of the Body and blood of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communication of the blood of Christ and the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of the Lord. CHAP. X. Of the Holy Ghost Of the necessity of his light to have Faith Of his Nature and Person 1. That the malice of man is so great that of himself he neither understands nor believes the heavenly Doctrine preached by the Apostles of Jesus Christ nor can he live in piety according to the Gospel JOhn 3.3 Verily verily I say unto thee that who is not born again cannot see the Kingdome of God John 6.44 No one can come to me except the Father who hath sent me draw him Rom 8 7. The wisdome of the flesh is an enemy to God for it is not subject to the Law of God nor in truth can it be 1 Cor. 2.14 The Animal man doth not comprehend the things which are of the Spirit God for they are to him folly and he cannot understand them in as much as they are discerned spiritually 2. That the Spirit of God which gives to men the graceof understanding believing the Gospel and of living according to the Doctrine of the Lord. 1 Cor. 2.7 8 9 10. We speak the Wisdome of God which is a mistery which is hid c. Which none of the Princes of this World hath known for if they had known if they had never crucified the Lord of glory but as it is written the things which the eye hath not seen nor the ear heard and which are not entered into the heart of man are those which God hath prepared for those which love him but God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit Matth. 11.25 At that time Jesus answered and said O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth I thank thee that thou hast hid these things from the wise and understanding and hast revealed them to little Children Matth. 11.17 Thou art blessed Simon Son of Jonas for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee viz. That Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God but my Father which is in heaven John 1.12 13. Those who believe in the name of God are not born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but are born of God Acts 16.14 The Lord opened the heart of Lydia to understand the things which Paul said Phil. 1.29 It is given to you for Christ not onely to believe in him but also to indure for him Phil. 2.13 'T is God that worketh in you to do and to will according to his good will Ezech. Jer. 31.33 and 32.39 11.19 20. And I will give them a heart and will put into them a new spirit and I will take away the heart of stone from their flesh and will give them a heart of flesh that they may walkin my commandments and keep my judgments and do them and that they be my people and that I be their God 3. That the Holy Ghost is a person distinct from the Father and the Son John 14.16 17. I will pray the Father saith our Lord Jesus Christ and he shall give you another comforter to
could they conclude from thence that the Eucharist is a Sacrifice truly and properly expiatory The thanks which accompanies this action and gives it the name of Eucharist that is to say of an Action of Thanksgiving may be called a pure Oblation which one presents to the Lord for his goodness to us without being a propitiatory Sacrifice any more than Alms Prayers and the Preaching of the Gospel which are named also Sacrifices Secondly What necessity is there to assert that this pure Oblation predicted by Malachy should precisely be the Eucharist Heb. 13.15 16. Rom. 15.16 it's aim evidently enough is to fignifie that the Service of God should be no more as formerly tied to the Mountain of Zion but should be done in all places from the rising to the going down of the Sun not to the people of Israel only but communicated to all Nations For these Divine Authors very often employ the terms and things of the Church of their times to signifie the state and things of the Church to come as when Esaiah saith Esa 2.3 that the nations shall go up to the Mountain and Temple of the Lord to signifie that they shall make profession of his knowledge and shall serve him And when the Lord himself represents the estate of the Church to the Age to come in saying Mat. 8.11 that we shall be set at the Table with Abraham Isaac and Jacob terms which agree properly to the present Church Malachy in the same manner used the word Oblation which is properly a part of the Service which had place in the Church of his time to denote the Evangelical Service which succeeded him under the New Testament and to signifie it more particularly he called it a pure Oblation no more carnal and gross consisting of Fat and Oyl in Flower and in the blood of Beasts as heretofore but wholly spiritual and true this is the service St. Paul understands where making opposition of the Christians with the Jews he sayeth Phil. 3.3 Rom. 1.9 that we should serve God in spirit and speaking of himself he saith that he served God in his Spirit and sheweth elsewhere that his preaching was part of it where he saith Rom. 15.16 he applied himself to the Sacrifice of the Gospel of God to the end that the oblation of the Gentiles might be acceptable being sanctified by the Holy Ghost He describes it so in general in the 12th of the Romans That our service which he calls reasonable for the same Reasons for which Malachy names it pure is that we should present our bodies as a living Sacrifice holy and pleasing to God Rom. 12.1 Jesus Christ a long time since Malachy foretold exactly the same thing at the time of his complement John 4.20 23. The hour cometh saith he that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth no more in the mountain of Gerezim as the Patriarchs did nor in Jerusalem as the Jews but in every place as the Prophet said By comparing of these passages 't is easie to finde out that the pure oblation of Malachy is nothing else but the worshipping in Spirit and truth which our Lord saith and the oblation of our bodies as a living Sacrifice as St. Paul speaks and our service in Spirit as he saith and so consequently not the Mass Thirdly But they alledge from the New Testament that Jesus Christ in celebrating the Eucharist said to his Disciples Do this now to do signifieth sometimes to sacrifice but what necessity is there to take it so in this place Who seeth not that do this signifieth an action of which the Lord had spoken Now he had said nothing of sacrificing he spake not one word of that but of eating and drinking For after having given them the sanctified bread to eat the sanctified Cup to drink he adds do this in remembrance of me Wherefore then shall not we take these words do this to signifie to eat this Bread and drink of this Chalice St. Paul explains it clearly so when after having rehearsed these words of the Lord Do this every time and as oft as you drink of it in remembrance of me he adds for every time and as oft as you eat of this bread and drink of this Cup you signifie the Lords death till he come 2 Cor. 12.25 26. The connection of this Verse with the precedent evidently sheweth that to do this fignifieth eating of this bread and drinking of this Cup. Fourthly They produced also that our Lord in the 22 of St. Luke speaking of the Cup of the Eucharist saith Luke 22.20 that it is shed for us from whence they conclude that it is then an expiatory Sacrifice for our sins But I say first that although the words of the Lord in Saint Luke cannot be taken otherwise than in saying that the Holy Cup is shed for us nevertheless it doth not follow that the Eucharist is to speak properly a propitiatory Sacrifice What is not the Water of the Holy Baptism spilled for those who receive it Do you conclude from hence that Baptism is a propitiatory Sacrifice Many things make for us which nevertheless are not Sacrifices The Chalice of the Eucharist is it not useful and wholsome for us Is it not given us to communicate to us the blood of the Lord Grace and the remission of our fins It is enough to say truly that it is shed for us there being no need to change it into Sacrifice to explain this manner of speaking But without coming to this one may justifie this otherwise For since the Cup is the Sacrament of the blood of Christ which hath been truly shed as a Sacrifice on the Cross to merit the remission of our sins and since it is the custom to give to the Sacraments the qualities and attributions of the things of which they are Sacraments none ought to think it more strange that the Cup should be said to be shed for us than that which St. 1 Cor. â—0 4 Paul saith that the Rock in the Desart was Christ Secondly I say that it is not necessary to take the words of St. Luke in that sense which they produce them On the contrary it seemeth that their Belief and their Latin Interpretation licensed by the Council of Trent Council of Trent Sess 4. doth not permit them to take them so Their Belief For if the Cup of the Eucharist is shed for us since by the Cup they understand the blood of Jesus Christ contained in the Cup they must say that the blood of Christ is shed for us in the Eucharist which is directly contrary both to what they confess of the glorious and impassible state of the body of the Lord and to that which they expresly assert that the Eucharist is a Sacrifice not bloody and that Christ is offered there without the effusion of blood Their Interpreter For thus he translates these words This Chalice is the
understood but of his true body Cajetan ibid. From whence saith Cajetan one cannot evidently conclude that the words mentioned ought to be understood properly since that these relative words which are given for you do not shew us that it is properly the body For the relative which doth not signifie the conjunction of the predicate with the Subject but this relates to the predicate only viz. My Body and with the truth of this relation remains the true proposition mentioned This is my Body taken only in a Metaphorical sense as it appears by the example now the Stone was Christ For if the Apostle had added who hath been crucified who is risen and who is ascended into Heaven in saying now the Stone was Christ which hath been crucified c. nevertheless the underwritten Proposition now the Stone was Christ should be understood Metaphorically and not properly Even so in our dispute are the words of the Lord This is my Body which shall be delivered for you This addition which shall be delivered for you doth not restrain the precedent Proposition to a literal sense for it is nevertheless as true though it were spoken in a Metaphorical sense only Thus far Card. Cajetan So all that one can lawfuily and necessarily conclude from the words of the Lord is that the bread of the Eucharist is the Mystery the Sacrament and the memorial of his body which we believe and confess with all Christians and which the Lord expresly pronounceth himself in the following words in saying Do this in remembrance of me as from the words of St. Paul the Church is the body of Christ one cannot evidently infer any thing Mat. 13.37 38 39. 1 Cor. 10. Apoc. 4.1 20. 17.9 28. Gen. 17.15 40.12 41.27 Exod. 12.11 Judg. 7.14 2 Kin. Heb. 2 Sam. 12.7 Ezt. 37.11 Dan. 2.38 4.19 7.24 except that the Church is the Mystery of the natural body of Christ and as they say ordinarily his Mystical body For it is an ordinary Phrase in the New Testament to say That the signe is the thing which it signifieth and the Image that which it represents drawn from the stile of the Old Testament which gives always to the Signe the name of the thing signified and reciprocally the name of the Signe to the thing signified 2. They alledge in the Second place the words of the Lord in St. Luke This Chalice is the New Testament in my Blood which shall be shed for you saying that because the Cup that is to say the Liquor which is in the Cup is shed for us it is then the blood of Christ and not Wine really and in Substance it being clear that is the blood of the Lord and not Wine which hath been shed for us But we have already shewed above that we ought to apply this word shed to the blood of Christ shed really for us on the Cross and not to the Cup notwithstanding the disagreeing of the Gender which is found between these words in the Original Texts although the Lord said that this which is in the Cup is shed for us it doth not follow nevertheless that it is not Wine in substance since that without putting any Transubstantiation in the water of the Holy Baptism one may as well say that it is shed for those who are baptized with it 3. They use in the third place the words of St. Paul 1 Cor. 10.16 The bread which we break is the communication of the body of the Lord and the Chalice of Benediction which we bless the communication of his blood For say they How is it that the Bread and the Chalice consecrated should communicate to us the body and blood of Christ if they are not in substance the body and blood of Christ But this Consequence is ridicule For 't is unlikely that it should follow from these words that the bread consecrated is no more bread but quite contrary the words evidently express that it is bread the Apostle saying expresly that it is bread broken for us which is the communication of the body of the Lord in the same manner as he adds in the following Verse Ibid. ver 18. That those of Israel which eat of the Sacrifices were partakers of the Altar it evidently follows not that the Sacrifices by the eating whereof they participated of the Altar were changed into the Substance of the Altar which would be absurd and prodigious but that they were Sacrifices having a Substance different from that of the Altar and what an extragavant speech would it be to say that those who eat the Sacrifices participate of the Altar as if the Sacrifice the Altar were one the same thing in substance for this would be to say that those who eat of the Altar are partakers of the Altar so would it also be a cold and impertinent Proposition to say that the bread which we break is the communication of the body of Christ as if this bread is in Substance one and the same thing with the Body of Christ For upon this account it should be said that the body of Christ is the communication of the Body of Christ As then the Sacrifices of the Hebrews communicated the Altar upon which they had sacrificed to those who eat them for those who eat were said the Apostle partakers of the Altar without losing their substance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or being changed into that of the Altar even so the Bread and the Chalice of the Eucharist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communicates to us the Body and blood of the Lord of which they are the Sacraments without losing their first Substance or being changed into that of the body and blood of the Lord. And as those who eat the Sacrifices of the Hebrews communicated to the Altar in as much as they had part in the vertue and sanctification of the Altar without necessity of touching corporally the substance of the Altar it self So those who eat the bread and drink the Chalice of the Lord communicate of his body and of his blood in as much as they have part in the vertue and efficacie of his body and of his blood broken and shed for the remission of our sins without necessity of touching corporally their substance 4. But they lay great force upon that which the same Apostle saith in the following Chapter where speaking of the Eucharist 1 Cor. 11.27 29. Whosoever saith he shall eat of the bread or drink of the Chalice of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. And in the Verse beneath he adds that they discern not the body of the Lord. How can that be say they if the body and blood of the Lord be not really present in the Eucharist But first they conclude not that which is in Question The Question is whether the bread and wine change Substance and they conclude that the body and blood of the Lord are
present in the Eucharist now they may be present there and yet the bread and wine not lose their Substance And 't is very unlikely that these Propositions of the Apostles infer that that which he calls bread and Chalice should be in Substance one and the same thing with the body and blood of the Lord that contrarily they evidently presuppose that they are different Subjects For if the bread which one eats unworthily were the very body of Christ this language would be cold and impertinent he who eats of this bread unworthily is guilty of the body of Christ and doth not discern the body of Christ since upon this account it would be to say that he who eats the body of Christ unworthily is guilty of the body of Christ and doth not discern the body of Christ Secondly I say that that which they draw from this Text besides it s not being the Question cannot be concluded from thence For he who receives the Baptism unworthily as Simon the Magitian did doth wrong to Christ and is guilty of it and nevertheless no body can conclude from thence that the Substance of Jesus Christ is really present in the Baptism They who sin voluntarily after they have received the knowledge of the Truth Heb. 10.26 put the Son of God under their feet and hold the blood of the Testament for a prophane thing And no body can conclude from hence that the Son of God or his blood is really present under the feet of these wicked wretches Luke 10.12 John 13.20 He who despiseth the Apostles despiseth him that sent them and who receiveth him that he hath sent receiveth the same that sent him and nevertheless every one confesseth that the Substance of Jesus Christ was not really because of this present in the Apostles nor in those whom he sent They who sin against their Brethren Mat. 18.5 and wound their weak Consciences sin against Christ 1 Cor. 8.12 And nevertheless every one avoweth that the Substance of Christ is not for all this really present in their Consciences or in their persons And then why should one any more infer that the body and the blood of the Lord are really present in the Eucharist because they who take it unworthily are guilty of his body and do not discern it who seeth not that this is an abusing of the Lord to reject those who appertain to him or to despise that which he hath instituted and that which hath relation to himself As 't is an abuse to a Prince to despise his Embassadors his Seal his Arms or his Essigies And it is not sufficient that the Eucharist be the Sacrament of Christ the communication of his body and of his blood the memorial of his death that which all confess to render this Proposition true whosoever receives it unworthily is guilty of the body of the Lord and doth not discern it without affirming as our Adversaries do that this body and this blood are really present there 5. Finally They produce the meaning of the Lord in the 6th of St. John John 6.51 and so on I am the living bread which came down from Heaven if any one eats of this bread he shall live eternally and the bread which I shall give is my flesh for the life of the world and that which followeth to the 59 Verse presupposing that the Lord spake of the Eucharist they conclude from thence that the Eucharist is not then bread and wine in Substance but the body and blood of the Lord. But this Argument is so weak that it hardly deserves to be considered For it supposeth a dubious thing and concludes wrong which are the most irregular faults that can be in reasoning First then he supposeth that the Lord speaks of the Eucharist in the 6th of St. John which appears in no place in that Text where the Evangelist makes no mention any where of the Holy Sacrament it seemeth rather that one might induce the contrary from it For the eating upon which the Question is is necessarily efficacious to Salvation if any one eats of this bread he shall live eternally Joh. 6.50 He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood he hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day He dwells in me and I in him Vers 54. Vers 56. As the living Father hath sent me so I live because of my Father and he whr shall eat me shall live also because of me Now the eating of the Eucharist is not necessarily efficacious to Salvation many eating it to their judgment and condemnation Vers 57. 1 Cor. 11.29 This is not that then about which the Question is in the 6th of St. John Moreover the eating which the Lord means was necessary to those to whom he spoke for the obtaining Salvation Joh. 6.53 if you eat not the flesh of the Son of man and drink not his blood you have no life in you now the eating of the Eucharist was not necessary to those to whom he spoke for the obtaining Salvation it being clear that according to the Doctrine even of our Adversaries Baptism Faith and good Works are sufficient for them for the obtaining Salvation It is not then the eating of the Sacrament which our Lord spoke of in the 6 of St. John as many very famous Interpreters have considered both Antient and Modern and even amongst our * Aen. Syl. since Pius II. Epist 130. Cusan ep 7. ad Boh. John de Ragus Orat. cor Concil Bazil Cajet in Joh. part 3. q. 80. art 8. Gabriel in Can. John Hesseltus l. de commun sub una specie Jansen concord Evang c. 59. Ruard Tapper Art 15. Vald. T. 2. de Sacram c. 91. Armac l. 9. c. 8. Adversaries and understand it a spiritual eating of the Body and Blood of Christ Jesus which is done by Faith And indeed the Lord shewed evidently that by eating his flesh and drinking his blood he signified coming to him believing in him and meditating on him since in his own discourse he ascribes the same effects to these actions as to those of eating his flesh drinking his blood Who comes to me saith he shall not hunger John 7.35.41 47. and who believes in me shall never thirst Whosoever seeth the Son and believeth in him hath eternal life and therefore I will raise him up at the last day But although that which they presuppose viz. that the Lord in the 6 of St. John spake of the Sacrament of the Eucharist were as clear and true as it is obscure and doubtful I always say that they do not argue pertinently First they do not conclude that which is in Question For the Question is not whether the body and blood of Christ are present in the Eucharist which is that which they conclude but whether the bread and the wine lose their nature there and are there changed into the substance of the body and blood of the Lord
are Divine and Apostolique Since then that the Articles of our faith are in the Scriptures and those of Rome are not there it is clear that our Religion is certain and assured as founded upon the most authentick Instructions of Christianity and that it cannot be rejected without denying Christianity it self and that of Rome on the contrary in that wherein it differs from ours is doubtful and uncertain and cannot be imbraced with a full and intire faith 11. But I say in the second place that all this Dispute is out of our way For my designe is only to shew that our Beliefs are in the Scriptures and that those of Rome which we reject are not there to destroy the accusations of the Methodists who pretend that to establish our faith we are obliged to have recourse to other Principles than Scripture Whether the Beliefs of Rome be found in other Documents of Christianity as in Books of the Fathers or no 't is another Question 'T is sufficient at present for me that they are not found in Scripture Now this being so it is clear that I have had reason to reject them from my Confession since I receive nothing into it but what is taught in Scripture And this is sufficient as all may see to justifie our Faith by the Scriptures CHAP. XV. That the Articles of the Belief of Rome which we receive not into ours are contrary to the Scriptures and very far from being taught there BUt to fill up the measure of our proofs I will add in the last place that the Doctrines believed by the Church of Rome and rejected by ours besides their not being found in any part of the Scripture shake it divers ways destroying certain things which the Scripture lays down and laying down other things which it destroys This is so clear that whoever will consider the whole without passion and prejudice will incontinently perceive it 1. Vpon the Point of Sacrifice 1. ROme saith that Jesus Christ is and will be every day crucified in an infinite of places even to the end of the world The Scripture saith Heb. 9. â—5 26 27 28 7.27 That he hath not offered himself more than once and that he hath been once offered to take away the sins of many So as 't is ordained for men once to die Secondly Rome saith That Christ is now offered for our sins without suffering The Scripture saith Heb. 9.26 that if he hath been offered many times he must have suffered more than once Thirdly Rome saith That the remission of sins is obtained in his pretended Sacrifice Heb. 9.22 John 19.30 Heb. 1.3 9 26. without the effusion of blood The Scripture saith that without shedding of blood there is no remission Fourthly The Scripture saith that Christ dying on the Cross all was accomplished and before his Ascension into Heaven he himself hath purged away our sins and abolished them How then ought he still as Rome saith to be every day sacrificed for the same thing Fifthly The Scripture saith That none takes the honour of High Priest Heb. 5.4 and possesseth it but he who is called of God as was Aaron How is it then that the Priests of the Roman Church pretend this Dignity since they cannot make appear that God hath called them to it Sixthly The Scripture saith that Jesus Christ is eternal High Priest Psal 110.4 Heb. 5.6 7.3.24 25 28. that he lives eternally that he hath a perpetual Priesthood that he is consecrated for ever that he always lives a High Priest according to the Order of Melchisedec who remains a Priest for ever Why then doth Rome give Successors to him in this Office Seventhly Rome holds That the Priests bless and consecrate the body of the Son of God How doth this agree with that which the Scripture layeth down Heb. 7.7 That without all contradiction that which is least is blessed by that which is greater Are then the Priests of the Church of Rome greater than the Lord 2. Vpon the Transubstantiation and the real Presence 1. ROme sayeth that that which the faithful eat in the Eucharist is not bread The Scripture saith that it is bread 1 Cor. 11.26 27 28. Every time that you eat this bread and drink this Chalice you shew forth the Lords death till he come Wherefore whosoever shall eat of this bread c. unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man then examine himself and so eat of this bread and drink of this Cup. 1 Cor. 10.16 The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of the Lord 2. Rome saith that that which the Lord made his Disciples drink in the consecrated Chalice was not wine The Scripture saith that it was the fruit of the Vine Mat. 26.27 28 29. Taking the Cup he gave thanks and gave it to them saying Drink all of this For this is my blood of the New Testament which shall be shed for many for the remission of sins And I say unto you that from this time I will not drink of this fruit of the vine till that day that I shall drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom 3. The Scripture saith that we shall not have the Lord always with us here on the earth Mat. 26.11 John 12.9 Acts 3.21 and that the Heaven must receive him until the time of restitution of all things How so if that which Rome holds is true that his body is yet perpetually kept here below upon their Altars and in their Pixes Fourthly The Scripture saith that the Lord is above sitting at the right hand of God his Father in a Sovereign Glory Rome saith that his holy Body is under the Species of a mean Creature inanimate and insensible that it enters into the Stomachs of mortal men yea sometimes of the most wicked and is subject to many other indignities which we hardly dare think on Is this to be in a state of Glory Fifthly Rome believes that the body of the Lord is entire under every crum of bread and in every drop of the wine of the Eucharist and that his head his feet and all the parts of his body are in one and the same place and that his body is altogether above in Heaven and here below in a thousand and a thousand places of the earth above visible here invisible Is this that which the Scripture saith that except in sin Heb. 2.17 he is like his brethren in all things that is to say to the faithful as every one confesseth is there ever a Believer whose body is capable of such accidents the flesh of the Believers is a true body and hath all the properties of it Now there was never seen a body of this nature which is held in a place much lesser than its proper quantity 3. Vpon the Adoration of the Eucharist THere is no need to add any thing to what I have
them that we as well as our Doctors reject them formally and precisely and wish that they had never been spoken off and that they may be Aeternally buried in the cave of errors from whence they came For as Eating good meat is sufficient to preserve the life of man nor is it necessary for him to know Hemlock Aconite or Antimony or to know poysons 't is enough that he is not so unhappy as to eat of them even so 't is in Religion for to obtain salvation 't is sufficient for a man that he believe the holy and wholsome truths communicated to us by the Lord Jesus there is no need that he should know particularly the innumerable poysons which the enemy hath scattered in the World nor that he should know exactly to what degree every one of these false doctrines are poysonous 't is enough for him that he is so happy as to believe none of them To speak properly the express and formal rejection of an errour makes no part of Faith for then Faith would have been imperfect before the birth of the error Before Mahomet came into the World the Faith of Christians was intire and sufficient although it was ignorant of the seducements of that Impostor and though it knows nothing of Marcion of Manicheus of Arrius nor of Pelagius yet it is sufficient to salvation provided that it believes firmly that which Jesus Christ hath revealed There is then a great difference between those propositions which supposeth and affirmeth the truth and those which reject the error The reason why our Fathers have ranked them in the body of the same declaration was not because they were ignorant of this difference but another occasion obliged them to do it for being separated from the Church of Rome and afterwards having been calumniated of holding diverse very strange opinions vide Epist 10. the K. which is in the beginning of our Confession of the year 1559. in fine to make the King their master his subjects their fellow Citizens see clearly what their thoughts were about Religion they not onely declared the belief they had of Christianity and of every one of the articles of which it consisted but also what they thought of the doctrine and communion of the Pope from which they had withdrawn themselves We ought then to distinguish carefully these two sorts of articles which this reason joyns and mixeth together some affirmative and positive declaring that which we believe others negative and exclusive declaring that which we do not believe the first lays down that which is our Faith the second rejects that which is not so For example these are of the first sort that there is a God that he ought to be worshipped with all our affections that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and God Eternal that he was made man that he hath taken our nature in the womb of the holy Virgin that he dyed to expiate our crimes that his blood hath washed and purged our souls from all sin that he is risen and ascended into heaven and there reigns at the right hand of the Father that sins are pardoned to men by the grace of God when they believe in the Gospel that believers are obliged to live holily that Charity is necessary for salvation that the Lord hath ordained that we should be baptised in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost for the remission of our sins and that he hath likewise commanded us to celebrate the memory of his death in taking eating and drinking the Sanctified bread and wine that this bread and this wine are the communication of his flesh and of his blood that those who believe and live according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ shall have Aeternal salvation and that those who believe not in him shall perish But these following are of the second sort That we ought not to adore the Host of the Church of Rome nor invoke their dead Saints that the mass is not an expiatory sacrifice for the sins of men that the Pope is not the head and spouse of the universal Church that he hath no power neither directly or indirectly over the temporals of Kings and States of the world that neither he nor the Church which adheres to him have the right of never erring in the Faith nor are they the reason and grounds of our Faith that it is not for the merits of our works that our sins are forgiven us or that grace or life is given to us that the bread which we break and the cup which we bless in the Church loseth not their substance that none of those who communicate at his table ought to be hindred from drinking of the Cup of the Lord that neither the chrism nor the penitence nor the ordainor the marriages nor the extream unction are Sacraments that believing souls departed this life are not burned in the fire of Purgatory Since we believe the first Articles and that we preach and recommend them to men we are obliged to shew the truth of them and since the most part of them are so obscure that we have not natural light enough to discover and perceive them it remains that we prove that God hath revealed them to humane kind For these are the three sources of all our knowledge sence reason and the revelation of God now 't is neither the sins nor reason of man that demonstrates to us that Jesus Christ is the son of God or that those who believe his Gospel shall have the happy Aeternity We cannot prove the truth of it then but onely by the means of revelation Now all Christians and namely those of the Church of Rome with whom we dispute in this Treatise confess that the writers of the Old and new Testaments were inspired by God and did write by the revelations of the Spirit now we cannot more clearly ground the Truth of the Articles upon which our Faith consists then by shewing that they are taught in these divine writings T is for this we acknowledg our selves obliged and of which 't is most easie to acquit our selves as we hope to make appear in this book And as for the other Articles which are of the second sort it belongs to us to justifie and make appear that the holy Scripture teacheth no where to believe what it self rejects as it teacheth no where that there is a Purgatory or that the Pope is the Monarch of the Church or that the Mass is a propitiatory sacrifice For having once shewed that we shall have clearly justified that we have been obliged to exclude such opinions of our Faith since we hold that all the things which we ought to believe as necessary to our salvation are taught in the Scriptures for that if these be not found there Rome is in the wrong to believe and preach it as necessary and have reason not to receive it in our belief T is an unjust cavilling to demand this of us further that we
in the earth and so you think to oblige them by that to hold this conclusion that the Body of Christ is not on the earth for a thing certainly and Divinety revealed they will tell you that it cannot pass for any more then for a humane doctrine since from two propositions from which one is drawn viz. The first is drawn from maxims of reason only and not from Scripture as the second is They triumph in this observation and put it upon all occasions amongst their gravest and most serious conference but I say first that if our particular interest were only concerned in it there were no need to consider it since that which is granted is sufficient for this dispute For it grants us that the propositions which are lawfully drawn from two truths one of which revelation teacheth and sense or reason the other are true at least to the same degree as the truths which we learn by reason and sense and that we may give at least the same kind of Faith to believe them in the same manner as we believe for example that Snow is white the Heavens round or that the whole is bigger then its part Now we demand no more for our designe for we imploy the most part of these discourses mixed with propositions of a different nature only to overthrow their belief and not to establish ours now to destroy a doctrine and render it unworthy of belief 't is enough to shew that t is contrary to some truth and then one ought to hold it for false of what condition or origine soever that truth be which it opposeth whither it be revealed or natural For truth is a simple thing and uniforme alwaies like to it self lies often wound themselves one falsity destroying another but all truth agree perfectly conspire together and t is impossible they should oppose or overthrow one another If it be found then that the Doctrines of our adversary are contrary to some truth be it to that which sense teacheth us to that which we learn in thescholof reason or to that which divine revelation tells us t is enough to justifie that they are by no means veritable far from being as they pretend the articles of the Christian Faith For the Author of Nature Grace Sense Reason and Faith is one and the same God who hath not destroyed in the school of grace what he hath taught in that of nature God forbid but hath polished and perfected in one what he had begun the rough drawn in the other So t is manifest that far from being obliged in this kind of discourse to imploy propositions contained in Scripture only I can use arguments drawn intirely from sense and reason without taking the propositions of which they consist from revelation As for example if I should conclude that the Eucharist is not a humane body because a humane body cannot be held intire in a mans mouth whereas the Eucharist may be held in an infants he would answer impertinently that should alledge that t is not Scripture but sense and reason which learns us these two propositions and therefore the conclusion is not a truth revealed For at this time we have concern about that the question is not about the Master who hath taught these propositions whither it be sense or Faith but about their quality whither they be true or not for if they are both true their conclusion is so of necessity and by consequence your opinion which opposeth its inevitable false it being absolutely impossible that two contradictory propositions should be both true as this the Eucharist is a humane body which is your opinion and this other the Eucharist is not a humane body which is the conclusion of my discourse But I say in the second place that their maxim is false that to infer a conclusion from authority and divine Faith it behoveth that the two propositions be drawn from the revelation of God it is enough that one be revealed and the other evident by the light of nature The Church discourseth thus against the fond imaginations of Apollinaris every man hath a foul indued with understanding Jesus Christ our Lord is a man therefore he hath Soul indued with understanding of the two propositions from whence this conclusion is drawn the second is in the Scriptures the first is not there but we have learned it in the school of reason would you say under this pretext that the conclusion viz. that Jesus Christ hath a soul endued with understanding is not a divine truth but a humane learned from earth and not from heaven but where is the infant that does not see that God revealing to us that his Son is a man doth not reveal by the same means that he hath a body a Soul understanding and in short all the essential parts of the nature signified by this word man Otherwise one must say that in teaching us that Jesus Christ is man it teacheth us nothing but simply strikes the ear with the vain and unprofitable sound of the word for what is it to say that Jesus Christ is man unless he hath a body Soul understanding and the other things of which the nature of the subject consist signified by this word man In the same manner when the Scripture teacheth us that God hath created the earth it teacheth us by the same means that he hath created America and the Austral Countries China and the Isles of the Sound although it be sense and reason and not Scripture which teacheth us that these Countries are part of the Globe of the earth and he would be impertinent to the hight who should say that the Scripture hath not revealed to us that God hath created China or Taproban because it simply tells us that God hath created the earth without telling that these Countries are part of it And so of the rest for God in his Scripture presupposeth every where that those to whom he speaks are men and not beasts that they know if not subtily and Phylosophically that which is not necessary for his design at least grosly and in some measure the nature of those things of which he speaks to them and by consequence that they are capable of applying to every part of a subject what he hath told them in gross so that when he learns us some thing of a whole it is clear that t is as much as if he revealed all and every one of its parts to us perticularly as when he tells us that Jesus Christ is a man t is as much as if he should say he hath a Body formed like ours consisting of quantity occupying a space which is fit to it moving it selfe in time from one place to another in such manner that its parts are not altogether in the same place that he hath a Soul which reasoneth wills loves and in short indued with all the essential faculties of man This is so clear that no Body ever can put it in doubt
Devil Whoever doth not justice nor loveth his brother is not of God Now whoever beleiveth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God saith S. John in his first Epistle Chapter 5. verse 1. Then who ever believes that Jesus is the Christ gives himself to Holyness and good works 2. Who ever shall have eternal life is sanctified as 't is clear by that which the Apostle saith Heb. 12.14 without holiness no man shall see God Now who ever believes shall have eternal life he who believes in the Son of God shall not perish but have eternal life John 3.16 18. and 5.24 and in other places alledged here above then who ever believeth is sanctified CHAP. VII Of the sanctification of the faithful and of their principle parts Piety Charity Submission Humanity Chastity Justice Truth and others 1. Of the Charity and sanctification of the faithful and first that they ought to love God and serve him with a Soveraign adoration MAt 22.37.38 Deut. 6.5 Luk 10.27 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy Soul and with all thy thought this is the first and great command Matt. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Rom. 12.1 I beseech you then brethren by the mercy of God that you offer your bodies a living sacrificeâ— holy pleasing to God which is your reasonable service 2. That we must love our neighbours with an ardent and sincere affection Mat. 22.39 The second commandment is like the first thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self Mat. 5.43 44 45. You have heard that it hath been said thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thy enemy but I say unto you love your enemies do good to them who hate you and pray for them who calumniate and persecute you that you may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven who makes his Sun to rise upon the good and evil and sendeth rain upon the just and unjust Rem 12.9 Let love be without dissembling c. Be inclined by brotherly Charity to love one another preferring one another in honor 1. John 4.7 8. Well beoved let us love one another For charity is of God and whoever loves is born of God and knoweth God he that loves not knows not God for God is charity 3. That we must honor our Superioues Eph. 6.1 2 3. Children obey your Parents in the Lord for that is just Honour thy Father and thy Mother which is the first commandment with promise that it may be well with thee and that thou mayest live long upon the earth Verse 5. Servants obey them that are your Masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling in simplicity of heart as to Christ Rom. 13.7 8. Render then to all that which is their due to whom tribute is tribute to whom custome is custome to whom fear fear to whome honor honor owe no man any thing but love one another for he who loves his neighbour hath accomplished the Law 4. That we must preserve our selves pure from all murders outrages offences and batred against our neighbours Mat. 5.21 22. You have heard that it hath been said by them of Old time thou shalt not kill and he who shall kill shall be worthy to be punished by judgment but I say unto you whosoever is angry with his brother he shall be worthy to be punished by judgement and he who shall say to his brother Raca shall be worthy to be punished by the Council and who shall say to him fool shall be worthy to be punished with the fire of hell Eph. 4.31 32. Let all bitterness anger indignation clamor and evil speaking be taken from you with all malice Be ye kind one to another cordially pardoning one another as God hath pardoned you by Christ 5. That we must flie all the filthyness and stains of the flesh Mat. 5.27 28. You have heard that it hath been said to them of Old time thou shalt not commit adultery but I say unto you whosoever shall look upon a woman to covet her he hath committed adultery with her already in his heart Eph. 5.3 Col. 3.5 Fornication and all uncleaness or covetousness let it not be once named amongst you as becometh Saints neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting c. 1 Thes 4.3 4 5. 1 Cor. 6.15 16 17 18 19 20 This is the will of God your sanctification that is to say that you abstain from whore dome and that every one of you possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor not being passionate with concupiscence as the Gentiles who know not God 6. That we must keep our selves from Thieving and every one work in his calling Eph. 4.28 Let him who stole steal no more but rather let him work being busied with his hands in that which is good that he may have to give to him who hath need of it 2 Thes 3.10 When we were with you we told you that if any one would not work he should not eat 7. That we must fly lying and calumny and be true in all our Actions and Words Ephesians 4.25 Put away lying and speak truth every one to his neighbour for we are members one of another Col. 3.9 Lye not one to another having put off the Old man with his deeds and having put on the new 8. That we must be subject to and humbly obey the superior powers of the Country where we live Rom. 13.1 2 5. Tit. 3.1 1 Pet. 2.13 14 17. Let every person be subject to the Higher powers for there is no power but of God The powers which are are ordained of God Wherefore he that resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and those who resist it draw damnation upon themselves c. Therefore we must be subject not onely for fear of anger but also for conscience Matthew 22.21 Render to Caesar the things which are Caesars and to God those which are Gods 9. That in a Word we live Holily and Honestly Romans 12.2 Do not conform your selves to the World but be you transformed by the renewing of your senses to try what is the good will of God well pleasing and perfect Ephesians 4.22 23 24. Put off the Old man according to the foregoing conversation which is corrupt by concupiscences which seduce it and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and be ye cloathed with the new man created according to God in justice and true holiness Phil. 4.8 Finally my brethren what ever things are true Col 3.1 2 3 4 5. what ever things are modest whatever things are Just what ever things are Holy what ever things are Lovely what ever things are of good renown if there be any vertue and any praise of discipline think of these things Titus 2.11 12. The grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared teaching us that by renouncing infidelity and Worldly desires we should live in this present
Age Soberly Justly and Religiously expecting the happy Hope and advent of the Glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ 10. That this Holiness of life is necessary for the having a part in the Kingdome of Christ Matthew 5.20 John 3.2 I say unto you that if your Righteousness doth not surpass that of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Rom. 8.13 If you live according to the flesh you shall dy but if by the Spirit you mortifie the deeds of the flesh you shall live 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know you not that the unjust shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Eph. 5. Heb. 12.14 Gal. 6.7 8. do not abuse your selves neither Whoremongers nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor les bougrees abusers of themselves with mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor evil speakers nor ravisseurs Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God CHAP. VIII Of the Vnion of the Faithful Of the means necessary to preserve it as of the order of the Ministry of the Gospel and the Discipline 1. That we must perticularly love the Faithful JOhn 13.34 35. I give you a new commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you to the end that you love one another by this all shall know that you be my disciples if you have love one to another John 15.12 13. 1 John 3.2 4.12 1 Pet. 3 8. Heb. 13.3 Mat. 18.6 10. This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you None hath greater love then this viz. when any one lays down his soul for his friends Gal. 6.12 Whilst we have time let us do good to all but especially to the Houshold of Faith 1 Peter 2.17 Bear honor to all love the brotherhood 2. That the Faithful ought to meet together to pray to God and to mind other exercises of Religion Heb. 10.24 25. Let us take care of one another to incite us to charity and good works not forsaking our assembling as some have used to do but admonishing one another This appears by the examples of the first Christians in the times of the Apostles when you gather your selves together saith St. Paul to the Corinthians you hold not the form of eating the Supper of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.20 And by the promise which the Lord made us Matt. 18.20 Where there be two or three gathered together in my name I am there in the midst of them 3. That there ought to be Pastors and Overseers in the Church of the Faithful Rom. 12.6 7 8. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us whether prophesie let us prophesie according to the proportion of Faith or ministery let us wait on our ministring or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation he that giveth let him do it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercy with chearfulness 1 Cor. 12.27 28. Now ye are the Body of Christ and membres de membre members in perticular Eph. 4.11 And God hath set some of them in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Doctors after that vertues then gifts of healing helps governments diversities of tongues interpretations of them Tit. 1.5 I have left thee in Crete to the end that thou shouldest correct the things which remain and that thou shouldest constitute Priests or elders through the Towns as I have ordered thee You have the History of the institution of the Deacons and the distinction of the Ministers serving the word from those who serve the table and Almes in the 6 Chap. of the Acts. 4. What ought to be the Morals of Pastors and other Ministers 1 Tim. 3.1 2 3. and so on Tit. 1.7 8 9. This word is certain if any one hath an affection to be a Bishop he desireth an excellent work But a Bishop must be irreprehensible the Husband of one woman onely Sober prudent modest chast willingly receiving strangers apt to teach not given to wine no striker but benigne no quarreller not covetous but governing his house honestly having his children subject in all chastity c. Not a new convert for fear he being puffed up with pride should fall into the condemnation of the devil he must also have a good testimony from them who are without least he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil Likwise the Deacons must be grave not double in words not given to much wine nor covetous of dishonest gain holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience and let these first be proved then let them serve being irreprehensible c. 5. What the Charge of Pastors is 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. Act 20.28 1 Cor. 4 1 2 1 Tim 5.20 2 Cor. 1.23 and 13.8 5.1 2 3. I beseech the esders which are amongst you I who am an elder with you and a witness of the sufferings of Christ who am also a partaker of the glory which shall be revealed feed the flock of God which is committed to you having care over it not by constraint but willingly according to God not for dishonest gain but of a ready mind not as having Lord-ship over the people and clergy of God but so that you be examples to the flock by good will 2 Cor. 4.5 We do not preach our selves but Jesus Christ our Lord and that we are your servants for Jesus 2 Tim. 2.2 that which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses do thou commit to faithful men who shall be sufficient to teach others also and verse the 14 remember these things protesting before God c. Study to render thy self approved to God to open without confusion and handling rightly the words of truth 2 Tim. 4.2 Preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all patience and doctrine 6. The dignity of the charge of Pastors and Supervisors 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a man esteem of us as of the Ministers of Christ 2 Cor. 5.10 and dispensors of the secrets of God 1 Tim. 3.1 This word is certain if any one hath a mind to be a Bishop he desireth a good work 7. That the Faithful ought to honour their Pastors obey and nourish them Matt. 18.17 If thy brother disdains to hear the Church let him be to thee as a Pagan and Publican Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me saith the Lord speaking to his Disciples and he that rejects you rejects me Heb. 13.17 Obey them who rule over you and submit to them for they watch for your souls as they who ought to give an account of them that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that will not become profitable to you 1 Tim. 5.17 The Priests or elders as the Louvain version renders this word Sect 5 in the passage of St. Peter 1 Ep. Ch. 5.1 who rule well let them be reputed worthy of double honor principally they who labour